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In This Covenant… June 2018 Volume 60 Issue 9 Inside This Issue: Lately Around Jeremiah .. 2 Notes From Our Cantor .. 3 Why is this Covenant One Who Struggles Different ...................... 4 Meet New Faces ........... .5 By RABBI PAUL F. COHEN, D.MIN, D.D. the ethical teachings of Senior Rabbi Torah, they rejected the Social Justice ............. 6-7 [email protected] notion that Israel could not be a part of how we identify Meet a Member ............. 8 Dear Friends, as Jews. To this very day, Adult Learning & Torah You will read this as Cathy and I, along with Temple Jeremiah has Study .......................... 9 46 fellow Jeremiahans, travel to Israel. I am so embraced Zionism, the State of Israel, and is wrestling June Activities .............. 10 thrilled to experience Israel with those making the journey for the first time and with what the nature of our Calendar ..................... 11 those for whom it is a return voyage. I am connection can and should very excited to lead a worship service be. Acknowledgements .. 12-13 overlooking the old and new city of Jerusalem, To be sure, Israel, rather Israel’s political during which five of our young people will be leaders, have made it very difficult for us called to the Torah. I liberal Jews. Our am energized to re- The very fact that we congregations in Temple Jeremiah engage in the struggle struggle and speak out at Israel are not to connect with our Rabbi Paul F. Cohen, D.Min., injustice we witness in the supported by the people’s homeland. government as are the D.D. State of Israel makes us synagogues of our Rabbi Rachel L. Heaps Yes, struggle. This is good Jews and good Robert D. Schreibman, D.D. an ancient Jewish Orthodox brothers Rabbi Emeritus pastime older than Zionists wearing the and sisters. I am not Adam Kahan Judaism itself. Our mantle of our ancestor, officially recognized Cantor ancestor, Jacob, set Jacob, the original as a rabbi. Our Amy J. Zussman the precedent. In a wrestler. conversions are Cantor Emerita late-night encounter, challenged as is our Daniel A. Glassman Jacob struggled with an angel. This turning access to the Kotel, Executive Director point defined his identity and our relationship the Western Wall. As liberal Jews, as human Dr. Anne M. Lidsky, Ph.D., to God and Torah. Jacob became Israel “one beings, our social justice demands must apply RJE who struggles with God.” As God wrestlers, to Israel as they do to the United States, Director of Religious we have taken this identity seriously and it which we call home. Heartbroken, we call out Education defines how we relate to tradition and Torah, as time and time again the government of Dr. Allan Tarshish l''f and to the modern State of Israel. Israel looked as if it would cast out asylum Founding Rabbi seekers from Africa. The Reform Movement in its early formative l''f of blessed memory years rejected Zionism entirely. Temple The very fact that we struggle and speak out Jeremiah came to be when our founders left a at injustice that we witness in the State of Israel makes us good Jews and good Zionists Barbara Miller, President Classical Reform congregation that embraced wearing the mantle of our ancestor, Jacob, the Scott Levin, Executive Vice anti Zionism. Never disengaging with Classical Reform philosophy that emphasized President continued on page 9 Marc Bernstein, Vice President Caren Brown, Vice President In this Covenant… Alene Frost, Vice President Avi Greenfield, Vice … A Thank You (page 3) President Gary Kash, Vice President … Why is this Covenant different from all other Covenants? Michael Schack, Vice (page 4) President … Meet Some New Faces (page 5) Steve Kleiman, Treasurer Linda Stolberg, Recording … Meet a Member (page 8) Secretary Ed Shapiro, Legal Counsel … Enjoy an Adult Night Out (page 10) Jeff Krupp, Controller … A Special Dinner Opportunity with Visiting Israelis (page 10) Lately Around Jeremiah Tot Shabbat (4/6/18) Jr. JeTY 8th Graders passing the light to 5th Rabbi Rachel Heaps was Religious School Third Graders Graders installed by Rabbi Dr. each holding a Torah they created (4/27/18) Carole Balin (4/20/18) Club 345 Chocolate Seder (4/14/18) Receiving an award from the Archidocese (4/9/18) Jeremiah Kids CEL Art Fair Committee Superhero Day Members in front of the (4/22/18) art (4/22/18) The Covenant Newsletter · Temple Jeremiah 2 www.templejeremiah.org · June 2018 Notes From Our Cantor And So I Thank You By CANTOR ADAM KAHAN partner in David Lornson. Beyond his Cantor musicianship, his commitment to making [email protected] things “work” is unending and simply a gift. My friends, I am so grateful that I get to call you exactly that…my I am so very proud of each and every B’nai friends. Over the last four years of my tenure at Temple Jeremiah, I Mitzvah student with whom I studied. You have been the recipient of so many kindnesses, so many beautiful taught me, and I am beyond honored that I conversations and exchanges…so many endearing shared had the good fortune of being with you at experiences, and navigations through the inevitably challenging such a momentous time in your life. That times in our lives. I will surely miss your company, your smile, and may be the thing that fills me with the most your generosity, but I will carry with me the mark you have left on pride. I am beyond grateful for each tutor me, and whom I have become in my time here at Temple Jeremiah. who guided those students with such gentleness and support. Early on I declared I first arrived in this pulpit as I embarked on the journey to officially that our program was going to be one where students felt love, becoming a cantor. I originally entered school with the naive warmth, support, and coaching as they navigated the transformative assumption that I was going to learn some music and get a piece of experience of becoming a Bar or Bat Mitzvah. We were to eliminate paper that made me all “official.” I hadn’t a full appreciation for the the triggers for feelings of “pressure” or “performance,” and replace level of transformation I would get to, and have to, undergo. them with strengthening reassurances that they can grow through Becoming a clergy member, whether it be rabbi or cantor, requires the successes and setbacks inherent in any process. Each of our so very much more of someone, in scholarly, spiritual, and emotional tutors perfectly executed our mission, and I am so happy that our contexts, than simply learning things like young adults came to the Torah, so sacred music or Torah. Regardless of the I am so proud of all that powerfully, in this context. To that end, I will scholarly material absorbed, you are being we have accomplished in forever be appreciating the partnership of asked to be a partner and advocate for the our exploration over these Sara Beth Salzman, who brilliantly community in a very special way. That constructed the role of B’nai Mitzvah partnership inherently requires two parties, four years. That is purely Coordinator for this temple, through her real- and I am so blessed to have had you as my a product of our whole time discoveries. She has been a gift to the mentors, and as my partners willing to receive team here. I am excited to community, and especially to me. what I hoped to share. see what is created in the I was thinking, the other day, on how we I came to Temple Jeremiah with a beautiful years to come. celebrate beginnings so much, and we son and my beloved wife. During my time generally approach endings as if they are here we have been blessed to have our daughter join our crew and to something at which we should avert our eyes. There are exceptions, have you so warmly love and support us. There are few greater joys certainly, as we herald graduations and treat some funerals as in my life than seeing my children come bounding through these celebrations of life. As I thought about the ending of my time here at halls, happily loving their life in such a beautiful Jewish context. A Temple Jeremiah, I realized how much of a celebration it ought to quick shout-out to my sister’s family, who are also members here at be…a graduation, indeed. We can easily look back at the last four TJ, and whom I delight in seeing on Sunday mornings. It is years and view all that we have experienced together, all the shared wonderful to see my temple family merged together with my love, warmth, generosity, and growth. I keep using the words biological family…so much love in one place. I have adored those “honored” and “grateful,” but they are just so apt. You have touched Sunday mornings. The music created with our students has been my life. You have given to my soul. You have crafted me to whom I amazing…simply amazing. They sing with such vigor and joy. I have become. I am grateful. I am honored. I thank you. love it. To many more wonderful moments ahead in each of our lives. I am so proud of all that we have accomplished in our exploration With love, over these four years. That is purely a product of our whole team Cantor Adam Kahan here. I am excited to see what is created in the years to come. Rabbi Cohen and Rabbi Heaps bring such wisdom and guidance, and with the addition of Cantor Friedman as a partner in that trio, there is clearly good times ahead.
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