Temple Israel of Great Neck Where tradition meets change Voice a Conservative egalitarian synagogue High Holy Days Services Temple Israel’s Yom Kippur Sunday, September 9 - Erev Rosh Hashanah Minhah and Ma’ariv 6:30 P.M. Jacob Stein Symposium Monday, September 10 - First Day Rosh Hashanah Speaker: Ruth Messinger Shaharit begins in the Sanctuary 8:15 A.M. Torah Reading: Genesis 21:1-34; Numbers 29:1-6 by Marc Katz, Editor Haftarah: I Samuel 1:1-2:10 Ruth Messinger, the former president and CEO of the American “The Days of Awe and the Workaday World: 10:00 A.M. Jewish World Service, will be the featured speaker at Temple Prayers That Connect Them” - Poetry Israel’s Jack Stein Memorial Symposium on Yom Kippur. A discussion led by Rabbi Marim D. Charry Tashlikh (Xeriscape) 6:30 P.M. American Jewish World Service is a non-profit international Minhah and Ma’ariv 7:00 P.M. development and human rights organization that supports community-based groups in 19 countries. It also works to Tuesday, September 11 - Second Day of Rosh Hashanah educate the American Jewish community about global justice. Shaharit begins in the Sanctuary 8:15 A.M. It is the only Jewish organization Torah Reading: Genesis 22:1-24; Numbers 29:1-6 dedicated solely to ending Haftarah: Jeremiah 31:1-19 poverty and promoting human “The Days of Awe and the Workaday World: 10:00 A.M. rights in the developing world. Prayers That Connect Them” - Prose A discussion led by Rabbi Marim D. Charry Rabbi Howard Stecker has been Minhah and Ma’ariv 7:10 P.M. involved with the organization, recently traveling with them to Tuesday, September 18 - Kol Nidre Guatemala as a Global Justice Minhah 3:00 P.M. Fellow to promote human rights Kol Nidre 6:30 P.M. and see conditions in the country first-hand. On his trip, he got to Wednesday, September 19 - Yom Kippur know Ms. Messinger and her Shaharit begins in the Grand Ballroom 9:00 A.M. strong human rights vision. “I Torah Reading: Leviticus 16:1-34; Numbers 29:7-11 told her that her message and Symposium Speaker Haftarah: Isaiah 57:14-58:14 work regarding global justice are Ruth Messinger “The Days of Awe and the Workaday World: 10:00 A.M. important for our congregation to hear about,” Rabbi Stecker Prayers That Connect Them” - Music said. “And what better time than on Yom Kippur, the day that we A discussion led by Rabbi Marim D. Charry reflect on how we might best fulfill our obligations toward others.” Yizkor Memorial Service 11:30 A.M. Jacob Stein Memorial Symposium 3:15 P.M. Ms. Messinger served as the head of American Jewish Featuring: Ruth Messinger, American Jewish World World Service from 1998 to 2016, but is still extremely active Service inaugural Global Ambassador with the organization. The Forward newspaper named her to Community Yizkor Service 3:00 P.M. the top of its annual “Forward Fifty” list of the most influential Minhah 4:45 P.M. Jewish Americans. Neilah 6:05 P.M. Ma’ariv 7:13 P.M. “I am so glad that Ruth Messinger will be speaking with our Torah Reading: Leviticus 18:1-30 community on the holiest day of the year,” Rabbi Stecker Haftarah: Jonah 1:1-4:11; Micah 7:18-20 said. “I’m confident that her courageous leadership on behalf Havdalah and Shofar Blowing 7:41 P.M. of human rights will inspire us to take our own steps toward ensuring that all human beings are treated justly.” August 2018 Vol. LX, No. 13 Elul 5778 The Day the Jewish State Became Orthodox The High Holy Days A Voice Guest Column by Rabbi Mikie Goldstein From the President by Rob Panzer With the end of summer near, it EDITOR’S NOTE: A few weeks ago, a Conservative/Masorti rabbi in Israel was detained by is time to turn our attention to the Israeli police for performing a non-Orthodox wedding. In protest, Rabbi Mikie Goldstein of approaching High Holy Days season. Kehillat Adat Shalom-Emanuel in Rehovot and president of the Rabbinical Assembly of Israel, We are fortunate this year to have our wrote the following article which appeared in The Times of Israel blog and was submitted to returning group of clergy. The rabbinical the Voice by Temple Israel’s sister congregation, Kehillat Netzach Israel in Ashkelon. team will, of course, be led by Senior Rabbi Howard Stecker, ably assisted My mobile rings and I answer. The voice on answers, such as: “My foot will never by Associate Rabbi Daniel Schweber, the other end: “Hi, is this Rabbi Goldstein? step inside the Rabbinate,” “We want a Rabbi Marim D. Charry, and Rabbi My fiancée and I would like you to officiate halakhic wedding that also respects the Abraham B. Eckstein. Our cantorial at our wedding.” The conversation bride,” or “We’re looking for a rabbi who team will be led by Cantor Raphael we can connect with,” or that one of the Frieder, with Cantor Mordechai Sobol Many couples who approach couple “is from the former Soviet Union and Cantor Joseph Gole returning. a Masorti rabbi...find the and the Rabbinate is asking us for proof of Judaism that is impossible to provide.” Chief Rabbinate of Israel Once again, we ask that each at best irrelevant, household come to the Temple Israel Many couples who approach a Masorti office to pick up their tickets, as some and at worst repellent. rabbi to officiate at their wedding are looking for an authentic, Jewish There is much to do continues. I make sure we’re talking about ceremony—often also knowing that our and much to participate in two Jews. I get a bit of background. ceremonies meet all the requirements at Temple Israel. of halakhah (Jewish law). They find When I ask the couple why they are the Chief Rabbinate of Israel at best seem to get lost in the mail each year. not getting married through the state irrelevant, and at worst repellent. There will be more information about Orthodox rabbinate, I get various —Continued on page 8 this soon, so please read your emails and open any hard copy mail we send. Our Recent Journey Not everything we send is a bill! From the Rabbi by Rabbi Howard Stecker Our annual Yom Kippur Symposium, held during the afternoon on Yom Perhaps it was the ruins of the mikveh in We had profound mixed feelings while Kippur, will feature Ruth Messinger, Girona recently discovered near a clothing viewing all of this. On the one hand, we currently the first Global Ambassador store. Or the tiny synagogue in Barcelona, were awed by the intellectual, medical for the American Jewish World Service. now used only for special occasions, that and political accomplishments of these This promises to be a most interesting contained a sign proclaiming in Hebrew, Jewish communities that included program and we are quite pleased that Catalan and English: “the holy community mystics, physicians, philosophers and Ms. Messinger will be able to join us. in Barcelona prayed in this direction for ordinary people creatively maintaining more than a thousand years.” Or the We will also be hearing about many picture in Seville of Fray Luis de Leon, Deanna and I... of the goings on during the past year. a Benedictine monk descended from shared a grateful moment There is much to do and much to conversos, who was brought before the of am yisra’el chai. participate in at Temple Israel. Inquisition on charges that he preferred the Hebrew text of the Old Testament to their traditions within the larger cultural My family and I wish everyone a happy, the Latin version. context. On the other hand, we were healthy, and meaningful High Holy Days saddened by the relative absence season. In reality it was the combination of such of Jewish life in these places today. sites and photos that Deanna and I Several guides from Lisbon to Girona As always, I can be reached at saw on our recent travels that made observed how much vitality the wider [email protected]. such a deep impression on us. What communities lost in the centuries we witnessed overall were the stories of following the expulsion of the Jews. Next Voice, Deadline productive, resilient Jewish communities The next issue of The Voice, the Sukkot, that lasted for centuries and then, due Throughout our journey we pondered Shemini Atzeret and Simhat Torah issue, to expulsion and persecution, vanished the sobering reality of just how will be published on September 13. The nearly completely. —Continued on page 8 deadline for that issue is August 22. 2 In Memoriam Upcoming Events at Temple Israel Temple Israel extends condolences to the families of: August 21 September 13 MARVIN TEPPER Board of Trustees Meeting 8:15 P.M. Waxman Youth House 5:30 P.M. husband of Elise Tepper August 28 7th Grade Orientation and esteemed member of Temple Israel Sisterhood’s Noon September 16 Lunch and Read Program First Day of Religious School SUSAN SMITH September 1 Welcome Back BBQ Noon wife of Arden Smith Selihot Program 8:45 P.M. September 17 and esteemed member of Temple Israel Featuring Cantors Raphael Frieder Sisterhood Board Meeting 10:00 A.M. and Farid Dardashti September 18 May their memories be for a blessing. September 5 Kol Nidre Beth HaGan Nursery School 6:00 P.M. September 19 Candle Lighting Times Orientation Yom Kippur September 6 September 20 Friday, August 17 Waxman High School 4:00 P.M.