Vol. LVII, No. 10 February 5, 2015 16 Shevat 5775 United Synagogue Leader Rabbi Wernick To Speak at Men’s Club Shabbat Dinner By Sam Husney the Men’s Club. Members of men’s clubs Beginning with the successful passing United Synagogue of Conservative at Conservative congregations throughout of the strategic plan for the “new United Judaism Chief Executive Officer Rabbi the world conduct the service on this Synagogue,” Steven C. Wernick will be the featured Shabbat, Shabbat HaChodesh. Rabbi Wernick Rabbi Wernick speaker at the annual Men’s Club Shabbat will speak following a complete traditional has spearheaded service and dinner—open to the entire Shabbat dinner, to be held in the Crystal a progressive plan congregation—on Friday, March 20. Rabbi Ballroom. The service begins at 6:30 P.M. to transform the Wernick was named one of Newsweek’s 50 and the dinner begins at 7:30 P.M. international org- Most Influential Rabbis in America and The cost of the dinner is $25 per person anization of Con- was on The Forward’s List of 50 Influential and $15 for children 13 and younger. servative cong- Jewish Leaders. Reservations can be made by bringing or regations to meet The Friday evening service, which sending a check to the Temple Israel office. the needs of what precedes the dinner and presentation, will Further information about the service, he termed “sacred be held in the Multipurpose Room and dinner and speaker is available by calling ——Continued will be conducted entirely by members of the synagogue office, 482-7800. on page 2 Rabbi Steven Wernick Planning for the Temple Israel Gala A large committee has formed to plan Temple Israel’s Annual Din- and Harvey Kadden, Barbara and Henry Katz, Ronnie and Marc ner Dance, this year honoring outgoing President Alan Klinger Katz, Pargol and Steven Khadavi, Parveneh and Parviz Khoda- and his wife, Susan Wagner, on Sunday, April 19. Chaired by dadian, Fran and Marc Langsner, Susan and Robert Lopatkin, Simone and Robert Kahen, Elise and Richard Kestenbaum, and Veronica and Jonathan Lurvey, Trudy and Steven Markowitz, Ni- Miriam and Kenneth Kobliner, the committee includes Eleanor cole and Gary Mazer, Ofra and Rob Panzer, Moji and Omid Pour- and Kaveh Askari, Barbara Hirsch and Steven Atlas, Vivian and moradi, Eileen and Mickey Putterman, Debbie Sedaghat, Debbie Yuval Brash, Lori and Alan Cooper, Farnaz and Mike Delafraz, and Steve Shepsman, Ossie and Douglas Spector, Lynn and Gil Joanna and David Eshaghoff, Andrea and Jeff Farkas, Fariba and Weitzman, and Bracha and Marty Werber. Lee Harounian, Seth Horowitz, Sherry and Sam Husney, Freddi Voice photo by Bob Lopatkin layout-1.indd 1 2/5/15 2:34 PM A VOICE GUEST COLUMN United Synagogue’s Shalom Club’s Years of Bonding Rabbi Wernick Will Speak at Men’s Club By Mickey Putterman Dinner March 20th EDITOR’S NOTE: The Shalom Club, the congregation’s oldest arm, has spent years form- ——Continued from front page ing lasting friendships. Club President Mickey Putterman invites you to join them and be congregations, kehillot.” He has shepherded part of the fun. the successful launch of several programs What remains over the years is the es- dine, to sip wine, to shine with enthusiasm, for USCJ, including the new Sulam for sence of human encounters, therefore let’s become tense or make sense in the political Emerging Leaders, focused on strengthen- share how unique and fulfilling Shalom or cultural arena, vent not bent to listen, to ing and transforming kehillot through the Club can be. We can with honesty relate to question, to bristle, to applaud, sometimes training of their future Leaders. To date, the past 53 years as a joy of what a group whistle when the speaker shares her or his USCJ has partnered with kehillot to engage like Shalom Club is and continues to be for personal source. We radiate a personality more than 1,000 new leaders, including of care and involvement of others in need, a large group from Temple Israel. He has of study and questioning, of bristling with also built successful partnerships with PJ It is truly an tales of new ventures and the ongoing in- Library, the Ruderman Foundation, and put of the past. We sing, tell stories, some other movement partners. enriching and of glories of our history, and recollect yes- As the son of a rabbi and a Jewish terday with conventional respect. We are educator, Rabbi Wernick was actively warming experience. in essence builders, founders, givers and involved in USY and Camp Ramah. He all who choose to take their place in the keepers, shareholders and seekers of this was born in Philadelphia and raised in adventure of life in Temple Israel of Great ever-living magnificent space, our spiritual a variety of cities across North America, Neck. home, Temple Israel of Great Neck, and of including Oakland, California, and No longer “The Young Married Set,” life itself, which surrounds and abounds Winnipeg, Manitoba, in central Canada. still we learn, still we debate, still we visit, within us. You can never be too young to He is a graduate of the University of still we encounter and still we share the at- share in all that we offer with warmth, with Minnesota and the University of Judaism tributes of joining together once a month to ——Continued on page 5 and was ordained at the Jewish Theological Seminary. He served as the associate rabbi FROM THE RABBI at Temple Beth Sholom in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, and then as the senior rabbi at Adath Israel in suburban Philadelphia. One Day with the Hartman Institute He has also been the president of the Mid- By Rabbi Howard Stecker Atlantic Regional Rabbinical Assembly. As rabbi of Adath Israel, Rabbi Wernick took a synagogue that had been withering I’m writing from Jerusalem where I’m • 9 A.M. Study and discussion of Jewish and turned it into one of the region’s most participating in the second winter portion sources from Bible to Zohar that deal with vibrant congregations. He still draws on his of the Rabbinic Leadership Initiative, a pro- the theme of universalism and particular- experiences at Adath Israel as he works to gram for over 20 rabbis from varying ideo- ism in Jewish thought. Unfortunately the grow United Synagogue. logical perspectives. In the past I’ve shared scheduled instructor, Dr. Melila Hellner- teachings and insights that I gleaned from Eshed, Professor of Jewish mysticism and MAZAL TOV TO . my experience. Recently Temple Israel host- Zohar at Hebrew University, was unable • Faye and Joseph Rokhsar on the birth of ed two other rabbis from the program, Rabba their grandson, Jack Henry Rokhsar. Sara Hurwitz and Rabbi David Ingber. …Hartman is In order to give a sense of the depth DAILY MINYAN TIMES and breadth of the program, I’d like to cultivating nuanced Mon. & Thur. 6:45 A.M. 8:00 P.M. present a chronology, with minor descrip- Monday, Feb. 16 8:15 A.M. 8:00 P.M. tions, of most of the events that transpired conversation and Tues. & Wed. 7:00 A.M. 8:00 P.M. on a single day. Below is an account of my Fri., Feb. 6 & 13 7:00 A.M. 5:15 P.M. experience with the Hartman Institute in action regarding Sat., Feb. 7 9:00 A.M. 4:40 P.M. Jerusalem on Monday, February 2, 2015. Sat., Feb. 14 9:00 A.M. 4:50 P.M. • 8 A.M. Breakfast with several of my col- Israel and Judaism. Sunday 8:15 A.M. 8:00 P.M. leagues and Dr. Yehuda Kurtzer, President of the Shalom Hartman Institute of North to teach due to the death of her husband the night before. Dr. Biti Roi, a Lecturer in CANDLE LIGHTING TIMES America. Yehuda spoke with us about the Friday, Feb. 6….........….....…...……5:00 P.M. Jewish Mysticism at Hebrew University, inaugural year of a new program, a Gap Friday, Feb. 13.....…..........………… 5:08 P.M. Year for American and Israeli students filled in for her colleague after offering a that allows them to explore Jewish topics brief reflection about Melila’s husband and together and to engage in dialogue about leading us in the chanting, in his memory, Next Voice Issue, Deadline The next issue of The Voice, the Pu- the realities of American and Israeli life. He of a medieval poem about the soul. We rim issue, will be published on February told us that he is thrilled by the enthusiastic made plans to pay a shiva call to Melila. The 19. The deadline for that issue is Monday, engagement of North American and Israeli subsequent study and discussion raised February 9. teens that he has witnessed. ——Continued on page 5 ——2—— layout-1.indd 2 2/5/15 2:34 PM IN MEMORIAM UPCOMING EVENTS AT TEMPLE ISRAEL Feb. 8 Family B’nai Mitzvah Workshop III 9:30 A.M. Temple Israel extends condolences With Cantor Frieder to the families of: 8 Single Connection Sunday Brunch 11:00 A.M. 8 “The Adventures of Mitzvah Man and Estie the 3:00 P.M. HAROLD B. FINK Mensch” - Presented by PJ Library Storybook Theater husband of Barbara Fink 8 TILL Movie Night Presents “The Green Prince” 7:30 P.M. and esteemed member of Temple Israel 9 Sisterhood Board Meeting 10:00 A.M. 22 Shalom Club Dinner Meeting 6:30 P.M. ANITA KINSHUCK 26 Board of Trustees Meeting 8:15 P.M. mother of Fay Mattana 28 Niggun Circle Led by Cantor Frieder 1:00 P.M.