BI-TWT Members — There’s still time to participate in our
Purim Shalach Manot Fundraiser…
One of the most joyous mitzvot associated with the festival of Purim is Shalach Manot, the sending of treats to friends and family. This 1st annual fundraiser will be providing funds for our much-needed general fund. In honor of this mitzvah, please join in sending gifts to your fellow congregants. Each family receives onepackage filled with an assortment of goodies and treats, including homemade hamantaschen. Included will be a card listing the names of those sending good wishes. How to send your Beth Israel-The West Temple Shalach Manot1. Check your email for your personal link that was sent Monday evening, Jan 25.2. Select the temple members from the list that you would like to send a Shalach Manot package3. Remember that the deadline is Friday, February 19. The cost is tiered:$5.00 for the first 20 people on your list$4.00 for the 21st and each additional person.$400.00 to send to the entire congregation. We will only distribute one gift to each family. The enclosed card will include the names of everyone sending that gift. (For example – if everyone in the congregation were to give you a gift, you would not receive hundreds of gifts, you would receive one gift with a card listing everyone who gave you that gift.) *If you did not receive a personal email – please notify Robin Kaufman, treasurer@thewesttemple.com or 216-387-6630 cell And thank you for your support!
LHS/WEST SHORE STUDENTS EARN TOP REGIONAL ART AWARDS
by Lila Wright[No, this is not a photograph!] Mazal Tov! to Lila Wright, one of 6 students at Lakewood High School and the West Shore Career-Tech Media Art & Design program who won highest honors among the 25 awards earned in the annual Scholastic Art & Writing Awards regional competition held in December. Lila’s artwork was one of the six Gold Key awards, the highest honor given.
During the month of January, the High School class at BI-TWT will be participating in Project Save. This is a campaign to assemble backpacks full of school supplies to help serve homeless families with children in the Cleveland area. Education is a huge problem for students living in poverty, and helping them will enable the students have a path towards success in the future. The High School class has received a YOFI Grant from the Jewish Education Center of Cleveland, and will use money from the temple’s Lou and Evy Rosenblum Social Action Fund to help offset the cost of the materials. During these Covid times, we are appreciative of your support of this very important project. If you would like to help, please feel free to make a donation (by check or through our website) to BI-TWT, designating it for the Lou and Evy Rosenblum Social Action Fund.
Whether taxpayers are supporting natural disaster recovery, COVID-19 pandemic aid or another cause that’s personally meaningful to them, their charitable donations may be tax deductible. These deductions basically reduce the amount of their taxable income. Here’s how the CARES Act changes deducting charitable contributions made in 2020: Previously, charitable contributions could only be deducted if taxpayers itemized their deductions. However, taxpayers who don’t itemize deductions may take a charitable deduction of up to $300 for cash contributions made in 2020 to qualifying organizations. For the purposes of this deduction, qualifying organizations are those that are religious, charitable, educational, scientific or literary in purpose. The law changed in this area due to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act. The CARES Act also temporarily suspends limits on charitable contributions and temporarily increases limits on contributions of food inventory. More information about these changes is available at www.irs.govBeth Israel – The West Temple would be grateful if every one of our member households would consider making a donation using this one-time opportunity. All funds will go to our General Fund. If you have questions about this program, consult with your tax expert and/or view further information on the IRS website. Thank you.Peter A. SackettPresident, Board of Trustees
Town Hall Discussion – Feeding the Hungry in Northeast Ohio Beth Israel – The West Temple, and Peter Sackett, will host a Town Hall Discussion,with Kristin Warzocha, President and CEO, Greater Cleveland Food Bank, and Lona Gruber, founding director of the SCAN Hunger Center Pantry. Our guests will discuss their paths to leadership, challenges in their positions, goals and needs for the upcoming holiday season and other issues. Questions may be submitted via Chat Room during the live stream. Here is the YouTube link to the livestream https://youtu.be/b2J2jRfQdbM
by Lila Wright[No, this is not a photograph!] Mazal Tov! to Lila Wright, one of 6 students at Lakewood High School and the West Shore Career-Tech Media Art & Design program who won highest honors among the 25 awards earned in the annual Scholastic Art & Writing Awards regional competition held in December. Lila’s artwork was one of the six Gold Key awards, the highest honor given. 
