Har Sinai–Oheb Shalom Congregation CONNECTING OUR PATHWAYS

May | 2021 Iyar/Sivan 5781

WHAT A RIDE IT’S BEEN! By Ken Bell, HSOSC Co-President

I write this article with such mixed so understanding and always being there for me emotions as this will be my last when being co-president took time away from oth- article as Co-President. It has been er things we would have liked to had time to have such a labor of love and an honor done. Sherri, I love you. and privilege to have all of you to allow me to serve I also wanted to let you know I am not going away. I in this role. I am so grateful to all of you. have already agreed to take on some additional roles It has been such an interesting ride. I was always at the congregation. Starting July 1, I will be taking afraid my legacy would be the guy that locked the over the lead of the Weekend Backpacks program door on Har Sinai Congregation. I no longer have at HSOSC from Stu Dettelbach. Stu, thanks for all that fear as I now feel my legacy will be the first you have done on behalf of our congregation for co-president of Har Sinai-Oheb Shalom Congrega- Weekend Backpacks. We have starting planning the tion. Yes, we have had a few bumps in the road, but opening of a garden area in cooperation with Ohr I truly feel we are a wonderful new Congregation Chadash Academy with hopes to donate any veg- with such a very bright future. Sherri and I person- etables grown to help feed the hungry. I have also ally consider one of the best parts of the merger to agreed to become the next treasurer for the Wom- be all the new friends we have made these two past en’s Club. years. As you know, come July 1, 2021, Rabbi Rachel Lastly, as many of you may know I was recent- Sabath Beit-Halachmi, Ph. D. and Cantor Alexandra ly diagnosed with papillary thyroid cancer. Very S. Fox will be part of our bright future. I have met gratefully, it is the most treatable and curable type with both of them often and I know how excited of thyroid cancer and additional testing has shown they are to join us. We will also shortly be reopen- that the cancer is fully contained within the thy- ing our building, in steps, and welcoming you all roid. On May 19 I will have surgery to remove the back to our home. thyroid and expect to have a full and complete re- There are so many people I want to thank for covery and be cancer free. I cannot begin to tell you supporting me on this journey. I want and need to how heartwarming the love, concern, and prayers I thank our wonderful staff, clergy, fellow officers, have received from so many of you has been to me. and Board members who were so supportive to me. As I said at a recent Shabbat service, I have never Thank you all. I also want to thank Vicki Spira and realized until now how absolutely wonderful it is to Mina Wender for being such wonderful, dedicated, be a member of HSOSC. I thank you all for that. supportive partners as co-presidents. Thank you both. I also want to thank my wife, Sherri, for being

7310 Park Heights Ave, Baltimore, MD 21208 Phone: 410-358-0105 | Fax: 410-358-3313 www.hsosc-baltimore.org [email protected] Har Sinai - Oheb Shalom Congregation 7310 Park Heights Ave., Baltimore, MD, 21208 Phone: 410-358-0105 Fax: 410-358-3313 Email: [email protected]

Member of the Union for Reform Judaism

RABBI EMERITI Rabbi Floyd Herman, Rabbi Donald Berlin EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR EMERITUS Jesse B. Harris STAFF Rabbi Jennifer Weiner, Interim Senior Rabbi [email protected] Amy Mallor, Interim Executive Director HSOSC is hosting a [email protected] Summer Collection to benefit Aviva Janus, Director of Congregational Learning and Programming Camp St. Vincent. [email protected] Nina Pachino, Director of Youth Education Tuesday, May 4 – Tuesday, June 1 and B’nai Mitzvah Concierge [email protected] There are two options for this drive: Aileen Friedman, Director of Learning Ladder [email protected] 1. Donate brand new items from the list below to help make a difference Sara Flechner, Asst. Director of Learning Ladder in the lives of so many children! [email protected] CLICK HERE 2. “Adopt a camper” by donating $36.00 and we will Rachel Moses, Director of Communications TO MAKE A shop for these items for you! and Marketing $36 DONATION [email protected] All items donated must be BRAND NEW! Lindsay Gaister Montague, Youth and Teen Engagement Specialist Items being accepted include: [email protected] • Towels, goggles, sunscreen, hats, reusable water bottles, water play Christina Parsons, Executive Assistant [email protected] toys (including balls, diving rings, beach toys, etc.) Marlene Pachino, Office Assistant • Swimsuits and water shoes for campers, boys and girls, ages 5 [email protected] through 14 (sizes 4T – 14) Shontell Manokey-Lloyd, Bookkeeper [email protected] • Arts and crafts supplies including: markers, crayons, dry erase Beth Oshrine, Special Project Coordinator markers and boards, construction paper, pencils, erasers, and paint [email protected] • Playground balls and sports balls Harvey Betts, Facilities Director [email protected] Please drop off items in the baby pool, located in the Gordon Chapel Stacy Smith, Assistant Building Manager Lobby. and Events Coordinator SHLEIMUT DEPARTMENT Robin Lumpkin, LCSWC, Social Worker Camp St. Vincent is the only free [email protected] summer camp dedicated to serving BOARD OF TRUSTEES children experiencing homelessness Executive Officers in the Baltimore region. Camp St. Ken Bell, Co-President Vincent provides children experiencing Mina Wender, Co-President Sam Dansicker, Co-Vice President homelessness with an unforgettable David Sachs, Co-Vice President and transformational camp experience Sharon Balan, Co-Treasurer and addresses the negative impact Joan Roth, Co-Treasurer David Buchalter, M.D., Secretary of homelessness on children’s unique Trustees academic, social, and emotional needs. Lisa Budlow Adam Rosenberg Micah Damareck Jason Savage Jesse Feller-Kopman Barbara Schlaff CLICK HERE to read more about Camp St. Vincent. Questions? Jill Gansler Adrienne Shutt Please contact Lindsay Gaister Montague: [email protected] Michael Greenebaum Jordan Small Mandee Heinl Glenn Ulick Abigail Hoffman Andrew Weinman Debbi Jacobs Barry Yaffe Wendy McChesney Monroe Zeffert Richard Milner Shavuot and Confirmation: Standing at Mt. Sinai By Rabbi Jennifer Weiner, Interim Senior Rabbi

Shavuot is the holiday on which we re-enact the accept the responsibly of the mitzvot (command- receiving of the Ten Commandments at Mt. Sinai ments) of Torah into their life. In later years, the from God. It is also the holiday that most people ceremony was moved to 10th grade as an acknowl- associate with Confirmation. The reason for the edgement of a true graduation from religious connection between the two is multi-layered. school. It also recognized that when a child turns 13 Shavuot celebrates the marriage between the Chil- years-old, they are not necessarily becoming a B’nai dren of Israel and God. As we stood at the foot of Mitzvah on their own terms, but rather become it is Mt. Sinai waiting for Moses to rejoin the commu- expected of them. By moving the Confirmation cer- nity, we were filled with dread, anxiety, and awe. emony to 10th grade, a child is more intellectually Then Moses came down the mountain for the prepared to understand the significance of accept- second time with a new set of tablets and presented ing the responsibility of the mitzvot into their life. us with our ketubah (Jewish marriage document). Through re-instituting B’nai Mitzvah into the We accepted the commandments into our lives and life-cycle ceremonies of Reform Judaism’s commu- have spent the time since then being in partnership nity and moving Confirmation to a later age, our with God. movement has afforded students to act on their Fast forward several thousands of years to 1810 own accord and not just because a parent is mak- when Israel Jacobson, a nominal founder of Reform ing the decision. Confirmation, in this manner, Judaism, built a synagogue in Seesen, Germany. He becomes a true expression of the student lifting up introduced several radical innovations for celebrat- the value of Torah in their lives for themselves. The ing Judaism, including mixed seating for men and service truly becomes the re-enactment of arriving women and eliminating bar mitzvah. Instead of bar at Mt. Sinai as an individual and as part of the Jew- mitzvah, Jacobson initiated a graduation ceremo- ish collective. ny for boys graduating from his school. This was Please join us on May 16th at 11:00 a.m. as we a controversial change and ceremonies were not welcome nine Confirmation students into our held in synagogue. In 1817, the synagogue in Berlin community of Har Sinai – Oheb Shalom Congre- introduced a separate ceremony for girls since the gation. original ones were just for boys. In 1822, the first class of boys and girls was confirmed. Then in 1831, Rabbi Samuel Egers of Brunswick, Germany, moved the celebration to coincide with Shavuot. In the years since Rabbi Egers tied Confirmation and Shavuot together in ritual, the holiday and ceremony have become an accepted fact; yet, not all rabbis are happy with uniting the two together in more recent years. The feeling is that Confirmation has almost usurped the celebration of Shavuot and less people celebrate Shavuot or understand its true significance. Confirmation was a radical idea when it began. The ceremony acknowledged the concept of a Jewish child marking the period when they were ready to WHAT’S HAPPENING Complete information for each program is available on our website. IN MAY CLICK HERE TO VISIT OUR WEBSITE.

Worship B'nai Mitzvah Posner JEM FRIDAY EVENINGS BAT MITZVAH OF ALYSSA WISE Religious School 6:15 p.m. Saturday, May 8, 10:00 a.m. – Noon Zoom ID: 890 4181 9852 GRADE 8 & 9 CLASS BAT MITZVAH OF EMMA SACKS Passcode: shabbat Tuesday, May 11, 5:00 – 6:00 p.m. Saturday, May 8, 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. SATURDAY MORNINGS Torah Study, 8:45 a.m. BAT MITZVAH OF SARAH Youth & Teen Zoom ID: 829 7806 5295 KLEINMAN Saturday, May 15, 10:00 a.m. – Noon MADRICHIM THANK YOU DINNER! Passcode: 367046 Saturday, May 22, 5:30 - 6:45 p.m. SATURDAY SHABBAT SERVICES B'NAI MITZVAH OF BEN AND Under the Tent! All of this year’s Madrichim are 10:15 A.M. CHARLOTTE KRAUT Zoom ID: 829 7806 5295 Saturday, May 15, 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. invited to come enjoy dinner Passcode: 367046 together under the tent, receive a BAT MITZVAH OF ILANA CYMET small token of our appreciation, hear MAZER MORNING MINYAN Saturday May 22, 10:00 a.m. – Noon about next year’s program, and say 8:00 a.m., Monday–Friday goodbye to each other before the BAT MITZVAH OF SAMARA 9:00 a.m., Sunday summer begins! Click to register. SINGER-BLANKEN Zoom ID: 702 627 5137 Saturday, May 22, 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. WEEKEND BACKPACKS BIBLE STUDY CLASS FOR TEENS! Tuesdays, 10:15 a.m. Adult Monday, May 24, 7:00 - 8:00 p.m. Zoom ID: 836 9295 5732 1505 Bedford Avenue Passcode: BIBLE JEWISH WOMEN’S HSOSC Teens are invited to join ORGANIZATIONS OF MARYLAND Lindsay Gaister Montague at ANNUAL CONVENTION Weekend Backpacks to help pack Special Shabbats Wednesday May 12 & Thursday, bags for those less fortunate. SCOUT SHABBAT May 13, 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Space is limited due to strict social Friday, May 14, 6:15 p.m. distancing protocols. Masks will CANCEL CULTURE THROUGH A Spend Shabbat services with the be required throughout the entire JEWISH LENS WITH BARI WEISS HSOSC Scouts! event. Click to register. Sunday, May 23, 7:00 – 8:00 p.m. TOT SHABBAT SERVICE Bari Weiss is an award-winning Friday, May 21 opinion writer, editor, political Learning Ladder Video available all day commentator and the author of Monday–Friday This pre-recorded musical Shabbat How To Fight Anti-Semitism. She has 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. experience, designed for our written and edited for The New York We are a licensed childcare center youngest members and their Times, The Wall Street Journal, Vanity and preschool for children ages families, includes a special story Fair, Tablet and other publications. 10 weeks through five years old. each month! Her columns and discourses are We are offering priority enrollment of influential important issues, for the 2021-22 school year for FAMILY SERVICE including #MeToo, freedom of current HSOSC members. Contact Friday, May 14 at 5:30PM speech and our common culture. Bari Aileen Friedman, (410) 358-9192, Welcome Shabbat with Rabbi is also a regular commentator on [email protected]. Weiner, song leader Rachel Wolman television and radio, including Real and the Posner JEM 1st and 2nd Time with Bill Maher. Grade class for our monthly Family Shabbat Service filled with music, WOMEN'S CLUB BIBLE CLASS prayer and spirituality. END-OF-YEAR RECEPTION Tuesday, May 25, 10:15 – 11:30 a.m.

4 WHAT’S HAPPENING Complete information for each program is available on our website. IN MAY CLICK HERE TO VISIT OUR WEBSITE.

Tikkun Olam WEEKEND BACKPACKS Sunday, May 16, 10:00 a.m. – Noon Space is limited to 10 people packing. Please RSVP to Stu Confirmation Celebration Dettelbach: [email protected] to Sunday May 16, 2021 • 5 Sivan 5781 • 11:00 a.m. reserve your spot. Raquel Francesca Dain Brandon Palmer Oestreicher Shavuot Marley Jenna Edwards Lea Noelle Padden SHAVUOT: SLICE-OF-CHEESECAKE Ira Brook Geller Rebecca Sara Savage DRIVE-BY Tuesday, May 11 Rachel Erica Kipperman Logan Samuel Wild 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Wednesday, May 12 Nathaniel Alexander Mingo 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Sunday, May 16 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. Shavuot is the holiday when we celebrate receiving the Ten Get excited for June! Commandments. Traditionally dairy Mark your calendar for a few of our special programs coming your way. foods are enjoyed (particularly THE GORDON CENTER PRESENTS: RABBI DAVID FEDEROW: cheesecake) because in the Torah, THE QUEER JEWISH ARTS JUDAISM AND CHRISTIANITY — Israel is called the Land of Milk and FESTIVAL A CONTRAST Honey. Stop by HSOSC for a slice of June 1, 3, 7, 8, 10 & 13 Wednesday, June 9, 7:30 – 9:00 p.m. cheesecake and a small gift to mark HSOSC is a proud partner. the occasion! HSOSC ANNUAL MEETING 2021 SPICE: DOCUDRAMAS UNITE! Thursday, June 10, 7:30 – 9:30 p.m. COME AND LEARN 2: Class Sessions: Monday, June 2, 9, A GREATER BALTIMORE VIRTUAL 16, & 23, 10:30 a.m. – Noon LEARNING LADDER GRADUATION SHAVUOT EXPERIENCE Register By Tuesday, June 1 UNDER THE TENT Sunday, May 16, 7:30 p.m. Friday, June 18, 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. – Monday Morning, May 17 SPICE: 20TH CENTURY BALTIMORE Click to learn more. Class Sessions: Thursday, June 3, MUSICIAN ROBYN HELZNER 10, 17, & 24, 10:30 a.m. – Noon Friday, June 18, 6:15 p.m. SHAVUOT: AT THE FOOTSTEPS Register By Wednesday, June 2 OF MOUNT SINAI JOE BUCHANAN Monday, May 17, 7:30 – 8:30 p.m. MUSICAL SHABBAT MUSICAL WEEKEND Moses brought down the Ten WITH PERI SMILOW Friday June 25 – Sunday, June 27 Commandments on this Holiday. Friday, June 4, 6:15 p.m. What does Shavuot teach us about BAGELS & BOOKS: welcoming converts and the true HSOSC BROTHERHOOD PRESENTS: GIVER OF STARS essence of Judaism? Join Rabbi ROCK AND ROLL JEWS WITH BY JOJO MAYES Jennifer Weiner to find out! “RADIO DAVE” MILBERG Sunday, June 27, 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Sunday, June 6, 10:00 a.m. – Noon

HIGH ROPES COURSE: SANDY SPRING ADVENTURE PARK FOR TEENS! Sunday, June 6, 10:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

5 WHO WE ARE We are the combination of two historic Reform synagogues working together to create one joyful, warm, inclusive, and socially conscious congregation. Because we are striving to live our Jewish values through the lens of a dynamic modern-world, we are constantly growing and evolving in pursuit of that goal.

WHAT WE VALUE We are a Congregation that...... Fosters profound connections to one another. We work together in sacred partnership, building a community where all are included, respected, and valued. We celebrate with each other in our happiest moments and lift each other up in our most difficult ones. ... Advances our foundational value of repairing the world at home, in the Baltimore community, and far beyond our walls. We are committed to performing acts of loving kindness, providing service to others, and advocating for justice and peace. ... Appreciates the rich diversity of the Jewish community and invites all who desire a connection to Jewish life to join us. Our doors and hearts are open to interfaith couples and families, as well as people of all backgrounds, ages, races, financial means, sexual orientations, and gender identities. We welcome children and adults with disabilities and their families. We strive to ensure that our programs and facilities are accessible to all, and to accommodate special needs. ... Engages in vibrant, innovative, and transformational experiences that stimulate a lifelong love of Judaism in all generations. Through learning, music, prayer, lifecycle events, and social gatherings, we are creating a spiritual home for all of us.