Vol. X No. 1 Tishre-Kislev-5745 September-November, 1984 i"D2 LSS WELCOMES RABBI SAUL BERMAN This year Lincoln Square Synagogue community with incredible religious welcomes the arrival of Rabbi Saul diversity. In most communities there is Berman as our new Senior Rabbi. Rab¬ the expectation that everyone 'be bi Berman is a noted lecturer and there', wherever the community may educator who has received widespread be religiously. And that exists in recognition as the Chairman of the Reform and Conservative congrega¬ Jewish Studies Faculty at Yeshiva tions as well. The extraordinary thing University's Stern College for Women, about this community is that there are where he has served as professor since people at various stages in their 1971. religious development that other peo¬ Previously, Rabbi Berman served as ple are willing to accept and realize that a pulpit rabbi for congregations in the process of religious development is Berkeley, California, and Brookline, a slow and gradual one. Everyone is Massachusetts, where he was also ac¬ willing to support one another in their tive with campus youth groups. religious struggles. Rabbi Berman Rabbi Berman, who received ordina¬ On the short term, my reason for tion from (REITS) Yeshiva University coming to LSS was the experience of also holds a Masters degree in Hebrew that Shabbat in January. It was really and Rabbi Buchwald but caters Literature, a Masters ofArt in political the first time in thirteen years that I primarily to people who do not have science, and a Juris Doctor degree. The had been at the synagogue for shabbat rich Jewish backgrounds. It seems to rabbi has written on topics of contem¬ and I felt a tremendous sense of me that a growing percentage of the porary concern and has published in warmth and connectedness with the congregation have extensive prior Tradition, Judaism, and Journal of community, and the kind of respon¬ Jewish education, and their need to Jewish Studies and was a contributor siveness to the things I'm committed to continue learning has not lessened but to the Encyclopedia Judaica. teaching. is greater, as part of their Jewish As an introduction to the congrega¬ Q. Rabbi Riskin had a certain ap¬ growth spiritually and intellectually. I tion as his first year as rabbi of LSS, proach to his role at LSS that would see the intensifications of those Rabbi Berman has consented to be in¬ developed the synagogue to kinds of opportunities as one impor¬ terviewed by Nina Wachsman, editor, where it is today. Do you feel tant direction. for Echod's premier issue for 5745. your approach will be radically I think that the Outreach work the Q. What made you decide to come different? What would you shul has been doing very successfully to Lincoln Square? describe as your approach to the over these past years should at least be A. I spent 9 years in the rabbinate role of pulpit rabbi? sustained if not broadened in different and then I decided to go into education A. I think that much of what I have directions. as a different utilization of myself in mind is continuous with the kinds of Certainly, I think Phil Sherman has towards the same goal, namely, the things Rabbi Riskin had worked to achieved very nice things with the education of Jews. Teaching at Stern develop. I may take them in slightly youth movement in the shul, but I see a College has been enjoyable, I have seen different directions, but these will be need for intensification of the the program grow, but over the past differences in emphasis rather than dif¬ character of youth work which the con¬ few years, I have felt more of a need to ferences in kind. gregation offers. I think the introduc¬ relate to a community. I wanted an op¬ I would like to see, for example, tion of Bnei Akiva this year will offer a portunity of sustaining relationships much greater development in the area new opportunity for students to be in¬ which would enable me to see the con¬ of opportunities for learning, par¬ volved in an ideologically based youth tinuing effects of my teachings. ticularly for those who have rich movement. One of the things to Q. Is there anything about LSS that Jewish backgrounds. Currently JSI has recognize is that the youth movement specifically appealed to you? achieved absolutely remarkable things in the shul primarily is comprised of A. Lincoln Square is a remarkable through the leadership of Rabbi Riskin (continued on page 2) Page Two E C H O D FROM THE RABBI'S DESK. LINCOLN SQUARE SYNAGOGUE 200 AMSTERDAM AVENUE My own evolving unpublished part of the Teshuva task which New York, N.Y. 10023 demands that we look at 874-6100 manuscript entitled "Tales of the personality Shlomo Riskin Founding Rabbi Misnagdim," contains the following qualities. Here, the questions seem brief exchange. "Said the adherent to more abstract but are equally rooted in his Rav, the Misnaged: 'It's Ellul again our daily experiences. A reasonable and my struggle towards Teshuva has guide to the appropriate questions is begun. I just don't understand why I Rambam, Hilchot De'ot, which points must go through the painful process of to the following sort of issues - evaluation of the past. Why can't I Have I adequately mastered the simply commit myself to do what is qualities of jealousy, pride and anger? right in the future? After all, God For example, when I see someone else's already knows the past anyhow. To financial or relational success, can I re¬ SaulJ.Berman Rabbi which the Misnaged responded, 'God's joice for the other person without let¬ Herschel Cohen Associate Rabbi Sherwood Goffin Cantor demand of people is that they appear ting jealousy or offended pride cause Ephraim Buchwald Educational Director before Him whole. Wholeness me to express Martin Katz Executive Director requires inappropriate anger? Philip Sherman Youth Director self-knowledge and ex¬ Is my capacity for love sufficiently Suri Kasirer Hebrew School Administrator self-knowledge ists only when you have studied your mature to enable me to make a lasting OFFICERS OF THE CONGREGATION and stable commitment to Richard W. Joselit President own behavior. God knows you well, marriage Morton Landowne 1st Vice-President but do and the raising of children? Perry Davis 2nd Vice-President you know yourself?" Jerome Stern 3rd Vice-President Yes, the central religious task of the Have I cultivated my spiritual Warren Weiss Treasurer Amos Alter Executive Secretary month of Ellul is to gain a more objec¬ capacities with the same intensity that 1 David Olivestone . Financial Secretary Joseph C. Kaplan Recording Secretary tive picture of our own lives, to step, as devote to the gratification of my Chaya Gorsetman . Corresponding Secretary Fred Ehrman Honorary President it were, outside of ourselves and to physical and material needs? For ex¬ Stanley Getzler Honorary President at our at our Maurice S. Spanbock Honorary President look behavior and per¬ ample, do I spend as much time and Ruth L. Belsky Honorary Vice-President sonalities. thought preparing for Shabbat or for George Feldman Honorary Vice-President Simple behavioral questions are often the most effective going to the Mikvah as I spend on BOARD OF TRUSTEES starting Janet Abelow Dr. Jenna Weissman Joselit points. planning for my vacation? Samuel Kevelson* Peter Abelow Do I daven three times a These questions, and so many Jeannette Zevin Aptheker Freddy Kohn day? others Gerald Blitzer Aron Landau Do I refrain from discussing like them, are the framework of the Lenore Brown Leon Leslau* Robert Chambre Marcel Lindenbaum business on Shabbat? honest rediscovery of self and the first Arlene Chertoff Martin Markowitz Mrs. Irving Chesnin* Arthur Morgenstern Do I give sufficiently to charity? step in the process of Teshuva — the Martha Cohn* Ceil Olivestone central Barry Eisenberg Glenn Richter Do I sustain proper ethical standards duty of the months of Ellul and Leon Eisenmann Harvey Ross* in Tishrei. Sam Feld Dr. Norman Ruttner my business or professional con¬ Nina Freedman Prof. Leon Shapiro* duct? Shellee joins me in extending to the Phil Gassel Myron Smith Phyllis Getzler Steven Spira Have I checked my mezuzot and entire LSS community our gratitude Elliot Gibber Dr. Roy Stern Jay Golub* David Stone tefillin twice in the past seven years? for the gracious welcome which you Marvin Goodman Marvin Sussman Aaron Green Frank Taks* Have I set aside time for daily Torah have extended to us and our wish that Hillel Gross Morris Tiefenbrunn we Paul Gugenheim Mrs. Gerson Wald study? grow together, both behaviorally Jonathan Herlands Shirley Wald These and many other simple ques¬ and Rachel Herlands Nathan Woloch* attitudinally, over the coming Zavon* Sam Horwitz Sol L tions of fact emerge from the objective years. •Honorary Trustee demands which halacha makes of us. Saul J. Berman BOARD OF GOVERNORS more Debbie Abelow Simon Katz Infinitely complicated is that Blima Abramson Richard Kestenbaum Henry Adler Michael Klapper Barry Bergman Boruch Kramer Amy Benishai David Lansky Elaine Bernstein Robert Miller Interview (continued from page 1) Itta Brief Sidney A. Miller Robert Burnat Florence Pine Jesse Cogan Helen Plumer yeshiva day school students, which community. Fred H Diamond Molly Pollak Michael Edelhart Ralph Rieder means most of their cognitive relation¬ In conclusion, I feel that the rela¬ Robert Ehrlich Dr. Andrea Penkower Rosen Vivien Eisenmann Jack Schenker ship to Yiddishkeit is already provided tionship of the rabbi to the congrega¬ Mark Elbaum Max Schwarz to tion should be as educator and Gerald Feldhamer Mrs. Joseph Shapiro them. Therefore, it is necessary to spiritual Benjamin Fruhlinger Samuel D.