May/June 2020

While we pause to stop the spread of Covid-19… Join us in a variety of ways to continue to study, pray, question, share, sing and stay connected with your Larchmont Temple Family. Go to www.larchmonttemple.org to engage. Watch for our Friday email for regular updates.

1 Larchmont Temple your own bla 75 Larchmont Avenue, Larchmont, NY 10538 FROM THE PRESIDENT 914-834-6120; FAX: 914-834-6503 www.Larchmonttemple.org The house is quiet, although all four of us are here. My older a member of the Union for Reform Judaism daughter cannot go back to college. My younger daughter is JEFFREY J. SIRKMAN Rabbi engaged in remote learning from MHS. My husband and I are LEORA FRANKEL working from home - every single day. I treasure that time Associate Rabbi together that we never had before, but it is muted by our TRACEY SCHER Cantor sorrow and only occasionally do we find time for a board game RABBI EVE RUDIN or movie. Director of Education, Youth & Families MIA KARGEN Co-Directors of Early Childhood The silence consumes me as I think about why it is so quiet. JANE SABLE-FRIEDMAN Executive Director FREDDA MENDELSON I try to distract myself with work and that ever illusive search for paper goods or Cantor Emerita masks. Everyone is in a separate corner of the house. I refer to it as “the four H. LEONARD POLLERz’l Rabbi Emeritus corners defense”. Why do we self-isolate from each other even in our State EDWARD GRAHAMz’l imposed isolation? It hurts too much to talk about it. I immerse myself in the Cantor Emeritus sunshine blazing through the windows.

BOARD OF TRUSTEES STACEY CHERVIN SIGDA I take a break from my thoughts in order to jump on another LT COVID-19 Task President HARRI TARANTO Force call. The Governor may be making an announcement this week. What do we Honorary President need to do to protect our clergy and congregants? The conclusion to each of these MICHAEL NATHAN Executive Vice President meetings inevitably is to increase the physical distance between us and lock the MARTHA STEINMAN door of the synagogue building tighter. And then, as predicted, the Governor 1st Vice President extends the stay-at-home order. It is wholly expected and justified, but it still JEFFREY WANG 2nd Vice President crushes that tiny morsel of hope to be with you all again. ROBERT ROTHMAN Financial Vice President KAREN ZIMMERMAN At Friday night services, I feel like a kid in a candy store. All of those familiar names Treasurer on FB attending the service remotely like the service itself that is held from Rabbi STEVE LEHMAN Administrative Secretary Sirkman’s and Cantor Scher’s respective homes. Each time a name pops up with a comment “Shabbat Shalom” or “beautiful service”, I can hear your voices uttering JON BIRGER JOHN BORDEN those phrases and want to hug you back “Shabbat Shalom”. I write comments and JORDANA DAVIS MICHAEL FINEBERG personally message anyone I can see is attending the service. It is social. It is MARTHA FRIEDLAND distant. DAVID KAHN JENNIFER PERKINS STEWART ROSS JILL SARKOZI Seeing your faces on the Second Seder zoom was a miracle. Evidence that our CAROL SCHEFFLER community is strong and connected particularly when we need that closeness to TOBY SKLAREW RANDI SPATZ help us cope. Trustees

LARRY GUTTERMAN I miss each and everyone of you with whom I feel so close despite the distance. I Brotherhood President MICHELE METSCH miss the zaniness, arguments and giggles in my home. I miss it all. JOHANNA SNYDER Youth Education Committee Chairs I long for our community’s physical presence together and yearn to return to a ELEISE JONES SELINA WAGOWSKI time when we can go back to bump elbows even if we cannot shake hands. But …. LTNS Parent Association Co- Chairs until that day when we can hug and kiss and touch not just spiritually but Thank you for submitting by the 1st of each physically, that is what I dream of most deeply. month to [email protected] Cynthia Weissman, Editor/Designer Linda Price, Proofreader Be safe, Be well. Hug someone in your home. Maybe even a pet or stuffed animal. You are not alone.

Stacey Chervin-Sigda, President

2

New York Times, April 9, 2020 the fog that took over, that I wasn’t eating or drinking For 12 Days a Doctor Lived with Burning Lungs much. ven rearmin an already reared meal By Charles L. Schleien became a maor chore. lie on a stretcher, thinkin of my to sons. hey are both healthy, in hiladelhia and anhattan. Seven or days lived ith burnin luns, malaise, no months before, e suffered throuh the death of their aetite and little usto for life. ne niht, my oyen mother — my ife of years. She anted to live so saturation died. he net mornin, called my badly. fter an month battle ith cancer, she left us. colleaues for hel. n ambulance arrived. e drove from my home in e ochelle, .., to orth Shore he three of us have otten closer since her death, but niversity osital in anhasset. kno am no relacement. fter days of livin ith the coronavirus, admitted myself to the merency he infectious disease doctor ordered a lun scan, eartment. and the results shoed severe, bilateral disease. yin there, thinkin about my future or lack of one, made kno too much about this illness. kno that my three hone calls. called both of my sons searately, to oyen saturation lummetin the niht before is a sin tell them how sick I’ve become, what the doctors and I of advanced ulmonary disease ith ovid infection. were worried about. I couldn’t guarantee them that kno that miht need a mechanical ventilator — have ould live throuh the eekend. he third call made is iven this theray to straners hundreds of times. to my close friend, a ersonal attorney, to ensure that everythin ould be in order if died. n arch , the andemic still seemed far aay. obody had otten ill yet. attended the last lare emerency hat afternoon, stabilied ith no further deradation manaement system meetin of the orthell health of my oyen saturation levels. n oyen, felt more system in anhasset, .., here e discussed suly secure in my breathin. remained on oyen and as rocurement and ersonnel coverae for the comin transferred to a “Covid floor” where I stayed for six days. andemic. drove back to my office in the ohen bean to enoy my surroundins. y luns started to Children’s Medical Center in nearby New Hyde Park. burn less, and my couh subsided.

hat afternoon, met tice ith a rou of colleaues. y caretakers ere amain, thouh I don’t know what as feelin so cold. ver the net hour, became colder any of them look like they ere alays masked hen ith shaky chills. y assistant, ho is like a bi sister to sa them. am indebted to the nurses ho heled me, me, told me to o home immediately. drove home, alloin me to feel like a real erson and maintain some febrile and achy. slet for hours. dinity.

he net mornin, still feelin fluish, as tested at an have been home no for days. ach day feel a little urent care center. he results returned ositive that bit stroner and more like myself. y younest son is afternoon. stayin and cookin for me and e aceime ith my older son in hiladelhia every day. eath has never felt s a yearold, kne the mortality risks. n riday, so close and so far aay in the same breath. as taken over by coronavirus malaise. alaise is a term used by health care workers, but I didn’t fully understand harles . Schleien is the hili ankosky rofessor and chair it until eerienced it in my body. alaise forces you of ediatrics at the arbara onald ucker School of onto the couch or bed, tells you you’re not hungry. The edicine of ofstraorthell and senior vice resident of Pediatric Services and Cohen Children’s Medical Center. idea of cookin became overhelmin. lost interest in even cleanin u.

am fortunate to have so many close friends and relatives in the area. heir tets and hone calls ere a lifeline. edically, kne there as no reason to o to the hosital. y vital sins and oyen levels ere fine. monitored myself a fe times a day, but did realie, in

3 FROM RABBI JEFFREY SIRKMAN

Suffering, for Your Sake? Rabbi Levi Yitschak of Berditchev, 18th century Hasidic master was unique. He sought neither to create for himself an academy nor to surround himself with disciples. Rather, he spent his days on the pathways of life with the people. His contemporaries, Rabbis of renown, knew there was none like him. “Shneur Zalmen remarked: “God is our Tsadik up there, and Levi-Yitschak is God’s Tsadik down here.” The Kotzker Rebbe once admitted, “The gates to God’s Sanctuary of Love have been opened by Levi-Yitschak.” As Elie Wiesel understood, ‘Though a friend to all, he belonged to no clan. He founded no dynasty. The house he built, he carried inside.’ [Souls on Fire, pg 911]

The story is told that one Passover Eve, overwhelmed by the suffering of so many, he burst out at the start of Seder, pleading: “Tonight we celebrate our Exodus from Egypt. According to tradition, four children question their father on the meaning of the event. The fourth does not even know how to ask. I am this fourth; not that I lack questions. Lord, I just don’t know how to put them. I wouldn’t dare…So I won’t ask you why we are persecuted; why we are sick and dying. But I would at least like to know that, somehow, our suffering is for Your Sake.” [Souls on Fire, pg 111]

This uestion is one we cannot answer. Theodicy posits a purpose to life’s struggles so that they might fit into some greater divine plan. How can there be a lan behind all this human ain and loss Can we be so ious as to infer reordained meaning in all this madness I cannot get behind a od who sends diseases, or coordinates lane crashes, or whis u andemics for some edagogic urose. Cell mutation and environmental exosure bring cancer technology malfunctions and viruses beyond medical knowledge spread unchecked… YET… If od is somehow art of the mix, If there is some sacred sense beneath the workings of our world, what are we—wouldbe eole of faith—to make from this historic moment ust before aster, ominican ather Thomas oseh hite wrote “What can it mean that God has enabled temporary conditions in which our lifestyle of international travel is grounded, our consumtion is cut to a minimum, our days are occuied with basic resonsibilities toward our families and immediate communities, our resources and economic hoes are reduced, and we are made much more deendent on one another hat does it mean that our nationstates suddenly seem less potent…and that the most technologically advanced countries face the humility of their limits...e might think none of this tells us anything about ourselves, or about God’s compassion. But if we simply seek to pass through all of this in exectation of a return to ‘normal,’ we are missing the fundamental point.”

In these days of distancing and isolation, as far too many suffer, as frontline workers foster survival—doctors and nurses daily witness to the devastation and the miracles, we need to know, as their examle attests our ultimate urose as human beings is to hel one another. ith the hindsight of this horrific reality, we understand we are not in cometition to outdo or surass our neighbor. e are all connected in common destiny by a Covenant we share, which makes every one of us resonsible for its continuity. nd as we live this Covenant—unwavering in our care but nottooclose, od is the love we share.

ith Hoe, effrey

4 RABBI’S DIARY

Sunday Afternoon, 1:15PM… for over 30 years is that LT members are not S. called to let me know his congregants, they’re my friends. People about whom I mother died. “She was an deeply care. People I love. B and his wife were the amazingly gracious, special lady,” first family we became friends with when we moved to I responded. “And it’s not alone town…and they remained close…As my kids readily that she lived so long,” [100 admit when his name comes up, he is the kindest, most years] “but so well.”…I was concerned about how he giving man around…[He actually called me a month ago, might take the recently established Funeral protocols. “Don’t buy matzah. I bought extra. Is 10 lbs. enough “No, generally speaking, we are not actually gathering for you?” And now…] at graveside…” What in the world can I do to help? I sent a prayer to “Zoom Funeral Service. Can we do that?” his daughter…I checked in with his wife earlier, just “Of course, we can. It is as close together as we can to see…But things did not sound so good…The whole get. It’ll be beautiful!” thing is just so crazy, so scary…and I feel helpless. Was I trying to convince myself? Cutting a deal with the Holy One won’t work…It never Did I know how it would turn out? does…But, lying back down in bed, I try anyway… ”God, We hadn’t even done one yet. Please…..” Suddenly its 6:58AM…I look out the People gathered on the Zoom call starting several window; the sun rising. minutes prior to start time. “Please, let it be a better day!” It was like a Jewish tech-comedy sketch. The banter was priceless… Thursday Evening, 6:30PM… “Myron, I see you but can’t hear you!”… It was really cool!... ”You just never listen!” Not that I didn’t miss “Bernice, are you having a cocktail?!” being at the table with my The Service was truly moving. Generations of the family all around… But family spoke. Her children as well, sharing memories having 112 households and tears. Taking a moment of silence before the from the LT Family Memorial Prayer, I glanced down and noticed, over 80 gathered for our Virtual households were on the Zoom call. I ended with that Second Night Seder was amazing. Keeping people affirmation: “It is R’s love that links us all, even connected in this moment of self-imposed distancing beyond our separation. And that love, so long as we is essential…And in doing it, our clergy team are just remember, can never die.” wonderful. Everyone does their thing while being so And then, the sweetest thing happened. supportive… No one wanted to leave. It is [no joke] Covenantal! Connected family and dear friends-like-family kept I am so fortunate!.. talking and schmoozing. But what most excited me during the Seder, as more [And since I was the host, I couldn’t leave than a few LT folks let me know, was seeing my either…Which was ok…Because the kibitzing I grandson Sawyer Wolf, in his parents’ lap, witnessed was a testament to what R loved most!] bopping and smiling and playing as the Cantor was singing…I could not help Tuesday Morning, 4:22AM… but make Papa faces What was I doing up?... back, with Sophie next ”How are you feeling?”...[Checked temp…I’m fine!] to me, texting her NH Looking out the window at what feels like a windy, cousins: “Is he the chilly dark morning, I name in my head the three cutest baby ever, or funerals we are doing/zooming this week. But, that’s what?”. To say I was beaming would be an not what woke me…My mind keeps going back to B., in understatement….Our plan was to actually be there in the ICU with the virus. The problem with being here

5 Miami for second Seder all the kids together with since first year of HUC] often calls when he’s on his the Roths, Chelsea’s wonderful family, this year… nighttime walk with his dog, Charlie. But the world had other ideas… “Jeffrey, how you doin?” Still, seeing the gallery of faces—more than a few of “I don’t know? Guess I’m ok. It’s a lot… which were my family, [Pauls Bombards I mean, I’m doing what I can do…You?” Greenblatts & Blooms] Made me feel so close… “I’m fine…sort of…” [We review his awesome 1st night Almost as if we were together. family Seder that the Sirkmans joined, talk Zoom This pandemic moment is so meshuganeh almost Funerals and B’nai Mitzvah, Temple programming, kid counterintuitive. Who ever imagined that by this self updates, worries about the world and the future…] imposed separation, we’d be drawn together, making It’s almost 10… the connection mean even more?... “OK, say hey to El…” “Hang in there pal.”…”You, too.” Saturday Night, 9:20PM… “As if there’s another choice?...” “Hey fellah!” …My friend Billy [Rabbi of Woodlands, “Nope!...” “Night Uncle Billy…” my rabbinic guide best friend for the past 8 years,

oom nd ight eder

A ur nnual eeting of the ongregation is scheduled for onday, une at pm. We are making plans to hold the meeting entirely online using oom video conferencing. embers will be able to oin from their computers, tablets or smartphones or dialin by phone, watchlisten to the meeting, and participate fully including hearing how the year went and what lies ahead, asking uestions and voting voting will reuire an online connection. s in years past, the nnual eeting will be combined with a special service honoring our Board of Trustees and this years inyan of ensches.

ull details will be emailed in the net few weeks, including information on how to oin the meeting and how to submit your proy if you are unable to oin. f you cannot receive email to the addresses specified in your directory entry, please call us at to have the meeting information mailed to you. s always, we strongly encourage everyone to attend, or to submit your proy if you cannot. This is obviously an unusual year, and it is more important than ever that we all come together virtually to collectively participate in our congregational governance and honor those in our leadership and community who have contributed so much.

6 R AR RAY SR tanding on the bimah on aturday they can’t even hug their own family members watching arch th, sharing in celebration and visiting people from afar, as they selfuarantine, with two families as their sons fighting their illness in solitude, is painful to eperience. became B’nei Mitzvah, I knew that something big was about to happen at archmont Temple. felt a pit inside of my stomach as we fist bumped the handful of people who were present that morning, who while joyful and proud of their sons’ accomplishments, were nonetheless sitting several feet away from each other as we began the ourney of physical distancing. nd so much has changed since that day.

s a mother, daughter, wife and sister, am certain that am eperiencing the same range of emotions as everyone t is a strange thing to sing in front of a computer screen else. fear for the safety of my parents, who are stuck in or camera when the oy eperience from singing comes alifornia, thousands of miles from their home in ova from being with people in the same room who are all cotia. fear for the safety of one of my brothers who singing together inging together builds community, has a compromised immune system, am sad for my kids, raises hope and oy and inspires people to do good in the one of whom lost out on college visits, and the other world. remember the first riday night that abbi whose first year of college was cut short. am sad for the irkman and led millions of people who have been affected financially, services to an empty emotionally and physically by the ravaging impact that anctuary, truly found this disease has had on the world. And….I am grateful for it to be a spiritual eperience. looked into the livestream camera and told myself that there were many people on the other side, waiting for me to help them lift their voices and sing together. t worked….and continue to tell myself the same thing as sing alone in my own space, imagining everyone else doing the same thing. But it is not easy. nd miss the physical proimity surely, it has raised my awareness to the power of community singing. eople the myriad ways in which my life has been touched by have been singing together from the beginning of time. this disease. have not spent this much time with my nd if anything saves our world, it may ust be people family EE. have time to put dinner on the table every singing together. simply can not wait to be physically night, and we sit together as a family and eat and talk and together again. nd we will lift our voices to the heavens that feels G am in touch more than ever with as we cry for those who have been lost and as we sing in friends from around the world because we need each praise and gratitude for the love that we have for one other and we have the luury of all being at home at the another. same time. The lists on each side of the coin, are long and the challenge is trying to find an emotional and ntil that time….may we stay safe and healthy and may spiritual balance so that can sleep at night. we know that we are here, in it together, as one community. s a antor, have had a different kind of eperience. t pains me how many people are hurting in our community having been with them as they eperience family deaths trying to navigate how to say goodbye, how to bury their loved ones, how to function and live with their grief when

7 R RABBI RA RA far of unprecedented juggling for Andrew and me our As I sit down to reflect jobs, caring for the kids, longdistance learning for them on this past month, I and virtual teaching for us. o be sure, it has been can’t help but think of the famous opening line from Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities I: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…” It goes without saying that these weeks of the pandemic have been filled with much aniety, suffering, and loss. itnessing so much death, even at a distance, is heartbreaking. And knowing that the majority of grieving families can’t mourn together in person and participate in the full array of ewish rituals just adds insult to injury. And yet… stressful and exhausting. And yet… blessings abound during this stretch of intense family time. ince there are no other caregivers coming in or out of our house, it means that we get to share every hug, laugh, song, or silly moment with the girls. Most days, we eat three meals or more at the table together as a family and while “Mommy has to go to work” is still a mantra here, in between zoom meetings I get to paint and play and read with my kids more than I typically could. And that is a gift.

As I said to one of my amily iscovery groups recently, there may be an ominous cloud hanging over our world right now, but it’s up to each of us to be the “silver lining” searchers. o far, my family has been lucky enough to stay relatively healthy and there are so many silver linings to lift up and celebrate sharing a assover eder via There are so many “and yet’s” for me from the past oom with many more relatives than would have ever fit several weeks, especially when it comes to the power of into my brother’s Manhattan apartment had we ewish community and tradition to transcend physical convened in person or being able to bake challah from distance and touch the soul. hether it has been funeral scratch since we have plenty of time now for the dough or shiva services by zoom, our incredible nd night to rise More than anything, this time of isolation has assover eder, or the smaller weekly meetups for made us all more grateful for simple pleasures like taking musical minyan, adult and family education and so on, I a walk outside and seeing the flowers bloom or eating a have been consistently moved by how very real and ripe piece of fresh fruit. I hope that a year from now, meaningful these “virtual” gatherings have been. While even once we’ve been back to some semblance of our it’s required some psychological adjustment and normal routines for a while, we still maintain this programmatic agility, I have been surprisingly nourished renewed sense of gratitude and wonder. by the many moments of connection and conversation we’ve shared—about esach, our connection to Israel, ishing you and your family continued good health, what this uniue moment means to each of us, and more. safety, and unepected joy as we journey forward.

or my own family, sheltering in place has meant that my two daughters have not been in school for five weeks now as I write this. It’s a different kind of counting than what I expected during this year’s Omer. Five weeks so

8 R RABBI RDI

with hotels, of course in a long game of monopoly the same set my family played on in the 1970’s!). We watch movies and the reat ritish aking show as a family each night…and my cat (whom some of you “met” a few weeks during an T Facebook ive avdalah has realied that we humans shockingly eat a third meal in the middle of the day, is trying his best to get in on the lunch action. Sometimes I give in and sometimes I don’t.

Among the many things I miss, it shouldn’t be surprising When my daughter mma was younger, she was a very that I miss our T kids the most. During the last literal thinker and reader and her teacher suggested she few months, ewish educators are experimenting and and thereby W read the popular arry otter books so redefining what Jewish learning can be in our “new that she could better understand foreshadowing. taying normal.” I’ve learned already that it’s much more about a book ahead of her, I would help remind her to never CONNECTION versus CONTENT. It’s currently much more forget that oldemort – while perhaps not in that current about family experiences assover lent itself well to scene and chapter – was lurking behind a corner plotting this. And in the coming months it will be more about Harry’s demise. providing meaning and answering some really big questions from our children….for which we don’t have During the end of February and in early March, those of easy answers. While I probably will OT be asked a year us on the LT Coronavirus Task Force didn’t need such from now if the assover plagues were real or not , we foreshadowing prompts. As we engaged in our often daily as parents and ewish educators and clergy need to decisionmaking process, we sadly knew how this book provide a ewish place and framework to process all of was going to end that eventually we would cancel all our this. earkening back to assover, our children are inperson programs and close the Temple building. experiencing very real maror/bitterness and loss graduations, soccer tournaments, musicals, recitals, Like many of you, it’s been personally trying. My husband friends, teachers and more. ut we must also remember lliott and I are both at risk medically. We are caring for that the seder also includes the illel sandwich when we elderly parents who are far away and all we can “do” take our bitter maror and put it with the sweet charoset sometimes is order groceries for them. We have grave and build toward something new….signified by the greens discussions we have never had before; Elliott’s children of springtime. are far away hoenix and Israel and he knows that if he becomes sick and hospitalied, there is no way they could Wishing you all the best of health and can’t wait to see travel to be with him in a worstcase scenario. As an you all in person one day soon insomniac on a “good day,” I’m frankly surprised I fall asleep at all.

And…like many of you, there have been some wonderful things for which I have tremendous gratitude. We had just moved to a larger and new home and lliott, my daughter Emma and I each benefit from “social distancing” space when needed. ☺ lliott also a rabbi has a parttime congregation and now leads weekly habbat services online instead of only visiting there monthly. We are comforted by many renewed connections with friends and tune into our friend eter Yarrow’s online musical gathering every night for comfort, connection and hope. There are funny moments too…it turns out my extremely socialist collegeage daughter D in owning ark lace and oardwalk

9 R A SAB RIDA

It’s been a month since we were directed to stay home Yes, we are already busy planning next year’s and keep social distancing. ery surreal month I am programming and budgets, applying for and managing sitting at my desk in my “office” in my bedroom. My grants, planning our annual congregation meeting, and husband oron is teaching ebrew remotely to unter soon enough, will start planning for igh oly ays. I do ollege students from his office on the other side of the hope and am looking forward to seeing you in person as apartment, and my yearold son is going through his soon as possible. In the meantime, wishing you stay daily school assignments on his laptop at the dining room healthy and safe. table. o, this is our new routine

unch and dinners we eat together. ow what a concept. I find myself cooking again, a task I hae not done on a regular basis for years. ays repeat themseles and weeks go by. oom has become our new normal. nd with all this what is happening at the emple hile our amaingly creatie team has put together wonderful online opportunities, our admin, and custodial staff are working behind the scenes to continue supporting these programs, the emple membership and the building.

s you might hae noticed there is still a smiling oice answering the emple phone during the week. inda, ynthia and Mia, our office staff, are rotating the days and times when the phones are forwarded to their homes. ne of our custodians either arlos, Marco or y will be in the building daily to make sure the building is taken care of, and aura and hara are making sure we do not neglect our daily financial tasks.

10 IA AR RSRY S RI BIDR RAD RABBII IR I neer planned to run a school from my closet. Instead of sitting backtoback in our office at , my and I spend our days facetoface on Zoom. I have been grateful for our “shared” space and for Amy’s collaborative nature. It seems, now more than eer, we need to collaborate and to think as a team. e “How are you?” It is a uestion that is often posed as share our oys and sorrows through our laptop screens. more of a greeting, with the typical, perhaps automatic ome days are silly, with our children oombombing our response of “I’m fine, How are you?” But now, in the time workspaces to sit on our laps or crawl onto our shoulders. of I, emotions, anxieties and eerything in ome days are chaotic with kitchen mishaps and between cause us to ask, consider and answer this technology challenges. hrough it all, we are striing to uestion differently than before. My responses hae maintain a sense of community among our teachers, been the full range of “Actually, we are doing ok,” to “I’m children and families. ome directors are out there on frustrated and sad about the things we have to cancel,” their own, trying their best to keep things afloat. his to “How hard is it to buy some toilet paper?!” I have read unprecedented and challenging time of leading a school seeral articles that liken this cycle to the one of grief, through a pandemic has really deepened our partnership. experiencing all fie stages enial, nger, argaining, ogether, we hae been working ery hard to meet the epression and cceptance. hese stages, according to needs of all families in the nursery school. ome of them lisabeth ublerRoss and David Kessler, don’t necessarily hae young children and are relying on our content to happen in linear order. here is forwards and backwards keep the children busy, connected and engaged. thers moement and at any moment, something could trigger a hae schoolaged children and are feeling oerwhelmed different stage. ast year, essler also published a book with homeschooling while also trying to work from home. that adds a sixth stage inding Meaning. s ews, and as members of the archmont emple family, we are no or these reasons we hae created oogle lassrooms, strangers to meaning making. It is something seeped into where teachers upload content such as ideos of stories, our ancient tradition and our modern ewish experience. actiities, recipes, experiments and much more. hey are designed to allow families to iew and participate on I gie you all of this background, the theory and the their own time and at their own speed. psychology of grief, in order to share my truth with you I am ust not ready to make meaning of this situation. I am e hae also been working hard with the teachers on stir cray in my Manhattan apartment, scared to go out creating a lie and interactie class experience through and do laundry and grocery shopping. I am angry that the oom meetings. In order to make this new process as oup itchen of which I am a leader has not been comfortable as possible for the children, each class has allowed to feed our guests in oer a month. I am tired of created new routines and expectations for learning with being on oom all day, with my teachers expecting the childdeelopment in mind. s we know, children take same amount of presence and preparation. I miss comfort in the predictability of routines. hugging my friends, taking for granted the power of

human touch. I am deeply sad that Alex’s (my wife) e will be ooming regularly with the children and will cantorial ordination ceremony has been canceled and meet often with the teachers to reflect on what is that beloed members of our family will begin to working and what needs to be reised in order to proide scatter as they begin the next chapter of their the best possible irtual nursery school experience for professional lies, all without a proper goodbye. both children and families during these strange and Recently, Kessler was on Brené Brown’s podcast, uncertain times. e hope that when our children are nlocking s highly recommended. hey were grown and look back on this time, they are reminded of how we pulled together as a community, maintained discussing the grief and meaning of this pandemic connections, and did our best to find the oy in daily life experience and what emerged was this: You don’t have at home. to make meaning of the whole experience, but a moment can be meaningful. e hae all had meaningful moments

11 over the past few weeks assover seders with family far building, and I miss having our teens and learners in the and wide, appreciation for nature on our daily walks, and building together, or blasting music on a bus to a the technology that allows us to connect in new and convention or overnight together. creative ways. I couldn’t tell you what the meaning of this whole thing is, but the gratitude is certainly there, EMMA REHFELD, T’FILLAH & SONG LEADER sneaking up when we least expect it. n arch th I left ew Rochelle for an rancisco to visit my significant SSY I Y A other. welve hours later, my nce the schools announced that neighborhood in ew Rochelle was a they would be closing for at least “Containment Zone,” and the weeks, possibly longer, I hopped in ational uard was sent in. I called a car and drove down to aryland , checking in on the state of things, and also made sure to stay with my parents. I realied my family and friends were healthy and safe. It uickly that social distancing in a house would be much more became apparent I would be in an rancisco for the favorable than spending all my time in a ew York ity foreseeable future. It’s been over a month now, and I’d apartment with roommates who would also be working like to share what I’ve noticed from “sheltering in place.” from home. ike many other young millenials during this time, I’ve had to learn to work my fulltime ob from my hoshy and I had been talking for weeks before the childhood bedroom, taking Zoom calls with the backdrop outbreak about how to teach the th grade ewish of the sewing machine that my mother put in my room Middot (values). I’ve used these values as a way to center after I moved out. he sewing machine has now moved myself. downstairs, as my mom and I work hard to make masks . A hroughout for our friends, family, and healthcare workers. this pandemic, people have stepped up and gone above and beyond the call of duty. Here in alifornia, many hile I got out of the city relatively early, my roommates hotels and inns have opened their doors to the homeless stayed for another two weeks before renting a car and and sick to provide a basic human right of shelter. driving the hours to stay with their respective families andlords have halted evictions so those let go from their in hicago. Because they were leaving ew York, my jobs don’t have to worry about rehoming or living on the roommates had to uarantine away from their families, street. armers have donated food to food banks and and found themselves stuck in their basements and shelters. helter dogs and cats have found loving homes bedrooms, with their meals dropped off outside of their as people take them in. eople have learned to make doors. hey sat feet away from their family members at face masks for essential workers...etc. their seders, eating off of paper plates and not sharing . R n the bright food or serving utensils with their families. side, the climate has begun to repair itself as we have minimied travel and carbon emissions. e have limited y work at a synagogue has obviously changed our consumeristic impulses purchasing only necessary substantially. As Youth ngagement oordinator, my ob items. he human footprint has dramatically decreased, is to build community and bring people together, so it has and the world has a moment to catch its breath. been a shift thinking about how to still foster that . My partner Toby’s roommate, community and learning while making sure that everyone Danny, cooks extra meals. n uesdays and ridays, oby stays apart. ur youth group, arY, has switched from and I drive around, delivering food to those in need, in person events to online movie nights and social action carefully setting meals on the porch, ringing the doorbell, proects, such as collecting digital thank you notes for and leaving. ccasionally, recipients enoy conversations health care workers. ur college students have come with us. e sit in the car, and they shout from their together to learn new recipes and connect over Zoom. As doorways. roviding social interaction has been one of a A fellow, (camp leadership and synagogue the most essential parts of doing the work. professional), I work for both and R oint ciech . S ne of the best parts about my ob is Academy. I’ve worked with Sciech to create online get bringing oy and a sense of community through music. togethers for both the staff and campers, such as ortunately, Zoom and acebook ive have preserved this demonstrating athome science experiments over Zoom fundamental part of songleading. I’m so lucky that I get to and hosting virtual staff game nights and powerpoint bring some of that delight into your homes through parties. While I’m glad that we’ve found ways to connect technology. ook for the helpers, cherish your loved ones, online, there is no replacement for inperson community and appreciate the little things. 12 SOIAL ATION M E M I am a y.o. divorced dad and part of the T Community who battled the virus from March 27. Everybody’s body will respond differently to the virus and each of us will have a different eperience.

This crisis we are going through is life changing for many. It is life and lifestyle threatening, transitional and disruptive. The eperiential nature of humans is living in social groups for connection and mutual support. The loneliness of this forced online life causes us to seek a A number of us in SAC and the temple community have different kind of connection, one without touching or been active in supporting the kids at the Coachman close proimity, which is difficult to get used to but social amily Center who are uarantining in purchasing and distancing seems to be the new normal. delivering school supplies, educational games and toys, art supplies, diapers and personal protective gear. And or me the physical illness was the most intense for only providing potted pansies to add some natural beauty and days and nights. It was scary not knowing what to cheer to their small apartments To help, please contact expect, even my doctor didn’t know. It was lonely drvickiehrlichaol.com or inda.iefberggmail.com. because I had to go it alone, for fear of infecting anyone else. or seven days I didn’t leave my apartment and It has been so rewarding to work with such terrific people nobody came in. That alone drove me cray. I tried to in our congregation strengthen my immune system, stay hydrated and get lots of rest. n the nights where my symptoms were at their worst, I became very anious. Aniety feeds on your New Date: Wednesday, August 12, 9 am fear of not knowing and thrives on the loneliness of Auschwitz Exhibit at the isolation. Waking up at am gasping for air, totally alone, was scary. The aniety was compounded by a Museum of Jewish Heritage preeisting condition, a cardiac arrythmia. In commemoration of olocaust emembrance, T is hosting a day trip to the Museum of ewish eritage – ecognie that the aniety is a byproduct of A iving Memorial to the olocaust in downtown circumstance, take some deep breaths and get on the Manhattan for a tour of their highly acclaimed phone. It helps to speak with someone who knows you. Holocaust exhibit, “Auschwitz. Not Long Ago. Not Far They can likely talk you back down and calm you. e Away.” supportive of friends or family members going through this and let them know that all this time alone messes We hope you will join us for this timely visit, hosted with their head, emotionally and psychologically. by the T Adult ducation Committee. Transportation ncourage your loved one to keep to a routine. our will be provided, departing archmont Temple at am emotional support can make all the difference. to arrive in time for brunchlunch and a free audio tour scheduled at pm. (We will preselect a In hindsight I am filled with gratitude as my eperience restaurant for our group, but please be prepared to was not as acute or serious as others have had. My pay for your meal.) egistration is limited to network of friends and family calledteted me every day. adults. Sign up at larchmonttemple.org. The cards and gifts I received was truly uplifting. I am so aware of the things I am thankful for and count my blessings, of which I have many.

if you or a loved one are going through your own Covid virus eperience please reach out to me. I am happy to share more of my eperiences and listen to yours or be supportive and encouraging any way I can. oshua iamond ceilsolgmail.com

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FAMIL NES ya ay ane rans, mother o am, motherinlaw o athalie, randmother o erry nnie ybil Ehrlich, mother o icki Ehrlich ily ose, mother o Elka aved heodore ennett, uncle o inna Immerman artin loane, ather o eter loane Edith eitner ubesin, sister o Harold eitner ob assidy, ather o rian assidy anette aitman, randmother o ichele etsch arah iks, aunt o isa chnapper arry auman, uncle o erey auman avid Haas, ather o amela Haas chwab tephen ieber, ather o anice, atherinlaw ary ubin, randather o avid udy iller, mother o arol iller hoda umber, mother o imon, lice rooks umber, Evelyn reenber, mother o at enis im oodman, ather o ob oodman ay ichard ittwin, husband o arol Homan atalie inver, mother o udy adowsky haron illman, mother o obin olden, Ilene ropper, aura illman avid ichael ondin, uncle o cott reield urton arbow, ather o Ellen Howse Eric oren, cousin o drienne eissHarrison

THAN O RABBI SIRKMAN’S MITZVAH FUND In memory o ary iebowit In appreciation or oiciatin at the In appreciation or a special, meaninul by S L service in memory o Michele’s and unorettable trip to Israel In memory o my parents ollie be randmother anette aitman by E & A G by M & M L by M & S M In memory o aomi acks In ratitude or helpin us celebrate the by A & M RAI FRANEL’S MITZVAH FUND yahreit o Edith ilber orden In appreciation o o your support and the In memory o my beloved sister, onnie by & M beautiful eulogy for Paul’s mother, ewis odney and in ratitude or the arilyn by & S beautiul uneral service CANTOR SCHER’S MITZVAH FUND In appreciation or the transormative trip by L In ratitude or a special, meaninul and to Israel and the special anniversary In appreciation or your support and the unorettable trip to Israel blessin by & S shiva minyan service or aul’sl mother, by E & A G In honor o evon islin becomin ar arilyn by & S In appreciation or the transormative trip itvah by M & In appreciatin o the habbat ornin to Israel by & S In ratitude and in honor o our son ason inyan by & M G In honor o evon islin becomin bar becomin ar itvah In honor o evon islin becomin ar mitvah by M & by & S itvah by M & In ratitude and in honor o our son ason In honor o raham elsh becomin ar In honor o raham elsh becomin ar becomin ar itvah itvah by A & itvah by A & by & S In appreciation or your support and In appreciation or your carin words and In honor o raham elsh becomin ar oiciatin at the uneral of Julie’s father, shiva minyan service for Julie’s father itvah by A & harles ilberber harles ilberber by & In appreciation or your thouhtul, kind by & N N words and shiva minyan service for Julie’s In ratitude or your kindness and In ratitude or the meaninul service ather harles ilberber sympathy or eymour hapiro honorin the memory o our mother by & N by M & S S anette aitman by S E

14 CANTOR MENDELSON’S MITZVAH FUND SUSAN SIRKMAN FUND REIIOUS SCHOO FUND n gratitude and in honor of our son Jason n memory of ob ofsey In honor of Jennifer & Ari Perkins’ becoming ar Mitvah by S F th anniversary by M E S by B S n honor of abbi irman by M B ADUT EDUCATION MEMORIA FUND n memory of usan irman In memory of Felice Shapiro’s mother, n memory of dward J Morgan, Jr is by arol inn indness will never be forgotten by by A S C ENERA FUND In memory of Barbara Lewis Kaplan’s n memory of red amburger n honor of arol charff sister onnie odney by U by H D R S by In memory of Barbara’s sister Bonnie n memory of aomi acs In memory of Steve Shapiro’s father, odney by T S by R A S eymour hairo n memory of ybil hrlich In memory of Michele Metsch’s by by A grandmother anette aitman n memory of arolyn orf by M S H SOCIA ACTIONTZEDAKAH FUND by N D n memory of Jane rans, onnie odney n memory of onnie odney and eymour hairo by E B M C by C M S n memory of avid aas by T S

LT CARING COMMUNITY… Our Temple-Community Network of Support In moments of loss… illness… or facing lifechallenges aging can bring, we share your concern, and etend hearts and heling hands each out, on a confidential basis, to let us now if you, or someone in the community, is in need our clergy abbi irman, antor cher, abbi ranel, , or committee chairs arolyn amlet, and Juli arson, or email carolynamletgmailcom or uliarsonmailcom

For up to date information on services and programs via livestream, Zoom or Facebook, please visit our website www.larchmonttemple.org or check your Friday email

Join us to observe Shabbat online Friday Night Shabbat services at 7 p.m. Saturday Morning Chevrah at 9 a.m. Saturday Shabbat Morning Minyan at 10:30 a.m. Saturday Havdalah with the Clergy at 7 p.m.

There are many ways to stay connected. Questions, don’t hesitate to call 914-834-6120.

15 Larchmont emple PFI Larchmont Avene S PSA PAI Larchmont, I PLAIS, PMI wwwlarchmonttempleorg

Holy One of all being, Our hearts are breaking—our spirits weary, Each new day brings dread—our deepest fears unfolding… With our world turned upside-down, A life we can hardly recognize, we yearn to know You are there… Let us hear You in the voices of little children, still able to sing. Let us feel You in the hope of families, longing yet for light. Let us touch You in the courageous care of frontline workers, making sure life goes on. Let us see You in the faces of the sick, suffering in isolation but never alone. Let us know You in our struggle—our brokenness—our hope, Your Presence sustaining—still holding us up. AMEN

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