The Voice Pesach 2023

CONTENTS

Click to move to the pages you want to read.

Page 2 | Pesach Service Times

Page 3 | President's Message

Reflections from my time as CAI President

Page 5 | Rabbi Ari Lucas

This summer in Jerusalem!

Page 6 | April Events Calendar

Page 7 | Rabbi Sara Blumenthal

Pesach is coming! Hooray!

Page 9 | Cantor Joel Caplan

This publication would not have been possible without the help of Abby Meth Kanter, who edited the articles, and Caryn Snerson, who consulted on the design and layout. We also thank everyone who created content, chaired the programs featured on these pages, advertised, and subscribed to the Voice. This is truly a communityled project.

We wish you a Zissen Pesach!

Pesach Zoom/Live Stream links, Sale of Hametz form, and other resources are available at www.agudath.org/pesach5783/2023

The Tzedek Initiative

Passover Supplement

2023: Focus on Ukraine is now available.

Pesach music at the Caplan seder

Page 10 | CAI's Yom Ha-Shoah

Commemoration

Page 11 | Susan Werk

We got this!

Page 13 | Geula Zamist

Focusing on child-centered learning, documentation, reflection

Page 15 | Member Spotlight

Page 17 | Andrea Malmud

It's time to gaze upon nature

Page 18 | Cemetery Association

Recognizing the inevitable

Page 21 | Israel Committee

Israel at 75!

Page 21 | Environmental Committee

Meet a leader of Jewish climate activism

Page 23 | Tzedek Initiative

Commemorating Juneteenth Shabbat

Page 25 | Interfaith Committee

Working to bridge divides, create community

Page 27 | Sisterhood

Making connections through opportunities

Page 28 | Men's Club

CAI Men’s Club continues on a roll

Page 30 | Advertise in the Voice

Page 30 | Final Photo

Back Cover | A look back at our Purim celebration

PASSOVER SERVICE TIMES

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 5 · EREV PESACH · FAST OF THE FIRSTBORN · FIRST SEDER

• 6:45 am | Fast of the Firstborn Service, Siyum and Breakfast

Beit Midrash/Adult Lounge or on Zoom

• 6:00 pm | Evening Minyan

Residence of Nancy and Cantor Joel Caplan, 29 Birkendene Road, Caldwell or on Zoom

THURSDAY, APRIL 6 · FIRST DAY OF PESACH · SECOND SEDER

• 9:30 am | Pesach Morning Services

Sanctuary or Live Stream

• 11:15 am | Children's Pesach Services

• 12:15 pm (approx.) | Light Pesach Nosh

Social Hall

• 1:25 pm | Mincha

Sanctuary or Live Stream

• 7:55 pm | Evening Minyan

Residence of Nancy and Cantor Joel Caplan, 29 Birkendene Road, Caldwell (In person only)

FRIDAY, APRIL 7 · SECOND DAY OF PESACH

• 9:30 am | Pesach Morning Services

Sanctuary or Live Stream

• 11:15 am | Children's Pesach Services

• 12:15 pm (approx.) | Light Pesach Nosh

Social Hall

• 6:00 pm | Mincha, Kabbalat Shabbat and Maariv, plus learning with Derek Fields Chapel or on Zoom

SATURDAY, APRIL 8 · SHABBAT CHOL

HAMO'ED PESACH

• 9:00 am | Pesach/Shabbat Morning Services

Sanctuary or Live Stream

• 11:15 am | Children's Pesach Services

• 12:00 pm (approx.) | Light Pesach Nosh

Social Hall

• 7:00 pm | Mincha, Talmud Study with Dr. Arnold Brenner, and Maariv

Beit Midrash or on Zoom

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

Reflections from my time as CAI president

As our team of clergy, staff, and lay leaders revive “The Voice” from its pandemic hiatus, we are bringing back the traditional message from the president of the board of trustees in each issue. Since I have only a few weeks left in this seat, I would like to take this opportunity to share my insights from this rewarding experience.

CAI is an incredible congregation; our 850-plus member households may approach their Jewish observance from different perspectives, but we are united in our enthusiasm for this community. CAI sets the standard for other synagogues in our area. Along with the clergy and staff, so many congregants give their time to create opportunities for us to gather, to pray, to celebrate, to learn, and to socialize. Our clergy, professionals, lay leaders, and volunteers are our greatest strength. If you

ever want to feel like your time is valued, just volunteer for a role at CAI; you will be overwhelmed by the outpouring of gratitude for your efforts and energy.

We are the beneficiaries of the hard work and dedication of the clergy, staff, and congregants who came before us, and in turn we must continue to “pay it forward” to ensure that this community will remain strong for another 100 years. Therefore, we are all committed to working diligently to create programs and events that serve the needs of our community today and invite others to join us to build additional long-term involvement in our community.

In my many years of service on the board, I have learned that we need to enhance our community’s understanding of the importance of supporting CAI's fund-raising efforts. Every gift at every level is critical to ensuring the financial strength of our synagogue. I encourage you to both give your time and give your financial support; it is supremely rewarding. Our Agudath Israel community will continue to thrive with everyone’s support. Thank you for allowing me to share my journey with all of you. This has been the most rewarding volunteer experience I could have hoped for.

Shani Drogin, President, CAI Board of Trustees

RABBI ARI LUCAS

This summer in Jerusalem!

The concept of sabbatical comes from the Torah. Every seven years, Israelite farmers are commanded to take a break from their labors in order to make time and space for rest and rejuvenation. The lessons behind this commandment are among Judaism’s most significant and enduring contributions to civilization: Work does not define us, and rest is essential. In rest, there is an opportunity to reconnect with our sacred calling and consider things from a different perspective. It is in that spirit that I am planning to take a one-month sabbatical in Jerusalem this summer. I am grateful to this entire community for supporting me in pursuing this opportunity and hope it will benefit me as a professional as well as the congregation.

Sabbatical is different from vacation. They’re both about rest, but sabbatical is about having a sustainable relationship to work — expanding capacity through professional development and personal growth. There’s a growing body of research* that shows how important these kinds of breaks are in sustaining leaders and communities.

When I considered where I might spend my sabbatical, Israel was the first and only place that came to mind. Even with all of the challenges Israel is currently grappling with (or perhaps especially because of those challenges), Israel is where I want to be — now more than ever. I’m grateful my family will be able to join me so that my children can have formative experiences of their own. As Israel marks 75 years and struggles with defining the foundational principles that will guide its future, I’m looking forward to the experience of being there so that we might feel more like participants in the struggle than spectators from the sidelines.

I have set three goals for my sabbatical growth

and development, and I look forward to sharing reflections with you about the experience when I return. My goals are to:

Strengthen and expand my professional network by meeting with different leaders in Israel

Deepen my own spiritual connection and explore innovative modes of prayer by visiting new prayer communities

Rest and refresh — cultivate new routines that nourish my mind, heart, and body

Later this spring I will share some more practical details and how I plan to share this experience with you, but for now I thank you for this opportunity. Every year we end our Passover seders with a hope and blessing: “Next year in Jerusalem.” I’m excited that when I say those words at my seder this Passover, it will be a reality and not merely an aspiration.

*Research Shows That Organizations Benefit When Employees Take Sabbaticals (“Harvard Business Review”) Creative Disruption: Sabbaticals for Capacity Building & Leadership Development in the Nonprofit Sector

Rabbi Ari Lucas, Senior Rabbi

RABBI SARA BLUMENTHAL

Pesach is coming! Hooray!

“Simchah rabah, simchah rabah/Aviv higia, Pesach ba!” (“Great joy, great joy, spring has arrived, Pesach is coming!”). Every year, when this cheerful Israeli children’s song enters my mind sometime after Purim, it’s impossible for me not to sing it gleefully; I unleash my inner child and with it happy memories of Pesach. As an adult, it has taken on an extra dimension as I consider the deeper meaning of Pesach, from the preparation to the holiday itself.

For many of us, “Pesach is coming!” means frantically finishing the chametz and clearing out what’s left, doing a deep clean of the house, unearthing Pesach dishes and changing them over, stressing about making seder or what to bring — a seemingly endless to-do list. Sound familiar? I’m right there with you as I make my home Pesach-ready this year. Dare I say that I enjoy this intense preparation?

I find it satisfying to take an audit of my kitchen this time of the year: deciding what can stay, what needs to go, and what wants a good chametz-eliminating clean. The preparation is physical, the difference noticeable; you can really see the fruits of your labor in your Pesachready home. Yet, this labor-intensive process is also designed to facilitate a kind of spiritual preparation By the time we sit down to the first seder, our physical labor has laid the groundwork for us to be open to receiving whatever our people’s origin story can offer us, wherever we meet it, this year.

It might seem ironic having to do all of this work leading up to the holiday. After all, won’t all this effort make us too tired to enjoy the seder and be receptive to what it might teach us? Possibly and that’s how you may feel every year on leil haseder (seder night) But though the work can be tiring and stressful, it also can be liberating The act of clearing away physical chametz is an invitation to examine the corners of our lives and clear away what’s no longer needed. Then there’s the spiritual transformation during Pesach. Eating specific foods and retelling the story are invitations to focus on the privilege of being both free and servants of God and how that awareness can both enrich our lives and the impact we make on this world

My life has been immensely enriched by getting to know many of you in the nine months since I arrived in Caldwell, and I hope my presence has enriched yours. Aviv, spring, is a time of new growth and renewal, when we have the opportunity to ritually acknowledge the special relationship we are building together In that spirit, please join me on Sunday, April 16, at 10:30 a.m. as I officially become installed as assistant rabbi of CAI. It will bring me so much joy to celebrate with you this shehecheyanu moment in my life and in the life of our wonderful CAI community.

With wishes for a joyous, liberating Pesach!

Rabbi Sara Blumenthal, Assistant Rabbi

CANTOR JOEL CAPLAN

Pesach music at the Caplan seder

You probably know that Cantor Caplan is a music nerd.

But did you know that the Caplans usually have a two-hour choir rehearsal right before seder each year?

Nancy takes care of just about every aspect of our seders — including who’s coming, how we can seat all those people, and cooking and shopping and more cooking and MORE cooking. I do help with cleaning and with making our kitchen pesahdik, but I’m definitely the Assistant.

What am I in charge of? Basically three things: Bringing chairs upstairs, bringing Haggadahs upstairs, and dealing with choir music. We’re fortunate that there are a lot of experienced Jewish choir singers in our family. Our children — Ilan, Simona, and Tamar — all sang with me here in the Tov M’od Children’s Choir and HaZamir NJ Teen Choir, and then they all went on to lead Jewish a cappella choirs at their respective undergrad universities. Simona met her now-husband in her choir, and all our children have married musicians.

I started writing a cappella arrangements for the seder maybe 15 years ago. Some things are harmonizations of well-known Seder melodies:

But there’s a fair amount of Doo-wop, Beatles, and what WMTR now calls “Classic Oldies”:

Happily, the next generation has added new pieces in honor of their children, our grandchildren. Right now I’m finishing a new arrangement in honor of Raphael, who was born this past October.

So if you’re coming to the Caplans, be ready to sing a lot! (But you already knew that, right?)

Come have a free last bagel-breakfast before a week of matzah! Breakfast for the First-Born, Wednesday, April 5, 7:20 a.m. All welcome; not just First-Borns....

And Come for Passover's traditional 15-minute Yizkor remembrance for our beloved dead. Tuesday, April 11, 7:10 p.m.; or Wednesday, April 12, 10:45 a m

Cantor Joel Caplan

SUSAN WERK We Got This!

We got this!

You got this! I love hearing this phrase — meaning you can more than meet the challenge facing you — from people of every age and stage.

What confidence this expression conveys; it seeks to boost a can-do attitude as we strive to achieve goals, arrive at wise decisions, and effectively confront the challenges we face. And what challenges! Speaking to parents and grandparents, it’s evident their concerns are centered on the mental and emotional health of young people struggling under the stresses of life today, especially the last three years. How can we help our youth who are grappling with anxiety or mental health issues? Don’t let uncertainty stop you: Seek advice. (Of course, in extreme instances, consult a medical professional.) The Centers for Disease Control website includes a comprehensive listing: “Healthy Ways to Cope with Stress,” which I find highly valuable.

In our Jewish resources, I have methods of support and sound approaches that can help adults enter this arena with some confidence, conveying values that are in harmony with views of the experts. Here’s my own Jewish interpretation of the CDC’s advice:

1. Take breaks from the news; limit use of screens, social media. Such setting of boundaries has been well established with the observance of Shabbat. Our sacred day of rest provides the break we all — adults and youngsters — need from the noise disturbing our peace. Shabbat can serve as a refuge from screens big and small, from incessant emails and texting, a time to disengage from our devices and engage in a meaningful way with our community, friends, family. For those who have participated in our many Shabbat programs — including of course our weekly

Shabbat service and kiddush — you are the biggest advocates for the power of Shabbat as a natural break from the stresses that plague us.

2. Take care of our bodies. “Shmirat Haguf,” “Protecting our Bodies,” is a basic Jewish value. We are taught: “The body is the soul’s house, shouldn’t we therefore take care of our house so that it does not fall into ruin?” (Philo Judaeus) Exercise, adequate sleep, a nutritious diet — all are ways we can ensure healthy, fit bodies.

(Walking outdoors is a great form of exercise — with a bonus: Enjoying and experiencing awe at God’s natural creations is also a great stress reducer. Another great form of exercise is dancing, and here at CAI, Ellen Berkowitz, our gifted Israeli dance instructor, shows us how to move our bodies with vigor and grace and have fun at the same time.)

3. Nurture relationships, connect with others (and here, when there’s no other way, electronic communications can be our friend). One way we connect is by sharing stories — the stories of our lives, our families, our people, stories we are still writing. When we listen to each other’s stories, we learn so many things, joyful, sorrowful, instructive. Knowing stories of survival, of triumph over personal upheavals, helps us find the will and strength to carry on when we are enduring our own burdens and tragedies. Jewish ritual observance offers a model of story-telling that can lift us up. At the Passover seder we are told to relate the dramatic story of how our people

went, on a rocky path, from the suffering of slavery to the joys and challenges of freedom. When we hear stories on Yom Ha-Shoah, Holocaust Memorial Day, we are taught that even the most egregious hatred does not destroy all and that embracing life is a victory. Our commitment to tell the stories also reinforces our determination to do what we can to prevent such enormous tragedies from happening again.

4. Connecting with a faith-based organization. Following this suggestion — from our health professionals — helps with stress reduction. Finding and focusing on something bigger than oneself — God, peoplehood, mitzvot — creates wellsprings of gratitude, adaptability, joy, wonder, and awe. Doing hands-on mitzvah actions, which our community provides by

offering many opportunities to feed the hungry, take care of the sick and needy, give tzedakah, improve the environment, and simply adorn the practices of a giving way of life.

We got this! We can confidently cope with the stresses of life for ourselves and our children by nurturing our traditions to support our souls; embracing Shabbat as a sacred day of rest; eating well, exercising — and dancing— to fortify our bodies and elevate our spirits; and telling stories of courage, resilience, and perseverance to strengthen our own determination. We got this!

Susan Werk, Education Director

GEULA ZAMIST

Focusing on child-centered learning, documentation, reflection

A fundamental belief of ours is that every child we encounter has tremendous capacity and creativity. Each human soul is unique, and yet we all have certain elements in common and share a part of God within us. Each individual is created b’tzelem Elohim, in the image of God, and with the capacity to create something from nothing. This year, teachers have had a unique opportunity to look at the children in this way. We know that as we remove more and more distractions, we can see the essence of the human being. A schoolwide study of CLAY has given us the opportunity to look closely at our students and see how they engage with this very basic element.

As the children poke, pinch, pretend, and ask questions, the teachers have been observing, documenting, and reflecting. It has been inspiring for the whole faculty to be joining together using the same shared material. Each time the teachers present the children with the clay, they share photos and descriptions of the experience with each other on a shared app. In this way, everyone in our school community has a look into what is going on throughout the school.

When we meet together, we discuss what we are seeing and share ideas about how to enhance the experience. Teachers have learned so much from the children and from each other. Our learning is deepened as we work with a pedagogical coach who guides our conversations and draws us back to how this investigation aligns with our school values.

As the teachers join the children on the journey, they are also taking a journey of enhancing their craft as master observers. We have focused our study on child-centered learning, documentation, and reflection, using CLAY as our inspiration and shared material. The reflections always include language of: I think, I wonder, I hope.

We are so honored to have a faculty filled with educators who continue to think and wonder and hope!

Geula Zamist is the director of CAI’s Lerner Early Childhood Center.

Watch our new segment called Member Spotlight to hear from a few families about their experience at CAI. Enjoy. Thank you for viewing!

If you are interested in being featured in future Member Spotlights, please be in touch with Debbie Lurie at dlurie@agudath.org.

Please note: The video will play automatically, but you may need to click to unmute

ANDREA MALMUD It’ s time to gaze upon nature

Shalom, chaverim! As I write this, my head is still in the trees even though Tu B’Shevat is fast receding. It is one of my favorite holidays, because it brings hope for new life and renewal. Planting trees in Israel at that time is just a precursor to planting our own flora here. Science has shown that trees give off chemicals that help lower our cortisol levels, pulse rates, and those other anxiety-related culprits in our bodies that cause us to feel like monkeys are jumping around in our brains. A “Psychology Today” article talks about some of the health rewards that nature brings us: “Forest bathing” — it has nothing to do with water; it’s immersing oneself in a natural environment and deriving the many health benefits of being in the woods — “is an antidote to pinging distractions, impending deadlines, and never-ending obligations. Also, in one study that included images of natural environments, people felt more positive about their body image, which is the opposite of the self-disdain we may feel when scrolling through social media.” So let’s start here. I’ve included here a favorite photo of mine, taken by a colleague, a horticultural therapist who created and photographed this lovely garden. When you can manage a break, look at this photo — and/or other images of a peaceful wooded setting — while breathing deeply in a relaxed position. When the weather is right, go outside and find a forest or one single tree that speaks to your heart and tells you that you may take that break you so deserve.

Andrea Malmud, LCSW, is the CAI Jewish Family Service of MetroWest social work consultant.

CEMETERY ASSOCIATION

Recognizing the inevitable

The Talmud (Tamid 32a) asks: “Eizeh’hu chacham?”— “Who is a wise person?” It goes on to give the answer: “Haroeh et hanolad” — “The one who knows what will develop (i.e., the inevitable)”.

For close to 100 years, the Agudath Israel Cemetery Association has been assisting synagogue members and their families act wisely by purchasing cemetery plots for “the inevitable.”

The Cemetery Association is a friend whom you can trust. We’re here for you — not for our “bottom line.” Purchasing cemetery plots is one of those things that families and individuals would rather avoid. However, you have friends at Agudath Israel to help you take

care of the inevitable.

Prime cemetery plots are available, below prevailing “retail rates,” for our congregants and their Jewish family members, in nearby Clifton at the King Solomon Memorial Park Section of the West Ridgelawn Cemetery and the Menorah Section of the East Ridgelawn Cemetery.

We can also assist with finding appropriate places for interfaith burials. Should your family relocate outside of our area, the association will repurchase your plots at any time, for any reason, at your original purchase price. (We accept credit card payments.)

For further information, contact any of the association members listed below or write to info@agudathcemetery.org. Be wise! Recognize the inevitable.

President, Arthur Franklin; Vice-President, Steve Eisen; Treasurer, Mel Berkowitz; Secretary, Anita Finkel; Trustee, Keith Marlowe; Trustee, Rabbi Richard Hammerman

ISRAEL COMMITTEE Israel

at 75!

This year 5783 on the Jewish calendar we will celebrate the 75th anniversary of the founding of the modern State of Israel. In honor of this momentous milestone, CAI will host numerous events throughout the year. We will start on Tuesday, April 25, with a commemoration of Yom Ha-Zikaron Israel’s day of remembrance for the soldiers and others who lost their lives defending the state transitioning into a joyous celebration of Yom Ha-atzma'ut, Israeli Independence Day, marking Israel at 75

The event, which will begin at 7 p m , will include readings, Israeli dancing, Israeli food, and “Who Wants To Be a Super Zionist?” an engaging, interactive gameshow based on “Who Wants To Be a Millionaire?” If you would like to be a contestant, please let me know. We’re looking forward to a wonderful event and invite the entire community to join us.

Throughout the year, we will hold events at our shul featuring comedians, authors, singers, spiritual leaders, and others to share in the joy of Israel at 75. We will touch on all aspects of Israel the good and the not so good because we know that Israel is a very complicated place, and we all need opportunities to discuss the challenging issues

We are also planning a revamp of our Israel Walkathon to be held in the fall

All these activities will be listed in “The Voice” and on the CAI website and will be sent out through social media and email blasts.

We welcome anyone who is interested to join the Israel Committee or be a part of coordinating any of our events. You can email me at szbonder@msn.com; I will be happy to discuss any ideas you may have to enrich our programming and the ways you can get involved. Thank you for joining in our upcoming events!

Stephanie Bonder is chair of the CAI Israel Committee.

ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITTEE

Meet a leader of Jewish climate activism

The CAI Environmental Committee is happy to share details for the Earth Day program we are cosponsoring on Monday, April 10, at 8 p.m., to be offered on Zoom. This program is jointly sponsored by Congregation Agudath Israel and United Synagogue for Conservative Judaism. The program will provide an important opportunity to “meet” Jakir Manela, CEO of Adamah — formed from the merger of Hazon and Pearlstone — the largest Jewish organization working to protect and sustain our environment. Mr. Manela, the visionary founder of the new Jewish Climate Leadership Coalition of which both USCJ, a founding partner, and CAI are founding members. Attendees will learn about the goals and opportunities this new coalition will provide. CAI’s Rabbi Ari Lucas will offer welcoming remarks, and Rabbi David Saltzman, a member of CAI’s Environmental Committee who initiated its Earth Day programming, will close the program. Environmental Committee cochairs Mark Lipsy and Harriet Sepinwall will, respectively, “host” and introduce the speaker. We believe that members of CAI and USCJ synagogues (and others who join us) will be interested in learning ways to respond to the moral urgency of the climate crisis and commit to climate action.

We invite you to register and encourage others to join the program.

Harriet Sepinwall is cochair of the CAI Environmental Committee.

TZEDEK INITIATIVE

Commemorating Juneteenth Shabbat

As the CAI Tzedek Initiative continues its mission to pursue and promote social justice and racial equality through listening and learning, community building, and advocacy and activism, plans are coming together for its third annual Juneteenth Shabbat. Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. The actual date, June 19, is the day enslaved Black people in Galveston, Texas, learned they were free, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation freed slaves in secessionist states, leaving slavery legal in a few northern states. While slavery was outlawed in New Jersey in 1846, remaining slaves were redefined as "apprenticed for life" to their masters. The final 16 slaves in the state were not freed until passage of the 13th Amendment — abolishing slavery in the U.S. — in December 1865.

West Essex has historic ties to one of the more interesting stories surrounding the freeing of a slave, a story that is in the news today. James Howe, a young Black slave, was purchased for $50 in the early 1800s by Nathaniel Crane, an abolitionist descendant of the founder of Montclair (originally named Cranetown). When Crane died in the 1830s, his will freed Howe, who was blind, and gave him $600; Crane's "five best acres”; a mill property in Caldwell called Crane's Mill; and a ferry business in the Meadowlands. This made Howe the first Black landowner in West Essex. Included in the property was a tiny 18thcentury house at what is now 369 Claremont Ave. in Montclair. Last year, the Howe house was purchased by a group intent on preserving the building and its history.

On Friday, June 16, the Tzedek Initiative will host, in partnership with the First Presbyterian Church at Caldwell Mission Committee’s Facing Racism Task Force, its third annual Juneteenth Shabbat Dinner. The Friends of the Howe House will lead a program on James Howe and the African-American history of West Essex. It is our hope to create a closer link between our daily lives and local African-American history. Look for registration information appearing soon in the weekly CAI emails.

For more information on the Tzedek Initiative, please reach out to Debbie Rosen, Debby Miller, Ruth Jaffe, or Morris Lewis

Morris Lewis is a cochair of the Tzedek Initiative.

On Sunday evening, May 21, The Tzedek Initiative and CAI's Adult Education Dept will screen the documentary film, "The Janes" which tells the story of the 1972 raid and arrest of seven women on the South Side of Chicago for their effort to build an underground service for women seeking safe, affordable, illegal abortions. This film and the discussion following the film will help us envision the enormous potential for collective actions to ensure abortion access All are invited for pizza dinner and the screening followed by a discussion with Susan Werk, Natalie Peck and Rabbi Michael Monson. Look for more details in the coming weeks.

The James Howe House, 369 Claremont Ave., Montclair

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INTERFAITH COMMITTEE

Working to bridge divides, create community

The goal of CAI’s Interfaith Committee is to create community while reducing bigotry and xenophobia. In these challenging times, learning about our neighbors’ cultures and beliefs can lead us to treasure our differences while appreciating our human and spiritual commonalities.

Our programs focus on our shared desire to make the world a kinder and safer place. “Welcoming the Stranger” is a very Jewish thing to do.

Through CAI’s involvement with the West Essex Ministerial Association, we have forged strong bonds and created programs with area churches and the Peace Islands Institute (a Turkish-Muslim group that shares our goals). Susan Werk ably facilitates our programs. This year we completed “Nourishing Our Souls,” our beautiful interfaith vegetarian cookbook created in partnership with the Environmental Committee. Its mission is to help save our planet and improve our health, while providing delicious, culturally diverse recipes — submitted by members of the Jewish, Christian, and Muslim communities — that allow us all to break bread together. To date, some 350 copies have been sold; from the net proceeds, $1,000 has been given to local food pantries (thanks to the Social Action committee for facilitating the donations to Toni’s Kitchen and the Human Needs Food Pantry). Some two dozen copies are being donated to local libraries by Bob and Janet Markman, and it is being featured by Hazon. So if you haven’t already, please order one now, and remember, “Nourishing Our Souls” also makes a great gift.

Our relationship with Begegnung: Christians

and Jews has resulted in several programs under the leadership of the Rev. Dr. Ursula Rudnick and CAI’s Debby Miller, including virtual trips to Buenos Aires, Jerusalem, and Hanover in Germany. We learned about Dona Gracia Nasi, Martin Luther, and Abraham Joshua Heschel with scholars from Germany, Israel, Denmark, and Great Britain

Diane Reidenberg is leading our programming with the Christian community. On Shabbat, March 24-25, Dr. Rudnick joined us both for erev Shabbat dinner and morning services to discuss, with Rabbi Lucas, the Mishnah from Jewish and Protestant points of view.

In other programs, we explored, with Israelis, interfaith relations in Israel and welcomed Holocaust historian Rafael Medoff, who spoke about combatting anti-Semitism

Our annual Iftar dinner will be held on March 29 at 7:00 p.m. at CAI with the Peace Islands Institute, we will spend the evening learning about each other and celebrating the things we are thankful for.

In partnership with the Tzedek Initiative and Braver Angels whose mission is to bridge the partisan divide we are developing a program to offer guidance in improving skills as we discuss divergent views on race, religion, and politics.

If you would like to join the Interfaith Committee, open to all congregants, or get involved in any of our programs, contact chair Gail Kleinman at gskleinman@gmail.com.

Gail Kleinman is chair of the CAI Interfaith Committee

SISTERHOOD Making connections through opportunities

Over the course of the last 18 months, CAI Sisterhood has sponsored virtual programs on Zoom and in-person events that have brought together more than 200 women and men. The goal has been to learn, have fun, connect with friends, and make new connections. The programs have included: virtual cooking and baking demonstrations, author conversations, breast cancer awareness night (cosponsored with Hadassah), and two inspiring Sisterhood Shabbat services. In addition, we’ve presented a musical and educational presentation by a rabbinical school student who is a Jew of color and a private tour of the new Jewish Theological Seminary campus in New York with a presentation by the director of the worldfamous JTS Library. In December, for Hanukkah, we offered a mixology lesson and an outstanding in-person sufganiyot (jelly doughnuts) baking session. We had two wonderful Mah-Jongg days — more than 50 women attended the latest one — which featured an opportunity for people to learn the game. (If you are interested in forming a weekly Mah-Jongg game, get in touch with me.)

A cholent cook-off in January, under the direction of Tal Wolf and Shira Kelmanovich, featured 10 different recipes. The aroma of cholent cooking during services was deliciously distracting. The golden ladle awards went to 16-year-old Binyamin Solomon and to Rabbi Ari Lucas and Talya Oberfield — recipes are available upon request. We are grateful that the Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest NJ offered microgrants, which helped defray the costs of the event.

Torah Fund Campaign at CAI — which runs until June 30 and supports the JTS and four other schools in Los Angeles, Buenos Aires,

Jerusalem, and Potsdam, Germany has had a record number of donors this year. We are close to our goal of 80 participants. Please consider donating to support the education of future professional and lay leaders of the Conservative/Masorti movement.

An entertaining event Dueling Pianos, performed by the Fun Pianos! Show which was originally planned for May 2020, finally took place on Thursday, March 23

Future plans include a yoga class, a discussion of financial issues, and more food-related events. Please reach out with your suggestions. Email me at sfhammermn@aol.com. Thanks to all for your support of Sisterhood. Please encourage your friends to join you at our events; new members are always welcome

Sharon Hammerman is CAI Sisterhood president.

MEN’S CLUB

CAI Men’ s Club continues on a roll

By the time you read this, we will have held a fantastic ping-pong tournament and March Madness event. Thank you so much to Jared Root and Ofer Steinberg for chairing this flagship social event

Each year the Men’s Club gives a college scholarship to a deserving high school senior based upon academic achievement, meaningful involvement in the community, and a personal essay. Applications are due by March 31, 2023. This year, Yom Ha-Shoah Holocaust Remembrance Day begins the evening of Monday, April 17; please light the memorial candle you received in your Purim basket that evening and recite the reading that came along with it. (If you did not receive a memorial candle, contact Jonathan Mehl.) Thank you to Steven Holinstat for organizing this annual ommemorative event. Please consider making a

donation to Men’s Club to help cover the cost; mail a check to the CAI office payable to CAI Men’s Club, or make a donation via PayPal at paypal.com/paypalme/caimensclub.

We are thrilled that CAI was chosen to host the regional meeting of the Northern NJ Region of the Federation of Jewish Men's Clubs on Monday, May 1. The presidents and other Men’s Clubs and regional leaders will be in attendance. CAI Men’s Club members are welcome to attend.

This summer we are planning another trip to a Mets baseball game on Sunday, August 13. Thank you to Adam Shandler for organizing this event; more information will follow

Another benefit of belonging to the Men’s Club is our access to the national Federation of Jewish Men’s Clubs, which offers numerous online activities, speakers, and classes throughout the year. If you are interested, as a CAI Men’s Club member your name can be put on the list to receive emails directly from FJMC.

For more information on these and other Men’s Club events, contact the Men’s Club president, Jonathan Mehl at JMNJEsq@gmail.com.

Jonathan Mehl is CAI Men’s Club president.

—MEMBER OF CONGREGATION AGUDATH ISRAEL—

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Alison's 4s class had a Mitzvah Moment helping to organize their generous canned food donation during our drive. Donations are always appreciated and can be left at the bin by the Main Office.

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