In This Issue:
- HAPPY PASSOVER
- APRIL DINING DOES GOOD – EMLE’S ON APRIL 17
- ANNOUNCING THE PROPOSED MOTAS BOARD FOR 2017-2018
- MOTAS 2017 ANNUAL APPEAL – RESPOND TODAY
- MRJ LEADERSHIP TRAINING – APRIL 30
- HELPING YOUNGER JEWISH MEN AND WOMEN FIND JOBS
- CHP CAR FIT EVENT – APRIL 29
- IN CLOSING
1. HAPPY PASSOVER
The leadership of MoTAS wishes you and your family a Happy Passover. May your steady diet of Matzah over the week not prove too troubling, and may this holiday again remind you of our commitment to always remember that we once we’re slaves, and our obligation to invite all who are hungry to come in and eat. In MoTAS, we’re always in favor of eating.
At our last meeting, we packed Yom HaShoah candles for mailing. You should receive yours soon. Please remember to light them the evening of Sunday, April 23. For those that are able, we hope you will remember to donate to MoTAS to cover our cost of mailing these to the entire congregation.
2. APRIL DINING DOES GOOD – EMLE’S ON APRIL 17
Our April Dining Does Good” will be Monday, April 17 at Emle’s in Northridge in support of MoTAS and the Social Action Committee. This is the last day of Pesach, so come and have a lovely dinner with your first real bread in a week. (You can also come earlier in the day depending on your level of observance). You can find a flyer for the event at https://wp.tasnorthridge-motas.org/activities/dining/. We really encourage you to come and support these events: we raise a little extra funds for various groups, but more importantly, we come together and break bread as a Temple family on a regular basis. It is a real joy to walk into a neighborhood restaurant and see your Temple friends, to sit down and share a table and talk. This is the heart and goal of MoTAS: Building Relationships.
3. ANNOUNCING THE PROPOSED MOTAS BOARD FOR 2017-2018
In accordance with the MoTAS bylaws, we are gearing up for the MoTAS election season. The MoTAS Nominating Committee has filled the slate for 2017-2018, and announces the following nominations:
- President: Frank Soronow
- VP: Bill Shapiro
- VP: Howard Miller
- Secretary: Hal Bass
- Treasurer: Roger Lowe
If you would be interested in running against one of these fine individuals, please drop a note to faigin@cahighways.org. Elections will be at the May MoTAS meeting.
4. MOTAS 2017 ANNUAL APPEAL – RESPOND TODAY
In 2012, ignoring the objections of our accountant, the Men of TAS eliminated the dues requirement for membership. We moved to an inclusive model where every man in TAS is part of the Men of Temple Ahavat Shalom. Since we don’t have dues, we don’t have steady revenue. So, every year Men of TAS asks you to support our work financially. It is through your annual contribution that we are able to make our annual contribution to the Temple’s general fund, to support our breakfasts, and to fund our various activities.
By now, you should have received your appeal reminder in the mail. We urge you to respond and help our great organization continue to support TAS and the member of MoTAS. You can also find the message on our support page at http://support.tasnorthridge-motas.org/. On that page, you can find a printable donation form that you can mail in, as well as a link to contribute online.
See your friends and fellow congregants that have really stepped up to support us on our website’s Wall of Honor at http://wallofhonor.tasnorthridge-motas.org/. Join the Wall of Honor yourself by donating 100 or more shekels (dollars). Your generous gift will provide fun events for all Temple members, kids to adults, teachers and staff. Continue to repair and improve our facilities. Most importantly, it will help us continue teaching and living the Jewish values that guide and enrich all our lives.
5. MRJ LEADERSHIP TRAINING – APRIL 30
The leadership of MRJ has invited those members of MoTAS interested in future leadership opportunities to join together for a Leadership Development Day on Sunday, April 30 from 9 AM to about 3 PM. MRJ has joined forces with the FJMC for this special event that will provide invaluable information for you to help take MoTAS to the next level. It is being hosted by the Men of TAS, at Temple Ahavat Shalom, in Northridge at 18200 Rinaldi Place, Northridge California. You can count on a continental breakfast and lunch, interesting and relevant presentations/discussion and of course some liquid refreshments. Things should wrap up mid-afternoon. Feel free to contact Brian Hatkoff at bhatkoff@aol.com with any questions or comments.
6. HELPING YOUNGER JEWISH MEN AND WOMEN FIND JOBS
Frank Soronow had a meeting with David Katz, Executive Director, Hillel 818. Hillel 818 serves the campuses at California State University, Northridge, Pierce College & Los Angeles Valley College. The number one need of his students is getting a job. MoTAS and TAS Northridge can provide significant value by helping our next generation prepare resumes, practice interviewing, find opportunities, and close the deal.
Imagine the positive feeling we could create. We would be to meet candidates at Shabbat services. Together we sing, pray and get our candidate on the road to employment.
Talk with the students and parents you know. Let them know we are looking for candidates to help. Have the students email Frank at president@tasnorthridge-motas.org to set up a phone call and time to meet.
7. CHP CAR FIT EVENT – APRIL 29
In early 2017, MoTAS had a speaker on the CHP Age Well, Drive Smart program. They have sent us material on a new “CarFit” program they are doing. It will be Saturday, April 29, 2017 from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM at the California Highway Patrol West Valley Area Office, 5825 De Soto Avenue, Woodland Hills, CA 91367. Here’s what they wrote:
AARP is sponsoring a nation-wide program promoting CarFit and your group has the opportunity of participating in this program at the CHP West Valley Area office. We hope you and your group’s members will want to participate in this program. All you have to do to participate is to call the CHP office at 818-888-0980 and say “I want to register for the CarFit Event.” Appointments will be made at 30 minute intervals. You’ll drive in, enter the vehicle line-up in our parking lot, and our technicians will evaluate you and your car in terms of your driving safety. We’ll have multiple lines and technicians available. Contact Lynn Blumberg, Senior Volunteer Program V58017 at 818-601-0408 or Officer Leland Tang (LTang@chp.ca.gov) for any additional information.
CarFit is an educational program that offers older adults the opportunity to check how well their personal vehicles “fit” them. The CarFit program also provides information and materials on community-specific resources that could enhance their safety as drivers, and/or increase their mobility in the community.
CarFit is important because while older drivers are often the safest drivers in that they are more likely to wear their seatbelts, and less likely to speed or drink and drive, they are also more likely to be killed or seriously injured when a crash does occur due to the greater fragility of their aging bodies. Driver safety programs improve adult driver safety by addressing cognitive abilities and skills, however, older drivers can also improve their safety by ensuring their cars are properly adjusted for them. A proper fit in one’s car can greatly increase not only the driver’s safety but also the safety of others. At a CarFit event, a team of trained technicians and/or health professionals work with each participant to ensure they “fit” their vehicle properly for maximum comfort and safety. A CarFit check takes approximately 20 minutes to complete.
Visit www.Car-Fit.org for additional information
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. Sign up for our action alert list at http://tinyurl.com/motas-action-alert. 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 