The Messenger - August 2018

MESSENGER

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volume

FROMB’NAI THE RABBI HIGHLIGHTS THECALENDAR SYNAGOGUE | CONGREGATION EMUNAH | TULSA | AUGUST 2018 | NO. 8

RISE UP SINGING—SEE PAGE X FOR DETAILS

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MILESTONES

SEPTEMBER AT A GLANCE

DEATHS

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SELICHOT

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS’ MEETING

Phyllis R. Heyman Grandmother of Ross Heyman

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MILLENIALS DO APPLES AND HONEY

Florence Sylvia Noshay Grandmother of Mike Noshay

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FIRST FRIDAY AT FLYLOFT

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ROSH HA-SHANAH DINNER AND SERVICE

Marvin Frank Goldstein, M.D. Brother of Irene Silberg

Monroe Kirshner

ROSH HA-SHANAH DAYS I AND II

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Joseph Abrahamson Father of Craig Abrahamson Dr. Manfred Katz Grandfather of Matt Katz Audrey Ginsburg Mother of Hillary Roubein Norman Levick Father of Jolene Sanditen MAZAL TOVS

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BIBI-DIBI

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YOM KIPPUR EVE/KOL NIDRAY

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YOM KIPPUR

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BAMBOO HARVEST

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Mazal tov to Dr. Leor and Hillary Roubein on the recent marriage of their daughter Rachel Roubein to Jon Wolper.

The wedding took place in Washington, D.C. on May 27.

The Synagogue joins with the entire Tulsa Jewish community in welcoming Rabbi Michael, Cantor Laurie, and Mose Weinstein to Tulsa and Temple Israel. Long life, good health, and much success!

SUKKOT DAYS I AND II

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SUKKAH OF WELCOME: MUSLIMS + JEWS

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FETO/SUNDAY MORNING SEMINAR THE MESSENGER August - Published Monthly | Bimonthly

We’re famous! Check out David Blatt’s conversation with Rivka Galchen in the June 4/11 issue of the New Yorker. Oklahoma Magazine profiled David Finer for his leadership efforts with Tulsa Tomorrow. Dr. John Schumann’s work with Blue Zones Project community health initiative garnered community-wide attention in the Tulsa World and other local news outlets.

Lastly, the Tulsa World featured a significant profile of David Charney and his work helping to attract Amazon to build a distribution center in Tulsa. Congratulations to all!

CONGREGATION B’NAI EMUNAH 1719 South Owasso Tulsa, Oklahoma 74120 Office: (918) 583‑7121 School: (918) 585‑KIDS Fax: (918) 747-9696 Website: www.tulsagogue.com

ON THE COVER Woody Guthrie is the patron saint of Rise Up Singing, the Synagogue’s annual celebration of Americana. Please join us on August 19 to sing about justice, peace, fairness, and open borders.

Mazal tov to Dr. Jeremy Kuzmarov on the recent publication of his book The Russians Are Coming, Again. This timely book argues that the strategy of demonizing Russia and Putin is not only dangerous, but unjustified, misguided, and a major distraction. Dr. Kuzmarov will lead a Salon Emunah conversation on this topic on Thursday, August 23, at 7 p.m. (continued on page 5)

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THE AUGUST CALENDAR OF EVENTS 3

day will include a creative prayer experience, time meeting teachers and exploring what students will be learning this year, thinking about expectations for the year, meeting other parents and families, singing, and more! The Launch will serve as the first Sunday of the school year and begins at 9:00 a.m. Questions about enrollment or registration?

Contact Sara Levitt at slevitt@bnaiemunah.com or call (918) 583-7121.

FIRST FRIDAY SHABBAT AT FLYLOFT

The Tulsa Arts District comes alive as galleries open their doors, musicians take to the streets, and community comes together for the monthly First Friday Art Crawl. Connect with your Synagogue community as we gather in the heart of the district for a musical Shabbat service. With song, learning, and reflection, we’ll enter the weekend reminding ourselves of all that is possible. It all gets started at 6:30 p.m. in the Flyloft, which is just above the Woody Guthrie Center. Look for the sign on the west side of the building.

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We invite the whole community to Rise Up Singing, a participatory songfest featuring roots, folk, and Americana in live performance. The concert is free and open to the public, and no reservations are necessary. An optional meal of authentic kosher deli will take place at 5:45 p.m. Those who’d like to reserve a place should call (918) 583-7121 or visit tulsadeli.org. The Synagogue is at the corner of Seventeenth and Peoria. For more information, go to tulsagogue.com.

Free valet parking is available. See page 11 for details.

JOHNSON BAR + BAT MITZVAH

Liam and Lara will ascend the bimah this morning to celebrate that Jewish coming-of-age. The Johnsons invite you to celebrate with them as they honor their children’s achievements.

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SELICHOT: A SEASON OF REFLECTION

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A traditional prelude to the High Holidays, Selichot is part of the season of turning, a transition which calls for focus and readiness. The evening begins with a meal at 6:00 p.m.

This meal serves as the congregation’s official welcome to all who have affiliated in the previous calendar year. We will also offer special tribute to those who volunteer their time to our community throughout the year. The evening will culminate with an hour-long service which introduces the motifs of the High Holidays and sets the musical mood of the liturgy. It is punctuated by the blowing of the shofar by a large group of volunteer shofar blowers. Reservations for this meal may be made by calling the Synagogue Office or visiting our website.

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THE RUSSIANS ARE COMING

From the World Cup to the 2016 Presidential Election, the US-Russia relationship has played a prominent role in American consciousness. In their new book, The Russians Are Coming, Again, Jeremy Kuzmarov and John Marciano look at the cold war through a lens of tragedy and farce. At this Salon Emunah conversation, Dr. Kuzmarov will share his analysis of recent history and facilitate a stimulating conversation. Coffee and treats will follow the talk. Please note that there is no cost for this event, but we ask that you call the Synagogue Office to let us know that you’re coming and to get directions to the private residence in midtown Tulsa. The program begins at 7:00 p.m.

MIDDLE SCHOOL RETREAT

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There’s nothing middling about this experience. All Synagogue students entering Middle School are invited to take part in this year’s overnight retreat to conclude a wonderful summer. The program will include low ropes activities, swimming and fun camp-style programs. This Middle School retreat is all about community building, learning, talking about the Jewish transition from childhood to adulthood, and fun!

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RISE UP SINGING

SHABBAT FOR EVERYONE

Let’s welcome home all of our kids returning from Jewish summer experiences all over the world. From Israel to Colorado to South America and beyond, our teens will share stories and lessons from their experiences. It all gets started with an optional communal Shabbat dinner, followed by a joyful and lively musical service. Klay Kodesh, the Synagogue’s musical group, will lift your spirits and send you singing into a restful weekend. No reservation is needed for the service at 7:00 p.m. Dinner begins at 6:15 p.m. Please contact us by calling (918) 583-7121 or visiting our website

by Wednesday August 22, to guarantee your place at the dinner table.

SHUL SCHOOL: THE LAUNCH

“The Launch” is a welcome back program for school-age students and their parents designed to launch us all into a great year of learning and community building together. The

(continued on page 4)

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TODAH RABAH

FROM RABBI FITZERMAN

SISTERHOOD

LESS IS MORE

THANKS SO MUCH

One of the most interesting developments in progressive Judaism is a taste for rituals invested with personal meaning.

Somebody might decide to visit the mikveh (the ritual bath built by every traditional community), but not for its original purpose. Instead, the visit may be an act of recovery, a personal cleansing, or a marker in the passage from one life situation to another. It could be part of the process of moving through a divorce, regaining strength after illness, or rebalancing a bereavement. Everything old is new again.

A warm todah rabbah to our team of Bikkur Cholim cooks and bakers, who restocked our fridge last month with delicious meals and treats. Volunteers include Brian Brouse, Linda Goldenstern, Starr Levin-Johnson, Jackie Lasky, Dedra Lapidus, Jan Finer, Angela Taubman, Wendy Weisberg, Allie Wenger, and Jill Wenger.

Special thanks to the volunteers who brought this year's Touro Celebration to life. Headed by Sally A. Donaldson, Terry Marcum, Craig Silberg, Dr. Elana Newman, and Jolene Sanditen, the team included Steve Aberson, Brian Brouse, Nancy Cohen, Randee Charney, Dr. Jan Finer, Angela Taubman, Molly Berger, Barbara Eisen, Dr. Linda Goldenstern, Kristi Tarabolous, Phyllis Zeligson, Dr. W.C. Goad, Mark Goldman, and Harvey Cohen. We are grateful to one and all!

I’ve been thinking about all of this in connection with the High Holidays and the power inherent in groups of ten. Not for nothing do we speak of Ten Days of Repentance. It is the number we can count on our own two hands. It is the number of plagues that freed the Israelites from Egypt.

Here’s a thought for the period ahead. The first day of Rosh Ha-Shanah this year arrives on September 10. On the first day of September, give up something that that you were meant to live without. It could be anything at all that you can remove from your life: a possession that is more burden than joy; something you love, but someone else would love more; an idea that no longer matches who you are at the deepest level of your heart and soul. I’m trying to describe a process of lightening, of putting aside physical and psychological clutter.

MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION? PLEASE CALL RABBI KAIMAN AT (918) 583-7121.

I say this because we are all too heavy. I weigh more than I should, I own too much, and I am bent by old ideas and expectations that make me feel like a beast of burden. It’s time to take a look at all of this, and prepare for the holidays by lightening the load.

AUGUST CALENDAR [CONT.]

(continued from page 3)

I call this spiritutal game by an obvious name: Less is More.

I will be playing it myself beginning on September 1. The first thing I’m going to give away is a yellow coat. I have four in total, and I don’t need all of them. I buy them because I love yellow coats, but how many coats can a person wear? Let someone else enjoy a yellow coat.

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SISTERHOOD WELLNESS KICKOFF

Let’s face it, wellness matters! Join Sisterhood for a fulfilling good-health experience at 10:00 a.m. at the Synagogue.

The morning will focus on yoga and nutrition (smoothies!).

Contact Iris Sandler at (918) 584-5826 or look for the postcard from Sisterhood. Cost is $10 per person.

What can you afford to give away?

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BIBI-DIBI: SO SMALL, SO CUTE!

A Shabbat experience for our very youngest members, we sit on the floor, sing songs, play games and dance our way into the weekend. With blessings to share, this is one fantastic way to connect to community. Parents, grandparents and community members are invited to the short service at 6:00 p.m. We do ask that you make reservations if you plan to join us for the Shabbat dinner which follows. Visit tulsagogue. com or call the Office at (918) 583-7121 today.

September 30 at 1:00 p.m The Plot Against America by Phillip Roth Discussion Leader: Alice Blue The Synagogue Library

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VOLUNTEERISM

BNAI MITZVAH LARA AND LIAM JOHNSON

ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE

Lara Pearl Johnson and Liam James Johnson, children of David and Starr Johnson and siblings to Levi, will become b’nai mitzvah on August 11, 2018, at Congregation B’nai Emunah. Liam and Lara are both honor students entering 8th grade at Bixby Middle School. Lara enjoys gardening, writing and spending time with her friends. Liam enjoys gardening, plays soccer and video games, and fishes.

As our program in language construction continues to evolve, we will be focussing our efforts during this coming year on preparation for citizenship. In practical terms, our students will enter the program at higher levels of English proficiency, and we will be educating them in the rudiments of civics, government, political representation, American history, geography, etc.

Lara and Liam are the grandchildren of the late Ralph and Renee Levin of Sturgis, Michigan, and Jim Johnson and the late Patsy Johnson of Middletown, Ohio. The twins will celebrate this occasion with aunts, uncles, cousins and friends from across the United States.

Despite the enormous need, there are very few programs that tackle this agenda in Tulsa. We’d like to accomodate as many students as possible, and invite volunteers to make contact with our Director of Jewish Life and Learning, Sara Levitt at (918) 583-7121 or slevitt@bnaiemunah.com.

Preparations for the B’nai Mitzvah have been led by Greg Raskin.

Please note that English language instruction will remain an important component in our program, and we invite you to lend a hand with one-on-one tutoring. Help will also be needed in our complimentary childcare program for the young children of citizenship students. That part of our effort is unique in Tulsa. Nighttime transportation is not an issue because all classes will take place during the day on Wednesdays and Fridays at the Synagogue.

Please join the Johnson family for services at 9:00 a.m.

A kiddush luncheon will follow in the Kaiser-Miller Auditorium.

We are grateful to acknowledge the financial support of The Sharna and Irvin Frank Foundation, which makes this program possible. The Foundation has been a steadfast partner in this effort since our longtime experience at McClure Elementary School.

FROM LARRY FELDMAN FAREWELL TO YOHAI GROSS Two years have passed since Yohai arrived. He began his journey as our community Shaliach (emissary) and now it’s time to say thank you and goodbye!

MILESTONES [CONT.] (continued from page 2)

Yohai, I want to share with you my deepest appreciation and gratitude for your help and enthusiasm. It has been an incredible experience.

Michael Kriegsman earned his Ph.D. in Cognition and Neuroscience from The University of Texas at Dallas.

Michael studied MRI brain networks, and how to explore behavioral and brain data using "big data" statistics. He is now working as a data science consultant, and collaborating on research and technologies for self-awareness and interpersonal development.

For two years, you have planned trips and Israeli visitors, befriended Tulsa Public School children, and spoken to people on campuses, at churches and to civic organizations.

It has been wonderful to watch you send those who visit Israel for the first time and return with a new understanding of what Israel means to the Jewish people. It opens the eyes of people in Tulsa and benefits both the US and Israel. Yohai, (continued on page 6)

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FROM SARA LEVITT

FAREWELL [CONTINUED]

(continued from page 5)

STARTING AGAIN

you are a great organizer and have always been diligent, enthusiastic and creative.

I have always loved this time of year—new school supplies, seeing old friends, and an excitement about moving ahead a grade. This enthusiasm has been amplified as I continue my career as a Jewish educator. All of the dreaming and planning over the summer, the meetings and training, come to fruition as the students fill the seats in our school. Over the summer, I spent a great deal of time thinking about our school community and how to continue to enhance and grow our program. Our effort began with our Parent Listening Campaign, an effort to hear directly from parents about their dreams for their children’s Jewish educational experience and how we can best support and nurture them along the way.

This campaign brought new ideas and inspiration for how we engage families in our program more deeply and meaningfully.

Look out for take-home resources for families around holiday celebration, enhancements to our Garinim (pre-school) class at ShulSchool and continued adjustments to our Hebrew Language Lab curriculum.

You have opened our eyes to the beauty of Israel. Thanks to you, we better understand Israel and how she continues to face new challenges of leadership, education, Jewish diversity and pluralism, and how Israel’s existence is not something that we can take for granted. It has been heartwarming to watch you inspire so many dedicated community members.

On top of your commitment to the Tulsa Jewish community I am glad to see that you are returning home with a new American member of your family. I hope your children continue to be a blessing and a joy to both you and Einat.

I hope that for the past two years, the Tulsa Jewish community has served as a home away from home for you and your family. I hope you know that you are leaving with many friends and memories for life.

On behalf of the entire Tulsa Jewish community, I would like to conclude by thanking you for you friendship and dedication. We wish you and your family a healthy and happy future. You have been a great asset to this Jewish corner of the world. Now that you are returning to Israel, I personally feel grateful for having had this wonderful experience and memories with you. Thank you for coming to Tulsa. Your friendship will be forever carried in our hearts. Please keep in touch with us and come visit Tulsa again.

Additionally, I spent several days at the Mandel Teacher Educator Institute thinking of my own practice as a Jewish Educational leader and how to encourage and train the teachers in our school to be the best in their field. Inspired by this training, our faculty will be embarking on a yearlong professional development training on the topic of good teaching. We will investigate what it means to be a good teacher at B’nai Emunah, set standards together for excellent teaching and explore methods and protocols to enhance our program.

I am excited to embark on this journey with our teachers and look forward to sharing the fruits of our labors throughout the year ahead.

SUSTAINABILITY

Our school year kicks off in the best way we know how—with celebration, community, learning, and noshes! Join us on Sunday, August 19, starting at 9:00 a.m., for The Launch. The morning will include brunch, a school wide service experience, meet-the-teacher, time in the classroom, singing and more!

The Launch serves as the first day of school and is a day for both students and parents. There is still time to register for our programs. Remember that we offer experiences for twoyear-olds through 7th graders, as well as a Madrichim program for our 8th through 12th graders at ShulSchool. Our Hebrew Language Lab program on Wednesdays is for 3rd through 6th graders, with an option for early start for our 2nd-grade students. To learn more about enrollment, please be in touch with Morah Sara at 918-583-7121 or slevitt@bnaiemunah. com. We look forward to another wonderful year!

We’re making progress every single day. Our efforts yielded 978 pounds of compost between May 19 and June 29. When you are in the Synagogue, please help us by recycling everything you can, keeping your eye on power usage, and acting with mindful respect toward natural resources.

Thank you from the Synagogue Sustainability Team!

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SISTERS | JANET DUNDEE

FROM RABBI KAIMAN

UPCOMING (CONCLUDED)

CARE KITS FOR THE HOMELESS

SELICHOT

Joining other groups nationwide, Congregation B’nai Sisterhood is now collecting items to make care kits for the homeless. Care kits are a simple way to provide practical help to a homeless person, by keeping a kit in your car so you are prepared to offer one when needed. Sisterhood will collect and bag the following items for the kits:

I never quite know how to classify Tulsa’s regional identity.

As a Jew who grew up in the Deep South, there are many parts of life in Oklahoma that resonate with my personal experiences of Southern Jewry. Yet I often encounter those who come from other parts of the Midwest or West who reflect similarities they feel between this place and the place they came from. Whether you grew in Maple Ridge or have just moved to Tulsa from one of the coasts, I have a feeling you too may have grappled with these questions.

And some have come to staunch conclusions about what Tulsa’s regional identity should properly be.

Non-perishable single snacks such as fruit or pudding cups, applesauce cups, foil tuna packs, trail mix, granola or cereal bars, small bottles of water, peanut butter crackers and cheese crackers.

Basic needs, including socks and band-aids.

But Jewishly, we tend to see things a bit differently. There is generally a settled assumption that Jewish communities like our own should behave in patterns that mirror Askhenazic Jewish practice. Ashkenazic identity stems from the world of Eastern European Jewish life and became the default assumption in America as a result of immigration patterns and demographics.

Travel size personal-care items, such as deodorant, lip balm, tissues, wet wipes, toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, nail clippers, combs, and sunscreen.

When kits are completed, they will be available at the front desk for anyone to pick up. If you have any questions about this project, please contact Jolene Sanditen.

But I am here to say that I like the confusing identity we inhabit as a city and a community. And I think there is great strength that comes from the diversity of identities that are rooted in our civic lives. To be a Tulsan is to be many things and we are all invited to reflect about what that means for ourselves and our community. I like the idea that even the most dominant and settled notions of identity can be picked up and examined.

Our thanks to Dr. David Hurewitz for raising this possibility as a social-justice undertaking at the Synagogue.

IRON GATE VOLUNTEERING CONTINUES Dr. Sarah-Anne Schumann is scheduling volunteers for the fourth Sunday in August at Iron Gate. Dates are available throughout the fall as well. If you are interested in volunteering and are 13 years or older, contact Sarah-Anne at hennschu@gmail.com. Breakfast for Iron Gate guests runs from 8:15 a.m to 10:30 a.m. Please contact us soon!

To that end, I’d like to highlight a programmatic enhancement to this year’s High Holiday season that reflects the many different Jewish identities represented in the Synagogue. Selichot are the penitential prayers which mark the start of a season of reflection for the Jewish community. Historically, Ashkenazic Jews have understood Selichot to be a sort of burden and thus have adopted a practice of beginning the season of reflection as close as possible to Rosh Ha-Shanah itself. However, Sephardic communities have traditionally done something different.

Sephardic communities look at this season with opportunity and excitement and rush to the first possible moment to launch this Jewish season of repentance and reflection.

SISTERHOOD BOOK CLUB WITH ALICE BLUE A 2017 New Yorker article identified Phillip Roth’s novel, The Plot Against America, a “masterwork of counter-factual history.” This what-if story focuses on Charles Lindbergh, the aviation hero and Nazi sympathizer, who is elected President in 1940, leading to the widespread persecution of the Jews in the United States. Though the novel’s overarching frame is the national and international crisis that Roth imag(continued on page 8)

To highlight this variant practice this year, we will begin our season of reflection on Sunday, August 12, with a Selichot dinner and service. As always, we will use the forum of Selichot to welcome new members of the Synagogue family and acknowledge volunteers in the Synagogue community.

This year we will be offering thanks to the Synagogue volunteers of the Altamont Bakery. By eagerly approaching

CALL RABBI FITZERMAN AT (918) 583-7121 TO SIGN UP FOR HIGH HOLIDAY SHOFAR BLOWING.

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FROM RABBI KAIMAN

SISTERHOOD [CONTINUED]

these opportunities we get to enjoy even more of our High Holiday season.

ines, its specifics are intimate “as a middle-class family in New Jersey deals with the unimaginable made imaginable.

This 2004 novel needs to be read and reread in this season of Phillip Roth’s death and the current political climate.

(continued on page 7)

(continued on page 7)

Of course, for those who are accustomed to a Selichot experience more closely tied to Ashkenazic practice, we will hold Selichot services on September 1 as well. I am excited to experiment with the variety of ways Jewish life has approached our holiday seasons. It can sometimes be confusing to be a place of many identities. But as Tulsa has shown me, the result is a stronger, more vibrant community for all.

Alice Blue will tackle this project as part of Sisterhood’s ongoing Book Club. The conversation will take place on Sunday, September 30, 2018, at 1:00 p.m. in the Synagogue Library. Copies of the novel are widely available on Amazon and other book-purchasing sites, and you can also borrow a copy from the Tulsa City-County Library.

KUDOS

NEWS FROM BBYO Congratulations to Maia Anderson, BBYO President, and Jarred Simon, AZA President, for Fall 2018. Mazal tov also to Jayson King (Beau) and Amelia Wimmer (Sweetheart). Look for a complete list of Board members in September.

SEVENTEETH STREET DELI Messenger readers may be interested to know that Nosher, the country’s premier Jewish food website, recently tipped its hat to the Seventeenth Street Deli, naming it one of the best Jewish delicatessens in the United States. That’s quite an achievement for an emerging pop-up, but it points to the fact that we don’t need to live in New York or New Jersey to have great deli at our doorstep. Let’s hear it for the Jews of the Plains!

MITZVOT ART FROM THE HEART Please share framed artwork for the residents of community-supported housing in the Tulsa area. The Synagogue has now become the conduit for a significant flow of contributions.

All you have to do is drop your gift off at the Synagogue. For information about pickup of your artwork at your home, please call Dr. Melissa Weiss at (918) 260-2294.

BIBI-DIBI AT THE SYNAGOGUE AUGUST 31, 2018, AT 6:00 P.M. PLEASE JOIN US!

NEXT SEVENTEENTH STREET DELI ON AUGUST 19 PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS $18 DELI FEAST WILL BE SERVED UP ON THE NIGHT OF RISE UP SINGING

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THE HIGH HOLIDAYS AT THE SYNAGOGUE self-conscious reflection. Musaf is a beautiful service, with music designed to engage the heart of each worshipper. On Rosh Ha-Shanah, Musaf includes a second round of shofar blowings which crescendo at the end of the service.

IN GENERAL High Holiday services differ radically from place to place.

Congregations in metropolitan centers can be quite formal, with large choirs, elaborate production values, and a strong performative esthetic. B’nai Emunah is at the opposite end of the spectrum. The tone of the Synagogue is intimate, informal, and fully participatory. We have worked hard to create an atmosphere of ease and inclusiveness.

A notable feature of the liturgy is the inclusion of elaborate liturgical poems and insertions which lift the High Holidays out of the normal routines of worship. These poems (piyyutim) are an important feature of the liturgy throughout, and bear witness to the evolving nature of Jewish worship.

Many of them are acrostic prayers which encode the names of their composers and invite us to leave our own mark on the service.

THE SCHEDULE The period of celebration begins on the Eve of Rosh Ha-Shanah and continues on the following two days. The short service that initiates the festival is preceded by a holiday meal at the Synagogue. It is also brief enough so that you could celebrate a meal at home. Services on the first and second days of Rosh Ha-Shanah begin at 9:00 a.m. and end at 12:30 p.m. There are also short services in the early evening on both days of Rosh Ha-Shanah.

Evening Services are also built around the recitation of the Shema (“Hear, O Israel, Adonai is our God; Adonai alone”), with prayers and blessings flanking it on either side. In this case, there is only one recitation of the Amidah; it is traditionally recited silently by each worshipper, without a public repetition. On Yom Kippur, both Evening Services at the beginning and end of the holiday are expanded to accommodate supplementary material that addresses the great themes of repentance, forgiveness, God’s love, self-judgment, and moral clarity.

This pattern is elaborated on Yom Kippur with an important service on the eve of the holiday, commonly called Kol Nidray. Most of the next day is taken up with services beginning at 9:30 a.m. and culminating at sunset with the Ne’ilah (“Closing”) Service.

THE PRAYERBOOK

SPEAKING OF LITURGY

The special prayerbook for the High Holidays is called the Machzor. Like every traditional Jewish prayerbook, the Machzor reads from right to left, opening at what would normally be the back cover of an English book. Hebrew text appears on the right side of the page, with an English translation on the left.

Services for the High Holidays are built on a framework that closely resembles the liturgy for Sabbaths and Festivals.

The morning services on Rosh Ha-Shanah and Yom Kippur begin with a meditative introduction, followed by the official Morning Service. Two essential prayers make up this component of the liturgy: the Shema (“Hear, O Israel…”) and the Amidah, whose contents may include praise, thanksgiving or petition, depending on the theme of the service. This is followed by the singing of the Torah portion assigned for the day, a reading that differs on each morning of the holiday.

The reading is broken up into several parts, allowing many people to come forward as assigned to bless each in turn. The Torah service is the most “theatrical” element in the liturgy in the sense that there is a processional, recessional, and the opening and closing of the Ark. On Rosh Ha-Shanah, this service also includes the sounding of the shofar, a simple, unadorned ram’s horn that is the great symbol of the festival season.

Our machzor is all-inclusive, but we use a supplementary binder which many of our congregants also find helpful.

These binders include transliterations of every Hebrew text chanted by the Cantor or congregation, so that people who are not familiar with the Hebrew alphabet can participate fully in the service. The binders also include supplementary prayers and meditations which may enrich the experience of worship (davvening) for many.

CHOREOGRAPHY As in many worship traditions, the liturgy of the Synagogue calls upon us to respond physically to the words of the Machzor. Prayers of special importance are recited while standing. Prayers of crucial importance require that the Ark be opened as a symbolic gesture, acknowledging the extreme sanctity of the moment.

At the close of the Torah service, there is a second version of the Amidah, called Musaf, or Additional Service. This element is an elaboration of the normal Sabbath Musaf and includes many components which refer to the special themes of the High Holidays: the rule of God, the memory of the People Israel, and the sounding of the shofar as a call to

Look for additional material about the High Holidays at B’nai Emunah in the September issue of the Messenger.

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FEATURED EVENTS AT THE SYNAGOGUE Those who’d like to reserve space for a pre-concert meal at 5:45 p.m. should call the Synagogue at (918) 583-7121 or go online to tulsadeli.org. The meal will be catered by the Seventeenth Street Deli, B’nai Emunah’s in-house kosher delicatessen. Patrons can look forward to artisanal, housecured pastrami and corned beef, knishes, Synagogue-baked rye bread, dill half-sour pickles, babka, and all the traditional accompaniments of a Jewish deli experience. Cost for the meal is $18. Tours of the building will be offered at 5:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. for neighbors and friends who would like to know more about Jewish life in Tulsa. Free valet parking will be available beginning at 6:00 p.m. Please note that if you purchase meals, seats in a special section of the Sanctuary will be held for you so that you can finish your dinner without hurrying.

RISE UP SINGING 2018 Community singing is like nothing else. We lift each other to a higher place when we take part in music-making with other people. Congregation B’nai Emunah works to capture this feeling in its participatory concert at the end of each summer. This year’s edition will take place on Sunday evening, August 19, and focus on folk, roots music, and Americana.

Rise Up Singing differs from other concerts in that performers are song leaders, not soloists. Every audience member will receive a folio of lyrics, and the words to each song will also be displayed on a large screen. Hundreds of members and friends of B’nai Emunah are expected to attend this annual event.

This year’s concert is a tribute to the lives of Irvin and Sharna Frank, community leaders and philanthropists. May the memory of the righteous be for a blessing.

Leading the singing this year are Synagogue members and professionals, along with special friends of the congregation.

B’nai Emunah is at the corner of 17th and Peoria. The singing begins at 7:00 p.m. and the event is free and open to the public. Please note that no reservations are necessary.

Greg Raskin, original member of the Rise Up Singing ensemble, rehearsing in the Synagogue Sanctuary.

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h

august | av-elul Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

1

Wednesday

9:00 AM Altamont Packing 5:30 PM Service

2

Thursday

5:30 PM Service

3

Friday

5:30 PM Service 6:00 PM First Friday Shabbat at Flyloft 8:07 PM Candles 8:27 PM Sunset

Saturday

4

8:30 AM Siddur Study 9:00 AM Shabbat Service 8:35 PM Closing Service 8:50 PM Havdalah

Torah: Eikev

5

5:30 PM Service

6

5:30 PM Service 7:00 PM Summer Binge

7

1:00 PM Altamont Baking 5:30 PM Service

8

9:00 AM Altamont Packing 5:30 PM Service

9

5:30 PM Service

10

5:30 PM Service 7:59 PM Candles 8:19 PM Sunset

11

8:30 AM Siddur Study 9:00 AM B’nai Mitzvah of Lara and Liam Johnson 8:25 PM Closing Service 8:40 PM Havdalah

Torah: Re’eh

12

5:30 PM Service 6:00 PM Selichot: Season of Reflection

13

5:30 PM Service

Rosh Chodesh Elul

19

9:00 AM ShulSchool: THE LAUNCH 5:30 PM Service 5:45 PM 17th Street Deli 7:00 PM Rise Up Singing

14

1:00 PM Altamont Baking 5:30 PM Service 7:00 PM Board of Directors

Middle School Retreat

20

5:30 PM Service

21

1:00 PM Altamont Baking 5:30 PM Service

15

9:00 AM Altamont Packing 5:30 PM Service

16

5:30 PM Service

17

5:30 PM Service 7:51 PM Candles 8:11 PM Sunset

Middle School Retreat

22

9:00 AM Altamont Packing 4:00 PM Hebrew Lab 5:30 PM Service

18

8:30 AM Siddur Study 9:00 AM Shabbat Service 8:20 PM Closing Service 8:35 PM Havdalah

Torah: Shoftim

23

5:30 PM Service 7:00 PM Salon Emunah | Russia: Comedy or Tragedy?

24

5:30 PM Service 6:15 PM Shabbat Dinner 7:00 PM Shabbat for Everyone 7:42 PM Candles 8:02 PM Sunset

25

8:30 AM Siddur Study 9:00 AM Shabbat Service 8:10 PM Closing Service 8:25 PM Havdalah

Torah: Ki Teitzei

26

9:00 AM ShulSchool 10:00 AM Sisterhood Wellness Kickoff Event 12:00 PM High Holiday Prep Session 5:30 PM Service

Calendar for August 2018.indd 1

27

5:30 PM Service

28

1:00 PM Altamont Baking 5:30 PM Service

29

9:00 AM Altamont Packing 4:00 PM Hebrew Lab 5:30 PM Service 6:30 PM Midrasha

30

5:30 PM Service

31

5:30 PM Service 6:00 PM Bibi-Dibi 7:32 PM Candles 7:52 PM Sunset

7/27/2018 4:17:11 PM

CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE SYNAGOGUE Altamont Bakery Fund Sheryl and Harold Springer Gale Mason

Morris and Edith Sylvan Transportation Fund

Ann Beerman Flower and Garden Fund

Jan Brickman Shirley and Martin Brody Mindy and Harris Prescott Phyllis Raskin

Bikur Cholim Fund

Norman and Shirley Levin Fund for Prayerbook Publication

B’nai Brith Youth Education Fund

Rabbi Arthur D. Kahn, D. D., Culture Fund

Estelle Finer

Gale Mason

Donna and Gary Dundee

Camp Ramah Scholarship Fund

Michele and Dr. David Schwartz

Chevra Kadisha Fund

Molly and Dr. Sheldon Berger Barbara and Dr. Rick Cohen

Dave Sylvan Joyful Music Fund Phyllis Raskin

Education Endowment Fund Nancy Fisher

Joe and Dorothy Katz Senior Adult Fund Brenda and Jerome Katz Shelly and Hal Narotzky

Joe Kantor Hebrew School Fund Sharon Markman

Meyer Rozen Prayerbook Fund Carla and Les Weston

Mizel Family Philanthropic Fund Susan and Jerry Sokol

Morris and Toby Fell Landscaping Fund Rita Levit

Contributions for August 2018 Messenger.indd 1

Bonnie and George Kennedy

Janet Dundee and Jeff Darby Susan and Jerry Sokol

Rabbi Daniel S. Kaiman Discretionary Fund

Janet Dundee and Jeff Darby Julie Frank Anna Hudson Vicki and Dr. David Hurewitz Rebeca Shalom and Rabbi David Kaiman Diane and Scott Phillips Sara Rich

Rabbi Marc Boone Fitzerman Discretionary Fund

Diane Brin and Coleman Robison Julie Frank Sheila and Samuel Harding Ada Middlebrook and Fran Jacobson Diane and Scott Phillips Sara Rich Hillary and Dr. Leor Roubein Tobi and Mark Rubin Dr. Don Simkin

Robinowitz Library Fund Vellie Bloch Rosetta and Avrom Brodsky

Rose Borg Sukkah Fund

Rosalyn Borg (St. Louis) and family Elaine and Allan Jeffy Bonnie and Louis Spiesberger

Schlanger-Blend Kitchen Furnishings Fund Sheila and Samuel Harding Andrea Schlanger

Scott Sanditen Memorial Community Service Fund Dr. Harvey Blumenthal Jon Kantor Harold Sanditen Jean and Will Sanditen Phyllis and Stephen Zeligson

Sharna Frank Music Fund Faye and Marvin Robinowitz

Synagogue General Fund

Vera Berlin Linda Brown O’Neil Cobb Irene and Irving Fenster Carol and Irvin Gertner Elaine Kahn Helen and Henry Katz Rita Levit Madelyn and Franklyn Moskowitz Cheryl and Greg Myers Mindy and Harris Prescott Lillian and Bernard Roberts Jolene Sanditen Jamie and Andy Seigel Irene Silberg Barbara and Dave Sylvan Isrella Taxon Ann Weisman and Charles King

The Religious School Fund Joan Green

Touro Award, Honoring Barbara and Dave Sylvan

Steve Aberson and Brent Ortolani Ellen and Dr. Steve Adelson Susanna and Jim Adelson Jennifer Airey Judy and Jeff Alexander Maria and Miguel de Arce Alin Avitan and Liane Torianyk Molly and Dr. Sheldon Berger

7/27/2018 4:12:44 PM

THE SYNAGOGUE

Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage

PAID

CONGREGATION B’NAI EMUNAH

Tulsa, Oklahoma Permit No. 587

1719 South Owasso Avenue Tulsa, Oklahoma 74120 P.O. Box 52430 Tulsa, Oklahoma 74152

YAHRTZEIT CALENDAR­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­ —20 AV THROUGH 20 ELUL 5778 20 Av - Wednesday, August 1 Marvin Dorskin Margaret Ferrell Aaron Taxon Maynard Ungerman 21 Av - Thursday, August 2 Max Kosloff Ralph Levin Meyer Moran Lillian Goldberger Price Frieda Siegal Henry Vinick 22 Av - Friday, August 3 Abe Abend Isaac Javaherian Fradel (Fannie) Selinger Libby Singer 23 Av - Saturday, August 4 Violet Aaronson Sidney Conan Max Feldman Steven Yale Glazer Gertrude Hart Myer L. Roberts Frances Schneirow Pearl B. Sellinger Nathan Zeff 24 Av - Sunday, August 5 Mamie Blum Dorothy Kessler 25 Av - Monday, August 6 Klara Kohlhagen Sophie Kriegsman Delphine Rozen Sam Viner Joseph Yusim Morris Zeligson 26 Av - Tuesday, August 7 Alan Guterman Taube Kahan 27 Av - Wednesday, August 8 Louis David Adelson Billie Grabel Maguy Kaiser

Adolph L. Kaplan Howard L. Raskin 28 Av - Thursday, August 9 Lucille Berman Joseph Foreman Robert Greenberg Avram Natan Nacht Dinah (D.G.) Sanditen 29 Av - Friday, August 10 Anna Berman Isaac Borg Sophie Eisen Tauben Harry M. Rubin Regina Mary West 30 Av - Saturday, August 11 Edrea Ann Appleton Abraham Greenberg Carolyn Kriegsman Ida Leah Stolov 1 Elul - Sunday, August 12 Leon Brody Anna Markovitz Annie Geffen Sanofsky Bessie Skuy 2 Elul - Monday, August 13 Andy Dickson Carl Fischbein Barbara Schreier Jennifer Reinstein Stern 3 Elul - Tuesday, August 14 Theresa Andelman David Isaac Contente Shaine Rochel Donde William Tilkin 4 Elul - Wednesday, August 15 Sam Moyen Fanny Neuwald 5 Elul - Thursday, August 16 Maurice Binstock Joseph E. Borg Abraham Isralsky Clara Klein Melvin Stein

6 Elul - Friday, August 17 Jake Glenn Norman R. Wilcove Brock Zeff-Bakke 7 Elul - Saturday, August 18 Herman Deacon Cohen Jeanette Fedman 8 Elul - Sunday, August 19 Samuel Cohen Cadi Klein Betsy Rosenthal-Davis Don TraHarriet Harkavy 9 Elul - Monday, August 20 Rose Fleischman Dr. Harry Green Harriet Harkavy Harriet L. (Gerber) Harkavy Leonard Krasne Rachel Ungerman 10 Elul - Tuesday, August 21 Gertrude Drissman Samuel Ettleman Ethel Golman Fell Mark Malkove Joseph Mandlebaum Reuben Getzel Prezma Louis F. Schnur 11 Elul - Wednesday, August 22 Abe Alexander Aaron Goff Lawrence Siegel 12 Elul - Thursday, August 23 Lionel E.Z. Aaronson O.G. Bortel Dudley Gottehrer Sophia Marks Lilian Moran Harry Robbin Sharon Romer Chaya Schwartzblatt Jewell Steinberg Surloff Harry J. Weiner

14 Elul - Saturday, August 25 Jack I. Brown Catherine B. Campbell Fannie Marks Allen Politzer Aaron Rabinovitz Sarah Roberts Kauffman Simon Selinger 15 Elul - Sunday, August 26 Abe Charney Frank Goodman Sarah Magoon Nancy Sue Polishuk Ben Prezma Mike Robinowitz Evelyn Wolf 16 Elul - Monday, August 27 Israel Friedberg Fannie A. Mizel Stockfish Louis Weiss Samuel Zolt 17 Elul - Tuesday, August 28 Rose Blacher Weinstein 18 Elul - Wednesday, August 29 Jeanette Chucker Janet Cohen Harold Guller Luie Kurtz Esther Milan Pearl Myers Herman Sternfield 19 Elul - Thursday, August 30 Samuel M. Kantor Abraham Krasne 20 Elul - Friday, August 31 Mary Louise (White) Young Harold Charney Chaim Plost Max Samuel Eva Spector Wittels

13 Elul - Friday, August 24 Lillian Rubin Barry Saveth

May their souls be bound up in the bond of life everlasting. | Please note that each yahrtzeit begins at sunset on the day before the date listed.

Yahrtzeits for August 2018.indd 1

7/27/2018 4:24:32 PM