April 2015 Bulletin
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Ohavay Zion Synagogue Bulletin 2048 Edgewater Court Lexington, Kentucky 40502 859-266-8050 Nisan/ Iyar - 5775 April 2015 http://www.ozs.org Moosnick Lecture: Susannah Heschel Carrick Theater Transylvania University Tuesday, April 28, 7 p.m. Professor Susannah Heschel the Eli Black Professor of Jewish Studies at Dartmouth College, presents "Scholarship and Ethics: How Do Jews & Christians Connect?" She will also give a talk titled "The Life and Legacy of Abraham Joshua Heschel: Moral Grandeur and Spiritual Audacity" at Ohavay Zion Synagogue 2048 Edgewater Ct. Lexington, KY 40502 Wednesday, April 29, at 7 p.m. Details inside for Passover, Yom HaShoah & Yom Ha’Atzmaut Office will be open by appointment only from 3/30-4/3 FROM THE RABBI Passover is fast approaching, and soon after it… the Moosnick Lecture Series. On this holiday of freedom, we remember our liberation from bondage in Egypt, and we pray for the redemption of our world. We take note that there are still those in our world who consider other human beings, made in the image of God, as lesser than they simply because of their race, religion, sexual orientation, or gender. We realize that there is still hatred. There is still oppression. There is still slavery in our world. And we long for freedom for all humanity. One of those who worked for freedom in the civil rights movement in the United States was Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel. His daughter, Susannah Heschel, an incredible scholar in her own right, wrote: I was a child in 1965, but I remember vividly when my father left our home in New York City to take part in the Selma march. He was a Jewish theologian who had long been active with Dr. King, lecturing and writing on behalf of the Civil Rights movement. My father had lived in Nazi Germany, escaping at the last minute, and his mother and sisters were murdered by the Nazis. For him, those experiences meant both a deepened commitment to his faith and his people, and also a heightened sensitivity to the suffering of all people. For him, Nazism began with a debased view of human beings, which, in turn, was rooted in contempt for God. "You cannot worship God," he would say, "and then look at a human being, created by God in God's own image, as if he or she were an animal." For my father, though, the march was not simply a political demonstration, but a religious occasion…. He said it reminded him of the message of the prophets, whose primary concern was social injustice, and of his Hasidic forebears, for whom compassion for the suffering of other people defined a religious person. When he came home from Selma in 1965, my father wrote, "For many of us the march from Selma to Montgomery was about protest and prayer. Legs are not lips and walking is not kneeling. And yet our legs uttered songs. Even without words, our march was worship. I felt my legs were praying." We are blessed to have Dr. Susannah Heschel join us as our speaker for the Moosnick Lecture Series. On Tuesday, April 28 at 7pm in Carrick Theater at Transylvania University, Dr. Heschel will present: “Scholarship and Ethics: How Do Jews and Christians Connect?” On Wednesday, April 29 at 7pm at Ohavay Zion Synagogue, Dr. Heschel will present: “The Life and Legacy of Abraham Joshua Heschel: Moral Grandeur and Spiritual Audacity” We are truly blessed because Dr. Susannah Heschel is an incredible scholar, and because she can also give us deeper insights into the life of her father, who worshiped with his feet so that freedom should come to all humanity. Please join us in warmly welcoming Dr. Susannah Heschel to Lexington and to Ohavay Zion Synagogue. Happy Passover! Rabbi Moshe Smolkin OZS/TAI Purim Ball Thank you for participating and making our joint Purim Ball a huge success. Thanks to our OZS members that served on the committee; Shirley Bryan, Katy Miller, Mark Schneider & Sue Westerman, it was a wonderful event and we appreciate your efforts. We invite you to share a special day in our lives when our daughter Sarah Belin is called to the Torah as a Bat Mitzvah Saturday, the Twenty-Fifth of April At Half Past Nine O'clock Ohavay Zion Synagogue Kiddush Luncheon Immediately Following The Service Bruce & Rachel Belin Shabbat Services: April 2015 April 3 April 4 April 10 April 11 OZS Congregational Seder Shabbat - 9:30AM Shabbat at Home w/ Shabbat - 9:30AM 6:00PM Family & Friends Passover - Yizkor Passover April 17 April 18 April 24 April 25 Kids Shabbat 5:30PM Shabbat - 9:30AM Sarah Belin Bat Mitzvah Shabbat - 9:30AM Shemini 6:00PM Tazria-Metzora Birthday Aliyah Sarah Belin Bat Mitzvah PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE I’ve always been curious as to why Jews that represent less than a quarter of one percent of the world have influenced so many fields of human endeavor. For instance, how does one explain that such a small minority can produce nearly one-fifth of all Nobel Laureates? The Passover Story, and OZS along with our greater Jewish community provide us several opportunities this month to perhaps understand why. There are five major concepts learned from Passover (with appreciation to the Jewish Journal and Rabbi Benjamin Blech for sharing this): The Importance of Memory (History); The Importance of Family; The importance of Faith; The Importance of Responsibility to Others: The Importance of Optimism. These concepts help us as both individuals and as a community to move toward the goal of being a light unto the nations. Only by being aware of our past, can we find purpose and meaning in our lives. From the Haggadah comes “Remember that you were strangers in the land of Egypt and the Lord took you out of bondage”. Here Jews essentially created the concept of history whose lessons must be carried forward from generation to generation, so the horrors of the past are not repeated. Sunday April 19th is the Jewish Federation of the Bluegrass Yom Hashoah 70th anniversary service held this year at TAI, where we preserve this important history and the lessons it taught us. The importance of Memory and Family are lessons in our Passover story. Seventy years later, for some, the memories of the events of the Shoah are fading. Where was your family during that time? For those that do not know about their families’ past, it is a mitzvah to learn about your families’ personal story. Join us at OZS on 4/19 as we learn tips and techniques for researching your own family’s history in our “Roots & Branches” genealogy program led by Pat Brinegar, a board certified genealogist, who has helped many people find their own story. Whether you are celebrating your Seders at home, with friends/family or with our OZS family on 4/3 there is no other holiday on the Jewish calendar where your family’s participation takes center stage like this one. Even the youngest among us have some of the most important duties of the Seder and are praised for their accomplishments. Are those tiny seeds of learning in the next generation’s Nobel Laureates? Faith has cemented the Jewish experience across the generations. This month opportunities abound. Attend Shabbat services or join us for Susannah Heschel, Dartmouth College's Eli Black professor of Jewish Studies, an award-winning author, and the daughter of renowned Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, as she speaks about her father’s Life and Legacy. Another opportunity is to attend the upcoming Women’s League conference (being held in Cincinnati on 4/19 – 4/21) and indulge in your own spiritual journey. We remember we were slaves in Egypt, so we recognize those in need. Perhaps one of the purposes of all the mistreatment that has been a part of the Jewish experience is to ensure we understand The Importance of Responsibility to Others. This is a great month to take time to help with Gods Pantry and/or our backpacking program. And last, but certainly not least, Yom Ha-atzmaut, when we gather with the larger Jewish community of Lexington to celebrate the Importance of Optimism. Join us at the JFB event held at OZS this year on 4/19 to rejoice in the vision of our ancestors and to support the continued existence of the Jewish homeland. Make it your goal this month to find a way to observe each of these five concepts of Passover! Shirley Stern Bryan Save the Date: 5/2 - Religious School PJ Havdalah 7:00-9:00PM 5/3 - PJ Library Israel Sababa 3:30PM Congregational First Night Seder 4/3 Friday, April 3 at 6:00PM for our Passover First Night Seder Prepaid RSVP’s required – Adult Members $18.00 non members $25.00 & Children 10 & under $8.00. $10.00 per person late fee (after 3/24) and only if space is available. Walk-ins not permitted Menu: Pareve Matzo Ball Soup, Gefilte Fish, Salmon, Potatoes, Vegetables, Dessert Wine, Juice & Beverage Kashrut Observed Families with kids under 4: Come play! 4/12 Join us Sunday, April 12 from 10:15-11:30 at TAI as we come together as a community for a playgroup with our littlest kids and parents/guardians. We’ll have time to informally play, eat a light snack, and perhaps sing a song, create a craft, or read a PJ Library book. Please RSVP to [email protected] so we have enough snack. PJ’s not required. Hadassah's "Every Step Counts" 4/12 Hadassah's "Every Step Counts" walking program kick-off.