Response from our President Stanley Goldberg to an article in the Hartford Courant about our new Torah.

I am so pleased that the Hartford Courant found Temple Beth Hillel’s receiving a new Torah from a now defunct congregation B’nai Jacob in Longmeadow, MA, to be news worthy. We as a congregation, feel it is one of the most wonderful occasions as Jews, to celebrate. Bringing a new Torah to our congregation, the first since the inception or our congregation 50 years ago, is truly a mitzvah, the fulfilling of a commandment. This is a joy we wish to share with everyone in our congregation, former members of B’nai Jacob and our Greater Hartford community.

We’ll be having a passing of the Torah from congregation B’nai Jacob to Temple Beth Hillel, to show the importance of keeping the living word alive. This will be done on April 3, starting at 6:30 P.M., at 20 Baker Lane in South Windsor. Anyone who wishes to attend is welcome.

There seems to be confusion in the Hartford Courant article about the cost of a Torah. A new Torah can cost anywhere from $8,000 - $40,000, depending on their size and the materials used to make them. This Torah was paid for by private donations and anyone who would like to contribute to a fund in honor of the B’nai Jacob Torah, is welcome to do so. Please contact Temple Beth Hillel for more information. (860) 282-8466

Stanley J. Goldberg

The dictionary defines a volunteer as “ 1.a person who offers himself for a service without obligation to do so. 2. a person who performs a service willingly and without pay.” Our Temple Beth Hillel members over the past months have especially exemplified this definition of what it is to be a volunteer. In that process, they have performed important mitzvoth for our community.

On Sunday, January 25th we held our “Clean-Up Day”. Volunteers from our Men’s Club as well as Edi Chernack, Kris Keegan and her son, Alanna Sultar and…..please forgive me….others whose names I don’t remember, rolled up their sleeves and got to work. From 10:30 in the morning, until 3:00 in the afternoon they cleaned and re-organized various storage closets and cabinets. Our Principal, Sue Weinman, with the help of art committee members Marty Seefer and Lisa Wolf have cleaned out our Coat Room. Now we have an area that can truly use as a coat closet and not as a catch-all for discarded and miscellaneous items.

This year we needed to change how we prepare our Mishloach Manot Purim Boxes. This has been an important yearly fundraising effort for our SWFTY youth group.
Rebecca Chaimovitch and Shelley Haslett stepped up to do the gathering of goodies for the boxes and Sisterhood will be assembling them. Additional thanks goes to Phyllis Leibman for her invaluable input on getting the supplies and to Mrs. McGregger for the purchase of the boxes.

I want to thank you all for your efforts. These are great examples of the mitzvah of volunteering. It serves as an important reminder to our entire Temple Beth Hillel family of how much we need each and every member to pitch in. We need YOU!
Can you spare one hour a week? The mitzvah you perform in volunteering even one hour will not only help our synagogue, but bring you a great sense of joy as well.

We need volunteers to help build for the future of Temple Beth Hillel. We are currently seeking a Youth Leader and a Leader for SWFTY. We need a co-ordinator for Social Action and a new chairperson for our Religious Practice Committee. In 2010 we will celebrate our 50th anniversary of Temple Beth Hillel. We need volunteers to come together to make our celebration something we will all be proud of. Qvell with me – and engage in the mitzvah of being an active, committed member of Temple Beth Hillel. We have so much to offer each other!

Stanley J. Goldberg

President Temple Beth Hillel

With our celebration of Purim right around the corner, you may be wondering why I have titled this article “Dayeinu”. No, it isn’t a mistake! “Dayeinu, It would have been enough” recounts a long list of miracles that G-d performed in freeing us from the slavery of Egypt. Every year, at our seder tables, we enthusiastically sing this famous refrain. The spirit of this melody engages us all. And, the spirit of our Cantor Mekler has engaged us all since she has come to Temple Beth Hillel, only a few short months ago.

Dayeinu – It would have been enough to have Cantor Mekler chant our High Holiday services this year, but she did so much more. She formed a first time adult Temple Beth Hillel Choir of more than 20 of our congregants. They added so much to our worship and even after all the rehearsal time and additional preparation, Cantor Mekler didn’t stop there.

Dayeinu – It would have been enough if our adult choir sang at High Holiday services, but they began to sing at Shabbat Services and also at a community Thanksgiving service. More rehearsal, preparation and work.

Dayeinu – It would have been enough to have Cantor Mekler with us to celebrate Purim, but she will also lend her special talents to creating an original Purimspiel. Our cast will include Rabbi, Cantor, congregants and students. This will be a BIG MEGILLAH!

Dayeinu – It would have been enough to enjoy this Purimspiel, but Cantor Mekler has not stopped there. She is working within our La’atid project to create 5 different creative Shabbat worship experiences. Three of them will include the use of instrumental music in a Friday Night Live model. All of this once again, will require hours of preparation and rehearsal.

Dayeinu – It would have been enough, but from there, Cantor Mekler envisioned a first time event for Temple Beth Hillel. On May 3rd at 3:00 p.m. The Connecticut Z’mirah Chorale, Mak’hela, Jewish Chorus of Western Massachusetts and our very own Temple Beth Hillel Adult Choir will perform in a special concert. This will be a fundraiser for the Temple Beth Hillel Music Fund.

Little did we know, that when Cantor Mekler was hired to join Temple Beth Hillel as our Part Time Cantor, that she would bring so much more to all of us. What began as an agreement to be our Cantor at High Holiday Services, some Shabbat Services and at B’nai Mitzvah Services has blossomed into a much deeper and rewarding relationship for all of us.

Due to our budget restraints we now find ourselves in the difficult position of not having the resources to continue having Cantor Mekler be a part of us, unless we can raise significant donations for our Music Fund. I now call on you to help. Do you know of anyone outside of our Temple that would be able to contribute? Can you help in any way? The spirit, joy and soul that Cantor Mekler has brought to Temple Beth Hillel has touched us all. It could be just the beginning……

Stanley J. Goldberg

President, Temple Beth Hillel