SINAI NEWS

May 2009 • Iyar/Sivan 5769

What’s Greening at Sinai?
Look at My works! How beautiful and praiseworthy
they are!…Be careful [though] that you don’t spoil or destroy
my world – because if you spoil it, there is nobody after you
to fix it. (Ecclesiastes Rabbah 7:13)
Spring is here!! As the air warms and green things
appear, our thoughts turn to the earth’s renewal and our
personal expression of that: GARDENING. With the help of
urban school children, First Lady Michelle Obama literally
“broke ground” with a vegetable garden for the White
House. One of her goals is to help children appreciate the
connections between gardening, great tasting fresh foods
and nutrition. With growing awareness of the need to pro-
tect our environment and resources, people are discovering
that buying and/or harvesting locally grown food can be cost
effective and delicious. The Greening of Sinai Committee is
working with our landscapers to plan a “Sukkah Garden” on
Sinai’s grounds. What can you do to join the Spring Green
efforts?
Here are a few eco-garden starter ideas:
Compost. Spring is the perfect time to start a new habit of
recycling food scraps, mulched leaves and soil. In a few
weeks, you can begin to create a rich enhancer for your gar-
dens. Contact the Urban Ecology Center,
www.urbanecolodycenter.org for inexpensive bins and more
advice.
Make your own non-toxic weed killer: Mix 1 ounce orange
oil and 1 teaspoon liquid soap with 1 gallon of 10% white
vinegar. Put some in a spray bottle and use it to spot spray
Continued on page 11

Shabbat & Holiday Schedule In this issue

Shabbat Achrei Mot-Kedoshim Shabbat Bamidbar - Numbers 1:1-4:20 Rabbi’s Corner 2
Leviticus 16:1-20:27 May 22 Shabbat Service 6:15 pm
Cantor’s Notes, Reflections 3
May 1 Family Shabbat Service 7:00 pm May 23 Torah Study 8:00 am
May 2 Torah Study 8:00 am Morning Minyan 9:30 am
Lifelong Jewish Learning 4
Morning Minyan 9:30 am Macabee Pereira Bar
David Arena Bar Mitzvah 10:00 am Mitzvah 10:00 am
May Calendar 5
Shabbat Emor - Leviticus 21:1-24:23 Shavuot
May 8 Shabbat Service w/ Daniel Coran May 28 Affirmation Class Shavuot
Staff News, Adult Learning 6
participating 6:15 pm Dinner 6:00 pm
Family Picnic 7
May 9 Torah Study 8:00 am Shavuot Service 7:00 pm
Morning Minyan 9:30 am Shavuot Study Session 8:00 pm
B’nei Mitzvah 8
Shabbat Behar-Bechukotai Shabbat Shavuot - Deuteronomy 14:22-16:17
Leviticus 25:1-27:34 & Numbers 28:26-28:31 Women of Sinai, Affirmation 9
May 15 Musial Shabbat Service 6:15 pm May 29 Shavuot Service & Yizkor 9:00 am
May 16 Torah Study 8:00 am Affirmation Service 7:30 pm Donations 10
Morning Minyan 9:30 am May 30 Torah Study 8:00 am
Morning Minyan 9:30 am 50/60’s Havdalah, 11
Noah Shor Bar Mitzvah 10:00 am
Samantha Allie Bat Mitzvah 10:00 am May Yahrzeits

Rabbi David B. Cohen • Cantor Rebecca Robins • Rabbi Emeritus Jay R. Brickman
Interim Executive Director Stacy Schwab • Director of Lifelong Jewish Learning Sherry H. Blumberg, Ph.D., R.J.E.
Sinai News - Nicole Sether
Congregation Sinai • 8223 N. Port Washington Road• Fox Point, WI 53217
414.352.2970• 414.352.0944 (fax)• www.congregationsinai.org
Page 2
Rabbi’s Corner
“Countdown to Sinai”
At our calendar’s most festive occasions, we greet
each other with “Chag Sameach.” In the Torah, “Chag” means
pilgrimage festival (like the Arabic “Haj”), and refers to the
three occasions – Sukkot, Pesach, and Shavuot – during
which Israelites would make pilgrimage to Jerusalem.
The Torah explicitly sets the dates on which to cele-
brate Sukkot and Pesach but is curiously silent about Shavuot.
All we’re told is that we should begin counting seven weeks of
seven days – forty nine in all – from the Shabbat
during Pesach. When we reach the end of this pe-
riod of counting, referred to as “the counting of the
Omer”, it’s time for Shavuot.
Why doesn’t the Torah set a date certain
for Shavuot? Why are we compelled to count it out?
The answer is found in the nature of the
festival. Before the Exodus, there was a festival of
Pesach, which celebrated the first harvest of barley.
Coming later in the Spring, Shavuot celebrated the
first harvest of wheat.
During the interval between the two holi-
days, farmers brought a measure (an “Omer”) of barley to the
Temple in Jerusalem every day. It was offered as a sacrifice in
order to assure a bountiful wheat harvest come Shavuot. This
ritual was called the “counting of the Omer.”
In later times, Jews dwelled less on the holiday’s agri-
cultural underpinnings and more on their historical meaning.
Pesach became the time to recall the Exodus and our libera-
tion from slavery. Similarly, Shavuot marked the giving of the
Torah to Moses and the Jewish people at Mt. Sinai.
Accordingly, the 49 days between Pesach and Sha-
vuot - the counting of the Omer - no longer marked a growing
season. Instead it signified the journey the Israelites under-
took from the shores of the Red Sea to the foot of Mt. Sinai.
Those seven weeks gave us a chance to shed the cultural im-
prints of Egypt, to get ready to pledge allegiance to God. Like
children anticipating a birthday, the Israelites counted the
days in anticipation of receiving God’s greatest gift, the Torah.
Why then do we continue to count the Omer? Be-
cause we too are on a journey. Revelation did not end at Sinai.
Every generation has its own relationship to Judaism, and per-
force engages anew with God, the covenant and the Torah.
Like any relationship, the Brit (covenant) changes over time,
and demands our ongoing care and commitment.
Counting the Omer reminds us to consider every day,
every moment, a potential revelation. A time to ask: how can I
make the most of the time I’ve been allotted here? How might
I best fulfill the responsibilities I have to those around me?
How can I best express the gratitude I ought to feel for the
blessings I’ve received?
“Teach us to number our days, that we may acquire a
heart of wisdom,” wrote the Psalmist. May the period of count-
What does the Number 150 stand for?
May 2009
ing the Omer, which enters its 2nd day as I write, teach us to
number our days, that we might grow in wisdom, too.
Rabbi David B. Cohen
****
In his book, From Optimism to Hope, Rabbi Jona-
than Sacks, Great Britain’s chief rabbi, charts another jour-
ney at the center of the Jewish experience. As we
count the days from Pesach to Shavuot, i.e. from
the redemption at the shores of the sea to the
revelation at Mt Sinai through the giving of the
Torah, we reiterate the important movement from
the interior experience of optimism to the exter-
nal, action oriented element of hope. In a public
appearance several years ago, Rabbi Sacks said:
“One of the most important distinctions I
have learned in the course of reflection on Jewish
history is the difference between optimism and
hope. Optimism is the belief that things will get
better. Hope is the faith that, together, we can make things
better. Optimism is a passive virtue, hope an active one. It
takes no courage to be an optimist, but it takes a great deal
of courage to have hope. Knowing what we do of our past,
no Jew can be an optimist. But Jews have never - despite a
history of sometimes awesome suffering - given up hope…
Hope does not exist in a conceptual vacuum, nor is
it available to all configurations of culture. It is born in the
belief that the sources of action lie within ourselves. Hope is
the knowledge that we can choose; that we can learn from
our mistakes and act differently next time; that history is not
what Joseph Heller called it, a "trash bag of random coinci-
dences blown open by the wind", but a long, slow journey to
redemption, whatever the digressions and false turns along
the way.
Hope is a human virtue, but one with religious un-
derpinnings. At its ultimate it is the belief not that God has
written the script of history, that He will intervene to save us
from the error of our ways or protect us from the worst con-
sequences of evil, but simply that He is mindful of our aspi-
rations, with us in our fumbling efforts, that He has given us
the means to save us from ourselves; that we are not wrong
to dream, wish and work for a better world. In the end, great
systems of thought are self- validating. To one who believes
that the human condition is essentially tragic, the human
condition will reveal itself as a series of tragedies. To one
who believes that we can rewrite the script, history reveals
itself as a series of slow, faltering steps to a more gracious
social order.”
(See page 9 for the answer)
May 2009
Cantor’s Notes
Something Interesting About Those Commandments…
As the month of Sivan comes in, we
welcome it with the singing of torah Sivan
lanu Moshe – in Sivan Moses brought us the
torah from the top of Sinai. While some
choose to understand ‘torah’ in this context
as the “Ten Commandments,” others under-
stand ‘Torah’ to mean the first
five books of the bible, while
others believe ‘torah’ is the
collected wisdom of our people
from Sinai until tomorrow…
Regardless of how you choose
to understand it, as Shavuot
comes it is certainly the “time of
the giving of our torah” and we
have much to celebrate.
In the wintertime,
when we are in the midst of the
story of the miracles our people
experienced on the shores of the sea, and
the subsequent gift of the Law amidst claps
of thunder on Mount Sinai, we may begin to
enter the discussion of what was really given
at Sinai – what is Torah, or torah to each of
us?
On Shavuot, we read the famous
“Ten Commandments” in our synagogues –
a list, not really of the “big ten,” but perhaps
a representative sampling of what the wis-
dom and law of the torah contains. In these
commandments we read about how to re-
gard God and how to regard one another –
what we should and should not do. While
we may never be able to remove the image
of Charlton Heston from our minds, we must
stop at Shavuot to ask ourselves – what
does this mean, z’man matan torateinu –
the season of our receiving of our torah?
Perhaps there is something to be learned
from the cantillation of the asseret dibrot –
the ten commandments.
Save the date & your extra stuff!
Start saving your electronics, bikes
Rummage Sale, which will take place
For more information, contact
In studying the ten command-
ments, you will see two sets of trope, or can-
tillation marks instructing in how the pas-
sage is to be read in synagogue. These sets
of markings are referred to as ta’amei ha-
elyon, the upper trope, and ta’amei hatach-
ton, the lower trope. In syna-
gogue (or any public reading
venue), we read the upper trope.
The upper trope divides each
commandment (no matter its
length) into one distinct unit, or
sentence. For study, however,
we read from the lower trope. In
the lower trope, the p’sukim, or
sentences, are divided into aver-
age length.
I cannot help at this
time of year, as we begin to pre-
pare for Shavuot, to wonder if the double
ta’amim, trope marks, are teaching us a
small lesson. Perhaps we read publicly in
succinct and specific sentences to make a
grand statement to elicit the feelings of di-
rection and guidance our ancestors must
have experienced at Sinai. And then, when
we are studying alone or with friends, we rely
on our innate ability to make meaning and
sense from the text – for our feelings now, in
this present time of the giving of the Torah,
to shape our understanding of the sen-
tences. And for our own knowledge to de-
fine for ourselves, year after year, what is
torah.
Best wishes to you and your family
for a Chag Sameach – a Shavuot of joy and
gratitude.
Cantor Rebecca Robins
and home goods for Sinai's
July 26, 2009.
Jennifer Moglowsky at
jlmog@wi.rr.com.
More details to follow.
Page 3
Reflections
Compromise
The old “saw” about the
camel being a horse designed by a
committee is a repudiation of the
d em o c ra t i c
process.
President
Obama has
called for a
bi-partisan
approach
to the criti-
cal issues
confronting
our nation.
This necessitates consulting with
the opposition in the process of
formulating legislation. There are
of course negative consequences;
you do not attain all the elements
you think essential to the nation’s
well being. But you do unite all but
the lunatic fringe of the society be-
hind the process.
There was a time, our tradi-
tion teaches, when individuals
(designated prophets) could clearly
discern the teaching of God. Peo-
ple at that time were well advised
to heed the prophet’s admonition.
But prophecy ceased with Malachi.
To determine the word of God
thereafter, rabbis met in council
and hammered out their differ-
ences. One group thought the me-
zuzah should be vertical on the
door post, the other, horizontal.
Their compromise was the slanting
position with which we are familiar.
The Bible, which most of us believe
is the word of God, was similarly a
compromise document. The more
Orthodox insisted on including the
books of the Pentateuch which, in
addition to eternal moral standards,
demand a plethora of minute in-
scrutable ritual obligations. The
“liberals” introduced highly skepti-
cal works like Job and Ecclesiastes,
plus the Book of Ruth, which de-
picts a non-Jewish woman as the
ancestress of both King David and
the messiah.
Rabbi Jay Brickman
Page 4 May 2009

Lifelong Jewish Learning

Pre-school—2nd Grade 3rd—6th Grades

For Young Children the Ten commandments can be The students in grades 3-6 are often fascinated by the
good rules to remember as we live. Rules like Honoring our Par- stories of the Rabbis who defied the Romans and took their stu-
ents, Not taking things that belong to others, not harming some- dents out to the field to learn Torah. When the students com-
one, not wanting things that we cannot have, not telling lies, and plain about coming to Sunday or Hebrew School, they must be
being loyal are easy to explain. The rules about not cursing amazed that some people wanted to learn Torah so much that
God’s name and having no other gods may be harder to explain, they risked dying. You could have a picnic and pretend that the
but we can say that our old relatives made a promise to our God Romans are coming. Lag BaOmer is on Tuesday the 12th of May.
that they would be loyal to one For this age student, it is also
God whom we called Adonai. From Dr. Sherry Blumberg… fun to have them help deco-
Children of this age The Wonder of Words rate your home for Shavuot.
can close their eyes and imag- We place green plants and
ine the scene of all the people Dear Congregants, flowers in the homes and con-
gathered at the bottom of a During May of this year one of the greatest lessons for gregations. We also add fruits
mountain with thunder and us is the importance and wonder of words. We celebrate Sha- and vegetable plants to re-
lightning at the top. The people vuot at the end of the month, the holy day on which God revealed mind ourselves of the harvest.
may have been scared, or the Ten Words (or Ten Commandments). In the middle of the Our congregation may plant a
hopeful, or amazed. Then month, we celebrate Lag Ba’Omer, a day in which, at the risk of Sukkot garden. Come and
Moses brought them these their lives, scholars taught Torah in the fields, and plotted revolu- help us if you can. It will be a
laws! On the holiday of Sha- tion against the Romans. In addition, in our secular calendar wonderful activity and we can
vuot, we celebrate God’s gift of there is Mother’s day, a day in which we try to find the words to use the corn and pumpkins for
the laws. thank our Mothers, grandmothers, and sometimes those who Sukkot.
have been mother to us, even if not by blood. Words of love,
words of learning, and words of law and commandments are
May’s gift to us.
Teens During this May, I will also teach a course on Jewish
Adults
For teenagers, words Women’s Poetry. Poetry uses words to paint pictures, express From Psalm 5:
can be hurtful or wonderful. emotions, and to challenge us to think and act. Jewish women A Lullaby for Courage
They talk on the phone for have been writing poetry throughout the ages, often when they By Debbie Perlman
hours, talk to their friends, were not permitted to express themselves in other avenues of
and if they are “texting” they Jewish life. The course which will be on Tuesday nights, May 5, “O Eternal, hold me with
find the shortest way to say 12, and 19, will explore some of the women who were included gentleness
in the Women’s Torah Commentary. I hope that many of you will Through this long night of
things (UnoWIM; you know
pain;
what I mean?) Some teenag- come and learn to cherish these words. In addition, I hope that Lay Your cool hand upon my
ers write and read poetry, or some of you will share the poetry you write with us. body.
memorize the words of Finally, it will be with words, hugs, and a few tears, that
the teachers and I will say Shalom to our students for the school As a mother strokes the
songs. fevered brow
year 2008-2009. We are already beginning to plan excitedly for
Helping them to ex- the next school year (2009-2010). We hope that the words we Of her beloved child,
plore Shavuot may mean have said and taught will be meaningful for the students. We Give me succor…
asking them to write their have tried to plant the seeds for a love of Jewish values, prayer, O Eternal, sing me to calm,
own Ten Commandments for history, and celebrations. We have tried to make the Torah come Humming a lullaby my grand-
this world. It can mean com- alive, and not just be words on parchment. mother sang
ing to Synagogue on May Thus, during May, we celebrate words, and use those As she arranged the soup
29th for the Affirmation that words to make a better world for each of us. bowl on a tray,
our 10th graders will cele- And brought it to me with the
brate, or it can mean going to With Sincere Affection, warmth
the park on Lag BaOmer and Dr. Sherry H. Blumberg Of her smile.
taking a picnic. There you Sing me that song to soothe
can talk about what they love to learn, and perhaps teach a my soul.”
little Torah. According to the Midrash, God gave the Torah
in words we could understand, to our ancestors and to us. Who among us has never had a night like that the poet
They are links in this wonderful chain of words. described. Whether it was the night before the giving of the
commandments, or when our children were not home at their
appointed times. Come and read these words with us on May 5,
12, and 19th at 7:30 pm.

S U N
3 4
Chug Ivrit 9:30 am
K4-6 Grade Religious
School 10 am
K4-2nd Grade Family Ed 10 am
Affirmation 11 am
9th Grade Class 11:30 am
No 7/8th Grade Class
10
Chug Ivrit 9:30 am
K4-6 Grade Religious
School 10 am
17
K4-6 Grade Religious
School (Last Day) 10 am
Annual Meeting 10:30 am
Family Picnic 12:00 pm
24
Office Closed-Memorial Day
31
M O N T U E
5 6
Young Families
Playgroup 9:30 am
Brotherhood Softball 6 pm
Adult Hebrew 6 pm
Beit Midrash 7:30 pm
11 12
Brit Nashim 7 pm Brotherhood Softball 6 pm
Adult Hebrew 6 pm
Beit Midrash 7:30 pm
18 19
Young Families
Playgroup 9:30 am Northshore Library Book Club
Brotherhood Softball 6 pm w/ Dr. Blumberg 6:30 pm
Adult Hebrew 6 pm
Beit Midrash 7:30 pm
25 26
Seniors Havurah 1 pm
Brotherhood Softball 6 pm
Adult Hebrew 6 pm
Beit Midrash 7:30 pm
5th Grade B’nei Mitzvah
Parent Ed 7:30 pm
May 2009
W E D T H U
7 8
Bible Study 9:30 am Executive Committee
Meeting 7:30 am
3-6 Grade Religious
School 4 pm
Weight Watchers Meeting 5 pm
Advanced Hebrew 7:15 pm
13 14
Bible Study 9:30 am Finance Committee
Rosh Chodesh 7 pm Meeting 7:30 am
3-6 Grade Religious
School 4 pm
Weight Watchers Meeting 5 pm
Advanced Hebrew 7:15 pm
20 21
Bible Study 9:30 am Men’s Spirituality
Group 7:45 am
Weight Watchers Meeting 5 pm
Board Meeting 7 pm
Advanced Hebrew 7:15 pm
27 28
Bible Study 9:30 am Weight Watchers Meeting 5 pm
Mah Jong 7 pm Affirmation Class Shavuot
Dinner 6 pm
Shavuot Service 7 pm
Advanced Hebrew 7:15 pm
Shavuot Study Session 8 pm
F R I S A T
1 2
Lunch & Learn 12 pm Torah Study 8 am
Social Action Committee Morning Minyan 9:30 am
Meeting 12:30 pm David Arena Bar Mitzvah 10 am
Minyan Katan 5:30 pm 50/60’s Havdalah
Family Shabbat Service 6 pm
Service 7 pm
Sinai News deadline
9
Lunch & Learn 12 pm Torah Study 8 am
Shabbat Service 6:15 pm Morning Minyan 9:30 am
Morning Service w/ Daniel
Coran participating 10 am
15 16
Lunch & Learn 12 pm Torah Study 8 am
Musical Shabbat Morning Minyan 9:30 am
Service 6:15 pm Noah Shor Bar Mitzvah 10 am
Shabbat Schmooze 10 am
22 23
Lunch & Learn 12 pm Torah Study 8 am
Shabbat Service 6:15 pm Morning Minyan 9:30 am
Macabee Pereira Bat
Mitzvah 10 am
29 30
Shavuot Service & Yizkor 9 am Torah Study 8 am
Lunch & Learn 12 pm Morning Minyan 9:30 am
Afirmation Service 7:30 pm Samantha Allie Bat
Mitzvah 10 am
Page 6 May 2009

Staff News Adult Learning

We are happy to welcome Debra Stevens to our Sinai
family. Debra will be supporting Dr. Sherry Blumberg and Si-
nai’s Religious School. Debra has a varied background in com-
munications, sales and customer service. Most recently she
has established herself as an outside sales travel agent with
Travel Leaders. Since having 2 daughters, she has volunteered
as a teacher and adult enrichment committee chairperson at
her church.
Please stop by the office next time you are at Sinai and
introduce yourself.
Mazel Tov to Sinai’s bookkeeper, Ilene Wasserman on
being honored for her years of service to the Beth El Ner Tamid
Synagogue’s Sisterhood!
Ilene will be honored at the annual Torah Fund Lunch-
eon on Sunday, May 3 at Congregation Beth Israel.
Our Adult Hebrew Classes continue through May 19th
of this month. Rabbi Brickman’s Wednesday class on the book
of Daniel and Dr. Larry Hurwitz’ s Friday noon class on Parshat
HaShavuah continue as well.
The Beit HaMidrash course for May is taught by Dr.
Sherry H. Blumberg and is a course in Jewish Women’s Poetry.
Come and learn and read the poetry of Jewish women from
Israel, the United States, Italy, Germany, England and Canada.
The poems are expressive of women’s concerns and Jewish
ideas from the Medieval times to the present. We may even try
to write some of our own and share it with others.
Book reviews continue at the North Shore Library on
May 20th with Harry Pekar’s “The Quitter”.
A Special Tikkun Layl Shavuot, study session for the
evening of Shavuot will be on Thursday night, May 28th. Watch
the ENews for more information.

President’s Report Personals

Please join me at the Annual Meeting of Congrega-
tion Sinai on Sunday, May 17, 2009 at 10:30 a.m. in the So-
cial Hall. I’ll highlight the energy, commitment and vision that
characterize our congregation.
The 2009-2010 budget will be presented for your
approval. We’ll vote for new officers and members of the
board of trustees. I look forward to seeing you.
Marlene Lauwasser
Condolences to:
Ted Fine on the death of his father, Morris Fine
Marilyn Goldman on the death of her mother, Alta Merkel
Nancy Miller on the death of her mother, Clara Goldberg Schiffer
Bobbi Rector on the death of her father, Leslie H. Unger
Marc Schatz on the death of his father, Sidney Schatz
Mazel Tov to:
Cecile and Jack Mahler on their 60th wedding anniversary
Linda and Bill Ross on their 30th wedding anniversary

Can you spare one hour of your weekend?

If it means possibly saving the life of a woman or child?
Sunday, May 3, 2009—Cathedral Square Park
9:30 am: Registration, breakfast, and team pictures Please join us in the Walk-A-Mile
10:45 am: Kick-off ceremony event and help make life a little
11:00 am: Walk begins better for the over 100 million
12:00 pm: Entertainment, lunch, team pictures children, women and families that
are affected by domestic violence
each year.
Register at www.wammilwaukee.org or call (414) 643-1777
& join the Shalom/Sinai team: Holy Soles!

SHOP for SINAI!

Did you know that shopping at Pick’ n Save can help Sinai? All you need to do is get an Ad-
vantage Plus Card and indicate you want the charitable rebate to be paid to Congregation
Sinai (charity code: 127300).
It’s that simple! Sinai will receive between 1-2% of your purchase amount! Please sign up to-
day! Pick up the form at Pick’ n Save or in the Sinai office.
 Page 7 May 2009

Join Us For
Congregation Sinai’s
Family Picnic
Sunday, May 17, 2009
12:00 –2:00 pm
(following the final session of school and annual meeting)

Activities starting at 12:30 pm

Family Games: Frisbee, Bubble Blowing Contest
Annual Kids/Parents Kickball Game
Face Painting

Shine: Congregation Sinai’s Backyard

Rain: Congregation Sinai’s Social Hall

Cost: $5.00 per person ($12.00 maximum per family)

Please complete the form below and return it to Congregation Sinai or
email: school@congregationsinai.org by Tuesday, May 12, 2009.

Congregation Sinai’s Family Picnic

Sunday, May 17, 2009

Yes, We/I plan to attend the Picnic______________________________________

_____Regular Lunches (Hamburger, Hotdog)
_____Vegetarian Lunches
$_______Amount Enclosed ($5.00 per person, $12.00 maximum per family)

_____I would like to volunteer to help with the picnic (cooking, buying food, etc)
Page 8 May 2009

B’nei Mitzvah
David Michael William Arena
David Michael William Arena celebrates becoming a Bar Mitzvah on May 2nd with family and friends from around the country.
David is the son of Marjorie and Michael Arena, brother of Lauren and grandson of Ilene and Robert Israel and Dora and Pat Arena.
David’s Torah portion is “Acharei Mot” from the book of Leviticus.
David is a 7th grader attending Whitefish Bay Middle School and his interest includes fishing, soccer and baseball. With such
a passion for fishing, David’s Mitzvah Project included raising money through a community rummage sale and buying tackle boxes to
donate to a program to introduce fishing to youngsters. On April 18th he will also volunteer his time to such a program.
David and his parent’s would like to thank Rabbi Cohen, Cantor Robins, Linda Ross and the Sinai office for helping him
reach this special occasion.

Noah Shor
My name is Noah Shor and I will be celebrating my bar mitzvah on May 16th. I am a seventh
grader at Whitefish Bay Middle School. I look forward to sharing this special day with my par-
ents, Andy and Judy Shor, big brother, Justin and Grandmother Harriet Hackman of Evanston,
IL. I also look forward to friends and family coming together for my special day.
With tennis being my favorite sport, I also enjoy playing soccer and basketball.
This upcoming event is extremely special to me because I’m becoming a man in the Jewish re-
ligion. My torah portion is called B'chukotai and it expresses that the Jewish people should prac-
tice the importance of the mitzvot in which results will be benefited by God.
For my mitzvah project, I am volunteering at the Wisconsin Humane Society providing a
good and better environment for the animals.
I would like to thank everybody at Congregation Sinai for all their help and support. I
would also like to thank my Mom and Dad for all their encouragement. I would also like to thank
my older brother Justin who has supported me through the process. Thank you and I look for-
ward to May 16th when I become a man in the Jewish Religion.

Samantha Violet Allie

Samantha Violet Allie will become a bat mitzvah on May 30, 2009. Samantha is the
daughter of Sally and Doug Allie, sister of Miles and Scott, granddaughter of Shirley and Arthur
Cohen, and aunt to Melanie.
Samantha is a 7th grader at Maple Dale School who enjoys jazz and modern dance, foren-
sics, camp at OSRUI, and spending time with family and friends. She has also enjoyed making
many new friends with each dance performance. Samantha enjoys time with her dog, Cici, a
Golden Retriever, and has been involved in WAAGR, Wisconsin Adopt a Golden Retriever rescue for
her bat mitzvah project. Samantha has been a strong supporter of abolishing “puppy mills”, so
she continues to donate her time to WAAGRs, known for rescuing and healing dogs from puppy
mills. Samantha and her parents offer special thanks to Rabbi David Cohen, Cantor Rebecca Rob-
ins, and Linda Ross for their support and guidance.

Danny Coran
Danny Coran became a bar mitzvah in Jerusalem, Israel on April 16, 2009. He traveled there
with both family and friends, including his parents Judy and David Coran and his siblings Aly and Jacob.
He will continue his celebration with a service at Congregation Sinai on May 8th in honor of
this special event. He is lucky enough to be able to celebrate here with all 4 of his grandparents, in-
cluding Muriel and Irving Becker and Susi and Arnie Coran.
Danny is a 7th grader at the Milwaukee Jewish Day School. He is a serious student and en-
joys all his subjects, especially social studies. When not in school you can usually find Danny on a ten-
nis court. He plays sports competitively, and is passionate about it. When not on the court, he is train-
ing to improve his performance. He relaxes by hanging out with his friends and also loves music.
Danny watches all sports on TV and has been known to spend hours watching matches on The Tennis
Channel. Going to Bucks games with his dad is another favorite activity.
For his mitzvah project, Danny put together a team tennis event that took place on April 4. He
raised money for the Tim and Tom Gullikson Family Support Fund which raises money to help brain
cancer patients and their families cope with this horrible disease.
May 2009 Page 9

Women of Sinai: good for the Body and Soul

The answer to the question which appeared in this
edition of Sinai News refers to the number of pounds the
women who are participating in the Sinai chapter of Weight
Watchers have lost so far. The group gets together weekly to
share secrets to weight loss success, recipes and support.
We’ve all agreed that thinking about what one eats
and preparing for a meal and enjoying the experience is a
very “Jewish “ act.
Now comes the body part, consider joining our yoga
group which will be starting later in April. Aleph Bet Yoga,
beginning April 27, will meet on Tuesdays at 8:45 a.m. in the
Social Hall.
Tuesday, April 27, we will be beginning a high quality,
friendly, and accessible yoga class. Whether you're coming to
yoga for the first time, or looking to deepen your practice, we
will offer a supportive, challenging, and welcoming environ-
ment. I would be honored to share with you the powerful
mental, physical, and spiritual benefits of yoga. Students
should arrive fifteen minutes before class begins. Bring your
yoga mat and wear a T-shirt and shorts or leggings. Be pre-
pared to work in bare feet. Please do not eat heavily before
class. The cost will be $60 for a 6 week session. All proceeds
will go towards yoga props for the Temple. To register send
an email with the subject line “Sinai yoga registration” to
Laura Waisbren at lwsbrn@wi.rr.com.

Music Shabbat
Join us as we celebrate Shabbat together in song!
May 15, 2009

Mazel Tov, Affirmands!

Our Affirmation Service will take place
on Friday evening, May 29th at 7:30 p.m.

This year’s Affirmation class is:

Joshua Bernstein, son of Michael and Sarah Skebba Bernstein
Hannah Fergal, daughter of James and Mary Fergal
Isaac Flegel-Mislove, son of Judy Flegel and Michael Mishlove
Jeffrey Nocton, son of Ellen and James Nocton
Jordan Schwam, son of Candace and Brian Schwam
Justin Shor, son of Judy and Andy Shor
Emily Spector, daughter of David and Tracey Spector
Aaron Strouse, son of Jean Pereles-Strouse and Martin Strouse

We congratulate these families and especially their Affirmation student.

We welcome the congregation to worship and celebrate with them.
Page 10
Donations received as of April 3
Adult Programming & Education
Endowment Fund
In memory of Milton Padway
Helen Padway
Andy Brickman Museum Fund
In memory of Andy Brickman
Rita and Jay Brickman
Janet Greenebaum Scholarship Fund
In memory of Leland Baum
In memory of David Fishman
Janet and Marvin Fishman
In memory of Muriel Greenebaum
Donald Greenebaum
Miriam Miringoff Kitchen Fund
In memory of Dorothy Lerner
Scott, Cara and Sophie Bern
Rabbi's Discretionary Fund
In appreciation
Sue and Neal Zechman
In memory of Nanette Berlin
Barbara Shafton
In memory of Al Deshur
Ellen and Jess Levin
In memory of Adolph Emerman
In memory of Mollie Fromstein
Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell
Fromstein
In memory of Ann Hassel
Toots and Mannie Hassel
In memory of Milton Padway
Janet and Nick Padway
and family
Vicky Padway and family
In memory of Ansel Schmidt
Dorothy Schmidt
In memory of Anne Shapiro
Donna Resek
Beth and Ron Shapiro
In memory of Harvey Simon
Bede Segal and family
Cantor's Discretionary Fund
In appreciation
Family of Dorothy Hindin
Sue and Neal Zechman
In memory of Eugene Horenstein
Beverly Rattner and family
May 2009
Donations
In memory of Milton Padway In memory of David Meyers and Max
Janet and Nick Padway Meyerowitz
and family Dorothy and Al Meyers
In memory of Mollie Razeper In honor of Paul Whiteman’s special
Doris Sherman birthday
Dorothy and Al Meyers and
In honor of Cantor Rebecca Robins’
installation family
The Clergy, Staff and Board of
Temple Rodef Shalom Music Fund
In memory of Helen “Babe” Koppel
Passport To Israel Fund Steve Koppel
In memory of Irving Lore In honor of Jordan Salinsky’s bat
Nancy and Steve Einhorn mitzvah
Marlene and Marv
Contributions made to the Temple Lauwasser
In memory of Anita Horwitz
Ann and S. Fredric Horwitz
In honor of David Meltzer’s birthday
Polly B Siegel The Social Action
In memory of Rosalyn Zaret
Sheri and Lloyd Levin Donation for May is…
Landscape Fund
Professional
In memory of Lois Schatz
Carol and Marc Schatz
Clothing
Jacob M. Fine and Family Library Fund
In memory of Ansel Schmidt
Lori and Marc Jacobson
&
Kids Clothing
Floral and Oneg Fund
In honor of Andee and Chuck Bram’s
new granddaughter
Laura Waisbren
In memory of Bea Chudnow
Marlene and Marv Lauwasser Please drop off donations in
Dr. Melissa Chudnow and
John Yopps the collection bin in Sinai’s
Jenni Chudnow foyer.
In memory of Jessica Giller
Muriel C. Silbar
In memory of Katherine Gollin Miller
and Gertrude Levin
Deborah and Jim Gollin
In honor of Craig Kravetz’s Bar Mitzvah
Cecelia and Stephen
Kravetz
In memory of Lee Waxman
The Waxman family
Chesed (Caring) Fund
In memory of Sarah Bender and Freda
Bratt
Rosalee and Herb Bratt
May 2009 Page 11

What’s Greening at Sinai? (continued)

Continued from page 1
weeds that pop up. Shake well before use.
Start collecting egg cartons: Use these for seed starting vs.
plastic cups. You can also try biodegradable seed starting
pots.
Save your coffee grounds: During the planting season you
can sprinkle used organic coffee grounds into the soil to
both enrich the soil content and keep pests like slugs and
snails away. You can use non-organic, but organic is better
due to the rich mineral content.
Please watch Sinai’s enews and monthly newsletter
for updates on the Sukkah Garden plan and other Greening
of Sinai Committee projects.
Karen Schudson, and the Greening of Sinai Committee

50’s & 60’s Havdalah

Are you a member of Sinai who is between the
ages of 50-69? We would like you to come for a Havdalah
program on Saturday night, May 2, 2009 at 6:00 p.m.
The Havdalah is a beautiful ceremony to end the
Shabbat and sharing it with others of our own age can
have a special meaning. We will reflect upon the meaning
of “separations” in our lives, from our children who are
leaving home, to the special separations from work that we
hope to make at retirement.
Come for Havdalah, wine and appetizers, and then
go out to dinner with friends. Join Dr. Sherry Blumberg and
David Blumberg as your hosts.
Please RSVP to Debra Stevens in the Sinai office
at (414) 352-2970 or dstevens@congregationsinai.org and
say you’ll come!

May Yarhzeits
May 1, 2009 Robert Hersch May 22, 2009 Sara Yerukhimovich
Regina Adelman Beatrice Rabinovitz Kapper Rae Baily
David Becker Toby Karp Gertrude Boxer Seidel May 29, 2009
Leonard Bernstein Hinda Larkey Susann Colton Maurice J. Ansfield
Helen Butlein Hyman Wolfe Madnek Deborah Schwartz Fields Sabilia Bibbye Lieberman
Richard Neil Eastman Ruth Mayer Gerald Flegel John Bradbury
Max Feuer Marilyn Meissner William Friedman Hans Nathan Brauer
Sam Frank Bessie Kaplan Mendelson Wolfe Gershan Martha Brauer
Itzhak Friedlander Lester J. Meyer Sylvia Jacobs Robert Brill
Stanley Glen Clyde Osburn Labe Klebanov Fanny Frank
Benno Gruenberg Ann Barbara Rice Jack Kohlenberg Sara Goldstein
Sally Gutnik Nina Rotman Joseph Lieberman Tillie Jacobs
Sam Holtzman Samuel Schneider Siegfried Lowin Maurice Kimmel
Abraham Jacobs Rose Taitelman Leah Mlavsky Bessie Kohlenberg
Edward J. Kelly Sr. Shirley Wile Rachel Porter Edward Portnoff
Ben Kolbur Harriet Propper Bernice Rosenbaum
Faye Kolbur May 15, 2009 Ann Recht Manny Rotter
Edward Levy Florence Boorstein Arthur Ross Samuel E. Schechter
Efim Medvedovsky Mollie Friedland Charles Schapiro Gertrude Schulner
Edwin Meltzer Erwin Grossmann Abe Sevak Benjamin Semon
Morris Mendeloff Jr. Louis Kahn Sidney Weinberg Hattie Semon
Betty Miller Mathilda Luff Erno Weisz Gene L. Suvalsky
Mel Newald Frances Pories Etalka Weisz
Edith Steuer Bess Rosenberg Izsador Weisz
Pearl Stolzer Corrine Smith Joey Weisz
Ann Stein Jupi Weisz
May 8, 2009 Leah Stein Linka Weisz
Miriam Baum Maurice Stemerman Mimmi Weisz
 Congregation Sinai
8223 N. Port Washington Road, Fox Point, WI 53217
Member of the Union for Reform Judaism

Board of Trustees, 2008-2009

Marlene Lauwasser President
Chip Mann Vice President
Marc Kartman Vice President
Michael Bernstein Treasurer
Mela Osburn Secretary
Marvin Fishman Security
Idy Goodman Social Action
Hugh Hoffman Finance
Karen Berk Lancina Ritual
Ruth Lebed-Rofes Outreach
Steve Moglowsky Finance
Andy Muchin Marketing
Bobbi Rector Israel
Tom St. John Social Action
Sandy Saltzstein Young Families
Ron Shapiro Finance
Susan Solvang Outreach
Jill Weinshel Membership
Jim Stillman Brotherhood
Laura Waisbren Women of Sinai

*Minyan Katan Update*

Minyan Katan will not meet during the month of May.
The next meeting is: Friday night, June 5th at 5:30 p.m.

Please see the June Sinai News for more details.

We hope you will be able to join us!