SHABBAT SHALOM, GESHER SHALOM! |
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October 30, 2020
Candle Lighting 5:36pm
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Nice, France & the Paris Suburbs
Frightening and Barbaric Acts
A Clash of Cultures and Civilizations Extremism vs Secularism
Modernism vs Medievalism
HOW WILL THIS EVER END?
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Tomorrow Night:
Change your Clocks
(Fall back 1 hour)
AND
Beginning on Sunday morning at 9:00am
(November 1)
You will only need only two Zoom links:
one for all of our prayer services, and one for all of our programming/classes.
New Zoom Rooms effective Sunday morning, November 1 (timed to coincide with our return to Standard Time)
Fort Lee Virtual Shul Prayer Services
Participant ID/Passcode: 585121
Dial in: 929 205 6099 Meeting ID: 894 4624 7890#
Fort Lee Virtual Shul Classes/Programming
Participant ID/Passcode: 144384
Dial in: 929 205 6099 Meeting ID: 822 9648 6657
PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE A SOLID PLAN FOR VOTING BY NEXT TUESDAY
Mi SheBayrach
We make special prayers for those who are ill at every Shabbat Morning service and during our Monday & Thursday Minyanim. Since the onset of the pandemic, we have been adding a special Mi SheBayrach for those who have contracted the coronavirus.
You can add a name (traditionally: Hebrew/Yiddish name and mother’s Hebrew/Yiddish name, but we’ll take English names and the names of those who are not Members of our Tribe) by calling or emailing me.
Or better yet: why not join us for the 9:00am weekday morning minyan, and read the Psalm (in English) just before we include the name of your family member, friend or acquaintance in the Mi SheBayrach
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Torah Reading
LEKH L’KHA
At the close of last week’s sidra, Abram was introduced to us briefly as the son of Terach, a man who has journeyed from his home in Ur to Haran. This week God commands Abram to begin a journey of his own from Mesopotamia to Canaan, where his descendants will become a nation in their own right. He embarks on this mission without hesitation, taking along his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot and other members of his household. Upon his arrival in Shechem, God promises the Land of Canaan to Abram’s progeny.
A severe famine compels Abram and Sarai to travel to Egypt, where, at Abram’s suggestion, Sarai is identified as Abram’s sister and taken into Pharaoh’s house. Pharaoh and his court are stricken by a mysterious illness, the truth about Abram and Sarai is revealed, and the couple is sent away.
Five kings of small, southern Canaanite cities revolt against the King of Elam. Abram comes to the aid of these kings because his nephew Lot has settled among them and has been taken hostage. Abram and the men of his household rout the King of Elam and his allies, earning a blessing from Melchizedek, King and Priest of Shalem (Jerusalem).
In a vision, God promises Abram an heir and foretells of the bondage in Egypt and the Exodus. Still childless, Sarai gives Abram her handmaid, Hagar, who bears him a son, Ishmael. A subsequent vision confirms that Abram and Sarai will have a child of their own, that their names will now be Abraham and Sarah, and that all males in their community must be circumcised as a token of this covenant on the eighth day of their lives. Abraham, Ishmael and all the other males of the household undergo circumcision.
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ALL our Synagogue Prayer Services and Programs are conducted over ZOOM
You can participate in one of two ways
- Dialing in - or -
- Using internet access and a smartphone, tablet or computer
Do You Need to Obtain a Siddur? Please call or email me for details. kas
Do you need a CROSS-REFERENCE GUIDE to pages in the old Sim Shalom (Blue cover) for Shabbat and Holidays (when we are using Lev Shalem)?...
Or
to the Weekday Services in Lev Shalem (when we are using the burgundy weekday Sim Shalom)?
Call me or email me for the GUIDE
Our Shabbat Services
(using the old Zoom logins for the last time)
Dial in by phone: 929-205-6099 Meeting ID: 869 8266 6380
Dial in by phone: 929 205 6099 Meeting ID: 874 8132 0020
Dial in by phone: 929 205 6099 Meeting ID: 729-396-135
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This Week's Yahrzeit Observances
We hope that our weekly listing of yahrzeit observances will serve 2 purposes:
1) To remind those who have the yahrzeit for a second time, much closer to the date of the actual observance
2) To alert friends and acquaintances that someone they know is observing a yahrzeit. We hope that you will show them your support by joining them at our (virtual) minyanim, and helping to assure that Kaddish can be recited with a minyan
- Mrs. Faye Salmon will be observing yahrzeit for her husband, Tom Salmon on Friday evening, October 30th
- Mrs. Helene Polinsky will be observing yahrzeit for her mother, Eva Newman on Friday evening, October 30th
- Mrs. Martha Shemin will be observing yahrzeit for her husband, Orin Shemin on Saturday evening, October 31st
- Ms. Evelyn Baer will be observing yahrzeit for her grandfather, Julius Aufseeser on Sunday evening, November 1st
- Ms. Myrna Block will be observing yahrzeit for her aunt, Clara Barback on Tuesday evening, November 3rd
- Mrs. Kathy Grazian will be observing yahrzeit for her father, Alfred Blank on Tuesday evening, November 3rd
- Mrs. Ann Oster will be observing yahrzeit for her brother, Harry Weisleder on Wednesday evening, November 4th
- Ms. Carolyn Tauber will be observing yahrzeit for her great uncle, Aron Schipper on Wednesday evening, November 4th
Birthdays & Anniversaries
Henry Glazer
Hyla Epstein
Ruth Lowenstein
Ann Oster
Abraham Yacobi
Lior Elrom
Debbie & Charles Shatz
Rachel & Neil Taylor
Marlin & Erwin Dickman
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OUR WEEKDAY MINYANIM
(using the new Zoom logins)
Sunday - Friday Mornings at 9:00 am
(using the new Zoom logins)
Sunday - Thursday Evenings at 7:00 pm
Special Request: if you purchased or downloaded Siddur Lev Shalem (Shabbat and Holidays) and/or Siddur Sim Shalom (Weekdays), please let Rabbi Stern know. (Please call him or email him).
Our Weekly Programming
GPS ON HIATUS
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LINDA RICHMAN is looking for VOLUNTEERS to share their passion or expertise with the COFFEE TALK crowd….
Your profession
Your avocation
Your hobby
Your expertise
Your life experiences
Your travels
Please be in touch with the Rabbi to volunteer or to make suggestions for programming…
Coffee Talk—November 4 (using the new Zoom Login/Dial-In)
Post-Election Agony or Ecstasy
This may be the most hotly contested election in US history—certainly in our lifetimes. The results may not be conclusive the day after, but we have to try to come together as a country—and as a community. Let’s see if we can’t talk calmly and with some understanding for each other’s viewpoints now that the ballots have been cast.
Coffee Talk—November 11 (using the new Zoom Login/Dial-In)
A Visit to the YIVO Archives…
to examine more treasures from their vast collection with Director of the YIVO Archives, Dr. Stefanie Halpern. (Those of us who went “On the Road” met Dr. Halpern in person last February)
Here is a foretaste of just one aspect of YIVO’s vast and diverse treasures:
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Coffee Talk—November 18 (using the new Zoom Login/Dial-In)
TBA
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Please note special day/date:
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 24 at Noon
RESERVATIONS REQUIRED
(please email me to secure your seat in the Knesset)
A Visit to the Knesset with Masorti Israel
The program, under the auspices of Masorti’s Jewish Pluralism Watch, will include a virtual tour of the Knesset and a conversation with Knesset Member, TELHILA FRIEDMAN,
who was featured in my Kol Nidre sermon
Reservations are required. Please email me to secure your seat in the Knesset. Click here for the Times of Israel article on Tehila Friedman's speech.
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Thursdays at 11am:
Re-Inventing the Bible
The Rabbis were both close readers of the text, sensitive to every nuance, and, it turns out, also great fiction writers and spinners of yarn. They weren’t just legal scholars!
Using Louis Ginzberg’s masterful narrative compiling these legends, The Legends of the Jews**, we will continue our exploration of these tales, known as Midrash Aggada.
Available for cheap on Amazon!
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Fridays at 11:30 am (using the new Zoom logins)
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Those of You Who Have Been Clamoring for Evening Programming: |
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OUR CONGREGATION HAS SIGNED ON AS A SPONSOR
PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO ENROLL IN EITHER (OR BOTH) CLASSES kas
Sponsor the ScholarStream Series
Following on the success of our direct-to-public programming for Tikkun Leil Shavuot and Selihot, and in a continuing effort to help our rabbis and congregations during these trying times, the RA, USCJ, JTS and Ziegler are excited to announce a joint initiative to offer high quality adult education opportunities to all those interested in participating. ScholarStream is a four part series which will give communities the opportunity to learn from some of the world’s leading scholars and engage deeply with our texts and traditions.
The first two series will be offered on the following dates and times, meeting for one hour each week.
Hidden Histories and Untold Stories
Tuesdays at 8 PM ET / 5 PM PT
Join JTS scholars as they uncover the hidden context around biblical figures and important eras in Jewish history.
- 11/10: Dr. David Fishman on how religious pre-Holocaust Eastern European Jewry actually was—or wasn’t
- 11/17: Dr. Alan Cooper on why we stopped caring about Moses’s descendants
- 12/1: Dr. Sarah Wolf on how foreign the beit midrash would feel to the early Rabbis
- 12/8: Dr. Amy Kalmanofsky on what the Bible really had against Jezebel
Equity, Forgiveness and Intersectionality
Wednesdays at 10 PM ET / 7 PM PT
Join Ziegler faculty as they explore issues related to race, gender equality, intersectionality, and building a democracy of the future. Download the full descriptions for each Ziegler session here.
- 11/11: Rabbi Cheryl Peretz will examine the centuries old Jewish march towards gender equality and justice
- 11/18: Rabbi Dr. Elliot Dorff will explore the concept of communal forgiveness
- 12/2: Rabbi Dr. Gail Labovitz on what Exodus has to teach us about intersectionality
- 12/9: Rabbi Dr. Aryeh Cohen on building a multiracial democracy
Congregations will be able to sign on as sponsors for either or both series, offering your congregants access to all eight sessions for free. Sponsorship pricing is $150 for congregations up to 399 members, and $250 for 400 members and over. Individuals can sign up at a cost of $25 for the series. We envision that some communities may choose to stay on following the formal session for a follow up discussion led by their rabbi.
Sponsorship deadline is November 2nd. All sponsoring congregations will receive a discount code to send to their congregants to sign up for free. Individuals must sign up for the sessions - registration will be available soon.
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Important/Interesting Reads
Sometimes the sadness in our lives seems to fall, coincidentally, in a short period of time. In my family, several yahrzeiten aggregate in May/June (the Hebrew month of Sivan). I know that the same is true for other members of our Shul.
And it seems that the same is also true for us as a people:
Rabin Assassination: 12 Cheshvan (Today!)
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Kristallnacht: 16 Cheshvan (Next Tuesday) |
Tree of Life Massacre: 18 Cheshvan (Next Thursday) |
No wonder it’s called MarCheshvan—Bitter Cheshvan… |
A Community-wide Observance of Kristallnacht
Join Us for the Presentation and Q&A:
A Twin Tale of Survival in the Holocaust
The True Story of Bernard and Henry Schanzer
Bernard and Henry Schanzer, identical twins who were born in Liège, Belgium, fled to France with their parents when the Germans invaded Belgium in May of 1940. Their father was deported to Auschwitz and their mother encountered many life-threatening situations. The Schanzer brothers will share their poignant story of how they and their family survived through the kindness of "righteous gentiles" in France who hid and protected them. Event Information
Monday, November 9, 2020/22 Heshvan 5781
Presentation and Q&A: 7:30-8:30 PM
Join Zoom Meeting:
Presented by the Morris & Ruth Kotek z"l Holocaust & Heritage Resource Center
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On November 9, March of the Living will mark the 82nd anniversary of Kristallnacht with a message of unity and hope through a unique international campaign
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Timed to coincide with Kristallnacht:
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For many years I worked with people in recovery, primarily those “working” 12-step programs for alcohol addiction. Those in the program had a deep understanding of what it took to finally conquer their disease: they needed to hit their “rock bottom.” And when others slipped back into drinking/using (which was not unusual), their friends supported them, even as they observed, “I guess s/he hasn’t hit rock bottom yet.”
I was reminded of that phrase as I read the Chris Christie WSJ Op-Ed/epiphany about wearing a mask, which I have re-printed below.
It also struck me that what Chris Christie is doing in this Op-Ed, and in becoming an advocate for mask-wearing, he’s doing is Teshuva/Repenting. The 12 Steps of/to Recovery are not all that different from the Jewish view on penitence. In brief: identify the problem, make amends, and vow never to go down that path again.
I Should Have Worn a Mask
It’s not a partisan or cultural symbol, not a sign of weakness or virtue.
Chris Christie - Wall Street Journal
For seven months I was very careful about mask wearing, social distancing and hand washing. As someone with asthma, I knew I faced heightened risk. Then, at the Rose Garden nomination event for Judge Amy Coney Barrett, and during debate preparations with President Trump, I let my guard down and left my mask off. I mistook the bubble of security around the president for a viral safe zone. I was wrong. There is no safe zone from this virus.
Three days after the presidential debate, I still felt fine. Then—all within 24 hours—came the fever, chills and body aches, severe pain and utter exhaustion, and hospitalization in the intensive-care unit. A week in the ICU offers time to reflect. I was fortunate to have good insurance, a fine hospital and the latest treatments. But I was also conscious of the virus’s unpredictability. My doctors came in twice a day, told me I was doing better, and warned me that I could take a turn for the worse at any minute. Everyone in the hospital with Covid hangs on a thin thread.
When you get this disease, it hits you how easy it is to prevent. We are asked to wear cloth over our mouth and nose, wash our hands and avoid crowds. These minor inconveniences can save your life, your neighbors and the economy. Seldom has so little been asked for so much benefit. Yet the message will be broadly heeded only if it is consistently and honestly delivered by the media, religious leaders, sports figures and public servants. Those in positions of authority have a duty to get the message out.
One of the worst aspects of America’s divided politics is the polarization of something as practical as a mask. It’s not a partisan or cultural symbol, not a sign of weakness or virtue. It’s simply a good method—not a perfect one, but a proven one—to contain a cough or prevent the virus from getting in your mouth or nose. Wear it or you may regret it—as I did.
This doesn’t settle the larger political and scientific debate on how fast to reopen businesses and institutions. I remain a supporter of both strong public-health measures and rapid reopening. If leaders level with the American people, we can trust in the outcome. When Americans are given proper and consistent information, they will overwhelmingly make good health choices, including the wearing of masks. But that doesn’t work if partisan media and public officials send mixed messages.
Those who deny the scientific realities of the pandemic undermine conditions that allow for rapid and complete reopening. They encourage behavior that invites personal tragedy and social regulation. People need encouragement to do the right thing, not excuses not to. A Covid Collaborative poll found that while 86% of Americans think mask-wearing in public places is effective, only half are wearing masks 90% of the time.
Even during a contentious election year, we must trust the American people with the truth. I do believe that we can use this public health tragedy to bring our country together. It is never too late to start. It will take leadership that both challenges and trusts the American people.
It is never comfortable to deliver real criticism that includes yourself. But it was a serious failure for me, as a public figure, to go mask less at the White House. I paid for it, and I hope Americans can learn from my experience. I am lucky to be alive. It could easily have been otherwise.
After the Likud and religious right try to box progressive center-left Jews out of influential positions, legacy organizations step in, delay vote, hammer out a compromise
What Happened Next was Incredible.
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BDS / Anti-Semitism / anti-Zionism
You may have underestimated or misjudged Sacha Baron Cohen…Yes, he is a provocateur. But what he provokes people to express is their true emotions and thought processes. Hopefully we can find our way back to marginalizing those haters and bigots again, so that they will want to crawl back into their holes and under their rocks, fearful of emerging. We will never be able to eliminate them entirely, but we can make them unwelcome in a decent, civilized society. You should all watch this video clip and take it to heart:
Albania Adopts International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s Definition of Anti-Semitism
Arguments over anti-Semitism associated with the former leader have consumed the party for years, but how did Jeremy Corbyn go from leading the Labour party to being suspended from it? The answer is anti-Semitism—and how willing Corbyn was to put up with it.
But Half of Americans Don’t Know What It Means
All social media platforms serve an important and complicated role in free speech, and indeed in democratic elections as well, but they are not the arbiters of truth.
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Iran / Syria / Hezbollah
The country’s government is AWOL, international donors are wary—but the country’s most reviled residents are making all the difference.
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The Gulf /Arab States
I don’t know how the Gulf States would feel about selling West Bank products, but it is pretty clear that the Golan will belong to Israel evermore—and besides, Syria is part of Iran’s evil axis:
Yarden, Gamla and Mount Hermon brands to be sold
Egypt offers platform—Tech, Location & Population Size--to deliver vaccine to hundreds of millions of people across Middle East and Africa
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Pop Culture
After banning the first Sacha Baron Cohen satire, the country has created tourism ads adopting its catchphrase
While the ramifications of a baseball game do not come remotely close to a presidential election, I am trying to take some advice from my former Cubs fan self, before I ever tasted that sweetness of a win.
How sugar became integral to the Jewish palate
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Shira Haas and Harvey Keitel Star in Israeli Film Based on Meir Shalev Novel
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Did you always want to learn to read and write in Hebrew? Thinking of making Aliyah? Looking for something to advance your resume?
Now is the time - Register today!
Classes begin next week
Join us for a Hebrew language experience from the comfort of your home.
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SAUL AND RUBY'S HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR BAND
Two Holocaust survivors in South Florida form a klezmer band.
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Over 155 conversations and 52,000 registrations – B’yachad Together: Spirited by American Jewish University – continues to deliver original content designed to captivate, ignite and advance ideas, spark thought-provoking dialogue and debate, and capture the insights of faculty and friends.
We are grateful that you are on this journey with us and look forward to seeing you online.
A LOOK AT WHAT'S TO COME
Take Your Soul to the Polling Place
MONDAY | NOVEMBER 2 | 12 PM PDT | NO COST | ONLINE
We may be experiencing one of the most contentious elections ever with each candidate head to head. With the stakes running high and fevers skyrocketing, join scholar Erica Brown, author of Take Your Soul To Work, as she provides expert advice on how you can make your vote not only count, but also practice meditation focused on growing your soul.
Purchase the book here.
Nicole Krauss Discusses Her New Release: To Be a Man
THURSDAY | NOVEMBER 5 | 12 PM PDT | NO COST | ONLINE
Nicole Krauss, a National Book Award finalist and New York Times best-selling author, is one of the most influential literary voices today. Her new release, To Be a Man, is a collection of short fiction and very likely her strongest work yet.
Join her and Rabbi Sherre Hirsch in conversation as they discuss the struggle to understand what it means to be a man, what it means to be a woman, and how those struggles have connected the author to her own experiences in the world.
Pre-order your book today.
To join our Book Clubs discussing To Be a Man at the end of November, please click here.
Simply Jewish: The Secrets of Chabad with
YY Jacobson
MONDAY | NOVEMBER 19 | 12 PM PDT | NO COST | ONLINE
Although Chabad emissaries eschew a denominational label, referring to themselves as 'simply Jewish,' the movement continues to thrive and grow stronger in the absence of the rebbe. Their warm and welcoming hospitality, as well as their signature motif, continues to alter and positively influence the way in which Jews understand ultra-orthodoxy and Judaism as a whole.
Join a conversation with Rabbi YY Jacobson and AJU’s Rabbi Sherre Hirsch, as they explore the uniqueness of Chabad and powerful Jewish wisdom.
Help us continue delivering high-quality educational and community programming by making a gift today.
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WELCOME TO THE MID-FALL SESSION OF
ONLINE CLASSES
The Whizin Center for Continuing Education is pleased to present our mid-fall lineup of classes and learning opportunities, delivered in an ONLINE format.
We wish continued good health and safety to the entire community. We will be updating our offerings and classes on an ongoing basis. Be sure to visit our website to learn more: www.aju.edu/whizin.
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Social Chutzpah: How Three Jewish Social Media Mavens are Standing Up to Antisemitism. Panelists: Whitney Fisch, Peter Fox, and Ariel Scheer Stein November 17, 2020 7:00 pm
Whitney Fisch, Peter Fox, and Ariel Scheer Stein have a combined following of over 40,000 individuals. In 2020, social media and journalism are two of the most effective ways to reach large audiences. Join us as we hear from them about how they use their platforms to fight antisemitism.
Whitney is the Creator of and Blogger for Jewhungry and the Executive Director of the Hillel at Miami University in Oxford, OH. When not dealing with the holy work of Hillel, Whitney is at home dealing with the trials and tribulations of her 3 young children as well as cooking... a lot. She blogs about all things food and life on her blog, http://jewhungrytheblog.com/.
Peter is an advertising and media professional in New York. He's a past Fellow at the LGBTQ pro-Israel group A Wider Bridge. His writing has been featured in The Forward, Tablet Magazine, The Jerusalem Post, and The Advocate. You can find him on Twitter @thatpeterfox where he tweets to an audience of over 15,000 followers.
Ariel, a New Jersey native, launched her blog ‘Ariel Loves,’ in 2016 where she shares her motherhood journey, Jewish living, home decor, and travel. Ariel’s work has been featured on Red Tricycle, The Bump, Mindr, Ellie Parents, and offMetro. You can keep up with Ariel on instagram @Ariel.Loves or her blog ArielLoves.com.
To find out more about this event, call Dena Dubofsky at (973)379-8327 or dubofskyd@ajc.org
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Israeli Culture in North America
Thursday, October 29, 2020
Art
Film
Dance
Film
Music
Film
Music
Film
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The JCC of Fort Lee/Congregation Gesher Shalom
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