In This Issue:

1. TU B’SHEVAT SEDER/FEBRUARY MEETING – SUN FEB 9
2. HONOR LES BIRKEN (MAN OF THE YEAR) AT THE MRJ MOY DINNER
3. PAINTING THE GATES – SUN MAR 1
4. MOTAS ANNUAL APPEAL
5. FEB DINING OUT – TUE FEB 25 AT CHI CHIS PIZZA
6. LUNCH AND LEARN: VOTING: HOW, WHEN, WHERE, AND WHAT – THU FEB 13
7. SAVE THE DATES: MARCH 2020
8. IN CLOSING

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1. TU B’SHEVAT SEDER/FEBRUARY MEETING – SUN FEB 9

Continuing our effort to keep you informed, here is the plan for Sunday, February 9. BOTTOM LINE UP FRONT: We need your help in two ways: (1) to help set up for the seder; (2) for those who are able and willing, we will need men from MoTAS to read during the service. Please let Daniel know at faigin@cahighways.org if you are willing to read.

Here is the plan:

• Coffee and delicious highly sugary high fat donuts provided by Howard Miller will be served at 8:45.
• A very short working business meeting will be held while we set up the tables for the religious school seder. We will expect 80 participants including students, MoTAS members and some parents.
• Members attending the Count Me In event will leave before 9:30 and the rest will finish setting up.
• By 11:10, hopefully a good contingent of our members will reconvene in the Activity Center and participate in the seder with our students. Daniel and the Cantor will lead the Seder. Members from MoTAS will handle the readings. At various points during the service, the teachers will lead short discussions or share lessons related to that segment of the service.
•  The seder will be over by noon. We will need some members to stay and help clean up.

Hope to see you there.

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2. HONOR LES BIRKEN (MAN OF THE YEAR) AT THE MRJ MOY DINNER

2020 MoTAS Man of the Year: Les Birken

 

Les Birken was honored at the January MoTAS Shabbat as our 2020 Man of the Year. A very deserving member, Les has been a part of TAS and MoTAS for over 30 years. As Howard Miller stated, Les is “always the first to offer to support MoTAS programs and among the last to leave”. He has never turned down a request to help. Many of his contributions can be found in our Social Hall kitchen and the temple archive room. Also, you will often find Les on the Bimah during Shabbat services providing musical accompaniment on the banjo or guitar. He leads by example and is one of our most dependable members. Above, you can see Les receiving his presentation from Howard.

The MRJ Man of the Year Dinner, where our honoree will be feted, together with the honorees from other MRJ congregations from the MRJ Pacific Southwest region, is Saturday, March 14, 2020 at Temple Beth Shalom in Santa Ana. The cost of the dinner is $40 if you are paying by cash or check; $42 plus TicketLeap fees if you are paying by credit card. You can RSVP or pay online at https://tasmotas.ticketleap.com/20-03-moy-dinner/. RSVPS are due by Friday, February 28.

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3. PAINTING THE GATES – SUN MAR 1

TAS PRIDE – Help us repaint the parking lot gates: Sunday March 1. Note that this is a date change from what was in the appeal letter.

Each year MoTAS promotes and supports our TAS Pride temple beautification efforts. This year we will be cleaning and repainting the wrought iron security fencing for the main parking lot gates and surrounding area. If you would like to help, join us at 1pm on Sunday March 1. No provisions needed except clothing you won’t mind turning black; although, work gloves would be smart. If you would like to help, contact Howard Miller at (818) 903-9656. If you would like to help prepare the fencing for painting a few days before, please let Howard know.

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4. MOTAS ANNUAL APPEAL

By now, you should have received our annual appeal letter. MoTAS does not collect membership dues — we depend on contributions from our membership to do what we do, and to help Temple Ahavat Shalom. To contribute online or to print a donation form, just visit support.tasnorthridge-motas.org.

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5. FEB DINING OUT – TUE FEB 25 AT CHI CHIS PIZZA

Would you like an easy way to help MoTAS financially? How about taking your family to dinner. The MoTAS “Dining Does Good” allows you to go out to dinner, and have the restaurant donate a portion of your check support the Men of TAS. Our February Dining Does Good” will be Tuesday, February 25 at Chi Chi’s Pizza at 9080 Tampa Ave, Northridge, CA 91324, (818) 993-9911. 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 our work, 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.

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6. LUNCH AND LEARN: VOTING: HOW, WHEN, WHERE, AND WHAT – THU FEB 13

On Thursday, February 13 at 12PM, the Kesher Committee will be hosting the next installment in its “Lunch and Learn” series. These sessions mix informed speakers with lively discussions. They are held in the Temple Social Hall. Bring your own lunch or call Maureen (818) 772-6627 before February 13 to order a $12 box lunch for you from Corner Bakery (see menu below).  Pay for your lunch (Cash Only) on the day of the Lunch and Learn.

The topic of this “Lunch and Learn” is “Voting: How, When, Where, and What”. Fran Lapides, informed League of Women Voter and esteemed Temple member will:

1. Talk about new voting procedures.
2. Highlight three upcoming ballot measures (1 state and 2 county).
3. Explain the 2020 Census and its implications for California.

The sandwiches available are as follows. They are also available as a box lunch, which comes filled with a specialty sandwich, bakery chips, fresh seasonal fruit and a freshly baked cookie. Box lunches are 1,070-1,230 cal/box. Calorie counts reflect individual half sandwich portions.

• UPTOWN TURKEY AVOCADO (290 cal) Smoked turkey, avocado, tomatoes, lettuce and mayo.
• TURKEY SWISS (220 cal) Smoked turkey, Swiss, green leaf lettuce, sliced tomatoes and stone ground mustard.
• CHICKEN PESTO (Contains nuts) (380 cal) Sliced chicken, fresh arugula and plum tomatoes with our sweet and spicy house vinaigrette and pesto mayo
• TOMATO MOZZARELLA (380 cal) Fresh mozzarella, plum tomatoes, sweet roasted red peppers, fresh basil and arugula drizzled with balsamic vinaigrette.
• CHICKEN SALAD (290 cal) Chicken, crisp green apples, currants, red onions, celery, mayo and toasted almonds with lettuce and tomatoes.
• ALBACORE TUNA SALAD (300 cal) Our classic tuna salad topped with leaf lettuce and tomatoes.
• STEAK & ARUGULA SANDWICH (590 CAL) Shaved prime rib, Swiss cheese, tomato, pickled onion, arugula, horseradish mustard, harvest toast.
• MOM’S GRILLED CHICKEN (330 cal) Sliced chicken with provolone, leaf lettuce and sliced plum tomatoes.
• MOM’S TURKEY (360 cal) Smoked turkey breast with Swiss, green leaf lettuce and sliced plum tomatoes.

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7. SAVE THE DATES: MARCH 2020

Mark your calendar now for the following activities taking place in March:

• Sunday, March 8 will be the Congregational Purim Celebration. It is also the scheduled date of our March meeting. Details will be forthcoming on our Purim plans, but there will likely be a short meeting followed by Purim festivities.
• The NCAA Final Four games will take place at the end of March and the beginning of April. You know what that means? That’s right:Basketball Squares. According to a birdie that has been visiting the Gridmasters, sales will start next week.
• Sunday, March 29 will be our annual Joint Brotherhood Seder with Temple Beth Hillel. This year, we’re growing as Temple Judea’s Brotherhood will be joining us as well. The Seder will be at 5:00 PM at Temple Beth Hillel. Details are being finalized; watch the Weekly for the signup information when it is available. But reserve the date on your calendar now.

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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!

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