Details on page 7
14 PHOTOS: STEPPING OUT 2023
15 PHOTOS: VACATION CAMP & HANOCH PIVEN
16 TI CIRCLES: SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE
17 BUILDING A JEWISH FUTURE AT FJECC
18 FROM OUR ARCHIVES
20 PHOTOS: PASSOVER 5783
21 NEW MEMBERS &
23 YAHRZEITS
May 25-27, 2023 |
May 25, 2023 |
July 26, 2023 |
September 9, 2023 | S'LICHOT
September 15-17, 2023 | ROSH HASHANAH
September 24-25, 2023 | YOM KIPPUR
This Passover, we hosted a special second night seder; a fully immersive experience led by the Temple Israel clergy. We used our whole building and engaged all five senses to live inside this age-old story. We were treated to a creative menu, the center of our storytelling, designed by the chefs who brought Julia Child’s kitchen to life in the HBO show Julia. See more Passover 5783 photos on page 20!
Living Judaism together is what we do at Temple Israel. Together we add stories and experiences each day that become part of the fabric of Temple Israel history. Together we help our community grow and thrive in new and innovative ways. Together we welcome all who come to experience what our community has to offer. Together we make certain all feel like they belong. As I think about the last two years, I am filled with immense pride to be a part of the Temple Israel of Boston community. When I first came to Temple Israel as a teen over 40 years ago, becoming President of Temple Israel was not on my mind. The last two years at Temple Israel have been some of the most rewarding of my life. The sacred partnership our lay leaders develop with our clergy and staff is unique and special. The support from our clergy, staff, and congregants has uplifted me. I have learned so much. Temple Israel lay leadership has helped me grow in all aspects of my life.
Laurence Bailen Board PresidentAs I reflect over how quickly my time as President of Temple Israel has moved, I am proud of the incredible work we have done to make certain our community remains vibrant. We have continued our work on racial equity, diversity, and inclusion. We have made significant technology improvements to ensure an interactive, special, mixed-presence, experience from wherever you may be physically. We have made substantial progress on our Inventing our Future initiative. We have seen the growth and expansion of our spiritual, social justice, and education initiatives for all ages. As we transition to new lay leadership this summer, I know Temple Israel will continue to uplift each of us as individuals, as family, as a community. Please join me in continuing to support Temple Israel, our lay leaders, our clergy, and our staff to ensure the ongoing vitality and growth of our amazing community.
As we move through the Jewish calendar and onward towards the summer we are making our way to the new fiscal year at Temple Israel. I thank all of you for your continued generosity as this year has been another successful one for Temple Israel. It has indeed been a year of reconnecting with fellow members and of looking towards our bright future together as a community. If you are able to make an additional contribution to our Friends Annual Fund please do so, and help us make this another successful fundraising year.
This year I am particularly grateful for our Board of Trustees who have continued to work hard on dreaming up possibilities for Temple Israel. I want to thank all of our Trustees who are transitioning out of board leadership: Michele Fishel, Ted Greenwood, Elliott Gordon, Alison Freedman, Laurence Bailen, and Chris Noe, who stepped in to return as the Board Treasurer of our congregation. Chris has done a remarkable job leading and bringing wisdom, organization, and vision to our work. I also want to lift up the work of Laurence Bailen, who is wrapping up his time as Board President. Laurence has worked tirelessly to advance our strategic priorities, including our Racial Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (REDI) work, and leading us out of the Covid-19 pandemic. Laurence has been a trusted and dependable leader for us all, and you can join us on June 8 for our Annual Gathering as we thank him, and many other lay leaders, for their hard work.
Dan Deutsch Executive Director
It is also important to mention that Jessica Greenfield is slated to become the next Board President of Temple Israel. Jessica has already shown how she will bring her relational connections and strategic approach towards the work that we do. Jessica has openly shared how impactful Temple Israel has been for her and her family throughout her life. We cannot wait to work with Jessica and continue the cycle of impact within our congregation and with all who are in our orbit.
Before we know it, the holiday of Shavuot and the summer solstice will usher us into that part of the year that manages to feel different. Maybe it is a new routine, a different schedule of obligations, or perhaps fewer expectations. We awake to new possibilities.
The Hebrew word for summer is ץִיַ֧ק kayitz. One might think it means to calm down, to feel like Shabbat has expanded into two months instead of a day. Throughout the TaNaCH, summer, ץִיַ֧ק kayitz, is often used as the opposite of winter. In Genesis, when Noah and his family emerge from the ark, God declared the stability of the future through these images:
"So long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer (ץִיַ֧ק kayitz) and winter, day and night shall not cease.”
The word connotes more than time; it is also what this time of year produces: summer fruit.
I learned from my colleague (and former Temple Israel of Boston rabbi) Matt Soffer another association of kayitz. The similarity of the word’s sound connects to the patriarch, Jacob, when he awakes from his dream of the ladder ascending toward the heavens. Vayekatz Ya’akov meshnato ותָנְשִּׁמ בֹקֲעַי ץַקייַּו Jacob awoke from his sleep. The aural similarity suggests a thematic possibility.
The summer can awaken us. Let’s begin with Qabbalat Shabbat at 6:00 p.m. outside in the garden. As the sun sets, surrounded by the beauty of our surroundings, we usher in our day of peace and reflection. Breathing in the fresh air nourishes our souls, too. And if you are elsewhere, join online. In addition, though it may seem far away, we are preparing for the soul work of the High Holy Days. Behind the scenes, much is happening. In the midst of summer, the month of Elul, the Hebrew month that precedes the new year, begins on August 18 with the eve of Rosh Hashanah on September 15 and the rest of the holidays that follow. The summer months of awakening lead us into getting ready for the work of T’shuvah, returning and rediscovering our best selves.
Enjoy these days, refresh, renew and allow them to offer the sweet fruits of all that the summer offers us.
We are thrilled to be hosting our 4th annual Tikkun Leil Shavuot, celebrating the revelation of Torah at Mount Sinai, with 25 hours of continuous learning. All day and night, dozens of teachers, artists, and facilitators lead us in study, prayer, art making, music, and more.
Learning sessions begin at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 25, and we will end together with a celebratory Qabbalat Shabbat led by our Confirmation students at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, May 26, followed by a festive and dairy-filled oneg. This year, we will continue to offer all 25 hours online, with an added opportunity to learn in mixed presence for the last few hours. You can pop in for an hour or two, or brew a pot of coffee and stay with us for the long haul.
Is there something you’re particularly passionate about? We want to learn with you! Contact Brigid Goggin at bgoggin@tisrael.org to learn more about how to lead your own Shavuot learning session.
Last year, we offered 36 SESSIONS with over 40 FACILITATORS and hosted over 650 PARTICIPANTS from around the world learning together in community. The majority of facilitators were members of Temple Israel and other partner synagogues, with session topics ranging from Mental Health and Spirituality to Sports Page Ethics, Navigating Jewish Identity and American Identity, Bubbie’s Kitchen: Sharing Recipes and Stories, and The Poetry of Yehudah Amichai.
www.tisrael.org/insight | 617-566-3960
Next spring, we will embark on an exciting adventure led by Rabbi Elaine Zecher. You may have heard about these intriguing places and now you have the chance to walk through the streets of Casablanca, explore the oldest synagogue in North Africa in Fes, wander through Rabat’s royal palace, celebrate Shabbat in Marrakech, and top it off by experiencing the world of the Berbers in the Atlas mountains. All the while, you will be delving into culinary and sensory experiences. There will be so much more to share. If you are interested, check out the trip website by scanning the QR code below for more information and costs. Let us know, too, by emailing asherr@tisrael.org. Stay tuned for an upcoming online information session! It will be wonderful to travel together!
Thursday, June 8, 2023, Dinner at 6:30 p.m.
Onsite and Online
Be part of this communal opportunity to reflect on how beautiful it is to be together! We will celebrate our accomplishments from the past year, hear new member stories, show appreciation for those who have served as leaders in the congregation, and look forward to what’s to come! As a congregation, we will install our new board officers: Jessica Greenfield, President, Shawn Kravetz, Vice President, and Karin Freed, Treasurer.
Our community is blessed with countless members whose involvement and dedication help us carry out our mission of living Judaism together through discovery, dynamic spirituality, and righteous impact. Be with us as we honor members of our congregation who have lifted us up and helped define our community in the following ways:
It takes a whole community to build a sacred space. For the ancient Israelites, to build a Mishkan, their sanctuary, each brought the offering of their hearts. That was the extra effort, the willingness to step up and forward beyond themselves. They called it Nadiv Lev, then and we honor sacred work offered with the gift of the heart at Temple Israel.
A special recognition of those who have served on the Board, Leadership Council, and as chairs of our various committees and task groups. We have named this honor roll Yishrat Lev - taking us forward with integrity. King Solomon described his father, King David, with this image, Yishrat Lev, connoting dedication and commitment with integrity that comes from the heart.
This designation is a certificate honoring commitment to adult learning at Temple Israel.
MAY 22
MONDAY, MAY 22, 7:00 P.M.
Shavuot is one of three major festivals in Judaism, so why does it still feel obscure to so many of us? What is this holiday all about anyway? Do we really stay up all night? And what's the deal with the cheesecake? Join Rabbi Andrew Oberstein online to learn about the origins and practices of Shavuot as we explore how connecting to this holiday can bring meaning to our contemporary lives. This is a free online event. All are welcome and questions are always encouraged! Sign up to get the Zoom link.Please contact McKenzie Johnson at mjohnson@tisrael.org with questions.
MAY 26
FRIDAY, MAY 26, 6:00 P.M.
"The whole people gathered as one in the square before the Water Gate, and they asked Ezra to bring the scroll of the Torah of Moses, which the Eternal commanded to the people Israel" (Nehemiah 8:1).
In Reform Judaism we embrace this ancient tradition within the book of Nehemiah, which recalls one of the most critical Covenant Renewal ceremonies in tradition - the moment when the Israelites, having just returned from decades of exile, reconnect with Torah and re-affirm their identity as a holy people. In the Hebrew Bible, this is a true "Confirmation" moment.
At Temple Israel of Boston, we treasure the experience of Confirmation as an integral part of our Shavuot experience. As we gather to relive the receiving of Torah from Sinai, we also join as a whole community to celebrate and learn from our 10th grade students. Every year, we invite our 10th grade students to participate in a year of study. Buttressed by our Temple Israel mission statement, “Living Judaism together through discovery, dynamic spirituality, and righteous impact,” our confirmands engage in study and discussion surrounding the topics of God, Torah, social justice, and much more. They have explored their relationship with God, engaged with words of Torah, and articulated how their Judaism inspires their pursuits of justice across a spectrum of meaningful causes.
Join us for Qabbalat Shabbat on Friday, May 26th as the Confirmation Class of 5783 will serve as our teachers, sharing with us their perspectives on what Judaism means to them, and inspiring us all to consider what Judaism means to us.
We congratulate this year’s Confirmation class: Jadon Berkson, Maya Gewurz, Emily Lutzker, Olivia Neiman-Nickel, Ella O'Sullivan Flannery, Amalia Rysman, and Sylvie Sacks.
Living Judaism together through discovery, dynamic spirituality, and righteous impact.
The holiday of Shavuot marks the giving of the Torah to the Israelites at Mount Sinai, seven weeks after the biblical exodus from slavery in Egypt. Three weeks after we observe Shavuot, we celebrate the federal holiday Juneteenth, which marks the emancipation from slavery in the U.S. We invite you to participate in "Shavuot to Juneteenth: A Journey Toward Liberation" in multiple ways onsite and online. Stay tuned for more information.
SUNDAY, JUNE 4, 11:00 A.M.
Join us as we observe a Service of Remembrance at Temple Israel Cemetery in Wakefield. Led by Rabbi Zecher, we will reflect and remember as we share a peaceful walking tour of the grounds and join together in prayer - commemorating and celebrating the lives of those we remember. The Temple Israel Cemetery in Wakefield is a place of natural beauty and communal memory - preserving more than 160 years of the rich history of Temple Israel. Learn more about our cemetery at www.tisrael. org/who-we-are/our-story/temple-israel-cemetery.
JUNE 13
TUESDAY, JUNE 13, 7:00 P.M.
Temple Israel will be co-sponsoring a Pride Liberation Seder with Temple Sinai, Temple Beth Zion, and Congregation Am Tikva on the evening of Tuesday, June 13. This seder, first developed by Am Tikva in 1985, uses the Passover Haggadah model to retell the story of LGBTQ+ Liberation, providing queer history, explaining the variety of queer symbols, and using personal stories from a variety of our LGBTQ+ experiences. We are looking for more "liberation" stories from the LGBTQ+ community to be included and shared at this Pride Liberation Seder, which will be held at Temple Sinai. If you have one, please contact Andy (alessergonzalez@gmail.com). Stay tuned for more information about this Pride event as the date gets closer!
My name is Aynav Einsohn. I’m currently a 5th grader. Temple Israel of Boston is my second home! I’m an FJECC alum (I’m on the school brochure!), part of the awesome choir, and a current Religious School student.
Recently I wrote a book, My Voice, about an orange panda finding the courage to be proud of who she is and her name. I come from a multicultural household where more than one language is spoken. Throughout the years, people have had a hard time saying my name because its origin is from another language. I love to read and write, so naturally my experiences with my name inspired me to write a story. I would like to continue writing because being an author brings me joy!
Aside from reading and writing, I enjoy singing and acting. I am a member of the Boston Children’s Choir, a nonprofit group which allows me to share important messages such as the importance of respecting others, unity, and climate responsibility.
I have been enjoying sharing and reading my stories to others. I have gone into some schools and libraries to do book readings and love talking about my writing and the process of it, as well as hearing stories from children and adults who have experienced similar events as I have!
If I were to give others advice regarding writing a story, it would be that it takes time and patience because you go through many edits! Also, don’t be afraid to share your story or create one to be shared with others.
Aynav Einsohn's book, My Voice, is a story about a panda finding her voice and being proud of who she is and her name.
Written by a Temple Israel of Boston 5th grader who hopes to spread the message of the importance of kindness towards others.
Copies are available at the Temple Israel Library!
dynamic spirituality, and righteous impact.
By Fallon Rubin
It has been an exciting year for the teen community as we have resumed the travel element of our program! In November 2022, 26 teens along with clergy and staff headed back to Sandwich, MA for our annual RYFTI Fall Kallah. This year’s Fall Kallah theme was: Chaos. The teens focused on the phrase tohu vavohu found in Bereshit/ Genesis that describes the condition of the earth immediately before the creation of light. The members of the RYFTI Core Board along with other Tent teens who joined the RYFTI General Board on Monday nights planned the entire weekend, including Qabbalat Shabbat, Saturday morning service and Torah program, bunk bonding programs, and a Havdalah song circle. The weekend was filled with laughter, learning, and connection. We can’t wait for May when we get to return to Sandwich for Clergy Weekend.
In January 2023, we traveled to New York City with 25 of our 8th graders for a weekend together to learn about the history of immigration in our country, to explore the Jewish history of the city, and to have as much fun as possible. We started our weekend on a ferry to Ellis Island, seeing the Statue of Liberty as so many immigrants did as they entered the United States. Then we made our way to our hotel in Times Square before heading to Qabbalat Shabbat at Romemu. The next day we toured the Tenement Museum and visited some classic Jewish spots on the Lower East Side, followed by the 9/11 Museum. Later we continued the tradition of Havdalah in a hotel room before heading to dinner and seeing Aladdin on Broadway! Everyone had an incredible time and returned with friends and memories to last a lifetime.
In February 2023, we traveled to Washington D.C. for L’taken, the Religious Action Center’s Social Justice Seminar along with over 500 teens from across the country. Our teens learned about the current issues facing our country and the root causes of why so many of these problems continue. We also were able to explore the museums at the National Mall, the MLK Memorial, and Georgetown. The culmination of this trip was visiting Capitol Hill to lobby. The teens each chose an issue they would like to lobby on and learned about specific bills on the floor and other relevant information to prepare them for their sessions. Our teens chose to lobby on gun violence, mental health, and antisemitism. They each worked extremely hard preparing their speeches and delivering them to our representatives with passion and hope for a better future.
We could not have achieved this record-breaking milestone without our generous Temple Israel community. Special thanks to our event chairs, Caitlin Rollins and David Paredes, for their hard work to make this event an evening to remember. We stepped into the world of digital art, and enjoyed a curated gallery experience, a “TI Talk” and adorable digital caricatures. Thank you to everyone who participated in the silent auction or made an additional gift of support!
"Everyone is seeking community! 40s-ish@TI is a way for people to meet and enjoy Qabbalat Shabbat, holidays, and events together both at TI and in the Boston area. The group is almost 60 people strong and growing, and primarily attracting people who are in their 40s, single, and without children. It is open to people who are 40s-ish, looking to meet people for fun and engaging events and activities." —
Rachel Daniels, 40s-ish@TISince its launch in the Fall of 2022, TI Circles has continued to grow steadily. TI Circles are congregant-led and staffsupported micro-communities who meet regularly with the overarching goal of human connection. We now have thirteen circles and counting, including Bar Trivia, The Artist’s Way, Chaverim, Camberville, Men's Softball, and our newest circle, the Boston Jewish Plays Project - an opportunity to be a reader in a national playwriting competition and build community with Jewish theater lovers at Temple Israel!
Just as Rachel Daniels was searching for community and found it in 40s-ish@ TI, Sharon Liszanckie was “[seeking] to foster community, learning, and support for those with a shared experience of choosing Judaism.” So, she and McKenzie Johnson started Jews by Choice@TI. Kennedy Farrow was happy to find Jam Circle@TI because “...city life encourages volume control [and] Jam Circle encourages you to get loud and express yourself.”
TI Circles have even developed from conversations started by Scholar-in-Residence programming at Temple Israel! When Dara Horn visited Temple Israel last year, Cathy Corman, leader of Yiddish Literature@TI had previously read Dara Horn’s People Love Dead Jews…and was curious to hear her at TI, a year later, leading a study session titled, ‘Adventures in Yiddish Storytelling and their Consequences.’ "As I listened to Horn’s presentation, I realized how little I knew of Yiddish literature. I asked Horn where [one who was] curious would begin, and she reeled off a list of authors, editors, and titles. I pulled out my phone and typed as she offered suggestions… Though I could have read these suggestions on my own, I thought it might be more interesting to explore in good company. Good company I have found.”
Love the outdoors? We’ve got that one covered, too! Jen Grella leads Outdoors@TI, offering participants an opportunity to get outside into the sunlight, fresh air, and open space to move, learn, and meet new people. You can learn more about TI Circles and see all of our current options at www.tisrael.org/circles. Don’t see something you love? Reach out to Nalani Haueter (nhaueter@tisrael.org) to start your own circle!
through discovery, dynamic spirituality, and righteous impact.
Join the Preschool Community at The Frances Jacobson Early Childhood Center
Building a sense of Jewish identity begins at birth. At the FJECC Preschool, we help build those foundations with an early childhood education that seamlessly blends the secular and Judaic. At the intersection of the two is the belief that each child in our school is uniquely capable and has the right to play, learn, and grow.
“The FJECC is a magical place.”
— Nicole Leavenworth Levy, FJECC parent“As soon as we toured, we knew this is where we wanted to start our son’s early childhood education.”
Jacob Berchuk, FJECCFlexible programming available from 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Newly expanded programming for toddlers (20 months to 2 years, 8 months) including a 5-Day option and extended day coverage until 3:00 p.m.
parent
The Wyner Archives of Temple Israel of Boston is very pleased to announce its new digital collection, Past Voices Audio Recordings. The collection includes more than 400 recordings of 261 events that took place between 1934 and 1979, a period when Reform Judaism was profoundly transformed by world events and changes in American society.
Recently digitized thanks to a Recordings at Risk grant from the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR), a grant program made possible by funding from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, these recordings include worship services, sermons, radio and television programs (audio only), lectures, concerts, and other synagogue events that capture the social and cultural milieu of the times and the tone and rhythms of synagogue ritual and Jewish Reform religious practice in mid-twentieth century America.
The earliest recording is a 1934 radio broadcast of Temple Israel's 80th Anniversary service hosted by Rabbi Harry Levi (1875-1944, TI 1913-1939), and ten are from the 1970s. Most date from the 1940s and 1950s. Rabbis Joshua Loth Liebman (1907-1948, TI 1939-1948) and Rabbi Roland B. Gittelsohn (1910-1995, TI 1953-1977) are featured along with several assistant rabbis and many guest speakers—generally eminent Jewish and non-Jewish figures, visiting performers, and congregants.
The recordings reveal Jewish perspectives on critical contemporary events and issues such as antisemitism, Zionism and Israel, World War II, the Holocaust and post-war America, the nuclear age, McCarthyism, and civil rights, as well as timeless concerns like as gender relations, marriage, parenting, intermarriage, racism, consumerism, work/life balance, and mental health.
The Past Voices recordings are freely available and searchable online. They can be accessed at two digital libraries, the Digital Commonwealth (digitalcommonwealth.org) or Digital Library of America (dpla.org), or on the Wyner Archives page of the TI website, which also has a complete list with direct links to each event.
Scan this code with your phone camera to access the links from the Temple Israel website!
Rabbi Gittelsohn delivering his Iwo Jima Memorial Address at the Fifth Marine Cemetery, March 21, 1945. This Bulletin announces the Friday evening Sabbath services for Brotherhood Week, 1955; on February 4, Gittelsohn recalled his lifechanging experience at Iwo Jima in 1945 and, on February 11, future Supreme Court justice Thurgood Marshall discussed his work as a prominent and successful civil rights lawyer.
Judaism together through discovery, dynamic spirituality, and righteous impact.
Rabbi Liebman at the microphone. More than a quarter of the events recorded are radio and television (audio only) broadcasts. From 1924-1964 each Temple Israel senior rabbi hosted a regularly scheduled radio program on local and regional radio stations; a monthly television program was added in 1953. Sponsored by the Brotherhood, they were designed to interest and educate both Jewish and Christian audiences.
Herbert Fromm, “Sabbath,” Six Madrigals, 1951. The collection demonstrates the centrality of music in synagogue life. Liturgical music, sung by the Temple Israel Choir with four professional soloists and organ accompaniment, was conducted by organist and composer Herbert Fromm (1905-1995), TI’s Music Director from 1941-1972. In addition, there was a sizable Brotherhood Glee Club whose singers, along with other talented members, performed classical and popular repertoire at well attended evening concerts.
The recordings were digitized from fragile, outdated tapes, records, and dictation discs. Most of those from the 1940s are drafts of sermons and lectures dictated for transcription by Rabbi Liebman on Audograph dictation discs. Those from the 1950s were recorded and labelled in real time on open reel tapes by Dr. Moses Eisenberg (1895-1969), a dentist, composer, and active Temple Israel member.
For more than 165 years, Temple Israel has provided a home to the Boston Jewish community. We are proud to uplift our spirits in song, to unite in our commitment to justice, and to serve as a refuge in times of joy and in times of sorrow. The Ner Tamid is the light that shines above the ark in every synagogue of the world, a symbol of our presence and determination to sustain our traditions, even as we respond to change. The Ner Tamid Society honors supporters who perpetuate the legacy of Temple Israel. By including Temple Israel in your estate plans, you ensure that the eternal light continues to burn strongly for generations to come.
With your bequest or other planned gift to Temple Israel, you become a member of the Ner Tamid Society. You name will be inscribed in the Ner Tamid Society honor roll, and you will be invited to events exclusively for Ner Tamid Society members. Join us, and be part of a legacy that lives on in every generation of Temple Israel.
For more information, please contact Shoshanna Goldberg, Director of Development, at sgoldberg@tisrael.org or 617-566-3960. You can also find more details online at nertamid.tisrael.org.
USPS 50648
Founded in 1854
Affiliated with the Union for Reform Judaism
Issued 4 times/year
Printed on recycled paper
Rabbi Elaine S. Zecher
Cantor Alicia Stillman
Rabbi Suzie Jacobson
Rabbi Dan Slipakoff
Rabbi Andrew Oberstein
Rabbi Ronne Friedman, Rabbi Emeritus
Rabbi Bernard H. Mehlman, Senior Scholar
Cantor Roy B. Einhorn, Cantor Emeritus
Laurence Bailen, President
Jessica Greenfield, Vice President
Chris Noe, Treasurer
Dan Deutsch, Executive Director
Amy Bolotin, FJECC Preschool Director
Emma Koblick, Director of Communications
617-566-3960 | www.tisrael.org
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Temple Israel 477 Longwood Avenue Boston, MA 02215-5396
