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Ancient Texts, Digital Age: the Cairo Geniza and the Material Turn with Marina Rustow, Phd, Macarthur Fellow, Princeton University the Lucy S

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A Traditional, Egalitarian and Participatory Conservative Synagogue TEVET/SHEVAT/ADAR 5777 NEWSLETTER/VOLUME 29:3 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 Ancient Texts, Digital Age: The Cairo Geniza and the Material Turn with Marina Rustow, PhD, MacArthur Fellow, Princeton University The Lucy S. Dawidowicz Lecture, Tuesday, January 31, 7:30 pm arina group of Jews to ever win a MacArthur For those who would like to read some Rustow, Award. She earned her PhD in history at of Dr. Rustow’s work, her PhD, will Columbia with Yosef Hayim Yerushalmi. book, Heresy and the present Dr. Rustow describes her presentation Politics of Community: Mthe annual Lucy S. as follows: ‘‘Recent projects to digitize The Jews of the Fatimid Dawidowicz Lecture the contents of the Cairo Geniza—the Caliphate (Cornell on January 31 at largest cache of Jewish manuscripts ever University Press, 2008) won 7:30 pm. Dr. Rustow discovered—have revolutionized research two Jewish studies book is the Khedouri A. in the field. They have done so in two awards and is available Zilkha Professor main ways: by enabling scholars to reunite from book sellers. of Jewish Civilization in the Near East and fragmentary texts virtually; and by provoking The annual Lucy S. Dawidowicz lecture Professor of History at Princeton University, a new interest in manuscripts as objects honors the memory of a great historian of where she also directs the Princeton rather than only containers for words. This the Holocaust and member of Or Zarua. Geniza Lab. illustrated lecture will share recent findings The lectures mark the birthday of the The Geniza Lab brings faculty, that have persuaded some scholars in the Congregation. After the lecture, champagne researchers, postdocs and students field to revise their views on subjects such and birthday cake will be served in honor together to identify, transcribe and as medieval Jewish belief in the sanctity of OZ’s 28th birthday. This event is free translate unpublished Geniza documents. of Hebrew script, Jews’ relationship to the and open to all. Please help us to plan by In September 2015 she was named a caliphs and sultans who ruled them and the contacting the office at 212-452-2310, ext. MacArthur Fellow, the first Jewish Professor existence and destruction of archives in the 39, with a reservation for the lecture by to receive this award and among the first Middle East.’’ Tuesday, January 24. The Real Diary of Anne Frank: What is it and Why it Matters with David Kraemer, PhD, Jewish Theological Seminary Thursday, January 5, 7:00 pm avid Kraemer is the most extensive collection of Judaica leading a study tour entitled Amsterdam: is professor in the Western hemisphere. The author Exploring Jewish History and Culture In Dof Talmud of many published articles and books, his One of Europe’s Greatest Cities. Travel and Rabbinics latest book is Rabbinic Judaism: Space and information regarding this study tour will be and the Joseph J. Place (Routledge, 2016). He is well known available in the coming weeks. and Dora Abbell to members of OZ who have enjoyed and This Meet the Scholar program is open Librarian at the learned from his lectures and discussions in to all. To help with planning, please RSVP to Jewish Theological the Me’ah and JTS’s Context programs. http://info.giltravel.com/amsterdam or to Seminary where Dr. Kraemer’s presentation, The Real Deborah Wenger, 212-452-2310, ext. 39 or he earned his Diary of Anne Frank: What is it and Why it [email protected].. PhD. As JTS’s librarian, he oversees and Matters, will trace the formulation of one Shabbat Shirah Shabbaton sets policy for a collection of Judaica that of the world’s most famous diaries and with Magevet, Yale’s A Cappella Group includes many rare and significant pieces discuss its place in contemporary Jewish Friday & Saturday, February 10 & 11 that are critical to scholars worldwide; it culture. This summer, Dr. Kraemer will be See page 3 1 CONGREGATION OR ZARUA JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 President’s Message by Marc D. Ashley n our hectic That sense of coming-togetherness A CONSERVATIVE SYNAGOGUE contemporary world is also engrained in the formal name of FOUNDED 1989 of multi-tasking and our synagogue — Kehillah Or Zarua. We 127 East 82nd Street high-tech devices, are an extraordinary community united by New York, NY 10028 Ian authentic sense of compelling core values. Or Zarua is a one- phone: 212-452-2310 fax: 212-452-2103 genuine community is of-a-kind institution. It occupies a distinct www.orzarua.org hard to come by. But it niche and serves a unique purpose in is available right here at Jewish life. There may not be another shul SCOTT N. BOLTON, Rabbi Or Zarua. out there like ours, and the Jewish world DR. HARLAN J. WECHSLER, Rabbi Emeritus A recent New York Times article (“The needs our model of a nuanced blend of MARC D. ASHLEY, President App That Came to Dinner”) recounted a tradition and innovation. ALAN ILBERMAN, Treasurer growing trend around the world, including Yet, although our community may HELENE SANTO, Executive Director within Jewish communities, of the use be sustained by a core set of distinctive SIGAL HIRSCH, Director of Youth Education of apps and online services designed to values, it is also drawn together by diverse and Programming facilitate old-fashioned gatherings among interests and motivations. We are clearly CHARLES SPIELHOLZ, Newsletter Editor strangers over food. Apparently millions of not all attracted to Or Zarua for precisely users of such services globally are on an the same reasons, nor do we need to OZ Committee Chairs urgent quest for genuine community. They be. The congregants that give life to our are willing to pay registration fees to break shul are not a monolithic bunch, and the ADMINISTRATION Pamela E. Gold bread (or challah, as Shabbat dinners are numerous activities that go on within among the menu of options on certain our building reflect that diversity. Our AESTHETICS Aaron Shelden sites) with total strangers in an ongoing impressive whole is a sum of intriguing ART GALLERY Bobbi Coller effort to overcome alienation. What used parts. BOOK DISCUSSION Reed Schneider to come naturally — social interaction over So, if you don’t want to attend weekly Nora Yood food — must now be arranged artificially. Saturday services, experiment with BUILDING Sara Stone Indeed, our lives can often feel busy Kabbalat Shabbat on a Friday night or CEMETERY Aliza Kaplan and complicated, yet it is precisely the daily minyan on a Monday morning. And if Mort Schwartz conflicting demands we juggle that, prayer isn’t your thing, try Rabbi Bolton’s EDUCATION Dara Shapiro ironically, can lead to a sense of isolation siddur or Talmud classes, or any of our AND YOUTH despite our perpetual activity. We are often other adult education classes or lectures. HESED Susan Lorin too preoccupied with next steps to ensure We have an array of speakers on a variety HEVRA KADISHA Roberta Hufnagel that we have established firm roots. That’s of topics throughout the calendar year. Gerry Solomon when and where a local shul can function And if you’ve already had your fill of productively as a necessary community learning (though I hope there are few in ISRAEL Aliza Kaplan anchor. Establish deep and sturdy roots that category), visit our beautiful art gallery LIBRARY Barry Feldman at Or Zarua, and you will come to see your exhibits or sing in Bir’nana, our homegrown MARKETING Aaron Shelden tree of life blossom. a cappella group. MEMBERSHIP Andrew Plevin A sense of genuine community There is something at Or Zarua for MINYAN Sheldon Adler (kehillah) is deeply embedded in classical almost anyone interested in Jewish life ORAL HISTORY Mimi Alperin Judaism. Variants of kahal are used often and thought. We have never aspired in the Torah, reflecting the premium to be overly large in number, but our PUBLIC RELATIONS Aaron Shelden placed on conducting significant events communal life is expansive. And if you have READERS Marc Ashley within the framework of a community of discovered a home here, tell others about AND LEADERS Jay Palmer assembled individuals. The beginning of what you’ve found. STRATEGIC Sheldon Adler Genesis teaches us that it is preferable In 2017, spend more time at Or Zarua. DEVELOPMENT for people to avoid being alone. Organized Sample more of our diverse activities. Pray WEBMASTER Jay Palmer Jewish living is, of course, also manifest and learn, sing and converse, or engage in the prayer quorum required through a in some combination of your choosing. I If you are interested in serving on a synagogue minyan; only in a proper group can the predict you will find genuine community in committee, please contact the office for the community’s power be felt and expressed. the process. And friends, not strangers, committee chair’s email address. Jewish existence demands communal with whom to share dinner. organization. The Jewish whole is certainly greater than the sum of its parts. 2 WWW.ORZARUA.ORG JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 Shabbat Shirah Shabbaton with Magevet Jewish, Hebrew, and Israeli a cappella from Yale University Friday and Saturday, February 10 and 11 r Zarua will be celebrating Shabbat Shirah with guest a cappella group Shabbat Shirah Magevet. Magevet, Yale University’s with Magevet student a cappella group, founded Oin 1993, performs a broad repertoire of Friday, February 10 Jewish, Hebrew, and Israeli music. Their song book includes a diverse array of 5:07 pm Minhah/Kabbalat Shabbat pieces covering Renaissance, Yemenite 6:15 pm Shabbat Dinner–RSVP Required dance, modern Israeli pop and a variety of $45 for adults, $25 for children from ages 5 other musical genres.
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