April 2026 Bulletin

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PRESIDENT:  Joel Last, M.D.

We are faced this month with many challenges. On the world stage, we pray for our soldiers in Israel and the USA in fighting the war against Iran to achieve a swift victory followed by a long-lasting peace. In the community, we again have been alerted by the threats to the Jewish community after a terrorist attack in West Bloomfield, Michigan at Temple Israel (where I had recently attended a wedding anniversary of my cousin in January). We need to rise to the occasion and meet these challenges.

At CEI, we are facing the challenges of security. Chris DeMarco has been doing an excellent job keeping in touch with the museum, church, and local Greensburg police addressing shared security issues in our neighborhood. He also reported that CEI has passed the preliminary round of PCCD security grant funds request from the state. Also, I am pleased to announce that our treasurer, Julie, has notified us of an anonymous donor who has generously donated $20,000 to CEI. I would like to encourage all members to consider putting CEI in your will to help perpetuate the long legacy of CEI into the future. Our financial resources are very limited and we are not generating enough revenue to balance our expenses. Thus, we are draining our financial reserves.

One of these expenses is the maintenance of the building. The porch was recently repaired, new landscaping will be needed, a leaky roof needed repairs, a stain glass window needs repair, the parking lot needs resurfacing, and a bathroom needs remodeling to create access for the handicapped. Salaries for the Rabbi, Bea, cleaning crew, lawn cutting and snow removal all contribute to expenses that drain our financial resources. If you don’t have the financial resources to contribute, you can volunteer your time helping out with one of our committees.

I am pleased to report that membership has blossomed over the past few years, with the prospect of more celebratory events involving younger congregants as was witnessed recently at the Purim party.

Finally, I want to wish Rabbi Lenny a swift and complete recovery from his surgery.

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ALFRED RATNER LIBRARY NEWS by Shirley Shpargel, Librarian

One Little Goat: A Passover Catastrophe by Dara Horn is a graphic novel for ages 8 and up, but adults will appreciate the Jewish history in its triumphs and tragedies. The title refers to the song “Had Gadya” sung near the end of the seder; the goat is caught in a chain of events, but here becomes a guide.  At the Passover Seder table a family cannot find their afikomen which the little sister has thrown into the rift in time. The seder cannot end until the afikomen is found, so for six months they are trapped at the seder.  A talking goat shows up at their door with the bad news that thousands of years of seders have accumulated underneath their seder, and the afikomen is stuck in one of them.  The “wise child” Who is the oldest boy at the seder must travel down with the goat through centuries of previous Passovers to find it.

In this chaotic and funny “Alice in Wonderland”-like tale, the boy falls deeper and deeper into Jewish history, guided by the wise goat. The wise child interacts with a range of people and places from the past, He comes to understand his father’s irritating enthusiasm, his grandfather’s impatience, and his great grandmother’s constant saying: you’re doing it wrong.  Horn shares moments that reveal magic in every layer. The four sons of the seder are each assigned a specific trait, the Jewish response to the Exodus story, the argument between third-century rabbis Rav and Shmuel, the heroism of Dona Gracia Nasi in rescuing Jews from the Inquisition and the Warsaw Ghetto uprising. One Little Goat is illustrated by Theo Ellsworth who draws dramatic facial expressions and intricate detail in this graphic book.  One Little Goat is on display in our library and can be checked out.

CHATTER

Happy Birthday to:  Autumn Blozowich, Wally Caplan, Francois Gau, Zoe Pawlak, Don Pripstein, Mira Spor, Jack Shpargel, Richard Virshup.

Happy Anniversary to:  Jon and Samantha Dohner and Joyce and Jim Schenck.

Mazel Tov!  On the birth of a son, Liam, to Ben and Cortney Moidel.  Proud grandparents are members Teri and Gary Moidel.

We offer condolences to: Former members Sheila & Barry Kassel and Family on the death of Sheila’s brother Barry Moldovan.

CEI LINK PROGRAM

CEI LINK Program – a video conference experience.  Even though CEI is open for in-house worshipers, we will continue to video conference the Shabbat Services on Friday at 7:30 PM, so you can continue to attend services from home.  Visit our website www.ceigreensburg.org for instructions on how to log into the meeting and for the meeting code (which should be the same each week).  If you have any questions, please call and talk with Rabbi Lenny.  Songs for the service will be available on the website.  The Mishkan T’filah (prayer books) used in the service are available digitally on the website.

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WHEN MAKING A DONATION

When making a donation, whether to a CEI Fund or the Remembrance Fund, please provide complete information.  This will make it easier and faster to process.

1    The name and address of where to send the response to let them know you made a donation.

2    The reason for the donation (in memory of, in honor of, speedy recovery, etc.) and the full name of the honoree.

3    Name and address of donor.

Example:  Please send a card (or accept this donation) to Jane Doe, XXX Main St, Greensburg, PA 156XX.  In Honor of the Birthday of Jane Doe!  From Jack Jones, XXX Broadway Dr., Greensburg, PA  156XX.

WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THESE GIFTS

PULPIT FLOWERS:  In Memory of:

February 20:  Boaz Lurie, Reuven Lurie and Zilpa Lurie by Shoshana and Bob Halden.

February 27:  Eileen Cohen by Amy Karelitz. William Davis by Linda and Jeffrey Reisner and Marilyn and Jim Davis. Tom Ziff by Marilyn and Jim Davis. William Weiner by Terri and Stanley Katzman.

March 6:  Mike Arbetter by Marilyn and Jim Davis.

CEI FUNDS

CARING FUND:  Supports congregants who are experiencing sickness, bereavement & other personal difficulties.

CEI ENDOWMENT FUND:  Provides for the continuity of the congregation by subsidizing future operating expenses.  A donation was made anonymously.

CONGREGATION GENERAL FUND:  CEI operating expenses. A donation to off-set the costs of printing and mailing monthly Bulletin by Shoshana and Bob Halden.

CONGREGATION YAHRZEIT FUND:  In Memory of:  Mary Miller Levy by Charles and Susan Levy. Samuel E. Weiner by Terri and Stan Katzman.  Herman Resnick by Ben Resnick. Pauline Liebman and Francine Lipowitz by Linda Liebman. Bert Minushkin, Rozlyn Naughton and Daniel Tattenbaum by Rachel Minushkin.

LIBRARY BOOK FUND:  Provides for the purchase of books and other resource material for the library.

NEW HIGH HOLIDAY, MISHKAN HANEFESH, PRAYER BOOKS:  Provides for the purchase of new High Holiday Mishkan HaNefesh.

RABBI’S DISCRETIONARY FUND:  Helps individuals and/or org. in need.

REMEMBRANCE FUND:  A special donation to Sisterhood to honor or celebrate an event or person.  Virginia Lieberman (724-668-2442) or Yvonne Bureau (724-837-8072).  In Honor of:  Get Well wishes to Rabbi Lenny Sarko by Shoshana & Bob Halden and Irene Rothschild.  In Memory of:  Dave Trentin by Irene Rothschild.  Barry Moldovan by Irene Rothschild.

TEMPLE EMANU-EL CEMETERY FUND:  For beautification and upkeep of the Temple Emanu-El Cemetery.

TREE OF LIFE:  A personalized leaf commemorating a happy lifecycle event to be added to the Tree of Life.