1. religion and spirituality
2. judaism

Temple Emanu-El
Bulletin
Volume 87, No. 3
WORSHIP SERVICES
SUNDAY — THURSDAY
5:30 PM • Marvin & Elisabeth
Cassell Community House
(One East 65th Street)
FRIDAY EVENING
Fifth Avenue Sanctuary
Organ Recital—5:45 PM
Service Begins—6 PM
SATURDAY MORNING
Sixth Floor Lounge
(One East 65th Street)
Torah Study—9:15 AM
Fifth Avenue Sanctuary
Organ Recital—10:15 AM
Service Begins—10:30 AM
K. Scott Warren,
Organist/Choir Director
Dr. Andrew Henderson,
Associate Organist
Daniel Beckwith, Assistant Organist
Services may be heard live or by
podcast through the Temple website
at www.emanuelnyc.org. Follow the
“Listen to the Broadcast of Services”
link from the Home Page.
A hearing loop is installed in
the Fifth Avenue Sanctuary
and the Beth-El Chapel;
switch aid to T-coil. Headsets or neck
loops also are available.
November 2014
Make Your Vote Count!
Rabbi Amy B. Ehrlich
“IN EVERY PLACE THAT I TRAVEL, I’m traveling to
Israel,” so said Rabbi Nachman of Bratslav.
Since this past summer’s conflict, Israel has been
a part of our conversations more than ever.
While we think about ways to support Israel
during times of strife, there is another Israel that
is revealed when the crises abate. It is a nation
living with day-to-day complexities shaped by
politics and faith. From a distance, we may
wonder what we can do to support and
encourage a country with which we have an
undeniable and enduring connection.
One of those routine tasks is voting. Just as we treat the opportunity to vote as one
of our greatest civic rights and a way to shape our nation’s public agenda, we now
have a similar opportunity to strengthen Reform Judaism in Israel by registering to
vote in the World Zionist Congress elections, to be held in 2015. So much
rests in the balance, and every vote has the potential to be influential in matters
of religious pluralism, women’s rights and attitudes toward peace.
Established in 1897, the World Zionist Organization (WZO) first was convened by
Theodor Herzl in Basel, Switzerland, with the goal of creating a Jewish state. Every
four years, the WZO convenes a congress that functions as a nongovernmental
organization (NGO), an advisory body to help the Jewish Agency for Israel determine
how to allocate its resources for religious institutions.
Our Reform representative, ARZA, the Reform Israel Fund, originally was created
just to have a seat at the table! In the most recent election, of the 145 American
delegates, 56 were from the Reform Movement. Delegates are selected on a
proportional basis, determined by the outcome of the election…so you and your
(continued on page 10)
Worship & Spirituality
Community Worship Services
WEEKLY TORAH PORTION
LECH L’CHA
(Genesis 12:1-17:27)
Read Saturday, November 1
SYNOPSIS: God calls Abram;
promises him Canaan; Abram goes
to Canaan, but famine drives him to
Egypt; returns to Canaan; Abram
rescues Lot; Ishmael born;
circumcision commanded as
symbol of covenant.
FRIDAY D’VAR TORAH:
Rabbi Amy Ehrlich
SATURDAY SERMON:
Rabbi Benjamin Zeidman
VAYEIRA
(Genesis 18:1-22:24)
Read Saturday, November 8
SYNOPSIS: God promises a son
to Abraham and Sarah; Abraham
argues for Sodom and Gomorrah;
cities are destroyed; birth of Isaac;
Hagar banished; binding of Isaac.
FRIDAY D’VAR TORAH:
Rabbi Joshua Davidson
SATURDAY SERMON:
Rabbinic Intern Alexis Pinsky
CHAYEI SARAH
(Genesis 23:1-25:18)
Read Saturday, November 15
SYNOPSIS: Sarah dies; Abraham
buys a burial plot; Isaac and Rebecca
marry; Abraham takes a new wife;
Abraham dies.
2
(continued on top of page 3)
TEMPLE EMANU-EL IS PLEASED to offer the following special events.
Attendance is open to all Temple members and their guests. No tickets are required.
VOLUNTEER RECOGNITION SHABBAT
Friday, November 7 • 6 PM • Fifth Avenue Sanctuary
All members of the Temple (adults, teens and children) who have volunteered in some
capacity—whether it is making and delivering meals to those in need or serving as an
usher or reader—are encouraged to join us at Sabbath services and the Oneg Shabbat
that follows for a special blessing and to kick off Mitzvah Day activities. (Learn more
about Mitzvah Day on pages 6 and 7 ») If you are a Temple volunteer and
are planning to attend, then please contact Indira Tiwari at (212) 744-1400,
ext. 222 or itiwari@emanuelnyc.org. (Include your contact information and
the number of people in your party in any message.)
VETERANS SHABBAT
Friday, November 14 • 6 PM •
Fifth Avenue Sanctuary
Members of our congregation who have served
in the military are invited to be part of a
special blessing in honor of Veterans Day.
Our special guest will be Rabbi Harold L.
Robinson, Rear Admiral, Chaplain Corps,
U.S. Navy Ret., and director of the Jewish
Welfare Board Jewish Chaplains Council.
If you are a veteran and are planning
to attend this special service, please
contact Indira Tiwari at (212) 744-1400, ext. 222 or itiwari@emanuelnyc.org.
(Include your contact information and the number of people in your party.)
Note: During the summer of 2014, Temple Emanu-El’s Philanthropic Committee
made a significant donation to the Jewish Chaplain’s Council in order to assure the
completion of a sefer Torah (Torah scroll) in time for the High Holy Days. The Torah was
sent to Okinawa to serve the U.S. Marine Corps community and Joint U.S. Forces there
and to travel with deployed units of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit.
THANKSGIVING SERVICE
Wednesday, November 26 • 5:30 PM • Greenwald Hall (One East 65th Street)
Our worship service for Thanksgiving will be held the night before the holiday, as
part of our Sunset Service, which is led by the Readers Panel under the auspices of the
Men’s Club. Our clergy will officiate. (Learn about our Thanksgiving volunteer
activities on page 7 »)
SDG Psalms Project
IN AN UNPRECEDENTED COLLABORATION, Temple Emanu-El and the Cathedral of
St. John the Divine have joined forces to present the world premiere of two choral
works commissioned by Soli Deo Gloria, an international organization preserving the
sacred masterpieces of the past, promoting classical sacred concerts around the world,
and creating classical sacred music for future generations.
How Lovely Is Your Dwelling Place (Psalm 84) by Victoria Bond and I Will Fear
No Evil (Psalm 23) by Paul Moravec will be performed by the two choirs on the
Temple Emanu-El bimah on Friday, November 21 as part of the 6 PM worship service
in the Fifth Avenue Sanctuary. A second performance of the pieces will be held at
the Cathedral of St. John the Divine on Sunday, November 23 at 4 PM.
Both services are open to the public, and all are welcome. K. Scott Warren will
conduct both pieces on November 21; Kent Tritle, director of Cathedral Music, will
conduct on November 23. Cantor Lori Corrsin will be joined at the pulpit by the
Rev. Dr. James Kowalski, Dean of the Cathedral of St. John the Divine.
Victoria Bond, in a dual career as composer and
conductor, has composed for opera and dance, as well as
orchestra and vocal, choral and instrumental ensembles.
Asked about her choice to set the text of Psalm 84, Bond
says, “Psalm 84 has appealed to me ever since I encountered
it in the Brahams Requiem. It expresses the profound
appreciation I feel for the natural world and the exaltation
that sweeps over me during walks when I contemplate the
beauty of our planet.”
Paul Moravec, winner of the 2004 Pulitzer Prize in
Music, has composed more than 100 orchestral, chamber,
choral, lyric, film and electro-acoustic compositions.
His music has been described as “tuneful, ebullient and
wonderfully energetic” (San Francisco Chronicle), “riveting
and fascinating” (NPR), and “assured, virtuosic” (Wall Street
Journal). The New York Times has praised his quartet, Vince
& Jan: 1945, with, “This masterly miniature conveyed warm
nostalgia, buoyant swing and wartime unease.”
(Photo by Joanna Eldredge)
How Lovely is Your Dwelling Place (Psalm 84) and I Will Fear
No Evil (Psalm 23) have been commissioned by Soli Deo Gloria, Inc.,
as part of SDG’s Psalms Project. Made possible by a grant from
Lilly Endowment, Inc., the Psalms Project is a collection of 15
contemporary choral works by the world’s foremost composers
expressing the text of the Hebrew Psalter in the Western Art music
tradition for a 21st century audience. (sdgmusic.org)
FRIDAY D’VAR TORAH:
Rabbi Harold L. Robinson,
Rear Admiral, Chaplain Corps,
U.S. Navy Ret., and director of
the Jewish Welfare Board Jewish
Chaplains Council
(« See Veterans Shabbat)
SATURDAY SERMON:
Rabbinic Intern Alexis Pinsky
TOL’DOT
(Genesis 25:19-28:9)
Read Saturday, November 22
SYNOPSIS: Birth of Esau and
Jacob; Esau sells Jacob his birthright;
Jacob steals Esau’s blessing; Jacob
flees to escape Esau’s anger.
FRIDAY D’VAR TORAH:
Cantor Lori Corrsin and the
Rev. Dr. James Kowalski, Dean,
Cathedral of St. John the Divine
(« See SDG Psalms Project)
SATURDAY SERMON:
Rabbi Joshua Davidson
NOTE: Our monthly Shir Chadash
service will be held at 6 PM on
Friday, November 21 in the
Lowenstein Sanctuary
(10 East 66th Street). Rabbinic
Intern Carlie Daniels will deliver
the D’var Torah.
VAYEITZEI
(Genesis 28:10-32:3)
Read Saturday, November 29
SYNOPSIS: Jacob dreams about
the ladder stretched between heaven
and earth; Jacob meets Rachel;
Jacob works for Laben for 14 years,
marrying his daughters Leah and then
Rachel; after much strife, Jacob makes
peace with Laben.
FRIDAY D’VAR TORAH:
Rabbi Benjamin Zeidman
SATURDAY SERMON:
Rabbi Amy Ehrlich
3
CLUB 65: FOR SENIORS
Tuesday, November 11 • 11 AM
Senior Rabbi Joshua
Davidson returns to
present another in his
series of theological
discourse. The rabbi’s
presentation last year
on various Jewish philosophies and
their effect on theology was widely
hailed as one of the club’s most
stimulating programs.
Tuesday, December 9 • 11 AM
For our December
event, Club 65 features
a presentation by
Men’s Club board
member Dr. Arthur
H. Schore, who will
share how a deeply personal crisis led to
writing his first novel about the American
West. What began as a dare has led to
interesting new developments.
Membership in Club 65 is free and
open to all Temple members age
65 and forward. If you would like
more information, please call the
Temple Office at (212) 744-1400.
Community
Remembering 9/11
THE NATIONAL SEPTEMBER 11
MEMORIAL MUSEUM serves as the
country’s principal institution
concerned with exploring the
implications of the events of 9/11,
documenting the effect of those
events and exploring 9/11’s
continuing significance.
The museum’s 110,000 square feet
of exhibition space is located
within the archaeological heart of
the World Trade Center site—
telling the story of 9/11 through
multimedia displays, archives,
narratives and a collection of
monumental and authentic artifacts.
All Temple members are invited to join the Women’s Auxiliary on Tuesday,
November 18 at 10:30 AM for a guided tour of this educational and historial
institution. Lunch will follow at Stephen Starr’s restaurant El Vez. The charge for
this event is $95 for Women’s Auxiliary and Men’s Club members, $105 for
all other Temple members and guests. Space is limited. Reservations are
needed by November 13. QUESTIONS? Call (212) 744-1400, ext. 235 or
email womaux@emanuelnyc.org.
Is New York a Future Detroit?
WITH MORE THAN 40 YEARS of experience negotiating on behalf of municipal agencies
and serving in key financial posts, the Hon. Richard Ravitch sees the stress on our
cities from an insider’s perspective. At a breakfast sponsored by the Men’s Club on
Sunday, November 23 at 10 AM, Mr. Ravitch will discuss our city’s financial crisis
and what he views as our prospects, as well as provide a call-to-action.
4
The charge for this event is $30
for Men’s Club and Women’s
Auxiliary members, $35 for all
other Temple members and
guests. RSVP by November 15.
QUESTIONS? Call (212) 7441400, ext. 250.
Mr. Ravitch entered politics in the 1960s after law school and the Army. In 1975,
he brokered the rescue of New York City from near-certain financial collapse. He has
been chairman of the New York Urban Development Corporation, chairman of the
Metropolitan Transportation Authority, chairman of Bowery Savings Bank and
lieutenant governor of New York. He recently served as court-appointed consultant in
Detroit’s bankruptcy. He describes his life’s work in his 2014 book, So Much to Do.
Copies of the book will be available at the event.
5
Mitzvah Day 2014
LEARNING, DOING,
CARING: HOW MITZVOT
MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Sunday, November 9 • 9:30 AM
As our congregation prepares for
Mitzvah Day, Religious School parents
are invited to discover the different
types of Jewish responsibilities and
how we can fulfill them. RSVP to
Rabbi Rena Rifkin at (212) 7441400, ext. 334.
Questions should be directed to the Tikkun Olam Committee.
Call (212) 744-1400, ext. 452 or send a message to tikkunolam@emanuelnyc.org.
WINTER CLOTHING DRIVE
The Tikkun Olam Committee
currently is collecting winter coats
and jackets, hats, gloves and scarves in
all sizes for adults and children to be
distributed throughout New York City
by New York Cares. Items may be
new or gently used. Donations may be
brought to either the 65th Street or
66th Street lobby.
THIS FALL, TEMPLE EMANU-EL WILL CELEBRATE its 10th Mitzvah Day on Sunday, November 9.
Temple members of all ages are invited to join us at 10:30 AM (sharp!) in I. M. Wise Hall to celebrate
with a brief congregational prayer and to participate in a variety of hands-on projects to benefit others in
the community both here and Israel. Enter at One East 65th Street. A light breakfast will be served.
Mitzvah Day participants are encouraged to join us at Sabbath services on Friday, November 7
at 6 PM and the Oneg Shabbat that follows, where we will celebrate our many Temple volunteers
with a special blessing. If you are a Temple
volunteer and planning to attend, please
contact Indira Tiwari at (212) 744-1400,
ext. 222 or itiwari@emanuelnyc.org.
(Provide your contact information and
the number of people in your party.)
THANKSGIVING
DINNER
TEMPLE EMANU-EL ONCE AGAIN
will serve Thanksgiving dinner at
the Temple (on the day before the
holiday) to senior citizens, cancer
patients, and women and children
from NYC homeless and domesticviolence shelters.
WINTER WISHES
THE HOLIDAY SEASON is a special time of
year, filled with excitement and anticipation.
Unfortunately, many families do not have the
means to purchase even the most basic holiday
gifts. Temple Emanu-El has committed to
fulfilling holiday “wishes” of low-income children
from the Association to Benefit Children,
and we invite you to help make these wishes
come true with the anonymous donation of a holiday gift.
“Wishes” will be available for pick up from the Temple on Mitzvah Day
(Sunday, November 9). Unwrapped gifts are to be dropped off to either the
65th Street or 66th Street lobby no later than December 2. (Please make
sure your gift is in a bag clearly marked “Winter Wishes” and that you have
provided the tracking number and child’s name.) Gifts will be wrapped on
Sunday, December 7. All Temple members are invited to help with wrapping
regardless of whether they selected a Winter Wish.
Volunteers are needed from
2 PM to 6:15 PM on Wednesday,
November 26 for setup, kitchen
duty, greeting our guests, serving
dinner and cleanup; we also need
turkey carvers to help slice 20 turkeys. Starting at 4 PM, teens and
“tweens” are needed to chaperone and play with our youngest guests.
We also are in need of people to make homemade baked goods
(cookies, brownies, cupcakes...no nuts, please!) that can be served
at the dinner. This is a wonderful mitzvah that you can do at home.
Baked goods should be dropped off to the 65th Street
lobby on Tuesday, November 25 or Wednesday,
November 26 by 2 PM.
Photos by Gary K. Deane
6
EMANU-EL’S
“MEALS ON WHEELS”
Volunteers with cars are needed to
assist with weekly deliveries of fresh
meal bags to NY Common Pantry
on Sunday afternoons. This mitzvah
takes 30 minutes (or less) and enables
the Temple to help feed NYC’s most
hungry individuals. To learn more
or to join the team, email
tikkunolam@emanuelnyc.org.
READ AHEAD
LITERACY PROJECT
Temple Emanu-El is joining forces
with “Read Ahead,” a reading-based
mentoring program, that will enable
congregants to donate one hour a
week, during lunchtime, to read with a
child who is not reading at grade level.
QUESTIONS? Contact Tikkun
Olam at (212) 744-1400, ext. 452.
7
It’s Only a Play:
Men’s Club Theater Event
ONLINE LIBRARY CATALOG
A new electronic version of the
Stettenheim Library’s catalog
now is available for use by Temple
members from home or on a mobile
device with web access. Browse
through the library’s holdings to
find books, music and DVDs. Newest
acquisitions can be found on the
electronic catalog homepage.
Log on at www.emanuelnyc.org/
library_online.
In order to borrow library materials,
Temple members first must obtain a
library card. Application forms are
available at the library. Once you
obtain a card, then a login name and
password can be assigned for online
access to e-books or to reserve a
book for pickup in the library.
LIGHTS IN THE FOREST:
RABBIS RESPOND
TO TWELVE ESSENTIAL
JEWISH QUESTIONS
This new publication
from the Central
Conference of
American Rabbis
(edited by Rabbi Paul
Citrin) features thoughtful,
personal essays about
God, ethics, humanity, suffering, evil,
the soul, after-life, interfaith
dialogue, and more. Our very own
Rabbi Benjamin Zeidman
responds to four of the 12 questions.
Learn more or order online at
https://www.ccarpress.org.
8
THE MEN’S CLUB HAS SECURED a limited number of orchestra seats to see the
December 2 performance of It’s Only A Play, in which Matthew Broderick
and Nathan Lane lead an all-star cast, including F. Murray Abraham, Stockard
Channing, Rupert Grint, Megan Mullally and Micah Stock. This hilarious
ensemble comes together in a comedy written by four-time Tony winner Terrence
McNally and directed by three-time Tony winner Jack O’Brien.
Tickets are available to all Temple members and their guests.
Charge is $175 per ticket. RSVP to the Men’s Club: (212) 744-1400,
ext. 250 or mensclub@emanuelnyc.org.
Museum Programs
On View at the Museum...
FROM OUR CURRENT EXHIBITION, “Justify Your Existence,” Graphic Posters
From the Moldovan Family Collection, now on view through January 2015:
With the Workers of Zion, to Battle!
Palestine, ca. 1923
THIS CAMPAIGN POSTER calls upon
voters to cast their ballot (probably at
the second Histadrut election, of 1923)
for a unified slate of three relatively
weak political groups: the left-wing
faction of Poalei Zion, the Borochovian
Opposition, and the “Non-Partisan”
party. The constant formation and
dissolution of political parties on both
the right and left with seemingly every
shift in the political winds remains a
part of Israeli politics to this day.
Translation from Hebrew:
With the workers of Zion, to the struggle!
For a Histadrut that will fight!
For the sake of Socialism!
Left Workers of Zion, The Borochovian
opposition, and “Non-Partisans”
Emanu-El Cares:
Community as Family
NAVIGATING THE LATER YEARS OF LIFE poses particular
challenges for those without adult children or other
close family. There is not the assurance and
convenience of knowing a family member can be
relied upon to help with critical decision-making—
someone who can be entrusted with keys, confidential
documents and passwords, or who feels a responsibility
to advocate for you during a hospital stay or other
serious life event.
In the absence of family, many will find themselves relying upon trusted friendships,
professionals, and neighbors for emotional and practical support. These strong ties to
the community will be critical.
The ages of late 50s to early 70s can be a good time to look ahead and plan for the
changes that inevitably will come. Temple members without children (singles and couples)
who would like to discuss their concerns, as well as explore options and strategies, can
meet in a relaxed environment at a special Emanu-El Cares meeting on Monday,
December 8, from 6 PM to 8 PM. Enter at One East 65th Street. Light refreshments
will be available, and there will be no commercial endorsements. RSVP to Rabbi
Ehrlich’s study: (212) 744-1400, ext. 206.
Emanu-El Eats
HARD TO BELIEVE fall is almost over and winter almost upon
us. One of the nicest things about this time of year is the
holidays...wonderful opportunities for gatherings of family
and friends. Your Emanu-El Eats Committee shares a
delightful, pass-around-the-table dessert recipe that also is
a ready treat for holiday drop-ins and all the extra company your kids bring home during
school holiday breaks. This recipe comes to us from congregant Penny Zorn Cohen.
CHOCOLATE-COVERED ALMOND CLUSTERS
Makes about 36 to 40 almond clusters
• 8 ounces high-quality milk or semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided
• 1½ cups whole roasted skinless almonds (see note)
1. Line a couple of cookie sheets with wax paper.
2. In a large microwave-safe bowl, melt half the chocolate chips on high for about
30 seconds, stir and repeat until chocolate is just melted, about 1½ minutes.
3. Stir in remaining chocolate chips until melted. Cool 3 minutes.
4. Stir in almonds, making sure they are well-coated.
5. Drop teaspoonfuls of the mixture onto prepared cookie sheets; refrigerate until set,
about 30 minutes. These clusters will keep refrigerated in an airtight container,
for up to one month.
Note: If you cannot find dry-roasted, skinless almonds, then you can make your own by placing whole
almonds in a 425˚F oven until nicely roasted and fragrant, about 10 minutes. If not using skinless almonds,
rub almond skins off in a clean dish towel while still warm. Cool almonds before coating with chocolate.
BOOK DISCUSSIONS
Attendance at the following
programs is free and open to all
Temple members.
Men’s Club Book Group
Wednesday, November 5 • 8:30 AM
• Out of Egypt: A Memoir
by André Aciman
Wednesday, December 3 • 8:30 AM
• Little Failure: A Memoir
by Gary Shteyngart
Stettenheim Literary Circle
Wednesday, November 19
1 PM to 2:30 PM* / 6:30 PM to 8 PM
• Someone by Alice McDermott
Wednesday, December 17
1 PM to 2:30 PM* / 6:30 PM to 8 PM
• A Country Doctor
by Sarah Orne Jewett
* Co-sponsored by the Women’s Auxiliary
JPS/Skirball Author Series*
Thursday, November 20 • 7 PM
• Jewish Meaning in a World
of Choice: Studies in
Tradition and Modernity
by Rabbi David Ellenson
Thursday, December 18 • 7 PM
• As a Driven Leaf: The Heresy
of Rabbi Elisha Ben Abuyah
by Rabbi Barry L. Schwartz
(This evening will feature a reading
of a full-length play by Rabbi
Schwartz based on the novel by
Milton Steinberg.)
* Reservations with the Temple
Emanu-El Skirball Center are
appreciated: (212) 507-9580 or
info@emanuelskirballnyc.org.
9
VOTE (continued from page 1)
vote are an essential part of helping shape an Israel that continues to be welcoming
to Progressive and Reform interests.
CLERGY
Joshua M. Davidson, Senior Rabbi
Amy B. Ehrlich, Associate Rabbi
Benjamin J. Zeidman, Assistant Rabbi
Lori A. Corrsin, Cantor
Dr. Ronald B. Sobel, Senior Rabbi Emeritus
Dr. David M. Posner, Senior Rabbi Emeritus
Alexis Pinsky, Rabbinic Intern
Carlie Daniels, Rabbinic Intern
Richard Newman, Cantorial Intern
OFFICERS
John H. Streicker, President
Susan S. Danoff, Vice President
Marne Obernauer Jr., Vice President
Robert A. Calinoff, Secretary
Stephen T. Shapiro, Treasurer
STAFF
Cara L. Glickman, Vice President,
Finance and Administration
Mark H. Heutlinger, Administrator
Robyn W. Cimbol, Senior Director,
Development and Philanthropy
Sherry Nehmer, Assistant Administrator
Christine Manomat, Membership
Saul Kaiserman, Director,
Lifelong Learning
Rachel Brumberg, Associate Director,
Lifelong Learning
Dr. Gady Levy, Executive Director,
Temple Emanu-El Skirball Center
Ellen Davis, Director, Nursery School
Elizabeth F. Stabler, Temple Librarian,
Ivan M. Stettenheim Library
traditional Judaism. Their growth
and low voter turnout can diminish
our strength, visibility and the
support of institutions that are vital
to our Reform Movement.
For those who do not have online
access,Temple Emanu-El will make
online voting possible on site, as well
as provide paper ballots for those who
find them more convenient.
What else is at stake?
Many of the same issues:
• Questions of Religious
pluralism—We want Israel to be a place where Jews of all backgrounds and
levels of observance can feel at home.
• Matters of conversion and those of marriage and divorce—Liberal (non-Orthodox)
Jews should not have to conform to Orthodox standards when marking their most
important life cycles.
• Women’s rights and our equality in all aspects of Israeli society,
including the rabbinate.
• Anti-racism and hate crime laws.
• The growth of Reform Judaism throughout the nation.
Charles S. Salomon, Funeral Director
Our commitment to Israel is further strengthened when we feel that it reflects ideals
that embrace Progressive Judaism. So, I urge you to express your strong commitment to
an Israel that is based on equality and pluralism by voting for Reform representation
that can carry that message forward.
Bulletin Editor/Webmaster
Am Yisrael Chai. May Israel continue to thrive and prosper. ❏
Warren Klein, Interim Curator,
Herbert & Eileen Bernard
Museum of Judaica
Kathryn M. Roberts,
10
In the last five years, strong representation from the Reform delegates directed
$20 million dollars (over five years) to fund Progressive Reform. Recipients included
the Israel Movement for Reform
Judaism; the Israel Religious Action
Center, which fights for equal rights
for women and for nontraditional
World Zionist Congress
Judaism; the World Union for
Elections
Progressive Judaism; the Reform
Voting runs from January 15, 2015,
kibbutzim; and Hebrew Union
through April 30, 2015, online. It is open
College in Jerusalem, which
to all American Jews who will be 18 or
trains our rabbis and cantors. The
older in 2015. Registration fees are
government also provided four new
modest: $5 for those ages 17 to 29
buildings for Reform communities.
and $10 for those 30 and older.
More information can be found at
But much of this is at risk because
https://www.reformjews4israel.org/.
demographics in Israel favor
Life-Cycle Events
FROM BIRTH TO DEATH, the act of consciously marking the major milestones in one’s life
is an important element of both personal and religious development. Similarly important
are the rituals associated with these life-cycle events.
The following students of our Religious School will become B’NEI MITZVAH:
BAR/BAT MITZVAH
PREPARATION
Children must be enrolled in
Religious School in order to
celebrate bar or bat mitzvah at
Temple Emanu-El. A date can be
scheduled when a child is in fourth
grade. To register your child for
Religious School, call (212) 7441400, ext. 226. To schedule a
date, call Sherry Nehmer at
(212) 744-1400, ext. 312.
A STUDENT’S STORY...
This past summer, Religious School
student Meredith Silfen visited Temple
Israel, a Reform synagogue in Cape
Town, South Africa, to deliver books
to its religious school as part of a
mitzvah project she organized. (The
cost of one book plus shipping is as
much as six times what we pay for
books in the United States.)
After her trip, Meredith wrote a
letter to our clergy describing her
experience in South Africa.
Read the letter on our website,
as well as learn about ways your
family can perform mitzvot in
preparation for becoming
a bar or bat mitzvah:
http://emanuelnyc.org/simple.
php/ed_relig_projects.
11
Saturday, October 25
• Peyton Spolansky, daughter of Jodi Smith and Steven Spolansky
Saturday, November 1
• Morgan Teman, daughter of Caryn and Wade Teman
• Brandon and Ethan Hetu, sons of Patricia Lenkov and Robert Hetu
Saturday, November 8
• Jesse Starr, son of Jodi Starr and Craig Starr
• Matthew Weinstein, son of Elizabeth and Steven Weinstein
Saturday, November 22
• Adam J.B. Hershy, son of Michelle and Robert Hershy
We are grateful for their sponsorship of each Friday evening’s Oneg Shabbat.
PULPIT FLOWERS at worship services
have been donated by the following congregants:
For the Sabbath of October 31 and November 1
• Jim, Susan and Hannah Baumann in loving memory of Jay S. Baumann
• Rhoda Weiskopf Cohen and Family in loving memory of our dearest
Fanny de Margoulies-Rosenak, today and always
• Mary L. Fleur in loving memory of her brother, Robert Thomas Schwartz
• Judie and Howard Ganek in loving memory of their father, Reuben Goldstein
• Howard Kleinman in loving memory of Gerald Kleinman
(continued on page 12)
Charles S. Salomon
The Universal
Funeral Chapel
1076 Madison Avenue
(212) 753-5300
Our service is available in the
Temple, home or our Chapel.
The Cemeteries of Congregation Emanu-El
Salem Fields and Beth-El
A limited number of above-ground crypts are
available in our community mausoleum.
For information, please call Cara Glickman
at the Temple Office, (212) 744-1400.
For the Sabbath of November 7 and 8
• Kathy Rocklen and Linda Silberstein in loving memory of
our father Samuel Hellenbrand
Oneg Sponsorship (November 7)
• The Tikkun Olam Committee in honor of Mitzvah Day
For the Sabbath of November 14 and 15
• Jim, Susan and Hannah Baumann in loving memory of Hannah Hirschhorn Baumann
• June H. Jones in loving memory of Hannah Cohen, and Helen and I. Henry Hirsch
For the Sabbath of November 21 and 22
• Michelle and Robert Hershy in honor of their son Adam becoming a bar mitzvah
For Thanksgiving Services (November 26)
• Donald and Susan Marley Newhouse in loving memory of Lillian and Harry Marley
• Peg Ogden in loving memory of her parents, Margaret S. and Stephen A. Ogden;
her brother, Stephen A. Ogden Jr.; her grandmother, Tilda W. Stern; her aunt,
Katherine S. Oppenheimer; and her friend Twig
• Mr. Harold Prince in loving memory of his mother, Blanche Prince
Oneg Sponsorship for Thanksgiving (November 26)
• Susan and Donald Newhouse in loving memory of Mitzi and Samuel Newhouse
For the Sabbath of November 28 and 29
• Susan and David Rahm in loving memory of Susan’s mother, Selma Wiener Berkman
Our New Rabbinic Intern
TEMPLE EMANU-EL IS PLEASED TO WELCOME Carlie Weisbrod
Daniels, our new rabbinic intern responsible for deepening and
broadening our engagement with members and nonmembers
who are young professionals in their 20s or 30s.
Carlie is a fifth-year rabbinical student at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute
of Religion. She was born and raised in Rockledge, Florida, and graduated from the
University of Florida with a Bachelor of Music degree in voice and an outside
concentration in psychology. After graduation, Carlie worked for two years at the
Helene G. Simon Hillel Center at Indiana University, where she created programming
designed to engage college students in Jewish life on campus. As a rabbinical student,
Carlie has taught religious school in Manhattan and served a small congregation in
Steubenville, Ohio, as their student rabbi. Most recently, she served as rabbinic intern
for the elderly residents of Jewish Home Lifecare on the Upper West Side.
Carlie can be reached at cdaniels@emanuelnyc.org.
WOMEN’S AUXILIARY
TRIBUTE FUND
Commemorate significant life-cycle
events in a meaningful way and
support the activities of the
Women’s Auxiliary. All contributions
are listed in Window on Emanu-El.
Contact the Women’s Auxiliary
at womaux@emanuelnyc.org
or (212) 744-1400, ext. 235.
HAVE AN ALIYAH
An aliyah (Torah blessing) can be done
to honor a special moment in your life
or simply for the delight of being
involved in Saturday morning Shabbat
services. To get more involved in the
Torah service by reciting the blessings,
or even through taking on the
fulfilling challenge of reading Torah
on Shabbat morning, please email
Rabbi Benjamin Zeidman at
assistantrabbi@emanuelnyc.org
or call (212) 744-1400, ext. 204.
REMEMBERING LOVED ONES
Now that Temple Emanu-El broadcasts
its own services over the Internet,
we are able to accommodate all
congregants who wish to share
Sabbath services and have the name
of a loved one read during Kaddish.
If you wish to have a name read, then
please call one of the rabbis during
the week of yahrzeit observance.
HOSTING A RECEPTION
Temple Emanu-El is pleased to be
able to offer our magnificent spaces
to Temple members, not only for
religious services and life-cycle
events but also for their celebrations.
For more information, call
Sherry Nehmer at (212) 7441400, ext. 312.
12
At a Glance: November
November 3 • Monday, 7 PM
November 14 • Friday, 6 PM
(Moderated by Jeff Zucker)
Fifth Avenue Sanctuary
An Evening With James Carville and Mary Matalin*
One East 65th Street
November 5 • Wednesday, 8:30 AM
Men’s Club Book Group
One East 65th Street
November 5 • Wednesday, 7:30 PM
Israel in the Eyes of the Media*
(With Daniel Gordis and Ethan Bronner;
moderated by Rabbi Joshua M. Davidson)
One East 65th Street
November 7 • Friday, 9:15 AM
Baby Shabbat
One East 65th Street
November 7 • Friday, 6 PM
Volunteer Recognition Shabbat
Fifth Avenue Sanctuary
(Fifth Avenue and 65th Street)
November 9 • Sunday, 9:30 AM
Learning, Doing, Caring:
How Mitzvot Make a Difference
10 East 66th Street
November 9 • Sunday, 10 AM
Jews in American Politics*
Temple Israel, 112 East 75th Street
Veterans Shabbat
One East 65th Street
November 16 • Sunday, 10 AM
November 21 • Friday, 6 PM
One East 65th Street
Leon Lowenstein Sanctuary
The People vs. Abraham*
November 17 • Monday, 5 PM
Grades 3 and 4 Parent-Teacher Curriculum Meeting
10 East 66th Street
November 18 • Tuesday, 10:30 AM
Visit to the 9/11 Memorial Museum
November 12 • Wednesday, 6:30 PM
Rescuing the Evidence: Three Minutes in Poland*
One East 65th Street
One East 65th Street
November 23 • Sunday, 10 AM
November 18 • Tuesday, 6:30 PM
One East 65th Street
Israeli Cuisine*
(With Joan Nathan, Chefs Lior Sercarz and
Michael Solomonov; moderated by Roger Sherman)
One East 65th Street
November 19 • Wednesday,
1 PM and 6:30 PM
Curriculum Meeting
November 19 • Wednesday, 5 PM
Grades 5 and 6 Parent-Teacher Curriculum Meeting
(With Rabbi David Ellenson)
November 21 • Friday, 6 PM
SDG Psalms Project
Fifth Avenue Sanctuary
(Breakfast with Richard Ravitch)
Grades 3 through 6 Parent-Teacher
One East 65th Street
One East 65th Street
November 23 • Sunday, 10 AM
Is New York a Future Detroit?
November 23 • Sunday, 11 AM
Stettenheim Literary Circle
JPS/Skirball Author Series*
(With Rachel Rosenthal)
One East 65th Street
November 20 • Thursday, 7 PM
One East 65th Street
Tot Shabbat
Magic, Mirages and Miracles*
One East 65th Street
Club 65: A Group for Seniors
November 22 • Saturday, 10 AM
1 Albany Street
10 East 66th Street
November 11 • Tuesday, 11 AM
Shir Chadash (“A New Song”)
(10 East 66th Street)
November 9 • Sunday, 10:30 AM
Mitzvah Day
Full program descriptions are
available on the Temple website:
www.emanuelnyc.org.
November 14 • Friday, 7:30 PM
Saviv Shabbat and Oneg
10 East 66th Street
November 26 • Wednesday,
2 PM to 6:15 PM
Thanksgiving Community Dinner
One East 65th Street
November 26 • Wednesday, 5:30 PM
Thanksgiving Worship Service
Greenwald Hall (One East 65th Street)
* A program of the Temple Emanu-El Skirball Center.
To register, please call (212) 507-9580, or visit us at EmanuelSkirballNYC.org.
13
TEMPLE EMANU-EL
BULLETIN
Vol. 87, No. 3
November 2014
CONGREGATION EMANU-EL
of the City of New York
One East 65th Street, New York, NY 10065
(212) 744-1400 • www.emanuelnyc.org
Emanu-El is now on Facebook!
Visit us at www.facebook.com/emanuelnyc
Have You Been to Israel?
Temple Emanu-El is pleased to offer
two opportunities to visit the Land of Israel...
Family Trip to Israel (www.emanuelnyc.org/israeltrip)
(December 22, 2014 through January 2, 2015)
Land reservations only being accepted at this time. Led by Rabbi Ben
Zeidman and Saul Kaiserman, our director of Lifelong Learning,
we will explore Israel from the Negev Desert to the Golan Heights,
from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv, and everywhere in-between.
Adult Trip to Israel (www.emanuelnyc.org/israel2015)
(March 19, 2015 through March 29, 2015)
Trip highlights include: Shabbat in Jerusalem; a dialogue with
Anat Hoffman, executive director of the Israel Religious Action
Center; a visit to Yad Vashem; driving the Syrian-African Rift; a walk
through the Tel Dan Nature Reserve; a visit to the Leo Baeck School
in Haifa; and a visit to Tel Aviv, the first Hebrew city. Trip will be led
by Rabbi Joshua Davidson.
14