For more information about attending an event at Central Synagogue, call our Events coordinator at (212) 838-5122
Posted/updated: August 31, 2010
Now through Wednesday, September 29, 2010:
Our annual food drive will take place during the festival of Sukkot. We hope that you will participate in this mitzvah project by bringing non-perishable items to Stern Lobby through Wednesday, September 29.
You may also make a donation to (or volunteer at) our weekly Breakfast Program, which feeds hundreds of hungry New Yorkers every week.
For more info contact the Social Justice Committee at: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Posted/updated: August 11, 2010
Join and Help the Needy in our Community!
Sign up to help make sandwiches for our Breakfast Program - feeding homeless people in our community.
Please RSVP to your teacher if you would like to help on any of the dates. We need your participation!
Sandwich making dates through December are:
• Thursday 10/7
• Thursday 10/21
• Thursday 11/4
• Wednesday 11/10
• Thursday 12/16
All days sandwich making starts at 6:15pm for approximately one hour.
If you would also like to come and serve breakfast on any morning during the year, please join any Thursday or Friday at 6:30am for one hour!
Here is what some students say about helping serve breakfast:
“ It felt so good to come and help serve breakfast a few times with my mom and my dad. I served juice and helped out and also visited with some people. Some were sad and it was nice to help them and some told stories that were interesting. I saw how much our help was appreciated. I also enjoy making sandwiches that we give out after breakfast.”
Sarah Fassberg, 5th grade
“My experience at the Breakfast Program was great. I did mitzvah by feeding those in need and had fun at the same time. The Breakfast Program was an incredible thing for me to experience and I can’t wait to go back again!”
Kayla Gillman, 6th grade
Posted/updated: June 16, 2010
Andrew Cohen, the 2-year-old son of members of Temple Israel of New Rochelle, is currently a patient at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City. His treatment for Neuroblastoma requires regular blood and platelet transfusions.
Andrew and his family would deeply appreciate your donation of blood and/or platelets and requests you ask others you know to donate. Donations not used by Andrew will be released for use by other patients - many of whom are children.
To benefit Andrew, all designated donations must be made in the Blood Donor Room of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.
Please visit them online for complete information about donor eligibility and the donation process for blood or platelets.
Contact:Joe Licata, (212) 639-8177
Manager, Blood Donor Program
licataj@mskcc.org
Blood Donor Room
(212) 639-7648
1250 First Avenue (between 67th & 68th Streets)
Schwartz Building Lobby
Open Every Day:
Fri, Sat, Sun, Mon: 8:30am - 3:00pm
Tues, Weds, Thur: 8:30am - 7:00pm
The process for donating whole blood takes approximately 1 hour. The process for donating platelets takes about 2½ hours. Appointments are necessary. All blood types are acceptable.
Free Donor Parking: Somerset Parking Garage, 1365 York Avenue (entrance on NW corner of 72nd Street)
Posted in: Social Action
Posted/updated: June 03, 2010
Dear Congregants,
Many of you have read with concern the coverage of Israel’s encounter with the Turkish ship, the Mavi Marmara.
We mourn the loss of civilian life in this tragic incident as well as the serious injuries to Israeli soldiers. We also regret that this event has become another touchstone in the ongoing battle of perception about Israel.
It can be difficult to sift through the many media images, videos and opinion pieces swirling around this incident to understand exactly what happened. There is a rush to judgment and a desire to understand who is to blame. We urge you to stay informed about what is happening in Israel and to push leaders both here and in Israel to work toward peace in Gaza and in the wider region.
We at Central Synagogue affirm Israel’s right to exist and to defend herself. We do not all agree with all the actions of the government of the State of Israel, but we commit ourselves to continue to engage with and support Israel in these challenging times. We must educate ourselves, speak up, and sometimes cry out.
In this spirit, I am including links to a few articles on the recent Flotilla incident.
Michael Oren in The New York Times
Daniel Gordis in The New York Times
Response from Association of Reform Zionists of America (ARZA)
I hope, also, that you will read the following sermons recently delivered on this topic at our Shabbat services:
May these recent events spur us to learn, to engage and to act on Israel’s behalf.
We pray for the State of Israel and all her people:
Oseh Shalom Bimromav, hu ya’aseh Shalom Aleinu v’al Kol Yisrael.
May the One who makes peace in the heavens, bring peace to us, to Israel, and to all the world.
B’shalom,
Cantor Angela Buchdahl
Posted/updated: February 12, 2010
"Justice, Justice, Shall You Pursue:" The Chief Judge's Perspective on Justice and Jewish Values
New York State Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman
You may download a PDF version of this speech. Click here
Posted/updated: January 04, 2010
Tuesday, January 12, 12:00 - 1:30 pm
14th Street Y
Did you know that you can do strategic effective networking from the privacy of your own home? Just like every other aspect of job searching, networking has moved to cyberspace, and a wide variety of Web sites are dedicated to bringing people together via the Internet. Online meeting places are linking professionals across the country and across the world. FEGS Online Social Networking seminar will unlock the keys to effective social networking as part of your job search. Call 212-780-0800 to register. For more info call Dana at (646) 395-4336 or dana_federbush@14streety.org
Tuesday, January 12, 6:00pm
New York Public Library
188 Madison Avenue @ 34th Street
It is more important than ever to redefine and reassess your career goals and take stock of your skills and talents in order to develop a powerful, focused resume. Senior Career Coach Eileen Sharaga president of Career Resources, has worked in advertising, marketing, executive search, and telecommunications industries, and will help you to understand today’s business landscape and emerging occupational trends. This program takes place in room 018 of the Science, Industry, and Business Library. Space is limited.Cost: Free. More info: (212) 592-7000
Wednesday, January 13, 2:00 - 3:30 pm
Riverdale Y
The loss of job can cause many hardships, including the loss of income and employer-provided health insurance. This workshop offered by a lawyer from the New York Legal Assistance Group (NYLAG) will provide details on the unemployment insurance program, including maintaining unemployment benefits and the various extensions of benefits. This workshop will also provide information on the availability of health insurance after being laid off, including COBRA and the various public health insurance options and tips on negotiating a severance package, which can provide a financial cushion after a layoff. To Register call Anna Kirshblum, LCSW at (718) 601-9714.
Thursday, January 14, 9:30 - 11:00 am
JCC in Manhattan
Bagels and conversation on different topics for those impacted by the economic downturn. Share ideas, swap resources, learn coping strategies and stay motivated. A Free workshop. Registration code: SCCRTN01-04W0. To register, call (646) 505-5708 or visit http://www.jccmanhattan.org
Thursday, January 21, 12:30 - 2:00 pm
Union Temple
Beginning a job search can be overwhelming, but not if you know where to look. In this workshop you will learn the best places to search for jobs, as well as discover how to access the hidden job market through networking. We will discuss various networking techniques and the best way to divide your time when job hunting. This workshop offered by FEGS Employment and Career Transition Services is suited for people who are either looking to re-enter the workforce or are trying to transition their career. A JBFCS Resource Specialist will provide an overview of UJA-Federations Connect to Care. To register, email connect-to-care@jbfcs.org or call 212 399-2685 ext. 206.
Thursday, January 28, 6:30 8:00 pm
JCC in Manhattan
Your resume is your ticket to an interview. Learn to write different types of resumes that highlight your accomplishments and market you as a results-oriented professional. Well help you prepare to discuss the achievements you have put on your resumes with potential employers. With representatives from FEGS Employment and Career Transition Services. Registration Code: SCCRES00W0 To register, call (646) 505-5708 or visit http://www.jccmanhattan.org
Posted/updated: October 28, 2009
During Shabbat services on Friday, October 23, Central Synagogue presented its 2009 Shofar Award to Thomas L. Friedman of The New York Times. Friedman, a world-renowned author and journalist and winner of three Pulitzer Prizes, then addressed the congregation and answered their questions.
Posted/updated: October 13, 2009
All concerts are free of charge and held on Tuesdays (various dates) in the Main Sanctuary, 12:30 pm - 1:30 pm.
October 12, 2010
Emmanuel Hocde - Paris, France
October 26, 2010
The Juilliard School
November 9, 2010
Ignace Michiels - Brugges, Belgium
November 23, 2010
Eastman School of Music
December 14, 2010
Paolo Guardiani - Turin, Italy
January 11, 2011
Catherine Rodland - St Olaf’s College
January 25, 2011
Curtis Institute of Music
February 8, 2011
Sarah Hawbecker - Atlanta, GA
February 22, 2011
Cleveland Institute of Music
March 8, 2011
Jesse Eschbach - West Texas
March 22, 2011
Stetson University
April 12, 2011
Barbara MacGregor - Akron, Ohio
April 26, 2011
University of Oklahoma
May 3, 2011
Duke University
May 10, 2011
John Sherer - Chicago, IL
*Programs subject to change without notice*
Posted/updated: September 22, 2009
This entry is available in Mp3 format. Download Mp3
L’Shanah Tovah.
This is the first opportunity I have had to address the congregation as your new president. Suffice it to say, I am both humbled and proud.
It occurs to me that many of you know little about me. I was born and raised in Jersey City in what I would characterize as a Modern Orthodox home. I have been a resident of New York City for almost 40 years, having attended law school here. I have been a member of Central Synagogue for almost 20 years and my two children became bar and bat mitzvah at Central and both, somewhat consensually, were confirmed here as well.
While somewhat difficult for me at first, over the years I have embraced Reform Judaism, its tenets, principles and practices. And I stand proudly before you tonight as your president. But probably my most notable accomplishment to date, and one that will long outlast my presidency, is that I chaired the search committee that brought our beloved cantor, Cantor Buchdahl, to Central Synagogue. And finally, I am happy to welcome my mother, who has joined us this evening, who continues to hold up the fort in what is a dwindling Jewish population in Jersey City and who wonders why her son, the president, has seats behind a pole in the balcony.
In many respects, the work and accomplishments of my predecessors have eased the way for me. Our clergy is unparalleled, our sanctuary supreme, our Religious School a model and our programming ambitious and creative. Yet many challenges lie ahead—ranging from the future of the Reform movement in this country and around the world to ensuring the continuity of our Jewish traditions in future generations to providing an environment of inclusion in our Central Synagogue community. Together we will seek to meet these challenges.
As Jews, the turning of the calendar from summer to fall has great significance. It signals the start of a new school year and it brings us together in celebration of the Jewish New Year— Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur. It is a time for new dreams, new hopes and new aspirations. It is also a time for reflection and contemplation—of who we are, where we are, how we got here and what lies ahead. It is our time to reevaluate our lives, our principles and our goals, not only for ourselves but probably more importantly, for our children. For they are our futures and the future of the Jewish people.
This past year has been a difficult one. Our clergy has spoken about this and its impact many times so I will spare you the details. What is clear to me, however, is the significant role that Jewish life and this Central Synagogue community played in responding to the feelings of loss, uncertainty, lack of self-esteem and, in some cases, desperation, that some of our members experienced. The clergy has been both proactive and responsive and our services, particularly Friday nights, have been uplifting and well attended. I don’t believe in coincidences and think there is a direct cause and effect as congregants sought the comfort and teachings and sense of community that Central Synagogue so well provides.
I’ll leave to the experts and historians to document the catalysts that shook our financial foundations. But what is clear to me are the human characteristics that have defined this profound recession that we continue to experience—greed, avarice, excesses and outright fraud and thievery. Too often we opened the newspapers or turned on the news to learn of another financial indignity. And too often the perpetrator was of our own faith.
Where did we go wrong?
How have we allowed ourselves to stray so far from the principles that have characterized the Jewish people for the last almost 4,000 years— honesty, compassion, integrity, a strong sense of right and wrong. In short, a well-defined moral compass.
As we begin the New Year, it provides an opportunity for us to reflect on our lives and the message of our teachings to our children. Are we sending the right signals? Are we providing the proper example? Do we like what we see in our children — their lifestyles and particularly their sense of entitlement? It all begins and ends in the home. Admittedly, the teachings in the home need to be reinforced in the classroom and are tested consistently by peer pressures. But despite their apparent level of sophistication, our children are impressionable and seek role models. And it is in that capacity that we, as parents and mentors, need to act.
This is not a new theme. For the Torah in Genesis Chapter 18 says that G-d said with respect to Abraham:
“For I love him because he commands his children and his household to keep the ways of G-d, doing charity and justice.”
Please don’t misinterpret. I don’t sit in judgment of any of you. I only sit in judgment of myself. My purpose is just to remind each of you what you already know—the future is now. The foundations for future generations are being formed and solidified today. The moral fibers that will define these future generations are being developed today. And we, quietly and subtlely, and sometimes not so quietly and subtlely, need to be the architects, to provide the blueprints.
I look forward to the coming year with great optimism and enthusiasm. I wish each and every one of you a sweet and happy New Year and may it be a year of peace and tranquility in your lives and throughout the world.
L’Shanah Tovah.
Kenneth H. Heitner
President, Central Synagogue
Posted/updated: September 15, 2009
Zvi Levran was born in New York (1956) and has lived in Israel for 30 years. While in the U.S. he worked in Jewish education in numerous school and camp settings and organized for Israel on college campuses, eventually directing the Student Department of the American Zionist Youth Foundation.
Zvi graduated Brandeis University (BA, Jewish History) and later obtained an MA from the Hebrew University in Jewish History and Jewish Education.
Since arriving in Israel he has worked for the “Melitz Centers for Jewish-Zionist Education” as facilitator and supervisor, coordinator of Diaspora Staff Training, staff member of the Israel Experience School and as shaliach (Israeli Emissary) in New York. He has taught Jewish history in Israeli High schools (three years) and has served as educational staff for numerous American programs in Israel, including the Young Judaea Year Course and Rockland Community College.
Zvi is a licensed tour guide and has been a member of the staff of Archaeological Seminars. He is an education officer (lieutenant) in the IDF reserves and has also studied at the Pardes Institute for Jewish Studies and the Kerem Teachers Seminar.
Zvi and his wife Debbi, a lawyer, live in Jerusalem and are the parents of two boys, Yaniv (16) and Amit (13), and a girl, Noa (9).
Zvi’s educational style and technique are influenced by his non-formal and formal teaching experience with adults and youth. Drama, costumes, dialogue and role-plays often accompany the presentation of history, sites and issues. Biblical and traditional texts along with modern poetry, prose and music provide additional stimuli for discussion and analysis. Values are discussed and dilemmas are raised in an objective manner that is participant focused, making for a lively exchange of ideas and opinions amongst varied ages. In addition, Zvi’s summer camp background in the U.S. and his nature and hiking experiences in Israel provide the know-how for developing and framing “off the beaten track” and “people to people” experiences in a positive atmosphere with group bonding.
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Click here to view the Israel Programming handout from the High Holy Days 5770
Posted/updated: September 11, 2009
Posted/updated: August 04, 2009
Dear Friends,
My personal journey with cancer began in the spring of 1992. At that time, I had great confidence that my body would be healed by the capable physicians and staff at Memorial Sloan-Kettering. I was correct.
What I did not know, and would later learn, is that the personal healing process goes far beyond the physical. My mind and spirit were also “sick” and in need of care.
I battled cancer successfully including a recurrence in 2000. It was only then, eight years after my initial diagnosis, that I learned of the Healthcare Chaplaincy and the three-fold process of healing: body, mind and spirit. It was a newly found awareness that I found tremendously comforting and wish to share with you.
I believe healing takes many forms and is guided by many influences. Our bodies are healed by medically trained professionals; our minds are healed by inner strength; our spirits are healed by our faith. Though the experience is personal, the fears (and the courage to face them) is shared.
This Healing Series is designed to bond us as humans and as Jews in the face of crisis, illness and death. I hope that it brings understanding and strength to your lives.
Regards,
Howard F. Sharfstein
Thursday, October 8, 7:00-8:30pm
The first installment, Jewish Response to Illness, will be led by Rabbi Simkha Y. Weintraub, Rabbinic Director of the Jewish Board of Family and Children’s Services (JBFCS), one of the nation’s premier voluntary mental health and social service agencies.
Thursday, October 15, 7:00-8:30pm
The second installment, End of Life Issues: Jewish Attitudes and Text, is led by Rabbi Charles Sheer, Director of the Department of Studies in Jewish Pastoral Care at HealthCare Chaplaincy (HCC).
Thursday, October 22, 7:00-8:30pm
And finally, Rabbi Myriam Klotz, Director of Yoga and Embodied Practices at the Institute for Jewish Spirituality, introduces participants to the concept of Transformational Healing through Yoga and Meditation.
Details about each of these classes is available by clicking the title links.
Posted/updated: June 30, 2009
For the first time in 30 years, the Reform Movement’s Biennial Convention will be held in Canada. So get ready to experience the magic of the Biennial, when 5,000 Reform Jews from around the world gather at the most exciting convention in today’s Jewish world. Visit the Union for Reform Judaism’s Web site for more information.
Posted/updated: June 29, 2009
UJA-Federation of New York’s Connect to Care initiative provides employment services and financial services and legal counseling free of charge for those impacted by the economic downturn. For more information about this program or to make an appointment in Manhattan, Riverdale and Brownstone Brooklyn, call JBFCS, a lead agency for UJA-Federation’s Connect to Care, at 212-399-2685 x206. You can also see the full description and workshops or find UJA-Federation’s Connect to Care Centers in other regions.
www.jcprograms.org/connect-to-care
Posted/updated: June 02, 2009
The Department of Education recently announced the opening of a new school in the P.S. 151 zone (86th - 96th Streets, east of 3rd Avenue) that will immediately address the issue of overcrowding in upper east side elementary schools.
The new P.S. 151, slated to open in September 2009, will welcome 100 kindergarteners this fall and alleviate the enrollment burden at nearby schools. It will be housed in the Our Lady of Good Counsel building on 91st street - a site that had been identified and proposed to the DOE by Central Synagogue’s NYC Action Group several months ago.
“The opening of this school represents a significant success for our community organizing efforts,” said Rabbi Michael S. Friedman. “It could not have been accomplished without the relationships and skills we have built as a member of Manhattan Together.”
Manhattan Together, an organization comprising New York synagogues, churches and nonprofit institutions, seeks to build and maintain affordable housing and improve public school education. Central Synagogue began working with Manhattan Together a year ago to help tackle the overcrowding issues at east side schools where many young members are enrolled.
In 2001, P.S. 151 was closed because of low enrollment and poor academic performance. At a recent press conference, Schools Chancellor Joel I. Klein said, “It’s gratifying that not even a decade after [the closing of P.S. 151], we’ve seen a surge in demand from families who want to reinvest in their local public school.”
The congregants who championed this cause by committing their time and energy to the NYC Action Group are Freeman Shore and Judy Smith (co-chairs), Rebecca Chaikin, Marla Feldman, Lisa Fielding, Honey Heller, Pam Heller, Michael Hoffman, Peter Jakes, Wendy Landau, Stacey Lauren, Michael Sacks, Gail Sinai, Ron Tabak, Karen Tenzer.
Posted in: Social Action
Posted/updated: May 14, 2009
One of the ways you can get involved with Social Action at Central Synagogue is through The Ronald McDonald House of New York. RMDH serves as a home away from home for pediatric cancer patients and their relatives who need to be in NYC for medical treatment. Throughout the year, Central Synagogue’s Social Action Committee works in partnership with RMDH to hosts several dinner parties for these very special families. This is a great opportunity to make a difference while getting to know fellow congregants.
On Thursday, July 23, Central Synagogue hosted a dinner party at The Ronald McDonald House. Our volunteer team served dinner to more than 100 residents of the house who are currently living in NYC for medical treatment. In addition to a full dinner the evening included clowns, magicians and plenty of laughter and love! A good time was certainly had by all of the children of RMDH as well as the Central Synagogue volunteers. See photos below.
Upcoming dinners:
Thursday, October 8
Thursday, December 3
Please let us know as soon as possible if you would like to volunteer for one of these two events. We will try our best to accommodate everyone’s first choice of date. Our events typically run from 6:00 - 8:30pm. All volunteers must be at least 18 years old. To sign up to volunteer or for more information please contact .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
Here are some photos from our July 2009 dinner:
And here are some photos from our June 2009 dinner:
Carol Hochberg with RMDH residents.
Miriam Herman with a RMDH resident.
Sue Lautin, Karen Chaiken, Carol Spiegelman and
Marty Rosenblatt serve food to RMDH residents.
Posted/updated: May 08, 2009
The Adult B’not Mitzvah Class of 2009/5769 invites you to read their personal D’vrei Torah, which they shared with the congregation on May 8, 2009.
On Giving Thanks: Reflections on Parshat EMOR and Becoming a Bat Mitzvah
Ravelle Brickman
Gail H. Geltman
Barbara Hochberg
Carol Hochberg
Robin Sue Kahn
Ruth Leibert
Alice Nanes
Susan Lee Rein
Patricia W. Rich
Martha Schwartz
Carol Winer
Elaine Weiss
If coincidence is God working behind the scenes, then it is no accident that my Torah portion today is about the Festival of Sukkot. In Emor, the holiday is described as a celebration of the harvest, commanded by God so that we, as Jews, will remember the days of wandering in the desert and give thanks for the gift of life.Just as giving thanks is the essence of this portion, it is also the catalyst for my own journey toward commitment. For me, the road back to Judaism began with the birth of my first grandchild more than nine years ago. Today, there are four girls. Their names—Eva, Abigail, Miriam and Hannah—recall some of the great women of Jewish history while preserving images of a more recent past.
Ironically, I never knew my own grandparents. There were not many people of that age in the mostly child-oriented streets of Queens when I was growing up in the 1940s. We had a few older relatives—my father’s stepmother, whom we rarely saw, some great-aunts, uncles and cousins—but they lived far away, in Brooklyn. My mother considered our family to be very lucky. She and my father were both born in America, allowing us—my parents, brother and I, our cousins, aunts and uncles—to escape the terrible fate that befell our relatives in Europe. Every night she led us in a simple prayer, thanking God for the fact that we were safe. We also prayed for the end of the war and the creation of a State of Israel, two things that actually happened.
The synagogue we attended was Conservative. My mother liked it because of the mixed seating and the fact that people chanted in unison. Although I could not become a Bat Mitzvah—the very idea was shocking—I was nevertheless packed off to Hebrew School to learn the first lines of Genesis and the Sh’ma. At 12, I joined the other girls for a Confirmation service where we wore white robes and took turns reading English speeches written, presumably, by the wife of an Episcopal deacon.
The speech I read, called the Flower Offering, bore no relation to Genesis, nor did it reflect on Judaism or rites of passage. My mother was nevertheless proud. I think she saw it as an aspect of the American dream. My mother had a surprisingly good Jewish education. Her Hebrew pronunciation was perfect, with not a hint of a Yiddish accent, and she could recite many prayers by rote. As a teenager, she studied the Hebrew Bible at the Jewish Theological Seminary. In 1926—another case, perhaps, of God pulling the strings—she worked for Dr. Stephen Wise, rabbi emeritus of Central Synagogue.
While my mother and I had a difficult relationship, I would like to think that we might have gotten along if we’d had another 29 years of practice. She would have been thrilled to see me standing at the bima in this place. She would certainly have said a prayer of thanks for the gift of great-grandchildren. Giving thanks is a common refrain in Jewish liturgy. Nearly all our prayers are blessings. We thank God for the creation of the sun and for the privilege of learning Torah, for the divine and the mundane in equal portions, for bread and wine and the fruit of our labors.
My own prayers, today and throughout the year, involve a simple litany. I am grateful, first, for the bounty of nature, for the lives of children and grandchildren; second, I am thankful for the love of Judaism they share, and for the light they will bring to the future. Third, I am grateful for the seeds that were sown by others along the way. And last, I thank God for the gift of life and for allowing me to celebrate this new season.
In Parshat Emor the Israelites are still wandering in the desert. They began their wandering in Exodus and continue to wander throughout the Torah. In Emor, God reiterates the need for faithful obedience to His commandments and reminds the Israelites, it is “I, Adonai, who sanctify you and I who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God, I, Adonai” (Lev 22:32-33).
Emor continues to discuss God’s laws of holy living. Through our observance of God’s commandments, God sanctifies and makes holy the Israelite community. Just as Adonai brought the Israelites out of Egypt and made them wander in the desert for forty years, I too have wandered. I have been brought out of my own personal Egypt to be with God. Mine is a story of self-discovery – a story of a stranger in a strange land – not a stranger among the Egyptians, but a stranger among my own people, the Jews. My “wandering” stopped when my disability began. When I could barely walk, sit, or stand, I found my way to Central Synagogue for Shabbat services.
The nearly thirty-two months of my disability brought me on a path to God. This challenging period of physical infirmity was a period of profound introspection and spiritual awakening which provided me with both the opportunity and the time to delve into my heritage. Emor contains a calendar of sacred times that belong to God and the Jewish people. The most sacred occasion of all is Shabbat, defined as the seventh day, a day without work and of complete rest. I have “wandered” and found my way into this Temple to welcome Shabbat, to observe and celebrate our holiest day of the week, which is now my holiest day.
My greatest joy is attending Shabbat services and basking in the community of friendships I have formed at Central Synagogue. The greatest surprise of all to me is my profound love of chanting Hebrew. The Torah calls to me. My new found love for Judaism started with my commitment to become a Bat Mitzvah and with my realization that it is my passion and my dream to study to become a rabbi when I retire from the legal profession. I am most grateful to Central Synagogue for putting me on this path. I am softer, kinder, more gentle and loving to others than I have ever been. I am filled with love of God, of my fellow people, and all God’s creatures.
People have asked me, “Why become Bat Mitzvah now?,” “Why after all these years is it so important to you?” These questions prompted me to reflect on my history, my family and the journey through Judaism that led me to this day.When I was young, girls did not become Bat Mitzvah or go to Hebrew School We lived in a non-Jewish immigrant neighborhood and religious tolerance among my friends was not an attribute, probably because they really only knew the stereotype of a Jew. They kept telling me I was not like other Jews which was really confusing because I was just like the other Jewish people I knew. Those were mainly my family and my parents’ friends.
My parents were not very religious. However, I did learn all about the Jewish holidays because I did not go to school on them, since it was important for our neighbors to recognize our Jewish identities. My mother did light the Shabbat candles every Friday night and we went to synagogue on the High Holidays. Our synagogue was Orthodox. My memories of the service are limited. I loved standing next to my father while he chanted the prayers. Then we were asked to leave and I spent my time standing on the corner with a group of friends. It was not until I met my husband and we went with his family to a Conservative temple that I actually attended services on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.
As a child, Passover was my favorite holiday. I loved the story of the exodus of the Jews from Egypt. My imagination was stirred by the parting of the Sea of Reeds, and the ten plagues. Usually being the youngest at the table, I was able to ask the four questions. It was a time for family and friends to celebrate our freedom and to examine our heritage.
My parents did give me a strong sense of Jewish identity, though it was cultural rather than religious. When I had children, I insisted on belonging to a Reform synagogue since I really wanted to be able to understand the services. My husband and I were instrumental in building a new temple. I have always felt a responsibility and commitment to the Jewish people. I spent many years volunteering for Women’s American ORT (Organization for Rehabilitation through Training). ORT is a Jewish organization that provides cutting-edge training and strategic educational initiatives that empowers students in 63 countries. I became President of the Westchester Region and went on to the State board. That organization was important to me because I have always felt the best gift you can give anyone is the opportunity to have the skills you need to get a job and be self-sufficient. Yet with everything I accomplished, I still felt something was missing.
When my daughter told me she was going to enlist in Hebrew at Central Synagogue, I decided to join her, as I always wanted to be able to read the prayers. I was not thinking about becoming Bat Mitzvah. During my studies, I realized how upset I would have been if any of my grandchildren did not become B’nei Mitzvah. If I expected them to do it, why not Grandma when she had the opportunity? I loved reading the Torah portions. In doing so I felt a strong emotional attachment to God that I had never before experienced. A passage that really resonates with me is “Then you will begin to seek God your Lord, and if you pursue Him with all your heart and soul, you will eventually find Him” (Deuteronomy 4:29). The discussions and the interpretations of the Torah portions were fascinating and illuminating. Belonging to this Bat Mitzvah class has given me a sense of belonging and community. I especially feel blessed that I have been lucky to have a teacher like Sandi who has patience, knowledge and a real sense of caring for her pupils.
In Parshat Emor, we are told to declare certain days as the “set times of God, the sacred occasions, which you shall celebrate each at its appointed time.” (Leviticus 23:4) This passage emphasizes that the holidays are significant and powerful moments in time. Our holiday celebrations are these sacred fixed times and become sacred moments through ritual and worship.
My Jewish identity has always been a strong force in my life. My Jewish life has always been marked by our holidays. They are the fabric of our lives interwoven into family and traditions. We rejoice on these holidays with rituals that allow us to take time out of our everyday lives. These are times for my family to gather and open our doors to friends of the same and different faiths. We share these sacred times and celebrate in the warmth of our Jewish community. Every Jewish holiday has a unique mitzvah that expresses true power and beauty. I particularly appreciate the rituals of Shabbat as a way to connect with holy time, my spirituality and our community. There is no question that, “The holidays are the jewels on the crown of Judaism.”
Two years ago, as I embarked on my new Jewish learning experience to become Bat Mitzvah, I began to attend Shabbat services regularly. This was a completely new experience for me. In the beginning, Shabbat was simply a tool for practicing reading Hebrew and developing the proficiency and speed needed to keep pace with the services. Over time, week by week, an amazing transformation occurred. Shabbat became an essential part of my “holy and sacred time.” Each Friday, I would rush out of my office, in anticipation of walking into our beautiful sanctuary to feel the serenity of Shabbat. Shabbat allows for a time of calm sanity, for grounding and rebalancing not found during a hectic work week filled with responsibilities and obligations. Shabbat is at the heart of Judaism. Shabbat’s still moments allow for a type of Jewish meditation. Shabbat nourishes my mind and body, creating a renewal of spirituality and energy. It has become my “food” that fuels my inner spirituality. Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, rabbi, theologian, and activist of the twentieth century states, ‘The Sabbath itself is a sanctuary which we build, a sanctuary in time … The Sabbaths are our great cathedrals.”
Each Shabbat we open the Torah and are presented with a new story of the cycle of creation, reminding us about the importance of human relationships, values and community. I am constantly amazed by the Torah’s timeless lessons of life and how eloquently they relate to the present time. We must read between the lines to understand the many interpretations these powerful words express. Today, I am in awe, actually overwhelmed to stand in front of you and chant the power of the Torah’s words.
I value the significance of these “fixed times” in our lives. I have come to understand the significance of observing the Sabbath. Parshat Emor also tells us, “when you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap all the way to the edges of your field, or gather the gleanings of your harvest; you shall leave them for the poor and the stranger” (Lev 23:22). This teaches me, I must set aside time not only for Jewish learning and Shabbat, but I must make a meaningful contribution to society. Otherwise, I will not realize the full potential Judaism has to offer. It is my goal this year to set “fixed time” aside to volunteer and use this “sacred time” to reach out and make a difference in others lives who are in need. I am in the process of applying to an organization that aids children and families in need. Just as Heschel said when he marched with Martin Luther King, when engaging in helping others, I too will feel that “my legs were praying.”
On a side note, I would like to mention how proud I am of my mother, who has embarked on this wonderful learning journey with me for the last two years. Her dedication and depth of insight reading the Torah has been a truly inspirational. This experience has been empowering-life changing; it is a path I never thought I would have taken. As a class of 13 women, we worked together with humor, dedication, sharing, writing, thinking and discussion: flexibility, and strongly held opinions. We took small steps and today we are miles from where we began. Our individual spiritual journeys have been heightened by the process we created and shared. We committed to each other to complete a task connecting us to each other more strongly. I thank my Bat Mitzvah classmates for sharing their strong sense of community and all their support. I will always be thankful for this gift.
Parshat Emor, this week’s Torah portion, is similar to others in Leviticus in that it provides lists of rules as to how holidays should be observed. It also outlines how sacrifices should be performed and discusses qualifications for who can and cannot be priests. It commands the Jewish people to act in very precise manners. This parsha provides ways for people to manage their time in a sacred way and find a place for themselves in the world. It suggests basic morals and values that help us to live our lives.
Throughout the year, as we read and studied the Torah as a class, I sometimes found it difficult to find meaning for myself in this four thousand year old document. Each week, each student in the class led a discussion of the parsha and I searched for ways to connect with the text. I found the Torah commentaries useful, as they provided thoughts concerning how the text could be interpreted for us today. We delved into this during classes and debated concepts. I discovered that it takes a great deal of thought to find ways to understand and identify with aspects of the Torah, in the culture of the twenty-first century.
I applied this same determination to my understanding of Parshat Emor. I struggled with the way that this parsha approaches the discussion of Shabbat and the desire for priestly purity. Through my study and wrestling, I have clarified my beliefs and strengthened my own understandings of Shabbat and the Torah’s ideas about purity.
Parshat Emor discusses the fact that a priest’s body has to have no physical imperfections. The presence of physical imperfection impairs holiness, according to the authors of Emor. This confuses me. Humans were created in God’s image, therefore presumably all acceptable to God. This being the case, I wonder why there is so much emphasis placed on bodily perfection. Weren’t we all created holy in our present state blemished or not? In modern-day culture, the same lack of tolerance for imperfection remains. It becomes increasingly apparent that American society strives for physical beauty. People strive for the presence of a “perfect” figure, clear skin and youthful appearance, among other things.
Parshat Emor also discusses the Sabbath, specifically dictating that one must rest on the seventh day. This is not always practical in today’s world. The concept of taking time out each week is meaningful. I have tried to create rituals such as reading a book or the newspaper, watching a mindless program on television, or going to the gym. These activities help me to re-group and relax. I have also carved out time to connect with family members, even if only by e-mail or a short phone call. Sometimes this is not done on the seventh day alone; but throughout the week. That has meaning for me, rather than saving “rest” up for one day out of seven.
Over the course of our studies together in the B’not Mitzvah class, attending Friday night services has become a meaningful way of connecting with classmates and other familiar people in the congregation. Whereas once sacrifices drew us closer to God, today, Jews grow closer to God as they join in Sabbath prayers in the form of songs. It is the music of these services that speaks to me in a special way. It brings back some very happy childhood memories shared both with my brothers and my parents. It brings back memories from summer camp where Friday evening, dance and music were a significant and very happy event. It enables me to remember my dad, when he was healthy. He gave me the love that I have for music. As I observe Shabbat in my own way, I find meaning in the rituals and feel connected to my family and community. Though I will not always find every word of the Torah relevant to my life, I appreciate the way in which it provides rituals that help us to construct our lives.
“And the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying…even these are My appointed seasons.” Thus in this parshah do we learn about that with which we are already familiar, the very fabric of the years of our lives. We learn of the sanctity of Shabbat, of its holiness to God. We learn of the seven days of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. We learn of Shavuot, of Rosh Hashanah and of the Day of Atonement. We learn of the seven days of Sukkot.
The annual rhythm of these festivals marks our lives in many ways. We savor the peace of Shabbat. We gather in extended family celebrations for Seders, for dinners in our decorated sukkot, for rejoicing at each new year. These festivals bind us together, not just as families, but as a community. They are the unique festivals of our Jewish community. They hold the sweetness of our childhood memories and they are a tangible manifestation of the legacy we hope to pass to our children. They are what we share.
It is this emphasis on community, on the importance of the shared in Jewish life, that continues to draw me to the Jewish faith. In our studies in preparation for this day of our B’not Mitzvah we have observed the mitzvot of tzedakah and community service. Our studies have included joint efforts and many hours of shared conversation about the texts, about their relevance to our lives and our community, and about world events and social justice. We have emerged from this effort as more than B’not Mitzvah. We have become good friends.
I began my journey to this day with a simple quest to learn enough Hebrew to keep up with the pace of the service. From my first aleph-bet, I was fortunate to find friends. I want to thank Susan Alt and Phyllis Lusskin (who are here today) for their support as we gathered weekly to read to each other, oh, so haltingly. As I progressed, I began to feel a need for more understanding of meaning. How, in fact, could one pray without understanding the words? Three years ago this interest led me to an intermediate Hebrew class here at Central Synagogue. While I was, at the time, content with my language study, many of my classmates and new friends felt the need for more and requested a class leading up to a Bat Mitzvah. I agreed to be part of this group and I have been so enriched by the experience.
Our Torah is truly a blueprint for a good life that we can create in the here and now. It is not easy but it is made easier by being a burden shared. We will continue to focus on making our community and world a better place. One very basic way to build that community is to keep and share our traditions. Therefore, these are indeed our appointed seasons. As instructed by Torah, let us remember these festivals and observe them together.
Parshat Emor is about numbers, counting and rhythm. I find it fascinating that this Parsha contains 63 of the Torah’s 613 mitzvot—leaving 550 mitzvot for the other 54 parshiyot. The most significant part of this Torah portion speaks of preserving the holiness of times; it gives instructions for the weekly Sabbath and the annual festivals. It reads: “God spoke to Moses saying, these are My fixed times, the fixed times of God, which you shall proclaim as sacred occasions.” Leviticus 23 tells us when we shall celebrate our holidays, our sacred occasions—dates set apart as belonging to God. It begins with the Sabbath, continues in the spring with Pesach, and ends in the fall with Sh’mini Atzeret. We learn about the shofar, and when to observe other annual rites.
And it is precise. We are told that the Passover offering occurs on the 14th day of Nisan; in the 7th month, Tishrei, we observe the Festival of Alarm Blasts or Rosh Hashanah; and one week after Sukkot, on the eve of Simchat Torah, we mark the day we complete the reading of the Torah in its annual cycle.
We count, we have rhythm. One thing has remained constant since ancient times: these holidays are occasions for the entire family and community to come together and celebrate. By taking part, we feel in sync with the rhythm of Jewish life that has guided the Jewish people for millennia. This rhythm is what specifically identifies the Jewish people, even as we find our lives being influenced by various calendars. Perhaps it is one reason that we persist in debating whether the holidays are early or late—they almost never seem to be on time. In our family, if Rosh Hashanah fell near Labor Day, we returned from summer at the seashore and dressed in cottons for services. If it fell late, it was a wonderful autumnal holiday and we got to wear our new woolens. Whatever the temperature, Rosh Hashanah always felt like such an important time to us.
The holidays God provided give us sacred times in the midst of a less than sacred world. Spending the day in the synagogue and fasting at Yom Kippur. Guests in the Sukkah. Friends and family around the seder table. Being together at the Passover seder is the high point of our Jewish calendar. I’ve made the seder for at least 30 years, after watching my mother-in-law make it for years and learning from her how to make gefilte fish! Days of preparation of the special delicious foods, a long table set with our best finery and family heirlooms, setting out the haggadot, reviewing the order of the service beforehand, and finally the family arriving—it is a joyous time. But most importantly, it is the time when we “retell the things that befell us,” when we recall our ancestors following Moses out of bondage in Egypt to travel to the Promised Land. It is a story I am proud to tell. I know that my children, nieces and nephews will continue to make the seder, tell the story of the Exodus, and observe the “sacred times” of our tradition.
While holidays are among the primary guideposts for Jewish time, they are not alone. The cycle of the Torah reading itself, for example, is a primary indicator of Jewish time—where we stand in the ongoing saga of the journey of the ancient Jewish people. Jews like cycles. The cycle of the five books of Torah. The cycle of holidays and the Sabbath as set out in Emor.
Tonite we complete another cycle, that of studying to become a Bat Mitzvah. The preparation and study for this occasion has brought a group of 13 women together. Some of us knew one another, but not well. Others were new to us. We’ve come together weekly for two years to study Hebrew and Torah. This was a difficult period of time for me because my husband was ill and finally passed away. These women came to my side and gave me much needed support at every step of the way. We’ve gotten to know one another and become friends. Above all, our study has brought us to Shabbat services every Friday nite. We meet to pray, to read the Hebrew that we’ve learned (never the transliterations!), to sing, and to be there for one another. Our cycle will continue in the fall when we begin another area of study, yet to be chosen. Shabbat Shalom.
I dedicate this to my husband Malcolm who loved to attend Shabbat services every Friday for many years.
I enjoyed studying Leviticus Chapter 23 in which the festivals and other holy days of the year are scheduled in a calendar of sacred time. It is comforting to know, in advance, when these special events in the Jewish religion will occur. A spiritual feeling arises when we perform a rite that goes back through the generations. It feels special to know that Jewish people in other places are performing the same rite in the same way and at the same time. Ismar Schorsch, former Chancellor of the Jewish Theological Seminary, wrote that “Each of us needs a sense of holiness to navigate the relentless secularity of our lives.” Jewish festivals, holy days, and Shabbat provide us with specific times when we can step back and participate in the most sacred of Jewish ritual events.
I particularly liked reading Leviticus 23:42 in which it is written, “Ye shall dwell in booths seven days; all that are home-born in Israel shall dwell in booths.” This verse speaks to me in many ways. When my four children were small, we erected a sukkah (booth) on our back porch under our canvas awning. My children grew up experiencing and appreciating the joy of the Sukkot celebration in our make shift sukkah.
My husband and I and members of our family have been constructing a sukkah in the garden of our current home each year since the birth of our first grandchild 16 years ago. As we build our sukkah we recall and discuss that it is a symbol of the “booths” or “huts” in which the children of Israel lived during their journey through the wilderness. The booths represent the glorification of God’s role in the redemption of the Jewish people. The booths also represent the fragility of life itself. My father-in-law and my daughter-in-law’s father died a few years apart just before Sukkot emphasizing, for us, the fragility of life.
Maimonides did not consider a sukkah to be kosher unless one could see the sky and stars through its roof. The roof is usually made of impermanent organic materials. The sukkah is not designed to offer any real protection from the elements. Our grandchildren tie down their homemade decorations to keep them from flying away in the wind. We have to wear warm jackets, inside the sukkah, when the temperature gets cold. At the conclusion of the holiday, when we take down the sukkah, we have to discard our grandchildren’s rain damaged drawings. The children don’t mind. They look forward to making new decorations next year. It is part of the fun of the holiday.
One of our granddaughters celebrated her Bat Mitzvah last Sukkot at her synagogue. Everyone happily partook in the Shabbat meal which was held in the synagogue’s sukkah. The sun was shining and the wind was blowing while the decorations swayed. I will always cherish those memories. Leviticus 23:42 speaks to me because it reminds me of my relationship with my family and the importance of celebrating holidays together.My connection to Sukkot is one of the many ways that I identify with Judaism. I feel more complete as a Jewish person as I approach the B’not Mitzvah day. I am grateful to my rabbis, cantors, and teachers at Central Synagogue as well as my Me’ah teachers for guiding me on my Jewish educational journey. I intend to keep studying and learning. I love the experience.
Becoming a Bat Mitzvah as an adult has enormous meaning. I chose this path to mark my commitment to Jewish study and to intensifying my practice of Judaism. I have gained great satisfaction from studying, following a line of inquiry, and indulging my curiosity in such meaningful areas. The Great Wall of China; the Pyramids; the Roman Aqueduct; Stonehenge: each has survived for centuries; each demonstrates the achievements of a highly organized society that was advanced in mathematics, engineering, and transport. The Jewish people have no such monuments; and yet, the culture and the people have survived—the question of how that happened has been the impetus for my studies; and finding my answer has been rewarding.
The Jewish people have the Torah. We are “The people of The Book.” “It was the Holy Book, and the study of it, which kept the scattered people together,” according to Sigmund Freud. What is the Torah? A collection of stories, about people many of whom have serious flaws; and of extraordinarily detailed laws and regulations for situations no longer pertinent. And yet…In its repetitiveness, its inconsistencies; with its poetry, its moral tone; its psychological power, it is a brilliant document that has fulfilled its purpose: to hold together a people who were living through a time of crisis, and through many times of crisis throughout the world and the years.
I am a writer. I have always been interested in the power of communication. The WORD is the foundation of our Jewish world. God said, “Let there be light”, and there was light…God created the world through God’s words. We are told that God inscribed the commandments on the tablets that God gave to Moses. When Moses came down from Sinai he instructed the people, “enjoin [these teachings] upon your children, that they may observe faithfully all the terms of this Teaching. For this is not a trifling thing for you: it is your very life; through it you shall long endure on the land that you are to possess upon crossing the Jordan.” (Deuteronomy 32: 46-47).
Traditional Jews explain that God also gave the people the Oral Torah—the Talmud—at Sinai, as they were given the written Torah. The Torah is a living document because it demands constant study, interpretation,, analysis, and resolution. The critical directive to study Torah implies “ask, discuss, postulate, argue,” to try to attain answers that are meaningful for the situation at hand. The process of interpreting the main texts of the Talmud is continual. If the participants—even the earliest Rabbis—did not agree, their differing opinions were nevertheless respected and noted in the Talmud. The perennial engagement of Jewish people with study and questioning, which begins with and is epitomized by the child asking the Four Questions at the Seder; has shaped the people as well as our literature, our laws, and our history.
Many groups have found their own meanings in Torah; developed their own rationale, explanations, interpretations—Gemara, Midrash, Mishnah, Kabbalah…Because they are Jews, there are numerous understandings and interpretations. And that is why Torah lives. Ben Bag Bag said, “Turn it, and turn it, for everything is in it. Reflect on it and grow old and gray with it. Don’t turn from it, for nothing is better than it.” (Pirke Avot 5:22).
The Torah invites and requires constant interpretation. The Rabbis whose thinking contributed to the Talmud and later works investigated, explored, and argued over literal and metaphorical meanings, over word repetition, over scribal errors. Always, they were striving to make the Torah meaningful. When not enough detail was included, they extrapolated to find ways to observe. They related sacrifices in the no-longer existing Temple to prayer, study, and mitzvot. Through detailed descriptions of Temple construction they found directions for Sabbath observance. Always, they and we, learned the importance of attention to detail and of seeking meaning in all we do.
As I prepare to read from the Torah, I see additional evidence of the levels of personal involvement that are incorporated into the process of understanding: the Torah scroll was inscribed without punctuation or vowels that clarify connotation. Readers over the centuries seek further levels of meaning contributed by vowels, by crowns above some of the consonants, and by cantillation marks. Each reader, at his or her own level, faces the challenge of understanding the meanings, the intentions, the deeper significance of the Torah. And after two thousand years, we continue to confront ourselves and those who have gone before us. In our world, in our time and nation, most Jews consider the laws that concern human relationships—social justice—to be our religion’s most important teachings. And because the Torah and Talmud are so rich, we have many proof texts and stories to support those positions….Yet the same sources provide arguments for those fundamentalists whose point of view is completely different.
Emor, our Torah portion, is not very inspirational in its פשט p’shat, or apparent reading, to this modern intellectual, feminist, liberal, Reform Jew. Yet, my section, and much of Emor, deals with time; and as Abraham Joshua Heschel said, “Jewish ritual can be characterized as the architecture of time.” Our architecture is not physical, but spiritual and intellectual.
I am not a fundamentalist; I do not believe in the literal interpretation of these passages; and yet I am convinced that it is indeed the Torah and its teachings that have allowed the Jewish people to endure for centuries.
Just as the book of Leviticus is the center of the Torah, the Torah has become the center of my life: my guide to the right path to a better “me”. Parshat Emor bases itself on rituals and ethics; first, explaining the laws of priesthood, holiness, perfection and sacrifices; followed by descriptions of the holy days and festivals; and concluded by the laws pertaining to lighting the Menorah and the bread offering in the Sanctuary. All these have the end result of having a link to God.
The idea of sacrifice has evolved throughout the ages. While in ancient times, the ideal ritual to approach God was the sacrificing of animals (especially the lamb), in modern times, these have been substituted by the sacrifices and offerings made by humans. I am now the creature coming close to God with all of my heart and spirit. I do this by observing Sabbath, praying, studying Torah, Tzedakah, performing good deeds, among others…
In order to connect with God I create a sacred environment, converting my home into a sanctuary every Sabbath and on holy days. The perfection that was expected in the past may now be replaced, for example, with the “unblemished” offerings I make to the Blessed One. When setting my dinner table, I use the most beautiful flowers, the nicest candlesticks, the loveliest Kiddush cup, the best tray, and the tastiest wine. All of these flawless, so that I may come closer to God.
It is important to emphasize that while perfection was demanded for sacrifices, humanity has been and continues to be imperfect. Nevertheless, the Holy Blessed One has always accepted sacrifices from us all, whether we have suffered from physical disabilities or a broken heart and/or spirit. God after all is merciful because He is beyond body, beyond limit and beyond understanding. In the end, our spirituality is the best sacrifice we offer Him. This past year of studies has been the most wonderful and transcendent time in my life because it was another way to approach the Holy One. My Bat Mitzvah seals the covenant between God and me.
I will always be grateful and thankful to Him and will revere Him for the miracles in my life, while I ensure to keep my spiritual flame burning from now to eternity.
We learn that in the Torah there are 613 mitzvot or commandments. In this week’s parsha, Parshat Emor alone, there are 63 laws. Laws, laws and more laws. Today, we examine these commandments and try to understand them in the light of the history of the Jewish people. In biblical times, the children of Israel needed to hear the strong will of God spoken by Moses, their trusted leader. The precise details in every law pertaining to the worship of God were necessary in order to impress them with the power and righteousness of God.
Leviticus 23 is devoted to “the appointed seasons of the Lord which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations.” God reveals to Moses the time, the season and the meaning of all the holidays. Throughout the centuries the Jewish people have kept the holidays that God commanded as His appointed times for meeting. We have remembered our history and added a few more. In this Torah portion there are three sets of laws that are significant to my way of thinking. They concern Passover, the commandment of gleaning and the Ner Tamid.
Passover has always been special to me. I grew up in Albany NY, three hours away from my grandparents in New Haven CT. Every spring my parents, sister and I would drive down to their house to have seder with all my aunts, uncles and cousins. It was crowded and hectic, but the whole family was there, Maxwell House hagaddot and all. And so much wonderful food.
Several years later, at the family seder, I introduced Bob Weiss, my soon-to-be husband to the entire Schiff family all in one evening. He will never forget it. Today, the Weiss family seder is crowded and hectic too. We celebrate with our friends from near and far, and the children tell the story of Moses and teach the adults.
Another commandment, seemingly unrelated to worship or holidays is slipped into the text. Leviticus 23:22 reads, “When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap all the way to the edges of your field, or gather the gleanings of your harvest; you shall leave them for the poor and the stranger: I the Lord am your God.”
This sense of caring and being responsible for members of our community who are in need is, I believe, a trait of the Jewish character prompted by God’s commandment to the children of Israel so long ago. My grandfather told me that in the late 19th century, his mother, a desperately poor woman herself, baked extra challah each week for those families less fortunate than hers. My grandfather delivered them in secret on Friday mornings. This story had a tremendous influence on me. In part because of this story, I became a social worker and an advocate for the elderly, the needy and the hungry.
When I received my assignment for this week’s Torah reading, I was pleasantly surprised to see that its subject was the Ner Tamid, the Eternal Light. A year before I was Confirmed, our Temple sponsored a NFTY group. A newspaper was started and I was asked to draw a picture for the mast head that would represent the paper’s name. I drew the Ner Tamid that was hanging in the sanctuary.
I think of the Eternal Light that God commanded Aaron to place before the veil in the Temple and how it could be a symbol for my own life. It shines with strength and constancy. I think of how many times in the past 57 years that I have tried to learn to read Hebrew. At Temple Beth Emeth in 1954, girls did not become Bat Mitzvah. Two years ago, when Central Synagogue offered adults the chance to study for Bat Mitzvah, I joined the class immediately.
We have just celebrated Passover and this year I felt comfortable with the Hebrew. Through the years I have been drawn to the study of the history and culture of the Jewish people. It has instilled in me a sense of responsibility for my fellow human beings and a deep love for my family. When I think of the Ner Tamid and its continuous beam of light, it reminds me of my own determination to become a Bat Mitzvah. I thank God for bringing me to this day.
Posted/updated: April 29, 2009
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(Above) Gala Chair Marilyn Simons, President’s Medal Honoree Rabbi Philip Hiat, MMC President Judson R. Shaver, Ph.D., and Gala Chair Jim Simons
Marymount Manhattan College recently presented the 2009 President’s Medal to Rabbi Philip Hiat, religious advisor, friend to the College and Scholar-in-Residence at Central Synagogue in New York City. The presentation was made April 27, during the College’s annual fundraising gala at The Boathouse in Central Park.
More than 220 guests including parents of current students, trustees, members of the administration, College faculty and staff, and friends and family of our honoree—contributed more than $650,000 to the College and This is the Day, the campaign for Marymount Manhattan. The event’s Master of Ceremonies was NBC News Correspondent Peter Alexander, who introduced the evening’s speakers that included Board Chair Anne C. Flannery, Esq. ’73; Gala Chairs Marilyn and Jim Simons; Student Speakers Kadi Edenfield ’09 and Matt Mancuso ’09. In addition, Diana Zambrotta ’09 and Melissa Benoist ’11 and Nathan Atkinson ’07 performed a selection of songs from Rodgers and Hammerstein.
“Rabbi Hiat was a most worthy honoree,” said President Shaver. “As gracious and humble as he is distinguished, he accepted the President’s Medal in a speech that had people dabbing their eyes.”
During his acceptance speech, Rabbi Hiat expressed his heartfelt appreciation to his family, friends and Marymount Manhattan College. As a token of his regard, Rabbi Hiat presented two historic scrolls - one to the College and one to the Gala Chairs Marilyn and Jim Simons. Both scrolls are from the Ramah Synagogue in Krakow, Poland. The large version of the scroll was presented to Baylor University in Texas. The smaller scrolls were commissioned for special family events. They were in two parts: One part notes the beginning with the end of the Sixth Day of Creation, and the second part notes the Book of Exodus and Leviticus.
Established in 1984, the President’s Medal Gala recognizes outstanding individuals who have distinguished themselves through service to their professions and communities.
Throughout his career Rabbi Hiat has worked with community and multi-faith organizations, which includes serving as co-editor of A Visual Testimony: Judaica from the Vatican Library and working as an Executive Consultant for the CBS Television for Religious Broadcasting and serving as Executive Vice President of the Synagogue Council of America.
Marymount Manhattan College is an urban, independent, liberal arts college. The mission of the College is to educate a socially and economically diverse population by fostering intellectual achievement and personal growth and by providing opportunities for career development.
Posted/updated: March 27, 2009
Event Canceled!
Reel Religion: A Century of the Bible and Film at the MOBIA Museum will not be taking place on April 1 as planned.
Contact .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) at 212-838-5122, ext. 4031.
Posted/updated: March 24, 2009
The American Jewish Committee will honor Rabbi Peter J. Rubinstein with its prestigious National Human Relations Award at a gala dinner in New York City on May 20, 2009. This event will raise funds for the AJC’s vital work in support of Israel and Jewish communities throughout the world as well as for AJC’s important programs that help to build human bridges of mutual respect and understanding among religious and ethnic groups at home and abroad. Every member of Central Synagogue will receive an invitation by mail. Contact .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) at (212) 891-1423 for more information.
Posted in: Social Action
Posted/updated: March 24, 2009
Throughout NYC, homeless shelters need to restock their pantries. Their inventories are extremely low.
Central Synagogue’s Social Action Committee is conducting a food drive for the homeless. The dates of the food drive have been extended. Please remember to bring your donations to the Community House by the end of the day on Tuesday, April 21.
Type of Donations: Any food items in a can or box.
Drop-Off Location: Stern Lobby of the Community House
Posted in: Social Action
Posted/updated: March 09, 2009
The Auburn Theological Seminary will honor Cantor Angela Buchdahl at its “Lives of Commitment Breakfast” at The Waldorf Astoria (301 Park Avenue) on Thursday, May 28. The breakfast is a multi-faith, intergenerational event honoring women whose lives demonstrate a powerful commitment to the common good.
Two extraordinary women, who have devoted their lives to healing and repairing the world, will also be honored at the breakfast. Abigail Disney will be recognized for her work healing a war-torn country and Wendy Paulson for healing the environment.
Contributions to the breakfast will benefit Auburn’s work with leaders who addressing pressing public issues by building bridges across lines of religious difference to create a more peaceful and just society.
Please mark this date on your calendars to help honor Cantor Buchdahl and to support the important work of the Auburn Theological Seminary. For more information about the breakfast, please call the Lives of Commitment Breakfast Headquarters at 212-888-7003 or email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
Posted in: Social Action
Posted/updated: March 09, 2009
The Auburn Theological Seminary will honor Cantor Angela Buchdahl at its “Lives of Commitment Breakfast” at The Waldorf Astoria (301 Park Avenue). The breakfast is a multi-faith, intergenerational event honoring women whose lives demonstrate a powerful commitment to the common good.
Two extraordinary women, who have devoted their lives to healing and repairing the world, will also be honored at the breakfast. Abigail Disney will be recognized for her work healing a war-torn country and Wendy Paulson for healing the environment.
Contributions to the breakfast will benefit Auburn’s work with leaders who addressing pressing public issues by building bridges across lines of religious difference to create a more peaceful and just society.
Please mark this date on your calendars to help honor Cantor Buchdahl and to support the important work of the Auburn Theological Seminary. For more information about the breakfast, please call the Lives of Commitment Breakfast Headquarters at 212-888-7003 or email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
Posted/updated: February 27, 2009
Purchase Tickets for a Yankee or Mets Game
Member Ron Tabak is organizing baseball fundraisers for Central Synagogue. Ron buys group tickets for New York Yankees & New York Mets games and asks people to pay him at his cost plus a donation to Central Synagogue. You may purchase as many tickets as you wish while Ron’s supply lasts.
Upcoming Yankee Games
Note: All Yankee seats are in the Grandstand, the highest part of the Stadium, above the outfield.
For the 5 games listed below, all seats are half-price ($11) payable to Ron Tabak (Mailing information below) + $9/ticket donation to Central Synagogue:
-Tuesday, 05/04/10 v. Baltimore @ 7:05pm
-Wednesday, 05/19/10 v. Tampa Bay @ 7:05pm
-Wednesday, 06/02/10 v. Baltimore @ 7:05pm
-Thursday, 06/03/10 v. Baltimore @ 1:05pm
-Tuesday, 07/20/10 v. L.A. Angels @ 7:05pm
For the 3 games listed below, all seats are full-price ($22) payable to Ron Tabak (Mailing information below) + $38/ticket donation to Central Synagogue:
-Monday, 05/17/10 v. Boston @ 7:05pm
-Friday, 06/18/10 v. Mets @ 7:05pm
-Friday, 08/06/10 v. Boston @ 7:05pm
Upcoming Mets Games
Note: The 04/27, 6/9, and 7/5 games below are Promenade Reserve above the infield and that the 8/1 game is Promenade Reserve above the outfield. This is the highest level of Citi Field.
For the 2 games listed below, all seats are full-price ($20) payable to Ron Tabak (Mailing information below) + $5 per ticket donation to Central Synagogue:
-Tuesday, 04/27/10 v. L.A. Dodgers @ 7:10pm
-Wednesday, 06/09/10J v. San Diego Padres @ 7:10pm
For the following game, all seats are full-price ($25) payable to Ron Tabak (Mailing information below) + $5 per ticket donation to Central Synagogue:
-Monday, 07/05/10 v. Cincinnati Reds @ 7:10pm, followed by pyrotechnics show.
For the following game, all seats are full-price ($23) payable to Ron Tabak (Mailing information below) + $7 per ticket donation to Central Synagogue:
-Sunday, 08/01/10 v. Arizona Diamondbacks @ 1:10pm, including a Mets Hall of Fame induction.
To purchase tickets, contact Ron Tabak’s assistant, .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). You may either make out one check to Ron that includes the donation to Central Synagogue or send Ron two checks: one made payable to Ron for the ticket amount and one payable to Central Synagogue for the donation amount, which he will forward to the Synagogue.
Mail checks to:
Ronald Tabak
c/o Skadden Arps
Four Times Square
New York, NY 10036-6522
Posted/updated: February 24, 2009
Central Synagogue Archives would like to add a volunteer to our committee who can create a paper record of the programs, activities, and accomplishments that are regularly a part of our synagogue life. A “reporter” would help to keep these events represented in Central Synagogue’s history by periodically submitting a short written report of each activity (which can also include identified photos) for the archives. As well-kept paper records are the most durable form of records, this will greatly help to reflect the wide scope of Central Synagogue’s community for the generations to come. If you are interested, please contact Amy Goldberger, Chair of the Archives Committee, or Anne Mininberg, Archivist, at 212-838-5122, ext. 2041, or email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
Posted/updated: February 13, 2009
NYU Law Professor Stephen Gillers, a renowned expert on legal ethics, presented the following address at Central Synagogue’s 2009 Jethro Shabbat Program and Dinner on February 13, 2009.
When Ron Tabak e-mailed me about giving the Jethro talk this year, I was in Cambodia speaking about the American legal system to graduate law students at the Royal University of Law and Economics. That experience offered one further example of the intense interest globally in the rule of law in the United States. To my mind, the rule of law is America’s best export. If we can instill in other nations our respect for the rule of law, an independent bar, and an independent judiciary, we will go along way toward the creation of democratic institutions worldwide.
But our achievements in establishing a nation based on the rule of law should not be allowed to obscure problems with the work of lawyers here at home. When Ron and I agreed on the title of the talk, I was not yet clear on what I would say about honor and the legal profession although I had some vague ideas. Events this fall, however, have clarified what needs to be said. When talking of honor, one could hardly begin in a better place than the events surrounding the fall of Bernard Madoff. So I will. I will then move to the question posed in my title and conclude with references to the bible.
What I find most remarkable about the Bernard Madoff story so far is that his sons turned him in. Bernard Madoff confessed to his sons and on the advice of counsel, they turned him in. And the whole business came crashing down.
I don’t question the legal advice or the sons’ action. What puzzles me is something else. Why did no one do this sooner? Why did it take so long? Sooner or later, the fraud would be revealed. Tens of thousands of people would suffer. Those who invested would suffer. Charities dependent on donations from the investors would suffer. All those whom the charities helped would suffer. And the suffering would be great. Is great.
Now, the incontrovertible fact is that it is impossible—impossible—to run a business like Madoff’s in our highly regulated society without the help of professionals—accountants and lawyers—all along the way. Did none of them know? Did none have suspicions? Did they look the other way? We will in time, I hope, get answers to these questions. Unfortunately, they are not new questions. They are asked in the wake of all great frauds.
Stanley Sporkin asked them after the S&L crisis of the 1980s. The government took control of failed banks, including Lincoln Savings & Loan. Charles Keating, CEO of Lincoln’s parent, challenged the takeover. In rejecting the challenge, Judge Sporkin wrote this now famous passage:
“Keating testified that he was so bent on doing the ‘right thing’ that he surrounded himself with literally scores of accountants and lawyers to make sure all the transactions were legal.
“The questions that must be asked are:
“Where were these professionals, a number of whom are now asserting their rights under the Fifth Amendment, when these clearly improper transactions were being consummated?
“Why didn’t any of them speak up or disassociate themselves from the transactions?
“Where also were the outside accountants and attorneys when these transactions were effectuated?
“What is difficult to understand is that with all the professional talent involved (both accounting and legal), why at least one professional would not have blown the whistle to stop the overreaching that took place in this case.”
Judge Sporkin’s questions are no easier to answer today than when he asked them. We do know that lawyers and auditors for the failed banks paid tens of millions of dollars to settle civil claims based in part on their silence. Or their insurers did. Was the price of silence then merely a cost of doing business? A ledger entry? Nothing more?
The New York courts did not heed Judge Sporkin’s questions when in December they adopted new Rules of Professional Conduct for lawyers, effective April 1, 2009. In the current climate, you might expect that the courts would have made it a bit easier for lawyers to reveal client information to stop fraud or prevent great harm, especially if the lawyer discovers that he or she has unwittingly assisted the fraud. Following the corporate scandals of the last decade, the ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct and rules in many states were changed to grant this authority. It is not a radical idea by any means. But not only did the New York courts not adopt these ABA provisions, the new rules they did adopt actually further limit a lawyer’s duty to reveal fraud on others than exists today under New York’s current rules. We’re backsliding here in New York, the nation’s financial capital.
The title of this talk is “Is Law (Still) An Honorable Profession?” So I have to say what I mean by honor? It is more than acting lawfully. It is that, certainly, but it is more. It is also how you behave even when you can do as you please, especially then. Honor, at the least, means not exploiting the trust of vulnerable others for your own advantage—including strangers—who are relying on certain basic standards of human decency.
Honor shares the stage with two other civilizing qualities. One is shame. To value honor is to be capable of shame. For the shameless, honor does not exist. They don’t prize it and they don’t miss it. The other quality is empathy even for those you do not know. Empathy is compassion for the plight of others, because you understand that they are tied to you and you to them.
Honor, shame, and empathy, then, make up the glue of civilization. Without them, things will fall apart. And as bad: when the public sees a loss of honor in how institutions and professionals behave, we have a loss of trust. That is what we see happening now. Some examples:
Reviewing Charles Morris’s book, The Trillion Dollar Meltdown, in the “New York Review,” Jeff Madrick writes:
“Morris makes it clear that it was an unquenchable thirst for easy profits that led commercial and investment banks in the US and around the world—as well as hedge fund, insurance companies, private equity firms, and other financial institutions—to take unjustifiable risks for their own gain, and in so doing jeopardize the future of the nation’s credit system and the economy itself.”
George Packer, in a recent “New Yorker,” describes in wrenching detail the plight of some of the vulnerable victims of this behavior—blue collar people in southwest Florida who have lost their jobs and sometimes their homes. These are people largely invisible to the masters of the financial universe who produced the mess under which they now suffer.
In “The New York Times,” Gretchen Morgenson’s columns have shown that the credit-rating agencies gave ridiculously optimistic grades to mortgage backed bonds. The bond issuers paid the agencies’ fees. The income from this part of the agencies’ business was especially lucrative. Put two and two together: The inference is compelling.
Elsewhere, health, not wealth, has been jeopardized. In January Eli Lilly agreed to pay $1.42 billion to settle a probe into alleged improper marketing of the antipsychotic drug Zyprexa. Gardiner Harris reports in the “Times”:
“Among the charges, Lilly has been accused of a scheme stretching for years to persuade doctors to prescribe Zyprexa to two categories of patients—children and the elderly—for whom the drug was not federally approved and in whom its use was especially risky….
The company…pressed doctors to treat disruptive children with Zyprexa, court documents show, even though the medicine’s tendency to cause severe weight gain and metabolic disorders is particularly pronounced in children. Over the last decade, Zyprexa’s use in children has soared.”
And staying on health, Marcia Angell in the “New York Review,” Gardiner Harris in the “Times,” Senator Charles Grassley with subpoena power, and others have told of psychiatrists with economic interests in a drug, sometimes along with their universities, or who have received huge consulting sums from drug companies, then doing National Institute of Health studies on those very drugs or on drugs owned by the very companies that paid them so handsomely. Some universities did not enforce their conflict of interest rules. Some of this conduct also violates NIH conflict of interest rules.
A particularly outrageous example of dishonorable behavior in my lifetime was Big Tobacco’s decades long suppression of conclusive proof that tobacco kills, while all the while implying the contrary, including in ads targeting young people. I needn’t ask Judge Sporkin’s questions this time. We know where the lawyers were. Big Tobacco’s success in hiding the science that showed that tobacco kills was accomplished with the highly creative help of clever lawyers who managed to bury the information by concocting a theory that the laboratory results were protected by the attorney-client privilege.
Which takes me back to lawyers. As I say, in our regulated economy, lawyers are deeply embedded in all sophisticated commercial and financial transactions. So, often, in situations like those I’ve described and others, the conduct would not have been possible at all or for long without the assistance of lawyers. Or if not the assistance, than with the knowledge and acquiescence.
Let me be clear: It is more than honorable to help clients achieve their goals under law. And it is more than honorable to be devoted to a client’s goals. In a civilized society, it is necessary. Lawyers say, with justification, that it is not their job to judge the worthiness of the clients’ goals, only if those goals are legal. A lawyer is but an advisor on the law, they say. The client calls the shots.
And almost always, this is true. But it is not always true. Sometimes, this defense undermines the rule of law itself. Our popular model for the work of lawyers—the way lawyers are portrayed in popular culture—envisions a trial lawyer, usually a criminal defense lawyer, whose arguments can be challenged by an opposing lawyer and will be exposed to the ruling of a judge.
This is a misleading model. Most American lawyers are not trial lawyers. They are counselors or advisers, operating where there is no judge and no adversary. No one is watching. And there may never be. Then, the temptation is to push the limits, sift the language of the law, find hidden meanings. Now, our social understanding is that law is not endlessly pliable in this way. But the problem is this: It can be made to be because law, after all, is only a language and language is pretty pliable. In the hands of a creative, motivated lawyer, with a demanding client, the language of the law can have astonishing elasticity. Through interpretation, the rule of law can be turned into what it is not. A fine exercise perhaps if you are interpreting Shakespeare or Kafka. But not for law.
Our law cannot be defined solely by the limits of a lawyer’s linguistic imagination. That is a recipe for destabilizing the rule of law, not preserving it.
Are you shocked by the torture memos the Justice Department lawyers wrote during the Bush years, some of which were later disowned by the same Justice Department in the face of popular repulsion? So am I, especially after I had a chance to study them closely. They are worse than you think. They are dense, with hundreds of footnotes. This is no accident. They are dressed up to appear scholarly, erudite, learned. But they are junk law.
The torture memos are but a far more egregious example of the kind of behavior I’m describing. Push the limits. Use your imagination. Who’s looking? The client wants it. If the client is ever challenged, it has an excuse. The lawyers said it was okay. That is in fact what former federal officials now say. “We had a legal opinion.”
A lawyer who uses his or her legal education and skills to distort the law, to destroy the rule of law, because he or she is adept at manipulating language, when no judge, no adversary is watching, is as blameworthy as the client. You cannot hide behind your professional mask.
What I have just said may seem unremarkable to nonlawyers. To many lawyers, it will sound like blasphemy, a rejection of the duty of loyalty to the client. My reply: Loyalty does not require you to aid morally offensive goals, even if they are legal.
Or lawyers may say, “But if I decline, someone else will do it. So what is gained?” My reply: “Let someone else do it. But not you. Honor is personal. Worry about yourself. You don’t get a pass from moral responsibility because you acted for a client.”
That’s the first lesson I would offer, aimed at lawyers. A second lesson, aimed at all, is this: Keep ready your capacity for outrage. This is very important. Next to the vote, outrage is the one response each of us can contribute. Outrage is how honor must confront dishonor. If we lose the capacity for outrage, we are in serious trouble.
It is tempting to put outrage aside. There are other things to do every day: make play dates, plan dinner, read a novel, learn Italian, not to mention our jobs. Outrage takes energy. It is stressful. Today, the demand for it is seemingly endless. Nonetheless, outrage is a duty of citizenship. Its opposite is complacency, which will bring more reasons for outrage in a downward spiral.
I’m a lawyer and law professor. For more than 30 years I’ve taught legal ethics. So maybe I can be forgiven for believing that honor among lawyers is the best hope for a civil society, especially in times like these when it can daily appear that those we believed were good people, good institutions private and public, good companies, seem to have lost their moral bearings, that we have a scarcity of honor and capacity for shame. If the bar loses honor and capacity for shame, what have we left?
We have the clergy. Necessary but not sufficient.
So here is my third lesson, again for lawyers: Do not become skilled facilitators of whatever legal goal a paying client may desire. That’s not what you envisioned for yourself when you answered the question on your law school application: “Why do you want to study law?” Practice saying no. No has moral power. It can be liberating – for you and for your client.
I would have hesitated to give this advice if I did not have eminent precedent. Elihu Root, Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Secretary of State under Theodore Roosevelt said it better a century ago: “About half of the practice of a decent lawyer is telling would-be clients that they are damned fools and should stop.”
And more recent are the words of Thomas Shaffer, an emeritus professor at Notre Dame Law School. Professor Shaffer often writes about legal ethics and religious values. He gave a speech at Vermont Law School some ten years ago. It became an article in the school’s law review. The title is Jews, Christians, Lawyers, and Money. It began:
“Years ago, when I was the resident guru in legal ethics at Washington and Lee University, in the little mountain town of Lexington, Virginia, a reporter from the daily newspaper in Roanoke asked me to identify the most serious ethical issue for American lawyers. My answer: ‘Money.’”
And Shaffer continued with references that resonate today:
“My purpose so far is to suggest to you that money is the number-one most serious moral problem for American lawyers and their clients. My moral observation is biblical: God destroyed the biblical cities of Sodom and Gomorrah in a rain of brimstone and fire. The Rabbis of the Mishnah wondered why. They did not decide, as many Christian preachers have decided, that God got upset because of the Sodomites’ sexual irregularities. It wasn’t sex. The reason for the destruction of Sodom was money.
“The Rabbis said the relevant text is in the Book of Leviticus. ‘Thy brother may live with thee.’ The wealthy Sodomites were not generous to one another; they did not take care of the poor…. Sodom was destroyed by God, in the view of the Jewish tradition, because ‘individual selfishness . . . had become an integral part of its communal culture.’
“The book of Leviticus also says: ‘You shall not put a stumbling block in the path of the blind.’ The sages of Judaism decided that the rule does not apply to those who harass blind people as much as it applies to those who misuse the law, who are dishonest, but legal, who, ‘through perfectly legal transactions,’ mistreat vulnerable people….”
Let this be our lesson, too.
Posted/updated: January 30, 2009
Click to Enlarge
Posted/updated: January 26, 2009
By Cantor Angela Warnick Buchdah
In light of recent events, I suspect that many of us have been examining what is most important to us, what we most value, and what is expendable. Central Synagogue has been engaged in a similar process of reflection as an institution, examining our budget, clarifying our priorities and trying to set an example of what a religious community can be for people in a time of need. Sometimes even painful periods can bring forth good, and it would be a shame to waste a good crisis.
It is in this spirit that Central Synagogue has embarked on a B’nei Mitzvah House Meeting Initiative—a series of small-group conversations with families in our community to challenge some of the assumptions and expectations around the culture of B’nei Mitzvah in our community. Between Jan 16, when we started the initiative, and March 14, when we end, we hope to talk to at least two hundred families with children in the fourth through seventh grades, to hear their stories, and to ensure that we make this important life cycle reflect the best of our Jewish values.
The B’nei Mitzvah House Meeting Initiative evolved from Central Synagogue’s Listening Campaign, which we kicked-off over a year ago. The challenge of raising “kids who care” in a society of privilege and abundance emerged as a core concern for many in our community. Once the listening phase was over, the Listening Campaign became “Central Action,” and the “Kids Who Care” group decided to focus on how the Bar Mitzvah could be used to convey our values. The current financial crisis offers a special opportunity for this project to have major impact.
What would it be like if our B’nei Mitzvah class joined together and donated a portion of their gifts to a tzedakah collective that helped resuscitate one of the Jewish philanthropies devastated by the Madoff financial scheme? What if the class decided to use Evites instead of printed invitations to save some trees and to draw from the financial savings to plant 1000 trees in Central Park? As we engage our parents and students in this challenge, who knows what they might think of?
Too often the stories we read in The New York Times about New York Bar Mitzvah celebrations embarrass us and fail to reflect the true values of the Jewish community. With the proper effort, the next article written about New York City B’nei Mitzvah could instead describe how Central Synagogue emerged from this financial crisis to create a new paradigm of mitzvah in B’nei Mitzvah.
We welcome your participation in this important project. If you would like to attend a House Meeting as part of our B’nei Mitzvah Initiative, please contact Sabrina Ferrer at 212-838-5122, ext. 1012, or at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
May we move forward in strength.
Posted/updated: January 13, 2009
Help Military Families
SOFAR NY provides mental health support and psycho-educational services to families of the military; people who often feel alone, distraught, and are in need of meaningful professional help, which the military does not provide. All our services are provided pro bono, in complete confidence and at no charge.
We started here at Central Synagogue, and our core membership has grown to include clinicians from throughout the region. But now we have grown substantially and are seeking more volunteers: primarily licensed psychologists, social workers, and psychiatrists. We also would benefit organizationally from business-related skills: organizational development, human resources, training, and educators. Since we started in 2008, SOFAR NY Inc. (Strategic Outreach to Families of all Reservists) has incorporated and become a 501 (c) (3) organization. To see whether you can help this important project, please contact Central member Patricia Rich, SOFAR Co-Director, 212-688-2570 or sofarny@gmail.com.
Notes from Service Men and Women
We are pleased to share with you thank-you notes from the following Service Men and Women:
Other Articles of Interest
Read about the experience of one congregant who adopted a U.S. Marine serving in Iraq. Click here
Columbia News Service article (April 2, 2008): “Reform synagogues ‘adopt’ U.S. troops in the Middle East” by Zachary Goelman. Click here for the article.
Posted in: Social Action
Posted/updated: January 07, 2009
By Rabbi Peter J. Rubinstein
Fundamental agreement across the broad spectrum of Israeli politics is hard to come by. Yet, as increasing number of rockets were fired into Israeli population centers from Gaza, massive Israeli support emerged for a military response to obliterate the danger. As Israel began its military campaign, sensible political leaders around the world expressed that it would be reckless and irresponsible for any country to allow deadly rockets to be fired into its territory especially when these rockets come from a neighboring government that has made your own nation’s destruction its covenantal goal.
There was broad support for Israel to react militarily. But then the consensus faltered and the debates began over how far should Israel go, how this military action will end, and what the goals are. Basically the question is what now and to that there is no clear answer.
We who look in from the outside cannot know the substance of the discussions of Israel’s cabinet and the military or intelligence information available to them, nor do we experience the fear and danger of living in cities within reach of continued rocket fire from Gaza. I believe that the concept of a “proportional response” does not make sense. The point is to stop the rockets.
I believe that our responsibility as a synagogue is to engage with Israel and its citizens in every meaningful way and in that regard I have attached links to articles across the ideological spectrum. I agree with many of the writers and vehemently reject some of the ideas expressed but think they are important to read.
On Thursday morning January 15th from 8:15-9:30 a.m. in the Community House, Professor Fred Lazin will speak about recent events in Israel and Gaza. Professor Lazin is Professor of Politics at Ben Gurion University in Beer Sheva Israel and has written extensively on subjects, including Israeli politics and society, immigration, housing, and Jews in American politics. This year he is a Visiting Scholar at the Taub Center for Israel Studies at NYU.
I have also attached links to important websites from our own movement and from the State of Israel.
Obviously, our hope and prayer is for the well-being, safety and security of Israel, the well-being of innocent citizens on both sides of the border, and peace in the region.
Israel and Gaza Seminar with Professor Fred Lazin
Thursday, January 15, 8:15 – 9:30 AM, Community House
Join us for an important seminar on the recent events in Israel and Gaza, presented by Professor Fred Lazin. Professor Lazin is Professor of Politics at Ben Gurion University in Beer Sheva Israel and has written extensively on subjects including Israeli politics and society, immigration, housing, and Jews in American politics. This year he is a Visiting Scholar at the Taub Center for Israel Studies at NYU. Please RSVP to Yonni Wattenmaker, Director of Lifelong Learning, at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or at 212-838-5122, ext. 4031.
Links to Articles:
“The Confidence War” by David Brooks
“War Without End?” by Gershon Shafir
“Collective Responsibility versus Collective Punishment” by David J. Forman
“As My Son Goes to War, I Am Fully Israeli At Last” by Yossi Klein Halevi
Links to some relevant Websites:
For the statement by the World Union for Progressive Judaism
For statements by the Union for Reform Judaism and links to magazine articles
For statements and background for the Israeli Embassy
For news from Israel: Haaretz and Jerusalem Post
Posted in: Social Action
Posted/updated: December 03, 2008
Honor the Importance of the Law to Everyone
at Central Synagogue’s Jethro Shabbat Program & Dinner
Friday, February 13, 6 pm, Sanctuary
Dinner with Speaker Immediately Following Services
RSVP Required for Dinner; Cost: $70 per person
Hear Stephen Gillers, Esq., a renowned expert on legal ethics, address the topic: “Is Law (Still) an Honorable Profession? Why We All Need the Answer to be Yes.” NYU Law Professor Gillers is an engaging and witty speaker who is frequently quoted in The New York Times and other general interest and legal publications. Author of a widely used law school legal ethics casebook, he has been a leader of the American Bar Association’s professional responsibility initiatives.
Shabbat Services 6:00 p.m. Sanctuary Dinner & Program Immediately Following Services (approx. 7:15 p.m.) Pavilion (downstairs in the Sanctuary building)
Dinner Ticket Price: $70 per person
RSVP Required: Click here to purchase your tickets online.
Congregants: Members of Central Synagogue may choose to have their ticket purchase charged to their accounts. If you would like for Central Synagogue to charge your Jethro Shabbat tickets to your membership bill, please email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). Please note your name, the names of those attending with you and the total number of tickets you are purchasing.
Where:
Central Synagogue
Sanctuary
652 Lexington Avenue (at 55th Street)
New York, NY 10022
Phone: 212-838-51222
Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Posted/updated: November 16, 2008
We thank everyone who participated in our 2008 Mitzvah Day. In the coming months, we will begin working on our plans for next year. Please check back again for more information.
Posted/updated: September 17, 2008
Please plan to join us on November 16 for a very special day when we come together as a congregation and give a little back to our community. This year, participants of all ages and interests can choose from dozens of activities. Please watch for the Mitzvah Day brochure, which you will be receiving in a separate mailing. For more information, please contact Mitzvah_Day@censyn.org or 212-838-5122, ext. 5009.
Posted/updated: September 11, 2008
Central Synagogue is planning a week long “build” trip to New Orleans to help repair the lives of one family whose house suffered significant damage during Hurricane Katrina. We will be working with Rebuilding Together (http://www.rebuildingtogether.org). The build will begin on Sunday, March 22, 2009, with an orientation and then the group will spend the next five days spackling, scraping, painting, and repairing the damage. No experience is necessary. You will be taught all skills by experienced carpenters who will work with us and advise us. We are looking for able bodied adults ages 21 and up who are not afraid to get down and dirty and make a difference. The project will also include a Jewish component of study and meeting with one of the Reform congregations of New Orleans. This will include a special Shabbat experience at the end of the week. We will also enjoy the rich cultural heritage of this great American city. If you are interested in participating, please email Monica Corton at momusing@aol.com.
Posted/updated: September 11, 2008
Member Ron Tabak is again organizing basketball fundraisers for Central Synagogue, and as an experiment, is also organizing a hockey fundraiser. Ron buys group tickets for New York Knicks and Rangers games and asks people to pay him at his cost plus a donation to Central Synagogue. You may purchase as many tickets as you wish while Ron’s supply lasts. The donations are per ticket.
Basketball
The seats are in the 300 level (about half-way up) of Madison Square Garden. February 25 tickets are at a discount and behind the basket. The other seats, for sure sell-outs, are behind the basket.
Wednesday, February 25, Orlando Magic, 7:30 pm: Seats normally
$44.50 are $25 + $5 donation.
Hockey
Wednesday, February 18, Rangers v. Islanders, 7:00 pm: $78 plus $7 donation. Section 321. All in group get a Rangers Cap .
To purchase tickets, email Ron Tabak’s assistant, William Vila, at bvila@probonolaw.com or phone him at 212-735-3692. You may either make out one check to Ron that includes the donation to Central Synagogue (Ron will then send a donation in your name to Central Synagogue) or send Ron two checks: one made payable to Ron for the ticket amount and one payable to Central Synagogue for the donation amount, which he will forward to the synagogue. Mail checks to Ronald Tabak, c/o Skadden Arps, Four Times Square, New York, NY 10036-6522.
Posted/updated: July 15, 2008
The following links will take you to pages with important information about our upcoming High Holy Days, including:
For general information about the High Holy Days, please call Amy Schwach, Director of Member Services at 212-508-3009 or email her at amy@censyn.org.
Posted in: Worship
Posted/updated: April 02, 2008
Please join us on one or more of the following Central Synagogue trips to Israel.
Posted/updated: March 31, 2008
Ron buys group tickets for New York Yankees and New York Mets games and asks people to pay him at or close to his cost plus a donation to Central Synagogue. You may purchase as many tickets as you wish while Ron’s supply lasts.
NY Yankees: All of the Yankees tickets are in the tier (highest level) reserve. All are at discounts of at least 50%, prior to donation. Even after donating, you pay a total that’s less than the regular price.
Yankees v. Toronto Blue Jays, Friday, August 29, 7:05 pm: Tier (highest level) reserve seats above outfield are $11 plus $9 donation (seats normally cost $22).
New York Mets Tickets: All tickets for the New York Mets games listed below are Upper Level (the highest level of the Stadium) Reserves, in relatively low seats within that area.
Of special note, the game on August 24 will celebrate Jewish Heritage Day.
Mets v. Houston Astros, Friday, August 22, 7:10 pm: Seats between Home & 1st: $19 plus $7 donation; Fiesta Latina, with post-game concert
Mets v. Houston Astros, Sunday, August 24, 1:10 pm: No-alcohol seats between Home & 3d: $19 plus $7 donation. Jewish Heritage Day. Baseball T-shirts to first 25,000 fans.
To purchase tickets, contact Ron Tabak’s assistant at 212-735-3692 or e-mail him at bvila@probonolaw.com. You may either make out one check to Ron that includes the donation to Central Synagogue. (Ron will then send a donation in your name to Central Synagogue.) Or send Ron two checks: one made payable to Ron for the ticket amount and one payable to Central Synagogue for the donation amount, which he will forward to the synagogue.
Mail checks to:
Ronald Tabak,
c/o Skadden Arps,
Four Times Square,
New York, NY 10036-6522.
Posted/updated: February 05, 2008
From time to time, we learn about Jews who need medical transplants – i.e., an organ transplant or bone marrow transplants. Below are several requests that have come to our attention.
The decision to become a donor is a personal one, and Central Synagogue shares these requests for informational purposes solely. No information in this listing is intended to be construed as medical advice or recommendations. Nor should the information contained herein be a substitute for seeking proper medical consultation from qualified healthcare professionals. Users of the information below agree to indemnify and hold harmless Central Synagogue from and against any and all claims, damages, liabilities and costs arising out of or resulting from the use of this information.
Imagine having everything to live for—two beautiful children, a loving husband and loyal friends—and then finding out in a flash that your life is literally dependent on the kindness of a stranger. Lisa Gershowitz Flynn, 41, is looking for the match of her life. A vibrant and active 41-year-old, Lisa was recently diagnosed with Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML), a fast-moving version of the disease. She was immediately hospitalized and has gone through three rounds of chemotherapy in the past two months. Unfortunately the treatments have not put her into full remission, and it is now critical for her to have a bone marrow or stem cell transplant. Her brother, Steven, is not a match, so she must rely on a finding a donor from outside her family. Because Lisa has an acute form of Leukemia, which is growing in incidence very year, she has only months to beat this cancer.
The family has searched donor banks worldwide, with some close matches, but has not yet found a match that can help save Lisa. The doctors are fully confident that there is a match—it’s just a matter of getting more people tested. There are so many misconceptions about bone marrow donation and the availability of genetic matches to patients in need. 80% of those who search the registries never find a match. We need to educate everyone so they can understand how simple it is to save someone’s life!
Her friends and loved ones have rallied to spread the word and have organized donor drives with record-breaking numbers, in the hopes that not only can a match be found for Lisa, but for the thousands of others waiting for life-saving transplants as well. Lisa’s heritage is Eastern European, and she has a very good chance to match someone from the same ethnic background.
Lisa is truly a special woman who lights up a room with her happiness, even when her mood is not so bright, and she has retained her sense of humor and optimism throughout her illness. An attorney at I-preo in Manhattan, Lisa grew up in Jericho, Long Island, and attended Duke University and Fordham University Law School. Her husband of 10 years, John Flynn, is originally from Scarsdale, New York, and works at Garnter Group in Stamford CT. Lisa and John live in Manhattan with their two children, Michael, age 5, and Alexandra, age 3.
* Source: National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP).
During the drive each donor will be asked to fill out a one-page form and to complete a cheek swab sample test. After the test is processed, within 3 to 4 weeks the donor will be placed on a national registry list where medical professionals can determine if he or she is a match to any patient looking for a donor.
The donor will only be asked to donate if he or she is a match to a patient. There are two ways a donation can take place: 80 percent of the time the cells needed for the transplant are collected via the blood stream (PBSC). The donor gives blood through one arm, the needed cells are filtered by an aphaeresis machine, and then the blood is returned through the other arm. The other 20 percent of the time, cells are collected directly from the bone marrow. The donor is given anesthetics for comfort, and a needle extracts the cells from the back of the pelvic bone. Both procedures are outpatient.
Contact: Anne Flynn (203) 570-0415 or anne@giftforlisa.com
I am writing this letter to reach out to each of you to let you know what is going on in my life with my health and appeal for your support in helping me to find a friend, family member, altruistic person that is willing to undertake a liver donation that can possibly help to save my life.
A few weeks ago I was diagnosed with Hepatocelllular Carcinoma or liver cancer. This is an aggressive cancer that is usually treated through liver transplant. Patients are evaluated for transplant based on specific criteria, assigned a score and placed on a list to wait for a cadaveric donor - this usually takes anywhere between 12 and 18 months.
About 70% of patients on the list make it to transplant and many are successfully transplanted and live a normal life time with the help of immune-suppressant drugs. In my case I was originally listed yesterday and was very hopeful that with appropriate pre-transplant treatment I would be able to make it through the waiting list and be successfully transplanted. This morning I received a call from my doctor at UCSF that a second CT Scan had disclosed a second mass. The criteria for being listed for transplant states a single mass less than 5 cm or 3 or fewer masses less than 3 cm. The original mass they found was 3.4 cm and the second is 1.8 cm. Because there are 2 masses and one is greater than 3 cm I have been de-listed. I will not be placed back on the transplant waiting list unless the larger mass is downsized to less than 3 cm. This is possible through a process called chemoembolization.
However, it is not always successful and when it is it takes time for the tumor size to be reduced. Consequently the time to transplant is longer and the probability of my dying before a cadaveric transplant is possible is much greater. The alternative to being placed on the waiting list is to find a live donor. Someone that is willing and physically able to donate a portion of their liver which would be transplanted in me.
The requirements are that the donor have the same blood type ( I am Type O) and be in good physical condition, and less than 55 years old with no prior history of cancer or liver disease. The liver is an amazing organ that regenerates itself in a short period of time. Potential donors are put through a number of tests to insure that they are physically and emotionally able to donate and that their odds of a successful and complete recovery are very good. The procedure itself takes about 3 or 4 hours. A % of the liver is removed from the donor and placed in the recipient - me. The donor liver regenerates to its full size within 6 or so weeks and the hospital stay is generally around 5 days. Complete recovery with the ability for the donor to return to work takes 3 to 4 weeks. As with any surgery there are risks but these are very well known and controlled. The recipient procedure takes longer and the recovery as well is longer but the long term disease free survival rates tend to be very good. Most importantly, being able to receive a live donor transplant soon and not having to wait to see if chemoembolization will work to reduce the size of the mass so I can be relisted for a cadaveric liver (one from a deceased donor) is my best chance to live.
Please reach out to all of the friends you have and organizations you know of to help me secure a living donor transplant or if able to consider donating yourself. You all know me well enough to know I am a fighter and will not give in to this cancer. I am not ready to die and need each of your help to make this transplant a reality. Please understand that we're not asking for, nor do we need donations or fund raising, but rather for each of you to reach out to people in the community that might be a potential donor. Our insurance covers the entire process and that of the donor's and we are legally allowed and able to compensate for all lost wages. Our treating hospital is UCSF.
God bless each of you.
Ben Bernstein
Contact: ben@workcentives.com
Over age 18, under age 55 - Healthy and physically fit - Type O blood (negative or positive) RH factor does not affect suitability to donate. Donor must be proportionately large enough, relative to the size for the recipient in order for the donated piece of liver to regenerate. If you are overweight, you may be considered if you can lose weight. Donors are limited to a body mass index of 30 or less. Body mass is based upon height and weight. You can NOT be a smoker and If you are serious about donating, you should stop drinking. You do not have to contact us and tell us you want to be donors. This info is confidential and between you and UCSF. During the entire screening process, all info is confidential and we will not be notified. If you choose to notify us, it's your option but if you disqualify or opt out which you can do so at any stage, we will not be told as this is your confidential information. If you pass all criteria, at some point we will all meet to discuss the financial arrangements, hospital dates, etc. The number to call for the first step is at UCSF's Transplant office at (415) 353-1888. Office hours: 9-5, Mon ? Friday. Advise the receptionist that you wish to discuss being a Live Liver Donor. A coordinator will get in touch with you and conduct a phone interview. A detailed medical questionnaire will then be mailed out to your home. Do not be discouraged by the personal and lengthy questions nor feel insulted if some of their weight related questions seem insensitive. Over weight isn't an issue but a fatty liver can't be transplanted and this is their area of concern when that topic gets broached. I'm not sure that they are real rigid on the age factor and likely wouldn't turn away a candidate still in their late 50's if healthy. The process can be intimidating so please understand that regardless of how far you go with the various tests in place, you can always change your mind and opt out without judgment from the team.
Next steps: Chest X-ray, blood work, EKG, ultrasound of abdomen. Blood vessels will be examined to determine they branch a pattern that allows removal of the right part of your liver. THE EVALUATION PROCESS WILL REQUIRE SEVERAL VISITS TO UCSF HOSPITAL. TESTING NEEDS TO BE DONE AT UCSF TO QUALIFY. You will not incur medical expenses related to medical tests, evaluations, surgery, hospitalization or post op care. All charges are billed to our insurance which is contracted with UCSF.
In addition, you must either have your own insurance to cover additional medical expenses or have an agreement with the recipients (us) that we will cover all related expenses in and out of the hospital that are not covered. We will make sure this agreement is in place to protect you.
Payment for organ donations is strictly prohibited by law and donors must not anticipate or receive monetary gain. That said, we will cover all expenses related to lost wages and living expenses during the recuperation period until the donor is able to return to work as well as compensate care givers, pet care services, house cleaning, etc. to eliminate any financial concern you may have and allow you to recover without feeling any financial duress. You do not need to keep us in your private loop because at some point UCSF will contact us if they feel you are a suitable donor and a meeting will then take place with all parties. A support system of your own (only needs to be one person) is needed for your own approval). This person needs to understand the process and post operative care. For Ben's best chance of survival, this transplant should take place within the next 12 weeks. This time frame should help you decide if it helps or hinders your process in making a decision. A minimum of 2 weeks prior will be required to get the testing and various medical meetings taken care of ahead of time. UCSF is very organized with this type of procedure.
SHOULD THE CHANCES FOR SUCCESS OR FAILURE AFFECT MY DECISION TO DONATE? You are volunteering with extraordinary generosity, to donate to save or attempt to save another person's life. It is important you understand that there is no guarantee that your sacrifice will actually save your recipient's life.
HOW QUICKLY CAN I BECOME A DONOR: Generally, within 2 weeks of completing every component of the evaluation process. Evaluation process is approx. 6 weeks long. If you are approved, you will need to donate a unit of your own blood within 2-4 weeks prior to surgery. Approx. 40 to 60 percent of your liver is removed. THE LIVER BEGINS TO REGENERATE ALMOST IMMEDIATLEY. MOST REGENERATION OCCURS WITHIN THE FISRT 2 WEEKS AFTER SURGERY. BY 3 MONTHS YOUR LIVER WILL BE NORMAL SIZE. The incision is large and the same for donor and recipient. It is call the Mercedes incision. The average hospital stay is up to 6 days. You may be uncomfortable for at least the first week. You may need as long as 12 weeks to fully recovery and be off work, the minimum time is 6 weeks. You need to be able to take up to 12 weeks off from work. You must remain close to UCSF for at least 3 weeks post surgery. UCSF is currently #1 in its success rate (highest in the country) (over 92%) with these procedures done on the recipient and 99% of donors go on to live a healthy and normal life.
Posted/updated: November 07, 2007
Join us for Service on Sunday (S.O.S.). We will be doing various fun activities during our visit. This is a great opportunity to spend some quality time with the children of RMDH as well as getting to know some fellow Central Synagogue members. All volunteers must be at least 18 years old. To sign up or for more information, please contact Alan Herman at aandlsales@aol.com or 917-282-6781.
Posted/updated: November 07, 2007
This is the story of one congregation and how it found inner meaning and purpose by looking outside itself. It is also a Jewish tale of guilt, but one with a happy ending.
It begins with an admission. I am a rabbi with a history of visiting, being involved with and supporting the State of Israel. Thus I knew about the World Union for Progressive Judaism, but only as a philosophical construct. Frankly I didn’t know what it was or what it did.
I knew that the World Union had something to do with the struggle of Reform Judaism for recognition and equal treatment in Israel but — admission number two — it was difficult for me to distinguish them from the alphabet soup of other Jewish groups including, but not limited to ARZA, IRAC and the IMPJ.
I began to pay more attention when Rabbi Uri Regev became president of the World Union in 2002. His passionate support of the disenfranchised in Israel, brilliant arguments before the Israeli Supreme Court and impeccable loyalty as a friend mandated that I support him in every possible way by taking “his” (not “my”) organization seriously. I decided that I needed to raise the level of my own, and my congregation’s, awareness of our, responsibility to world Jewry.
My campaign was launched with my Rosh HaShanah sermon in 2004. I began by telling the story of my grandparents who left Ivinetz (a shtetl outside Minsk) before the First World War. I had assumed that any Jews who remained behind in Eastern Europe would have been vanquished by the Holocaust and the Communist regime so I was stunned to discover that a small but continuing Jewish population had survived the pogroms and the Nazis and Stalin and had miraculously returned to communal life in the region of Minsk. And not only in Minsk, but in St. Petersburg, Prague, Budapest, Berlin, Warsaw, Kiev and Vienna as well. These renascent Jewish communities yearn — with vigor and purpose, with resilience and longing — to reclaim Jewish life in its fullness.
I proceeded to recount the history of Jews in Argentina, the former Soviet Union (FSU) and Israel, and then offered my congregation this challenge and invitation:
Let us give testimony to our forebears’ actions and courage by nourishing the rekindling of Jewish life in places from which so many of them came. We will bring Reform Judaism to the Former Soviet Union.
And we will respond to our brothers and sisters struck by poverty in Argentina, for quite frankly, but for a fortuitous decision of our grandparents to come here, we could be those people.
And we vow again to nourish the movement of our colleagues in Israel who themselves yearn to live as Jews as we live as Jews, and who cannot do it alone.
I, personally, have committed myself to that task and I invite you to join me.
Thus was launched our amazing congregational voyage — literally and figuratively — into the universe of the World Union and the incredible communities that are part of the movement of Progressive Judaism throughout the world. Groups from my congregation traveled to Argentina, Israel, the FSU, Cuba and most recently to Germany bringing resources and energy those communities and receiving so much from them in return.
On the congregational trip to Minsk in the fall of 2005, I hoped to uncover my past and the world of my grandparents, as well as to encounter the World Union-affiliated community there. We met Rabbi Grisha Abramovich, the remarkable and only rabbi serving the Progressive Jews of Belarus. He alone serves 16 separate communities and travels extensively among them, teaching students, organizing social and liturgical services, and training the next generation of lay leaders. One of these congregations is for the deaf, who gifted us with a painting they created in appreciation of our visit.
Our congregation developed a vital ongoing relationship with Rabbi Abramovich and his community as a result of our warm welcome in Belarus. Following our visit, eight young leaders from Belarus came for a week to New York City to learn about our synagogue and Reform Jewish life here. These amazing young people stayed in our homes, led our services and transformed our Yom HaShoah commemoration, conducted in cooperation with a neighboring Lutheran church, by telling their family stories and naming the members of their families who died in the Shoah.
Members of our congregation then decided to fund a World Union summer camp in Belarus as one measure of our support of the youth and future of the Belarus Progressive community. We sent two of our full-time religious school teachers to spend a week working at their winter camp program.
Our congregational leaders were so impacted by these interactions and relationships that they decided to contribute a percentage of all funds we raise each year to the World Union for its ongoing operations around the globe in support of the renewal of Jewish life.
Our understanding of the World Union has enhanced our synagogue’s life and deeply touched the souls of every one of us who has become involved. While I originally went to Minsk to uncover my past, I was amazed to discover my future. Perhaps you can too.
