Kehilath Jeshurun Bulletin
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
HIGH HOLY DAY ISSUE Kehilath Jeshurun Bulletin Volume LXX Number 1 September 22, 2000 22 Elul 5760 A KIDDUSH HASHEM PREPARE YOURSELF IN A PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN FOR THE By Rabbi Haskel Lookstein HIGH HOLY DAYS (This sermon was delivered by me many hurtful feelings. It was a natural RABBI DAVID FLATTO on Shabbat Nachamu, August 12, reaction for one who has experienced Saturday, September 23 2000, immediately following the news much more than hurtful feelings in Morning Sermon: of the selection of Senator Joseph his life. “The Justice in Compassion” Lieberman as a vice-presidential That reaction was echoed by an One Hour Before Mincha: candidate. It is presented here as this American-born Harvard graduate Talmud Class: year’s High Holy Day message. with whom I talked yesterday. He, “Being Happy on the Haskel Lookstein) too, was uneasy about a Jew being High Holidays” I. chosen for such a high post in the I must begin with a disclaimer. United States government. He Seudah Shlishit Nothing that I am about to say should pointed out that historically we “Today you are Standing be construed as a public endorsement haven’t fared well when Jews Before God” of any candidate in the forthcoming ROSH HASHANAH election. My father, of blessed SELICHOT SERVICES memory, always felt that a Rabbi’s WORKSHOP vote is his own business and that it is Saturday, September 23 RABBI YITZ MOTECHIN inappropriate, except under the most 10:00 PM Monday, September 25 extreme circumstances, for a rabbi to 8:00 PM endorse a public candidate. I have COLLATION followed that policy myself and I 9:15 PM YOM KIPPUR WORKSHOP shall try to continue to follow it, to POST SELICHOT RABBI YITZ MOTECHIN the best of my ability, in the coming Youth Open Gym Monday, October 2 election and beyond. 8:00 PM II. Grades 9-12 When we awoke to the news this TESHUVA SHIUR past Monday morning of Senator achieved so much power in a RABBI SAUL BERMAN Joseph Lieberman’s selection as the country’s affairs — a prime example “Preparing Yourself for Atonement: Democratic Party’s candidate for is Don Isaac Abravanel in the Spanish The Meaning of Innuy Nefesh” Vice President, most of us had one of court in 1492. There are other Tuesday, October 3 two reactions. One reaction was examples in medieval and modern 8:30 PM expressed to me by a member of the times in central and eastern Europe. congregation who is a survivor of the The news, in short, was cause for SHABBAT SHUVA DRASHA Holocaust and whose wife still bears some concern. a number from Auschwitz on her Most of us, however, had a RABBI HASKEL LOOKSTEIN arm. He said that he was worried different reaction. We were excited, “Can We Change Our Nature?” about a Jew being too public in an thrilled, energized, proud. One of our Saturday, October 7 election campaign and he felt that the boys made it! Somebody remarked to 5:30 PM selection of Senator Joseph me that it is now a reasonable SUKKOT WORKSHOP Lieberman as the Vice Presidential possibility that an Orthodox Jew RABBI YITZ MOTECHIN candidate on the Democratic ticket could be the President of the United Thursday, October 12 would arouse anti-semitism and Continued on Page 8 8:00 PM Page 2 KEHILATH JESHURUN BULLETIN RABBIS ELIEZER RUBIN, JOSHUA CYPESS, AN ACT OF CHARITY AND DAVID FLATTO CAN CHANGE TO ASSUME NEW RESPONSIBILITIES ONE'S DESTINY! As the New Year begins it is time New and Expanded Leadership Roles will be Played by that we take a moment and think of Three Rabbinic Personalities the charitable contributions we have made in our past year. at Kehilath Jeshurun A contribution that has caused you Rabbi Eliezer Rubin, who has been and Drisha Institute. an inconvenience; these are the ones a part of the KJ/Ramaz community for Rabbi David Flatto is the new that truly count. In this year, 5761, 11 years, has been named KJ's Scholar Rabbinic Scholar of the congregation. the year of change, we the members in Residence. Rabbi Rubin, who He, himself, a graduate of Ramaz and of Chesed (formerly known as ‘The taught in the Ramaz Upper School and Yeshiva University received his law Social Action Committee’) are going was the headmaster of the Lower degree from Columbia University. to facilitate your act of charity and School, is the first to hold that position In addition to studying at Yeshivat act of kindness. now in the new Middle School. He Sha'alavim and Yeshivat Har Etzion, We have many divisions that will be teaching two Talmud shiurim Rabbi Flatto received his Semikha need your assistance. Not full time. for KJ on Tractate Brachot; One on from the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Not even part time. Just some of the Shabbat morning at 8:00 AM and the Theological Seminary of Yeshiva time. We offer you the opportunity to other on Thursday evenings at University. Having worked for the law participate in: 7:00 PM. In addition, he will deliver a firm of Kramer Levin, he will now be Bikur Cholim, Clothing Drives, series of presentations at Saturday devoting his full efforts to KJ and Food Drives, Mitzvah Toy project, afternoon Seudot Shlishit and Ramaz. He will be teaching Daf Yomi Dorot (assistance and programs for occasional Shabbat morning sermons. each morning before davening as well the elderly), and anything that is an Rabbi Rubin is also the leader of the as an Advanced Talmud class on act of KINDNESS. Teen Minyan. Wednesday evenings. Rabbi Flatto We need your assistance. To be We are proud to now call our will be teaching Shabbat afternoon involved please contact us through former Rabbinic Intern, “Rabbi Joshua Talmud classes once a month and will the synagogue office. As a reminder, Cypess.” Rabbi Cypess will be the be available for Chavruta learning. He our Project Ezra Food Drive will Rabbinic Assistant of the will have pastoral responsibilities and begin the day after Rosh Hashanah congregation. He will teach shiurim, will be part of the rotation for Seudah and end on Kol Nidre. Please get including the Shabbat afternoon Shlishit presentations as well as At those cans and boxes ready now! The Parsha Foundations class, as well as a Home with the Parsha. Throughout all following is a list of food needed: series of Seudah Shlishit of this he will be busy teaching Jewish Suggested Foods: presentations. He will occasionally Philosophy at Ramaz. Canned Soups speak from the pulpit and share other Gefilte Fish responsibilities. Rabbi Cypess will We invite all members of the Tuna also be teaching at Yeshiva congregation to get to know these Canned Vegetables University's Stern College for Women outstanding rabbinic personalities. Instant Coffee Sardines KESHER CLUB OU or Kof K, please. We wish you a year filled with SAVE THE DATES happiness, success and good health! October 21 Shemini Atzeret Luncheon Gemar Chatimah Tovah! KEHILATH JESHURUN BULLETIN Published Sept, Oct, Nov, Jan, Mar, Apr, May, Jun November 18 New Members Kiddush $15.00 Membership Dues of Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun covers subscription cost. January 20 Havdalah Service 125 East 85th Street, New York, NY 10028 and Melaveh Malka Phone (212 ) 774-5600 USPS-292-0600-Periodicals Postage paid at New York, New York March 3 Progressive Dinner and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send Address Changes to: Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun May 19 Shabbaton Lunch 125 East 85th Street New York, NY 10028 KEHILATH JESHURUN BULLETIN Page 3 Rabbi Haskel Lookstein's Shabbat Shuva Discourse “CAN WE CHANGE OUR NATURE?” KOL NIDRE Shabbat Afternoon, October 7, 2000 at 5:30 FOOD DRIVE On Shabbat Shuva, October 7, year will deal with the question: following Mincha at 5:30 in the Main Can we actually change our nature? October 2-8 Synagogue, Rabbi Haskel Lookstein For example, I may be by nature an will discuss the question of whether angry person or a stingy person or a Collection bins or not a person can change his or her jealous person; can I change that? own nature. Is my basic nature fixed, whether will be available Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur inborn or influenced by the in the lobby. are all about change. During that ten- environment? Jewish sources, day penitential period we are particularly Maimonides, have a lot to Kol Nidre is the last chance. supposed to engage in a process of say about this subject. Through the cheshbon hanefesh — spiritual soul- Shabbat Shuva discourse, the Rabbi searching —with a view toward will consider those sources and offer revealing our shortcomings and concrete suggestions for change. The Next correcting them. Most of that We invite men, women and Young People's review, however, is associated with children to what promises to be not our actions rather than with our just an intellectual exercise but an Minyan essence. important penitential experience The Shabbat Shuva discourse this as well. will take place on Saturday, October 7 at 9:15 AM ANTICIPATING A NEW PRESIDENT … AND VICE PRESIDENT Women's PROFESSOR HENRY F. GRAFF RETURNS FOR Tefillah Group MEN'S CLUB SUKKAH SUPPER Simchat Torah TUESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 6:30 PM Sunday, October 22 MEN, WOMEN, AND STUDENTS INVITED at 9:15 AM The historical relationship between throughout the United States. He is In the Max J. Etra Chapel American Jews and the Man in the widely published. His fields of White House has been at times proud, specialization are United States distressing, funny, and puzzling foreign relations and the history of the – and never more tense and Unites States presidency.