October 2020 ? Volume 80 Review Number 2 ? Tishrei/Cheshvan 5781
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The Koslowe Gallery Fall Virtual Upcoming Author Talk: From Sisterhood to Strength: Exhibit: Re-imagining Jewish The Birth of Israel Sisterhood Fall Programs 4 Spaces 6 9 E WESTCHESTER H T JEWISH CENTER OCTOBER 2020 ? VOLUME 80 REVIEW NUMBER 2 ? TISHREI/CHESHVAN 5781 October Virtual Highlights A Return to the ECC... Thankfully! BY ANN PARDES 1 Torah Class with Rabbi Arnowitz ? 7:30pm 5 Israeli Dancing ? 7:30pm If you?re like me, the environment around you serves as visual cues for the changing 7 Art Gallery Opening (Virtual) ? 7:45pm seasons. The rhythm of weather patterns, and the sights and the smells around me are 8 Torah Class with Rabbi Arnowitz ? 7:30pm all reminders of the time of year. But when I lived in Florida, there were really just two 12 Israeli Dancing ? 7:30pm seasons? hot and hotter. The climate caused me to lose track of time. Likewise, I?ve had 14 Beginners Israeli Dancing ? 7:30pm this same ?time loss? here since mid-March. 15 Torah Class with Rabbi Arnowitz ? 7:30pm In the spring, the days were a blur as we quickly tried to pivot in-person classes to virtual 18 J.O.Y. Club Event ? 3:00pm sessions. As you can imagine, teaching our littlest friends on platforms like Zoom was a Adult Trivia Night ? 7:30pm continual challenge. Many of our staff had to learn an entirely new skill set, which has 19 Israeli Dancing ? 7:30pm been both challenging and exciting. My sincere thanks to our teachers for always trying 21 Beginners Israeli Dancing ? 7:30pm hard to check in with their students, while also providing entertaining and educational Sisterhood Event with opportunities. Cheryl Brause ? 8:00pm 22 Torah Class with Rabbi Arnowitz ? 7:30pm Fast forward to July and August when we made it our goal to safely plan for the return 25 Adult Education Program ? 9:00am of our ECC students for the fall. Usually, this time is spent in a more leisurely way in 26 Israeli Dancing ? 7:30pm thinking about any adjustments to enhance the ECC, but this year was different. 28 Beginners Israeli Dancing ? 7:30pm Countless hours were spent with the COVID-19 Task Force and talking with parents and 29 Torah Class with Rabbi Arnowitz ? 7:30pm WJC administrators about the best way to move forward. We developed various procedures and protocols to ensure the safety for all. We also welcomed Carol Meyers, our new Assistant ECC Director. For the past four years Carol was the Assistant Nursery Youth & Teen Programs School Director at Temple Israel Center where she worked closely with the teachers, 3 No RS staff, and families to create a warm, loving, educational environment. Her leadership and 5 PJ Library & Story Time ? 4:00pm expertise is already making our day-to-day activities run more smoothly. 6 Teens in WJC Sukkah ? 5:00pm By the time you read this, our children and staff will have been back at school learning 18 K-2nd Grade Youth Event ? 12:00pm and playing in our new normal environment. A collection of tents serve as outdoor 25 PJ Library & Story Time ? 11:00am classrooms, and our groups of children learn and play in physically distanced ?pods.? Although we look a bit different by wearing masks and are cautious while interacting, Sukkot Services & More the feeling of welcoming warmth remains core to our values and program. See Page 12 for details 2 Ta'am Sukkot - 5:00pm As the weather gets colder, we will eventually return indoors, where each classroom is 3 Sukkot Day 1 ? 10:00am outfitted with a new HEPA air filter that has been widely recognized for its effectiveness 4 Sukkot Day 2 ? 10:00am against viruses of all kinds. These filters are in addition to new cleaning and disinfecting 5 Sukkot Day 3 ? 10:00am protocols that have been instituted by Facilities Manager Jose Luis Fonseca and his 6 Sukkot Day 4 ? 10:00am dedicated staff. It is our hope that between these additions to our routine cleanings, Teens in the Sukkah ? 5:00pm everyone wearing masks, and social distancing when in and out of ECC that we will be 7 Sukkot Day 5 ? 10:00am able to stay in the building all year! 8 Sukkot Day 6 ? 10:00am 9 Sukkot Day 7 ? 10:00am Now, more than ever, we are grateful to be back as a community, back to the rhythm of 10 Shemini Atzeret - 10:00am life with our WJC family. 11 Simchat Torah - 10:00am 1 www.wjcenter.org October 2020 - The WJC Review THE REVIEW of Expanding Our Boundaries WESTCHESTER JEWISH CENTER RABBI JEFFREY M. ARNOWITZ Published Monthly (except July & August) Westchester Jewish Center One thing that?s been special to us since This year, in fact, I think the sukkah can Mamaroneck, NY 10543 we moved back to the Northeast is the have a different meaning. Going out to 914-698-2960 - wjcenter.org return of ?fall weather? Sukkot. In eat in the sukkah is a symbol of our KATE SCHLIENTZ ALEXANDRA PAISLEY Virginia, you were likely to be schvitzing willingness to face the world despite our Editorial Services Director Communications Assistant in your sukkah, but here in New York, vulnerability. It is our opportunity, as long EVAN J. SCHAPIRO Layout & Design Sukkot often has that bit of chill in the air. as virus rates remain low in our area, to Senior Rabbi JEFFREY ARNOWITZ It does seem counterintuitive that this emerge from our protected cocoons and Assistant Rabbi CORNELIA DALTON would be the time to ?dwell? in outdoor move forward with careful determination. Cantor ETHAN GOLDBERG Rabbi Emeritus JEFFREY T. SEGELMAN temporary, flimsy dwellings, but of course At WJC, we are looking at creative ways Rabbi Emeritus DR. IRVING KOSLOWE z??l there are a variety of explanations as to to host programs in our synagogue Ritual Director Emeritus MAX FRIEDMAN z??l why we follow this practice. sukkah, like BYO meals with one family Executive Director DAVID GOLDSTEIN Educ. Dir. & Cong. Program Coord. ALEZA R. KULP per table and story time for kids. Early Childhood Director ANN PARDES There are historical reasons, including the Librarian ARLENE RATZABI tents the Israelites used while wandering Similarly, if coronavirus rates in our area Building Superintendent JOSE LUIS FONSECA in the desert or the huts used by our remain low, we will begin expanding our OFFICERS ancestors during harvest season in the in-person services. In addition to our President SETH SCHAFLER land of Israel. There is an ethical lens to Shabbat, Yom Tov, and weekday morning Executive Vice President LAURENCE THALER Financial Vice President YALE ZOLAND the practice, reminding ourselves to help services, we plan to begin offering Treasurer MICHAEL LAPIDES people who live in temporary dwellings evening services on weekdays and Asst. Treasurer ROBIN NAZARZADEH all year long. Theologically, the sukkah Kabbalat Shabbat on Fridays. Of course, Financial Secretary JEFFREY TAFFET Asst. Financial Secretary SUSAN MILLER was a reminder that all the good things we will continue to offer these services Administration HAROLD TREIBER we have come from God? moving into a concurrently on Zoom or live stream so Adult Programming LAURA GRILL hut for a week is a good way to that people who are staying home can Children & Families NANCY SHERMAN Communications EVAN J. SCHAPIRO remember how blessed we are the other participate, but this way they will have an Development IAN WINTERS 51 weeks of the year. in-person minyan to join. While starting Spiritual Life LAURENCE THALER these services will involve logistical Synagogue Arms MARK BERGER Tikkun Olam EVE EDELMAN RUSS All of these explanations have a common hurdles, we are committed to it so keep Recording Secretary AMY LEVINE-KENNEDY thread. The sukkah reminds us that we your eyes open for registration Asst. Recording Secretary ALYNN PERL are susceptible to forces beyond our information for these services. Chair of the Board RANDY HELLER control. Most years we work hard to TRUSTEES subdue our environs and bend fate to our We are looking for other ways to expand Ali Abrahms Andre Kaplan Alynn Perl commands; Sukkot is a good reminder our offerings to best serve the needs of Rachel Aronow Jacqui Kaplan Jill Rivel Stewart Ault Danielle Klein Holy Rosen Fink that we cannot control everything. This our community while respecting the Alisa Cohen Barney Richard Krasner Beth Rudich Ilene Bellovin Michael Lapides Seth Schafler year however, the last thing any of us safety challenges of this time. If you have Jonathan Berg Glenna Lee Evan J. Schapiro needs is a reminder of how vulnerable we ideas, please let us know and keep your Mark Berger Amy Levine-Kennedy Nancy Sherman Marisa de Sa Joanna Liebman Andrea Stoltz actually are. That message has been eyes open for new opportunities to be Elise Dowell Mia Mandel Jeffrey Taffet Eve Edelman Russ Susan Miller Steve Taubenfeld received loud and clear. together with your WJC family. Amy Fastenberg Susie Miller Laurence Thaler Alison Gottsegen Ilana Moskowitz Harold Treiber Laura Grill Cheryl Natbony Rob Weisstuch Randy Heller Bill Natbony Ian Winters Howard Husock Robin Nazarzadeh Yale Zoland Lawrence Iason Dina Nelson Saturday, October 3 ? Sukkot Day 1 Presidents, Brotherhood CRAIG RUBIN, STUART SELTZER Sunday, October 4 ? Sukkot Day 2 President, Sisterhood GLENNA LEE The Torah readings for the first two days of Sukkot focus on the Jewish Festival Co-Chairs, Parents Association LAURA GRILL, MIA MANDEL, days and lay out the reasons for each Festival. Among the Festivals described is MARISA DE SA Sukkot, which is a seven-day Festival complete with numerous offerings brought in President, Cemetery Association MILES FEDERMAN the Temple.