September 2014 • Tishrei 5775
The Washington Congregation MACHAR for Secular Humanistic Judaism P.O. Box 42014, Washington, DC 20015 • 202-686-1881 • www.machar.org
Welcome Back! Inside this issue:
Dear Macharniks, welcome to our Book Club gathering 2: High Holidays on September 21, when we will begin 3: Adult Education I’m very excited to welcome you all back a series of discussions, facilitated by to another year of Machar. Michael Prival and Peter Wolfe, on and Community Rabbi Sherwin Wine’s fascinating book: Sundays We had a summer filled with activities: A Provocative People: A Secular History Rabbi Nehama hosted a family-friendly 4: Clubs and Activities of the Jews. event at Bounce U, and Kelly and Da- 5: Features vid hosted a family pool party; Rabbi Rabbi Nehama Benmosche will lead our Nehama led us in discussion at a Tisha High Holiday observances: Please join 8: The Machar Family B’av observance, and we enjoyed the us on September 25 for Rosh Hashanah hospitality of our members at potluck and October 3 and 4 for Kol Nidre and 9: Staff, Board of Havdalah and Shabbat celebrations. Yom Kippur. Rabbi Nehama’s father, Directors and Our lovely women of WITs continued Mr. Robert Benmosche, who retires this Leadership gathering over the summer to share month from his position as chief execu- 10: Information/Ads good food and life’s journeys and our tive of the American International Group active and reinvigorated Young Adult (A.I.G.) will be our speaker for Kol Havurah hosted several events that were Nidre and Machar member Akiva Liber- Machar’s members are open to all young adults in the area. man will speak on Yom Kippur. our biggest asset and our greatest resource in letting Now, we have a great year ahead of us Be sure to join us on September 28 for their friends and family and a lot of things to look forward to: our Adult Ed program with Michael Pri- know about our wonder- val, followed by our Community Sunday Jewish Cultural School and Adult Educa- ful community. If you Tashlikh observance and annual creek tion begin on September 14: I look for- recommend a member or clean-up. ward to seeing all of you on September family who joins Machar, 14 as we begin our Adult Education and And we’re just getting started! Machar will thank you Jewish Cultural School programs. We’ll with your choice of a be able to see friends, meet some new It is all of this—all of you—that make $100 gift card for dining ones, and learn about all the wonderful Machar such a special and welcoming out at Lebanese Taverna things Machar has planned for the year community. It’s going to be a great year! or Clydes, for local shop- and how you can be involved. ping at Politics and Prose Darlene Basch or Israeli Accents, or some Machar’s Book Club starts off with Machar President on-line Judaica shopping some compelling reading: Everyone is at moderntribe.com or traditionsjewishgifts.com. So please tell people Secular Humanistic Judaism We affirm the power and respon- Machar is affiliated with the about Machar; we hope embraces a human-centered phi- sibility of human beings to shape Society for Humanistic Judaism to give out lots of thank losophy that combines rational their own lives independent of and the International Federation thinking with a celebration of supernatural authority. of Secular Humanistic Jews. you cards! Jewish culture and identity. —Darlene Basch High Holidays
Celebrate the High Holidays with Machar and our new rabbi! All services at Cedar Lane UU Church, 9601 Cedar Lane, Bethesda, MD 20814 Rosh Hashanah Thursday, September 25 Children’s service 9:30 a.m.; Main service 10:30 a.m. Post-service discussion groups begin at 12:30 after refreshment break.
Kol Nidre Friday, October 3 at 7:30 p.m.
Yom Kippur Saturday, October 4 Children’s service 9:30 a.m.; Main service 10:30 a.m. Rabbi Nehama Benmosche
Special offer to local Machar members: Invite two non-member relatives to attend High Holidays free of A note from the Rabbi:charge. Request admission at least one week in advanceRosh at www.machar.org.Hashanah: Thursday, September 25 Rosh Hashanah Sermon sneak peak Children’s service 9:30 a.m.; Main service 10:30 a.m. It is hard to believe that the Hebrew month of ElulCelebrate has begun Rosh the Hashanah High post-service Holidays discussion group topics: and Rosh Hashanah is less than a month away. For those of you who may be interested in going a little deeper as we • Is the world really worse now or do we just know with Macharmore and about it?our new rabbi! descend into the holiday season, I’d like to offer some extra All services at Cedar Lane UU Church, 9601 Cedar Lane, Bethesda, MD 20814 reading. My sermon for Rosh Hashanah will be called: One • What does spirituality mean to me? of the Reasons We Keep Coming Back: MoralRosh Psychology Hashanah and Thursday, September 25 Jonathan Haidt’s Righteous Mind. My talkChildren’s will be service an attempt 9:30 a.m.; MainKol service Nidre: 10:30 Friday, a.m. October 3 at 7:30 p.m. Post-service discussion groups begin at 12:30 after refreshment break. to explore why we choose to participate in the high holidays With a talk by Robert Benmosche through the lens of moral psychology. I will draw from a book Kol Nidre Friday, October 3 at 7:30 p.m. I read this summer called The Righteous Mind: Why Good Yom Kippur: Saturday, October 4 People are Divided by Politics and Religion. Despite a decline Saturday,Children’s October service 4 9:30 a.m.; Main service 10:30 a.m. in worldwide participation in organized religion,Yom Kippur our com - Children’s service 9:30 a.m.; MainWith service a talk 10:30 by a.mAkiva. Liberman munity and many others Rabbiwill Nehamagather during the holidays and mark these days by choosingBenmosche to affiliate and associate with Attendance at High Holidays services is a privilege of like-minded members of our faith-based organizations. Haidt’s Special offer to local Machar members: Invite two non-membermembership. relatives to There attend Highis no Holidays need freefor of members to register perspective on religious charge.groups Request drew meadmission in and at hisleast writing one week in advance at www.machar.org. for services, but they can opt to register two nonmember is accessible and his research examples are entertaining. I relatives to attend free of charge. A registration link for thought some of you would be interested in putting another this purpose is available on the home page of www. book on your bedside table this fall. Looking forwardCelebrate to con- machar.org the High along with Holidays a link to our regular nonmember tinuing to build our relationships and to get to know all of you registration page. in this first year together! with Machar and our new rabbi! All services at Cedar Lane UU Church, 9601 Cedar Lane, Bethesda, MD 20814 Volunteer for Children’s ServicesRosh Hashanah Thursday, September 25 Children’s service 9:30 a.m.; Main service 10:30 a.m. Mimi Brody [email protected] discussion groups begin at 12:30 after refreshment break. Once again, we are seeking your help to make our Rosh Please let me know if your children and/or you are inter- Friday, October 3 at 7:30 p.m. Hashanah and Yom Kippur Children’s ServicesKol Nidre a success. ested in participating! Shofar-blowing also needed! First- The Children’s Services will run from 9:30 until about 10:15 come, first-served on filling the parts, though we will try to am on Sept. 25 and Oct. 4, respectively.Yom We’ll Kippur need sev - Saturday,involve October every child 4 who’d like to participate. No memoriza- eral children readers and will have actingChildren’s roles—adult service 9:30 and a.m.; Maintion serviceneeded! 10:30 I’ll a.msend. scripts out to families in advance, so Rabbi Nehama children—for the play-letsBenmosche we’ll perform during each service folks can be comfortable with what they’ll be reading aloud. Thank you, and I look forward to hearing from you soon! Special offer to local Machar members: Invite two non-member relatives to attend High Holidays free of charge. Request admission at least one week in advance at www.machar.org. 2 Adult Education and Community Sundays
Sundays 10:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Sessions are open to all. There is parking on 16th Street and in the back. All sessions are held in the Jewish Primary Day School, 6045 16th St. NW, DC 20012
September 14 November 16 Welcoming the New Year–Introductions and Overview Rabbi Nehama Benmosche–A Journey Through the This first meeting of the year is an opportunity to meet Jewish Movements new and old members and to hear about the various Rabbi Nehama Benmosche, Machar’s rabbi since April activities community membership offers. You are invited 2014, has lived in many parts of the Jewish world. She to bring along friends or family who are interested in will help us understand the similarities and differences in finding out more about Machar. these streams of Jewish life, using examples from her per- Community Sunday: Music and Israeli Dancing sonal life, including schooling in Conservative Judaism, living in an Orthodox community in college, experienc- September 28 ing Judaism in Israeli culture, rabbinic training in the Michael Prival–The Ideas of Rabbi Sherwin T. Wine, Reconstructionist movement, and now serving a Humanis- Founder of Humanistic Judaism tic Jewish community. Michael Prival, the first Madrikh (leader) of Machar, will Community Sunday: Global Day of Jewish Learning/ again lead us in a discussion of Rabbi Sherwin T. Wine, Book sale who led our movement for four decades. Rabbi Sherwin Wine saw Humanistic Judaism as the logical next step in November 23 the development of Judaism. The purpose, for him, was Bennett Muraskin–Humanist Readings in Jewish Folklore to embody a positive philosophy based on the culture Based on his book by the same name, Muraskin reveals and history of the Jewish people. We will discuss some the richness of Jewish folklore and its relevance to con- of his boldest ideas: believing is better than non-believ- temporary issues. He draws on stories from Talmud, ing; ancient religious texts should be read for original in- Midrash, Hasidic and other sources that reflect values of tent rather than reinterpreted for modern life; and only a mutual respect, equality, social justice and questioning Judaism that its members actually believe in can survive. authority, with plenty of humor too. Muraskin is the Adult Community Sunday: Short Tashlikh celebration led by Education Director for the Jewish Cultural School and Rabbi Nehama and Rock Creek cleanup Society in northern New Jersey, a part of the Congress of Secular Jewish Organizations. He has authored three October 19 books and is a columnist for Jewish Currents and Out- Jennie Guilfoyle–In the Absence of Immigration Reform look (Canada) as well as a contributor to the Society for Ever since the 2012 election, we have heard that major Humanistic Judaism’s publication Humanistic Judaism. immigration reform is just around the corner. Machar Community Sunday: Community Service Activity— member and immigration attorney Jennie Guilfoyle will Soup and Trail Mix Assembly talk about what has been happening in the absence of Congressional action on immigration. What has the ad- December 7 ministration done? What has it not done? Which immi- Jocelyn Samuels–The Federal Role in Protecting Civil grants has the administration helped? Which has it not? Rights: Opportunities and Limitations Community Sunday: Sukkot celebration The executive branch of the federal government enforces numerous laws to protect civil rights, including with October 26 regard to voting, police misconduct, equal educational Rabbi Mindy Portnoy–Theodor Herzl: The Man and the and employment opportunity, and hate crimes. This Myth program will discuss the government’s work in these and An exploration of the personal and political life of other areas, addressing both advances in and obstacles Theodor Herzl, the founder of political Zionism; journal- to civil rights. Samuels is Director of the Office for Civil ist, playwright, man of Budapest, Vienna, Paris; son, Rights at the Department of Health and Human Services. husband, and father. This lecture will be based on a Previously, she was Acting Assistant Attorney General for variety of biographies which have been written about Civil Rights at the Department of Justice and has worked him, evoking a multitude of fascinating personas. Rabbi in the public interest community on civil rights issues. Mindy Avra Portnoy, Rabbi Emerita of Temple Sinai, is She is a former President of Machar. a graduate of Yale University, and was ordained by the Community Sunday: International Human Rights Fair Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion. She has taught courses about Herzl and is the author of five December 14 Jewish children’s books and many published sermons, Hanukkah Party at Schweinhaut Senior Center, blogs, and essays on a range of topics. 1000 Forest Glen Rd., Silver Spring, 20901 Community Sunday: Intergenerational Oral History Videos 3 Clubs and Activities
WITs Tickets: $12. Group discount available. Neighborhood Havurot If you grew up in the golden age of Nick- Renée Weitzner Donna Copeland, who joined Machar in elodeon, you love the Rugrats, Clarissa 2013, is our new Neighborhood Havurot Explains It All, The Adventures of Pete & In August, WITs met at the lovely home coordinator. Please contact her at dc@ Pete, and Saturday night SNICK mara- of Judith Wiesberg, where we enjoyed a grandmathegeek[dot]com if you have thons. Come hear Matthew Klickstein lively discussion and terrific food which ideas for social events and/or wish to talk about his interviews with Nickel- we shared. Thank you, Judith. host one. odeon insiders, including Melissa Joan The wonderful women of Machar will On August 15, 25 people enjoyed a meet on September 17, 2014 at 7 pm at Hart and Kenan Thompson, to uncover the origins of green slime, how Ren & lovely Shabbat potluck hosted by Michal the home of Eva Shankman. Please let Freedman and Jack Schwartz. With me know by September 15 that you are Stimpy managed to get on the air, and much more. The event will be a discus- perfect weather for the Family Pool coming and what you are bringing. That Party and Potluck hosted by Kelly Hand way our host will know our menu and sion with the author, Q&A session, and 90’s trivia game. and David Abramson on August 29, 26 our numbers. people had a fun evening of swimming, To find out more: contactLeah@ WITs (Wimmin’ in Transition) is open eating, and socializing. kaplansonline[dot]net OR visit http:// to all women members of Machar. Please Attending these smaller-scale social see the Machar website for guidelines and washingtondcjcc.org/center-for-arts/lit- erary/jewish-literary-festival/ events is a great way to get to know your policies about WITs. Please let me know fellow Machar members. Please try to if you have any questions or concerns. Book Club make it to at least one this year! We have You may email me at rwcats at aol.com or some potential hosts for the fall and will Renée Weitzner and Darlene Basch reach me by phone. share details as soon as possible. Young Adult Havurah Peter Wolfe and Michael Prival will lead a discussion on A Provocative People: A Danielle Leff (non-members welcome) September 28th: Be a Part of Secular History of the Jews, by Rabbi the Machar Creek Clean-up! Machar’s Young Adult Havurah is for Sherwin T. Wine, the founder and long- young adults and the young at heart. time leader of our Humanistic Judaism Every fall for the past several years, Join our listserve at groups.google.com/ movement. For our September meeting, dedicated and fun-loving Macha- group/macharyah or join our group on to be held on September 21, 2014, at the rniks have beautified a Rock Creek Facebook at www.facebook.com/groups/ home of Michael Prival, we will be read- tributary (beginning at Joyce Rd. macharyah to get the details and updates ing the first four chapters. and 16th St., across from JPDS) and on YAH activities. YAH events are open kept large amounts of recyclables to all regardless of membership status in Evening Study Group and trash out of Rock Creek. Machar, and participants are encouraged Michael Prival to bring friends who may be curious After Sunday school and Adult Ed., about our movement. The Machar Study Group on Jewish and after a brief Tashlikh ceremony religious texts continues to meet every led by Rabbi Nehama, all able-bod- Thursday, September 25 - Rosh Hasha- other Monday evening at my home. We ied and enthusiastic volunteers of all nah Lunch at Parkway Deli are reading and discussing texts from the ages are urged to join with us in this Friday, October 3 - Kol Nidre dinner at a Bible, the Talmud, and other rabbinic service to the local community. restaurant in Bethesda sources. In this way we are learning not Please wear long pants and long Saturday, October 4 - Yom Kippur only about the Hebrew Bible but also sleeves and sturdy shoes and bring a Break-fast meal many fascinating and surprising things favorite pair of work gloves - if you about traditional Judaism as it existed Monday, October 27, 7:00 pm - Matthew have. I will provide gloves and bags before the Jewish Enlightenment began Klickstein, Slimed!: An Oral History of and a lot of encouragement. in the 18th century. All Machar mem- Nickelodeon’s Golden Age bers, at any level of prior knowledge, are I hope that you can join us. Many hands (Machar’s Young Adult Havurah is co- invited to join us. If you’d like more in- will make light and enjoyable work! sponsoring this event with the DC JCC’s formation about this study group, please —Barbara Francisco Jewish Literary Festival.) send me a note: mprival at aol.com. 4 Features
Right: At a Tisha B’Av observance led by Rabbi Nehama on August 4, a group of Far above: 2014 b’nei mitzvah class students and their parents adults and teens lit enjoyed volunteering together at DC Central Kitchen, where some candles in the shape shucked and cut hundreds of ears of corn while others schlepped of a peace sign to food in and out of the freezer. honor all who have Above: Leah Kaplan helped to make August a great month for died in the Israeli/ the Young Adult Havurah, hosting a “Shabbat and Takeout” event Palestinian conflict. at her home on the 22nd and organizing a Machar table at the DCJCC’s Schmooze ‘n’ Schmear Brunch on the 24th.
5 Features
6 Features
7 The Machar Family
Birthdays Anniversaries September 2: Jason Lubin September 1: Steven Cohen and Alison Barnes September 2: Caroline Simon September 2: Marlene Cohen and Michael Kidwell September 3: Ana Schnell September 11: Joe Palca and Kathy Hudson September 3: Billy Schnell September 13: Joseph and Mildred Goodman September 5: Rebecca Namm September 16: Dick and Shelly Schwab September 8: Win Morgan September 20: David Goldberg and Claire Huson September 9: Mimi Brody September 30: Mark Swartz and Jennifer Guilfoyle September 14: Sol Prensky September 14: Hazel Hand Yarhzeits: We remember... September 15: Amit Hanadari-Levy September 16: Mitchell Rosenthal September 2: Martha Cohen, mother of Marlene Cohen September 17: Sue Popkin September 20: Mori Basch, father of Darlene Basch September 18: Debra DeRuyver September 22: Ruth Hartogensis, mother of Deb Godden September 19: David Godden September 24: Jean Martinez, mother of Holly Campbell September 21: Anna Greenberg September: William Spencer, stepfather of Adam Namm September 23: Rachel Epstein-Shuman September: Tilda Weigl, mother of Eva Shankman September 24: Rob Goor September 25: Jessica Ratay September 26: Julia Dancis Mazel Tov! September 27: Dan DeMocker Marlene Cohen and Michael Kidwell celebrated their 30th anniversa- September 28: Deb Godden ry on September 2. They were married in Washington DC by Rabbi September 30: Logan Eliot Harold White, at the time the one guy who would marry “interfaith” couples without needing conversion. He was a busy officiant!
We are excited to welcome our youngest Machar member, Owen, born to parents Jessica and Doug and big sister Emily on April 9.
Best wishes for a speedy recovery to Renee Weitzner.
In which Machar’s newsletter will provide you with Your Monthly Word in Whaddaya Talkin’? Yiddish—Use it ten times this month and you won’t forget it! Marlene Cohen
Let’s start the new year with a strong feeling: from deep Talking Jewish says it’s “the most profound emotion.” in your Kishkes. Of course kishke is also a very tasty dish, which you Literally we’re talking anatomy here; it is your intestines, don’t want to know is made by stuffing cow intestine. your guts. So it follows that a strong intuition, and very Enough said. satisfying feeling, comes right from the kishkes. I wish you a Happy New Year, from deep in my kishkes.
8 Staff, Board of Directors, and Leadership
Staff Board Liaisons Newsletter Editor Tricia Gordon Rabbi B’nei Mitzvah Nehama Benmosche Susan Morawetz Nominating Holly Campbell-Rosen Nadine Wettstein Congregational Administrator Kelly Hand Newsletter Passover Seder Jewish Cultural School Director Rabbinic Debby Brennan Mark Swartz Rabbi Committee Mark Swartz Board of Directors Madrikhim Michael Prival Shelter Staffing President Deb Godden Ann Levin Darlene Basch Social Action Treasurer Machar Committee Chairs Peter Kahn Miriam Gitler Adult Ed Sunday Refreshments David Abramson Secretary Ami Argaman Holly Campbell-Rosen Myrna Frank Past President Communications Clubs and Havurot Chairs Nadine Wettstein Joyce Rosenthal Book Club Community Service Darlene Basch At-Large Renée Weitzner Norm Hall Barbara Francisco Rahel Hanadari Education Neighborhood Havurot Peter Kahn Donna Copeland Danielle Leff Laurie Miller Email Lists Manager Wimmin’ In Transition (WITs) Joyce Rosenthal Michael Prival Renée Weitzner Mark Swartz Young Adult Havurah Renee Weitzner Fundraising Karen Roe Danielle Leff Honorary Directors Jules Abrams High Holidays SHJ Reps from Machar Harold Black (deceased) Nadine Wettstein Machar Rep to SHJ Ann Black Liturgy Marlene Cohen Joe Goodman Millie Goodman SHJ Board of Directors Members Mary Perica Membership Larry Lawrence (Vice President) Michael Prival Darlene Basch Rick Gold Henrietta Wexler Membership Directory Machar Trained Leaders Miriam Gitler Michael Prival, Madrikh Mishpahah Deb Godden, Madrikha Renée Weitzner Dan Tobocman, Spokesperson New Members Marlene Cohen
9 Information/Ads
Interested in Advertising with Machar? Contact info at machar.org
Directions to Machar cur between printed newsletters. Almost Their quality course provides everything “Cedar Lane” events are held at all Machar members are already on this needed to prepare for the DMV permit Cedar Lane UU Church. 9601 Cedar list. and driver’s license exams. Sign up and Lane, Bethesda, MD. DriversEd.com will contribute 5% of The second list is “MacharCommunity.” the tuition amount to Machar’s Jewish From DC, go north on Wisconsin. Ave. Members of this list can share informa- Cultural School. (Rt. 355), pass the Naval Hospital, right tion about local, non-Machar cultural, Help Machar as You Shop on Cedar Lane., cross Beach Dr., 2nd educational, social action, or communi- entrance on right. From 495, Rockville, ty service events and activities. Any list Larry Lawrence etc., take Rockville Pike (Rt. 355) S to member can post a note on the “Machar Machar participates in the eScrip (Elec- left on Cedar to 9601. Metro - Red Line Community” list at any time. tronic Scrip) program, a fundraising or- to Medical Center. Walk ½ mile north ganization in which participating busi- If you would like to be added to either on 355, right on Cedar, 0.7 miles, or ness partners contribute a percentage of of these lists, or if we are not using your Ride-On Bus #34 (ask the driver). your purchases to our Jewish Cultural preferred e-mail addresses for them, “JPDS” is the site of our Jewish Cul- School. Some participating businesses please send a note to Email at machar. tural School (JCS). 6045 16th Street, in the Mid-Atlantic are Safeway (which org. Of course you can get off these lists NW, Washington, DC. contributes 1-3% of your purchase at any time. Metro: Red Line to Silver Spring. S-2 or value) and American Airlines (3%). To S-4 bus to Federal Triangle to Military Earn for Machar Jewish sign up for eScrip, go to http://www. Road and cross 16th Street. JCS and eScrip.com and choose “Machar–Jewish Adult Ed begin promptly at 10 a.m.; Cultural School with Service Cultural School” as the benefiting group. please arrive early. Magic and DriversEd.com! Raise Money for SHJ While you For meetings in private homes, contact Get Matched to Prescreened Home Im- hosts for directions. provement Contractors and earn up to $6*! Surf Service Magic is a FREE service match- Use GOODSEARCH.COM to Search on ing you to pre-screened, customer-rated the Web and Raise Money for SHJ Machar E-mail Lists for service professionals: Maids, painters, GoodSearch.com is a Web search tool for remodelers, plumbers, roofers & more! organizations such as ours to raise money Members and Nonmembers *Earnings depend on the type of project each time someone uses it. Simply go Michael Prival and range from $2–$6. to goodsearch.com, key in “humanistic There are two different e-mail lists that Your Teen Can Start Earning a Driver’s Judaism,” and type in whatever you are Machar members can join. The first, License Today! searching for. You can even see how the “Machar” list, enables members to With DriversEd.com, your teen can much we have raised—and imagine the receive the monthly Newsletter, event complete the required drivers educa- potential if all of us use it! . reminders by email, plus announce- tion online—without ever stepping in a ments of program changes that may oc- classroom.
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