February 2, 2007–
Shevat 15, 5767
Shabbat Shira – Tu
B’Shevat
(The Shabbat of Song)
Tu B’Shevat and Super
Bowl Edition
(prediction below in “Ask the Rabbi”)
Rabbi Joshua Hammerman,
This Week!
Next Week!
Featuring Sisterhood
Shabbat
Havdalah Unplugged
Scholar in Residence
Send your friends and relatives the gift of Jewish awareness -- a
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Contents
of the Shabbat O Gram:
(Click
to scroll down)
Just
the Facts (service schedule)
The (Occasionally) Ranting Rabbi
Mitzvah/Tzedakkah Opportunities
Ask the Rabbi (including my annual Superbowl prediction)
Required Reading and Action Items (links
to key articles on Israel and Jewish life)
…This week including “Conservative Judaism at a Crossroads”
Announcements (goings on in and around
TBE)
From our recent 7th
grade mock-wedding
Check out www.tbe.org for our extensive library of photo
albums,
articles, sermons, info about
the temple,
Shabbat-O-Grams and links to
the Jewish world.
Yashar Koach to our 5th grade,
who collected enough money to donate
375 trees
to JNF
to rebuilt the damaged forests of northern
In Memoriam
Victims of this week’s terror attack in Eilat:
Emil
Almaliakh, 32
Michael
Ben-Sa'adon, 27
Quote for the Week
IN HONOR OF THE
WORLD WIDE WRAP!
“How good it is to wrap
oneself in
prayer, spinning a deep
softness of
gratitude to God around all
thoughts,
enveloping oneself in the silken
veil of song.”
(Abraham Joshua Heschel,
adapted)
L’hitra’ot to our 8th
Grade students at BCDS,
(including my son Dan)
who leave for
Friday Evening
Candle lighting: 4:55 pm on Friday, 2 February 2006. For candle lighting times, Havdalah
times, other Jewish calendar information, and to download a Jewish calendar to
your PDA, click on http://www.hebcal.com/. To see the festivals of other faiths as
well, go to http://www.interfaithcalendar.org/. The United Synagogue has updated its
candlelighting information. To learn more, click here.
Tot Shabbat: 6:45 PM
– in the lobby
Shabbat Evening service:
6:30 PM – in the chapel
Shabbat Morning: 9:30 AM – GUEST D’var Torah to
be given by Don Adelman
Children’s
Services: 10:30 AM
Our Torah Portion
for Shabbat Morning
Parashat
Beshallach
Exodus 13:17 - 17:16 – The Crossing of the
1: 14:26-15:21
2: 15:22-26
3: 15:27-16:10
4: 16:11-27
5: 16:28-36
6: 17:1-7
7: 17:8-16
maf: 17:14-16
Haftarah: Judges 4:4 - 5:31 (Song of Deborah)
If
you liked Storahtelling, you’ll LOVE Storahtelling’s new weekly
blog about the Torah portion Find it at http://storahtelling.blogspot.com/. ORT
Navigating the Bible; Rashi
in English; BibleGateway:
Useful for comparing different translations: Note- this is a Christian site.
What’s
Bothering Rashi (Bonchek) Each week, one example from the parashah is
deconstructed. See a weekly commentary from the UJC Rabbinic Cabinet, at www.ujc.org/mekorchaim. Read the Masorti commentary at http://www.masorti.org/mason/torah/index.asp. University of Judaism,
JTS commentary is at: http://www.jtsa.edu/community/parashah/.
USCJ Torah
THE ENTIRE
HEBREW BIBLE (AS WELL AS OTHER JEWISH SOURCES) CAN BE FOUND WITH SIDE-BY-SIDE
TRANSLATION AT http://www.mechon-mamre.org/
100
Blessings: Download information about the grace
after meals (see Birkat
Ha-mazon explained in Wikipedia and in the Jewish
Virtual Library) The actual
prayer can be downloaded at Birkat
Hamazon [pdf]
Morning Minyan
7:30 Weekdays, 9:30 Sundays
TO ENSURE A “GUARANTEED MINYAN” FOR
THE DAY OF YOUR YAHRZEIT – GO TO THE ROSNER MINYAN MAKER AT WWW.TBE.ORG AND ALSO CONTACT ME AT RABBI@TBE.ORG.
We’ve had several people coming lately
who are saying kaddish following recent deaths in the family. We want to make sure we have a minyan
each day. Your presence any morning is greatly appreciated!
Please sign up at the Rosner Minyan Maker at www.tbe.org
THIS SUNDAY
GET INTO LEATHER…
at the World Wide Wrap
Sunday, February 4th at 9:00 a.m.
(includes morning
minyan slightly after 9:30)
For the
seventh year in a row, thousands of Conservative Jews around the world will be
“wrapped up” in the “ties that bind.” As part of the WORLD WIDE WRAP, Jews
around the world--men and women--will participate in an ancient practice called
“tefillin” on Sunday, February 4, 2007. A form of prayer, tefillin involves
wrapping leather straps attached to boxes containing scripture around the
forehead, arm and hand in an intricate pattern that spells out the name of God.
Join our 7th grade
families for the “Wrap,” for an explanatory morning learner’s
service and a video entitled “The Ties that Bind.” Beth El will be one of the hundreds
of congregations worldwide that are participating in the Wrap. Extra sets of tefillin will be provided,
and instructions will be given to those who are in need of assistance.
(Naturally, it’s also OK just to watch!). Plus, after our bagel breakfast,
we’ll have a chance to purchase tallises from our gift shop’s extensive
selection.
The Federation of Jewish
Men's Clubs in
If you
would like to look at some fabulous material in advance that explains this
ritual and delves into its spiritual power, take a look at the following web
sites: What
are Tefillin? (there are several other articles linked to
MyJewishLearning.com regarding tefillin, including Reinterpreting
Tefillin and, for a more Kabbalistic view, Reb Goldie on
Tefillin).
Winter Weather Advisory
Note that in the case of
bad weather, weekday minyan does not take place when
The
(occasionally)
My Jewish
Week article for this week:
http://www.thejewishweek.com/top/editletcontent.php3?artid=5697
Jewish and Gentle: Time for a Mussar Revival
By Joshua
Hammerman
These are dangerous times.
But despite the clear threats posed from the outside by Iranians, Arabs,
Europeans and Borat’s cowboys, we can’t overlook the dangers
staring directly at us in the mirror.
In
Here
in the
So
many people leave the Jewish community precisely because they perceive it as
being unwelcoming and unforgiving.
Pettiness and rancor cuts across denominational and institutional lines,
affecting synagogue and federation alike, Jews of all denominations. We are all guilty, some more by their
actions, others by their indifference.
It’s happening everywhere.
The
Talmudic sages understood how we could be our own worst enemies, ascribing
great calamities not to foreign oppression but to internal strife. The second temple burned, in their eyes,
because of causeless hatred among Jews. Unlike prior generations,
today’s Jews have the freedom to opt out of Jewish life entirely, and so
many have. They and their family
members, many of whom are not Jewish, are waiting for that signal of acceptance
that too often does not come. They
are there for the taking, if only we would welcome them in.
It
might be the most difficult assignment the Jewish people have ever had: to
model civility and love in a world where so many despise us. For the most part, we’ve pulled
that off amazingly well over the centuries – until now.
Why
is it that so many Jews say to me, “Rabbi, I feel like I am a good
person, even though I’m not a good Jew.” Since when must the two be mutually
exclusive? Jewish ritual is vacuous
if it does not lead to ethical ends.
As the Ten Commandments make clear, Shabbat sensitizes us to the needs
of all members of our household, even the servants and animals. Kashrut is pointless unless it points us
toward a greater sensitivity to life. Judaism, which should instinctively
linked to kindness, modesty and honesty, too often is associated with ritual
correctness, ethnic tribalism and an unyielding ethic of holier-than-thou.
“Nice”
needs to be the Next Big Thing for Jews, and, just in time, there appears to be
an upsurge of interest in civil behavior.
For centuries, “Mussar,” as it is known, has been a
steadying influence in Jewish life.
Giants like Rabbi Israel Salanter and the Hafetz Hayyim have dotted the
spectrum over the past couple of centuries, and currently the first rumblings
of a full-scale Mussar revival are being felt, with the publication of Rabbi
Joseph Telushkin’s “Code of Jewish Ethics,” the popularity of
Shmuley Boteach’s cable program, “Shalom in the Home” and a
bevy of ethicists peddling their home-spun advice on websites and in
print.
The
website at Rabbi Ira Stone’s Philadelphia Mussar Institute (www.phillymussar.org) contains
instructive exercises promoting the development of middot (positive character
traits) such as patience, humility, honesty, frugality and silence. While not every Jew may be up to keeping
a daily ethical diary, all Jews need to see principled behavior as the core of
Jewish life. This is not to take
anything away from social action, but each synagogue now needs to establish a
committee on social INTERaction.
Many
churches have adopted what they call Behavioral Covenants, codes establishing
norms for proper manners, whether at meetings, in the pews or on the
street. I Googled various
combinations of “Behavioral Covenant” and “Jewish,” and
while a number of matches came up, none led me to a synagogue, JCC or
federation that has created an actual Behavioral Covenant. I’m sure some are out there
– but they need to be everywhere.
Organizations like Synagogue 3000 encourage communities to be warmer and
more welcoming like the mega-churches.
Advice that once came so naturally to Jews, even a sourpuss sage like
Shammai (who said in Pirke Avot, “Greet everyone cheerfully”), now
requires a think tank.
We
shouldn’t have to seek gentile prototypes to persuade communities to be
Jewish and gentle. Our own models
abound.
For every Saint Francis of
Wouldn’t
it be amazing if every organization came together to agree on a collective
Behavioral Covenant for American Jewish Life? It might actually be doable, since the
“middot” cross denominational boundaries. Imagine what the impact would be.
It
would change everything.
When
our communities project an ethos of love, generosity of spirit, humility and
acceptance, the world will notice.
For the Jews and Judaism to thrive in these turbulent times, we must set
our clocks permanently to Yom Kippur and reinforce those principles that can
help us live together in harmony.
When, for each Jew, being a good Jew MEANS being a good person, the book
of life will remain forever open.
Mitzvah/Tzedakkah Opportunties
Beth El Cares
Cathy Satz (968-9191; csscounsel@yahoo.com)Cheryl Wolff (968-6361; cwolff@optonline.net)BETH EL CARES co-chairs Mitzvah Project – Dog-related Items LINDY FRUITHANDLER WILL BECOME BAT
MITZVAH ON MARCH 17. PLEASE READ
THIS NOTE FROM HER REGARDING HER MITZVAH PROJECT:
For my mitzvah project I am helping Adopt-A-Dog, a volunteer organization in Greenwich, CT, which helps find good, safe homes for homeless animals. They have found homes for many Katrina dogs that lost their families in the hurricane. To help them, I am donating money I have raised, and collecting dog-related items such as toys, collars, bones, and leashes; and cat-related items such as toys, collars, and catnip. Any crates that your dog or cat no longer use would be greatly appreciated by Adopt-A-Dog You do not have to be dog or cat owner to help - Adopt-A-Dog also needs new or used blankets, pillows, soft table cloths, and really anything else that the animals can sleep on. I can collect some of these items myself, but I need your help to collect enough needed items to make a big difference.
I will have a collection box
out in the
You can also help Adopt-A-Dog by saving "Weight Circles" from Purina Brand Dog Food. Adopt-A-Dog receives 8 cents for every pound of weight circles sent in to Purina. Adopt-A-Dog buys 1,000 pounds of dog food every month! Each label that you clip and donate from a 20 lb. bag gives them $1.60 towards their food bill. A 50 lb. bag label means $4.00 in meals for their pooches. Trust me, it adds up! Please clip the labels off the side of each bag you buy and place them in the envelope attached to the collection box.
On behalf of all the homeless dogs and cats at Adopt-A-Dog, thanks so much for your help!
Lindy Fruithandler
322-4712
To check out Adopt-A-Dog for yourself, please visit their website at www.adoptadog.org.
From
the Rabbinical Assembly: Re. Darfur
As
you may know, the president of
The
Sudanese government armed, trained, and organized the Janjaweed, who attack,
rape, and murder the civilian populations of
Please contact your head of state and urge
him/her to take immediate steps to prevent President Bashir from becoming
President of the African
Annual Super Bowl Prediction
(using
Jewish sources)
Colts vs. Bears
Special thanks to
my son Ethan Hammerman for his extensive help –especially the Brian Urlacher
part!
It has not been a
good week for horses. The death of
Barbaro after a heroic struggle, sad as it is, pales in comparison to a
far-worse event in equine history commemorated this Shabbat, Shabbat Shira. We chant the triumphant Song of the Sea
– triumphant for Israelites, but not good for horses. “Ashira L’Adonai Ki Gaoh Ga’ah,” it begins,
“(“I will sing to Adonai, who
has triumphed gloriously,” “Soos
v’rochvo ramah va’yam” (“Horse and driver have been hurled into the Sea”). Considering the fact that the
But,
while this week’s portion is screaming “Bears,” my head says
“Colts,” so I’ve got to play this out. After all, the Colts were incredibly
impressive in their second half comeback over my Patriots (sigh) two weeks ago;
and only the Colts have a player whose name is also a Passover song (Addai-aynu). Also, the Hebrew word for the Papa Bear
himself, Halas (chalash) means
“weak.” So a more
comprehensive investigation is in order:
The
Hebrew word for bear is “Dov.”
It’s noteworthy that there are many more Jews named
“Dov” than are named “Soos (Horse)” (Doctor Suess
notwithstanding), many whose Yiddishized name even includes the word
“bear,” as in “Dov Baer.” There IS one biblical character (Numbers
13) whose last name is “Soosi.” The Hebrew “dov” is
derived from the root d-v-v , meaning
“to move gently or glide,” often connoting an animal that creeps,
glides or walks leisurely. That
description certainly fits the Bears’ conservative, plodding ground
attack, as well as their defensive tendency to put opponents (and the ball) on
the ground. The root meaning of
“soos,” incidentally, is
“swift,” which pretty much describes the Colts, both offensively
and defensively. They are built for
speed.
Rarely
can I recall a Super Bowl when the Hebrew root meaning of both teams’
nicknames have so perfectly described the teams themselves.
According
to an online concordance,
the word “horse” (soos)
appears 283 times in the Hebrew Bible. With the land
Typically,
horses are seen as instruments of war, typically employed by the enemies of
Israel (see http://bible.cc/deuteronomy/20-1.htm-When you go out to battle against your
enemies and see horses and chariots and people more numerous than you, do not
be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, who brought you up from the land of
Egypt, is with you ) .
Despite their threatening status (and how often in history have Jews
been chased down by the horses of Cossacks, Roman soldiers and Crusaders), they
are also admired, especially for their speed – see http://bible.cc/isaiah/30-16.htm. Clearly, the biblical authors were aware
of the Colts’ lightning fast attack.
Horses are also symbols of dignity and honor (http://bible.cc/esther/6-11.htm). Think of that scene in the book of
Esther when Mordechai, not Haman, got to ride through town on horseback –
one of those great “gotcha” moments in Jewish history. But a horse is also a symbol of vanity
and false hopes. Psalm 33:17 http://bible.cc/psalms/33-17.htm,
is rather indicative of the Colts’ recent history: “A
horse is a false hope for victory; Nor does it deliver anyone by its great
strength.” As we saw with Barbaro this week, a horse’s majesty
also carries a deep fragility. This
is expressed in this verse from Judges 5:22. http://bible.cc/judges/5-22.htm, “Then were the horse's hoofs broken by
the means of the prancings, the prancings of their mighty ones.”
Speaking
of Purim, the bear was a symbol of ancient
The
young David boasted of having killed a bear (1 Samuel 17:34-46), as well as a
Lion (nothing there about Packers and Vikings), and the Bear, like the Lion was
used as a messianic symbol in Isaiah 11:7.
The lion lies with the lamb (or maybe the Rams), while the bear lies
with the cow (and indeed, the Bears share the
It
is very hard to pick against a team whose coach whose first name is
“Lovie.” The numerical
value of the Hebrew word for love, “ahava”
is 13, as is the value of the word “Ehad,”
“one.” These words are
central to the Sh’ma and
commentators have noted that those two terms added together equals 26, which is
also the numerical value of the four letter name of God.
And,
if you think about it, the Bears are the team that consumed the burning Bush in
the NFC Championship game. The Bears also have, far as I can tell, the
game’s only Jewish athlete: kicker Robbie
Gould. And they are the only
team with a major halachic commentary named after them, the Be'er
Heitev.
I
can envision the end of the game clearly.
The Hebrew word Peyton (“pie-tan”)
means “poet,” or the composer of a prayer (a piyyut). So Manning
will throw up a prayer in the game’s final seconds, a “hail
Mary,” as it were, but it will fall incomplete (of course the greatest
Bear ever was also named Payton…Walter Payton).
When
Americans head south, they go to
So
while my head says Colts, Jewish tradition seems to be screaming,
“Bears.”
From
“Dan to Be’er Sheva.”
Bears
by sheva…er…7.
Sources: “The Encyclopedia of Jewish Symbols,” Ellen
Frankel; Encyclopedia Judaica.
Jewish Portals
(collected by www.livnot.com)
Digital Genizah: http://uscj.org/metny/middletown/genizah.htm
Hareshima: www.hareshima.com
Haruth: www.haruth.com/jewish_stuff.htm
Extensive list of Jewish sites.
Jacob Richman’s
Hot Sites: www.jr.co.il/hotsites/israel.htm
Jewish Agency JAFI Portal: www.jewishsites.org
Jewish.com: www.jewish.com
articles and information on Jewish issues and subjects.
Jewish Link: www.jewishlink.net.
very extensive.
Jewishnet: www.jewishnet.net
portal.
Lengthy List of Lists — Portal for all sorts of Jewish websites,
concentrating on
Mashkof: http://home.con2.com/easysurf/jew.htm
Links to Jewish Web sites.
Nexus: JewishNexus.com.
Listing of various Jewish websites; singles, learning.
Maven: www.maven.co.il.
Extensive portal.
Yehud: www.yehud.com/Community.
List of Jewish communities … ethnic, cities.
Zipple.com: www.zipple.com.
Articles and information on Jewish issues and subjects.
Tu B’Shevat
A whole bunch of Tu B’Shevat links can be found at: http://www.jr.co.il/hotsites/j-hdaytu.htm.
Some excellent Tu B’Shevat material can be found at www.myjewishlearning.com. Four Kinds of Tu Bishvat: Rabbinic,
Kabbalistic
(mystical), Zionist, Ecological. The father of modern
Zionism plants a tree in the
On the Kabbalistic Seder
·
Part I: Nature
as a Sacred Text
·
Part II: Evil
Symbolized by Fruit
·
Part III: The
Seder as Atonement for Sexual Impropriety
If you want to learn more about the Kabbalistic Tu
B’Shevat Seder:
1) A new version of the text of P'ri Ets Hadar's blessing,
the blessing from the very first published Tu B’shevat seder, dating back
to the 17th or 16th century.
This is one of the most sweet and ecologically relevant texts in all of
Jewish history: http://www.coejl.org/tubshvat/documents/tub_haggadah.php
- also see lots of other Tu B’Shevat info at the web site of the
Coalition of the Environment and Jewish Life (COEJL) at http://www.coejl.org/tubshvat/celebrate/,
and at http://www.canfeinesharim.org/tubshvat.shtml
2) A fascinating "Save-The-Trees" one-page flow
chart, using color, simple graphics, and explanations relating each step to its
world, Sefirah (Divine emanation), element and season. You can provide the teaching texts and
songs or use this as a guide with another haggadah. The "One-Page Save-The-Trees
Haggadah" also includes the endings for all the prayers we say before
eating and smelling in transliteration, as well as the English for the
"borei n'fashot" prayer after eating, which is the very sweetest,
most compact, environmentally meaningful prayer in Judaism: http://coejl.org/tubshvat/documents/dshaggadah.php
The
Society for Protection of Nature in
If
you want to see what the spirit of Tu B'Shevat is really about, year round, go
to www.isabellafreedman.org .
Freedman, a century-old UJA camp, has been radically transformed. It's the home
of the
Finally, every Tu Bish'vat should involve a little activism
for trees as well. Here are 15
action items related to trees: http://coejl.org/tubshvat/15actions/index.php
And why not combine Tu B’Shevat with Valentines Day
this year – and read the old classic, “The Giving Tree” to a
child – or to yourself.
Conservative Judaism at
a Crossroads…
Survey Finds Majority of
Conservative Movement Favors Gay Ordination
-- Survey Also Speaks to Unity on
Other Movement Principles --
see also http://www.jta.org/page_view_breaking_story.asp?intid=6710&ref=USCJ
New York, NY, January 31, 2007 A national survey has been
conducted by Professor Steven M. Cohen, commissioned by The Jewish Theological
Seminary (JTS) in cooperation with the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism
(USCJ) and the Rabbinical Assembly (RA) to understand the thinking of key
constituents in the Conservative Movement on the issue of gay and lesbian
ordination.
“The survey elicited a tremendous response from leaders, activists, and
community alike," said Professor Cohen. “Not withstanding the
deeply-held feelings on this issue, the results point to four areas of strong
consensus in the Conservative Movement: a commitment to halakhah, support for
women as clergy, and opposition to both patrilineal descent and rabbis
officiating at mixed marriages. The consensus around these issues speaks to the
underlying unity and distinctiveness of the Conservative Movement.”
“Our intent was and is to know what Conservative Jews rabbis and cantors,
educators and executives, board members and students think about this important
matter: admitting and ordaining/investing openly gay and lesbian students in
our rabbinical and cantorial schools,” stated Arnold Eisen,
Chancellor-elect of JTS. “Of particular note is the remarkable unity of
Conservative Jews nationwide in their support of the centrality of halakhah as
a key principle of Conservative Judaism. The survey gives us data on this score
as one factor among many to bear in mind as we consider a complex and
controversial decision that will undoubtedly have a major impact on the future
direction of JTS and the Conservative Movement. A final decision on this matter
is expected this spring. We are grateful to Professor Cohen for conducting the
study so professionally and quickly, and for providing his services to us pro
bono.”
The survey is part of a process to assist the leaders of JTS, the USCJ, and the
RA in determining policy reactions to the recent decision on homosexual
behavior by the Committee on Jewish Law and Standards. To date, the heads of
the other seminaries affected by the CJLS decision have discussed the issue
with Professor Eisen, who is also receiving feedback through his nationwide
“listening tour,” meetings with students, and via the JTS website.
Faculty discussions are ongoing.
Invitations to participate in the survey were sent to 18,676 email addresses.
The lists encompassed much of the top clerical, professional, and lay
leadership of the Conservative Movement, and included rabbis, cantors,
educators (including camp directors), United Synagogue Youth advisors,
executive directors, USCJ board members, presidents, some congregational
officers, and activists (including college students).
5,583 responses were received; 4,861 from invitees, and 722 who responded to a
public access website.
Major findings include:
Large majority favors gay and lesbian rabbis and cantors:
Rabbis are largely in favor (65% in favor to 28% opposed, with others unsure),
as are the cantors by a similar margin (67% to 27%), while lay leaders split
68% to 22%.
JTS students also favor admitting gay and lesbian rabbinical students: (58% to
32% for the rabbinical students; 58% to 21% for the cantorial students, and 70%
to 21% for all other JTS students.
Among Conservative educators, executive directors, and other professionals are
in favor (76% to 16%), while lay leaders split 68% to 22%, and students, USY
and others (largely public access respondents) divide 70% to 20%.
Substantial variation by country, gender, age, and observance. Support for
gay ordination is:
Higher in the
Higher among women than among men.
Higher among younger people than among older people (among those twenty-five
and over).
Higher among the less observant than among the more observant.
Gender Gap:
Men divide on the issue of gay rabbis and cantors 60% in favor to 33% opposed.
Women are more heavily pro-acceptance, by a margin of 86% to 10%.
The survey also found that large majorities of respondents are united on the
centrality of halakhah to Conservative Judaism, support of women as clergy, and
opposition to both patrilineal descent and rabbis officiating at mixed
marriages. These areas provide the basis for shaping consensus and direction in
the future.
To the JTS Community:
I am pleased to present the results of the survey undertaken at our request by
Steven M. Cohen with co-sponsorship by the Rabbinical Assembly and the United
Synagogue of Conservative Judaism. We are grateful to Professor Cohen for
conducting the study so professionally and quickly, and for providing his
services to us pro bono.
Our intent was and is to know what Conservative Jews - rabbis and cantors,
educators and executives, board members and students - think about the matter
before us: admitting and ordaining/investing openly gay and lesbian students in
the rabbinical and cantorial schools. We have all heard guesses - often
presented as firm convictions - about what some or all of these groups believe
on this issue. The survey gives us data on this score, not in order to have
polling dictate policy, but as one factor among many to bear in mind as we
consider a complex and controversial decision that will undoubtedly have a
major impact on the future direction of JTS and the Conservative Movement.
Each of you will draw your own conclusions about which of its findings are
especially important and surprising. Each person can decide whether the results
have or should have any bearing on what JTS ultimately decides to do on the
matter that occasioned the survey.
Let me highlight two findings that jumped out at me:
The remarkably consistent support for gay ordination across the board among
Conservative Jews in the
The no-less-striking consistency among survey respondents concerning their
commitment to a number of key principles of Conservative Judaism, notably the
centrality of halakhah and egalitarianism; the need for a centralized
Rabbinical Assembly Law Committee; and opposition to both patrilineal descent
and rabbis officiating at mixed marriages.
We are not all of one mind on these or other matters: not at JTS, and not in
the movement generally. No movement or institution that I know of achieves
unanimity of that sort, short of coercion or other impediments to free inquiry.
At JTS, as in the larger Conservative Movement, we pride ourselves on our
commitment to pluralism alongside our other commitments. The survey confirms, I
believe, that as a movement we Conservative Jews do have a clear profile. It
tells us, as well, that the vast majority of those on both sides of the
ordination issue recognize the legitimacy of those who disagree with them and
their rightful presence in the Conservative Movement.
As always, we welcome your views on the subject at hand as on other concerns.
Chancellor-elect
JTS
Appoints New Dean of The Rabbinical School
New
York, NY, January 29, 2007
— The Jewish Theological Seminary announced today that Rabbi Daniel Nevins has been named the
next Dean of The
Rabbi Nevins, who will assume his post
on July 1, 2007, succeeds Rabbi William Lebeau, who joined JTS as Vice
Chancellor for Rabbinic Development in 1988. Since then, he has served twice as
Dean of The
Rabbi Nevins is currently the Senior
Rabbi of Adat Shalom Synagogue in
"I am delighted to announce the
appointment of Rabbi Daniel Nevins as the next Dean of The
"I am honored and excited by the
opportunity to serve as Pearl Resnick Dean of The
Rabbi Nevins serves on the Rabbinical
Assembly's International Executive Council and is a member of the RA's
Committee on Jewish Law and Standards (CJLS). His halakhic writings include
several responsa approved by the CJLS as well as co-authorship of
"Homosexuality, Human Dignity and Halakhah," a responsum arguing for the
normalization of the status of gay and lesbian Jews that was approved by the
CJLS last month. His many general Jewish essays include, among others, "A
Place Among the Mourners of Zion," an exploration of the history and
meaning of a familiar expression of comfort, published in Conservative
Judaism (Summer 2006), and "Gadol Kvod HaBriot: Placing Human
Dignity in the Center of Conservative Judaism," which appeared in Judaism
(Summer 2005), a quarterly journal published by the American Jewish Congress.
Rabbi Nevins is past President of the
JTS is the premier center for the
academic and religious study of Judaism and the Jewish experience in
First on-line learning class from our very own Yeshiva
The Conservative Yeshiva is pleased to announce an On-Line Tehillim (Psalms) Course beginning the week of February 11, 2007. The 14-week course will study one Psalm each week and continue through the end of May, 2007. The course is open to Yeshiva alumni, members of USCJ congregations, USCJ staff, and others who are interested in furthering their Jewish learning through study of Psalms.
Description: This course will study the Psalms for the days of the week and the Psalms of Pesukei DeZimra of Shabbat. The goal of the course is to develop skills for the study of Tehillim in Hebrew, to develop familiarity with Biblical poetry in general and with Psalms specifically. The course is designed to provide tools for Psalms and Tanach study in Hebrew, as well as expand students understanding of Psalms that are part of the daily and weekly tefillot (prayers).
Format of the course: Participants will be provided with prepared study materials for one Psalm each week. The materials are designed for use in hevruta (study with a partner), though they can also be used for individual study. It is expected that students will spend 1-2 hours each week with a hevruta studying the Psalm with the materials as a guide. Following completion of the study materials, students are encouraged to post to on-line forums discussing each Psalm. Through the web-based forums, students will have the opportunity to interact with one another and with the instructor. The instructor will use the forums to respond to student questions and to further explicate the content and language of each Psalm.
Study Materials: The study materials provided in the course serve as a guide to each individual Psalm. The materials include questions and insights regarding the background, setting, structure, language, poetics and spiritual meaning of each Psalm. The materials are designed for use with the Hebrew text of the Psalm, a Biblical lexicon and concordance. Additional explanation of the use of these tools as well as a bibliography will be provided.
In addition to working on their own with the Hebrew text, students will be encouraged to make use of traditional and modern commentaries in Hebrew or English (depending on each student’s Hebrew language skills). References to secondary source material will be provided for many of the Psalms studied.
Students of all Hebrew levels and Jewish learning backgrounds are welcome to join the class. The class will focus on Hebrew language skills and students are encouraged to make use of tools for improving Hebrew language throughout the course. Students should be self-motivated and willing to devote 1-2 hours per week to study. Hevruta study is strongly encouraged for all students including those with no prior experience in hevruta study!
Instructor:
Rabbi Gail Diamond is the Assistant Director of the Conservative Yeshiva in
Tuition:
$200. Since the goal of the class is Hevruta study, a 10% discount will be
given to Hevruta partners who sign up together for the class. Alumni of the
Conservative Yeshiva receive an additional 10% tuition discount. KOACH members
and students from Asia,
Registration: To register for the class, please click on the link to the Conservative Yeshiva on-line registration system, https://uscjisrael.researchsuccess.com/ and choose “on-line learning” for your choice of program. Follow the instructions for completing the on-line application.
From a nationally-syndicated story about Synaplex…
“Redefining
tradition,” By Sarah Price Brown, The
For the full article,
see http://www.centredaily.com/mld/centredaily/living/16441824.htm?source=rss&channel=centredaily_living
”When worshippers went to synagogue at Congregation Shearith Israel in
Dallas on a recent morning, most of them didn't sit through the typical
three-hour prayer service, conducted mostly in Hebrew. Instead, they went for a bike ride, talked
about Kabbalah or took a yoga class.
Congregation
Shearith
"It's about creating different points
of access to meet people where they're at on the spiritual ladder," said
Rabbi William Gershon, senior rabbi at the Conservative temple.
Synagogues
across the country are looking to programs like Synaplex as a way to combat a
disturbing trend that sees fewer and fewer Jews attending services on a regular
basis. If Jews go to temple at all, they typically go only a few times a year,
for the High Holidays. In a recent
…Synaplex
is one of a growing number of national programs trying to reverse those trends.
The programs are all different, but they share a common goal: revitalizing the
American synagogue.
Synaplex's approach focuses on
"doubling, tripling, or even quadrupling" the number of people who
attend synagogue on the Sabbath, by offering a menu of options for
nontraditional forms of worship, such as yoga and bike rides.
"Synagogues have the potential to
really change people's lives in a way that no other Jewish institution can," said
Rabbi Hayim Herring, executive director of Synagogues: Transformation and
Renewal, the Minneapolis-based philanthropic partnership that started Synaplex
four years ago.
"A lot of synagogues are perceived as
cold and unwelcoming," Herring said. The challenge, he said, is not to get
people to go to the traditional prayer services that they find boring and
unappealing but to create new kinds of Jewish experiences that foster a sense
of community.
Shearith
"The
synagogue has got to reconfigure itself," Gershon said.
He announced the
Synaplex program in October on one of Judaism's holiest days of the year, Yom
Kippur, the Day of Atonement.
"Not
everyone is ready to or wants to attend traditional Shabbat morning
services," he said in his High Holy Day sermon. "The major
innovation of Synaplex is that ... sometimes a service is not where you begin,
but where you end up."
Then Gershon
made a pledge: "I promise you that if you belong, if you participate, you
will become a believer, a believer in the synagogue and in the power and beauty
of Jewish life."
About 450 people
took part in Shearith
"People
were actually happy to be there," said Brad Meyers, a 26-year-old
copywriter who attended a lecture on "Kosher Sex: What Judaism Teaches
About Relationships and Intimacy."
For Synaplex, he
wore jeans and a sweater -- and came away having learned something.
"Synaplex is really cool," he
said. "You're still being Jewish on a Saturday in a synagogue, but it's
just not the old-school way to do it."
…even the cynics
relented once they stepped into the sanctuary, Meyers said. "They would
come back out and tell me, 'Oh, my God, this is wonderful! Look at how many
people are at services. It's more people than we've had in months.' "
"If yoga on
Shabbat is responsive to people's needs, then I'm all for yoga on
Shabbat," said Rabbi Eli Herscher of
"If that's
where it stays, then at some point, someone's going to ask, 'Why do I have to
go to synagogue to do yoga?' "
Elana Centor, a
consultant for STAR, the Synaplex creators, told those attending that they had
to embrace marketing principles, such as branding and positioning. Using
PowerPoint to display the logos of Wal-Mart, Target and Kmart, she asked what
distinguished those retailers from one another. "They're basically selling
similar things, just as synagogues are," she said, adding that synagogues
must differentiate themselves from "the competition."
It's not enough
for synagogues to create innovative programs if no one knows about them. In
this fast-paced, high-tech world, where so many activities compete for
individuals' time, synagogues need to lure potential "customers." In
this regard, some synagogues have taken a page from the marketing book of
another, highly successful religious institution: the Christian evangelical
megachurch.
…"After
the Holocaust and after the creation of the state of
"It's going
to have to give them something they need -- even if they don't realize they
need it."
For another article with relevance to
Synaplex, see Yoga and Shabbat
Some GOOD NEWS
from
and other sources
A little news in cinema
this week. The Israeli film “Sweet
Mud” won the jury prize for world cinema at the Sundance Film
Festival last Saturday. You can see the movie trailer here.
More from HA’ARETZ:
Sundance Film Festival
juries on Saturday gave the top International prize to the Israeli movie
“Sweet Mud.”
Dror Shaul’s
film, which tells the story of a boy dealing with his mentally ill mother on a
kibbutz in the 1970s, won the World Cinema jury prize for best drama.
“Sweet
Mud,” a co-production of teams from Germany, France, and Japan, was also
elected as the Israeli nominee for the best foreign film category of the
Oscars, but did not make the list of five finalists for the award.
Continue reading Sweet
Sweet Mud…
Click here to view the
entire article:
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull&cid=1167467842994
Syrians Search for Freedom
Online - Guy Taylor (Reason)
The last six years have seen an explosion of Internet use in
Syria, with close to 1 million of the country's 18 million people now online,
compared to just 30,000 in 2000.
But is the Internet really opening
FROM Israel21c:
Using language to cross an Israeli divide
While 20 percent of the population in
Profiles
| From Israel to the South Pole
Technion graduate Dr. Hagar Landsman is the only Israeli participating in
Project 'IceCube' - an international group of scientists conducting research on
sub-atomic particles called neutrinos. Landsman is completing a month at the
southern tip of the Earth - for the second year in a row - helping to build a
giant telescope for astrophysical research. 'Thanks to the scientific
challenges, I am overcoming the difficulties, just like the 200 other wonderful
people manning this remote research station.' More
Global
Democracy | NASA officials seek Israel's help in learning
about Mars
NASA is using Israeli expertise to learn about conditions on Mars. Scientists
at
Technology
| A winning game of 'tag' from Israeli startup
Whether applied to rescuing lost children at amusement parks, keeping track of
key personnel in hospitals, or pinpointing the location of valuable equipment,
Israel's AeroScout has the technology to find whatever one is looking for. In
Culture
| Coming soon to HBO: A 'therapeutic' drama
made in Israel
The Israeli television industry - and American TV viewers - scored a major coup
last week when HBO ordered a full season of an American version of the hit
Israeli show, In Treatment - a uniquely conceived half-hour drama about
a therapist and his patients. The idea to bring the series to
now for the rest
Prime source: Daily Alert of the
See also http://www.theisraelproject.org/site/c.hsJPK0PIJpH/b.672581/k.CB99/Home.htm
Egypt
Could Do More to Prevent Infiltrations - Herb Keinon and Yaakov Katz
Israel Defense officials said Egypt could do more to prevent Palestinian
infiltrations into Sinai from Gaza and then into Israel, and IDF liaison
officers have asked their Egyptian counterparts to increase efforts to stop the
terror flow. "The Egyptians can do more," said one defense official
on Tuesday. "It is just a matter of whether they want to." A
diplomatic official said
See also Israel-Egypt
Border in Sinai Is Wide Open - Shelly Paz
Hours before a terrorist entered from Egypt on Sunday to carry out a suicide
bombing in Eilat, 23 people from Georgia, Turkey, the Ivory Coast and Uganda
were caught trying to illegally enter Israel via that same border. "The
border between
Haim Ramon found guilty
in indecent behavior trial
Eilat
Bombing Victims Laid to Rest - Herb Keinon
Emil Almaliakh, 32, is survived by his wife, Keren, and two-year-old daughter,
Jan. He served in the Golani Brigade's reconnaissance unit and performed
reserve duty with the Alpinist unit on
Palestinian
Terror Threat Still Lurks - Ron Ben-Yishai
The Eilat attack illustrates that Palestinian terror, despite being restrained,
still exists and is dangerous. The Palestinian motivation to target
Is
There a Place for Outside Intervention in the Palestinian Civil War? - Ira
Sharkansky
Currently there is a civil war among Palestinian religious and political
movements, along with bloody feuds between extended families and criminal
gangs. Outsiders are not good in solving the problems that cause the civil war
and enforcing peace among the fighters. Egypt and Jordan might be able to use
their own violence to repress violence among the Palestinians, but there is no
sign that they want to threaten their own regimes with what is likely to come
from the effort. They would be inviting rebellion from their own restive
populations.
Ahmadinejad's
Honeymoon Is Over - Ali Ansari
Ahmadinejad's popularity with the Iranian electorate seems to be falling. His
casual dismissal of UN sanctions has apparently earned him an unprecedented
rebuke from the supreme leader, Ayatollah Khamenei - reflecting growing
concerns among the political elite, including many conservatives, who are
increasingly anxious at
Ahmadinejad appeared to follow the dictum of his mentor,
Ayatollah Khomeini - "Economics is for donkeys." So the oil reserve
fund was spent on cash handouts to the grateful poor, and the central bank was
instructed to cut interest rates for small businesses. These had the effect of
pushing up inflation, hurting the poor. Richer Iranians, worried about rising
international tension, decided to ship their money abroad, which added to
inflationary pressure. Ahmadinejad's demise, if it comes, will have less to do
with the international environment and more with his own political incompetence.
The writer is director of the Iranian Institute at the
Congressional Trips
to Israel Spark Debate - Lenny Ben-David
On Jan. 26, former Sen. Jim Abourezk wrote an opinion piece, "The Hidden
Cost of Free Congressional Trips to
Congressional support for
Israel's Right
to Life - Paul Merkley (Christianity Today)
- Former
president Jimmy Carter's views are not irrational, they are just
unbalanced - driven by an unquenchable private need for vindication. He
cannot let go of the fact that the only part of his Camp David Accords of
1978-1979 which has lasted (and that just barely) is the achievement of a
peace treaty between
- But
Carter's Camp David formula was built on a fantasy: that the Arab world's
complaint against
- There
is not a word about Islam in Carter's book. Neither is there any developed
attention to the dynamic of terror. Carter refers to "the revered
prisoner, Marwan Barghouti." Barghouti is "revered" because
he is directly responsible for the murder of several Israeli citizens. To
- Carter
does not mention those philanthropic Jews who put up millions of dollars
in early 2005 in order to meet the needs of a Palestinian population in
Gaza said to be suffering because of Israeli oppression, transferring
ownership and custody of the scientifically advanced, productive
greenhouses and orchards - the most advanced facilities of their kind in
the world - cost-free, to the local Arabs. The Arab response was to trash
everything, carry off all the pipes and equipment and hoses and
sprinklers, and then to plant in the garbage dump that remained beds for
the missiles which rain down terror over the
- The
Palestinian people, who elected Hamas to be their government, consistently
tell pollsters, by whacking great margins, that there will never be peace
until
Not
One Thin Dime for Abbas - Andrew C. McCarthy
On Monday, a Palestinian suicide bomber killed three innocents in Eilat in an
operation carried out by the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, working in conjunction
with Palestinian Islamic Jihad. The Aqsa Brigades are the terror wing of Fatah,
led by Mahmoud Abbas, which is regarded as the "moderate" Palestinian
faction. There is nothing moderate about them. Peace would require two sides
desirous of coexistence. We're one short. Palestinians do not seek to coexist
with
Fatah may occasionally say it will live with Israel, but it has
demonstrated repeatedly that it will never agree to the commonsense
requirements of coexistence: It not only demands land and Jerusalem as its
national capital; it refuses to disarm terrorist militias and insists on a refugee
"right of return" - an influx of well over a million Palestinians
that would effectively destroy the tiny Jewish state from within. Before
Congress gives Abbas a dime, let's first hear him unambiguously condemn the
Aqsa Brigades and purge them from Fatah. (National Review)
Bernard
Lewis: Muslims "About to Take Over Europe" - David Machlis and
Tovah Lazaroff
Islam could soon be the dominant force in a Europe which, in the name of
political correctness, has abdicated the battle for cultural and religious
control, Prof. Bernard Lewis, the world-renowned Middle Eastern and Islamic
scholar, said on Sunday. The Muslims "seem to be about to take over
Europe," Lewis said, and "the outlook for the Jewish communities of
:
Is Now the Time to
Talk Peace in the Mideast? - Howard LaFranchi (Christian Science Monitor)
- The
Quartet of powers seeking to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict ends
a hiatus in peacemaking efforts with a meeting in
- "Nothing
has changed over recent weeks or months to suggest any hopes for a major
breakthrough, so I can't see that [the calling of the Quartet meeting] has
anything to do with improved prospects," says Bernard Reich, a Middle
East expert at George Washington University.
- Secretary
Rice and other
- However,
while the scenario of Sunni Arabs teaming up with
MYTH
#249
"Israeli
Arabs are unpatriotic."
FACT
While
Jimmy
Carter and other critics of Israel
attempt to paint the country as intolerant and discriminatory toward Arabs
based on their ill-informed and distorted views of both the past and present, Israeli
Arabs themselves have a very high opinion of their country. According to a
new poll released in January 2007 (Uzi Arad and Gal Alon, “Patriotism and
In
addition, 77 percent of Israeli Arabs agreed “my country is better than
others,” which was only slightly less than the 83 percent of Australians
and 79 percent of Canadians and Americans who felt the same way. Interestingly,
the figure for Israeli Arabs was 11 points higher than that for Jews.
While
almost everyone in the survey from Ireland and the United States said they were
proud to be a citizen of their country, 83 percent of Israeli Jews said they
were proud and 44 percent of Israeli Arabs. Another 27 percent of Israeli Arabs
said they were willing to fight for their country, an increase from 22 percent
in 2000. While still well below the overwhelming 94 percent of Israeli Jews who
are prepared to fight ( Finland was second with 83 percent and the U.S. third
with 63 percent), it is significant that more than one-quarter of Israeli
Arabs, who are exempt from military service, are still prepared to defend their
nation.
Analyzing
the survey data it is clear why Israeli Arabs are adamant about remaining
citizens of
It
is too bad the Jimmy Carters of the world do not see
This
article can be found at http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/myths2/exclusives.html#a67
Source:
REVISED
Myths & Facts Online -- A Guide to the Arab-Israeli Conflict by Mitchell
G. Bard.
To
order a copy of the NEW paperback edition of Myths and Facts, click HERE.
The previous edition of Myths & Facts is also available in Spanish, German,
French, Russian, Portuguese, Swedish, and Hebrew.
Walk ins Welcome!!!
Join the Hundreds who will be here!
When:
Saturday, February 3rd from 7:30 p.m. -midnight
Where:
Cost:
Only $90 per person either by check, MasterCard or Visa.
Food:
Dinner (buffet), dessert and full bar.
Entertainment:
Dance to the tunes of "The In Laws" band
playing Rock and
Roll and Pop music spanning the 60's, 70's, 80's and 90's.
RSVP: To www.tbe.org with our NEW online RSVP form
or send us the card you receive in the mail with your payment by
January 19th.
Bring your checkbook or credit card and enthusiasm--there will be
plenty of opportunities for you to support the
Questions?
Contact templerockcafe@tbe.org or call
203.322.6901, ext. 304
-------------------------
Coming NEXT WEEK…
Synaplex Shabbat
Synaplex features…
Sisterhood Shabbat
February 10, 2007
Plus Scholar in Residence
Rabbi Burton Visotzky![[Dr. Burton L. Visotzky]](070202_files/image017.jpg)
BURTON L. VISOTZKY serves as the Nathan and Janet Appleman
Professor of Midrash and Interreligious Studies at the Jewish Theological
Seminary, where he joined the faculty upon his ordination as Rabbi in 1977.
He has served as the Associate and Acting Dean of the
Prof. Visotzky has been a visiting scholar at Oxford University,
a visiting fellow and life member of Clare Hall, University of Cambridge, as
well as a visiting faculty member at Princeton Theological Seminary, Hebrew Union College,
and the Russian State University of the Humanities in Moscow (where returned to
teach in May, 2006). Dr. Visotzky is also Adjunct Professor of Biblical Studies
at Union Theological Seminary,
Prof. Visotzky's articles
and reviews have been published in America, Europe, and
With Bill Moyers, he
developed ten hours of television for PBS on the book of Genesis, serving as
consultant and a featured on-screen participant. The series, "Genesis: A
Living Conversation," premiered in October, 1996. Visotzky was also a
consultant to Jeffrey Katzenberg of DreamWorks for their 1998 film,
"Prince of
Visotzky sits on the Board
of Advisors of the Stein Center for Law and Ethics at Fordham Law School, the
Steering Committee of the New Israel Fund Rabbinic Council, and served on the
Board of Trustees and Executive Committee of CancerCare. He is active in
Jewish/Christian/Muslim dialogue internationally, most recently in
Rabbi Visotzky is active
as a lecturer and scholar-in-residence throughout North America, Europe, and
Lecture Topics
(for portion of Yitro):
Friday night:
“What is God’s Place in the
Synagogue?”
Saturday
Morning (in honor of sisterhood Shabbat):
“Three Mothers: Mother of all life, Mother
of all Jews, Mother of all Prophets:
Portraits of Eve, Sarah and Miriam.”
Saturday
afternoon:
“Who Spoke the Ten Commandments?
Word of God or Hand of Moses?”
Plus …
First-ever Havdalah Unplugged with Cantor Littman
o
Friday
night service at 7:30, followed by scholar in residence lecture and
Rebbe’s tish
o
Shabbat
morning features the return of “Neshama Yoga” with Jackie Tepper
and Raema Salmon - see http://www.jewishledger.com/articles/2007/01/16/news/news13.txt
for a recent article about their innovative Jewish form of Yoga.
o
Breakfast
discussion let by Rabbi Hammerman on “The Ethics of Cheerfulness”
o
Meditative
Shacharit and traditional/creative “Miriam’s Minyan” with
women’s themes.
o
Jonathan
Cahr “Shabbat Rocks” programming for teens (7th grade
and up) and jr. congregation for younger kids
o
Sisterhood
book discussion
o
Afternoon
discussion of Conservative Law Committee decisions
o
Session
on “Dealing with Difficult People” with Roni Lang, (TBE member and a
clinical social worker with over 25 years experience working with
individuals and families).
o
Israeli
Movie Night: “Walk on Water”
o
USY
Overnight (8th graders also invited)
AND MUCH MORE --- CHECK OUR WEBSITE www.tbe.org FOR THE UPDATED SCHEDULE (which should be in its final form by this
Friday)!
Many thanks to Penny and Michael
Horowitz for their sponsorship of our Scholar in Residence presentations,
in memory of Bessie Silver and Millie
Reiss
to an anonymous donor family for
sponsoring January’s Shabbat Unplugged,
and to Allen and Beverly Kezsbom for
their sponsorship of Havdalah Unplugged
2nd Night of Passover - The Seder
Save the Date
Tuesday, April 3!
More info to follow
Support our
WANTED – HELP FOR PURIM CARNIVAL:
We are looking for some volunteers to help out at a
special family evening presented by the YOUTH COMMISSION for families with
children of all ages.
Saturday March 3, 2007
HELP IS NEEDED TO SELL TICKETS, WORK THE
PRIZE TABLE,
SET UP AND CLEAN UP.
Please
contact Roz Rubin at 356-0515 rozrubin@optonline.net or Carl Shapiro at
203-353-0657 cshapiro@optonline.net
if
you are interested in helping out
ADULT ED
“The Many Demensions of Jewish Prayer”
with
meets select Sunday mornings 9:00-10:00
am
Bimah 101:
Prepatory course for Adult Bar/ Bat Mitzvah
With Cantor
Meets weekly Sunday mornings 10:00-11:00
am
Judaism for Everyone
An Introductory Class for Dummies, Smarties…
and Those Who Don’t Know How to Ask
With
Meets weekly on select Sundays 11:00
am-12:00 pm
(A prerequisite for those who wish to join
the Beth El Adult Bar/ Bat Mitzvah Class.)
Fee: $50 for materials
Modern Conversational Hebrew Ulpan
Instructor: Eran Vaisben, Education Director
Do you have good basic Hebrew reading skills? The
primary goal of this class is to further your overall
understanding and use of the Hebrew language. This
class emphasis is on communicative skills that
will enable you to communicate in simple Hebrew for
everyday situations. This first level Ulpan class
is covering a variety of dialogue, articles, stories
and songs.
Prerequisite: Hebrew reading
Learning and Latte at Borders
featuring Rabbi Joshua Hammerman, Rev. Douglas McArthur
and Dr. Behjat Syed
This year’s topic:
“Moral Dilemmas for a World in Crisis”
Join us as we engage in friendly dialogue about some of
the hot-button issues of the day.
Meets on the second Tuesday of each month from 7:30-8:30
PM, October-May
Topics (subject to last-minute adjustment to keep up with
the headlines)
Feb. 13 - Can other religions be
“true?” How can pluralism work for the believer?
March 13 – Is sexuality good, evil or
neither? What are the worst “sins” for our traditions?
April 10 – What are different ways of imagining God
in our traditions? How does God show love?
May 8 – What is the future of religion in
Community
Scholar-in-Residence Program
AVRAHAM INFELD
President Emeritus
of National Hillel & Early Architect of “birthright
March 20, 2007
7:30 pm at Temple
Beth El (opening session)
“Being Jewish in the iPod Age”
Maintaining and translating Jewish values into
contemporary Jewish life
Infeld is known for his searing intellect,
brilliant insights
into Jewish life and enthusiastic, dynamic
speaking style,
Avraham Infeld is not to be missed.
For more information on the other events of the three-day program,
visit UJF website at www.ujf.org or contact
Dr. Ilana De Laney
203.321.1373 ext. 114 or ilana@ujf.org
This program made possible through the generosity
of the Herbert and Sarah M. Gibor Charitable
Foundation
We PROMISE you won’t be disappointed!
USY
*** All USY events are now open to 8th graders
8th grades are welcome to
continue to attend Kadima events as well.
On February 10th we are holding our annual USY sleepover at the
PLEASE RSVP ASAP
March 3rd -
USY members are invited
to volunteer and help man the different booths.
(Transportation will be
provided for those going on to the Teen Cruise)
March 31st or April 1st - Comedy Club in
May 5th or 6th -
June 3rd - Pool Party
We hope to see you at these events.
If you have any questions or suggestions please feel free to write me at edoecohen@gmail.com
or call 917-348-9790.
All the best!
Edoe
USY & 8TH
GRADE
SLEEPOVER
COME SLEEP
OVER AT THE
PRICE: $10
RSVP by emailing: edoecohen@gmail.com
KADIMA is going
Rock Climbing!
WHEN: Sunday, February 11th
TIME: We will meet at
GO VERTICAL at 2:30pm
Pick up is at 4:30pm.
Go
Vertical is located at: 727 Canal Street, Stamford
Phone: 203-358-8767
COST: $30 – for Kadima members
$35 – for non
members
(please
bring check or cash with you to the event) .
There is room for only 25 kids.
First preference will go to Kadima members
In order to
participate you MUST bring the waivers filled out and signed by a parent.
Reply to edoecohen@gmail.com
by Monday,
February 5th to RSVP
College Students!
Registration is now open for the
2007 KOACH KALLAH!!!
The Original FACE BOOK:
A Jewish Guide to (non-virtual) Community
February 22 - 25, 2007
- Enjoy a spirited Shabbat
- Lots of students from North
America
- Meet representatives from
Israel Programs
- Celebrate!!
- Community Service Projects
- Vision the future of the
Conservative Movement
- Learn from peers and other
scholars
- Sing, Dance and Laugh!
- Have an awesome time!
Scholar-in-Residence
Rabbi Pamela Barmash
Artists-in-Residence
Aaron Freeman and Sharon Rosensweig
Scholarships available from KOACH, some Hillels and local
congregations.
For details, go to www.koach.org or
e-mail koach@uscj.org
Thanks to Chuck Donen for sending me this
one.
A Jewish
mother's answering machine
If
you want lox and eggs, press 1;
If you want knishes press 2;
If you want chicken soup, press 3;
If you want matzoh balls! with th e soup,
press 4;
If you want to know how am I feeling,
you are calling the wrong number since NOBODY ever asks me how I am feeling.
Who knows? I could even be dead by now.
Previous
Shabbat-O-Grams can be accessed directly from the archives on our web site (www.tbe.org)
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