Temple Sholom he in Broomall T MAY 2013 IYAR/SIVAN 5773 T e m p l e T i d i n g s Our families are blessed and proud to recognize our FROM BIMA TO BROADWAY children as part of the Temple Sholom in Broomall SATURDAY, MAY 4 FROM 7 - 9 PM Wine Hors D’oeuvres Dessert ANNUAL CANTOR’S CONCERT Confirmation Class featuring Cantors: Of 2013 DAVID BERGER, CLAIRE FRANCO Haley Amdur, AND KERITH SPENCER-SHAPIRO daughter of Brett and Rachel Amdur Emma Broscoe, daughter of Joseph and Rachel Broscoe Abigail Browngoehl, See page 7 for details and daughter of Kevin and Laurie Browngoehl sponsorship opportunities Rebecca Buxbaum, daughter of Laurence Buxbaum and Christine Du Bois-Buxbaum Diego Fierros, WHAT’S INSIDE son of Edward Fierros and Judith Giesberg Isabel Gourley, 2 Rabbi’s Message 14 May Bat Mitzvah daughter of Ian and Caryn Gourley Rock & Soul Shabbat Yom HaShoah Recollection Alexander Habbart, 3 Cantor’s Message 15 Religious School Pick Up son of Timothy and Ellisa Habbart 4 Office News Hospice Peri Alexa Leavitt, Preferred Vendor List 16 Why Jewish Genealogy? daughter of David and Julie Leavitt Tanakh Study 17 Preschool News Arden Lieberman, 5 May Oneg Sponsors 18 Camp Menschy at TS daughter of Eric and Andi Lieberman Mazel Tovs 19 Sisterhood Book Club Monica Marcuse, Hilltoppers Shabbat 20 Hilltoppers daughter of Andrew and Joanna Marcuse 6 Message from the Board JEVS Program Madison Philips, Blood Drive! Membership Drive 7 From Bima to Broadway 21 Women’s Spirituality daughter of Randy Philips and Sharon Erlich 8 Remarkable Teens: On-Going Collections Robert Sachs, Samantha Prager and Noah Jewish Meditation son of Paul Sachs and Vera Neumann-Sachs Mendell 22 Happiness & Memorial Rachel Rex, 9 Sisterhood Scholarship Cards daughter of Stephen and Deborah Rex Winner: Abigail Kleiman Lobby Café Julia Weiner, 10 Sisterhood JNF Trees daughter of Steven and Beth Weiner Mitzvah Core 23 Temple Staff and Board Samuel Weiner, 11 Sisterhood Closing Dinner JCC Maccabi Games 12 Brotherhood Brunch 24 Gift Garden son of Joel Weiner and Nancy DuBoise Hilltoppers Program 25 Tzedakah Laura Zamsky, 13 Religious School News Recent Deaths daughter of Robert and Sharon Zamsky A Visit to Verizon Hall 26 Temple Funds ToaSTY’s Tidings 27 Yahrzeits in May 29 May Calendar May Tuesday,2013 May 14 at 8:00 PM 1 Temple Tidings FROM THE DESK OF RABBI RIGLER I vividly recall my own At Temple Sholom and usually in other Confirmation: The writing I crafted congregations as well, Confirmation takes place with a Camp and home friend, during Shavuot. This holiday celebrates the moment rehearsals, the offering of flowers, the Israelites received the Torah. It was the moment the white robes, the presentations of commitment from God to the Jewish people and Joel Perlish Photography and speeches, the reading of the the Jewish people to God, and confirmation is the Ten Commandments and Ruth and commitment from our students of their intention to the priestly blessing bestowed upon me by my Rabbi live their lives as Jews and as a part of the Jewish Eric Wisnia. At that moment I knew much more community as well as the community’s commitment about Jewish life and tradition than I had three years to our students, to always be there to support their earlier at my Bar Mitzvah. Today, I am always excited Jewish lives. at Shavuot to see empowered teens take their seats on the bimah at this special milestone. Like Ruth, This year’s group is incredible! They are deeply their first commitment to Judaism at 13 has committed to Judaism, each other, our congregation developed fully into a deliberate and meaningful life and, I must also say, talking and laughing. I have of Jewish fulfillment. We try to make the tenth grade watched them as teachers’ aides in the Religious year one that is engaging, challenging and exciting. I School, leading services for our students, in our teen hope to connect with the teens so they know they and child choirs, reading Torah, in our Rosh Hodesh always have a safe home at Temple Sholom. We girls group and everywhere in between. They are also try to connect them to one another ... this year kind, fun and passionate about Judaism. At times students had the chance to explore the holy land of debates seemed to erupt over important issues. This Israel, attend an incredible seminar on social justice year we studied, explored prayer, created, shared and lobbying at the Religious Action Center in and enjoyed our time together. The service the Washington, DC, and bond each week of class. students are creating this year is unique! They are incorporating our technology in new ways and taking Where did this ritual of Confirmation start? In 1801, in some great risks! I hope that you will come support Seesen Germany, Israel Jacobson, a founder of this group of students and share their confirmation Reform Judaism, started a radical new school. This service and our holiday of Shavuot! school would teach Jewish subjects as well as arithmetic and science all in the German language ~ Rabbi Peter Rigler (as opposed to Yiddish). But the most radical idea of [email protected] all was that both boys and girls would be taught there together in the same classes. The natural outgrowth Please join us for our Confirmation and of a commitment to an educational equality of the Shavuot Service on sexes was an equality of ceremony as well. Only a Tuesday, May 14 few years later, Jewish reformers in Berlin argued, at 8:00 PM that “since young women were being educated with the young men, they should be confirmed with them as well. They should formally be welcomed as worshipers and leaders in the synagogue ritual. A class composed of girls and boys was confirmed in ROCK & SOUL SHABBAT Berlin in 1817. This innovation made such sense that WITH ROSS M. LEVY in the following year, girls were confirmed with boys in the Hamburg congregation too.” (Eugene Borowitz, “Explaining Reform Judaism” p.9) MAY 10 AT 7:30 PM Since that time, Confirmation of a community’s Ross is a young, talented, and energetic th 10 graders has been the norm in Reform musician and songwriter. He will congregations. For many decades it replaced Bar incorporate some of his original tunes as Mitzvah completely, and only in the last 50 years or well as play and sing all of your Shabbat so has Bar Mitzvah returned of course with an equal favorites in a fun, upbeat style. celebration of Bat Mitzvah in Reform congregations. TEMPLE TIDINGS 2 May 2013 CANTOR SHAPIRO’S MESSAGE Since I have become a mom, I have She considers a field and purchases it, and plants a always spent my Sunday mornings vineyard with the fruit of her labors. She invests working in a Religious School herself with strength and makes her arms setting. One of these days, I swear I’m powerful. going to get that breakfast in bed! First, She senses that her trade is profitable; her light does I have to teach my kids how to make a not go out at night. good omelet. She stretches out her hands to the distaff and her palms hold the spindle. Mother’s Day is a uniquely American invention and She opens her hands to the poor and reaches out her was first celebrated in the early 1900s with a Memorial hands to the needy. Service by one Anna Jarvis, for her deceased She has no fear of the snow for her household, for all mother. By 1912, the holiday had become very her household is dressed in fine clothing. popular, but Anna was already jaded by its swift move She makes her own bedspreads; her clothing is of fine from a holiday with the intent of honoring mothers linen and luxurious cloth. toward becoming a commercial holiday. Her husband is known at the gates, where he sits with In Judaism we celebrate mothers every day, but May the elders of the land. is a great month to remember the ways in which we She makes and sells linens; she supplies the do. There is actually a Jewish mother’s day merchants with sashes. recognized within the Orthodox world upon which we She is robed in strength and dignity, and she smiles at commemorate the supposed day of death of Rachel the future. on the 11th of Heshvan. While not an official holiday, She opens her mouth with wisdom and a lesson of in Israel, Henrietta Szold’s yahrzeit is commemorated kindness is on her tongue. as Yom Ha’em (Mother’s day) or Yom Hamishpacha She looks after the conduct of her household and (Family day) in many kindergarten classrooms. It’s never tastes the bread of laziness. really interesting that Henrietta Szold herself had no Her children rise up and make her happy; her husband biological children of her own. She was, however, praises her: responsible for saving many children from the hands "Many women have excelled, but you excel them all!" of the Nazi regime and so she is remembered as a Grace is elusive and beauty is vain, but a woman who mother to many. fears God -- she shall be praised. Give her credit for the fruit of her labors, and let her achievements In many traditional homes, after the family returns praise her at the gates. home from synagogue on a Friday evening, the song Eshet Chayil (A Woman of Valor) is chanted by While some of the language and ideas may seem husband to wife after the family sings Shalom outdated (for instance the model calls for the Aleichem and before the meal is served.