Tashlikh - Rosh Hashana,
Caspar Beach, 5763 (rge)
Rabbi’s
Notes: Elul without Ella
By
the time this
Megillah comes your
way, we will already be well into the month of Elul. Just writing
that sentence strikes a bit of both joy and dread into my heart. Elul
(which begins at sundown on August 20) is the last month of the
year – the month given over to self-examination and repair. I
often say it’s my favorite month of the year – but it certainly
isn’t the easiest.
Of course this
particular Elul has an
extra measure of poignancy in it for me, because this will be my
first entry into a New Year without my beloved ‘Elul partner,’
Ella, with me on the material plane. Last year she was already quite
ill by the time Elul rolled around, and we couldn’t have our
customary conversations. But there’s a big difference between
quite ill and dead, as I learn each day she’s still gone. Still,
as many of her family and friends have said in these past eight
months since her death, she is still here among us in many ways. So
what I’d like to do here, both in Ella’s honor and in my own
need, is to commune with my Elul partner a bit and to gather some of
her wisdom for this month ahead.
Every year at about
this time the phone
would ring, and Ella would say, “We have to schedule our Elul
walk…” We’d take a long walk as close to the beginning of the
month as we could manage, usually on the Big River haul road, but at
least once, years ago, in the prickly brambles surrounding the Elk
cemetery where she is now buried. Walking out one direction I would
spill out my heart and receive her wise direction. Walking the other
direction she would reflect on her year, and I would listen as best I
could to her concerns and intentions.
Thinking back this
year on those years
of plotting out our Elul work together, several themes come back
strongly to me now. The most important to me is really a kind of
paradox: Ella could hear me go on at length about ways I had hurt and
damaged myself and other people. She could completely know and
believe that I had behaved in these ways, not minimize them in any
way, and she could firmly counsel me to clean up my act. And at the
same time she loved me without condition. It’s like she could
witness my weaknesses in all their gory detail and not hold them
against me at all in any way. She could know me as I really am –
but somehow none of this alienated Ella from me at all.
Now that she’s gone I
ask myself: who
else holds me in such an unconditionally sweet light? And who else
do I love without any kind of resentment or alienation? There are
others – I am a lucky and blessed person in that way. But it is
quite a gift to be able to see someone clearly as they are, with
frailties and struggles and issues galore, and not to love them any
less. How do you do that – see someone’s weaknesses as well as
their strengths, and not close your heart to any of it? I could do
with more of that…
I also find myself
thinking about
Ella’s faith that important relationships in life can be mended and
healed, even if it takes years and years. I don’t want to say more
about Ella’s work in this light, but I can say that I learned from
her that it is worth asking forgiveness even years after having
wronged someone, even if you can’t imagine that they will ever let
go of what went wrong. It is worth trying to right things in one way
and then another and then yet another. It is worth doing so even if
you have no real hope that they will ever forgive. Even if someone
has died, it is worth asking their forgiveness.
Awhile ago I had the
experience of
someone coming up to me and saying that they had felt bad for a long
time about something they had said to me. I didn’t even remember
the incident, and so it was easy for me to say, “Hey, no problem –
of course I forgive you. Don’t worry about it.” But as I
thought about it afterwards, I realized that, even though I didn’t
remember the particular words said, I had carried with me a little
tinge of uneasy feeling about that person, and I kept a little bit of
inner distance from them. And once they reached out to me, that
alienation completely melted from my heart, and my fondness and trust
is greater than it ever was before. I’m glad that this person
approached me even years after the fact, even long after I had ceased
thinking I cared about whatever it was. It’s always worth trying
to repair damaged relationships.
And finally I find
myself thinking
about water. Ella was, after all, the mikveh lady of our community. And
she taught all of us about offering up our kavvanot – our
intentions, our commitments – and then giving them over to the
water for safekeeping. She used to quote Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan of
blessed memory, who said that going into the water of the mikveh was
like going into the womb and the grave. Rabbi Kaplan didn’t even
know about the icy cold water of the Navarro River in the fall –
how it literally takes your breath away when you duck under. So I
might have all the ferocious intention in the world to be a better
person in all my specific ways, with all my plans and my two-colored
highlightered Elul timesheet and everything else. And then I walk
out into the water, slip below the surface, and it vanishes from my
grasp! I’m just a cold, chattering, naked soul in the water of
life and death. I always think of water as the closest physical
thing I know to God: absolutely necessary and absolutely deadly,
continuously shaping the world, always changing forms but never
essence. Immersing in the mikveh is like dipping into God-ness.
The moment of
stepping out of the river
is like few others. There is an exuberance, a newness to it all. It
feels so good. Whatever I walked in there with has been stripped
away. I hope that my intention will come true – if I can even
remember what it was! And that simple, pure hope is a precious
thing.
Ella used to talk
about praying for
“real help.” Her devotional life was deep, though she was never
a regular davvener or meditator or anything as far as I know. She
prayed for help, and she believed that help – real help – was out
there. It wasn’t just a matter of her, or my, own fierce
intentionality. It was entirely possible that the universe itself
would shift – that someone else’s heart would soften, that
circumstances would change, that new insights would emerge, and
healing would become possible where it had not been before.
Love without
condition, tenacious
commitment to healing relationships, faith in the universe’s
willingness to shift as we do in the direction of forgiveness and
renewal. May the memory of our friend and teacher be a blessing for
us all (whether or not you knew her in her lifetime) as we move
towards a new year of life. L’shana tovah, my dear community.
- Rabbi Margaret Holub (c) 2009
Kabbalat
Shabbat
In
September we will be celebrating our home Kabbalat Shabbat and dinner
on Friday, September 11th at the home of Pamela, Dave, Drew, Scott,
and Cole Duncan in Caspar. Please call them at 962-0101 for
directions and to let them know you are coming. The monthly Kabbalat Shabbat includes
a song-filled short service that begins at 6:00 pm and is followed by
a pot luck vegetarian dinner. If you would like to host this
wonderful event in your home in future months, contact Mina at
937-1319.
In October we would
like to have Kabbat Shabbat during Sukkot, Friday October 2nd
(the
first Friday of the month,
since the following week will no longer be Sukkot), but we have not yet
determined he location
MCJC
Board meeting dates
There
is no MCJC board meeting scheduled in September because of the
holidays. If you would like to attend a meeting please contact Raven
Deerwater at raven@taxpractitioner.com
so he can let you know the date and include you on the agenda.
Book
Group
The
book
group will meet Monday September 21st at the home of Rosamond
Gumpert Jorgensen Please call Fran Schwartz at 937-1352 if you wish
to join us. We will be reading “The Lemon Tree” by Sandy Tolan.
This work of non-fiction is the story of the
tale of a simple act of faith between two young people - one Israeli,
one Palestinian - that symbolizes the hope for peace in the Middle
East. In 1967, not long after the Six-Day War, three young Arab men
ventured into the town of Ramle, in what is now Jewish Israel. They
were cousins, on a pilgrimage to see their childhood homes; their
families had been driven out of Palestine nearly twenty years
earlier. One cousin had a door slammed in his face, and another found
his old house had been converted into a school. But the third, Bashir
Al-Khairi, was met at the door by a young woman called Dalia, who
invited them in. Books are available at Cheshire Books in
Fort Bragg for a 10% discount if you let them know you are in the
Jewish Book Group. We welcome new people at any time. We have not
yet chosen the September selection.
Tisch
We
will have a tisch on Yom Kippur Eve (the usual time for us to have
such a lovely dinner) though it will be Sunday September 27 instead of
Friday. This
time we do need an RSVP if you plan to come. Dinner will be at
6:00 before Kol Nidre services at the Caspar Community Center. Please
call Mina at 937-1319 or Jessica at 937-2115.
Thank
You for Megillah Help
Thank
you to Nona Smith for collating and mailing our summer Megillah.
Contact Mina if you’d like
to help with this task.
Mitzvah
Meal: We Fed the Freezer
In
early August we had a “Feed the Freezer” dinner at the shul. We
now have a fully stocked freezer with food for anyone in our
community who needs some food because they are ill or have any kind
of need for sustenance in an emergency. If you are in need of food
all you have to do is call one of the members of the Bikkur Cholim
committee and we’ll let you know how to get it, or send someone for
it. The committee is Fran Schwartz at 937-1352, Karen Rakofsky at
937-5522, or Mina Cohen at 937-1319. All food is vegetarian, not
spicy, and we have ingredients available if you have any allergies. We
had a wonderful time sampling the food before we prepared some for
the freezer and to say it’s great “comfort” food is an
understatement. Thank you to all who came and brought the food and
stay tuned for Feed the Freezer Round Two.
Torah
School Starting in October
Torah
school will be resuming in October at Frankies once again this year. We will meet after school
starting on Monday, October 12th. Saturday, October 10th we will
dedicate the tiles created
by our 2009 (5769) torah school class at Simchat Torah celebrations.
All are invited to that. If you have a child eligible for Torah
School look for a letter coming soon regarding this year’s plans. We
look forward to another exciting year together. If you are not on
our mailing list for elementary aged children please contact Jessica
at 937-2115.
TODAH
RABAH! (Great Thanks)
For The Following Generous Contributors Who in the Last Month Helped
Sustain Our Community
Irving and Marilyn Kreisberg; Karen and Leonardo Bowers; Mina Cohen
and Jeff Berenson; Eric Labowitz and Kathy Bailey; Mindy Rosenfeld and
Hilleary Burgess; Barton Friedland; Tatanka Russell; Betty
Deutsch;
Nancy Harris; Jane Boskoff Graeven and Mark Graeven; Mark Gardner; Rena
Blauner; Sara and Gerry Kreger; Susan Hofberg; Eileen Lopate; Hyla and
Jack Bolsta; Ruth and S.A. Rosenblum Ephraim; Henrietta Bensussen and
Kim Hayes; Sydelle Lapidus; Donna Feiner
In Honor of Sherman Juster's 80th birthday: Susan Rubinstein;
Rosalie and Arty Holub; Dan Mandelbaum and Benna Kolinsky; Mark and
Deena Zarlin
Phoebe Graubard In Memory of my parents; Susan Miller to the Adele
Saxe Tzedakah Fund; Karen Rakofsky to the Bikkur Holim Fund In Memory
of my father, Sam Rakofsky; Sandy Glickfeld sending love and healing to
Bonnie Sarrow and In Memory of Lynn Stoller
Mendocino Maven
by The Shadow
It is hard to
believe that as I write this, Summer is technically over and Elul is
only a few days away. It is time to start preparing for the High
Holidays: Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, followed by Sukkot, Shemini
Atzeret and Simchat Torah. Yet for those of us who live close to the
earth, the signs are unmistakable. The starlings are starting to flock,
cherries are history and the peaches are almost done and apples are
appearing. Here on the coast we can expect more fogless days and some
good ocean kayaking. I find myself delighted to see that the
swallows are still
here and everything is dry, waiting to be refreshed and reborn with the
life giving autumn rains and winter storms.
Bonnie Sarrow is back at home and doing well, after heart surgery in
Santa Rosa. She is not driving these days and would probably appreciate
a phone call or visit. A
somewhat belated Mazel Tov goes out to Marinela Miclea on the birth of
her son Colin Samuel, who was born on May 13, 2008 and whose b'rit
milah was performed by respected mohel Mark Rubenstein, M.D., in the
Bay Area.
Hyla and Jack Bolsta
son, Aharon Wheels Bolsta,
gave a concert on tabla, oud, mouth harp, bamboo flutes and other
instruments in June at the shul. Aharon was up this way to perform with
the SF Mime Troupe at Cotton Auditorium.
Sadly, we lost two dear members of our community, with the passing of
Sherman Juster and Lynn Stoller over the summer.
I wish you success with your Teshuvah, and hope to see you at the Shul
for the HHD's.
שנה טובה
L'Shana Tova. The MCJC Board wishes you
and
yours a happy and healthy new year. We hope that you will be
joining
us for the High Holy Day Services. Enclosed you will find a gift from
us to you, a directory to help you stay in touch with our community
throughout the year.
Selichot:
Saturday, September 12, 8:00 PM. A short, candle-lit
later-evening
service of preparation for the Holy Days, with chanting and time for
looking within.
Rosh Hashana:
Evening service Friday, September 18th 7:30-9:30 pm.
Morning service Saturday. September 19th 10:30 AM-2:00 PM
(Community luncheon following services)*
Afternoon the community will gather at 3:30 PM, for teachings from
members of the community, alternative Mincha services, and the famous
Sin Buffet, followed by tashlich at Caspar Beach until sunset.
Yom Kippur:
Kol Nidre Sunday. September 27th, 7:30 - 9:30 PM.
Morning service Monday, September 28th 10:30 AM -2:00 PM.
Yizkor (memorial service) is 4:30 - 5:30 PM, Mincha and Ne'ila 5:30 to
sundown.
Mikveh:
The mikveh, a prayerful ritual immersion in "living water," is a
beautiful traditional way to enter the Holy Days. All women are invited
to attend. The mikveh will be held on Friday, September 18th. We
will
meet at 10 am at the Albion Grocery and carpool together to the
Middle
Ridge Pond. If you need more information on this or have any
questions
call Karen Rakofsky at 937-5522.
Yizkor:
The yizkor list is a perpetual list of family members and others close
to members of our community who have died. If you have a name to add to
the yizkor list, please call Donna at 877-3243 during the day,
preferably well in advance of the service. If this person's name has
ever been read in our community's yizkor service, you do not need to
resubmit it.
Children's Services & Childcare
Rosh Hashana morning (Saturday, September 19th): Childcare 10:30
am-2:30 pm ,
children’s service 11:30-noon
Yom Kippur morning (Monday, September 28th): Child care 10:30am-2:00
pm,
children’s service 11:30 to noon
If you are not on the mailing list for Torah School and would like
information about our upcoming program contact Jessica Grinberg at
937-2115.
General Information:
We anticipate that the shul will be crowded. We encourage you to
come
early. If you are an elder or disabled, requiring assistance or
transportation or if you can provide this assistance during the
holidays please call the shul at 964-6146 by Sunday, September 13th.
We are suggesting a contribution of $150.00 for each adult who is not a
contributing member of MCJC. This contribution will help cover
costs
to the community for providing High Holy Day services. We request
that
this be paid in advance and sent to P.O. Box 291, Little River,
CA.
95456. Alternately, you can mail your contribution afterwards to the
above address. As always, no one will be turned away for lack of
funds, so please contribute what you can. It is traditional not to
handle or discuss money on the holidays. Please make it possible for
everyone in our community to worship without having to handle money by
sending your payment in advance. If you have any financial
questions
please call Mark Zarlin, our treasurer at 937-0341.
Rosh Hashana Lunch:
Following services on Rosh Hashana before the afternoon service, many
people choose to remain at the shul to rest and eat lunch together. If
you plan to have lunch at the shul please bring a vegetarian cold dish
that can serve 8-10 people. Everything else will be provided.
Erev Yom Kippur Dinner:
If you would like to join us for a Yom Kippur Eve
vegetarian Tisch at
Caspar Community Center just before Kol Nidre Services on, September 27, please
RSVP to
Mina at 937-1319 or Jessica at 937-2115. Dinner will be at 6:00
pm.
Breaking the Fast:
It is customary to break the Yom Kippur fast with a festive meal. We
encourage you to invite friends and family to break fast with you
following Yom Kippur services. If you would be willing to have
additional guests, please call and leave a message at 964-6146 and let
us know how many you can host. We particularly need a host whose
home
is wheelchair accessible. An announcement will be made at Yom Kippur
services about locations of break-fasts. Please bring a veggie dish to
share if you are planning to attend a break-fast. Everyone is
welcome
to attend the break-fasts.
Are you Having a Sukkah This Year?
Each year we let the community know about opportunities to “Le’Shev
Ba’Sukkah.” If you are planning to have a sukkah and would
welcome
visitors to it, please let Mina know as much ahead of time as possible
at 937-1319 so it can be published in the Megillah. Sukkot this
year
begins on the evening of October 2nd and ends at sundown on Oct.
8th.
Mazon Hunger Campaign
"Corners of Our Fields" For the last eight years, thousands of Jews
have given life to the
tradition of tzedakah and tikkun olam by supporting a High Holy Days
appeal that seeks funds for Mazon: A Jewish Response to Hunger.
Our
community is a partner with Mazon. The appeal has raised more
than
$4.4 million and over 6 million pounds of food. As you look inward
during these High Holy Days, Mazon asks that you reach outward to all
those in need. Please give to Mazon what you would have spent to
feed
yourself and your family on Yom Kippur. Our own food bank in Fort Bragg
has been a grant recipient from Mazon. Send your donations to
1990 S.
Beverly Dr., Suite 260, Los Angeles 90025. You can access Mazon
at
www.mazon.org.
The Megillah: Have It Your Way
The Mendocino Megillah is
generated
in two
formats: the legacy hardcopy format
which is optimized for printing on 8 1/2 x 11 inch paper and the HTML
format which is formatted for easy reading on a computer display.
You can subscribe to the hardcopy version and have it
mailed to you,
you can subscribe to the email version or you can receive both.
If you don’t need the hardcopy and want to do your bit to repair the
world by going electronic, please email
Myra at myrah@mcn.org
Todah Rabah! (rge)
Looking to the
Future
From time to time members have given additional financial help to
MCJC.
Upon the sale of a home, stocks or some other positive financial event
they have shared their good fortune. Also, several members have
remembered MCJC in their wills. These generous acts insure the long
term strength and sustainability of the Jewish Community and our shul
here on the Coast.
We encourage you to do this if you can. (mz)
Subscription and Notification
If you would like to subscribe to this publication and/or receive email
notifications for events, changes, or important news from MCJC contact
Myra Beals at myrah@mcn.org or send to P.O. Box
1113, Mendocino. Let
her know if you prefer to receive a printed Megillah coming in the mail
or by email. If you would like to receive notifications by email
please indicate that as well. Subscription to the Megillah is
included
with a contributing membership of $200. or more. A subscription
alone
to the newsletter is $25. per year. Checks can be made payable to
MCJC
and mailed to P.O. Box 291, Little River, CA. 95456. (mc)
Editorial Policy
The Mendocino Megillah is published monthly. The deadline for
submission of articles is the 10th of the month before desired
publication. The editor will include all appropriate material,
space
permitting with the exception of copyrighted material that does not
have permission of the author. The material printed in the
Megillah is
not the policy or representative of the opinions of the Board of
Directors of Mendocino Coast Jewish Community. Divergent opinions are
welcome. (mc)
Contributions to the MCJC can be sent to:
MCJC, Box 291, Little River, CA 95456.
Please specify if your contribution is in memory or honor of someone,
and please include your name and mailing address. Thanks! (mz) |
Using
the Shul
If you are opening or closing the shul please double check that the
furnace, water heater and lights are all off and that all doors are
locked when you leave.
THANKS! (rge)
Thanks
to Our Underwriters
for Supporting the MCJC Megillah and the Community
Albion
Doors and Windows: 1000s of recycled
windows, French doors,
thermal windows, entry doors, new & used * Leaded glass, arches
&
unique styles * Liquidation prices at 937-0078 in Albion *
www.knobsession.com
Cheshire Books:
Eclectic community bookstore located in the heart of downtown Fort
Bragg at 363
N. Franklin St. * Open Mon.- Fri. 10:30 am-5:30 pm, Sat. 10:00 am-5:00
pm,
& Sun. 11:00 am-3:00 pm * 964-5918
College Bound
Advising * College search, coaching,
and application assistance * Mina Cohen, certified college counselor *
Individual consulation and group workshops * Tel: 937-1319 * cbadvising.com
Frankie's
Pizza and Ice Cream Parlor:
Homemade
pizzas, Cowlick's ice cream and other yummy things to nosh on.
Beer
and wine available. Live music weekly, all ages
welcome. Open daily from
11 - 9 at 44951 Ukiah
Street, Mendocino, 937-2436. www.frankiesmendocino.com
Fashen Faber:
Marriage and Family Therapist * Offering psychotherapy with EMDR,
Guided
Imagery, Insight Therapy * Deep healing for trauma, depression,
anxiety, panic
attacks, relationship problems * Gay & lesbian & transgender
issues *
Individuals, couples, teens, families * Mendocino * 937-2791
Hortus
Botanicus Nursery and Gardens (since
1994): Annuals, perennials, unusual trees, shrubs, clematis,
nepenthes
and
other carnivorous plants, orchids and succulents at 20103 Hanson Rd,
Ft. Bragg.
Closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Fall and Winter hours are Thursday -
Monday 10
to 4, Sundays 11 to 3. Robert Goleman, Owner. www.hortusb.com or 964-4786
ICONS:
Global
Gifts- Local Art: Coastal
photography; wood carvings; ceramics; Judaica (siddurim, seder plates,
etc.) ;
Buddha; saint: and goddess statues; classic rock tee-shirts and
memorabilia;
new CDs and DVDs and used LPs; cards, books, and much more! Open
daily,
10466 Lansing St., Mendocino 937-1784
Loie Rosenkrantz:
MSW, CHT, CMT.
Experienced, mature, depth counseling; short term practical problem
solving *
Hypnotherapy and somatic therapy * Rosen Method Body work practitioner
* HUMA
transpersonal bodywork teacher * Feel free to call for information
about these
modalities, 964-3094, Fort Bragg
Montag’s Handyman
Service: Carpentry, Plumbing,
Electrical, Furniture Repairs, Antique
Restoration * George Montag * 33410 Greenwood Rd., Elk, CA. 95432
* montag@mcn.org * 707-877-3243
Out of this World:
telescopes, binoculars,
& science toys at 45100 Main St., * Box 1010, Mendocino * 937-3335
* www.DiscountTelescopes.com
Phoebe Graubard:
Attorney at Law * Wills, trusts, probate, conservatorships * 594 S.
Franklin,
Fort Bragg, 95437 * 964-3525 * www.mcn.org/a/celr
* Member National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys * Wheelchair accessible
Rainsong &
Rainsong Shoes: From head to toe in Mendocino! *
Contemporary clothing * Shoes
&
accessories for men & women * 3 locations: Mendocino, Healdsburg,
and our
new store in Montgomery Village, Santa Rosa * 937-4165 (clothing) *
937-1710
(shoes) * 433-8058 (Healdsburg) * 576-8919 (Santa Rosa)
http://www.rainsongshoes.com
Raven Deerwater,
EA, PhD:
Tax practitioner * Specializing in families, home-based & small
businesses,
& non-profit organizations * 45121 Ukiah St. * Box 1786, Mendo *
937-1099 *
raven@taxpractitioner.com
www
taxpractitioner.com
Richard Green
& Co.
Certified Public Accountant * 45170 Main Street, Mendocino *
937-5260 *
rgcpa@adelphia.net
Richochet Ridge
Ranch:
Trail rides on beach, across from MacKerricher State Park *
Reservations:
964-PONY(7669) * 1-1/2 hr. to all day rides, exceptional horses,
English and
Western * Weeklong No. Calif. & International riding vacations *
Free
brochure contact Lari Shea, 24201 N. Highway 1, Fort Bragg, 95437 *
http://www.horse-vacation.com/
Rosenthal
Construction:
703 N. Main St., Fort Bragg * 964-1200
Silver and Stone:
45005 Ukiah St., Mendocino * 937-0257 * Contemporary sterling silver
&
gemstone jewelry for women & men * Affordable to indulgent *11 am
to 6 pm daily
Thanksgiving
Coffee
Co.:
local roasters on the Mendocino Coast
over 3 decades * Certified organic, shade grown coffee & Fair Trade
Coffees
* Box 1918, Fort Bragg, 95437 * (800)462-1999 * www.thanksgivingcoffee.com
MCJC
Board & Useful Numbers
* = board member
Mendocino
Coast Jewish Community