Weekly Message
May 10, 2012
When our children were younger, Deborah and I loved to take them to the Please Touch Museum. For those of you who have taken your children or grandchildren to the Please Touch Museum at its former location, there were always two must-go-to stops: The Grocery Store and the "Where the Wild Things Are" exhibit.
Maurice Sendak, the author of Where the Wild Things Are, died earlier this week. His influence on children's literature will last long after his death. Sendak was not afraid to plumb the depths of a child's imagination-both in its wondrous glories and in its darkest terrors-and bring both to life in his writing.
Sendak was definitely not a practicing Jew. Yet his Jewish identity permeated nearly everything he created. Writing in an op-ed piece earlier this week, Professor Jodi Eichler-Levine of the University of Wisconsin at Madison had this to say about Sendak's writing: "Sendak, who died this week at age 83, lived out core paradoxes of American Jewish identity. A son of immigrants in Brooklyn, he longed for Manhattan, calling the shining spires of the city, 'America.' He held religiosity at arm's length but based the images of his Wild Things on his Jewish relatives, the ones who threatened to pinch his cheeks and consume him with their love and their desperate longing for continuity on the shores of this new world: 'We'll eat you up!'" In keeping with his cultural identity as a Jew, food often played a central role in each of Sendak's stories.
Many of us remember the production of Brundibar that was performed at Gratz College a few years ago that our own Paula Rothman helped bring to our area. Brundibar is based on a Czech opera performed at Thereisenstadt. The composer and nearly all the children who performed in the original were murdered in the Shoah. But it was Sendak who brought Brundebar back to the attention of 21st Century audiences.
Sendak's life reminds us that the influences of a Jewish identity can permeate one's life even when one chooses to absent oneself from religious practice. The particularity of Sendak's experience-and the Jewish nature of that experience-allowed him to create universal works of literature that influenced a generation. The world of literature is richer for Maurice Sendak's contribution. May his memory be for a blessing.
Shabbat Shalom
April 27, 2012
Dear Friends,
Next week, the Philadelphia Board of Rabbis will celebrate its 150th anniversary as the oldest trans-denominational rabbinic organization in the United States. In the American city in which freedom was founded for our country, it seems fitting that we will take time to honor the spirit of unity that binds the Jewish people together even as we recognize the diversity that abounds in our community.
As one of the two Vice President of our local Board of Rabbis, I have been working with my co-Vice President-Rabbi Robert Leib of Old York Road Temple Beth Am-to create a program that would be a fitting way to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Philadelphia Board of Rabbis. We are bringing four rabbis who are national leaders of the four major denominations in American Jewish life to speak to the Philadelphia Jewish community about the role of denominations in American Jewish life. Here is a link to the flyer that gives all the specifics.I very much hope that you will join us on Wednesday evening at 7:30 PM at Federation's Community Services Building to join in this fascinating panel discussion on the role denominations will play in the Jewish future.
At a time in which all of the Jewish denominations in this country outside of Orthodoxy are experiencing shrinkage in their congregational membership, it is important that we take time as a Conservative congregation to understand what it is that makes us Conservative Jews. We need to think critically and clearly about what it is about our denominational identity that engages us, and what it is that deters a new generation of American Jews from joining us. We need to think about the role that our religious ideology plays in our Jewish identity and practice, and we need to engage in more conversation about creating religious communities that reflect both our ideologies and vision.
As members of a Conservative congregation-the American denomination of world Jewry that is losing members faster than the three non-Orthodox movements-it is a critical time for us to be self-reflective and visionary. I hope that the program on Wednesday night will be an opportunity for the Philadelphia Jewish community to take part in a conversation hat is a critically important one for our generation. I urge you to make room in your busy schedules to join us for this important evening.
Shabbat Shalom,
April 13, 2012
Dear Friends,
I hope that all of you have had a wonderful Pesah and that you found yourselves surrounded by people that you love during your Passover sederim. As we prepare to conclude the Festival, we look forward to doing so as an extended Beth Sholom congregational family. Tomorrow night we expect close to 200 members for our Shabbat Under the Stars Passover edition service beginning at 6:00 PM and featuring the Neshamah Band. For those who have RSVP'ed, we look forward to joining you for dinner following the service. There will be no 8:00 PM service on Friday night.
On Shabbat morning, the Yizkor prayers will be offered at 10:45 AM. In addition, we look forward to a light Pesah meal following Shabbat morning services. There will be a special luncheon for those who have joined the congregation within the past year as well. Thanks to Julie Glass for coordinating all the logistics.
Many of you are eagerly anticipating your return to the eating of hametz. Please be aware that I will be purchasing all of our hametz back from our beloved custodian Charles Seal at 8:20 PM on Saturday night. You should feel free to once again eat hametz after 8:30 PM on Saturday night.
Wishing you all a sweet end to the Pesah Festival.
Shabbat Shalom,
March 30, 2012
Dear Friends,
One of my all time favorite Passover stories is the one about Chaim, a Jewish man who was good friends with the monarch in a small kingdom long ago. The king loved Chaim and Chaim loved the king. More important, the King trusted him, and knew that he was a talented and capable banker so he decided to make Chaim the royal treasurer. Unfortunately the other advisors resented having a Jew placed in a position of such high authority over them so they went to the king with an ultimatum: Either Chaim had to convert or they would resign.
Reluctantly the king told Chaim his dilemma. Being a good friend and realizing how fortunate he was to be the royal treasurer, Chaim told his family that they had to convert if he was to hold on to his position.
For weeks and then months after the conversion, Chaim's conscience gnawed at him. How could he have deserted his ancestral faith so easily? Finally one day Chaim burst into the royal throne room and told his friend: "My king, you know how I feel about you and how much I love serving you. But I cannot live with myself if I cannot be a Jew. I cannot be treasurer if I must remain Christian!"
Upon hearing this, the king said to Chaim: "My dear friend why didn't you tell me how strongly you felt about this. If Judaism is so important to you I will allow you and your family to return to your ancient faith." Chaim immediately rushed home to his wife the good news. He said: Shprinze: I have wonderful news: "The king said we can return to Judaism immediately." To which Shprinze responded: "You idiot - couldn't you wait until after Pesach to ask?"
About this time of year, many of us feel a lot like Shprinze, Why do we go to all this trouble? The schlepping of the Pesah dishes; the cleaning; the koshering; the expense associated with celebrating this Festival. Is it really worth all the trouble?
And of course, we know the answer is an emphatic "Yes!" It is worth the trouble because nothing in life that really matters happens without effort and without commitment. This week at morning minyan I asked the minyanaires to think about the things that they were most proud of that they had done in their lives. As I scanned the room, I was certain that there was not a single person whose mind filled up with things that had happened by accident in life. The things that we value most are the things that we have worked hardest to achieve: Our most important relationships; the work-both professional and volunteer that we have committed to-the causes and communities in which we have given of our time, money, and energy. We value the things that we work hardest for in our lives.
As a community, Pesah preparations may at times feel like a punishment for being Jewish. But in the aftermath of all the hard work, there is the satisfaction of a job well done: We know that we have modeled the seriousness of our Jewish commitments; that we have meditated seriously on the responsibilities of freedom; and that we have connected the story of our families to the story of the Jewish people.
May we each be blessed to celebrate a hag kasher v'sameah, and may we merit the satisfaction of knowing that our hard work has indeed served a larger purpose.
Pesah Resources:
Rabbinical Assembly Pesah Guide
Hametz Form (to sell your hametz during Pesah)
March 16, 2012
Dear Friends,
Resignations by business executives are rarely good fodder for a rabbinic e-mail message to the congregation, but Greg Smith's very public resignation from his position as an Executive Director at Goldman Sachs is food for thought for any person who cares about the integrity of an organization and the leadership necessary to sustain any institution worth its salt.
In case you missed the powerful Op-Ed piece written in this week's New York Times, here is the link to Mr. Smith's article.
Mr. Smith talks about the fact that over the course of his twelve-year relationship with Goldman Sachs, something fundamental shifted in the company's culture. No longer is today's Goldman Sachs primarily concerned with doing what is best for its client; instead, it has only one goal: to make as much money as possible for Goldman Sachs. Of course, no company can survive if it does not turn a profit. But if making profits trumps doing what is best for your clients, you are probably not going to be a profitable company for very long. Here, in Mr. Smith's own words, is what contributed to his decision to leave Goldman Sachs:
"It might sound surprising to a skeptical public, but culture was always a vital part of Goldman Sachs's success. It revolved around teamwork, integrity, a spirit of humility, and always doing right by our clients. The culture was the secret sauce that made this place great and allowed us to earn our clients' trust for 143 years. It wasn't just about making money; this alone will not sustain a firm for so long. It had something to do with pride and belief in the organization. I am sad to say that I look around today and see virtually no trace of the culture that made me love working for this firm for many years......How did we get here? The firm changed the way it thought about leadership. Leadership used to be about ideas, setting an example and doing the right thing. Today, if you make enough money for the firm (and are not currently an ax murderer) you will be promoted into a position of influence."
Smith's letter is surely bad news for the current senior management team at Goldman Sachs who is no doubt trying its best to do damage control. But Mr. Smith's disillusionment speaks to the dangers of what can happen to any organization-for-profit or not-for-profit-that puts expediency over values. Bad values are not only bad for morale; they are also bad for business.
Shabbat Shalom,
March 2, 2012
On Sunday morning, Rabbi Merow and I will leave for Washington DC to attend AIPAC's annual Policy Conference. I am pleased to report that our delegation of 37 members is the largest Policy Conference in Beth Sholom's history. The strength of our delegation was made possible by the confidence that our congregational leadership showed in purchasing 20 advanced registrations at the discounted price of $299. All of those registrations were sold to our members. In addition, a family in the congregation that wishes to remain anonymous paid $50 towards the registration fee of anyone who was attending Policy Conference for the first time. We are delighted that we have close to 20 members attending for the first time.
During our time in Washington we will hear from Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Shimon Peres. U.S. President Barack Obama will speak as well. In addition, we are expecting at least two-if not three-of the current Republican Party candidates for President to address the delegates. Right now, over 13,000 people are registered to attend-the largest AIPAC Policy Conference in history.
Of course, the chief concern on the minds of all those who will be attending is the growing threat of Iran's nuclear weapons program. The issue of how Israel and the United States will respond to this growing threat is clearly the dominant concern among all those who will be on hand. We will be listening carefully both to our elected officials and to Israel's elected officials for clues about what may lie ahead. I will look forward to briefing the congregation about what we learn upon my return.
In the meantime, the irony of the Iranian threat taking center stage at a time of such proximity to Purim cannot be lost upon any of us. Almost 2,000 years ago in the land of Persia, a man rose up with the intent of annihilating the Jewish people. Today in the modern-day land of Persia, new actors have appeared on the world stage with a similarly evil goal. With the courage that we learned from our ancestors Mordecai and Esther, I am confident that the Jewish people today stands ready to make sure that the Haman's of the 21st Century will be similarly unsuccessful.
I look forward to celebrating the Festival of Purim with you here at Beth Sholom on Wednesday, March 7th. If you have not yet already done so, please remember to RSVP to Julie Glass at jglass@bethsholomcongregation.org to confirm your dinner reservation for our 6:00 PM congregational dinner.
Wishing all of you a memorable and uplifting Purim celebration.
Shabbat Shalom,
February 17, 2012
Dear Friends,
For more than two years now, you have undoubtedly been aware that the seven synagogues in the Old York Road Corridor have joined together to look into revitalizing our neighborhoods and strengthening the Jewish institutions that are here. Our efforts, which we have called the Old York Road Revitalization Group" (OYRRG) consisted of creating a leadership group and a financial investment from all seven synagogues in our area. With matching funds from the Federation of Greater Philadelphia, we were able to hire the Penn/Fels consulting group to create a revitalization plan for our area.
As part of this process, communal leaders were interviewed, focus groups were convened, town hall meetings took place, and research on the strengths and weaknesses of our community were studied. Last night, the Steering Committee of the OYRRG met with our consultants from Penn/Fels to review a draft plan of their report. The purpose of the report will be to help our community accomplish the following objectives: 1) Identify and prioritize the types of development that are likely to have the greatest impact on revitalizing the area; 2) Suggest effective ways for making those developments a reality; 3) Develop a marketing strategy that will raise the image of the neighborhood and increase interest in moving there; 4) Establish measures that can be used to assess the success and impact of the group in implementing the plan and revitalizing the neighborhood; and 5) Recommend an organizational structure for the group that will lead implementation of the resulting plan.
The report will be finalized within the next three weeks and we will have a link on our Web site that will allow the entire congregation to have a chance to review it. As one of the leaders of this process, it has been heartening for me to see the Jewish community in our area come together in all its diversity to work together on strengthening our Jewish communal home. I have also been delighted at two recent developments that bode well for the future health of our community. Just last week, the Creek-Side Co-op had a dedication ceremony in the former Ashbourne market property. Renovations are now underway and the co-op is scheduled to open this summer.
In addition, members of our community have launched the Old York Road Jewish Network, a group of Jewish professionals dedicated to the growth and vitality of the Old York Jewish Community. The mission of the group is to help both existing community members, as well as prospective community members who are considering relocating to our neighborhood, identify job and business opportunities. By harnessing the strength and diversity of the vibrant Jewish community in the OYR Corridor, the Old York Road Jewish Network is a truly unique networking resource.
If you are already a member of LinkedIn, please join the Old York Road Jewish Network by following this link:
http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=4201180&trk=myg_ugrp_ovr
If you are not already a member of LinkedIn, you can join for free at:
https://www.linkedin.com/
As our revitalization plan is finalized, I will continue to keep the members of our congregation apprised of programs and opportunities that will allow us to harness the power of our larger community to work together to strengthen our Jewish communal home here in the Old York Road Corridor. May we continue to grow from strength to strength.
Shabbat Shalom,
February 2, 2012
Dear Friends -
This Sunday at Beth Sholom Congregation, the Men's Club of Beth Sholom and Adath Jeshurun will sponsor a program for the World Wide Wrap that helps promote the mitzvah of tefillin. The World Wide Wrap is a national program sponsored by the Federation of Jewish Men's Club (FJMC) that uses Super Bowl Sunday as a time to spend the morning focused on tefillin as a beautiful way in which we actually wrap ourselves in God's words as a prelude to the early evening activity that over 100 million Americans will participate in as they watch the Super Bowl. This Sunday, our program will feature a presentation by the Star of David Bikers Group-the Delaware Valley's only Jewish motorcycle organization (learn more about them at starofdavidbikers.org). On Sunday morning you can learn about a group of Jews combine their love of motorcycles with the doing of mitzvoth and of expressing pride in their Jewish-ness. Services will begin at 9:30; followed by the Star of David presentation at 10:00, and breakfast at 10:30.
In thinking about the World Wide Wrap, I have often wondered why the FJMC felt the need to juxtapose teaching about tefillin with the Super Bowl. Aside from the obvious marketing tie-in with an over-the-top event cultural and sporting event, why does the World Wide Wrap always take place on Super Bowl Sunday?
Let me share with you an answer that I came across recently in a book entitled "America: Religion and Religions" by Catherine Albanese a Professor of Religion at the University of Chicago: According to Dr. Albanese: "There are many ways in which the sports of modern America are like deliberate religious rituals. Both mark out a separate area for their activities - a "playground" or sacred space. . . Both are examples of dramatic actions in which people take on assigned roles, often wearing special symbolic clothing to distinguish them from non-participants. . . In sports and deliberate religious rituals, the goal of the activity is the activity. While there may be good results from the game or rite, there is a reason implicit in the action for performing it. Play or ritual is satisfying for its own sake, for each is an activity in which people may engage because of the pleasure it gives in itself. . . .
In other words, when we take on the mitzvah of tefillin, we are donning the uniform of Jewish prayer. By engaging in the ritual of prayer in our tefillin and tallitot, we are declaring ourselves participants in this important life pursuit. While we never know whether or not our prayers will be answered, we know there is intrinsic value in the ritual itself. We become more deeply identified with our Jewish team through taking part in this ritual, and more deeply invested with the well-being of our teammates as a result.
So if you have never been to a World Wide Wrap, find us in the Sisterhood Sanctuary on Sunday morning. Since few of us really care if the Giant win or if the Patriots win, at least we can feel part of a winning team in the morning!
Shabbat Shalom,
January 19, 2012
Dear Beth Sholom Member,
As many of you may already be aware, in just two weeks, the BDS Movement (Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions against Israel) will hold its national conference in Philadelphia at the University of Pennsylvania February 4-5, 2012. A student group called Penn BDS, a group sanctioned and funded by the Student Council at Penn, is bringing the conference to campus.
Your two rabbis and the Mid-Atlantic Region of The Rabbinical Assembly have been in constant consultation about the conference with both the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia and the Hillel of Greater Philadelphia who communicated our collective concerns to the University. In fact, the President's Office at Penn has recently put forward a statement that clearly and unequivocally disassociates the University from the BDS movement and the positions of the speakers. We would like to ask any members of the congregation who are Penn alumni to be in touch with the University administration to thank them for distancing themselves from the goals of this conference. In addition, we encourage you to urge Penn administration officials to encourage more exchange and programs between Penn faculty and Israeli academics.
Our ongoing concern is that this conference brings to our community academics, professional activists, and students from around the country who are pursuing a de-legitimization campaign against Israel. Beth Sholom Congregation joins with the numerous Jewish and pro-Israel organizations across the globe that condemns the BDS movement and their divisive message.
A broad coalition of pro-Israel organizations have been meeting to address this issue and to plan strategies for responding including Federation, ADL, AJC, AIPAC, JCRC of Southern NJ, J-Street, ZOA, Z-Street, the Israeli Consulate, and Hillel of Greater Philadelphia. Part of the strategy of our organized Jewish community is to have many pro-Israel events during the time of their BDS conference. This way we can support Israel without giving any attention to the BDS Movement. We are attaching a link to a lecture by renowned Harvard professor Alan Dershowitz that will take place on Thursday, February 2nd entitled "We Are One With Israel." We urge as many Beth Sholom members as possible to attend this lecture and to join with the pro-Israel advocacy community. The lecture is free, but you must rsvp now to the number on the flyer to hold a spot.
We want to make sure that you are informed and aware that Beth Sholom's leadership is staying on top of this issue and that we are joining efforts in the community to address the matter. We will continue to keep you updated and be in contact about what action, if any, you might take that could be beneficial to our efforts. If you have any questions or concerns, you should feel free to contact either of us.
Wishing you a Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi David Glanzberg-Krainin and Rabbi Andrea Merow
January 5, 2012
Dear Friends,
As participants in the larger culture, we Jews use the opportunity of beginning a new year as a time for reflection as well. As 2012 began, a number of issues from the first week of 2012 speak to the challenges that we face both as Jews and as Americans. What follows are a few of those challenges and some questions for us to consider:
These, and other issues still unknown await us as 2012 unfolds. There are great challenges that we face both at home and abroad-both as Jews and as Americans. We pray that this new year of 2012 marks a time of greater peace, security, and prosperity for each of us-and for the world.
Shabbat Shalom,
December 22, 2011
Dear Friends,
The Rabbis in the Talmud debated many things about lighting the Hanukkah menorah: They debated if we start with one candle and build up to eight or start with eight candles and move down to one; they debated where the hanukkiyah should be placed in the home; and they debated whether it was preferable to have one hanukkiyah per home or whether it was preferable to allow each member of the household to have a Menorah in order for each family member to light his or her own. Eventually, Jewish laws became settled on these issues. We light one candle on each night and add a candle so that we ascend in light and holiness; we place the hanukkiyah in the window so that we can "publicize the miracle." And it is considered a "beautification of the mitzvah"-a hiddur mitzvah-for each family member to light his or her own.
It is interesting to understand why some of the Sages objected to this practice of multiple hanukkiyot in a single household. The dominant reason for the objection is that multiple hanukkiyot next to each other on the window sill might make it more difficult for an observer to be certain what night of Hanukkah it is. Eventually, the Rabbis were able to agree that it was possible to avoid this confusion by placing the hanukkiyot in different parts of the house so that the progression of nights is apparent to all.
My colleague, Rabbi Danny Nevins, teaches that there are two reasons why multiple hanukkiyot make great Jewish sense. First, it allows us to teach our children at a relatively early age (when they are able to safely hold a candle) that each of us has the responsibility to do mitzvot. Rather than see a mitzvah as the purview of the adults when there is inly one hanukkiyah in the home, giving each child a hanukkiyah and allowing each child to light teaches a wonderful lesson about Jewish responsibility.
A second reason for having a hanukkiyah for each member of the household comes from the Hasidic master, the Sefat Emet. Because Hanukkah is a festival that comes from the Rabbis and is not found in the Torah, it is part of our oral tradition. As opposed to the written Torah in which every letter is fixed, the oral tradition is ever capable of expanding and growing into new ways of creating a relationship with God. By adding ever more candles to illumine the dark places of life, we are making a statement about the possibility of innovation. Jews have always found new ways to enhance our traditions and to bring more light and energy into our religious practices. May the many candles of light during this Hanukkah season remind us of our own power to bring more light to the world and to our Jewish observances.
Hag Urim Sameah-A joyous Hanukkah to each and every one of us!
December 8, 2011
Dear Friends,
Since the start of the New Year on Rosh Hashanah, Beth Sholom Congregation has focused its attention on the experience and the meaning of Jewish communal prayer. We have had wonderful experiences with two guest prayer leaders-Craig Taubman and Hazzan Bat Ami Moses. The third and last guest prayer leader will be Joey Weisenberg who will be spending the Shabbat of December 16-17 with us. You can learn more about Joey's work by visiting his Web site at www.joeyweisenberg.com We hope that you will join us for services and dinner at 6:30 PM on Friday Dec. 16 and for Shabbat morning services and a lunch and learn beginning at 9:15 AM on Dec. 17 .
This week we continue our focus on learning about prayer in the third Shabbat Experience that will take place on Shabbat morning. Our focus will be on the meaning of the Shema and the blessings that surround it.
Many of us understand that the declaration embedded in the Shema amounts not only to a statement of our belief in one God, but functions as a kind of Jewish pledge of allegiance as well. We say the Shema two times per day and we recite the Shema before going to sleep. We say the Shema at the conclusion of Yom Kippur; and we are commanded to say the Shema if we are aware that we are about to die. Yet why is this prayer so central in Jewish life?
British Chief Rabbi Jonathan Sacks makes the point that Judaism is a religion that emphasizes the importance of sound over the importance of sight. Our most important prayers remind us to "listen" and to "hear." Judaism emphasizes the importance of sound because our primary way both of relating to God and to knowing God comes through the power of language. As much as we acknowledge God as the source of the natural universe and the created world, the Jewish vision of God is that God revealed God's presence through language-through the Torah. The essence of what makes humans unique is our capacity to think and to relate to each other and to God through language. It is our ability to think and to speak which makes human beings unique among God's creations.
God becomes real to us when we engage God through the study of our sacred texts and through prayer. That is why our central prayer reminds us to "listen" and to seek to "understand." The fullest expression of our humanity is found when we exercise our unique human capacity to use language.
We look forward to seeing you on Shabbat morning as we engage as a community in this holy enterprise. In the meantime, enjoy this video in which our Religious School students sing the Shema in three-part harmony.
Shabbat Shalom
November 23, 2011
Dear Friends,
Why do we Jews love Thanksgiving so much? A couple of responses immediately come to mind:
First, Thanksgiving feels like a very Jewish holiday. After all, it is a day when we surround ourselves with friends and family members and we offer thanks for the gifts of our lives. According to tradition, Jews are to give thanks 100 times each day. We are to give thanks before we eat, when we have food, and after we have eaten our fill. Each morning the traditional liturgy includes thank-yous for such simple acts as standing up and having the strength to get through the day.
Second, Thanksgiving is a day that reminds us to be thankful that we are Americans. America has been very good to the Jews. We have always lived here in relative safety. Our rights as a religious minority are protected by laws and by the Constitution's Bill of Rights. There is Diaspora Jewish community in which Jews have faced less anti-Semitism throughout our long history than American Jews have faced here in the United States of America.
In this way, Thanksgiving reminds us that we Jews are part of the American dream, a dream in which peoples of all races, ethnicities and religions enjoy life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
May we each be blessed with much to feel thankful for during this Thanksgiving holiday. And may we be blessed with the awareness of how privileged we are to be citizens of this great country.
Happy Thanksgiving and an early Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi David Glanzberg-Krainin
November 11, 2011
Dear Friends,
First and foremost, we send congratulations to Beth Sholom congregants Risa Ferman on her election to a new four-year term as Montgomery County District Attorney and to Josh Shapiro on his election to the office of Montgomery County Commissioner. May you both be blessed to serve our County with honor and distinction and may our County flourish under your leadership. We are proud that Beth Sholom is your Jewish communal home in Montgomery County.
As we are all aware, the news this past week has been dominated by the arrest of former Penn State defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky on multiple charges of child sexual abuse. The allegations are excruciating horrifying. Just this morning, the Board of Trustees announced that Penn State President Graham Spanier and Head Football Coach Joe Paterno were fired from their positions.
According to news reports this morning, Coach Paterno will state that he was not informed of the specific nature of the sexual molestation that took place in 2002. Rather, he was told by a 28 year-old assistant coach that the coach had witnessed what seemed to him some inappropriate "fondling" and "horsing around" by Sandusky. The extent of Paterno's ethical culpability certainly may depend on exactly what he knew and when he knew it. But it seems to me that there is a larger lesson for all of us who work for-or who represent-institutions that espouse moral values-whether they are religious, political, educational, or business institutions.
Institutions thrive when they live out their values. The health of any institution is commensurate with the extent to which the values it stands for are matched by the actions of those who represent the organization. Joe Paterno was well-known for creating a football program that stood for "success with honor." He espoused those values whenever he spoke about the nature of his work at Penn State. While no one accuses Coach Paterno of committing a legal wrong-doing, unless the assistant coach who informed Paterno of what he saw completely whitewashed and omitted significant details of what allegedly took place, Paterno is certainly guilty of not living up to his ethical responsibility embodied in the philosophy that he espoused.
At this time, our primary religious response should be one of empathy and compassion for the victims of these horrific assaults. But for those of us who represent institutions in which values matter, this is a cautionary tale. The currency we trade in is our honor and integrity. May those of us who represent institutions of all kinds never lose sight of the fact that our actions will always speak louder than our words.
Shabbat Shalom,
October 28, 2011
A great Sage once asked his students: What is the holiest month in the Jewish calendar? One student answered: "It is Nissan-for in that month we were freed from slavery and we became a nation." Another student replied: "It is Sivan-for in that month we received the Torah." And a third replied: "Clearly, it is Tishre-for in that month we begin the year again; we observe Yom Kippur-the holiest day on the calendar; we rejoice in the sukkah; and then we dance with the Torah on Simhat Torah."
The Sage considered these responses and responded: "All of these months are holy; but the holiest of all is Heshvan; for in Heshvan, there are no hagim or festivals. This is the month in the Jewish calendar when we see ourselves for who we are and measure the quality of the lives that we are living."
Today and tomorrow mark Rosh Hodesj Heshvan-the beginning of the time when the din of the holidays come to an end and our lives return to "normal." But here at Beth Sholom, we are celebrating Rosh Hodesh Heshvan with the start of a process that is designed to help us understand who we are-and what kind of congregation we want to become.
Our first guest prayer leader, Craig Taubman, joins us here at Beth Sholom for a Shabbat of soulful Jewish prayer. Before Craig even arrives in Elkins Park, let me say from the outset that the three prayer leaders who will visit us over the next two months have been regular prayer leaders at Conservative congregations. Let me also say that we have asked each of our guest prayer leaders to lead a service in his or her own vision; we have not asked them to lead a service in the style that we are accustomed to at Beth Sholom. Our goal is to learn about new possibilities for meaningful and powerful Jewish prayer experiences so that we will be better able to articulate the kind of worship life we hope to create in our future. We hope that all members of our community who come to services this Shabbat will open their minds and their hearts to new possibilities without fear that something that you experience during these Shabbatot is something that we are committing ourselves to for the future. Some of you will undoubtedly like some of the things that you experience this Shabbat; some of you will be likely to dislike and to feel uncomfortable with some of the things that you experience this Shabbat. All of what you think, feel, and believe will be valuable information as we imagine our future. We simply ask that all members of the community enter these experiences with both open minds and open hearts.
Please be aware that the service Craig leads on Shabbat morning will not contain either a full Torah reading or a full Musaf service. For that reason, Shalom Zachmy will be leading a traditional Shabbat morning service in the Price Chapel. For those who choose to attend services in the Price Chapel with Shalom, we hope that you will join us for the lunch and learn program with Craig following services on Shabbat morning.
As this month of Heshvan begins, let each of us as individuals commit to incorporating the visions of the better selves we imagined during the Days of Awe and the festivals of Tishre. And may we as a Beth Sholom community open ourselves up to new possibilities and new vehicles for deepening our awareness of God's presence through the worship life we create in this community.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi David Glanzberg-Krainin
October 11, 2011
First and foremost, g'mar hatima tova to each and every one of you. May you be sealed for blessing and good health in the coming new Year
Second, it is with rejoicing that we welcome the news of the release of Israeli IDF soldier Gilad Shalit. After five years in captivity, reports have been confirmed that he will be reunited with his family within a few weeks. We know that the State of Israel pays a heavy price for the value that it places on the lives of each one of its citizens. Over 1,000 Palestinian prisoners will be released from Israeli prisons in exchange for Shalit's release. We understand the security risks the release of these prisoners pose to Israel and we understand the fear that such exchanges can act as an incentive for more kidnappings. At the end of the day, however, I believe that most of us are proud to identify with a nation that places such an extraordinary value on the life of its soldiers and citizens. We pray that Gilad Shalit will be united swiftly with his family and that he will be able to enjoy a long life of health and prosperity.
Third, I want to remind you that we have a wonderful series of three guest prayer leaders who will be joining us at Beth Sholom Congregation in the coming months. We look forward to learning from these talented Jewish professionals who will help our congregation begin the process of discerning the type of prayer life we hope to have as we begin our search for a new Hazzan of the congregation. Our first guest will be Craig Taubman who will be here the Shabbat of October 28-29. Craig is an internationally renowned Jewish musician who has written gorgeous music for both Kabbalat Shabbat and Shabbat morning services. Please mark your calendars and plan to attend this wonderful musical Shabbat at Beth Sholom.
Fourth, I want to remind each and every one of you that I am still awaiting your ideas and suggestions for ways that we can make Seth Sholom Congregation a stronger Jewish community. As you may remember, I asked each one of us tocome with an idea that you are willing to invest some of your talent and time to make happen in the life of the congregation during this New Year. To date, I have received ten suggestions from our members with a variety of ideas: Some have suggested programs for grandparents and grandchildren; others have suggested we encourage couples who are celebrating milestone anniversaries to have a joint renewal of vows ceremony; others have suggested we do much better in reducing our carbon footprint by avoiding disposables at kiddushes and onegs. There have been many wonderful suggestions; we would like to hear from many more of you as well. Please e-mail me with any ideas that you have at Rdgk@bethsholomcongregation.org
We look forward to building a stronger and more collaborative Beth Sholom Congregation in this New Year
Hag Sameah and Shabbat Shalom
Setptember 28. 2011
A New Year is not only a time when we take stock of our individual lives; it is also a time when we look closely at our communal obligations and responsibilities.
Many of you are aware that the seven synagogues of the Old York Road Corridor have joined together to initiate a community revitalization project. Our group is called the Old York Road Revitalization Group (OYRRG). The Steering Committee of the OYRRG is made up of senior lay leaders and clergy from the seven synagogues in our area. Thanks to funding from all seven synagogues and a matching grant from the Philadelphia Jewish Federation, we have hired the Penn Fels Consulting Group to work with us on developing a plan that would help to strengthen the Old York Road Corridor as a destination community for the Greater Philadelphia area. We believe our neighborhoods were not only great places to live 30 years ago; we think they are great places to live NOW. We want to encourage more Jewish families to think seriously about living here, and we want to make this a more attractive region for Jews and non-Jews to live and to raise their families.
In order to work on developing a plan, we are holding two open meetings in which the community at large will meet with our consultants and share in a dialogue about ways to strengthen our area. I want to urge each and every member of our congregation to attend at least one of the two Community Engagement Meetings. The first meeting will be held on Wednesday, October 5th at Abington Junior High School. The second meeting will take place on Monday, October 10th at the Cheltenham School District Building on Ashbourne Road in Elkins Park. Please invite your friends who live in the area-Jewish and non-Jewish alike-to attend one of these two meetings. Your input is essential for us to develop a plan to insure that the wonderful quality of life that we value here in the Old York Road Corridor will continue to be strengthened in the coming months and years.
On behalf of the OYRRG Steering Committee, I thank you in advance for working together with your friends and neighbors to strengthen our community. May this New Year be one in which we are strengthened not only in our homes and families, but in our neighborhood and community as well.
Shanah tovah u'mitukah,
Rabbi David Glanzberg-Krainin
September 16, 2011
It is a busy time of year for many of us, and yet this month of Elul, the month preceding Rosh Hashanah and the start of the New Year, is also the time of year when our Jewish tradition asks us to take stock of our priorities.
A well-known expert on time management once spoke to a group of business executives. He took a one-gallon wide-mouthed jar and put it on the table in front of him. Then he produced a dozen rocks about the size of an apple and carefully placed them in the jar one at a time. When the jar was filled with rocks and no more rocks could be fit inside, he asked: "Is the jar full?" Everyone in the glass said, "Yes." He asked, "Really?" Then he reached under the table and took out a bag of gravel, and poured some into the jar and then shook so that the gravel worked themselves into the crevices between the rocks. Then he asked again: "Is the jar full?" Now the executives said, "Probably not." "Good," he replied. Then he reached under the table and took a bag of sand, and demonstrated that there was still space left between the gravel and the rocks. "Is the jar full now?" he asked. "No!" they all said. "Right!" he said. This time, he took out a pitcher of water and poured it into the jar.
The time management expert then looked at the executives and asked: "What do you think the purpose of this exercise is?" One businesswoman said: "The purpose is to demonstrate that no matter how busy your schedule, you can always fit in something more if you want to." The speaker responded: "No, that is not the point at all. This exercise is meant to teach you that if you don't put the big rocks in first, you'll never get them in at all!"
A good lesson for each of us as well-particularly at this time of year. Elul is a good time to reflect on some questions: What projects are really worth accomplishing in our lives? What have we been putting off that is worthy of our time? What causes need our time and attention that would make a difference in the world?
Too many of us look back over the course of a year and find there was too much time spent on the small stuff-the sand, the gravel, the water. When in truth we know what matters is the big stuff: Our families; our communities that need our talents and devotion; our souls that need time to be opened up and nourished.
Take some time to reflect on what is in the jar of your life. And make sure you've left room for the big rocks-the really worthwhile things in your life. For is you do, the New Year will be one of blessing indeed.
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi David Glanzberg-Krainin
Community Collaboration Nights at Beth Sholom
A community is stronger when the whole is related to the sum of its parts. This month, Beth Sholom will begin a modest attempt to allow ourselves to bring the constituent parts of our community into greater relationship with the whole.
On Thursday, Sept. 15th, we begin the first of three Community Collaboration Nights. On this evening, committees will meet simultaneously in separate parts of the Fischman Auditorium in order to accomplish individual committee business. Following a short break for coffee and schmoozing, we will then gather together for one collective meeting in which we will engage in discussion on a topic that is important to the congregation as a whole, and which would be best solved by the congregation working together to achieve common ends. The schedule for the evening is listed below.
Why bring together members of committees and auxiliaries on the same night? Do we really need yet another meeting for the already busy members of the congregation? First, these Community Collaboration Nights are meant to help reduce the number of meetings our members attend. Our vision is that these meetings will replace the monthly meetings that most of our committees and auxiliaries usually set up. For those members who serve on more than one committee, we suggest that you divide your time in the first hour of the Community Collaboration Nights among the various committees that you may serve on. Instead of two or three meetings per month for the various group that you serve on, you have just consolidated your meeting schedule to one night per month.
But most importantly, we create a structure at Beth Sholom for leaving our individual silos and communicating together. Rather than see ourselves as connected to the community mostly through our involvement with one group, we now have an opportunity to institutionalize collaboration. Some of the topics we hope to address during the time when we are all together include the following:
Strong communities remain strong because they create mechanisms to do collective problem-solving and consensus-building. Until this time, we have had no mechanism to build these intra-communal bonds. We hope that you will join your favorite committee and auxiliary members on Thursday September 15th when we begin what we believe will be a fruitful effort to build a stronger Beth Sholom.
Rabbi David Glanzberg-Krainin
Rabbi Andrea Merow
Schedule of the Evening:
7:00 – 7:25 PM: Evening Minyan
7:30 – 8:20 PM: Committees and auxiliaries meet separately spread out in different parts of the Fischman Auditorium
8:20 – 8:35 PM: Individual meetings end and we gather for coffee, cake, and informal schmoozing
8:40 – 9:30 PM: We gather together for a community conversation on one topic of importance to the congregation as a whole. We hope to emerge with consensus and plan for how to follow up on achieving these common goals.
