A Traditional, Egalitarian and Participatory Conservative Synagogue IYAR/SIVAN/TAMMUZ 5780 NEWSLETTER/VOLUME 32:5 MAY/JUNE 2020 Tikkun Leyl Shavuot The Messiah’s Lineage: Megillat Ruth, Jewish Identity, and Chosenness Zoom in on Wednesday, May 27, 7:30 pm Given by Marc Ashley in Memory of Sharon R. Seiler, z”l t is customary to confronts her kinsman Boaz and secures study Torah all their marriage, and entrenches her children night long on the among the people of Israel. SHAVUOT SCHEDULE eve of Shavuot. But, perhaps most astonishingly, Ruth’s I Wednesday, May 27 Dating back at least to the medieval Messiah, the world’s eventual redeemer. 5:30 pm: Shavuot Story Time period, and perhaps Zoom ID: 878 5556 3706 with roots deeper establishes that Ruth, a convert to Judaism, Zoom Password: 613 in Jewish history, is the great-grandmother of King David, 7:30 pm: Tikkun Leyl Shavuot given by this longstanding who is viewed in classical Judaism as Marc Ashley: The Messiah’s Lineage: tradition celebrates the study of the Torah the ancestor of the Messiah. For some Megillat Ruth, Jewish Identity, that was the embodiment of the revelation prominent Jewish thinkers, the fact that and Chosenness at Mount Sinai, which in the classical view the Messiah’s lineage (or yichus) directly Link: https://tinyurl.com/OZZoomTikkun20 occurred on Shavuot. Our Tikkun Leyl implicates a convert was problematic, Zoom ID: 892 7256 4684 Shavuot each year helps us recreate, on raising thorny issues relating to the essence Zoom Password: 613 a recurring basis, the singular Sinaitic of Jewishness and our self-understanding as experience of divine revelation that is the a chosen people. Erev Shavuot, Thursday, May 28 epitome of Jewish history. Rabbi Yehuda HaLevi, the great medieval 11:00 am: Yizkor This year, in our extraordinary Jewish philosopher and poet, believed that Link: https://tinyurl.com/OZZoomShavuot20Yis circumstances, we will be holding our Tikkun Jews had a distinctive innate propensity Zoom ID: 824 8513 5045 Leyl Shavuot on the weekday evening before for closeness with God and that Jewish Zoom Password: 613 Shavuot eve, so that we can join together chosenness therefore hinged at least in through a Zoom session. In this year’s part on genetic differentiation from all other 5:00 pm: OZ Cooks: Dairy Dinner Tikkun lecture – given by Marc Ashley in people. HaLevi’s controversial claim must Zoom ID: 872 3001 2058 blessed memory of Sharon Seiler, z”l, and confront the surprising fact that our Messiah Zoom Password: 613 sponsored by Charlie and Talia Spielholz in will derive from Ruth, a woman of non- 6:30 pm: Zoom into Shavuot loving memory of Sharon – we will explore Jewish origin. How does HaLevi’s genetic with a reading of the theory of Jewish identity account for the Ten Commandments and Hallel overlooked, in Megillat Ruth, traditionally Messiah’s unconventional lineage? That is Link: https://tinyurl.com/OZZoomInShavuot20 read on the morning of the second day of precisely the incisive question that Sharon Zoom ID: 883 2551 0438 the holiday. Seiler, z”l, asked at Marc’s adult education Zoom Password: 613 Megillat Ruth is the wonderful story class several years ago. of powerful bonds developed in ancient At this year’s Tikkun, we will seek to 8:00 pm: Candlelighting for Shavuot Israel among Naomi, Ruth and Boaz. address Sharon’s perceptive inquiry, giving There are various explanations of the honor to her devoted love of Torah study Shavuot I, Friday, May 29 thematic connection between Megillat and logical mind. Please join Marc as he 8:01 pm: Candlelighting for Shabbat Ruth and Shavuot, but Ruth’s powerful discusses Megillat Ruth as a prism through Shavuot II, Saturday, May 30 story is compelling beyond any seasonal which to evaluate and appreciate pivotal 9:01 pm: Shabbat & Festival End association. Ruth is a Moabite woman who, conceptions of Jewish identity, chosenness after her husband dies, follows her Israelite and messianism. Through our annual study 9:10 pm: Zoom Out of Shabbat and mother-in-law, Naomi, into the Jewish people session in advance of Shavuot, we will Shavuot Havdalah with the famous words “wherever you go, I continue even in this unprecedented period Link: https://tinyurl.com/OZZoomOutOfShabbat will go; wherever you lodge, I will lodge; your of isolation to create the sense of genuine Zoom ID: 775 962 249 people shall be my people, and your God will communal learning that is the essence of Zoom Password: 613 be my God.” Ruth asserts the right of the the Or Zarua experience. poor to glean harvest leftovers, ambitiously 1 CONGREGATION OR ZARUA MAY/JUNE 2020 President’s Message by Diane Okrent n preparation for time when we need each other more than writing this article, ever. The Or Zarua community is strong. I re-read my last What’s upcoming at Or Zarua via Zoom? A CONSERVATIVE SYNAGOGUE newsletter article, We will hold our Annual Meeting Thursday, FOUNDED 1989 I wondering how what I May 21 via Zoom — alas without our usual 127 East 82nd Street wrote in late February Tar Beach picnic! Please look for the email New York, NY 10028 appeared, given with your proxy. And, return your proxy as phone: 212-452-2310 fax: 212-452-2103 where we are now — soon as possible. We need a quorum for the in the midst of this meeting. www.orzarua.org pandemic. I had written Shavuot begins on the evening of SCOTT N. BOLTON, Rabbi of gathering in our individual homes and in May 28. Shavuot commemorates the time DR. HARLAN J. WECHSLER, Rabbi Emeritus our communal home — the Or Zarua building DIANE OKRENT, President — during Purim and Pesah. Of course, brought to the Temple (Hag ha-Bikkurim — ISAAC NAGIEL, Treasurer before mid-March, we gathered in the OZ the Festival of the First Fruits). Shavuot also building each day of the week and especially celebrates the giving of the Torah at Mount KAREN KAPLAN, Secretary on Shabbat. While we celebrated Purim Sinai (Hag Matan Torateinu — the Festival HELENE SANTO, Executive Director together, we closed the building at the end of of the Giving of Our Torah). We celebrate SIGAL HIRSCH, Director of Youth Education that week, March 13. this holiday with a rededication to learning. and Programming Thinking about Ha Lachma Anya with While we won’t be learning in our building, CHARLES SPIELHOLZ, Newsletter Editor which we begin the Pesah Seder, I had Marc Ashley will teach The Messiah’s written about welcoming to our communal Lineage: Megillat Ruth, Jewish Identity, and home all who are hungry – for community, Chosenness on Wednesday evening, OZ Committee Chairs for connection, for religious services, and for May 27, of course, via Zoom. ADMINISTRATION Pamela E. Gold education for themselves and their children. Rabbi Bolton will lead a Pre-Shavuot So, what do we do now when we can’t Yizkor service at 11 AM on Thursday, AESTHETICS Aaron Shelden leave our individual homes and gather in our May 28. And, we will ZOOM INTO ART GALLERY Bobbi Coller communal home? We ZOOM! We’re Shavuot with Hallel and chanting of the BOOK DISCUSSION Reed Schneider Or Zoom-arua! Ten Commandments. Nora Yood Or Zarua continues to be open for We don’t know when our building will community and connection, for minyan, and re-open nor do we know what rules we BUILDING Gerry Solomon education for adults and children – serving will be required to follow at that time. In HESED Susan Lorin our community with vitality and warmth. the meantime, the OZ Staff and Board HEVRA KADISHA Roberta Hufnagel Rabbi Bolton, Sigal Hirsch, and Helene of Trustees are preparing for a variety of Gerry Solomon Santo and many members have been contingencies. Please be assured that we resourceful and creative, producing are looking at several scenarios for the KESHER ISRAEL Laura Fisher opportunities for all of us to learn, pray, summer and the High Holy Days. Stay tuned! LIBRARY Barry Feldman participate, and connect — via Zoom. Look Until we are in the building, I urge you to through this newsletter and read our weekly learn, pray, participate and connect with us MARKETING Dana Gross e-blasts to see the wide-ranging programs via Zoom. MEMBERSHIP Raanan Korinow and services we are providing – virtually. Wishing you continued good health, MINYAN Sheldon Adler We have gathered – and will continue to B’Shalom! gather — via Zoom for strong daily morning NOMINATING Jay Palmer minyans, Torah study, Pirke Avot study, AND LEADERSHIP Talmud class, and Siddur class. We are ORAL HISTORY Mimi Alperin Zooming into and out of Shabbat. And, when PROGRAMMING Marc D. Ashley needed, we are participating in Zoom Shivas and Shiva minyanim. PUBLIC RELATIONS Aaron Shelden Our Hebrew School has been open and READERS Marc D. Ashley will remain open through the end of June AND LEADERS Jay Palmer offering 6 different levels of Hebrew classes. Family Learning opportunities are in the STRATEGIC Arthur H. Rosenbloom DEVELOPMENT works including challah baking every Friday. And, our early childhood offerings WEBMASTER Jay Palmer continue online with Shalom Sing-A-Long and YOUTH EDUCATION Eric Schmutter Sing Song Shabbat. These programs will continue online until If you are interested in serving on a synagogue we are back in our building. committee chair’s email address. By participating in our Zoom programs, members have been able to stay connected by seeing, hearing, and interacting with one another. This has been comforting in this 2 WWW.ORZARUA.ORG MAY/JUNE 2020 ZOOMING Minyan with Kaddish During the Pandemic Rabbi Scott Bolton uring this hold minyan with Kaddish during the week.