November—December 2017 המרכז היהודי ד'פורסט הילס Heshvan‐Kislev‐Tevet 5778 Vol. LXXI No. 2 THE FOREST HILLS JEWISH CENTER FHJC ANNUAL SHABBATON Cinematek Forest Hills Presents December 8‐9, 2017 Shabbat Dinner Keynote: The Death of Debate and Rise of Hate: Technology’s Challenge to the Future Keynote Presentaon by Jonathan Vick, An‐Defamaon League’s (ADL) Associate Director of Invesgave Technology and Cyberhate Response in New York. Congregaonal Cholent Kiddush 8 Sessions to Choose from on Shabbat November 18, 2017 Seudat Shlishit learning with 8:00 PM Rabbi Skolnik See pages 8‐10 for more informaon. RSVP online at www.FHJC.org/Shabbaton Join the Forest Hills community for the 2017 I T S Sunday, November 19—4:00 PM Tuesday Reform Temple of Forest Hills (71st Rd/ 112th St.) December 19, 2017 Be there with the enre Forest Hills community to li our voices as one in 6:00 PM—7:30 PM Thanksgiving prayer and song! Communal Candle Lighng Refreshments following the service. Sponsored by the Forest Hills Interfaith Dialogue Singing & Dancing, Latkes & Sufganiyot FROM THE RABBI’S STUDY Rabbi Gerald C. Skolnik Thanksgiving The beginning of 5778, the new year that always service. Somemes in synagogues, somemes in feels like a new year to me, has been very kind to churches, not yet in a mosque– I hope that will Robin and me. We have a new granddaughter, a someday happen– we come together across faith new son‐in‐law to be, and I have a new knee that community lines to express our gratude for the is enabling me to walk without pain for the first lives of plenty that we lead, and the many bless‐ me in many years. Robin and I always feel ings that are ours in this most remarkable country. blessed, but these past few months have been Even now, when our country is riven by deep divi‐ parcularly good ones. sions, we are among the luckiest people on earth… Giving thanks on a regular basis is not something This year’s service will take place on Sunday, that comes naturally to most of us; it’s something November 19, at 4:00PM, at the Reform Temple of that must be worked on. I am completely con‐ Forest Hills, with clergy from most of the major vinced that the rabbinically generated obligaon houses of worship in our community. In addion to pray three mes daily is rooted in this con‐ to our clergy, Nagilay will be performing, and sciousness. Prayer is not about grafying God’s hopefully our Youth Chorus as well. I hope you’ll need for praise. It is about culvang our aware‐ join us. It is invariably a wonderful event, and it ness of the myriad blessings that sustain us daily. will leave you feeling good… and grateful. That said, our American tradion is to designate one day a year for formally giving thanks for the blessings in our lives, and that day is, of course, Thanksgiving. Here in Forest Hills, for the past many years, we have, in advance of the day itself, Rabbi Gerald C. Skolnik marked this annual celebraon with an interfaith The Message USPS 340‐300 The Forest Hills Jewish Center, 106‐06 Queens Boulevard, Forest Hills, NY 11375‐4248. Cemetery 718‐263‐7000, Fax: 718‐520‐4369. Website: hp:// www.jc.org. Affiliated with the United Synagogue of Clean‐Up Conservave Judaism. Published bi‐monthly September‐ June. Subscripon: $25 per year (included in membership Event dues.) Periodicals postage paid at the Post Office in Flush‐ ing, NY. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Forest Sunday, Hills Jewish Center. 106‐06 Queens Boulevard, Forest Hills, NY 11375‐4248. Editorial Board: Karen L. Stein (Editor), November 12 Gerald C. Skolnik (Rabbi), Henry Rosenblum (Hazzan), Deborah Gregor (Execuve Director), Lynn Lancaster (Director of Congregaonal Educaon), Iris Chomsky and Lynn Fisher (Co‐Directors, Early Childhood Educa‐ Volunteers from FHJC and synagogues around the tri‐state area will be helping on), Philip Dickstein (Assistant Director of RS/Program maintain the grounds at historic Silver Lake Cemetery, operated by The Hebrew Director) Laurie Worthman (Office Manager). Offic‐ Free Burial Society. Since the 1880s, the Society has provided low‐cost and free ers: Ilana Altman (President), Helaine Fox (Vice President), burials to needy Jewish families. Our parcipaon in this community‐wide event Felicia Leeman (Vice President), Richard Chase (Vice Presi‐ ensures connued dignity to the grounds. dent), Pauline Raphael (Vice President), Bill Re‐ gen (Treasurer), Randi Zwick‐Marks (Secretary). Arms: Our teams of volunteers will be leaving from FHJC at 9:00AM and returning at Men’s Club, Warren Wankoff (President), Minyan Club, approximately 1:00PM. You can sign up to volunteer by email to volun‐ Bey Korb (President), Sisterhood, Debra Weil and Marcia [email protected]. Please include whether you can drive or need a li. Belgorod (Co‐Presidents). Opinions expressed in The Mes‐ ** Teens: Great community service credit opportunity!** sage are the authors’ and do not necessarily represent those of the Forest Hills Jewish Center, its officers and Board, or the Editorial Board. 2 NOTES FROM THE HAZZAN UPCOMING EVENTS NOVEMBER EVENTS Hazzan Henry R. Rosenblum November 4 Kitah Gimmel Siddur Ceremony Some Early Cantorial History November 12 Cemetery Clean‐Up In the Mishna, change of the office of the Hazzan to November 14 Torah Fund Event the prayer leader that of Reader occurred, however it is was called O‐ver first recorded in Pirke de‐Rabbi November 17 Family Shabbat Dinner lifne ha’teyva Eliezer. Apparently, aer the fall of nd November 18 Cinematek FHJC Presents ("one who descends before the the 2 Temple in the year 70 CE, chest") because the Ark in the ancient there were not enough qualified per‐ Fanny’s Journey synagogue was not built into the wall sonnel to act as sheliah tzibbur, so the November 19 Religious School Family Work‐ of the synagogue but consisted of a Hazzan, who had always served the shop portable chest containing the Sefer community and synagogue in one way November 19 Interfaith Service Torah. He was also called sheliah tzib‐ or another and had a basic knowledge bur, the messenger of the congrega‐ of the prayer chants eventually was DECEMBER EVENTS on, and hazzan (originally meaning retained as the prayer leader. "overseer"), which was the name December 2 Men’s Club Rock & Roll Event It was during the Gaonic Period (from most frequently used. the end of the 6th century CE to the December 8‐9 Shabbaton In Talmudic mes (from the first half middle of the 11th century CE) that the rd th of the 3 century CE to the 6 century Hazzan Ha‐Kenesset became the per‐ December 9 Cinematek FHJC Presents In CE), there was no permanent Cantor manent Sheliah Tzibbur. Some rea‐ Search of Israeli Cuisine and any member of the congregaon sons for these changes were the in‐ might be asked to lead the public creasing complexity of the liturgy and December 10 Book Fair prayers. The Talmud describes various the decline in the knowledge of He‐ dues performed by the Hazzan Ha‐ brew, as well as a desire to enhance December 12 First Night of Hanukkah! Kenesset (overseer of the assembly). the beauty of the service through its December 19 Lights and Latkes! He was a superintendent at prayer musical content. The Hazzan Ha‐ meengs, officer at proceedings, in‐ Kenesset, who tradionally guarded structor of children, and, with special the correctness of the texts and se‐ SAVE THE DATE: FEBRUARY 9‐10, 2018 permission of the congregaon, lected new prayers, was a natural the Torah reader for special occasions. choice for this new permanent role. Scholar‐in‐Residence Program 2018 His more unusual dues included serv‐ When the liturgy came to include piy‐ ing as town crier or sheriff, patrolling yum (religious poetry), it was the THE HISTORY OF CHUTZPAH the streets as a town guard, and even Hazzan who would compose and re‐ Rabbi Dr. Ed Feinstein blowing a Shofar from the roof of the cite them and provide suitable melo‐ synagogue to announce the beginning dies. This recitaon of the poetry be‐ Please set aside the weekend of February 9‐10, of Shabbat and Fesvals! came known as Hazzanut, and even‐ 2018, for our annual Scholar‐in‐Residence Pro‐ tually this term came to refer to the gram, once again made possible through the gen‐ That the Hazzan also served as prayer tradional form of channg, not only erous support of the Sevin family. Our guest this leader is indicated in the Talmud; it of just the poems in the service, but year will be Rabbi Dr. Ed Feinstein, the Senior Rabbi says that in Simoniya, at the recom‐ the service in its enrety. of Valley Beth Shalom Congregaon in Encino, Cali‐ mendaon of Yehudah Hannasi, Levi fornia. A faculty member of the Ziegler Rabbinical Bar Sisi funconed simultaneously as B’Shalom, School of the University of Judaism, the Wexner judge, schoolmaster, preacher and Hazzan Henry Rosenblum Heritage Program, and the Shalom Hartman Ins‐ hazzan. This was the pracce in small tute in Jerusalem, Rabbi Feinstein is one of the communies, where several offices most sought‐aer teachers and lecturers on the had to be the responsibility of one American Jewish scene. person. It is uncertain when the With his unique blend of scholarship and humor, Rabbi Feinstein’s presentaons will be devoted to “The History of Chutzpah,” tracing the Jewish idea of human empowerment through biblical, rabbinic and philosophical sources. Please set aside the dates; this is a program you won’t want to miss! 3 THE PRESIDENT’S PEN Contrasts and Introspecon A number of have dreamed of change.