CANDLE LIGHTING TIMES
6/4 Light candles 8:05. Shabbat ends 9:15
6/11 Light candles 8:09. Shabbat ends 9:19
6/18 Light candles 8:12. Shabbat ends 9:22
6/25 Light candles 8:13. Shabat ends 9:23

7/2 Light candles 8:12. Shabbat ends 9:22
7/9 Light candles 8:10. Shabbat ends 9:19
7/16 Light candles 8:07. Shabbat ends 9:19
7/23 Light candles 8:01. Shabbat ends 9:07
7/30 Light candles 7:55. Shabbat ends 8:59
 

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 9am
Morning Services 10am
 

WEEK OF JUNE 1
6/2 Sanctuary Minyan Annual Meeting 8pm
6/5 SHABBAT B'ha'alotekha
    Samuel Kaplan bar mitzvah
 

WEEK OF JUNE 6
6/7 Annual Meeting 8pm
6/12 SHABBAT Shelah
    Suzannah Herschkowitz bat mitzvah
 

WEEK OF JUNE 13
6/14 Scribblers on the Roof 8pm
6/15 Israel-Zionist Reading Group
6/19 SHABBAT Korah
   Kiddush in Honor of Graduates
   Rosh Hodesh Tammuz
 

WEEK OF JUNE 20
6/20 Rosh Hodesh Tammuz
6/21 Scribblers on the Roof 8pm
6/26 SHABBAT Hukkat
    Samuel Polstein bar mitzvah
 

WEEK OF JUNE 27
6/28 Scribblers on the Roof 8pm
6/29 Board of Trustees 8pm
7/3 SHABBAT Balak
   Joint Service
    No Children's Services

WEEK OF JULY 4
7/4 Independence Day
7/5 Independence Day Holiday. Office Closed.
   Scribblers on the Roof 8pm
7/6 Fast of 17th of Tammuz
7/10 SHABBAT Pinhas
 

WEEK OF JULY 11
7/12 Scribblers on the Roof 8pm
7/17 SHABBAT Matot/Masei
 

WEEK OF JULY 18
7/19 Scribblers on the Roof 8pm
7/19 Rosh Hodesh Av
7/24 SHABBAT Devarim
 

In this election year, I often think about what makes for an ideal American society and what constitutes an ideal Jewish society. Certainly they share much in common, but not everything. And one illuminating illustration of their differences came from, of all sources, Dick Cheney. In 2001, the vice president opined that energy conservation was "a sign of personal virtue," but could not be a cornerstone of public energy policy.

Cheney's approach to the public consequences of private behavior reflects a libertarian impulse that societies should demand as little from individuals as is necessary. The burden of proof is always on the government to justify interference with people's speech, business and relationships. Classical Judaism reflects a communitarian impulse, in which the individual has overwhelming duties to the group and no real freedom from it.

In some ways, American Jews should be proud to say that liberal democracy has an awful lot going for it. An example: traditional Judaism knows nothing of a right to free _expression. One classical explanation for God's spectacular execution of Nadav and Avihu is that they talked out of turn, before letting Moses speak. (Yowch! Next time I'll be sure to raise my hand.)

Nevertheless, comparing a system of communitarian obligations to American democracy also reveals the greatness and --in my mind --necessity of a system of Halakha, Jewish law. Western systems stress virtue --that people of excellent character will behave in excellent ways, which societies should encourage. Those who fail to attain these virtues may be sorry excuses for human beings, but ultimately society cannot legislate their virtue.

Classical Judaism might respond with a single word, in bold-face, all-caps and 36-point type: MITZVAH. In Jewish social ethics the dominant concept is that one is duty-bound to behave in socially beneficial ways. Failing to do so is not regrettable human weakness, but sin, which might be judged and punished by human courts.

An excellent illustration is seen in the laws of giving tzedaka, or charity. In a Western vocabulary, charity is an act of caring and love. Nothing wrong with this in principle. But what if you don't love someone? What if the poor revolt you? In Jewish vocabulary, tzedaka derives from the word justice, and applies to society as a whole, regardless of our individual virtuousness.

Classically, Judaism has considered Tzedaka not a gift, but a tax. Every locale is required to hire Tzedaka collectors, who have the power to levy sums and seize property to fulfill a person's duties. On the other side of the coin, a poor person has a right to expect society (rather than any one individual) "to fulfill all his needs" --to provide the material items that make life bearable and pleasant. For instance, you need access to public transportation. Under this definition, perhaps society owes the poor an unlimited ride metro-card.

Further, there is a standard ideal amount that each person should give for Tzedaka. If one has the means, there is no limit on the amount one should donate. But the typical ideal is to donate up to 20 percent of yearly income and a one-time donation of 20 percent of capital assets; giving more would risk endangering one's own economic security. At the lower end of the ladder, giving less than 10 percent, it is said, is stingy.

But the average rate of Tzedaka donations, says the Halakha, is 10 percent, as enacted in the practice of Ma'aser Kesafim, or tithing. (As a technical matter, there is legal debate on whether the 10% tithing is formally required of everyone, or is merely suggested as an optimal way to give Tzedaka.) According to this practice, each person should make a one-time donation of 10 percent of their capital assets, and an annual donation of 10 percent of their net income. How to calculate net income is a long chapter in Halakha. Legal authorities generally recommend deducting taxes, business expenses and child care, and donating 10 percent of the remainder. Plus, how to calculate what constitutes "tzedaka" is itself an interesting chapter. Should contributions to synagogues and communal institutions count? Or only gifts to the poor? (I myself would include such gifts, though would regard sustaining the poor as a particularly ideal Tzedaka.) Surely these figures will seem overwhelmingly large to some people. Many of us have too many expenses to give at such a high rate. And, in Jewish law, families should provide for their own needs first before caring for others. But let this not be a prescription for self- centeredness. As Maimonides said: "No one ever went poor from giving too much Tzedaka." Rather, I think the laws of Tzedaka envision that some portion of the resources in your possession are not yours at all --but actually belong to society, which you owe society in return.

The fourth season of prominent Jewish writers reading from their works under the stars kicks off on June 14 with National Book Award-winning poet Gerald Stern, who received the National Book Award for This Time: New and Selected Poems. He will be joined by poet Hal Sirowitz, author of the recent collection of poems, Before, During & After.

The exciting line-up of leading authors who will read from their works on the roof of Ansche Chesed is listed below. Save the dates!

The readings are held on six consecutive Monday nights at 8pm. The suggested contribution is $5, and wine, beer, soft drinks and dessert will be available for purchase.

SCRIBBLERS ON THE ROOF 2004
 

JUNE 14
Gerald Stern
This Time: New and Selected Poems
American Sonnets
What I Can't Bear Losing: Notes from a Life
 

Hal Sirowitz
Before, During & After: Poems
Mother Said
My Therapist Said
 

JUNE 21
Matt Sharpe
Nothing Is Terrible
The Sleeping Father
 

Rachel Kadish
From a Sealed Room
Soon Also for You (forthcoming 2005)
 

Rachel Cohen
A Chance Meeting
 

JUNE 28
Vivian Gornick
Approaching Eye Level
The End of the Novel of Love
Fierce Attachments
 

Binnie Kirshenbaum
Hester Among the Ruins
An Almost Perfect Moment
A Disturbance in One Place
 

JULY 5
Michael Shapiro
The Last Good Season
Solomon's Sword
Japan: The Land of the Brokenhearted
 

Howard Eisenberg
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Cooperstown
 

JULY 12
Nessa Rapoport
House on the River: A Summer Journey (forthcoming 2004)
Preparing for Sabbath
 

Jonathan Rosen
Joy Comes in the Morning (forthcoming 2004)
The Talmud and the Internet
 

Lynne Sharon Schwartz
Referred Pain
In the Family Way
Leaving Brooklyn
 

JULY 19
Aaron Hamburger
The View from Stalin's Head
Faith for Beginners (forthcoming 2005)
 

Shabbat, July 3
Joint Service
On this holiday weekend, all of Ansche Chesed's davening communities will join together for services.

Whitewater Rafting Trip, Sunday, June 27
On the Lehigh River (Class II & III whitewater - it's a dam release day!), Limited to the first 42 paid reservations. Over 60 people wanted to come last year. No experience necessary. "Our most fun trip of the year." Co-sponsored with the Mosaic Outdoor Mountain Club of Greater New York. $50. Contact Michael (212/678-7881 before 9:00pm) to see if there is any more space and for payment information (prior to sending payment!). Meeting time in NYC is 6:00 a.m.
 

Canoeing on the Delaware River, Sunday July 18
Class I & II whitewater. Co-sponsored by the Mosaic Outdoor Mountain Club of Greater New York. $35. No experience necessary. Paid reservations required by Sunday, July 4. Contact Michael (212/678-7881 before 9:00pm) for payment information prior to sending payment. Car-pooling (reserve early!).

Tara and Charlie Fersko and sister Abigail on the birth of Joshua Terrence.

CONDOLENCES TO:
Jocelyn Maskow on the death of her father, Benjamin Rosenblatt.
Naomi Marcus on the death of her father, David Greitzer.
Harriet Geller, Ari and Rachel Geller on the death of Harriet's mother, Beatrice Geller.
Edith Everett on the death of her husband, Henry Everett.
 

RABBI'S DISCRETIONARY FUND
Ariela Heilman Faiola & Ray Faiola
Marvin & Lea Konopko
Naomi Marcus
And the many, many donations in memory of Rabbi Gershon Schwartz.