Rabbi’s page – Page 5 – Temple Emanuel of Greater New Haven

Shanah Tovah! May the New Year be filled with learning!

What a whirlwind of a summer it has been! I was privileged to attend the Rabbinic Torah Seminar at Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem and engage in 10 days of profoundly impactful learning, together with some 150 colleagues from the United States, Israel, and Europe. We explored the last 100 years of Jewish history, based on key dates that have shaped the modern Israel: 1917 – the Balfour Declaration was signed, 1947 – the UN voted on partition plan, and 1967 – the 6 Day War occurred. I was greatly impressed by the faculty of Shalom Hartman and have expanded and deepened my knowledge and understanding of the narratives that surround the modern Jewish state. I am delighted to announce that I will be offering the Hartman ‘iEngage: Israel’s Milestones and Their Meanings’ course this year at Temple Emanuel. It explores the pivotal events of 1917, 1947, and 1967 as key moments when Zionism unleashed new thinking about the meaning of Jewishness for generations to come. This iEngage series grapples with the different ideas and values that shape the meaning of modern Israel, Zionism, and Jewish identity today. Together we will engage in a new values-based discourse about Israel, including topics such as nationhood, land, Sovereignty, Jerusalem, Occupation and Moral Red Lines. You can read more about the course and the schedule here, and registration is now open – I hope that many of TE members use this wonderful opportunity to engage in serious learning and conversation. The course will be taught on Sunday mornings and will begin on October 15^th.

This is the year we mark the 70th anniversary of the State of Israel, and there will be multiple occasions to celebrate, to learn, and to engage with Israel in this coming year at TE. I am delighted to share with you that Julian Resnick, a master educator and travel guide (who guided our journey through Spain this year), will be leading the TE trip to Israel next summer, July 15-26, 2018. More details, including cost and program highlights will be available soon, but please mark your calendars now for this exciting TE Travels opportunity!

Last but not least, I am honored to share with all of you that I have been accepted into the Masters in Sacred Theology program at Yale Divinity school. I will pursue this program part-time over the course of the next two years as part of my sabbatical, deepening my knowledge and skills. I am extremely grateful to Temple Emanuel for this wonderful opportunity, and I cannot wait to begin my classes!

I wish you all Shanah Tovah, a Happy New Year 5778, and may it be filled with a joy of learning for all of us!

Yerushalaim shel zahav: Jerusalem of gold…

Every year that I have served Temple Emanuel, my summer begins in a similar way: I find myself sitting in a chair in the faculty residence at Camp Eisner, writing the Shofar article for the summer edition. Every year I strive to have it all finished before I go to camp, but alas this little ritual persists, despite my best efforts and the gentle encouragement from Caryn and Jen, our wonderful Shofar editor and designer (who do a phenomenal job every single time – we are so lucky and so blessed to have their energy and talents!).

Well, this year is different! Camp Eisner asked me to come for one week only this year and later than usual – and I suddenly found myself able to go to a Rabbinic Torah Seminar at Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem that takes place in the first two weeks of July every year. A great program that brings together rabbis from across the Jewish denominational world, this has been my dream for quite some time. Therefore, thanks to camp scheduling and the sabbatical time available, by the time you read this article I will be in Jerusalem, engaged in study and conversations for almost two weeks! I am truly excited and a little anxious – in this year when we mark the 50^th anniversary of Unified Jerusalem, as well as the 50th anniversary of the Occupation of the West Bank, that the many difficult questions will no doubt permeate this year’s Shalom Hartman seminar and my time in Jerusalem.

To paraphrase my friend Julian Resnick, going to Jerusalem most likely cannot produce answers, but it can help me deepen my questions, and to learn, listen, and breathe Israel, with all its complexity and all its beauty. Together with much of the Jewish world, I was devastated to hear of the recent Israeli cabinet’s proposal, with Prime Minister Netanyahu’s approval, to abandon the negotiated plan for the Kotel (Western Wall) egalitarian space, as well as a serious challenge to non-orthodox conversions performed in Israel – a move that is as devastating to us as it is detrimental to the Israeli society at large. Our National movement, Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) as well as American Reform Zionist Association (ARZA) have issued very strong statements, as did the Jewish Federations of North America and a host of other voices and are considering a coordinated response as I write this column. And while I am truly upset at these most unfortunate actions, it will not make me love Israel any less – it will only strengthen my resolve to work even harder, to listen more intently, to build relationships, and to learn. This is not the end, just a bump in the road.

I look forward to sharing my journey and my learning with you soon. In the meantime I wish you all a wonderful summer – see you at Shabbat on the Beach on July 28!

Counting the Omer…

There is no doubt that the Jewish calendar is designed in a way that can easily confuse just about anyone! I was always absolutely certain of that! J What, with the new year in September (or thereabout – only proving the original statement!) and Chanukah and Passover that fall all over the place… no one can ever figure it out!

I recently asked my Christian colleagues at our local interfaith clergy gathering why the Western and the Orthodox churches sometimes celebrate Easter together and sometimes weeks apart. The answer totally blew me away – because of the Jewish calendar! As it turns out, all churches use the same formula for calculating Easter, but the Eastern (Orthodox) Church also waits for the Passover to take place. Since Passover moves around so much, so does Easter.

If you found yourself agreeing with anything that I said in the first paragraph of this article, you should seriously consider signing up for the Basic Judaism class next time I advertise it! For the Jewish calendar is a very logical and beautifully symmetrical creation, linked to the moon cycle – as well as to the sun – in a very thoughtful and sophisticated way. Much of it is based on the Biblical commandments as well as on the natural cycles of the year and the seasons. And once you get to know it a little, it’s not THAT complicated J!

One of the calendar cycles connects the Festivals of Passover and Shavuot through the ritual of Counting the Omer. In fact, the very name of the Festival of Shavuot hints at the cycle – it is best translated as ‘The Festival of Weeks.’ From the second night of Passover, we begin to count the seven weeks, or 7×7 – forty nine days in all, so that on the fiftieth day we can celebrate Shavuot, the festival of first fruits, as well as z’man matan Torateinu, the time of the giving of Torah on Mount Sinai.

So what is the Omer? An ‘omer’ is in fact a sheaf of wheat, a nod to the wheat harvest that would begin around that time of year. And how does one count it? A few years ago I came across a very clever website that referred to it as ‘counting the Homer’ – making the age-old ritual connected to the Simpsons! It gives the basic information about counting, as well as providing the blessings to be recited on each day in the run-up to Shavuot. You can try it for yourself! Just go to www.homercalendar.net and enjoy.

This year Shavuot begins in the evening on Tuesday, May 30^th. As we celebrate the giving of Torah, we come together to pray and to study – please make sure you check the calendar and Shofar Blast for more details nearer the time. We also follow the Reform tradition of holding the Confirmation service on Shavuot, celebrating our wonderful teenagers who have completed their two-year long course of study with me by helping to lead the Shavuot service and read the 10 commandments from the Torah. I know that when festivals fall mid-week it makes it harder for many people to attend, but I want to encourage you all to do so and come celebrate this very special Festival together with your TE family. See you there!

Rabbi Farbman

Parts of this article previously appeared in the Shofar in 2011.

Spring is in the air…

Spring is in the air; the month of Adar is here – and it can only mean one thing: Purim is coming! Got your costumes? Ready to party? We got big plans on Sunday morning (March 12), so bring your family and friends! However, Purim is not just for children at TE – the Saturday night (March 11) adult Purim party should be great fun too! And once we are done with Purim, Pesach is just around the corner – with all the excitement of spring cleaning and cooking and, of course, the Seders and family time. Our annual 2^nd Night Passover Seder is on April 11^th this year – an opportunity to celebrate this special holiday with your extended TE family and friends. Please make sure you sign up in advance!

The TE calendar is filled with exciting opportunities this spring, as in-between the festivals and programs we get to welcome Dr. Alan Morinis to Temple Emanuel as our Scholar in Residence – a true master teacher and an incredible opportunity for all of us to learn more about the Mussar tradition that he teaches so well.

Time flies quickly, and while the High Holy Days are still a long way away (no rush!:), our ritual committee is hard at work, looking for ways to explore Mishkan HaNefesh, the High Holy Day Machzor, published by the Reform movement last year. Two focus group discussions are scheduled in March (Sunday March 5th at 10 am and Tuesday, March 21 at 6:30pm). I strongly encourage you to attend one of them and get involved in this important conversation.

It is fun to plan ahead and look forward to whatever is the next big event or occasion. But as we plan for the future, let’s all find some time to appreciate the wonderful present. See you soon, I hope – at a regular shabbat service, Hebrew school, or committee meeting!

A Strong Community

Community is an interesting word. I encounter it in many different places, and often I find myself feeling that the word is overused, if not misused. A quick search provides the following two main descriptions for community: 1) a group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common, and 2) a feeling of fellowship with others, as a result of sharing common attitudes, interests, and goals. The Talmud (Sanhedrin 17b) provides a list of 10 things it considers essential for the proper Jewish life to happen: a court empowered to punish the guilty; a communal tzedakah fund, monies for which are collected by two people and distributed by three; a synagogue; a mikveh (ritual bath); sufficient bathroom facilities; a doctor; a blood letter [i.e. a popular healer]; a scribe; a butcher; and a Torah teacher for children. Luckily for us, sufficient bathroom facilities are not really much of an issue in the developed world – although it is easy to see why this was an important item on the list, since it directly relates to public safety and health! Most of the elements required for a healthy Jewish community remain very much true to this day, even though some of the elements (such as courts) are really in the hands of the State.

Synagogue is at the heart of our Temple Emanuel community, as is our Hebrew school. Tzedakah is crucially important, and we teach our children from a very young age to care about the world at large and about our local community through regular acts of tzedakah. On a wider scale, we support Jewish Family Services and the incredibly important work they do every day in our local community. And then, of course, there’s the JCC which offers not only multiple opportunities to look after one’s body, but also numerous cultural and educational programs all throughout the year. It is a place where we often meet and intersect with other groups in our New Haven Jewish community, where we come together to mark Yom Hashoah and Yom Ha’atzmaut, to celebrate Israel – this list can go on for quite some time.

As many of you know, the JCC suffered a serious fire in December. Luckily, no one in the building at the time was hurt, and the two firefighters who suffered some smoke inhalation have since fully recovered. The great many JCC and Jewish Federation programs have been displaced, and we have stepped up, together with other local synagogues and agencies, to open our doors to various programs, classes, meetings, a weekly bridge game, and even a Zumba class! People often say that at the time of crisis you can learn a thing or two about individuals, and the same is true about communities. I must say, watching the Greater New Haven Jewish community come together to support the JCC has been remarkable. I was also very moved to learn that great number of non-Jewish local agencies and organizations reached out and offered help, something that cannot be underestimated.

It will take months for the aftermath of the fire to be sorted – sadly, big parts of the building sustained serious smoke and water damage. Anyone who has experienced a fire or a flood knows just how devastating it can be. But knowing that you have a widespread community ready to offer help and support can make a huge difference. I sure am proud of our community every day, and I am glad that the crisis only reinforced my feelings of pride.

Shalom, chaver…

עֲשֵׂה לְךָ רַב, וּקְנֵה לְךָ חָבֵר

Aseh lekha rav, u’kneh lechah chaver… Pirkei Avot 1:6

Make for yourself a mentor (rabbi), acquire for yourself a friend…

This rabbinic dictum directs each of us to build the relationships that go both horizontally and vertically. When Mishnah urges us to ‘acquire a friend,’ it suggests that we need people to share our lives with, the good and the bad, those who support us, and those who need our love and encouragement in return.

But it opens with ‘aseh lechah rav’ – find yourself a rabbi, a mentor, a teacher – someone to inspire you, to help you look at the world through a different prism, someone to challenge you to grow and develop – as a person and as a Jew.

A few weeks ago we said goodbye to our beloved Rabbi, mentor, and friend – Rabbi Emeritus Jerry Brieger. There were many beautiful words and stories shared at the funeral and shiva, a fitting tribute to Rabbi Jerry’s beautiful soul and the amazing impact he has left on his community of almost 40 years… He was a true friend to many, and he was an inspiring rabbi to many more, imprinting his love of Judaism and music on generations of TE members of all ages. Together with many of you, I have cherished each story, each memory shared, each glimpse of the Jerry we knew and loved – and miss so dearly…

In the days that followed, I have spent much time thinking of ways to honor this humble man who inspired so many. It quickly became apparent that one of the best ways to honor Rabbi Jerry is through music – Jewish music that he loved and shared with all those around him for so many years. I am incredibly excited to tell you that the legendary Kol B’seder, a duo of Cantor Jeff Klepper and Rabbi Dan Freelander, have agreed to honor their teacher and colleague with a special concert in his memory. On November 6^th, the eve of what would have been Rabbi Brieger’s 72^nd birthday, we will come together to establish a new annual tradition in Rabbi Jerry’s memory – and to sing some of our favorite Jewish melodies.

We will have more details of the event available soon; in the meantime, please save the date and share it with your friends and family.

Enhancing our High Holy Day experiences…

A number of years ago, we were discussing the need to review and edit the beloved TE ‘blue’ prayerbook, and the ritual committee made a decision to adopt an existing prayerbook that would fit the needs of our community, in addition to the TE’s own siddur. I was able to temporarily secure (from Camp Eisner) enough copies of Mishkan Tefilah, the new Reform prayerbook, and we had a number of services over the course of a few months, giving everyone a chance to explore the new book and to see it ‘in action’. While no one prayerbook can ever be perfect, at the end of this process the ritual committee agreed that Mishkan Tefilah was a wonderful siddur for Temple Emanuel to have and to use. We have used the two prayerbooks ever since – usually alternating between them every other week, and we continue to experiment with our liturgy all the time.

Every time the High Holy Days are approaching and we begin to prepare by going through the liturgy, I am reminded just how challenging the current HH machzor Gates of Repentance is for many of our members. Gates of Repentance has served the Reform Movement well for many years. When it was first published in 1978, it represented exciting and progressive liturgical innovation. However, today it is beginning to feel dated. The fact that it does not include transliteration is a stumbling block for many in our community, something that has been acknowledged in both our TE ‘blue’ siddur and the Mishkan Tefilah. So too, many of today’s Jews feel disconnected from prayer and from theological and ideological concepts that do not seem consistent with a contemporary sensibility. Gates of Repentance was a wonderful innovation in its time. Incorporating more Hebrew and traditional liturgy allowed for a feeling of renewed tradition in the High Holy Days. Adding gender-neutral language addressed many of the contemporary needs of the Reform world. Today, our needs go beyond gender neutral language – the basic meaning of the holidays needs to be addressed and updated.

Over the last few years URJ congregations all across United States have engaged in piloting the new High Holy Day Machzor, Mishkan HaNefesh. Although TE has not been involved in the piloting process, we have obtained and used at TE the early draft of the Rosh Hashanah service on the 2nd Day of Rosh Hashanah for the last two years. Last fall hundreds of congregations throughout the US have adopted Mishkan HaNefesh, and the reviews have been incredibly positive across the board.

After much discussion at the Ritual Committee, we have decided to engage in a year of learning and exploration of the new Machzor. Starting on September 8th we will have a number of weekly sessions that will explore the changes and innovations in Mishkan HaNefesh and invite learners to find new meaning for their High Holy Days experiences. We will have an opportunity to engage with the new machzor in comparison to other texts, as well as explore some of the different readings and changes to the service. I couldn’t think of a better way to spend the month of Elul and to begin to prepare for the upcoming High Holy Days, as well as explore the new Machzor in greater detail.

Later in the year we will create additional opportunities to explore the new book, and to experience what it may feel like using it as part of our HH observance at TE. In the meantime, I look forward to seeing many of you on September 8, 22 and 29, and October 6 at 7:30 pm!

Statement by the Clergy of Orange on the Massacre in Orlando, FL

With sadness in our hearts, we condemn with one voice the senseless violence that took place in Orlando, Florida last Saturday night.

The heinous acts committed by a single gunman on Saturday night were an attack on all civilized people. They were an attack on fundamental American values. They were an attack on our shared belief that every human being – regardless of race, religion or sexual orientation – is a child of God and equally endowed by God with dignity and worth.

We mourn the lives lost and express our deepest condolences to their families. We hold close those who survived the massacre and are clinging to their lives this very day. We join with the families and friends who are grieving, hoping, and trying to cope with this tragedy. We are profoundly grateful to the brave officers, first responders, tireless physicians and nurses and all who assisted during the crisis. Their unselfish, life-saving actions reflect what is best in those who value our common humanity.

May the tragic deaths of so many innocent people redouble our determination to reject hatred and bigotry in this country. May it redouble our determination to remove the scourge of gun-violence from our beloved land.

May the verses of scripture be fulfilled at last:

“I will bring peace to the land; you shall lie down and no-one shall terrorize you” (Leviticus)

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ (Matthew)

“One who slays a soul… shall be as if he had slain all mankind; and one who saves a life shall be as if he had given life to all mankind” (Quran)

The Orange Clergy Association

Sheikh Dr. Mohammad Abdelati, New Haven Islamic Center

Rev. Tim Boerger, Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church

Fr. Eugene Charman, Holy Infant Roman Catholic Church

Rabbi Michael Farbman, Temple Emanuel of Greater New Haven

Rev. Peter Orfanakos, St. Barbara Greek Orthodox Church

Rev. Diana Rogers, The Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd

Fr. Joseph Sidera, Holy Infant Roman Catholic Church

Rev. Suzanne Wagner, Orange Congregational Church

Rabbi Alvin Wainhaus, Congregation Or Shalom

Goodbye, old house….

And so the time has come to say goodbye to the old house. For many of us this is a moment tinged with sadness. For over 40 years this house has been the center of Temple Emanuel’s universe – religious school classes, the office, committee meetings, book clubs, meals, parties, learning, and praying – it has been a witness to over 40 years of TE history…

But it was also an old house that had all the challenges of an aging structure that has been added to throughout the years – the wet basement, summer humidity, the ice damming, the furnace that would suddenly not work in the middle of the winter – the list of challenges was long, and every TE president has had a surprise or two prepared for his/her budget by the old house 🙂

Back in December we had a wonderful ceremony in front of the empty house. It was an opportunity for us to celebrate the amazing history that we have enjoyed together. It was an opportunity to thank the house for the wonderful service it offered our community over the years. It was an opportunity to look at for how far we have come in the last 45 years.

This house gave our community a chance to grow, a chance to develop its identity, its spirit, and its character. We made do with what we had. We made it ours, and we made it work. It is incredible to know that in a series of meetings inside this house we were able to conceive what our community would look like, what our Sanctuary would look like, what our school and library and offices would look like in the 21^st century. The future is full of excitement. But as we celebrate the future, let us acknowledge and honor the past that has enabled us to get here. The house was an integral part of that past, and we shall forever be thankful for its many years of faithful service.

In the end, the house was once again a place for important learning and practice. Both the FBI and the local fire department found the house offered them an opportunity for invaluable training of their staff. We were honored to share the house with them. It was the most fitting way to end a career of the house of learning and the house of gathering. The physical structure of the house may be gone now, but the spirit of the house that has been the spirit of Temple Emanuel community lives on in all of us, in all those who have come through its doors over the decades, and it lives in the hallways of the One Campus of Temple Emanuel – and what a joy it is to know that.

Goodbye old house. And thank you!

Refugees welcome

In the recent weeks there has been much talk about refugees coming into this country. There has been no shortage of opinions offered, including some pretty offensive statements from politicians running for the highest office in the land. Some very real fears were expressed by the American public in light of the Paris terror attacks, fears that need to be addressed and taken seriously. And while no one can guarantee an absolute protection from terror, foreign or domestic, we as a society need to continue to be vigilant and committed to the safety of our country and our streets, supporting our security forces and our military in the difficult work that they do every day to keep us safe.

The United States prides itself on being a country that has welcomed refugees, seeking safety and peace, and has helped them become fully accepted Americans. Every year thousands of families arrive in this country, some in more distress than others, often having waited for months, sometimes years, for all the appropriate clearances. They arrive into the country legally and have some (limited) financial and other support from the U.S. Some need medical treatment; some suffer psychological trauma, especially those who escaped war-torn places. They have children that need to go to school; they need to learn English and find jobs, all the while adjusting to a brand new reality – wonderful, yet foreign.

Here we have a chance to do something truly special: open our hearts and welcome the stranger, in the best spirit of Judaism and Jewish hospitality. We have a chance to become the human faces at the end of the very long road – and in the beginning of an even longer journey of a new life. As I write these words, I am honored to know that a great number of local synagogues have organized to help IRIS settle the newly arriving refugees – some have partnered up with local churches, and some (including TE) are coming together with other synagogues and the Jewish Federation as part of Jewish Community Alliance for Refugee Resettlement (J-CARR), combining our efforts for a chance of greater impact, with our very own Jean Silk acting as coordinator of this community-wide effort.

In the next few weeks and months, as we get ready for the arrival of the families we will help re-settle, we will learn more about them and their needs. All we know for now is that they will be arriving shortly. Take a look around your home – perhaps there’s furniture and appliances that you may no longer need, but will help us turn a rented apartment into a loving home for the new refugees. Perhaps you can support the effort by offering a financial donation. Most importantly, please let Pete Stolzman and Anna Zonderman know if you are able to dedicate time to help in person – driving to appointments, helping to register for school, offering medical and other help and advice, among many other things.

Let us remember that we have an opportunity of a lifetime to do something for others. While we never expect anything in return, I guarantee you that this experience will transform OUR lives in most powerful way.