A Short Shabbat Reflection from the Weekly Parsha by Rabbi Mark Melamut

*Bissel: (bis-sel) Yiddish.  Meaning: “a little.” “Give me a bissel lox on my bagel, would you, darling?” A biselleh is even less. (www.bubbygram.com)

Parshat Va’era (Exodus 6:2 – 9:35)

Yearning for freedom, G-d hears the Israelites’ cry and Pharoah’s heart is hardened.  Biblical Egypt is plagued with blood, frogs, lice, etc., as Moses’ well known refrain, “Let my people go,” is ignored.  Before the plagues begin, we learn of four expressions of G-d’s role in freeing the Israelites – “I will free you…deliver you…redeem you and take you to be My people.” (6:6-7)  This is the key source for our well known four cups of wine at the Passover seder.

REFLECTION QUESTION: With the four expressions of freedom in mind, can you identify four things in your life, for which you feel that your cup overflows with blessing?

Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Mark Melamut

*Bissel: (bis-sel) Yiddish.  Meaning: “a little.” “Give me a bissel lox on my bagel, would you, darling?” A biselleh is even less. (www.bubbygram.com)
Served each Friday afternoon, noonish.

Parshat Sh’mot (Exodus 1 – 6:1)

We begin anew this shabbat, starting the book of Exodus.  In this week’s torah journey we revisit the story of Moses’ birth, his basket ride down the Nile, his marriage, and his departure from and return to Egypt in order to spearhead the first biblical freedom ride for the Israelites.  And, in the midst of all this action, he encounters the mysterious bush that burns without being consumed – from which an angel appears and G-d speaks to him.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS: In your imagination what did the burning bush look like? From the bush G-d calls Moses by name, and Moses says, “Hineni/Here I am.”  What does a “contemporary call” in our lives from G-d look like, and how do we respond?

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Mark

JIMENA (Jews Indigenous to the Middle East and North Africa), is the organization dedicated to Misrachi and Sephardi history and culture.

WHEN?   Sunday, February 19, 3:00 p.m.  (Reception follows)

WHERE:  Congregation B’nai Emunah

Bring your friends to hear this true story and learn more about the work of JIMENA.

The congregation was filled with fellow students from Brandeis Hillel Day School, as well as congregants. Mazel tov!

The 2012 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday Celebration entitled, Renewing the Dream, will be held on January 16, 2012, at San Francisco’s Yerba Buena Center for the Arts and Yerba Buena Gardens.

A host of activities and programs mark the day, including our annual March/Parade; MLK Dream Address and Program; San Francisco Interfaith Council Interfaith Commemoration; the 2012 Children’s Reading Festival; the new Civil Rights Film Festival; the 2012 MLK Conversation Series; Health Preparedness and Sustainability Festival; special music; free museum admission to the area museums and a host of other inspirational activities. All are free to the public.

(scheduled and subject to modification)
2012 MLK March/Parade
Begins at 11:00am (arrive early)
Begins at 4th St. & Townsend Ave. (Caltrain Depot)
MLK Dream Address and Special Presentations 
12:15pm – 4:00pm, Limited Seating, doors open at 11:50am.
Novellus Theater at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts (scheduled)
San Francisco Interfaith Commemoration
11:45am – 12:15pm
Esplanade Stage at Yerba Buena Gardens
Health Preparedness and Sustainability Festival
11:00am – 4:30pm  The Forum at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts
2012 Civil Rights Film Festival
11:00am – 4:30pm Various screening rooms (see the Events page at
norcalmlk.com for details)
Children’s Reading Festival
11:00am – 4:30pm Children’s Creativity Museum/Yerba Buena Center
for the Arts & Gardens
Contemporary Jewish Museum, Museum of the African Diaspora & Children’s Creativity Museum
10:00am – 5:00pm

Any and all comments from our readers and followers on how to make our blog even more interesting would be highly appreciated (comment by Gabriele, one of the editors).

Here’s an excerpt:

A San Francisco cable car holds 60 people. This blog was viewed about 1,400 times in 2011. If it were a cable car, it would take about 23 trips to carry that many people.

Click here to see the complete report.

by Rabbi Mark

*Bissel: (bis-sel) Yiddish.  Meaning: “a little.” “Give me a bissel lox on my bagel, would you, darling?” A biselleh is even less. (www.bubbygram.com)
Served each Friday afternoon, noonish.

Parshat Miketz (Genesis 41 – 44:17)

It was only last week when Joseph’s life couldn’t get any lower – he was literally stuck in the pit of his life.  This week we find him not only having ascended from that pit, but rising to power, as Pharoah’s “right-hand man.”  As second in command, he is decked in bling-bling from Pharoah – donning robes of fine linen, and wearing a new signet ring and gold chain (happy hanukkah Joseph!). What a transformation, as he climbs from the pit to power!

REFLECTION QUESTIONS: From pit to power: How can we, like Joseph, rise from feeling stuck in our lives to feeling empowered?  Can we imagine what our own spiritual ascension/transformation might look and feel like?

Wishing you a Shabbat Shalom and Happy Hanukkah,

Rabbi Mark

Happy Hanukkah,
Rabbi Mark Melamut

This year a record amount of people showed up for the annual Hanukkah Bazaar at B’nai Emunah. Everyone enjoyed terrific latkes, thanks to our kitchen crew of all men. The baked goods were scrumptious, and the kids had fun with endless hands-on art activities.

Join us again next year!

What is your favorite part about the celebration of Hanukkah?  Is it the sound of the sizzling of latkes in oil, or the taste of that scrumptious first bite covered in sour cream or apple sauce?  Is it the glow of flickering lights against the background of the dark evenings which descend upon us so early at this time of year, or trying your luck with the spin of the dreydl?

Whatever your favorite holiday activity, I’d like to invite you to explore each of Hanukkah’s rituals as an invitation – an invitation for us to practice, cultivate and reflect not on Hanukkah’s presents, but on our presence.  While the sights and smells, and the tastes and tottering tops may help us take our minds off of work or stress, or off of whatever life’s current tzurres or hardship is, they also invite us to focus on the only moment that we can be mostly sure of, that is, the present.

Focusing on the present, simple and ordinary Hanukkah rituals or moments, can become potentially extraordinary.  In becoming more than just fun, they motivate us for more.  Beyond basking in the flickering flames, and enjoying the lingering taste of the oily latkes, Hanukkah is a time to dedicate or rededicate ourselves.  The holiday is called “Hanukkah,” because that is the Hebrew word for “dedicating” or “rededicating” the ancient Temple and altar, which had been defiled.  In the dimension of Jewish sacred time, Hanukkah is about the present, but it is also about our future.  It invites us to reflect on the question, “What do I want to dedicate or rededicate myself to at this specific time, moment and point in the year?”  If each of us identifies at least one good cause, task, habit, good deed, mitzvah, or practice, and works toward it, then we receive and share all of the Hanukkah presence that we need this year.

On Hanukkah each of has a personal pach shemen, a reservoir or container of oil, that is our spiritual fuel and energy for life.  We may sometimes feel that it is only enough for one day, or even one hour.  This Hanukah, as we focus on personal dedication/rededication, may our spiritual reservoir last for eight days and beyond, just as it did ba’yamim ha’hem u’vazman hazeh, from ancient times until today.

Hag Urim Sameach/Happy Festival of Lights,

Rabbi Mark Melamut

*Bissel: (bis-sel) Yiddish.  Meaning: “a little.” “Give me a bissel lox on my bagel, would you, darling?” A biselleh is even less. (www.bubbygram.com)
Served each Friday afternoon, noonish.

Parshat Vayeshev (Genesis 37:1-40:23)

Among the details of another action packed torah portion this week, Joseph’s brothers toss him into a pit and sell him off.  We learn that this is primarily a result of Jacob’s favoritism towards Joseph (including that “special” coat), along with Joseph sharing his dreams with his family of them bowing down to him.
REFLECTION QUESTIONS:  Is there anything in your life that is making you feel like you have been tossed into a pit?  What resources from your Jewish, spiritual toolkit provide you with comfort, relief or support?

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Mark Melamut

*Bissel: (bis-sel) Yiddish.  Meaning: “a little.” “Give me a bissel lox on my bagel, would you, darling?” A biselleh is even less.

Parshat Vayishlach

Among other events in this week’s torah portion, Jacob wrestles with a mysterious, divine being.  He is triumphant, other than coming away with a limp, as he acquires the new name, which is also our name, “Yisrael, Israel.”

In my reading, it is his act of wrestling with something larger than himself, which brings him closure and transformation.

REFLECTION QUESTION:
What are you wrestling with now?
How can you achieve closure and transformation?

Shabbat shalom,

Rabbi Mark Melamut

He died in South San Francisco at age 88. Loving father of Barbara and Eric, Dan and Cindy; adored grandfather of Jonathan and Charm, Angela, Ian and Adam; devoted brother of Gunter and Ilse; much loved brother-in-law, uncle, cousin and dear friend to many. Holocaust survivor; Shanghai refugee for 10 years; esteemed employee of 37 years at American Can Company; long-time choir member and past board member of Congregation B’nai Emunah. Dependable, supportive and will be remembered always and forever. Funeral services were held on Friday, November 25, 2011. Contributions to Cancer Fund or Congregation B’nai Emunah are preferred.

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Lot’s of our gift shop items are going to be on sale, including some 14 Karat gold jewelery.

Also we are going to have our photo booth set up in one of the classrooms. So come, bring your family and take your annual family portrait for a suggested donation of $35 that will go to the synagogue.

WHEN:       Wednesday, December, 14th 2011
8 am  Optional reflection and Jewish service learning opportunity
8.30 am – 9 am  Registration begins.
Volunteer work continues until 4:00 p.m.
You can arrive at any time between 8:00 am and 3:00 p.m.

WHERE:       Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, 99 Grove St, San Francisco
HOW:   Volunteer for all day, half a day or even just one hour !

Contact  Laura Rumpf for questions at  Lrumpf@jcrc.org    or    415-977-7418

Rabbi Elijah Shochet, the scholar-in-residence at B’nai Emunah’s 34th Annual Retreat, led discussion sessions on fascinating topics.

1. Mysticism: Do events in your life happen by accident or is it beshert? Share your beshert stories! Was it meant to be?

(Bashert, (Yiddish: באַשערט), is a Yiddish word that means “destiny”. It is often used in the context of one’s divinely foreordained spouse or soulmate).

2. Truth vs. peace in the house. What is more important: emet (truth) or shalom (peace)? Should one always tell the truth (like in response to, “Is this a nice hat?”) or to make a comment designed to keep peace in the house? Share your opinions here.

3. The Value of a Human Life: When confronted with the choice of saving someone at the expense of someone else, what would your choice be? What does Jewish ethics say? Send in your piece!

Forty lucky congregants and friends joined together at the Sonoma Valley Inn for the 34th Annual Retreat in Sonoma. All were enlightened by scholar-in-residence Rabbi Elijah Shochet’s teachings on mysticism, truth vs. peace and the value of a human life.

Some of our youngest members enjoy the annual retreat the most!

In between learnings, Shabbat was celebrated as it can’t be at home–together in an organic service in the round. Breaking bread together bridged those activities, as all enjoyed the kosher catered meals. Of course, there was free time which gave folks the opportunity for taking long walks or catching a swim. On Friday night, the group gathered for a lovely ’tish’ filled with singing and sharing of stories. Saturday night, after a beautiful, intimate Havdalah, real troopers had fun playing Jewish trivia, replete with an audio round! Chocolate prizes were had by all, which fueled the hardiest souls to participate in Israeli folk dancing past 11:30 p.m.!  As always, the closing friendship circle brought real emotions to the surface, as participants tried to hold onto a few more minutes of the magical weekend.

Here are some photos from the 34th annual retreat as a Flickr Slideshow.

On a warm Friday night, seven brave souls slept in the B’nai Emunah sukkah. The weather was perfect for dinner (kosher Chinese) in the hut, followed by study with wine. The group discussed the holiday, its commandment to be happy even in the face of sorrow, and Ecclesiastes. The perfect temperature beckoned some to the beach, and an hour-long walk at midnight followed. Sometime in the middle of the night, before the streetcar sounds began anew, the weather changed and the fog whipped through the structure, but the warm sleeping bags kept the snoozers cozy. All enjoyed a warm breakfast in the morning and put themselves together just in time for Shabbat services.

Join us next year in the sukkah!

Sisterhood will host another festive Chanukah Celebration and Arts/Craft Fair on Sunday, December 18, noon to 3:30 p.m. — two days before Chanukah begins on December 20th evening.

Menorah

More information will be provided in mid-November about the live entertainment, activities, raffle prizes, etc.  But for now, here’s how we need your help:

* Mark your calendar for Dec. 18th and plan to come and bring friends!

*Try to obtain gift certificates/cards or donated new items  for the raffle from restaurants and other places of business that you frequent.  Contact Bonnie if you’d like a copy of the request letter to provide merchants.  bggratch@yahoo.com

The “Cookie Minyan” will be led by one of our teens and will include a visit from Rabbi Mark.

Please save the dates:

December 10, 2011
January 14, 2012
February 11, 2012
March 10, 2012
April 14, 2012
May 12, 2012

Please pass the word along.

Jewish Volunteer Day at Project Homeless Connect, which is sponsored by the Jewish Community Relations Council, annually attracts close to 200 volunteers.  Volunteers are usually placed where they are most needed, often as client escorts. Volunteers are a key component to making the day a success, as they orient clients and help them feel comfortable while they receive services. Volunteers who can offer medical, dental or legal services are welcome to join the suitable service providers.

Project Homeless Connect has been declared a “national best practice” that originated in San Francisco and is now replicated in more than 160 cities in the United States, Canada and Australia.  PHC connects approximately 2,000 people with services they need, services like medical care or substance abuse treatment, eyeglasses, financial benefits, legal assistance, haircuts and more.

PHC is making a real difference; so do you by supporting this initiative!  To participate, please contact Bonnie Lindauer at bonnie@bnaiemunahsf.org.

Sunday, Nov 6^th 2:00 p.m

Join us for snacks/dessert and beverages, followed by the film at 2:45 pm, which lasts 90 minutes.

“A humorous documentary (2009) that explores the cultural significance of a creative, energetic Jewish woman, Gertrude Berg, and how her vision and drive broke cultural boundaries in the 1930s and beyond.  She was the creator, principal writer, and star of The Goldbergs, a popular radio show for 17 years, which became television’s very first character-driven domestic sitcom in 1949. Berg received the first Best Actress Emmy in history, and paved the way for women in the entertainment industry.”     English language.

“Bonjour Monsieur Schlomi”

Sunday, Jan. 15, 1:00 p.m

Join us for pizza and beverages, followed by the film at 1:45 p.m., which lasts 94 minutes.  Hebrew with English subtitles.

“Schlomi, a 16-year old boy, lives with his restless mother, his soldier brother and their ill grandfather. Although not doing well in school, Shlomi is a gifted cook and takes care of most household chores. One day, the school’s principal finds out Shlomi is actually a genius and tries to get him into a more suitable curriculum. However, Schlomi is more interested in taking care of his family and his new love interest, the beautiful girl next door.”  Hebrew with English subtitles.

Sponsored by  Sisterhood     $5.00 donation for snacks/pizza.

In the sukkah at Congregation B'nai Emunah, San Francisco

A nice crowd gathered in the shul’s sukkah for Pizza in the Hut on Sunday, October 16th. Everyone enjoyed pizza and then participated in ushpazin, inviting others, even those no longer living, into the sukkah. After some emotional sharing, out came the lulav and etrog and everyone got to shake!

Through the great generosity of Rabbi Zwerin’s family, we are able to enjoy this year’s scholar-in-residence, Rabbi Elijah Schochet. The Rabbi of Shomrei Torah Synagogue in West Hills, California, from 1960 until retirement in 1999, Rabbi Elijah Schochet did his graduate studies in Psychology at Columbia University and received his rabbinic ordination from the Jewish Theological Seminary. Studying under Professor Saul Lieberman, Rabbi Schochet was also awarded a Doctorate in Rabbinic Literature, from JTS. He is an Adjunct Professor of Rabbinic Literature at the University of Judaism as well as a Licensed Marriage and Family Counselor and was the founder of Kadima Hebrew Academy in the San Fernando Valley. Rabbi Schochet is the author of six books on rabbinic studies, and is considered a world-renowned expert on the origins of the Hasidic Movement, having authored the definitive book on the subject, The Hasidic Movement and the Gaon of Vilna (Jason Aronson, 1994). His other publications include Animal Life in Jewish Tradition: Attitudes and Relationships (K’Tav Publishing House, 1984, reissued 1991) and Amalek: The Enemy Within (Tara

Publications, 1991).
Rabbi Ted and Gertrude, Rabbi Mark and Hayley, Kinneret, and Geffen can’t wait to see you in Sonoma! We all look forward to spending the weekend together with you, and to enjoying some quality time with the community.

Please let us know that you are coming by sending your form, along with your check, to the office by Friday October 28th. As you may know, participation is limited to 40-45 people.

See you in Sonoma,
Rabbi Mark Melamut

The cost of the weekend including all of the wonderful meals is:

$325 per person (double occupancy)

$405 per person (single occupancy)

Children staying in their parent’s room will pay $55. Teens will pay $180

Ruth Callmann, longtime member of B'nai Emunah

Ruth Callmann Nov. 5, 1918 – Oct. 15, 2011.

Ruth Callmann was born in Berlin. Growing up in Germany she enjoyed the exciting life of a Jewish child before the reign of terror began there. Her memories are that she was a happy child with many friends and experiences that provided the grounding that served her well in the future. With her family she moved to Shanghai, China for refuge in 1940. Her passport from that time reflects the “J” that marked her membership in the Jewish faith. That membership was the bedrock for the remainder of Ruth’s life. In 1947, Ruth came to America and settled in San Francisco along with many others from the Jewish community in Shanghai. Shortly thereafter she took a position at Letterman Army Medical Center, where she served for more than 50 years. In addition to her duty position in the Legal Office, she was a leader in the program for Jewish personnel on the post. Ruth lived in an apartment in the Marina District and could walk to work at the Presidio. Ruth’s service for our government and service members lasted until the Presidio of San Francisco as a military facility was closed. From the time of her arrival in America, she has been an active, vocal, energetic, fiercely independent and opinionated member of Congregation B’nai Emunah. Apart from those she met, worked with, and served at Letterman, Ruth’s life revolved around the B’nai Emunah family. She led the march of the children at services, she served on the Board, she volunteered in the office, and she in general was always around to help and participate. Ruth loved the singing and the dancing, and the onegs. Ruth was an enthusiastic participant in the synagogue’s annual Rabbi Kenneth Zwerin Memorial Retreat in Sonoma. On several occasions Ruth went for a midnight swim in the pool there, even in the rain. She reveled in travel most recently to Israel and a return trip to China with fellow congregants. She loved children, good food, happy people, and an occasional martini or bottle of beer. Ruth was fun and embraced life, and that is how she will be remembered. Ruth served for many years on the Jewish Community Relations Council as the B’nai Emunah representative. She was particularly thrilled to be involved in the 2010 Jews in Shanghai exhibit at the Officer’s Club in the Presidio, where she happily led tours and gave interviews about her time in Shanghai Ruth is survived by her brother Erich, and his children, Clarissa Bencan, Luther Callmann, Eric Callmann and Ingrid Callmann. Ruth’s parents were George Callmann born in Poland and Edith Glaser Callmann who was born in Berlin.

Funeral services were held on Tuesday, October 18, 2011, at 10:00AM at Sinai Memorial Chapel, 1501 Divisadero St., at Geary, SF, followed by interment at Salem Memorial Park, 1171 El Camino Real, Colma.

A couple of years ago congregation B’nai Emunah started the tradition to have the Kol Nidre appeal to the congregants given by community members rather than the President.

To start off I’d like to share some of my personal Jewish story. I converted to Judaism about 13 years ago with the help of Rabbi Ted Alexander. At this time he was running an “Intro to Judaism” class at the old JCC here in San Francisco, but it could as well be called a conversion class, since five people out of that class consequently converted to Judaism (one of them is Christine Tachner).  My interest and fascination with Judaism however goes back much further.

My German family history bears some typical problems. I was faced with a grandmother (born in 1904) and parent generation (born in the 1930’s) that didn’t talk about the Second World War while they grew up. As a teenager I would have really unsettling, heated discussions with my grandmother, who turned out to be a Holocaust denier. I felt helpless to change her perspective about the historical truth, which was presented to children of my generation at school. My reaction however was the wish to become Jewish myself. This quest for a Jewish identity and culture was reflected in my work as a journalist and photographer. Two of my photographs of the old Jewish Berlin from the 1990’s are currently on display in the lobby.

The rest is history. I met my husband Robert on a remote Greek Island and one of our first conversations was about the fact that I was German and he was Jewish. Because of him I came to California and stayed on for the past 16 years.

As I prepared for this short speech tonight I came across the conversion essay I had written 13 years ago. My main motivation was to bring up Robert and my potential children in the Jewish faith. We were lucky enough to have two wonderful children a couple of years later – Judith and Joshua – who are now both actively learning Hebrew and attending Sunday School. So I feel I triumphed in a way over my ignorant grandmother and “made” three Jews where there was none before.

Why am I still here? Because B’nai Emunah is the place where I find myself at home and totally comfortable being Jewish. Whenever I read commentaries by people who don’t want to belong to any congregation I want to shout at them: “Why don’t you come and check us out?” This is the place to raise our children with great role models and a small, but sweet group of peers.
The more you are involved, the more you will feel connected and the more you will know why you are a member here and not somewhere else. Rabbi Mark as a young and energetic leader is drawing in a new generation of members. Let’s all make an effort to spread the word and tell the community at large how we have changed and transitioned quite nicely into the modern era.

Serving on the Board of Directors for the second time I can attest that we have come a long ways since the dark days in 1999 when we didn’t seem to have anything to talk about but red numbers. That you are sitting on new chairs, holding new prayer books and can take advantage of the many improvements Sharon has spearheaded in the past six years is thanks to the enormous generosity of some of our members, past and present. So please be generous and consider your donation even in these difficult economic times. Help sustain our Congregation!

Wishing you all a meaningful Yom Kippur!