February 2015

Harold Londer, Madrikh Peace on Earth…an Impossible Dream?

Recent news items drove me to "Bible Study 101." The first was the tragedy in Paris, where terrorists invaded a satirical magazine office and a Jewish delicatessen, resulting in the loss of many lives. The rationale for the magazine attack was a cartoon mocking the prophet Muhammad. Such depiction of "graven images" is prohibited by the Koran. The rationale for the delicatessen slaughter was, simply and sadly, anti-Semitism. Jews have been targets of violence for centuries. The Palestine/Israel quag-­mire, with two religious groups in conflict over control of a site sacred to both, enflames hatred.

Another news article which impelled me to brush up on my bible study was the US Supreme Court decision to determine whether gay marriage should be legal nationwide. Despite legalization in 36 states, the religious right leads bitter opposition to gay marriage. Since religion is a prominent feature of all of these news stories, I decided to consult a religious text. Though humanistic Jews, dating back to Spinoza, have questioned the authority and veracity of the Torah (the first five books of the Old Testament), we recognize its significance to Jews, as well as its importance to many Christians. So to the Torah I went. What does the Torah say about “graven images?” Exodus 20:4* is straightforward: Thou shalt not make .. thee a graven image nor any manner of likeness of anything that is in heaven above. I then slip over to Deuteronomy 4:23-26: Take heed of yourselves lest you …make a graven image…for the Lord thy God is a jealous God. When you shalt corrupt yourselves and make a graven image ye shall perish. To be honest, I’m not sure what defines a graven image, but God clearly doesn’t want them hanging around. A justification for murder? Is God multicultural? Can he accept non-Jews worshipping their own gods? How would he expect Jews to react to non-Jews? I find in Deut. 13: 6-10: If thy brother, or thy son, or thy daughter, or thy wife..or thy friend..entice thee.. saying let us go and serve other gods..thou shalt surely kill him… Thou shalt stone him with stones…. He goes on in Deut. 13-15, If the inhabitants of a city serve other gods, thou shalt surely smite the inhabitants of that city. I take a deep breath. Where does the Torah address homosexuality? Leviticus 20:13 states succinctly: If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death. Pretty clear. But read Deut. 21:18-21: If a man have a stubborn and rebellious child which will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, he should bring the boy to the “elders” and all the men of his city shall stone him with stones. Just as “clear?” And Deut. 22:22 ..If a man be found lying with a woman married…then they shall both of them die. According to Jewish tradition there are 613 commandments in the Old Testament, and each is equally important. If the Supreme Court follows biblical instruction, does that mean we demand stubborn children and adulterers must be put to death?

(Continued on page 8.)

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The Illuminator Or Emet’s newsletter is published quarterly. To submit an item for the Illuminator, please con-­tact Joan Barnett at joan@oremet.org

Madrikh

Harold Londer madrikh@oremet.org

Jewish Cultural School Eva Cohen, Director

Executive Committee

President, Richard Logan president@oremet.org

Vice President Liza Finestack

Treasurer

Sharon Miller

Members At-Large Lisa Gardner-Springer Natalie Rosinsky

Program Committee

Jane Katz Seth Finestack

Newsletter

Joan Barnett, Editor Lin Rockler, Publisher

www.oremet.org Or Emet is affiliated with the Society for Human-­istic Judaism (SHJ) and the International Institute for Secular Humanistic

Judaism (IISHJ).

President's Message: In the Wake of the Charlie Hebdo Atrocity in Paris Submitted by Richard Logan

In the wake of the wanton killings in Paris of journalists and of people guilty only of being Jews, of kids in Nigeria and Pakistan guilty only of becoming educated, support for secular institutions of government by secular humanists and liberal people of religious faith has never been more important. Both Muslim and Christian fundamentalists seek to impose their beliefs on entire nations, though by somewhat different kinds of militancy. (Jewish fundamentalists tend to be more interested in converting other Jews.) This militancy is a threat not just to life but to the many freedoms that modern secular governments pro-­tect for so many. One of the supreme ironies here is that one cornerstone of secular democ-­racy is the freedom of belief, freedom of religious and non-religious ex-­pression. Modern governance is not grounded on trying to impose one religion on the state. I am reminded of a powerful poster I saw during the march following the Paris outrages eloquently affirming modern secular-­ism, and the right of individuals to speak their minds. Fervently secular intellectuals such as the French creators of this poster have done a number of brilliant things. It not only affirms somewhat indirectly the now iconic Je Suis Charlie;; in fact, CHARLIE is the virtual title of this post-­er. However, it also says more directly and powerfully for secular humanists such as ourselves, "I think, therefore I am Charlie;;" i.e., "I think, therefore I am free to use my reason to critique, to disagree, to question, to satirize." But at its heart, this poster also brilliantly highlights Descartes' famous dic-­tum on the powerful fact of human reason, "Cogito ergo sum" -- "I think therefore I am"-- "Je Pense Donc Je Suis." This statement was core to the Enlightenment and to the rise of individualism, individual rights, the ex-­plosion of knowledge and of course the growth of secular democracy. All of this occurred after the Enlightenment and the French and American revolutions. Furthermore, the poster highlights the apparent fragment "Je Pense Donc" as a stand-alone. Yet this too is powerful. With no conclu-­sion to the "therefore," this "fragment" brilliantly alludes to the fact that, in secular modernity with people free to think for themselves (which we owe partly to Descartes, partly to the French, and partly to some guys in Philadelphia, among others) all things are possible.

(Continued on page 3.)

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Of course, in mentioning secular modernity, I cannot leave out another to whom much is owed, and who so many French students know almost as well as their Descartes: the excommunicat-­ed Baruch Spinoza. Of his many apt statements, I will quote three: The highest activity a human being can attain is learning for understanding, because to under-­

stand is to be free. If [affairs of a state] belong to a council composed of the general multitude, then the dominion

is called a democracy. Democracy comes closest to the natural state where all the citizens act in an election for a

common decision. In sum, what an affirmation this poster is of so much that we value and so many things that matter so much. Yours in peace, Richard

(President’s Message, continued from page 2.)

Donations and Contributions For St Stephen’s dinners Madrikh Harold Londer Natalie Rosinsky and Don Larsson Claire Press Muriel Sterne Lenny Garber and Gwyn Leder In memory of Rabbi Sherwin Wine, Humanistic Judaism’s founder, for his strong support of the Two-State Solution Curt and Suzie Leavitt

Caring Circle Joan Barnett and Faith Oremland

Our Caring Circle is about having a supportive community and helping each other during peri-­ods of distress or difficult life transitions. Through Bikur Cholim, we share Or Emet’s strengths with members in need. Depending on individual situations, we offer help in a variety of ways such as companionship, calls, cards, visits, shopping, rides, etc. Please assist by informing us when you, or someone you care about, are experiencing difficult times. Contact Faith Oremland outrageouslove@aol.com or Joan Barnett joan@oremet.org.

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Jewish Cultural School — Update Submitted by Eva Cohen, JCS Director (with contributions by Renee Dorman and Josh Kaplan)

December and January at the Jewish Cultural School (JCS) were animated by Hanukkah prepara-­tions and a stream of visitors. JCS students played a central role in Or Emet's Hanukkah party (see article). Many thanks to Naomi Rockler-Gladen and Renee Dorman's mother, Coleen, for helping out in the Middles classroom in December and January (as well as to my mom, Molly Wilbur-Cohen, for volunteering in November). A growing group of active 1st-3rd graders calls for extra hands! I missed seeing everyone at the January session when I was away attending a wedding, but I so appreciate how Richard Logan, Liza Finestack, JCS teachers, Lisa Gardner-Springer, and my dad and substitute, Barry Cohen, welcomed visitors and made the whole day go successfully. We launched babysitting at Talmud Torah in January;; awesome JCS alumni and high school seniors Lili Weisman and Hannah Ahrendt are offering babysitting at Sunday programs. Please contact me to reserve a space for your baby or toddler. Here's a peak into JCS classrooms in December and January-- The Littles class with Josh spent December and January learning about Hanukkah and having fun.

In December, the class learned Hanukkah songs for the Or Emet party, and read a great Hanukkah book. They even lit a real menorah and col-­ored some Hanukkah pictures. As a special bonus, Kai told some hilari-­ous jokes. :) Check the JCS blog (http://oremet.org/category/cultural-school/) for November's class summary and a January update! The Middles class with Renee also learned about Hanukkah while ex-­

panding their knowledge of family history, social justice, and Haftorah. In December, the Middles reviewed the story of the Maccabees and learned the humanistic Hanukkah blessing with Sarah. They made family tree felt menorahs to take home and "light," students shared where their families came from, and they played dreidel. In January, the Middles class learned about social justice—an important value for Humanistic Jews! Sarah led the class in a song on this theme. Students learned the story of Prophet Amos, who fought for social justice back in the time of the Torah, and then played some games to remind themselves why equality is important. The class ended by drawing their "inside" and "outside" selves, to show that the inside is what really counts! The Juniors class with me, Eva, spent the last two months continuing to focus on humanistic Torah study. In December, students did a group dramatic reading of the short, funny Sedra Scenes skits for the Vayera through Yitro Torah portions and prepared for Hanukkah. We discussed provocative questions each portion raises, ranging from scientific explanations for the Ten Plagues to the mod-­ern morality of the Ten Commandments. After playing some dreidel and singing “Mi Y'malel” and “Chanukah, Chanukah” with Sarah, the class rehearsed this year's Hanukkah play. Continuing to work with Sedra Scenes in January with my substitute, Barry Cohen, students did dramatic readings of the final skits for Exodus and for se-­lected Torah portions in Leviticus, debating thorny issues raised by their study and doing related activities. Students created mini Taber-­nacle models using Tinkertoys, sang Debbie Friedman songs with Sa-­rah, played “The 'Kosher or Treyf' Game,” and discussed connections between Leviticus's order “not [to] stand by your neighbor's blood” and the #BlackLivesMatter movement. As always, feel free to contact me at evarosecohen@gmail.com or 651-285-0406 to discuss the JCS or to arrange a free school visit. Thank you for making my job fun.

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Susan Weinberg is showing artwork on the theme of Capturing the Stories at the St Paul JCC Gallery Walk through March 9th. The work is based on Susan's interview series at Sholom Home as well as in-­terviews with a local survivor. On February 8th at 2:00 pm at the St Paul JCC, Susan will be speaking about the creation of the series and the underlying stories as well as the oral history process used for the project. Following the talk, there will be an inaugural meeting of the Twin Cities Jewish Genealogical Society. If you are interested in genealogy, please join this gathering at 3:15 pm or join us for both. Susan will also be doing a workshop targeted to teens on her oral history process on February 22nd at 2 pm at the St Paul JCC. Refer to program/event schedule for more information.

Member News

Childcare at Or Emet Sunday Programs Submitted by Lisa Gardner-Springer Starting in 2015, Or Emet will now offer babysitting at the Sunday programs for families with children who are too little (roughly ages 0-3) for our Jewish Cultural School's Littles class. This year, our babysitters are Lili Weisman and Hannah Ahrendt, high school seniors and two wonderful former Or Emet students themselves. Families will need to provide snacks and sippy cups for their little ones, as well as diapers and wipes (parents, you'll be texted to handle diaper changes). We have plenty of toys, thanks to the generosity of President Richard Logan. We are also happy to accept other toy donations. This service is at no additional cost to members. If you would like to take advantage of our babysitters, please contact Lisa Gardner-Springer at lisamgs@gmail.com.

Updates from Or Emet's B'nai Mitzvah Program: Book Discussion, Crisis Nursery Tzedakah, and Baking Jewish Specialties Submitted by Eva Cohen The Bat/Bar Mitzvah group has continued to do dynamic program activities monthly, while students are beginning individual work on their Bat/Bar Mitzvah projects. November's meeting at the Sandlers' home incorporated lots of thoughtful discussion of the Is-­raeli-Palestinian conflict-focused YA novel A Bottle in the Gaza Sea;; the group also cooked a Palestinian recipe from Jerusalem: A Cookbook. In December, students prepared a snack for children at the Greater Minneapolis Crisis Nursery, touring facilities, meeting staff, and hang-­ing out with kids while doing important tzedakah/service. The group also got plenty of hands-on practice making challah and noodle kugel in a Jewish baking workshop with Joan Barnett. All five Bat/Bar Mitzvah services are happening in summer 2015.

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Or Emet’s Seder Celebrates Passover in the Humanistic Tradition

April 4th at 5 pm -- First Unitarian Society, 900 Mt. Curve Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55403 Members and visitors are invited to attend Or Emet’s Passover Seder. Children from the Jewish Cultural School, adult members of the congregation, friends and families all share in the festivities. Join us for a Humanistic Passover Seder service and potluck meal with traditional Passover foods. Space is limited and reservations are required from March 14 until March 31 (or until we reach ca-­pacity).

Watch your inbox for more information and signup link. Questions? Contact Joan Barnett joan@oremet.org.

Volunteers are essential to our Seder’s success! Cost

x No charge for members x Non-members: $12 adults/teens, $7 children under 13, infants/toddlers free, $40 max/family x We welcome additional donations We look forward to celebrating Passover with you!

Announcing Or Emet’s Adult Education Submitted by Allan Malkis The Or Emet Adult Education program presents the first season with a review of the most influential Jews, based on a list of 100 published some time ago. Many of those we chose were humanists, but not all. The series will continue for a few years. 2015 Program Schedule: March 15 - Howard Schneider will discuss David Ben Gurion. March 29 - David Fox will discuss Karl Marx. April 26 - Allan Malkis will discuss Moses Mendelssohn. All events will be at the Saint Paul JCC from 1 to 2:30 pm in room 107. No cost or prior reservation necessary. All interested persons are welcome to attend. Learning is NOT just for the young!

Annual Welcome Brunch For new members and others interested in Or Emet

Please join us for this opportunity

to learn more about Humanistic Judaism and the Or Emet community and to connect with Or Emet’s leaders and other newcomers.

Watch your inbox for more information about our welcome event to be scheduled this spring.

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From the Ground Up: Or Emet’s Social Justice / Social Action Committee Submitted by Arty Dorman, committee chair From Claire Press: To paraphrase from the Four Questions: Why is the upcoming Easter Dinner at St. Stephen’s Men’s Shelter different from all other Easter Dinners? Funny, you should ask;; let me tell you. For starters, it will be provided and served by members and friends of Or Emet’s congregation! Or Emet’s commitment to Tikkun Olam and Rollie Langer Memorial Dinners continues on April 5, Easter Sunday, with a Traditional Easter Dinner. How we chose this date and menu is a good story. Since our original date to serve conflicted with Or Emet’s Passover Seder event, St. Stephen’s offered alter-­native dates – and, Easter was one of those dates. Although Easter might be more difficult for us to cover, it is a special opportunity when members of Christian volunteer groups are less available. My first thought was Yes! We can and should do it! Arty also responded with a quote from the Haggadah and an enthusiastic Yes! Although some of our interfaith families will be celebrating Easter, we can and will pull together enough volunteers to provide a memorable Easter dinner for the gentlemen at St. Stephen’s. With no Easter dinner experience, I imagined a Thanksgiving-like turkey dinner. However, during the Janu-­ary St. Stephen’s dinner, our turkey menu on Easter Sunday became a topic of discussion. Sara Langer learned from the guests what they consider a traditional Easter dinner. Turkey was second choice. First choice was HAM! Since this is a special holiday for our guests, Easter without ham would be like Hanukkah without latkes! Sara has a good point!! Tikkun Olam is about serving the men what they want. I responded that I do not know anything about making a ham as I have never made one. Since then, the meal has taken on a life of its own!! St. Stephen’s guests will enjoy a "Traditional Easter Meal" of ham, turkey, scalloped potatoes and lots of traditional sides. And, a Catholic woman with whom I serve meals at a Lutheran Church is providing the potatoes!! Talk about interfaith activity! Now you know why this Easter dinner is different from all other Easter dinners! Watch your inbox for an email inviting online signup for providing and serving Easter dinner at St. Stephen’s Shelter– April 5th at 7-8:30 pm (volunteers need to arrive earlier). Since this special dinner has a set menu, volunteers will be requested to bring specific items. Thank you to all who have made our suppers at St. Stephen’s a gratifying Tikkun Olam endeavor, both for the guests we serve and for our members. And, thank you in advance to all who will take part in our next dinner on Easter Sunday. From Arty Dorman: x Stay tuned about how we will work with Jewish Community Action to support their Economic Justice

initiative. x We continue to collect personal care items for Listening House clients at our Sunday and Friday pro-­

grams. x Please contact me if you have an interest in the Social Action / Social Justice Committee.

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Hanukkah Party Highlights by Eva Cohen The 2014 Or Emet Hanukkah party was technically a pre-Hanukkah affair, taking place the evening of Saturday, December 13 at the Wellstone Center at Neighborhood House in St. Paul. Around 70 members and guests gathered to celebrate together and gear up for the upcoming eight crazy nights! As in past years, Madrikh Harold Londer emceed an opening program featuring performances from the Jewish Cultural School classes. It was great to have Harold back from Florida to be with us for Hanukkah, and to provide enlightening historical context on many holiday traditions in his welcoming speech. The crowd enjoyed singing by Josh Kaplan's Littles class and Renee Dorman's Middles class. Listening to the Littles piping “I Had a Little Dreidl” is always a highlight, as is hearing the Middles lead the humanistic Hanukkah blessing along with Harold. Music teacher Sarah Berman-Young, accompanied by her mother, Rae Berman, on guitar, led the singing, and then the duo performed a funny, rousing (and edited) rendition of Adam Sandler's “The Chanukah Song.” This has become another great Or Emet Hanukkah party tradition. The potluck dinner served next came with a new twist this year. Following a plan developed by Or Emet Vice President Liza Finestack and party planning co-leads Joan Barnett and myself, kitchen volunteers served latkes and fixings to each table family-style. The new system, applauded by many guests, meant that people didn't have to wait in long lines for food and ensured a more equitable distribution of latkes. Tzedek, tzedek tirdof! :) Dreidel and other holiday games and activities kept young people busy after eating. Post-dinner entertainment was courtesy of my class, the Juniors, who performed a play entitled Hanukkah: The Maccabee Story. This year's play (written by me, Eva) tells the story of Hanukkah and the Maccabees from a historical perspective with a humorous twist. Students brought great expressivity,

comedic sensibility, and plastic sword-fighting skills to their performance! It was wonderful to have working mics this year, allowing everyone to hear the students' lines. Dessert—and Margo Fox's gelt distribution among the young people—rounded out the evening. As I said last year, this party is a congregational affair that depends on lots of volunteer energy. Thank you, volunteers and guests, for helping to make it a chag sameach—a happy holiday!

(Peace on Earth…. Continued from page 1) Is religion a force for good or evil in this world? The events of the past months make the question legitimate. De-­pending on an ancient text can lead to beliefs that are difficult to accept, unless of course, they are our beliefs. We read our religious texts selectively. Jews, Muslims, Christians, Hindus, Mormons, Buddhists, et. al have their own sacred texts. Within a given religion, there is disagreement about how to interpret and act upon the admonitions of these texts. Is there anything we can all agree upon? It has been stated in many ways, but I am content with the messages from Jesus found in Mark 12:31: Love your neighbor as yourself, from Rabbi Hillel in the first century: That which is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow, that is the whole of the Torah, and from Muhammad Wish for your brothers what you wish for yourself (akheek ma tuhibu li nafsik). Peace on Earth!! *Bible translations from Jewishvirtuallibrary.org

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FRIDAY PROGRAMS ALL FRIDAY PROGRAMS WILL BE HELD AT 7:30 PM AT MPLS. SABES JEWISH COMMUNITY CEN-­TER, ST. LOUIS PARK, AND ARE PRECEDED BY A HUMANISTIC SHABBAT SERVICE AND FOLLOWED BY AN ONEG SHABBAT. February 20, 2015—The Social Justice Struggle in El Salvador. Presenter: Anna Burnstein, Or Emet member, has lived and worked in El Salvador, has worked with In-­digenous peoples and serves as a Spanish interpreter. March 20, 2015—A talk and reading by St. Paul writer Steven Muenzer from his new book, Fare-­well Berlin, a work of historical fiction set in 1930’s Berlin. April 24, 2015—Child Labor and other Human Rights Abuses. Presenter: Dr. David Parker, mem-­ber of The Advocates for Human Rights has trav-­eled documenting the corrosive impact of child labor. He will show images from his book Before Their Time: The World of Child Labor. May 15, 2015—Travelers in An Ancient Land: Our journeys in the deserts of Israel, Jordan and Egypt. Presenters: Susan Armington, mixed media artist and Sylvia Horwitz, photographer, will reflect on their experiences, and will show visual images of the work inspired by them. SUNDAY PROGRAMS ALL SUNDAY PROGRAMS WILL BE HELD CON-­CURRENTLY WITH THE JEWISH CULTURAL SCHOOL, FROM 10:00 TO 12:30 AT TALMUD TO-­RAH OF ST. PAUL. CHILD CARE AVAILABLE. February 8, 2015 - Tu B’Shevat celebrates trees and ecological awareness. Or Emet will host Bill Arnold, Joseph T. and Rose S. Ling Pro-­fessor, Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geo-Engineering, University of Minnesota, pre-­senting their research on the fate of the antibacteri-­al compound triclosan in Minnesota lakes and the resulting legislative action.

March 8, 2015 - Celebrate Spring customs from various traditions, including mishloah manot (or food gifts) for the Jewish festival of Purim. Or Emet will host Laura Melnick and a program about seed art (also known as crop art). This pro-­gram will include a short demonstration and an interactive arts activity. April 19, 2015 - Or Emet's annual celebration of humor in Jewish life. Members and guests are invited to share favorite Jewish jokes and stories! Jewish humor is one of the world’s greatest humor traditions, partly due to its having arisen out of so much adversity. Our em-­cee and lead comedian are yet to be announced. May 31, 2015 - Build your summer reading list… with the help of Or Emet's literati! Professor Don Larrson is back and armed with prodigious sugges-­tions for a Minnesota summer of intrigue, fantasy, history and more. Members and guests are invited to share their top picks for the summer beach bag. Or Emet's Sunday Program Committee will com-­pile and publish the list for all to enjoy! EVENTS March 15, March 29, and April 26—Or Emet Adult Education St Paul JCC, 1 to 2:30 pm See page 6 for more information. April 5, July 11—St. Stephen’s Shelter Dinners, 7:00 to 8:30 pm See page 7 for more information. April 4, 2015—Or Emet Humanistic Passover Seder First Unitarian Society, Minneapolis, 5:00 –8:00 pm See page 6 for more information. Sunday, February 22, 2015, 2:30-4:30 pm—St. Paul JCC You Be the Director: Susan Weinberg Presents an Oral History Workshop for Youth Susan will talk about how to do an interview with a grandparent or other elder to learn more about their life, family history, Jewish history, and fascinating stories they may have to tell.

Or Emet Programs and Events February 2015 through May 2015

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Or Emet 250 Turners Crossroad South Apt. 324 Golden Valley, MN 55416

Or Emet’s Seder Celebrates Passover in the Humanistic Tradition April 4th at 5 - 8 pm — First Unitarian Society

Our Seder features reading from a Humanist Haggadah, traditional Passover food and a potluck buffet. (See article on page 6.) Members and visitors are invited to participate. Space is limited, so reservations are required. Details about signing up will be available closer to the event. Direct questions to Joan Barnett joan@oremet.org.