Eyes on Wise 9.27.18

The Gift of Starting Over
By Rabbi Sari Laufer
“I know that story!”
It’s a refrain I hear often, usually on Friday mornings when I am with our EC students. There are only so many stories a person can tell, and a folk tale is a folk tale, so it is inevitable that we—like our students—will hear a story that we have heard before. Sometimes, it is even by choice; how many times have you picked up a favorite book and read it again?
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High Holy Days Sermons Now Online
Get to know our clergy through their inspiring words from this year’s High Holy Days. From thoughtful reflections on our personal benchmarks and milestones to recognizing wonder in our everyday lives to furthering our mission to change the world – our clergy offered messages of creativity, generosity, and inclusivity at this year’s services. To watch again, or to catch any you missed, visit our site!
To contact our Rabbis about any of the sermons you heard or watched online, visit our clergy page. All of our clergy members welcome your feedback, questions, and comments.
WATCH VIDEOS
READ MORE ABOUT OUR WISE CLERGY

Final Chance for Your Feedback: Complete Our High Holy Days Survey
G’mar Tov! What an incredible few weeks it has been – from our Tiny T’filah and Praying with Parents family services to a “beta-test” of our new Wise machzor to meaningful musical contemplation and learning sessions with lay leaders to the final “dueling shofar” blasts. Now we want your feedback! Let us know what was particularly helpful and special about your experiences and how we can continue to improve for the future. Our survey will take about 5-10 minutes to complete depending on what you participated in during the High Holy Days.
TAKE OUR HIGH HOLY DAYS SURVEY

This Week’s Torah Portion: Sukkot

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28
6:15 p.m. Shabbat Services | Plotkin Chapel
Led by Rabbi David Woznica and Cantor Nathan Lam
Rabbi Woznica’s sermon is titled: Moses: Lessons from His Life and His Death

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29
Sukkot Shabbat Morning Services | Plotkin Chapel
Led by Rabbi Ron Stern and Cantor Paul Dorman
9 a.m. Torah Study
10 a.m. Shabbat Morning Service

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 30
Religious School Simchat Torah Celebration
All Wise members are invited!
9 a.m. | Brief service, hakafot, singing, dancing, and more
10 a.m. | Cooking with Danny Corsun of Culinary Kids Academy (don’t worry, he cooks with adults too!)
11 a.m. | Bring your own brunch and join us for a final meal in the Sukkah. We’ll provide some sweet treats!
RSVP HERE

MONDAY, OCTOBER 1
Sukkot Yizkor and Shemini Atzeret Services | Plotkin Chapel 
10 a.m. Led by Rabbi Yoshi Zweiback and Cantor Nathan Lam

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2
Wise School Simchat Torah Celebration | Sanctuary
10:30 a.m.

Learning Opportunities with Clergy
Talmud Study with Rabbi Yoshi Zweiback: Wednesday, October 3 at 12 p.m. | Zeldin-Hershenson Hall
Bible Study with Rabbi Ron Stern: Monday, October 8 at 9 a.m. | Temple Conference Room

Melton School Offers Limited Spots for Courses on Arab/Israeli Conflict and Mysticism
Wise’s award-winning Melton School is proud to open registration for adult education classes to those who have never enrolled in a Melton course before. Two classes may be of particular interest: Beyond Borders: History of the Arab/Israeli Conflict and Introduction to Mysticism. There are no prerequisites for this courses and very limited spots are still available!
Contact Rabbi Karen Strok to learn more and register.

Open Gym Returns with New Fall Dates
Stephen Wise Temple members and staff are invited to play pick-up basketball in our beautiful new Katz Family Pavilion athletics facility. Bring your A-game and up to two friends to show off your hoops skills. Open gym is completely free
Only persons 18 and over are eligible. Please wear appropriate gym clothing. Waivers must be signed upon entry.
Tuesdays: 10/2, 10/9, 10/16, 10/23, 10/30, 11/6, 11/13, 11/20, 11/27, 12/4, NO 12/11, 12/18, and NO 12/25
Thursdays: 10/4, 10/11, 10/18, 10/25, 11/1, 11/8, NO 11/15, NO 11/22, 11/29, 12/6, 12/13, 12/20, and 12/27
LEARN MORE
SIGN UP HERE

Tot Shabbat
Saturday, October 6
9 a.m. | Baby Playdate (12 months and younger!)
10 a.m. | Tot Shabbat Service
Gather together with our community for a festive service! Our Clergy and song leaders lead our music- and story-filled service that introduces the youngest members of our community to the joy of Shabbat. Parents and grandparents will love it too! Special for parents with newborns, we’ll have a baby playdate for an hour leading up to Tot Shabbat. Service: Recommended for kids up to age 5.
REGISTER HERE FOR TOT SHABBAT
REGISTER HERE FOR BABY PLAYDATE

Rosh Hodesh Women’s Gathering
Wednesday, October 10 at 8:30 a.m.
Please join Wise women as we gather in learning, prayer, and community to celebrate the beginning of the month of Sivan. We will usher in the holiday of Shavuot, celebrating its themes of revelation, learning, growth, and compassion. As always, we’ll join in song and study, creating a time and space for reflection and connection. Bring a friend, bring your spirit, bring a song.
RSVP HERE

Wise Years
Thursday, October 11
10 a.m. | Registration Begins (note new time!)
10:30 a.m. | Program Begins
Our very popular program for members 60 years or better (and guests!) returns for another exciting year of fascinating speakers, quality films, games, and community-building. At our kick-off for 2018-19, hear from a Supreme Court blogger and expert about the current face of the Court and its future; learn about the November ballot initiatives through a non-partisan analysis with a representative from the League of Women Voters; and catch a lively documentary about the creators of the beloved children’s character Curious George.
BECOME AN ANNUAL WISE YEARS MEMBER
REGISTER FOR INDIVIDUAL EVENTS

Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion presents
Symposium 2
November 11-12 | Stephen Wise Temple
Join esteemed clergy and scholars from all around the world, including members of our own clergy team, for HUC-JIR’s Symposium 2, an engaging exploration of ideas and attitudes. Nowadays, there is “my news” and “your news,” “your truth” and “my truth,” and consensus about facts is increasingly elusive. Even the university, once the place where young minds pursued “veritas,” is more likely today to teach its students the postmodern prioritization of subjectivity over objectivity, discourse over reality, perspective over universal truth. Against this backdrop, HUC-JIR Symposium 2 will explore the various ways in which contemporary Jews grapple with the concept of the truth.
LEARN MORE AND REGISTER

Kol HaKavod to Michael Lam, producer of Club de Cuervos (also known as Club of Crows), on the Netflix series’ nomination for a 2018 International Emmy Award. The show is a Mexican comedy-sports-drama that premiered its third season last September. The International Emmy Awards ceremony will be held at the Hilton New York on Nov. 19.

Shehechianu Moment

Do you have a milestone birthday or anniversary approaching? We’d like to celebrate your special day on the bima during Friday evening Shabbat Services! Invite your family, join your Wise community, make it a “shehechianu moment” – a time to give thanks for life, health, and the blessings that enable you to reach this great moment in your life. Let us know by emailing Arlene Spiegelman or calling 310.889.2272 and she’ll make sure to schedule a date that works for you. We’d love to share your celebration!

Rachel and Eitan Atias on the birth of their son Benjamin Noah Atias.

To our B’nai Mitzvah — may the Torah guide and inspire you every day of your adult life.
Mazal tov to:

Dana and Richard Russakoff on their daughter Julia Russakoff becoming Bat Mitzvah this weekend.
Judi Domroy on her son Daniel Schwadron becoming Bar Mitzvah this weekend.

We honor our loved ones, our family simchas, our communal losses through charitable giving. To give in honor or in memory of a cherished family member or dear friend please visit WiseLA.org/Giving.

RABBI YOSHI ZWEIBACK DISCRETIONARY FUND
IN HONOR OF:
Rabbi Yoshi, Thank you for love and inclusion always and on this Yom Kippur, xoxo Jamie Buzil
Shirley’s Aliyah for her birthday, by Phil and Shirley Sniderman

IN MEMORY OF:
Howard Besbris, by Evelyn Besbris

RABBI RON STERN DISCRETIONARY FUND
IN HONOR OF:
Rabbi Ron Stern’s wonderful sermon during Yom Kippur, by Pearl Glick

IN MEMORY OF:
Sidney Robinson, by Doris Haims

RABBI SARI LAUFER’S DISCRETIONARY FUND
IN HONOR OF:
Our 60^th Wedding Anniversary, by Phil and Shirley Sniderman

RABBI ISAIAH ZELDIN DISCRETIONARY FUND
IN HONOR OF:
Alexander Moshe Dardashti’s birthday, by Mahyar and Rebecca Dardashti
Thursday Morning Minyan, by Mahyar and Rebecca Dardashti

GENERAL CLERGY DISCRETIONARY FUND
IN MEMORY OF:
Harry Berman, by Linda and Jeff Linden
Barry Spiegelman, by Arlene Spiegelman

HOMES FOR HEROES
IN HONOR OF:
Shelley Levy, by Phil and Shirley Sniderman

LIFELONG LEARNING ENDOWMENT
IN HONOR OF:
Bruce Bialosky’s birthday, by Donna Schwarzbach and David Gordon

IN MEMORY OF:
Edward Rosenson, by Penny and Mark Berns

SOCIAL JUSTICE FUND
IN HONOR OF:
Rabbi Ron Stern, for Syrian Relief, by Phil and Shirley Sniderman

IN MEMORY OF:
Edward Rosenson, by Susan and Jon Berger
Sidney Robinson, by Susan and Jon Berger

WISE SCHOOL GENERATIONS ENDOWMENT
IN HONOR OF:
Laurie Ackerman’s birthday, by the Bronson Family

IN MEMORY OF:
Harvey Reisman, by Carol and Stu Zimring
Edward Rosenson, by Edward and Deena Nahmias
Edward Rosenson, by Carin and Glenn Freeman

YAHRZEIT FUND
IN MEMORY OF:
Herschel Davis, by Carol and Howard Rosen
Sayde Ash, by Arlene and Arnold Newman

18/19 ANNUAL CAMPAIGN
IN HONOR OF:
Cantor Lam and Lyla, by Lorelei (Lolly) Levy 

We appreciate our wonderful volunteers:

Nosh Volunteer:
Susan Firestone

Gift Shop Volunteers:
Terrie Baumann
Rochelle Fox
Lori Rubin
Carol Sookman

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