In This Issue:
- ** LAST CHANCE ** CARD FOR CANTOR KEN
- ** LAST CHANCE ** SUPPORT THE MOTAS APPEAL
- MAN OF THE YEAR PRESENTATION FOR HAL BASS – SUN JUN 4
- SHARE YOUR SIMCHAS FOR JUNE
- MRJ PROGRAM: THE FIRST 100 DAYS THROUGH A JEWISH LENS – JUN 21
- MAY 2021 MEMBERSHIP MEETING MINUTES
- IN CLOSING
1. **LAST CHANCE ** CARD FOR CANTOR KEN
As you have read in the Temple eBlast, a farewell service for Cantor Ken will be held on Friday, May 28 at 7:00PM.
MoTAS has set up a virtual card for the Cantor. We encourage all MoTAS members to sign it and leave a short note (and if you share it with others in the congregation, that’s OK, as the card will show up as being from MoTAS and Friends). It will be delivered to the Cantor just before the service via email at 630pm, and he will be able to enjoy it for a year, and download a PDF of the card. To sign the card, click here or visit https://tinyurl.com/cantorken .
2. **LAST CHANCE ** SUPPORT THE MOTAS APPEAL
By now, you have received your MoTAS Appeal Letter. You’ve read about all MoTAS has done to support TAS over the past year, and how the COVID environment has limited our fund raising options. You know that our appeal is even more important this year for us to do what we do. Luckily, it is easy to support MoTAS. Just visit our support webpage: http://support.tasnorthridge-motas.org/. There you can read the appeal letter, make your donation online, or download a form to mail with your check to Roger. Without all of our usual activities, MoTAS needs your support even more to be able to support the temple and its needs during these extraordinary times. MoTAS does not charge dues to its members; we depend on your donations to be able to do what we do.
Note: The MoTAS Appeal formally runs until May 31, 2021. If you haven’t contributed yet, and want to be counted for this year, the clock is tick, tick, ticking.
Just visit http://support.tasnorthridge-motas.org/ to donate.
3. MAN OF THE YEAR PRESENTATION FOR HAL BASS – SUN JUN 4
MoTAS members and their guests are welcome to share the presentation of a commemorative plaque to our 2021 Man of the Year, Dr. Hal Bass, on Sunday June 6 at 4pm. The presentation will take place in the back yard of Howard Miller at 9656 Geyser Ave in Northridge. Please be sure to let Howard know that you will be attending this 30 minute event via email at hmiller12@socal.rr.com.
4. SHARE YOUR SIMCHAS FOR JUNE
If you have a Simcha you want to share, click here for the link to submit your Simcha. Submissions will be due no later than the last day of the month prior to the month of publication. We are now taking May submissions to be listed in June 2021. For more details or questions contact Bob Levine. If you are interested in making a donation to TAS in honor of your Simcha, click here. A donation is not required to submit your Simcha.
5. MRJ PROGRAM: THE FIRST 100 DAYS THROUGH A JEWISH LENS – JUN 21
The first 100 days of the Biden-Harris administration is now history. In the United States, no one talked that much about the importance of a president’s first 100 days—until Franklin D. Roosevelt took office in 1933. He took swift action to calm the nation’s crippling financial panic (cue the Emergency Banking Act and the “fireside chats” that became Roosevelt’s signature) and began rolling out the programs that made up his New Deal, including 15 major pieces of legislation in the first 100 days. John F. Kennedy ordered the ill-fated Bay of Pigs invasion 87 days into his presidency. At a time when the U.S. and USSR were locked in the Cold War, JFK’s first 100 days also saw the Soviets launch the first human into space. On Day 1, Ronald Reagan started off with a bang, announcing the release of U.S. diplomats being held hostage in Iran. Sixty-nine days into his administration, he survived an assassination attempt. Barack Obama — who like FDR took office during a severe financial crisis—was able to get Congress to sign a $787 million stimulus package, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, on his 29th day in office.
This virtual talk will explore the First 100 Days (Give Or Take) of the Biden – Harris Administration as seen through a Jewish lens. The speaker, Rabbi David Saperstein, is the Director Emeritus of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, representing the Reform Jewish Movement, the largest segment of American Jewry, to the U.S. Congress and Administration. Between 2015 and 2017, Rabbi Saperstein served as the U.S. Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom, carrying out his responsibilities as the country’s chief diplomat on religious freedom issues. He currently serves as an adjunct professor at the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service and Center for Jewish Civilization and as a Distinguished Fellow at the PM Glynn Center at the Australian Catholic University.
The talk will be Monday, June 21, 2021 at 5pm Pacific. To register, click here.
6. MAY 2021 MEMBERSHIP MEETING MINUTES
Date: Sunday, May 16, 2021 via Zoom due to the pandemic
Presiding: President Howard Miller
Members Present: Howard Miller (President), Hal Bass (Secretary), Les Birken, Daniel Faigin (Past President), Ken Feldman, Scott Gore, Brian Hatkoff, Al Lapides, Ed Lapporte, Bob Levine, Roger Lowe (Treasurer), Joel Lowell, Barry Mann, Chuck Mondrus, Jeff Neiman, Larry Pfefer (VP), Russ Rapoport (VP), Mike Rayfield, Bill Shapiro, Bernie Singer, Mike Thornhill, Aaron Weissman, Scott Yollis
Guests: Cheryl Hatkoff, Terri Jonisch, Debby Weissman
President’s Report:
Howard began the meeting by asking members what changes in their lives they anticipate as we move beyond the Covid restrictions.
Howard congratulated Brian Hatkoff on his election as first VP of Men of Reform Judaism for 2021-23.
On Wednesday, May 19, from 3-4:15 pm Pacific time, the Alzheimer’s Association and MRJ are sponsoring an online program about the 10 warning signs of Alzheimer’s disease hosted by Temple Beth El of Hollywood, FL. For further information and to register for this free event via Zoom, go to: https://templebethelhollywood.org/brotherhood.
Daniel Faigin is inviting MoTAS members, spouses and friends to add a message to Cantor Ken on the digital appreciation card he has created: https://www.groupgreeting.com/sign/b69c760f1228323 or tinyurl.com/cantorken. Cantor Ken will be honored at a combination outdoor and Zoom Shabbat service May 28.
The security access control project is to be completed by next week, and kitchen repainting will be finished May 19.
2020-21 Sports Squares supported the temple’s WiFi upgrade ($5,000), William Rosen’s Eagle Scout project in which he planted decorative tree boxes near the parking lot ($350), kitchen repainting ($1,500) and camperships ($450).
Regarding Sports Squares, Bob Levine said planning is underway for the 2021-22 football season, with an announcement anticipated next month.
The MoTAS Annual Appeal is ahead of its fundraising goal for 2021 ($6,920 to date vs. $3,600 projected and $5,200 last year).
TAS Campus Pride has raised $931 vs. $600 projected. The Beautification Subcommittee is looking into using the funds to improve the area in front of the office windows and planter area outside the main doors.
Bob Levine publishes simchas in the temple’s Wednesday and Friday eblasts. Email your simchas to Bob at tasboblevine@gmail.com. May 31 is this month’s deadline for publication on June 2.
An online poker tournament may take place, with a minimum top prize of $500. Anticipated income would be $3,600 as compared to $5,000 with a live tournament.
Howard will honor MoTAS Man of the Year Hal Bass on Sunday, June 6, at 4 pm. Refreshments will be served. The ceremony will take place at Howard & Laraine’s home. Let Howard know by email if you plan to attend.
Treasurer’s Report Submitted by Roger Lowe, as of 05/15/21:
- (Financial information included in emailed version)
New Business:
Election of Officers: No additional nominations were submitted following last month’s Nominating Committee report by Bob Levine and Mike Thornhill. Therefore, Bob Levine moved, and Russ Rapoport seconded, a motion to elect the following by acclamation: Larry Pfefer, president; Scott Gore and Ed Lapporte, vice presidents; Roger Lowe, treasurer; Hal Bass, secretary. The new slate of officers will begin serving their one-year terms July 1, 2021.
Educational Presentations by Debby Weissman and Joel Lowell:
Following retirement last year after 30 years as a nursing executive at Kaiser Permanente, Debby donned an N95 mask, helmet, and gloves to join the L.A. County Department of Health as a COVID-19 outbreak investigator. Her activities took her to CSUN, where she administered Covid vaccine, and then to people experiencing homelessness or domestic violence. She shared stories about the challenges she faced, especially among the homeless, many of whom prefer to remain out of shelters, and the victims of domestic violence.
This obviously has been a rewarding experience for Debby and is an example of the outreach by members of our TAS Caring Community.
Joel Lowell is an elected board member of the Northridge West Neighborhood Council. There are 99 neighborhood councils in Los Angeles, established by an amendment to the city charter in 1999, which created the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment. Councils range in size from 7 to 35 elected members, all of whom are volunteers and, at each council’s discretion, serve for 2 or 4 years.
Council District 12 has 8 neighborhood councils (NCs). Local NCs, which often collaborate with nearby NCs on specific issues, advise on traffic, parking, land use, parks, homelessness, public safety, and transportation. One of the projects Joel’s NC undertook was the planting of topiaries in the Tampa Ave. median.
At the end of his talk, Joel took several questions, the answers to which demonstrated a wide-ranging fund of knowledge on Joel’s part.
Adjournment and Next MoTAS Meeting: The next meeting will be held by Zoom, Sunday, June 13, 2021, at 9:00 am.
Respectfully submitted,
Hal Bass/Secretary
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 