Recalling Old Dreams and Dreaming New Ones · 2018. 7. 26. · TEVET/SHEVAT/ADAR I 5774 NEWSLETTER/VOLUME 26:3 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014 MORDECHAI ROSENSTEIN will be Or Zarua’s Artist-in-Residence

1

A Traditional, Egalitarian, and ParticipatoryConservative Synagogue

T E V E T / S H E V A T / A D A R I 5 7 7 4 N E W S L E T T E R / V O L U M E 2 6 : 3 J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 4

MORDECHAI ROSENSTEIN will be Or Zarua’s Artist-in-Residence from Thursday,February 27, through Sunday, March 2. Shown above is his tapestry entitled “Dor l’Dor.” See page 5 for additional photos and event details.

MO

RD

EC

HA

IR

OS

EN

STE

IN

CELEBRATING 25 YEARS

OZ HIGHLIGHTSJanuary–March 2014

Talmud Classwith Rabbi WechslerMYSTICISM & RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCEJanuary 8, 15, 22, and 29, 7:30 p.m.See page 12 for details.

Shabbat ShirahTizmoretQUEENS COLLEGE A CAPPELLA GROUPJanuary 10–11See page 7 for details.

Lucy S. Dawidowicz LectureAdina Hoffman and Peter Cole“SACRED TRASH: THE LOST ANDFOUND WORLD OF THE CAIRO GENIZA”Thursday, January 23, 8:00 p.m.See page 3 for details.

OZ’s 25th Birthday KiddushSilver Lights 25TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONSaturday, January 25, after servicesSee page 3 for details.

Super Bowl PartyFighting Hunger, Raising TzedakahMINHAH AND THE GAMEFebruary 2, 5:00 p.m.See page 6 for details.

World CaféA Program of OZ and ContextJEWISH LEARNING AND DISCUSSIONFebruary 13, March 6, and March 207:00 p.m.See page 3 for details.

Artist-in-ResidenceMordechai RosensteinMEET, LEARN, AND WORK WITH THE ARTISTFebruary 27–March 2See page 5 for details.

It started, as all great enterprises do,as a dream, in auxiliary minyan space,in East Side apartments, and in rentedquarters—the Jewish Museum, the92nd Street Y, and modest office

space on Lexington Avenue.From those beginnings, Congregation

Or Zarua was founded on the strength andvision of a few committed ConservativeJewish families—with Rabbi Harlan J.Wechsler as its spiritual leader—who, inthe words of its By Laws, were seeking

“to serve God, by serving the religiousand spiritual needs of the JewishCommunity and by promoting the moral,intellectual, and social welfare of its mem-bers and the Jewish People.” To attainthese goals as a Conservative synagogue,Or Zarua was to engage in “the study ofprinciples, practices, and beliefs ofJudaism, divine worship, and the practiceof kind deeds.”

The intervening years have seen the

Recalling Old Dreams and Dreaming New OnesOr Zarua’s Silver Lights 25th Anniversary Celebration

continued on page 6

OZ Committee ChairsADMINISTRATION Sara Stone

ADULT EDUCATION Laura Resnikoff

AESTHETICS Aaron Shelden

ART GALLERY Bobbi Coller

BOOK DISCUSSION Reed Schneider

BUILDING Alan Ilberman

CEMETERY Aliza Kaplan

Mort Schwartz

DEVELOPMENT Andrew Plevin

EDUCATION David Bergman

AND YOUTH Dara Shapiro

HESED Richard Stadin

Susan Lorin

HEVRA KADISHA Vera Silver

Gerry Solomon

ISRAEL Aliza Kaplan

LIBRARY Barry Feldman

MARKETING AND Mechele Flaum

COMMUNICATIONS Dara Shapiro

Aaron Shelden

MINYAN Sheldon Adler

ORAL HISTORY Mimi Alperin

PUBLIC RELATIONS Aaron Shelden

READERS Marc Ashley

AND LEADERS Jay Palmer

WEBMASTER Jay Palmer

If you are interested in serving on a synagoguecommittee, please contact the office for the committee chair’s email address.

President’s Messageby Diane Okrent

A CONSERVATIVE SYNAGOGUEFOUNDED 1989

127 East 82nd Street

New York, NY 10028

phone: 212-452-2310 fax: 212-452-2103

www.orzarua.org

SCOTT N. BOLTON, Rabbi

DR. HARLAN J. WECHSLER, Rabbi Emeritus

DIANE OKRENT, President

HENRY GLANTERNIK, Treasurer

HELENE SANTO, Executive Director

ILANA BURGESS, Youth Education Director

CHARLES SPIELHOLZ, Newsletter Editor

C O N G R E G A T I O N O R Z A R U A J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 4

2

Twenty-five yearsago this month,on January 28,1989, Congre-gation Or Zarua

held its first Shabbatmorning service. Thesmall group of pioneers

who gathered in the second-floor chapel ofThe 92nd Street Y had no idea where thatservice would lead them—and us.

The founders were committed to creating a new synagogue on the UpperEast Side dedicated to teachings in PirkeAvot: Al sh’losha devarim ha’olam omeid: Al ha’Torah, v’al ha-avodah v’al gemiluthasadim. The world stands on threethings: on the Torah, on divine service,and on deeds of loving-kindness.

Among our founding principles wereto be traditional in our service, includingthe complete Torah reading each Shabbat.We were founded to be participatory inour lay-led services. And we were foundedto be completely egalitarian, so womencould participate equally with men.

We are still committed to those sameprinciples. They have played out in ways fewcould have anticipated in 1989. Womenhave learned to read Torah, Haftorah, andto lead services. Men, too, have studiedand gained those skills. We have educatedour children to read and lead as well. Ourteens have become regular readers andleaders at Shabbat services.

Over the past 25 years, the foundersand those who have gathered aroundthem, built a synagogue community thatcontinues the dedication to Torah (learningfor adults and children); religious services(daily, Shabbat, and Yom Tov); and hesedprojects that enhance the lives of those inour immediate community and in Israel.

We at Or Zarua learn together, pray

together, participate, and connect with oneanother and the community. Our celebra-tion of our 25th Anniversary Year will con-tinue that tradition.

This month kicks off our year of SilverLights as we reflect on our illustrious his-tory and plan for an even better future.

We will begin the Silver Lights yearwith learning. In commemoration of 25years of Talmud Class, Rabbi Wechsler will teach for four consecutive Wednesdayevenings starting on January 8. The sub-ject will be the second chapter of TractateHagigah, “Ein Dorshin,” the classic focusin the Talmud for discussions of mysticismand religious experience.

On Thursday, January 23, we will cele-brate with the annual Lucy Dawidowicz lecture. Adina Hoffman and Peter Cole willtalk about their book, Sacred Trash: TheLost and Found World of the Cairo Geniza.

Then on Shabbat, January 25, follow-ing Shabbat morning services, we continuewith a celebratory kiddush to honor our25th birthday!

Also in January, we will host a musicalShabbaton with Tizmoret to commemorateShabbat Shirah. In late February, the visual arts of Mordechai Rosenstein willbe the focus of another Shabbaton.

Throughout the coming year, we willcelebrate Or Zarua in many ways, culmi-nating in a gala in November 2014.

We have much to be proud of in our25-year history. We have contributed tothe Jewish vibrancy in our immediate com-munity. Recent articles in The Jewish Weekhave highlighted the growth of Jewish lifeon the Upper East Side.

We are all founders of Or Zarua’sfuture. May we continue to be a light inour own community and beyond.

With best wishes for the start of awonderful 2014!

PASSOVER CANDY SALE Hebrew School Fundraiser

Avariety of kosher-for-Passover confections from Bartons, including chocolates,fruit slices, and macaroons, are available for sale. Download an order form at

http://tinyurl.com/OZ-Candy-Sale-2014. Orders are due in the office by March 24.

W W W . O R Z A R U A . O R G J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 4

3

The Lucy S. Dawidowicz LectureAdina Hoffman and Peter Cole on Thursday, January 23, 2014, 8:00 p.m.

The Lucy S. Dawidowicz lecture,which honors the memory of agreat historian of the Jewishpeople who was one ofCongregation Or Zarua’s early

members, will itself be a fascinating exploration of Jewish history and Jewishhistoriography. Our speakers will be Adina Hoffman and Peter Cole, authors of Sacred Trash: The Lost and Found Worldof the Cairo Geniza.

The authors will discuss their book,which is a double history. It tells, first, ofthe once-lost Jewish world of medievalNorth Africa, whose details and characterwere restored to light by the rediscovery ofa vast trove of documents that had lainforgotten and unread in the geniza of theBen Ezra Synagogue in Fustat (Old Cairo).Second, the book recounts the unlikelyseries of events by which the documentswere found and their meaning and signifi-cance deciphered. Among the key actors

in the second drama was SolomonSchechter, who would afterwards go on tobecome the leader of early ConservativeJudaism, serving as president of the JewishTheological Seminary from 1902 to 1915.

Sacred Trash is a work not only ofcareful history, but of high literary merit.Adina Hoffman and Peter Cole, in additionto being skilled historical researchers,are also both gifted writers, and the book

reflects their special mix of skills. As The Wall Street Journal wrote in its review,their book is “a wonderfully passionateand lively account of a civilization wecould not have imagined existed and ofthe men and women whose enthusiasmand dedication brought it to light.”

Copies of Sacred Trash are now avail-able for purchase in the Or Zarua officeand will be available at the event. Also forsale will be two anthologies translatedand edited by Peter Cole, The Poetry ofKabbalah and The Dream of the Poem:Hebrew Poetry from Muslim and ChristianSpain, 950–1492,” and a collection of hisown verse, Things on Which I’ve Stumbled.

After the presentation, dessert andbirthday cake will be served in honor of Or Zarua’s 25th birthday. Please help usto plan by contacting the office at 212-452-2310, extension 39, with a reserva-tion for the lecture by Monday, January 20.

—MICHAEL W. SCHWARTZ

OR ZARUA’SSILVER LIGHTS BIRTHDAY KIDDUSH Saturday, January 25,following servicesIn celebration of Congregation Or Zarua’s25th anniversary. All are invited.

World Café Jewish Learning ExperienceA program of OZ and Context, Thursdays, February 13, March 6, and March 20, 7–10 p.m.

Or Zarua, in partnership withContext, will be hosting theWorld Café Jewish LearningExperience on Thursdays,February 13, March 6, and

March 20, from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.The World Café model of Jewish learningoffers participants the opportunity to listen

to a faculty member in Jewish studies andthen talk with one another before hearingfrom the scholar again about the topics pre-sented. Scholars will react to the ideas andangles that emerge in the café experience.

Each session will offer three topics,such as: Can music be midrash? Is artBible commentary? How many names of

God are there, or are they just poetry?Final topics will be announced by email.

Registration will be required and isfree for members of Or Zarua. Membersmay register for one or all three topics.The cost for nonmembers is $72 per topicor $180 for all three. Additional informa-tion will be arriving soon by email.

THRESHOLD TO THE SACRED: The Ark Door of Cairo’s Ben Ezra Synagogue Yeshiva University Museum Tour, Monday, January 6, 6:00 p.m.

As a preview to the Lucy S. Dawidowicz lecture for OZ’s Silver Lights 25thAnniversary, a tour of Yeshiva University Museum’s exhibit, Threshold to theSacred: The Ark Door of Cairo’s Ben Ezra Synagogue, has been organized.

The tour, which will be led by Dr. Jacob Wisse, the museum’s director, is now open to members of OZ and their guests and is limited to a group of 40. As of publicationtime, some slots were still available. If you want to join the group, please call 212-452-2310, extension 12. There is a charge of $10 per person for this tour.


4

DE

ELE

IBO

VITS

The Importance of Music and Art in Jewish Life by Rabbi Scott N. Bolton

In the book ofShemot, the greattale of the exodus of the Jewish peoplefrom Egypt, we are

told many details of amost central institutionin Jewish life. The

Mishkan is not only a place of prayer andintrospection, expiation, and adjudication.Weaving, colors, adornment, and aestheticbeauty come to life through the work ofartisans and patrons. Each of us is askedto bring obligatory and voluntary contribu-tions to the project. “Let them make Me aSanctuary, and I will dwell among them!”the Holy One instructs.

Poetry, musical instruments, and golden vessels would allow the ritual andtransformational experience to unfold. TheLevites would carry the boards, it’s true; yet,

they were known already in ancient timesfor the songs and accompanying verse.The dyed wool and beautiful vestments ofthe High Priest and those colorful tapes-tries that made for sacred space attest toour tradition’s concern with the aesthetic.

Over the next months, we will wel-come singers and an artist-in-residenceinto our midst, so that we can be more intouch with the artful explorations ofJewish tradition in our times. The wordsand verses remain ancient links to ourancestors’ understandings and reflec-tions, and the song and illuminated illus-trations will bring glory to God’s name.

Please come join us for the TizmoretShabbaton and be part of our Shabbatonof Art with Artist-in-Residence MordechaiRosenstein. Come enjoy, as always, ourglorious gallery and unique sanctuary,as well as beit midrash for other classes

and programs. As we celebrate our 25thAnniversary with scholarship and celebra-tion, song, and art, may we sow more light and delight in our portion.

AUTHORS SPEAK SERIES. Or Zarua’s first two Authors Speak guests drew large crowds.Both Shirley Graetz, Ph.D. (She Wrote on Clay), and Ruth Wisse, Ph.D. (No Joke),spoke, answered questions, met with people individually, and signed copies of theirbooks. Our next guest in the series will be Eric Kandel, Ph.D. (The Age of Insight),on Sunday, April 6, at 7:30 p.m. in the Social Hall.

LIFE EVENTS at Congregation Or Zarua

Acommunity such as ours sharesgood times and bad with itsmembers. When something good

happens in your family—birth, gradua-tion, engagement, or marriage—let usshare your joy. When something bad hap-pens—illness, hospitalization, or a deathin your family—let us share your burden.

Sometimes people are reluctant to communicate these issues on theirown. If you know of a member who iscoping with illness or loss, please con-tact the OZ office at 212-452-2310,extension 12, so that Rabbi Bolton canbe informed.

OZ MINYAN Contact Sheldon Adler [email protected] or choose “DailyMinyan” under the “Pray” menu onwww.orzarua.org to sign up for a day ortwo each month.

WELCOMINGGUESTS AT OZ

As a community, it is important for us to make guests and newmembers at our services and

kiddushim feel comfortable and welcome. If you are seated next tosomeone whom you do not know orsee a new face at kiddush, pleasereach out and introduce yourself.Making this effort is consistent withour culture and will repay dividends.

5

W W W . O R Z A R U A . O R G N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 0W W W . O R Z A R U A . O R G J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 4

CH

AR

LIES

PIE

HO

LZM

OR

DE

CH

AI

RO

SE

NS

TEIN

ART SHABBATONWITH MORDECHAIROSENSTEINThursday, February 27Gallery OpeningARTIST TALKRefreshments7:30 p.m.

Friday, February 28Congregational DinnerImmediately following servicesReservations required

PresentationTHE ARTIST’S STORY

Saturday, March 1Shaharit, 9:00 a.m.ILLUMINATED TORAHD’var Torah

Congregational LunchImmediately following kiddushReservations required

PresentationDISCUSSION OF SELECT PAINTINGS

Sunday, March 2Workshops10:30 a.m. to noon

COMMEMORATIVE PAINTINGCongregants add brushstrokes

DESIGN AND PAINT YOUR NAMEYouth of all ages

Friday night dinner or Saturday lunchreservations must be made by Monday,February 24. Please watch the weeklyeblast or call 212-452-2310, extension12, for reservation information.

AShabbaton of art will begin inOr Zarua’s Gallery on Thursday,February 27, with Artist-in-Resi-dence Mordechai Rosenstein.A graduate of Akiba Hebrew

Academy, he studied with Professor Franz

Kline at the Philadelphia College of Art.With inspiration from the letters of theHebrew alphabet, Mr. Rosenstein usescalligraphy to communicate concepts ofour scripture and history in art. Many ofyou met Mr. Rosenstein at the TorahLearning Coalition last May.

During his residency, Mr. Rosensteinwill initiate work on a unique commemora-tive painting for OZ’s Silver Lights 25thAnniversary Celebration. Congregants willbe able to add brushstrokes to this pieceon Sunday. He will be speaking about his art during Shabbat at the Friday nightdinner, for the D’var Torah, and duringlunch. Please see the the box at right fordetailed information.

For those interested in purchasingworks by Mordechai Rosenstein, pleasevisit his website, www.rosensteinarts.com.Specify that you are a member of OZ, as aportion of all purchases will go to OZ. Callthe synagogue office at 212-452-2310,

extension 12, if you have questions aboutpurchasing through the artist’s website.

Artist-in-ResidenceMordechai RosensteinThursday, February 27–Sunday, March 2

Mordechai Rosenstein (right) discussed “The Art and Illumination of Pirke Avot” asRabbi Bolton (left) held one of his artworks during the Torah Learning Coalition session on May 30. His illuminated initial, “David’s Harp” is pictured, below right.

EDITOR’S NOTE If you have an idea orarticle that is suitable for publication inthe OZ Newsletter, please contactCharlie Spielholz at [email protected] copy for the March/April 2014 issueis due by Monday, February 3.

WWW.ORZARUA.ORG Some of theresources on the Or Zarua websiteinclude upcoming events, serviceschedules, art gallery shows, minyansign-up, and guest speaker presenta-tions. So explore www.orzarua.org!

TORAH READERS NEEDED

If you are able to read Torah or haf-tarah and would like to do so on aShabbat, please contact Marc Ashley

at [email protected] or JayPalmer at [email protected]. You mayalso sign up online at www.orzarua.orgby clicking “Reading Torah” under the“Pray” heading.

6


Congregation move to its East 82nd Streetbuilding, blessed with growing opportuni-ties for children’s, youth, and adult study;worship; and the performance of acts ofloving-kindness, both within our walls andbeyond. Our new rabbi, Scott Bolton,Rabbi Amy Bolton, and their family havebrought new flame to our “Or” (light).

Every day one can see the vibrancy ofour kehillah (community) in its own uniquebrand of traditional, participatory, andegalitarian services. Or Zarua has astrong emphasis on youngsters with MahZeh Shabbat, Hangouts after Havdalah,the PJ Library, and other programs for kidsand teens. Our programs for youngstersstand alongside traditional ones, such as the Hevra Kadisha and cemetery, andour strong sense of Gemilut Hasadim(acts of loving-kindness) through our work

at Ronald McDonald House, New YorkCommon Pantry, disaster relief programs(most recently the Philippine HurricaneRelief Fund), and our Annual Super BowlParty, whose proceeds go to kosher food programs.

In 2014, we begin a year of celebra-tion—our Silver Lights 25th AnniversaryCelebration, which recalls how far we havecome in the realization of that old dreamand the start of new ones for OZ.

Our celebratory year will be markedby a wonderful lecture series (beginningwith the Lucy S. Dawidowicz lecture byAdina Hoffman and Peter Cole), an Artist-in-Residence program with MordechaiRosenstein, Shabbatons (beginning onShabbat Shirah with the a cappella groupTizmoret), along with many other programs,and culminating in a Gala to be held inNovember 2014. While no venue has yet

been selected, it is intended that it takeplace in marquee space, with a distin-guished honoree and a crowd-pleasingentertainer.

In commenting on the passage fromIsaiah 59:17 “And he shall put on right-eousness as a coat of mail,” Baba Batra9b explains that just as in a coat of mail,every small scale joins with the others to form a single piece of armor, any gift,united with others, can form a large sum.

In that spirit, and over the course of the celebratory year, OZ members and others will be afforded the mitzvah of giving sums large and small to preserve,sustain, and build on the institutional values that are today’s Or Zarua.

Stay tuned for more information onour Silver Lights Celebration in futureissues of the Or Zarua Newsletter.

—ARTHUR ROSENBLOOM

Recalling Old Dreams and Dreaming New OnesOr Zarua’s Silver Lights 25th Anniversary Celebration

continued from page 1

Annual Super Bowl PartyHelp feed the hungry

OZ members and their guestsare invited to watch the SuperBowl with their friends at our11th annual Or Zarua SuperBowl Party, to be held in the

Social Hall on Sunday, February 2. Enjoy afamily-friendly atmosphere and greatkosher food, including ribs, chili, giant“sub” sandwiches, buffalo wings (all fromDougie’s BBQ in Teaneck), sushi, dessert,and much more.

Minhah/Ma’ariv starts at 5:00 p.m.in the Sanctuary. The game will be shownon a large-screen TV in the Social Hallbeginning shortly after 6:00 p.m. Pleasemake reservations at 212-452-2310,extension 39, or www.orzarua.org, by noonon Monday, January 20, if you plan toattend the Super Bowl Party.

As you may know, the party raisesbadly needed funds for charities that servethe Jewish poor and elderly in the NewYork area. Last year, Or Zarua raised over$20,000, and we are hoping to make a

strong contribution again this year. We areencouraging everyone to make a donationto our fund to assist Project ORE andDOROT, two important organizations thatserve the Jewish poor and elderly popula-tions. Since 1987, Project ORE has servedmore than 400,000 kosher meals and pro-vided counseling, case management, andother supportive services to isolated, poor,homeless, mentally ill, elderly Jews—including Holocaust survivors. DOROT alle-viates social isolation among the elderlyand provides services to help them liveindependently as valued members of thecommunity. As part of its work, DOROTdelivers kosher meals each week to elderlyin urgent need and to seniors who areunable to shop or cook for themselves.

Charitable organizations in our areaare struggling to provide kosher food forpoor Jewish families and are in desperateneed of additional funds. Please considermaking a generous contribution to ourkosher food charity fund. Checks should

be made payable to Congregation OrZarua and should be designated “KosherFood Charity Fund” on the memo line. Allmonies raised will be contributed toProject ORE and DOROT.

—SHELDON ADLER

SIDDUR CLASSHistory, Meaning, andCommentaries on the Jewish Prayer Book

Thursdays, 8:30–9:30 a.m.in the OZ Social Hall

Congregation Or Zarua’s siddurclass, taught by Rabbi Bolton,studies the history, laws, teach-

ings, and approaches to Jewish prayer.Prior knowledge is not required.

7

W W W . O R Z A R U A . O R G N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 0W W W . O R Z A R U A . O R G J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 4

TIZM

OR

ET

Shabbat Shirah with TizmoretShabbaton, January 10–11, 2014

TIZMORET, a professional Jewish a cappella group from Queens College Hillel, will perform at Or Zarua for Shabbat Shirah, January 10–11, 2014.

Shabbat Shirah is the day weread Parshat Beshallach,which includes the verses ofthe Song of the Sea, ShiratHaYam, (Exodus 15:1–18).

In celebration of Shabbat Shirah, for Or Zarua’s 25th Anniversary, we will be hosting Tizmoret, Queens College Hillel’sprofessional, Jewish a cappella group.Tizmoret sings classic Jewish melodies,contemporary Israeli tunes, and Americanpop songs. The group has toured the eastcoast and has won several music awards.

We will welcome Shabbat Shirah,together with the members of Tizmoret,beginning with Kabbalat Shabbat followedby a festive dinner (reservations required).On Shabbat morning, Tizmoret will performduring the time usually reserved for theD’var Torah. After kiddush, we will returnto the Sanctuary, at about 1:30 p.m., fora concert. The concert is open to the public, so please invite your friends andneighbors. Following the concert, Tizmoretwill meet with the youth of OZ.

SHABBAT SHIRAHWITH TIZMORETFriday, January 10Congregational Dinner5:45 p.m.

Please make dinner reservations by Monday, January 6, at http://tinyurl.com/OZ-Dinner-Jan-10-2014 or 212-452-2310, extension 39.

$30 adults; $15 children ages 5–12; no charge for children under 5.

Saturday, January 11Performance by Tizmoretin lieu of the D’var Torah

Kiddush for Shabbat ShirahAll are invited

Post-kiddush Concert by Tizmoret1:30 p.m. in the Sanctuary.All are invited

Tizmoret and Teens2:30 p.m.

Writing Life’s Last ChapterRabbi Amy Bolton to teach about Jewish perspectives on hospiceand palliative care at Zayin Adar brunch on Sunday, March 9

How do Jewish values and textsinform how we care for thosewho are dying? As caregivers,what words can we offer andwhat deeds can we perform to

make a loved one’s final journey comfort-ing and meaningful? How do we make thislast chapter of a loved one’s life a res-onating, enduring story?

Drawing upon her experience withhospice and palliative care, Rabbi AmyBolton will teach at this year’s Zayin Adarbrunch at Or Zarua on Sunday, March 9,after the morning minyan. Rabbi AmyBolton was the founding chaplain and co–bereavement director of the Martinand Edith Stein Hospice in central NewJersey, and was part of the SpiritualCounseling and Bereavement team of HolyName Medical Center Hospice andPalliative Care in Teaneck, New Jersey.She was also part of the chaplaincy team

of the Jewish Hospice and ChaplaincyNetwork in West Bloomfield, Michigan.

Zayin Adar, the yahrzeit of Moses, isthe occasion for the congregation to joinin commemorating and learning about thework of the Hevra Kadisha. One of thegreatest mitzvot one can do is to performan act of kindness and respect for some-one who can never repay or thank you.Among these mitzvot are serving as shomrim, volunteers who watch the bodyof the deceased in the funeral chapel;performing tahara, purifying and dressingthe deceased for burial; providing SeudatHavra’ah, a condolence meal at themourner’s home; and ensuring that duringshivah there is a minyan in the house ofmourning for daily services. This last taskis not left only to the Hevra Kadisha toobserve; presence at a shiva is a greatmitzvah that everyone in the congregationcan perform. —GERRY SOLOMON

January 2014 l Tevet/Shevat 5774127 East 82nd StreetNew York, NY 10028 l 212-452-2310

S U N D A Y M O N D A Y T U E S D A Y W E D N E S D A Y T H U R S D A Y F R I D A Y S A T U R D A Y

1 l 29 TevetNew Year’s Day

8:45 am Minyan

Hebrew School closed

Office closed

2 l 1 ShevatRosh Hodesh Shevat

7:00 am Minyan

3 l 27:15 am Minyan

4:22 pm Candlelighting,

Minhah/Kabbalat Shabbat

4 l 39:00 am Shaharit

Bo

5:27 pm Shabbat ends

5 l 48:45 am Minyan7:30 pm Bir’nanarehearsal

6 l 57:15 am Minyan

Hebrew School in session

7 l 67:15 am Minyan

8 l 77:15 am Minyan

7:30 pm Talmud Class

with Rabbi Wechsler


9 l 87:15 am Minyan

8:00 pm Hebrew

Language Class

10 l 97:15 am Minyan



Congregtional Dinner

with Tizmoret

11 l 10Shabbat Shirah9:00 am ShaharitBeshallachTizmoret/Kiddush1:30 pm Tizmoret Concert2:30 pm Teen Program5:34 pm Shabbat ends


7:30 pm Bir’nana

rehearsal






with Rabbi Wechsler


16 l 15Tu B’Shevat

7:15 am Minyan

8:30 am Siddur Class

8:00 pm Hebrew

Language Class





Yitro



7:30 pm Bir’nana

rehearsal

20 l 19Martin Luther King, Jr.,

Day

8:45 am Minyan


Office closed




with Rabbi Wechsler




8:00 p.m. Lucy Dawidowicz

Lecture: Sacred Trash





Mishpatim

OZ 25th Birthday Kiddush



7:00 pm Book Discussion






with Rabbi Wechsler




8:00 pm Hebrew

Language Class

31 l 30Rosh Hodesh Adar I

7:00 am Minyan



6:00 pm Young Families

Dinner

February 2014 l Shevat/Adar I 5774127 East 82nd StreetNew York, NY 10028 l 212-452-2310

S U N D A Y M O N D A Y T U E S D A Y W E D N E S D A Y T H U R S D A Y F R I D A Y S A T U R D A Y

1 l 1 Adar IRosh Hodesh Adar I

9:00 am Shaharit

Terumah


2 l 28:45 am Minyan

5:00 pm Super Bowl Party

3 l 37:15 am Minyan


4 l 47:15 am Minyan

7:00 pm Context Seminar

5 l 57:15 am Minyan



6 l 67:15 am Minyan


8:00 pm Hebrew

Language Class

7 l 7Fast of Tevet

7:15 am Minyan




Tetzaveh

10:30 am Discovery

Shabbat Minyan (K-3)


9 l 98:45 am Minyan










7:00 pm World Café

14 l 14Purim Katan

7:15 am Minyan




Ki Tissa



17 l 17Presidents’ Day

8:45 am Minyan


Office Closed












Vayakhel










27 l 277:15 am Minyan8:30 am Siddur Class8:00 pm HebrewLanguage ClassMordechai Rosenstein,Artist-in-Residence(see page 5)

28 l 287:15 am Minyan5:27 pm Candlelighting,Minhah/Kabbalat ShabbatMordechai Rosenstein,Artist-in-ResidenceCongregational Dinner(see page 5)

1 March l 29Shabbat Shekalim9:00 am ShaharitPekudeMordechai Rosenstein,Artist-in-Residence(see page 5)6:32 pm Shabbat ends

10

ILAN

AB

UR

GE

SS

ILAN

AB

UR

GE

SS

ILAN

AB

UR

GE

SS

W W W . O R Z A R U A . O R G N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R 2 0 0 9C O N G R E G A T I O N O R Z A R U A J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 4

HEBREWLANGUAGECLASSby Mark Somerstein

Mark Somerstein will teach aclass on the siddur, establishinga lexicon of prayer, ritual, and

ceremony. In addition to exploring deri-vations, the class will ultimately lead tothe study of modern Hebrew.

Beginning on Thursday, January 9,at 8:00 p.m., the class will meet for atotal of seven Thursday sessions:January 9, 16, and 30; February 6 and27; and March 13 and 27.

This class is open to all. There isno charge for members of Or Zarua. For nonmembers, the fee is $180. Foradditional information, please contactMark Somerstein at 646-303-1076. To register, call the synagogue office at212-452-2310, extension 12, or go towww.tinyurl.com/KoachSiddur.

Each year, OZ Hebrew School stu-dents are encouraged to performdifferent mitzvot. We collectmoney for a school in S’derotand toys for Chai Lifeline, which

helps sick kids, and make decorations for

Ronald McDonald House (RMH). For theRMH Share-a-Night event on December 5,we made dreidels, hanukkiot, and oilpitchers to bring joy into the lives of thechildren.

This year, Harry Gandel, a HebrewSchool first grader, and his sister Allison,who will be a kindergarten student nextyear, participated in the RMH Fun Run inearly November. Both Harry and Allison finished the race and had a great timewhile raising moneyfor a good cause.

OZ believesthat if we cometogether, we can doamazing things,and every year OZHebrew School students strive todo more and better.

Hebrew School Mitzvotby Annie Sahn

Purim Campus ConnectionHoliday packages for OZ college students

Every year, Or Zarua strives to main-tain contact with our young adultswho are away at college. For Purim,

we send a “holiday package” to remindthem that they are still part of our extend-ed family.

If you would like your child to receivea free package, please reply to DeborahWenger at [email protected] or

212-452-2310, extension 39, by Monday,February 24, with your child’s name andcomplete school mailing address (includ-ing dormitory room, apartment, or P.O. boxnumber, if applicable), as well as his orher email address and phone number.

If you submitted your child’s nameand address for a Hanukkah package, wealready have the information on file.

“LIKE” CONGREGATION OR ZARUA ON FACEBOOK to help spread the word about us!

DISCOVERY SHABBAT MINYAN Saturday, February 8, 10:30 a.m.

Discovery Minyan is an interactive prayer experience for OZ’s youth and theirfamilies. The first one will take place on February 8 with OZ’s Ruach and KefShabbat youth groups (0 through 3rd grade) and their families, followed by a

special kiddush. Future Discovery Minyan events will be held on Saturdays, March 29and April 29, at 10:30 a.m. Discovery Minyan will be held on the seventh floor.

Preparing art for the Ronald McDonald House Share-a-Night event

Harry and Allison Gandel participated inthe RMH Fun Run in early November.

Laughing Latkes competed in Top Latke.

11


DA

RA

SH

AP

IRO

DID YOU VISIT ABRAHAM AND SARAH AT THE PJ LIBRARY? The reading for the day was“Why Sarah Laughed.” The next PJ Library event, a program designed for families withyoung children, will be on Friday, April 4, at 5:30 p.m. To sign up for the PJ Library, go towww.pjlibrary.org and find OZ using zip code 10028. Your child will receive 12 monthlymailings of free, wonderful Jewish children’s books and CDs.

Please join us forour next Or Zaruabook discussionon Sunday, January26, at 7:00 p.m.

in Or Zarua’s Library. PatDavidson will lead our dis-cussion of Dara Horn’sfourth novel, A Guide for thePerplexed.

This intense and imagi-native novel intertwines theJoseph story from Genesis,Maimonides’ philosophy,Solomon Schechter’s foray into the Fustatgenizah, and the digital frontier to explorehow technology can change memory and

how memory shapes thesoul.

Software prodigy JosieAshkenazi developedGenizah, a software programthat can comprehensivelyarchive every moment of itsusers’ lives. When the richlyendowed, new Library ofAlexandria invites her to workas a consultant, her jealoussister Judith persuades herto go, leaving her husbandand daughter at home. But

Josie is abducted. While captive in Egypt,Josie delves into the work of the medievalphilosopher Moses Maimonides, who

sought to reconcile divine providence andhuman free will.

Geraldine Brooks wrote: “Intricateand suspenseful, A Guide for thePerplexed is both learned and heartfelt,an exploration of human memory, its usesand misuses, that spans centuries in atwisty braid full of jaw-dropping revelationsand breathtaking reversals. An elegantand brainy page-turner from a master storyteller.”

If you would like more information on Or Zarua book discussions or have abook suggestion, please contact Deborah Wenger in the synagogue officeat 212-452-2310, extension 12, [email protected].

Or Zarua Book DiscussionsA Guide for the Perplexed by Dara Horn, Sunday, January 26, 7:00 p.m.

Saturday, January 11 • 2:30 p.m.SHABBAT HANGOUT WITH TIZMORETHigh School and College students4th Floor Library

Saturday, January 25 • 10:30 a.m.TEEN SHABBAT4th grade and up4th Floor Library

Saturday, January 25 • 6:00 p.m.COOKIE DECORATING Middle School students7th Floor Youth Lounge

Additional information on these eventsand future youth programs in Februaryand beyond will be available by email. Ifyou have a child (4th grade and up) andare not receiving OZ Youth emails, pleasecontact Sigal at [email protected] Elana at [email protected].

OZ YOUTH EVENTSYOUNG FAMILIES DINNER Friday, January 31, 6:00 p.m.

Make reservations by Monday, January 27, by contacting Ilana Burgess, 212-452-2310, extension 15, or [email protected]. $18 adults; $10 children ages

5-12; no charge for children under 5.

SIG

AL

HIR

SC

H

Thanksgivikkah at Or Zarua

12

C O N G R E G A T I O N O R Z A R U A N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 0

A Solution to HungerSupport OZ’s partnership with the New York Common Pantry

Congregation Or Zarua haslaunched a year-round effort to collect food for New York’shungry in collaboration withthe New York Common Pantry,

the city’s largest community-based foodpantry. You can help by either donatingfood items or volunteering at the CommonPantry distribution center.

Needed items include whole wheatpasta; tomato sauce; tea and coffee;100% real fruit juice; packaged dry beans;canned soup or stew (low sodium); wholegrain items; brown rice; oatmeal; peanutbutter; canned tuna, salmon, and chicken;and shelf-stable milk (non-fat or 1%, suchas 32 oz. Parmalat).

Baskets have been placed in theSocial Hall for food donations, which willbe distributed through the New YorkCommon Pantry.

Come see this amazing organization

up close by volunteering in the pantry’sdistribution center, at 8 East 109thStreet, off Fifth Avenue. Every Wednesday,Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, theCommon Pantry distributes grocery pack-ages to thousands of families, and relieson volunteers to get the work done. OrZarua has committed to send three to five volunteers the first Thursday of everymonth, starting February 6. Volunteers areasked to work from 9:00 a.m. to 12 noon.

One congregant who has volunteeredwith her teenager at the pantry said, “It isalways a great experience. We take turnsfilling bags with items selected by thepantry’s clients, and the time flies by. It’sfun to work with other volunteers fromaround the city, and interesting to seefirst-hand how the organization works.”

Please contact Lesley Palmer at [email protected] for more information orto volunteer.

W W W . O R Z A R U A . O R G N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 0C O N G R E G A T I O N O R Z A R U A J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 4

Hesed Events and Programs“The world exists for the sake of kindness.”—Rashi

Salvation Deliverance Churchl “Pre-owned” adult and children’s clothing,toys, dolls, games, and related items canbe put to good use by the many transitionalhomeless residents in the South Bronx,including single, jobless mothers and theirchildren, as well as unemployed men. OZpartners with Salvation Deliverance Church,whose members are housekeepers caringfor their own local needy.

Home Visit Volunteersl Volunteer to visit and cheer ill or home-bound Or Zarua congregants.

Monday Night Pasta and Salad at NCSl Or Zarua congregants serve hot foodand good cheer to men and women with a range of mental health and addictionissues at the Neighborhood CoalitionShelter’s East 81st Street Residence onthe last two Mondays of each month from

6:00 to 6:45 p.m., when the residents’government checks are depleted.

Ronald McDonald Housel Children come from across the U.S. andaround the world to undergo serious med-ical treatment at New York City hospitals.Many reside with their families at RonaldMcDonald House and have no local support system of friends or relatives. The chaplain at Ronald McDonald Housealerts us when OZ may be of service to Jewish families who may require koshermeals, synagogue services, and otherassistance.

Winter Caps and Scarfsl Or Zarua congregants create attractiveknitted caps and scarfs for children in need.

To participate in any of these Hesed programs, please contact Richard Stadin at [email protected] or 212-879-0448.

RABBI WECHSLERTEACHES ON SIRIUS XM RADIOSundays at 5:00 a.m,7:00 a.m., and 12:00 p.m.

Rabbi Wechsler can be heard onSiriusXM Stars Channel threetimes each Sunday. Subscribers

to SiriusXM Satellite Radio can access“Rabbi Wechsler Teaches” on Channel107. Nonsubscribers can obtain a free,three-day trial at www.siriusxm.com.

SIR

IUS

XM

TALMUD CLASSWednesdays at 7:30 p.m.Rabbi Wechsler will teach in January

This January, Rabbi Wechsler willteach the second chapter ofTractate Hagigah, “Ein Dorshin,”

the classic locus in the Talmud for dis-cussions of mysticism and religiousexperience. We will study the limits ofhuman knowledge, the relationshipbetween science and religion, and thestrictures instituted by the rabbis todiscourage potentially heretical behav-ior. We shall read about “entering theOrchard,” the inner sanctum of reli-gious experience, a place of danger aswell as bliss. Seldom studied, yet ofmonumental importance, “Ein Dorshin”will be another celebration of Or Zarua’s25th Silver Lights Anniversary.

Rabbi Weschsler will teach for fourWednesdays in January, beginning onJanuary 8. In February, Talmud studywill return to Masekhet Shabbat withRabbi Bolton. Anyone may join the classat any time; it is not necessary to haveparticipated in Talmud class on previ-ous occasions. No prior knowledge ofTalmud, Hebrew, or Aramaic is required.

13


The Or Zarua section of Beth ElCemetery is located in WashingtonTownship (Bergen County), New

Jersey, just 10 miles away from the GeorgeWashington Bridge. Beth El Cemetery iswell maintained and landscaped withtrees and shrubs. The cemetery’s designprovides a serene and beautiful final resting place that reflects the values andaesthetics of Congregation Or Zarua.Gravesites within the Or Zarua section areavailable for sale solely to members ofour congregation. Burial is limited to per-sons of the Jewish faith. For informationconcerning gravesite purchases, pleasecontact Executive Director Helene Santoat 212-452-2310, extension 14.

OZ CemeteryFor members and their families

A view of the Or Zarua cemetery section.

HA

RV

EY

BR

EN

NE

R

LIND

AD

ER

SH

OW

ITZA

ND

CH

AR

LIES

PIE

LHO

LZ

OZ Hanukkah ActivitiesNovember and December 2013

Thanksgiving gleaners collecting food atThe Vinegar Factory.

Roz Devon (left)performing in OZ’sreception room atShare-a-Night atRMH before artwork prepared byOZ Hebrew Schoolstudents.

TOP LATKE COMPETITION. Five teamscompeted in Or Zarua’s first Top Latkecompetition (near left, from top): DianeOkrent and Dick Stadin, Gold SpunLatkes (the Spungens), Brian and AnnieSahn, Vera and Kayla Silver, and LaughingLatkes with Ilana Burgess (bottom, farleft). The entries were butternut squashand sage, coconut and chocolate,carrots and spinach, Jerusalem artichokewith a creamy pareve sauce, and traditional. The judges were AnthonyBanfield, Shiya Bolton, and Rabbi Bolton(in white toque). The Spungen family’sJerusalem artichoke recipe was awardedthe Grand Prize—a frying pan.

Bir’nana performing in the welcomingceremonies for Share-a-Night at RonaldMcDonald House.

14


The Or Zarua CommunityFund contributions received between October 1, 2013, and November 30, 2013

OR ZARUA YOUTH ART CALENDARFundraiser for the Youth Education Department

The OZ Youth Art Calendar is a fundraiser for the YouthEducation Department. This year’s calendar, which con-sists of collages of the faces of OZ youth, was created by

one of our young congregants, Talia Spielholz. A copy of thecalendar has been mailed to each OZ membership unit. Whilethere is no cost for the calendar, all money raised will help tosupport holiday celebrations, field trips, and tzedakah projectsfor the Or Zarua Hebrew School. We hope that you enjoy thecalendar and will show your support by sending a donation tothe synagogue office.

CH

AR

LIES

PIE

LHO

LZ

CONGREGATION OR ZARUA127 East 82nd StreetNew York, NY 10028-0807


l “Threshold to the Sacred,” Yeshiva University Museum Tour,Monday, January 6, 6:00 p.m. Tickets are still available (page 3).l Talmud class with Rabbi Wechsler. He will teach from “EinDorshin” on four consecutive Wednesdays, beginning January 8,7:30 p.m. (page 12).l Hebrew language class taught by Mark Somerstein beginsThursday, January 9, 8:00 p.m. (page 10).l Shabbat Shirah with the a cappella group Tizmoret on January 10and 11. RSVP by Monday, January 6, for Friday night dinner (page 7). l Teen Hangout with Tizmoret, Saturday, January 11, 2:30 p.m.(page 11).l The Lucy S. Dawidowicz lecture, “Sacred Trash: The Lost andFound World of the Cairo Geniza,” with Adina Hoffman and PeterCole, is on Thursday, January 23, at 8:00 p.m. (page 3).l All are invited to Or Zarua’a 25th Birthday kiddush on Saturday,January 25. (page 3).l Teen Shabbat, Saturday, January 25, 10:30 a.m. (page 11).l Cookie Decorating for Middle School Students, Saturday,January 25, 6:00 p.m. (page 11).l Book discussion features “A Guide for the Perplexed,” by DaraHorn, Sunday, January 26, 7:00 p.m. (page 11).l Young Families Dinner, Friday, January 31, 6:00 p.m. (page 11).l The Annual Super Bowl Party in support of Hesed is Sunday,February 2. Minhah/Ma’ariv begins at 5:00 p.m., with dinner andthe party following. Reservations are required (page 6).

l World Café Jewish Learning Experience, an OZ and Context pro-gram, meets on February 13, March 6, and March 20 (page 3).l Discovery Shabbat Minyan, Saturday, February 8 (page 10).l Meet, learn, and work with Artist-in-Residence MordechaiRosenstein, February 27 to March 2 (page 5).l Send the name and address of your college-aged children toOZ’s Campus Connection by February 24 so that they may receivea Purim package (page 10).l The Hevra Kadisha Zayin Adar Brunch is Sunday, March 9, afterthe morning service (page 7).l Fight hunger in NYC. Support OZ’s partnership with the NewYork Common Pantry by volunteering your time on Thursday morn-ings or by donating specific types of food (page 12).l Rabbi Bolton’s Siddur Class, Thursdays at 8:30 a.m. (page 6).l Bir’nana, OZ’s a cappella group, will be meeting on Sundays at7:30 p.m., January 5, 12, and 19.l Passover candy sale to benefit OZ’s Hebrew School can beordered at http://tinyurl.com/OZ-Candy-Sale-2014 (page 2).l Rescheduled: Eric Kandel, “The Age of Insight,” Sunday, April 6,7:30 p.m. (page 4).l Have you seen the new OZ Youth Art Calendar (page 14)?l Help out with a Hesed program (page 12).l Sign up for the morning minyan (page 4).l Torah and haftarah readers are needed (page 5).

January/February Checklist

16

CONGREGATION OR ZARUA OFFICE HOURSMonday through Thursday 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

Friday 9:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.

The Or Zarua office is closed Saturdayand Sunday, as well as on Jewish andfederal holidays.

Documents

Recalling Old Dreams and Dreaming New Ones · 2018. 7. 26. · TEVET/SHEVAT/ADAR I 5774 NEWSLETTER/VOLUME 26:3 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014 MORDECHAI ROSENSTEIN will be Or Zarua’s Artist-in-Residence