March - April 2021 Scribe

ADAR/NISAN/IYYAR 5781 MARCH/APRIL 2021 Volume 77 • Number 4

special quarantine edition

“Teach your children the history of freedom if you want them to never lose it.”

Join us for our second

VIRTUAL SECOND NIGHT SEDER Celebrate Passover with your Temple Sinai family! social distancing will not keep us apart!

Sunday, March 28 at 6:30pm This wonderful seder will be led by our clergy, Rabbi Michael White, Cantor Sergei Schwartz, Cantor-Educator Elena Schwartz, and Rabbi Ilana Schachter Delectable Passover dinners will be available through our very own V&Z Caterers. Check your email for details.

Don’t miss this joyous, song-filled evening for all ages!

Zoom information to follow

We cordially invite you to the Friend of a Friend/Chaverot

VIRTUAL

Intergenerational

Women’s Seder

Seder led by Cantor-Educator Elena Schwartz and Rabbi Ilana Schachter

Wednesday, March 24, 2021

Program starts promptly at 7:00pm

Details to follow

part of the Cantors’

SOVIET JEWRY SERIES Jewish Women Chess Players in the Soviet Union & Today

a conversation with Woman Grandmaster Irina Levitina

4x Soviet Women’s Champion & 3x US Women’s Champion

SUND SUN DAY, MARCH 14 • 7:00PM If you loved The Queen’s Gambit, you will not want to miss this unique opportunity to hear Irina’s story.

Film Discussion*

SUNDAY, APRIL 18 7:00pm via ZOOM *a link to stream the film at no cost will be provided 48 hours prior to the event

Rabbi Ilana Schachter rabbischachter@mysinai.org

One Year Later: What the Pandemic Has Taught Us It is hard to believe how radically different our synagogue landscape was one year ago. Last March at Temple Sinai, we were preparing for our Annual Purim festivities: in-person opportunities for celebrating together as families and adults (in fact, the adult Purim Shpiel was the last indoor event we had at Temple Sinai). Within days of closing our building due to the pandemic, we shifted our synagogue operations dramatically, moving to a remote model of learning, gathering, and worshipping. We rapidly responded to a new situation, creating strategies for outreach and engagement during this unprecedented time.

One year later, I reflect on what we have accomplished with pride and amazement. While Temple Sinai was always innovative, we have now become incredibly nimble as well, having been able to pivot and reimagine every aspect of our synagogue life. And while this year, these pivots were by necessity, hopefully, we can implement such a thoughtful and flexible approach into our ongoing synagogue culture in the future.

The pandemic has caused pain and hardship to so many of us. Yet, its existence has also inspired us to consider how Temple Sinai can be present for our community in new places and modalities: in our homes, on our doorsteps, and of course, online. Without the convenience of doing that to which we have grown accustomed, we have been pushed beyond our comfort zone and have risen to the occasion. In years past, we often relied on people to be in our building to build relationships; this year, with hardly any in-person programming, we have connected to more individual congregants than ever before, and have shown our seniors and teens alike, that we see them and are here for them. Before, we relied on our sanctuary to bring our families together for holidays; this year, we have had drive-through Chanukah celebrations and eLEVate Purim experiences delivered to your homes. Whereas once, we might have thought that Zoom was a poor substitute for in-person opportunities for connection, now we can appreciate the intimacy of seeing each person’s face, even if through a screen.

With the vaccine on the horizon, we pray that it will not be too long before our in-person activities will be able to resume. How great it will be to gather again in our sanctuary, to learn together in our library, and to meet in our offices instead of virtually? And while I look forward to aspects of our synagogue rhythm going back to “normal,” I am hopeful that some of the innovations borne out of the pandemic will be here to stay. I know that our synagogue traditions, which have weathered so many disruptions in our long history, can weather this.

The fact that our congregants who are no longer local can now join us for programming and worship through Zoom, or the way it is now a part of our culture for clergy to visit teens in their driveways, or how Monday mornings now begin with reflection, intention and meditation are just a few of the pandemic offerings I have appreciated and hope can continue. But perhaps the aspect of our “new normal” for which I am most

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grateful is our open approach to experimentation and change. Our new normal allows us to not merely return to what we had but to build on it as well. In a time when we feel that so much has been taken from us, let us appreciate this gift that has been given us, and carry it with us into the future.

Sincerely,

Rabbi Ilana Schachter

The Sacred Book of Psalms with Rabbi Ilana Schachter

The biblical book of Psalms reflects the range of the human experience, encompassing gratitude, fear, longing, regret, and praise. Join Rabbi Schachter in learning about these sacred poems, their meanings and their ritual purpose, as we consider how we might still incorporate the words of the psalmist in our lives today.

Wednesdays at 7:00pm March 10 April 7 • April 21 May 5 • May 19 June 2

THURSDAYS AT 5:30PM MARCH 4 APRIL 8 MAY 6 JUNE 3 VIA ZOOM

PRAY. EAT. LOVE. Saturday Mornings - 9:00-11:30am led by Rabbi Ilana Schachter and special guests Shabbat is a time for reflection, gratitude, and enrichment. All are welcome on Saturday mornings as we blend ancient practice and modern interpretation and immerse ourselves in meaningful opportunities for reflection, worship, and engaging learning.

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from the

PRESIDENT’S

red minivan

Michelle Golden mgolden@mysinai.org

If you build it, they will come…this quote has popped up in many different committee meetings of late and was shared in addresses from our virtual bimah. It’s from the movie Field of Dreams, and I am embarrassed to say I have never seen it. It’s on my must-watch list; however, I recently learned that the original quote is If you build it, he will come. The misquote might be because in the movie, many end up coming. Regardless, this quote might be the mantra for all we have been building since last March. In Judaism, we are commanded to do mitzvot - 613 of them! As a community of more than 700 families, we can fulfill a great many of them.

Through Sinai Family Circle, we can virtually hold hands and be the loving, supportive community needed to help us through these challenging times. Imagine spending 15-20 minutes each week checking in, listening, and connecting with our community super seniors. You can be the difference in their life…you will make a difference in our community.

Most recently, Robyn Corbin used the quote in an address about our incredible fundraiser, Give from the Heart. Our three magnificent co-chairs, Robyn, Amy Braunstein, and Maribeth Kraus, were tasked with putting together a committee to create a virtual fundraising experience, to replace what we have typically done in person each year. There were many skeptics at first. Will this work? Will people tune in? Everyone is Zoomed out. The temple has immense financial needs resulting from the pandemic, but so do our members.

These comments are real and were intensely debated and considered, yet how could we not try? We count on this annual temple event to support the budget and sustain our incredible programs. By not even trying, we would surely increase our financial burdens. It was with faith in our efforts and all of you that this committee pushed ahead.

Our co-chairs, or maybe they should be called cheerleaders, put together an incredible committee of steadfast temple members who planned and participated; together, they built it…and in true Temple Sinai fashion, you came! I am so proud of this committee and our temple team of clergy and staff. I am delighted by our membership and their charitable friends, and I am grateful for the generosity of time, talent, and resources, all of which made the night a success. Faith in ourselves, and each other, to team up for the good of our community…If you build it, he will come.

With love and appreciation,

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the musings of a balabusta* by tracy zimmerman

Here we are in a similar place to where we were the last time I wrote for the SCRIBE. So much has changed and yet so much remains the same. I think back to the empty shelves of flour and yeast and it feels as though it were a dream. Rationing my yeast to make sure I had enough for weeks on end ... women and families coming together for Zoom challah bakes from every Jewish institution (I found myself on at least three!) ... challah questions coming in every Friday. It was a time when I realized that challah found itself in the limelight!

My challah world has changed, too. I am no longer using the same kitchen and ovens to bake my challah. Before moving on Sunday, November 15, it was Shabbat and my last chance to bake challah in what had been my home for 12 years. Needless to say, everything was packed and my husband, Rob, couldn’t believe that this was what I was doing when there were 100 more pressing items to be done. I did it! I made a bunch and I froze them for the upcoming weeks when I would not have time. Here I am, months later and I have a non-working oven that hasn’t worked from day one. So what’s the challah queen to do? During COVID no less? I enlisted my friends and their ovens! I prepare them and braid them. Next, I drop off the tins with explicit instructions and hope that when I come back, I will have delicious challah. I then freeze at least three weeks’ worth.

This brings me to today, Shabbat! My weather app says 15° feels like -4°, so at 6:30am, I’m at it again. My new home has a great spot on a vent where the heat comes up and my rise is great. I would prefer a functional oven, but those are waiting patiently in the garage to be installed. Today, I will drop dough around the hood for friends to bake and enjoy the smell at their homes. Hmm, do you sense where I am heading?

Challah is to be shared. It is to be enjoyed by all and to serve as a reminder of the sweetness and family time that comes with Shabbat. While I will attempt baking my challah in my toaster oven, it is the thrill of the entire process that I love. It is a fact that challah is a part of my life. It is my ritual and I will find any way to get the mitzvah done, and even bring a few friends ovens on my journey. I hope that many of you have kept up with the mitzvah of baking challah. I am looking forward to teaching a Zoom in the Spring. Until then I will look forward to rising my dough on my deck in the warm sunshine. Shabbat Shalom and stay safe and well. Always remember to Keep Calm and Challah On!!!!

*Balabusta

(pronounced ba-la-BUST-ah) is the Yiddish term for “homemaker,” generally denoting a woman who is exceptionally skilled at maintaining her home.

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(2,00 For more information, contact Social Action at socialaction@mysinai.org

The Social Action Committee is always committed to the work of tikkun olam, repairing the world. Our work is focused on doing as much as we can to bring about a better world, realizing that even small contributions can make a big difference. We are reminded of this concept, in the award-winning film The Starfish, which begins and ends with The Starfish Story. In a world where there is so much brokenness and so many who need our help, the story reminds us that there is still power in knowing that we can make a difference, little by little. Rather than feeling overwhelmed by the enormity of the problem, the young boy in the story helps to save one starfish at a time and reminds us that he made a difference to that one. Together, we can help repair our world - one by one, little by little.

How You Can Help in March

Clean Out Your Pantry for Passover and help The INN feed those who are experiencing the pains of hunger right now

• Please donate only non-perishable food (no glass) and remember to check the

expiration dates.

• Bins are at the Temple entrance for easy and safe drop-off.

Make Birthdays Better for Children and Seniors

• Join The Candle Wishes Project to surprise a child in temporary housing or whose

family is experiencing illness or financial challenges. You will receive information about

the child’s age and interests so you can purchase an appropriate gift. You may add

cake mix, frosting, candles, and other fun birthday items.

• Join Sunshine for Seniors to surprise a senior isolated and home-bound. Prepare a

surprise birthday package and feel free to be creative.

Have fun while adding happiness to the birthday of someone in need. Delivery is contactless for both programs; feel free to decorate the happy birthday box for added happiness! Please RSVP your choice of a project to socialaction@mysinai.org.

How You Can Help in April

Help Hatzilu Relieve Hunger Hatzilu in Hebrew means “rescue.” The organization helps Jews who are experiencing hard times.

• Help them help the hungry by dropping off food for donation. Bins are at the temple

entrance for easy and safe drop-off.

• We have made it extra easy for you with an Amazon link that will deliver items directly

to Temple Sinai. Go to: https://tinyurl.com/TSRhelps to start helping.

• Please donate: tuna • sardines • gefilte fish • salmon • snacks • cookies • nuts

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Cooking for a Cause: Friday, April 16 Food is love, cooking is caring, and Shabbat dinner is special!

• Join us through Zoom to cook in your own kitchen, then deliver a delicious Shabbat

dinner to a local family in need

• We will give you a list of ingredients to make vegetable lasagna, salad, garlic bread,

and cookies (of course a little sweet!)

Although your delivery will be contactless, you will be warming them with nourishment and showing them you care. Please RSVP by April 7th to socialaction@mysinai.org to volunteer for this great mitzvah.

Ongoing Ways to Help

NAMI is the National Alliance on Mental Illness dedicated to providing support, awareness, and education. If you or anyone you know is suffering from anxiety, depression, or emotional distress, please contact the NAMI HelpLine at 1-800-950-6264 or info@nami.org.

Tzedakah

With your donations, we can make a difference to one, then another and so many more. To donate to the Social Action Fund, please visit our website at mysinai.org and click the Donate button at the top right of the homepage.

The Social Action Committee thanks you for your help and generosity in the past and going forward. We often receive touching notes of appreciation and gratitude and in turn, we are passing those feelings along to you. If you would like to get more involved in social action at Temple Sinai, please reach out to us at socialaction@mysinai.org.

SAVE THE DATE This year, Mitzvah Day will be focused on helping those in need furnish and settle into their homes. On May 2, please join us for outdoor, socially distanced Mitzvah projects.

Soon, you and your household will be able to sign up for volunteer slots.

In anticipation of this special day, we will have a household item and furniture drive during the last two weeks of April, more details will be forthcoming.

Please begin to save gently used household items, even furniture (we will arrange pick-up for larger items).

Remember, What you Donate, Others Treasure!

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TEMPLE SINAI ADULT ENGAGEMENT

Adrianne Rubin arubin@mysinai.org

The Art of the Holocaust Much art that was created during the Holocaust remains, serving as a visual record of the unspeakable atrocities that took place during that time. Some artists chose to portray the brutality they were forced to endure or their living conditions explicitly, such as Leo Breuer: Leo Breuer Path between the Barracks, 1941 Watercolor on paper

Others opted to depict their circumstances more symbolically.

Karl Robert Bodek and Kurt Conrad Löw, who often collaborated on works of art, fall into this category. Their work One Spring depicts barracks in the middle ground but focuses on the barbed wire in the foreground that frames the barracks and is the emblem of concentration camp imprisonment.

Another artist who chose to use symbolic imagery to convey his experiences is Felix Nussbaum. His painting The Refugee – likely a self-portrait – shows a man isolated and bereft, unable to reach the door that would allow him access to the outside world, symbolized by the prominent globe in the foreground. The work’s title implies that this is a man without a country, while the composition itself conveys despair for all that was lost. Nussbaum did not survive the Holocaust.

Karl Robert Bodek and Kurt Conrad Löw One Spring, 1941 Watercolor, India ink and pencil on paper

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Felix Nussbaum The Refugee, 1939 Oil on canvas

Still, other artists chose to escape their circumstances by creating works that are not overtly identifiable as “Holocaust art” at all.

Interned in the Lodz ghetto, Josef Kowner trained at the St. Petersburg Academy of Art before the Holocaust began. Deported to Auschwitz-Birkenau in 1944, he survived, albeit wounded. After moving to Sweden once the war ended, Kowner asked a friend in Lodz to recover the artwork he had hidden during the Holocaust.

The impressionistic nature of A Street in Lodz Ghetto may reflect the losses he suffered and the fragmented nature of his memories.

In 1943, then eight-year-old Nelly Toll was in hiding in the Lviv ghetto with her mother. To help pass the long, anxious hours, her mother encouraged her to paint and write stories. Nelly was either recalling happier days gone by or fantasizing about wished-for times to come in this colorful, lighthearted composition.

Josef Kowner A Street in Lodz Ghetto, 1941 Watercolor on paper

Irrespective of artistic style or compositional content, these artists – and countless others – kept creating art as a way of nourishing their spirit, an act of defiance and survival.

Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day, takes place this year on Friday, April 9th.

Stay safe and well,

Nelly Toll Girls in the Field, 1943 Gouache and pencil on paper

All images: Collection of the Yad Vashem Art Museum, Jerusalem

JEWISH LIFE IN MOROCCO with Dr. Roy Mittelman, director of the Jewish Studies Program, the City College of NY Learn about the past, present and future of the Jewish community in Morocco based on Dr. Roy Mittelman's forty years of traveling to, studying and teaching about the community.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 14 • 7:30PM via Zoom

The 3 B’s: Brooklyn, (the) Bronx, and the Bungalows of Rockaway

Sunday, April 11 • 4:00pm If you grew up on Long island, chances are one or more of your relatives originally came from Brooklyn, the Bronx or Queens. Please join us for this highly entertaining program filled with reminiscences about the "old neighborhood" with humorist, author and Yiddish language enthusiast Marjorie Gottlieb Wolfe.

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MOVING? contact the temple office at 516.621.6800 or templeoffice@mysinai.org to update your information

great books...great insights...great fun When we last met to discuss House of Glass we all had a great time sharing moments and memories that the family Glass evoked. Shouldn’t a book bring you a to a place that pops open your mind and has you question your life and purpose? Shouldn’t you feel that you are in a place where you can openly discuss your ideas and thoughts about a subject? Well, that’s EXACTLY what we do with our SINAI READS books - we share and listen - we learn and we get inspired. Please join us for our next meeting!

Our next meeting: Monday, March 22 7:30pm Dinner at the Center of the Earth

by Nathan Englander

As always, you’ll get the Zoom link a day or two before the event - and you can also find it in the weekly Temple Sinai email announcing the schedule of happenings for the upcoming week.

I think you’ll enjoy the next book as we move on from Europe and travel to Israel.

As a storyteller, Nathan Englander has always excelled at showing the cracks and fissures in insular groups that seem, to the outsider, homogenous: Orthodox Jews, Holocaust victims, even other writers (one of the most fractious tribes in existence). In the novel Dinner at the Center of the Earth, Englander has a similar goal, but on a larger scale— namely, to tell the fraught history of Israel and Palestine, and the players, large and small, who created it. These include Prime Minister Ariel Sharon — known here as The General; Ehud Olmert and Mahmoud Abbas, whose peace plan devolves in a few moments; and the notorious battles that make the countries’ names as bitterly contested as their borders.

Although Englander makes us witness to larger-than-life events, this is not a novel of historical accuracy, but of historical intimacy. The book’s characters are all satellites of the nameless Z, a turncoat spy held in a black site in the Negev desert by Sharon. There is Sharon’s loyal assistant Ruthi, whose son becomes Z’s guard; Farid, who funnels terrorists money from a redoubt in Germany and is Z’s downfall; Shira, the spy who brings Z in; and Shira’s beloved mapmaker, a Palestinian who sketches the borders of a two-state solution that will never come to be.

We hope you will join us on March 22. Please email me if you have any questions: llmmotivate@aol.com.

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Dear Temple Sinai Families, We are very excited about the re-launch of the Temple Sinai Early Childhood Center (TSECC), following the Board of Trustees’ decision to part ways with Bright Horizons.

Our students at TSECC have been thriving and we couldn’t be happier – our hallways are reverberating with giggles, delight, and lots of fun, learning and play!

The heart of our exceptional early childhood center is a Jewish program complemented with even greater support from the temple to be better than ever. Of course, the key elements that distinguish TSECC have remained, including: • Leadership from our Director, Lindsay Dayan, and our talented teachers who provide a safe, supportive and positive environment for our children • Traditional full and part-time school hours, as well as extended hours for families from 7:00am through 6:00pm • Rich, meaningful early childhood options for children of all ages including Infants, Toddlers, “Dreamers & Me,” 2s, 3s, and 4s • The most nurturing environment for play-based learning and exploration in areas including literacy, handwriting, math, STEAM, and more to foster each child’s social, emotional, and academic growth • A loving community for our children, parents, and families.

• Curriculum that is infused with and inspired by Jewish traditions and values, though we welcome children from all faiths

I am very proud to say that TSECC is meeting and

exceeding the needs of our littlest learners and their families from beginning to friend.

It is a privilege and joy to have families chose us as partners

in their child’s care and early education during this treasured

time in their lives.

Please keep reading to learn more about the Temple Sinai ECC! Help us spread the word! Registration for fall is now

open! Feel free to check us out on the temple’s website or

reach out for more information. I’d love to tell you all about it!

For more information, L’Shalom, please contact Lindsay at

ldayan@mysinai.org, or call her at 516.621.8708.

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This program offers a true partnership in the care of your baby – providing a wonderful, safe, and nurturing environment that respects the needs of your whole family. You will find a warm and welcoming setting for your baby to grow and thrive, and for you to feel relaxed and at ease. Our infants enjoy Shabbat celebrations with our clergy and are exposed to the festivities of all Jewish holidays. Every day is a new adventure and our programs are designed to accompany your family as your baby grows from a bundle of joy to a bundle of curiosity. Teachers provide one-toone moments of caring, play, and communication. Each baby has a personalized care plan to support daily schedules, nutritional guidelines, and other unique needs.

Sensory rich spaces, outdoor time (weather permitting), stringent safety, security, and cleanliness standards are all part of this special program. teachers of infants receive specific Health and Safety Training for this age group.

This program is designed for toddlers who are inquisitive by nature. These newly mobile explorers are natural learners, eager for new skills and on the cusp of major steps forward in their language, physical, social-emotional and cognitive development. With warm, nurturing teachers by their side, we offer children the opportunity to reach their greatest potential in all areas. We pay special attention to the changing needs of children at this age, encourage individual growth and independent choices, opportunities to engage with peers and to be part of a group.

Learning centers include language, reading, construction, math, fine motor, art, dramatic play, outdoor learning (and more!) in a relaxed environment that fosters self-confidence. Shabbat and holiday celebrations are a joyous part of the weekly curriculum. Stringent health and safety standards are a critical element of our program.

Help to spark your child’s imagination and learn how to optimize play with your little one as we engage in music, movement, literacy, a child-friendly mini-Shabbat experience and play-based activities designed with bonding in mind. This program is uniquely designed to encourage multi-sensory experiences that stimulate emerging language skills, motor development, and socialization. This is a nurturing and structured environment with an opportunity for connection to other families at the same stage of parenting. Wonderful friendships are created in our programs (and not just for the children!). This program is designed to begin with partial separation ultimately leading to full separation as a way to prepare your child for independent school time.

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The children are ready to begin a more structured day. We encourage language and early literacy skills, early math and science concepts, and large and small muscle skills, as well as social and emotional development. The children are introduced to “Mat Man” from Handwriting without Tears® as a foundation for developing literacy. Equally important, at TSECC, parents are our full partners. Together, our goals are to inspire your child; to make sure each moment of childhood is one of wonder, joy, and learning; and to ensure milestones today pave the way for a lifelong love of learning. An important component of the TWOS’ experience is learning social skills that include sharing, taking turns, asking for help, and using words to express themselves. As part of the curriculum, we incorporate music & movement classes and secular and Judaic learning.

This wonder-filled age group’s curriculum consists of academics, socialization, cooperative learning, independence skills, and Judaic education. These children are more adjusted to the structure of a school day and are eager to continue learning.

The national program Handwriting without Tears® is a resource to prepare our little learners for the future. The exploration of math concepts truly comes alive through the implementation of Math in Focus®. Teachers and children work one on one and in small groups, ensuring that students achieve their personal academic goals and reach social-emotional milestones. Mindfulness is a cornerstone of THREES’ program, a simple practice of bringing a gentle awareness to the moment, in an effort to enhance focus and concentration. Socialization and cooperative learning are emphasized along with self-help skills and independence.

Our celebration of Shabbat and Jewish holidays as a class community draws children even closer together.

Our FOURS classes work hard at preparing for Kindergarten by diving deep into academics. While strengthening social skills, we also continue working on vital academic skills using resources such as Fundations®, Math in Focus® and Handwriting without Tears®. Math, science, social studies, and emergent reading are emphasized through an ageappropriate, developmentally sound approach. Judaic learning is also a central part of our curriculum. Our FOURS’ students perform Chanukah and Passover plays, enabling them to act out these important stories while learning the meaning behind them. Creative expression and emotional intelligence are key elements of this age group’s program. Preparing children both academically and socially for kindergarten is an important task, and one we take very seriously.

Principals in the surrounding districts tell us that Temple Sinai ECC students enter their schools extremely well prepared for a successful learning journey.

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The Temple Sinai of Roslyn Family invites the entire community to join us for

Led by Cantors Sergei and Elena Schwartz

MATZAH BALLS & MIRACLES SHABBAT FRIDAY, MARCH 19, 2021 VIA ZOOM All Are Welcome! FREE!

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Toddl ers t o 3rd Gr ade

our children, our future

RELIGIOUS SCHOOL

Cantor-Educator Elena Schwartz cantorelenaschwartz@mysinai.org

Dear Families, We, as parents, are eager to help our children prepare for successful adult lives. We send them to the best schools where they learn how to read, write, and count. But how do we teach our children to act? Does Judaism provide Jewish parents with directions? The answer is yes. We are fortunate to accumulate countless years of experience that enable us to teach Jewish ethics and values to our youngsters. Our ShalomLearning curriculum is helping us here at Temple Sinai Religious School to teach our students that mastering Jewish values is integral to becoming not only a good Jew, but a good person.

In connection with Tu B’Shevat, our ShalomLearning Values Curriculum focused on the value of achrayut (responsibility). Tu B’Shevat, the holiday of the trees, is a great time to reflect on the ways we interact with, benefit from, and celebrate nature. We have the achrayut (responsibility) to respect and take care of the world: humans, animals, and the environment. God created the world, and it is now human beings’ achrayut (responsibility) to take care of it and take the necessary steps to protect the world and its creatures, treating it with kavod (respect). Our next unit will be on hakarat hatov: gratitude; recognition of the good; appreciation.

Our First and Second Graders discussed the Jewish value of bal tashchit (not wasting), in conjunction with Cantor-Educator Elena Schwartz Tu B’Shevat. They discussed how we can plant things or save things for other people (even people we may never meet) because making the Earth better is good for all people. We should be mindful of how to waste as little as possible in our daily lives.

Our Third Graders discussed the responsibilities we have to ourselves, family members, to others, and as Jews.

We revisited the Jewish value of tikkun olam (repairing the world). We see this value as an obligation to society, and students continued to explore how they can repair the world. Students also learned that achrayut (responsibility) extends to nature, which is celebrated as part of the holiday of Tu B’Shevat. We need to take care of the earth and our natural resources so that future generations will be able to benefit from them. Tu B’Shevat is a holiday that celebrates trees and achrayut to maintaining our environment.

Our Fourth Graders examined our responsibilities to the previous generations who thought ahead for our benefit. They learned about the mitzvah of v’ahavta l’reyacha kamocha (loving others as ourselves)

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as a responsibility toward others. The students learned that we are responsible to share what we have to help others and the importance of giving tzedakah as an obligation, not as charity.

Our Fifth Grade students learned various types of achrayut (responsibility) and what they owe to others and why. They learned that achrayut requires that we “step up” and “stand up” when we are confronted with an injustice to ourselves or to another person even when others tell you it is none of your business. They learned the central place of achrayut in the State of Israel through the lens of the kibbutz movement.

Our Sixth Graders learned the many layers of personal responsibility and how achrayut connects responsibility for “self” with responsibility for “others.” Students discussed recycling efforts as a mitzvah and the prohibition of wasting resources, bal tashchit. Students discussed the mitzvah of hashavat aveida, (returning lost objects) when it “costs” them time and money. Students considered how far one must go in order to fulfill our achrayut, responsibility to others. They studied the Gilad Shalit case and how the State of Israel had to decide how far the achrayut to a captured soldier should extend.

Our Seventh Graders learned we have the achrayut (responsibility) to respect and take care of the world: humans, animals, and the environment. God created the world, and it is now human beings’ achrayut (responsibility) to take care of it and take the necessary steps to protect the world and its creatures, treating it with kavod (respect). They discussed tza’ar ba’alei chayim – our responsibility to animals. The literal translation of the Hebrew phrase tza’ar ba’alei chayim is “the suffering of living creatures.” Biblical scholars agree this means preventing animals from feeling pain. They also discussed taking responsibility to protect the land. Tu B’Shevat is a holiday where we remember our responsibility to protect the land and treat it with dignity and respect. Tu B’Shevat is an opportunity for us to think about the choices we make daily and how it impacts the land, the earth, and the world we live in.

B’vracha, Cantor Elena

RELIGIOUS SCHOOL CALENDAR MARCH 2021

17 NO RELIGIOUS SCHOOL/Teacher Training 18 Religious School (4:00-6:00pm) 1 Religious School & Mitzvah Makers 18 Hineni (5:00-6:00pm) 2 Religious School & Mitzvah Makers 19 Sharing Passover - Matzah Balls & Miracles 2 Holocaust & Jewish Resistance Class 21 Religious School (10:00am-12:00pm) 3 Religious School (4:00-6:00pm) 21 Community Passover Program K-6 4 Religious School (4:00-6:00pm 22 Religious School & Mitzvah Makers 7 Religious School (10:00am-12:00pm) 23 Religious School & Mitzvah Makers 7 Community Passover Program K-6 24 Religious School (4:00-6:00pm) 7 Hineni & Mitzvah Makers Israel 25 Religious School (4:00-6:00pm) Lunch & Tour (12:30-1:30pm) 27 Erev Passover 8 Religious School & Mitzvah Makers 28-31 NO RELIGIOUS SCHOOL 9 Religious School & Mitzvah Makers 9 Holocaust & Jewish Resistance Class APRIL 2021 10 Religious School (4:00-6:00pm) 11 Religious School (4:00-6:00pm) 4-8 NO RELIGIOUS SCHOOL 14 Religious School (10:00am-12:00pm) 6 Holocaust & Jewish Resistance Class 14 Community Passover Program K-6 8 Yom Ha’Shoah 15 Religious School & Mitzvah Makers 9 Yom Ha’Shoah Shabbat Service (6:45pm) 15 Four Questions Videos Due 11 Religious School (10:00am-12:00pm) 16 Religious School & Mitzvah Makers 12 Religious School & Mitzvah Makers PASSOVER SEDERS THROUGHOUT THE MONTH OF MARCH

20 SCRIBE Mar-Apr 2021

13 Religious School & Mitzvah Makers 14 Yom Ha’zikaron 14 Religious School (4:00-6:00pm) 14 Hineni (5:00-6:00pm) 15 Yom Ha’Atzmaut 16 Sharing Shabbat - Blue & White 18 Religious School (10:00am-12:00pm) 19 Religious School & Mitzvah Makers 20 NO RELIGIOUS SCHOOL/Teacher Training 21 Religious School (4:00-6:00pm) 22 Religious School (4:00-6:00pm) 23 B’Mitzvah Program (4:30pm at TSR) 25 Religious School (10:00am-12:00pm) 26 Religious School & Mitzvah Makers* 27 Religious School & Mitzvah Makers* 28 Religious School (4:00-6:00pm)* 29 Religious School (4:00-6:00pm)* 29 Hineni (5:00-6:00pm) 30 B’Mitzvah Program (4:30pm at TSR) *LAST CLASS

Meet Our Teachers

Our amazing teachers are an important reason we are the Religious School children LOVE.

Our Hineni students worked with Sunrise Day Camp to make hundreds of projects for children undergoing treatments for cancer. We can all be very proud of our students for not only learning about, but participating in acts of tikkun olam!

Nathalie Hakimi

Nathalie has been teaching Hebrew school for over 10 years. She has had the privilege of

working at Temple Sinai for the past four years. She is a certified early childhood teacher

and has been working at a temple nursery school in Great Neck for the past 18 years.

Nathalie resides in Great Neck with her husband and two children. She and her family are

members of one of the big Persian community synagogues in Great Neck.

Clara Pomerantz

Clara Pomerantz has been with Temple Sinai for 23 years. She has taught all grades from First to Seventh. Currently, she teaches 5th and 7th grade Zoom classes as well as tutoring. Clara has also worked at Temple Sinai Nursery School and has taught the adult Hebrew class. Clara has a B.S. degree from Hofstra University in Computer Science and Mathematics but has been teaching religious school since her college days.

Clara is also on the Board of Trustees of East Hills. She loves helping people and is so

thrilled to be working within her community where she also gets to teach.

Since the onset of the pandemic, Clara created a Made You Smile program, and a Pen Pal Program, where children are able to bring cheer to seniors in nursing homes by sending letters and cards. This is an ongoing program that is helping students connect and bond with our elderly population.

Clara, an Israeli native (Sabra), is fluent in French and Hebrew. She resides in East Hills with her husband Jed. Her son Robbie is a senior at Binghamton, and her daughter Gabrielle is presently in Israel, serving in the IDF! Clara also enjoys nature and fitness. Playing racquetball and squash are presently on hold, but she hopes to resume those On January 24, we shared a beautiful evening celebrating our fifth activities soon! and sixth grade students beginning with a festive Shabbat dinner, thanks to our wonderful partners, V&Z Caterers, followed by a service led by the students, their teachers, Rabbi Schachter, and Cantors Elena and Sergei Schwartz.

We look forward to the K-2 Milestone Purim Celebration on Monday, March 9. Purim! prepare for

SCRIBE Mar-Apr 2021 21

In-Person or Virtual, Temple Sinai is home to the RELIGIOUS SCHOOL Children LOVE!

Still accepting registrations for Spring 2021 The experienced and talented staff at Temple Sinai Religious School is dedicated to giving each child the individual instruction and personal attention he or she requires for a successful Jewish learning experience.

Whichever modality you choose, we look forward to welcoming your family to Temple Sinai of Roslyn.

“

We just had to tell you what an amazing teacher Shana Fruchter has been for our kids, Dylan and Alex.

We have watched some of her lessons from afar and she keeps both of our children engaged - that’s not easy to do remotely.

You've been dealt a tough hand because of COVID and you're making it work!

The two of us - and our kids - are very happy we signed up for this year.

“

Corey & Lisa Lieberman parents of Dylan - 9 and Alex - 11

To learn more about our programs and how your child will develop an enduring Jewish identity and a lifelong love of Jewish learning, contact Cantor-Educator Elena Schwartz at cantorelenaschwartz@mysinai.org Temple Sinai of Roslyn Religious School

425 Roslyn Road • Roslyn Heights, New York 11577 mysinai.org 516.621.8016 Affiliated with the Union for Reform Judaism

COREY MILLER MARCH 6

Parents: Jamie & David Miller Siblings: Zachary - 20 Grandparents: the late Adele & the late Alan Wagreich, Sylvia & the late Leo Miller School: Roslyn Middle School - 7th Grade Years in Our Religious School: 4 Favorite Holiday: My favorite Jewish holiday is Chanukah, because I like to light the menorah with my family and say the prayers at night. I also love to get presents!

Describe Yourself: In my free time, I like to watch movies, especially Marvel movies, and I like to hang out with my brother and my friends. I also really like to listen to music. I play the drums in school and I am in the Jazz Band. In the summer, I go to Camp Equinunk where I always have a great time with my camp friends.

Why is Becoming a Bar Mitzvah Important? Becoming a Bar Mitzvah means I am ready to take on more responsibility at home and in the community as I become a man in the Jewish religion.

ZACHARY MASHAAL MARCH 11

Parents: Natalie & David Mashaal Siblings: Matthew Mashaal - 14, Alexis Knee - 21, Nicole Knee - 23 Grandparents: Marcelle & Len Kosson, Edna & Ezra Mashaal School: Roslyn Middle School - 7th Grade Years in Our Religious School: 5 Favorite Holiday: Definitely Chanukah. Not only because of the presents but also because we usually spend a lot of family time together around Chanukah, and that is important and special to me.

Describe Yourself: I love to play sports. I am a lacrosse goalie - that’s my favorite sport. I also love baseball, football, skiing, basketball, and hockey.

Why is Becoming a Bar Mitzvah Important? Becoming a Bar Mitzvah is important to my family because I am the last of four children. We are now a house of adults - hah! I have seen my brother and sisters go through it and I am excited to have my special day.

ASHER HIRSCH MARCH 14

Parents: Diane & Leonard Hirsch Siblings: Tobey - 15 Grandparents: Susan & Herbert Junker, Renee & Mel Hirsch School: Willets Road Middle School - 7th Grade Years in Our Religious School: 8 Favorite Holiday: My favorite holiday is Yom Kippur because God can forgive me for all of the sins that I have committed. Another reason is that I am able to celebrate with my family (sadly not this year).

Describe Yourself: I love to play sports. My favorite sports are hockey and baseball. I love sports because I can be myself without any judgment and it is really fun. My favorite sports teams are the Islanders and the Yankees. In school, my favorite subject is Social Studies.

Why is Becoming a Bar Mitzvah Important? To me, becoming a Bar Mitzvah is important because I am now entering adulthood. I have greater responsibility and others have heightened expectations of me.

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GABRIELLE GOLDSTEIN MARCH 20

Parents: Pam & Jeff Goldstein Siblings: David - 21 Grandparents: Mimi & Poppy Nathan, Margaret Lowell School: Roslyn Middle School - 7th Grade Years in Our Religious School: 6 Favorite Holiday: My favorite Jewish holiday is Rosh Hashanah. I love Rosh Hashanah because I love apples with honey and I love spending time with my family. I also love it because it is the start of the Jewish New Year.

Describe Yourself: My favorite school subjects are math and Spanish. Outside of school, I like to play basketball and tennis. I go to sleep away camp over the summer. My favorite hobbies are cooking, baking, and drawing.

Why is Becoming a Bat Mitzvah Important? To me, becoming a Bat Mitzvah means I will now become a Jewish adult. I look forward to having my own responsibilities along with taking part in new activities once I am a Bat Mitzvah.

JESSICA SISKIND MARCH 20

Parents: Rochelle & Jon Siskind Siblings: Cydney - 16, Lyla - 10 Grandparents: Diane & Mel Harris, Myra & Gil Sherr, Susie & Richard Siskind School: Wheatley High School - 8th Grade Years in Our Religious School: 7 Favorite Holiday: My favorite Jewish holiday is Rosh Hashanah. I like this holiday the most because it celebrates the New Year. Along with that, you celebrate with a bunch of people.

Describe Yourself: I am 13 years old. I am very social and I play a lot of sports. I love giving advice to people and going out with my friends. Family is very important to me; no matter how much we bicker and fight, I’ll always love them. I love writing stories and poems when I am bored. Lastly, I’m obsessed with Netflix.

Why is Becoming a Bat Mitzvah Important? It means I am becoming a woman. I am also proud to carry on my religion to my children.

JAKE FINE APRIL 15

Parents: Allison & Matthew Fine Siblings: Charlotte - 15 Grandparents: Sue & David Landau, Ellen & Jerry Fine School: Roslyn Middle School - 7th Grade Years in Our Religious School: 5 Favorite Holiday: Chanukah - we all get together to light the candles. Obviously, I love to get presents, but I also love to give them and see how happy they make everyone.

Describe Yourself: I like going to school and seeing my friends. My favorite subject is science.

I love playing hockey, lax, basketball, and football, and hanging out with my friends and little cousins.

Why is Becoming a Bar Mitzvah Important? I am excited to be part of a very long tradition. My dad and my grandfathers were all Bar Mitzvah and I want to follow in their footsteps.

24 SCRIBE Mar-Apr 2021

SPENCER GERSON APRIL 17

Parents: Susan & Colin Gerson Siblings: Zachary - 15 Grandparents: Trudy & Steven Markowitz, Ruth Gerson School: Roslyn Middle School - 7th Grade Years in Our Religious School: 5 Favorite Holiday: My favorite Jewish holiday is Chanukah. I love lighting the menorah for eight nights and celebrating the meaning of the holiday with my family and friends. I also enjoy making and eating latkes!

Describe Yourself: My favorite subject in school is social studies and I enjoy learning about American history. I play a lot of sports including soccer, basketball, tennis, and golf. I love spending time with my family and friends and relaxing with my dog, Julian. I enjoy watching professional sports and I am a big Islanders, Knicks, and Patriots fan.

Why is Becoming a Bar Mitzvah Important? Becoming a Bar Mitzvah is important to me because I feel like I am becoming a man in the eyes of the Jewish community. I am looking forward to the responsibilities that come with becoming a Bar Mitzvah, such as doing good deeds.

JORDYN ANMUTH APRIL 24

Parents: Vicki & Doug Anmuth Siblings: Ben - 15 Grandparents: Ruth & Marvin Brown, Susan & Wayne Anmuth School: Roslyn Middle School - 7th Grade Years in Our Religious School: 4 Favorite Holiday: My favorite Jewish holiday is Chanukah. I like Chanukah because I love spending time with family and friends. I love lighting the menorah and exchanging gifts.

Describe Yourself: My favorite hobby is dance. I love to dance with my friends. My favorite subjects in school are math and art. Every year I look forward to going on family vacations and going to sleep away camp.

Why is Becoming a Bat Mitzvah Important? Becoming a Bat Mitzvah is a very important moment in my life. It means that I have more responsibilities and that I have become a young woman.

RYANN RAPPAPORT APRIL 29

Parents: Carly & Adam Rappaport Siblings: Lily - 8 Grandparents: Ellen & Roger Roisman, Bonnie & Chuck Rappaport School: Roslyn Middle School - 7th Grade Years in Our Religious School: 4 Favorite Holiday: Chanukah is my favorite holiday because I love the time spent with my family, lighting the candles, eating latkes, and opening presents.

Describe Yourself: My favorite sport is tennis. I play several times a week and am lucky to have been able to play throughout the pandemic. I also love to go skiing with my family and visit my grandparents in Florida. Camp Vega is where I spend my summers and I cannot wait to be back there soon enough!

Why is Becoming a Bat Mitzvah Important? Becoming a Bat Mitzvah means that I will now take on new responsibilities as a Jewish young woman. I am working so hard to learn about my Torah portion and my prayers and look forward to this special and most important day.

SCRIBE Mar-Apr 2021 25

TEMPLE SINAI TEEN PROGRAMS lulu’s lulu’s

TEEN TALK TEEN TALK

Lulu Belferder Lulu Belferder lbelferder@mysinai.org lbelferder@mysinai.org As many of you witnessed firsthand on Friday, February 5, 2021, the teen leaders of Temple Sinai are incredible and talented. I was so proud of their hard work and dedication to create such a special Shabbat The school year is underway and that brings added stress and anxiety for all children especially teens. experience for the entire congregation.

Teen stress is an important health issue that more and more teens are experiencing each year. The early teen years are marked by rapid changes — physical, cognitive, and emotional. Young people also face I wanted to share with you some more impressive work created by these leaders. During one of our rechanging relationships with peers, new demands at school, family tensions, and safety issues in their cent Leadership Academy classes, we discussed what it means to be a leader and what the qualities communities. The ways in which teens cope with these stressors can have significant short-and long-term are that they want to emulate. They worked in groups to research specific leadership traits and taught consequences on their physical and emotional health. It is often hard for teens to ask for help, and put their peers the importance of that trait. Here are their words: words to the stress or anxiety they are feeling. Below are some strategies to help teens get through these experiences.

Accountability•Dedication•Confidence• Empathy•Integrity•Humility•Growth Mindset • Talk about problems with others.

Strategies for coping with stress:

• Take deep breaths, accompanied by thinking or saying aloud, “I can handle this.”

• Perform progressive muscle relaxation, which involves repeatedly large muscles Btensing eing and derelaxing dicated of the body. to what yo u do inc • Set small goals and break tasks into smaller, manageable chunks. reases the conf • Exercise and eat regular meals. idence o f the people y • Get proper sleep. o u work wi • Practice consistent, positive discipline. t A leader 's dedica h.

• Visualize and practice feared situations. ti(other n holet wgo • Focus on what you can control (your reactions, your actions)sand you cannot o s tofhwhat a t t h e y willing t people’s opinions and expectations). o put the are time and • Work through worst-case scenarios until they seem amusing eforfoabsurd. r t i n t o • Lower unrealistic expectations. wh they are atever • Schedule breaks and enjoyable activities. doing.

• Accept yourself as you are; identify your unique strengths and build on them.

• Give up on the idea of perfection, both in yourself and in others. Give yourself permission and cultivate the ability to learn from mistakes

A leader has to be accountable for their actions; you need to be honest, and to take ownership when you are wrong.

26 SCRIBE Mar-Apr 2021

TEMPLE SINAI TEEN PROGRAMS Leaders with courage, teach their peers to not have fear teaching them, they are able to take on larger

lulu’s

projects.

A leader who can command a room and speak with confidence is one people are more drawn to and one people are more likely to listen to.

TEEN TALK

Lulu Belferder lbelferder@mysinai.org

Leaders A leader w ith integrit with hum ilityy y, is someone willing are will ing to admit w ho is hones they have made a The school year is underway and that brings added stress and anxiety e t h ical and alwfor all childrent,especially teens. mistake, they are able to Teen stress is an important health issue that more and more teens are experiencing ays trieseach year. The early give credit to others for t teen years are marked by rapid changes — physical,ocognitive, emotional. Young people also face do theand r i g ht thinand willing ideas, and are will ing changing relationships with peers, new demands at school, family tensions, g.safety issues in their A leadstressors to learn er witcan communities.

Thefrom ways in which teens cope with these have significant short-and long-term h i n t e g r others. i consequences on their physical and emotional health. It is often hard for teensty to,ask for help, and put words to the stress or anxiety they are feeling. Below are some strategies to help teens get through these experiences.

Strategies for coping with stress: • Talk about problems with others.

A leader who is • Take deep breaths, accompanied by thinking or saying aloud, “I can handle this.” is empathetic • Perform progressive muscle relaxation, which involves repeatedly tensing and relaxing large muscles understanding, and open of the body. to others feelings.

• Set small goals and break tasks into smaller, manageable chunks.

Empathy means putting yourself Leaders growth • Exercise and eatwith regularameals. in someone else’s shoes • Get proper sleep. mindset are more creative and feeling what they feel.

• Practice consistent, positiveideas. discipline.A and open to new Validating someone’s feelings and • Visualize and practice feared situations. growth mindset leader believes thatyou you can (other • Focus on what you can control (your reactions, your actions) andshowing let go of what cannot that individuals have talents understand what they are people’s opinions and expectations). going through is another form • Workcan through scenarios until they seem amusing or absurd. that beworst-case developed through • Lowerwork, unrealistic expectations. of empathy. hard good strategies • Schedule breaks and enjoyable activities. and input from others.

• Accept yourself as you are; identify your unique strengths and build on them.

• Give up on the idea of perfection, both in yourself and in others. Give yourself permission and cultivate the ability to learn from mistakes

SCRIBE Mar-Apr 2021 27

Friend of a Friend has been busy! We kicked off 2021 with good health on our minds, thanks to Donna Levine’s Plant-Based Lifestyle Zoom. Thank you Cantor Elena Schwartz for another fabulous Wine, Women and Wisdom event, where we enjoyed learning about Deborah. Along with Adult Engagement, we toured the Pollock-Krasner House virtually in January— what a treat! — and also enjoyed a wonderful talk in February about Feminine Power in the History of American Jewish Museums. Rabbi Schachter thrilled us with an extraordinary talk about Lilith, the controversial, mythical character who is celebrated today as the world’s first feminist. If you haven’t joined Friend of a Friend, please join now so you don’t miss out on all that’s coming up.

Friend of a Friend Monthly Planning Meetings

Fridays, March 5 and April 9 at 9:30am via Zoom Be a part of the planning stages for our events and activities. Your involvement makes all the difference - our meetings are short, efficient and fun, so give it a try! If you’d like to join us for the first time, just email fof@mysinai.org to let us know you’ll be logging on.

Zoom link to come; look for our emails.

BIG ZOOM Thursday, March 11 Zoom “Doors Open” at 7:15pm - Bingo starts promptly at 7:30pm.

Fun for the whole family and all your friends, from the comfort of your own homes!

Friend of a Friend will host a night of online Bingo via Zoom, so join us to play all four games using your computer, smart phone, or tablet.

After registration, you’ll receive an email with the link to download and print your BINGO cards.

There wil be prizes for the winners of each of the 4 rounds: BINGO 2 Regular Bingo, 1 Pattern Bingo (e.g. X, T, box) and Full Card Bingo.

Open to all, so feel free to spread the word!

Register by March 10 at mysinai.org/fof-bingo-bash.

Questions? Email Tammy Szerencsy at fof@mysinai.org.

Create a Celebratory Passover Table Thursday, March 18 at 11:00am

An Adult Engagement Event Co-Sponsored by Friend of a Friend

We welcome back Alicia Gitlitz and Rachel Graham for another virtual holiday workshop. This time the team will show us how to create a decorative Seder table, a delicious holiday menu, and fun-filled Passover desserts with healthy twists. Zoom link to come.

28 SCRIBE Mar-Apr 2021

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FOF Women’s Intergenerational Virtual Seder Wednesday, March 24 at 7:00pm

We’ve done it before, and we’ll do it again!

Join the women of Temple Sinai for our second Virtual Seder.

Together we will honor the women of the Passover story, whose actions determined the destiny of our people.

Enjoy this festive and interactive Passover celebration, led by Cantor-Educator Elena Schwartz and Rabbi Ilana Schachter. Zoom link to come.

“The Versatile Cookie” Demo with Rhonda Wolf

DATE/TIME CHANGE: Tuesday, April 6 at 1:00pm Temple Sinai’s own Rhonda Wolf is back for more baking with Friend of a Friend!

Don’t miss this live demo via Zoom, where Rhonda will teach us her special and incredibly versatile sour cream cookie recipe, which you will be able to use for a variety of sweet cookie treats.

Recipe, further details, and Zoom link to come.

SAVE THE DATES FOF Shabbat Service

Friday, May 21 at 6:45pm Join the women of Friend of a Friend along with our clergy as we lead prayer, read from the Torah and perform the mitzvot associated with our services. Zoom link to come.

Starting in March, Cantor-Educator Elena Schwartz will lead a Shabbat prayer class via Zoom.

This class will meet weekly on Wednesday mornings, and your participation in each session will be necessary so we can learn together and prepare to lead our service. Dates to come.

Challah Bake Zoom with Tracy Zimmerman Thursday, May 13 at 7:00pm

Log on and learn how to prepare, knead and braid delicious challah just in time for Shabbat with Sinai’s own “Challah Queen.” Details to come.

To join Friend of a Friend or renew your membership, please send your check payable to Temple Sinai for $36 with “FOF” in the memo line: Temple Sinai, 425 Roslyn Road, Roslyn Heights, NY 11577.

FOF dues and donations allow us to contribute to Sinai’s youth and adult programs, the clergy’s discretionary funds, community social service organizations, and more. Your thoughtful donations are always appreciated; checks may be made out to Friend of a Friend, with “donation” in the memo line, and mailed to the Temple office. Thank you.

SCRIBE Mar-Apr 2021 29

TODAH RABAH FROM TEMPLE SINAI We Want to CONNECT With You!

Our new Brotherhood networking group, CONNECT, is going strong and we encourage you to check us out!

As we explained in the last SCRIBE, networking offers you access to opportunities you might not be able to find on your own.

We have devised a list of questions and topics that we try to address at each of our bi-weekly, hour-long meetings. They include:

What business problem does your company solve and what is a good example of how you are doing that?

What strategies have you found to be the most effective in promoting and growing your business?

What’s the most unique aspect of what you do?

CONNECT participants run the gamut from Real Estate Brokers to Architects to Lawyers to Vocal Instructors to Hypnotists! Join us and take advantage of the opportunity to exchange ideas and improve your professional career and business contacts - all through our Temple Sinai family.

The members of CONNECT meet via Zoom every other Wednesday. While our regular meeting time is 8:00am, due to popular demand, our next meeting on March 3 will be held at 7:30pm, immediately following our monthly Brotherhood meeting. Check your email for the Zoom link and discover how our networking group can benefit your career!

Join us at our upcoming meetings:

Wednesday, March 3 at 7:30pm Wednesday.March 17 at 8:00am Wednesday, March 31 at 8:00am Wednesday, April 14 at 8:00am

Wednesday, April 28 at 8:00am Our Next VIRTUAL Brotherhood Meetings via ZOOM:

Wednesday, March 3 at 7:00pm (note special time) Wednesday, April 7 at 7:30pm Join us for the next Virtual Scotch & Sacred Text with Rabbi White Tuesday, April 3 at 7:30pm Check your email for details!

To learn more contact us at brotherhood@mysinai.org 30 SCRIBE Mar-Apr 2021

mazel tov Hope & Daniel Rosenfeld on the engagement of their son Jacob to Michelle Rusinek Kelly Grunther & Jeffrey Sklar on the engagement of his son Justin to Aviva Ticker Paula & Bert Kraus on the Bar Mitzvah of their grandson Charlie Graham Sidney Helen Harrison on the birth of her great granddaughter Lylah Brooke Fox Joyce & Philip Sharfstein on the engagement of their daughter Cori to Max Fisher Cheryl & Roger Gimbel on the marriage of their daughter Erica to Jordan Bohn Sherri & Jay Eisenstadt on the engagement of their daughter Ashley Eisenstadt to Adam Galperin Lynn & Michael Wolf on the birth of their granddaughter Madeline Claire Wolf

Our temple family shares both simchas and sorrows. Please let us know if you would like to receive members’ life cycle information via email by contacting the temple office at templeoffice@mysinai.org

with deepest sympathy Joanne Orshan on the loss of her mother Alice Rockower Karen Lowenthal on the loss of her mother Marion Lowenthal Jacqueline Covey on the loss of her mother Renee Natter Judith Shevrin on the loss of her husband Howard Shevrin Jonathan Elias on the loss of his father Howard Elias Jill Perlman on the loss of her father Stanley Cohen Richard Yaspan on the loss of his father Robert Yaspan

We record with sorrow the death of Temple Members

Marion Pasnik Howard Shevrin With deepest sympathy to their families, May their memories be for a blessing.

SCRIBE Mar-Apr 2021 31

HONOR YOUR LOVED ONES WITH PLAQUES AND LEAVES Leaves on the Tree of Life are for those special family simchas: births, marriages, B’nei Mitzvah, anniversaries, etc.

The cost of each leaf is $1000.

Memorial Plaques honor the memories of our loved ones who have passed away. They are in the hallway leading to the sanctuary. Cost of each plaque is $700, which includes a second version to be put up for your loved one’s yahrzeit.

Please contact Betty Brandel in the Temple office at 516.621.6800 for more information or to place an order.

Donations to Clergy Discretionary and Other Funds A donation to any of the clergy discretionary funds requires a separate check. For each of these donations, please make your check payable to Temple Sinai of Roslyn with the specific discretionary fund written in the check memo line: Rabbi Michael White’s Discretionary Fund Cantor Sergei Schwartz’s Discretionary Fund Cantor-Educator Elena Schwartz’s Discretionary Fund Rabbi Ilana Schachter’s Discretionary Fund Donations to any other funds can be combined in one check made payable to Temple Sinai of Roslyn. Please remember that if you use a company or similar type check, your name should appear on the check so we can properly credit your account.

Are you making a donation? Paying your Temple bill?

You can do so online at mysinai.org Click on either donate or payments in the upper right hand corner, and follow the instructions.

Temple Sinai Emergency Communication System Be informed regarding weather-related building closures, security updates, and more

Temple Sinai has automatically added you to Remind - a one-way texting service. Remind keeps phone numbers anonymous, and won’t flood your phone with everyone else’s responses. We love it and think you will, too, but if you don’t, you can easily cancel at any time by emailing us at templeoffice@mysinai.org 38 SCRIBE Mar-Apr 2021

SCRIBE Mar-Apr 2021 39

Support Merchants Who Support Temple Sinai

Great Gifts at Great Prices 15% OFF your purchase – use code TEMPLE21 Offer expires on November 20, 2021. Restrictions apply.

FortunoffJewelry.com • 800-636-7886

40 SCRIBE Mar-Apr 2021

Advertise your business while supporting Temple Sinai.

For information contact Kathy Diamond at kdiamond@mysinai.org

…At long last, New York City chic and sophistication comes to Long Island…

Call the event specialists, Mary Venier-Zwirn & Vincent D’Elia to view our beautifully decorated space for your next special occasion

516.484.4300 danielgale.com

If you are interested in buying or selling a home, please contact Eva for a personal and confidential home consultation as well as a free market analysis.

Eva Garfinkel Drabkin

Associate Real Estate Broker 516.626.7600 ext.27 c.516.978.1050 evadrabkin@danielgale.com Wheatley Plaza Office • 516.626.7600 • 342 Wheatley Plaza, Greenvale, NY Each office is independently owned and operated.

SCRIBE Mar-Apr 2021 41

42 SCRIBE Mar-Apr 2021

1

15

14

3

17

7:00pm Adult Education with Rabbi Schachter

10

7:00pm Brotherhood Monthly Meeting 7:30pm CONNECT Networking Meeting

Wed

9:00am Monday Morning Meditation with Rabbi Schachter

8:00am CONNECT Networking Meeting

NO RELIGIOUS SCHOOL

4

25

11:00am Adult Engagement Creating a Festive Seder Table sponsored by FOF

6:45pm Virtual Shabbat Service

26

6:45pm Virtual Shabbat Service

19

6:45pm Virtual Shabbat Service

EREV PASSOVER

FIRST SEDER 9:00am Pray. Eat. Love.

Virtual Morning Minyan

27

9:00am Pray. Eat. Love.

Virtual Morning Minyan 9:30am Bat Mitzvah Gabrielle Goldstein 12:00pm Bat Mitzvah Jessica Siskind

20

9:00am Pray. Eat. Love.

Virtual Morning Minyan

13

9:00am Pray. Eat. Love.

Virtual Morning Minyan 10:30am Bar Mitzvah Corey Miller

12

6

5

Sat

9:30am Friend of a Friend Monthly Meeting 6:45pm Virtual Shabbat Service/HIAS Refugee Shabbat

Fri

NO RELIGIOUS SCHOOL 4:30pm Sharing Shabbat

18

10:30am Bar Mitzvah Zachary Mashaal 7:30pm FOF ZOOM Bingo Bash

11

5:30pm Happy Hour with Rabbi White

Thur

Religious School 516.621.8016

Early Childhood Center 516.621.8708

Main Office 516.621.6800

If you have any questions, please call the phone numbers listed below:

Dates and times are current as of February 18, 2021 and are subject to change. Online calendars will be updated on a regular basis; please visit our website at mysinai.org for all other program and event information.

6:00pm Second Night Virtual Seder

NO RELIGIOUS SCHOOL

31

30 PASSOVER

29

PASSOVER

28

PASSOVER

7:00pm FOF Women’s Intergenerational Virtual Seder

24

9:00am Monday Morning Meditation with Rabbi Schachter 7:30pm Sinai Reads

23

22

21

1:00am Lunch & Learn with 8:00am CONNECT Networking Meeting Cantors Sergei & Elena

16

9:30am Adult Education with Rabbi White

9

2

Tue

10:00am Community Passover Program K-6

10:00am Community 9:00am Monday Morning Passover Program K-6 Meditation with Rabbi 10:30am Bar Mitzvah Schachter Asher Hirsch 7:00pm Soviet Jewry Series Program with Irina Levitina

7:00pm Adult Education with Rabbi White

8

9:00am Monday Morning Meditation with Rabbi Schachter 7:30pm Board Meeting

Mon

10:00am Community Passover Program K-6 1:30pm Adult & Youth Engagement Program: Hand in Hand Schools

7

Sun

March 2021

SCRIBE Mar-Apr 2021 43

5

6

7

10:30am Bar Mitzvah Jake Fine 7:00pm FOF “The Versatile Cookie” with Rhonda Wolf

8:00am CONNECT Networking Meeting 7:30pm Jewish Life in Morocco with Dr. Roy Mittelman

28

20 7:00pm Adult/Teen 7:00pm Adult Education Conversation: Antisemitism with Rabbi Schachter

8:00am CONNECT Networking Meeting

7:00pm Scotch & Sacred Text

27 9:30am Adult Education with Rabbi White

19

9:00am Monday Morning Meditation with Rabbi Schachter

26

9:00am Monday Morning Meditation with Rabbi Schachter 7:00pm Adult Education with Rabbi White

18

7:00pm Film Discussion: Operation Wedding

25

3

9:00am Pray. Eat. Love.

Virtual Morning Minyan 10:30pm Bat Mitzvah Jordyn Anmuth

24

9:00am Pray. Eat. Love.

Virtual Morning Minyan 10:30am Bar Mitzvah Spencer Gerson

17

9:00am Pray. Eat. Love.

Virtual Morning Minyan

10

9:00am Pray. Eat. Love.

Virtual Morning Minyan/ Yizkor Service

Sat

Religious School 516.621.8016

Early Childhood Center 516.621.8708

Main Office 516.621.6800

If you have any questions, please call the phone numbers listed below:

Dates and times are current as of February 18, 2021 and are subject to change. Online calendars will be updated on a regular basis; please visit our website at mysinai.org for all other program and event information.

30 6:45pm Virtual Shabbat Service

10:30am Bat Mitzvah Ryann Rappaport

6:45pm Virtual Shabbat Service

23

4:30pm Sharing Shabbat 6:45pm Virtual Shabbat Service

16

9:30am FOF Monthly Meeting 6:45pm Virtual Shabbat Service/Yom HaShoah Service

9

6:45pm Virtual Shabbat Service

29

22

15

14

13

21

2

Fri PASSOVER PASSOVER NO RELIGIOUS SCHOOL

5:30pm Happy Hour with Rabbi White

8

1

Thur

9:00am Monday Morning Meditation with Rabbi Schachter 7:30pm Board Meeting

7:00pm Adult Education with Rabbi Schachter 7:30pm Brotherhood Monthly Meeting

NO RELIGIOUS SCHOOL

Wed

12

9:30am Adult Education with Rabbi White

Tue

4:00pm Marjorie Wolfe “The 3 B’s: Brooklyn, The Bronx, and the Bungalows of Rockaway”

9:00am Monday Morning Meditation with Rabbi Schachter 7:00pm Adult Education with Rabbi White

NO RELIGIOUS SCHOOL

Mon

11

4

Sun

April 2021

Temple Sinai of Roslyn

425 Roslyn Road Roslyn Heights, NY 11577 516.621.6800 mysinai.org Affiliated with the Union for Reform Judaism

MARCH/APRIL VIRTUAL SERVICE SCHEDULE SATURDAY, MARCH 6

9:00am 10:30am

THURSDAY, MARCH 11

10:30am

FRIDAY, MARCH 12 SATURDAY, MARCH 13 SUNDAY MARCH 14

6:45pm 9:00am 10:30am

FRIDAY, MARCH 19

4:30pm 6:45pm 9:00am 9:30am

SATURDAY, MARCH 20

12:00pm FRIDAY. MARCH 26 SATURDAY,MARCH 27 FRIDAY, APRIL 2 SATURDAY, APRIL 3

6:45pm 9:00am 6:45pm 9:00am

FRIDAY, APRIL 9 SATURDAY, APRIL 10 THURSDAY, APRIL 15

6:45pm 9:00am 10:30am

FRIDAY, APRIL 16

4:30pm 6:45pm 9:00am

SATURDAY, APRIL 17 FRIDAY, APRIL 23 SATURDAY, APRIL 24

6:45pm 9:00am 10:30am

THURSDAY, APRIL 29

10:30am

Pray. Eat. Love. Morning Minyan Bar Mitzvah Service Bar Mitzvah - Corey Miller Bar Mitzvah Service Bar Mitzvah - Zachary Mashaal Virtual Shabbat Service Pray. Eat. Love. Morning Minyan Bar Mitzvah Service Bar Mitzvah - Asher Hirsch Sharing Shabbat Virtual Shabbat Service Pray. Eat. Love. Morning Minyan Bat Mitzvah Service Bat Mitzvah - Gabrielle Goldstein Bat Mitzvah Service Bat Mitzvah - Jessica Siskind Virtual Shabbat Service Pray. Eat. Love. Morning Minyan Virtual Shabbat Service Pray. Eat. Love. Morning Minyan/ Yizkor Service Virtual Shabbat Service/Yom Ha’Shoah Pray. Eat. Love. Morning Minyan Bar Mitzvah Service Bar Mitzvah - Jake Fine Sharing Shabbat Virtual Shabbat Service Pray. Eat. Love. Morning Minyan Bar Mitzvah Service Bar Mitzvah - Spencer Gerson Virtual Shabbat Service Pray. Eat. Love. Morning Minyan Bat Mitzvah Service Bat Mitzvah - Jordyn Anmuth Bat Mitzvah Service Bat Mitzvah - Ryann Rappaport

TEMPLE SINAI

Volume 77 • No. 4

Main Office: 516.621.6800 Nursery School: 516.621.8708 Religious School: 516.621.8016 Rabbi Michael White rabbiwhite@mysinai.org Cantor Sergei Schwartz cantorsergeischwartz@mysinai.org

astamm@mysinai.org

Early Childhood Center Director Lindsay Dayan

Rabbi Ilana Schachter rabbischachter@mysinai.org

Director of Youth Engagement Lauren “Lulu” Belferder

Cantor Emeritus Cantor Andrew H. Edison President Michelle Golden Executive Vice President Amy Braunstein

Secretary Seth Golden Brotherhood President Richard Blatt

Follow us on Twitter Temple Sinai Roslyn @MySinaiRoslyn

Executive Director Alison Stamm

ldayan@mysinai.org

Treasurer Michael Shaffet

Follow us on Instagram @mysinairoslyn

VISIT OUR WEBSITE: mysinai.org

Cantor-Educator Elena Schwartz cantorelenaschwartz@mysinai.org

Vice Presidents Robyn Corbin Andrew Kraus Philip Rabinovich

Join the Facebook group Temple Sinai of Roslyn, NY facebook.com/groups/mysinai

ADAR/NISAN/IYYAR 5781 MARCH/APRIL 2021

Friend of a Friend/Chaverot President Jacqueline Covey V&Z Caterers 516.484.4300

lbelferder@mysinai.org

Director of Adult Engagement Adrianne Rubin, PhD arubin@mysinai.org

Marketing & Communications Manager Kathy Diamond kdiamond@mysinai.org

Financial Manager Mara Rosenwasser mrosenwasser@mysinai.org

Accounting Specialist Michael Gamba mgamba@mysinai.org

Office Manager Jane Hallberg jhallberg@mysinai.org

Member Services Manager Betty Brandel bbrandel@mysinai.org

Religious School Coordinator/Cantors’ Assistant Debra Hollander dhollander@mysinai.org

Assistant to the Rabbis Wendy Levitt wlevitt@mysinai.org