Come celebrate Shabbat Chanukkah with your extended Temple Emanuel Family! Join us at 6:30PM for Chanukkah food followed by Shabbat Chanukkah service at 7:30 PM with the TE Band! Bring your own Chanukkiah and let’s fill the sanctuary with light on this very special Chanukkah Shabbat! Please RSVP online so we have enough food for everyone!
“I think music in itself is healing. It’s an explosive expression of humanity. It’s something we are all touched by. No matter what culture we’re from, everyone loves music.” — Billy Joel
Music has always been an integral part of TE, one of its defining features. Every time I ask our members about the most inspiring aspects of our communal life, music gets mentioned the most. Rabbi Jerry z’’l and his guitar have helped nurture multiple generations of TE members, elevating their experience in ways that only music knows how: by directly touching our souls.
For the last 15 years, I have been privileged to carry it forward, blessed with so much support and encouragement from our TE community, and partnering with our amazing band under the leadership of the incredible Laurel Shader. Being together and singing together makes my soul soar on any given Shabbat or Festival, as I am lifted by the beautiful harmonies that we create, filling our sanctuary with sound.
In 2016, when we said our final goodbyes to our teacher and our friend, we immediately began thinking of ways to institutionalize Rabbi Jerry’s legacy at TE. What better way to remember the man whose Hebrew name was Shir than with music? Generations of adults and children at TE have been entertained by Rabbi Jerry’s magic tricks and thus the name of our annual celebration was born: Shir Magic.
Every year we get to sing with one of the leading voices in contemporary Jewish music, celebrating Rabbi Jerry’s legacy. What a blessing it is! Every artist is different, but every single one of them has been blown away by what they find at TE — a community that gathers to sing (and knows so many of their songs and melodies already!)
This year’s Shir Magic artist is Eliana Light, an incredibly talented musician, educator and performer. Eliana envisions a joyful, vibrant, heart–centered Judaism that speaks to the soul and moves the spirit, reminding us that we all are One. She holds sacred space, writes music, trains educators, and consults with communities to bring this vision to life. Eliana’s music has enriched the Temple Emanuel services and celebrations over the years, and some of her songs have become a staple in our High Holy Day and Festival services for children and adults alike.
Last year, as we were still reeling from the events of October 7th, our Shir Magic concert with Elana Arian had given us a lifeline, helping us to breathe a little deeper breaths. Some of the music she shared with us that evening continues to sustain me over this difficult year. I know that Eliana Light will help us sing and heal together this year, and I cannot wait to share the experience of her music and her teaching with all at TE this year. And of course, the TE band will make a special appearance that evening.
Eliana will spend the entire weekend December 6-8 with our community as our musician–in–residence. Join us on Friday December 6 at 6pm for an everybody–friendly musical, meaningful service! We’ll sing, connect, and delight in Shabbat together with Eliana.
On Saturday, December 7 at 10am we’ll enjoy a Shabbat morning experience of songs, stories, and snuggles: Shabbat morning for kiddos 0-5 and their grown-ups are invited to build community. We’ll snack, schmooze, sing, and connect with each other. No Shabbat experience required!
The day will culminate with our Shir Magic concert at 7pm — come and witness the magic of Eliana Light in person! Get your tickets ahead of time and please consider becoming a sponsor. I look forward to sharing this special musical evening with you!
Yopu can hear some of Eliana’s beautiful music here.
In a recent article, I mused on the differences between being President of Temple Emanuel now as opposed to being President during my initial term 15 years ago. The major difference is that 15 years ago we were concerned about safety and security, but not to the degree we need to focus on now. I have come to depend on Joe Kanell on issues concerning the safety and security of our TE community (as did my immediate predecessors). Joe would coordinate with the Orange Police, our outside security company, and with our TE greeters. He helped keep us safe, while working hard to avoid making anyone uncomfortable. Joe was always available to help. I can’t overstate how much I have come to depend on his sage advice. This September, Joe will be stepping down from his voluntary role. His duties will now be handled by Howard Koenig. Howard, who has been well trained by Joe, is a worthy successor. It is a thankless job for a volunteer, but it doesn’t have to be. When you see Joe, be sure to let him know how much you appreciated his service (he will probably blush). Also, thank Howard for taking on this important position (and let him know if you are available to help).
Another major change is that while we are a very social congregation, the pandemic kept us from fully gathering for several years. Happily, we are fully back now. On June 21st we celebrated Rabbi Farbman’s 15th anniversary at TE, as well as his birthday. We had a well-attended Shabbat dinner, a special service, and a special Oneg to celebrate. We are very fortunate to have the Farbman family as part of our community.
On August 2nd, we had our always meaningful Shabbat On The Beach. The weather was expected to be stormy, but Rabbi Farbman arranged to have the rain hold off till after the Oneg was complete (nothing should ever stand between this congregation and food).
We have many other future events, both spiritual and social. On Friday, September 6th we will have our annual BBQ and Shabbat Under the Stars. This is a great combination of both the social and spiritual cores of TE. It is always a successful (and meaningful) event and I hope to see everyone there.
The High Holy Days are fast approaching. While I will be reaching out to many of you, feel free to contact me if you would like to participate in the services or other activities (you can either email me, call me, or talk to me at TE —you may have noticed I like to talk).
Thank you for making our TE community so wonderful.
Elul (אלול) is the name of the month in our Jewish calendar that immediately precedes the Jewish New Year and High Holy Days. The month of Elul is one that fulfills the promise of drawing closer, awakening our inner lives through the call of the shofar, and preparing ourselves for the joy and renewal of the holiday season.
A recently published companion to Mishkan T’filah provides us with additional liturgical and poetic sources, allowing us to deepen our sense of approaching High Holy Days. We also begin to blow the shofar in the month of Elul, the sound piercing our souls and reminding us to engage in the process of introspection and preparation.
In an average year, the month of Elul tends to fall on August, with only a tail of it landing in September — and so it often gets ‘lost’ in the end of the summer routines, the beginning of the new school year and all that goes with it. This year, the High Holy Days fall in October, so we get a chance to experience the month of Elul in its fullest.
Before we arrive at Rosh Hashanah, we get to pause and consider our lives, engage in the practice of cheshbon hanefesh, accounting of the soul. Before we come together for the full liturgical experience of the holiest days of our year, we get to slowly prepare. The culmination of the month of Elul is the Selichot service on the last Saturday night before Rosh Hashanah, when we begin to recite the penitence prayers and chant the haunting melodies that are so familiar to us from the Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur liturgy.
Four New Haven area Reform synagogues come together for Selichot services, taking turns in hosting the gatherings. This year, on Saturday September 28th at 7pm we will gather at Temple Beth David in Cheshire. We will say goodbye to Shabbat with a brief Havdalah ceremony, and we will get a chance to hear from Judge Douglas Lavine, the co-chair of the Connecticut Hate Crimes Advisory Council (of which I am a member), who will speak about Restorative Justice and Forgiveness, an incredibly fitting topic for the night of Selichot. The evening will conclude with a special service, led by all of the rabbis and cantors and choirs from all of our synagogues, a very special annual gathering that will allow us to prepare for the holy days ahead.
This year the ‘late’ start for the High Holy Days offers us a gift: experiencing the month of Elul in its fullness. Come and enjoy Friday night Shabbat service, join Saturday morning Torah study and get ready for the Days of Awe together!
Joint URJ Selichot service (hosted by Temple Beth David, Cheshire) Saturday, Sep 28, 7.00 pm. Keynote by Judge Douglas Lavine “Restorative Justice and Forgiveness”
Erev Rosh Hashanah Wednesday, October 2, 8:00 PM
Rosh Hashanah I day – Thursday, October 3, 10 am
Rosh Hashanah Children’s Service Thursday, October 3, 9:45 AM
Tashlich Thursday, October 3, immediately after the kiddush
Rosh Hashanah II Day Friday, October 4, 10 am
Kol Nidrei (Erev Yom Kippur) Friday, October 11, 8pm
Yom Kippur Morning Saturday, October 12, 10 am
Yom Kippur Children’s Service Saturday, October 12, 9:45 AM
Yom Kippur Mincha Saturday, October 12, 4:00 PM
Yizkor, Neila and Havdalah Saturday, October 12, 5:30 PM (followed by community-wide break-the-fast)
Erev Sukkot Wednesday, October 16, 6:30 PM
Erev Simchat Torah Wednesday, October 23, 6:00 PM
Introduction to Judaism Class will begin on Wednesday, September 18, 2024 at 7:30 p.m. The first two weeks are in person, most subsequent sessions will be online. This class will allow you to learn more about your Jewish heritage or prepare you or a loved one for the process of conversion. This is a combined course offered under the auspices of the New Haven Board of Rabbis and Cantors, with a number of synagogues co-sponsoring. This 20+ week class explores the basics of Judaism, including history, prayer, sacred texts, and holiday celebrations.
Each student will need a rabbinic sponsor.
The cost of the class is $72 for members of an area Jewish congregation, or $180 for non-members.
Your Tikkun Olam Committee encourages your active support and participation with the following activities. Please read The Shofar and the weekly Shofar Blasts for more information concerning all of these projects.
Interfaith Volunteer Service Day Sunday, August 4th
Please join with a group of TE volunteers and those from other congregations for an interfaith day of service. This is a perfect hands-on Tikkun Olam activity for family participation. Jean Silk, Coordinator
3rd Annual Reverse Tashlich (A Rosh Hashanah tradition) Sunday, September 22nd (rain date Sunday, October 6th)
Partner with “Repair the Sea” and “Save the Sound” to remove litter from our local beaches. This is a perfect hands-on Tikkun Olam activity for family participation. Rebecca Cohen, Karen Fenichel, and Adam Spiewak, Coordinators
31st Annual High Holy Days Food Drive October 2nd – October 16th (Through the Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and Sukkot holidays)
Donate non-perishable food to be distributed to the food pantries of both the Jewish Family Service (JFS) and the Town of Orange. Monetary donations can also be sent directly to these two food pantries. Let’s help those in need right here in our own communities. Will Sherman, Coordinator
22nd Annual Thanksgiving Frozen Turkey and Pie Collection October 27th – November 17th (Pre-Thanksgiving)
Donate frozen turkeys, pies, & all the “fixins” to be delivered to the Downtown Evening Soup Kitchen (DESK). Let’s surpass last year’s collection of 125 turkeys and help make Thanksgiving special for those in need. Drivers will also needed to transport the turkeys. Jeffrey Levinson, Coordinator
Religious School Chanukah Baskets Project December 6th – December 22nd
Toys, books, games, clothing, gift cards, and personal hygiene/care objects to be donated to JFS, r’Kids Family Center, Fair Haven Community Health Center, JCARR, and Fellowship Place. Maddy Sussman, Olga Markus, and the Religious School students, staff, and parents
Abraham’s Tent January – March (One week; dates to be determined)
Prepare/serve dinner and socialize with a small group of selected homeless men, coordinated by the Columbus House Homeless Shelter. This is a great hands-on activity. This activity may be coupled with a monetary collection to benefit Columbus House and all their programs. Barb Levine-Ritterman and Lee Stolzman, Coordinators
Mishloach Manot and Diaper Drive February 2nd – March 9th
The mitzvah of giving Mishloach Manot is derived from the Book of Esther which enjoins the Jewish people to send portions of food to one another and gifts to the poor. As in the past, TE will distribute a selection of Purim treats and we will continue our tradition of collecting diapers and monetary donations to support The Connecticut Diaper Bank. Michelle Bailey, Rochelle Kanell, and Rise’ Siegel, Coordinators for the Diaper Drive
Beth-El Pasta Collection Purim, March 14th
The Religious School children and the adult Megillah reading participants will use boxes of pasta as groggers to drown out the name of Haman during the Purim service. The pasta will then be donated to the Beth-El Homeless Shelter & Soup Kitchen in Milford. A pasta collection box will be available in the lobby. Nancy Weber, Coordinator
Religious School Purim Mitzvah Project Purim, March 16th
“Blessing Bags” with notes from the Religious School children containing personal hygiene/care objects will be donated to the homeless program of Fellowship Place. “Welcome baskets” will be donated to Columbus House. These projects are sponsored by the Tzedakah Fund collected by the Religious School students. Olga Markus and the Religious School students, staff, and parents
In addition to all the above Tikkun Olam Projects, members of Temple Emanuel are actively involved in a variety of additional activities and we urge your active support and participation with the following:
Jewish Community Alliance for Refugee Resettlement (JCARR)
A partnership of six local synagogues and the Jewish Federation of Greater New Haven, JCARR has helped welcome and relocate a number of refugee families from around the world. Your ongoing support and assistance in a variety of ways is greatly appreciated. Jean Silk, Coordinator
Congregations Organized for a New Connecticut (CONECT)
Keeping within our Jewish values of “Justice, justice you shall pursue,” CONECT is an organization devoted to social and economic justice, gun violence and health insurance issues, police reform, and immigration rights. CONECT is currently seeking a Temple Emanuel liaison. Please contact the Rabbi if you’re interested.
Beth-El Homeless Shelter & Soup Kitchen (in Milford)
In addition to a variety of collections, volunteers from TE prepare and serve dinner on the first Tuesday of every month. This is a great hands-on activity. Nancy Weber and Rachel Suchoff, Coordinators
When members of our community and our loved ones fall ill, we add their names to the Misheberach list that we read before reciting the prayer for healing, inviting us all to hold the community members in our prayers, alongside our own loved ones and friends. We often use the traditional formula of using someone’s Hebrew name to preserve the anonymity of the person, and at other times we use the full name, thus sharing the news of illness with wider TE community, reminding people to reach out and call/visit a friend. (Please note, according to our tradition you should ALWAYS check with the person you want to pray for whether they are comfortable with their name recited in public or added to the list read out in the synagogue)!
The prayer for healing is traditionally recited during the Torah service. In addition, a slightly different version of the prayer for healing is part of a weekday Amidah, which is not recited on Shabbat as part of our liturgy, when the 13 ‘middle’ blessings/petitions are replaced with one special blessing for Shabbat.
The words of Debbie Friedman’s Misheberach have become a staple of our Shabbat services, as it did in numerous communities all around the world – the powerful music, the inspiring words, combined with an opportunity to offer a communal prayer for healing have become an essential part of our Shabbat services. TE’s spiral-bound prayerbook Seder T’filot Emanuel has included the text of this prayer at the end of a Friday night Amidah, and it continues to be one of the most powerful elements of the service for so many of us. New words and new melodies continue to be written, and we often add the new prayers for healing to our services – but the presence of the prayer for healing in all our Shabbat and Festival services remains a constant.
Over the years our Misheberach list became surprisingly long. And while there is definitely a long accepted tradition of appointing an emissary to pray for one’s health if you can’t make it to the synagogue, our current minhag, or custom, that evolved at TE has led to the breakdown of the original intent of the prayer for healing: to be offered in person with intentionality.
Rabbi Dr. Daniel Landes, in My People’s Prayerbook, remarks:
“The Mi Sheberakh is not a magical incantation. It obligates the [pray-er] to give tzedakah and to pray personally on behalf of the person for whom the prayer is given. It summons us all to recognize our own utter powerlessness in the face of illness.”
The TE Ritual Committee discussed this at length at a recent meeting and agreed to modify our current practice. If you are thinking of a loved one, a family member or a friend, and would like to pray for their health – please come to Shabbat service, in person or online, and please think of them as you add their name – publicly or privately, to our communal prayer for healing. If you hear of someone’s acute illness and want to add their name (and you can’t get there yourself), please call/email the office, and the name will be added to our list, which will continue to be read every Shabbat. When the person gets better, please remember to let us know so we can remove their name from the list – we love hearing good news! After the name has been on the list for about a month, the list will ‘reset.’ Please note, the names of all TE members struggling with illness will remain on the list without any time limit.
I invite you to use the opportunity of the Misheberach prayer in our services to think of and to pray for healing for your loved ones. May all who are in need of healing be blessed with the love, care and support they need.
by Peter Stolzman
For most Jews, the Torah elicits a variety of feelings and meanings. The scrolls we use in our worship services teach us the lessons and history of the Hebrew people. Some think of the Torah as the divine word of G-d, others feel it is a chronological history of the beginnings of a people.
When the ark is opened and the Torah scrolls are revealed we can look in awe. It awakens a spiritual longing in many as well as a deep connection with who we are and what we are called upon to do. However, we relate to the text it is a symbol, perhaps the primary one, of our identity.
Temple Emanuel is currently home to six Torahs. Some we know a piece of their history and some we are less knowledgeable about. The following is a brief history of our Torah scrolls.
When Temple Emanuel first came together as a community in 1962, we did not have a Torah of our own. Instead, our student rabbi, Robert Goodman, would use a borrowed scroll when needed. In 1967, using our first Torah he performed a triple bar mitzvah for Andrew Levine, Jeff Lipson and Danny Salzman at the JCC in New Haven. TE had just acquired its first Torah, the Holocaust Torah.
Written in 1880, the Holocaust Torah was used in Horazdovice, Czechoslovakia. During WW2 it was “collected” along with other articles of Jewish life, by the Nazis. The scroll’s congregation was exterminated. After the war, this Torah and approximately 1500 others were found and transported to Westminster Synagogue in London, United Kingdom. The synagogue had the room to store them and set about the task of having them restored and repaired. Once in good condition, they were given on permanent loan, to newly established congregations around the world. TE’s Lois and Paul Levine traveled to London to get ours. In 1967 we received #1178, our first scroll.
On a visit to Westminster, I was told that the restoration had been very slow and was expensive, as only trained scribes could do the work. However, in 1965 an itinerant scribe, David Brand, knocked on the door and asked if they might have any work? Twenty years later and after 770 Torahs, he had repaired all he could.
In 2007 this Torah was retired as it needed repairs. It was placed in a display case in the TE lobby until the congregation was able to restore it and return it to active service. It was returned to the Ark in 2020. Every family that wished to be invited to work with the scribe and restore a letter thus fulfilling the commandment to write a Torah. It was a wonderful experience. This Torah is easily recognized as the tallest and lightest in our ark. It is written in Beit Yosef font and is unglazed, making it lighter than a glazed scroll.
In addition to the Holocaust Torah, Temple Emanuel acquired two Torahs in 1979 from Beth Israel in Derby, and in 1981 from Temple Rodeph Shalom of Ellenville, NY. The Ellenville scroll is a small, in height, Torah. It is glazed so it is heavy and is approximately 100 years old. It is originally from Romania and is currently in our ark along with the Holocaust Torah and a medium sized Torah, on permanent loan from the Jewish Home for the Aged by way of the Jewish Federation. We received this Torah in 2021.
The Torah scroll from Beth Israel in Derby was originally from Germany and is about 100 years old. It is said to have “beautiful writing” and is housed in a separate portable ark.
The other gift from Beth Israel, is a Polish Torah. It is housed in the Rabbi’s office awaiting restoration. It is about 90 years old.
Our final Torah is displayed in TE’s lobby. This Torah is also on loan from the Jewish Home for the Aged through the Jewish Federation. We received it around 2020. It is not kosher as it is not in perfect condition and is unrepairable. While we cannot use it for services it is a welcome reminder of who we are when we enter the Temple. It also provides an up-close view of the text and how a Torah is written.
You can learn more about the making of a Torah scroll here.
Some information in this article was gathered from Congregation Beth El’s (Berkeley, CA) website and Temple Emanuel archives and interviews with past and present congregants.
As I explained in my last column, there are times when I find it difficult to write for the Shofar. While I enjoy communicating with our congregation, a column is a one-way communication, and I miss the interaction that one gets when talking with another. This month is different – I have an idea for the column, and the words are jumping onto the page.
As President of TE, I, of course, am aware of various events taking place at the Temple. School is no exception. I am informed by Olga as to various events and happenings that will occur at the school over the coming weeks. While hearing the short-term calendar is impressive, it is incredible to hear the entire school year in review. Every April the Finance Committee of TE formulates a budget for the coming TE year. Part of that process involves a report by Olga and Rabbi Farbman concerning the school. They prepared a slide show that reviewed all the events of the current school year. Hearing and seeing them all at once floored me. The frequency and innovation of events was incredible to hear. As one of the Finance Committee members said, “I wish I could come back as a 5th grader.” In times when the religious institutions are having trouble attracting and retaining members, TE is doing amazingly well. A major reason for this is the work of the Rabbi and Olga. Olga will deliver a report on the school as part of our annual meeting (which this year will be June 2nd at 6 pm). I encourage all to attend, if for no other reason than to hear how well our school is doing. The framework for our school was created by Susan Pinsky Bleeks (and the work of Janet Adams). Olga has used that foundation to move forward. It should be no surprise that TE is doing well and our students enjoy going to Religious School.
