Omer Whiplash the Months Ahead
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Middletown, Connecticut May 2021 Iyar-Sivan 5781 OMER THE MONTHS WHIPLASH AHEAD Dear friends, by Jonathan Shapiro Do you feel it? It’s the Our doors have whiplash of Omer. started to re-open—albeit Let me explain – the slowly as we continue to Omer, as I explained in the last article, is the period proceed with caution. Our between Pesach and Shavuot, 49 days that we count. religious school students have been attending on The period is also sprinkled with what are Wednesdays, morning minyan is live and our social called “contemporary celebrations”. We begin with groups are beginning to get together again. My hope Yom HaShoah, the day to remember the Holocaust, and expectation is that we will be back to a “new” on day 11 of the Omer. And follow up with Yom normal relatively soon. However, as we open up our HaZikaron, the Day of Remembering the fallen doors the way they should be, there are some things soldiers in Israel. Talk about a sad period: and it that are here to stay. makes sense, since the Omer also reminds us of a As they say, necessity is the mother of invention. The pandemic has brought about new “plague” that struck Rabbi Akiva’s students [1]. And when things get really down – then we realities. It opened the door to new possibilities. have an incredible celebration, which is Yom Evolution of religious practices is somewhat of a HaAtzma’ut, the Israeli Independence Day. And contradiction as the practice of our religion is deeply wherever you stand on Israeli politics – you have to rooted in our long held traditions. The pandemic look and admire the miracle that the existence of forced us to change our delivery of our services. And Israel is. In Brazil, one of the names almost there were many positives to this change as our venerated by the Jewish community is Oswaldo members and friends who have long cherished Aranha, who rose in Brazilian politics quickly Congregation Adath Israel were able to participate in during the 1930’s and eventually became president our services on a regular basis. Former members of the United Nations General Assembly in 1947. that moved out of state returned to Adath Israel. Oswaldo Aranha is seen as responsible for getting When we return to in-person services for all Brazil aligning with the Allies and away from the of our happenings, our goal is to maintain the Axis, which only happened in 1942. availability of our services online so that Adath (Rabbi Continued on page 3) (President Continued on page 5) 2 Join us for services via Zoom by using the information below or go to adathisraelct.org & click on “How to Join Services via Zoom” 3 (Rabbi Continued from page 1) Even if his name is obscure to you, he was one of the decisive factors for the assembly's approval Jewish Trivia for May of the partition of Palestine. He was able to postpone the voting by two days, when he saw that the partition May 27, 1939 would not obtain 2/3 of the votes on time: he got The ship, St. Louis, with 1000 German Jews Israel’s allies to stretch their speeches to the max to aboard, is refused entry to Cuba and U.S.A. prevent the vote from being taken that day. This gave enough time, together with the third day being a May 14, 1948 holiday in the United States to get the additional State of Israel created by United Nations votes. The motivations of Oswaldo Aranha are May 15, 1948 unclear to this day. Maria Lucia Tucci Carneiro[2], a Arab armies from Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Iraq, historian, wrote that he was an antisemite who wanted Lebanon, Yemen and Saudi Arabia invade Israel to get Jews out of the country – her proof being that there were memos asking that Jews be denied entry May 11, 1949 visas to Brazil, that Aranha knew about those and did Israel admitted to U.N as its 59th member nation nothing to change. But another historian, Jeffrey Lesser[3], disputes this and shows that the attitudes in May 14, 1985 Brazil towards Jews were, unsurprisingly, Rabbi Amy Elberg is the 1st woman ordained contradictory. Be what it may, the fact is that when by the Jewish Theological Seminary, N.Y.C. Albert Einstein’s friend Helene Fabian-Katz, like him another Jew of German origin had her visa denied by May 24, 1991 the US, he asked Oswaldo Aranha for help. And Israeli military rescues 14,000 Ethiopean Helene Fabian-Katz was granted a visa to Brazil and Hebrews called Operation Airlift joined her brother, who was already living in São Paulo. Thanks to Norm Hanenbaum Luckily for her, Oswaldo Aranha was there. And luckily for us, when the state of Israel might not happen, it did – due to a very savvy politician. We tend to shy away from miracles. The Talmud already warns that expecting for a miracle to Synagogue Resources Available for happen is foolish, and against Jewish Law[4]. But Members once a miracle happened, you make a blessing on that miracle. Even if, 76 years later, you see problems in For the latest editions of the following certain aspects of the miracle. But you still bless. publications please contact the synagogue office Because the miracle is there, looking us in the face, in via email at [email protected] or by the form of a small country that dreams big, looms calling 860-346-4709. large in Western consciousness and is represented by our very symbol, our star, that symbolizes the Membership Directory presence of the Holy One – pointing equally to all sides. Life of the Community & Synagogue Leadership So Omer gives me a whiplash every year – from destruction to miracle, all in the space of two By-Laws of Congregation Adath Israel weeks. Chevra Kadisha Rules & Regulations Warmly, Rabbi Nelly Altenburger bonfires. [1] And stopped on the 33rd day of the Omer,known as [2] Anti-Semitismo na Era Vargas Lag-BaOmer, when in Israel people picnic and light [3] Welcoming the Undesirables: Brazil and the Jewish Question 4 5 (President Continued from page 1) Israel is just a “click” away. Of course, online services will never be a replacement for in-person services nor should they be. But in a constantly TIKKUN LEIL SHAVUOT moving and evolving world, it is, in my view, a Shavuot Study Session necessity to provide our members and friends access to Adath Israel wherever they are located. Sunday, May 16th Please save June 27, 2021 on your calendars. 6:30pm – 10:30pm June 27 will serve as the date for our annual meeting. Not only will June 27 serve as our annual meeting, Adath Israel is partnering up with other but it will also serve to give Rabbi Nelly Altenburger communities to offer a one-of-a-kind a long overdue and proper welcome to Congregation Shavuot Study Session! Adath Israel. It is hard to believe that Rabbi Nelly has been with us for almost a year, and I can already It is a unique opportunity of studying see the wonderful impact she is having in our through Zoom during the Festival of community. Her energy and ideas are exciting. I Shavuot. know she has made extensive efforts to reach out to our entire congregation since she joined us last Several rabbis and lay leaders will be summer. However, due to the pandemic, I am sure offering different and varied 40-minute many of you have not been able to meet her in person. learning sessions. Please save June 27 on your calendars to join us for our annual meeting and to celebrate Rabbi Nelly as Please go to: our Rabbi. https://www.bethisraelsc.org/tikkun-leil-shavuot and register for what promises to be a great night of learning. You need to register to receive the links SAVE THE DATE! and passwords. You will have many choices of topics and Annual Meeting of the discussions! Congregation Installation of Rabbi Nelly Not to be missed. Sunday, June 27 IF YOU OR A LOVED ONE ARE IN THE HOSPITAL OR OTHER HEALTH CARE FACILITY Patient privacy laws prohibit the hospitals from notifying Adath Israel if you are admitted to the hospital unless you specifically request it. This is true even if you list Judaism as your religion and Adath Israel as your place of worship. Please tell the person caring for you that you wish to see the hospital chaplain. The hospital chaplain will make a referral to the Department of Spiritual Care which will contact the synagogue. If you do not wish to go through the hospital, please contact the synagogue directly if you or a loved one would like a pastoral visit. 6 7 ADATH ISRAEL DEDICATED FUNDS IN MEMORY OF Nettie Goldstein by Debbie & David Kaye ADATH ISRAEL SCHOLARSHIP FUND The Lipman/Glass Family Fund (SOPHIE & JULIUS BARKER, EVELYN & ABRAHAM GROSSMAN, SARAH ZIETZ PIERSON, RABBI MAXINE THUMIM CAMP SCHOLARSHIP ALBERT & ROSALYN TROY, SYLVIA GROSS FUND WASSERMAN, MAX CHEIKIN, BERNIE SEIDON, Provides scholarships to children of Adath Israel members AND JEAN STERN ARON SCHOLARSHIPS) attending Jewish camp or travelling to Israel Provides scholarships to children of Adath Israel members attending an accredited college, university or school of MICHAEL FASSLER FUND higher learning Supports early childhood education at Adath Israel REFUA SH’LEIMA (Speedy Recovery) MUSEUM FUND Sam Bauer by Risa & Fred Zierler Supports purchases and maintenance of Adath Israel’s museum IN MEMORY OF Nettie Goldstein by Risa & Fred Zierler IN MEMORY OF Edith & Joseph Barker by Shelley & Michael Barker Kathi Schulman by Nedra Mirkin DR.