May 30-June 6, 2008 – Iyar
25 – Sivan 4 5768 – Omer Day 40
THERE WILL BE NO SHABBAT-O-GRAM NEXT WEEK
Happy
Happy
Shavuot
Look
for my dispatches from the AIPAC conference next week.
I’ll be posting them on my personal homepage:
http://joshuahammerman.blogspot.com/
Special
Occasion? Sponsor a Shabbat Bulletin, (sent every
Friday morning via e-mail),
the Shabbat Announcements (Distributed
each Shabbat at the
& the Shabbat-O-Gram. Sponsor
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All sponsors will be acknowledged at
the beginning of each of these announcements
and also listed in our Bi-monthly
Bulletin. Call Mindy in the office at 322-6901
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Prior Shabbat-O-Grams are archived at http://www.tbe.org/sog/index.php.
Contents
of the Shabbat O Gram:
(Click
to scroll down)
The (Occasionally) Ranting Rabbi
Mitzvah/Tzedakkah
Opportunities
The Beth El Bar/Bat
Mitzvah Commentary
Masechet Cyberspace (NEW)
Required Reading and Action Items (links
to key articles on Israel and Jewish life)
TBE Family
Album (NEW)
Quote for the Week
"We are taught to plant our feet
carefully on Mother Earth
because the faces of all
future generations are looking up from it."
- A chief of the Iroquois nation
Candle lighting: 8:00 pm on Friday, May 30,
2008. For Havdalah times, other Jewish
calendar information, and to download a Jewish calendar to your PDA, click on http://www.hebcal.com/. To see the festivals of other faiths as well,
go to http://www.interfaithcalendar.org/. The United Synagogue has updated its candlelighting information. To learn more, click here.
THE FULL SERVICE SCHEDULE NOW APPEARS ON THE
SEPARATE TBE ANNOUNCEMENTS E-MAIL
Friday Night Shabbat Services:
SHABBAT UNPLUGGED AT 7:30
Shabbat Morning at 9:30
Tot Shabbat morning with Nurit and Jr
Congregation with Carol Elkies at 10:30
Mazal
Tov to...
Nancy and Evan Finchler
on the naming of their daughter, Lana Jade.
NEXT WEEK!!!
Celebrate
Shavuot!
SHAVUOT
AT SINAI – TBE joins
Sunday, June 8th
at 8:15 p.m. at
“Shall
Your People Be My People?”
A Learning Conversation on Conversion with
Rabbi Marc Disick of
On
Monday, June 9th at TBE services
begin at 9:30 a.m. with Tot Shavuot at 10:30 a.m.
We
will roll open a Torah so that kids (of all ages) can receive the Torah again!
Following
services, join us for Kiddush including PIZZA and
BLINTZES!
On
Tuesday, June 10th at TBE services
begin at 9:30 a.m. with Tot Shavuot at 10:30 a.m.
We
will recite Yizkor.
Following
services join us for CHEESECAKE and MAKE YOUR OWN SUNDAE!
Parashat B’midbar
1: 1:1-4
2: 1:5-16
3: 1:17-19
4: 1:20-27
5: 1:28-35
6: 1:36-43
7: 1:44-54
maf: 1:52-54
Haftarah Hosea
2:1 - 2:22
Text Studies and Commentaries on B’midbar
Numbers 1:1-4:20
Click here for a summary of B’midbar.
Text Studies
Making
Sense Of The Census by Rabbi Leslie Bergson Provided by Hillel’s
A Map Of Pluralism by Rabbi Neal Joseph Loevinger Provided by KOLEL--The Adult Centre for Liberal Jewish Learning, which is affiliated with Canada's Reform movement.
Naming
Names by Rabbi Eric H. Yoffie Provided by the Union of American Hebrew
Congregations, the central body of Reform Judaism in
Commentaries
Spiritual Lessons of the Desert by
Rabbi Jack Bieler Provided by Canfei
Nesharim, providing Torah wisdom about the importance
of protecting our environment.
Two Halves of a Whole by Rabbi
Dorothy A. Richman Provided by American Jewish World Service, pursuing global
justice through grassroots change.
On Child Soldiering by Noam Katz Provided by American Jewish World Service, pursuing global justice through grassroots change.
Self-Accounting in the Wilderness by Rabbi Kerry Olitzky Provided by the Jewish Outreach Institute, an organization dedicated to creating a more open and welcoming Judaism.
Through The Wilderness by Irwin Kula Provided by CLAL: The National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership, a multi-denominational think tank and resource center.
What Is Parenting? by Rabbi Bradley Shavit Artson Provided by the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies, which ordains Conservative rabbis at the University of Judaism.
Questioning
Chronology by Rabbi Avraham Fischer Provided
by the Orthodox
Standing Guard by Rabbi Phil Miller Provided by SocialAction.com, an on-line Jewish magazine dedicated to pursuing justice, building community, and repairing the world.
Morning Minyan: 7:30
Weekdays, 9:30 Sundays
PLEASE COME TO MINYAN!
TO ENSURE A “GUARANTEED MINYAN” FOR THE DAY OF YOUR YAHRZEIT – GO
TO THE ROSNER MINYAN MAKER AT WWW.TBE.ORG AND
THEN NOTIFY OUR OFFICE.
Now you can become more comfortable
with the prayers of our morning service by heading to…
http://www.tbe.org/site/sog/minyanmastery.htm
Last
week’s curse-filled, depressing portion, prompted a wonderful d’var Torah by
our bar mitzvah (see it below) and further discussion on Judaism, pessimism and
optimism. Judaism is a glass half full religion,
but unfortunately, we’ve had a glass mostly empty history. So last week’s portion had a few token verses
describing the blessings that would befall us if we obey the commandments, and
then fully 36 verses describing the most gruesome negative consequences
imaginable, complete with horrific visions of parents being compelled by hunger
to eat their young. It is noteworthy
that traditional commentators like Rashi bend over
backwards to find a bright side of these foreboding passages. It’s almost Monty Pythonesque
to see how far they go to “always look on the bright
side of life.” As Nehama Leibowitz wrote in her commentary on
Behukotai: “Our Parashah
thus reflects the principle, which our sages discerned throughout Scriptures,
whereby the measure of Divine Goodness outweighs that of Divine retribution
(cf. Yoma 76a).”
At the
annual meeting this week, I spoke of the need to become realistic
optimists. In charging the new board, I
mentioned that it is most important (for any leader of any institution, but
particularly a synagogue) to check negativity at the door. I mentioned that were I not such an optimist,
with unwavering faith in this congregation and in the future, it wouldn’t be
easy for me to remain a rabbi. But just
to check out my own leanings, I took an optimism text, at http://www.stanford.edu/class/msande271/onlinetools/LearnedOpt.html. My scores revealed, no surprise, that I am
moderately to very optimistic. The scores are explained
at http://www.spiritualityhealth.com/cgi/optimism.cgi. You can take a different test at http://www.testcafe.com/opt/opt.html.
While
human nature, genetics and experience play a significant rile in formulating
our outlooks, optimism is something that can be learned. These
tests are hardly foolproof, and, as an upcoming bar
mitzvah student recently reminded me, “the glass is half full if I am filling
it up but half empty if I am drinking it.”
In
other words it all depends on one’s perspective. Hopefulness is in the eye of the beholder.
The Problem in Postville
Worker Abuses Alleged At AgriProcessors
WHEN IS KOSHER MEAT NOT REALLY
“KOSHER” AFTER ALL???
This
complicated case has received front page treatment and highlights the moral
dimension of our dietary laws. Read on…
Iowa
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) May
23 — Nearly 300 workers arrested last week in an immigration raid at a
northeast
A Statement by the United Synagogue of
Conservative Judaism
And the Rabbinical Assembly
Regarding Rubashkin’s
Meat Products
New York, NY (May 22, 2008) - In response to the continuing disturbing allegations of unacceptable worker conditions at the Agriprocessors plant in Postville, Iowa, the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism and the Rabbinical Assembly is united in their request that consumers of kosher meat evaluate whether it is appropriate to buy and eat meat products produced by the Rubashkin’s label.
Rubashkin’s produces kosher meat
primarily under the Rubashkin’s, Aaron and David
label at the Agriprocessors facility. It is a major
producer of kosher meat and poultry in the
The Rabbinical Assembly and United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism will immediately release an advisory to its members and constituents asking them to evaluate whether it is appropriate to consume Rubashkin products until this situation is addressed. This advisory extends not only to products bought on the retail level but to meat and poultry bought at restaurants and for such private functions as weddings and bar mitzvahs.
As the month of Sivan approaches, Jews throughout the world are mindful of the Torah’s message of the power of kedushah, holiness as it applies to all aspects of our lives including the ethics of worker treatment and food production. It is hoped that Conservative synagogues, schools and summer camps engage in a study of this important topic in honor of the festival of Shavuot – beginning this year on June 8th -- which commemorates the giving of the Torah.
A valuable source for such study is Hekshsher Tzedek Al Pi Din, a paper written by Rabbi Avraham Reisner. It is a companion to the Hekhsher Tzedek Policy Statement and Working Guidelines. The paper is available on the websites of the Rabbinical Assembly (www.rabbinicalassembly.org) and the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism (www.uscj.org).
By releasing this advisory, the Conservative movement endorses the vision and guidance of the Hekhsher Tzedek commission. Hekhsher Tzedek is an initiative of the Rabbinical Assembly and United Synagogue that seeks to create an ethical certification process for kosher food. Through its work, Hekhsher Tzedek seeks to strengthen the bond between halakha and social justice.
The reports of unacceptable worker conditions at the Agriprocessors plant demonstrate the pressing need for the sort of ethical oversight which might be provided by Hekhsher Tzedek.
WHAT IS HECHSHER TZEDEK? http://hekhshertzedek.org/
MAKING
KASHRUT RELEVANT
Hekhsher Tzedek is bringing Jewish values
in food production front and center, sometimes for the first time, to any
consumer of kosher products.
Keeping kosher is a central
part of Jewish identity and this initiative will engage consumers in social
justice as well as reinforce the relevance of kashrut to contemporary
life.
It will demonstrate that both
ritual and ethical commandments (mitzvoth) have an equal place at our tables
and that isolating one at the expense of the other is to do a disservice to
Jewish tradition and the meaning of kashrut.
Hekhsher Tzedek will also show that
Judaism speaks to the greater community about the meaning of compassion,
fairness and the presence of one G-d.
STANDARDS
Hekhsher Tzedek certification is based on a company’s adherence to standards in five separate categories:
wages
and benefits
health,
safety and Training
environmental
impact
product
development
corporate
transparency
Each of these categories will be evaluated in a uniform, objective and verifiable manner, consistent with appropriate Jewish legal and ethical concerns.
For more on Hechsher Tzedek,
, see “Ask the Rabbi” below.
Beth El Cares:
Inreach and
Outreach
Best of luck to
all walkers and marchers this weekend,
whether at the
or the Walk to Cure
Diabetes.
As Abraham Joshua
Heschel said, you will be praying with your feet!
Mitzvah Suggestions for the Week
I had the chance
this week to send a healing message to a child in our extended TBE family.
Caring Bridge is
really an extension of the Jewish concept of Bikur Holim, visiting the sick – extended to cyberspace.
The Talmud
teaches that simply by visiting, by being there, we can reduce the illness by
1/60th.
Even virtual visits can help to heal.
CaringBridge enables people
to create free, personalized websites
that support and
connect loved ones during critical illness, treatment and recovery.
Read more about
Thursday, June 5, 2008, 10:00 am –
2:00 pm
Thursday June 19th
10:00am-3:00PM
“He who saves one life, it is as if he
had saved the entire world” -Talmud
Dear
Friends,
I am writing
to you to let you know about a chance to make a difference and save someone’s
life. Many children and adults have been diagnosed
with fatal blood diseases that can only be cured by bone marrow
transplants. Chances for a match
increase significantly if the patient and potential donor share the same ethnic
background. A member of our community,
Nina Weld, is in a race against time to save her brother, Alan Rimm-Kaufman. He urgently needs a bone marrow transplant.
He is only 40 years old and has 2 small children. We are asking people of Jewish heritage to
consider adding their name to the National Morrow Donor program. We, along with
other Synagogues and various other groups in the
What does
it entail? A simple cotton swab in the mouth is all it takes to register.
Registering as a potential donor doesn’t obligate you to be a donor. You must
be between the ages of 18-60 and be in general good health. The
entire drive is being generously underwritten by an anonymous donor.
If you can help Alan and some many
others like him in our community, please come to Temple Sholom,
300 East Putnam Ave, Greenwich CT on Thursday June 5th
from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm or Greenwich Town
Hall, 101 Field Point Road, Greenwich, CT on Thursday June 19th from
10:00 to 3 pm. Look for America Red Cross signs.
Thank you
for your consideration. Please feel free to forward this message.
Sincerely,
Contacts:
Nina Weld
203-622-9118 nweld@optonline.net
National Marrow
Donor Program 888-298-6571 ext. 101 www.marrow.org
Seeking part-time
translator (German to English)
Seeking part-time
translator (German to English) for documents of World War II period, relating
to Jewish victims and survivors of Holocaust, obtained recently from Red Cross
International Tracing Service. Flexible hours, good
pay, informal and friendly office in
Mitzvah
Accommodations
needed: A Wesleyan professor will be bringing her 8 year old son to the
Condolences
to a former teacher in our school, an old friend of the congregation
Larry Orbach's
rich life has come to its peaceful end. The funeral was be held at 11 a.m. on
Wednesday, May 28, in his beloved neighborhood
synagogue of the last several years: Talmud Torah Adereth El,
BAR/BAT
MITZVAH PROJECTS
Dear Friend,
As part of our Bar and Bat
Mitzvah projects, we are conducting a walk-a-thon to raise money and awareness
for juvenile diabetes. Juvenile diabetes
is a disease that causes the body to have trouble regulating its blood sugar
levels. Also known as type 1 diabetes,
juvenile diabetics must either take two insulin shots a day, or use an insulin
pump for continuous injections. In
addition, they have to test their blood sugar six times a day by pricking their
finger. 13,000 children in the
We thank you for supporting our cause and we hope you do your best to help support juvenile diabetes. Here’s how you can help:
- Make your own donation to JDRF (www.walk.jdrf.org) or send a donation
to JDRF,
- Ask your friends and family to donate to JDRF. People can donate online at www.JDRF.org -- just look up Brian Pollack or Lindsay Bralower (they are listed separately). Or people can write a check
- Come
and support JDRF by participating in our walk on Sunday June 1st
at WESTHILL
HIGH SCHOOL (
If you would like to donate or participate, or if you have any questions, please let us know. You can contact us at:
Brian Pollack: (203)967-4756 Bpollack5@yahoo.com
Lindsay Bralower: (203)329-8394 Linzdb1234@yahoo.com
Sincerely,
Brian Pollack and Lindsay Bralower
---------
I love
baseball and many other sports, like basketball, lacrosse, football and soccer.
For my mitzvah project, I would like to gather new or used sports equipment to
donate to organizations in
Thank you.