Banner - Temple Home
Community - Social Action Community = Sisterhood Community - Springfield UJA

NEWSLETTER


TEMPLE SHOLOM NEWSLETTER

FEBRUARY 2025
SHEVAT 5785
SPRINGFIELD, OH



CONDOLENCES TO...
The family of Leslie ''Les'' Broock, a former member of the Temple, who passed away on Wednesday, January 22.
May his memory be for a blessing

~ RABBI'S CORNER ~

LIKE A SYCAMORE TREE
In a few days (February 13) Jews the world over will be observing Tu B'shevat, the New Year of the Trees. Tu B'shevat - the fifteenth day of the month of Shvat - is the official beginning of Spring in the Land of Israel. In recent years, this holiday has been observed by having a ''seder,'' with readings focusing on the importance of trees and featuring various fruits that grow in Israel. (Our Tu B'shevat seder will be held on Friday evening, February 14.)
Since the early 20th century when Jews in the Diaspora began returning to the Land and reclaiming it, planting trees has been a major aspect of such land reclamation. Jews plant trees in Israel via the Jewish National Fund to mark happy and sad occasions and to honor or memorialize individuals. Many of us may remember having the iconic ''blue box'' of the KKL (Kerem Kayament L'Yisrael) in which we fed coins to help plant more trees. In recent years, in the wake of forest fires started by terrorists in various parts of the country, planting new trees remains a priori. (And speaking of fires...one can only imagine how significant Tu B'shevat will be this year to Jews living in the area of L.A.)
However, this year Tu B'shevat is especially significant in another way.
At our Tu B'shevat seder on February 14, we will recite this passage:

Israel is like a sycamore tree. Even after it is chopped down and its stump is covered with sand for a long time, the sycamore will begin to grow again. So, too, the Jewish people which has been attacked and hurt for so long, grows again in our time.

We say these words every year; but this year, in the wake of recent events, they really hit home because they are about our resilience. As I write this, the return of some of the hostages is proceeding. Among Israelis and Diaspora Jews there is a mixture of joy, relief, anxiety, fear...and hope. Even as we rejoice at the reuniting of the freed hostages with their loved ones, we worry about the welfare of those still in captivity - especially about the two Bibas children and their mother. And there is sufficient concern that the ultimate price of freeing thousands of terrorists will be more Israeli deaths in the months to come.
But among the plethora of op-ed pieces arguing the pro's and con's of agreeing to this current ceasefire and accounts of the cruelty endured by the hostages (along with criminal negligence of various international relief agencies), there are so many stories of incredible courage and resilience shown by several of the hostages during their ordeal - a virtual ''middle finger'' to their captors. One such story focused on Liri Albag. From Tablet magazine:

Liri Albag was one of the Israeli hostages released last weekend. (She was among the four subjected to a cringe-inducing Gaza City 'graduation ceremony’'before being handed over to the Red Cross.) Those freed with her said that Albag was the leader of their group and often spoke with captors on the others’'behalf. On Tuesday, another former hostage, Amit Soussana, who was released in November 2023, went so far as to say that Albag's intercession had saved her life.

For some, that resilience was fueled and strengthened by an adherence to their Jewish faith and values. From World Jewish News (Vered Weiss):

Liri Albag: 'Despite the difficult conditions and limited options, Agam chose to stay true to her values and her faith.'

Agam Berger, the IDF lookout who was released on Thursday, and other hostages maintained religious observance during their captivity in Gaza.
On Thursday, eight hostages were released in Gaza, including five Thai workers and three Israelis: Agam Berger, Yehud, and Gadi Moses.
Agam Berger was reunited with the four other female IDF lookouts who were released last week: Karina Ariev, 20; Daniella Gilboa, 20; Naama Levy, 20; and Liri Albag, 19.

Liri Albag reported that Agam Berger held fast to her religious observance during her captivity, including keeping kosher and observing Shabbat.
''Despite the difficult conditions and limited options, Agam chose to stay true to her values and her faith,'' Liri said.
Liri's mother, Merav, said that her daughter did not eat any of the non-kosher meat offered to her during captivity, despite the lack of food.
Prior to her daughter's release, Merav Berger requested that if her daughter would be released Saturday, that those involved and the media should avoid violating Shabbat.
''I will wait for Agam, with G-d's help, when she comes, with as little Shabbat desecration as possible,'' she shared. ''From you I ask, those who embrace us and who have gone this entire journey with us, and who have the great merit of bringing our children home - please do not desecrate Shabbat.''
In addition to Berger, other released hostages said they refused leavened food during Passover and fasted on Yom Kippur, despite suffering severe malnutrition.
For 16 months, Arbel Yehud was kept underground in complete isolation. She also suffered from severe malnutrition and was treated cruelly by her Hamas captors.
''I was alone,'' Yehud said after she was freed.
Although she was told that her brother, Dolev Yehud, was killed during the October 7th attack, she was unaware of the full extent of the invasion.
Videos circulated on social media on Thursday showing a mob of Gaza civilians taunting and harassing hostages as they were being escorted to the Red Cross.
One of the most harrowing images was of a frightened Arbel Yehud surrounded by hostile Gazans.
Commenting on the video, Yehud said, ''What you saw today - the armed men escorting me - that is just a fraction of the horror.''
Gadi Moses, who is 80, said that during his captivity, he focused on the day he would return to rebuild his community of Nir Oz.
''I never broke, I never cried - I just waited for the moment I would be free,'' he told his family.


Gadi Moses is a man who was captured and his community destroyed. He remained resilient and hopeful. Virtual embodiments of the sycamore tree, people like Liri, Merav, Agam and Gadi stayed resilient and hopeful. Indeed, they bring to mind this passage from the prophet Jeremiah:

But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in Him. He is like a tree planted by the waters that sends out its roots toward the stream. It does not fear when the heat comes, and its leaves are always green. It does not worry in a year of drought, nor does it cease to produce fruit. (17:7-8)

G-d forbid any of us should ever have to experience what they and so many others of our people have experienced. But if we do, may G-d bless us with their courage, resilience and hope.
When our enemies try to cut us down, may we all be like the sycamore.
-Rabbi Cary Kozberg

~ CONTRIBUTIONS ~

-A generous contribution was received from Marilyn Cooper

SPECIAL
-In memory of Dick Ebner from Jeff and Ellen Levine -In memory of Les Broock from Jeff and Ellen Levine

DIAMOND
-In memory of Les Broock from Andy and Cathy Bell, Eddie and Laurie Leventhal

JEFFREY D EBNER YOUTH FUND
-In memory of Richard Ebner from Julie Schrader, Lyla Bailin, Stephen and Elaine Hackett, John and Terry Wiegel, Pat and Jan Keenan, Janet Hackett, Jack and Michelle Benjamin, Marsha Johnston, Frederick and Margaret Seeberg, Sanford and Faye Flack; Kathi Malina; Brian and Lindsay Moon; Mark Robertson -In appreciation of Ed Leventhal and Itzca Zohar participating in Richard Ebner Memorial service from Jenny Ebner -In memory of Jeff Ebner on his 70th birthday with love from Mother -In memory of my husband Jeff Sisler from Inas Sisler

~ YAHRZEIT LIST ~

FEB 7: Joseph Gardner, Adolph D Haas (father of Sandy Silverstein), Max Kleeman, Nathan Klein, Bonita S Krauss (mother of Rick Krauss), Sophie K LeBolt, Jennie Prusiner, Mary J Rubin, Jack J Schechter, Mattie Weixelbaum, Henry R Ennis (father of Barbara Willens), Mildred Naft, Bertram Unger

FEB 14: Carrie Altschul, Norma Cooper Hart, Gwendolyn Hoffman, Isaac Levine, Louis M Levy, Raymond L Schiff (husband of Char Schiff), Clara Mae Dulaney, Ethel Farber, Mark L Greenberg (brother of Jan Spier)

FEB 21: Frieda Beyer Adler, Felix Balicer, Arnold Block, Werner Donn, Fannie Ebner, Louis B Margolis, Lillian Pollens, Naomi Ruth Ebner Fine, Henry Marenberg (father of Gerald Marenberg), Marsha Remer, Gail Russack (mother of Robert and Louis Russack), Thomas Shifman, Jordan Arthur Spier

FEB 28: Lilly Broock, Henry Gardner, Morton R. Goldstein, Roberta Greenland, Larry Himmel, Fannie Kaufman, Leonard Levy, Paul Dulaney, Bruce Krane, Julius (Jules) Levy, Priscilla Lind (mother of Bobbi Mugford), Celia Feinstein Spitz

MARCH 7: Jacob Arnovitz, Pauline H Broock, Etta M Herron, Leah G Klein, Samuel Kossoff, Sol (Babe) Padlow, Sarah Steingart, Charles Zitsman, Eunice Poliakoff Draisen (mother of Bernice Goldman), Antonio Espinoza (father of Rose Weiss), Tim R Flack (brother of Sanford Flack)