WOOD RIVER wrjc
 JEWISH COMMUNITY
 "The Wood River Jewish Community is a gathering place that strives to perpetuate  
 Jewish tradition through worship, fellowship and learning.  Founded in 1976, we seek to provide a welcoming and caring community in the Wood River Valley.
 
October 2, 2019

HIGH HOLY DAYS ' MESSAGE FROM OUR PRESIDENT, SUSAN GREEN

This is the second year of my second round of being President of the WRJC. 

Often times, when this comes up in conversation, people look at me with sympathy in their eyes, as they think that this must be an overwhelming burden. 
I am here to say that nothing like that could be further from the truth. In reality, being President has given me the opportunity to meet and mingle with so many wonderful people both within and outside of the Jewish community. I have also enjoyed working with and getting to know well, so many of our volunteers ....across the age spectrum.

And this time around, I have the perspective of looking back to where we were 10 years ago and comparing that to where we are today. I would say that the picture is much improved. Ten years ago there was a real question of whether we would survive, and if so, what could we provide to meet the needs of our members? Today we are a much more stable institution. Our membership is growing and our ability to offer a variety of experiences to our constituents is greatly expanded. These offerings encompass the spiritual, religious, educational and social needs of our community. And what is truly astonishing is this: 10 years ago, I think we had about 3 children coming to Sunday school....this year, at our first session, we had 11 children enrolled!
With this in mind, the board of directors has set sustainability as one of our objectives this year. What does this mean? It means that in addition to continuing we provide all the programming that we do throughout the year, that we are thinking of new and creative ways to grow our base...that is , we hope to bring on board the next generation of Jews here in the valley. To that end we have instituted the Young Family Initiative as a way to make it possible for young families to come into the fold at an affordable and all inclusive membership rate. We are also hoping that we can inspire them to take leadership positions in the community.

We will need everyone's support in this endeavor and hope that you understand why this is such a significant effort on our part. Please keep that in mind when you are asked for a donation.

I would like to share with you my belief of why this is so important:
As Jews we have a long history of survival, and the question of survival here, in this tiny enclave of Jews in the Wood River Valley, is of no less importance than the survival of Jewish communities anywhere else in the world. In my heart and soul I believe that as Jews, we do have a special role to play as inheritors of a code of morality and justice that have framed many of the world's other great religions. We are called upon to live by that code, by those values, and to pass them on to the generations that follow us.
To me that guides much of what we are about....and I thank you all for sharing in this responsibility.

My special thanks always to Rabbi Robbi for bringing her special brand of spirituality to the valley. And of course, thank you to Claudie for always going the extra mile to support us in everything we do. . Without their help and collaboration, we would not be where we are today.

As we approach the New Year, I wish you all the very best for a year of peace and harmony, a year to enjoy all that we are blessed with, a year in which the WRJC will be there to enrich your lives and add to your spiritual well-being through community.
Shanah Tovah Umetukah.....a wish for a good year and a sweet year to you all.
                                                                 PARSHA OF THE WEEK
Vayelech (and he went)
Deuteronomy 31:1-30

* These are the events of Moses' last day of earthly life. "I am one hundred and twenty years old today," he says to the people, "and I can no longer go forth and come in."
* He transfers the leadership to Joshua, and writes (or concludes writing) the Torah in a scroll which he entrusts to the Levites for safekeeping in the Ark of the Covenant.
* The mitzvah of hak'hel ("gather") is given: every seven years, during the festival of Sukkot of the first year of the shemittah cycle, the entire people of Israel-men, women and children-should gather at the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, where the king should read to them from the Torah.
* Vayelech concludes with the prediction that the people of Israel will turn away from their covenant with God, causing God to hide God's face from them, but also with the promise that the words of the Torah "shall not be forgotten out of the mouths of their descendants."
Parasha Vayelech, the shortest portion in the Torah, falls between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur and is called Shabbat Shuvah, or the Sabbath of return. Teshuvah, or repentance, is a core concept of the High Holidays. But the word literally means "return." Services on Shabbat Shuvah are typically solemn and focused. There is still much work to do as the Jewish people move towards forgiveness on Yom Kippur, which falls just a few days after Shabbat Shuva.

Additional Limud (Learning)
Beating our Breasts on Yom Kippur

The interpretation that I have always heard about the practice of beating our breasts during the Vidui, or community confession during the Yom Kippur services, is that we are making ourselves uncomfortable for our "sins" or shortcomings as a community. The ground-breaking television show, "Transparent" has a scene in the first season, where Rachel, the rabbi dating the son of Maura Pfferman, the family patriarch turned matriarch, is leading her congregation and in complete unison, the congregation beats their breasts loudly, and it causes a sound that is very jarring. But, my colleague, Rachel Barenblat, known as the Velveteen Rabbi, has a different interpretation: rather than castigating ourselves, we're knocking gently on the heart, asking it to open. I hope to explore this more during these Days of Awe.

If my words or actions have caused anyone hurt or pain in any way in our last year together, I humbly ask for your forgiveness. 

Rabbi Robbi Sherwin
rabbirobbi@wrjc.org

In this issue
A message from our president
Torah portion
Patron of the Month
Shabbat services
Yom Kippur
Break the fast
New members
Donations of the week
Food drive
Caring Committee
Yarzheits
Legacy
Our Board of Directors

Susan Green
President
Jami Delgado 
Vice-President
Judy Teller-Kaye  
Treasurer
Eileen Prager
Secretary
Dana Berntson
Linda Cooper 
Josh Kleinman
Joanne Mercer
Marshall Meyer
Noa Ries
Bob Safron
Neil Siegel
Scott Rogel 
 
Rabbi Robbi Sherwin
   
  Claudie Goldstein
Executive Director
Director of Development

 Cindy Smith
Bookkeeper
Advisory Council
Harriet Parker-Bass
Buzz Coe
Lenny Cohen
Marty Lyon
Marshall Meyer
Enid Rawlings 
Juli Roos

Addresses
Mailing:
PO Box 837
Ketchum, ID 83340

Physical:
471 Leadville Avenue
Ketchum, ID 83340

Office Hours
Tuesday:
10:00am-4:00pm

Thursday:
10:00am-4:00pm

Friday:
 10:00am-1:00pm
Contact us
tel: 208-726-1183
fax: 208-727-9646
OCTOBER PATRON OF THE MONTH SPONSORS
Phil Goldstein and Cathy Dobbs Goldstein
SHABBAT SERVICES
shabbat banner
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 4
at 6:00PM  at the WRJC office

Rabbi Robbi will lead Shabbat services  
Oneg to follow.
YOM KIPPUR SERVICES SCHEDULE
Tuesday, October 8 
7:30 PM: Kol Nidre service 

Wednesday, October 9 
10:00 AM: Yom Kippur Morning service 
4:00 PM: Children's service
4:45 PM: Afternoon service: Jonah's Journey 
5:45 PM:Yizkor (Memorial Service) 
6:15 PM: Neilah (Concluding Service) 
7:00 PM: Community Break-the-Fast 

 
LAST NAMES STARTING WITH A-J: PLEASE BRING A MAIN COURSE.
LAST NAMES STARTING WITH K-Z: PLEASE BRING A SALAD,  SIDE DISH OR DESSERT.
Each dish should serve 8/10 people.  Please respect Jewish dietary law and do not bring pork or shellfish.
      
 
to set up the room, set up the buffet table and welcome our members and friends .
Please email Claudie at claudie@wrjc.org 



Mathew, Whitney, Izun and Sebastian Gershater 
DONATIONS OF THE WEEK 
Honor a special occasion, express sympathy, remember a loved one, or simply say "Thank You" with a donation to a WRJC fund of your choice.

 
WHERE NEEDED MOST FUNDS
Dick and Sara Jean Cardozo in memory of Mildred Cardozo,  Mother of Richard Cardozo

DISCRETIONARY  RABBI FUND
Arnold and Susan Blair

BOOK OF REMEMBRANCE
Woody and Margery Friedlander in memory of Sara and Benjamin Pape, Devra Friedlander, Paula Pape Lipson,Walter Pape, Nathaniel and Jennie Friedlander

HIGH HOLY DAYS APPEAL
Gene Abrams and Alexandris Delis-Abrams
Marty and Leslie Kaplan
Jeff and Elana Rose
Beau Sadick and Stephany Bruell
Steve Dorinson and Suzanne Marx
Larry and Marlene Samuels in memory of Sara and Meyer Bernstein
Paul and Joanne Firstenberg
Charles and Jeannette Miller
Steve and Betsy Conovitz
Carolyn Henges  in memory of Jay Gordon Henges and Victoria Rose Drier
Carol Nie  in memory of Norm Nie, loving husband, great father, grandfather and friend
Stuart and Rivian Glickman  in memory of Talat Yomtobian
Kyle Cohen
Dana Cohen-Copeland
Jonathan  and Susan Dolgen
Mina Solomon
Drs. Cynthia Green and Joshua Jablons Green
in honor of Susan Green
James Lieberman and Andrea Gurvich Lieberman
Fred and Eileen Prager  in memory of Vicki Carmel, Mother of Linda Cohen and Eileen Prager
Lenny and Linda Cohen  in memory of Vicki Carmel, Mother of Linda Cohen and Eileen Prager


undefined

YOM KIPPUR FOOD DRIVE
Get your year off to a great  start  with the mitzvah of providing food to the hungry. As we fast this Yom Kippur, we will be  collecting food for the hungry and  make a meaningful contribution to the Hunger Coalition from the WRJC.
 
Please bring a donation of food to place in the barrel when you come for services. ( non-perishables:  canned goods, boxed pasta or rice dishes, cooking oil, nut butters , healthy snack items, candies and cookies). 

CARING COMMITTEE
Coni Foster is chairing the month of October.
conifoster@hotmail.com
1-786-382-6359

YARZHEITS OF THE WEEK
A Yahrzeit donation allows you to honor the memory of the special people in your life. Your gift will memorialize your loved one during the anniversary of his or her passing.

Arthur Alban, Father of William Alban
Mildred Cardozo, Mother of Richard Cardozo
Tony Curtis, Father of Kelly Curtis
Louise Feingold, Grandmother of Rabbi Martin Levy
Elise Lyon, Mother of Marty Lyon
Edward Pinsof, Father of Judith Meyer
QUICK LINKS


LEAVING A LEGACY
To discuss leaving a legacy and providing support to our Wood River Jewish Community in perpetuity, please feel free to call 208-726-1183 or email claudie@wrjc.org to arrange a private and confidential meeting. 
If you want to know more about our organization, please contact  Claudie Goldstein, Executive Director  at claudie@wrjc.org or 208-726-1183
  WRJC STANDS WITH ISRAEL