The Jewish Center - The Modern Orthodox Center for Jewish Life and Learning 131 W. 86th Street, New York, NY 10024 • www.jewishcenter.org • 212-724-2700

SEPTEMBER 21, 2019 • 21 ELUL 5779 • PARSHAT KI TAVO

The Jewish Center SHABBAT BULLETIN

SHABBAT SCHEDULE EREV SHABBAT 6:40PM Candle-lighting 6:45PM Minchah (Main Sanctuary, 3rd floor) 6:45PM Young Leadership Kabbalat Shabbat (1st floor) SHABBAT 7:45AM Hashkama (4th floor) 8:30AM Kids Kiddush Club with Rabbi Levine 9:00AM Shacharit (5th floor) 9:15AM Hashkama Shiur with Rabbi Elie Buechler, Last Minute Teshuva and the Tears of Rebbi Yehudah haNassi (lower level) 9:15AM Young Leadership (1st floor) 10:00AM Youth Groups 11:00AM Scholar In Residence Rabbi Yaakov Kermaier, It’s All the Rage: A High Holiday Strategy to Control Your Anger 4:00PM Bikkur Cholim/Bikkur in the Home (meet at 730 Columbus Ave.) 5:15PM Pre-Minchah Shiur with Dr. David Flatto, The Lonely Provencal of Faith 5:30PM Daf Yomi 6:15PM Minchah (1st floor) Seudah Shlishit with Dr. David Flatto, Slaves Wearing Crowns: Renewal in the Thought of Maimonides 7:39PM Shabbat Concludes 10:30PM Pre Selichot Shiur with Rabbi Noach Goldstein, Starting the Selichot Season: Understanding the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy 11:00PM Selichot THANK YOU TO OUR KIDDUSH SPONSORS:

Community Kiddush: Rabbi Robert & Virginia Bayer Hirt in honor of Moish Jacobs for the great job he did overseeing the renovation of the sanctuary Kathy & Milton Parnass in commemoration of the Yahrzeit of Milton's mother, Rose Parnass, Rochel Eydil bat R' Mordechai & there Brother-in-law Sam Schechter, Shamaya ben R' Yehuda Seudah Shlishit: Esty & Moish Jacobs in commemoration of the Yahrzeit of Moish's father, Alexander Jacobs, Yeshaya Simcha ben Yehoshua Roberta, Jessica and Jeremy Sigall, in commemoration of the fourth Yahrzeit of their beloved husband and father, Michael Sigall, Zev ben Aryeh Leib

Sunday, Sept. 22 7:45AM Daf Yomi 8:30AM Shacharit 6:35PM Minchah

Monday, Sept. 23-Thursday, Sept. 26 6:40/7:40AM Shacharit 7:45AM Daf Yomi 6:35PM Minchah

Friday, Sept. 27 6:40/7:40AM Shach 7:45AM Daf Yomi 6:29PM Candle-lighting 6:30PM Minchah

DAILY SERVICE TIMES

WOMEN’S TEHILLIM GROUP: Monday, September 23rd, 2019 at 7:15PM

Contact Joyce Weitz for more information at 212-877-1176

Annual Teshuvah Shiur with Rabbi Meir Goldwicht Wednesday, September 25th at 8:00PM

How Do We Merit God's Acceptance of our Prayer? At the home of Debbie & Philipe Benedict

125 Riverside Drive (84-85) apt 7A

We have begun our annual Yom Kippur Appeal. The Yom Kippur Appeal is a critical fundraising campaign and helps The Jewish Center meet its operating budget and provide its many activities and services. We hope that you'll consider giving early and generously. For questions, please do not hesitate to speak with our committee chairs, Scott Fisher & Drew Newton. To donate please visit jewishcenter.org and click on the ‘support us’ tab. See insert for complete list of sponsors.

YOM KIPPUR APPEAL

MAZAL TOV Alvin Hellerstein, on becoming a great grandfather to a baby girl, born in Shaare Zedek hospital to his granddaughter Ruth (Hellerstein) Goldstein and Ephraim Goldstein September 8, 2019 (8 Ellul), and

named (Eden Malka), in memory of Mildred Hellerstein

CONDOLENCES Dr. Mark Kaufmann on the passing of his father Paul Kaufmann

THANK YOU TO OUR USHERS Avi Schwartz and Arianne Thaler

Thank you to our CSS members whose efforts help maintain a safe

shul for our community.

COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS

Moshe Green Tochnit Elul Scholar In Residence Rabbi Yaakov Kermaier

Shabbat, September 21st at 11AM It’s All the Rage:

A High Holiday Strategy to Control Your Anger Rabbi Yaakov Kermaier serves as the spiritual leader of Shir Hadash on Emek, in Jerusalem. He made aliya with his family in July 2015 from New York City, where he served as senior rabbi of Manhattan's Fifth Avenue Synagogue (2003-2015) and he previously served as rabbi of Hong Kong's Ohel Leah Synagogue (1997-2003).

Special thanks to our guest Chazzan this Shabbat, Elie Landau

Pre-Minchah Shiur with Dr. David Flatto The Lonely Provencal of Faith

Seudah Shlishit Slaves Wearing Crowns:

Renewal in the Thought of Maimonides Dr. Flatto is Associate Professor of Law and Philosophy at Hebrew University.

The Members of the Board of Trustees and Administrative Committee are pleased to sponsor kiddush in honor of the Centennial renovation of our Sanctuary and to express our thanks to Michael Jacobs for his tireless efforts in turning the vision for this project into reality. Please see page 3 for a complete list of sponsors.

SAVE THE DATE Shabbat Shuvah Drashah by Rabbi Yosie Levine

October 5th at 11:00AM A History of Teshuva:

The Winding Path of Penitence and Where it Leads

Thank you to all those who joined us for Rosh Hashanah Arts & Crafts

Registration is

closed Volunteer for Dorot Rosh Hashanah Package Delivery For those who pre-registered Sunday, September 22nd, 10:00AM-12:00PM Bring warmth and companionship to an older neighbor with a Sunday morning visit. To volunteer for future chesed opportunities and to get involved email batsheva at batsheva@jewishcenter.org Bikur In The Home Chesed Event For those who pre-registered Sunday September 22nd at 10:00AM As Rosh Hashana is around the corner, Bikur In The Home Group will once again undertake the chessed project to prepare and deliver our very own Rosh Hashana Packages for the homebound seniors in our networks—(To volunteer for future chesed opportunities email bikurinthehome@gmail.com.

Auschwitz Exhibit Not Long Ago. Not Far Away Monday, November 4, 2019 The Jewish Center and Advanced Leadership are arranging a guided tour of the acclaimed Auschwitz exhibit at the Museum of Jewish Heritage during the week commemorating the 81st anniversary of Kristallnacht.

Tour Will Begin at the Museum at 1:30 pm Cost: $22, Transportation: $20 Visit jewishcenter.org to register.

Registration closes September 27th.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Registration is

closed

YL Teshuva Shiur with Rabbi Elie Buechler Monday, September 23rd at 9:00PM Is Teshuva Really Worth It?

YL Musical Selichot Wednesday, September 25th at 9:30PM

JEWISH CENTER UNIVERSITY Semester begins September 9th, 2019

For more information visit our website or contact Rabbi Elie Buechler at ebuechler@jewishcenter.org

MONDAY The Ultimate Trial: Understanding Akeidat Yitzchak Rabbi Noach Goldstein 8:00PM

TUESDAY

Nosh and Drash With Dr. Adena Berkowitz 10:15AM-11:30AM Join us for this weekly Parsha shiur focusing on intellectual and spiritual insights from the Torah,

featuring great food and spirited learning and discussion. For women only.

TUESDAY Teshuvah and the Afterlife Sadye & Henry Bayer Tanakh Class Rabbi Yosie Levine 7:30PM

WEDNESDAY Women of the Bible The Women who Invented Teshuvah Rabbi Yosie Levine 11:00AM-12:00PM

MOSHE GREEN TOCHNIT ELUL SHABBAT LEARNING AT THE JEWISH CENTER

Seudah Shlishit Series September 21st, Dr. David Flatto: Slaves Wearing Crowns: Renewal in the Thought of Maimonides Dr. Flatto is Associate Professor of Law and Philosophy at Hebrew University. September 28th, Rabbi Elchanan Poupko: The Harvard Loneliness Study & the Meaning of Rosh Hashanah Rabbi Poupko teaches at the Park East Day School and Hebrew School and is the president of EITAN-The American Israeli Jewish Network.

Pre-Mincha Elul Series September 21st, Dr. David Flatto: Associate Professor of Law and Philosophy at Hebrew University. The Lonely Provencal of Faith September 28th, Ora Weinbach: Community Educator, Tensions of Testimony: When Emotions Get Involved in Declaring the New Year

October 5th, Rabbi Noach Goldstein: Assistant Rabbi, Rabbi Soloveitchik's U-Vikashtem Mi-Sham and the Journey From Rosh Hashanah to Sukkot

Daily: Israel Friedman Daf Yomi with rotating JCU Faculty at 7:45AM

SHOFAR BLOWING We would like to provide everyone with the opportunity to hear the shofar on Rosh Hashanah. If someone you know will not be in shul and would like to have the shofar blown at home, or if you would like to volunteer to blow shofar, please contact Rabbi Elie Buechler at ebeuchler@jewishcenter.org. YOM KIPPUR CHESED OPPORTUNITY Each year on Yom Kippur, following Mussaf a group heads out to visit the home-bound in our community. It is a wonderful opportunity to enhance the spirit of the day for those who cannot be with us in shul. If you know of anyone who would appreciate a visit or if you are able to make a visit, please contact Rabbi Elie Buechler at ebeuchler@jewishcenter.org.

The high holidays are quickly approaching!

Don’t forget to:

• Order your Lulav and Etrog

• Reserve Sukkah meals in our Sukkah

• Contribute to our Yom Kippur Appeal

• Host guest for a Yom Tov meal Visit our website or contact Aaron at

aaron@jewishcenter.org for more information.

PREPARING FOR THE HIGH HOLIDAYS

Heidi & Jeff Abraham

Rabbi Robert Hirt & Virginia Bayer Hirt

Lori Zeltser & Leonard Berman

The Bernstein Family

Marnie & Sco Black

Penina Blazer

Rachel Wolf & Andrew Borodach

Lisa & Jacob Buksbaum

Dina Burcat

Michelle Chrein

Susan & Arthur Degen

Vivian & Bernard Falk

Evelyn & Moshe Fruchter

Johnny & Tammy Glaser

Naomi Goldman

Susan Kensky & Sam Goldman

Ruby & Joseph Go lieb

Esther & Steve Graber

Judith & Robert Grauman

Aliza Herzberg

Rochelle Tarlowe & Seth Jonas

Shira Orenstein & Danny Kahn

Elisheva Rothstein & Ira Kalfus

Fran & Jonah Kupietzky

Rona & Ira Kellman

Rachel Lurie

Dinah & Andy Mendes

Amanda Nussbaum & Daniel Laifer

Tamar Kaplan-Marans & Joey Nussbaum

Barbara & Guy Reiss

Elizabeth & Jonathan Schilowitz

Sara Chaya & Avi Schwartz

Chani & Mark Segall

Rose Lynn Sherr & Stanley Solson

Grant Silverstein

Sandra & Jeffrey Smith

Rachel & Daniel Solomons

Radine & Bill Spier

Ari Stein

Rona & Andrew Steinerman

Adina, Phil, Sarah and Daniel Wagman

TAC MEMBERS SPONSORING THE KIDDUSH

YOUNG LEADERSHIP UPDATES

Yosie Levine Rabbi

Eliezer Buechler Assistant Rabbi

Noach Goldstein Assistant Rabbi

Ora Weinbach Community Educator

Shua Brick

William Fischman Rabbinic Intern

& Teen Coordinator

Aaron Strum Executive Director

Batsheva Leibtag

Director of Programming and Communications

Sarah Cromwell Youth Director

OFFICERS Andrew Borodach

President

Mark Segall First Vice President

Len Berman Vice President

Aliza Herzberg Vice President

Michael Jacobs Vice President

Scott Black Treasurer

Daniel Solomons Assistant Treasurer

Naomi Goldman Secretary

LOCAL RESOURCES Yoetzet Halacha Shiffy Friedman

nycyoetzet@gmail.com 646-598-1080

Jewish Center Chevra Kadisha

212-724-2700 x555

UWS Mikvah 212-579-2011

Hatzoloh 212-230-1000

Eruv Status 212-724-2700 x4

Bikkurim: Gratitude for Present and Past Parshat Ki Tavo 5779

Rabbi Noach Goldstein, Assistant Rabbi

The dust is slowly settling from the most recent Israeli election, and while we may still have no idea who the next prime minister will be (the wait for our sanctuary renovation may seem like a breeze in comparison), any Israeli election is an excellent opportunity to take a momentary step back and marvel at the miracle we may so easily take for granted of a thriving Jewish polity in our homeland. Bikkurim, the opening mitzvah of our sedra, is all about gratitude for the Land. But it is more complex than that. We can identify at least two distinct ways in which the mitzvah of bikkurim plays with chronology in order to produce a more profound and layered profession of gratitude than a simple thank you, both of which are relevant to our current reality. First, the impression of the farmer’s declaration when he brings his first fruits to the Mikdash is that not only are the fruits new, but he himself is new to the land. “I profess today to Hashem your God that I have come into the Land that Hashem swore to our fathers to give to us” (26:3). Centuries after the Exodus, a tenth-generation farmer walks into the Temple and makes a declaration of gratitude that sounds as if he just got off the boat (figuratively) from Egypt! And this is the ethos of the farmer’s entire subsequent statement, as he traces the course of Jewish history from our descent to Egypt to our arrival in the Land, culminating with the farmer now bringing his first fruits. The reason for this seems clear. We can imagine how obvious it felt in the first year Jews ever brought bikkurim, right after entering and miraculously conquering the country, that they owed their enjoyment of the Land and everything in it to God’s generosity. The challenge was how to

transmit that understanding to subsequent generations. That visceral sense of newness, of not-to-be-taken-for-granted-ness, is preserved each year by transporting ourselves back to those early days and treating the year’s new fruits as if they were the first fruits we had ever harvested here. It is no coincidence that we recite these verses at the Seder night, the night we imagine ourselves having just left Egypt. The Chatam Sofer develops a second element as well. Chazal (Sifrei 297) have an extremely enigmatic that seems to interpret Ki Tavo’s opening verse as stating that Bnei Yisrael will merit to inherit the Land on condition that they enter the Land. To explain what on earth this could mean, the Chatam Sofer demonstrates from a number of examples that the Torah deems it essential to relate to Eretz Yisrael as our own even when we do not merit to dwell there. Therefore, what the Sifrei means is that if we live in the Diaspora with the attitude that the Land still belongs to us, that will generate the merit for us to truly inherit the Land and fulfill the mitzvah of bikkurim. It is inspiring to think that the Chatam Sofer advanced this theory in early 19th century Austria-Hungary, when the idea of a Medinat Yisrael was a distant dream and Jews had known nothing but exile for nearly 1800 years. We were indeed able to come back because of our inexhaustible faith that one day we would do so. The simple need for gratitude is obvious. But the mitzvah of bikkurim teaches that in order to properly sense and express that gratitude, we have to consider not only the present but the past as well, remembering both the thrill of our beginnings in the Land and the long years of faith that it took to get there.

ISRAEL UPDATE September 20th, 2019

Nearly 70% of Israelis Vote in Unprecedented Election On Sept. 17, Israeli voters returned to the polls across the country to decide the newest members of Israel’s parliament, the Knesset. These unprecedented follow-up elections, the first in the country’s history, were triggered by the Knesset’s dissolution vote in May after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was unable to form a new government. To encourage voter participation, Israel's Election Day is a national holiday. President Reuven Rivlin called it the "festival of Democracy." Parents were encouraged to bring their children to the polls and public transportation was free. Turnout in the race was 69.4 percent, higher than the previous election and notably higher than that of U.S. elections. Arab turnout was also up from the previous election. The President of Israel must now choose a member of Knesset to form the next coalition. The strength of the U.S.-Israel relationship is rooted in both countries’ shared values and common interests. Regardless of the composition of the new government, which has yet to be determined, the U.S.-Israel relationship must remain strong and continue to transcend partisan politics, for the benefit of both nations. Our synagogue partners with AIPAC, America’s pro-Israel lobby, in educating our community on issues affecting the U.S.-Israel relationship. We encourage you to learn more by contacting AIPAC at (202) 639-5200 or by visiting www.aipac.org.

Heidi & Jeffrey Abraham Lori Zeltser & Leonard Berman*

Marnie & Scott Black* Harriet & George Blank*

Serena Wieder & Jonathan Blank* Rabbi Benjamin & Elaine Blech

Rachel Wolf & Andrew Borodach* Bernard Broome

Lois & Michael Burak Susan Canter

Rochelle Cohen Cheifetz Vivian & Daniel Chill* Gilda & Irving Chodosh

Michelle Chrein Liliane Cohen

Elana Kaminetzky & Brian Cohen* Ted Comet

Lorraine & Leonard Dauber Rebecca Davis

Susan & Arthur Degen Beverly & Andrew Druck

Lillian Dulken Jennifer & Ami Eden Rena Englander

Cynthia Trop & Stuart Ellman Vivian & Bernard Falk Susan & Edward Falk

Seymour Fang Sherry & Mark Fessel* Jeannie & Scott Fisher

Evelyn & Moshe Fruchter* Brenda & Joel Garboos Debbie & Elliot Gibber

Tammy Fried & Jonathan Glaser* Grace Gribetz & Israel Leo Glasser

Naomi Goldman Susan Kensky & Samuel Goldman*

Ruby & Joseph Gottlieb* Janine Behrman & Alan Gover*

Esther & Steve Graber* Harriet & Irwin Gribetz

Henryka & Jacob Haberman Eleanor Merczynski & David Hait*

Jonathan Hanus Tehillah Harris

Rabbi Jonathan & Shelley Helfand Alvin Hellerstein* Aliza Herzberg*

Robert Hirt & Virginia Bayer Hirt* Mindy & Ami Horowitz

Margie Kahn Phyllis & Bernard Katz Rona & Ira Kellman

Jessica Gross & Lawrence Klein Ruth & Lawrence Kobrin Rebecca & Emilio Krausz

Amanda Nussbaum & Daniel Laifer*

Amy & Jed Latkin Rachelle & Alan Laytner* Arlene & Zvi Lefkovitz

Lynn Montz& John Leubsdorf Rabbi Yosie & Rachel Levine

Toby & Ira Leviton Marleen Litt Rachel Lurie*

Tiki & Simcha Lyons* Judith Marbach

Dinah & Andrew Mendes Barbara Messer*

Paulette & David Meyer Sharon Miller Simon Morr

Carol & Ira Morrow Hanno Mott*

Veronica & Erwin Muth Sarah Finegold & Andrew Newton*

Dvora & Michael Nussbaum Barbara & Peter Paris Kathy & Milton Parnass

Jeffrey Parnass Zev Parnass

Shannon & Andrew Penson Zeesie Pertain

Nicole & David Pfeffermann Leah Pluchenik

Abigail & Marc Posner Marlene Pressner Gabrielle Propp

Ilona & Bruce Rashkow Barbara & Guy Reiss Mary Helen Rowen

Sondra & Arnold Rosen Francine & Jessie Salsberg Barbara & Steve Schnipper Sarah Chaya & Avi Schwartz*

Chani & Mark Segall* Rachel Ringler & Yossi Siegel*

Grant Silverstein Jennifer & Mark Smith* Radine & Bill Spier*

Rona & Andrew Steinerman Sally Sultan

Deborah & Philip Sussman Eric Swerdlow

Esther & Garth Symonds Adina & Philip Wagman* Cindy & Jay Worenklein*

Lynda Zycherman Anonymous (3)

*One Gift Donors

(As of Thursday September 19th at 9:00AM. We apologize for any omissions. To make your pledge please call The Jewish Center office at 212-724-2700 or visit jewishcenter.org)

THE JEWISH CENTER YOM KIPPUR APPEAL 5780

THANK YOU TO THOSE WHO HAVE ALREADY GENEROUSLY CONTRIBUTED TO THE YOM KIPPUR APPEAL