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In This Issue: Celebrating Hanukkah: Laser Lights II Meet Glenn Easton Finding Meaning In Your Ritual Objects
Advance: $7 each (max $21/family) • At the door: $8 each (max $24/family)
Sponsored in loving memory of Daniel Joseph Siegel and in recognition of Daniel’s Sparks of Change Foundation
8100 Stevenson Road, Baltimore, Maryland 21208 www.chizukamuno.org
Synagogue Office 410/486-6400 Synagogue Fax 410/486-4050 Synagogue E-mail info@chizukamuno.org Goldsmith Early Childhood Education Center 410/486-8642 Krieger Schechter Day School 410/486-8640 Rosenbloom Religious School 410/486-8641 Stulman Center for Adult Learning 410/824-2055
OFFICERS
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Chizuk Amuno Congregation
President Michelle Malis, pres@chizukamuno.org First Vice President Dr. Andrew J. Miller, 1stvp@chizukamuno.org Vice President Jason A. Blavatt Vice President Sandra Moffet Secretary Michelle Hettleman Treasure Louis E. Sapperstein Assistant Treasurer Stephen J. Pomerantz, MD
SYNAGOGUE STAFF
Rabbi Ronald J. Shulman | x230
rshulman@chizukamuno.org Rabbi Deborah Wechsler | x231 dwechsler@chizukamuno.org Rabbi Paul D. Schneider | x226 Director of Congregational Life pschneider@chizukamuno.org Rabbi Emeritus Joel H. Zaiman | x296 Hazzan Emanuel C. Perlman | x233 eperlman@chizukamuno.org Ritual Director Dr. Moshe D. Shualy | x243 mshualy@chizukamuno.org Executive Director
Glenn S. Easton | x224 | geaston@chizukamuno.org Director of Congregational Education
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Contents 2
LaZ’man HaZeh – At This Season Giving Thanks on Hanukkah by Rabbi Ron Shulman Thanksgivukkuh by Shelly Malis Meet Glenn Easton
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Avodah Tallitot – Chapters in My Story by Rabbi Debi Wechsler Connections through Ritual Objects by Anne King Full Circle by Cheryl Snyderman
9 What’s Nu? • Derekh Amuno Dedication • Israel Engagement Committee • Tuesdays with Sisterhood • GECEC Provides Sensory Exploration • Goldsmith Museum • New Faces at KSDS • Club Hatikvah • Kadima Kick-off • Stulman Center Classes • Brotherhood Remembers the Children • Honoring Past Presidents • New Members
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Torah Reflections on Naming, RRS
13 Hanukkah Candle-Lighting Blessings
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Gemilut Hasadim Jewish Organizations Mark Yom Kippur with Food Gifts by Jonathan Pitts
Rabbi Stuart Seltzer | x234 | sseltzer@chizukamuno.org Head of School, Krieger Schechter Day School
Bil Zarch | x226 | bzarch@ksds.edu
Director, Goldsmith Early Childhood Education Center
Michelle Gold | x238 | gecec@chizukamuno.org
Director, Stulman Center for Adult Learning
Judy Meltzer | x287 | stulman@chizukamuno.org
Director, Gemilut Hasadim Service Initiative
Miriam Foss | x281 | mfoss@chizukamuno.org Bar/Bat Mitzvah Coordinator
Debby Hellman | x290 | dhellman@chizukamuno.org Curator, Goldsmith Museum
Dr. Susan Vick | x291 | svick@chizukamuno.org Choir Director, T. Herbert Dimmock
8 Community Sukkot Tailgate Bash Recap
ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF Director of Congregational Advancement
Laurel Freedman | x275 | lfreedman@chizukamuno.org Synagogue Administrator
Jenny Baker | x227 | jbaker@chizukamuno.org Controller
Rick Bernard | x256 | rbernard@chizukamuno.org Information Systems Manager
Bruce P. Yaillen | x284 | byaillen@chizukamuno.org Cemetery Director
Marsha Yoffe | x309 | myoffe@chizukamuno.org Director of Communication and Member Services
Cheryl Snyderman | x300 | csnyderman@chizukamuno.org Graphic Designer
Rachel Levitan | x282 | rlevitan@chizukamuno.org
On the cover: This depiction of Hanukkah is one of eight limited edition, holiday-themed serigraphs created by Moroccanborn, Israeli artist Raphael Abecassis. For a closer view of this piece and the other seven in the collection, please stop by the Lerner Beit Midrash. Chizuk Amuno has a long history of proud service to Baltimore’s Jewish community. Dedicated to strengthening faith in our people’s covenant with God, the purpose of Chizuk Amuno Congregation is to create a sacred Jewish community. Here individuals and families can find meaning for their lives from serious engagement with the texts, wisdom, and celebrations of Judaism. In pursuit of this mission, Chizuk Amuno ascribes to the rabbinic teaching: “The world is sustained through Torah – learning, Avodah – prayer and service, and Gemilut Hasadim – acts of loving kindness.”
Giving Thanks on Hanukkah
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friend of a friend’s niece wins the contest for naming the early arrival of Hanukkah on Erev Thanksgiving. She’s calling it
As Jews, we express our gratitude for the wonder and mystery of being. Our Jewish religious identity is an expression of appreciation, humility, and responsibility for human life, and for our world’s destiny.
“Thanks-a-latke!” Though this year’s calendar coincidence is unique, every Hanukkah is an opportunity to give thanks. Jewish tradition teaches us that one of the religious reasons we kindle the lights of Hanukkah is “in order to give thanks and praise for God’s miracles, wonders, and redemption.” Traditionally, we recite these words along with the blessings as part of our candle lighting ceremonies each evening. 2 | HaZ’man ~ This Season
For many of us, especially our children, Hanukkah is a season of gelt and getting, or as some are calling it this year, “Hanukkahgiving.” Hanukkah is about giving - giving thanks. We are thankful for the gift and strength of our lives, for Jewish identity and history, for our religious heritage, and visions of goodness and joy. Upon giving birth to her fourth son, our matriarch Leah declared, “This time I will thank the Eternal God” and named him Judah, Yehudah, which means “thank God.” The literal meaning of being a Jew, Yehudi, is to be someone who “thanks God.” As Jews, we express our gratitude for the wonder and mystery of being. Our Jewish religious identity is an expression of appreciation, humility, and responsibility for human life, and for our world’s destiny. On Hanukkah, though it may be nice to receive, what we value is giving. Sharing in the commercial culture of
Hanukkah, we reinforce Jewish affinity and happiness for our children and community. Teaching ourselves (and those who receive from us) appreciation is a genuine Hanukkah message. We give thanks to God for the miracles of daily life. We give thanks to God remembering to give of ourselves. We give to family and friends. We give in response to people’s needs. In our attitude of gratitude and acts of thanksgiving we reflect the spirit of the lights we create on Hanukkah. In this issue of HaZman ~ This Season, Rabbi Debi Wechsler, Anne King, and Cheryl Snyderman give thanks for special ritual objects that enhance their Jewish religious celebrations. For the beauties of Jewish tradition we discover and create, at this season may we all truly give thanks. May yours be a Happy Thanksgiving enjoying the lights of Hanukkah! Hag Urim Sameah,
Rabbi Ron Shulman
Thanksgivukkuh Meet Glenn Easton by Shelly Malis
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or me, the confluence of Hanukkah and Thanksgiving could not be more perfect. I realize that the historical truths surrounding both of these holidays do not quite match up with how their celebrations have evolved, but I am going to choose to ignore that. In my world, both of these holidays provide unique opportunities for giving. Thanksgiving is the one holiday that my entire extended eclectic family can celebrate together. It is the one time a year when we all converge on my mother’s house in Atlanta and spend several days together cooking, eating, watching football, and reminiscing. My three siblings and I recall the antics of our childhoods, tease my mother, and share in the pride of our children’s accomplishments. We give each other the gifts of love, family, and togetherness and we are truly thankful. When we were growing up, Hanukkah was also a holiday of giving. Don’t get me wrong – we all received lots of presents over the eight nights, but with a twist. There were six of us and we were each assigned a night when we were responsible for giving gifts to the other members of the family. The gifts could be purchased, home-made, or could be deeds we would perform. What an invaluable lesson to learn – to think about what someone else wants or needs and to give of yourself. It is this lesson of Hanukkah that has continued to be the focus of our celebration. I hope that as your families celebrate this unique holiday season, you have the opportunity to reflect on the gifts that you have received and to give thanks.
We are delighted to welcome Glenn as our new Executive Director. If you have not yet met Glenn, please introduce yourself. Glenn first addressed our congregation at the Annual Meeting in June. Barukh HaBa Glenn!
“I
am deeply humbled to have been selected as executive director of Chizuk Amuno Congregation – a synagogue known for its long history, leadership, and contributions to the community and the Conservative movement… … I wanted the opportunity to introduce myself, thank you for your vote of confidence, and invite you to join me in celebrating our congregational community… … my responsibility is to work with our clergy, lay leaders, educators and staff to refine and implement a vision, to bring organization and best practices to the congregation, to put processes in place to evaluate, to develop financial stability enabling us to fulfill our mission… …So who am I? Who is this newcomer to our 142 year old congregation? You have read about my background, my previous congregations, my schooling, but here is what you may not know… • My wife, Cindy…went to Nursery School at Chizuk Amuno and first knew of Stanley Minch as the owner of the Art Linkletter Dance Studio. (I knew Stanley as a mentor, teacher, colleague, and friend). For Cindy’s bat mitzvah with Rabbi Goldman, her grandfather, who was the shamash at Rogers Avenue Synagogue, spent Shabbat at the home of his good friend, Rev. Dickstein. Cindy graduated from Milford Mill High School and then escaped Baltimore for college in Florida and Chicago before returning east to work for the U.S. Census Bureau. • I have two beautiful (single) daughters. Lisa is a veterinary technician at an emergency animal hospital and Amy is a Junior at Penn State studying film and communications. • I grew up in Southern California with Rabbi Shulman where we went to the same synagogue and the same high school. When Rabbi Shulman was our USY President, I was his Vice-President. • I am the family genealogist, continually searching for and finding relatives near and far. (I just discovered that Gwyneth Paltrow is my 5th cousin) • As an avid baseball fan, I am a Nationals season ticket holder and if I could get over my dislike for the designated hitter, I might consider rooting for the Orioles. We are, however, Ravens fans, since my daughter went to school with Joe Flacco. • During my drives from Chevy Chase to Baltimore, I listen to classical music and all of the music that my family won’t let me listen to in the house. • I love people and have learned to tolerate pets and other animals. • I am a passionate, practicing Conservative Jew who believes that the primary source of Jewish strength in America is the synagogue. I agree with Rabbi Shulman’s understanding of Conservative Judaism as a “Mindful Religion…spiritually compelling and intellectually rooted in sacred history as well as in conscience and common sense...a path to meaning, community, and life purpose…affirming intellectual honesty and demanding equality…” As you get to know me, I look forward to getting to know you, celebrating with you, learning with you, and becoming part of this special community… …As we begin our journey together, may God bless us all to lead and manage our sacred congregational community with honesty, purpose, understanding, love, patience, wisdom, tolerance, and peace. Amen.” Hanukkah 5774 | 3
Av o d a h
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Tallitot – Chapters in My Story by Rabbi Debi Wechsler very ritual object tells a story. Beyond and separate from even from their purpose, ritual objects tell stories about their owners, their history, and how they came to be in our lives. Like many praying Jews, I have several tallitot that I wear for different occasions and at different times of the year. Each is precious to me and tells a different story. The first tallit I ever owned, I purchased for myself from a little shop in Meah Shearim in Jerusalem. So as to not make waves, I told the shop-keeper that I was buying it as a gift for my brother. She asked how tall he was and without thinking, I answered six feet, not realizing that she was asking for size. Too uncomfortable to correct myself, I ended up purchasing an all-white tallit, far too long and large for myself. But that tallit was my first and precious for its newness and the growing discovery of a new mitzvah in my repertoire. I don’t wear that tallit very often anymore, but when I do it brings back a time when a tallit transitioned from being someone else’s garment to being my own. The second tallit I owned was a gift from a beloved co-worker and friend, who gave it to me after he and his wife took their first trip to Israel. He was also the director of an art school I attended, and he gave it to me on the occasion of my leaving full time work in New York City to enroll in rabbinical school. That tallit is precious to me both because it reminds me of that artistic part of my life and because it was
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such a meaningful gift. That is the tallit I wore every Shabbat when I first came to Chizuk and we were still wearing pulpit robes, and is still the tallit I wear on the High Holy Days. The rest of the year, it lives in a beautiful tallit bag made for me by Lois Halpert in honor of my 10th anniversary with the congregation. The third tallit I acquired was a loving gift from my parents. They found two artists to design and produce it, and together with the artists we crafted a garment that would reflect my love for the land of Israel, my fondness for the imagery associated with the Seven Species, and a very personal tallit that was sized and made just for me. That tallit is precious to me because it represented my family’s acceptance of my chosen path and more than acceptance, their embrace of my rabbinate. It took several years to make, during which my mother needlepointed a beautiful tallit bag to match, with my name and the images of the species as well. I wear
it on Shabbat sometimes and especially on the harvest festivals of Sukkot and Shavuot and around Yom Ha’atzmaut. The fourth tallit I received was from the Jewish Theological Seminary. I chose the color and size, but it was a gift (or maybe a by-product of tuition) that I received from the school upon my ordination as a rabbi. At the ordination ceremony, that tallit was placed on my shoulders by two of my teachers and mentors as they offered their blessings to me. That tallit is precious to me because it is the ritual symbol of all that I studied and all that I’ve become. That blue and white striped tallit which I wear most frequently of all, bears my fragrance and now some frays and imperfections. But it has become comfortable and familiar, all my own. The fifth, and most recent tallit I acquired was one that I made for myself. It’s possible that you’ve never even seen me wear it at Chizuk Amuno because I wear it here so infrequently. It began its life as a sarong, a beach cover up in bands of pink and yellow; to which I added grommets and tzitziot. It was born of necessity, I was tired of schlepping a big tallit that took up too much suitcase space when I travelled so I wanted something that would fold up into nothing. I was also looking for a tallit that would be light to wear when praying in the desert or other very hot places. That tallit is precious to me because it is so beautiful that I feel like I am wearing a sunset each time it floats down over my shoulders. I have been thinking that it is time to start looking around for a new tallit. Something traditional, but light in feel, with color and softness. A new ritual object to mark the next chapter of my rabbinate. n
Connections through Ritual Objects by Anne King
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have spent countless hours at Chizuk Amuno in the Sisterhood Judaica Shop and have had the opportunity to help hundreds of children pick out the perfect tallit for their Bar or Bat Mitzvah. I’m touched by the anticipation and joyous energy radiating from young fiancés as they search for their ketubah. I’ve shared special moments with many families merely by being at their side as they make the important decision about a special Kiddush cup, the mezuzah for a new home, or the first hanukkiyah for a grandchild. These purchases are very important because each ritual object becomes an integral part of one’s life – to be used, to be shared, to bring beauty to an occasion, and – ultimately – to be part of one’s legacy. I am lucky enough to have been raised in a home steeped in tradition. The Shabbat
candlesticks and the menorah we used growing up – these are more than just items we used for the holidays. These bring me back to my youth, in my home, with my family. I can visualize my mother lighting the candles and covering her face as she whispered the blessing. These items connect me to my parents and my grandparents. My mother was a Shabbat “regular” who loved Chizuk Amuno. After she
passed away, my father, my siblings, and I wanted to share her quiet dignity with the congregation. While my mother was quite ill I was introduced to the work of Studio Ben Shifra, where we commissioned this lamp as a gift for Chizuk Amuno in memory of my mom. The lamp is to be lit when yizkor prayers are recited. My mother would be very proud to be linked to this gift. Our hope is that this lamp will remind us all of the love for those who are no longer with us, but still hold a light in our hearts. This lamp is dedicated to Ruth Polakoff, the light in our hearts - from her family: Herschel Polakoff, Lawrence and Leslie Polakoff, Stephen and Ellyn Polakoff, and Anne and Steven King. n Anne King is a lifelong member of Chizuk Amuno. She has become a Bat Mitzvah twice, was married at Chizuk Amuno to Steve, and has been an active member of the religious school PTA and Sisterhood. When not managing the Sisterhood Judaica Shop, Anne can be found babysitting for her two granddaughters.
Full Circle
by Cheryl Snyderman hortly after my mother’s unveiling, my father gave me a pile of her old books. One of them, a Mahzor l’Pesah, is a prayer book and guide for the SEVEN days of Pesah. It includes the prayers for all the services for each day and a complete hagaddah, with a crude illustration of the seder plate and wood-block prints depicting the Passover story. Beginning with the pronouncement: A Compilation of Treasures, Yiddish commentary runs throughout the mahzor, describing the customs for the holiday in Warsaw in that era, the late 1800’s. Inside there is a Yiddish inscription, a note to Rachel from her mother as she left war-torn Europe for a safer life. Roughly translated, it reads, “From me, Bayla Zveitel Pasternak, whoever will pray to God should
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be listened to, whatever it is that the person is praying for from this book.” Upon reading the inscription, I suddenly understood it all – because I am Tzerol Bayla. This gave me something tangible that brought their lives right into mine. When I look at the pages with wax droplets, I see my family gathered around this book, in a dark room, reciting the prayers together. When I read the inscription, I imagine that it’s 1914 and Rachel is travelling in the dark hull of the Mauretania – from Dansick, Poland, to England, to Nova Scotia. Knowing she could carry only a few possessions, I am touched that among them were her magnificent silver Shabbat candelabra and this mahzor – signs of her faith. Bayla Zveitel gave this book to Rachel, my grandmother. Rachel gave it to Minnie, my
mom and for whom my daughter is named. This mahzor that started with my namesake ended up with me. It holds a prominent place on my seder table. And I wonder, someday, will there be another Bayla to hold this book, remember Bayla Zveitel Pasternak, and cherish this treasure. n Cheryl became a member of Chizuk Amuno in 1992, when her children, Cory and Melody, were both enrolled at GECEC. She is a graduate of Chizuk’s first Melton class and truly loves being a part of our community – as a member, parent, volunteer, student, and employee. Currently, Cheryl is Chizuk’s Director of Communication and Member Services.
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hat is in a name?” Shakespeare asks, “That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” But what would happen if that rose had no name at all. If every flower was just called “flower” and every dog was called “dog” and every person was called “child” or “teenager” or “adult.” Names are the core of our identity. Our personal names become the symbol by which we present ourselves to others, the name that we take or keep upon marriage is a statement about our beliefs, and our Hebrew names celebrate our Jewish identities and mark moments of religious meaning in our lives. We also use names to build our communities. We identify ourselves with pride as members of “Chizuk Amuno” or “Baltimoreans.” How much more meaningful when we remember that,
6 | HaZ’man ~ This Season
as members of Chizuk Amuno, we are affirming the deeper meaning of our synagogue’s name – in this case that we are members of a congregation of “strong faith.” The strong faith on which our congregation was founded reinforces our own connection to the community. This year, the Rosenbloom Religious School celebrates the potential of names. Previously, our grades were named for letters of the aleph-bet, but this year we assigned grade names that reflect the topics or values being studied. For example, in honor of our kindergarteners’ exploration of the synagogue and the aleph-bet we named them Balashim (detectives). Our fourth graders, who study the groundbreaking ideas of Abraham and Sarah, are now called Solelim (trailblazers). Within a name is pride in one’s background and in the basis of the name.
Within a name is a sense of community, as our names unite us with the rest of our class, grade-level, or cohort. As the final step of the naming process, we challenged our older students (third grade and above) to write raps that explain the meaning and history of their grade names. Under the guidance of visiting Bible Rapper Matt Bar, the students rose to the occasion with flying colors. Their raps will be released soon – watch your e-mails for links to the videos. Think about the names with which you identify. What does it mean to be a Baltimorean, or Conservative, or Jewish? How do these labels help us to find our place in society? Let’s learn to take pride in our names, in their meanings, and in the community that they help us to build. n
Reflections
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Loving Kindness
On Fast Day, Thinking of Involuntarily Hungry Jewish Organizations Mark Yom Kippur with Food Gifts by Jonathan Pitts • Reprinted with permission of The Baltimore Sun Media Group. All Rights Reserved
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anna House, an agency that supports Baltimore’s poor and needy, supplies 50,000 meals to the homeless every year, and executive director Saleem Gauhar calls it a privilege to do so. It’s also not easy, he says. It’s something his organization could never pull off without help from the wider community. Help, that is, from places such as Chizuk Amuno Congregation. The Conservative Jewish synagogue in Pikesville dropped off dozens of overstuffed bags of canned goods Wednesday, as it does every year as congregants observe Yom Kippur. Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish year, begins at sundown Friday night. And though many Jews fast throughout the day, they also take the opportunity to recognize that plenty of people are going hungry because they have no choice. Gauhar, as always, was grateful for the largesse. “It takes a lot of food to do what we do,” he said. “Every little bit helps.” The synagogue is one of dozens in the area that run a food drive during the High Holidays, the period of atonement and reflection that begins with Rosh Hashana and ends on Yom Kippur nine days later. Others include Congregation Beit Tikvah in Roland Park and the Baltimore Hebrew Congregation in Baltimore, which donates about 1,000 grocery bags of food each year to the Govans Ecumenical Development Corporation, or GEDCO. Chizuk Amuno members typically donate about 200 bags to community agencies, says Miriam Foss, director of Gemilut Hasadim — Hebrew for “acts of lovingkindness” —
Manna House Deputy Director Samuel Enos poses with some of the food items they recently received. Photo by Karl Merton Ferron. for the synagogue, one of the oldest and largest in Baltimore. “There’s a concept in Judaism called B’Tzelem Elohim. It means acting in God’s image. The members of the congregation are embodying that concept by reaching out and giving to others in the community,” said Foss, who has run the drive for the past nine years. The tradition of donating food during the High Holidays has its origins in Jewish teachings specific to Yom Kippur according to Deborah Wechsler, a rabbi at the synagogue. While most Jewish holidays involve ritual feasts, observant Jews — at least those who are healthy and older than about 12 or 13 — are asked to fast throughout Yom Kippur to symbolically de-emphasize the worldly side of life and create more room
for spiritual reflection. Deborah Wechsler, a rabbi at Chizuk Amuno, said food drives are in keeping with a biblical passage rabbis read on Yom Kippur. Scripture suggests that a fast should involve more than simply not eating; it should also mean sharing what we have with the less fortunate. “Is [a worthy fast] not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter?” the prophet Isaiah asks in lines often recited during Yom Kippur services, which are generally the best-attended of the year. “When you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?” Donating food “presents an additional way of fasting and observing the holiday,” Wechsler said. Congregants have been dropping the grocery-style food bags off at the synagogue since Rosh Hashana, Foss said, though the bulk of the donations will actually appear on Yom Kippur. Chizuk Amuno plans to divide the goods among several agencies with which it works throughout the year, including Our Daily Bread downtown, Paul’s Place in Southwest Baltimore, and GEDCO. Most recipients are secular organizations, though congregants make hundreds of dollars in financial contributions to Jewish agencies as well. When Foss delivered 30 bags to Manna House Wednesday, volunteers moved them to the shelves where they stock their food for the breakfasts they serve to the homeless 365 days a year. The food is to be Continued on page 12 Hanukkah 5774 | 7
Community Sukkot Tailgate Bash On September 22, once again the sun shone brightly on Chizuk Amuno for our season opener – our community barbeque. Over 400 people were in attendance and enjoyed music, delicious hamburgers, hot dogs, and chili. Children played on a moon-bounce and an obstacle course. Mickey Mouse, Superman, and several other children’s characters stopped by our sukkah to sign autographs. There was spin-art, face-painting, snow cones, and cotton candy. And we even had one lucky raffle winner of two tickets to a Ravens game. Special thanks go to Terri Rabinowitz, whose leadership and endless energy ensured that this Congregational Life program would be such a huge success. To see more Sukkot Tailgate Bash pictures, visit the Chizuk Amuno Congregation Facebook page and click on “Photos.”
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Pathway to Faith • Derekh Amuno On September 22, over 100 donors attended the dedication of Chizuk Amuno’s new walkway, Derekh Amuno (Pathway to Faith). The ceremony included a formal unveiling of the path as well as recognition of the donors for their support of this initiative. The pathway was completely refurbished and over 150 inscribed bricks were installed to honor the memory of loved ones, recognize s’mahot, and commemorate relationships with Chizuk Amuno. In addition to recognizing the dedication and
leadership of project chair Judy Schwartz, Rabbi Shulman acknowledged the generosity of Leslie M. Berman who underwrote the project in memory of his beloved aunt and brother. In Rabbi Shulman’s remarks, he pondered, “Where does a Pathway to Faith lead us? Into our building where a dynamic Jewish community thrives… Walking on this path into our communal home, remember. Every
time you celebrate a sacred moment, light a candle for Shabbat or Yom Tov, every time you make Kiddush over wine, every act of tzedakah, every gesture of kindness and compassion, every time you enter the synagogue to pray, to learn, and to connect, every conscious expression of your Jewish self is a demonstration of hope and goodness.”
Matt will speak at the Brotherhood Breakfast about “The Lost Tribe: Discovering the Jews of Ethiopia.” Matt will share the remarkable story of the aliyah from Ethiopia, from its beginnings in the 1950s, the dramatic airlifts of Operations Moses and Solomon in the 1980s and 1990s, to the final efforts drawing to a close this June. This program is open to everyone at no charge. We ask that you RSVP to Ellen Friedman, efriedman@ksds.edu, so that we can plan for breakfast. The Israel Engagement Committee is joining with the Stulman Center for Adult Education in sponsoring a program called “Jerusalem on a Plate.” This program, which will take place at 2 p.m. on Sunday, January 26, 2014, will feature a short film with famous Israeli chef Yotam Ottolenghi, as well as an Israeli food-tasting. The Israel Engagement Committee is also planning Israel-themed events in coordination with Young Families of Chizuk Amuno, as well as our annual winter Israeli
film series. Movies are scheduled for Sunday afternoon, February 16 and Saturday night, March 29. Mark your calendars and keep watching HaHodesh ~ This Month at Chizuk Amuno for more details. Our committee continues to help build our partnership with our sister congregation in Ashkelon, Israel, Kehillat Netzach Yisrael. If your travel plans to Israel include a stop in Ashkelon, or if you have children studying in Israel who might want to visit Ashkelon, please contact Ellen Friedman. We would like to put you in touch with members of Netzach Yisrael, who would love to welcome you to their shul, one of the very few Conservative congregations in Israel. If all of this sounds like something you would like to be a part of, join the Israel Engagement Committee and help in the planning of future events. The next committee meeting is Tuesday, December 10 at 7 p.m. in the Board Room. We welcome you.
Inscribed pavers in the second section are currently for sale with a scheduled installation in early 2014, weather permitting. Bricks can be inscribed with up to four lines of text, fifteen characters per line, for $250. For more information, go to www.chizukamuno.org or contact Laurel Freedman, Director of Congregational Advancement, lfreedman@chizukamuno.org.
Keeping Up on Israel Do you like to keep informed about Israeli politics, international relations, and cultural news? Make sure to stop and check out the Israel Engagement Committee bulletin board in the administrative lobby across from the Sisterhood Judaica Shop. You will find the latest news articles from American and Israeli media as well as information about upcoming events connected to Israel at our shul and in the Baltimore community. Chizuk Amuno’s Israel Engagement Committee is off to another busy year of Israel-related programming. Two programs are already on the calendar, with several more in the works. Coming up at 10 a.m. on Sunday, December 15, the Israel Engagement Committee and the Brotherhood are joining forces to bring our own Matt Freedman, who, in his capacity as an Associate Vice President of Jewish Federations of North America, and formerly at the Associated, has led several missions to accompany Ethiopian Jews making aliyah to Israel.
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Tuesdays with Sisterhood This year Sisterhood introduced a new initiative: Tuesdays with Sisterhood. Like clockwork, members know they can drop by the Esterson Auditorium every Tuesday morning and the first Tuesday evening of the month to learn something new and enjoy an informal, interesting, and social gathering. The program includes a diverse selection of activities so that there is something for everyone. Tuesday with Sisterhood sessions rotate between crafts, cooking, Mah Jongg, and Torah Study. All of the sessions provide the opportunity to learn something new or build on existing skills. We have decorated cake pops (used for our opening meeting), crocheted flower pins, made home-made challah, and created acorn napkin rings with personalized cloth napkins. In the next few months, we will cook latkes, learn to play Bonco, and make felt Hanukkah gelt bags. There are many more projects slated for 2014. For those who already know how to play Mah Jongg, come join a game. And if you have always wanted to learn, here’s your chance – lessons will be available. Each Torah study session is led by an esteemed
educator from our shul and/or school community, including Rabbi Wechsler, Rabbi Shulman, Rabbi Schneider, Robyn Blum, Debby Hellman, Rabbi Seltzer, Josh Bender, and Hazzan Perlman. The week’s parashah is the basis for our discussion, which is lively, interactive, informative, topical, and current. We are always looking for new ideas and leaders for the cooking and crafts classes. Please be in touch with Ruth Silber, baberuthe@comcast. net or 410/218-8545 for more information or to get involved. Those who have attended Tuesdays with Sisterhood experience a warm and friendly environment, which is a true reflection of the past, present, and
future of Sisterhood at Chizuk Amuno, appealing to women of all generations. There is a place for you – let us help you find it.
Goldsmith Early Childhood Education Center Provides Sensory Exploration This past summer, Michelle Gold, Director of Goldsmith Early Childhood Education Center, along with five GECEC educators – Freda-Dale Cohen Kruger, Alison Feldstein, Jamie Miller, Adrienne Reicher, and Susan Witte – created a sensory lab, inspired by the current early childhood trend of learning through the senses. Our teachers and children have access to this “please touch room” throughout each school day to explore, create, and discover. Sensory play contributes to brain development. As
children explore sensory materials they develop their sense of touch, which lays the foundation for learning other skills. Children work with materials of various textures that may be warm/cool, wet/ dry, rough/smooth, hard/ soft, textured or slimy. The GECEC sensory lab provides opportunities for woodworking and weaving, as well as play stations for clay, sculpting sand, mosaic tiles, beans, rice, funnels, and much more.
Once the sensory lab was ready for use, an “open house” was held for faculty so they could familiarize themselves with the featured activities. At the beginning of the school year, parents were also introduced to this new learning environment. The students truly love their time in the lab. We have noticed the children paying attention to the process, not the product. The children are collaborating with each other as they explore. We are delighted about this new addition to our school and the children are too. Who knew you could learn so much while having so much fun!
The Goldsmith Museum – Adding to the Collection Rabbi Israel Goldman’s dream of creating a museum at Chizuk Amuno Congregation became a reality in 2000 with the opening of the Goldsmith Museum. The core collection, much of it brought to CAC through connections made by Rabbi Goldman, constitutes the permanent exhibit. (See the museum’s current temporary case for more on Rabbi Goldman’s vision.) After 13 years on view, the time has come to rotate some of the more fragile items out of the cases, replacing them with artifacts either from Goldsmith Museum storage or newly purchased. The search for appropriate new additions to the Goldsmith Museum collection began with a purchase at auction from the Steinhardt Collection. This group of important and valuable Jewish ritual objects was
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auctioned by Sotheby’s last May, and now a lovely, 19th-century cotton, crocheted challah cover is part of the collection of the Goldsmith Museum. The provenance of the challah cover is unknown, but it is probably European (a similar example is in the collection of the Joods Historisch Museum, Amsterdam). The crochet is very welldone: decorative flowers, candlesticks, wine decanter and goblet are part of the design. There is text on the challah cover that reads “Likhvod Shabbat Kodesh,” – Honor Holy Shabbat, and “Va’yehe Erev” (it was evening) and “Va’yehe Boker” (it was morning), which can be found in the kiddush, or blessing over wine. Unlike some museum artifacts, we can tell from the faint (wine?) stains on the surface that our challah cover
was actually used. This handmade, humble object would have been the center of attention on the Shabbat table of some now unidentified person or family: the Goldsmith Museum has the honor and responsibility of maintaining the integrity of this precious ritual object that will soon be on view for all to see. We can perpetuate Rabbi Goldman’s dream by continuing to expand the collections of the Goldsmith Museum. Should you wish to donate art or artifacts of Judaica to the museum, please contact Susan Vick at ext. 291.
B’rukhim HaBaim – New Faces at Krieger Schechter Day School This fall, we added two members to our administrative team. We are excited about introducing them and hope you will join us in welcoming them to the shul and school community. Josh Bender is our new Head of the Lower School. Josh was previously the Director of Education at Adas Israel Congregation/Gelman Religious School in Washington, DC. Prior to his work at Adas Israel, he was the Education Director of Beth Am Synagogue here in Baltimore, where he helped rebuild the religious school. Josh holds a Masters in Jewish Education from Baltimore Hebrew Institute at Towson University and a Bachelor of Arts in English from Penn State University. Josh is married to Julie Eskenazi, a Baltimore native, and they have two sons, Jacob and Noah, who are currently enrolled in the Lower School at KSDS.
Another exciting addition to our staff is Andrea Cheatham Kasper, our new Director of Teaching and Learning. Utilizing her broad and comprehensive understanding of pedagogy and student-centered classrooms, Andrea works directly with teachers and plays a role in shaping and enriching our students’ journey through KSDS. Andrea is currently a Doctor of Education candidate at Northeastern University in Jewish Educational Leadership; she holds a Masters in Jewish Education from the Hebrew College in Boston, and she completed her undergraduate work at the George Washington University. Andrea is joined by husband Jacob, daughter Zelia, a Kindergarten student at KSDS, and son Lazar, a GECEC student in the 3-year-old class. Daughter Inez joined the family this past spring.
Club Hatikvah – Olé! In October, Club Hatikvah launched its 2013-14 season with a Spanish Night. Appearing before a packed room were Marija Temo and Anna Menendez, a flamenco guitarist and flamenco dancer. The Spanish-themed food complemented the entertainment and helped to make for a fabulous evening! The high attendance at our “season opener” reflects the refreshed spirit with which this year’s program has been planned. We offer an outstanding line-up, including a magician/mentalist, a production of My Fair Lady, and a Mexican Dance Troupe. On Sunday, December
15 at 6 p.m., we’ll have a sumptuous dinner catered by Yaffa and entertainment provided by “Two for the Show” a delightful team of singers, who will offer popular melodies and songs from Broadway. Watch for more details in your weekly e-update and in the December issue of HaHodesh ~ This Month at Chizuk Amuno. Guests are always welcome! For further information or to join our “Over 50” group, please contact Carol Davis, 410/833-7673 or carolgildavis@aol.com.
Kick-Starting Kadima 5774 What do you get when you mix shrinky-dinks, ice cream, and a bunch of middle-schoolers during midSeptember? A beautifully decorated sukkah and a bunch of happy Kadima-niks! We kick-started Kadima, Chizuk Amuno’s branch of the international Conservative Jewish youth group, with a sukkah decorating and dinner event that brought 20 sixth, seventh, and eighth graders together for an evening of fun and frivolity. It is particularly impressive that many of these students, plus some that could not attend the first event, came together on a weeknight
evening a few weeks later and volunteered their time and ideas to help plan many of our upcoming events. Highlights of the 2013-2014 Chizuk Amuno Kadima year will include Laser Tag in January, a Saturday night sleepover at the synagogue in February, and our much anticipated regional trip to Kings Dominion Amusement Park in April. If your middle school student is not already in on the fun, contact Erica Allen, eallen@chizukamuno. org, to sign up, receive Kadima notices, and get a calendar of our upcoming events.
The Classroom and the Kitchen When visiting a classroom, one is reminded of a kitchen. There are teachers and students combining the ingredients of their residual and newly acquired knowledge. Instead of fragrant aromas, ideas are percolating, boiling over, and infusing the entire space with anticipation and excitement. We savor the taste of learning, and to quote a great comedian, “How sweet it is!” A cake or a soufflé or a salad will be wonderful when the best ingredients are chosen and used. A great outcome is guaranteed when the cook or chef is knowledgeable, experienced, and excited about creating something wonderful. In the Stulman Center for Adult Learning classes, the teachers are knowledgeable, experienced, and excited about creating something wonderful, too, but in this case it will be a welcoming and productive environment that yields the very best results. Whether students are blending together ideas about Cain and Abel and why they argued (Bereshit II with Rabbi Yaakov Chaitovsky), or sampling opinions on Christian and Jewish texts with Rabbi Ilyse Kramer and Dr. Rosann Catalano, they are stirring up the pot, cooking up new ideas, and savoring the new tastes. We invite you to join us in a gastronical, educationl adventure. We have a recipe to suit the finest taste. Please contact the Stulman Center for Adult Learning, 410/824-2055/8, for information about our upcoming classes.
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Brotherhood Remembers the Children Chizuk Amuno’s Brotherhood is offering a new program aimed at remembering the ‘lost children of the Holocaust.’ The program, Remember the Children, pairs young victims who perished during the Nazi genocide with participants who agree to recite prayers in their memory on a continuing basis. It is customary for Jews to memorialize lost loved ones by reciting Kaddish on the anniversary of the loved one’s death, their yahrzeit, plus on the four days during the year that the Yizkor memorial prayers are recited. In regard to these young Holocaust victims, it is often the case that the entire family was murdered, leaving no one behind to recite the memorial prayer on their behalf. “By reciting Kaddish in memory of these young victims, we are not only fulfilling a commandment,” commented Brotherhood president, Gary Brager, “we are also performing a powerful act of reaffirmation that will serve to strengthen the memory of the Holocaust.” The Remember the Children program builds Holocaust awareness in a unique and very personal way. Participants are provided with an information packet containing
background data about their assigned child, which helps to put this crime of incredible magnitude into a more understandable perspective. “I believe it was Josef Stalin who said that one man’s death is a tragedy, but the death of a million men is merely a statistic,” commented Brotherhood First Vice President Eric Beser, the program organizer. “The cruel murder of one and a half million innocent children, all under age 18, is such an enormous image that the mind simply cannot grasp it. This program makes remembering the Holocaust more tangible.” There is no cost to enroll in the program. The only qualification is that the participant be a Jewish adult over Bar or Bat Mitzvah age. Participants are asked to agree, to the best of their ability, to recite Kaddish and light a memorial (yahrzeit) candle five times each year. Participants receive background testimony and a photo of the child, if available. Participants are asked to locate another person to carry on the commitment when they are no longer willing or able to do so.
Eric adds, “It is our intention to make it available to other groups within the shul. Unfortunately there is an ample supply of victims in the database.” referring to the Central Database of Names operated by Yad Vashem, the Israeli Holocaust memorial center in Jerusalem. Yad Vashem has collected the names and background information about Holocaust victims. The Remember the Children program searches for young victims in the database and then assigns each to a participant. The Talmud teaches us, “Whoever destroys a soul, it is considered as if he destroyed an entire world. And whoever saves a life, it is considered as if he saved an entire world.” This program embodies this teaching. By saying Kaddish, the death of the child will be imparted with meaning and the horror of the Holocaust will become more personal. Please watch for details about this meaningful program via e-mail, on the Brotherhood page of the Chizuk Amuno website, and in the HaHodesh ~ This Month at Chizuk Amuno. We hope you will join us in remembering these children’s short lives together.
The Presidential Room at Chizuk Amuno Everyone who has entered the Kleinman Board Room has seen pictures of our congregation’s past presidents. How appropriate it is that those men and women who have served Chizuk Amuno in that most important role should be honored! In October, in that same room, we dedicated two new recognition boards to honor the past presidents of our Brotherhood and Sisterhood. The first president of our Brotherhood was Charles Abramson, who served from 19251927, and the first president of Sisterhood was Rosa W. continued from page 7 distributed to needy individuals soon, most likely by the end of Yom Kippur. Gauhar said the goal at Manna House is to help individuals reestablish their independence — and that usually requires discussing issues few can think clearly about when they’ve had nothing to eat. Feed them, though, and they have a chance. And that, he said, is a worthy goal any time of year.“When people are no longer hungry, you can talk about the things that matter,” he said. “They can start getting their lives back.” n 12 | HaZ’man ~ This Season
Rosenfeld, who served from 1886-1900. In total, there have been 44 Brotherhood presidents, and 48 Sisterhood presidents. The dedication included remarks by Rabbi Schneider and Shelly Malis, and a toast to all of our past presidents. There were over 30 past presidents who joined us on that joyous occasion, along with dozens of dedicated members of both organizations. The next time you are in the building, please come and check out these beautiful new plaques and reflect on all the good the past (and current) presidents brought to Chizuk Amuno through their hard work.
ohtcv ohfurc B’rukhim Habaim Welcome to Our New Members Jeffrey Behar Leonor and Isak Danon Maggi Gaines Andrea and Jacob Kasper
Rebecca and Moe Kazin Barbara Lewis Melanie and Scott Shapiro Ellen Kahan Zager and Jack Zager
We are happy to welcome those who have most recently chosen to join our Chizuk Amuno family. If you have friends or family who may be interested in joining Chizuk Amuno, please call our Director of Communication and Member Services, Cheryl Snyderman, 410/486-6400, ext. 300.
Celebrating the Meaning of Hanukkah’s Light B’rakhot for Hanukkah’s Lights
¨v T ², J ¤J Barukh Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melekh haOlam asher kid-sha’nu b’mitz-votav v’tzi-vanu l’hadlik ner shel Hanukkah. Blessed are You, Eternal our God, Sovereign of the Universe, who sanctified us as a people through God’s commandments, and commanded us to kindle the lights of Hanukkah.
¨v T /v®Z©v i©n±z³C o¥v¨v oh¦n²H©C Ubh ¯,Ic£t³k oh¦X°b v¨G²g¤J Barukh Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melekh haOlam, sh’a-sah nisim la’avo-tei-nu ba-yamim ha-hem baz’man ha-zeh. Blessed are You, Eternal our God, Sovereign of the Universe, who performed miracles for our ancestors during those days at this season. On the first night only:
¨v T /v®Z©v i©n±Z³k Ub ²gh°D¦v±u Ub ²n±H¦e±u Ub ²h¡j¤v¤J Barukh Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melekh haOlam, sh’he-he-ya-nu v’ki-y’ma-nu v’hi-gi-a-nu laZ’man haZeh. Blessed are You, Eternal our God, Sovereign of the Universe, for the gift of our lives, for all that sustains us, and for enabling us to reach this season.
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On Hanukkah we remember the miracles of faith, of our people’s perseverance, and of life’s daily wonders. We remember the Maccabees and the conflict of ancient days while we honor the victory of faith, and of Judaism’s ideals. Hanukkah’s light represents spiritual strength, not only physical prowess. Our Hanukkiyot represent God’s light, a path of peace and goodness that must endure for all time
oh¦X°b©v k©g oh¦eh°k§s©n Ub§j³b£t Uk²K©v ,Ir¯B©v ,In¨j§k¦N©v k©g±u ,IgUJ§T©v k g±u ,It k±p°B©v k©g±u v®Z©v i©n±Z©C o¥v¨v oh¦n²H©C Ubh ¥,Ic£t³k ¨,h ¦G gJ v²F£j h¥n±h ,³bIn§J k²f±u /oh¦JIs§E©v Wh ¤b v £ «F h¥s±h k©g ,UJ§r Ub ²k ih¥t±u o¥v J¤s «e Uk²K©v ,Ir¯B©v s²c§k°C o¨,It§r°k t²K¤t o¤v²C J¥N©T§J¦v§k kIs²D©v W§n¦J±k k¯K©v±kU ,IsIvk h¥s±F /W ®,²gUJ±h k©g±u Wh ®,It±k±p°b k©g±u Wh ®X°b k³g HaNerot Hallalu anahnu madlikim, al ha-nisim, v’al ha-nif-laot, v’al ha-t’shuot, v’al-ha milhamot, she-a’sita-la’avoteinu ba-ya-mim ha-hem, bazman ha-zeh al y’dei kohanekha hak’doshim. V’khol sh-mo-nat y’mei Hanukkah haNerot hallalu kodesh hem, v’ein la-nu r’shut l’hish-ta-mesh ba-hem, eleh li’rotom bilvad, k’day l’hodot u’l’halel l’shimkha ha-gadol al nisekha v’al niflotekha v’al y’shuatekha.
How the lights are kindled: One candle is lit in the Hanukkah menorah for each night. For the first night, one candle, the second night, two candles, and so on until eight candles are kindled on the eighth night. The candle for the first night is placed on the right side of your Hanukkiyah. On each subsequent night an additional candle is placed to the left of the preceding night’s candle. The lighting proceeds from left to right so that the new candle is kindled first
each night. No practical use may be made of the Hanukkah lights such as illuminating the room. Therefore, according to Jewish tradition, a special extra candle known as the Shamash is used to light the others and to provide light. On Friday night the Hanukkah lights are lit before the Shabbat candles, prior to sunset. On Saturday night, be sure the sun has set before lighting the Hanukkah candles.
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Non Profit Org. US Postage Paid Baltimore, MD Permit No. 544
8100 Stevenson Road • Baltimore, MD 21208 www.chizukamuno.org TIME SENSITIVE M ATERIAL please deliver promptly
What’s Your Spin? This beautiful dreidel is on display in the Goldsmith Museum. It was a gift of the children and grandchildren of Mace Crystal on his special birthday. What memories, feelings, and/or emotions does this dreidel evoke in you?
For more about meaningful ritual objects, please see pages 4-5.
Sisterhood Judaica Shop We are stocked and ready to help you make the most of your Thanksgiving and Hanukkah celebrations. If you were lucky enough to buy a glow stick menorah last year, we have the refills. Hours: Sunday ~ 9:15-11:30 a.m. Monday through Thursday ~ 10 a.m.-Noon and 2-6 p.m. Friday ~ 10 a.m.-Noon. Or shop by appointment: call Anne King, 410/303-7716 or 410/484-5813, or Edna Crystal 410/653-3495.
S AV E T H E D A T E
SHABBAT AT C H I Z U K A M U N O
December 14
Activities are planned throughout the day for every age. Stay all day or drop in as your schedule allows. Details to follow.