June 2016 Bulletin - Congregation B`nai Israel

Volume 157, Issue 11
June Highlights
Merkaz Graduation
Merkaz holds graduation ceremonies
for its senior class on Sunday, June
5 at 7:30 p.m. at B’nai Torah in
Trumbull. Sixteen B’nai Israel
students are among the honorees.
See Page 4.
What the Rabbi Read
Planning your summer reading list
for the upcoming season? Rabbi
Schultz offers some Jewish-oriented
suggestions, on Page 5.
Iyyar/Sivan 5776
June 2016
Join Us for the
Annual Meeting
How are we fulfilling our goals as a
place of Jewish worship, education, and
community? Let us know by attending
the B’nai Israel Annual Meeting on
Thursday, June 16 at 7:30 p.m. in the
Social Hall.
The senior staff and lay leadership
will review the past year. We are also
interested in hearing your compliments,
suggestions and criticisms. What can we
do together to strengthen our synagogue?
We also will discuss the temple’s
financials, vote on next year’s budget,
thank outgoing Board of Trustees
members, and welcome incoming
members. Please join us for all this and
refreshments, too.
Confirmation Class of 2016
Join us on Sunday, June 5, at 2:00
p.m. in the Sanctuary for a special
service for the Confirmation Class
of 2016. Meet the Confirmands, on
Page 6.
Reshape Our Religious Studies
Be a part of the Temple’s delegation
to the Community of Practice, the
Union of Reform Judaism’s initiative
for “Reimagining Congregational
Education.” Details on Page 7.
Temple Leaders Honored
Rabbi Prosnit and Ira Wise earned
new honors last month. Learn about
their latest achievements on Page 16.
More Inside
Bulletin Board.............................. P.2
BIFTY.......................................... P.4
Donations..................................... P.8
Shabbat Services........................ P.15
Adult Jewish Learning............... P.15
Celebrate Shavuot
Come rejoice in the Festival of the
Giving of the Torah, the Festival of
the First Fruit, with prayer, a picnic
and planting on Saturday, June 11, and
Sunday, June 12, at the temple. We will
have something for everyone.
Saturday, June 11
Flower Planting
At 5:30 p.m., adults and children of all
ages will meet in the front of the temple
to plant flowers.
Join us for a holiday screening of
the Israeli classic movie “Sallah
Shabbati.” Details on Page 9.
Potluck Picnic
At 6:00 p.m., after planting, we will
dine together as a community. Bring a
picnic blanket and a vegetable side dish
or salad to add to the main dairy dishes
that B’nai Israel will provide.
Continued on Page 9
Sharing Our Joy
Laura and Howard Twersky, on the
marriage of son, William Twersky, to
Elizabeth Soltesz
Paul and Marge Krubiner, on the
marriage of son, Steven Krubiner, to
Aviva Sufian.
David and Jodi Berman, on the birth
of daughter, Gabrielle Reese Berman,
sister of Ethan and Rebecca.
Ken and Nina Rabine, in honor of the
birth of grandson, Dean Emmett Reiter,
son of Alexis Rabine Reiter and Steve
Reiter.
Rabbi Suri Krieger and Rabbi Rachel
Gurevitz, in honor of the birth of
grandson, Aiden, son of Shilla KimParker and Zeev Krieger.
Aleksey and Raisa Ledvich, in honor
of the birth of grandson, Eli Micah
Ledvich, son of Mikhail and Katy
Ledvich, sister of Vanessa.
Steve and Ilene Kandler, on the
engagement of son, Robert, to Yocheved
Landesman.
Margo and Richard Kaminsky, on
the engagement of daughter, Rachel, to
Brian Seib.
Bulletin Board
Medicare Enrollment Assistance
Are you approaching the magic number
of 65? Are your parents getting close
to that age? If so, you are looking at
the necessity of enrolling in Medicare.
Don’t be fooled by the fact that you are
not planning to go on Social Security
until a later age. The law requires that
at 65 you must enroll or be subjected
to a stiff financial penalty and also
yield to a special enrollment period.
You are to enroll during the sevenmonth period that runs three months
before you become 65, the month
you are 65, and the three months
subsequent to your 65th birthday.
There are some unique circumstances
that allow for a delay, and you should
be aware of them.
Jerry Demner is a certified Choices
counselor
affiliated
with
the
Southwestern Connecticut Agency on
Aging, for which he has volunteered
the past five years. He will be happy
to meet with anyone to help you make
the transition to Medicare as seamless
and as stress free as possible. He can
be contacted at Medicarehelper@
optonline.net or by phone between
10:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. at (203) 9232995.
Host Families and Volunteers
Needed
Register now to host a Jewish teen
athlete this August.
When the Jewish Community Center
of Stamford hosts the JCC Maccabi
Games and ArtsFest August 7-12,
1,500 Jewish teens will journey to
lower Fairfield County from all over
the United States, Israel, Great Britain,
Poland and South America.
Now is your chance to help give them
the experience of a lifetime at one of
the largest Jewish youth events in the
world – right in our own backyard!
Don’t miss out on an amazing
community event that your family will
remember for years to come.
Continued on Page 5
Sincere Sympathy
We extend our sympathy to the bereaved
families of:
Louis Gladstone
Dr. Gerald Winter, husband of Elaine
Winter, father of Brian Winter
William Cohen, father of Linda Epstein
Ancient Laws, New Applications
Halachah, often translated simply as
“Jewish Law,” more literally means “the
way.” As Reform Jews, we tend to focus
on questions of “why be Jewish?” more
than “how be Jewish?” Join Rabbinic
intern Stephanie Crawley on Tuesday
June 7, 14, 21 and 28 from 7:00 to 8:30
p.m. at the temple to explore topics in
Jewish law, and discover elements that
have relevance for our contemporary
lives plus develop new practices and new
answers to both the questions of “why”
and “how” to be Jewish.
2
CELEBRATING FREEDOM – The community came together at B’nai Israel in late April for the annual
Tent of Abraham interfaith Seder.
What’s happening at the Temple? Get Hashavua, our weekly email. Send your request to Lynn at lynn@cbibpt.org.
From the Rabbi’s Desk/Rabbi James Prosnit
A Sam for All Seasons
As one of the few congregations of our
size (maybe the only) in the country
without an executive director or temple
administrator, B’nai Israel has come to
expect a lot from our presidents. They
have unfailingly blessed us with their
time, their energy and their wisdom.
wanted to be a role model of civic
and communal involvement.
Soon we will add Dr. Sam Rosenberg to
that noble list of past presidents – and
while Patti may enjoy having him home
a bit more, we will miss his incredible
commitment and vision. It is hard to
calculate the hours Sam has given to this
community and the attention that he has
paid to details large and small.
Sam likes to say that he never volunteered
for anything but could never say “no”
when asked. Thank goodness we asked
him to get involved in leadership and
eventually to serve as our president. It
was clear from the start that he possessed
some credentials that would become very
helpful in his management style.
•
He was a child of B’nai Israel, a Bar
Mitzvah and confirmand – he knew
us well.
•
He was a clinical psychologist,
one capable of unlocking and
understanding the intricacies of
an organization made up of 3,000
complex souls.
•
•
Sam Rosenberg
“It is hard to
calculate the hours
Sam has given to
this community
and the attention
that he has paid to
details large and
small.”
•
He understood Jewish peoplehood
and the value of community. The son
of Holocaust survivors, he knew that
Jews needed to depend on fellow
Jews for their survival.
He was a business man who knew
about sound fiscal management and
the importance of both planning for
and investing in the future.
•
He had spent some time away
and had experienced other strong
synagogue communities.
He was committed to lifelong
learning not only for others, but for
himself.
•
He has three amazing daughters
who inspired him and for whom he
All these attributes coalesced into the
remarkable congregational leader and
president that Sam became. Under his
guidance B’nai Israel has continued to
thrive even amid the significant challenges that many synagogues face these
days. We balanced budgets, improved
our website and communications ability,
expanded our preschool, invigorated a
future leadership program, introduced a
new High Holy Days prayer book and
expanded numerous opportunities for
learning and engagement. He looked
after the building and made time for
everything, from parking lot pavement to
the creation of a (soon-to-be) new ark for
the chapel.
Sam was a fair-minded critic when things
fell short and a proud cheerleader when
we got it right. Our Temple staff has felt
supported on all levels. Personally he was
there for me when I needed a sounding
board or therapist. He was always
available for counsel and perspective.
Hardly a day has gone by in the last two
years when we have not spoken about
some aspect of congregational life. I have
come to cherish his humor, his honesty
and his commonsense wisdom.
At the Annual Meeting on June 16, we
will have a chance to honor Sam and
formally to say thank you for “a job well
done.” We can also thank Patti, Rachel,
Hannah and Sarah and his parents for
encouraging him and for inspiring him to
be the kind of leader of which we are all
proud.
Donation Item of the Month: Peanut Butter and Jelly for the Mercy Learning Center
3
BIFTY
Seniors Reflect
On BIFTY Experience
Join us in our final event of the year on
Thursday, June 9, from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m.
at the Trumbull mall for our annual Mall
Hunt! We will meet in the mall’s food
court.
While we are very proud of our seniors
going to college, we are going to miss
their smiling faces on Thursday nights.
Harper Wise, Becky Molinoff, Caroline
DelAngelo, Zoe Hochberg and Jacob
Rodier leave some parting words on
what they love about BIFTY.
Why did you originally join BIFTY?
CD: Becky was joining and wanted me
to do BIFTY with her.
ZH: As a kid, BIFTY teens always
looked like they were having a great time
at services and around the Temple, so I
wanted to be part of it!
BM: After attending Crane Lake Camp, I
was excited to have something similar to
camp year-round.
JR: I heard about BIFTY through a
friend who was in it, and she encouraged
me to join.
HW: I joined to be part of a community
that values inclusion and friendship.
What was your favorite event this
year?
CD: BIFTY’s Birthday Extravaganza
ZH: Gun Violence Discussion at our
Sleepover
BM & JR: Murder Mystery
HW: Temple Hunt
What is your favorite memory of
BIFTY?
CD: Hanging out with everyone at our
BIFTY sleepovers!
ZH: Sleepovers!
BM: Havdalah with Noah Aronson
JR: During the name game, when both
Congratulations to the
Merkaz Graduating Class of 2016/5776
From Congregation B’nai Israel
Mazel Tov To All Our Students!
Danielle Altchiler
Taylor Berlin
Scott Bindelglass
Samuel Bluestein
Caroline DelAngelo
Jennifer Levine
Jake Mallon
Rebecca Molinoff
Sarah Montagna
Jacob Rodier
Rachel Rosenstein
Isabel Roth
Jared Sales
Tess Shinbaum
Allyson Smith
Harper Wise
Special wishes to Al Treidel on his
20+ years of service to Merkaz.
With sincere best wishes for a
happy and healthy future,
Samuel J. Rosenberg
President
James Prosnit
Rabbi
Sheri Blum
Cantor
Evan Schultz
Rabbi
Ira Wise
Temple Educator
Zoes always act surprised that they have
the same name
HW: The superheroes sleepover last year
If you could give future BIFTY
members a piece of advice, what
would it be?
CD: Join! Joining BIFTY was such an
incredible decision. I got to hang out
with friends and do fun activities.
ZH: Participate and be involved as much
as you can! Be active during programs
and volunteer to help with events outside
of Thursday nights.
BM: You get as much out of BIFTY as
you put in. So get involved!
JR: Come to BIFTY even if you don’t
know anyone. Just introduce yourself;
everyone is friendly!
HW: Keep coming! If you need to take
a break, BIFTY will always be there to
welcome you back!
Honor the Merkaz graduates on Sunday, June 5,
at 7:30 p.m. at B’nai Torah
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From the Rabbi’s Study/Rabbi Evan Schultz
Jewish Summer Reads: 2016 Edition
As the beach weather and summer travel
approaches, I wanted to share a few of my
favorite Jewish reads from this past year.
You’ll see some of the books focus on
particular Jewish topics and stories, while
others speak to larger issues and questions
that certainly move me as a curious Jewish
seeker living in the world today. Have a
wonderful summer and happy reading!
“The Seven Good Years,” by Etgar
Keret
Etgar Keret is one of my favorite Israeli
writers. Back in
2007, during my first
year in rabbinical
school, I had an
opportunity to meet
him and was forever
hooked. “The Seven
Good Years” is a
memoir of Keret’s
life. Certainly when
reading the English translation, one
misses out on his masterful ability to
play and craft with the Hebrew language,
but I think you’ll still immensely enjoy
his whimsical and witty writing style
and short vignettes based on his life
experiences in Israel.
“The Aleppo Codex,” by Matti
Friedman
I actually read this book a couple of years
ago, but I enjoyed it so much and think
it’s a great vacation or beach read. It’s a
true story that’s very much in the genre
of “The Da Vinci Code.” The Aleppo
codex was a thousand-year-old perfect
copy of the Hebrew
Bible, and for years
it was housed in a
dark grotto in Aleppo,
Syria. Then one
day the pages of the
book
mysteriously
disappeared.
The
book reads like a
detective
thriller
novel interwoven with a great history of
the Jewish people.
“The Journey Home: Discovering
the Deep Spiritual Wisdom of the
Jewish Tradition,” by Rabbi Lawrence
Hoffman
Many of you know our wonderful friend
and teacher, Rabbi
Larry Hoffman. He
actually wrote this
book in 2002, but
I just discovered it
this year. If you are
someone interested
in finding spirituality
within the Jewish
tradition,
I’d
recommend this book. Rabbi Hoffman
examines eight different areas of Judaism,
such as metaphor, blessing and land, and
shares the spiritual spring embedded
within them.
“Between the World and Me,” by TaNehisi Coates
This book was by far one of the most
powerful novels I have read in recent
years. Journalist Ta-Nehisi Coates writes
Bulletin Board ...................... From Page 2
For complete details and answers to
your questions, or to register now as
a host family or volunteer, go to www.
jccmaccabistamford.org.
For
more
information, contact Anne Kirsch at
(203) 374-9078.
No Bulletin in July
Please remember that we do not publish
a July edition of the Bulletin. Publication
resumes in August. Deadline for
August submissions is July 1. For more
information, contact Bulletin Editor
Scott L. Smith at ssmith@cbibpt.org.
this book in the form
of a letter to his son,
about the deep issues
of race in our country.
We as a community
have
been
very
involved in issues
of racial justice and
policing through our
work with CONECT
(Congregations Organized for a New
Connecticut), and this book is a key read
to go along with that advocacy work.
This book is also highly recommended
by the Religious Action Center of Reform
Judaism.
“The Righteous Mind: Why Good
People are Divided by Politics and
Religion,” by Jonathan Haidt
I have become a
big fan of Jonathan
Haidt in recent years.
He is a professor of
Ethical Leadership
at NYU’s Stern
School of Business.
As we approach an
election season and
face a country that
is deeply polarized
on many issues, I think this book is a
good insight into how we think and view
those with beliefs quite different from our
own. I have also used parts of this book
in developing my eighth-grade class on
Jewish social justice and ethical decision
making.
Celebrate Camp Shabbat
Attention, everyone going to camp! Wear
your camp T-shirt to services on Friday,
June 10! You will receive a special
blessing from the rabbi as you head to
camp this summer. And there will be ice
cream sundaes after services.
We are on Twitter now! Follow us via @cbibpt. We’ll follow back!
5
Congratulations, Confirmation Class of 2016
Samantha Ballas
Morgan Beck
Shane Carley
Hannah Cohen
Ben Dachman
Melanie DelAngelo
Ali Hazen
Karleigh Karnal
Finnley Monte
Sophia Pappas
Rachel Portnay
Brooke Powning
Rachel Rosenstein
Rachel Salem
Julia Warman
Celebrate with our Confirmands at 2:00 p.m. on
Sunday, June 5, in the Sanctuary
6
Like Us on Facebook. Visit the Congregation B’nai Israel page and join us online.
From the Education Center/Ira J. Wise
Change Happens
For a congregation as old as ours (est.
1859), you might think that change would
be difficult. One of the many things in
which we as a congregation can take
pride is that we have been pretty nimble
for such an experienced institution.
Changes in leadership – both lay and
professional – have been managed with
care and enriched us at nearly every turn.
Changes in worship, learning and even
how we do social justice have all led to
our ongoing evolution and adaptation as
each generation requires.
Our Religious School is led by the Vision
Team, which is chaired by Dr. Beth Natt.
Their role is to work with me and to
think about where we want our students
to be five and 10 years from now. Many
innovations have come from these
deliberations: the Madrikhim program;
our partnership with the Herzl school in
Haifa, Israel; Etgar; and our new Hebrew
and Tefillah curricula, to name a few.
The Vision Team is about to embark
on an exciting process, and you are
invited to join us. The Union for Reform
Judaism is creating a Community of
Practice around the idea of Reimagining
Congregational Education. Communities
of Practice are 18- to 24-month, deep-dive
learning cohorts in which participating
congregations come together to ask
big questions, learn together, and
apply these lessons to their home
congregations through experimentation.
Participating congregations receive
support from experts in the field and from
the other participants of the Community
of Practice.
Interested in exploring alternative
religious school models? Become a part
of the Vision Team! The participant
teams will identify their goals for
congregational
education,
explore
existing alternative models, and build
a network of peer support for planning
and problem solving. We will share
measurable results with the cohort and
the larger Reform Movement. “We are going to engage a
process of experimentation
and meaningful
transformation; design
and implement new
initiatives that push the
boundaries of previous
efforts; and deepen
relationships within the
larger congregational
community.”
We have signed up for this CoP, but we
have not yet been admitted. There will be
16 congregations in the Cohort. We are
moving forward whether we get in or not.
We know that we need to continue to look
forward and explore what will work. We
know that each cohort of families comes
to B’nai Israel (or stays away) because
they have needs that may be unique to
them as well some of the things we all
need, like community, connection and
continuity. So we are going to engage
a process of experimentation and
meaningful transformation; design and
implement new initiatives that push
the boundaries of previous efforts; and
deepen relationships within the larger
congregational community.
Won’t you be a part of it? You do not need
to have a child in our school right now –
it takes the whole village to educate each
child. Contact me at iwise@cbibpt.org or
Beth Natt at bnatt@cbibpt.org.
L’shalom,
Ira J. Wise, D.J.R.E
Temple Educator
Make your voice heard. Join us for the B’nai Israel Annual Meeting on Thursday, June 16, at 7:30 p.m.
7
Donations
Please note that only contributions of $10.00 or more will be acknowledged with a card and Bulletin listing.
Rabbi Prosnit Discretionary Fund
Wendy and Jeffrey Bender, in memory
of Charlotte Aaron, mother of Wendy
Bender.
Lori Berger, in memory of mother,
Cecelia Davis.
Beatrice Bernstein, Chip Ianuly,
Barbara Paolini, and Bernice Resnick,
in honor of Alice Madwed’s Special
Birthday.
Marilyn Bissell, in honor of Alice
Madwed’s 90th Birthday.
Nila and Sam Breiner, in memory of Dr.
Gerald Winter, husband of Elaine Winter,
father of Brian Winter.
Alfred Goldreyer, a donation.
The Gordon Family, in appreciation
of Rabbi Prosnit; in honor of Harrison
Gordon’s Bar Mitzvah.
Evelyn Hirshorn, in honor of Alice
Madwed’s Birthday.
Alice and George Kelly, in memory of
mother, Annette Kelly.
Lee Lester, in memory of my beloved
mother, Rose Adel Lavitsky.
Nora Mayerson, in appreciation to
Rabbi Prosnit.
Deborah Miller, in gratitude.
Alan and Joan Newman, in honor of
Rebecca Newman’s Bat Mitzvah.
Julie and Steve Pressman and Family,
in appreciation of Rabbi Prosnit for his
help with Kayla’s Bat Mitzvah.
The Ritch, Mason, Head and Varble
Families, in memory of Dolores
Gurewitz, and in appreciation to Rabbi
Prosnit.
Gail, Ed, Dustin and Tamara
Schriffert, in memory of Minnie
Vineberg.
Janet Stern, in loving memory of father,
Matthew Skane; in memory of mother,
Anna Baum Skane; in memory of
daughter, Michele Ann Stern; in memory
of dear friend, Leonard Rapoport.
The Weinberger and Horn Families, in
memory of Shirley Horn.
Judith Zaluda, in honor of Alice
Madwed’s Birthday.
Rabbi Schultz Discretionary Fund
Eric Gross, in memory of mother,
Frances Gross.
8
Lee Lester, in memory of my beloved
mother, Rose Adel Lavitsky.
Julie and Steve Pressman and Family,
in appreciation of Rabbi Schultz for his
help with Kayla’s Bat Mitzvah.
Music Fund
Donations in memory of Merwin Blum,
father of Cantor Sheri Blum, were made
by:
Wendy and Jeffrey Bender
Carson and Robert Berkowitz
Laura and Bruce Braverman
Luise and Ed Burger
Eloise Epstein
Gloria Katz
Jeff, Jackie, Josh and Rachel Madwed
Nora Mayerson
Barbara Panisch
Suzanne Phillip and Steven Soberman
Barbara Rifkin
Jerry Saunders and Elaine Appellof
Connie Simon
Ann Small
The Gordon Family, in appreciation
of Cantor Blum; in honor of Harrison
Gordon’s Bar Mitzvah.
Lee Lester, in memory of my beloved
mother, Rose Adel Lavitsky.
Alan and Joan Newman, in honor of
Rebecca Newman’s Bat Mitzvah.
Julie and Steve Pressman and Family,
in appreciation of Cantor Blum for her
help with Kayla’s Bat Mitzvah.
Marilyn and Robert Shook, in memory
of Irving and Betty Miller, parents of
Marilyn Shook; in memory of Dr. Gerald
Winter, husband of Elaine Winter; in
memory of Rita Hyman.
Enhancement Fund
Gilles Dumont, in memory of Dr. Gerald
Winter, husband of Elaine Winter.
Sidney Fialk, in honor of Geoffrey and
Melanie Kooris on the baby naming of
granddaughter, Fina Renee Kooris.
The Fiske Family, in memory of Arthur
Soalt, father of Nina Soalt.
Diane Fried, a donation.
Joni Greenspan, in memory of mother,
Anna Levowich.
Lee Lester, in memory of my best friend,
Dr. Hy Brier.
Julie and Steve Pressman and Family,
in appreciation of Claire Baker for her
help with Kayla’s Bat Mitzvah.
The Rosenstein Family, in memory of
Dr. Gerald Winter, husband of Elaine
Winter.
Twody and Bob Schless, in memory of
Joy Stile, mother of Twody Schless.
Jonathan and Cleo Sonneborn, in
memory of beloved grandmother,
Hannah Hofheimer.
David Zeldis, in memory of George
Zeldis.
Sylvia Prosnit Adult Education Fund
Elaine and Juda Chetrit, in memory
of Dr. Gerald Winter, husband of Elaine
Winter, father of Brian Winter.
George and Chris Markley, in memory
of Dr. Gerald Winter, husband of Elaine
Winter.
William and Lorraine Smith, in
memory of parents, Rose Smith, Helen
Rubak and Solomon Rubak.
Nursery School Scholarship Fund
Eric and Ruth Gross, in honor of the
birth of Arnie and Susan Zuckman’s
grandsons.
Gail and Peter Weinstein, in memory of
Mae Meyers, mother of Helaine Shapiro;
in memory of Phoebe Einzig, mother of
Ray Evans.
Rabbi Martin Library Fund
Muggs Lefsetz, in memory of Fannie
Kaster and Violet Lefsetz; in honor of
Alice Madwed’s big birthday.
Chris and George Markley, in loving
memory of Aram Nahabedian.
Judy and David Pressler, in honor of
the Bat Mitzvah of Rebecca Newman,
daughter of Amy and Eric Newman,
granddaughter of Jerry and Dale Demner.
Barbara Rifkin, in memory of
grandmother, Jeanette Schine.
Prayer Book Fund
Carol and Nate Barsky, in memory of
sister, Mildred Greenberg.
Reach more than 700 families. Advertise in the Bulletin. Contact Sam Rosenberg at srosenberg@cbibpt.org.
Donations
Please note that only contributions of $10.00 or more will be acknowledged with a card and Bulletin listing.
Alan and Joan Newman, in loving
memory of father, grandfather and greatgrandfather, Gabriel Steinbach.
Barbara Panisch, in honor of Alice
Madwed’s Special Birthday.
Religious School Enrichment Fund
Barbara Abraham, in honor of Ira Wise,
Doctor of Jewish Religious Education,
honoris causa. Mazel Tov on receiving
this degree from HUC-JIR.
The Gordon Family, in appreciation
of Claire Baker; in honor of Harrison
Gordon’s Bar Mitzvah.
Debbie, Dan, Matthew and Jaime
Viens, in memory of Urban Silva,
husband of Theresa Silva.
Rabbi Arnold Sher Social Action Fund
Laura and Bruce Braverman, in
memory of Sarah Shumofsky, mother of
Allan Shumofsky; in memory of Gerd
Weindling, husband of Myrna Weindling;
in memory of Dr. Gerald Winter, husband
of Elaine Winter, father of Brian Winter.
Claudia Castaños, in memory of Dr.
Gerald Winter, husband of Elaine Winter.
Elaine and Juda Chetrit, in memory of
Arthur Soalt, father of Nina Soalt.
Bari Dworken, in memory of Merwin
Blum, father of Cantor Sheri Blum;
wishing Richard Krantz a speedy
recovery.
Ruth Kobren, in honor of Alice
Madwed’s Special Birthday.
Nora Mayerson, wishing a speedy
recovery to Wendy P. Mayerson.
Debbie, Dan, Matthew and Jaime
Viens, in memory of Arthur Soalt, loving
father of Nina Soalt, grandfather of
Isaiah and Gabe Mansour.
Lee & David Lester Kesher Fund
Lee Lester, in memory of my beloved
son, David Lester, and devoted mother,
Rose Adel Lavitsky; in memory of my
best friend, Dr. Hy Brier.
Arnold & Doris Tower Fund
Evelyn Locke, Paul, Jessica, Andra,
Fred and Families, in memory of Dr.
Edward Kamens, husband of Anne
Kamens.
Gillette Judaic Enrichment Fund
George and Chris Markley, in loving
memory of father, Ludwig Markley.
(203) 336-1858 • www.cbibpt.org
The Bulletin of Congregation B’nai Israel is published every month except July.
James Prosnit, D.D. ............................ Rabbi
Evan Schultz ................................... Rabbi
Arnold I. Sher, D.D. ............... Rabbi Emeritus
Sheri E. Blum, D.M. ........................... Cantor
Ramon Gilbert, D.M. .......... Cantor Emeritus
Ira J. Wise, D.J.R.E. ............ Temple Educator
Robert H. Gillette, R.J.E. ... Educator Emeritus
Alexa Cohen .......... Early Childhood Director
Officers
Samuel J. Rosenberg ........................ President
Michael Blumenthal .......... 1st Vice President
Larry Levine ............................. Vice President
Shari Nerreau ........................... Vice President
Julie Pressman .......................... Vice President
Lori Underberger ............................ Treasurer
Jim Greenberg ................. Assistant Treasurer
Evelyn Rubak ................................... Secretary
Joe Varon .......................... Financial Secretary
Mindy Siegel ........... Immediate Past President
Affiliates
Marisa Underberger ............................................ BIFTY Advisor/Youth Engagement Specialist
Becky Molinoff & Caroline DelAngelo ..................................................... BIFTY Co-Presidents
Scott L. Smith ........................................................................................................ Bulletin Editor
Karen and Ken Ferleger, in memory of
William Cohen, father of Linda Epstein.
Scott, Susan, Elena and Evan Smith,
Mazel Tov to Scott and Lisa Verchin on
Jordan’s Bar Mitzvah.
BIFTY Greenwald Scholarship Fund
Congregation B’nai Israel Sisterhood,
a donation.
Endowment Fund
Fran and Rob Morris, in memory of
Selma Cohen; in memory of Thomas
Gacioch; in memory of Ernst A. Benzien.
Shavuot
From Page 1
Shavuot Service
At 6:30 p.m. we come together to
celebrate the giving of Torah, the harvest
and the new season. As part of our
service, we will bless the babies born in
our congregation since last Shavuot.
Tikkun Leil Shavuot
There is a longstanding tradition of adults
learning through the night on Shavuot.
We will NOT go all night, and our text
will actually be a film! Join us for “Sallah
Shabbati,” a classic
comedic film from
Israel that tells the
story of a Yemenite
family that comes
to Israel in 1949. It
features Topol (you
knew him as Tevye
in the film version of “Fiddler on the
Roof”) in a film that was nominated for
an Academy Award and won two Golden
Globes. It is both a poignant exploration
of the two Israels (Ashkenazi and
Sephardi) of that time and a sharp and
often hilarious satire that became the
most successful film in Israeli history.
Join us for the film and a conversation
about Israel then and now.
Yizkor Service
There will be a Yizkor service at 10:00
a.m. on Sunday, June 12, in the sanctuary.
Donation Item of the Month: Peanut Butter and Jelly for the Mercy Learning Center
9
From the Bonim Preschool: Alexa Cohen, Early Childhood Director
Why Is Play So Important?
This weekend, after listening to an
interview with play researcher and
psychiatrist Stuart Brown on NPR while
gardening, I really began to think about
that although I know play is so important
for children, I never really researched its
importance in adults and animals.
Brown describes a wild and hungry,
1,200-pound polar bear who encounters
a female husky. The first thing that
comes to mind is that the bear is about
to devour the husky, but the husky enters
the situation with a playful bow, wagging
her tail. Something unusual happens;
the bear stands over the husky, no claws
extended and no fangs, taking a look.
And they begin an incredible ballet. A
play ballet.
Brown says: “This is in nature: it
overrides a carnivorous nature and what
otherwise would have been a short fight
to the death. And if you’ll begin to look
closely at the husky that’s bearing her
throat to the polar bear, and look a little
more closely, they’re in an altered state.
They’re in a state of play. And it’s that
state that allows these two creatures to
explore the possible. They’re beginning
to do something that neither would have
done without the play signals. And it’s a
marvelous example of how a differential
in power can be overridden by a process
of nature that’s within all of us.”
He also tells of the findings of a group
of scientists who studied murderers
such as the Texas Tower murderer and
the mass murder at Virginia Tech. In
both situations, the individuals who
committed the crimes were found to have
severe play deprivation. In the study’s
conclusion, the scientists posited that
the absence of play and “progressive
suppression of developmentally normal
play” led the killers to be more vulnerable
to the tragedy that they had perpetrated.
Another example of the importance of
10
play can be seen through two consultants
at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab –
neurologist Frank Wilson and mechanic
Nate Johnson. Johnson found that when
he taught high school mechanics, his
students were no longer able to solve
problems. In an attempt to figure out
why, he came to the conclusion that
the students who could no longer solve
problems such as fixing cars hadn’t
worked with their hands. Wilson and
Johnson got together and helped the
Jet Propulsion Lab, NASA and Boeing
understand that before they hire a research
and development problem solver (even
if they’re a graduate of Harvard or Cal
Tech), if they haven’t fixed cars, haven’t
done stuff with their hands early in life,
they can’t problem solve as well. Play is
practical and very important.
“Before they hire
a research and
development problem
solver (even if they’re a
graduate of Harvard or
Cal Tech), if they haven’t
fixed cars, haven’t done
stuff with their hands
early in life, they can’t
problem solve as well.
Play is practical and
very important.”
There are many different types of play:
• Rough-and-tumble play – a
great learning medium for all
of us. Preschool kids should be
allowed to dive, whistle, scream,
be chaotic and develop through a
lot of emotional regulation and a
lot of other “social byproducts” –
cognitive, emotional and physical
•
•
– that come as a part of rough-andtumble play.
Spectator play, ritual play – just
look at the fans at a baseball game.
When their team is winning, you
get a sense that they’re all at play.
Imaginative play – a really
important part of being a player is
imaginative, solo play.
Brown says that in the animal world,
play is important for survival. Rats, for
example, are hardwired to play early
on in their lives. They squeak, wrestle
and pile on each other; that’s part of
their play. If you stop that behavior in
one experimental group and allow it in
another, and then present both groups
with a cat odor-soaked collar, they are
all hardwired to flee and hide (they don’t
want to get killed by the cat). They both
hide, but the non-players never come out
and they die. The players slowly explore
the environment and begin to test things
out again. Play for them is important to
their survival. Brown says that is true for
all of us.
So, what is the opposite of play? Work?
No, it’s depression. Think about a life
without play – no humor, no movies,
no games, no fantasy and so on. Try to
imagine a life, adult or otherwise, without
play. Brown says, “The thing about our
species is that we’re really designed to
play through our whole lifetime.”
Brown ends with a recommendation for
all: “I would encourage you all to engage
not in the work-play differential – where
you set aside time to play – but where our
life becomes infused minute by minute,
hour by hour, with body, object, social,
fantasy, and transformational kinds of
play. And I think you will have a more
empowered life.”
We want you in the Bulletin! Send your news to editor Scott Smith at ssmith@cbibpt.org.
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12/4/15
Shabbat Service Schedule
(Fridays at 6:00 p.m. where indicated, preceded by an Oneg Shabbat at 5:30 p.m.)
Friday, June 3
6:00 p.m. Service
Torah Portion –
Behukkotai, – Lev. 26:327:34
Haftarah – Jeremiah
16:19-17:14
Saturday, June 4
8:00 a.m. Service
9:00 a.m. Brotherhood Breakfast
9:30 a.m. Torah Study
9:30 a.m. Young Families Havurah
11:00 a.m. B’nai Mitzvah of Rachel
August, daughter of Jon
and Diana August, and
Evan Smith, son of
Scott Smith and Susan
Zweibaum Smith
Friday, June 10
6:00 p.m. Shabbat Camp Service –
Wear your camp T-shirt!
Ice cream sundae bar
following the service.
Torah Portion –
Bemidbar, Num. 1:1-4:20
Haftarah – Hosea 2:1-22
Saturday, June 11
8:00 a.m. Service
8:00 a.m. Bat Mitzvah of Israeli
Young Emissary, May
Merav
9:00 a.m. Brotherhood Breakfast
9:30 a.m. Torah Study
9:30 a.m. Young Families Havurah
5:30 p.m. Planting
6:00 p.m. Shavuot Potluck Dairy
Dinner
6:30 p.m. Service
7:15 p.m. Film: “Sallah Shabbati”
Sunday, June 12
10:00 a.m. Shavuot Yizkor Service
Friday, June 17
6:00 p.m.Service
Torah Portion – Naso,
Num. 4:21-7:89
Haftarah – Judges 13:225
Saturday, June 18
8:00 a.m. Service
9:00 a.m. Brotherhood Breakfast
9:30 a.m. Torah Study
9:30 a.m. Young Families Havurah
11:00 a.m. Bat Mitzvah of Alexandra
Lewis, daughter of Nanci
and Jonathan Lewis
Friday, June 24
6:00 p.m.Service
Torah Portion –
Behaalot’cha, Num. 8:112:16
Haftarah – Zechariah
2:14-4:7
Saturday, June 25
8:00 a.m. Service
9:00 a.m. Brotherhood Breakfast
9:30 a.m. Torah Study
9:30 a.m. Young Families Havurah
11:00 a.m. B’nai Mitzvah of Michael
Kayne, son of David
and Kathleen Kayne,
and Hayley Murnick,
daughter of Elissa and
David Murnick
Adult Jewish Learning At Congregation B’nai Israel
Adult Roundtable
Thursday, June 2 at 12:30 p.m.
A discussion, facilitated by Gloria Katz,
about current events for anyone who
wants to go beyond the headlines. Join
us the first Thursday of every month, and
bring a sandwich, your opinion and an
open mind.
A History of the Jewish People:
Journeys through Austria
Lifelong Learning, Fridays at Noon,
June 3 and 10
Jews
have
lived in what
is today Austria since the
expulsion from
the Holy Land
by the Romans
in the 1st century C.E. Our exploration of
Jewish history will focus on our people’s
experiences in Austria and its historical
precursors. Like most of Europe, when
things were good for us there, they were
very good. When they weren’t … Come
learn with Ira Wise in the latest installment of this long-running class!
Lunch n’ Learn at Whole Foods:
Maimonides Book of Blessings
Mondays, Noon to 1:00 p.m, June 6,
13, 20, 27
Join Rabbi Evan Schultz and Rabbinic
Intern Stephanie Crawley at Whole
Foods in Fairfield as together we’ll
study Maimonides’ Book of Blessings
from his compendium of Jewish law
and practice, the Mishneh Torah (written
12th century). We all say blessings, but
what’s really involved when we begin a
sentence with the words, “Baruch Atah
Adonai...?” The Rambam has lots to say
on the topic (and he is Rabbi Schultz’s
favorite Jewish thinker). All are
welcome to join as we learn together and
discover his thought-provoking insights. Rosh Chodesh with Rabbi Suri Krieger
Thursday, June 16 at 6:00 p.m.
The waxing and waning of lunar cycles
has been a guiding force for women
throughout the
ages, both literally and spiritually. Since
the
Jewish
feminist movement reclaimed
Rosh Chodesh in the 1970s, women have
been gathering on a monthly basis to
acknowledge and celebrate. The form
of this celebration has taken on many
faces, including ancient text, contemporary outreach, food and fantasy. Women
are invited to join Rabbi Suri Krieger to
celebrate the new Hebrew month and for
spiritual growth.
Donation Item of the Month: Peanut Butter and Jelly for the Mercy Learning Center
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Meet Our New
Rabbinic Intern
Fairfield U.
Honors Rabbi
Prosnit
We are excited to welcome our summer
Rabbinic Intern, Stephanie Crawley, to
B’nai Israel this summer.
Stephanie just completed her third
year of rabbinic studies at Hebrew
Union College in New York City. She
is currently the Rabbinic Intern and
Religious School t’filah coordinator at
Congregation Emanu-El of the City of
New York. She also served as Rabbinic
Education Fellow at the Brandeis
Collegiate Institute in Los Angeles and
as Student Rabbi at Washington & Lee
University in Virginia. Fairfield University honored Rabbi
James Prosnit last month for 25 years of
involvement with the school.
Rabbi Prosnit is an adjunct lecturer in
the Religious Studies Department at
Fairfield, where he also sits on the board
of the school’s Bennett Center for Judaic
Studies.
Stephanie Crawley
We hope you’ll have an opportunity to
meet, learn, pray and sing with Stephanie
during the summer.
Mazel Tov
to Dr. Ira Wise
honoris causa, from Hebrew Union
College – Jewish Institute of Religion in
New York City.
Last month Ira Wise was one of two
Temple Educators to receive the degree
of Doctor of Jewish Religious Education,
Each year, HUC-JIR alumni receive
Doctorates of Divinity, Music, Jewish
Religious Education, in recognition
The school recognized Rabbi Prosnit as
part of an event titled “Judaic Studies at
Fairfield: Past, Present and Future.”
of their 25 years of distinguished
professional service.
Mazel Tov to Ira on this significant
milestone and wonderful honor.or.