ut bulletin november 2010[1]

8/8/2019 UT Bulletin November 2010[1]

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SCHEDULE OF SERVICESFOR NOVEMBER

SHABBAT TOLEDOT

5 Friday Evening 6:30 PMFirst Friday Family Shabbat 6:00 PM: Snacks6:30 PM: Kabbalat Shabbat, with Joshua Adland and our Religious School

7:20 PM: Pot Luck Dinner 6 Saturday Morning 10:30 AM

Shabbat Morning Service

Torah: Genesis 25:19-28:9 Haftarah: Malachi 1:1-2:7

SHABBAT VAYEITZEI

12 Friday Evening 6:30 PMKabbalat Shabbat

13 Saturday Morning 10:30 AM

Torah: Genesis 28:10-32:3 Haftarah: Hosea 12:13-14:10

SHABBAT VAYISHLACH

19 Friday Evening 6:30 PM5:00 PM: Tot Shabbat - Singing, dancing, and Kiddush with Debbie BrukmanKabbalat Shabbat

20 Saturday Morning 10:30 AMShabbat Morning Service

Torah: Genesis 32:4-36:43 Haftarah: Hosea 11:7-12

SHABBAT VAYEISHEV26 Friday Evening

Kabbalat Shabbat 6:30 PM27 Saturday Morning 10:30 AM

Shabbat Morning Service

Torah: Genesis 37:1-40:23 Haftarah: Amos 2:6-3:8

The Bulletin Union Temple of Brooklyn

Affiliated with the Union for Reform Judaism NOVEMBER 2010 CHESHVAN–KISLEV 5771 Vol. 162, No 3

JUDAIC BOOK FAIRNovember 19th—21st

See page 5 for details

HOLIDAY ARTS

AND CRAFTS SALE

SUNDAY,

NOVEMBER 14th

11 AM-3 PM

Union Temple Lobby

Guest Scholar

Judith Klitsner:“The Tent, the Field, and the

Battlefield: How the Stories ofBiblical Matriarchs Mine and

Undermine Each Other”

Wednesday,

November 3rd

7:30 - 9:00 PM

See page 8 for details

See page 4 for detai ls



2

Rabbi’s Message

Couples Aware

Couples Aware. . . . The New York Board of Rabbis has teamed up with

the Jewish Genetic Disease Consortium (JGDC) in an effort to educate New

York rabbis in counseling couples contemplating having children. The pro-

gram is called “Couples Aware.” I participated in a training session during

the month of October, and am on the Rabbinic Advisory Committee of the

program. The program has received major funding from UJA-Federation

and a number of foundations around the country devoted to individual dis-

eases.

Jewish Genetically Linked Diseases. . . . Of course we all have known

about Tay-Sachs for a long time. It is a devastating fatal disease that tor-

tures its young victims before killing them. In recent years, however, it has

become clear that Tay-Sachs is only one in a panel of 16 different diseases that are genetically linked for Jews

of Ashkenazi descent. As research continues, the medical community is certain that additional diseases will

be found and included in the panel. The 16 currently on the panel vary in terms of carrier frequency, their ef-

fects upon the body, life expectancy, and quality of life for those stricken. Some 1 in 5 Jews of Ashkenazi

descent is a carrier of one of these diseases. Since these diseases stem from autosomal recessive gene muta-

tions, both parents must be carriers of the disease to create the possibility that one or more of their children

will be stricken. In such cases, the chances of bearing a child with one of these diseases is 1 in 4. Carriers are

themselves healthy and have no symptoms. Only the child who inherits the mutation from both carrier parents

stands to be stricken with the disease. Sephardic Jews have a panel of four other diseases that are genetically

linked within that community , but this effort is primarily focused on Ashkenazic Jews

Genetic Screening and Its Implications. . . . The best time to seek genetic screening is before pregnancy.

Even if couples are found to be carriers of one of the 16 known diseases, this does not preclude their having

healthy children, but genetic counseling is essential and urgent. While prenatal screening during pregnancy is

available and is often done, obviously it is better to seek out screening before a pregnancy occurs. If anyone

has concerns over confidentiality, they should be reassured by the 2008 Genetic Information Nondiscrimina-

tion Act, which is a federal statute protecting Americans from unfair treatment in the workplace or by insur-

ance companies because of genetic test results.

Premarital Counseling, and more. . . . The primary purpose of this rabbinic training is to educate rabbis, and

help us in our premarital counseling regarding the subject of genetic testing. Nevertheless, we also have beenurged to get the word out to the community in other ways as well, hence my writing of this message. I have

put brochures from the JGDC on the table downstairs at the temple entrance. I have access to many more as

well. Please feel free to take one, and to consult with me, and certainly with the JGDC for advice and inquiries.

No one should have to suffer the devastating effects of a Jewish genetic disease.

-Rabbi Linda Henry Goodman



3

Is Thanksgiving Kosher?

During discussions at services over the years, our Rabbi has often discussed how we should handle Halloweenwith our kids, since its roots lie in a Christian celebration. To most of our relief, with our children clamoring to

trick or treat or decorate the house, consensus has been that this has become so secularized, not to worry.Which made me think of Thanksgiving.

I love Thanksgiving — the parade on TV, the scratchy old film Babes in Toyland (a.k.a. March of the Wooden

Soldiers) with Laurel and Hardy and the scary bogeymen (do they still show that on Channel 11?), and the tur-key and all that comes with it.

But is it OK to celebrate Thanksgiving if you’re Jewish? After all, as legend holds, this is a holiday that startedwith some Protestants.

So I decided to check this. I suppose I should have simply asked Rabbi for her opinion, but it was late, and Ididn’t want to bother her. And, good news! Here’s what I found:

There are published responses regarding Thanksgiving, the first appearing in 1953.There is no problem of celebrating Thanksgiving as a holiday, and no problem with eating a turkey meal onthat day.

One rabbi argued that the establishment of an annual holiday that is based on the Christian calendar is closely asso-ciated with idol worship and thus prohibited. It appears — lucky for us — that this opinion is widely ignored.

So enjoy!

-Ellen Kolikoff, Vice President

Officer’s Column

Is That Turkey Kosher?

HOLIDAYARTS AND CRAFTS SALE

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2010

11 AM-3 PM

Union Temple Lobby

Ceramics, Jewelry, Hand knit Items,Affordable prints, Chanukah Gifts …and

More!Union Temple of Brooklyn 17 Eastern Parkway Brooklyn, NY 11238

(718) 638-7600 Website:www.uniontemple.org

email: [email protected]



4



5

I’d like to thank everyone who participated in buildingour sukkah in September, and especially John Golombfor our new sukkah design. It turned out great!

We participated in the Temple’s Open House for newand prospective members on September 26th.

On Sunday, October 3rd, I led a book discussion aboutthe novel Homesick by Israeli author Eshkol Nevo.

Saturday evening, November 6th, Brotherhood andSisterhood will gather at the Temple for a brief Havdalah service and and Rosh Chodesh reception,

then visit the Brooklyn Museum for their First Satur-day event of art and music.

On Sunday, December 12th, Brotherhood and Sister-

hood will sponsor a speaker and film “Turn To Me”on the topic of Bikur Cholim (visiting the sick). Andon Sunday, December 19th, we will have a Brother-hood book discussion led by Abe Barnett, about The

Rebbe’s Army by Sue Fishkoff.

We invite everyone to participate.

-Steven Segall, Brotherhood President

Brotherhood

A Busy Fall Season Continues

UNION TEMPLE OF BROOKLYN

Judaic Book Fair

Books will include Jewish interest themes such as:

Lots of books for kids

holidays, biographies, non fiction, fiction, cookbooks

Friday, November 19 at Union Temple Preschool

8:30 AM—2:30 PM

Shabbat Friday, November 19

During the oneg, orders will be taken, no money exchanged

Shabbat Saturday, November 20

After services ,no money exchanged, orders will be taken

Sunday, November 20

During Religious School Hours

9:30 AM— Noon

Checks will be accepted

Do your Chanukah Shopping now!



6

It's November and time to get ready for Thanksgiving.

As we prepare for the holiday, we're taking a moment

to count our special Sisterhood blessings. We are

grateful for all the warmth and friendship membership

brings to each of us, and gratified by all the good work

we do hand-in-hand with all the other members of our

national organization, Women of Reform Judaism.

Here at Union Temple we feel especially blessed to

have so many caring and talented members who have

participated in our programs and even presented them.

Last month, member Karen Guccione and her col-

league Lisa Reeves showed us how to clear clutter,

streamline our surroundings, and bring peace and or-

der into our lives and our homes. At the end of last

season, member Dr. Gail Levine and her husband, Dr.

Robert Fried, taught us how to renew our energy and

maintain balance in our hectic lives by drawing on the

rich wisdom of Eastern healing arts and our own Jew-

ish Scripture. The list goes on and on back through the

years.

If you have a special talent or interest that you wouldlike to share with us, please contact one of our co-

presidents, Susanne Singer ([email protected])

or Linda Simka ([email protected]), and let us

know about it. You'll find it gratifying and exciting to

share your interests with your friends, and we'll all be

enriched by the experience. If you are not yet a mem-

ber, not to worry. It's never too late to join us. Just

write a check for $36 to Sisterhood of Union Temple

and mail it to the temple office. It's as easy as that!

Sisterhood wishes everyone a happy Thanksgiving.

May the blessings of the heart fill all our lives.

-Barbara Brett, Recording Secretary

Sisterhood

Clutter Gone — Energy Back — More to Come

Preschool

Welcome to MontanaThis school year we were lucky to welcome back most of our very talented professional staff. We also are for-

tunate to add two new staff members. We have added an additional “floater,” Marcine Sopko. Marcine assists

in the Hummingbirds class (four year olds) four days a week. On Fridays, she works with the Robins (the three

year olds). We also have a new head teacher in the Chickadees (the two year olds) — Montana Vasquez-

Grinnell. Montana joins us after spending two years at the Stanwich School in Greenwich, Connecticut, where

she had a teaching internship. During her two year stay at the Stanwich School, Montana worked primarily

with two year olds. She also had the opportunity to teach math, social studies, and science to fifth graders on

teacher swap days.

Montana graduated from Hampshire College where she received a BA in Caribbean Literature and Women’s

Studies. She received a master’s degree in Early Childhood and Childhood Education at Manhattanville Col-

lege in Purchase, New York. She is a native New Yorker and grew up on the Upper West Side of Manhattan.

Montana currently lives on the Upper East Side with her husband Steven, whom she met at Hampshire Col-

lege. Steven is a PhD student at Weill Cornell Medical College, where he studies neuroscience and neurobiol-ogy. Montana has two brothers and one sister.

Montana loves to write. She has written several science fiction and fantasy novels. She also has an artistic side.

She has always enjoyed drawing and has recently started making stationery for her family and friends. She

credits her artistic talent to her mother who studied fashion design.

Montana loves working with two year olds. She finds the focus on play as the instrument of learning to be very

relaxing and meaningful. Montana is a warm and wonderful presence in the classroom.

-Susan Sporer, Preschool Director



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Religious School

Into Holiday Mode!

Our school year began between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur - total holiday mode! More than 40 parentsand children attended two tot services and celebrated the year’s birthday with our terrific songleader, BariKoral. Our 1st through 7th graders had an animated service of their own, with songleader Megan Sass. Wemarked the Day of Atonement by retelling the story of Jonah; singing the Raffi classic, Baby Beluga, and eat-ing a Yom Kippur snack (the Shulhan Arukh, the 16th century compilation of Jewish law, forbids childrenyounger than nine to fast).

At school, the kids decorated birthday cookies for Rosh Hashanah and learned about teshuva (lit: turning), thatis, reflecting on our deeds during the year past and making amends when needed. We decorated the UnionTemple sukkah with fruit, flower and paper chains.

Every Sunday during tefillah, I share a devar Torah (word of Torah) in the form of a story. A few weeks ago, Itold the classic Jewish tale of a fisherman who taught a selfish, badly behaved prince and his townspeopleabout the meaning of collective responsibility. When asked for help, the prince would say, "It's not my prob-lem," and the townspeople adopted his bad ways. So the fisherman invited them into his boat, brought themout onto the water and began drilling a hole in the boat. When the people protested, he told them, "I can do

what I want; it's my boat.” When they protested more he said, "It's not my problem." The prince told the fish-erman, "But my problem is your problem." He and the people learned that we are all responsible for one an-other. Put another way, we are all in the same boat. This reflects the teachings of Rabbi Hillel, a Sage wholived about 100 BCE. Here is Hillel's advice on how to live a good life.

Hillel used to say:

”If I am not for myself, who will be for me?

And if I am only for myself, what am I?

And if not now, when?”

Pirke Avot 1:14

May Hillel's advice guide us in the year ahead.

I welcome all your questions and concerns. Feel free to contact me at [email protected].

-Carole Gould, Educator/Rabbinic Intern

Open House Draws a Crowd

In September, theTemple held anopen house and a

big crowd turnedo u t ! L e n n ySchiller (right)provided lots of ice cream from hisvintage ice creamtruck and manydancing helped to make the day a great success.



8

Join us for Pardes learning at Union Temple

With Guest Scholar

Judith KlitsnerSenior Faculty Member, Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies, Jerusalem

“The Tent, the Field, and the Battlefield:

How the Stories of Biblical Matriarchs

Mine and Undermine Each Other”

What do the infertile, tent-dwelling mothers of Genesis have in common with the militaryand spiritual leaders of the book of Judges? See how reading one story in light of others of-fers insight into the complex relationship between biblical men and women. In addition, ex-

perience the Bible's artfully subversive style, in which stories about biblical women boldlychallenge and undermine others.

Judith Klitsner has been teaching Bible and Jewish biblical exe-gesis for nearly two decades. A disciple of the great Torah teacherNechama Leibowitz, Klitsner has had a profound impact on thou-sands of students, many of whom now serve as teachers andheads of Jewish studies programs. Klitsner lectures widely in Is-rael, the U.S., and Europe. In her teaching and in her writing, Klits-

ner weaves together traditional exegesis, modern scholarship, andher own original interpretations that are informed by close read-ings of the text. She recently published a new book, Subversive Se-

quels in the Bible (Jewish Publication Society). Her teaching is energetic and interactive. Oursession with her last December was extraordinary. Now she is back in New York for a brief visit. Don’t miss this wonderful opportunity! We will have copies of her book on hand,which she will sign.

Wednesday, November 37:30 - 9:00 PM

Union Temple of Brooklyn www.uniontemple.org

17 Eastern Parkway [email protected]

718-638-7600



9

Tzedakah

REMEMBER

MAZON:

A Jewish Response

to HungerDonate 3% of your food

expenditures to MAZON.Give to our MAZON

tzedakah can at temple dinners.Find out more at: www.mazon.org

MARK SILVERSTEIN andSTEVEN SEGALL

on their marriage in New Hampshireon August 25 .

And to

DAVID LANSNER andCAROLYN KUBITSCHEK

on the marriage of their sonJESSE LANSNER to ELIZABETH CALL

on October 9th,and on David and Carolyn's being namedas two of New York's "Super Lawyers."

UNION TEMPLE MEMORIAL FUND

Donated by ........................................................................ in memory of Doris Klueger .................................................................................... Arnold Schukin

David A Zupnick ............................................................................... George Zupnick

Jean Pierre Halioua ........................................................................... Felicie Halioua and Moise Halioua

Helen Heller ...................................................................................... Nathaniel Bloom

Nancy M. Greenberg ......................................................................... Nathaniel Bloom

Arlene Greendlinger .......................................................................... Harry Ebner

HAPPY DAY FUND

Donated by ........................................................................ in honor of Leonard R. Arends ............................................................................ Union Temple

Joyce M. Charles ............................................................................... Union Temple

RABBI’S DISCRETIONARY FUND

Donated by

Scott Wenger ..................................................................................... in memory of his father, Robert Wenger

DR. A. STANLEY DREYFUS LECTURE FUND

Donated by ........................................................................ in memory of Hortense Hurwitz .............................................................................. Barry Lenkowsky

Hortense Hurwitz .............................................................................. Bertha E. Silversmith

Hortense Hurwitz .............................................................................. Dr. Jerome Hurwitz

Marianne C. Dreyfus ......................................................................... Rabbi Leo Baeck and Ruth Berlak

Marianne C. Dreyfus ......................................................................... Barry Lenkowsky

SISTERHOOD MEMORIAL FUND

Donated by ........................................................................ in memory of Eleanor Forman ................................................................................. Bill Reder

Hy and Barbara Brett ........................................................................ Simon Brett

Hy and Barbara Brett ........................................................................ Henrietta Zink

Mazal Tov to



Union Temple suggests that its memberscontact our Funeral Director

Martin D. Kasdan of

Boulevard-Riverside Chapels 1895 Flatbush Avenue

Brooklyn, NY1-800-522-0588

Proudly maintaining morethan 50 years of Temple involvement

10

Memorial Plaques

A memorial plaque is a lasting tribute to a loved one.

If you wish more information regarding obtaining

a plaque in memory of a

loved one please e-mail the temple at

[email protected]

or leave a message with the temple office.

The Bulletin Union Temple of Brooklyn

17 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn NY 11238( 718) 638-7600

Fax (718) 783-9151E-mail [email protected]

Website Uniontemple.org

Dr. Linda Henry Goodman Rabbi

Lauren PhillipsStudent Cantor

Shinae KimTemple Musician

Carole Gould Educator/Rabbinic Intern

Susan SporerPreschool Director

Doris KluegerPresident

Ellen Kolikoff Henry SingerJeffrey Stein

Vice Presidents

Steven SegallSecretary

Beatrice HanksTreasurer

Mike Baron

Hortense R. Hurwitz Honorary Presidents

Eleanor Forman Honorary Trustee

David Rapheal Bulletin Editor

John GolombTemple Administrator

Martin KasdanFuneral Director (800) 522-0588

Maurice H. Van Raalte .................................................... November 1, 1932Herman Weinberger ........................................................ November 2, 1956Edward Elman, Past President......................................... November 3, 1976Rose Pollack .................................................................... November 4, 1957Esther Weinberger ........................................................... November 5, 1954Samuel Underberg ........................................................... November 6, 1985Hannah Lebowitz ............................................................ November 7, 1925William Krell .................................................................. November 7, 1959Estelle Martha Silverman Sloan ...................................... November 7, 1984

Mendel Nevin .................................................................. November 8, 1950Olga Rosenson ................................................................ November 8, 1959Ray Beck ......................................................................... November 8, 1964George Wiener ................................................................ November 9, 1947Mathew Frank ................................................................. November 9, 1954Anne Silverberg .............................................................. November 9, 1973Gabriel Fried .................................................................. November 10,1924Moses Bloom ................................................................. November 10,1935Isaac M. Bermas ............................................................. November 11,1931Annie Wolberg ............................................................... November 11,1952Sarah Marienhoff ........................................................... November 11,1958Hon. Emil N. Baar, Past President ................................. November 11,1985Moses B. Schmidt, Past President .................................. November 12,1954Estella Selig ................................................................... November 13,1906Hulda Lissner ................................................................. November 14,1931

Sidney Onkeles .............................................................. November 14,1957Jerrold Feldman.............................................................. November 14,1989Emile R. Brown May ..................................................... November 15,1964Rose Astro ...................................................................... November 15,1971Minerva Love ................................................................. November 16,1971Rebecca Levinson .......................................................... November 17,1942Joseph Ehrlich ................................................................ November 17,1944Dora Raphaels ................................................................ November 17,1947Felice D. Aaronson ........................................................ November 18,1955Saul Dumey .................................................................... November 19,1961Edward Charles Blum .................................................... November 20,1946Ruth B Wolfort............................................................... November 20,1961Jack Felsenfeld ............................................................... November 20,1961Pearl Elman .................................................................... November 20,1980Joseph Petchesky ............................................................ November 21,1961Harold D. Silvey, Past President .................................... November 21,1997

Rosa Block ..................................................................... November 23,1943Samuel Frank ................................................................. November 24,1955Irving R. Gerstman, Past President ................................ November 24,1987Bernard B. Block ............................................................ November 25,1962Anne Silverman.............................................................. November 25,1959Laura L. Cohen .............................................................. November 26,1959Sgt. Harold C. Ginsberg ................................................. November 27,1944Bernard P. Weinstein ..................................................... November 27,1986Mamie Rosenson ............................................................ November 28,1931Minnie Baum Needle ..................................................... November 28,1956Edith Helicher ................................................................ November 28,1969Lazarus Rosenberg ......................................................... November 29,1956Max Silverman ............................................................... November 30,1944May Caplin ..................................................................... November 30,1994



11

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1

6:30 PM

Officers

2 36:00 PM

Adult Ed

Committee

6:30 PM

Adult Choir

7:30 PM

Guest Scholar

Judith Klistner

4 5

First Friday

Family Shabbat

6:30 PM Service

Pot Luck Dinner

to follow

6

7Rosh Chodesh Kislev

9:30 AM

Religious School;

Membership

Committee

8Rosh Chodesh Kislev

6:00 PM

Board of

Trustees

9

7:00 PM

Kristallnacht

Guest Speaker

Semone Grossman

10

7:00 PM

Adult Choir

11 12

6:30 PM

Kabbalat Shabbat

13

9:00 AMShabbat Morning

Hevre

10:30 AM

Shabbat Morning

Service

149:30 AM

Religious School

11:00 AM—3:00 PM

Temple Holiday

Arts and Crafts

Sale

15 16

6:00-8:00 PM

BUJH

17

7:00 PM

Adult Choir

18 19Judaic Book Fair

5:00 PMTot Shabbat

6:30 PM

Kabbalat Shabbat

209:00 AM

Shabbat Morning

Hevre

10:30 AMShabbat Morning

Service

Judaic Book Fair

219:30 AM

Religious School

Union Temple

Food Drive

Judaic Book Fair

22 23

6:00-8:00 PM

BUJH

24

No choir

rehearsal

25Thanksgiving

26

8:00 PM

Shabbat Service

2710:30 AM

Shabbat Morning

Service

28Religious School

vacation

29

6:30 PM

Religious School

Committee

7:15 PM

Preschool

Committee

30

6:00-8:00 PM

BUJH

November 2010

Cheshvan-Kislev 5771

5:00 PM

Brotherhood

Sisterhood

Havdalah

& Museum

9:00 AM

Shabbat Hevre

10:30 AM Shabba

Morning Service



Union Temple of Brooklyn

17 Eastern ParkwayBrooklyn, NY 11238

(718) 638-7600

[email protected]

NOVEMBER 2010

UNION TEMPLE OF BROOKLYN BULLETIN

Prospect Park Health and Racquet Association

In Union Temple Building at17 Eastern Parkway

718-789-4600Ask about Special discounts for

Union Temple Members

HOLIDAY CRAFTS FAIR—NOVEMBER 14TH!

CREATIVE SOLUTIONS

Copy & Design forDirect Mail ● Emails ● Brochures

●Web & Print Advertising

Ellen D. Kolikof f

[email protected]

10% Off for Union Temple members& Brooklyn business owners

ut bulletin november 2010[1]

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