The CEEBJ Rabbi Dudley Weinberg Memorial Scholar-In-Residence Weekend Featuring Dr
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HONORING TRADITIONS ENGAGING FAMILIES SUPPORTING COMMUNITIES Volume 93, No. 7 • January 2021 • Tevet/Shevat 5781 The CEEBJ Rabbi Dudley Weinberg Memorial Scholar-in-Residence Weekend Featuring Dr. Gary P. Zola, Scholar-in-Residence The American Jewish Experience, February 19-21, 2021 Dr. Gary P. Zola will be joining us as our Scholar- meaning of the American Jewish experience in- Residence for a weekend of exciting presenta - itself. tions, all offered through Zoom and on all of our platforms. Rabbi Gary P. Zola, Ph.D. is the On Saturday, February 20, join CEEBJ’s Shabbat Executive Director of the Jacob Rader Marcus Morning Study Minyan beginning with the serv - Center of the American Jewish Archives, and he is ice at 9:00 am. Dr. Zola will be our guest teacher the Edward M. Ackerman Family Distinguished as we continue to study Song of Songs. He will Professor of the American Jewish Experience and offer What an American Hebraist Can Teach Us Reform Jewish History of the Hebrew Union About Song of Songs: Reflections on Gershon College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Cincinnati, Rosenzweig (1861-1914). Ohio. Following the Shabbat Morning Study Minyan, Dr. Zola’s formal presentation will be, Fascinating At our Kabbalat Shabbat Eve service on Friday, Dr. Gary P. Zola, Ph.D. February 19, at 7:00 pm (note special start time), Dr. Documents from the American Jewish Zola’s topic will be Profiles in American Jewish Courage. The Archives beginning at 11:15 am. The Jacob Rader Marcus unfolding legacy of any North American congregation, organiza - Center of the American Jewish Archives (AJA) is the world’s tion, or association, offers the opportunity to reflect on the largest catalogued collection of documentary evidence on the meaning of historical milestones and significant anniversaries. history of North American Jewry. It is an archive composed of more than 20 million individual records. Dr. Zola will show us Dr. Zola will illustrate how the American Jewish past invariably a few of the AJA’s most fascinating and historically significant shapes our contemporary circumstances. He will focus on the documents and explain why. biographies of three little known but genuinely fascinating American Jews. These “case studies” constitute genuine exam - Finallay, on Sunday, February 21, at 12:30 pm Dr. Zola will dis - ples of American Jewish courage. Dr. Zola will transform these cuss American Exceptionalism: Past, Present and Future. As biographies into an inspiring lesson that sheds light not only he offers a deeper examination of the historical significance of on the significance of local Jewish history but also on the lofty the American Jewish experience. Hanukkah Happening, December 10 Hanukkah Middle Eastern Dinner & Drive-Thru and Hanukkiyah Lighting We had over 100 Trier, Gary Kavalar folks drive through and Linda Gale on our first night of Sampson for their Hanukkah. help in packing Everyone received bags, frying latkes a holiday bag with and distributing all candles, gelt and a the goodies. dreidel (compliments of Women of Thanks to Susan Cosden for the Special thanks to our staff Michael Emanu-El), latkes with applesauce and Hanukkah playlist that was playing Saldana and Bob Spangenberg for creat - sour cream and sufganiot. Over 70 fami - throughout the event. Thank you to ing our candles. And thanks to clergy and lies ordered meals from Falafel Guys - the Becca, Chris, Adelyne and Ian O’Connor, staff Rabbi Berkson, Cantor Barash, dinners were delicious. Romemu bags, Cindy Rasansky, Beth Rapaport, Sherry Andrew Appel, Tiffani Zahradnick, Ardyth Hanukkah Family Fun Program materials Malmon, Jody Lansing, Linda Bader, Majewski, Tony Quartana and Cheryl and PJ Library bags were also distributed. Nancy Sandler, Edie Pump, Jean Otto for their support and assistance. Many stayed for our outdoor candle Lauterbach, Jen Winterfield, Tamar Kelber, lighting followed by Hanukkah songs. Andrea Goetzinger, Lois Brazner, Carol Reenie Kavalar what awaited when I returned back home From Rabbi as 2019 became 2020. And so many have From Rabbi Marc lost so much loss during these many Jessica months of the pandemic. Now, as I pre - Barolsky Berkson pare to undertake the second part of my sabbatical, we read of Joseph near the end Looking Back, Eighteen months ago, of Bereshit, near the end of Genesis. No Looking Ahead nearing the end of matter how many times he was put into VaYikra, the end of the the darkness of one pit after another, Remember when we book of Leviticus, I took Joseph could find light. And the days of used to hug people we God’s command to Moses to talk to the Hanukkah now ended also offered light in love when we saw them after some time children of Israel and tell them about the the midst of the darkness around us. May had gone by? Remember when we saw shemita and the yovel as my springboard we continue to see flashes of light and people, in person? As we all know, connect - to talk about sabbatical. Both shemita and hope as the days grow longer and as more ing is hard in our Covid-19 world. At the yovel are tied in to the notion of Shabbat, of us receive the vaccine. And we when same time though, we have gained so much. of the Sabbath, and of that magic number come back together again, may we find of seven. Torah teaches us of this, our most light all around us. Whether we wanted to be or not, most of important day, the only special day men - us are more technologically proficient than tioned right at the beginning, in the story of You will be in good hands in my absence. we were nine months ago. Some may be creation, and the only special day men - Our Cantor and our Executive Director and attending more classes, social activities, and tioned in aseret ha-dibrot, in the Ten our Director of Lifelong Learning will con - entertainment events virtually than we ever Utterances, in the Ten Commandments. tinue to be with all of us in these months to could in person. Many of us have a new Shabbat is mentioned first in the listing of come, sharing professional leadership once appreciation, or an enhanced apprecia - our festive days to remind us that, even on more with Rabbi Jessica Barolsky. Rabbi tion, for nature: a place to be alone when festivals, Shabbat comes first. For Shabbat Barolsky and her entire family so much a we need a break from the constant togeth - reminds us that whatever it is we may do, part of our congregation and our thanks erness of home; a place to be with others we are defined by who we are, by being once more to Michael and Yael and Noah more safely, when we need a change from children of the Eternal One. That was one for sharing her with us. Our wonderful the constant aloneness of home. We have of our gifts to the world. staff—M’Johno Foster, Ardyth Majewski, new ways of connecting with far away Tiffani Zahradnick, Rick Fox, Bob family and friends, even if we have lived far Yet more. For shemita is the sabbatical year Spangenberg, Cheryl Otto, Debbie from them for many years already. We and the yovel, the Jubilee year. Just as we Schuette, Michael Saldona, and Paula Fine- have a deep appreciation for what we rest on the seventh day, so the land rests -will ably carry on and Toni Quartana, who have: our hobbies, our bodies, our sources every seventh (or shemitah) year. Then, just many of you know really makes possible of entertainment. Our homes are, hopeful - as we count seven weeks of seven days what I do, will continue to make everything ly, a space of comfort and safety, and we between Pesach and Shavuot preparing to possible for Rabbi Barolsky and Cantor appreciate that more as we draw further receive Torah, so do we count seven times Barash. And our amazing volunteers, who within them. seven years ending then on the fiftieth year- have helped carry us through these months -the yovel. These notions of people at rest of pandemic, will continue to give so much So many of our blessings in Judaism are and the land at rest are very understand - of themselves for all of us. prayers of gratitude, and this strange time able when we come to see that, just like us, has reminded us to be so grateful for the land truly belongs not to other human Finally, know how much Jewish life and what we have, for who we have around beings but to God; that, in fact, whatever learning will continue. My colleague and us, physically, emotionally, and techno - we think we own we do not own; that we friend, Rabbi Gary Zola, will be with us as logically. As we look to the new secular hold it all in a trust for its true owner, for our Rabbi Dudley Weinberg Scholar-in- year, let’s remember that as we think God. The verses are all about restoration Residence the weekend of February 19, 20, about what we want to change about and justice. and 21. A gifted scholar and speaker and ourselves, as we consider how the year rabbi, Dr. Zola will be looking at our ahead can be better than the year that is Even the word “sabbatical” reflects its ori - American Jewish experience—and the story ending, we should also reflect on all the gins in the Sabbath. You kindly allowed which has long informed it. You can find things we want to continue. May we me the first part of my sabbatical the sec - out more about the weekend on the front continue to appreciate the people we ond half of 2019.