9/4 Nancy Rosenberg
9/6 Irene White
9/9 Benjamin Koser
9/10 Steve Smiley
9/12 Karen Lyon
9/13 Gary Smiley
9/17 Andrew Green
9/19 Eileen Acanfora
9/19 Sherry Fohr
9/19 Juanita Lustgarten
9/19 Gary Poliakoff
9/20 Hanna Kate Frye
9/25 Junie White
9/26 Larry Abelkop
9/26 Elijah Goldman
9/28 Marvin Siegel
9/28 Nancy Yoffe
9/29 Henry Barnet
9/29 Louis Smith
9/3 Sarah & Thomson Halley
9/12 Pam & Jay Kaplan
9/25 Stefanie & Richard Keen
9/1 Andras Koser
9/1 Heidi Moss
9/2 Sandra Packer
9/3 Robert Parsons
9/3 Rose W. Tanenbaum
9/5 Joyce Baccile
9/5 Avrom A. Lustgarten
9/5 Sara G. Portnoy
9/6 Miriam Antopolsky
9/7 Risa Sher
9/8 Rebecca Anderson
9/8 Joan Hendrickson
9/8 Shirley D. Kohn
9/8 Dora Malinow
9/8 Agnes Rose
9/9 Selma Steinberg
9/10 Hannah Greenwald
9/10 Sally Witz
9/11 Ceil Nussbaum
9/11 Irving “Sonny” Price
9/12 Harris Abelkop
9/12 Sophia Robinson
9/12 Max Smith
9/15 Irving Lessner
9/16 Annie C. Kassler
9/17 Marsha Borew
9/17 Larry Buchman
9/17 Sonya Packer
9/18 Benjamin Frank
9/18 Joseph Kirshman
9/19 Moshe Weisz
9/22 Pearl Tanenbaum
9/23 Sydelle B. Bronstein
9/24 Edward Gray
9/25 Katie Cohen
9/25 Morton Massey
9/25 Bella Price
9/25 Joe Rex
9/27 Minnie Sandler
9/29 Jennie H. Cohen
9/29 Mark A. Fleishman
9/29 Harry From
9/29 Philip Weintraub
9/29 William M. Wimpy
9/30 Linda Rosenberg
9/30 Joel L. Tananbaum
Turn it, and turn it, for everything is in it. Reflect on it and grow old and gray with it. Don’t turn from it, for nothing is better than it. (Pirkey Avot chapter 5) Ben Bag-Bag.
Dear Friends,
At this time of writing, we are well into reading from the book of Deuteronomy. It is largely a farewell speech by Moses as the People of Israel are about to enter the Promised Land. Its title differs from the Hebrew Devarim which simply means Matters and connotes Divine utterances. The Western title Deuteronomy does indeed capture the theme of the book as well for the book is filled with repetitions, most prominently another version of the Ten Commandments. Readers are often perplexed by this repetition. I think of the apparent redundancy as consistent with the modern Hebrew saying – “I have already seen this movie!” A deeper look, however, will allow the reader to take note of subtle differences which offer some exquisite meanings not found in the previous version.
As we begin our calendrical sojourn to the High Holy Days in the late summer as our tradition bids us to do, I anticipate the liturgy in our Prayer book, the Machzor. The late Rabbi Richard J. Israel author of “the Kosher Pig and other Curiosities of Modern Jewish Life” told the anecdote of the Jew who was seen ripping out a page from the High Holy Day prayer book. Facing rebuke by another member of the community, he said: “It is my custom that the week before the New Year I rip out a single page out of our Machzor. Though I plan to live as long as Moses did, (120 years) there would still be thousands of pages left to omit even if I were to live to the age of Methuselah. (1000 years)
Our A.D.D, culture surely encourages brevity. Just consider the fifteen-minute segments in our regular TV shows punctuated by commercials and previews. In my youth my Rabbi would offer his High Holy Day sermon which would go on for at least forty-five minutes. What was the fifteen minutes introduction is now the standard length of any rabbinical talk. Any longer than that would prompt some members of the flock to point comically to their watch as a not too subtle reminder it was time to wrap things up. Fair enough as most of us in our culture do not have what Germans called Sitzfleish. Or as a modern quip would have it – “The mind can absorb no more than the seat can endure!” Many a Jewish visitor to Protestant Churches are impressed by the brevity of the service. Not so much at a full Catholic Mass in which you can likewise grow fungus by the time it is over. Our 24 hours Yom Kippur marathon does contain numerous repetitious prayers causing not a few eye-rolls when hearing Avinu Malkeinu yet once more.
The above quote by the rabbinic sage and disciple of Hillel the Elder some two thousand years ago is wise as it is ironic. He offers the imperative that we engage in repetition as you never know what things you may have missed the first time. Why ironic? Aside from this single maxim encouraging a second or even third look he is not mentioned any where else in the Talmud. His teachings were quite brief. My seventh grade English teacher told me that one would do well to re-read Huck Finn every ten years as we all have new eyes as the years pass. It is also the same for viewing classic films such as The Graduate. In my youth I saw Mrs. Robinson as a villainous character. As the years have passed, I now see her as a pained, almost sympathetic figure compromised by the choices she made in her youth.
Looking forward to seeing you at the High Holy days again and again and again and again, if not sooner!
Rabbi Yossi Liebowitz, D.D.
I hope everyone has enjoyed a wonderful summer and is beginning to look ahead to the fall season.
I know many of us are preparing for our children or themselves to go back to school. My favorite part about this time of year has always been school supply shopping. I have enjoyed this ritual for decades. From my own education, teaching elementary school to sending three children to school, I could not wait for school supplies to be displayed at the local office and discount stores. I literally could look at school supply offerings for hours. Making selections could even take more than one trip to the store. For me, new notebooks have endless possibilities, with the shiny cover and the pristine lined pages. What will I document in them, how will they be filled? Will it be with facts? Will I write a well-intentioned journal that I invaria- bly stop after a few weeks, or will it be daily lists that seem to go on forever?
Also, I am accustomed to using a paper planner, no digital calendar for me. I use a planner that is based on the academic year and guess what, this is the time of the year to select a new planner! More fun for me! I pour over websites that sell planners. It is truly amazing these days, the planner selections.
One can select a planner from their favorite designer or you can actually “build” a planner from cover to cover with just about any calendar configura- tion imaginable. Once I select and receive my planner, again, endless possi- bilities. What will I do productive this year and keep track of in my new planner? Will it be board meetings, luncheons, maybe a party here and there? Basically, a new planner is a blank slate with so many prospects, hope and renewal.
The time of year to purchase new note- books and a planner dovetail for me with the Jewish High Holidays that also bring with them a blank slate. We celebrate the beginning of a new year and the ending of the past year with much observation, reflection and reverence. After Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur the sense of renewal and hope is palpable.
Our Rabbi and Ritual Committee are busy planning the High Holidays which we hope to observe in person and virtually. Please check the calendar in Temple Topics for all upcoming events. In August there is a Temple BBQ planned at which I hope to see many of you. During September we observe Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur, Sukkot and Simchat Torah along with going back to Sunday School. Already, the calendar is filling up with so many possibilities!
I wish your notebooks and calendars to be filled with all you enjoy, be that time with family and friends or other endeav- ors that make you joyful. Most of all I wish each of you a wonderful new season and year, Shanah Tova!
Tina Lyon
Board President, Congregation B’nai Israel
Covid-19 Policy for the High Holy Days
The Ritual Committee in concert with the Temple Board met this week to outline a Covid-19 Policy for the upcoming High Holy Days services. Based on the most recent CDC guidelines, those who are fully inoculated are welcome to attend holiday services in person, and mask wearing is expected. Services will be streamed via Facebook Live for those unable to attend. We want everyone to be healthy and happy for the New Year.
8/2 Ruben Falcon
8/4 Arleen Siegel
8/6 Carter Smith
8/6 Joan Barnet
8/6 Lynn Stauber
8/11 Sandy Smiley
8/17 Ben Stauber
8/24 Thomson Halley
8/24 Mark Lurey
8/24 Tina Lyon
8/25 Jennifer Orseck
8/26 Kim Pickett
8/27 Daniel Falcon
8/29 Ina Minsky
8/30 Ray Frye
8/15 Alane & Rex Russell
8/16 Ina & Mike Minsky
8/19 Carter & Louis Smith
8/22 Lori & Rob Axelrod
8/25 Lianne & Dave Wood
8/29 Louise & Steve Garrell
8/31 Arden Levy & Mark Lurey
8/01 Samuel Feinstein
8/01 Myer Poliakoff
8/01 William A. Poulson
8/02 Eva Geller
8/02 Leo Gunther
8/02 Mitchell R. Price
8/02 Fannie Simon
8/03 Max Greenwald
8/03 Jennie Novey
8/03 Sara Simmons
8/04 Samuel Fox
8/05 Bea Adelman
8/06 Ben Barbarash
8/09 Henry B. Barnet, Jr.
8/09 Ida Koshak
8/09 Max Lessner
8/10 Fannie R. Cohen
8/10 Edward Shane
8/11 Calvin Fuller, Jr.
8/11 Frank Hendrickson
8/11 Sam Hyman
8/11 Gert Klein
8/11 Miriam Levine
8/11 Rachel L. Michel
8/11 Rebecca Schaefer
8/11 Irving Zeiger
8/12 David Adelman
8/12 Harold Bronstein
8/13 Leon Britanisky
8/13 Sylvia Leader
8/13 Ralph Tanenbaum
8/13 Dorothy Wimpy
8/15 Rose Gilpin
8/17 Rose Levine
8/19 Fannie Taffet
8/20 Arthur Lewson
8/21 Sam Sega
8/22 Paul Briller
8/23 Harry Wise, Jr.
8/24 Irving M. Margolis
8/24 Jay Weinberger
8/26 Lenore Miller
8/26 Muriel Packer
8/27 Irving Briller
8/27 Mildred Tanenbaum
8/28 Emma Abelkop
8/28 Rose Massey
8/29 Jessica August
8/29 Josephine Borew
8/29 Julia M. Mittle
8/29 Goldie Mooney
8/30 Alfred Green
8/30 Ida H. Katz
8/31 Jack Finkelstein
