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Woman of Distinction 2012

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Idalea has been involved with Beth Israel Congregation of Sun City Center for eleven years. She served as Program Chair from 2003-2009, and Board Member-at-Large in 2010. Idalea has initiated and chaired various programs for the congregation, including the annual Scholar in Residence program, Jewish Book Club, and “Movies and a Bissle Nosh” featuring Jewish-themed movies. She has been the song leader for the Women’s Seder since 2007. As Social Action Chair, Idalea has invigorated the congregation’s involvement in social action issues, such as human rights for tomato pickers, coupons for overseas military families, human trafficking, and feeding the hungry. Through her efforts, Beth Israel participated in and became one of the venues of the Tampa Bay Jewish Film Festival and Tampa Jewish Book Festival. She enlisted the cooperation of the Tampa Jewish Federation to provide transportation for Sun City Center residents to programs such as the 92nd Street Y series.

At Temple Emmanuel Baltimore, Idalea taught Sunday School and was the youth group founder and advisor from 1970-1982. She was President of Maryland Music Education for Kodaly. Idalea was Co-Founder and Director of the Children’s Chorus of Carroll County from 1984-2001, and performed at the White House Holiday Celebration in 1997. She also performed at Music Educators National Conference in 1998 and Carnegie Hall in 2001. Idalea was the music educator of vocal music for Carroll County Schools from 19783-1998. She was Homecoming Chair of the Peabody Conservatory of Music in 1990 and 1992 and served as President of the Peabody Conservatory of Music Alumni from 1993-1995. She was honored as Teacher of the Year by the Chamber of Commerce for Carrol County in 1997, and 125 of her fifth-grade students performed the National Anthem at Camden Yards in 1997.

Idalea was also the Corresponding Secretary of the South Shore Democratic club from 2006-2008. In addition to being a member of Beth Israel since 2001, Idalea was a member of Temple Emanuel in Baltimore from 1968-2003. Idalea and her husband, Robert have six children and eleven grandchildren.

Bnai Torah Class of 2017

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Bnai Torah class of January 2017
Vicki Courrèges, Anna Foster, Carol Goekin, Hilde Klein, Erica Leino, Linda Mumford, Diane Posner, Joy Rosen, Robert Whiteman,
Snapshot 1 2 3 2017 3 37 PM SmallAnna Foster, Joy Rosen, Erica Leino, Rabbi Carla Freedman

           
 
 
 
 
Snapshot 2 2 3 2017 3 39 PMJoy Rosen, Anna Foster, Rabbi Carla Freedman

 
 
 
 
 
 
Snapshot 3 2 3 2017 3 40 PM 2Hilde Klein, Daine Posner, Joy Rosen
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Snapshot 4 2 3 2017 3 43 PMLinda Mumford, Bob Whiteman, Rabbi Carla Freedman
 
 
 
 
 
 
Snapshot 5 2 3 2017 3 45 PMLinda Mumford, Rabbi Carla Freedman
 
 
 
 
 
 
Snapshot 6 2 3 2017 3 46 PMVicki Courrèges, Rabbi Carla Freedman
 
 
 
 
 
 
Snapshot 7 2 3 2017 3 48 PMDiane Posner, Bob Whiteman, Hilde Klein, Rabbi Carla Freedman
 
 
 
 
 
Question: What is “Bnot Torah”? I have heard of “adult bar/bat mitzvahs”, but never “Bnot Torah”.

“Bar Mitzvah” is an Aramaic phrase that comes to us from Pirkei Avot, 5:24. In this collection of “wisdom literature”, various ethical and inspirational sayings are attributed to the earliest generations of the rabbis. The item of interest to us is attributed to Rabbi Yehudah ben Tema, who outlines the stages of a Jew’s life, indicating what is appropriate for specific ages. He identifies 13 as the age at which a Jew becomes morally accountable for his own actions, as signified by his (and today of course, her) full assumption of the religious duties of Jewish adulthood, that is, the performance of mitzvot (fulfilling the commandments).

In antiquity, and probably until the 17th century, this transition from childhood to adult responsibility at the age of 13 took place without ceremony. But for the last 400 years, approximately, we have been marking the occasion by requiring the youngster in question to demonstrate to the community that he (and now she too) is ready to be counted amongst the adults, by demonstrating competence in some ritual act that is not permitted to those under 13. Reading from the Torah scroll became that demonstration because in addition to the reading skills it shows, it is also evidence of disciplined learning. Thus, the Bar/Bat Mitzvah ceremony serves to notify the community that another member has come of age.

So, to speak of “an adult Bar/Bat Mitzvah” is a contradiction in terms. Bar/Bat Mitzvah is something that happens, with or without ceremony, at the age of 13.

Many adult women today did not have the opportunity to acquire the skills and demonstrate them to their family and community at the age of 13 because Bat Mitzvah ceremonies had not become common when they were the right age; others did not have this rite of passage because the family they grew up in only provided religious instruction to their sons. So these women have asserted their right to that instruction and the public acknowledgement of their Jewish identity by going through a parallel ritual. But properly speaking, that cannot be called a “Bat Mitzvah” because that is unequivocally associated with the age of 13. Many of us would like to reclaim our youth, but we all know that we cannot go back to being 13!

So the event is referred to as Bat or Bar Torah (some men missed out on the adolescent rite of passage too). To emphasize that this is a ritual for mature and highly motivated adults, it is appropriate to give it a name of its own. And so we can speak of an adult laying claim to Torah (either in the sense of what’s on the scroll or in the sense of all of Jewish wisdom) by becoming a son (bar) or daughter (bat) of the Torah.

When a mixed gender group or an all-male group does this together, it is called Bnai Torah. And when a group of women do this, it is called Bnot Torah. This nomenclature acknowledges the centrality of Torah to Jewish life and learning, and reminds us that we are all the children of that source of wisdom.

Woman of Distinction 2013 Sandra Hurwitz

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Women of Distinction 2013 Sandra Hurwitz

Sandra has been dedicated to Beth Israel for 26 years, where she was a founding member in 1987. She served as Treasurer from 2010-20’123 and is currently the Sisterhood President. Sandra has organized and been in charge of the Sisterhood Shabbat services for many years. Sandra has been the Beth Israel representative to the Interfaith Social; Action Council since 2010.

As a member of the Chai Chapter of Hadassah, Sandra served as Vice President from 2012-2013. She has volunteered with the Sun City Security Patrol, the Ruskin Library, and Wimauma Elementary School, and she was a highly-regarded teacher of fourth and fifth grades. She also was President of the Sandpiper Golf Club Ladies Nine Hole League from 2011-2013.

Sandra received the Community Woman of the Year award from Beta Sigma Phi, Laureate Zeta Pi Chapter in 2012 in recognition of her volunteer activities. Sandra has been married to her husband, Martin, for 52 years. They have two children and four grandchildren.

Nina Malinak 2014

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Nina has been dedicated to Beth Israel for nine years. Since 2011, she has served as corresponding secretary, technology chair, co-webmaster, Sisterhood membership vice-president, and photographer.

Nina had a successful teaching and counseling career. She served as executive director of the Connecticut Counseling Association from 2000 to 2009. The association recognized her outstanding contributions with the creation of the Nina R. Malinak Service Award in 2009. Nina also served as secretary of the Connecticut School Counselor Association from 1998 to 2005. She has been the treasurer of the Connecticut Career Counseling and Development Association since 2012. Nina was honored by the Trumbull, Connecticut public school system with a nomination as Teacher of the Year in 1996. She received the U.S. Army’s Planning for Life Recognition Award with the support of the National Consortium of State Career Guidance Supervisors in 1995. Nina has been listed multiple times in various Who’s Who publications since 1983.

Additionally, she has been treasurer of the Kensington Condominium Association since 2006, and membership vice-president and publications chair of the Eagle Audubon Society since 2007.
In Connecticut, Nina was an active volunteer for the Special Olympics as an Athlete Escort from 2000 to 2004. She also volunteered for the Swim Across the Sound Foundation as a counselor in the Women Helping Women Program, and was a participant in the Relay for Life from 1998 to 2011.

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