February | 19 Shevat – 16 Adar 5781 BALTIMOREHEBREW.ORG
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BALTIMORE HEBREW CONGREGATION Rabbi Andrew Busch Rabbi Elissa Sachs-Kohen Cantor Ben Ellerin Cantor Ann G. Sacks Rabbi Rex D. Perlmeter, Emeritus Rabbi Gustav Buchdahl, Emanuel Emeritus BULLETIN Cantor Robbie Solomon, Emeritus Number 6 | February | 19 Shevat – 16 Adar 5781 BALTIMOREHEBREW.ORG Join us over the weekend of Friday, February 26 – Sunday, February 28 for Purim focused services and activities. See page 5 for more details. Take a Peek Inside . On the Cover . 2 Youth Education . 7 Nominating Committee . 9 BHC is Collecting . 2 Chai Life . 7 Women of BHC . 10 From the Clergy . 2 BHC Cares . 7 Brotherhood News . 10 From the President . 3 E B. Hirsh Early Childhood Center . 8 Offerings . .11–13 Upcoming at BHC . 4 Winter Nights Park Heights . 8 February Events . 15 BHC Purim 2021 . 5 BHC Seeking Grand Piano . 8 Fill Your Cup Schedule . 15 Wisdom Around the World . 6 Night of the Stars . 9 Service Schedule . 16 FROM THE CLERGY February this year neatly straddles the months of Sh’vat and Adar on the Hebrew calendar. The standout holiday in the month of Adar, of course, is Purim, conjuring up images of costumes, laughter, hamentaschen, and large crowds gathered to watch Purim spiel while cheering for Ether and Mordachai ON THE COVER: and booing Haman. Before going any further, I want to acknowledge what is foremost BHC Purim 2021 on so many of our minds, that the end of This years Purim will start with our Friday February will mark an entire year that has Shabbat Service and continue through been incredibly difficult. Last year’s Purim celebrations in early March Sundays Purim CAR-nival. See page 5 for were, for many of us, the last time we gathered in a large crowd and more details on these activities. the last time we gave and received hugs from friends and loved ones without concern. There is perhaps some poetic symbolism in knowing that Purim, the height of joyous celebration in our cycle of holidays, is the last to be touched by the pandemic. Passover was the first of our holidays to be disrupted, followed by Shavuot, when we traditionally read from the Book of Ecclesiastes. The wisdom in chapter three of Ecclesiastes seemed, at the time, to take on renewed meaning: “A season is set for everything, a time for every experience under heaven… A time for embracing and a time to abandon embraces.” I have recalled these verses countless times this year, and now again as I think about the coming month of Adar and what it will be like to celebrate Purim online. Through the lens of Ecclesiastes then BHC IS COLLECTING... let’s look at what the Talmud says about our month of Adar. Taanit • Frozen casseroles and holiday dinner 29a:18 says: “Just as when Av begins one decreases rejoicing, so too turkeys for Our Daily Bread. Our next when the month of Adar begins, one increases rejoicing.” In other schedule event is February 22 from words, there is a time for decreasing joy just as there is a time for 11–11:30 AM drop off of frozen casseroles increasing joy. We have felt our joy diminished in so many moments to BHCs parking lot. Casseroles will be over the past year: missed celebrations, postponed events, isolation, delivered immediately following. sickness, and of course, losing loved ones. Our tradition doesn’t say we must instantly throw ourselves into a state of happiness; we merely • Non-perishable Food for GEDCO Cares are given the opportunity to switch gears. We are invited to increase Food Pantry. Please note GEDCO Cares our joy in a relative sense, even if it is by one small degree. Let us give Food Pantry requests: spaghetti sauce, ourselves permission then, allow ourselves the space to begin a little canned tomatoes, canned veggies, canned tuna, and canned salmon. increase in happiness. February and Adar will see more of our loved Till further notice, non-perishable ones and community inoculated against COVID-19, less political drama donations may be placed by the (God willing), and each day with a little more sunlight. Hoffberger Chapel door. We quote Esther 8:16 every week in the traditional liturgy of Havdalah as we sing, “ Layehudim hay’tah orah v’simchah v’sason • Currently, CHANA is not collecting vikar,” meaning, “The Jews enjoyed light and gladness, happiness and donations. Please store gently used honor,” as the sun sets and we pray for a good week ahead. So now we clothing until further notice. look to the book of Esther and to Purim as we pray for the next twelve months. Next year is a leap year in the Hebrew calendar marked by two CREDIT CARD USAGE months of Adar. For now, I can only imagine how much joy we will feel Effective NOW, credit cards will when this is all behind us, when we celebrate two months of Adar and be accepted as payment for all gather for Purim without hesitation. For now however, may this month BHC dues, fees and tuition for the of Adar be a time for at least a little more light and at least a little more E B. Hirsh Early Childhood Center . You will no longer have the option happiness. May this be a time, perhaps, for hope. to “opt out” of paying the service fee . This fee will be applied to your Cantor Ben Ellerin credit card . 2 Baltimore Hebrew Congregation Bulletin | Number 5 | February 2021 | 19 Shevat – 16 Adar 5781 FROM THE PRESIDENT BULLETIN I have been spending time during this winter season thinking about growing fruits and UPDATE vegetables in our backyard. I have been reluctant Until the health in the past because the obstacles seemed so large restrictions are lifted, (deer, rabbits, temperature and water). future issues of the You may ask why this is relevant, and I would Temple Bulletin will suggest that we have an opportunity to change be shared via our our thinking about our future as a congregation, website. just as I am thinking about growing my own fruits and vegetables. For all of the issues that congregations may face regarding affiliation and retention of members, there will be those https://www.baltimorehebrew.org/ among us and in the greater Jewish community who will say, “We’ve connecting/bhc-bulletins-and-annual- tried to solve that, and the task is too daunting.” I would respond by report/ saying we need to boldly look beyond what has been tried and look for new ideas that might seem so different that we may not be able to comprehend them today. Just as some of the items I may try to plant in March in my garden may not survive, the same may be true when BHC’S VIRTUAL COMMUNITY we attempt new approaches to growing our congregational “garden.” Our congregation has mobilized itself to However, if one new idea helps to add or retain a few members, it will continue to connect us virtually, as a community be more than worth the effort, and that may grow to more unique ideas. and to our Judaism . I want to emphasize that our congregation will always continue Please see the regular emails and with time-honored traditions, but we must look to the future of what baltimorehebrew .org for information, updates BHC will look like in 5–10–20 years and beyond. There have been and creative offerings . numerous studies that have cited a myriad of reasons for the shrinking Our education programs are being of congregational populations. BHC remains strong, and only a small carried out via Zoom, which is an app worth fraction of our members have disaffiliated during this pandemic. I downloading and works beautifully on your have been speaking to a few other synagogue presidents who have ideas computer . It works best with a camera and a that they have implemented with some success. We have just begun microphone but can be utilized without them . the process of reviewing them. There will be certain ideas that will be Our services are being offered via online apropos to BHC and others will not. streaming and are also archived for later We will thoughtfully be doing the hard work necessary to examine viewing . Visit https://venue .streamspot .com/ what we can do to retain and grow our population and thereby enrich de50dfb8 to follow along . our congregation. This will require the assistance of all age groups to We encourage you also to follow the accomplish our goals. Every other year, large congregations of Reform Baltimore Hebrew Congregation page on Judaism meet, and at a recent gathering it was suggested that post- Facebook, where we communicate ideas and resources for the congregation . pandemic the way we gather to meet and worship, among other segments of our congregational life, will be different. We can be creative and dynamic in taking this opportunity to strengthen those traditions that we hold dear to us and plant a new garden for our future as well. ADULT EDUCATION Spending this extra time at home may John I. Elias just open up your desire to dive into Jewish BHC President learning . During this health emergency, BHC is offering a range of adult education online via Zoom . Specifically, we are offering: Fill Your Cup with BHC Adult Education at 1:30 pm Monday–Wednesday . Look online and in your email for the weekly schedule and daily links . Rabbi Busch, Rabbi Sachs-Kohen, Cantor Log on to our website, baltimorehebrew.org for our online Ellerin and Cantor Sacks are enjoying teaching Membership Directory, to pay your bill or make a donation.