Category: Featured

Taking care of the stranger in the strange land

sharing our journeys…
sharing circle says goodbye to Sam
pre-shabbat talk
Teens
singing with Rabbi
cooking!

The three weeks between the 17th of Tammuz and the 9th of Av are a period of mourning in Jewish tradition. On the 17th of Tammuz the walls of Jerusalem were breached, and on the 9th of Av the Temple was destroyed. According to the Jewish tradition, both the First and the Second Temple were destroyed on the 9th of Av, and so over the centuries that date also absorbed the mourning for other catastrophes that have befallen our people: the Khmelnitsky pogroms, and the 1492 expulsion from Spain (the decree was actually signed on that day, in a carefully orchestrated nod to history), among many others.

It is a complicated date in modern history – while the world is not complete, and the Temple is gone, the City of Jerusalem is alive and vibrant, and very much rebuilt. Many Jews continue to fast on this day and lament the ancient destruction, and recite the mournful verses of Eicha, Lamentations. Others look for ways to engage in meaningful Jewish experiences, performing Mitzvot big and small.

Upon my return from Israel (where I, sadly, contracted COVID and missed a part of the Shalom Hartman Institute’s Rabbinic Torah seminar), I learned that there are many Ukrainian refugees who have found their way to Spain, and that the local Jewish community was organizing many programs for kids and adults, with support of the World Union for Progressive Judaism’s Ukraine Crisis Fund. Dedicated volunteers and coordinators were working very hard to create special summer experiences for these children displaced by war, and they really needed help.

Samuel Farbman and I boarded a flight to Barcelona – we were there for a week, to support the local Jewish community and the refugees in any way we could. We brought some supplies -mostly electronics that are cheaper in the US. We bought additional supplies there, thanks to the continued generosity of so many TE members and friends. As many of you saw, I tried to post brief reports of our experiences while we were there, and am reproducing some of those notes here as a summary. The 9th of Av fell right in the middle of our trip – we were so grateful for this opportunity to do something meaningful, helping to heal the world, and our people.

Stories, powerful stories… I met with a group of refugees who were sharing some of their journeys of the past 5 months, of their lives before and since the war, of travel for leisure and of running to safety… The human resilience that comes through the trauma, the humor and wisdom and an overwhelming sense of loss. Tears and laughter… We helped with shopping (including getting a cake for one of the volunteers who celebrated her birthday), sang some songs with kids, and met with a few families. I gave a talk about the upcoming 9th of Av and led Shabbat services (in Russian, simultaneously translated into Spanish by an amazing local coordinator, with readings in Spanish, Catalan, Russian and of course Hebrew). Sam helped set up all the computers we brought, played (and cooked pizza) with kids (all of whom demanded to know if he would stay with them permanently), and was answering a myriad of questions that kids and adults had for him all day. Shabbat was all (well, mostly) about teens. It was beautiful and amazing – and perhaps the toughest so far… They giggled and were all age-appropriate while they introduced themselves – many have begun to form friendships; some only met for the first time, traveling from multiple towns around Barcelona just for the chance to be with other teens. And then I asked them about the last 5 months – the depth of their experiences, which they are altogether too young for, and the way they chose to speak about it left me sitting quietly and holding my breath for a while. I spoke to them about Tisha B’Av and the pain our people have carried for thousands of years, while finding the strength to build our lives with optimism, and laugh, and have joy. A most powerful experience indeed. Sam got to talk to them about education in America, a subject that was very much interesting, and fielded a ton of questions.

With our help the leaders organized a boat trip for the teens – they have been dying to do something special and fun, and we were so excited to help make it happen! Later on, Sam got a chance to produce the largest bill in his life by treating everyone to some food. The teens spent the day together, and for most of the time, it felt almost normal. This may not have been the most traditional start to the 9th of Av, but it was one of the most meaningful ones we have ever experienced.

Singing together after Shabbat service

The next two days were quite busy: together with a group of refugees, we toured the old Barcelona and the old Jewish quarter – it was a little surreal to talk about Spanish Jewish history on the exact day Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand signed the Edict of Expulsion of the Jews from Spain; not to mention seeing the stones from the Jewish cemetery used in the construction of the Royal palace. Happily, though, signs of support for Ukrainian refugees were everywhere – banners, posters and Ukrainian flags. Then, back to the synagogue (and air conditioning) for a chance to talk with Sam about education in America (which continued to draw lots of questions!), followed by a self-organized trip of the ‘travel club’ to the botanical gardens, led by one of the young refugees (a student of botany), who showed us some fascinating plants! Then we transferred to Pineda, a small seaside town where many of the refugee families have been living for many months now. We spent the day with the kids – on the beach, and in the park, and I also met with a number of people who wanted to talk one-on-one. Later that evening, Sam joined a group of teens, and I gathered with a group of grown-ups, talking about life, war, politics, and everything in-between while sitting in a circle on the local beach. It was a little surreal to be surrounded by thousands of people in a seaside vacation town – it’s easy to think that all these families are also here on vacation, except that of course they are NOT – they are trying to figure out the rest of their lives. So many of them were well established, with comfortable lives, businesses, plans and dreams that most certainly did not involve even the idea of having to leave their entire lives behind, but now most of them feel they have no choice but to make that choice (even as they hope they can get back).

Back in Barcelona, Sam was immediately absorbed by a gaggle of kids, while I met with the local coordinator who has been pouring her heart and soul into creating the infrastructure of support for this community of displaced people – a yeoman’s job. Later, a group of a dozen coordinators, psychologists and supporters came together – sharing their plans, and asking both of us for advice and support. They were MAGNIFICENT. We were both in awe of their creativity and resourcefulness. We got to treat them to some afternoon sushi while they worked, a well-deserved symbolic offering (which apparently was just what the doctor ordered). The day continued with more conversations, too many to count at this point, but all so clearly needed. The next day we packed our bags and came back for a final few hours with the kids (who have all decided that Sam needs to have lots more holiday time and come spend it with them!), and a few final projects/conversations/meetings, before hopping in a taxi.

We couldn’t wait to be home, and yet we knew we cannot fully disconnect from this amazing community. Our trip came to an end, but the stories will continue to reverberate in our minds and our hearts.

Celebrating a TE milestone

A few years ago, while sorting through some of the archives of Temple Emanuel, and marveling at some of the history (including terrific photos and a collection of the old Shofar editions, going all the way back to typed-up pages from 1966), I flipped to one of the first issues — December 1969  — and found a message from then-President, Paul Levine:

“Last year after considerable, careful thought we put out a mini-leaflet which we feel is true to the spirit of our congregation. In it we described ourselves as “… a new temple for creative judaism”. It was no accident that “temple emanuel” and its description appeared in lower case letters. This device signified to us that the institution was no more important than its congregants… An institution such as ours must serve the needs of its members. But the rabbi, officers and board are not all-wise in guessing the needs of the members. Realizing this, last summer Rabbi Winer, together with an officer or board member visited nearly every congregant’s home to solicit views and ideas. Many worthwhile innovations followed. One or two ideas flopped. But if we profess to be “a new temple for creative judaism” we must continue to be willing to change where desirable. Therefore, I solicit your ideas and your help in carrying them out. Our temple is a very precious concept. Let’s care enough to have it serve us properly.”

Having stumbled upon this paragraph by accident, I have been returning to it, day after day, month after month, and pondering the legacy of our early “pioneers”. While we no longer spell Temple Emanuel’s name in lower case letters, we remain committed to the principles of “creative Judaism”, and especially to our identity as a community, rather than an institution. We remain governed by committed lay leaders who do not presume to be all-knowing, and continuously encourage ALL members to share their vision, as well as their energy, in making TE the kind of a community we all need it to be.

The last two years of living through a pandemic has reminded us all of the importance of this pioneering spirit of TE’s founding members. We had to learn “new tricks” as we all adapted to services, religious school, education and even social gatherings online. With vision and foresight, we were also able to continue our efforts to expand our building and upgrade our lobby and kiddush lounge into much more welcoming spaces, preparing us for the joy of re-entering our building once again. We were (and remain) creative, even as we work hard to preserve the essence of our community: a welcoming Jewish space where everyone gets to explore their own Jewish journeys. A place to educate the next generation of Jewish children. A synagogue. A place to belong.

As we enter the year 2022, we get a chance to celebrate a milestone that most of our founding members likely could not have imagined – the 60th anniversary of Temple Emanuel! We will celebrate this year with an amazing treat – a visit from one of the most inspiring composers of contemporary Jewish music, Noah Aronson (make sure to save April 2 as the date of our next Shir Magic concert)! We will have a family and religious school celebration of our 60th on May 15th, and the celebrations will culminate, God willing, with a Gala on October 29th. I can’t wait to celebrate this exciting milestone with you all!

Temple Emanuel is turning 60!

“It was 1962 and the world was changing! A forward-thinking group of families with a keen sense of their Jewishness and a pioneer spirit had the desire to practice their religious beliefs and educate their children in a more meaningful manner than was available at other Reform congregations. Their aim was to preserve tradition and address modern American life without compromising either… Their primary interest was to establish a religious school that would teach with a sense of joy and discovery about Judaism.”

The year 2022 marks Temple Emanuel’s 60th anniversary year. As I have been reflecting on what this means, I wanted to know more about Temple Emanuel’s past. My family joined TE in 2000 and we heard many stories about services in “the barn”, an old metal cattle shed with a corrugated steel roof that that served at TE’s first sanctuary. The quote above is from “The History of Temple Emanuel of Greater New Haven, 1962-2012”, compiled by Betty Goldberg (Orange) for our 50th anniversary. You can find this wonderful historical record on the Temple Emanuel website (https://tegnh.org/history/ and scroll down for a link to the booklet).

I did not know that the first members of Temple Emanuel wanted the religious school to be taught with no Hebrew at all. Over time that has changed; you will find Hebrew in our religious school as well as our songs and prayers. But our spirit has not changed substantially from that of our founders. The first members of TE came together to practice Judaism in a meaningful way, one that blended Jewish traditions with modern day life and brought joy to their lives. According to Joan Small z”l, an original member of Temple Emanuel “We were a strong force for ethical activism.” These sentiments mirror my reasons for joining Temple Emanuel and I believe they are true of many of our members as well.

We have much to celebrate as we begin our 60th year. We are lucky to have Rabbi Farbman, who fit right into our warm and musical congregation in 2009 and helped move us forward, strengthening our school, expanding our musical horizons, attracting new members and becoming a leader in the Greater New Haven Jewish community. I am delighted to announce that he will be starting a new 5-year contract in July. I am also excited about our religious school. Olga Markus and our teachers have done an amazing job creating a curriculum that teaches our children in a way that excites them. Our enrollment has grown over the last decade and our school has developed a very special teen program, keeping almost all our teenagers engaged at Temple Emanuel post b’nei mitzvah. Music continues to be a highlight at TE, with services and special events that feature our band, individual members who play for us and Shir Magic concerts (see below for Noah Aronson’s concert on April 2nd).

It is worth reading the history of Temple Emanuel to see the transition we have made, from no physical home at all, to renovating a barn into a sanctuary, to building a wonderful new building and expanding it, so that it now houses our sanctuary, offices, social hall, kiddush lounge, and enough room for our growing religious school. Due to the generosity of a couple of our members, Temple Emanuel owns our building outright. In fact, after many years of board meetings discussing where we would get the income to pay our bills, it is a pleasure to know that TE is currently in good financial shape.

Temple Emanuel is a strong congregation, one of a few in the area that continues to attract new members. It is our membership that makes us who we are: a warm, caring, intellectually vibrant community, ready to change with the times yet preserve our traditions, as we grow into our 60th year. Several events are being planned to help us celebrate this milestone event.

  • Shir Magic Concert featuring Noah Aronson and the TE band, Saturday, April 2nd
  • TE at 60 Family Celebration, Sunday, May 15th (last day of TE religious school)
  • TE 60th Gala Celebration, Saturday night, October 29th

Please stay tuned for more information about these events.

New Torah Mantles at Temple Emanuel!

During the discussion about repairing the Holocaust Torah, it became clear that the Torah mantles we were using had seen better days. They were about 28 years old and literally falling apart.
Several members of the Board had seen the work of Jeanette Kuvin Oren at the Biennial meeting and were very impressed with her work. She lives in Woodbridge, and is an artist who creates all kinds of Judaic art, including (but not only) challah covers, matzoh covers and Torah mantles.
After we saw her work online, the Aesthetics Committee asked Jeanette if she would be willing to design mantles for our Torahs. She has created Torah mantles for synagogues, large and small, all over the US. Her Torah mantles are made of fabrics she dyes herself, pieced together into a design and then quilted. We talked to her about having a design that represented nature with flowing water, sunlight and greenery. She designed quilted covers for TE that are a combination of beautiful colors and textures including velvet, sparkly and silky fabrics. The three mantles flow from one to the other, but can stand alone in their design. A few genrous TE families came forward and offered to donate two of the three mantles.
A wonderful addition to Temple Emanuel!

Temple Emanuel Memorial Torah Scroll #1178 – back in our Ark!

The Memorial Torah Scroll #1178 from Horazdovice is now proudly back in Temple Emanuel Ark!

Temple Emanuel houses in our Ark the Holocaust Memorial Scroll #1178, a scroll that belonged to the destroyed Jewish community of Horazdovice, Czechoslovakia, a community that perished in the flames of the Holocaust. This scroll is one of several hundred Czech Torah scrolls that survived the Holocaust, eventually coming to the Westminster Synagogue in London, and from there distributed to Jewish communities around the world. A young Temple Emanuel of Greater New Haven was fortunate to receive the Horazdovice Torah back in 1967.

The Horazdovice Torah at Temple Emanuel

This scroll was part of every Bar and Bat Mitzvah at Temple Emanuel from 1967 – 2007. A deeply meaningful Torah, this Holocaust scroll brought our community into the direct line of European Jews who were murdered by the Nazis and could not themselves perpetuate the Jewish people. As we read from and touched this sacred scroll, we carried out the laws and commandments of our faith, and we remembered and honored the Jews of Horazdovice whose voices were stilled. In 2007, the scroll was retired from service because it was damaged, fragile and deemed non-kosher. We placed the scroll in a case visible to all as we entered the synagogue, to preserve its meaning and connection to our history.

The Restoration of the Horazdovice Torah

In 2019, a Torah scribe inspected our Torah scrolls, those in the Arc and also the Holocaust scroll in its display case. The scribe found that 2 of our scrolls in the ark required some repairs to remain kosher. To our great surprise and delight, he found that the Horazdovice Torah scroll could be repaired and once again be made kosher! Many TE members were excited that this wonderful and important scroll might again be made kosher, and be returned to our ark. TE students researched and presented information about the Horazdovice Torah and its history. Temple Emanuel members rallied support and contributed funds to not only restore and rededicate this scroll but also to repair the other TE Torah scrolls and establish a small fund to support the continued maintenance of our Torah scrolls, and mounted a successful campaign to raise the funds needed to restore and rededicate this important Torah scroll. Each TE family had the opportunity to write a letter in the Torah scroll with the scribe, a meaningful fulfillment of the mitzvah. The now-kosher scroll was re-dedicated and returned to the ark. This scroll, connecting us to the hundreds of years of Jewish life from the lost community of Horazdovice, brings Jewish practice and tradition to new generations of Jews at Temple Emanuel. This rededicated kosher scroll now is once again being used at Temple Emanuel for Bar and Bat Mitzvahs, and for special Torah services.

The Story of our Holocaust Torah Scroll

Our Holocaust Torah was first endangered when the Munich Agreement was signed on 29 September 1938. Britain and France agreed to Hitler’s demand to be given the German-speaking border regions of Czechoslovakia, and the Germans marched in. The Jews from about sixty congregations in the prosperous industrial and commercial towns in the Sudetenland had 2 or 3 days to flee to the interior, which was still a free and sovereign country. They left behind their synagogues, which were in German hands in time for the destruction of the Pogrom of November 1938, when synagogues across the expanded Germany, which now included the Sudetenland, were burned or vandalized and looted. In almost every case the ritual treasures of these Sudetenland synagogues were destroyed or lost.

In the remainder of Czechoslovakia, which included Prague, the synagogues and their swollen congregations were safe for the time being, and there was no program of destruction, even when the Germans invaded the rest of the country in March 1939. In 1940, the congregations were closed down, but the Jewish community administration was used by the Germans to execute their stream of decrees and instructions. In 1941 the first deportations started and the mass deportations of the Jews took place throughout 1942 and into January 1943.

The Nazis decided to liquidate the communal and private Jewish property in the towns, including the contents of the synagogues. In 1942 Dr Stein of the Juedische Kultusgemeinde in Prague wrote to all Jewish communities, instructing them to send the contents of their synagogues to the Jewish Museum in Prague. Thus the Torah Scrolls, gold and silver and ritual textiles were sent, along with thousands of books. The remaining Jews were deported in 1943 and 1944, but quite a number survived.

The inventory of the Prague Jewish Museum expanded by fourteen times as a result, and a large number of Jews were put to work by the Germans to sort, catalogue and put into storage all the items that had come from over one hundred congregations in Bohemia and Moravia. It needed over forty warehouses, many of them deserted Prague synagogues, to store all these treasures. When the task was eventually completed, the Jews who had been put to this work were themselves deported to the Terezin concentration camp and death. There were few survivors.

It was once accepted that the accumulation of this vast hoard of Judaica was intended by the Nazis to become their museum to the extinct Jewish race. There is, however, no evidence that any such museum was ever planned. The Prague Jewish Museum had been in existence since 1906, and was not created in order to house the Judaica collected in 1942. In 2012, the Prague Jewish Museum published “Ark of Memory” by Magda Veselska, a history of the museum that includes a clear explanation of how it was the Jews of Prague that worked before, during and after the war to protect a legacy that was threatened with destruction.

After the defeat of Germany, a free and independent Czechoslovakia emerged, but it was a country largely without Jews. Most of the surviving Jews in Prague and the rest of Bohemia and Moravia were from Slovakia and further east from Subcarpathian Ruthenia. Prague, which had had a Jewish population of 54,000 in 1940, was reduced to under 8,000 by 1947, and many of these were to leave. On 27 February 1948, after less than 3 years of post war freedom, the Communists staged a coup and took over the government of Czechoslovakia. The Prague Jewish Museum came under government control, and was staffed mainly by non-Jewish curators.

In 1958 the 18th century Michle Synagogue became the warehouse which housed hundreds of Torah Scrolls from the large Prague Jewish community and what was left from the smaller communities of Bohemia and Moravia. The collection did not include scrolls from Slovakia, which the Germans had put under a separate administration. Eric Estorick, an American living in London, was an art dealer who paid many visits to Prague in the early 1960’s. He got to know many Prague artists, whose work he exhibited at his Grosvenor Gallery. Being a frequent visitor to Prague, he came to the attention of the authorities. He was approached by officials from Artia, the state corporation that had responsibility for trade in works of art, and was asked if he would be interested in buying some Torah Scrolls. Unknown to him, the Israelis had been approached previously with a similar offer, but the negotiations had come to nothing. Estorick was taken to the Michle Synagogue where he was faced with wooden racks holding anything up to 2000 Scrolls. He was asked if he wanted to make an offer, and replied that he knew certain parties in London who might be interested.

Rabbi Farbman carrying the MST#1178 scroll at a historic gathering of Holocaust Memorial Torah scrolls in New York

On his return to London, he contacted Ralph Yablon, a well-known philanthropist with a great interest in Jewish art, history and culture. Yablon became the benefactor who put up the money to buy the Scrolls. First, Chimen Abramsky, who was to become Professor of Hebrew Studies at the University of London, was asked to go to Prague for twelve days in November 1963 to examine the Scrolls and to report on their authenticity and condition. On his return to London, it was decided that Estorick should go to Prague and negotiate a deal, which he did. Two lorries laden with 1564 Scrolls arrived at the Westminster Synagogue on 7 February 1964. After months of sorting, examining and cataloguing each Scroll, the task of distributing them began, with the aim of getting the Scrolls back into the life of Jewish congregations across the world. The Memorial Scrolls Trust was established to carry out this task.

Each Memorial Scroll is a messenger from a community that was lost, but does not deserve to be forgotten. Temple Emanuel’s restored Horazdovice Scroll carries that message to our congregants and to our future.

AFTER SOCIAL DISTANCING: SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION BEGINS !!

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, it seems hard to see our way through to the other side. What will the “new normal” look like when this is over? Will we ever sit together in concert halls, baseball stadiums, or in our sanctuary? Will our school once again echo with children’s laughter and excitement? Will we ever again shake hands or hug each other at TE? Will we reach out holding our neighbors and sway to Havdalah? Will we unmask to see each other smile?

In the past 2 months, my life was plunged into professional obsession with this worldwide pandemic. The American Society of Nephrology (ASN) recruited me to lead a COVID-19 response team – a group of kidney specialists from around the country to best protect the vulnerable 500,000 Americans with kidney disease who receive dialysis treatment. Working closely with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), we have published best evidence guidance for care, we have deployed tools to understand the extent of life-threatening kidney failure this infection can cause, and we have worked with hospitals, dialysis facility owners, industry and government to get these practices to the hospital bedside and to the dialysis unit chairside. I’ve spent too much time answering reporters’ questions from the New York Times, Washington Post, Pro Publica and Politico. So – it has been difficult for me to see life after this emergency.

Of course there will be life after COVID-19. It may be different. Every time we go through TSA screening at the airport I am reminded that 9/11 changed our lives for a decade. Exactly how life will change is not yet clear. What is clear, is that we will survive — and thrive — and that Temple Emanuel will again come alive with services, children learning, laughter, joy… and a strengthened commitment to our Jewish community.

With the faith that TE will remain a central part of our community’s life, and the commitment that TE will respond to our growing school needs, we are going ahead with our planned school expansion. Construction for 2 new classrooms has begun! We are aiming to have these classrooms ready for use in September/October for our new school year.

The cost of this project will be approximately $250,000. In addition we hope to raise enough money to replace the room dividers between the sanctuary and social hall that are old and are falling apart. Thanks to several very generous major donors, we have about 70% of needed funds in hand, and promises from about 20 additional families for support.

To get the rest of the way — we need support from all members and school families. We know that this is a very difficult financial time for many — the “shutdown” has caused many to lose income or lose jobs. The market declines have reduced pension values. These are uncertain times. With these realities in mind, our board of directors urges each of us to consider carefully what we can do to assure we can complete this vital project. Please think through to a life after COVID-19 – as I have tried to do. Please be as generous as you can — for our children and their school. TE’s school is almost unique as a growing and vital beacon of our future.

You will find here a school expansion form that you can use to make a contribution. Your payments can be planned through this year, or into the next 2 years if needed.

Thank you, thank you! Stay safe, as we all find our way through these times.

Alan Kliger

CONNECTING WHILE SEPARATE

The Coronavirus pandemic is a time like none other in our lives. The loss of control, of daily routine and physical intimacy have impacted many of us in deep and troubling ways. Whether we are alone, without an income, trying to home school our children while working full time, or worrying about loved ones that we cannot visit, the stressors around us have grown exponentially. It is at times like this that we truly understand the importance of being part of a larger community. I am impressed at how the Temple Emanuel community has filled a void in our lives. Weekly Shabbat services provide structure and a needed, though brief, connection to others as we wave
and say “Shabbat Shalom” via Zoom. The TE religious school immediately set up online learning to replace in-school classes, helping our children retain some normalcy and routine in their lives.
Our members have reached out and checked in with each other, have made
meals, gone grocery shopping for those unable to do so and provided online
support in how we cope with the stress.
Members continue to work in our gardens, keeping TE beautiful for when we all return. And our contractor has started work on the school building addition, helping to promote our vision of the future during this time of uncertainty.
The larger Jewish community is there for us as well. The Jewish Federation of Greater New Haven has been doing its own outreach to members in the community and has set up emergency grants to Jewish agencies, synagogues and individuals in need. They have been providing tech support, running errands and providing online programming to help us as we make our way through this crisis. We are all a part of many communities —our families, our friends, our workplaces, organizations to which we belong.
As a member of Temple Emanuel, please know that we are here for you. If there is something you need, please reach out to me or to the Rabbi and we will try to get you the help you need. Thanks to all of you who have volunteered your time and kindness. We don’t know when this pandemic will end or how things will change, but I do know that having the support of a community makes a huge difference in how we get through difficult times. We are lucky to have such a strong Temple community, and I thank all of you
for being a part of TE. I wish all of our members and staff good health and peace as we make our way in this uncertain time.

A Shofar Column in the time of a pandemic

Shabbat on ‘zoom’

As a popular meme reminds us, 2020 is a leap year – there are 29 days in February and 300 days in March… As I think back over the last few weeks, I cannot quite believe what we have all been through, what we learned to do, to live with (and more importantly, live without). Some of us have been blessed to be able to switch to work remotely, while others began to deal with almost instant loss of work and income. Some had to find ways of coping with loneliness of isolation, while others are struggling with pressure of parenting young children and online learning, while trying to work from home. All of us are feeling incredible stress of these unprecedented (at least in most of our lifetimes) days. And then there are essential workers, first responders, medical professionals – people who MUST go out there, to make sure we can still function, eat, treat the sick, bring babies into this world. And then, of course, there are those of us who have caught the dreaded virus and had to cope, first hand, with its assault on our bodies and our spirits. And then, of course, some of us have lost our loved ones during this time – and even though they did not necessarily succumb to the virus, we couldn’t even come together as families and as a community, to say goodbye, to hold and support each other at this time of loss…

Human beings are incredibly resilient creatures. We learn to cope, we adjust our expectations, and we look for ways to help others. We have switched all our school programs online overnight, with the help of our incredible teachers and madrichim. We have switched Shabbat services online too – and in the process watched TE members in their 90s conquer zoom and YouTube! We held a Passover Seder online – perhaps the best attended TE congregational seder in my 11 years here. It wasn’t perfect, and I hope we don’t have to do THAT again – but it happened, and we recited the ancient words while smiling at each other across the time and space, marveling at wonders of modern technology that allowed us to be together despite everything. We will hold our Annual Meeting online too, and we will continue to look for ways to keep our TE community Jewishly engaged, supportive and strong – online, in person, over the phone or zoom – or across the street.

If you are feeling anxious – please let me know, I am here to talk. If you need help with groceries or any other tasks – please let me know, we have volunteers ready to help. If you are feeling lonely – pick up the TE directory and call someone to check up on them. If you hear that someone is ill, or in need of help or support – please drop me a line. This is a difficult period, but we don’t have to remember it only for the pain that it brings – let’s also make an effort to remember the joy that we can bring into each other’s lives, especially now.

Sending you all a COVID-appropriate virtual hug from a distance,

Rabbi Farbman

Temple Emanuel School Expansion

Our TE religious school is growing! Come any Sunday morning to the Asefah where students and parents gather, sing and study together. The kids are excited to be there, the parents are engaged, and Jewish learning is a truly joyous experience.

Though our new school building is only 5 years old, we need additional classrooms to accommodate our growing enrollment. This year, all 4 classrooms and the library were occupied, and every nook and cranny of the building is being used as additional classroom space.

Dave Pokras, an architect and a member of TE, designed a plan to add 2 classrooms behind the long wall of the social hall, accessed by a door near the kitchen end of the swing space. Construction has just begun and our hope is to have it completed before the next school year begins.

Fundraising is off to a great start – we need to raise $250,000, and 75% of the total has already been pledged by several very generous members! This leaves a balance of about $60,000 to get to our goal.

Our school is our synagogue’s vanguard. The wonderful children who come to school each week are our future, and the future of the Jewish people. This project is not only a school project – it is our commitment to the future of Temple Emanuel, and the future of our people.

We hope you will be generous, and feel the excitement that Rabbi Farbman, our Religious School director Olga Markus, our teachers and leadership bring to this effort. Our TE school is now well known throughout the community – and we are assuring its continued growth and success.
Thank You!!!

I would like to support the TE campaign for expanding our school!

A brief video from ground breaking ceremony on May 3rd

POSTPONED: Siyum – a sacred celebration of ending a sacred task

I often talk about the importance of transitions in Judaism: the threshold marked with a mezuza, the start of Shabbat marked with candles and kiddush, the end of Shabbat marked with Havdalah ceremony and so on. The new beginnings are to be celebrated with much joy and excitement, but so are the endings! In fact it’s the endings that often deserve that much more joy. A siyum is the completion of any unit of Torah study, or book of the Mishnah or Talmud. A siyum is usually followed by a celebratory meal – the joy of reaching a certain moment surely deserves a party!

As most of you know, this year we have engaged in a very special project: restoring the Temple Emanuel Holocaust Memorial Torah Scroll. This has been a humbling experience, as we researched the history of the town of Horazdovici and its Jewish community, raised funds necessary for the restoration and the upkeep of our Torah scrolls, and helped dozens and dozens of TE families experience the joy of assisting the scribe in restoring the damaged letters in the scroll, one by one. This has been a remarkable project, and I am delighted to report that we are nearing the end! With the scroll restoration nearly complete, the scribe will return to Temple Emanuel on March 22, allowing 40 plus additional families to take a personal part in restoration all throughout the day.

The most important moment will come at the end of the day at 6:00pm, as we celebrate the Siyum – a completion of the restoration process. The scribe will write the final letters and affix the final stitches, we will sing and dance with the Torah, carrying it not only around our sanctuary, as we do during the Torah service, but also outside and around our building (weather permitting, of course), before we joyously place the Torah into the Ark where it will now reside once again. There will be music from our band, and lots of joy to go around, and food, and a chance to say l’chayim to the completion of this sacred task.

There will be more information coming your way in the Shofar blast over the next few weeks, but in the meantime please make sure you mark your calendars for the evening of March 22 – just write ‘siyum’ and get ready to celebrate one of the most special things we ever get to do as a community.