1. Art and Diseño

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 V
Shevat/Adar 5775 February 2015
Phyllis S. Block z”l
by Rabbi Daniel Alder
L
ast month saw the passing of
Phyllis S. Block z”l devoted
wife of our Founding Rabbi
Irving J. Block z”l. Phyllis was an
accomplished woman who
assisted Rabbi Block in his work
and took on major projects at
the synagogue. She was the
loving mother of Herbert
(Judith) and adored her three
grandchildren: Joseph, Isaac and
Tamar.
Phyllis was born in 1927 to Herman and
Belle Robinove. Her father, Herman (Chaim)
came to the United States from Belarus at the
turn of the century. The family was originally
from Volozhin and Phyllis was rightfully
proud that she was a direct descendant of
Reb Chaim of Volozhin, the scholar and
founder of the modern Yeshiva.
Phyllis’ mother, Belle Bersoff, came to
the United States with her parents fleeing
a pogrom and turmoil in Odessa, Ukraine.
Belle was one of the first women graduates
of NYU School of Business, worked as a
secretary to Henrietta Szold and managed
her husband’s ladies coat business.
As a child, Phyllis lived in the Bronx near
the Grand Concourse. After they moved to
Manhattan’s Upper West Side, the family
became involved in the Free Synagogue. Her
parents instilled within her strong values of
Judaism and the importance of education.
Phyllis graduated from Hunter College
High School a month after turning age 16
and graduated Hunter College cum laude
and Phi Beta Kappa in 1947 at age 20.
She then received a Master’s Degree and a
PhD from Columbia in 1955 in Romance
Languages. She worked as a translator at the
French Embassy and was a fulltime foreign
language textbook editor at Holt, Rinehart
& Winston.
Rabbi Block founded the Brotherhood
Synagogue in 1954. From the time that
they got married a decade later,
Phyllis was not only his constant
companion—his life’s work and
this congregation became the
focus of much of her attention
and effort. For 30 years she used
her publishing skills as editor of
the monthly bulletin, the annual
Memorial Book, and as editor
of the Rabbi’s sermons and an
advisor on all his work.
After Rabbi Block retired in
1994 she spent much of the next five years
with him compiling and editing the book
he published in 1999—A Rabbi and His
Dream. She also cared for Rabbi Block as he
developed Parkinson’s disease. After he passed
away at the end of 2002, she spent several
years organizing and archiving Rabbi Block’s
four decades of rabbinic work and writings.
Deeply proud of her son Herbert’s
accomplishments in the Dinkins administration
and now at the Joint Distribution Committee,
Phyllis derived great nachas knowing of his
commitment to Jewish life. Her grandchildren
attend the Jewish day school SAR and were a
source of great pride for her.
Rabbi Block dedicated his book to
Phyllis with the words: “To my dear wife
whose life personifies the idea of religious
brotherhood—‘Give her of the fruit of her
hands, And let her own works praise her in
the gates.’ (Proverbs)”
I will always remember the personal
kindness she extended to me going back to
my days as a student and assistant rabbi.
Moreover, she was always thoughtful and
kind in the genuine concern she extended to
my family as she did to so many families here
at Brotherhood Synagogue.
We who enjoy the life and spirit of the
Brotherhood Synagogue owe a great debt
to Phyllis Block for her dedicated service to
this congregation. May her memory be for a
blessing. l
Shabbat Services
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 6:30 pm
Congregational Dinner Following
Speaker: Gary Shteyngart
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 9:30 am
Bar Mitzvah of Gabriel Markowitz
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 6:30 pm
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 9:30 am
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 6:30 pm
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 9:30 am
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 6:30 pm
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 9:30 am
Bar Mitzvah of Bram Ellant
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 5:30 pm
Bar Mitzvah of Ethan Balletta
Save the Date
Brotherhood
Synagogue Schools
Benefit
Thursday, April 23
(Yom Ha’atzmaut)
6:30 -9:30 pm
Community Notes
Shabbat Club
by Julie Zeitlin
Saturdays February 28 and March 14 • 1:00 pm
thought about singing in our choir
since Cantor Weiss announced it. Every
year at Rosh Hashanah I would realize
that another year had passed without me
doing so. Then my husband died and all
of a sudden music was no longer a pleasant
pastime; it was a basic requirement. I
found myself searching for CD’s to play
while I was at home and singing and
moving along with them. The neighbors
probably wondered a bit. In the new
landscape I was in, I was feeling my way
along. Initially I could barely concentrate
and singing to myself was a way to express
the mystery that life had become: Marc
was absent and yet I was here. In those
early days of adjustment I both craved
and feared my isolation. I understood the
meaning of the song sung by Barbra
Streisand: “People who need people are
the luckiest people in the world.”
So of course it was inevitable that I
would find myself entering a Harmonia
practice session, taking a seat in the pew
with everyone and being welcomed by an
informal Mike Weis, in his shirtsleeves.
He was being kept busy fielding jokes and
one-liners even as he herded this lively
bunch toward trying on a new piece of
music—part of the Hallel service that he
was excited to share. “I need someone in
addition to my wife, Lisa, to be able to join
me in singing this!” he exclaimed. (It was
indeed a beautiful piece to sing.) I felt that I
had always been there. Here was the nexus
of singing and community that I craved.
It is one thing to read a psalm and another
to sing it. When you commit it to memory,
learn it by heart and can sing it walking
home from work at dusk in a moment of
anxiety or loneliness, it’s yours, a portable
prayer and mantra—a wonderful means of
crying out and getting an echo back as well as
a way to instantly superimpose the spiritual
on the corporeal. Singing with Harmonia
also teaches one that having a “good” voice
is not the point. Having a joyful feeling of
making music in the moment with a group
of kind souls is. l
Please join us for Shabbat Club on the following dates with the following guest speakers:
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.
Our March 14 meeting speaker will be announced shortly. Please check your weekly
emails and the March bulletin for those details.
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 ([email protected]) ideas for future meetings. l
I
2
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.
We very much enjoyed our intimate tour
of the Central Synagogue, one of the most
beautiful and interesting buildings in New York
City, and learning about its fascinating history.
Many of us are away from New York in
February, but for those hardy souls who have
chosen to remain on Tuesday, February 24 at
6:30 pm the Center for Jewish History (15 West
16 Street) will be presenting a discussion of the
book Roads Taken, The Great Jewish Migration
to the New World and the Peddlers Who Forged
the Way. This book tells the story of millions
of discontented young Jewish men who sought
opportunity abroad and in doing so brought
change to Jewish history. The discussion will be
led by the historian and author, Hasia Diner,
Professor of American Jewish History at New
York University, in conversation with Jose
Moya, Professor of History at Barnard College.
The cost is $7 per person. Please contact
Agnes or Roberta right away if you would like to
attend. As usual, we will enjoy dinner together
after the discussion in a nearby restaurant;
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 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
Photograph © Grayson Dantzic/www.graysondantzic.com
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
This year’s Big Band, Big Latkes, Big Vodkas Chanukah event in December sponsored by Brotherhood’s Israel
Committee was a great success with more members and friends joining the party than ever! Eyal Vilner’s Big
Band, pictured here in our sanctuary, delighted everyone with an hour of jazz standards and Chanukah songs
and then the other ‘after party’ started! Hope you’ll join us next year!
The Brotherhood Synagogue
Shevat / Adar 5775
February 2015
Shabbaton @ Brotherhood
Friday-Saturday, FEBRUARY 6-7
Join us for a reading by author Gary Shteyngart from his
New York Times bestseller Little Failure: A Memoir with a Q & A to follow
Gary Shteyngart was born in Leningrad in 1972 and
came to the United States seven years later. His debut
novel, The Russian Debutante’s Handbook, won the Stephen Crane Award for First Fiction and the National Jewish Book
Award for Fiction. His second novel, Absurdistan, was named one of the
10 Best Books of the Year by The New York Times Book Review and many
other prestigious publications. One of Granta’s Best Young American
Novelists, his work has appeared in The New Yorker, Esquire, and GQ.
His books have been translated into more than twenty languages.
On Saturday morning, join Phil Rothman for a Torah Talk entitled “What Did Moses Really Tell His Father-In-Law?” at 9:30 am.
Brotherhood Film Series
Sponsored by the Special Events Committee
Following kiddush lunch Librarian Sharon Elswit will discuss Why
Jewish Folktales Still Matter explaining how Jewish stories, passed
on from generation to generation, bring wonder, comfort, teaching,
laughter, argument, and quiet reflection to our lives. Our talk will be
followed by an interactive workshop. Participants will get to explore
variants of different stories and take away a renewed appreciation for
the relevance of seeking and sharing the old tales. At 1:30 pm Rebecca Kryspin Alder will hold a session of Spiritual Yoga and Daphna
Mor leads Terrific Toddler Time for children up to age 3 at 4:30 pm.
Please call the office immediately if you would like to join us for the
dinner: 212.674.5750!
Sunday, February 22, 2 pm
Letters To Afar
Sunday, February 22, 4:45 PM
Exhibit Tour at The Museum of the City of New York
Killing Kasztner
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.
(120 minutes)
Q&A after the screening with director
and producer, Gaylen Ross
Rezso Kasztner, known as the Jewish
Schindler, negotiated face to face with
Adolf Eichmann, rescuing 1,700 Jews on a train to Switzerland,
and may have saved tens of thousands more lives. Yet Kasztner was
condemned as a traitor in his adopted country of Israel; accused
as a collaborator in a trial and verdict that divided a nation and
forever stamped him as the “man who sold his soul to the devil.”
It was a verdict overturned by Israel’s Supreme Court but too late
for Kasztner. He was ultimately assassinated by Jewish right wing
extremists in Tel Aviv in 1957.
Director Gaylen Ross investigates this tale of murder, intrigue,
and heroism through accounts of the inflammatory political trial,
startling revelations after 50 years by Kasztner’s assassin, Ze’ev
Eckstein, and a chilling meeting between the killer and Kasztner’s
daughter, Zsuzsi.
Cost of the tour: $15 PAYABLE IN ADVANCE! Please email Roberta
([email protected]) or call the office 212.674.5750 if you
would like to join the tour.
Suggested Admission $10.00 (free for students)
Wednesday, March 25 • 7 pm
The House I Live In (10 minutes)
Traditional Jewish
Bread Baking Class
Q&A to follow with Brotherhood member
and Professor of Film Studies, Art Simon
Join us for a screening and discussion of the
fascinating short film The House I Live In made
in 1945 featuring a young Frank Sinatra. This
Honorary Academy Award winner was scripted
Jewish writer Albert Maltz, who would be
Save the Date by
blacklisted two years later, and uses the title
song to combat domestic anti-Semitism toward the end of
World War II.
The discussion following the film will be led by Brotherhood
member Art Simon, professor of film studies, who has written
and taught about film and American Jewish culture.
Learn to make bialys, pletzl, and cornbread—the good stuff—like your
parents used to get at the neighborhood bakery. The secret is in the
flour. With a little technique, you can make these things at home, better
than your local bakery. Learn how!
Space is limited. Please call the office
to register for this class or email rkahn@
brotherhoodsynagogue.org
Suggested Admission $10.00 (free for students)
Cost: $36 members / $46 non-members
Shevat / Adar 5775
February 2015
With Brotherhood Member Mark Goldey
Sunday, March 8, 12-3 pm
The Brotherhood Synagogue
3
President’s Posting
J
anuary was a very full and busy month. I
hope you had a chance to see two wonderful
films, The Jews of Calabria, sponsored by
Harriet and Dominic Porto and Dancing
in Jaffa with guest speaker, Pierre Dulaine,
sponsored by the Special Events committee.
Both films were very well attended and we
look forward to more films in the coming
months. We had the second special Voices
of the Sacred program with performances
by Amir Vahab, the Epichorus and the
Young New Yorkers Chorus. In addition,
we had the Hunger Van at Brotherhood
with many of our Hebrew School students
volunteering.
Sadly, Mrs. Phyllis Block, wife of our
founding Rabbi passed away. She will
be missed and may her memory be for a
blessing.
We are starting out February on a high
note with our second Shabbaton program.
After our Friday night, February 6
services and a congregational dinner, we will
have as our special guest, Gary Shteyngart,
reading from his NY Times best seller,
Little Failures: A Memoir. I hope you will
join us for this special evening early in the
month and for Shabbaton programming on
Saturday, February 7 including librarian,
Sharon Elswit, who will speak to us on Why
Jewish Folktales Still Matter.
Second semester Adult Education classes
have begun. Grab a brochure or see the full
offerings on the Brotherhood website and
sign up for a course—it’s not too late to
join one! As always, it’s such a wonderful
way to meet other folks in the Brotherhood
community.
Later in the month on Sunday, February
22, the Special Events Committee is
sponsoring a docent led museum visit to the
Museum of the City of New York. The art
installation is called Letters to Afar by Peter
Forgacs and music by the Klezmatics. This is a
video made up of home movies by New York
City’s Jewish immigrants who travelled back
to Poland during the 1920s and 30s. The film
documents family reunions and everyday life
in small Polish towns up until just before the
outbreak of WWll.
Tu B’Shevat holiday is February 4 and
is known as the “Israeli Arbor Day.” The
holiday is only one day, but taking care of
our planet is a year round necessity. Planting
trees is as important as the as the three “Rs”:
Reuse, Renew and Restore and the holiday
of Tu B’Shevat reminds all of us of our
responsibility for Tikun Olam.
Happy Valentine’s Day to all and keep
warm.
L’Shalom,
Judy Shapiro
4
Happenings in Our Kehilah
B’nai Mitzvah, Mazal Tov to:
Alon and Jennifer Markowitz on the Bar
Mitzvah of their son, Gabriel Markowitz.
Gabriel, a student at Dwight, will celebrate his
simcha with his older sister, Talia.
Jonathan and Devi Ellant on the Bar Mitzvah
of their son, Bram Ellant. Bram, a student
at Hunter, will celebrate his simcha with his
younger siblings, Haley and Dylan.
Dominick Balleta and Ilene Wilets on the Bar
Mitzvah of their son, Ethan Balleta. Ethan is a
student at Pleasantville Middle School.
Weddings, Mazal Tov to:
Floyd and Gail Tupper on the marriage of their
son Jordan to Sarah Ratzenberger.
Births, Mazal Tov to:
Janna and Michael Stern on the birth of their
daughter, Alexandra Emerson Stern; and to
older brother, Zachary.
Judith Batalion and Jonathan Lightman on the
birth of their daughter, Willa Mae Lightman;
and to older sister, Zelda.
Dean and Julia Lederman on the birth of their
daughter, Kayla Jacklyn Lederman.
Condolences to:
The family of our member, Murray Schneider,
on his passing.
Zachary Glazer on the passing of his mother,
Rosalind Glazer.
Steven Lapidus on the passing of his mother,
Lillian Lapidus.
Herbert Block on the passing of his mother,
and our member, Phyllis Block.
Phyllis Lusskin on the passing of her husband,
and our member, Ralph Lusskin.
Elizabeth Lusskin on the passing of her father,
and our member, Ralph Lusskin. l
Social Action News
Project Cicero
During the enitre month of February we
are collecting new and gently used books
appropriate for kindergarten-high school
age children for Project Cicero (www.
projectcicero.org), a non-profit organization
which provides books
to under-resourced
NYC schools. The
Project Cicero mission
is to enable children
to build a love for
reading by ensuring
that each class has a viable library. Kindly
bring your new or gently used hardcover or
paperback books suitable for children and
young adults to the collection box in the
lobby. Students may fulfill school community
service requirements by volunteering to help
with this project. For more information,
contact Linda Yee Kaleko through the
synagogue office.
Project Ezra
During the entire month of March we
are collecting Passover foods in the lobby
collection box to be distributed to the frail
elderly on the Lower East Side by Project
Ezra. All contributions MUST be marked
The Brotherhood Synagogue
KOSHER FOR PASSOVER. The Kosher
sign alone is not acceptable for Passover use.
Foods especially needed are in bold but any
from list are welcome:
• Tuna, Salmon or Sardine Cans
• Canned Fruits & Canned Vegetables
• Matzo Farfel
• Grape Juice (bottle)
• Vegetable Oil
• Instant Coffee or Tea
• Small Jars of Honey
• Nuts or Dried Fruit
• Matzo
• Borscht
• Gefilte Fish
• Dessert Items (cake, cookies,
macaroons, etc)
In lieu of food donations,
we are happy to accept
checks made payable to
“Project Ezra.”
If you have access to
a car and would like to
help us deliver food to our
needy elders on Sunday, March
29th at 9 am, please contact Dalia Abbot:
[email protected]
Shevat / Adar 5775
February 2015
Yahrzeits
^Garden of Remembrance *Book of Remembrance
February 7-13
Morris Adelsberg, Gustave Altman, *Steven
Mark Berkowitz, Harriet Bernstein, Leon
Blumenthal, ^Eve Cassell, Stanley Chusid,
Sarah Eisenberg, Emanuel Evans, *Aaron
Fassler, Charles Fell, *Rose M. Finneman,
Judith Friedjung, ^Sylvia Glassman, Esther
Golden, Murray Goldfinger, ^Felicia Greene,
Felicia Grubler, Hella Chaya Hopenstand,
^Benjamin Janow, Ronnie Kornfeld, ^Mollie
Kronenberg, Thelma Levine, ^Anna Levine,
Paul H. Loewinger, ^Herbert Magram,
Adolf Markovitz, Max Miller, David Miller,
^Sara Miller, ^Jeanne C. Moskowitz, *Louis
Nudelman, Miriam Olken, Arnold Paster, Belle
Plutzer, Irene Raphael, ^Carole Reiff, Aaron
Rosenbloom, ^Bertha Russ, Louis Schiffman,
^Dinah Simila Chaya Schumer, Sam Shapiro,
Ben Sherman, ^Ann Silberberg, ^Evelyn
Singer, Tessie Sklar, Judge Sidney Squire,
Mina Stepansky, ^Sylvia Tint, ^Michael Weiss,
^Blanche Wind
February 14-20
William Adams, *Celia Berkowitz, *Herbert
Blye, Sara Borochov, Benjamin Braff, *Lillian
Cantor, Tillie Cohen, ^Solomon Cohen, ^Yetta
Dienstag, Rosalind Donziger , ^Sarah Lerner
Feldman, Meyer Glazer, ^Helen Green, *Harry
Gross, Sid Grossman, Nelly Guggenheim, Klara
Halpern, Max Hamburger, *Jane Deborah
Hansen, Shirley Helfant, ^Marl Hendel,
^Selma Hochhauser, ^Lillian Hoffman, Donald
Michael Iskowitz, Bernard Jereski, ^Hannah
Kirshbaum, Milton Klein, Brenda Klotz,
Ilene Korach, ^Victor Kuhne, Cary Leeds,
^Judith Levenstein, ^Harold Levine, Elaine
Grace Lippman, ^Dr. Paul Pincus Lippman,
^Samuel Lubell, Morton Maxwell, ^George
W. Rabinoff, *Tillie Rosenbaum, Benjamin
Rosenberg, ^*Elizabeth Rossman, ^Rebecca
Rubinoff, ^Ina Safra, Mabel Sarner, ^Albert
Shear, Sheila Siderow, ^Emma Stahl, Rhoda
Stone, ^Lillian Turtletaub, David Waldman,
Margo Wolff, ^Morris Zelmanowicz
February 21-27
^Fannie Abraham, Ardelle Allenson, Altagracia
Alvarez, ^*Charles Barron, Stan Berger,
~^*Chaim Berglas, Mel Berk, Naomi Berk,
Lauretta Berkman, Claire Bernstein, ^Natalie
Brickman, Lillian Burack, *Mae Caplan,
Harry L. Cohen, ^Selim Eliahu Cohen, Jenia
Distenfeld, ^Anna Eidelberg, Myrtle Feinsilber,
Nora Fenton, ^David Fox, Eleanor Giman,
^Sally F. Gold, ^Anne Goldsmith, ^Mary J.
Goldstein, ^Morris Goldstein, ^Paul Goldstein,
*Sadie Goldwasser, ^Henry Greenbaum, Dora
Haber, ^Ethel Haber, Mordechai Horton, ^Jack
Janal, ^David Janow, Martin Kace, Hyman
Kampel, Bernard Kitover, ^Fred Krupnik,
^A. Harry Kupersmith, *Michael Lasser,
^George Lester, ^Anna Jelosnik Levine, ^Rose
Levine, Anna Levins, *Abraham Lewinstein,
Hazzan David Mann, Pearl Memling, ^Joseph
Meresman, *Katie Naftalis, ^Rachel Novom,
Ilse Nussbaum, ^Rose Perlstein, Minnie Pollick,
Sadie Primack, ^Lee Avram Rapapport, ^Claire
G. Rich, ^Howard I. Rich, Murray Rockower,
Theresa Rogoff, David Ross, ^Catharine Roth,
Dorothy Rubin, *Irving Schaffel, Cynthia
Scheffris, Dr. Louis Scheib, ^Frieda Schindel,
^Jacob Schindel, ^Rose Wade Settle, Max
Shugalter, Rae Shulman, ^Irving Silberstang,
Rhea Soifer, David Sussman, Susan Tabor,
Esther Toback, Aston S. Valentine, Shirley
Warren, *Rifke Weingast, ^Fannie Weisman,
*Hyman Werner, *Pauline Werner, *William
Werner, Florence Yarkow, ^Bessie Zacks,
^Paula Zweibach
February 28-March 6
Phyllis Altman, ^Gussie Bardack, Anna
Baslow, George H. Behrens, Paula Berenstein,
Solomon Bersoff, Irene Blitz, Marjorie Bobker,
Fredrick Bryan, ^Gussie Burdack^, June
The Chesed* Committee
Chusid, Rita Cohen, *Hannah Cohen, *Rose
Cohen, ^Frances Cohen, ^Mildred M. Cohen,
Joy Distenfeld, Jacob Dobrow, *Burton
Farland, Lawrence Fischman, ^Isidore Flame,
Bertha Freeman, David Frommer, Lillian
Gillman, ^Morton Globus, Henry Gluck,
^*Rachel Greenhouse, Jenniel Harrison,
^Sonia Himmell, ^Jack Hollander, ^Karen
Jeffreys, ^Leo Kaye, ^Betty Kimbel, Joe
Krantz, ^Jerome Lande, Jeanne Landon, Estelle
Landsman, ^*Abe Lebewohl, ^Jeanette Lesser,
Herman Lutwak, Anni Lutwak, Max Mandell,
Gerard Marx, Miriam Miller, *Hyman Nemser,
^Harry Pollak, Gerald Charles Randolph,
^M.E. Reckson, Adam Todd Ross, ^Sam
Rothstein, Simon Schurberg, Zelda ShapiroWilmoth, *David Siepser, Dorothy Silverman,
*Louis H. Solomon, ^Dr. Gustave Steinberg,
^Meyer Steinberg, ^Kate Taormina, ^Bernard
Trocker, ^Clara Tucker, Abraham Weinman,
Louis Weprin
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
We have assembled an excellent collection of books that address how to cope with the loss of
a loved one, useful if you are grieving or you want to help someone else who is grieving. You
can find them in the Synagogue library on the 4th floor.
*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.
Shevat / Adar 5775
February 2015
The Brotherhood Synagogue
GRAMERCY PARK
MEMORIAL CHAPEL
353 Second Avenue New York, NY 10010
(212) 477-6334
5
Hebrew School News:
Interview with Hebrew School teacher,
Shahar Katz
Q: How did you come to teach at the
Brotherhood Hebrew School?
I learned of The Brotherhood Synagogue Hebrew
School from my good friend, Maia Karo, who
has been teaching at Brotherhood for the past
few years and had told me amazing things about
the Hebrew School and the Synagogue.
Q: What do you teach at the Hebrew School?
I teach three different groups of students: 1).
Hebrew to Kitah Bet (2nd Grade) on Tuesday
afternoons; 2) Hebrew to Kitah Gimmel (3rd
Grade) on Monday and Wednesday afternoons;
and 3) Hebrew, Judaic Studies and Music to
a “combination group” early on Wednesday
afternoons. Students in this group are in Gan
(Kindergarten), Kitah Aleph (1st Grade) and
Kitah Bet (2nd Grade.)
Q: What are the most satisfying aspects of
teaching Hebrew to English speaking
children?
Teaching Hebrew to English speaking children
enables me to reexamine my own native language
in every class. I feel that by teaching my students
the language that I grew up speaking, I share a
bit of my background and childhood experiences
with them. It brings me great joy to spread the
Hebrew language and Jewish culture.
Q: Having grown up in Israel, how do you
view the idea of a supplementary school
for Jewish education? Are there similar
institutions in Israel?
6
I think that in New York City, in 2015, there
is a very important place for supplementary
Jewish education. In such a beautifully diverse
city, it seems so easy to forget one’s own
heritage. Growing up as a secular/traditional
Jew in Israel, most of the lessons that we teach
in Hebrew school are, for me, part of everyday
Israeli life. The language is obviously the native
tongue and the Jewish holidays are celebrated
throughout Israel, whether one is “religious” or
not. Nevertheless, there are many ways to learn
Hebrew and to study Jewish culture—among
them studying Hebrew at an Ulpan. Ulpan is
a method of learning modern Hebrew through
immersion in the Hebrew language and being
in a Hebrew speaking environment. Many
Kibbutzim around Israel provide this Ulpan
experience. One can study in a Kibbutz where
one can volunteer, work, and live in a small
community while learning Hebrew.
Q: What aspects of your Brotherhood
Synagogue experience do you enjoy the
most?
I love the energy and community at the
Brotherhood Synagogue and the Hebrew
School. It brings me great joy to be part of the
community that surrounds the Hebrew School—
whether it’s the administration, teachers, parents,
and the children. I feel like part of a family and
that is such a valuable thing for me. It thrills
me to see children who are growing up in New
York City show interest in the Hebrew language
and Jewish culture, which we share. Being the
vehicle to impart this knowledge is a rewarding
experience. And, being far away from home, I
miss my family, particularly my nephews and
nieces. I wish I could be helping more with their
education. Working with children and teaching
them makes me feel closer to my family back
home and I’m honored to be a part of educating
them.
The Brotherhood Synagogue
Q: When you are not at Brotherhood
Synagogue, what do you do?
Last May I graduated from a rigorous acting
program at Rutgers University. Since then, I
have been working as an actor, in television,
film, theatre, and commercials. I also play bass
and guitar. I explore my “way-too-cool-forits-own-good” neighborhood in Brooklyn, do
sports and travel every chance I get.
Q: Did you experience “culture shock” when
you moved from Israel to the USA? If so,
what was it like?
I must admit, I experienced a huge culture
shock when I landed in San Francisco after
spending a year of traveling in South America.
I was used to making social connections on the
go and approaching people on the street, but
being from Israel, I was obviously too loud, too
forward, and a bit too rude for your average
American. We Israelis have very different social
boundaries. My first instinct was to knock on
someone’s door or at the very least pick up the
phone—however, in the USA, most people
have a firewall protecting them such as e-mail,
Facebook, and text-messaging. It took me time
to understand how to use these media to get
my point across, break through those firewalls
I have grown to appreciate the over excessive
use of “thank-you,” “sorry,” and “please,” and
don’t tell anyone in Israel but I kind of like it.
And of course, I learned how to stand in line,
which is something that we almost never do in
Israel. l
Shevat / Adar 5775
February 2015
Nursery School Thoughts
by Rosanne S. Olken
O
ur kids are sad because “Uncle” Ben, my
husband’s oldest and best friend, has just
left. Products of the Upper West Side, they met
via their pregnant moms and were eventually
enrolled in Rodeph Sholom Nursery School
together as three year olds. Different middle
and high schools forced the topic of divergent
paths at age eleven: I’m going to Friends, I’m
going to Hunter. Cool, see you after school.
And, I’d imagine, that their moms were equally
crushed that their boys wouldn’t be doing
everything together, always, for the rest of their
boyhood years and beyond. But inertia was on
their side despite different colleges in different
Mid-western states and different career paths,
they were best men at each other’s weddings and
ultimately found a way to remain a presence in
each other’s lives, spending a Sunday afternoon
together every few months although they live
two thousand miles apart.
Tonight is one of those occasions and they are
grown men sitting on our sofa, watching football
and talking about very adult subjects like cancer
and divorce. Oblivious, our kids and the dog
alternate between entertaining and worshiping
“Uncle” Ben. They know how special he is: this
is the guy who played the guitar at our wedding
instead of making a speech, the same guy who
just happened to potty train with daddy. Before
he leaves, my son sprawls on the floor outside
the closed bathroom door, so as not to miss a
second of Ben before he returns to Colorado. As
I attempt to put them to bed that night amidst
requests of Ben picking them up from school the
next day, I’m reminded that we collect friends to
accompany us along the road of life and share in
our milestones as we graduate from diapers to the
eventual life events that bring us to our knees. I
wish the same for them: mutual comfort in the
shorthand of someone who knew you when you
were very, very young.
The pre-school years are when we begin this
collection of friends by learning the importance
of friendship and how to make friends: sharing,
laughing, creating together and taking care of
each other. Before the designation of first, best or
Family Shabbat
Please join us to welcome Shabbat
together with stories and song.
Friday, February 6
5:30 pm - Children up to 3 years old with
Daphna Mor
Friday, February 27
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
oldest, it’s our awareness of each other and our
need for each other that is born here and fostered.
For both of our children, this happened in the
Yellow Room along side kids they had known
since mommies’ bellies and ones they had just
met.
One of our favorite families at Brotherhood
and one of the first friends we made as family
recently shared that they won’t be returning to
the Nursery School next year. I had steeled myself
against the possibility of conversations like this
in the coming months, but this particular one
caught me off guard and left me with the same
heavy-hearted melancholy you get come late
August at sleep-away camp: something awesome
is ending. Like childhood, I had known this was
finite, I had known this was coming. Immensely
happy for them, I was really sad.
The reality is that options abound in the
world of Manhattan and we make decisions every
day in what we hope is the best interest of our
families. The other reality is that when it comes
to friendship, nothing really ends. Whether it’s
leaving a great job after many years, moving to a
new city, or changing schools, rarely do we really
leave people behind. We keep a precious few or
many with each chapter that closes and carry
them along for the ride, whether it’s as three-year
olds, or as parents of three-year olds. May the
friendships we make and our children make at
Brotherhood Synagogue Nursery School aspire to
be lifelong, wherever our roads may take us.l
♪ Cantor’s Notes: Does Praying Really Matter? ♪
by Cantor Mike Weis
O
n Facebook a few days ago, I came across
a Village Voice blog post written by
Andrew W.K. on a friend’s timeline. My friend,
who is a rabbi, wrote, “I think I’ve just found
my new rabbi.” Clicking through to the article,
the headline read, “Prayer is stupid, right?”
This sounds juicy, I thought.
The post begins with a letter from a reader
expressing frustration with his family’s desire
to pray for his brother, who had been recently
diagnosed with cancer. Looking for guidance
on how to bring his family to their senses, this
reader was consumed with anger over the idea
of “mumbling superstitious nonsense” rather
than taking concrete steps to help his brother.
In response, Andrew W.K. gave what I
consider to be the best description of prayer
and why it matters that I’ve ever heard. I have
to admit that even for me, someone who has
made a career out of leading worship, prayer
is just plain hard. How can I ask God, who
I’m not even sure is listening, to do things for
me that I can’t do for myself. Why, if God isn’t
doing anything to help the victims of Boko
Haram, for example, would God sit up and
pay attention to l’il ol’ middle class me, whose
problems are not nearly so pressing?
So, how do I do it, using the same words
over and over and over again? I do something
like what Andrew W.K. suggests. Here is the
prescription he writes for his reader:
I want you to find a place alone, and kneel
down—against all your stubborn tendencies
telling you not to—and close your eyes and
think of one concentrated thought: your
brother.
I want you to think of your love for
him. Your fear of him dying. Your feeling of
powerlessness. Your feelings of anger and
frustration. Your feelings of confusion. You
don’t need to ask to get anything. You don’t
need to try and fix anything. You don’t need to
get any answers. Just focus on every moment
you’ve ever had with your brother…Let the
Shevat / Adar 5775
The Brotherhood Synagogue
February 2015
feelings wash over you…until you lose yourself
in it.
Without realizing it, I have been following
Andrew’s prescription for years. In fact, it is
my de facto standard for how to pray when the
words are failing to inspire me: I focus on the
music and let it wash over me. The bad news
is that it sidesteps all the tough theological
questions that constantly beg for answers. The
good news, though, is that it sidesteps all the
tough theological questions that constantly beg
for answers…and allows me to be fully present
to the here and now.
That is why prayer matters: because it allows
us to remove ourselves from our mundane
thoughts and concerns and enables us to focus,
even if only for a few moments, on the ultimate
concerns in our lives. God doesn’t have to be
the subject, object or predicate in order for
prayer to matter. At least that’s what Andrew
W.K. thinks.
I would tend to agree. l
7
Brotherhood
Synagogue
Shevat/Adar 5775
February 2015
✡ Saturday Morning: Shabbat Corner 9:45 am • Junior Congregation 10:30 am • Alef-Bet Club 11 am
Sunday
1
Monday
9 am: Tikvah
2
9 am: Book of Genesis
Tuesday
3
9:30 am: Toddlers
Wednesday
4
10 am: Baby Class
Thursday
5
9 am: Gentle Yoga
4 pm: Hebrew School
10 am: English-in-Action
11 am: Pre-Toddler Class
9:30 am: Toddler Class
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
8 pm: Jewish Current
Events
4 pm: Hebrew School
6:30 pm: Harmoni-AH!
2 pm: English-in-Action
7 pm: Maimonides’ Guide
for the Perplexed
3 pm: Thursday Corner
5:40 pm: Minyan
Friday
6
Saturday
5:01 pm: Candles
7
5:30 pm: Family Shabbat
(0-3)
Bar Mitzvah of
Gabriel Markowitz
6:30 pm: Services
7:30 pm: Shabbaton
Dinner
4:30 pm: Hebrew Corner
Guest speaker: Author
Gary Shteyngart
7 pm: Life Goes On Book
Club
.
TU B’SHEVAT
8
9 am: Tikvah
9
9 am: Book of Genesis
4 pm: Hebrew School
10
9:30 am: Toddlers
11
10 am: Baby Class
YITRO
12
9 am: Gentle Yoga
11 am: Pre-Toddler Class
10 am: English-in-Action
5 pm: Book of Exodus
10:45 am: Toddlers
4 pm: Hebrew School
Noon: Lunch & Learn
12:30 pm: Advanced
Haftarah Cantillation
6:30 pm: Harmoni-AH!
2 pm: English-in-Action
7 pm: Maimonides’ Guide
for the Perplexed
4:30 pm: Hebrew Corner
4 pm: Hebrew School
5:40 pm: Minyan
13
9:30 am: Toddler Class
7 pm: Prayerbook Hebrew
8 pm: Jewish Current
Events
9:30 am: Services
5:10 pm: Candles
14
9:30 am: Services
6:30 pm: Services
3 pm: Thursday Corner
6:30 pm: Engaging Israel
MISHPATIM
15
16
1710 am: English-in-Action 18
6:30 pm: Harmoni-AH!
7 pm: Maimonides’ Guide
for the Perplexed
12:30 pm: Advanced
Haftarah Cantillation
5:40 pm: Minyan
OFFICE CLOSED PRESIDENTS
DAY
19
Noon: Lunch & Learn
20
2 pm: English-in-Action
5:18 pm: Candles
6:30 pm: Services
21
9:30 am: Services
7 pm: Brotherhood Book
Club
7 pm: Board Meeting
ROSH CHODESH
NO SCHOOLS / NO SCHOOLS / NO SCHOOLS / NO SCHOOLS / NO SCHOOLS
22
2 pm: Letters to Afar
Museum Visit
4:45 pm: Brotherhood
Film Series Killing Kasztner
23
9 am: Book of Genesis
24
9:30 am: Toddlers
25
10 am: Baby Class
26
9 am: Gentle Yoga
4 pm: Hebrew School
10 am: English-in-Action
11 am: Pre-Toddler Class
9:30 am: Toddler Class
5 pm: Book of Exodus
10:45 am: Toddlers
Noon: Lunch & Learn
7 pm: Prayerbook Hebrew
12:30 pm: Advanced
Haftarah Cantillation
Noon: Interfaith Bible
Study (class meets at
Brotherhood)
8 pm: Jewish Current
Events
4 pm: Hebrew School
4 pm: Hebrew School
5:40 pm: Minyan
6:30 pm: Engaging Israel
6:30 pm: Harmoni-AH!
2 pm: English-in-Action
3 pm: Thursday Corner
4:30 pm: Hebrew Corner
27
5:27 pm: Candles
5:30 & 6:30 pm: Family
Shabbat Services
6:30 pm: Services
TERUMAN
28
9:30 am: Services
Bar Mitzvah of
Bram Ellant
1 pm: Shabbat Club
5:30 pm: Services
Bar Mitzvah of
Ethan Balletta
7 pm: Maimonides’ Guide
for the Perplexed
TETZAVEH
Learn about the
Israel Ride
with local New York riders!
Wednesday, February 4, 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Hosted by Brotherhood member Debra Aaron,
2014 Israel Rider
Brotherhood members
Debra Aaron, left,
and Orley Granot
“The ride is truly spectacular. This was my second Israel ride
and I can’t wait to do it again. I hadn’t ridden a bike in over a year but had
no problems keeping up as I could go at my own pace. The friends you make,
the food you eat, the scenery you see, the education you gain along the way
are all reasons on their own to participate and the support you give to the
Arava Institute are wonderful reasons to sign up.” — Orley Granot
Over 125 people are signed up to ride their bikes from Jerusalem to
Eilat on the 2015 Israel Ride (Oct. 27- Nov. 3, 2015)! Join together
to hear from Israel Ride alumni and staff and discover how YOU can
join them on your next adventure. Learn about riding through the
Jerusalem Forest, to the Mediterranean Sea, through the Negev Desert,
to the Red Sea—all in support of the Arava Institute and Hazon.
Explore the beauty of Israel from any of three route options (30, 55, or
70 miles a day) for five cycling days.
To RSVP for this event please go to the following url:
http://hazon.org/calendar/israel-ride-new-york-city2/#RSVP