January-April 2021

SHERITH JANUARY–APRIL 2021 ISRAEL NEWS Science to guide reopening plans MARK YOUR CALENDAR! MEDICAL ADVISORY COUNCIL SUPPORTS SHABBAT PURIM CSI CLERGY, STAFF AND BOARD Friday, February 26, 6 pm As our sanctuary sits empty waiting Sherith Israel’s medical advisory council CONFIRMATION for us to return, Sherith Israel will take consists of doctors Valerie Flaherman, Friday, May 14, 6 pm advantage of the congregation’s abun- Erin Gordon, Jonathan Graf, Valerie Ja- dance of medical talent to determine han, Meghan Marmor, William Shore when and how to come together. Con- and Lucas Zier. They met in person for gregational president Lindsay Braunig the first time on November 2, when San INSIDE: started thinking about reopening Francisco was still in the yellow tier. The A Moment with Cantor Toby Glaser 2 months ago, when San Francisco was in advisory council reviewed the city’s De- 4 Questions for Rabbi Jessica Graf 3 the least restrictive yellow tier. “I didn’t partment of Public Health (DPH) guide- want a new decision-making group,” she lines with Lindsay, Rabbi Jessica Graf B. Mitzvah Training Goes Virtual 4 recalls, “but it seemed silly not to take and executive director Gordon Glad- Lifecycle Events Adapt 5 advantage of all the medical expertise stone. According to Lindsay, the consen- Behind the Scenes with 7 we have in the congregation.” She points sus was that the DPH guidelines were Gordon Gladstone out that it is beyond the expertise of sound. “That made me feel grateful for most lay leaders to decide what is safe. the city’s expertise.” What’s Happening 8–9 “We can read the guidelines, but we Profile: The Handler Family 10 One goal of the initial meeting was wanted input from experts within our News Nosh 11 community about what was the appro- to assess whether some organized in- On Education with Rabbi Abby Phelps 12 priate level of caution for Sherith Israel person activities could be conduct- gatherings.” ed under the guidelines at the time. Tikkun Olam Corner 14 Although the yellow tier guidelines Passages 15

Medical Advisory continues, page 6

Photo by Becca Henry Photography

KETUBAH CONUNDRUM: Bride Juliana Brodsky and Rabbi Jessica Graf look on as groom Seth Rosenblatt confirms witness signatures on the couple’s ketubah before their wedding. The issue? Relatives can’t be witnesses. But during Covid, non-relatives can’t attend. In a novel solution, the witnesses signed ahead of time and confirmed their signatures by phone before the ceremony. Most friends and family joined the festivities via YouTube. LIFE GOES ON: Juliana and Seth’s adaptation is just one of many that people have made as they celebrated lifecycle events during Covid. For more stories, see page 5. A MOMENT WITH CANTOR TOBY GLASER 2266 California Street San Francisco, CA 94115 T: 415.346.1720 AN ENDLESS PILGRIMAGE OF THE HEART F: 415.673.9439 Traditionally, the role of cantor is sha- spirituality, wisdom and prayerfulness www.sherithisrael.org liach tzibur—emissary of the congrega- to us in a way that felt authentic and inti- Member of the Union for tion. Due to current legal restrictions, I mate—and she never left her apartment Reform Judaism since 1903 am the only person in our sanctuary dur- in Brooklyn. ing services, meaning that I am a very Similarly, being forced to confront CLERGY literal representative of the congregation change and uncertainty on a weekly, Jessica Zimmerman Graf for services. Yet I find the idea that I am Senior Rabbi and sometimes daily, basis has spurred the “emissary of the congregation” to be Abby Phelps the community to be receptive towards inaccurate. Rabbi Educator change and innovation in our services. Toby Glaser Cantor Although I am the only person present in In this year of upheaval, it might have the sanctuary during these times, I am by been appealing simply to go online to a EMERITUS CLERGY no means alone. Rabbi Abraham Joshua service during which your cantor sings Lawrence Raphael (z”l) Rabbi Emeritus Martin Weiner Rabbi Emeritus Heschel wrote, “Faith is not the clinging all your favorite prayers and melodies. Martin Feldman Cantor Emeritus to a shrine, but an endless pilgrimage of Instead the Sherith Israel community the heart.” I find this particularly fitting confronted this new Australian guy, who BOARD OF TRUSTEES for our current circumstances. bangs drums and sings weird songs! OFFICERS And yet congregants have welcomed Lindsay Braunig, President Because our “shrine” sits empty, it would me with great warmth and generosity of Katie Zier, Vice President be easy for congregants to slip into com- Karen Zelmar, Treasurer spirit while coming to love many of the placency, to simply sit in on our Zoom Erik Migdail, Secretary new melodies I’ve introduced. Craig Etlin, Immediate Past President sessions as mute spectators. Instead, TRUSTEES week after week, people are energized By not “clinging to the shrine,” we open Daniel Dohan to sing along exuberantly, bake exqui- our hearts to the possibility of new con- Michael Feldman Michael Gaines site and extravagant challot, and take nection and new means of spirituality. Gale Gottlieb part in other home rituals, such as can- When we are unable to hear each other Christina Jefferson dle lighting and making kiddush. This sing, we dance and entertain and write Richard Johns Randall Kahn new prayerful practice enables us all supportive chat notes and show that we Evan Kletter to celebrate private rituals in the same are connected and connecting. In short, Alan Mirviss public digital space, something congre- we continue the “endless pilgrimage of Michael Moss Stacy Passman gants and clergy would be unable to do the heart” of which Heschel speaks. We Judie Wexler together in our synagogue. find ways to continue our Jewish legacy through difficult times and keep our tra- STAFF Added to this is our ability to connect ditions sacred even as we practice them Gordon Gladstone others to our community. Jewish artist Executive Director in ways which may have been unimagi- and composer Elana Arian led services Jonathan Dimmock nable to our ancestors. n Music Director for us on two Shabbatot. She brought her Nia Taylor Development Manager Natalie Weizman Youth Program Manager Peter Bonos Program Manager Corey Christopher PEOPLE OF THE BOOK Office Manager “I will sing, will sing to the LORD, / Will hymn the LORD, the God of Israel.” SHERITH ISRAEL NEWS — Judges 5:3 David Newman, Ellen Newman, David Perlstein, Editors After the Canaanite king Jabin is slain Israel’s tribes in battle. “So may all Your Susan Weeks, Graphic Design by Yael, wife of Heber the Kenite, the enemies perish, O LORD!” In difficult prophetess Deborah and the warrior times, as well as in good, the songs/po- judge Barak sing a song of praise to God. ems in the Tanakh, along with Psalms, In 30 verses (Judges 5:2–31), they salute offer soul-stirring ways to ask for our God’s “gracious deliverance of Israel,” own deliverance and shalom for the involving courage displayed by Yael and world. n 2 Questions for RABBI JESSICA GRAF

The Friday morning after San Francisco Mayor London Breed announced the City’s shelter-in-place orders, our in-boxes were graced with the first of what has become a new CSI pre-Shabbat tradition—a “Hello Out There” email from Rabbi Jessica Graf. This surprising delight has kept us connected through ten very long months. We asked Rabbi Graf about her inspiration for the emails and how they have been received.

Q: What about the pandemic inspired you to help us turn those feelings into more positive and hope- start your Friday missives? ful ones. If I can include an article on chocolate, shoes or PieCaken, I’m delighted. As the tenth senior rabbi of Sher- A: I wrote the first on Friday, March 20, 2020, at the end ith Israel—and the first woman—I often wonder what my of that first week of sheltering in place. It felt really impor- predecessors would think. tant for us to be connected. It was already clear that we’d survive this unprecedented time by reaching out to each Q: What kinds of conversations have the emails other—and holding on tight. I wanted to acknowledge the generated with congregants? Will you keep them discomfort we were all feeling and to make people feel going after we get the vaccine and can see each less alone. I also wanted to remind people to stay positive other in person again? during what I thought would be a short time. A: I’ve been delighted to receive so many responses. Many I was quite sure, on March 20, that we’d all shelter in place people have reached out to tell me how they’re feeling, for just a few weeks and that life would soon return to what they liked, or didn’t like, or why they do, or don’t, normal. Well, I was wrong. But staying connected and agree with me. The Friday missives definitely have been keeping our spirits up was definitely the best way to ap- conversation starters. I love that they’ve connected me to proach this ordeal as individuals and as a community. so many congregants each week.

Q: What were you trying to achieve with the I probably got the most responses to the piece I wrote on See’s Candies. That one really hit home. I laughed reading emails? stories people sent about their own See’s Candies memo- A: As the weeks turned into months, the missives be- ries. I especially loved the confessions about how eccentric came an opportunity to connect people to interesting ar- family members clandestinely determined what’s in the ticles or ideas, sometimes loosely related to the unusual center of the candies. circumstances we were all experiencing. I wanted every- Almost all responses have been delightful and engaging. one to remember that we’re in this together and that we But you can’t please all the people all the time. I’ve gotten were all navigating uncharted territory—separately but a few responses telling me that I should take the pandemic together. more seriously or discuss my feelings about the pandemic Q: The emails are quite eclectic. Where do you with a therapist! get your inspiration? But for me, the missives have been a fun way to connect A: We have been living through a tumultuous time with with people and get away from my own anxiety about Co- the pandemic, the racial justice movement and the elec- vid for a few minutes. My husband is a front-line worker— tion. Each of these events has brought about upheavals in a doctor working with Covid patients every day. Like all our society. It’s really important to consider the ways our other essential workers who have kept our society going, culture has changed—and that includes humor. I love to he’s a hero (to me anyway!), and I never forget how much laugh at the silliness of human behavior. Laughing is one suffering people have experienced during this time. of the few activities we can still do together. And it’s one I never imagined I’d write more than three missives. We’re of the most important! well past 40 weeks now—and that means 40-plus missives. Each week I look for new angles on the pandemic. How I’ve heard that some people print them out each week and are we behaving differently? What silly things are we do- keep them in a binder—like a scrapbook of the pandemic. ing to cope? And, despite all our differences, what experi- Someone even suggested that I publish them! I’m grate- ences are we sharing? Everyone is dealing with isolation, ful for the conversations the missives have opened and for boredom, frustration, anxiety. I like creative ideas that the opportunity to hear from so many people. I hope these check-ins continue long after this pandemic is over! n

3 Coping with Covid B. MITZVAH TRAINING GOES VIRTUAL Imagine starting a new job where a major portion of your responsibilities is tutoring young teens one-on-one, but you can’t have in-person meetings with anyone? Cantor Toby Gla- ser has lived it. Shelter-in-place in San Francisco began right around the time he was hired. It was deeply entrenched by the time he began working as CSI’s cantor last summer. “Because I had just arrived, I wanted to get to know the families and to discover how much the kids had learned up to that point,” explains Cantor Glaser, currently working with a dozen b. mitzvah students ranging in age from 12 to 15. “I thought it was best to let the parents know I’m here and to start working with the students right away.” TELE-TORAH: Evie Richard digs into her Torah portion, parashah Vayikra, on a Zoom study session with Cantor But Covid and sheltering in place complicate almost everything, He is currently working with a dozen b. mitzvah especially expectations and schedules. Some families with b. Toby Glaser. mitzvahs planned for last spring gave up their dates amid the students, some of whom rescheduled or postponed their shock of the lockdown. Some students experienced a break in simchas because of the pandemic. training between Cantor David Frommer’s departure and Can- tor Glaser’s arrival. And some families were disappointed that they couldn’t invite their families to a traditional b. mitzvah in his Hebrew because earlier he had enrolled in the traditional the sanctuary with festivities following. This was new territory Hebrew school of Orthodox congregation Chevra Thilim, since for everyone—students, parents and clergy. the family’s prior Conservative congregation didn’t have a He- Cantor Glaser is working with several students who have ba- brew school. sically prepared but have pushed back their dates because of Given shelter-in-place, the family decided to postpone Zach’s Covid. “Those kids still need weekly lessons to be kept fresh. June 2020 b. mitzvah until May 2021, when his parashah ap- Otherwise they’ll forget the material,” he says. “It’s frustrating pears in its natural place in the calendar. “When we had first for everyone that we’re in this holding pattern.” planned to do it, I wasn’t completely prepared to do the Haf- Other students are coming up through Studio in their normal tarah. Now I can actually do all the Haftarah, so postponing timeframe but are learning at home. Typically, they have al- just gave me time to learn more,” says Zach. ready learned a smattering of spoken-prayer Hebrew, and heard Comparing the experience of studying in person or on Zoom, and sung Hebrew songs. Decoding—educator speak for recog- Zach says, “I got recordings in each case, but in person I was nizing letters and reading—doesn’t usually begin until fifth able to hear exactly how the cantor said it, and he was able to grade. The sixth-grade fall retreat for students, families and show me how each vowel represents each sound. On Zoom, I clergy normally kicks off serious b. mitzvah studies. Everyone have the recordings and just try to match it. Now we’re work- comes together as a class and starts to think about the meaning on the pitch, the sound and the melody for each word.” ing of b. mitzvah in their lives. This year there was no retreat. Adds Cantor Glaser, “Zach is learning a huge amount of Haf- There are no in-person meetings. tarah and has really taken his chanting to heart.” “That’s the challenge of the moment,” says Cantor Glaser. Evie, a seventh-grader at Live Oak School and a new b. mitz- “I can’t even see their books. They can hold them up to the vah student, started her studies with Cantor Glaser. Her para- screen, but how can they tell what I’m pointing at?” Engage- shah, Vayikra, which opens Leviticus, is a challenging portion ment is difficult since kids have been sitting in front of screens about sacrifices. “I’m learning my Torah portion by looking for all day. Cantor Glaser tries to make lessons fun and light-heart- patterns and noticing that I already know some of it,” she notes. ed. “I also emphasize that it’s the students’ responsibility to Her mom, Marcy Zelmar, says, “Cantor Toby has done a really take ownership.” good job. I feel like Evie is learning it really well.” Two who have taken ownership of their studies are Zachary Evie, who is “really into World War II,” is planning an inter- Kamil, son of David Kamil and Jun Yamashiro, and Evie Rich- esting project in conjunction with her b. mitzvah. “I’m 95% ard, daughter of Marcy Zelmar and Andrew Richard. sure I’m going to be able to talk to someone who was on the Zach, an eighth-grader at A.P. Giannini Middle School, began Kindertransport,” she says, excited about the possibility of talk- his b. mitzvah training with Cantor Frommer after the family ing to someone who was whisked from Germany to England as joined Sherith Israel about three years ago. He had a leg up on a child and lived a history Evie has only read about.

B. Mitzvah Training continues, page 13

4 Going online enables long-distance presence LIFECYCLE EVENTS ADAPT TO PANDEMIC REALITY During the COVID pandemic, Sherith Israel has adhered to pekuach nefesh—preserving life—while finding ways to car- ry on lifecycle events from birth to death. Government guidelines, science and common sense dictate that people stay apart as much as possible, so CSI follows guidelines to keep congregants, family and friends safe but also present for important events. “One of my most important responsibilities,” says Rabbi Jes- sica Graf, “is celebrating with people in joy and supporting them in sadness. While I now officiate at events with only small numbers, Zoom enables our synagogue to bring many people together at special times.” Jews have marked important events in their lives for millennia. Rabbi Graf points out that we have followed our customs even during dangerous times, from Greek and Roman rule of Judea to the Inquisition and the Holocaust. “Sherith Israel has experienced its own challenges, but we’ve always understood our obligations and adapted.”

BRIT MILAH HANDLE WITH CARE: New father Alex Newburgh gently In September, Rabbi Graf participated in the bris of Ari New- hands son Ari to his brother-in-law, Adam Reingold, as burgh, son of Michelle and Alex Newburgh. They, a few mem- mohel Rabbi Moshe Trager prepares for Ari’s bris. Ari’s bers of their immediate family and mohel Rabbi Moshe Trager mom, Michelle Newburgh, was joined by a few relatives. were inside the house. Rabbi Graf stood at the door, but out- side. The rest of the immediate family and guests, all masked, Rabbi Jessica Graf officiated from the doorway, a Covid were on the garden patio. adaptation. Says Michelle, “It was a great way to keep a tradition alive in a time that was so foreboding with dark, smoke-filled skies. Graf officiated at the wedding ofSeth Rosenblatt and Juliana We were putting a little light in the world.” To add joy to the Brodsky in San Francisco, where a “secret garden” hosted a celebration, CSI’s HaMotzi brought food and Sherith Littles dozen or so immediate relatives at pod-specific, socially dis- dropped off packages with a little stuffed Torah for Simchat tanced tables with everyone masked. Torah, a Chanukah gift bag and a Shabbat bag. “It was such a welcoming experience,” adds Michelle. Nearly 300 digital guests watched a video stream over YouTube. Many would not have been able to attend in person, including Rabbi Abby Phelps officiated at the December bris of Aaron Juliana’s grandmother, over 90, and friends with children. Joseph, son of Michael and Elizabeth Joseph, at the office of congregant Dr. Eric Tabas, CSI’s longtime mohel. Friends and The ketubah signing posed a special challenge during Covid family joined in over Zoom. since the two witnesses can’t be family members and they couldn’t attend in person. “We had our witnesses sign be- B. MITZVAH fore the wedding,” says Seth. “At the start of the ceremony, While some b. mitzvahs have been postponed (see story on we phoned and had them affirm that their signatures were au- page 4), others have gone forward with adaptations to meet the thentic.” Juliana loved the simplicity of the affair. “No arguing circumstances. Gabe Linder became b. mitzvah in June with about colors and seating charts.” Seth also points out that he’s guests attending via Zoom. “It was lovely and meaningful,” known Rabbi Graf since she was four and he was two. “Having says Rabbi Graf. “B. mitzvahs have taken place all over the her officiate was very important.” world under difficult conditions. We have a duty to celebrate CHOOSING JUDAISM these milestones. Never cancel a simcha.” Side note: Rabbi Graf discovered that the Linders are related to some of her cousins. Through December, Sherith Israel welcomed five Jews by choice despite the pandemic. The batei din (legal court of three WEDDINGS adult Jews) met on Zoom. Three adults immersed in the bay Sherith Israel had many weddings scheduled for spring and by the Saint Francis Yacht Club between Crissy Field and the summer, almost all postponed. However, a few couples chose Marina Green. Witnesses met with the candidates at the beach to move ahead. Some weddings were held out of town. Rabbi where they could maintain safe distances. Lifecyle Events continues, page 13

5 MEDICAL ADVISORY COUNCIL, from page 1

allowed for indoor services as long as Erin is deeply concerned about pres- there was no singing or chanting, the sure to get back to normal too soon. prospect of services without singing or While the younger patients she is seeing chanting wasn’t appealing, especially, are generally recovering, she notes that as Lindsay notes, when our services over “many of the patients I’m seeing in the Zoom were working well. Therefore, the ICU are older people who are much sick- group focused on the potential for small er.” Sadly, she says that “many of them gatherings, such as Havdalah services were infected by their adult children.” or b. mitzvah services, that could be Families are pressuring their older rela- held outdoors. Lindsay had spoken with tives to visit. “When their parents get synagogue presidents in other cities infected and are seriously ill, there’s a who were starting to do small events in lot of guilt and shame.” Erin also says courtyards or parking lots. “We’re in a she had friends who were going on vaca- different position because we don’t have tion over the holidays, and she “felt an our own outdoor space. This makes the obligation to tell them it was a bad idea.” logistics harder.” CSI leadership remains acutely aware As executive director, Gordon ques- of the need to resist pressure to reopen tioned whether we could “color out to prematurely. Safeguarding the health of the lines” or needed to observe more our congregants is our paramount con- caution than the city required. The phy- cern. For Rabbi Graf, the situation will sicians’ consensus that we could follow WITH DUE CAUTION: UCSF continue to be complicated after medi- the city’s guidelines made Gordon feel pulmonologist Erin Gordon cal issues are resolved. Even when most “delighted to be in San Francisco,” com- warns against trying to get back congregants have been vaccinated—and paring our situation with synagogues to normal too soon. Many of her assuming that the vaccines confer long- in other states, where lax public health older ICU patients were infected term immunity—she anticipates that our guidelines have forced his colleagues to programming will still be a hybrid of in- by their adult children at family come up with their own answers to dif- person and online. gatherings. ficult questions. She notes that congregants and guests The discussion of whether we could hold Erin Gordon, a critical care pulmonolo- attend online services from as far as small events outdoors became moot later gist at UCSF who treats coronavirus pa- Mexico and Australia. Some join ser- in November when San Francisco joined tients in the hospital’s ICU, agrees. “A s vices in pajamas. Others who don’t drive the rest of California in the most restric- transmission of the virus has increased, can now participate. And some people tive purple tier, but Lindsay expects “to Rabbi Graf and the staff have made ap- who like to have Shabbat dinner with get back to that conversation when con- propriate decisions about whether to their families can do that while attend- ditions improve.” gather.” She adds, “We have an obliga- ing online. “There’s something wonder- tion to protect those who are most vul- ful about being together,” Rabbi Graf Bill Shore is working with the State of nerable even if that means deferring life- says. “Now that we’ve experienced the California and San Francisco DPH to cycle events.” benefits of assembling remotely, the train and provide backup to contact challenge will be to create an intimate tracers and case investigators. He be- Erin advises that the best medical advice community experience in hybrid form.” lieves “it’s important that Sherith Israel has changed over the course of the pan- has a group of people with more exper- demic, as we learn more about the vi- She acknowledges that “we don’t have tise that can guide the decisions our rus. “What the pandemic has taught us the answers yet.” But Rabbi Graf is confi- leadership makes about reopening.” CSI is how much we don’t know.” She points dent that the same resiliency with which has to be very cautious about bringing to the mid-December discovery of a new the congregation embraced online ser- people back together, he emphasizes, mutation of the virus in the United King- vices, Torah Study and religious school pointing out that he is “very impressed dom that appears to be more contagious. will enable us to find those answers as a with how the congregation has handled “We are learning as we go along and community. n its response to the pandemic.” making rules based on the best evidence we have.” As to vaccines, we don’t know yet whether they confer long-term immunity.

6 BEHIND THE SCENES WITH GORDON GLADSTONE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR MAKING READY TO WELCOME YOU HOME My undergraduate degree is in history, and in my first Luis and Estuardo Arevalo, our two full-time custodians, years of study I was fascinated by military history and the have been working through a long list of deferred cleaning. readiness conundrum. It posits that no fighting force can stay They’re slowly removing tarnish, dust, grime and more each at peak readiness for long. Each day that an army waits to fight week. When you next visit, look up at the chandeliers in the is a day that it isn’t training. When you don’t train, you lose lobby. Likely you never knew that they were any color other your edge and your readiness. You cannot train and be ready than black. to fight at a moment’s notice. This explains the dynamic in a Charlie Stern heads up our repair team with the able volunteer siege; neither force is fighting, and the hazards of disease, low assistance of Alan Mirviss and Zack Migdail. They are morale and supplies loom larger than incoming cannonballs. systematically repairing broken light switches, leaky faucets Right now Sherith Israel is also in a siege situation with the and doors that never shut properly. Corey Christopher, our virus encircling the city and our efforts to contain it the walls office manager, has returned his attention to the Hall of History, of our defense. At the synagogue, making sure we’re ready with the goal of getting more of the old photos back on display also extends to our physical spaces. While we are unable to in a manner that accords with our love of order and style, while host anyone inside the building, we are “training” for the also helping Cantor Toby Glaser get settled into his office. resumption of activity. This long hiatus in activity has prompted Our hope is both that, when we can welcome everyone back us to examine each and every room with an eye towards what home, it looks better than you remember it and that our once was simply taken for granted but now could be cleaned, fighting force will be at its best and ready for what I know repaired or otherwise improved. In a building that makes will be a joyous and well-attended reunion. In the meantime, extensive use of brass, glass and wood, that means that there I can tell you that we already have gone through a full gallon of are plenty of things to restore to their former glory. brass polish with many, many more fixtures to go. n Each subsequent month pushes us to dig a little deeper into the repair list. Lights that have been broken for years, storage spaces in need of reorganization, brass door handles that haven’t been polished in decades are just samples of what happens each week.

CHANUKAH HONORS: During our nightly Zoom candle- lighting calls, our clergy honored congregants celebrating a variety of simchas. On the left, a smiling Ximena Hansbach lights Shabbat candles in honor of her recent conversion. Mentor Leslie Rabine looks on from the right. Above, mom Karen Aidem lights Chanukah candles with son Harrison Maring. Harrison is one of a dozen students preparing for b. mitzvah with Cantor Toby Glaser.

7 WHAT’S HAPPENING

Online events livestreamed on Zoom Don’t have internet access? Call Gordon Gladstone, For meeting details, visit 415.346.1720, x25, or Peter Bonos, 415.346.1720, x24, sherithisrael.org/joinusonzoom. ahead of time to learn how to connect to events by phone.

✓ = Registration Required: sherithisrael.org/programs, [email protected] or 415.346.1720

Shabbat BLACK HISTORY MONTH YOM HA’ATZMAUT DISCUSSION ANTIRACISM DISCUSSION WITH ISRAELI DEPUTY CONSUL FRIDAY EVENINGS Wednesday, February 3, 5:30 pm MATAN ZAMIR 6 pm: Kabbalat Shabbat “Not everything that is faced can be Wednesday, April 14, 5 pm Welcome Shabbat and leave your week changed, but nothing can be changed On the eve of Israel’s 73rd Independence behind with Rabbi Jessica Graf, Rabbi until it is faced.”—James Baldwin Day, join Rabbi Jessica Graf and executive Abby Phelps, Cantor Toby Glaser and director Gordon Gladstone for a lively musical director Jonathan Dimmock. The CSI antiracism discussion group has conversation with Matan Zamir, deputy Share a wonderful online experience with engaged in robust monthly discussions consul general of Israel to the Pacific friends old and new. about how we can be better stewards Northwest. Find out what’s going on in of belonging and inclusion. Continuing Israel regarding everything from politics SATURDAY MORNINGS that journey, congregants are invited to to culture to responding to the pandemic 9:15 am: Torah Study join the conversation at a special Black response. Join our clergy and an eager group of History Month meeting. CSI membership congregants and guests. People have committee chair Christina Jefferson ✓ ANNUAL MEETING attended from as far off as Melbourne, will lead a discussion in which current Tuesday, May 25, 6 pm Australia; Lima, Peru; and Mexico City, group members explain why they got The CSI Board of Trustees invites you to Mexico. Learn about and discuss key involved, what belonging means to them the 2021 Annual Meeting. To vote, you passages from the weekly portion with and why this conversation is important. must be a member in good standing. commentary both ancient and modern. Information: Stacy Passman, spassman@ See your Under the Dome email for details. gmail.com. Special Shabbats BYOM ONGOING ANTIRACISM (BRING-YOUR-OWN-MATERIALS) KABBALAT SHABBAT WITH DISCUSSION GROUP B’LAILAH CRAFT NIGHTS SPECIAL GUEST MICHELLE CITRIN Join us for discussions about antiracism, Tuesdays, January 19, February 2 and Fridays, February 12 and March 12, 6 pm belonging and inclusion informed by 16, March 2 and 16, April 6 and 20 Brooklyn-based singer, songwriter and selected readings. For meeting dates, Bring your own materials for a lailah producer Michelle Citrin (a YouTube book assignments and online meeting (Hebrew for “evening”) of crafting in sensation with hits like 20 More Things information: Stacy Passman, spassman@ community. Information: Natalie Weizman, to Do With Matzah—check her website!) gmail.com. [email protected]. brings us fun and funky music for two special musical Shabbatot in collaboration SOUNDS OF THE SANCTUARY: ✓ JEWISH BOOK CLUB with our clergy team. YOM HASHOAH MUSIC PROGRAM Meets 4th Monday of the month Wednesday, April 7, 5 pm 4 pm, Zoom Adult Cantor Toby Glaser, musical director Participants present books (paperbacks Jonathan Dimmock and program and ebooks only). Information: Julie Lekach ✓ TU B’SHBOX manager and trumpeter Peter Bonos House, [email protected]. perform musical selections dedicated to The Tu B’Shvat Shabbox Jan. 25: Four Mothers by Shifra Horn. communities lost during the Holocaust. Thursdays, January 21 and 28, 6:30 pm Facilitator: Jan Maisel. Do some meditative journaling and craft Survivors and relatives from our cheerful plant-filled terraria during this community will present testimonies of Feb. 22: The Book of V by Anna Solomon two-session Shabbox event honoring Tu their personal stories from World War (One Bay, One Book). Facilitator: Valerie B’Shvat, the Jewish new year for trees. II. Information: Peter Bonos, pbonos@ Jahan. sherithisrael.org. Information: Natalie Weizman, nweizman@ March 22: We Stand Divided: The Rift sherithisrael.org. YOM HASHOAH SEDER between American Jews and Israel by Daniel Gordis. Facilitator: Tanya Berezin. SHERITH@HOME TU B’SHVAT Friday, April 9, 7:15 PM Thursday, January 28 Join Sherith Israel Temple Youth (SITY) in April 26: The Liar by Ayelet Gundar- Discover Sherith@Home, a way to enrich a moving observance of Yom HaShoah, Goshen. Facilitator: Nancy Sheftel-Gomes. the Jewish day of remembrance for our understanding of Jewish festivals May 24: Enemies: A Love Story by Isaac the Holocaust. We’ll gather not just to and traditions, with a DIY celebration Bashevis Singer. Facilitator: Cathy Taylor. of Tu B’Shvat, the new year of the trees. remember the pain of the Holocaust but Be on the lookout for a Sherith@Home also to celebrate our survival as a resilient June 28: Annual book selection meeting. email with new ways to honor nature, people. This Seder is completely teen-led including recipes, Tu B’Shvat Seder ideas, and raises funds for SITY. Please donate tree planting and a kids section. For ages generously. Information: Natalie Weizman, 1– 120! Sponsored by the CSI membership [email protected]. committee. Information: Christina Jefferson, [email protected]. 8 PIRKEI AVOT STUDY GROUP Volunteer Opportunities Youth Education & Rabbi Abby Phelps Thursdays, 5 pm HAMOTZI & CHICKEN SOUPERS Programs What began as the weekly Talmud group HaMotzi: Sundays, 9:30 am–12:30 pm has begun exploring Pirkei Avot (literally, CONFIRMATION Friday, May 14, 6 pm Chapters of the Fathers), an ancient text Chicken Soupers: Sundays, noon–4 pm, (during Kabbalat Shabbat services) offering timeless ethical and spiritual February 7, March 7, April 11, May 2 Join our confirmation class to celebrate guidance. No Hebrew or prior experience HaMotzi volunteers prepare meals for the completion of their religious school required, just curiosity and a willingness two shelters in San Francisco each week. studies. Confirmands will help lead the to engage in spirited discussion. Chicken Soupers volunteers cook and service and speak about what Judaism Information: Rabbi Abby Phelps, deliver meals each month for clients means to them. [email protected]. of JFCS. Home-baked cookies, muffins, biscuits and bread are welcome every MEMOIR WRITING WORKSHOP SITY—SHERITH ISRAEL week. Information: Nancy Sheftel-Gomes, TEMPLE YOUTH Mondays, biweekly, 3 pm [email protected]. Share memories from another time, Teens are invited to join SITY for fun wishes for the present and desires for the SOCIAL ACTION COMMITTEE events like celebrating Rosh Chodesh (the holiday that marks the start of future. Members only. Information: Second Thursdays, monthly, 6–7:30 pm each Hebrew month), Shabbox crafting, Gale Gottlieb, [email protected]. Sherith Israel’s social action volunteers hygge (Danish for coziness) at home and support immigrants and engage in scary-movie nights. Information: www. INTRODUCTORY HEBREW legislative advocacy on important social sherithisrael.org/youthgroups or Natalie Wednesdays, 6:30–8 pm justice issues. Contact: Karen Alschuler, Weizman, [email protected]. February 17–April 21 [email protected] or Stacy Passman, Cantor Toby Glaser [email protected]. Participants learn to read and pronounce Sherith Littles the letters of the Hebrew alef-bet, as well CHESED COMMITTEE as gain familiarity with the prayerbook, We support one another during times Programs for young families with basic blessings and core parts of the of need, celebration or transition. The children 5 and under. Information: liturgy. No prior knowledge required. Chesed committee invites you to sustain www.sherithisrael.org/early-childhood. Information: Cantor Toby Glaser, the warmth and inclusiveness we value html or Natalie Weizman, nweizman@ [email protected]. at Sherith Israel. If you or someone you sherithisrael.org. know in the congregation can benefit from MUSICAL SHABBAT FOR KIDS ADULT INTERMEDIATE HEBREW support, contact Nia Taylor, ntaylor@ Fridays, 5–5:30 pm Sundays, 1–2 pm, until May 16 sherithisrael.org. If you can offer food, January 22, February 19, March 19 Noa Levy supplies or phone support, contact Janet Join us as we welcome Shabbat with Rabbi Hebrew for the advanced beginner, Parker, [email protected]. focusing on reading and deeply Jessica Graf, Cantor Toby Glaser and understanding prayers from the Siddur. friends new and old. For children 9 and Information: Noa Levy, [email protected]. under plus their families. We look forward to singing and celebrating with you! PURIM AND PASSOVER

SHABBAT PURIM SUPER-SILLY LITTLES PURIM ✓ SECOND-NIGHT Friday, February 26, 6 pm SCAVENGER HUNT PASSOVER SEDER Travel to far-and-yet-so-near Zoom-shan Saturday, February 27, 11 am Sunday, March 28, 6 pm for a lively Kabbalat Shabbat and specially Wear your silliest costumes and complete Join Rabbi Jessica Graf and Cantor Toby masked Purim celebration. Put down this neighborhood scavenger hunt. We’ll Glaser to celebrate our liberation from your N-95s and put on your Mordechais start with a dance party and use the Scavr bondage and historic fight for freedom at and Esthers. Join Cantor Toby Glaser, the app to collect and share our scavenger our second online—yes, second—family- Koleynu choir and community players hunt experiences. Information: Natalie oriented second-night Seder. In keeping for a dramatic online multimedia Weizman, [email protected]. with CSI tradition, the Seder raises funds adaptation of the Purim story with silly for our fabulous Chicken skits and provocative parodies of 23rd ANNUAL JCRC Soupers and HaMotzi beloved California pop songs. MULTICULTURAL SEDER programs. Your Tuesday, March 16 donations help us YOUTH Rabbi Jessica Graf and Emanu-El’s feed homebound PURIM PARTY Rabbi Jonathan Singer will lead San seniors, those in Sunday, February 28, 10 am Franciscans of all faiths at the 23rd need of healing Plan to visit mysterious Zoom-shan on Annual Multicultural and Multifaith and residents of Sunday. A virtual carnival? An online Passover Seder. This online community local shelters. escape room? Whatever we do, we seder is jointly sponsored by Sherith Please donate guarantee that you’ll have a fabulous time Israel, the Jewish Community Relations generously. while cheering for Esther and Mordechai Council, the Jewish Community Center of Information: and heckling Haman. Be sure to wear San Francisco, Congregation Emanu-El programs@ your costumes. BYO hamentaschen. and the San Francisco Interfaith Council. sherithisrael.org. And remember, this is the one holiday Information: jcrc.org/news-events/events. on which we’re instructed to get down and get silly. 9 CSICONGREGATION SHERITH ISRAEL people Three generations treasure Judaism … and Sherith Israel PROFILE: THE HANDLER FAMILY For many years the Handler family iel and his wife Lisa Brown have a son, As a boy, Daniel heard stories from his celebrated Thanksgiving with a Jew- Otto, in Confirmation class. Rebecca and father and extended family about the ish twist. With guests gathered around husband David Andrade (who is not prejudice and persecution they endured the table, Louis Handler would lead a Jewish) have two daughters, Willa and in Germany. Their resilience in the face rousing Shehecheyanu. Its simple, grate- Simone, preparing for their upcoming of unpredictable, monstrous peril is a ful message meant a great deal to Louis, b. mitzvah. They are following the path core element of A Series of Unfortunate who emigrated to the United States from of Rebecca, Daniel and Otto. Rebecca Events. Says Daniel: “A story in which Germany as a child on the eve of World and Daniel recall fondly the traditional people are making their way through War II. Some 35 years later, with a young “doughnut walk” to Fillmore Street that an unfriendly world that seems to be re- family of their own, Louis and his wife Rabbi Weiner took with students shortly sentful of them and is pursuing them to Sandra joined Congregation Sherith Is- before their b. mitzvah to communicate the ends of the Earth is a very Jewish rael and became instrumental in its the significance of the event—and enjoy stor y.” growth. a doughnut. Rebecca is also a writer. Her debut novel CSI in the mid-1970s was, as now, a vi- Daniel and Rebecca went to college on Edie Richter is Not Alone, about a Jewish tal, vibrant community. Rabbi Martin the East Coast and built careers far and woman who moves to Australia with her Weiner, early in his 32-year tenure, was wide. Rebecca and her family spent four husband following her father’s death, a contemporary of many of the congre- years in Australia. Both, with spouses will be published in March. Says Re- gation’s families. Cantor Martin Feld- and children, found their way back to becca: “There’s a strong family element man brought a spark to Shabbat and their hometown and home congregation. in the book. It’s loosely inspired by my holiday services and his guidance of b. experience with my father.” Rebecca and Rabbi Jessica Zimmerman mitzvah students. For Louis and Sandra, Graf were in the same religious school Sherith Israel has been a source of Sherith Israel was a perfect fit to build a class at CSI and went to kindergarten strength and inspiration for the Han- Jewish identity for themselves and their together at what was then Brandeis Hil- dlers. Like her mother Sandra, Rebecca children Daniel and Rebecca. lel Day School. “If you were to choose finds Sherith Israel helpful in creating a “Having the children raised in a Jew- someone in our Sunday school class to Jewish home and instilling Jewish val- ish home was very important to Lou,” be a rabbi, it would be her,” Rebecca ues. Says Rebecca: “I have a partner in recalls Sandra, who converted to Juda- says of Jessica. “She is a major reason Sherith Israel.” ism (“My gift to Lou”). Both enjoyed why I rejoined the synagogue.” “The synagogue added tremendously learning more about Judaism through “I feel happily engaged with Sherith Is- to my life,” Sandra adds. She advises Sandra’s conversion classes. “The syna- rael,” Daniel adds. “The beauty of the people newly connecting with Sherith gogue helped me and Lou create a Jew- space, the music, and the social action Israel or considering it to be open to the ish home, and I’m grateful for that.” and engagement all feel solid and excit- possibilities. “Join a synagogue because Louis, who passed away in 2013, served ing. That’s what I treasure in Judaism— it’s fun and the kids will learn about Ju- on the Sherith Israel board and volun- the spiritual aspect and the aspect of daism, and you will meet other couples teered with Chicken Soupers. Sandra engaging in the world.” who are in the same place in big-city also was a board member and part of the life. Families can grow together. And the Daniel, of course, is often better known Social Action committee. “It’s important sanctuary is so gorgeous. It’s a treasure as “Lemony Snicket,” the mysteri- for everybody to take a little responsi- in San Francisco, and I’m happy to be a ous author of A Series of Unfortunate bility for the success of the synagogue,” part of it.” n Events. These darkly humorous tales in- she says. volve three young orphaned siblings on Three generations of Handlers are cur- the run from a hostile and relentless foe. rently involved with the temple. Dan-

THE HANDLER-ANDRADE-BROWN CLAN: Just before Covid descended, the Handlers and Andrades enjoyed a cousin’s bar mitzvah in San Diego. Left to right: Simone Andrade, Sandra Handler, Rebecca Handler, Otto Handler, David Andrade, Willa Andrade, Lisa Brown and Daniel Handler. 10 news nosh

s much as we celebrate the turn to Cabaret Zoom performance.CSI Meanwhile manente 150-Mile Around the Bay Chal- A2021, we are going to miss two ma- husband David Perlstein’s short story, lenge, logging 559 miles in six weeks jor San Francisco institutions. After 28 “Mirror, Mirror,” will appear in the and winning one of five prize packs years behind the KQED microphone, CSI spring edition of Avalon Literary Review, for her efforts. Also running actually, congregant Michael Krasny will host out April 15. The fable presents a man but in a virtual contest, Alicia Kletter his last Forum program on February who works for a polling firm but can’t logged 32 miles in the Backyard Ultra 15. Over the years, he has interviewed make decisions and David’s column with 12 running friends from around innumerable public figures, including decrying the renaming of 44 San Fran- the world. They met running the World Barack Obama, Bernie Sanders, Maya cisco schools was published in the J. Marathon Challenge, an adventure that Angelou and Rosa Parks. His show has online November 6... included seven marathons on seven been one of the most popular regional continents in seven days in early 2020, programs on public radio, reaching hat school board issue was defi- just as Covid was racing around the nearly a quarter-million listeners a Tnitely on the minds of congregants. world. Covid eventually caught up with week. Stay tuned for a special CSI In the SF Chronicle letter’s column, Alicia, who is now donating plasma to retirement celebration for Michael later Dorothy Auerbach wrote that maybe, treat other patients and planning her this spring... just maybe, the school board had more next running adventure... important things to do than renaming avid and Mary Sperber turned off schools, like getting children back into peaking of going the distance, former Dthe pilot lights and closed the door the classroom. Dorothy also weighed in Sreligious school head and super- of their/our beloved Town’s End Restau- on proposed admission changes to Low- volunteer Nancy Sheftel-Gomes received rant and Bakery last November after 30 ell High School. When Dorothy speaks, her master’s degree in human rights years as a go-to brunch and breakfast hopefully people listen... education from USF. Not stopping to spot. But the good news is that they rest, Nancy is working on a doctorate fo- have found a buyer who will be keep- ongratulations to oncologist cusing on racial justice and education... ing the name and menus and rehiring CThierry Jahan. He was presented most of their long-time employees. That with the GO2 Foundation for Lung Can- lso reaching higher education mile- means we can still get a fix of Mary’s cer’s outstanding lifetime achievement Astones: Cyrus Robins, who gradu- amazing mini-muffins and scones award at the foundation’s virtual gala ated summa cum laude from USF with (yum!). Still unclear is whether the new this past November. Thierry, recently a degree in computer science, and Wil- owners will be making takeout latkes retired from clinical work at the UCSF liam Geist, who graduated with honors for Chanukah and flourless cakes for Helen Diller Family Comprehensive from the University of Colorado... Cancer Center, is currently clinical Pesach. Much thanks to David and Mary avid Newman, who chairs JCRC’s for catering innumerable CSI Shabbat professor of medicine and oncology at UCSF. Dpublic policy committee, and CSI dinners and congregational Seders... membership chair Christina Jefferson hat Handler family really is amaz- roperty porn: What a surprise to see both sit on the JCRC’s board of trustees. Ting (see page 10). Rebecca Han- Pthe façade of our beloved Califor- They’re also members of its strategic dler’s debut novel, Edie Richter is Not nia Street home on the cover of the SF planning team. And Judie Wexler, CSI’s Alone, will be published on March 9. Chronicle’s Real Estate section on No- recently appointed representative to the The book follows Edie, who moves from vember 22. We’re apparently a calling JCRC Assembly, has joined David and San Francisco to Australia only to con- card for the Pacific Heights neighbor- Christina on its public policy commit- front memories of her recently deceased hood that was featured inside... tee. Yasher koach for helping fulfill JCRC’s work to pursue a just society father. Join Green Apple Books at 6 herith Israel also was lauded for our pm on March 9 for a virtual chat with and a secure Jewish future, something S“innovative programming,” including we can all get behind. n Rebecca. Check out the Green Apple our virtual High Holiday services, in the website for login details... October J.’s Reader’s Choice edition... By the News Nosher, aka Ellen Newman. nother multi-talented family in our hallenging times: Two CSI con- Please send bits and bites of gossip to midst: Carolyn Power Perlstein A gregants more than tested their [email protected]. Be sure to sang two delightful Johnny Mercer C stamina with organized virtual runs put “News Nosh” in the subject line. tunes—“I Thought About You” and “I’m last year. Kudos to Adrienne Kristine, Old-Fashioned”—in a January 9 Society who participated in the first Kaiser Per-

11 ON EDUCATION RABBI EDUCATOR ABBY PHELPS

PLAGUE YEAR PERFECT FOR HEALTHY ADULT JEWISH LEARNING The Talmudic sage Ben Bag Bag would out on Hebrew school as kids and are say: “Turn it and turn it, for everything taking advantage of this opportunity to is in it; and see in it, and grow old and catch up on their Jewish education. frail in it, and do not move from it, for you have no better reward than it.”— We have also seen higher-than-ever at- Pirkei Avot (Chapters of the Fathers) 5:22 tendance at Torah Study. And we have added a weekly Talmud study session What is this all-encompassing thing of that has been a particular source of joy surpassing value to which Ben Bag Bag for me. What began as an investiga- refers? It is the Torah, of course, a text tion of what the Talmud might teach us so rich that we study it year after year about racial prejudice and inclusion has translated as “bad” or “wicked,” to refer without ever exhausting its insights. morphed into an equally lively Pirkei instead to credible threats of violence. Avot study group. Participants from a I have always loved this quotation wide variety of backgrounds, ranging in Online learning presents some challeng- from Pirkei Avot, a compilation of ethi- age from 19 to 90, come together each es but also offers advantages. It erases cal teachings by rabbis from about 200 week to explore the timeless wisdom of geographical barriers, allowing people BCE–200 CE, but it never rang truer for this centuries-old text. in other states, even other countries, to me than it did in 2020. Each week, as learn with us here in San Francisco. It I studied the parashah, I was struck by also means that limitations to a person’s how relevant it seemed in light of cur- physical mobility or ability to speak are rent events. I saw deep connections It sometimes not barriers to participation. While I do between the Flood and the dangers of miss being physically present with stu- global climate change, between Jacob’s feels like we are dents (and sharing snacks!), I cherish visions and the widespread phenomenon the addition of new, diverse voices to our of vivid Covid dreams, between Joseph’s living in “biblical” learning community. unjust imprisonment and the need for times with near- sentencing and prison reform in our so- Some participants in our online sessions ciety. cataclysmic events have spent years studying Torah and Jewish texts, and some are just begin- It sometimes feels like we are living in ning their Jewish learning journeys, but “biblical” times with near-cataclysmic unfolding daily. all bring unique and invaluable perspec- events unfolding daily, but I also think tives. that the increased isolation we’ve all ex- Some passages are so rich that we perienced in recent months has led my spend an entire session talking about If you haven’t yet had the chance to intellectual curiosity to run a little wild. just one. For example, we spent over an check out these classes, you are not too late. We are always happy to hear new I am not alone in this. Despite all the hour on the instruction in Pirkei Avot voices in Torah study, in our Pirkei Avot challenges we faced in 2020, I enjoyed 1:7 to distance ourselves from wicked study group, and in any other classes we seeing how a combination of spiritual people. Responses ranged from dismay offer. With the need to schlep and park yearning, time to fill and easy online ac- at the apparent injunction against en- eliminated for the time being, and our cess to classes inspired so many in our gaging with people whose views we do minds and hearts growing more restless community to dive more deeply than not share to consideration of the effect every day, there has never been a better ever into Jewish learning. In our Intro of the historical experience of exile and time to try out adult education at Sherith to Judaism class, we have seen a higher oppression on the text’s authors. We also Israel. I hope to see you there! proportion of participants from within wondered whether we might understand n our congregation, people who missed the words “ra” and “rasha,” usually

12 B.MITZVAH TRAINING, from page 4

Meanwhile, Marcy and Evie feel con- and the Studio teachers spend a lot of flicted about their scheduled date, March time engaging students in discussions of 20, 2021. Evie would like to do it on her what a b. mitzvah means in their lives. assigned date but also wants to be able “There are kids who don’t see the signifi- to have family there in person, including cance of what they are doing now, but her aunt Karen Zelmar and her grand- it’s important that they put in the work,” mother, a docent at Chicago’s Holocaust points out Cantor Glaser. “In five or ten Museum. “The date is our biggest topic,” years, they are going to see the signifi- says Marcy. “We may not be opened up cance of what they did, and it’s really yet by March.” going to mean something to them.” Rabbi Abby Phelps takes a holistic ap- Cantor Glaser is impressed with his stu- proach to b. mitzvah preparation, es- dents. “You can tell that they are just as pecially during Covid. “We are fired up exhausted and sick of 2020 as the rest of about creating a process that feels like us, and they are still in class every day, a substantive acknowledgment that the making time for their b. mitzvah tutor- NOT MOSES’S TABLET: An upside- students are arriving at a point of greater ing and taking on this responsibility. It’s down Cantor Toby Glaser coaches b. responsibility and greater Jewish partici- really wonderful to work with them.” n mitzvah student Zach Kamil. Covid pation.” To that end she, Cantor Glaser pushed Zach’s b. mitzvah back from last June to May 2021. B. MITZVAH STUDENTS Trevor Foss, child of Michelle Baden Zachary Kamil, child of Jun Yamashiro Emma Raukhman, child of Katherine Foss and Christopher Foss, January 30 and David Kamil, May 22 and Gary Raukhman, August 7 Evelyn Richard, child of Marcy Zelmar Olivia Almqvist, child of Heather Isaac Braunig, child of Lindsay and and Andrew Richard, March 20 Barrett and Johan Almqvist, June 5 Warren Braunig, August 14 Kai Denmark, child of Yuka Hachiuma Simone and Willa Andrade, children of Harrison Maring, child of Karen Aidem and Andy Denmark, May 15 Rebecca Handler and David Andrade, and Harry Maring, August 28 July 31

LIFECYCLE EVENTS, from page 5 Konstantin Antonovich experienced his als were held at Hills of Eternity, CSI’s “bay mikvah” on August 24 with smoke cemetery in Colma. Attendance was lim- floating above the city and a dark red ited, but the ceremonies were streamed sun hovering. He had been intimidated so people who would not normally be by walking into such cold water, “but af- able to attend could do so. ter I walked in, it became warm—as if “Usually, people go back to the house, HaShem embraced me and covered me bring food and sit shiva, but we couldn’t with an invisible tallit. After the mik- do any of that,” says Rabbi Graf. “None- vah, my Jewish journey only started. theless, our graveside funerals were There’s so much more to discover. It’s beautiful.” Several shiva minyanim have truly a lifelong journey!” been held on Zoom, including one on Two immersions took place at the tradi- the East Coast following the burial of tional mikvah on Sacramento Street, in- Lenore Levin, mother of Monica Levin. cluding one on September 17 for Gefen Rabbi Graf attended. She and Rabbi Aberman-Mashiach, son of Kfir Aber- Phelps later led Zoom shiva minyanim DIVING INTO JUDAISM: Konstantin man and Adam Mashiach. for congregant Karen Spivack and for Antonovich and conversion mentor Renee Ketchum, aunt of Dan Weiss. FUNERALS Lisa Erdberg at Crissy Field, where Rabbi Graf adds, “It’s hard not to be able Burying our dead with dignity is one of Konstantin completed his conversion by to hug people at a milestone from birth the most important mitzvot Jews can immersing in San Francisco Bay. He was to death, or go to the hospital, but we’re perform. During the pandemic, two one of several CSI Jews by choice who doing everything we can. During and af- Sherith Israel congregants and a number bravely used the bay as their mikvah. ter the pandemic, we’ll go on joyfully.” n of related individuals left us. Two funer- 13 TIKKUN OLAM CORNER

Praying with our fingers CSI VOLUNTEERS GET OUT THE VOTE NINETY VOLUNTEERS became interested in American politics but wasn’t able to par- THOUSANDS OF PHONE CALLS ticipate until he became a citizen in 2014. “Now I can’t imagine MORE THAN 25,000 POSTCARDS missing an election,” he claims. “I’d have to be in a coma not to vote.” He got involved in Sherith Israel’s voter outreach because Beginning in late summer, Sherith Israel volunteers blanket- over the past ten years, it has become more difficult to vote in ed the South and Southwest with cards and calls encouraging some parts of the country. “I wanted to push back,” he says. citizens to register and vote early or by mail. They provided information about how to register, how to apply for an absentee Dima’s children, Mattea (12) and Daniel (10), helped write post- ballot and where early voting locations were. “It made a differ- cards. “It was a good opportunity to talk to them about voter ence,” says Steve Garber, who coordinated the postcard effort. suppression,” he notes. Living in San Francisco, with polling places rarely more than a few blocks away, it’s hard to imagine The CSI voter outreach effort grew out of a conversation last how difficult other states make it for people to get to the polls. summer between social action committee co-chair Karen He was able to explain why it was so important to send post- Alschuler and David Newman, who chairs the Jewish Commu- cards with all the information people needed to register and nity Relations Council’s public policy committee. David thought vote. that voter outreach was a critical extension of Sherith Israel’s social action work. Terrie Raphael was already sending postcards when the CSI effort got started, but she signed on to the synagogue team “be- “It was the summer of George Floyd and the resurgence of Black cause being connected added a different dimension.” She loved Lives Matter,” explains David. “Helping people vote is an essen- Steve’s postcard deliveries because “he really made me feel tak- tial part of pursuing social justice. Voting gives disenfranchised en care of.” She adds, “I could visualize a stream of postcards communities their voice and lets them advocate for themselves, going out across the country.” rather than depending on the goodwill of others.” Terrie was one of the volunteers who switched to phone bank- Sherith Israel partnered with Reclaim our Vote (ROV), a non- ing after the postcard effort ended. She found phone banking partisan voter outreach project that focuses on states with sig- more challenging than postcards, but thought that connecting nificant minority populations and a history of voter suppres- with people was a treat. “People were really sweet,” she says. “It sion. ROV provided our volunteers with postcards, mailing lists felt like a handshake across the miles.” and stick-on labels with critical information for voters. It also hosted a phone banking website with voter lists and scripts. Gale Gottlieb, a member of CSI’s board of trustees, did some volunteer work to support the election of President-elect Biden Steve worked directly with the local ROV coordinator. He distrib- but found Sherith Israel’s nonpartisan postcard effort particu- uted postcards, labels and mailing lists to volunteers through- larly rewarding. “I was excited to do something I believed in. It out San Francisco. “I enjoyed delivering the postcards,” he says. was an absolute joy to get the brown bags of cards from Steve. “I got to see where people lived, and it got me out of the house.” It was a tie to the real world and gave me a feeling that I was David focused on phone banking, which became more impor- involved and doing something.” tant after the postcard effort ceased two weeks before the No- Did our work make a difference? David and Steve are certain vember election. He ran a couple of training sessions to help vol- it did. The voter turnout in Georgia (and the Georgia runoff) unteers learn best practices and get more comfortable making and in Arizona, two states on the ROV list, was unprecedented. phone calls. “Some people are shy or don’t like to talk to strang- “We were part of an effort that included tens of thousands of ers,” he notes. “Others get frustrated because they only reach a volunteers,” David says, “all dedicated to making sure that ev- small percentage of the voters they call.” Volunteers received eryone who wanted to vote had a chance to be counted.” proven tips to make phone banking less intimidating—smile, read the script and practice pronouncing voters’ names. “I also Rabbi Graf offers a hearty “Yasher koach!” to everyone who helped people reset their expectations about how many voters worked on our GOTV effort. “I am so inspired by the amazing they were likely to talk to.” work of our Sherith Israel volunteers, who helped thousands of people vote. They made our Jewish values come alive!” Many volunteers found getting involved a way to overcome feeling powerless in the face of threats to democracy, a frustra- OTHER SOCIAL ACTION NEWS tion compounded by the pandemic. Several volunteers reported Social action committee co-chair Karen Alschuler notes that keeping a pile of postcards nearby while they watched the news Sherith Israel’s Nueva Esperanza (New Hope) Accompaniment and writing a few every time something made them angry. Team (NEAT) partnership with Episcopal Church of St. Mary the Virgin will be a year old in March. “We are proudly expand- For others, motivation was more personal. Dmytro (Dima) Voy- ing our work to bring additional immigrants the support they tenko emigrated to the United States from Ukraine in 1999. He need to become self-sufficient in the United States,” says Karen. Tikkun Olam Corner continues, page 15 14 PASSAGES

A hearty mazel tov to each of our families celebrating the following simchas:

NEW BABIES Marissa Schaeffer and Jeff Nobel Robert Jay Pincus, brother of Nancy Pincus Zoe Millie Davis, grandchild of Claire and Chelsea Tirone and Mathew Kamkar Davis and Susan Williams, brother-in-law of Jim Davis and child of Chelsea Denlow and Arnie Davis, and uncle of Perri Davis and Leslie and Ken Wachtel Jonathan Davis Amy Williams Kaitlin Wahl Ella Reid Hilberman, child of Jessica Jack Schaeffer, father of Marissa Schaeffer Hilberman and Kat Reid CHOOSING JUDAISM and father-in-law of Jeff Nobel Aaron Reuven Joseph, child of Elizabeth Catherine Bergstrom Karen Spivack, wife of Dr. Samuel Spivack and Mike Joseph Ximena Hasbach and mother of Alix Spivack Ethan Lieber, child of Jamie Lieber Cheryl Gerson Tuttle, stepmother of Cantor Ari Jacob Newburgh, child of Michelle and May the memory of the David Frommer, stepmother-in-law of Rabbi Alex Newburgh Carla Fenves, and stepgrandmother of Aaron, righteous be for a blessing. Talia and Eliana BABY NAMINGS Laura Amster, mother of Joseph Amster Ernestine Waters Weiss, mother of Gefen Aberman-Mashiach, child of and Lorann Thomas, mother-in-law of Rick David Stephen Zalob, grandmother of Sasha Kfir Aberman and Adam Mashiach Shelton, and grandmother of David Thomas III Desmarais Zalob and Simon Desmarais Zalob, and great-grandmother of Maya Zalob and Aaron Reuven Joseph, child of Elizabeth Jackie Fonarow, wife of Bob Fonarow and Mike Joseph Avital “Tali” Zalob Marian Goldeen, aunt of Eileen Nervo, Ethan Lieber, child of Jamie Lieber Susan Weiner and Steven Stiller Ari Jacob Newburgh, child of Michelle and Renee Ketchum, aunt of Dan and Lisa Weiss Alex Newburgh Lenore Levin, mother of Monica Levin and NEW MEMBERS Mark Levin, and mother-in-law of Kfir Aberman and Adam Mashiach and child, Nancy Igdaloff Gefen Aberman-Mashiach Kay Payne, sister of Al Breslauer and Congregation Sherith Israel Jeff Eisenberg and child, Max sister-in-law of Ardis Breslauer Hills of Eternity Bob and Jackie (z”l) Fonarow Memorial Park Ximena Hasbach Traditional Ground Burial Gil Knishinsky and Sangva Dy and child, Eyal Join our Circle of Lights legacy Indoor and Garden Crypts and Niches Adrienne Kristine society. Include Sherith Israel in Convenient Pre-Need Payment Plans Available your estate plans. Jamie Lieber and child, Ethan Susan Solomon, Executive Director Emily Rapaport Questions? Contact Gordon Gladstone, executive 1299 El Camino Real, Colma Judith and Harvey Salgado director, 415.346.1720 x25 or Tel 650.755.4700 [email protected] www.jewishcemeteries-sf.org

TIKKUN OLAM CORNER, from page 14

In addition to the Avila family, whom congregants met at the HAMOTZI AND CHICKEN SOUPERS Social Action Shabbat in June, CSI social action volunteers are Another casualty of Covid was our tradition of helping cook working with a young woman from Mexico who is now living and serve at the San Francisco Interfaith Men’s Shelter over the in San Francisco. We are also assisting a mother from Argentina Christmas holidays. According to HaMotzi coordinator Nancy and her 15-year-old daughter, who is here for a medical trial at Sheftel-Gomes, the pandemic forced the shelter to restrict the UCSF. Karen is grateful to the HaMotzi/Chicken Soupers team number of organizations involved. But, she notes, our volun- for supporting our NEAT families with some extra good food! teers showed their seasonal spirit in other ways. “People do- Karen also reports that we are looking forward to continuing nated fancier baked goods for our regular clients, and we made our advocacy work with RAC California in the upcoming legis- things festive.” Nancy adds that, while older volunteers can’t lative session. New participants are always welcome. volunteer in the kitchen, younger people have stepped up. “They are coming frequently, giving input and taking responsibility,” Finally, she is excited that we have expanded our list of so- she says, which is promising for the long-term future of HaMotzi cial action supporters to more than 90 congregants and hope and Chicken Soupers. Contact: [email protected]. n to engage more volunteers in 2021. To get involved, contact Kar- en Alschuler, [email protected], or Stacy Passman, spass- [email protected]. 15 2266 California Street • San Francisco, CA 94115 415.346.1720 • www.sherithisrael.org Member of the Union for Reform Judaism since 1903

FREEDOM FROM BONDAGE, FREEDOM FROM WANT Sunday, March 28, 6 pm — Online Celebrate our family-oriented second-night Seder and raise funds for Chicken Soupers and HaMotzi. More information: page 8.