June 8, 2007– Sivan 23,
5767
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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
The Beth El Bar/Bat Mitzvah
Commentary
Required Reading and Action Items (links
to key articles on Israel and Jewish life)
Announcements (goings on in and around TBE)
Quote for the Week
"Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than
outright exposure.
Life is either a daring adventure or nothing." --
Helen Keller
Mazal Tov to our 7th Graders!
Tonight
is the Aliyah (Graduation) Service for our 7th grade. As has become our custom, each of the
graduates has written a short testimony on “What Being Jewish Means to Me.” Read them online
at http://www.tbe.org/site/sog/7thgradeWHATBEINGJEWISHMEANSTOME.htm
And
Mazal Tov as well to our day school 8th graders who are graduating. I know that I am particularly proud of one
BCDS 8th grader in particular (though I am proud of them all!) – and that is my son Dan!
I’m also particularly proud that, once again, TBE is the chosen site
where the Bi Cultural graduation will occur, this coming Thursday evening.
Candle lighting: 8:09 pm on Friday, 8 JUNE
2007. For 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.
Friday Evening:
7th Grade
Graduation Dinner – 6:30 PM
Kabbalat Shabbat: 7:30 PM
– 7th Grade Aliyah Service
in the sanctuary
Shabbat Morning:
Service begins at 9:30 AM
MAZAL
TOV TO ALIYA BOYER,
WHO
BECOMES BAT MITZVAH THIS SHABBAT MORNING
Children’s Services:
10:30 AM
Our Torah Portion
for Shabbat Morning
פרשת שלח־לך
1: 15:8-10
2: 15:11-16
3: 15:17-21
4: 15:22-26
5: 15:27-31
6: 15:32-36
7: 15:37-41
maf: 15:37-41
Haftarah: Joshua
2:1 - 2:24
This Week’s Torah discussion will be
on
“String Theories: Making the Tzitzit Fly”
If you liked Storahtelling, Storahtelling’s new weekly blog about the Torah portion is at http://storahtelling.blogspot.com/. Also check out Torahquest at http://www.torahquest.org/commentary_list.php 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 TorahTHE 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
A GUARANTEED
MINYAN HAS BEEN REQUESTED FOR June 12.
PLEASE SIGN UP AT OUR WEBSITE WWW.TBE.ORG – THE ROSNER MINYAN MAKER!
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.
The
(occasionally)
The TBE Kvell-a-thon Continues
Three of
Mazal tov also to those who recently
returned from Birthright
Check out the Jewish
Ledger coverage for our youth program at
And, speaking of our
youth program…
Meet our new youth
advisor: Ariela Pelaia
Ariela Pelaia is
currently a second-year graduate student at the Jewish Theological Seminary's
Jewish Education. She is a recipient of
the prestigious Wexner fellowship. She has a Masters
degree in Jewish Studies from
Conservative
Judaism at a Crossroads
(the
continuing saga…)
Conservative congregations everywhere are
grappling with new realities and possibilities – opportunities and challenges,
presented by the recent Law Committee decisions. This week our Board of Trustees voted to
endorse a policy of inclusion with regard to sexual orientation to members of
the clergy, the staff and the congregation. The vote was 24 in favor, 1
against and 2 abstentions.
Our ritual committee had last week endorsed a
decision that I was preparing to make, to support the position of the Dorff teshuva (responsum).
After the board’s vote, I stated my official endorsement of that
responsum. Click here for a summary of
that decision: http://www.rabbinicalassembly.org/docs/Dorff_paper.pdf.
The key to
understanding Dorff is that the preponderance of evidence is that homosexuality
is not a choice. Who would choose to be ridiculed,
isolated, excommunicated and even exterminated (as the Nazis did)? Who would choose such rejection? And how could God (and the Torah) condemn an
entire segment of the population to a life of utter isolation and loneliness? (This is very different from say, instructing
a teenager to control his sexual urges until marriage. That IS a choice and that loneliness isn’t a
permanent state). Such a life is devoid
of human dignity – and the rabbis themselves indicated that rabbinic
prohibitions can indeed be overruled for the sake of
human dignity.
Other related materials can
be found at http://www.rabbinicalassembly.org/law/new_teshuvot.html
Thanks to Ellen Gordon for forwarding to me an
example of how another Conservative congregation has been dealing
constructively with this matter, taken from a local newscast in
The cantor and I
have received overwhelmingly positive responses regarding our approach to these
changes – but for those who continue to struggle, I
highly recommend renting the film “Trembling Before God.” And please, please, contact me with your questions
or concerns. I’ve had several very
fruitful dialogues with people who had, in the past,
considered themselves staunch opponents of this manner of
inclusiveness. As I said at last week’s
annual meeting and again to the board, this is a very proud moment for Beth El.
Now it is time to
move on! No, this issue will not be going
away. It will define who we are and how
we are seen in the community. But the main purpose of coming to consensus
now was so that we could move on to other things and not continue to dwell on
this ad infinitum. We can now focus on
other important matters…like some magical rites of passage to take place on our
bima these next few weeks…Bar and Bat Mitzvahs of four amazing children and six
awe-inspiring adults, a naming next week that will celebrate a miracle, and
tonight’s celebration of “ascent” – The Aliyah Service for our 7th
grade.
Some Suggestions for Revitalizing the Conservative
Movement
A blueprint for growth mentioned at our annual
meeting
To read the fully annotated version, click on
http://www.tbe.org/site/sog/ConservativeRevitalize.htm
·
Be the “Movement that Looks Like
·
Embrace Theological Humility and Intellectual
Honesty
·
Advocate “Passionate Centrism” – not Muddy
Compromise
·
Champion Human Dignity – Become the Mussar (Ethics)
Movement
o
“I’m a
good person but a bad Jew.” – Render that statement obsolete.
·
Be Less About the Brain – More About the Heart
·
“Sing Unto God a New Song” – Services should aim for
authenticity, spontaneity and passion
·
The Power of the Individual – One Size Doesn’t Fit
All
·
Embrace the Sacred Journey – Welcome Fellow
Travelers
·
Revelation is Here and Now
·
“Apocalypse Later”
·
“They Like Us…They Really Like Us!” We Need To Capitalize on Judaism’s Popularity
·
A Life-Affirming Zionism –
·
Take “Yes” for an Answer
Mitzvah/Tzedakkah Opportunties
Inreach and Outreach
Beth El Cares
Cathy Satz (968-9191; csscounsel@yahoo.com)Cheryl Wolff (968-6361; cwolff@optonline.net)BETH EL CARES co-chairs
Yashar Koach to
all those who participated in the Bennett Cancer Walk!
So far, Team TBE has
collected $2,000 (!!!!) for the
Mark your calendars – the
2008 Walk/Run is on Sunday, June 1, 2008.
2007 Team Members
Ellen Gordon
Sandy Siegartel
Alvin Siegartel
Ronni
Ginsberg
Paul Ginsberg
Sheryl Young
Barbara Gold
Marvin Gold
Scott Allen
Ellie Mirne
Melanie Lynn Massell
Jennifer Greenman
Michelle Greenman
Denise Greenman
Fran Ginsburg
Leslie Heyison
Suzanne Fruithandler
Roni Lang
Eileen Rosner
Linda Simon
Rebecca Savransky
Jake Silver
Beth Silver
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
When you volunteer at The Jewish Home those are the
words you will hear.
4 Become a Friendly Visitor
who helps residents write letters, play Scrabble or
have ice cream together in our Corner Cafe.
4 Be a Transporter who brings
residents in wheelchairs to their appointments and recreational activities in
the Home.
4 Be an assistant in the
Computer Lab and help the residents surf the web, send e-mail and play games.
4 Play your guitar, perform on
the piano, sing your song, and dance your dance for a very appreciative
audience.
Annually
teen volunteers are encouraged to apply for the Matilda and Julius Fleischer
Junior Volunteer of the Year Award.
We arrange Volunteers’
schedules according to your availability, your interests and the residents’
needs. There is no minimum commitment. Once a week, once a month, whatever
works for you. Whenever you volunteer at the Home, you
will make a positive difference one smile at a time. And you will hear “Thank
you”.
If
you are at least 14 years old* for more information about becoming a Volunteer,
please contact:
Shelley
Berman, LCSW, DCSW
Community
Relations Coordinator
203-365-6495
*12 and 13 year olds are welcome to volunteer accompanied by an adult until deemed eligible to volunteer independently.
Room Rental Requested
Lillian Wasserman is loved by so many of
us through her many years
of service to the Bi Cultural day school.
Lillian is looking to rent a room locally so that she will not have to
commute from her daughter Rivka’s home in
.
Is Smoking Kosher?
As result of the
Conservative movement’s recent legal decisions, there has been a renewed
interest in the decision making process and in other decisions that have been
made. Here we have a wonderful example
of this process at work, a responsum done two decades ago by the late Professor
Seymour Siegal. It’s called Smoking:
A Jewish Perspective. The document can be found
at http://www.rabbinicalassembly.org/teshuvot/docs/19861990/siegel_smoking.pdf.
Hummus Tales
Did you know that pita
is a relative of pizza?
Or that Israelis
consume on average about 22 pounds of hummus a year?
Find out the ins and
outs of
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3401347,00.html
“Land of hummus and
pita”
Six Day
War Historic Archives
Historic
broadcast as soldiers enter the Old City in 1967 – Liberation of the
My Israeli top
12 list
By Avi Hein June 06, 2007 –
From
This week, Jews read the Torah
portion Shelach Lecha, which recalls
the sin of the spies. These were the 12 men that Moses sent
to scout out the
Today, despite the challenges that come with living in
Just as the Torah portion recalls the sin of the 12 spies, I'd like to share 12
good things about living in
12. The entire Jewish world focuses on us. When Jews around the world
pray for dew, rain, or peace, it is not for weather in
11. Safety. Despite fear mongering or the
misrepresentation of the news,
10. Innovation and ingenuity -
9.
8. Great food and wine - It's not Manischevitz
here! - Israeli wineries make some of the best wine in the world (Domaine du Castel
- praised even by the French, and the one thing they know is wine - and
7. It's my history - Not someone else's history,
8. A caring community ' 'How are you doing?' isn't just a formality. In
7. Kosher food courts in the mall. Kosher restaurants in
the street. - Business lunch? No problem!
6. The fulfillment of Biblical prophesy
- When a bride and groom get married in
5. A country that mourns together, a country that
celebrates together - Memorial Day isn't an excuse for a long
weekend, a trip to the mall, or a barbeque. Rather, an entire country comes
together to remember those who died so we can be a free nation in our land.
Independence Day isn't just an excuse for a barbeque (although it is the
national pastime on this day) but a day to celebrate together as one nation. We
don't watch the fireworks on TV in our own homes, but in our streets and
neighborhoods as a country.
4. 180 miles of beach - Who needs an expensive Mediterranean vacation?
We are that vacation! On the shores of the Med, Israeli beaches are world
class. There's no place in the world quite like the
3. The language of the Bible and the Jewish people is our everyday language
- Atem medebrim Ivrit? Ani medeber Ivrit. No need
for translations - this is the original. Israeli children speak the same
language as Abraham and Moses. The language of the bank, of the court, and,
yes, of the criminal is the language of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Sarah, Rebecca,
Rachel and Leah. Who needs translation? Here, it's the original! Shalom!
2. It's the fulfillment of a 2,000-year old
dream. Who says dreams don't come true? Ever since being exiled from our
land, the Jewish people have prayed to return. Ever since losing sovereignty
thousands of years ago, we have prayed for its restoration. Every day, every
moment, every Jewish event has contained a dream to return to the
While our ancestors were mourning
1. It's home. ONLY in
Home may not always be fun, but it's always home! And, as Dorothy says in the
Wizard of Oz, 'there's no place like home.'
The Beth El Bar/Bat Mitzvah Commentary
Robbie Katz’s Commentary on Parshat Beha’alotcha
Two years ago, when I was in