VOLUME 44, NO. 2 www.mkorshalom.org Winter 2017-2018 / Kislev-Tevet-Shevat 5778 THE RABBIS WISHING YOU A HOLIDAY TEACH OF LIGHT & JOY I’ll admit it. Chanukah was a much bigger event in our family when our children were little. The anticipation – cleaning the residual wax of the prior year from the chanukiot, setting off the smoke detector while burning latkes in the kitchen, choosing the “big On behalf of the Officers, Board of Trustees, Rabbi Richard Hirsh present” for the first night and the smaller Clergy and Staff of Congregation M’kor Shalom, gifts for the next seven days, while reminding we wish you and your family a very our children “it’s not about the presents!” HAPPY CHANUKAH We celebrate light as we narrate the legend about the durable oil that lasted eight days, but there is a dark side to Chanukah, one whose message regrettably resonates in our own time. What we understandably don’t share with our children is that Chanukah is as much a story of Jews fighting against A YEAR IN THE LIFE other Jews as it is a story of Jews fighting for religious freedom against AUTHOR ABIGAIL POGREBIN outsiders. The saga of the Maccabees begins, after all, with one Jew attacking TO SHARE HER STORY another for appearing (under duress) to bow down to an idol. The Adult Education Committee of Congregation At the time of the Maccabees (c. 165 BCE), the Jewish community of Judea M’kor Shalom is pleased to announce that author photo by Lorin Klaris was split into factions. One extreme wanted to “circle the wagons” and and former TV producer Abigail Pogrebin keep any encounters with the wider society to a bare minimum. The other (pictured) will speak about her book, My extreme wanted to abandon even the most fundamental Jewish practices, Jewish Year: 18 Holidays, One Wondering to integrate into the larger society. Each was sure the other was leading the Jew, at Congregation M’kor Shalom on Jewish community to disaster. Sunday, February 25 at 4:00 pm. Pogrebin spent a year traversing Judaism’s denominational spaces to deepen her own understanding of the Jewish year Our contemporary Jewish community often repeats these ancient through time and documented her experiences first in a series in The Forward animosities. The “Letters to the Editor” in many Jewish newspapers and and then in her book. Jewish social media sites so often feature attacks by one Jewish organization on another. Is it possible for a novice to learn about herself and the world by observing 18 Jewish holidays in a year of personal exploration? Pogrebin’s affirmative response So here is a suggestion for the eight nights of Chanukah. Go online and is personal, insightful, funny and compulsively readable. Throughout her Jewish look up a Jewish organization, find out what its mission is, and poke year, she is guided by an extraordinary group of teachers – rabbis from all around a little to see the good work being done. Then, before lighting the denominations – who provide not only the historic foundation for each holiday, candles, dedicate each night of Chanukah to appreciating an organization but also make them relevant to her life today. for how it helps contribute to making the world a little better. (If you need a prompt, start with Mazon, Jewish Women International, our own Reform Abigail Pogrebin is the author of three other books: Stars of David: Prominent movement’s Religious Action Center, Hillel International, or the American (continued; see “A Year in the Life” on page 6) Jewish World Service.) INSIDE HIGHLIGHTS Maybe we can create a modern Chanukah miracle of appreciation rather than critique. Our Schools . Page 6 Committee News . Page 8 Best wishes for an enlightening Chanukah, Upcoming Events . Page 8-9 Rabbi Richard Hirsh FROM YOUR CONGREGANTS IN THE NEWS LEADERSHIP ANNI WEISBAND Steve Angstreich, President Anni Weisband – writer, producer, director, actress and daughter of M’kor Shalom It is difficult to believe that we are heading members Renée and David Weisband – into winter as you read this message, that was recently profiled in Among Friends Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are months Magazine, the Moorestown Friends School behind us and that I am in the second half alumni publication. The following is a reprint of my first year as President. In this short from the article, “30 Under Thirty.”* Steve Angstreich, President period of time, I am pleased to say that there have been some remarkable achievements for Anni loves telling stories. Whether she is Congregation M’kor Shalom: acting in them, writing them, directing them, or producing them…it doesn’t matter to her, • We agreed to a new five-year contract with Rabbi Frenkel, assuring us of her as Anni can do it all. She was recently hired remarkable rabbinic leadership, as we all observed during Rosh Hashanah as a creative assistant to showrunner Kenya Barris for the ABC Show Black-ish. and Yom Kippur, for the years to come. She is simultaneously embarking on producing her first feature firm, whose • We installed our new cantor, Cantor Elaya Jenkins-Adelberg, who amazes us screenplay was awarded the Sloan Film Grant, and starring in a feature film with her voice and compassion. with Frank Vincent and Vincent Pastore set to be released in 2018. Anni is the • Our land sale is moving forward without any apparent issue. co-founder and artistic director of True False Theatre, a non-profit performing • We entertained over 300 people with the groundbreaking a capella arts company committed to cultivating female theater makers. She studied acting group Six13. at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and earned her M.F.A. in producing from USC’s • We offer more adult education classes than ever before – not only Torah School of Cinematic Arts Peter Stark Producing Program, where she was one of Study and Spice Up Your Judaism on Saturday mornings, but also on Sunday 24 students selected for the program worldwide. mornings, weekday mornings and now the first Thursday evening of the month – taught by Rabbi Frenkel, Rabbi Hirsh, Yossi Afek and others. “Having two films premiere at Sundance Film Festival in 2015, getting to • Our Religious School began using a new and innovative curriculum, act opposite Zachary Quinto in a feature film, and collaborating with Mark Hebrew in Harmony. Vonnegut to adapt Slaughterhouse-Five into a play that did an off-Broadway run • We saw a substantial increase in the number of congregants who made a are some of my proudest accomplishments to date,” says Anni. pledge to this year’s High Holy Day Appeal and who increased their pledge from last year.(We are still not at 100% participation, but it is not too late to *Reprinted with permission from Moorestown Friends School. make a pledge.) This list is not all encompassing. We had over 100 congregants take part in LARRY SIEGEL, ET AL. our Early Childhood Barbeque and our Havdalah Hayride; we presented an Congregation M’kor Shalom was proud to receive the “Marketing Minds” afternoon of axe throwing; we enjoyed evenings of hoagies & wings, cigars & award from SNJ Business People at their 4th Annual Readers’ Choice Award scotch, and a dessert throwdown in the Sukkah; and we received insight from Extravaganza held in October. We won for the Cantorpool Karaoke video we Rabbi Levi Weiman-Kelman of Kol HaNeshama in Israel on the challenges and created for our M’kor Or event in June 2017 honoring Cantor Anita Hochman. struggles of the Progressive (Reform) Movement in Israel. We are, as I had Amazing job Larry Siegel! Congratulations to Larry and everyone else hoped, offering more and more opportunities for M’kor Shalom to be not only who participated! your spiritual home but your communal home, and we continue to be a “family of families.” B’shalom, Steve Angstreich L-R: Steve Angstreich and Rabbi Frenkel welcomed special guest Rabbi Levi Weiman-Kelman If you know of a M’kor Shalom congregant who has recently been recognized from Kol HaNeshama in Jerusalem, who joined us at our Kabbalat Shabbat service and dinner following to discuss the challenges and struggles of the Progressive (Reform) Movement in Israel. for an achievement or participated in a newsworthy activity, please let us Photo by Irene Afek. know at [email protected]. 2 HIGH HOLY DAY APPEAL 5778/2017 We gratefully acknowledge the following families who have contributed to this year’s High Holy Day Appeal. Rhoda Abrams Shawn & Maya Fair Leonard & Jaye Halpern in honor of M’kor Shalom in honor of M’kor Shalom in honor of David & Morra Molotsky’s Yossi & Irene Afek Jeff & Shelly Falkin new home Stuart & Marylee Alperin in honor of our grandsons, Isaac & Peter & Elinor Hecht in honor of M’kor Shalom Matthew Specter in memory of the Hecht, Birnbaum & Blazer Steven & Linda Angstreich Jeremy & Andrea Fau deceased family members Bruce & Lesley Bachman Dena Feinberg Dan & Amy Heitzer in honor of M’kor Shalom in honor of Cantor Anita Hochman in honor of M’kor Shalom Kenneth, Pamela & Ethan Barroway Barry & Sharla Feldscher Jack & Roberta Herring in honor of Jacob Hoffman Eric & Sharyl Fidoten in memory of Herman Herring Jeff, Celestine, David & Rebecca Berg Lisa Fields Allen Herron & Eileen Fox in honor of Cantor Jenkins-Adelberg in honor of M’kor Shalom Cheryl Herzfeld Larry & Caroline Berger David & Sally Finkelstein in honor of M’kor Shalom Michael & Erin Bitman in honor of M’kor Shalom Rabbi Richard & Barbara Hirsh in honor of M’kor Shalom Paul & Phyllis Fishbein in honor of M’kor Shalom Michael & Jane Bloom in honor of M’kor Shalom Selma Hochman Scott, Amy & Geoffrey Brandt Bill & Carol Fisher in memory of Stanley Hochman Meir, Lisa & Naomi Braunstein in honor of Gail Donner’s 70th birthday John & Sara Honovich in memory of Alan Hersh Mark Fisher in honor of M’kor Shalom Michael & Marilyn Breggar in memory of Francine Fisher Brad & Roberta Israelsky in honor of M’kor Shalom Alan & Jill Fox Cory & Mindie Jacobs Bob & Michelle Bross Rabbi Jennifer Frenkel in honor of solicitor Amy Brandt in honor of our children, Zack & Sara and Ari in honor of M’kor Shalom Kathy Jacobs Linda Burkett Rick & Jaime D.