February, 2026 Megillah
WITH LOVE
This month’s column may be a little more addled than usual. It’s been a bit of a week here in my little world. Here’s my account of the past seven or eight days, just so you can live right along with me. Nine days ago now, on January 17th, a call went out to clergy all over the country from organizers of the giant march in Minneapolis on January 24th in support of immigrants and against ICE and CBP incursions into cities. Religious leaders were asked to show up and bring peaceful, supportive presence to demonstrators in the midst of what was sure to be (and indeed turned out to be) a huge and painful confrontation. It was said that this moment was our generation’s Selma march. I felt a strong urge to go. Right away I started hearing from many other rabbis who wanted to stand against the violent and hateful anti-immigrant activities of the federal government. I bought a plane ticket and reserved a hotel room.
But then I attended a “know before you go” webinar put on by the brilliant organizers of the clergy presence, most of whom are Unitarian-Universalist ministers. As we all know, an Arctic cold wave was heading towards Minneapolis. There was practical talk about how to stay safe in the predicted minus-32 degrees weather.
I’ve never been in anything close to that kind of cold. I don’t even own a real winter coat. This brought back an uncomfortable memory from a couple years ago. Some of you may remember that I joined another clergy delegation (also organized by amazing UU folks) that supported the heroic No More Deaths leaving water in the Sonora Desert on a path that many migrants take to reach relative safety in Tucson. “Faith Floods the Desert” was called for midsummer. The day we were to carry water it was 110 degrees outside. We were asked to decide whether we could walk a few hundred yards or a mile carrying two gallons of water. I overestimated my capacity to hike in the heat, and I got heat stroke. Immigration officials had to be summoned to ferry me up the hill. This could have been a dangerous situation, not just for me (would I be arrested? If so, taken where?), but more so to the organizers and ultimately to migrants themselves.
I started to re-think my decision to go to Minneapolis. I didn’t think I would freeze to death (Minnesotans after all are neighborly people who are kind to strangers), but what if I caused a problem for other demonstrators? I thought about a teaching I’ve shared many times from Maimonides, about how to repent after doing wrong. There are four steps (I’m sure you remember!): 1) to feel remorse for your wrong deed; 2) to confess your misdeed in detail to the party or parties you wronged and to God; 3) to do any possible repair of harm you caused; and 4) when faced in the future with the opportunity to commit the same misdeed, not to do it again. I wanted to show up, but I wasn’t prepared at all for Minneapolis in sub-zero temperatures, either gear-wise or stamina-wise. I had to face my own limitations and measure them against what my individual presence might offer. I decided not to go after all. I felt sad and weak, and embarrassed.
A day or so later I called my parents just to say hi. My mom answered, quipping something like, “Did you just talk to those nice burly ambulance attendants who took your father to the hospital?” Say WHAT? Sure enough, my dad was in the hospital with COVID pneumonia. And my mom wasn’t feeling well and most likely had COVID as well (spoiler alert: she did). I flew down the next day to help my parents, a day before I had been scheduled to go to Minneapolis. I’ve been down here a week. Both of my parents are recovering from the virus, but this crisis made clear to all of us that they need more help. My amazing brother Steve moved mountains to find good home health care. He offered more intimate care as well, talking me off the ledge any number of times. I’ve sat on hold for hours with an inept service that was supposed to come help with an IV infusion, make beds and meals, check out an assisted living place, empty catheters, and do laundry. It’s less exciting (or differently so anyhow) than trying to be a peaceful presence in the melee in Minneapolis, but something I am actually pretty well cut out to do. And I am one of only three siblings on the planet who love these parents like we do.
I find myself thinking about the whole mystery of showing up. I am prouder than I can possibly say of my brave, beautiful rabbinic colleagues—and those of other faiths or none—who braved the cold and the violence to stand for justice, in solidarity with our immigrant neighbors, and to offer nonviolent presence in exactly the ways they did. I haven’t yet heard all their details, but I will, and I can’t wait to share my kavod, my honor and esteem, for what they showed up and did.
I’m not sure what I think about being “called” to particular actions. I don’t think that there is a Being with a plan and an intention for what I do and don’t do. At least I mostly don’t think that,but sometimes it really feels like there is. Sometimes the sense of where and when to show up just feels so strong and clear. But sometimes the signal fades, and I wonder. I was grateful to have time-honored teaching to guide my decision about whether to go to Minneapolis. Both Maimonides and the fifth commandment (“Honor your father and mother”) seemed to be calling me away from those freezing and violent streets. At least this week.
Here I am at my parents’, where it is neither -32 degrees nor 110 (though I’ve complained plenty about how warm they keep the house). I’m tired and cranky from sleeping on a couch and wearing a mask. But I showed up. And so did all of us when we got up this morning and did the tasks that had our names on them. May there be healing and peace and safety in every house and on every street. And may each of us know that we showed up to bring some bit of this about.
TU B’SHEVAT
We will celebrate our beloved festival of the New Year of the Trees on the full moon of Shevat—Sunday, February 1st. The Tu B’Shevat seder will begin at 5:00 PM at the shul. You are most welcome to come then, to partake of the blessing and eating of fruits and wines/juices that evoke the Four Worlds, to pray for healing for this beautiful planet and its landscapes. Or you can show up to work in the shul’s new Native Plant-Healing Garden at 3:30 PM (see item on page 4).
SHABBAT MORNING SERVICES
A full Shabbat service is led by community members, with singing, chanting and silence, Torah teaching and reading, blessings for healing and peace, and time for mourners to say Kaddish. The teachers for February are listed below. We have hybrid services, so come to the shul or Zoom in from 10:30 AM until about 12:30 PM. The Zoom address is below.
| 2/07/26 |
Yitro |
Margaret Holub |
| 2/14/26 |
Mishpatim |
Leslie Krongold |
| 2/21/26 |
Terumah |
Raven Deerwater |
| 2/28/26 |
Tetzaveh |
Gowan Batist (bmitzvah) |
If you would like to give a Torah teaching during Shabbat services, or want more information about what’s involved, please contact Raven Deerwater at raven@taxpractitioner.com or (707) 813-7951.
ZOOM ADDRESS
We are using the Zoom address below for many MCJC events. Password is shalom. Disregard the numeric passcode at the bottom of the invitation unless you’re dialing in on a landline. If you have questions or problems, contact susan.tubbesing@gmail.com.
Join: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7071836183?pwd=NzFaTkpjOXVYMDNnNnprOXlnZjVhQT09
Meeting ID: 707 183 6183
Passcode: shalom
Numeric Passcode: 776001
KABBALAT SHABBAT
On Friday, February 27th at 6:00 PM we will gather at the home of Joan and Paul Katzeff on Road 409 in Caspar. To RSVP and get directions, call them at (707) 964-9161. Following a short service, we will share a vegetarian potluck.
Our March hosts are Scott (Shalom) and Tracy Green in Fort Bragg. We could use hosts in June, July, and August. If you have lovely outside space, summer is a great time for us to celebrate Shabbat outdoors. To host a gathering, please contact Mina at (707) 937-1319 or mcohen@mcn.org.
RABBI NACHMAN’S STORIES
The Rabbi Nachman class will meet twice in February: on the 12th and 26th, 5:30 to 7:00 PM at the shul. We have been delving into some of the great and mysterious tales told by Rabbi Nachman of Bratzlav, enjoying their wild plots and trying to suss out what they teach us about the nature of the world, of history, and of God. There is some continuity to the classes, but you are welcome to come to any of them even if you can’t make it to every session. Please contact Margaret with any questions (at mholub@mcn.org).
PURIM!
Mark your calendar for Monday, March 2nd, when the weirdest and wildest of Jewish holidays flips everything upside down, the weak and oppressed are lifted up, and the titans and tyrants brought down. What could be better? Stay tuned for details about what maniacal offerings MCJC will bring to life on this crazy day.
JUSTICE GROUP
The Justices will meet on the last Monday of the month, February 23rd, at the shul (in person only) from 5:30 to 7:00 PM. Find out what's happening with our Native Plant-Healing Garden. Join us in learning about native plants, the ancestry of the land on which our shul stands, and help create a space for meditation and healing. Interested? Contact Adina Merenlender at adinainelk@gmail.com. Hear how Justices are helping the Mendocino Rapid Response Network and the Accompaniment Group. Find out how to join. Give your input on our monthly agendas. Want to participate in or lead a session on justice skill-building? Think about de-escalation techniques, conflict resolution, and bridging differences; learn/teach about the state of economic/social/ environmental/racial and ethnic justice in Mendocino County. Be inspired and rejuvenated by your fellow Justices. If that’s not enough, come for the snacks!
HOUSE CONCERT
Support our immigrant friends and neighbors and help pay the dramatically increased fees the federal government is now charging them.
MUSIC BY Leslie & Michael Hubbert & Girls’ Night Out (Frannie Leopold, Judy Stavely, Leslie Hubbert)
On Sunday, March 1st from 2:00-4:00 PM, at a home in Little River, there will be great music, drinks and snacks. The suggested donation is $40. All proceeds go to Nuestra Alianza de Willits, the nonprofit organization working with the immigrant community in Mendocino County.
Seating is limited and reservations are required. To hold your seat, please email Esther and Neal at estherdavisehrlich@gmail.com.
PHILOSOPHY CIRCLE
The monthly Philosophy Circle started by Rabbi Paige continues, led now by Margaret. We will meet as ever on the first Wednesday of the month: this month on February 4th, 5:30 to 6:30 PM at the shul. Each meeting involves the reading of a theme and a couple of passages from Jewish sources. Then we mull them over and converse. All are welcome, whether it’s your first time or your nth.
THE STUFF OF LIFE
Don’t forget that there is a container at the kitchen door of the shul for donations of shelf-stable food (cans, jars, boxes of cereal or pasta) and supplies (paper products, toiletries, blankets and pillows) to the Fort Bragg Food Bank. You can also take items to them at their location on North Franklin. They appreciate financial contributions too; you can make them on their website (https://www.mendofood.org/campaign/fort-bragg-food-bank).
BIRTHDAYS
Please reach out to the celebrants noted below and spread love. If you would like your natal day listed, email sarah.nathe@gmail.com with your birth date. (We list the day, but not the year, and your name will be featured only during your birthday month.) Below are the February birthdays:
2/10 Bonnie Mahoney, 2/13 Fran Schwartz, 2/25 Karen Camille Bowers, 2/28 Sydelle Lapidus
WINTER GARDEN VOLUNTEER DAYS
On the eve of Tu b’Shevat, February 1st, at 3:30 PM, we will continue preparing the plot of our new native plant and healing garden. We’ll be weeding and moving cardboard and chips. Bring cardboard if you have some, as well as garden gloves, hand pruners, shovel or trowel, and sturdy shoes. Snacks will be provided. Plan to come enjoy fresh air, loamy soil, and the joy of helping to start something new. If you miss this, there will be more gardening sessions in the future. Thank you!
ELDERS’ CONVERSATION
The elders meet to reflect and connect every second and fourth Tuesday of the month, 3:00 to 4:30 PM on Zoom. This month we will meet on February 10th and 24th. The group selects the next theme for conversation at the end of each meeting. New topics come up all the time, and we keep an ongoing list to choose from. Recently we “refreshed” our running list. Some of our current possibilities include loneliness, communication, what gets you up in the morning, how to manage without a car, play, fear of dementia, and more. We run the gamut from practical concerns to the very meaning of life. People of all ages are most welcome.
THE WAY TO A MAN’S HEART
If your mom or grandmother had a copy of The Settlement Cook Book, and if you still have it, you own a valuable history of Jewish eating in the United States. A treasure trove of traditional Jewish dishes made modern and American, it was first published in Milwaukee in 1901, and continually updated until 1991. It was a best seller among Jewish immigrants all over the country whose biggest challenges to making it, or at least getting by, in the U.S. were not instant deportation or death on the streets.
The title refers to the Settlement House of Milwaukee, which housed mostly Jewish immigrant families from Europe. Lizzie Black Kander, a Wisconsin-born descendant of German-Jewish immigrants, was a social worker and one of the original founders of the settlement house. She wanted to help immigrants adjust to life in the United States and assimilate.
The cookbook featured recipes as various as kishke, kreplach, and borsht alongside non-kosher food like pork chops and shrimp cocktail. There were also melting pot recipes for chile con carne, chop suey, and spaghetti. Menus were designed for a working-class family with limited means, but there were also "company dishes" with more expensive dishes like steak. Kander and her team prepared every recipe in order to determine actual measurements for each ingredient, which usually had not been specified before that time. Every step was presented in simple language for the inexperienced cook.
At a time when most women never lived on their own before marriage, this book was sort of a crash course in running a house. And, as the subtitle suggests, a handy how-to for a happy marriage. In addition to recipes, there were also “Rules for the Household,” with information on cleanliness (how to make soap, purging the ice box of mold), and directions for making window cold boxes and lighting fires in coal stoves. The utensils mentioned in each edition reflect the changing technology in the American kitchen. In the 1926 edition, the list included about 100 items, from baking and cooking equipment to cleaning supplies. The 1938 edition's list included many more sections: pots and kettles, baking utensils, cooking utensils, molds (for desserts), food containers, canning equipment, and new electric gizmos (mixer, roaster, toaster, and waffle iron).
Kander revised each edition until her death in 1940. The 1915 edition contained a special Liberty Supplement with recipes designed for the expected food shortages of World War I: meatless entrees like vegetable hash, and desserts without wheat or sugar. During Prohibition, the book offered recipes for non-alcoholic beverages that might be popular today. In 1944, the “Victory” edition was published, with a special Passover section. During the 1950s, the editions reflected the popularity of the unforgettable Jello molds, Miracle Whip dressing, whipped topping, plastic cheese, and tuna casseroles.
There were 40 editions of the cookbook and over two million copies sold. When James Beard was asked to name his favorite cookbook, he replied, "If I consult a cookbook at all, it is likely to be by one of these sensible, flat-heeled authors like Mrs. Kander."
BOOK GROUP
The Constant Readers will meet on Monday, February 23rd at 2:00 PM on Zoom to discuss Queen Esther, by John Irving. After 40 years, Irving returns to the world of his novel The Cider House Rules to revisit the orphanage in St. Cloud’s, Maine, where Dr. Larch takes in Esther Nacht, a three-year-old Jew whose short life has already been shaped by antisemitism. Esther was born in Vienna in 1905, her father died on board a ship from Bremerhaven to Portland, Maine, and antisemites murdered her mother there. In St. Cloud’s, it’s clear to Larch, orphanage physician and director, that the abandoned child not only knows she’s Jewish, but she’s familiar with the biblical Queen Esther she was named for. Larch knows it won’t be easy to find a Jewish family—or any family-- to adopt Esther, but when she is 14, soon to become a ward of the state, Larch meets the Winslows, a philanthropic family with a history of providing for unadopted orphans. The Winslows aren’t Jewish, but detest antisemitism and similar prejudices. Esther’s gratitude to the Winslows is unending. As she retraces her steps to her birth city, Esther’s love for the Winslows endures. The final chapter of the novel is set in Jerusalem in 1981, when Esther is 76. If you are not currently in the Book Group, please contact Fran Schwartz for the Zoom invitation at franbschwartz@gmail.com. Books are at Gallery Bookshop.
MCJC BOARD MEETING
The MCJC board will meet on Wednesday, February 11th at 5:30 PM on Zoom. If you wish to attend part of the meeting, please contact Susan Tubbesing for the Zoom address at (707) 962-0565, or susan.tubbesing@gmail.com.
THANKS TO THE MAILERS
Bonnie Mahoney prepared the last Megillah for mailing. She volunteered for the task! If you are feeling an impulse to do that, for whatever spiritual or corporeal reason, please contact Terry Clark, our Circulation Manager (at paintedpony64@yahoo.com), or Sarah Nathe (at 962-0565 or sarah.nathe@gmail.com).
MEGILLAH SUBSCRIPTIONS
The Mendocino Megillah is published monthly as an emailed PDF and an online version. The online Megillah is posted on the newsletter page of the MCJC website: www.mcjc.org/newsletter. Any information on changes in email address or in email notifications should be sent to Sarah Nathe at sarah.nathe@gmail.com. If you choose not to be a contributing member of MCJC, we request a $54 annual fee for the Megillah.
THANK YOU TO THE FOLLOWING DONORS
Donna Weintraub, Orah Young, Nancy Wallace Nelson, Myra Beals, Sharmin Braff, Kelly & Steven Kalus, Rosalie & Irv Winesuff, Sally & Lee Welty, Liz Helenchild, Mark & Deanna Apfel, Sam & Theresa Waldman, Sallie & Tom Costello, Bob Evans, Laura Goldman & Dennak Murphy, Lester Reichek & Rima Lieben, Eric Labowitz, Tracy Salkowitz & Rick Edwards, Benna Kolinsky & Danny Mandelbaum, Esther Faber, Ronnie James, Donna Medley, Kath Disney Nilson.
Annett & Jonathan Lehan in memory of Bert Lehan.
In memory of Buz Graham, from his family: Pamela and Sasha Graham and Colin Drake.
To the Citizenship Scholarship Fund
Martin Ramos, Ginger Medley, Estreilla Allen, Nancy Harris, Deanna Apfel, Jeannette Rasker & Robert Cutler
To the Justice Group’s Native Plant & Healing Garden
Adina Merenlender, Alix Sabin & Nancy Drooker.
Helen Sizemore in memory of her husband, Tal Sizemore (with apologies for the typo in the last Megillah)
EDITORIAL POLICY
The Mendocino Megillah is published monthly, except for August. The deadline for article submission is the 20th of the month before publication. The editor will include all appropriate material, space permitting, with the exception of copyrighted material lacking the permission of the author. Divergent opinions are welcome. Material printed in the Megillah does not necessarily represent the policy or opinions of the MCJC Board of Directors.
Please Support Our Generous Underwriters
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Karen Camille Bowers Studio: Painting workshops and studio gallery. Website: karenbowersstudio.com Email: karenbowersu2@gmail.com Tel: (707) 684-0656.
Frankie's Pizza and Ice Cream Parlor: Homemade pizzas, Cowlick's ice cream, and other yummy things to nosh on. Beer and wine available. Open every day but Monday from 11:00 am - 7:00 pm at 44951 Ukiah Street, Mendocino, (707) 937-2436. www.frankiesmendocino.com
Out of this World: Telescopes, binoculars, & science toys. 45100 Main Street, Box 1010, Mendocino. (707) 937-3335. www.OutofThisWorldShop.com. Serving all your interplanetary needs since 1988.
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Thanksgiving Coffee Company: Artisan roasted on the Mendocino Coast since 1972. A B Corporation featuring a wide variety of certified organic, shade grown coffee & fair trade coffees. (800) 462-1999. Learn more and buy coffee at www.thanksgivingcoffee.com.
Yogajoy classes on zoom with Helen Jacobs. Gentle yoga to improve flexibility and strength and reduce stress. Contact Helen at hjacobs@mcn.org or (707) 367-3498.
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| Chevra Kadisha |
Clare Bercot Zwerling |
956-571-0945 |
clarebercot@icloud.com |
| Cemetary |
Donna Montag |
707-877-3243 |
montag@mcn.org |
| Outreach (new to the community), Finance Committee, Announcements |
Susan Tubbesing* |
707-962-0565
|
susan.tubbesing@gmail.com |
| Justice Committee |
Donna Medley* |
707-962-9493 |
dmthebeez9@gmail.com
|
| Women's retreat, Annual dinner |
Harriet Bye |
707-937-3622 |
bysawyer@mcn.org
|
| Kabbalat Shabbat Coordinator |
Mina Cohen |
707-367-3390 | mcohen@mcn.org |
| Volunteer Coordinator |
Joy Lancaster* |
||
| Building Maintenance |
Marnie Press* |
707-937-1905 | marniepress@gmail.com |
| Treasurer, Finance Committee |
Raven Deerwater* |
707-964-8333 | raven@taxpractitioner.com |
| Landscaping, Library |
Nina Ravitz* |
||
| Secretary, Finance Committee |
Alix Sabin* |
415-238-1342 | |
| Communications |
Neal Davis* |
neal@group5media.com | |
| Yahrzeit Notifications |
Bonnie Mahoney |
631-466-0156 | bonniemahoney2015@gmail.com |
| Book Group, Bikkur Cholim |
Fran Schwartz |
707-937-1352 | franbschwartz@gmail.com |
| Web dude |
Gus Mayeno |
webmaster@mcjc.org | |
| Megillah Editor, Name & Address & Subscription changes |
Sarah Nathe |
707-962-0565 |
sarah.nathe@gmail.com |
| Circulation Manager |
Terry Clark |
paintedpony64@yahoo.com | |
| Rabbi |
Margaret Holub |
707-734-0311 | mholub@mcn.org |
