Bath Jewish History

January/February 2022
Tevet / Shevat / Adar I 5782

Rabbi’s Message

Dear Beth Israel Members and Friends, 

2021 has been a year of incredible perseverance and creativity. We’ve celebrated and honored Jewish holiday and life cycle events despite many obstacles. We’ve learned a lot about engaging as Jews in new and different ways. This year we’ve helped our neighbors and lifted our voices together for equality. We’ve reached beyond our comfort zones in school, work and community to gain new experiences. We’ve stood up to lead and we’ve let others lead us. We’ve been flexible while holding onto our values. We’ve striven to remain open minded and open to change. 

At the same time, we’ve mourned the death of loved ones, friends, and community members alongside the loss of millions of lives to a deadly pandemic, fires, hurricanes, war and violence around the globe. We continue to grieve for many aspects of our lives lost since March of 2020. 

As we begin the secular year of 2022, may it be a year of continued creativity and resilience. Together may we be a source of light to each other and to our community. 

L’Shalom,

Rabbi Vinikoor 

100th Anniversary Celebration

by Marilyn Weinberg

Sunday, January 30, 2022 1:00 pm

Save the date for a most wonderful celebration. On January 30, 2022, we will gather together outside for a reenactment of the opening of the synagogue that was held on January 29, 1922. Read about what happened on that day on our
Beth Israel History website.

We will meet at the corner of Centre and Washington Streets, as our ancestors did, and march with the Torahs up the hill to our beautiful synagogue.

This will be a once in a lifetime experience so don’t miss it.

Winter Walk/Snowshoe and Study

by Rabbi Vinikoor

Sunday, January 16 at 9:30 am
Meet at the entrance to Reid State Park

Join Rabbi Vinikoor for a Winter Walk/Snowshoe at beautiful Reid State Park in honor of TuBishvat. After exploring the role of trees and the environment in Jewish tradition, we’ll head out to enjoy the beautiful plants, ponds and vistas that lead us through the park. Pre-registration will be required so look out for the form on your weekly email. Open to all ages. Hiking shoes/ snowshoes recommended.

American Jewish History

by Rabbi Ted Stainman

Sunday, Jan. 23, 30
Sunday, Feb. 6,13,20, 27
10:00–11:30 am

Rabbi Ted Stainman will be offering an adult ed class on American Jewish History.

The story of Jewish life in America is one of adaptation, assimilation, and retention and, of course, great achievement. From poor immigrant traders and peddlers Jews have risen to the highest levels of commerce, the arts, education, and government. It is a fascinating story of a human explosion of talent long held back by the restrictions of European social and political barriers.

In a series of six one and half hour classes he will cover the period from first settlement to the great Eastern European immigrations. In the next six classes he will cover the period from 1880 to the present.

Rabbi Stainman was born July 11, 1942, in New Brunswick, NJ and attended Rutgers University, graduating with a degree in history in 1964. He then spent the next year as a foreign student at the
Hebrew University in Jerusalem, Israel. While there he participated in an archeological excavation at Tel Gezer, a city mentioned in the biblical story of King Solomon.

Upon return to the United States, he entered the Hebrew Union College, seminary of the Reform Movement, in New York and graduated and was ordained in 1970. After graduation Rabbi Stainman entered the United States Air Force as a military chaplain where he remained until 1993. During his military service he was assigned to Alaska, Colorado, Germany, Nebraska, Greece, Alabama, and finally Delaware. After retirement from the Air Force, he served small communities in Seattle, Washington and Fort Collins, Colorado.

In Colorado Rabbi Stainman was a hospice chaplain and taught adult education at the Academy for Continuing Education in Denver. In 2020 Rabbi Stainman relocated to Topsham, Maine. Rabbi Stainman is married to Barbara, originally from Bangor and they have two children and four grandchildren.

Two Books and a Movie - Hold the 2022 Dates

by Debbie Smyth and Janet Marstine

Monday, February 7 (7:00–8:30 pm)
Book selection: Inheritance by Dani Shapiro
*See why you’ll want to read it, below

Monday, June 13 (time TBD)
Book selection: (to be selected by participants)

Monday, September 12 (time TBD)
Movie selection: TBD

We are excited to announce the dates for our 2022 Community Read/Discussion Group. What a great way to read something new, discuss your thoughts, hear from others, all while building our sense of Beth Israel community. Please hold these dates and join us. We expect the discussion in February to be by Zoom for which a link will be posted later.

Over the last several years, we have read and discussed A Guide for the Perplexed by Dara Horn, Apeirogon by Colum McCann, and Caste, by Isabel Wilkerson. During that time, it was suggested that perhaps a movie would allow greater participation, especially for those with limited time to read. We heard you! So, this year our plan is to do just that, and we are working on how best to make that happen.

*The first book selection of 2022 is Dani Shapiro’s Inheritance: A Memoir of Genealogy, Paternity and Love. This is a deeply moving story of Shapiro’s search for self when she discovers that the orthodox Jewish father that raised her was not her biological father. Both a gripping mystery and a testament to the trauma that family secrets create, the book raises fascinating and timely questions for us all about the complex dynamic between genetics and belonging.

Reg Hannaford Education Fund

by Peggy Brown

The Reg Hannaford Education Fund has been established by Pauline (Tinker) Hannaford and Beth Israel Congregation to honor the memory of Tinker's husband Reg Hannaford. Reg and Tinker have been lifelong students of Jewish religion, history, literature, culture and language and this fund will help others pursue their Jewish learning in many ways. 

Each year, funds will be available to support Beth Israel Congregation members in their pursuit of Jewish learning. Please get in touch with Rabbi Vinikoor for further information on how to apply for funds. 

If you would like to make a donation to this fund you can go to this link:
https://www.bethisraelbath.org/take-action

Building a Shema-nster

by Joey Glick

A few years ago, my friend Rose Levenson showed me her Shema-nster, a little wobbly-eyed DIY stuffed animal. A camp director, Rose had combined her campers love of Jewish prayer and monsters into a Shema monster. The Shema is a central prayer proclaiming Israel's commitment to a single God. Many Jews have the tradition of saying this prayer at bedtime. Rose's genius was to help her campers create little stuffed animals with the text of the Shema stuffed inside. At bedtime, the campers could hug their Shema-nsters and meditate on the prayer.  

And so, on a chilly November morning, a group of families gathered at the Bath gazebo, armed with hot glue guns, googly eyes and Jewish texts. Parents and kids practiced saying the prayer while crafting asymmetric, multicolored, 2 to 10 eyed Shema-nsters. I love to think that before learning to read Torah, before learning to sound out the Hebrew letters, before one-day of Hebrew school, these kids will have a little embodied Jewish prayer to join them at bedtime. 

Tikkun Olam Club

by Ethan Stern Hayes and Anita Lichman 

Our Hebrew school class is spending the year thinking about helping the Maine community. We looked at websites to pick three organizations. I was excited about supporting the Adaptive Outdoor Education Center (A.O.E.C.) because it’s local in Brunswick and works with Sugarloaf for winter sports, is extra inclusive, and it gives cognitively and physically disabled people the chance to play sports, learn about nature, and do artsy activities.

In November our class baked things for a bake sale and raised almost $200. I spent $24 of my allowance to buy toys and candy at the dollar store. I sold them downtown with my friend Keith to add on to the donations. I went back the next day to do it again. I raised $312 for a total of over $500. In the process I learned about the amazing organization of the A.O.E.C., and how they help the community by giving people with disabilities the opportunity to be social and active. As we get ready to support the next organization, we will let you know how you can help.

In December and the small but mighty Tikkun Olam club has been staying active! This month the students baked dozens of cookies for the Bath Food Pantry cookie drive. All the cookies donated go towards creating cookie platters to help bring cheer to people during the holiday season. It looks like all the love the students poured into making these cookies will be sent out into the community wide and far this holiday season. 

It’s not just cookies that the students are helping with this December! The students are also contributing to the Tedford Shelter’s Christmas dinner. Ensuring that people are taken care of in one of the most nourishing and fundamental ways and brining comfort during a time of need.  

In the new year Ethan, Jacob, Max and Stella will have a few more projects that they will do. Watch for them to reach out to you and see how you can help repair the world.

Social Action

by Joanne Rosenthal

“Back then they helped us because we were Jews.

Today we help because we are Jews.”

By the time you read this, Afghan refugees will have arrived in Portland where they will be resettled by HIAS—the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society. HIAS was last active in Maine between the 1980’s and the early 2000’s, resettling Jews from the former Soviet Union. The Jewish Community Alliance has been approved to administer two resettlement programs: one serving 25 Afghans, and another for 80 refugees from various countries. A coordinator has been hired and the plan is to engage the wider Jewish communities to support the resettlement efforts with financial assistance and other forms of support identified by HIAS. 

The primary, and most urgent need is for housing, ideally in Portland but outlying communities will be considered if there is available housing for several families. In the coming weeks, watch for updates about how to support this humanitarian effort. 

Michelle Lisi ably coordinated the Christmas dinner for the Tedford Shelter. Thank you, Michelle, and all those who contributed to the festive meal!

The Social Action Organizing Group is accepting your tikkun olam ideas for advocacy, education and outreach. Please contact Joanne Rosenthal or Nonny Soifer with your ideas.

Chanukah Scavenger Hunt

by Anita Lichman

This Chanukah the windows of Bath were shining extra bright with eight small menorahs hidden in plain sight. Eight businesses in downtown Bath hosted a menorah in their shop window for scavenger hunt participants to find while walking through town. There were giveaways and discounts at each participating location, free chocolate coins at the Bath Sweet Shoppe, discounted blue and silver items at Now You're Cooking, free Chanukah gift wrapping at Lisa-Marie’s Made in Maine store, and even Chanukah dog treats at Loyal Biscuit Co. to name a few. 

This multigenerational activity brought folks from various towns to Bath where they bundled up and embarked on an adventure to find the hidden menorahs and take advantage of the fun treats and goods along the way. All participants that successfully found the eight menorahs were eligible to enter a raffle for fun Chanukah prizes. This year, the Tefft Family won the Chanukah scavenger hunt raffle and took a bundle of chocolate treats from downtown stores and an electric menorah like the ones used in the scavenger hunt! Looking forward to seeing what’s hidden for Chanukah next year! 

Beth Israel would like to thank the following businesses for shining a light on the Chanukah holiday: Bath Sweet Shoppe, Bohemian Rose, Island Treasure Toys, Lisa-Marie's Made in Maine, Loyal Biscuit Co., Now You're Cooking, Mockingbird Bookshop, and Pamela's World.

Hebrew School

by Camille Kauffunger

This community put on face masks, jackets, and gloves to meet in our outdoor Gazebo classroom to sing, pray, learn Hebrew, Torah stories and Jewish culture. When it got too cold and dark, and the Bath community Christmas tree finally went up in the Gazebo, they shifted to Zoom. 

In addition to the typical juggling our families do to sustain Jewish education with busy fall schedules, this season included missed days due to “close-contact” quarantines, tired post-vaccine bodies, other health issues and bereavement in the lives of our school community. As one Hebrew School teacher and parent shared on Facebook, “In these times, when we all just want to take the day off because it’s especially hard to expend extra energy to learn new things, they persisted…” 

Todah Rabba - Thank you to our tremendous Beth Israel volunteers who helped set up the Gazebo each week this fall. In addition to Hebrew School parents, we give a special thank you to: Peggy Brown, Maurie Libner, Marilyn Weinberg, Anne Schlitt, Deb Smyth, Howie Cohen-Shaw, Robert Gersh and Ren Kauffunger.

A Student-led Shabbat Service and Celebration of Jewish Education

by Camille Kauffunger

“So delightful to hear all that the wonderful children have learned from their excellent teachers and parents. It’s such a joy to watch!” - Community member

“Hooray for our Hebrew School Teachers and our Rabbi!” - Community member

“I love your children so much!” - Beth Israel teacher

“Thank you for loving them!” - Parent     

The Zoom Chat Box of a Beth Israel student-led program was a heartwarming place to be. Our Beth Israel community was full of pride for the future of our Jewish community on Friday, December 19th, as Rabbi Vinikoor and our students led our congregation in a lovely Shabbat service. These Zoom savvy students lifted our spirits by lifting their voices, often muting and unmuting to move between households and share parts of the same prayer. 

In addition to the regular Shabbat blessings, we collectively read a Prayer for Gratitude, taking a moment in the Chat Box to celebrate what we’re thankful for, including pets, vaccinations, trips, friends, family, Jewish education…and our teaching team. Rabbi Vinikoor expressed great appreciation for the dedication, open hearts and creativity of our educators and this year’s Bowdoin volunteers by leading the congregation in a singing of a Prayer for our Teachers.” Mazel tov, Beth Israel Hebrew School on a job well done!

Hanukkah

by Marilyn Weinberg

Although many of us were staying “distanced” again this year during Hanukkah, Beth Israel members and friends still managed to create joyous experiences for the 8-day holiday. We lit the first candle together online with Rabbi Vinikoor and her family, and we participated in a fun menorah scavenger hunt downtown.  

Our children celebrated together virtually during their Hebrew School time, and we were able to light menorahs inside the synagogue (wearing special sweaters) while online members joined in. We ended our week of activities with an outside “human menorah candle lighting” while Robert and Shira Gersh led us in song and yummy teats were enjoyed. 

REMEMBRANCES FOR MONTH–MONTH YEAR

May their memories be for a blessing.

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.