The Bulletin Riverdale Temple y:y} μve lL;hum] /abom] d[' vm,v, jræz]Mimi

From the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof, the name of the Eternal One is to be praised.

Worship Services (also see calendar on p. 2) Vol. 72 January 2019 (5779) No. 5 Fridays Jan. 4 5:00 p.m. Tot Shabbat Service The Rabbi’s Column 7:00 p.m. Shabbat Evening Service Jan. 11 7:00 p.m. Ruach Shabbat Service Last month, my mother gave me a gift of two tickets to see Fidler Afn Dakh, Jan. 18 6:00 p.m. Service for A Sense of the Yiddish production of Fiddler on the Roof. It was a good production in Riverdale many ways. One of the great things about it was that, given how familiar I Jan. 25 7:00 p.m. Shabbat Evening Service am with the show, the random Yiddish words I know, and the supertitles in English, it made me feel that I really understood the language. Another great Saturdays thing was how the show immersed the viewer in Yiddishkeit, in Jewishness. Jan. 5 10:30 a.m. Shabbat Morning Service The authors of the show were afraid to put in anything with which the Jan. 12 10:30 a.m. Shabbat Morning Service majority, non-Jewish population might not be familiar. So a talis became Jan. 19 10:30 a.m. Shabbat Morning Service a “prayer shawl,” and a chuppah became a “wedding canopy.” In the Jan. 26 10:30 a.m. Shabbat Morning Service Yiddish production, of course, the real words were used. In just one of the many ways the show was filled with Jewishness, when an actor entered an (invisible) room on the setless stage, he or she would mime reaching up to touch and kiss a mezuzah. No explanation was given, and, for the almost exclusively Jewish audience, none was necessary. I love to see these very Jewish depictions of a vanished world. I think many of us do, although I don’t think any of us would want to live like Tevye and his family. We could approximate that life by joining the Chasidic world in Borough Park or New Square, but I wouldn’t recommend it. Some forms of Judaism take minhagim, Jewish customs and, well, tradition, and make them as important as halakhah, Jewish law. Take, for example, the kippah, or, as Tevye would have said, the yarmulke. There is evidence in the Talmud that some men covered their heads, although there is also evidence that it was not a universal custom. A thousand years later, in the great Jewish law code, the Shulchan Arukh, Joseph Caro states that it is a custom for men to cover their heads, but that he can find no biblical or rabbinic source for this tradition. Today, in some communities, men must not only wear a kippah, but they also must cover the kippah with a black fedora. They would no more go out without the black fedora than they would eat a ham and cheese sandwich. Custom has become law. On the other hand (as Tevye would say), there is something important about Jewish traditions. They add a Jewish flavor to the nutritious broth of our religion. One hundred years ago, many Reform synagogues tried to have the broth without the particular Jewish flavor. Rabbis were called ministers, synagogues were called temples, and nonessential customs such as the wearing of talis and yarmulke were discouraged, if not forbidden. Even Service begins at 6:00 p.m. See p. 11 for details. direct commandments from the Torah, like eating kosher, were rejected as being outdated and separate from the essential core of ethical monotheism. continued on p. 3 1 Riverdale Temple Bulletin January 5 26 19 12

Saturday 20th of Sh’vat 5779 Parashat Yitro 10:30 am Shabbat Morning Service with discussion Torah Extended Kiddush after service 13th of Sh’vat 5779 Parashat Beschalach 10:30 am Shabbat Morning Service with discussion Torah Extended Kiddush after service, followed by Chavurah study group 6th of Sh’vat 5779 Parashat Bo 10:30 am Shabbat Morning Service with discussion Torah Extended Kiddush service after 28th of Tevet 5779 28th of Tevet Parashat Vaera 10:30 am Shabbat with Morning Service discussion Torah Kiddush after Extended service 4 11 25 18 Friday 19th of Sh’vat 5779 7:00 pm Shabbat Evening Service 12th of Sh’vat 5779 5:30 pm Special Sense of A Event: Riverdale 6:00 pm Shabbat Service 5th of Sh’vat 5779 7:00 pm Ruach Shabbat Service, with Installation of New Board Members and Officers 27th of Tevet 5779 27th of Tevet Shabbat Tot 5:00 pm 7:00 pm Shabbat Evening Service 3 31 24 17 10 25th of Sh’vat 5779 18th of Sh’vat 5779 11th of Sh’vat 5779 of Sh’vat 11th 7:30 pm Board of Meeting Trustees 4th of Sh’vat 5779 7:30 pm Executive Committee Meeting 26th of Tevet 5779 26th of Tevet Thursday Thursday 9 2 30 23 16 24th of Sh’vat 5779 Noon Lunch and Learn with Rabbi Gardner 7:30 pm Introduction to the New Machzor Sharett- with Cantor Singer 17th of Sh’vat 5779 Noon Lunch and Learn with Rabbi Gardner 7:30 pm Introduction to the New Machzor Sharett- with Cantor Singer 10th of Sh’vat 5779 Noon Lunch and Learn with Rabbi Gardner 7:30 pm Introduction to the New Machzor Sharett- with Cantor Singer 3rd of Sh’vat 5779 of Sh’vat 3rd Noon Lunch and Learn with Rabbi Gardner 7:00 pm WRJ meeting 25th of Tevet 5779 25th of Tevet and Noon Lunch Rabbi Learn with Gardner Wednesday 8 1 29 15 23rd of Sh’vat 5779 23rd 4:00 pm Simcha Learning Center 6:00 pm History and Meaning of Reform Judaism with Rabbi Gardner 7:30 pm Liturgical with Cantor Hebrew Sharett-Singer 16th of Sh’vat 5779 4:00 pm Simcha Learning Center 6:00 pm History and Meaning of Reform Judaism with Rabbi Gardner 7:30 pm Liturgical with Cantor Hebrew 22 Sharett-Singer 9th of Sh’vat 5779 4:00 pm Simcha Learning Center 6:00 pm History and Meaning of Reform Judaism with Rabbi Gardner 7:30 pm Liturgical with Cantor Hebrew Sharett-Singer 2nd of Sh’vat 5779 4:00 pm Simcha Learning Center 7:00 pm Women’s Alliance March session 7:30 pm Liturgical with Cantor Hebrew Sharett-Singer No Hebrew School No Hebrew 24th of Tevet 5779 24th of Tevet Day New Year’s Building closed Tuesday 7 28 21 14 Monday 22nd of Sh’vat 5779 15th of Sh’vat 5779 Building closed for King Martin Luther Day Jr. 8th of Sh’vat 5779 1st of Sh’vat 5779 6 27 20 13 Sunday 21st of Sh’vat 5779 Choir 9:00 am Jr. 9:30 am Simcha Learning Center am KRMH 11:30 delivery grocery 14th of Sh’vat 5779 Choir 9:00 am Jr. 9:30 am Simcha Learning Center 7th of Sh’vat 5779 Choir 9:00 am Jr. 9:30 am Simcha Learning Center 29th of Tevet 5779 29th of Tevet Choir 9:00 am Jr. 9:30 am Simcha Learning Center 10:30 am Social Action meeting

These Reform Jews prided themselves on their rationality, on their and they also borrow from us. How great is it that you can hear modernity, and on their commitment to truth. But religion needs a Shlomo Carlebach tune in a Reform synagogue and a Debbie more than rationality. The soup was nutritious but bland. There Friedman tune in an Orthodox synagogue? was hardly a difference between ethical monotheism and theism. In Judaism does change over the years, although the central message the 1970s, Reform Judaism began to add a little more Yiddishkeit. remains much the same. But the flavor of Judaism changes with The talit and the kippah came back, at least in the synagogue. Even society, and that is a good thing. The flavor that makes Judaism Reform Jews have a mezuzah and a ketubah these days, and we delicious is what keeps us drinking that nutritious broth. As Reform sing and pray out loud in the synagogue. We have even let a little Jews we perhaps have a little more of the modern in our Jewish nonrationality creep back into our houses of worship, which we now flavor, but with Tevye and Golde and the rest of the cast, we can call temple, synagogue, or even shul interchangeably. sing “Tradition” without embarrassment. Our tradition may include Jewish flavor is important, even if there is not just one Jewish lighting candles in the synagogue, while theirs did not. Ours may flavor. We would be astonished to learn the customs of Jews in include driving to the synagogue, bat mitzvahs, and big Chanukah 9th-century Baghdad, or even 21st-century Baghdad. So would celebrations. These traditions are new(ish), but they are ours, and Tevye. Reform Judaism today has its own flavor, and it is a pretty they help us keep our balance, just as Tevye’s traditions did for him. good one. We borrow from our Eastern European traditions, from May 2019 be a good year for all of us! Chasidic Judaism, and from Orthodox and Conservative Judaism, —Rabbi Tom Gardner

The Cantor’s Column Reaching Our Mid-Point to Restarting There are so many opportunities to help strengthen our Riverdale Shalom Chaveirim, Temple community, whether it is joining a committee, helping with an event at the temple, joining the Women (or Men) of As we enter the new calendar year of 2019, it is important that Reform Judaism, or donating to the temple. Isaiah 55:11 tells us: we “check in” with ourselves, checking on the “Therefore the redeemed of things that we have changed and the things that the Lord shall return, and we still want to change. This is more popularly come with singing to Zion; known as a New Year’s resolution. and everlasting joy shall be upon their head; they shall In our Jewish tradition, we do spiritual soul- INSTALLING OUR NEW BOARD MEMBERS AND OFFICERS ! obtain gladness and joy; and searching at the High Holidays. We pray together JANUARY 11 7:00 PM sorrow and mourning shall as a community as we ask Gd’s forgiveness flee away.” through public confessions of our sins. Similarly, we think of how to become a better person during May we have a happy and the secular New Year. These resolutions are not healthy 2019, and may we recited communally, but they are also important. grow stronger as a happy and healthy holy community One may look at this time of year as a mid-point, of Riverdale Temple. checking in on the introspective confessions of our High Holidays. We can use the secular year as an I look forward to cele- brating our special Ruach opportunity to check in with ourselves and become SING, PRAY, DANCE ! better people, as individuals and as a community. Shabbat together on January AN ENERGETIC & MUSICAL SERVICE WITH OUR BAND 11 at 7:00 p.m., when we Let us take this opportunity to be better and will also bless our new board do better—to help others, to let go of our anger, members and officers. to work toward coming together as a holy —Cantor Inbal Sharett- community, and to help to repair the world. Singer

OPEN HEARTS . OPEN MINDS WWW.RIVERDALETEMPLE.ORG The P718-548-3800resident’s Column FIND US ON It is not always the case that the more things change, the more they the youngsters who attend. The classes fill up early, and there is stay the same. As a longtime member of the Executive Committee a waiting list of families hoping to gain admission for their little and the Board of Trustees of Riverdale Temple, I can recall many a ones. The children have a world of fun but also learn important discussion not so long ago about the viability of running a nursery lessons about life, nature, the arts, holidays, seasons, and so much school here and almost as many moans about the lack of numbers more. There is real electricity in the air when nursery school is in and of energy in our religious school. But things have changed, session, and families and temple congregants are often invited to and nothing has stayed the same! This just goes to show that good observe this at holiday parties, book fairs, and other special events. leadership can make all the difference, and we have indeed been Just read Linda Herman’s column in this bulletin every month, and fortunate to appoint two school leaders who have brought new life you will sense the joy that emerges from her reports. Linda and her to our schools. dedicated and talented teachers have also equipped and decorated The first of these two to arrive at Riverdale Temple was Linda the rooms and walls so that they look better than ever. One more Herman. With her experience, enthusiasm, and warmth, she has initiative that Linda undertook a year or so ago was to run a summer turned our nursery school into an outstanding wonderland for camp for young children, and this was also a huge success. Here, 3 Riverdale Temple Bulletin too, families are already asking about the 2019 season in hopes of thrive and prosper as they dedicate themselves to a Jewish life. sending their children to our camp. THANK YOU, LINDA! THANK YOU, JUDY! Our second school leader to come to Riverdale Temple was Judy Let’s face it—our future lies in the success and determination Weinberg, our education and engagement specialist, who renamed of our children. They may be noisy, run around the sanctuary like our religious school the Simcha Learning Center. The enrollment track and field stars, and attack the dessert table as if they hadn’t in the SLC has gone up dramatically since Judy arrived, and she eaten in days, but they are adorable and our pride and joy. Seeing and her teaching staff have been providing our youngsters with more and more of them, with their families, at Ruach Shabbat a fabulous education in all the important subject matter within a and other special services, on holidays, and during school events Jewish education. The SLC curriculum is demanding but enjoyable, makes me think that Riverdale Temple will continue to grow and as anyone visiting on a Sunday morning will observe in the happy, to be a sanctuary, a haven, an institution of learning, a place to smiling faces and excited voices of the children. With her vast spend time with friends and family, a place to thank Gd for life and experience in Jewish education, Judy has found meaningful ways health for many years to come. This I pray for as I wish all of you to connect the school with the temple as a whole, and her boundless a happy, healthy, and successful new secular year. dedication to our students is palpable. She is present for important —L. Michael Griffel, Co-President events such as the bar and bat mitzvah celebrations of our SLC families, Simchat Torah, and Purim, rooting for our children to

Family Friendly Shabbat Service & Pizza! Friday, January 4

5:00–5:30 p.m. Tot Shabbat, Sanctuary Partake in a spirited Shabbat service led by our clergy. 5:30-6:00 p.m. Pizza & Art, Lobby

OPEN HEARTS . OPEN MINDS WWW.RIVERDALETEMPLE.ORG RIVERDALE TEMPLE 718-548-3800 4545 Independence Avenue Bronx, NY 10471 FIND US ON Simcha Learning Center Last month at the SLC was truly a month of light and joy. The of “Jewpardy.” Parents were eager to participate and join in the synagogue was bustling with activities, starting with a school- fun. On the Friday of Chanukah, the sanctuary was bustling, with wide Chanukah Bake-off. Each child rolled out dough and made more than 150 people of all ages, to celebrate the holiday as a cookies in the shape of dreidels and menorahs while decorating community, light dozens of menorahs, enjoy hearing the Junior them with sprinkles of many colors. While the cookies were Choir, and eating donuts, of course. We concluded the busy holiday baking, the children were busy with arts and crafts: making mosaic on the last day of Chanukah with an amazing juggler, who ended dreidels, “glass window” decorations, and festive Chanukah place his show with a Chanukah juggling act and candle lighting. mats. For each day of Chanukah while school was in session, the We certainly juggled a lot over the month, and a good time was kids came together for a schoolwide candle lighting and singing had by all! with the clergy. On the Tuesday of Chanukah, more than a dozen parents joined the school to light candles and for a Chanukah game —Judy Weinberg, Education and Engagement Specialist

4 Riverdale Temple Bulletin Bulletin Board January A Sense of Riverdale: Honoring Dr. Martin Lunch and Learn with Rabbi Gardner Jan. 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 Luther King Jr.’s Legacy Jan. 18 Social Action Meeting Jan. 6 KRMH Grocery Delivery Jan. 27 Liturgical Hebrew with Cantor Sharett-Singer Jan. 8, 15, 22, 29 Upcoming in February Installation of New Board Members, Officers Jan. 11 Introduction to the New Machzor History and Meaning of Judaism with with Cantor Sharett-Singer Feb. 6. 13. 20, 27 Rabbi Gardner Jan. 15, 22, 29 Lunch and Learn with Rabbi Gardner Feb. 6, 13, 20, 27 Introduction to the New Machzor Commenting on the Bible with Rabbi Gardner Feb. 19, 26 with Cantor Sharett-Singer Jan. 16, 23, 30 Dates subject to change. Check www.riverdaletemple.org for updates.

Visit our redesigned website at www.riverdaletemple.org. Copy for the next issue of the Bulletin is due by Join Us on Facebook! January 15. You can email it directly to Did you know that Riverdale Temple has a Facebook page? [email protected] Find us by searching for “Riverdale Temple Bronx, NY” on (put “Bulletin” in subject line). Facebook and join this page by clicking on “like.” This is a space where we can exchange ideas, blog, discuss events, share photos, etc., and strengthen our bonds as a community. Join and make our numbers grow. Congratulations! To Send a Contribution to Riverdale Temple Lucy Kassel, Sherry and Carol Kassel, on Send your donation to Riverdale Temple, 4545 Independence daughter Lucy becoming a Bat Mitzvah Avenue, Bronx, NY 10471. Please make your check payable to Riverdale Temple. Give the name/category/event to which your donation applies. We now accept payment by credit card; call the office (718-548-3800, ext. 0) or go to www.riverdaletemple.org. You can support Riverdale Temple by buying a mug with our logo for just $10. Riverdale Temple Rabbi 4 Riverdale Temple House Committee Telephone Extensions Cantor 5 Simcha Learning Our mission is to ensure that the building and grounds of our (718-548-3800) Center 6 synagogue best respond to the spiritual, educational, cultural, Temple Office 0 or 1 Emergencies 7 and social needs and activities of our congregation. We are Bookkeeper 2 General Information 8 concerned about safety, cleanliness, comfort, and appearance Nursery School 3 Other 9 and maximizing the functionality of our facilities. The committee works closely with the maintenance staff to ensure that the facilities are well managed and meet the needs of our community efficiently and economically. The committee benefits from members with varied experience in facilities Registry of Holocaust Survivors management, engineering, construction, and related fields. If you are a Holocaust survivor or a family member Please volunteer to serve on this committee by writing to [email protected] or [email protected] of a survivor, you can register to be included in the Benjamin and Vladka Meed Registry of Holocaust Survivors, at the United States Holocaust Memorial Riverdale Temple is now part of the organics/ Museum in Washington, D.C. For more information compost pilot program in the Bronx. We can and to download the Survivors’ Registry Form, go to now recycle our food scraps. Please observe the ushmm.org/resourcecenter and click on Holocaust different signs on the garbage receptacles and Survivors and Victims Resource Center to complete put throwaways in the proper container. We are the form. Contact information: Holocaust Survivors pioneers in a wonderful program—please join the and Victims Resource Center, United States Holocaust effort in caring for our environment. Thank you! Memorial Museum, 100 Raoul Wallenberg Place, SW, Washington, DC 20024–2126; tel: 202-488-6112; fax: 202- If you need transportation to and/or from services at the temple, please call the office at 718-548- 314-7820; email: [email protected]. 3800, ext. 0 or 1, to make arrangements.

The Bulletin: Vol. 72, No. 5, January 2019. The Bulletin is published monthly by Riverdale Temple, 4545 Independence Avenue, Bronx, NY 10471, 10 times a year, September through June. The Riverdale Temple logo on p. 1 was designed by Alix Brandwein. This publication is intended for members of Riverdale Temple. Any other use or publication in whole or in part without Riverdale Temple’s prior consent is prohibited.

5 Riverdale Temple Bulletin Nursery School News

It is so hard to believe that we are starting children watch cardinals, blue jays, and finches come and visit a new year—2018 went by so quickly!! their classroom. One classroom has squirrels visiting!!! Each day is a true joy at Riverdale Temple Tours Nursery School! The Riverdale Temple Nursery School Community is truly warm We have been doing tours for the 2019–2020 school year. We and caring and thoughtful!!! have had so much interest in our school that we are adding a new Two-Year-Old class next year. We have only a few spots left in I hope you have all met our new security person, Richard Bravato. our classes for Three-Year-Olds. If you have friends who are It has been wonderful having him at the front door each day, interested, please tell them to call the school at 718-796-0335 or making sure that the children and teachers are safe. email [email protected]. Please come and visit our school. Children at Riverdale Temple Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Nursery School are experimenting, making new friends, thinking out of the box, making mistakes, and learning from them. Play is On January 18, the children at Riverdale Temple Nursery School their most important work. The children have wonderful ideas, will have a sing celebrating the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and it is our job as educators to celebrate their ideas and encourage It will be led by our wonderful music teacher, Shara Yolkut, in the them to feel safe to share them. ballroom, at 10:00 a.m. All are welcome to come and sing with us! This year we are working on collaborating more as a school. We Mommy and Me Class are doing projects together and sharing ideas more. If we want our We have been so fortunate to have Cristin Messinger lead a children to be collaborative and grow from each other, it is our job Mommy and Me Class every Friday. It is from 9:15 to 10:15 a.m. to model that behavior for them. Teachers have been cooking and Each class is $10. All are welcome!! They are held in Room 301. doing projects together. If you are around on a Friday, go and look in the classroom. It is We also had Jewish enrichment and soccer in the after-school so wonderful to see families and toddlers and babies playing and program. Both classes were wonderfully successful. We hope to working together. be adding science and chess. School Closings We had a wonderful Holiday Sing on December 21. The children Jan. 1: School closed; reopens Jan. 2 decorated the stage with snowmen, menorahs, Christmas trees, and snowflakes. Each class sang two songs on stage. It takes Jan. 21: Martin Luther King Jr. Day such courage to go on stage and sing in front of a large audience. Just a lovely quote…“The moment you doubt whether you can The children were amazing. Then, of course, we ate latkes, jelly fly, you cease forever to be able to do it.” From Peter Pan, J. M. donuts, bagels, and cake!! It was an amazing celebration! Barrie It is so wonderful to be in Riverdale, where there are many species —Linda Herman, Director of birds. Many of the classrooms have bird feeders, and the

Women of Reform Judaism (Sisterhood)

Welcome 2019! It may be cold outside—but nothing is going to in part because of their comments about Israel. Our group is the stop the WRJ. WRJ sponsored a Spa Day on December 9 and the Women’s March Alliance, and we organized the original march in return of the knitting circle on December 16 and December 30. A January 2016 and then again in 2017. We decided to change our big shout-out to Jean Daniels, Rachel Radna, and Susan Birnbaum name in order to avoid a court fight over our copyrighted label, and for all of their help. We will be hosting another Spa Day in the we split from them and organized as a 501c3 (nonprofit). You can spring. Helen Krim has been very busy working with the League check us out on womensmarchalliance.org. of Women Voters with coordinating a workshop on how to register This link is also helpful: www.amny.com/news/womens-march- voters. We are also looking forward to participating with the nyc-1.23049125. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate Women’s March Alliance for the New York March on January 19. to contact WRJ or Helen Krim directly. More details will be forthcoming. The Women’s March Alliance should not be confused with the Women’s March, Inc. Yes, it’s Our next meeting is Wednesday, January 9, at 7:00 p.m. in the confusing. Helen Krim explained it as follows: West Lounge. Come one come all. We are looking forward to a lively discussion! The Women’s March is not the march that we are participating in, —Joanne Heyman, President

–Photos by Joanne Heyman

6 Riverdale Temple Bulletin We are getting ready to participate in the The Women’s March Alliance Women’s March Alliance on January 19, is not to be confused with the 2019. Women’s March! See p. 6.

We will be doing a training session on how to register voters at the Women’s March Alliance on Tuesday, January 8, at 7:00 p.m. in the ballroom. Anyone interested is welcome to join and bring your friends! Questions? Reach out to us at [email protected]. Hope to see you there!

From the Ruach Shabbat on December 7, left: band members preparing for the service; right: Rabbi Gardner holding up Rachel Radna’s “menorah” challah for the oneg.

Men of Reform Judaism (Men’s Club) The column will resume next month. L’shalom, —Steve Rosenfeld, President

Social Action

THANK YOU: To everyone who donated a warm coat or jacket 1. Please go through your closets and see what items you want to for NY Cares in December. Your kindness helps people in need donate for Big Brothers Big Sisters Clothing Drive (all seasons for to have protection against the cold during these winter months. men, women, boys, and girls, including shoes, bags). Special thanks to Phil and Fanta Clarke for taking the coat 2. Collect travel-size soaps, mouthwash, toothpaste, toothbrushes, donations to the 50th Precinct. and tissue packs to help us make grooming kits for the Midnight KRMH Food & Hunger Project: Please continue to donate warm Run and Zicklin Hospice. cereals, soups, protein, fruits, vegetables, rice, etc., for the Pantry. 3. If you can help with planning for Mitzvah Day, please contact With the winter weather, people need these basics to stay healthy Joanne Heyman, Cristin Timoney Messinger, Phil Clarke, or and warm. The next date for bringing Riverdale Temple donations David Greenfield. to the Pantry is January 27, 2019. Since the event takes place in March, we will need additional help, NEXT SOCIAL ACTION MEETING: Sunday, January 6, from since some of our participants will still be in Florida and other 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. in the conference room. warm places. Please come and participate. A major focus will be on work of the More information next month regarding ways to prepare for Mitzvah Day subcommittee. Mitzvah Day 2019 (March 31). While you are indoors more during the winter months: —Frances Segan, Ph.D., Chair, Social Action Committee

7 Riverdale Temple Bulletin Adult Education

All of Rabbi Gardner’s courses are free. No p.m.: January 16, 23, 30; February 6, 13, 20, 27; March 6, 13, 27; registration is required for them. April 3. Study with Rabbi Gardner To register, email: [email protected] Lunch and Learn with Rabbi Gardner, Wednesdays Liturgical Hebrew Class from noon to 1:00 p.m. This class continues for the month of January each Tuesday from History and Meaning of Reform Judaism Note: There has been 7:30 to 9:00 p.m. The dates are January 8, 15, 22, and 29. There is a change in schedule for this class. It will be extended into the a charge for these classes. New Year and end on Tuesday, January 29, 2019. —Dr. Yvette Marrin, Chair, Adult Education Committee Commenting on the Bible with Rabbi Gardner, Tuesdays at 6:00 p.m. This course will be offered starting in February. It will meet The Chavurah will meet on January 19, following the Shabbat Tuesdays at 6:00 p.m.: February 19, 26; March 5, 12, 19, 26; service and communal lunch. The Torah reading for that day is April 2, 9,16, 23; May 7. The course is free, and registration is Beshalach, which tells the story of the parting of the Sea of Reeds not required. and the Israelites’ escape to freedom, when the Eternal One led us Commentary on the Torah Reading takes place during Shabbat out of Egypt with an outstretched arm. Full of drama and cinematic morning services. Each Shabbat, Rabbi Gardner leads a lively detail, this portion contains a ruler who cannot make up his mind discussion during morning services on a key aspect of the parasha and a people who turn from celebration to whining with unseemly of the week. rapidity. Join us as we read the Torah, discuss, and question its stories, laugh, and argue. Study with Cantor Sharett-Singer —Dr. Ronna Weber Introduction to the New High Holy Day Machzor—Mishkan Hanefesh. The course meets on Wednesdays from 7:30 to 9:00

Go to: https://urj.org for more information.

MITZVAH DAY MARCH 31, 2019

8 Riverdale Temple Bulletin Contributions The following funds are represented in the entries below: Bible and Prayer Book Fund, Jean P. and Francis J. Bloustein Camp Scholarship Fund, Cantor’s Special Fund, Decorating Fund, Jacob-Fogel Program Fund, Rabbi Stephen D. Franklin Music Fund, General Fund, Dorothy and Joseph Kay Prayer Book Fund, Leon and Beatrice Bereano Pulpit Flowers Fund, Rabbi’s Special Fund, Religious School and Nursery School Parents Associations, Soviet Émigré Fund, Charles Tenenbaum Fund, Torah Repair Fund, Youth Activities Fund.

Donor In Honor Donor In Memory Shelley Ast Barbara Ferber and Ronna Weber, for Michael Friedman William Friedman their extraordinary friendship Michael Gefter David Gefter Rabbi Gardner, for giving her an aliyah and Bench Gomel on Parashat L. Michael and Margaret Giza Hirsch, beloved grandmother Vayigash Shabbat Ross Griffel of Margaret Ross Griffel Cantor Sharett-Singer, for her Dorothy Kay Ruth Kay blessings, her caring, and her loving Sandra Spector support Robert and Toby Abraham Kleinberg Jean Daniels Cantor Sharett-Singer, in appreciation Kleinberg Charles and Lisa Feitel Riverdale Temple Joyce Liskin Estelle Lasky, beloved mother Sylvia Gottlieb For the Dinowitz family aliyah Helene G. Lewis, Sol and Ethel Liebowitz Eric and Sheryl Lewis, Beloved parents Joseph and Ida Baron Inge Hershkowitz Rabbi Gardner’s study group Hilary Lewis Mollie and Isaac Liebowitz Dorothy Kay For her recent aliyah Ruth A. Loebmann Henry and Erna Abrahamson, Ruth Loebmann For her aliyah cherished parents Rita Pochter Lowe Ariel Mandel Donor In Memory Harriet Martin Dick Martin Thea Alfano Samuel J. Resnick Rosanne Martin, beloved daughter Salvador Amram Louise Amram Susan and Marc Sawyer Stella and Bill Greenblatt Shirley Auerbach Esther Schlesinger David and Phyllis Saxe Ruth and Emanuel Saxe Sarah Silverstein Hariette L. Schmertz Eric J. Schmertz Dorothy Baer Josef H. Griesheimer Martin Schneider Estelle Weiss Amy and Henry Benson Sondra “Sunny” Spector Ethel Shapiro Barbara Shapiro, beloved mother Howard and Susan Sylvia Mills, beloved mother of Carol Spivack David Spivack Birnbaum Susan Birnbaum Maxine Toal-Goldberg Phyllis Platzner Manuela Bonnesen Louise Amram Sandra Weitz Leon Schenker and Rebecca Evelyn Irene Brenner Milton B. Richman, beloved brother Schenker, beloved parents Linda Chokroverty Himansu Chakrabarti Laurie R. Levene Betty G. Levene, beloved mother Whitehall Beth Fertig-Friedman Jean Wolfman, beloved aunt, and Channah Brenner, beloved cousin Gitty Zamerinsky Avram Richman, beloved nephew Gwen Fisher Lester Fisher Judith Zucker Gary Zucker, beloved husband

Thanks to Marla Hurban for her donation of a Mac computer in honor of Rabbi Gardner and Cantor Sharett-Singer, for all they do.

9 Riverdale Temple Bulletin Condolences

To On the loss of

Linda Chokroverty, Craig, Maya, and Lev Katz Debabrata Mukherjee, beloved uncle

Gitty Zamerinsky Avram Richman, beloved nephew

The Departed Whom We Now Remember: January Yahrzeit Observances

1 Sylvia Brown 7 Steven Paul Weintraub 15 Julian Spiegel 26 Gussie Gold 1 Ethel Fondiller 8 Milton Eisen 16 Beatrice R. Bereano 26 Leopold Hirschl 1 Hertha Gottschalk 8 Ernst Fraenkel 16 Rose M. Evans 26 Dr. Siegfried Loewentritt 1 Pearl Hoffman 8 Florence Kern 16 Irving Goldshein 26 Brana Rozenfeld 1 Fannie Fein Lakritz 8 Ed Lowe 16 Ralph Hochroth 27 Philip S. Birnbaum 1 Rosanne Martin 8 Shirley Mandel 16 Grace Kahn 27 Frances E. Friedman 1 Phyllis Selk 8 Jeanne Sundheim Spiegel 16 Muriel Kaufman 27 Ray B. Horowitz 1 Pearl Togut 9 Ida Feinman 16 Hyman W. Rosenblum 27 Irving Sorger 2 Henry Abrahamson 9 Lottie Golubock 16 Jacob Weinberg 27 Aaron M. Steren 2 Sadie Brill 9 Theodore Klebanoff 17 Ida Baron 28 Fanny B. Appel 2 Sylvia Mills 9 Yetta Kovitz 17 Eppie Begleiter 28 Helene-Ronnie Bloch 2 Alfred E. Simmons 9 Susan Leber 17 Rose Berman 28 Wallace R. Cotton 2 Simon Steinglass 9 Dorothy Reingold 17 Max Kaplan 28 Robert Feiler 2 Lou Wiggs 9 Regina H. Rothman 17 Martin Marsh 28 Fannie Grossman 2 Mark Zelkowitz 10 Kathryn Bloomfield 17 Lillian Salb 28 Betty G. Levene 3 Lila Chessler 10 Leona Hermal Adams 18 Elias Blaustein 28 Jean Monat 3 Deena Felsen 10 Ali Malak 18 Rose C. Harren 28 Augusta G. Patek 3 Lawrence Goldberger 10 May Manheimer 18 Abraham J. Lester 28 George Joseph Small 3 Jennifer Sack 10 Diane Wild 19 Selma Leslie 29 Ethel Y. Aronson 3 Alfred Silverman 11 Lillian Burgeman 20 Sallee Brust 29 Rebecca Jacobson 4 Sylvia Alwaise 11 Ann Grushoff 20 Siegfried Hermann 29 Mildred Levitt 4 Ralph Batt 11 Milton Seelig 20 Betty Ranfeld 29 Lillian G. Meltzer 4 Frances Braunstein 12 Sally Entin 20 Jenny Seelig 29 Henrietta Felicity Radna 4 Selma Friedman 12 Sheryl Gilman 20 Dorothea J. Steindl 29 Natalie Reibeisen 4 Ira Handwerger 12 Benjamin Krisiloff 20 Henry Taig 29 Frieda Schneider 4 Betty Kahn 12 Peter Howard Manheimer 21 Phyllis Platzner 29 Diane Wild 4 Mary Parker 12 Maurice Sigel 22 Louise Amram 29 Jack Wittenberg 4 Liza Lakritz Perelmutter 12 Louis Weiner 22 Estelle Lasky 29 Abraham Yarlow 4 David Spivack 13 Erna Abrahamson 22 Pauline Seeferblatt 30 Harry Goldberger 4 Shirley Waldstein 13 Emma Shapiro Friedman 23 Adele Baltuch Blum 30 Dr. Sidney Sommers 5 Netta Avedon 13 Jennie Rabinowitz 24 George Aronson 31 Max Belkind 5 Blanche Breindel 13 David Rapaport 24 Samuel Bialek 31 Anna Davidoff 5 Samuel Haupt 13 Joseph Rapaport 24 Beulah M. Cohn 31 Carl Fisher 5 Frieda Margulies 13 Eric Reisch 24 Seraphine Fellner Hirschl 31 Irving Fritz 5 Samuel Jay Resnick 14 Louis Friedman 24 Jay Jacobson 31 Joseph Gilman 6 Esther Einschlag 14 Elaine Heller 25 Charles Jaffe 31 Lena Jacobson 6 Peter Einschlag 14 Sara B. Merson 25 Margot Manasse 31 Tillie Kaplan 6 Julius H. Ginewsky 14 Michael L. Mozlin 25 Rose Saraga 31 Dr. Gabrielle Koppell 6 Sophie Ginsberg 14 Stanley Sundheim 25 Lillian Steren 31 Miriam Leff 6 Samuel Wechsler 15 Lore Kornberg 25 Geetha Vaidyanathan 31 Harry Wagonfeld 7 Eleanor Gerber 15 Cynthia Mason 26 David Bauer 7 Mitchell LoPato 15 Abe Molsky 26 Sol Brill

10 Riverdale Temple Bulletin

Kol Nidre Appeal Thank you for your Kol Nidre donations. To those of you who haven’t responded yet, please do your part to be part of the whole! We would love to have 100 percent participation!

Kol Nidre donations will be listed in a later issue of the bulletin.

Recapture the joy of reading through the JBI Library for visually impaired, blind, and reading-disabled individuals, all provided free of charge and delivered to your doorstep. Call 1-800-433-1531 or visit JBI’s website at www.jbilibrary.org.

A SENSE OF RIVERDALE

Friday Jan 18 The Riverdale Jewish Community @ Partnership proudly invites you to A 5:30 PM Sense of Riverdale, honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy. @ Riverdale Temple Choose from a variety of prayerful experiences, mingle with the larger Riverdale Jewish community while enjoying a kosher catered meal, learn from local educators and community Contact members, and savor the sweet taste of dessert to end a fabulous evening. Rabbi Joseph Robinson Director, Community Engagement For more information and to register, go to 347-913-4432 www.asenseofriverdale.com [email protected] www.RiverdaleY.org This event is a program of the Riverdale Jewish Community Partnership, which is generously supported by UJA Federation of New York and is coordinated by the Riverdale YM-YWHA.

11 Riverdale Temple Bulletin Riverdale Temple 4545 INDEPENDENCE AVENUE

BRONX, NY 10471

ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED

Riverdale Temple Co-Presidents of the Congregation 4545 Independence Avenue Rachel Radna, Ph.D. Bronx, NY 10471 L. Michael Griffel, Ph.D. affiliated with the Union for Reform Judaism, patron of the Hebrew Union College–Jewish Institute of Religion Nursery School Executive Director Linda Herman, M.Ed. Telephone: 718-548-3800 Fax: 718-543-1492 Email: [email protected] Religious School Education and Engagement Specialist Web Page Address: riverdaletemple.org Judy Weinberg, M.A. Rabbi of the Congregation Bulletin Editor Thomas A. Gardner, B.A., M.A., M.A.H.L. Margaret Ross Griffel, Ph.D. Cantor of the Congregation Inbal Sharett-Singer, B.Mus., M.S.M. Bulletin Proofreaders Shelley Ast, Susan Birnbaum, Rabbis Emeriti of the Congregation Sylvia Gottlieb, L. Michael Griffel, Stephen D. Franklin, D.D., D.H.L. Olivia Koppell, Ruth Loebmann Judith S. Lewis, D.D.

1 Worship Schedule 5 Bulletin Board 8 Adult Education 1 The Rabbi’s Column 5 Congratulations 9 Contributions 2 Monthly Calendar 6 Nursery School News 10 Condolences 3 The Cantor’s Column 6 Women of Reform Judaism 10 Yahrzeit Observances 3 The President’s Column 7 Women’s March Alliance 11 Kol Nidre Appeal 4 Tot Shabbat Services 7 Men of Reform Judaism 11 A Sense of Riverdale

Inside ThisIssue 4 Simcha Learning Center 7 Social Action

12 Riverdale Temple Bulletin