Mar/Apr - Temple Micah

March/April 2013
adar/nisan 5773
From Rabbi Zemel
Reflections
from Israel: It’s
All Personal
Dear Friends,
I am writing this letter in early
January, in between two trips to Israel.
When I think of the time I have spent
there, the single word that comes to
mind is “personal.” In Israel, it
is all so very personal.
The first of these two trips
to Israel was with a group
from Micah. On our first full
day there, we went to Atlit,
formerly a British detention
camp for Jews who tried to
run the blockade and enter
Palestine illegally—in violation of the
British-imposed quota—from 1934 to
1947. Atlit today is a prison camp preserved as a museum of the period.
Visitors can view a computer presentation on the hundreds of ships filled with
Jewish passengers that were caught by
the British Navy while trying to run the
blockade. At one point in the presentation, our guide remarked: “My grandparents met on this ship.” Atlit is her
story—her country’s story is her family
story.
At Givat Haviva, Israel’s oldest institute for Jewish-Arab cooperation, we
met with Lydia. Lydia made aliyah in
the mid-1960s. She left her native Wales
because of anti-Semitism, her sense of
being what she called an “other.” After
several years in Israel, she came to realize that it, too, had a population of
“others”—the Arab community. Since
that time, she has devoted herself to
promoting Arab-Jewish understanding.
She tells us this in the same breath that
she talks about her five sons’ service
in advanced units in the Israel Defense
CO N T I N U E D O N PAG E 6
;
People of the Bus
By Joh a n na M en delson For m a n
faint-hearted. It was grueling, even for
As the newest members of Temple
me, a seasoned traveler. Over 10 days
Micah to join this year’s trip to Israel,
there was no respite from a schedule
I wonder whether I should actually be
that had us depart our hotel at 8:30 a.m.,
writing this article at all. Yet, after 15
often returning at 6 p.m. Rabbi Zemel
days together with others from our conmissed his calling as a drill sergeant!
gregation, I feel we now are a commuOur visit to Jerusalem and the Kotel,
nity of long-time friends.
the Western Wall of the Temple Mount,
My husband David and I had never
been to Israel, a
fact that came as
a surprise not only
to my friends, but
to me, as my work
in international
security and development takes me
all over the globe.
Curiously, the
majority of us on
the December trip
were also firsttimers. As a policy
wonk and practitioner of nationbuilding around
Teen Temple Micah members on the left introduce
the world, why
themselves and other children from their group to local
had I not seen
youngsters eagerly waiting to meet them in the Kabha home.
that Israel was
the place where
the holiest of places for Jews, entailed
I could learn what nation-building was
a 13 hour day, a march through the
really all about? I found some of the
ancient streets, a shopping spree in an
answers to this question, and much,
Arab “souk,” and a mile trek in a narrow
much more.
tunnel under the Temple Mount, yet our
First, the trip: we covered the
tour revealed we had only scratched the
country from Haifa to the Lebanese
surface of a city.
border at Rosh Hanikrah; from the
What made this trip so spectacular
Golan Heights to the Galilee; from the
(aside from our visits to landmarks of
heights of Masada to 1,400 feet below
the bible, natural wonders of Israel, and
sea level. And yes, even after buffet
other sites along the way) was the ongomeals too numerous to count, you still
float in the Dead Sea.
ing commentary by Rabbi Zemel that
CO N T I N U E D O N PAG E 4 ;
This was not a tour for the
september/october 2012
2
adar/nisan 5773
“Every man shall sit under his
grapevine or fig tree with no
one to make him afraid.”—
M i ca h , C h a pt e r 4 , V e r s e 4
Vine
Vol. 48 No.1
TEMPLE MICAH—
a Reform Jewish congregation
2829 Wisconsin Ave, NW
Washington, D.C. 20007
Voice: 202-342-9175
Fax: 202-342-9179
e-mail:
office@templemicah.org
vine@templemicah.org
www.templemicah.org
Daniel G. Zemel
Rabbi
Esther Lederman
Associate Rabbi
Rachel Gross
e xecutive director
Meryl Weiner
Cantor
Teddy Klaus
Music Director
Deborah Ayala Srabstein
Education Director
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Mary Beth Schiffman
President
Jodi Enda
Vice President
Larry Bachorik
Secretary
David Adler
Tre asurer
Joel Aronson
Sheri Blotner
Lynn Bonde
Sharon Davis
Victoria Greenfield
Helene Granof
Ira Hillman
Kate Kiggins
Joel Korn
Marc Levy
Ilan Scharfstein
P r e s i d e nt ’ s C o l u m n
Community & Connections:
The Soul of Micah
Temple Micah is in the middle of our
year-long celebration of our 50th anniversary and honoring Rabbi Zemel’s 30th
anniversary as Micah’s rabbi.
This year brings some changes to
Temple Micah. Rabbi Zemel began his
sabbatical as he and
Louise left for Israel;
they will return to
Micah on April 1. Rabbi
Lederman, with the
assistance of our rabbinic intern Josh Beraha,
is our spiritual leader
during the sabbatical.
We also have
another change—a
new Vine editor. On behalf of the board,
the staff and all our members, I’d like to
thank Valerie Barton, who has edited the
Vine so skillfully for the last two years.
Valerie, thank you for all the time you
have devoted to keeping our membership well informed and producing a high
quality congregational newsletter during
your tenure. With this issue, I welcome
Dorian Friedman, our new Vine editor,
and Shelley Grossman, who will assist
Dorian. Dorian and Shelley, we look forward to working with you.
As I experience the chill of winter
days, my thoughts turn to the warmth
and comfort of family, home and Temple
Micah, our communal home. On an
almost daily basis, I am privileged to witness the warmth and support we provide for one another. As a member of
the Forging Micah Connections group, I
marvel at the broad array of members’
ideas and efforts to create even stronger bonds and closer connections with
each other. We are incredibly fortunate
to have such dedicated members who
are striving to create more warmth in our
community. At our January board meeting, four board members shared their
recent stories of the overwhelming support they had received from this community while they recovered from surgery or
mourned the loss of loved ones. These
connections—during times of need as
well as during celebrations of joyful life
cycle events—are at the very core of
who we are as a community and who we
aspire to be.
I’d like to highlight two upcoming social events that will present a
myriad of possibilities for strengthening your connection to Temple Micah.
On Saturday, March 9, Micah brings back
Bowling Together, which we will combine with a ’60s Fun Night as a tribute
to our beginnings. Bowling and dancing
together at Bethesda Naval Hospital’s
bowling alley, this fun-filled party will
be a wonderful way to forge new bonds
with members of all ages: singles, couples, families with children, empty nesters, and seniors.
And our gala, on Sunday, June 2 at the
Four Seasons Hotel, will be the culminating event in our year-long festivities to
celebrate two major life cycle events for
this community: Rabbi Zemel’s 30th and
our 50th anniversary. Please put this date
in your calendars and plan to join us as
we honor our rabbi, our history and our
future.
For 2013, may Micah continue to be
a warm place for all of us, a home for
prayer, comfort, solace and celebration.
—Mary Beth Schiffman
VINE STAFF
Dorian Friedman
Editor
Shelley Grossman
Deputy Editor
Louise Zemel
Copy Editor
AURAS Design
PRODUCTION
CORRECTION
Ambassador Stuart Eizenstat visited Temple Micah in December and shared fascinating insights
from his latest book, The Future of the Jews: How Global Forces are Impacting the Jewish
People, Israel, and Its Relationship with the United States. We regret misspelling Mr.
Eizenstat’s name in the December edition of the Vine.
M a r c h /A p r i l 2 0 1 3
3
A History of Micah:
A Name, A Symbol
By Br en da Lev enson
Led by their rabbi and pastor, Temple
Micah and St. Augustine spearheaded
a movement to deal with the problems of the nearby high-rises, in which
elderly women were kept prisoners in
their apartments, and attacked on their
way to retrieve their Social Security
checks from the mailboxes. Teenagers
urinated in elevator shafts, causing
The change of name from that of
short circuits. A Citizens’ Council that
the Southwest Hebrew Congregation
included the people living in these
to that of Temple Micah expressed
apartment buildings was established to
Rabbi Bernard Mehlman’s wish for
deal with such problems and to bring
“a less amorphous way of identifypressure upon the manageing ourselves,” he said. A
committee of five submitment for repairs to be made.
These efforts led to some
ted their two unanimous
improvements. Adult tutorrecommendations: Temple
Micah and Temple Isaiah.
ing at the public library for
The final choice was fora high school equivalency
program was another joint
mally announced on January
venture with St. Augustine.
1, 1968.
This partnership preceded
Rabbi Mehlman expressed
the permanent agreement
a marked preference for
joining the two congregaMicah over Isaiah, which
he felt had been used by too
tions, and counts among the
many congregations. In addiearly ventures of Temple
Micah in social action.
tion, with the war in Vietnam
Asked how the riots in
then raging, selecting the
1968 had affected him as a
name of a prophet who
rabbi, Bernard Mehlman
envisioned a world in which
remembers that “we always
“Nation shall not lift up
The home of Temple Micah and St. Augustine’s Episcopal
retained a sense of fraternity
sword against nation, neither
Church from the Temple’s founding in 1963 (as the Southwest
among predominantly white
shall they learn war anymore,” Hebrew Congregation) until 1995.
integrated churches and
may have played a minor part
the
temple
in the Southwest.” There
in the final decision. Temple Micah was
test. Among active members who lent
were, however, “hard times with black
about to enter a phase of political activtheir support to the rabbi were Shirley
churches on the other side of Delaware
ism under the leadership of its new rabbi. Kallek, Bayla White, Mel Goldberg
Avenue, primarily because their conand the Gozonskys. The new pastor of
Of the beginning of his own deep
St. Augustine, Bill Pregnall, and Rabbi
involvement in the anti-war movement,
gregations were from outside the
Mehlman agreed to “alternate staying
Rabbi Mehlman told [in a later interSouthwest area, driving in on Sunday
up
with
congregational
delegations
to
morning, with cars bearing Maryland
view] of having left a meeting with the
take charge of the protesters who were
license plates. Riots did not cause barAmerican Jewish Committee on one
being released by the judge on any given riers, which already existed beforehand.
particular Wednesday, and “on impulse,
night.”
I took a cab from there, directing him
If riots did anything, it was to improve
Simultaneously with its involvement
to go to Capitol Hill where I joined a
inter-community relationships between
in the political scene, Temple Micah
demonstration…” He was arrested and
whites and blacks. Riots encouraged
became engaged in the problems of
charged with “breaking and entry on
relationships that had not previously
the local community of the Southwest.
Capitol steps.” The charges were all
existed.”
As we continue to mark our congregation’s 50th
anniversary, the Vine is pleased to publish the
third in a three-part series on the history of Temple
Micah adapted from Brenda Levenson’s 2003 book,
Derech Micah (Micah’s Journey). Previous
chapters appeared in the last two issues of the Vine
and are archived on our website.
dismissed. He was arrested two more
times, for praying, along with the St.
Augustine pastor with whom he had
gone to demonstrations at Lafayette
Park where other ministers, priests and
rabbis staged what he called “conscious,
visible protests.”
Side by side, the congregation
worked with their rabbi and offered in
his words “tremendous support.” Some
accompanied him on marches and sitins. Others offered housing and caring
for those who came from afar to pro-
september/october 2012
•
4
adar/nisan 5773
People FROM PAGE 1 ;
reflected his personal attachment to the
land of Israel. His deep, spiritual connection, and most important, his willingness to share this passion for Israel
and its people with his congregation,
made this such a special visit. Seeing
Israel through the eyes of someone
so deeply committed to the future of
Reform Judaism helped me understand
the rationale for making the connection
between the Diaspora and the nation of
Israel.
When we stopped for a prayer and
a Kiddush on a hillside that afforded a
panoramic view of the city of Jerusalem,
I realized I had arrived at a place whose
call to Jews is part of every prayer, every
wish, and every holiday. But our travels
around the city, particularly near the
1967 border with the separation fence
in sight, served as a daily reminder of
the fragility of peace and the unresolved
nature of an ongoing conflict.
Joining a group of 32 individuals,
families with young children just learning about Israel, and individuals who,
like us, had never visited Israel before,
was the bonding experience of a lifetime. We even had a bar mitzvah (David
Katz) along the way, as well as a wonderful set of young children who came
to our rescue by answering the most
difficult questions of biblical history
posed by our guide, a testimony to their
education at Machon Micah. Our group
also included a wide range of talented
individuals—scientists, art historians,
lobbyists, writers and—of course, this
Rabbi Daniel Zemel reads the
inscription on the Peace Pole outside
the library on the Givat Haviva campus.
Israel Trip group in front of ruins of the ancient synagogue of Baram.
being Washington—lawyers.
of adventure and good humor that
In my travels for pleasure and work, I abounded among our group. Witnessing
rarely have encountered a more collabor- the proximity of Syria (only 60 kiloative and easy going group. And in addi- meters to Damascus at a time when a
hot civil war is ongoing) from atop the
tion to this spirit of camaraderie, was a
leader and his wife, both concerned that Golan Heights, was an eerie reminder of
we came away from the
visit—from each site—
with a sense of where it
fit in the larger course
of Israel’s development.
Danny and Louise,
along with Noam, our
talented, knowledgeable guide, and Moti,
our fearless bus driver,
made it possible for
Rabbi Daniel Zemel (far right) and congregants on a West
everyone to enjoy the
Barta’a rooftop with East Barta’a in the background.
long days, the sometimes arduous hikes, and the inevitable
just how precarious Israel’s existence is,
announcement of the next day’s sunrise
being a democratic state in a very hoswake-up call.
tile neighborhood.
There was meticulous attention to
As I look back now, only a week since
detail, including lots of bathroom stops
we returned, the pieces come clearly
along the way, only three hotels in the
into place: why we started in Haifa, and
course of a 10-day trip, the kid and adult moved north, then south, and finally to
friendly restaurants—from shwarma
Jerusalem. Starting our tour with a visit
shops in Akko to an elegant Lebanese
to a detention center where the British
restaurant in Tel Aviv. Even our jeep
once imprisoned Jews who had been
adventure to the Golan Heights, a chaldisplaced after the Second World War,
juxtaposed with a visit to Safed, the city
lenge for aging backs, was among the
most enjoyable rides because of a sense
CO N T I N U E D N E X T PAG E ;
M a r c h /A p r i l 2 0 1 3
5
The Greater Micah Community:
One Member’s Story
By M a rth a A dler
I had been a member of Temple Micah
for less than a year when I showed up
for a Friday evening service and noticed
that Teddy Klaus, the music director,
had a broken wrist.
As he sat at the piano, practicing for
the service that was about to begin, I
felt both awkward and potentially useful. I know how to read music. I thought
he might need help with page turns. I
offered to help him. He agreed. That
was the first time I ever “did” anything
at Temple Micah, other than attend services. I didn’t realize it at the time, but
in reaching out to Teddy, I had taken my
first step “home” to Micah.
Since then, I’ve been involved in
blood drives, underwear drives, teaching in the religious school, and more
wonderful and interesting conversations
than I can count.
As Micah has grown to a congregation of more than 500 families, it has
seemed to some members that it is
increasingly difficult to find a way to
get involved. During a High Holiday
sermon in 2010, Rabbi Lederman
launched a series of one-on-one
conversations that became Temple
Micah’s Listening Project: Community
Conversations. One of the broad concerns uncovered during this initiative
was the sense that many Micah members feel disconnected from each other,
without an easy way to join together in
People FROM PREVIOUS PAGE ;
where the Sephardic Jews of the 15th
century migrated after the start of the
Inquisition, the theme of Israel as an historical safe haven for the Jewish people
was evident. But so were the attempts
to expel Jews from the land, starting
with the ruins of Masada, and moving
forward to places in Jerusalem which are
today unresolved areas between Israel
and the Palestine Authority.
We visited a kibbutz dedicated
a meaningful way outside attendance at
services. People reported feeling anxious during onegs and group activities.
Some expressed feeling awkward if they
were attending services alone.
In response to these and other concerns, Micah has been working on a
number of fronts to help people feel
more welcomed and get more involved.
Activities like the community Shabbat
dinners and the used book fair last
spring are intended to give members a
way to meet and schmooze and discover common interests. In March, as
part of our 50th anniversary celebration, we will hold Bowling Together/‘60s
Fun Night at an alley in Bethesda.
The Communications and Member
Outreach Committee, staffed by board
members and non-board members alike,
is working to improve communications
with members as well as to help people
feel a part of Micah.
One significant outgrowth of the
Community Conversations is the Forging
Micah Connections group. Consisting of
more than 40 members, this group has
been working to help create connections among its own members and to
provide “on-ramps” to help everyone
feel more comfortable joining in activities. This group meets regularly, and
anyone may join; dates will be published on the website.
To address the concerns about onegs,
we have created a “HelloHere” welcome table on Friday nights. Staffed
by different members every week, this
effort, which includes “roving ambassadors,” ensures that everyone entering the building feels welcomed. At
the most recent community Shabbat
dinner, attendees were assigned tables
randomly, so that no one had to wonder
“where should I/can I sit?” And anyone can sign up to receive a permanent
Micah nametag.
What does it take to become an
involved member of Temple Micah?
You don’t have to be outgoing, nor do
you need any particular expertise. All
it takes is one step onto the on-ramp.
If you see an e-mail asking for help with
onegs, write to the organizer and ask
what is required. When you see a notice
for the auction, ask the organizer if you
can share your computer skills. When
you hear from Hineni that they need
people to prepare meals for an ill congregant, ask if you can bring over some
healing chicken soup, or a rotisserie
chicken from the supermarket.
As someone who has organized many
events and initiatives at Micah, I can say
with certainty that my favorite phrase is
“What can I do to help?”
I’ll never regret or forget helping
Teddy with his page turns in 1996. His
broken wrist was my first step up my
own individual on-ramp to Micah.
to peace and reconciliation with its
Palestinian neighbors, Givat Haviva.
This effort to connect civil society in
both countries is an ongoing mission
that was graphically illustrated when
we were shown a city divided into two,
Barta East and Barta West—one in
Israel, the other on the West Bank. It
was a study in contrasts between Israel’s
development and the lack of it in the
Palestinian side.
We return not only with a better
understanding of Israel, but with a
greater sense of belonging to a community of people who connected over our
shared values about the future of our
Jewish heritage.
•
•
september/october
2012
Doppelt for her creative headline and
sharp
With thanks to fellow traveler Margery
editorial advice, and to Kathlene Collins for
her valuable feedback.
All Israel trip photos courtesy of Lydia
Aisenberg and David Forman.
6
adar/nisan 5773
’60s Fun Night and Bowling Together!
In honor of Temple Micah’s 50th anniversary, we’ve turned our
tradition of Bowling Together into a celebration of the 1960s.
Please join us on Saturday, March 9th (6 p.m. to 10 p.m.) at
the Bethesda Naval Bowling Center for a night of fun and
community building. In addition to throwing our usual strikes
and spares (and maybe a few gutter balls), we’ll be grooving
to the Beatles and the Stones, raffling off some heavy retro
swag, rocking out in our tie-dye Micah threads and recalling
an era that changed the world.
Whether you lived through the 1960s or discovered them
on Nick at Nite, whether you don’t trust anyone over 30 or
barely remember when you were that young, and no matter if
you’re a young family, an empty nester, a kid or a kid at heart,
this night is for you.
$15 for adults, $10 for children 6–17 and free for children 5
and under. Sign up on the website for a time slot.
Please note: Due to security, everyone attending the bowling
party must register in advance and all adults must present
an ID at the gate of the Bethesda Naval complex. Please fill
out the registration form and pay online through the link on
Temple Micah’s events page.
Rabbi’s Message FROM PAGE 1 ;
Forces, as well as about the complex
issues concerning the security fence that
both divides Arab towns that she works
in and also protects Israel from terrorism. Here again, it is personal—Lydia’s life
experiences are another chapter in the
country’s story.
Yet a third chapter: We spent a wonderful morning with a friend of mine who
made aliyah from the United States in the
late-1990s. Danny Gordis has two sons currently serving in the Israel Defense Forces.
In November, at the height of the recent
tension, one son was stationed on the Gaza
border, poised to invade should the order
come through. Danny tells us that the tension for those Israeli soldiers was at times
unbearable; they waited as if suspended in
time as Hamas rockets exploded around
them.
One night, Danny received a phone
call from his other son, who is assigned to
a secret unit. “I’m going out tonight,” he
told his dad. Danny understood: a dangerous mission. When his wife asked, “What
was the call about?” Danny replied, “Oh,
nothing,” so as not to scare her. Danny
spent a sleepless night, relieved only when
his phone rang very early the next morn-
ing and he heard his son’s voice.
Danny asked himself if the sacrifice is
worth it. Then he turned to us and asked
how many of us recognized the name
Gilad Shalit. Of course, we all nod, thinking of the Israeli soldier who was held
captive by Hamas for so many years and
the enormous price Israel paid in a prisoner exchange to secure his release. Danny
then asked how many of us recognized
the name Bowe Bergdahl. Not one of us
did. Sergeant Bergdahl, he told us, is an
American soldier who has been held captive by the Taliban since 2009. We, a group
of American Jews, all knew Shalit. We did
not know our own countryman. Shame on
us. Shame on America.
In Israel, it is all personal. There is no
other way to understand the country. The
only way to truly understand it is to be
there, to become part of the experience,
even for a short time. That is what makes
our Micah trips to Israel so invaluable to
the life of our congregation. We come
away changed.
We arrived in Israel just days after the
tragedy in a schoolhouse in Sandy Hook,
CT. Not a few Israelis expressed to me
their bewilderment at America’s love for
guns. This, in a country where nearly every
man and woman serves in the army and
is trained in how to use a weapon. Israelis
know the deadly capabilities of these
weapons and shudder at their indiscriminate availability in America.
What might Jewish wisdom and insight
teach us about guns and gun control?
The ancient rabbis in the Mishnah debate
whether one can carry a sword on Shabbat.
Some rabbis, viewing a sword as an adornment or part of a uniform, say yes. Other
rabbis strenuously disagree and call weapons an abomination and an affront to the
teachings of the prophets Isaiah and Micah,
who wanted to turn swords into plowshares. These rabbis’ teachings carried the
day. Jewish teachings discourage carrying
weapons and weigh heavily against putting
weapons into the hands of those who are
not properly trained or emotionally prepared to handle them responsibly. Perhaps
someday our nation’s laws will follow suit.
As you read this, I will be back in
Israel on my mini-sabbatical, for which I
am enormously grateful. I will see you in
April.
Shalom,
Rabbi Daniel G. Zemel
7
M a r c h /A p r i l 2 0 1 3
Hineni Hosts Upcoming Discussion:
Visiting the Sick and Bereaved
Do you ever feel uncertain about what
to say or do when visiting someone in
a hospital or in mourning? Then come
to a discussion, “Visiting the Sick and
Bereaved: A Guide for the Perplexed,”
on Sunday, March 10 at 10 a.m., when
your questions philosophical and practical will be answered. The conversation
is hosted by Temple Micah’s Hineni
committee.
“Maimonides wrote that all are duty
bound to visit the sick,” says Rabbi
Esther Lederman, who will talk about
the central place in Jewish tradition
of this mitzvah and that of comforting mourners. “In both situations,
being present helps lessen the sense of
isolation and reinforces life-affirming
connections. It benefits the visitor as
much as those visited,” she explains.
Useful tips to keep in mind also
will be presented by Micah member
Martha Adler. Currently the counselor
at Sheridan School, she is a social
worker with bereavement counseling
experience.
Hineni (“Here I Am”) links members
needing assistance with others eager to
“I’ve gained a new
appreciation for my
own blessings—having the
time and being able to
serve others.”
help. Volunteers deliver meals in times
of illness, provide rides to temple services or to doctors, make friendly visits
or phone calls to those recovering or
alone, and reach out with condolences
following a death in the family.
Contacting Hineni for assistance is
Delicious by Design
BY MICAH MEMBER
Robert Sugar
Celebrating the
30th anniversary
of our design firm,
we’ve created a
beautiful cookbook
with tasty recipes
selected from 30 years
of adventurous home
cooking. Check out a
sample of the book and
more great recipes at
aurascookbook.com.
an essential part of enabling others to
perform these mitzvot. But it sometimes seems more difficult to seek help
than to volunteer. Lois Rosen overcame
that common reluctance as the date of
her surgery approached. “I never asked
for help before, but I decided for once
to do it,” she said. She and her family
were overwhelmed by the kindness of
the Micah community. “I can’t put into
words just how wonderful Hineni has
been to us,” Rosen wrote at the time.
“The meals delivered gave Mark and
I peace of mind knowing dinner was
one less thing to worry about. …This is
making our lives so much easier, I can’t
begin to tell you.”
Helping members is also satisfying
for volunteers. “I’ve been pleasantly surprised to find how much I’ve benefited
from Hineni,” says Sid Booth, who has
visited elderly and recovering members.
CO N T I N U E D N E X T PAG E
;
“Your DxD book is
incredible. My wife and
I are “foodies” and we
found your advice and
recipes a real charm.
Also, I have to mention,
I use the AURAS
seasoning all the time! ”
P.J. BURNSKY
“Thanks for a gorgeous,
excellent book. What’s
cooking at Auras is
great design, done by
people who know and
care about all they do.”
september/october 2012
AURAS DESIGN
auras.com • 301.587.4300
K. MEEK
adar/nisan 5773
Temple trip to Israel creates memories and bonds
(Left and bottom right)
Temple Micah kids with
young people from Barta’a,
an Arab village; (below
center) David Forman and
Johanna Mendelson Forman
at the Southern Wall in
Jerusalem; (below) a teen
congregant and Kathlene
Collins at Ein Gedi.
Photos: Lydia Aisenberg, David Forman
8
(Above) Riad
Kabha, Co-director
of the Givat Haviva
Jewish Arab Center
for Peace greets
Rabbi Zemel
while Givat Haviva
Executive Director
Yaniv Sagee greets
Louise Zemel;
(right) Kabha chats
with a young Micah
member.
Discussion FROM PREVIOUS PAGE ;
“I have made new connections with
members I didn’t know well or at all.
And I’ve gained a new appreciation for
my own blessings—having the time and
being able to serve others.”
Alexandra Zapruder has provided
rides to High Holiday services and
recently delivered a meal to a family in
need. She grew up at Temple Micah,
and now has children of her own. She
reflects on when her father was sick and
many responded. “We know something
about being on the receiving end,” she
says. “When somebody would show up
with dinner, it was a godsend. It’s such a
personal thing, to bring food to someone’s house. That’s something I can do
now. It’s what the Micah community
is about, and why I feel grateful to be
given the opportunity.”
Hineni welcomes participation at any
level. Commitment can be for a single
meal, several visits, or as long as the
volunteer or member assisted wants to
continue the relationship. To volunteer
or to seek help through Hineni, please
contact hineni@templemicah.org, or call
the temple office at 202-342-9175.
•
M a r c h /A p r i l 2 0 1 3
Calendar
Check out templemicah.org
for a detailed schedule of all
upcoming events, but mark your
calendar for these special dates:
SATURDAY, March 9 • 6:00–10:00PM
50th Anniversary Event
’60s Fun Night and
Bowling Together
SATURDAY, MARCH 30 • 6:00–9:30PM
All-Community Passover Seder
organized by Kol Isha
SATURDAY, APRIL 6 • 7:00–8:30PM
Yom Hashoah Service
Who Knows What Tomorrow Will Be?
Frank Burstin’s Story of Survival with
speakers Mark Blumenthal and Helen
Burstin
SUNDAY, APRIL 14 • 10:00–11:30AM
50th Anniversary Event
The American Jewish Community
and Our Relation to Israel
with Leon Wieseltier, literary editor of
The New Republic
FRIDAY, APRIL 19 • 7:30–9:00PM
Community Shabbat Dinner
SATURDAY, APRIL 27 • 6:00–11:00PM
Annual Spring Auction
SATURDAY, June 1 • 5:00–8:00PM
The Aaron Altshul Scholars in
Residence
“Future of the American Synagogue”
Leonard Saxe, Director, Cohen Center
for Modern Jewish Studies, Brandeis
University, and Lawrence A. Hoffman,
Professor, Hebrew Union College, will
explore the current state of American
synagogues, and their vision for a
vibrant Jewish future
SunDAY, June 2 • 6:00–10:00PM
Gala Celebration of Temple
Micah’s 50th Anniversary and
Rabbi Zemel’s 30 Years at Temple
Micah
Four Seasons Hotel
with Master of Ceremonies David
Gregory and Guest Speaker Rabbi
Lawrence A. Hoffman
9
B’nai Mitzvah
Keith Newman
Isabel Rosenthal
November 3 – 18 Cheshvan
February 23-13 Adar
Barrett and Christine Newman
Torah Portion: Vayera
Parents:
Alexander Thompson
Halli and Mason Watts-Rich
December 1-17 Kislev
March 2-20 Adar
Julia Sweig and Reed Thompson
Portion: Vayishlah
Portion:
Ellis Wilder
Rachel Pollock
December 8-24 Kislev
March 9-27 Adar
Aurie Hall and Marcy Wilder
Portion: Vayeshev
Parents:
Zachary Stern
Jordi Parry
December 15-2 Tevet
March 16-5 Nisan
Jennifer Klein and Todd Stern
Portion: Miketz
Parents:
David Katz
Dylan Rothschild
Parents:
Parents:
Parents:
Parents:
Portion:
Parents:
Joshua Rosenthal and Martha Weiss
Tetzaveh
Deborah Rich and Linda Watts
Ki Tisa
Jonathan Pollock and Jean Freedman
Vayakhel, Pekude
Portions:
Portion:
Robin and Paul Parry
Vayikra
December 27-14 Tevet, in Israel
April 6-26 Nisan
Cynthia Hogan and Mark Katz
Portions: Vayehi and Vaera
Parents:
Franny Sewell
Benjamin Stern
February 2-22 Shevat
April 13-3 Iyar
Erica Perl and Michael Sewell
Portion: Yitro
Parents:
Parents:
Parents:
Zoe Taswell
February 9-29 Shevat
Parents:
Portion:
Eric Taswell and Anne Adelman
Mishpatim
Portion:
Portion:
Gregg and Stefanie Rothschild
Shimini
Jonathan Stern and Jamie Gardner
Tazria-Metzora
Mazal tov to those who marked their
b’nai mitzvah in late 2012 as well as
those celebrating this month and
next. We’re sorry we missed you
in the last edition of the Vine!
Community Passover Seder
“All who are hungry come and eat.” Please join Temple Micah’s
Community Seder on Saturday, March 30, 2013 to once again hear the
story of our exodus from Egyptian slavery. The seder begins at 6 p.m.
and is followed by a traditional meal. We will participate with our Kol
Isha members who have put together a meaningful Hagaddah. Please
come and enjoy the seder with new and old friends.
Seating is limited. Please make your reservations early. We ask for a
minimum contribution of $20 per adult and $10 per student. Children
under 5 are free and warmly welcomed. If you are able to make a taxdeductible donation of $36 or $72, we will be able to welcome everyone who wants to attend. If you are unable to pay the cost, please
contact Trish Kent (see below) to reserve a space.
After you submit your reservation on the temple’s website, you
may pay through PayPal or by sending a check to Temple Micah.
september/october 2012
We look forward to joining with you and your family to celebrate
the Passover seder. Please email communityseder@templemicah.org or
contact Trish Kent directly at (703) 216-2644 with any questions.
10
adar/nisan 5773
Tzedakah
BUILDING FUND
In memory of
Don Rothberg, by Judith
Capen and Robert Weinstein
Claire Hahn, by Bobbie
and Ed Wendel
Anne Cooley, by Bobbie
and Ed Wendel, Gloria
Weissberg, Judith Capen
and Robert Weinstein
May Weinstein, by Judith
Capen and Robert Weinstein
Esther Lahne, by Judith
Capen and Robert Weinstein,
Bobbie and Ed Wendel,
Ellen and Jeff Passel, Ed
and Shelley Grossman
Esthelle Engel Katz;
Jeanne Talpers, by Ellen
and Jeff Passel
Bill Grossman; Rita Blatt;
Marilyn Collatz Bodor, by
Ed and Shelley Grossman
CEMETARY FUND
In memory of
Don Rothberg, by Mary Beth
Schiffman and David Tochen,
Tina and Michael Coplan
Milton Levy, by Pamela
Dubin and Ken Beaty
ENDOWMENT FUND
In memory of
Anne Cooley; Esther Lahne;
Bertil Arnot Brink, by
Laurie and Dan Brumberg
Louis Levenson; Bertha
Levenson; Richard Levenson,
by Brenda Levenson
James Sender, Molly Mann,
Minnie Tepper, Lena Ornish,
by Michelle Sender
FOX-MEHLMAN FUND
(scholarships and grants
for educational and camp
programs)
In honor of
Robert Morgenstein, by
Louise and Danny Zemel
GENERAL FUND
Daniel and Eleanor Perl
In honor of
the speedy recovery of
Sheri Zaitz Blotner and Larry
Bachorik, by Mary Beth
Schiffman and David Tochen
Melissa Booth, daughter
of Sid and Elka Booth,
by Cristian Ion
In memory of
Don Rothberg, by Al and
Ginger From, Barbara
and Skip Halpern, Valerie
Barton and Sean Schofield,
Sara Ehrman, Harriet and
Randy Tritell, Judy Hurvitz,
David and Martha Adler
Anne Cooley, by Ira Hillman
and Jeremy Barber, Joseph C.
Feuer, Judy Hurvitz, David and
Martha Adler, Nancy Lang
Robert Yale Kamin, by
Louis and Harriet Weiner
Stanton P. Sender, by
Michelle Sender
Joseph Weiss, by Joshua
Rosenthal and Martha Weiss
Miriam Goldeen, by
David and Livia Bardin
Peter Benda; Sidney
Earl Tucker, by Robert
and Carolee Walker
Esther Lahne, by Carol
Epstein, Judy Hurvitz,
Mary Beth Schiffman
and David Tochen,
Genie Grohman, Judy
and Jack Hadley
Nancy Scheiner, by
Jane Morse and David
Jakob, Susan Small, David
and Martha Adler
Raymond E. Lang,
by Patricia Kent
Dora Appel, by
Harriette Kinberg
Jeanne Talpers, by David and
Martha Adler, Mary Beth
Schiffman and David Tochen
Milton Levy, by Doris
Oshinsky, Lisa and Larry
Cines, Carole Feld, David
and Alexander Levy
Nancy Scheiner, by
Bonnie and Martin Lewin,
Pat and Sid Powell
Bertil Arnot Brink, by
Valerie Barton and Sean
Schofield, Mary Beth
Schiffman and David Tochen,
David and Martha Adler
Marguerite Melendy;
Harold Melendy; Sidney
Katz and Doris Katz, by
Lorna and David Melendy
Iris Land and Arnold Land,
by Nelson and Cookie Blitz
Anne Karp, by Herbert
and Sharon Schwartz
HINENI FUND
(to assist congregants in need)
MACHON MICAH
FUND
In honor of
In honor of
Hineni committee for their
support and kindness while
I’ve been recuperating,
by Carolyn Margolis
Harriet Tritell and all the
Hineni volunteers, by Jennifer
Gruber and Eric Rosenberg
David Grossman, by
Michael Rogers
In memory of
Esther Lahne, by Deborah
and Alan Kraut
Nancy Scheiner, by
Marian Scheiner
ISRAEL FUND
In honor of
Shira Zemel’s engagement,
by Harlan and
Beverly Sherwat
Rabbi Zemel’s birthday,
by Mary Beth Schiffman
and David Tochen
Richard Engleand,
by Steve Katzki and
Rosalie Kessler
In memory of
Anne Cooley, by Lewis Cohn
and Barbara Klestzick
Esther Lahne; Bertil
Arnot Brink, by David
and Barbara Diskin
Simon Rockower and Esther
Goldenberg, by Steve
Rockower and Ann Sablosky
Milton Levy, by the Strelitz/
Cornblatt Family
KALLEK ADULT
EDUCATION FUND
In honor of
Dan & Else Moscowitz’
grandson becoming
Bar Mitzvah, by Francie
and Stuart Schwartz
In memory of
Anne Cooley, by Burt
and Louise Wides
Harry Soffer, by Doug
and Melinda Soffer
Esther Lahne, by Susie
and Harvey Blumenthal
Don Rothberg, by Janet
Hahn and Ken Simon
Bertil Arnot Brink, by
Gary and Rita Carleton
In memory of
Don Rothberg; Samuel
and Mollie Yett; Samuel
Roth; Pauline and Harold
Povill; Annette Matsil, by
Beverly and Dan Yett
MICAH HOUSE
Roger and Marian Sherman,
Marcy Gordon, Diana Miles,
Susan Landfield, Jessica
Kaplan, Joseph Youcha,
Marisha Sherry, Bayla White,
Arthur and Carol Freeman,
Lankler Siffert & Wohl, LLP,
David and Helen Kenney,
Elise Bean and Paul Carver,
Geri Nielsen, Roberta and
Morton Goren, Clem and Ed
Rastatter, Nader and Sarah
Boulos, Margaret and Paul
Isenman, Todd Goren, Miriam
Grogan, Ann Nachbar, Frances
and Stuart Schwartz, Adele
Liskov, Myra and Mark Kovey,
Susan Rubin, Susan and
Norman Blumenfeld, Mark
Levine and Amy McLaughlin,
Peggy Banks, Beth Silverstein,
Roberta and Peter Gluck, Jack
and Judy Hadley, Dorothy
Kirby, Leslye Fenton and
Jonathan Moreno, Andrea
and Steven Levy, David
Lowenstein and Kathlene
Collins, Gail and Seth Warner,
Robert and Annette Klayman,
Robert Saginaw, John and
Trudy Saracco, Louise and
Danny Zemel, Greg Staple,
Genie Grohman, Maria Rosa
Puech, Noel Salinger, Carla
and David Rosenbloom, Anne
and Jeffrey Abend, Robert
and Lynn Coffman, Burton
Greenstein, Else and Dan
Moskowitz, Jonah Gitlitz,
Wendy Erlanger, Eugene
and Betsy Rockower, Laurel
Bergold, Helen Epps, Michelle
Sender, Kit Wheatley, Samuel
Dyer, Janet Gordon, Roberta
Aronson, Ted Bornstein and
Lesley Weiss, Lora Ferguson,
Wendy Jennis and Doug
Mishkin, Mark Blumenthal,
Arthur Brown, Marilyn Klein,
Isidore Grossman Foundation,
Tal and Irene Basloe Saraf,
Al and Ginger From
Sarah Bramble’s special
birthday, by Yael Traum
and Lee Futrovsky
Ann Sablosky, by Ellen Levy
Rabbi Danny Zemel, by
Andrea and Bob Adler
Diana Miles’s and Ardell
Simmons’s graduation
from Micah House and for
being great role models,
by Lynne Landsberg
The women of Micah House
and those who work with
them, by Marjorie Zapruder
Sadie Hughes, Hazel and
Thea Lutzker, by Arnold
and Susan Lutzker
Rabbi Dan Zemel, by Ronald
and Susan Wolfson
Ed Lazere, by Ken and
Monika Harris
Our beautiful daughters, Dani
and Olivia, by Judy Levenson
In memory of
Don Rothberg, by Roger
and Madeleine Kirk, Bruce
and Mary Smith, Ronna
and Stan Foster, Beverly
and Harlan Sherwat, David
and Martha Adler
Sarah Revzin and Bertha
Klein, by Marsha Semmel
Anne Cooley, by Ronna
and Stan Foster, David
and Martha Adler
Esther Lahne, mother of
Richard Lahne, by Arthur
and Carol Freeman,
Marcia Bordman
Mike and Bea Greenberg,
by Marcia Brod
Hank Boldrick, by
Stuart Brown
Jeanne Talpers by Ronna
and Stan Foster
Harold L. Knopman,
by Debra Knopman
Marion Shroot, by Rachael
and Olivier Fleurence
Jean Talpers, by Helene
and Gene Granof
Donald Rothberg, by
Lynn Rothberg
MiTY FUND
In memory of
Peter Benda, by Doug Grob
and Hiromi Maruyama
MUSIC FUND
In honor of
In honor of
Joshua Berman’s participation
in the IRONMAN triathlon,
by Joseph and Evalyn Baslo, Barbara and Jack Berman
Sonia White, by
Roberta Aronson
Meryl Weiner, by Karen
Elkin, Suzanne Fuchs
M a r c h /A p r i l 2 0 1 3
In memory of
Claire Hahn, by David and
Barbara Diskin, Judy Hurvitz,
Mary Beth Schiffman
and David Tochen, Ellen
Sommer, Lora Ferguson
Nancy Scheiner, by
Louise Lief, Angus Paul,
and Zachary Lief-Paul
Max Bender; Alice
Hirschmann, by John and
Carole Hirschmann
RABBI’S
DISCRETIONARY FUND
Fred and Eva Jacob
Janet Hahn and Ken Simon
Susan and Steven Bralove
Joy Goldman
Alan Schwartz
In honor of
Rabbi Zemel, in appreciation
of the beautiful wedding
ceremony he officiated
for us, by Deborah
Srabstein and Ari Houser
Gruine Robinson’s
birthday, by Susie and
Harvey Blumenthal
Rabbi Zemel’s special
birthday, by Nancy and Louis
Melamed, Susie and Harvey Blumenthal, Judy and Howard
Tolkan, Marjorie Sherman
Zora and Hanna, by Gerald
and Greer Goldman
Temple Micah, by
Frances Dauth
Rabbi Danny Zemel, by
Joshua Seidman and Jocelyn
Guyer, Jamie Gardner and
Jonathan Stern, Susan
and Stephen Nadas
Rabbi Lederman, by Jamie
Gardner and Jonathan Stern,
Muriel Wolf, Susan and
Stephen Nadas, Antonia and
David Levine In memory of
Don Rothberg, by David
and Barbara Diskin, Susie
and Harvey Blumenthal
Barbara Sherman, by Susie
and Harvey Blumenthal
Goldie Nachman, by
Carol Nachman
David A. Feldman; Geraldine
G. Feldman, by Howard
and Clarice Feldman
Anne Cooley, by Susie and
Harvey Blumenthal, Shellie
and Andy Bressler, David and
Barbara Diskin, David and
Johanna Forman, Anonymous,
Sid and Elka Booth, Lynne
Landsberg and Dennis
Ward, Carolyn Margolis,
Sallie and Jonah Gitlitz
Evelyn and Leon Goldberg;
Fannie Kramer; Meyer and
Renee Achter; Claire Hahn;
Israel Bernstein; Anne
Lichtenstein; Janos Fenjves, by
Susie and Harvey Blumenthal
Phyllis Appel Bell, by
Harriette Kinberg
David Lerman, by
Judy Hurvitz
Gloria Goldsholl Broide,
by Mace Broide
Janos Fenjves, by
Joel Winston
Esther Lahne, by Sid and
Elka Booth, David and Livia
Bardin, Sallie and Jonah
Gitlitz, Learita Scott and
Robert Friedman, Marlyn
and Milton Socolar
Ruth Jonas Bardin, by
David and Livia Bardin
Pearl Lazar, by Learita Scott
and Robert Friedman
Rebecca Socolar; Israel
Socolar; Dorothy (Socolar)
Schreck; Adele (Socolar) Fell;
Samuel and Sophie Paper;
Evelyn (Paper) Fingerman;
Anne (Paper) Weiner, by
Marlyn and Milton Socolar
Dick Wolf, by Muriel Wolf
Jeanne Talpers, by
Judy Hurvitz
Bertil Arnot Brink, by
Judy Hurvitz, Susie and
Harvey Blumenthal
RELIGIOUS OBJECTS
FUND
In memory of
Anne Cooley; Esthelle
Katz; Sybil Yermack,
by Paul Greenberg and
Richard Billingley
SOCIAL ACTION FUND
In honor of
Rabbi Lynne Landsberg’s
award from the Jewish
Foundation for Group
Homes, by Harlan and
Beverly Sherwat
Lisa Saks; Jacqueline
Simon, by Marilyn Park
and Jeff Tuckfelt
In memory of
Anne Cooley, by Michael
and Regine Feuer
Albert M. Betcher,
by Diane Dodge
Esther Lahne, by Mark
and Cecelia Weinheimer,
Carolyn Margolis
Molly H. Park, by Marilyn
Park and Jeff Tuckfelt
Milton Levy, by Pattie
Raber and Ken Max, Stan
and Paulette Shulman
Bertil Arnot Brink, by Lee
Futrovsky and Yael Traum
Jeanne Talpers, by Judy
and Doug Warshof
50th ANNIVERSARY
In honor of
Temple Micah’s 50th
anniversary, by Kenneth
and Jean Wentworth
In memory of
Anne Cooley, by Al and
Ginger From, Tina and
Michael Coplan, Ed and
Shelley Grossman
Janos Fenjves, by Betsy
Broder and David Wentworth
11
Samuel Laver, by Michael
and Tina Coplan
Claire Hahn; Don Rothberg,
by Ed and Shelley Grossman
Esther Lahne, by Richard
and Susan Lahne, Alan
and Jannet Carpien
Milton Levy, by Mary Beth
Schiffman and David Tochen,
Judi Levin, Judy Hurvitz
Bertil Arnot Brink;
Jeanne Talpers, by Ed
and Bobbie Wendel
Walter Tritell, by Susie
and Harvey Blumenthal
Mazal Tov
The congregation wishes a hearty mazal tov to:
Becky Claster and Steve Leroy on the birth of their son, Benjamin Michael Leroy
Judy Levenson on the arrival of twin baby girls, Olivia and Dani
Dan Baum and Carmel Greer on the occasion of their recent marriage
condo lences
The Temple Micah community extends its deepest
condolences to:
Susan Benda on the loss of her
brother, Peter Benda
Marc Levy on the loss of his
father, Milton Levy
Susan Goda on the loss of her
father, Janos Fenjves
Robert Morgenstein on the loss
Richard Lahne on the loss of
Randy Tritell on the loss of his
Stan Scheiner on the loss of his
wife, Nancy Scheiner
Joy Grossman on the loss of her
father, Joseph Grossman
Patty Brink on the loss of her
father, Bertil Arnot Brink
Joel Bailes, on the loss of his
mother, Natalie Bailes
Judith Rosen on the loss of her
aunt, Esthelle Engel Katz
Dmitri Lipczenko, on the loss of
her mother, Liesl Lipczenko
Joan Schwarz on the loss of her
Catherine Lynch, on the loss of
his mother, Esther Lahne
mother, Sybil Yermack
of his mother, Ethel Morgenstein
father, Walter Tritell
her father, Patrick Lynch
Stacey Grundman on the loss of Eric Rosenberg, on the loss of
her father, Neil Grundman
his mother, Edith Rosenberg
september/october 2012
Helene Granof on the loss of
her sister, Jeanne Talpers
May their memories be a
blessing.
12
Ad a r / N i s a n 5 7 7 3
Mementos from the Israel Trip
Successful shopping in a market in Tel Aviv. From left to right: Marsha Semmel, Sonia White, Johanna and David Forman.
Related articles and more photos inside.
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