August brings the last stretch of summer and plenty happening at Beth Shalom: time to gather, reconnect, and see what the month has in store. Read on, and don’t hesitate to reach out.
Dear friends,
The lyrics to “The Circle of Life,” the signature song from the film The Lion King, reflect an idea that has been an integral part of Jewish religious thought for millennia: as day follows night, as season follows season, so does generation follow generation. L’dor vador. The perpetuation of life represents, literally, the death of death.
Fall will follow summer. The Days of Awe are not far away. And so we begin, together and as before, a new season –my tenth with you– with fellow members of our Beth Shalom community. We continue to pulsate with that same life-force that keeps creation itself in a constant state of renewal; we continue to grow and develop, to improve and enhance, to nurture and challenge.
What is it that keeps that life-force vibrant, that keeps a spiritual community dynamic and alive? What prevents ossification, decay, and death? The answer is investment.
In my many years as a rabbi, I am still amazed at how many people complain (as did our ancestors in the desert!) about the commitments entailed in being part of a Jewish congregation. Why should I stay on as a member after my child’s bar or bat mitzvah? Why should I volunteer my precious time to serve on one of the shul’s committees or its board? Why should I offer financial support beyond my annual dues?
A congregation isn’t a health club. It isn’t a commercial institution where we simply exchange goods for services. It is a context for community, a place where we try to touch people in the deepest, most profound areas of their lives—and where, once we ourselves have been touched, we try to make sure that others have the same opportunities and experiences we’ve had.
So what inspires us to make that serious commitment? How do we get “hooked” on this ethical and spiritual philosophy of action? Investment. Nobody really cares about the stock market unless they’ve put funds into their own portfolio. No one cares passionately about the school system until they themselves have children in it. And nobody is going to find the synagogue as meaningful as it could (and can) be unless they give to it in a meaningful way.
We can give of our time, our talent, our prosperity. It is only if we give, above and beyond mere membership requirements, that we will get—and what we will “get,” ultimately, is wisdom, the satisfaction in the knowledge that the giving itself is the getting.
My rabbinic challenge to each and every one of you this year is to invest as deeply as you can –push yourself– in this wonderful shul. Overall, we’ve done an adequate job —I would give us a B or a B+. Clearly, we can do better. In today’s challenging environment for Jews, it’s time to get serious.
May this upcoming Season of Renewal renew all of us. May the circle of our lives —and the circle of this community— grow from strength to strength.
B’shalom,
Niles
Let Congregation Beth Shalom help you stay cool in this unusually hot summer.
Did you know that the benefits of hot weather include improved overall stamina and circulation, which flushes toxins, allowing more nutrients to enter your bloodstream, and expending more energy to cool itself, leading to burning more calories. Heat relaxes muscle fibers, which reduces aches and pains. And spending more time outdoors increases vitamin D critical to bone health.
While I am not an expert, I do know that Beth Shalom can provide a few choices to stay cool:
• Come to Friday night services and stay for our tasty and varied onegs.
• Bring a few friends and stay cool while reading your favorite book (or take one from our extensive collection) in our air-conditioned library.
• Register to relax in our beautiful pool on Sundays through September 6.
Eve Kahn
President
As we step into August, I find myself thinking about how often Jewish life asks us to be learners. Not only in the formal sense—Torah study, adult education classes, Hebrew school—but in the quieter, more personal ways we navigate our days. Jewish learning is not confined to a classroom; it’s a posture, a way of meeting the world with curiosity, humility, and resilience.
This time of year is full of transitions. Families prepare for school to begin again, our synagogue gears up for the High Holy Days, and many of us feel the subtle shift from summer’s looseness toward autumn’s structure. Change, even when welcome, can feel unsettling. It asks us to stretch, to adapt, to let go of what was familiar.
Our tradition doesn’t pretend that change is easy. Instead, it gives us tools to move through it with intention. The Talmud teaches, “I have learned much from my teachers, more from my colleagues, and most from my students.” Embedded in that line is a profound truth: learning is relational. We grow because we are in community with one another. We face change not alone, but surrounded by people who help us interpret, question, and reimagine.
At Congregation Beth Shalom, Jewish learning is one of our greatest strengths. I see it in the way our members show up for classes, in the thoughtful questions asked during services, in the conversations that spill out into the courtyard long after programs end. I see it in our children, who approach Judaism with an honesty and openness that reminds us how brave learning can be.
And I see it in our willingness to evolve as a community. Change is not something to “get through”—it’s something to learn from. Each shift in our programming, each new face in our sanctuary, each challenge we encounter is an invitation to deepen our understanding of who we are and who we are becoming.
As we prepare for the busy, meaningful months ahead, I hope we can embrace August as a time to learn gently. Ask questions. Try something new. Join a class you’ve been curious about. Reach out to someone you haven’t seen in a while. Let yourself be a beginner again.
Jewish learning reminds us that growth is not a disruption—it’s a blessing. May this season of transition bring insight, connection, and a renewed sense of purpose to us all.
Warmly,
Marah Peresechensky
Executive Director
Friday, August 7 after service
Join us quarterly for an elevated Oneg that’s a delicious combo of catered and potluck. Here’s your opportunity to relax, meet new members, and enjoy a wonderful Shabbat meal after service. Click to learn more and register.
Saturday, Sepember 26
A special fundraising concert benefiting Congregation Beth Shalom! Join tenor and cantor Stephen Guggenheim along with acclaimed pianist Daniel Lockert for an unforgettable evening of music celebrating the journey of Jewish song from the heart of the shtetl, through the synagogue, to the bright lights of the modern stage.
Here’s what’s happening this month; visit our full calendar to see everything on the horizon.
Library Open House! Sunday, August 23, from 9:00 am to noon. Come hang out and enjoy some coffee (Yes, food is allowed in our library!). Familiarize yourself with the new library software and browse the shelves.
New! Library open hours:
• Sunday mornings, 9:00 am – noon.
• Friday afternoons, 4:00 – 6:00 pm.
Consider volunteering once a month during open hours. It will be some peaceful time to read. Email Linda if you are interested.
New books have arrived! Something for everyone:
• Dog by Yshay Ron
• Hostage by Ari Sharabi
And graphic novels for young adults:
• Honoria by Janice Shapiro
• I Wish I Didn’t Have to Tell You This, a memoir by Eugene Yelchin.
I have a small budget left. Do you have suggestions for new items for the library? Let me know!
See you in the library,
Linda
1 Jonah Levinsohn
2 Luca Ong Weinreich
2 Oliver Meckel
4 Fred Goldman
4 Naomi Petrick
5 Jonathan Rust
6 David Cohen
6 Kelly Pepper
6 Lilah Lopez
7 Maxine Miluso
9 Carolyn Gill
9 Levi Dobrow
11 Erik Harvey
12 Max Lustig
13 Jonah Slater-Lewis
14 Ella Linkner
14 Rita Burris
14 Debra Greenstein
15 Richard Kaufman
15 Susan Krieger
16 Eva Valenti-Bird
17 Fred Walz
18 Kimberly Shaul
19 Christopher Mouriski
19 Miriam Shein
19 Deb Bloomberg
21 Lilly Goldman
24 Juliana DiPasqua
24 Maya Zeiderman
24 Jesse Petrick
25 Lisa Winograde
28 Michael Chevlen
30 Jose Cazares
1 Zoe & Dick Stein
1 Charaine & Charles Lucas
2 Anna & Shahim Shahabi
13 Norbert & Allison Frost
14 Denise & Yair Kaduri
16 Nancy & Alan Goldstein
17 Pam & Alan Bergman
21 Susan Kopperman & Philip Ross
25 Andrew Starr & Debbie Alter-Starr
30 Charles Slutzkin & Rita Burris
31 Jacki & Bob Knell
We remember and honor loved ones on the anniversary of their passing on these days this month. Make a donation in honor of a loved one.
1 Sandra Stoltz
1 Richard Luros
2 Ira Saletan
2 David Pinney
2 Victor Olcott
3 Josephine Novis
3 Shepard S Kopp
3 Harry Rose
3 Paul Decker
3 Carolyn Goldman
3 Gussie Bickoff
3 Michael Perlman
4 Doris Kaufman
4 Helen Louise Marx
4 Charles W. Barnes
5 Daniel Cort
5 Julius Goren
6 Estelle Mautner
6 Robin Karfiol Wright
7 David Bloom
7 Werner Frost
7 David Ginsburg
7 Gilbert Lambert
8 Abe Solomon
9 Seymour Schectman
9 Anna Belzman
10 Martha Miller Sherman
10 Peter Laband
10 Max Yesowitch
11 Gabriel Veniamin Krijanowsky
11 Samuel Margolis
11 Wesley Meyer
11 Patricia Harms
12 Jake Klebanoff
13 Shepard Kopp
13 Micah Bycel
13 Julian Weidler
14 Allen Ewig
14 Betty Hochstadter
14 Simon Blitstein
14 Allen Ewig
15 Lottie Rosenberg
15 Rita Adelman
15 Lottie Rosenberg
16 Peter Di Pasqua
16 Mildred Haniford
17 Leona Biber
17 Maurine Reinganum
17 Anna Solomon
17 Julius “Mickey” Cohen
17 Ben Baumel
18 Ida Rosenblatt
19 Doris Rubin
19 Jeanne Schwartz
19 Ruth Bershak
19 William Weidler
19 Ben Hecht
19 Abe Euster
21 Shirley Gordon
21 Nathan Schumer
23 Pauline Becker
23 Peggy Duly
24 Tevyah Schwartz
27 Mary Janet Steinman
27 James Cullen Heaphy Jr.
27 Gloria Curry
27 Ed Estin
27 Marcie Shefren
28 Robert Meyers
28 Dorothy Inerfield
29 Eva Charlup
29 Julian Weidler
29 Harvey Gardner
29 Caroline Simon
30 Evelyn Baum
30 Harry Gross
General Fund:
• In memory of my beloved Mother Rosalie Hyman – Sandi Hyman
• In Memory Of David Margulies, a wonderful humorist and poker player – Kathryn and Fred Goldman
• In Honor Of Robin Stearn’s 80th birthday with love from Martha and Richard Pastcan
• In Honor Of Kathryn Winter’s 80th birthday with love from Martha and Richard Pastcan
• In memory of our fathers, Percy Cohen and Abe Trucker, on the anniversaries of their deaths. – Henni Cohen & Lee Trucker
• In honor of Harriet & Marty Spitz’s anniversary – Anne & Debbie Percelay
• In memory of Dr. Eliot E. Percelay – Anne & Debbie Percelay
• In memory of Dr. David Margulies – Anne Percelay
• In Memory Of Rosalie Hyman (Sandi’s mother). – Kathleen Conrey
• In memory of Rhoda Greendorfer Kapchan, my beautiful mother, both inside and out. – Allison & Norbert Frost
• In memory of my wonderful grandmother, Molly Greendorfer – Allison & Norbert Frost
• In memory of a friend, David Margulies – Allison & Norbert Frost
• In honor of our cherished friend, Maxine Miluso’s 80th Birthday – Allison & Norbert Frost
• In memory of David Margulies, beloved husband of Mary Pim. – Sandi Hyman
• In memory of David Margulies. – Marc and Sylvia Samrick
Lifelong Learning Fund:
• In Memory of David Margulies, doctor, friend and life-long Torah learner – Dr. Richard and Martha Pastcan
• In Memory of David Margulies, a life well lived. – Judy Nystrom & Bill Vermeere
Youth Fund:
• In Memory Of David Margulies, a mensch who will be missed. – Roy & Sue Barush
• In Honor Of The baby naming of Dan Joseph Levin. We look forward to his future in our CBS community. Love from Martha and Richard Pastcan
• In Honor Of Judy Nystrom’s 80th birthday with love from Martha and Richard Pastcan
• In honor of Shira Lubliner’s 75th Birthday – Bonnie Fineman & Scott Brown
Rabbi’s Discretionary Fund:
• In Memory Of David Margulies – A true mensch who lived life on his terms with an uproarious joke ready to share. So thankful we had our lunch posse. Barouch Dayan Ha’emet. – David & Sheila Amar
Refugee Resettlement Fund:
• In memory of Nina Storm – Jan & Tom Sabo
Interested in becoming a member? Learn more about the benefits of membership, join Beth Shalom today, or reach out to Executive Director Marah Peresechensky to start the discussion.
Religious School is almost here
We are in the thick of summer, but it is time to register for Religious School!
School starts Sunday, August 23rd with services, class, and a kick-off pool party! Register now for Religious School.
Questions about Religious School? Contact Education Director Marah Peresechensky.
An $18 donation to Congregation Beth Shalom includes placement in our newsletter from the time your submission is received through the conclusion of your event. Contact us to learn more or submit your content. Submissions must be received by the 15th of each month to be included in the following month’s newsletter. Congregation Beth Shalom reserves the right to decline any submission.
To know member Fred Goldman is to know he is a talented and versatile photographer. Now, you can see his photography on display at the Napa County Library at 580 Coombs St., now through the end of August!
Discover a dynamic collection of images from photographers of all levels, captured with everything from professional cameras to smartphones. This exhibition of the Napa Valley Photographic Society celebrates photography as an art form and showcases the creativity, skill, and vision of their members. Experience the world through their lenses. Learn more about the Napa Valley Photographic Society.
Need a notary? Meredith’s Mobile Notary is here to help.
Contact Meredith Cutler at 215-285-0865
Special discounts for Beth Shalom members.
A Sad & Beautiful World
Saturday, August 29
Two showtimes: 4:00 pm & 7:00 pm
Jarvis Conservatory (1711 Main St, Napa)
View the trailer and buy tickets
Our August film is a love story from Lebanon. A Sad & Beautiful World won 16 international awards, has a 7.6 rating on IMDB and was Lebanon’s Oscar submission earlier this year.
Across three decades of passion, loss, and hope, Nino and Yasmina are bound by a magnetic relationship. Torn between love and survival, they must decide whether to build a family and seek happiness in Lebanon, or leave their home, amid the country’s unfolding tragedies.
Winner of the Audience Award at the Venice Film Festival and selected as Lebanon’s Official Entry for the 98th Academy Awards, A Sad and Beautiful World spans decades of love, heartbreak, and hope. The film follows childhood sweethearts Nino and Yasmina as they find their way back to each.
Earring lessons and parties for all ages! 100% goes for tourniquets for Ukraine. Great for birthdays, book clubs, bridal events, family reunions, all types of groups & ages. These are lots of fun!!
Fabulous jewelry studio, huge bead collection from around the world, all metal made in USA. Full kitchen, downtown location, near Fuller Park. Can come to your home as well.
Minimum: 4 people (ages 7-107) up to 12 people
Time: 1.5 – 2.5 hours
Cost: $45.00 per person, includes one pair of earrings (valued at $25-30.)
Location: given upon reservation. Old Town, near Fuller Park
Available: morning, afternoon, evening.
Lots of street parking
Contact: Mara Adelman
WhatsApp/phone: 206-817-6608
Dr. Adelman, retired professor, jewelry & ceramic artist, active fundraiser for Ukraine. In Napa from April to January 1.
Come enjoy a FREE class on Wednesday, August 5 at 10:00 am. Contact Marah for more info.
President: Eve Kahn
Vice President: Shira Lubliner
Treasurer: Ellyn Elson
Secretary: Michael Chevlen
Past President: Roberta Solomon
Board members at large:
Meredith Cutler
Alan Goldstein
Amy Hall
Sandi Hyman
Elaina Michalski
Suzie Myers
Robin Stearn
Please reach out with any questions, concerns, or just to have a cup of coffee and a chat. Our doors are always open to you.
Rabbi
Niles Goldstein
Executive Director
Marah Peresechensky
Music Director
Gordon Lustig