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Let’s Keep Talking about Israel

In my recent ‘American Jewish Identity and Peoplehood’ adult ed class, we studied how Israel became a central, unifying force in American Jewish communal life, especially after 1967. In the 21st century, this began to change, and Israel unfortunately became a difficult topic to discuss within Jewish institutions. Even the language one used could invoke another’s ire. For example, is it the West Bank, the occupied Palestinian territories, or Judea and Samaria? 

As a result, discussions about Israel have been avoided for too long in our synagogues. This requires a tikkun – a repair. Israel is simply too vital to Judaism and Jewish survival to ignore. If October 7th has shown us anything, it is that the Jewish community, despite our very real differences of opinion about Israel, at the very least wants Israel to survive and thrive. This is why Israel has been an important part of our educational programming at CBE – in sermons, speakers, adult education classes, our religious school curriculum, and other special events.

What I have appreciated about our recent speakers and programs about Israel is the depth they have added to our understanding of what is happening in Israel. Rabbi Leonard Gordon gave a stirring talk about his recent visit to Israel and the Gaza envelope. He spoke in moving ways about how the protest movement against judicial reform pivoted to a grassroots aid organization overnight, and how Israelis were caring for each other absent the government. Rachel Canar, head of Nature Israel, taught us on Tu Bishvat about how Israel’s largest environmental organization is using nature programming as trauma therapy for thousands of Israelis displaced from the Gaza border area currently living in hotels. For 70 years, the organization’s focus has been on healing Israeli nature, and now is helping nature heal Israelis. I encourage you to watch the recording of both these important programs if you missed them, along with our other speakers on Israel this year, including Jewish Book Month author Ilan Evyatar on "Israel at War: Fighting the Iranian Axis, and Jason Lovitz, Virginia firefighter, who shared his recent volunteer experience in Israel.

CBE has always been a community with deep connections to Israel. Many of us have family in Israel, including children who have made Aliyah and serve in the IDF. We also have a growing number of Israelis in our CBE family. Many of us travel each year to Israel. Some participate in the five-day Israel Bike Ride for the Arava Institute while others explore the Jewish homeland for the first time or visit family. Some CBE members had travel plans disrupted by the war last fall. Travel to Israel has restarted in earnest, with opportunities to volunteer. One member is traveling this month on a solidarity mission to Israel. I hope to return there this summer. One day in the not-too-distant future, I would love to lead a CBE trip to Israel as Rabbi Mintz has many times in the past.

Let’s keep talking and learning about Israel with kindness and compassion for each other, and especially for our Israeli brothers and sisters. Most of all, let us pray for the immediate release of all of the hostages, and for more peaceful days to return.

The spouse of our Rabbi Emeritus Lewis Mintz may not be in the spotlight at CBE these days – but her wonderful presence as a musician and educator continues to enrich our community. L'dor vador.

How did your connection to CBE start?

Our connection with CBE began in 1976 when my friends Sandy and Hal Miller-Jacobs, who lived in Acton at that time, told us that their small congregation, located in Maynard, was in need of a rabbi. I was engaged to Lewis Mintz — and that was how both of us become connected with CBE.

Professionally, I was a kindergarten teacher in Burlington, MA, working privately as a B'nai Mitzvah tutor, and teaching at the Shalom Emeth religious school, later becoming the principal of that school. 

How has your involvement with CBE changed over the years?

At first, my involvement was leading children’s services for the High Holidays and doing calligraphy for pamphlets for CBE events. But in 1981, after CBE moved from Maynard to our new building in Acton, I became the principal of the CBE religious school. That was also the year that my son David was born! The children in the school became familiar with infant David joining me on my rounds to the classrooms.

For a while, while David was a toddler, I was less involved with CBE. I was working full time in Burlington, we were living in Needham, and the only extra-curricular activity that I had time for was the Needham Community Theatre. Also during that time I switched from teaching in public school to teaching at Solomon Schechter Day School, where I was able to combine my passion for teaching both general and Judaic studies. 

When we moved into our home in Acton in 1989, CBE again became more central to my life. I led High Holiday children’s services, as well as monthly Tot Shabbat services – all with the help of my puppets. It was at that time that I also happily joined our CBE Choir. Another favorite CBE memory for me was our turn-of-the-millennium Shabbat/New Year’s Eve Dinner. I enjoyed working on the program for that evening.

During those years I also worked at Camp Ramah in Palmer, where I was director of Ramah Family Camp. We had a healthy contingent of CBE families that came to Family Camp!

I would be remiss in reflecting on my connection with CBE if I didn’t mention my own cancer experience in 2007. The support and kindness of the CBE community at that time was something for which I will always be grateful. 

How did you end up teaching at CBE again?

I had no plans to return to teaching religious school, but when Waky told me how amazing and creative Leann Shamash was, the opportunity sounded too good to pass up. I returned to the first grade classroom at CBE in 2003 and haven't looked back.

How are you involved with CBE today?

Although I have retired from full-time teaching at Solomon Schechter, I am still thoroughly enjoying my first grade class at CBE. And in recent years, I have also been thrilled to be the music specialist at our ELC preschool. Not only am I able to play my guitar and sing with the children every week, but my puppets are able to join me at the preschool holiday celebrations. 

Today CBE remains a central part of my life: I attend the CBE afternoon minyan regularly, sing in our choir, and have added Shabbat morning Torah study and pot-luck lunch to my regular activities.

With CBE such a huge part of your life, what else could you possibly have time for?

Outside of the congregation, my interests range from reading, water-color painting, singing with the Threshold Singers (singing bedside for those in hospice and dying), attending a twice-a-week Jewish Studio project Beit Midrash, involvement with the Virginia Thurston Healing Garden, and serving as historian for my Cornell Class. My love of Israel and appreciation of the complexities of what is happening there is always with me, as I feel that a piece of me is always there. And above all, I try to stay on my toes as a wife, mother, and Grammy. 

We asked CBE's social justice group, Na'aseh, to tell us a bit about its beginnings, projects and vision for moving forward. We received this wonderful article from current chair, Sarah Coletti, and are thrilled to share it with our readers.

Na’aseh takes to heart the Jewish concept of tikkun olam – “repairing the world.” We welcome anyone who wants to make our communities better. You can be part of the organizing team or show up to participate in a single event or action. Our weekly Na’aseh News e-mail lists the ways. Subscribe by e-mailing [email protected].

How Na’aseh Started

In the fall of 2016, after the presidential election, many of us were concerned about the direction the country was taking. The president-elect had used rhetoric during his rise to power that targeted immigrants, degraded women, and expressed the desire to turn back years of progress in civil rights. We needed to do something. It is what our Jewish values required of us.

Ann Budner and Barbara Frank Michaelsen, then co-chairs of the Social Action Committee, were moved to do more. They gathered a large group of CBE members and began with flip charts and markers to brainstorm what we could do. From those meetings, a social justice group was formed. Then-religious school director Leann Shamash suggested calling it Na’aseh — “we will act.” We identified focus areas: immigrant justice, racial justice and human rights, environment and climate issues, and food security and poverty. It’s a pretty broad set of concerns.

What Na’aseh Does

We engage in direct action, education, and advocacy. In the seven years that Na’aseh has existed we have: contacted our legislators to advocate for issues we care about; written postcards to get out the vote; attended rallies in support of immigrants, low wage workers, and for racial justice; sponsored programs with speakers talking about immigration, climate change, housing, and racial justice; organized drives for food, emergency aid, coats and clothes; and led the successful effort to install solar panels at CBE.  

Welcoming the Stranger

During the ICE crackdowns, our members supported a woman living in sanctuary in a local church. Na’aseh leaders Ann and Barbara joined forces with people from UCC of Boxborough and JFS Metrowest and built a team to help a family of six Afghan refugees settle in Marlborough. Sue Abrams, Gary Budiansky, Ann Budner, Linda and Denis Friedman, Deena and Bob Ferrara, Barbara Frank Michaelsen, and Cindi and Rick Silverman, continue to be key members of this support team. Linda also has begun teaching English to the newly arrived Haitian immigrants living at the Minuteman Inn.

Feeding the Hungry

Melissa Morse coordinates our efforts with JF&CS Family Table food pantry. Barbara Frank Michaelsen organizes and cooks Community Suppers at Mt. Calvary church. We hold food drives to benefit the Acton and Stow food pantries. Lori Lotterman gathers crews to serve Easter and Christmas meals at Cor Unum in Lawrence.

Community Convening

With Sal Lopes, Na’aseh has hosted the annual Dr. Martin Luther King Day breakfast. It is a popular community-wide gathering each year. Recordings of some of these inspiring and thought-provoking talks, as well as other Na’aseh forums, can be viewed on the CBE website. 

In 2022, we joined ADL’s Kulanu program to address antisemitism. Bob Ferrara, Matt Liebman and current Na’aseh chair, Sarah Coletti, led the effort initially. Kulanu member, Sue Wachter, moderated a well-attended program with Acton-Boxborough school officials to discuss incidents in our local schools and responses to them. The whole Kulanu team worked together to organize a Walk Against Hate last fall. More than 500 members of the greater community walked with us. The combined efforts of school and community had an effect — this year, we had fewer local disturbing incidents of antisemitism than last year, even as the situation elsewhere is worsening.

Community Partnerships

Through the years, we have made and built connections with local groups to enhance our impact. Matt Liebman and Barry Nyer have connected us with Acton Climate Coalition and JCAN (Jewish Climate Action Network), organizations promoting climate and environmental actions. Through our programming and outreach, we have developed a network of congregations and community organizations who share our values. As a result, we were able to recruit 40 local partners to co-sponsor the Walk Against Hate.

Move Forward with Us

In 2024, we are still worried about the state of the world. We still feel the urgency. We continue to collaborate with each other and with people and organizations in the wider community. We still find that acting with loving kindness and in defense of justice assuages the anxiety of living in these fraught times. Doing it with friends in our community is even better!

To get involved, email chair Sarah Coletti at [email protected], sign up for our newsletter, or attend one of our monthly meetings. Upcoming meetings are March 27, April 24, May 22 and June 26, from 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm in the Community Court and via Zoom.

Erev Purim is March 23, and CBE has plenty of celebrations happening (see Star-Lite and the CBE website for details). But for a more personal story, we asked one of our most creative members what she does to celebrate:

Linda: For Purim, sometimes I bake hamantaschen, but lately, our daughter Naomi has become the family baker. As an accomplished baker, her hamantaschen are much better than mine ever were. What I have done in more recent years is create Shalach Manot gift packages for local Jewish friends I do not see very often.The mitzvah of Shalach Manot means “send out portions.” Because I love decorating, assembling the package is the most fun for me. From year to year, I have used different containers, sometimes going with a particular theme, and sometimes just making sure it looks festive. After putting the package together, I add a homemade gift tag, and it is ready to be delivered in the tradition of the holiday….Chag Purim Sameach!

During the many years I taught Kitah Gimel (third grade in the CBE Religious school), I brought in hamantaschen and candies so each student could make a Shalach Manot basket (often in little berry baskets donated from the supermarket in which we wove colorful ribbons before they filled the baskets). Each was special and unique and the students then delivered them to friends or family members. Another Kitah Gimel Purim tradition was making groggers to drown out Haman’s name at the Megillah reading. Each year’s groggers were a little different, but usually we made them by filling plastic bottles with beans, securing a dowel, and decorating them with paints, stickers, glitter, ribbons, and whatever was colorful and fun.

If you have ever seen me at the CBE Megillah reading, you will know that I always wear my special Purim hat. It has been a work in progress for many years now. The hat is adorned with little masks, feathers, tassels, flowers, and anything sparkly and fun. Each Purim I add another decoration and it is getting so heavy, I now have to balance it on my head.  

My Dad’s yahrzeit is on Purim. He was a great guy who could tell a good joke so Purim seems like a good way to honor his memory. Instead of being just sad and missing him, I try to concentrate on the joy he brought to our lives by celebrating my Dad on this joyful holiday.

The People of Chelm Want to Know...

QUESTION:  

As we wend our way out of the dreary New England winter, the month of March is brightening our days – with more daylight, the joyous holiday of Purim, and more. This March has a very special treat for Beth Elohim congregants. On March 9, Anthony Russell will be returning to Massachusetts to perform just down the road at Congregation Beth El in Sudbury (details HERE and HERE). Anthony departed Acton a few years ago when he and his husband Mike Rothbaum, our Rabbi David’s predecessor, moved to Georgia when Mike became the religious leader at Bet Haverim in Atlanta. Anthony’s path into Judaism was – to put it mildly – unparalleled, even for someone with his exceptional music talent and creativity. Today he is in demand at synagogues, concerts, and Jewish music organizations literally around the world. He has had performances both in the US and internationally, including in Toronto, Montreal, Mexico City, Berlin, Warsaw, Krakow, Gdansk, Symphony Space in New York City, the Kennedy Center in DC and many festivals across the United States and Europe.

So the two questions below are all about Anthony. 

1. Which of these musical genres are *not* included in Anthony’s various performances - Yiddish, klezmer music, opera, early 20th century Jewish music, Russian folk music, Ladino (Judeo-Spanish) music, African-American music, Yemenite music?  
2. After converting to Judaism, Anthony made Aliyah to Israel to study Yiddish at a distinguished university. Which university? 

Ponder your response – and find the answers below.

Hamantaschen, Oy, Hamentaschen!

With Purim nearly upon us, we thought we'd tantalize you with some creative hamantaschen. This is the first one that crossed our paths: Pulled Beef Hamantaschen with Creamy Coleslaw and Pickles.

But our purists protested. The above employs puff pastry, not even cookie dough! So we moved it up a notch to this classy Caramelized Onion and Poppy Seed Hamantaschen in the New York Times by the matriarch of Jewish cooking, Joan Nathan:

But then we were gob-smacked. JewishBoston.com boasts several collections of hamantaschen variations, ranging from the likes of pizza and sushi to mint chocolate and lemon meringue.

Please, please, please, we hear you cry, can't I just have my favorite cookie? We figured that some readers might not have a classic recipe on hand so we went looking – and found it not so simple! Is the dough greased with butter or oil?? Flavored with vanilla or lemon zest or orange juice – or none of these? We give up! You choose: 

Butter and orange juice

Oil, vanilla, lemon juice and zest

Half oil (for cookie texture) and half butter (for flavor)

Results from our Reader Survey

In our January/February issue, we ran our first survey to learn what our readers think of this publication. We know that few of us have an iota of time to respond to surveys, so despite the small sample, we were nonetheless thrilled to see what folks enjoy most. We'd also like to respond to a couple of critiques received – suspecting that they may be of wider interest:

• One reader expressed frustration that you can't just jump from the table of contents to an article that you'd like to read. Please know that we in fact share that frustration! If and when we gain that capability we will certainly employ it.
• Another reader was dismayed that in the month of January we made no mention at all of the annual MLK breakfast. We can well understand this frustration – so, it's an opportunity to clarify that because our sister publication, the weekly Star-Lite newsletter, is nearly entirely devoted to promoting upcoming events, we at The Star focus instead on the people of CBE and their work behind the scenes. But taking that comment to heart, we reached out to Na'aseh – sponsor of the MLK breakfast – for the overview of their history and work that appears in this issue. 

In closing, if you have feedback for us, please don't wait for another survey. Write to us anytime at [email protected] and let us know what's on your mind. This publication exists solely to serve our community; we are always open to ways to make it better!

Lifecycle and milestone events in our community

Has your family celebrated a recent simcha or milestone? Send us up to 3 photos with a brief description; and we will make a selection to include in our next newsletter. Email [email protected].

What's happening at CBE this month?

Donations

The congregation thanks our members, their relatives and friends, and the larger community for recent donations. If you do not see your donation, please look for it in our next donations email in early April, or contact [email protected].

Adult Education Fund

Jessica Rosenblatt & Taylor Curtis / Adult Ed Committee SIR dinner

Julie Kozhukhin / Adult Ed Committee SIR dinner

Matthew Liebman & Amy Michelson / Adult Ed Committee SIR dinner

Naomi & Rabbi Lewis Mintz / Adult Ed Committee SIR dinner

Bob & Kathie Becker / For the Scholar-in-Residence Program

Bob & Kathie Becker / With thanks for the Scholar-in-Residence dinner

Stephen Richter / In honor of Julie Kozhukhin, for the tour of the Yiddish Book Center

Deborah Hess

Michael Fisher

General Fund

Heidi Lobel / In memory of Rivelle Sutton

Adrienne Fleishman

Rabbi Lewis Mintz Fund

Paul Linet / In memory of Paul's wife of blessed memory, Susan Linet

Scientists in the Synagogue Event

Frank Cohen and Linda Gordon-Cohen

Judy & Les Kramer

The People of Chelm Want to Know...

Resources

CBE's Chesed Committee | Contact us in a time of need

18 Doors (formerly InterfaithFamily of Greater Boston)

Anti-Defamation League incident reporting

CJP (Combined Jewish Philanthropies)

CJP SeniorDirect

Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life

Hadassah of Nashoba Valley Facebook

Hebrew College events

Jewish Bereavement Support Group

JewishBoston.com

Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Boston

Jewish Family Service of Metrowest

Keshet | A national organization that works for full LGBTQ equality and inclusion in Jewish life

Mayyim Hayyim | Living Waters Community Mikveh

Oneinforty.org | BRCA awareness, education, and support

Yad Chessed | Emergency financial assistance to Jewish individuals and families in need

Yerusha.com | A Website for Older Childless Jews

Visit the Resources page on our website for our complete resource list.

Feedback/get in touch with us!