In This Issue:

1. MESSAGE FROM THE MOTAS PRESIDENT / OCT 10 MEETING
2. UPCOMING IN OCTOBER: CHANUKAH BOUTIQUE
3. HONORING OUR VETERANS IN NOVEMBER: SHABBAT 11/12 / DINNER 11/14
4. THANK YOU TO THOSE WHO BUILT THE SUKKAH
5. SHARE YOUR SIMCHAS
6. MOTAS “JEWISH CHRISTMAS” PLANNING
7. SEPTEMBER MEETING MINUTES
8. ISRAEL POLITICAL UPDATE FROM MRJ – OCT 10
9. IN CLOSING

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Editor’s Note: Sorry for the delay this week. We were still gathering information about October and November activities.

1. MESSAGE FROM THE MOTAS PRESIDENT / OCT 10 MEETING

A note to the constituency – Our October 10th meeting will take place at the normal time, 8:45 in the chapel.  We are looking forward to ‘getting back to normal’ and this will be the first meeting onsite this year, save for the Sukkah raising which was a rounding success.  Please be aware that due to Covid, we will NOT be serving our usual scrambled eggs and lox but we will have Bagels & Cream cheese, Coffee, cookies and oranges and any other prepackaged goodies that Roger can muster up.

We are working on a program for the meeting but it is quite hush hush at the moment and the details are still coming together.   As for upcoming activities, the Sisterhood is organizing the annual Hanukkah Boutique to be held on Halloween and MoTAS has been requested to provide and serve lunch during the activity.  Having spoken with Aaron, we are still not quite clear with the masking/vaccine requirements that the city/county of LA is working to require so be prepared for a bit uncertainty as we get closer to the date.

A couple of other items to note; we are postponing the annual MoTAS Poker tournament, originally scheduled for October 17th,  we are not canceling it.  We would very much like to have it but again there are many restrictions and ‘hoops’ we have to jump through to make it a reality.  Worst case it may not happen until sometime in the spring.  We are also organizing this year’s honoring of our vets to take place at Erev Shabbat services on November 12th.  More on that to follow.

I could go on and on but that’s enough for now.  Come to the meeting and you can get your earful.

 See you on the 10th.

Larry

2. UPCOMING IN OCTOBER: CHANUKAH BOUTIQUE

The annual Sisterhood Holiday Boutique is tentatively scheduled for Sunday, October 31 from 10am to 3pm. Typically, the Men of TAS helps with the food service. The current plan is that we will be picking up individually wrapped sandwiches and condiments, and providing bagged chips, canned or bottled drinks.

We will need people to help pickup (and possibly pre-package) the food. We will need folks to sell and deliver the food. We will need folks to help clean up. If you will be able to help us at this event, you can sign up at https://volunteersignup.org/7LXLR.

3. HONORING OUR VETERANS IN NOVEMBER: SHABBAT 11/12 / DINNER 11/14

MoTAS is planning two events to honor our veterans.

First, on Friday, November 12, Rabbi Becky and MoTAS are planning a shabbat service to honor our temple veterans. The evening service will recognize all temple veterans who have served our country. In the coming weeks we will be providing a form for you to register as a veteran for this service.

Second, on Sunday evening November 14, MoTAS would like to treat all temple service personnel, male or female, who RSVP (up to 50 people) and show up to dinner as a way to thank them for their service. We would also like to hear your story as a Jewish service person. Details on the dinner, location, appoximate cost, and a sign-up sheet will be forthcoming.

4. THANK YOU TO THOSE WHO BUILT THE SUKKAH

Thank you to those who participated for a very successful Sukkah raising.  It goes without saying that without your support MoTAS would not be as successful in any venture we undertake. 

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5. SHARE YOUR SIMCHAS

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 October submissions to be listed in November 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.

6. MOTAS “JEWISH CHRISTMAS” PLANNING

Planning is beginning for the MoTAS “Jewish Christmas”, which is basically when MoTAS members and their families get together on December 25 for Chinese Food. There’s a good possibility this year that, due to COVID restrictions, people may not want to dine INSIDE at a restaurant. One option would be to order Chinese Take Out, and get together at someone’s house and eat in the back yard (weather permitting). If you would be willing to provide your backyard for this space (understanding that, depending on weather, we might have to go inside), please drop a note to me at faigin@cahighways.org. You would be able to establish restrictions, such as a maximum number of people and whether vaccinations/negative tests are required.

7. SEPTEMBER MEETING MINUTES

Date: Sunday, September 19, 2021. Outdoors at the temple as our first non-remote meeting in 18 months. Coffee and bagels were served by Kathy Pullman.

Presiding: President Larry Pfefer

Members Present: Larry Pfefer (President), Hal Bass (Secretary), Steve Berlin, Les Birken, Buddy Bregman, Daniel Faigin, Scott Gore (VP), Brian Hatkoff, Larry Hoffman, Ian Kroop, Ed Lapporte (VP), Bob Levin, Bob Levine, Roger Lowe (Treasurer), Joel Lowell, Barry Mann, Howard Miller (Past President), Chuck Mondrus, Mark Moskowitz, Jeff Neiman, Russ Rapoport, Mike Rayfield, Todd Reznik, Bill Shapiro, Will Simpson, Bernie Singer, Alan Stepakoff, Mike Thornhill, Ken Winters, Scott Yollis

Guests: Erin Faigin, Aaron Lapporte, Kathy Pullman, Roseanna Sculler, Robert Simpson

Installation of Officers: Rabbi Becky acknowledged and expressed appreciation to the 2020-21 retiring officers: Howard Miller, president; Larry Pfefer and Russ Rapoport, vice presidents; Roger Lowe, treasurer; Hal Bass secretary; Daniel Faigin, immediate past president.

Rabbi Becky then swore in new officers for 2021-22: Larry Pfefer, president; Scott Gore and Ed Lapporte, vice presidents; Roger Lowe, treasurer; Hal Bass, secretary; Howard Miller, immediate past president.

President’s Report:

Larry read thank-you notes from two campership recipients: Naomi and Tova Samansky.

Larry announced that the lower floor of the school buildings has been leased to a preschool. The private high school that had leased the upper floor classrooms had to pull out due to lack of enrollment. However, Brian Hatkoff said he had a good prospect for assuming the unexpired lease.

Mark Moskowitz suggested that MoTAS consider sponsoring publication of a temple membership directory in hard copy. Hal Bass noted that the membership directory is available online and can be accessed via username and password. Larry will ask that instructions for perusing the online directory be periodically included in the Wednesday and Friday emails sent to all temple members.

If you have a Simcha you’d like to share, click here for the link to submit your Simcha. Submissions are due no later than the last day of the month prior to the month of publication. We are now taking submissions for listing in October. For further details contact Bob Levine. If you’re interested in making a donation to TAS in honor of your Simcha, click here. However, donations are not required to submit a Simcha.

Electrical assistance needed for temple projects can be provided by Scott Gore, Roger Lowe, Joel Lowell, Alan Stepakoff and Scott Yollis.

Treasurer’s Report as of 09/19/21, Submitted by Roger Lowe:

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Adjournment and Next MoTAS Meeting: The next meeting will be held Sunday, October 10, 2021, at 9:00 am. Following adjournment, a team of MoTAS Sukkah builders headed by construction maven Mike Rayfield assembled and decorated the Sukkah.

Respectfully submitted,

Hal Bass/Secretary

8. ISRAEL POLITICAL UPDATE FROM MRJ – OCT 10 (NEW DATE)

The MRJ webinar has been rescheduled! This one will present an update on the situation in Israel from Rabbi Gilad Kariv, a member in the 24th Knesset, is a member of the 36th Israel government and Chair of the Constitution, Law and Justice Committee and the 1st Reform Rabbi elected to the Knesset.

The webinar is now scheduled for October 10, 2021 at 10:00 AM Pacific Time. Click here to register.

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!