Etz Hayim Holds a Special Meeting

Sunday  December 14, 2014 at 10 AM

Rabbi Peter Levy opened the session with a D’var Torah :recounting the story of Joseph’s famous  interpretations of the Pharaohs’ dreams concerning the seven fat, then seven thin cattle, and the need to plan wisely.  President Steve Soreff welcomed the group and noted all of our love and commitment to Etz Hayim synagogue and its future as well as the many neat things happening at the synagogue. . The Treasurer Laurie Medrek presented a detailed and very understandable review of our current fiscal situation and initiatives to solve it.  She was aided by a power point presentation Jay Madnick developed and a giving tree created by Arlene Agosto.

The Treasurer Laurie Medrek  reviewed our current fiscal situation and initiatives to solve it.

We had a super and very effective meeting today-thanks to the Board and it's collective brilliance and participation.    Laurie gets four Jewish stars by  NY TIMes for her superb presentation; Jay neat power point; Arlene great tree; Dina great job on  checking all in and the notes; all for the food.  Another big step in Etz Hayim's future.

Happy Hannukkah

Steve

Men's Group Visits the NH Supreme Court

              

Under the guidance of one of the men’s Group’s members , Robert Lynn toured the New Hampshire on December 11, 2014.   Robert Lynn is one of the five NH Supreme Court judges.  The group saw a very informative video depicting the place of the Supreme Court and the organization of the NH Judicial system.   They visited the actual Supreme Court  room where the judges work when in session.  They also visited the individual judges’ chambers and the building’s Law Library. Afterwards, they dine at the Red Blazer in Concord.

FAB Women Visit Coolidge Corner

We had a great day in Coolidge Corner, wandering around Harvard Street, checking out the beautiful Jewish artwork and eating real Jewish deli.  

Ladies at Zaftigs in Brookline, Massachusetts.

Future Adventures:

Please email us ASAP and let us know if you can join in any of them:

1.  September 28 at 2 PM.  Capitol Center for the Arts. Menopause the Musical . Balcony tickets are available at $40.00. More information at  http://www.ccanh.com/event/menopause-musical.  If you are interested, please email Laura and fabwomen@etzhayim.org.   

2. October 26. Wine tasting tour.  A walk around Hollis, and then wine tasting at Fulchino Vineyard. Sounds like a blast.  $10 a person.  Please let us know ASAP so we can determine if we have enough people to reserve a spot at the Vineyard.

3. November 23. Apple Recipe Tasting at Laura Aronson's house.  2:00 on Sunday. In a nutshell:  We share recipes, and eat them too. So, please bring your favorite apple dish and copies of your recipe to share. Laura will provide coffee and tea.

Please RSVP to Laura and fabwomen@etzhayim.org.

Men's Group Tool Auction

  The Men’s Group Holds a Patriots’ Game, Poker Tournament and Tool Auction.

                

As summer fades into autumn, the Men’s Group of Etz Hayim had a fascinating, fun  filled afternoon on Sunday, September 7, 2014.   For the ten dollar admission price, each participant received a number of poker chips.  They then used the chips in a huge game of poker as pictured below.  During the poker game, they watched the New England Patriots play the Miami Dolphins.   Although the football game proved disappointing with New England sustaining a 20 to 33 loss, the poker game was quite enjoyable  as most everyone went on to be a winner.  At half time, the crew feasted on kosher hot dogs and vegetarian beans.

                After the football game, the members then used their poker chip winnings to bid on  shop tools which each member had brought to the event.  Items included a LED light, a socket wrench  set,  two 25 foot measuring tapes, a rope, paint brushes, a set of Allen wrenches and a large screw driver variety pack.

                It was a fun and enjoyable day at Etz Hayim.

Etz Hayim at Lake Pawtuckaway

Peggy Tucker and Steve Soreff hosted the 2014 Etz Hayim Synagogue Havdallah service and informal welcome to Rabbi Levi and his lovely wife Amy. 

 Kayaking and canoeing around the lake.

 A boat tour of Lake Pawtuckaway

Havdalah service and sparklers vis Al Sandler. Rabbi Levi and Amy leading us in song.

Empty Basement

Etz Hayim Basement Cleared!

Yes, for several years much stuff has been accumulating in the Etz Hayim basement. We have been looking for ways to remove with little success.   Then things came together. Newly elected Board member Stephen Landau volunteered to do the job.  He and his family have been very active in Chester’s Boy Scout troop 163.  It turns out the troop holds a huge two day yard sale annually.  It happens to be this weekend June 21 and 22, 2014.  So this Thursday afternoon, June 19, 2014 Stephen brought some youngsters including one troop member to clear the basement.  They did a marvelous job.  Thanks!

Stephen Landau moving our basement to Chester.

Memory Garden

On June 15th, Jacob Riese, with the help of his mother, Eva Bak and his Aunt Deborah Litvin, planted a memory garden in honor of his grandmothers:  Zofia Bak and Sylvia Riese. Both of Jacob's grandmothers died last year just before his Bar Mitzvah. Jacob did a mini-bar-mitzvah service in Sylvia's hospital room a week before she died. Seeing him Bar Mitzvah was one of her last wishes and this helped her to pass peacefully when the time came. Here are Jacob and his mom, Eva Bak, with the finished product.

Annual Meeting

Rabbi Bryna Milkow opened the Etz Hayim Synagogue annual meeting with an invocation, report and farewell message. President Sarah Finne-Sandler, ending her two year term as head of the Board of Directors proceeded with thank you's and the election of new board of directors. She thanked all of the committee members for their work and said specific thanks to retiring Board members:  Deborah Bailin, Renee Solomon and Marci McWilliams. She presented a balanced budget which was unanimously approved. Arlene Agosto ended the meeting with a  tour of our etzhayim.org website.

2014-2015 Board of Directors:

President Steve Soreff

Vice President Jay Madnick

Treasurer - TBD

Secretary Dina Chaitowitz

Directors:

David Riese

Craig Starkman

Arlene Agosto de Kane

Jill McAlpine

Mark Aronson

On behalf of the Board a necklace was presented to our outgoing President Sara Finne-Sandler and a challah cutting board was given to our outgoing  Secretary Andy Corman.

Havdallah Farewell May 17, 2014

 It was a lovely Havdallah Service led by Rabbi Milkow where everyone had the opportunity to wish her well and say good bye.  

She will be with us until the end June and then move to Pennsylvania.

Thank you Rabbi Milkow for all you have done for 

Etz Hayim Synagogue.

The synagogue presented her with a Passover plate set painted with irises (her favorite flower!) 

The Bishop of NH institutes Reverend Raymond Bonin as the Rector of the Church of the Transfiguration

At 6:30 PM, Wednesday May 14, 2014  The Right Reverend A. Robert Hirschfeld   preceded over a very well attended, moving ceremony in which he made The Reverend Raymond Thomas Bonin the Rector of the Church of the Transfiguration.  For the last two Ray has served as their Priest in Charge.  In a service rich with pageantry, the Bishop talked about the values of our Interfaith Campus and how metaphorically  there would not have had the church without the historically first the synagogue.  He focused on the word abide , which was a key phase in the service to emphasize the interactive relationship between the spiritual leaders and their congregations.

              The clergy was well represented.   Many  Episcopal priests from throughout the  Diocese of New Hampshire were present and as well as numerous local clergy in attendance.  The church’s choir provided  vocal accompaniment to the service which included Communion.  In addition,  a number of members Etz Hayim congregation joined the celebration along with members of the Church of the Transfiguration community and many of Rays’s friends.   The entire event celebrated the unique relationship of our Interfaith Campus.

Second Seder, Tuesday, April 15,2014

Etz Hayim Synagogue’s  Second Seder April 15, 2014

                Rabbi Bryna Milkow conducted the second seder which 42 people signed up and participated in. Deb Bailin organized the meal and went to Peabody, MA for the food.  Jay Madnick, Steve Soreff, Deb Bailin, Anna Bailin  and Bruce Wechsler helped to prepare the synagogue Sunday April 13.  On Tuesday Deb Bailin, Patricia Biagi and Steve Soreff did the final preparations  and Deb Bailin and Nancy Kahn assisted serving the meal.  Many of the participants stayed and cleaned up the synagogue.

Rabbi Bryna Milkow 
conducting the seder. 

 The children asking 

the Four questions.

The cast of story of Passover 

as told through a baseball game between the Goshen Hebrews versus the Nile Egyptians. 
The Hebrews won.

 

 Children led by the Rabbi watching and singing 

Echad Mi Yodea. 

Purim Queen

Purim She's a Killer Queen.

Etz Hayim Synagogue celebrated Purim on Saturday, March 15, 2014 with homemade hamantashen and a spiel set to the music of the 70’s British band, Queen.  

EHS Purim girls2: Deb Bailin, Deb Silverstein, Deb Eisner, Linda Rosenberg, Pat Biagi, Renee Solomon

EHS Purim boys2:  Jake Rosenberg, Jay Madnick, Steve Soreff, Al Sandler, Larry Bleicher

Purim Shpiel Rehearsal

Etz Hayim Synagogue will present its Purim Shpiel on Saturday night, March 15, 2014 at 8 PM. It features Purim songs as adapted to the popular tunes of the band Queen. Seen here is Al Sandler leading the first rehearsal on Sunday March 2. Larry Bleicher has written an original song for the Shpiel and will provide guitar accompaniment. 

Also pictured are members of the chorus rehearsing the various songs including Bohemian Rhapsody recast as Mesopotamian Rhapsody and We are the Champions changed to We are the Conscience. 

The next and last rehearsal will be March 9, at 11:30 AM at Etz Hayim. 

Rabbi Bryna Milkow will be doing an abbreviated reading of the Megillah which will be integrated into the shpiel. At the Purim party there will a Who Can make the Most Creative Hamantash Contest and other are welcome to bring other unique holiday dishes to share. People are encouraged to dress in wild Purim costumes. This is an adult party where you can bring your own liquid refreshment.

FABulous Women of Etz Hayim solve Mystery!

Etz Hayim Synagogue’s newly-formed women’s group, “FAB,” had its kick-off event on Sunday, March 1, 2014, at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts.  Nine “fabulous” women spent the day participating in a Watson Adventure scavenger hunt at the museum, and then enjoyed the museum’s new Impressionism exhibit.  

  For our next adventure (on March 30, 2014), FAB members are off to Jerusalem – that is, to the IMAX movie by that name, currently playing at Boston’s Museum of Science.  We would love for you to join us.  You don’t have to be a member of Etz Hayim Synagogue to participate in any of FAB’s adventures:  you just have to be fabulous!  

To sign up for future events go to:  http://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0848A8AC2DA5FA7-events

For more information, please contact us at fab@etzhayim.org.  

Whether you are a female member of Etz Hayim Synagogue or simply a fabulous woman, we hope you will join us. 

Upcoming events are:

(1)     Sunday, March 30, 2014:  trip to Boston Museum of Science to see 1:00 showing of “Jerusalem” at the IMAX;

(2)     Sunday, June 1, 2014:  bike trip and picnic on the Derry Rail Trail.

Men Meet at Monarchs

The Men’s Group went to see the Manchester Monarchs  play the Providence Bruins at the Verizon Wireless Arena I n Manchester Feb. 8, 2014.

 Most the eleven attending members first ate at the Athens Restaurant,  Then they watched and cheers during the game. 

The final score was Monarchs 2 and the Bruins 3 but a good time was had by all.

A Big Thank You to Our Neighbors

 A Big Thank You to our neighbors:

One of the great and unique aspects of Etz Hayim remains our on-going relationship with the Church of the Transfiguration.  We used to worship there and share Elijah Table with them.  This Sunday Jan. 26, 2014 we provided the refreshments to them after their 10 AM service.  It was a join event of our Board of Directors and the Religious  Practices Committee.   It also said a warm and friendly thank you for the church's providing baby sitting during our High Holiday Services.  

 

Which proves again that "517. The relationship between Etz Hayim and the Church of the Transfiguration." is one of the  603 Reasons New Hampshire is special.Thanks to all who participated.

Happy Birthday to the Trees!

On January 17th, 2014 we celebrated a delicious Tu BiShevat seder.  

We arrived to see beautifully arranged plates set by Laura with some of the fruits and nuts of trees that typically grow in Israel.  
The tables were arranged in a welcoming "U"  formation so we could all gather around. 

Here is a plate that has pomegranate, olives, dates, figs, almonds, coconuts, raisins, apples and oranges. 

We noticed that one of our members hadn't eaten real figs in a couple of years and began to hum the "big fig newton" song from 20 years ago and several others began humming along until they realized that this aged them and quickly quieted down.  

There was also red grape juice and white grape juice and as the service progressed we went from all white to all red, while going through "tinging" which means mostly white with a touch of red or vice versa.  Now this, as with all things Jewish sparked a fierce debate about whether this is mixing or tinging, however anything under 50% was decided to be tinging and so another raucous debate was settled with 49.9% being tinging and 50 % being mixing. So should this come up next year, mark this, we will be ready.

A good time was had by all, as this is a really fun event and the service was lovely. It has become an ecological holiday and what can be bad with eating?

We also learned more about one another, we learned for example one of our families has a small orchard of hazelnut trees!

 We also learned about the origin of the holiday, TuBishevat. The fruit of the trees was taxed in Israel, but only after it's fourth year.  To be able to calculate how old a tree was they decided on one specific birthday for all trees.  For the first three years the fruit of a tree should not be picked or eaten. In the fourth year of fruit was to be given to G-d and on the fifth year the fruit could be picked and eaten and therefore taxed.

 Laura did a wonderful job of setting up the seder plates and making sure there was a representative fruit for each category.

Havdallah Happy Happening

January 11, 2014

On Saturday evening, January 11, 2014, a group of approximately 30 members of the Etz Hayim community gathered for a Havdallah service led by Rabbi Bryna Milkow and lay cantor, Al Sandler. 

Following the brief service, complete with stories told by the Rabbi and Steve Soreff, Vice President, a pot luck supper was enjoyed by all. 

The evening continued with folks engaging in fellowship and a variety of games including, but not limited to, Mexican Train, Things, Scrabble and cards. 

The Patriots were playing on the big screen with a wonderful evening enjoyed by all! 

Thank you to the Membership Committee for organizing this. If you weren’t able to make it this time, watch for the next event and please join us!!!