Resources for the High Holidays

Resources for the High Holidays   from the Rabbinical Assembly As Jewish communities around the world gather to celebrate the new year, we hope you enjoy this collection of thought and inspiration for the High Holidays. These articles, which draw upon Jewish tradition in the context of contemporary life, are representative of the approach of the 1,700 Conservative and Masorti rabbis around the world who comprise the Rabbinical Assembly. Please share with us in this dialogue:   Access the resources | Subscribe to our email list  From Ikar in L.A.

Like The Roof!

Check out our new website, http://www.liketheroof.com/ telling the story behind our new Solar Panel project!  And follow our live panel-by-panel coverage of the installation.  We may not have a fiddler on our roof, but even Tevye and his wife Golde would be impressed by our roof's golden goings on.

Watch live streaming video from tbestamford at livestream.com

Turkeys In the Straw

Perhaps looking for a good ol' fashioned July 4 rendition of "Turkey in the Straw,"  a friendly (and unusually forward) family of turkeys approached me just outside my house this morning, as I was on my way to minyan.  last week we were Turtle Beth El, and now the T in TBE is for turkey.

I guess they figure July 4 is a pretty safe holiday for them to be seen in public.

Shabbat-O-Gram for June 28

   

  "Ferklempt" at the Kotel  

Barbara Streisand made quite a splash in Israel last week.  

Read what she had to say about the treatment of women, including the "Women of the Wall." 

Then come to our NIF presentation this Shabbat morning to hear more about democracy, Jewish values and equal rights in Israel.

It's been a crazy week, locally and around the world, and with this the last "official" Shabbat-O-Gram before the summer hiatus, I'll try to touch on several areas as succinctly as possible.  In a few weeks I'll be headed for Australia (Dan's going there for a junior year semester), looking for those indigenous species from down under, kangaroos, koalas and kantors (actually, Cantor Mordecai will be here while I'm away and vice versa - so come tonight to see us in a rare appearance together!).  

Mazal tov and good luck to our graduates, a few of whom will be honored by our Mens Club on Shabbat morning, as scholarships are presented.

While I'm at it, best of luck to our incoming president, Sylvan Pomerantz and our new board members, who start their terms this week (the official installation will be at Borechu and Barbecue on July 12), to my son Ethan, who starts a new job in San Diego.  And to Mara - Happy Anniversary!!!

See the Jewish Ledger's article introducing our new Education and Youth Director, Lisa Gittelman-Udi.  And speaking of introductions, on July 1 we'll be welcoming Dana Horowitz as our new Interim Director of Community Engagement. Dana actually needs no welcome, as she is an active TBE congregant, well known to our young families as well as many others who have worked with her at prior positions with the United Jewish Federation and Jewish High School of Southern Connecticut. We are very excited to be bringing Dana aboard. 

  

NIF, Israel and the Hoffman Lecture 

TBE is proud to be among the half dozen prominent New York area synagogues to be hosting distinguished representatives of New Israel Fund this Shabbat.  The 

New Israel Fund (NIF) is the leading organization advancing democracy and equality for all Israelis.  Among their other causes, they have been on the forefront of efforts to promote pluralism, supporting organizations like the Women of the Wall.  On Shabbat morning, we'll be hearing from Talia Sasson, a board member of the New Israel Fund and co-Chair of its International Council.  She is deeply concerned and involved with efforts to support social justice in Israel.  She will be exploring Israel after the 2013 Elections and the transformations that have changed the face of the Knesset. Click here to see all the locations and events.  

Aside from the internal debates, there is a lot going on Israel's neighborhood these days. Read here a detailed appraisal of the impact of Israel's newfound natural gas reserves.  And read this chilling assessment from the Economist of Iran's nuclear program. Meanwhile, John Kerry continues his quixotic pursuit of direct negotiations  (which Israeli TV indicates may be inching toward happening), Hezbollah is taking a major hit over Syria (according to this piece in Bloomberg) and Egypt is bracing for a Second Revolution, scheduled for this Sunday. Things could not be more chaotic in the Middle East, which means that, in the short term, Israel is in an advantageous position for the moment, with its enemies divided, preoccupied and, we hope, weakened.

With this in mind, I'm pleased to announce that our Hyacinthe and Harold Hoffman Memorial Lecture's speaker this year will be Jeffrey Goldberg, correspondent for the Atlantic, contributor to many periodicals and news shows, and blogger extraordinaire.  He has also become the go-to journalist in matters pertaining to Israel and President Obama (whom he has interviewed on several occasions). Save the date of Thursday, October 3. 

The Court that Matters 

On a week when the Supreme Court took a genuinely historic step with regards to equal rights and gay marriage, I reiterate a point I've made often. Equality for all married couples is the right moral choice. The Supreme Court this week only ratified what has already been decided by the court that matters most, the court of public opinion.  State by state, the barriers are falling, and they will continue to fall, now that nationally there will no longer be discrimination. I spoke last week at a Gay Pride Month interfaith service at the local Unitarian Church and there I quoted from the Kotzker Rebbe. He was curious as to why, in the first paragraph of the Sh'ma, the one that begins with "V'ahavta, (Thou Shalt Love), it says that these words shall be "

on your heart" and not "in your heart." He commented that "at times your heart might be closed and the concepts and ideas you accept intellectually don't penetrate and become part of you. Still, keep them on your heart even if they don't enter your heart, for as soon as your heart opens up they will immediately fall right in.

This was the week when the words fell in.  Despite the bullying and discrimination that still exist, despite the efforts, most vigorously felt this week, of those who still cling to the belief denying rights to others (including voting rights and the path to citizenship), the words are falling in. We are becoming a more compassionate and inclusive America. As heirs to a tradition that embraces love and compassion, we must continue to work on its behalf, to labor in the garden of kindness.  It's mind-blowing that the progress hangs on the slim thread of one Supreme Court vote.  But as long as the current trends continue, there is much brighter future to look forward to.  The words are falling in.

  

Turtle Beth El  

  

See the above photo of our newest congregant  a turtle that has chosen to store its eggs just beneath our Temple Beth El sign on Roxbury Rd.  Just another indication of TBE going "green" in any number of ways.  I look forward to welcoming our newest members when they hatch, but I'm not looking forward to the bris.

Meanwhile, as we speak, hundreds of solar panels are being unloaded in our parking lot, preparing for hoisting to our new roof over the coming weeks.  The Solar Project, to be dedicated in memory of Norma Mann, will be described in great detail in our upcoming bulletin.  Look for it - and stay tuned for an announcement about our "panel raising" event. 

  

TBE Israel Adventure 2014!

I'm pleased to announce that our next TBE Israel Adventure tour, led by Mara and myself,  will take place next summer from July 21 - August 4.  We already have had significant interest from people of all age groups of adults and children.  I fully expect a large group and limited space.  Click here for the updated interactive itinerary.  Pricing and registration materials will also be available at the same site soon, so check back.

Now is the time to begin planning for NEXT summer - and plan to join our always-amazing TBE tours.

Honoring our Elders 

I had the opportunity to speak about aging at an Atria panel discussion this week, and it reminded me of the Elders Day services we had here for a number of years, inspired by Jack and Claire Steinberg (Jack currently lives at Atria).  In preparation for the presentation, I dug up some of the Elders Day booklets and wanted to share a couple of them with you.  They are fascinating, both in how they lay out  the Jewish value of honoring elders and how they feature the voices of both the elders and the children of TBE.  Most of our Hebrew School students participated in this project, in many cases writing about their own grandparents.  These kids are adults today, many still in our community, and it's nice to look back, and think about how these values expressed here have helped them to become fine, upstanding members of our community, and in many cases parents of children who are also learning those same values.  From generation to generation, Elders Day at TBE.

Click here for the first Elders Day booklet from 1995

Click here for the 1997 Elders Day booklet, honoring Jack and Mollie Malin

  

TBE 2020: Inspiration, Community, Sustainability

We know that this is a living document, one that will need to be revised constantly as needs and situations change.  But as a compass, it sets us out in just the right direction.  It is a moral compass, a spiritual one, a responsible one.  This is plan we can all be proud of.

Here is the mission statement:

Temple Beth El is a Conservative egalitarian spiritual community that challenges itself to sanctify each day through prayer, action, study, and mitzvot.  We honor our Jewish traditions and infuse them with renewed meaning by practicing them in both traditional and innovative ways.  We pray together by combining music, ritual, dialogue, and reflection.  We strive to place Tikkun Olam ("repairing the world") at the center of our daily lives. We welcome all to join our inclusive community as we aspire to fill the world with spirituality, learning and social justice for all humankind.

Once you've absorbed that for a few moments, you can turn to the Visionary and Strategic Plan Objectives.  You can read them here.

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Joshua Hammerman

Remembering Elders Day

I had the opportunity to speak about aging at an Atria panel discussion this week, and it reminded me of the Elders Day services we had here for a number of years, inspired by Jack and Claire Steinberg (Jack currently lives at Atria).  In preparation for the presentation, I dug up some of the Elders Day booklets and wanted to share a couple of them with you.  They are fascinating, both in how they explain and lay out  the Jewish value of honoring elders and how they feature both the elders and the children of TBE.  Most of our Hebrew School students participated in this project, in many cases writing about their own grandparents.  These kids are adults today, many still in our community, and it's nice to look back, and think about how these values expressed here have helped them to become fine, upstanding members of our community, and in many cases parents of children who are also learning those same values.  From generation to generation, Elders Day at TBE:

Click here for the first Elders Day booklet from 1995

Click here for the 1997 Elders Day booklet, honoring Jack and Mollie Malin

Classic Israeli Posters

I'm a sucker for classic Israeli posters.  The WZO website has collected some of the all-time best and is selling them. Below are photos of my favorites, representing Israel's pioneer spirit, it's egalitarian ethos, it's agricultural inventiveness:

Our Newest Congregant

On a beautiful early summer Sunday, this turtle was seen digging a hole for its eggs, right beneath our Temple Beth El sign.  What better way to tell the world that we are earth-friendly in every respect. 

A free aliyah next Shabbat for anyone who can come up with a good caption for this.  How about, "TBE: Where you can really come out of your shell!"

Or maybe, "The Hole-ly-est place in town!"  

Or, with a nod to Aesop, "Our services may be slow, but we get you to the finish line."

Or "All God's creatures bring their families to Beth El.  Why not you?"

We welcome our newest member, though I'm not so looking forward to any upcoming brisses.

Shabbat-O-Gram for June 14

  

Artist's rendering of TBE's roof, soon to be equipped with 850 solar panels, which will generate 70% of our electricity needs, save us thousands of dollars per year and reduce our carbon footprint significantly.  The Solar Panel Project will be dedicated in loving memory of Norma Mann.

Shabbat Shalom!

As things begin to wind down all around us, with summer only a week away. Mazal tov to all the high school and 8th grade graduates - and anyone else graduating these next couple of weeks.   Join us at services to celebrate and enjoy Shabbat together, at 7:30 Friday evening and 9:30 on Shabbat morning, when, weather permitting, we'll have a camp-style service outside, between the office entrance and the garden.  Dress is casual.  On Friday late afternoon, our families with young children will gather at Josh and Hayley Levine's home for a special Shabbat @ Home.  I look forward to joining them there.

Meanwhile see our photo album from our recent service at Treetops and see our album from the recent cantor's Concert honoring Eileen Rosner. See the online journal here. And read Danny Goldblum's bar Mitzvah D'var Torah on Korah.  

For all Father's Day fans out there, "What's So Jewish About Father's Day," from the PJ Library website.  Also see  "Preliminary Thoughts on Father's Day" and "Being a Single Father and Keeping the faith."

This week's portion of Hukkat alludes to the miraculous wilderness phenomenon known as "Miriam's Well," Many legends grew from these allusions.  I've collected a number of them in this Parsha Packet. At our camp-style Shabbat morning service, we'll be discussing some of the legends and traditions that have grown from the miraculous Red Heifer also described in our portion.

  

Mazal Tov to our High School Grads: Then and Now

  

In June of 2008, I asked our graduating 7th grade students to respond to the question, "What does being Jewish mean to me?"  This month, most of them are graduating from high school.  This is a very accomplished group, having already made their mark on the world in innumerable ways.  As we get ready to send them off into the world, it's a good time to look back at what they wrote then.  Good for us - and good for them! See their answers here.  We wish them all the best - and hope they will stay in touch while at school, and visit us often when they are home! 

My message to the grads: Remember, you will become alumni of every school you attend, but you never become alumni of your synagogue.  Your congregation follows you and we are there to support you throughout your life.  Wherever you are, we are the home you can always come back to, even when we haven't been in touch for a while.  And we are so proud of you!  Mazal tov to the graduates! 

TBE 2020: Inspiration, Community, Sustainability

It's with great pride and satisfaction that I publish here for the first time TBE's new mission statement, approved by our board this month after two solid years of hard work and deliberation. 

They say a camel is a horse designed by committee - but I happen to think camels are an ingenious creation.  They were invented for the long haul, those treks through the desert, not for the Kentucky Derby.  The same is true of our 2020 Vision Statement.  It was constructed by committee, to be sure, but an expansive committee that listened to the voices of many congregants, clergy and staff, and by a board that took this process very seriously, dedicating many hours to this document's development.  Sometimes, committees don't water down big ideas, they fine tune them.  That's what happened here.  TBE 2020 is a vision for the long haul, for that long trek through the wilderness.

We know that this is a living document, one that will need to be revised constantly as needs and situations change.  But as a compass, it sets us out in just the right direction.  It is a moral compass, a spiritual one, a responsible one.  This is plan we can all be proud of.

Here is the mission statement:

Temple Beth El is a Conservative egalitarian spiritual community that challenges itself to sanctify each day through prayer, action, study, and mitzvot.  We honor our Jewish traditions and infuse them with renewed meaning by practicing them in both traditional and innovative ways.  We pray together by combining music, ritual, dialogue, and reflection.  We strive to place Tikkun Olam ("repairing the world") at the center of our daily lives. We welcome all to join our inclusive community as we aspire to fill the world with spirituality, learning and social justice for all humankind.

Once you've absorbed that for a few moments, you can turn to the Visionary and Strategic Plan Objectives.  You can read them here.  We are anxious to hear your feedback.  Most importantly, we need you to be our partners in this sacred work.

N.S.A, I.R.S., Bar-Noar, Privacy and Jewish Values

The issue of privacy has become paramount recently, with the revelations of government intelligence gathering only adding to the pervasive sense that all privacy has been sacrificed at the altars of security and technological expedience.

How much does the public need to know?  This week's media circus in Israel, where police released details to the press about the Bar-Noar murders only to have a gag order imposed a half hour later, demonstrates just how much we are all groping to preserve privacy in an environment that has become increasingly tell-all and reveal-all. 

How much does the government need to know?  That's the question Americans are obsessing over in light of recent revelations about the IRS and NSA.

A Wall Street Journal poll conducted late in 1999 asked Americans what they feared the most in the new millennium. Privacy loss came out on top (29%), substantially higher than terrorism, global warming, and overpopulation (none higher than 23%).  And back then we could barely imagine the world we now live in.

We have become a society of exhibitionists. A guy in San Francisco, Justin Kan, wears a micro camera on his head wherever he goes. It is always on. You can view his entire life at justin.tv. And he's far from the only one now engaged in what has been dubbed "lifecasting," the broadcasting of one's entire life over the Internet.

Judaism places a premium on preserving privacy and dignity, even of the deceased. Open caskets are anathema to our tradition. Even in Jerusalem, where they don't use caskets, the body is wrapped from head to toe in a shroud.  No one is given the opportunity to gawk at the face of death.  We don't dress up our dead in finery like some Barbie doll. Israeli TV does not broadcast grotesque images of carnage, even when it could help score propaganda points. We are very good at self-regulating our impulse to gawk.

In next week's Torah portion we read the glorious prophecy of Balaam that has come down to us as the Mah Tovu prayer, "How lovely are your tents O Jacob, your dwelling places, O Israel."  That prophecy contains the seeds of an entire corpus of legal material having to do with privacy.  The rabbis wondered what was it that moved Balaam to praise Israel when his intent all along had been to curse them. They concluded that when he saw all the tents of Israel laid out, he was amazed that they were set up in such a way that no one could look into another person's dwelling place.

Based largely on this verse from this portion, the Talmud came up with some important guidelines:

• That we should knock before opening a closed door, even in our own home.  How many of us do that?  By extension, a creditor is not allowed to enter the home of a debtor - he must remain outside and the person brings his pledge out to him.  

• That we may not put a window in the wall of our house if it looks in on someone else's house.    

• In the 10^th century, a sage named Rabbenu Gershom ruled that it is against halacha for us to open someone else's mail.  This was punished by excommunication.  And from this ruling is derived the general principle that we are not allowed to search out the secrets of our fellow.  We can't pick through his garbage, we can't do undercover work to discover trade secrets.  What's private must be respected.

Think for a moment about how much that one is violated.  Not only with regular mail, but especially with e-mail.  How often are we forwarded e-mail notes that were sent by a third party, without the permission of that third party.  Not long ago, I was forwarded a very embarrassing e-mail by an attorney, and at the bottom of the note was the disclaimer that it is illegal to forward his own e-mail without permission. Apparently he didn't even read his own automatically-generated directive.

The Jewish value system would not stand for such an invasion of privacy.  In midrashic literature it clearly states that one may not enter the home of another unless the homeowner tells the visitor, "Enter."  There is a whole body of doctrine generated by the concept of hezzek re'iyah, injury caused by seeing, limiting the use of surveillance devices and eavesdropping from a distance, even outside one's home.  Read the rest of this blog posting at the Times of Israel Website.

TBE Israel Adventure 2014!

  

I'm pleased to announce that our next TBE Israel Adventure tour, led by Mara and myself,  will take place next summer from July 21 - August 4.  We already have had significant interest from people of all age groups of adults and children.  I fully expect a large group and limited space.  Check out our preliminary Interactive Itinerary (still not finalized, but you'll get an idea of what we'll be doing) by clicking here.  We'll have pricing and registration materials soon.  But with camps starting out this week, now is the time to begin planning for NEXT summer - and plan to join our always-amazing TBE tours.

NIF @ Your Synagogue 2013

TBE is proud to be among the synagogues to be hosting distinguished representatives of New Israel Fund on the weekend of June 28-29.  The New Israel Fund (NIF) is the leading organization advancing democracy and equality for all Israelis.  Among their other causes, they have been on the forefront of efforts to promote pluralism, supporting organizations like the Women of the Wall.  OnShabbat morning, June 28, we'll be hearing from Talia Sasson, a board member of the New Israel Fund and co-Chair of its International Council.  She is deeply concerned and involved with efforts to support social justice in Israel. 

She will be exploring Israel after the 2013 Elections and the transformations that have changed the face of the Knesset.

Click here to register and see all the locations and events.  

Shabbat Shalom and happy Father's Day

Rabbi Joshua Hammerman

What Being Jewish Means To Me: Then and Now

In June of 2008, I asked our graduating 7th grade students to respond to the question, "What does being Jewish mean to me?"  This month, most of them are graduating from high school.  This is a very accomplished group, having already made their mark on the world in innumerable ways.  As we get ready to send them off into the world, it's a good time to look back at what they wrote then.  Good for us - and good for them!  We wish them all the best - and hope they will stay in touch while at school, and visit us often when they are home!  Mazal tov to the graduates! 


Lara Agatstein
Being Jewish to me means becoming a Bat Mitzvah. It is a special 
remembrance that I will have for the rest of my life. I studied six 
months in advance with a tutor named Bracha. I shopped for my tallit, 
dress, and shoes (which I love). During the experience I learned my 
Torah portion, Haftarah, and trope. Then came the final day – March 1, 
2008. It was spectacular. I am Jewish!

Noah Arons
Being Jewish I feel I have a special task. This task is to follow the 
commandments of the Torah and to be a Jew with dignity. Since there 
are not that many Jews I feel that we, the Jewish people, are a minority. 
To have dignity I need to answer questions that my peers have asked me 
and to correct any false statements about Jews that they might have 
heard, such as statements about Jews having big noses and loving money. 
Following the commandments is very important to me, knowing that Jews 
have been following the commandments for about 3000 years. I feel a 
sense of obligation to not let my ancestors down. That is what being 
Jewish means to me.

Lindsay Bralower
Jews have always overcome the hardest obstacles. Whether it was the 
Holocaust or any other difficult time, we have always kept the traditions 
alive. I am proud to be a Jew because I get to share in something my 
ancestors did. Eating matzah ball soup and lighting the Shabbat candles 
are two traditions that I get to keep alive. Why am I proud to be 
Jewish? The real question should be “What isn’t great about being 
Jewish ?”.

Eden Castle
Being Jewish means celebrating holidays with my family. I love eating 
Jewish foods and celebrating with my friends at Hebrew School. I can 
remember all of the things that Jews have survived. It makes me proud 
to be a Jew when we tell the stories of our ancestors. I love going to 
Hebrew School with my teachers and awesome friends.

Daniel Chimes
For 12 years, I have just been going through the motions. I have been 
just following along. Honestly, I didn’t know why I was Jewish. Maybe 
because society said so, or because my parents said so. Why is it that 
people always try to tell you who you are? Judaism is spiritual, and only 
you can know who you truly are. Anyway, I didn’t know what my purpose 
was, why I was born who I am. Then, in March, I went to Israel. Now I 
know why people fight over it. It holds a spell over people. It is a world 
of its own. I don’t think anyone truly knows what looms over this land. 
You could call it religion, but I think that leaving it a mystery is what 
makes it majestic. Anyway, Israel changed me. I found a new side of me 
that has never been opened before. I’m still not sure that I know what 
that part of me is. I still don’t know how to define Jewish, or how I am 
Jewish. All I know is that the bond shared together by Jews all over the 
world is powerful. I only wish that the rest of the world, and even I 
myself, could fully understand this powerful bond. 

Samantha Cooper
To me being Jewish means having a rich and unique history. We have 
survived many years of terror and pain at the hands of our tormentors. 
The thing that saddens me the most are Jews who are not proud to be 
Jewish. The ones who don’t send their children to Hebrew School and 
don’t go to services. The children aren’t raised Jewish, so they won’t 
teach their kids to be Jewish. The Jewish population is getting smaller 
and smaller. It is said that Jewish people make up only a small part of 
the world’s population. On the other hand, there are people proud to be 
Jewish, like me. I always keep Passover and I am going to try to fast 
during Yom Kippur.
The best thing about being Jewish is having a Bar/Bat Mitzvah. My Bat 
Mitzvah was the best night of my life. I had so much fun. I love being 
Jewish. L’chaim!

Ian Cohen
My favorite thing about being a Jew is all the great food. We have 
latkes, matzah, hamentashen, etc. Another thing is seeing my friends at 
Hebrew School. I usually don’t see them during the week. I was not born 
Jewish, yet I was Jewish on the first day I was alive. If you are 
confused, I was adopted. Even though I never knew my birth parents, 
this is not something I am embarrassed about. I do know that my birth 
parents did not hate me. They couldn’t care for me and wanted me to 
have a better life. That makes me happy.

Rachel Cohen
The best part about being Jewish, in my opinion, was becoming a Bat 
Mitzvah. I loved standing up on the bimah and performing everything I 
had learned that past year in front of everyone who mattered to me. I 
truly felt like I had gained a special connection with God, and doing this truly convinced me (although I was convinced before) that there is a 
being greater than all of us: God.

Shira Durica
Judaism: tradition, history, joy, tears, and light. Being Jewish is more 
than having a Bar/Bat Mitzvah party, or getting the best presents on 
Chanukah. Being Jewish is remembering, practicing, and enjoying. Every 
second with friends in Hebrew School folds into memories. Each note of 
a prayer curls into a vine that holds us together. The feelings when 
reading from the Torah are incredible. The Jewish life cycle is like a 
flower: the buds of birth bloom into a flower, which falls to death, only 
to grow again. There is no end.

Dana Gordon
I am extremely proud to be Jewish. Being Jewish, I am unique and I 
stand out. I am proud to be able to enjoy the meaningful holidays of 
Judaism. We get together with family, eat delicious food, and celebrate 
being Jewish.

Leah Hazen
Being Jewish to me means my love for Israel. Even though I have never 
actually been to Israel I still care a lot about it. My best experience was 
when an Israeli soldier named Benny stayed with my family for two 
weeks. Benny immediately fit in with my family. He was outgoing, and 
taught me a lot about Israel. Just in the short amount of time that 
Benny spent here I learned about how close to home the war actually was 
for him. Benny told me that the war was two and a half hours away from 
his house. To me that is unthinkable. In the U.S.A. the war is far away 
overseas, but for Benny it isn’t that far from home. After Benny’s stay I 
really want to go to Israel, now more than ever. He touched my life in 
such an unexplainable way that my life has been changed forever. To go 
to Israel would be like going HOME!

Eloise Hyman
Why am I proud to be Jewish? Because even though throughout the 
centuries we have been hated by certain groups, cultures, and religions 
(Spain, KKK, Nazis, some Muslims), we still managed to live. The reasons 
for persecution were horrible (because we are different, because we are easy to blame, because we are cool). Also, I loved that I was able to 
introduce my religion to my friends through my Bat Mitzvah, with all my 
friends from school, camp, and Hebrew School there with me. That is 
why I’m proud to be Jewish.

Nick Hyman
To be a Jew to me means to be part of generations of hard-working 
individuals. Throughout history, Jews have lived through persecution, 
hardships, and sorrow. Yet we always kept our cool and never stopped 
working. Jews during the Holocaust lived with the thought that they 
would someday see their family again. Jews have always been connected 
to the family, and will do anything for them, which is why I’m proud to be 
a hard-working Jew.

Ariel Kobliner
I am Jewish because I am going to have my Bat Mitzvah. I have been 
preparing for months and I know that soon all the hard work will pay off. 
Bat (and Bar) Mitzvahs are a huge commitment to Judaism, and I am 
ready to make that commitment. I will be there for all my Jewish 
friends when they make commitments at their Bar and Bat Mitzvahs.

Sophie Koester
I am Jewish because I am proud of my religion. I like to teach people 
about Jewish things. I tell people all about my Bat Mitzvah training. 
Sometimes people ask me what their names would look like in Hebrew, so 
I write it out for them. I also tell people about Jewish holidays and the 
Holocaust.

Andrew Krowitz
I have celebrated so many Jewish holidays with my family and friends, 
realizing that Judaism is very important to me. Most of my friends aren’t 
Jewish, so I teach them a lot about Judaism and when they ask me 
questions, it feels good to be able to answer them.

Melissa Miles
Although Jewish holidays are a lot of fun and, I’m not going to lie, my 
mom’s latkes are amazing, being Jewish means something deeper to me. 
It’s having people that care and support me, outside of my small immediate family. It’s having a place to go in a time of need, but most of 
all, the feeling of belonging to something larger than life.

Joshua Olin
Being a Jew is a really great thing. One great thing is having your Bar 
Mitzvah. Also, it was really interesting when we studied the life cycle 
and the Holocaust. It was really cool learning about the Holocaust 
survivors’ stories. In addition, I enjoyed watching the movie “Six Million 
Paper Clips”. I thought that the students in Tennessee had a great idea 
and achieved a lot. I learned a lot this year in the seventh grade.

Julie Piskin
I am Jewish because I go to Hebrew School, and I had my Bat Mitzvah, 
so I am a Bat Mitzvah (since I had my Bat Mitzvah). I go to Hebrew
School for the Jewish experience and I stay for the people and yummy 
food (m&m’s and pretzels). In Hebrew School I am with kids who are 
Jewish, unlike in school where there are only 14 or 18 Jews out of 250 
kids in my grade. So…Jews rock!!

Brian Pollack
Being a Jew is important to me. My favorite memory related to Judaism 
is when I had my Bar Mitzvah. I felt very proud when I was on the bima 
leading the service. Also, I felt important when I was reading from the 
Torah, the sacred text of our ancestors. Another reason that I am 
grateful to be Jewish is because we have lasted for thousands of years. 
We have endured many hardships, but still survived. Many cruel people 
attempted to eliminate us, but the Jewish people have withstood this. All 
of these reasons are what makes being Jewish very important to me.

Ben Rathman
Becoming a Bar Mitzvah is becoming a man. Becoming a man means 
accepting responsibility. After I accept my responsibility I will be able 
to wear my tallit with pride, honor, respect, and dignity. I enjoy being 
Jewish because I am one of very few people who carry on the Jewish 
traditions. Also, I did well on the Judaism exam in social studies. As a 
Jew I am becoming a man. Plus, I get a party at the Hyatt when I’m done.
Jason RathmanI am proud to be a Jew because only two percent of the world is Jewish. 
Because of that, I only have a few Jewish friends, besides my best ones 
at Hebrew School. Since there are 20 Jewish kids in my grade out of 
290, I enjoy telling my friends about Jewish holidays and teaching them 
Hebrew words. The only thing that I love more than that is being at my 
camp with my hundreds of Jewish friends.

David Rutstein
Being Jewish to me is coming together as a family and celebrating the 
Jewish holidays. From the falafel to the latkes the food is great. My 
favorite holiday is Chanukah, and we come together as a family and have a 
latke meal with lots of wonderful gifts.

Oliver Edward Owen Moorman Sabloff
I am Jewish because I converted. I was not originally Jewish. I was 
Christian before, but then my mom divorced and remarried to my stepdad. My step-dad, Matthew, is Jewish, so my mom and I decided to 
convert. First I had to get circumcised. Since I was around four years 
old it was much worse than usual. I was put to sleep by anesthetics and 
then they did the operation. After I recovered I got to go to the mikvah 
with my mom. The mikvah is the bath that you have to go in to convert. 
My mom and I jumped in. I didn’t want to come out because I liked it so 
much. Then my mom had her Bat Mitzvah even though she was an adult. 
I am now studying for my Bar Mitzvah and my mom has already been a big 
help. So basically, being Jewish is about family.

Adam Satz
Being Jewish means being able to celebrate many great holidays. My 
favorite holiday is Passover. I like it because the food is great (excluding 
matzah). Two foods that I like are matzah ball soup and chicken. I also 
like Chanukah because I usually see my aunt.

Lily Schacht
I like being Jewish because I know things that people don’t understand. 
For example, many people don’t understand why prayer books are 
backwards. I say Hebrew is written from right to left, and therefore 
the books should be backwards. They also do not get why Bar/Bat 
Mitzvahs are such a big deal. I tell them that it is a coming of age ceremony, not just another birthday. The person is called up to the 
Torah for the first time. Going to Hebrew School with all of my friends 
for eight years has been fun. Yay Jews!!

Jessica Schoenfeld
I am Jewish because I had my Bat Mitzvah. When I became a Bat 
Mitzvah I was making a commitment to myself, God, and the Jewish 
religion. Now I am able to be there for all of my Jewish friends, when 
they complete their Bar or Bat Mitzvahs and make a commitment, just as 
I did on March 8, 2008, the day of my Bat Mitzvah and the day I became 
a huge part of the Jewish religion, with many more Jewish years to come.

Marc Senatore
Being Jewish means that we fight hard. Jews have had to deal with so 
much racism and discrimination. It’s pretty amazing that we have fought 
hard and survived through it all. We should be proud to be Jewish and 
should never give up, just as our ancestors never did. I would like to 
congratulate all of the graduating seventh graders! 

Justin Smith
Being Jewish gives an opportunity of hope. We never give up no matter 
what. For example, during the Holocaust, though we had a very tough 
time, we never gave up and stopped it. That’s what makes me proud to be 
a part of the Jewish faith. My friends who are not Jewish do not 
understand, which is why this community gives you a chance of 
understanding.

Sam Sterman
I am proud to be a Jew because Jews have been through so much and still 
have stuck together. Throughout the years, Jews have been hated and 
discriminated against. Jews toughed it out, and here we are today. The 
people who lost their lives for our future are amazing people, who were 
proud to be Jewish. I am proud too, and because of those people, it is my 
time to shine.

Danielle Tuluca
Judaism is about being one. All Jews are one big family. I am very proud 
to be a part of this family. This is one of my favorite things about being a Jew. Every time I come to Hebrew School, I love the whole idea of 
being with all of my friends. All Jews celebrate Shabbat, no matter 
where we are and what synagogue we go to. It’s always good to have 
another family to look after you and love you. This is only one reason why 
I love being a Jew. 

Justin Virgulak
L’chaim. To life. To be more specific, life as a Jew. But for me, being 
Jewish isn’t what a Jew’s life is usually like. I’m also part Christian 
(Catholic). I celebrate and learn about both religions, and some say this 
is the best of both worlds. My Jewish education has been great. Hebrew
School is great, all the new friends and some old ones too. L’chaim to my 
friends and classmates.

Tammy Wise
To me, being Jewish means being able to share special experiences with 
other Jewish friends and families. Also, being Jewish means celebrating 
holidays, having the pleasure of going to Hebrew School, having a Bat 
Mitzvah, and meeting new Jewish people. I am proud to be a Jew, 
because I have met many new friends from engaging in Jewish activities, 
and learned many things from my years at Hebrew School. Lastly, I 
believe that we Jews are one big family that looks after and cares for 
each another. This is why I am proud to be a Jew.

Alison Wolff
Being Jewish to me means having a homeland. Luckily, I got to visit this 
wonderful place. I got to go to so many places, such as Eilat, Jerusalem, 
Tel Aviv, Haifa, and many others. Spending time with my family was 
great! We climbed Masada, swam in the Dead Sea, and tried delicious 
new food! I enjoyed being in Israel sooooooooooooooooooooo much!