|
Greetings!
April was filled with events marking the progression of
the Jewish year. Once again Rabbi Kalmanofsky led a seder on the second
night of Pesach attended by 85 members of AC and the larger
community. Parents who attended a discussion on talking about the
Holocaust with children found it extremely helpful. On Yom HaShoah
we had the privilege of watching Oren Rudavsky's thought-provoking film
Hiding and Seeking, after which we were host congregation for the annual
Upper West Side reading of names of Holocaust victims. Israeli peace
activist and feminist Leah Shakdiel gave a dynamic talk at April's
seudah shlishit, and we observed Yom HaZikaron and Yom HaAtzma'ut. As
we count the omer and progress from Pesach to Shavuot, we have been
reading reflections written by members of the AC community.
On the Shabbat of May 7th and 8th we will have our
spring Scholar-in-Residence, Professor Joel Hecker, who will speak
about "Encountering God at Mystical Meals," the final program in this year's
focus on how Jewish culture is shaped by food. Also on May 8th
all the minyanim will join together for kiddush as we honor Lauren
Kurland and the leaders of the children's Shabbat services. On
Sunday, May 9 at 9:30am the community is invited to a presentation
about Tuv Ha'aretz, a community-sponsored agriculture project. On
erev Shavuot, May 25, services will be held at 8:30pm followed by an
all-night Tikkun Leil Shavuot at the JCC beginning at 11pm. Rabbi
Kalmanofsky will be among the study session leaders.
May Calendar
CANDLE LIGHTING TIMES
4/30 Light candles 7:33. Shabbat ends 8:38
5/7 Light candles 7:40. Shabbat ends 8:47
5/14 Light candles 7:47. Shabbat ends 8:55
5/21 Light candles 7:54. Shabbat ends 9:02
5/25 Light Shavuot candles 7:57
5/26 Light Shavuot candles after 9:07
5/27 Yom Tov ends 9:07
5/28 Light candles 8:00. Shabbat ends 9:09
SERVICE TIMES
Morning Minyan
Monday & Thursday 7:20am
Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday 7:30am
Sunday & Civil Holidays 8:30am
Rosh Hodesh 7:15am
On Shabbat
Kabbalat Shabbat Services 6:30pm
Torah Study 9:00am
Morning Services 10:00am
Children's Shabbat services
Tot Service, llana Garber / Shai Specht
For families with children ages 4 and under, 11:00am - Noon.
Family Service, Elena Sassower
For children ages 5-7 and their parents. 10:45am- 12:15pm.
Big Kids Service, Mindy Fischer / Tommy Treitel
For children 8 and up. 11:00-12:15pm.
Minyan Rimonim 5/1, 5/15
West Side Minyan 5/8, 5/22
Minyan Kesher 5/22
WEEK OF MAY 1
5/1 SHABBAT Aharei Mot/Kedoshim
Sam Kronfeld bar mitzvah
Seudah Shlishit 7pm
WEEK OF MAY 2
5/4 Israeli Fiction Reading Group 7:30pm
5/5 Talmud Study Group 6:30pm
5/7 Scholar-in-Residence Dinner & Lecture
5/8 SHABBAT Emor
Joint Kiddush Honoring Children's Service Leaders & Farewell to Lauren
Kurland
Scholar-in-Residence Lunch & Lecture
Sam Mantel havdala bar mitzvah
5/9 Tuv Ha'Aretz Breakfast Meeting 9:30am
WEEK OF MAY 10
5/10 Israel-Zionist Reading Group 7:45pm
5/12 Talmud Study Group 6:30pm
5/15 SHABBAT Behar/Behukotai
Erica Sands bat mitzvah
Seudah Shlishit 7:30pm
5/16 Blood Drive 10am-3:15pm
WEEK OF MAY 17
5/17 Board of Trustees 8pm
5/19 Talmud Study Group 6:30pm
5/20 Hebrew School Picnic 5:30pm
5/22 SHABBAT Bamidbar
Anna Ramos bat mitzvah
Eric Weiser havdala bar mitzvah
WEEK OF MAY 24
5/25 Erev Shavuot. Services 8:30pm
Tikkun Leil Shavuot at JCC 11pm
5/26 Shavuot Services 10am
5/27 Shavuot Services including Yizkor 10am
5/29 SHABBAT Naso
WEEK OF MAY 31
5/31 Memorial Day. Office closed.
|
|
A Message from Family Educator Lauren Kurland |
 |
|
As some of you know, this month marks my last at Ansche Chesed. Over the
past two years, I have served as the synagogue's part-time Family
Educator while concurrently studying in the rabbinical school at the
Jewish Theological Seminary. As I enter my fifth and final year of the
rabbinical program, I have made the difficult decision to concentrate
full-time on school.
Since my first day at Ansche Chesed, I have felt welcomed and
included by adults and children alike. I have learned so much from all
of you on the occasions that we have joined together in prayer, grappled
with difficult questions, and shared Torah. I thank you for opening your
hearts (and your homes!) to me and to Scott, and for trusting me with
your delightful children.
To the Family Education Committee, Family Shabbat Service Leaders and
Ansche Chesed Board, I offer great thanks and deep appreciation for your
dedication to the families of Ansche Chesed. With your care and
encouragement, the future of Ansche Chesed looks strong.
Finally, the guidance and support of Rabbi Jeremy Kalmanofsky and the
Ansche Chesed office staff - Sharri Posen, Rabbi Iscah Waldman, Marisol
Ledesma, Mariya Liberova, and Randi Jaffe - has been invaluable to me.
We have shared much laughter and much wisdom, and I thank each of you
for being my teacher. The security and maintenance staffs - John Dobbin,
Erik DeJesus, Sylvia Ortiz, Pablo Villafane, Elvin Nichols, Raul
Rodriguez, Pedro Peralta, Tony Vicioso, and Jesus Fernandez -- have also
willingly and ably cooperated with the often complicated schedules of
our family programs with a smile, and for that I am grateful.
In closing, I offer a blessing written by Rebbe Nachman of Breslov in
the 18th century: Loving God, what is more precious than our children?
Is there any treasure that can be more beloved, more pure than those
cherished souls we have brought into the world? Help us guide them well,
dear God, and help them accept our guidance. Help them lead their lives
with faith, wisdom and truth. Amen.
|
|
|
Shabbat and Holiday Events & Learning |
|
|
Shabbat, May 7 & 8
Scholar-in-Residence Joel Hecker
"Encountering God at Mystical Meals"
Jewish mystics from the thirteenth through the eighteenth centuries
looked for divinity in every bite. Join AC and Professor Joel Hecker for
our spring Scholar-in-Residence Shabbat to look at Jewish mystical texts
from 13th century Spain, 16th century Safed, and 18th century eastern
Europe, all offering different approaches to eating.Friday night
dinner & study following services. AC members $25, non-members $30,
children $10. Shabbat potluck lunch study session; seudah shlishit study
session at 5:30pm. Childcare will be provided during the Friday night
lecture (the gym will not be available). RSVP to Sharri Posen at ext.
415 or sposen@anschechesed.org
Dr. Joel Hecker is Associate Professor of Jewish Mysticism and
Chair of the Department of Modern Civilization at the Reconstructionist
Rabbinical College, and is also an ordained Orthodox rabbi. His book,
Mystical Bodies, Mystical Meals: Eating and Embodiment in Medieval
Kabbalah, will be published this year.
This Scholar-in-Residence Shabbat is endowed in memory of Aviva
Isobel Kirsch through the generosity of her family.
Shabbat, May 8
Community Kiddush Honoring the Children's Shabbat Service Leaders and
Lauren Kurland
Join all the minyanim and the family service-goers to honor the
children's and family service leaders who have worked so hard to give
our children a special Shabbat experience: Mindy Fischer, Ilana Garber,
Elena Sassower, Shai Specht, and Tommy Treitel. We will also pay tribute
to Lauren Kurland, AC's Family Educator. For the past two years Lauren
has brought families together on many occasions for creative, fun, and
most of all, educational programs that have helped to instill and foster
a love for, knowledge of, and connection to Judaism.
May 1 at 7pm and May 15 at 7:30pm
Seudah Shlishit, The Third Meal of Shabbat
The last hours of Shabbat can be the sweetest time of the sweetest day.
Join Rabbi Kalmanofsky to savor the final moments of the day of rest
with song and study, food and drink.
SHAVUOT AT ANSCHE CHESED
Erev Shavuot, Tuesday, May 25
Services at AC, 8:30pm.
Tikkun Leil Shavuot
On Shavuot it is traditional to study through the night. At 8:30pm Rabbi
Kalmanofsky and others will lead study sessions for AC members. At 10pm
we join with other synagogues and groups for "Stay the Night," an
interdisciplinary night of study. Rabbi Kalmanofsky and Rabbi Michael
Paley will lead the midnight session. The entire program will be held
at the JCC, 76th Street and Amsterdam Avenue. For complete
information about this exciting program, visit www.tikkunNY.org
First Day Shavuot, May 26
Morning Services at 10am.
Second Day Shavuot, May 27
Morning Services including Yizkor at 10am.
Shabbat, May 29
In ancient times the new agricultural season was marked by the bringing
of the first fruits of the land to the temple on Shavuot. At Ansche
Chesed we celebrate children born since last Shavuot, June 6, and
invite families with new babies to come for a special ceremony on
the bimah.
Save the Date!
Community Shabbat Dinner, Friday, June 11
"Stay the Night" Shavuot Study » |
|
|
Community Events |
|
|
Sunday, May 9 at 9:30am (Lag Ba'Omer & Mothers' Day)
Tuv Ha'Aretz, A Community-Sponsored Agriculture Project
Ansche Chesed is working with Just Food, Garden of Eve Farm, and Hazon
to create New York's first-ever Jewish CSA (Community-Sponsored
Agriculture Project), Tuv Ha'aretz: The Best Of the Land / Good
For the Land. Tuv Ha'aretz is an opportunity for people on the
Upper West Side to join together to buy shares of a farm's harvest - in
this case Eve Kaplan and Chris Walbrecht's Garden of Eve Farm. Families
and individuals will have the opportunity to buy shares of Garden of
Eve's harvest, picking up their produce every Wednesday at AC from June
2nd to November 24th. This will be an amazing way to eat healthy,
delicious produce, support sustainable agriculture, build community, and
keep kosher in the deepest way. Registration opens immediately and there
will be an opportunity to meet the farmers and ask questions at an
informational breakfast at AC on May 9th.
AC and Hazon members will pay a reduced price of $400 for the entire
period; non-members will pay $450. Half shares are available for $200
($225 for non-members), and will consist of half the amount of produce
included in a full share.
For complete details and an application form, go to www.hazon.org/csa
Sunday, May 16, 10am-3:15pm
Spring Blood Drive
Please take this opportunity to perform a great mitzvah. Call Sylvia at
ext. 408 to schedule your time slot.
AC'S STUDY GROUPS
Israeli Fiction Reading Group
Tuesday, May 4 at 7:30pm
The group will discuss stories from Savyon Liebrecht's Apples from
the Desert: "Excision," "The Road to Cedar City," "What Am I
Speaking, Chinese?..." and "The Homesick Scientist." All are welcome.
For more information contact Janet Burstein, jburstei@drew.edu or
212.316.1386.
Israel-Zionist Reading Group
Monday, May 10 at 7:45 pm
The group will discuss Chapter 6 of Righteous Victims by Benny
Morris.
OUTINGS GROUP EVENTS
Bearfort Ridge Hike Sunday May 16
An 8.3 mile (6+ hours) hilly hike in two states with a "Grand View"
(hiking boots required). Bring hiking boots, lunch, water, daypack, hat,
sunscreen, sunglasses, money, etc. Co-sponsored with the Mosaic Outdoor
Mountain Club of Greater New York. Cost is $10 ($5 AC/MOMC members).
Limited to 30 people. Telephone reservations required by 6:00pm
Wednesday, May 10. Contact Michael (212/678-7881 before 9:00pm) to
reserve. Rain cancels. Car-pooling.
Memorial Day Weekend - Friday, May 28 - Monday, May 31
At Camp Ramah in the Berkshires. A fun filled weekend which attracts
many people from the Ansche Chesed Outings Group and Young Professionals
groups. "Highly recommended!" The lower cost early-bird deadline for
reservations is Friday, May 14 and all reservations are due by Friday,
May 21. Details and reservation forms are available at http://www.ramahberkshires.org/memorialday/
Outings Group Events » |
|
|
Family & Youth |
|
|
Shabbat, May: Honoring the Children's Service Leaders and Lauren
Kurland
See "Shabbat and Holiday Events" above.Shavuot "Sleep-Under"
Celebration
Tuesday, May 25 at 6:30pm
Children are invited to come in pajamas and stay up late to celebrate
Shavuot, the giving of the Torah.
Hebrew School Picnic
Thursday, May 20 at 5:30pm
All the Hebrew School families are invited to celebrate spring and the
end of the school year at a festive picnic in Riverside Park.
|
|
|
News & Notes |
|
|
MAZAL TOV TO:
Noah Malale, Amy and Amiel Malale on the celebration of Noah's
bar mitzvah.
Magda Schaler-Haynes and Michael Haynes on the birth of their
daughter, Samara.
Tara and Charlie Fersko and sister Abigail on the birth of Joshua
Terence.CONDOLENCES TO:
The Ansche Chesed community mourns the loss of its member, Rabbi
Gershon Schwartz, and extends sincere condolences to his wife
Shuly Rubin Schwartz and children Moshe & wife Aviva, Tali, and
Hadar.
Peter Silvermanon the death of his mother, Anne Silverman.
Amy Rosenfeld on the death of her grandmother, Rose Comora.
Phyllis Sperling on the death of her mother, Ruth Aronowitz.
Jocelyn Maskow on the death of her father, Benjamin Rosenblatt.
Naomi Marcus on the death of her father, David Greitzer.
TODA RABBA:
To the members who responded to requests for home hospitality and opened
their homes to welcome guests at their seder table: Pearl Beck and
David Fisher, Samantha Maya Finch, Elinor Hoffman and Julian Sosner,
Deborah Pastor and Aaron Brown, Jerry and Barrie Raik, Sharon and Marc
Sonnenschein.
Ellen Tucker for her work in organizing the buses to
Washington D.C. for the March for Women's Rights.
Gary Pretsfelder for co-facilitating the parents' discussion of
the Holocaust.
Rabbi David Gedzelman for his talk at the Yom Ha'Atzma'ut
Program.
Sharon Strassfeld for leading the Yom Ha'Atzma'ut service. |
|
|
Donations |
|
|
GENERAL DONATIONS
Elsie L. Adler in memory of her cousin, Peter Dienstag
Oscar & Ruth Awner in honor of the Bar Mitzvah of Samuel Jacob
Kronfeld
Trudy Balch in memory of her great aunts, Gertrude Karon Drobner
and Sara Balch Ganzel; in honor of everyone who gave her Shalach Manot
Milton & Judith Birnkrant in memory of his mother, Rebecca
Birnkrant, her parents, Louise Cohen & Paul Horowitz and their daughter,
Deborah Birnkrant
David & Amy Brauner in memory of her mother, Charlotte Lindner
Michael Brochstein in honor of Samuel Jacob Kronfeld's Bar
Mitzvah
Vicki Brower & Michael Gottsegen in memory of her father, Edward
Brower
Arline Cohen in memory of her father, Mervin J. Goldin and her
father-in-law, Abraham J. Cohen
Evelyn Cohen in memory of her parents, Birdie Pitchenick Haber
and Benjamin Pitchenick
Friedl Dienstag in memory of her son, Peter Dienstag
Rabbi Judith Edelstein & James Meier in memory of her mother,
Jean Edelstein
Rita Falbelin memory of her parents, Chaim and Hansi Falbel
Ida Fried in memory of her husband, Ernest Fried
Albert Gal & Arleen Stern in memory of his mother, Regina Gal
Ann Glassman in memory of her mother-in-law, Jennie Glassman
Phil Gold
Mark & Carole Gothelf
Martin & Debra Greenberg in memory of her mother, Kay Feldman
Walter & Esther Hautzig in memory of her grandmother, Esther
Hannah Cunzer, her grandfather, Shmuel ben Hillel Reisel Cunzer, her
uncle, Israel ben Shlomo and Frume Reisel Rudomin
Deborah Ann Konopko
Lauren Kurland & Scott Cohen in memory of Rabbi Iscah Waldman's
father, Rabbi Nahum Waldman
Chaya Levin in memory of her father, William B. Levin
Gila Ducat-Lipton & Edward Lipton in honor of Avi Mowshowitz's
play
Irene Melup
Jerome Mendlowitz in memory of his mother, Mayme Mendlowitz
William Meyers & Nahma Sandrow
Marcia & Alan Paderewski in memory of his father, Irwin
Paderewski
Shirley & Sidney Pollak in memory of her mother-in-law, Bertha
Pollak
Norma Rosen in loving memory of her husband, Robert Rosen
Sol Rosenkranz in memory of his grandmother, Hedy Cooper and his
relative Michael Cooper
Barbara Rothenberg in memory of her father, Chester Rothenberg
Howard & Suzanne Samelson in loving memory of her parents, Milton
Levinson & Clara Levinson
Lilianne & Hugh Segal in memory of her father, Aizic Weinberg
Paul & Roberta Shapiro in loving memory of her sister, Susan
Kornbluh
Herta Shriner in loving memory of her mother, Gertrude Lewin
Phyllis Sperling
Bonnie Zaben in honor of Yocheved Muffs
Robert Zimmerman in memory of his mother, Evelyn Zimmerman
KIDDUSH FUND
Irving Katz in memory of his father, Moses Meyer Katz
RIMONIM KIDDUSH FUND
Lynn Feinman
PRAYERBOOK FUND
Marjorie Hort in loving memory of her mother, Jessie M. Cohen
Ernest & Heidi Kahn in memory of his sister, Ruth S. Weiss and
his grandfather, Gustav Levy
RABBI'S DISCRETIONARY FUND
Deborah Brodie in memory of Rabbi Iscah Waldman's father, Rabbi
Nahum Waldman, Peter Silverman's mother, Anne Silverman, and Sheldon
Dorph's mother, Hannah Dorph.
Many of the following donations were for the sale of hametz:
Robert Alpert & Marcia Eisenberg, Misha Avramoff & Jacqueline
Gutwirth, Vivian Awner, Trudy Balch, Howard Baum & Elizabeth Maris, Yael
Ben-Dat, Sandra & David Bergman, HowardBerkowitz & Dina Rosenfeld,
Bertie & Rachel Bregman, Nina Bruder & Gary Pretsfelder, Stephen Burdman,
Benyamin Cirlin & Miriam BenHaim, Carolyn Cohen & Ruby Namdar, Rabbi
Melissa Crespy & Lawrence Kaufman, Evelyn Dichek, Susan F. Dickman,
Morris & Lore Dickstein, Sheldon & Gail Dorph, Gary Dreiblatt & Nancy
Sinkoff, Ilana Dreyer, Howard Eisenberg, David & Jacqueline
Ellenson,Yakov Epstein & Helane Rosenberg, Sylvia Ettenberg, Eugene &
June Falk, Paul & Mary Feinberg, Rivkah Feldman, Samantha Finch, Rabbi
Ellen Flax, Albert Gal & Arleen Stern, Ellen Geist, Carol Goldstein &
Neil Rothfeld, Marjorie Goldstein, Marge Goldwater, Michael Gottsegen &
Vicki Brower, Carolyn Greene, Stephen Gross, Rabbi Jules & Navah Harlow,
Esther & Walter Hautzig, Ronnie Horn, Marjorie Hort, Mathew Kaplan &
Yael Cycowicz, Michael & Barbara Kaplan, Rose Kaplan, Rabbi Jan Caryl
Kaufman, Ruth & Jacob Kaufman, Neal Kaunfer, David Lock & Dawn Kellman,
Thongchai & Rebecca Kengmana, Stuart Klawans & Bali Miller, Louis Klein,
Judith & David Kohn, Elizabeth Koltun, Irwin Kula & Dana Kurzweil, Rabbi
Morton & Vera Leifman, Marilyn & Larry Levi, Rabbi Carol Levithan,
Jennifer & Greg Lyss, Fred Mansbach & Toni Landau, Gail Mota & Joel
Leshen, Richard Ocken & Lisa Maller, Naomi Marcus, Linda & Jack Messing,
William Meyers & Nahma Sandrow, Russell Miller, Elaine & Ronald Morris,
Deborah & Solomon Mowshowitz, Karen & Seth Palmer, Eric Peterman & Ellen
Resnick, Nat Polish & Ellen Schorr, Joyce & Janos Racz, Sharon & Michael
Rebell, Jennifer Rosenberg, Sylvia Rosenberg, Ruth & Ira Salzman,
Michael Schmidt & Lori Skopp, Beverly Schneider, Carl Schrag & Beth
Dinkin, Shuly Rubin Schwartz, Claudia Setzer, Paul & Roberta Shapiro,
Diane Sharon, Herta Shriner, Rabbi Marion & William Shulevitz, Stefanie
Siegmund, Mark Sirota & Laura Clark, Anthony & Eleonore Zak
SHELTER FUND
Esther & Walter Hautzig in memory of his grandmother, Blume Zwirn
YIZKOR FUND
Herta Shriner
Sitta Zorn |
|
