newsletter MAY 2017 | IYYAR-SIVAN 5777 | WWW.ANSHEEMET.ORG 8 8 9 9 we are: we are: youth learners 4 we are: students we are: 12 13 we are: community we are: We are: spiritual family engaged RECONSIDERING THE WORDS OF BEN GURION 62 YEARS LATER: PREPARING FOR YOM HA’ATZMAUT In 1954, when Ben Gurion was Prime Minister, he traveled to the USA to meet with President Eisenhower to request his assistance and support in the early and difficult days of the State of Israel. RABBI MICHAEL S. John Foster Dulles, who was Secretary of State, confronted Ben • How long did it take them before SIEGEL Gurion and challenged him as follows: they got to the land of Israel? Senior Rabbi, “Tell me, Mr. Prime Minister – who do you and your state • What did they eat during the The Norman Asher Rabbinic Chair [email protected] represent? Does it represent the Jews of Poland, perhaps Yemen, period when they were wandering Romania, Morocco, Iraq, Russia or perhaps Brazil? After 2000 in the desert? years of exile can you honestly speak about a single nation, a • And what happened to the sea when they encountered it? single culture? Can you speak about a single heritage or perhaps a single Jewish tradition?” Once you get the answers to these questions, please carefully reconsider the question that you have just asked me!” Ben Gurion answered him with the same example as he offered the Peel Commission nearly 20 years earlier. As we approach the 69th anniversary of the establishment of the State of Israel, I believe that Jewish children around the world can “Look, Mr. Secretary of State – approximately 300 years ago the still answer all of Ben Gurion’s questions accurately. After all, Mayflower set sail from England and on it were the first settlers the story of the Exodus from Egypt is the core story of the Jewish who settled in what would become the largest democratic people and serves as the essence of the Passover seder meal. superpower known as the United States of America. Now, do me a There is another question that needs to be asked in our generation favor – go out into the streets and find 10 American children and - a question that Ben Gurion could never have anticipated: why ask them the following: do the Jewish people need the state of Israel? In 1954, in living in • What was the name of the Captain of the Mayflower? the aftermath of the Holocaust, the answer to that question was • How long did the voyage take? obvious. It was simply unimaginable that the Jewish people could be left without a homeland. In 2017, the answer is less obvious to a • What did the people who were on the ship eat? significant percentage of young people. • What were the conditions of sailing during the voyage? There is a danger when we base the need for a state on I’m sure you would agree with me that there is a good chance historical circumstances alone. This would include something as that you won’t get a good answer to these questions. horrendous and cataclysmic as the murder of 6 million Jews. Even with the publication of innumerable books, academic studies, and Now in contrast – not 300 but more than 3000 years ago, the remarkable museums dedicated to the Holocaust, the memory Jews left the land of Egypt. and the meaning of the event is becoming less clear as the years I would kindly request from you Mr. Secretary that on one of go on. your trips around the world, try and meet 10 Jewish children in How shall we answer this question of why the Jewish people need different countries. And ask them: the state of Israel in 2017? • What was the name of the leader who took the Jews out of Egypt? See “Rabbi Siegel,” page 7 Annual Meeting Save-the-Date ... page 4 Shavuot Worship Schedule and Information ... page 6 2 WE ARE: ANSHE EMET CELEBRATIONS/EVENTS MAZEL TOV TO OUR On Tuesday, March 28 the women of the Anshe Emet Sisterhood along with Hadassah in the City, presented a festive Chocolate Seder. B’NAI MITZVAH Jordan Leib Jack Zoller May 6, 2017 May 13, 2017 Daughter of Jay & Lori Son of Marcy and MAY 2017 | IYYAR-SIVAN 5777 | WWW.ANSHEEMET.ORG 2017 | IYYAR-SIVAN MAY Leib Michael Zoller Photo Not Available Jesse Gell Nina Rau May 20, 2017 May 20, 2017 Son of Daughter of Ruth & Lindsey & Jeff Gell Leonard Rau It’s a day of cocktails and competitions, at Maj & Mimosas on Thursday, April 6/ Michael S. Siegel, Senior Rabbi The Norman Asher Rabbinic Chair Alberto Mizrahi, Hazzan The Arnold H. Kaplan, M.D. Cantorial Chair David Russo D’ror Chankin-Gould Naomi Weiss-Weil Reina Grunfeld Adam Penn Rabbi Rabbi Ritual Director May 27, 2017 May 27, 2017 Steven Silk, President Daughter of Michelle Son of & Michael Grunfeld Mark Gennerman & Barbara B. Haworth, Executive Director Michael Penn Rabbi Donni Aaron, Youth/Family Tefilah Educator Cantor Elizabeth Berke, Director of Continuing Education Kim Carter, Director of Hospitality and Communication Aaron Frankel, Religious School Principal Maxine Handelman, Young Families Educator Edgar Hernandez-Meza, Director of Administration Samantha Isenstein, Youth and Young Adult Director Amy Karp, Director of Engagement and The Malkin Family Program Director Steve Strien, Director of Finance Mimi Weisberg, Director of Development Arielle Penn Jerry Mayeroff, Editor, Anshe Emet Newsletter May 27, 2017 3751 North Broadway, Chicago, IL 60613-4104 Daughter of Mark Gennerman Phone: 773-281-1423; www.AnsheEmet.org & Michael Penn WE ARE: ANSHE EMET 3 WE BUILD RELATIONSHIPS 5777 | WWW.ANSHEEMET.ORG 2017 | IYYAR-SIVAN MAY This is a not-so-surprising story about how life-long friendships can be found in your shul community. From 1984-1999, I lived in Bergen County in Northern New Jersey and had the privilege of belonging to a synagogue in which I played a prominent role. Then, one day, the Rabbi asked me to lead an effort to assess he told no one in his family. how to handle the shul’s growth (code: build a new building), a When Ruthie and Sarah’s STEVEN SILK task which I accepted. That task took six years to complete but eyes met mine after morning President, Anshe Emet Synagogue we raised a bunch of money and meaningfully increased the minyan, their looks were mixed [email protected] size of the shul, built a simcha-worthy social hall etc etc. As with astonishment, joy and you might imagine, during those six years, the Rabbi and I got love. What a worthy occasion to have taken a spur of the pretty close. moment drive from Chicago to Baltimore. It was one beautiful We had many experiences in which our families came together. heartwarming experience. I glowed all day on my drive back My son Alex and his daughter Sarah went through religious to Chicago. As my older son Alex says, “the Pernicks are the school together. Our families went to Israel together and our nicest family that I have ever met.” children had their bnai mitzvot at Masada. We bathed in the I write all this not only to chronicle this beautiful experience Dead Sea together. He became the only Rabbi to dunk over me but to highlight how we can make relationships in our shul in a pool basketball game. I even became close to the parents which can have a profound impact on our lives. Of course, I am of our Rabbi and his wife. Then, our closeness grew to a new blessed to have come to know Michael Siegel, Alberto Mizrahi dimension during my divorce. At this life-redefining moment, and their families. I am also blessed to have experienced a he became one of the most important steadying forces in my year of mourning with Esther Rosenbloom, Debbie Lewis and life. I will love Rabbi Dan and his wife Ruthie and their family others. I am blessed to walk into our shul every Shabbat and forever for the role they played in my life over those 15 years. greet friend after friend. I can only imagine how rich the next Since I moved to Chicago in 1999, our relationship has remained year will be as I see Gabriel’s Bernard Zell classmates become close despite the distance. I have visited my former synagogue bar/bat mitzvah each week. on occasion, held my aufruf there and even returned to play at You may have already and if not, certainly can build your own Rabbi Dan’s 25th anniversary celebration. Dan presided over wonderful friendships at Anshe Emet. Where else can you find my wedding with Linda along with Rabbi Siegel. His daughter, such an abundance of mensches. Perhaps it will be at minyan or Sarah, went to Northwestern and frequently visited with us perhaps at Babies and Bagels or perhaps at Anshe Emet Live or even attending services at Anshe Emet on occasion. perhaps through your child’s J2M experience. You have no idea Last week, Sarah had a son Michael L’Eor, her second child. how the people around you will embrace you and how you might Her first, Meira, was named for Dan’s mother-in-law, Meira enrich your life. Reach out to Amy Karp and Mimi Weisberg to Birnbaum, with whom I went to Israel, a beautiful loving get a sense of our programs and see the relationships that can woman with a heartwarming Eastern European accent like my enrich your life. Just ask Rabbi Dan next January 6th when you grandmother.