In This Issue:

1. DINING OUT – CHIS CHINESE – WED NOV 8
2. MOTAS MENS DISCUSSION GROUP – THU NOV 30*
3. A CONVERSATION  WITH JONATHAN GREENBLATT OF THE ADL – TUE NOV 28*
4. DECEMBER (DEC 3) MEMBERSHIP MEETINGS*
5. NOVEMBER MEMBERSHIP MEETING MINUTES*
6. IN CLOSING

(* indicates updated items)

From the Editor: The goal of the Weekly is to get MoTAS members the information they need on upcoming activities, and then get out of the way. If you have any information on MoTAS activities you need to get out to the membership, please contact the Weekly Editor at cybermaven@tasnorthridge-motas.org.

1. DINING OUT – CHIS CHINESE – WED NOV 8

“Dining Does Good” has returned. Things have gotten more complicated since the pandemic with all the delivery apps and such, so this is DINE IN or PICK UP only. Let’s support MoTAS, and all show our smiling faces at Chi’s Chinese in Northridge on Wed, November 8.

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 June Dining Does Good” will be Wednesday, November 8 at Chi’s Chinese, 9635 Reseda Blvd. Northridge, CA 91324,  (818) 886-6928, chis_chinese@verizon.net. You can find a flyer for the event at https://wp.tasnorthridge-motas.org/activities/dining/ or download it directly from our Box account (to do this, (1) go to the link or click on the flyer on our dining out page; (2) click on the white DOWNLOAD button; (3) there will be a pop-up about logging in to do more — ignore that. You will be prompted on where to save the download, or it will go into the downloads directory; (4) when the download is complete, open the PDF and print it)..

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.

2. MOTAS MENS DISCUSSION GROUP – THU NOV 30

Take this opportunity to meet with other men to have some serious conversations about real personal issues or concerns.  We are once again, on Thursday evening, November 30 at 7 PM, inviting you attend our next Men’s Only Discussion Group.  We are limiting it to 12 guys.  It includes dinner for only $15.  What are we going to talk about?  We will start out with the subject of “What Do I Wish My Father Taught Me Growing Up!”  The conversation will remain private and not to leave the room in a safe environment.  Address will be provided upon RSVP to Brian Hatkoff at bhatkoff@aol.com or at 818-571-6554.  Have questions?  Just reach out.

3. A CONVERSATION  WITH JONATHAN GREENBLATT OF THE ADL – TUE NOV 28

Please join MRJ and our Reform Movement partners for a conversation with Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO and National Director of the Anti-Defamation League, November 28th at 5PM Pacific.

Jonathan Greenblatt is CEO of ADL (the Anti-Defamation League), the world’s leading anti-hate organization with a distinguished record of fighting antisemitism and advocating for just and fair treatment to all. Jonathan joined ADL in 2015 after serving in the White House as special assistant to President Obama and director of the Office of Social Innovation and Civic Participation. He joined the government after a distinguished career in business as a successful social entrepreneur and corporate executive: he cofounded Ethos Brands, the company that launched Ethos Water (acquired by Starbucks, 2005), founded All for Good (acquired by Points of Light, 2011), and served as a senior executive at realtor.com (acquired by News Corp, 2014).

Since becoming CEO, Jonathan has modernized ADL while refocusing it on the mission it has had since its founding in 1913: to fight the defamation of the Jewish people, and to secure justice and fair treatment to all. Under Jonathan, ADL has modernized its operations, innovated its approaches to counter antisemitism from all sides and enhanced its efforts to combat extremism in all forms. Jonathan’s first book was published in 2022.  It Could Happen Here: Why America is Tipping from Hate to the Unthinkable—And How We Can Stop It, is a bracing primer on how we—as individuals, as organizations, and as a society—can strike back against antisemitism and hate.

REGISTER NOW: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_rLy8CFOxTdqfASBVETP5BQ

4. DECEMBER (DEC 3) MEMBERSHIP MEETING

Our November Membership Meeting will be Sunday, December 3 at 845am. Note: This is the first Sunday, as the temple facility is closed the second Sunday. Our speaker will be Janet Rice, TAS President.

5. NOVEMBER MEMBERSHIP MEETING MINUTES

Date: Sunday, November 5, 2023, TAS

Presiding: President Larry Hoffman

Members Present: Larry Hoffman (President), Hal Bass (Secretary), Les Birken, Daniel Faigin, Scott Gore (VP), Brian Hatkoff, Al Lapides, Gordon Lester, Bob Levine, Roger Lowe (Treasurer), Barry Mann, Howard Miller, Jeff Neiman, Larry Pfefer (Immediate Past President), Bill Shapiro, Bernie Singer

Coffee & Breakfast: Bob Levine, Roger Lowe

Question of the Day: Your favorite Thanksgiving food and what Thanksgiving icon you resemble

President’s Report:

• A big thank you from Scott Gore to our volunteers for beach cleanup on Sunday, 10/15.
• Howard Miller gave a big shout out to those who helped at the Poker Tournament and were table sponsors. We had 40 players.
• Veterans’ Shabbat will take place on Friday, 11/10. Hal sent Rabbi Becky and Aaron Solomon a list of TAS veterans and a medley of service anthems on YouTube. MoTAS is sponsoring the Oneg Shabbat.
• A men’s only discussion will take place on Thursday, 11/30. Brian Hatkoff has tentatively offered his home.
• TAS President Janet Rice will be our guest speaker on Sunday, 12/3.
• We are looking into Chinese restaurants that might be available for dinner on 12/25.
• The MoTAS Shabbat—at which time our Man of the Year will be announced—will take place on Friday, 1/19/24.
• At our 1/21 membership meeting, Hal Bass will do a PowerPoint presentation about the Armenian Genocide of 1915-23, which inspired Hitler as he planned for “The Final Solution.”
• The regional Men of the Year dinner will be held at TAS on Saturday, 3/9. Daniel Faigin, Scott Gore, Howard Miller, Jeff Neiman and Larry Pfefer have volunteered to serve on the planning committee.
• The MoTAS contribution for the A/C server closet is on hold as Larry Pfefer is looking into a security grant from the California Office of Emergency Services.
• MoTAS will continue to donate $500 annually to the Men of Reform Judaism (MRJ).

 Roger Lowe’s Treasurer’s Report as of 10/6/2023:

• (see emailed version)

New Business: 

• Dining Does Good coordinator Barry Mann announced that this month’s venue to dine in or take out will be Chi’s Chinese Restaurant on Wednesday, Nov 8. Be sure to bring the flyer available in the weekly bulletin and on the MoTAS website.
• The Veterans Shabbat will be Friday evening, Nov 10, for which MoTAS is sponsoring the Oneg. Hal Bass sent Rabbi Becky and Aaron Solomon a list of veterans he has maintained and a 2023 medley of military songs for each branch. Additionally, we’ve suggested to Aaron that TAS include a question about military service on the application for new and returning members.
• Brooke Botwinick has a project to fashion a large dreidel and other decorations for Hanukkah. Jeff Neiman volunteered to do this.
• Going forward, Brooke would like photos from auxiliary and other temple events for use on social media.
• New lighting is needed for the kitchen. Daniel Faigin introduced the following motion, and Barry Mann seconded: MoTAS to fund the new lighting using sports squares money not to exceed $2000. The motion passed unanimously. Larry Hoffman will ask Sisterhood to join in, and he will consult with Larry Pfefer on how best to publicize this donation.
• Larry Hoffman will coordinate with Brian Hatkoff about featuring speakers from the Jewish Federation of Greater L.A.
• Daniel Faigin will talk with a friend in Tucson about selling hamantaschen for Purim. Until MoTAS hears back from Daniel, no decision will be forthcoming about selling hamantaschen or sponsoring the Oneg Shabbat during Purim.
• Larry Hoffman will consult with Immediate Past President Larry Pfefer about holiday gifts for the custodial and security staffs.
• Larry Hoffman will work on an annual appeal letter.

Adjournment and Next MoTAS Meeting: The next MoTAS membership meeting will take place at the temple, Sunday, December 3, 2023, at 8:45 am. Guest speaker will be TAS President Janet Rice.

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. Join the MoTAS Google Group at https://groups.google.com/g/tas-motas (you may need to be logged into your Google account, if you have one). Come be part of the Men of Temple Ahavat Shalom!