Category: Announcements

As the race to the end of the school year is in its final lap, I can say with certainty that Shabbat tonight will be a welcome respite. There is much end of year planning and preparing to do and a good amount of warranted celebration. But even celebrating can be tiring sometimes and so I will remind you, as I remind myself, to make sure you take the time to breathe. When running between sports events and end of year picnics and awards ceremonies and concerts, don’t forget to take stock – truly – of how much you have to be thankful for. Part of the point of Shabbat is to take a break from all that running so that we can do just that – count our blessings. But no matter how you choose to officially mark Shabbat, you can choose to officially mark the accomplishments, big and small, of each member of your family. You can do that tonight at dinner, or tomorrow morning around the breakfast table or at any other time that works for your family. But  give yourself the gift of that conversation.

Wishing you all a Shabbat shalom,

Pam Barkley

Last Shabbat we completed the reading of the Book of Leviticus. As we complete each book of the Torah, the congregation rises and calls out “Chazak, Chazak, v’Nitchazzek“. We congratulate each other by exclaiming “Be strong, be strong, and let us summon up our strength!” The original phrase comes from the Book of 2 Samuel and only had a single Chazak but has evolved over time to the current usage.  We are glad to have reached the end of the book and are actually speaking to the Torah reader for his or her strength in learning the reading, to the person honored with the aliyah to the Torah, and to each other for having reached this time.  It is our custom to read the Torah only in the presence of a minyan, the required group of 10 people of bar mitzvah age or older. This is one of many practices that require a minyan and we all draw strength from each other’s presence. I think that’s a microcosm of a Temple community. Each person plays their individual part – Torah reader, honoree, congregation, as above – but together we are more than the sum of our parts. We can see this dynamic repeated again and again throughout Temple Beth Abraham. We come together to support those in our community who have suffered a loss and a shivah minyan is another place where at least 10 are required. Tonight we’ll have many more than a minyan for our Chai Plus Shabbat honoring those who have been members for at least 18 years. The number of members in that category are a tribute to the continuity of our community. We have seen this with the number of people who support, for example, various Tikkun Olam programs and we’ll see it again on Shavuot when 17 of our young people will be confirmed. So let’s all congratulate ourselves on being proud members of TBA and think about ways to strengthen and sustain ourselves for many years to come.

Shabbat shalom and (a bit early) Chag Shavuot Sameach!

Shabbat Shalom!  Mazel Tov to our Religious School graduates!   We hope that you will join us tonight at 7:00pm during Family Shabbat services as we congratulate our graduates, hear what they have to say about what staying on has done for them and join with us as we encourage out 7^th-11^th graders to stay in Religious School as well.

When Rabbi and I each were confirmed our congregations had a wonderful ceremony that linked their Confirmation classes to the classes/generations before them.  Each of our congregations had a silver chain and each ring represented a Confirmation class.  When I was confirmed I stood, with my Mom,  on the bima at Temple Beth El of Great Neck and proudly added the ring from my Confirmation class to that of my Mother’s linking us together and linking us to the congregation’s history.

In 2007 Rabbi Holtz, Pam Barkley, and I created a similar ceremony for our High School graduates.  Tomorrow night during Family services our High School seniors will see their names engraved on the ring that we presented to their class at the end of their 7^th grade year and we will link that ring to the chain of the classes that came before them as well as to the Founders Ring that we created when we began.   Our  8^th, 9^th, 10^th and 11^th grades will also join us on the bima and link their ring to the chain showing their commitment to Judaism and TBA!

The road to graduation begins when our 7^th graders commit to remaining in Religious School even after their b’nai mitzvah.  Our current 7^th grade class will receive their ring and we look forward to them standing on the bima again in 5 years as graduates of our Religious School.

Please join us as we welcome Shabbat and congratulate:

Amanda Cohen

Benjamin Kumka

Abigail Osborn

Adam Parker

Daniel Parker

Adam Prince

Isabelle Rose

As they graduate from TBA’s Religious School.

It has been an extraordinarily difficult few weeks for our Rivertowns communities.  A series of tragic losses have left both adults and children feeling shaken and uncertain.  We want answers to so many questions, the first of which is usually “why?”  As I have said to many of you this week, I don’t believe that “why” has a meaningful answer.  I think the better questions are “what?” and “how?”  as in, “what can I do for you and how can I be of help?”  The phrase “we are God’s hands” is not a platitude, not a metaphor.  We bring God’s loving presence into the world through our actions.  I do not know why tragedies happen, but I do know what to do:  enfold those who are suffering in our loving arms; help take care of day-to-day needs; offer your tangible help with meals, rides, etc. And, perhaps most important of all, don’t forget about them as the weeks and months go by.

As I have witnessed our individual and collective  responses, I am filled with awe and gratitude to be part of such a supportive, tight-knit Temple community.  In the midst of our own grief we have reached out:  helping families; counseling and comforting folks who are shaken to their core; holding powerful and healing discussions with our children.   It has been an affirmation for me of the beauty and importance of being connected to a community, and in particular a synagogue community.

This week Shabbat cannot come soon enough.  It is an opportunity to breathe, to think about what is truly important and to give thanks for the many, many blessings that fill our lives.  Even if you are not a regular at services, I hope you’ll consider coming to TBA tonight or tomorrow morning.  It will be good for you, and good for your community.

I get the privilege of writing to all of you the day before we, as a community, celebrate our very own Cantor Margot! There is not enough room in this little note to write all the ways in which she has enhanced our lives spiritually and educationally. She is such a huge part of what TBA is, and how we function, that it is almost impossible to imagine any event happening without her help. And yet, tomorrow night we will do just that – we will be at an event that she did not have to plan at all. It’s a miracle!

On Friday evenings in traditional homes, the poem “Eshet Chayil”, a “Woman of Valor” is recited. It is from the book of Proverbs and is often used as a blessing of sorts for women. It begins: An accomplished woman, who can find? Her value is far beyond pearls. And indeed, what could be a truer statement about our Cantor?  She is always pushing herself to be the best Cantor she can be and seems to manage a myriad of tasks all at the same time, and always with a smile. So yes, her value is far beyond pearls and we, her congregation, are lucky to have her in our midst.

So tonight, as the sun sets and Shabbat begins, I hope you will take a minute to think of a way that the Cantor has impacted your life. This might be something big or small,  something she said or something she did. It might just be a favorite memory you have of her in your life, or the life of your loved ones. As we welcome Shabbat tonight, let’s fill the air with sweet thoughts and fond memories

Wishing you all a peaceful and restful Shabbat, and here’s to the cantor’s 18 wonderful years at TBA!

Pamela Barkley

Director of Education

Although a discussion of Jewish dietary laws was part of last week’s Torah reading, most of us like to eat each day. I know that I do! That means that thinking about Kashrut is a subject for any day, not just on the Shabbat where we read a particular portion from the Torah.  It’s too easy to get bogged down in the various details that we always associate with our dietary laws. I think there’s an overriding principle at work and that can help us keep Kashrut in perspective. As Rabbi Holtz taught about the difference between chametz and matzah at Passover, that principle is time.  In our too-busy lives, Kashrut asks us to slow down before consuming a meal. Putting on the brakes gives us a chance to ask about what it is we are about to eat. Where did it come from? How was it processed? Is that item on our plate good for us to eat? And we now ask all of these questions from an ethical as well as from a ritual or nutritional perspective. How did producing our food affect our planet? How were the workers who harvested our produce treated? Are the processes that are feeding us sustainable? Although our ancestors saw the dietary laws through a different lens, I think that some of these concerns were theirs as well. This most basic but most important part of our daily lives ties us to previous generations. As we sit down to have our Shabbat meals let’s consider all of the factors that make up the meal in front of  us. B’tayavon!  Good appetite and Shabbat Shalom!

Shalom!  Come celebrate our teens with us as they lead us in prayer this evening!  As members of the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) our TBA family is part of an international umbrella organization.  We are a part of a network of Reform congregations who help to form and reform political policies, share best practices, study and worship together, and when in need help each other through sorrows. Within the URJ family there are many sub-organizations Hebrew Union College, Women/Men of Reform Judaism, ARZA, RAC and NFTY.   As we conclude each b’nai mitzvah service we give each of our kids a NFTY certificate as a gift from the North American Federation of Temple Youth (NFTY) towards a trip to Israel as part of a NFTY tour in High School or College.  Traveling to Israel is transformational and traveling to Israel with your peers is a memory and bond that will shape a young person’s life and commitment to our community.  TBA has worked hard to create a Youth Group that is strong, that contributes to the community at home and at large and helps to create these kinds of lasting memories for our kids that will connect them to TBA and the Jewish world.  Our kids are fantastic!  They are young leaders waiting to change the world who are being influenced by their participation in NFTY through, our youth group, our NFTY region, URJ summer camps, regional and national events.  Just 2 weeks ago 2 of our very own, Jack Nienaltow and Hannah Prince were elected to the regional NFTY board.  I am very proud of our kids and you should be too!  Join us this evening as our Youth Group takes to the bima to lead us in prayer, to show us what they are learning about Judaism and to kvell at the talent and dedication of these young leaders.

Our Youth Group has grown and developed into a vibrant program because of the commitment and dedication of our professional staff, our lay leadership and its leaders.  I would be remiss in discussing the success of our Youth Group without mentioning Gerry Hecht our Youth Group advisor.  Gerry is dynamic, creative, patient and nurturing and our kids love him.  Gerry, many thanks to you and Patti for all that you do for our kids!

See you tonight!

Passover is not easy. There are two giant seders to organize and cook for, and then there are 8 days of trying to come up with palatable meals for my family. And let’s face it, there are only so many ways to make a potato!

As I made the kosher for Passover pancake mix this morning it occurred to me that this whole week is a lot of work.  And I am not sure if it is really what was intended by the prohibition of eating leavened bread.  I mean, is the idea to make us feel like we are eating differently? Is it so that we actually feel, wholly, the sense of separation from our usual routines?  That seems to be the spirit of the law – that we should take this time and remember what it was like to leave Egypt, what it means to be free.  By breaking from our normal eating routine, we are constantly reminded that this week is different. In this case it would seem kosher for Passover pancakes don’t really work – because to my kids, they are still getting a (somewhat) “normal” breakfast. While they do not taste like regular pancakes, they are still pancakes and therefore not such a break in routine.

But these pancakes are perfectly acceptable according to the hallacha, the letter of the law. They contained nothing leavened. If the purpose is to follow the rules then kosher for Passover pancakes and the like are perfectly acceptable.

Which is more important, the spirit of the law or the letter of the law?

What I quickly realized as I flipped the pancakes is that for me, kosher for Passover pancakes are both. Because although to my kids it is not a huge break in routine, for me, it is. Usually, they throw a few Eggo waffles in the toaster and I am not involved in breakfast. On Passover, I have to make breakfast  (as well as every other meal)–which is  a complete break from my normal routine. This is certainly fulfilling the spirit of the law. Each and every one of the eight days I am forced to remember that these days are not like all the others in my year. I am physically doing something differently, not just eating something different. One might not think that extra cooking could help you feel the spirit of anything, but in fact for me, it does. So I will continue to make kosher for Passover foods that look like the real thing because believe it or not, the process of shopping, preparing and serving these different meals reminds me every day that it is Passover and perhaps paradoxically, that I am free.

Wishing you all a happy and fulfilling end of Passover!

Pamela Joy Barkley

I’m writing these words in Jerusalem, just a few moments after officiating at a congregant’s bar mitzvah at the Wall in Jerusalem.  (We were delayed this morning about 45 minutes because the Secret Service would not let us leave our hotel until President Obama, who is staying just up the street, had left for the day.)  It is always wonderful to be in Jerusalem, but there is something extraordinary about passing the Torah from generation to generation in the shadow of the Wall.  As I explained this morning, the difference between visiting other countries and visiting Israel is that the history you learn here is our history, and the people who made this history are our ancestors.  They are on each one of our family trees.  The people who stood on these very paving stones by the Wall were our great great great etc. grandparents.  The words of the Torah we read are exactly the same as the ones they read 2000 years ago.  The sense of connection and of history and continuity is palpable.  Though I am leaving here before Shabbat comes in, I will carry with me the spirit of Jerusalem, and I hope to share it with you as we celebrate Shabbat at TBA.

A census, Haman, a rare bovine, the month of Nisan. What do these items have in common? And what meaning do they have for us today? Now that we have reached the “quiet Shabbat” with no additional reading it’s time to look back on the four special Shabbatot that always proceed Passover. We start each year’s cycle with Shabbat Shekalim followed in turn by Shabbat Zachor, Parah and HaChodesh.  Shekalim speaks about the census that was taken and how each person paid a half shekel which could then be counted to know how many Israelites there were. Zachor, always read on the Shabbat before Purim, reminds us about Amalek and how we need to recall what Amalek did to us while in the dessert. The command to wipe out the name and memory of Amalek is the basis for our use of groggers to blot out the name of Haman who is considered a descendant of Amalek. Parah, perhaps the strangest of the readings, speaks of the parah adumah, the unblemished red heifer which was used in a ritual to make sure everyone was ritually pure to celebrate Passover. HaChodesh, “The month”  refers to Nisan and this reading occurs on the Shabbat before the start of the month in which Passover falls. Since all of these readings come from the Torah and describe ancient events we need to find their meaning for us today. To me, Shekalim reminds us of the meaning of each individual and the half shekel represents our equality as beings created in God’s image. Zachor speaks of memory and reminds us of our historical background especially as we prepare to retell the Passover story. Parah, a ritual that we certainly do not perform today reminds us of holiness and purity. HaChodesh reminds us of time and the start of the month of Nisan can be one last “reality check” that Passover is just around the corner. As all of us get ready to observe Pesach recalling these four special readings can help put us in the right frame of mind. Anita and I wish all of you a Chag Sameach!