Kol K .I. May 2020 • Iyyar/Sivan 5780 learn. inspire. grow. together. 16 Colt Road l Pittsfield, Massachusetts 01201 l 413.445.4872 l knessetisrael.org • Rabbi David Weiner l Richard Simons, President From the Rabbi: Knesset Israel Responds Accompanying each other through the COVID-19 challenge During the weeks between Purim and Passover, it became clear that our best response to the spreading pandemic involved social distancing, cancelling in-person events at the synagogue, and minimizing our close contact with oth- er people. The Knesset Israel commu- nity and its leadership moved quickly to establish social connections over the phone and over video conferencing technology. We began meeting for study, prayer, and business over Zoom, quickly finding a new routine to give us ways to care for each other, continue to partici- pate in Jewish life, and find opportunities to connect with community. I am grateful to everyone who has helped shoulder the burden. We continue to work together to serve each other and ensure the vibrancy of Jewish life in the Zoom Kabbalat Shabbat on April 3, 2020 Berkshires. Stu Masters, Ed Helitzer, Laura coordinating the Shabbat Shalom Proj- sponsibility for coordinating distance Rosenthal, Alan Metzger, Susan Staskin, ect, coordinating phone calls among K.I. learning for Hebrew School students, Don Sugarman, and Myrna Hammer- members, with a special focus on reach- and many teachers and students are par- ling have been appointed as an ad hoc ing those who might feel most alone. ticipating enthusiastically. Elisa Snowise committee to work with me to help the has continued bar/bat mitzvah lessons, synagogue meet its mission. Susan has Judith Weiner, Rebecca Cook-Dubin, and also joined Jan Zimbler and Fran Wolk in Marcie Greenfield Simons have taken re- continued on page3 In This Issue Member Mitzvahs & Mazel Tovs From the Rabbi....................................1 Birthdays From the President ..............................3 .......................................... 4-5 Calendar n Maya Dahari ......................................May 1 n Robert Sutter.................................. May 14 COVID-19 Relief Fund ...........................5 n Barry Leeper ......................................May 2 n Joseph Weiner ............................... May 14 New Class: Together and Apart .............6 n Burton Edelstein ..............................May 3 n Anna Yantovsky ............................. May 16 Committee Updates ................... 8, 9, 11 n Evie Cook-Dubin ..............................May 3 n John Bergman ................................ May16 Spotlight On: Noah Cook-Dubin ..........12 n Jill Wollins ...........................................May 4 n Robert Ferren ................................. May 17 New Feature! Member Musings ..........13 n Howie Fuhrman ...............................May 5 n Anthony Segal ............................... May 21 Advertisers .......................................16 n Roselyn Kolodny ..............................May 6 n Barbara Hayden ............................ May 21 Yahrzeits, Funds & Endowments ....17-19 n Eric Glaberson ...................................May 6 n David Weiner .................................. May 21 Jewish Film Festival ..............Mailer side n Alice Schiller ......................................May 6 n Jessica Lotto ................................... May 21 n Alberta Gerschel ..............................May 6 n Beth Kruvant .................................. May 22 K.I. Staff n Josh Weisbuch ..................................May 6 n Heidi Ferren .................................... May 22 OFFICE PHONE 413-445-4872 n Dana Caleb Sebestyen ...................May 6 n Norman Moskowitz ..................... May 23 n Kendall Lamm ...................................May 7 n Shelley Berend ............................... May 24 RABBI DAVID WEINER Ext. 10 [email protected] n Dorothy Margolin ............................May 9 n Joel Prives ........................................ May 25 DIANA MACFARLANE Ext. 10 n Adele Cukor .................................... May 11 n Mark Snowise ................................. May 26 Office Manager n Talia Caine ....................................... May 11 n Roberta Smith ................................ May 27 [email protected] n Ellen Rosenblatt ............................ May 12 n Sharon Karlin .................................. May 27 ED ROBINSON [email protected] n Kayla Bellmore ................................ May12 n Rebecca Caine ............................... May 27 MYRNA HAMMERLING Ext. 16 n Jeffrey Cook ..................................... May13 n Roger Kruvant ................................ May 28 Director of Adult Education n Joel Bastow ...................................... May13 n Lucy Kramer.................................... May 28 and Programming n Gary Schecter .................................. May13 n Morton Taubin ............................... May 30 [email protected] n Gail Weis........................................... May 14 n Evelyn Zwerner.............................. May 31 CHRIS GOETZE Ext. 20 Facilities Director/Head Custodian [email protected] Anniversaries JUDITH WEINER Ext. 15 Director of Families Together, and n Jonathan & Lara Denmark .............May 4 n Rick & Renee Robbins ................. May 27 Hebrew School Administrator n Allan & Nan Lipton ...........................May 8 n David & Janet Rothstein .............. May 27 [email protected] n Sergey & Natalya Yantovsky ....... May 18 n Thomas Sebestyn & Leslie Fishbein ELISA SNOWISE .................................................................. May 26 B’Nai Mitzvah Teacher /Coordinator n Cindy & David Bell-Deane .......... May 24 n David & Leatrice Finck.................. May 28 [email protected] n Jane & Alex Rosen ......................... May 24 LIZ DEMARCO, Web Administrator, n Edwin and Roselyn Kolodny ...... May 31 [email protected] Your community wants to share KNESSET ISRAEL in your good news! Send KOL K.I. editor, 16 Colt Road, Pittsfield, MA 01201 Susan Miller, the details about births, awards & 413-445-4872 honors, graduations, milestones, anniversaries, accomplishments…any happy news 413-496-9378 (fax) we can celebrate with you! knessetisrael.org High resolution photos are welcome! 2 n KOL K.I. • MAY 2020 • IYYAR/SIVAN 5780 From the Rabbi / From the President Rising to the COVID-19 Challenge From the Rabbi How do we maintain community when we must stay apart? continued from page 1 As I sit down to write this column, I am reflecting on the even as we’ve been compelled to re- events of the past month. It was not even 30 days ago that schedule some of the celebrations, and the social hall of the shul was packed with members singing various congregants have volunteered and dancing to the music generated by our own K.I .Band. A to lead “services” over Zoom, a process couple of days later, we were together celebrating Purim. It that involves significant planning and re- was wonderful being together—laughing, eating, praying, hearsal. Eve Edwards has joined the team dancing, and drinking. Then a few days later on Thursday, supporting evening classes and daven- March 12th, the Rabbi and I had a bone-chilling conversa- ing. Standing committees like the Ceme- tion where we decided we had to take the unusual step of tery Committee, Hevra Kadisha, the Berk- closing the shul for the upcoming Shabbat. An emergency shire Jewish Film Festival, Social Justice, board meeting was convened by video that Sunday and the and Budget and Finance have continued Richard Simons board took the unprecedented step to close the building for their work in support of the congrega- public in-person gatherings, including classes, services, and meals. tion and its members, sometimes in ways very different to their usual practice. And How do you run a shul when you cannot get together in-person? How do we care for our staff—especially Diana, Chris and each other when it is important to limit physical contact with other people? How do we Ken—have really risen to the challenges celebrate Pesach when we cannot assemble for our Sederim, like we did in years past? of the hour. Please look carefully through this bulle- We are doing what we do best. tin for opportunities to connect. Though We are rising to the challenge…our at time of writing, we still could not gath- er in person, we were able to plan Zoom traditions and teachings are our compass. services, meditation and classes for the month of May. It is always good to see Under the leadership of Rabbi Weiner and Stu Masters, a committee was quickly as- each other and to give ourselves the gift sembled to answer those questions. In a sense, we have created a “virtual shul.” In short of time to breathe, center ourselves, and order, we learned that the word “Zoom” meant something new and different from our find strength in community. previous knowledge of the word! The computer platform allowed us to get togeth- er and SEE each other on-line and in real time. We have had prayer services, classes, I look forward to seeing you soon on Havdalah get-togethers and concerts. I recall the first time I signed on for a Kabbalat Zoom or to speaking with you on the Shabbat service, how delighted I was to see friends and neighbors! phone. I look forward even more to see- ing you when this plague is behind us, Jan Zimbler, Fran Wolk, and Susan Staskin have also made sure that we continued to and we