Temple Beth Ora
Edmonton’s Reform Synagogue
Rabbi’s message...
Trees are an important Jewish symbol
On Jan. 30,
2010, Jews
around the
world will
celebrate
the rabbinic
holiday of
Kol Ora
Tu Bishvat
— the fifteenth day of the Hebrew
month of Shvat. Akin to Arbor
Day on the Gregorian calendar, this
holiday celebrates new life and the
beginning of spring in the land of
Israel.
It is traditional to celebrate Tu
Bishvat by planting trees, in a sense,
continually fulfilling the biblical
injunction “When you come into the
Voice of Light
land you shall plant…” (Lev. 19:23).
This command, which instructs the
Israelites that the first thing they
must do upon entering the land of
Canaan is to plant trees, highlights
the importance of trees to the Jewish
tradition and to our future.
As our sages teach, “Just as you
found trees which others had
planted, so you should plant for your
children. No one should say, ‘I am
old. How many more years shall
I live? Why should I be troubled
for the sake of others? Just as he
January 2010 found trees, he should add more by
planting even if he is old.’ (Midrash
12313 - 105 Avenue, Tanchuma, Kedoshim 8)
Edmonton, Alberta Another wonderful custom
T5N 0Y5 associated with the holiday is the
780.487.4817 Tu Bishvat seder, which is a ritual,
e-mail: tboffice@shaw.ca ordered meal, based on the Passover
www.templebethora.org seder, and begun by the Kabbalists of
Join our Facebook group Safed in the 16th century.
This seder, which is a combination
of teachings and songs, celebrates
fruit, the changing seasons, and
the act of planting for the next
generation. This year, TBO will
celebrate Tu Bishvat with just such
a seder on Friday evening, Jan. 29,
2010 at 7 p.m. Please join us!
Trees are an important part of
our lives; they provide so many
resources we often take for granted.
Additionally, within Jewish tradition,
trees are an important symbol. We
call the Torah our ‘tree of life’.
In the Babylonian Talmud we read
that when a child was born, his or
her parents planted a tree in his or
her honour: a cedar tree for every
boy and a pine tree for every girl.
By doing so, these parents projected
their hope that, like the tree, their
child would grow, blossom, and put
down roots. Parents also hoped
their child would learn to appreciate
nature.
Upon the child’s marriage, wood
from this tree was used for the
chuppah, wedding canopy.
Trees have been an important part
of Jewish life for many years, serving
as a symbol of hope and of life.
And so, in honor of Tu Bishvat,
I’d like to share with you a powerful
true story about the planting of a
tree. May it serve to inspire us all.
On Tu Bishvat of 1943 an act of
spiritual resistance took place. A
small maple sapling was planted.
This might not seem like such
a tremendous feat, but in the
Theresienstadt ghetto this was an act
of bravery and sacrifice.
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In Theresienstadt there was one religious school teacher,
Irma Lauscher, who believed that in order to keep the
spirit of her students alive, she must bring the holiday alive
for them.
As Tu Bishvat neared, she began to formulate a plan to
bring them a tree. She bribed a Czech guard to smuggle
in a tree and she and the children prepared poems and
songs for a planting ceremony.
On Tu Bishvat they gathered in the courtyard of the
children’s barracks and planted the tree. They read their
poems and sang their songs and offered a prayer for the
sake of the tree. When the roots had been covered, each
child present gave the tree some water from his or her
ration in hopes that this tree would survive, grow and
flourish.
Most of the children who planted that tree did not
survive long, but the children who came after them into
the ghetto also gave of their water ration to keep the tree
alive. Even if none of those children were to survive, they
hoped the tree they had nurtured would live on. At the
end of the Shoah, when Theresienstadt was liberated, all
that was left alive to remember the many children who
passed through its gates were 100 children and the tree.
Before they left the ghetto, the children and their teacher
moved the tree to the crematorium. It stands there
still today as a symbol that from out of the ashes of the
Holocaust, the Jewish people grow ever stronger and more
stable, firmly rooted in our past and yet ever bringing
forth new hope for tomorrow. At the base of the maple
stands a plaque that reads: “As the branches of this tree, so
too, the branches of our people.”

Thank you to our donors...

Donations from Nov. 18 to Jan. 12
General Fund
From Deborah Folka and David Fox
to members of Temple Beth Ora for
your swift and caring response to my
plea when my son was in intensive
care at hospital.
From Kenneth Noskin and Ruth
Monstvilas to the members of Temple
Beth Ora for enjoying attending
services when in Edmonton
Oneg Shabbat Sponsorship
From David Cowan in memory of his
mother, Nettie Cowan.
From Rebecca and Matthew Van der
Giessen in memory of their mothers,
Leah and Beverly.
From the Lutsky family in honour of
their wedding anniversary
Rabbi’s Discretionary Fund
From Helen Simons to Rabbi Carmit
Harari for her sincere get well wishes
and from the heart prayers on my
recent hospitalization for a broken leg.
From Jerry and Mary Jane Klein to
the Van der Giessens in memory of
Rebecca’s father.
Music Fund
From Daniel Barer and Sheila
Bailin to Rebecca Van der Giessen,
in memory of her father, Jacob
Lieberman Z’’l
From Phyllis Bright in memory of her
father, Hymie Mandshein Z’’l
Ritual Objects Fund
From Cheryl and Steve Friedenthal to
Rebecca Van der Giessen, in memory
of her father, Jacob Lieberman Z’’l
Donations-in-Kind
From Hans and Alla Brinkhoff,
books for the Temple library

What’s happening at TBO on Saturday mornings?

Learning and laughter along with food for the body and for the mind!
Twice monthly (2nd and 3rd Shabbat) join Rabbi Harari and her welcoming regulars at Torah Study: an interactive
discussion about elements of the weekly Torah portion and concepts in Jewish tradition.

Service Schedule Family Kabbalat Shabbat Kabbalat Shabbat

Feb. 5 ...............7 p.m. Feb. 19..............8 p.m.
Kabbalat Shabbat
Jan. 22............8 p.m. Kabbalat Shabbat Kabbalat Shabbat
Feb. 12 .................8 p.m. Feb. 26...............8 p.m.
Kabbalat Shabbat
Jan. 29............7 p.m.

Office: 780.487.4817 www.templebethora.org

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Musical havdallah enjoyed by all

The Binningtons hosted almost 30 people on
Dec. 5 for a Chanukah sing-a-long. Following the
entertaining music, everyone sampled a wide
variety of potluck items to fill their bellies.

(Left to right) Marshall Hundert, Sharon

Hundert and Kathy Werner participate in the
havdallah.

Kol Ora photos, design and

editing by Tamara Stecyk

Hands of Maita Silver, Music Director of Temple Beth

Ora

Ethical havdallah
When: Saturday, Jan. 23 at 7:45 p.m.
Where: Fridman/Thurbers
What to bring: Your thoughts on Jewish medical ethics

Office: 780.487.4817 www.templebethora.org

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Chanukah service is a TBO tradition

(Top left) Oriana Shaw steadies a candle as she joins the rest of
her peers on stage.

(Top right) Shana-Lea Dereniuk

played the role of a dreidel.

Xavier Browne, Simon and Sarah Stecyk and Natalie Jerasi

sing a Chanukah song. Ann Goldblatt leads the congregation
with the movements to a song.

Office: 780.487.4817 www.templebethora.org

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Torah on Tap discusses the meaning of mitzvah

(Top left) Matthew Van der Guissen makes

a point.

(Top right) Shelly Kunin watches Rabbi

David Kunin explains his position.

(Bottom left) Rebecca Van der Guissen

and Joy Browne enjoy the session.

Office: 780.487.4817 www.templebethora.org

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Mitzvah Day draws out community support

Mounds of donations could be seen

throughout the Jewish Community
Centre gym.

Paul Messinger takes donations to

an area of the Jewish Community
Centre.

(Above) Francie Nobleman explains a map to an

Edmonton journalist.
(Left) Jerry Klein folds clothing donations.

Office: 780.487.4817 www.templebethora.org