From the Rabbi: Knesset Israel Responds Accompanying Each Other Through the COVID-19 Challenge

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

From the Rabbi: Knesset Israel Responds Accompanying Each Other Through the COVID-19 Challenge Kol K .I. May 2020 • Iyyar/Sivan 5780 learn. inspire. grow. together. 16 Colt Road l Pittsfield, Massachusetts 01201 l 413.445.4872 l knessetisrael.org • Rabbi David Weiner l Richard Simons, President From the Rabbi: Knesset Israel Responds Accompanying each other through the COVID-19 challenge During the weeks between Purim and Passover, it became clear that our best response to the spreading pandemic involved social distancing, cancelling in-person events at the synagogue, and minimizing our close contact with oth- er people. The Knesset Israel commu- nity and its leadership moved quickly to establish social connections over the phone and over video conferencing technology. We began meeting for study, prayer, and business over Zoom, quickly finding a new routine to give us ways to care for each other, continue to partici- pate in Jewish life, and find opportunities to connect with community. I am grateful to everyone who has helped shoulder the burden. We continue to work together to serve each other and ensure the vibrancy of Jewish life in the Zoom Kabbalat Shabbat on April 3, 2020 Berkshires. Stu Masters, Ed Helitzer, Laura coordinating the Shabbat Shalom Proj- sponsibility for coordinating distance Rosenthal, Alan Metzger, Susan Staskin, ect, coordinating phone calls among K.I. learning for Hebrew School students, Don Sugarman, and Myrna Hammer- members, with a special focus on reach- and many teachers and students are par- ling have been appointed as an ad hoc ing those who might feel most alone. ticipating enthusiastically. Elisa Snowise committee to work with me to help the has continued bar/bat mitzvah lessons, synagogue meet its mission. Susan has Judith Weiner, Rebecca Cook-Dubin, and also joined Jan Zimbler and Fran Wolk in Marcie Greenfield Simons have taken re- continued on page3 In This Issue Member Mitzvahs & Mazel Tovs From the Rabbi....................................1 Birthdays From the President ..............................3 .......................................... 4-5 Calendar n Maya Dahari ......................................May 1 n Robert Sutter.................................. May 14 COVID-19 Relief Fund ...........................5 n Barry Leeper ......................................May 2 n Joseph Weiner ............................... May 14 New Class: Together and Apart .............6 n Burton Edelstein ..............................May 3 n Anna Yantovsky ............................. May 16 Committee Updates ................... 8, 9, 11 n Evie Cook-Dubin ..............................May 3 n John Bergman ................................ May16 Spotlight On: Noah Cook-Dubin ..........12 n Jill Wollins ...........................................May 4 n Robert Ferren ................................. May 17 New Feature! Member Musings ..........13 n Howie Fuhrman ...............................May 5 n Anthony Segal ............................... May 21 Advertisers .......................................16 n Roselyn Kolodny ..............................May 6 n Barbara Hayden ............................ May 21 Yahrzeits, Funds & Endowments ....17-19 n Eric Glaberson ...................................May 6 n David Weiner .................................. May 21 Jewish Film Festival ..............Mailer side n Alice Schiller ......................................May 6 n Jessica Lotto ................................... May 21 n Alberta Gerschel ..............................May 6 n Beth Kruvant .................................. May 22 K.I. Staff n Josh Weisbuch ..................................May 6 n Heidi Ferren .................................... May 22 OFFICE PHONE 413-445-4872 n Dana Caleb Sebestyen ...................May 6 n Norman Moskowitz ..................... May 23 n Kendall Lamm ...................................May 7 n Shelley Berend ............................... May 24 RABBI DAVID WEINER Ext. 10 [email protected] n Dorothy Margolin ............................May 9 n Joel Prives ........................................ May 25 DIANA MACFARLANE Ext. 10 n Adele Cukor .................................... May 11 n Mark Snowise ................................. May 26 Office Manager n Talia Caine ....................................... May 11 n Roberta Smith ................................ May 27 [email protected] n Ellen Rosenblatt ............................ May 12 n Sharon Karlin .................................. May 27 ED ROBINSON [email protected] n Kayla Bellmore ................................ May12 n Rebecca Caine ............................... May 27 MYRNA HAMMERLING Ext. 16 n Jeffrey Cook ..................................... May13 n Roger Kruvant ................................ May 28 Director of Adult Education n Joel Bastow ...................................... May13 n Lucy Kramer.................................... May 28 and Programming n Gary Schecter .................................. May13 n Morton Taubin ............................... May 30 [email protected] n Gail Weis........................................... May 14 n Evelyn Zwerner.............................. May 31 CHRIS GOETZE Ext. 20 Facilities Director/Head Custodian [email protected] Anniversaries JUDITH WEINER Ext. 15 Director of Families Together, and n Jonathan & Lara Denmark .............May 4 n Rick & Renee Robbins ................. May 27 Hebrew School Administrator n Allan & Nan Lipton ...........................May 8 n David & Janet Rothstein .............. May 27 [email protected] n Sergey & Natalya Yantovsky ....... May 18 n Thomas Sebestyn & Leslie Fishbein ELISA SNOWISE .................................................................. May 26 B’Nai Mitzvah Teacher /Coordinator n Cindy & David Bell-Deane .......... May 24 n David & Leatrice Finck.................. May 28 [email protected] n Jane & Alex Rosen ......................... May 24 LIZ DEMARCO, Web Administrator, n Edwin and Roselyn Kolodny ...... May 31 [email protected] Your community wants to share KNESSET ISRAEL in your good news! Send KOL K.I. editor, 16 Colt Road, Pittsfield, MA 01201 Susan Miller, the details about births, awards & 413-445-4872 honors, graduations, milestones, anniversaries, accomplishments…any happy news 413-496-9378 (fax) we can celebrate with you! knessetisrael.org High resolution photos are welcome! 2 n KOL K.I. • MAY 2020 • IYYAR/SIVAN 5780 From the Rabbi / From the President Rising to the COVID-19 Challenge From the Rabbi How do we maintain community when we must stay apart? continued from page 1 As I sit down to write this column, I am reflecting on the even as we’ve been compelled to re- events of the past month. It was not even 30 days ago that schedule some of the celebrations, and the social hall of the shul was packed with members singing various congregants have volunteered and dancing to the music generated by our own K.I .Band. A to lead “services” over Zoom, a process couple of days later, we were together celebrating Purim. It that involves significant planning and re- was wonderful being together—laughing, eating, praying, hearsal. Eve Edwards has joined the team dancing, and drinking. Then a few days later on Thursday, supporting evening classes and daven- March 12th, the Rabbi and I had a bone-chilling conversa- ing. Standing committees like the Ceme- tion where we decided we had to take the unusual step of tery Committee, Hevra Kadisha, the Berk- closing the shul for the upcoming Shabbat. An emergency shire Jewish Film Festival, Social Justice, board meeting was convened by video that Sunday and the and Budget and Finance have continued Richard Simons board took the unprecedented step to close the building for their work in support of the congrega- public in-person gatherings, including classes, services, and meals. tion and its members, sometimes in ways very different to their usual practice. And How do you run a shul when you cannot get together in-person? How do we care for our staff—especially Diana, Chris and each other when it is important to limit physical contact with other people? How do we Ken—have really risen to the challenges celebrate Pesach when we cannot assemble for our Sederim, like we did in years past? of the hour. Please look carefully through this bulle- We are doing what we do best. tin for opportunities to connect. Though We are rising to the challenge…our at time of writing, we still could not gath- er in person, we were able to plan Zoom traditions and teachings are our compass. services, meditation and classes for the month of May. It is always good to see Under the leadership of Rabbi Weiner and Stu Masters, a committee was quickly as- each other and to give ourselves the gift sembled to answer those questions. In a sense, we have created a “virtual shul.” In short of time to breathe, center ourselves, and order, we learned that the word “Zoom” meant something new and different from our find strength in community. previous knowledge of the word! The computer platform allowed us to get togeth- er and SEE each other on-line and in real time. We have had prayer services, classes, I look forward to seeing you soon on Havdalah get-togethers and concerts. I recall the first time I signed on for a Kabbalat Zoom or to speaking with you on the Shabbat service, how delighted I was to see friends and neighbors! phone. I look forward even more to see- ing you when this plague is behind us, Jan Zimbler, Fran Wolk, and Susan Staskin have also made sure that we continued to and we
Recommended publications
  • Judaic Studies Marvin Felheim Collegiate Professor of and the Frederick G.L
    FRANK E LY SPEAKING October 2012 Jean & Samuel Frankel Center for Judaic Studies From the Director 2 Jonathan Freedman 3 Jewish Communal Leadership Program 7 New Visiting Faculty 9 Ketubot Exhibit 11 Mazel Tov! 11 Save the Date 12 Ketubah by Deborah Ugoretz. See Page 11 for more information. Ketubah by Deborah Ugoretz. See Page 11 The Frankel Center for Judaic Studies • University of Michigan 202 S. Thayer St. • Suite 2111 Ann Arbor, MI 48104-1608 [email protected] • (734) 763-9047 A Conversation with Jonathan Freedman, From the Director: Ladies First Deborah Dash Moore is the Director of the Frankel Center for Judaic Studies Marvin Felheim Collegiate Professor of and the Frederick G.L. Huetwell Professor of History The expression, “Ladies First,” popular engagement with Jewish culture and English, American Culture, and Judaic Studies in the United States a century ago, religion, as well as Jewish politics. came to signify for Jewish immigrants Jonathan Freedman was recently named the Marvin Felheim Collegiate Professor of English, American an American perspective on gender These centennials inspire me. I am Studies, and Judaic Studies at the University of Michigan. He has also taught at Yale University, Oxford relations. “Ladies” walked through a impressed not only with these two University, Williams College and the Bread Loaf School of English and was recently a Fulbright fellow at door ahead of “gentlemen;” ladies sat organizations’ longevity but also Tel Aviv University. He’s the author of three books—Professions of Taste: Henry James, British Aestheticism down at a table before gents; ladies by their creativity and productivity.
    [Show full text]
  • Highlights of This Year's Jewish Book Festival
    Washtenaw Jewish News Presort Standard In this issue… c/o Jewish Federation of Greater Ann Arbor U.S. Postage PAID 2939 Birch Hollow Drive Ann Arbor, MI Ann Arbor, MI 48108 Maimonindes Sukkarnival Environmentalist Permit No. 85 Symposium Photo Raymond to Focus on Album DeYoung Head Trauma Page 4 Page 13 Page 23 November 2012 Cheshvan/Kislev 5773 Volume XXXVII: Number 3 FREE Hasidic superstar Highlights of this year's Jewish Book Festival Matisyahu to Halye Aisner, special to the WJN he Jewish Community Center of Greater This free event will featured authors include Bar- cost for this entertaining event is $5 per person. perform at EMU Ann Arbor’s 25th annual Jewish Book bara Cain, Andrei S. Markovits, Geri Markel, Irene On Friday, November 16, at noon, Aviva Festival will include several programs Miller, Mitchell Rycus, Ivan Sherick, Ken Wasch- Kleinbaum and Aric Mutchnick will lead a cook- Martin Shichtman, special to the WJN T during the two-week event featuring authors berger and Marina von Neumann Whitman. ing demonstration featuring recipes from their n Thursday, November 8, music super- from across the nation and Ann Arbor’s own Also on November 11 a family program with book, Fusion by Nadia. A Quilting of Flavors from star, Matisyahu will perform at Eastern backyard. This year will feature seven Iraq, Israel and America. This event OMichigan University’s Pease Audito- Lunch with the Author events, where will also include lunch with the au- rium. The concert is sponsored by Hillel at EMU, participants will be able to dine with thors.
    [Show full text]
  • Reflections and Table Activities for Yamim Noraim
    SHALOM HARTMAN INSTITUTE Reflections and Table Activities for Yamim Noraim By Noam Zion Contents Copyright © 2008 Shalom Hartman Institute, Jerusalem, Israel hartman.org.il | [email protected] Reflections and Table Activities for Yamim Noraim By Noam Zion Table of Contents A. Rosh HaShana: A Time of Critical Self-Reflection Page 3 B. Seder Rosh HaShanah: Symbolic Foods and New Year’s Wishes Page 9 C. L’Shanah Tova Cards – Wishing Others Well Page 13 D. Tashlich Page 16 E. Yom Kippur: Personal Selichot: A Moment of Reconciliation with Our Families and Friends Page 17 F. Reviewing the Rules for Fasting and Eating on Yom Kippur Page 18 G. Kapparot and Scapegoats – Exchanging Coins for Chickens Page 24 H. Kol Nidrei – Canceling Promises Page 26 Contents Copyright © 2008 Shalom Hartman Institute, Jerusalem, Israel 2 hartman.org.il | [email protected] A. Rosh HaShana: A Time of Critical Self-Reflection Rabbi Marshall Meyer (activist for human rights in Argentina under the antisemitic, repressive government of the 1970’s) 1 “Rosh HaShanah initiates the Aseret Yimei Teshuvah commonly translated as the ‘Ten Days of Repentance.’ I would like to suggest that for these days to have a new dimension of meaning we translate them as the ‘Ten Days of Searching, Twisting and Turning,’ of wrestling with our souls and trying desperately to find new meaning to our existence.” Hannah Senesh’s Diary- October 11, 1940 (young Hungarian kibbutznik who volunteered as a Jewish paratrooper and spy for the British Army and the Hagana to drop behind Nazi lines in Hungary,
    [Show full text]
  • March 19, 1981 30¢ Per C:O P)'
    --- R. I. Jewish Historical Association 11 1 30 Sessions Street Providence, RI 02906 Support Jewish Read By Agencies More Than With Your 40,000 Membershi p People THE ONLY ENGLISH-JEWISH WEEKLY IN R. I. AND SOUTHEAST MAS S. VOLUME LXVIII, NUMBER 17 THURSDAY MARCH 19, 1981 _30¢ PER C:O P)'. Israelis Form New Party, Urge "The Cults And Our Children," Withdrawal From West Bank Topic For Annual Interfaith Day J ERUSALEM -Plans to establish a · from the Civil Rights Party, will lead the can­ Rabbi M a urice Davis , nationall y political party to e ncourage Is ra e li didate list for the pa rty, followed by Be n­ recogni zed a uthority on the cult and family withdrawal from the occupied West Bank, venisti. "Continuation of the occupation is life, will be the keynote speake r during this were announced by a small number of unbearable," said Benvenisti , "in terms of y,,ar s Annual Interfaith Day sponsored by Israelis affi li a ted with the Peace Now move­ moral values, international isolation, distor­ the Siste rhood of Temple Beth-El. His topic ment. tion of allocation of resources for pressing in­ will be " The C ults and Our C hildren·· to be The part y, call ed the Peace and Civil ternal ~~eds and endange ring the peace presented on Sunday, March 29 at the Te m­ Liberties Move ment, wi ll run in the June 30 process. ple Beth-El meeting Hall, 70 Orchard Ave., parliamentary elections, according to Meron Benvenisti said that while Jordanian law is Providence.
    [Show full text]
  • צב | עב January Tevet | Sh’Vat Capricorn Saturn | Aquarius Saturn
    צב | עב January Tevet | Sh’vat Capricorn Saturn | Aquarius Saturn Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 | 17th of Tevet* 2 | 18th of Tevet* New Year’s Day Parashat Vayechi Abraham Moshe Hillel Rabbi Tzvi Elimelech of Dinov Rabbi Salman Mutzfi Rabbi Huna bar Mar Zutra & Rabbi Rabbi Yaakov Krantz Mesharshya bar Pakod Rabbi Moshe Kalfon Ha-Cohen of Jerba 3 | 19th of Tevet * 4* | 20th of Tevet 5 | 21st of Tevet * 6 | 22nd of Tevet* 7 | 23rd of Tevet* 8 | 24th of Tevet* 9 | 25th of Tevet* Parashat Shemot Rabbi Menchachem Mendel Yosef Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon Rabbi Leib Mochiach of Polnoi Rabbi Hillel ben Naphtali Zevi Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi Rabbi Yaakov Abuchatzeira Rabbi Yisrael Dov of Vilednik Rabbi Schulem Moshkovitz Rabbi Naphtali Cohen Miriam Mizrachi Rabbi Shmuel Bornsztain Rabbi Eliyahu Eliezer Dessler 10 | 26th of Tevet* 11 | 27th of Tevet* 12 | 28th of Tevet* 13* | 29th of Tevet 14* | 1st of Sh’vat 15* | 2nd of Sh’vat 16 | 3rd of Sh’vat* Rosh Chodesh Sh’vat Parashat Vaera Rabbeinu Avraham bar Dovid mi Rabbi Shimshon Raphael Hirsch HaRav Yitzhak Kaduri Rabbi Meshulam Zusha of Anipoli Posquires Rabbi Yehoshua Yehuda Leib Diskin Rabbi Menahem Mendel ben Rabbi Shlomo Leib Brevda Rabbi Eliyahu Moshe Panigel Abraham Krochmal Rabbi Aryeh Leib Malin 17* | 4th of Sh’vat 18 | 5th of Sh’vat* 19 | 6th of Sh’vat* 20 | 7th of Sh’vat* 21 | 8th of Sh’vat* 22 | 9th of Sh’vat* 23* | 10th of Sh’vat* Parashat Bo Rabbi Yisrael Abuchatzeirah Rabbi Yehudah Aryeh Leib Alter Rabbi Chaim Tzvi Teitelbaum Rabbi Nathan David Rabinowitz
    [Show full text]
  • Truth and Legend About Israel Salanter" by Jacob Mark
    The RYS Daily 8/29/06 Truth and Legend III From "Truth and Legend About Israel Salanter" by Jacob Mark Rabbi Israel was the first of his time to heed the danger to Jewry from the oncoming haskala. Paradoxically, Judaism and the study of the Torah were then in full flower. The great yeshivas of Volozhin, Vilna, Slutsk, Minsk, Karlin, and Lublin were crowded with students. Practically every little town in Lithuania boasted a yeshiva. Not only yeshiva students but ordinary householders filled the prayer houses, studying Torah. The singsong Gemara intonation of "the Rabbis teach" was heard from one end of the Pale of Settlement to the other. Since Jews were Jews never had Isaiah's prophecy been so well fulfilled: "And all thy children shall be taught of the Law." The Shulhan Arukh reigned supreme in the Jewish world, while the Pentateuch in Yiddish and morality books ruled the Jewish home. Small wonder, then, that the rabbis could not understand what Rabbi Israel had in mind when he appealed to them to find ways to safeguard Judaism. Some were incensed at him and responded only with the formula that "innovations are prohibited according to the Torah." But Rabbi Israel's vision was clearer. He foresaw that for all its Judaism and Torah Lithuania would be less resistant to the haskala than Poland, White Russia, the Ukraine, and Galicia, where hasidism had become entrenched; where the authority of the rebbe and zaddik prevailed, where the tradition of the Jew- ish sages governed the community. Pondering along these lines, Rabbi Israel concluded that the only way to safeguard Torah and Judaism from the onslaughts of the time was to teach ethics, morality, and the fear of Cod not only to the young but to adults married folk, and parents.
    [Show full text]
  • Title of Thesis Or Dissertation, Worded
    TALES OF THE HASIDIM: MARTIN BUBER’S UNIVERSAL VISION OF ECSTATIC JOY AND SPIRITUAL WHOLENESS by CHARLES DAVID HANNA A THESIS Presented to the Folklore Program and the Graduate School of the University of Oregon in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts March 2017 THESIS APPROVAL PAGE Student: Charles David Hanna Title: Tales of the Hasidim: Martin Buber’s Universal Vision of Ecstatic Joy and Spiritual Wholeness This thesis has been accepted and approved in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Master of Folklore degree in the Folklore Program by: Dr. Dorothee Ostmeier Chairperson Dr. Carol Silverman Member Scott L. Pratt Dean of the Graduate School Original approval signatures are on file with the University of Oregon Graduate School. Degree awarded March 2017 ii © 2017 Charles David Hanna iii THESIS ABSTRACT Charles David Hanna Master of Arts Folklore Program March 2017 Title: Tales of the Hasidim: Martin Buber’s Universal Vision of Ecstatic Joy and Spiritual Wholeness I will examine Martin Buber’s Tales of the Hasidim, and the limits of his concepts of “ecstatic joy” and “spiritual wholeness.” To Buber, Hasidic legends present the possibility of overcoming tensions between the quotidian present and the messianic future, divisions of sacred and profane, divine and self. I argue that Buber does not present clear instructions on how to achieve this unity, so I turn to his other writings on Hasidism in order to trace his definition of “ecstatic joy” and “spiritual wholeness.” While Buber accurately depicts the Zaddik-Hasidim relationship, he downplays the importance of Jewish Law (Halacha) in facilitating the goal of ecstatic joy and spiritual wholeness which he posits as the essence of Hasidism.
    [Show full text]
  • The Visual Arts Program at Klezkanada – Program Origins and Trajectory Emily Socolov – Program Coordinator March 2, 2016
    The Visual Arts Program at KlezKanada – Program Origins and Trajectory Emily Socolov – Program Coordinator March 2, 2016 As a visual artist, folklorist and frequent attendee of Jewish arts programs like KlezKamp and KlezKanada, I became concerned with the lack of innovative programming in the area of the visual arts. While there is great exploration and innovation in the areas of music and dance (to a lesser degree), the offerings in Jewish visual arts were much reduced. Course offerings were generally limited to techniques like papercutting and calligraphy. While I appreciate the “traditionality” of these genres, they also demand a great deal of precision and eye-hand coordination that is not always available to the casual student. Thirteen summers ago, I offered the leaders of KlezKanada an innovative program on Jewish/Yiddish material culture in collaboration with other summer faculty, especially Tine Kindermann, and KlezKanada fellows. The visual arts program has been popular with KlezKanada attendees. The art room is a place where the non-musical (who may be accompanying a musical participant) find refuge and a place where the musical may find diversion. As it has gained in recognition, there are some individuals even come to camp specifically for the visual arts. The program prides itself on collaborating with other faculty, especially theater and the kids program; working on decorations and costuming for the large dance party and camp-wide memorials; and contributing to fundraising for the scholarship program. What follows is a brief description of each year’s visual arts program taken from past KlezKanada program booklets since the program’s inception in 2003.
    [Show full text]
  • Living Torah 
    LIVING TORAH TAKE HOLD OF MUSSAR …FOR IT IS YOUR LIFE. ~PROVERBS 4:13 “Mussar (Hebrew word for instruction) imparts wisdom and tools for character development grounded in Torah, enabling all Jews to elevate their souls— and through them, those of all humankind—to holiness. Spiritual growth is supported through ITON TZIYON ¦ ¦ the development of community and through individual Mussar learning and practice applied to everyday life.” oeiv oeYr¦¦ ~Alan Morinis The Newsletter of Mount Zion Temple Mount Zion’s Year of Connecting to Torah: September 2014 Take Hold of Torah - Take Hold of Mussar/Instruction Elul/Tishrei 5774-5775 Vol. 159, No. 1 L’DOR VADOR FROM THE RABBI FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION Introducing a Way to Live Every Day Better MAZEL TOV TO... Here we are at the High Holy Days. This is the time we speak of change. We Our members who will celebrate a milestone reflect. We remember. We think about life decisions, small and large. Rarely anniversary in September: Robby & Andrea Bershow, do we act significantly. Gabe & Florie Ellwein, Doug & Alyssa Berg, Brad & Sarah Elkin, Brent & Jessica Griffith, Paul & Erin Is this the year for bringing real meaning into your life? Miller, Brad & Jill Johnson, Daniel Sogin & Emily At Mount Zion, we are entering a year dedicated to Torah. After a focus on Duke, Curt Sward & Lanie Paymar, Rich & Mitzi Israel a few years ago and then Tzedek/Justice in 2012-13, this is a year of deepening our Gramling, Robert & Susan Mantell, Randy & Barb connection to our foundational writings, our sacred texts, and how they can make a Trefethren, Leo & Ann Rosenstein, Joe & JoAnn difference in our life.
    [Show full text]
  • Tradition Online
    Shnayer Z. Leiman From the Pages of Tradition R. SHIMON SCHWAB: A LETTER REGARING THE "FRAKFURT" APPROACH In 1963) a scathing critique of the Torah and Derekh Bretz movement founded by R. Samson Raphael Hirsch (d. 1888) appeared in print.l It was authored by R. Bliyahu Eliezer Dessler (d. 1953)) a leading member of the Musar movement) mashgiah of the Ponoviez yeshivah in Bnei Brak) and profound thinker.2 Labelling the Torah and Derekh Bretz movement the ((Frankfurt)) approach) Rabbi Dessler conceded that very few graduates of Torah and Derekh Bretz educational institutions defected from tradi- tional Judaism. This was certainly a strength. But) an¡ued Rabbi Dessler, precisely because secular study was incorporated into its curriculum) the ((Frankfurt)) approach was doomed to failu.re. In effect) it produced no gedolei yisrael and precious few rabbinic scholars (1omedim) of note. In contrast) the Bast European yeshivo! had only one educational goal: the production of gedolei yisraeL. Secular study was banned from the yeshiva curriculum because nothing short of total immersion in Torah study would produce gedolei yisraeL. The gedolim in Eastern Europe were well aware that heavy casualties would result from this single-minded approach to Jewish education. But that was a price they were prepared to pay in order to produce gedolei yisraeL. A letter was sent to Rabbi Shimon Schwab) soliciting his response to Rabbi Dessler)s critique. His response was published anonymously in ha- Ma'ayan) a distinguished Israeli Torah journal) in 1966.3 We are indebted to the editorial board ofha-Ma'ayan for granting us permission to repub- lish the essay in English translation.
    [Show full text]
  • George Antheil
    SIP Cover FALL.qxp_Layout 1 2018-11-04 12:30 PM Page 1 THE ISRAEL PHILATELIST JOURNAL OF ISRAEL PHILATELISTS INC. FALL 2018 DEVOTED to the PHILATELY of the HOLY LAND and JUDAICA q VOL. LXIX NO. 4 USA/ISRAEL HANUKKAH JOINT ISSUE IN THIS ISSUE A Story or a Tall Tale? 28 Hanukkah Stamps 30 Benny and the Jets 42 Ebba Lund, The Girl in the Red Cap 51 Ottoman Period Perfins 5 4 SIP Cover FALL.qxp_Layout 1 2018-11-04 12:30 PM Page 1 THE ISRAEL PHILATELIST 2018 Society of Israel Philatelists Fundraising Campaign JOURNAL OF ISRAEL PHILATELISTS INC. FALL 2018 DEVOTED to the PHILATELY of the HOLY LAND and JUDAICA q VOL. LXIX NO. 4 Combined Gifts - Endowment Fund & Web Archive Library Fund KING DAVID QUEEN ESTHER MOSES Level MIRIAM Level Level Level Leland Abbey Elaine Frankowski Harriet Epstein Todd Heller Ken Horner Irwin Math Steven & Debbie Arthur Liberman Stephen & Laura Olson Sid Morginstin - in Graham David Lukoff Philanthropic Fund memory of Gary Luxton 2 - Anonymous Walter Levy Charyl Morginstin Lt. Col Shimon Stone Dr. Hilton Segal Robert Waldman Ret. USMC Amy Wieting Total Contributions for Combined Funds - $4,360 USA/ISRAEL HANUKKAH JOINT ISSUE Thank YOU for your generous support! Gifts directed to the Digital Archive Library Fund KING DAVID QUEEN ESTHER MOSES Level MIRIAM Level Level Level Dr. Sasha Englard C. Daniel Askin Sam Adicoff Harvey Greenstein Saul Frommer 1 - Anonymous Michael Landau Arthur Harris - in Susan March Sid Morginstin - in memory of Robert J Cohen Martin Richards memory of Charyl IN THIS ISSUE Jacques Remond David Scherr Morginstin A Story or a Tall Tale? 28 Howard Rotterdam 1 - Anonymous David Solomon Louis Schonfeld Hanukkah Stamps 30 Richard Uria Benny and the Jets 42 Benjamin Wallace Ebba Lund, The Girl in the Red Cap 51 Ottoman Period Perfins 5 4 Total Gifts for Digital Archive Library Fund - $2,284 The 2018 Fundraising Campaign kicked off in October, 2017.
    [Show full text]
  • Overcoming Anger We Are Approaching the Selichot Prayers
    Overcoming Anger We are approaching the Selichot prayers, that part of the Kol Nidre service where we have an opportunity to reflect on those ways in which we have "missed the mark," done things that have hurt ourselves and others. For the next 24 hours, we have an opportunity to reflect on this, to take to heart the ways in which we can do better. In a few minutes we will chant the traditional list of "al hayts," the alphabetical list of transgressions that help us think about ways in which each of us may have gotten off the path this past year. It's a mundane list - no dramatic sins, no murder, grand theft, political treason. The things that are listed are actions that we can all relate to, at some point in our lives: speaking disrespectfully; abusing food or drink; dishonesty; gossip; jealousy; being stubborn. As we begin reflecting on the internal obstacles we face to being our best selves, I’d like to take a few minutes to talk a bit about something that most of us experience in one way or another, and that is the challenge of anger. I began thinking about this this summer, as I felt all the reactions to the situation in Israel and Gaza swirling around me. While I was in Israel, I didn't experience any anger directed at me personally, but I was aware of the ways it was manifesting in so many places: angry right-wing Israelis physically attacking other Israelis protesting the war; angry Palestinians in the West Bank, demonstrating against both Israeli and Palestinian authorities; and coming from all directions, the anger that swept through cyberspace, popping up on people's Facebook pages and in other social media.
    [Show full text]