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CONTACT THE RABBI
If you need to contact Rabbi Brickman in between his visits to Pinehurst, please do not hesitate to do so via phone or email
email: [email protected]
cell phone: 917.533.4120
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Express your feelings with personalized SJC Cards.
All cards are a donation to our Temple.
 Send a minimum donation
of $10 per card to P.O. Box 2121, Pinehurst, NC 28370
or click here to donate via paypal
Contact Amy Lorber
with requests at [email protected]
or 910-673-2678
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Prayer B
ook Dedicati
on
A $54.00 donation (3 times chai) to our Prayer Book Fund provides the sponsor an opportunity to dedicate a book in someone's honor or memory or to highlight a life cycle event. A special bookplate will be affixed to the inside cover recognizing this gift.
For those interested in purchasing a book, please send a check of $54.00 to the congregation's mailing address (PO Box 2121, Pinehurst, NC, 28370) and include the following information:
- Name of inscriber(s) - how you want it on the bookplate
- Name of honoree or person being remembered
- Reason for the inscription
For more information on making a dedication click here
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Honoring the Yahrzeit of a loved one is a wonderful Jewish tradition. It is a mitzvah to remember your loved one with tzedakah in their memory. A donation of at least $18.00 chai is suggested.
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BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Rabbi: Ken Brickman
President:
Bernie Rosenblum
Vice President:
Barbara Rothbeind
Secretary:
Audrey Kessler
Treasurer:
Kevin Price
President Emeritus:
Lowell Simon
Chairpersons
Membership:
Amy Walters
Religious Programs:
Mindy Fineman
Education:
Michelle Goetzl
Communications:
Marcey Katzman
Building & Grounds:
Sheldon Rappaport
Social/Fundraising:
Ira Rozycki
Bonnie Gillman
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Greetings,
As our May newsletter is being e-livered on Mother's Day, our greetings begin with Happy Mother's Day wishes to all of the moms in our congregation. In addition, let us honor the grandmothers, aunts, sisters and other special women who play important roles in our lives. And on a day devoted to women, I'd like to focus on the significant role women have played in the life of our Reform Jewish Movement.
On January 21, 1913, 156 women from multiple congregations around the country, met in Cincinnati, OH to create the National Federation of Temple Sisterhoods. The group's goal was creating ways to contribute to their own synagogues, sponsoring holiday parties for their religious school children and raising money for rabbinical school scholarships. While it was the National Federation of Temple Sisterhoods, their emphasis was mostly local.
But the initial role of the organization changed in 1951 with the dedication of the New York City headquarters of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations. Previously it had been located in Cincinnati, OH. This change was instrumental in solidifying the Reform Movement in American Jewish life and highlighting the part the women would play in the effort.
The National Federation of Temple Sisterhoods was then under the dynamic leadership of Dr. Jane Evans, who believed that the headquarters of the Reform organization had to be in NYC in order for it to grow. When finances challenged that reality, she rallied the troops of local sisterhoods throughout the country and $500,000 was raised in 5 years to achieve that effort. Because the new location revitalized the religious movement, it attracted Eastern European Jews, increasing membership and making Reform Judaism the largest denomination in the U.S. The once small auxiliary of Jewish women was now a major and influential artery of the organization.
Dr. Evans had a strategy as she developed and grew the National Federation of Temple Sisterhoods into bodies that could raise those needed funds. First, she expanded membership by using radio, promotional films and newsletters to attract new members. Uniongrams were introduced as a major fundraising effort. The Uniongrams are like the donation cards that we use today to send wishes to others, while sending dollars to the congregation to pay for them. However, they were "marketed" as a "product" for charity and it was the first time charity was related to making a purchase. The concept worked and she laid the groundwork for further growth and development.
In the years since 1913 when it was formed and 1951 when it contributed so significantly to the expansion of Reform Judaism, the National Federation of Temple Sisterhoods, now known as the Women of Reform Judaism (WRJ), has continued to be instrumental in helping mold our Jewish values and way of life. Initially they used their influence to encourage more women on congregational boards and as executive officers. Because of their efforts, women began to lead lay-led services for Shabbat. In 1963, their emphasis was the need/desire for women rabbis and as a result, in 1972 Sally Priesand became the first female rabbi ordained in the U.S. Because of their continued efforts, Reform Jewish Camps were introduced and there is now a total of 75 throughout the U.S. The camps are a way to reinforce Jewish values in a fun and welcoming setting.
Today there are 75,000 members from 500 congregations, playing strong roles as activists as they advocate for teens through the YES fund, for civil rights, child labor legislation, gun control legislation and abortion rights. Their strong voice helps define the tradition and text of Jewish life. We read so much about women's rights and the need to be recognized as equal partners. It seems that a long time ago in our Reform Jewish world, women proved they were equal partners and have been recognized for it.
While not officially members of the Women of Reform Judaism, the women of the Sandhills Jewish Congregation play as significant a role in Jewish life in the Sandhills. The recent fundraising efforts through our "Cooking with Carol" Dinner and Live Auction, conceived, prepared and presented by some of our ladies, speaks to that reality. But there are also Passover Seders, Religious School activities and Membership outreach. And that does not speak to the myriad of other things our SJC women do in the community such as marching for hunger, collecting warm clothing for children, or registering high schoolers to vote. When we say Happy Mother's Day, we acknowledge that today, honoring Mom means paying tribute to the many hats she wears, the intelligence with which she wears them, and her dedication to achieve set goals - and it's all done with lots of motherly love.
Shalom,
Marcey
1[email protected]
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President's Message
Summer is almost upon us and things at the Temple start to slow down. Sunday school has finished with another successful year and I can't thank enough our staff of dedicated teachers who donate their time and talents every Sunday morning. Even though we do slow down a bit we still have a few very important dates coming up. The Furie Bat Mitzvah, Shavuot services, and our annual meeting will all take place within the next few weeks. Looking ahead we will start preparations for our annual picnic and before you know it the High Holidays will be upon us, so please check your emails and your calendar.
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Rabbi's Message
Next Sunday, we will gather to celebrate the Festival of Shavuot about which I will have more to say at our upcoming services. For now, suffice it to say that Shavuot (Feast of Weeks) falls on the 50th day after Passover when according to Jewish tradition Moses ascended Mount Sinai to receive the revelation of Torah. It was at that moment when the "mixed multitude" of Israelite slaves who had left Egypt became the People of Israel. Some rabbis have compared that moment in our biblical history to a wedding ceremony during which the Israelites publically joined in a sacred covenant with God that exists to this very day.
The study of Torah which we conduct every Shabbat morning and which occurs every Sunday morning when our children attend our religious school is essential for the continuation of that covenant. When we gather on Sunday morning at 10:00 AM for our Shavuot worship service, which will also include the recitation of Yizkor prayers, our Torah reading will be the "Ten Commandments," and like Jews have done throughout our history, we will respond to the recitation of these verses as the Israelites did at the base of Mount Sinai, with the words,
"Na-aseh v'mishmah," "We will do as we have heard."
We demonstrate our dedication to Torah not only through words, but also through deeds. When we become adults in our community at the age of 13, we demonstrate that commitment with the Bar/Bat Mitzvah ceremony, as Alyssa Furie will do this coming Shabbat at 10:00 AM. Inspired by Alyssa, I hope that you will all join me for our Shavuot service during which we renew the commitment that we made when we were young.
Alyssa's Bat Mitzvah and the subject of learning Torah leads me to pause once again as I do every year at this season to express our deep gratitude to the volunteer teachers who teach our religious school students every Sunday morning. Working with our Bar/Bat Mitzvah students is made so much easier because they come to me prepared to move forward with the learning required in order to celebrate that milestone. The competence that they display is the result of the efforts of our volunteer teachers who share their love of Torah with our young people. Thank you to all of the volunteer religious school teachers who give of their own precious free time on Sunday mornings to educate our children. They are a creative, enthusiastic and devoted group of parents to whom we all owe a deep debt of gratitude.
Rabbi Ken Brickman
[email protected]
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Upcoming Events
- Thursday, May 17, 10 AM - Cooking with Carol
- Friday, May 18, 7 PM Shabbat Services
Oneg Shabbat Hosts - Rita & Larry Burnat,
Karen & Stan Kaplan
- Saturday, May 19, 10 AM - Alyssa Furie Bat Mitzvah
- Sunday, May 20, 10 AM - Shavuot Service, Yizkor
- Monday, June 11, 7:30 PM - Board Meeting
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Member to Member