Newsletter

Congregation Beth El Newsletter
March-April 2007

Dear congregants,
On April 15 we commemorated Yom haShoah at the synagogue with a variety of speakers, readers and other meaningful expressions of sorrow and remembrance. It was gratifying to see that not only Jewish members of the community attended but also a number of non-Jews, including Father Garry Giroux of St. Mary’s Church, Anne Marsh of the Unitarian Universalist Church and Kathleen Buckley, St. Lawrence University campus minister. In these times when people all over the world deny the Holocaust or minimize its importance, I was proud to be a member of this community where non-Jews were not hesitant to show their support and to join us in saying, “Never again.” I would like to thank Brenda Yarcag, Adam Jaffe and Hyman Baker for planning the event and putting together the program, display items and setting everything up. Dov Schwartz put together a beautiful Power Point presentation of pictures from the ghettoes and camps, including the liberation, and the early days of the struggle for freedom in Israel. Steve Horwitz arranged to have Elun Gabriel, St. Lawrence University professor, speak about children in war. Kendall Taylor spoke about various aspects of the war. Esther Arlan from Saranac Lake read several poems written by survivors, and Rachel Horwitz read the last two diary entries from The Diary of Anne Frank. Next year the Lake Placid synagogue will hold this event and I hope people from Potsdam will attend.
Coming up on May 27 at 11:00am is Donald Rosenthal’s unveiling in Adath Israel cemetery in Massena. Following the unveiling there will be a luncheon at the synagogue. If you would like to attend the luncheon please RSVP to Eleanor at 265-9242.
On Sunday, May 20 there will be a book discussion at 3:00pm at Eleanor’s home at 6 Chestnut Street, Potsdam. The book that will be discussed is “Everything is Illuminated,” by Jonathan Safran Foer. Everyone is invited.
As many of you know, Milton and Reva Kerker will soon be leaving Potsdam for sunny (and warm) California. I think everyone, including them, is in a bit of denial that they will no longer be with us here in Potsdam. Milton and Reva have been fixtures at the synagogue for so long it’s difficult to imagine life without them. I’m sure they will stay in touch but they will be immeasurably missed by all. On July 21st we will have a dinner at the synagogue to honor them. We will be sending out invitations later when all the details of the event are worked out. I hope everyone will join us for what is destined to be a lively evening.
As all of you know, Dov’s father and Alan Solomon’s father passed away a few months ago. Dov and Alan have been able say Kaddish for their fathers every week because many of you have made the extra effort to come to services once or twice a month. Without those few extra people we would not have had minyans. It really only takes one or two people who don’t ordinarily come to ensure a minyan and it means a lot to both Dov and Alan. I hope that others will try to come so that they can continue to perform this most important task.

Jackie Schwartz
President