Kol Tikvah

By Rabbi Mark Glickman

Well, the Days of Awe have concluded, and we at Temple B’nai Tikvah have begun the 41st year of our life as a congregation. Welcome to our next chapter!

Last year was a banner year for us in many wonderful ways. We celebrated the 40th anniversary of our founding, we created a new Torah scroll, we worked hard to ensure the future wellbeing and security of our congregation – financially, educationally, spiritually, and in many other ways, as well.

Now, what about our 41st year? What historic events will this year bring? The answer is that, at least for now, we don’t have any scheduled.

Don’t get me wrong, of course – this year promises to be a great one for us here at Temple. We’ll have meaningful worship services, uplifting music, fantastic educational programs for children and adults alike, and a slew of other exciting opportunities. Our entire staff – fantastic people, all – will continue to work hard, our Board will continue to provide leadership, our volunteers will continue their sacred work every day on behalf of our community and the values it represents. But as for huge, historic events in the life of Temple B’nai Tikvah, none are in store.

What this means is that this coming year our congregation has a challenge that is different from those of last year – to be Jewish without the once-in-a-lifetime programs that have so meaningfully engaged us as a community in previous months.

This means, of course, that in the months ahead, it will be up to us to engage in the kinds of Temple activities that don’t merit major flyers and PR blitzes, but rather that just tend to get brief announcements here in Kol Tikvah and in our weekly email blasts.

It will mean coming to Temple not for huge programs, but instead just because it’s Shabbat, and because worshipping with your synagogue community can be a meaningful and important activity.

It will mean coming to educational activities here at Temple, and holiday celebrations, and other programs that might not make it into the history books, but that can be transformative nonetheless. It will mean making sandwiches for the needy and serving food at the Drop-In Centre, and marching in the Pride Parade simply because, as Jews, these are the ways we are called to improve our broken world.

It has been said that Jews are good at living in “epic times,” but that we can only fully answer our sacred calling when we live Jewishly during non-epic times, too. 5780 promises to be just one of those years – non-epic, but potentially sacred anyway.

No there are no huge programs in the near future for us, but there are huge opportunities. For whenever a Jew performs one mitzvah – even one that might appear quite small – we play a key role in transforming the very world in which we live.

Let’s do just that during the months ahead, and let’s do it together.

By Cynthia Simmons

From speech given on Kol Nidre.

Last year was a very good year at Temple B’nai Tikvah. Much happened in 5779 and I foresee continued positive spirit and action in 5780.

I have said before that I believe that we at Temple B’nai Tikvah have a forward vision. We see ourselves moving step by step, action by action to becoming a more meaningful congregation. We have a vision to become a gathering of people who pursue Torah, who work together to maintain Reform Judaism’s relevance in today’s world, and who exist inside a spirit of inclusion and community. We strive to move from strength to strength in pursuit of this vision.

A significant step in movement towards this vision was in our employment relationships with our staff. After serving as interim educator for one year, Emma Faber agreed to accept a permanent contract. Insightful, energetic, and knowledgeable, she seeks ways of incorporating new offerings while simultaneously strengthening our current school program. Another significant action was the renewal of our contract with Rabbi Mark Glickman. Rabbi Glickman blends his skill as a congregational rabbi and scholar in a way that touches our hearts and our minds. The plan is that he will remain our spiritual guide and friend for many years into the future.

We also, because of your efforts and generosity, find ourselves in a stronger financial position enabling us to expand our offerings, maintain our building, and move into the future with more confidence. Last year the dollars coming into our congregation were in excess of our expenses and our overall financial performance better than budgeted. Revenues from the 40th Anniversary Party/Auction were more than double what we had planned for. The Torah Project brought in over $100,000; money that we plan to use over the next five years to strengthen our education programs and enhance the utility, safety, and beauty of our building.

Still, as we move from strength to strength towards our vision, it is the actions of our Temple community that I am the most enthusiastic about. I feel strongly that the success of Temple is found in more than the building we occupy, or the funds we raise. Our success is demonstrated though what our members do. We pray and study together. We bake and sew. We hold the hands of those that need comfort. We give time and energy to building a better world. Active and involved, our members make this a growing, relevant congregation. It is true that The Torah Project and the 40th Anniversary party contributed much needed funds, but in addition and importantly, these activities build the spirit of this congregation. We came together to build a Torah and the activity of holding the quill and writing a letter touched the heart of all I talked to. We came together again to celebrate the life of this special place. And through the sharing of drink and stories, music and dancing, we celebrated our 40-year life, our successes, and our friendships.

I am confident that the positive impacts of last year’s actions will lead to further strengthening in 5780. At last count we have 2 dozen new member families that have joined our Temple community. These families will bring with them their energy and enthusiasm to B’nai Tikvah. 

With this large number, we have decided to implement a new program. We are calling it Chavruta (or friendly partnership). We hope to partner established member families with new – to get together 3 or 4 times in a year for Shabbat dinner, to meet for coffee, to come to services together, to go for a walk... The purpose being to help all feel a true part of who we are. So, when we call and ask if you would like to take part, please say yes.

In terms of our finances, we have one project that will have an immediate impact on our “bottom line” and that is the casino in December— thank you to all who have volunteered to work it. The other program we are currently a part of is designed to provide financial stability to Temple over the long term. The “Life and Legacy” program provides information about, in addition to financial support for, those Jewish agencies whose members commit to afterlife charitable contributions as part of the distribution of their estate. B’nai Tikvah is one of ten Calgary shuls and agencies taking part and I want to thank those members who have already signed up. I believe we currently have the greatest number of members committed to this program of all the Calgary agencies. A letter with further details will be sent out to all members next month. If you simply can’t wait to learn more, please speak with Bonnie Kaplan or other individuals wearing a Life & Legacy pin.

Lastly, I want to say again that this congregation is thriving because of you – through your involvement. Much happens here: Friday and Saturday services, school, adult education, Torah study, Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, Shabbat Shiraz, communications, social action activities, chavruta. Find something (or many things) that you can find meaning in and take part. Your participation makes us what we are – a meaningful congregation.

A Thank You to All Who Helped With
the Days of Awe

It takes both a caring attitude towards our congregation plus uncalculated hours of volunteer time to make the Days of Awe as inspiring as they are here at Temple B’nai Tikvah. I want to thank our Rabbi who inspires us with his words; to Katie Baker, our instrumental players Diana Cohen & Mark Hahle, and to Shir Tikvah, our choir, who have touched our hearts with music; to our readers who add their voices to our prayers, and to Larry Stanleigh who calls to our hearts through the sounding of the shofar.

I would like to name a few additional volunteers – people whose extra efforts make all of this happen. Rhonda Zabrodski who sent out notices to congregants requesting their participation in the service.  Peter Driftmier and Ron Plucer for their encouraging/reminder calls and letters, and for manning the ticket table. Sylva Nathanson who did shopping for the kiddush.  Mona Bell who organized baking for our Yom Kippur break fast.  Mark Paidra for polishing the silver.  Katie Baker (again) and Roz Mendelson for contacting the readers and chanters and providing an organizational framework to ensure that all flowed smoothly.  Abigail Draper who found and scheduled greeters and ushers.  Roz Oppenheim who provided and placed the beautiful greenery in our sanctuary. And of course, there are the individual bakers, the chanters, the greeters, the readers, and the ushers – you create such a welcoming environment.

Thank you as well to Katie Baker, Betsy Jameson, Natalie Levitt, and Katherine Pickering for leading the service for the second day of Rosh Hashanah.

In terms of Yom Kippur’s afternoon activities: thank you to Jane Paterson who helped to organize our WOW’ed 20 X 20 speakers; to Betsy Jameson for leading the Yom Kippur Chant meditation; to Allyson Billings for introducing to B’nai Tikvah the Paths of Peace meditative walk along the Elbow; and to Jeff Faber and Deb Finkleman for organizing the Confessions for Our Time service.  They have all made available to us diverse offerings to aid us in our reflection.

Importantly I want to thank our staff. These Days of Awe are busy times and we would have a very hard time being able to focus on prayer without the extra work and effort that they do this time of year. From moving chairs and setting up tables (Kenny), helping to set out appetizing food and refreshing drink (Itzhak), making sure that the intricacies of Shul Cloud were figured out and that the memberships were processed and people have their tickets (Lana and Connie), and that the building is clean and the grounds weed (or snow) free (Deborah). Lastly and especially thank you to our executive director Danny Oppenheim – I can’t imagine this place running without him. Thank you, Danny, for all the time you give, for the things we see you doing, and for all the extras that can sometimes go unnoticed but that help to make this congregation the special place that it is.

—Cynthia Simmons, President