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VOLUME 48, ISSUE 7 March 2013
Temple IsaIah BulleTIn
MeMber Union for reforM JUdaisM
Purim Carnival: marCh 3rd miriam’s seder: marCh 21st
Happy PassoverHappy Passover
Scholar-in-reSidence: rabbi andrea l. WeiSSFriday, March 15th – Sunday, March 17th
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3
raBBI,s reFlecTIonsraBBI,s reFlecTIons
What does the Word “Family” Mean?
With Passover coming at the end of the month, the word “family” comes to mind as it is linked to go-ing to a seder. numerous surveys of the american Jewish community over the past few decades have indicated that the custom more Jews observe than any other is attending a seder. Often, that means getting together with family, and sometimes it in-volves lots of family! it is not unusual these days to hear someone say that they are hosting a seder or will be at a seder where there will be 20 to 30 other people. although those people may disagree about how long it should take or what food will be the best, they obviously agree about the importance of being there—with their “family.”
Of course, the definition of the word “family” in north america has changed over the years. the so-called “nuclear family” used to consist of a father, mother, and children—sometimes portrayed as two parents and two children, one boy and one girl. now we have many kinds of family in our society—single-parent families, families with two moms or two dads, blended families, adoptive families, foster families, interracial families, intermarried families, extend-ed families, and “families” that are comprised of friends who have no family around and form a group that is “like family.” and, we frequently use the term “temple isaiah Family” to refer to the sense of close connection and belonging that you can have as a member of our congregation. that is typical for a synagogue, and it sounds much better than the term “membership unit.”
Judaism has a long history of having a broad
definition of “family,” going all the way back to the torah. in the holiness Code of leviticus, God tells moses to “speak to the whole israelite community and say to them: ‘You shall be holy, for i, the eternal your God, am holy.” (19:2) later on is the famous commandment: “love your neighbor as yourself,” (19:18) and then comes the commandment that we hear repeated several times in the seder, to love your neighbor “as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of egypt.” (19:34) in that section and in other sections of the torah, as well as throughout Jew-ish sources, we are told that our “family” includes the poor, the stranger, the widow, the orphan, the wealthy, the neighbor, the people just like us, and the people who are not like us at all.
and so, when we use the haggadah called Sharing the Journey: The Haggadah for the Contemporary Family at our community seder on the second night of Passover, our family will include people who are not related to each other by blood. however, we are related by our connection to one another through the temple isaiah Family and our connection to one another as Jews and non-Jews who want to be at a seder. as we retell the story of the exodus, sing songs, read prayers, and repeat age-old and con-temporary customs, we will be “like family.” it will be a wonderful feeling that will permeate our social hall, touch our souls, warm our hearts, and create a special bond. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing for a seder or seders, i wish you a Chag HaPesach Sameiach, a happy Passover, and a fabu-lous feeling of mishpachah, [family].
l’shalom,rabbi stephen Karol
Temple
IsaIah
rabbi Karol will attend the CCar (Central Conference of american rabbis) convention in California from march 4th through march 7th. he will also be on vacation from march 27th through the 31st, returning in time for the Passover Yizkor service on sunday night, the 31st. Cantor labow will be available in case of an emergency and can be reached by calling the temple, 631-751-8518. if there is no one in the office, the answering service will contact the Cantor.
noTes From The canTor
the eXPanSe oF torah’S Voice
Our english sentences are getting shorter. according to an 1893 study, “the average elizabethan-written sentence ran to about 45 words; the victorian sen-tence to 29; ours to 20 and less.”* Compare that to the “OmG's” (text for “Oh my God”) and all of the other short texts that fill the mobile universe from top to bottom, especially as written by young people. the sentences that make up much of the world’s communication don’t even have words. they are simply abbreviations for sentences that are abbrevia-tions themselves. One of the earliest of these was “lol” or "laughing out loud". Presumably the person who typed these three letters could still do so, even though they were overcome by laughter. Of course, the sentence isn’t really a sentence at all. Who is laughing out loud? and if they are laughing, why is it so silent?
hebrew texts have their abbreviations as well. the talmud is written with abbreviations for commonly-used phrases. the abbreviations were used to save paper in the early days of printing and they always existed in the context of longer sentences. the sen-tences never gave themselves to complete abbrevia-tion. even so, the language of the talmud in general is highly abbreviated. the ratio of actual words in an elucidated translation to the explanation is about 1:3.
tradition abbreviates the hebrew name of God and we see it most often symbolized as two yuds. it is sometimes represented only by a heh, standing for Hashem, or “the name.” if these abbreviations are meant to keep us from approaching the real name of God unprepared or in the wrong state of being, then what can be said of the general abbreviated universe? is it meant to create distance? Perhaps a comfortable distance from an authentic self?
the torah passages that our b’nei mitzvah students study never change. the particular sentences they learn are always the same length and have been as they are now for thousands of years. there is no way of converting a long passage to a ‘texting-friendly’ mode or of claiming that a shorter passage is not meaningful, even if it reads closer to a mobile text. the text is unchanged and unchangeable. as we ap-proach it as students, it is only we who change.
if there is no simplification of our texts, no way to make them more efficient, then by studying them, we must be open to transporting ourselves to a dif-ferent time, a different realm. students of torah text allow themselves to enter a portal to that which is not from this world. as i often point out in lessons, many of the difficulties that a young person will encoun-ter in studying difficult ancient biblical text derive from the fact that the writers did not keep the north american bar or bat mitzvah student in mind when they wrote. it is for the student to rise to the chal-lenge of an ancient text, even if it is a difficult text. those who master the sounds and the meaning of the ancient message become enriched.
i say that we should let our texts remain as they are and be allowed to speak for themselves. there is no need to text the torah. these sentences, in all of their glory, may be the only reasonable focus left in an increasingly abbreviated world.
Cantor ted labow
*Roy Peter Clark in Writing Tools quoting Rudolf Lesch from the late1940’s
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noTes From The canTor
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Temple IsaIah - a parT oF hIsTory
our historical treasure...
in February 1964, nineteen years after the last
German troops had surrendered in Prague, 1,564
torah scrolls arrived in london. these scrolls rep-
resented hundreds of Jewish communities in
Bohemia and moravia that had been wiped out in the
holocaust. For many years, these scrolls remained
unused and unattended in a Prague synagogue that
had been used as a warehouse. From there, the scrolls
traveled across europe and arrived at the Westminster
synagogue in london on February 7th, 1964.
throughout the following years, many of these scrolls
have been sent out to Jewish communities in Great
Britain and twenty other countries in the Western
world, to be cherished as memorials to a tragic past
but at the same time to come alive again to be read
and studied by a new generation of Jews.
in October 1967, shortly after its founding, temple
isaiah became the recipient of one such scroll. Our
scroll came from havlickuv Brod and was written in
1840.
On January 14th, 2013 the Board of trustees voted
unanimously to engage in a campaign to restore this
piece of our history. thanks to the efforts of rabbi
Karol and members of our congregation, we have
already secured the necessary seed money, from anon-
ymous donors, to ensure that the work on this project
can begin. the Board has approved the engagement
of neil Yerman, a sofer [scribe], who will oversee the
repair of the torah and ensure that it is restored to
the highest spiritual level possible given its age and
condition.
this is not just any torah restoration. the torah we
have in our possession, and have committed to restor-
ing, is a holocaust torah. restoring this torah is a
special mitzvah, in which we can all participate.
in the coming issues of the bulletin, we will provide
more information on the timeline and key events
surrounding this restoration project. and, most impor-
tantly, stay tuned as we begin to outline ways that
every member of our congregation can be a part of re-
storing and leaving this legacy for future generations!
Zikaron tzadik livracha [may the memory of the right-
eous be for blessing]
the holocaust torah restoration Committee
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presIdenT,s podIumTemple
IsaIah
dear Fellow Congregants,
as you are aware, temple isaiah has launched its sustaining membership drive for 2013. the funds derived from your acts of tzedakah have truly become an essential part of the Tikkun Olam that helps "repair the world" of our temple each year.
By you becoming a sustaining member...
We are able to help members of our temple family with understanding, support, and reduced dues when they face difficult economic times. We sustain our people!
We remove economic stumbling blocks for our children's Jewish education. We sustain our children!
We are able to meet unexpected building emergencies. We sustain our home!
We are able to honor our financial obligations in hard economic times. We sustain our future!
On behalf of all of us, i ask you to please participate in performing the mitzvah of Tikkun Olam. Become a "repairer of temple isaiah's world" by becoming a sustaining member.
most appreciatively,Carole-ann GordonPresident
WanTed: commITTee memBers oneg reconstruction library
Purchasing/inventory
Publicity
new
new
new
A Work on important projects
A meet great people
A make a difference
A Call: 928-8296, ask for Carole-ann Gordon
A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A
A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A
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susTaInIng memBers & FrIends oF Temple IsaIah 2013
Silver ChaiHilton & Jamie Adler
Claire Baer
Circle of EnrichmentJerome & Linda Barancik
Deborah Carioto
Jerry & Barbara Fine
David & Iris Schiff
Mark & Gloria Snyder
Circle of GrowthNoel & Rita Adler
Steve & Paula Bennett
Rabbi Adam & Eileen Fisher
Rodger & Linda Jonas
Rabbi Stephen Karol
Circle of HopeAlfred & Suzan Goldhaber
Randee Kanter & Pat Urquhart
Paul & Norma Michael
Daniel Stenzler & Joan Korins
ChaverimGene & Morisa Coman
Suzanne Gabrielsen
Stewart & Anita Gaffan
Bernard & Irene Gische
Robert & Lina Gottesman
Marian Guralnick
Gary & Barbara Kamen
Micheal & Dreania LeVine
Theo & Marion Pavlidis
Morton & Bernice Rosen
Dean & Susan Rosenzweig
Dennis & Sandra Rosenzweig
Alan & Myra Rosofsky
Lewis Silverman
Daniel & Phyllis Turner
Stephen & Diane Weitzman
Lawrence & Marcia Yellin
Mitzvah PartnerHoward & Shelley Fleit
Rose & Ronald French
Barbara Goldberg
Mitzvah Partner (continued)
Stephen & Janet Hiller
Ira & Robin Koeppel
Charles & Roni Robbins
Peter & Cindy Thompson
Cantor Michael & Cherie Trachtenberg
Chai or MultipleAnthony & Nancy Cali
Alan & Shari Countess
Solomon & Sylvia Feingold
Lillian Goldstein
Carole-Ann Gordon
Steven & Bonnie Katz
Carlos & Michelle Lopes
Madeline Marx
Howard & Jodi Mazer
Harriet Martin
Jay & Margaret Schoenfeld
Pam Shulder
Martin Tanzer
Richard & Barbara Wright
q Platinum Chai ($5,400 or above)
q Golden Chai ($3,600-$5,399)
q Silver Chai ($1,800-$3,599)
q Circle of Enrichment ($1,018-$1,799)
q Circle of Growth ($540-$1,017)
q Circle of Hope ($360-$539)
q Chaverim ($180-$359)
q Mitzvah Partner ($118-$179)
q Chai or Multiple ($18-$117)
Please help us to maintain Temple Isaiah as a house of worship, a house of learning, and a house of assembly by
becoming a Sustaining Member in 2013.
It is here where you celebrate life-cycle events, and it is here where you will find support when you need it. It is
with your strong financial support that Temple Isaiah will continue to provide education, worship services, and
support for people who are experiencing loss, crisis, or illness.
Please join our growing list of Sustaining Members!
8
relIgIous school revIeW
a part of the Passover holiday that i enjoy, and is hard work, is the cleaning out of the chametz [leavened products]. at our house in the Bronx, it was more than just spring cleaning.
my relatives took this chore very seriously. in fact, i can still remember the smell of the lestoil on the tile floor. my Bubbie and my mom made this ritual really count. in preparation for our family seders, we even rented chairs so we could all have a seat around the table. all the aunts and uncles and their families arrived to share this annual family event. i consumed my four glasses of wine, and we all read from the traditional Passover haggadah. What a night!
i am sure that you all have wonderful memories of Passover. now is the time for you to create them for your children. make the ritual significant for your family. do not rush through the seder or the meal. tell the story, sing the songs, act out the parts of moses and the Pharaoh, and enjoy the smells and tastes of Passover foods. make this experience educational and fun as your family learns about the significance of the exodus.
l’shalom,harvey Witmaneducational director
relIgIous school happenIngs
5th grade students and families are invited to join us for an exciting family education experience, “in the image of God,” led by our Family educator, michele rosenberg, on sunday, march 17th from 11am to1pm in the social hall.
2014 Bar/BaT mITzvah daTes
if your child was born in 2001 and you have not received a Bar or Bat mitzvah date for 2014, please contact the temple office.
2015 B’naI mITzvah parenT meeTIng
the 2015 B’nai mitzvah Parent meeting will take place on thursday, march 14th 7:30 pm.
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Our Family Fun night, entitled “Circus,” held on February 2nd, was an exciting time under the big top. the national Circus Project entertained children of all ages!
We just want to use this opportunity to let the temple isaiah community know a bit more about the Parents’ association. in addition to our publicized Family Fun nights, Book Fair, and the end-of-the-Year BBQ pre-sented with the help of tisBY and Brotherhood, the Parents’ association participates “behind the scenes” during religious school events.
during the course of the school year, we are there with the trimmings for class brunches. in addition, the “welcome back” gifts and class photos every student receives are compliments of the Parents’ association. We also coordinate the 5th-7th grade shabbat dinner and help out with any religious school event if help is needed. Coming up, our next behind-the-scenes project is preparing the seder plates, etc., for the model seders conducted by the religious school.
if you would like to join us in enhancing your child’s religious school experience, please email us, nancy linden and ilene horan, at [email protected] and [email protected]. We’re the co-chairs of the Parents’ association and we’re looking forward to meeting you! Our next meeting is march 3rd at 9 am in the kitchen. it’s never too late to join!
posTIngs From The parenTs’ assocIaTIon
Purim Celebrationthis Year's theme is
Crazy HatsA helmets A colorful Wigs A clowns A Firefighters A Policemen/Policewomen
A construction Workers A indians A cowboys/cowgirls A astronauts A Pirates
Use your imagination – make your own hat! early-session classes meet at 9:00 am. late-session classes should report to the sanctuary at 9:30. there will be no late-session classes. students should bring $5 for food, games, and fun.
Parents, Grandparents & Families Welcome!Join us in the sanctuary at 9:30 for a Purim skit, Purim songs and a Costume Parade, followed by the Purim Carnival!
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Torah sTudy
Join rabbi Karol for a look at the “summertime torah portions” and discuss their main points and the application
of their meaning to our daily lives. members & nonmembers welcome.
leader: rabbi stephen Karol sundays:
3/10 shoftim (deuteronomy 16:18-21:9) time: 11:30 am
3/17 Ki teitzei (deuteronomy 21:10-25:19) time: 11:30 am
aFTernoon Book dIscussIon group
Join the friendly and lively book discussions that take place each month.
Our march selection is American Pastoral by Philip roth
monday: 3/11 time: 2:30 pm
everyThIng you WanTed To knoW BuT Were aFraId To ask aBouT JeWIsh BelIeFs In The messIah
using a special issue of Moment Magazine, we will explore these topics:
• The Word, the World, and the Watch
• Are Jews Still Expecting a Messiah?
• What Does the Concept of Messiah Mean Today?
• King David’s Genes
• Messiah Mania
• Reform’s Messianic Age
instructor: rabbi stephen Karol tuesdays: 3/12, 3/19, 4/2, 4/9, 4/23, 4/30, 5/7 time: 8-9:15 pm
adulT educaTIon aT Temple IsaIah
temple isaiah's Social action committee is continuing its commitment to our soldiers. Please help us in our year-long campaign to support the Jewish soldiers in afghanistan.
Won’t you join us by donating $18 for this worthy cause?
$18 For soldIers
chaI For chayalIm
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elIJah’s cup
Join other temple members on sunday, march 3rd from 3 to 5 pm at studio e (565 route 25a, #103 in miller Place) and create your own elijah’s cup to adorn your holiday table. With the help of their staff, you will create a beautiful wine glass that you can use for your Passover table and have to cherish for years to come. refresh-ments, friends, and fun are included—16 and older please! the fee, payable to studio e, is $20. Please call studio e to reserve your space: (631) 744-4001. Please rsvP by 3/1.
passover plaTTers & recIpe sWap
Join us on thursday, march 7th at 7:30 pm to learn to create beautiful fruit and vegetable platters for your seder table. Our own eileen Fisher will demonstrate her artful and creative dishes and garnishes. Please bring your favorite recipes to share with your fellow congregants so everyone can have some new dishes to try this year. Please rsvP by 3/4.
passover programs
this year, march is a busy month for social action. We will be sending out Passover items to both afghanistan
and our locally adopted family. We will also be making final plans for mitzvah day—sunday, april 21st. this
year, the theme is People Helping People – the emphasis being community, not only ours, but how communi-
ties can work together. if you would like to be a part of this year’s activities, please email me at sheil48402@
aol.com or contact the office and leave a phone number.
the social action meeting for march has been changed from Wednesday, march 20th to Wednesday, march
13th. With the earlier meeting, we will be able to shop and ship items out before Passover.
Wishing you all a happy, healthy and blessed Passover,
sheila silberhartz
social action Chair
socIal acTIon acTIons
tuesday, March 26th 10 am
Join us on the first morning of Passover for a relaxed service in which we will sing the special melodies, read the special prayers, and discuss the timeless message of Pesach.
passover servIce
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BreakIng Bread WITh BroTherhood
march is a busy month for Brotherhood, with a full slate of activities planned. We start out on march 1st with
the Brotherhood shabbat service. there is a misconception in some circles that, because it is called the Broth-
erhood shabbat service, it is not for other people. that is false.
it is called the Brotherhood shabbat service because Brotherhood is organizing it and because Brotherhood
members, along with the rabbi and Cantor, will be leading or reciting most of the prayers. Just like any other
shabbat service, everyone is welcome to attend. it’s better when there are more people at the service, so we
hope you can join us. We have updated our service for this year. thanks to mort rosen for developing the new
service and for assigning the readings once again.
also on march 1st is our shabbat dinner, to be held in the social hall prior to the aforementioned Brotherhood
shabbat service. this, too, is open to all, although there is a nominal fee. thanks to allan Braun for organiz-
ing this year’s dinner. it might be too late to sign up by the time you read this, but you can contact him at
[email protected] to see if latecomers can be accommodated.
sunday, march 3rd is the temple’s Purim Carnival, and, once again, Brotherhood will be providing the haman-
taschen and other food and refreshments. Joe duskin tells me that we will have knishes this year. We have not
had them the past few years, so we are really looking forward to that. if you’ve never had these knishes, you’re
really in for a treat. i don’t know where Joe gets them, but they are delicious. We will also have a table set up
where you can meet Brotherhood members and find out about all of the good things that we are doing. Please
stop by and say hello.
Our regular monthly Brotherhood meeting is on sunday, march 10th at 9:09 am in the kitchen. We will have at
least one and probably two speakers on topics of interest. Please join us for good food and good company.
that would be a full month but there is more. On march 17th, Brotherhood is sponsoring the breakfast which
concludes the scholar-in-residence Weekend. dr. andrea Weiss’ topic, “let Justice roll like Water: Prophetic
roots of modern day social action,” is especially timely. Besides the interesting things our scholars always
share with us at the breakfast, it’s great to interact with the Confirmation students and get their perspective. as
with the above events, the breakfast is open to everyone. thanks to Past President alan Fisher for coordinating
this once again. Please rsvP to the office so there is enough food for everyone.
i want to conclude by wishing everyone and their family a joyous Passover. as always, if you have any thoughts,
ideas, suggestions, or comments, please email me at [email protected]. i hope to see you at one or more
of our many events this month.
Jay schoenfeld
Brotherhood President
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goIngs on In The youTh group
dear tisBY-ites,
thank you to all who participated in this year's Youth-led Family service. a special thanks to our religious and Cultural vice President, leah neiman, for her efforts in writing the service. another special thanks must go out to donna siani who helped us rehearse, as well as robert Weissman who came back from college just to play guitar for our service. it was the combined efforts of everyone involved that made our service successful, and for that i am very thankful.
march is filled with awesome events. march 2nd is the seniors Overnight. the following day is our annual Purim Carnival! Be sure to check out the great games and prizes, and don't forget the bouncy house!
also, be sure to come to our march 17th program: Chocolate seder! how can you take every aspect of the Pass-over seder and make it chocolate? You'll have to come to find out!
if you have any questions about programming or you are interested in trying Youth Group, please email [email protected]! Joanna schessYouth Group director
camp corner
help Wanted: Who would like to join me as a Camp ambassador?
if you can:
A Promote and represent eisner and Crane lake Camps to your congregation.
A identify potential campers and camp families in consultation with your congregation’s rabbi, Cantor, and/or educator.
A supplement eisner and Crane lake Camps’ staff recruitment efforts throughout the region.
A support eisner and Crane lake Camps’ ongoing improvements and quality.
A Connect with other camp families and alumni from your congregation and community.
A Promote and support eisner & Crane lake’s year-round activities and initiatives. ideal candidate has a mission and speaks from the heart! Knowledgeable about the essential characteristics of both camps. motivated, resourceful, and adaptable. Cheerfully brings the “spirit” of camp to the congregation. tells one’s story with passion and invites others to tell their stories too! visible and committed member of the congregation. maintains connection between camp and your families throughout the year.
if you are interested in learning more about becoming temple isaiah’s Camp ambassador, please contact me, susan tuckman, at [email protected] or 941-4044.
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shmoozIng WITh sIsTerhood
traditionally, we always look forward to spring and, hopefully, march rolls in like a lamb and not a lion! much
of our Jewish tradition hinges on the transfer of our faith and culture from generation to generation, L’Dor
V’Dor. Our sisterhood has always honored and celebrated the special contributions of miriam and women of the
exodus at temple isaiah sisterhood’s annual miriam’s seder by passing down our traditions with the nearest
and dearest ladies in our lives – our mothers and daughters.
We would like to mention that this month we also have a very special mother/daughter L’DorV’Dor happening on
sunday, march 10th, at 2 pm. elyssa Plotkin, temple isaiah religious school alumna and daughter of former
ti sisterhood President Paula Plotkin, combines her love of Judaism with her love of music. elyssa will be
“coming home” and performing at temple isaiah. elyssa is currently the executive assistant for the national
Yiddish theater (Folksbienne). in 2009, elyssa founded a woodwind quintet, The Washington Square Winds
(www.washingtonsquarewinds.org). the group will be performing medleys from Fiddler on the Roof in our
social hall as part of the triad Concert series. Come on out and cheer elyssa’s Washington square Winds, and
enjoy! Proceeds from this event benefit temple isaiah and the Greater Port Jefferson – northern Brookhaven
arts Council.
sisterhood is also continuing our tradition of hosting a dessert reception for ti’s scholar-in-residence saturday
evening Program, featuring rabbi andrea Weiss. again we are asking for sisterhood volunteers to bake or bring
a “delicious dessert” for the saturday evening session to be held on march 16th at 7:30 pm. Please contact
Paula Bennett at 751-8240 or email [email protected] if you can help with this.
lastly, but definitely not least, our annual miriam’s seder, to be held thursday, march 21st at 7 pm, will be
our culminating highlight for march. robyn deluca will have a heartfelt, wonderful evening for us honoring
the contributions of miriam during the exodus and Jewish women everywhere. invite the Bat mitzvah-age-
and-above ladies in your life--mothers, sisters, daughters, nieces, and friends--to remember and celebrate the
contributions of miriam and other hebrew women in the exodus from egypt, and bring a dish to share! (this
will probably be the last time robyn will be hosting this event for us, as she is going to take on new scholarly
endeavors, so you definitely won’t want to miss this memorable evening).
In a Nutshell… March Events:
triad Concert series – sunday, march 10th, 2 pm -- social hall
sisterhood Board meeting (Open to all) – thursday, march 14th, at 7:15 pm – room 4
scholar-in-residence saturday evening dessert reception – saturday, march 16th, 7:30 pm – social hall
miriam’s seder – thursday, march 21st, 7:00 pm -- social hall
sisterhood reaches out to our community by offering a wide variety of programs – both social and educational.
in addition to the programs we offer, our web site is http://www.tisbny.org. stay tuned for the latest up – to-date
information communicated via ti sisterhood Google Groups.
very sincerely Yours,
Paula Bennett
sisterhood Co-President
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20
Israel commITTee InsIghTs
letty Cottin Pogrebin’s January column in moment magazine, ‘Why Can’t We show empathy for the Palestinians?”(http://www.momentmag.com/opinion-why-cant-we-show-empathy-for-the- palestinians/) raises some important issues and uncovers some misconceptions. Pogrebin writes that, if a Jew expresses even the slightest concern for the Palestinians' hardships and yearning for independence, it’s more likely it would be treated as a “betrayal of the Jewish people” and “delegitimiz-ing israel.” Pogregin goes on to accuse “american enforcers of Benjamin netanyahu’s hardline political correctness” of “policing our thoughts and feelings.” the op-ed includes a photograph of a t-shirt with the israeli flag and the words “never question israel.”
Pogrebin relates the recent controversy at manhat-tan’s Congregation B’nai Jeshurun (BJ). a few days after the un General assembly vote to recognize the Palestinian state in november, several of BJ’s rabbis and board members sent an e-mail to the congrega-tion which, as Pogrebin describes, “…supported the un vote, prayed for a peaceful resolution to the conflict, and… [expressed] a message about Pales-tinian) dignity.” the rabbis wrote: “the vote at the un yesterday is a great moment for us as citizens of the world. this is an opportunity to celebrate the pro-cess that allows a nation to come forward and ask for recognition. having gained independence ourselves in this way, we are especially conscious of this. every people has the right of recognition, every person has the right of recognition.” (http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2012/12/05/nyregion/05Bnai-Jeshurun-email.html)
While i consider the rabbis’ statement as a humane expression of compassion and empathy in the ab-stract, it is, however, devoid of important context and implications. israel has agreed to the two-state solution since the beginning and has made numerous offers ceding territory in order to resolve the conflict. these offers have been rejected time and time again. in my opinion, it is the Palestinian and arab rejec-tion of the Jewish state that is the primary hurdle in resolving the conflict and creating an independent
Palestinian state. this is evidenced, not only by the violent terror attacks and rockets targeting israeli civilians, but also by the insistence of the right of return of Palestinian refugees into israel proper, and the delegitimization of the Jewish state in Palestin-ian/arab school textbooks, messages on television, print media, and official weekly sermons. rejection of the Jewish state runs far too deep in Palestinian/arab societies and is not conducive to true reconcili-ation and compromise. at best, israel enjoys a sort of temporary tolerance of its existence and not true acceptance amongst far too many Palestinians and its neighbors.
a Palestinian state on the West Bank that is hostile to the Jewish state would make life for israelis very difficult and perhaps threaten israel’s very existence, and it is not unreasonable for those that support israel to insist on israel’s sincere acceptance and demand measures that ensure its security. the uni-lateral drive by the Palestinians in the un bypassed the negotiations that are needed to address these concerns. and, although the General assembly vote is considered largely ceremonial, its implications aside (rewarding the continued rejection of the Jew-ish state and the unwillingness to compromise), it also gave the Palestinians increased use of the inter-national legal system as a weapon to further isolate and delegitimize israel.
in Pogrebin’s op-ed piece, she accused those who raised concerns about the email by the rabbis of Congregation BJ of trying to silence both the criti-cism of the Jewish state and expressions of empathy for the plight of the Palestinians. i’m not sure what happened behind the scenes, but several days after the original email was sent out, a second email was issued apologizing for the “tone” of the first email, which likely was the result of the protests of those that found the original e-mail misguided. i don’t know if the rabbis at Congregation BJ felt intimidated, or if they felt their livelihood was being threatened, and this is certainly an issue to discuss. But the objection to the e-mail was not, as Pogrebin writes, about the rejection of Palestinian aspirations
Continued on next page
21
1. Israel strikes convoy to prevent Syrian transport of advanced weapons to Hezbollah. Fears those capable of altering balance of power. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/M/ML_ISRAEL_STRIKING_SYRIA?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=D EFAULT&CTIME=2013-01-31-17-55-58
2. UN Human Rights Council recommends that Israel withdraw all of its citizens from historic regions of Judea and Samaria. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/164771
3. Aide to Egyptian President Morsi claims Holocaust a US hoax. “The myth of the Holocaust is an industry that America invented,” he says. http://www.foxnews.com/world/2013/01/29/aide-to-egyptian-president-morsi-claims-holocaust-us- hoax/?cmpid=cmty_other_Aide_to_Egyptian_President_Morsi_claims_Holocaust_a_US_hoax
4. “According to former Iranian Revolutionary Guard report, explosion at Fordow destroyed much of the [nuclear enrichment] installation; remains unverified.” http://www.jpost.com/IranianThreat/News/Article.aspx?id=301198
Larry Weber [email protected]
medIa WaTch Israel
of independence or a lack of empathy for the Pal-estinians, but about the practical implications of supporting the unilateral drive for statehood in the un without israel’s critical concerns being considered. Perhaps the e-mail by the rabbis of Congregation BJ would have been more constructive and enjoyed a more universally positive reception if, in addition to expressing sympathy for Palestinian suffering and aspirations for independence, it also expressed the need for Palestinian reciprocity, which is essential for a sincere and durable resolution of
the conflict. Palestinians are not merely passive play-ers, and treating them as such is not only an example of the soft bigotry of low expectations but also makes the attempt at resolving the conflict less likely to succeed. But to Pogrebin’s broader point, criticizing and challenging critics of israel on the merits of their arguments is free speech, too, and should not be dis-missed as a form of mcCarthyism.
rich tuckman,israel Committee Chair
Our temple library is open one half-hour before each erev shabbat service. if you are available to volunteer, please call Barbara Yarmus at 981-2709.
The raBBI adam d. FIsher lIBrary
Israel commITTee InsIghTsContinued from previous page
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Don’t plotz! some of you may not know that temple isaiah owns two sections of land at Washington memorial
Park in Coram. unfortunately, we most often find out about the cemetery as a result of the loss of a loved one.
the available plots are for sale to temple members through our temple office. the cost is a fraction of what
you would pay the cemetery directly. also, beginning this spring, our newer section will have an irrigation sys-
tem installed to help keep the area looking lovely! if you are interested in more information (or maybe a quick
tour?), please call or email me.
l’shalom
randee Kanter, Chairperson
689-2632 • [email protected]
cemeTery commITTee updaTe
our daIly Bread soup kITchenMembers of Temple Isaiah’s Social Action Committee and other volunteers staff the our daily bread Soup Kitchen at St. James Catholic Church (429 Route 25A in Setauket). This month’s date is March 10th. Please note the times: set-up will be from 1:15 - 2:00, dinner will be served at 3:00, and all clean-up should be done by 5:00.
Tot ShabbatStoryTot Shabbat
Led byRabbi Karol
& Eileen Fisher
March 1st
MusicalTot Shabbat
Led byCantor Labow
March 15th
Preschoolers (3 to 5 years old) and their parents are invited to come and share a "Taste of Shabbat" at our bi-weekly Tot Shabbat Services. These services include songs, basic prayers, a story, and an up-close-and-personal experience with the Torah. After we bless the juice and challah at the Oneg Shabbat, each child will receive a mini-challah to take home. What a great way for Temple Isaiah members, relatives, friends, and neighbors to greet Shabbat together.
renaIssance cluBAttention Seniors! Our Renaissance Club meets once a month at the Temple. You are invited to come, make new friends, and share your ideas for speakers, outings, and events.
The next meeting is March 24th at 1:30 pm. Please call Lillian Goldstein at 862-1747 for more information.
24
sunshIne Funds & oTher donaTIons
adulT educaTIon Fund
In memory of Neville Kirkpatrick Gray
Claire Baer; Pam Shulder
BeauTIFIcaTIon Fund
In memory of Eugene Jonas
Rodger Jonas
In memory of David Schleifer
Alice Schleifer
canTor mIchael TrachTenBerg landscape Fund
Speedy recovery to Sandy Albano
Suzan & Fred Goldhaber
Fund To Feed The hungry
In honor of the engagement of our daughter Dana to Craig
Rosenkranz
Maureen & Harvey Bernstein
In memory of Belle Charatan
Maureen & Harvey Bernstein
In memory of Evelyn Schneider
Cheryl & Jerrold Hirsch
In memory of Jack Goor
Jane Goor
In memory of Sarah Goor
Jane Goor
In memory of Margaret Schleifer Nachimson
Alice Schleifer
In memory of Helen Gerson
Joan Scherz
In memory of Julius Scherz
Arnold Scherz
In memory of Judith Schatz
Barbara & Jerry Fine
In memory of Neville Kirkpatrick Gray
Bernice, Morton, & Amy Rosen
Israel Fund
In memory of Edith Lazar Stern
The Gerstein Family
In memory of Benjamin Barancik
Jerry & Linda Barancik
In memory of Irving Howard
Bruce Howard
musIc Fund
In memory of Russell Lieblich
Lawrence Lieblich
oneg Fund
With deep appreciation to Robin & Tom Wells
Sonya Singh
raBBI adam d. FIsher lIBrary
In memory of Corinne Sacks
Barbara Goldberg
In memory of Roberta Schwartz
Carol & Mark Swerdloff
In memory of Elliott A. Lipitz
Elaine K. Lipitz
In memory of Ignacio Goijman
Silvia Spitzer
In memory of Doris Schatz
Barbara & Jerry Fine
In memory of Sam Schatz
Barbara & Jerry Fine
raBBI’s dIscreTIonary Fund
In memory of Irene Meyer
Barbara & Bruce Meyer
In memory of Beatrice Blank
Irva & Saul Steinweis
In memory of Chester Blank
Irva & Saul Steinweis
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sunshIne Funds & oTher donaTIons
urJ camp scholarshIp Fund
In memory of Ida Weitzman
Diane & Stephen Weitzman
In memory of Joseph Weitzman
Diane & Stephen Weitzman
In memory of Fay Kaminsky
Diane & Stephen Weitzman
In memory of Jerry Kaminsky
Diane & Stephen Weitzman
In memory of Bessie Kaminsky
Diane & Stephen Weitzman
In memory of Jerome Feldstein
Susan & Rich Tuckman
In honor of the work done by Shawn Countess to create
and build our new Torah stand
Iris & David Schiff
In memory of Lenore Cohen
Shari & Alan Countess
A donation from Shawn Countess
WorshIp Fund
In memory of Abraham Kaplan
Barbara & Bruce Meyer
In memory of Ruth Rosen
Bernice, Morton, & Amy Rosen
youTh group Fund
Mazel Tov to Hayley Brodsky & Elana Lee on becoming
B’not Mitzvah
Sisterhood
In memory of Samuel Mark
Phyllis & Daniel Turner
In memory of Aaron Sam Solomon
Reneé Silberfeld
In memory of Beatrice Berler
Barbara Pearl
raBBI’s dIscreTIonary Fund conTInued
In memory of Norman Gabrielsen
Suzanne Gabrielsen
In memory of Max Kleinerman
Joan Bram
In memory of Millie Greenfield
Bernice Kornfield Premisler
In memory of Theodore Siskind
Marion & Martin Liebowitz
In memory of Leonard M. Simon
Madeline Marx
In memory of Maxine S. Brill
Madeline Marx
In memory of Mary Jane Megroz
Carole-Ann Gordon
In memory of Sarah Simon Shapiro
Steven Shapiro
relIgIous school Fund
In memory of Max & Rose Kamenetzky
The Kamen Family
herBerT sIlBerman scholar-In-resIdence Fund
In memory of Norman Yezer
Enid & Roy Newman
specIal proJecTs Fund
In memory of Benjamin & Annie Horowitz
The Kamen Family
TIkkun olam Fund
In memory of Tom Horowitz
The Kamen Family
26
sImchas & Tzures
Whether you have happy news (simchas) or sad news (tzures), we hope you will share it with us. Rabbi Karol likes to
know about births, engagements, weddings, and other happy occasions, as well as hospitalizations, sicknesses, or deaths.
As hospital stays are often short, and hospitals do not call us when you are admitted, please let us know so Rabbi or
Cantor can arrange to visit or at least telephone. If you would like him or Rabbi Fisher to officiate at a funeral, please
speak to Rabbi Karol before scheduling. Our sanctuary is available for funeral or memorial services. If you call the
Temple about a funeral and have to leave a message with the answering service, please mention that you are calling
regarding a funeral.
condolences
To Stuart Cohen on the death of his father, Elliott Cohen
To Robert Kronenberg on the death of his father, Melvin Kronenberg
To Gloria Snyder on the death of her mother, Mildred Beskin
To Lawrence Yellin on the death of his mother, Ceil Yellin
Sunshine Funds
It’s always the "right time" to make a contribution to your Temple. It might be in honor of a living person or a recent event, or in memory of someone or some-thing, or anything you want. Donations can be made over the phone, by email, or through the USPS. How-ever you send the information, your donation can be added to your monthly Temple Isaiah invoice for easy bookkeeping. Sunshine cards require a minimum contribution of ten dollars.
Minimum contribution is $10
Prayer book: $45chumash: $60tree of life leaf: $118Pew Plaque: $500Memorial board Plaque: $250
Please call the office for more information regarding the above contributions.
Beautification Fund
The purpose of the Beautification Fund is to generate money to renovate and beautify our syna-gogue. All monies will go into a fund dedicated to this purpose.
To assist in this goal, a wall sculpture has been commissioned. This permanent work of art pro-vides the opportunity to commemorate your support for Temple Isaiah. Plaques of different sizes will be available in the following categories:
CONTRIBUTOR ........... $250 per year for 3 yearsSPONSOR .................... $500 per year for 3 yearsPATRON .................... $1000 per year for 3 yearsBENEFACTOR ............ $2500 per year for 3 years
To make a contribution, or if you have any ques-tions, please call the office at 751-8518.
congraTulaTIons
To Maureen & Harvey Bernstein on the engagement of their daughter Dana to Craig Rosenkranz
27
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Rabbi—Stephen A. Karol
Rabbi Emeritus—Adam D. Fisher
Cantor—Ted Labow
Cantor Emeritus—Michael F. Trachtenberg
Educational Director— Rabbi Harvey Witman
Temple President—Carole-Ann Gordon
Sisterhood Co-Presidents—Janet Feldstein & Paula Bennett
Brotherhood President—Jay Schoenfeld
Parents' Association Co-Chairs—Nancy Linden & Ilene Horan
Youth Group Director—Joanna Schess
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Temple IsaIah1404 Stony Brook Road
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hayley brodsky on march 9thdaughter of Kevin & lauren Brodsky
elana lee on march 23rddaughter of thomas lee & mindy levin-lee
B’noT mITzvah FeBruary 2013
Siman Tov & Mazel Tov To All!
