Education
Message from our President
As the weather warms and early blooms appear, I vividly recall a disappointing day during my freshman year in college. While trying to register for my spring classes, I discovered that a course I had been hoping to take was closed. Instead of Modern Fiction, then, I would have to enroll in another class to complete my English requirement. I selected one called Early British Romantic Poetry, which I chose quite reluctantly and did not expect to enjoy.
To my surprise, I loved the class, and over the years I’ve retained much of the knowledge and insight that I acquired by reading works by Shelley, Keats and Wordsworth (whose poems very often employ the imagery of springtime, by the way). Something similar happened in graduate school, when I was closed out of a seminar on Hegel that I was hoping to take. Instead, I had to enroll in a course on the philosophy of art, which was a subject I knew little about and in which I had almost no interest. Little could I have suspected then that I would wind up specializing in just this field, and would write my doctorate dissertation and numerous scholarly articles on this very subject.
To some, turns of events like these may amount to little more than happy coincidences and good luck. Others might see them as instances of what is described by the Hebrew word b’shert, or “what is meant to be.” But it’s not just course selections that reveal these turns of fortune. What would life had been like, for example, had you turned down the invitation to the dinner party where you met your spouse, or where a casual introduction at a cocktail party led to an amazing job offer?
Whether it’s luck or it’s b’shert, very often the most significant gifts that we receive in life, and the ones which help us to grow the most, are not what we expect. Very often, in fact, these occurrences even turn out to be contrary to what we had actually been planning for ourselves.
This is not to say that plans are unimportant. They certainly are. But in addition to all the rational thinking that goes into our plans, we must also cultivate the wisdom to understand the limits of how much planning we should do, when to implement our plans, and when to keep them on the drawing board. We must also learn how to adapt to the surprising dynamics of life by not clinging so stubbornly to our plans when circumstances require us to change.
For me, the takeaway from these memories, and many other besides, is a reminder of the need to be open, receptive and spontaneous in our expectations and dealings with the world. This is precisely the situation we have found ourselves in lately as a congregation. Without planning or searching, we were fortuitously contacted by Cantor Shira Ginsburg, who went on to lead our beautiful High Holiday services this past year. Similarly, just when our previous Cantor, Jason McKinney, was leaving us for a congregation in North Carolina several years ago, Converse University was hiring two new faculty members named Courtney LeBauer and Steve Graff, who, along with Converse Professor Keith Jones, have been gracing our services with their exquisite musical gifts. The same can be said for Elliott McCarthy, who joined our temple at the precise time that we needed the ritual talent and knowledge that he brings to our Friday evening Shabbat services.
Eastern philosophical traditions instruct us to be open to all possibilities. Judaism teaches us to have faith that the lives we live are rich with meaning. Our own experiences as a community inspire us to be grateful for the gifts we enjoy.
With these thoughts in mind, I wish everyone a healthy and joyous spring filled with surprise, wonder and gratitude.
Mark Packer,
President
Message From Our President
Sometime back in the 1980s, the Dalai Lama was visiting the United States. While he
was here, he requested an audience with some rabbis so that he could learn more about Judaism.
During the conversation, he asked one of the rabbis to express, in just a few words, a basic
insight about Jewish belief and practice. The rabbi replied that one essential thing to understand
about Judaism is that Jews always disagree with one another.
“That’s not true!” quipped another rabbi.
Ten Jews, eleven opinions. That’s what my father always used to say. And if we scroll
through the pages of the Talmud, we can see the truth in this. Over the course of many centuries,
rabbis disagreed and debated with one another about such issues as how to interpret the Torah,
what certain symbols in the liturgy mean, and the best ways to practice the rituals, among many
other topics. In the absence of a pope or some other religious authority to settle the matter, the
discussions were left open, without resolution, so that future generations could continue the
conversation.
Yet, in spite of all the differences in opinion, somehow the Jewish people have
remained united as an enduring faith tradition throughout many years of exile, diaspora and
persecution. It amazes me when we host visitors from other countries as far away as Latin
America and Eastern Europe, that we all recite the same prayers and even sing the same
melodies when we pray together as Jews.
Sameness in difference, and difference in sameness, might have been a good way to
inform the Dalai Lama about who we are.
It is therefore rather discouraging to see how these insights and values are quickly
disappearing from American political life. E Pluribus Unum, said the founders of the
Republic: Out of Many, One. But as more and more people burrow ever more deeply into
their information silos and echo chambers on social media and cable news, the value of
difference and disagreement for the democratic conversation has been forgotten, and is even
greeted with hostility. In addition to the many other gifts the Jewish people have given to
Western civilization, the revival of a robust but civil conversation on contentious topics could
certainly be one of them.
Louis Brandeis, who was the first Jewish Justice of the US Supreme Court, aptly noted
that when we find the opinions of others to be disagreeable and even obnoxious, “the remedy
to be applied is more speech, not enforced silence.” Similarly, the philosopher John Stuart
Mill, one of the most passionate defenders of liberty, remarked that however true an opinion
may seem, “if it is not fully, frequently, and fearlessly discussed, it will be held as a dead
dogma, not a living truth.”
As the world around us explodes with controversy and uncertainty, let’s not forget
what these thinkers are teaching us about viewpoint toleration. Let’s also remember how our
traditions instruct us about the life and sustenance to be found in disagreement, as opposed
to the mind-numbing dullness that results from conformity of opinion. To be Jewish is
certainly to disagree with our fellow Jews. Let’s not lose sight of this wisdom when we
disagree with our fellow citizens.
Mark Packer
Our Jewish Forums
Please be sure to join us in the Sisterhood Room for our monthly meetings of the Jewish
Forum. The conversations that the Forum sponsors cover a broad range of issues, from the Israel/
Hamas War, to antisemitism on college campuses, to the experience of being Jewish in the
Upstate of South Carolina. These are challenging times for Israel and Jewish communities all
over the world. Sharing our thoughts with one another during such moments is essential, and
has proved to be an educational and therapeutic experience for everyone who has attended.
There is no agenda. The program is determined entirely by our congregants. Every
conversation is a fresh and spontaneous discussion among people who care about being
Jewish, and wish to share their reflections and experiences with their fellow Jews.
Coffee and dessert are provided by the Sisterhood, and there is no charge to participate.
Please consult the events calendar in Temple Topics for our schedule and stay alert for email
reminders announcing each meeting.
Message from Our President
So the Frenchman says, “I am thirsty. I must have wine.” The German says, “I am
thirsty. I must have beer.” The Jew says, “I am thirsty. I must have diabetes.”
We Jews worry a lot. It’s part of our job description. It’s what we get paid to do.
And there certainly is a great deal to worry about as 2024 begins. The October 7th
pogrom, the war in Gaza along with the global surge in antisemitism, are enough
to keep any of us up at night.
Although my degrees are in philosophy, much of the reading I do is in US history.
And I can attest from the sources I’ve studied that the crises the United States had
to endure as it grew into the nation it is today certainly kept earlier generations of
Americans up at night as well. The military, political, and financial odds of
winning our War of Independence seemed utterly insurmountable at the time.
The Civil War began very badly for the Union, so badly that growing numbers
of Northerners began agitating for a treaty that would simply let the Southern
states go their own way. And World War II also started for the US on a very
discouraging note, as I heard repeatedly from my parents and their contemporar-
ies when I was still young.
Yet, in spite of the darkness that seemed to engross the nation, we endured.
Repeatedly, we met the challenges confronting us and we triumphed.
There were similar reasons for despair as Israel was being established. Right
from the very beginning, the fledgling Jewish nation found itself threatened
from all directions by well-armed neighbors who were firmly committed to
wiping the Jews off the map. But Israel has survived and flourished, even
though each crisis it confronted was profoundly existential and the threat it
posed seemed utterly unique at the time.
When I reflect on these things, I am reminded of the story I once heard about a
Jewish concentration camp prisoner who found a shard of barbed wire on the
ground and sculpted it into the shape of a menorah. I am reminded as well of the
musical fact that the Israeli national anthem, Hatikvah, is composed in a minor
key, which expresses sadness. But the song’s lyrics articulate a hopeful vision of
the Jewish future, thus providing a sense of light amidst the darkness.
I firmly believe that the crises we face today will be surmounted. To succumb to
pessimism and despair is to break faith with the history of our people, which is
replete with miracles of survival. It is to break faith as well as the history of the
one nation on Earth whose Constitution and enduring institutions have provided
us with a haven in which we live our lives as Jews with safety and prosperity.
I wish all of us at Temple B’nai Israel, and the Jewish people worldwide, the
very best for a hopeful and happy New Year.
Mark Packer
President
Message from Our President
Dear Congregation B’nai Israel Members,
This is my last issue of Temple Topics in which I am honored to
write a message as President of our beloved Congregation B’nai
Israel. The past three years as President of our Temple has been an
incredible honor for me.
When I first joined Congregation B’nai Israel, nearly 30 years ago,
I would have never dreamed I would be in a leadership position such as President
of our Temple. Temple President seemed to be a position held by giants within our
Jewish community. I am humbled by, and I appreciate the trust and confidence
you have put in me to lead our board. To quote Sir Isaac Newton, “If I have seen
further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.” It has been a wonderful and
great pleasure serving our Temple and Board these last three years. I am looking
forward to the progress we will make the next three years, as I will be included in
the list of past Presidents of Congregation B’nai Israel.
We will vote on the board slate and a proposal to modify
our kitchen from Kosher to Kosher-Style.
Voting on all other matters requires attendance at the
meeting and our constitution states we do not recognize
proxies. Your attendance is vital so that we can have a
quorum and conduct Temple business. A quorum consists
of “not less than twenty-five percent of the membership in
good standing. A member in good standing shall be
deemed one who is not more than six months in arrears of
payment dues.” If you have any questions about your
status, please contact Susan Abelkop, our Financial
Secretary. Only members in good standing may vote or
serve on the Board.
Along with the meeting, we will enjoy a wine and cheese
social.
Thank you for your time and support of our congregation. I
look forward to seeing you soon.
Warmest regards,
Tina Lyon
President
A Message from Our President
Dear Congregation B’nai Israel Members,
Building on the energy and joy created from a magnificent High Holiday experience with Cantor Shira Ginsburg, I have some wonderful news to share with you. During High Holidays, a very generous, anonymous donor initiated a Fund-Raising Challenge!
This generous donor has pledged to match any new funds donated by our members between October 1 and November 30, 2023, which are in excess of the members’ standard 2023 Dues and Annual Appeal (Fair Share) amounts. The maximum pledge from this donor is $100,000. This means if we raise $100,000 in qualifying donations, the donor will match those funds, and the Congregation will receive $200,000.
The Temple Board has approved a motion supporting all the details of the anonymous donor’s pledge, and I am beyond thrilled to announce this Challenge for our Temple. I hope you take advantage of this opportunity to double the impact of any qualifying donation you would like to make to benefit our Congregation.
If you wish to contribute, you can do so by sending a check made out to Congregation B’nai Israel with 2023 Challenge Campaign on the memo line. If you would like to donate stock or securities, please contact Jan in the Temple Office for specific routing instructions.
Your support is key in helping our Congregation maximize this opportunity! Please consider giving generously to our 2023 Fund Raising Challenge.
Sincerely,
Tina Lyon President