January 4, 2008 – Tevet 26,
5768
Special
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Contents
of the Shabbat O Gram:
(Click
to scroll down)
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)
Quote for the Week
”Judaism is not a single solitary path and it is
not a totally communal path.
It is a community made up of individuals.
It’s individuals in search of a
community.
There is always the idea of a minyan, of nine Jews
who are looking for tenth…
…of one Jew looking for the other nine.”
Rabbi Levi Weiman-Kelman
Candle lighting: 4:22 pm on Friday, January 4
2008. 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: 6:30 Friday night in the
chapel,
Tot Shabbat – this Friday, at 6:45 pm.
9:30 Shabbat morning (Children’s
Services at 10:30).
This Shabbat’s
D’var Torah will be given by Suzanne Stone
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.
Reminder
of our “No School No Shul” policy: On days when Stamford
Torah
Reading For Shabbat Morning
Parashat Va’era
Torah Portion: Exodus 6:2 - 9:35
1: 6:2-5
2: 6:6-9
3: 6:10-13
4: 6:14-19
5: 6:20-25
6: 6:26-28
7: 6:29-7:7
maf: 9:33-35
The TBE Touchstone
Carole Sharoff
grew up here in Stamford, the daughter of Walter and Miriam Sharoff, both of
whom passed away over the past few years. Their funerals were held
in the chapel, because that room inspired the deepest memories of the family’s
experiences at the old TBE on
Through Carole’s
heartfelt correspondence, we all might come to a greater appreciation of the
intangibles of belonging, the healing powers of community and memory, and in
particular, the strength of our own congregational ties to this building, to
our heritage and to one another. For
those who wish to contact her directly, her e-mail is:
carole@atlanticvacationhomes.com.
The congregation
is extremely welcoming of all donations. Donations by credit card (visa
and mastercard) can be made by going to their website
at www.taagloucester.org
and clicking on "Make a Donation" or a check can be sent to
Temple Ahavat Achim
86 Middle Street
Gloucester, MA 01930
Checks are payable
to Temple Ahavat Achim and note in the memo if you
would like your donation to go to the TAA Rebuilding Fund or to the Gloucester Fund
to help the victims of the fire.
December 27, 2007
A terrible thing
happened in
We are coalescing as a
community without walls, homeless for the moment, but drawing on shared tragedy
and all of our strengths, and comforted by the kindness and generosity of
strangers and friends around the world.
I wrote to Rabbi
Hammerman because as co-President of
So here I am, standing
next to my Rabbi in
I am lucky. I have
With love, Carole
Sharoff.
A Wikified Jewish World?
Read this fascinating
Jerusalem Post article on “A
whole new wikified Jewish world.” The claim made here is not surprising or new, but
it bears repeating, especially in light of the success of Synaplex, the
proliferation of small huvurot and seeker minyans,
and the growth of such mass educational ventures as “Limmud” in the UK
and in New York
The young Jew who attends Limmud
is a relatively new creature. To borrow an idea from the important book The
Jew Within by Prof. Steven Cohen (who presented at Limmud)
and current JTS Chancellor Arnold Eisen, these Jews derive their Jewish
authenticity from within, not through a communal identity. Their Judaism is an
inalienable piece of their identity, and it is theirs to do with as they
please. They are on "personal journeys" to authentic personal
meaning. Rabbis can offer them help along the way, but they are not loyal or
subservient to any spiritual authority.
How Hollywood
Among the movies I saw these past few weeks, several had overtly
religious themes. Two in particular seemed
to be pandering to evangelical interests, either by watering down critiques of
the religious establishment (“The Golden Compass”) or by interjecting a
simplistic, overtly religious “happy ending” into an apocalyptic mess (“I am
Legend.”) In both cases I feel Hollywood Atlantic
on the subject, especially in how it relates to “The Golden Compass”: http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200712/religious-movies
Is Will Smith Anti-Semitic?
(from Beliefnet)
Speaking of “I Am Legend,” Will Smith has
been under sharp criticism for a comment he made recently about Hitler and the
nature of evil. I think it is much ado
about nothing, another example of an Internet feeding frenzy that so often
happens when a remark is taken out of context. This is from Beliefnet: Do I believe that Will
Smith is an anti-Semite? No. Will I never look at his movies the same way
again, like what happened in the wake of Mel Gibson's trip to Crazytown? No. Will I insist, as the local JDL is, that
The Year’s Top Five Spiritual Books
http://blog.beliefnet.com/idolchatter/2007/12/top-five-the-year-in-spiritual.html
It is interesting to note that “Foreskin’s
Lament” is on this list. I’ve just read
it and recommend it – though not for the squeamish or those easily offended. There
is an important message beneath layers of sick satire, narcissism and anger. The guy has reason to be angry. So does God – not at Shalom Auslander, the author, but at those who taught him about
God.
See “The Jewish
Americans,” 3 part series on PBS beginning this week: for more information, go
to http://www.jewishtvnetwork.com/jewishamericans1/
(thanks to Ellen Gordon for
forwarding the web address)
Mitzvah/Tzedakkah Opportunties
Beth El Cares:
Inreach and Outreach
THANK YOU TO ALL WHO PARTICIPATED IN PROVIDING
MEALS AT THE HOMELESS SHELTERS OVER THE HOLIDAYS!
Yashar Koach to Hannah Nekritz for donating 10 inches
of her hair to Locks of Love!
BE PART OF
ANOTHER COMMUNITY FIRST AT
BETH EL
REMEMBERS
L’dor vador
… past, present and future
Our past has done so much to make us who we are as Temple Beth El
… yet we know so
little about TBE’s and individual congregants’ past glories within the
Our future will no doubt be very bright, with many of us involved
… yet, will our grandchildren and their grandchildren even know what we’ve done … or how to further our work for the benefit of themselves, the congregation in their time and the community?
The Temple’s Trustees have authorized a new committee to solve these challenges and exploit new opportunities, and appointed a part president to chair it (Fred Golove) We are currently the only congregation in the community that has formalized a standing committee to REMEMBER, with a mission to help its congregation strategically. .
And YOU can be involved … listen, enjoy and/or work!!!
BETH EL REMEMBERS (our historical preservation and dissemination committee) has been formed and will hold its kickoff meeting on Wednesday night, January 9, 2008, from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. The meeting will be held in downtown Stamford at the local Jewish Archives, an operation of the Jewish Historical Society of Lower Fairfield County, where we will be joined by the JHS’s Archivist and its world class Historian. The JHS Archives has a large TBE Collection and we will spend some fun time looking through and understanding it. We will then start into our major business of planning the Committee’s work.
All interested adults including teenagers who are b’nai
mitzvah are invited to this meeting. Space for this first meeting is limited
because of the ample but somewhat limited meeting facilities at the Archives.
Please call Steve Landers at the
TBE’s Own Doug Jossem - “Team in Training”
Friends and Family,
In September of 1995 my mother sat me down to discuss a decision that she
had to make. She had been thinking for days of what to say and how to say
it. She looked me in my eyes and said that the doctors
have given her a year to live and that she had 2 options: She could live out
the year with the inevitable outcome, or she could try an experimental drug
that might get rid of the cancer/leukemia--but if the drug didn’t work, she
could potentially die within a month. As she was explaining these
options to me, and before I could even speak, she said she wanted to try the
experimental treatment so she could have the chance to live and see me grow
up. Unfortunately she passed away one month
later and her 5 year struggle ended. We were both too young!
This is a decision that no
parent should have to make and that no child/sibling/relative/friend should
ever have to face. Because of this, I’m an active member of Team in
Training, a group that works diligently with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society to cure blood cancers. Team in Training also
operates in conjunction with other cancer organizations to facilitate research
and to coordinate studies.
The group trains individuals
like me for endurance events such as marathons, century bike rides and
triathlons. $.75 of every dollar I raise up to $4,600 goes to the
Leukemia and Lymphoma society, and the remaining $.25 goes to the organization
for training and maintenance. After the $4,600 is reached 100% of every dollar I raise goes directly toward saving lives.
Since I’m not a doctor, I
felt very helpless in fighting this disease, but this organization has given me
strength and hope that we can all do something to beat it. I have now
completed 2 triathlons with Team in Training, and we have helped save many
lives.
I know that most of you can’t imagine me as a triathlete,
but on April 27th 2008 I will partake in my 3rd
triathlon. This event consists of a 1 mile swim, 26 mile bike ride, and a
6 mile run. It’s an extremely difficult undertaking, and I train the
entire winter for this and for this cause.
I am asking for your help to sponsor me and support the efforts of these
organizations. All donations are 100% tax deductible–even more incentive
to submit before the end of the year. To make a donation (it’s quick and
easy), please click this link: www.active.com/donate/tntnyc/tntnycDJossem1
I wrote this comment a few years ago and I still stand by it
today. It explains exactly why I’m so passionate about this:
My mother never saw me
graduate from high school, never saw me on my first day of college, she will
never see me get married or see any grandchildren. I am doing this
because I don't want anyone else to miss out on all
the joy that life has to offer. This is a terrible disease, one that I
hope I can help end.
I hope I can inspire you all to take action and participate in
supporting this cause. Thank you all for your help and support, it means the
world to me.
Doug Jossem
Doug Jossem
Apt 6F
201-686-5707
Bar/Bat Mitzvah Projects:
Keep watching for projects to appear in this space….
Volume 2, Number 3
December 2007
Does Jewish Law Permit Cremation?
by Rabbi Isaac Klein z”l
edited by Rabbi David Golinkin
Background:
In July 2005, Alon Nativ opened up “Aley Shalechet”,
According to Aley Shalechet, cremation is chosen in
the Western World as follows:
Japan 99.9%; Switzerland 75.5%; England 73%; Sweden
and Denmark 70%; Canada 45%; U.S. 32%; Spain 17.8%; Italy 16%.
A 2002 survey by Geocartographia
in
In light of the above, it is
timely to publish this heretofore unpublished responsum by Rabbi Isaac Klein z”l. It
was, apparently, written for the Committee on Jewish
Law and Standards of the Rabbinical Assembly in 1976. It was
subsequently listed in indices of Conservative responsa. 2 I xeroxed a copy of the responsum in 1990 from the CJLS
archives in
You can access the responsum by clicking on this link:
http://www.schechter.ac.il/yafit_galpaz/December2007-Cremation-email2.pdf
BIKE RIDING ON
SHABBAT
People have occasionally asked
me about what Jewish law states regarding bike riding on Shabbat.
Here is an interesting take on
the subject, from a traditional but open minded perspective.
Based on this teshuvah, we might
want to consider a tricycle or scooter ride at a future Synaplex! J
From the
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1198517225145&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
I live in a culturally mixed neighborhood with lots of kids, many of whom
- religious and not so religious, Sephardim and Ashkenazim - play together on
Shabbat afternoons. I have discovered that some of the religious children ride
their bikes while others won't ride their bicycles but will play on their
scooters (korkinet). Why might that be? - Liat,
Although the majority of poskim forbid bicycle riding on Shabbat, the variety of reasons to prohibit this practice reflect the complexity of this case. In general, we can categorize the potential problems into two different categories: (1) technical transgressions of the law and (2) violations of the spirit of Shabbat.
One potential problem with bicycle riding stems from the grooves that the wheels create in dirt, a violation of plowing (harisha) on Shabbat. While Rabbi Azriel Hildesheimer (OC 49) forbade bike riding for this reason, most decisors negated this factor, contending that this unintentional and undesired consequence occurs too infrequently. They compared it to strollers and wheelchairs, whose wheels might occasionally create grooves but nonetheless remain permissible. To push these items, however, the city requires an eruv to transform the area into a private domain and avoid the problem of carrying (hotza'a). Most Israeli cities, and many Jewish communities around the world today, have built eruvim to overcome this problem.
Many poskim, however, ruled stringently because bikes frequently break and require immediate fixing. Adding air to a tire or fixing a chain, however, violates Shabbat restrictions, and the frequency of these problems makes bike riding a legal hazard. Many rabbis compared this restriction to the talmudic decree prohibiting horse riding lest someone pull off a tree branch to strike the animal. Yet other rabbis, including Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, contended that we do not make new decrees today to prevent future mishaps, and therefore rejected this reasoning.
A second line of argumentation forbade bike riding because it violates the spirit of Shabbat. While some sneer at the severity of this notion, colloquially known as "shabbosdik," its gravity is well grounded in talmudic sources. The rabbis, for example, declared that we properly honor Shabbat (kavod shabbat) not only by designating special clothing, but also by limiting our discussions to sacred matters and walking at a different pace (Shabbat 113a). Similarly, they forbade many actions because they constitute weekday-like activities (uvdin de-hol). This notion finds expression in the Torah itself, which demands that we designate Shabbat as a day of rest (shabbat shabbaton).
In a celebrated passage, Nahmanides asserted that one who violates the spirit of Shabbat transgresses a biblical precept. He based himself on a number of talmudic-era passages which, as Prof. Yitzhak Gilat has documented, forbid many practices, including horse riding, simply because they are inappropriate behavior for Shabbat.
While the concept of shabbosdik clearly plays a
role in juridical reasoning, its definition remains elusive. Regarding bike
riding, many rabbis contend that the strain of the activity as well as its
recreational purpose make it unworthy for Shabbat. One notable dissenter was
Rabbi Yosef Haim of
Yet the rabbinic majority rejected this position, and bike riding remains prohibited in the vast majority of communities. In a fascinating passage, Rabbi Ovadia Yosef firmly defends the logic of Rabbi Yosef Haim, yet ultimately concludes that since the majority of rabbis did not like the practice, we should forbid the practice (Leviat Chen 107). Clearly, however, the severity of bike riding does not approach that of driving on Shabbat or other similar activities.
I suspect that in your community, the bike riders represent traditional, if not fully observant, Jews who desire to maintain some basic modicum of halachic Shabbat observance. This remains particularly true in elements of the Sephardic population, who might not use a car yet will ride a bike. For similar reasons, many non-observant Israelis refrain from using their cars on Yom Kippur, allowing bicycles to dominate the roads.
Since they have minimal mechanical complexity, scooters present fewer threats of breaking on Shabbat and require less physical exertion than bicycles. In many ways, they are comparable to tricycles, which many rabbis permit children to ride on Shabbat. Nonetheless, scooters remain recreational vehicles that might detract from the spirit of Shabbat, and therefore many communities encourage their children above the age of bar/bat mitzva to refrain from riding them.
The writer, editor of TraditionOnline.org, teaches at Yeshivat Hakotel and is pursuing
a doctorate in Jewish philosophy at the
JPostRabbi@yahoo.com
Wings of Eagles
Don Adelman recently pointed me toward a dvar Torah (http://www.myjewishlearning.com/texts/Weekly_Torah_Commentary/shmot_cn.htm)
written by someone (unrelated)
named Udi Hammerman – which in turn led me to a
fantastic new Jewish environmental website.
Canfei Nesharim
means “Wings of Eagles,” a biblical expression symbolizing God’s protectiveness
of
Tu b’Shevat Learning
Tu b'Shevat 5768 is on January 22. To learn more
and get tips on organizing a program in your community, please email info@canfeinesharim.org.
Canfei Nesharim offers the
following resources for your community:
Sample Sedarim for
Tu b'Shevat:
Haggadah
and Speaking
Notes
Food and the Environment: Sample Haggadah
Bal Tashchit: Sample
Haggadah
Note: These haggados are meant to be printed double-sided
on legal recycled paper, and folded twice. (They can also be "scaled"
in your printer to letter size.)
Quick list of all Tu b'Shevat Resources:
Ecological
Problems— Living on Future Generations’ Account
Re-Connecting
to Nature
A Jewish
perspective on the “tragedy of the commons”
Fruit and
Vegetables, Man and Animals
The
"Green Belt" of the Torah: For Us and Our Animals
Am I My
Planet's Keeper?
The Trees
and the Eruv
the Unity
and Purposefulness of Creation
G-d, Man,
and Tree
Protection
of the Environment, Protection of Ourselves
What is Our
Responsibility to Other Creatures?
The
"Ten Sayings" of Creation: Unity, Multiplicity, and Ecology
Trees are
Us
Cosmic Consciousness,
Man, and the Worm:
The Trees
in Jewish Thought
Use and
Re-use
Global
Ecology: On the Road to Redemption
Learning
Faith and Gratitude Through our Relationship to Hashem's
Creation
The
Environment in Contemporary Jewish Law
Tree = Man?
Or Tree = Man!
Are we
lagging Behind on Green Issues?
Shevat
Community Campaign
The Beth El
Bar/Bat Mitzvah Commentary
Stay Tuned…
Required
First, some
GOOD NEWS
http://www.jr.co.il/videos/israel-videos.htm
- Israeli Videos from YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1d83XOORP0
- Leonard Nimoy: The Origin of Spock's Greeting (especially
interesting for Jews and other Trekkies)
CHECK OUT Israel21c’s new, vastly expanded
site. http://www.israel21c.net/
- It is now the best place for comprehensive information about
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01/02/08 - Fed up with
untangling the wires to your computer, laptop and various other electronic
devices? Well help is at hand. Israeli startup Powermat
has developed a new technology that lets you get your power not from a plug,
but straight from the table you're working on. More... |
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