2 - Emanu-El

Temple Emanu-El
Bulletin
Volume 88, No. 2
WORSHIP SERVICES
SUNDAY — THURSDAY
5:30 PM • Marvin & Elisabeth
Cassell Community House
(One East 65th Street)
FRIDAY EVENING
Fifth Avenue Sanctuary
Organ Recital—5:45 PM
Service Begins—6 PM
SATURDAY MORNING
Sixth Floor Lounge
(One East 65th Street)
Torah Study—9:15 AM
Fifth Avenue Sanctuary
Organ Recital—10:15 AM
Service Begins—10:30 AM
Services may be heard live
or downloaded as a podcast at
www.emanuelnyc.org/broadcast.
Read the weekly Torah
commentary on the temple
website: www.emanuelnyc.org/
torah.php. View the archive, and
sign up to have the digital version
delivered weekly to your email.
A hearing loop is installed in
the Fifth Avenue Sanctuary
and the Beth-El Chapel;
switch aid to T-coil. Headsets or
neck loops also are available.
October 2015
Judaism, Your Way
By Dr. Gady Levy, Executive Director, The Temple Emanu-El Skirball Center
THE HIGH HOLIDAY SEASON is not only a time to reflect
on the past but also a chance to use an accounting
of our life to begin afresh with optimism and hope.
In doing so, we have the opportunity to renew our
commitment to a rich and deep Jewish life.
The Talmudic Sages long ago affirmed that there are
Shivim Panim l’Torah—70 facets to the Torah—realizing
that the Torah’s innate complexity lends itself to
endless interpretations. Although the Sages chose the
number 70 quite arbitrarily, this number signifies
immensity, suggesting that every letter and line of the
Torah can offer fresh insights and perspectives leading
to multitudinous ways to be Jewish while simultaneously
affirming that Judaism is an ever-evolving journey.
In much the same way, the Temple Emanu-El Skirball Center’s wide range of
programming reflects the broad spectrum and continuum of the Jewish experience.
We are proud to offer our community an accessible and compelling slate of classes and
events that will bring Torah and Yiddishkeit into your daily lives in a way that coalesces
with your own Jewish journey. Whatever your interests or passions may be, you are sure
to find something here that will challenge, educate and inspire you.
Are you a foodie? Take a class with a renowned master chef.
Political junkie? Hear directly from the architects of the campaigns that put
Presidents Bush and Obama in office.
Theater buff? Join us for a Tony Award-winning Broadway show.
Interested in studying Torah, engaging with the Talmud or discovering
a closer connection to God? We have programs for you.
Want to delve into architecture, history, science, music, business, art or archeology?
We have classes for that, too.
(continued on page 10)
TORAH AT A GLANCE...
Following are synopses of this month’s
Torah readings. View the monthly preaching
schedule at www.emanuelnyc.org/
preaching.
Chol HaMo-eid Sukkot (Exodus 33:
12–34:26) Read Saturday, October 3
Moses asks God to see God, but God
won’t allow Moses to see God’s face;
13 attributes of God.
B’reishit (Genesis 1:1-6:8)
Read Saturday, October 10
God creates the world in six days;
Adam and Eve are expelled from the
Garden of Eden; Cain kills Abel; God
regrets creating the world and vows
to destroy it all except for Noah.
Noach (Genesis 6:9-11:32)
Read Saturday, October 17
God saves Noah and two of each
animal; Noah builds ark; God floods
the world; world is repopulated;
Tower of Babel results in people
scattered across the earth with
many languages.
Lech L’cha (Genesis 12:1-17:27)
Read Saturday, October 24
God calls Abram; promises him
Canaan; Abram goes to Canaan, but
famine drives him to Egypt; returns to
Canaan; Abram rescues Lot; Ishmael
born; circumcision commanded as
symbol of covenant.
Vayeira
(Genesis 18:1-22:24)
Read Saturday, October 31
God promises a son to Abraham
and Sarah; Abraham argues for Sodom
and Gomorrah; cities are destroyed;
birth of Isaac; Hagar banished;
binding of Isaac.
2
A Conversation With God
This month, Temple Emanu-El’s Sunset Service Readers Panel will have
served our congregation for 70 years leading daily worship. The following
was written by temple member Bettijane Eisenpreis about her experience
participating in this prized temple tradition.
ON SEPTEMBER 14, 1995, one month after my 60th birthday, I became a bat mitzvah
in the Beth-El Chapel of Temple Emanu-El. I made the decision after much careful
thought and studied long and hard to be able to read my Torah portion, B’chukotai.
But read it, I did, with my son, Steven, reading the blessings. I don’t know which
of us was more nervous, but we did splendidly, if I do say so myself.
Only a few weeks later, my ex-husband, Alfred, approached me with a suggestion…
or was it a dare? “Women are going to read daily services,” he said. “Why don’t you
sign up?” Yikes! Me, read Hebrew? In front of strangers? My first reaction was,
“You’ve got to be kidding!”
But he wasn’t kidding. And read I did—and do. In the 20 years that have passed,
I never have ceased to be awed by those moments in which, reading the familiar words,
I feel a bond with something larger than I am.
I really believe in the presence of God. Also, I feel I am performing a real service.
Many people who have come during the year of mourning or to observe a yahrzeit have
thanked me for reading the name of their loved one. But also there are some who have
come only for a quiet moment, and they too are appreciative. I am so grateful to be able
to perform this mitzvah—for myself, for the congregation and for the larger community.
The Temple Emanu-El Sunset Service is held every Sunday through Thursday
(except during holy days and festivals) at 5:30 PM in Greenwald Hall; all are
invited to attend. Temple members interested in becoming readers should
send an email to readerspanel@emanuelnyc.org or call (212) 744-1400,
ext. 251. Participation is open to men and women of the temple and teens
who have completed their bar or bat mitzvah studies.
Worship & Spirituality
Shabbat Kodesh Family Worship
AT SHABBAT KODESH, Hebrew prayers are sung with lively melodies, and we
experience the weekly Torah reading through a dramatic and humorous interpretation.
All ages are welcome at this inspirational and uplifting prayer service, which builds
upon the curriculum and community of the Religious School. It is led by our clergy,
Lifelong Learning Director Saul Kaiserman and members of our Religious School faculty.
During 2015-2016, services will be held on the following Fridays:
October 23, November 13, January 29, February 26, April 15 and May 20.
Services begin at 7 PM in the Beth-El Chapel and conclude at 8 PM. A festive Oneg
Shabbat with plenty to eat and drink follows our services; several times during the year,
a family dinner precedes the service and a dessert oneg follows.
SH’MINI ATZERET/SIMCHAT
TORAH SERVICES 5776
Sunday, October 4 • 6 PM
and Monday, October 5* • 10:30 AM
• Fifth Avenue Sanctuary
*Sh’mini Atzeret is one of the four
times during the year when we mourn
together (Yizkor) and recite the memorial
prayers in remembrance of those whom
we have loved and lost.
Tot Shabbat/Baby Shabbat
Photo: Richard Bram
FAMILIES WITH YOUNG CHILDREN...Take a short break from your weekly routine and
allow yourself to be immersed in the treasures our tradition offers. With storytelling,
music and crafts, Tot Shabbat allows you to introduce your children to the joy
of Shabbat. Baby Shabbat is a 30-minute program designed for younger siblings of
Nursery School children, although all children younger than 33 months are welcome
to attend. Enjoy the company of other families as we anticipate Shabbat with music,
blessings and a taste of challah. There is no charge for either program.
Our first Baby Shabbat service will be held on Friday, October 16 at
9:15 AM. Tot Shabbat will be held on Friday, October 30 from 4:30 PM to 6 PM.
Enter at One East 65th Street. RSVP to youngfamilies@emanuelnyc.org or
(212) 744-1400, ext. 242. Learn more at www.emanuelnyc.org/earlychildhood.
SIMCHAT TORAH FAMILY
SERVICE AND CONSECRATION
Monday, October 5 • 5 PM
• Fifth Avenue Sanctuary
Join us in welcoming the new students
in our school into our Emanu-El
community. All of our youngest
congregants will be blessed by our
clergy and will receive their own
“mini-Torah” to take home.
A festive family dinner will follow.
Charge: $45 per family (up to
two adults, any number of children)
by September 29; $65 after
September 29. Teens (eighth–
12th graders), if unaccompanied
by an adult: $15 each.
Additional adults: $18 each.
RSVP to www.emanuelnyc.org/
SimchatTorahDinner.
3
TEMPLE SPOTLIGHT:TEEN TRIPS
Registration is now open for our
fun and meaningful weekend trips!
• Eighth Grade Trip (New Orleans)
~ January 15-18, 2016
Fee: $975, includes flight, hotel,
meals and activities
• Ninth Grade Civil Rights Trip
(Georgia and Alabama) ~
February 25-28, 2016
Fee: $975 per person
• High School Trip (Prague) ~
February 12-17, 2016
Fee: $1,900 per person
For more information or to
register, contact Missy Bell,
our program director of
Youth Learning and Engagement,
at (212) 507-9529 or
mbell@emanuelnyc.org
4
Temple Emanu-El’s trips for students in Grades 8
through 12 offer opportunities to perform hands-on
service or advocacy work, explore new cultures and
foods, and bond with each other.
AS PARTICIPANTS ON OUR Eighth Grade Trip, Emanu-El students work with students
from Temple Israel and Temple Shaaray Tefila to help rebuild the city of New Orleans
and hear from Jewish and non-Jewish residents about Hurricane Katrina.
Al Ta’amod—Don’t be a bystander…Bear witness!
On our Ninth Grade Trip, students travel to the South to learn about the
Civil Rights movement and the effect the Jewish community had on this important
chapter of American history. Highlights include visiting the Rosa Parks Museum
in Montgomery, viewing of the Names Project/AIDS Quilt in Atlanta, visiting the
Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, worshiping at a creative Shabbat Tefilah at the
Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, and touring Freedom Walk and 16th Street Baptist
Church in Birmingham.
And, our annual High School Trip provides an extended, intense and meaningful
experience that builds strong friendships and shared values like no other program can.
This year, led by Missy Bell and Rabbinic Intern Stephanie Crawley, teens will
learn about and visit sites of 1,000 years of Jewish history in Prague. We will have the
meaningful experience of visiting Terezin Concentration Camp in the Czech Republic
as well as a Holocaust memorial that was constructed in Prague.
Community
The Magical World of Yiddish Song
Sunday, October 18 • 10 AM to 12 PM • 10 East 66th Street
Five Facts About
Renée Fleming...
1. She was born in Indiana,
Pa. (near Pittsburgh), and
grew up in Rochester, NY.
2. Both of her parents
were voice teachers.
3. She studied at The Juilliard
School and holds degrees
from the State University
of New York at Potsdam
and the Eastman School
of Music.
4. Is the author of The Inner
Voice (released 2004).
ALL TEMPLE MEMBERS AND THEIR GUESTS are invited to a spectacular event featuring
Zalmen Mlotek, artistic director of the National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene
(NYTF). An internationally renowned musical director and Yiddish music authority,
Mr. Mlotek will tell and sing the story of the Yiddish song as it migrated from Eastern
European Jewish towns (shtetl) and cities to the bustling immigrant neighborhoods of
North America...and ultimately to the broader popular culture of Broadway and the
film and recording industries. With translations and colorful historical images projected
onto a large screen, Mr. Mlotek will explore the emotionally evocative message and
effect of Yiddish music on Jewish identity and culture.
This event is organized by the Men’s Club. Charge: $30 for Men’s Club and
Women’s Auxiliary members, $35 for all other temple members and guests;
includes brunch. Register at www.emanuelnyc.org/yiddishsong.
Community Sabbath Dinner
Friday, October 23 • 7:15 PM • One East 65th Street • $50 per person
FOLLOWING THE 6 PM WORSHIP SERVICE, all temple members are invited to
Sabbath dinner, organized by the Women’s Auxiliary. The evening concludes
with an after-dinner talk by one of the most acclaimed singers of our time,
Renée Fleming. The beloved American soprano and arts advocate will speak about
the role of the arts in our society. This event is being held in association with the
Richard Tucker Music Foundation and in cooperation with the Men’s Club.
5. Lives in Stamford,
Connecticut, but counts
Paris, France, as her
second home.
“I don't want to be somebody
who stands still and sings
pretty. Each song is a
world. Each song is
a story.”
— Renée Fleming
Register for the
Emanu-El Community
Sabbath Dinner, with special
guest Renée Fleming, at
www.emanuelnyc.org/
wa-dinner.
QUESTIONS? Call the
Women’s Auxiliary at
(212) 744-1400, ext. 235,
or send an email to
womaux@emanuelnyc.org.
5
THE BOOK OF JUDITH
Acrylic and collage on paper (2014)
EMANU-EL CENTER
FOR SENIORS
Sponsored by the Women’s Auxiliary,
the Emanu-El Center for Seniors
is a weekly program that runs from
October through May. Seniors meet
to participate in art projects and
exercise classes, as well as to socialize.
Professional instructors are hired
to oversee the activities, which are
assisted by Women’s Auxiliary
volunteers. Each year’s program
ends with an annual art show.
An open house for seniors
interested in participating will be
held on Monday, October 19 from
9:45 AM to 1:30 PM in Blumenthal
Hall (10 East 66th). QUESTIONS?
Call (212) 744-1400, ext. 235.
BOOK GROUPS
Participation in all book groups is free
and open to all temple members.
Enter at One East 65th Street.
Men’s Club Reading Group:
Wednesday, October 7 • 8:30 AM
An Officer and a Spy by Robert Harris
Wednesday, November 4 • 8:30 AM
Missing Person by Patrick Modiano
Women’s Auxiliary Book Group:
Wednesday, November 18 •
12 PM to 2 PM
When Bad Things Happen
to Good People by Harold S. Kushner
This event includes a meet-and-greet with
Cantor Lance Rhodes, who will lead our
discussion. A light lunch will be served.
6
Final days to see Visualizing the Bible:
Works by David Wander... Exhibition closes October 18.
http://davidwander.emanuelnyc.org/
Lama Lo (Why Not?)
Sisterhoods Coming Together
Thursday, October 1 • 11 AM • One East 65th Street
Members of the Women’s Auxiliary are invited to gather with our “sisters” from
several area synagogues for a tour of Visualizing the Bible: Works by David Wander,
currently on display at the Herbert & Eileen Bernard Museum of Judaica.
Museum Curator Warren Klein will lead the tour. Lunch and then a guided tour
of the Fifth Avenue Sanctuary will follow. There is no charge for this event.
Call (212) 744-1400, ext. 235. This event is for Women’s Auxiliary members only.
Club 65: A Group for Seniors
Tuesday, October 13 • 11 AM • One East 65th Street
Museum Curator Warren Klein will lead a guided tour of Visualizing the Bible:
Works by David Wander for members of Club 65, which is open to all senior men and
women of the congregation. This exhibition explores themes of Jewish myth, history
and biblical narrative through the works of New York-based artist David Wander.
RSVP to Club 65 at (212) 744-1400, ext. 250 or mensclub@emanuelnyc.org.
Bereavement Group
ARE YOU HAVING TROUBLE COPING with the recent loss (within the last year or so)
of a family member or close friend? Temple Emanu-El appreciates the return of
Carla Daichman, a licensed clinical social worker with more than 40 years of
experience, who will lead a group on bereavement open to temple families, as well
as partners and friends. There is no charge for this program, but registration is essential,
as space is limited.
Sessions will meet from 6 PM to 7 PM on Wednesdays, October 7 through
November 18. RSVP to Rabbi Amy Ehrlich at (212) 507-9603 or
EmanuElCares@emanuelnyc.org.
Helping Hands:
Members Helping Members
TEMPLE EMANU-EL IS DEVELOPING a new congregational effort to help fellow congregants
through difficult moments in their lives. Are you willing to help someone get to a
doctor’s appointment or pick up some groceries? Can you accompany someone to
Shabbat services? If you’ve been thinking about becoming a volunteer at Emanu-El,
then please join us.
To learn more, send an email to HelpingHands@emanuelnyc.org,
or call Rabbi Amy Ehrlich at (212) 507-9603.
Community as Family
FOLLOWING TWO POPULAR INTRODUCTORY SESSIONS LAST YEAR for temple members
without adult children or other available family, this program resumes with a series of
casual and interactive discussions related to this growing cohort’s particular challenges.
Community as Family discussion sessions will meet on Mondays from
6 PM to 8 PM: October 26, November 30, December 14, January 25,
February 29, March 28, April 25 and May 23.
Topics will be timely and often inspired by recent articles and blogs, including housing,
caregiving, how to find the right help when you need it, finance, technology and social
issues. Light refreshments will be served. There will be no commercial endorsements.
For more information or to register, contact Rabbi Amy Ehrlich at
CommunityasFamily@emanuelnyc.org or (212) 507-9603.
Photo: Vionet / 123RF
EMANU-EL CARES
LET US KNOW...
The welcoming of a new child or
grandchild, a graduation from school,
the death of a loved one—these are
all moments worthy of marking.
In the case of illness (yourself or
someone else), let us know if we may
visit you at home or in the hospital.
A simple phone call or the click of
an email is all it takes to keep in
touch when you need us.
Complete our electronic intake
form at www.emanuelnyc.org/
emanuelcares.
REMEMBERING
OUR LOVED ONES
As a service to our members,
Temple Emanu-El has begun tracking
yahrzeits—the anniversaries of
members’ deaths and those of their
family members. Reminder notices will
be sent out so that the anniversary
may be marked at the temple’s daily
Sunset or Shabbat services.
In order to track this information in
our membership system, the following
information is needed: name of
deceased, date of death, whether the
death occurred before or after sunset,
and the deceased’s relationship to
the member making the request.
Complete our form at
www.emanuelnyc.org/yahrzeit,
or call (212) 507-9519.
7
THE TEMPLE EMANU-EL
OCTOBER
& NOVEMBER
2015
AT
AT SKIRBALL
Register at
EmanuelSkirballNYC.org
or call 212.507.9580
212.507.9580
.
As part of T
Temple
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emple
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Emanu-El’s
Emanu-El
and engage, we a
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ffff tuition
tuiti for Skirball classes.
October 20 | F
Free
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October 22 | F
Free
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DR. RO
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SKIRBALL CENTER
Classes
Fall semester begins October 19
Monday
Martin Kaufman
Ma
Maimonides/Nachmanides
imonides/N
Nachmanides
Mark W
Weitzman
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AntiAnti-Semitism
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October 25 | Free
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minds in Jewish
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theology. With:
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R
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Rabbi
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Sh
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Rachel Co
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Why #BlackLives
#BlackLivesMatter
Matter
is a Jewish issue
issue
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important conversation
conversation abo
about
ut
how
anti-Black
how this
this movement
movement to end a
nti-Black
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9
JUDAISM, YOUR WAY
(continued from page 1)
After more than 3,000 years, our
ancient religion and sacred birthright
continue to connect us. Each of our
classes, films, concerts and lectures
touches on elements of Jewish text,
history and culture. And as the
70 facets of Torah suggest, we continue
to evolve, ask new questions and start
new conversations about the issues
that matter to us.
Music Program
Young Artists Concert Series
Sunday, October 18 • 3 PM • One East 65th Street
DESCRIBED BY THE NEW YORK TIMES as playing with
“steely power and incisive rhythm,” pianist Larry Weng
is a laureate of numerous competitions, including the
Boston Symphony Orchestra’s Concerto Competition, the
Tchaikovsky International Piano Competition for Young
Musicians and the 2006 New York International Piano
Competition. He has performed in many renowned concert
halls, including Weill Recital Hall, and has appeared with
numerous orchestras.
All of us at The Temple Emanu-El
Skirball Center look forward to
welcoming you and hope that in this
new year we can instill your Jewish
journey with experiences that lead to
a better, richer and more fulfilling
Jewish life. ❏
In 2009, Larry graduated from the highly selective joint-degree program between
Columbia University and The Juilliard School. He currently is completing his
Master of Musical Arts at the Yale School of Music under Professor Boris Berman.
Fall semester classes at the Skirball
Center begin Monday, October 19.
View the full catalog and register
at www.EmanuelSkirballNYC.org.
Sponsored with the Stecher & Horowitz Foundation, this concert
series presents the prize winners of the biennial New York International
Piano Competition. Admission is free and open to the public.
RSVP to http://emanuelskirballnyc.org/events/stecher-and-horowitz/.
Bernard Museum
Object of the Month
Ark Doors at 43rd Street, ca. 1922
Agnes Fernbach
THE ARK DOORS AT OUR 43rd Street building were commissioned by
philanthropist Jacob Schiff in 1910. When the congregation moved to
its current home in 1929, the doors were altered slightly and installed in
our Beth-El Chapel. The cast doors bear inscriptions from the liturgy; few
depictions of these doors in their original setting remain. We are grateful
to Dr. Ronald B. Sobel for his recent donation of this etching.
10
The original draft drawing of these doors by Tiffany Studios recently was unearthed in the collection
of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The drawing will be on view this fall in their American Wing.
Winter
Coat Drive
September 27
through
December 18,
2015
Photo: Halfpoint/123RF
Volunteering
Second Annual Sukkot Build
Sunday, October 4 • 9 AM to 1 PM and 1 PM to 5 PM
THE TEMPORARY DWELLINGS WE BUILD during Sukkot remind
us of the time our people spent in the desert following the Exodus
from Egypt. This naturally draws to mind those who are homeless or who must live in
temporary housing all year round, unable to procure a permanent home of their own.
Join us this Sukkot in fulfilling Habitat for Humanity’s vision of a city where
everyone has a decent place to live!
Temple members age 14 and older are invited to be part of a wonderful
painting and revitalization project with other members of the New York
Jewish community. Temple Emanu-El will be allotted 10 spots for volunteers.
Those interested in volunteering should complete our intake form:
www.emanuelnyc.org/sukkotbuild.
Save the Date...Mitzvah Day!
WINTER COAT DRIVE
As the cold weather approaches, many
families in New York City soon may
have to choose between buying coats
for their children and themselves or
paying the rent. Donations of gently
used coats, jackets, hats, scarves and
gloves (no other clothing, please) will
help to make the decision an easier
one. Collected items will benefit the
Bowery Mission and New York
Cares. Donations may be dropped
off at either One East 65th Street
or 10 East 66th Street.
QUESTIONS? Contact the
Tikkun Olam Committee at
(212) 744-1400, ext. 452 or
tikkunolam@emanuelnyc.org.
STITCH’N TIME
Temple Emanu-El’s knitting group
is gearing up for a busy fall.
Old members and new are
invited to meetings on
October 18 and November 8
(Mitzvah Day) from 11 AM to
2 PM; enter at One East 65th.
The group—which knits scarves and
caps for clients of the Sunday Lunch
Program, as well as knitted goods for
children and adults in other venues—
welcomes knitters, both experienced
and novice. Instruction is supplied
for “Knew Knitters.” We furnish
yarn; you bring #8 needles!
Light refreshments are served.
For more information, email
stitchntime@emanuelnyc.org.
Sunday, November 8 • 10:30 AM • One East 65th Street
This annual event continues to be one of our most popular! Please join as we come
together in a variety of hands-on projects designed to help others.
11
Community Gardening Project
Sunday, October 18 • 12 PM to 5 PM • One East 65th Street
TEENS AND ADULTS ARE INVITED to spend the afternoon helping to refurbish a
community garden in the Lower East Side. Low-income seniors and school children
benefit from the space and receive the fresh produce from the garden.
We will depart Temple Emanu-El at noon for the garden. We’ll enjoy lunch from
Katz’s Deli then spend the afternoon working. We will return by 5 PM.
Teens will earn community-service hours for participating.
Volunteers should register with Missy Bell by October 12:
mbell@emanuelnyc.org or (212) 507-9529. Rain date is October 25.
Religious School
Potential volunteers (temple members
only) must preregister with the
Women’s Auxiliary. Call (212) 7441400, ext. 235. Volunteers must be at
least 18 years old and in good health.
All will receive a call back to confirm
volunteer dates. (Please, no walk-ins!)
Remaining dates for 2015:
• Thursday, November 12
• Tuesday, December 22
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Trip to Eldridge Street Synagogue
Sunday, October 4 • 9 AM to 12 PM • Departure from 10 East 66th Street
SIXTH GRADE RELIGIOUS SCHOOL FAMILIES are invited to join our Lifelong Learning
staff for a unique onsite experience about Jewish immigration to America and the
Lower East Side. We will visit the Eldridge Street Synagogue, a breath-taking
National Historic Landmark.
Photo by Brian Rose
RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE
Once a month, under sponsorship of
the Women’s Auxiliary, Emanu-El
congregants serve dinner and organize
art projects and entertainment for
families residing at New York City’s
Ronald McDonald House,
a “home away from home” for families
of seriously ill children undergoing
treatment. Our next dinner will be
held Thursday, October 27 at 5 PM.
The synagogue opened its doors at 12 Eldridge Street
on September 4, 1887, just in time for the High Holy Days
that year. Hundreds of newly arrived immigrants from
Russia and Poland gathered here to pray, socialize and build a
community. It was the first time in America that Jews of
Eastern Europe had built a synagogue from the ground up.
Today the Eldridge Street Synagogue is home to the Museum at Eldridge Street, which
welcomes people from around the world for tours, school programs, concerts, lectures,
festivals and other cultural events. The building also continues to be home to Kahal
Adath Jeshurun, a small Orthodox congregation that never has missed a Saturday or
holiday service in the more than 120 years since the synagogue first opened.
Participation is free, but reservations are needed.
Log on to www.emanuelnyc.org/rs-eldridge.
QUESTIONS? Call Rabbi Rena Rifkin at (212) 507-9534.
Early Childhood
Parenting at Emanu-El
PARENT AND CHILD PROGRAMS led by child psychologist Dr. Juliet Cooper and
Rabbi Amy Ehrlich meet for 10 sessions in the fall and 14 sessions in the winter/spring.
Toddler Group (for children ages 10 months to 20 months) explores family roles,
positive routines and how to incorporate Jewish ritual into family life.
(Sessions meet Mondays from 10:45 AM to 12 PM.)
Parent-Child Group (for children ages 20 months to 30 months) provides a structured
playgroup emphasizing social interaction through which parents can learn from
immediate situations. (Sessions meet Wednesdays from 9:15 AM to 10:45 AM.)
Preschool Parents Group focuses on such issues as separation, social development
and peer relations. (Sessions meet Mondays from 9:15 AM to 10:45 AM.)
Fees now may be paid online with a credit card. Classes are open to Temple
members and nonmembers. Parents with twins/triplets pay half price for each additional
child. Log on to www.emanuelnyc.org/parenting.
NURSERY SCHOOL
REGISTRATION FORMS
Applications for the 2016-2017
school year will be available through
November 15. Parents should
call the Nursery School at
(212) 507-9531 to request an
application. Temple members
receive a reduction in tuition.
MOMMY AND ME
Also continuing in 2015-2016 is
Mommy and Me, a 50-minute
class led by music educator Hadar
Orshalimy at which families are
introduced to Jewish holidays and
simple prayers, a bit of Hebrew,
movement and free play. Register
at www.emanuelnyc.org/
mommy-me.
13
Fourth Grade Parent
Bar/Bat Mitzvah Meeting
Monday, October 5 • 4 PM • 10 East 66th Street
HAVE AN ALIYAH
An aliyah (Torah blessing) can be
done to honor a special moment in
your life or simply for the delight of
being involved in Saturday morning
Shabbat services. To recite the
blessings or even take on the fulfilling
challenge of reading Torah on Shabbat
morning, email Rabbi Allison Tick
(atick@emanuelnyc.org) or
call (212) 507-9604.
WOMEN’S AUXILIARY
TRIBUTE FUND
Commemorate significant life-cycle
events in a meaningful way and
support the activities of the
Women’s Auxiliary. All contributions
are listed in Window on Emanu-El.
Contact the Women’s Auxiliary
at womaux@emanuelnyc.org
or (212) 744-1400, ext. 235.
HOSTING A RECEPTION
Temple Emanu-El is pleased to be
able to offer our magnificent spaces
to temple members, not only for
religious services and life-cycle
events but also for their celebrations.
For more information,
call Sherry Nehmer at
(212) 507-9512.
14
THE RABBIS, CANTOR AND ADMINISTRATION of Temple Emanu-El invite Fourth Grade
families to an information meeting for those who are to become b’nei mitzvah.
Our program includes a Q&A session so that parents may discuss their concerns.
Topics of discussion will include: liturgy and ceremonial practices; tutoring; online
learning programs; rehearsals and practice time with the rabbis and cantor; mitzvah
projects; Friday evening Oneg Shabbat; choice of sanctuaries; flowers, photos,
transportation; and catering and private receptions at the Temple.
Please let us know if you will be coming! RSVP to school@emanuelnyc.org.
Note: This program precedes our Simchat Torah Family Service and Consecration
in the Fifth Avenue Sanctuary at 5 PM.
Life-Cycle Events
FROM BIRTH TO DEATH, the act of consciously marking the major milestones
in one’s life is an important element of both personal and religious development.
Similarly important are the rituals associated with these life-cycle events.
The following students of our Religious School
will become B’NEI MITZVAH this month:
Saturday, October 3
• Daniel Jervis Racz, son of Alexa Jervis and Gregory Racz
• Lilly Meyer Sorkin, daughter of Jessica Jacobson and John Sorkin
Saturday, October 10
• Regina Koeppel Rosenfeld, daughter of Ms. Alexandra Koeppel and Dr. Steven Rosenfeld
We are grateful for their sponsorship of each Friday evening’s Oneg Shabbat.
Charles S. Salomon
The Cemeteries of Congregation Emanu-El
1076 Madison Avenue
(212) 753-5300
Our service is available in the
temple, home or our chapel.
A limited number of above-ground crypts are
available in our community mausoleum.
For information, please call Cara Glickman
at the Temple Office, (212) 744-1400.
The Universal Funeral Chapel
Salem Fields and Beth-El
PULPIT FLOWERS at worship services
have been donated by the following congregants:
For the Sabbath of October 2 and 3
• Roberta S. Lazar and Kathryn S. Pershan in loving memory of
Nat Lazar and Gertrude and Leon Schaefler
• Jane G. Rittmaster in loving memory of her mother, Hilda K. Goldstone
For the Sabbath of October 9 and 10
• In loving memory of Hyman Fisch
• Robin M. Laden in loving memory of Alice Laden
• Mrs. Sandy Pessin in loving memory of her mother, Edith R. Ploss
For the Sabbath of October 16 and 17
• Ann and Robert Freedman in loving memory of Hilda Fertig
• Richard H. M. and Gail Lowe Maidman in loving memory of Jacqueline L. Maidman
For the Sabbath of October 23 and 24
• Myles and Barbara Wittenstein in loving memory of
Barbara’s sister Carol Weinberg Garcia
For the Sabbath of October 30 and 31
• In loving memory of Frances Aaron Hess, by her children
Aufruf for Rabbi Tick...
ALL ARE INVITED TO WITNESS a special
wedding blessing for Rabbi Allison Tick
and her fiance, Dr. David Brill, at services
on Friday, October 2. At the Oneg Shabbat
afterward, offer your congratulations to the
happy couple, who will be married on
October 10 in Glencoe, Illinois!
CELEBRATE DURING SERVICES
Are you celebrating a special event in your
life? To have an aufruf (wedding blessing)
or to celebrate a baby naming or some other
special event as part of a worship service,
then please call Rabbi Joshua Davidson’s
assistant, Elizabeth Fevrin, at (212) 5079609. Be sure to specify what event
you are celebrating!
CLERGY
Joshua M. Davidson, Senior Rabbi
Amy B. Ehrlich, Rabbi
Allison H.Tick, Assistant Rabbi
Lance D. Rhodes, Interim Cantor
Dr. Ronald B. Sobel, Senior Rabbi Emeritus
Dr. David M. Posner, Senior Rabbi Emeritus
Lori A. Corrsin, Cantor Emerita
Toba Strauss Schaller, Rabbinic Intern
Stephanie Crawley, Rabbinic Intern
Richard Newman, Cantorial Intern
OFFICERS
John H. Streicker, President
Hon. Susan S. Danoff, Vice President
Marne Obernauer Jr., Vice President
Brian Pessin, Secretary
Stephen T. Shapiro, Treasurer
STAFF
Cara L. Glickman, Vice President,
Finance and Administration
Mark H. Heutlinger, Administrator
Robyn W. Cimbol, Senior Director,
Development and Philanthropy
Sherry Nehmer, Assistant Administrator
Christine Manomat, Membership
Saul Kaiserman, Director,
Lifelong Learning
Rachel Brumberg, Associate Director,
Lifelong Learning
Dr. Gady Levy, Executive Director,
The Temple Emanu-El Skirball Center
Ellen Davis, Director, Nursery School
Warren Klein, Curator, Herbert &
Eileen Bernard Museum of Judaica
Charles S. Salomon, Funeral Director
K. Scott Warren, Organist/Choir Director
Dr. Andrew Henderson,
Associate Organist
Daniel Beckwith, Assistant Organist
Kathryn M. Roberts, Bulletin Editor
15
TEMPLE EMANU-EL
BULLETIN
Vol. 88, No. 2
October 2015
CONGREGATION EMANU-EL
of the City of New York
One East 65th Street, New York, NY 10065
(212) 744-1400 • www.emanuelnyc.org
Emanu-El is now on Facebook!
Visit us at www.facebook.com/emanuelnyc
INSIDE THIS ISSUE...
•
•
•
•
•
Sh’mini Atzeret/Simchat Torah Services...........................page 3
The Magical World of Yiddish Song...................................page 5
Community Sabbath Dinner with Renée Fleming...........page 5
Skirball Fall Catalog Preview..................................pages 8 and 9
Young Artists Concert Series...........................................page 10
THE IVAN M. STTETENHEIM LIBRARY
Meet the Author Series: Rabbi Bradley Shavit Artson
Renewing the Process of Cr
Creation:
reation:
eation: A Jewish Integration of Science and Spirit
Thursday,, October 29 | 10:30 AM | Fr
Thursday
Free
ee | Open to Temple
Temple Emanu-El members only
Aimed at Jews and non-Jews seeking to rreconcile
econcile their rreligious
eligious beliefs and modern
modern science,
Rabbi Artson’
Artson’s
s new book explor
explores
es Judaism and the sciences as dynamically interactive and
mutually informative, while of
offering
fering new ways to find fr
fresh
esh insights into cultural and spiritual
rresources
esources of Jewish tradition.
Book sales and signing to follow
My Favorite Jewish Book: with Rabbi Amy B. Ehrlich
Thursday, November 19 | 1:00 PM | Free | Open to Temple Emanu-El members only
To register
call 212.507.9580
16