From the Rabbi's Desk in This Issue
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MARCH—APRIL | Adar—Iyar 5780 Vol. 50 No. 5 sitting around the table there were still many questions. FROM THE RABBI’S DESK What do other Conservative Congregations do? We Are Doing Our Job What would the Orthodox say? Who really has the authority to make such an im- (This is a long and difficult article. Please help us make a portant alteration? good decision about our synagogue practice.) What about Rosh Hashannah? How does this compare with other changes that Every so often we receive a note from appreciative par- have taken place over the last few decades such as ents. Here is one from our Early Childhood Education Cen- Egalitarian practice including counting women in a ter: (I’ve changed the name of the child.) minyan, the role of music instrumentation, and the acceptance of homosexuality as a compatible life Marla came home and told me and my mother the choice within the Jewish community? story of Hanukkah, how the Maccabees were not al- There are many Halachic (Jewish legal) arguments for the lowed to be Jewish. And how the olive oil lasted for dissolution of the second day of Yom Tov, excluding Rosh eight nights. Hashannah. Since the late 1960’s and early 1970’s, Rabbis My grandparents, all of them were Holocaust survi- Kreitman, Erhlich, Sigal, Shuchat and Blumenthal have vors, would be so happy. Thank you so much and have brought many sources indicating the permissibility of dis- a wonderful Hanukkah! Will see you in 2020. solving the second day of Yom Tov. (For all of the material please see https://www.massorti.com/son/documents/ We have done it! We have connected one more soul to yom_tov_sheni_sigal_shuchat.pdf). However due to the our people and we are doing our job. lack of a compelling force, few have chosen to go the route of observing only one day of Yom Tov. In fact, there Over the past number of months, we have been engaged is little that has changed since the 70’s to warrant a wide- in a conversation about the relevance of the second day of spread alteration to our Jewish calendar in this way. Yom Tov. Should we acknowledge that there is a set calen- However, I would argue that there are a few reason- dar for the Hebrew year like they do in Israel or maintain able arguments that can now be added to the con- the ambiguous practice of observing two days of a holiday versation. as we have done for a thousand years in the diaspora? 1. When I was growing up in the Conservative move- After presenting overwhelming evidence of the permissi- ment, there were a few students who would stay out bility of doing away with the second day of Yom Tov, in- of school for Jewish Holidays. Today none absent cluding for example the second seder, the second day of themselves. Perhaps we could make the case that Shavuoth and of course combining Shemini Atzeret AND Simchat Torah into one day, it became clear that for those Cont. pg. 3 IN THIS ISSUE From the Rabbi’s Desk. ....... 1 Sisterhood………………. .... …. 15 Cantor/Adult Education………… 5 Educational Director ............ …. 17 President/Caring Community…. 11 Fundraising/Hartman Institue…. 21 Executive Secretary ………….. 19 Bnei Mitzvah……. .............. .. 13 Donations ……………...….… 33-35 TO SUBSCRIBE / ADVERTISE : CALL 914 693 4260 EMAIL [email protected] | VISIT THE WEBSITE WWW.G-H-C.ORG RABBI (cont. from pg. 1) Who really has the authority to make such an im- portant alteration? reducing the number of 2-day holidays to 1–day, a. In our Movement, the Committee on Jewish more children might stay out of Law and Standards (CJLS, of which I was a school. Maybe then, we could make the same member for a decade) is the law-making body. case for adults staying home from work. They regularly issue studied responses to questions such as these. As I indicated earlier, 2. As you may realize, Israelis who are observant, ob- the CJLS has long held the position of eliminat- serve only one day of Yom Tov. Given that ing the second day of Yom Tov as an accept- the fractious nature of the relationship between able position. However, many Conservative the community of American Jewry and Israel is at a congregations continue the two-day practice. critical level, I could make the case that anything we can do to better align ourselves with the prac- What about Rosh Hashannah? tices of our brothers and sisters in Israel might go a a. Rosh Hashannah would remain two days as long way towards encouraging them to better align that is Biblically mandated. with our egalitarian, pluralistic sentiments. How does this compare with other changes that 3. Some, both in Israel and abroad, argue that living in have taken place over the last few decades such as the diaspora requires greater spirituality that is Egalitarian practice of including count- aided by having a second day of Yom Tov. That ar- ing women in a minyan, the role of music instru- gument seems apologetic at best, insulting at mentation, and the acceptance of homosexuality worst. We live in one of the greatest Jewish com- as a compatible life choice within the Jewish com- munities in the history of our people. munity? Yet with these arguments, still, the few who sat around the table with me for this discussion did not feel moved to a. While I don’t think this issue is as compelling as change our practice. It is my strong opinion that we ought any of the above mentioned, I do believe that to move to observing only one day of Yom Tov. However, a we must always strive to be in keeping with leader with no followers is not a leader. As the Talmud both the spirit and letter of The Law. Since the -go out and see what setting of the Jewish calendar and the commuפוק חזי, often remarks, puk chaziyay people are doing and that will help determine the law, not nity no longer rely on the witnessing of the that the masses determine all forms of Jewish law. How- moon in its varied stages to set the calendar ever, in some cases, what people are doing plays a strong dates, our observance of the second day role. Since not many attend Yom Tov services, with the of Yom Tov seems out of step with both the exclusion of Rosh Hashannah and Yom Kippur, it is difficult letter and spirit of the practice. We ought to to utilize that approach. An alternative is to ask you what try and make observance of Jewish law more you think. meaningful and accessible. To respond to some of the questions raised earlier which So….what do you think? Please weigh in regardless of have less of a legal standing yet weigh heavily on our your level of observance. (If nothing else, I’ll see who is thinking: reading my articles.) More importantly it will be a won- derful opportunity for me “to listen to my people”. I look What do other Conservative Congregations do? forward to hearing from you in writing, through a. There are a quite a few Conservative congrega- email [email protected], in person or on the phone tions that have gone to one day of Yom Tov. (914) 693-4260. I look forward to being touch. What would the Orthodox and Reform say? We must continue to do the hard work of making thought- a. The Orthodox already judge us for our stance on ful decisions so every generation feels invested in the fu- pluralism and egalitarian Judaism. ture of our people. What do you think? b. The Reform already judge us for not moving quickly enough on issues like patrilineal de- scent. 3 4 ADULT EDUCATION/ CANTOR CULTURAL AFFAIRS The cantorate as a profession is facing formidable chal- Empty Nesters and Wanna Be’s have two events you’ll lenges, more than in the last half-century. So I am proud surely want to attend! of you, the GHC community, for recognizing the continuing value of a modern trained cantor. I feel validated for my On Sunday, March 22 they’ve arranged a visit to 9+ years of serving you and your children, that you have Kehila Kedosha Janina Synagogue, a Greek syna- chosen to hire an ordained hazzan to succeed me. gogue in lower Manhattan. The visit includes a Recognizing the unprecedented demands on synagogue guided tour followed by a kosher lunch. All this for professionals to be multi-skilled, cantorial schools are $18/per person. To reserve your spot e-mail emp- training and ordaining cantors not just as synagogue musi- [email protected]. Thanks to Rhonda and How- cians but as educators and rabbis as well. They require a ard Baskin for making the arrangements. five-year commitment to full-time graduate school, same as the rabbinical students. (In my day, it was "only" four Save the date for GHC’s annual Sunday matinee at years for the cantorial students.) At the Miller Cantorial The Jewish Film Festival at the Jacob Burns Center Institute of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America, on April 5. The schedule is not available as we go the Conservative movement's flagship cantorial school, cantors are required to graduate with another Master’s to press so we’ll send an e-mail and post the selec- degree BESIDES that of Sacred Music. Other programs en- tion on the calendar when we have it. The films courage the same.