WCT Makom December 2019

the newsletter of woodlands community temple

1st Hanukkah candle Sunday night, Dec 22 ...

December 2019 Kislev-Tevet 5780

Bagel Meets Banjo: The Music of Nefesh Mountain

Weekend with Nefesh Mountain Fri-Sun, Dec 6-8

by Fran Smith

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he idea of fusing bluegrass and Jewish music may seem odd, until you hear Nefesh Mountain. The band seamlessly and beautifully melds Hebrew vocals, Jewish liturgy and the lyricism of Torah with the old time acoustic string sounds of American roots music. “They are the only people I know doing this style of Jewish music,” said Cantor Ellen Dreskin, “and they happen to be very, very good at what they do!”

And Woodlands happens to be very, very fortunate because we’ll have Nefesh Mountain here for a full weekend, Friday-Sunday, December 6-8. They’ll be on the bimah Friday evening, headline a concert Saturday night, and perform at the Jonah Maccabee Family Concert during religious school on Sunday. “The congregation is in for a treat!” Ellen said.

The five-member band is led by Doni Zasloff and Eric Lindberg, native New Yorkers who fell in love as they began writing this unlikely music together, and are now married.

Doni is an award-winning singer and songwriter. Eric is an influential composer and Continued on page 2

By David Gaffen and Lee Brickman

O

American Bluegrass and old-time music meet Jewish Heritage and tradition. Husband and wife Eric Lindberg and Doni Zasloff share their love for American music, their own cultural heritage, and each other. Eric’s banjo virtuosity, Doni’s vocal beauty, the band’s proficient, all influenced by bluegrass, Celtic, and Jazz, create music with a sense of diversity, oneness, and purpose for our world today.

Shabbat with Nefesh Mountain Fri, Dec 6 at 8:00 pm Joined by our clergy, we’ll welcome Shabbat at Woodlands like never before!

Nefesh Mountain in Concert Sat, Dec 7 at 8:00 pm

From the Holocaust to Space n January 16, 2003, Ilan Ramon became the first and only Israeli astronaut to become part of a space exploration mission when he and six others blasted off from earth on the Space Shuttle

bring home the miracle, the warmth, and the light!

Columbia mission that tragically ended two weeks later, when the entire crew was killed during re-entry.

Ramon’s family had survived the Holocaust, and he brought with him a number of Jewish artifacts on the mission, including a miniature Torah scroll given to him by Dr. Joachim Joseph, also a Holocaust survivor, who carried the scroll after it was given to him in the concentration camp Bergen-Belsen, in Germany, the same place Anne Frank died.

Filmmaker Dan Cohen read of this story, and set about making a documentary about Ramon, and Dr. Joseph, honoring their memories in the film An Article of Hope, screening at Woodlands on Sunday, January 12 at 4:00 pm, followed by a discussion and Q&A with Cohen. It took seven years for Cohen to make this film, which recounts Continued on page 2

The only cost of admission to hear an outstanding performance is your donation of $18 ($10 for students) that will be used to assist the Bahamas (through IsraAID) as it continues to dig out from Hurricane Dorian, and support our Annual Fund project. Tickets are on sale now at wct.org/concert.

Jonah Maccabee Family Concert with Nefesh Mountain Sun, Dec 8, during religious school Special Kindling and Spark Programs plus concerts for K-2 and 3-6, respectively.

So get your bluegrass groove going and c’mon over to WCT for a weekend of unique Jewish culture that’s not to be missed!

Our Woodlands Community Rabbi Billy Dreskin

rabbi@wct.org Rabbi Mara Young

rabbimara@wct.org Cantor Jonathan Ben Gordon

cantor@wct.org Lily Mandell, Director of Youth Engagement

youth@wct.org Corey Friedlander, Sh’liakh K’hilah

corey@wct.org Zach Plesent, Rabbinic Intern

intern@wct.org

Executive Committee Andy Farber, President

president@wct.org Nancy Fishman, VP Education

education@wct.org Alan Kaplan, VP Facilities

facilities@wct.org Judy Feder, VP Finance

finance@wct.org Jenna Lebowich, VP Programming/Ritual

programming@wct.org Herb Friedman, Financial Secretary

financialsecretary@wct.org Pam Chernoff, Secretary

secretary@wct.org Michael Wiskind, Treasurer

treasurer@wct.org

Board of Trustees Irv Adler Bonni Arbore David Bertan Yvette Gralla Joy Gralnick Juli Klein

Toby Linder Lisa Linn Andrew Loose Steve Schwartz Ann Zarider Jay Zwicker

Dayle Fligel (immediate past president)

Office Staff Liz Rauchwerger, Office Coordinator liz@wct.org Marjorie Mattel, Office Assistant marjorie@wct.org Michele Montague, Education Administrative Assistant michele@wct.org Bookkeeper bookkeeper@wct.org

Woodlands Community Temple 50 Worthington Road White Plains, NY 10607 914.592.7070 main office 914.592.1790 religious school direct line 914.592.7376 fax wct@wct.org www.wct.org Religious School: school@wct.org

Woodlands Community Temple is affiliated with the Union for Reform Judaism Art Director: Melanie Roher Advertising Director: Dayle Fligel

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Bagel Meets Banjo: The Music of Nefesh Mountain, Continued from p. 1

multi-instrumentalist virtuoso with a deep love for the 5-string banjo, mandolin, guitar and dobro. Their songs celebrate their heritage and pride as Jews and Americans, offering messages of diversity, wholeness and harmony.

It’s a powerful tonic in these challenging times. Plus, it’s fun. Their songs will stir your soul AND make you want to get up and dance.

Bluegrass, born in the mountains of Appalachia, has roots in traditional Irish and Scottish ballads and dance tunes and in African American blues and jazz. There are strains, often heavy ones, of gospel, which is one reason why it doesn’t seem like Jewish fare.

But the genre has continually evolved, shaped by the rich diversity of cultures and traditions across the American landscape. And Jews have absorbed and influenced the music of every country we’ve lived in. So why not Jewish bluegrass (or Jewgrass, as The Times of Israel has called it)?

The songs of Nefesh Mountain do more than fill a gap between Judaism and an iconic American musical genre.

They lift up shared cultural themes,

values that unite people from Woodlands to the hills of West Virginia and well beyond. Love for home and family.

Reverence for nature. Longing for human connection.

The band has released two full-length recordings. Their latest, Beneath the Open Sky, came out last year to glowing reviews. “This is one of the finest, wholly bluegrass records one will hear in not only 2018 but as a touchstone moving forward,” wrote The Journal of Roots Music, No Depression. The website Staccatofy declared it “great music.”

Rolling Stone included one cut, “The Narrow Bridge,” among that week’s best country and Americana songs.

Nefesh Mountain, which tours almost nonstop around the country and the world, is coming to Woodlands thanks to the generous sponsorship of Dayle and David Fligel. “I get three things I love,” Dayle said. “Country music, Jewish music and doing something great for Woodlands.”

You won’t want to miss this genrebusting band. “It’s kind of like the burning bush,” David said. “You have to see it to believe it.”

From the Holocaust to Space, Continued from p. 1

the journey of the scroll from the concentration camps, where it was hidden inside books and used for B’nai Mitzvah, to space, where it can be seen in the film floating in front of Ramon.

The film connects several generations of Jews in shared experience of grief, turmoil, and survival, reaching across time to show the interconnectedness between European Jews who did not survive the Holocaust, to those who were able to escape those terrors, to Jews born after the founding of Israel.

Cohen sought out Dr. Joseph, also known as Yoya, just two weeks after the accident, who agreed to do anything he could for Ramon, “He (Yoya) had made this promise to a dying rabbi in the middle of this hell that if he survived, he would use this scroll to tell the world what happened in Bergen-Belsen,” Cohen said. “And here comes Ilan Ramon who sees an opportunity to help Yoya keep his promise to the rabbi. As Yoya puts it, in a place where he never thought would, could even be imaginable – space.”

Cohen said making the film brought him closer to his faith, mirrored in the story of Ramon who, although a secular Jew, maintained Jewish customs while in space, and becoming the first astronaut to request Kosher food. During the making of the film, Cohen was able to connect with the children of the rabbi who secreted the scroll to Yoya in Bergen-Belsen, and spoke with members of the Israeli Defense Forces who knew Ramon and former Prime Minister Shimon Peres. Cohen notes that the 2003 mission was the most diverse ever to fly into space, in effect a rebuke to those who would attempt to stamp out diversity.

“Jews see the symbolism of the scroll that Ilan carried into space … that it was hidden and used for Bar Mitzvahs in the camp. I mean there are all those very emotional connections that go on in the story,” Cohen said. “This isn’t just a Jewish story. This is a story about humanity. And this is a story about hope. At the end of the day, hope carries the day, symbols carry the day, faith carries the day.”

from the

Cantor

Choose Your Hanukkah Cantor Jonathan Gordon

L

ast month, President Donald Trump attended a World Series game and was greeted by derisive boos. It’s not surprising, I suppose. Hoots and cheers are expected at a ballpark. Yet this was not about a game. The crowd repeatedly called out, “Lock him up! Lock him up!” That terrible chant had begun during the election. The Trump Campaign calling card against Hillary Clinton. It came to embody personal hatred and the specter of mob violence. In a democratic country, laws are protective and specific. There is a process for enforcing them. People are not to be intimidated by the threat of imprisonment as the price of general dislike.

We do not want a world where groups of people are whipped into frenzies of hatred.

At that ball game, the people who opposed Trump became corrupted. They gleefully imitated the same behavior they had previously abhorred. It was a frightening moment. What has this country become?

I thought of the story of Hanukkah, a historical version that people easily embrace.

Hellenistic influence had spread to the Jewish world. The Temple was defiled. Authentic Jewish practices were banned. Jewish leaders practiced pagan rites, intoxicated by the lure of power and wealth that Hellenism promised. A group of Jewish loyalists went into rebellion. They took to the hills, and eventually succeeded in overthrowing the Syrian Greek forces and the Jews who served them. The Temple was restored to its proper worship.

It was one of the few times in history that Jews have raised their arms in violence against each other. History tells us that the Hasmoneans who restored the Temple quickly became corrupt themselves. Within a short time, the liberators lost their moral compass and imitated the same behaviors that their forebears had fought against. Violence and ambition had corrupted everyone, irrespective of the original motivations. Is this worth celebrating? It was, in fact, a historical tragedy. The Rabbis had a different understanding of Hanukkah. They embraced no military triumph, for violence degrades the human spirit. The haftarah that expresses the holiday reads, “‘Not by might, not by power, but by spirit,’ says God.” The Rabbinic Hanukkah is a tale of hope. The lamp miraculously burnt for days while more oil was procured.

God will help us in our labors, if we dedicate ourselves to service of the Most High.

Hanukkah commemorates the rededication of the Temple to the true values of the God of Israel. That worship is embodied in the qualities of mercy and compassion. Of grace and of modesty. Of truth and service.

Darkness abounds this wintry Hanukkah, as it ever has done. Around us the crowd chants, “There is no law! There is no judge!” Rather let us again choose light this Hanukkah, as was meant to be.

Israel:

The Long and the Short of It Fighting Racism

by Corey Friedlander

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n Israel (as in so many other countries, including ours), racism is a growing threat to society, ranging from graffiti to employment discrimination and from hate speech to violent hate crimes. It targets predominantly Arab citizens but also Mizrachi Jews (of Middle Eastern ancestry), those of Ethiopian and Russian background, asylum seekers, migrant workers, and others.

In partnership with the Coalition Against Racism in Israel, the Israel Religious Action Center of the Reform Movement (IRAC) has created a ground-breaking project: a Racism Crisis Center that provides one address to which victims and witnesses of racism can turn.

Services are provided in five languages: Hebrew, Arabic, Russian, Amharic and English. The Center helps victims understand their rights, provides legal support, and maps out racist incidents and all available means of support. It aims to be instrumental in ensuring that “racism is branded as immoral and illegal and recognized for its significant impact on Israeli society.”

Israel, like America, is a land we love.

Its accomplishments inspire us, yet we struggle when it falls short of our dreams for it. This column explores Israel’s ongoing work toward building a nation firmly aligned with the Jewish values we love. Join us in probing the aspirations and endeavors of this complicated but cherished land.

If you or someone you know is a victim of Domestic Abuse, please share this confidential hotline:

www.wct.org

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Environmental Task Force:

Green

from the

President

A Culture of Philanthropy?

Corner Andy Farber, President

Winter is Coming

by Kirsten S. Kleinman

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s the weather starts to cool down, and our energy needs heat up, we can take simple steps to cut down our energy use, and save money at the same time! Remember our houses are heated by fossil fuels, gas and oil, that are non-renewable resources. Once they’ve been burned, they’re gone forever. We as righteous Jews want to make sure we use our resources sustainably, so that they will last from generation to generation ... l’dor va’dor.

• Use natural heat from the sun by opening curtains on south-facing windows during the day and closing them at night to reduce the chill

•C over drafty windows with insulating drapes and tape plastic film to the inside of window frames •A djust the temperature when asleep, by turning back your thermostat 10°-15° for eight hours (saving around 10% a year on heating bills) ... a programmable thermostat can help!

• F ind and seal leaks by adding caulk or weather stripping around leaky doors and windows

Join us at the Woodlands Community Table Sat, Jan 25, 6:00-9:00 pm In the deepest part of winter, come share the warmth of the Woodlands Community Table, our popular in-house progressive dinner. Enjoy appetizers together as a big group, mingle with those at your table, and shmooze over dessert. The whole evening will take place at Woodlands.

Sign-up for the dinner and menus will be available in January, but please save the date. Bring your friends! Make new friends!

More details will appear in the January Makom.

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www.wct.org

W

e have been here before, maybe too often. Woodlands does fundraising, but we don’t do it very well. We do not, as professionals have told us over and over again, have a culture of philanthropy to the synagogue. The same professionals will also tell us that an organization’s culture is the hardest thing to change. Perhaps though, this part of the Woodlands Way is holding us back, and needs to change.

We can be rightfully proud that we have come this far without a major reliance on fundraising. Over 80% of our revenue comes from billed income, and in some years that is 90% or more (most URJ congregations have at least 25% revenue from fundraising, and many are closer to 50%). But that reliance on billed income, and the low expectation of fundraising, has an unfortunate side effect. The total cost of membership, the amount of billed income for each family, is increasingly higher and higher. This creates a struggle between families who want to be members but can’t afford it, and the need to provide an arrangement, or financial aid, to cover the cost of their membership.

It’s simple for us to say that no family will be turned away for financial need. But that policy has a real cost. As more families receive an arrangement, other families must pay more to cover the shortfall. This results in a spiral where we increase dues more and more to cover more and more requests for financial aid. The higher the dues rate, the more requests we receive for dues relief.

Are there any solutions to this? What are the alternatives? Where else can we turn to increase revenue?

Even Woodlands can evolve its fundraising activities.

After the financial crisis in 2008, we started an Annual Campaign at Woodlands.

Under the leadership of David Fligel, the campaign has grown to where it now raises over $50,000. While we appreciate the contribution, the participation in the Annual Fund is low, with barely 10% of the congregation contributing to the campaign. I would like to encourage every member of the congregation to participate. Giving to the Annual Campaign is another way that we all can help keep Woodlands fiscally secure, and developing a practice of giving to the campaign every year is a way we can begin to create a culture of philanthropy.

Another second opportunity will come in the spring. We will honor Cantor Jonathan’s service to our community with a variety of events and programs. Some of these will have a fundraising element. I invite everyone to join as many of these events and programs as possible, and when asked, contribute to support the program and to honor Cantor Jonathan.

Together, we can work to make Woodlands stronger as we move into a new year.

May 2020 be a year of health, prosperity, and community for us all.

L’shalom,

Did You Know? You can receive additional tax advantages when you donate shares of appreciated stock or make contributions from an IRA directly to Woodlands. The tax advantage of donations of appreciated stock are available to everyone; you must be 70½ to take advantage of donations from an IRA. Please contact Michael Wiskind (treasurer@wct.org) for more information.

Your Child’s Digital Life Sat, Feb 1 at 6:30 pm

Worship Schedule Shabbat Vayetzay

Sat, Dec 21

Gen 28:10 - 32:3 ... Hos 12:13 - 14:10

No 10:30 service today. Ask for Kaddish to be recited at Hevra Torah (9:15 am).

Fri, Dec 6 Nefesh Mountain at 8:00 pm

Shabbat Miketz

A musical evening of spiritual music and prayer with our very special weekend guests, the Jewish bluegrass consortium known as Nefesh Mountain.

Gen 41:1 - 44:17 ... I Kngs 3:15 - 4:1

Sat, Dec 7 Shabbat Morning Service at 10:30 am Celebrate with us as Lucy Richer, daughter of Lisa Sacks and Jon Richer, becomes a Bat Mitzvah.

Shabbat Vayishlakh Gen 32:4 - 36:43 ... Hos 11:7 - 12:12

Fri, Dec 13 Shabbat Evening Service at 8:00 pm Led by Cantor Jonathan while the rabbis are in Chicago at the URJ Biennial.

Sat, Dec 14 No 10:30 service today. Ask for Kaddish to be recited at Hevra Torah (9:15 am).

Shabbat Vayeshev Gen 37:1 - 40:23 ... Amos 2:6 - 3:8

Fri, Dec 20 Jammin’ Shabbat at 7:00 pm Put on your jammies, bring a bedtime friend, a blanket if you like, and c’mon over for 30 minutes of Shabbat song, stories and blessings to get you ready for bed. Bring a buck for tzedakah! Mitzvah Hero Training at 6:45 pm.

Simply Shabbat at 8:00 pm A quiet evening with Rabbi Mara and Cantor Jonathan as we head into the holiday season and the New Year.

Fri, Dec 27 Shabbat Hanukkah at 8:00 pm with Harriet and Corey This last service of the year is led by Harriet Levine and Corey Friedlander, with music

by Ellen and Billy Dreskin. Bring your family Hanukkah menorah and help us really light up the Sanctuary!

Sat, Dec 28 No 10:30 service today. Ask for Kaddish to be recited at Hevra Torah (9:15 am).

Need a Shabbat babysitter? Let us

know by the Wednesday prior and we’ll provide it! Shabbat babysitting is done by our own Academy students and there is no charge. Contact us at babysitting@wct.org.

Hevra Torah Learning Saturdays, 9:15-10:15 am There’s abundant room around our table.

Drop by once or often, we’d love to have you join our lively conversation. In the Meeting Room or Library.

Dec 7: Parashat Vayetzay Facilitated by Rabbi Billy

Dec 14: Parashat Vayishlakh Facilitated by Cantor Jonathan

Dec 21: Parashat Vayeshev Facilitated by Rabbi Mara

Dec 28: Parashat Miketz Facilitated by Cantor Jonathan

WCT’s Youth and Family Engagement Committee continues its popular parenting series! Join us to learn from Jan Fielder, M.S., M.A., as she facilitates a workshop for parents of children of all ages, “How to Create a Mindful Digital Life.” Between the internet, social media, video gaming and television, our children’s lives revolve around technology. This workshop will empower you to make informed decisions about appropriate and healthy digital choices for your children and family.

Jan is a Certified Life Coach and Workshop Facilitator who brings an integrative mind body spirit approach to her work with adolescents, adults, families and couples to help them successfully navigate life’s challenges.

We’ll begin at 6:30 pm with Havdalah and dinner. The formal program will start at 7:00, to be followed by dessert. Dinner is $20 per person with BYOB wine and beer to share.

Register at wct.org/mentalhealth. Not able to join us for dinner? Feel free to come at 7:00 but please let us know to save you a seat by replying online. Friends and family who are not WCT members are also welcome to attend.

Employment Services for the Westchester Jewish Community WJCS Career>Connect program helps those dealing with employment instability, provides job-seekers with dynamic informational workshops, a Career Boot Camp Intensive, and individual career counseling services. Contact 914.761.0600 x170 or careerconnect@wjcs.com.

Calling All Chefs!

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o you like to cook for a crowd? Here’s your chance. On Sat evening, Jan 25, the Woodlands Community Table is coming back, offering a festive and fun community event during the depths of winter. Here’s how it works: you can volunteer to make dinner for 10-12 people. Or you can sign up to bring appetizers or desserts for 20 people.

Please go to wct.org/communitytable to volunteer to cook.

If you have any questions, please contact Joel Chernoff (chernoffjoel@gmail.com).

www.wct.org

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December Happenings & Beyond Worship Hanukkah Information Center We’ve placed a whole lot of information about Hanukkah observance online for you at wct.org/hanukkah. You’ll find answers there to frequently asked questions like:

What is Hanukkah? hat’s the proper way to insert the W candles?

When do we light them?

How do I read or sing the blessings?

Any good English readings we can use?

What about Christmas?

Stop by today, and fill this year’s Hanukkah with light, warmth and joy!

Learning Mussar Sun, Dec 8, 9:30 - 11:00 am Our Mussar group follows the time-honored practice that ties together personal conduct and spiritual depth. Over the centuries, Jews have discovered that certain practices can foster health, happiness, and vital self-awareness. We visit the character traits that determine the quality of our lives, engage in modern and traditional texts, connect to the history of the Mussar movement, and enjoy a thoughtful and gentle community. We meet in the Cantor’s office. If you are interested, please contact Cantor Jonathan (cantor@wct.org).

Book Club Wed, Dec 11 at 2:00 pm This month, we discuss The Testaments, Margaret Atwood’s follow-up to The Handmaid’s Tale, written 35 years after that seminal novel. In that time, we have seen many of those ideas become eerily real, including new laws restricting women’s rights. In the sequel, several of the handmaids and their offspring have been helped to freedom by the “Underground Femaleroad,” showing that Atwood is willing to entertain that

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goodness might win the day. Along the way she challenges us to see our toxic world anew. Facilitated by Jeanne Bodin.

Lunch and Learn Wed, Dec 18, 11:30 am - 1:00 pm “Peace, Love, and Music: A Woodstock Retrospective and Celebration.” Join us for lunch and then celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Woodstock with Rabbi Billy and the Levins, New York’s harmony-driven contemporary folk duo. Reminisce and sing along with Ira and Julia Levin as if you were back on ol’ Max Yasgur’s farm! $10 per session. Subsequent dates: Jan 15 and Feb 19.

Woodlands Webinars Online Learning with Rabbi Billy and Rabbi Mara Take an hour and join your rabbis for online lunch and learning. Grab your meal and get in front of a computer (with a webcam if possible). We’ll meet in real time and discuss lively topics together. Perfect at work or at home. Register at wct.org/webinars so we can send you the video link.

Next session: The True Story of Hanukkah Thu, Dec 19, 12:30 - 1:30 pm with Rabbi Mara

scroll given to him by Dr. Joachim Joseph, a Holocaust survivor. It took filmmaker Dan Cohen seven years to make this documentary about Ramon, Joseph, and the symbolism of our religious articles, which connect our past, present and future. The 54-minute documentary will be followed by a Q&A and discussion with Dan Cohen.

Scholar in Residence Weekend Fri-Sun, Mar 27-29 Jewish Comedy: A Serious History Dr. Jeremy Dauber is the Altman Professor of Yiddish Language, Literature, and Culture in the Department of Germanic Languages at Columbia University.

As author of “Jewish Comedy: A Serious History,” Dr. Dauber is uniquely qualified to enlighten and entertain on the origins of Jewish comedy and its development from Biblical times to the age of Twitter. Save the Dates!

Current Events Third Wednesdays, 10:00 - 11:30 am Join us for an always lively discussion on current events. An agenda will be emailed to participants ahead of the meeting. Contact Phyllis Hirth (phyllishrth@ gmail.com) for more information.

It’s about more than the miracle of the oil. We will look into the real history of the holiday and discover hidden themes and lessons.

And save these dates: “If We Could Talk to the Animals” (Wed, Jan 8, with Rabbi Billy) and “Evolution of Jewish Leadership” (Wed, Feb 12, with Rabbi Mara).

An Article of Hope Sun, Jan 12 at 4:00 pm In 2003, Ilan Ramon became the first and only Israeli astronaut, but was tragically killed with six crew members during re-entry. He brought with him several Jewish artifacts on the mission, including a miniature Torah

Hevra Torah Saturdays, 9:15 - 10:15 am On Saturday mornings, whether you bring a little one to religious school or you’re just taking it easy at home, why not come by the temple and spend an engaging, stimulating and uplifting hour talking Torah. Some really nice folks come together each Shabbat morning (9:15-10:15 am) and sit with Billy, Mara or Jonathan to explore the portion of the week.

Social Action Holiday Toy Drives @ Woodlands!

Two great holiday gift drives for adults and children to share the Hanukkah spirit!!

Have a Heart until Mon, Dec 9 We’ve partnered with WJCS to collect new toys for needy Jewish children at Hanukkah.

Please drop off a new, unwrapped toys in the big box at WCT. Or donate online at wct.org/haveaheart.

Toys for Tots Mon, Dec 2 - Wed, Dec 18 For needy kids at Christmas, new, unwrapped toys are being collected by WCT and will be picked up for distribution by the Greenburgh Fire Department. Or donate online at toysfortots.org/donate.

Collection bins for both projects are in the hallway outside the Sanctuary. Questions, contact Michele Montague (michele@wct.org).

This year, make it a tzedakah Hanukkah!!

Volunteers Needed!

Project Ezra Luncheon

Sun, Dec 15, 11:00 am - 2:00 pm Join us as we welcome a group of elderly Jewish folks from the Lower East Side to Woodlands for brunch with our congregants, together with entertainment and good companionship. A Woodlands tradition for over 40 years. Fun (and a mitzvah) for the whole family! Volunteer to host (or share in hosting) a table by contacting Harriet Kohn, Janet Weinstein and Elise Wagner (projectezra@wct.org) who will send you a list of food to bring.

Knitting and Crocheting Sun, Dec 15, 3:00 - 5:00 pm This warm and welcoming group inspires and assists each other as we create mitzvah projects. For details, contact Angela Adler (knitting@wct.org).

Rabbi Billy’s Christmas Eve Midnight Run Tue, Dec 24 at 9:00 pm

Youth Engagement

Rabbi Billy and the Social Action Committee invite you to feed the homeless in New York City. Christmas Eve (a night when the needy and homeless feel especially alone and without hope), we meet at the temple, pack up our cars and spend a few hours finding and feeding the homeless. Even in the dead of winter (dress warmly!) many sleep in cardboard boxes on the street. You can offer them a hot cup of soup or coffee, and some much-needed compassion.

Ways that you can help (contact socialaction @wct.org if any of these interest you): • Join our caravan on Xmas Eve. While 10th grade students and parents will be given priority, we almost always need more volunteers and especially appreciate “old hands” who have been on a previous run.

• Prepare food bags (sandwiches, hardboiled eggs, juice, snack) for drop-off at the temple on Tues, Dec 24.

• Folks on the street urgently need warm winter coats.

We’d like to collect 100 men’s winter down or down-type coats and jackets. Drop them off, along with other warm winter clothing, by Wed, Dec 18.

• Help sort clothing (date TBA).

December Mensch of the Month: 5th Grade Everyone in the congregation is invited (along with our 5th grade students) to bring in healthy snacks and large, low-sugar cereal boxes. Please help our local food pantries and the folks they serve.

Children’s Village Holiday Gifts Kids at Children’s Village do not always receive holiday gifts, unless someone in the community thinks of them. You can brighten their holiday season by being that “thinking” person. Contact Jeanne Bodin and Natalie Werner (socialaction@wct.org) to be notified of the kids’ wish-list. Gifts are delivered by the third week in December.

Civil Rights Journey: Memphis!

Thu-Sun, Mar 12-15 Open only for those in 10th-12th grades.

Explore the intersection of rock and roll and the Civil Rights movement at the Smithsonian Rock and Soul Museum, Graceland, and Stax and Sun Studios. Learn about Civil Rights at the site where Dr. King was assassinated, which is now the National Civil Rights Museum, and dance to the transformative music that is rock and roll at a music club on the street where it all began – Beale Street! To confirm your interest email Lily at youth@wct.org.

Don’t delay ... Summer Camp Applications Due Now! Believe it or not, sections of our Reform movement’s summer camp programs (Crane Lake, Eisner, 6 Points Sports Academy, 6 Points Sci-Tech Academy and 6 Points Creative Arts Academy) fill to capacity by December. So if you’d like to ensure your child’s place in one of these programs, please do not delay submitting application and deposit.

Reform Jewish summer camps are not only great, but they help solidify our kids’ positive sense of Jewish identity. In this world of competing values and claims on our time and energy, this is a tremendous gift for you to offer your child or grandchild.

Contact the Eisner/Crane Lake office (urjnortheastcamps.org), 6 Points Sports Academy (6pointssports.org) 6 Points Sci-Tech Academy (6pointsscitech.org) or 6 Points Creative Arts Academy (6pointscreativearts. org) to find out more about this wonderfully enjoyable summer opportunity for your child or grandchild. Lily Mandell, Rabbi Mara and Rabbi Billy have information, as well.

Financial assistance is available too.

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$$$ Available for 1st-time Summer Campers

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s this the summer to send your child or grandchild to a URJ summer camp (Eisner, Crane Lake, 6 Points Sports Academy, 6 Points Sci-Tech Academy or 6 Points Creative Arts Academy)? Well, up to $1,000 is waiting for you!

No kidding! We’ve linked arms with the UJA-Federation of New York and the Foundation for Jewish Camp and are thrilled to be able to offer this subsidy to any family wanting to give a child their first, unforgettable experience of summer at a Jewish sleepaway camp.

The application process is now open at onehappycamper.org. If you’ve got questions, feel free to contact Lily Mandell, Rabbi Mara or Rabbi Billy.

Sh’lakh Manot A Purim Tradition Returns!

M

egillat Esther tells us that the Jews of Shushan celebrated their deliverance from Haman by sending gifts (sh’lakh manot) to one another. Please honor this tradition of giving at Purim by participating in Woodlands’ Sh’lakh Manot program. For $118, your family can send sh’lakh manot (Purim Goody Bags) to the entire Woodlands family. Your name will appear in the letter of donors included in each Goody Bag. Order forms arrive in January!

Ordering will be available online and in the mail. Purim Goody Bags are sent home with our students from religious school, available for pick-up the week of our Congregational Purim Celebration (Mon, Mar 9) and sent to our college students away from home.

Not only is sending sh’lakh manot a mitzvah, but you’ll feel great knowing all proceeds go toward our temple’s and religious school’s operating costs.

Any questions? Want to help? Please contact us at purim@wct.org.

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www.wct.org

A Fourth Pillar – The Woodlands Way

H

ow often do we sing Al Shlosha D’varim (On Three Things) without thinking about what those three things are, how they are achieved at Woodlands Community Temple, and our responsibility to sustain efforts to keep them going?

Pirkei Avot teaches us that the world stands upon three things (“Three Pillars”): Torah (“laws,” most often associated with the Torah and the 613 mitzvot that give us structure and values to live by), Avodah (“service to God,”) most often felt in the praying and studying we do, as well as the gratitude we express to God and to each other, and Gemilut Hasadim (“acts of loving kindness,” often reflected in giving without expectation of receiving anything in return).

At Woodlands, carrying out all three pillars happens simultaneously: our B’nai Mitzvah leading/participating in the service (Torah) and their tzedakah contributions (Gemilut Hasadim) that we read about on the back of the weekly handout; our Mussar group that follows the time-honored practice which ties together personal conduct and spiritual depth (Avodah); the Midnight Run and so many other social action activities (Gemilut Hasadim); Torah Study, book groups, Scholar-in Residence, and other learning opportunities (Torah); and our religious school where our children not only learn about, but participate in, all three of these pillars.

The list of activities here at Woodlands is long and deep – we are a robustly active congregation!

The quality and quantity of our version of the Three Pillars is why we call Woodlands, Makom Shelibi Oheyv – the Place My Heart Holds Dear. If you close your eyes, you can feel the comfortableness and satisfying feeling that comes with being a member of Woodlands and the ease with which we apply any and all of the Three Pillars.

Alas, to accomplish this, we all have a responsibility. As Rabbi Tarfon taught, “It is not incumbent upon us to complete the work, but neither are we at liberty to desist from it.” One way to fulfill that responsibility is with what I call the Fourth Pillar – Kesef (“money”). Our Annual Fund Campaign is one way that your support helps us offer so many opportunities for the Three Pillars to be expressed.

Since this campaign’s inception six years ago, not only have we raised in excess of $350,000, but participation has increased to over 100 families, many of which have donated every year. The money raised has been used to keep overall dues and school fee increases to a minimum while continuing to offer enhancements in our “products” (the intangible feeling we all get when engaging with our temple, either through services, lifecycle events, education, and social action opportunities).

I’m calling upon you to support this Fourth Pillar. You’ll be receiving information about the 2019 Annual Fund Campaign shortly. Please participate. It’s a mitzvah!

With thanks, David Fligel P.S. If you can’t wait for the formal communications on this year’s campaign, please contact me at 914-646-2287 or wctdfligel@aol.com, or stop by wct.org/ annualfund.

Singing Our Praises This being our 22nd and final year with the transcendent gift that is Cantor Jonathan Gordon, each month’s Makom will feature a brief reflection on our time with him, highlighting something that we will love remembering for many, many years to come.

Dear Cantor Jonathan, thank you for all your help over the years. I know I was not the greatest student in terms of discipline. But thanks to your perseverance, I managed to successfully become Bat Mitzvah. Every time I wrote transliteration beneath the Hebrew lines, you called me out even though I kept doing it for weeks after you first explained to me why it was so bad. Eventually, I did really learn everything even if I was a little scared whenever I walked into your office over the course of the few months before my Bat Mitzvah. And I certainly enjoyed learning my Torah parashah and prayers with you. Now, every synagogue I go to, I can sing along. Thanks again for everything, especially the lollipops. It has been a joy learning from you.

— Phoebe Katz If you too would like to sing our cantor's praises, you are cordially invited to compose 150 words and send them to Rabbi Billy (rabbi@wct.org). Try to focus on just one or two specific moments that you cherish.

Jonathan Gordon Game Night

Happy Hanukkah!!

We've gone to the dogs!

We know your furry family members love being part of Hanukkah celebrations. Check out our CHEW-daica gifts just for them!

Looking for a touch of whimsy this year?

The dogs, cupcake, castle or sports hanukkiyot will definitely delight that special child (or indulge a passionate adult).

Saturday Evening, February 29 Save the date for a night of fun and games, featuring WCT’s first-ever poker tournament in honor of Cantor Jonathan.

Wear your Hawaiian shirt, have a nosh, and raise a toast (bourbon or otherwise) to Jonathan at the poker table – or join a friendly game of Scrabble, Mah Jong, etc. while the card sharks have at it! More information on the tournament set up, buy-in, and other details to come in future issues of Makom and weekly emails.

The Cantorial Search Process Has Begun Woodlands’ Cantorial Search Committee has been established and has begun working on the process to interview and select candidates to succeed Cantor Jonathan.

This team is picking up the baton from the work done this summer by the Cantorial Future Planning Committee, which wrote the job description, established financial and structural guidelines for the job, and submitted our application for the position to the American Conference of Cantors.

The Search Committee represents the various demographic groups of our community. All the participants are very committed to this project and to the future of Woodlands as a vibrant, musical community. The search committee is being chaired

by Jen Tower and Toby Linder. Committee members are Julie Stein, Heidi Gralla, Lois Izes, Mark Kaufman, VP of Education Nancy Fishman, Liz Mueller, Don Levan, Mike Winkleman, and Lauretta Kahn, plus ex officio members Temple President Andy Farber and VP of Programming and Ritual Jenna Lebowich, with support and consultation from Rabbi Billy and Rabbi Mara.

The Search Committee will be hosting an informal information session on Sun, Dec 15 at 10:30 am to share the job description, answer your questions, and gather input. Coffee and snacks will be provided. Please RSVP to cantorialsearch@wct.org to let us know if you will be joining us. If you can’t attend this event, please feel free to speak directly with or email any of the committee members.

Looking for small gifts for those eight nights of gifts?

The holiday sticker sets, post-it note sets, socks and plush toys are fun and well-priced.

We have a wide selection of holiday decorations including lantern string lights, window gel clings and electric menorahs!

Our favorite artist Quest Designs’ new contemporary handcrafted hanukkiyah is sure to be a celebration focal point this year. Coupled with colorful Hanukkah candles, this is a beautiful wedding gift, new family menorah or unique addition to a collection.

The Judaica Shop at Woodlands is open every day, the temple office is open. Evening and weekend hours are noted in the weekly email.

Shopping for something special? Email us at judaicashop@wct.org and let’s talk!

www.wct.org

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Upcoming Meetings

The Simkha Page

Our B’nai Mitzvah

School Board

Lucy Richer

Mon, Dec 9 at 8:15 pm

Dec 7

Finance Committee

Torah Portion Vayetzei

Mon, Dec 9 at 8:15 pm

Hebrew Name Moriah Lulav

Board of Trustees Mon, Dec 16 at 8:15 pm

We would be delighted to welcome you to any temple meeting that interests you. Please be in touch with Andy Farber (president@wct.org) for information on how to join (or just visit) a committee.

Save the Date!

11th Annual Jonah Maccabee Concert featuring

Chava Mirel and Elana Arian

Saturday, March 21, 2020

B’rukhim

haba’im

Welcome to Our Newest Member!

Alexis Levitan

Mazal Tov to...

Lisa Sacks and Jonathan Richer, as their daughter, Lucy, is called to the Torah as a Bat Mitzvah.

Judy, Michael and Rachel Flamm on being honored by SPARC (Special Program And Resource Connection), a not-for-profit agency that enhances the lives of people with autism and other developmental disabilities through high quality therapeutic recreation and creative arts therapy activities.

Todah Rabbah (thank you) to...

Rochelle Novins for underwriting our impactful Roots Program.

Corey Friedlander for chauffeuring our guests for the Roots Israel Program.

Our Blood Drive team: Chuck Bauer, Jill Garland, Marjorie Berman and Steve Sagner.

Judy Stiefel, Lew Stiefel and Jennifer Hochman for sharing the Domestic Abuse Task Force’s work with our 6th grade families, and to those same families for helping to put together care packages for the folks at Hope’s Door.

Our Immigrant Friends at Woodlands team for organizing the movieviewing, “From Beacon to the Border” program, and getting us started on volunteer options.

The Confirmation Class for cooking Thanksgiving dinner for kids at the Sanctuary shelter in Valhalla.

Julie de Winter-Stein and co-chair Lisa Izes for coordinating the 9th Grade trip to Coachman Center, along with volunteers Elka Klarsfeld, and Adrienne Sanders Kaye.

PJ Library Book Fair Reading

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www.wct.org

Heidi Gralla for connecting us to our Book Fair Shabbat speaker, Susan Weidman Schneider.

Leslie Kimmelman for participating in our Book Fair Book Reading, and to Liz Mueller and PJ Library for making it so special.

The Simkha Page

Donations We appreciate the thoughtfulness of those who support Woodlands Community Temple by remembering and honoring their friends and loved ones through their generous contributions.

Rabbi’s Mitzvah Fund In honor of Rabbi Billy for officiating our wedding, from Courtney and Andrew Berger.

In honor of the marriage of our daughter, Liane, to Raymond Byrne, from Adele and Daniel Tomasetti.

In memory of Roger Leff, father of Jennifer Leff, from Jennifer Leff and Benjamin Kirshbaum.

In memory of my husband, Marc, from Devra Gross.

In honor of the High Holy Days, from Fran Smith and David Yarnold.

In honor of Samara Laks becoming a Bat Mitzvah, from Jason Laks and Lisa Izes.

Rabbi Mara’s Mitzvah Fund In memory of our daughter, Janet, from Clare and Bob Feldman.

In honor of the High Holy Days, from Fran Smith and David Yarnold.

In honor of Samara Laks becoming a Bat Mitzvah, from Jason Laks and Lisa Izes.

Cantor’s Discretionary Fund In honor of the High Holy Days, from Fran Smith and David Yarnold.

In honor of Samara Laks becoming a Bat Mitzvah, from Jason Laks and Lisa Izes.

Chai Fund In honor of my daughter, Fran Smith, for reading Torah during the High Holy Days, from Dorothy Smith.

In memory of Robert Grodinsky, father of Leslie Kimmelman, from Lois and Jay Izes.

In memory of Sam Froimowitz, father of Nathan Froimowitz, from Sandra and Nathan Froimowitz.

In memory of Stacey Small, cousin of Corey Friedlander, from June and Don Moskowitz.

In honor of Alan Kaplan and crew for their help during the High Holy Days, from Larry and Yvette Gralla.

In memory of Stacey Small, cousin of Corey Freidlander, from Stu and Karen Berlowitz.

In memory of David Rosenberg, brother of Roni Beth Tower, from Barry and Judith Kessler.

Music Fund In honor of Margot Serwer and the High Holy Days, from Fran Smith and David Yarnold.

Social Action Fund

The Woodlands Community Mourns the Loss of Doris Ackerman mother of Marc Ackerman Shirley Cohen sister of Rochelle Novins Rebecca Nadler sister of Michele Wise Barbara Orlov cousin of Yvette Gralla Elise Shayne cousin of Ellyn Glasser HaMakom y’nakhem otam… may God bring comfort to all who are in mourning.

In honor of the marriage of Sandi Lieb to Paul Storfer, from Harriet Kohn.

In honor of the marriage of Sandi Lieb to Paul Storfer, from Dayle and David Fligel.

In honor of the marriage of Sandi Lieb to Paul Storfer, from Lois and Jay Izes.

Marty Cohen

High Holy Days Fund

Sukkah Builder Extraordinaire

In honor of Cantor Jonathan and the High Holy Days, from Roz and Gary Karlitz.

In honor of the High Holy Days, from David and Jacqueline Goldstein.

In honor of the High Holy Days, from Stu and Karen Berlowitz.

Jonah Maccabee Fund In honor of our WCT community, from Jason Laks and Lisa Izes.

Ritual Fund In honor of our clergy for making the High Holy Days services so meaningful, from Larry and Yvette Gralla.

DATF Fund In honor of Samara Laks becoming a Bat Mitzvah, from Lebowich Family.

Zekher tzadik livrakha ... may their memory be for a blessing.

I

t’s always one of those magical events where, just before Sukkot, a sukkah seems to spontaneously appear in the courtyard at Woodlands. Well, ever since 1983, Marty Cohen has been our master engineer, assembling all of the pieces and (these days) leading a stalwart crew in lashing together a sukkah made completely from renewable resources.

2019 was Marty’s swan song as he turns over the bamboo to a new generation. We just want to go on record to let you know, Marty, that we are deeply thankful for all you’ve done across nearly four decades.

Rest easy, old friend. We’ll take it from here.

5th/6th Grade Retreat

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Simkhat Torah @ WCT!

Consecration of Our 1st Graders!

Sukkot

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We t h a n k o u r A d v e r t i s e r s f o r t h e i r S u p p o r t

Thank you

to the members of the Woodlands community.

Keep Smiling!

Dr. Charles Strick, DDS TOP DENTISTS™ 2019 COSMETIC DENTISTRY • FAMILY DENTISTRY

(914) 693-6990

20 Center Street, Ardsley, New York 10502 www.charlesstrickdds.com

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Judai Connection The Challenge of “Chosen” Zach Plesent, Rabbinic Intern

O

n Yom Kippur afternoon, I led a discussion that focused on Jewish Chosenness, and if we (either individually or as a Jewish collective) feel we are chosen

by God for any particular purpose. We broached many topics, but ultimately spent time discussing the Aleinu prayer.

Aleinu originated as part of the Rosh Hashanah liturgy, but found its way into the conclusion of almost every service we have. When looking at the words of Aleinu, one could certainly say this is our most particularistic prayer, that this prayer, more than others, emphasizes the chosenness of the Jewish people. However, we must ask: Does particularistic imply hierarchical? Are we better than others?

Traditionally, the answer to this question might be yes. An early version of Aleinu mentioned God’s not making us with “vanity and emptiness.” But the gematria (numerical value of the letters) is the same as “Jesus and Mohammad,” indicating this line might be a polemic against Christianity and Islam, affirming Judaism as the “better” choice.

There was a long tradition of worshippers spitting at this line. As the words evolved to “she-lo asanu k’goyei ha’aratzot (Who did not make us like the other nations of the earth)” the tradition of spitting remained, seemingly confirming its hierarchical purpose. However, the rabbis didn’t

like the tradition of spitting and began opening the Ark during this prayer. If the Ark were open, worshippers would honor the visible Torah scrolls and not spit. As the practice of spitting declined, the tradition of opening the Ark and standing remained, the practice we find in many synagogues today.

While the first paragraph of Aleinu may originally have asserted the particularism of Judaism, the second part — omitted in many services — acknowledges the responsibility of Jews not just for ourselves, but for the entire world. Did you know that the phrase tikkun olam comes from the end of Aleinu? “We hope, God ... that we can work towards repairing the world.”

This is followed by the familiar “Bayom hahu ... on that day, You shall be one and Your name shall be One.” Looking at only the beginning or end of Aleinu does not give us a complete picture. Our challenge is to view this prayer

holistically. Yes, the beginning may be problematic to some, and its history is certainly problematic to many, but when we look at the prayer’s entirety, it acknowledges our distinction from other peoples but also acknowledges our role in laboring alongside other peoples to repair the world.

When we embrace both ideas, we are unified within the Oneness of God. May we live the full message of Aleinu, and may it always remind us of our role as Jewish emissaries to the world, using our particular Jewish values to make positive change everywhere.