Shabbat-O-Gram for May 24: A Congregation that Hugs First and Asks Questions Later, End of Year Montage, "Field of Dreams" at 30, The Riderless Horse, Lag B'Omer and Memorial Day, A Eurovision Moment

Shabbat-O-Gram

The Shabbat-O-Gram is sponsored by 

Naomi and Marc Kinderman in honor of their son, Adam, becoming a Bar Mitzvah.

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Scenes from end of year activities...

photos by Aviva Maller Photography, Dan Young, Kenneth Cohen and Jami Fener

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

- Click here to see our full end-of-year photo album

- See the colorful handout put together for the 7th grade graduation

- Annual Meeting Written Reports and Carl Weinberg Statement

For those 12th graders who weren't here last night for our sendoff and blessing, your gifts await you - please let us know if you are coming to pick them up.

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Shabbat Shalom!

 

Another crazy week out there - I'm beginning to feel that we all have become Bodexpress, that horse who ran the entire length of last week's Preakness without being guided by a rider (whom he threw off at the starting gate).  No rider, no GPS, no whip, nothin' but green grass and dirt, a bunch of harnessed friends running in servitude alongside, and the simple love of running free.  With his freedom came the terrifying reality (for the viewer, presumably not for him) that a single misstep could result in catastrophe.  And when the race ended for all the other horses, their workday done, this equine Forrest Gump just kept running for the sheer joy of it.  Bodexpress was born to run, he was reared to run, and when his day arrived, he was going to run, whip or no whip, rider or no rider.  And run he did.

One can look at our country - our world - as a horse without a jockey, a rudderless ship, which is a very scary thought.  Or, like Bodexpress, we can simply enjoy the ride.  

That horse just kept running.

And so must we.

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Mazal tov to Adam Kinderman, who becomes Bar Mitzvah this Shabbat morning.  You can find Yael Everett's d'var Torah from last Shabbat here.

There is still time to plan to join me and over 15 of your fellow TBE congregants at the AJC's Global Forum on June 2-4. Read more about it and register here.  

Last week's Eurovision spectacular went off without a hitch in Tel Aviv.  Two weeks ago I wrote about the band Shalva, consisting of people with disabilities, who would have been Israel's representatives at the contest except that they would not perform on Shabbat.  Well, evidently they stole the show during the intermission of Thursday's semi-final, with this rendition on "A Million Dreams."  

Excerpts from my Annual Meeting Remarks:

"A Congregation that Hugs First and Asks Questions Later"

When negative energy is allowed to dissipate, what's left is pure joy and spiritual release. What's left is the tightening of bonds that keeps people at the kiddush table long after the service has ended. What's left is dancing in the aisles, as we did at Mediterranean Shabbat. What's left is kids making food for homeless shelters or enjoying that first bialy on the Lower East Side. What's left is how we burst with pride at every single bar or bat mitzvah.

Last fall, the true nature of our congregation was on full display at the most crucial moment. It was the Friday night after the massacre of Jews in Pittsburgh. For me personally and for all of the Jewish people, it was the close of a week of shiva. If there was ever a Shabbat when Jews would avoid being near a synagogue, this would have been it. But what overcame the fear was the desire to be together; and so our sanctuary was packed that night. People came who had not been to a synagogue in years - non-members as well as members. And when they got here they experienced genuine community. They experienced a congregation that hugs first and asks questions later. A congregation that smiles first and complains later. A congregation that listens, that laughs, that cries, that sings, that wants to share its stories and wipe the years from one another's eyes. A congregation that finds inspiration and joy in praying together, even if we aren't all sure about who we are praying to or what we are praying for.

 

This is the congregation that we are and strive to be.

 

Last Shabbat I talked about the bat mitzvah girl's favorite movie, "Field of Dreams," which premiered precisely thirty years ago. It's most memorable refrain: "If you build it, he will come" rang true on that Friday night.

 

We built it - and they came. We built a community of inclusiveness, mutual respect and love. And that's exactly what people were looking for.  All the numbers you will hear tonight, our fast-growing membership, our outstanding fundraising in the face of unforeseen expenses. our admirable budgeting: it all comes back to that one fact that can't be measured in numbers: We have built it and they are coming.

 

And that's why it is so imperative for us to keep on building a community of kindness, grounded in deep Jewish values. Nothing is more important than that we continue to be that port in a storm for all who are seeking us.

More on "Field of Dreams"

To expand on that thought, read below a memorable passage from "Field of Dreams," spoken by Terrance Mann, a reclusive writer played by James Earl Jones, to Ray Kinsella, an Iowa farmer played by Kevin Costner.  All you need to do is replace the words "baseball" with "synagogue" "Jewish heritage" or "Passover Seder." Jewish celebrations are just like baseball - or at least what baseball used to be.

 

"Ray, people will come Ray. They'll come to Iowa for reasons they can't even fathom. They'll turn up your driveway not knowing for sure why they're doing it. They'll arrive at your door as innocent as children, longing for the past. Of course, we won't mind if you look around, you'll say. It's only $20 per person. They'll pass over the money without even thinking about it: for it is money they have and peace they lack. And they'll walk out to the bleachers; sit in shirtsleeves on a perfect afternoon. They'll find they have reserved seats somewhere along one of the baselines, where they sat when they were children and cheered their heroes. And they'll watch the game and it'll be as if they dipped themselves in magic waters. The memories will be so thick they'll have to brush them away from their faces. People will come Ray. The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball. America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It has been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt and erased again. But baseball has marked the time. This field, this game: it's a part of our past, Ray. It reminds of us of all that once was good and it could be again. Oh... people will come Ray. People will most definitely come."

The film also asks this question: Is this heaven?  The famous response: No, it's Iowa.

Ray comes to understand that heaven isn't out there. Heaven is where you are, right now. Some religions sanctify space and build big cathedrals to the sky. Judaism sanctifies time. We take a couple of candles and say a blessing, utter some more sacred words and eat hallah and drink wine, and wherever you happen to be standing becomes heaven on earth - including Iowa.  This is another example of how "Field of Dreams" espouses deep Jewish values.

And then there is this other famous quote from the film:

We just don't recognize life's most significant moments while they're happening. Back then I thought, "Well, there'll be other days". I didn't realize that that was the only day.

These are the words of a baseball player who failed to take advantage of his one fleeting opportunity to make it to the major leagues.  Psalm 90 reminds us to count our days to gain a heart of wisdom.  At this time of year, we literally count our days from Passover to Shavuot.  And we count up rather than down, so as not to dwell on the opportunities missed and our lives slipping away, but rather to celebrate each new lesson learned as we scale the ladder of accumulated wisdom. With each passing day, we come a little bit closer to achieving our full potential.  And maybe, just maybe, we'll get one more shot at the majors, and one more chance to have that catch with Dad.

That catch with Dad, the (spoiler alert) final scene that provoked more tears than any film since "Love Story," is the ultimate tale of teshuvah, a return to days of old, to the person we once upon a time hoped to become.  For Jews, that return happens on the High Holidays, for sure, but also any time we are in a place where the spirit of our parents and grandparents lives on vividly - whether that place be the synagogue, the seder table or the sukkah.

Ah yes, the sukkah.  The Torah calls to us in James Earl Jones' godlike resonance:

..."If you build it, he will come."

Lag B'Omer

 

Thursday is Lag B'Omer.   Last Friday night I spoke about one of the most important yet least understood aspects of this minor festival - fire.   All over Israel bonfires are lit on this day, with a huge celebration of fire on Mt Meron, near Safed, where the sainted, mystical Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai is buried. I compiled some sources on that symbolism and on Bar Yochai into a packet. Click here to see it.  Also, see the website set up for Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai's website (yes, he has one).  See live coverage from Mt. Meron.  And see MyJewishLearning's Lag B'Omer page.

ל"ג בעומר | שידור חי מ'הר מירון תשע"ט | Watch Live: Lag Ba'omer in Meron 2019

Alabama vs Algeria

Ha'aretz compared to the restrictive anti-abortion laws just passed in some American states to anti-women laws in the Middle East.  The conclusion?  "Abortion will be more lawful in Saudi Arabia and Algeria than Alabama and Georgia if the near-total ban passed by their state legislatures last week makes its way through the courts."  That's also true, most certainly, regarding Israel, where the law is much more progressive.  You can check out the article here.  Statistics for the Republic of Gilead are not currently available - I have a call into Margaret Atwood.

Update on Israeli Democracy's Moment of Truth
If you think I'm simply crying wolf in expressing grave concerns about the proposed deal to override the Israeli Supreme Court in order to keep Bibi in office when he is most likely  indicted, see this article from today's Times of Israel:  Ex-Justice Minister Warns of Netanyahu Dictatorship." Today's news indicates that the "Override Bill" is going to be part of the coalition deal.  And see how David Horovitz raises the alarm.

Mitzvah Opportunity

I'm including this request from Lauren Kahn Medalie, a lifelong part of our TBE family.  We are amazed at Lauren's courage under the most extreme pressures imaginable.

Dear Family and Friends

On June 8th I will run a 10K in Central Park with Moms In Training to raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS). This will be my fourth race with LLS, but my first since being diagnosed with Lymphoma. I hope you will support me in reaching my goal of $25,000.

When I got involved with Moms In Training, I loved being part of a group of moms who got together for a great cause. I loved that I ran a race (go me!) and then a few more. I met all these inspiring moms, some who had young children going through cancer treatment.  I never thought the money I was raising would help fund the research that would save my life and Taylor's life a few years later.

Dan and I were so excited when we found out I was pregnant. We had one amazing daughter and now another baby girl on the way! I had bad morning sickness with Brynn so I wasn't surprised when I was very sick again with Taylor's pregnancy. But the sickness only got worse, and I started having trouble eating, breathing, and sleeping. I lost weight and became unable to commute to work. The doctors and specialists continued to assure me that all was fine and that this was just pregnancy.

At six months pregnant I ended up in the ER in White Plains where they realized something was seriously wrong and quickly transferred me to the Cardiac ICU at Cornell. Within hours, the doctors found a tennis ball sized mass in my chest. We were told it was likely cancer. I remember saying "I can't have cancer. I have a 4 year old and I'm pregnant." Clearly I was wrong. Cancer can affect anyone at any time.

I was diagnosed with primary mediastinal diffuse large b-cell lymphoma (PMBCL). A rare, highly aggressive, and dangerous blood cancer. Fortunately, it is also a cancer that researchers have made huge progress in treating over the last decade, thanks, in large part, to funding from LLS.  My doctors were able to confidently set forth a treatment plan that was not only safe for me, but amazingly also for Taylor (who was still only 23 weeks along at that point). Treatment was very rough, but through it all my doctors always remained positive.

My chemo started immediately. It has to be administered in the hospital for five consecutive days. I needed six rounds like that. I had four rounds while pregnant and two after Taylor was born. I was away from Brynn for 42 days. I was away from Taylor for five days during her first month of life.

Taylor was born on November 7, 2017 absolutely perfect (and with a full head of hair)! Her own immune system was temporarily suppressed because of one of the chemo drugs she received in utero. Luckily, she won't remember her own experiences with blood tests, IVs, oncologist visits, and a hospitalization. At 17 months, Taylor is now a typical toddler - running around, eating snacks, following her big sis, and dancing to Baby Shark. She is THE BEST!

The scary truth is that Taylor and I would not be here today without the research funded by LLS. In the past year, I've seen Taylor take her first steps, dropped Brynn off at her first day of kindergarten, gone on vacation to our happy place, Aruba, had date nights with Dan, and snuggled my girls A LOT. I am forever grateful to LLS for giving this to me.

However, for so many people with blood cancer and other cancers, the outcomes are not like mine. That is why I am asking you to support me by donating here: https://pages.teamintraining.org/nyc/mit19/LMedalie. Together, we can help LLS fund new treatments that will allow others the same prognosis and ability to live full lives with their families.

Thank you!

Lauren Kahn Medalie

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Shabbat Shalom and Happy Memorial Day (read A Rabbi's Sermon on Iwo Jima), and happy Lag B'Omer too.

TBE Bar/Bat Mitzvah Commentary: Yael Everett on Emor

Shabbat Shalom!

A couple of years ago, a speaker came to Bi Cultural who described an organization called “Stars of Hope,” and when my mom told me about it I knew right away that this could be my Bat Mitzvah project, and something that I could continue to support for years to come.

The idea is so simple – to send paint and decorate supportive wooden stars and send them to people dealing with crises.  It is described on their website as being “a unique disaster response and community arts program empowering people to transform communities impacted by natural and human-caused disasters by creating and displaying colorful art and messages of hope and healing.”

I’m a big fan of empathy.  I guess it’s not surprising that when I grow up I want to be a psychologist.  I hope I’ll be able to help people deal with crises in their lives.  So this project really excited me.  It reminded me of what sports stars often do – people like Curtis Granderson, who is always visiting hospitals and schools, and Roberto Clemente, a real hero of mine, who died in a plane crash trying to help people in while on route to deliver aid to earthquake victims in Nicaragua. He was just 38 years old.

I’ve had lots of practice in showing empathy, through my love for my pets.

It all started with Lucky, a cat who was rescued from the streets of New York.  Lucky was not just lucky to be rescued, he was lucky enough to live to the fine old age of 21. Then came our dog Carmel, who is a ten-year-old Labrador. But after Lucky died, I wanted more, so I started begging for kitten. One day when my mom and my dad went out to buy dog food, there was a sign in the store.  That’s how we got our two kittens, Ian and Chad, who are now one year old.  And now, since it’s been a WHOLE YEAR since we got a new pet, I’m trying to convince my parents that it is time for labradoodles.

Yes, I know pet ownership can be complicated.  At one time, we were giving the cats a total of 18 different medications PER DAY. 

Having so many pets has been a real blessing for me – it’s taught me a lot about responsibility, time management and of course – empathy.

In my portion of Emor, a curious passage demonstrates the need to have compassion for animals.

“And whether it be cow or sheep, ye shall not sacrifice it and its young both in one day.”

Why is this the case?  Rambam states in his commentary that this teaches us to empathize with the mother animal, who may not be as smart as a human being, but still has the same emotional connection to its children.

Modern science has shown that animals definitely have feelings.  And when we care for animals, it also teaches us to be more caring of other people.

In my case, that training has gone a long way.

Shabbat-O-Gram

Shabbat-O-Gram

The Shabbat-O-Gram is sponsored by Lisa and Todd Everett, honoring Yael  as she becomes a Bat Mitzvah, and Loralee and Philip Granowitz in honor of the upcoming marriage of Eliza Scheffler and Andy Granowitz. 

 

Our 7th Graders burying books at Beth El Cemetery last week, as they concluded their life cycle curriculum with a visit to the consecrated ground next door.  The class was honored at our annual Aliyah Ceremony on Thursday night.  See photos from the Aliyah Ceremony in our Spring photo album

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Shabbat Shalom!

Mazal tov to Yael Everett, who becomes Bat Mitzvah this Shabbat morning, and to Andy Granowitz and Eliza Scheffler, whose ufruf will also be celebrated at this Shabbat morning's service.  You can find Zachary Lew's d'var Torah from last Shabbat here.

There is still time to plan to join me and over 15 of your fellow TBE congregants at the AJC's Global Forum on June 2-4. Read more about it and register here.  Come to our Annual Meeting this Wed.  We'll be honoring some very special people and sending off our graduating 12th graders.

It's Eurovosion week in Tel Aviv:  Here's what you need to know about why Israel is so crazy about Eurovision.

 

Statement on Reproductive Freedom

 

Below is a statement from the Rabbinical Assembly responding to Alabama's new law.  It reflects my own position on the topic.  See a more detailed explanation of the topic here.

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The Rabbinical Assembly, the international association for Conservative/Masorti rabbis, issued the following statement tonight on Alabama's new abortion law:

The Rabbinical Assembly is deeply troubled by the enacting of today's abortion law in Alabama and believes it should and will be struck down by federal courts. 

Reproductive freedom is again under assault in our nation, beginning today in Alabama, where the state has effectively banned abortions at every stage of pregnancy and criminalized the procedure for doctors.

It is further under attack in other states' so-called Personhood Acts and Life at Conception Acts, including in Georgia, South Carolina, Kentucky, Mississippi and Ohio.

This position is based on our members' understanding of relevant biblical and rabbinic sources as well as teshuvot - modern rabbinic responsas. Jewish tradition cherishes the sanctity of life, including the potential of life which a pregnant woman carries within her, but does not believe that personhood and human rights begin with conception, but rather with birth as indicated by Exodus 21:22-23.

The Committee on Jewish Law and Standards of the Rabbinical Assembly has affirmed the right of a woman to choose an abortion in cases where "continuation of a pregnancy might cause the mother severe physical or psychological harm, or where the fetus is judged by competent medical opinion as severely defective."

Denying a woman and her family full access to the complete spectrum of reproductive healthcare, including contraception, abortion-inducing devices, and abortions, among others, on religious grounds, deprives women of their Constitutional right to religious freedom.

The Rabbinical Assembly supports full access for all women to the entire spectrum of reproductive healthcare and opposes all efforts by government, private entities, or individuals to limit such access or to require unnecessary procedures. We also oppose so-called "personhood" legislation on the federal and state levels that would confer legal rights under the law to a fetus or an embryo.

The RA has consistently supported these reproductive freedoms for nearly 50 years.

However, recent legislative efforts in the United States on both the federal and state levels pose new threats to reproductive freedom, beginning today in Alabama. Other threats include so-called "heartbeat" bills in Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, South Carolina and Ohio.

The Rabbinical Assembly emphatically opposes all such laws and legislative or executive moves.

From Maisel to Shtisel

The Mrs. Maisel Carnegie Deli Food Truck has been making appearances in Manhattan

The proliferation of streaming content providers like Netflix has brought about an unexpected boon in niche viewing.  Suddenly there is an abundance of programs of rich Jewish content that everyone is talking about.  

True, series like "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" and "Srugrim" on Amazon Prime and "Fauda" and "Shtisel" on Netflix are not as popular as "Game of Thrones," but they aren't nearly as bloody...(except maybe for "Fauda.)"  But each of these series provides rich opportunities for exploration of Jewish themes and values; they provide what we rabbi's like to call "teachable moments."   Incidentally, here are seven Jewish facts about "Game of Thrones" for those who are interested.  And in Ha'aretz this week, Don Futterman wrote this regarding "Thrones" and "Avengers: Endgame,"  that other cultural mass-phenomenon of the month:

Both Avengers: Endgame and The Battle of Winterfell are about good vs. evil, the forces of light vs. the forces of darkness, the stuff of adventure stories and romance since time immemorial. But the adversary in both of these epics is actually death; pitting life vs. death, the living vs. the dead, those who worship life vs. those who glorify death.

This is a quintessential Jewish dichotomy. Judaism celebrates life, not death: Jews don't believe that dying or suffering are forms of imitating God. Although Jews honor those who sacrificed themselves to save others, and martyrs who refused to renounce their beliefs, Jews don't make them the subject of devotion, nor aspire to become one of them. Being about the here and now, even our fantasies of the afterlife are sketchy, contested and underdeveloped.

So there are lots of Jewish themes to ponder.  But for American Jews, the response to Maisel and Shtisel in particular has been earthshaking.  So many have come up to me especially regarding Shtisel, asking questions about the little things, like what blessings they say before eating, or the big things, like whether you can marry your cousin.  Here's a good recent article about what the show teaches us.

 

I'm thinking about doing a course exploring the Jewish themes of these programs.  Meanwhile, send me your questions about Shtisel, Maisel, Srugim and Fauda

The Struggle for the Soul of Israel's Democracy

16 May 2019  - by Daniel Sokatch

Read below this chilling summary, by the head of the New Israel Fund. of what is going right now as negotiations are underway to form the new Israeli government. With democratic institutions like independent courts, separation of powers and a free press, being challenged in numerous countries throughout the world - including in the US and Israel - it's important that we understand the implications of what is going on.  Those of us who love Israel can't sit by and allow its democratic foundations to crumble.  And yes, I fully support the NIF, which has been demonized unfairly by the Prime Minister and others.

This week, we learned more about the meaning of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's victory in last month's election. As so many of us feared and suspected, it is now clear that Netanyahu called these elections in large part to protect himself from the criminal indictments the attorney general has recommended be leveled against him. And now the prime minister appears willing to undermine the very institutions of Israeli democracy to avoid justice. Target number one is Israel's independent judiciary.

The basic deal that will form the basis of this next government appears to be the passage of an immunity law tailored to the prime minister himself, as he faces charges of corruption, fraud and breach of public trust. Such a law, which would face an inevitable challenge at Israel's High Court of Justice, comes with an insurance policy: the infamous 'override clause,' designed to take away the Court's powers of judicial review over the decisions of the government and legislation passed by Knesset. This far-reaching change would render the Court's rulings merely suggestions, rather than as carrying the force of law.

As is the case here in the US, the High Court's power of judicial review serves as a check against the most unreasonable overreaches of the other branches. The Court acts to restrain government overreach and safeguard - and indeed expand - human rights and personal liberty. Unsurprisingly, the far-right has long railed against the Court's independence, which has served to undergird and safeguard individual rights in Israel.

It appears that the bargain underpinning the next coalition government between Netanyahu's Likud and the other right wing parties is immunity for Netanyahu in exchange for annexation of (at least some) West Bank settlements and an effort to circumscribe the independence of the High Court of Justice. The deal being cooked behind closed doors would apparently achieve this by neutralizing the Court's power: by taking away its powers of judicial review; by changing the rules by which future justices to the Court are appointed; by packing the court by increasing the seats on the bench by four additional justices; limiting the terms of justices to twelve years; by removing the right of the public to petition the Court directly; and by transforming the role of the attorney general, limiting her or his ability to restrict government decisions in any way, and only provide non-binding legal advice.

It takes a minute to really appreciate the gravity of this.

Let it sink in.

Any one of these changes would represent a major change to Israel's democratic structure. Taken together, they represent an effort to deconstruct the independence of Israel's judiciary.

This week, Israel's Supreme Court president Esther Hayut, speaking from Nuremberg, Germany, warned that democracies are not invincible to the designs of those who seek to dismantle them. "One of the universal lessons we should learn from the historical events I noted is that judicial independence...is one of the most important guarantees that the individual will have an address to turn to in order to protect their rights." As European history reminds us, Constitutions, the rule of law, checks and balances, separation of powers - these defining features of democratic government are only as powerful as citizens make them.

That is why legal scholar and public intellectual Mordechai Kremitzer warned in Haaretz that if a majority in Knesset "can defang the court and set its rulings at naught, Israel's government will be able to do whatever it pleases." That is why he called these proposed new restrictions on judicial independence "a tangible and immediate risk." And that is why he called for "the public to rise up to defend their liberty and rights against those who seek to revoke them."

Well, Israelis are doing just that.

And New Israel Fund can be counted on to rise to this challenge. We will be here for this fight, to support the wide coalition of Israeli civil society organizations leading the public protest and push-back against these threats to Israeli democracy.

Israelis are leading this struggle for the soul of their democracy. It is the assembled voices of Israel's citizenry-the leadership of the opposition, the shapers of public opinion in the media and academia, the organizations of civil society, and the ordinary Israelis whose liberties and lives depend on the democratic protections afforded to them-who will determine the course of Israel's future.

But these Israelis must know that they do not stand alone.

In this moment, they stand shoulder to shoulder with the defenders of democracy here in America and around the world. And they stand shoulder to shoulder with you and me.

Ask the Rabbi (3rd and 4th Grade Edition)

Last week our 3rd and 4th grade classes paid a visit to my office to schmooze about whatever was on their minds.    Here are some of the questions they brought for me:

1. Were you religious growing up?

 

2. Do you keep kosher? Why are Jews commanded to be kosher?

 

3. How do you become a Rabbi?

 

4. What is your favorite Jewish food?

 

5. What is your favorite Hebrew song or prayer?

 

6. Who is your favorite person on the Torah?

 

7. Why is God not mentioned in the Megillah?

 

8. Why are there people who do not like the Jews?

This is just a sampling.  It was a great conversation - and lots of fun - and a real tribute to our teachers and parents - and the kids themselves - that they brought so much depth to the table.   As our Hebrew School year comes to an end this Sunday, this is a perfect time to thank all those who make Jewish learning happen here.  Special thanks to Lisa Gittelman-Udi and our Board of Education as well as the teachers and specialists, for another super year.

So do you want to know how I answered the questions?

You'll have to ask one of our 3rd and 4th graders!  OK, I'll give you one answer - for #4. 

It's latkes.

"Who Will Write Our History" - 

Reflections on the Film 

and Dr Sam Kassow's Visit

by Dan Romanowitz

 

Last week at TBE, historian and author Dr. Samuel Kassow introduced the documentary film "Who Will Write Our History," which is based on his book about the heroic work undertaken by Dr. Emanuel Ringelblum and the Oyneg Shabbos Archive.  Over 200 attended.

In the course of his scholarship, Dr. Kassow explained, he became fascinated with Dr. Ringelblum's life and work, and felt that - even amid a seemingly endless sea of powerful stories from the darkest chapter in Jewish history - this was a story that needed to be told. He was right.

 

The thesis behind Dr. Kassow's book and the incredible documentary - written, produced and directed by acclaimed documentarian Roberta Grossman - is that history is written by the victors, and the way the conquered group is portrayed is always through the eye of the conquerors.

 

A historian, the culmination of Dr. Ringelblum's work was borne out of his understanding that the victors write the story, juxtaposed against the daily decline of Jewish life in Poland under Nazi occupation.

 

Dr. Ringelblum confronted a scenario in which all Polish Jews, and possibly all Jews worldwide, could be eradicated. He also feared that the Nazi agenda was to not only destroy the Jewish people, but also any and all evidence that Jews ever existed. He saw the Nazis attempting to re-write history.

 

Dr. Ringelblum dedicated his life to the collection of photographs, documents, and writings, in the hope that eventually they would be discovered, and the history of Jewish life would be told not through the lens of Nazi videographers and racist propaganda, but through eyewitness accounts of what really happened.

 

Dr. Ringelblum, along with a group of 60 who represented all walks of life, encouraged everyone in the Warsaw Ghetto to write, save and collect, ultimately building an archive of thousands of documents. The cache of documents was buried, and Dr. Ringelblum went into hiding outside the Ghetto walls.

 

In March of 1944, Dr. Ringelblum was found, and became one of the six million Jews murdered during the Shoah.

 

In 1946, after the liberation of Warsaw, the first two canisters were found, and ten more were discovered in 1950. Today, the Oyneg Shabbos Archive of 6,000 documents is housed at the Jewish Historical Institute in Warsaw.

 

Dr. Kassow's book has now been printed in eight languages, and Roberta Grossman's film is available in twelve.

Shabbat-O-Gram for May 10

Shabbat-O-Gram

This Week's Shabbat-O-Gram is sponsored in honor of Zachary Lew's Bar Mitzvah by Leslie Glenn & Neil Katz and Josh Lew & Jamie Ozure

 

Volunteers at Sisterhood's recent Baubles, Bangles and Beads event. Thank you to Stephanie Zelazny for the photo.  See our complete Purim-Passover-Spring album at https://photos.app.goo.gl/D857CjgF2zFBDis2A

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Shabbat Shalom and Happy 71st, Israel!  We'll all celebrate with Mediterranean Shabbat on Friday night.  While Israel celebrates today, it is with a heavy heart following the senseless  murders of four Israeli by Hamas rockets last weekend: 

On Saturday night, Moshe Agadi, a father of four, was killed when a rocket struck his home in Ashkelon when he went out to smoke a cigarette. He was struck by shrapnel to his stomach and chest and was taken by Magen David Adom teams to Barzilai Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Moshe Feder, 64, from Kfar Saba, was killed Sunday afternoon after a Kornet anti-tank guided missile struck a car near the Gaza border between the communities of Yad Mordechai and Sderot.

Ziad Alhamamda was killed after he was critically injured in his chest by shrapnel from a direct strike on a factory in Ashkelon, dying from his wounds shortly after.

Pinchas Menachem Prezuazman, 21 years-old, was also killed Sunday evening after he suffered severe shrapnel injuries to his chest while running to a shelter in Ashdod.
We also mourn the loss of innocent lives among Palestinians, some of whom died because of misfired Hamas rockets, others during Israeli retaliatory attacks.  It is a shame that innocent civilians continue to be pawns and an endless struggle.

Mazal tov to Zachary Lew, who becomes Bar Mitzvah this Shabbat morning.  last weekend we had two b'nai mitzvah. You can read the d'var Torah by Ari Ben-Zvi here.  

Sunday's Bat Mitzvah was very special.  Over the years we've had many b'nai mitzvah services for those with special needs, but rarely has a student shown such spectacular growth while going through our Hebrew School as did Jenny.  Her service was inspirational for her classmates, family and friends. Her dad Dave made some comments and with his permission, I am sharing them with you now.

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First, Lucy & I would like to thank everyone here who came from near and far to celebrate and encourage Jenny on her special day and all those who have helped and encouraged Jenny to get to this point.

Going back 6 years ago Jenny could barely talk, perhaps saying 20 words and she was difficult to understand even when she did say a word.  With intensive therapy by Father's day a year later Jenny came up to me that morning and said clearly "Daddy Eat Watermelon".  This was the first time she had ever put 3 words together.  It was the best Father's Day present ever.

Fast forward a few more years to just before this past Thanksgiving, Jenny woke up at about 6:30 on a Saturday morning and was watching TV while Lucy and I were trying to sleep late.  For an hour we heard the TV-which was much too loud.  All of the sudden Jenny yells out "Good Morning its Breakfast time".  With a big smile we got up and made her breakfast.

And then,  within 2 weeks of that moment came the biggest milestone day ever for Jenny. A day that I never thought would come.  I remember the moment clearly, I looked over at Jenny and all of the sudden I said "Jenny can you just shut up and stop talking for 2 minutes".   That's when I knew I had finally caught up with all the other parents in the world. I was so proud of her.

But that's just the speaking side.  Then there was last weekend. I took her Go-Kart racing with her Hebrew school classmates.  I was not sure she could even drive without crashing, and was afraid she might get hurt, or get kicked off the track for not listening and following instructions.  After a slow cautious 2 laps, she started to make speed and was passing all the other kids.  Watching her I would see her keep it floored, spot some daylight between the walls of the track and her classmates carts, hit the inside of the curve at top speed and pass them all.  The other parents there, were telling me I can't believe your daughter, she's amazing.  Yes she is.  She may not grow up to be Danica Patrick, but it's good to know she has a fallback career as a NYC cab driver.

There are a lot of stories that try to describe how life differs when raising a child with Special Needs.  There is one called "Welcome to Holland" which sugar coats the experience.  There is another one called "Welcome to Beirut" which gives a much harsher reality.  You can access these stories on the internet so I will not go into them.   But I think our Journey with Jenny is not like either.  It resembles more our summer road trips, with an unplanned 4wd off road adventure.  First thing you figure out is there is no map of this country, and the GPS does not work.  It has definitely been a rough road, and progress is difficult and frustrating, but we keep going.  As Jenny likes to say, "Never Give Up".  She does not give up and we never gave up on her.  We encouraged and pushed and had lots of help from a lot of people in this room and some who could not make it today.  We will never forgot what they've done for her.  But most of all I am always amazed with what Jenny can do by not giving up.  She has skied, Ice Skated, Swims faster than anyone I know, can put together a robot, assembles her toys, knows the flags of the countries of the world and all the states.  That's just a few of her abilities.

Jenny is an inspiration to me in her refusing to give up.  Most things come harder to her than other kids, reading, writing, sitting still, speaking and especially listening and paying attention.  On any given day I never know what she will do or resist doing.  Today, whether she would recite everything just like in the rehearsal, we could not know till it was over, and whether she did all of it part of it or none of it today, I would still be just as amazed and proud of her because I knew she had already done what a typical young lady would do for her Bat Mitzvah.  To most a Bat Mitzvah is to acknowledge when someone becomes an adult within the Jewish Community.  Jenny's Bat Mitzvah today represents more than that.  It's her never giving up.

I know everyone here wants to congratulate Jenny at her party.  Jenny likes to give High Fives.  So when you come over to congratulate her, give her a high five and be inspired by this beautiful young lady that does not give up.  And when you encounter challenges in your own life remember her and don't give up either.  

Today is Yom Ha-Atzma'ut, as Israel turns 71

The Shalva Band performs during the main rehearsal of the 71st anniversary Independence Day ceremony, held at Mount Herzl, Jerusalem, on April 6, 2019. (Hadas Parush/Flash90)

The Shalva Band, which dropped its widely supported bid to represent Israel at Eurovision 2019 after organizers refused to budge on the group's request not to perform on Shabbat, performed as the first artists at the state Independence Day ceremony in Jerusalem last night.  The band - made up of musicians with disabilities, some of whom are observant Jews - had been named as a finalist on the reality TV show "Rising Star," which determines Israel's entry for the annual song contest, to be held later this month in Tel Aviv.  Israel had unsuccessfully tried to persuade the European Broadcasting Union to bend the rules to allow the band to compete without performing on Shabbat.

The theme of the celebration this year was "The Spirit of Israel," and this band truly embodies that spirit, as you can see by watching the video below.

The Shalva Band Medley

Here are 71 Things to Love About Israel...  

Send me your additions to this list and I'll share some of them at our service on Friday night!    

https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/71-things-to-love-about-israel/

What is Yom Ha'atzmaut: Israel Independence Day

by Talya Woolf

71. The radio, on Friday afternoons, not only tells you the news and weather every hour, but also tells you the times Shabbat comes in and leaves.

70. The teenagers in the crowd cheer for Israel's lacrosse team by chanting Ashrei.

69. It's cute that Israelis think they know what an omelette is. Or a grilled cheese. Or a milkshake. It's not a chavita, a toast, or a shayk (I feel like Dr. Suess). It's not right, but it's cute.

68. On Shavuot, in the streets of Jerusalem, Haredim and arsim have water fights together, in good fun, just to cool off.

67. When you turn on children's programming randomly, the TV stations and shows center around holidays so that even edutainment is relevant to life.

66. Delivery men kiss your mezuzah even if they don't enter your apartment.

65.  Israelis are everywhere around the world - you walk around Paris on the Rue de Champs Elysees and suddenly you hear HaTikvah on an udd only hours before you fly home.

64. The vegetables and fruits have so much flavor that you start to think you used to eat plastic in the old country.

63. Speaking of, if you're vegan, you'd better start living in Tel Aviv - the vegan capital of the planet.

62. We all call each other "Jew" and no one gets offended.

61. If you're craving the comforts of your old home, you can just head to Ra'anana and find most of it (thanks Meatland!).

60. There's nothing like the excitement and anticipation leading up to the holidays, especially that moment you get to leave the office.

59. The entire country, north to south, gets all excited and teary eyed over the Yoreh (first rains) and the depth of a big puddle in the north (read: Lake Kinneret).

58. Israelis live on hope, even when it's about the fast train from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv.

57. When the rockets and missiles start falling again in the South, houses and hearts across the tiny land open for those who need shelter and a home-cooked meal.

56. Agree or disagree, the joy and passion and love presented in Sarah Tuttle-Singer's posts inspire those feelings in others and reminds us to appreciate each other as people and citizens of Israel.

55. It's 2019, and people may still vote with paper ballots in cardboard boxes decorated with blue construction paper (like in 5th grade), but parents take great pride when they bring their kids to the voting precincts.

54. Goshen (the third best steak in Tel Aviv - and it's kosher, baby!).

53. Israel has 137 official beaches and most have nicknames based on the "types" who occupy them seven months of the year (Hof Metzitzim - go into that one eyes wide open).   Ultra Orthodox beach is next to the LGBT beach, which is next to the kiddie beach which is next to the dog beach

 

52. Uzi's Hummus, the best hummus in the country (did I mention this last year as well? Because they still deserve it).

51. I've become familiar with four areas of Tel Aviv and I still haven't seen it all.

50. If you're a museum lover, then you're in the right place! Per capita, Israel has more than any other country.

49. The dust and the earth here have a smell unlike anywhere else. As I always tell my kids, Israel is a dusty country, but it's special dust.

48. My friend's little daughter was hospitalized the other day and even though our soldiers were busy defending our citizens from rockets, at least a dozen, in full uniform, still found time to visit the children's ward to bring a smile to their faces.

47. Only in Israel could you get into a deep philosophical discussion with a random someone at the bus stop.

46. Everyone in Israel is mishpacha (family). Which basically means that everyone can, and does, tell you what to do. At least they mean it with love.

45. Israeli guys with bouncy curls. Mmmm.

44. Even during rocket season, Israelis keep their sense of humor. "Ehhh, they just wanted to give us fireworks for Eurovision."

43. When leaving Misrad HaPnim (Ministry of the Interior) and the security guard yells at the lady pushing a wheelchair to stop just so he can spray it with WD-40.

42. Only in Israel can you go to your local park and get into an argument with a Russian guy about moving to Israel from the States, but get along great when talking about Communism, Stalin, Russia, and anti-Semitism.

41. Here it might be a bit uncomfortable to talk to someone about the size of eggs ("habeitzim shelahem mamash gdolim. rak tzrichim shtayim!")

40. Beresheet had all Israelis, here and abroad, rooting for the little one to make it all the way to the moon. Little country, big dreams indeed! Next time, like all Israelis, she'll learn how to park.

39. All year, they sell pink and white marshmallows. For Yom HaAtzmaut, they're BLUE AND WHITE.

38. Sandalim with socks!

37. Only in Israel do they post blessings outside of bathrooms (insert dirty joke here).

36. Making aliyah doesn't mean moving away from friends. It means everyone will come HERE to see you (and Israel).

35. Israel has the best slang. "She ate my head with a spoon!" Whut.

34. Israelis are "sick" over their contractions (what I like to call smash-ups): shnahtz, motzash, natbag, or just make up your own. It won't even cost you a shnekel, achi.

33. The glorious, dreamy, and golden sunsets on the sandy Netanya beaches.

32. Israel is so entirely international. I have friends who are French, Ethiopian, South African, Russian, Israeli, German, Italian, Japanese, and British.

31. Sarona Market. The food, of course, but don't ignore the action outside. Music, dancing, energy!

30. I didn't used to like halva, the weird sesame dessert thing, but when it's available everywhere in hundreds of flavors, you just can't help yourself.

29. Graffiti and street art are everywhere. Want to see some of it? If you live here, look around. If you live in chul ("chutz la'Aretz" or Outside of the Land), follow me on Instagram @tdrissman.

28. Did you know Israeli paper money has Braille on it? I didn't either.

27. Israelis are awesome volunteers. Roughly a third of them volunteer their time somewhere. You can't just say they're brash - you also have to talk about their softer side.

26. We all know that Israelis are overachievers (startup nation, y'all), but their palm trees also work hard, producing 10 times as many dates as the average (about 182kg per year). We gotta eat!

25. David Jablinowitz and his bus stories always warm the heart. If you're lucky, you'll be featured in one! And now he has a podcast, so you have no excuse but to be informed and entertained.

24. Our family found snow up north this winter. Being a Michigander, I loved it. My kids are Israelis - one afternoon was enough.

23. Acre is super multicultural, historic, and gorgeous. If you haven't made it there yet, take a day. Take money. Take your time.

22. If you're a spelunker or just an admirer of caves and natural beauty, head waaaay up north to Rosh HaNikra. Bluer than blue and the world's steepest cable car.

21. In Jerusalem, there is a family tattoo parlor that has been inking religious pilgrims for 700 years. That's what I call staying power.

20. The most delicious meat and "cheese" nachos you can find (and is shockingly kosher) is at Crave in Jerusalem. It's worth the trip, but you won't want to share.

 

19. A more earthly set of beauty can be found, where else, on all the Tel Aviv beaches playing matkot, sunning themselves shamelessly, or playing beach volleyball. I will always say that dads with their kids are the sexiest.

18. Animals! Kangaroo Park in the north, Monkey Reserve in Modi'in, the Safari and Zoo in Ramat Gan, the Biblical Zoo in Jerusalem - love LOVE LOVE!

17. The amazing Ilana Goor Museum. A stranger walked by me this past year, asked for directions, and then passionately told me that I HAD TO GO. A curio cabinet of a house, it's a historic building filled with art, her own work included, which was all designed by the artist herself. Seriously eye-boggling.

16. Israel takes therapy very seriously. Haifa University has a medical clowning program - the world's only official college program focused on clown therapy. Not of the "It" variety.

15. Eilat feels like a paradise unto itself. People go south to vacation and literally never leave (Hotel California by choice). The beaches, the aquarium, the dolphin reef, coral beaches, the underwater observatory, Petra, shopping tax-free, friendly cabbies, amazing diving... shall I go on?

14. Israeli television shows used to be nothing to brag about. Now they are so good they're picked up by major television studios. Add these to your list and make some popcorn: Fauda, Mossad 101, Shababnikim, Shtisel (just renewed for a third season), and best of all, When Heroes Fly.

13. The little, but delicious, winery inside the Scots Hotel in Tiberias (used to be operated by the Scottish Church). While you're there, check out the hotel itself. Somehow those Israelis make those plaid pants look great.

12. EUROVISION! Americans, educate yourself. It is no joke.

11. This year, Tel Aviv celebrates 110 years of history, architecture, beaches, food, nightlife, sunshine, and markets galore. It's most definitely the year to visit.

10. You never have to walk far to find a vegetable/fruit stand. Maybe that's why Israelis have an average lifespan of 82.5 years and are listed as fifth for health longevity. L'Chaim!

9. The Israel National Trail is a hiking trail 683 miles long from north to south; it traverses a wide range of landscapes, flora and fauna, and a diversity of cultures. These boots were made for walking and walking and walking and walking.

8. Even little Israelis as young as 2 and 3 stand quietly for sirens which remind us of the cost of having our country. And we worry about those little Israelis growing up as we pray for peace. We feel fear and pride as we think of them, tall and handsome, wearing those Israeli green uniforms and defending our country.

7. Let's talk business. Israel ranks fifth overall on the 2019 Bloomberg Innovation Index (moving up five places from last year) and in R&D, we're number one. Makes me wish I could grow up to be a venture capitalist.

6. We're super knowledgeable about the bird and the bees *wink wink.* I mean literally. Israel has 545 resident species of bird, and the 500 MILLION twice-yearly bird migration across Israel has been called the eighth wonder of the world. Israel also has 500 beekeepers with a total of 110,000 hives and an annual yield of 3,000 tons of honey. Sweeet.

5. Israelis are smart and educated with the highest number of engineers and scientists per capita. Which means that if you start arguing with someone on the bus, you'd better know what you're talking about.

4. Arab Israelis make up 21 percent of the Israeli population and have created breakthrough inventions from science and medicine (think along the lines of nanotech array tech or neurobiological basis for emotions) to technology (really really really tiny computers) to biochemistry (synthesizing homogeneous proteins for a variety of structural and functional studies) and more. That's a brainful!

3. The seriousness we feel, the depth of our feelings of personal loss on Yom HaZikaron when we remember our fallen soldiers and those murdered in terrorist attacks. Israel is such a small country that everyone knows someone. The tears that spill from our heart even as we push through the pain, keep insisting on not just surviving, but living and thriving. As Jews. As strangers name their new babies after the dead. Because that's what and who we are. And we stand together singing HaTikva, shoulder to shoulder, lighting candles as the sun goes down and the fireworks go up.

2. Mangalim to celebrate! Shipudim! Shnitzel! Ktzitzot! Inflatable hammers and waving flags! Smiles on everyone's faces. Chag Sameach to everyone - Happy birthday, Israel! PARTY PARTY PARTY! Even Wonder Woman parties here.

1. Always and forever at the top of the list: I don't have to be jealous of people living here, constantly posting pictures of loving family, amazing food, nifty tours and locations, and views of cliffs and valleys because, finally, I am the one living here. Israel is home - MY home - and there's nowhere like it on earth.