Friday, December 2 – 7:30pm
First Friday Erev Shabbat T'filah with TBI Shul Band
Saturday, December 3 – 9:30am
Weekly Torah Study
Sunday, December 4 – 9:15am
Monthly Brotherhood Lox-and-Bagels Meeting
Wednesday, December 7
9:15am – Introducing Chanukah Into Your Family Life (see article)
7:00pm – Introduction to Judaism, 2nd session (see article)
Friday, December 9
6:30pm – Monthly Family Erev Shabbat T'filah
7:30pm – Erev Shabbat T'filah and Oneg
Saturday, December 10
9:30am – Weekly Torah Study
7:30pm – Cookies, Cakes, and Comedy (see article)
Sunday, December 11 – 12:00pm
Social Action Committee Meeting (see article)
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Why Will December 10th be the Funniest Day of 2016?
December 10 – 7:30pm
Because that evening, comedian Jeff Applebaum, veteran of late night TV, movies, and clubs across America will share his talents with the the Temple Beth Israel community.
Cookies, Cakes, and Comedy! Enjoy an evening of laughter followed by our world famous dessert buffet.
Click here for tickets
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New Dates for the TBI Family Photo Directory Portraits!
December 18 – noon-7pm;
December 19-21 – 2pm-9pm;
December 27-29 – 2pm-9pm
Be a part of our new TBI Family Directory. We need YOU to make our family directory complete!
Portrait scheduling is online – click here to schedule or email tbi@tbipomona.org or call the TBI office at (909) 626-1277. Requirements: your name and phone number and the creation of a login and password.
Click here to download the flyer for more details.
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TBI Chanukah Latke Dinner and Erev Shabbat T'filah
Friday, December 30
6:00pm – Chanukah Latke Dinner – TBI provides the latkes and fixings and you provide the main course.
7:30pm – Chanukah Erev Shabbat T'filah – Bring your family Chanukah Menorah for the community lighting and join us for a festive Chanukah Shabbat Service.
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Introduction to
Judaism Course
Wednesday Evenings
7:00pm – 9:00pm
Taught by Rabbi Adam Lutz and Rabbi Jonathan Kupetz
Introduction to Judaism is a comprehensive course of eighteen sessions. The class meets once a week for two hours. The course organizes instruction according to the major holidays and events in the Jewish life cycle.
For more information please contact Rabbi Kupetz through the TBI office by calling 909-62601277 or by e-mailing rabbi@tbipomona.org.
Download course flyer
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TBI Social Action Committee Planning Meeting
Sunday, December 11 – 12:00pm
TBI Library
Everyone is invited to attend this meeting where we will discuss and plan our Social Action events for this coming year. Light refreshments will be served.
RSVPs appreciated to deenarbenjamin@gmail.com but not required. Come and be part of Social Action at TBI!
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Play Bunco This Fall!
Sundays, November 20
and December 18
3 to 5:00pm(wish) • TBI Social Hall
Please join us for our monthly Bunco (dice game). No experience necessary and instructions will be provided. Bring your adult family members and friends.
"IF YOU CAN COUNT, YOU CAN PLAY!"
$5.00 buy-in with guaranteed cash prizes and lots of fun! Please RSVP to Beth Lytton at bethlytton@gmail.com or Debbie Harris at 909-576-9935 cell/text. Game sponsored by TBI Membership Committee.
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The TBI Annual Ner Shel Tzedakah Project
Now Through Friday, December 16
Not far from TBI lies a pristine place sheltered by decades-old camphor trees. What seems like a nature retreat is actually David & Margaret Youth and Family Services. In the small cottages on these grounds as many as 60 girls from 12 to 18 live and heal from child abuse and neglect. With the help of trained counselors, mentors, teachers, and volunteers these children work to overcome years of hardship.
Once again we ask you to adopt these young women as part of our annual Ner Shel Tzedakah Project (6th night of Chanukah) to make their holiday season a little brighter. Please consider purchasing a gift for a David & Margaret teen. Be a neighbor, be a friend by helping at-risk teens in our midst.
Our Annual Ner Shel Tzedakah Gift Drive for the girls at David & Margaret has begun and will go till December 16. As usual, the girls' wish list cards that list desired gifts are posted on a board in the TBI foyer. Please take a card, purchase the gifts on the card that you can, and return the card with all of the items unwrapped. All gifts need to be back by December 16 so that we can get them to David & Margaret in time for their event.
For more information, contact Bhavani Feldman at batolia@aol.com.
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YOU STILL HAVE TIME TO PARTICIPATE IN AN IMPORTANT SURVEY
THANK YOU TO THE OVER 120 TBI MEMBERS who have already participated in the survey that is in support of the Union for Reform Judaism's (URJ's) Community of Practice focused on engaging Baby Boomers. This URJ Community of Practice is dedicated to engaging — or re-engaging — Jewish Baby Boomers in Jewish life. Getting survey feedback is critical to our work.
Rabbi Kupetz and Art Beckerman just attended a two-day conference to begin this effort along with 14 other synagogues across the USA. Based on their survey results and other listening programs, these synagogues will be designing experiments for engaging — or re-engaging — Jewish Baby Boomers in Jewish life and sharing the results of these experiments with each other to eventually create programs that will address the needs of Jewish communities around the country.
IF YOU HAVE NOT DONE SO, PLEASE PARTICIPATE IN THIS SURVEY
Click here to participate in the survey. Any TBI member born before 1995 is asked to participate.
Participation in this survey is completely voluntary and anonymous, and your responses to the survey will be kept strictly confidential by the survey researchers. All of the information gathered will not in any way identify individuals.
Because of the strong response to the survey, it will be kept open through mid-December. Thank you for your participation.
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Sunday, December 11 – 10:00am to noon
Presented by the Jewish Federation
at Temple Beth Israel of Pomona
Join us and participate in a community dialogue about our Jewish community and the direction you envision for it. Coffee and light refreshments will be served.
Download the flyer
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Auditions of JFed Players Performance of the Musical Comedy Whodunit "Curtains"
December 18, 19, 20, and 22 – 7:00pm
Jewish Federation Office – 114A Lime Avenue, Monrovia, CA
From the creators of "Cabaret" and "Chicago," "Curtains" is a musical send-up of the theatre murder mystery genre.
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There Are Many Ways to Contribute to TBI
TBI gladly accepts contributions and other payments online either by credit card or by direct deduction from checking (“ACH”). Click on Donate Here for:
- Making and paying TBI tributes
- Making membership pledge, Beit Sefer fee, and other payments
- Participate in the TBI Library Bouquet of Books program
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Thinking about making a year-end contribution for charitable and tax purposes? If you are, please consider a contribution to TBI.
As we get ready to close a very successful year at TBI and welcome 2017, your contribution — whatever amount you can find in your heart to give — will be greatly appreciated.
Look for a letter that shares some of the 2016 TBI highlights along with an End of Year Appeal form and self-addressed donation envelope in your mail soon.
Don't forget: in order to take advantage of a tax deduction for 2016, your contributions (membership pledge, Annual and/or End of Year Appeals pledges, tributes, etc.) must be postmarked by December 31, 2016.
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Your Opportunity to Make a Tax-Free Gift to TBI
You can make a direct transfer from your IRA to TBI at any time in 2016 that will count toward your 2016 required minimum distribution and $100,000 limit, if you meet the following criteria:
- You must be 70 1/2 or older at the time your charitable transfer is made
- Transfer up to $100,000 per year per taxpayer (i.e. $200,000 as a married couple) can be made provided you each own at least one IRA and have reached 70 1/2.
- Transfers must be made directly by your IRA administrator or trustee to TBI
- The amount transferred to charity counts toward your required minimum distribution for the year (assuming that you have not already taken your required minimum distribution)
- The amount you transfer to TBI is not included in your federal adjusted gross income. You do not receive an income tax deduction, but not paying tax on otherwise taxable income is the equivalent of a charitable deduction. So, you will benefit even if you don't itemize deductions.
Contact Art Beckman at 909-267-3926 or abeckerman@tbipomona.org, if you have further questions.
Please consult your tax or financial advisor regarding your specific circumstances.
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BUY SCRIP FOR THE "3Gs": GAS, GROCERIES, GIFTS!
The TBI Scrip Gift Card Program is a way for all of use to support TBI without dipping any further into our household budgets. This is because scrip income comes from the money we already spend on goods and services every day.
You can buy scrip gift cards for your own use or to give as gifts. The scrip gift card order form is in the Kehillah. You can order scrip by contacting the TBI Office or Sunday mornings at the scrip table when Beit Sefer is in session. An online options is at www.escrip.com. Go to "sign up" and then register your grocery and credit or debit cards. TBI will automatically get a donation from the stores that you use that are part of the scrip program. You may find them at the "Family of Merchants" on the website.
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Louis Family Library
Bouquet of Books Sponsorship Program
Help our library to grow by sponsoring a new book! Are you looking for a special way to celebrate a happy occasion or to honor an important person? The Louis Family Library’s Bouquet of Books program provides just that opportunity.
Contribute to our Bouquet of Books Sponsorship Program by making an $18 (tax deductible) donation per book to the TBI Library Special Fund. Log onto Bouquet of Books to learn how or contact the TBI Office to get the forms to select your book and make your donation payment. If you have questions, contact Debbie Klein at library@tbipomona.org or by calling the TBI Office.
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 Rental Spaces for Meeting and Celebrating – Serving the Pomona and San Gabriel Valleys – Be sure to check out and tell your friends about TBI's rental business, The Community Space. We offer low cost spaces for rent to parties of all backgrounds, and would love for you and your friends to use them! The Community Space can be used for board and group meetings, team gatherings, art exhibitions, educational purposes, birthdays, special events, holiday parties, B'nei Mitzvah, and various other events.
Mitzvah Opportunity – We are always looking for congregants who can provide rides to Friday night services to congregants who need one. Please contact Rabbi Kupetz at rabbi@tbipomona.org if you can provide a free ride.
TBI Archive Volunteer Opportunity – The TBI Archive Project needs volunteers to scan documents and photos into the computer for preservation. Training will be provided, and it may be possible to work from home. For more information, call TBI Archivist Margie Kerstine at 909-542-9063.
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LIFECYCLE ANNOUNCEMENTS
Our condolences to:
Mike Geffen on the passing of his mother and long-time TBI member, Rita Geffen.
Sheri, Terry, Ryan, and Megan Hustana on the passing of cousin, Patti Aaron Ross.
Harry Hoffman Jr. on the passing of his mother, Shirley Hoffman.
Arthur Rosenbaum on the passing of his brother, Stanley Rosenbaum.
The Rabbi and Cantor need to know when a family experiences a life cycle event-a birth or other simchah, an illness or hospitalization, or loss-so that they can call and/or visit them. If you family or another TBI family (with their permission) has had a life cycle event, please call the TBI Office at 909.626.1277. If the TBI Office is closed, follow the voice prompts for calling Rabbi Kupetz for a lifecycle emergency.
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TO FIND OUT ABOUT WORSHIP SERVICES AND OTHER EVENTS AT TBI:
Twice each month Temple Beth Israel informs congregants, via e-mail, of upcoming events. If you do not wish to be notified of this information, please use the link below to unsubscribe from this email. Please contact us at tbi@tbipomona.org if you or a friend or family member in the Jewish Community are not subscribed but would like to be.
TODAH RABAH (THANK YOU!)
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