Adas Emuno

Hannah Arendt, Jewish Philosopher

2012-01-11T11:11:00.000-05:00

Hannah Arendt was a 20th century German-Jewish philosopher who managed to escape from the Nazis and immigrate to the United States, where she became famous for, among other things, her writing about the trial of Adolph Eichmann, the Nazi in charge of the concentration camps and one of the principle individuals who organized the Holocaust (the trial was held in Jerusalem, and remains the only exception to Israel's ban on the death penalty in the history of the Jewish state).

Arendt's famous phrase for describing Eichmann, whose defense was that he was only following orders, is the banality of evil. It serves as a chilling reminder of the ease with which ordinary people can slip into a situation where they freely engage in acts of cruelty and violence, acts that they would otherwise condemn as immoral, and evil.

Of course, there is much more to Hannah Arendt's life and work than this, and there is a center devoted to her thought located at the institution where she taught for many years (and where she bequeathed her papers), Bard College in nearby Annandale-on-the Hudson, New York. The Hannah Arendt Center there hosts their own blog, and I was honored to be asked to be a guest blogger for them last month.

The title of the post I produced for them is Violence, Power, Technology, and Identity, and it being a somewhat lengthy essay, as blog posts go, I won't reproduce it here. But I will share the first few paragraphs of the post, as they include some items of Jewish interest:

Last week I attended a public lecture at Fordham University given by Richard Bernstein, a philosopher on the faculty of the New School, the subject of the lecture being "Hannah Arendt on Power and Violence" and the sponsor being Fordham's Philosophy Department.

The lecture began with some discussion of who Hannah Arendt was, e.g., German-Jewish intellectual, had an affair with Martin Heidegger when she was an 18-year-old student and he was a married professor in his 30s, wrote her dissertation on St. Augustine, escaped from Nazi Germany before things got really bad, met and became friends with Walter Benjamin in Paris, unlike Benjamin was able to escape to the United States, and famously wrote about totalitarianism, and the trial of Adolf Eichmann (architect of the Nazi concentration camps) and the banality of evil (which sums up my own previous encounter with Arendt's thought). Of course, that's just a cursory summary of a rich and eventful life.

I joined a few of my colleagues from the Philosophy Department at Fordham and met with Bernstein prior to the lecture for some discussion, and he mentioned that, although Arendt was not a practicing Jew, at the end she asked that someone say Kaddish for her at her funeral.

Admittedly, it's not all that unheard of for folks to suddenly get religion when the end is near (no atheists in foxholes, as the saying goes), and for individuals who have been disconnected from their traditions to suddenly want to reconnect. But what I found poignant about this request is that she asked for someone, rather than someone specific, which I take to be a sign of isolation in that typically it would be the immediate family who would say the prayer. No doubt, there were many who said Kaddish on her behalf, not the least on account of her significant work during and after World War II on behalf of Jewish victims of the Holocaust, and in general as a political philosopher with a strong sense of social justice.

The remainder of my post is a discussion of Arendt's essay, Reflections on Violence, written for the New York Review of Books back in 1969, and which can be found online in case you'd like to read it. And if you'd like to read my commentary on her essay, Violence, Power, Technology, and Identity, you have the link to that as well.

And let me end this post with a quote from one of Hannah Arendt's major work, The Human Condition:

"What I propose, therefore, is very simple: it is nothing more than to think what we are doing."

A Reform Hazzan for Fordham Hoops

2012-01-10T11:09:00.002-05:00

I couldn't resist sharing this news story here on our congregational blog, as it involves a cantor from one of our sister congregations, and the institution of higher learning where I work and teach, Fordham University.

As you know, hazzan is the Hebrew word for cantor, traditionally the individual who helps to lead the Jewish prayer service. This requires proficiency in Hebrew, and also musical proficiency, as the Hebrew prayers are traditionally sung or chanted (the root meaning of cantor being chant). The role has evolved over the years, from amateur to professional, and from lay to clerical. I'll refer you to Wikipedia for its articles on the traditional role of the Hazzan, and the contemporary role as a member of the clergy of the Cantor in Reform Judaism .

And as for hoops, that means basketball, but maybe you already knew that.

So, with all this in mind, let me turn to a New York Times article dated January 9, 2012, and written by Clyde Haberman. The title is At Jesuit School, a Pregame Assist From a Jewish Singer. And it begins like this:

If you’re hoping for a talisman to improve your team’s chances of victory, why not make it a man with a talis?

Great pun, although I wonder how many readers actually got it? As you know, the talis is the Ashkenazic spelling and pronunciation for the prayer shawl traditionally used in Jewish worship, in particular to be worn whenever the Torah is taken out. And yeah, you can check it out on Wikipedia, it's listed under the Sephardic dialect's spelling, Tallit. Now, back to the article:

That thought, at any rate, crossed the minds of officials at Fordham University, the Jesuit redoubt in the Bronx. Their men’s basketball team caught a hot hand during the Christmas break when a cantor named Daniel Pincus began singing “The Star-Spangled Banner” before home games.

All right, Cantor Pincus! And here's a picture of him, in case you wanted to see:

And guess what? He's wearing a talis, man! And hey, you can check out his official webpage: http://cantordanielpincus.com and even listen to a recording of him singing, well, not the National Anthem, but a Hebrew prayer, a Sephardic rendition of V'Shameru. Okay, now back to Haberman's news item:

Normally, the national anthem is sung by the school’s choir, but the choir went on an out-of-state tour during the holiday recess. Mr. Pincus, 57, who is a cantor at Congregation Shaarei Shalom, a Reform synagogue in Riverdale, the Bronx, had already expressed an interest in performing the pregame ritual for Fordham.

In case any you don't ever cross over the George Washington Bridge, and/or aren't all that familiar with the Big Apple, Riverdale is the section of the Bronx closest to Manhattan, just across the river from the island, and it's a lovely residential section. Like many New York area Jews, I had cousins who lived there back in the day, and they belonged to this Temple.

Anyway, if you're interested in learning more about our sister shul, Congregation Shaarei Shalom, the link is there for your convenience. All right, back to the story:

“I said to him then that we generally have the choir sing, so let’s see what occurs down the road,” said Julio Diaz, the university’s associate athletic director. Now, unexpectedly, Mr. Diaz found himself down that road. “So I picked up the phone,” he said, “and told him, ‘Cantor, I need your help.’”

I don't know why the choir wasn't available, but I will just mention that Fordham is outstanding in many ways. But when in comes to music, well, not so much. So, please continue:

On Dec. 22, before a game against Texas State University, Mr. Pincus made his debut at the Rose Hill campus in the Bronx, singing without his yarmulke and definitely without a talis (which is one way to render the Hebrew word for a Jewish prayer shawl). Fordham won.

He sang a second time a week later against Georgia Tech. Fordham won again. A few days after that, in the first game of the new year, the visitor was nationally ranked Harvard. Fordham, whose nickname is the Rams, triumphed yet again.

Suddenly, a team that had a losing record before Mr. Pincus showed up was on a roll. Could it be that the Jewish singer had become a good-luck charm for the Jesuit school?

The cantor, for one, doubted it. As “cute” as that notion might be, he said, and as “wonderful” as the interfaith aspect of the relationship is, he was performing as “a classically trained tenor.”

“What I wanted was to bring a classical approach and a singable approach to the national anthem,” he said. “I render it in a traditional way — not hip-hop, not jazz.” And, he added, “if I sing it well and with spirit then maybe it helps everybody tune up.”

The cantor’s singing style was important to Mr. Diaz. “I just want to make sure that we have someone who sings it in a patriotic, proper way,” he said.

Like Mr. Pincus, the coach of the basketball team, Tom Pecora, has a skeptical view of the talisman idea — up to a point. “As a college coach for over 25 years, I think it has a little more to do with defense and rebounding,” Mr. Pecora said. “But we’ll include the cantor if that’s what it takes to win games.”

His attitude reflects an element of superstition that is inherent to sports, perhaps more than to other phases of life.

There’s the school of thought upheld by a character in the 1988 baseball movie “Bull Durham.” You have to “respect the streak,” he says. If you think you’re winning because you keep following the same pattern — like having a cantor sing the anthem — then you are.

“We are superstitious, players and coaches,” Mr. Pecora agreed.

The relationship between sports and superstition, well, that's well known, as Haberman notes. As for the relationship between religion and superstition, well that's one of the things that the Reform movement in Judaism traditionally addressed, as a product of the rationalism of the Enlightenment. And as for the relationship between religion and sports, my only comment is, oy!

But there is another school, a more cynical one, especially for this age of the genuflecting Tim Tebow and his imitators. This comes from a classic boxing movie from 1956, “The Harder They Fall.” A prizefighter with a powder-puff punch and a glass jaw is on his knees praying before a match. Seeing this, a mobster tells him with a sneer, “That only works if you can fight.”

In basketball, it works only if you outplay the other guys. On Saturday, Fordham fell to earth. Despite having Mr. Pincus sing once more, the team’s home-court winning streak ended when it lost, 67-59, to Xavier University of Cincinnati. So it goes.

But even though the Fordham choir is about to return from its travels, Mr. Pincus expects to be invited back for future games. “It seems now like I’m becoming part of the family, which is great,” he said.

And why not? It's all about community, which makes this YouTube video of Cantor Pincus singing Hineh Ma Tov all the more fitting:

And now, let's return for the conclusion of the article:

And why not? Among his talents, the cantor teaches the art of the shofar, the ram’s horn that is sounded on the Jewish High Holy Days.

From the ram’s horn to the Rams is not too great a leap.

And let me just note that there is no coincidence to the fact that Fordham chose a biblical animal as its mascot. And as for Jewish-Catholic and interfaith relations, well, this is a Bronx tale and a New York story, and we live in the New York Metropolitan Area after all. So, Go Rams!

Mademoiselle

2012-01-01T13:55:00.000-05:00

As we begin the secular new year, we might well reflect on our good fortune in being able to live our lives in relative comfort and safety, compared to what so many experienced not so very long ago. And we would do well to give thanks for those with the courage to remain righteous in dark times, and let their actions serve as an example to guide and inspire us as we face whatever shadows we may encounter in our own time.

My cousin in Israel shared the following music video with me, which I found very moving in the story it relates (sung in Hebrew, with English subtitles), and in the stunning vocals of Keren Hadar. According to the write up on YouTube, the song, written by Dalia and Shaul Harel, Dan Almagor, and Rafi Kadishzon, was "written in honor of Andree Geulen on the occasion of her 90th birthday. In Belgium, during the Holocaust, she undertook the rescue of many Jewish children."

The song's YouTube page also provides an extended explanation of how the song came to be:

A song is born.

In summer 1942, as persecution of Belgium's Jews began, an underground Jewish group took form in cooperation with the Belgian underground and set out to rescue Jewish children by hiding them in various places around the country. The most active team consisted of twelve-women, mostly non-Jewish, who managed to hide some 3000 children. This admirable clandestine campaign was unique by the complexity of its structure and the degree of its success.

The only survivor from the team today is Andrée Geulen, and on September 4, a great number of the children who had been hidden celebrated her ninetieth birthday. The celebration included a screening of a DVD in which singer Keren Hadar performed a song in her honor. The song stirred a great deal of emotion.

This song, composed very shortly before the event, arose from an impulse on the part of one of the hidden children — Shaul Harel, who today is a professor of pediatric neurology.

... and this is how it happened:

One warm summer day at the Isrotel Dead Sea Hotel, the Harel family was visiting for a performance of the opera Aïda at Massada. Shaul Harel was lolling alone in the whirlpool bath. As the warm water and the complete solitude began to take effect, he wondered intensely what gift he could bring to Andrée for her birthday. "After all, she already has everything. After the war, she married a Jewish attorney, they were blessed with two daughters and with grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and to this day she is surrounded by the love of the children she rescued." Suddenly, as to Archimedes in his warm bath, the Muse descended to him. Although he did not emerge with a mathematical equation — since mathematics was never his subject — he just as suddenly decided to write her a poem. And this is not to be taken lightly, since for many years he had written nothing but medical documentation and articles. The warmth of the water and the atmosphere brought lines tumbling into his mind, and as if possessed, he burst into the hotel room and told his wife Dalia to sit down and transcribe because otherwise the lines would "get away" from him. His wife raised her eyebrows, thinking that the desert heat had overpowered him. But she consented and soon a poem was on paper telling Andrée's story. Shaul's imagination took him further and he said that the poem should be set to music and his favorite singer, Keren Hadar, should perform it. Since the poem was written in free verse, Dahlia worked rhymes into it. The poem was read to Keren and she was moved to tears. She said that it was suitable for setting to music and that she would like to sing it. She recommended Rafi Kadishzon, a prolific and well-known composer. Rafi heard the poem, liked it, and immediately recommended Dan Almagor, a master of the Hebrew word, to adjust the text for the music. In the end, Dan Almagor contributed greatly to the rhythm, to the refrain, and to the perfect fit of the lyrics.

All this occurred in the course of two weeks. A week later, the song was recorded, the DVD visuals were prepared, and copies were printed with graphics and with a French and English translation. Everyone who saw it was moved, and now here it is for you.

And for the inspiration, poetry, inspired musical composition, and generosity in sharing these beautiful sounds, images, and story, we can also be grateful.

Obama at the URJ

2011-12-31T12:15:00.000-05:00

To close the year out, we would like to include on our congregational blog President Obama's rather remarkable address to the Biennial of the Union of Reform Judaism, of which Adas Emuno is a member.

The half hour speech can be found on YouTube under the title of President Barack Obama - 2011 URJ Biennial Plenary, but you can view and listen to it right here:

And if you prefer to read the remarks instead, or to read while listening, you can find Remarks by the President at the 71st General Assembly of the Union for Reform Judaism online, but again, we will include them here as well, for your convenience:

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release

December 16, 2011

Remarks by the President at the 71st General Assembly of the Union for Reform Judaism

Gaylord Hotel

National Harbor, Maryland

2:37 P.M. EST

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you so much. Thank you, everybody. Thank you. Please, please have a seat. You’re making me blush. (Laughter.) Thank you, Eric, for that extraordinary introduction and for your many years of leadership in the Reform movement. And even though it is a few hours early, I’d like to wish all of you Shabbat shalom. (Applause.)

Now, there are a lot of familiar faces in the house: David Saperstein. (Applause.) Alan Solow, Rick Jacobs. (Applause.) Howard Kohr.

I want to welcome Israel’s Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Ehud Barak. (Applause.) The cooperation between our militaries has never been stronger, and I want to thank Ehud for his leadership and his lifelong commitment to Israel’s security and the quest for a just and lasting peace. (Applause.)
I also want to recognize Israeli Ambassador Michael Oren, who’s with us here today. (Applause.)
And finally, I want to give a shout-out to NFTY, I understand is in the house. (Applause.) Young people are going to lead the way, and they’re leading the way. (Applause.) There you go. I’m fired up just listening to them. (Laughter and applause.)

I am honored to be here because of the proud history and tradition of the Union for Reform Judaism, representing more than 900 congregations, around 1.5 million American Jews.

I want to congratulate all of you on the golden anniversary of the Religious Action Center. (Applause.) As Eric mentioned, When President Kennedy spoke to leaders from the RAC in 1961, I was three months old, so my memory is a bit hazy. (Laughter.) But I am very familiar with the work that you’ve done ever since, and so is the rest of America.

And that’s because you helped draft the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act. (Applause.) You helped to liberate Soviet Jews. (Applause.) You have made a difference on so many of the defining issues of the last half-century. And without these efforts, I probably wouldn’t be standing here today. So thank you. Thank you. (Applause.) You have brought to life your faith and your values, and the world is a better place for it.

Now, since my daughter Malia has reached the age where it seems like there’s always a Bar or Bat Mitzvah -- (laughter) -- every weekend, and there is quite a bit of negotiations around the skirts that she wears at these Bat Mitzvahs -- (laughter) -- do you guys have these conversations as well? (Laughter.) All right. I just wanted to be clear it wasn’t just me. (Laughter.) What time you get home.

As a consequence, she’s become the family expert on Jewish tradition. (Laughter.) And if there’s one thing I’ve learned from her, it’s that it never hurts to begin a speech by discussing the Torah portion. It doesn’t hurt. (Laughter and applause.)

So this week -- (applause) -- congregations around the world will retell the story of Joseph. (Applause.) As any fan of Broadway musicals will tell you -- (laughter) -- there is a lot going on in this reading. (Laughter.) But many scholars have focused on a single word that Joseph uses when he replies to his father Jacob.

In Hebrew, that word is “hineni.” It translates -- (applause) -- it translates to “Here I am.” Hineni. It’s the same word Abraham uses to reply to God before the binding of Isaac. It’s the same word Moses uses when God summons him from the burning bush. Hineni. The text is telling us that while Joseph does not know what lies ahead, he is ready to answer the call.

In this case, “hineni” leads Joseph to Egypt. It sets in motion a story of enslavement and exodus that would come to inspire leaders like Martin Luther King as they sought freedom. It’s a story of persecution and perseverance that has repeated itself from Inquisition-era Spain to Tsarist Russia to Hitler’s Germany.

And in that often-tragic history, this place, America, stands out. (Applause.) Now, we can’t whitewash the past. Like so many ethnic groups, Jews faced prejudice, and sometimes violence, as they sought their piece of the American Dream. But here, Jews finally found a place where their faith was protected; where hard work and responsibility paid off; where no matter who you were or where you came from, you could make it if you tried. Here in America, you really could build a better life for your children.
I know how much that story means to many of you, because I know how much that story means to me. My father was from Kenya; my mother was from Kansas –- not places with a large Jewish community. (Laughter.) But when my Jewish friends tell me about their ancestors, I feel a connection. I know what it’s like to think, “Only in America is my story even possible.” (Applause.)

Now -- I have to interrupt. My friend Debbie Wasserman Schultz just got in the house. (Applause.) Now, the Jewish community has always understood that the dream we share is about more than just doing well for yourself. From the moment our country was founded, American Jews have helped make our union more perfect. Your parents, your grandparents, your great-grandparents, they remembered what it was like to be a stranger, and as a result treated strangers with compassion. They pursued tikkun olam, the hard work of repairing the world. (Applause.)

They fought bigotry because they had experienced bigotry. They fought for freedom of religion because they understood what it meant to be persecuted for your religious beliefs. Our country is a better place because they did. The same values that bring you here today led Justice Brandeis to fight for an America that protects the least of these. (Applause.) Those same values led Jewish leaders to found RAC 50 years ago. (Applause.) They led Abraham Joshua Heschel to pray with his feet and march with Dr. King. (Applause.) And over the last three years, they have brought us together on the most important issues of our time.

When we began this journey, we knew we would have to take on powerful special interests. We would have to take on a Washington culture where doing what’s politically convenient is often valued above doing what’s right; where the focus is too often on the next election instead of the next generation. (Applause.)

And so time and time again, we’ve been reminded that change is never easy. And a number of the rabbis who are here today, when I see them, they’d been saying a prayer. They noticed my hair is grayer. (Laughter.) But we didn’t quit. You didn’t quit. And today, we’re beginning to see what change looks like.

And Eric mentioned what change looks like. Change is the very first bill I signed, the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which says in this country an equal day’s work gets an equal day’s pay. That’s change. (Applause.)

Change is finally doing something about our addiction to oil and raising fuel-efficiency standards for the first time in 30 years. That’s good for our economy. It’s good for our national security. (Applause.) And it’s good for our environment.

Change is confirming two Supreme Court justices who will defend our rights, including our First Amendment rights surrounding religion -- happen to be two women, by the way. That’s also a good thing. (Applause.)

Change is repealing “don’t ask, don’t tell,” so that in the first time in history, you don’t have to hide who you love to serve the country that you love. That’s change. (Applause.)

Change is working with the Reform movement, and other faith-based groups, to reform the federal faith-based initiatives, improving the way we partner with organizations that serve people in need. Change is health care reform that we passed after a century of trying, reform that will finally ensure that in the United States of America, nobody goes bankrupt just because they get sick. That’s change. (Applause.)

Change is the 2.5 million young people -- maybe some of those NFTY folks who have already -- (applause) -- who have health insurance on their parents’ plans because of Affordable Care Act. That’s change. (Applause.)

It’s making family planning more accessible to millions of Americans. (Applause.) It’s insurance companies not being able to charge you more just because you’re a woman, or deny you coverage if you have breast cancer. (Applause.)

Change is committing to real, persistent education reform, because every child in America deserves access to a good school and to higher education -- every child. (Applause.)

And change is keeping one of the first promises I made in 2008: After nearly nine years, our war in Iraq is ending this month and our troops are coming home. (Applause.)

That’s what change is. And none of this would have happened without you. That’s the kind of change we’ll keep fighting for in the months and years ahead.

And just last night, you took another step towards the change we need and voted for a set of principles of economic justice in a time of fiscal crisis. (Applause.) And I want to thank you for your courage. That statement could not have come at a more important time. For as you put it, we’re at a crossroads in American history. Last Tuesday, I gave a speech in Osawatomie, Kansas, where I described that crossroads. And I laid out a vision of our country where everybody gets a fair shot, and everybody does their fair share, and everyone plays by the same rules. (Applause.) And these are not Democratic values or Republican values; they’re not Christian values or Jewish values or Hindu or Muslim values -- they’re shared values, and we have to reclaim them. We have to restore them to a central place in America’s political life. (Applause.)

I said it last week, I’ll say it again: This is not just a political debate. This is a moral debate. This is an ethical debate. It’s a values debate. It’s the defining issue of our time. It is a make-or-break moment for the middle class and for all those who are fighting to get into the middle class. (Applause.) And for those of us who remember parents or grandparents or great-grandparents who had to fight to get in the middle class, but they understood that the American Dream was available to them because we were all in it together -- that’s what this is about. (Applause.) And last night, you reaffirmed the moral dimension of this debate. (Applause.)

We have to decide who we are as a country. Is this a place where everyone is left to fend for themselves? The most powerful can play by their own rules? Or do we come together to make sure that working people can earn enough to raise a family, send their kids to college, buy their own home, have a secure health care and a secure retirement? That is the story that almost all of us here share, in one way or another. This is a room full of folks who come from immigrants, and remember what it was like to scratch and claw and work. You haven’t forgotten. You know what it’s like to see those in your own family struggle.

Well, we have to apply those same values to the American family. We’re not a country that says, you’re on your own. When we see neighbors who can’t find work or pay for college or get the health care they need, we answer the call -- we say, “Here I am.” And we will do our part. (Applause.)

That’s what you affirmed last night. But more importantly, it’s what you affirm every day with your words and your actions. And I promise you that as you pray with your feet, I will be right there with you every step of the way. (Applause.) I’ll be fighting to create jobs, and give small businesses a chance to succeed. I’ll be fighting to invest in education and technology. I will fight to strengthen programs like Medicare and Social Security. (Applause.) I will fight to put more money in the pockets of working families. I won’t be afraid to ask the most well-off among us -– Americans like me –- to pay our fair share, to make sure that everybody has got a shot. I will fight alongside you every inch of the way. (Applause.)

And as all of you know, standing up for our values at home is only part of our work. Around the world, we stand up for values that are universal -- including the right of all people to live in peace and security and dignity. (Applause.) That’s why we’ve worked on the international stage to promote the rights of women -- (applause) -- to promote strategies to alleviate poverty -- (applause) -- to promote the dignity of all people, including gays and lesbians -- (applause) -- and people with disabilities -- (applause) -- to promote human rights and democracy. And that’s why, as President, I have never wavered in pursuit of a just and lasting peace -- two states for two peoples; an independent Palestine alongside a secure Jewish State of Israel. (Applause.) I have not wavered and will not waver. That is our shared vision. (Applause.)

Now, I know that many of you share my frustration sometimes, in terms of the state of the peace process. There’s so much work to do. But here’s what I know –- there’s no question about how lasting peace will be achieved. Peace can’t be imposed from the outside. Ultimately, it is the Israelis and the Palestinians who must reach agreement on the issues that divide them. (Applause.)

And the fact that peace is hard can’t deter us from trying. Because now more than ever, it’s clear that a just and lasting peace is in the long-term interests of Israel. It is in the long-term interests of the Palestinian people. It is in the interest of the region. It is the interest of the United States, and it is in the interest of the world. And I am not going to stop in pursuit of that vision. It is the right thing to do. (Applause.)

Now, that vision begins with a strong and secure State of Israel. (Applause.) And the special bonds between our nations are ones that all Americans hold dear because they’re bonds forged by common interests and shared values. They’re bonds that transcend partisan politics -- or at least they should. (Applause.)

We stand with Israel as a Jewish democratic state because we know that Israel is born of firmly held values that we, as Americans, share: a culture committed to justice, a land that welcomes the weary, a people devoted to tikkun olam. (Applause.)

So America’s commitment -- America’s commitment and my commitment to Israel and Israel’s security is unshakeable. It is unshakeable. (Applause.)

I said it in September at the United Nations. I said it when I stood amid the homes in Sderot that had been struck by missiles: No nation can tolerate terror. And no nation can accept rockets targeting innocent men, women and children. No nation can yield to suicide bombers. (Applause.)

And as Ehud has said, it is hard to remember a time when the United States has given stronger support to Israel on its security. In fact, I am proud to say that no U.S. administration has done more in support of Israel’s security than ours. None. Don’t let anybody else tell you otherwise. It is a fact. (Applause.)

I’m proud that even in these difficult times we’ve fought for and secured the most funding for Israel in history. I’m proud that we helped Israel develop a missile defense system that’s already protecting civilians from rocket attacks. (Applause.)

Another grave concern -– and a threat to the security of Israel, the United States and the world -– is Iran’s nuclear program. And that’s why our policy has been absolutely clear: We are determined to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. (Applause.) And that’s why we’ve worked painstakingly from the moment I took office with allies and partners, and we have imposed the most comprehensive, the hardest-hitting sanctions that the Iranian regime has ever faced. We haven’t just talked about it, we have done it. And we’re going to keep up the pressure. (Applause.) And that’s why, rest assured, we will take no options off the table. We have been clear.

We’re going to keep standing with our Israeli friends and allies, just as we’ve been doing when they’ve needed us most. In September, when a mob threatened the Israeli embassy in Cairo, we worked to ensure that the men and women working there were able to get out safely. (Applause.) Last year, when raging fires threatened Haifa, we dispatched fire-fighting planes to help put out the blaze. (Applause.)
On my watch, the United States of America has led the way, from Durban to the United Nations, against attempts to use international forums to delegitimize Israel. And we will continue to do so. (Applause.) That’s what friends and allies do for each other. So don’t let anybody else tell a different story. We have been there, and we will continue to be there. Those are the facts. (Applause.)

And when I look back on the last few years, I’m proud of the decisions I’ve made, and I’m proud of what we’ve done together. But today isn’t about resting on our laurels. As your tradition teaches, we’re not obligated to finish the work, but neither are we free to desist from it. (Applause.)

We’ve got to keep going. So today we look forward to the world not just as it is but as it could be. And when we do, the truth is clear: Our union is not yet perfect. Our world is still in desperate need of repair. And each of us still hears that call.

And the question is, how we will respond? In this moment, every American, of every faith, every background has the opportunity to stand up and say: Here I am. Hineni. Here I am. I am ready to keep alive our country’s promise. I am ready to speak up for our values at home and abroad. I am ready to do what needs to be done. The work may not be finished in a day, in a year, in a term, in a lifetime, but I’m ready to do my part. (Applause.)

And I believe that with tradition as our guide, we will seize that opportunity. And in the face of daunting odds, we will make the choices that are hard but are right. That’s how we’ve overcome tougher times before. That’s how we will overcome the challenges that we face today. And together, we will rewrite the next chapter in America’s story and prove that our best days are still to come.
Thank you, God bless you, God bless the United States of America. (Applause.)

END
3:08 P.M. EST

And with that, we wish to note that including the remarks made by the President of the United States to our leading Jewish organization reproduced here does not constitute a political endorsement.

And we wish you all a very happy, and safe, civil and secular New Year's Eve! See you in 2012!

Adas Emuno Hannukah Menorah Lighting 2011

2011-12-28T11:00:00.001-05:00

On Friday evening, December 23rd, Congregation Adas Emuno hosted the Leonia community menorah lighting in celebration of Hanukkah, prior to our weekly Friday evening Shabbat service. Here is a video report on that event, featuring Rabbi Barry Schwartz, Student Cantor Luke Hawley on guitar, Leonia Mayor Mary Heveran, and the children and congregants of Adas Emuno, and the Leonia community.

And what better way than this to bid a sad and yet joyous farewell, and l'hitraot to our Hanukkah holiday. Until next year, keep the spirit of the Maccabees alive!

Hanukkah Obamakah

2011-12-27T15:18:00.000-05:00

Some years we can't help but remark that Hanukkah is coming early, even though Hanukkah always begins at the same time each year, the 25th of Kislev on the Hebrew calendar. This year, Hanukkah seems to be very much in sync with the secular calendar, but that didn't stop the White House from celebrating the holiday early, almost two weeks early, in fact.

Here now is a look at the Hanukkah party hosted by the President on December 8, 2011, featuring Barack Obama's greeting to all those assembled:

To prepare for this celebration, the White House kitchen, which is not normally kept kosher, had to be specially kosherized:

And what was on the menu, you well might ask. Well Obama Foodorama, "The Blog Of Record About White House Food Initiatives, From Policy To Pie," reports the following:

A Kosher menu...with sushi rolls
The reception had a buffet of Jewish holiday specialties--as well as sushi rolls, which were also served last year. The kitchen was Koshered for the event, and the menu was prepared under the strict rabbinical supervision of Rabbi Levi Shemtov, Lubavitch Center of Washington (Chabad), in cooperation with the Rabbinical Council of Greater Washington, according to the White House. The Meat was Glatt Kosher - Chassidishe Shechitah. All baked goods were Pas Yisroel; all wines were Mevushal. The foods were prepared Lemihadrin with a Mashgiach Temidi.

2011 Hanukkah Reception Menu

Roulade of Chicken Breast
Fresh Thyme Sauce
Arugula and Fresh Artichokes
Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Filet of Beef
Au Jus
Caramelized Pearl Onions
Shiitake Mushrooms

Pine Nut Herb Crusted Lamb Chops
Mango and Mission Fig Chutney

Homemade Potato with Scallion Pancakes
Apple Sauce

Dill and Vodka Scottish Smoked Salmon
Non-Pareil Capers
Chopped Egg Whites and Yolks
Parsley
Lemon Wedges

Assorted Fresh Sushi Rolls
California Roll
Spicy Tuna Roll
Vegetable Roll
Pickled Ginger
Wasabi

Winter Squash Salad

Assorted Rolls

Dessert Station
Homemade Soufganyot
Crème Anglaise
Raspberry Jelly
"An assortment of homemade desserts"

This is taken from a post entitled, President Obama Hosts 2011 White House Hanukkah Reception - The Menu, The Guest List, so go check it out if you are so inclined (the blog also features numerous White House recipes).

The decision to hold an early Hanukkah party was met with some criticism from critics and opponents of the President--must everything be politicized and polarized these days? Obama did issue a statement of Hanukkah greetings on December 20:

Michelle and I send our warmest wishes to all those celebrating Hanukkah around the world.
This Hanukkah season we remember the powerful story of a band of believers who rose up and freed their people, only to discover that the oil left in their desecrated temple -- which should have been enough for only one night -- ended up lasting for eight.
It's a timeless story of right over might and faith over doubt -- one that has given hope to Jewish people everywhere for over 2,000 years.
And tonight, as families and friends come together to light the menorah, it is a story that reminds us to count our blessings, to honor the sacrifices of our ancestors, and to believe that through faith and determination, we can work together to build a brighter, better world for generations to come.
From our family to the Jewish Community around the world, Chag Sameach.

And here's some charming amateur footage of the lighting of the National Menorah in Washington, DC on December 20, 2011:

The American celebration of Hanukkah is indeed a celebration of freedom, of how a small band of rebels defeated the forces of a mighty empire and secured the independence of a nation, and the right to practice their own religion free from persecution or interference.

And so, we at Congregation Adas Emuno, Wish You A

Happy Hanukkah, America!

Dreidel Time!

2011-12-26T19:30:00.000-05:00

Hanukkah just wouldn't be complete without a dreidel, so here's one:

And here's another one:

And one more for good measure:

But of course, where there's a dreidel, there's also the "Dreidel Song," and so many different ways to sing it. For example, you can croon it like Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, or good old Sammy Davis, Jr., as Kenny Ellis does here:

And you can do it up hip hop style like Erran Baron Cohen (brother of Sacha Baron Cohen) does:

And you can sing it a cappela, like the quartet Rockapella does in this amateur video (first few seconds on the footage is black):

And how about taking a look at some more dreidels, like this one:

And this one:

And this one here:

And have you ever heard anything like this electronica version of the dreidel song?

And have you ever heard the new lyrics added to the song, here performed in a traditional manner?

And can you imagine dreidels on Broadway?

So maybe you get the point that dreidels are really super:

Of course, you don't have to be Jewish to appreciate dreidels, as Don McClean of "American Pie" fame demonstrated with his Top 40 hit from 1972, "Dreidel":

And you don't have to be Jewish to play the dreidel game, or enjoy Hanukkah, as this original "Dreidel Song" from Incubus makes crystal clear:

So, yeah,

Get Your Dreidel On!

And Happy Hanukkah!

Light One Candle More

2011-12-25T20:43:00.001-05:00

At this risk of some redundancy, since we posted this video during last year's Hanukkah celebration, here is "Light One Candle," written by Peter Yarrow, performed as a beautiful and moving live concert rendition, by Peter, Paul, and Mary:

This is very much a song about social consciousness, social justice, and social action, one of the great themes of the Jewish religious tradition. And here are the lyrics:

Light one candle for the Maccabee children
With thanks that their light didn't die
Light one candle for the pain they endured
When their right to exist was denied
Light one candle for the terrible sacrifice
Justice and freedom demand
But light one candle for the wisdom to know
When the peacemaker's time is at hand

Don't let the light go out!
It's lasted for so many years!
Don't let the light go out!
Let it shine through our love and our tears.

Light one candle for the strength that we need
To never become our own foe
And light one candle for those who are suffering
Pain we learned so long ago
Light one candle for all we believe in
That anger not tear us apart
And light one candle to find us together
With peace as the song in our hearts

Don't let the light go out!
It's lasted for so many years!
Don't let the light go out!
Let it shine through our love and our tears.

What is the memory that's valued so highly
That we keep it alive in that flame?
What's the commitment to those who have died
That we cry out they've not died in vain?
We have come this far always believing
That justice would somehow prevail
This is the burden, this is the promise
This is why we will not fail!

Don't let the light go out!
It's lasted for so many years!
Don't let the light go out!
Let it shine through our love and our tears!
Don't let the light go out!
Don't let the light go out!
Don't let the light go out!

Let that message ring out loud and clear, during the Festival of Lights, and beyond:

DON'T LET THE LIGHT GO OUT!

HAPPY HANUKKAH!

The Festival of Lights

2011-12-24T18:02:00.000-05:00

We all know that Hanukkah is known as the Festival of Lights, so let's enjoy the prayer over the lighting of the Hanukkah candles, as sung by none other than Carole King:

And what better to follow that up with than Judy Tellerman's tune, "We Keep The Flame":

Given Judaism's long history of Talmudic scholarship, it should come as no surprise that the idea of a "Festival of Lights" may become subject to a bit of interpretation. L'Chaim!

And what could be more in keeping with the spirit of the holiday than this song by Peter Himmelman and David Broza, Light Up the World:

And did you know that the world's largest Chanukah Menorah, that is to say, Chanukiah, is located only a few miles away from our congregation in Leonia? The design was inspired by a hand drawing from Maimonides of the orginal Menorah in the Beit Hamikdosh or Holy Temple in Jerusalem. These videos are from 2008:

And how do they light it, you well may ask. Well, here's some amateur footage from just a few days ago, explaining its origins through the Lubavitcher Hasidic sect (views expressed by the Rebbe are not those of our own Reform congregation or movement, but it's always interesting to listen):

And here's one more quick look at a closer angle:

So let your light shine, let it shine on and on, on this festival of lights! Happy Hanukkah!

The Festival of Latkes

2011-12-23T11:07:00.002-05:00

Well, okay, Hanukkah is the Festival of Lights, sure, but the candles we light symbolize and substitute for the oil that was burned in the Temple, which was a special type of sacred, purified and sanctified olive oil, the same olive oil we use to cook various foods, including potato pancakes, otherwise known as latkes.

And here's a little tidbit from the Wikipedia entry on Potato pancake:

The word leviva, the Hebrew name for latke, has its origins in the Book of Samuel's description of the story of Amnon and Tamar. Some interpreters have noted that the homonym levav means "heart," and the verbal form of l-v-v occurs in the Song of Songs as well.

Latkes need not necessarily be made from potatoes. Prior to the introduction of the potato to the Old World, latkes were, and in some places still are, made from a variety of other vegetables, cheeses, legumes, or starches, depending on the available local ingredients and foodways of the various places where Jews lived.

And maybe you've got an old family recipe for making latkes, but maybe not, maybe you'd like some help, or are looking for new ideas, or just want to compare. So here, courtesy of the Union for Reform Judaism, is a two-part video demonstration on how to make potato pancakes, by Tina Wasserman, author of the acclaimed Jewish cookbook Entree to Judaism:

And maybe you'd like some nice music to accompany you while you're cooking and/or eating your latkes, so here is a recording of the late Debbie Friendman performing her famous "Latke Song" live at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston in 2001:

And here are the lyrics for you to read:

CHORUS:
I am a latke, I'm a latke
And I am waiting for Chanukah to come
I am a latke, I'm a latke
And I am waiting for Chanukah to come

I am so mixed up that I cannot tell you,
I'm sitting in this blender turning brown.
I've made friends with the onions and the flour,
And the cook is scouting oil in the town.
I sit here wondering what will come of me,
I can't be eaten looking as I do.
I need someone to take me out and cook me,
Or I'll really end up in a royal stew.

CHORUS

Every holiday has foods so special,
I'd like to have that same attention too,
I do not want to spend life in this blender,
Wondering what I'm supposed to do.
Matza and choroset are for Pesach,
Chopped liver and challah for Shabbat
Blintzes on Shavuot are delicious,
And gefilte fish no holiday's without.

CHORUS

It's important that I have an understanding
Of what it is that I'm supposed to do,
You see, there are many who are homeless,
With no jobs, no clothes and very little food.
It's so important that we all remember,
That while we have most of the things we need,
We must remember those who have so little,
We must help them, we must be the ones to feed.

CHORUS

And if you're a regular viewer of the ABC network's program, Grey's Anatomy, you probably have heard the song, "Latke Clan," performed by The LeeVees. Here's a live version, performed at 2007 convention of the Reform Jewish youth organization NFTY (North American Federation of Temple Youth):

And now for the lyrics:

Hanukkah, I know it's gonna be all right
Everyone's together tonight
Feeling good, it's Hanukkah

Two candles lit
The holiday's just begun
We're in for lots of fun
The time has come, it's Chanukah

The sun is setting
Get home as fast as you can
We'll put the oil into the pan
So come and join our Latke Clan
Cause we are latke fans
It's true

Your uncle's here
Flew in from out of town
It's nice to have him around
Even though he's weird
It's Chanukah

Santa's cool
But Hanukkah Harry's the man
So come and join our latke clan
We'll save you a plate
It's Hanukkah

The sun is setting
Get home as fast as you can
We'll put the oil into the pan
So come and join our latke clan

Sun is setting, get home as fast as you can
We'll put the oil into the pan
So come and join our latke clan
Cause we are latke fans

Your weird uncle is doing the can-can
Hanukkah Harry, he's the man
Everyone's here, it's Hanukkah

And in the category of holiday season toys that never quite made it, here's one you no doubt have never heard of, Latke Larry (we're not sure if he's any relation to Hanukkah Harry):

How about a nice story instead? Courtesy of JewishTVNetwork.com, we can enjoy this charming, animated tale from the old country, A Magical Latke Story, narrated by none other than famous television celebrity Bob Saget:

And what's that you say? You want to hear a different "Latke Song" now? Sure, here's one:

And, for our coda, here's a nice amateur video featuring holiday images, set to the studio version of Debbie Friedman's "Latke Song":

And with that, we hope you've liked our virtual latkes. Now go and enjoy some real latkes of your own! B'tayavon!

And don't forget to join us this evening, at 7 PM, for the Leonia Community Menorah Lighting outside of our shul, followed by our Shabbat service, and a Hanukkah party of an oneg! With, you guessed it, lots and lots of latkes!

Rock of Ages

2011-12-22T11:08:00.001-05:00

Ma'Oz Tzur, or as it is translated into English, Rock of Ages, is the classic Hanukkah song, or perhaps more rightly, the Hanukkah hymn. So in celebration of the Festival of Lights, let's sample some renditions of this timeless classic.

The SHIRAH Chorus performs Ma'oz Tzur, led by Matthew Lazar is a lovely choral rendition of the hymn in Hebrew and English (first verse only), recorded live in concert (with some background noise):

Stuart Marcus - Maoz Tzur is a traditional but more intimate, folk version that includes the Hebrew and two English verses:

Maoz Tzur by Craig Taubman is a mellow hip hop (or is it trance?) version of the Hebrew song:

Rock of Ages - מָעוֹז צוּרby offers a creative arrangement of the English verses, with acoustic and slide guitar, to give it an island feel, performed by Marc Cohn:

And to return to a beautiful, tradition choral version of the Hebrew, take a listen and look at PS22 Chorus "MAOZ TZUR" Chanukah Song, with a cute epilogue:

And finally, Chanukah Jewish Rock of Ages - Official Hanukkah Song (Video) is NOT Ma'Oz Tzur, but it is rock through the ages, with a Chanukah twist. You may laugh, you may cringe, you may shake your head in disbelief or dance for joy, but you gotta appreciate their effort and creativity, and Chanukah spirit:

And one thing we can say for sure is, Hanukkah Rocks!

Keeping the Maccabeat!

2011-12-21T11:04:00.002-05:00

Here's Miracle, the latest Chanukah music video from The Maccabeats:

And here are the lyrics, in case you were wondering:

Just livin' in the miracle, candles are my vehicle
Eight nights, gonna shine invincible
No longer be divisible, born through the struggle
Keep on moving through all this hustle
Head up, heads down through all of the bustle
New York City wanna flex your muscle
Look so down, look so puzzled
Huddle 'round your fire through all the rubble

Bound to stumble and fall but my strength comes not from man at all
Bound to stumble and fall but my strength comes not from man at all

[Chorus]
Do you believe in miracles
Am I hearing you? Am I seeing you?
Eight nights eight lights and these rites keep me right
Bless me to the highest heights with your miracle

Against all odds drive on till tomorrow
Wipe away your tears and your sorrow
Sunrise in the sky like an arrow
No need to worry, no need to cry
Light up your mind no longer be blind
Him who searches will find
Leave your problems behind you will shine like a fire in the sky
what's the reason we're alive -- the reason we're alive...
Bound to stumble and fall but my strength comes not from man at all
Bound to stumble and fall but my strength comes not from man at all

[Chorus]
Do you believe in miracles
Am I hearing you? Am I seeing you?
Eight nights eight lights and these rites keep me right
Bless me to the highest heights with your miracle

Eight is the number of infinity one more than what you know how to be
And this is the light of festivity when your broken heart yearns to be free

[Chorus]
Do you believe in miracles
Am I hearing you? Am I seeing you?
Eight nights eight lights and these rites keep me right
Bless me to the highest heights with your miracle

And do you remember the Maccabeats' 2010 Chanukah music video, Candlelight? If you missed it, you can find it on this blog too, it was posted here last December, and here's the link: Feeling the Maccabeats. Go check it out, and enjoy!

And Happy Hanukkah!!!!

Eight Lights

2011-12-20T11:00:00.001-05:00

Eight Lights

(A Poem for Chanukah)

One
Light
For
Liberty
Freedom from slavery and tyranny
From oppression and persecution
Freedom to live in harmony
With the Earth and with Heaven

One
Light
For
Law
Justice and equality
Human rights and human dignity
Peaceful coexistence
An end to war and violence

One
Light
For
Leaders
To stand up for liberty and bow to the law
To lead by example with courage and wisdom
To be a hammer that builds as well as a hammer of war
With a passion for peace, for justice, and for freedom

One
Light
For
Letters
Four on a dreidel
Twenty-two in total
Infinite in combination
Endless in education
An alphabet aligned with order
A numbering of our works, days, names
Books—greater than any leader
Knowledge stored transcends our times

One
Light
For
Learning
Reading, writing, remembering
Studying, questioning, understanding
Preserving tradition
Saving continuity from being lost
Moving forward—evolution
Avoiding errors of the past
Teachers—the highest calling
Bring to the world much needed healing

One
Light
For
Life
A sacred gift
Most precious of all
Vessel of the spirit
Root of liberty and law

One
Light
For
Love
Courtship and Family
Friends and Neighbors
Community and Humanity
Creations and Creators

One
Light
For
Laughter
Spinning dreidels
Chocolate gelt
Jelly doughnuts
Potato latkes
Giving gifts
Singing songs
Saying blessings
Children playing
Family visiting
Friends gathering
Lifting hearts
Kissing keppellahs
Glowing candles
Eight nights
Eight lights
Happy Chanukah!

8

8 8 8 8 L 8 8 8 8

L L L L I L L L L

A O I E G E E A I

U V F A H T A W B

G E E R T T D 2 E

H 7 6 N S E E 2 R

T 7 6 I 0 R R 2 T

E 7 6 N 0 S S 2 Y

R 7 6 G 0 4 3 2 1

8 7 6 5 0 4 3 2 1

--Lance Strate

Hanukkah Menorah Lighting in Leonia

2011-12-19T21:29:00.004-05:00

Hanukkah starts tomorrow night, so be sure to fire up your menorah.

And join us for our Leonia community Hanukkah Menorah Lighting on December 23rd.

Congregation Adas Emuno will host an outdoor menorah lighting on Friday, December 23rd at 7:00 p.m. at 254 Broad Avenue, Leonia.

A Shabbat Service will follow at 7:30 p.m, with a Hanukkah celebration following services.

And it is all open to the community. For more information, call 201-592-1712 or visit www.adasemuno.org.

And to get into the spirit of the holiday, here above is a live performance of the original, beautiful Hanukkah Blessings song by the rock group, Barenaked Ladies, courtesy of YouTube.

And here are the lyrics:

How lucky are we that we have lights so we can see
Although the day is done
What a miracle that a spark lifts these candles out of the dark
Every evening, one by one
Until the end of Hanukkah, of Hanukkah.

With the jingle bells and the toys
And the TV shows and noise
It's easy to forget
At the end of the day
Our whole family will say
These words for Hanukkah

Baruch atah Adonai, eloheinu melech ha'olam, asher kid'shanu
B'mitz'votav v'tzivanu l'hadlik ner shel Hanukkah.

Light the candles for Hanukkah, for Hanukkah

We remember how Maccabees
Fought so all of us could be free
And so we celebrate on this festival of the lights
There's a joyful time every night
But we illuminate the candles of Hanukkah, of Hanukkah

Baruch atah Adonai Eloheinu melech ha'olam she'asa niseem
La'avoteinu bayamim haheim baz'man hazeh.

Hanukkah...
Hanukkah...

And let us indeed count our blessings at this joyous time of year!

12 Tribes, One Family

2011-12-18T19:04:00.000-05:00

With Rabbi Schwartz away at the URJ Biennial, it was my honor to deliver the D'Var Torah in his stead during this past Friday night Shabbat service. Here is what I spoke about:

This weeks Torah reading tells the familiar story of the sons of Jacob, how Joseph was Jacob's favorite, and how Joseph's brothers were filled with jealousy and sold him into slavery. Joseph's story foreshadows that of the Israelites, as Joseph winds up in Egypt as a slave, and imprisoned. Just as Jacob had been renamed Israel, indicating he would be the ancestor of the entire Jewish people, each of Jacob's sons bore the name of one of the 12 tribes of Israel, and was considered the ancestor of that tribe. This is actually a common motif in folklore and oral traditions all over the world. It is a way to symbolize how certain groups of people may be closely related to and allied with other groups of people. It provides a concrete and personalized way to represent political and cultural relationships.

And when there is no writing, when people can only rely on word of mouth passed down through generations, the stories can change. So for example, a tribe in West Africa told the tale of seven brothers, each the ancestor of a neighboring tribe. British researchers recorded this myth early in the twentieth century, and no subsequent studies were carried out until sixty years later. During that time, two of the tribes had disappeared, and the myth had changed accordingly, so that they now told the story with only five brothers instead of seven. Not only was there no acknowledgement that any change had occurred on the part of these peoples, but they insisted that this was the story that they had always told.

But because our stories were written down, we remember the 12 tribes, even though 10 of them were lost when the northern kingdom of Israel was destroyed by the Assyrians, leaving only the holy tribe of the Levites, who were not allowed to own land, and the southern kingdom of Judah, which is why we call ourselves Jews, and our religion Judaism. So we remembered the 10 lost tribes, and we searched for them, and upon discovery of the New World, some believed that the native Americans might be the 10 lost tribes. Actually, there seems to be some evidence coming up recently that not all of the 10 tribes destroyed, and remnants still existed during the Roman era.

But the point I want to stress is the idea expressed by the American motto, e pluribus unum, out of many, one. We were many different tribes, just as today we are many different kinds of Jews, observant and non-observant, Reform, Conservative, and Orthodox, Reconstructionist, and Hasidic, Sephardic and Ashkenazic, Jews by choice and Jews by birth, but at the same time we're all one people, all the House of Jacob, the Children of Israel. From one comes many when following the command to be fruitful and multiply, but out of many we are still one.

Judaism is a religion founded on oneness, one God, one Creation, one human family, all descendants of Adam and Eve, and of Noah. And Noah had 3 sons, Shem, who is said to be the ancestor of all of the Semites, Ham, the ancestor of the peoples living to the south of the Semites, and Japheth, the ancestor of the peoples living to the north of the Semites. Again, we find the same motif, explaining how different peoples came to be, and how they we are all united by a common bond.

Judaism is unique in retaining a sense of the tribal, while maintaining a universal and holistic outlook. The problem with universalism is tat it is very hard to get a handle on all of humanity at once, very difficult to relate on a scale of millions and billions of people. That is why Joseph Stalin, a monster on a par with Adolph Hitler, rightly observed that while one death may be a tragedy, one million is simply a statistic. And that is why large scale efforts to change the world for the better, such as Lenin and Stalin claimed to be engaged in, so often turn into tragedy, for millions of people.

What is the answer? Perhaps it comes in a slogan that has become popular over the past few decades. Think globally, but act locally. And that is exactly the outlook that Judaism has maintained, for millennia.

We think globally, but we also believe in the importance of the tribe, the community, the idea that we are all responsible for one another, that it is not just about isolated individuals acting alone, that we have to work together and help one another. It starts with family, with honoring our fathers and mothers. It broadens to the community, to do no harm to our neighbors by stealing, or murdering, or committing adultery, and to not covet our neighbors' possessions or bear false witness and tell lies about them. To avoid doing to those around us what is hateful to us. And in our worship, we relate to God, not only as individuals, but as a community, and on behalf of our community.

Joseph's brother's acted selfishly, as individuals, ignoring the fact that they were all one family. The first brothers to appear in the Torah, Cain and Abel, play out a similar scenario, as Cain murders Abel, and when asked by God where his brother is, Cain responds, am I my brother's keeper? By this negative example, we are taught that we are in fact responsible for our brothers and sisters, for our family and community, for out tribes and peoples, and for each other as one human family. Working together, collectively, we can think globally and solve the world's problems, repair and heal the world, by acting locally with humility, and care and compassion for one another.

Jacob Galperin's D'var Torah

2011-12-17T12:49:00.000-05:00

Jacob Galperin was Bar Mitzvah on December 3rd, 2011, and as you can imagine, it was an occasion of great happiness and pride for his family, and for all of us at Congregation Adas Emuno. In the photograph here you can see Jacob (center) with Rabbi Barry Schwartz (left) holding the Torah, and Student Cantor Luke Hawley (right), standing in front of the Ark. And we are very pleased to welcome Jacob as a Guest Blogger here on our congregational blog, as he was kind enough to share with us his D'Var Torah.

D'Var Torah

Jacob Galperin

Torah Portion

My Torah portion is the famous story of Jacob's, Vayeitzei, which means, and he went out. This is when Jacob left Beersherba for the city of Haran, Rebekah's birthplace.

Jacob stops to rest his first night. He places a stone as a head rest and then dreams of a ladder set upon the ground reaching heaven, with angels climbing up and down.

When Jacob awakens he makes a pact with God. If God kept him safe, Jacob would make him his God.

Jacob continues his journey to Haran to find his mother's brother, Uncle Laban. In no time at all, Jacob was united with Uncle Laban, Leah, and Rachel.

Jacob tells the story of his dream. Laban was so happy about all that had occurred. Jacob was in love with Rachel, the prettiest and youngest of the two girls.

Jacob asks Laban to marry Rachel, and that night Laban brought the bride to the tent. The next morning Jacob finds out it was Leah along with her maid.

OMG! as we would say... Someone told a lie!

Jacob marches over to Laban's tent for an explanation and Laban tells him, "Not to worry... The oldest daughter must be married first, however, so if you still want to marry Rachel, work for me seven years and she will be yours, with her maid."

He takes the deal.

Theme

The theme I have chosen is dishonesty, and the lack of bravery that is needed to tell the truth.

Rachel's father was dishonest with Jacob by sending Leah to Jacob's tent. He then rationalized his lie with the truth that he was not brave enough to communicate beforehand. Perhaps like many of us, he was afraid Jacob would have said no, and his first child would be considered an outcast. Thus, Laban was willing to sin because he saw God's will directing him to care for his first born before his own soul.

We also know that Leah and her maid gives Jacob ten children and Rachel and her maid blesses Jacob with two children.

III

Discussion

According to my study, dealing with dishonesty is a question for us to ask ourselves. What is the Torah telling us, how should we treat a person who is dishonest and may be stealing from us?

Jacob investigated Laban when it came to Leah. He asked many questions, and he kept his dignity. He did not yell, he did not lose his temper. He did not attack Laban, and kept his emotions in check. Some commentators would say Jacob's handling of Laban is a good way to handle a situation like this.

Also, the Torah teaches us lessons in human conduct and self control, and anger is the emotion that should be used only in the last resort and then only in a controlled, thought out, and constructed form of communication versus an outburst.

I picked this theme because I find this part to be fascinating, and I can relate to being not brave enough to tell the truth at times, and obviously I have lied for the same reason. I lied to my mother a long time ago because I didn't want to do my homework, and if I told her the truth, she would make me. The part that is different here is that I was lying for my own selfish reasons, unlike Laban who lied, let's say, for the greater good. And perhaps God said it was okay by blessing Leah with ten children, while Rachel had only two children.

My Mitzvah Project

My Mitzvah Project will be occurring after my Bar Mitzvah due to a situation beyond my control. They say there are no coincidences. I have chosen to help the Cantor help the new Bar Mitzvah students on Sunday. I would like to thank all of you for being here, and just being awesome. I would also like to especially thank my Mom, Cantor Luke, and Rabbi Schwartz. Without them. I wouldn't be here today.

My Preparation

My preparation has changed my view of Judaism. I have learned that it isn't so easy to become Bar Mitzvah. A lot of time has to be spent to make sure that everything sounds right and that everything goes perfectly. I have learned that now is my time to show that I can lead a service, and that I am a child of Jacob. Preparing has also shown me that although now I may be reluctant to come to synagogue and to return to religious school, I know that it's the best thing for me to do. God will always be there for me and I will always be there for Him, so I know that I would love to sacrifice the hour long services on the weekends for him.

And with that we offer our gratitude to Jacob and his mother Susan Galperin for sharing his D'Var Torah with us. And on behalf of Congregation Adas Emuno, we extend a warm and joyful Mazel Tov to the entire Galperin family!

Americans and God

2011-12-11T16:16:00.000-05:00

Eric Weiner's opinion piece in yesterday's New York Times, entitled, Americans: Undecided About God?, speaks to some important points about the status of organized religion in contemporary American society, and the relevance of Adas Emuno as part of the movement known as Reform Judaism.

Weiner begins by invoking the holiday season and its discontents:

The holidays are upon us again — it sounds vaguely aggressive, as if the holidays were some sort of mugger, or overly enthusiastic lover — and so it’s time to stick a thermometer deep in our souls and take our spiritual temperature (between trips to the mall, of course).

For some of us, the season affords an opportunity to reconnect with our religious heritage. For others, myself included, it’s a time to shake our heads over the sad state of our national conversation about God, and wish there were another way.

For a nation of talkers and self-confessors, we are terrible when it comes to talking about God. The discourse has been co-opted by the True Believers, on one hand, and Angry Atheists on the other. What about the rest of us?

It is certainly the case that the news media tend to focus on the two extremes. After all, conflict makes for good drama, and drama is what attracts an audience. But Weiner wants to frame this issue via demographics, and the formation of a new demographic category:

The rest of us, it turns out, constitute the nation’s fastest-growing religious demographic. We are the Nones, the roughly 12 percent of people who say they have no religious affiliation at all. The percentage is even higher among young people; at least a quarter are Nones.

Apparently, a growing number of Americans are running from organized religion, but by no means running from God. On average 93 percent of those surveyed say they believe in God or a higher power; this holds true for most Nones — just 7 percent of whom describe themselves as atheists, according to a survey by Trinity College.

Nones are the undecided of the religious world. We drift spiritually and dabble in everything from Sufism to Kabbalah to, yes, Catholicism and Judaism.

Weiner makes this sound like a new trend, but it is well documented that affiliation with organized religion has been in decline in the United States for over half a century now. So perhaps what has changed is people's willingness to admit to it, and to identify themselves as having no affiliation whatsoever, as well as their willingness to experiment and mix and match among existing spiritual traditions. Indeed, often individuals who distance themselves from religion at the same time embrace other forms of spirituality, which goes to Weiner's point about belief in a higher power divorced from identification with organized religion. One reason may be that, in some instances, religions turn to matters other than those of the spirit:

Why the rise of the Nones? David Campbell and Robert Putnam, of the University of Notre Dame and the Harvard Kennedy School, respectively, think politics is to blame. Their idea is that we’ve mixed politics and religion so completely that many simply opt out of both; apparently they are reluctant to claim a religious affiliation because they don’t want the political one that comes along with it.

We are more religiously polarized than ever. In my secular, urban and urbane world, God is rarely spoken of, except in mocking, derisive tones. It is acceptable to cite the latest academic study on, say, happiness or, even better, whip out a brain scan, but God? He is for suckers, and Republicans.

I used to be that way, too, until a health scare and the onset of middle age created a crisis of faith, and I ventured to the other side. I quickly discovered that I didn’t fit there, either. I am not a True Believer. I am a rationalist. I believe the Enlightenment was a very good thing, and don’t wish to return to an age of raw superstition.

So, health and aging put the "fear of God" into Weiner, or at least reminded him that there is more to life than our everyday concerns. He does not detail what "the other side" was that he looked to, but I suspect that it wasn't Reform Judaism. The Reform movement was a product of Enlightenment rationalism, and is it truly irrational to say that there is something more to the world than the things that we are aware of, more than human knowledge can encompass, or ever can fully understand? And is it truly irrational to say that we Jews have an amazing, millennia-old evolving tradition that is worth maintaining and being a part of, just as it is worth the effort to adjust and adapt it to changing circumstances and changing times, that is, to continually take part in a process of reform?

Weiner goes on to say,

We Nones may not believe in God, but we hope to one day. We have a dog in this hunt.

And Reform Jewish congregations, such as Adas Emuno, are places where people go a'hunting for spiritual experience, for discovering for themselves their own individual understanding of and relationship to the divine. And this same Jewish tradition is also one that emphasizes ethics, that above all else seeks to answer the question of how we should live our lives, to live them in a way that is consonant with the sacred and divine dimensions of creation, and in a way that does not harm others, and works towards the benefit of all human beings and of all living things. Weiner goes on to note,

Nones don’t get hung up on whether a religion is “true” or not, and instead subscribe to William James’s maxim that “truth is what works.” If a certain spiritual practice makes us better people — more loving, less angry — then it is necessarily good, and by extension “true.” (We believe that G. K. Chesterton got it right when he said: “It is the test of a good religion whether you can joke about it.”)

By that measure, there is very little “good religion” out there. Put bluntly: God is not a lot of fun these days. Many of us don’t view religion so generously. All we see is an angry God. He is constantly judging and smiting, and so are his followers. No wonder so many Americans are enamored of the Dalai Lama. He laughs, often and well.

Ummm. Judaism and humor? Hello???? Oh well, he is addressing American society as a whole, and Judaism represents only a small portion of that population. So, anyway, Weiner continues with,

Precious few of our religious leaders laugh. They shout. God is not an exclamation point, though. He is, at his best, a semicolon, connecting people, and generating what Aldous Huxley called “human grace.” Somewhere along the way, we’ve lost sight of this.

God is a semicolon? Maybe, in the sense that there are very few people left who understand or know how to use one. Actually, I like the Kabbalistic Rabbi David A. Cooper's view better, as he says that God is a verb. Anyway, it does seem that much of the criticism here is directed against the public face of organized religion:

Religion and politics, though often spoken about in the same breath, are, of course, fundamentally different. Politics is, by definition, a public activity. Though religion contains large public components, it is at core a personal affair. It is the relationship we have with ourselves or, as the British philosopher Alfred North Whitehead said, “What the individual does with his solitariness.” There lies the problem: how to talk about the private nature of religion publicly.

It used to be that religion and politics were subjects that were not brought up in public, in polite society, but then again, manners have kind of gone the same route as organized religion. So what does Weiner conclude?

What is the solution? The answer, I think, lies in the sort of entrepreneurial spirit that has long defined America, including religious America.

We need a Steve Jobs of religion. Someone (or ones) who can invent not a new religion but, rather, a new way of being religious. Like Mr. Jobs’s creations, this new way would be straightforward and unencumbered and absolutely intuitive. Most important, it would be highly interactive. I imagine a religious space that celebrates doubt, encourages experimentation and allows one to utter the word God without embarrassment. A religious operating system for the Nones among us. And for all of us.

I don't know, maybe Weiner was thinking of some of those cartoons that appeared after Jobs passed away...

Whatever the reason, he might consider the fact that there is no need to reinvent the wheel, that to find everything he's looking for, he doesn't have to journey to New Delhi or Kathmandu or Tokyo or Tibet. He can find it all right here, in the New York Metropolitan Area, across the river in northern New Jersey, in Bergen County, in the town of Leonia, in our little Congregation of Adas Emuno. You are very welcome to come and join us for Shabbat evening services sometime, Eric, and see what you think. And otherwise, we wish you the best in your seeking, may you find what you're looking for.

A Hanukkah Concert in NYC

2011-12-09T18:17:00.000-05:00

For those of you who like jazz and can make the trip, or are working in the city, Eugene Marlow's Heritage Ensemble will be performing next week, and they're sensational. Here's the info:

And of course, you might like to get a sense of what they sound like, so...

So, here's wishing you a very jazzy Hanukkah!

A Panel Discussion on Jewish Writers in NYC

2011-12-03T23:39:00.000-05:00

I thought this event taking place just across the Hudson in Manhattan this coming Tuesday might be of interest:

Growing Up Chosen

Jewish Writers and Their Childhood

SPONSORED BY THE

FORDHAM UNIVERSITY

CENTER ON RELIGION AND CULTURE

Tuesday, 6 December 2011 | 6 - 8 p.m.

Pope Auditorium | Lincoln Center Campus

Corner of Columbus Ave. & 60th St.

Q: What do you do with a Jewish childhood

A: You write about it.

The temptations, excitements, satisfactions and angst of going from childhood memories to written text--join us for an evening of readings and discussion with three distinguished writers. The discussion will be followed by a book-signing.

MODERATOR

Anne G. Hoffman,

Professor, Department of English, Fordham University

PANELISTS

Joshua Halberstam,

A Seat at the Table: A Novel of Forbidden Choices

and

Schmoozing: The Private Conversations of American Jews

Myla Goldberg,

Bee Season, The False Friend

and

Wickett's Remedy

David Roskies,

Yiddishlands: A Memoir

FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

RSVP to crcevent@fordham.edu | (212) 636-7347

(RSVP not required)

For more information, visit www.fordham.edu/ReligCulture

Come Join Us at Our Book Fair

2011-11-28T11:32:00.001-05:00

News from the Religious School at Adas Emuno

2011-11-27T18:28:00.000-05:00

from the pages of Kadima, the newsletter of Congregation Adas Emuno:

News from the

Religious School

at Adas Emuno

Religious School Director
Jennifer Katz-Goldstein

It is hard to believe that we have entered the month of November, albeit with a bit of an interruption after the unexpected storms in late October. So we have had an incredible beginning in more ways than one! But our schoolhouse, as always, is filled with the energy and spirit of our students and teachers busy with their respective curriculum.

It is a pleasure to have our school gather to pray as a community each week. As we have settled into a routine, so too have our students become increasingly comfortable participating in services and sitting in prayer together. I am particularly pleased when our students assist the Rabbi and Cantor in leading portions of the services. In addition, our 7th graders are getting the opportunity to “practice” standing in front of their community and getting comfortable on the bima.

 One of the areas that we are focusing on to improve this year is the Hebrew level of our students. What we mean by this is increasing their ability to follow the service, read and/or chant the prayers and be comfortable with their own prayer participation. As such, we will be emphasizing more prayer chanting in our classrooms. Students will spend time as a group, in pairs and individually working on getting to know prayer tunes earlier so that by the time we begin to work on B'nai Mitzvah preparation, they will already have achieved a certain level of competency in many of the prayers they will lead during their B'nai Mitzvah service. 

One particularly exciting component to this is a website that student Cantor Luke Hawley has put together for Adas Emuno. With this site, a student or parent can have access to all of the prayers contained in our Shabbat worship service and eventually, to include holiday songs, blessings and Torah Portions for B'nai Mitzvah. One can follow along reading text or listening to the correct way to chant and learn at one’s own pace. All of our congregants will be provided with the website and password to gain access to this wonderful learning tool. Thank you Cantor Hawley!
  
Our Confirmation class also continually impresses me. Our students are consistently almost all in attendance for every session (all fifteen of them) and their enthusiasm for being at Adas Emuno and learning together is contagious. I must admit that being with this group, teaching and learning with them is one of my favorite aspects of my job. Our teens are quite impressive! I should also mention that many of these same Confirmation students as well as other teens are also assistant teachers in our school. Having these students helping out and serving as role models is invaluable.

We have begun our Family Shabbat Grade Participation services. Already grade seven has gathered in October for a family dinner and service participation which was truly impressive. Grade Six will participate on November 18, and on December 9, grades four/five will come together.  We look forward to sharing another special evening together with our students, parents and the Congregation. 

In December, students will usher in the Festival of Lights with a special snack of latkes, applesauce and soufganiyot (munchkin donuts) a special student service focused on the “miracles” of Chanukah and in-class learning. A special thank you to the parent volunteers who provide the ritual foods and extra materials we need as well as setting up and cleaning up when we are finished. These unique days could not take place without you!!

As the holidays approach, please be on the lookout for your child to bring home a copy of the “Parent Page”. This is put out by the URJ (Union of Reform Judaism) and serves as a guide to observing the holidays and includes history, blessings, stories and projects to help you and your family enjoy the holidays.
  
Progress reports will be sent home for every child in grades kindergarten through seven during the month of January. These are our way to give you a “glance” at what your child is doing in class. As always, please feel free to contact me at any time regarding these or any other school matter either by phone or email at Adasschool@yahoo.com.

L’Shalom, (go forward towards peace)

Jennifer Katz-Goldstein

Sephardic Music Festival

2011-11-17T21:36:00.001-05:00

Something that may be of interest is the upcoming Sephardic Music Festival in New York City, on December 20-27th. Here's some information about it, from their website:

The Sephardic Music Festival showcases the remarkable diversity that exists within the Jewish community. Its tapestry of harmonies, rhythms, and cultural motifs are as rich, vibrant, and diverse as the Jewish world itself. Popular perceptions of Jews and Jewish culture are dominated by Ashkenazi images and symbols like bagels, gefilte fish, klezmer, and Yiddish. This is the first music festival to focus exclusively on the less familiar but captivating culture of the Jewish communities of Spain/Portugal, North Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia.

The festival showcases artists from all over the world, representing cultural traditions from Ladino (Judeo-Spanish) to Mizrahi (Middle Eastern/North African) to Yemenite (Judeo-Arabic). In addition to traditional liturgical music, Shabbat songs, Sephardic folk tunes, and classic love poems (Romanceros), the festival also presents artists who fuse traditional rhythms, melodies, and themes with modern styles such as electro, hip hop, and dance music. The Sephardic Scholar Series, an important part of the Festival, brings performers, ethnomusicologists, and experts together to illuminate the historical and sociological roots of Sephardic music and culture.

quotes:

“This Hanukkah fest wants to school us in Jewish music—and not just your grandpa’s klez.” - Time Out NY

“Thanks to events like the Sephardic Music Festival, the sounds of Sephardic Jewry are at last beginning to get their due.” – The Forward

“For most New Yorkers, “Jewish music” means klezmer: plaintive fiddles, wailing clarinets and other vestiges of a largely vanished Eastern European culture. But at the Sephardic Music Festival, a New York City tradition…, the world of Jewish music gets explored from an entirely different angle, focusing on the aural legacy of Jewish communities from Spain and the Muslim world.” – JPost

“Our Hannukkah-side suggestion is the annual Sephardic Music Festival…look at this festival as the un-Ashkenazi festival.” - National Public Radio, WNYC

And here's a video promoting and fundraising for the festival:

Sephardic Music Festival Promo Clip from ShemspeedTV on Vimeo.

And the write up on the fundraising page goes like this:

Over the past 6 years we have produced the Sephardic Music Festival in NYC. The Festival highlights the remarkable diversity that exists within the Jewish community. Its tapestry of harmonies, rhythms, and cultural motifs are as rich, vibrant, and diverse as the Jewish world itself.. This is the first music festival to focus exclusively on the less familiar but captivating culture of the Jewish communities of Spain/Portugal, North Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia.

The festival showcases artists from all over the world, representing cultural traditions from Ladino (Judeo-Spanish) to Mizrahi (Middle Eastern/North African) to Yemenite (Judeo-Arabic). In addition to traditional liturgical music, Shabbat songs, Sephardic folk tunes, and classic love poems (Romanceros), the festival also presents artists who fuse traditional rhythms, melodies, and themes with modern styles such as electro, hip-hop, and dance music. The Sephardic Scholar Series, an important part of the Festival, brings performers, ethnomusicologists, and experts together to illuminate the historical and sociological roots of Sephardic music and culture. The festival also produces Fashion, Art & Food events, all promoting and showcasing diversity.

Your money will help fund this year’s festival, which will take place in and around NYC from December 20th through the 27th.

We will produce an incredible diverse series of events including a Sephardic Story Slam night, a flamenco dance night, an Israeli & International Hip Hop night, a Kosher Taste Fest, a World music dance party alternative to the Matzo Ball on Xmas eve, a mega event with the Godfather of Israeli music (Miki Gavrielov). These are events that you will not see anywhere else and they are vital to the preservation and education of this rich culture.

And here are some sights and sounds from previous years, representing some diverse musical tastes:

And there's art and fashion too:

And diversity!

What a marvelous, exciting, and refreshing approach to Judaism!

And so, in the Sephardic tongue of Ladino, let us remember:

Boca dulce avre puertas de fierro (Kind words open iron gates)!

Searching for Our History

2011-11-03T18:37:00.001-04:00

from the pages of Kadima, the newsletter of Congregation Adas Emuno:

From the desk of …

Rabbi Barry Schwartz

SEARCHING FOR OUR HISTORY

In the year 1871:

- Ulysses S. Grant was president of the United Sates and the Civil War had ended only a few years before.

- Queen Victoria ruled England.

- The Great Chicago fire left 100,000 people homeless.

- The first major league baseball game was played on May 4 and the first home run was hit on May 8.

- Lord Stanley located a missing explorer in Africa with the words, “Dr. Livingstone I presume?”

- Congregation Adas Emuno was founded in Hoboken.

In this, our 140^th year, I’d like to find out more about our long history. After all, we are one of the oldest congregations in New Jersey. Keep in mind that the entire Jewish population of the United States at that time was only some 200,000, before the great emigration from Eastern Europe beginning in the 1880’s swelled our ranks by several million. The majority of Jews, like the founders of Adas Emuno, were Ashkenazic German speaking immigrants (although Sephardic Jews were the oldest segment of the American Jewish community stretching back to the colonial period).

A few paragraphs on our journey from Hoboken to Leonia can be found in the history section of our website. A synagogue was built in 1883; the Gothic Revival building stills stands today. Ten years later the congregation had tripled to a hundred families. The flourishing community included a religious school, choir, and benevolent association to aid the poor. Brotherhood and sisterhood groups were formed in the early 1900’s, and later on a youth group and “Spiritual Advisory Committee”. Dues in 1919 were $30 a year; $45 by 1924 (but High Holy Day seats were extra and those closest to the ark cost $15). The congregation moved here in 1974, and became known as the synagogue with a steeple and star.

What more can we find out and include in our story? There a many gaps to try and fill in. Sadly, some records may have been destroyed during Hurricane Irene when the basement of our religious school flooded. I’d like to propose a Temple history taskforce that will search historical sources and interview long time members and others with connections to our past. If you would like to volunteer, or contribute a piece on your own memories and recollections, please contact me.

As a people we deeply cherish memory and the transmitting of our heritage from one generation to the next. Our story, approaching a century and a half in the making, spans more than half of our nation’s history. Let’s tell it: for ourselves, our children, and posterity.

Yom Kippur Appeal 5772

2011-10-30T11:30:00.000-04:00

Here now is the text of this year's Yom Kippur Appeal, delivered by Congregation Adas Emuno Financial Secretary Mark Rosenberg:

As we celebrate 140 years as a congregation, let us reflect on how Adas Emuno has managed to exist for this period of time.

In his Rosh Hashanah sermon, Rabbi Schwartz recalled his memories of going to Brooklyn to visit the home of his grandparents and spoke about the need for all of us to pass on our own Jewish “memories”: our beliefs and Jewish values that will carry from generation to generation. This is what has kept Adas Emuno going. It is the selfless commitment of our members, the dedication of our congregation past, present, and future which will enable us to continue to have a vibrant synagogue community built upon our faith, community, education, and worship.

But to do this, it costs money! And I appeal to all of you to look into your hearts and give what you can in this new year of such great promise for our Congregation.

The Yom Kippur Appeal helps to bridge the significant gap between the membership dues we pay and all of the synagogue’s expenses. I ask you to donate and help to provide:

For our new and outstanding clergy who will teach and inspire us.

For our religious school whose programs will guide our children to fulfilling Jewish lives and prepare them with a lifelong commitment to the Jewish Community.

For the preservation and maintenance of our buildings.

Help us keep the Adas Emuno memory alive for our children and our children’s children.

As you leave the sanctuary this morning, I ask you to return your pledge card and fold down the tab that you are most comfortable with, to donate what you can, so that we may be here for the next 140 years.

Paul McCartney's Yom Kippur

2011-10-14T14:14:00.000-04:00

An interesting news item from JTA, the "Global News Service of the Jewish People":

McCartney attends Yom Kippur services, marries next day

October 9, 2011

(JTA) -- Ex-Beatle Paul McCartney reportedly spent the night before his wedding at Yom Kippur services.

McCartney married Jewish-American heiress Nancy Shevell, 51, in London on Sunday. They reportedly attended Yom Kippur services and a break fast at a local London synagogue.

The couple married Sunday in a civil ceremony at London's Marylebone Register Office, followed by a small reception at McCartney's north London home.

McCartney's first wife, Linda Eastman, also was Jewish. She died in 1998 after a battle with breast cancer.

We wish the former Beatle and the new Mrs. McCartney a hearty mazel tov, and we don't think that they'll need to be reminded that... all you need is love!

Sukkot Soon!

2011-10-11T09:48:00.000-04:00

The Sukkot Festival starts this Wednesday evening, October 12th, and at Congregation Adas Emuno, we will celebrate with a pot luck dinner at 6:30 PM in the social hall, followed by our Sukkot service in the sanctuary at 7:30 PM.

We will also join in on a collaborative Sukkot Morning service with our sister shuls in Bergen Country, Temple Sinai and Temple Emeth, on October 13th. This service will be hosted by Temple Emeth, 1666 Windsor Road in Teaneck, at 10:30 AM, with Rabbi Schwartz and Student Cantor Hawley participating.

And don't forget about our Super Sukkot Sunday coming up on October 16th at 12 noon!

And now, to get in the mood, here is a video called, Sukkot Fun - Strange Sukkahs!

The video is courtesy of Rebbetzin Tap, and here is her write up from YouTube:

A 32ft tall Sukkah? Sukkah on a boat? On a camel? See them for real in this video clip! Filmed at the Sukkah exhibit at Neot Kedumim, the Biblical nature reserve in Israel, which features the many unusual Sukkahs described in the Mishna - some of which are "kosher" and some not.

This clip is from our "Jewish Holiday Celebration!" DVD. In the DVD, Rebbetzin Tap (Kerry Bar-Cohn) discovers a holiday apartment - with a different Jewish holiday behind every door! The shots of singing and dancing toward the beginning of this clip are a preview of the song "Shake The Lulav", which you can see in full on the DVD, available in Judaica stores or by visiting http://www.rebbetzintap.com.

Also, visit Neot Kedumim (located between Jerusalem & Tel Aviv) and see these Sukkahs and more for yourself! It's a great exhibit. Go to http://www.neot-kedumim.org.il for more info.

Thank you very much, Rebbetzin, and we'll be sure to shake our lulav on Wednesday night!

Rabbi Schwartz's Sermon for Yom Kippur Morning 5772

2011-10-10T11:00:00.005-04:00

“LET IT GO”

YOM KIPPUR MORNING 5772

RABBI BARRY L. SCHWARTZ

“Who is great?” ask the sages of the Talmud.

“The man who turns his enemy into a friend,” is the reply.

For this reason, I have always considered Nelson Mandela to be a great man. This past year we quietly celebrated the twentieth anniversary of his long walk to freedom. A friend shared with me a recollection of that historic moment written by Bill Clinton. I knew as soon as I read it that these words would commence my next Yom Kippur sermon. And so they do.

“Early on the morning of February 11, 1990,” writes Clinton, “I woke my daughter, Chelsea, and took her down into the kitchen of the governor’s mansion in Little Rock, Arkansas.”

“I wanted Chelsea, who was then ten years old… to watch his release. I felt it would be one of the most important political events in her lifetime, just as Martin Luther King Jr.’s speech at the Lincoln Memorial in 1963 was one of the most important in mine. ”

“So I sat her up on the kitchen counter and turned on the television. I still remember it like it was yesterday—Mandela walking slowly toward that gate and then waiting; Chelsea, like so many millions of others, moved by the power of his unbreakable dignity and strength. As I watched him walking down that dusty road, I wondered what he was thinking about the last twenty-seven years and whether he was angry all over again.”

“Many years later, when we were both Presidents of our nations, I had the chance to ask him. I said, “I know you are a great man. You invited your jailors to your inauguration. You put your persecutors in the government. But tell me the truth. Weren’t you really angry all over again?”

“And he said, “‘Yes, I was angry. And I was a little afraid. After all, I had not been free in so long. “But,” he said, “when I felt the anger well up inside of me, I realized that if I hated them after I got outside the gate they would still have me.’”

“Then he smiled and said, ‘But I wanted to be free, and so I let it go.’”

“I wanted to be free, so I let it go. ”

Clinton said that hearing these words was “an astonishing moment in my life.”

He goes on to say that these words helped him during a time of trial in his own life.

I know these words have helped me during a period of intense challenge in my life.

Mandela’s circumstances were exceptional. For a man to let go of his anger and bitterness and resentment after twenty-seven years in prison is astonishing. To leave behind a quarter century of captivity and emerge free of recrimination is inspirational. If he could do it, can’t we?

Mandela did not forget the past, but forgave the past, so as to embrace the future. He did not deny the anger, but conquered it. He walked out of the prison of concrete, but likewise the prison of the mind. Only then could he fulfill the destiny that awaited him.

I believe that the liberating power of forgiveness is the central theme of Yom Kippur, our most holy day, and our most difficult day.

What is so hard about Yom Kippur?

Is it the fasting? Not easy, but no.

Is it asking God for forgiveness for our mistakes? Not easy, but no.

Is it asking other people for forgiveness for our mistakes? Even harder, but no.

What is hardest about Yom Kippur is forgiving others when they don’t deserve it.

What is hardest is letting go of anger; letting go of entitlement; letting go of vindication.

As a marriage counselor told me many years ago: “Sometimes I have to look a husband or wife in the eye as ask them: Do you want to be right, or do you want to be married?”

“If you insist you are right, and you may be, you will probably divorce. If you demand justice, you will get it, with a broken heart and broken home. If you are willing to compromise, you may begin to reconcile. If you are willing to show compassion, you may begin to heal.”

Rashi, the greatest of the classic commentators, writes concerning the very first verse of the Torah:

God first thought to create the world with justice alone. But God saw the world could not endure. So first God created with compassion, and then added justice. So the world could endure.

The sages of the Talmud ask a daring question: If God was to pray, what would God say?

Their answer: “May it be My will, that My compassion suppress My anger.”

The remarkable passage goes on to express that of God’s many attributes, it is mercy that God wishes to see prevail when dealing with “My children.”

Our tradition urges us to be imitation dei; god-like in our aspirations.

We began this service, just after the Kol Nidrei, with words from the Torah:

Vayomer adonai salachti kidvarecha. And God said: I have forgiven according to your word.

Numbers, Chapter 14: Upon hearing a pessimistic report from ten of the twelve spies just returning from Canaan, the Israelites turn against Moses and Aaron. They lose faith. They are ready to give up. They even say that it would be better to go back to Egypt than die in the wilderness.

God is portrayed as overcome with anger. “And the Lord said to Moses: How long will this people spurn me? How long will they have no faith in me? I will strike them with pestilence and disown them?”

Moses pleads with God to let go of His anger.

Have you yourself not said: The Lord, slow to anger and abounding in kindness; forgiving iniquity and pardoning transgression…?

Selach na la’avon ha’am hazeh. Pardon, I beseech thee, the iniquity of this people, according to the greatness of your mercy, even as you have forgiven this people from Egypt until now.

And then God’s crucial reply:

Salachti: I have forgiven.

God saying, as it were:

I have let go of my anger.

I have pardoned this sinful and rebellious lot.

I have forgiven the past for the sake of the future.

Now, the stories of Mandela and Moses teach us something more. Letting go of anger to liberate ourselves and our loved ones is primary. Yes, that is our greatest challenge… and most rewarding endeavor.

But remember that although Nelson Mandela forgave, he did not forget. Mandela wanted South Africa and the world to know what had happened. A “Truth and Reconciliation” Commission was established. Hearings were held, in some cases trials. Pardons were indeed bestowed upon all but the most egregious offenders. Justice was tempered, not denied.

In the biblical story, there is a long history of understanding the term “salachti” as “pardon” more than “forgiveness.” Nachmanides, in the Middle Ages, interprets the key phrase to mean “remittance of punishment” rather than full forgiveness. The great modern scholar Nachum Sarna comes to the same conclusion in the JPS Torah Commentary:

The Hebrew salach implies not the absolution of sin but the suspension of anger; that [the Israelites] not die immediately and their children may survive; that they live out their lives and their children inherit; that they not be destroyed and the covenant maintained.

“Moses asks for reconciliation,” he continues, “for assurance that Israel will be brought to its land, and not that the sin of the Exodus generation will be exonerated.”

The second lesson from Mandela and Moses is that forgiveness is a journey, and it takes time.

Forgiveness is not an all or nothing proposition.

It unfolds in stages.

It is not forgetting the truth, but facing the truth so that the process of reconciliation can begin.

Forgiveness begins by stepping away from the kingdom of anger and proclaiming that mercy will have the last say.

Forgiveness begins with a declaration that if we must err, we shall err on the side of compassion.

Forgiveness is not black or white, but shades of gray.

It is not “happy ever after” but “let’s begin again.”

It is not the end of hurt, but the beginning of hope.

It is not the hug of “all is fine, ” but the embrace that the worst is past.

The road of reconciliation is rocky but the journey begins with a letting go.

Clara Barton, founder of the Red Cross, was once reminded of an especially cruel thing that had been said to her years before. Clara seemed not to recall it. “Don’t you remember?” a friend asked. “No,” came the reply, “I distinctly remember forgetting that.”

Nagib and Moussa were two dear friends, according to a classic Persian folk tale. One day Nagib rescued his friend from near drowning in a mountain stream. Moussa inscribed on a nearby rock: “Wanderer! In this place Nagib saved the life of his friend Moussa.

Several years later they returned to that very spot, and during a very heated argument Nagib struck his friend in the face. Moussa inscribed in nearby sand: “Wanderer! In this place Nagib broke the heart of his friend Moussa.”

Coming upon the scene, one of Moussa’s men inquired: “Why did you record your friend’s heroism in stone but his cruelty in sand?”

“I shall recall his cruelty temporarily,” came the reply, “but cherish his goodness forever.”

And so on the Yom Kippur let us affirm the liberating power of forgiveness.

Like Mandela we yearn to be free of body, but also of spirit.

“So I let it go.”

Like Moses we must plea for pardon, and like God, we must grant it, if there is to be a future toward the Promised Land.

On this Yom Kippur we turn to those we have hurt, but as importantly, to those who have hurt us, and say:

Salachti.

I have let go of anger.

Salachti.

I offer the hand of reconciliation.

Salachti.

Let us go on living.

Let us take the first steps together.

Let us reclaim a relationship.

Let us restore hope for the future.

To you, my husband, my wife, my mother, my father, my brother, my sister, my son, my daughter, my friend, my colleague, my acquaintance, my neighbor, my fellow:

Salachti.

The Melody Lingers

2011-10-09T11:17:00.001-04:00

Once again this year, we were treated to a stirring rendition of the Kol Nidre instrumental composed by Max Bruch, through the virtuoso talent of cellist Fran Rowell, accompanied on piano by Beth Robin.

The haunting melody lingers in the memory for a very long time. To help savor the echoes of those beautiful sounds, here is a performance found on YouTube, from a Papal Concert to commemorate the Holocaust held at The Vatican in Rome on April 7. 1994. Lynn Harrell performs on the cello.

Want to hear more? Listen to another version of the piece over on last year's blog post, Echoes of Kol Nidre.

Rabbi Schwartz's Sermon for Kol Nidre 5772

2011-10-08T23:07:00.002-04:00

SECOND CHANCES

TODAY IS NOT TOMORROW

KOL NIDRE 5772

RABBI BARRY L. SCHWARTZ

I do not read Men’s Fitness magazine. Maybe I should. But I leave it to my sons, who lift weights and have the buff physiques like the models on the cover. So I was curious when my older son said to me one day, “Abba, I think you should read this.” It was the editor’s column from the February 2010 issue. The editor was Roy S. Johnson. The column was entitled “Today is Not Tomorrow.”

Several weeks earlier, Roy’s young wife had suffered a debilitating stroke. His wife was in rehab, paralyzed on the right side and unable to speak. Roy was trying to persevere with his school age children. Roy wrote:

So every day, and usually many times a day, I say quietly to myself: Today is not tomorrow.

Our current circumstances—no matter how grim or painful—is not a life sentence.

It’s not even a “day” sentence, unless we allow it to be.

Each dawn announces an opportunity for new progress, for new moments, new strength.

Roy went on to acknowledge a painful truth of life:

Setbacks do not discriminate. They happen to the nicest people. To the strongest guy in the gym. To the seemingly happiest couple. To you.

But they are [often] only temporary. Bodies heal. Hearts mend. Careers turn around. Though not by themselves. And not if you believe today will be tomorrow, if you let today prevent you from taking the steps—baby steps, if that’s all you can take—toward a renewed tomorrow.

Roy concludes with these words:

I heard someone say today that a setback is just an opportunity for a comeback. Now that’s a tomorrow to believe in.

Yom Kippur is the day of the year when we reflect on the shortcomings and the setbacks of our lives. We may think about these things on many of the other 364 days of the years as well, but on the Day of Atonement we give it unique attention. We reflect on our role in these painful occurrences. We ask for forgiveness. We seek strength. We try to make sense of that which can be understood, and make peace with that which cannot.

We have suffered setbacks, big or small, in body or soul. We have suffered disappointments, major or minor, at work, at school, at home. The hardest questions concern our relationships. The ones we love—family. The ones we trust—friends. Setbacks do not discriminate.

I do not know Roy S. Johnson, and I have no reason to believe he is Jewish. But amidst his own tragedy Roy has hit on a central theme of this most holy of days: the power of the second chance; the ever present possibility of healing and transformation; the belief that today is not tomorrow; the hope of renewal.

Speaking of his wife’s rehab, Roy wrote that, “she is now taking baby steps in a marathon in which no one knows the ultimate length of the race.” And then later urges us to take those same tiny and uncertain steps, one at a time, toward a renewed tomorrow. The notion of self-choice and self-empowerment; that every step and every action helps shape our destiny… this too is part of the remarkable Jewish sensibility of his words.

Just look at the key verse of the Torah reading for Yom Kippur morning that we proclaimed earlier:

See, I set before you this day life and prosperity, death and adversity… choose life.

Someone once said: Look at the middle two letters of life: “i-f”. Life is full of “ifs”. In fact quite a number of verses in the Torah begin with the conditional clause, “if you observe this commandment, then…[such and such will happen].” Every choice carries its consequences toward life and blessing, or the opposite direction.

These teachings prompted Rabbi Mordecai Kaplan to observe that “Judaism is neither pessimistic nor optimistic; it is iffistic.

Two thousand years ago Rabbi Akiba taught that, “all is foreseen but free will is given.” We know that certain elements of our life and fate are out of our control. Yet at the same time we have tremendous power to shape our destiny. Such is the paradox we call life. Such is the iffistic nature of things.

By the way, you know the Hebrew word for life, also four letters. Hayim. Chet, yod, yod, mem. What are the middle two letters in Hebrew?” “Yod, Yod. ” The shorthand for Adonai, God.

Life is full of “ifs.” But if we choose well, life is full of God.

We all know the story of the Ten Commandments given to Moses on Mount Sinai. And we all know what happened to that first set of tablets that Moses was carrying down the mountain. Moses hurls them to the ground in a fit of anger. While he has been away the people have betrayed him. They have turned to the idolatry of the golden calf. They have lost faith, and in his moment of anger and despair, Moses in turn loses faith in them. Instead of an inspirational moment of revelation, all we are left with is a despondent leader and a smashed set of tablets.

The broken stone reflects Moses’ broken heart. To call the golden calf a setback for Moses is an understatement. Betrayal, from those we cherish no less, is devastating. We explode in anger. The fury rages, subsides then often flares back. In the meantime, the realization of what we have lost begins to sink in. Grieving takes place. We are the walking wounded, staggering between anger and sadness.

Moses is unsure how he can go on. He is physically and emotionally exhausted. His own brother caved in to the people’s wanton demands. The revelation at Sinai was not supposed to turn out like this. Life was not supposed to happen this way.

He says to God, “unless you go in the lead, do not make us leave this place” (ex. 33:15). He says to God, “show me your presence!” (33:18).

God does respond. According to the Torah, God reveals his presence. God speaks with Moses. God reassures that He is “compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in kindness.”

And with that Moses finds it within himself to take a new step forward.

The Torah says: “So Moses carved two tablets of stones like the first, and early in the morning he went up [again] on Mount Sinai” (34:4).

According to Rabbinic tradition, Moses’ second ascent of Mount Sinai began on the first day of Elul. The Torah records that Moses was up there forty days and forty nights.

If you do the math, that means that Moses descended from the mountain a second time on the tenth of Tishrei.

Today is the tenth of Tishrei. An often overlooked aspect of the holiday is the connection to Moses and the second tablets. Yom Kippur is a day of second chances.

Even a Moses made a big mistake. But God is saying, “today is not tomorrow.” Get up and go up, again. The mountain of revelation is still there to climb. The promised land is still there to ascend.

And God says: I will help you. You are not alone. You have suffered betrayal and you have reacted in anger. I understand. I’ve had anger management issues myself. Well, now you are older and wiser. So I will be your partner. This time, instead of just giving you an inscribed set of tablets, you carve the stone, you do the writing, and I’ll work with you on the content.

I want you to own those tablets. Even when things get rough; especially when things get rough, I want you to affirm the ideals of Torah, not destroy them. Especially when things are stormy I want you to remember the vision of your highest self. Especially when it is dark, I want you to remember the light.

Here’s another illuminating teaching about Moses’ second ascent of Sinai. According to ancient Rabbinic legend, Moses is told to keep the shattered remnants of the first tablets with the second set. Both the broken, and the whole, together, in the Ark.

Now that’s odd. Why would God want people to see the broken with the whole. Aren’t they a reminder of Israel’s darkest hour of idolatry and Moses’ deepest display of frailty?

Maybe that’s the point. To be reminded of the messy reality of life… and at the same time, its infinite potential.

As Rabbi Laura Geller writes: “We are still carrying both sets of those stone tablets with us on our journey. The hope for wholeness and the truth of brokenness exist together in each of us. None of us is perfect. Each of us struggles with limitations and weakness; each of us has broken promises and betrayed what we have loved. ”

“But in spite of this,” Rabbi Geller concludes, “forgiveness is built into the deep structure of the universe. God’s essence reveals itself, and it is compassion.”

Before concluding, let me acknowledge, from personal experience, and professional, how challenging it can be to take even the baby steps from the grip of today to the potential of tomorrow. Truth be told, the open road holds both promise and peril. We leave behind a past that may be problematic, but is at least known. We face a future that is hopeful, but uncertain.

As the writer Anatole France has observed, “all changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind us is part of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter another.”

When we leave a job, or exit a relationship, we are likely to experience the twin emotions of both liberation and loss.

At times we will be greatly optimistic; at other times deeply pessimistic.

At times we will say: this had to happen; at other times we will ask: Why did this happen?

At times we will be elated with hope, at other times we will be depressed to the point of despair.

The past represents the familiar, the routine, the proven. The past represents your expertise, your station, your status.

Conversely, the future, though a blank slate, represents the new, the unfamiliar, the unproven. We must establish ourselves all over again.

At times, the Israelites pined for the fleshpots of Egypt, despite its slavery. It is hard to let go. The clenched fist is more normal than the open palm.

On this Yom Kippur we look for the strength to face the future. We are inspired by the faith of our forebears and all who affirm in word and deed that today is not tomorrow.

We carry the broken and the whole together, aspiring to compassion and forgiveness, and on to holiness.

Yes, a setback is an opportunity for a comeback. I think it was the Talmudic sage Wayne Gretsky who once said that you will miss 100% of the shots you never take. So it is time to take the next shot. With faith, fortitude, and maybe a little luck, we will hear the announcer say again: He shoots… He scores!

How sweet it is. Shanah tovah.

Getting Ready for Yom Kippur

2011-10-07T11:03:00.001-04:00

As we ready ourselves spiritually for Yom Kippur and the closing of the High Holy Days, here is a thoughtful music video about Jonah.

As you may recall, we read from the Book of Jonah during the afternoon service, and the theme of repentance is very much in keeping with the Day of Atonement. The video is called Yom Kippur: Overboard (Jonah's Song) and the link will take you to its page over on YouTube:

And from the write-up on YouTube:

Lots of us think about Yom Kippur like an annual big dark cloud of guilt, sin and hours in synagogue.

But ahoy there matey! It doesn't have to be that way. Throw your old ideas overboard.

Yom Kippur is an amazing opportunity to change, grow and connect. Just ask Jonah, the hero of the Yom Kippur afternoon haftarah.

Check in with Jonah and the whale (okay, fish) and learn how Yom Kippur connects us to God, to our communities, and to our true selves.

And with that, we wish you an easy fast, and may you be sealed within the Book of Life for blessing in the coming year!

Living in the Future

2011-10-06T11:00:00.000-04:00

As Vice-President of Congregation Adas Emuno, I was asked to make the announcements on behalf of the Board of Trustees at the conclusion of last Wednesday's Rosh Hashanah evening service. As I sat on the pulpit, thinking about what I was going to say, apart from listing the upcoming events for our shul, a couple of things came to mind, and I thought I'd set them down here as well:

Shana Tovah! 5722... Where does the time go?

Some people think that, in coming to services to celebrate the Jewish New Year and honor our tradition, we are living in the past. But, quite to the contrary, we are actually living in the future. While everyone else out there is only living back in 2011, we're living in 5722.

We live in the future!

At this time of year, we say, may you be inscribed in the Book of Live for the coming year, inscribed for blessing, for health and happiness. And we understand that it is not for us to write these things in the Book of Life. It is up to a Higher Power.

But there is something that we can and will write. Right now, we are writing the next chapter in the history of Adas Emuno, it is a collaborative work, exciting and joyful, and I invite you all to join in as co-authors of this great story of ours.

Our congregation is 140 years old, and still going strong. And do you know what our secret is?

We live in the future!

Shana Tova!

A Rosh Hashanah Rap

2011-10-05T11:05:00.000-04:00

Here's another one from YouTube, called, "Shofar Callin': The Rosh Hashanah Song," about Abraham, Isaac, and of course, the Shofar:

And here's the write-up from the video's YouTube page:

Shofar Callin' connects the story Jews read on the New Year -- when God tells Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac -- with the ritual blowing of the Shofar, or ram's horn. What's the connection?

Find out how the Jewish New Year is WAY more than just a day to spend in synagogue, and how the call of the Shofar can be spiritually meaningful in your daily life.

Prodezra Beats, an independent artist, broke out big on the scene when he produced the track for "Change" with Y-Love & DeScribe, released on Shemspeed. Now with the "Shofar Callin'" track for Rosh Hashanah, he is back with another viral hit!

This G-dcast will have you bumping into the new year in no time! Shana tova.

NEW: HEBREW AND SPANISH SUBTITLES!!! Click the "CC" on the bottom right of the video.

http://www.g-dcast.com
http://www.shemspeed.com

And with that, we once again wish you a Shana Tova for this 5772!

Rabbi Schwartz's Sermon for Rosh Hashanah Morning 5772

2011-10-04T11:00:00.003-04:00

MEMORABLE JUDAISM

ROSH HASHANAH MORNING 5772

RABBI BARRY L. SCHWARTZ

When I was growing up, my family made the two hour trip from Peekskill, New York to Brooklyn, New York once a month. It was not an especially pleasant drive from suburb to city. Each trip had its share of potholes, crazy New Yorkers, and traffic jams. Yet we made the trip every month, every season, every year. The reason, quite simply: Grandma and Grandpa.

One of the things I remember about my grandparent’s home was this: It was small, but it was full of pictures. There were photographs everywhere. In fact, I still marvel at how many photos could be displayed in such a small space. My grandparents had one picture each of their own parents, a handful of themselves, and several of their two sons. The lion’s share of photos, however, were of us, the grandchildren.

In one sweep of the eye I could see my great grandparents, grandparents, and parents all on their wedding days. I could see my father in knickers, at his high school graduation, in his Navy uniform. I could see myself as a baby, as a Bar Mitzvah.

The visits were timed to include major Jewish holidays. So there were also pictures of us lighting Hannukah candles, and celebrating Pesach.

The memories of those visits are still vivid, some forty years later. I can still see my grandparent’s home like it was yesterday. Their faces and their embrace. I can still smell the food, still hear the stories, still sing the songs, still speak the Yiddish (a bissel), still picture the neighborhood.

On the way home, we always stopped for fresh bagels. I mean real Brooklyn bagels. Are there good bagels on this side of the river?

Zicharon. Memory. This sermon is about memory. And here is my thesis: The secret of Jewish continuity is family, and the secret of family continuity is memory. Put another way: what keeps Judaism alive is the bequeathing of our heritage from generation to generation, and what motivates one generation to pass on its values and traditions to the next, is memory.

Without memory, we become orphans in history. Without nostalgia, we lose touch with our past. Nostalgia, from the Greek nostos, a return to home, and algia, pain. A desire to return home so strong, it hurts.

In a positive sense, nostalgia is a yearning for feelings so dear that we are moved to perpetuate them. If our Jewish memory is joyful, we receive it as a gift and want to share it with those who come after us. If our Jewish memory is hostile, or simply indifferent, then it will come to an end, with us.

Rabbi Bradley Shavit Artzon recalls that when he was a child, he and his sister loved to look through their parent’s photo albums. He writes, “we loved the pictures of their ski trip to Tahoe, of their wedding, of their first apartment, or moving into their first house. We would gather time after time to see the albums. Somehow, we never tired of looking at those pictures, reveling in memories and the love.”

Then Rabbi Artzon continues: “Those albums brought us great joy until the day our parents got a divorce. Once my parents separated, my sister and I stopped looking at those pictures. They had become too painful for us to see.”

Rabbi Artzon concludes with a larger point: “Divorced from the Jewish heritage, memory albums no longer inspire; they accuse.”

And so, permit me to ask you a personal question. Regarding your own Jewish memories: Do they inspire, or accuse? Are they nostalgic, or alienating? Do you summon them with enthusiasm or trepidation or indifference?

I began by sharing my visits as a youth with my grandparents. My paternal grandmother and grandfather were both immigrants. My maternal grandmother (I never knew my paternal grandfather) was native born, but in the totally Yiddish world of the turn of the century lower east side. They were joyfully and proudly Jewish and to this day it brings a smile to my face.

Take a moment, if you will, and summon a Jewish memory that brings a smile to your face…

Now, a follow up question, inspired by an old adage that I cherish so much that I use it at every baby naming I do.

“Let us consider our world not so much as inherited from our ancestors but as borrowed from our children.”

What memories do we want to create for our families?

What legacy do we want to leave for the next generation?

What shall we do today that will bring a smile to our children tomorrow?

Judaism sanctifies time.

Are we celebrating Shabbat in ways that summon a smile?

Do we make time for a special Shabbat evening meal, complete with white tablecloth, candles, Kiddush, challah, blessing of the children, good food, good conversation, and everyone home?

Is our Seder a joyful and meaningful affirmation of peoplehood and history, or a rush to the food?

Judaism sanctifies space.

Are we celebrating our holy places in ways that summon a smile?

Do we make time for the joyful experience of synagogue, camp, retreats, heritage tours, israel?

Judaism sanctifies people and relationships.

Are we celebrating the milestones of life, and extending a helping hand to those in need, in ways that summon a smile?

If we seek greater rootedness in our dizzying world, have we deepened our ties to community and tradition?

If we seek greater family unity in a fractured society, have we taken a second look at venerable rituals that bind the generations ?

If we seek indelible memories in a disposable culture, have we done anything out of the ordinary?

What might we do, as a congregation, out of the ordinary? Innovative and compelling enough that in the end we will say: that was special? That was transformational? I will always remember that?

I welcome your ideas and your passion.

A Shabbaton at the synagogue?

A multi-generational weekend retreat in the Poconos?

A heritage tour to Eastern Europe?

A family trip to Israel?

At this New Year, let us challenge ourselves:

Am I living a Jewish life worthy of memory?

Is there joy in my Judaism, or only obligation?

Am I secure enough in my identity that my children will be in theirs?

Am I willing to think big?

Experiences of Shabbat, holidays, social justice work, Israel are “mishpacha memories,” Jewish family experiences that lodge in the mind and are not forgotten. Memories that will bring that smile and sense of connection… ten, twenty, thirty years from now.

The memory albums of our lives will inspire or accuse. For sure, they take years to assemble, and years more to penetrate to the very core of who we are. Only now, for example, do I fully appreciate the impact of those monthly shleps to Brooklyn, and of course, in the broader sense, the legacy of my immigrant grandparents. So, having begun this sermon in terms of personal memory, let me then conclude the same way.

As I was mulling over this theme some years ago, I experienced a powerful moment of family continuity, right in front of my computer. I had read about a then new website: ellisislandrecords.org. I learned that from 1890 to 1922, more than 20 million immigrants came to America via Ellis Island. Meticulously recorded ship manifests chronicle each and every arrival. An army of volunteers, largely from the Mormon Church, put all these manifests on disk. When the Ellis Island website went online, the response was overwhelming. Millions of Americans began searching for their roots.

I was one of them. I began my search with my maternal great grandfather, because I knew the specifics of his arrival. He had saved the ticket that brought him to America, and he so treasured it that he passed it on to his daughter, my grandmother, who framed it. My grandmother gave it to me shortly before her passing at 100 years of age. It is on my wall, next to the certificate proclaiming my great grandfather a United States citizen. He saved that paper too.

Logging on to the website when it was not overloaded proved formidable, but then I was in, and several clicks later—there it was. Just one entry: One of twenty million. Line 21. Leo Lorber. Age 20. Ship: The Pennsylvania. Port: Hamburg, Germany. Date of arrival: Nov.18, 1899. Funds upon arrival: $15. The handwriting on the manifest was identical to that on the ticket. The same clerk had issued my great grandfather’s ticket and recorded his journey. A century later his great grandson, who bears his name, would rediscover the entry.

Zicharon. Memory. The secret of Jewish continuity is family, and the secret of family continuity is memory.

At this New Year, we dedicate ourselves anew to securing the link that binds the generations.

At this New Year, we dedicate ourselves to singing the song of our people, the song that will never be lost.

At this New Year, we raise the cup of thanksgiving:

L’mishpacha–to family!

L’zicharon–to memory!

L’hayim–to life!

New Year's Whimsical Wishes

2011-10-03T11:00:00.041-04:00

Here is a whimsical set of New Year's wishes that has been making the email rounds recently, that Congregation Adas Emuno is happy to share with you!

Loving Wishes

for a

Healthy

Happy

Peaceful

New Year

May you enjoy your apples and honey!

May you find it easy to give and receive

May you know when to surrender... and do so with grace

May you remember that some people's lives are parched dry... and be grateful for the abundance in yours

May you find beauty in unexpected places.

May you carry your loads with ease amid sweetness

May you learn and teach well.

May you move with as much joy and ease as you can

May your home be filled with fresh air and light

May your tense and angry times be short-lived...

so that you come back quickly to your comfortable ol' self

May you be startled and delighted by new beginnings

May you find your uniqueness

May you enjoy your friends

and hear beautiful music

May you come to the surface for air when you need it

May you take exquisite care of yourself

And may everything that hurts you also be a little funny

Have a wonderful 5772!

נה טובה

Shana Tova!

Rabbi Schwartz's Sermon for Rosh Hashanah Evening 5772

2011-10-02T11:41:00.000-04:00

BEFORE WHOM YOU STAND

ROSH HASHANAH EVENING 5772

RABBI BARRY L. SCHWARTZ

Modeh ani, I am truly grateful, to be standing before you on this Rosh Hashanah, as your new rabbi.

I am grateful to be in partnership with our Cantor, Religious School Director, Board of Trustees, and all of you. Together we are engaged in the sacred task of creating kehillah k’dosha , holy community, or in the words of our 19^th century founders, adas emuno, a community of the faithful.

When I had my first telephone conversation with Beth Ziff, Chair of the Search Committee, all the questions she asked were thoughtful, but predictable… until the last one. “Rabbi,” she said, “if you were to end up here, what would be your first sermon?”

Thinking on my feet, as a rabbi must often do, I responded that the sermon should contain three elements:

1. It should be grounded in Torah.
2. It should be welcoming and affirm community.
3. It should offer a vision of the future.

Although I began on August 1^st and have already delivered several sermons, this is my first High Holy Day sermon, and I would like to keep my word to Beth.

I stand in gratitude in this humble but beautiful sanctuary. I will try to affirm the holiness of this place each time I am present. As often as I enter, I will try to avoid making it routine.

When I visited for the first time, I searched for the words inscribed above the Ark. I smiled. They are the same as my previous congregation. They are one of the two most common verses found in sanctuaries throughout the world. I know them by heart, but do I take them to heart?

Da Lifnei Mi Atah Omed—Know Before Whom You Stand.

I am sure this is not the first sermon at Adas Emuno to be framed by these majestic words, nor the last. But on this new year I would like to take them to heart as an affirmation of faith and of community

The words themselves are Talmudic. The Tractate Berachot (28b) relates that when the famed sage Rabbi Eliezer fell ill, his disciples came to visit. “Master,” they said, “teach us the ways of life whereby we may be worthy of the life of the world to come.”

Rabbi Eliezer replied with some advice about childrearing and guarding one’s reputation. Then he adds, “and when you pray, know before whom you stand.”

He elaborates no further. Rashi, the most esteemed of commentators, offers the traditional interpretation. The teaching, he notes, is connected to the act of prayer, and thus speaks of standing before God, B’Yirah U’Bkavvanah, with reverence and with integrity.

Rabbi Eliezer’s famous injunction does not say: Know before what you stand, but rather, before whom you stand. In a nutshell, one could argue that this one word change encapsulates the difference between a primarily secular worldview versus a predominately religious worldview.

After all, it was Socrates who said, “the unexamined life is not worth living,” while the prophets would have rejoined, “the uncommanded life is not worth living.”

The humanism of Athens sought, above all, truth, while the theism of Jerusalem pursued, above all, holiness.

As the great Reform scholar, Solomon Freehof, put it:

The Greek is interested in nature’s law,

The Hebrew in nature’s lawgiver.

The Greek is interested in peace of heart,

The Hebrew in progress of character.

The Greeks said: Seek harmony and you will find serenity;

The Hebrews said: Seek holiness and you will find nobility.

The traditional understanding of the words above our Ark is to know that we stand before God, in all that we pray, say, and do.

On this Rosh Hashanah, I want to explore what other meaning “know before whom you stand” might have for us.

Whenever I bring young children in for a “sanctuary tour”, which I love doing, I show them everything that is special, and then conclude by asking: what is the most important thing in this sanctuary?

Often they point to the Torah scrolls, and I say they are important, but not the most important.

They point to the eternal light, and I say the same thing. They point to the Ark, to the inscription, to the plaques, to the windows, and I reply the same.

They are often stumped, and this is not a trick question, not really.

Then I have them point to themselves. And then they get it. They are the most important thing. Not an object, not even the Torah. People are most important. As the book of Exodus teaches, V’Shachanti B’Tocham, “and I shall dwell… among them.”

Without us, a synagogue remains a building, and a sanctuary a very nice room.

With living, breathing, praying people, a synagogue becomes a community, and a sanctuary becomes a holy place.

In this spirit, let me suggest that to “know before whom you stand” points not only to the Holy One, but to the Holy Community, the Kehilla K’Dosha.

We stand before God, as we stand before each other.

Indeed, the very Torah passage that we read on Yom Kippur morning in the Reform tradition, Deuteronomy 29:9 begins: “Atem nitzavim hayom, You stand today, all of you, before Adonai…” But then the verse describes the community gathered, in all its diversity, “your leaders, your tribes, your elders, your officials, every man, woman, and child in Israel, the stranger in the midst of your camp, from the one who chops your wood to the ones who draws your water. ”

These are the questions that I want to pose on this Rosh Hashanah.

What does “all of us” mean today?

What does “every man, woman, and child” mean today?

What does “the one who chops your wood to the one who draws your water” mean today?

In truth, the Jewish people is more diverse than ever before, and I dare say that the American Jewish community is the most diverse in Jewish history.

Consider the following:

· The traditional family (two first time married adults with children at home) now constitute only a quarter of all family units in the Jewish community!

· The year 2000 national Jewish population study revealed that barely half (54%) of Jewish adults 18 and older are married.

· A quarter have never married, 9% are divorced, 4% separated, and 7% widowed.

When we stand before our community we must know that we stand before single individuals and single parents.

· One out of every seven American Jewish adults has been married a second time.

When we stand before our people we must know that we stand before blended families.

· One out of every seven American Jewish adults was born outside the U.S.

When we stand before our people we must know that we stand before Jews from the former Soviet Union, from Iran, from Israel, and around the globe.

· Five percent of the American Jewish community is non-Caucasian, and a fifth of children being adopted by Jewish families are non-white.

When we stand before our people we must know that we stand before adults and children who may share in Asian, African, and Hispanic descent.

· And as we well know, almost half of all adult American Jews marrying since 1990 are intermarried.

· Before 1970, the rate was a bare 13%. Dramatic change began in the seventies, when many third generation American Jews married. Intermarriage grew to 38% in my generation, which married in the eighties, and rose to over 40% in the following decade.

When we stand before our people we must know that we stand before many “Jews by choice” and before non-Jewish members of Jewish families.

A popular Jewish prayer reads, “may the door of this synagogue be wide enough to receive all who hunger for love, all who are lonely for fellowship.”

The one who hungers for love in our community today might very well be a single person or a single parent.

The one who is lonely for fellowship in our community today might very well be a Jew by choice, or an interfaith couple.

Despite the progress we have made as a movement in recent years, are the doors of our synagogues open wide enough for all to enter?

This portrait of the changing Jewish American family is our coat of many colors. In our small congregation of Adas Emuno, shall we wear this coat of many colors with pride? What further work needs to be done?

Hineni. Here I am. Standing before God and standing before you. Standing with you.

Let us continue our journey together.

Let us continue our journey as a welcoming community, a diverse community, a down-to-earth community, a haimish community, an inclusive community.

Let us continue our journey as a spiritually audacious community, an intellectually searching community, and a justice committed community.

Let us continue our journey recognizing that just as the German Jewish founders of this congregation had the holy chutzpah to offer a new form of worship and organization a century and a half ago, it is time for us to put new wine in old flasks.

On the application for a new rabbi, this congregation wrote that, “we know who we are, honor our traditions, but are not afraid of new ideas.” Let’s go for it!

The words above this Ark will remain our guide. Standing before our God and our people will illumine our way.

Then indeed the doors of this synagogue will be wide enough for all who hunger for love, for all who are lonely for fellowship.

Then indeed we shall be adas emuno, a community of the faithful.

May it be… and to this we say, Amen.

Happy New Year!!!

2011-10-01T20:56:00.000-04:00

Congregation Adas Emuno wishes you and yours a

Happy and Healthy New Year!

From the YouTube write-up:

A Rosh Hashanah musical parody by The Ein Prat Fountainheads
from the Ein Prat Academy, Israel http://foheads.com.
For bookings: einpratfountainheads@gmail.com
T: http://twitter.com/fountainheads
F: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ein-Prat-Fountainheads/215863388428936
Based on Shakira's "Waka Waka".

No apples, pomegranates, babies, or smartphones were harmed in the filming of this video. Please don't feed babies honey.

Vocals: Yoav Hoze, Shani Lachmish, Ahava Katzin, Tal Ginzburg, Reuven Katz, and Amit Ben Atar. Choreography by Ilana Bril and Edeete Suher.

Music arrangement, performance, and mixing by Amit Ben Atar. Recorded at Bit Studios by Amit Ben Atar.
Clothes by Rubashka - gallery and boutique with a social mission in Beer Sheva's underprivileged neighborhoods - www.torhamidbar.org.il
Directed and Filmed by Ben R. Producer: Yigal Haronian
Lyrics by Ben R.:
Tekiyah... Shvarim Truah
Tekiyah... Shvarim Truah (shofar sounds)
A new year rising
A new beginning
Lift your head up
Turn yourself 'round
The world is spinning
Feel the magic
Of a new day
Open your heart
To a fresh start
Send your fears away
You've made mistakes
You feel it
You got what it takes
Believe it

Any wrong can be made right
Just forgive, you need not fight
Shana Tova Umetuka (A sweet and happy New Year)
It's Rosh Hashanah
Shanana nana, Tova
Ume Ume Tuka
Dip your apple in the honey
It's Rosh Hashanah
So many new hopes
Waiting to find you
Open your eyes
The dreams you prize
Are all around you
The smiles are hiding
No use in guessing
Make up your mind
Go out and find
Life's simple blessings
This is your time
You feel it
How sweet it is
Believe it
Any wrong can be made right
Just forgive, you need not fight
Shana Tova Umetuka
It's Rosh Hashanah
Shanana nana, Tova
Ume Ume Tuka
Dip your apple in the honey
On Rosh Hashanah
Shanana nana, Tova
Ume Ume Tuka
Hear the sounds of jubilation
This Rosh Hashanah
Yehi Ratzon She-niye Le (May we be...)
Rosh, Lo Zanav (...a head, not a tail)
Sweeten life for those around us
With joy and love
Avinu Malkeinu
Chanenu V'anenu
Hear our prayer 'O Lord this hour
Inscribe us in the Book of Life!
Aneinu, Aneinu (answer us)
Aneinu, Aneinu
Aneinu, Aneinu
Aneinu, Shana Tova!
Shanana nana, Tova
Ume Ume Tuka
Dip your apple in the honey
On Rosh Hashanah
Shanana nana, Tova
Ume Ume Tuka
Hear the sounds of jubilation
It's Rosh Hashanah
Sh'echiyanu | Give us life Lord
v'kiyimanu | And sustain us
v'higiyanu | Oh deliver us | To salvation
Sh'echiyanu | Give us life Lord
v'kiyimanu | And sustain us
v'higiyanu | Oh deliver us | To salvation
In this New Year
On Rosh Hashanah
Make your loved ones smile
This Rosh Hashanah
Open your hearts to one another
This Rosh Hashanah
And begin life anew
This Rosh Hashanah!

Join the Tribe

2011-09-19T00:06:00.000-04:00

Please join us here at

Congregation Adas Emuno

at 7:30 PM on

Saturday, September 24, 2011

for a special Selichot Program

and the next installment in our

Havdallah Talk

Adult Education Series

Rabbi Barry Schwartz will lead us in a brief Selichot and Havdallah service, followed by a screening of the award-winning short film THE TRIBE, and a discussion led by Rabbi Schwartz and Dr. Lance Strate on the topic of:

What Does it Mean

to be an American Jew Today?

Light refreshments will be served

Free and Open to the Community

What can the most popular doll on the planet tell us about what it means to be Jewish today? An unorthodox, unauthorized history of the Jewish people and the Barbie doll... in 18 minutes.

18=Chai, so please join us for the time of your life!

And a stimulating discussion!

Teenagers welcome!