SHABBAT SHALOM, GESHER SHALOM!


 
March 1st 2019
 
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Shabbat Times: 
Candle Lighting
Evening Service
Morning Service
Minha
5:29 pm
7:00pm
9:30am
5:00pm
 
  Forecast: 39/wintery mix

IN THIS ISSUE...
Shabbat Kiddush
Join us for Kiddush on Shabbat. This is the perfect opportunity for us to experience community and get to know each other better.

Birthdays and Anniversaries 
Jacqueline Maier
Eli Josif
Joseph Ofeck
Ann Bloch
Kenneth Eisenstein
Marlin Dickman
Regina Friedman
Nadia Fuentes
 

 

   UPCOMING EVENTS
 
Saturday 3/2
Morning Service 9:30 am
Minha , S'uda Shlishit (3rd Shabbat Meal), timely topic, Maariv and Havdalah 5:00 pm
Tuesday 3/5
Sisterhood Board Meeting 1:00 pm
Wednesday 3/6
Kosher Jazz IV 1:00 pm
The Great Synagogue Read-In Ch. 6, 6:30 pm
Thursday 3/7
Rabbi's Class "Talmud and Tangents" 10:30 am
On the Road with the Rabbi to Liebman's Kosher Deli RSVP required
12:00 pm
Friday 3/8
Bible Class 11:30 am
The Great Synagogue Read-in Ch.6 discussion   10:30 am

 
Bibi's Faustian Bargain       
and he is also on the verge of being indicted by Israel's Attorney (see first article under Israel heading)
When I was an undergraduate at Columbia University, Abba Eban was a visiting professor. On one occasion he quoted (I believe it was) David Lloyd George: "I am a man of principle... And one of my principles is expediency."  If Israeli Prime Minister Benamin Netanyahu has any principles left, then that principle is self-preservation at any cost.
I am sick over what he has done by conferring legitimacy on the despicable Otzma Yehudit.
You may recall that in my Kol Nidre sermon in 2017, I invited you to join me at AIPAC the following March (2018), and said that if you were so moved, join me in walking out when the Prime Minister would address the Policy Conference. (Just so you know, it is an AIPAC standing policy to extend annual invitations to both the Prime Minister of Israel and to the President of the United States to address the Policy Conference. I do not disagree with that standing policy).  That was then, and my 2018 protest was pretty much a solitary expression of displeasure with Bibi's domestic policies, particularly his reneging on agreements about an egalitarian section at the Kotel.
But this is now... And I expect that will not be alone in walking out on the Prime Minister.
Bibi has made it that much harder on all those who love and care about Israel to advocate on Israel's behalf. We have to try to make a clear distinction between being pro-Israel, and pro-Bibi and many of his policies.
It promises to be an exciting and difficult three days, and I would love to have you there with me. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if one of the things that my pro-Israel rabbinic colleagues and I discuss at Policy Conference is excommunicating the Prime Minister.
If you have never been to AIPAC, please contact me about a special deal after you have secured lodging accommodations in Washington DC for March 24, 25 and 26.  Please give serious consideration to joining me.
And if you have no knowledge of Bibi's deal with the devil, please read this background information:
(By the way, Bibi's maneuvering has been condemned across the entire political and religious spectrum, except for the ultra-extremist fringe right-and the Orthodox Young Israel)
The One Exception to the Rule:
Deborah Lipstadt Quits Synagogue After its National Affiliate Backs Netanyahu's Overture to Far-Right Party    The prominent Holocaust historian called the agreement brokered by Netanyahu and the Jewish Power party "despicable."           
To My Community I say: This is a Terrible Stain. I stand by what I told my congregants this Sabbath: The Otzma Yehudit party is based on race theory and this should horrify us.  Otzma's precursor, Kach "called for the expulsion of Israel's Arab citizens, promoted racist legislation against them, advocated turning Israel into a halakhic state, and championed the annexation of all parts of the Land of Israel. In the 1980s, Likud Knesset member Michael Eitan compared legislation proposed by Meir Kahane to the Nuremberg Laws, which struck the opening chord of Nazism in Germany. In his analysis, the two sets of laws both dealt with the status of Jews and non-Jews, imposed restrictions on places of residence, prohibited intermarriage, restricted extramarital relations, enforced separation of students, prevented meetings between young people, and mandated segregation on beaches."  
The Desecration of Israel by Yossi Klein Halevi     Israel's Religious Zionists Shouldn't Bed Down with Racist Provocateurs    
Israel's Far-Right Otzma Party is Dangerous. I Know Because I Banned Its  Leader from the United States.
Jerusalem Post: Reality Check: Even AIPAC Has Had Enough                                   
Netanyahu's creation of a racist, unholy alliance on the religious Right finally proves too much for his American supporters.
Another Staunch Zionist Power Broker Criticizes Bibi's Kahanist Connection     
Malcolm Hoenlein and the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organization                

Statement from the Conservative/Masorti Movement                                                          
Racism and hatred are antithetical to our Jewish values and the ideals on which the Jewish State of Israel was founded.
The Conservative/Masorti Movement condemns the decision to include Otzma Yehudit, a racist Israeli political party with roots in the extremist ideology of the late Rabbi Meir Kahane and his Kach party, in a list that might be a legitimate coalition member after the elections. For decades, this movement has been widely recognized in Israel and throughout the United States as dangerously radical, including the Kach party being designated by the U.S. Department of State as a terrorist organization since 1997. Otzma Yehudit should not be further legitimized in any sense and we hope and pray that the party returns to a place of irrelevance.
Rabbinical Assembly                                                                                                                                             
United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism                                                                                                                     Cantors Assembly  
Federation of Jewish Men's Clubs 
Jewish Theological Seminary                                                                                                                                               Masorti Foundation
Masorti Israel   
Masorti Olami    
Mercaz-Canada & Canadian Foundation for Masorti Judaism                                                                                     Mercaz Olami    
Mercaz USA 
Seminario Rabinico Latinoamericano
Women's League for Conservative Judaism

AJC Statement
February 21, 2019 - New York
American Jewish Committee (AJC) does not normally comment on political parties and candidates during an election. But with the announcement that Otzma Yehudit ("Jewish Power"), a new political party formed by longtime followers of the late Rabbi Meir Kahane, is now seeking election to the Knesset, we feel compelled to speak out.
The views of Otzma Yehudit are reprehensible. They do not reflect the core values that are the very foundation of the State of Israel. The party might conceivably gain enough votes to enter the next Knesset, and potentially even become part of the governing coalition.
Historically, the views of extremist parties, reflecting the extreme left or the extreme right, have been firmly rejected by mainstream parties, even if the electoral process of Israel's robust democracy has enabled their presence, however small, in the Knesset.
Ultimately, it is up to Israel's Central Elections Commission to determine, as it has done in the past, whether Otzma Yehudit can be listed on the ballot on Election Day.
Looking ahead to April 9, AJC reaffirms our commitment to Israel's democratic and Jewish character, which we hope will be the ultimate winners in every election cycle.
AIPAC Re-Tweeted the AJC Statement, Adding:
We agree with AJC.                                                                                                                                                                    
AIPAC has a longstanding policy not to meet with members of this racist and reprehensible party.
And as a result:

After a Decade of Netanyahu, Israel Finally Has a Real Election Contest 
In uniting, Gantz and Lapid have potentially upended years of political predictability. With their move, for the first time in years, the prime minister has a fight on his hands  





Torah Reading   558, 523                          Haftarah 1277
VA-YAK·HEL
After Moses' descent from Mount Sinai with the second set of tablets, he informed the people of God's instructions for the construction of the Sanctuary. Moses also emphasized the importance of refraining from any kind of work on Shabbat. The Israelites responded to Moses' appeal for voluntary contributions of material and assistance most generously; their donations exceeded what was required.
 
SH'KALIM
This morning marks the first of five special Shabbatot that precede Passover. From the second Torah Scroll we read a passage describing the requirement for all males above the age of twenty to remit a half-shekel coin (hence the name sh'kalim) - a capitation "tax" - which was due annually on the first of Nisan. It became the custom to read this passage in the Synagogue on, or just before, the first of Adar as a reminder to the people that the half-shekel was due within one month.
 



I am away this Shabbat, attending my granddaughter's (first of possibly 3) baby naming ceremony. In my absence. I thank Cantor Zim, Marcia Orange, Doryne Davis, Alan Herschenfeld, Jeff Adler, Dr. Leon Perkal, and a much larger supporting cast for filling in for me.
Tonight: Evening service at 7:00 p.m.
Tomorrow morning at 9:30 a.m.
Tomorrow afternoon at 5:00 p.m.
During Seudah Shlishit we will read...
Is Rashida Tlaib Guilty of Bigotry? By Alan M. Dershowitz
(We will continue with Michelle Alexander's op Ed and her critics next week)


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 minyanim, and helping to assure that Kaddish can be recited with a minyan 
 
Joan Alterwill be observing yahrzeit for her father-in-law, Ben Alter on Friday evening, March 1st
Judith Auerbacherwill be observing yahrzeit for her husband, Teo Auerbacher on Saturday evening, March 2nd
Jean Burnickwill be observing yahrzeit for her brother, Theodore Burnick on Saturday evening, March 2nd
Marcia Shermanwill be observing yahrzeit for her husband, Donald Sherman on Sunday evening, March 3rd
Robert Gordonwill be observing yahrzeit for his mother, Regina Gordon on Monday evening, March 4th
Joseph Lempelwill be observing yahrzeit for his mother,  Esther Lempel on Tuesday evening, March 5th
Martha Sheminwill be observing yahrzeit for her father, Benjamin Zitomer on Tuesday evening, March 5th
Reva Strasfeldwill be observing yahrzeit for her mother, Ann Sachs on Wednesday evening March 6th 
Lotte Pickwill be observing yahrzeit for her husband, Larry Pick on Thursday evening, March 7th





Important Reads

There is a Record Number of Hate Groups Active in the US, Civil Rights Center Finds                   
Elana Kagan Is Key Vote in Supreme Court Bladensburg Peace Cross Case         
Will the Supreme Court Finally Protect the Right Not to Work on the Sabbath?  
Four decades ago, I witnessed the court fail to protect the religious freedom of employees. Next week, it may finally redeem itself and grant religious Americans the protection they deserve.                                        
Denmark, Australia: UN Human Rights Council Must Stop Biased Treatment of Israel                                               


Israel













 
Hi-Tech
Israeli Lunar Lander Misses Scheduled Maneuver Due to Computer Glitch-But It's not Over!                                   

Backup of Humanity Headed to Moon aboard Israeli Lander  
Israel's Newest Airport Is a Futuristic Desert Mirage
Ilan and Asaf Ramon International Airport, which will eventually handle 4.25 million annual passengers, is a strikingly modern edifice that stands in stark contrast to its vast desert surroundings  

Two Korean Sisters, Separated 47 Years Ago, Reunited by Israeli Tech 
                       
Israel Ramping Up Scrutiny over Tech Deals with China   
   
Israel's Zebra Medical to Deploy Its Scan-Reader            







                                            
We Need Volunteers From Our Congregation
WE NEED YOU!!!

To volunteer, please email Hilda Froelke-  hfroelke@aol.com  


















 

February 2019 / Adar I 5779

Dear  Families,

I am pleased to make you aware of National Ramah's Affordability Initiative, which provides substantial funding for families in crisis to send their children to Camp Ramah.

If you know of someone in your community who might be interested in Ramah but cannot afford any tuition, please let us know. We will make every effort to make it possible for the child to attend a Ramah camp.

This scholarship assistance applies to our regional  overnight camps and  day camps offering four-week and full summer sessions, as well as the two-week sessions at  Ramah in the Rockies and our newest camp,  Ramah Sports Academy in Fairfield, CT. This also applies to children and teens with disabilities for whom our  Tikvah programs might be appropriate.

Please reach out to me or your local camp director if you have any questions or want to recommend a specific family.

Many thanks,

Mitch

Rabbi Mitchell Cohen, Director
National Ramah Commission, Inc. of The Jewish Theological Seminary





ONE. ONE & ONE (New York Premiere)
VERTIGO DANCE COMPANY
SOLD OUT PERFORMANCES
Jerome Robbins Th eater
Tuesday, March 5 | 7:30 pm
* Wednesday, March 6 | 7:30 pm
450 West 37th Street
New York, New York 10018
Israel's highly regarded Vertigo Dance Company performs One. One & One, choreographed in celebration of the ensemble's 25th anniversary and set to a powerful score by Avi Belleli. Performed on a dirt-covered stage, the work creates an arresting sensory experience as it explores the individual's desire for wholeness and spiritual connection to the natural world.


VENEZUELA
BATSHEVA DANCE COMPANY on their U.S. TOUR OF NORTH AMERICA
BAM Howard Gilman Opera House Peter Jay Sharp Building
Wednesday, March 27 | 7:30 pm
Thursday, March 28 | 7:30 pm
Friday, March 29 | 7:30 pm
Saturday, March 30 | 7:30 pm
30 Lafayette Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11217
Acclaimed Choreographer Ohad Naharin and Batsheva's 18-member company are renowned worldwide for their adventurous vision and distinctive movement language. Combining visceral physicality with a rigor and consistency in their training, Batsheva Dance Company compels audiences with its virtuosity and raw energy. This singular company returns to BAM with a new evening-length work that explores the dialogue and conflict between movement and the content it represents. Created in two 40-minute sections placed in juxtaposition, Venezuela is a multifaceted work in which the endless possibilities of a choreographer's craft are at play and, in turn, the audience confronts the limits of their own freedom of choice.


CURRENTS MAYUMANA
Mayo Performing Arts Center NJ
Saturday, March 2 | 8:00 pm
100 South Street
Morristown, NJ 07960
From around the world, Berman and Nuphar gathered a small group of gifted performers, each with diverse talents and contrasting backgrounds. Sparked by their shared passion for rhythm and coordination, and fueled by their unique sense of humor and mischief, their group dynamic on stage was inexhaustible and infectious. Enriched by working with a multicultural cast, they all inspired each other to fulfill the individual's prowess in his/her area of expertise, while developing in all players the versatility to master other skills. This befits the name Mayumana, which comes from the Hebrew word for skill - Meyumanut.C

LOVE IN FRAGMENTS: CONCERT INFLECTION SERIES
Kaufmann Concert Hall 92nd Street Y
Wednesday, March 6 | 7:30 pm
1395 Lexington Avenue
New York, New York 10128
70 minutes that will change the way you think about love
How do we fall in and out of love? This luminous new work offers a provocative, evocative look at love in all its aspects and guises through music, movement, and art. Inspired by Roland Barthes' A Lover's Discourse and featuring music of Bach, Ravel, Jörg Widmann, and others, five extraordinary artists-violinist, cellist, choreographer, dancer, and sculptor (renowned artist and stage designer Alexander Polzin)-deliver a sensuous and powerful work that will change the way you think about love.




UTOPIA
KEREN ANAVY with VALERIE GREEN DANCE
Pioneer Works
Sunday, March 10 | 8:00 pm
159 Pioneer Street
Red Hook, Brooklyn
Utopia is an evening length work choreographed by Valerie Green and in collaboration with visual artist Keren Anavy with original music by Mark Katsaounis. The work explores the idea of a perfect place through dance and visual art. The work questions whether Utopia might be an internal place, investigated through personal and intimate moments and alongside the community.

PARAMODERNITIES-with NETTA YERUSHALMY
New York Live Arts Theater
Thursday, March 14 | 7:00 pm
Friday, March 15 | 7:00 pm
Saturday, March 16 | 7:00 pm
Sunday, March 17 | 3:00 pm
219 West 19 Street
New York, New York 10011
Paramodernities boasts a radical and undefinable rethinking of the canon, involving virtually no music. Each section was created as an independent unit with a distinct creative process that features text, read live, by scholars and writers from various fields who place the dances within a larger context. The cast joins Yerushalmy in generating questions about the different paths taken by the modern tradition in dance and beyond. Within each installment, fundamental tenets of modernism are explored, such as sovereignty, spectacle, race, feminism and ableism.


2019 CONNEY CONFERENCE ON JEWISH ARTS
Buttenwieser Hall 92nd Street Y
Sunday, March 31 - Wednesday, April 3, 2019

*Monday, April 1 | 8:00 pm
1395 Lexington Avenue
New York, New York 10128
Keynote Speaker Dr. Naomi Jackson, author, Converging Movements Modern Dance and Jewish Culture at 92Y, at the 7th biennial Connie Conference on Jewish Arts. The 2019 conference will be framed within the historical context of the 92Y and will address the practices, histories and current state of the Jewish Arts across a diverse spectrum of genres and experience.
*The Israeli Folk Dance will include a live dance performance and an Israeli Folk Dance participatory experience. Israeli Folk Dance's rich heritage, its founding in America and its inclusion and force exerted on choreographers working today are explored by such experts and scholars as Ruth Goodman, Danny Uziel, Livia Vanaver, Judith Brin Ingber and choreographers Zvi Gotheiner, Ephrat Asherie, and Hadar Ahuvia, among others. The legacy of Fred Berk, "Mr. Israeli Folk Dance," who established the Jewish Dance Division at 92Y, is featured.