STRONGER TOGETHER
EOur Profound Strength
By Jordana Levine
very time I walk into Temple Beth-El, I am reminded of the profound strength that lies within our synagogue community. Each of us brings something unique—a story, a tradition, a skill—and it is in combining these individual contributions that we truly shine.
Judaism teaches us the value of working together and reminds us that when we unite as one, we have the ability to accomplish great things. It is within community that we can find strength, purpose and connection.
From the building of the Tabernacle on the journey to Jerusalem to the necessity of a minyan for prayers, our tradition is a testament to—and continues to remind us of—the power of unity. We know that we are stronger when we come together to achieve our goals.
As we look to the months ahead, many are anticipating the changes that will take place. Know this: TBE is blessed to have such warm, involved and dedicated members. We are led by a dynamic clergy team, and we have a truly wonderful staff.
We will approach these changes together, as a collective, united with a shared vision of what our community will become. What fundamentally makes us TBE will not change—regardless of what our new footprint in the building might be or if we consolidate with Temple Tikvah.
Knowing that we are proceeding together, as a community, understanding that this new chapter is what’s necessary for us to thrive, is truly powerful, comforting and uplifting. Together, we will ensure that our synagogue remains a source of light and inspiration for generations to come.
Thank you for all that you bring to our sacred space and for being part of this journey. May we continue to grow stronger and to go from strength to strength—together.
In partnership and l’shalom, Jordana
RABBI
A. Brian Stoller
ASSISTANT RABBI
Megan Brumer
CANTORIAL SOLOIST
Stephanie Horowitz-Mulry
RABBI EMERITUS
Jerome K. Davidson, DD
RABBIS EMERITI
Meir and Tara Feldman
CANTOR EMERITA
Lisa R. Hest
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Stuart Botwinick
DIRECTOR OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
Karen Wasserman
DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMMING AND MEMBERSHIP
ENGAGEMENT
Yanira Quiñones
OFFICERS 2024–25
PRESIDENT
Jordana Levine
VICE PRESIDENT
Sheila Aronson
VICE PRESIDENT
Joanne Davis
VICE PRESIDENT
Gary Kesner
VICE PRESIDENT
Barbara Podwall
VICE PRESIDENT
Danna Sobiecki
TREASURER
Matthew Moshen
FINANCIAL
Julius Myer
SECRETARY
Randi Weiler
SECRETARY
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
MEMBERS-AT-LARGE
Gary Slobin
Ronald M. Epstein
Leslie Abrams
Franklin S. Abrams
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
2024–25
Andrew Aaron
Sheila Aronson
Doug Bernstein
Joanne Davis
Gary Kesner
Larry Khazzam
Jordana Levine
Matthew Moshen
Julius Myer
Barbara Podwall
Philip Ross
Michael Sanders
Danna Sobiecki
Joanna Stolove
David Sutin
Grant Toch
Randi Weiler
TRUSTEES EX-OFFICIO
BROTHERHOOD
PRESIDENT
Sandy Caplan
SISTERHOOD CHAIRS
Sandy Lubert
Rochelle Rosenbloom
Jennifer Still-Schiff
PAST PRESIDENTS
Marjorie B. Kurcias
Stephen G. Limmer
Roger Tilles
Shelley M. Limmer
Franklin S. Abrams
Nina Koppelman
Leslie Abrams
Ronald M. Epstein
Gary Slobin
HONORARY
VICE PRESIDENTS
Howard J. Herman
William K. Peirez
HONORARY TRUSTEES
Jacalyn F. Aaron
David A. Cantor
Ann Finkelstein
Alan Greene
John Hirsch-Leiman
Shari Isacowitz
Gloria Landsberg
Jerry Landsberg
Gayle Monaster
Amy Spielman
SHEMA
Sheri ArbitalJacoby, Managing Editor
Leslie Abrams and Howard J. Herman, Proofreaders
Hallie ArbitalJacoby, Designer
By Rabbi Megan Brumer
ArbitalJacoby
Sacred Partnership
By Rabbi A. Brian Stoller
Shortly before sitting down to write this article, I watched New York Mets owner Steve Cohen—who, by the way, celebrated his bar mitzvah at Temple Beth-El—introduce Juan Soto as the newest member of the team.
Addressing the news conference at Citi Field, Cohen explained that it took a lot of effort by a lot of people to reach the historic agreement that brought the former Yankees star to Flushing. (Well, a lot of people—and $765 million.)
The Mets, he said, could not have done it alone; it took strong and intentional collaboration with Juan, the Soto family, his agents and many others to make the dream a reality.
The same is true at TBE. Like the Mets, we have outstanding lay and professional leadership, the best I’ve worked with in my entire rabbinic career.
But when it comes to our Vivid Vision for TBE—to create a vibrant pluralistic congregation that will help shape the future of Jewish life on the North Shore—our board and our professional team can’t do it alone.
Our leadership and our membership need to work in active collaboration to make this vision a reality. We call this “sacred partnership.”
Sacred partnership is when professional team members and congregants work hand in hand to create the life of the temple. Not all congregations work this way, though. Some communities are staff-driven, in which congregants tell the professionals what they should do and then sit back and wait for them to do it.
While this might be easier for the congregants, a staff-driven culture is undesirable for a couple of reasons. For one, the congregation’s possibilities are limited by staff capacity: With just a handful of professionals, there’s only so much that can be done.
Secondly, staff-driven culture is transactional and creates a sense of entitlement; it encourages members to think of themselves as mere consumers of Judaism, much as they are consumers in other places they shop.
In a culture of sacred partnership, by contrast, temple members take ownership of their Jewish communal life.
Rather than being passive recipients of whatever the rabbis and professionals decide to give them, they are active cocreators of the Jewish experiences they seek. Instead of looking to the staff to do it for them, congregants and staff look to each other to do things together.
In this kind of culture, planning programs together, serving on committees or task forces together and doing the work of the temple together are not burdens that someone has to carry; instead, they are sacred responsibilities that you want to carry because they bring meaning, purpose, enrichment and holiness to your life and to the lives of others.
This past fall, Yanira Quiñones joined our team as Director of Programming and Membership Engagement. Her role is to get to know you, your interests as well as your talents and skills, so she can help you find ways of engaging with the temple that are meaningful to you.
She also wants to help congregants with similar interests find each other and work in sacred partnership with our professional team to create Jewish experiences that touch the souls of our diverse congregation.
I encourage you to have a conversation with Yanira about your Jewish interests—and when she or another member of our team asks you to help out with a program or a task force, please say yes. Because it’s in doing the work where holiness is to be found. It’s in sacred partnership that we find meaning and create something that is greater than the sum of its parts. And it’s through sacred partnership that we will make our Vivid Vision for Temple BethEl a reality.
It’s in sacred partnership that we find meaning and create something that is greater than the sum of its parts.
Working Together
By Rabbi Megan Brumer
Ilove working as a team. Having people with whom to bounce off ideas, brainstorm, imagine, create and design together often leads to far better results than when tackling something alone.
Collaboration within a community allows for an end product enhanced by the diversity of the group members’ perspectives and talents.
Years ago, I heard a teaching from Avraham Infeld that has stayed with me ever since. He said that Moses was part of a team; and without that team, the Jewish people would never have been freed from Egypt. That team included Moses, Aaron, Miriam and Joshua.
Each one brought their unique strength: vision, articulation, passion and administration. It was the combination of these qualities that led to their collective success.
To create change and move forward, we must cooperate as a community and pool our strengths.
This past year, we launched our new religious school, The Kehillah Project. It’s a program that I never could have created on my own.
Our Religious School Working Group has been an incredible team. Collectively, we imagined, debated and crafted this initiative. We didn’t always agree, but our conversations pushed us to clarify our reasoning and make thoughtful decisions.
We each brought something different to the table. Ultimately, the program is stronger because of this synergistic process.
Our teamwork has also extended beyond our congregation to the larger North Shore Jewish community, particularly through our partnership with Temple Tikvah of New Hyde Park.
This past year, we’ve shared many meaningful moments as a group, from Midnight Run, where we provided clothing and food to New York City’s homeless, to religious services, campfires, comedy nights and more.
I believe these events have demonstrated how participating as a group strengthens our ability to serve and innovate. Talking with others from outside our usual circles sparks new ideas and perspectives that enrich our programs and deepen our sense of connection.
On an even larger scale, our teens joined the national Jewish community at the Religious Action Center’s L’taken Social Justice Seminars this past January. Alongside peers from across the country, they learned about important social justice issues that affect our world today.
The students visited our elected representatives as a community and lobbied about these issues. One person advocating for a cause can make an impact, but when more than 300 teens from throughout the United States raise their voices in unison, the power of community becomes undeniable.
During the past year, we have collaborated in so many ways, creating programs, supporting those in need and envisioning our future. I look forward to continuing this sacred work with our TBE staff, our local community and the greater Jewish community.
Together, we truly are stronger—and I can’t wait to see what we can accomplish.
Teens from Temple Beth-El and Temple Tikvah attend the Religious Action Center’s L’taken Social Justice Seminars with peers from across the country.
Teamwork Makes the Dream Work
By Yanira Quiñones, Director of Programming and Membership Engagement
Author, speaker and pastor John C. Maxwell famously said, “Teamwork makes the dream work,” and this idea deeply resonates with the spirit of community at Temple Beth-El.
By recognizing our individual power and passions, we can continue building a stronger, more inclusive environment for all.
Our community is more than just a group of individuals; it’s a network of volunteers and team members who come together to support one another and accomplish great things.
The power of collaboration and collective effort are at the heart of what makes Temple Beth-El thrive.
Our volunteers are an essential part of our success. Each person brings their unique strengths, skills and passion to help our community grow.
Temple Beth-El volunteers collaborate to create an environment of support, care and shared purpose.
I’ve witnessed firsthand how teamwork at Temple Beth-El transforms challenges into opportunities. Volunteers and other members work side by side, whether preparing for events, providing support to one another or simply creating a welcoming space for everyone.
This commitment fosters a sense of unity and reinforces the idea that no task is too great when we face it together.
One of the best examples of this unity is seen in our communal activities. When a task arises, whether big or small, the response is often a quick and enthusiastic “Yes!” from those who are eager to pitch in.
This willingness to step up reflects the spirit of teamwork that defines our community. Every role, no matter how small it may seem, contributes to the bigger picture and the success of the community as a whole.
Temple Beth-El teaches us that we all have a part to play. Whether we are actively volunteering or supporting the efforts of others, each of us contributes to the vibrancy and strength of our community.
By recognizing our individual power and passions, we can continue building a stronger, more inclusive environment for all.
The spirit of teamwork and volunteerism at Temple Beth-El is an enduring force that shapes our community. It reminds us that, together, we can accomplish extraordinary things.
Let’s continue to embrace our roles and continue to join forces to create a welcoming, thriving community that supports and uplifts everyone.
Our Director of Programming and Membership Engagement hands out a program at the MLK nondenominational prayer service.
Cooperative Learning
By Karen Wasserman, Director of the Early Childhood Education Center
In our Jewish Early Childhood Education Center at Temple Beth-El, we are committed to providing a nurturing and stimulating learning environment for our students.
Many years ago, our ECEC embarked upon a journey to embrace a Reggio Emilia–inspired philosophy as a guiding principle to its educational approach. The heart of a Reggio-inspired school curriculum originates from ideas brought forth by the children, intrinsically motivating their personal interests.
Here, preschoolers are viewed as active participants in their environment; and as relationships among the students develop into partnerships, they work together as co-constructivists to create meaningful learning experiences.
Every classroom offers infinite possibilities each day, and collaboration between classmates is encouraged. Whether constructing together in the building area, drawing and painting in the art center, celebrating Shabbat or running on the playground, the children are creating connections—experiencing the power of being active citizens in the formation of a local community.
When completing tasks, investigations or longer-term projects as a group, they experience the power of teamwork, as they pursue goals with their peers and inevitably accomplish something that they might not tackle individually.
The children learn that their actions matter—and that they can achieve greater results when they work together.
Everyone enjoys singing with Rabbi Megan to celebrate Shabbat.
Clockwise from top left: Aspiring artists select crayons together. Student scientists observe the results of their experiment. Garden enthusiasts nurture plants. Pounding pegs into a pumpkin strengthens fine-motor skills. Budding horticulturalists plant pumpkin seeds. Preschoolers are fascinated during science time. Pals help each other succeed on the playground.
MEET YANIRA QUIÑONES
By Sheri ArbitalJacoby
Director of Programming and Membership Engagement Yanira Quiñones joined Temple Beth-El’s professional team this past fall. Read on to learn about her fascinating journey—and her passion to create sacred partnerships and help make beautiful things happen in the Jewish community.
Baby Yanira is held by her mother, Iris; as father, Frank; and older brother, Damian, snuggle.
Yanira kids around with her brother, Damian.
Yanira dines with her children, Nava, Alexia and Zavier.
Yanira spends some family time with Zavier and Nava.
Welcome to Temple BethEl. We’re intrigued by your journey. Please tell us about your background: what your religious life was like growing up, what attracted you to Judaism, the path that led you to Judaism and what inspired you to become Jewish.
I grew up in Riverdale, New York, in a very Jewish neighborhood. In fact, there were very few Puerto Ricans in the area at that time.
Growing up, my religious experience was rooted in Christianity, where God and Bible were the center of my life. I am deeply grateful for my upbringing. I had the wonderful opportunity to learn that I am loved and cherished by the divine— and created in the image of God.
I had a modern Orthodox neighbor who would sing “Shalom Aleichem” on her terrace during the warm weather. I remember how I felt all warm inside as she sang and lit candles. She had no idea that I was watching through a tiny hole that separated our spaces. At the time, I didn’t realize that the melody would play a part in my adult life.
As I grew older, I found myself yearning for a sense of community and connection to something greater—for a path that could guide me not just in belief but in action and daily living.
Judaism caught my attention through its emphasis on community, tradition and the balance of questioning and faith. I was drawn to its rich history, the beauty of Shabbat and the focus on ethical living. The more I learned, the more I felt a sense of alignment—like this was a tradition that resonated not only with my values but also with the person I aspired to be.
My path to Judaism was deeply personal and transformative. I immersed myself in learning, attending classes, joining services and participating in Jewish communal life. Each step—from lighting Shabbat
candles for the first time to engaging in deep conversations with rabbis and other community members—strengthened my conviction that Judaism was where I belonged.
What inspired me most to convert was the sense of purpose and belonging I felt within the Jewish community. My immersion in the mikvah was not just a ritual; it was a profound moment of renewal and affirmation. Emerging from the waters, I felt both elated and humbled to take my place as a Jew among the Jewish people.
The journey has not always been easy, particularly as a Jew of color navigating complex family dynamics. Yet, it has been a journey filled with meaning and growth. I strive to honor my Jewish identity daily, not only through ritual but also through the relationships and responsibilities that make this tradition so unique.
Converting to Judaism was the most meaningful decision of my life, and I feel immense gratitude for the wisdom, warmth and community that the religion has brought into my world.
Has your family embraced your journey?
I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how supportive my family has been of my Jewish journey. It’s been heartwarming to see their interest and encouragement as I’ve explored and embraced this path.
Over time, I’ve become somewhat of the “Jewish expert” in my family, which has been a unique and rewarding experience. Occasionally, one of my relatives who is clergy will even reach out to ask me questions about Judaism. It’s a great feeling to be a resource for them and to share what I’ve learned along the way. It has also put me in a unique position to help clear up some misconceptions.
Please share how you became so involved in the Jewish community.
I began my Jewish journey by attending services at a liberal synagogue called The Shul of New York. At the time, Rabbi Burt Siegel, the founding head rabbi, led the congregation with a vision of love and radical acceptance. It was a space where I felt truly seen and heard.
However, being a “shul without walls,” The Shul of New York held services only once a month and was located all the way in the Village, which made regular participation challenging for me. I was eager for more opportunities to learn and engage.
Eventually, I moved to Dobbs Ferry in Westchester, where I discovered a new spiritual home and became deeply involved in Jewish life.
At the Greenburgh Hebrew Center, Rabbi Barry Kenter provided me with opportunities for deeper learning and practice. I began attending services once or twice a week and participating in weekly Torah study.
One Shabbat, during an Oneg conversation, Rabbi Kenter suggested I explore a master’s program at The Jewish Theological Seminary. I took his advice— and the rest is history. ▶
Yanira teaches doughnut making for Hanukkah on Zoom.
Tell us about some of your Jewish education and the positions you’ve held in the field.
I earned a master’s in Jewish Education from The Jewish Theological Seminary and a certificate in Israel Education from The George Washington University.
As director of education at Temple Beth Abraham, I oversaw pre-K to 12th graders; and as director of Jewish life at the Shames JCC, I engaged nonaffiliated Jews who lived in northern Westchester.
What drew you to Temple Beth-El?
I was actively searching for a job that would not only challenge me but also align with my true passion. When I first had the opportunity to speak with Stu [Executive Director Stuart Botwinick] on the phone, I immediately felt that TBE was a unique and special place. This wasn’t just a typical job—it was a chance to be part of something meaningful.
I can still vividly recall the excitement and inspiration I felt after my initial interview. The genuine warmth and kindness from the members of this community made me feel welcome from
the start, which is not always easy to find in new environments. That sense of belonging truly stood out to me and reinforced my belief that this was the right path for me.
What things do you hope to accomplish here?
I look forward to getting to know members, building sacred partnerships with individuals and continuing to foster Jewish innovation.
Please tell us a little about your own family.
I have three beautiful children, Alexia, 24; Zavier, 15; and Nava, 10, who all keep me quite busy at home. I also have two puppies, who are my pride and joy. Gracie, 6, is a Lab mix, and Lola, 1, is a blue-nose American Staffordshire Terrier.
What is something about yourself that would surprise us?
One of my favorite volunteer roles is guiding people at the mikvah. I consider it one of the holiest ways I can serve the community, offering a sacred space for those who need to mark significant life transitions.
I have had the honor of creating space for nonbinary individuals, when traditional spaces were not available—making the impossible possible. In this role, I’ve had the privilege of witnessing both tears of joy and moments of profound sadness.
Is there anything else you’d like to share?
I take a lot of pride and joy in my work. I see it as my way of giving back to the Jewish community—and we all have an obligation to give back to the Jewish community in some way.
Yanira organizes a children’s Hanukkah program.
Yanira visits the Gan nursery school in Israel.
Yanira poses with the Association of Reform Jewish Educators conference planning committee.
Fascinating New Programs for Our Children and Their Families
BY RABBI MEGAN BRUMER
Asacred community was created with the launch of The Kehillah Project this past fall—and we were thrilled to see our registration goal exceeded by more than 50 percent. Our new religious school program has been extraordinary and offers a variety of innovative learning opportunities for our students.
Religious school families join the Temple Beth-El community to help with the Tzedakah Project on December 15.
T’FILAH
Each week, we start our day with a musical t’filah (Jewish prayer), engaging in thoughtful discussions and song. During these sessions, we answer questions based on our prayers, sharing our thoughts first with those around us and then with the larger group. Families are invited to join us, and it is heartwarming to see so many parents participating. ▶
HOLIDAYS
Throughout the year, we have explored both Jewish and secular holidays, spending time in our classrooms learning the meaning surrounding each observance, creating art projects and reflecting on how these holidays relate to our lives.
Family programs have been an integral part of the celebrations, allowing our students’ families to connect, create and bond as a community.
Together, we’ve made edible sukkot, Thanksgiving gratitude jars, beeswax Hanukkah candles, hanukkiot and more.
From top left: Students design Shana Tova cards on September 15. Budding artists work together to make Sukkot decorations. Edible sukkot are constructed during the family program on October 20. Gratitude jars are created during the Thanksgiving program on November 24. At the Hanukkah event on December 15, participants craft beeswax candles.
KINGS POINT PARK
In the fall, we stepped out of the classroom and into the outdoors, spending the day getting to know each other better at Kings Point Park.
We explored nature through a scavenger hunt, learning about bal tashchit (the principle of not destroying the earth) and creating teva (nature) art.
Free time on the playground and meaningful moments spent together in nature offered special bonding.
SOCIAL ACTION PROJECTS
The Kehillah Project students and their families participated in various social actions projects this past winter.
In preparation for the holidays in December, we dedicated a day to volunteering at the Parker Jewish Institute for Health Care and Rehabilitation, giving back to our community. After t’filah and singing with the residents, we collaborated to create holiday decorations, brightening seniors’ space for the season.
The Kehillah Project also joined the Temple Beth-El community in the Tzedakah Project, packing hundreds of bags for families in need of food assistance during winter break.
Our students and families decorated holiday cards and packed bags, ensuring that each one contained all the necessary elements. Participating in this important Temple Beth-El social action initiative brought a profound sense of fulfillment to everyone involved. ▶
The Kehillah Project participants spend a day outdoors at Kings Point Park on September 22.
LOOKING AHEAD
We’ve already accomplished so much during the first half of the year, and we look forward to the many enriching activities that are scheduled.
We plan to continue our social action projects by visiting the Interfaith Food Pantry at St. Aloysius to learn about our joint mission. Additionally, we will take a field trip to the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County, to deepen our understanding of our history and the importance of Jewish memory.
We will also continue commemorating holidays together. In collaboration with Temple Tikvah, we’ll join forces to celebrate Purim and Passover, further strengthening our bonds as one large Reform Jewish community.
We can’t wait to revel in the remainder of The Kehillah Project’s incredible first year—and continue building a strong, sacred community here at Temple Beth-El.
Counterclockwise from top left: The Kehillah Project students adorn cards and help pack hundreds of bags of food for families in need for the Tzedakah Project on December 15.
Little crafters bring holiday cheer to Parker Jewish Institute on December 8.
Working in Harmony
By Sheri ArbitalJacoby
Temple Beth-El’s musical team has enhanced, enriched and uplifted our worship services throughout the past year. We sat down with Cantorial Soloist Stephanie Horowitz-Mulry, Accompanist Shy Kedmi and Choir Director Dr. Pamela Levy to explore what sparked their passion for music. In our roundtable discussion, the trio reveals why we’re incredibly lucky to have them regularly share their extraordinary talents with us.
Stephanie Horowitz - Mulry
Music has always played a starring role in our cantorial soloist’s life. She earned a Bachelor of Music from the Crane School of Music, focusing on classical voice performance and music education, and a Master of Music from the New England Conservatory of Music in vocal performance. She has been a staff singer for various venues; performed in operas, musicals and concerts; held cantorial solo positions at a handful of temples; and released original cabaret/theater and pop music.
Shy Kedmi
Drawn to the piano as a young Israeli boy, our accompanist began taking formal lessons at age 10 and wound up traveling to another city each day for high school to major in music. Following his graduation, he became an in-demand pianist, playing with famous artists, for six years in Israel. He emigrated to America to continue his music education at City College of New York, where he majored in classical piano, studying composition, orchestration, conducting and advanced theory, and graduating with the highest honors.
Dr. Pamela Levy
Our choir director was raised in an extremely musical family. She studied piano at The Juilliard School Pre-College Program and went on to earn a Bachelor, Master and Doctor of Music from the Manhattan School of Music, as well as a degree in school administration. She has taught high school chorus for 36 years, is the department head of Fine and Performing Arts at Great Neck North High School and serves on the faculty of the Manhattan School of Music Precollege, where she teaches chamber music and directs the Manhattan Chorale. ▶
We are really putting our hearts on the table every time we make music. Shy Kedmi
Please tell us a bit about what sparked your passion for music, your educational background and the positions you’ve held in the field.
STEPHANIE: My earliest memories involve watching musicals on VHS tapes sent from my grandparents. The Sound of Music, Peter Pan and, especially, Annie were constants at my house growing up, along with the Disney musical classics. I watched with awe and childish confidence thinking, I can do that! I want to do that. I will do that.
When they were younger, one grandparent from each side sang, though not so much by the time I was born. My biological father was an amateur composer and multi-instrumentalist. Music was always encouraged and celebrated.
Later, at the behest of my parents, I chose an undergraduate degree in music education, as they feared for my financial prospects as a performance major. Following their advice, I was able to get a music education—a Bachelor of Music at Crane School of Music—and a performance certificate, so I could participate with the performance majors. I went on to earn my performance degree in graduate school at the New England Conservatory.
Since then, I have been a staff singer in temples, churches, restaurants and a 1920s dance orchestra; performed about 20 operas and about as many musicals; held cantorial solo positions in about five temples; and done both classical and non-classical concert work. I love singing jazz standard and cabaret and have released original cabaret/theater and pop music.
SHY: I can’t recall being without an instrument. For a lot of musicians, it’s not a profession that we wake up in the morning and tell ourselves, “You know what would be a good career choice? A musician!” It is something that we are compelled to do.
Following dabbling with the piano since early childhood, I began taking formal lessons at around age 10. I started in a group class and was first placed at the beginner’s level, only to be switched to the most advanced class a month later. My parents were quickly told that I needed to take private lessons instead of group classes.
I majored in music in high school, commuting to a different city from where I lived every day, and received an award for Excellent Musician upon my graduation. During that time, I studied jazz with prominent Israeli pianist Ofer Portugaly. I eventually decided to follow friends to study music in New York, instead of in Israel, and started my studies at the City College of New York, where I majored in classical piano, and concentrated on composition, orchestration, conducting and advanced theory.
I graduated with the highest honors, summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa, and received a scholarship every semester throughout my studies, including the Kaye Scholarship for Academia and the ASCAP Chappell/Gershwin Award for Composition, which was presented to me by my composition and orchestration professor, the illustrious American composer David Del Tredici.
Following graduation from high school, I spent another six years in Israel becoming an in-demand pianist, playing with fairly famous artists on a regular basis. I was the sampler operator for Oliver! at the Israeli Opera House and performed about 30 shows in two weeks.
I have also worked with the international classical Israeli composer Amir Shpilman, consulting, editing and providing orchestration solutions for his works played in Europe, including a breathtaking performance of his piece “Destruction” at the European Capital of Culture event in Wroclaw, Poland, in 2016. PAM: I was born into a musical family. My maternal greatgrandfather was a cantor, and my maternal grandmother left Poland to come to America to study voice. Her daughters, one of which was my mother, both became pianists, and I began studying as a child.
My dad was a symphonic flutist who played in the NBC orchestra under [conductor Arturo] Toscanini and worked in the Radio City orchestra for many years.
As a child, I studied piano at Juilliard Pre-College and earned a BM, MM and DMA from the Manhattan School of Music. After receiving my doctorate, I continued my studies in conducting and voice. I also received a degree in school administration.
Upon completing my studies, I planned to look for a job teaching college but immediately found a position teaching high school chorus. That was 36 years ago! I discovered that I not only love teaching choir but also musical theater, opera and chamber music. I feel fortunate to be able to work at something I love.
In addition to my position at TBE, I am the department head of Fine and Performing Arts at Great Neck North High School and serve on the faculty of the Manhattan School of Music Precollege, where I teach chamber music and direct the Manhattan Chorale.
Stephanie, Rabbi Stoller and Rabbi Megan prepare for an Erev Shabbat service in Firefighters Park.
What drew you to Temple Beth-El?
STEPHANIE: I came to Temple Beth-El very much by accident. I was first hired to fill in for Shy with Rabbis [Meir and Tara] Feldman. Now that I know the depth of his talent and skill, I find that laughable.
I was then hired to sub at a funeral Rabbi [A. Brian] Stoller officiated at, for which I played and sang. A couple of years later, the rabbi emailed me and asked if I would be interested in coming in for an interview. It seemed like it was bashert, so I said yes.
SHY: My relationship with Temple Beth-El began with me working for the Rabbis Feldman from 2009 to 2014, or so, as a babysitter for their kids. At that time, the temple had a longserving pianist, Tom [Williams].
The rabbis reached out to me at the end of 2016, telling me that the temple was looking for a pianist and asking if I would be interested. I said yes and began my collaboration with Cantor Vlad [Lapin], who always encouraged me to play more, free myself up and be creative, “unleashing the beast.”
I cherish the opportunity I have to play my instrument—an acoustic piano—in a meaningful setting and feel so appreciated by the congregation on a regular basis.
PAM: The community at Temple Beth-El is warm, welcoming and engaging, and it has a deep appreciation for the arts.
What are some of the things you’re most proud of so far?
STEPHANIE: I am proud that I’m able to surround myself with such amazing collaborators who I admire. I am proud that I’m finding my voice as a songwriter and using my singing to bring positivity into the world.
SHY: The thing I am most proud of so far is the discography I have amassed, recording gorgeous music with fantastic artists. That’s a part of a legacy which is important for me to leave behind.
PAM: Being able to teach music to many students, each with their own unique way of learning.
What have you been able to accomplish as a team that you may not have been able to achieve on your own?
SHY: First, I have to say that the symbiosis between us is very special. It really feels like a collaborative effort of the smoothest and most natural kind. I think our collaboration is what unlocks the door to the greatest heights and the best musical result possible. It’s quite difficult to accomplish this as a single person. It also allows each of us to focus on what we do best and know that the other elements that are not as natural to us are handled by someone who is excellent at them.
STEPHANIE: Echoing Shy’s sentiment, the way we all come from different but equally rich musical backgrounds and all care deeply about our projects together is greatly rewarding. There is a wonderful spirit of generosity and collaboration. Doing this kind of work with these amazing people makes me feel supported and reassured in a way I never would on my own.
PAM: Shy really captured the essence of our collaboration, which is special and not taken for granted.
What are some of the things you haven’t yet done here but hope to?
STEPHANIE: I would love to show the congregation some more of the liturgical music I am writing. I would also love to share with them a little more of what I sing when I am not in temple.
SHY: I am hoping, at some point, to be able to have my own performances—primarily of my compositions—held at TBE. I would really like to elevate my involvement, so that TBE becomes a musical home for me—for whatever project I wish to share with the world—a place where I can premiere works and perform to a genuinely caring audience.
PAM: I hope we will create interesting programs for the congregation.
Please tell us a little about your personal life and what you like to do when you’re not at temple.
STEPHANIE: I have a lovely little house in West Babylon, where I live with my husband and two cats who we totally love. I have a full vocal studio where I teach lessons and spend time writing and recording music—and sometimes making jewelry and going vintage shopping. I have to admit that I spend a little too much time on social media.
SHY: I live in the southern Catskills with my two beautiful Husky doggie girls, Iris and Elsa. Almost everything I do revolves around music, but I guess the exception is that I am a sucker for comedy—stand-up and sitcoms—so I tend to consume copious amounts of those on a regular basis. I love cooking and view that as a natural extension of composition and creativity. And I love reading, currently Jean-Paul Sartre’s Nausea.
PAM: I live in Great Neck and enjoy going to independently owned bookstores and the gym—and finding the perfect smoothie! ▶
Rabbi Stoller, Rabbi Megan, Stephanie, Pam, Shy and organist Ed Needham review the details for High Holidays services.
What don’t we know about you that would surprise us?
STEPHANIE: I am a fan of crystals and all things metaphysical.
SHY: I adore Scandinavian and French aesthetics and view them as sharing a profound sonic similarity of atmosphere. This is the driving force for everything I do, even when I play at the temple. The impressionist aesthetics of [French composer, pianist and conductor Maurice] Ravel, alongside the shimmering sound of the aurora borealis is what guides me as a musician, whether as a composer, arranger or player.
I always try to sound like a harp when I play and would love to dabble with it one day. While professionally I do not play any instrument other than the piano, in recent years I have been recording all instruments for my own projects at home, which has been very fun, gratifying and liberating, because I know how I want these instruments to sound.
PAM: There’s not much that would surprise you, but I love going to see live theater.
Is there anything else you’d like to share?
STEPHANIE: Working with this congregation, the clergy, staff, music team and everyone involved has really made a positive impact on my life, and I am so happy to be here. The congregants are amazing people, and I am overcome by the way I have been welcomed. I hope to add some positivity back into everyone’s life, and I consider it my responsibility and my honor.
SHY: I’d like to thank this beautiful congregation for their genuine appreciation throughout the year. It makes such a difference when people acknowledge what we do, especially given that we are really putting our hearts on the table every time we make music.
Knowing that I was personally able to make an emotional difference and connection with you in a service is the essence of what I do, and when I hear that I was successful in doing that, it provides me with a profound sense of fulfillment.
I consider myself very lucky to be on the receiving end of such words, and I am grateful for them—and for all of you.
PAM: It is wonderful to work at Temple Beth-El with Rabbi Stoller, Rabbi [Megan] Brumer, Shy and Stephanie. I am grateful for the opportunity.
Rabbi Megan, Rabbi Stoller, Shy and Stephanie lead a service in the Rudin Garden.
Bonding Over Baseball
By Howard J. Herman
Sports have a way of bringing people together—and baseball, in particular, has been a constant throughout my life. I have always been a baseball fan, but many of you would be surprised to learn that I wasn’t always a New York Mets fan. Before the Mets, I rooted for the San Francisco Giants; and before the Giants, I rooted for the New York Yankees. ▶
TBE members attend a game with Lindsay Stoller, Rabbi Stoller and Rabbi Megan.
At the last regular season home game of 2024, Howard’s son, Ben, caught a foul ball for his son, Tyler. Howard’s son-in-law, Matt, right, scored the coveted tickets for the sold-out game.
Howard’s daughter, Amy, meets her girlhood idol Darryl Strawberry.
How the Devotion Began
Both my parents were baseball fans. Like many first-generation Americans at the time, my dad was into two sports—and two sports only—boxing and baseball.
My dad grew up in the Bronx as a fan of the Yankees, led by Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig, but he had become a fan of the New York Giants by the time I was born. My mom was a graduate of Richmond Hill High School in Queens, from which Yankees Hall of Famer Phil Rizzuto had graduated about three years earlier. She was a Yankees fan.
At an early age, it was made clear to me that politics was not to be discussed at our family’s mom-and-pop candy store in West Hempstead. But baseball was an acceptable topic.
It was easy to root for the Yankees when I was growing up. Those were the Yankees of Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra, Roger Maris and Whitey Ford.
In fact, Berra hit two home runs at the first major league game I ever attended in 1957; and I was 12 when Maris hit 61 home runs for the Yankees—the same age my dad was when Ruth hit 60.
The customers of our candy store knew that they could always talk baseball with my dad and me, and that they would always find me defending the Yankees.
So, Eddie Duffy was quite taken aback in 1962 when I told him I’d be rooting for the San Francisco Giants—who had relocated from New York after the 1958 season— against the Yankees in the World Series.
Eddie owned the upholstery shop located in the same building as our store. He was also a volunteer fireman, a customer who we saw multiple times each day and a Dodgers fan with whom I often talked baseball in our store.
Four years earlier, in 1958, I told Eddie that the Yankees would win the World Series when they were down three games to one. I turned out to be right.
Now, suddenly, I was telling him that the Yankees would lose to the Giants in the 1962 World Series. I turned out to be wrong.
Here’s what brought about the remarkable transformation: In 1962, the Yankees had dominated the American League, as usual, while in the National League, my dad’s team, the Giants, were locked in a battle to the death with the Dodgers, who also moved west from Brooklyn to Los Angeles after the 1958 season. I was pulling for the Giants to make it to the World Series.
After the Giants survived a three-game playoff with the Dodgers, I couldn’t turn my back on them. I had kissed the Yankees goodbye.
The birth of the New York Mets also occurred in 1962. I followed their exploits. I was happy when they won the World Series in 1969, but I was still expending my energy on a team that was based 3,000 miles away.
The Mets played more than 10 seasons before I finally became a full-fledged fan. That happened on May 11, 1972, when
my favorite player, Willie Mays of the Giants, was traded to the Mets—in exchange for a young pitcher named Charlie Williams who grew up on Kensington Place in Great Neck.
I could finally root for a local team again—and my dad soon came over to the Mets, as well.
My dad rarely made it to the ballpark, as he was always busy in the store, but I do remember his excitement one day at Shea Stadium when Mookie Wilson of the Mets hit a walk-off home run into the rightfield bullpen.
I have some vivid boxing memories with my dad, too.
On a Sunday morning in July 1960, heavyweight champion Floyd Patterson entered our store to buy his newspapers. Patterson lived about two miles away, but his son always purchased the papers for him.
What a thrill that was for us! I got the champ’s autograph, which I still have; and my dad offered him an ice cream soda, which he refused.
In 1964, my dad and I were together at an arena in Levittown for a closed-circuit telecast of the first Cassius Clay–Sonny Liston heavyweight championship bout.
My dad shouted words of encouragement at a massive television screen to Clay, who changed his name to Muhammad Ali not long afterward, as the young fighter displayed the skills that would eventually make him an alltime great.
Howard cheers on the Mets with his son’s family in 2024.
TBE congregants root for the Mets in summer 2024.
Passing on the Passion
Fast forward to the mid-1980s. Our daughter, Amy, was nine years old when the legendary 1986 Mets won the World Series, while our son, Benjamin, was only six and just beginning to understand baseball.
Like any good daddy’s girl, Amy took an interest in her father’s interests. I loved seeing my dad’s reaction when Amy would talk about the specific skills that made Mookie Wilson, Darryl Strawberry, Dwight Gooden, Keith Hernandez and Gary Carter so special.
Amy and I attended a few Mets games before Benjamin was old enough to join us. She has less interest in baseball now; but Benjamin is hooked on the Mets, and so is his son, Tyler.
Ben and I attended many games together, including some exciting postseason competitions, before Tyler was born and while he was still very young.
My son’s family currently resides in Westchester, Yankees country, but their loyalty to the Mets is unshakable. Ben and Tyler attend several games a year, and I am often able to join them.
Ben, Tyler and I were present when Pete Alonso hit his first home run ever at Citi Field. We were also at the ballpark for the last regular season home game of 2024, a victory at which Ben caught a foul ball for my grandson.
Whenever there’s news involving the Mets, I learn about it first via text from Tyler, who owns more Mets gear than anyone I know.
Now 13, Tyler also happens to be a pretty good baseball player, and I derive tremendous satisfaction from watching him play the game. I often think about how much pride my dad would have taken from seeing his great-grandson play baseball.
One of the perks of being a Mets fan in Great Neck is having an easy commute to Citi Field. Before TBE formed its “small groups with a purpose” program, several Brotherhood members had already formed a small group with the purpose of going to Mets games.
Brotherhood President Sandy Caplan is usually the organizer and ticket purchaser, and we typically attend five to 10 game each season.
Now that we have two rabbis who are baseball fans, Rabbi Stoller and Rabbi Megan sometimes join us. The temple also organizes two or three group outings to Citi Field each season.
It’s a great opportunity to spend extra time with friends—and even when the Mets lose, we win by being together.
Let’s Go Mets, and let’s go family and friends! We have all forged a special bond rooting for our favorite team.
Howard and his then young children, Ben and Amy, gather necessities for Ben’s first Mets outing in the mid-1980s.
Howard’s grandson, Tyler, has been named Player of the Game twice at the Ripken Experience in Aberdeen, Maryland.
Howard warns his grandson, Tyler, about the heartbreak involved in being a Mets fan, as twin sister, Grace, reacts quite seriously.
Howard’s daughter, Amy, and her then future husband, Matt, meet Mets legend Doc Gooden.
Perfect Moments
Time measured,
In the before and after, Of the perfect moments.
Sit with it, Write about it, Embrace it.
All moments fade, Even the perfect ones. Unless forced to remain, Reimagined perfect.
Pick up the crayons of memory, And fill in the black lines. Stay within the lines, Or what?
Or the reality of the moments after, May smother and crush.
’Nuf of that, Back to the perfect ones.
Finding My Jewish Identity
By Nina Koppelman
Growing Up at Temple Beth-El
It has been seven decades since the first perfect moment when the Fleischman family— Dorothy, Morty, Nina and Richard—joined Temple Beth-El.
It was the perfect place and time for my brother and me to learn what it meant to be a Jew.
My parents experienced anti-Semitism without any understanding about what it meant to be a Jew.
We even had a Christmas tree in our apartment in Flushing and sat on Santa’s lap, imparting our list of gifts we wanted.
Before joining Temple Beth-El, we decorated eggs at Easter and ate marshmallow bunnies. Our observances were all secular, but they were the holidays we celebrated.
The move to Great Neck enabled us to give up the secular and find the religious path.
We learned to be proud of being Jewish. Joining Temple Beth-El became the first perfect moment in our Jewish journey.
My parents’ assertion that I would most certainly experience anti-Semitism did not occur. My East Coast upbringing sheltered me.
Unfortunately, we seem to have come full circle. As my parents predicted, antiSemitism is on the rise and threatens our children on college campuses.
Are you committed to educating your children, your grandchildren and yourself? Is being part of Temple Beth-El your perfect moment to lead you to fulfill your obligation?
TBE was there for me and my family seven decades ago. It is here for you and your family today.
When I was a child, Great Neck was exploding as a welcoming home for Jews.
The newly expanded roadways and easy access to New York City made it the ideal community to raise a Jewish family.
The temple was more than a place of learning. It was a place to make friends who shared the same values, Jewish values.
Rabbi [Jerome] Davidson, our young associate rabbi at the time, taught us about the new State of Israel.
As a teenager, I wanted to spend a summer on a kibbutz. I asked my mother to speak to the rabbi.
Although she was an ardent supporter of Israel, there was no way she was going to let me travel to the Middle East.
I had to wait for three more decades for the perfect moment to come my way.
It came during my first year as temple president and it was Rabbi Davidson’s final leadership trip to Israel before his retirement.
When we stepped off the plane and I felt the Israeli soil under my feet, I knew I was home—another perfect moment.
Nina and Bill—and their children— celebrate their wedding in 1983.
Richard, Dorothy, Morty and Nina Fleischman join the TBE family about seven decades ago.
Nina and her family dress up for her brother’s bar mitzvah celebration.
Taking Pride in Being a Jew
In the aftermath of October 7, I chose to buy a Jewish star, which I wear every day. I want the world to know that I take pride in being a Jew and support the State of Israel.
How do you feel? If you are uncertain, come join the TBE community in one of the many dialogues about the future of Israel. It might offer you the perfect moment to engage in a newfound understanding for you and your children. I will be there.
Your presence will make this a perfect moment.
I am grateful to Rabbi Stoller for bringing the Zoom morning prayer minyan into my life as well as for the expanded adult education opportunities.
All that is offered might seem overwhelming. You don’t have to eat a huge chunk of the cake. Try a nibble. I guarantee you will find its sweetness rewarding. What I have learned is that the perfect moments do not have to be the momentous ones. They can be the small ones that generate the seeds of anticipation, expectation and opportunity.
Several months ago, the phone rang. It was our temple president, asking me to be a member of the newly formed visioning committee. This was the most perfect of perfect moments—a recognition that after decades of being part of the TBE community, I have gained wisdom that is valuable to sustaining the future of our temple.
I leave you with these final words: the perfect moment that comes from the study of Torah.
Love God with All Your Heart
Yetzer ha-tov (the good inclination) and Yetzer ha-ra (the evil inclination)
A grocery list is a necessity.
The good inclination for salad, fruits and vegetables,
A shopping list sustains yetzer ha-tov. Desire for ice cream, yetzer ha-ra, The struggle with the evil inclination.
The shopping cart is full.
The items on the list crossed off.
On the way to checkout, the frozen food aisle beckons.
Gastronomic desires scream.
Raspberry chocolate chip ice cream!
Dinner is complete.
Satisfying yetzer ha-tov for health-giving, Salmon and salad.
Satisfying yetzer ha-ra for harmful-living, Room left for ice cream.
Choice to be made.
A small dish, barely satiating.
A large bowl, just adequate. Most gratifying to the evil inclination, Eating directly from the carton.
I was born with both good and evil urges. Does God want me to give in to the evil urges?
What to do when the evil overtakes the good,
When passionate energy comes from eating directly from the carton?
Turn exuberant yearning to the study of Torah.
Join the Fleischmans.
Along with generations of Jews, Before and after, Momentous and small, Creating the perfect moments.
Learn to love Adonai with all your heart, With all your soul, With all your might.
Nina Koppelman was Temple Beth-El’s president from 2006 to 2009.
Nina finally visits Israel in 2007.
The bar mitzvah of Nina’s brother, Richard, is held in TBE’s chapel in 1960.
Nina and her brother dance during his bar mitzvah reception.
Festive Food Fit for a Feast
Compiled by Sheri ArbitalJacoby
The most memorable events start with special guests and delicious food. When expecting company, our congregants prepare crowd pleasers like Sheryl Silverstein’s mini quiches and layered salad, Linda Diamond’s baked chicken and squash soup, Sandy Lubert’s baked ziti and noodle pudding, Judy Blatter’s turkey-spinach pie and curried chicken with vegetables, and Debbie Sutin’s carrot cake.
Whether you’re hosting family and friends for an evening of fun, a holiday or a celebration, these temple members’ dishes provide plenty of inspiration to ensure your next gathering will be a success.
Sheryl Silverstein’s Mini Mushroom Quiches
This recipe for my most requested hors d’oeuvre makes 24 mini quiches. I often have some in the freezer in case I have last-minute guests.
I typically prepare these the day before a function and then just warm them in the oven for a couple of minutes before serving.
1 (14 oz) package of 2 refrigerated pie crusts
2 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp olive oil, plus more for greasing
3 (6 oz) containers portabella mushrooms or a variety of your favorites, cleaned, dried and chopped into small pieces
1 egg
1/2 cup whipping cream
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1. Let the pie crusts sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes, then gently open the package and roll out the dough to create two 12-inch circles.
2. Add the butter and one tablespoon of the olive oil to a large skillet over low to medium heat. Once the butter has melted, add the mushrooms and cook until all the liquid has evaporated, and the mushrooms are brown and tender. Set aside.
3. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375F and grease two dozen 13/4-inch muffin cups.
4. Using a 3-inch round cookie cutter, cut out 24 circles from the pie crusts. Press the dough into the prepared muffin cups.
5. Spoon the mushrooms evenly into the lined cups.
6. In a small bowl, combine the egg and cream, beating well. Pour the egg mixture over the mushrooms, using approximately two teaspoons in each muffin cup. Sprinkle each cup with the shredded cheese.
7. Place the muffin tin in the preheated oven and bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until set. If using immediately, serve warm. If preparing in advance, let cool, refrigerate and reheat before serving.
Sheryl’s Seven Layer Salad
This recipe is perfect for a crowd, because it looks and tastes even better when made the day before—leaving you free to enjoy your guests.
Whenever I make this dish, everyone always comments about how beautiful it is. To appreciate the esthetic appearance, this salad must be served in a glass bowl.
To make the preparation easier, do yourself a favor and buy a bag of shredded carrots and cooked hard-boiled eggs.
Obviously, all the ingredients need to be dry, so water doesn’t pool at the bottom of the bowl. Be sure to dry the produce well after washing.
The ingredients and amounts used can be customized, based on your company’s preferences and the size of the serving container. Feel free to swap in favorite vegetables and adjust how much of each item is incorporated.
1 head iceberg or romaine lettuce, washed and spun in a salad spinner
3–4 red peppers, seeded, rinsed, dried and chopped into small pieces
1 head celery, rinsed, dried and chopped
1 bag carrots, rinsed, dried and shredded
6 eggs, hard boiled, peeled and chopped
1 (15 oz) can Le Sueur small, sweet peas, drained and placed on paper towel to dry
1 cup mayonnaise, regular or light
1 cup sour cream
2 Tbsp granulated sugar
1. In a large glass bowl, layer the dried chopped lettuce, red peppers, celery, shredded carrots, chopped eggs and peas.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sour cream and sugar. Carefully spoon the dressing on top, being careful not to displace the peas but completely covering them all the way to the edges, to seal the salad.
3. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Enjoy! ▶
Linda Diamond’s Baked Chicken with Cornflakes Crumbs
My children and grandchildren love this dish. It brings back their loving memories of my mother, who prepared it for them at family celebrations.
2 whole chickens, cut into 8 pieces
1 (15 oz) bottle Italian dressing
2 cups cornflakes crumbs, or more as needed
Honey for drizzling
1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
2. In a large bowl, marinate the chicken in the Italian dressing. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for several hours.
3. Place the cornflakes crumbs on a large flat plate, and coat each piece of chicken with the crumbs, turning to cover each side. When coated, transfer each piece to a baking sheet.
4. Drizzle honey on top of the coated chicken.
5. Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and cook for one
Linda’s Butternut Squash Soup
This feel-good soup makes eight servings and is wonderful on a cold day.
For a change of pace, the recipe can also be prepared with pumpkin. If the pumpkin’s skin is thin, you can leave it on and puree it with the rest of the soup. When using butternut squash, the skin must be peeled.
1 Tbsp butter
1 medium onion, peeled and thinly sliced
11/2 tsp salt
11/2 tsp curry powder
1/2 cup honey, or to taste (4-pound) butternut squash or 1 medium pumpkin, washed, peeled, pulp removed and cut into 2-inch pieces
1/4 cup sour cream or crème fraîche
Parsley for garnish
Melt the butter in a heavy pot over low heat and add the onion, salt and curry powder. Cover the pot and turn the heat very low. When the onion is translucent, add the honey. Add the diced squash or pumpkin and toss to coat with the honey mixture. Turn the heat to high and cook, uncovered, for 60 seconds. Add about two quarts of water, or enough to cover the squash or pumpkin, and bring the pot to a simmer. Cook for 20 minutes or until the squash or pumpkin is tender. Puree the vegetables in batches in a food processor or use an immersion blender. Taste the soup and adjust the seasonings. Serve the soup in warmed bowls with dollops of sour cream or crème fraîche. Garnish with parsley.
Sandy Lubert’s Pasta Party–Tested Baked Ziti
Sensing danger at the potential onslaught of pasta parties, I taught my daughter Rachel how to make this casserole when she was in high school—and she believes it’s partially responsible for the success of the Great Neck North field hockey team in the late ’90s. Though the title includes the word ziti, I actually prepare this dish with rigatoni. My secret ingredient is adding a little sugar to the tomato sauce. You’ll know you’ve mixed the sauce ingredients correctly when the color resembles smoked salmon.
1 (12 oz) package rigatoni
Pinch salt
Butter, oil or cooking spray for greasing 16 oz ricotta cheese
8 oz part-skim mozzarella, shredded and divided 1 (16 oz) jar prepared marinara sauce
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp sugar
1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
2. Boil salted water in a pasta pot and cook the rigatoni according to the package directions, until almost but not quite done.
3. Lightly grease a 9-by-13-inch baking pan.
4. While the water boils and the pasta cooks, in a large bowl, combine the ricotta, three-quarters of the mozzarella, along with the marinara sauce, egg and sugar.
5. Strain the rigatoni in a colander and return the pasta to the pot with about a half cup of the sauce mixture. Heat the pasta and sauce over a medium flame and let the sauce cook down until it sticks to the pasta a bit.
6. Add the pasta to the bowl with the sauce mixture and toss to generously coat the rigatoni.
7. Pour the pasta and sauce into the prepared casserole dish and top with the remaining mozzarella.
8. Cover the prepared pan with foil, place it in the preheated oven and bake for 30 to 40 minutes.
9. Remove the foil from the pan and set the oven to broil. Cook until the cheese on top gets crispy. Cut into pieces and serve.
Sandy’s Delicious Noodle Pudding
This dish has been passed down by my mother. I often prepare it for break fast, so many temple members have already tried it. Although this isn’t exactly a healthy dish, people who have grown up eating noodle kugel can’t resist it—it’s always a crowd pleaser. The traditional recipe calls for wide egg noodles, but recently I have been preparing it with gluten-free noodles so everyone can enjoy it. Feel free to substitute your favorite type.
1 (16 oz) package medium-size noodles
2 cups sour cream
Butter, oil or cooking spray for greasing
2 cups whipped cottage cheese
1 cup sugar, divided
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup butter, cut into squares
1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
2. Meanwhile, cook the noodles according to the package directions, until al dente. Drain and set aside.
3. Lightly grease a 9-by-13-inch baking pan.
4. In a large bowl, mix together the sour cream, the cottage cheese, half of the sugar, the vanilla and the eggs. Add the cooked noodles and toss, until well combined.
5. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking pan.
6. In a small bowl, combine the remaining sugar with the cinnamon and sprinkle it on top of the noodle mixture.
7. Dot the butter on top of the sugar and cinnamon.
8. Place the prepared pan in the preheated oven and bake for approximately 45 minutes, or until the top is nicely browned. Remove from the oven and let the pan sit for 15 minutes, until the pudding sets. Cut into pieces and serve. ▶
Judy Blatter’s Turkey and Spinach Matzo Pie
Having been a Weight Watchers coach for a decade, I’m always looking for ways to lighten up holiday meals.
This Passover-friendly version of meat lasagna makes eight servings and is a great post-Seder meal. For variety, feel free to swap ground beef or chicken for the turkey.
21/2 tsp vegetable oil
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
2 medium cloves garlic, peeled and minced
11/2 lb ground turkey
6 oz (about 6 packed cups) fresh baby spinach, rinsed and coarsely chopped
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp table salt, or more to taste
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tsp paprika
Cooking spray
4 boards matzo
1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, and cook until tender, about five minutes. Add the turkey, breaking up the pieces as it cooks, until it’s no longer pink.
3. Add the spinach, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, salt, pepper and paprika. Cook for about 15 minutes more, until the sauce reduces and thickens.
4. Coat a 9-inch square baking dish with cooking spray. Place two boards of matzo in the bottom of the pan and spread three cups of the turkey mixture on top. Layer the two remaining pieces of matzo on top and spoon the remaining meat sauce over the matzo.
5. Place the prepared dish in the preheated oven and bake for approximately 30 minutes. Remove the baking dish from the oven and let it sit for five minutes before cutting the pie into eight pieces using a sharp knife.
Judy’s Curried Chicken Thighs with Cauliflower, Apricots and Olives
I love making this Moroccan-inspired sheet-pan dish for holiday meals.
This recipe serves six, but it can easily be doubled and reheats well. I’ve been preparing this entrée for years, and it’s always a crowd pleaser.
8 (about 2 lb) boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1/4 cup olive oil, divided
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
4 tsp curry powder, divided
1 tsp smoked paprika, divided
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
11/2 tsp kosher salt
1 large head cauliflower, rinsed and cut into bite-size florets
3/4 cup dried apricots, coarsely chopped, soaked in hot water for 5 minutes, then drained
1 cup pitted green olives, halved
1/3 cup cilantro, chopped
1 large lemon, cut into 4–6 wedges
1. In a medium bowl, combine the chicken with two tablespoons of the oil, the vinegar, half of the curry powder, half of the paprika, the cinnamon, the cayenne and half of the salt. Cover the bowl and refrigerate it for eight hours or overnight.
2. Preheat the oven to 450F.
3 Line a rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper and add the cauliflower with the remaining oil, curry powder, paprika and salt, tossing to coat. In a single layer, spread the apricots and olives on top.
4. Remove the chicken thighs from the marinade and place them on top of the cauliflower, apricots and olives, spaced evenly apart. Roast for about 35 minutes, rotating the pan 180 degrees halfway through, until the cauliflower browns and the chicken cooks through.
5. Remove the chicken from the pan and place it on a serving platter. Toss the cauliflower mixture with the pan drippings and spoon it around the chicken. Sprinkle the chicken and vegetables with cilantro and scatter the lemon wedges around them.
Debbie Sutin’s Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Icing
I love to bake for temple Onegs, as well as for my family and friends. I find baking to be very therapeutic. It’s a relaxing, creative outlet for me, as well as another way of giving to those I love.
This may seem odd to many but sitting on my couch with a cup of coffee, leafing through baking books in search of the perfect dessert, is one of my favorite activities.
This one, inspired by Daisy Cakes, is among my “perfect” recipes and is a favorite of my husband and daughters.
Multiple colleagues have requested this recipe to make for their celebrations. There is even talk of a baking competition to find out whose is best.
I prepared this carrot cake for a recent event, with the intention of freezing it for the big day. Needless to say, it never made it to the freezer.
I hope you all enjoy this recipe as much as I do.
Carrot Cake
11/2 cups canola oil, plus more for greasing
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for pans
11/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
2 cups carrots, shredded
1 (8 oz) can crushed pineapple, drained
1 cup coconut
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
Cream Cheese Icing
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, cold
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
2 boxes powdered sugar
1. Preheat the oven to 350F and grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.
2. To make the cake, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, oil and sugar, until well blended. Mix in the carrots, drained pineapple, coconut and pecans. Add in the sifted dry ingredients and mix well.
4. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and place in the preheated oven. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Cool completely before icing.
5. To make the icing: In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, cream the butter on the lowest setting. Add the cream cheese, vanilla and lemon juice. Gradually add the powdered sugar and mix well.
6. Spread the icing on one cooled cake. Place the other cake on top and ice the top and sides. Cut into 16 to 20 slices and serve.
I love to bake for temple Onegs, as well as for my family and friends.
On Being Jewish Now: Reflections from Authors and Advocates, edited
By Jennifer Still-Schiff
by Zibby Owens
Writing a book is usually a solitary endeavor. But this issue of the Shema is about teamwork—so what better way to promote this than by sharing a collection of short essays authored by dozens of writers exploring the meaning and experience of Jewish identity in 2025?
On Being Jewish Now: Reflections from Authors and Advocates, edited by Zibby Owens, includes personal stories, family anecdotes, rants and homilies, many dealing with the ways that an unexpected resurgence of anti-Semitism affects readers and writers, publishers and the world of social media.
Many of the authors included here are ones you might recognize if you participate in Sisterhood’s book discussions. Even if you’ve never heard of most of these writers, some will touch a chord, and you may want to seek out more of their work.
At this moment, Jewish authors are finding themselves blacklisted, speaking engagements canceled, left off booksellers’ lists. It’s a good time to support these writers if we want to keep reading provocative Jewish literature, memoirs, essays and other media.
Though sold as one book, On Being Jewish Now is more of a snapshot of this specific moment, an assemblage of short thoughts bound together by its assignment. It was created partly to raise money for a new organization called Artists Against Antisemitism.
The deadline for writing was short; the results have a feeling of urgency and purpose, as they pose questions you may have asked: How much of my Jewishness do I have to share online, in my Facebook posts? What is going to happen to our kids at school— are they safe? Is my challah baking up to my grandmother’s standards? Which of my Gentile friends would hide me?
Then there are more surprising questions: Can I find a synagogue when I travel abroad, or is it hidden behind a security code? Which of my friends have relatives in the IDF? What kind of gun should I buy?
The stories and reflections are varied and filled with vivid detail. I connected strongly with Nicola Kraus, who writes poignantly about her feelings at her adult bat mitzvah. Having studied and learned to be an adult Jew, she says: “...I no longer feel like an interloper. At fifty, I feel like I’m home.”
Nostalgic descriptions of pickle sellers and the schmatte business of New York City contrast with short glimpses of life in Israel, picking eggplants on a farm near Tel Aviv. We get a small entry into many kinds of Jewish life.
I can’t help but note that, for all the variety of its authors, there is little diversity in its message. The collection has a strongly pro-Zionist stance. However, the editor has not included voices of Jews who may be feeling conflicted and confused by the mixed messages available in the media.
Their concerns and anguish for others are also a part of being Jewish now but haven’t found an outlet in this volume. This collection is mostly concerned with how we’re feeling about ourselves right now, and where we belong in the world.
And, in doing so, this compilation is also a remarkable resource for book recommendations; as you read short take after short take by novelists, writers, show runners and producers, you may find yourself with a longer reading list.
For example, you may read Judy Batalion’s essay and then bookmark her National Jewish Book Awards winner, The Light of Days: The Untold Story of Women Resistance Fighters in Hitler’s Ghettos
Perhaps, most importantly, this book functions as a jumpingoff point for meditation practice for personal soul-searching, journaling and conversations in chevruta. The questions it asks, and that we might examine, include: Where am I as a Jew right now? How are my friends feeling? What can we do?
Listening to our own feelings and taking time to engage in selfreflection is one of the reasons for the book. I would encourage this for small groups of friends to open up dialogue about our experiences in these difficult times.
And if it leaves you wanting more, go listen to the eponymous podcast, On Being Jewish Now. In the podcast, more contributors share their stories in their own voices. I hope this is a way to continue growing the community and the conversation—and allowing new voices to contribute.
As we move into our next chapter, our hearts full of hope for the new [at the time of this writing] ceasefire agreement, may we find strength to learn from each other and support our Jewish family wherever we live.
The Gates of Gaza: A Story of Betrayal, Survival and Hope in Israel’s Borderlands by Amir Tibon
By Matthew Moshen
Barely a year after the horrific October 7 terrorist attacks on southern Israel, journalist Amir Tibon wrote a gripping, detailed account of the assault on the Nahal Oz kibbutz, one of the oldest Israeli settlements situated directly across from the Gaza-Israel border.
Tibon, an award-winning Israeli reporter with Haaretz newspaper, survived the murderous invasion of heavily armed terrorists in his neighborhood—and his own house—in Nahal Oz with his wife, Miri, and daughters, Galia, then 3, and Carmel, then 1, hidden in their safe room.
After many hours of darkness, and little knowledge of the maelstrom around them, the family was rescued by a single IDF unit of Maglan commandos along with Amir's father, Noam—a retired IDF general who, with his wife, flew down to Nahal Oz armed only with his pistol.
The story of survival and heroism became instantly acclaimed, even leading to a face-to-face moment with then President Joe Biden, when he visited Israel later in October.
Along with his minute-by-minute account, Tibon, who moved to the kibbutz with Miri in 2014, provides a deep, insightful history of the Gaza Strip and Nahal Oz.
The kibbutz was originally created as an IDF outpost in 1951, and its stalwart survival through the decades as a recipient of near-constant and often fatal attacks from Gaza is miraculous.
Through his clear-eyed view of the kibbutz’s history, Tibon underscores Nahal Oz’s inhabitants’ constant dream of peaceful coexistence with its neighbors.
The journalist levels harsh criticisms of Israeli leadership over the years, for ignoring or even facilitating the threat of Islamist terror out of Gaza, for neglecting to support opportunities for peace with moderate Palestinians and for failing to protect its own citizens on October 7.
As someone who saw his neighbors dead on his own street and as hostages in Hamas propaganda videos, Tibon’s sharp critiques carry a strong moral and emotional weight that will likely be found in very few future works about this terrible event.
This important and powerful memoir provides a painful, vivid look into the horrors of October 7 that destroyed what was a small, hopeful community of Israelis determined to live in peace, as well as a harsh assessment of those in power on both sides who, as Tibon writes, “dream of endless war and annihilating the other side, whatever the cost.”
PREPLANNING AT BETH MOSES CEMETERY
In our tradition, when saying “Happy Birthday,” people may wish their loved ones the blessing that they live to be 120 years old. Few will see this age, and everyone will one day face the reality that our earthly journey will come to an end.
The sages of the Midrash, the early interpreters of the Torah, had important wisdom for thinking about our end of days. In fact, they advise us to purchase a burial plot even while we are still alive and well. It is sometimes said that doing so will actually bless one with a long life. On a more practical level, purchasing a grave avoids a burden for a loved one. Sometimes this is a parting gift to those around us.
Our Temple Beth-El family is blessed to have its own sections of the Beth Moses Cemetery in Farmingdale. In the coming year, the purchase price for our plots will increase as we continue investing in care and upkeep of the property.
Please consider purchasing graves for your family. Plots are only available for purchase by temple members but can be used for your extended family. Single graves are available, and there are also plots for any number of graves, including 20+. Stuart Botwinick, our executive director, is happy to tour the grounds with you.
For additional information, please contact Joy Palevsky in the main office at 516-487-0900, ext. 110, or jpalevsky@tbegreatneck.org.
SOLVETHESPIRA L
INWARD
1–3 Casual denial
4–9 Working stiffs, snidely
10–13 _____ cham, Thai dipping sauce
14–20 Dojo maestros
21–28 Pitchman
29–34 Source for ice cream or pizza
35–39 Nachman or Schneerson
40–46 One whose property borders on another’s
47–52 Humanitarian conventions
53–55 Biblical mentor to Samuel
56–60 Wizard Coulibaly
61–66 Paddler of a narrow craft
67–70 Each in Rome
71–76 Bottle tip
77–81 First word of Beowulf
82–88 The medium, to McLuhan
89–92 Linguist Chomsky
93–99 Saves
By
Len Schif
OUTWARD
99–96 Hook’s first mate
95–91 Stuffed, it’s kishka
90–87 Shabbat delight
86–79 Main ingredient in English or Irish breakfast brew
78–74 Puppy
73–68 Dwindling away from longing (like a parrot for the fjords?)
67–64 Cookies and cream cookie
63–60 Difference between sea and fresh H₂O
59–55 Why you couldn’t have done it
54–49 Hunted for with feather and candle
48–44 White heron
43–40 Bulky brass
39–37 Recede or dissipate
36–32 Flynn or Morris of film
31–26 Hip–hop artist
25–18 Emperor of Ethiopia, 1930–1974
17–14 Early ’90s Nintendo syst.
13–7 Legal representation
6–1 One like Lil’ Annie
This puzzle has 99 boxes and two sets of clues: one going inward from Box 1 to Box 99 and one going outward from Box 99 to Box 1. Choose a direction and start solving; when you get stuck, try the opposite direction. With patience and a bit of mental flexibility, you’ll solve our spiral.
The Queens-Long Island Renal Institute, Inc., offers the finest quality of care, state-of-the-art technology and uncompromised dignity, in a bright, ultra-modern setting.
• In-Center Chronic Hemodialysis
• Home Dialysis
• Ex perienced Nephrologists and Dialysis Registered Nurses
• Comfortable, State-of-the-Art, Private Treatment Stations
• Personal TV/DVD and Free Wireless Access
• Homelike Reception Area
• Social Work Services
• Nutrition Counseling
• Individual and Family Health Education
• St retcher Capability
• Va let Parking and Medical Transportation Available
• Quality Start
We are excited to be the first in the country to offer the new Echelon Synergy MRI system. It features a wide table and a spacious, well-lit bore with the ability to listen to your choice of music – all while getting scanned even faster than before!
Our newly upgraded open MRI system, Oasis Velocity, is ideal for patients who are claustrophobic. The Velocity offers a wide table and a unique, truly open design. It also uses state-of-the-art, less cumbersome coils, making for a more comfortable patient experience.
Update your contact info by emailing info@tbegreatneck.org.
LEAVE YOUR LEGACY
Our congregation stands on the shoulders of the leaders, role models, parents and friends who came before us. Each year, congregants who believe in Temple Beth-El and the future of our Jewish community pledge their support beyond their lifetime. Even if you are unable to donate today, we welcome your commitment of a gift in your final wishes.
As we add another series of names to the Rabbi Jacob P. Rudin Legacy Society’s donor wall, we would be honored to include yours. Leaving a legacy gift to the synagogue ensures our future.
Our society members’ names are beautifully displayed on the wall at the top of the main staircase, thanks to the generosity of The Nedjat Eshaghoff Foundation and dedicated by Nedjat and Eliza Eshaghoff.
To learn more about legacy giving or naming opportunities at TBE, contact Executive Director Stuart Botwinick at 516-487-0900, ext. 107, or sbotwinick@tbegreatneck.org. Please let us know how we can honor you.
the Rabbi Jacob P. Rudin Legacy Society
