Beth Jacob Synagogue February 2021 Voice & Weekly Announcements

How would you design the Beth there is much anecdotal talk about revisiting the Synagogue’s Jacob Community? prayer services with a view towards their modification of some sort. This could be in the nature of alternative services on a reg- I wonder as I chronicle once again ular or periodic basis, or substantive or wholesale changes to where we might be standing vis-à- some services; to even radical transformations, at least amongst vis the Pandemic, whether I’m - communities with many younger members. ting the nick name “Rabbi Pandem- ic”, not unlike a similar moniker that While I know where I would stand were I congregant of Beth I received early on in my rabbinate, “Rabbi Weather.” Jacob, it is up to you, in the first instance at least, to express what it is that you want. Or do not want. But the truth is that Covid 19 has affected what I’m doing here at Beth Jacob and how we interact with each other. So, to disre- Or alternatively to say, I don’t know. I want something, but gard that reality would make any conversation a dream. since I don’t have it, I don’t know how to describe what I’m missing out on. As I write, some of us have gotten the first vaccine; and there are some reasonable prospects that by mid to late Spring, many So, for those in the room who do not already have a spiritual life of us could be at the “95% protection level” -- the gold stand- that they are thrilled with, let me spend the rest of this column ard in this mess. Frankly, other than the achievement of that talking to you. And let me tell you what I would want if I were level of protection, I can’t say whether and to what extent designing my synagogue community from scratch: changes will be mandated. I long for a community that treasures the tradition but is infused But if, and when, that happens, how will we respond? with the electricity and excitement that seemingly, only Hasidic teaching seems to bring to deepen our involvement with God -- As the rabbi of the Synagogue, it is not my job to make health- if we want to. I appreciate Beth Jacob’s history with the Con- related decisions for the Synagogue and its members. That is servative denomination, but I would hate to disregard a desira- your job to decide, and we have committed the decision to your ble ritual or practice from one of the other communities of Jews, leadership. Certainly, I can help guide that decision, and partic- or even from another religion, just because it is not Conserva- ularly the determination of our flexibility even with vaccina- tive . tions (spoiler alert: very flexible). I long to study, pray and struggle with a community of Jewish But a separate question might be in the offing. Do we just want householders, utilizing Jewish spirituality in ways that provide to return where we left off in March 2020 before we went scur- practical guidance for our lives. My overarching aim: awaken- rying into the ZOOM room? For example, has the decision ing a sense within me of God as the Source and Substance of already been made that if and when there is a return to the Syn- Reality. agogue, that the weekly synagogue services will be the same as they were where we left off last March? And it is the God part that is central to my Judaism. Mainstream Judaism proposes a reality which separates God from us. There And even if that had been the default position, must it be so if is a God, and then there is us, or me. Thus, we are left with a we give some thought to the decision? transcendent God, one who is very distant from us beyond an I am unaware of any general trends progressing amongst liberal uncrossable bridge. synagogues (translation: anything other than Orthodox) as to their plans for re-opening, with some liberal synagogues having previously had partial re-openings in the summer and Fall. Yet, Continued On Next Page

Continued From Previous Page YAHRZEIT OBSERVANCE INFORMATION I do not reject that God, but at the same time I am not relegated AND POLICY only to that God. For my God exists within a world in which Yahrzeit is one of the numerous Jewish rituals dealing with the there is no separation between God and Creation. And since I celebration of death. It is the yearly anniversary of a loved one’s (and you) are part of Creation, at least for me, there is no sepa- death, relying on the Hebrew date. Indeed, it is virtually the ration between God and me -- we are One in the same vein that only event in our lives that we honor with the Hebrew, and not we say in the Shema that “God is One.” the secular, date. In another words, God is within me. And you. The day is generally observed at home by lighting a special long Or put another way that might make it easier for you to grasp: -burning candle in memory of the deceased. (These candles are Creation is a manifestation of God. also lit on behalf of loved ones on , , and , each of which includes a Yizkor And to leave the “God world”, I want to consider using any service.) These candles, often packaged inside glass jars, can be or practice that received sanction from a Jewish purchased at Judaica stores and online. Many supermarkets car- community in the past. I certainly do not believe that we should ry them as well. be limited to the ritual aspects that dominated the latter half of the 20th century as many of us were growing up and thinking It is customary to light the yahrzeit candle at sundown on the that this is the way it has always been. It has not. And if we Hebrew anniversary (remember: Jewish days begin at sundown). have had different practices in the past, why wouldn’t we want Traditionally, the candle is lit for the entire period from sun- to consider them again? down on the eve of the yahrzeit to sunset on the day of the yahr- zeit and allow it to burn itself out. But let me make something eminently clear. I am not a Hasidic Jew. I am a liberal Jew who is drawn to the riches that Hasidic In the synagogue, yahrzeit is observed by reciting the Mourner’s teaching has for us without feeling compelled to follow Hasidic at services. Most synagogues maintain a memorial wall practice. Having been raised against the backdrop of Orthodox of plaques bearing the names of deceased members or deceased Judaism, I feel comfortable being informed by tradition, but not loved ones of members. Each year the plaque is illuminated on bound by tradition. the day or week of the deceased’s yahrzeit. And as I reflect on my decision to continue to be your rabbi, I The Conservative Movement has expanded the yahrzeit oppor- would like to know if any of you have a vision of what you tunity to recite the Mourner’s Kaddish from the actual date of would you like your dream Synagogue community to look like? the anniversary, to either the before or Shabbat after the I don’t mean the physical stuff, like the location and size of a anniversary. Beth Jacob has chosen to rely on the Shabbat prior building or its paid staff. But rather, what do you want in a Beth to the anniversary. Jacob community going forward, even with the realities of an As has been Beth Jacob policy, it is the responsibility of the aging congregation factored in. yahrzeit observer to establish a minyan on his/her day of ob- Anybody want to share their thoughts with me on this topic and servance. It is not the responsibility of the Rabbi or synagogue any others that I have raised here, and particularly what you office personnel to take on this task. This policy applies during might like to see if and when Beth Jacob physically re-opens? the pandemic and when we return to in-person services post pandemic. If there is even one person in the Community that wants to have that conversation with me, and in public, I will schedule a (If you have any other questions, particularly about selecting the ZOOM conversation at that person’s convenience, and welcome date to observe your yahrzeit, please contact Rav Julius direct- anyone else who wants to attend. Who knows, you might start ly.) something. Alan Ruditzky And if you want to share your thoughts with me separate from a Co-President Beth Jacob Synagogue community discussion, let me know what works best for you. Or you can say nothing, and leave it all to me to decide …… B’Shalom, Rav Julius

Beth Jacob Synagogue extends their condolences to Norman & Jane Katzoff and Family On the loss of Jane’s mother, Purim is Coming! Sandy Kaplan Coming to Eastern Connecticut: the miracle of Purim! While we are still sorting out the whole picture, the format will once again be on ZOOM, on Thursday night, February 25. As soon as things are confirmed we will release details within the Weekly Announcements. Stay tuned! (how 20th century)

-2- Friday Night/Kabbalat Shabbat BETH JACOB SYNAGOGUE We begin our service at 6:00 pm, of approximately one-hour 400 New London Turnpike Norwich, CT 06360 length. As in the past, all members of the Synagogue will be Phone: 860-886-2459 [email protected] invited with a ZOOM invitation this Friday, and a copy of the www.bethjacob-norwich.org is distributed before, or with, the service. Member Synagogue: Shabbat Morning Services The United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism Although we have reverted to an all-study experience for Shab- Rabbi Julius Rabinowitz bat morning in the near term, a ZOOM invitation will continue Co-Presidents: Alan Ruditzky and Michael Seroussi to be sent to the entire congregation. As has been the case, we begin at 10:00 am and continue until about 11:00-11:30am. Each week with Minutes of Torah, Rav Julius will announce the substance to be studied. Candle Light Times Rav Julius will continue to be the only person in the Synagogue February 2021 chapel, with the rest of you on the ZOOM platform. And any February 5 4:49 pm feedback -- positive or negative, will be warmly welcomed as February 12 4:58 pm we try out new horizons. February 19 5:07 pm February 26 5:16 pm

ZOOM Sessions Ba-rukh atah A-do-nai, e-lo-hay-nu-me-lekh ha-olam, a- All ZOOM sessions sponsored by Beth Jacob will open about sher kid-sha-nu-bemitz-vo-tav ve-tzi-vanu Le-had-lik 15 minutes before the scheduled start. If you need help signing ner shel Shabbat. on, best to Telephone Rav Julius at (914) 380-0532, and better before he begins the ZOOM session. Blessed are you, Lord our God, Sovereign of the Uni- verse, who has sanctified us by Your commandments

and has commanded us to kindle the Shabbat lights.

FEBRUARY 2021 YAHRZEITS

February 1 19 Shevat Irwin Kaplan— February 9 27 Shevat Lester Jaffee — Father of Susan Lorinsky Father of Arlene Dressler Bessie Berkman Rebecca Adelman February 7 25 Shevat Sara Siegal February 2 20 Shevat Janice Brauman—Wife of Ronald February 10 28 Shevat Sylvia Hecht Brauman; Mother of Stacy Gould Max Sears Gabriel Perlman— Frank Sykes Michael Mindel Grandfather of Gabe Stern February 8 26 Shevat Esther Stern Abraham Agranovitch Jacob Goldblatt February 11 29 Shevat Florence Schlossberg Regina Piotrowski Morris Adelman— February 3 21 Shevat Hannah Friedman— Father of Seymour Adelman Robert Hochman Mother of Hazel Brown Samuel Beit Ruth Brown— Mother-in-Law of Hazel Brown Stacie Rochell Kashar— Daughter of Marc Kashar February 4 22 Shevat Beth Jacob Synagogue Michael Slosberg extends their condolences to Julius Deutsch The Bokoff Family Leo Scharfman— Father of Renee Kohanski Steven & Cathy, Marilyn Brody and Barbara Olga Gendler—Mother of Maria Balaban Pourfakhrai, grandchildren Jennifer, Michael, Marc, Herbert Pearson Rachel, Samantha, Hannah and Matthew and February 5 23 Shevat great-grandchild Sonia Sarah Markoff Anita Meyer On the loss of their mother, grandmother, Harold Zierler great grandmother and long time Beth Jacob member February 6 24 Shevat Diana Weiner Esther Bokoff Louis Goldbert — Father of Joe Goldberg and Lois Taylor

-3- February 12 30 Shevat February 23 11 Adar Donations Ruth Goldblatt—Aunt of Michael Harry Pearson We gratefully acknowledge the following contributions to Goldblatt and Ellen DeLeon Gail Piotrowski—Sister of Marc Wolf Beth Jacob Synagogue’s Special Funds. Oscar Pevner February 25 13 Adar Building Fund Dr. Lewis Sears Marcus Engel In Memory of Esther Bokoff David Wilner Mildred Botwick Michael & Harriet Gere Jennie Atkind Joseph Rosenthal Marc & Kathleen Kashar February 14 12Adar Max Sternlieb Dr. Morton Goldberg Abe Cohn Esther Pollock William & Abby Dolliver Dennis Silver— Ada Labb—Mother ol Robert Labb Bart Sayet & Lori Lindfors Brother of Wayne Silver Robert Foster Jon Hendel & Family February 15 3 Adar February 26 14 Adar Marshall & Laurie Shakum Robert Balaban—Husband of Marie Jacob Strom Richard & Toby Wolak Balaban; Father of Jodi Mendlinger Fred Herman Felice Goldman David Bokoff February 27 15 Adar Harry & Barbara Raucher Abraham Piotrowski Arthur Mansky— Irene Schienberg February 16 4 Adar Father of Kay Winakor Eugene & Kay Winakor Zev Goldabeter February 28 15 Adar Glenn & Nancy Gordon Lazar Rabinowitz— Louis Berkowitz Drs. Jeff Hertz & Brenda Koblick Father of Rav Julius Rabinowitz Sara Israelite Joseph & Sara Haroun February 17 5 Adar Julius Berk Alan Ruditzky Annie Kirstein Fred Ruditzky— Stacy Gould Max Sogolow Father of Alan Ruditzky Mr. & Mrs. Martin Shapiro Louis Green Marcia Goldberg— Michael & Rosa Goldblatt Grace Sears Wife of Joe Goldberg February 18 6 Adar Stuart Radin & Carrie Wolfberg Rachel Sears Libby Oberman & Family In Memory of Sondra Radin Louis Sadinsky Mishebeirach Charles Kalnitsky Leslie & Lynn Goldman Morris Gusts Beth Camassar Marvin Curland Stacy Gould Ron Brauman Elizabeth Abraham Billy Maynard Matthew Young Martin & Betsy Mantis Betty Kashar— Dee Keaney Rachel Wynn Habib & Barbara Pourfakhrai Godmother of Marc Kashar Emma Fries Ron Brauman In Memory of my Dear Uncle Irving Sidney Littman— Jenn Rockwell Tiffany Gravel “Issie” Barsky Grandfather of Marc Bokoff Joel Etra Wayne Rosenfield Faye Ringel February 19 7 Adar Joe Haroun In Memory Herbert Epstein Sara Miriam Nelkin Tom & Mindy Pedersen George Gootman In Memory of Bert Cooper Harold Basson Irene Schienberg Leo Winakor— In Memory of Louis Snitkin Father of Dr. Eugene Winakor Francine Gorin February 20 8 Adar In Memory of Louis Taylor Israel Kenig February Gerson & Ina Goldberg Harry Wiehaus Birthdays & Anniversaries In Memory of Sophie Drobiarz Michael & Rosa Goldblatt Joseph Cooper February 21 9 Adar John Sears Isaac Sciammas— Father of Sara Haroun February 22 10 Adar Bessie Lipman Aaron Gorfain Michael Perlman— Uncle of Gabe Stern Ellen Blinderman Celia Fishbone Rose Mandell

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