Temple B’nai Abraham

It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Nathan Krugman, father of our member Jeff Krugman. Funeral services will take place at Stanetsky’s Funeral Home, Vinnin Square, Salem on Wednesday, February 10, 2010 at 10:00 AM. Shiva will be held at the home of Barbara and Tom Dobbins in Danvers MA. Wednesday following interment, Thursday from 4:00-8:00 PM and Friday from 3:00 PM – Sundown. Shiva minyan will be held at 7:00 PM Wednesday and Thursday. May God comfort the family in their grief among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem

The community learning day Jewish Meditation session was really wonderful. It got me thinking about how we can get Seth Castleman to join us again. I spoke to Deb about how we might make it happen. So I’m throwing this question out to everyone who attended and anyone who did not but wished they had: Would you be willing to pay a $10 drop-in fee to have him come once a month? Share your thoughts in comments, or email me. If we can get about 20 people who are willing, we could try to make it happen.

Send Purim greetings to your synagogue friends with a Mishloach Manot gift box from Temple B’nai Abraham for only $3 per greeting!

Mishloach Manot is the practice of sending gifts of food at Purim. From “jewishappleseed.org,”

One of the nicest traditions on Purim is that of giving a gift of food to friends.  This is called “Mishloach Manot” (Mish-LO-ach Ma-NOTE) — the sending of gifts.  This phrase is often shortened to “Shalach Manot” (Sha-LACH Ma-NOTE) or “Shalach Manos” (SHA-lach MA-nos).  According to Jewish law, one should give a gift of two different types of food, one of which is prepared (cooked or baked) to at least one person.  This law is described in the Book of Esther (9:22) as part of the proper celebration of Purim.

The giving of gifts to one another helps to create a feeling of closeness and hope in the community at a time of the year when we are still burdened with the bleakness of winter.  There is a rabbinic teaching that we should not only give gifts to friends, but to someone who is new in the community, to those who are needy, and to those whose spirits would be bolstered by knowing that someone cares.

This year, we will be celebrating the mitzvah of Mishloach Manot by creating boxes with hamentashen and several other tasty treats. We will notify your friends that a box has been prepared for them, and they will get a gift box with a list of all of those members who sent them Purim Greetings.

Order forms will be available in the lobby, at $3 per greeting. Orders are due by Sun., Feb. 21. Boxes will be available for pick up on Sun., Feb. 28, from 10 AM through the end of the Purim Carnival (~2 PM), and then through Wed., Mar. 3. Those not picked up by the following Wednesday (Mar. 3) will be dismantled due to the perishable nature of the food inside, but the cards will be forwarded to those who received a greeting.

Contact Lisa Horowitz by email with any questions.