8 ARTICLES RABBI RICK RHEINS

ARTICLES Looking Through a Glass Onion

What is real and what is imagined? Recently, the White Album was of dysfunction was instead a rich Both are present, mixed and mixed remastered and re-released along banquet of their maturing, unique up to form a shimmering image, with extra CDs which included the and varied styles. ever changing, shifting, allusive and long sought after Esher recordings, illusive. It is like looking through a so named because these demos It’s like looking through a glass glass onion and guessing what’s were made by at onion, a hand-blown bottle inside. ’s home in the town used on ships to hold wine and of Esher, in the county of Surrey, brandy. Try looking through the 50 years ago the Beatles released England. The recordings reveal thickly layered glass and guess the White Album. As opposed to the John, Paul, George and Ringo what’s on the inside. You might tightly produced masterpieces of collaborating in a joyful, playful think that you know but you their earlier works, the White Album way. They were exploring verses, won’t---until you take a sip and seemed to be a hodge-podge of harmonies, and tempo. We get a savor the contents. scraps and bits assembled sloppily ¾UVWORRNDWQRZIDPRXVVRQJVLQ into a double album. In contrast to their infancy. Well before they went The beginning of the secular the brightly evocative covers of into the studio for the New Year 2019 is yet another Sgt. Pepper’s and The Magical professional treatment, they marker for us. It reminds of the Mystery Tour, the White Album sat around George’s home relentless march of time and the ever cover was totally white and fea- jamming, experimenting, teasing, quickening pace of our life journey. tured only a faintly embossed The breaking down in laughter and It may even prompt us to focus on BEATLES sitting off-center. Most creating music that a our personal journeys, including VLJQL¾FDQWO\ZLWKLQD\HDURILWV half-century later stands among the disappointments: goals unmet, release, announced WKHLU¾QHVWZRUN,QGHHGIDUIURP SURPLVHVXQIXO¾OOHGDQGPRPHQWV he was quitting and shortly there- just cramming in bits and rejects of regret. Of course, since we DIWHU3DXO¾OHGVXLWWRVHDOWKHVSOLW WR¾OORXWDGXELRXVGRXEOHDOEXP know very well the context and Pundits, experts and fans weighed the Esher recordings establish that circumstances of our lives, LQSRQWL¾FDWLQJYDULRXVUHDVRQVIRU they were also developing beloved we just might find noble and the breakup of what is generally songs that never made the White convincing justifications for the FRQVLGHUHGWREHWKHPRVWLQ¿X- Album and only were released on missteps we made. And nat- ential Rock/Pop Band in history. later albums---some during their urally, we are convinced that “Well, the evidence is right there… eventual solo years. And though we have learned the lessons look at the White Album. That’s not they were exhibiting their different of those setbacks and are now the work of a tight band. Rather, it’s styles they were very much still a “new and improved,” an ever four soloist who can hardly stand band. And quite a band at that! refined and refining product. to be in the same room with each But before moving too far down the other. They’re all just doing their Of course, we always knew that pathway of 2019, let us pause to thing, coming and going with snide the music they produced during reconsider the judgements we comments and bickering.” that period was extraordinary. It’s made of other people while looking just that their subsequent breakup darkly though a distorted lens. The so called experts had their discolored our perception. What Consider the quick analysis and way for over 50 years. Until now. the critics judged to be a mishmash

Kesher | January/February 2019 ARTICLES 9 snap opinions we formed before fully appreciating the depth, the complexity and the context of the ATES ARE STILL AVAILABLE subject at hand. Did I misread the D FOR B’NEI MITZVAH IN 2019, 2020 AND 2021 way that person looked at me? Did I take his comment wrong? Did I Know that it is never too late to have our children experience misperceive the coyness, the dis- WKHOLIHDI¾UPLQJMR\DQGSULGHRIDFFRPSOLVKPHQWE\OHDGLQJD WDQFHWKHFRROQHVVWKH¿DVKRI service as a Bar or Bat Mitzvah. Each year around 60 students temper, the aloofness, the haughty become Bar or Bat Mitzvah at Temple Sinai. If you have a child attitude, the whiff of disdain? who will turn 13 (or older) in 2019, 2020 or 2021 and you do not Through what lens was I seeing, yet have a reserved date for a service, please call Rabbi Rick hearing and feeling the encounter? or Rabbi Susan Rheins and we’ll answer all your questions and KHOS\RX¾QGDGDWHWKDWZRUNVIRU\RXUIDPLO\ $UH¿HFWLYHSHUVRQVWHSVEDFNWR ponder that maybe, just maybe Date selection request forms also are available in the Temple a conclusion and an opinion was 6LQDLRI¾FHDQGFDQEHPDLOHGGLUHFWO\WR\RX made too hastily. Note that the true gift and achievement of such Know that our clergy work personally with each student and his/ reflection is the realization that her family to help create a memorable celebration that will bring the actions one took based on a lifetime of blessings. erroneous perceptions can be addressed and in the best of circumstances corrected and healed. As Hillel taught: lan Farber Memorial Camp Scholarship For First Time Do not separate yourself from the A Summer Campers! community; do not be certain of yourself until the day you die; do JEWISH SUMMER CAMP OF YOUR CHOICE! not judge another until you are in his position…and do not say: UP TO 80% SCHOLARSHIP FOR FIRST TIME CAMPERS! “When I have leisure study” ---for perhaps you’ll never have that Temple Sinai members Lori and John Spanbauer generously kind of leisure (Pirkei Avot 2.5). established the Alan Farber Memorial Camp Scholarship Fund in loving memory of Lori’s brother Alan. This annual scholarship It’s never too late to discard ZLOOKHOS7HPSOH6LQDLVWXGHQWVIURPTXDOL¾HGIDPLOLHVDWWHQGD that glass onion lens and begin 2-week or 3-week Jewish sleep-away summer camp. The Alan seeing the world with a clearer, Farber Memorial Camp Scholarship Fund will pay up to 80% of cleaner, sweeter, and kinder WKHFDPSIHHVDQGH[SHQVHVIRU¾UVWWLPHFDPSHUV (and dare we say, a more accurate) view. To apply, the VWXGHQWVPXVWVKRZWKDWWKH\KDYHD¾QDQFLDOQHHG that otherwise would prevent them from attending a sleep-away B’vrakhah, VXPPHUFDPS7KHDSSOLFDWLRQVZLOOEHKDQGOHGFRQ¾GHQWLDOO\E\ Rabbis Rick and Susan Rheins and Lori and John Spanbauer. 5LFN To apply, please complete the form by following this link: Rabbi Rick Rheins https://images.shulcloud.com/992/uploads/Religious%20School/ Alan-Farber-Memorial-Camp-Scholarship-Application-2019.pdf

Kesher | January/February 2019