In This Issue:
- FOOD FORWARD VOLUNTEERS NEEDED – APRIL 12 [RSVP ASAP!]
- APRIL MENS HANGOUT – APRIL 12 [RSVP ASAP!]
- SUPPORT THE YOM HASHOAH MAILING
- FOOD FORWARD SPEAKER MEETING – APRIL 12
- FINAL REMINDERS: NCAA SQUARES / ANNUAL APPEAL
- JETHAWKS BASEBALL – FAMILY EVENT – SUNDAY JUNE 7
- GOLF TOURNAMENT – MONDAY OCTOBER 19
- IN CLOSING
1. FOOD FORWARD VOLUNTEERS NEEDED – APRIL 12 [RSVP ASAP!]
On Sunday, April 12, MoTAS is joining with the Social Action Committee to co-sponsor this month’s Sunday of Service: a backyard fruit pick with Food Foward (http://foodforward.org/). We need your help to glean backyard oranges from 1:00-3:00 p.m. in Northridge to nourish the needy. To RSVP, contact TAS SOS Coordinator, Shellie Turer at (818) 993-2255, or via e-mail at: PetsRPeopleToo@att.net. Space is limited to 15-20 volunteers, so sign up now!!
Food Forward is a volunteer-powered non-profit that rescues fresh local produce that would otherwise go to waste, connecting this abundance with people in need, and inspiring others to do the same. Volunteers convene at private properties, public spaces, and farmers and wholesale markets to recover excess fruits and vegetables, donating 100% to local direct-service agencies who feed our community’s most vulnerable. Combined, our diverse distribution partners provide food to over 100,000 clients a month across Southern California.
P.S.: Our speaker that morning will be from Food Forward. More on that in a later item.
2. APRIL MENS HANGOUT – APRIL 12 [RSVP ASAP!]
On Sunday, April 12 at 7:00 PM — the evening of our next speakers meeting — we will be having our next bi-monthly Mens Only Hangout. No dinner this time — just dessert and wine. This is coordinated by Dave Friedman, so if you are interested in attending, please contact Dave at vp2@tasnorthridge-motas.org. Space is limited.
3. SUPPORT THE YOM HASHOAH MAILING
At the March meeting of MoTAS we assembled and packed yellow Yom HaShoah candles for mailing to all congregants. Hopefully, you have received your candle by now. Mailing the candles to each household is expensive, but we feel it is something important to do. Please help us continue this effort by returning the form enclosed with your candle and helping to cover the cost of the candles and their mailing.
Yom HaShoah begins the evening of April 15 (who can forget that day), and the Men of TAS invites you to join us in lighting our candles — a congregation strong — to remember the holocaust and to keep the fight against antisemitism alive.
4. FOOD FORWARD SPEAKER MEETING – APRIL 12
As noted in the first item, on Sunday, April 12, MoTAS is joining with the Social Action Committee in their regular Sunday of Service. We start at the MoTAS Meeting, where our speaker will be from Food Foward (http://foodforward.org/). Our speaker will be Samantha Hill, Backyard Harvest Coordinator, who is a Los Angeles native who recently moved back to California after a 6 year stint living in NYC. While she enjoyed her time living in the big apple earning a Masters Degree in Food Studies from NYU, operating a youth education program at farmers markets by day and crafting cocktails behind the bar by night, she always knew (particularly during the winter months) Southern California would eventually be where she called home again. She is thrilled to bring her experience educating students about the importance of eating fresh, local produce to Food Forward to help Southern Californian’s further appreciate and engage with the bounty of regional fruit trees we are blessed to live among.
As usual, we start with breakfast at 8:45 AM, followed by our activity review at 9:00 AM and our speaker at 10:00 PM. At this meeting, we’ll be announcing the results of the nominating committee. If you are interested in running for MoTAS office, please contact Bob Levine at pastpresident@tasnorthridge-motas.org
5. FINAL REMINDERS: NCAA SQUARES / ANNUAL APPEAL
- JUST A FEW SQUARES LEFT. There are just a few squares left, and our gridmasters have extended the period for purchasing squares to try to sell every square. Basketball Squares cover the last four games in the NCAA championship: the semifinal and final games on April 4-6, 2015. Squares are $18, and adults may purchase up to 3 squares for themselves, and 3 squares for their partner. Payouts are $150 for both the halftime and final scores of each game. You can win once or twice in a game. If the board is not fully subscribed, the payout is proportional based on the number of subscribed squares. To address the possibility that all 100 squares might not be subscribed, the following is the procedure for empty squares that win: each player will make a guess as to what the total number of points will be (i.e., you add the final scores of both teams). This number will be used to settle all cases, for all games. If you purchase more than one square your “number” will apply for all your squares. Closest to actual score wins (payouts divided with ties). If there is no halftime winner, the final score prediction will still be used. To ensure your registration arrives on time, please purchase your square online at http://squares.tasnorthridge-motas.org/. Remember that the real winner is Temple Ahavat Shalom. With a fully subscribed board, $900 will be available to support specific temple activities, organizations, and projects.
- THE ANNUAL APPEAL NAGGING IS COMING TO AN END. For those of you unaware, MoTAS no longer has dues. Every man at TAS is a member of MoTAS. Once a year, we send out a letter requesting the men of TAS to financially support the Men of TAS with a donation they feel is appropriate. The appeal letter went out in late January, and we’ve been reiminding you in the weekly ever since. If you haven’t yet sent in your appeal response, we encourage you to do so — no matter the amount — or donate online at http://support.tasnorthridge-motas.org/. We would like to know that we truly represent the men of TAS, and the way we know that is through your support. Thank you to everyone who has contributed so far; those who have contributed $100 or over will appear on our Wall of Honor at http://wallofhonor.tasnorthridge-motas.org/ (which is updated regularly).
6. JETHAWKS BASEBALL – FAMILY EVENT – SUNDAY JUNE 7
We are rapidly finalizing arrangements for a great family event to kick off summer — an outing to “The Hanger” in Lancaster to see the Jethawks plan. If you haven’t been to a minor-league baseball game, they are an order of magnitude more fun than an outing to the Dodgers. The stadium is small, the food is inexpensive, and the goal is just to have a great time. The Jethawks (http://www.milb.com/index.jsp?sid=t491) are the minor-league team for the Houston Astros. The game is an afternoon game, allowing us to arrive at the stadium, gather together for lunch, and not be out until the wee hours of the morning. It is also after religious school is over for the year, so we encourage you to bring your kids and grandkids. The more the merrier.
P.S.: If we know we are going to have over 50 people guaranteed, we can go for the party deck. If you know the number in your party and know for sure you will be going, please let Joe Blachman know at tas2softball@gmail.com. Party-deck prices, which include all you can eat food, will be approximately $30. Normal group tickets will be on the order of $10. Right now, we’re assuming normal group prices. The goal is to open formal signups by the April meeting.
7. GOLF TOURNAMENT – MONDAY OCTOBER 19
MoTAS is pleased to announce the date for the 2015 Charity Golf Tournament: Monday, October 19, 2015 at Calabasas Country Club. Please mark the date on your calendars now, and place to attend. Organizing meetings for the 2015 tournament will be starting soon; if you would like to be part of the organizing committee, please contact Barry Mann at andybarry80@yahoo.com.
8. IN CLOSING
As always, remember that the Men of Temple Ahavat Shalom is *your* organization. Keep up to date on our activities at http://www.tasnorthridge-motas.org/ and participate. We want to serve all the men of Temple Ahavat Shalom and welcome new participants from the TAS membership. Join our Facebook group and “follow” our website. Come be part of the Men of Temple Ahavat Shalom!
Men of Temple Ahavat Shalom 