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Fall 2012 - Tishri 5773 Thexsrpv Orchard Chair the Jewish Federations of North America Rabbinic Cabinet

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Fall 2012 - Tishri 5773 Thexsrpv Orchard Chair the Jewish Federations of North America Rabbinic Cabinet Thexsrpv Orchard Published by The Jewish Federations of North America Rabbinic Cabinet FALL 2012 - TISHRI 5773 Thexsrpv Orchard Chair The Jewish Federations of North America Rabbinic Cabinet ................................3 Rabbi Stuart Weinblatt Rosh Hashanah Family Dinner Reading .............................................................4 From the JFNA Chair of the Board of Trustees and President and CEO ...............5 Vice Chairs Kathy Manning and Jerry Silverman Rabbi Les Bronstein Rosh Hashanah Greetings from the Director of the Rabbinic Cabinet ...................6 Rabbi Frederick Klein Rabbi Gerald Weider Rabbi Larry Kotok Rosh Hashanah Greetings from the Chair of the Rabbinic Cabinet .......................7 Rabbi Steven Lindeman Rabbi Stuart Weinblatt Rabbinic Cabinet Activities .................................................................................8 President Rabbinic Cabinet Calendar ...........................................................................8 Rabbi Steven Foster Rabbinic Cabinet Annual Meeting Report .....................................................9 Honorary Chair Rabbis Hold Series of Unprecedented Meetings at the U.N. ........................10 Rabbi Matthew H. Simon HIGH HOLY DAY SERMONIC AND POETIC THOUGHTS Open Your Eyes .......................................................................................12 Director Rabba Sara Hurwitz JFNA Rabbinic Cabinet Low Tide Of The Year ...............................................................................14 Rabbi Gerald I. Weider Rabbi Judith HaLevy Rush Not …To Forgiveness .......................................................................16 JFNA Chair of the Board Rabbi Bonita Taylor and Rabbi David Zucker Kathy Manning Superstition ..............................................................................................18 Rabbi Eric Polokoff JFNA Chair of the Feet They Have And Cannot Walk ..............................................................20 Executive Committee Rabbi Michael Gold Michael Gelman Make The Call – Yom Kippur Yizkor ...........................................................24 Rabbi Morley Feinstein JFNA President and CEO Working On Our Rewrite ...........................................................................26 Jerry Silverman Rabbi Jeffrey K. Salkin Why Tzedakah Is Better Than Prayer And Even Torah Study .......................30 Rabbi Allen S. Maller Viewing Unetanah Tokef Through A New Lens ...........................................31 Rabbi Amy Scheinerman A Review of Israel And The Middle East – Yom Kippur Morning .................34 Rabbi Fred Guttman When Reconciliation Fails ..........................................................................40 The Orchard Rabbi Allen S. Maller Published by The Jewish Federations of Sign Of The Times – A Story Of Redemption ..............................................42 Rosh Hashanah North America Rabbinic Cabinet Rabbi Stuart Weinblatt 25 Broadway, Suite 1700 Rosh Hashanah Day .................................................................................47 Rabbi Steven Garten New York, NY 10004 Walking Hand In Hand — The Challenge Of Jewish Unity ............................50 Email: [email protected] Rabbi Avi Weiss Fall 2012 - Tishri 5773 Comments For The High Holy Days ............................................................53 Rabbi Paul David Kerbel What Can We Know...................................................................................59 Published in cooperation with Rabbi Wayne Allen The Will To Live ........................................................................................61 the rabbinic cabinets of local Rabbi Emeritus Amiel Wohl Jewish federations Torah Comment Or Sermon Spark – Day One Torah Reading ......................63 Rabbi Neil Sandler Four Poems On Repentance ......................................................................64 Rabbi Brad Bloom Israel Action Network High Holidays Messaging ...............................................68 Countering The Assault On Israel’s Legitimacy ..................................................69 The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee............................................ 77 The Jewish Agency for Israel...........................................................................79 The Orchard Fall 2012 - Tishri 5773 2 THE JEWISH FEDERATIONS OF NORTH AMERICA RABBINIC CABINET The mission of the JFNA Rabbinic Cabinet SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES is to unite rabbis of all ideologies in the work of 1. Raise the level of knowledge about JFNA in the kiyum ha’umah, Jewish continuity, and tzedakah, rabbinate and community. acquaint and involve the North American rab- 2. Stimulate and support rabbinic participation in, and relationships with, JFNA and local Federations. binate with the goals and activities of JFNA, and bring the talents, resources, and perspectives of the 3. Assist with and participate in The Federation Annual Campaign by enlarging the scope and intensity of rabbinate to JFNA and the Federation movement. synagogue involvement. 4. Upgrade rabbinic giving and increase rabbinic The cabinet serves as the rabbinic arm of JFNA, solicitations. the major agency of North American Jewry for 5. Strengthen the rabbinic, congregational, community, agency and Federation partnership. tzedakah. It promotes the unity of the Jewish people in its efforts to support the needs of Jews 6. Engage the next generation of rabbis. everywhere by including rabbis from every 7. Continue education movement in North American Jewish life. 8. Develop programs and educational materials about Israel, the Jewish tradition and Jewish peoplehood/ community. The Rabbinic Cabinet further seeks to inform 9. Serve as teachers and spiritual resources to the colleagues about the most current developments leadership and constituencies of JFNA, local in Jewish life, the needs of our people, and the federations and the Jewish community. techniques for effective utilization of rabbinic STANDARDS FOR MEMBERSHIP leadership within local communities. In addition, the Rabbinic Cabinet endeavors to apprise the Members of the Rabbinic Cabinet should: lay leadership of the concerns of the rabbinate, 1. Be involved in local Federation and campaign activities, support federation work and engage infuse Jewish values and content into the work of synagogues in the community campaign. local federations, and serve Israel and the Jewish 2. Pledge a minimum of $1000. Rabbis who were people with rabbinical involvement and support. ordained less than five years ago should pledge at least $500. 3. Participate in JFNA missions. 4. Attend the Annual Meeting of the Rabbinic Cabinet and/or regional conferences and special meetings. The Orchard Fall 2012 - Tishri 5773 3 ROSH Hashanah FamiLY DINNER ReadinG We present you with this suggested reading so that it may be shared with members of families and communities, and as loyal members everyone at your holiday table prior to beginning your meal. It may be read of the House of Israel. in unison by all present, or by the leader of the meal. As we dip a slice of apple in honey, let us remind ourselves that life is worth living and that a life of Torah and holy deeds brings On this Rosh Hashana we gather as Jews united across the sweetness into the world. world to celebrate the new Jewish year 5773. Finally, as we hearken to the wordless prayer of the shofar, Once again we feel the privilege of inaugurating a new year and let us listen to the commandment only our hearts can hear: as we do so, we look back at our history with profound pride. At Choose life, that you may live. the same time, we look to our future with the worry that always comes from experience, but also with the soaring hopefulness May we join our fellow Jews in choosing life for the coming of a people whose Torah teaches hope for God’s world. year, both for ourselves and for all of God’s creatures. On this day marking the creation of the universe, let us try Amen to re-create ourselves as decent human beings, as caring The Rabbinic Cabinet of the Jewish Federations of North America Rabbi Stuart Weinblatt, Cabinet Chair Rabbi Larry Kotok, Vice Chair Rabbi Matthew H. Simon, Honorary Chair Rabbi Les Bronstein, Vice Chair Rabbi Steve Lindemann, Vice Chair Rabbi Gerald I. Weider, Director of the Rabbinic Cabinet Rabbi Frederick Klein, Vice Chair Rabbi Steven E. Foster, President The Orchard Fall 2012 - Tishri 5773 4 ROSH HASHANAH FAMILY DINNER READING ROSH HASHANAH GREETINGS FROM JFNA CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND PRESIDENT & CEO Rosh Hashanah is a time of great unity for the Jewish People. Throughout the year, we may walk different paths, pursue diverse goals, and live separate lives, but on the high holidays, we, as Jews, are all one. No matter our culture, race, age or denomination, on Rosh Hashanah we all share in the traditions, the gathering of friends and family and the blessings of life. We all share in the promise that teshuvah, tefillah and tzedakah will bring a sweet new year. At a time when there is so much division across the world, Rosh Hashanah reminds us that the Jewish People must stand together. We must share in our devotion to G-d, to Israel and to the global Jewish community. There is much work to be done and critical issues to be addressed – challenges that require us to put aside our differences and, instead, celebrate what we share. At The Jewish Federations of North America, we invite you to share in our lifesaving work, to help care
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