January/February 2019 Tevet/Shevat/Adar I 5779 Founded in 1866 Publication No. 8180 • Vol. 93 • Issue No. 1 Our mission is to ensure the flourishing of Jewish life through educational, social and Conservative religious experiences in a warm and dynamic community. Tidings B’NAI JESHURUN CONGREGATION n t Join us t o he C for aN engaging ba ir Shabbat b c on the circle! a l B’NAI JESHURUN h e CONGREGATIONAL SHABBATON S COURTYARD BY MARRIOTT, UNIVERSITY CIRCLE • Fun and educational experiences for all ages • Connect and learn with family, JOIN US! friends and clergy • University Circle museums and MARCH 1-3, attractions 2019 • Catering by Kantina FEE: $90/adult (double occupancy) $50/child (2-13 years old) $280 family max (additional $50 for single occupancy) REGISTER TODAY AT bnaijeshurun.org Building our Community B’nai Jeshurun Congregation gratefully acknowledges the Retreat Institute (RI) and Congregational Enrichment Funds (CEF) of the Jewish Education Center of Cleveland with Heart and Soul (JECC) for financial and programmatic assistance. The JECC’s RI and CEF are supported by the Fund for the Jewish Future of the Jewish Federation of Cleveland. 27501 Fairmount Boulevard • Pepper Pike, Ohio 44124 • TEL: 216-831-6555 • FAX: 216-831-4599 • EMAIL: [email protected] • WEBSITE: www.bnaijeshurun.org Beineinu - Between Us My colleague, Rabbi Donald Rossoff, once wrote a sermon he entitled, “Kaddish Deficiency Syndrome.” In it, he mourned the Candle Lighting fact that so many people no longer choose to come to say January 4 ...............................4:52 pm kaddish for their loved ones on their yahrzeit (anniversary of January 11 ...............................4:59 pm death). Sadly, I see that same phenomenon in our congregation January 18 ...............................5:07 pm as well. Every Shabbat, I am saddened to see how many names January 25 ...............................5:15 pm we do not read, because no one is there to remember them. February 1 ...............................5:24 pm There are also names we do read – because they were called in – but still there February 8 ...............................5:33 pm is no family member present to hear the name and honor their memory. It February 15 ...............................5:42 pm is a phenomenon that breaks my heart, because the recitation of Mourner’s February 22 ...............................5:50 pm Kaddish is among the most sacred and significant of all our traditions, one which is also a deep expression of love for our family and of our faith in God. In eastern Europe, in the shtetl, it was common for fathers to refer to their eldest Torah Portions son as “mein kaddishel” – my little kaddish. Mein kaddishel refers to the fact that January 5 ....................................Vaera the oldest son (today as Conservative Jews we would say ‘or daughter’) will say January 12 ..........................................Bo Mourner’s Kaddish for me – at the time of death, for the first year, and at every January 19 ...........................Beshelach yizkor service and yahrzeit – when I pass. It is a nickname which brings great January 26 ......................................Yitro comfort and is an expression of love. It means I have trust and faith that you, February 2 ..........................Mishpatim my son, will not forget me, that you will maintain a sacred relationship with me February 9 ..............................Terumah even after I have left this world. It means you will advocate for me before God February 16 ............................. Tetzaveh that I be forgiven for my sins and granted blessing and reward for my good February 23 ...................................Ki Tisa deeds in this life. It means that you will maintain the faith and heritage I have passed down to you from my parents. Some will say: I can honor and remember my loved ones who are Daily Service Schedule gone without saying kaddish in synagogue. To those, I respond, yes. Mondays - Fridays You honor them all year long in many ways. But, there is a singular 7:00 am, 7:30 am, 6:00 pm indescribable power to the recitation of the ancient words of the kaddish. It The Friday evening service on is a public proclamation made in the midst of community. It is a moment of February 1 will begin at 7:00 pm connection to their souls, and of connection to the Divine Spirit within which they are now embraced. To those who do not regularly come at the prescribed Saturdays times to say the Mourner’s Kaddish, I say to you, “Come back.” Come back 9:00 am, 6:00 pm to your spiritual home and discover this incredible source of comfort and Sundays & New Year’s Day strength, guidance and inspiration. Come discover how good it feels to do 8:00 am, 6:00 pm something even now that helps your loved ones, to give back to them as they for so long gave to you. Discover the way in which saying kaddish can elevate their souls and change your life. Do it for them. Do it for yourself. Do it for your children, your “kaddishels.” Rabbi Stephen Weiss Purim 2019! We Did It! Thank You! Thank you to the 108 donors Coffee House & Casino Night who contributed to Mahar during Saturday, March 16 • 9:00 – 11:30 pm Hanukkah, and everyone who has Take your chances with Blackjack, Poker and Roulette or spend the evening supported the Mahar Campaign singing Karaoke! $25 per person includes entry and two drink tickets; additional this year! Our Eight Days of Giving fee for gambling chips. We will be raising funds for the future leaders of BJC! Campaign is officially a success! We will continue to work diligently to raise the final dollars needed to Purim Carnival Arcade reach our overall goal for the year. Sunday, March 17 • 11:30 am - 1:30 pm Annual philanthropic support from Enjoy games galore, bounce houses, video fun, food for purchase and more! our donors makes B’nai Jeshurun Back by popular demand: carnival wristbands for unlimited play and prize the inspirational, supportive, and room. New this year: Mario Cart Racers and a video game surprise! nurturing place that it is! 2 January/February 2019 Tevet/Shevat/Adar I 5779 [email protected] President’s Message From the Rabbi Right before I became president of B’nai My last column (November 2018) on the Jeshurun, I started subscribing to e-Jewish “The Power of Yet” and the growth mindset Philanthropy, a daily compilation of has an addendum. There is an important short articles, written by rabbis, Jewish distinction between having a mindset of YET professionals and volunteers concerning as opposed to NOT YET. The transformative all things Jewish. The articles are thought- power and positive potential of ‘yet’ can be provoking. They often highlight successful negated by the hesitancy and stagnation of programs from around the country, even the world; other ‘not yet.’ Seth Godin writes in his book Tribes, “The largest times they bemoan the state of American Jewry. I almost enemy of change and leadership isn’t a ‘no.’ It’s a ‘not yet.’ always find something relevant and worthwhile in my ‘Not yet’ is the safest, easiest way to forestall change. ‘Not daily read. yet’ gives the status quo a chance to regroup and put off the inevitable for just a while longer. Change almost never Recently, I read an article by Dani Kohanzadeh, a fails because it’s too early. It almost always fails because it’s 20-something Jewish professional from Los Angeles. too late.” While the premise of the article was to promote the On the secular New Year, we have the custom of making success of involving more young people in Judaism New Year’s resolutions or pledges to change for the better, through authentic Jewish experiences, rather than purely whether dieting, exercising, volunteering, striving to be social experiences, I believe that same premise could be happier, more relaxed or more connected to community. applied to all age groups. Resolutions inspire personal growth with the power of YET. B’nai Jeshurun offers quite a number of authentic Jewish These resolutions can be Jewish focused like attending experiences all year, including over the next few months. minyan, learning to put on tefillin, studying the weekly On Sunday, January 20th, we will hold our Kabbalistic Torah portion at home or in our Saturday morning Starbucks Tu B’Shevat seder for adults to better enjoy, learn and Torah class, planting a tree in Israel or volunteering with our appreciate the holiday. Through ritual, song, meditation Chesed committee. and food, the seder seeks to celebrate the ten aspects of Just as we focus on change and teshuvah for the Jewish G-d through which G-d’s blessings flow and to bring that New Year, the secular New Year is a time to being anew - flow down upon ourselves to cause our lives and world not to push off change and maintain the status quo. Rabbi to blossom. No knowledge of Kabbalah is necessary. Nachman of Breslov teaches, “All beginnings require that we The seder includes four glasses of wine, fruits, nuts and unlock new doors.” We have the opportunity to open new a sumptuous dessert. RSVP to join us for this unique doors and enrich our lives, congregation and community. experience. In Pirkei Avot (Ethics of the Sages), Rabbi Tarfon taught, “You are not required to complete the task, YET you are not free Shabbat on the Circle, the upcoming Shabbaton in to withdraw from it.” Using the power of YET, the answer University Circle, is a perfect example of an authentic NOT YET is not good enough. Shabbat experience for congregants of all ages. We will share relaxing Shabbat meals, break up into distinct This month, we celebrate the new year of the trees on Tu programming tracks for different ages and come back B’Shevat with the custom of planting parsley seeds to be together to again celebrate Shabbat.