June 2006 / Sivan-Tammuz 5766
Previous newsletters are here.
Cafe Shalom 2006Thank You!Incredible! My first Cafe Shalom as a full-fledged Jew and the honor of being the chairperson for this event. At the time I agreed to take this task on, I had no idea it was to be an adventure rather than a single event. The Cafe Shalom Committee began meeting September 15, 2005 for planning purposes and picked up speed as it went. I have long known that the Jewish people are a community of fantastic people...and I have had many opportunities to learn and relearn this through participation in our annual Jewish food and cultural festival. Our Committee of hard-working and industrious individuals included: Loren Gonella on sponsorships; Andra Greenwald on Sanctuary Tours and general group guidance; Joyce Gandelman on Bake Shop; Bette Buchanan and Ann Johnson on Kitchen; Steve and Taunya Schwimner on Setup and Cleanup; Elsa McCoy was our idea maker as well as MC at the event; Anne Porteous was our Silent Auction and Raffle maker (and what a great job she did); Joel Youngheim was our Publicity man (see all those great spots in the Modesto Bee?); Bergen Filgas was our support person and assisted Marlene Gonsalves with the decorations; Anthony and Marlene Gonsalves were our keepers of the Cafe Shalom tradition, who made sure all the details were addressed and our honor kept; Tammy Kempner made sure we had all the ingredients put into the necessary recipes; Valli Mendlin made sure we all got equal work assigned on the proper day; Linda & Dennis Goodman were at the front lines and behind the scenes keeping our money matters safe and balanced; Laura Biewer and Sandy Fitzgerald always overseeing the details of the pre-event festivities. I made sure I was anxious right up to the very day of our event...then I thoroughly enjoyed our wonderful Jewish family interacting with our own community. My special thanks to the Cafe Shalom Committee members who gave so much of their time and energy to make this the INCREDIBLE event it is. I also want to thank each and every congregant who participated in this year's event and provided our community with a connection to our lives. We are an awesome people! -- Gloria Ringsby, Cafe Shalom Chairperson Religious School NewsDear Families,Just like mom says, "The older you get, the faster time passes." Believe it -- it's June and the year is half over! Old news first. I want to formally thank each of our religious school teachers for a fabulous year. Thank you, Taunya Schwimmer, Laura Skolnick, Kelly Villalobos, Odette Thomas, Todd Aaronson, Avi Brotslaw, Alicia Youngheim, Rabbi Gordon, Aleah Gonsalves, and Lara Brotslaw. Most of our teachers are returning for the next school year and I couldn't be happier. We will be losing two top-notch Hebrew teachers, Alicia and Rabbi Gordon, but Miriam Bermann has already consented to step in for the coming year. I didn't even have to beg! Also, thank you to our diligent library volunteers, Ann Johnson, Joellen Xavier, Bette Buchanan, and Rochelle Rosen. I look forward to growing and learning more each year with your children and our teaching staff. Our next BIG event is our annual confirmation service. Please join us on Friday, June 2 at 7:30 p.m. We have four confirmands this year--Andrew Shiovitz and his "harem": Sadie Lester, Becca Brotslaw, and Hannah Hyden. These four are bound to teach all of us a few things. As the Education Committee, teaching staff, and I prepare for the coming school year, I will keep you up-to-date on our needs and how you can help. We will have some changes coming your way in regard to your children's safety. So remember, stop, look, and listen! Have a safe and enjoyable summer. Shalom,Marlene Gonsalves Religious School Director Make a Difference in the World!Open your heart, your mind, and your home. Each year the Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE) brings almost 1000 foreign exchange students to the United States. By hosting one of these high school students, you can make a difference in their lives by teaching them about American culture. In return, they will teach you about their culture. There is no better time than now to learn more about our neighbors in the world. Students arrive in August and stay for 5 or 10 months. They come with their own insurance and spending money. Need more information? Contact the CIEE Local Coordinator for Modesto, Sanna Williamson (209-484-7783), or see the CIEE website. |
Service LeadershipAs you know, Rabbi Gordon will be leaving us as of July 15th. Your Ritual Committee is looking for volunteers to lead services, give sermons, and read Torah and Haftarah until a new rabbi is hired. Any and all post B'nai Mitzvah and any level of Hebrew readers are eligible. With enough volunteers, no one would have to lead or read more than once every other month. This is a great opportunity for all of us to develop new skills and to learn more about leading services, writing and giving sermons, and reading Torah and Haftarah. For more information, call Joel Youngheim or Tom Gough. New PrayerbooksWe have our new Chaveirim Kol Israel Siddurim for our Friday night service, thanks to the many sponsorships from you, our CBS family. These prayerbooks are very different from Sim Shalom, with new readings, more English, and many extras. We purchased 60 prayerbooks total, and 40 have been sponsored in honor or in memory of family and friends. We still have 20 left for sponsorship or purchase for personal use. Let Laura Biewer or Marlene Gonsalves know if you would like to participate. Oneg Shabbat HostsJune 2 -- Confirmation Service June 9 -- Hubert & Van Spronsen Families June 16 -- Landon Cohen Bar Mitzvah June 23 -- Buettner, Skolnick & Steinberg Families June 30 -- Board Installation Thank you for participating. Please remember to include fruit as an alternative dessert. Inkjet Cartridge Recycling ProgramWe have a new baggie option for recycling used inkjet cartridges. Pick one up in the foyer or we can mail one to you. Drop in your inkjet cartridge and drop it in the mail. Each baggie is preaddressed and postage-paid. There is a barcode on the baggie so the recycling company will know automatically that the CBS account gets the funds. We want to thank our members for participating and hope that this will make it easier for everyone to participate. Scrip NewsWe carry O'Brien's, Gottschalks, Richland Market, and Starbucks. These are in stock and available for purchase. Safeway and Macy'sIf you shop at Safeway or Macy's, we ask that you consider registering your store cards with escrip. Every time you make a purchase, you generate a percentage of your purchase for CBS. SaveMart If you shop at SaveMart, please register for a SHARES card. Forms are available in the foyer or call the CBS office and we will mail one to you. If you have any questions on any of these programs, please call the CBS office at 571-6060. |
