PDF - Central Synagogue

A Visionary Mission (Editorial), Amala Levine p.3 A Timeless Vision,
Rabbi Maurice Salth p.4 The Path to Jewish Pluralism, Rabbi
David S. Kalb p.6 A Visionary Leader: Rabbi Peter J. Rubinstein,
Eric Levine p.8 Finding A Spiritual Home, Stephanie J. Stiefel p.10
Past and Present, Jane Marx Moss p.11 Lifelong Jewish Learning,
Ann Yerman p.12 Memorable Journeys, Marla Schaefer p.14
Inspired Voices: Confirmation Students p.16 Strategic Planner
Extraordinaire: Rabbi Peter J. Rubinstein, Livia D. Thompson FTA p.18
The Story of Jethro Shabbat, Betty B. Robbins p.20 Famous
Rabbis of Filmdom, p.22
SPRING 2014 THIS ISSUE: VISION
“I love being Jewish. I love Judaism
as I hope you do. I want everyone
to find Judaism as an expression of
their religious soul. I believe we’ve
been given an unparalleled mission
and the world needs us. I have faith
that God wants us to be here and
we the Jewish people matter.”
Rabbi Peter J. Rubinstein
Memories
3
EDITORIAL
A Visionary Mission
V
isions do not necessarily translate into
actions. In biblical times, prophets were
considered vessels for divinely inspired visions;
their job was to give voice to messages from God,
and they did—often admonishing and warning with
thunderous force. They wielded the power of words not of
actions. Today, in our largely secular 21st century, we need
both: vision and execution, hand in hand. For more than
twenty years, Central Synagogue has been blessed with
such a doubly gifted leader in Rabbi Peter J. Rubinstein.
His vision, born of his deep love of Judaism, is
crystal clear: “We are in a battle for Jewish souls and life.
We cannot abandon them and permit this ship to go down,
not on our watch… This is our bridge to build.” Long
before he spoke these words in 1996, he was already committed to the cause. Ann Yerman relates how, forty years
ago, she first encountered Peter Rubinstein as the young,
new rabbi in her Westchester synagogue; it was he who
introduced the congregation to the “greater responsibility
we have as Reform Jews to heal the world.” This vision has
continued undimmed. How is it implemented? In many
different ways—all explored in this issue of HaShiur.
Upon joining Central Synagogue, Rabbi Rubinstein turned his powerful intellectual acumen toward a series of strategic plans, described here by our Senior Director Livia Thompson. Stemming from his fierce conviction
that “Judaism matters. Central matters,” these plans have
built the bridge into the 21st century. In the process he has
led an extraordinary transformation of services, community involvement and inclusiveness. In matters of inclusiveness, Central Synagogue is at the forefront of the trend
toward Jewish religious pluralism, an aspect that Rabbi
Kalb addresses. It takes visionary leadership, firm goals,
courage, and commitment to build bridges of this scope.
“People are coming to Central because it offers
what they are looking for in Judaism today… It is quality that brings them. Excellence,” observes Rabbi Kalb,
to which Livia Thompson adds that for Rabbi Rubinstein
“good is never good enough.” A true visionary is future
focused, the turbocharge of change. How much so is also
described by Jane Moss whose affiliation with Central
dates back many decades. The change in services is simply
“astonishing,” as are “the many forms of Jewish participation and lifestyles [that] are now welcome; they have
changed the very nature of what being a Reform Jew at
Central Synagogue means.” That is exactly what Rabbi
Rubinstein had envisioned when, in 2010, he called for
a “renaissance of Reform Judaism,” proclaiming “this
synagogue will take the lead. “ And it did!
But vision is not only about intellect, analysis
and drive. Especially for a rabbi, vision requires a deep
wellspring of sensitivity from which compassion and
love can flow to the congregation. Without fail, Rabbi
Rubinstein has translated into action foundational concepts of the Jewish tradition that, as he put it in 2005,
“urge decency, compassion, justice and virtue.” He
has excelled in pastoral care: consoling those in need,
celebrating joyous occasions, and helping many grow in
spirit and person, as some of our essays reflect. He also
has inspired countless confirmation students to find
their Jewish identity and make Judaism a central part of
their lives. Group travels led by Rabbi Rubinstein have
been special treats because, as Marla Schaefer writes,
you “find you’ve opened a new room in your heart, a
new perspective in your mind.”
How does a man of such caring charisma
replenish his own emotional reservoir? Eric Levine,
who sat down with Rabbi Rubinstein for an intimate
conversation, found a man sustained by his deep faith
in God and the love of his wife, Kerry, as twin sources
of his spiritual and emotional strength. We have been
fortunate to have such an inspiring visionary as our
leader who has exhorted us by his own example to
“commit ourselves to Kedoshim, ahava, tzedakah, holiness,
love, helping others in need.”
Amala Levine, Editor
4
REFLECTIONS
A Timeless Vision
The Hebrew Bible (Tanach) is filled with stories of prophetic
visions. A significant number of these visions describe God’s response
to specific issues of the day and our ancestors’ often less than
ideal behavior.
O
ther biblical visions are more
cryptic, dream or dream-like
encounters with the Eternal. These visions, such as
those of Ezekiel, have confused and
enthralled our people throughout
the ages. Yet, every so often we find
in our Tanach a person whose words
have set forth a clear and timeless
vision for us as Jews—no matter in
which era we have lived. Micah
was one of these prophets. His wisdom is recorded in the biblical book
that shares his name.
Micah lived almost 3000
years ago in ancient Israel. He came
from a rural area in Judea called
Moreshet, far from Jerusalem and
other urban centers, but Micah
wrote confidently and critically
about the social issues that plagued
larger cities of his day: corruption,
injustice, and hunger for power,
deceitfulness, and false prophets.
Micah’s words, as did those of many
of our prophets, predict destruction
and divine punishment as well as
God’s desire to console, forgive, and
restore. Many other biblical prophets spent verse upon verse condemning the practice of worshiping
idols and false Gods, but this was
not a priority for Micah. His focus
5
Rabbi Maurice A. Salth
was on the interpersonal behavior of
his fellow men and women.
What I find fascinating
about the book of Micah is the apparent similarity between the Jews
of his day and ours. In chapter
six, Micah speaks to the people on
behalf of God. Micah reminds them
of their great history in abridged
fashion, highlighting the Exodus
from Egypt and the gift of great
leaders of years past: Moses, Aaron
and Miriam. The age-old question of how to connect with God is
broached.
With what shall I come before the God,
and bow myself before God on high?
Shall I come before God with
burnt offerings, with calves a year old?
Will God be pleased with thousand
of rams,
with myriads of rivers of oil?
Shall I give my first-born for my
transgression,
the fruit of my body for the sins?
[Micah.6:6-7]
The Jews of Micah’s generations
didn’t pray to God in a synagogue.
Worship in his day was known as
sacrifice. They were to provide
livestock and provisions, their precious and often hard to replace food
sources, to the priests in thanksgiving to God. Most of the Torah’s
third book, Leviticus, is dedicated
to describing this ancient sacrificial
practice. And thus Micah poses the
questions, what does it mean to be
Jewish and what does God ask of
us? Is the answer these mandatory
sacrifices? Micah’s reply, plainly,
is “no.” Instead Micah chapter 6,
verse 8 states:
God had told you oh mortal, what is good,
And what God requires of you:
Only to do justice
And to love goodness,
And to walk humbly with your God.
Micah provided his fellow Jew with
a clear vision for what
God wants from them and what it
therefore meant to be a Jew. Almost
3000 years later his vision still
applies to us.
The Jews of Micah’s time
had the same challenges many of us
Jews face today. How do we make
sense of everything Jewish and
how might that help us guide our
lives? The Jews of Micah’s day, even
if they were poorly educated, had
some knowledge of Judaism. They
were familiar with one or two of the
Bible’s stories and their people’s history, they had a grasp of a number
of laws, and that they should be sacrificing—their form of prayer. They
had a variety of information, but no
clear vision how to be Jewish.
Micah wrote confidently
and critically about the
social issues that plagued
larger cities of his day:
corruption, injustice,
and hunger for power,
deceitfulness, and false
prophets.
Are Jews of the 21st century
much different? I don’t think so. So
many Jews today know the fundamental stories of our people and are
aware of some mitzvot. Some of
us may feel drawn to our tradition
but lack a roadmap how to apply it
to our lives. Others may feel guilty
or confused about not going to
synagogue or following certain
traditions pertaining Shabbat or
diet. Perhaps we too lack clarity as
to how to digest all the Jewish information in our hearts and heads.
God had told you oh mortal, what is
good,
And what God requires of you:
Only to do justice
And to love goodness,
And to walk humbly with your God.
Micah’s vision rings true. Micah’s
teaching has resonated throughout
the millennia, because it encapsulates so much of the Bible’s teaching, laws, and Jewish tradition in
just a few rich words. For many of
us, this expression captures what it
means to be a Jew.
At our beloved Central
Synagogue, we can see Micah’s
vision in action. We, an urban
center of worship, strive to be a
community where menschlichkeit
(Yiddish for goodness and our best
behavior) reigns, we care about
each other as well as the stranger
in our midst and beyond; in our
worship and other offerings, we
attempt to walk humbly with God.
We can and should continue to use
Micah’s message as a benchmark
and guide for our future interpersonal interactions and communal
programs.
Each of us is mortal. Micah’s everlasting words endure to
assist and inspire all of us and our
institutions as we travel on our
journeys. If only we would but
heed them. n
6
REFLECTIONS
The Path to Jewish Pluralism
REFORM
RECONSTRUTIONIST
CONSERVATIVE
ORTHODOX
In 1974, Rabbi Irving (Yitz) Greenberg, Elie Wiesel and Rabbi Steven
Shaw created an organization called Clal–The National Jewish
Center for Learning and Leadership. The acronym was a play on
the Hebrew word Clal, meaning “all,” as in Clal Yisrael: All of Israel.
T
his represented the founding
idea of the organization: that
all different types of Jews,
rabbis, synagogues, movements of Judaism, and other Jewish
organizations should function in a
pluralistic way. They should treat
each other with dignity and value
each other’s viewpoints, no matter
how different. Clal also posited the
notion that different types of Jews
could learn from each other and
work together.
Before Clal began, pluralism was simply not a priority of the
American Jewish community. True,
Jews of different affiliations did
forge relationships and cooperate
in some ways. However, this was
not the norm for most of American
Jewry.
While we are far away from
a fully pluralistic Jewish community,
today we do see a different Jewish
landscape.
There are a number of organizations (Clal, Wexner, the Hartman Institute, Star, Synagogue 2000,
Synagogue 3000, Bikurim, Jumpstart) that offer Jewish learning and
development programs to rabbinical
students, clergy, Jewish educators,
Jewish communal workers, and lay
leaders from all of the movements
of Judaism. They study together and
build relationships, despite differences in observance, ritual, and even
beliefs. This has naturally given
rise to an exciting cross-pollination
among leaders of differing affiliations. More importantly, it has
fostered an overdue appreciation of
how many beliefs we share in common.
One can also see unprecedented teamwork among seminaries
of different movements in training
clergy and educators.
Furthermore, clergy and
synagogues of different movements
brainstorm about joint programming, sharing ideas with each other
about worship and education, host-
...it is quality that brings
people to Central.
Excellence. Part of the
dividend of pluralism
is that quality trumps
affiliation.
7
Rabbi David S. Kalb
ing each other on the bimah.
At Central Synagogue, we
have been on the front lines of this
issue. This past Chanukah, we
co-hosted a night of learning on the
seventh night together with nine
other synagogues—Reform, Conservative and Orthodox rabbis and
educators teaching together.
I myself am another recent
example of the burgeoning pluralism that is catching on throughout
the Jewish world. I am an Orthodox
rabbi and I am honored to serve as
the Director of Leaning and Engagement here at Central Synagogue. I
have no difficulty doing this and
have found the experience enriching
and powerful. While I might personally be an anomaly today, I think
you will see a lot more of this model
in the future.
We can respect each other’s
religious paths without having
to follow the same one. We can
learn from each other’s wisdom,
without necessarily choosing the
same approach to observance. In
so doing, we embody the words of
Rabbi Kook, the first Chief Rabbi of
Pre-State Israel: “What unites us is
far greater than what divides us.”
What I am doing as a professional
is reflected in the experience of lay
people.
Our Central membership
reflects this diversity. Approximately 40 per cent of our synagogue
did not come from a Reform background. We have congregants who
were at one time affiliated with the
Reconstructionist, Conservative and
Orthodox movements. What attracts
them? Is it a purely ideological decision to join the Reform movement?
Probably not. The convenience of
the location? Doubtful. Our beauti-
We have congregants
who were at one time
affiliated with the
Reconstructionist,
Conservative and
Orthodox movements.
What attracts them?
ful Sanctuary? It is breathtaking, but
vaulted ceilings do not hold people
by themselves. People are coming
by the hundreds because Central
offers what they are looking for in
Judaism today: stirring, spiritual
services, clergy who are there in
times of celebration and struggle,
and substantive Jewish learning
and community. In other words, it
is quality that brings people to Central. Excellence. Part of the dividend
of pluralism is that quality trumps
affiliation.
This is not only happening
at Central Synagogue. Synagogues
of every affiliation, all over the
country, are attracting people who
have no history with their movement or even an ideological connection. It is what a particular synagogue does that moves people to join
its congregation.
My last example is an extreme, almost futuristic model that
epitomizes the pluralistic blueprint:
a synagogue with multiple services.
Some have proposed a “Synaplex”
or a “Mall of Judaism,” with every
movement offered under one roof.
Those who have articulated this
idea feel it would answer the demographic and economic challenges
that threaten many synagogues’
survival today, while also making a
major statement about pluralism.
In this Synaplex model, various services could start at different
times but end all at the same hour.
Then they could all join together
for the d’var Torah (Sermon), Adon
Olam and Kiddush. Some Synaplexes
might hire a rabbi per service and
all the rabbis would work together
on non-prayer- oriented programing, education, youth engagement,
tikkun olam, community building,
etc. Other Synaplexes might decide
to hire one rabbi who serves each
service, working in conjunction with
lay leadership.
What is going on in the
American Jewish community? The
answer is change. The old labels are
blurring. People are trying to figure
out where they fit in. We are in flux,
moving in and out of identities,
sampling different ways of being
Jewish because we now have more
opportunity.
This is not just happening
on an individual level: every Jewish
community—Reform, Reconstructionist, Conservative and Orthodox—is now unpacking what these
labels mean and if they are relevant
any more.
I consider this new conversation energizing. It is forcing us
to listen to each other in a way that
is alive, challenging, and overdue.
Meeting Jews where we are means
acknowledging how many places
we are coming from and how many
paths we can choose. Let us all work
together to continue to build a Jewish community where all of these
paths are valued.
n
Rabbi David S. Kalb is the director of learning
and engagement at Central Synagogue.
8
PROFILE
A Visionary Leader: Rabbi Peter J. Rubinstein
It is hard to imagine a painfully shy 7th grader, so withdrawn
in class that he had to undergo speech therapy, becoming the
passionate orator and senior rabbi of one of the most dynamic
Reform congregations.
B
ut that is part of Peter Rubinstein’s background, and also
why I was sitting with him
one late December morning: to fathom what lay behind this
remarkable transformation, to probe
the influences that have helped
shape his distinguished career, and
to better understand what drives his
vision.
Behind the rabbinical
mask, Peter remains a shy, very
private person. The second son of
a middle-class Bronx family, he was
brought up in a Jewish environment
where the absence of any mention
of God was counter-balanced by a
fierce commitment to Temple and a
pride in Jewish identity. The early
influence of his father, a successful
dentist and the first American-born
of his family, still resonates as a
dominant factor in Peter’s life. He
describes his father as strong-willed
with a passionate sense of justice. I
get the feeling Peter measures his
own achievements by his father’s
exacting standards.
His father thought it important to prepare his three sons “to be
able to walk” in both the Jewish and
the wider secular worlds. He also
wanted them to get to know the diverse parts of the country, possibly
a response to the limitations of his
parents’ immigrant experience. So
for three years in a row, he bundled
the whole family into their blue 1949
DeSoto to embark on a six-week,
cross-country journey of discovery,
traveling extensively, before the
advent of interstate highways.
Precociously intelligent, and
a self-confessed nerd, Peter was fascinated by the sciences, an interest
he still retains, and it was at Bronx
High School for Science that he
encountered a teacher who had an
enduring influence. He first met Arnold Canell, the slight but towering
figure of an English teacher, when
he entered his class as a junior, at
age 14. Canell, who died recently,
is still remembered for his brilliant
teaching of writing skills and critical
reading. From him, Peter learnt to
think differently and to search for
exactness in his writing. Though
Canell held radical political views,
he was the first to introduce Peter
to serious political dialogue. The
teacher’s influence grew when, as
faculty adviser to the school newspaper, Peter became its editor-inchief. Wanting to learn more about
journalism, Peter was admitted at
age 15 to the summer program at
the National High School Institute
in Journalism at Northwestern University.
That search for exactness
reflects in Peter’s inspirational
sermons. He agonizes over every
word, going through many drafts,
worrying whether he is able to
express what he really means, never
afraid to expose his own emotions
or concerns.
Peter gained early admission to Harvard and Amherst. Fol-
Precociously intelligent,
and a self-confessed nerd,
Peter was fascinated by
the sciences, an interest
he still retains...
lowing his father’s advice, he chose
the more nurturing environment of
a small college over the rare opportunity of a Harvard education. So
at age 16, Peter entered Amherst. It
was a step that was to lead him to a
dramatic change of course.
At Amherst Peter was confronted by devout Christian friends
who wanted to know what Jews believed in. “The fact that some of my
really close, smart Christian friends
had an unqualified faith in God was
deeply unsettling. How could these
intelligent people believe in such an
illogical, ludicrous concept? That’s
how my investigation into God
began.”
The lack of any Jewish
studies in the Religion department
prompted Peter to take the other
courses on offer, delving
9
Eric Levine
into Christian theology and eastern religions. He was especially
drawn to the courses taught by
the Christian theologian Professor
John Pemberton, who had a singular impact on his life. So much
so that after a conversation with
the great theologian Dr. Eugene
Borowitz in a West Side Manhattan bar, Peter postponed entry for
a joint MD/PhD program to which
he had been accepted, and applied
to Hebrew Union College–Jewish
Institute of Religion to study under
Dr. Borowitz. That is how Peter
eventually came to arrive at Central
Synagogue, “somewhat through the
back door trying to find God and to
figure out what I believe, a project in
which I’m still fully engaged.”
I asked Peter if he had ever
experienced an encounter with God,
He marvels at the limitless
goodness of his son Noah.
In an amazing reflection,
he said of Noah: “He is
the man I would like to be
when I grow up.”
any of those profound moments
in his life where he had felt divine
intervention. He paused to think:
“There have been three times,” he
said. The first, when he was lying
on a gurney after his heart attack.
He could see the fear in his younger
son Noah’s eyes, and with a certainty he knew was divinely assured,
told him, “I’ll be alright!” The
second occurred when he was with
a long-time congregant who had
sustained many months of brutal
chemotherapy and extreme treatments and was undergoing bonemarrow transplant. As he blessed
the new cells that would give hope
for survival, he was transcendently
aware of the God-given gift of life
and the certain knowledge that she
would be given the chance to live.
The third time was when he first set
eyes on Kerry, his future wife. With
a profound awareness he knew: “if
I do not meet her I will regret it all
my life.”
When he began to talk of
Kerry, he bashfully averted his gaze
and smiled to himself. Looking up,
his eyes revealed a man deeply in
love. He remembers the day, the
hour, the flight on which they were
both traveling, their seats across
the aisle, numbers 2A and 2C, and
the urge he felt to get to know her,
despite his normal reticence on
flights to engage in any conversation. They respond to each other in
so many ways that Peter recognizes,
“there are too many coincidences for
this not to have been predestined.”
“Meeting Peter,“ Kerry says, “put
me on a path that felt more like
coming home than conversion or
transformation. I fell in love with
Judaism all over again.” She also
fell in love with Peter, “an unconditional love,” that they bear one
another. And it is this loving relationship, the fact of having Kerry
in his life, that I believe has had the
greatest influence on both Peter and
his role as rabbi. For in true love, do
we not find God?
The search for goodness
was a recurring theme throughout
our conversation. Peter sees this
through the eyes of so many people,
modestly dismissing the fact that
this is the measure of how he lives.
He speaks about his friend Janet
Walton, a member of the Sisters of
the Holy Names (a congregation of
Catholic women) and professor at
Union Theological Seminary, whom
he describes as “not Jewish, not clergy, but one of the wisest and kindest
persons I know.” He marvels at the
limitless goodness of his son Noah.
In an amazing reflection, he said of
Noah: “He is the man I would like
to be when I grow up.”
So I came away from this
good and gentle man, with his quiet
charm and dignity and who has had
an impact for the good on so many
lives, and the words of the prophet
Micah resonated: “What doth the
Lord require of you? Only to do
justly, and love mercy, and to walk
humbly with your God.”
n
Eric Levine is a transnational corporate lawyer
and a founding principal of Millennia Capital
Partners, an investment advisory firm.
10
ESSAY
Finding A Spiritual Home
Stephanie J. Stiefel
I was widowed at 34 with a six year-old son, spiritually lost
and angry at God. I was searching for answers and finding none
at the many synagogues in New Jersey that I joined and then
resigned from. A
fter many aimless years, I
met the man who would
become my husband and
stepfather to my son Joshua,
Robert (Bob) Cohen. Bob’s family
was older and their childhood had
excluded any organized form of
religion. Bob had never belonged
to a synagogue as an adult and yet
he suggested that we join Central
Synagogue. Joshua was then 11
years old and we were running out
of time to choose a synagogue for
his bar mitzvah. From the moment I stepped
into the magnificent Main Sanctuary,
While we will all miss
Peter desperately...
he has built a rock-solid
foundation at Central,
I was mesmerized and “hooked.” Over time, I came to appreciate that
the “skin-deep” quality of the sheer
beauty of our majestic synagogue
paled in comparison to the deep
connection we would forge with
Central and its community under
Rabbi Peter Rubinstein’s leadership. During our tenure, Peter officiated
at Joshua’s bar mitzvah, officiated
at my wedding to Bob, installed the
mezuzot in our homes, and held us
tightly in front of the Torah scrolls
to recite Mi Shebeirach for our loved
ones and family members who
had taken ill; he also made himself
readily available when personal
crises struck.
For my husband and I,
the experience at Central under
Peter’s inspired leadership has
made us better people, better
spouses, better parents, better
employees (and employers), and
better citizens of the world and the
Central community. Our spiritual
and personal growth fostered and
nurtured by Peter has also brought
us so many new and important
friendships that we cherish. I know
that Peter’s active attempts to
create smaller communities within
Central’s membership roster have
had the same effect for others. While we will all miss
Peter desperately as our spiritual
leader and “father,” he has built a
rock-solid foundation at Central,
shepherding our community on its
current course of excellence, and
assuring the perpetuation of our
spiritual home. We will all have a
“twinkle in our thankful eyes” as
we pray together with Peter as
fellow congregants, knowing that
because of him our “home” is
secure and permanent.
n
Stephanie Stiefel is a former board member
of Central Synagogue.
11
ESSAY
Past and Present
I have been very fortunate to have benefited from a long and meaningful association
with Central Synagogue; it has been an
exciting journey.
I
was confirmed by Rabbi Jonah
Wise and married by Rabbi
David Seligson in the Sanctuary.
My husband, Bob, was the youth
group leader while Rabbi Shelley
Zimmerman was here, and my parents were eulogized by Rabbi Peter
Rubinstein. Our children attended
the nursery school in the first years
of its existence. Central was a very
different place then. We were members until we moved to Westchester
in the mid-70s and rejoined Central
when we moved back to New York
City in 2000—but Central had always remained our spiritual home.
When my parents, Ruth and
Leonard Marx, moved to New York
after their marriage, a high priority was joining a synagogue—they
chose Central Synagogue. Both had
grown up in the Reform tradition
The change in the service
has been astonishing.
and came from families active in the
leadership of their Jewish communities, dating back to 1839 when they
were founding members of Temple
Covenant of Peace in Easton,
Pennsylvania. I’m not sure why my
parents joined Central, but I suspect
it may have been the outstanding
reputation of Jonah Wise that attracted them. From then on, Central
Synagogue became “central” to
their lives.
My earliest memories
of dinner conversation were the
activities at temple. Both of them
took active roles, my mother on
the temple and sisterhood boards
and my father on the brotherhood
Jane Marx Moss
board—he also chaired the cemetery committee. Along with the
important community work done
by these organizations came a
seemingly constant round of social
events that led to close knit “family
feeling.” Many lifelong friendships
were forged in the much smaller
congregation of Central during the
early years of their affiliation and
my own growing up.
By contrast, the sense of
community in today’s much larger
Central Synagogue is nourished
by a very significant difference in
Shabbat services where the congregants join in blessings and communal singing—all creating a sense of
closeness and goodwill that extend
to their community activities. The
great expansion of our religious
school and adult education programs, as well as the expansion of
our community outreach and our
welcoming of many forms of Jewish
participation and lifestyles into our
congregation have changed the very
nature of what being a Reform Jew
continued on page 13
12
ESSAY
Lifelong Jewish Learning
I grew up in an
Orthodox Jewish
home. My
grandfather was
an observant
Jew who lived
with us and
instilled in me
a love of being
Jewish.
M
y mother was a wonderful
cook and my parents were
gracious and welcoming
hosts. All the holidays
were celebrated in my home and
were fun! I went to religious school
for one week but hated it, and,
being a girl, I was allowed to stop
my Jewish education. So while
I always felt very Jewish, I was
Jewishly illiterate.
All that began to change
one June evening 40 years ago
when I walked through the doors
of a small, fairly new temple in
White Plains, NY, called Woodlands
Community Temple. I wasn’t
thinking about Jewish education at
the time. Our family had simply
reached that stage in life when I
thought it was time for us to join
a synagogue. What was most
important to me and my husband,
Fred, was the ability to sit together
as a family in a service we could all
understand, and a Reform temple
seemed to make sense.
We had heard a great deal
about Woodlands and its inspiring
new, young rabbi. The temple
was heavily weighted with young
families, all coming from different
streams of Judaism. It was bubbling
with excitement, its members
focused on community, social
action, and education, not only for
their children, but for themselves as
well. Together with a group of other
potential new members, I met Rabbi
Peter Rubinstein; when he spoke
about his vision for the future, I
knew it would be the perfect place
for Fred, our two daughters and me.
Rabbi Rubinstein—or
Peter, as we soon began to call
him—introduced me to a Judaism I
knew little about. It was a Judaism
that involved not only ritual and
liturgy, but also Jewish history and
philosophy—a way to think about
religion and its impact on what
was happening around us. He
helped open my mind to the greater
responsibility we have as Reform
Jews: to heal the world.
In fact, as I look back
over the last 40 years, I realize
that what he taught me then has
been a roadmap for my life and
has defined who I am today. At
Woodlands I began taking classes
and going to lectures. We regularly
attended services as a family, and I
found myself learning to recite the
prayers and sing the songs. There
was much to learn. Although Peter
13
Ann Yerman
left Woodlands in 1982 to lead a
congregation in California, we
remained closely connected. You
can imagine our delight when we
learned he was heading east to
become the Senior Rabbi at Central
Synagogue.
Rabbi Rubinstein—or
Peter, as we soon began
to call him—introduced
me to a Judaism I knew
little about.
We remained at Woodlands
for a number of years after Peter
came to Central, but our personal
connection with him began to
extend to Central as well. Peter
married both of our daughters,
named our granddaughters, and
officiated at, or participated in,
their b’not mitzvot and our eldest
granddaughter’s confirmation.
Eventually, we joined Central,
where one of our daughters and
her family were members. By then
I had retired from a career in the
not-for-profit world, first at the
American Jewish Joint Distribution
Committee, and then at Westchester
Jewish Community Services (WJCS),
where I was Director of Jewish
Programming. So while I was,
and remain, actively involved in
a volunteer capacity at WJCS and
UJA-Federation, I found myself
with some time to spare. Once
again, Peter inspired me to pursue
Jewish learning. I began attending
Rabbi Mo Salth’s Torah Study
Class—and loved it. Not only was
I learning but I had found a new
group of people with whom I loved
learning—a community. Two years
ago, I learned that Rabbi/Cantor
Buchdahl would be teaching the
Melton Adult Jewish Learning class
at Central. I convinced Fred to join
me. We are completing our second
year and enjoying studying with
this community. But the real thrill
for me is my newest commitment—
to study to become a bat mitzvah.
I’ve watched my two
daughters and four out of my
five granddaughters, become
b’not mitzvot (our youngest
granddaughter is anxiously
awaiting her turn!), and I thought,
wow, how lucky are they! So
when I learned that Central was
offering an adult b’nei mitzvah class,
I decided to take the leap. We are a
class of adults of all ages studying
together. It is an anxiety-ridden
process, but, oh, so exciting and so
much fun. Cantor Katz’s voice is
on my computer and in my car to
help me learn my portion. Though
my Torah portion is only three and
a half lines, I find myself practicing
every day. My grandchildren are
finding this all very amusing. But I
know they are so proud of me.
Whether I am traveling to
Israel for UJA-Federation, helping
Jewish communities in need in
south Brooklyn or Westchester, or
sitting in a classroom on the 5th or
9th floor of the Community House
at Central Synagogue, I know
I will never stop learning. My
gratitude will always be to Rabbi
Peter Rubinstein, our very dear
friend, who enriches the lives of the
Yerman family in too many ways
to mention, and to that wonderful
Grandpa of mine, who indeed gave
his only granddaughter a very
Jewish soul. n
Ann Yerman and her family have been members of
Central Synagogue for many years.
Past and Present continued from page 11
at Central Synagogue means.
The change in services
has been astonishing. It’s hard for
me to believe we have evolved so
much over the years since I was a
child: the incorporation of traditional practice, the increased use
of Hebrew, and the inclusion of
contemporary music in our services.
Along with ritualistic changes have
come changes in custom. Wearing
yarmulkes and tallit, frowned upon
in the old days, now have become
accepted practice. Carrying the
Torah scroll through the sanctuary,
a much-desired honor now, would
have been unheard of in those days.
Turning to greet the Sabbath bride is
another new tradition not included
in former days. The cantor was accompanied solely by organ music,
not the inspiring instrumental
ensemble at Shabbat services today
and the choir never sang in the front
but was “hidden” from the congregation in the choir loft. Congregational singing was generally limited
to the closing hymn.
I don’t know, or can’t
remember, how baby namings were
conducted at Central when I was
born. Our children, both born in the
60s, were not expected to be present at their namings. It was an adult
celebration. By the time our grandson Joshua was named in 2005, we
watched with joy as Rabbi Rubinstein lifted him in the air in front of
the ark and blessed him. We all felt
blessed.
In the old days, at the
conclusion of Shabbat service, the
rabbis would give their priestly
blessings and walk down the center
Continued on page 15
14
ESSAY
Memorable Journeys
Marla Schaefer
There’s a poem that begins: “If once you
have slept on an island, you’ll never be quite
the same…” I could easily change that—
“If once you have traveled with Peter, you’ll
never be quite the same.”
A
nd that is absolutely true
since you will be spending
anywhere from five days to
a week with one of the best
and brightest any clergy has to offer.
It’s like having the Great Courses
take you somewhere real and
physical, not just in your mind. But
before I build the pedestal too high,
let me tell you—he sings terribly
off-key.
When Central Synagogue
offered a trip to Cuba in December
of 2011, I was intrigued. Having
grown up in South Florida and
watched the influx of Cubans to
our country when Castro came to
power, Cuba had always held a
fascination for me and this was the
perfect opportunity for a visit. As
a U.S. citizen, you can’t enter Cuba
without either a cultural or religious
visa. Of course, we traveled on the
religious visa—as “Jewish missionaries.” But once we were inside the
country, our rabbi arranged for us
to see and hopefully understand
today’s Cuba not only as it relates
to our world as Jews but also as it
relates to the secular world. Cuba
may look like a mid-century Communist country but the arts, music,
food, cigars, and architecture tell
a different story. Even a trip to
the USINT, the so-called US Interest Section (shh… it isn’t called a
consulate but it sure acts like one,
giving 20,000 visas a year to Cubans
visiting the U.S.) demonstrates that
it’s about tourism; but it’s also a
learning experience that helps us
better understand our neighbors 90
short miles away.
A rabbi is a teacher, and
most rabbis teach in their own shul;
but for Peter, the world is his shul.
I returned from Cuba excited about the possibilities for the
country once the yoke of Communism were removed. But where did
this excitement come from? We ate
at state-run restaurants and in private homes, we visited with artists,
heard music, we met fellow Jews
in the Conservative and Orthodox
synagogues on the island. There we
prayed with our island brethren.
We visited the Holocaust memorial
in the Jewish cemetery and said Kaddish. (A Jewish cemetery in Cuba?
Who knew?) Through it all, we
were led step-by-step by Peter with
his off-key singing voice. (“You
Are My Sunshine” will never be the
same.)
... for Peter, the world
is his shul.
In the fall of 2013, one of
Peter’s last trips as Senior Rabbi was
offered, this time to Eastern Europe.
I wouldn’t have missed it for the
world. My experience with Peter in
Cuba was the appetizer; this was going to be the meal! I looked forward
to learning, seeing, and being with
my fellow congregants in places that
had been to that point only names on
a map that I would probably never
visit.
This trip had a profound
impact. The visit to Cuba had been
a happy and carefree experience—
Eastern Europe was deep and immense, a look back to a terrible time
in our history as a people. Yet, we
laughed and learned, we ate great
food, visited great museums, and
got to know each other a little better. But on another, more deeply felt
level, we bonded over our Judaism.
The horrors of our people’s genocide
were brought home to us in a way
that hearing, reading, or seeing movies about it never could.
And through it all, Peter led
15
Past and Present continued from page 13
We laughed and learned,
we ate great food, visited
great museums, and got
to know each other a little
better. But on another,
more deeply felt level, we
bonded over our Judaism.
us with his unmistakable warmth
and compassion. He allowed us to
feel, breathe, understand, and immerse ourselves in the experience
without letting us wallow. He gave
us the space to contemplate, to pray,
even to cry. And then he led us back
to the present. But unlike a tour
guide who leads your trip and then
leaves you with a sense of place
and time soon forgotten as you go
about your daily lives, Peter gave
us a space in our hearts to open up
to all those who went before us. He
created a small compartment in our
psyche to understand and to carry
with us those who lost their lives
in the worst atrocity ever visited by
man upon man.
To travel with our rabbi is a
privilege and an honor. It’s an opportunity to step outside your comfort zone, to experience a different
life—not just to “visit” a different
life, but to truly experience it and
then come back to all that is familiar
and find you’ve opened a new room
in your heart, a new perspective in
your mind to which you can return
any time and smile, as you hear
the off-key chords of “You Are My
Sunshine.”
n
Marla Schaefer and her husband Steven Weishoff
are longtime members of Central Synagogue;
they enjoy traveling, especially with other members of the congregation. They have two daughters
currently in college.
aisle followed by the congregation.
They greeted us at the door as we
left for home. No oneg, no chance
to mingle and connect! There was
no open seating for members during High Holy Days services when
I was growing up. All seats were
assigned and everybody was seated
together in the Sanctuary. Now,
Central Synagogue is in the enviable
position of needing to serve more
than a full house!
Sunday School classrooms
were in the Community House that
at the time was located on 62nd
Street. The curriculum emphasized,
as I remember, holidays and Bible
stories. Hebrew was not taught,
though we each learned one letter.
In my case, it was a lamed. Bar and
bat mitzvahs were not held.
I am now privileged to be
a docent, giving tours of Central
not only to out-of-town visitors and
interested New Yorkers but also to
congregational members who want
to familiarize themselves with the
beginnings and evolution of our
congregation, our fabulous building,
and exceptional historic sanctuary.
Visitors are always greatly impressed by Central’s beauty. I have
always found, and increasingly
experience, the prayerfulness and
peace that Central contributes to my
life. I am so thankful that my family
has participated in its changes and
benefited from its place in our lives
over the years.
Throughout the changes,
with its remarkable clergy within
its extraordinary walls, Central
Synagogue has remained central to
our personal lives as a family and
maintained its position as a significant force in Jewish life in New York
and Reform Judaism.
n
Jane Marx Moss and her family have been members
of Central Synagogue since 1937. She is active as
a docent and is part of shamashim. She is a real
estate appraiser in Westchester.
16
ESSAY
Inspired Voices: Confirmation Students
Confirmation class attracts teens who want to further their exploration
of Judaism and what it means to be a Jew in today’s world. Very bright
and highly dedicated, they search for answers to seemingly unanswerable
questions. They need inspiring teachers, willing to engage their questions
and challenge their preconceptions. Rabbi Peter Rubinstein has captured
their full attention and has ushered them on this journey—a process
which he would tell you is of highest priority in his rabbinate.
M
y clearest memory of confirmation class was
when Rabbi Rubinstein stopped mid-sentence
and started laughing. He then looked up and
said, “You’re not going to like what I say next…
Don’t believe anything we’ve ever taught you.” And so
began my journey of rediscovering my Jewish identity.
Part of what Rabbi meant when he told us what
we were taught was wrong is that we should interpret
the Torah for ourselves, not just listen to what the teacher
says. We read select sections of Torah, starting with the
beginning of Genesis, and instead of Rabbi telling us
what it meant, he had the class analyze and discuss what
we thought the meaning was. Doing that, class after class,
helped me understand the Torah for myself and interpret
how it relates to me.
Alex Frank,
Confirmation Class 2013
And so began my journey of
rediscovering my Jewish identity.
I’ve been going to religious school at Central for years;
it’s always been fun and interesting, but there was something special about this year for me that has set it apart
from any Central Synagogue experience I’ve had. This
confirmation class just seemed to work perfectly; we were
at the right age and the right point in our lives to start
examining what we’d learned and what we would take
17
away from it. Together, led by Rabbi Rubinstein, we set
off on a journey to squeeze the meaning out of what we’d
been taught through the years at religious school, as well
as what we hadn’t been taught.
Benjamin Trachtenberg,
Confirmation Class 2013
We learn the Hebrew word hineini at a very young age.
It’s a shame there is no English equivalent but hineini
essentially describes a state of being where one is present
and ready for action, not just physically there. My choice
to be confirmed is an example of the desire to be hineini.
Hineini as an individual, hineini as a people, and hineini as
a faith. I accredit this inspiration to my family, but committing to a life of being Jewish, in practice and belief, is
a choice that now, through being confirmed, I can confidently say I made alone. And for providing me with
the resources to do so, I am forever thankful to Central
Synagogue and Rabbi Rubinstein.
Jacqueline Fedida,
Confirmation Class 2011
Before this year, Central Synagogue was just a building
where I would go for services or Hebrew School, but now
I know that it is a place to which I will always be able to
return and feel very comfortable. In addition to the sense
of community, my Confirmation has shown me that I
truly like being Jewish. When I was younger, I thought of
being Jewish as just a “thing” that I was. I never questioned why or how I became Jewish; it was just something I accepted. Now, I realize that Judaism is a central
part of my life. The issues that I discussed during my
confirmation class will continue to shape my personality and my views of the world. Confirmation has given
me a new appreciation for Judaism, and I feel extremely
fortunate to have engaged in the process!
Abby Gordon,
Confirmation Class 2011
Through the many discussions we have had in confirmation class, I have a much clearer sense of what it means
to have Jewish values and to live a Jewish life. Jews are
constantly learning and questioning, and striving to live a
purposeful life. We must help to repair the world through
tzedakah and tikkun olam. To be Jewish is to be connected
I want my children someday to have the
same feelings of connectedness that I do.
to so many others who share these values, and to feel
a kinship with them even though you might not know
them personally. I want my children someday to have
the same feelings of connectedness that I do. This year
of confirmation has given me the chance to understand
much more of what being Jewish means to me. I am
proud to be a Jew and I am committed to making sure
that my children have the same experience.
Alison Tilson,
Confirmation Class 2012
I am Jewish because my
ancestors were Jewish. But
what does it mean to be
Jewish? Over the past year,
I believe I have discovered
my personal definition of
what it means to be Jewish.
Having said that, the great
thing about Judaism is that
I know that my definition
today may be completely
different in the future, and
that’s okay. That is what I
love about Judaism. There
is not rigidity in practice,
especially in the Reform
movement. Your ritual
observance is not necessarily linked to “how Jewish
you are.” You are not told
to be someone you are
not. There is not a single
mold for a “good” Jew
but instead a general code
of ethics that every Jew
should live by.
Oliver Edelson,
Confirmation Class 2012
18
PROFILE
Strategic Planner Extraordinaire:
Rabbi Peter J. Rubinstein
Rabbi Rubinstein’s remarkable journey as Central Synagogue’s
Senior Rabbi has been marked by a series of strategic plans that have
reflected both Central Synagogue’s internal concerns and needs, as
well as the changing nature of the world beyond our community.
W
ith his visionary
leadership, thoughtful
and forward-thinking
guidance, Rabbi
Rubinstein has led our lay leaders
and staff to explore what it means
to be a contemporary congregation,
and what its dreams for the future
could be. As we look back at three
significant strategic processes, the
key strands of Rabbi Rubinstein’s
vision for Central Synagogue
emerge—excellence in everything
that is done, member engagement,
relationship-based congregational
life, creative worship, educational
opportunities for all ages, and a
strong lay leadership. His goal
was to not only serve members of
Central Synagogue but also the
larger Jewish community of New
York City and the world.
From the very beginning of
his tenure, Rabbi Rubinstein started
to plan. In 1992, the congregation
had 1,200 members and a budget
of $3.6 million. In his report from
his congregational meetings in
members’ homes, he noted that
congregants wanted to be part
of smaller groups centered on
specific areas of shared interests,
and they also wanted to have
“attainable, meaningful links to
the congregation” as a whole.
Rabbi Rubinstein emphasized the
importance of creating easy access
for members to be warmly engaged.
The 1992/93 Strategic
Plan was an effort to respond
to members’ concerns and
expectations. As Barbara Friedman,
the strategic plan’s chair,
explained, its goal was “to see
Central Synagogue move into
the 21st century as a dynamic,
unique congregation responding
to the needs of our community
and fulfilling our dreams of what
Central Synagogue could be.”
The final report, “Central
Synagogue 2000: A Strategic
Plan,” was approved in the fall
of 1993. Seven major strategies
were developed for strengthening
Central Synagogue and positioning
the congregation for expansion
into the next century. The primary
goal was “to keep Judaism and the
Jewish people alive.” This would
be implemented by providing
opportunities for growth of the
congregation’s Jewish knowledge
19
Livia D. Thompson, FTA
and activities, by increasing the
size of the membership and the
level of member participation
in congregational activities—
all with the aim of building a
stronger sense of community.
Each strategy included a series of
recommendations that required
active collaboration with the Board,
clergy, staff, and congregation.
The Board’s dreams for the
year 2000 supported the ambitious
dreams of their new Senior Rabbi.
By 2001, Peter Rubinstein had
transformed the congregation
with his creative and passionate
leadership. Three years of
rebuilding the Sanctuary, following
a devastating fire in August 1998,
only increased the speed of change
from a building-identified to a
community-focused congregation.
Many of the dreams and wishes for
a vibrant future articulated in 1993
had been achieved. By the year 2000,
Central Synagogue’s membership
had grown considerably, to 1,455
households, and the budget had
increased to $4.5 million; additional
staff with specific talents and
expertise had been hired, and many
more members had leadership roles
and others were actively exploring
what it meant to be Jewish. Because
of our increase in size, innovative
quality programs, lively services,
and Rabbi Rubinstein’s national
presence, Central had indeed
become a shining light in New York
City’s religious and civic life and
throughout the world of Reform
Judaism.
As Central Synagogue
finished rebuilding its Sanctuary,
Rabbi Rubinstein, for whom good
is never good enough, noted that
the seeds of failure are sown during
Central had indeed become
a shining light in New York
City’s religious and civic life
and throughout the world
of Reform Judaism.
times of success, and that it was
important to continue to challenge
assumptions about core values
and institutional purposes. So,
in 2002, the next strategic process
began. The “Report of the Strategic
Planning Committee” stated, ”our
congregation must be as dynamic
as the evolving constituency of
our growing membership, and our
worship practices, learning needs
and communal commitments
must evolve and change. … [We
need to] dream about what could
be and not merely modify what
presently exists.” Ultimately, as
an organizing principal, the plan
adopted the traditional role of the
Synagogue as a beit midrash (center
for learning and study), beit t’filah
(center for divine service), and beit
k’neset (center for community). All
activities in the synagogue would
be aligned with one of these three
centers and advisory boards of lay
leaaders, clergy, and professionals
would meet periodically to measure
the success of these programs
and to plan creatively for future
programming.
This strategic plan also
changed the governance structure,
encouraged formation of shortterm task forces over ongoing
committees, and encouraged the
Board to consider limiting the size
of the membership.
Over time, Central
Synagogue’s three centers morphed
into a more holistic approach
toward member engagement.
Friday night Shabbat services went
from drawing barely one hundred
members in the early 1990s to
more than five hundred members
regularly singing and worshiping
together. New prayer books for
High Holy Day services were
created. Central Synagogue’s
religious school, staffed with a
number of full-time young teachers
using experimental learning models,
grew from 300 to 700 students;
there were also opportunities
for families to learn together as
well as separately. Membership
connections moved away from only
committee involvement to a strong
lay leadership in governance, the
use of task forces to address specific
issues; a multitude of classes,
programs, trips, and community
events also created new ways to
engage our members.
In 2011, Central began
developing yet another plan for
the future that focused on strategic
thinking. In order to meet the needs
of its members, the synagogue
leadership had decided in April
2008 to restrict its membership
growth and to try to stay at roughly
2,000 households (approximately
6,000 individuals). For the past
five years, this has allowed the
leadership, clergy, staff, and
members to continue to explore
ways to be the best congregation
we could be. And, as one of
Rabbi Rubinstein’s last strategic
partnerships, the Board has just
decided to raise the membership
cap to 2,300 households because
the leadership believes that we are
ready to absorb these additional
continued on page 21
20
ESSAY
The Story of Jethro Shabbat
Jethro, the very wise father-in-law of the biblical Moses, saw a way
to ease the burden on Moses by establishing a judiciary of honest
and wise judges, advising in Exodus 18: “You shall also seek out from
among all the people capable men who fear God, trustworthy men
who spurn ill-gotten gain.
S
et these over them as chiefs
… and 22 let them judge the
people at all times....” This
could be the first effort at
judicial administration in recorded
history.
Several thousand years
later, my very wise father-in-law,
Bernie Silverman, read this Torah
portion and thought that it would
provide an opportunity to honor
the legal profession at Central
Synagogue every year at the time
when this portion is read. So in
1990, Bernie (who was not a lawyer
but a father and father-in-law of
lawyers) and a group of lawyers,
judges, and friends launched
Central Synagogue’s first Jethro
Shabbat program, honoring judges
and lawyers in conjunction with
the annual Jethro Torah portion.
Because one part of the initial
plan was to establish another
form of community engagement
and create a forum within the
synagogue where lawyers and
legal professionals could bond and
cement relationships with each
other and with Central Synagogue,
the initial group was large and
included Bernie Silverman,
Naomi Gale Silverman, Hon.
Phylis Bamberger, Hon. Norman
Goodman, Michael Weinberger,
Murray Beckerman, Grace
Bernstein, Samuel Brodsky, George
Felleman, Peter Jakes, Martin Klein,
Burton Lehman, Theodore Lynn,
Victor Muskin, Bettina Plevin, Leroy
Rodman, David Schwartz, and
Marilyn Walter.
Naomi was responsible for
juggling the administrative details
of the programming, including
meals. And meals played an
important role in the bonding
experience. Many within the group
developed lifelong friendships and
working relationships.
Over the years, the
format of Central’s Jethro Shabbat
program has changed. The
Moses' Farewell from Jethro, Jan Victors, 1635
original Jethro speaker addressed
a crowded luncheon following the
Shabbat morning service. Now, of
course, the speaker addresses the
congregation following the Friday
night service, delivering a talk that
is akin to a second d’var Torah. But
the core principle remains that, in
conjunction with the reading of
the Jethro Torah portion, Central
Synagogue features a prominent
judge or celebrates some aspect of
the U.S. judiciary or legal system.
Over the years many distinguished
judges of the federal and state
courts, elected officials and lawyers
were honored at Jethro programs
and gave memorable talks to our
21
Betty B. Robbins
congregation, including Justice
Harry Blackmun of the Supreme
Court, New York’s Chief Judges
Judith Kaye and Jonathan Lippman,
and Governor Mario Cuomo.
If you knew my fatherin-law, you would appreciate that
the early Jethro Shabbat programs
focused equally on the prominent
speaker and on the whitefish salad
served for lunch. Now Jethro
Shabbat has become one of Central
Synagogue’s important programs.
This past January, more than 530
congregants were in attendance.
From Bernie’s standpoint, a
large turnout was just one of the
objectives. In his mind, the program
was a complete success only when
Central attracted people eager to
hear prominent lawyers and judges,
when members of the committee
bonded with each other, and when
my husband and I (both lawyers)
were there with our then-young
children. Because of this, we are
blessed to have photos of our
children with their grandfather
and some of the distinguished
judges who were honored at Jethro
Shabbat.
Central offers a spiritual
and intellectual center for
worship.
And we are blessed that our
children often participated in their
grandparents’ conversations about
the speakers, the topics, and of
course, the whitefish salad. It was
all part of the total experience. I
regret only that my mother-inlaw, Naomi, was in so few of the
photos—probably because she was
busy juggling the logistics of the
luncheon—and that my father-inlaw did not live to see his oldest
grandchild grow up to become a
lawyer.
The Jethro Shabbat
programming also played a
significant role in our connection
to Central Synagogue. While my
husband, Moses Silverman, and I
joined Central Synagogue when
we were first married, we attended
another synagogue that was more
physically convenient to our home
when our children were young.
But we always regularly attended
Jethro Shabbat at Central and stayed
connected with the congregation.
When our children were grown
and out on their own, we re-joined
Central Synagogue approximately
eight years ago after I had taken
a wonderful two-year adult
education program at Central. My
husband and I found that Central
offered a spiritual and intellectual
center for worship and for religious
studies and community. And we
have always appreciated that the
continuation of the Jethro Shabbat
programming provided a multigenerational connection between
our family and the synagogue.
We are proud that Jethro
Shabbat remains a core part of
Central Synagogue’s programming.
And we are, as well, proud that the
program has been so successful that
it has been emulated by at least one
other Reform synagogue. Sherith
Israel in San Francisco has created
a similar program honoring judges
and lawyers and has named its
Jethro Shabbat program in memory
of Bernie. n
Betty B. Robbins is a retired real estate lawyer
now serving as Special Counsel to AJC.
Strategic Planner continued from page 19
members into our community.
What is that community?
In the last few years, a more
informal strategic plan emerged,
identifying core competencies and
key goals for our congregation. The
synagogue leadership understands
that the community must continue
to enhance and strengthen the
fundamental aspects of synagogue
life: liturgy, early childhood and
religious school education, and
pastoral care and life-cycle events.
At the same time, they recognize
that the congregation can and
should do more to enhance core
work relating to teens, young
professionals, and older adults.
And finally, that Central Synagogue
must continue to go beyond its
membership, reaching underserved
and unaffiliated Jews, as well as
non-Jews who are eager to learn
about Judaism. The 2013 vision
statement establishes Central
Synagogue’s goals: transforming
the way people experience Jewish
life, cultivating ongoing exploration,
and pursuing a powerful vision for
the role of Judaism in the world.
As Rabbi Rubinstein first
charged the leadership and the
membership in the early 1990s
and as he continued to remind
the congregation throughout the
strategic planning processes and
the present articulation of what
Central Synagogue stands for, the
lay and professional leadership
need to help our members and the
broader Jewish community to live
Jewish lives. They are charged with
fostering understanding of the “depth
continued on page 23
22
FILM
Famous Rabbis of Filmdom
One of Rabbi
Rubinstein’s many
passions is his
interest in movies
and those who
create them.
D
uring his leadership, the
synagogue has screened
a number of feature films
from Hollywood, Israel and elsewhere. Screenwriter
and playwright Tony Kushner
(“Lincoln,”“Munich,”“Angels In
America”) received the Shofar
Award in 2010 in our Sanctuary.
As a tribute to our real life Senior
Rabbi, here is a review how several
rabbis, both fictional and actual,
have been portrayed on the silver
screen.
It is a long-standing canard
that, in addition to owning all the
banks and controlling the news
media, we Jews run Hollywood.
Although many of the early studio
pioneers were indeed Jewish, most
were careful to avoid Jewish subject
matter in the mainstream films they
created, scrupulously avoiding even
a hint of “Yiddishkeit.”
Neal Gabler’s excellent history of the medium’s early days, An
Empire of Their Own: How the Jews Invented Hollywood, details the creation
of the cinematic American dream
and the skittishness of Eastern
European immigrants who sought
to put as much distance as possible between themselves and their
shtetl origins. Even the acclaimed
“Gentleman’s Agreement”, the
first major studio release to tackle
domestic anti-Semitism, featured a
gentile newspaper reporter played
by Gregory Peck who poses as a Jew
to expose bigotry and animosity in
post-World War II America.
And yet, as the 20th Century progressed and the trend toward
assimilation gradually gave way
to emerging ethnic and religious
pride, things changed dramatically
in Hollywood’s executive suites and
middle America’s movie palaces.
Increasingly, Jews not only enjoyed
a rewarding presence behind the
camera, but we also found a receptive audience among the ticket-buying public when our stories were
23
Steve Klausner
openly depicted in cinema.
The first on-screen rabbi of
note appeared across the Atlantic in
the 1920 German production “Der
Golem.” A non-Jewish German
actor, Albert Steinrück, portrayed
Rabbi Judah Loew, the historical
figure who uses Kabbalistic magic
to create a servant from a lump of
clay. By 1927, as the movies learned
to talk, “The Jazz Singer” featured
another gentile, Warner Oland, as
the cantor father of Jakie Rabinowitz (Al Jolson), who is heartbroken
when his son rejects the shul for the
stage. Ironically, Oland, a native of
Bjurholm, Sweden, also went on
to portray a Russian Jewish immigrant, Mosher Turkeltaub in 1928’s
“Wheel of Chance,” before going
on to greater fame with stereotypical portrayal of Detective Charlie
Chan..
Cecil B. DeMille’s 1956
production of “The Ten Commandments” featured a decidedly nonJewish Charleton Heston as the first
Jew to literally lay down the law.
While Heston’s character predates
rabbinical Judaism by a thousand
years or so, many Americans of
all faiths still believe that it was
Heston, not Moses, who parted the
Red Sea.
With the dawn of the 1960s,
the screen exploded with a profusion of proudly Jewish characters
and clergy, both comic and serious.
Happily, at least some of them,
were portrayed by actors whose
familiarity with synagogue life was
not limited to a movie set. Gone
were the make-believe Jews of
earlier days, replaced by the likes
of Woody Allen, Gene Wilder, Mel
Brooks and Alan King.
As more barriers fell, two
of filmdom’s most iconic women
donned kipot and talitot for the
silver screen. Barbra Streisand’s
characterization of “Yentl” enthralled film fans everywhere, with
the notable exception of Isaac Bashevis Singer, author of the original
short story. “I must say that Miss
Tovah Feldshuh, who played Yentl
on Broadway, was much better,” he
sniffed. One of the most memorable
onscreen rabbis of this century
was the character simply known
as ‘The Rabbi’ in Tony Kushner’s
“Angels In America.” The actor?
Meryl Streep.
n
Steve Klausner is an advertising copywriter,
an award-wining screenwriter, and a longtime
member of Central Synagogue.
Strategic Planner continued from page 21
and breadth of Jewish engagement—
including commitments to study
(torah), worship (avodah) and social
justice (tikkun olam)—strengthens
us and makes for a deeper, richer
Jewish life.”
Simply put: Judaism
matters. Central matters. These
few words have shaped Rabbi
Rubinstein’s vision for our
community over the last 23 years,
and each formal statement of our
plan of action continued to show
us how to help our congregation
understand the power of Judaism,
and the role Central Synagogue
could play in making their lives
richer and more meaningful.
n
Livia Thompson is senior director of
Central Synagogue
123 E A S T 55TH S TR E E T, N E W YO RK , NY 10022-3502
NON-PROFIT
ORGANIZATION
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
New York, N.Y.
Permit No. 8456
LEADERSHIP
President
David B. Edelson
Vice Presidents
Peter Jakes
Carol Ostrow
Abby Pogrebin
Beth Rustin
Treasurer
Michael Gould
Secretary
Jeremy Fielding
Board of Trustees
Seth Berger
Barbara Brill
Ellen Cogut
Lynn Finkel
Michael Gamzon
Jeffrey Goldstein
Marni Gutkin
Jay Mandelbaum
Richard Markowitz
Shelly Mitchell
Claudia Morse
Valerie Peltier
Frederic Poses
Mindy Schneider
Wendy Siegel
Moses Silverman
Joe Sofer
Emily Steinman
Kent Swig
Erica Tishman
Marc Weingarten
Jeffrey Wilks
Jonathan Youngwood
Honorary Trustees
Lester Breidenbach
Dr. J. Lester Gabrilove
Honorary Presidents
Kenneth H. Heitner
Martin I. Klein
Howard F. Sharfstein
Michael J. Weinberger
Alfred D. Youngwood
Clergy
Rabbi Peter J. Rubinstein
Rabbi Angela W. Buchdahl
Rabbi Michael S. Friedman
Rabbi Maurice A. Salth
Cantor Julia R.C. Katz
Rabbi Ari S. Lorge
Cantor Emeritus
Richard Botton
Senior Staff
Senior Director
Livia D. Thompson, FTA
Director of Development
Daniel A. Nadelmann
Director of Learning & Engagement
Rabbi David Kalb
a time to celebrate our
Sunday, May 4
Celebratory
Rabbi Peter Rubinstein Leader Mentor Visionary Teacher Friend Innovator
Cocktails
Peter Rubinstein Leader Mentor Visionary Teacher Friend Innovator Rabbi
Rubinstein Leader Mentor Visionary Teacher Friend Mensch Rabbi Peter at Chelsea Piers
leader
Leader Mentor Visionary Teacher Friend Innovator Rabbi Peter Rubinstein
Mentor Visionary Teacher Friend Mensch Mentor Visionary Teacher Friend
Friday, May 16
Visionary Teacher Friend Innovator Mentor Visionary Teacher Friend Innov
Teacher Friend Innovator Rabbi Peter Rubinstein Leader Mentor Visionary
Festive Shabbat
Friend Mensch Rabbi Peter Rubinstein Leader Mentor Visionary Teacher
in our Sanctuary
Rabbi Peter Rubinstein Leader Mentor Visionary Teacher Friend Innovator
Peter Rubinstein Leader Mentor Visionary Teacher Friend Innovator Rabbi
Rubinstein Leader Mentor Visionary Teacher Friend Mensch Rabbi Peter
Friday, June 13
Leader Mentor Visionary Teacher Friend Innovator Rabbi Peter Rubinstein
Mentor Visionary Teacher Friend Mensch Mentor Visionary Teacher Friend
The Rabbi’s
Visionary Teacher Friend Innovator Mentor Visionary Teacher Friend Innov
Farewell Shabbat
Teacher Friend Innovator Rabbi Peter Rubinstein Leader Mentor Visionary
Friend Mensch Rabbi Peter Rubinstein Leader Mentor Visionary Teacher
rabbi
mentor
visionary
friend
teacher
H AS H IUR A Journal of Ideas
is published twice a year by Central Synagogue
123 East 55th Street, New York, NY 10022-3502
Editorial Committee:
Rabbi Maurice A. Salth, Amala and Eric Levine,
Steve Klausner, Danielle Freni, Rudi Wolff
Editor: Amala Levine
Designer and Picture Editor: Rudi Wolff
Production Editor: Danielle Freni
PICTURE CREDITS
Cover and p.2 Photographs from Central Synagogue
Photo Archives
p. 3 Photograph R. Wolff
p. 4 Wailing Wall, photographer unknown,
licensed under “Creative Commons”.
p. 9 Central Synagogue Photo Archives
p. 10-12 Details; Peter Aaron/OTTO and Central Synagogue
Photo Archives
p. 14-15 Entrance Cong. Chevet Achim, Cuba, built 1914,
Oldest Synagogue in Cuba and is no longer in use.
Luzy Santa Clara, Habana Vieja, La Habana, Cuba 10100
photographer unknown
p. 16-19 Details; Peter Aaron/OTTO and Central Synagogue
Photo Archives
p. 20 Moses’ Farewell from Jethro, c. 1635 Jan Victors,
Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest.
p. 22-23 The Golem, Courtesy, Friedrich-Wilhelm Murnau
Foundation, Wiesbaden, Germany
p. 22 Courtesy: Warner Pictures
p. 23 No photo credit information available
‘
Letters to the Editor please email
editorhashiur@censyn.org
No material may be used without prior written
permission from Central Synagogue.