Kol K .I. April 2021 learn. inspire. grow. together. Nisan / Iyar 5781 16 Colt Road l Pittsfield, Massachusetts 01201 l 413.445.4872 l knessetisrael.org • Rabbi David Weiner l Richard Simons, President In the Land of Israel—A One-Woman Show Important Information An on-demand broadcast event dramatizing 6 diverse Israeli women Knesset Israel has This past March, our wider Jewish community was invited to participate in a discussion reopened synagogue services of the book, In the Land of Israel by Amos Oz, which has been highly acclaimed in Israel and the United States. The discussion was led by Rabbi Liz Hirsch of Temple Anshe to in-person participation. Amunim. We hope you had a chance to participate. Livestreaming of services will continue. In conjunction with that event, Knesset Israel's irrepressible Programming Director, > HOW TO ATTEND services in person Myrna Hammerling, had the idea of pairing the book discussion with a follow-up the- and HOW TO ZOOM and LIVESTREAM atrical event - written and performed by the Israeli actor TAMIR. appear on PAGE 4. The show is an adaptation of Oz's book, in which he portrays his country through con- • versations with various characters. From these conversations, TAMIR, now a resident of New Lebanon, New York, has recreated a stunning and sensitive portrayal of these sub- COVID guidelines can change on jects. She portrays the Israel of the early 1980’s through six diverse women: a Zionist short notice, as can K.I.'s scheduling. farmer, a religious zealot, a Catholic nun, an Israeli right-wing extremist, a Palestinian Find up-to-date information at: Arab, and a Romanian immigrant. She has changed the names of the women to pro- tect their privacy—but all of their stories are real. knessetisrael.org click on TAMIR will take the viewers on a journey through Israel’s human landscape as she trans- KI Shabbat Central forms from one character to another right in front of us. These characters present an (at bottom of home page) unusually wide spectrum of political views and raise questions of universal human Updates are made every Thursday. concern. More importantly, they examine Jewish identity and the essence of life in Israel. This is not a manicured presentation of Israel, but rather an examination of the KI E-NEWS emails are sent fundamental issues of identity and the complex challenges of living in Israel at that time. on Thursdays and as needed continued on page 7 to keep you informed! The 5781 Rabbinical Assemby Passover Guide can be found at bit.ly/3kFa54m It can be downloaded and/or printed from this link. In This Issue Member Mitzvahs & Mazel Tovs A One-Woman Show ......................1 & 7 From the Rabbi....................................3 Birthdays April Calendar ...............................4 & 5 yom huledet sameach n From the President ..............................6 Barbara Ende ......................................April 1 n Leora Cook-Dubin .........................April 15 n Updates ........................................8 & 9 Loretta Prives .....................................April 1 n Elizabeth Bikofsky .........................April 16 n Hamantashen Heroes ........................10 Mason Rosenthal ..............................April 1 n David Grossman-Ponemon .......April 16 n Spotlight On: Alan Model. ..................12 Arlene Schiff .......................................April 2 n Peter Simkin ....................................April 17 n Bad-Ass Women of Passover ...............14 Asher Cook-Dubin ............................April 2 n Laura Rosenthal .............................April 17 n Advertisers ........................................16 David Albert .......................................April 3 n Gary Schiff ........................................April 17 n Yahrzeits, Funds & Endowments, ...17-19 Edward Sporn ....................................April 4 n Myla Blum ........................................April 18 n Member Matzo Covers .......... Back Cover Tanya Mazurenko .............................April 5 n Alla Zernitskaya ..............................April 18 n Allen Kopfstein ..................................April 6 n Alice Davenport .............................April 18 n K.I. Staff Richard Charkow ..............................April 9 n Marty Bloom ...................................April 19 n OFFICE PHONE 413-445-4872 Richard Sutter ....................................April 9 n Ryan Robbins ..................................April 22 n Philip Coleman ..................................April 9 n RABBI DAVID WEINER Ext. 10 Elisa Snowise ...................................April 23 n [email protected] Jeffrey Siegel ...................................April 12 n Aviva Skoblow ................................April 23 n DIANA MACFARLANE Ext. 10 Larry Promisel .................................April 13 n Dale Charkow .................................April 24 Office Manager n Kyneret Albert ................................April 13 n Fran Wolk ..........................................April 26 [email protected] n Susan Albert ....................................April 13 n Bruce Schreiber ..............................April 26 ED ROBINSON n [email protected] Ruth Rosenthal ...............................April 14 n Andrew Lederman ........................April 26 n MYRNA HAMMERLING Ext. 16 Susan Frisch Lehrer .......................April 14 n Lawrence Rosenthal .....................April 28 n Director of Adult Education Brenda Leeper ................................April 14 n Peter Wasserman ...........................April 29 and Programming n Sharon Siegel ..................................April 15 [email protected] CHRIS GOETZE Ext. 20 Facilities Director/Head Custodian [email protected] Blessed are you, Eternal our God, Ruler JUDITH WEINER Ext. 15 Director of Families Together, and of the universe, for giving us life, for sustaining us, Hebrew School Administrator and for enabling us to reach this season. [email protected] ELISA SNOWISE Barukh ata Adonai, Eloheinu Mel ekh ha-olam, shehecheyanu, v'kiymanu, B’Nai Mitzvah Teacher /Coordinator v'higiyanu lazman hazeh. [email protected] LIZ DEMARCO, Web Administrator, Anniversaries [email protected] mazel tov! Judith & Sydney Levine .......April 3 Ellis & Joanna Fribush ...... April 10 KNESSET ISRAEL 16 Colt Road, Pittsfield, MA 01201 Leonard & Alice Schiller .......April 4 Gary & Arlene Schiff ........... April 12 413-445-4872 Ed & Lisa Udel ........................April 5 Ira & Phyllis Lieberman .... April 22 413-496-9378 (fax) knessetisrael.org Bernard & Beth Abramson ...April 6 Leonard & Elaine Lipton ... April 30 2 n KOL K.I. • APRIL 2021 • NISAN / IYAR 5781 From the Rabbi Reflections on the Journey to Freedom Leaving enslavement; re-emerging from COVID-19 Every year, the familiar rituals of Passover provide us enslavement in Mitzrayim, began to with a fresh opportunity to check in with the mean- sense the light of freedom, as the dawn ing of the central story of the Jewish people. Part of precedes a sunrise. Although we are not the power of ritual lies in its ability to sustain multiple yet sure of all the impacts of vaccination meanings, to evoke several ideas simultaneously. As we because science depends on data, which clean our homes of hametz, assemble around the Seder takes time to gather, these shots are al- table, drink four cups of wine, hear the four questions, ready reducing risks and making a fuller eat matza and maror and sing Eliyahu Hanavi, especially life more possible. What does it mean to after this very strange year, it is difficult not to become hold both sets of emotions, night and reflective. This year I find myself pondering the question dawn, in mind at the same time? of the so-called simple child: What is this? I ask the ques- tion without judgment. After thirteen months of ups Rabbi David Weiner The parallel between Exodus and our and downs, fears and distancing, spikes and recoveries, present moment also has limitations. illness and losses, masks, and vaccinations, what is this ritual that we return to each The Torah and the holiday celebrate a year? How should we perform it? What does it mean? liberation that occurred in an instant, for which Seder is an anniversary dinner. On this night, enslaved Israelites stayed There will be no one moment this year when we up at a long meal of roast lamb; before cross the Red Sea, leaving our oppressor to drown morning, they were free, marching to- wards the wilderness and the Promised in the depths. The process will take time Land. On the other hand, any liberation and require a lot of patience from COVID-19 is happening gradually. There will be no one moment this year when we cross the Red Sea, leaving our I am writing this article in late February, just hours after the governor’s announce- oppressor to drown in the depths. The ment that the state is moving towards Phase IV of its reopening. I recognize that our process will take time and require a lot losses along the way have been tremendous and that we have a long way to go. I am of patience. Even though it will not be reminded of a midrash that suggests that 20% of the Israelites never made it out of instantaneous, I hope it will not take Mitzrayim. Our sages interpret a difficult word, vachamushim, which comes from the forty years. There may have been mo- Hebrew word for the number five,hamesh , to mean only four out of five—and some ments this year that, for you, exemplified interpret it to mean only