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News
The Installation of Rabbi Elon Sunshine
Lev Eisha Returns in April!
By Aimee Ennik
If you attended our first-ever Lev Eisha (Heart of a Woman) service last October, you know what an uplifting and transformative experience it was, with nearly 100 women, children, and even a few men dancing in the aisles, singing, playing instruments, learning Torah, sharing and praying.
Led by Los Angeles-based Rabbi Toba August, who specializes in contemporary, meaningful interpretations of Judaism, in collaboration with cantorial soloist and accomplished children’s recording artist Cindy Paley, this vibrant, participatory service incorporated movement, music, personal reflection, midrash, and most of all – joy and ruach.
The feedback after the service was resounding and unanimous: we need to do this again soon! Thanks to a highly motivated and effective committee headed by Shelli Kushins, we are pleased to announce that a second Lev Eisha service has been scheduled on Saturday morning, April 17. If you attended the first service and have been hoping for an encore, or if you missed it and want a chance to enjoy this inspiring and upbeat Shabbat celebration, please plan to be there – it is an experience you won’t soon forget!
Please note: We are in need of sponsors for the service! Please consider honoring a special and important woman in your life by making a donation in her name to help bring Lev Eisha to B’nai Shalom. Donations in any amount can be made to the Rabbi’s Discretionary Fund, with a notation that the funds are to be used for Lev Eisha.
Event Details:
Date: Saturday, April 17
Location: CBS Social Hall
Time: 9:15 to 11:30 – we will then join the main service for Anniversary
Shabbat, after which we will all enjoy Shabbat lunch together!
A Place for Hospitality for 1st and 2nd Seders
By Michael Bloom
The CBS Membership Committee will be contacting all members who have joined in the past two years (more than 30 families) to make sure that each family has a Seder to attend for first and second nights. We will be contacting other families to see if they have some room at their Seder table and would like to accommodate a new member. If you have room to share or need a place to go, call or email to the CBS office and leave a message for Michael Bloom; he will be making the calls to arrange the matchups.
We have also arranged with United Synagogue to participate in the USCJ Project Reconnect program. This program reaches out to young people – college students and recent graduates – to reconnect them to their shul, especially at Pesach. If you have or know of a young person who would like to attend a Seder with one of our families, please call the office, as noted above, and check out the website at http://www.projectreconnect.org/outreach/program?program_id=5, or contact Michael at cbsmeb at mac dot com.
Mystery on the Bayou: CBS Shows Hot to Party
By Bob Levine
Nearly 100 members and guests gathered in the Social Hall on Saturday, February 6 to enjoy a Mardi Gras experience. Decorated in Mardi Gras colors (green, gold, and purple) by veteran Men’s Club designers Larry Rosenthal and Stan Goldman, the room was transposed into the Garden District of New Orleans. A backdrop of balconies and street scenes joined masks, beads, musicians, and jesters to surround guests and transport them instantly to New Orleans. Tables, decorated with colorful votives and centerpieces, invited excited participants dressed in costume to quickly jump into the spirit of the evening.
As the guests gathered and Shabbat concluded, the evening began with a beautiful Havdalah service lead by Hazzan Dinkin. The lights were dimmed and the guests were involved in the spiritual experience of the moment as the atmosphere transformed from the peace and quiet of Shabbat to the revelry and party mood of the Mardi Gras Mystery and Dinner.
Cajun, Zydeco, and Dixieland music filled the room. Guests enjoyed famous Pat O’Brien Hurricanes served in a souvenir cup and lovingly made at the Hurricane Bar by Mike Lefelstein. Premium red and white wines by the glass along with a large assortment of cold sodas and seltzer were also featured.
There followed a sumptuous New Orleans themed dinner sponsored and catered by members of Havurah Nachas, under the direction of Sue Lefelstein and Judy Heyman. A green salad with remoulade dressing was followed by fish etouffee, vegetarian jambalaya, and homemade cole slaw, accompanied by fresh bread.
As dinner was winding down, suddenly a scream came from the front of the room as Dorothy Blint, in the traditional role of the one who discovers the murder victim, leaped off the stage exclaiming that Pierre DuPre, the King of Midas Krewe, had been strangled in the billiard room of his chateau. Now, the guests put down their Hurricane cups and began the task of discovering the identity of the murderer. As everyone had a suspect character to portray it became evident that one of them was the killer.
To entertain everyone while they were doing the work of solving the mystery, the evening was filled with a raffle for 50% of the pot plus generous prizes sponsored by Nibblers Eatery and Wine Bar, New Treatment Laser Center, and Fleet Feet Sports. Also, a throw bead collection game was introduced with guests trying to collect as many beads as possible. It was a close contest, with Channah Katz narrowly edging out Tina Eisenman for the honor (even though Tina had a lot of help from Rabbi Sunshine), collecting the $50 cash award.
Of course solving a mystery works up more of an appetite, so the Havurah, at midpoint, presented an amazing dessert of warm homemade bread pudding with whisky sauce served alongside fresh cherry gelato, made by Technogel America with ingredients donated by the famous Italian gelato ingredient company, Fabbri , all under the personal supervision of Rabbi Sunshine. The dessert was a welcome treat and gave guests the energy needed to continue to try to identify Pierre DuPre’s killer.
Finally, the mystery was solved (the lawyer did it, of course), and guests at the three tables with the most correct accusations were rewarded with prizes (gift cards from Stanimation Productions and Kona coffee from Lapperts of Hawaii). A grand prize, a Mardi Gras mask collector’s piece donated by Daniel Clayton of Nibblers Eatery and Wine Bar, went to the murder suspect who fooled the most players. In all 25 prize awards were given out to the game winners, along with 10 raffle prizes including $220 cash, and the “Magic of the Beads” cash award. It was a very satisfying evening for everyone.
As the Hurricane Bar wound down, the amazing food was enjoyed, and the mystery was solved, the evening came to a close with nobody really wanting to leave. It was a unique experience and a successful fundraising event produced by a team of dedicated CBS supporters from Havurah Nachas and the CBS Men’s Club.
Contra Costa Midrasha
By Devra Aarons, CCM Education Director
I had the pleasure of doing Torah study in February with Rabbi Sunshine and the 7th grade class. We were learning about one sentence in particular – Exodus 19:20. Rabbi Sunshine told the students that it was his favorite. He challenged the students to figure out why.
I think we were all a bit stumped. First of all, to hear a Rabbi tell you that there’s one sentence in the Torah that is their favorite is a bit shocking. It’s like hearing a parent or a teacher admit that one child really IS their favorite. I mean, you’re just not supposed to say that. We read the sentence once and then we read it again. Still, we were stumped. So I challenged the group – let’s draw it! It turned out to look like a storyboard for a movie. Scene one – God comes down onto Sinai. Scene two – G-d calls to Moses. Scene three – Moses climbs up Mt. Sinai. Scene four – An encounter happens between Moses and G-d, they meet. The images on the whiteboard were very colorful. The ideas coming out of the students’ mouths were very enthusiastic. They were actually jumping up and down to share their ideas!
We also talked about how Moses might have gone up that mountain. Was he scared? One student thought so. After all, in the sentence right before that, there was thunder. Was he brave and ready? Another student thought yes, for sure. After all, we are talking about Moses. Yet another student thought it was something in between brave and scared.
Then one student said something that made us all stop and think. If God is everywhere, why did G-d need to come DOWN to Mt. Sinai? And this is where Rabbi Sunshine revealed his reason for loving this sentence. He suggested that maybe we both have to take steps to meet the Divine. Maybe we have to climb up, but G-d also needs to climb down. We need to meet in the middle to uncover holiness. I looked around the room – all the 7th graders were nodding their heads. Yes, they agreed, both need to make an effort.
Wow – all that out of one sentence!? It was a pretty amazing window into the brains of these thoughtful and engaged students. I would even call it magical. Magical moments like this are so intangible and yet so important. But I live for moments like that, just to be inside of them makes me feel wonder and amazement.
Please join us in more magical moments on March 14th when we host our annual fundraiser event in B’nai Tikvah’s Social Hall! For more information, visit our website at www.ccmidrasha.com.
Contra Costa Jewish Day School Gala
On August 31st, the Contra Costa Jewish Day School (CCJDS) opened the doors of its new building on the Temple Isaiah campus in Lafayette. To celebrate this wonderful institution of learning, the Contra Costa Jewish Day School Parents Association invites you to join us for the “Over the Rainbow” Gala dinner, dance and auction on Sunday, March 21st from 4:30 to 8:30 pm at the Temple Isaiah Social Hall, 3800 Mt. Diablo Blvd. in Lafayette.
The Gala begins with a gourmet kosher dinner, prepared by Tal Franbuch, Executive Chef at the Hilton, San Francisco. After enjoying a sumptuous meal, you can bid on fabulous items ranging from wine to weekend getaways at the silent and live auctions. Then dance the night away to the music of the Shtetlblasters, voted #1 dance band by readers of the “J”.
Funds raised through this event provide support scholarships, enrichment programs and general operations.
Tickets are $100/person. To RSVP, please email
galachair at ccjds.org. Have questions or need more information? Contact Melinda Gerber at
galachair at ccjds.org or 925.766.3680 or Rebecca Calahan Klein at rebeccacalahanklein at gmail.com
or 510.612.0547.
Preschool News
By Liz Kaufman
The Pesach Seder is one the most celebrated Jewish home rituals. It draws together all age groups and it involves the participation of the old and the young. At the table, children play a vital role. At the preschool we have been introducing developmentally appropriate lessons to best help each child gain an understanding and appreciation of why this night is so different than all other nights. Using all areas of our classrooms, we incorporate language, math, science, art, music/songs, and the outdoors as we arouse curiosity in each child about the story and celebration of Pesach.
In preparing for Pesach, language plays a key role for our children as they are exposed to many “new” words – seder, b’dikat hametz, Chag HaAviv, charoset, matzah, maror, Haggadah, Mah Nishtanah. They increase their vocabulary through a wide variety of hands on experiences. There are numerous opportunities to put the Pesach story in order with felt pictures, dress-up clothes, puppets, and props. The children take turns being Pharaoh, Moses, slaves, Miriam, and even the Burning Bush, reenacting on a daily basis the Pesach story. Questions, questions, and more questions, that is what we encourage from our children so that as they can begin to prepare for this special holiday, and better understand why we all gather together to celebrate this tradition.
Four is the magic number for our young children when they think of Pesach….four cups of wine, four children, four questions. Actually, opportunities for math arise frequently while preparing for Pesach. We make counting books with Pesach symbols…one seder plate, two candles, three matzot… and when we prepare our own matzot, we try to complete the whole process in eighteen minutes. Once we return from our spring break, we will begin to count the Omer until Shavuot.
Science offers opportunities to explore the sense of taste and scientific reactions. We make charoset, compare raw and prepared maror, experiment with yeast, bake bread and matzah, and sample foods that are salty, bitter, and sweet. We also explore with wet and dry sand, making bricks, and counting the days it takes to dry them in the sun. Conducting a b’dikat hametz search not only dramatically helps prepare the children for Pesach, but also lets them observe what happens when you light the bag of chamaytz with the candle. And finally, Pesach being Chag HaAviv, the spring holiday, enables the children to investigate spring – new buds, bugs, changes in the weather, birds, our vegetable garden.
An emphasis on art projects help the children contribute to their family seder tables. A seder plate, Elijah’s cup, an afikoman bag, a reclining pillow, a matzah cover - each child brings home a collection of ritual objects he/she has made that he/she is very proud of and can be used at their family Pesach celebration. Our children learn traditional and modern songs that are either sung at the seder or related to the Pesach concepts. By the time they arrive at their seder, they are very familiar with most of the traditional tunes of Pesach.
As you can see, March is a very busy month at the preschool. The preschool children are engaged in preparing, baking, experimenting, and cleaning, transforming their classrooms from a non-Pesach place to one that is ready for Pesach. Through daily experiences, exposure of Pesach rituals, stories, songs, prayers, and food, our children will be able to celebrate Pesach with their families with meaning and understanding. While each family celebrates with particular customs, all convey the story and meaning of Pesach and most importantly, our history is shared, remembered, and celebrated with our young children and passed on to a future generation.
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