BULLETIN SUMMER 2021 IN-PERSON SERVICES ARE BACK! Shehechiyanu! IN THIS Together as One ISSUE The Clergy of Wilshire Boulevard Temple (L to R ): Cantor Don Gurney, Rabbi Elissa Ben-Naim, Rabbi M. Beaumont Shapiro, Rabbi Steve Leder, Cantor Lisa Peicott, Rabbi Susan Nanus, Cantor Kerith Spencer-Shapiro, Rabbi Joel Simonds, Rabbi Joel Nickerson, Rabbi David Eshel. Photographed at the University Campus by Trisha Harrison. May 20, 2021 COMMENTARY What Have We Learned From the Pandemic? What is an essential lesson of Torah that helped ground our community beyond our individual selves, and our daily choices became statements of during the pandemic? One of my favorite songs at camp—probably because faith in the sanctity of life. of the four clap—was “It Is a Tree of Life.” Its words originate from our As we found our way back to Torah, back to our core, back to our anchor, Torah, and they immediately jumped to mind when this question was posed. back to the life jacket that has kept the Jewish people afloat from the Proverbs 3:18 offers an important life lesson that represents the anchor moment we built our first small dwelling place in the wilderness, we found that many of us held on to during the past difficult year. The the strength to go one more day, one more week, working Torah “is a tree of life to those who cling to it, and those who together to save if only one life. I believe we will forever carry hold on to it find contentment.” How many of us turned back "Our daily this awareness and essential value of Torah with us as we to Torah in the past year? We found our way back to Torah as choices became move forward through the next steps and begin to heal and sacred text, and back to Torah as a teacher, as a way of life. statements recover from the trials we’ve faced. As we struggled and wrestled with decisions and weighed One of the central tenets of Judaism is V’ahavta L’reacha our often heavy choices, our community drew closer to the of faith in the Kamocha. And you will love your reacha as your own self. ultimate lessons we find in our Torah. sanctity of life." Typically this word is translated as neighbor, but a closer look Many of us based choices and decisions on the essential reveals many meanings attached to this one word, including lesson of Torah, which is the sanctity of each and every life. The Talmud your companion, or the one who is dear to you. During the pandemic, as teaches us that when we save one life, it is as if we save an entire universe. our definition of sacred space and holy ground evolved to include Zoom Each time we put on a mask—consciously or not—we were making a spaces, how we uphold the sanctity of all of God’s humanity became statement that we honored and cherished the life of someone we may symbolized in our choices and in our masks. never meet. Even as the pandemic and our understanding of the virus that As Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks said, “When you do changed our world shifted, the human race chose life. We chose life with good to others, it is yourself, your conscience, and determination and conviction. For many of us, that understanding of the your self-respect that will be the beneficiary. The implicit value of each and every person, each and every breath we take, greatest gift of giving is the opportunity to give.” derives directly from the Torah. As we held on, literally for dear life this past year, we held on to Torah. In our isolation and fear, we found a way to look Rabbi Elissa Ben-Naim When the Israelites are at the beginning of their journey, God declares, “Build me a sanctuary so I may dwell b’tocham.” What I love about the word b’tocham are its two possible translations: dwell among them, and dwell within them. I have always used these ideas in my teaching about the purpose and necessity of sacred space. I believe we build sacred space not for God but for ourselves. We build sacred space to create an opening within us to allow God in. Over this past year, my eyes and my heart have been opened to new and ever-expanding understandings of my own interpretation of the question, Where is sacred space? What I learned this year is that sacred space "I believe we is not just physical; it very much can be, and is, virtual as well. From FaceTime baby-namings to Zoom shivah build sacred minyanim, we were able to continue to bring families together for the most intimate moments of their lives. Even including those who would not have been able to participate during pre-COVID-19 times. The technology space not for existed. I just never thought of such things. We were able to engage more families in our religious school God but for prayer services, inviting more students to participate than ever before. Grandparents in Florida could watch ourselves." and chat with their grandchild in Los Angeles as she chanted the Shema and V’ahavta. The number of classes offered tripled the number of engagement opportunities. We even have one congregant, Merle Weiner, who, at the time of this article, has yet to miss a single class—and she lives in Arizona! My hope as we move forward and things begin to reopen is that these new sacred spaces do not fall to the wayside, but rather enhance all the wonderful and meaningful engagement opportunities our beautiful community has to offer. That we continue to expand our sanctuary for God to dwell among us—and within us. Rabbi David Eshel 2 TEMPLE NEWS Shehechiyanu! On June 4th, 2021, we celebrated the merger of University Synagogue and Wilshire Boulevard Temple with an extraordinary Shehechiyanu Shabbat. The Shehechiyanu prayer is recited to mark joyous occasions and the first occurrence of an event each year. Our Rabbis and Cantors teamed up to host this special event in the University Campus Sanctuary. With prayer and song, we united our congregations as one, in a beautiful and emotional commitment to the future of our community. We also shared special greetings from our longtime members and a timeline of our congregations’ rich histories! Missed the service? You can watch it on our YouTube channel and Facebook page! RELIGIOUS SCHOOL Baruch HaShem! We Welcome You Back! “Baruch HaShem!” Depending on your background, dedication, professional guidance, and words of or if you binge-watched Unorthodox or Shtisel ongoing wisdom and encouragement, as well as during the past many months, you heard this a lot. your children’s laughter, presence, and, yes, your “Blessed be the name,” or more loosely translated, Hakarat HaTov. These months required a level of “Thank God!” In Religious School, we spend quite patience, flexibility, and understanding like a bit of time teaching the value of Hakarat HaTov, never before. recognizing good and finding gratitude in daily So, what now? We are excited and filled with living. We thank God, we thank one another, we gratitude that this supportive, beautiful synagogue thank those who protect us, we thank our teachers community will now welcome and embrace and educators, and hopefully the list goes on and hundreds of new Religious School families on our on, whether it be for our healthy bodies, minds, or University campus. As we share our newfound presence in the moment we are in. wisdom and skill set with everyone during the If you asked the Religious School team about what school year ahead, we say, “Baruch HaShem,” we are most grateful for (in addition to the health remembering and recognizing the good in each of our families and the hopeful end to a brutal one of us to become even better, more vibrant, pandemic), we would all say, “You, the WBT and engaged in the Religious School community. community!” Parents, teachers, staff, students, Registration for all of our programs opened in May. Board of Directors, colleagues, and the community Please do not delay in registering for the wonderful at large…you supported us through 15 months of offerings for students from kindergarten through educational chaos. You expected nothing less than high school at wbtreligiousschool.org—or the best from us, and I am proud to say we were always feel free to contact us at [email protected] or able to deliver just that, because you provided us (424) 208-8906. with the tools we needed! Our tool kit expanded and was enriched because of your commitment, May your summer be safe, healthy, and joyful! Clockwise from right: Wow, Rabbi! That’s a really difficult question. Final WBTY Wednesday and board installations. Senior send-off after 13 years in religious school! We hope your summer is as sweet as milk and cookies! Of course zoom religious school is possible by the swimming pool! 3 VOLUNTEER - KARSH CENTER The Karsh Center’s Tuesday–and Everyday–Efforts It’s 11:30 a.m. on a recent Tuesday, and the Karsh Family Social Service groceries to an average of 250 households a week throughout the Center team—two volunteers, our program coordinator, and our Serve pandemic; the Mobile Food Pantry, in collaboration with seven to ten the Moment corps member—are dancing around in different areas of other organizations, serves between 350 and 400 households a week; the Leanse Ratner Family Food Pantry preparing for the newest addition and our family support program that offers groceries, and diapers, to to the Center’s weekly programs: the Tuesday Food Pantry distribution.