Shalom KJ - October 2023

The Sukkah of Peace: A Message for Israel & for Us All

By RABBI Haskel Lookstein

Throughout the year in the evening prayer for Shabbat and Yom Tov, we say to God ונלע שורפו ךמולש תכוס - Spread over us your Sukkah of Peace. We then conclude that bracha with the following:

“Blessed are you O’ Lord who spreads the Sukkah of Peace upon us, upon all His people, Israel and upon Jerusalem.”

Why is the Sukkah called the Sukkah of Peace?

Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak HaKohain Kook, the Chief Rabbi of Palestine in the 1920’s and 30’s, gave a fascinating – and highly instructive explanation. The sukkah, he said, is the only mitzvah that doesn’t require perfection. For example, the sukkah does not require four walls; it is enough to build a sukkah with two full walls and a small piece of a third wall. The walls of the sukkah do not have to be perpendicular to the ground; they may actually even incline somewhat. Moreover, the walls do not even have to touch the ground; they only need to extend to within nine inches of the ground.

These standards of imperfection have no parallel in most mitzvot. The four species that we use on Sukkot have to approach perfection. There have to be three haddasim and two aravot attached to the lulav; Having just two haddasim or one arava is not acceptable. Tefillin, both hand and head, need to have four parashot from the Torah inscribed on parchment within them. Having two and-ahalf or three parashot would render the tefillin unusable. In one’s Amidah, after Shemini Atzeret, the omission of םשגה דירמו חורה בישמ – “God causes the wind to blow and brings down the rain,” disqualifies the tefillah.

Rav Kook explains that it is precisely because the Sukkah does not have to be complete in order for the mitzvah to be fulfilled, that the Sukkah is called םולש תכוס “the Sukkah of Peace.” Peace cannot exist without our tolerance of imperfection. One cannot have Shalom Bayit “peace in one’s home” without our accepting imperfection. If one expects perfection from one’s spouse or from one’s siblings or from one’s children, there will be no Shalom Bayit. We all have to be understanding of each other’s imperfections. Nobody is perfect, and peace itself is not perfect; it

comes with an acceptance of incompleteness and imperfection.

There is a message for us in Rav Kook’s explanation of the Sukkah of Peace which has a serious bearing on the conflict and divisiveness that is tearing apart the State of Israel today. There are all kinds of suggestions about how American Jews ought to get involved in resolving the internal strife in Medinat Yisrael

Unfortunately, this civil conflict is a problem that the Israelis will have to solve for themselves. American Jewish involvement in a public way may very well create more problems than solutions. Fortunately, the State of Israel is blessed with a President whose major concern is to bring peace to his fellow citizens. He is committed to Shalom al Yisrael. He has put forward compromises with the goal of achieving peace. Extremists on both sides of the conflict vigorously reject the compromises. Moderates on both sides, will have to sit down with President Herzog and hammer out compromises that will satisfy nobody, because they will be imperfect. But only a willingness to accept imperfect compromises will bring peace and security to our beloved State of Israel.

My father, of blessed memory, used to say: “Yeder p’shara is hinkedik” – Every compromise limps.” No side gets what it wants; but, altogether, peace is restored by everyone accepting the imperfect solution. That’s the way it works in life, in the home, and in society.

We all live with imperfections and incompleteness. Only by living this way is it possible to enjoy shalom

“Blessed are you O’ God who spreads the Sukkah of Peace upon us and upon all His people, Israel, and upon Jerusalem”

May that be God’s will and ours too. •

Where We Let God In

By kjyd director RUTHIE HOLLANDER

A child and parent face one another. Child made small by boughs of palm, willow, myrtle, several feet long; parent kneeling and directing the branches, hand wrapped around a smaller one wrapped around a fragrant pebbled fruit. Waving: north, south, east, west, God is here, there, truly everywhere.

Everywhere, everywhere — in the mundane, too. In lost car keys and grocery lists and toys on the floor and your child’s laugh.

God is, says the Kotzker Rebbe, wherever we let God in. –

Growing up I kept a diary. And every single entry started off with the words Dear Hashem.

For years, I wrote all of my journal entries to God: arguments, infatuations, interests, anxieties, hopes, dreams. I was convinced that God was both present for and interested in what I wrote — both witness and recipient to my childhood and then teenage ambitions and angst.

As a child, I had the pure, all-encompassing belief that God walked by my side. And it was a tremendous gift. Because today, even as an adult, I find myself in monologue with God.

In frustration — Really? Was this necessary, God? —

and gratitude — Thank You so much. Thank You, thank You, thank You —

and giddy nervousness — Please let me do well!

“Your daily life is your temple and your religion. Whenever you enter into it take with you your all,” writes early 20th-century poet and mystic Kahlil Gibran in his most acclaimed work The Prophet. How do we create a daily life where Hashem is truly everywhere ? Where the big and small moments are punctuated by a back-and-forth with our values and relationship with the Divine? I think the answer is that we must start with our children: we must start by convincing them that they are beloved by God.

As you hold the lulav and etrog in your child’s small hands this year, you feel their unshakeable trust in you, see their careful focus as they wave: up down, all around. And maybe afterward, as if spurred by some unnameable rush of emotion, you express: Aren’t we so lucky that Hashem is in our lives? •

Simchat Torah Chatanim

Chatan Torah Richard Cohen

Richard is delighted to be a Chatan Torah for Simchat Torah 5784. His involvement at KJ began twelve years ago, when he was drawn to KJ Sephardic, and immediately felt at home. Since then, he has been a devoted member and regular attendee, participating in KJ Sephardic’s development from its infancy to its current bar mitzvah celebration.

In recent years, Richard has become a Member of KJ Sephardic’s Operating Committee, as well as a Trustee and Officer of the Synagogue, and currently serves as co-Chair of the House Committee.

Among the many wonderful reasons to be at KJ, Richard believes that the Shul’s diverse community and minyanim have offered him a unique opportunity to honor both his Sephardic and Ashkenazi heritages. Richard’s paternal grandmother, Suzanna Cohen z”l, was born in Poland and endured the hardships of WWII, but through an unlikely series of events, ultimately found herself in a refugee camp outside of Tehran, Iran where she was saved by his paternal grandfather, a Persian Jew. This story has been captured in the novel Six Thousand Miles to Home.

Richard is especially proud of his wife, Lisa, who currently serves as the President of the Ramaz Parents Council. She is also a devoted mother to their children Elliot, Talia, Benjamin, and Joseph.

Professionally, Richard works as a real estate investor with his family business, Buckingham Properties. He is a graduate of Colby College, The London School of Economics and New York University.

In addition to KJ and Ramaz, Richard has been a consistent supporter of many important Jewish causes including AIPAC, UJA, Migdal Ohr and Belev Echad.

Richard has a passion for outdoor activities including hiking, biking, tennis, golf and is an avid skier. He has enjoyed sharing his interests with the KJ community by leading the KJ Sephardic Fall Hike and Annual Ski Trip.

Richard dedicates this honor in the memory of his grandparents, Suzanna and Soleiman Cohen z”l and Shirley and Manoochehr Manoochehrian z”l.

Chatan Bereishit Jeremie Cohen

Jeremie proudly follows in the footsteps of his grandfather and father who have taught him by example, as treasurer of their respective synagogues, the importance of being committed and of service to their community.

Upon his arrival in New York in 2014, Jeremie became a member of the KJ Sephardic Minyan, where he immediately felt in tune with the values of Menschlichkeit, attachment to tradition, and openness to modernity.

Having grown up in one of the oldest Ashkenazi synagogue in the historic district of Paris, he has always felt at home at KJ where he values the unity between Ashkenazi and Sephardi minhagim. He has been a committee member of KJ Sephardic since 2019 and has served as a member of the KJ board since 2020.

He was also raised with a core focus on the transmission of Jewish values and tzedakah. He was therefore drawn early on to the Chabad Lubavitch movement, where he is also involved as a board member of the French Chabad Center of Midtown Manhattan, as well as through charity organizations such as Colel Chabad & Belev Echad.

Jeremie trained as a nuclear physicist at Ecole Polytechnique, France’s top elite engineering school. After 4 years as an engineer in a biotech startup in New York, he transitioned his career into finance. He is now a Portfolio Manager at WorldQuant, where he has been working since 2018.

Jeremie is the proud father of three Ramaz students, Noam (4th grade), Ariel (1st grade) and Lior (Nursery), whom he raises together with his wife Geraldine, a serial entrepreneur and digital marketing consultant.

Together, Geraldine and Jeremie are dedicated to serving KJ Sephardic and the larger KJ/Ramaz community, where they are grateful to have found a nurturing home away from home.

Chatan Maftir Marco Sardar on following page.

Chatan Maftir Marco Sardar

SIMCHAT TO RAH C ELEBR ATI O N

SATURDAY NIGHT, OCTOBER 7

Fun-Filled Hakafot for All Ages Featuring

DANCING IN THE STREET

Beginning at 6:30 pm at KJ & concluding outside on 85th Street

RUACH REVIVAL

J-Tunes Singers Accompanying our Tefillot & Cantor Chaim Dovid Berson, bringing Ruach to our Simchat Torah service

DELICIOUS DAIRY DINNER

CHILDREN'S CARNIVAL for all ages

Following

6:00 pm Mincha in the Main Sanctuary

6:15 pm Sephardic Mincha

AT KJ | 125 East 85th Street

Marco joined the KJ community in 2012 after marrying his high school sweetheart, Nicole Jaspan. He is the eldest of five children and was raised in Brooklyn by his parents, Adina and Raymond Sardar, who instilled a deep sense of community, chesed, and leadership in him from a very young age.

Marco is a graduate of Magen David Yeshivah and holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from Baruch College.

Marco enhanced his experience on the Upper East Side and embraced every facet of the broader KJ/Ramaz community to complement the roots of his Syrian Sephardic heritage. Marco’s closest friendships were formed at KJ and that had a profound impact on his positive experience. He was among the early members of KJ’s Sephardic Minyan and shares a deep vision and commitment to help create a vibrant Sephardic Minyan within KJ that embodies the traditions and rituals of the Syrian Sephardic Community.

Marco has been actively involved in many different divisions of the KJ community. He is an Associate Member of the Board of Trustees of KJ, he has been a board member of KJ’s Sephardic Minyan since its inception, and he is actively involved in KJ’s Kesher Minyan as well as other initiatives and committees. Marco has always pursued his service to the KJ community and in particular the Sephardic minyan with tremendous energy and passion, but most importantly with a mindset of constantly trying to build and expand for the future growth of our wonderful community. Marco has led, and participated in, a variety of cornerstone initiatives over the years that helped expand, attract, and unify members of the KJ Sephardic community.

Outside of KJ, Marco serves as an active member of several organizations including Mount Sinai’s advisory board for the Department of Medicine and UJA’s Wall Street Division.

Professionally, Marco is a Principal at Greenhill & Co., a global Mergers and Acquisitions investment bank established in 1996. He originates and executes global Merger and Acquisition transactions for leading Fortune 100 companies and private equity clients. Marco also leads Greenhill’s Financial Sponsors Group, which he helped establish at Greenhill. Before joining Greenhill in 2018, Marco spent 4 years at Barclays where he focused on global Mergers and Acquisitions and corporate finance transactions for consumer and retail companies. Marco started his investment banking career at Morgan Stanley.

Marco is inspired by his wife, Nicole Jaspan Sardar. Nicole represents the fifth generation of a KJ family. Her family’s continued dedication to KJ is exemplified by her active involvement at KJ in various capacities, most recently serving as President of the KJ Sisterhood of which her great-grandmother was the first president in 1930.

Professionally, Nicole has a master’s degree in special education and has taught students at various institutions including Ramaz, MDS, and other schools in Manhattan. Most importantly, Marco and Nicole are devoted parents to their three wonderful children, Raymond (8 years), Adina (4 years), and Michael (1 year), who either attend or will be attending Ramaz.

KJYD SIMCHAT TORAH FLYER ON PAGE 13

THE SIXTEENTH ANNUAL

FLORENCE FISHEL COHEN

TESHUVAH LECTURE

Holiness in the Workplace

Wednesday, September 20

7:30 pm

FEATURING

Rabbi Saul Berman

Noted scholar, author and educator.

The Mysterious Shofar of Yom Kippur

Shabbat, September 23

11:00 am - 11:30 am

PRESENTED BY Rabbi Chaim

Steinmetz

Following 9:00 am Services in the Main Sanctuary

AT KJ 125 EAST 85TH STREET | DETAILS AT CKJ.ORG/APPEVENTS

Dedicated by Suzy and Larry Present in memory of Suzy’s parents, Sarah and Emanuel Goldberger.

The naming of the lecture in memory of Florence Cohen was made possible by a generous commitment from the Nathan and Louise Goldsmith Foundation.

Fathers & Sons Bar Mitzvah Program

Fathers & 6th grade sons in the KJ/Ramaz community are invited to participate in experiential programs and unique learning opportunities that explore what it means to come of age in Judaism. Led by the KJ rabbis, the boys and their fathers will explore Tefillin, Chessed, Shabbat, Torah learning, and Prayer. Email Rabbi Meyer Laniado at rml@ckj.org.

SUNDAYS 9:30 AM - 11:15 AM

WORKSHOP DATES

NOV 5 Sofer Tefillin Making Workshop WITH RABBI JOEY MIZRACHI

DEC 10 MET Council Chessed Opportunity Packing Food Necessities

JAN 7 Navigating Our Judaism in a Diverse and Pluralistic World

WITH RABBI ROY FELDMAN

FEB 4 What It Means To Be a Jew in The 21st Century

WITH RABBI CHAIM STEINMETZ

MAR 3 How To Properly Wear Tefillin Workshop

WITH RABBI ROY FELDMAN & RABBI MEYER LANIADO

APR 7 The 10 Most Important Facts Every Bar Mitzvah Boy Must Know WITH RABBI DANIEL KRAUS

MAY 5 Leadership Through a Jewish Lens WITH RABBI MEYER LANIADO

JAN 13 3 PM Special Minha & Seudah Shelishit

WITH CANTOR BERSON, RABBI ROY FELDMAN & RABBI MEYER LANIADO

Welcome New KJ Team Members

Ellin Cooper

Yoetzet Halacha

KJ Annual Dinner

SAT NIGHT / DEC 2 / 8:00 PM

This year’s Annual KJ Dinner marks KJ Sephardic’s Bar Mitzvah Year as part of the KJ Community. It was 13 years ago that forward thinking community leaders said “Yes” to welcoming a formal Sephardic presence, and this year we celebrate that vision and partnership.

Mazal Tov to the KJ Family as we salute the many brilliant hues of our colorful quilt. Celebrate together with an excellent buffet, music, and entertainment.

ANNUAL DINNER CO-CHAIRS

Lenore & Ben Brachot

Vanessa & Ray Chalme

Stephanie & Bennett Katz

Lani & Jason Kollander

RSVP CKJ.ORG/ANNUALDINNER

Ellin Cooper is the Yoetzet Halacha for Manhattan Yoetzet Initiative, consisting of 12 synagogues and institutions, including Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun. She holds a BA in Physics from Barnard College and is a graduate of GPATS at Yeshiva University. Ellin’s rigorous training in Nishmat’s Miriam Glaubach Center’s U.S. Yoatzot Halacha Fellows Program focused on Taharat Mishpacha, in addition to biology, sexuality and psychology. Ellin loves living on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, where she grew up and now resides with her husband Jeremy and son Ariel.

Gabe Silverman

KJ’s Rabbinic Intern

Gabe Silverman was born on New York’s UES. Having spent many years davening at KJ, he is excited to give back and share Torah with the community that he loves. Gabe attended Ramaz from nursery through 12th grade before learning in Yeshivat Netiv Aryeh in Israel for his gap-year. He studied Physics and English at Harvard, and upon graduating decided to matriculate in Yeshiva University’s Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary (RIETS), and has just begun his 3rd year of study. Gabe is looking forward to spending more time in a community he knows to be quite special and unique in the Modern Orthodox world.

NORMAN Z”L & TOVA

Bulow Annual Shabbaton

Shabbat Noach

Oct 20-21

FEATURING

Rabbi Dr. Shlomo Brody

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF EMATAI

6:00 pm

Shabbat Services followed by Friday Night Dinner

(Reservation required, RSVP link to follow)

8:30 pm

Post Dinner Lecture (All are invited to join)

"Minhagim, Mortality & the Search for Meaning"

9:00 am

Shabbat Services

"Fateful Decisions in Jewish Medical Ethics: A Tale of Two Rabbinic Debates"

5:00 pm

Pre-Mincha Class

"Is Every Moment of Life of Infinite Value? Quality of Life in Jewish Law"

5:40 pm

Evening Services followed by Seudah Shlishit

"The One Surprising & Controversial Issue that Religious Zionists Agree Upon"

Weekly Classes

CLASS DESCRIPTIONS

Dr. William Major Memorial

Advanced Shiur in Talmud

Continuing our study of Masekhet Brachot with its classical commentaries.

Exploring Jewish Thought

What is the foundation of ethics? How did Orthodox Jews understand the Holocaust? Dive deeply into questions of Jewish philosophy and wrestle with challenging ideas. Appropriate for intellectually curious students of any background. Translated texts provided.

Reading the Prophets: The Book of Samuel Read Sefer Shmuel closely and explore the literary and philosophical aspects of this book.

MEN’S CLUB DISCUSSIONS

Join KJ Men’s Club President Dr. Mark Meirowitz as he engages in discussion with the following fascinating personalities:

OCTOBER 21

Lily Maier, author of Arthur and Lily. Find out what a 75-year-old Los Angeles based rocket engineer and an eleven-year-old schoolgirl from Austria have in common.

OCTOBER 28

Renan Koen, a renowned Turkish Jewish concert pianist, will speak on “Teaching the Holocaust Through Music: A Lifetime of Inspiration from Music Composed by Jews in the Terezin Concentration Camp”

NOVEMBER 11

Dr. Emmanuel Navon, a scholar and practitioner of diplomacy, is the Executive Director of ELNET Israel (an NGO that promotes relations between Israel and Europe).

The Weekly Parsha Class

A textual analysis of the parasha with the help of classical commentaries and modern Biblical exegesis.

Beginners Hebrew

For those who want to start building a foundation in Hebrew to help them read Jewish Prayer.

Intermediate Hebrew

This popular class enables those with no previous background in Hebrew to learn to read Hebrew in just a short time.

Advanced Hebrew

Back to BasicsUnderstand Prayer

Take a deep dive into the amida.

Kitzur Shulchan Aruch

A classic, concise work of halacha that covers the complete spectrum of Jewish law. The class is a text based class and open to all.

Designed for those with some ability to read Hebrew, students practice reading skills using the siddur and other Jewish texts.

Meaningful Jewish Living

A comprehensive yearlong course covering major themes in Jewish law, practice and thought. Explore how a 5,000 year old religion is more relevant today than ever before.

DRI V E FO R D I G NITY

On Tsom Gedaliah, Monday, September 18, the KJ Youth Department ran an exceptional "drive for dignity" for Masbia Soup Kitchens, with Ramaz students in grades 6 & 7 canvassing locally for goods and donations to help New Yorkers who need it most.

We were joined by Alexander Rapaport, the founder of Masbia, Assembly member Alex Bores, and City Council member Julie Menin. We also presented Masbia with a check for a portable generator to power one of their pop-up centers for the homeless.

To further support and donate to this exceptional cause please scan the QR code.

LE A RN T OR AH, B E H AP P Y

BY TALIA BINSTOCK, 4TH GRADER AT RAMAZ

On Simchat Torah, we celebrate that we are restarting the whole Torah, and that we can learn it all again. We read the Torah again, and it’s special because each time we read it we are different and we learn new things. We worked hard to get the Torah, and it’s a really special thing to celebrate.

A few years ago, Simchat Torah was also my birthday. It was during Covid, so we were all in the park for KJYD groups. I remember that we kept talking about how we were restarting Torah, and that we were eating candy to celebrate it. Candy is fun and happy and that’s how we feel when we get to restart. This experience makes me feel excited every single year.

Rosh Hashanah is about thinking about the past and fixing the future. Simchat Torah is about restarting our learning and learning new things. Learning torah is so important to the Jewish people that we have a whole day to celebrate it.

The Sages teach that Hashem cries for a person “who is able to engage in Torah study and does not engage in it” (Chagigah 5b:15). This makes me think that sometimes when I’m bored in bed I could get a chumash out and start learning!

Torah shouldn’t just be learned by rabbis. If everyone learns Torah and learns to love Torah, everyone will be happier.

How can Torah be fun? Sometimes in school Torah is fun, like when our teacher tells us funny stories that people don’t believe are true even though they are. In second grade, our teacher taught us that Hashem told Avraham to just go without telling him where, and she blindfolded us with a sweater so we’d get to experience how Avraham felt. I still remember how fun it was!

This season is called Z’man Simchateinu — our time of joy. We sit all together in the sukkah and then we dance and learn all together. Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks says that “Joy in the Torah is never about individuals. It is always about something we share.”

I hope that you are able to celebrate Sukkot and Simchat Torah with your families and friends, and that you are able to feel that happiness. Chag Sameach!

GET INVOLVED BY:

• Answering next month's question: What Jewish food would you add to your Thanksgiving table?

• Scheduling a one on one Dvar Torah writing session with Ruthie. Torah comes with candy!

• Sharing an idea for the next Simon Clay comic

GIVE: CHESED CORNER LEARN: TORAH TALK ASK: QUIRKY QUESTIONS LAUGH: CLAY COMICS JOIN: EPIC EVENTS

Sukkot graphic on page 3, all KJYD flyers, Ushpizin characters, & Simon Clay comics

created by Ruthie Hollander for KJYD

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE KJ TEAM AT CKJ.ORG/ OURTEAM

USHPIZIN

We asked the KJ Team:

Which fictional character would you add to the Ushpizin — the guests you invite to join you in your Sukkah — this year, and why?

Captain America because I like his shield and I like America.

I was always inspired by the feats of which he was capable and that he was defending the right way to live.

It would be cool to probe the distinction between actual human consciousness and the likeness of human consciousness.

He’s funny and has a squeaky voice that makes me laugh, which is what Sukkot is all about, our z’man simchateinu!

She really cares about kindness and teaching others to be kind.

Yoda, because we would have interesting conversations about life, purpose, and the universe.

I know he really would love the food, but worry that he might trip over some of the schach.

She’s warm, sweet, and fuzzy, but still tells it like it is. She would keep us all entertained in the Sukkah and make a mean cup of tea.

Inspector Gadget’s niece and her dog: the ones truly responsible for thwarting M.A.D. Just like in the Pesach story, yad Hashem (God’s hand) is hidden.

She would have wise divrei Torah, and might shapeshift into a tabby cat if rain starts to pour.

He’ll come in with a great entrance, and bring the best food!

He’s a good guy, but he’s complicated. He’s managed some difficult situations, but maintained his humanity. Dumbledore, too, for the same reason.

c. Golem

e. Mary Poppins f. Yoda

a. Captain America b. Superman

d. Mickey Mouse

g. Homer Simpson i. Penny & Brain

k. Willy Wonka

h. Mrs. Doubtfire j. Minerva McGonagall l. Gandalf

Freddie Rodriguez

Rabbi Steinmetz Yael Haller

Cantor Berson

Talia Laniado

Rabbi Lookstein

Esther Feierman

Leonard Silverman Rabbi Kraus לואשל QUIRKY QUESTIONS

Rabbi Laniado Jonathan Cannon

ckj.org/kjsukkot

SUKKOT

SUKKOT WITH KJ SEPHARDIC

FRIDAY, SEPT 29

EREB SUKKOT

Shaharit

7:15 am

Candle Lighting

6:23 pm

Minha & Arbit

6:30 pm

SATURDAY, SEPT 30

SUKKOT DAY 1

Shaharit 9:00 am

Minha & Arbit

6:30 pm

SUNDAY, OCT 1

SUKKOT DAY 2

Shaharit 9:00 am

Minha & Arbit 6:30 pm

Holiday Concludes 7:13 pm

MONDAY, OCT 2 –

THURSDAY, OCT 5

HOL HAMOED

Shaharit 7:00 am

Followed by Breakfast in the Sukkah

Minha & Arbit with KJ Main

6:30 pm

THURSDAY, OCT 5

Annual Tapas, Tequila & Tiqun Hoshanah Rabbah in the Sukkah

7:00 pm

FRIDAY, OCT 6

HOSHANAH RABBAH

Shaharit

7:00 am

Followed by Breakfast in the Sukkah Candle Lighting

6:12 pm

Minha & Arbit

6:15 pm

SATURDAY, OCT 7

SHEMINI ASERET

Shaharit

9:00 am

Minha & Arbit

6:15 pm

Haqafot Following Arbit

SUKKOT OVERVIEW

Immediately after the Jewish Days of Awe – Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur – comes the less-known holiday of Sukkot; the Feast of Booths. This year, the holiday begins Friday, September 29, at sunset and lasts until Sunday, October 8.

Like many Jewish holidays, it has both an agricultural theme and a historical theme. This reminds us both of the land of Israel (it is the harvest-time there) and of the history of the Jewish people. When the Jewish people left Egypt and were wandering in the desert, God sheltered them in protective dwellings called Sukkot.

The agricultural theme of the holiday also brings out its universal motifs. All of us, no matter our religion, can take a moment to offer thanks to God for all that we have been able to gather close to ourselves in our lives. Even if we are not farmers gathering in the harvest, we can give thanks for our families, our paychecks, our homes etc. Sukkot is called “the time of our joy” and is a spiritual precursor to the more secular Thanksgiving holiday.

Jews celebrate Sukkot by building temporary sukkah dwellings for the eight-day holiday. Jewish custom is to eat meals and spend leisure and quality time in the sukkah and – in some places – even sleep overnight there. It is also a time when families and friends come together to celebrate.

The most important part of the sukkah itself is the roof, which must be made of items – such as bamboo or palm branches – that grow from the ground. This loose covering allows one to see the stars while sitting in the sukkah; it is an opportunity to reflect on the beauty of the world that God created.

SUNDAY, OCT 8

SIMHAT TORAH

Shaharit with KJ Main

9:00 am

Minha & Arbit

6:15 pm

Holiday Concludes 7:05 pm

When the weather is bad, we go indoors, as sitting in the sukkah is meant to be a pleasant experience. The sukkah is usually decorated with festive holiday hangings and posters and children’s artwork. Another element of the Sukkot holiday is the taking and gentle shaking of the Four Species – palm branch (lulav), citron (etrog), myrtle, and willow. These four contribute to the harvest festival-feel of the holiday. Some Jewish philosophers have said that the greatness of sitting in a sukkah is that it is an act that one can do with one’s whole body. Similarly, the palm represents the spine, the citron the heart, the myrtle the eyes and the willow the lips, suggesting that we should devote our entire bodies to this celebration.

Finally, Jewish tradition teaches that on Sukkot, the world is judged for its water. Since we know the devastating effects of drought on millions of human beings in the world, it is a good opportunity to pray for a plentiful gift of water this year so that we will all have enough to drink and to grow the crops we depend upon for our survival.

For any questions please feel free to reach out to the KJ Rabbis.

Enjoy the holiday!

All meals with bread or mezonot should be eaten in a Sukkah.

Hoshanah Rabbah

• Friday morning, October 6 at 6:30 AM

• Close of the penitential season

• High Holy Day melodies

• Seven circuits around the shul with Lulav and Etrog and beating of the Aravot

• President’s breakfast sponsored by Phyllis and Jonathan Wagner

Shemini Atzeret on Shabbat

• Yizkor recited

• Kohelet is read

• Prayer for rain

• Chatanim presented to the congregation

Simchat Torah Night

Shabbat Evening, October 7

BRING CHILDREN AT 6:15 PM to 125 East 85th Street

Our joyous evening of Hakafot in the Main Synagogue concludes with singing and dancing in the street, with Hakafot followed by a Simchat Torah extravaganza in the Ramaz Middle School featuring a festive dairy kiddush supper, ice cream bar, and a carnival of activities and entertainment for children of all ages.

Divrei Torah from our community’s children will cap our holiday celebration.

Simchat Torah Day

Sunday, October 8

• Youth groups

• Hakafot with singing and dancing

• Chatanim called to the Torah

• Women’s Tefilah Group meets at 9:15 AM

• Buffet kiddush lunch following services

Sukkot Meal Purchase

Sukkot catered meals required advance reservations and will be served in these two buildings.

Contact sy@ckj.org if you need assistance. Visit ckj.org/sukkot to RSVP.

TABLES 1-21

8TH FLOOR ROOF

RAMAZ MIDDLE SCHOOL

114 East 85th Street

TABLES 63 and UP

9TH FLOOR ROOF

RAMAZ LOWER SCHOOL

125 East 85th Street

Lulav & Etrog Purchase

You may purchase a Lulav and Israeli Etrog, $55, through KJ by visiting ckj.org/lulavandetrog.

Sets will be available for pickup in the Lobby Level Riklis Social Hall125 East 85 Street - on Thursday, September 28, from 7:30 - 8:45 pm, and on Friday, September 29, from 8:00 am - 10:30 am.

• Lulav and Etrog will be used beginning Sunday, October 1, and are not used on Shabbat.

On October 29 at 10:30 am, KJYD will be partnering with Leket for a Family Pickling Event to prevent food waste. Stay tuned for details!

Within Our Family

BIRTHS

Mazal Tov to –

Sheera & Kenny Eckstein and Michael Moffson upon the birth of a daughter, Hailey Rose (Chaya Esther), born to Raquel & Ari Cohen.

Rosie and Dr. Mark Friedman, upon the birth of a grandson, Moshe Chaim Shimon, born to their children, Rivkah and Rabbi Yosef Y. Friedman (Ramaz ‘04) of Jerusalem.

Gilda and (Charles Guttman, of blessed memory) upon the birth of a granddaughter, Charlotte ( הלאיחי הנח), born to their children Rebecca and Yair Kronenberg.

Lara and Ben Guzik upon the birth of a son, Milo Alistair (Moshe Teruah).

Dr. Leora Mogilner & Richard Linhart and Susan & Robert Goldschmidt upon the birth of a granddaughter, Hallel Liba, born to their children Tobey Linhart and Yonah Goldschmidt. Mazal Tov to the overjoyed great grandparents, Rochelle Mogilner & Hal Gastwirt in Jerusalem and Judy & Sam Linhart in Phoenix. Dr. Leonard Mogilner z”l is remembered with love at this time.

Stacy and Ron Scheinberg upon the birth of their first grandchild, a son, Ethan Simon (Lev David), born to their children Carly (Ramaz ’11) and Daniel Jaret. Mazal Tov as well to KJ great-grandparents Barbara and Rabbi Mayer Moskowitz.

Lisa and Lee Snow upon the birth of a granddaughter, Orah Haviva, born to their children, Elena Weissmann and Michael Snow (Ramaz ’09).

BNEI MITZVAH

Rosie and Dr. Mark Friedman upon the Bat Mitzvah celebration of their granddaughter, Charlotte Goldie, daughter of Davida and Marc Yehaskel of Great Neck. Charlotte is a student at Yeshiva Har Torah of Little Neck, Queens. Mazal Tov as well to her siblings Shlomo, Leah, Shmuel, and Nina.

ENGAGEMENTS

Jennifer & Saul Burian and Micheal Gross upon the engagement of Lauren Gross to Ethan Lasko of Hollywood, Florida, son of Ellen & Jon Lasko. Mazal Tov to the overjoyed grandparents, Ruth and Andrew z’l Burian, Beverly and Max z’l Rubenstein, Arlene and Sam Lasko.

Drs. Stephanie and Jonathan Freilich upon the engagement of their son, Sam, to Eliana Elikan, daughter of Sara and Jeff Elikan, of Silver Spring, MD. Mazal Tov as well to delighted KJ grandmother Estelle Freilich.

Dr. Chaviva Levin and KJ Scholar-in-Residence Rabbi Dr. Jeremy Wieder on the engagement of their son, Noam, to Tzippi Eisenberg, daughter of Shana and Noam Eisenberg of Modi’in. Tzippi is the great-great granddaughter of the late Rabbi Aaron Charney, who was a beloved member of the KJ community.

MARRIAGES

Rose Gerszberg upon the marriage of her grandson, Shep Gerszberg, to Sarah Lewyn, of Atlanta.

Janie and Dr. Robert Schwalbe upon the marriage of their granddaughter, Hannah Schwalbe, daughter of James Schwalbe and Jill Schwalbe, to AJ Chesir of Woodsburgh, NY, son of Ben and Blimi Chesir.

Dr. Meg Rosenblatt & David Stein upon the marriage of their son, Rabbi Ethan Stein, to Gabby Decter, daughter of Shari & David Shapiro of Lawrence, NY and Susan & Bruce Decter of Great Neck, NY.

COMMUNAL NEWS & HONORS

Rosie and Dr. Mark Friedman upon the graduation of their grandson, Shlomo David Yehaskel, son of Davida and Marc Yehaskel of Great Neck, from Yeshivat HANC High School. Shlomo will be studying at Yeshivat Lev Hatorah in Beit Shemesh this coming year.

Sandra E. Rapoport, for her essay “Hannah’s Prayer: A Rosh Hashana D’var Torah,” featured in a newly published book by JOFA entitled Shema Bekolah: The High Holiday Collection. The book is available on Amazon — it is currently listed as the #1 new release — in time for High Holiday reading.

Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun warmly welcomes the following new members who joined the Congregation between the printing of the last Bulletin, August 31, and this Bulletin, which went to press on September 21:

Arielle and Adam Bauman

Solomon Behar

Beth Smigel and Itay Golan

Lana and Benjamin Kantowitz

Phyllis and Rabbi Michael Miller

Rachel and Eyal Peled

Abigail and David Peyser

Dr. Gabrielle Robertson

Elana and Ariel Smith

Sophie Lasry and Alexander Swieca

Barbara and Dr. Howard Weiner

Tal and Eliyahu Ziskind

ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENTS

Rosie and Dr. Mark Friedman upon their granddaughter, Leah Sophia Yehaskel a junior representing HAFTR High School, receiving the Distinguished Award for Excellence in History.

Community Resources

Yoetzet Halakhah

Ellin Cooper serves as the KJ Yoetzet Halakhah. This position of great responsibility falls to a woman with recognized expertise in the field of Taharat Hamishpacha and women's health issues who can advise women on topics such as niddah, fertility problems, and sex education for teens. Contact Ellin at 646-598-1080 or nycyoetzet@gmail.com.

Community Mikvehs

The Jacques and Hanna Schwalbe Mikvah 419 East 77th Street (1st & York Ave); 212-359-2020

The Rennert Mikvah at 5th Ave Synagogue: 5 East 62nd Street (Fifth Avenue) 212-753-6058

The West Side Mikvah 234 West 74th Street (Broadway and West End Avenue) 212-579-2011

Bikur Cholim

For over 35 years, a dedicated group of KJ members have been visiting patients at Memorial SloanKettering Hospital. For more information, contact Volunteer Coordinator Karen Lerman at lerman. karenj@gmail.com.

Judaica Shop

Judaica Classics by Doina is at 1248 Lexington Avenue, between 84th and 85th Streets. The store has a great selection of Judaica for all gift and holiday needs, including exquisite silver, embroidery, ceramics and all manner of artistic expression.

Business hours: Sunday 10 am–5 pm, MondayThursday 10 am–6 pm, Friday 10 am–2 pm, and by appointment. Call Doina Bryskin at 212-722-4271 or email doina@judaicaclassics.com.

Manhattan Eruv

The Manhattan Eruv includes an expanding number of neighborhoods in the city. Please call the hotline to check on the weekly status of the Eruv at 212-874-6100 x 452.

JYC - The Hebrew School with HEART

The Jewish Youth Connection (JYC) is the Sunday morning Hebrew school founded by KJ members Susan and Scott Shay with the goal of providing a meaningful Jewish education to unaffiliated families. A total reinvention of the Hebrew School experience, its focus is to help foster a quality connection to Judaism for students and families alike.

No synagogue membership is required to attend JYC or participate in any of the school programming, and JYC families are invited to take advantage of congregational offerings. Visit jyc.info to learn more.

KJ Caring Initiative

At KJ you are not alone. Homebound? Isolated? Ailing? Our helpful volunteers are available to visit, call, and give emotional support. All interactions are strictly confidential. If you know someone who might benefit from our attention, or if you would like to be called, please contact Leah Modlin at 212-7226575 or leahm23@gmail.com.

Hatzolah

The Upper East Side Division volunteers volunteer EMTs and provides immediate response and the highest quality emergency medical and life-saving services to our community, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call 212-410-9796 for information. For emergencies, dial 212-230-1000.

Shabbat Hospitality

Let’s build a warm and welcoming KJ community! Are you new to the community? Do you still feel like you’re new to the community or not sufficiently connected? If you’re interested in meeting new people, hosting members, or being hosted, please contact yael@ckj.org.

Dorot

Located on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, Dorot has distinguished itself as a bastion of support for the frail elderly. We encourage our community to participate in their many volunteer initiatives–both holiday related and year-round–that forge bonds between the generations. See dorotusa.org for volunteer opportunities.

Mitzvah Toy Campaign

This heartfelt program encourages children from Nursery School through Grade 8 to donate one or more of their birthday presents to children in need. For information contact volunteer coordinator Joanna Kleinhaus at JoannaKleinhaus@gmail.com.

W Connection

A grassroots organization created to meet the needs of widows. To learn more about the KJ/Ramaz chapter, contact 212-879-4783 or Gabriella Major at gabriellamaj@gmail.com.

Career Network

The KJ/Ramaz Career Network endeavors to help members find jobs, or fill a vacancy with a qualified shul member. Contact Larry Kassman at KasTrade@ aol.com.

UJA @ KJ

UJA @ KJ is a partnership between KJ members and UJA-Federation of New York that facilitates KJ Members receiving unique opportunities to utilize the resources of UJA-Federation. With an assortment of causes and agencies in need of our support, UJA @ KJ enables KJ Members to become involved in and exposed to the important work of UJA-Federation in New York, Israel and around the world. For more information or to register, contact Atara Burian at 212-836-1267.

KJ Food Pantry

One of the few kosher food pantries in Manhattan, it provides weekly (every Monday) staples as well as fresh fruit and vegetables to those in need in our community. For more information or to volunteer, contact Bernice Kahn at bernice.berman@gmail. com.

Cemetery Plots on Paramus, NJ KJ Grounds

To purchase burial plots at Beth El cemetery in NJ, visit ckj.org/burialplots. If you would like to speak with someone about this opportunity, please contact Sy Yanofsky in the synagogue office at 212-774-5620 or sy@ckj.org.

October & November 2023

DAtes to remember

Saturday & Sunday, September 30 & October 1

Sukkot

Monday - Thursday, October 2-5

Chol haMoed Sukkot

Friday, October 6

Hoshanah Rabbah

Saturday, October 7

Shemini Atzeret

Sunday, October 8

Simchat Torah

9:15 am Women's Tefillah

Monday, October 9

Indigenous People's Day

Sunday & Monday, October 15 & 16

Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan

7:00 am Morning Services

Sunday, November 5

Daylight Savings Time Ends Set clocks back one hour

Tuesday, November 7

Election Day

Friday, November 10

Kristallnacht Remembrance Day

7:30 pm Program on November 9

Tuesday, November, 14

Creative Direction by Esther Feierman & Graphic Design by Talia Laniado

Read online at ckj.org/shalomkj

Rosh Chodesh Kislev

7:00 am Morning Services

Thursday, November 23

Thanksgiving Day

8:30 am Morning Services