HaKol The Voice of the Pelham Jewish Center
April/May 2022/Nisan/Iyar 5782
|
|
 |
Leadership Messages
Rabbi Resnick
Education Director
Ana Turkienicz
President's Message
David Haft
Editor's Message
Barbara Saunders-Adams
Book Notes
Barbara Saunders-Adams
|
|
|
|
Congregant News
& Donations
Meet the Pauleys
Where Are Our Seniors Going?
Congregants Speak Out
Dan Perkis
Food For Thought
Share a Simcha
Tributes & Donations
|
|
|
|
As Jews – who are, in my experience, occasionally a somewhat quarrelsome and dissatisfied people – it is often worth reminding ourselves that all of us alive today are living through the single most blessed period in Jewish history, certainly since the destruction of the Temple over two-thousand years ago and, perhaps, since the reign of King Solomon. This is a rather grand pronouncement. But I don’t believe it is overstated nor even really debatable. As American Jews – despite the very real challenges from without and from within – we remain the most secure and prosperous diasporic Jewish community the world has ever known. And, as Jews born after the 5th of Iyyar, 1948 (which includes most, though not all, who are reading this), we have never lived in a world in which the State of Israel did not exist.
Like many of you, I’ve had that thought before. I’ve probably written these words before, or spoken them, and I hope to speak and write them many more times before I stop speaking and writing. But each time I do, I really do experience chills. And I find myself swelling with pride and gratitude, having attained something precious that I do not entirely deserve. Many of us have never lived in a world in which the flag of our people did not fly in the great halls of human governance. Many of us have never wandered, homeless and helpless. We are the heirs and the beneficiaries of a great and abiding salvation some two-thousand years in the making. And, we see with our own eyes the very thing our ancestors prayed and died for. Despite our manifold imperfections and despite our many enemies, we are a free people, as much as any people is ever free. And, we can say with clarity, conviction and confidence - Am Yisrael Chai - "The Nation of Israel Lives!”
There is a debate in twentieth century halakhah – and, in full disclosure, this is one debate with which I have rather little patience – about whether or not one should say Hallel on Yom Ha’atzmaut and, if so, about whether or not we should bestow upon it the ultimate rabbinic imprimatur and recite a berakhah – a blessing – beforehand. At play are issues related not only to the history and development of Jewish liturgical practice, but also profound questions about how we understand the theological and religious dynamism in contemporary Jewish life. Is it still possible, for instance, to experience what our mythical ancestors experienced as the waters parted? Is it still possible for us to be embraced by a strong hand and outstretched arm, like children reaching joyfully for a parent?
The halakhic debate, essentially, turns around whether or not the advent of Israel’s independence counts as a “miracle” and therefore whether or not it exists on the same plane as Pesach, Shavuot, Sukkot, and Hanukkah, the other days on which we traditionally recite Hallel. And this conversation, as it appears in the literature, hinges on whether or not miracles can be shared endeavors between man and God – on whether or not they can come about through the fusion of human striving and the ever-present thrum of divine effluence that beats always in the breast. I believe that the creation of the state of Israel was such a miracle. (I have long suspected that there is, in fact, no other kind.) And, if it was not already clear, I will make it abundantly so and say that my answer to all of these questions is an emphatic, “Yes!”
We do not live in halcyon times. Far from it. Israel, like America, is a complicated and imperfect place and to deny its imperfections is to make an error almost as grave as the error of denying its miraculousness. But, great treasures need not be spotless. That which changes us and exults us need not be entirely without flaw. If faultlessness was a precondition for rejoicing no one would ever rejoice. And as any parent can tell you, blessings do not need to be perfect in order to be profound and life-altering.
But we do live in a world which, for all of its complexity, does include the possibility of the miraculous, of abiding progress, of coming home after several millennia on the road. On Wednesday night, as we gather with communities throughout Westchester to celebrate Yom Ha’atzmaut, I hope you’ll join me in saying some new-ancient words:
Baruch atah adonai, eloheinu melekh ha’olam, asher kedishanu bemitzvotav, vitzivanu likro et ha’hallel
Blessed are you, LORD our God, sovereign of the universe, who has sanctified us with the mitzvot and has commanded us to recite Hallel!”
Chag sameach!
Rabbi Benjamin Resnick
Ben
|
|
Education Director's Message |
|
“Israel jumps to 9th place
in World Happiness index,
its highest-ever ranking”
Source: Times of Israel, 3/18/22
The Israeli flag design - two blue stripes against a white background with the Star of David (Magen David) in the center - has been vastly deconstructed and its symbolic meaning explored in many different ways.
I would like to offer one of my favorite descriptions of the meaning of the Israeli flag. Let’s imagine that the two blue stripes represent the opening of the sea - water on both sides; the white in the center represents the dry land the Israelites crossed while fleeing Egypt. The Star of David in the center symbolizes the people of Israel, in their constant search for the Promised Land. Leaving the confinements of Mitzrayim (Egypt) - which literally means a narrow place - and searching for freedom, for an utopian reality. I especially love this interpretation since it places the people of Israel in a trajectory: from a constraining place towards a much wider and better one. In a few simple brush strokes of blue against a white background, we create a mindset of continuous growth. A strong connection between past, present and future linked by the thread of a promise of change. A powerful promise, forcing a vast group of people to trust this vision and continuously work towards the betterment of the world, their communities and themselves.
Last month, The World Happiness Report published their 2022 findings: Israel reached 9th place in the World Happiness Index. (The US made it to 16th place.) The World Happiness Report index is based on how people in 146 different countries answer specific questions indicating their level of happiness. For example, questions focusing on Social Support: “If you were in trouble, do you have relatives or friends you can count on to help you whenever you need them, or not?” Or: Freedom to make life choices: “Are you satisfied or dissatisfied with your freedom to choose what you do with your life?” Or Generosity: “Have you donated money to a charity in the past month?” and so on (source: https://worldhappiness.report/ed/2022/).
Another interesting statistical fact: Israel has the highest childbirth rate among developed countries: 3.0; in comparison, Canada’s fertility rate is 1.5, France is 1.84, and the US is 1.77. Bringing new life into the world is an expression of hope and belief in a better future. It seems that the citizens of the State of Israel have enough faith in their promised land to bring more children into the world than their counterparts in developed countries .
As I write these lines, I am spending the holiday of Passover in Israel. Everywhere I go, I see construction sites. New roads, new bridges, new neighborhoods. Older buildings are getting revamped. Even soccer stadiums are being rebuilt. Although I visit Israel quite often, to visit my daughter and my sister or to study, I am always amazed by the changes I see in the landscape. Only a place that has faith in the future, amidst all its complexities and challenges, can continue to build and embellish itself with such a mix of furor and hope.
The physical embellishments fall short of bringing systemic change to deeper political, human and social challenges faced by Israel today; however, they point towards the possibility that other critical issues could be solved - not immediately, but that there is a future, and a hope, that the people of Israel will be able to create innovative solutions for their social and political problems as they have been able to find technological and scientific solutions to other challenges.
The Hebrew word for hope, tikvah, (also the name of the Israeli National Anthem, Hatikvah), comes from the root word kav, which means line. The two broad blue lines on the Israeli flag’s white background don’t have a beginning or an end - they have no hard borders on the two sides of the flag. It is as if they are sending us a message of openness, of a never ending story, that is always in motion. Its dynamics force us to be in motion as well, searching for innovative and surprising solutions to old problems. Lines are infinite, and they have the power of connecting or dividing us. My hope is that the people of Israel will find a way to use their crisp blue lines against the most beautiful sky to enhance connections and move away from divisions. Because it is possible and it can be done.
Israel, as any other country in the world, faces many challenges, some truly disturbing in their nature. When you ask an Israeli, how are they going to overcome an issue, many like to use a line from an old popular song, which says: “we overcame Pharaoh, we can overcome that too”. The national identity originated in the seminal Exodus story, “we were slaves, now we are free” has the power to inspire and motivate the nation even 3,000 years afterwards. Israelis have a story of survival to tell - theirs, their ancestors’ or their forefathers’. An empowering narrative that propels continuous search and entails a promise, a vision, for a better future.
On Monday, April 26, the PJC set in motion our 2023 Israel Trip. Come see with your own eyes what is possible when the sky's the limit. On Shabbat April 29-30, we celebrated Israel’s 74th Independence Anniversary in song at our Shabbaton with Tizmoret, the acapella group from Queens College. Let’s connect and celebrate with a country constantly seeking new, out-of-the-box answers to the four questions: To be? A nation? Free? In its Land? - the hardest questions facing Israel’s future.
As an active Jewish community outside of Israel, we grapple with those questions as well. Our future is intertwined with the future of Israel, and vice-versa. What happens in Israel affects us, and what happens to Jews around the world affects Israel as well.
This year, the Learning Center students studied Israel past, present and future. On Thursday, May 5, 2022, The Learning Center will be celebrating Israel’s Independence under the leadership of our B'not Mitzvah - Daniela Haberman, Madison Glick and Josie Kagan. They will run an Israeli Shuk” (market) and fundraise for the Hillel in Poland - so they can continue supporting Ukrainian Jewish refugees. Our Learning Center will be decorated with Israeli flags, blue stripes and Stars of David all around. We hope that the flag's messages of freedom and trust in a better future will continue to strengthen our love for Israel and its people, as well as our bonds to the Jewish people all over the world.
Happy Yom Ha’atzmaut - Israel’s 74th Independence Day!
Ana
|
|
Fellow Congregants
We have finished our Seders. The community is moving forward with in-person services and our building is full of activity. In spite of the pandemic headwinds, we have recruited an excellent rabbi and created a musical ba'al tefillah position on our bimah. Anyone who attends services can recognize that Rabbi Resnick, Jack Klebanow and Lori Weber have stepped up our prayer experience a couple of notches. Sadly, since Lori has finished her cantorial internship, she will no longer be a regular at our services – but she has opened up new vistas for us and set new highwater marks.
The upcoming BBQ to raise funds for our musical leadership position is our opportunity to build on this young shoot and establish a new standard imbuing our services with ruach (spirit). And, our Spring Gala that fosters camaraderie through congregant dinners and auctions should raise the funds needed to support our many programs at the PJC and in the community.
Going forward from here, my goal is to grow our young family-friendly programs and welcome more children and parents to our PJC home.
Wishing all a beautiful spring,
David
|
|
A Message from the Editor of HaKol
|
|
Dear Friends,
I saw an inspiring video documenting the UJA sponsored trip of 18 Westchester rabbis to the Poland-Ukraine border in support of Ukrainian refugees fleeing Russian brutality. The rabbis reflected on their 72-hour experience. It left many broken hearted, but proud of the organized response of our Jewish agencies.
One story of a Ukrainian mother stood out to me. Her grandparents were Righteous Gentiles who helped a Jewish family flee from the Nazis. She was now being supported by this Jewish family in her decision to seek refuge in Israel with her daughter. The rabbis noted that if Israel existed during the time of the Holocaust, many more lives could have been saved. As we look forward to celebrating Israel's 74th Birthday, there is a lot to be thankful for despite the disturbing news headlines.
Passover is behind us We celebrated Israel in song with the Tizmoret acapella singers. We look ahead to a Lag Ba'omer BBQ in support of the new B'aal Tefillah (prayer leader position), a joint Yom Ha'atzmaut (Israel Independence Day) program at Beth El to kick off the new community-wide Shoresh Halev Center for Jewish Music directed by our own Jack Klebanow, "First Friday" dinners, book groups, a Broadway analysis by Dan Perkis and spirited services. I hope to join you at some of these events.
Barbara
|
|
Who By Fire
Leonard Cohen In The Sinai
by Matti Friedman
Like Leonard Cohen, the Israeli journalist and author, Matti Friedman, is originally from Canada. Fascinated by the mystery surrounding Leonard Cohen’s appearance in the Sinai desert at the outbreak of the Yom Kippur War in 1973, Matti Friedman set his prodigious journalistic skills in search of answers. The title, Who By Fire is a reference to a prayer recited on Yom Kippur with the theme of "who shall live and who shall die".
Over the course of several years, Friedman sought out survivors of the war who had witnessed Cohen’s memorable, impromptu concerts. He also received permission from the Leonard Cohen estate to access Cohen’s intimate journal and an unpublished manuscript. Friedman learned how much Leonard’s presence meant to the soldiers who were at death’s door. And, how feeling he "made a difference" restored Cohen’s sense of self.
In the Fall of 1973, Cohen was at a creative dead end. Hopping on a flight from his home in Greece to Israel was both a means of personal escape and the opportunity to find his “mythic home”, fulfilling his inheritance as the heir of a famous Priestly family. The selflessness and camaraderie of soldiers in the IDF during wartime rekindled Cohen’s connection to “his people”. It also enabled him to write and perform again.
Matti Friedman gives the reader a close-up view of a transformative period in Israel's history and in the life of Leonard Cohen. The clear writing, Leonard Cohen's own words and eye-witness accounts - not to mention the rare photos of this time - make Who By Fire a worthwhile read.
Barbara
|
|
Emily and Justin Pauley came to Pelham from NYC with their young daughters Lilyan (four years old) and Eve (one year old). The Pauleys needed a synagogue close to home “to keep a Jewish presence in their family life” and eventually provide a Jewish education for their children. They met our Fundraising Chair,
Jessica Winquist, who spoke highly of the PJC and the Learning Center.
The Pauleys have participated in several PJC events. Thus far, they have done mezzuzah painting, attended First Friday dinner, celebrated Purim and visited the PJC library. The Pauleys try to attend services once a month. The girls love singing Jewish songs (they are still singing dayenu) and Emily and Justin like being part of a Jewish community.
Emily stays home with the children. She loves to read. She dove into Jewish texts in college and found the reading a way to infuse her life with Jewish concepts. She has a background in accounting. Justin works as a Partner at Brigade Capital in finance. He loves that Kabbalat Shabbat services are Friday evening after work as it is a great way to end the week and start family time.
We are happy to welcome the Pauley family into the PJC community.
Barbara
|
|
Media Politics 1945
by Dan Perkis
I watched a very interesting segment of “New Jersey Arts” (Sun March 27th on channel
Thirteen). It was about media politics in 1945 just as the war was ending.
Life magazine had three photo journalists traveling with the Army troops when they entered various concentration camps. These journalists sent hundreds of photos with detailed stories of what happened to the Jewish population. Life magazine’s editorial staff under the direction of the publisher, Henry Luce, ran the May 6, 1945 issue with a few photographs and captions indicating what the Germans had done -- without one mention of the Jewish people. There was obviously politics behind this important omission with:
1. Antisemitism and 2. Encouraging political and military leaders to leave American troops in Europe. This was only about a ten minute segment but well worth watching.
Dan
|
|
Where Are Our Seniors Going? |
|
Madison Cohen - American University D.C.
Eliana Herzog - Duke University
Josh Handelman - New York University
Rachel Lief-Kogan - New York University
(not shown)
Jordan Schwarz - Wesleyan University
Jackson Shampanier-Bowen - Columbia University
|
|
|
Praying
by Mary Oliver
It doesn't have to be
the blue iris, it could be
weeds in a vacant lot, or a few
small stones; just
pay attention, then patch
a few words together and don't try
to make them elaborate, this isn't
a contest but the doorway
into thanks, and a silence in which
another voice may speak.
From: Thirst: Poems
Copyright ©: Mary Oliver
|
|
"Share a Simcha" allows congregants to share their news with our PJC community. Please submit news about family members -- engagements, births, job updates, kid achievements, community acknowledgements and any other milestones -- to our Communications Director, Barbara Saunders-Adams.
. Mazal Tov to Ana & Neco Turkienicz on the birth of a grandchild, Ori on April 25th.
. Mazal Tov to Maury Stampfer on his recent marriage.
. Yom Huldedet Sameach Neco!
Simcha is a regular HaKol feature, so keep your news and updates coming!
|
|
Donations to the PJC from...
- Kimberly Koeppel and family, in honor of Jessica Winquist
- David & Jeanne Radvany, in memory of Linda Levine's mother, Rhoda Lieberman
-
Rabbi Dina Shargel, in memory of the first Yahrzeit for her mother, Baila Shargel
Donations to the Rabbi's Discretionary Fund from...
-
Sheldon & Gloria Horowitz, in support of Maot Hittin
- Mark & Linda Levine, in memory of Linda's mother -- Rhoda Lieberman -- and with gratitude to the PJC for the support shown to their family
- David & Jeanne Radvany, in support of our Afghan Refugee Program
-
Gary & Evelyn Trachten, in support of Maot Hittin
At any time, if you wish to pay by check, please make it payable to "The Pelham Jewish Center" and mail it to our bookkeeping firm at: The Pelham Jewish Center, P.O. Box 418, Montvale, NJ 07645.
All donations to the Rabbi's Discretionary Fund, at any time throughout the year, should be made payable to "The Pelham Jewish Center -- Rabbi's Discretionary Fund" and mailed directly to Julia Coss at the PJC office. Thank you!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
