THE SYNAGOGUE | CONGREGATION B’NAI EMUNAH | PUBLISHED MONTHLY | FEBRUARY 2025
Milestones
Engagements
Congrats to Isabella Silberg and Shane Ross on their recent engagement. Isabella is the daughter of Craig (Mindy) Silberg and Liz Silberg. Shane is the son of Jon and Kimberly Ross of Dallas, Texas. Congrats to the entire Ross and Silberg families, including proud grandmother Irene Silberg.
Congrats to Mark Goldberg and Laney Sheffel on their recent engagement. Mark is the son of Alex and Karen Goldberg. Laney is the daughter David and Sonya of Sheffel. The couple is now planning a wedding in Tulsa to take place this November.
Births
Jubilee Azur, born to Chloe and Brandon Chappell on December 12, 2024.
Stanley Joseph Ginelli Goldberg, born to Benjamin Goldberg and Dr. Elizabeth Ginelli on November 9, 2024. Stanley is the grandson of Alex and Karen Goldberg.
Deaths
Steve Grissom
Father of Jake Murdock
Best friend of Elana Grissom
Haya Berci Mother of Roniet Sachs
ON THE COVER
Jews aligned with African Americans after domestic terrorism against Jewish buildings and institutions in the late 1950s, including The Temple in Atlanta and Temple Beth El in Birmingham, Alabama, in 1958. This violence during the Civil Rights Movement led many Jewish community members to join the movement, not just because it was the right thing to do but because it was an existential threat against their own communities; Interfaith collaboration was a vital part of the Civil Rights Movement. The Jewish Freedom Riders in 1961 protested segregated public transportation, using historic images to showcase the names and faces of regular citizens and renowned leaders.
Masthead
Daniel S. Kaiman ............................... Principal Rabbi
Marc Boone Fitzerman ................. Rabbi (of Counsel)
Mark Goldman ........................................... President
Aaron Miller ......................... Executive Vice President
Ross Heyman ...................................... Vice President
Brae Riley ............................................ Vice President
Kate Basch ............................ Sisterhood Co-President
Rebecca Fine Stallings ......... Sisterhood Co-President
Nancy Cohen ...................... Sisterhood Gift Shop Chair
February Program Highlights
AFTERNOON/EVENING SERVICES
Every Wednesday and Friday 5:30 p.m.
Each week, we gather to experience traditional daily prayer and establish a quiet space for those mourning a loved one or observing the anniversary of a loss (yahrtzeit). All use these opportunities to recite a communal Mourner’s Kaddish. Both gatherings take place in the Synagogue’s Davis-Goodall Chapel, with full participation available both in-person and through the Synagogue Zoom Room. We ask that in-person attendees register in advance on our website. Friday gatherings always occur in the Synagogue Zoom Room at 918 583 7121.
SHABBAT MORNING SERVICES
Every Saturday 9:30 a.m.
Each week, we convene on Saturday morning to sing the liturgy of the tradition, study the weekly Torah portion, and spend time amongst family and friends. All are welcome to participate in this experience in person or on Zoom. Members and friends can access the Synagogue Zoom Room at 918 583 7121.
1 SHEMA: SHABBAT MUSIC CLASS
FOR BABIES
Share the joys of Shabbat and community with your baby on Saturday, February 1, at 10:30 a.m. This month’s Jewish music class for babies and caregivers will focus on Shabbat rituals and songs. Surround your little ones with their peers as we celebrate the day of rest together. Following services, we’ll gather as a community to share blessings of hope and sweet treats.
7-8 WOMEN’S WELLBEING RETREAT
The Women’s Wellbeing Retreat is designed for women-identified folks in our community to come together for 24 hours of connection, learning, and unplugging on the weekend of February 7. With the noise of the daily grind out of our way, we’ll zoom into relationship building and create a holy community in the Osage Forest! The retreat will include meals and prayer experiences, learning, breakout sessions on topics of interest, and songs. This experience is geared toward an intergenerational audience! If you are interested in attending or for more information, please get in touch with the Synagogue at 918-583-7121.
FEBRUARY 2025 PUBLISHED MONTHLY
CONGREGATION
B’NAI EMUNAH
1719 South Owasso Tulsa, Oklahoma 74120
Office: (918) 583-7121
School: (918) 585-KIDS
Fax: (918) 747-9696
Web: tulsagogue.com
How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the messenger who brings good news. (Isaiah 52:7)
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LIFELONG LEARNERS AT ZARROW POINTE
Seniors from all over the community are invited to join Rabbi Kaiman on Wednesday, February 12, at 11:30 a.m. for a learning session and lunch provided by Zarrow Pointe. Reserve your spot by contacting the Synagogue at 918-5837121 or registering at www.tulsagogue.com/events. Please check in at Zarrow Pointe Town Center, and you will be directed to the Dining Hall for the learning seminar.
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BLATT + BLUE: AREALPAIN
See page 6 for more information regarding the movie selection and viewing options. Join us for our conversation on Thursday, February 13 at 7:00 p.m. on Zoom (918 583 7121). Newcomers are welcome to join the dialogue.
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TU B’SHEVAT SHABBAT SHALOM: MUSICAL CIRCLE, DINNER AND SHABBAT TALKS
Experience a musical Tu B’Shevat Shabbat evening on Friday, February 14, with songs and storytelling starting at 5:30 p.m. This inclusive and accessible event is an ideal introduction to Shabbat traditions, welcoming participants of all ages and backgrounds. Following services, we’ll enjoy a beautiful Shabbat dinner together starting at 6:15 p.m. The evening will conclude with a special Shabbat Talks speaker at 7:00 p.m. to discuss environmental issues. Reserve your spot at the Shabbat table by registering at tulsagogue.com/events.
From Rabbi Daniel S. Kaiman
THE RELIEF AND JOY OF REUNIFICATION
In these first few weeks of 2025, we have witnessed significant moments that feel like they will define this year. This past month, we saw a ceasefire begin to hold between Israel and Hamas. The result brought about the beginning of the release of hostages. What first came as a breaking news item was followed by obsessive refreshing of news articles and social media outlets. Could this be possible? Will the proposal be approved? Who will be released, and how? What will be gained? What will be lost?
We saw the fighting stop.
As the news settled in, we saw three Israeli young women embrace their families. With tears in our eyes, we celebrated the relief and joy of reunification.
that people scheduled to travel would no longer be arriving.
As the news settled in, we went to the airport for what we believe will be our last arrival for the time being. This time, in the Tulsa airport, we saw an Afghan young woman embrace her family. With tears in our eyes, we celebrated the relief and joy of reunification.
It would be an oversimplification to compare these two moments too closely. Yet I cannot ignore an essential parallel— they are united by the same deep human longing for safety, connection, and the promise of a home.
President Trump signed an executive order placing an indefinite pause on the refugee resettlement program.
While
And then, just days later, we witnessed a different kind of reunification—one filled with its own joy, but shadowed by an indefinite pause that threatens countless others waiting to reunite with loved ones. President Trump signed an executive order placing an indefinite pause on the refugee resettlement program. While we expected and understood the potential for change, no one anticipated the system would be shut down with such severity. Again, what came first as breaking news was followed by obsessive refreshing of news articles and social media outlets. Could this really be possible? What does all this mean? In our resettlement office, we began to receive notices
we expected and understood the potential for change, no one anticipated the system would be shut down with such severity.
The ceasefire allowed hostages to return home, but the cessation of refugee resettlement meant that many others may not.
In both instances, the future remains uncertain. I do not yet know the extent to which President Trump’s executive order will impact our refugee resettlement work. I do not yet know if this ceasefire will hold and if the full measure of hostages will attain release.
But I can, and must, hold on to what I know to be true: there is relief and joy when we celebrate reunification. May we find the strength to work towards a world where this beauty is not an exception but a constant—one where we honor the human dignity that unites us all and ensure that no one is left waiting for the embrace of home.
Tulsa Mayor Monroe Nichols welcoming refugees at Tulsa International Airport.
From Morah Sara Levitt
DUST OFF YOUR TZEDAKAH BOX
At the start of 2024, I finally traded in my 2005 Toyota Corolla from High School. If you had asked my husband, it could have lasted another 3 or 4 years, but we needed more space for our growing children. When we cleaned the car, we found coins, of all amounts, hidden throughout the vehicle. Even some shekels were deep in the seats! In the age of paying with our watches or a simple tap of a card, coins in every crevice of the car, house, or pocket are a phenomenon of the past. The coins that littered my own home and car as a young person were always destined for one place: the Tzedakah box at Hebrew school. Of course, this practice had many advantages besides keeping things tidy; it helped us fulfill an essential mitzvah in our tradition.
The coins that littered my own home and car as a young person were always destined for one place: the Tzedakah
box at Hebrew school.
Our texts remind us repeatedly to give and show care to those who need it. This commandment, unlike others, even has an explanation! We know what it’s like to be a stranger and to have a hard time. The Torah reminds us—do you remember that feeling? That’s what this person feels now. It’s a profoundly simple, teachable moment on empathy.
While many of our rituals demand community, giving Tzedakah has its place at home. It is an incredible opportunity to develop empathy in children, connect them to the teachings of the Torah, and spark conversation about the world around them. Of course, there is no better way to teach this than to model it ourselves. So, what can we do? Dust off your Tzedakah boxes and bring them to the center of your home, decorate your own family Tzedakah box or pick one out together in the Synagogue gift shop. This helps to create ownership and connection to the experience. Create a weekly routine where you put coins in the Tzedakah box (just before Shabbat is a traditional one) and build up that moment throughout the week. When the box is full, decide where your Tzedakah money will go as a family.
Our ShulSchool community reignited our tradition of collecting Tzedakah on Sunday morning at the start of the new year. As we challenged our students to collect $200 in Tzedakah to go towards Wildfire Relief in Los Angeles, we began to see a familiar scene unfold at the front doors on Sunday morning: children marching into the Synagogue with their baggies of coins headed for their class Tzedakah boxes. We’ll continue to do this work on Sunday mornings, and I hope you’ll try this practice at home, too.
B’nai Mitzvah of Sam & Will Sanditen
Sam and Will Sanditen will celebrate their B’nai Mitzvah on Saturday, February 22, 2025, corresponding to 24 Shevat, 5785, at Congregation B’nai Emunah. They have been working very hard under the guidance of Nina Fitzerman-Blue. Their parents Adria and Brad, and sister Phifer are incredibly proud of all the boys’ hard work and accomplishments.
Sam and Will are seventh graders at Holland Hall. They are both fluent in Spanish, play the piano, and are very active in Boy Scouts. Sam and Will enjoy spending time with their family, especially their grandmother, Jolene Sanditen. Sam plays the euphonium in the school band and likes playing tennis. He enjoyed his first year in cross country and Math Counts. Sam has volunteered at the Ronald McDonald House for his service project. His family has enjoyed watching Sam grow into a smart, funny, and creative young man. Will plays the French horn in the 7th grade band. He has been a part of the middle school production of the play “Night at the Wax Museum” and a member of the cross country team. Will organized an underwear and sock drive for the Tulsa Day Center for the Homeless, where he collected over 400 pairs of socks and 200 pairs of underwear. His family is so proud of the smart, sensitive, and caring young man he has become. The community is invited to join the Sanditen family for services at 9:30 a.m. A kiddush luncheon will follow.
From Marc Boone Fitzerman ON A STACK OF MISHNEH TORAHS
Adam Schiff always has my attention. Enormously wellspoken, with simpatico politics, he’s the kind of person who rings many of my bells.
But it was a recent decision that really sealed the deal. As many of you have read, he took his senatorial oath of office on a twelfth-century edition of the Mishneh Torah. That would be the Mishneh Torah of Moses Maimonides, one of the first post-Biblical codes of law in Jewish history.
Rising displays of overt antiSemitism have left many of us feeling shaken and unsure. How much self-display can we tolerate? Is it safe to advertise our quirky identity and commitments?
I’d love to know more about the promptings for this decision, but the episode has been rather flatly reported. There have been a couple of comments from Schiff-office spokespeople, but I haven’t discovered an extended explanation from the senator. If you happen to know Adam Schiff, yourself, I’d appreciate your asking on my behalf.
In the meantime, this all feels powerfully right to me. The Mishneh Torah is most certainly not the Torah but rather a distillation of the entire literature of the Talmud. It’s all the laws and none of the storytelling; everything boiled down to the practicalities of behavior. Maimonides was criticized in his time for his hubris. He didn’t include any of the original sources. You couldn’t tell how he derived his conclusions. Many people thought it would mean the end of Talmud study. The title itself was a bold intellectual move. How could he call his own work a Torah, even if the title actually means a
“recapitulation” of the Torah, implying that the original Torah required a “re-freshment,” that the process of writing it was never really done. It’s a useful reminder by Schiff himself that an originalist approach to any legal document is no way to honor its living essence. That includes the American Constitution. This may be farfetched, but it sounds to me like a shot over the bow. Schiff is a serious student of the Constitution, and he seems to be speaking to the faction on our own Supreme Court, which argues that its decisions must mirror the legal thinking of the Founders. Anything else is after the fact. For me, that’s the path to irrelevance and fossilization. The other thing I like is Schiff’s assertive particularism. The Jewish world is more complicated than before. Rising displays of overt anti-Semitism have left many of us feeling shaken and unsure. How much self-display can we tolerate? Is it safe to advertise our quirky identity and commitments?
To this, Adam Schiff offers a plainspoken yes, affirming his Jewish knowledgeability and his heritage. His decision to swear in on a stack of Mishneh Torahs is a vote for the particular historical circumstances of the Jews. Clearly, he has decided not to blend in, but to say that he values what is different about his identity. I think that’s the right and healthy thing for all of us.
Adam Schiff took his senatorial oath of office on a twelfth-century edition of the Mishneh Torah.
Blatt + Blue: A Real Pain
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13
Originally planned as the Blatt + Blue movie selection for January, A Real Pain became a real pain to find on streaming platforms. Directed by Jesse Eisenberg and featuring Kieren Culkin, the film traces two temperamentally different cousins on a “heritage” trip to Poland, funded by their recently deceased grandmother. Her plan seems to
Our conversation about A Real Pain will take place on Thursday, February 13, at 7:00 p.m.
be an experience that will bind the cousins to one another and honor the horror of the Sho’ah. Anyone who has made such a pilgrimage will recognize the featured sites, along with the complexity of the experience. A Real Pain has excited both controversy and admiration for its focus on third-generation responses to the Holocaust. Our conversation about A Real Pain will take place on
Thursday, February 13, at 7:00 p.m. We’ll think aloud about where this work fits in the canon of Jewish filmmaking and whether it will stand the test of time. The film is now being platformed on streaming sites and available on Amazon Prime for a modest fee. Please let us know if you have any difficulty locating the program. Now in its fifth year, the series expresses the Synagogue’s commitment to an inclusive and pluralistic vision. Difficult films deserve thoughtful conversation. Film and television enthusiasts David Blatt and Alice Blue begin each session with a summary of the featured material, which means that you’ll be able to follow the conversation even if you have to delay your viewing of the material itself. After that, it’s questions and comments from the Zoom Room audience.
Join the moderated discussion in the Synagogue Zoom Room. The Zoom meeting ID is 918 583 7121, and the session will conclude at 8:00 p.m. If there is a film or broadcast you would like to screen, please call Richie Bolusky, Synagogue Program Director, at (918) 583-7121 with your suggestions.
Contributions to The Synagogue
Altamont Bakery Fund
Carla Weston
Barbara Robinowitz Curnutt Scholarship Fund
Sharon Neuwald
Brouse Family Shabbat and Holiday Fund
Allan Jeffy
Chevra Kadisha
Kevin Thomas
Eva Unterman Environmental Education Fund
Vellie Bloch
Irene Rosenfield HH Flower Fund
Pearl and Milton Gordon Trust
Janis Bolusky Memorial Outreach Fund
Lisa Feldman
Lenny Seigel Playground Equipment Fund
Jay, Richard, and Linda Brown (children of Celia Brown)
Preschool
Emily Williams
Nancy Zankel
Rabbi Marc Boone Fitzerman
Discretionary Fund
Irv Gertner
Rabbi Arthur D Kahn DD Culture Fund
Jay, Richard and Linda Brown
(Children of Celia Brown)
Rabbi Daniel S. Kaiman
Discretionary Fund
Jeffrey Alderman and Tobey Ballenger
Phyllis Raskin
Kevin Thomas
Karen Tilkin & Craig Michael
Refugee Resettlement Fund
Steve Aberson
Sylvia Vaughn
Religious School
Pearl and Milton Gordon
Trust
Racham McNeir
Robinowitz Library Fund
Vellie Bloch
Synagogue General Fund
Carolyn Zebrack Brophy
Linda Brown
Alex Gavern and Laura Jones
WC Goad and Mark
Goldman
Joan Green
Nancy Inhofe
Joli Jensen
Louis and Marcy Price
Charitable Fund
Sara Rich
Faye and Marvin Robinowitz
Mark Schwartz
Rudolf and Janice Winzinger
Diana Wolff
Ted and Mitsu Cohen
Undergrad Fund
Rick and Barbara Cohen
In Memory of Norman Axe, Grandfather
Marion Brodsky
Celia Brown
Donna Brown
Theodore Cohen
Jules Edelman
Ralph Jeffy
Fannie Gertner
Frederick Gock
Robert Gottlieb
Marvin Hart
Lillian Moskowitz
Adolf Neuwald
Mary Raskin
Frances Robinowitz
Bertha Rousso
Renata Treitel
In Honor of Alice Blue
Brian Brouse
Micah Cash
WC Goad Yom Kippur Honor
Joe Roberts
Tyburczy Family
Asher Verduzco, for his bar mitzvah
Volunteer Efforts
Our community's success is truly built on the dedication and passion of our volunteers. Thanks to your efforts, we have fed 1,073 people, welcomed 28 new membership households totaling a growth of 70 people to our congregation, and hosted four New York Times Best Selling Authors. We've delivered 80 Rosh Hashanah Bags and 53 College Boxes and made 54 Bikkur Cholim visits to comfort those in need. With over 150 coats collected and 48 homes set up for new families in our refugee resettlement department, your hours of volunteerism have brought warmth and care to countless lives. And let's not forget—every single Raft Race participant stayed afloat! Thank you for making these incredible accomplishments possible.
2024 Volunteers
Programs include: Winterlight, 24 for 24, CookieBake, Simchat Torah, 17th Street Deli, BibiDibi, FETO, The Great Tulsa Raft Race, Selichot, Su-Coat Drive, Sukkot Refugee
Resettlement Dinner, High Holiday Ushers, Shavuot, Holy Hoedown, Purim Carnival, Bikkur Cholim, and Altamont Bakery
