The Bulletin - GetResponse

The Bulletin
Union Temple of Brooklyn
Affiliated with the Union for Reform Judaism
MARCH, 2014
March at Union
ADAR I-ADAR II 5774
Vol. 165, No. 7
SHABBAT SERVICES FOR MARCH
Feb. 28
Temple — Mark
Your Calendars
March 1
SHABBAT SH'KALIM / P'KUDEI
Friday Evening
Fourth Friday Late Shabbat
4:00 PM - Fridays at Four: Shabbat for Tots
7:00 PM - Dinner (RSVP, $10)
8:00 PM - Kabbalat Shabbat
9:00 PM - Oneg and Discussion /The Affordable Care Act
Implementation, with Jeffrey Stein
Saturday Morning
9:00 AM - Shabbat Study Hevre
9:30 AM - Out of the Shabbox
10:30 AM - Brotherhood Shabbat/Luncheon to follow
Torah: Exodus 38:21-40:38
7
1st Friday Shabbat
and Shabbat Across
America
March 7th.
See page 6 for details
8
Friday Evening
1st Friday and Shabbat Across America
4:00 PM - Fridays at Four: Shabbat for Tots
6:00 PM - Snacks
6:30 PM - Shabbat Service
7:30 PM - Pot Luck Dinner
Saturday Morning
9:00 AM - Shabbat Study Hevre
9:30 AM - Out of the Shabbox
10:30 AM - Shabbat Morning Service
Torah: Leviticus 1:1−5:26
14
15
21
Have fun at the
Community
Purim Carnival
Sunday, March 16th
See page 7 for details
22
Friday Evening
4:00 PM - Fridays at Four: Shabbat for Tots
6:30 PM - Kabbalat Shabbat—Pizza to Follow
Saturday Morning
9:00 AM - Shabbat Study Hevre
9:30 AM - Out of the Shabbox
10:30 AM - Shabbat Morning Service
Haftarah: Jeremiah 7:21-8:3; 9:22-9:23
SHABBAT PARAH/SHEMINI
Friday Evening
4:00 PM - Fridays at Four: Shabbat for Tots
6:30 PM - Peter, Paul and Mary Shabbat with “Gathering Time”
Saturday Morning
9:00 AM - Shabbat Study Hevre
10:30 AM - Shabbat Morning Service
Torah: Leviticus 9:1-11:47
28
29
Haftarah: Isaiah 43:21-44:23
SHABBAT ZACHOR/TZAV
Torah: Leviticus 6:1−8:36
Celebrate Purim!
Service on Saturday,
March 15th at 6 PM
Haftarah: I Kings 7:51-8:21
SHABBAT VAYIKRA
Haftarah: II Samuel 6:1-7:17
SHABBAT HACHODESH/TAZRIA
Friday Evening
Fourth Friday Late Shabbat
4:00 PM - Fridays at Four: Shabbat for Tots
7:00 PM - Dinner (RSVP, $10)
8:00 PM - Kabbalat Shabbat
9:00 PM - Oneg and Guest Speaker: Rabbi Jeffrey Salkin
Saturday Morning
9:00 AM - Shabbat Study Hevre
10:30 AM - Shabbat Morning Service
Torah: Leviticus 12:1-13:59
Haftarah: II Kings 4:42-5:19
Rabbi’s Message
Megillat Esther
On Saturday evening, March 15th, and continuing through Sunday, March 16th, we will
celebrate the Festival of Purim, one of the most joyous times of our year. We will dress up
in costumes, eat hamantaschen until we're bursting, and yes, imbibe alcoholic beverages,
until, as we are commanded, we can't tell the difference between Mordecai and Haman.
We will spin groggers and hoot and holler, the sillier the better.
What a ridiculous celebration! Commanded to get drunk, and indulge in outrageous behavior? But it could be this may be the only sane reaction to the reality of the Megillah, and
the horrifying story it has to tell.
The central text of Purim, of course, is Megillat Esther - the Scroll of Esther - The Megillah for short. But in
all the merriment and parodied reading, it's easy to ignore the realities of this text, many of which are harsh,
and downright brutal. Unlike most other Biblical books, God plays no part in this drama, and in fact, is not
even mentioned or acknowledged anywhere in the text. Thus it is up to human beings to spin their fate, for
better or worse. In this light, Rabbi Donniel Hartman poses the question of what it really means to live in a
godless world. We might think that such a world would free us from the destructiveness of religious fanatics
in our midst. This would be a good thing! Nevertheless, within the reality of godless "Shushan," there are no
humanitarian concerns; no laws outside the king's immediate whims, and ethical standards take a back seat to
raw power and survival.
Perhaps the most disturbing element of The Megillah is the lightening speed with which fatal decisions are
made. Mordecai refuses to bow down to Haman, so the angry Haman goes to King Ahashuerosh and advises
him to annihilate all of Mordecai's people. And like THAT - the king sends forth the order to annihilate all the
Jews, without so much as a moment's hesitation. How easy it is, and how seemingly insignificant. And, undeniably, the same snap decision-making, with violent consequences, goes in both directions. Esther tells the
king of Haman's plot to annihilate her people, and like THAT - the king reverses his decree and Haman is
hanged, along with all his 10 sons, and 500 of his people. We are left with the devastating reality of how easy
it is to perpetrate evil, and how instantaneously it can be achieved. In our own day, we have seen this truth
actualized in spades. It is now our task to stand up against it. The overwhelming weight of Jewish tradition
teaches us to save life, and to honor humanity. (It is an interesting and rather sad irony that the Kingdom of
Persia of some three millennia ago is now the Republic of Iran, once again having taken center stage as the
locus of threatening power and brutality.)
From Megillat Esther we derive four mitzvot: (1) Likro et Hamegillah - tell the story; (2) lishtot - drink; (3)
lishloach manot la'evyonim - send gifts of food to the poor; (4) lishloach manot ish l'rei'eihu - send gifts of
food to your friends.
The third and fourth of these are particularly interesting. It is our sacred obligation to give tzedakah, and send
portions to the poor. This is the hallmark of our responsibility as Jews. With all the merriment and silliness, and
problems in the text itself, our overriding concern on Purim is for the poor and disenfranchised. But it is also our
sacred obligation to remember our own friends as well. Perhaps it is an admonition that in a potentially hostile
and destructive world - a godless world, if you will - we Jews need to know that other Jews will be there for us,
and we for them. While we may view our tradition through different lenses, all of us ought to maintain the larger
perspective of K'lal Yisrael - the community of Israel - and honor that community. Chag Purim Sameach!
-Rabbi Linda Henry Goodman
2
Officer’s Column
Why Do I Chant?
By the time you read this column, the Brotherhood Shabbat service (March 1st) probably will be in the past.
But as I write this column, it’s a few weeks away, and I’m learning the Torah trope for the last several verses
of the Book of Exodus.
I have been chanting the Torah portion for the Brotherhood Shabbat service since I took Cantor Maria
Dubinsky’s Torah trope class five years ago here at Union Temple. And so far, I’ve been studying a different portion for each year’s service, committing the trope to memory. (The Torah may contain the words of
God, but it doesn’t have the trope symbols, or vowels or punctuation either. But at my age – and probably at
any age – memory exercises are a good thing.)
Every year, as I chant verses over and over at home, Mark asks me, “Why do you do this?” To begin with,
it’s something I learned and something I like, but there is much more to it than that.
Early in our Torah trope class, Cantor
Dubinsky mentioned that this may be
the oldest form of musical notation still
in widespread use. The Masoretic
scribes worked out the trope systems
over a thousand years ago, and they are
essentially unchanged except for numerous regional variations in how they
are vocalized.
Trope is not just a melody to go with the
words. In addition to that, trope tells the
reader how the words are grouped into
phrases and verses, relationships among
words within a phrase, where to accent,
where to pause. If we pay attention to
all of that, trope doesn’t just add melody
to the words, it also adds meaning to the
words. And the amazing thing is that to
some extent it reflects the thinking and
understanding of those Masoretic scribes
over a thousand years ago. Just imagine,
having a subtle influence on people living a thousand years in the future.
Even if I didn’t chant at least once a
year, I learned from the trope class just
how much preparation goes into presenting the Torah portion, to try to convey its meaning. Listen carefully.
-Steven Segall, Secretary
3
4
Brotherhood
Celebrate Shabbat with Brotherhood
When you read this it is hoped that the miserable
weather we have been having this winter will be just
about gone and we can turn our thoughts to more
pleasant things. One the highlights of late winter going into early spring is the annual Brotherhood Shabbat on Saturday, March 1st. Brotherhood President
Steven Seagall will be chanting the Torah parshah at
the service while other Brotherhood members conduct
other parts of the service. It’s always a wonderful experience both for Brotherhood and temple members.
And of course there will be a luncheon sponsored by
Brotherhood after the service. We hope that you can
make it.
-David Rapheal, Secretary
Adult Education
3 Wednesday
Evenings in March
7:30-9:00 PM
led by Rabbi Goodman
Reform Judaism: Alive
and Well?
March 12: Whence
ideology? Communities at prayer,
and our spiritual quest
March 19:
Practice, private and
public, and the future of
denominationalism
------------------------------------------
March 26: Tribute to
Rabbi Professor David
Hartman, z"l
- his thought, his teaching, his hope -
5
Education Corner
Let’s Celebrate!
During the month of March we celebrate my favorite Jewish holiday- Purim. It is a holiday to be joyful and celebrate
being Jewish as we sing in the Chag Purim song, "Chag Gadol La’yehudim - A big holiday for the Jews.” We celebrate by dressing up, having carnivals, performing shpeils and reading the story of Purim found in the Megillat Esther.
This year the Religious School is joining forces with Jews For Racial and Economic Justice (JFREJ — For
more information about JFREJ please check out their website at
www.jfrej.org.). We are planning a carnival extravaganza for the
community. Please join us on March 16 at Union Temple from 1-4
for the Purim Carnival. We are looking for volunteers to help set up
the carnival, run booths at the carnival and help clean up. If you are
interested in helping please email me at educator@uniontemple.org
-Mindy Sherry, Director of Youth and Family Engagement
6
Preschool
Winter Escapes
The Chickadees, our twos class, were very busy the last few weeks. The biggest change in their classroom is
that Montana, their teacher, had a baby! Both Montana and Saoirse, her daughter, are doing great. And we are
excited to have Bev in the classroom full time until Montana returns.
In the Big Room this week the Chickadees practiced balancing by walking on the balance beam. The sensory
table has also been transformed into a wintery mix of fake snow, pine cones, and pom poms.
We’ve seen a lot of growth since the winter break in the Robins, Tomomi Iwamoto's young threes class. Children seem taller, and are using more of their words to communicate and making new friendships.
The Sparrows, Alex Beer's threes class, took a day off from this long winter to celebrate Beach Day 2014.
They wore bathing suits and sunglasses in the classroom, and sat on beach towels. They danced to the Beach
Boys, put sunscreen on their arms and shared their favorite memories of summer. The Sparrows played with
water and sand all morning long. This multi-sensory experience was meant as a break from the relentless cold
and the routines that can cause the winter doldrums. Who needs Miami Beach?
The Hummingbirds, Pam Apple's fours class, were busy last week celebrating the Lunar New Year by making
lanterns, orks and splatter paintings representing fireworks. Nicole Tu, Zoe's mother, read a story about the
New Year and gave each child a red envelope with a coin inside. The envelope is given to wish good luck for
the coming year. After celebrating in the classroom the Hummingbirds paraded through the school, led by Zoe
and her Dragon puppet.
They have now switched gears and began an Artist
Study, looking at Picasso's Blue Period, Pink Period,
Cubist Paintings and collages. The children created
their own blue paintings, using five shades of blue.
After discussing that this was an unhappy phase of
Picasso's life, the children talked about what makes
them sad or unhappy.
The Puffins, Caitlin Mullin's fours class, just completed an exciting unit on outer space. The Puffins
learned about the planets in our solar system and
made a beautiful outer space mural. They
also learned about constellations and made constellations of their own and gave them very interesting
names! The Puffins also constructed rockets using
paper towel tubes and collaged rockets utilizing different materials.
As we approach Presidents Week we are looking forward to the arrival of spring and the end of a very
long winter.
Warmest wishes.
-Susan Sporer, Preschool Director
7
Sisterhood
Straddling Two Worlds
Had enough of winter’s winds and ice and snow? Then join Sisterhood as we welcome March with its promise
of at least the official start of spring. Be with us on Sunday, March 2, 2014, at 10 AM, for a lively morning of
good food and great talk as our own Demetria Royals leads us in a discussion of Rebecca Walker’s autobiography, Black, White, and Jewish. Rebecca is the daughter of Pulitzer-prize-winning black author Alice Walker
and white Jewish civil-rights lawyer Mel Leventhal, and her book is a fascinating window on the difficulties of
straddling two worlds and trying to make a place for herself in both. If you haven’t read the book, that’s not a
problem. You’ll still have much to contribute to the conversation, and you’re guaranteed a delightful morning
wrapped in our warm circle of friendship.
Sisterhood’s circle of friendship extends beyond Union Temple as we reach out with Women of Reform Judaism to perform tikkun olam throughout our country and the world. Your membership dues and contributions
help with countless worthy programs, from providing scholarships to feeding the hungry and holding out a
helping hand to all Jews in need. So the next time you want to mark a special occasion or honor the memory of
a loved one, we hope you’ll consider making a contribution to Sisterhood’s Happy Day Fund, Memorial Fund,
or Rose Keit Flower Fund. It’s a beautiful way to help make our world a better place.
Sisterhood wishes everyone a happy Purim. May the courage and example of Esther bless and light our path
through life.
-Barbara Brett, Secretary
8
Tzedakah
UNION TEMPLE MEMORIAL FUND
Donated by ................................................................... in memory of
Herb and Julie Karlitz ........................................................... Vivian Zweig Karlitz
Abe Barnett .......................................................................... Irving Barnett
Dr. Gail Levine-Fried............................................................ Bonnie Levine
Cheryl Paradis and Gene McCollough ................................... Ruth Paradis
George Hausman and Anna Budd ......................................... Jack Machtinger
Richard Maltz ....................................................................... Richard Maltz
Doris Klueger ....................................................................... Leon Klueger
Joyce M. Charles .................................................................. Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson
The Estate of Marilyn Goodman for memorial plaques for Marilyn Goodman and Sarah Schein Litto
RABBI’S DISCRETIONARY FUND
Donated by ................................................................... in honor of
Michael and Jackie Ehrlich ................................................... the naming of their daughter, Ella Jean Ehrlich
DR. A. STANLEY DREYFUS LECTURE FUND
Donated by
Marianne Dreyfus
SISTERHOOD HATTIE NEWMAN HAPPY DAY FUND
Donated by ................................................................... in honor of
Hortense Hurwitz .................................................................. Susanne and Henry Singer’s 50th wedding anniversary
Hortense Hurwitz .................................................................. Barbara Brett with wishes for a full and speedy recovery
We express our
heartfelt sympathy to
STEPHANIE
STEINBERG and DAN
SCHACHTER, and
ILANA SCHACHTER
on the death of
Stephanie's aunt
DOROTHY
GOLDMAN
on January 12.
We extend our sympathy as well to Dorothy's
husband Benjamin, and
their children Kenneth
and Pam.

May her memory be
for a blessing
9
Memorial Plaques
The Bulletin
MARCH
Charles Diener .................................................................. March 1, 1983
Lucille C. May .................................................................. March 1, 1986
Joseph J. Baker ................................................................. March 2, 1938
Sophie Newman ................................................................ March 2, 1940
Rosa R. Keit ..................................................................... March 2, 1944
Bert Nachman ................................................................... March 4, 1955
Priscilla R. Sherer ............................................................. March 4, 1975
Saul Solow .......................................................................March 4, 1998
Helen Stein Caplin ............................................................ March 5, 1913
Helen M. Baum................................................................. March 9, 1923
Isaac Rutenberg .............................................................. March 10, 1929
Bessie Kasdan................................................................. March 11, 1948
Ray Latz Frisch ............................................................... March 14, 1918
Sali Fried ........................................................................ March 14, 1946
Morris Smallberg ............................................................ March 14, 1954
Florence Liebman ........................................................... March 14, 1982
Bertha Levy .................................................................... March 15, 1920
Morris Salzman............................................................... March 15, 1930
Leon Meyer .................................................................... March 15, 1935
Minna Feldenkris ............................................................ March 15, 2004
Milton Rosenberg ........................................................... March 16, 1943
Gustave L. Stern ............................................................. March 18, 1969
Samuel A. Fogel ............................................................. March 18, 1970
Regina David .................................................................. March 19, 1965
Helen Boley .................................................................... March 20, 1951
Louis Fishman ................................................................ March 20, 1935
Dr. Arnold Messing ........................................................ March 20, 1958
Dr. Charles M. Pollack .................................................... March 21, 1941
Dr. Louis Beacon ............................................................ March 22, 1982
Leah Davidson ................................................................ March 23, 1951
Blanche Baar Stern ......................................................... March 24, 1963
Arnold Leopold............................................................... March 25, 1947
Adolph Mayer ................................................................. March 25, 1947
Hilda Feldman ................................................................ March 25, 2000
Harry Smallberg ............................................................. March 25, 2005
Lewis A. Feldenkris ........................................................ March 26, 1974
Rose Kaufman ................................................................ March 26, 1977
Jennie Felner................................................................... March 28, 1947
Mary Glassheim.............................................................. March 28, 1958
Carrie R. Hamburger ....................................................... March 28, 1963
David S. Heit .................................................................. March 29, 1935
Ricka Bender .................................................................. March 29, 1945
Hyman B. Rosenson........................................................ March 30, 1921
Emanuel S. Brandt .......................................................... March 30, 1988
Max Meyer ..................................................................... March 31, 1956
Selma Oppenheim ........................................................... March 31, 1989
A memorial plaque is a lasting tribute to a loved one.
If you wish more information regarding obtaining a
plaque in memory of a loved one please e-mail the
temple at uniontemple@uniontemple.org
or leave a message with the temple office.
10
Union Temple of Brooklyn
17 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn NY 11238
(718) 638-7600
Fax (718) 783-9151
E-mail: uniontemple@uniontemple.org
Website: Uniontemple.org
Dr. Linda Henry Goodman
Rabbi
Emma Goldin
Student Cantor
Shinae Kim
Temple Musician
Susan Sporer
Preschool Director
Mindy Sherry
Director of Youth and Family Engagement
Beatrice Hanks
President
Abe Barnett
Ellen Kolikoff
Jeffrey Stein
Vice Presidents
Steven Segall
Secretary
Leonard Shiller
Treasurer
Mike Baron
Hortense R. Hurwitz
Doris Klueger
Honorary Presidents
David Rapheal
Bulletin Editor
John Golomb
Temple Administrator
Martin Kasdan
Funeral Director
(800) 522-0588
Union Temple suggests that its members
contact our Funeral Director
Martin D. Kasdan of
Boulevard-Riverside Chapels
1895 Flatbush Avenue
Brooklyn, NY
1-800-522-0588
Proudly maintaining more
than 50 years of Temple involvement
March 2014 ~ Adar I-Adar II 5774
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
1
9:00 AM
Shabbat Hevre
9:30 AM Out of
the Shabbox
10:30 AM
Brotherhood
Service/Kiddush
Shabbat Shekalim
2
9:30 AM
Religious School
Parent Seminar
10:00 AM
Sisterhood Rosh
Chodesh Seder
With Demetria
Royals
9
3
Rosh Chodesh
Adar II
10
9:30 AM
Religious School
1:00-4:00 PM
Purim Carnival
With JFREJ
23
18
6:15 PM
Religious School
Committee
24
25
12 5:30 PM
Shalom Meditation
Circle
6:30 PM Union
Temple Singers
7:30 PM
Adult Ed Seminar
Reform Judaism:
Alive and Well?
13
19
20
7
4:00 PM Friday
at Four
Shabbat Across
America
6:00 PM Snacks
6:30 PM
Kabbalat Shabbat
7:30 PM Pot Luck
Dinner
8
14
15
4:00 PM
Friday at Four
6:30 PM
Kabbalat Shabbat
Pizza to follow
21
6:30 PM Union
Temple Singers
4:00 PM
Friday at Four
7:30 PM
Adult Ed Seminar
Reform Judaism:
Alive and Well?
6:30 PM
Peter, Paul and
Mary Shabbat
with “Gathering
Time”
26
27
6:30 PM Union
Temple Singers
7:15 PM
Preschool
Committee
30
Mishkan Hanefesh:
Kol Nidre
6:00 PM
Board of
Trustees
9:30 AM
Religious School
6
7:00 PM
Machzor Piloting:
11
17
5
6:00 PM Union
Temple Singers
6:15 PM
Officers
9:30 AM
Religious School
10:00 AM
Membership
Committee
16
4
7:30 PM
Adult Ed Seminar
Tribute to Rabbi
David Hartman z”l
Anshei Mitzvah
31
9:30 AM
Religious School
6:15 PM
Officers
11
28 4:00 PM
Friday at Four
Fourth Friday
Shabbat
7:00 PM Dinner
8:00 PM Service
9:00 PM Oneg
Guest Speaker:
Rabbi Jeffrey Salkin
9:00 AM
Shabbat Hevre
9:30 AM Out of
the Shabbox
10:30 AM
Shabbat Service
9:00 AM
Shabbat Hevre
9:30 AM Out of
the Shabbox
10:30 AM
Shabbat Zachor
6:00 PM
PURIM
22
9:00 AM
Shabbat Hevre
9:30 AM Out of
the Shabbox
10:30 AM
Shabbat Service
29 9:00 AM
Shabbat Hevre
9:30 AM Out of
the Shabbox
10:30 AM
Shabbat Service
UniTY Midnight
Run
Shabbat Morning Hevre
Torah Study for Adults
Saturday Mornings
9:00-10:20
This year's focus is Sefer Devarim:
The Book of Deuteronomy
Why is this book different from all other books?
(Partially because of its treatment of Passover; and
much, much more....)
Come study with us on Saturday mornings as we
explore the answers together.
Prospect Park
Health and Racquet Association
In Union Temple Building at
17 Eastern Parkway
718-789-4600
Ask about Special discounts for
Union Temple Members
Bagels, Coffee, and Shabbat Study
with fellow congregants
Led by Rabbi Goodman
Union Temple of Brooklyn
17 Eastern Parkway
Brooklyn, NY 11238
(718) 638-7600
Uniontemple@uniontemple.org
MARCH 2014
UNION TEMPLE OF BROOKLYN BULLETIN
Second Annual Passover Seder! Details on page 4