June 11th, 2012
Dinner date: 8 June 2012
Guests: Robin, Jack, Noah and Gabe Samuels; Jack and Ellen Kahan Zager
Recipe: Grilled flank steak; lentil salad; corn salad; sugar snap peas; blueberries and lemonade pie
Story: We all appreciate the Beth Am community and the many offerings that it provides — especially Eutaw Place!
May 29th, 2012
Dinner date: 25 May 2012
Guests: Lissa Rotundo, Joel Balsham, Miriam Tillman, Meg Heyman, Leah Jacobs
Analogy: Our conversation ranged from the joys and challenges of being parents, grandparents, children and grandchildren, to family stories on all manner of themes, including, but not limited to how values and traditions have been passed along, to sharing the successes as well as the difficulties of worklife issues.
Story: We composed a Shabbat Haiku: Candles, wine, challah Eggplant, fish and fruit cobbler Wonderful people.
May 29th, 2012
Dinner date: 20 April 20 2012
Guests: Joel Balsham, Charles and Abby Rammelkamp, James Bontempo and Alex Huff, Kenneth Moss, Anne Eakin Moss, Jacob and Aaron Moss
Analogy: Beth Am (or is it Wyman Park?) is like a smorgasbord of humanity. Shabbat is an excuse to sample the smorgasbord.
Recipe: Fresh Strawberry Pie
May 20th, 2012
Dinner date: 11 May 2012
Guests: Carter and Sam Polakoff, Oliver Schein and Nadine Fontain, Karin Batterton
Analogy: Beth Am is like no other synagogue. This kind of outreach is very unusual and it is great fun getting to know people one has seen for years in the neighborhood but has never gotten together with or has seen at Beth Am but never really had the opportunity to talk to.
Story: People talked about what it was like to meet each other’s families for the first time in situations where each family was from a different cultural and religious background. Misinformation and even expressed anti-Semitic feelings abounded. Parents of young children also said their children loved going to Beth Am, an experience that was very unlike their own as children.
May 20th, 2012
Dinner date: 18 March 2012
Guests: Betty & Dan Chemers, Kathy & Sandy Shapiro, Amy Davidoff & Steve Gore, Janet Horn & Alan Yuspeh, Joyce Leviton
Analogy: Shabbat is a time for reflection and connection.
Recipe: Salade Nicoise was a hit – so many healthy and colorful items to choose from, on just one platter.
Story: Most of the guests didn’t know each other, even the five people who sit within a few rows of each other at Beth Am. All the guests quickly found intriguing things about each other and amazing things in common. Towards the end of the meal, everyone participated in a discussion about ethics and evolution, prompted by an article about Dr. Ben Carson. We all had good things to say about Beth Am and were grateful that the “613+” dinner initiative brought us together.
May 20th, 2012
Dinner date: 11 May 2012
Guests: David, Jessica, Talia, Isabel & Nadya Lunken; Ariel, Beth & Sophie Winter; Adam & Nancy Basner, Michael Pearlman & Paula Singer
Analogy: Beth Am is a wonderful place for kids. We compared it favorably to a few other local shuls, as well.
Recipe: We had a Mexican fiesta featuring 5-layer taco dip and make-your-own fajitas and tacos using vegetarian fillings.
May 13th, 2012
Dinner date: 12 May 2012
Guests: Ken & Paula Williams, Bryna Zumer, Miriam Tillman, Elaine Weiss
Story: Those in attendance are all positive on Beth Am but offered a number of suggestions and comments. A number of those in attendance, both older and younger members, would like changes in the service to make it more participatory including changes in songs that would make it easier for congregants to sing along. Guests were very positive on the musical Shabbat services. One person cited Rosh Hashanah services as particularly in need of revision to make them more participatory and more relevant. I also had the sense that, while BAYITT was a draw for both of the younger members who joined us, the passage of time may have made it less dynamic/exciting today and we should not be resting on our laurels with regard to BAYITT.
Recipe: Salmon marinated in teriyaki sauce and broiled.
May 8th, 2012
Dinner date: 4 May 2012
Guests: Stacey Mink & Geoff Brown & son Hugo Brown, Rabbi Kelley Gludt & Rob Gludt & son Romy
Recipe: Vegetarian Stuffed Cabbage
Story: Stacey told us how she discovered that she is related to Beth Am member Lisa Schulman. We talked about all the places we’ve lived–about a dozen cities among us. Hugo & Romy had fun hanging with the big kids.
May 5th, 2012
Dinner date: 4 May 2012
Guests: Al & Jill Somer, Hillary & Jim Jacobs, Ken Tellerman and Donna Behrens
Analogy: We did not ask the standard questions (our guests had already been to several of these). But we had a thoroughly enjoyable evening in which new members met and got to know long-time members and many of our the guests talked about why they had joined Beth Am.
May 1st, 2012
Dinner date: 27 April 2012
Guests: Rabbi Michelle Stern and Eitan and Noa Kimchi, Simon Birenbaum and fiancee Whitney, Lauren Lyon-Collis and Ariel and Leora Collis
Recipe: BBQ wings
Story: Eitan “wore” Noa the entire meal.
