President's Page - Tiferet Bet Israel News Recent articles and news from Tiferet Bet Israel. http://www.tbibluebell.org February, 2012 Ma'aseem Seek first to understand, then to be understood.
-- Stephen R. Covey

I had a very different vision of what "listening days" would be about when the idea first came up. I thought I would open the 5 separate meetings with a few ope http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=431 http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=431/ Thu, 02 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT January, 2012 Ma'aseem When one door of happiness closes, another opens,but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one that has been opened for us.
- Helen Keller

During my term on the North Penn (NP) School Board, the superinte http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=423 http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=423/ Fri, 06 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT December, 2011 Ma'aseem - With All Your Heart, All Your Soul, All Your Strength (1) "...In the end we are not measured by what we have, but what we give to one another."
- Julie Salamon, Rambam's Ladder

We are an amazing community. In the weeks following Hurricane Irene, Rabbi Kalev sent only two email messages http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=415 http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=415/ Fri, 02 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT November, 2011 Ma'aseem - Just One Small Thing "That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind."
- Astronaut Neil Armstrong

The Weitz family wrote their letter in the new Torah this evening and with the help of Rabbi Druin we fulfilled our 613th Mitzvah, our oblig http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=408 http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=408/ Fri, 28 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT October, 2011 Ma'aseem - My New Year's Resolution: Let's Connect Plans are worthless - but planning is everything.
- Dwight David Eisenhower

As I write this article it is the end of August. The earth moved last Tuesday, the wind blew at gusts of 80 mph last Saturday, and 20 inches of rain fell http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=399 http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=399/ Thu, 27 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT September, 2011 Ma'aseem - Let's Talk The only ones among you who will be really happy are those who will have sought and found how to serve.
- Albert Schweitzer

The Weitz family joined TBI about ten years ago, probably for the same reasons many of you did. Geography http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=390 http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=390/ Thu, 25 Aug 2011 00:00:00 GMT June, 2011 Ma'aseem - Farewell But Not Goodbye Less than two years ago I wrote my first President's Page for the Ma'aseem. Now I'm writing my last! It's been an exciting two years for me and I have many people I'd like to thank for helping me.

First I'd like to thank my Executive Co http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=379 http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=379/ Fri, 27 May 2011 00:00:00 GMT May, 2011 Ma'aseem As I'm writing this page I still have almost three weeks to get ready for Passover. There have been many exciting happenings at TBI while I'm trying to prepare. On March 6 we had the amazing opening ceremonies for our Mitzvah 613 Torah project, inc http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=371 http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=371/ Wed, 04 May 2011 00:00:00 GMT April, 2011 Ma'aseem - There's Price and There's Value A recent article in the Philadelphia Inquirer asked the question "What is a [congregation]'s economic worth to the community it serves?" A Penn professor and a national research group, Partners for Sacred Places, took up that question and attempted t http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=362 http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=362/ Tue, 29 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT March, 2011 Ma'aseem for Purim - "Power- Walk LIke an Egyptian" One of the opportunities we've been trying to develop is expanded use of our facilities to bring in more revenue. Currently there is a school that rents space from us on Sunday afternoons, and some of our members, and non-members, rent our rooms to http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=354 http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=354/ Wed, 16 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT February, 2011 Ma'aseem "The purpose of this organization (hereinafter referred to as the "Congregation") is to provide for the spiritual, cultural and recreational welfare of its members; to promote the welfare of the Jewish Community of Central Montgomery County and vicin http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=344 http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=344/ Wed, 09 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT January, 2011 Ma'aseem - It's No Sin To Be Poor ... but it's no great honor, either.
- Sholom Aleichem

I read an article in the Philadelphia Inquirer recently that informed me of a profession that I didn't know existed -- consultants who advise celebrities on where to direct the http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=322 http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=322/ Tue, 11 Jan 2011 00:00:00 GMT December, 2010 Ma'aseem - Caught in the Web - In a Good Way Being president of our congregation has given me the opportunity to participate in discussions with other synagogue presidents and subscribe to other helpful services. Most of this is possible because of the Internet. I'm not sure when all of this http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=305 http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=305/ Tue, 30 Nov 2010 00:00:00 GMT November, 2010 Ma'aseem - A Season of Thanks The holidays were "early" this year; so as I write this, during Sukkot, I reflect on the very positive feedback that I have received. Everyone that I heard from thought that services on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur were the best ever: Rabbi Kalev's http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=296 http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=296/ Wed, 03 Nov 2010 00:00:00 GMT October 2010 Ma'aseem - Signs of the Times I was excited to see the new sign outside TBI lit up with the words SHABBAT SHALOM on it in late August. This sign is one of many significant improvements made over the summer. In his book The Spirituality of Welcoming: How to Tranform Your Congrega http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=277 http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=277/ Wed, 29 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT September 2010 Ma'aseem - Halleluyah: The Cycle Begins Again It's hard to believe that summer is almost over and as soon as we get past Labor Day weekend (which includes Selichot services on Saturday night) our High Holy Days will be here! Here are a few of the many reasons for anticipating this season:
http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=286 http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=286/ Wed, 29 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT June, 2010 Ma'aseem - Find Your Place at TBI Almost a year ago I was elected to a two-year term as President of Tiferet Bet Israel. It has been a busy and exciting year with many opportunities. I have been fortunate to have the support of a great Executive Board, General Board, committees, cle http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=269 http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=269/ Fri, 16 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT May, 2010 Ma'aseem - Their Memories Are A Blessing Sunday, May 2 will be a very special day at TBI -- an ambulance dedication in the morning and the Noa/Mira reception, concert and dinner in the evening. If you read this before May 2 and you haven't purchased concert tickets yet, please be sure to j http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=261 http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=261/ Fri, 21 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT April, 2010 Ma'aseem - This Joint is Jumpin' I'm writing this at the end of February (30 days until Passover!) right after attending our spectacular Purim services. The Sanctuary was overflowing, children and adults were excited, and a creative program engaged everyone. I felt very proud to be http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=252 http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=252/ Tue, 18 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT March, 2010 Ma'aseem From 1996 until the middle of 1999 I worked as the technical coordinator on a large-scale Year 2000 conversion project for the company where I worked for nearly 20 years before retiring in 2007. Most of the data my company used contained dates and t http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=242 http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=242/ Wed, 17 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT February, 2010 Ma'aseem - From Hamantashen, Crumbs of Wisdom For several years I've had a reputation for being able to tell you, at any given time, how many days until Passover begins. My method is pretty simple since I can do basic math in my head: January has 31 days, February has 28, March has 31, so with P http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=232 http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=232/ Wed, 27 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT January, 2010 Ma'aseem After Hanukkah ends and we are in the month of Tevet, I remember my parents, with my mother's fifth yahrzeit on 11 Tevet and my father's thirty-third yahrzeit on 21 Tevet. Imagine how upset I would be if I went to TBI to recite Mourner's Kaddish but http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=223 http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=223/ Wed, 20 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT December, 2009 Ma'aseem I'm writing this page at the end of October, a month before you'll read it. The last of the fall holidays, Simchat Torah, was three weeks ago, but my family's sukkah is still up. We try to make sure it's down by Thanksgiving or, at the latest, Hanu http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=212 http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=212/ Fri, 04 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT November, 2009 Ma'aseem I spoke about some of these topics on the high holy days and am repeating them in this column. During the holiday season I find myself thinking of my parents, of blessed memory. I grew up in Providence, Rhode Island, as some of you know; I'm always i http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=202 http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=202/ Fri, 13 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT October, 2009 Ma'aseem As the High Holy Days began this year, our TBI building celebrated its 20th anniversary. I remember vividly how glad we all were that the holidays were "late" that first year, since we needed all the time we could have to get the building ready. As http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=184 http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=184/ Fri, 02 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT September, 2009 Ma'aseem As the new TBI President, I would like to introduce myself. My family joined the Norristown Jewish Community Center -- Tiferes Israel -- in August 1982, when our sons were 2, 4, 7 and almost 9 and I was still an at-home Mom. We had belonged to anoth http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=185 http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=185/ Fri, 02 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT June, 2009 Ma'aseem In a few short weeks, our terms as Co-Presidents will be over. TBI has been through many changes and challenges during this time, and we have many people to thank for their support during the past two years. First and foremost, we need to thank our http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=174 http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=174/ Thu, 04 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT May, 2009 Ma'aseem One of the challenges we face as a congregation is to continually identify, recruit, mentor, train and support leaders. We are not alone in this--every organization needs leaders. Googling "leadership" yields 256,000,000 hits, an indication of how http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=166 http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=166/ Tue, 19 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT January 2009 Messenger - Gems Revealed One of the privileges we experience as leaders of the congregation is to learn how many people work tirelessly to keep the many facets of our congregation running smoothly. Many committees are regularly mentioned in the Messenger, or are prominent http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=137 http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=137/ Thu, 26 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT February, 2009 - Ma'aseem - To Maintain and to Build As Rabbi Kalev said in his column in last month's Messenger, TBI is standing at the brink of a "new age." Our educational, religious and social programming is rich, with a menu of options that reflects a diverse but passionate congregational family. http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=145 http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=145/ Thu, 26 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT March, 2009 Ma'aseem Our community has much to look forward to in the coming weeks. We hope you will join us for the Megillah Reading on March 9. Then we will all be preparing for Passover, with the first seder occurring on April 8. Immediately after Passover, we will http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=152 http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=152/ Thu, 26 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT April, 2009 Ma'aseem For the past 18 months, our Etz Chaim campaign committee has been working hard to substantially increase our endowment funds to help achieve long term financial stability for TBI. We are now entering the final 100 days of the campaign which will end http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=159 http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=159/ Thu, 26 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT December 2008 Messenger Coming Together

The following is an edited version of our Kol Nidre speech:

As we come together tonight like Jews all over the world, we must realize that the future of TBI and the future of the Jewish people depend on our a http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=131 http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=131/ Tue, 16 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT November Presidents' Message As the holiday season ends, the regular weekly Shabbat Torah reading cycle begins again at TBI. Beginnings are a very powerful time. One place to learn about beginnings is in the first parasha of the Torah- Bereshit.

When the Torah des http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=122 http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=122/ Thu, 30 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT September 2008 Presidents Message As we welcome Rabbi Joshua Kalev to TBI, we look forward to a bright and exciting future for our synagogue. We are fortunate to have a team of talented and dedicated professionals in place, including Rabbi Kalev, Cantor Elizabeth Shammash, Executive http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=107 http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=107/ Tue, 07 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT October 2008 Presidents Message Over fifty years ago, Abraham Joshua Heschel, in his book The Sabbath, emphasized the importance of Shabbat to modern life. Rabbi Heschel described Shabbat as a "palace in time" whose architecture is built through acts of prayer, study, joyous meals http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=108 http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=108/ Tue, 07 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT June 2008 As summer begins, we are ending a year of many transitions. Cantor Shammash has now been with us for a year and will provide continuity for us in the coming months. She has developed close relationships with many of us, and we are especially grat http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=95 http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=95/ Fri, 30 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT May 2008 As we welcome springtime and celebrate Passover, we are also beginning a new chapter in the history of our sacred community. Joshua Kalev will be our new rabbi starting July 1.

Rabbi Kalev has served as the rabbi at Temple Beth Sholom i http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=84 http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=84/ Wed, 30 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT March 2008 It is hard to believe that we are over halfway through our first year as co-presidents. We began the year hoping to find ways to make TBI a more welcoming community, and many of you have been active in this endeavor. The Membership and Ritual Commi http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=70 http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=70/ Wed, 02 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT April 2008 At the High Holidays, we challenged everyone to think about ways to make a stronger connection to Judaism and TBI by increasing religious observance in ways that are uniquely meaningful to each of us. The idea of being observant can be intimidating, http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=79 http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=79/ Wed, 02 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT February 2008 Winter at TBI is a quieter time in terms of Bar and Bat Mitzvahs, but a very active time in the life of our congregation. We hope that you have all met Rabbi Sylvan Kamens. He has jumped right in with an active schedule of services, meetings, class http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=61 http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=61/ Wed, 13 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT January 2008 As we enter the new secular year, our focus at TBI is on welcoming.

Please come to Shabbat services and take the opportunity to welcome Rabbi Sylvan Kamens, our new full time interim rabbi. He is an experienced pulpit rabbi who has spen http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=54 http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=54/ Tue, 08 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT Messenger Article December 2007 This month we say good-bye to Rabbi Ackerman as our full time rabbi. He has been our spiritual leader and friend for 15 years, and has inspired, supported, and taught us in so many ways. For many of our children, he has been their rabbi for their http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=44 http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=44/ Tue, 04 Dec 2007 00:00:00 GMT Messenger Article November 2007 We hope you were all able to join us for the installation of Cantor Shamash at the end of October. It was a fabulous event for our community. In November, we welcomed Cantor Walters back, sharing the bimah with Rabbi Ackerman in his role as cantor http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=37 http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=37/ Tue, 30 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMT Presidents' Message October 2007 As the fall holidays end, we can look back at several milestones in our life as a congregation. We welcomed Cantor Shammash and were inspired by her davening at Rosh Hoshana and Yom Kippur. We experienced our last High Holiday services with our bel http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=31 http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=31/ Tue, 16 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMT Presidents' Message September 2007
As the new TBI Co-Presidents, we would like to introduce ourselves. - Jane Greenberg

I converted to Judaism in 1981 before marrying Mark. We joined Beth Israel in Lansdale and sent our two children, David and Ju http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=30 http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=30/ Sun, 16 Sep 2007 00:00:00 GMT Presidents' Message February 2007

We hope you enjoyed all the events in January as much as we did. From the Cantor's Shalom concert which delighted all who attended, to the Synaplex event on the 27th and the Affair Fair on the 28th, we experienced some varied and fun programming http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=10 http://www.tbibluebell.org/article.aspx?id=10/ Thu, 01 Feb 2007 00:00:00 GMT