The Monthly Magazine of Temple Emanu-El of Tucson | 225 North Country Club Road, Tucson, AZ 85716 TEMPLE(520) 327-4501 TIMES www.tetucson.org June and July 2021 - Sivan/Tammuz/Av 5781 Vol. LXIX No. 10 June & July Temple Emanu-El Annual Meeting Sunday, June 13th at 10:00 am Mazal Tov to our Confirmands Nora Sevy, Ben Otto, David Berk, Talya Fleisher, and Lily Goldberg Confirmation, photo by Howard Paley, and ECE Pre-Kindergarten Graduation, photo by Grant Henry FROM RABBI Judaism SAULSOn’S Okay. Here’s where the rubber meets the road. For there is not and has never been one single Judaism. A longitudinal DESK and sincere effort to bring to bear our legacies on our daily “A Home of Joyful hopes, struggles, and triumphs? Yes! A longitudinal and Judaism for All” sincere effort to capture the essence of soulful discoveries? A (520) 327-4501 belief, as articulated by A.J. Heschel, that God is in search of This is our working vision as we us? Yes. As for Jews, an erstwhile colleague of mine, Addy plan for the birth of Kol Ami. Assabi, z”l, perceptively remarked: “There are only two kinds of Jews — serious and non-serious ones.” One of my favorite topics in high school English class was grammar: subject verb agreement, con- All jugation of tenses, proper placement of adverbs, “All” connotes warm, fuzzy feelings; moreover, it bespeaks punctuation, avoidance of dangling participles, and an ethical imperative to include the stranger and those who 2 prepositions, and the like. And I especially liked have been estranged. Doorways which aren’t stumbling diagramming sentences — simple, compound, and blocks. Appreciation for the grand diversity built into the complex ones. What practical use this served I am works of Creation. Yet, inasmuch as annihilating boundaries www.tetucson.org not certain. Perhaps, the orderliness of the end is contrary to personal and spiritual integrity, our home can- product was appealing. not include all. Pride of home excludes unethical behavior, and pride of home excludes those who do not wish to iden- Well, now, “A Home of Joyful Judaism for All” isn’t tify with and support our mission. a sentence lending itself to being diagrammed. As a phrase it could be the subject of one. In our delib- Rabbi Dr. Scott B. Saulson erations it chiefly serves as an object — an object of Summer Shabbat Paths our desire, our aspiration, even our pledge. Be that as it may, it can be plumbed for meaning. Shabbat In Person Starting June 4th and 5th, we are excited to welcome a num- I invite your plumbing. Here’s mine. ber of pre-registered people to our campuses for in-person worship. We are also happy to report that we will continue Home to offer paths of Shabbat experiences on Fridays and con- According to Robert Frost, “Home is the place tinue to celebrate as one congregation on Saturdays. where, when you have to go there, they have to take you in.” For many of us, Frost’s definition connotes Campfire Shabbat - A casual, musical, family-friendly ser- Israel. vice in-person and virtually on the Alvernon property patio with Cantor Cohen. Every Friday night throughout the As we might expect, Billy Graham said: “My home summer. is in Heaven. I’m just traveling through this world.” Indeed, for millennia our home has consisted of con- Shabbat Celebration - Shabbat is the ultimate self-care stant traveling and our occupancy of the Promised experience. This week, join Rabbi Thomas Louchheim, Land conditioned on our moral stature. I’m partial and Cantorial Soloist Marjorie Hochberg virtually or in to Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.’s definition: “Where person at our Country Club location. Indulge yourself each we love is home - home that our feet may leave, but Shabbat in 25 hours of rest, relaxation, reflection, song, and not our hearts.” prayer. Each week our clergy will provide you and your fam- ily with the gift of Shabbat. Joyful Despite our fond wish for our children that they Registration is required for all services every week. We should only be “happy,” happiness is but one layer may rotate registrants so that everyone who wishes to may of this cake. Given that no life is without its dis- worship with us in person. Shabbat experiences will also appointments and hardships, no less we must wish be available via Zoom, and Facebook Live. To register and them the fortitude to persevere and the resilience see complete information about guidelines, check online at: to grow wiser and kinder upon emerging from the https://www.tetucson.org/inperson tunnels. Would not that, too, bring vicarious happi- Staff portraits of Marjorie Hochberg & Donna Beyer donated by Jon Wolf Wolf Photography Wolf by Jon & Donna Beyer donated portraits of Hochberg MarjorieStaff ness to our hearts? Perhaps this is the essence of the Please see more Covid protocols on page 4 of this issue. Hassidic emphasis on serving God with joy. Presidents’ Message MUSICAL NOTES Naches. It’s a Yiddish word for “pride or gratification.” It can be used to signify the There is a time for every purpose joy that we experience from the achieve- under heaven. Ecclesiastes. ments of our children. It can also apply to other family members and friends. If you A (hu)man does not have time for ev- are close to anyone who has done something ery purpose. Ecclesiastes was wrong (520) 327-4501 special … graduated from school, created a about that. Yehuda Amichai work of art, or found satisfaction in any ven- ture … then you know that there is nothing When I was young, I was interested in so many like the feeling of sharing in that joy. things that I couldn’t imagine choosing one path in life. I so envied those who knew from the age of Naches is just the right word to describe how it felt to be nine that they were destined to be an archaeologist part of the Religious School Siyyum (conclusion) ceremony or a veterinarian. In my case, it took stumbling into on May 2nd. It was amplified further at the Confirmation/ many dead ends before I figured out that my real 3 Shavuot event on May 16th. We saw bright faces and minds and enduring passion in life was learning and teach- ready to carry out the best of Jewish traditions while putting ing about Judaism, and singing Jewish music. their own, individualistic stamp on the future. It’s easy to www.tetucson.org find conflict and imbalance in the world today. So it was In some ways, being a member of the clergy is not refreshing to see how younger members of our Jewish com- specializing. In my job, I get to be a musician, teach- munity are poised to lend their voice and energy to create er, service leader, comforter of those who are sick balance. or in mourning, and occasional stand up comedian. I work with all ages of people, from the three and In our own way, we, too, have been working with others to four-year olds of the Strauss ECE to the senior help shape a more balanced future. Here is how we might seniors of our congregation. It’s been such an im- tell the story to our children, if we could turn back the clock mense privilege to occupy all of these roles, and to to when they were very young. be a part of our congregation as it has evolved from the first congregation in Tucson, Arizona to the fu- “Hi. Let me tell you about my day. Today, I met with people ture-forward collaboration that will be Kol Ami, but doing holy work. We looked at papers that will help us to now it’s time for me to move on. form a new synagogue in Tucson. It’s called Kol Ami. The name means “all of my people.” About 700 families will come I have been considering retirement for some time, together to be part of it. We will combine Temple Emanu- and changes in my family, including the birth of El and Congregation Or Chadash into the new synagogue a new grandchild, have pushed me to finalize my later this year. We’re all very excited.” plans. This coming year, 5782, will be my last year as the full-time Cantorial Soloist. I appreciate that It’s a rare and treasured experience for us to be part of creat- Scott Arden and Elaine Jones, the presidents of ing something new. It’s especially important if it helps to lay Temple Emanu-El and Congregation Or Chadash, a foundation for a brighter future for ourselves and our chil- as well as Rabbi Louchheim, Rabbi Saulson, and dren. We see Kol Ami in that light. Our work challenges us Cantor Cohen have been supportive of my decision. to show patience for the things that take time, like forming Although we have an abundance of clergy, no on has strong relationships and honoring valued traditions. It also asked me to leave; quite the opposite. teaches us that a dose of impatience is not a bad thing. We can use it in a productive way, as fuel to drive toward a solu- I am looking forward to new challenges in life, tion that fits this moment in history. spending more time with my family, and spend- ing more time with my very patient spouse, Judy Our prototype vision statement for Kol Ami is, “A home of Shepard Gomez after I retire. In the interim, I’m joyful Judaism for all.” It begs the question, how do you looking forward to doing what I can to help our experience joy? Individual Jewish journeys are all different.