In This Issue:
- VETERANS SHABBAT – FR NOV 13
- SAYVA: AN EVENING WITH RABBI JOSHUA AARONSON AND RABBI ARNOLD RESNICOFF – THU NOV 19
- DECEMBER MEMBERSHIP MEETING – LEA TILLES – SA DEC 13
- DINING OUT – CHIS CHINESE – WE DEC 16
- MOTAS SEDER – HEADS UP
- NOVEMBER 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, or 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. VETERANS SHABBAT – FR NOV 13
At the Shabbat service on Friday, November 13, TAS will honor our members who have served in our Armed Forces (Army, Navy, Marines, Coast Guard, Air Force, Space Force, Reserves, and National Guard) with a special Veterans Day salute. We will be called up to light the Shabbat candles, do the Kiddush, and probably also be able to share something of our military experience (for a minute or two). MoTAS invites you to participate in this special occasion live in the Sanctuary. No RSVP is needed, and we hope you’ll also enjoy the Oneg cake to commemorate your valued service.
Hal Bass/Bob Levine
Co-Chairs, MoTAS Veterans Group
2. SAYVA: AN EVENING WITH RABBI JOSHUA AARONSON AND RABBI ARNOLD RESNICOFF – THU NOV 19
Thursday, November 19 | 7:00–9:00 p.m. | Temple Judea
TJVillage and SAYVA Present: An Evening with Rabbi Joshua Aaronson and Rabbi Arnold Resnicoff, Captain, Chaplain Corps, USN (Ret.)
Drawing on Rabbi Resnicoff’s extraordinary experiences as a Navy chaplain and military leader, they will reflect on how Jewish life, involvement, and the challenges and opportunities of being Jewish in the military have evolved across generations. The evening will include time for audience questions and discussion.
For more information about Rabbi Resnicoff’s distinguished background, see his BIO HERE.
Register HERE.
3. DECEMBER MEMBERSHIP MEETING – LEA TILLES – SA DEC 13
Our December Membership meeting will be Sunday, 12/13, at 8:45am. A full breakfast, including bagels, lox, and eggs, will be available starting at 8:45am. As always, the Breakfast Crew can use some support. If you can help shop and prepare breakfast, please coordinate with Howard Schnee <Haschnee106@gmail.com> and Chuck Mondrus <cmondrus@gmail.com>.
Our speaker will be Lea Tilles, who will lead all MOTAS men and guests for a fun, chair yoga class. If you have stiffness, injuries, or limited movements, this is your fix! It’s a great way to stay active, keep your spirits lifted, and enjoy some camaraderie along the way. Lea will be guiding you through a gentle yoga class to improve breathing, flexibility, balance, strength, and mobility. Come for the stretching, stay for the camaraderie—and definitely save room for the lox and bagels!
4. DINING OUT – CHIS CHINESE – WE DEC 16
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 May Dining Does Good” will be Wednesday, December 16 at Chi’s Chinese, 9635 Reseda Blvd, Northridge, CA 91324, (818) 886-6928.
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 (updated link). 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.
5. MOTAS SEDER – HEADS UP
Yes, I know we’re way early on this. The Joint MoTAS/MoTBH Seder (which will be hosted by MoTAS at Temple Ahavat Shalom) is scheduled for Sunday, April 11, 2027. Daniel Faigin, who coordinates the event, just learned that the California Science and Engineering Fair will that day at Cal Lutheran in Thousand Oaks. As he normally chairs the Jr. Mathematics panel, this means he will be out in Thousand Oaks until around 2:30pm. PLEASE MARK YOUR CALENDARS NOW. Given that he’ll be arriving at TAS closer to the event, he’s going to need helpers to assist with setting up the tables, and preparing ritual foods (charosis, eggs, etc). He’ll coordinate the meal and delivery thereof, but we’ll still need to set things up.
With everyone’s help, both events (CSEF and the MoTAS Seder) should run smoothly. But Daniel believes that advance notice and planning always helps. (and a PS: we’re always looking for CSEF judges).
6. NOVEMBER MEETING MINUTES
Men of Temple Ahavat Shalom General Membership Meeting Minutes
Date: Sunday, November 8, 2026, at TAS
Presiding: President Howard Schnee
Members Present: Howard Schnee (President),Hal Bass (Secretary), Bill Bigelson, Les Birken, Daniel Faigin, Richard Gobuty, Brian Hatkoff, Larry Hoffman (Immediate Past President), Bob Levine, Joel Lowell, Barry Mann, Howard Miller, Chuck Mondrus, Larry Pfefer (Treasurer), Russ Rapoport, Bernie Singer, Ben Tenn, Mark Tilles, David Tuckman, Terry Zonnis
Guests: Karen Jaye, Terri Jonisch, Alison Tuckman
Breakfast: Mark Tilles, Larry Pfefer, Bob Levine, Larry Hoffman
President’s Report:
- Barry Mann reported that MoTAS netted $170 and $140, respectively, from recent Dining Does Good fundraisers at the Outback and Lemon Zest. Chi’s Chinese in Northridge will be our next Dining Does Good opportunity, Wednesday, December 16. Print the flyer available in The Weekly, which comes by email every Wednesday, and present it to your server. If you’re aware of other establishments that would offer good venues for this fundraiser, let Dining Does Good coordinator Barry Mann know.
- Bob Levine provided an update of the MoTAS Sports Squares Program. Football squares date back to 2012, while Super Bowl and March Madness squares were established in 2014. Total revenue over the years after winner payouts is $ 79,014 from the following sources: Football Squares—$45,425; Super Bowl—$15,832; March Madness—$17,757. Totals do not include winnings donated back, which Bob estimated to fall somewhere between $1,000 and $2,000. Howard Schnee, speaking for the MoTAS membership, acknowledged the diligent work of Bob Levine and Kathy Pullman on behalf of the Sports Squares Program.
- Howard Schnee thanked Bill Shapiro and Scott Yollis, who were the chefs for Sisterhood’s successful Hand & Foot Fundraiser on October 17.
- Howard Schnee extended appreciation to the MoTAS volunteers who assisted with the October 25 Sisterhood Hanukkah Boutique
New Business:
- Bob Levine and Hal Bass said the annual Veterans Shabbat, recognizing TAS members who have served on active duty or in the National Guard or reserves, is scheduled for Friday evening, November 13.
- The MRJ Men of the Year Dinner will be held at Temple Adat Shalom in Poway, Saturday evening, March 20, 2027.
- Howard Miller noted that the Texas Hold’em Poker Tournament will take place Sunday, March 21, 2027.
- Chuck Mondrus will oversee dinner arrangements at 6:30 pm on Friday, December 25, at the Hot Wok in Northridge (NW corner of Nordhoff St & Reseda Blvd).
Educational Program: Following adjournment, MoTAS joined Sisterhood at 11 am for a jointly sponsored luncheon and presentation by Steve Barri, facilitated by Terri Jonisch and Joel Lowell. Steve is a songwriter and record producer responsible for classic hits such as “Billy, Don’t Be a Hero,“ the theme song for “Welcome Back, Kotter,” “Baby It’s You,“ “Ain’t No Woman (Like the One I’ve Got),“ “Secret Asian Man,” and many others. From Irving Berlin to Jerome Kern to George and Ira Gershwin and Carol King and Neil Diamond, through anecdotes and videos, Steve reviewed the history of popular music, where since 1912, when Irving Berlin wrote “Alexander’s Ragtime Band,” the majority of the most celebrated songs and Broadway musicals have been written by Jewish composers and lyricists.
Next Meeting: The next General Membership Meeting will take place Sunday, December 13, at 8:45 am. Our guest speaker will be Lea Tilles on yoga.
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!
