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The Brotherhood Synagogue
h’’bZ
28 Gramercy Park South
New York, NY 10003
Phone (212) 674-5750 Fax (212) 505-6707
www.brotherhoodsynagogue.org
Volume XXXIII Number IV
Tevet/Shevat 5775 January 2015
Black Lives Matter
by Rabbi Daniel Alder
I
n January of 1963, Rabbi Abraham Joshua
Heschel opened the National Conference
on Race and Religion in Chicago with the
following words:
At the first conference on religion
and race, the main participants were
Pharaoh and Moses. Moses’ words were:
“Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel,
let My people go that they may celebrate
a feast to Me.” While Pharaoh retorted:
“Who is the Lord that I should heed
this voice and let Israel go? I do not
know the Lord, and moreover I will
not let Israel go.” The outcome of that
summit meeting has not come to an end.
Pharaoh is not ready to capitulate. The
Exodus began, but is far from having
been completed. In fact, it was easier
for the children of Israel to cross the Red
Sea than for a Negro to cross certain
university campuses.
With these words, Heschel linked the
civil rights struggle to the biblical Exodus
and linked the remaining years of his life
to Martin Luther King, Jr. and the AfricanAmerican struggle for freedom. Heschel
understood the struggle of black Americans
to be his own, their suffering was his
suffering. This month we honor the legacy
of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., mark the
yahrzeit of Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel,
and begin reading from the book of Exodus
in our weekly Torah portion.
As Americans and Jews, in every
generation we have turned to the themes
of Exodus for inspiration, a people taken
from slavery to a Promised Land. The moral
litmus test for every age has been a leader’s
ability to hear another’s cry and make that
person’s suffering his or her own. Moses, who
grew up in the house of Pharaoh, went out
to see his brethren and when he “sees their
suffering,” his heart goes out to them. Moses,
we know, was not a born leader, neither
by temperament, rhetorical skill, or group
management abilities. He had, however, the
distinguishing leadership characteristic of
being able to emphasize with the plight of
others right up to the day he died.
It is not easy to listen to the cries of others.
It is human nature to employ every method
at our disposal to avoid hearing the cries
of others in our midst. The problem is that
we are inclined towards insularity, leaning
towards indifference.
The prophetic sensibility insists that we
link our own lives to others, preventing us
from shutting our ears to their cries. In Dr.
King’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” he
wrote to his fellow clergy: “Injustice anywhere
is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught
in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied
in a single garment of destiny. Whatever
affects one directly, affects us all indirectly.”
In the words of Heschel, “a religious man
is a person who holds God and man in one
thought at one time, at all times, who suffers
harm done to others, whose greatest passion
is compassion, whose greatest strength is love
and defiance of despair.”
In one of those not-often-sung stanzas of
“America the Beautiful”, the following words
appear: “America, America, God mend Thine
every flaw. Confirm thy soul in self-control,
thy liberty in law.” If we want to talk about
“liberty in law,” I have no doubt that being
African American in this country denies you
an equal share of that liberty.
As one who wears a kippah all the time, I
know what it feels like to have someone look
at me and make all kinds of assumptions. But
at the end of the day, if I so choose, I can take
that kippah off, and blend in to the masses of
people around me.
African Americans cannot do that, and
too many of them suffer for it each and every
day. We have made a great deal of progress
in this country since the beginning of the
modern Civil Rights movement, and it is,
of course, true that the presence of Barack
Obama in the White House is the clearest
Shabbat Services
FRIDAY, JANUARY 2, 6:30 pm
SATURDAY, JANUARY 3, 9:30 am
Bar Mitzvah of Billy Taylor
FRIDAY, JANUARY 9, 6:30 pm
SATURDAY, JANUARY 10, 9:30 am
Bat Mitzvah of Jane Loy
FRIDAY, JANUARY 16, 6:30 pm
SATURDAY, JANUARY 17, 9:30 am
Bar Mitzvah of Nathan Simon
FRIDAY, JANUARY 23, 6:30 pm
SATURDAY, JANUARY 24, 9:30 am
Bar Mitzvah of Felix Messeca
FRIDAY, JANUARY 30, 6:30 pm
SATURDAY, JANUARY 31, 9:30 am
Bat Mitzvah of Gabriela Rachman
Adult Education
Winter/Spring 2015
Beat the winter chills by warming up to
a good Jewish study course filled with
conversation and camaraderie.
SPECIAL NEW CLASSES ADDED
Check the enclosed brochure or the
Adult Ed page on the Brotherhood
website:
http://brotherhoodsynagogue.org/
adult-education
for information on all the courses
being offered. Most classes begin the
week of January 26.
evidence of that. But we are far away from
being a race-blind country particularly in the
critical relationship between law enforcement
personnel and minority communities.
As Heschel wrote in a telegram to
President Kennedy back in 1963 regarding
race relations, “the hour calls for high moral
grandeur and spiritual audacity.” l
Community Notes
by Deborah Koplovitz
I
am not a music scholar, ethno-musicologist
or Hebrew scholar. I also have no musical
training or ability (unless you consider “ability”
to be getting fired by my 6th grade piano teacher
or being asked repeatedly by my kids to stop
singing). However, I do love music and music is
an important part of my Jewish identity and
experience.
First: some factual background. Before
becoming a commercial litigator, modern dance
played a very large role in my life. In college, as
an active member in the modern dance program,
I was asked by the student newspaper what drew
me to dance. I recall answering that I loved
to dance because it made me feel whole and
complete, connected me to the community, and
gave me a great sense of peace. Like performing
or participating in all art forms, or even sports,
dance is very satisfying because it requires one to
be absolutely committed to the present moment.
Now, many years later, I have come to
understand that these are the same things that
draw me to Judaism, and how, in particular,
the music of Judaism enhances my life and
experience.
I do not have a beautiful voice, but when
I sing and pray with the families upstairs led
by people such as Basya Schechter, Maia Karo,
and Phil Rothman, and when I am able to sing
with our larger community with Cantor Weis
downstairs, I feel the sounds of my own singing
reverberating with all the other voices. I am able
to connect in that moment to the community,
to the entire universe and to God. When I was in
college, I did not realize it. But I know now that
my experience with dance and my experience
of Jewish music is the same: in those moments,
the self falls away and there is the ability to
experience God.
I know that many of us are attracted to
Judaism for many reasons, and for me, one
of the greatest joys is to sing with everyone
together, to join our voices together and send
those messages and prayers and intentions up to
God (or to connect the God within). I know
Cantor Weis has worked hard to encourage
everyone to sing together in the sanctuary, and
I applaud his efforts. When we sing together,
magic really can happen; even if it may be off
key and your kids can’t appreciate it yet, and
even if you don’t understand every word of
Hebrew. I join Cantor Weis in encouraging
everyone to sing your hearts out when you come
to the Brotherhood Synagogue and to come to
the many wonderful musical events, especially
the second Voices of the Sacred interfaith sacred
music festival on January 31, 2015!
We are so lucky to have a community
that welcomes people of other religious
traditions to our home. I hope to see you at the
concert! l
This year the theme at Brotherhood is “MUSIC” and
we invite one and all to share here in our “Community
Notes” their thoughts and feelings relative to
any aspect of music in Jewish life. Please send all
submissions to rabbi@brotherhoodsynagogue.org.
(Word limit: 750 words!)
Life Goes On
Life Goes On is a group for those of us who have
lost a spouse or life partner and want to experience
the beauty, joy, and opportunity that New York
life offers surrounded by supportive friends who
understand and share in the loss.
My heartfelt thanks to everyone who came
together at my home for our annual Hanukkah
party. Sharing dinner, gifts, and wonderful stories
enriched the holiday for everyone.
On Tuesday, January 20 at 6pm, we will have
an extraordinary opportunity to tour one of the
most beautiful temples in New York City and
perhaps the world: The Central Synagogue (652
Lexington Avenue on the corner of East 55th
Street). Built in 1872 by Henry Fernbach, the
synagogue was designed in the Moorish Revival
style as a copy of Budapest’s Dohány Street
Synagogue to pay homage to the Jewish existence
in Moorish Spain. It is among the oldest synagogue
buildings still standing in the United States and
has been in continuous use by a congregation
longer than any other in the city.
As per the docent’s instructions, we will meet
at 5:45pm in the lobby of the building across the
2
street from the synagogue (123 East 55th Street).
The tour is limited to 20 people, so please call or
e-mail Agnes right away if you’d like to join us.
As usual, we will enjoy dinner together after the
tour in a nearby restaurant, with details to follow.
Our next book club meeting will be on
Thursday, February 5, at 7pm. Please read
Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.
This dazzling new novel is a story of love and
race concerning a young man and woman from
Nigeria who face difficult choices and challenges
in the countries they come to call home. NYU
professor Margaret Boe Birns will expertly guide
our discussion as usual, accompanied by wine
and desserts. The cost of participating is $20
per person; please call or e-mail Agnes if you are
planning to join.
If you or someone you know would like to
be a part of Life Goes On, please come to our
meetings—we would be happy to see you! If you
have any questions, please call Agnes Marton at
917.519.4427 or e-mail her at 1agnesmarton@
gmail.com or call Roberta in the Synagogue office
at 212.674.5750. l
The Brotherhood Synagogue
Shabbaton
@ Brotherhood
Friday-Saturday, february 6-7
Please join us for services on Friday
evening followed by a delicious congregational dinner. After dinner esteemed
author, Gary Shteyngart
will read from his New
York Times best-selling
book, Little Failure: A
Memoir and a Q & A will
follow. On Saturday morning, join Phil
Rothman for a Torah Talk and following
Kiddush lunch, Librarian Sharon
Elswit will discuss and then lead an
interactive workshop on Why Jewish
Folktales Matter. At 2:30 pm Rebecca
Kryspin Alder will hold a session of
Spiritual Yoga and Terrific Toddler Time
with Daphna Mor for children up to
age 3 will be held at 4:30 pm. Please
see the enclosed flyer for many more
details about Shabbaton and for the
dinner RSVP form.
Shabbat Club
Saturdays January 10 and
February 28 • 1:00 pm
Please join us on the following dates
with the following guest speakers:
Our January 10 meeting will be
led by member Eva Grubler, Director
of Dharma Yoga Center, who will
lead the group in Life Force Practices
for Radiant Health and Long Life—a
seated gentle practice for all ages and
conditions, which will include breathing,
joint movements, meditation, and
relaxation—in order to help us go
beyond material consciousness and
delve within. No special clothes are
needed.
Our February 28 meeting will be
led by member Alba Dwass, a native
of Italy. Alba will speak about the
Jewish communities who settled in the
Piedmont region of Italy at the end of
the 1300’s, and their distinctive Apam
liturgy. She will bring relevant illustrations
and materials.
As always, all are welcome to
join us in the reception room on the
2nd floor opposite the sanctuary. The
Shabbat Club lasts about an hour and
refreshments are served.
Contact Deborah Newman (new
manddale@aol.com) with ideas for
future meetings. l
Tevet / Shevat 5775
January 2015
Brotherhood Film Series
Special Screening • Sunday, January 11• 5 pm
The Secret Jews of Calabria
With guest speaker: Rabbi Barbara Aiello
Many of the Italians living in Calabria (Southern Italy) have Jewish roots going back to the Inquisition. When an American rabbi
of Italian descent, Barbara Aiello, returns to her ancestral village in Calabria
to encourage the locals to discover their
Jewish heritage, not everyone (Jews and
Christians) welcomes her.
Wednesday, January 21 • 7 pm
Dancing in Jaffa
Followed by Q & A discussion
with Pierre Dulaine
Suggested Admission $10.00 (free for students)
Renowned ballroom dancer Pierre Dulaine returns to Jaffa to
fulfill his lifelong dream of teaching dance to Jewish-Israeli and Palestinian-Israeli children. The classroom becomes a microcosm of
the Middle East’s struggle to work together harmoniously while still
caught in the politics of the region and race.
Read more here about Rabbi Aiello’s journey: http://www.cjnews.com/canada%E2%
80%98daughter-calabria%E2%80%99-describe-her-jewish-journey
Wednesday, February 25 • 7 pm
Suggested Admission $10.00 (free for students)
The J Street Challenge
Come join the NextDor group as we sit down
for our second event!
Is Religion Good or Bad
for the World?
with Rabbi Daniel Goldfarb
Thursday, January 22, 7 pm
Save the Date
This documentary critiques the American lobbying group J Street,
which describes itself as Pro-Israel and Pro-peace. But the bigger issue
and the one we’d like to discuss following the film is the political role
of American Jewry vis a vis Israel’s policies.
Sponsored by the Special Events Committee
Saturday, January 31 • 8:30 pm
Voices of the Sacred Returns
The NextDor committee welcomes Rabbi Daniel
Goldfarb back to Brotherhood to sit down and
open our minds to a comparison of Alenu with one
of the greatest songs of all time—Imagine by John
Lennon. Together we will dive deep and see how
the texts coincide with one another.
The evening will be full of great music, fantastic shmoozing and
most likely some incredible learning! We welcome all 20/30-somethings to come and to bring a friend—after all, the more the merrier!
Please RSVP to Mbgoldfinger@gmail.com no later than January 13th.
We look forward to seeing you!
Bridging the religious divide...one blessed song at a time.
Social Action News
January Children’s Clothing Drive
Throughout the month of January we will be accepting new and gently used children’s clothing sizes infant through size 6. Your contributions will help children in need of warm clothing
and the collection will be distributed to the
organizations Room To Grow, Barrier Free
Living, and the Henry Street Settlement
Houses.
Donations will be accepted during the
entire month of January in the collection
box in the Synagogue lobby!
Project Cicero during the
month of February
Save the Date
During the entire month of February we will
be collecting new and gently used books for
under-resourced NYC schools. Stay tuned to
weekly mails and announcements for more
about Project Cicero. l
Tevet / Shevat 5775
January 2015
Tickets on sale now.
Advance Purchase: $18 (or $25 at the door)
Students free with valid ID
Sunday, January 25, 11 am - 12:30 pm
The Hunger Van
The Interfaith Committee and the Social Action Committee invite
Brotherhood kids and families and individuals to volunteer to fight
against hunger on Sunday, January 25 at 11 am when Brotherhood
will again host The Hunger Van, a project run by Muslims Against
Hunger. Volunteers will work together to prepare sandwiches and
salads for distribution by the Hunger Van to the needy at several
NYC locations. Please rsvp to Roberta (rkahn@brotherhoodsynagogue) or call the office
to rsvp 212.674.5750
by Wednesday, January
21 since we need a final
count of volunteers!
The Brotherhood Synagogue
3
President’s Posting
S
halom and Happy 2015! After all the
Chanukah festivities and year end
celebrations and vacations, it’s always nice to
get back into some quiet time…but it isn’t
quiet time for too long. Brotherhood is always
a “happening” place.
The calendar for January is already filled
with many exciting activities. The Nursery and
Hebrew Schools and Early Childhood Programs
are back in session. The Hebrew School held
its auditions for the annual Hebrew school
musical and rehearsals begin January 5th for
The Wizard of Oz.
The Special Events committee has been
actively at work bringing us our first event of
the year—a tour of the Matisse Cutouts exhibit
at MoMA. This event is filled to capacity but
on February 22, the committee is sponsoring
another outing—to the Museum of the City
of New York’s Letters to Afar exhibit. Sign up
early for that one!
Dominick and Harriet Porto are also
sponsoring a screening of the film The Secret
Jews of Calabria. This is a very moving video of
a small village in Calabria, Italy where many of
the citizens begin to learn about their “secret”
Jewish lineage. Forced to convert to Catholicism,
many of the residents are rediscovering their
roots. Rabbi Barbara Aiello, the first and only
female rabbi in Italy, will be present for a Q &
A after the screening.
Brotherhood will hold the first screening of
its annual Brotherhood Film Series on January
28th. The movie, Dancing in Jaffa with guest
speaker, Pierre Dulaine. This is a very wonderful
and moving film. Pierre Dulaine is an award
winning ballroom dancer who returned to his
native Jaffa to teach ballroom dancing to Jewish
and Arab Israeli children. What happens is truly
delightful. Bring your children!!
Preparing food for The Hunger Van is
taking place at Brotherhood on January 25th.
Families and kids are encouraged to join in
the program where we will make sandwiches
and meals to distribute to the homeless
in New York City. We had a great turnout
for this event last year and I hope you will
again participate this year. This program is
sponsored jointly by the Interfaith and Social
Action Committees.
At the end of the month, on January 31st,
is the return of the exciting Voices of the Sacred.
This year’s program will feature three different
“sacred voices”—The Epichorus, a Judeo-Arabic
sensation, Amir Vahab, a Sufi master and the
40 voice Young New Yorkers Chorus. This
event is being presented in association with
Music in Common and the Sisterhood of
Salaam Shalom, two organizations that share
Brotherhood’s vision of creating harmony
among people of different faiths.
The Brotherhood Book Club continues this
month on January 29th with All the Light We
Cannot See by Anthony Doerr.
We are off to a great start and I again
encourage everyone to come out and volunteer
at Brotherhood. Our programs all come from
your suggestions and participation. Join us for
Friday night Shabbat services and begin to feel
the quiet time and peaceful change ushered in
by Shabbat. Stay for the Oneg and make new
friends.
L’Shalom,
Judy Shapiro
Happenings in Our Kehilah
B’nai Mitzvah, Mazal Tov to:
Peter Taylor and Shelly Jacobson-Taylor on
the Bar Mitzvah of their son, William Taylor.
Billy, a student at Churchill, will celebrate his
simcha with his younger sister, Caroline; and to
grandmother, Elaine Jacobson.
Martin and Julia Loy on the Bat Mitzvah of
their daughter, Jane Loy. Jane, a student at
Quest, will celebrate her simcha with her older
brother, Conor; and to grandmother, Amy
Weprin.
Michael and Fifi Simon on the Bar Mitzvah
of their son, Nathan Simon. Nate, a student
at Rodeph Sholom, will celebrate his simcha
with his older sister, Noa, and younger brother,
David.
Jacques and Julie Messeca on the Bar Mitzvah
of their son, Felix Messeca. Felix, a student at
Leman, will celebrate his simcha with his older
sister, Sophia.
Marc and Andrea Rachman on the Bat Mitzvah
of their daughter, Gabriela Rachman. Gabriela,
a student at Leman, will celebrate her simcha
with her younger brother, Matthew.
Condolences to:
Evan Gasman on the passing of his grandfather,
Martin Gasman.
The family of our member Edward Moldover,
on his passing.
4
Linda Silver on the passing of her husband,
David Silver.
Births, Mazal Tov to:
Elizabeth Heller-Mesznik and Adriel Mesznik
on the birth of their son, Elias Harvey Mesznik;
and to grandmother, Janet Heller.
Dorian and Andrew Fish on the birth of their
daughter, Spencer Waverly Fish.
Whitney and Ross Levin on the birth of their
son, Benjamin Levin; and to older sister,
Blake.
Welcome New Members:
Welcome to Jonathan Mark and Hayley Eber
of Gramercy Park. Jonathan is the marketing
director at Blue Fountain Media and Hayley is
an architect at EFGH, and an adjunct professor
at The Cooper Union. They have two children,
Sienna, who attends the Brotherhood nursery
school and Noa, who is 2 months old.
Welcome to newlyweds Brandon and Ariel
Foxman-Cardet of Gramercy Park. Brandon
is a public school principal at Urban Assembly
Bronx Academy of Letters in the South Bronx
and co-founder of Project Nathanael, a small
non-profit that supports free co-ed education
in Haiti. Ariel is editorial director of InStyle and
People StyleWatch at Time Inc.
Welcome to Meredith Shifman of Turtle Bay.
Meredith works in investment risk management
at JPMorgan Asset Management and serves on the
Young Friends Leadership Board of the Museum
of Jewish Heritage—A Living Memorial to the
Holocaust. She has attended our community
high holiday services in the past and was inspired
to join the congregation as a member.
Welcome to Ran and Shira Fuchs of Chelsea.
Ran is in finance at American Realty Capital
and Shira is a full-time mother. Their 18
month old daughter, Sasha, attends our toddler
program. l
Homeless Shelter Volunteers Needed
The 32nd season of Brotherhood Synagogue’s homeless shelter begins in January and runs through
March 26 on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday evenings. A variety of volunteer opportunities are
available and no matter how much time you can devote, a few hours or a night, your help is needed.
It is a heartening and rewarding and hands-on opportunity to do good. If you are able to volunteer,
please call our office at 212.674.5750. The Brotherhood Synagogue
Tevet / Shevat 5775
January 2015
Yahrzeits
^Garden of Remembrance *Book of Remembrance
January 3-9
^Tessie Adler, ^*Meyer Antell, Edgar Baurer, ^Frances
Berger, ^Harry Blum, Yosef Chaim Borochov,
Lennie Brass, Beatrice Chernick, Melvyn Coren,
^Roberta Cummings, *Benjamin Dymn, *Florence
Eichner, ^Fritz Falkenstein, Irving Flax, ^Louis
Philip Foster, *Anna Frankel, Nacha Garfin, Rachel
Gersbein, Solomon Glassman, Edward Greenberg,
*Abraham Gross, *Clara Gross, ^Bernice Hoffeld,
Jack Hollander, David Kitover, Victor Kramer, Isaias
Lerner, Jeanne Levine, ^Ilsa Karger Levy, *Nachama
Rachel Lewinstein, Ruth Lewis, *Claude Markel,
Mace Mason, Dora Mayer, *Joseph Michael, Leonard
Miltenberg, Estelle Moskowitz, ^Fay Nelson, ^Barbara
Okanes, ^Herbert D. Roistacher, ^Esther Rosenberg,
Samuel I. Rosenfeld, *Bertha Scheiner, Nathan Scher,
Fred Schultz, Edward L. Silverstein, Philip Simon,
*Betty Siskind, ^Sylvia Wasserstsrom Solomon, ^Jack
Stark, ^Max Steinberg, Morton Stone, Tillie Tuft,
^Phyllis Weinstein, *Abraham Weiss, ^Edward Weiss,
Melvin A. Wool, Marc Zeitlin
January 10-16
Isaac Alhadeff, Fred Bayroff, Steven Blane, *Philip
Block, Galina Bronshteyn, Rae Brumberg, Belle
Cassar, ^Beth Cosnow, *Julius Dolitsky, *Benjamin
Dymm, *Meyer Ellenbogen, *Ben Farland, Beatrice
Feder, *Fannie Feldman, Yale Fendel, *Rachel
Finebaum, Lynn Finkelstein, Lisa Fisher, *George
Fraenkel, *Rabbi Moses Fried, ^Shaynii K. Gadsden,
Ansel Garfin, ^Mark Geller, *Vicki Germaine,
Abraham Glasser, George Goldberg, ^*H. Mark
Goldshlag, ^Jerome Goldstein, ^Roger Gomby,
*Minnie Gross, ^*Daniel Halpern, *Sarah Handler,
^~Yaakov Michele Hirsch, *George Hirschfeld,
Goldy Hushansky, Neil Kaplan, *Edith R. Karban,
*Charlotte Chernoble Klein, ^Leon Krentzman,
Estelle Lasser, Arthur Levitz, Isidore Marke, Esther
Nirenberg, Shirley Pearlstein, *Murray Pfeffer,
Hannah Pressman, Murray Quinn, Lawrence
Raizman, Gertrude Riff, *Belle Robinove, *Leroy
S. Rosenbaum, ^Natalie Simon Rosenfeld, Yita
Chaya Royardo, Sylvia Rubinstein, Charlotte Hope
Saltzman, Sophia Savits, *Isabelle P. Schechter,
Isidore Schneider, ^Charles D. Seeman, Sandy
Seidman, Lily Seregi, ^Abba Settle, Pauline Shapiro,
^Theresa Rena Sidran, Julian Silbiger, Stanley
Simon, Miriam B. Singer, Barry N. Spilkin, ^Rose
Strong, ^Evelyn K. Sussman, Dorothy Tessler, Larry
Toporek, ^William Tudor, ^Samuel A. Valentine,
*Samuel Warfman, William Warmbrand, ^*Celia L.
Warmbrand, ^Gertrude Weiner, *Joseph Zalkind
January 17-23
^Mary Abbey, *Herman Alshan, ^Barbara Altman,
^Harold Altman, Molly Baron, *Henry Beigelson,
^Cylka Berke, *Henry Biegeleisen, Morris Brown,
Sidney Burack, Nathan Cheshes, *Beatrice Chizner,
*Herman Cohen, ^May Lipton Cummins, ^Louis
Diamond, ^Mary Diamond, Milton M. Enzer,
^F. Joyce Feitell, *Faye Frankel, Paula Franklin,
*Hanie Friedman, ^Liza Gleizer, Pearl Goldfinger,
*Irving Goodman, Julia Greenbaum, Fritz Herz,
^Sophie Hoffman, *Bessie Honig, *Aaron Bernard
Israel, ^David Janow, ^Lawrence Janow, ^Cecelia
Josselson, Jack Kasman, Lillian Manischewitz,
^Jean Miller, ^Resi Hamburger Nachman, *Gilbert
Naftalis, *Florence Newfield, *Frieda Pearl,
*Herbert Plaut, *Eva Posner Post, William Pukatch,
Phillip Raffe, Edward Renstrom, ^Howard Topol
Roberts, Dr. Thomas Robitscher, Edna Rosenbaum,
Schiffy Rosenblum, ^Henry Rosenblum, Ullman
Rosenfield, Irving Rubenstein, Koula Saba, *Harry
Satosky, *Monroe I. Schechter, Milton Schupak,
^Jeannette Mildred Seinfeld, George Silver, Leyzer
Silverstein, Hyman Slotnick, Irma Louise Spitzer,
^~Sari Orovan Steiner, Leo Teviovitz, *Bea Topal,
Nathan Tucker, *Isaac Versh, ^Maurice Volk, L.
Wolfson, Jimmie Yee
January 24-30
^Rose Alster, Blume Alter, Myra Appleton, ^Pauline
Birnbach, Abraham Block, Siegfried Blum, ^Alice
Blumenthal, *Edward H. Breiterman, Barbara
Brooks, *Abraham Chizner, Ira Cirker, Bertha
Cooperman, *Helen Elkin, David Fener, ^Irvin
Fisher, ^Jennie Fox, Morris Friedman, Sylvia
Gershenson, ^Charles Samuel Ginsburg, Sophie
Gipsman, ^Rose Schlamowitz Glass, Harold H.
Goldberg, ^Gertrude Goldschmidt, Anna Gottlieb,
^*Sabina Graetzer, ^Henrietta Green, Ben Gross,
Sally Grossman, ^Yetta Halpern, *Lillian R. Hayt,
Esther Ir, Jean Iskowitz, ^Joseph Israel, ^Dora Jaffe,
Charlotte Beldegreen Kaufman, ^Philip Kimmel,
^*Jennie Klein, Lee Kohn, *Bea Kramer, Clarice
Lefkowitch, *Beatrice Levine, ^Barney Levine,
Sam Lichtenstein, Elayne Lieberman, *Sidney
Liebowitz, Aaron Machlin, Lillian Manischewitz,
*Joseph Meyers, Susan Miller, ^Solomon Novom,
Joel Ontell, Frieda Rauch, ^Lillian Roniss, Irwin
Rosenbaum, Sidney Royden, ^George Schwartz,
Henry Sellner, Ruth Share, Hannah Shemtov,
Ronald Shiffman, *Adam Siegal, Dorothy Silverberg,
Robert Silverman, ^David Milton Solomon, ^Lena
Steinberg, ^Rose Stopler, ^Honor Hess Ward, *Alice
The Chesed* Committee
E. Warfman, ^*Leo E. Williams, ^Solomon Yaker,
Rachel Leah Zacks
January 31-February 6
*Helen Belle Aaronson, ^Dr. Bernat Abraham,
^Ruth Appelbaum, Robert Arias, Beatrice Babitz,
*Lilian Bachrach, Clara S. Benjamin, *Lilian Blye,
*Temma H. Bohrer, Claire Klaits Cohen, Lorraine
Cohen, Carole Epstein, ^Cyril Freed, Ethel
Gostin, Solomon Greenberg, *Fred Greenberg,
^Morris Greene, ^*Daniel Franklin Greenhouse,
*Rose Gross, ^*Louis Gross, Kurt Grubler, ^Irving
Handler, Joseph Hardenburgh, *Moshe Josephson,
*Rose Katz, *Betty Lampert, *Morris Levine,
Martin Licht, Sarah Liebowitz, *Florence Liebowitz,
Hyman Lipkis, Frieda Belkowitz Maloff, Lawrence
Maloff, ^Ruth W. Mantel, Mollie Meadow,
Isidore Olsfanger, ^*Renee Pollack, Bessie Potell,
Dov Rahav, ^Lee Avram Rappaport, ^Michael
Remba, ^Rose Schindel Rich, Rabbi Andrew J.
Robins, Stanley Rosenthal, ^Philip Satonoff, Jack
Schor, Harry Schwartz, Celia Shander, ^Fritz A.
Sontag, Daniel Stacher, Zendel Storozum, ^Rose
Teitelbaum, Alice Teviovitz, *Augusta Toby, Helene
Vassil, Karl Waldbrand, Shirley Weinman, ^*Jonas
Weintraub, David Weissman, *Ida Robinove Weller,
Murray Zenkel
The Brotherhood
Synagogue
28 Gramercy Park South
New York, N.Y. 10003
Phone: (212) 674-5750
Fax: (212) 505-6707
www.brotherhoodsynagogue.org
RABBI DANIEL ALDER,
CANTOR MIKE WEIS,
RABBI IRVING J. BLOCKZ’’L D.D.:
Founding Rabbi
HERMAN DIAMOND: Cantor Emeritus
SHIYA RIBOWSKY: Cantor Emeritus
JUDY SHAPIRO: President
PHILLIP ROTHMAN:
Executive and Education Director
Congregation founded in 1954
Historic Landmark Building
erected in 1859
Wants You to Know
As part of our bikur cholim mission, we are here to help if you need someone to accompany
you to a doctor, escort you home after a medical procedure, or pay you a visit if you are
under the weather. Call the synagogue office and ask to be put in touch with the Chesed
Committee.
*The Chesed Committee provides help and compassion to Brotherhood members in times
of need. We can be reached at chesed@brotherhoodsynagogue.org or through the synagogue office.
Tevet / Shevat 5775
January 2015
The Brotherhood Synagogue
GRAMERCY PARK
MEMORIAL CHAPEL
353 Second Avenue New York, NY 10010
(212) 477-6334
5
Hebrew School News
by Barbara Simon
T
he month of January is often bitter cold,
with short periods of daylight. One thing
that brings light and warmth into my January
days is the privilege of accompanying Rabbi
Alder on his Hebrew School classroom visits.
In preparation for his visit, students in Gan
(Kindergarten) through Kitah Vav (6th Grade)
develop a list of “ask the Rabbi” questions.
In addition to asking Rabbi Alder about
his favorite sports teams, our students have
asked Rabbi Alder:
Questions about being a Rabbi
What does a rabbi do?
Is it fun to be a rabbi?
Who teaches the rabbi?
Who was the first rabbi?
Did you always want to be a rabbi?
Why did you become a rabbi?
Were your parents supportive of your decision
to be a rabbi?
How does one become a rabbi?
What is it like being a rabbi?
Did you have another profession before you
became a rabbi?
How do you feel when you officiate at a Bar/
Bat Mitzvah?
Who inspires you in your work as a rabbi?
Questions about Kashrut
Have you always been kosher?
How did you feel about yourself after you
decided to become kosher?
“Much I have learned from
my teachers, more from my
peers, but most of all from
my students.”
(Babylonian Talmud,
Ta’anit 7a)
G-d Questions
What does G-d look like?
Who made G-d?
How do we know that G-d exists?
How did G-d make the world?
Why can’t you see G-d?
How come you can’t hear G-d?
Questions about our Traditions
What is the point of Judaism?
Why do Jewish boys/men wear a kippah?
To be a good Jew, which is the most important
commandment to follow?
Why does the Eternal Light burn forever?
Torah Questions
Who wrote the Torah?
How many letters are there in the Torah?
[304,805]
How many words are there in the Torah?
[79,847]
Why are there so many Torahs in the Aron
HaKodesh (the Holy Ark)?
Since there are so many Torahs in the Aron
HaKodesh, how do you decide which Torah
to read from?
Why do we read the Torah over and over and
over again (every year)?
How many words are there in the Book of
Genesis?
How many words are there in the Book of
Exodus?
How does it feel marching around the
synagogue holding a Torah?
What is the Hebrew word for the profession
of writing Torahs?
Did Cain have children?
Why did Pharaoh want to kill only the Jewish
boy babies? (and not the Jewish girl babies)?
Holiday Questions
What’s your favorite holiday and why?
Why do parents bless their children on
Shabbat?
Questions about the Hebrew
Language
Where did the Hebrew Language come from?
Why does Hebrew have “final letters”?
Our Hebrew School children continue to
teach and inspire us all. The Babylonian
Talmud got it right! l
Thank You Book Fair
Volunteers!!
2014
Brotherhood
Community
Lighting of the
Menorah in
Gramercy Park
We would like to thank the following
members of the Brotherhood community
for their time and energy in volunteering to help make this year’s Brotherhood
Book Fair a success!
And a special thank you to
Michelle Roth for chairing the event!
Dottie Blumner • Jessica DeCoux
Eleanor Dunham • Jackie Fine
Susan Gottsman • Rita Godin
Eleanor Horowitz • Lauretta Horton
Marjorie Ingall • Lisa Lascher
Paulette Lerner • Whitney Levin
Susan Levine • Agnes Marton
Brad Miles • Randi Press • Sheryl Prince
Robyn Rahbar • Kate deRosset Uziel
Renée Ward • Sheila Zaslower
6
The Brotherhood Synagogue
Tevet / Shevat 5775
January 2015
Nursery School Thoughts
by Michael Sobel
T
his Chanukah season, I will no doubt
hear from both of my children “please,
please, please daddy can we get [insert toy seen
on the latest TV commercial].” Whenever this
happens, I am always amazed at how influenced
my kids can be by watching something for only
30 seconds on television. However, our young
ones are not just impressionable in front of the
television, but in every facet of their lives—at
the zoo, museums, baseball games or just
walking around Manhattan. As the old saying
goes, a first impression is the most important
and it is these first impressions that will stay
with our children for years to come. As parents,
when building upon these first impressions
of our children, we need to remember that
this is what will become of what they know
and understand and be the backbone of their
identity that helps to support them before the
world starts its influence.
What is “trending” in America right now
is that a significant number of the Jews born
in America are not identifying with being
Jewish. The Jewish people are losing the
Jewish people. We are already not a religion in
great numbers. I was reading an article, which
said that nearly a third of American Jews born
after 2000 answered “none” when asked about
their religious affiliation. “A third”, Yikes! So,
how do we reverse this trend? How do we
keep Jews as Jews? One clear answer is that we
start early and we do it often.
We get our children involved in Jewish
activities and programs from the beginning
because this is when they are most
impressionable, this is when we have control
over what they learn and who they learn it
from. Making the decision to send your child
to a Jewish nursery school in Manhattan should
be an easy one and one which will start them
out on a path of Jewish discovery and keep
our children Jewish. My children are equally
Family Shabbat
Please join us to welcome Shabbat
together with stories and song.
Friday, January 9
5:30 pm - Children up to 3 years old with
Daphna Mor
Friday, January 30
5:30 pm - Children up to 3 years old with
Daphna Mor
5:30 pm - Children 3-6 years with
Gavi Rubin in the Sanctuary
6:30 pm - Children Grades 2-7 with Gavi
Rubin and Phil Rothman on the 4th floor
impressed about how the Jews fled from Egypt
in a flurry and how the oil lasted for eight days
as they are with the “As Seen on TV” glow in the
dark self-cleaning fish tank. They are as excited
about learning from Phil about why we have
an eternal light over the Ark as they are about
why Elsa freezes the city of Arendelle. Disney
does its job bringing children in to the Disney
brand and Brotherhood Nursery School and
other Jewish nursery and day schools around
the United States do their jobs bringing
children into our religion. Just as we give our
children the chance to experience all the fun
things that the Disney brand has to offer, we
should all give our children the chance and
time to experience all the great things being a
Jew has to offer.
When my son was at his grandma’s house
the other day he was describing all the people
who were dressed as Santa during the Santacon
invasion of 2014. My mom asked him if he also
wanted to dress up as Santa Claus and his answer
was a clear “No, I’m Jewish” and his expression
on his face was a clear “that was not a very good
question.” And then he belted out “Dreidel
Dreidel” for good measure. I am a strong
believer that his Jewish nursery school education
helps facilitate that answer, so when he gets the
question about religious affiliation in 20 years,
the answer will clearly be “Jewish.”l
♪ Cantor’s Notes: What About Bill? ♪
by Cantor Mike Weis
C
an it be true? Is Bill Cosby really a rapist?
BILL COSBY!!?? What could be more
devastating to those of us who grew up loving
him? With more and more women stepping
forward accusing him of taking advantage
of them, how can we continue to enjoy
his one-of-a-kind humor? Or what about
Woody Allen who’s been accused of being
a pedophile? Can we still watch his movies?
Or Ernest Hemingway, or James Brown, or
Adrian Peterson…
The list, sadly, goes on and on.
And then there’s the question of Shlomo
Carlebach, who is considered by many to
be the father of modern Jewish music, an
iconic figure whose music has flourished in
every corner of the Jewish world. Though
you would not know it to watch the recent
Broadway production of Soul Doctor, a
biographical look at his life, Carlebach was a
noted womanizer, and used the power of his
charisma and role as a spiritual guide to lure
unsuspecting women into unwanted sexual
encounters. I know some of these women
personally.
But I love his music, and so do millions
of other Jews. Yes, millions! And many of
them don’t even know it. As with Cosby, et
al, can we separate the artist from his work?
Knowing what we know, can we still pray
to the sound of his music or should I just
replace all the Carlebach music I sing at
Brotherhood with other melodies?
After all, Carlebach isn’t the only person
to compose Jewish music. There was music
before him and there has been and will
continue to be music after him. We could
still have a perfectly good service without
his music. Or could we? Carlebach’s legacy
to the Jewish world extends beyond his own
personal body of work. What he accomplished
during his lifetime was nothing short of
miraculous: by the force of his music and
charisma, he single-handedly transformed
the style of modern Jewish communal prayer
from observational to participatory.
Tevet / Shevat 5775
The Brotherhood Synagogue
January 2015
In short, he made pray-ers out of us all.
And for that, he is to be praised. Vilify
him for the rest of it, but not for that. We all
know that we should not look to celebrities
and sports figures as role models on how
to do what is right. Knowing their faults,
however, doesn’t usually stop us from paying
lots of money to see them do what they do
best. Why should it be any different for
Carlebach? Though his behavior in certain
circumstances was deplorable, he brought
an entire generation of Jews closer to their
spiritual roots and laid the foundation for
future generations to get easy access to their
religious heritage, including many of us here
at Brotherhood.
In the grand scheme of things, Carlebach
matters and will continue to matter,
inexcusable behavior aside. Though I am
always on the lookout for new and exciting
music, as long as his music strikes a chord in
our collective soul, then I will still use it.
Such is the power of music. l
7
Brotherhood
Synagogue
Sunday
Tevet/Shevat 5775
January 2015
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
1
✡ Saturday Morning
5
4 pm: Hebrew School
6
4 pm: Hebrew School
7
4 pm: Hebrew School
Saturday
4:22 pm: Candles
3
6:30 pm: Services
OFFICE CLOSED
Shabbat Corner 9:45 am • Junior Congregation 10:30 am • Alef-Bet Club 11 am
4
Friday
2
9:30 am: Services
Bar Mitzvah of
Billy Taylor
.
VAYECHI
8
Noon: Lunch & Learn
5:40 pm: Minyan
9
4:28 pm: Candles
10
9:30 am: Services
Bat Mitzvah of Jane Loy
5:30 pm: Family Shabbat
(0-3)
1:00 pm: Shabbat Club
6:30 pm: Services
SHEMOT
11
2 pm: Matisse
(at MOMA)
12
4 pm: Hebrew School
13
5 pm: ScreeningSecret Jews of Calabria
18
19
9:30 am: Toddlers
14
10 am: Baby Class
15
11 am: Pre-Toddler Class
Noon: Lunch & Learn
10:45 am: Toddlers
4 pm: Hebrew School
2 pm: English In Action
20
4 pm: Hebrew School
3:00 pm Thursday Corner
5:40 pm: Minyan
4:30 pm Hebrew Corner
9:30 am: Toddlers
21
7:30 am: Minyan
22
10 am: Baby Class
Noon: Lunch & Learn
10:45 am: Toddlers
11 am: Pre-Toddler Class
2 pm: English In Action
1:30 pm: Hadassah
Meeting
4 pm: Hebrew School
3:00 pm Thursday Corner
26
9 am: Book of Genesis
27
9:30 am: Toddlers
4:44 pm: Candles
6:30 pm: Services
4:16 pm: Candles
Bar Mitzvah of
Nathan Simon
24
6:30 pm: Services
9:30 am: Services
Bar Mitzvah of
Felix Messeca
bo
ROSH CHODESH
28
10 am: Baby Class
29
9 am: Gentle Yoga
30
4:53 pm: Candles
10 am: English-in-Action
11 am: Pre-Toddler Class
9:30 am: Toddler Class
6:30 pm: Services
5 pm: Book of Exodus
10:45 am: Toddlers
4 pm: Hebrew School
Noon: Lunch & Learn
7 pm: Prayerbook
Hebrew
12:30 pm: Advanced
Haftarah Cantillation
6:30 pm: Harmoni-AH!
2 pm: English-in-Action
5:30 & 6:30 pm: Family
Shabbat Services
8 pm: Jewish Current
Events
4 pm: Hebrew School
7 pm: Maimonides’ Guide
for the Perplexed
3 pm: Thursday Corner
6:30 pm: Engaging Israel
9:30 am: Services
VAERA
23
4 pm: Hebrew School
5:40 pm: Minyan
17
7 pm: NextDor Group /
Rabbi Goldfarb
7 pm: Board Meeting
9 - 1 pm: Tikvah
16
4:30 pm Hebrew Corner
4 pm: Hebrew School
5:40 pm: Minyan
11 am: The Hunger Van
9:30 am: Toddlers
10 am: English-in-Action
OFFICE CLOSED MARTIN LUTHER KING
DAY
25
9:30 am: Toddlers
10 am: English-in-Action
7 pm: Brotherhood Film
Series-Dancing in Jaffa
31
9:30 am: Services
Bat Mitzvah of
Gabriela Rachman
8:30 pm: Voices of the
Sacred
4:30 pm: Hebrew Corner
7 pm: Brotherhood Book
Club
BESHALLACH
Brotherhood Book Club
Sunday, February 22, 2 pm
The Brotherhood Book Club schedule
follows… some great books to read and
talk about!
Exhibit Tour at The Museum of the City of New York
Thursday, January 29:
All the Light You Cannot See
by Anthony Doerr
Thursday, February 19:
The Children Act
by Ian McEwan
Thursday, March 19:
Once We Were Brothers
by Ronald Balson
Thursday, April 16:
Three Strong Women
by Marie Ndiaye
If you have any questions or would like
further info about The Brotherhood
Book Club, please contact Margie Katz
margie.katz@me.com/970-393-0653.
Letters To Afar
Save the Date
Join the Special Events Committee for a guided tour of the “Letters To Afar”
exhibit at the Museum of the City of New York. Letters to Afar: By Péter
Forgács, music by the Klezmatics is an immersive video art installation based
on home movies made by New York City’s Jewish immigrants who traveled
back to visit Poland during the 1920s and 30s. The films document poignant
family reunions and everyday life in small towns in the years before the Second
World War, capturing a culture on the brink.
Cost of the tour: $15 PAYABLE IN ADVANCE! Please email Roberta (rkahn@brotherhoodsynagogue.
org) or call the office 212.674.5750 if you would like to join the tour.