January – February 2013

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January – February 2013 HEBREW TABERNACLEBULLETIN JANUARYZFEBRUARY 2013 TEVETZSH’VAT/SH’VATZADAR 5773 VOLUME LXXVII I ISSUE 20 RABBI’S MESSAGE uring the past couple of years, my wife, Tsiporah, my son, Josh, and I have visited fourteen university campuses in the DEast, the Deep South, and the Midwest. Although there T’FILLAHSCHEDULE were distinct diVerences in the personalities of these fourteen uni- JANUARY 2013 TEVET-SH’VAT 5773 versities, there was a remarkable similarity in the one-hour informa- tion sessions. Almost all of the presenters prefaced their remarks by Friday, January 4, 2013 TEVET 22 saying,“These are the qualities that make our school unique!” Almost 6:00 p.m: Tot Shabbat all of the presenters pointe d to the diversity of their student popula- 7:30 pm: Kabbalat Shabbat tions. The would proudly boast that their students come from all Xfty Saturday, January 5, 2013 TEVET 23 states and from at least twenty to thirty foreign countries as well. 10:00 am: Shemot Within the Union for Reform Judaism, the Hebrew Tabernacle is 12:00 pm: Adult Ed with Rabbi Gale unique. Holocaust survivors and children of Holocaust survivors make up a large percentage of our membership. The German musi- Friday, January 11, 2013 TEVET 29 cal tradition continues to be a major component of our worship, par- 6:30 pm: Family Service-Kitah Dalet ticularly the High Holy Days, Kri stallnacht, and Yom ha Shoah. BuJet Dinner Follows (advance payment required) Our uniqueness also stems from our diversity. Our membership embraces individuals who represent a broad range of ethnic back- Saturday, January 12, 2013 SH’VAT 1 grounds and family constellations. Because we believe that worship 10:00 am: Vaera-Rosh Chodesh Sh’vat is two-way communication between those who stand on the Bema 12:00 pm: Adult Ed with Rabbi Gale and those who sit in the pews, we oVer diVerent types of services throughout the year. While there is a signiXcant dose of formal wor- Friday, January 18, 2013 SH’VAT 7 ship involving organ or organ and choir, there is informal worship as 7 :30 pm: Kabbalat Shabbat (Lay Led) well. On a monthly basis, we oVer family services which place more Saturday, January 19, 2013 SH’VAT 8 emphasis on guitar and in which the liturgy and length of service is 10:00 a.m: Bo child-friendly. On a monthly basis on Friday evenings and on six se- 12:00 p.m: Study of the Zohar lected Saturdays throughout the year, services are completely lay-led and place great emphasis on congregational participation and inter- Friday, January 25, 2013 SH’VAT 14 action between the service leaders and the congregants. Many of 7:30 pm: Kabbalat Shabbat these services have featured the piano accompaniment of David De- Saturday, January 26, 2013 SH’VAT 15 schamps. There are occasional Friday evenings where I lead a brief, in- TU B’SH’VAT teractive Torah study or when we invite a speaker to make a 10:00 am: Beshalach-Tu B’Sh’vat- presentation on a contemporary topic. There are occasional Saturday Shabbat Shira mornings where I substitute an interactive study session in lieu of a 12:00 pm: The Mishkan T’Lllah: formal sermon from the pulpit. Last year, we had two Shabbat-in- A Journey, Not A Destination Song services in which we made use of a wide variety of instruments and several Hebrew Tabernacle musicians, and placed greater em- phasis on singing the liturgy and dancing in the aisles than on the spoken word. By being open to multiple worship strategies, we hope to touch the souls of all age groups represented by the Hebrew Tab- Remember the Hebrew Tabernacle ernacle. On January 26, 2013, which corresponds with Shabbat Shirah, with a bequest. we will be celebrating our diversity. At present, the plan calls for the Give a gift for generations to come Xrst part of the service to be completely lay led in the a capella style. and be remembered forever Continued on page 3 HEBREW TABERNACLE CONGREGATION A Liberal Congregation & T’FILLAHSCHEDULE Progressive Community Center FEBRUARY 2013 SH’VAT-ADAR 5773 JeVrey Gale ........................................................... Rabbi Friday, February 1, 2013 SH’VAT 21 [email protected] 5:30 pm: Hands-on Activity Joshua Finkel.............................................. Student Cantor 6:30 am: Family Service-Kitah Hay [email protected] BuJet Dinner Follows (advance payment required) Dr. Robert L. Lehman, z”l ............................... Rabbi Emeritus Margaret MoersWenig ......................... Rabbi Emerita, Beth Am Saturday, February 2, 2013 SH’VAT 22 [email protected] 10:00 am: Yitro Dr. Ralph M. Selig ................................................ President [email protected] 12:00 pm: Adult Ed with Rabbi Gale Rita Hamburgh .............................................. Vice President [email protected] Friday, February 8, 2013 SH’VAT 28 Joan Serrano Laufer ........................................ Vice President 6:00 pm: Tot Shabbat [email protected] 7:30 pm: Kabbalat Shabbat Rose Ellen Neidish ........................................ Vice President [email protected] Saturday, February 9, 2013 SH’VAT 29 JeV Burak ....................................................... Treasurer 10:00 am: BA: At Home Service [email protected] 10:00 am: HT: Mishpatim- Larry Cytryn ......................................... Associate Treasurer Shabbat Shekalim [email protected] 10:15 am: Junior Congregation Mark Hamburgh .................................................. Secretary [email protected] 12:00 pm: Adult Ed with Rabbi Gale Mitchell Gershonowitz .......................................Webmaster [email protected] Friday, February 15, 2013 ADAR 5 Marga Marx ........................................ Sisterhood Presidium 7:30 pm: Kabbalat Shabbat [email protected] Richard Ehrenreich ................................ Men’s Club President Saturday, February 16, 2013 ADAR 6 [email protected] 10:00 am: Terumah Elizabeth Lorris Ritter ................................ Beth Am President 12:00 pm: Study of the Zohar [email protected] Sheldon Koy ................................... Hebrew School Principal [email protected] Friday, February 22, 2013 ADAR 22 Craig M. Cannon ......................................... Bulletin Designer 7:30 pm: Kabbalat Shabbat [email protected] Rita Hamburgh ......... Chair, Outreach & Membership Committee Saturday, February 23, 2013 ADAR 23 [email protected] 10:00 am: Tetzaveh-Shabbat Zachor Hannah Eisner ............................... Chair, Chesed Committee 12:00 pm: The Mishkan T’Lllah: [email protected] A Journey, Not a Destination Youth & Family Committee [email protected] 6:00 pm: Purim Family Service Harriet Bailer, Diana Douglas & Regina Gradess GoldWing Curators 6:45 pm: Chai for a Pie and Purimshpiel [email protected];[email protected]; [email protected] Web address: www.hebrewtabernacle.org Published bi-monthly by the Hebrew Tabernacle of Washington Heights 551 Fort Washington Ave. New York, NY 10033-1908 A Member of the Union for Reform Judaism Deadline for inclusion in the March-April Bulletin is February 1st Material received after that date will be held until the May-June issue. [email protected] 2 | J ANUARY-F EBRUARY 2013 RABBI’S Message This year, we added two jewelry tables. Thank Continued from page 1 you to Clarice Hausman and Lilia Levin for donating The second part of the service, from the Amida onwards, will feature melodies from the German tradition and will feature the organ. As a the jewelry and their time to bring more cachet and departure from normal practice on Shabbat mornings, both the cash to our sale. Torah and Haphtarah portions will be chanted by capable members Member, Darrell Goodman, donated brand new of our congregation. The major feature of this service will be the fact that I will be sharing the pulpit with Rabbi Maggie Wenig who con- children’s pajamas again. They make fabulous gifts tinue to be a strong spiritual leader of the Beth Am community. She and customers were quite happy to scoop them up will be addressing the congregation that day. I strongly encourage the broad spectrum of our congregation at discounted prices. We still have some of the sets to support and warmly embrace this service. Constructive feedback so if interested, get in touch with Ruth in the oWce will be welcomed. Shabbat Shirah, this year, gives us an opportunity to experience diVerent musical and clergy styles within the same and she will be happy to show you the remaining service. In the words of the psalmist,“Sing unto Adonoy, a new song!” colors and sizes. A wonderful traditionoftheannualrummage sale continues. One devoted customer, and a mem- ber of our congregation, continues to be so im- pressed with our fund raising eVorts at the rummage sale, she presented us with her yearly bountiful monetary gift again. This donation is in appreciation for what we do at HT and is allocated for maintenance of the building so we can continue to bring events to the community. Rummage Sale Brings in $8000 – Best Year Yet!!! Speaking of community, this successful fund hether because it was closer to the holidays or raiser could not have happened without the hard Wbecause people were just in the mood to relax work, dedication, and endless hours oVered by our and shop, December seemed to be a good month devoted team of volunteers. Our community of vol- to hold our annual Rummage Sale. It was our most unteers was as varied as the merchandise! Sister- successful to date, bringing in over $8,000.00. hood members, Hebrew School students and those Many supportive volunteers spent hours at the in between! Members and non-members alike Tabernacle setting up the donated goods so that worked in tandem to make this a fun and proXtable the social hall rivaled Macy’s in all its Xnery! At event. Enormous thanks to each and every one of 10:00am, when the sale oWcially began, a crowd you. Because of you we are the“talk of the town!” had already gathered and was picking out bargains Special thanks to Ruth Lilienstein and Susan galore. More volunteers roamed the room and of- Blum in the oWce, and our incredible movers and fered help to the myriad of customers.
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