Dear Friends,

I’ve been watching Maccabeats videos on and off for quite a while now. They were once the a capella group at Yeshiva University, but they’ve all long since graduated and so they have transcended that distinction. Although the majority of them are not professional musicians, they’ve now been singing together for close to two decades, and each year they release a few music videos that inevitably rack up a lot of views. 

As I’m sure many of you know, their videos–like Dayeinu or Candlelight–are almost all preternaturally charming. They are often reimagined covers of pop songs and they have a goofy, earnest quality that, combined with fairly slick production and gorgeous vocals, makes them very hard not to like. But at their best, they are more than that. At times, it seems to me that they are able to reach higher, or deeper, and then they manage to strike one of the secret chords. This year, I think, is one of those. Their Hanukkah Anthem–which was released last week and which adapts a popular ballad from Wicked (a play that, like the story of the Maccabees, is in part a story about not giving up in the face of very long odds)–is a marvelous and inspiring tour of Jewish resilience and joy. And the purpose of this brief Hakol message is simply to encourage you to watch it and enjoy it with your family and friends as you bring the ancient, enduring light of Hanukkah into your lives later this week. (Please feel free to toggle away from this email and watch now!) 

But before I close, I want to share a brief and profound teaching from the Ishibitzer Rebbe about the Joseph story, which we’re in the midst of reading right now and which always coincides with the festival of lights. Focusing on the climax of the story–when Yehudah approaches Yoseph and offers himself as a prisoner in place of his half-brother Binyamin–the Ishbitzer rebbe teaches that Yehudah, who is of course the namesake of the Yehudim (the Jewish people), could have very easily despaired He could have assumed that his circumstances were utterly hopeless. Standing helpless at the feet of Pharoah’s uncompromising and all-knowing vizier, that would have been, perhaps, the most plausible assessment of his situation. But he doesn’t give up. He tries once more. He draws near to Yoseph and says “Please, my lord…” and about this extraordinary moment in the history of our people the Ishbitzer says simply: 

 הנה זה הכח נתן הש"י בשבט יהודא שאינו מיאש עצמו לעולם

“Behold, this is the power that the Holy One Blessed Be gives to the tribe of Yehudah, that it does not surrender itself to despair, not ever.”

So it has been for millenia.

Chag urim sameach–Happy Hanukkah!

Rabbi Benjamin Resnick 

Ben

“Prayer is to the soul what exercise is to the body. You can live without exercise, but it will not be a healthy life. You can live without prayer, but whole areas of human experience will be closed to you. Prayer changes the world because it changes us, opening our eyes to the radiance of G-d’s world, our ears to the still small voice of G-d’s word.”

—Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks

A few weeks ago, I invited my nephew Ziv to a conversation with the teens of the Teen Collab, the Westchester regional high school where I teach on Thursday nights.

Ziv is my sister’s son. He was born in Jerusalem to a Modern Orthodox family and joined the IDF as part of a program called “Yeshivat Hesder.” In this program, young men who finish high school spend a year studying at a yeshiva before joining the army with their classmates, serving for one year. Ziv completed his compulsory service in the Givati Brigade, an IDF combat infantry unit. His service officially ended on Rosh Hashanah 2023.

However, Ziv felt uncomfortable knowing his fellow soldiers—those who hadn’t come through the Yeshivat Hesder program—would continue their army service while he returned to the yeshiva. Moved by this sense of responsibility, he decided to stay in the army for another year. That decision, made on Rosh Hashanah, proved fateful. Just three weeks later, on October 7th, Hamas attacked Israel. Ziv’s Givati unit was called to enter Gaza, where he fought for a year until his discharge two weeks ago.

Throughout the year, I prayed for Ziv and all the IDF soldiers. Each time we prayed together for their safety at the PJC, my eyes filled with tears, and my voice trembled. I was grateful for the words in our prayerbook, which expressed what I felt every day thinking of Ziv, Nadav, Avinoam’s son and the many children of my friends enduring this war. I couldn’t imagine what my sister, Havi, Avinoam, or any Israeli parent with a child in the army was going through—trying to carry on with life while their loved ones were surely in harm’s way.

Ziv agreed to speak with the Teen Collab students on Zoom -- 7:00 PM in New York—2:00 AM Israel time. The students asked thoughtful and probing questions: “How did you feel when your unit was ordered to enter Gaza?” “What did you feel when your comrades were wounded or even died?” “Where did you sleep?” “How did you relieve yourself?” “How did you stay alert?” “Were you in dangerous situations?” “Did you experience explosions?” “Who were the other soldiers with you?” “Did you become friends?” “Did you engage with the local population?”

Ziv responded to their questions with honesty and humility. What stood out to me was a recurring motif in his answers. After recounting harrowing moments in battle, he would often conclude with: “Afterward, thankfully, we had a minyan and davened (prayed together).” He described a command car suddenly exploding near his vehicle and their rapid efforts to evacuate the wounded soldiers. “But thankfully,” he added, “we had a minyan and davened.” Again and again, his answers ended with this refrain: “This horrible thing happened, and then we had a minyan and davened.”

As I went home that evening, Ziv’s recurring chorus stayed with me: “We had a minyan, and we davened.” I realized the profound impact of Jewish ritual prayer. In the midst of war’s horrors, the words of prayer and the presence of comrades mumbling those words together may have been what helped Ziv preserve his humanity and mental health. Prayer, I understood, might have given him the strength to endure the unbearable. Perhaps this is one reason the Jewish people have survived incredible challenges throughout history, finding resilience in communal prayer and shared purpose.

The Hebrew word for “to pray” is lehitpallel, which means “to examine, to probe oneself.” Unlike what we imagine—imploring or begging—prayer is a process of introspection, reflection, and self-judgment. It reminds us of who we are and what our role is in the world. Communal prayer requires humility, challenging us to improve ourselves and to support one another as we navigate life’s challenges—individually and as a community.

As a second Hanukkah approaches while Israel is still at war, we devoted time at the LC to writing Hanukkah cards for Israeli soldiers. It was heartwarming to see the care our students put into their words, expressing love and support for the IDF. The Lieberman family has kindly agreed to deliver these cards to a family friend who is a lone soldier in the IDF. We hope these messages bring even a small measure of strength to those tasked with the impossible job of defending Israel.

We pray for the end of this war, the safe return of our soldiers, and the release of the hostages. May the lights of Hanukkah chase away the darkness of war. May we all see a future of peace among peoples.

Wishing you and your families a Chag Hanukkah Sameach—a Happy Hanukkah,

Ana Turkienicz

Ana

“Wrapping presents is folding laundry’s annoying cousin.”

--message on holiday gift display

It’s true, shopping is only one part of holiday gifting. A gift is not complete until it is meticulously wrapped and presentable. It’s a lot of pressure.

Within the spirit of the holidays, this is the part that adds a layer of angst. Any shop that will wrap a gift upon purchase has a customer for life in me.

It’s not that I can’t, it’s more that I don’t want to.

Hanukkah starts this week, on Christmas Day. This last happened in 2005.

We say it’s “late” and recognize an oddness in having these two holidays

land on the same day. But there is also something comforting about the

happenstance of this eight-day holiday perfectly tracking the last days of

the year. We have this opportunity to gather and maybe light candles with

friends and families as we wind down, even celebrating the last day of

Hanukkah at the PJC on January 1, 2025. Plan to come if you are in town.

The day will be full of good friends, food and activities -- a perfect kick off

for 2025.

As we say goodbye to 2024, have fun with this list of “best of” to

contemplate. These categories were the basis of a NY Times article that

included quotes sent in by readers who offered their input. I included the

two responses I thought were pretty funny – my “best of” of the “best ofs”, if

you will. What memories of 2024 do they spark for you and yours?

Best in culture

Best rediscovered song that I completely forgot about

Best line from a poem or book that resonated

Best way to avoid spiraling into despair

Best song to belt on a warm day at sunset 

Best old music rediscovered 

Best use of airline miles: PHL to DUB for the Eras Tour. — Chloe Wynn,

Wayne, Pa.

Best changes to routines

Best rediscovered time of day

Best thing I can say about my worst enemy: He’s not a twin. — Mark

Johns, Austin, Texas.

Best compliment (given and received)

Best overheard conversation

Best new thing to learn about your mom 

Best surprise

Wishing you all a Happy Hanukkah and a 2025 full of much happiness!

Lisa

Dear Friends,

As an avid reader of Jewish books and facilitator of the monthly PJC Jewish Book Group, I’d like to announce that December 2024 is the 99^th Celebration of Jewish Book Month.

Despite the uptick in antisemitism which has made it more difficult to publish books with Jewish or Israeli themes, we, “The People of the Book”, will continue to search out and read Jewish books. The Jewish Book Council (JBC), My Jewish Learning and the Jewish Women's Archive are three online venues that actively promote Jewish books and Israeli authors.

In November and December, JBC held American, Jewish and Israeli author Zoom panels to highlight their work. The Israeli authors on the panel were Maya Arad (The Hebrew Teacher) Ruby Namdar (The Ruined House) and Keren Blankfeld (Lovers in Auschwitz). These authors discussed the increasing difficulty of writing and publishing Hebrew books in translation after October 7^th. Their advice to those who want to continue reading new Hebrew titles is to contact bookstores and libraries requesting Hebrew books in translation to prove that a buying audience exists.

My Jewish Learning offered two inexpensive courses for Jewish Book Month. The first, The Art of the Jewish Short Story: Masterpieces from Roth to Tsabari with Professor Josh Lambert featured a discussion of five captivating and representative stories in five sessions. They included Gimpel the Fool by Isaac Bashevis Singer; A Conversation with My Father by Grace Paley; Defender of the Faith by Philip Roth; Roman Berman Massage Therapist by David Bezmozgis and Brit Milah by Ayelet Tsabari. Professor Lambert provided relevant background information about the authors and held interesting discussions on the major themes. The second course, “Kafka Unveiled: Guilt, Desire and the Law” with author Benjamin Balint unlocks some of the enigmas of Kafka’s work. This class is still ongoing. All sessions are recorded.

The Jewish Women's Archive (JWA) hosts monthly interviews with Jewish authors. In January, 2025 three new memoirs will be discussed.

Information about our monthly PJC Book Group can be found in the Weekly Announcements. I hope you will join us, especially on sessions with visiting authors.

Happy Hanukkah!

Give someone a Jewish book.

Barbara

Displaced Persons

by Joan Leegant

Displaced Persons is a thought-provoking, beautifully written collection of short stories that illuminates pivotal moments of transition, longing and hope. The first half of the collection is set in Israel, the second half, in the United States.

Joan Leegant lives in the United States, but spent a considerable amount of time writing and teaching in Israel. Questions of belonging -- to a religion, to a family or to a country are explored in both localities.

Leegant's observations on life in Israel, the plight of the displaced, familial relationships and mental illness are the backbone of her stories. She views her characters with humor and compassion. In "The Bagdadi", an Iraqi teen defies his father and flees to Israel. After 50 years, the elder arrives in Israel. The circumstances of the reunion influence another estranged family's trajectory. In one scene, "The Bagdadi" describes his antipathy to the attitude of his daughter-in-law towards Palestinians in terms I can empathize with: "It is very fashionable in France to favor the Palestinians. They don't see that the Arab leadership bears any responsibility to the situation here. Only Israel is to blame. I find this tiresome."

In "Beautiful Souls" two American girls find themselves at a restaurant in the shuk surrounded by Arab men tied to a recent bombing. Their newly-observant and clueless parents are counting the stars to the onset of Shabbat "trying to fill the hole in their endlessly examined lives". In "Roots", a proud lifelong agnostic agrees to come to a Hanukkah candle lighting for the sake of his daughter and step grandson. And in "Hunters and Gatherers", a mother struggles to preserve the life of her mentally ill son.

The stories in Displaced Persons are not only harrowing and heartwarming, they are tinged with insight and compassion.

Barbara

December Blues

Robert Pinsky

At the bad time, nothing betrays outwardly the harsh

findings,

The studies and hospital records. Carols play.

Sitting upright in the transit system, the widowlike women

Wait, hands folded in their laps, as monumental as bread.

In the shopping center lots, lights mounted on cold

standards

Tower and stir, condensing the blue vapour

Of the stars; between the rows of cars people in coats walk

Bundling packages in their arms or holding the hands of

children.

Across the highway, where a town thickens by the tracks

With stores open late and creches in front of the churches,

Even in the bars a businesslike set of the face keeps off

The nostalgic pitfall of the carols, tugging. In bed,

How low and still the people lie, some awake, holding the

carols

Consciously at bay, Oh Little Town, enveloped in unease.

"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 the HaKol Editor, Barbara Saunders-Adams.

. Mazal Tov to our December Birthday Celebrants:

Lois Katz, Cheryl Goldstein, Richard Pine, Justin Cohen, Eric Sasson, Chloe Krulak, Emily Abeshouse, Alexander Malkis, Andrew Radvany, Aaron Adams, Steve Martin, Tatyana Jacobson, Eugene Lief, Ariel Gretz, Sam Adams, Andrew Katz, Daniel Morgan, Joshua Morgan, Naomi Rossman, Annabelle Zusin, Elizabeth Zusin, Jonah Ehrenreich, Madison Glick, Hannah Steinberg, Alyse Moshe, Cheryl Agris, Oliver Krulak, Benjamin Levitz, Adina Sasson, Christopher Winquist, Rebeca Lodhi, Aiden Spitzer, Daniel Einzig, Emily Prager, Beth Yelsey, Rachel Mailick

. Mazal Tov to Barbara and Sam Adams on the marriage of their daughter,

Shira Ronit Adams to Olivia Garrity

. Mazal Tov to Ginny Lanoil on the student award of distinction given to her granddaughter, June Edelman, daughter of Jessie and Adam Edelman at the Paulding school in Tarrytown, New York.

. Mazal Tov to Melanie & David Samuels on the Bar Mitzvah of their grandson, Owen Levi Zalcmann, son of their daughter and son--in-law, Sarah & David Zalcmann

Share a Simcha is a regular HaKol feature, so keep your news and updates coming!

Thank You for Giving Generously to the High Holiday Appeal

and Related Holiday Donations

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Glickman

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* Non-Member

Tributes

• Donations made in honor of Lisa Neubardt's Bat Mitzvah from:
• Judith Fishlow Minter
• Seth Neubardt
• David Breen
• Michael and Donna Weissman
• Elaine and Marc Prager
• Naomi Alexandroff
• Naomi and Marshall Jaffe
• Mary June Opper-Goldblatt
• Martha Solinger

• David Ploski and Liz Tzetzo in appreciation of the Rabbi's Adult Ed Class
• David and Jeanne Radvany in memory of Adam Abeshouse
• Ruby Vogelfanger in honor of Naomi and Marshall Jaffe
• Elaine and Marc Prager in memory of Adam Abeshouse
• Ira and Jo-Anne Weinberg

Donations to the Rabbi's Discretionary Fund

• Maria Graham in honor of Lisa Neubardt's Bat Mitzvah

Billing statements are emailed monthly. 

Checks made out to the Pelham Jewish Center can be mailed to Pelham Jewish Center, P.O. Box 418, Montvale, NJ 07645. Credit card payment instructions are on your monthly emailed billing statement, or go to https://thepjc.shulcloud.com/payment.php. 

If you are interested in paying via appreciated securities or IRA distributions, please email Mitch Cepler.

It is the policy of the Pelham Jewish Center to make every effort to assist members experiencing financial challenges. Financial challenges should never be a barrier to being an active member of the PJC community. You can reach out to President, Lisa Neubardt, Treasurer, Mitchell Cepler or Rabbi Benjamin Resnick to speak confidentially concerning your ability to pay PJC dues and Learning Center tuition.