November 30, 2007- Kislev 20,
5768
Rabbi Joshua Hammerman,
The 60th
anniversary of the UN Partition plan
This week’s Shabbat Bulletin is sponsored
by Wendy and Richard Miles in gratitude
to
Rabbi Joshua Hammerman for his kindness and caring during their difficult year.
My deep thanks to Wendy and Richard for
their generosity.
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Contents
of the Shabbat O Gram:
(Click
to scroll down)
The (Occasionally) Ranting Rabbi
Mitzvah/Tzedakkah Opportunities
Ask the Rabbi – including a how-to guide for lighting Hanukkah
candles
Spiritual Journey on the Web – Hanukkah at Home
The Beth El Bar/Bat
Mitzvah Commentary – featuring
Jillian Katz and Shira Durica
Required Reading and Action Items (links
to key articles on Israel and Jewish life)
THIS Shabbat!!!
Shabbat Unplugged on
Friday at 7:30, Tot Shabbat at 6:45 PM
Synaplex
ALL DAY ON SATURDAY
From breakfast in the
morning to a movie at night!!!!
PLUS A FULL ARRAY OF
ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS AND TEENS!!!
special message from the
rabbi to parents of kids AND teens!!!
PLEASE BRING THEM TO
SYNAPLEX THIS SHABBAT!!!!! THEY WILL LOVE IT!!!
SEE THE ENTIRE
SCHEDULE AT
http://www.tbe.org/site/docs/temp/2007_Nov_Synaplex_Schedule_v3.pdf
Quote for the Week
“
We don’t need to know what one ‘believes’ but rather what one
does.”
Harold Schulweis - read more
(from the current
Candle lighting: 4:09 pm on Friday, November 30, 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.
THE FULL SERVICE SCHEDULE NOW APPEARS ON THE
SEPARATE TBE ANNOUNCEMENTS E-MAIL
Shabbat Services: 7:30 Friday night – Tot
Shabbat at 6:45PM,
Shabbat morning – see the Synaplex schedule at
http://www.tbe.org/site/docs/temp/2007_Nov_Synaplex_Schedule_v3.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 THEN NOTIFY OUR OFFICE.
Torah
Reading For Shabbat Morning
Parashat Vayeshev
Genesis 37:1 - 40:23
1: 37:1-3
2: 37:4-7
3: 37:8-11
4: 37:12-17
5: 37:18-22
6: 37:23-28
7: 37:29-36
maf: 37:34-36
Haftarah
for Ashkenazim: Hosea
12:13 - 14:10
Rewriting
History on Hanukkah
Way back in the
second century BCE, the Maccabees achieved one of the most inspiring military
triumphs of the ages. It was a true
masterpiece of guerrilla warfare as a small group of Jewish partisans bested
the mighty army of Antiochus through a series of well planned ambushes and an
intimate knowledge of the hilly terrain.
This military triumph became cause for great celebration, not just then
but during subsequent decades, even as the fortunes of the Jews turned sour,
and the Greeks gave way to Roman rule.
Add to that the
miracle of the fire. Way
back when Moses and Solomon had dedicated their sanctuaries, those
celebrations were marked highlighted by the appearance of maracluous
fires from heaven. The Maccabees
probably hoped for a similar fire miracle as they prepared to rededicate their
recaptured temple. But it didn’t happen. The absence of fire from heaven at this time was considered one of the great traumas of second temple
history. The Talmud notes (Yoma 21b) that such a non-miracle was an indicator that the
Jewish people had truly entered the post-prophetic period.
The light of
menorah was seen as a symbol of divine presence. But without that miracle from heaven, our
ancestors focused more on a secondary marvel:
finding any oil undefiled by the Greeks was itself considered
a miracle. According to the historian
Josephus, that idea caught on with the masses, who called the festival Hag Ha-urim (the festival of lights) . It is likely that ancient fire festivals taking
place during the darkest days of the solar calendar also play a role in the
growth of this festival.
The Talmudic rabbis,
who lived a few centuries later and were scarred by subsequent military
disasters, chose to focus on this miracle of the oil, but they reinterpreted
the story in a manner that wrote back into it a tangible divine presence – not
only was there undefiled oil, but a tiny amount lasted for eight days. This shading was downplayed
by the Maccabees, if they ever knew of it at all. But that’s OK – because by that point in
Jewish history the Maccabees and their Hasmonean
heirs had become footnotes. The rabbis
were now much more relevant, and history is always written by
the winners.
Then the rabbis
added another twist, by including on Hanukkah the haftarah selection from
Zechariah, with the famous quote, “Not by might, nor by power but by My spirit,” says the Lord.”
So now the miracle is not merely about oil,
it’s also about spiritual survival of the Jewish people, as opposed to their
military prowess. That interpretation worked
very well during two thousand years of powerlessness and exile.
Now,
ironically, we are rewriting history again.
Modern Zionism has brought with it the reestablishment of Jewish
military power and the Maccabees have become role models for the IDF. This week at Synaplex, our teens will have a
chance to relive the Maccabean dream by learning some
Israeli basic training skills.
Meanwhile, in a separate session in the morning, I’ll be discussing the
changing relationship of Jews and Power by reviewing Ruth Wisse’s
fascinating and provocative new book.
And so we are left with question as we approach this holiday with a
thousand histories… Who will write the history of Hanukkah now? Who will write the history of
HAPPY HANUKKAH TO ALL, from “the Hebrew Hammer” and
his family…
“Keeping Kids Healthy”
Nationally Syndicated show to include “Learning
and Latte” Crew!
Tune into channel Thirteen/WNET on Friday,
December 14, at 2:30 pm, and repeated on Saturday morning, December 15, at 6:30
am (that's what Tivos are
for...). It's the second half of a
2-subject show:
Premature Babies: Good Things Come in Small Packages / Circumcision: Is It Right for Your Child?
The program features participants in the
“Learning and Latte” monthly dialogue: Rabbi Joshua Hammerman, Rev. Ann Schmidt
and Dr. Behjat Syed, as well as Dr. Harry Romanowitz.
Here’s the official promotional summary.
"When you give birth to a son, in most
cases -- depending on your religion – there’s an immediate decision that you
have to make: to circumcise, or not to
circumcise. It’s a choice that’s left up
to the parent, but that freedom can be a mixed blessing, because there just
aren’t that many clear guidelines from the medical community about what you
should do, and a lot of people don’t feel very comfortable pressing their
doctors for the answers! So in this
program, we’re going to help you with that tough decision, by bringing together
in one place the medical advice and information that will help you decide what’s
best for your child. You’ll meet parents
who’ve decided for and against it, you’ll see a discreet demonstration of how
the procedure is done, and you’ll find out what the experts, religious
communities and leading health organizations have to say about the pros and
cons of each approach for your child."
The “Keeping Kids Healthy” series is produced by
And now, an exclusive
report, special to the Shabbat-O-Gram, from Our Man in
What
do Indians think about Jews?
I
don't yet know if I'm really in a position to fully answer
this question, but I can write a few anecdotes that may provide some picture.
A
few weeks ago, I stayed overnight at the village of a coworker.
Everyone
in the village was very happy to meet a foreigner, and an American at
that. Some asked if I was Christian, and
I said that no, not everyone in
"Einstein,"
he said, smiling.
"Yes,"
I answered, "Einstein
was Jewish, too."
"Jew all very good mind."
"Thank
you, but Jews are not smarter than any other people."
"Hitler,"
he said, now frowning.
"Yes,
Hitler killed many Jews."
"Bad."
"Yes,
it was very bad."
"Israel,
many Jews," he said, smiling again.
"That's
true."
He
(and the crowd that had gathered around us) was curious about Jews, and I
explained as best as I could about how we are different from Christians.
Another
experience that I think is fairly symbolic took place
on Eid, the Muslim holiday marking the end of
Ramadan, the month of fasting.
I was invited by the director of my organization to the home
of a Muslim lawyer frequently employed by the organization. I had really been looking forward to it, because
it would be the first Muslim event in which I could take part.
The
lawyer, who spoke no English, welcomed us into his house, and we sat in his
living room for some time. A few
neighbors stopped by to wish him an "Eid Mubarak" (happy Eid). Eventually it came up that I was Jewish. Smiling, the first thing he said (in
Gujarati) was, "Islam, Christianity, Judaism—all the
same God. One
God." Instead of my religion
being something to mark my difference from him, he used it to mark a
similarity. With the director as a
translator, we then had a short discussion on the basic similarities of the
religions.
There was nothing that seemed to me particularly
religious about the lawyer's celebration;
there wasn't a single prayer the whole time.
There
was, however, a big meal at around 2 or 3 pm, which as I understand is
traditional; who wouldn't want a big meal in the middle of the day after you
haven't eaten during daylight for a month?
Another
lawyer—this one a Hindu—showed up for the food.
The
Muslim lawyer, smiling and motioning towards me, told the Hindu lawyer,
"He's a Jew."
"Ahh, a Jew," the Hindu lawyer replied, nodding at me
in approval.
"Very nice."
After
the meal, the director of my organization asked the Muslim lawyer about his
head covering; he wanted to know if it was hand woven. The lawyer answered no, it wasn't, but
insisted that the director keep it as a gift.
The director reluctantly accepted.
Then
the lawyer went downstairs and brought up some more head coverings, two of
which he gave to me as a present. I
tried one on, and everyone seemed to like it.
I had brought a yarmulke with me in case I needed to cover my head for
some religious practice, and I showed it to the lawyer. I only have two kippot
in
I
hope these two little stories show something about my experience being a Jew
here in
Mitzvah/Tzedakkah Opportunties
Beth El Cares:
Inreach and Outreach
Christmas Eve Dinner:
Our
next “official” mitzvah project is the annual preparing of food and serving
Christmas Eve Dinner at St. Lukes and Pacific
House. Volunteers are
needed to contribute food, pick up flowers/food, transport food to the
shelters and serve dinner. Save the date
(Mon. Dec. 24). Please let me know if
you would like to coordinate this project “before” it happens;
Cheryl Wolff and Liz Vaisben will be the “house captains” for the actual
dinners.
Toiletry Collection:
The
third grade religious school class will be collecting toiletry items to give to
the guests at St. Lukes and Pacific House on
Christmas Eve. These toiletry items are
the only holiday gift some of these individuals receive. Clean out your hotel
amenity stash and your samples or buy full size items to donate. Watch for details in December telling you
where to drop off the items.
UJF Super Sunday and Mitzvah Packages Sign Up
- Volunteer
Registration
- Sponsor
Hanukkah Mitzvah Package for Needy Seniors
- Super
Kids Mitzvah Project Sign Up
From Sherry Shameer Cohen
Anyone
who plans to have a baby can register on www.similac.com
and www.emanfil.com. They send free samples. Ideally, the mother will breast feed, and she
can donate the samples to the Food Bank.
If she can't, chances are that the baby will only require one type of
formula and the others can go to the Food Bank.
A bonus is that one of these sites offers the new mom a voucher for a
free spa treatment (massage, manicure, pedicure, or facial
|
From the American Jewish
World Service, Ruth Messenger There is no better way to feel the impact of your support than
to hear AJWS grantees tell their own stories. Likewise, there is no better to
way to understand the difference AJWS volunteers are making on the ground
than to hear them talk about their experiences. I am delighted to announce that, with the launch of the new
AJWS Web site, you can now meet some of these people and
hear some of their stories; we’ll be adding more clips over the coming weeks
and months. |
|
|
Other new features include:
Our new site also provides much more information about the work
we’re doing around the world with your support. I invite you explore it.
As Hanukkah approaches, I hope you will join with me in
celebrating the holiday by sending an AJWS Hanukkah E-Card to family and friends. |
|
A Volunteer Opportunity from
(thanks to Susan Berger Sabreen for calling this to our attention)
"Doula Visitor Program - The Palliative Care Service is
currently recruiting volunteers for a special â doulaâ visitor program for patients nearing the end
of life. Doulas offer companionship and emotional support for people who are
within the last 18 months of life. Volunteers will receive an 8-week training
as well as ongoing support. This is a unique and meaningful opportunity for
people who would like to make a real difference in a person's life at an
important time of transition.
Contact: Ronit Fallek
(718) 920-6576 or rfallek@montefiore.org <mailto:rfallek@montefiore.org "
Bar/Bat Mitzvah Projects:
From Dana Gordon
Dear Friends and
Family,
Part of becoming a
Bat Mitzvah means being a mench or doing good deeds
for others in need.
Five years ago, I was diagnosed with Auto Immune Thrombocytopenia Purpura (I.T.P). My
body thinks my blood platelets are the enemy and destroys them. I’m extremely lucky because at Dr. Joe’s
office I receive an intravenous treatment to help my body maintain a safe
number of blood platelets. Every time I
receive an infusion I see kids of all ages who aren’t
as lucky as I am because many of them suffer from pediatric blood cancers. At the end of your each treatment, you get
the joy of choosing a toy from the toy closet.
I would like to be a part of that joy by helping to restock the toy
closet at the doctor’s office.
Please bring new
and unwrapped games and toys for donation and place them in the box that is labeled “Dana’s
Thank you very much
for your support and generosity.
Sincerely,
Dana Gordon