Ut Bulletin November 2009[1]

The Bulletin

Union Temple of Brooklyn Affiliated with the Union for Reform Judaism

NOVEMBER 2009

CHESHVAN - KISLEV 5770

Vol. 161, No 3

SCHEDULE OF SERVICES FOR NOVEMBER SHABBAT VAYEIRA 6

Friday Evening

6:30 PM

First Friday Family Shabbat Potluck Dinner

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Saturday Morning

Torah: Genesis 18:1-22:24

Reserve now for the hottest ticket in town: Fiddler on the Roof at Union Temple Sunday, December 13th. Get all the details on page 8.

10:30 AM Haftarah: II Kings 4:1-37

SHABBAT CHAYEI SARAH 13

Friday Evening 6:00 PM - Reception and Hors d’oeuvres 6:30 PM - Kabbalat Shabbat With special guest: Rev. Tom Davis, PPFA Kiddush to follow

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Saturday Morning

Torah: Genesis 23:1-25:18

10:30 AM Haftarah: I Kings 1:1-31

SHABBAT TOLEDOT SYNAPLEX SHABBAT 20

Friday Evening

6:30 PM

Kabbalat Shabbat

21

Saturday Morning

10:30 AM

11:15 AM - Tot Shabbat Luncheon to followed service 1:00 PM - Rwanda Youth Village Program Torah: Genesis 25:19-28:9

Haftarah: Malachi 1:11-2:7

SHABBAT VAYEITZEI 27

Friday Evening

8:00 PM

Late Shabbat Service

28

Saturday Morning

Torah: Genesis 28:10-32:3

10:30 AM Haftarah: Hosea 12:13-14:10

Rabbi’s Message

Health Care and a Special Guest Women’s Health Care. . . . Our Yom Kippur Afternoon Forum was devoted to the Health Care crisis in America, and was led most adroitly by Dr. Marvin Lieberman and Jeff Stein. One of the subheadings of any discussion on health care must be women’s health care specifically. This includes continued access to safe and legal abortions, but also to the whole range of women’s medical concerns: mammograms, sonograms, birth control, counseling, education, pap smears, HPV vaccine distribution and the like.

Bills in Albany. . . .There are several important bills that were making their way through the NYS Senate until they were stalled by the stalemate in the State Senate last June. One is the Reproductive Health Act, sponsored by Sen. Andrea Stewart-Cousins, D-Yonkers, which would ensure women’s right to have an abortion if the fetus is not viable or if the woman’s health or life is at risk. Among other things, this bill would ensure a woman’s right to an abortion if Roe v. Wade were to be overturned and states were given back the authority to outlaw the procedure. Another is the Healthy Teens Act, sponsored by Sen. Thomas K. Duane, D-Manhattan, and Assemblyman Richard N. Gottfried, D-Manhattan, who chair their respective house’s health committees. The act would establish a grant program in the Health Department for schools and community-based organizations to teach comprehensive, medically accurate and age-appropriate sex education. The legislation is “aimed at preventing unwanted pregnancies and occurrences of sexually transmitted diseases among youth,” according to the bill summary. The act has been passed in the Assembly in 2005, 2006 and again on June 17, 2009, and was referred to the Senate Rules Committee on June 18th. The Protections for Reproductive Health Care Act would increase the punishment for anyone convicted of injuring reproductive health care providers, volunteers or patients, in the course of violating New York’s clinic access law. The bill, which would make the crime a felony, has passed both houses of the Legislature, but has yet to be sent to the governor for his consideration. The fight for women. . . . I serve on the Rabbinic Advisory Board of Family Planning Advocates of NYS and the Steering Committee of Reform Jewish Voice of NYS. FPA is a nonprofit statewide organization dedicated to protecting and expanding access to a full range of reproductive health care services for all women. Reform Jewish Voice is an advocacy group of the Union for Reform Judaism, focused on NYS legislation. Both organizations are on record as being in support of the three bills named above. An outspoken and courageous leader. . . . On Friday, November 13, at our Kabbalat Shabbat service, we will be privileged to hear from one of the fiercest advocates for women’s rights and health care concerns, Rev. Tom Davis, Chair of the Clergy Advisory Board of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America. Rev. Davis has been on the front lines of this fight since the dark days before Roe v. Wade. He continues to lead this fight with courage, determination, and very great wisdom. There is more information about Rev. Davis on the flyer on page 6. The schedule is as follows. Friday, November 13th. Reception (light snacks), 6:00 PM. Kabbalat Shabbat service and Rev. Davis’s presentation, 6:30 PM. Kiddush is to follow. I sincerely hope that you will join us to meet and hear from this extraordinary man, whom I am honored to call my colleague and my friend. -Rabbi Linda Henry Goodman

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Officer’s Column

It’s “After the Holidays” Time to Get Involved This is the time of year when we do everything that we put off until "after the holidays." Here at Union Temple our schedule of events is filling up, so there is much to look forward to. Meanwhile, the biggest event on our national domestic agenda is health care reform. Now that it is "after the holidays," it is time to get involved. That was the subject of Rabbi Goodman's inspiring and powerful sermon on Yom Kippur. If you missed it or want to reread it, it is posted on the http:// uniontemple.org. Rabbi Goodman reminded us of the long-held Jewish commitment to making sure that the sick have quality, affordable health care. In this country, alone amongst all the developed countries, we do not provide our citizens with affordable health care. The numbers of uninsured and underinsured is disgraceful. The numbers of personal bankruptcies resulting from health care costs is a disgrace. Our health care system is broken. We have the highest costs and the worst outcomes. There is no better focus for our commitment at Union Temple than Tikkun Olam, repairing what's broken in the world.

Sisterhood

To that end, we devoted the Yom Kippur afternoon social action forum to this topic. We had a lively discussion from a broad spectrum of participants in the system – physicians, academics, healthcare professionals, payers and users. From all perspectives, there was agreement that the way we currently pay for, deliver and insure health care does not provide comprehensive and affordable services in accordance with Jewish custom and tradition. We could debate which approach is best – single payer, increased competition, a government option, exchanges, etc. – but any of them would be an improvement. So, we hope that now that it is "after the holidays," soon our leaders will act to make this vital change in our national life. We encourage our members to reach out to their representatives to make their voices heard on this important issue, and tell them that it is time. If you have a viewpoint you would like to share, please send it to [email protected] and we will try to promote a dialogue either on our website or elsewhere. If you'd like further information on our movement's position on this topic please visit the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism website: http://

To Save a Life

As we enter November, Sisterhood is gratified by the great response to our first Rosh Chodesh Seder on October 18th. We are currently deep in preparations for our next big event, on December 12th at 10 AM. It will be a life-saving program on breast cancer and ovarian cancer, which disproportionately strike Ashkenazi Jews. Genetic counselors from New York University will be here, and we'll be updating you on the latest discoveries in research and treatment. Watch this space and your mail for more information.

for we have lost Gertrude Berger. A longtime member and past treasurer, Gert was herself a special treasure of Sisterhood. She was truly a dynamic force. Her hard work and dedication will continue to be an inspiration to us all, as will the memory of her delightful sense of humor, which, despite difficult times, was with her to the end. Gert could always make us smile, and we'll remember her with gratitude for all she did and with a smile in our hearts for all that she was. Zichronah liv’rachah.

We wish everyone a happy Thanksgiving. Yet, as we -Barbara Brett, Recording Secretary prepare for this joyous holiday, our hearts are heavy – 3

Brotherhood

Saving a Language and Culture The Brotherhood had a terrific book discussion on October 25th. Outwitting History is the story of the author Aaron Lansky’s mission to rescue Yiddish books from destruction as the pre-World War II generation starts to pass away. There were thought to be few interested new readers of a language that appeared to be dying out. Lansky thought that perhaps 70,000 volumes of Yiddish language books remained. Well, over 20 years and more than a 1.5 million books later, Lansky, as well as the readers, are happy find out that Yiddish is not dead and is, in fact, enjoying a renaissance among a new generation.

Thank you to Abe Barnett for volunteering to lead the book discussion. We are also looking forward to the next Brotherhood event on December 5th: Havdalah followed by an outing to the First Saturday event at the Brooklyn Museum of Art. The next book discussion will feature The History of Love, brilliant novel by Nicole Krauss which New York Magazine called “a significant novel, genuinely one of the year’s best.” As usual, Brotherhood is also looking forward to other activities during the coming year so please stay tuned. A Happy Thanksgiving to all. -David Rapheal, Secretary

Kinder Kef, Pre-K and Kindergarten Programs

REMEMBER MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger Donate 3% of your food expenditures to MAZON. Give to our MAZON tzedakah can at temple dinners. Find out more at: www.mazon.org 4

Union Temple is offering a weekly Kinder Kef, kindergarten, pre-K program (for four- and five-yearold children) every Sunday morning when the Religious School is in session. The program will run from 10 AM 11:30 AM. Kinder Kef's focus will be fun and experiential learning. The children will learn about Shabbat and the Holidays through song, art, games and stories. The fee for this yearlong program is $200 for temple members and $330 for nonmembers. Please contact Ann Landowne at [email protected] to register and for further information

Religious School

Mo’adim L’Simcha

One of my favorite memories from the holiday services that just passed was a brief interchange and teaching moment between Rabbi Goodman and the congregation at the Sukkot Family Shabbat Service. Rabbi Goodman taught the congregation the traditional exchange of greetings shared during the holiday season of Sukkot. She said “Mo’adim L’simcha,” and we answered “Chagim U’Zmanim L’Sasson,” and then we reversed the greeting and practiced it the other way around. There were smiles and laughs as we responded with increasing loudness and confidence in our efforts to remember and perfect the words.

off putting and unfamiliar then from the first moment you hear Mo’adim L’simcha you feel uneasy and out of place. She began to remedy that by practicing with us.

Even though Religious School has only met for two official sessions on Sunday we experienced the holiday cycle together as our Religious School families participated in the celebration of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, followed by Sukkot and Simchat Torah. We required Family Service attendance as a substitute for the missed Sunday classes. This was an experiment prompted by the calendar because Rosh Hashanah and Sukkot were celebrated on the weekend. Feeling connected to the Jewish holidays and the Jewish calendar is an important way to develop a deeper and richer appreciation and love of Judaism. But in order to feel connected we need to achieve a sense of comfort and competence. That is why I loved Rabbi Goodman’s teaching. If the traditional holiday greeting is

This year, one of the goals of the Religious School is to help our students learn about the many dimensions of prayer, or tefilla. and to develop a sense of comfort and competence with personal prayer and group tefilla in services. Like reading, meditation or riding a bicycle, prayer is a skill that requires practice. Lisa Kingston, one of our teachers, developed a prayer curriculum that we are implementing in coordination with our song leader, Josh Adland. Parents are always welcome to join in the Sunday morning, Shaharit Tefilla, service, which begins at 11AM.

One way we learn to belong to a group, profession, workplace, school or religion is through the understanding of shared language and participation in common practices. At first we watch and listen, but eventually we jump in and participate, and that is when we begin to feel that we belong and are actively engaged in the enterprise. Judaism is no different. If traditions, culture, vocabulary and practices are unfamiliar we feel uncomfortable.

May you have many times of joy and celebration during the coming year, -Dr. Ann Landowne, Director of Education

Love to sing? Join our cantor on Wednesday evenings for a congregant-based vocal ensemble. If you are interested, please contact Cantor Dubinsky at [email protected]. Wednesdays at 6:30 PM. 5

Preschool

Getting Ready to Soar

We are starting to settle into our daily routine at the preschool! Our classes of three and four year olds have finished their phase-ins and we are engaged in the children’s daily work: play. All of them are painting leaves and fruit, which we have been hanging in the preschool’s sukkah in the big room. The children also waved the lulav and etrog, with the help of Rachel Geballe—one of our Sparrow parents. Our two year olds has been working on the transition into preschool routines, and are starting to do some wonderful art projects. The three year olds have been busy with art, singing and “fingerplays.” The four year olds, while engaged in many different kinds of creative activities—including making self-portraits—are also learning how to become independent and responsible. All of the children are enjoying yoga and music classes. And many of the children have been on neighborhood walks, and visits to the park, taking advantage of the lovely weather. -Susan Sporer, Preschool Director

Synaplex Shabbat Saturday November 21st Presentation of a film on The Agahozo Shalom Youth Village, Rwanda Discussion to follow. Tina Wyatt, a representative of this special project sponsored by the American Jewish Joint Committee, will speak with us. Schedule for this Synaplex is a morning study session with the Adult Hevre at 9 AM, led by Rabbi Goodman on Yemin Orde, the Israeli program which is the model for Agahozo Shalom Youth Village. Shabbat service will feature related music, and a Senegalese lunch will precede the film and talk scheduled for 1 PM. 7

UNION TEMPLE PRESENTS a Broadway Musical Fantasy Camp Staged-Reading Production Producer/Director: Stephen Hanks Musical Director: Dr. Jonathan Hall

SUNDAY DEC. 13, 2009 4 PM Tickets $15 in advance $20 at the door Union Temple of Brooklyn • 17 Eastern Parkway • Brooklyn, NY 11238 (718) 638-7600 • [email protected] • www.uniontemple.org

Mail in this form to make your RESERVATIONS! Name/s_________________________________________ #Tickets:________________@$15=_________________ Mail reservations form and check to Union Temple of Brooklyn 17 Eastern Parkway • Brooklyn, NY 11238 Make checks payable to Union Temple YOUR TICKETS WILL BE HELD AT THE TEMPLE FOR PICK-UP. 8

Tzedakah UNION TEMPLE MEMORIAL FUND Donated by .....................................................................................In memory of Marilyn Goodman ................................................................................................. Samuel Schein and Arnold Goodman Doris Klueger......................................................................................................... Arnold Schukin Pamela Meersand .................................................................................................. Edith Meersand Jeff Stein and Denise Waxman............................................................................. Ted Stein Anna M. Budd & George Hausman .................................................................... Helen Machtinger Jean Pierre Halioua................................................................................................ Moise Halioua

RABBI’S DISCRETIONARY FUND Donated by Dr. Michael Forman .............................................................................................. with best wishes Dr. Wayne Lavender ............................................................................................. with best wishes Anna Budd and George Hausman........................................................................ in appreciation

HAPPY DAY FUND Donated by Lucille Silvey......................................................................................................... in honor of Doris Klueger Peter Butte and Rhonda Feinman......................................................................... in honor of Sheila Solow and Mickey Schwartz’s wedding Paul S. Morris and Stephanie R. Morris .............................................................. in appreciation of the UT High Holiday Family Service Leonard R. Arends................................................................................................. in appreciation of Union Temple

PRAYER BOOK FUND Donated by ........................................................................... In honor of

Henry and Susanne Singer....................................................................... Robert Frey and Judy Stossel’s 25th wedding anniversary

SISTERHOOD MEMORIAL FUND Donated by .....................................................................................In memory of Barbara and Hy Brett............................................................................................. Gertrude Berger Eleanor Forman ..................................................................................................... Gertrude Berger

SISTERHOOD HAPPY DAY FUND Donated by Eleanor Forman ....................................................................................... in honor of Rabbi Linda Henry Goodman Barbara and Hy Brett ............................................................................... in honor of Judy Stossel and Robert Frey on their 25th wedding anniversary Eleanor Forman ....................................................................................... with gratitude to Evelyn and Bill Reder Hortense Hurwitz..................................................................................... with gratitude Union Temple Sisterhood Linda and Howard Simka ........................................................................ in honor of Sukkot and to honor Suzanne and Henry Singer and Doris Klueger

With great sadness, Union Temple records the passing of GERTRUDE BERGER on October 6th. Gertrude was a longtime member of our congregation and former treasurer of Sisterhood. We express our deepest sympathy to her daughters, Jane Conn and Ann Hochstein, her five grandchildren and their spouses and her seven great-grandchildren.  May her memory be for a blessing

Mazal Tov to

Sheila Solow and Mickey Schwartz on their marriage on October 3rd and to Dr. Jonathan Hall, our music director, on achieving the status of Choirmaster with the American Guild of Organists and to Moe Kornbluth and Fran Justa on the marriage of their daughter Sara Kornbluth to Daniel Friel on August 1st. 9

Memorial Plaques NOVEMBER Maurice H. Van Raalte....................................................November 1, 1932 Herman Weinberger ........................................................November 2, 1956 Edward Elman, Past President.........................................November 3, 1976 Rose Pollack....................................................................November 4, 1957 Esther Weinberger...........................................................November 5, 1954 Samuel Underberg...........................................................November 6, 1985 Hannah Lebowitz ............................................................November 7, 1925 William Krell ..................................................................November 7, 1959 Estelle Martha Silverman Sloan ......................................November 7, 1984 Mendel Nevin..................................................................November 8, 1950 Olga Rosenson ................................................................November 8, 1959 Ray Beck.........................................................................November 8, 1964 George Wiener ................................................................November 9, 1947 Mathew Frank .................................................................November 9, 1954 Anne Silverberg ..............................................................November 9, 1973 Gabriel Fried ..................................................................November 10,1924 Moses Bloom .................................................................November 10,1935 Isaac M. Bermas.............................................................November 11,1931 Annie Wolberg...............................................................November 11,1952 Sarah Marienhoff ...........................................................November 11,1958 Hon. Emil N. Baar, Past President .................................November 11,1985 Moses B. Schmidt, Past President ..................................November 12,1954 Estella Selig....................................................................November 13,1906 Hulda Lissner .................................................................November 14,1931 Sidney Onkeles ..............................................................November 14,1957 Jerrold Feldman..............................................................November 14,1989 Emile R. Brown May .....................................................November 15,1964 Rose Astro......................................................................November 15,1971 Minerva Love.................................................................November 16,1971 Rebecca Levinson ..........................................................November 17,1942 Joseph Ehrlich ................................................................November 17,1944 Dora Raphaels ................................................................November 17,1947 Felice D. Aaronson.........................................................November 18,1955 Saul Dumey....................................................................November 19,1961 Edward Charles Blum ....................................................November 20,1946 Ruth B Wolfort...............................................................November 20,1961 Jack Felsenfeld...............................................................November 20,1961 Pearl Elman ....................................................................November 20,1980 Joseph Petchesky............................................................November 21,1961 Harold D. Silvey, Past President ....................................November 21,1997 Rosa Block .....................................................................November 23,1943 Samuel Frank .................................................................November 24,1955 Irving R. Gerstman, Past President.................................November 24,1987 Bernard B. Block............................................................November 25,1962 Anne Silverman..............................................................November 25,1959 Laura L. Cohen ..............................................................November 26,1959 Sgt. Harold C. Ginsberg .................................................November 27,1944 Bernard P. Weinstein .....................................................November 27,1986 Mamie Rosenson............................................................November 28,1931 Minnie Baum Needle .....................................................November 28,1956 Edith Helicher ................................................................November 28,1969 Lazarus Rosenberg .........................................................November 29,1956 Max Silverman...............................................................November 30,1944 May Caplin.....................................................................November 30,1994

A memorial plaque is a lasting tribute to a loved one. If you wish more information regarding obtaining a plaque in memory of a loved one please e-mail the temple at [email protected] or leave a message with the temple office. 10

The Bulletin Union Temple of Brooklyn 17 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn NY 11238 (718) 638-7600 Fax (718) 783-9151 E-mail [email protected]

Website Uniontemple.org Dr. Linda Henry Goodman Rabbi Maria Dubinsky Student Cantor Dr. Jonathan B. Hall Music Director Dr. Ann Landowne School of Religion Principal Susan Sporer Preschool Director Doris Klueger President Henry Singer Jeffrey Stein Vice Presidents Ellen Kolikoff Secretary Beatrice Hanks Treasurer Mike Baron Hortense R. Hurwitz Honorary Presidents Eleanor Forman Honorary Trustee David Rapheal Bulletin Editor John Golomb Temple Administrator Martin Kasdan Funeral Director (800) 522-0588

Union Temple suggests that its members contact our Funeral Director Martin D. Kasdan of Boulevard-Riverside Chapels 1895 Flatbush Avenue Brooklyn, NY 1-800-522-0588 Proudly maintaining more than 50 years of Temple involvement

November 2009 ~ Cheshvan—Kislev 5770 Sun

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

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2

3

4

5

6

7

9:30 AM Religious School

6:30 PM “Fiddler” Rehearsal

8

4:30 PM Religious School Bar/Bat Mitzvah Track

6:00 PM Officers Meeting

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10

9:30 AM Religious School

4:00 PM Kristallnacht Commemoration

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9:30 AM

Religious School 10:00 AM Brotherhood; Social Action 11:30 AM Membership 6:30 PM “Fiddler” Rehearsal

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23

17

Rosh Chodesh Kislev

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6:30-8:30 PM Brooklyn United Jewish High School

6:30 PM “Fiddler” Rehearsal

No Religious School

12

18

Rosh Chodesh Kislev 4:30 PM Religious School Bar/Bat Mitzvah Study

25 No Religious School Or Adult Classes

13 6:00 PM Reception & Hors d’oeuvres 6:30 PM Kabbalat Shabbat Special Guest: Rev. Tom Davis, PPFA Kiddush to follow

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20

14 9:00 AM Shabbat Study Hevre 10:30 AM Morning Service

SYNAPLEX

21 Religious School

Shabbat 9:00 AM Shabbat Study Hevre 10:30 AM Morning Service 6:30 PM 11:15 AM Kabbalat Shabbat Tot Shabbat Lunch & Rwanda Youth Village Program

6:00 PM Religious School Committee

9:30 AM Religious School Food Drive (Key Food Supermarket)

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11

6:30 PM Kabbalat Shabbat Pot Luck Dinner

4:30 PM Religious School Bar/Bat Mitzvah Study 6:00 PM Adult Ed Committee 6:30 PM Adult Choir

6:00 PM Board of Trustees

16

9:00 AM Shabbat Study Hevre 10:30 AM Morning Service

26

Thanksgiving Day

27

28 10:30 AM Morning Service

8:00 PM Late Shabbat Service

At Hannah Senesh

30

11

Prospect Park Health and Racquet Association In Union Temple Building at 17 Eastern Parkway 718-789-4600 Ask about Special discounts for Union Temple Members

Union Temple of Brooklyn 17 Eastern Parkway Brooklyn, NY 11238 (718) 638-7600 [email protected]

NOVEMBER 2009 UNION TEMPLE OF BROOKLYN BULLETIN

Fiddler is Coming! See Page 8.