December 2011 Kislev–Tevet 5772
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[Use photos of Galit Baram, Peter Beinert, Rabbi Yoav Ende and insert their names underneath as captions.] Adas IsraEL CONGREgatiON Chronicle VOL. 74, No. 5 DECEMBER 2011 KISLEV–TEVET 5772 Happy Hanukkah! Cong. Henry Waxman Selected for Shem Tov Hanukkah TeMfA RaBlD Award Shabbat Dinner and Service at Adas Dover Emet ► Religious School Dan Speaking the Truth on January 13 Kaufman Memorial Latke Rabbi Gil Steinlauf Adas Israel Congregation will Party, Sunday, December 11, present its prestigious Shem 11:15 am Not long ago, I was cleaning Tov Award to Congressman ► Gan Rabbi-Parent-Child out some bookshelves together Henry Waxman, announced Program, “Hanukkah,” with my wife, Batya, and I came synagogue president, Jo- Monday, December 12, 9:00 am across an old journal I had kept hanna Chanin, as part of a ► Shabbat Hanukkah, when I was kid. I opened it up congregational Tikkun Olam Saturday, December 24, 9:15 am to a particularly melodramatic Weekend on Friday evening, January 13, 2012. Visit the Ruth & Simon Albert Sisterhood passage that I wrote in seventh Established in 1963, the Adas Israel Shem Gift Shop for all your Hanukkah needs! grade: “If ever someday [some- Tov Award was created to recognize synagogue members who have contributed significantly to We look forward to lighting the exterior one] should read this, I would Hanukkah menorah dedicated in memory like to say PLEASE ACCEPT ME, the betterment of our congregation and com- munity. The inspiration for the award comes of Rose and Simon Laupheimer and to KNOW WHO I REALLY AM!” Gosh, using the beautiful silver Israeli hanukkiyah what a tragic passage! Instantly, from the passage in Pirke Avot (Ethics of Our Ancestors) that reads: “There are three crowns donated to the synagogue by Ryna and it brought back the misery of Melvin z"l Cohen in honor of their 50th being a seventh grader (and the within one’s reach—that of Torah, that of priest- wedding anniversary a few years ago. ¢ gratitude of no longer having to hood, and that of royalty. The crown of a Good be a seventh grader!). I showed Name, a Shem Tov, however, excels them all.” it to my wife, who immediately Cong. Waxman, the U.S. Representative for Cali- Save the Date for Tikkun Olam bolted from her seat, gave me a fornia’s 30th District since 1974, has indeed earned Weekend, January 13–15 CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 great big hug, and said, “I accept you! I know who you really are!” Combined Community Shabbat Service, Dec. 30 We both were smiling and laugh- D'var Torah by Rabbi Aaron Miller of Washington Hebrew Congregation ing, but, of course, when I was in seventh grade, it was certainly Continuing a tradition of more than 5:30 pm, and the service begins at 6 no laughing matter. Batya and I 30 years, we will participate again in pm. Participants will include Rabbi reflected on this for the next few a combined community service on Charles Feinberg, with clergy, officers, minutes: remembering all the Friday, December 30, at 6:00 pm at and congregants of our congregation awful experiences of being an Adas Israel. Appetizers will be served together with those from Temple during an oneg before the service, at Sinai, Temple Micah, and Washington CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 Clergy Corner Calendar PAGE 2 PAGE 10 Education CELEBRATING OUR 142ND YEAR Sisterhood Men’s Club PAGE 14 THE CHRONICLE IS SUPPORTED IN PAGE 4 PAGE 12 Contributions PART BY THE ETHEL AND NAT POPICK Todah Rabah Youth@AI PAGE 18 ENDOWMENT FUND PAGE 6 PAGE 13 Tikkun Olam Life Cycle YP@AI PAGE 20 PAGE 8 PAGE 12 FEBRUARY 2010 • CHRONICLE • 3 TeMfA RaBlD Dover Emet Clergy Corner Speaking the Truth Rabbi Gil Steinlauf DOVER EMET CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 coming of the mighty forces bent on rejecting our Jewish way adolescent; the muddled, confused, agoniz- of life. In the service of Hallel that we sing on Hanukkah, we say, ing emotions; the fears of isolation; and the “Min hametzar karati Yah,” “From my narrow straights I cried out social pressures. We thought about how we to God,” “Anani bamerchav Yah,” “God answered me from God’s now have adolescents of our own, and about wide-open Place.” Hanukkah is our celebration of our ability to how we’re trying to give them what tools rededicate the Place of God’s Holiness in the world—the Temple we can to cope (knowing full well that it can in Jerusalem. My all-in-capitals cry for acceptance was my calling Rabbi Gil Steinlauf never be enough). out from my adolescent straits. For me, that seeking for accep- Later, I kept thinking back to those scrawled words on that tance eventually led me on a journey that brought me to Juda- page begging for acceptance and understanding. My words ism and our ancient tradition. It led me to a lifetime surrounded were all about bemoaning my feelings of rejection from some by community, by joyful celebrations, by endless sources of of the tight social cliques at school. I started thinking about meaning and fulfillment. That troubled 13-year-old boy was all of the kids in my school who felt exactly the same way be- lucky enough to get an eventual answer from God, from God’s cause they were too fat, or because they didn’t wear the right wide-open Place of Torah and Jewish heritage. clothes—the kids who were gay and lesbian and deeply clos- And now, it’s my turn to be that “Merchav-Yah,” that “wide- eted, the kids with various disabilities, the kids who felt different open Place” of acceptance for my children, and for everyone for any reason at all. I started thinking of countless pastoral mo- for whom I am blessed to be present in my community. When ments in my rabbinate where so many fully grown adults cried it’s all said and done, this whole Jewish endeavor is all about out—perhaps not in those exact words—the same deepest wish transforming ourselves, our families, our communities—our for love and acceptance. Frankly, it’s universal. It’s part of our hu- very world—into a Merchav-Yah, a Place of God, wide-open with manity to crave love, acceptance, understanding. acceptance. It’s about helping our people—and ultimately all I feel so lucky that I happen to have someone who, today, can people—to come home to a Place where there is no more rejec- jump up in a heartbeat and say that she loves and accepts me. tion or violence or betrayal. May Adas Israel become such a Place And as she hugged me, even as I laughed, there was a part of where no one is rejected or abandoned. May we , even in our me that called to mind that troubled little boy and let him feel time, achieve a victory of spirit, and stand for acceptance and that unconditional love in that hug. Somewhere in that moment, welcome. And may the Jewish people, here and the world over, I also felt so grateful that when my children are troubled, I can be the living response to the universal human cry, “PLEASE AC- hug them in just this way, even if they don’t call out for accep- CEPT ME, KNOW WHO I REALLY AM.” tance verbally —still, I can give to them (and to me!) what I know Please note: if you have not yet RSVP’d for my son Noah’s bar I so desperately wanted. I also picked up the phone and thanked mitzvah on December 24, please either do so online, or con- my mom for doing the very best she could—even if I didn’t ap- tact Carol Ansell ([email protected]). We need to get preciate it enough then, I sure do now! an accurate count of who is coming to tell the caterer. Thank On Hanukkah, we celebrate our victory of spirit, our over- you! ¢ SHEM TOV Award CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 the title of Shem Tov through his decades of COMBINED SHABBat SERVICE public service, the high ethical and moral The symbol of the CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 standards he upholds, and his commitment award is a meno- Hebrew Congregation. to tikkun olam—repairing the world. rah. An original This long-standing tradition Please reserve the evening of January design, the meno- of sharing is a significant way to 13, which will begin with a congregational rah was created mark the closure of the secular Shabbat dinner at 6:30 pm, followed by by distinguished year and a wonderful opportunity the award presentation during an 8:00 pm sculptor Milton to share Shabbat with members of Maariv service. (Please note that there is Hebald. The original was a gift from congregations in our area. also a Kabbalat Shabbat service at 6:00 pm Norman and Diane Bernstein in We encourage your attendance that evening.) Members and friends are in- memory of Celia and Benjamin Bern- as a way of strengthening vited to RSVP to the dinner ($25 adults/$13 stein, parents of Leo and Norman Ber- intersynagogue relationships child under 10) to Carol Ansell, 202-362- nstein. The first Shem Tov Award was and marking the transition in the 4433 or [email protected]. No res- presented posthumously to Abraham calendar in a religious manner. ¢ ervations required for the Shabbat service Kay in 1964. Last year’s recipients and the Oneg Shabbat reception following were Robert and Joy Cohen.