Kislev/Tevet 5782 / December 2021
Volume V
No. 40
Voice of Truth
Rabbi's Message: Building for the Future For many months, our long-term planning committee has been working on a vision for our building and how it can be renovated and changed to meet our 21st-century needs as a congregation. We asked you to complete a survey with your thoughts about our physical space, and many of you did. (It was quite a while ago already, so you may not remember.) An architecture firm, Brawer and Hauptmann, has been hired and has begun making drawings based on the priorities and values the committee has identified, including a lot of input from the survey. Last month, on November 14, the architects led a design charrette, a workshop designed to give you another opportunity to share your thoughts and opinions, specifically about the sanctuary. The architects first made a presentation about their recommendations based on our expressed needs and goals. We then split up into seven small groups (this was all on Zoom) and spent almost an hour discussing a series of questions about the sanctuary. More than fifty of us participated. There was a lot of agreement about the sanctuary. In broad strokes, the majority was in favor of movable seating instead of the fixed seats we have now, which will allow us to use the space in a more flexible way for meetings and classes when we are not having services. Because the space is accessible for those who can’t manage stairs, there is a strong benefit to being able to use it in different ways outside of service time. Most everyone was also in favor of measures that would make the bimah and the ark more accessible. There was strong sentiment that the feeling of holiness in the sanctuary should be preserved—for some that meant a sense of awe and majesty, and for some it meant a sense of warmth and intimacy (and for some it was both). For me, an extremely important point was made in the small group I was a part of. I believe it came up in at least one other group as well. This is it: it is important to us what the physical space of the sanctuary is like, but even more important is the feeling generated by the community inside it. The most beautiful, intimate sanctuary can feel cold if the people are not warm and welcoming. We know that our community is full of people who care about each other and quickly include newcomers. Each week we sing Mah Tovu on Shabbat morning. I often point out that Mah Tovu includes the words “ohel” (tent), “bayit” (house), and “mishkan” (sanctuary), used more or less interchangeably. The message is that any space can be holy space if you bring holiness into it. We are good at that in our community. Of course there are ways to change our sanctuary to better meet our needs and help us to feel holy. Ultimately, though, that is secondary to the way we treat each other and the spirit we bring with us every time we enter the sanctuary—or every time we log on to Zoom or YouTube for services. I am so grateful for the warmth and spirit in our community. On another subject, but related to the caring our community members offer one another, I want to give a shout-out to our Caring Chesed Committee. It is led by Ruth Bilè and Gene Guskin. I’m not sure everyone knows that a few times a year, the committee gathers (on Zoom for the last year and a half, of course) and goes through the entire membership list, mentioning every household and asking how its members are doing. This usually takes about three hours. Between meetings, the members send cards, make phone calls to ill or homebound congregants, and visit in person if possible. This is remarkable, and we are so fortunate to have this dedicated group. If you’d like to join this committee, please contact Gene or Ruth. I look forward to seeing you soon. Rabbi Heidi Hoover
President's Message: Old Traditions, New Traditions It’s the Sunday before Thanksgiving as I write this and, like many of you, I’m getting ready for a holiday that returns to its pre-pandemic traditions. (Last year my small household ordered in from a gyro restaurant. Turkish instead of turkey, but close enough.) This year, in addition to the main attraction, the menu will include sweet and sour brisket with caramelized onions, mashed potatoes a la The Pioneer Woman, roasted brussels sprouts a la The Barefoot Contessa, noodle kugel, and latkes (Streit’s mix—I won’t lie). There’s also a steady flow of mimosas, but those are just for me. I always pour my first mimosa when I start cooking, usually around 7 a.m. The second and third mimosas take me through most of the side dishes, along with the Macy’s Parade and Westminster Kennel Club show. By the time people arrive, around 5 p.m., this normally high-strung chef has morphed into a chill imposter. I know my guests are grateful for that. We all need our traditions, especially during the holidays. They’re a comforting part of our routine, certainly, but even more important, traditions help connect us to our history and to each other. When we share a meal on Thanksgiving, or on Rosh Hashanah or Passover, we invariably think of the loved ones who used to be at our table but are no longer there. (I still wear my mother’s apron and use her soup pot. The china was my grandmother’s.) We also look at our younger guests and imagine which holiday traditions they will choose to keep or to throw out—will my old-school (but delicious) kugel survive into the next generation? L’dor v’dor indeed. Here at Temple, we’ve succeeded in maintaining old traditions and creating new traditions in the years since our consolidation. Both of these—the old traditions brought from our legacy congregations and the new traditions we have created together—have helped us build community and establish our identity as B’ShERT. One longstanding tradition that we’ve welcomed back this year is our B’ShERT choir, led by Cantorial Soloist Nonie Schuster Donato and accompanist Michael Tornick. We’re all pleased that the choir is back in business after the long pandemic hiatus. I watched the choir rehearse in the sanctuary, and I’ll tell you this: after not having choral music in the temple for 20 months, hearing these voices raised in song was truly joyous. I urge everyone to come to our Hanukkah Shabbat service on Friday, December 3, at 7 p.m. (note the special time), when you can hear the choir perform some holiday tunes. During this service, we will also recognize those Temple members who joined the B’ShERT community in the last year or so. This service will be in-person as well as on Zoom. If you are able to attend in person, I strongly encourage you to do so. Masks and proof of vaccination are required, and there is plenty of room to socially distance. A new Hanukkah tradition we’re enjoying this year thanks to the Membership Committee is Hanukkah choraling, which will take place on November 28 and December 5, 12 to 2 p.m. The choralers will start outside the Temple and then make their way to a few locations on Cortelyou Road, like the Greenmarket and Flatbush Food Co-op. No rehearsals are required. Contact Joanie Holland Schaffer (jmhschaffer@gmail.com) or Ellyn Rothstein (pr@BShERT.org) if you’re interested in participating. Another new event for Hanukkah this year is a celebration we’re doing in partnership with the Marine Park Alliance. This will take place on Monday, November 29, at 5 p.m., at the Carmine Carro Community Center, 3000 Fillmore Avenue (it’s a big round building—you can’t miss it). Rabbi Heidi Hoover will light the menorah and our choralers will be performing. Many thanks to B’ShERT member Karen Eichel, who is active in the Marine Park Alliance, for facilitating this connection. It’s not a tradition for us yet, but I’m hoping it will be. As the only Reform congregation south of Prospect Park, it’s important for us to make our presence known in communities across Brooklyn. I wish everyone a healthy, safe, and wonderful holiday season. Adrienne Knoll
It’s always a bit of a surprise exactly which day the Voice of Truth will be published, so to cover all of our bases we’ll say we hope this report finds you with a fridge full of delicious Thanksgiving leftovers, or with the aroma of crisp latkes and sweet sufganiyot in your home—or maybe both! What we’re really trying to say is that we wish you and your loved ones a Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Hanukkah. Here is what we’ve been up to since our last report: In November, we welcomed Steven Lenard, Rebecca Engel, and their daughter Clara Lenard to our B’ShERT family. Clara has joined the Religious School, and the family looks forward to getting to know more congregants soon. We will be honoring them, along with our other new members from 2020–2021, at the Hanukkah Shabbat / New Member Shabbat service on Friday, December 3, at 7 p.m. This will be a multi-access service, so we hope you’ll be able to attend to welcome and celebrate our new members. On November 13, we hosted a successful outdoor welcome table where we greeted visitors with hot chocolate, Hanukkah candles, and dreidels and gelt. We truly enjoy these tables not just for the opportunity to meet new people, but because we also love to see all of our members who stop by for a chat and remind us of how wonderful it is to be part of a community like ours. Thanks to everyone who visited us, and a special thanks to Emily, Gail, Eric, Ellyn, Bill, Joanie, and Naz for being ambassadors. On November 28 and December 5 from 12 to 2 p.m., we are planning Hanukkah choraling, or singing some of our favorite holiday songs, outside of our building on Marlborough Road and then at a few locations on Cortelyou Road, including outside of the Greenmarket and the Flatbush Food Co-Op. We have some Hanukkah candles and dreidels and gelt left to hand out—we hope the weather cooperates! Hopefully by the time you read this, our first date will have gone off without a hitch. If not, keep your fingers crossed that December 5 will be a warm and dry day. We’d also like to remind and encourage everyone to attend our outdoor Community Menorah Lighting event on Sunday, December 5, at 5:30 p.m. The program will be led by Rabbi Hoover, and we will be lighting a big, beautiful menorah together in commemoration of the final night of Hanukkah. We invite everyone to join us as we sing the blessings and some holiday songs. Please share with your family, friends, and neighbors. We will have tents set up and plan to hold this event rain or shine. Registration is OPEN for the Winter 2021–2022 session (December through February) of Gentle Chair Yoga and Gentle Qi Gong on Zoom with Drs. Gail Levine-Fried and Bob Fried. Gail and Bob have a core group of regular attendees, but there’s still room for some new faces. Space is limited! Register at https://bshertyoga.eventbrite.com. And, saving the best news for last, we are excited to formally announce our upcoming program “The Crow Nation and the Jewish People: Our Shared Connection to the Earth and to Each Other,” which will take place on Sunday, January 23, at 4 p.m. Through the wonders of Zoom, we will be visited by Heywood “Third” Big Day of the Crow Nation, live from Montana. In honor of Tu B’Shvat, Third will teach us about the importance of trees in his tradition, and he will also share his thoughts and experiences of the identity and culture of the Crow Nation. We had the chance to speak with Third in preparation for this program, and we were struck by the similarities and parallels between our two very different groups of people. We hope you’ll attend—we think you’ll be as fascinated as we were! Our next committee meeting of the year will be on Tuesday, December 14, at 7 p.m., and we would love for you to join us. Please email Ellyn (pr@bshert.org) or Joanie (jmhschaffer@gmail.com) for the Zoom link. Wishing you a Chag Urim Sameach / Happy Hanukkah, Ellyn Rothstein and Joanie Holland Schaffer, Co-Chairs Membership Committee
Membership Committee
Our second Zoom event was held on Tuesday, November 9, when Co-President Sara Meyer West welcomed everyone and introduced Tamara Kerner, who spoke about Kristallnacht, known as the “Night of Broken Glass,” November 9 and 10, 1938. During these two nights, violent mobs attacked Jews at home and at work. Jewish schools were attacked, and 30,000 European Jews were sent to concentration camps. Our guest speaker, Melodie Winawer, was then introduced by her wife, Susanna Stein, our wonderful violinist, who described Melodie’s book, Anticipation, as an epic historical novel. In addition, Melodie’s underlying topics—Choose Life, Philosophical Musings on Parenthood, Neurogenetics, and Eternal Return, are the gist of her novel. In writing her book, Melodie said the first thing she thought of was Torah. She quoted from “Nitzavim” (“one’s standing”), the Torah portion for Yom Kippur morning, Deut.30:19, as follows: “I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day. I have put before you life and death, blessing and curse. Choose life—if you and your offspring would live.” Melodie then put before the audience these questions: What does it mean to choose life, now? and, What “risks” must we take to choose life, even if it means to lose life? In fact, Melodie had alluded to this question in the beginning of her talk, when she asked, “How do we choose life, especially in the pandemic?” The book goes from the past to the present—as a time travel. The characters are a mother, Helen, and her young son, Alexander. They had just lost Helen’s husband, and Alexander’s father, and decided to visit Greece, where they discovered Mystras, an abandoned city in southern Greece. (In reality, Melodie and her children had gone to Mystras in 2015. She fell in love with the place and wanted to bring it to life.) Mother and son run into a character named Elias, who is the protector of the lost city of Mystras. Melodie just gave enough of the plot to whet the audience’s appetite. The author spoke with much enthusiasm, as well as mentioning that “a lot of heart goes into writing a book.” She also said that “there is a quality of mystery about this writing, and although the book is researched, there are places for the fiction to evolve.” She doesn’t like to just do research, but likes to write at the same time. With regard to the research, she has periodically found experts to help her, or to at least point her to someone who could help. Melodie also mentioned that she thinks the characters she writes about “have a life of their own,” and a lot of the evolution of her thoughts create the story. Melodie is a captivating speaker. It was apparent that she enjoys writing, and she conveyed to the audience much fervor about the book and writing in general. Her talk was a fascinating glimpse into the mind of a writer and the mechanisms involved with research, editing, and having it published, as well as writing under a deadline. Thank you, Melanie, for a wonderful presentation! And thank you to Sara, for suggesting Melodie for our event; Susanna, for your introduction; and Tamara, for your informative discussion of Kristallnacht. And thank you, most of all, to our wonderful audience, who offered insightful questions to Melodie. Please join us again, on Zoom, Tuesday, December 7, when our speaker will be Gail Levine Fried. Mona Goldberg, Charlotte Russell, Sara Meyer West, Co-Presidents, Women of B’ShERT, A Sisterhood Organization (Submitted by Jane Gleiberman)
Women of B'ShERT: A Sisterhood Organization
Brotherhood Affiliate at B'ShERT
A special thanks to all Brotherhood members who woke upon an early Sunday morning in November to share ideas and plans for the next few months. I am happy to report that all men who were members of Brotherhood the last few years have all joined again. We welcome new member Paul Dann and hope he enjoys his time with our affiliate. Of course, you do not have to be a member to join our meetings or participate in our events, although some new blood is always welcome. On Sunday December 5, at 9:30 a.m. on Zoom, all members and any male who would like to see what we are all about are invited to our Brotherhood meeting. At this meeting we will finalize plans for our Brotherhood Shabbat on Friday night December 10, at 8 p.m. Friday December 10 at 8 p.m. everyone is invited to our annual Brotherhood Retro Shabbat. You are welcome to attend this service in person, masks and proof of vaccine required, or you can watch and participate on Zoom, no mask required on Zoom. Hopefully next year things will be back to a more normal state and we will be able to have the Brotherhood Shabbos dinner before the service as we had in pre-pandemic years. We hope to see many of our fellow Temple members at this service. Brotherhood has many events planned for 2022 including a lecture on Brooklyn-born and Brooklyn-educated Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, an interactive workshop on stress management, another fantastic trivia contest hosted by Mike Rose, a virtual tour of West Point on Zoom by the always-interesting Alan Zarrow, the annual Brotherhood membership breakfast at the Mirage Diner, and a trip to a Cyclones game sometime this Summer. At this time we are not sure about an outdoor picnic in June. Stay tuned for updates! Please check the Voice of Truth, emails, and phone tree messages for more information about upcoming events. We hope everyone is having a wonderful Hanukkah and we wish those celebrating a wonderful Christmas and or/ Kwanzaa. Stay safe and stay well everyone! Joel and the members of your Brotherhood Affiliate at B'ShERT
The Women of B'ShERT, a Sisterhood Organization invites EVERYONE to join us on Tuesday, December 7, at 7:30 p.m. for a virtual art tour titled “Becoming and Transformation: An Ever-Expanding Circle,” presented by Temple member Gail Levine, Ph.D. Gail will share her creative artwork, giving us a peek into her identity at each phase of her life so far. We hope you will join us for this inspirational evening. The Zoom information will be sent out the day prior. Please see the attached file for more details. We wish you and your loved ones, a healthy and happy Thanksgiving holiday.
The holidays are a joyous time for celebration with family and friends. As I write this, we look forward to the Interfaith Coalition of Brooklyn’s annual Thanksgiving Service, which unites our Coalition partners (B’ShERT, Our Lady of Refuge Catholic Church, the Turkish Cultural Center, and East Midwood Jewish Center) in our mutual gratitude for life’s blessings. As we all know, hardships continue, even in the holiday season. We want to help. Share some happiness through our Toy Drive for children in the Pediatric Oncology Department of Maimonides Hospital by bringing new unwrapped toys to Temple or by sending monetary donations to Temple for the Social Action Committee to use to buy additional toys. See the flyer for more information. Another avenue for assisting people is through the organization Ruth’s Refuge. You can assist in delivering or assembling furniture, doing inventory and other “behind the scenes” work, or make monetary donations to set up homes for Afghan refugees in our area. For more details, please contact Margo Galpin at margo@ruthsrefuge.org. Don’t forget the Interfaith Coalition’s book discussion group taking place on Zoom on Monday, December 13, at 7:00 p.m. We will be talking about “1000 Splendid Suns” by Khaled Hosseini. Thank you and have a great Hanukkah! Yvette Pomeranz, Co-Chair
Jewish Cultural Committee
On November 7, we saw a very interesting film, An Unknown Country, followed by a lively discussion with the filmmaker, Eva Zelig. In learning of the Eastern European Jews who fled to Ecuador to escape the Holocaust, we also learned of the complexity of their lives—those who loved the new beautiful scenery and marveled that the world was too big for Hitler, those who yearned for European culture, those who needed to learn about agriculture, the need to create new businesses to replace agriculture, and, ultimately, the need to decide whether or not Ecuador would really be home for the next generation. Thank you, Hana Roth Seavey, for recommending this film to our committee. Thank you, Helene Smith, Lori Silverman, Tamara Kerner, Mike Rose, and Eric Platt for your special contributions to this program. So, are you ready to resume in-person cultural activity? If so, there is plenty happening. You can visit the Jewish Museum, with exhibits focusing on art collections that had been looted during the Holocaust, or watch Tovah Feldshuh in Becoming Dr. Ruth at the Museum of Jewish Heritage at Battery Park. On Wednesday, December 22, 7:00 p.m. at the Center for Jewish History, there will be “A Very Jewish Christmas,” profiling a custom in some Jewish communities in which Christmas was satirized. This includes materials which are 1500 years old and of course it would have to be put in historical perspective—whatever fun is made of the holiday would represent defiance from persecuted and marginalized people. If you attend in person, the charge is $25 and includes kosher Chinese food. You can, however, attend on Zoom for free. If you are not ready to resume in-person cultural activity, or if you want to stay home now that colder weather is coming, or want the best of both worlds, there is certainly much worthy virtual programming. On December 5, at noon, the Center for Jewish History will present “Eid Al-Banat,” which will include music, dance, and recipes in celebration of this North African Jewish holiday for women. Prayer, candle lighting, and gift giving are also part of this observance, which takes place at the end of Hanukkah. If you would like more of an Eastern European Hanukkah, you will enjoy Folksbiene’s concert and cooking show, streaming for all eight days. Other virtual events which are not holiday related but which certainly sound thought-provoking taking place at the Center for Jewish History are a discussion December 8, 6:30 p.m. of the book Under Jerusalem: The Buried History of the World’s Most Contested City about archaeology, explorers, and politics, and a talk December 22, noon, entitled “Perspectives on Jewish Life in Germany Today.” There is always so much more! Very happy Hanukkah! Yvette Pomeranz, Co-Chair
Social Action Committee
As we sit down to a dinner table for Thanksgiving, we reflect on the fact that we are hopefully able to do so this year, together, that this year is different in a positive way. In thinking about the pluses that came along this year, and the challenges that we met with strength and resolve, it is our wish that you will reflect on how B'ShERT helped you and your family face those challenges, and will take advantage of Giving Tuesday. Facebook will be matching the first $7 million in donations starting at 8 a.m. Tuesday, November 30. The Fundraising Committee invites you to sit at your computer or other Internet device at 8 a.m., with the beverage of your choice, and place a donation, with the goal that Facebook will be able to match it. For those of you who do not wish to donate through Facebook, it is possible to send a check or make a payment through ShulCloud, marking Giving Tuesday in the notes. The funds donated on Giving Tuesday are earmarked to the Accessibility/Elevator Fund. If you joined us at the charrette last Sunday, you were able to see preliminary plans for the installation of ramps and an elevator. Monies donated to this fund will assist in making this work possible. Wishing you the best for Thanksgiving and all the year round. Pam Glantzman and Yvette Pomeranz, Co-Chairs Fundraising Committee
Ruth’s Refuge continues to update us about practical tangible ways that we can help refugees in need. Please consider helping us complete the furnishing of new homes for Afghan families moving from temporary to permanent housing, in collaboration with IRS and HIAS. Ruth’s Refuge has shared the following: We are providing all new beds, and we need your help paying for them. We are not using a wish list for beds right now, because we are encountering supply issues and need to be able to shop around for best deals and timing. Please consider sponsoring one of the families if you can, and if not, please give as generously as you can. Every bit helps. ruthsrefuge.org/donate Sponsor Beds for Family of 4: $800 Sponsor Beds for Family of 6: $1300 Sponsor Beds for Family of 8: $2000 Thank you for your help!
Fundraising Committee
Offerings of the Heart Contributions Gratefully Acknowledged
Rabbi’s Discretionary Fund Thank you Rabbi ~Susan Sysler ~Monica Beyer In memory of Beverly Tredinnick by ~Amy Rhodes Froehlich & Dan Froehlich For the Caring Committee In memory of John Carfizzi ~Manny & Fran Arnowitz In memory of Andy Glantzman ~Manny & Fran Arnowitz ~Monica Beyer The Jewish Cultural Committee ~Ilene Shapiro For the Elevator Fund In memory of Andy Glantzman ~Karen Eichel Speedy recovery of Debbie Kossman ~Karen Eichel For the General Fund In appreciation of Hazel Tishcoff ~Mary Lou Criqui For the Little Pantry ~Susan Sysler Happy Birthday Frema Schneier ~Harold & Jane Gleiberman In memory of Leila Bloomfield ~Pam Glantzman & Frank Gonzalez John Carfizzi ~Lori Pandolfo Joseph Fadem ~Nancy Ostrover Siegmar Friedlander ~Natalie Friedlander Werner Friedlander ~Natalie Friedlander Emanuel Laub ~Carol Needleman Susan Loikerstein ~Milton Platt Alvin Miller ~Frema Schneier Anna Moskowitz ~Teddy & Derly Moskowitz Isadore Plotnisky ~Milton Platt Max Resnicoff ~Gale Resnicoff Morris Schneider ~Jaffe & Schlesinger Family Sam Sysler ~Susan Sysler Jack Wolfe ~Milton Platt
LGBTQ Life in Israel The following is an article from the Reform Judaism Website: Israel has been called the "gay capital of the Middle East," which is no surprise to many of its supporters who have been touting its outstanding record on gay rights for years. Israel's LGBTQ citizens are afforded all manner of legal rights denied to many even in the Western world, including prohibitions on employment discrimination and civic recognition of marriage equality and adoption by same-sex couples. These are facts anyone can look up on the Internet, but what casual observers may not know is that LGBTQ life in Israel is vibrant and a major part of their popular culture. Tel Aviv has become a major LGBTQ tourist destination after being named the number one gay city in the world by various travel and cultural magazines. Each year, the Tel Aviv Pride Parade is a raucous affair attended by 100,000 people, including 5,000 tourists. Tel Aviv's nightlife scene includes venues that cater to the LGBTQ crowd, and during the day LGBTQ Israelis and tourists can hang out at two of Israel's known "gay beaches." Even Jerusalem, a city known for its conservative religious tendencies, holds a pride parade each year, and it's also home to the Jerusalem Open House for Pride and Tolerance. The center works with Israel Gay Youth" (IGY), which operates in 22 cities across Israel with more than 200 volunteers who provide social programming options for LGBTQ teens. IGY works with a number of centers and organizations with similar goals, including The Aguda and Hoshen, an advocacy organization that seeks to end anti-LGBTQ discrimination. To stay informed and up to date with all that's Israel, the Israel Progressive Jewish Movement and ARZA please go to arza.org, urj.org or IRAC.org. The B’ShERT ARZA Committee wishes all a happy Winter holiday season and secular New Year. Tamara Kerner ARZA Committee
To all our Temple Family, We would like to thank everyone, once again, for your outpouring of sympathy, donations, Mass cards, and sympathy cards in memory of John Carfizzi. Our family will continue to celebrate John’s Life. Thank you all, again, Terry & Stan Hollander
ARZA Committee
The Membership Committee of B'ShERT cordially invites you to our inaugural Community Menorah Lighting on Sunday, December 5, at 5:30 p.m. This event will be held in person and outdoors.* Join us in front of our Temple building at 83 Marlborough Road as we light our community's large hanukkiah, or Hanukkah menorah. This year, we will be celebrating the 8th and final night of Hanukkah together. Led by Rabbi Pinsky, we’ll sing the blessings together before the menorah is lit and end with a few songs. Invite your friends, family, and neighbors to join us! For the safety of our entire community, masks are required.This will be held rain or shine. Tents will be set up in case of rain. *We will not be able to create a multi-access experience on Zoom, but we hope to have a streaming option for those who are not able to attend in person. More details to follow.
Dear B'ShERT family, Last year we met very briefly on Zoom every night of Hanukkah to light candles together. It was the first time there was an opportunity to light candles together every night of Hanukkah, and it was lovely to be able to do it. This year, we're doing it again! At 7 pm every night of Hanukkah (except Shabbat, when we'll light the candles at the beginning of services), we will meet for about 10 minutes to recite the blessings, light the candles, and have a little Hanukkah celebration together. The Zoom link will be the same for all 8 nights. Please be prompt, since it will be very short. The first night of Hanukkah is Sunday, November 28. We'll light the first candle on Zoom that night at 7! Zoom link: https://bit.ly/bshert-hanukkah-2021 Meeting ID: 869 5821 6875 Passcode: 258919 Best, Rabbi Heidi
SAVE THE DATE: November 30, 2021 – Giving Tuesday —Remember B'ShERT— bshert.org/givingtuesday Donate directly on Facebook: bshert.org/gt-donate Create your own fundraiser: facebook.com/fund/BShERTBrooklyn/ Or donate via the Temple website: bshert.org/donate Giving Tuesday is right around the corner. And you can express thanks for the richness in your lives by donating to B’ShERT. Facebook will be matching the first $7 million donated, so time your donation for 8 a.m. on November 30, and it might get matched! Last year, over $2,100 was raised. We look forward to multiplying that total in 2021. We know this is a challenging economic time for many in our community; please consider B'ShERT if you are making donations on Giving Tuesday. B’ShERT is a 501(c)3 non-profit; all donations are tax-deductible and should be eligible for most corporate match programs. You can keep track of our Giving Tuesday progress and events on our website at bshert.org/givingtuesday anytime.
What would Hanukkah be without music and cooking? Unimaginable! During the eight days of Hanukkah, the National Yiddish Theater Folksbiene is streaming a concert/cooking show.. Happy Hanukkah from the Jewish Cultural Committee!
Info Here!
Laurie Bassi, Social Action Co-Chair and liaison to the Interfaith Coalition, has resigned from this position. She and Herb will be moving out of New York in the near future. Thank you, Laurie, for your commitment, hard work and inspiration. Yvette Pomeranz from the Social Action Committee has been appointed liaison to the Interfaith Coalition. On Saturday, April 18, at 1 pm (after services), please attend a Social Action Lunch and Learn in the Community Room. The topic is Climate Change: Response to Urgency. The discussion will be moderated by Yvette Pomeranz and the two resource books will be We Are The Weather by Jonathan Safran Foer and Let There Be Water by Seth Segal. The discussion will center around concrete actions we can take as individuals, as a temple entity and as society and what is needed to galvanize us to take action. Our annual Passover Food Drive will take place in March. Please bring your UNOPENED, UNEXPIRED food to Temple by Friday, March 27. We will be donating this food to Our Lady of Refuge Church Food Pantry (OLRC), which is part of our Interfaith Coalition, and our Little Pantry. We are also happy to once again be able to support seniors in need at this time of year at the Marks JCH. Your donation to our Dr. Janet L. Haynes Social Action Fund will allow us to provide individuals and couples with funds to purchase food for their seder tables. See the flyer in this Voice of Truth with date and other details. We’re pleased that the children of the Religious School will also participate by helping to sort items. Please save the dates for the following Interfaith Coalition program and watch for flyers with complete details: • Abraham’s Table: Sunday, March 29, 3:30 - 5:30 pm at the Amity School on Knapp Street. Topic: The Environment in the Light of Our Three Traditions. • Interfaith Iftar dinner combined with Abraham’s Table: Sunday, April 26 at OLRC. Theme: What Is Your Most Important Religious Holiday? • Movie Night: Thursday, August 6 in the parking lot of the Amity School. Time, movie and other details will be announced at a later date. The next meeting of the Social Action Committee will take place on Thursday, April 30 at 7 pm in the Community Room. Susan Sysler Co-Chair, Social Action Committee
Dear Congregants, As a reminder, the Semi-Annual Congregational Meeting will take place on Wednesday, December 1, at 7:15 p.m. on Zoom. The agenda will include the following motions, recommended by the Board of Trustees, which now require a congregational vote: MOTION 1: To approve the expenditure of $100,000 for temple security projects included in the New York State Department of Homeland Security & Emergency Services (DHSES) grant. The expenditure of these funds will be fully reimbursed by NYS DHSES. MOTION 2: To approve the payment for the emergency replacement of the rear yard roofing in the amount of $59,560. MOTION 3: To approve the payment for the emergency repairs in the Maintenance Room ($45,000) and Bridal Suite ($17,000), in the amount of $62,000 due to major leaks. You have already received background information on these motions in prior emails. Note that a quorum is required to conduct the meeting, so make every effort to attend. If you absolutely cannot attend, please return the attached absentee ballot by November 30. Absentee ballots do not count toward a quorum—so please sign on to Zoom if at all possible! Best, Adrienne Knoll President, B’ShERT
Meeting Announcement
We welcome your Voice of Truth news. Let the B'ShERT community know of events in your community, family or your own life. Send your news to news@bshert.org.
Photo by Alan Zarrow
Temple member Danny Landberg, son of Rita and George, once again guided the Erasmus Hall High School Dutchmen to the NYC Public Schools Athletic League football championship with a 33-26 victory over Curtis on November 28 at Lincoln High School field. This is Danny’s fourth championship game victory in his tenure as head coach at The Hall. Congratulations! And the public address announcer? Our own (and Erasmus Hall alum) Alan Zarrow.
Mazel Tov!
Happening Around Town
Singers perform various Hanukkah songs at the Marine Park Community Center.
Rabbi Hoover lights the candles on the menorah for the Festival of Lights: Hanukkah event hosted by the Marine Park Alliance.
Joanie Holland Schaffer and Nazair Schaffer sing along to Hanukkah songs.
Photos by Alan Zarrow
Rosalind Bialor Jeremy Brown Paul Chappell Ruth Cooper Amelia D'Entrone Elliott Drooker Joyce Dubensky Liz Fisher Frank Gonzalez Aisha Hinton Jan Lisa Huttner Solomon Jackson Shirley Kafker Rebecca Kaplan Vicky Katz Tamara Kerner Geroge Landberg Charlie Lenaghan Gail Levine Fried Paul Levitin Saul Lieb David Podrid Sara Rothstein Grace Schneider Joshua Segal Robert dos Santos Teixeira Lela Wang Paula Weidmann Karen Wilkow
...and Happy Anniversary to... Adrienne Knoll & Kenneth Brown
Torah Portions - December 2021
Date
Torah Reading
Reference
December 4
Mikeitz
Genesis 41:1-44:17
December 11
Vayigash
Genesis 44:18-47:27
December 18
Va-y'chi
Genesis 47:28-50:26
December 25
Sh'mot
Exodus 1:1-6:1
Simcha Corner Happy Birthday, December Babies!
Mazel Tov!!
Dear B’ShERT Member, As many of you know, one benefit of full membership in B’ShERT is the opportunity to purchase graves at Mt. Carmel Cemetery in Queens and New Montefiore and Beth Moses cemeteries on Long Island. As a service to our community, we are extending through December 31 the special rate of $500 per grave. On January 1, 2022, the cost will go up to $750. Both rates are significantly lower than if you were to buy graves directly from the cemetery. If you are interested in purchasing a grave or graves, please contact Alice Hyatt in the Temple office at 718-282-1596 or alice@bshert.org. Sincerely, Adrienne Knoll President, B’ShERT
Photo by http://www.mountcarmelcemetery.com
Just a Reminder...
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
DECEMBER CALENDAR