From Reb Malki

Hello to my new CBS family,

My name is Scott Kramer.  I am a 5th year rabbinical student at the Conservative Movement's Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies at the University of Judaism in Los Angeles.  I am originally from Baltimore, Maryland, where I grew up in a semi-observant Orthodox home.  I moved to Salt Lake City for graduate school, where I met my lovely wife Irene, and have been married for 26 years.  In Salt Lake we raised three children.  Joel is getting a doctorate in Math from Johns Hopkins, Justin is getting a degree in History from the University of Utah, and Adena is currently exploring options in the field of jewelry design.  I will be joining you two weekends a month, starting at the conclusion of Sukkot and continuing through April or May.

My goal in going to rabbinical school is to find a small, warm and friendly shul like yours to settle in and work with that congregation to grow together and learn from each other.  I would like to provide spiritual guidance to its members as we walk together through life cycle events, and to be there for support in both the good times and the bad.

I had a great time meeting many of you during my interview weekend at the end of July.  It was a great honor for me to see the vibrant and robust community you have in Modesto!  I look forward to spending many joyous times with you over this next year.  I encourage you to take advantage of my time in Modesto and talk with me about any matters that you feel are important.  I'd also like to just schmooze and get to know one another better.  I will make myself available when I am in Modesto, and when I'm not there I can always be reached by e-mail.  While my time away from CBS will be filled with lots of final studies, I will try to make as much time as possible available to discuss any matters that are of concern for the congregation or any of its members.

As I look forward to my future and start assuming more rabbinic roles and duties, I would like to take on an appropriate name--a marker of sorts for my own personal transition.  "Rabbi Scott" is not quite the name I'm looking for; neither is "Rabbi Kramer."  With much soul searching, I decided that I would like to be addressed by my Hebrew name, which is "Malki-Tzedek."  I took the liberty to shorten it to "Malki."  Therefore I am asking that I be called by the less formal title of "Reb Malki."  What's in a name?  For me it is everything.  "Reb Malki" fits just fine!

So, as we all move forward, let us make this coming year a positive one.  Let us look toward the future with renewed visions of continuing to build this community.  Let's commit to bringing all its members closer together in a Jewish spiritual bond that we can all draw strength from.

In my sermon that I delivered at the end of July, I talked about each of us working diligently to find his or her destiny.  Our community also has a destiny.  I challenge each of you to work together as a community here at Beth Shalom and discover together what your collective destiny is, and then set about making it happen.

Rashi, the great French medieval commentator, quotes a midrash from the Mechilta in Exodus 9:15 when God first tells Moses about the commandments that the Israelites are to take upon themselves.  He quotes there, HaChalot Kashot-- "All beginnings are difficult!"  All beginnings that are worth beginning.  I think we at Beth Shalom in Modesto are certainly worth the effort!

Did You Know ...?

... that before we immerse ourselves in Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and the Ten Days of Awe in between, we observe yet another service in preparation for these holy days?  This service's prayers are S'lichot, from the singular s'licha, to forgive or excuse, and are offered late at night on the Saturday before Rosh Hashanah (unless Rosh Hashanah falls on a Monday or Tuesday, in which case S'lichot are said a week earlier).  S'lichot is our foot in the door -- our first step toward the cleansing and healing that forgiveness brings.  It's our preparation for all the "I'm sorries" and "Please forgive me's" we'll be uttering to one another before we can utter these words to God.  We ease into the forgiveness process on S'lichot, continue through the Days of Awe, and look forward to putting closure on our transgressions before the shofar signals the closure of the Book of Life.  We then begin anew with the age-old promise of clean slates in a new year.  L'shanah Tova Tikateivu!

A Magical Social

It was a perfect summer evening at the home of Laura & Scott Biewer.  Thank you both so much for your hospitality and hard work.  Scott is one HOT guy on the BBQ and Laura was up on her toes all night.

The evening began with kibbitzing and nibbling.  Then we brought out all the food!  Dinner was delicious!  Thank you to all our board members and their spouses for providing all of our yummy side dishes.  After dinner we were entertained by Sean Durham, a local magician who is very good with his hands.  I hope Tammy Kempner's money reappeared and Alan Strauss's ring is still in one piece!  Andra Greenwald's feminine intuition was not as sharp as usual, but I don't think Sean was playing with a full deck.  Speaking of cards, Carole Buchanan, you need to wait for your instructions before playing 52 card pickup.  Louis Levin makes quite a cute magician's assistant, too!

After the magic show, we had a dessert auction with a sinful array of choices.  Thank you to all of our bakers:  Terry Glassey & Marie, Joyce Gandelman, Linda Gough, Hannah Hyden, Joan Guerra, Ann Johnson, Sandy Fitzgerald, and Judy Israels.  I am so glad that Laura and Scott produced strong young men with strong, able-bodied friends.  You all made this a fabulous evening with a sweet finale.

Remember, half of every subscription to J- will go to Congregation Beth Shalom.  See your Bulletin for details.