MJCBYDECEMBER 2016 KISLEV - TEVET 5777 NEWSVOLUME 112 NUMBER 4 Happy Hanukkah! Inside Schedule of Services 2 Executive Director 3 Life Long Learning 4 Hanukkah Celebration 5 Synagogue News 6 Men’s Club 7 Youth News 8 Religious School 9 Quick Look Guide 10 SY News 11 Sisterhood News 12 May the lights of Hanukkah Contributions 13 usher in a better world Yahrzeits 14 for all humankind. ~Author Unknown Schedule of Services MJCBY Clergy and Staff Friday, December 2 CLERGY SISTERHOOD 4:12pm Candle lighting Rabbi David J. Nesson Hilary Spain-Reilly & Rachel Richman 8:15pm Services Cantor Shana Onigman Co-Presidents, Sisterhood Saturday, December 3 STAFF JUDAICA GIFT SHOP 9:30am Services Gerry Gross, Executive Director Sharon Barkauskas (973) 285-1877 Sedra: Toldot Michelle Nulman & Gail Sulkin, Donna Gross (973) 895-5553 Co-Directors, Religious School Vivian Laska (973) 984-8178 Sunday, December 4 Flo Sager, Religious School Dorothy Cohen (973) 361-4338 9:45am Men’s Club Administrator Tefillin and Shacharit Service Mia Mutascio, Office Manager KIDDUSH COMMITTEE Michelle Usiskin (973) 543-5795 Friday, December 9 Tamara Goldberg, Bookkeeper 4:12pm Candle lighting Damon Brown, Custodian Kathy Neibart (973) 292-1933 8:15pm Services EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE SISTERHOOD TORAH FUND Saturday, December 10 Jeremy Diringer & Steven Gardberg Jill Frankel (973) 598-8849 9:30am Services Co-Presidents 10:30am Tot Shabbat Barbara Kavadias, First Vice President MEN’S CLUB Sedra: Vayetze Harvey Kellman, Second Vice President Doug Goldstein (973) 895-3082 Kathleen Neibart, Third Vice President Friday, December 16 Robert Berns, Financial Secretary NEWSLETTER 4:13pm Candle lighting Todd Schleifstein, Treasurer David Sagor, Editor 6:15pm Shabbat Dinner Lewis Stone, Board Secretary Donna Gross, Designer 7:15pm Speaker Robert Gelber & Ira Hammer Debbie Brody, Marsha Lewin, Nancy 8:15pm Services Immediate Past Co-Presidents Berns, Fran Loewensteiner, Copy Saturday, December 17 Mark Bender, Advisor Editors 9:30am Services with Minyonaires Fern Spitzer, Advisor 10:30am Junior Congregation Sedra: Vayishlach ARMS OF THE SYNAGOGUE & COMMITTEE CHAIRS Friday, December 23 Deborah Brody, Board of Education 4:17pm Candle lighting Mark Bender, Facilities, Security & 5:30pm -NOTE EARLIER TIME Technology Meryl Balaban, Gemilut Hasadim Saturday, December 24 Lewis Stone, History Committee 9:30am Services Keith Usiskin, Kol Nidre Appeal Sedra: Vayeshev Kathy Neibart, Membership Friday, December 30 Howard Baum & Paul Green, Ritual 4:22pm Candle lighting Louis Bodian, Social Action 5:30pm -NOTE EARLIER TIME Michelle Nulman & Amy Weinstock, Youth Co-Chairs Saturday, December 31 Becca Wanatick, LLL Chair 9:30am Services Sedra: Miketz 2 • DECEMBER 2016 KISLEV - TEVET 5777 FROM YOUR EXECUTIVE Director… The Shamash across Generations: man, Leonard Ha Kohen. From his son at his funeral, “With only A Tribute to Leonard Cohen immediate family and a few lifelong friends present, he was lowered into the ground in an unadorned pine box, next to his “Passing through, passing through. mother and father. Exactly as he’d asked.” Sometimes happy, sometimes blue, Glad that I ran into you. Tell the people that you saw me passing In his 1988 album “I’m Your Man,” he writes his own eulogy with through.” the final words: These lyrics are by Leonard Cohen who passed away on November “You’ll be hearing from me baby, long after I’m gone. I’ll be 7, at the age of 82. speaking to you sweetly from a window in the Tower of Song.” In this month of Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights, I call Leonard In the words of this immortal 16th century bard and poet,William Cohen our Shamash because too many of his generation and even Shakespeare: to this day, his words and his humanity are to us a mixture of darkness and light. He was truly a poet and bard in his “yiddishe “Now cracks a noble heart. Good-night, sweet prince; And flights neshama.” He inspired countless performers and fans as his of angels sing thee to thy rest.” profound lyrics and soulful melodies touched our hearts and Leonard, you will be remembered. opened our minds. Hanukkah Sameach to all and Lotsa Latkes!! His signature anthem, “Hallelujah,” has recently joined the pantheon of melodies for Lecha Dodi on Friday night and has Gerry become a regular at our MJCBY special musical Shabbat services in the park and throughout the year. Leonard grew up in the heavily Jewish Westmount section of Montreal in a prominent orthodox family. His grandfather was a talmudic scholar in Lithuania and on display in Congregation Morristown Jewish Center has now begun its third Shaar Hashomayim, his family’s synagogue, is a Menorah year of the Create a Jewish Legacy Program, dedicated to his grandparents. He was observant throughout his led by The Jewish Community Foundation of Greater life, even as he dabbled in other avenues of spirituality (e.g. Zen MetroWest and the Grinspoon Foundation. Buddhism). His debut album, “Song of Leonard Cohen,” came out Contact one our Team Members to have a conversation in 1967 when he was 33 years old. Always shy as a performer, about how you can be a part of our Future. Judy Collins made his haunting ballad, “Suzanne,” a worldwide Team Members success. Robert Berns – [email protected] His Judaism definitely influenced and touched his works. In Irving Cohen - [email protected] Hallelujah, he incorporates the bittersweet tale of David and Karen Gooen – [email protected] Bathsheba and the ends words are unmistakably – Leonard Cohen. Gerry Gross – [email protected] Rabbi David Nesson – [email protected] “I did my best, it wasn’t much. I couldn’t feel, so I tried to touch. Fern Spitzer – [email protected] I’ve told the truth, I didn’t come to fool you. And even though it all went wrong I’ll stand before the Lord of Song. With nothing As the Lights of Hanukkah remind us of Dedication, on my tongue but Hallelujah.” Your membership in the MJCBY Legacy Society Abraham Joshua Heschel writes in his God in Search of Man: exemplifies your dedication to the future of MJCBY! WE HAVE ALL PLANNED AHEAD “There are those who sense the ultimate question in moments of wonder, in moments of joy; there are those who sense the Welcome to Dr. Stuart and Barbara Levy ultimate question in moments of horror, in moments of despair. Our New Members of the MJCBY Legacy Society It is both the grandeur and the misery of living that makes one Thank You sensitive to the ultimate question. Indeed, our misery is as great Join us all in Living a meaningful Jewish life. as our grandeur.” Follow the lead of our 38 Legacy Members and Leave a Jewish Legacy! These words by Heschel epitomizes this humble yet brilliant The Future is Now! DECEMBER 2016 KISLEV - TEVET 5777 • 3 Life Long Learning “ALL ABOUT GOLDA” Memories of My Great Aunt Golda Meir Presented by Alice Golembo* Friday Night December 16, 2016 Congregation Shabbat Dinner 6:15 pm Presentation 7:15 pm Services 8:15 pm (You do not have to participate in the dinner to attend the presentation) Dinner Reservation $20 /adult $18/child 12-18 BYOB of Kosher wine rsvp to Gerry Gross [email protected] by December 12 Please let us know if you would like a vegetarian option *ALICE GOLEMBO has two special relationships with Golda Meir. She is Golda’s grandniece and resided with Golda from 1972 – 73 in the Prime Minister’s residence in Jerusalem. Also, MOVIE NIGHT Ms. Golembo was intimately involved in the Sunday - December 11 - 7:00 pm Broadway play “Golda,” both as an actress and as a consultant to the playwright. DOUGH Ms. Golembo’s performance is a combination of theater, humor, information and personal insight into the private life of Golda A lonely widower whose London bakery is on the verge of bankruptcy doesn’t have much joy in his life these days, other Meir. than his granddaughter. His wife is gone; his son has decided 973-538-9292 www.mjcby.org to become a lawyer and his only employee just quit. Forced to find a new apprentice, Nat takes a chance on Ayyash, OPEN TO THE COMMUNITY a 20-something from Darfur who’s secretly working for a local drug kingpin. When Ayyash accidentally drops some marijuana into the challah dough — and then reluctantly bakes it anyway — the customers show up in droves. Apparently, no one questions the resulting euphoria; everyone’s just hungry for the giggles. An interesting discussion will follow the showing. As always, the movie, popcorn and drinks are free. ANNUAL HIGH HOLY DAY REVIEW MEETING Sunday, December 11 9:30 AM Open to all BILL MARKS TALKS TO A PACKED CROWD DURING LLL PROGRAM OF HOLOCAUST REPARATIONS AND RESTITUTION 4 • DECEMBER 2016 KISLEV - TEVET 5777 Hanukkah Celebration DECEMBER 2016 KISLEV - TEVET 5777 • 5 Synagogue News GOOD AND WELFARE: Mazel Tov and Congratulations to: Kathy and Steve Neibart on the marriage of their daughter, Sarah, to Joshua Barer. Meri and Sol Barer on the marriage of their son, Joshua, to Sarah Neibart. Jodie and Arthur Israel on the engagement of their son, David, to Karen Shosfy. Nancy and David Medford on the birth of a grandson, Ellis Damian, to daughter Rachel and Daniel Garcia. Susan and Gary Scheer on the birth of a granddaughter, Adina Lila, to daughter Ariel and Michael Stein. In Recognition of Our Lift Patrons Condolences to: Thank you! Alise Ford, Administrator of the Beth Israel Cemetery Association, on the passing of her beloved father, Sidney Schlosser. Karen and Douglas Landsman Helen Judkowitz on the passing of her beloved mother, Tauba Harriet and David Sakofs Friedlich. The family of Ruth Cohnstein, our long-time member.