Bath Jewish History

March/April 2015
Adar/Nisan/Iyyar 5775

Memorial Service for Ed Benedikt

by Marilyn Weinberg

Sunday, March 1
4:00 p.m.
Synagogue

Please join us on Sunday, March 1 at 4:00 p.m. at the synagogue as we remember Ed Benedikt, who gave so much to our community and our synagogue. I am attaching two links to local newspaper obituaries that fill you in on all that Ed contributed. He was tireless in his commitment to the environment, interfaith activities and our synagogue. He will be dearly missed.

Times Record obituary

Portland Press Herald obituary

President's Message

by Marilyn Weinberg

The Strategic Planning team has been busy during our very cold and snowy January and February. Our major work has been preparing and sending out the survey to see what our members and friends want from our congregation. In addition we have been talking to groups and individuals who have many levels of involvement with the synagogue.

Gathering all this information and analyzing it will take some time. As of this date we have received over 100 responses, which I find remarkable. Our facilitator, Gary Stern, has told us that a response rate that high is truly rare. I think it tells us how much all of you care about our synagogue and that you truly want it to survive and thrive for the next 100 years.

In late March the team will meet with the board to begin the development of our strategic plan. On May 3 we will have a meeting of the congregation to share the plan with you. You will have an opportunity to look at all the data we have collected as well as proposals for planning our future. It will be an opportunity for all of you to help shape the final document that will be presented to you on June 7, the date for our annual meeting.

Meanwhile, lots of things are happening this spring (assuming it arrives sometime). There will be a Megillah reading on Wednesday, March 4 and the Maine Jewish Film Festival kicks off in Brunswick at the Frontier Cafe on March 14. We will be holding our Community Passover Seder on April 4 and a special Holocaust Remembrance Service on Friday, April 17.

Mark your calendars with all these dates. We hope to see all of you soon.

Community Passover Seder

Saturday, April 4
5:00 p.m.

You are invited to join family and friends for a potluck Community Passover Seder.

Reservations required by March 27. Please e-mail info@bethisrael-maine.org.

To cover expenses:
$5.00 per person/$10.00 per family for members
$10.00 per person/$20.00 per family for non-members

Yom Ha'Shoah
Holocaust Remembrance Day Service

by Marilyn Weinberg

On Friday, April 17, we will hold a Holocaust Remembrance Service at the synagogue at 7:00 p.m. Before Ed Benedikt passed away he shared with me several memoirs of other children who were part of the Kindertransport that saved Ed and his sister. We will read from these documents and say some special blessings to commemorate this difficult time in our history.

Our friends at the Unitarian Universalist Church will be sharing this service with us and providing the oneg following the service.

Maine Jewish Film Festival Comes to Brunswick

by Marilyn Weinberg

Saturday, March 14
Sunday, March 15
Frontier, Brunswick ME

With the support of the Benedikt trust and members of our congregation, Beth Israel is a proud sponsor of the Maine Jewish Film Festival this year. There will be 4 films shown during the weekend of March 14 and 15 at the Frontier Cafe in Brunswick. I am listing the links for details for each film.

It would be wonderful if we all came early and had dinner together at the Frontier before (or after) the film. What a great way to get out of the house during this cold, snowy winter. Spread the word and bring your friends to share the interest and excitement.

Save the dates now.

SATURDAY, March 14: New England Premier - Opening Night film
8:00 p.m.
The Art Dealer - Thriller/Film Noir
Information and Tickets
Trailer

SUNDAY, March 15
2:00 p.m.
Deli Man - Documentary
Information and Tickets
Trailer

SUNDAY, March 15
6:00 p.m.
Little White Lie - Documentary
Information and Tickets
Trailer

SUNDAY, March 15: New England Premier
8:00 p.m.
Mr. Kaplan - Comedy
Information and Tickets
Trailer

Recipe for Hamantashen

by Lynn Frank

1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
jelly or jam

• Cream the butter in a mixer and gradually add the sugar. Beat until fluffy.
• Add egg, milk, vanilla and beat well.
• Sift flour salt and baking powder together and add to mixture. Stir to make a soft dough.
• Chill in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
• Sprinkle a board lightly with flour. Roll the dough out on the board until it is about 1/8 inch thick.
• Dip a wide-mouthed jar or glass into flour and cut circles.
• Spoon some jelly or jam in the center of each circle. Bring 3 sides of the circle together to form a triangle, leaving about 1/3 open. Pinch the edges together to make a seam.
• Arrange well apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake in a hot oven (400 degrees) for 10-12 minutes.

Makes about 36 hamantashen.

Recipe for Matzo Balls that Float

by Lynn Frank

1/2 cup matzah meal
1/4 cup water
2 eggs
3 tablespoons melted shortening
1 teaspoon salt

• Beat the eggs lightly with a fork.
• Add the water, melted shortening, salt and mix well.
• Add the matzah meal and stir thoroughly.
• Refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Wet your hands and form mixture into small balls.
• Drop balls into a large pot of boiling water or chicken soup.
• Cover and simmer 20-25 minutes.
• Serve in chicken soup.

Makes about 16 small matzah balls.

BIRTHDAYS AND ANNIVERSARIES

Listing the birthdays and anniversaries of those in our immediate family creates a wonderful opportunity for our community/shul family to have an excuse to celebrate with each other. 

DONATIONS

• Mort and Evelyn Panish in loving memory of his mother, Fanny Panish Mutterperl
• Marilyn and John Darack in loving memory of her parents, Ruth and Sterling Shapiro
• Barbara and Robert Lenox in support of the Maine Jewish Film Festival
• Irwin and Lori Brodsky for the general fund
• Sheila Lucente for the general fund
• Robert and Barbara Lenox in loving memory of his father, Fred Lenox
• Betsy Atkins in loving memory of her father, Jacob Fishkind
• Mort and Evelyn Panish in loving memory of his stepfather, Alex Mutterperl
• Marilyn and Fred Weinberg in support of the Maine Jewish Film Festival
• Marilyn and Fred Weinberg in loving memory of her mother, Ann Isacoff
• Barbara and Robert Lenox in loving memory of her mother, Freda Selig
• Peggy Brown and John Martell in loving memory of her grandfather Solomon Wernick
• Jon and Lorna Lichter in loving memory of his father, David Lichter
• Evelyn and Mort Panish in loving memory of her mother Else Chaim
• Jeremy and Joan Fields in loving memory of his father, David Fields
• Fred and Marilyn Weinberg in loving memory of his parents Marvin and Frances Weinberg
• Jay and Lenore Friedland in loving memory of Ed Benedikt
• Mara and Donald Giulianti in loving memory of her father, Leon Berman
• Fred and Marilyn Weinberg in loving memory of Ed Benedikt

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