Hanukkah 2012 in Broadneck

Celebrate the Festival of Lights with fun events and delicious recipes.

This year, Hanukkah begins on the evening of Saturday and ends a week later on Dec. 16. Rabbi Ari J. Goldstein of Temple Beth Shalom in Arnold told Patch last year that Hanukkah isn't as much of a religious holiday as some of the others celebrated throughout the year. But it has become an important time for family and friends to gather and celebrate Judaism. According to Chabad.org, Hanukkah starts on the Hebrew calendar date of 25 Kislev and lasts for eight days. For those who aren't attuned to the Jewish calendar, that translates to sundown on Saturday.  Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights, commemorates the story of the Maccabean Revolt against Syrian rulers in present day Israel 2,300 years ago. The Maccabees wanted to …

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Mah Jongg Madness

Fundraiser at Temple Beth Shalom draws players from all around to participate in a tournament.

More than 60 mah jongg players converged at the Temple Beth Shalom to participate in a local tournament fundraiser this past Sunday. Mah jongg is a game traditionally played by four persons with 144 tiles that are drawn and discarded until one player has a winning hand. The fellowship hall was packed with four-person tables in preparation for the tournament. Unlike the computerized solitaire game in which you match tiles to clear the screen, the mah jongg table game is much different. Dee Stelzer, the tournament’s organizer, said each table was set up with a mah jongg tile set consisting of 144 traditional tiles plus eight joker tiles for a total of 152. The tiles are inscribed or etched with numbers, symbols and characters. The multiple …

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Broadneck Blessings

Celebrating the Festival of Purim

Temple Beth Shalom provides family festival with fun, food, and an important lesson of faith.

Prizes, noisemakers, costumes and treats were in abundance at Temple Beth Shalom on Sunday as the congregation joined together to celebrate the Festival of Purim.  Purim is a festive Jewish holiday commemorating a major victory over oppression as is recounted in the Megillah, the scroll of the story of Esther. Purim takes place on the 14th and 15th days of Adar, the 12th month of the Jewish calendar. Purim began this year at sundown on Saturday. The name of the holiday refers to the plot of King Ahasuerus’ advisor Haman, which was to massacre all of the Jews. Esther, one of the king's wives and a Jewess herself, saved the Jewish people from Haman's plot by revealing it to the king. Rabbi Ari Goldstein led the Megillat Esther Reading, …

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Broadneck Blessings

Broadneck Neighbors Helping Neighbors

My Brother's Pantry lends a hand when it is needed most.

On Saturday, the parking lot of College Parkway Baptist Church was just as full as any other during this busy holiday season. But it wasn't full of shoppers, it was full of givers. These givers were volunteering their time the Saturday morning before Christmas  for a ministry called My Brother's Pantry. This local organization helps families in need by distributing food, one grocery bag at a time. This Saturday, members of Christ Our Anchor Presbyterian Church, organized by Stacie Cochran-McNeal, carried bag after bag full of groceries and loaded them into waiting vehicles. Each bag contained approximately one week's worth of food for a family in need. Each month volunteers from eight Broadneck area churches take turns being responsible …

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Temple Beth Shalom Celebrates Hanukkah, Interfaith Friends and Repairing the World

The synagogue teams up with other local churches for Habitat for Humanity.

At Temple Beth Shalom, there is always reason to celebrate. During their family celebration of Hanukkah this year, the boundaries of joy and sharing stretched much further than the Temple grounds, as friends of all different faiths joined together Thursday night [Dec. 9] to reflect upon what they have done for the community. Members of Temple Beth Shalom have joined with other churches and with Habitat for Humanity to bring shelter to those in need. In Judaism, the concept of tikkun olam (a Hebrew term that means “repairing the world”) is a high-held value and one to live by. To Rabbi Ari Goldstein, partnering with Habitat for Humanity to create homes for the homeless is the perfect combination to fulfill tikkun olam. “Giving someone …

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Appreciating the Gifts That Are Truly Special

During Hanukkah, local Rabbi Ari Goldstein encourages believers to remember presence vs. presents.

Legend has it that after the Greeks desecrated the Temple, Judah Maccabbee courageously held off the Greek onslaught, recaptured the Temple, and rekindled the ner tamid (the eternal light). The miracle was that while he found only enough oil to keep the ner tamid lit for one day, it lasted for eight days. Historically, we understand that the actual story of Hanukkah was not about a battle to save the Temple, but rather it was more of an emotional battle between Judaism and Hellenism. It was a battle between those who cared about Jewish rituals and traditions and those who did not. The actual miracle was that Judaism continued to live on despite the temptations of Hellenism. Hanukkah is our festival of lights. It is our festival of …

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Hanukkah Bazaar Gives Back

Temple Beth Shalom shopping experience benefits congregation.

Temple Beth Shalom recently held its annual two-day Hanukkah Bazaar shopping extravaganza, providing a convenient, central shopping location for many in the community whose holiday calendars are filling up quickly.  Sisterhood of the Temple bazaar coordinator Faye Weiss said this event has been provided for the community for more than 30 years.  With an assortment of items from books to jewelry to Judaica, the bazaar offered a wide variety of stylish and sensible merchandise to fit any budget. Arbonne health and beauty products were for sale, as well as handmade gifts by Sarah White who had cleverly constructed gift card and sticky note holders, note cards and Hanukkah gift cards.  There were also menorahs of many different styles and …

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