From the Rabbi's Desk
April 2024
Friends, This past month, I had the incredible privilege of marrying two couples within one week. In large congregations and Jewish communities, this might be common. In our small community and congregation, it is unusual. Even more remarkable is that I know both couples well. One of them I know very well because the groom is my oldest son, Michael, and the bride is my new daughter-in-law, Julia. Both weddings were very small, with guests limited to close family and friends. Yet, the guest list size doesn’t change the magnitude of the moment. Whether the guest list is hundreds or a few, two people making a sacred commitment to one another, is a shehecheyanu moment. However, when the guest list is small, all involved seem more focused on the commitment and the sacredness of the moment rather than the little details and logistics that make large weddings seem intimate and beautiful. Every wedding has its special moment. Sometimes, the special moment is when a parent or parents escort their child to join hands with their partner before coming under the chuppah. Sometimes, it is the personal vows, the ring exchange, announcing the couple, breaking the glass, or the first kiss in marriage. For both of these weddings, the special moment was the priestly blessing – Y’varech’cha Adonai v’yishm‘recha –May the Lord bless you and protect you. For each couple, I wrapped them in my tallit; they wrapped their arms around each other; I spoke God’s words through my humble heart while they tightly closed their eyes, making feeble attempts to stem the tears of love and joy, with their hearts wholly opened to the sanctity of the moment. As wonderful as these moments under the chuppah were, much of the backdrop is not so wonderful. As American Jews, we are struggling with the fallout from the assault, torture, murder, and abduction of Israelis, Jews, and foreign workers on October 7; rising antisemitism; growing rifts between us Jews and people and groups we thought were our strong allies; not to mention fragile economies, climate change, migrant and refugee crises, and political extremism both at home in the US, and our homeland, Israel. Most disturbing is that most of these issues are not Jewish-centric, yet Jews are often named as the central problem with many of them. In his article in The Atlantic, published March 4, Franklin Foer detailed the many signs we have seen and experienced ourselves that lead him to conclude that the Golden Age of American Jews is Ending. As depressing and scary as this article is, I suggest you read it. But Franklin Foer does not tell us what to do with this realization. I choose to look for hope. So, where do I find hope? I find hope in these two weddings. In both cases, an interfaith couple believed the context for the start of their married life, their envisioned future, should be under the chuppah. I also find hope in the more difficult places, like friends and family supporting those struggling with cancer or those amid grief from the loss of loved ones. I find hope in the large crowd of Jews and non-Jews gathered at the Garde to see Jerry Fischer’s movie premier, Henny – a Legacy of Hope. I find hope in the steady stream of individuals and families finding their way to Temple Emanu-El, with little outreach on our part, seeking spiritual and community connection through Reform Judaism. Indeed, there are many signs of hope. Franklin Foer is rightly ringing the alarm bell. But we should know our Jewish history well enough to know that the Golden Age of American Jews wasn’t the only such age for Jews. We should also know that the largest part of our history resides not in a single united homeland but in all the places and cultures within which Jews have thrived under incredibly difficult circumstances. There is always hope to be found somewhere if you are looking for it. Look, and you will surely be inspired. L’shalom, |
Cantorial Notes
April 2024
This month we celebrate Pesach! Time to do your spring cleaning! What is your favorite memory of Passover? I have many happy memories of my mom’s delicious seders. One of my favorite memories was my mom asking me to serve the matzah ball soup. I proudly dished up a bowl for my dad, who upon tasting it said the soup didn’t taste right. I didn’t know that the chicken soup was in the other pot! I had served my dad matzah balls in matzah ball water! Oy vey! My mom would tell us stories about seders when she was a girl. She said the seders went until after midnight. She would get in trouble for having shpilkes, and towards the end would fall asleep because of the wine she sipped. I wish I had known my grandpa. He was Orthodox, and I’m sure he read every word in the haggadah. I’m sure it was filled with wonderful discussions. Our seders were short at most 30 minutes. It was nice to have my brother, my parents, and me around the table having a wonderful time, eating, and laughing. After we joined Temple Emanu-El, we became part of the TE family for Pesach. I’m very happy that this year our seder will be here at Temple Emanu-El. As a congregant, many years ago, my family would sit with our good friends the Goldsmiths. Our boys would hang spoons on their noses, make jokes, and make all of us laugh. We also spent many wonderful second seders as a part of the Rosenberg family, enjoying the laughter around their table, and watching the grandchildren grow bigger every year. What did you get for finding the afikomen? Sometimes my brother and I would get chocolate covered coconut. We may have received money, but the chocolate seems to stick in my mind more. What did you take to school for lunch Pesach? I remember taking things like tunafish, bologna and mustard, or peanut butter and jelly, on matzah to school for lunch. What a mess. The kids at the lunch table always wanted to try the matzah. I was happy to share. What is your favorite part of the Seder? My favorite thing about the seder were the songs. Had Gadya, Echad Mi Yodeah, Adir Bimlucha, and there were more. I remember them, because the holiday record would be playing those songs sung by a male choir. I loved that record. I hope that whether your seder is at your home, away with family, here at Temple Emanu-El, or maybe it is your first seder, may your seder be meaningful, filled with stories of past seders, and that you create new stories and memories for next year. Have a zissen Pesach! A sweet Passover! B’shir, Todah rabah to the Bread and Torah Committee, and those behind the scenes, for making sure the weekend went beautifully. |
Presidential Message
April 2024
Spring has officially arrived and I’m enjoying the songs and sightings of more and more feathered friends who are migrating back. Soon we’ll be tackling our gardens, breathing more fresh air, and absorbing vitamin D the natural way again. It’s a good time of year to exercise Jewish values through simple actions, like scheduling a Hartsprings Foundation donation pickup as we organize, recycle, reuse, and reduce, just in time for Earth Day on April 22, which happens to coincide this year with the beginning of Passover. Hartsprings Foundation gladly accepts clothing, shoes, linens, and cloth items without limitations and they’ll pull up to your mailbox or driveway to take your boxes away. I love wearing my newish pair of sneakers as its memory foam truly makes logging 10,000 steps feel more effortless. I’m really looking forward to rejoining Sisterhood’s weekly walks at the Niantic Boardwalk as well as participating with our Temple Emanu-El team on April 28 at the Homeless Hospitality Center’s Walk to End Homelessness. Have you seen the Temple Emanu-El logo on the posters around town? We’re sandwiched between Mohegan Sun and the Rotary Club of New London. As co-sponsors this year thanks to a donation made in Sybil Nassau’s memory, this visibility allows us to communicate to the greater community that we care deeply about helping those in need. It’s also an opportunity to do outreach and perhaps meet some unaffiliated Jewish families as we do some good together with our neighbors. Please consider walking with us. Go to www.nlhhc.org/walk, click on Join A Fundraising Team, and select Temple Emanu-El when you register. Thank you, once again, to Bruce, Lori, and Hillary Goldstein for hosting Rabbi Jonathan Rubinstein and Rabbi Linda Motzkin during our Bread and Torah Shabbaton weekend. Thank you to all the members of our Bread and Torah Planning Committee and our hosts for the memorable event activities that our congregants, students, and guests enjoyed: Rabbi Marc, Hazzan Sherry, Hillary Goldstein, Ben and Courtney Miller, Erica and Rich McCaffrey, Caryn and Steve Novick, Scott and Jennifer Zettler, and Emma Zelken. It was delightful learning about scribal arts, baking challah and bagels, and celebrating Shabbat in a deeply spiritual and meaningful way with our vibrant community. Thank you to Barbara Wolfe, Janine Sitko, and Amy Perry and all of their volunteers who helped make the Mishloach Manot Purim Bag Fundraiser such a success. Many thanks to Barbara Senges for ordering and donating the delicious hamantascen for Purim. And special thanks to Sam Winograd for writing this year’s very entertaining Purim Spiel, the entire cast and crew for their time and skill on the Temple Emanu-El Players’ stage. Although our fiscal year is quickly nearing its completion, we still have many activities to look forward to in the coming weeks. Be sure to schedule your portrait for the 65th Anniversary Temple Directory. Many thanks to Brian Alpert for lending us his talents – he’s an amazing photographer. And thanks to Sue Fornara and her communications committee for coordinating this effort. Soon we’ll be able to connect Temple names and faces and be able to reach out to each other. I wish you all a wonderful time at your family Passover Seders. Chag Pesach Sameach,
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