In This Issue:
- MOTAS LOGO SHIRTS AVAILABLE TO ORDER
- VETERANS SHABBAT – FR NOV 14
- NOVEMBER DINING OUT – RED ROBIN – WE NOV 19
- NOVEMBER MEMBERSHIP MEETING MINUTES
- 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. During the summer, when there are not a lot of events, the weekly will appear … less than weekly. If you know of someone who should be getting the weekly, of if you had this forwarded this to you and you want to get on our sublist, please drop a note to cybermaven@tasnorthridge-motas.org and we’ll add you.
1. MOTAS LOGO SHIRTS AVAILABLE TO ORDER
For a long time, folks have been asking about MoTAS Logo Shirts. Larry Pfefer and Daniel Faigin have ordered samples, examined them, and have selected ONE T-Shirt style, one Polo Shirt style, and one Dress shirt that will become our logowear. The shirts will be a dark blue, with the logo in white and half-tones. The three styles are:
- MoTAS T-Shirt. Deep Royal Blue. This Hanes® Authentic t-shirt is perfect for sporting events, large get-togethers and more. Sizes: S-5XL. Fabric: 6.1-oz cotton. Crewneck. Back neck taping. Set-in sleeves. Double-needle stitching. Open cuffs and hem.
- MoTAS Polo Shirt. MoTAS Soft Touch Pique Sport Shirt with Pocket. Classic Blue Generation® men’s sport shirt with pocket. Royal Blue. Sizes: S-6XL. Embroidery on the left chest. Fabric: 5.5-oz 65/35 polyester/cotton pique blend. Easy care. Wrinkle-resistant. Rib-knit curl-free collar. Shoulder-to-shoulder neck taping. Three-button placket. Dyed-to-match buttons. Patch pocket at left chest. Set-in sleeves. Rib-knit cuffs. Side vents. Straight hem.
- MoTAS Dress Shirt. MoTAS Stain Repel Twill Shirt. True Royal. Size: XS-4XL. This Port Authority® dress shirt is made from 4.3-oz, 55/45 cotton/polyester blend and has stain and wrinkle-resistant technology. It features a button-down collar, left chest pocket, adjustable button cuffs and a back yoke with box pleat. It gives you a polished look that is comfortable for year-round wear. Embroidery on the left chest.
Just imagine us building the Sukkah dressed in MoTAS T-Shirts, attending Shabbat in MoTAS Dress Shirts, and hosting the Brotherhood Seder in MoTAS Polos. We have set up a page for folks to pre-order the shirts, and you can either pay now by credit card for some additional fees, or send in a check or pay via Zelle for no additional fees. At the end of November, we’ll collect all the orders and place them with our supplier. We’ll order some extra, in the same proportion as the sizes in the original order. Pricing is based on a low-quantity order. If we get a lot of orders, MoTAS may make a little to support our activities. Donations are also welcome to cover the pre-order costs of additional shirts.
To pre-order your shirts, visit https://www.ticketleap.events/tickets/tasnorthridge-motas/25-11-motas-logowear. The header page on the order form will show what the shirts will look like (although our shirts will have a different logo).
2. VETERANS SHABBAT – FR NOV 14
Again this year, Temple Ahavat Shalom together with MoTAS, is planning a Shabbat service to honor our veterans. This will be the Shabbat closest to Veterans Day, which falls each year on November 11. This year, our service is on Friday, November 14 at 7pm. Chaired by Roger Lowe, Hal Bass and Bob Levine the evening service will recognize all temple veterans who have given service to our country. If you are a current TAS member (or immediate family) and a veteran or on active duty from any branch of our armed forces, we want to acknowledge and honor you.
If you are comfortable with being recognized PLEASE drop an email to Hal Bass at halbass414@gmail.com and provide the following: information: your highest rank, branch of service, years served, and whether you plan to attend services on Nov 14. TAS & MoTAS look forward to honoring our veterans.
3. NOVEMBER DINING OUT – RED ROBIN – WE NOV 19
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 November Dining Does Good” will be Wednesday, November 19 at Red Robin, 9301 Tampa Ave, Northridge, CA 91324. Just present the flyer or mention the fundraiser when you order or pick up your take out order in person. You can even order online: (1) Start your order at order.redrobin.com and select the Northridge location. (2) In the menu, go to the category labeled “Fundraisers (To-Go Only)” and click on that item. (3) Click the “add” button, and then “add to bag.” (4) Add your meal items and check out. (5) Arrive at Red Robin, come in, say hi, grab your food and be on your way! If your location has curbside pick-up, they can bring it to your car too!
How do you get a flyer? You can find a flyer for the event at https://wp.tasnorthridge-motas.org/activities/dining/ (click on the image of the flyer) or download PDF from our Google Drive . From there, just click on the printer icon to print, or the three dots to download.
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.
4. NOVEMBER MEMBERSHIP MEETING MINUTES
Date: Sunday, November 9, 2025, at TAS
Presiding: President Howard Schnee
Members Present: Howard Schnee (President), Hal Bass (Secretary), Les Birken, Daniel Faigin, Larry Hoffman (Immediate Past President), Gordon Lester, Bob Levine, Joel Lowell, Barry Mann, Howard Miller, Chuck Mondrus, Bill Shapiro (VP), Bernie Singer, Ben Tenn, Mike Thornhill, Scott Yollis (VP)
Guests: Shmuel Gonzales (Speaker), Wendy Alter, Karen Davis, Karen Jaye, Terri Jonisch, Jan Rapoport, Karen Schnee, Ava Silver, Tammy Singer, Debbie Thornhill
Coffee & Breakfast: Bob Levine, Chuck Mondrus, Mike Thornhill, Scott Yollis
President’s Report:
- Dining Does Good Wednesday, November 19: This month’s venue is Red Robin in the Northridge Mall. Print out and present the flyer available on the MoTAS website to your server or cashier. If you know of other establishments that would be good choices for this program, let Dining Does Good coordinator Barry Mann know.
- A Poker Tournament, headed up by Howard Miller, will take place Sunday evening, March 22, 2026.
Roger Lowe’s Treasurer’s Report as of 11/05/2025:
- (see emailed report)
New Business:
- MoTAS Logo Shirts: Attractive, stylish T-shirts, polo shirts and dress shirts with the MoTAS logo are available to order. Daniel Faigin provided samples of the shirts at today’s meeting along with an order sheet. To order shirts online, visit https://www.ticketleap.events/tickets/tasnorthridge-motas/25-11-motas-logowear. The header page on the order form will show how the shirts look (our shirts will have a different logo).
At the end of November, we’ll place the orders with our supplier. You can either pay by credit card for an additional fee or by check or Zelle at no additional charge. - Veterans Shabbat Friday, November 14: TAS and MoTAS traditionally hold an annual service to honor our veterans on the Shabbat closest to the Veterans Day holiday, observed annually on November 11. This year’s Veterans Shabbat will take place Friday, November 14, at 7 pm. Coordinated by Roger Lowe, Bob Levine and Hal Bass, the service recognizes all temple veterans who have served our country.
If you are a current TAS member (or immediate family) and a veteran, or on active duty or in the National Guard or reserves from any branch of the armed forces, we want to acknowledge and honor you. If you are comfortable with being recognized, please email Hal Bass at halbass414@gmail.com and provide the following information: your branch of service, highest rank, years served, and whether you plan to attend Shabbat services on Nov 14. - Wendy Alter, representing the temple board and Membership Committee, announced that TAS will have a membership information booth at the farmer’s market outside Kaiser Permanente, 20000 Rinaldi St., Sunday morning, December 7. A sheet was passed around for volunteers to sign up.
- MoTAS Emergency Food Care Assistance Program: Howard Miller introduced, and Hal Bass seconded, the following motion: MoTAS authorizes funds for the Emergency Food Care Assistance Program to come from the MoTAS Sports Squares Program; the total of funds disbursed is not to exceed $1,800, nor to exceed $200 per month for each family unit; and for a total duration until the January 11, 2026, MoTAS membership meeting, at which time the assistance program will be reviewed.
The confidential determination of benefits shall be at the sole discretion of an ad hoc committee consisting of MoTAS President Howard Schnee, Executive Director Aaron Solomon, and Rabbi Becky Hoffman. All benefits to recipients shall be in the form of grocery market gift cards purchased from TAS; any unused funds will remain with MoTAS.An amendment introduced by Barry Mann and seconded by Ben Tenn to remove the MoTAS president from the Emergency Food Care Assistance Program Committee was defeated. The original motion was then voted upon and approved by a majority vote.
Educational Presentation: Shmuel “Barrio Boychik” Gonzales shared information about the history of Jews in Boyle Heights,which during the late 19th century and first half of the 20th was the center of Jewish life in L.A.
Shmuel explained that the Breed Street Synagogue in Boyle Heights was not the first shul in L.A.; a temple in the Pico-Union neighborhood–Congregation B’nai B’rith, founded in 1862–was the first shul and later became the Wilshire Boulevard Temple. At one time in Boyle Heights and City Terrace, there were 30 synagogues serving the Ashkenazic and Sephardic communities. And it was in Boyle Heights where the havurah movement began.
Shmuel currently serves congregations in Downey and elsewhere in L.A. County and conducts tours of Jewish L.A. He is a dynamic, engaging speaker with a wealth of knowledge about the Jewish community. Everyone at today’s meeting thoroughly enjoyed Shmuel’s presentation and learned a great deal.
Next Meeting: The next General Membership Meeting will take place on Sunday, December 14, 2025, at 8:45 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. 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!
Men of Temple Ahavat Shalom 