Kehilath Jeshurun Bulletin Volume LXVII Number 8 June 26, 1998 2 Tammuz 5758 RABBI JOSHUA LOOKSTEIN ELECTED AS NEW ASSISTANT RABBI AT 126TH ANNUAL MEETING, SUNDAY MORNING, MAY 10 A TRULY MEMORABLE OCCASION IN THE HISTORY OF KEHILATH JESHURUN SPECTACULAR 125TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION CONCLUDES With the fanfare and depth of a (“the RaMaz”), his grandfather, Rabbi very meaningful introduction, former Joseph H. Lookstein, and our current president Sandy Eisenstat presented rabbi, Rabbi Haskel Lookstein. The Rabbi Joshua Lookstein to become the appointment of the newest Rabbi fourth generation in his family to serve Lookstein was received with as Rabbi in this congregation. tremendous warmth and enthusiasm Of course, his familial by the membership who greeted him predecessors were his great, great with a standing ovation. Mr. grandfather, Rabbi Moses Z. Margolis Eisenstat’s remarks appear on page 7. 72 NEW MEMBER FAMILIES The Rabbis Lookstein The meeting started with the and herself a graduate of Ramaz 104 SENIORS singing of the national anthems by then presented 72 families for ARE GRADUATED Cantor Mayer Davis and was followed induction as new members of KJ. This FROM RAMAZ by a beautiful invocation by Rabbi is the second largest group of new Mark Wildes. members to be inaugurated into Commencement Exercises for Dr. Diana Friedman, President membership in the congregation in its the Rabbi Joseph H. Lookstein of the KJ Sisterhood and history. They represent a total of 130 Upper School of Ramaz were held past president of the Couples Club adults and many, many children. on Wednesday evening, June 17. One hundred and four seniors were ALL OFFICERS REELECTED granted their diplomas, of whom 39 will be studying Torah next year in The nominating committee chaired by past president Benjamin Brown and Israel at yeshivot and women’s including Dr. Larry Baruch, Sandy Eisenstat, Dr. Diana Friedman, Sue Robins, institutions such as Yeshivat Har Kenneth Rochlin, and Leonard Silverman presented the six officers of the Etzion, Yeshivat HaKotel, Shaarei congregation for the election. The group was unanimously approved by the Mevaseret Zion, Yeshivat membership. The officers for the 1998-1999 congregational year are: Sha’alvim, Yeshivat Birkat Moshe, President Fred Distenfeld Midreshet Lindenbaum and Vice President Dr. Gilbert N. Kahn Midreshet Moriah, among others. Second Vice President Robert Zimet Elsewhere in this Bulletin you Secretary Frederic H. Baumgarten will find a copy of an Treasurer Chaim Edelstein announcement placed by Ramaz in three Jewish newspapers in the Financial Secretary Richard E. Kobrin New York area, highlighting the Secretary Fred Baumgarten extraordinary record of honors and (Continued on Page 3) (Continued on Page 15) Page 2 KEHILATH JESHURUN BULLETIN SHIVAH ASSAR B’TAMMUZ, TISHA B’AV HIGH HOLY DAY SEATS AND THE THREE WEEKS NOW BEING ASSIGNED JULY 12 - AUGUST 2, 1998 During the summer months, we beyond the fasts themselves. The We have sent High Holy Day Seat mourn the destruction of both Temples period between these last two fasts, Request Cards to our congregation. in Jerusalem which took place on the traditionally called The Three Weeks Please return your card with your ninth of Av, and the events that led to includes several practices of requests as soon as possible. If you their destruction. We fast on the mourning. During these three weeks are not planning to be with us this seventeenth day of the month of we do not get our hair cut, attend year, please return the card and tell us Tammuz, Shivah Assar B'Tammuz weddings or involve ourselves in large that as well. The deadline for such because, according to tradition it was joyous gatherings. During the nine requests is Monday, June 29. on that day that the enemy penetrated days which begin on the first of Av, Once again, we will be holding the walls of Jerusalem prior to the July 24, and continue until midday on Beginner’s Services under the destruction of the Second Temple. The the eleventh day of Av, August 3, we leadership of George Rohr and our Talmud, however, writes that these are additionally forbidden to eat meat Outreach Coordinator, Rabbi Yitz were not the only tragedies that befell and drink wine, except on Shabbat, to Motechin. These services, which will the Jewish people on this day. On the go swimming or bathe for pleasure, be held in our air conditioned seventeenth of Tammuz four more and to do any laundry or dry cleaning gymnasium and which will tragedies occurred: the first tablets that is not absolutely necessary. In accommodate between 500 and 600 containing the Ten Commandments general, the Talmud writes that when people are also available to our were broken by Moses, the two daily the month of Av begins, our mood members who would prefer to sacrifices were suspended during the should reflect our mourning for the choose this “learner’s service” for the time of the First Temple, the wicked destruction of the Temples. On Tisha High Holy Days in lieu of the Main Apostumos burned the Torah, and an B'Av itself, besides fasting, we are Synagogue or one of the parallel idol was erected in the Temple. prohibited from washing our bodies, services. Additional tragedies also befell the wearing leather shoes, anointing Rosh Hashana begins this year on Jewish people on Tisha B'Av. On this ourselves, and having marital Sunday evening, September 20, and day, the meraglim, the spies, returned relations. It is also forbidden to study continues on Monday and Tuesday, to the Jews in the desert with a Torah on this day with the exception September 21 and 22. Yom Kippur is negative report about the Land of of the sections of the prophets and the on Tuesday evening (Kol Nidre) and Israel. In addition, it was on this day Talmud that discuss the destruction. Wednesday, September 29 and 30. that the city of Betar was destroyed We do not wear our tallit and tefillin and tens of thousands of Jews were until Mincha and the custom is to sit REMEMBERING killed, and the day the wicked Turnus on low chairs like mourners until Rufus plowed the site of the Temple midday. Our observance of mourning THE TEMPLE: and its surroundings. Tradition asserts also forbids us from greeting friends THE LAWS OF that the expulsion of the Jews from on Tisha B'Av. TISHA B’AVAND England in 1290 and the expulsion We mourn the Temple that was THE THREE WEEKS from Spain in 1492 also took place on destroyed over nineteen hundred years Tisha B'Av. ago and we pray that in the merit of MONDAY, JULY 6 Our mourning for the destroyed our mourning we will be worthy to see 8:00 PM Temples and for the other calamities God rebuild the Temple in our which occured on these days extends lifetime. y What is the significance of the Temple today? TISHA B’AV SCHEDULE FAST OF 17TH OF TAMMUZ Saturday, August 1, Tisha B’Av Eve y How and when do we Mincha Services 7:55 PM Sunday, July 12, 1998 commemorate its destruction? Fast Begins 8:12 PM Fast Begins 4:23 AM Followed by: y What events led to the Ma’ariv and Eicha destruction of the Temple and Shacharit 8:30 AM Sunday, August 2, Tisha B’Av the exile of the Jewish Mincha 8:05 PM Morning Services 8:30 AM Nation? Followed by Kinot Fast Ends 9:09 PM Evening Services 7:50 PM Conducted by: Conclusion of Fast 8:49 PM Rabbi Yitz Motechin KEHILATH JESHURUN BULLETIN Page 3 126TH ANNUAL MEETING (Continued from Page 1) TRUSTEES RETIRED Eight members of the Board of Trustees, having served the constitutional maximum of nine years on the Board are retiring due to the constitutional limit. They are: Elias Buchwald Rae Gurewitsch Lionel Etra Barry Kluger Martine Fox George Rohr Dr. Nathalie Friedman Ron Tauber We are grateful for the many years of service each of these Trustees has provided and the enthusiasm of their dedication to Kehilath Jeshurun. We look forward to their continued participation in synagogue life and to future leadership from them. KJ bids a warm farewell to Rabbi Wildes. TRUSTEES ELECTED Two trustees whose terms expired were eligible for reelection to the Board. The membership endorsed the election of: Irwin Shapiro Isaac Sherman To fill the eight vacancies on the regular board, the congregation elected four Associate Trustees of the congregation: Ray Brenner Dr. Robert Friedman Barry Cooper Doris Travis Additionally four other members of the congregation were elected for the three year terms: Abe Esses Natalio Fridman Eric Feldstein Robert Schwalbe The KJ Crowd ASSOCIATE TRUSTEES APPOINTED The following Trustees were re-appointed for one year terms on the Associate Board by President Fred Distenfeld: Harvey W. Abrahams Steven Koppel Harry Ballan Kenneth Rochlin Dr. Larry Baruch Jeremy Schwalbe Andrew H. Charles Scott Shay Karen Gibofsky Leonard Silverman Dr. Alan Spiegel NEW ASSOCIATE TRUSTEES The following four members were appointed as Associate Trustees for the first time: Jane Gol Sandra Rapoport President Fred Distenfeld Marshall Huebner Ted Wachtel Page 4 KEHILATH JESHURUN BULLETIN DR. NATHALIE FRIEDMAN APPOINTED HONORARY TRUSTEE Recognizing that Dr. Nathalie become an Honorary Trustee. He Friedman, Chairperson of our 125th further commented that her Anniversary celebration and former commitment to Yiddishkeit and the Chairperson of our Adult Education Jewish people made her an committee, has been a lifelong exceptional role model whom we are member of the congregation and has proud to have as part of our distinguished herself by her community. For these reasons and dedication, service, and other in tribute to her being the daughter of important roles of leadership the late Rabbi Joseph H.