Middletown, Connecticut June-August 2020/ Sivan-Elul 5780
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Middletown, Connecticut June-August 2020/ Sivan-Elul 5780 Dear Congregants of FOR THE TIMES Adath Israel, THEY ARE It has been my pleasure A-CHANGIN’ to have served as your Rabbi for the past two years. Those of you by Jonathan Shapiro who joined me on Shabbat services made my role as a Come gather 'round, people Rabbi truly enjoyable. Wherever you roam The Shabbat morning And admit that the waters discussions were challenging and made our insights Around you have grown into the portion of the week a And accept it that soon pleasurable experience each and every time. You'll be drenched to the bone As a Rabbi for the past fifty or so years, If your time to you is worth savin' being part of Adath Israel has enhanced my And you better start swimmin' involvement in Judaism greatly. I will always recall Or you'll sink like a stone my sense of fulfillment each time I left our Shul to For the times they are a-changin' head home. ~Bob Dylan My thanks go out to Rabbi Michael Kohn in sharing the rabbinic responsibilities of the pulpit Times certainly are a-changin’. We have these past months at Adath Israel. I'd also like to seen tremendous change over the last two years, but extend my deepest thanks to Joanna Schnurman for no one could have predicted the changes we are now all her knowledgeable assistance in helping me facing. This pandemic is bringing unprecedented whenever I asked for her help, as well as to Julio, challenges and with those challenges we are bound who takes such wonderful care of our beloved to face some more changes. synagogue. We are doing everything we can to prepare I'd like to extend my best wishes to Rabbi for those changes. While we are beginning to see Nelly as she becomes our Rabbi, and wish her great some signs that the state is opening, the opening is success in her future here at Adath Israel. coming with restrictions. We are keeping close I look forward to seeing you in Shul, either in track of all guidelines so we may ensure the safety of person (hopefully soon) or through Zoom! all of our congregants, employees and guests. We are also beginning to develop plans in the event Rabbi Marshal Press (President Continued on page 3) 2 3 (President Continued from page 1) MORNING MINYAN MEDITATION restrictions on large gatherings remain in place for the It is the custom of the Morning Minyan to foreseeable future or there is a resurgence that include favorite meditations or supplemental readings requires future closings. Our development of these from the prayer book of those who attend. Here is one plans include how we will hold our annual meeting in they would like to share with you. From Siddur Sim June and potential plans for conducting the High Shalom for Weekdays (pg xi) Holidays in the event restrictions remain in place. Even if all restrictions are lifted, we know that PRAYER COVID-19 will remain a threat to us, and our plans Prayer, we all agree, is an outburst of the will include steps to make sure we can celebrate heart, an act of spontaneity and self-expression. safely as a congregation. We welcome your input on Does not the adherence to a fixed pattern of the any of these items, and you are free to reach out to me liturgy impair the element of inwardness, the role of with your thoughts and suggestions. self-expression? The truth is that. they are Of course, our most exciting change will be intimately intertwined; the one cannot happen without Rabbi Altenburger joining us on July 1 which is just the other. around the corner. We have been so fortunate and lucky to have had the services of two Rabbis during PRAYER AND THE COMMUNITY this past year with Rabbi Press and Rabbi Kohn doing We have stressed the fact that prayer is an an incredible job of providing us with spiritual event that begins in the individual soul. We have not leadership. We cannot thank them enough for their dwelled upon how much our ability to pray depends efforts in these unprecedented times. upon our being a part of a community. How can However, the addition of a full-time Rabbi we forget that our ability to pray we owe to the cannot be understated. As I watch the spring sun and community and to tradition? We have learned how to enjoy the fresh spring air, I can see our future is pray by listening to the voice of prayer. We never bright. While the Times are A-Changin’, the future pray as individuals, set apart from the rest of the for Adath Israel has never looked so bright. world. Every act of worship is an act of participating in an eternal service, in the service of all souls of all the ages. ~Rabbi Joshua Heschel SAVE THE DATE The Annual Meeting of the Congregation will NEW MEMBER DRIVE be Sunday, June 28 at 9:30 a.m. Details coming soon. As I write this article, we are preparing for the launch of our new member marketing campaign. Although we are still unsure whether our fall services and activities will be live or virtual, we do know that we will have a new, UPDATED MEMBERSHIP DIRECTORY fantastic Rabbi, a great religious school and a AVAILABLE welcoming and inclusive community. If you are a member of Adath Israel and would like a Sandra Beckman Membership Directory, please contact the office at [email protected] or 860-346-4709. It is available in electronic and paper editions. 4 5 ADATH ISRAEL DEDICATED FUNDS HOWARD FELDMAN BEAUTIFICATION “He who gives lends to the LORD.” FUND Supports the beautification of our synagogue building ADATH ISRAEL SCHOLARSHIP FUND and grounds and the Nester Center (SOPHIE & JULIUS BARKER, EVELYN & ABRAHAM IN HONOR OF GROSSMAN, SARAH ZIETZ PIERSON, RABBI Marge & Stan Sadinsky on the bat mitzvah of their ALBERT & ROSELYN TROY, SYLVIA GROSS granddaughter by Joanna Schnurman & Andy Bauer WASSERMAN, MAX CHEIKIN, BERNIE SEIDON, AND JEAN STERN ARON SCHOLARSHIPS) IN MEMORY OF Provides scholarships to children of Adath Israel Jeff Madoff by members attending an accredited college, university Marge Rosenblatt or school of higher learning) Marge & Stan Sadinsky IN MEMORY OF Louise Feldman Lee Zagoren by Sandra & Paul Beckman Mildred Kamins by Jeff Madoff by Sandra & Paul Beckman Marge Rosenblatt Louise Feldman CHEVRA KADISHA Lee Zagoren by Supports maintenance and enhancement of the Marge Rosenblatt cemetery Marge & Stan Sadinsky IN MEMORY OF Sondra & Roger Beit Lee Zagoren by Howard Feldman by Louise Feldman Paulette Gewirtz Diane Guthart by Myra & David Finkelstein Joan & Michael Needle Jeff Madoff by Joan & Michael Needle MAXINE THUMIM CAMPERSHIP FUND Provides scholarships to children of Adath Israel ARTHUR & EDYTHE DIRECTOR FAMILY members attending Jewish camp or trips to Israel FUND REFUA SH’LEIMA Supports music in ritual, education, and cultural Harriet Levin by Eileen & Michael Daling gatherings at Adath Israel IN HONOR OF IN HONOR OF Lisa & Scott Sadinsky on the bat mitzvah of their Eileen & Michael Daling on the bar mitzvah of their daughter, Abi by Carol & David Director grandson by Marge & Stan Sadinsky on the bat mitzvah of their Paulette Gewirtz granddaughter, Abi by Carol & David Director Joanna Schnurman & Andy Bauer Marge & Stan Sadinsky on the bat mitzvah of their IN MEMORY OF granddaughter, Abi by Lee Zagoren by Carol & David Director & Family Paulette Gewirtz and Connecticut Lighting Centers Eileen & Michael Daling Jeff Madoff by Carol & David Director IN MEMORY OF ETERNAL LIGHT FUND Lee Zagoren by Eileen & Michael Daling Supports the general operation of the Adath Israel IN MEMORY OF NATHAN OLSHIN SCHOLAR-IN-RESIDENCE- Lee Zagoren by Donna & Mark Finkelstein FUND Supports annual scholar-in-residence program IN HONOR OF Holly Bauer graduating from college by Naomi & Richard Kamins (FUNDS continued on p 6) 6 (FUNDS continued from p 5) SYNAGOGUE FUND Supports the general operation of Adath Israel IN MEMORY OF Marcia Wrubel Gloria Weiss by Debbie & David Kaye Sarah & Joe Glaz Mildred Kamins by Daniel Slatkin Myra & David Finkelstein Marc & Judith Sitkin IN MEMORY OF Laurie Frenzel Mildred Kamins by Mike, Ruth, Amy & Stacey Sigal Roberta & Marc Glass Muriel Wrubel by Gayle & Henry Winkler Patricia & Jerome Long Lee Zagoren by Sandra & Paul Beckman Mike, Ruth, Amy & Stacey Sigal Deanna & Bill Leikin Suzy Epstein Goldberg and Steve Epstein Anita Hennessey Linda Soreff Siegel Janice & Jay Weiss Teresa & Dave Shulman Diane Kallaugher Judy & Gene Pehota Carol & David Director Eva Bardwell Betsy & Michael Rosenblum Debra Roth YAHRZEIT FUND Joe Bascetta Supports the general operation of Adath Israel Ann Marie & Darrell Gagnon Ida & Jerry Kosofsky by David Kosofsky Merri Martz & Richard Mazzotta Anne Littman by Edythe Rosenfield The Kabel Family David J. Cohen, MD by Paul Cohen, MD Marian Katz Alan Pressman by Arlene Pressman Marge & Stan Sadinsky Selma Goldberg by Susan Goldberg Debbie & David Kaye Mathias Borsuk by Sherwin Borsuk Hinda Niemeyer Myrna Geiges by Beth Katz & Heidi Geiges Barbara & Steven Weiss Edwin Geiges by Beth Katz & Heidi Geiges Eva Bardwell Ethel & Charles Russman by Naomi & Marvin Diana & Yonatan Lane Hoberman Irena May Max Melton by Lee Resnick Midge & Dolph Becker Benjamin Goldstein by Phyllis Waldman Vivian & Ted Brown Carmen R. Delldonna by Susi Schaechter Delldonna Barbara & John Beck Fanny Rovinsky by Richard Robbins Bobette & Jeffrey Kahn Thelma Levson by Hazel Kurlansky and Anita Marcia & Richard Wrubel Hennessey Rose Gerstenblatt by Ines Gerstenblatt Lee Zagoren by Dorothy Ronner by Carolann Schwartz Marian Katz Seymour Ronner by Carolann Schwartz Irena May Esther Panich by Carolann Schwartz Naomi & Richard Kamins Rose Bluman by Susan Mikulski Bobette & Jeffrey Kahn Elaine Rena Schwarz by Marcia & Richard Wrubel Gail Schwarz Aronow Richard Schwarz BECKY & DR.