the newsletter of woodlands community temple
March 2018 Adar-Nisan 5778
1st Seder is Friday evening, March 30 A ziesen Pesakh ... a sweet and meaningful Passover to all!
If Not Now, When? by Kirsten Kleinman
“And God saw everything that God had made and behold, it was very good”— Genesis 1:1
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ut recently, I haven’t felt that everything is very good at all. For the past year, I’ve been thinking. How can I make it better? How can I make a difference? In a world that seems to have been turned on its head, with so many things that don’t seem to be right, how can I possibly do something that would create positive change? How can I promote tikkun olam, repairing the earth? So instead of becoming completely overwhelmed, I decided to focus on what I know: the environment. As a high school environmental science teacher, I teach 85 teenagers everyday about the state of our natural resources, hoping they will be inspired to take action.
My first meaningful and concrete attempt was to have my students write letters to the new administration about why the country should be investing in renewable energy rather than fossil fuels. This was a great success and I was beginning to feel that I was inspiring others to take action. So when last year’s Tu b’Shvat seder here at Woodlands included exploring environmental action, I thought, “What a perfect place to continue my efforts.” I volunteered to help regenerate Woodlands’ Environmental Task Force. Continued on p. 2
The Magic of Camp by Rabbi Mara Young
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hy go to Jewish sleepaway camp? Lots of reasons. But first, a disclaimer: every child deserves the summer that is right for them. For some, sleep-away camp is not the right fit. Some have found a camp that nurtures them in other ways. It’s a wonderful thing that families have so many choices and that kids can find the summertime experience that is right for them. For those who might pursue a sleep-away camp, I believe that a Jewish camp is a great path to explore.
When I visit our URJ camps each summer as a faculty member, I’m reminded that Judaism thrives in communal environments. Camp is where Jewish and individual creativity flourish and bonds are created. These are bonds to Jewish practice and thought, as well as bonds to other Jews. Indeed, studies show that having Jewish friends is the best predictor of a child’s future involvement in Jewish life. Camp’s number one goal is to create these close friendships (that, and having tons of fun).
The 24/7 nature of camp creates a Jewish living and learning environment that cannot be replicated. Jeffrey Kress, a professor of education at the Jewish Theological Seminary, helpfully isolates what makes learning at camp so successful. Some highlights from his research: At camp, “campers learn with and from their peers. They are brought into contact and caring relationships with adults as well as Continued on p. 2
Matzo Brei Brunch! Sat, Mar 31 at 10:30 am
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hy is this morning different from all other mornings? Because it’s time once again for WCT’s Passover Matzo Brei Brunch! Free a slave for Pesakh this year — don’t send Mom and Dad back into the kitchen so soon after seder. Bring your family to our house! Our dedicated kitchen crew of fryers and brei-ers will cook up a scrumptious matzo brei meal, complete with scrambled eggs for those already tired of matzoh, coffee, juice, something sweet to go along with it, and plenty of good company. If you like, start the morning with our usual Hevra Torah Learning (9:15-10:15 am), then join us at 10:30 am for a regal repast, fit for a Pharaoh! Don’t be plagued by more cooking and clean-up – enjoy matzoh brei, a shmooze and a shmear. Make your reservation and/or volunteer to help online at wct.org/passoverbrunch. Volunteers for shopping, frying, brei-ing and/or clean-up are always welcome! Contact Nancy Fishman (programming@wct.org) with questions.
Our Woodlands Community Rabbi Billy Dreskin rabbi@wct.org Rabbi Mara Young rabbimara@wct.org Cantor Jonathan Ben Gordon cantor@wct.org Tara Levine, Director of Youth Engagement youth@wct.org Corey Friedlander, Sh’liakh K’hilah corey@wct.org Deena Gottlieb, Intern intern@wct.org
Executive Committee Dayle Fligel, President president@wct.org Rachel Wineberg, VP Education education@wct.org Andy Farber, VP Facilities facilities@wct.org Michael Wiskind, VP Finance finance@wct.org Nancy Fishman, VP Programming/Ritual programming@wct.org Irving Adler, Financial Secretary financialsecretary@wct.org Steve Sagner, Secretary secretary@wct.org Bonni Arbore, Treasurer treasurer@wct.org
Board of Trustees David Bertan Dan Emery Judy Feder Herb Friedman Yvette Gralla Amy Green
Elka Klarsfeld Jenna Lebowich Lisa Linn Mike Scafidi Michele Wise Ann Zarider
Stu Berlowitz (ex-officio)
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
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www.wct.org
If Not Now, When?, continued from p. 1
Yet here I was again with a seemingly insurmountable list of problems to solve. But I remembered that we are Woodlands COMMUNITY Temple, and at WCT problems are not something to be tackled alone. As if it was beshert, Rabbi Joan Farber alerted me to a Town of Greenburgh meeting focused on composting, a perfect way to promote bal tashkhit (the mitzvah of not creating waste) by turning food scraps into useful fertilizer! Composting is something I’ve been talking about doing for years. But the idea of having a composter in my backyard and having “to till and tend it” (Gen 2:15) seemed like a hassle. But with Greenburgh’s plan, all I need do is collect my food scraps and drop them off! Even better, the Town’s already researched the process, obtained the supplies, and has already been successful with 200 families in Scarsdale! So what does this have to do with Woodlands? Starter kits will be available for sale at this year’s Purim celebration. Also, I’ve learned that Westchester Reform Temple has made their
synagogue a Zero Waste Facility. Not only that, but they’re helping us adopt the same program. The plan is already there! Our Environmental Task Force toured WRT and we’ll be demonstrating at the next Mishpakha Shabbat dinner (Fri, Mar 2) what it would look like to have Woodlands become a Zero Waste facility. Food scraps and compostable dinnerware will be placed in a compost bin, paper in a paper bin, cans and bottles in a recycling bin, and whatever trash is left (could it be zero?) will go into the trash. It may seem like a small step. But if our temple begins to recycle and compost at a time when our Environmental Protection Agency is beginning to seem like it’s not, this concrete positive action will carry all of us in the direction of tikkun olam. Every journey starts with one step, right? We hope that this will be one of Woodlands’ next steps towards a greener future. After all, we are all shomrei adamah, keepers of the earth. And we can do it together, as our name says, as a Community.
The Magic of Camp, continued from p. 1
with youth of varying ages. They feel safe enough to take risks and engage the emotions and spirit. Campers have different ways to shine and a variety of ways to contribute – Jewishly and otherwise – to the community. Campers, especially as they get older, help to shape their own learning environments. Jewish participation feels genuine because it is integrated into the life and rhythm of the setting.” It’s important to underscore the idea of integration: at Jewish summer camps, Judaism is consciously integrated into the “life and rhythm” of the setting, creating a feeling of authenticity and relevance. Kress continues that “campers have structured and spontaneous opportunities to think about and discuss the meaning of activities and experiences and to draw connections with their broader identities.” What distinguishes a movement camp (like the Union for Reform Judaism camps) is that they are conscious
of this research and intentional about their Jewish experiences. The close partnership between the URJ camps and Reform Movement synagogues (like us) means that a child’s summer experience relates to their Jewish experiences at home, and their friends from the region aren’t too far away. Not to mention, they’ve got the same great amenities, traditions and “good ol’ fun” experiences as other camps. That said, all sleep-away camps, including the URJ camps, are expensive – often prohibitively so. That’s why Woodlands does a great deal of fundraising (mainly through our Jonah Maccabee Concert) to help offset the cost. Your participation in this event (and the donations that go with it) make the experiences I’ve outlined possible for a great number of our WCT kids. And if you’re a family thinking about Jewish sleep-away camp, we want to help make it a reality – just get in touch!
Cantor
from the
That Which is Hidden Cantor Jonathan Gordon
As holidays go, Purim is pretty much out there. People costume up, cross dress, make loud noises and drink alcohol. It looks more like New Orleans on Mardi Gras than a Jewish ritual. Add some floats and warmer weather and it could be Fat Tuesday in The Big Easy. All the while, Purim is a religious observance of the most delicate kind. I do not speak of the way we adorn Purim with worthwhile things – to give tzedakah and to share presents with our neighbors, which is all very fine. Beyond all the lovable hullabaloo, at the core of the holiday itself, lies a subtle and carefully constructed theology. First, let’s think about the primary religious command behind the holiday: we are told to blot out Haman’s name. Jews must remember “Haman” in order to wipe it out on an annual basis. If it weren’t for the Jews, Haman and the Amalekites would have been forgotten long ago. We stay ever-vigilant against those hard-hearted leaders who would destroy civilians. Apparently, it is the Jewish mission to look out for new Hamans and oppose their “ethnic cleansing.” We erase evil by naming it, over and over again in each generation. There is an even more complex aspect to Purim, to be found in the Book of Esther itself. Do you know that the Megillah never mentions the name of God? More than a curiosity, the absence makes a particular point: God works miracles and is never seen. Isn’t that the way we encounter everyday life? The plot of the Megillah is worthy of a TV miniseries. So many masks! Each personality tries gambits and has roles to play. The king first tolerates the Jews, then is happy to see them destroyed, and finally lets them defend themselves. He plays to Esther, to Haman, and to Mordekhai, telling each what they want to hear. While Esther tries to promote her own career, she still wants to be loyal to her secret family. Haman is alternately a flatterer, a would-be assassin, an oversensitive fop, and a mass murderer. What a mess! Out of the complicated subplots and emotion-driven chaos comes the visible outline of God’s plan. Jews are again saved by a hand that is veiled. The name Esther is related to the Hebrew word “Hidden.” Purim is a nes nistar, a hidden miracle. Purim reminds us of the things that are concealed, of the soul which is to be revealed, and of God’s plan ... which becomes clearer with each passing year.
Happy Purim!
To Live in the Pesakh Paradox All of Passover is concealed within one phrase: B’tokh hayam bi-yabasha ... [and the children of Israel went] into the midst of the sea on dry ground. The whole thing is crammed into one literally impossible, delicious self-contradiction. You can either be “in the midst of the sea” or you can be “on dry ground.” But you cannot be both. At the core of this great feast of redemption is the preposterous assertion that the redemption of the children of Israel did not occur until they entered a mode of being in which they were simultaneously and impossibly both slave and free, wet and dry, dead and alive. Perhaps this is why, as the haggadah reminds us, every Jew must regard him or herself as if he or she were personally a slave in Egypt. But how could that be? Here we are sitting around a banquet table as free men and women! To live in the paradox.
Just Israel Debating for Peace and Creating Tolerance and Love by Jeanne Bodin
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ithout any funding, two high schools in Israel (one Israeli, the other Arab) joined together to create Debate for Peace, a volunteer-run project of the Interfaith Encounter Association. Steven Aiello, a Jewish interfaith activist, created this variation of the Model United Nations Structure in 2012. Today there are 30 participating schools from 40-50 towns. Debate topics include Jerusalem, refugees, settlements, security, women’s rights, and racism. Some Arab students travel five hours
round-trip by bus to get to Tel Aviv, and many parents worry about their children’s safety when they travel to “hostile” territory. Some participants have attended Model UN conferences abroad to gain exposure to different cultures and viewpoints. Other participants have traveled to Azerbaijan, Athens and NYC. Debaters must take the positions of whichever countries they are assigned regardless of their personal feelings. This project creates respect, caring and love among its young and hope-filled members. While Israel struggles with the challenges of establishing peace with her neighbors, good news does emerge. This column provides a brief glimpse of something taking root there that firmly aligns Israel’s values with Judaism’s. We hope you share our pride and admiration for these Arab/Israeli achievements.
— Rabbi Lawrence Kushner
www.wct.org
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Woodlands Involvement by Dayle Fligel
When Matzo Rises (Subversive Vittles) by Rabbi Billy Dreskin There’s a lot more to matzo than flour and water. “Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread.” (Ex. 12:15) As usual, Judaism is emphasizing more than ritual practice. Bread, the rising kind (hametz in the Torah), is a metaphor for unnecessary “stuff” in our lives. Foods we crave but shouldn’t. Gadgets too. Even some government leaders and their policies can be hametz. Passover urges us to consider what needs to be thrown out. As the Israelites left slavery that they took matzo, not bread, as if to say, “Where we’re going – into lives of free choice – we’ll need to keep straight what’s important and what’s not.” Matzo – ha’lakhma anya, the poor person’s bread – reminds us not only that our ancestors were economically deprived, but that we, if we’re not careful, can be morally deprived. Passover is a radical moment. While we recline and dine in festive merriment, our mission is the “Exodus” that comes from making healthy decisions for ourselves and for those we love. Everywhere can be Egypt, and everyone can be a slave. Hametz is created when flour and water begin to decompose. Fermentation lets the dough rise. On Passover, we avoid fermentation and embrace fomentation, encouraging one another to incite rebellion somewhere in our lives. While our matzo may not be rising up, we should be – whether to save a country or our own souls. Pesakh reminds us that liberation is not only possible, it’s necessary. So this year, don’t just eat your matzo. Digest its message.
Shop Amazon, Raise Bucks for WCT! Do you shop online at amazon.com? Did you know that if you get there by using our wct.org/amazon link, Woodlands will receive 5% of your payment. Doesn’t get much easier. So please shop amazon and help raise bucks for your temple. Thanks!
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www.wct.org
The days are getting longer, and we’re starting to head back outside. Spring sports are beginning, and everyone is starting to plan where we will be going during our summer vacations. But here at Woodlands there are still plenty of activities to keep us all stimulated, having fun and downright busy. It may be starting to warm up outside, but it’s hot, oh so hot, with activities inside Woodlands’ walls. I’ve spoken all year long about getting involved. What does that mean? Merriam-Webster tells me that being involved is “having a part in something, included in something, or actively participating in something.” All of these meanings – being part, being included, and being a participant – to me, these all scream Woodlands. Young and old, child, teen or adult, we have you covered. Our daf t’fillah (the Shabbat service handout), our weekly email, our Religious School Newsletter, our WoodSY newsletter, and the Makom bulletin that comes right to your home, are all packed full of activities. So, time to see what’s hot! Look through any of these publications and choose which activity sparks your interest! Get involved – as a participant or volunteer. Our calendar is fully stocked and it’s calling your name. It’s your time to get involved. See you soon!
Why I Volunteer @ Temple In this column, we introduce you to fellow temple members who have stepped forward to help make Woodlands a place we can all love.
Irv Adler Woodlands is already a spiritual home for my family – so why did I feel the need to take on volunteer positions here as well? In a narrow sense, my work as Financial Secretary and in interfaith programming enables me to give back to Woodlands itself, doing what I can to keep our congregation going and growing. And as the son of two concentration camp survivors, volunteering at Woodlands allows me to give back to the Jewish people in a broader way: by helping to maintain our temple as a robust and
compassionate faith community engaged in good works for ourselves and others. This is the ultimate victory over evil, and I find great purpose in it. Volunteering at Woodlands also brings me another joy: the opportunity to work on teams of dedicated people focused on common goals. This was always my favorite part of working and, now that I’m retired, I’ve found it again with my neighbors at Woodlands. We even have some laughs along the way!
Worship Schedule Shabbat Kee Teesa
Sat, Mar 17
Exo 30:11 - 34:35, I Kngs 18:1-39
No 10:30 service today. Ask for Kaddish to be recited at Hevra Torah (9:15 am).
Fri, Mar 2 A Joyful Noise! at 8:00 pm
Shabbat Tzav
A service for everyone, from oldest to youngest. With a dozen musicians and your voices, we’ll fill the Sanctuary with a joyful noise! Visual Worship tonight ... all prayers and readings will be projected onto screens. Welcome this evening to our 4th grade families!
Lev 6:1 - 8:36 ... Jer 7:21 - 8:3, 9:22-23 add’l Shabbat HaGadol reading is Mal 3:4-24
Sat, Mar 3 Shabbat Morning Service at 10:30 am Celebrate with us as Joshua Chang, son of Heidi Gralla and Dean Chang, grandson of Yvette and Larry Gralla, becomes a Bar Mitzvah.
Shabbat Vahak’hel-Pekuday Exo 35:1 - 40:38, I Kngs 7:40 - 8:21 add’l Shabbat Parah reading is Num 19:1-22, Ezek 36:22-36
Fri, Mar 9 Mishpakha Shabbat at 7:00 pm
Fri, Mar 23 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!
Civil Rights Journey Shabbat at 8:00 pm High school participants from our high school Civil Rights Journey to Georgia and Alabama will share impressions and lessons learned.
Sat, Mar 24 Shabbat Morning Service at 10:30 am
For the entire congregation, just earlier – meaningful for adults, engaging for kids! If you like, join us for a quick dinner at 6:00 pm – make your reservation at wct.org/mishpakha. Also tonight, Tiffany Chesterson chooses Judaism.
Celebrate with us as Owen Fischer, son of Julie and David Fischer, becomes a Bar Mitzvah.
Sat, Mar 10
Fri, Mar 30
No 10:30 service today. Ask for Kaddish to be recited at Hevra Torah (9:15 am).
No service this evening – a ziesen Pesakh!
Shabbat Vayikra
No 10:30 am service today. Ask for Kaddish to be recited at Hevra Torah (9:15 am).
Lev 1:1 - 5:26 ... Isa 43:21 - 44:23 add’l Shabbat HaKhodesh reading is Exo 12:1-20, Ezek 45:16-25
Shabbat Pesakh Exo 12:21-51, Josh 3:5-7, 5:2 - 6:1, 6:27
Sat, Mar 31
Babysitting at 8:00 pm Shabbat
services is provided by teens from our religious school Academy program. This month, babysitting will be available on Mar 16 and 23. Please note that we are offering babysitting for Shabbat services following Jammin’ Shabbat on Mar 23. Join us for Jammin’ Shabbat at 7:00 pm, then drop your child off at babysitting and stay for the regular Shabbat service at 8:00 pm. There is no charge and no advance notice required. For further information, contact 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.
Mar 3: Parashat Kee Teesa Facilitated by Rabbi Billy
Mar 10: Parashat Vayak’helPekuday Facilitated by Cantor Jonathan
Mar 17: Parashat Vayikra Facilitated by Cantor Jonathan
Mar 24: Parashat Tzav Facilitated by Rabbi Mara
Mar 31: Parashat Pesakh Facilitated by Rabbi Billy
If you or someone you know is a victim of Domestic Abuse, please share this confidential hotline:
Fri, Mar 16 Shabbat Evening Service at 8:00 pm While Rabbi Billy is away for the Civil Rights Journey, join Rabbi Mara and Cantor Jonathan for a sweet, lovely evening of song and prayer.
www.wct.org
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March Happenings & Beyond Learning
Scholar-in-Residence Weekend Fri-Sun, Apr 27-29
Blood and Bone Marrow Drive Sun, Mar 18, 9:00 am - 3:00 pm
WCT Book Club Wed, Mar 14 at 2:00 pm
We are delighted to present Dr. Annie Polland who will engage us in learning about the American immigrant experience of the past for Jews and others as well. Clearly, issues of immigrants and refugees in our country today are timely and tense. We will explore the intricacies of the Jewish experience as we built new lives in America.
Giving blood at Woodlands is so easy! Come in when you’re picking up or dropping off from religious school, going to a meeting, or swing by just because you’re a mensch. If you are 17-75 years old and weigh at least 110 lbs (age 16 with a parent’s note, over 75 with a doctor’s note), schedule your appointment at wct.org/blooddrive or email Chuck Bauer (lbauera@aol.com). Bring ID. Walk-ins are fine but you may need to wait.
Facilitated by Dotty Miller The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood is a chilling novel set in the “Republic of Gilead,” formerly the United States, after a radical theocratic revolution. In a time of declining birthrates, fertile women are forced into a brainwashing boot camp that turns them into surrogate mothers for social elite white men and their infertile wives. One of these handmaids not only remembers her life before the revolution, but is determined to reclaim it. Written in the 1980s, this story seems strikingly relevant now.
Current Events Wed, Mar 21, 10:00-11:30 am Enjoy a cuppa and a donut and participate in our hot discussions on current events. This month’s session will be facilitated by Tony and Selena Barron.
Lunch and Learn Wed, Mar 21, 11:30 am - 1:00 pm Enjoy a delicious lunch as Rabbi Joan Farber presents on Derekh Eretz: What the Rabbi’s Say about Public Behavior. Sign up at wct.org/lunchandlearn.
S’forim Forum The Fixer by Bernard Malamud
Sat, Mar 24, 4:30-6:00 pm Published in 1966, The Fixer has won the U.S. National Book Award for Fiction and the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. Set in Kiev in 1911 during a period of heightened anti-Semitism, the novel tells the story of Yakov Bok, a Jewish handyman blamed for the brutal murder of a young Russian boy. Bok leaves his village to try his luck in Kiev, and after denying his Jewish identity, finds himself working for a member of the anti-Semitic Black Hundreds Society. When the boy is found nearly drained of blood in a cave, the Black Hundreds accuse the Jews of ritual murder. Arrested and imprisoned, Bok refuses to confess to a crime that he did not commit. Come join us for a great discussion, snacks, and Havdalah.
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www.wct.org
Dr. Polland was, until very recently, Senior Vice President of Programs and Education at New York City’s Tenement Museum. She is now Executive Director of the American Jewish Historical Society, housed at the Center for Jewish History on West 16 Street. Dr. Polland will be teaching at our Shabbat evening service, a Saturday evening Havdalah program, and Sunday brunch. For more information and to sign up, visit wct.org/sir.
Social Action March Mensch of the Month is Second Grade You, too, can be a mensch by bringing cereal boxes, granola bars, juice boxes and fruit cups to our Food Cart. Help local food pantries and the folks they serve.
Project Ezra Passover Food Collection Mar 2-16 Please help us fill 50 boxes with Passover food for the Project Ezra seniors with any of the following: • Donate Kosher for Passover-labeled food during our temple-wide food drive in March (see list at wct.org/passoverfood) • Volunteer to shop for Passover food items between March 17 and 19 • Make a donation to Woodlands for the Project Ezra Food Program (wct.org/donate) • Deliver food boxes directly to the seniors in their homes on Sunday morning, March 25. Contact Harriet Kohn (ProjectEzra@wct.org) to help.
At the blood drive, you can also be tested for the International Bone Marrow Registry. With just a cheek swab, you can join the registry. If you’re a match, blood donated through your arm will provide the needed cells and is then brought back through your other arm. The most favored age group is between 18 and 44, as the younger cells are more successful in transplantation. There is no cost to you, and it takes only five minutes. More info at bethematch.org.
Monthly Knitting and Crocheting Sun, Mar 11 at 3:00 pm Make mitzvah projects together with our friendly and active group. All levels welcome, including beginners. RSVP to Angela Adler at knitting@wct.org.
Social Action Committee Meeting Mon, Mar 19 at 8:15 pm Join us as we continue to dream of ways to bring tikkun olam to WCT.
Youth Engagement
Purim Carnival Goes Green! Mass Shootings: The Convergence of Domestic Violence, Suicide and Guns in America Sun, Mar 25, 3:00-5:00 pm In partnership with Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America-Westchester, we will explore causes and connections between mass shootings and other forms of gun violence in America. Our panel discussion will include public officials and gun violence experts. They will review 2018 state and federal legislation that could help make us safer or (potentially) turn New York into the Wild, Wild West. We also will learn about the “red flag bill” known as Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO) and other legislation being proposed in the wake of so many mass shootings. We’ll discuss local actions you can take to effect change, like the successful advocacy work that banned gun shows at the Westchester County Center. Please join us by registering at wct.org/guns.
Sun, Mar 4, 10:00 am - 1:00 pm Bring your kids and families to our annual Purim Carnival! We’ll have tons of games, prizes, food, and fun for all! This year, we'll be doing more to be environmentally friendly and green! Come dressed in your favorite Purim costume, and get ready to shake your grogger!
Civil Rights Journey Shabbat Fri, Mar 23 at 8:00 pm Come hear the incredible insights and stories our teens who attended the Civil Rights Journey to Selma and Montgomery have to tell. They can’t wait to share their memories and what they learned!
Save the date ...
Kentucky Derby Comes to Woodlands! Sat, Apr 14, 7:30-10:30 pm
Have You Visited Our Memorial Garden Wall? Twice a year, Woodlands adds names to our beautiful outdoor Memorial Garden Wall (just outside the sanctuary on the other side of the Ark) and dedicates them during a Yizkor Memorial Service. The spring dedication will be held during Yizkor on the last day of Passover (Friday, April 6 at 9:00 am).
If
you have ever wanted to go to Kentucky to watch the horse racing there, but haven’t so far, not to worry. WOODLANDS IS BRINGING THE RACES TO YOU!! You can enjoy betting on real horse races, as if we were at Churchill Downs. Cost is $20 per person to cover your food and drinks. Yes, that even includes Kentucky’s beloved Mint Juleps. Come ready to bet on the races, wearing your finest fashion attire, just as if we were there in person. Come for the fun, for the betting, for the best outfit and hat contests, for the great prizes, the great food, and of course for the great fellowship!! Vist wct.org/kentuckyderby to sign up so you won’t miss our temple’s major (and most enjoyable) fundraiser. More information to follow.
Last Call:
Support WCT Kids, Hear Great Music, and Honor Jonah’s Memory! It’s not too late to buy your tickets for the 9th Annual Jonah Maccabee Concert, featuring So Is Life, one of American Judaism’s newest and most inspiring performing groups. So Is Life features Cantor Ellen Dreskin, Josh Nelson, Dan Nichols and Cantor Rosalie Boxt. Their magical blend of joy, spirituality and stirring harmonies will tickle your soul. Plus: Home-baked desserts. Havdalah with the Dreskins. And lending your support to helping provide Woodlands kids and teens with URJ summer program scholarships. It all happens Saturday, March 10 at 8:00 pm. Tickets are $36 ($18 for students). Buy yours today at wct.org/jonah.
In Memory of Elaine Friedman We are deeply grateful to Herb Friedman and family for generously underwriting The 9th Annual Jonah Maccabee Concert. Because of their expression of family love, the concert was able to generate many more scholarship dollars that will help temple kids get to URJ summer programs. To Herb, Evan, Faye, Rachel, Norm, Todd, Beth and Josh ... thank you, from the bottom of our hearts.
www.wct.org
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There’s a Morning After?!
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ewish tradition invites us to set aside the entire 1st day of Passover for special observance. Here at Woodlands, you can always find some lively learning and, this year, a Matzo Brei Brunch (details are elsewhere in this bulletin, or sign up at wct.org/passoverbrunch). So when you wake up the morning after your seder, don’t just make it another day in the week. See if you can’t keep Passover from being over. Food, games, videos, visits with family and friends, even volunteering at a local food pantry (you know, “let all who are hungry come and eat”) – your 1st day of Passover can become something fascinating and wonderful if you want it to. Let us know what you come up with!
4 Real Questions for Your Seder by Rabbi Billy Dreskin
I
f you’re up for a new idea at your seder table, consider this one. Amichai Lau-Lavie, a great Jewish educator and the founder of sTORAHtelling, jettisoned part of his Haggadah customs in order to make room for a new set of “Four Questions” that he opened up for real discussion. Amichai teaches: “Interrupt the tradition, to do what the tradition asks us really to do: educate, talk, learn from each other.” So here are Amichai’s “Four Questions.” You can ask each one as you arrive to that part of the Haggadah, or anywhere else that seems to work for you.
1) Mah nishtana? “Why (how) is this night different?” What’s new about your life tonight that’s different from last year? 2) Avadim Hayinu. “We were slaves.” What’s Egypt to you? What’s your slavery? What’s keeping you back from being more free this year? As an individual. Or in the world. Or if you prefer, what liberation have you experienced this year? 3) Dayenu. “Enough.” What are the riches, the blessings in your life? Where do you have what’s sufficient? And where in the world, or in your own life, are we not even close to saying Dayenu? What can you do to stop this slavery, this oppression, whatever that means to you? 4) L’shana haba’ah. “Next year.” What dreams will you be reaching for in the year ahead? Where do you see yourself? What’s the vision? For yourself, for your world?
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www.wct.org
Civil Rights Journey Soon Departs
T
hroughout the weekend of March 15-18, students from our 10th, 11th and 12th grades will travel to Alabama and Georgia, retracing footsteps of America’s very difficult but monumental struggle in the 1950s and 1960s to bring equal rights to all Americans, regardless of skin color. Part One of our acclaimed Civil Rights Journey series, this trip will be led by Rabbi Billy and Director of Youth Engagement Tara Levine, Rabbinic Intern Deena Gottlieb and temple member Bonnie Mitelman. We’ll walk the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, AL (site of “Bloody Sunday” in 1965), visit the 16th St Baptist Church in Birmingham, AL (where a bomb took 4 little girls’ lives), and view the site where Jewish factory manager Leo Frank was lynched in Atlanta, GA (in 1913). Time will also be spent at the Southern Poverty Law Center (still fighting for civil rights today), in Montgomery, AL, and the Names Project (40,000 AIDS panels and, sadly, growing) in Atlanta, GA. Throughout the weekend, the group will meet civil rights figures who are continuing to implement Dr. King’s vision of a just America. We are incredibly fortunate that our Journey is subsidized by WCT’s Steve’s H.O.P.E. Fund. Steve’s H.O.P.E. (Helping Open People’s Eyes) was created by Bonnie, Alan and Geoff Mitelman and Joanne Lelewer Harpel when their son and brother, Stephen Lelewer, died. Steve cared deeply about the way people treat one another, and we are honored to share in remembering Steve through the projects that Steve’s H.O.P.E. supports, furthering Steve’s ideals and the work that might have become his own. Be sure to join us on Shabbat evening, Friday, March 23 at 8:00 pm, when participants will speak from our bimah about their experiences.
Why Is this Haggadah Different from All Other Haggadahs? When Passover arrives, for many it will be the same seder as every year. The goal will be to get through the haggadah as quickly as possible so that dinner can be served and the good times can begin. If you’d like to set your sights a bit higher, there’s lots of help around here and out there. As a starting point, google “no more boring seders” – resources abound. And there are some pretty wonderful haggadahs that your clergy know about, some especially for families and others for more engaging, adult seders. Stop by if you’d like to look at some. Better yet, attend the March 18 Haggadah workshop! Our ancestors really wanted Passover to be strange. They wanted the kids to ask what all those weird foods and weird rituals are, so that the storytelling could begin with them. Asking questions is what the evening is all about! Finding ways to get people to ask questions that go beyond the “Four,” that’s where seders can get fun. So this year, don’t settle for the Maxwell House Haggadah. Add a little spice, sugar!.
WCT Haggadah Building Workshop Sun, Mar 18, 2:00-4:00 pm by Rachel Wineberg
M
y son was one when we held our first Passover seder: table set, family and friends gathered, books opened. We lasted five minutes. As a ball whizzed past my head I thought, "There has to be a better way. There has to be a way where, regardless of age, everyone can have a spiritual experience. There has to be a way of transforming prayers said by rote into language that reveals our lives." That better way has arrived with WCT's Haggadah Building Workshop. On Sunday, March 18, 2:00-4:00 pm, you will learn how to make a haggadah that is relevant to your and your guests' lives. Starting with an introduction by Rabbi Mara, participants will join one of three very different breakout groups:
The Experiential Haggadah
The Theme-Based Haggadah
Laurie Leibowitz and Karen Berlowitz
Rachel Wineberg
When sitting and reading isn’t enough.
Where lively discussion takes flight.
The Multigenerational Haggadah
Bring your ideas, your questions and your creativity, and get ready to make a haggadah that will guarantee this night will be different from all other nights! Please RSVP at wct.org/haggadah.
Michael Lebowich Create a seder that connects to all ages.
Passover Information Center
As we start to see the early signs of spring, we're ready to help you
celebrate the changing seasons. We’ve been scouring the marketplace to find wonderful pieces of Judaica for your home, your holiday celebrations, your simkhas, and yourself.
Later this month we will gather around the table with family and friends and retell the story of Passover. This year, why not let The Judaica Shop help make your Passover seders the most memorable ever? Our selection of unique seder plates, matzoh trays, covers, Elijah cups and Miriam cups will enhance your holiday table. This year, engage the entire family with our jumping frogs, marching matzoh balls, and ten plagues headbands.
For your celebration of Pesakh, we’ve got lots of information and creative ideas at wct.org/pesakh. Stop by and pick up a few helpful tips.
A ziesen Pesakh! • Pesakh Tzedakah Opportunities • You Can Definitely Conduct Your Own Seder • Adding Creative Readings To Your Seder • Let’s All Eat Matzah Together • To Eat or Not to Eat ... What to Eat Is the Question • Who Left Moses Out of the Haggadah? • How Many Days Do We Celebrate Pesakh? • Thinking About Passover
Back are favorite artists Amalia Flaisher and Kathy Hudson, whose handmade pieces are guaranteed to become family heirlooms. Nature-inspired seder plates, candlesticks and home blessings, colorful matzoh trays and hostess plate/knife sets will grace every tabletop and home. And this year, instead of rewarding afikoman finders with a few dollars, consider a more spiritual gift. Check out our moderatelypriced Judaica jewelry, holiday stickers and temporary tattoos. The Judaica Shop at Woodlands is open every day by request, whenever the temple office is open. Evening and weekend hours are noted in the weekly email blast. Shopping for something special? Email us at judaicashop@wct.org.
www.wct.org
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Upcoming Meetings
The Simkha Page
B’nai Mitzvah
Finance Committee
Joshua Eric Chang
Owen Fischer
Mon, Mar 12 at 8:15 pm
March 3
March 24
Jewish Life Committee
Torah Portion Kee Teesa
Torah Portion Tzav
Hebrew Name Yehoshua Eliyahu
Hebrew Name Shlomo
Mon, Mar 12 at 8:15 pm
Social Action Mon, Mar 19 at 8:15 pm
School Board Mon, Mar 19 at 8:15 pm
Mazal Tov to ...
Finance Committee
Heida Gralla and Dean Chang as their son, Joshua, is called to the Torah as a Bar Mitzvah.
Sun, Mar 25 at 7:30 pm
Julie and David Fischer as their son, Owen, is called to the Torah as a Bar Mitzvah.
Board of Trustees
Bob and Diane Altneu on the birth of their granddaughter, Morgan Brenna Altneu.
Mon, Mar 26 at 8:15 pm
Jonathan and Gloria Jaffess on the birth of their grandson, Jacob Lev. Rabbi Joan and Andy Farber on the birth of their grandson, Rafael Mendel Wajnberg.
We would be delighted to welcome you to any temple meeting that interests you. Please be in touch with Dayle Fligel (president@wct.org) for information on how to join (or just visit) a committee.
The Woodlands Community
Mourns the Loss of
Todah Rabbah (thank you) to... Everyone! We hope you enjoyed your Purim Goody Bag this year! We sincerely appreciate each and every member that participates in this mitzvah. Your generosity directly supports our religious school and our temple.
Mildred Abrams grandmother of Michael Greenholz
Irving Karlitz father of Gary Karlitz
Millie Rose Brown mother of Sherrie Brown
Lily Knobler mother of Liz Knobler
Rabbi Billy, Rabbi Mara, Michele Montague, Liz Rauchwerger, Danielle Abore and David Green, for giving your time and energy to help us bring the joy of Purim to Woodlands.
Patricia Friedman wife of Norman Friedman
Carol Smith mother of Stephen Smith
The Purim Goody Bag Committee: Bonni Arbore, Amy Green and Debbie Shapiro.
Harold Gantz brother of Fran Rosenfeld
Jane Steinhardt wife of Bob Steinhardt
The parents who helped with the 3-4 Grade Late Night program.
Arthur Hausman uncle of Jason Laks
Lila Wolkoff aunt of Harriet Levine
HaMakom y’nakhem otam… may God bring comfort to all who are in mourning. Zekher tzadik livrakha ... may their memory be for a blessing.
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www.wct.org
The Jonah Maccabee Concert Committee: Lisa Linn, Chair, Karen Berlowitz, Lesli Cattan, Billy Dreskin, Ellen Dreskin, Katie Dreskin Boonshoft, Greg Linn, Phyllis Opochinsky, Geri Pell, Steve Schwartz and Fran Smith. What a wonderful evening!
Dale Glasser for generously donating your time and expertise to our Board of Trustees retreat. We are better stewards of this temple we love because of you. David Fligel for once again making our Annual Fund efforts such a resounding success, and for helping secure the financial well-being of our synagogue. Susan Bloom, Andrew Bordwin, Joel Chernoff, Andy Rosengarden and Ana Szyld-Bercovich for sharing words from your heart at the “Wisdom From Our Own” Shabbat Service. The YFEC and WoodSY Board for helping run an incredible Purim Carnival! Melissa Goldsmith, Eric Wohl, Caroline Rosengarden, Lisa Izes, Adam Hart and Liz Mueller for helping make our 3rd/4th Grade Late Night such a great success!
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 Billy’s Mitzvah Fund
Lifelong Learning Fund
In Yahrzeit memory of Jay Robert and Kevin Lawrence Novins, from Rochelle Novins. Donation from Rabbi Peter J. Rubenstein Charitable Fund. In memory of Marvin Shear, father of Jeffrey Shear, from Jeffrey and Susan Shear. In honor of Andrew and Samuel Stein becoming B’nai Mitzvah, from Ira and Fern Stein. In memory of Carol Smith, mother of Steve Smith, from Steve and Marcy Smith. In memory of Jane Steinhardt, wife of Bob Steinhardt, from Ralph Lawrence and Linda Lucks. Many thanks to Rabbi Billy and in honor of Gigi Richer becoming a Bat Mitzvah, from Jon Richer and Lisa Sacks.
In honor of Gigi Richer becoming a Bat Mitzvah, from Murray and Jeanne Bodin. In honor of Rabbi Joan Farber and Gigi Richer becoming a Bat Mitzvah, from Jon Richer and Lisa Sacks.
Rabbi Mara’s Mitzvah Fund In honor of Andrew and Samuel Stein becoming B’nai Mitzvah, from Ira and Fern Stein.
Cantor’s Discretionary Fund In honor of Andrew and Samuel Stein becoming B’nai Mitzvah, from Ira and Fern Stein. Many thanks to Cantor Jonathan and in honor of Gigi Richer becoming a Bat Mitzvah, from Jon Richer and Lisa Sacks.
Chai Fund Many thanks to Lisa Linn and in honor of Gigi Richer becoming a Bat Mitzvah, from Jon Richer and Lisa Sacks. In memory of Stanley Paul Tvert, brother of Ron Tvert, from Steven Klein, Hope Neuberger, Max and Sandy Tuchman. In honor of Eliot Loose becoming a Bar Mitzvah, from David Griff and Roni Beth Tower. In memory of Millie Rose Brown, mother of Sherrie Brown, from Don and June Moskovitz. In honor of Robert Lowell, from Don and June Moskovitz. In memory of Carol Smith, mother of Steve Smith, from David and Dayle Fligel. In memory of Jane Steinhardt, wife of Bob Steinhardt, from Don and June Moskovitz. In memory of Jane Steinhardt, from Max and Sandy Tuchman. In memory of Jane Steinhardt, from Stu and Karen Berlowitz. In memory of Patricia Friedman, wife of Norman Friedman, from David and Dayle Fligel.
Special Education Fund In honor of Margot Serwer and Andrew and Samuel Stein becoming B’nai Mitzvah, from Ira and Fern Stein.
Social Action Fund In memory of Rudolph de Winter, father of Julie de Winter Stein, from Murray and Jeanne Bodin, Andy and Joan Farber, David and Dayle Fligel, Corey Friedlander, Jeffrey and Stacey Kach, Barry and Judy Kessler, Jeff and Elka Klarsfeld, Harriet Kohn, Iris Levine, Marjorie Mattel, Dotty Miller, Mark and Michele Montague, Harold and Mary-Jo Potischman, Liz Rauchwerger, Ruth Rugoff and Joe and Annie Potischman, Mark and Marjory Selig, Roger, Roberta and Allison Wetherbee, Andrew and Michele Wise. In memory of Sol S. Fligel, father of David Fligel, from David and Dayle Fligel. In memory of Millie Rose Brown, mother of Sherrie Brown, from David and Dayle Fligel. In memory of Millie Rose Brown, from Ruth Rugoff and Joe and Annie Potischman. In honor of the engagement of Hannah Rogers to Sidney Fligel, son of David and Dayle Fligel, from Roger, Roberta and Allison Wetherbee. In memory of Jane Steinhardt, wife of Bob Steinhardt, from Irwin Miller and Barbara Gordon. In memory of Jane Steinhardt, from Dotty Miller. In memory of Richard Meyers, from Irwin Miller and Barbara Gordon.
Music Fund
Brandt and Melissa Goldsmith, Paul Gottlieb and Barbara Rosenberg, Eric Grossman and Elizabeth Schorr, Emily Harper and Matt Gilfus, Todd Gordon and Susan Feder, Alan and Linda Fleischman, Jonathan and Elizabeth Hiller, Abby Hirsch, Jason Laks and Lisa Izes, Jay and Lois Izes, Nelson and Jackie Leicht, Paul and Ilyse Lesser, Jeremy Leventhal and Adriane Bilous, Harriet Levine, Greg and Lisa Linn, Jason and Diane Malkin, Dotty Miller, Rochelle Novins, Michelle Ratau, Jon Richer and Lisa Sacks, Jason and Michelle Rimland, Kenneth Rosenberg and Susan Morduch, Doron Scharf and Joanne Levine, Jack and Sue Safirstein, Jeff Schlossberg and Linda Einfrank, Karen Schorr, Mark and Marjory Selig, Erik and Sharon Shawn, Michael and Stacey Silverman, Scott and Julie Stein, David and Mary Elizabeth Stern, Laura Stevens, Thom Thacker and Kate Krahl, Marge Thrope, Eric and Jane Wachs, Mark and Mara Young.
Rabbi’s Winter Hunger Fund In memory of Max Chernoff, from Joel and Pam Chernoff. Donation from: Stu and Karen Berlowitz, Murray and Jeanne Bodin, Rabbi Billy and Ellen Dreskin, Marjorie Glusker, Deena Gottlieb, Jim and Nancy Heymann, Jeff and Elka Klarsfeld, Nelson and Jackie Leicht, Marjorie Mattel, Jack and Sue Safirstein, Cathy Seibel.
Torah and Ritual Fund In memory of Jane Steinhardt, from Sy and Sarah Donner.
Educator’s Enrichment Fund
In honor of Gigi Richer becoming a Bat Mitzvah, from David Griff and Roni Beth Tower.
Many thanks to Rabbi Mara and in honor of Gigi Richer becoming a Bat Mitzvah, from Jon Richer and Lisa Sacks.
Refugee Resettlement Fund
Education and Youth Activities Fund
In honor of our grandson, Griffin Bond becoming a Bar Mitzvah, from Alan and Linda Fleischman. In memory of our grandparents, for whom the doors were open, from Lloyd and Roberta Roos. In memory of Edward Miller, from Dotty Miller. In honor of Clarence Feng’s 60th birthday, from Michael Goldberg and Jenny Ottinger Family. In memory of Judith Vissel, from Andrew and Gaby Bordwin. In memory of Arthur Greenberg, from Pietra Greenberg. Donation from: Irv and Angela Adler, Bob and Penny Apter, Tony and Selena Barron, Murray and Jeanne Bodin, Susan Bloom, Stephen and Kay Boonshoft, Steven Bregman and Carol Intner, Alan and Sandra Cohen, Marty and Karen Cohen, David and Susan DeLucia, Daniel and Miriam Emery, David and Dayle Fligel, David Gaffen and Dana Gandsman, Dale Glasser, Ellyn Glasser, Karen Golden and Robert Berger,
In honor of Jonathan Montague becoming an Eagle Scout, from David and Dayle Fligel. In honor of Michael Arbore becoming an Eagle Scott, from David and Dayle Fligel. Many thanks to Rabbi Lisa Izes and in honor of Gigi Richer becoming a Bat Mitzvah, from Jon Richer and Lisa Sacks.
Jonah Maccabee Fund In memory of Patricia Friedman, wife of Norman Friedman, from Andy and Joan Farber.
Steve’s H.O.P.E Fund In honor of the birth of Benjamin Samuel Fenster, son of Rabbi Jason and Gavi Fenster, from Bonnie Mitleman. In memory of Maurice Cossman, father of Bonnie Mitleman, from Bonnie Mitleman.
www.wct.org
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Putting Elijah on the Seder Guest List by Rabbi Billy Dreskin When we sit down with family and friends to our Passover seders and, once again, move through the amazing tale of our people’s liberation from Egyptian slavery, seated around our tables will be some of the people we care most deeply about in our lives. The evening will be defined by our love at having them with us; the success of our seder will be in the smiles and laughter we share. While no rabbinic pronouncement can trump the simple power and beauty of sharing this meal, there is also an opportunity to reconnect with our ancient heritage and renew its themes in our own age. The delight our children and grandchildren will feel when they run to see if Elijah will really enter and drink from his 5th cup is a prayer that, throughout their lives, these young people (and we too) will always run to open the door for those who seek understanding and compassion in our difficult world. Ours is a tradition of goodness unselfishly shared. Opening the door for Elijah is a powerful, symbolic analogue of Judaism’s passion for building a world of hope, love and peace.
Why Is There an Egg on My Seder Plate? by Rabbi Billy Dreskin
E
xcellent question! Not an easy one to answer. Here are a few thoughts from Jewish tradition: • The egg was a Roman hors d’oeuvres. Our ancestors ate them at the time they invented the seder. • Popular lore throughout the world generally associates eggs with springtime and its renewal. • Eggs (and other round foods) are a symbol of mourning. The seder egg is a reminder of the destruction of Jerusalem, added in place of the biblical Pesakh offering which can no longer be practiced. The salt water symbolizes tears we shed for the Temple’s destruction. • The Hatam Sofer observed that food, when cooked, becomes softer. Not so with the egg, a symbol of the Jewish people. The more challenging our world becomes, the firmer our resolve to remain faithful to the Covenant. Ask the people at your seder table to think for a moment about eggs. Ask them to use their imaginations and to connect their thoughts on eggs to the Passover story. And don’t be afraid to have fun with it!
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In the Nosh Pit with Jason Mesches!
Standing up for America @ the Women’s March NYC!
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Judai Connection What’s a Mitzvah? by Rabbi Billy Dreskin
T
he word mitzvah means “commandment.” But even Jews who have studied and practiced Judaism over a lifetime might tell you that a mitzvah is a “good deed.” They’re only half-right. There are in the Torah (according to Jewish tradition) 613 mitzvot (plural of mitzvah), and while many mitzvot are indeed “good deeds,” just as many are “ritual deeds.” Mitzvot divide themselves (although by no means neatly) into two categories: ethics and rituals. A ritual mitzvah legislates our observance of Jewish ceremonial moments (like reciting the Shema and affixing a mezuzah to our front doors). An ethical mitzvah legislates our behavior (like keeping promises and giving tzedakah). That’s correct, in Judaism our behavior is legislated (in religious terminology, commanded by God). We don’t “do good” just because we feel like it; we practice ethical mitzvot because they are our responsibility. While a “good deed” is indeed a commendable act, a mitzvah is an obligation; we perform ethical acts because we ought to – the maintenance of human society depends on it.
The same is true of ritual observance. It’s wonderful that we enjoy Jewish holiday celebrations. But the truth is, it’s vital to the survival of Judaism that
we practice both Jewish ethics and Jewish ritual. Jewish ethics are required of us in order that Jewish living be worthwhile and that we participate in making the world a better place for all (tikkun olam). Jewish ritual is required in order that an identifiable Jewish existence be maintained both in our communities and in our homes. Put simply, if we do nothing that looks different from those who don’t practice Judaism, we may be wonderful human beings but how are we perpetuating a Judaism that we can bequeath to the next generation? Ethical mitzvot therefore keep Judaism relevant and purposeful. Ritual mitzvah keep Judaism recognizable as a distinct and separate (do not read this as “better”) practice among many others.
I
f you’d like to see a complete list of the 613 commandments and from where in the Torah they derive, stop by billydreskin.net/ jewish-resources and scroll down to “613 Mitzvot.” Interestingly, the rabbis decreed seven additional mitzvot, for a total of 620. These seven are not in the Torah and include: reciting a blessing before
enjoying any of life’s gifts, washing hands before eating, lighting Shabbat candles, constructing an eruv to permit carrying in public areas on Shabbat, reciting Hallel (songs of praise) on Yom Tov, lighting Hanukkah candles, and reading the Book of Esther on Purim. What’s most striking about these additional mitzvot is that they require the familiar prayer — Barukh ata Adonai ... blessed are You who has commanded us ... — even though God never commanded these seven!
S
o what role does mitzvah play in the life of a Reform Jew? After all, are we not free to make our own choices? Well, yes and no. We may not feel “commanded” to observe the mitzvot, but we are obliged to learn about them, to weigh the value of their presence in our lives, and to select the ones that enhance and enrich our lives. Being a Reform Jew does not mean doing nothing. To the contrary, each of us has the rather daunting challenge to define for ourselves a meaningful Jewish existence – one imbued with joy, with meaning, and with integrity.