THE SYNAGOGUE | CONGREGATION B’NAI EMUNAH | PUBLISHED MONTHLY | APRIL 2025
Deaths
Patrice Frank Snitz; mother of George Snitz and Rose Snitz.
Dr. Robert Krohner; father of Noah Krohner; grandfather of Lucy and Otto.
Rosalind Aussenberg; grandmother of Ben Aussenberg.
Daniel S. Kaiman ............................... Principal Rabbi
Marc Boone Fitzerman ...................Rabbi (Emeritus)
Mark Goldman ........................................... President
Aaron Miller ......................... Executive Vice President
Ross Heyman ...................................... Vice President
Brae Riley ............................................ Vice President
Noah Bleicher ............................................ Treasurer
An illustration by Zoya CherkasskyNnadi in For Our Freedom Hagaddah. For centuries, Ukraine was home to one of the largest Jewish communities in the world, but the Passover Haggadah had never been translated into Ukrainian. That was until 2023 when Project Kesher, an American Jewish nonprofit devoted to empowering Jewish women worldwide published For Our Freedom. The text tells the Passover story through the eyes of Ukrainians fighting to live in a free, democratic, and safe society. Purposely designed to help Ukrainian Jews honor their heritage, the Haggadah ties the holiday’s slavery-to-freedom narrative to Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the Russian invasion.
Jennifer Airey ............................................Secretary
Sara Levitt .............. Director of Jewish Life and Learning
Cassidy Petrazzi ........................Director of Operations
Richie Bolusky ...................... Director of Programming
Shelli Wright ................................. Preschool Director
Genevieve Jaber........ Director of Refugee Resettlement
Shawna Fain ................................. Executive Assistant
Cheryl Myers ............................ Operations Associate
Kate Basch ................................. Sisterhood President
Nancy Cohen ...................... Sisterhood Gift Shop Chair
Join us on Wednesdays and Fridays at 5:30 p.m. in the Davis-Goodall Chapel for traditional prayer and community Mourner’s Kaddish. Both in-person and Zoom participation are available. Please register for in-person attendance on our website.
Every Saturday at 9:30 a.m., we celebrate Shabbat through song, Torah study, and fellowship. These services, available both in-person and via Zoom, offer a chance to mark anniversaries, celebrate milestones, and engage in our congregation’s ritual life.
Join us Tuesday, April 1 at 7:00 p.m. for this quarterly workshop to create your very own fused glass Passover seder plate. Secure your spot today by registering at tulsagogue. com/events and let the magic of our holiday traditions come to life in your own hands!
Lifelong learners from across the community are invited to join Rabbi Kaiman for a learning session and lunch provided by Zarrow Pointe starting at 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, April 2. Reserve your spot by contacting the Synagogue at 918-583-7121 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. Newcomers are always welcome.
SHABBAT SHALOM: MUSICAL CIRCLE, DINNER AND SHABBAT TALKS
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)
Experience a musical Shabbat evening with songs and storytelling starting at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, April 4. 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 a relevant topic of interest to our community. Reserve your spot at the Shabbat table by registering at tulsagogue. com/events.
6 BOOKSMART: SECRETS OF ADULTHOOD, SIMPLE TRUTHS FOR OUR COMPLEX LIVES WITH GRETCHEN RUBIN
Join us on Sunday, April 6 at 7:00 p.m. in conversation with Gretchen Rubin. The author of many books, including the blockbuster New York Times bestsellers The Happiness Project, The Four Tendencies, Better Than Before, and Life in Five Senses, Rubin is one of today’s most influential observers of happiness and human nature. Her books have sold more than 3.5 million copies worldwide in more than thirty languages. She hosts the top-ranking, award-winning podcast Happier with Gretchen Rubin, where she explores practical solutions for living a happier
life. Secrets of Adulthood distills Gretchen Rubin’s key insights into simple truths for living with greater satisfaction, clarity, and happiness. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit magiccitybooks.com/events.
Join us for a discussion on The Shop on Main Street, a groundbreaking postwar film that won an Academy Award and explores the complexities of Holocaust-era relationships. The conversation will take place on Thursday, April 10, at 7:00 p.m. in the Synagogue Zoom Room (ID: 918 583 7121), concluding at 8:00 p.m. The film is available on Amazon Prime for a modest fee—let us know if you need help accessing it. Now in its fifth year, Blatt + Blue continues the Synagogue’s commitment to inclusive, thoughtful dialogue. Hosts David Blatt and Alice Blue will provide a summary before opening the floor for discussion, so you can participate even if you haven’t watched the film.
Our tradition speaks of the extraordinary power that exists when a group of people gathers for prayer. On holidays we gather in a traditional form that mirrors our Shabbat observances. These services, starting at 9:30 a.m., will include Torah readings tied to the season, messages associated with the Holiday, and Passover-friendly sweet treats at the conclusion. A Yizkor (Memorial) service will be added to our observance at 11:00 a.m. on April 20. As always, all services are available for hybrid participation on Zoom.
Join Synagogue members, friends, and newcomers to Tulsa on Sunday, April 13, starting at 6:00 p.m. for a joyful celebration of the most important event in Jewish history. The seder will feature singing, storytelling, and moving music from the Synagogue’s Klay Kodesh musical ensemble. Inperson reservations are limited. To register, please call the Synagogue at (918) 583-7121, or register on our website at www.tulsagogue.com. The Passover Sedar will begin at 6:00 and conclude at 9:00 p.m.
Join us for a Shabbat gathering crafted for babies and their families on Friday, April 18, at 5:30 p.m. Revel in the joy of singing songs, playing games, and savoring a delightful Shabbat dinner. It’s an excellent opportunity to establish and embrace your own family traditions. While no reservation is required for the celebration, we ask you to secure your spot for the meal by calling or visiting tulsagogue.com/events.
Bikur Cholim
Craig and Mary Abrahamson
Julie Frank
Carol Mandlebaum
Gale Mason
Brouse Family Shabbat and Holiday Fund
Barry and Debbie Lederman
Brian Sweet Memorial MultiMedia Fund
Rosalie and Bob Hanson
Dave Sylvan Joyful Music Fund
Scott and Lauren Zeligson
Joe Kantor Hebrew School Fund
Deborah Boyar
Morris Brown
Rabbi Marc Boone Fitzerman
Discretionary Fund
Julie Freid and Sally Berger, M.D.
Rabbi Daniel S. Kaiman
Discretionary Fund
Randi and Paul Brodsky
Ross Heyman
Laura and Tim Howard
Edward and Barbara Shapiro
Rose Burg Sukkah Fund
Richard and April Borg
Refugee Resettlement Fund
Richard George
Rosalie and Bob Hanson
Gale Mason
Edward and Barbara Shapiro
Ruth Slocum and Hannah
Blankenship
Anne and Henry Zarrow Foundation
Religious School Fund
Karen Tilkin
Sam Plost Matzah Fund
Gale Mason
Lou, Kathe, Mike and Susan Stekoll
Synagogue General Fund
Frank Family Foundation
Andrew Gottehrer
Jolene Sanditen
In Memory of Helen Abrahamson
Estelle H. Berger
E. Stanley Berger, M.D.
Morris “Mo” Bernstein
Vellie Bloch
Miriam Brown
Irvin Frank
Renee Gottehrer
Lois Ann Hanson
Robert Alexander Hanson
Joe Kantor
Florence Klein
Louis Lederman
Dr. Elliott Charles Mason
Scott Sanditen
Darrell & Sylvia Smith
Bernice Stekoll
Sheldon L. Tilkin
Golda Waldinger
Sam Zeligson
In Honor of In honor of Will and Sam Sanditen
Dust off your cowboy boots and grab your Stetsons! The Synagogue is thrilled to announce the return of its annual fundraiser, Holy Hoedown, set for Thursday, May 22. This high-energy evening will bring together community from all walks of life—our preschool families, supporters of our refugee resettlement work, and participants in our many programs—to celebrate and support the vital work of The Synagogue. This boot-scootin’ event will feature live music by Jacob Tovar and his All-Star Band, lively two-step dance lessons, and a delicious fried chicken feast. Families and friends will enjoy an evening filled with entertainment, kids programming, and a silent auction, all while honoring the incredible lay leadership that keeps our community thriving.
Co-chaired by Carly Finer and Brae Riley, Holy Hoedown is The Synagogue’s only annual fundraising event, making its success essential to our mission.
Sponsorships start at $250, which includes admission for two adults and two children (under 13). Your generosity directly supports every aspect of our work, from education to social action initiatives and beyond.
So grab your Western chic and get ready for an unforgettable night of music, dancing, and giving back. Tickets and sponsorship details are available at tulsagogue.com/hoedown.
Let’s make this year’s Holy Hoedown a night to remember—see y’all there!
And just like that, spring has sprung! The dirt on our cars has transformed from snow residue to tree pollen, our heavy jackets are now tucked away in the back of the closet, and the daily dose of Zyrtec has started once more. According to our Jewish calendar, the blooming tulips and buzzing bees signify that Passover is approaching. It’s similar to how we recognize that when the leaves turn from green to brown, Sukkot must be near, or how early sunsets indicate that Chanukah is approaching soon. Tracking the seasons, the moon, sunset times, and leap years is all deeply embedded in the ritual life of our people. On Passover, we celebrate the story of our ancestors’ freedom. Through our seder, we connect their experience with a sensory immersion. Alongside the charoset, which reminds us
of the bricks, and the saltwater, which evokes the tears of our ancestors, are symbols of spring. I love that one of the most significant moments in the Jewish year also highlights the natural world around us. In our Passover celebration, we see the rebirth of nature after winter intertwined with the story of our ancestors’ freedom. The divine, human experience, and nature all converge to remind us of our connection.
This Passover, ShulSchool is focusing on the themes of Spring and renewal. On Sunday, April 6th, we’ll take a field trip to the Botanic Gardens to immerse ourselves in the natural world, discover Spring in Oklahoma, and prepare for Passover. Families should check their inboxes for information about this special Sunday morning with ShulSchool.
There’s a moment during the Seder that has always fascinated me. Early in the ritual meal, families are instructed to open the front door, hold up a piece of matzah, and say: “Let all who are hungry come and eat.”
We sing these words in Aramaic—Ha Lachma Anya—a language that, in its time, was widely understood. It wasn’t just for insiders. The message was meant for everyone walking by.
In our home, the kids opened the front door. I remember standing there, looking out at an empty sidewalk on a quiet April evening, always a little nervous that someone might actually walk in. Where would they sit? What would it be like to share our Seder with a stranger? What kind of invitation comes so last-minute?
“In our home, the kids opened the front door. I remember standing there, looking out at an empty sidewalk on a quiet April evening, always a little nervous that someone might actually walk in.”
central to Jewish identity. And it would be easy to make the holiday only about our own suffering.
But the Seder challenges us to look outward. We are meant to take our personal memory and translate it into universal empathy. We are asked to see the pain of others, not just our own. That’s why we open the door.
This year, I invite you to take that invitation seriously. Maybe there’s a neighbor or friend whose story differs from yours, but who might find something meaningful at your Seder table. Invite them. Or set an extra place setting as a reminder that someone else could be there. That this table is meant to be open.
Another way to extend the ritual is by connecting it with local organizations doing sacred work—groups like
Looking back, those childhood worries were fair. This is a strange ritual. Standing at your door holding matzah and singing in Aramaic won’t exactly draw people in. And if we really care about making sure everyone has a place at the table, why limit that impulse to once or twice a year?
Of course, like much of the Seder, this act is symbolic. It’s not really about who shows up. It’s about us. About what kind of people we want to be.
Passover is a particular story—our story. It begins in pain and oppression and ends in freedom and hope. Other communities have different core stories, but this one is
the Food Bank of Northeastern Oklahoma, the Mental Health Association, or the Day Center for the Homeless. These groups open their doors every day to people who are hurting. Support their work. Learn about what they do. Make them part of your holiday.
Because the story we tell on Passover isn’t just about the past. It’s about who we’re becoming. It’s about turning memory into compassion, tradition into action.
This Passover, as we sing Ha Lachma Anya, may our particular story lead us to universal good. Let all who are hungry come and eat.
Congregation B’nai Emunah 1719 South Owasso Avenue Tulsa, Oklahoma 74120 tulsagogue.com
Tuesday, Apr. 1 – 3 Nisan
Neil Markman
Barbara Rambach
Eva Rashbaum
Wednesday, Apr. 2 – 4 Nisan
Henry “Hank” Alcouloumre
Monroe “Jim” Friedman
Ruth Guzik
Max Wolens
Thursday, Apr. 3 – 5 Nisan
Joe Bobrow
Maxine Jeffy
Etta Price
Friday, Apr. 4 – 6 Nisan
Mike May
Odie McReynolds
Saturday, Apr. 5 – 7 Nisan
Norma Lee Hipfner
Marjorie Lubin
Ruben Leib Paru
Sunday, Apr. 6 – 8 Nisan
Goldie Cash
Naomi Isaacs
Harry L. Miller
Sylvia Oberstein
Monday, Apr. 7 – 9 Nisan
Berel Dundee
Joe Katz
Philip Rubinstein
Joseph Silverman
Tuesday, Apr. 8 – 10 Nisan
Charles Brouse
Bahram Delrahim
Aaron Moran
Marvin Phillip Shalon
Wednesday, Apr. 9 – 11 Nisan
Eva Wiseman
Thursday, Apr. 10 – 12 Nisan
Frances Brodsky
Samuel David Miller
George Robison
Friday, Apr. 11 – 13 Nisan
Saul Baum
Dorthea Dundee
Helen Langer
Ben Stoyen
Jerry Wittels
Saturday, Apr. 12 – 14 Nisan
Harry Fadem
Abe Fedman
Barbara Goldberg
Mina Lapidus
Alicia Urban
Ben Watt
Sunday, Apr. 13 – 15 Nisan
Dorothy Zarrow Renberg
Monday, Apr. 14 – 16 Nisan
Shulamith Massil
Ethel Salle
Tuesday, Apr. 15 – 17 Nisan
Eleanor Brimer
Nathan Price
William Nathan Raskin
Al Solow
Wednesday, Apr. 16 – 18 Nisan
Abraham Markovitz
John Griffin Moody
Grace Soloman
Dr. Ronald L. Solow
Fannie Tenner
Harry Zoblotsky
Thursday, Apr. 17 – 19 Nisan
Paula Ethel Bergman
Friday, Apr. 18 – 20 Nisan
David C. Goldberg
Alena Horska
Saturday, Apr. 19 – 21 Nisan
Harry Borg
Sam Goldstein
Herbert Kramer
Samuel Lenske
Randall H. Levin
Rae Silverman
Sunday, Apr. 20 – 22 Nisan
Esther Ginsberg
Jerry Potash
Fred Preston
Shirley Rabinovitz
Tuesday, Apr. 22 – 24 Nisan
Jacqueline Payne
Robert Delos West
Wednesday, Apr. 23 – 25 Nisan
Dr. J.B. Raffkind
Sarah Wolfson
Thursday, Apr. 24 – 26 Nisan
Norman Marcum
Dan H. Schusterman
Charles Trynin
Friday, Apr. 25 – 27 Nisan
Hal Fein
Lillian Smith
Mayer Taxon
Saturday, Apr. 26 – 28 Nisan
Esther Fell
Sunday, Apr. 27 – 29 Nisan
Rae Aaronson
Joe Degen
Jay Newman
Albert Stein
Gladys Weinberg
Monday, Apr. 28 – 30 Nisan
Matilda Krasne
Tuesday, Apr. 29 – 1 Iyar
Hortense Alcouloumre
Florence Jacobs
Sam Kassel
Simon Levit
Dave Sylvan
Nathan Wittles
Wednesday, Apr. 30 – 2 Iyar
Beverly Kaiman