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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 VIII
Iyar / Sivan 5775 May 2015
“Getting in the Groove”
by Rabbi Daniel Alder
R
ight beneath your nose, just above your
upper lip, is a small groove called the
philtrum. Most of us don’t spend much time
thinking about our philtrums (or to be more
precise, philtra), but you may be interested to
learn the Talmudic explanation for how we all
received this seemingly functionless facial
feature.
According to rabbinic legend, before we
are born, a divine light shining from one end
of the universe to the other infuses our souls
with wisdom; in fact, the entire Torah is in our
possession. At the moment of our birth, an
angel reaches out and taps us above our upper
lip, creating the indentation and causing us to
forget all our Torah. The hard drive, as it were,
is wiped clean. With all our Torah gone, the
rabbis explain that the educational mission of
our lives is the process of relearning the Torah
that we actually once knew.
It is a fanciful tale, and probably as strong
an explanation as anyone has for this oddity
of human anatomy. The question, however,
is what is the point of the story? Is there a
redeeming lesson to the fable?
Perhaps the purpose of the story is to
democratize knowledge, to teach each of us
that we are all equally capable of learning
Torah. After all, there was a time that each of
us possessed it in its entirety. Or, the message
could be that God believes that there are limits
to what human beings should know. While we
may have once known the entire Torah, the
Almighty, just as in the Garden of Eden, has set
boundaries on human knowledge preventing
us from knowing too much.
At its most basic level, the point of the
philtrum story, teaches Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove,
is to explain the nature of Jewish learning. The
Jewish learning we do in our lives is a process
of remembering—remembering the past, the
Torah that was once ours. What does this mean
in practical terms? It means that every Jewish
learning experience should seek both to be a
moment of growth and to engender a sense of
belonging, familiarity, and return.
Authentic Jewish learning consists of a
lifetime of “aha” moments whereby we arrive at
truths about ourselves and our shared humanity,
with a sense that those truths have always been
there waiting to be discovered. Marcel Proust
commented in In Search of Lost Time that every
reader of his novel would recognize in himself
what the book says, and that this recognition
would be the proof of its veracity. When we
learn or do or pray Jewishly, we have succeeded
when there is an element of memory and
insight, a remembrance of Torah past.
This model places a huge educational
responsibility on you, the Jewish parent or
grandparent. Because while some may believe
in angels and philtra, we all believe in good
parenting. You have to take your children
to Israel, you have to light Shabbat candles,
celebrate the holidays, bring your children
to shul, talk to them about Jewish identity,
provide them with the inheritance that is
rightfully theirs. If your children are empty
vessels, then they have nothing to return to,
nothing to remember, every Jewish experience
will be new ground, inauthentic and potentially
alienating.
We here at the synagogue will do our best
to take care of what happens in this building.
But recognize that we are in a partnership. In
Shabbat Services
FRIDAY, May 1, 6:30 pm
Musical Kabbalat Shabbat Service
SATURDAY, May 2, 9:30 am
Bat Mitzvah of Mali Abel
FRIDAY, May 8, 7:30 pm
*Note new starting time through Fall*
SATURDAY, May 9, 9:30 am
Bar Mitzvah of Dawson Hall
FRIDAY, May 15, 7:30 pm
SATURDAY, May 16, 9:30 am
Bat Mitzvah of Aeryn Lubelsky
FRIDAY, May 22, 7:30 pm
SATURDAY, May 23, 9:30 am
FRIDAY, May 29, 7:30 pm
SATURDAY, May 30, 9:30 am
Bar Mitzvah of Aidan Levy
your educational institution—your home and
your children’s home—you need to provide the
substratum, filling the groove of young Jewish
minds. l
H
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The Brotherhood Synagogue Hebrew School Presents
a Musical Adaptation of The Wizard of Oz
Wednesday
May 13
Tickets
are $25
Thursday
May 14
All performances
will take place in the
Community Room
at the Brotherhood
Synagogue
@ 7:00PM
You may also choose to be a FRIEND at $36.00 per person
or a PATRON at $72.00 per person
Proceeds benefit the Brotherhood Synagogue Hebrew School
For more information call 212-674-5750 ext. 210
Community Notes:
Is a Trumpet a Shofar with Valves?
by Ralph Larkin
Q
uick, who is the greatest Jewish
trumpeter? Couldn’t think of even one?
That’s because Jewish trumpeters are like
Jewish NFL quarterbacks; there aren’t very
many. If Harry James, one of the greatest
trumpeters in history, came to mind, you are
correct! However, James was less well known
for being Jewish as he was for his beautiful
tone, incredible range, and, of course, his
hard drinking, gambling, womanizing, and
being the husband of Betty Grable. But
there’s always Herb Alpert, who has a Jewish
identity, but whose band is known as The
Tijuana Brass, not The Jerusalem Brass, or
even The Lower East Side Brass. He played
salsa long before he played klezmer music.
When I took up the trumpet at about age
8, Harry James was one of my heroes, not
because we shared a heritage, but because I
wanted to play the trumpet like him. Neither
of us had a Jewish identity. I was a terrible
student; although I wanted to play well, I
had neither the talent nor the willingness
to put in the practice time. However, I was
decent enough to play in school orchestras
and bands. I was also lucky enough to live
in Culver City, California, which had about
as many movie studios, including MGM,
as Hollywood. Culver City was home to a
number of studio musicians. Because of this,
the school district had a free instrumental
music program that I took advantage of. I
played in the high school dance band and
in the orchestra for the yearly musicals. I
continued to play into my first two years of
college. In those days, if you attended a landgrant college – that is, a college that received
its land through the Morrill Act of 1862
– all freshman and sophomore males were
required to take ROTC. I opted to join the
ROTC band, which did not have to march
in close order drill carrying a M1 rifle 1½
hours every Tuesday morning.
Literally 50 years passed before former
Cantor Marina Shemesh came to the
Brotherhood Synagogue and decided to start
a synagogue band. The band was a great idea;
I brushed off my old trumpet and started
practicing. We did devotional songs for
Kabbalat Shabbat services and a few klezmer
and Hanukkah songs one year for the
celebration. Since then, I have been taking
lessons and practicing for about an hour
every day I can, which, I think has tested the
patience of my wife, Debbie.
Those who heard the band at Kabbalat
Shabbat and Hanukkah thought that the
band added a spirit of joy to the services and
celebrations. However, the band was shortlived. Like the Blues Brothers (John Belushi
and Dan Ackroyd), Cantor Mike and I are
on a mission from G-d! We want to get the
band back together and rock the synagogue
with homegrown music. If you play or
have played an instrument in your lifetime,
contact Cantor Mike and tell him you want
to play in the band. We want YOU to join
our mission from G-d! 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!)
Shavuot Services
Erev Shavuot
Saturday, May 23,
7:30 pm
We will once again
follow the practice of
engaging in Jewish study
on Erev Shavuot, as we
commemorate the giving of
the Torah. Following a traditional
light dairy meal, a study session will
be led by Rabbi Daniel Alder. Services and
continued communal study at the 14th
Street Y will follow.
First Day of Shavuot
Sunday, May 24, 9:30 am
Second Day of Shavuot
Monday, May 25, 9:30 am
Yizkor will be recited around 12 pm at
services on Monday, May 25th. Shavuot is
one of the four times a year when we recite
Yizkor prayers in memory of our loved ones.
It is traditional to give gifts of charity in their
names. May every gift be blessed and the
givers thereof.
Shabbat Club
The Brotherhood Synagogue monthly Shabbat
Club will meet on Saturday, May 23 at 1 pm,
when Phil Rothman will lead a discussion on
the holiday of Shavuot. All are welcome to
attend these meetings—members, nonmembers, friends—which last about an
hour. The group meets at 1 pm in the second
floor reception room, opposite the sanctuary
entrance. Beverages and snacks are
served. Please contact Deborah Newman
(newmanddale@aol.com) with suggestions
for topics or discussion leaders. l
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.
Our guided tour of the Four Freedoms Park
on Roosevelt Island was fun and informative and
the picnic dinner afterward, in a cozy heated tent
in the middle of the East River with a spectacular
view of New York’s amazing sights, was delicious.
At our next book club meeting on
Thursday, May 21, at 7 pm we will discuss All
The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr.
Ten years in the writing, Doerr’s novel is an
epic work of historical fiction. With richly
detailed language and characters that are
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both brave and heartbreaking, Doerr weaves
together the stories of a French girl who has
lost her eyesight and a German orphan. As
Hitler’s occupied territory grows, their lives
and families are torn apart; yet this gorgeous
novel is the story of people who, against
the odds, find good in one another. NYU
professor Margaret Boe Birns will expertly
guide our discussion, 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.
Our next event will be on Thursday, May
28 at 4:15 pm, when The New York Historical
Society will host us for a private guided tour of
their new exhibit: To See Jerusalem Before I Die:
Abraham Lincoln and the Jews. The exhibition
argues that Lincoln was changed by his positive
and significant relationships with his Jewish
associates which in turn had an important and
lasting impact on the status of American Jews
in general. Our tour is limited to 20 people at
the cost of $20 per person. We will have dinner
together following the tour at a nearby restaurant.
Details to follow.
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
Iyar / Sivan 5775
May 2015
Shabbat Koleinu:
A Musical Service for the
Entire Congregation
Friday, May 1 at 6:30pm
Join us on Friday, May 1 as
the Koleinu Ensemble joins
us once more for a spirited,
high-octane Shabbat service
you and your kids will love!
Designed for adults and
children of all ages, you won’t
want to miss this exciting, oneof-a-kind Kabbalat Shabbat
experience. Led by Rabbi Alder
and Cantor Weis, Shabbat
Koleinu will feature Tali
Rubinstein, Gil Smushkowitz, Brian Adler, Avram Pengas
and Brotherhood’s own community choir, Harmoni-AH!.
Sholom Aleichem
99th Yahrzeit
“…gather with my children and with the
grandchildren and with just good friends
and read this last will of mine, and pick out
a story, one of the really merry ones…”
BROTHERHOOD SYNAGOGUE
Thursday, May 21 • 6:30 - 9 PM
Check the weekly mail or our website for ticket
information after May 4.
H
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Celebrate Israel
Sunday, May 31
Parade
11 am - 4 pm
The Parade begins at 57th Street and
travels up to 74th Street from 11 am to 4
pm along Fifth Avenue – rain or shine.
As requested by Sholom Aleichem in
his will, the traditional readings of
his stories will take place on
Sunday, May 17, at 8 pm sharp
at the Brotherhood Synagogue and
our members are again cordially invited to
join in the laughter and refreshments.
Please call the office with your RSVP
(212.674.5750) if you would like to be
present for this joyous occasion.
Iyar / Sivan 5775
May 2015
The Brotherhood Synagogue
Israel Festival ‘15
2 -7 pm • Pier 94,
711 12th Ave., NYC (at 52nd St.)
Presented by IAC Israel American Council
Following the Salute to Israel Parade, come
to the Celebrate Israel Festival, the largest
celebration of Israeli culture in New York!!
Over 10,000 community members
are expected to come celebrate the State of Israel with live
entertainment, family activities, culture, food & art.
As “A Friend of the Festival,” Brotherhood will receive 15%
of all sales that come from our members and friends so please
purchase your tickets through our special links which can be
found in the weekly email!
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Happenings in Our Kehilah
B’nai Mitzvah, Mazal Tov to:
Kenneth Abel and Sandra Finkelstein on the
Bat Mitzvah of their daughter, Mali Abel.
Mali, a student at Quest, will celebrate her
simcha with older sisters, Alex and Meredith.
David and Suzanne Hall on the Bar Mitzvah
of their son, Dawson Hall. Dawson, a
student at NEST+m, will celebrate his
simcha with his older sister, Rose.
Mark and Jennifer Lubelsky on the Bat
Mitzvah of their daughter, Aeryn Lubelsky.
Aeryn, a student at NEST+m, will celebrate
her simcha with her younger brother, Samuel.
Steven and Chen Levy on the Bar Mitzvah
of their son, Aidan Levy. Aidan, a student
at East Side Middle School, will celebrate
his simcha with his older brother, Ty, and
younger sister, Tess.
Weddings, Mazal Tov to:
Randi Wasserman and Gary Rosenberg on
the marriage of their daughter, Hara Hoff to
Daniel Korenstein.
Births, Mazal Tov to:
Myra Hushansky on the birth of a grandson,
Gus Berk, born to Amy and Jonathan Berk;
and to older brother, Oscar.
Emily and Jamie Hamilton on the birth of
their daughter, Alice Lily Hamilton.
Katie and Matt Weinstein on the birth of
their daughter, Liv Marris Weinstein, and to
older sister, Leo.
Condolences to:
Rochelle Weintraub on the passing of her
mother, Miriam Schneider.
Helaine Teperman on the passing of her
father, Bertram Feinberg.
Gary Cohen on the passing of his mother,
Diana Cohen.
The family of our member, Sarah Lesser, on
her passing.
Harriet Friedes on the passing of her husband,
and our member, Ariel Distenfeld.
Evan Schneider on the passing of his aunt,
Shirley Becker.
Dominique Shemtov on the passing of her
father, Victor Haim Samama.
Congratulations to:
Sergeant Jonathan Harrison Hill on being
honorably discharged on completion of
his 30 month tour of duty with the Israel
Defense Forces. l
Social Action News
Backpack and School Supply Drive &
Summer Adopt-a-Block Drive
During the month of May, the Social Action
Committee and the Interfaith Committee, will
sponsor a Backpack and School Supply Drive,
and a Summer Adopt-a-Block Drive to benefit
the Dream Center which provides goods, in this case backpacks and school
supplies, and everyday household items, to those living on a fixed income in
housing projects in West Chelsea. Please consider donating the following items
and bring them to the collection box in the lobby:
• Backpacks
• Folders
• Pencils
• Crayons
• Highlighters
• Glue sticks
• Spiral notebooks
• Loose paper
• Hand sanitizer
• Pencil pouches
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• Laundry detergent
(powder or liquid)
• Men’s socks
• Washcloths
• Ziploc baggies
(all sizes)
• Toothbrushes
• Travel size toothpaste
• Travel size hygiene
items
• Granola bars
• Bottles of
water
President’s Posting
I
can’t believe it’s May already. So much has
been happening at Brotherhood that the time
goes by so fast. I hope everyone had an enjoyable
Passover with happy family reunions.
Mark your calendars: Friday night Shabbat
services will begin at 7:30 pm starting May 8.
Kudos and thanks to Tracie Basch and
the entire Brotherhood Synagogue Benefit
Committee for a splendid Synagogue Schools
Gala on April 23. It was a lot of fun and all
of our students and parents appreciate your
contributions!
You are all invited to a special Friday night
musical Kabbalat Shabbat service with the
Shabbat Koleinu Ensemble and Cantor Weis
on Friday, May 1 beginning at 6:30 pm. Please
join us and bring friends too!
Remember, Somewhere Over The Rainbow
from The Wizard of Oz? Well, the Brotherhood
Synagogue Hebrew School is once again
presenting its annual Broadway musical and
this year it is… The Wizard of Oz. We have
our own Glinda and the Wicked Witch of the
West. Make sure you get your tickets early. It’s
on two nights only, May 13 and 14. You won’t
want to miss it!
On Sunday, May 17, Brotherhood will again
host the Sholom Aleichem Yahrzeit at 8:00 pm.
If you have never attended this celebration, it’s
always moving and entertaining, especially if
you want to hear some Yiddish and enjoy some
amazingly talented performers who will read
some of this great storyteller’s stories.
The last days of the Hebrew School year are
May 19 and 20. The annual Chai-Q contest will
be held on Wednesday, May 6. Let’s see which
one of our students will win the prize this year!
We celebrate Shavuot May 23th–May
25th. On Monday, May 25th (Memorial
Day), we start services at 9:30 am with Yizkor
to be recited around noon. We also hope all
Brotherhood kids and families will join us at
1:00 pm on Sunday, May 24 for our annual
Shavuot Ice Cream Party!
This leads us right into vacation time,
well, at least for the kids. They go off to camp
and kids and parents will be busy texting and
Skyping!
Rabbi Alder will again invite some of our
congregants to be guest speakers at Friday
night Shabbat Services. I remember when I
first started attending services at Brotherhood,
this was a great way to meet new people in our
Kehillah.
I hope I will get to personally say hello to
many of you at services or one of our programs.
Please let me know if there is a committee you
would like to join. It’s such a great way to meet
new people that share your interests.
L’Shalom,
Judy Shapiro
The Brotherhood Synagogue
Iyar / Sivan 5775
May 2015
Yahrzeits
^Garden of Remembrance
May 2-8
*Israel B. Aaronson, ^Rebecca Abelson, *Maurice
Adams, Seymour Bauchner, Shirley Bauchner, Bernard
Baumstein, Moshe Bialer, Y’chiel Bronfman, ^Rose
Carlin, Helen Cohen, Matthew Consumano, *John
Delay-Naftalis, ^Renee Feinberg, *Irene C. Field, Beril
Chazen Gershenson, Morris Goffin, Ceal Goldman,
Lydia Goldstein, ^Marjorie R. Goodrich, ^Nathaniel H.
Goodrich, Hans Guggenheim, Jean Haberman, ^Belle
Hocky, Hopestill Hunter, Irving Jacobs, Alan Kornfeld,
^*Theresa F. Lasser, *Joan D. Laufer, ^Rose Magram,
Alan Mamber, ^Joseph Margolis, *Mortimer M.
Natilson, Winifred Ornati, Neil Pace, Arnold Penenberg,
^Lili Reinis, Carl Ross, ^*Rosalind G. Roy, Joseph Saba,
Bernard Schneider, Corinne Schube, ^Samuel Schwartz,
^Gittel Silberling, Albert Soifer, Ethel Solender, Leah
Spielman, Anita Stern, *Saul Unterweiser, Samuel J.
Warner, ^Isaac L. Weiner, Martin Wexer
May 9-15
Gordon Alpert, Mildred Behrens, ^Harry Berke, Bob
Birnbaum, ^*Julius Cohen, ^Harry Cohn, *Florence
Dolitsky, *Selma Eisinger, Philip Elson, Samuel Farber,
*Anita Frankel, ^Aaron Friedman, Toby Garfin, Fannie
Brotherhood Book Club
Thursday, May 21 at 7 pm
The Brotherhood Book Club will meet at
7 pm in the Library on Thursday, May
21 to discuss Nomi Eve’s Henna House.
If you are interested in joining the Book
Club, please contact Margie Katz at margie.katz@me.com. All are welcome.
*Book of Remembrance
Gerstein, ^Annette Green, Carl Groh, Frieda Gutterman,
^Mildred Haas, Harry Hansell, Joe Hill, ^Nathan
Izenzon, Robert Jordan III, Helen Kasman, ^Pearl Krauss,
^Jonas Landau, Estelle Levine, Charles Maikish, ^Pauline
Musiker, Ida Newton, ^Harold Pomerantz, ^Nathan
Ray, Eric Reagen, ^Hal Reiff, ^Curt Reisner, *Isidore
Rosenbaum, ^Emanuel Rosenberg, Sidney Rosenfeld,
^Mina Rubin Roth, Gerald Rothberg, ^Samuel Rubinoff,
^Esther Sager, Lazarus Sainer, Benjamin Salom, Abraham
Schenker, Charles Schwartz, ^Col. Milton Seaman,
Jack Silverstein, ^Lillian Singer Simon, ^Alita Dee Star,
^Abraham Boris Strauss, Milton Teitelbaum, Lenora
Vassil, *Anabel Weiner, ^Joseph Weisglass, ^Seymour
Weisglass, *Martin Wittenstein
Ellias, Richard Evans, Mary Feinstein, *Dr. Arnold B.
Field, Hanna Flame, *Frank Frankel, Albert W. Fuss,
Celia Gardner, ^Anna Gold, ^Sally Green, *Jacob
Grossman, George Katz, Daniel King, Edward Klauber,
Ralph M. Larkin, Louis Lieberman, *Esther Lipshie,
Phoebe Margolis, ^George Marton, ^Frieda Meyerson,
Esther Miles, Sherley Plasse, Bernard Plutzer, ^Fannie
Cohen Poller, *Sidney Poswolsky, Jacob Pukatch, Adina
Raviv, ^Herman Reinis, Richard Robbins, Louis Ross,
Rose Roth, *Besse Satosky, Jacob Schneier, Beatrice
Schoenberg, Ruth Simring, *Adele Topolsky, ^Stanley
Topper, Lottie Tucker, ^Ruth Varsano, Irving Weber,
Sam Weinman, Gertrude Winn
May 16-22
^Irving Abraham, Sydell Alper, Norman Apt, George
Bergofin, *Hyman Berkowitz, ^Rose Bernstone, ^Irving
Birnbach, ^Armand Blatt, Ralph Click, Hyman Eisenberg,
^Israel Finder, Bernice Fine, ^Manny Fox, Jacob
Goldklang, *Arthur Greeninger, Charlotte Hamburger,
Jacob Hill, Freda Hofstetter, *Lena Elias Israel, *Louis
Katz, Roberta Klein, *Harold Klein, Rose Korach, George
Krulik, ^Arnold Lappert, Marcia Lash, Susan Levin, *Ana
Ottilie Lourie, ^Kathe Mansfeld, Kate Markovitz, Sam
Miller, ^Rudolf Nachman, Hermann Nachmann, *Edith
Perman, *Harry Ralston, Mary Rockower, Shirley Rosen,
Abram Rubinstein, Shaindy Rudoff, Max Jack Schneider,
David G. Schorr, Marcia Schwartz, *Harold John Shaine,
Judith Shiffman, Michael Shiffman, Hinde Shragowitz,
Julia Simon, Shirley Speer, Rina Stempel, ^Ezra Strong,
^Sol Sunkin, *Fred Weideger, Boris Weisman, ^Julius
Winicki, ^Samuel Zolick, Louis Zonon, Rose Zonon
^Edward S. Abrahams, Jack Abramowitz, ^Alfred
Alterman, Ernest Beck, Roberta Berk, Jack Berkman,
Wilbur Bobker, Hananiah Borochov, Marcus Breier, Sylvia
Brown, Ida Cooper, *Vera Cushin, Joseph Epstein, Ralph
Fleckman, Sarah Fox, Seymour Gazes, Joseph Godfrey,
^*Pearl Greeninger, Muriel Gross, Carol Grunberg, Ethel
Cohen Guild, ^Olly Billig Hahn, Dorothy Herman,
*Charlotte Heyman, ^Milton Hoffman, William Jassey,
Jerome D. Kaleko, *Isidor Korein, *Max Krumholz, ^Max
Levine, ^Jennie Mahler, *Asher Markowitz, ^Abraham
Menaker, Seymour Meskin, ^Harry Meyer, ^Israel Miller,
Manny Mortz, *Malke Moses, ^Irving Moskowitz,
Edward Perlow, Joel Reiss, Clara Rofman, Martin Roth,
Israel Schenkolewski, *Harry Schlanger, Joyce Schupak,
*Hyman Seidman, ^Judith (Julia) Seinfeld, Morris Spiegel,
Lloyd Walther, ^Jerry Weiss, Joel Weprin, Millie Wine,
Mae Winston, Irving Wolfson
May 23-29
^Leo Alperson, *Simon Baumann, *Helen Shrom
Berkman, ^Harry A. Bernstone, Edwin Blate, ^Theodore
Blum, ^Max Braver, ^Louis Hannon Burgoff, Irving
Cohen, Bernard Domow, ^Ben Dubin, Abraham
The Chesed* Committee
May 30-June 5
GRAMERCY PARK
MEMORIAL CHAPEL
353 Second Avenue New York, NY 10010
(212) 477-6334
Wants You to Know
The Committee has prepared A Guide to End of Life Issues that provides information and
resources for community members facing issues of illness, death, and dying. For example, it
offers guidance as to Jewish tradition regarding funerals and mourning. The Guide can be
found at brotherhoodsynagogue.org/pdf/endoflifeissues.pdf.
*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.
Jazz
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
@ BROTHERHOOD
JUDY SHAPIRO: President
PHILLIP ROTHMAN:
Executive and Education Director
Courtesy of Michael Dwass
An audience of 75 enjoyed an evening of superb Israeli Jazz, wine, and snacks
at Brotherhood’s Jazz Cabaret on Saturday, March 28th.
Iyar / Sivan 5775
May 2015
The Brotherhood Synagogue
Congregation founded in 1954
Historic Landmark Building
erected in 1859
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Hebrew School News:
by Barbara Simon
A
nother Hebrew School year has flown
by! The Hebrew School month begins on
May 6 with our long-awaited Chai-Q Contest!
Our students and their families have been
studying feverishly to compete in this amazing
Jeopardy-style game—with questions based on
basic precepts of Jewish life and Jewish law.
Categories include: Jewish holidays; Bible; Law
& Customs and Israel. Our emcee will be the
inimitable Phil Rothman, and, as promised,
there will be prizes galore! The names of the
Grand Champion and first, second and third
place winners will be published in next month’s
Brotherhood Bulletin.
The following week, Wednesday May 13 @
7 pm marks the opening night of our Hebrew
School’s musical adaptation of The Wizard of
Oz. Our second and final performance of The
Wizard of Oz will take place on Thursday May
14 @ 7 pm. Several of the musical numbers will
be performed both in Hebrew and in English.
Among them: Somewhere Over the Rainbow,
Ding Dong the Witch is Dead, The Merry Old
Land of Oz and The Jitterbug. We are excited
about this production—and hope that you will
be able to attend. Tickets are now on sale! To
purchase tickets, contact Bunny Blei at bblei@
brotherhoodsynagogue.org.
Kitah Zayin’s (7th Grade) Siyyum (Completion Ceremony) will take place on Friday, May
15, at the 7:30 pm Sanctuary services. Our 7th
Graders will be helping to lead the service and will
share reflections about what growing up in the
Brotherhood Synagogue community has meant
to them. They will also tell us about the 7th Grade
Tzedakah projects—Magen David Adom (Israel’s
Emergency Medical Care System) and the World
Wildlife Foundation—and why they chose them.
Kitah Bet’s (2nd Grade) Stepping Up
Ceremony will take place that Shabbat
morning May 16, as our 2nd graders celebrate
their promotion from the Aleph Bet Club to
Junior Congregation and mark their first day
of attendance as full-fledged members of Junior
Congregation.
The last school day of this year’s Monday
and Wednesday students is Wednesday, May
20, and for the Tuesday students (in Gan
Seeking Graduation News
We would like to hear about all graduations
from High School, College and Professional
and Graduate Schools for listing in our
June bulletin. Please contact the
synagogue with this information
and any future plans of the graduates
by May 13th.
Phone: 212-674-5750 or Fax: 212-505-6707
or Email: rabbi@brotherhoodsynagogue.org
Shavout
Ice Cream
Party
for Brotherhood kids and families!
Sunday, May 24 at 1 pm
Hear the Ten Commandments read aloud and
join us afterwards in eating a dairy dish to
symbolize the sweetness of the
giving of the Torah and the land of
milk and honey:
Ice cream sundaes with all
the toppings!
6
(Kindergarten), Kitah Aleph (1st Grade) &
Kitah Bet (2nd Grade)) the last school day of
the year is Tuesday, May 19. Our first day of
Hebrew School for the coming school year
(5776—2015-2016) is Wednesday, September
16, for Kitot Gimmel through Vav (3rd through
6th Grades); for the Tuesday students (Gan
(Kindergarten), Kitah Aleph (1st Grade), Kitah
Bet (2nd Grade), Kitah Zayin (7th Grade)) the
first day of school will be Tuesday, October 13.
On the evening of Saturday, May 23
through Monday May 25 we will be celebrating
the Festival of Shavuot—the Feast of Weeks (7
weeks after Pesach). There will a special Shavuot
Celebration-Ice-Cream Party for the children
on Sunday, May 24 @ 1 pm. The Shavuot
Ice-Cream Party is a Brotherhood tradition,
based upon our tradition of eating dairy on
Shavuot, as we awaited the arrival of the Ten
Commandments and Torah! Please join us for
the wonderful and delicious celebration!
Wishing you all a healthy, safe and
productive summer!
L’Shalom, Barbara l
Brotherhood Synagogue
Schools Benefit
The Brotherhood Synagogue Schools Spring Benefit which was
held on Thursday, April 23 was a tremendous success! All
our thanks to Tracie Basch and Rita Godin (Benefit Committee
co-chairs); to Randi Press and Kate Uziel (Journal Committee
co-chairs); to Randi Press for all of the beautiful graphics and our
website design; Jason Valdina for creating our website; David Fine
for creating our video; to Pamela Chisling for lighting the event so
beautifully; to Stacey Kopp for helping with solicitations; to Laura
Guttman and Roseanne Olken who did the Wishing Wall and
to all the other parents and staff who helped set up and execute
another amazing event. And, of course, thanks to all of our
members, staff, family, and friends who came out and supported
our schools with journal ads, donations and with their spirited
presence at the benefit!
The Brotherhood Synagogue
Iyar / Sivan 5775
May 2015
Nursery School Thoughts
by Judy Batalion
I
’ve always championed “community” as an
ideal, but the truth is, I’ve not been that
good at it. This is, I think, partially due to my
personality—a neurotic writer who is more at
ease behind thick glasses and a laptop than in
the midst of a group schmooze, and partially
due to my longtime nomadic lifestyle—before
becoming a mother, I spent nearly two decades
roaming countries and careers. Registering at
Brotherhood—a school, a shul—meant that for
the first time in a very long time I was formally
entering a semi-permanent clan. I craved
being part of this community (parent friends
with whom to discuss rapid strep throat tests
and day camp, and so many of them pregnant
like me!—though they all looked better) but I
was also nervous. I wasn’t sure I knew how.
Fortunately, I didn’t have to. Before
my daughter even began the Yellow Room,
we were being invited to apartments and
playdates. On the first day of school, fellow
moms insisted on treating me to coffee (forget
the decaf, this is my first separation!). We saw
families on weekends at birthday parties and
holiday events. Email lists circulated about
extra-curricular activities and gatherings on
days-off. And all this outside the formal events
and committees.
But it was the birth of my second daughter
during the winter break that really made me
see I was part of a special society. For some
reason, the email birth announcement I’d sent
around (and with hesitation—I didn’t want to
trouble people during their holidays) did not
go through. So many Brotherhood parents
were concerned, texting and calling me and my
husband during the vacation to check in and
make sure we were all OK, asking what they
could do to help. After that, for months, my
daughter was invited on constant playdates,
moms reaching out on a daily basis to offer
to help lighten our load. It is already April,
and still, I have been baffled to continue to
receive exquisite and thoughtful gifts from
Brotherhood families for both of my children.
Family Shabbat
Please join us at Brotherhood for our
wonderful Family Shabbat service!
Friday, May 1
5:30 pm - Children up to 3 years old with
Daphna Mor in the Yellow Room.
Older siblings welcome!
On a particularly gray winter morning,
when the combination of my husband being
away on business, post-partum sciatica,
lactation issues and sheer exhaustion collided
with the snowfall in such a way that even
the thought of taking my daughter to school
felt impossible, I emailed the Yellow Room
telling them my daughter would be absent
that day. I felt terrible about sacrificing my
elder’s education for my younger’s feed and,
filled with guilt, was expecting a reply that
rightly chastised my behavior. But instead,
one of Zelda’s teachers wrote back right away.
Not only did he empathize and make me feel
less ashamed, he offered to come over to our
apartment after school to help with childcare.
So touched, at that moment, I knew that
my growing little family was part of a much
greater one.
As our family’s first Brotherhood year comes
to an end (already?!) I feel that not only do I
have a new set of friends, but I have, I hope,
learned what it means to be communal. When
I was first looking at preschools, I was drawn
to those that valued the development of social
skills, conversation, and communication.
Basically, I have had the ideal preschool
experience alongside my daughter. l
♪ Cantor’s Notes: A Cantor Recharges ♪
by Cantor Mike Weis
W
here do cantors go to get inspiration?
Why, Chicago of course. Sometimes,
Los Angeles or Weston, Florida or even East
Rutherford, New Jersey!
Every year, in early May, Conservative
cantors from around the world gather
together to schmooze, sing, eat and engage in
cantorial mayhem. For four days and nights,
we learn from some of the finest hazzanim
in the world and watch them practice their
craft. Since my student days at JTS, no other
educational opportunity has provided me
with the kind of genuine inspiration and
fellowship that I feel when I’m surrounded
by my fellow cantors.
But it’s not just the singing, of which,
quite frankly, there can be TOO much at
times. (Yes, even cantors get tired of listening
to other cantors sing!) It’s the eagerness that
everyone there has to connect to one another,
to befriend and to empower.
The CA doesn’t just provide the means
for cantors to gather together once a year and
have a good time, though. The CA works
Iyar / Sivan 5775
May 2015
year-round to advance both the profession
of the cantorate and help them, i.e. me, to
better serve their communities.
One of the chief ways of doing that is via
our e-mail listserv, which I use on almost a daily
basis. Need an idea for a class to teach? Need
music for a special service you’re planning?
Even have a question about an obscure bit
of Hebrew grammar? There’s someone there
who will volunteer to answer, usually several.
The generosity of my colleagues never ceases
to amaze me. There’s a true sense that we are
all in this together and exist both to serve our
communities, as well as each other.
Maybe it’s this generosity of spirit that
has led me to become more deeply involved.
I’m not just a member of the CA. I also
am part of the Executive Committee (EC)
that helps to set priorities and keep the
organization moving in a positive direction. I
have brought my own expertise with graphics
and technology from my previous career to
bear in a wide variety of ways, as an advisor,
teacher and collaborator.
The Brotherhood Synagogue
One of my responsibilities as a member of
the EC is to raise a certain amount of money
each year. Rather than do the simple thing
and just ask for it, I always like to complicate
things and have used my fundraising
commitment as an opportunity (some might
say excuse) to bring more music to our own
community. Following on the extremely
successful cantorial concert we put on back in
January of 2014, we will be holding another
blowout cantorial concert, featuring a few of
my favorite cantors.
Until then, just to keep things interesting,
the Cordoba Institute will be hosting an
interfaith concert right here at Brotherhood.
The performers are Farid Ayaz and the Abu
Mohammed Qawwals, along with our very
good friend Basya Schechter and her band,
Pharoah’s Daughter. If you’ve never heard
qawwali music before, you will not want
to miss this amazing evening. And Basya is
always fantastic. But get your tickets soon.
Qawwali ALWAYS SELLS OUT! And I’m
not kidding. See you there. l
7
Brotherhood
Synagogue
Iyar / Sivan 5775
May 2015
✡ Saturday Morning: Shabbat Corner 9:45 am • Junior Congregation 10:30 am • Alef-Bet Club 11 am
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
1
7:34 pm: Candles
Saturday
2
5:30 pm: Family Shabbat
(up to 3 years old)
9:30 am: Services
Bat Mitzvah of Mali Abel
6:30 pm: Services
Shabbat Koleinu
ACHAREI MOTKEDOSHIM
3
4
9 am: Tikvah
5
4 pm: Hebrew School
9:30 am: Toddlers
6
10 am: Baby Class
10 am: English-in-Action
11 am: Pre-Toddler Class
10:45 am: Toddlers
4 pm: Hebrew School
7
9:30 am: Toddler Class
3 pm: Thursday Corner
4 pm: Hebrew School
4:30 pm: Hebrew Corner
5:40 pm: Minyan
2 pm: English-in-Action
LAG BA’OMER
10
11
9 am: Tikvah
12
4 pm: Hebrew School
9:30 am: Toddlers
13
10 am: Baby Class
14
9:30 am: Toddler Class
10 am: English-in-Action
11 am: Pre-Toddler Class
Noon: Lunch & Learn
10:45 am: Toddlers
4 pm: Hebrew School
3 pm: Thursday Corner
4 pm: Hebrew School
7 pm: Wizard of Oz
(school play)
5:40 pm: Minyan
18
19
4 pm: Hebrew School
9:30 am: Toddlers
20
10 am: Baby Class
11 am: Pre-Toddler Class
21
9:30 am: Toddler Class
4 pm: Hebrew School
2 pm: English-in-Action
LAST DAY OF MONDAY
& WEDNESDAY
HEBREW SCHOOL
3 pm: Thursday Corner
25
9:30 am: Services
26
SHAVUOT
FIRST DAY
31
9:30 am: Toddlers
7:30 pm: Services
27
10 am: Baby Class
BEHARBECHUKOTAI
22
7:54 pm: Candles
7:30 pm: Services
23
BeMIDAR
EREV SHAVUOT
28 9:30 am: Toddler Class 29
7:30 am: Minyan
8 pm: Candles
10:45 am: Toddlers
2 pm: English-in-Action
7:30 pm: Services
5:40 pm: Minyan
3 pm: Thursday Corner
ROSH CHODESH
You’re Invited to a Sizzling Time
Join Us At Brotherhood Synagogue’s
Annual Fund BBQ
30
9:30 am: Services
Bar Mitzvah of
Aidan Levy
4:30 pm: Hebrew Corner
If you’ve given to Brotherhood’s Annual Fund…
(if you haven’t yet given, you’re invited to
make a contribution… and then…
9:30 am: Services
1 pm: Shabbat Club
7:30 pm: Services
Noon: Lunch & Learn
11 am: Pre-Toddler Class
9:30 am: Services
Bat Mitzvah of
Aeryn Lubelsky
4:30 pm: Hebrew Corner
YIZKOR
SHAVUOT
SECOND DAY
Monday, June 1 @ 6 pm
RSVP by May 26
EMOR
16
7 pm: Brotherhood
Book Club
10 am: English-in-Action
MEMORIAL DAY
OFFICE CLOSED
7:48 pm: Candles
6:30pm: Qawwali Concert
LAST DAY OF TUESDAY
HEBREW SCHOOL
1 pm: Shavuot
Ice Cream Party
15
Noon: Lunch & Learn
10:45 am: Toddlers
5:40 pm: Minyan
9:30 am: Services
*Please note the new
start time for Services
which continues through
Summer
9:30 am: Services
Bar Mitzvah of
Dawson Hall
2 pm: English-in-Action
4 pm: Hebrew School
7 pm: Board Meeting
24
9
7 pm: Wizard of Oz
(school play)
10 am: English-in-Action
8 pm: Sholom Aleichem
Yahrzeit
7:41 pm: Candles
7:30 pm: Services
4:30 pm: Hebrew Corner
mother’s day
17
8
Noon: Lunch & Learn
Join us for hotdogs,
burgers (veggie too), a
frosty long neck beer,
good music and good
times. Bring the kids of
course. And—thanks
to you—celebrate an
extraordinary year for
our Annual Fund.
NASSO