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The AV-ELUL 5770 / SUMMER 2010 Builder CONGREG at ION b E T H EL from the rabbi WE CAN ALL BE BUILDERS On Friday evening, June 18, our sanctuary But Rabbi Haninah says that the Torah scholars are not just our was filled to overflowing as more than children, but all of us, too, can become scholars of Torah; all who three hundred congregants and friends are bonai-yich , builders. So what does it mean to be a builder? came together to celebrate the ordination of Reuben Zellman as a Rabbi and his Well, I do want to thank the builders of our sanctuary and the installation as Beth El’s Assistant Rabbi and Music Director. Rabbi builders who donated to our sanctuary campaign, enabling us to Yoel Kahn was also honored on the occasion of his 25th year install the acoustic tiles in the ceiling and to purchase the lovely in the rabbinate. Rabbi Eric Weiss, President of the Northern new chairs in our sanctuary (which you are sitting on tonight). California Board of Rabbis, and Jennifer Gorovitz, Chief Executive For, indeed, there is far less kvetching than there used to be! Officer of the Jewish Community Federation of San Francisco, “Rav shalom! Great is the peace.” the Peninsula, Marin and the East Bay, brought greetings from the community. The d’var Torah below was delivered Honestly, though, my understanding of peace has evolved. For a by Rabbi Kahn as part of the installation of Rabbi Zellman. long time, I thought that when no one spoke, that meant that there were deep fissures going on and trouble was coming – and so I “Rabbi Elazar said in the name of Rabbi Haninah: Talmidei Torah rushed to fill in the silence. But, through dialogue with my partner m’rabim shalom b’olam. Torah scholars increase peace in the over many years of marriage and by cultivating a contemplative world. As it says, ‘All of Your children - v’khol banaiyich - are practice, I have learned to be OK with silence. students of God - limmudai Adonai; great is the peace of Your children - rav shalom banaiyich’ (Isaiah 54:13). Do not read the But I also have learned that silence does not necessarily mean verse as it is written: ‘banaiyich - Your children,’ but rather as if it peace. Sometimes silence is acquiescence; sometimes silence is said bonaiyich - ‘Your builders’” (Talmud, Berachot 64a). not feeling safe to speak up; sometimes silence is not having a voice. The fourth child at the Passover seder is silent; but this child The prophet Isaiah teaches that when we teach all of our children is not at peace. that they are each in God’s image and the inheritors of a rich and fulfilling spiritual tradition, they will be fulfilled and whole. Mi-dor (continued on page 9) l’dor, from generation to generation, is key to who we are and what we do here. Congregation Beth El High Holy Days 5771 See page 8 or visit www.bethelberkeley.org for more information. 2 from the president COLLECTING THE REMNANTS It was pretty jarring and out-of-place to hear We happened to be there when the Gay Pride Parade marched Christmas Carols playing as mood music down Ben Yehuda Street. Remember the colorful fruit kiosk at the in the tiny, hot, overcrowded gift shop at the corner of Dizengoff and Ben Gurion? It’s been there for decades, Jewish Museum in Girona, Spain. We were long before the Jamba Juice craze. I treated myself to one of the searching for SOMETHING to take home with best mango pineapple orange smoothies ever! us across the ocean that would represent even a small reminder of the ancient communities In Spain, a great deal of digging, research, and exploration needs that thrived and vanished over centuries in to take place in order to uncover evidence of historic Jewish life. Spain. It being May, and a Jewish place after all, I whispered Except in a few communities where archaeology compels it, there to my husband that the music seemed so inappropriate, in so is little interest in Jewish history. The handout from the Sinagoga many ways. The shop-manager must have heard me and within Mayor in Barcelona states: “This extremely old synagogue has seconds switched the music to something else, unmemorable but just experienced a rebirth. Although some details are still lacking, considerably less offensive. we possess the most important one: your presence here, which carries on the tradition.” Visits from tourists seem to be the most Throughout our trip, we found ourselves searching for remnants of compelling reason for preservation. Jewish history and signs of life today that would capture something reflecting ancient culture. In Barcelona, in the area referred to as In Israel, Jewish practice and culture are part of everyday life. “the Call”, there is a building that had been used as a synagogue There are mezuzot on every doorpost, even in secular Tel Aviv. as early as the Roman period. It is called the Sinagoga Mayor Israel, at the intersection of Europe and Asia, is an important and it now serves as a museum and visitor center. The volunteers player in world-wide commerce, technology, medicine, education, staffing this two-room, cave-like structure are eager to convey culture, and a myriad of contributions to progress throughout their message of the importance of preserving and honoring this the world. Many different faces, languages, cultures, foods and bit of Jewish history. After much archeological research over customs are present in Tel Aviv. time to determine the origins of the building, no one can say for sure that it was actually built as a synagogue. But there is much We came away from this trip imagining Israel as a collection of evidence, including the 13th century walls and orientation of the the remnants of Jewish traditions, woven together into a beautiful, building toward Jerusalem, indicating that the space served as a crazy quilt of chaos and hope. Are we collecting the remnants synagogue. Anyway, this is the building and the neighborhood and weaving a quilt at Beth El? designated as the historical Jewish quarter. Joanne Backman Another thing about the Sinagoga Mayor…There had been four President synagogues in the Call but only this one remains. The Sinagoga Mayor was the only one that sold seats, which were highly prized and expensive. Dignitaries with higher status were given better Prospective Member seats than less-wealthy members. But that was another time and place… (By the way, seat naming opportunities are still available in our own Sinagoga Mayor in Berkeley.) Brunch Granada is another hub of Jewish cultural history, dating as far Sunday, August 22 •10:00 am back as the time of the Maccabees. In many public and historic Thinking of joining Congregation Beth El, or places, such as the Alhambra (the 14th century Moorish palace), know someone who is? Please join us at our one can spot the Star of David in tile and decorative work, a vivid Prospective Member Outreach Brunch on reminder that Jews and Muslims lived in harmony for centuries Sunday, August 22, from 10:00 am - 12:00 pm. throughout the region. Gourmet brunch kicks off a lovely morning of getting to know Beth El and Rabbi Kahn, and So much for the western side of the Mediterranean. It was then making new connections. on to the eastern side, to the 21st century, to Israel for a family All prospective members are welcome, including wedding. By Israel standards, this wedding was a small one – those new to Judaism, choosing Judaism, only 400 people! What a joy to celebrate such a happy milestone interfaith families and LGBT members. We look with relatives, many of whom flew in from far away. The wedding forward to meeting you there! Please contact was truly a gathering together of Jews from near and far, a “re- membership chair Nancy Turak at membership@ collection” of Jewish life much like the character of the country. bethelberkeley.org with any questions. Just joined Beth El? Join us for our Annual The streets of Tel Aviv look like the streets of any modern city in New Member Luncheon in September! many ways. It is a microcosm of the world community, diverse More details will be available shortly. in its people, its architecture, its language, its cuisine, the works. from the executive director 3 YOUR TZEDAKAH MAKES A DIFFERENCE Do you sometimes wonder where your all of their administrative support in managing the requests donations go when you make a contribution and making certain that all of the documentation was properly to Congregation Beth El? Did you buy a piano prepared. I also want to thank Meyer Riff, as representative of lesson at the silent auction and just realized the Finance committee, for his invaluable assistance in reviewing that you never used it? Maybe you made a the campership requests this year and in guiding our attempts to donation to our ‘Fund a Need’ scholarships allocate our limited resources fairly amongst the many requests. at the end of the Gala live auction. Did your I also want to especially acknowledge the Federation not only for money at least do someone else a little bit of good? the significant amount of financial aid provided to our campers, but also for working together with us to make this process as fair Stop wondering and come see that your donation is being put and compassionate as possible. to good use. Visit the synagogue just about any morning this summer. Camp Kee Tov is now in action and the synagogue is And if you are looking for more signs of your contributions to Beth buzzing with activity.

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