Lev Eisha Services for April, May and June will be held at:
Temple Akiba
5212 So. Sepulveda Blvd.
Culver City 90230
You can park along Sepulveda and on the side streets to the south of the pet store. Do not park at the pet store.
Our new mailing address is:
Lev Eisha
10736 Jefferson Blvd #706
Culver City, California 90230
A reminder to those of you who have not yet picked up your special gifts:
Please see Robin or Julie to pick up your premiums at the next Lev service.
| Rochelle Brandon |
Sheryl Colby |
| Carrie Goodchild |
Barbara Haberman |
| Esther Jaeckel |
Sandra Kass |
| Linda Kaufman |
Marion Klein |
| Lillian Laskin |
Rene Last |
| Shayna Lester |
Cathryn Novak |
| Leila Rosemberg |
Sherry Rothchild |
| Bonita Selk |
Rona Wacht |
| Riya Zelcer |
Rose Ziff |
Please join us at our services on March 7, 2009 in Newmark Hall at Adat Shalom. Mollie Wine and Robin Winston will be leading us in our monthly renewal of spirit. The Lev Eisha services for the months of April, May and June, to be led by Rabbi August, will be held at Temple Akiba.
Rabbi August is no longer associated with Adat Shalom, but remains as the spiritual leader of the new Lev Eisha. In that regard, we are forming a new non-profit corporation called, simply, "Lev Eisha," and we are very excited. We will be looking at venues to hold services and we will be asking for your support during this transition time and going forward. We encourage you to visit our web site (www.leveisha.org), or our ads in the Jewish Journal, for updates on the locations of future services and our fundraising activities.
The executive Board of the new Lev Eisha is:
| President: | Susie Yure |
| Vice-President: | Janis Cohen |
| Secretary: | Robin Winston |
| Treasurer: | Marla Osband |
| Outreach Officer: | Doreen Klee |
I will remain on the Board in an advisory capacity. We are also looking for members to fill committee and other spots on the new Board of the new Lev Eisha. Please feel free to email Susie Yure at Susie@leveisha.org if you are interested in helping us.
I will see you on March 7!
Warmly,
Olivia Goodkin
Arielle Singer (our youngest member) and her family would like to invite all of us at Lev Eisha to join them for Arielle's Bat Mitzvah! Arielle's Bat Mitzvah is on Saturday, March 14th at Adat Shalom at 9:15 a.m. It will be in the spirit of Lev Eisha, filled with music and joy. Please plan to attend this simcha and join Arielle for lunch in the Social Hall after the service.
We are about to embark on a new chapter in the life of Lev Eisha.
We have provided our magnificent service continually for over eight years, and God willing, we will continue our spirited singing, deep prayers, joyful learning, sharing, dancing and holy community for many more years to come.
We thank Adat Shalom as we leave for its generous, invaluable support and financial generosity over the years. I was able to be the rabbi and we had use of the beautiful sanctuary.
Now it is time to move on. Lev Eisha will be moving to a new venue.
In our Torah readings, the Israelites are also starting a new journey and, like us, Moses had to create a "development plan" in order to build a dwelling place for God.
In Terumah, the Parshah for March 7th, God tells Moses what to do.
"Speak to the Israelites and have them take for Me an offering. Take My offering from everyone whose heart so moves him or her." (Ex 25:2)
Why did God command Moses to take the donations? The verse should read, have them give Me an offering!"
Though strange, think about what the Torah is teaching.
What do we ultimately own?
When we die, we take nothing with us but our good name and our kind deeds.
If we ultimately own nothing we are merely guardians of our material processions. So when the Israelites donate to the building of the tabernacle, they do not give, but rather they return to God - Who is taking back that which was always Divine.
The rabbis believe that the true beneficiary of openhearted Tzedakah is the giver, for only the giver walks away with a true possession, a deed for eternity.
What we give, what we do for God, no one can take away. It does not matter if the market is up or down. The only true tangible assets that we possess are our good deeds and our acts of giving.
In fact the word in Hebrew for giving "ub,bu-V'natnu" is a palindrome, hinting that the giver is ultimately the one that receives.
Lastly, I read that when God gave us the Torah, God literally gave 'God's self' with it. It is as if God is saying... While you are giving -- don't forget to take what is yours for the taking: ME!
"Take for Me offerings..." The Mitzvah of giving is, at its core, the act of "taking God" within our very beings. We acquire the presence of the Shechinah, when we do good.
In the next few weeks, you will be receiving a letter asking you to open your hearts and give generously to the new Lev Eisha.
Remember what we have learned. "Take for Me a gift," God tells us in the Torah. We may feel as if we are giving, but what we are getting is a whole lot more!
Give to Lev Eisha and take for yourself a piece of God.
With Blessings,
Rabbi August
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Mazal tov to the Women of Lev Eisha. We have a new location and a bright future ahead!
If you have a milestone to share please send it to: editor@leveisha.org. Our
newsletter gets printed about a week before each service. Please send the info ASAP.
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Arielle's Bat Mitzvah
