Volume V Tishrei/Cheshvan 5782 / October 2021 No. 38
Rabbi's Message: 'These Are the Words of the Living God' We have come through another High Holiday season that was different than we might have wanted. Nevertheless, I hope you found moments of release, of peace, and of a sense of community. On the first Shabbat of this month we begin the Torah: “Breishit—At the beginning.” We read about the beginning of the world and the beginning of humanity. The first violence between humans takes place in only the second generation of humans in the Torah, when Cain kills his brother Abel. God, of course fully aware of what has happened, calls to Cain, “Where is your brother?” Cain replies, “Why should I know? Am I my brother’s keeper?” This has become a very well-known question. “Am I my brother’s keeper?” Am I responsible to know where my sibling is? Am I responsible for their safety? Cain’s answer to God is often read as a defensive response, but I think it can also be understood as a real question that we are still trying to answer today: To what extent are we responsible for the well-being of others, from close relatives to members of our community to strangers? Our individualistic society sometimes encourages us to think only of ourselves, and tells us we are not responsible for anyone else. Some even say that we are not responsible for others even when our behavior impacts them. Judaism and other traditions in our society contradict this. We are responsible for and to others. Those who accept that idea may still disagree about what it means. How far does our responsibility go? Community leaders may make a decision in order to protect community members, but some of those members may believe they don’t need to be protected, or that they should be able to take the risk if they want to. The latter idea denies the notion that community leaders carry some responsibility for the safety and protection of community members. Of course, the most recent example of this in our community was the decision to move most High Holiday services online because of the Delta variant of Covid-19. That choice was made in order to protect both service attendees and service leaders. There were some who vociferously disagreed with the decision, and among their arguments were the ones I cited above. As the Talmud says, “These and these are the words of the living God” (Eruvin 13b). In other words, both arguments are valid and worthy of respect. Even so, decisions must be made. There is another issue regarding safety in our community, and that is security. There has been quite a bit of discussion among the leadership for a long time about how to keep our community members physically safe when they come to the synagogue. The discussion includes the tension between being safe and being open and welcoming, as well as physical features of the building, the hiring of guards, and having a police presence. We can ask the same questions about physical security as about caution with Covid. To what extent is the leadership responsible for making sure community participants are physically safe? How great is the danger? People of integrity can and do disagree on the answers to these questions. They may also find themselves giving different answers on the issue of physical security than they do about Covid safety, which is also valid. “These and these are the words of the living God.” Different positions are valid and worthy of respect, and decisions must be made. We know that there is a great deal of caring for one another in our community. We will always have some disagreements about how to take care of one another enough and not too much. It is so important for us to remember that all of us want what’s best for our community, even when we don’t agree on what that is. Let us work always to agree and disagree with respect and love, and to believe that every suggestion and decision is meant with the best of intentions. I look forward to seeing you in person or online soon. Rabbi Heidi Hoover
voice of truth
President's Message: Surviving Two Pandemics The following is the High Holy Days appeal that I delivered during the Kol Nidre service: Good yuntif. Shana tovah. It is my privilege and honor to deliver my first High Holy Days appeal, and I wish all of you a sweet, happy, and healthy 5782. Before I continue, I want to thank our Senior Rabbi, Heidi Hoover, our Associate Rabbi/Educator Alexis Pinsky, our Cantorial Soloist, Nonie Schuster Donato, accompanist Michael Tornick, and guest cellist Arthur Fiacco for giving us this beautiful service tonight. I want to thank the Board of Trustees and committees who work to keep B’ShERT going, and the many members who volunteer their time. And a special thank you to our immediate past president, Eric Platt, and all the officers and trustees who have made themselves so available not only to the Temple but to me during the last eventful two months. We’re also very lucky to have Alice Hyatt as our office administrator and Vital Jean and Angel DeJesus to look after our building. And a huge thanks to our resident tech guru, Mike Rose, for giving us the ability to remain connected during the last year and a half. We wouldn’t be a functioning community without him. I want to tell you a story about a year like no other. The population of Brooklyn was about two million. A war was raging in Europe and a train accident on Malbone Street near Ocean and Flatbush Avenues became the worst train disaster in New York City history. And this building, the building that serves as home to B’ShERT, was still new. Construction had started five years earlier, in May 1913. The cornerstone was laid that July and the building opened for High Holy Day services three months later, on October 1. The pews had been delivered that morning. At the official dedication of the building in April 1914, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle noted that “the necessity for furnishing a camping ground for the liberal-spirited Jews of Flatbush made the construction of Beth Emeth indispensable.” In those days, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported on seemingly everything the Temple did—from board meetings at the Dilliard on Cortelyou Road and East 16th Street to barn dances and strawberry festivals to whist and pinochle nights at Reinsenweber’s in Brighton Beach. To give you an idea of the extent of the Temple’s popularity, a dance sponsored by the Temple’s Young Folks League in November 1915 attracted 500 people. By 1917 there were 200 kids enrolled in the religious school. In addition to the Eagle archives, another great source of information was the Temple minutes (volume 1916 to 1925), in which I happily immersed myself all summer. One nugget I learned was that during this period the board proposed a new membership category for “spinsters and widows,” which was later amended to “bachelors and spinsters.” The motion passed. (Thank you to Ron Schweiger, a Temple past president and the official Brooklyn Historian, for lending me this volume.) In 1918, just when things were really starting to boom at Temple, the first wave of the Spanish flu began. By October 20, 1918, according to the Eagle, New York City had an estimated half a million cases. Brooklyn was the hardest-hit borough. Now, we don’t know how many congregants got sick—it’s not documented anywhere. But since there was no such thing as social distancing, and the centerpiece of the city’s public health crusade involved fining people for spitting in public, it was inevitable that there was illness within our community. The minutes note that the Temple decided to enhance its safety protocols by hiring a janitor to clean the building (at a salary of $50 a month). The janitor and his whole family ended up getting sick. Then, in October 1918, three prominent members of the congregation all became ill at the same time with pneumonia, which we can surmise resulted from the flu. They were Rabbi Levinson, the Temple’s founder Hannah Hirsch, and Rose Hirsch Levinson, who was Hannah’s daughter and Rabbi Levinson’s wife of just six months. Hannah Hirsch and Rabbi Levinson both recovered, but Rose did not. The Eagle reported her death on October 25, 1918. She was 29 years old and there was a fund established in her memory. "Ein chadash tachat hashamesh" — Ecclesiastes said it: “There is no new thing under the sun.” We like to say that we’re living in unprecedented times, but that simply isn’t the case. The building that houses our congregation has witnessed not one, but two, global pandemics. When I did my research for this appeal, one thing I was curious about was how this new Temple managed to maintain its financial footing during the years of the Spanish flu. What I discovered is that they didn’t just survive—in fact, they thrived. Somehow, a period of enormous activity and growth occurred during the pandemic. In March 1918, the Temple held a Red Cross drive that raised $1,155—the equivalent of about $22,000 today. The religious school grew during the pandemic to 250 kids. That May the board voted to buy a pipe organ for $3,000. Also in May, the board approved the purchase of a property known as the Fuchs house adjacent to the Temple for $21,000. That’s the part of The temple we refer to as our religious school building. And that same year, the Temple leadership started planning and fundraising for the Temple’s 10th anniversary gala, which would be held in May 1921. The people who built this Temple made it clear that they weren’t going to let any obstacle, not even a crisis of global magnitude, get in the way of seeing this synagogue grow. They had fought too long and too hard to be discouraged. In 1913, when the Temple leaders had secured the parcel of land at the corner of Marlborough Road and Church Avenue, the Prospect Park South Association told Rabbi Levinson and Temple president William Goldschmidt that a “church building” would ruin the bucolic look of the neighborhood. After the initial attempt at persuasion failed to deter the Temple leadership, about 120 Prospect Park South Association members (including some fellow Jews, according to the Eagle) signed a petition asking the Temple to find another site. They even offered to pay the Temple to build elsewhere. But the Temple prevailed. Rabbi Levinson wrote to the neighborhood association and told them that no cash offer would be considered, the land was not purchased on speculation, and they were committed to building this synagogue no matter what. That letter, by the way, is one of the items buried in the cornerstone of our building, and it remains there to this day. So the point is this: After the battle that the Temple leaders had waged to see this structure built, nothing—not even a pandemic—was going to interfere with their mission to fundraise and make this place a success. What these leaders knew, and the lesson that we can take away from their experience, is that the acts of building and creating are themselves healing. Building and creating and making plans are tangible manifestations of hope. And we need hope, especially now. Hope means that we’re looking ahead toward the future. Hope means that, like the Temple leaders of 1918, we refuse to be defeated by the circumstances around us. It’s certain that the people who donated to build this building and their Temple community answered the call of their Yom Kippur appeals because our tradition requires it. But they also knew that their contributions represented the best path, the only path, toward a brighter future —a future that transcended the darkness and uncertainties of the times they were living in. This is an example for all of us at B’ShERT to follow. As I’m sure you know, Covid wreaked havoc on this community as it did everywhere. We’ve lost the income we’d always brought in from the rental of the banquet hall, and while we produced a beautiful and moving yearbook called A Year Like No Other, we haven’t been able to hold many of the events that we depend on to bring in funds. What we didn’t lose, however, are expenses. Even with the Temple closed for in-person programming, we still had to pay salaries for our staff, pay for heat in the winter so the pipes wouldn’t freeze, pay electric and phone bills and other building expenses. We went to great expense to upgrade the HVAC system to maximize our safety when we return to in-person activities. And our building continues to suffer the kinds of expensive maladies that you would expect in a building of this vintage. But like our early twentieth-century Temple leaders, we also have our eye firmly on the future. There’s a master plan in the works to make the building fully accessible and more welcoming. We need to upgrade our technology because even when we are back in person Zoom is here to stay. One silver lining of the pandemic is that our community grew to include members and guests who participate in services, B’Yachad, Torah study, Brotherhood, Women of B’ShERT, Membership, Jewish Cultural Committee, chair yoga, and other events only through our virtual platforms. People have found a way to reach out to each other virtually and care for each other in a meaningful way. Lasting friendships have formed between people who’ve never shared a cup of coffee in person. We even launched an associate membership to accommodate our out-of-town community members. Participation in the B’ShERT community is no longer dictated by geography, and that’s a great thing. Unfortunately, membership dues and fees cover about a third of our day-to-day operating costs. That leaves two thirds that aren’t covered. Our High Holidays appeal ensures that we are able to thrive as a congregation, deliver outstanding programming, meet the needs of our members, and continue to serve as the center of Jewish life in the community. Please be as generous as you can to help ensure our continued survival—just as we survived one pandemic a century ago, we’ll survive this one. And please talk to your friends about how much this Temple means to you. We need you, and we need new members, so that we can continue to grow and be here for you and future generations. To make your pledge, you can use our digital pledge form at bshert.org/appeal. You can also donate by email or phone; the website can tell you how. You will also be receiving a paper pledge card in the mail, if you prefer to donate that way. If you have any questions, please call the temple office (718-282-1596) for information. Thank you and g’mar chatimah tovah. May you all be inscribed for a good year. Adrienne Adrienne Knoll President, B’ShERT
Sharon Spellman
We hope everyone had a meaningful high holiday season, even though it probably still doesn’t look or feel quite like how we normally celebrate and observe. This new year is one where we will need to be adaptable and flexible as we grapple with the evolving pandemic, and may we all have the strength and fortitude to endure it. Our new year has started off sweetly with nine new members who have joined our congregation: Cecelia Kramer; Mary Lou Criqui; Simeon Seigel, Myra Rosenbaum and their daughter Shoshana Seigel; Paul and Sandra Dann; and Irwin and Patti Cohen. We wish you the warmest of welcomes and look forward to sharing in community with you, hopefully in person, soon! In other news, we’re disappointed to share that this year’s Flatbush Frolic has been canceled. Thanks to everyone who volunteered to help set up, serve as ambassadors for B’ShERT, or break down after the event. For those who aren’t familiar, the Frolic is one of our major outreach efforts each year, and we had really been looking forward to it after a hiatus in 2020. It is always a great way for neighbors in the local area to meet B’ShERT or get to know us better. But we’re also trying to find other creative ways to build our presence in the community. One of the things we recently tried is hosting our own “street fair.” On August 21st, we set up a tent and table on Marlborough Road outside of our building, and we sat at the table for a few hours to greet our neighbors and pass out water, snacks, and apples and honey. We loved the opportunity to engage with the broader community, as well as a few folks who stopped by specifically to learn more about our congregation after they saw our posts on local groups, Nextdoor, and in our local news outlets. We tried this approach again on September 25th during the Religious School’s Outdoor Sukkot Celebration. Members of our committee were on hand with some information about B’ShERT and a few small Sukkot-themed handouts. We’ll report back in the November issue of the Voice of Truth to let you know how it went. In case you missed it, the Fall session of Gentle Chair Yoga and Gentle Qi Gong with Drs. Gail Levine-Fried and Bob Fried is currently taking place on Monday afternoons via Zoom. There are still a few spots left if you’re interested. Register at https://bshertyoga.eventbrite.com. As a reminder, our first committee meeting of the year will be onTuesday, October 5th at 7 pm, and we would love for you to join us. Please email Ellyn (pr@bshert.org) or Joanie (jmhschaffer@gmail.com) for the Zoom link. Ellyn Rothstein and Joanie Holland Schaffer Co-Chairs, Membership Committee
Jewish Cultural Committee Report
The Jewish Cultural Committee wishes everyone a very happy, healthy, and sweet New Year. Like everyone else, we are trying to navigate our current situation regarding Covid-19 with appropriate protocols. At our last meeting, we realized that we are not yet comfortable scheduling in-person events. Hopefully things will improve and this will change. Luckily, there is no shortage of Jewish cultural events online and we plan to periodically apprise you of what is happening. At this time, we are in the process of planning two great virtual activities. Debra Davies of the Cork Jewish Community has very graciously invited us to her Sukkah on Saturday, September 25t at 1 pm our time. We will observe the holiday with the lulav and etrog. Those of you with your own Sukkah can send us photos or perhaps join the session from your Sukkah so that we can share it with you. We will participate in a discussion, so that we can learn from each other. At the end we will experience Havdallah. “Jews Across The Pond” certainly rocks! And coming soon we look forward to a screening of the film The Jews of Ecuador, followed by a Q&A with the filmmaker. This film comes highly recommended by my dedicated co-chair Helene Smith and our dedicated member Lori Silverman. More information to follow! Yvette Pomeranz Co-Chair, Jewish Cultural Committee _Assigned to Robert Fried_
News from the Membership Committee
News from B'ShERT's Brotherhood Affiliate
We hope everyone enjoyed the holidays this September and the fantastic services conducted by our amazing clergy, our fantastic members, and the unbelievable technical skills of Mike Rose. I would especially like to thank all the men who participated in our Brotherhood Zoom meeting on Sunday September 12th. Your ideas will certainly help Brotherhood provide meaningful events for our entire Temple. We especially welcome prospective new member Jonathan Schactor and look forward to his participation in our future meetings and events. Brotherhood dues remain at $36 and checks made out to Brotherhood at B'ShERT can be sent to Gene Guskin at 2664 East 12th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11235. All men of the Temple are invited to all meetings before deciding to join Brotherhood. All of our events are open to all members and friends of the Temple unless otherwise noted. We hope you will join us. October is a special month for Brotherhood. We begin with a Brotherhood Zoom meeting on Sunday, October 10, at 9:30 am. As a reminder, this meeting is open to all male members of temple. Following this meeting, at 10:30 am, financial advisor Mitch Nelson will speak on Zoom on “An Inside Look at Retirement Living.” This meeting is open to all temple members and their friends, and will be greatly informative. Mitch has agreed to answer questions you might have after the meeting during a Q&A. Note, this presentation is not in any way related to the Temple investments that Mitch has so successfully handled for us for so many years. Brotherhood has many interesting speakers and events lined up for the next few months. Of course we will have our Brotherhood Shabbat, another trivia night hosted by Mike Rose, hopefully an indoor or outdoor picnic, a Membership breakfast, a day at a Cyclones game next summer, as well as other possible activities as hopefully we return to some sort of normalcy in the immediate future. Please check The Voice of Truth, your emails, and Temple announcements for future Brotherhood events. Also, we always welcome your ideas, so if there is something you would like to see us organize, or if you would like to speak on a specific topic of interest, let us know! Please stay safe and stay well! We look forward hopefully to things returning to a more normal lifestyle in the very near future. Joel Moss and The Brotherhood Affiliate of B'ShERT
Interfaith Coalition News
The Interfaith Coalition of Brooklyn (comprising B’ShERT, East Midwood Jewish Center, Turkish Cultural Center, and Our Lady of Refuge Catholic Church) has several events in store for you. On Monday, October 11, we will have our annual outing. This time we will focus on downtown Manhattan. We will meet at 10:45 am at the Museum of the American Indian at One Bowling Green. After visiting this interesting museum, we will ride on the Staten Island Ferry (an iconic New York experience!) and also take self-guided group tours of Castle Clinton and of the area cared for by the Battery Park Conservancy. Please remember to bring your lunch. All participants must be vaccinated and have photo identification to enter the museum, and we ask everyone to wear your mask at all times, as we are traveling as a group. Please let us know if you plan to attend! It will be a wonderful experience for all. The Book Discussion Group has met twice and each session provoked spirited conversation. Our next selection is Born A Crime by the well-known comedian Trevor Noah. The meeting will take place on zoom on Monday, October 18, at 7 pm. A Zoom link will be sent closer to the date. Feel free to join us even if you have not done so before. Lastly, on Sunday, November 21, we will have our annual Thanksgiving Service. (See how time flies? One minute it’s Rosh Hashanah, and the next it’s Thanksgiving!) We welcome your participation at any and all events. Yvette Pomeranz Social Action Committee Liaison to the Interfaith Coalition of Brooklyn
The Charity Committee expresses gratitude to the congregation for your generous contributions of $4,114.28, which Rabbi Hoover generously rounded up by adding $85.72 to make it an even $4,200. This amount was distributed to worthy community charities in June 2020. The Committee chose to allocate half of the funds to address food insecurity: 1. Masbia – kosher food pantry and frozen meals: $600 2. Our Lady of Refuge Church Food Pantry: $600 3. Muslims Giving Back – based in Sunset Park, 100% volunteer program; provides hot food to people experiencing homelessness; food pantry, etc. : $600 4. B’ShERT’s Little Pantry: $300 Six additional charities were chosen to receive $350 each: 1. American Jewish World Service – works to end poverty, promote human rights in the developing world. They fund grassroots social justice organizations in 19 countries. 2. Guy M. Stewart Cancer Fund – funds help children fighting cancer, supporting the Ronald McDonald House, and Memorial Sloan Kettering research. 3. HIAS (Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society) – refugee assistance. 4. Power of Two – in-home evidence-based parental coaching with at risk families to help babies develop and thrive. 5. Kids4Peace – interfaith youth movement empowering teens in Jerusalem to be agents of change and make a difference. 6. CAMBA – Flatbush social service agency: food pantry, benefit and legal assistance, domestic violence services, housing stability, and more. Faye Levine Guskin, Chair Charity Committee
Charity Committee Report
Greetings and thanks to everyone who donated to the Rosh Hashanah Food Drive! Special thanks to Susan Sysler, Angel DeJesus, Vital Jean, and Alice Hyatt for all their assistance. In addition, we are very appreciative to everyone for helping with relief to Haiti. We are encouraging people to continue to bring supplies—bottled water, warm-weather clothing, toiletries, and medical items—to Temple so that the Good Shepherd Church, which meets in our building, can send them to those suffering from the impacts of the recent earthquake. You can also make monetary contributions to the church for this purpose. At this point they said they need everything; water, clothing (for a warm climate), toiletries, medical supplies, and they are also accepting money. If you would like to join us in sending things to Haiti, Jean from the Church will be taking stuff given and it will be sent to Haiti. Check with Alice in the office where to leave it. We as well as the Haitian Church and people will appreciate anything that you can give. Please be safe and L’Shana Tova to you. Yvette Pomeranz and Lori Silverman Co-Chairs, Social Action Committee
Social Action Committee News
Religious School News
Dear B’ShERT Parents and Families, I, along with our staff and teachers, were so thrilled to welcome our students back to in-person Religious School on September 25! As we look toward our 2021–2022 Religious School year, I wanted to send you some information and updates. This note is packed with important information, so please make sure to read all the way through! We are cautiously moving forward with plans to hold Religious School in person this Fall. As mentioned, our opening day will be Saturday, September 25 with a welcome back family Sukkot celebration, and then lessons will officially begin on Saturday, October 2. Our Religious School day will run from 9:45–11:30 am. Please look for our Religious School dates and calendar elsewhere in this newsletter. Safety: With the safety of our community as our number one priority, our Religious School Committee has been working in conjunction with B’ShERT’s Reopening Committee as well as the Temple’s Security Committee to come up with the safest plan for how to move forward this Fall. Our COVID protocols are as follows: * All staff will be fully vaccinated. * Students 12+ must be vaccinated. (As vaccination expands, this will likely extend to younger students as well.) * All students and staff are required to wear a mask during B’ShERT programming, regardless of vaccination status. * We will have extra adult and child-sized masks on-site, but ask you to send your student with a mask of their own that they are comfortable in. * Hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes will be widely available in all Religious School spaces. * Each classroom will be equipped with large air purifiers that have HEPA filters as well as UV-light technology. We will continue to update these policies, and keep you informed as new information or recommendations come to light. Registration: If you have not yet registered for Religious School, the time is now! Please note that you will need to fill out a separate form for each of your children (we have streamlined the registration form to make it more user friendly). To register, visit this link (https://forms.gle/ccS5ZpSHRpALJMgb6). Hebrew Instruction: Enrollment for students in grades 3–7 includes weekday Hebrew lessons. Hebrew instruction takes place "chevruta" style, a partnered model where two students of a similar level are paired with a teacher for private online instructional lessons. Visit this website for more information, and to select a weekly Hebrew time slot: (https://forms.gle/p71fKChSbbzPGSdJ6) to our form Spread the word! If you know anyone who might be interested in registering for our 2021–2022 school year, please feel free to pass on this information. You will also find a link to registration on our B'ShERT website bshert.org. B’Shalom, Rabbi Alexis Pinsky Associate Rabbi/Director of Education rabbipinsky@bshert.org
Harry and family at a temple luncheon
News from Women of B'ShERT
Ice Cream Social on October 12th The Women of B;ShERT are holding our first event of the season, an Ice Cream Social, which will take place via zoom on Tuesday, October 12, at 7:30 pm. This year's theme is "Let's Have Some Fun." Please share something fun you do or used to, or something funny that happened to you in the past. Zoom details will be sent out just prior to the event. We hope you can join us for this fun-filled evening. Jane Gleiberman, Mona Goldberg, Charlotte Russell, Sara Meyer West Co-Presidents, Women of B’ShERT, A Sisterhood Organization ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We also have a new theme for all of our events going forward. They will each end with the showing of several pictures on Zoom of our members when they were little. We will then try to guess who we're looking at. Please send a picture of yourself when you were little as noted below, and you may just find yourself on screen one day! :) Please ensure to include your name when submitting. Email: womenofbshert@aol.com or Text: 917-584-9519 Thank you, Doreen Aronow [a]@bob.fried@bshert.org _Assigned to Robert Fried_
The Interactive Memorial Board
Welcome back to a new season for the Women of B'ShERT, A Sisterhood Organization! We hope you had a pleasant summer and are ready to join us for another year of interesting and various events. We invite you to become a member, or renew your membership of our group of women of varying ages, occupations, and retirees, making for a diverse membership. Membership dues are $36, Checks should be made out to "Women of B'ShERT." We thank you in advance for your payment. Checks for membership should be sent to: Fran Arnowitz, 3301 Nostrand Avenue, Apt. 5K, Brooklyn, NY 11229. We look forward to meeting you and having another year of enjoyable activities, starting with our popular Ice Cream Social which will take place virtually on Tuesday, October 12, at 7:30 pm. Mona Goldberg, Charlotte Russell, Sara Meyer West Co-Presidents, Women of B’ShERT, A Sisterhood Organization _
News from the Institute for Living Judaism
October 2, 16, 23, 30 No RS 10/9 (Indigenous People’s Day/Columbus Day Weekend) November 6, 13, 20 No RS: 11/27 (Thanksgiving Break) December 4, 11, 18 No RS: 25th (Winter Break) January, 8, 22, 29 No RS: 1/1st (New Years/Winter Recess) & 1/15 (MLK Weekend) February 5, 12 No RS: 2/19 & 2/26 - Midwinter Recess March 5, 12, 19, 26 April 2, 9, 30 No RS: 4/16 (Passover) & 4/23 (Spring Break) May 7, 14, 21 May 21st — Last Day of Religious School
The Fundraising Committee is pleased to announce that the total sales for Honey From the Heart has eclipsed all previous sales by 12 percent! This year we sold a total of 191 jars, and have made close to $1,100. We thank everyone who has participated in this event, and hope that the returns for you are as sweet as they are for B'ShERT. These funds are earmarked for The Stained Glass Restoration Fund. We also want to bring to your attention that B'ShERT will once again be participating in Giving Tuesday this year. The date is Tuesday, November 30th. Like everything else in our calendar, Giving Tuesday is early this year, and corresponds with the first day/second night of Hanukkah. Please save some shekels for your donation. It is the custom of some families to sit down together and discuss the meaning of Tzedakah, and the importance of charitable giving. If this is not a custom in your family, maybe this year is a good year to start one! Wishing everyone a bountiful fall season, Pam Glantzman Co-Chair, Fundraising Committee
A Record-Breaking Honey from the Heart!
The Institute for Living Judaism in Brooklyn (ILJB), which is an umbrella organization for many progressive Jewish groups, has been providing noteworthy programming on Jewish issues for many years. At this time ILJB has decided to focus on Jewish culture. The October 2 klezmer concert, which takes place at 8 pm on Zoom and at the Flatbush Jewish Center, features our own Jeremy Brown. On October 10 at 4 pm, there will be a performance of the Dana Raz Dance Company of Barcelona, Spain. This may be viewed on Zoom either from your home or at the East Midwood Jewish Center. If you are attending these events in person, you must show proof of vaccination. Howard Honigman of the ILJB also advises that you check the website at ILJB.org prior to attending so that you will be informed of any changes. Yvette Pomeranz, Jewish Cultural Committee
B’ShERT 2021-2022 Religious School Dates
Jewish Cultural Committee News
There are many interesting things in store this fall if you are a fan of Jewish cultural activities. The Institute for Living Judaism in Brooklyn, a coalition of many Jewish organizations, is presenting at least two noteworthy programs, available both virtually and in-person. Specific Zoom information will be provided. Proof of vaccination is required to attend all in-person Institute for Living Judaism in Brooklyn activities. Check the website iljb.com for updated information: Saturday, October 2, 8 pm — Klezmeir Bist Du Schoen. Enjoy this special klezmer concert starring Yoshie Fruchter and our very own Jeremy Brown. Attend in person at the Flatbush Jewish Center, Church Avenue at East 5th Street, or watch on Zoom. Sunday, October 10, 4 pm — Dana Raz Dance Company. Zooming in from Barcelona, a special performance by this Israeli-born, Spanish-based dance company. Attend in person at East Midwood Jewish Center, Ocean Avenue at Avenue L, or on Zoom from your own home. The Jewish Cultural Committee is delighted to share the following special film screening, which we had the opportunity to pre-screen, and are now able to share with all Temple members via Zoom. Sunday, November 7, 4 pm — The Jews of Ecuador. Thanks to Hana Roth Seavey for introducing us to filmmaker Eva Zelig. We will screen her film, which will be followed by a Q&A with the filmmaker. Attend via Zoom. Stay tuned for specific login information. So what else is happening? As usual, you need look no further than the Center for Jewish History, www.cjh.org. There will be talks on Zoom featuring the authors of some really intriguing-sounding books. Tickets are free, but registration is required: October 5, 7 pm — Translating History Through Poetry: The Mexican Inquisition and Crypto-Jewish Memory. October 7, 1 pm — Discovering Moshkeleh Ganav. By Sholom Aleichem and recently unearthed, about a Jewish thief. October 20, 6 pm — Judah Benjamin, Counselor to the Confederacy. Some additional events: There will be a three-part Mizrahi Dance Series featuring lectures and dance classes on Sundays at noon on October 10, October 17, and October 24. These sessions will take place on Zoom and tickets are $10 per session. Why not participate in the YIVO Yiddish Club? You don’t speak Yiddish, you say? Knowledge of Yiddish is not required. Check it out on October 17, at 2 pm, for the Club’s discussion of Yidlife Crisis. Again, this is free on Zoom, but registration is required. This is only a fraction of what is going on around town. If you do your own research, you will find plenty to do! Yvette Pomeranz Co-Chair, Jewish Cultural Committee The Interfaith Coalition of Brooklyn (consisting of B’ShERT, Our Lady of Refuge Catholic Church, the Turkish Cultural Center, and East Midwood Jewish Center) has two events scheduled for October. On Monday, October 11, we will have our annual outing. This time we will focus on downtown Manhattan. We will meet at 10:45 a.m. at the Museum of the American Indian at One Bowling Green. After visiting this interesting museum, we will ride on the Staten Island Ferry (an iconic New York experience!) and also take self-guided group tours of Castle Clinton and of the area cared for by the Battery Park Conservancy. Please remember to bring your lunch. All participants must be vaccinated and have photo identification to enter the museum, and we ask everyone to wear your mask at all times, as we are traveling as a group. Please let us know if you plan to attend! It will be a wonderful experience for all. The following Monday, October 18, our Book Group will discuss Born A Crime by Trevor Noah. This is an engaging and thought-provoking memoir. Please Join us on Zoom at 7:00 p.m. The link will be provided later. Yvette Pomeranz Lori Silverman Co-Chairs, Social Action Committee
Reform Zionism is a belief system that implores us to continue the work of building and reimagining what it means to have a Jewish and Democratic State in contemporary times. Reform Zionism means that Ahavat Yisrael, love of Israel, is core to our Jewish identity. Our Zionism requires us to seek our beloved Israel’s evolution as a modern Jewish and Democratic state and is expressed in the dynamic interaction of Am Yisrael (the People of Israel), Torat Yisrael (the Torah and its traditions as handed down to each generation), Elohai Yisrael (the Jewish People’s experience with the God of Yisrael), and Eretz Yisrael (the land itself). In Israel, we are represented by the Israel Movement for Reform and Progressive Judaism (IMPJ), whose work seeks to complete the Zionist dream: a modern State of Israel that is inclusive, moral, and a home for us all. We advocate for Israel—as it should be and as it must become: a society that reflects both democratic values and religious pluralism. We work for the full and equal acceptance of and respect for the Reform Movement—and Reform and Progressive Jews—as a legitimate stream of Judaism by the Israeli government. These terms are imperative; they must not wait. Join ARZA to Protect Progressive Zionism The fight for religious freedom in Israel has never been more pressing. Join ARZA to build a better, more democratic, pluralistic Israel. Your support helps us fund programming for congregational lay leaders, NFTY, Birthright-Israel, and direct assistance for the Reform Movement in Israel. In the next few weeks you will receive further information on how to join ARZA. To stay informed and up to date with all that's happening in Israel, the Progressive Jewish Movement and ARZA please go to arza.org, urj.org, or IRAC.org Todah Raba, Tamara Kerner ARZA Committee Chair
Holiday Spruce-Up!
The B'ShERT administrative office was treated to a new coat of paint and a general beautification last month. Thanks to Jean and Angel for all their hard work! (Photo by Mike Rose)
ARZA Committee Report
Torah Portions — October 2021
We Welcome the Following New Members to the B'ShERT Family: Cecilia Kramer Irwin and Patti Cohen Mary Lou Criqui Simeon Seigel, Myra Rosenbaum & Shoshana Seigel Paul and Sandra Dann
Suzy Berkowitz Andrew Brown Kate Brown Amy Sara Clark Asha D’Entrone Ron Dicker Natalie Friedlander Sheldon Greenberg Rabbi Heidi Hoover Linda Horowitz Amelia Jackson Bernard Jacobs Myron Jacobson Gary Katzen Linda Kushner-Silverman Mildred Morel Faye Penn Judge Milton Platt Gale Resnicoff Ellyn Rothstein Barzeli Schneider Jessica Schulman Phyllis Schweiger Helene Smith Sharon Spellman Maya Wechsler5 Justine Zimiles
October 1 - 2 Bereishit Genesis 1:1 - 6:8 October 8 - 9 Noach Genesis 6:9 - 11:32 October 15 - 16 Lech Lecha Genesis 12:1 - 17:27 October 22 - 23 Vayeira Genesis 18:1 - 22:24 October 29 - 30 Chayei Sarah Genesis 23:1 - 25:18
Photo courtesy of the BPL
Simcha Corner Happy Birthday, October Babies!
..and Happy Anniversary to Doreen & Jerry Aronow, Amelia & Craig D'Entrone, Diane & Lester Schenker, and Robert dos Teixeira & Zafir Buraei
Fran and Manny Arnowitz wish everyone in the temple community a Happy and Healthy New Year!
(Photos by Alan Zarrow and Karen Eichel)
Observing the New Year
Tashlich at the Salt Marsh Nature Center
High Holy Day Service on Zoom
Family Service (photos by Michael Rose)
Rosh Hashanah Services at B'ShERT, Ushering in 5782 (
B'ShERT's Membership Committee has been welcoming the community with treats and (masked) smiles. Thanks to Joanie Holland Schaffer, Ellyn Rothstein, Bill Schaffer and Naz Schaffer or volunteering their time at our Welcome Table! (Photo by Matt Holland)
SAVE THE DATE Gala Luncheon : June 12, 2022 Honoring Adrienne Knoll President of B'ShERT and Editor Emerita of Voice of Truth Let’s come together to celebrate! Gargiulo's Restaurant 2911 West 15th Street Coney Island, Brooklyn 11224 Valet parking will be available Stay tuned for more info! Phyllis Schweiger and the Luncheon Committee
Membership Committee Welcomes the Community
Ken Brown Photography The best for Your Mitzvah! (or any other event, personal or professional) Longtime established pro; temple member; references available. editman1000@gmail.com • 718-670-3256.
JESSICA SCHULMAN • TECHNOLOGY RESOURCE SPECIALIST COMPUTER SERVICES & GRAPHICS ARTS SERVICES 718 338-2043 • fax 718 377-7919 jstech@optonline.net
Maxine Feldman Teaches… Piano, Voice, Guitar, Sight-Singing Ms. Feldman has 35 years of experience teaching all ages. She has served on the music faculties of NYU, Brooklyn College, The Brooklyn Conservatory of Music and Hebrew Union College. She has performed at Lincoln Center, Carnegie Recital Hall, Merkin Concert Hall, the United Nations, at PTBAS and now at the new consolidated congregation! For further information, please call Maxine at 718-490-7556
You Are Invited to Join THE HANNAH SENESH SOCIETY OF NORTH AMERICA, INC. The Hannah Senesh Society honors the memory of one of the greatest heroines in modern Jewish history during World War II. Membership: Family —$20 Individual —$10 Lifetime—$100 Contact: Jacqueline Mizrahi, Co-President (718) 666-7418
B'ShERT's Caring Chesed Committee: We're Here to Help Volunteers are needed to make phone calls and/or visits to those who are ill or have suffered a loss. It is especially important to keep in touch with those who are grieving after the initial mourning period. If you know that someone is in need of a visit or a call, please contact one of our co-chairs. We are always looking for new members and would appreciate any ideas to make the committee more effective. "It is not incumbent upon you to complete the work, but neither are you at liberty to desist from it…" Pirke Avot Gene Guskin (917) 533-6231 Ruth Bile (646) 732-2650 Frema Schneier (917) 459-0904 Debbie Belsky (718) 252-8030 B'ShERT Caring Chesed Committee
Wolf's Appliance Repair Prompt, Friendly Service in Brooklyn Fridges, Stoves, Ovens, Gas Ranges, Washers, Dryers and So Much More Call us! 718 998 3238