Kol Hadash July/August 2011

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In sustainability, culture, society, and human ways of life are by definition part of the ecosystem. We affect the environment, and the environment affects us. We are the environment, healthy or unhealthy.”

The BJHS Model Seder

JULY/AUGUST 2011 • SIVAN/TAMMUZ/AV/ELUL 5771

RABBI MARCELO R. BRONSTEIN By the grace of friendship, I recently had the blessing of participating in conversations with young professionals (not including myself in that category) about sustainability. The question on the table was: How to live a more sustainable life? Just listening made me hopeful about the future.

The majority of people I spoke with were architects for whom eco-friendly construction was not simply a matter of discussion; it was the place of departure. The fact that someone wants to live in an eco-friendly house doesn’t make the living experience sustainable. Sustainability and respect for the environment are not one and the same. One can recycle and use green sources of energy, with deep respect for plants and animals, yet be completely stressed out on the treadmill of productivity day and night while living a BlackBerry-controlled life. This type of existence is not sustainable physically or spiritually.

Let’s define “sustainability.” The Wikipedia definition is not bad: Sustainability is the capacity to endure. In ecology, the word describes how biological systems remain diverse and productive over time. Long-lived and healthy wetlands and forests are examples of sustainable biological systems.

For humans, sustainability is the potential for long-term maintenance of wellbeing, with environmental, economic, and social dimensions.

If this is the case, I would like to add the actions that one should take, in theory, to live a more sustainable life.

PHOTO: KRISTEN KERSEY

At the BJHS model seder on April 14. Read more about recent Youth & Family activities on pages 8-11.

Social Action/Social Justice . . . . . .2-3 Celebrating Roly’s 25 Years . . . . . . . .4 Food Programming at BJ . . . . . . . . . .4 Community . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Member Spotlights . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-7 Youth & Family Education . . . . . . .8-11 Reflections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Communications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 Contemplative Retreat . . . . . . . . . . .14 Announcements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 Contacts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

"Actions are sustainable if: • There is a balance between resources used and resources regenerated.

• Resources are as clean or cleaner at end use as at the beginning.

• The viability, integrity, and diversity of natural systems are restored and maintained.

• They lead to enhanced local and regional self-reliance.

• They help create and maintain community and a culture of place.

• Each generation preserves the legacies of future generations."

— David McCloskey, Professor of Sociology, Seattle University In sustainability, culture, society, and human ways of life are by definition part of the ecosystem.

We affect the environment, and the environment affects us. We are the environment, healthy or unhealthy. (continued on page 5)

inside: Panim el Panim Cafés Lead Us in New Directions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 When Is a Carrot a Form of Activism? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Welcoming Our Newest Members . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Teens Together at BJ: A Parent’s View. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Creating Community: It’s a Girl (and Mom) Thing! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 Houdini and Exodus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

SYNAGOGUE: 257 W. 88th St. • OFFICE: 2109 Broadway (Ansonia), Suite 203, New York, NY 10023 • TEL : 212.787.7600 • FAX : 212.496.7600 • WEBSITE : www.bj.org

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SOCIAL ACTION/SOCIAL JUSTICE

Panim el Panim Community Cafés Lead Us in New Directions

By Marcy Einhorn We are “... not obliged to complete the task, but neither are we free to desist from it.”

— Pirkei Avot, 2:16

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e heard you say:

The cost of health insurance is too high, especially the cost of COBRA and insurance for the self-employed; you value income diversity in our neighborhoods; you are struggling to navigate services and care for aging parents; we heard you say affordable housing is scarce, and you “can’t afford to leave or stay,” you are concerned for housekeepers, nannies, and elder-care workers.

You are angry about: The high cost of food; a perceived lack of civility in public spaces; that New York State and our country deny the rights of same-sex

At the Community Café Celebration on April 13.

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couples to marry; you are angry about the threat to women’s reproductive rights; about attacks against Muslim Americans in our city; the loss of small businesses in the neighborhood; about the cost of basic health needs like eye drops and hearing aids; the problems of domestic violence and date rape; and you are angry about the cost of high interest rates on personal credit and all of the hidden fees.

You are worried about: Aging in New York; about job availability and security; your children coming home with college degrees and not being able to find work and encountering a limited field of possibilities; you are worried about student loans overwhelming our young people; about anti-Semitism; budget cuts to senior services; insurance coverage for catastrophic illness; your own isolation or that of your friends living alone; people losing their homes due to high rent, high

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At each of the three Cafés, members were guided through a program that was designed to give everyone an opportunity to share their concerns, without judgment or criticism, in order to generate the clearest picture of the issues that are on BJ members’ minds.”

maintenance fees, or foreclosure; the growing gap between rich and poor in our city; slipping from the middle class; and your ability to retire someday; budget cuts and resulting layoffs.

You care about: The quality of our drinking water in New York City and the risks of hydrofracking; the quality of New York City public education; access to quality food in all New York City neighborhoods; immigrant rights; well baby care; fair share taxation and living wages;

PHOTOS, PAGES 2-3: DENISE WAXMAN

SYNAGOGUE: 257 W. 88th St. • OFFICE: 2109 Broadway (Ansonia), Suite 203, New York, NY 10023 • TEL : 212.787.7600 • FAX : 212.496.7600 • WEBSITE : www.bj.org

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you care about pedestrian safety at traffic lights and near bike lanes; accessible and public transportation; access to mental health care including supportive housing; and respecting teachers.

Panim el Panim is hopeful about what we can accomplish together.

“Please take your seats. We are ready to begin.”

With that call to action, Jamie Emhoff, cochair of Panim el Panim kicked off this year’s Listening Campaign, which we called the Community Cafés. Every few years, Panim el Panim hosts listening campaigns as a way of gauging what social justice issues are of concern to the congregation.

When Panim el Panim was founded eight years ago to do congregation-based community organizing, we held a series of 613 one-on-one meetings, which led to formation of four different hevras, or working groups, to address a variety of issues from an advocacy and organizing standpoint.

This year we tried a different model forlistening campaign. At each of the three Cafés, members were guided through a program that was designed to give everyone an opportunity to share their concerns, without judgment or criticism, in order to generate the clearest picture of the issues that are on BJ members’ minds. Members had a chance to move through three different conversations over the course of each evening with a facilitator and a volunteer to record the stories, ideas, and thoughts that were discussed. At designated times, the groups shifted to a new position in the room, leaving behind their comments for the next group to reflect on from a new perspective. In the first round we focused on issues and concerns in members’ daily lives, or those that their community struggles with, the

things that keep them up at night, or that come up in conversation with friends and family. In the second round, participants were invited to share personal stories that speak to why they or others they know are affected by certain injustices. Powerful examples were shared around each table highlighting how deeply felt many of these issues are by the community. For the third round we changed gears by tasking each table with writing a vision statement for the ideal city and state. A participant reported feeling chills after reading her table’s piece: “We strive to live in a city/state where everyone has enough to eat, no one is lonely, everyone feels accountable to their community, where we consider the longterm effects of our actions and where we really listen to others as a way of gaining perspective and learning from each other.”

At the conclusion of the three Cafés, volunteers gathered the notes and recorded impressions of each event and considered which issues had the potential for future campaign work.

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Powerful examples were shared around each table highlighting how deeply felt many of these issues are by the community. ”

Over 70 members gathered again on April 13 for the Community Café Celebration and Report Back event in the sanctuary. New York State Assembly Member Linda Rosenthal and New York City Council Member Gale Brewer opened the evening by reflecting back the power organized communities have in making change. They reminded us of the successful campaigns BJ has been involved with including the passage of the Health Care Security Act, making Plan B emergency contraception available to all city residents, and passage of the Domestic Workers’ Bill of Rights. We heard from several members who shared personal stories: Jamie Emhoff spoke about the profound impact Panim has made on her life and her personal connections to the Marriage Equality Hevra; Melanie Sherman spoke about the financial burden of caring for aging parents; Amy Lavine shared her fear around the high cost of housing; Ester Rose shared her concern for the

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unmanageable costs of healthcare; and I shared my experience with credit card debt and high interest rates. The message at the Report Back was one of hope about what we can accomplish together, and I left feeling inspired, hopeful, and proud of BJ as a congregation.

“So, what do we do next?” asked Judith Trachtenberg, co-chair of Panim el Panim.

With that inquiry, Judith announced the creation of two new issue exploratory teams to expand BJ’s social justice work beyond the already hard-working Marriage Equality Hevra and the Affordable Housing Working Group. After a thorough review of the input at all three Community Cafés, it was decided to create two new teams to address issues of Aging in New York and Economic Justice.

The issue of Aging in New York is a response to the palpable sense of anxiety in the congregation about the many issues related to aging: taking care of aging parents, navigating benefits and services, accessibility to public spaces and transportation, and the ability to retire and live with dignity after work. Some work has already begun in the Upper West Side and other parts of the city that have been designated as Aging Improvement Districts, so this team will begin to explore what you would want to see in an age-friendly New York City and how that translates into an actionable campaign.

The Economic Justice Exploratory Team is an outgrowth of a small group that has been focusing on issues of usury and predatory lending. It will begin to research issues of high interest debt, living wages, ethical banking practices, unemployment, and financial education needs for BJ members.

Each of these groups will require the efforts of many members, and each will also give members the opportunity to learn about community organizing and work toward needed changes. Please be in touch with Channa Camins, Director of Social Action/Social Justice, if you would like to learn more about how to be involved: ccamins@bj.org or x259. n Marcy Einhorn is an attorney, author, and motivational speaker in the area of consumer law. Marcy and her two adult children have been BJ members since 2009.

SYNAGOGUE: 257 W. 88th St. • OFFICE: 2109 Broadway (Ansonia), Suite 203, New York, NY 10023 • TEL : 212.787.7600 • FAX : 212.496.7600 • WEBSITE : www.bj.org

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Celebrating Rabbi Matalon’s 25 Years at BJ The extraordinary vision, wisdom, leadership, and commitment that Roly has brought to BJ for the last 25 years have transformed BJ as a community and inspired each one of us as individuals.

Donate a Mahzor We are honoring Roly’s 25 years of spiritual leadership by purchasing the new Mahzor Lev Shalem for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, published by the Rabbinical Assembly. You are invited to donate one or more copies of the 4,000 mahzorim we will need in order to use them during the next Yamim Nora’im. A bookplate with the name of the donor will be placed in each mahzor. Donations can be made at www.bj.org/mahzor.

Come to Shabbat Services and a Special Kiddush for Rabbi Matalon On Saturday, September 10, the BJ community will come together to honor and celebrate Rabbi J. Rolando Matalon at a special Kiddush at 88th Street. A book of messages from the community will be presented to Roly. The presence of everyone would be the greatest honor of all. Please join us! n

FOOD PROGRAMMING AT BJ

When Is a Carrot a Form of Activism?

By Melissa Tapper Goldman used to be cynical about organic food. I considered it a niche market, another way to capitalize on people's fears and insecurities. My mind changed slowly, through encountering people with more openness to the core issues of food justice. And, like many readers, my heart was opened by Michael Pollan's exposition of the spiritual and ethical dimensions of our food supply chain in his book The Omnivore’s Dilemma. I came away from his dense analysis of American food history with an unexpected feeling: optimism. I felt, for the first time, that I had a right and even an obligation to expect more from my relationship to food and the land.

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I decided to join a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). For those who aren't yet familiar with CSA, members are "investors" in a farm. We pay a fee at the beginning of the year. In exchange, we receive a weekly share of the farm's harvest through the season. CSAs ensure the

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survival of small farms in a competitive market.

Many CSAs offer their shares on a sliding scale for low-income members. Many CSAs offer their weekly unclaimed vegetables directly to shelters and PHOTO: DENISE WAXMAN soup-kitchen programs.

This form of organizing serves many key components of food justice, from hunger to security to health of people and land.

This will be my fourth season engaging in this relationship with Roxbury Farm. I love my farmers! They provide my nourishment for half the year, and they are my proxies in stewardship of the land that they diligently care for. I know that they have an abiding commitment to proper treatment of workers, plants, animals, and soil. I reserve this kind of admiration for a rare few people, my farmers and Rabbis among them.

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The CSA is a terrific outlet for food organizing at BJ, but not the only one necessary to take advantage of the wider community’s passions.”

I started a conversation with Rabbi Ezra last year about how I could serve food activism here at BJ. Around the same time, a very ambitious and visionary Ariel Schneider, Social Action/Social Justice Program Assistant, got the idea to start a CSA at BJ. I cautioned her about the huge amount of work involved, but she was undeterred! In a truly amazing feat, she assembled the members and formed a highly capable leadership team. I was both deeply impressed and sad that I would not be a part of this monumental undertaking. But there was no way I could leave my farm and the relationships that I had built over the course of years. I was just the kind of person who they were looking for to join their startup, but yet I wasn’t able to participate. And I wasn’t alone. The CSA is a terrific outlet for food organizing at BJ, but not the only one necessary to take advantage of the wider community’s passions. (continued on page 7)

SYNAGOGUE: 257 W. 88th St. • OFFICE: 2109 Broadway (Ansonia), Suite 203, New York, NY 10023 • TEL : 212.787.7600 • FAX : 212.496.7600 • WEBSITE : www.bj.org

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Welcoming Our Newest Members

By Susan Viuker Landau and Carol Gelles hen Felicia gave birth to Aiden last spring, the BJ community sprang into action and provided them with three home cooked meals a week. The following is an excerpt from the thank you message from Felicia:

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I can't thank you enough for the support and delicious meals. I hope and pray our community can respond with such love and grace with all new additions to our community.

With love and gratitude,

Several months ago when I told Yaffa that I didn't want to receive gifts for the then baby (the now Aiden) because there would be so much excess, I suggested that aside from people making donations to the scholarship fund at BJ, I'd be happy to receive some meals. Some meals turned into 3 meals a week for 6 months …

The greatest mitzvah that could come out of this outpouring of support would be for this mitzvah to breed another mitzvah (Pirke Avot). Imagine if we had 20 new babies at BJ in the course of a year, each family could receive a meal a week from us for a month!

Sustainable Judaism Judaism is a way of life that constantly fosters sustainability. Our tradition was formed in relationship to nature and the environment; all holy days are based on the cycle of the months. We have laws that prevent us from cutting fruit trees and encourage us to take care of animals. The shmita, the rest of the land every seven years, is a manifestation of this sensitivity.

Rabbi David Rosen, in his essay “Sustainable Development—A Jewish Perspective,” affirms: “The biblical model for sustainable development is rooted, above all, in a moral vision that demands that we contend with the dangers posed by human arrogance, for it is arrogance that justifies greed, exploitation, irresponsibility and violence towards others. Fundamental then to the Scriptural message is not only the special focus on the most vulnerable in society, but the insistence that we recognize that we are all vulnerable—we are all temporary

— Felicia In response to Felicia’s vision we have formed the Meals for New and Growing Families Committee, chaired by Susan Viuker Landau and Carol Gelles. With BJ providing one Shabbat meal for the family, the committee will serve to provide two additional home-cooked meals. Volunteers to this committee can chose to either cook a full meal for the family on their own or join a cooking hevra at the BJ kitchen that will prepare the meal as a group.

As anyone who is a parent or is close to a young family knows, the first month

following birth can be full of overwhelming adjustments.

Join us in helping to make this time a little less hectic for the new parents by PHOTO: DENISE WAXMAN helping them relax for a Shabbat dinner filled with BJ love and food. To volunteer or for more information, please contact Susan at viukerville11@verizon.net or Carol at cgandpoppy2@yahoo.com.

We are very excited about this new endeavor and look forward to your enthusiasm, ideas, and participation. If you would like to help support this committee to purchase ingredients for these meals, please donate at www.bj.org. n

RABBI MARCELO R. BRONSTEIN continued from page 1 sojourners in God’s world. Such awareness may lead us to live more responsibly towards ourselves, our neighbors, our communities, our nations, our humanity, and our ecology.”

Sustainability and ecology are not the same.

Sustainability is about the sanctification of time in Heschelian terms. It is about how we spend our time; it is our capacity to take a break, our capacity to meditate, to create distance from our pursuits in order to put things in perspective. It is about our contribution to a more just world. It is about not believing that we are at the center of creation, and the capacity to contract ourselves. It is about realizing how healthy or unhealthy, how organic or un-organic our life is.

I am taking the word “sustainability” beyond eco-jargon. If we look at the Jewish community as a whole, is it a healthy

organism? Is it an organism that lives up to its ultimate values? What practices of communal living do we have in today’s Jewish world that are not sustainable in the long range? Is the Jewish environment in balance or out of balance? Is the Jewish environment a healthy one for our kids, for our young who will define the future?

If not, what unhealthy practices have we developed that help our young run away from the organized Jewish environment?

I am not pretending to answer these questions, but just bring them to our consciousness. This article will be out in the summer—a time to slow down, to take a break, to achieve perspective and, I hope, to think about questions like these.

Have a great summer! n

SYNAGOGUE: 257 W. 88th St. • OFFICE: 2109 Broadway (Ansonia), Suite 203, New York, NY 10023 • TEL : 212.787.7600 • FAX : 212.496.7600 • WEBSITE : www.bj.org

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MEMBER SPOTLIGHTS

Sticking Around

By Craig Rosenberg t’s been about 12 years that I’ve been a member of B’nai Jeshurun.

Maybe as is the case for many of us, BJ initially seemed like a place to hopefully develop friendships/community and re-connect with Judaism (having had somewhat of a hiatus after Hebrew School, my bar mitzvah, and being in a Jewish youth group in high school).

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Sticking around has been the key—there’s always the opportunity, when walking into an environment where I’m not comfortable, to say this isn’t for me and walk away. I’m glad that for the most part, I’ve chosen to stick around.”

While it was a bit daunting going to such a large service (not to mention the initial strangeness of the service being in a church), I had the sense that I might develop the friendships and re-connect with Judaism if I just stuck around a bit.

My initial avenue in was the BJ softball games. Those first few years, there were upwards of 40 of us (women included) playing once a week at a field by the boat basin in Riverside Park. Again, it was a bit daunting—not to mention I was a bit rusty at catching fly balls—but I stuck around, met people, and eventually caught more fly balls than I missed.

But softball wasn’t all there was. I went to services most Friday evenings. While I was sure just about everyone there was more familiar with the service than I was, I came to really like it. Eventually, it became the right place for me to be on a Friday night. Of course, it helped that I developed a solid group of friends, having people to go have dinner with after services.

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There were also the retreats. It wasn’t only my interest in meeting someone that had me go to the singles retreats; it was a sense it would add to my being part of this community and deepening my connection to Judaism. And while there’s still no ring around my finger after several retreats, they were (and still are) a place to relax and enjoy Shabbat in the beauty of nature, connect with the Rabbis and other people you see around but don’t have the chance to spend any time with, and, if it calls to you, sit around a campfire and sing along while someone plays guitar (on a few occasions, I was the one playing).

Then there has been the havurah I’ve been a part of. Very proudly, I’m one of two original members (Harriet Goren being the other) who met at Felicia’s apartment after (we think) the fall 2000 singles retreat. While we weren’t sure what any group would look or feel like, it seemed like it could be worthwhile. For the first few years, quite a few people came and went. While we had a goal of having a Shabbat service coupled

with a catered dinner at someone’s apartment once a month, we never quite met that often. Still, we kept meeting.

Now, about 11 years later, we’re still meeting, usually with Harriet co-leading the service. (Anyone who’s been at a service that she’s co-led knows how fortunate we are.) We usually have between 15 and 20 people at each meeting. It never fails that I walk in and instantly have this real nice feeling of comfort. A number of times over the years we’ve given extra money away for tzedakah.

As the treasurer who writes the check, I get a real feeling of pride at giving money to any number of causes ranging from local to international, including those affecting lives in Israel.

I’ve also been one of the leaders of several Bekef events. These have again been an opportunity to broaden my relationships, not to mention going on what I think are some pretty cool walks.

Sticking around has been the key—there’s always the opportunity, when walking into an environment where I’m not comfortable, to say this isn’t for me and walk away. I’m glad that for the most part, I’ve chosen to stick around. Now if I can only keep catching those fly balls … n Craig Rosenberg, a member since 1998, is president of Bekef, a member of the Haverim Tovim Havurah, and regularly plays in the BJ softball games.

SYNAGOGUE: 257 W. 88th St. • OFFICE: 2109 Broadway (Ansonia), Suite 203, New York, NY 10023 • TEL : 212.787.7600 • FAX : 212.496.7600 • WEBSITE : www.bj.org

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My Journey at BJ s I mounted the stairs to attend my first New Member Orientation, I had no way of knowing just how far my journey with BJ would take me. Gripping the handrail and reminding myself to smile, I asked myself how was this going to be easier than meeting one guy? I’d once been a Friday-night regular, searching for my bashert at services.

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We separated into two groups; Rebecca was assigned to the other one. Two nice Jewish girls who’d found Jewish mates with sexy accents; I had to find a way to meet her! ”

Then Rebecca spoke: “My favorite place to visit is Paris, and we used to go often when I lived in Europe with my husband, Michael, who is British.” The Seine parted.

Twelve years later, I was back seeking community for two. My husband Stephan and I wanted to meet people with whom we both had something in common, preferably couples so we could double date! (Stephan and I, by the way, did not meet at BJ.)

Balancing the plate on my lap and steadying my shyness, I exchanged greetings with Layla—a petite brunette with curly hair who was wearing an embroidered peasant blouse. Several of us started talking. I enjoyed being in the buzz of the chit-chat and thought: “This isn’t so hard.” I even reached out to a woman at the periphery of our cluster, who sat with her arms locked at her side. I offered her the olive branch of “Hello, I’m Debra.” She accepted.

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By Debra L. Eder

I took a deep breath to calm myself as I took in the huge loft with rustic brick walls—the type of elegant-earthy brownstone that is featured in Woody Allen films. Several long buffet tables, laden with foil trays, were central. I helped myself to salad, crusty bread, and baked ziti. Then I sat down on a folding chair so as not to fumble-spill Diet Coke on the cream leather couch.

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PHOTO: DENISE WAXMAN

What was I thinking? Shouldn’t I have had some sort of check-list? At least to find out who is married or in relationships? Then, surprising for a Jewish gathering, the program started on time but not before Layla mentioned that she would be ushering the next Friday night. I would know someone at services again!

The orientation was well structured; a thorough information packet was distributed. I found out how to become involved through volunteering. A highlight was when all 40 of us formed a long circle to say a bit about where we liked to travel. I should have anticipated this moment when I’d filled out my name badge, which asked this question. Instead, I tried to listen to the others while I rehearsed—my quickened heartbeat swishing in my ears.

I acknowledged Rebecca when it was my turn, pointing out my Eiffel Tower earrings.

“The man I live with, Stephan, is French, and my favorite place is also Paris even if it means staying with my mother-in-law. But Stephan is the lucky one who gets to go to New Jersey where I’m from!” I welcomed the laugh.

We separated into two groups; Rebecca was assigned to the other one. Two nice Jewish girls who’d found Jewish mates with sexy accents; I had to find a way to meet her!

She actually approached me, and we exchanged numbers as we were leaving.

“Michael and I are new to BJ and would like to meet some other couples.”

They have become our good friends. This time around, it was a match made in BJ. n Debra L. Eder and Stephan have been members of BJ since 2009; she has become involved in Hevra Kadisha and the Rosh Hodesh Women’s Group. Debra’s recent publications include a personal essay in the anthology Siblings and Autism. She is writing a collection of connected stories: “Is There Life After Debra?”

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Joining a CSA is also a serious commitment.

Many times during the summer, I open my fridge and think, “How can I possibly use all these zucchinis?” Shifting to a seasonal way of eating is difficult, especially in New York.

From experience, I knew that what new CSA members need is a community to support them in their transition. Typically, 50 percent of new CSA members make it through only one year.

I brainstormed how I could help the CSA and enjoy the momentum of the food projects at BJ and decided to start a seasonal vegetable cooking class. We had four gifted volunteer chefs from our community to teach us everything from making salad dressing to pickling techniques. My organizing was of the rookie variety, but the demand was high.

Every class was full to capacity. I left the summer exhausted from the project but a better cook, and with a few new friends.

They were so successful that they are continuing this year! I hope to see more of you next year. n Melissa Tapper Goldman has been an active member since 2008 along with her fiancé, Aubrey Clayton. She is a writer, filmmaker and architect-in-training. She can be reached at melissatappergoldman@gmail.com.

SYNAGOGUE: 257 W. 88th St. • OFFICE: 2109 Broadway (Ansonia), Suite 203, New York, NY 10023 • TEL : 212.787.7600 • FAX : 212.496.7600 • WEBSITE : www.bj.org

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JULY/AUGUST 2011

YOUTH & FAMILY EDUCATION

It’s Happening Here

By Emily Walsh

ewish education is about building relationships—whether it is with places such as 88th Street or the Lower Ninth Ward, activities like the Purim play or Shabbat dinners, with ideas and values such as tzedek (justice) or hakhnasat orhim (welcoming others), or most important, with other Jews. The Youth and Family Education Department has many programs that bring people together to build our community and deepen their connection to BJ and to Judaism. n

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The Voices of BJ Children Filling Our Spaces

By Valerie Gerstein attended morning minyan with my 4-year-old daughter, Mia, every Sunday, to say kaddish for my Mom the year she died. Mia was usually the only child there. One of the “regulars,” Shelly, became friendly with Mia and told the group one day, “A Holocaust survivor came to services once and said he loved hearing the voices of children at services and around the synagogue because the saddest sound he experienced was the silence when there were no children left to make their voices heard.” From that moment on, I felt comfortable bringing my children to even the most intimate of settings at BJ.

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The Purim carnival and play, also on a Sunday, offer quite a different scene than minyan. At the biggest event of the year for children at BJ, kids are everywhere, running, laughing, and being as silly as can be. The play in March had a theme, brilliantly woven into the Purim story, about: Expansion! alluding to the 89th Street building, a muchneeded development, since the community of young children and their families at BJ is also expanding rapidly.

While we’re waiting to expand into our new building, the Young Families Initiative, under the guidance of Emily Walsh, Assistant Director of Education, Youth and Family, and chaired by Christina Gantcher, is dedicated to expanding opportunities and creating an intimate community for this population. But right now families can connect at BJ. And the kids learn about Judaism, mitzvot (good deeds), and the values we cherish. There are programs and activities for every day of the week: Friday mornings: Why sign up for another gym or music class when your child ages 6

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months to 3 years can join their friends at Bim Bam? This class teaches kids the popular Shabbat songs and niggunim/melodies sung during BJ services, and kids get to be silly, all before giving tzedakah (charity) saying the blessings, and enjoying candles, grape juice, and challah!

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Just as my love expands for my growing children, my love expands for BJ as its programs and space grow.”

Tuesday: You will want to keep the art projects that your children make at BJ’s Arts and Crafts class, a new program exposing kids to materials you will be happy they are using outside your home!

Wednesday: Attend a learning session with one of the Rabbis.

Thursday: Look out for one of the special events, holiday celebrations, or concerts at BJ. There is usually food at these events; always a plus for noshing children.

PHOTO: DENISE WAXMAN

BJ children listening to a PJ Library book.

Friday nights: If you miss the soulful Friday night services you attended before early bedtimes were part of your life, come back— with your kids. On the first Friday of the month, after a short service, families enjoy Shabbat dinners where teenagers play with the kids.

Saturday morning: Shabbat services offer age-appropriate (for parents, too!) services with music, praying, dancing, wine, and challah! These mornings often feature Storahtelling, a theatrical and interactive approach to teaching children about Torah.

Sunday: Play with your BJ friends in the park.

Monday: You can participate in a monthly book group where parents discuss Jewish parenting, read poignant thinkers, and connect with local parents who will amaze you.

Every day: Read books about the holidays and Jewish values with your kids every night before bed. BJ has generously sponsored a Jewish literacy program, in partnership with the PJ Library, to send these books to members’ homes each month at no cost to the families!

Now that you have filled your calendar with BJ services, events, and programs you may feel like I do: No other kid-focused organization can compete with BJ! Just as my love expands for my growing children, my love expands for BJ as its programs and space grow. I am confident that BJ will grow with us and our children. Perhaps one day more children will attend morning minyan. n Valerie Gerstein met her husband, Mark, at BJ. They are the proud parents of Mia (4) and Liza (2). Mia named our Shabbat morning class “Bim Bam” while Valerie was helping to create the program. Valerie volunteers with UJA and the JCC in Jewish Young Family outreach.

SYNAGOGUE: 257 W. 88th St. • OFFICE: 2109 Broadway (Ansonia), Suite 203, New York, NY 10023 • TEL : 212.787.7600 • FAX : 212.496.7600 • WEBSITE : www.bj.org

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Teens Together at BJ: A Parent’s View

By Todd Chanko hen I arrived at LaGuardia on a wintry, overcast January afternoon to pick up my son, Sasha, I saw the excited, happy, and somewhat anxious faces of other BJ parents. Some I’ve known for years, others I’d just met—but what we all had in common was that our just-turnedteen children were returning from four days

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and beignets at Café du Monde made sure of that.

But before they went off to the Big Easy, BJ’s teens had had numerous other ways to learn about themselves and their relationship to our tradition. My daughter, Eden, a budding thespian and dancer, finished her third

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... What these kids learned in New Orleans is that growth comes from engagement—not only with others, but with each other. ”

endure long after the umpteenth hamantaschen disappears. What has always struck me is how Eden and her peers identify themselves not by their schools or where they live but simply as part of the larger BJ hevra.

However, it is in preparation for b’nai mitzvot where both children and parents develop profound understandings of the meaning of community. As BJ has been blessed with an unusually large membership, most children are paired for their b’nai mitzvah. Having just celebrated Sasha’s bar mitzvah last October, I know the process and confess that at first I’d wanted him to have the bimah all to himself. (If most parents are honest they, too, have harbored the same feeling, however fleeting.) Yet, the sharing of the bimah, the day, the learning with Danny Golden and his family opened up new relationships. We shared Shabbat dinners together, met with Roly together, practiced with Ari together, and had brunch the day after together. Most importantly, two boys— one with a day-school background, the other from a secular private school—joined together on a Shabbat morning to lead us in tefillah, Torah, and song.

in New Orleans’ Ninth Ward. A culmination of several Sundays of study, discussion, and exploration of the crisis still facing residents five years after Hurricane Katrina, the trip was an intense voyage inward and beyond.

Led by Roly, Jason Fruithandler (BJ’s Teen Educator), and Emily Walsh, (Assistant Director of Education), the journey brought together an eclectic group—regular shulgoers and once-in-a-whilers; Jewish day school students, secular private- and publicschool kids; and kosher, vegetarian, or whatever’s-in-the-fridge. Yet, these differences counted for little as the intensity of clearing debris for a future community garden synthesized—and made real—the values espoused by BJ. Tikkun olam is a lovely sentiment, and embracing the world outside the synagogue a noble goal, but what these kids learned in New Orleans is that growth comes from engagement—not only with others, but with each other. Of course, they had fun, too—Preservation Hall

I’ve seen my own hevra grow, expand, and develop in my many years at BJ. Being with our children as they move through the many stages of childhood across the Purimspiel, Junior Congregation, and b’nai mitzvah programs I’m confident in our future. Who knows? Hopefully some of them will marry each other—just like many of us did after we first met 20 years ago. n Above, from left: Sasha Chanko (left) and friends on the New Orleans trip; a scene from the December, 2010 BJ Hanukkah play.

Purimspiel season this year, during which she not only honed her stage skills but also deepened her friendships. Encouraged by BJ’s own Jerry Korman and Mira Rivera, along with Michael Kelberg, BJ’s younger set learns dramatic discipline, collaboration, and theatrical arts—and along the way to the big day powerful bonds are formed that

Ever since his first Rosh Hashanah with Marshall and Roly in 1986, Todd Chanko has made BJ his spiritual home. Soon thereafter he joined the choir and also performed for many years in the Purimspiel.

He met Ami here 20 years ago. Their children, Sasha and Eden, participate in a full range of BJ activities.

PHOTOS, FROM LEFT: JASON FRUITHANDLER, DAN CALIGOR

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YOUTH & FAMILY EDUCATION

Gaggle of Gimmel Girls Building Community, BJ Style

By Barbara L. Pyles n a rainy, chilly fall Friday night the Third Grade came out in force and embraced their first visit to the Reach for Shabbat Retreat at the Isabella Freedman Jewish Retreat Center.

Excitement and apprehension filled the air as the children looked for friends and familiar faces while the parents were busy matching their children's friends with the corresponding parents. Wondering how she can forge new friendships when my daughter spends only four hours a week with these children from all different schools was a question that kept popping into my head.

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By the designated "free time" on Saturday afternoon, the boys were playing a soccer game, the girls were playing hide and seek, and a co-ed group formed a game of baseball. Our Third Grade parents stood outside in the fresh, nippy fall air breathing deeply and getting to know each other a little better. One mom volunteered to help arrange and organize future events for our gaggle of Gimmel girls. Wow, I thought to myself, it is possible to help our daughters to stay connected!

A few months later, on a snowy winter’s day, our tireless mom leaders arranged a Sunday morning of bowling. Another successful turnout, and fun to boot!

Next up was a plan for a Friday night BJHS Shabbat Dinner, but PHOTO: LEORA FRANKEL At the 2010 BJ B’nai MItzvah Retreat. this did not work for many of us. Thinking of coordinating of these events ourselves and how to continue the momentum, we can see that we are on our way to building a wondered if a dinner at Carmine's right after wonderful BJHS community. By the time our Hebrew School could work. Amazingly, a daughters reach b’not mitzvah they will be table for 16 was set with the Third Grade their own, and probably our, social directors Gimmel girls on one end and their parents well into the future. n gathered on the other end. Furthering friendships with some and meeting other Barbara Pyles, a BJHS Advisory Committee parents for the first time was a delectable member, volunteers at the Calhoun School addition to the menu of events. and works at the National Coalition Against Censorship. She and her husband, Stephen, We parents have done all the planning and have two children, Phoebe and Palmer.

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By the time our daughters reach b’not mitzvah they will be their own, and probably our, social directors well into the future.”

Three Years and Counting: B’nai Mitzvah Learning Programs With the Rabbis

By Dini Albert Golden ur children are assigned a b’nai bitzvah date by B’nai Jeshurun assigns when they turn 10 years old. Although it seems far in the future, BJ provides each child and their parents many opportunities to learn jointly in preparation for their momentous occasion. The first program offered for 4th Fourth Graders was the unrolling of the Torah. We all marveled at how long the Torah is, viewed the handwritten scroll up close, and found our child’s parasha. This year in 5th Grade, there have been three incredible learning opportunities. One Saturday morning, Rabbi Roly discussed the Shaharit service with the children and their parents. One evening,

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Rabbi Felicia met with the parents to discuss the joys and struggles our b’nai mitzvah children will experience as they seek more independence. On another Saturday morning, Rabbi Marcelo engaged the children and their parents in the choreography of the Saturday morning service and discussed why it is important to celebrate becoming a b’nai mitzvah. These learning opportunities with the rabbis are unique and should not be missed as you prepare for your child’s b’nai mitzvah. n Dini Albert Golden is a former professional ballet dancer with American Ballet Theater and Phantom of the Opera. She has been a

Tefillin workshop with Roly.

PHOTO: EMILY WALSH

member of BJ since 2000 along with her husband, Michael Golden, and their three children, Sydney (18), Danny (13), and Julian (10). Dini has been on the Hebrew School Advisory Committee for three years.

SYNAGOGUE: 257 W. 88th St. • OFFICE: 2109 Broadway (Ansonia), Suite 203, New York, NY 10023 • TEL : 212.787.7600 • FAX : 212.496.7600 • WEBSITE : www.bj.org

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Creating Community: It’s a Girl (and Mom) Thing!

By Leora Frankel t’s hard to believe, but this September marks two years since the YFE department launched a chapter of Rosh Hodesh: It’s a Girl Thing!

This nationwide initiative of Moving Traditions* builds the self-esteem, leadership skills, Jewish identity, and friendship networks of adolescent girls through monthly gatherings to celebrate the new moon and Hebrew month. Our inaugural group began with more than a dozen 6th Grade girls in the Fall of 2009, who have met for two years now to learn, play, and explore together the critical issues they encounter on their journey to adulthood. Through discussion, drama, crafts, and purely social time, we delve into contemporary challenges such as peer pressure, body image, and relationships, through a Jewish lens.

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Part of what is so special about BJ’s It’s a Girl Thing! group is the way in which it has brought together different youth populations from across the congregation—girls who are enrolled in BJHS, others who study at the Heschel School, and still more who live outside of Manhattan but belong to the synagogue. Without this group, many of these girls would never have connected; and with it, we have created a unique and inclusive community of young women here at BJ. Carole Balin, who is both the mother of participant Eve Gertzman and a board member of Moving Traditions, writes: “We have been part of the BJ community since our children were born. And now, for the first time, my daughter has come to stake her own claim in it by finding her own community within the community.” What’s more, it’s a mom’s thing too! We have added to the girls’ program a few opportunities each year for the Rosh Hodesh moms to convene and participate in parallel conversations, facilitated by Felicia as well as some of the mothers themselves.

This year has been especially meaningful as most members of the group have become b’nai mitzvah, a milestone that we

marked together in this special sisterhood in addition to the wider community celebrations. On the heels of Eve’s simha, Carole reflected, “It IS a girl thing! During a time of intense emotional and physical growth, my daughter returns monthly to a circle of friends at BJ where they speak honestly about their concerns and triumphs.

An adolescent’s mother's dream.” The support and strength the girls have given each other through this process has further deepened their connections and will surely only grow as we continue meeting into a third year!

It’s a Girl Thing! has been so successful that we are thrilled to be recruiting now for a second cohort of girls to begin this fall. Any girls who will be in 6th or 7th grade during the 2011-2012 school year are eligible to join the new group, which will be facilitated by Shoshi Rosenbaum, our new Teen Coordinator (and continuing Cantorial Intern). For more information about the program or to register your daughter for next year’s group, contact Leora at Lfrankel@bj.org or look for the registration form online at www.bj.org. n * See Jason Fruithandler’s article “The Brotherhood,” below, for more about Moving Traditions.

It’s a Girl Thing! intergenerational Hanukkah party.

The Brotherhood

By Jason Fruithandler inth Grade boys, who usually don’t share more than a joke, are talking about the serious and deep issues that they face. It may sound unlikely, and I can’t quote them, but I was there while it happened. The context was “The Brotherhood,” an eight-week program for adolescent boys. Created by Moving Traditions (www.movingtraditions.org), the developer of the very successful “It’s A Girl Thing!,” The Brotherhood is a brilliant, complex, layered, and, most important, fun program with a dynamic curriculum, and I’ve had great pleasure in participating in it as a mentor/leader. I feel lucky to have been apart of this pilot program and wish it had been around when I was a boy.

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PHOTOS: LEFT. LEORA FRANKEL. BELOW, JASON FRUITHANDLER

What makes The Brotherhood unique is that it successfully provides avenues for boys to ask questions that are taboo in all other walks of life.”

Never do 20 minutes pass in the Brotherhood sessions without some physical action. The Brotherhood’s developers understand boys’ need to move around and to experiment. What makes The Brotherhood unique is that it successfully provides avenues for boys to ask questions that are taboo in all other walks of life.

Jewish boys need young Jewish role models to help them to explore what it means to live in a modern world with both their masculinity and their Judaism. The Brotherhood provides that, and creates bonds between the participants.

Sally Gottesman, a BJ member and Board Member, and also the co-founder and chair of Moving Traditions, said of the program, “The Brotherhood is proving to be a successful way to build real Jewish community for diverse boys. So, it feels appropriate—and I am delighted—that BJ is one of the first synagogues to adopt this program.” n

On the 2011 New Orleans teen trip.

SYNAGOGUE: 257 W. 88th St. • OFFICE: 2109 Broadway (Ansonia), Suite 203, New York, NY 10023 • TEL : 212.787.7600 • FAX : 212.496.7600 • WEBSITE : www.bj.org

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REFLECTIONS

Houdini and Exodus: Reflections on the Deceptive Triangle of Knowledge, Power, and Truth

By Susan Reimer-Torn he Jewish Museum in NYC is the first major art museum to examine Harry Houdini's life and his enduring influence on art and culture.1 The exhibit left me thinking about how Houdini's life and legacy dramatize central Jewish concerns.

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Harry Houdini, born Erich Weiss in 1874 to an immigrant Hungarian rabbi and his wife, was a consummate performer whose feats of escapology challenged assumptions about human limitations. Drowning, freezing, burial, hanging, suffocation, and bondage were some of the mortal extremes he survived with great showmanship. Houdini's sensationalist career acts out a persistent tension within Judaism: What are the powers ascribed to God, and what are those that lie within the human province?

Houdini's stance, much as the Book of Exodus, draws its own line on the oftenblurred boundary between the two.

It is understandable that many in Houdini's thrall insisted that this unusually daring and provocative escape artist had superhuman powers. It is somewhat more surprising that Houdini went out of his way to vehemently disavow, rather than exploit, that belief. In this way, Houdini takes a position on a central concern of the Book of Exodus—the origins of sacred power and its often explosive relationship with the effects of socalled magic.

The implicit partnership—and frequently explosive rivalry—of magic and religion is a millenniums-old story. Religious leaders often depend on some form of magic to establish their spiritual authority. Once established, religious authority has frequently clamped down hard on magic, lest its practitioners use their arts to willfully subvert their cherished truth.

Like all religions, Judaism has played upon the uneasy alliance of magic and religion. In Exodus we read of Yahweh's bid for supremacy over the Egyptian gods which Moses and Aaron must prove to the ruling Pharaoh and his court. Pharaoh's elite corps of conjurers can turn rods into snakes, prompting Moses and Aaron to demonstrate that they can do the same. But their claim to represent an omnipotent God calls for trumping the court magicians at their own game. By having one of their snakes devour all of the Egyptians' serpents, Moses and Aaron dazzle the competition and assert Yahweh as supreme.

PHOTO: LIBRARY OF CONGRESS MCMANUS-YOUNG COLLECTION

There are other ways to look at this story. An honest practicing magician would point to the Hebrews' superior knowledge of animal behavior: Surely they were first to discover

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The implicit partnership—and frequently explosive rivalry—of magic and religion is a millenniumsold story. Religious leaders often depend on some form of magic to establish their spiritual authority. ”

an obscure genus of desert snake that naturally devours those of another genus.

An Orthodox reader would explain that God temporarily allowed Moses and Aaron to embody divine prowess in order to demonstrate the hegemony of the true God. But we are never to believe that Moses or Aaron (or any of our religious leaders) themselves have superhuman powers.

In her musical play “Houdini,”2 the great feminist poet and leftist activist Muriel Rukeyser records a statement Houdini once made when questioned about the origins of what others perceived as his “mystical powers.” Her Houdini character explains: “My father said we're not to be magicians because of what Moses did. … And God told Moses to strike the rock with his staff. Water gushed forth. Moses let them believe it was all his doing; he did not give credit. That's why he wasn't allowed to go into the Promised Land. And we're not to be magicians.” Later on, Rukeyser quotes Houdini as saying, “If you dig deeply you can find the answers in ancient science.

Ultimately however, it is only God.” Bizarrely enough, Houdini ran into considerable trouble for his insistence upon the distinction between the magician (one who claims to wield mystical power over nature) and the illusionist (one who knows secret techniques to effect the illusion of having such powers). In 1926 there was a congressional investigation into the highly questionable activities of the so-called Spiritualists who flourished between the great wars. These self-appointed mediums

Harry Houdini, 1899 1. “Houdini: Art and Magic” and a companion exhibit, “Masters of Illusion: Jewish Magicians of the Golden Age” is on view at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles through September 4, 2011.

2. “Houdini, A Musical” by Muriel Rukeyser is available exclusively through www.parispress.org.

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SYNAGOGUE: 257 W. 88th St. • OFFICE: 2109 Broadway (Ansonia), Suite 203, New York, NY 10023 • TEL : 212.787.7600 • FAX : 212.496.7600 • WEBSITE : www.bj.org

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Undeniably, Houdini had extraordinary physical prowess as well as a great deal of secret and specialized knowledge—how to pick intricate locks, how to hold his breath for extended periods, how to quickly undo a straitjacket, even how to make an elephant appear to disappear. And this knowledge, along with his physical mastery, certainly gave him powers beyond the ordinary. The actual debate— never quite clarified in the emotional din on Capitol Hill—was about the source of his powers. Houdini says of himself, “I am a psychic investigator, and I perform stage illusions. I admit only that I am human.” It was vital to him that people not confuse his years of arduous training with his having been granted superhuman powers.

These he adamantly insisted were proper only to God. Exasperated by Houdini's insistence that “everything was done by ordinary means,” one congressman finally explodes, “It's all a plot of the Jews!” followed by a meaningful silence. Houdini the escape artist finds himself a target of a dangerously ambiguous accusation, one that has cost the chosen people dearly throughout their history. We are here confronted with the inescapably tricky triangle of knowledge, power, and truth. A “chosen” nation's claim to knowledge and even to sacred truth leads others to conclude they must also have power, even if history has shown these same people to be overwhelmingly powerless in the face of real threat. (I can remember while traveling in a European train in the late eighties being cajoled by a sober and educated German to finally reveal “the secret power of the Jews” and how I hugged my little son closer to me in a protective embrace.)

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appropriated tricks proper to stage magic (levitating tables, simulation of spooky voices, conjuring ghostly apparitions) while shamelessly claiming to put the warbereaved in touch with departed spirits and charging hefty fees for their rigged theatrics. Houdini, who tirelessly explained that he was an illusionist and not a magician, was zealous about unmasking these tricks, making him as a star witness in the government's inquiry.

The actual transcript from the 1926 congressional investigation veers off into the surreal. Houdini is badgered by one congressman into confessing that he has all manner of “powers greater than human.”

Another insists that Houdini admit he has the actual power to “fly through keyholes.”

Houdini tries to explain that he has professional secrets that, if divulged, would reveal cause and effect techniques that allow him to sustain his illusion of “mystical power.”

In his own way, Houdini was an agent provocateur. Houdini's amazing prowess and ethnic origins inevitably stirred up old suspicions of secret Jewish powers. A man

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of self-styled integrity, he then used his celebrity to put old misconceptions about Jews to rest. Tragically the rest of 20thcentury history testifies that in this one great challenge, the master showman did not succeed.

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In his own way, Houdini was an agent provocateur. Houdini's amazing prowess and ethnic origins inevitably stirred up old suspicions of secret Jewish powers. ”

Finally, flummoxed, members of Congress accuse their superstar witness of being “against religion,” a charge he passionately denies. “True belief is a great thing, I care about that.” Accused of debunking religion, Houdini could have passed himself off as an unconcerned secularist. But this was not Houdini's stance. In Rukeyser's play, as in real life, Houdini says, “I have always wanted to believe. It would have meant life to me.”

In this, his perpetually unsatisfied longing to believe, Houdini is the essential Jew. Alas, when he died that same year, he was still tormented with spiritual doubts.

The Jewish people emerging from slavery were faced with a similar challenge to believe. They are given all sorts of “wonders and signs” to bolster them in their fledging faith: the Nile turning to blood, the proliferation of locusts, the smiting of the first-born, and the parting of the Red Sea. Still the Jewish people are never unwavering in their faith. How much more difficult faith had to have been for a man like Houdini, who, unlike most of us, was initiated into the magicians how-to manuals with their step-by-step instructions for effecting even such outsized Exodus-scale miracles. His was a need to challenge complacency, overturn facile assumptions, probe deeper, go further out on the edge, and keep searching. His obsessive quest was, in many ways, the search of his own people and that of the everyman and everywoman everywhere who adored him. n Susan Reimer-Torn is a BJ member, executive coach and writer born into a family of Orthodox believers, married into a lineage of stage magicians, and always fascinated by the explosive relationships between the two. She blogs regularly at susanrtorn.wordpress.com.

SYNAGOGUE: 257 W. 88th St. • OFFICE: 2109 Broadway (Ansonia), Suite 203, New York, NY 10023 • TEL : 212.787.7600 • FAX : 212.496.7600 • WEBSITE : www.bj.org

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COMMUNICATIONS

What’s New at dub dub dub dot bj dot org

By Denise Waxman hile trees were turning green and flowers blooming this spring, the BJ website was sending out some new shoots, too. Here’s a short report.

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First, there is a new main section called Music of BJ, which includes not only the Piyutim that have been introduced at services this year but also the complete tracks from every BJ CD. “The Music of Pesah at BJ” was very popular. During Elul you may want to listen to “TekiYah“ in preparation for the Hagim. You will also find “With Every Breath—The Music of Shabbat at BJ” and music of Purim.

Divrei Torah delivered by the rabbis each Shabbat have also been requested over the years. For now you will find them under Limud (Learning). Only the Divrei Torah from February 2011 to date are available at the moment; but we plan to add past recordings gradually. Usually they are added by the Tuesday following the service. This

will be an especially welcome addition to those who are homebound.

Visitors to BJ attend services just about every week. Now visitor groups can easily register online on a new Visitors’ Welcome Page, which you can find under About BJ. In addition they can download visitor guidelines. For staff, this greatly simplifies the process. This is not all that’s new for visitors; but you will have to wait until September to read Belinda Lasky’s report on Hakhnasat Panim.

Finally, in case you missed the Annual Meeting on June 2, you can read the Annual Highlights of 2011 that were distributed there online. It is in color and includes some great pictures. See if you are there and find out about all that this amazing community has accomplished during the last year. You’ll find it under BJ Publications.

Happily I won’t need to provide you with

directions to content on the website much longer. The website is now in the midst of a true overhaul (which I, much to my chagrin, promised more than a year ago). When the new www.bj.org site debuts this fall, everything should be easy to find and userfriendly. I think you’ll be pleased with the appearance and surprised at how much is available. n

In Goodness God Renews Creation BJ Contemplative Retreat In Nature Costa Rica: January 15-22, 2012 with Rabbis Rachel Cowan and Marcelo Bronstein

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oin us for a week of simple living in the rich ecology of the Costa Rican rain forest. We will explore Jewish contemplative practice as a way to connect more deeply with our soul, our truest values, and with God’s creation, of which we are an integral part.

Each day we will pray, meditate, set a kavanah (intention), follow integrative body movement practices, and experience nature. This is not a silent meditation retreat, but each day will contain periods of silence and reflection.

More information, including details about accommodations and costs, can be found at www.bj.org/costarica. n

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The Kol Hadash is published every other month. We would love to print your stories and articles about BJ! For submission guidelines, contact communications@bj.org. All material is the property of B’nai Jeshurun and cannot be reprinted without permission.

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The Kol Hadash is printed using soy-based inks on 50% recycled paper by an online, eco-friendly printer at a substantial cost saving compared to traditional printing methods.

Designer: Harriet R. Goren

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ANNOUNCEMENTS

Condolences (through May 27)

Mazal Tov To the following members and their families on their b’nai mitzvah (May and June): Atalya Sternoff

Alexandra Cohen

Henry Mandler

Rachel Bass

Isabelle Bleckner

Isaac Santelli

Michael Model

Lily Ann Warshaw

Benjamin Feinglass

Naomi Lofchie

Cara Geser

Zachary McGonigle

Alexander Baren

Daisy Barbanel

To the following members and their families (through May 27):

The community of B’nai Jeshurun mourns the death of our beloved member Mark Chanko, and we extend our sincere condolences to his wife Anita, his son Todd, his daughter-in-law Ami Weil, his grandchildren Sasha and Eden, and their entire family.

The community of B’nai Jeshurun extends sincere condolences to the following members and their families: Judy Gitenstein on the death of her beloved brother-in-law, David L. Bernstein.

Ruth and Malcolm Sheldon on the death of Ruth’s beloved mother, Doris Cohen.

Michael Simonson and Beth Lief on the marriage of their daughter, Jocelyn Simonson, to Mike Grinthal.

Mimi Lox on the death of her beloved aunt, Dorothy Weinberg.

Alexandra and Joshua Metzl on the naming of their daughter, Anna Rose.

Janice and Charlie Honig and Lisa Honig Buksbaum on the death of Janice's beloved brother, Ira Cohen.

Lauren and Daniel Juceam on the birth of their son, Ezra Simon.

Gary, Zachary and Jake Nestler and Anna Winderbaum on the death of Gary's beloved father, Monroe Nestler.

Earle Kazis and Robert Pollack for being among the 17 distinguished Seixas Award Reward recipients who were honored by the Kraft Center for Jewish Life at Columbia University.

April, Paul, Gabriel and Jonah Klausner on the death of April's beloved father, William Bernard Stewart.

Joyce Gottlieb on receipt of her Doctoral Degree in Health & Behavior Studies from Columbia University.

Sandra Feldman on the death of her beloved mother, Hannah Feldman.

Bim Bam Assistant Rachel Brook on her engagement to Matt Holman.

Philip Silverman, Leslie Brill and Sarah Silverman on the death of Philip’s beloved mother, Muriel Silverman.

Barbara Dobkin on receiving the honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion.

Earle and Judith Kazis, Joel Kazis and Sara Nathan, Deborah Kazis and Gideon Taylor and their children on the death of Earle’s beloved sister, Shirlee Kazis Shrago.

Ruth Lazarus and Michael Feldberg on the birth of their granddaughter, Anabelle Eve Levin.

Larry and Malcom Fox on the death of Larry's beloved aunt, Sallee Gumbiner.

Rabbi Jason Fruithandler, BJ Rabbinic Fellow, on his ordination from the Jewish Theological Seminary; Cantor Yakov Hadash, Education Intern, on his investiture from the Jewish Theological Seminary; and Cantor Joshua Breitzer, bar mitzvah tutor, on his investiture from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion.

John Ruskay on receiving an honorary doctorate from the Jewish Theological Seminary.

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BJ staff member Sarah Guthartz on earning her Masters in Social Work from Yeshiva University.

Karen Radkowsky on being honored at the Limmud NY Founders Day Dinner.

Jeff Levin, Andrew Goffe and Zachary Levin-Goffe on the birth of their son and brother, Justin George.

SYNAGOGUE: 257 W. 88th St. • OFFICE: 2109 Broadway (Ansonia), Suite 203, New York, NY 10023 • TEL : 212.787.7600 • FAX : 212.496.7600 • WEBSITE : www.bj.org

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Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Permit No. 530 New York, NY

2109 Broadway (Ansonia) • Suite 203 • New York, NY 10023

KOL HADASH new voIce • .

SYNAGOGUE: 257 West 88th Street OFFICES: 2109 Broadway (Ansonia), #203 Main Telephone Number 212-787-7600 Fax Number (2109 Broadway) 212-496-7600 Website www.bj.org

Rabbis: J. Rolando Matalon Marcelo R. Bronstein Felicia L. Sol Hazzan and Music Director: Ari Priven Cantorial Intern: Shoshi Rosenbaum Executive Director: Harold Goldman, x248 Assistant Executive Director: Belinda Lasky, x224 Director of Education for Youth and Family: Ivy Schreiber, x225 Director of Social Action/ Social Justice: Channa Camins, x259

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JULY/AUGUST 2011

Committees & Services: Accounts Payable.......................227 Accounts Receivable ..................237 Adult Education Information .....233 Bar/Bat Mitzvah .........................223 Bekef ..........................................255 Bikkur Holim..............................233 BJ Reads ....................................391 Communications........................275 Community Programs ...............255 Conversion .................................264 Daily Minyan...............................232 Development & Donation Information ........228

Program Director: Guy Felixbrodt, x255 Communications Manager: Denise Waxman, x275 Director of Administration & Finance: Ron Seitenbach, x226 Director of Facilities: Roma Serdtse, x258 Assistant to Rabbi Matalon and Communications Associate: Sarah Guthartz, x234 Assistant to Rabbi Bronstein and Hazzan Priven: Naomi Goodhart, x240 Assistant to Rabbi Sol: x233 Assistant to Executive Director Harold Goldman: Jacob Shemkovitz, x256

88th Street Rental......................223 Family Activities: Hotline ...........318 Hakhnasat Orhim.......................255 Havurot.......................................255 Hevra Kadisha ...........................233 Homeless Shelter .....212-339-4250 Interfaith Committee ............... 379 Kiddush Scheduling ...................255 Kol Jeshurun...............................275 Kol Hadash .................................275 Life Cycles..................................233 Lunch Program ..........................338

Membership Information...........224 Ralph Bunche School Partnership ...........................301 Social Action ..............................259 Teen Programming ....................253 Torah/Haftarah Reading ............232 Tze’irim ......................................264 Ushering ....................................305 Visiting Groups...........................234 Volunteer Information................255 Youth & Family Education ..........225

Board of Trustees: Jeannie Blausteinº President

Sofia Hubscher Beth Kern Henry Meer Bernie Plum Irv Rosenthal Jack Stern Emily Weiss Michael Yoeli

Jonathan Adelsbergº Chair Sally Gottesmanº Vice President Joel Kazisº Vice President Stephen Stulmanº Vice President Debra Fineº Treasurer Andrew Littº Secretary Katie Boyar Robert Buxbaum Gene Carr Anne Ebersman Christina Gantcher Barbara Glassman

Honorary Trustees Virginia Bayer* Ted Becker* Frederic Goldstein Marcy Grau* David Hirsch* Richard Janvey* Robert Kanter Joan Kaplan Susan Kippur* Sara Moore Litt* Naomi Meyer Judith Stern Peck* General Counsel Richard Kalikow º Executive Committee Member * Past President