Coffee with the Rabbi . . . Are you interested in joining the Rabbi for coffee on Thursday mornings? There will be discussions of topics of interest to the group. If you want to join in, let us know.

Join Rabbi Leah for a Text Study class held at 10:30 am in the Library
Have you ever wanted to know more about the prayers we say in services? Join us two Sunday mornings a month for "A Roadmap to the Prayer Service". We will be exploring the basic components of our prayer service, such as the Shema, Amidah, and Kaddish; looking at new interpretations of familiar prayers; and adding our own voices to prayer.

Next Dates: May 18.
Email tbeprayerclass@googlegroups.com to join our email list.

Wouldn't a shiny new 2008 Mustang GT Convertible look nice in your driveway this summer? Stow away the black cloth top; the wispy clouds on a light blue sky calling out to you; tune in the Shaker 500 audio system; and have the gentle summer breeze carry the sounds away. The rumble of the 300 horsepower GT exhaust reminding you of this Pony's heritage.

One lucky winner will get that chance on Saturday June 8th, at our Family Picnic. The odds of winning are incredibly good. Only 800 tickets will be sold. The more you purchase, the greater your odds. Each ticket is $100

We need to sell 800 tickets, to not only pay off the car, but to raise some much-needed dollars for our building fund. If every Temple member asks their friends and co-workers, we can easily sell out our raffle.

Please fill in the raffle form, and send in your checks. We will send you back your official tickets by mail. If you have questions, or need more raffle forms, please contact David Eppinger mustang@templebethelohim.org

Come on... You know you really want to win this car...

The Lester Welsher Scholarship Fund was set up by the family of the late Lester Welsher in order to preserve the memory of their beloved husband and father. Lester Welsher loved children, considered education a top priority, and loved Temple Beth Elohim. Therefore the Scholarship is available to students graduating from high school and continuing their education who have served Temple Beth Elohim. Download, complete and return this form by Tuesday May 20th to: Lester Welsher Scholarship Committee, c/o Temple Beth Elohim, 31 Mt. Ebo Road North, Brewster, NY 10509 or fax completed form to 845 279-1961.

It's that time of year again when we begin planning for our next school year. If you are interested in teaching or aiding in our Religious School, please download and fill out this application and return it to Nan as soon as possible.

Join the Temple family in a night of celebration as we honor:

• We are thrilled to add the following names to our Recognition Plaque for over ten years of service to Temple Beth Elohim: Ken Gralak, Dennis Harrison, Lesli Klein, Anne & Geoff Kupferschmid, Melissa Lutz, Judi McAnaw, Diana & David Smith, Mindi & Jan Stark, Sue Zucker.
• We will also recognize and honor two couples who have been members of our Temple family for 25 or more years: Ginny and Steve Kutikoff and Lorraine and Martin Vigdor. Their names will be added to our Silver Recognition Plaque.
• The Rabbi, the President and the Temple Administrator have selected two individuals for special recognition. One person will receive an award for distinguished service by a newer Temple member who has made an outstanding contribution as a volunteer. And finally, the Distinguished Service Award will be presented to Temple Beth Elohim's Volunteer of the Year.
• Three of our young people who completed special scouting-related projects will be honored and thanked and plaques will be hung in the Gish Family Library in their honor. They are Jillian Mauro, Sharon Gray and Dan Kupferschmid.
• And finally, in a bittersweet moment, we will enjoy our last Shabbat (for now) with Rabbi Leah before she goes off to her new position in North Carolina. We will miss her, but we will send her off with all our best wishes.

Please join us as we say lehitraot (until we meet again) to our dear Rabbi Leah with a brunch beginning at 8:45 am.

There are no teachers like our teachers and no aides like our aides. Come thank our dedicated staff who wake up every Sunday morning, put on their brightest smiles, and come out to work with your children at Sunday School.

Congratulate the Lester Welsher Scholarship(s) awardees. This scholarship is presented annually to deserving high school graduate(s) who will be continuing their education and who have volunteered their time to help the Temple.

Meet the eight people who completed our Leadership Development Class: Steven Fleischman, Merrill Friedman, Michael Garry, Brad Goldstein, Lesli Klein, Anne Kupferschmid, Ralph Leezenbaum, and Irene Sweet.

The Caravan Meron will be visiting Temple Beth Elohim on Saturday May 31st and Sunday June 1st.

We will be having an open house with the Scouts on Saturday evening while they are setting up their stage and background in the social hall. The Scouts will bring their instruments, and will have their scrapbooks of their lives in Israel to share with our families. This will be a great chance to meet the Scouts up close and personal. Games! Fun! Singing! Add it to your calendar.

On Sunday morning June 1st, the Scouts will be involved with the religious school classes, answering questions and sharing their lives with our children. Then they will be performing for our entire Temple family at 10:30 in the morning, right after religious school. The Scouts have been practicing for months now on their songs and dance, and are eager to share their life in Israel in a very energetic and beautiful performance for our congregation. Everyone is invited. Please invite your friends as well. It is a great chance to see these talented kids.

We have a special opportunity for some of our families! We are looking for 6 host families for the Scouts. The responsibilities are to provide housing for a pair of Scouts, transporting them back and forth to the Temple starting Saturday evening, and returning them to the designated drop off spot in Carmel on Monday morning. We would encourage any family, especially those with children from 6 to 18, to consider this wonderful opportunity. You get to spend some quality time with the Scouts, and help to build a lifetime friendship, while gaining a new appreciation of Israel from the perspective of a teenager. (You do not have to have a child to be a host)

If you are interested in hosting, or being on the committee, or have questions, please contact David Eppinger scouts@templebethelohim.org
The Scouts are coming!!!! Plan on being WOWED!

Temple members are invited to enjoy a fun-filled day with your Temple family. Bring your baseball equipment and Frisbees for some family fun. Make your reservation by returning the form downloadable here by June 1, 2008. Do you have friends who might be interested in joining the Temple? Bring them!! We welcome new members!
Food preparation courtesy of the Men's Club

The Judaica Shop has a full line of gorgeous tallitot and kippot, 14K and sterling jewelry, hand-crafted door mezuzahs, gifts for weddings, engagements, birthdays and Mother's Day. They carry a wide range of stunning holiday items including menorahs, honey and apple sets, Passover Seder and matzo plates, Shabbat candlesticks and challah platters - all great gifts and reasonably priced. Many of the items are designed and handcrafted in Israel. Whether you need a stunning tallit for an upcoming bar or bat mitzvah or a unique menorah for a wedding gift, shop us first. When you shop at our new Judaica Shop, you not only support Temple Beth Elohim, but you also support Israel.

PS: The Judaica Shop could be open for more hours if there were more volunteers. We are always looking for energetic people to join our staff. Call Denise if you are interested.