Temple Beth El Blog

The days are beginning to enjoy more light, even though the weather remains cold. Tu Bishvat, the new year of the trees, is a holiday that signals the coming of spring and the renewal of the cycles of growth and warmth. We begin to shift our mindset to renewal, growth, and hope as we begin a new year with new possibilities. Join us at 10:00 am on Sunday, January 16 for a Tu Bishvat seder including your choice of breakout session. Register here to attend on Zoom and to sign up for a seder gift bag.

As part of the seder, there will be two breakout sessions hosted by the Kesher Israel Committee and the Environment and Climate Change Action Team:

• Israeli Environmental Achievements and Future Directions: Israel has been on the forefront of environmental development for many years, with its sustainability programs in the Arava, the desert region south of and between the Dead Sea and the city of Eilat. Active in this realm are the nongovernmental organizations of Hazon, Kibbutz Lotan (Reform movement), and the Arava Institute. Specific environmental projects and joint working groups involving Israelis, Palestinians, and Jordanians have propelled these organizations to the world spotlight. This session will both introduce you to this expanding field of work and underscore the call from Genesis 2:15 that our supreme human task is to serve and preserve the earth.
• Recycling Crash Course: For decades we’ve been told to recycle to help the environment, and recycling technology has improved. Have we updated our recycling habits too? In the City of Madison about 12.8% of what goes into recycling bins is actually trash, and about 13% of material in the Dane County landfill could be recycled. This interactive session will share current recycling best practices along with other ways to minimize our waste to help the environment.

Temple is also hosting a Tu Bishvat Seder for young families. We’ll use a youth-friendly Haggadah and do a planting project. This will also take place on Zoom on Sunday, January 16, with a later start time of 10:45 am. Young families can register online to get the Zoom link and sign up for a materials bag.

Other events in January 2022:
Big Bold Jewish Climate Fest
January 10–14

WI Salt Awareness Week 
January 24–28, 2022

During Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK) weekend and all this month, we seek to turn our desire for racial justice into action. Here are four ways you can make the weekend more meaningful.

DONATE 

TBE is continuing its partnership with the Allied Wellness Center's Essentials Pantry for residents of the Allied neighborhood. In 2021, generous TBE members contributed over $5,000, which purchased thousands of critically needed health and hygiene products, such as toilet paper, paper towels, toothpaste, deodorant, razors, diapers, sanitizing wipes, tampons, shampoo, etc., as well as bus tickets, gas cards, and grocery cards. Allied Wellness Center is incredibly grateful to our community for this support, which especially during these difficult economic times and COVID pandemic, has proven to be absolutely essential to the Allied neighbors and most appreciated! 
This year Congregation Shaarei Shamayim is joining us in supporting the Allied Wellness Center and Allied neighbors. Can you or your family help us fulfill this mitzvah now, during this month of the Martin Luther King Jr. commemorations? The most efficient way to stock the shelves is to donate money so we can buy in bulk. You can make your tax-deductible donation right on the Temple website (select Allied Wellness Center as the donation type). You can also mail a check to Temple Beth El (2702 Arbor Drive, Madison, WI 53711) with “Allied Wellness Center” in the memo. 
Alternatively, you can drop off any of the following items in the Temple Beth El coatroom, and we’ll make sure they get to the Allied Wellness Center. 

• Bars of soap
• Toothpaste
• Toothbrushes
• Body wash
• Shampoo
• Deodorant
• Razors
• Paper towels
• Toilet paper
• Hand sanitizer
• Diapers (all sizes)
• Diaper wipes
• Tampons
• Sanitary pads
• Laundry detergent 
• Laundry pods
• Surface cleaners
• Sponges
• Dish detergent 

 
The Allied Wellness Center also has an ongoing need for regular volunteers. Would you like to help purchase items with the donated funds and deliver it to the Wellness Center, and/or stock the pantry shelves? If interested, contact Betsy Abramson, co-chair of TBE's Racial Justice Action Team, at betsyabramson@gmail.com or 608-332-7867. 
We hope to raise funds to support many of these critical needs as part of our mitzvah in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. weekend and again mid-year, around Juneteenth. 

PARTICIPATE 

Be part of the 37th annual Madison-Dane County MLK Day Observance on Monday, January 17, from 6:00 to 7:00 pm, virtually. This annual observance includes presentation of the MLK Humanitarian Award by City of Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway and Dane County Executive Joe Parisi. Noted musician Leotha Stanley will again lead the MLK Community Choir. The event will feature keynote speaker Ilyasah Shabazz, third daughter of Malcolm X and award-winning author, educator, and producer. Temple Beth El is proud to again be a bronze sponsor of this observance. 
The greater Dane County community offers a number of interesting important events on this weekend as well. You can find several listed here. This site is updated every few days, so continue to check back for new additions.
We also encourage you to purchase a meal from a Black-owned eatery over MLK weekend as part of your commemoration and commitment to racial justice and spreading wealth around. Consider trying a few over the weekend, and then make a commitment to add them to your takeout options.
 
ADVOCATE

Join the URJ Religious Action Center in the push for voting rights. We must continue to call on our two Wisconsin senators, Ron Johnson and Tammy Baldwin, and the White House to urge them to reform the filibuster and pass the Freedom to Vote Act and John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act immediately. It’s easy and quick to make these calls—you can find the instructions here. We must keep the pressure on until these bills become law.
 
EDUCATE 

Join TBE for a Shabbat Honoring the Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on January 14 at 7:30 pm. Our special Shabbat worship will reflect on the legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. Reuben Anthony, CEO of Urban League will share remarks via video.

Join our Me and White Supremacy Discussion Group materials provided. First meeting is Wednesday, January 19 at 8:00 pm on Zoom. Learn more and register here.

We are thankful for several types of donations that help to support Temple Beth El throughout the year. Many of these donations support Temple Beth El with funds that can be used where needed. Gifts designated for specific projects allow for growth and innovation.

Bequests
Donations from bequests—gifts to Temple as a beneficiary in a will, IRA, or other financial asset upon a person’s passing—create a legacy gift that supports TBE in the future through our permanently endowed funds. We are grateful for the legacy these members have created in remembering TBE in their planned giving: 

• Ivy Dreizin Edelman for her donations to the Alex and Edythe Edelman Memorial Fund
• Jeanne Silverberg
• Marv Conney
• Susan Sinaiko for the creation of the Jacob J. Sinaiko Memorial Endowment Fund

Memorial and Tribute Donations
Donations to memorialize loved ones and celebrate occasions big and small are acts of tzedakah that sustain Temple life. These gifts can be given for general use or directed for a specific use. 
We are grateful for 2021 donations totaling just over $25,000 to the greatest need fund, which provides flexible funding that can be used as needed. We are also thankful for memorial and tribute donations that were designated for specific uses or funds, discussed below.

Donations for Special Projects or Funds
Donations in 2021 that were given for specific uses total over $300,000. These gifts were donated to Temple for special projects or programs outside of membership contributions.

• Rabbi’s Discretionary Fund, which allows the rabbi to help support Temple and community needs.
• Establishment of the Cantor’s Discretionary Fund, which allows the cantor to expand Temple’s music program.
• Funds for new computers for staff.
• Funds to purchase items needed for safety in our Religious School during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Memorial and simcha plaques, the funds from which go to the building fund or the greatest need fund. 
• Our beautifully renovated sanctuary, made possible from donations of over $200,000, including substantial donations from Sisterhood, Men’s Club, and the Goodman Foundation.
• Acquisition of two Torah scrolls that survived the Holocaust from the Memorial Scrolls Trust, made possible through the generosity of two TBE families.

Donations to Endowed Funds
Our permanently endowed funds, including the Yerusha Endowment Fund and the Larry Kohn Chair for Jewish Learning Fund, are the basis for Temple Beth El’s financial future. Contributions to these funds were made through tribute and memorial gifts, additional donations during membership renewal, and bequests. Donations in 2021 to all of our permanently endowed funds totaled over $62,000. 

All donations, large or small, allow Temple Beth El to provide programs and services today while securing our financial health for the future. Thank you for all your giving in 2021.

TBE members generously donated almost $17,000 during the High Holy Day Food Drive. When asked to help address food insecurity, we answered the call to reach out to those in need. We are proud that our $13,000 contribution to Second Harvest qualifies us as a bronze-level sponsor in their Share Your Holiday Campaign with NBC15, whose food distribution throughout our region makes a real difference to so many individuals and families. The Share Your Holiday Campaign provides around four months of food assistance through Second Harvest and its programs and partners.

We also used your High Holy Day Food Drive donations to distribute to other food-related organizations and partners in our social justice work. This year we plan to donate $500 to each of these partner organizations: Mount Zion Baptist Church and Catholic Multicultural Center for their food pantries, Porchlight Emergency Food Shelter for food items not covered by the program, Centro Hispano and The Road Home for grocery cards, and Thea’s Table/Food for Thought for weekend food for families of school children without housing.

The Thanksgiving food drive, when we work with the Religious School families to encourage each grade to bring in food for the Goodman Community Center holiday meal, is currently underway. Sunday morning, November 21, is the last day to bring donations to any of our three collection sites or donate online. November is also our month to support the Thoreau Elementary School Food Program, delivering boxes of food directly to families at their homes. We have the privilege of delivering turkeys (and all the fixings) on November 19. This month we are also cooking a week of dinners for Healing House and two meals for the Catholic Multicultural Center.

Finally, November calls for a shout-out to Sisterhood for another successful Food-A-Rama. This event brings our community members together in service, reinforces connections to our heritage, and raises money for numerous good causes and Temple programs.

Thank you to our caring community, to all who cooked and all who gave.

In mid-August, over the span of several days, thousands of refugees landed at Fort McCoy and hundreds of people reached out to help. With input from members of the local Afghan American community (former refugees themselves), Jewish Social Services of Madison (JSS) and Open Doors for Refugees will work to resettle and support them as they arrive in Madison. Open Doors is also planning a winter clothing drive to support the people being held at Fort McCoy, and working with the legal team at the Catholic Multicultural Center to help people file for “humanitarian parole” visas for family members to come here.

With the help of many TBE volunteers, JSS and Open Doors recently set up their 56th apartment, one of the largest to date, for an Afghan family of six (see pictures here).

Becca Schwartz, JSS resettlement director, notes that in addition to the 50 refugees that JSS had agreed to resettle in the coming year, they will be resettling 75 more Afghan evacuees. They currently have to turn away large Afghan families (7–9 members) for resettlement, so if you or someone you know has a large property at an affordable rate, please let her know.

There are many volunteer opportunities coming up for helping refugees. Open Doors lists a number of opportunities in its October newsletter, including furniture warehouse co-manager, donation pickup and move-in volunteer co-organizer, ESL co-leader, winter clothing drive organizer, and bike outfitters.

If you would like to help those currently staying at Ft. McCoy, Team Rubicon, a veteran-run emergency-response nonprofit, has Amazon wish lists set up for several of the processing centers, including Ft. McCoy. This helps them provide exactly what is needed for Afghan guests while they are there.

Join the Dane Sanctuary Coalition’s “Big Read” of the book Separated: Inside an American Tragedy, by Jacob Soboroff. You can choose between two discussion sessions, either Monday, December 6, 7:00–8:30 pm, or Sunday, December 12, 1:00–2:30 pm, both by Zoom. You can register for the session of your choice here. A study guide for the book will be forwarded to anyone who registers. Copies of the book are available at A Room of One’s Own and Mystery to Me bookstores, the public library, and online booksellers. Please register by December 1 to get the Zoom link and study guide.

In June 2018, Americans became aware that the government was deliberately separating migrant parents and children at U.S. border facilities. Jacob Soboroff was among the first journalists to expose this reality after seeing firsthand the living conditions of the children in custody. He then spent two years reporting the many strands of this complex narrative, using inside government sources, laying out the human toll and making it clear what is at stake as America struggles to reset its immigration policies.

“Do not destroy My world, for if you do, there will be nobody after you to make it right again” (Midrash Ecclesiastes Rabbah 7:13). These are powerful words, which Rabbi Biatch introduced me to when we met to talk about his perspective on our relationship with the environment.

Even though these are ominous words, I find that our scripture provides us with words that guide us to act, to heal, to drive change. Rabbi Biatch is our community’s connection to those words. During Erev Rosh Hashanah he did just that—he reminded us about Rabbi Shimon, who said, “Three things are equally important: earth, humanity, and rain.” And exhorted us to change our eating habits to a plant-rich diet to reduce the damage caused by animal products to help save all three.

Rabbi Biatch has been thinking about how we treat the Earth since he was young. He remembers his mother, of blessed memory, saying, “I am really sad they are sending people to the moon, because all those rockets must be doing some damage to the atmosphere.” She was especially sensitive to anything happening in the environment and imparted this feeling on her children. It was also not hard to miss the impact of heavy smog in Los Angeles growing up. And at the same time there was a growing awareness of the dangers of nuclear power. Rabbi Biatch remembers how Peter, Paul and Mary’s song “Power” was a wake-up call for many.

I asked him what in scripture particularly drives him to act to help the environment, and he responded that he found inspiration in Genesis 2:15, which is traditionally translated as “our job is to take care of the garden, to till and tend it.” But the rabbi likes to interpret it as to “serve and preserve,” which is short, meaningful, and to the point.

When discussing why humankind has been willing to cause damage to their own home, he helped me put things in perspective. “It’s too immense of a problem; it’s like the story of the people in a boat in the middle of the ocean—while one is drilling a hole, others ask why, and he says, ‘The hole is only under me.’ Most people don’t see their impact and cumulative effect and how it will affect the world. They don’t believe it; they don’t think it’s possible.”

He added that while the TV news shows the terrible damage from tornadoes, fires, and floods, we tend to become disconnected. We don’t get the interdependency of this world.

In our congregation we are attempting to act locally, to help the community make stronger connections between our everyday surroundings and environmental impacts. I asked Rabbi Biatch what advice he had for us, and he was clear in saying, “Engage the community. Find positive ways to make change, focus on changing one person at a time. Look at food, how do we use resources at an Oneg Shabbat, do we use compostable materials, or reusable stuff? People have an impact even if they don’t know it. Hone in on positive ways we can make a change in our community. Find decision makers and see if they can be convinced to try something different. Start small to educate people in a way that engages them, not lecturing at people; it’s too overwhelming.”

He also called for us to remember how environmental justice intersects with social justice and with our acknowledgment of ownership of the land we inhabit. “Connect with the fact that Native Americans that came before us in Madison treated the land differently than we do.” (Here Rabbi Biatch showed me a YouTube video of the “Crying Indian” ad to make his point; check it out.) “If we don’t have a planet that’s habitable, there will be nothing.”

Judaism is about the here and now, about achieving grace through our actions. According to Rabbi Biatch, standing still in the face of the destruction of our home is not an option. “It is our responsibility to preserve, protect, and nourish our planet. We have the power to take action to create a healthy and just future for ourselves and generations to come.” These are strong words that tie us to our tradition.

Hanukkah celebrates humanity’s ongoing struggles for freedom and justice. Remembering our own experiences of persecution throughout history, we stand in solidarity with those who share our yearning for a more just and equitable world. Each night of Hanukkah, may our conversations be richer, our advocacy be stronger, and our voices be louder as we commit to another year of justice and freedom for all.

Consider these resources to bring social justice themes into your Hanukkah celebration:

• Jewish Center for Justice: This guide provides easy, fun, and important ways to help enhance your Hanukkah experience and spark a discussion each night. 
• Religious Action Center: Sustaining the Light: A Social Justice Program Guide for Chanukah. This guide is focused on four issues for discussion: the environment, economic justice, children’s issues, and religious liberty. 
• American Jewish World Service: Light One Candle for Freedom, Dignity & Justice. This is a short reading and prayer for social justice to accompany the candle blessings.
• TBE’s Hanukkah@Home resources include readings and ways to include social justice in our holiday along with other ways to enrich your Hanukkah celebrations.

Looking for a gift that’s festive, local, and in support of a great community program? Need applesauce for your latkes? This year, try Porchlight Products! Porchlight Products is an employment training program for disabled and formerly homeless individuals who have struggled to return to or remain in a mainstream employment setting. Their quality food products are available at local stores such as Brennan’s Cellars, Capitol Centre Foods, Festival Foods, Hy-Vee, Metcalfe’s, Miller & Sons, Regent Market Co-op, and Willy Street Co-op. Or visit their retail storefront, Storefront for Success, at 1704 Thierer Road, where you can also pick up fresh baked goods from Madison Area Urban Ministry’s Just Bakery project.

L to R, Beth Shuman, executive director of Combatants for Peace, with activists Avner and Suli, on the roof of the Holy Land Hotel in East Jerusalem.

Two men, similar in age and temperament, in a continuing struggle for their ideals. On the first afternoon of our journey to understand the current level of conflict between Israel and Palestine, we met with these two activists who have spent the better paper of the last 16 years in peace work. Avner is a former officer of the Israeli army, and he underscored the need for both Israelis and Palestinians to reduce the trauma of being both the occupier and the occupied. They discussed the great difficulty of two peoples being subject to two separate seta of laws, one civilian and the other military. And, yes, they carefully (they say) use certain verbiage to define this situation as having “elements of colonialism”.

Suli is a former Palestinian prisoner who was jailed at age 14 for a sentence of ten years, but now is one of many who can admit his crimes and can also move on to attempt to bring healing to these two peoples. As they said, the simplest things in life are different and difficult for these two peoples: the simple task of returning home from this evening’ encounter—for Avner, a simple bike ride through Jerusalem’s terrible rush hour traffic,and for Suli, his drive through a demeaning checkpoint to his home which would otherwise be a seven-minute drive—defines the difficulties of life for these two peoples.

I look forward to bringing all of this back to report to TBE and the Madison community.

Did you know that biblical (or classical) Hebrew and modern spoken Hebrew are not the same? Biblical Hebrew was the language used by the Hebrews to communicate and to record their history, religion, philosophy, and culture. It evolved beyond recognition during the Roman period but lived on in religious contexts. Importantly, it is the language of the Torah read by congregations around the world each Shabbat.
  
Why take a beginning Biblical Hebrew class? You will learn to read, in Hebrew, prayers like the Sh’ma or mourner’s Kaddish from our prayer book. You will begin a journey toward becoming a b’nai mitzvah as an adult, if that is your goal. And based on past TBE adult Hebrew classes, you will simply have a good time.
  
Can I take the class if I had a b’nai mitzvah at age 12 or 13? What if I know a little Hebrew already? Will the class be in person or online? When will it meet, and how often? What book will be used? These are all good questions, which we will address during an online discussion about the class. Just remember: all beginning levels are welcome. To learn more or express interest, join the Zoom discussion on November 18 at 7:30 pm (register here to receive the link), contact the class instructor, Linda Reivitz (lreivitz@wisc.edu; 608-335-9192), or contact Nicole A. Jahr, TBE director of lifelong learning, at learn@tbemadison.org. The class will begin the first week of December 2021.

TBE members generously donated almost $17,000 during the High Holy Day Food Drive. When asked to help address food insecurity, we answered the call to reach out to those in need. We are proud that our contribution qualifies us as a bronze-level sponsor of Second Harvest Foodbank, whose food distribution throughout our region makes a real difference to so many individuals and families. Our Social Action Committee also uses these donations to distribute to other food-related organizations. We are a caring community that works for tikkun olam, as we seek a more just world. Thank you to all who gave.

The Hebrew word dorot means “generations.” At Temple Beth El, we teach the next generation to embrace Jewish life, just as we were taught by those who came before us. With the goal of sustaining Temple Beth El for future generations, we are grateful for the following members of the Dorot Society who included Temple in their estate plans. For more information about the Dorot Society, please contact Stefanie Kushner at exec@tbemadison.org.

Marv Conney Bequest

Marv and Mildred “Babe” Conney (z''l) were members of Temple Beth El for over 55 years. They joined shortly after moving their business and family here in 1964. Their children, Lisa Rosenstock and David Conney, attended TBE’s Religious School and celebrated their life-cycle events with the TBE community. The family legacy continued with the almost 30-year membership of Lisa and her husband, Rick, along with their daughters, who grew up at TBE. Temple Beth El was always central to Marv and Babe’s lives. Marv was one of the fundraising chairs for the 1994 campaign, calling on members to raise the funds necessary for the 1996 expansion of our building. Babe was Sisterhood president from 1970 to 1972. Their financial support helped sustain TBE as well. Marv taught his children that “it is extremely important to pay back your civic rent.” The Conneys have continued to give back even after their passing through Marv’s planned giving, as he named Temple Beth El as a beneficiary. We are grateful to the Conney and Rosenstock families for their generosity and for the legacy that will continue on at
Temple Beth El.

Jacob J. Sinaiko Memorial Endowment

Susan Sinaiko (z''l) passed away in 1989 at the age of 93 years. She was a member of Temple Beth El, and Rabbi Brahms officiated at her funeral. Susan loved art; she was a student in the Department of Art at the University of Wisconsin and was active in the Madison Art Association. Many of us knew her from her 35 years working in sales at Woldenberg’s department store. At the time of her death she left her estate to her remaining sister, Clara Smith, and her niece, Abigail Sand. Family was very important to Susan, as was the future of the Jewish community in Madison. In her will, she declared that the remainder of her estate, upon the death of her sister and niece, was to be evenly divided between Beth Israel Center and Temple Beth El for the establishment of endowments in memory of relatives that had passed before her. With Abigail Sand’s passing in June 2021, Temple Beth El received almost $600,000 to establish the Jacob J. Sinaiko Memorial Fund in memory of Susan’s brother.

We are so grateful for Susan’s commitment to the Madison Jewish community, leaving her remaining estate to establish endowments at two of Madison’s synagogues as a long-lasting investment in the future of Jewish life in Madison.

Looking to volunteer? Need a b’nai mitzvah project? Here are ways to help people in our community. 

Helping Refugees from Afghanistan

From Jewish Social Services of Madison: This is an immensely difficult time for Afghan citizens and those with ties to Afghanistan, and our hearts go out to all individuals and families that are suffering. At this point, we do not have any information about whether JSS will have a role in resettling Afghan SIV (special immigrant visa) recipients who are being processed at Fort McCoy. If we are called upon to resettle SIV recipients, we will do our very best to accommodate these individuals and families. 

To help prepare for a possible increase in arrivals, and to help those who have already resettled in Madison from Afghanistan and other countries, the most helpful thing you can do is provide financial donations to JSS. If you have items to donate or wish to volunteer, visit Open Doors For Refugees’ donations page and volunteer page. 

From Wisconsin Council of Churches: Over 8,700 Afghan refugees were housed at Fort McCoy located between Tomah and Sparta. Fort McCoy is one of eight US military bases that will temporarily house Afghan refugees who have fled Afghanistan. Following processing, refugees will be settled around the country with up to 500 people being resettled in Wisconsin. 

Immediate needs include:

• Housing located on the west side of Madison (near UW hospital is ideal). Contact Wisconsin Council of Churches if you have this available.
• Ingathering of items for Afghan refugees with sites across the state (Wisconsin Conference of the United Methodist Church)
• Volunteer at Fort McCoy (Catholic Charities of the Diocese of La Crosse)

From Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice: Another way to help is to donate to national organizations that work to resettle refugees. One such organization is HIAS. Click here to read about HIAS’ efforts and how you can help.

From the Wisconsin State Journal: Several TBE members recently joined a local grassroots effort to help Afghan women at Fort McCoy begin sewing garments for themselves and their families. You can read about it in this article.

Thoreau Food Program Resumes!

Thoreau Elementary School is back full time since September. Supported by Temple Beth El volunteers, the Weekend Food Program from prepandemic times will continue, with some exciting changes. Second Harvest Foodbank will assemble shelf-stable food boxes to be delivered directly to families at their homes. Each of the 60-70 families enrolled in the program will have two dry-goods boxes (each 10 to 15 lbs.) every other Friday, which is more food than we were previously able to distribute at the school. 

Temple Beth El is signed up to provide five or six volunteers for the month of November. Drivers are asked to arrive at Westminster Church, 4100 Nakoma Rd., at 8:30 am on Friday, November 5, and Friday, November 19, where you will receive the food and information on their prearranged routes. Both Vic and Sue Levy will join other TBE volunteer drivers. We expect each route to take about two hours to deliver. If families are not home, they will be able to pick their boxes up at Westminster Church the next morning.

If you can help us deliver food, please tell us what day or days you can come, using this SignUpGenius link. We are very thankful to have a group that cares about the Temple Beth El neighborhood and school to join us with this effort. We are looking forward to this “new and improved” model serving more needs than we had planned before the pandemic.

Since volunteers will represent the school and have access to family addresses, you will need to sign up for background checks, which will be performed by the Madison School District. At least two weeks prior to your volunteer date, please go to this link and follow instructions on the website. If it asks who you are volunteering with, choose “Food for Thought Initiative.” You can choose all “Level 1” volunteer opportunities but if you plan on doing other activities at the school and haven’t already had a background check, fill it out as you feel is appropriate. This is a school district requirement for all volunteers for the upcoming year. 

If you have any questions, please contact Vic Levy at 608-273-4527.

Cook Supper for the Catholic Multicultural Center

One of TBE’s many initiatives to feed those in need is done in partnership with Catholic Multicultural Center (CMC). The CMC provides free meals every day to approximately 80 south side community members and people experiencing homelessness. Since 2019 TBE members have been assisting in this effort by providing volunteer services before the COVID-19 pandemic and by cooking thousands of meals during the pandemic. During the pandemic, at least 32 Temple cooks have stepped forward and cooked more than 3,300 meals for hungry neighbors. We are so grateful for all that they have done!

Although the CMC expected to reopen in August, the COVID-19 delta variant surge has forced a delay in those plans, and they do not currently have an anticipated opening date. Until they are able to return to in-person service, TBE will continue to cook meals every other Wednesday for the CMC to hand out. Cooks prepare a hot dish for 20, using a provided recipe, and a TBE member collects the dishes and delivers them to the CMC. If you would like to participate in this effort, please join us by using this SignUpGenius link. Please contact Sue Levy (slevy51@gmail.com) for the recipes or if you have questions.

Healing House Meals Coming Up in November

Healing House serves individuals without homes as they recuperate from surgery, illness, or childbirth. 
TBE cooks meals for the residents and staff on a quarterly basis. Our next week will be November 14–20. Volunteers are asked to assist by cooking and dropping off meals at the Healing House, 303 Lathrop St., Madison, WI 53726. To help with this mitzvah, please sign up here. Please contact Cathy Rotter (c.rotter.mail@gmail.com) if you would like to be on the volunteer mailing list.

The High Holy Day Food Drive is a long-standing holiday tradition at Temple Beth El. Our efforts to alleviate hunger in our community are an important part of who we are as a congregation. They are particularly essential as the country continues to grapple with the devastating consequences of the pandemic.

Our members have once again risen to the challenge and generously donated over $15,000 this year. These donations will go a long way toward alleviating hunger and worry for food-insecure individuals. The Social Action Committee will meet later this month to decide how the money will be allocated among the various local organizations that provide food support.

If you missed the chance to contribute through the High Holy Day Food Drive, please consider joining our Religious School children and families as they gather food and donations to support the Goodman Community Center’s Thanksgiving baskets. The various classes compete to see which class can collect the greatest number of canned or boxed goods, such as cranberry sauce, mac and cheese, broth, canned veggies, and more. If you know a Religious School student, ask them what you can pick up for them next time you go to the store, and bring it to Temple during regular office hours. Collection bins will be in the coatroom. Find additional details about the collection event here. 

If you’d like your donation to go even further, you can make a monetary donation directly to the Goodman Community Center on their website https://www.goodmancenter.org/events/thanksgiving-baskets. On the third step of the donation process, please select Thanksgiving Basket Drive from the “I would like this gift to support” dropdown menu, and type in Temple Beth El for “This gift is part of the Food Drive organized by:” field (see image). 



On that same page https://www.goodmancenter.org/events/thanksgiving-baskets, you can also volunteer to help sort the donations and assemble the baskets in a safe and socially distanced manner.

Our thanks to all who donated and all who will be donating! For more information, contact Sherie Sondel about the High Holy Day Food Drive, Rochelle Alpert about Thanksgiving baskets, or Aleeza Hoffert for questions about any of our social action initiatives.