The Brotherhood Synagogue h’’bZ 28 Gramercy Park South New York, NY 10003 Phone (212) 674-5750 Fax (212) 505-6707 www.brotherhoodsynagogue.org Volume XXXIII Number IV Tevet/Shevat 5775 January 2015 Black Lives Matter by Rabbi Daniel Alder I n January of 1963, Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel opened the National Conference on Race and Religion in Chicago with the following words: At the first conference on religion and race, the main participants were Pharaoh and Moses. Moses’ words were: “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, let My people go that they may celebrate a feast to Me.” While Pharaoh retorted: “Who is the Lord that I should heed this voice and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, and moreover I will not let Israel go.” The outcome of that summit meeting has not come to an end. Pharaoh is not ready to capitulate. The Exodus began, but is far from having been completed. In fact, it was easier for the children of Israel to cross the Red Sea than for a Negro to cross certain university campuses. With these words, Heschel linked the civil rights struggle to the biblical Exodus and linked the remaining years of his life to Martin Luther King, Jr. and the AfricanAmerican struggle for freedom. Heschel understood the struggle of black Americans to be his own, their suffering was his suffering. This month we honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., mark the yahrzeit of Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, and begin reading from the book of Exodus in our weekly Torah portion. As Americans and Jews, in every generation we have turned to the themes of Exodus for inspiration, a people taken from slavery to a Promised Land. The moral litmus test for every age has been a leader’s ability to hear another’s cry and make that person’s suffering his or her own. Moses, who grew up in the house of Pharaoh, went out to see his brethren and when he “sees their suffering,” his heart goes out to them. Moses, we know, was not a born leader, neither by temperament, rhetorical skill, or group management abilities. He had, however, the distinguishing leadership characteristic of being able to emphasize with the plight of others right up to the day he died. It is not easy to listen to the cries of others. It is human nature to employ every method at our disposal to avoid hearing the cries of others in our midst. The problem is that we are inclined towards insularity, leaning towards indifference. The prophetic sensibility insists that we link our own lives to others, preventing us from shutting our ears to their cries. In Dr. King’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” he wrote to his fellow clergy: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects us all indirectly.” In the words of Heschel, “a religious man is a person who holds God and man in one thought at one time, at all times, who suffers harm done to others, whose greatest passion is compassion, whose greatest strength is love and defiance of despair.” In one of those not-often-sung stanzas of “America the Beautiful”, the following words appear: “America, America, God mend Thine every flaw. Confirm thy soul in self-control, thy liberty in law.” If we want to talk about “liberty in law,” I have no doubt that being African American in this country denies you an equal share of that liberty. As one who wears a kippah all the time, I know what it feels like to have someone look at me and make all kinds of assumptions. But at the end of the day, if I so choose, I can take that kippah off, and blend in to the masses of people around me. African Americans cannot do that, and too many of them suffer for it each and every day. We have made a great deal of progress in this country since the beginning of the modern Civil Rights movement, and it is, of course, true that the presence of Barack Obama in the White House is the clearest Shabbat Services FRIDAY, JANUARY 2, 6:30 pm SATURDAY, JANUARY 3, 9:30 am Bar Mitzvah of Billy Taylor FRIDAY, JANUARY 9, 6:30 pm SATURDAY, JANUARY 10, 9:30 am Bat Mitzvah of Jane Loy FRIDAY, JANUARY 16, 6:30 pm SATURDAY, JANUARY 17, 9:30 am Bar Mitzvah of Nathan Simon FRIDAY, JANUARY 23, 6:30 pm SATURDAY, JANUARY 24, 9:30 am Bar Mitzvah of Felix Messeca FRIDAY, JANUARY 30, 6:30 pm SATURDAY, JANUARY 31, 9:30 am Bat Mitzvah of Gabriela Rachman Adult Education Winter/Spring 2015 Beat the winter chills by warming up to a good Jewish study course filled with conversation and camaraderie. SPECIAL NEW CLASSES ADDED Check the enclosed brochure or the Adult Ed page on the Brotherhood website: http://brotherhoodsynagogue.org/ adult-education for information on all the courses being offered. Most classes begin the week of January 26. evidence of that. But we are far away from being a race-blind country particularly in the critical relationship between law enforcement personnel and minority communities. As Heschel wrote in a telegram to President Kennedy back in 1963 regarding race relations, “the hour calls for high moral grandeur and spiritual audacity.” l Community Notes by Deborah Koplovitz I am not a music scholar, ethno-musicologist or Hebrew scholar. I also have no musical training or ability (unless you consider “ability” to be getting fired by my 6th grade piano teacher or being asked repeatedly by my kids to stop singing). However, I do love music and music is an important part of my Jewish identity and experience. First: some factual background. Before becoming a commercial litigator, modern dance played a very large role in my life. In college, as an active member in the modern dance program, I was asked by the student newspaper what drew me to dance. I recall answering that I loved to dance because it made me feel whole and complete, connected me to the community, and gave me a great sense of peace. Like performing or participating in all art forms, or even sports, dance is very satisfying because it requires one to be absolutely committed to the present moment. Now, many years later, I have come to understand that these are the same things that draw me to Judaism, and how, in particular, the music of Judaism enhances my life and experience. I do not have a beautiful voice, but when I sing and pray with the families upstairs led by people such as Basya Schechter, Maia Karo, and Phil Rothman, and when I am able to sing with our larger community with Cantor Weis downstairs, I feel the sounds of my own singing reverberating with all the other voices. I am able to connect in that moment to the community, to the entire universe and to God. When I was in college, I did not realize it. But I know now that my experience with dance and my experience of Jewish music is the same: in those moments, the self falls away and there is the ability to experience God. I know that many of us are attracted to Judaism for many reasons, and for me, one of the greatest joys is to sing with everyone together, to join our voices together and send those messages and prayers and intentions up to God (or to connect the God within). I know Cantor Weis has worked hard to encourage everyone to sing together in the sanctuary, and I applaud his efforts. When we sing together, magic really can happen; even if it may be off key and your kids can’t appreciate it yet, and even if you don’t understand every word of Hebrew. I join Cantor Weis in encouraging everyone to sing your hearts out when you come to the Brotherhood Synagogue and to come to the many wonderful musical events, especially the second Voices of the Sacred interfaith sacred music festival on January 31, 2015! We are so lucky to have a community that welcomes people of other religious traditions to our home. I hope to see you at the concert! l This year the theme at Brotherhood is “MUSIC” and we invite one and all to share here in our “Community Notes” their thoughts and feelings relative to any aspect of music in Jewish life. Please send all submissions to [email protected]. (Word limit: 750 words!) Life Goes On Life Goes On is a group for those of us who have lost a spouse or life partner and want to experience the beauty, joy, and opportunity that New York life offers surrounded by supportive friends who understand and share in the loss. My heartfelt thanks to everyone who came together at my home for our annual Hanukkah party. Sharing dinner, gifts, and wonderful stories enriched the holiday for everyone. On Tuesday, January 20 at 6pm, we will have an extraordinary opportunity to tour one of the most beautiful temples in New York City and perhaps the world: The Central Synagogue (652 Lexington Avenue on the corner of East 55th Street). Built in 1872 by Henry Fernbach, the synagogue was designed in the Moorish Revival style as a copy of Budapest’s Dohány Street Synagogue to pay homage to the Jewish existence in Moorish Spain. It is among the oldest synagogue buildings still standing in the United States and has been in continuous use by a congregation longer than any other in the city. As per the docent’s instructions, we will meet at 5:45pm in the lobby of the building across the 2 street from the synagogue (123 East 55th Street). The tour is limited to 20 people, so please call or e-mail Agnes right away if you’d like to join us. As usual, we will enjoy dinner together after the tour in a nearby restaurant, with details to follow. Our next book club meeting will be on Thursday, February 5, at 7pm. Please read Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. This dazzling new novel is a story of love and race concerning a young man and woman from Nigeria who face difficult choices and challenges in the countries they come to call home. NYU professor Margaret Boe Birns will expertly guide our discussion as usual, accompanied by wine and desserts. The cost of participating is $20 per person; please call or e-mail Agnes if you are planning to join. If you or someone you know would like to be a part of Life Goes On, please come to our meetings—we would be happy to see you! If you have any questions, please call Agnes Marton at 917.519.4427 or e-mail her at 1agnesmarton@ gmail.com or call Roberta in the Synagogue office at 212.674.5750. l The Brotherhood Synagogue Shabbaton @ Brotherhood Friday-Saturday, february 6-7 Please join us for services on Friday evening followed by a delicious congregational dinner. After dinner esteemed author, Gary Shteyngart will read from his New York Times best-selling book, Little Failure: A Memoir and a Q & A will follow. On Saturday morning, join Phil Rothman for a Torah Talk and following Kiddush lunch, Librarian Sharon Elswit will discuss and then lead an interactive workshop on Why Jewish Folktales Matter. At 2:30 pm Rebecca Kryspin Alder will hold a session of Spiritual Yoga and Terrific Toddler Time with Daphna Mor for children up to age 3 will be held at 4:30 pm. Please see the enclosed flyer for many more details about Shabbaton and for the dinner RSVP form. Shabbat Club Saturdays January 10 and February 28 • 1:00 pm Please join us on the following dates with the following guest speakers: Our January 10 meeting will be led by member Eva Grubler, Director of Dharma Yoga Center, who will lead the group in Life Force Practices for Radiant Health and Long Life—a seated gentle practice for all ages and conditions, which will include breathing, joint movements, meditation, and relaxation—in order to help us go beyond material consciousness and delve within. No special clothes are needed. Our February 28 meeting will be led by member Alba Dwass, a native of Italy. Alba will speak about the Jewish communities who settled in the Piedmont region of Italy at the end of the 1300’s, and their distinctive Apam liturgy. She will bring relevant illustrations and materials. As always, all are welcome to join us in the reception room on the 2nd floor opposite the sanctuary. The Shabbat Club lasts about an hour and refreshments are served. Contact Deborah Newman (new [email protected]) with ideas for future meetings. l Tevet / Shevat 5775 January 2015 Brotherhood Film Series Special Screening • Sunday, January 11• 5 pm The Secret Jews of Calabria With guest speaker: Rabbi Barbara Aiello Many of the Italians living in Calabria (Southern Italy) have Jewish roots going back to the Inquisition. When an American rabbi of Italian descent, Barbara Aiello, returns to her ancestral village in Calabria to encourage the locals to discover their Jewish heritage, not everyone (Jews and Christians) welcomes her. Wednesday, January 21 • 7 pm Dancing in Jaffa Followed by Q & A discussion with Pierre Dulaine Suggested Admission $10.00 (free for students) Renowned ballroom dancer Pierre Dulaine returns to Jaffa to fulfill his lifelong dream of teaching dance to Jewish-Israeli and Palestinian-Israeli children. The classroom becomes a microcosm of the Middle East’s struggle to work together harmoniously while still caught in the politics of the region and race. Read more here about Rabbi Aiello’s journey: http://www.cjnews.com/canada%E2% 80%98daughter-calabria%E2%80%99-describe-her-jewish-journey Wednesday, February 25 • 7 pm Suggested Admission $10.00 (free for students) The J Street Challenge Come join the NextDor group as we sit down for our second event! Is Religion Good or Bad for the World? with Rabbi Daniel Goldfarb Thursday, January 22, 7 pm Save the Date This documentary critiques the American lobbying group J Street, which describes itself as Pro-Israel and Pro-peace. But the bigger issue and the one we’d like to discuss following the film is the political role of American Jewry vis a vis Israel’s policies. Sponsored by the Special Events Committee Saturday, January 31 • 8:30 pm Voices of the Sacred Returns The NextDor committee welcomes Rabbi Daniel Goldfarb back to Brotherhood to sit down and open our minds to a comparison of Alenu with one of the greatest songs of all time—Imagine by John Lennon. Together we will dive deep and see how the texts coincide with one another. The evening will be full of great music, fantastic shmoozing and most likely some incredible learning! We welcome all 20/30-somethings to come and to bring a friend—after all, the more the merrier! Please RSVP to [email protected] no later than January 13th. We look forward to seeing you! Bridging the religious divide...one blessed song at a time. Social Action News January Children’s Clothing Drive Throughout the month of January we will be accepting new and gently used children’s clothing sizes infant through size 6. Your contributions will help children in need of warm clothing and the collection will be distributed to the organizations Room To Grow, Barrier Free Living, and the Henry Street Settlement Houses. Donations will be accepted during the entire month of January in the collection box in the Synagogue lobby! Project Cicero during the month of February Save the Date During the entire month of February we will be collecting new and gently used books for under-resourced NYC schools. Stay tuned to weekly mails and announcements for more about Project Cicero. l Tevet / Shevat 5775 January 2015 Tickets on sale now. Advance Purchase: $18 (or $25 at the door) Students free with valid ID Sunday, January 25, 11 am - 12:30 pm The Hunger Van The Interfaith Committee and the Social Action Committee invite Brotherhood kids and families and individuals to volunteer to fight against hunger on Sunday, January 25 at 11 am when Brotherhood will again host The Hunger Van, a project run by Muslims Against Hunger. Volunteers will work together to prepare sandwiches and salads for distribution by the Hunger Van to the needy at several NYC locations. Please rsvp to Roberta (rkahn@brotherhoodsynagogue) or call the office to rsvp 212.674.5750 by Wednesday, January 21 since we need a final count of volunteers! The Brotherhood Synagogue 3 President’s Posting S halom and Happy 2015! After all the Chanukah festivities and year end celebrations and vacations, it’s always nice to get back into some quiet time…but it isn’t quiet time for too long. Brotherhood is always a “happening” place. The calendar for January is already filled with many exciting activities. The Nursery and Hebrew Schools and Early Childhood Programs are back in session. The Hebrew School held its auditions for the annual Hebrew school musical and rehearsals begin January 5th for The Wizard of Oz. The Special Events committee has been actively at work bringing us our first event of the year—a tour of the Matisse Cutouts exhibit at MoMA. This event is filled to capacity but on February 22, the committee is sponsoring another outing—to the Museum of the City of New York’s Letters to Afar exhibit. Sign up early for that one! Dominick and Harriet Porto are also sponsoring a screening of the film The Secret Jews of Calabria. This is a very moving video of a small village in Calabria, Italy where many of the citizens begin to learn about their “secret” Jewish lineage. Forced to convert to Catholicism, many of the residents are rediscovering their roots. Rabbi Barbara Aiello, the first and only female rabbi in Italy, will be present for a Q & A after the screening. Brotherhood will hold the first screening of its annual Brotherhood Film Series on January 28th. The movie, Dancing in Jaffa with guest speaker, Pierre Dulaine. This is a very wonderful and moving film. Pierre Dulaine is an award winning ballroom dancer who returned to his native Jaffa to teach ballroom dancing to Jewish and Arab Israeli children. What happens is truly delightful. Bring your children!! Preparing food for The Hunger Van is taking place at Brotherhood on January 25th. Families and kids are encouraged to join in the program where we will make sandwiches and meals to distribute to the homeless in New York City. We had a great turnout for this event last year and I hope you will again participate this year. This program is sponsored jointly by the Interfaith and Social Action Committees. At the end of the month, on January 31st, is the return of the exciting Voices of the Sacred. This year’s program will feature three different “sacred voices”—The Epichorus, a Judeo-Arabic sensation, Amir Vahab, a Sufi master and the 40 voice Young New Yorkers Chorus. This event is being presented in association with Music in Common and the Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom, two organizations that share Brotherhood’s vision of creating harmony among people of different faiths. The Brotherhood Book Club continues this month on January 29th with All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr. We are off to a great start and I again encourage everyone to come out and volunteer at Brotherhood. Our programs all come from your suggestions and participation. Join us for Friday night Shabbat services and begin to feel the quiet time and peaceful change ushered in by Shabbat. Stay for the Oneg and make new friends. L’Shalom, Judy Shapiro Happenings in Our Kehilah B’nai Mitzvah, Mazal Tov to: Peter Taylor and Shelly Jacobson-Taylor on the Bar Mitzvah of their son, William Taylor. Billy, a student at Churchill, will celebrate his simcha with his younger sister, Caroline; and to grandmother, Elaine Jacobson. Martin and Julia Loy on the Bat Mitzvah of their daughter, Jane Loy. Jane, a student at Quest, will celebrate her simcha with her older brother, Conor; and to grandmother, Amy Weprin. Michael and Fifi Simon on the Bar Mitzvah of their son, Nathan Simon. Nate, a student at Rodeph Sholom, will celebrate his simcha with his older sister, Noa, and younger brother, David. Jacques and Julie Messeca on the Bar Mitzvah of their son, Felix Messeca. Felix, a student at Leman, will celebrate his simcha with his older sister, Sophia. Marc and Andrea Rachman on the Bat Mitzvah of their daughter, Gabriela Rachman. Gabriela, a student at Leman, will celebrate her simcha with her younger brother, Matthew. Condolences to: Evan Gasman on the passing of his grandfather, Martin Gasman. The family of our member Edward Moldover, on his passing. 4 Linda Silver on the passing of her husband, David Silver. Births, Mazal Tov to: Elizabeth Heller-Mesznik and Adriel Mesznik on the birth of their son, Elias Harvey Mesznik; and to grandmother, Janet Heller. Dorian and Andrew Fish on the birth of their daughter, Spencer Waverly Fish. Whitney and Ross Levin on the birth of their son, Benjamin Levin; and to older sister, Blake. Welcome New Members: Welcome to Jonathan Mark and Hayley Eber of Gramercy Park. Jonathan is the marketing director at Blue Fountain Media and Hayley is an architect at EFGH, and an adjunct professor at The Cooper Union. They have two children, Sienna, who attends the Brotherhood nursery school and Noa, who is 2 months old. Welcome to newlyweds Brandon and Ariel Foxman-Cardet of Gramercy Park. Brandon is a public school principal at Urban Assembly Bronx Academy of Letters in the South Bronx and co-founder of Project Nathanael, a small non-profit that supports free co-ed education in Haiti. Ariel is editorial director of InStyle and People StyleWatch at Time Inc. Welcome to Meredith Shifman of Turtle Bay. Meredith works in investment risk management at JPMorgan Asset Management and serves on the Young Friends Leadership Board of the Museum of Jewish Heritage—A Living Memorial to the Holocaust. She has attended our community high holiday services in the past and was inspired to join the congregation as a member. Welcome to Ran and Shira Fuchs of Chelsea. Ran is in finance at American Realty Capital and Shira is a full-time mother. Their 18 month old daughter, Sasha, attends our toddler program. l Homeless Shelter Volunteers Needed The 32nd season of Brotherhood Synagogue’s homeless shelter begins in January and runs through March 26 on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday evenings. A variety of volunteer opportunities are available and no matter how much time you can devote, a few hours or a night, your help is needed. It is a heartening and rewarding and hands-on opportunity to do good. If you are able to volunteer, please call our office at 212.674.5750. The Brotherhood Synagogue Tevet / Shevat 5775 January 2015 Yahrzeits ^Garden of Remembrance *Book of Remembrance January 3-9 ^Tessie Adler, ^*Meyer Antell, Edgar Baurer, ^Frances Berger, ^Harry Blum, Yosef Chaim Borochov, Lennie Brass, Beatrice Chernick, Melvyn Coren, ^Roberta Cummings, *Benjamin Dymn, *Florence Eichner, ^Fritz Falkenstein, Irving Flax, ^Louis Philip Foster, *Anna Frankel, Nacha Garfin, Rachel Gersbein, Solomon Glassman, Edward Greenberg, *Abraham Gross, *Clara Gross, ^Bernice Hoffeld, Jack Hollander, David Kitover, Victor Kramer, Isaias Lerner, Jeanne Levine, ^Ilsa Karger Levy, *Nachama Rachel Lewinstein, Ruth Lewis, *Claude Markel, Mace Mason, Dora Mayer, *Joseph Michael, Leonard Miltenberg, Estelle Moskowitz, ^Fay Nelson, ^Barbara Okanes, ^Herbert D. Roistacher, ^Esther Rosenberg, Samuel I. Rosenfeld, *Bertha Scheiner, Nathan Scher, Fred Schultz, Edward L. Silverstein, Philip Simon, *Betty Siskind, ^Sylvia Wasserstsrom Solomon, ^Jack Stark, ^Max Steinberg, Morton Stone, Tillie Tuft, ^Phyllis Weinstein, *Abraham Weiss, ^Edward Weiss, Melvin A. Wool, Marc Zeitlin January 10-16 Isaac Alhadeff, Fred Bayroff, Steven Blane, *Philip Block, Galina Bronshteyn, Rae Brumberg, Belle Cassar, ^Beth Cosnow, *Julius Dolitsky, *Benjamin Dymm, *Meyer Ellenbogen, *Ben Farland, Beatrice Feder, *Fannie Feldman, Yale Fendel, *Rachel Finebaum, Lynn Finkelstein, Lisa Fisher, *George Fraenkel, *Rabbi Moses Fried, ^Shaynii K. Gadsden, Ansel Garfin, ^Mark Geller, *Vicki Germaine, Abraham Glasser, George Goldberg, ^*H. Mark Goldshlag, ^Jerome Goldstein, ^Roger Gomby, *Minnie Gross, ^*Daniel Halpern, *Sarah Handler, ^~Yaakov Michele Hirsch, *George Hirschfeld, Goldy Hushansky, Neil Kaplan, *Edith R. Karban, *Charlotte Chernoble Klein, ^Leon Krentzman, Estelle Lasser, Arthur Levitz, Isidore Marke, Esther Nirenberg, Shirley Pearlstein, *Murray Pfeffer, Hannah Pressman, Murray Quinn, Lawrence Raizman, Gertrude Riff, *Belle Robinove, *Leroy S. Rosenbaum, ^Natalie Simon Rosenfeld, Yita Chaya Royardo, Sylvia Rubinstein, Charlotte Hope Saltzman, Sophia Savits, *Isabelle P. Schechter, Isidore Schneider, ^Charles D. Seeman, Sandy Seidman, Lily Seregi, ^Abba Settle, Pauline Shapiro, ^Theresa Rena Sidran, Julian Silbiger, Stanley Simon, Miriam B. Singer, Barry N. Spilkin, ^Rose Strong, ^Evelyn K. Sussman, Dorothy Tessler, Larry Toporek, ^William Tudor, ^Samuel A. Valentine, *Samuel Warfman, William Warmbrand, ^*Celia L. Warmbrand, ^Gertrude Weiner, *Joseph Zalkind January 17-23 ^Mary Abbey, *Herman Alshan, ^Barbara Altman, ^Harold Altman, Molly Baron, *Henry Beigelson, ^Cylka Berke, *Henry Biegeleisen, Morris Brown, Sidney Burack, Nathan Cheshes, *Beatrice Chizner, *Herman Cohen, ^May Lipton Cummins, ^Louis Diamond, ^Mary Diamond, Milton M. Enzer, ^F. Joyce Feitell, *Faye Frankel, Paula Franklin, *Hanie Friedman, ^Liza Gleizer, Pearl Goldfinger, *Irving Goodman, Julia Greenbaum, Fritz Herz, ^Sophie Hoffman, *Bessie Honig, *Aaron Bernard Israel, ^David Janow, ^Lawrence Janow, ^Cecelia Josselson, Jack Kasman, Lillian Manischewitz, ^Jean Miller, ^Resi Hamburger Nachman, *Gilbert Naftalis, *Florence Newfield, *Frieda Pearl, *Herbert Plaut, *Eva Posner Post, William Pukatch, Phillip Raffe, Edward Renstrom, ^Howard Topol Roberts, Dr. Thomas Robitscher, Edna Rosenbaum, Schiffy Rosenblum, ^Henry Rosenblum, Ullman Rosenfield, Irving Rubenstein, Koula Saba, *Harry Satosky, *Monroe I. Schechter, Milton Schupak, ^Jeannette Mildred Seinfeld, George Silver, Leyzer Silverstein, Hyman Slotnick, Irma Louise Spitzer, ^~Sari Orovan Steiner, Leo Teviovitz, *Bea Topal, Nathan Tucker, *Isaac Versh, ^Maurice Volk, L. Wolfson, Jimmie Yee January 24-30 ^Rose Alster, Blume Alter, Myra Appleton, ^Pauline Birnbach, Abraham Block, Siegfried Blum, ^Alice Blumenthal, *Edward H. Breiterman, Barbara Brooks, *Abraham Chizner, Ira Cirker, Bertha Cooperman, *Helen Elkin, David Fener, ^Irvin Fisher, ^Jennie Fox, Morris Friedman, Sylvia Gershenson, ^Charles Samuel Ginsburg, Sophie Gipsman, ^Rose Schlamowitz Glass, Harold H. Goldberg, ^Gertrude Goldschmidt, Anna Gottlieb, ^*Sabina Graetzer, ^Henrietta Green, Ben Gross, Sally Grossman, ^Yetta Halpern, *Lillian R. Hayt, Esther Ir, Jean Iskowitz, ^Joseph Israel, ^Dora Jaffe, Charlotte Beldegreen Kaufman, ^Philip Kimmel, ^*Jennie Klein, Lee Kohn, *Bea Kramer, Clarice Lefkowitch, *Beatrice Levine, ^Barney Levine, Sam Lichtenstein, Elayne Lieberman, *Sidney Liebowitz, Aaron Machlin, Lillian Manischewitz, *Joseph Meyers, Susan Miller, ^Solomon Novom, Joel Ontell, Frieda Rauch, ^Lillian Roniss, Irwin Rosenbaum, Sidney Royden, ^George Schwartz, Henry Sellner, Ruth Share, Hannah Shemtov, Ronald Shiffman, *Adam Siegal, Dorothy Silverberg, Robert Silverman, ^David Milton Solomon, ^Lena Steinberg, ^Rose Stopler, ^Honor Hess Ward, *Alice The Chesed* Committee E. Warfman, ^*Leo E. Williams, ^Solomon Yaker, Rachel Leah Zacks January 31-February 6 *Helen Belle Aaronson, ^Dr. Bernat Abraham, ^Ruth Appelbaum, Robert Arias, Beatrice Babitz, *Lilian Bachrach, Clara S. Benjamin, *Lilian Blye, *Temma H. Bohrer, Claire Klaits Cohen, Lorraine Cohen, Carole Epstein, ^Cyril Freed, Ethel Gostin, Solomon Greenberg, *Fred Greenberg, ^Morris Greene, ^*Daniel Franklin Greenhouse, *Rose Gross, ^*Louis Gross, Kurt Grubler, ^Irving Handler, Joseph Hardenburgh, *Moshe Josephson, *Rose Katz, *Betty Lampert, *Morris Levine, Martin Licht, Sarah Liebowitz, *Florence Liebowitz, Hyman Lipkis, Frieda Belkowitz Maloff, Lawrence Maloff, ^Ruth W. Mantel, Mollie Meadow, Isidore Olsfanger, ^*Renee Pollack, Bessie Potell, Dov Rahav, ^Lee Avram Rappaport, ^Michael Remba, ^Rose Schindel Rich, Rabbi Andrew J. Robins, Stanley Rosenthal, ^Philip Satonoff, Jack Schor, Harry Schwartz, Celia Shander, ^Fritz A. Sontag, Daniel Stacher, Zendel Storozum, ^Rose Teitelbaum, Alice Teviovitz, *Augusta Toby, Helene Vassil, Karl Waldbrand, Shirley Weinman, ^*Jonas Weintraub, David Weissman, *Ida Robinove Weller, Murray Zenkel The Brotherhood Synagogue 28 Gramercy Park South New York, N.Y. 10003 Phone: (212) 674-5750 Fax: (212) 505-6707 www.brotherhoodsynagogue.org RABBI DANIEL ALDER, CANTOR MIKE WEIS, RABBI IRVING J. BLOCKZ’’L D.D.: Founding Rabbi HERMAN DIAMOND: Cantor Emeritus SHIYA RIBOWSKY: Cantor Emeritus JUDY SHAPIRO: President PHILLIP ROTHMAN: Executive and Education Director Congregation founded in 1954 Historic Landmark Building erected in 1859 Wants You to Know As part of our bikur cholim mission, we are here to help if you need someone to accompany you to a doctor, escort you home after a medical procedure, or pay you a visit if you are under the weather. Call the synagogue office and ask to be put in touch with the Chesed Committee. *The Chesed Committee provides help and compassion to Brotherhood members in times of need. We can be reached at [email protected] or through the synagogue office. Tevet / Shevat 5775 January 2015 The Brotherhood Synagogue GRAMERCY PARK MEMORIAL CHAPEL 353 Second Avenue New York, NY 10010 (212) 477-6334 5 Hebrew School News by Barbara Simon T he month of January is often bitter cold, with short periods of daylight. One thing that brings light and warmth into my January days is the privilege of accompanying Rabbi Alder on his Hebrew School classroom visits. In preparation for his visit, students in Gan (Kindergarten) through Kitah Vav (6th Grade) develop a list of “ask the Rabbi” questions. In addition to asking Rabbi Alder about his favorite sports teams, our students have asked Rabbi Alder: Questions about being a Rabbi What does a rabbi do? Is it fun to be a rabbi? Who teaches the rabbi? Who was the first rabbi? Did you always want to be a rabbi? Why did you become a rabbi? Were your parents supportive of your decision to be a rabbi? How does one become a rabbi? What is it like being a rabbi? Did you have another profession before you became a rabbi? How do you feel when you officiate at a Bar/ Bat Mitzvah? Who inspires you in your work as a rabbi? Questions about Kashrut Have you always been kosher? How did you feel about yourself after you decided to become kosher? “Much I have learned from my teachers, more from my peers, but most of all from my students.” (Babylonian Talmud, Ta’anit 7a) G-d Questions What does G-d look like? Who made G-d? How do we know that G-d exists? How did G-d make the world? Why can’t you see G-d? How come you can’t hear G-d? Questions about our Traditions What is the point of Judaism? Why do Jewish boys/men wear a kippah? To be a good Jew, which is the most important commandment to follow? Why does the Eternal Light burn forever? Torah Questions Who wrote the Torah? How many letters are there in the Torah? [304,805] How many words are there in the Torah? [79,847] Why are there so many Torahs in the Aron HaKodesh (the Holy Ark)? Since there are so many Torahs in the Aron HaKodesh, how do you decide which Torah to read from? Why do we read the Torah over and over and over again (every year)? How many words are there in the Book of Genesis? How many words are there in the Book of Exodus? How does it feel marching around the synagogue holding a Torah? What is the Hebrew word for the profession of writing Torahs? Did Cain have children? Why did Pharaoh want to kill only the Jewish boy babies? (and not the Jewish girl babies)? Holiday Questions What’s your favorite holiday and why? Why do parents bless their children on Shabbat? Questions about the Hebrew Language Where did the Hebrew Language come from? Why does Hebrew have “final letters”? Our Hebrew School children continue to teach and inspire us all. The Babylonian Talmud got it right! l Thank You Book Fair Volunteers!! 2014 Brotherhood Community Lighting of the Menorah in Gramercy Park We would like to thank the following members of the Brotherhood community for their time and energy in volunteering to help make this year’s Brotherhood Book Fair a success! And a special thank you to Michelle Roth for chairing the event! Dottie Blumner • Jessica DeCoux Eleanor Dunham • Jackie Fine Susan Gottsman • Rita Godin Eleanor Horowitz • Lauretta Horton Marjorie Ingall • Lisa Lascher Paulette Lerner • Whitney Levin Susan Levine • Agnes Marton Brad Miles • Randi Press • Sheryl Prince Robyn Rahbar • Kate deRosset Uziel Renée Ward • Sheila Zaslower 6 The Brotherhood Synagogue Tevet / Shevat 5775 January 2015 Nursery School Thoughts by Michael Sobel T his Chanukah season, I will no doubt hear from both of my children “please, please, please daddy can we get [insert toy seen on the latest TV commercial].” Whenever this happens, I am always amazed at how influenced my kids can be by watching something for only 30 seconds on television. However, our young ones are not just impressionable in front of the television, but in every facet of their lives—at the zoo, museums, baseball games or just walking around Manhattan. As the old saying goes, a first impression is the most important and it is these first impressions that will stay with our children for years to come. As parents, when building upon these first impressions of our children, we need to remember that this is what will become of what they know and understand and be the backbone of their identity that helps to support them before the world starts its influence. What is “trending” in America right now is that a significant number of the Jews born in America are not identifying with being Jewish. The Jewish people are losing the Jewish people. We are already not a religion in great numbers. I was reading an article, which said that nearly a third of American Jews born after 2000 answered “none” when asked about their religious affiliation. “A third”, Yikes! So, how do we reverse this trend? How do we keep Jews as Jews? One clear answer is that we start early and we do it often. We get our children involved in Jewish activities and programs from the beginning because this is when they are most impressionable, this is when we have control over what they learn and who they learn it from. Making the decision to send your child to a Jewish nursery school in Manhattan should be an easy one and one which will start them out on a path of Jewish discovery and keep our children Jewish. My children are equally Family Shabbat Please join us to welcome Shabbat together with stories and song. Friday, January 9 5:30 pm - Children up to 3 years old with Daphna Mor Friday, January 30 5:30 pm - Children up to 3 years old with Daphna Mor 5:30 pm - Children 3-6 years with Gavi Rubin in the Sanctuary 6:30 pm - Children Grades 2-7 with Gavi Rubin and Phil Rothman on the 4th floor impressed about how the Jews fled from Egypt in a flurry and how the oil lasted for eight days as they are with the “As Seen on TV” glow in the dark self-cleaning fish tank. They are as excited about learning from Phil about why we have an eternal light over the Ark as they are about why Elsa freezes the city of Arendelle. Disney does its job bringing children in to the Disney brand and Brotherhood Nursery School and other Jewish nursery and day schools around the United States do their jobs bringing children into our religion. Just as we give our children the chance to experience all the fun things that the Disney brand has to offer, we should all give our children the chance and time to experience all the great things being a Jew has to offer. When my son was at his grandma’s house the other day he was describing all the people who were dressed as Santa during the Santacon invasion of 2014. My mom asked him if he also wanted to dress up as Santa Claus and his answer was a clear “No, I’m Jewish” and his expression on his face was a clear “that was not a very good question.” And then he belted out “Dreidel Dreidel” for good measure. I am a strong believer that his Jewish nursery school education helps facilitate that answer, so when he gets the question about religious affiliation in 20 years, the answer will clearly be “Jewish.”l ♪ Cantor’s Notes: What About Bill? ♪ by Cantor Mike Weis C an it be true? Is Bill Cosby really a rapist? BILL COSBY!!?? What could be more devastating to those of us who grew up loving him? With more and more women stepping forward accusing him of taking advantage of them, how can we continue to enjoy his one-of-a-kind humor? Or what about Woody Allen who’s been accused of being a pedophile? Can we still watch his movies? Or Ernest Hemingway, or James Brown, or Adrian Peterson… The list, sadly, goes on and on. And then there’s the question of Shlomo Carlebach, who is considered by many to be the father of modern Jewish music, an iconic figure whose music has flourished in every corner of the Jewish world. Though you would not know it to watch the recent Broadway production of Soul Doctor, a biographical look at his life, Carlebach was a noted womanizer, and used the power of his charisma and role as a spiritual guide to lure unsuspecting women into unwanted sexual encounters. I know some of these women personally. But I love his music, and so do millions of other Jews. Yes, millions! And many of them don’t even know it. As with Cosby, et al, can we separate the artist from his work? Knowing what we know, can we still pray to the sound of his music or should I just replace all the Carlebach music I sing at Brotherhood with other melodies? After all, Carlebach isn’t the only person to compose Jewish music. There was music before him and there has been and will continue to be music after him. We could still have a perfectly good service without his music. Or could we? Carlebach’s legacy to the Jewish world extends beyond his own personal body of work. What he accomplished during his lifetime was nothing short of miraculous: by the force of his music and charisma, he single-handedly transformed the style of modern Jewish communal prayer from observational to participatory. Tevet / Shevat 5775 The Brotherhood Synagogue January 2015 In short, he made pray-ers out of us all. And for that, he is to be praised. Vilify him for the rest of it, but not for that. We all know that we should not look to celebrities and sports figures as role models on how to do what is right. Knowing their faults, however, doesn’t usually stop us from paying lots of money to see them do what they do best. Why should it be any different for Carlebach? Though his behavior in certain circumstances was deplorable, he brought an entire generation of Jews closer to their spiritual roots and laid the foundation for future generations to get easy access to their religious heritage, including many of us here at Brotherhood. In the grand scheme of things, Carlebach matters and will continue to matter, inexcusable behavior aside. Though I am always on the lookout for new and exciting music, as long as his music strikes a chord in our collective soul, then I will still use it. Such is the power of music. l 7 Brotherhood Synagogue Sunday Tevet/Shevat 5775 January 2015 Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday 1 ✡ Saturday Morning 5 4 pm: Hebrew School 6 4 pm: Hebrew School 7 4 pm: Hebrew School Saturday 4:22 pm: Candles 3 6:30 pm: Services OFFICE CLOSED Shabbat Corner 9:45 am • Junior Congregation 10:30 am • Alef-Bet Club 11 am 4 Friday 2 9:30 am: Services Bar Mitzvah of Billy Taylor . VAYECHI 8 Noon: Lunch & Learn 5:40 pm: Minyan 9 4:28 pm: Candles 10 9:30 am: Services Bat Mitzvah of Jane Loy 5:30 pm: Family Shabbat (0-3) 1:00 pm: Shabbat Club 6:30 pm: Services SHEMOT 11 2 pm: Matisse (at MOMA) 12 4 pm: Hebrew School 13 5 pm: ScreeningSecret Jews of Calabria 18 19 9:30 am: Toddlers 14 10 am: Baby Class 15 11 am: Pre-Toddler Class Noon: Lunch & Learn 10:45 am: Toddlers 4 pm: Hebrew School 2 pm: English In Action 20 4 pm: Hebrew School 3:00 pm Thursday Corner 5:40 pm: Minyan 4:30 pm Hebrew Corner 9:30 am: Toddlers 21 7:30 am: Minyan 22 10 am: Baby Class Noon: Lunch & Learn 10:45 am: Toddlers 11 am: Pre-Toddler Class 2 pm: English In Action 1:30 pm: Hadassah Meeting 4 pm: Hebrew School 3:00 pm Thursday Corner 26 9 am: Book of Genesis 27 9:30 am: Toddlers 4:44 pm: Candles 6:30 pm: Services 4:16 pm: Candles Bar Mitzvah of Nathan Simon 24 6:30 pm: Services 9:30 am: Services Bar Mitzvah of Felix Messeca bo ROSH CHODESH 28 10 am: Baby Class 29 9 am: Gentle Yoga 30 4:53 pm: Candles 10 am: English-in-Action 11 am: Pre-Toddler Class 9:30 am: Toddler Class 6:30 pm: Services 5 pm: Book of Exodus 10:45 am: Toddlers 4 pm: Hebrew School Noon: Lunch & Learn 7 pm: Prayerbook Hebrew 12:30 pm: Advanced Haftarah Cantillation 6:30 pm: Harmoni-AH! 2 pm: English-in-Action 5:30 & 6:30 pm: Family Shabbat Services 8 pm: Jewish Current Events 4 pm: Hebrew School 7 pm: Maimonides’ Guide for the Perplexed 3 pm: Thursday Corner 6:30 pm: Engaging Israel 9:30 am: Services VAERA 23 4 pm: Hebrew School 5:40 pm: Minyan 17 7 pm: NextDor Group / Rabbi Goldfarb 7 pm: Board Meeting 9 - 1 pm: Tikvah 16 4:30 pm Hebrew Corner 4 pm: Hebrew School 5:40 pm: Minyan 11 am: The Hunger Van 9:30 am: Toddlers 10 am: English-in-Action OFFICE CLOSED MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY 25 9:30 am: Toddlers 10 am: English-in-Action 7 pm: Brotherhood Film Series-Dancing in Jaffa 31 9:30 am: Services Bat Mitzvah of Gabriela Rachman 8:30 pm: Voices of the Sacred 4:30 pm: Hebrew Corner 7 pm: Brotherhood Book Club BESHALLACH Brotherhood Book Club Sunday, February 22, 2 pm The Brotherhood Book Club schedule follows… some great books to read and talk about! Exhibit Tour at The Museum of the City of New York Thursday, January 29: All the Light You Cannot See by Anthony Doerr Thursday, February 19: The Children Act by Ian McEwan Thursday, March 19: Once We Were Brothers by Ronald Balson Thursday, April 16: Three Strong Women by Marie Ndiaye If you have any questions or would like further info about The Brotherhood Book Club, please contact Margie Katz [email protected]/970-393-0653. Letters To Afar Save the Date Join the Special Events Committee for a guided tour of the “Letters To Afar” exhibit at the Museum of the City of New York. Letters to Afar: By Péter Forgács, music by the Klezmatics is an immersive video art installation based on home movies made by New York City’s Jewish immigrants who traveled back to visit Poland during the 1920s and 30s. The films document poignant family reunions and everyday life in small towns in the years before the Second World War, capturing a culture on the brink. Cost of the tour: $15 PAYABLE IN ADVANCE! Please email Roberta (rkahn@brotherhoodsynagogue. org) or call the office 212.674.5750 if you would like to join the tour.
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