Rebecca Fine Stallings ...................... Sisterhood President
Nancy Cohen ........................... Sisterhood Gift Shop Chair
JULY PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
AFTERNOON/EVENING SERVICES
Join us on Wednesdays and Fridays at 5:30 p.m. in the Davis Goodall Chapel for traditional prayer and community Mourner’s Kaddish. Both in person and Zoom participation are available. Please register for in person attendance on our website.
SHABBAT MORNING SERVICES
Every Saturday at 9:30 a.m., we celebrate Shabbat through song, Torah study, and fellowship. These services, available both in person and via Zoom, offer a chance to mark anniversaries, celebrate milestones, and engage in our congregation’s ritual life.
10, 17 & 24 LEARNING OVER LUNCH: UNPACKING ZIONISM
Curious about Zionism? Morah Sara is leading a three week series that invites you to actively explore the evolution of Zionism. Together, we’ll delve into Jewish history, tracing how this concept weaves into the narrative of the Jewish people and shapes our world today. Through a multidimensional exploration of its historical, cultural, religious, and political aspects, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of Zionism. We hope this series will shed light on the complexities of contemporary discussions about Israel, Zionism, Anti Zionism, and Anti Semitism. Bring your (dairy vegetarian) lunch, and we’ll provide drinks and treats. Learning begins at noon each of the three Wednesdays. To join, visit tulsagogue.com/events or call 918 583 7121.
11 JULIUS AND ETHEL ROSENBERG: WHAT WE KNOW NOW (THAT WE DIDN’T KNOW THEN)
ON THE COVER
This image titled Fourth of July—Jay, New York comes from Robert Frank’s 1958 The Americans The work has been described as the most influential photography book of the 20th century. Born to a Jewish family in Zurich, Switzerland in 1924, Frank came to this country as a refugee after the Nazi’s rise to power in Germany. Drawn to the promise of freedom and creative expression, Frank’s approach to photography, art and cultural criticism was both proudly American and distinctively Jewish — to embrace a new homeland by becoming one of its fiercest critics.
How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the messenger who brings good news. (Isaiah 52:7)
Dr. David H. Goldenberg, the newly appointed Executive Director and CEO of the Tulsa Historical Society & Museum, visits the Synagogue to share insights from a chapter of his book, Trials That Shaped America , starting at 7:00 p.m. With a personal relationship with the Rosenberg family, Dr. Goldenberg offers new ideas about how we should understand one of the most newsworthy stories of the 1950s. The story of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, executed for conspiracy to commit espionage, is not just an historical event, but a useful frame for understanding our present day, with elements of US Russian relations, antisemitism, and divided domestic politics animating this event. For more information and to register in advance, visit tulsagogue.com/events.
12 BIBI-DIBI
Join us for a Shabbat gathering crafted for babies and their families, starting at 5:30 p.m. Revel in the joy of singing songs, playing games, and savoring a delightful Shabbat dinner. It’s an excellent opportunity to establish and embrace your own family traditions. While no reservation is required for the celebration, we ask you to secure your spot for the meal by calling or visiting tulsagogue.com.
14 FAMILY FUN DAY
Missing your ShulSchool and Synagogue friends? We’re excited to head back to the JCC for a morning of connection, food, and fun with Family Fun Day. We’ll meet by the pool at 10:00 a.m. and wrap up the day with lunch together. The cost is $36 per family. You can hold your spot by visiting the Synagogue website or by being in touch with Morah Sara.
18 BLATT + BLUE: MARCH ’68
March ’68, a 2022 Polish film delving into politics, antisemitism, and intercultural relationships, is being exclusively screened at the Synagogue. This special viewing is available from July 11 to July 18. To secure your access, please contact the Synagogue at (918) 583 7121 or email Richie Bolusky for the link and password. If you encounter any issues, we’re here to assist. Join us for a moderated discussion in the Synagogue Zoom Room at 7:00 p.m., with the session concluding at 8:00 p.m. The Zoom meeting ID is 918 583 7121.
22 AUTHOR DEBORAH HARKNESS: THE BLACK BIRD ORACLE
The bestselling author of The All Souls Trilogy series, Deborah Harkness, uses her scholarship as an historian of science to create captivating novels in the genre of fantasy and historical fiction. Her highly anticipated fifth book, The Black Bird Oracle, is set to be released on July 16, and she will visit the Synagogue as one of a select few stops on her US tour. This ticketed event is in partnership with Magic City Books and will feature the author’s reflections and an opportunity for book signing. Program begins at 7:00 p.m. As always, should tickets be an obstacle to your participation, please contact us at info@bnaiemunah.com. Tickets are on sale at magiccitybooks.com.
FROM RABBI KAIMAN
ONE HILLEL TO RULE THEM ALL
We all know that Jewish life on college campuses in recent months has faced a level of intensity and strain we might not have been able to imagine. Protests and encampments. Hateful rhetoric and blatant antisemitism. It’s difficult to know what the path forward will hold.
One of the portfolios I have held since my arrival in Tulsa has been involvement in Jewish life on the campus of the University of Tulsa. In directing our Hillel efforts over the past decade, I’ve had the wonderful opportunity to foster meaningful relationships with thoughtful, inquisitive, and creative students. The University of Tulsa itself has robustly invested in supporting our efforts. President Brad Carson
For the past year, we’ve experimented with sharing re sources and have come to realize our efforts are stronger together. I am excited to share that this month, we begin a new chapter of Jewish campus life in the state of Oklaho ma. Our consolidated efforts will bear the heading “Hillels of Oklahoma” and represent a statewide Jewish organization squarely focused on the needs of all our college students. Just this past spring, Jewish students on the OSU campus were connected with one another. We know there are Jewish students on virtually every college campus in Oklahoma. By combining our efforts, we extend our impact to them all.
FROM MORAH SARA LEVITT
TIME TO MOURN
You know you’ve unlocked a new level of parenting when, from the back seat of your car, your child asks a deeply existential question, and you have no idea how to answer. What happens when we die? How was the world created? Why do bad things happen to good people? As Jewish educators, we get a lot of practice with this. From evil kings, to a God who destroys rebellion leaders, expulsions, and the Holocaust, we have practice and several professionals who guide us in having hard conversations with our kids.
Family Fun Day July 14
I am excited to share that this month, we begin a new chapter of Jewish campus life in the state of Oklahoma. Our consolidated efforts will bear the heading “Hillels of Oklahoma.”
has been an ally and supporter. There’s great potential for the Jewish community on campus.
For the past many years, part time fellows have served as our Hillel staff, and faculty advisors have helped foster the community. While our work has been successful, we have sometimes felt the strains of doing everything ourselves. With a very small student population, it can be difficult to gain critical mass. We’re keenly aware of the vibrant supple mentary experiences available to students enrolled on cam puses with larger Jewish enrollment that just aren’t possible in our own context.
So, we’ve looked to find a solution. It turns out partnership feels like a very worthwhile path forward. Under the leadership of Executive Director Kasi Shelton, the Hillel program at OU is embarking on a generational change. They are building a new facility and growing their staff, which means they’re in a perfect moment for growth and new thinking as well.
Hillels of Oklahoma will employ a full‑time staff person who will split time between TU and OSU. We anticipate many ways in which students come together throughout the year. Trips during winter and spring break, weekend retreats, and opportunities for shared learning will all animate this work. All involved are excited about this model. To ensure continuity, I will remain affiliated with the Chaplain’s office at TU and serve as a board member supporting these efforts. Now is a time when our students need us, and I’m excit ed about developing these new manners of engagement. If you’d like to be involved in this work, please don’t hesitate to be in touch. And if you know a Jewish student at OSU or TU, be sure to connect us. More than anything, we know we’re stronger together, and perhaps that will be our way of sifting through the most recent surge in anguish and strife.
Despite experience and a background in social work, I’ve never felt less equipped to speak with children about challenging things than this school year. The Wednesday after October 7th, our staff and I spoke with our oldest students about what had happened in Israel. We shared age appropriate information but mainly let the students ask questions. It was gut wrenching. Their questions
What we have in these holidays is a case study of how to remember, honor, and talk about those challenging times.
were less about the details of the attacks but about those deep, existential questions Jews have been sitting with for centuries: good vs. evil, love and hate, violence and peace.
In the deep heat of summer, pop up two holidays that offer a model for remembering and honoring some of the most challenging moments in Jewish history. While many of our holidays celebrate our near misses of destruction (think Hannukah or Purim), the 17th of Tammuz and Tisha B ’av, which falls just three weeks later, goes right in for the punch. On both holidays, we fast and mourn the destruction of the Ancient Temples in Jerusalem. The 17th of Tammuz marks explicitly the Romans reaching the walls of Jerusalem, the beginning of the end. As time passed, Tisha B’av became the holiday to mourn several disasters for the Jewish people. These holidays force us to feel a small taste of the discomfort and pain of our ancestors through fasting, sitting on the floor, and abstaining from the pleasures of everyday life.
What we have in these holidays is a case study of how to remember, honor, and talk about those challenging times in our lives and the lives of our people. We carve out time to remember and relive these stories, making space for our children to ask questions. We create rituals that help us feel connected to our ancestors, and as these holidays end, we ease back into our regular routines, knowing we’ll revisit them again with more wisdom and experience next year.
This summer, we can add October 7th to our list of disasters that we recall on Tisha B’av, creating a link between our ancestor’s pain and our own. I’m grateful that our tradition gives us the opportunity and a guide for navigating this. What a gift.
MISSING YOUR SHULSCHOOL AND SYNAGOGUE FRIENDS? WE’RE EXCITED TO HEAD BACK TO THE JCC FOR A MORNING OF CONNECTION, FOOD, AND FUN WITH FAMILY FUN DAY. WE’LL MEET BY THE POOL AT 10:00 A.M. AND WRAP UP THE DAY WITH LUNCH TOGETHER. THE COST IS $36 PER FAMILY. YOU CAN HOLD YOUR SPOT BY VISITING THE SYNAGOGUE WEBSITE OR BY BEING IN TOUCH WITH MORAH SARA.
With thanks for the generous support for our annual fundraiser, Holy Hoedown!
Boogie Woogie
George Kaiser Family Foundation
Judy & Tom Kishner
Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies
Jitterbug
Julie Frank
Jolene Sanditen
The Anne & Henry Zarrow Foundation
Maxine & Jack Zarrow Family Foundation
Giddy Up
Brian Edward Brouse
David & Randee Charney
Keyrenter Tulsa
Carol Brouse Windland
Boot Scoot
Alice Blue & Rabbi Marc
Boone Fitzerman
Jamie & Sharon Cash
The Diamond Family
Joe Edmonds & Aaron Miller
Jake Zalman Freedman
WC Goad & Mark Goldman
Rachel Gold &
Rabbi Daniel S. Kaiman
Joan Green
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Richard & Linda Young
Elbow Rubbin’
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Marcos Bazzana & Dana Nates Bazzana
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Harvey & Nancy Cohen
Dillon Rose Fine Jewelry
Ann Dunagan
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Sara & Matt Levitt
Scott Phillips & Diane Heaton
Brae Riley
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Annie & Jeff Van Hanken
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Stephen & Phyllis Zeligson
Honky Tonk
Jennifer Airey
Hillary & Ben Aussenberg
David Blatt & Patty Hipsher
The Bleicher Family
Richie & Emily Bolusky
Richard & April Borg
Andy Cagle
The Cortez Family
Colby Craige &
Meredith Wyatt
Country Bird Bakery
Sally & Bob Donaldson
Isaac Ellis & Mary Huckabee
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Ross Heyman
Jim Jakubovitz & Mimi Tarrasch
Joli Jensen & Craig Walter
Scott & Claire Legler
Terry & Andy Marcum
Cassidy Petrazzi Ashburn & Jared Ashburn
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Brad & Adria Sanditen
Leslie Sanditen & Frank Zigmond
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Terrie & Blake Shipley
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Supporters
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Ethan & Kate Basch
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Jason Brimer & Mary Cantrell
Micah Cash
Shachaf Feinkuchen & Hadas Nazanin
Elliott Fell
The Fitz Sterba Blues
Blayklee & Jessica Freed
Mark Frieden
The Jaber Family
Alex Gavern & Laura Jones
Sherri Goodall
Sarah Beth Gordon
Danielle & Gilad Gurevitch
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The Hathaway Family
Happie Hoffman
Eric Hunker
Rebecca Joskey
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Stewart Katz
Danielle Macdonald
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Elana Newman
Sofia & Mike Noshay
Kendall Phillips
Greg Raskin &
Corey Williams
Debby Raskin
DeLani Rawson
Mitchell Rotman
The Roubein Family
Roniet & Eric Sachs
Jeanne & David Seldner
Ilana Shushansky & Dr. Vanessa Boshuizen
Isabella Silberg
Rosalie Silberg
The Stallings Family
Jacob & Kristi Tarabolous
Wendy Thomas
Sofia Thornblad & Ben Wagman
Bethanie & Bhadri Verduzco
Carla Weston
Dana Williams
Sarah Winkleman & David Howman
Tim Wood
Ricky & Sarah Worman
Viktoria Zimina
BLATT + BLUE: MARCH ’68 ON
THURSDAY, JULY 18
Two young students—Hania and Janek—meet and fall in love in the midst of social turmoil and Jewish discrimination in 1960’s Warsaw. Think of Romeo and Juliet, with an overlay of ancient religious and political antagonism. While the young lovers are uninterested in politics, they find themselves unable to avoid it when Hania’s father and mother lose their jobs due to the anti Semitic purge and are forced to emigrate. Hania does not want to leave Janek, and the couple soon participate in a protest rally at the university where they discover freedom comes at a high price. This is the story line of March ’68, director Krzysztof Lang’s notable evocation of a half forgotten time in recent Polish‑Jewish history. Its relevance today is unmistakable. It reminds us that human relationships are always deformed and frequently shredded by greater political forces and events.
Our conversation about March ’68 will take place on Thursday, July 18 at 7:00 p.m. The Synagogue has arranged a special viewing of the movie with our friends at Menemsha Films, the largest distributor of Jewish films in the world.
The window for viewing is July 11 through July 18. Please call the Synagogue at (918) 583‑7121 to claim the link and password for this viewing and let us know if you have any difficulty locating the program.
Blatt + Blue is the longest running project at the Synagogue dating from the height of the pandemic. Now in its fifth year, the series expresses the Synagogue’s commitments to an inclusive and pluralistic vision. Film and television enthusiasts David Blatt and Alice Blue begin each session with a summary of the featured material, which means that you’ll be able to follow the conversation even if you have to delay your viewing of the material itself. After that, it’s questions and comments from the Zoom Room audience.
Join the moderated discussion in the Synagogue Zoom Room. The Zoom meeting ID is 918 583 7121, and the session will conclude at 8:00 p.m. If there is a film or broadcast you would like to screen, please call Richie Bolusky, Synagogue Program Director, at (918) 583 7121 with your suggestions.
FROM RABBI FITZERMAN
STREETS OF DISHONOR
The repatriation of stolen art is never a sidebar issue for me. It raises critical issues about what the world community will tolerate, along with the workings of atonement long after the fact.
The latest notable case involves a canvas by Camille Pissaro, born into a Jewish family on the island of St. Thomas in what is now the U.S. Virgin Islands. He is commonly regarded as a luminary in the Impressionist movement, inspiring and influential for a generation of nineteenth century French artists. The canvas in question is Rue Saint-Honoré in the Afternoon, Effect of Rain . Not to go all art history or anything, but it’s a beautiful study of a street in Paris which pairs the crisp geometry of the built environment and the misty atmospherics of a shower in the city. It exemplifies many of the great passions of the Impressionists, especially when it comes to the look of the urban world. How do we take in what we see in front of us? How do we create art from the commonplace sights of daily life? The canvas is worth a fortune for all of the obvious reasons.
From there, Rue Saint-Honoré went on a journey of its own, eventually acquired by the Thyssen Bornemisza clan, one of Europe’s “great” collectors, who sold it to a non profit foundation in Spain. Did both the Thyssen Bornemiszas and the foundation know the painting’s provenance and the ugly fact that it was a stolen work? It is hard to believe that they were unaware.
That must have been on the mind of its first owners, the Cassirer Neubauer family, which was victimized in a forced sale in 1939. The Nazis declared that the Jewish owners were free to leave Europe, but they had to hand over the painting to the regime. What I’ve read about this incident signals the importance of Pissaro’s painting, but the Cassirer Neubauer family was no doubt required to forfeit much more of its treasure before departing.
All this time, the Cassirers kept their eyes on the prize. When the Pissaro was eventually discovered hiding in public, the family sued for restitution.
The problem is that it had been in the possession of the foundation for the statutory tenure of six consecutive years. At that point, it was freed from the obligation of return. The case was decided this year and the painting will remain in Spain, a plain emblem of injustice and coarse materialism. After so many similar cases of unfairness, I should probably be accustomed to the facts: the arc of history does not always bend toward justice. In this case, the mechanics of Spanish law are at odds with the clear moral necessity of this situation. A stolen painting remains stolen, until it is returned to its rightful owners.
Meanwhile Rue Saint Honore will hang in the Thyssen Bornemisza National Museum, built by Spain to house the Thyssen collection. This probably means eternal possession by means of a wretched administrative technicality. But write Evelio Acevedo, the patrician robber who serves as the managing director of the museum, to see what might be done. His personal e mail address is a well kept secret, but I’m sure you can get through by writing educathyssen@museothyssen.org. Perhaps the Jews of Tulsa can help right a great historical wrong.
THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO JOINED US ON FATHER’S DAY FOR CO-ED SOFTBALL
CONTACT RICHIE BOLUSKY TO JOIN US ON THE FIELD OF OUR NEXT TIME OUT. PLAY BALL!
Rue Saint-Honoré in the Afternoon, Effect of Rain by Camille Pissaro