MESSENGER
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HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE RABBI THECALENDAR SYNAGOGUE | CONGREGATION B’NAI EMUNAH | TULSA | MAY 2018 | NO. 5
TOURO CELEBRATION HONORING THE SYLVANS—SEE PAGE 5
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MILESTONES
JUNE AT A GLANCE
BIRTHS Scott Irving Zigmond, son of Leslie Sanditen and Frank Zigmond of Denver, Colorado on March 27, 2018. Scott is the grandson of Jolene Sanditen and Dr. Rosalyn Zigmond. His great-grandparents are Norman Levick, Jean and Wilfred Sanditen, and Helen Zigmond. Favorite cousins are Will, Sam and Phifer Sanditen. Adria and Brad Sanditen are aunt and uncle. MAZAL TOVS Mazal tov to Andy Spencer on the recent completion of his process to become a naturalized citizen of the United States.
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SISTERHOOD GENERAL MEETING
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BIBI-DIBI: SHABBAT FOR YUMKINS
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BOARD OF DIRECTORS
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SHABBAT FOR ALL: FINER/ZALK AUFRUF
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BAT MITZVAH OF ADINA SHANE
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SEVENTEENTH STREET DELI
Congratulations to Jodi Finer for being recognized by Oklahoma Magazine as one of Oklahoma’s “40 Under 40” for 2018. Jodi was selected on the strength of her efforts to help make Tulsa a “city of the future.”
Interested in Blowing Shofar this Year?
Kudos to Janet Levit on her recent appointment as Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs at the University of Tulsa.
Please call Rabbi Fitzerman at (918) 583-7121 PRONTO. We’d love to see you as a participant in our High
Mazal tov to Josh Romer, whose student documentary First for a Reason was awarded second place by C-SPAN in a national High School student film competition.
Holiday Celebration this year.
Join us for "Dinner with Ruth," a dairy dinner in celebration of Shav'uot, together with an interfaith study session led by our good friend, Rev. Chris Moore of Fellowship Congregational Church and Rabbis Fitzerman and Kaiman
THE MESSENGER May - Published Monthly | Bimonthly
CONGREGATION B’NAI EMUNAH 1719 South Owasso Tulsa, Oklahoma 74120 Office: (918) 583‑7121 School: (918) 585‑KIDS Fax: (918) 747-9696 Website: www.tulsagogue.com
HOUSEKEEPING CHILD CARE AT THE SYNAGOGUE
ON THE COVER
Child care is always available at the Synagogue. All you have to do is to let us know two days in advance of an event or a service and we will be glad to help. We love having children in the Sanctuary and the Chapel, but sometimes they are uncomfortable with their surroundings and make it difficult for others to hear.
There are just a few days to go before we have to close reservations for our Touro Celebration honoring Dave and Barbara Sylvan. Please join us on the evening of Thursday, May 17 for a festive dinner and a tribute to the Sylvans by David Finer. Looking forward!
Please let us help you strike the right balance between having your children at your side and making it possible for others to participate comfortably. Todah rabah! 2
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THE MAY CALENDAR AT B’NAI EMUNAH 5
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SISTERHOOD SHABBAT
Sisterhood Shabbat brings together women of the congregation in a special service. Chaired by Hillary Roubein, this year’s program will feature Sara Lenet-Rotenberg speaking about her work with Moms Demand Action. A kiddush will follow the service, which will be led by members of Sisterhood. The service begins at 9:00 a.m.
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Join The Synagogue’s school-end festivities at a special Shabbat service honoring graduates, students, and faculty. Services will be led by Klay Kodesh, our instrumental and vocal ensemble. It’s the perfect way to enter the weekend and connect with family and friends. We prepare a lovely Shabbat dinner so you can relax. A joyful and lively musical service will brighten your evening, lift your spirits and send you singing into a restful weekend. No reservation is needed for the service at 7:00 p.m. But please call our office or visit our website by Wednesday, May 16, to guarantee your place at the dinner table.
MIDRASHA YEAR-END CELEBRATION
Midrasha end-of-the-year celebration! Join us at 6:30 p.m. as we say goodbye and good luck to our senior students at Midrasha and celebrate the end of another year of study and community building. Please RSVP to Sara Levitt.
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BAT MITZVAH: MICAH PIERANDRI
BARBECUE FOR ME AND YOU!
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Last day of ShulSchool and end-of-the-year barbecue celebration. Join us to celebrate the end of another wonderful school year at ShulSchool and Hebrew Language Lab. Parents and families are invited to join their students at 11:15 a.m. in the Chapel for an end-of-the-year ceremony, followed by our annual barbecue! Students will be participating in activities and lessons in their classes until 11:15 a.m. that morning.
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SHAVU’OT
A major festival holiday on the Jewish calendar, Shavu’ot asks us to consider how we express and exhibit our Judaism in the modern world. Reading the Book of Ruth, we reflect on the process of transformation and what it means to accept responsibility. Services each morning will begin at 9:00 a.m. Yizkor will be chanted at 10:30 a.m. on May 21.
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TOURO: DAVE AND BARBARA SYLVAN
PRESCHOOL GRADUATION
The Synagogue takes great pride in the work of our preschool. School Director Shelli Wright and her staff have created a vibrant learning environment that is looked upon as one of the premier learning institutions in the city. Members of the community are invited to attend a graduation ceremony for our students, who will continue their education in kindergartens across Tulsa next year.
Congregation B’nai Emunah’s Board of Directors is honored to announce that the 2018 Touro Award honorees are Dave and Barbara Sylvan. The award banquet will take place on Thursday evening, May 17, at 6:00 p.m. Reservations may be made by calling the Synagogue office at (918) 583-7121 at the cost of $75 per meal. Members of the community are invited to signal their regard for our honorees in specially designated contributions. Please call the Synagogue Office for details or to make your benefaction.
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DINNER WITH RUTH
One of the shortest narratives in the Bible speaks to some of the most pressing issues of our political moment. How does place dictate identity? What constitutes lineage and authenticity? As we mark the harvest festival of Shavu’ot, we’ll feast on a farm-fresh local vegetarian meal and delight in a public reading of the Book of Ruth. The program begins at 6:00 p.m. For more details, see the article in our Featured Events page.
The Synagogue notes with pride the upcoming bat mitzvah of Micah Pierandri. The daughter of Katherine Pierandri and Glen Pierandri, Micah has prepared with Greg Raskin and Sara Levitt. The Shabbat morning ceremony will begin at 9:00 a.m.
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SHABBAT FOR EVERYONE
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BIBI-DIBI: SHABBAT FOR THE TINIEST
At this Shabbat experience for our very youngest members, we sit on the floor, sing songs, play games and dance our way into the weekend. All are invited to the short service at 6:00 p.m. If you plan to join us for the Shabbat dinner which follows, visit our website or call the offices today.
CHECK THE JUNE CALENDAR ON PAGE 2
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FROM RABBI FITZERMAN
NEW MEMBERS
SISTERHOOD
PROTEST
WE’RE STRONGER
I may be done with Passover (for this year, at least), but Passover is not quite done with me. It's the line about strangers that keeps banging around in my head: "Do not oppress a foreigner; you yourselves know how it feels to be foreigners, because you were foreigners in Egypt." That's Exodus 23:9, and it's the kind of verse that should be inscribed over the door of every synagogue, church, mosque, and other place of worship on the planet.
Thanks so much to these good people for joining the Synagogue family and taking the next part of their Jewish journey with us. We appreciate their willingness to strengthen our efforts at learning, celebration, and community! Michael Basch and Romi Kaplan 40 East Cameron Street #213 Tulsa, Oklahoma 74103
Even if that never happens, I hope that you might take that message to heart. Every Friday, exactly at noon, I join a group of very nice people protesting the assault against persons without documents. It may not be politically correct to say so, but some of them probably need to be removed from the country. But they are a tiny minority in the larger group of eleven million people who came here drawn by all the regular reasons that people have always come to America.
Sara Shmalo and Justin Johnson David and Jacob 8923 South Erie Avenue Tulsa, Oklahoma 74137
TODAH RABAH
Our small group is the New Sanctuary Network | Tulsa, and I have been beating this drum for almost a year. Regular protest is not an easy thing. Sometimes it rains. Sometimes it's cold. And some people hate immigrants and bother to say so. But we haven't missed a protest in a year. The site is the David L. Moss Criminal Justice Center on Denver, just above the place it intersects with Brady. I write a new script/liturgy every two months to keep the experience from getting stale. But I would dearly like to build out our numbers.
THANKS SO MUCH Many programs and activities at the Synagogue would not be possible without dedicated and talented volunteers. Over the past month, many people have contributed to our work as a community. To all our volunteers, we say “thank you.” A warm todah rabbah to our Bikkur Cholim volunteers for preparing and delivering meals over the last two months. Thanks to Kay Oleinick, Joan Niedell, Sharon Cash, Sally Donaldson, Dr. Jill Wenger, Terry Marcum, Jackie Lasky and Wendy Weisberg.
Does it help in a practical, measurable way? I care about that issue, but I try not to be a prisoner of my own illusions. I want to be able to say that when the innocent were oppressed, I did not sit on my hands. If that kind of thing appeals to you, I invite you to join me. We start at noon and we finish at exactly 12:15 p.m. I'd like the twenty regulars to grow to thirty, and then to fifty, and then to a hundred. Then we'd start attracting more attention and be able to leverage our privilege more effectively. Look for me right in front of the New Sanctuary banner. I'll be the one who looks exactly like me.
IN THE COMMUNITY ILAN KOZLOWSKI: SHADES OF WHITE As part of the Tulsa Performing Arts Center’s SummerStage Tulsa 2018, the Dan Allen Center for Justice will produce Ilan Kozlowski’s Shades of White, directed by Rebecca Ungerman. Originally produced by Echo Theatre Company at the University of Tulsa in November 2017, the play received standing ovations at each sold-out performance. It will be performed at the John H. Williams Theatre at the PAC in June; call the PAC at (918)596-7111 or visit the SummerStage Tulsa website (www.summerstagetulsa.org) for details.
MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION? PLEASE CALL RABBI KAIMAN AT (918) 583-7121.
Our congratulations to Ilan and Rebecca! 4
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FEATURED EVENTS AT THE SYNAGOGUE congregational volunteers with formerly homeless, mentally ill Tulsans.
HONORING DAVE AND BARBARA SYLVAN Congregation B’nai Emunah’s Board of Directors is proud to announce that the 2018 Touro Award Recipients are Dave and Barbara Sylvan. A celebratory dinner in the Sylvans' honor will take place on Thursday evening, May 17, at 6:00 p.m.
The Synagogue hopes that the community will turn out in force to honor Dave and Barbara Sylvan in May. Touro Campaign Co-chairs are Craig Silberg and Jolene Sanditen, both past presidents of the congregation, along with Elana Newman, vice president of the Synagogue. Celebration Co-chairs are Sally A. Donaldson, current president of B’nai Emunah, and Terry Marcum, longtime Board member. Formal invitations have already been sent. Reservations may still be made by calling the Synagogue at (918) 583-7121 or registering at the Synagogue website (tulsagogue.com). The cost of the event is $75 per person. Members of the community are invited to signal their regard for the Sylvans in specially designated contributions. Please call Didi Ralph at the Synagogue Office at (918) 583-7121 for details or to make your gift.
Born to immigrant Eastern European Jews, Dave Sylvan was first immersed in the business world of his father, Morris, an early stationer and printer in Tulsa. The business grew steadily, but Dave, as an ambitious young man, found his calling in the oil patch. Dave’s oil and gas business flourished over the years and helped to support Dave and Barbara’s many philanthropic involvements. Dave is a strong patron of every Jewish institution in Tulsa and the namesake donor, with Barbara, of the Sylvan Auditorium at the Charles Schusterman Jewish Community Center. He is also a mainstay of Iron Gate, one of Tulsa’s premier social justice institutions, where he runs an annual Chanukah appeal to help sustain some of our neediest citizens.
The Synagogue’s Touro Award is named for Judah Touro, a pivotal figure in American Jewish history. The son of one of America’s first cantors, he drifted from his faith and then returned with vigor, building the essential institutions of the local Jewish community and contributing generously to hospitals, churches, and destitute fellow citizens of every faith.
Born in Joplin, Missouri, Barbara Sylvan came to Tulsa in 1954. She is a proud alum of Edison High School, Stephens College, and the University of Tulsa. Her career in retail took her from sales to management in Tulsa and Shreveport, where she first met Dave and then, after marriage, helped rear Dave’s daughter Debbie, then 14. Barbara is now a leading figure in arts and philanthropy in Tulsa, with a remarkable career in the Jewish and larger community. She has been an essential leader in groups ranging from the Tulsa Ballet to Resonance, the Tulsa Jewish Federation, Zarrow Pointe, Miller Museum of Jewish Art, and the Peggy V. Helmerich Distinguished Author Dinner. Everyone responds to her warmth, sincerity, and effective leadership. The Touro Award Celebration will begin with a festive meal catered by Executive Chef James Shrader of the Palace Café Group. Following the presentation of the Synagogue’s new Board of Directors, the evening will culminate in a tribute to the evening’s honorees by David Finer, CEO of Fabricut, co-founder of Tulsa Tomorrow, and the guiding force of Tulsa BBYO. David has worked with the Sylvans on many projects in the area of Jewish continuity and community building. All participants will leave with a complimentary treat from the Altamont Bakery, the Synagogue’s pro-social venture which pairs 5
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UPCOMING BAT MITZVAH: MICAH PIERANDRI MICAH PIERANDRI
Micah is looking forward to celebrating with her Aunt Elizabeth, her brothers, Jordan and Brad (who will travel from Canada), and her brothers, Devin and Calvin. A dessert reception will follow; all are invited!
Micah Shoshanna Kiela Pierandri, daughter of Katherine and Glen Pierandri, will celebrate her bat mitzvah on Saturday, 12 May, 2018. This date corresponds to 27 Iyyar 5778 .
FEATURED [CONTINUED]
Micah has loved studying and preparing for her bat mitzvah with Greg Raskin and will miss this time greatly. She is passionate about being involved in anything and everything going on at B’nai Emuniah. Micah enjoys singing and is a member of the Zemer Choir. She will be entering her fifth year of piano, has competed at the state level, and has been a member of Guild for five years.
INTERFAITH DINNER WITH RUTH Immigration and sanctuary are some of the most pressing conversations of our moment. Using this lens, we will study the Book of Ruth with Rev. Chris Moore of Fellowship Congregational Church and our Rabbis. How do place and context dictate identity and belonging? Can we choose who we want to become? What are the roots of authenticity? There are so many ways to tell the story of the refugee, the migrant. Once again, we find ourselves locked in public discourse that confronts exactly these questions. Traditionally read in connection with the harvest festival of Shavu’ot, the Book of Ruth invites a community of thinkers into this conversation. After all, Ruth is one who seeks refuge in Israel. And ultimately she becomes the progenitor of King David.
Micah is currently in seventh grade as a homeschool student. Her favorite subject is science; she loves anything to do with physics, airplanes, and chemistry. She is also interested in learning other languages. Her hobbies include editing videos and photographs, learning about airplanes, bike riding, and creating her own make up and body-care products. For her mitzvah project, Micah has committed to transcribing 50 records per month over the next year for the Holocaust Memorial Museum’s World Memory Project, in honor of Janet Brickman and her father’s family whose village of Vishnevets was completely decimated in the Holocaust. As part of her project, Micah asks that everyone visit https://rememberme.ushmm.org and take time to look through the photos of young survivors to see if they can help identify someone.
On Saturday, May 19, at 6:00 p.m., all are invited to feast on a bountiful harvest as we engage in a public recitation of the Book of Ruth. With locally sourced fruits and vegetables, Chef Jeff Marlow will create a delicious spread of the freshest seasonal fare for your enjoyment and delight. A selection of folk songs will frame the evening, which will culminate in a delightful presentation of one of the shortest, yet most engaging, books of the Bible. Study demands conversation. Following the meal and reading, small groups will allow for reflection and discussion. You’ll want to stay up all night discussing these important issues. From our obligation to the immigrant to how we see ourselves in the unfolding drama of international politics, Shavu’ot asks us to talk and learn with one another. Meal reservations can be made by visiting the Synagogue website or calling. The cost for the vegetarian feast is $18 for adults, which includes wine, dessert and a printed translation of the Book of Ruth. As always, a full complement of Yom Tov services will take place throughout the holiday beginning at 9:00 a.m. on both Sunday, May 20, and Monday, May 21. Yizkor will take place at approximately 10:30 a.m. on May 21. 6
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SISTERS | JANET DUNDEE
FROM RABBI KAIMAN
UPCOMING (CONCLUDED) BIKUR CHOLIM
P.J. LIBRARY
Sisterhood has made it a practice to support the work of Bikur Cholim (the mitzvah of visiting and extending aid to the sick) at the Synagogue. However, the Synagogue has extended this mitzvah to include visiting not only congregants who are ill, but also those needing assistance after having surgery or giving birth or on other occasions when help is needed. It is time once again to fill the Synagogue freezers with home-made soups, lasagnes and baked goods to restock for Bikur Cholim visits. Sisterhood welcomes committed individuals who can assist with this project—either by preparing food, making home deliveries, or calling members.
Whenever I am asked to give a tour of the Synagogue, I almost always begin in the library. It helps that this room is situated right at the front door of our building and that its furniture makes a great waiting room. But I start those tours in the library with a very specific purpose. Books are central to Jewish living and learning. When we crack open the spine of a new book, we find ourselves transported into other worlds and connected to conversations across generations. Through books, we tell stories about ourselves, document where we have been, and express hopes about what lies ahead. These essential actions create meaning and connection, no matter where we find ourselves. So I start tours in the library to emphasize the reality that we are a People of the Book. Books form the backdrop for our community and culture.
Feel free to volunteer for any of these mitzvot. Baking dates are set for Thursday, May 3, at 1:00 p.m. and Sunday, May 6, at 9:00 a.m. in the Dairy Kitchen. Email Jill Wenger at tulsadocgirl@gmail.com or Sara Levitt at slevitt@bnaiemunah.com. You may also call Sara at 918-583-7121.
And books can be the glue that brings families together. Last month a package arrived in the mail addressed to my daughter. She had just turned six months old, and it was her very first book from PJ Library. Designed to be free for Jewish families, forever, PJ Library delivers a new book to every child from the age of six months until age 8. We all know the benefits of reading to our children when they are young. And we know that power of books to share our values and our stories. PJ Library puts essential resources in the hands of families. I know I am looking forward to my family’s next book delivery. And I look forward to the years ahead of enhanced story time and book exploration.
The joy of volunteering on this project is very special. Let us hear from you soon.
COLLECTING FOR DVIS Here is a reminder that Sisterhood is collecting personal items for people who are living at the DVIS (Domestic Violence Intervention) Shelter. Under the leadership of Jolene Sanditen, we are collecting items such as toothpaste, toothbrushes, soaps, lotions and other personal items. Please leave your donations in the collection box at the front door of the Synagogue. And thank you for helping those who need the comfort of knowing that others care.
If there’s a child under the age of 8 in your family and you are interested in participating in the program, I encourage you to visit pjlibrary.org for more information and to sign up. To speak with someone local for more information, please be in touch with Mindy Prescott at the Jewish Federation of Tulsa. As we head into summer, let’s all look forward to reading new books and the joy of exploration.
IRON GATE Yes! Sisterhood is still serving breakfast to clients of Iron Gate on the fourth Sunday of each month, from 8:3010:30 a.m. Anyone 13 years of age or older is welcome to join in this volunteer project. Please email Sarah-Anne Schumann to say you will be there! Her email is hennschu@gmail.com.
SHOP AT THE SISTERHOOD GIFT SHOP TODAY!
DINNER WITH RUTH: SHAVU'OT AT THE SYNAGOGUE SEE PAGE 6 FOR DETAILS AND RESERVATIONS INFO 7
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FROM SARA LEVITT | JEWISH LIFE AND LEARNING ADIOS
Isabella Lieberman Lily Raskin Josh Romer Noa Schumann Max Sharpnack Rosalie Silberg Zoe Weinstein Miles Zeligson
I feel like a broken record when I say that I cannot believe how quickly this year has gone by. We are gearing up to end another great year at ShulSchool, Hebrew Language Lab, and Midrasha. In my second year in this job, I have learned even more than in the last. Year Two has brought stronger relationships with students, families, and teachers. It has deepened my desire to strengthen our Hebrew program and develop family engagement.
Mazel tov to our ShulSchool seventh-grade graduating class:
This year, I was inspired by our eager and committed staff, and encouraged by our open and willing parents. Our students continue to inspire me and motivate me to stretch our program to its greatest potential. While we still have a few weeks left in our school year, I am already dreaming and planning, researching, and preparing for next year. Summer is my time to take all that I learned from the year before, leaving what we know how to do best and tweaking what I know we can be doing better. I am looking forward to spending time with many of our students at Ramah in the Rockies and attending my third of six professional development conferences as part of the Mandel Teacher Educator Institute. Little growth could be possible without the support and engagement of our teaching staff. Throughout the summer, we will be reviewing this year and planning for the next. Several of our teachers will be heading to Jackson, Mississippi, to participate in the ISJL Educational Conferences. These opportunities are a vital part of our program’s continuing development.
Tristan Clemens Shelato Brody Eliana Joels Lara Johnson Liam Johnson Nathan Morrison Micah Pierandri Kendall Phillips Kate Rabinowitz Sophia Roytman Adina Shane
Do you need membership information?
There is a great deal to celebrate at the end of this year! At the Shabbat for Everyone—Graduation Edition, we will celebrate the wonderful year that we’ve had and honor the many people that it takes to make it happen. I am thrilled to be able to honor and thank our dedicated teachers, madrichim, support staff and students. New this year, we will officially graduate each grade of students to the next year. We hope to have full attendance from our school families as we transition our students! Additionally, we will officially send our seventh graders in ShulSchool off to our Midrasha program. Earlier this month, we will say goodbye to several High School seniors who have participated in Midrasha as Madrichim and who grew up in the Synagogue at our Midrasha Graduation. I hope you’ll join us for these exciting celebrations!
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Please call Rabbi Kaiman at (918) 583-7121. We’d love to help you become part of the Synagogue family.
Mazel tov to our graduating Synagogue high school seniors, Midrasha students and Madrichim: Noah Blatt Levi Johnson 8
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