As most of you know, Ansche Chesed's sanctuary has been closed over the summer, as the room is painted and repaired. The sanctuary was last fully painted more than 18 years ago, but today, thanks to our congregants' generosity, we are again plastering, restoring, touching up decorative paint, gilding ... and the list goes on. Open the door and peek in to see the scaffolding that enables the workers to reach the top of the vaulted ceiling. The scaffolding itself is an impressive sight. We are on schedule to reopen the sanctuary on September 9th, and we will complete all last minute touch-ups before the High Holidays. Special thanks go to Bali Miller and Jane Head, the co- chairs of the House Committee, and to the other members of the House Committee as well. Jane has been Ansche Chesed's official onsite eyes and ears, often coming into the sanctuary at 7:30 am and staying long, long hours. The care with which our volunteers and EverGreene studios, our contractor, have taken on every detail -- from the smallest to the largest -- is extraordinary. We had promised the AC community to do this work for many years, and to see it finally happening is wonderful.

Enjoy the remaining days of the summer,
Josh Hanft

"Life and Death Depend on the Tongue"
(Proverbs 18:21)

ETHICS OF SPEECH
Rabbinic lore proposes that the tongue is the best and worst organ in the body. It can speak truly, kindly, lovingly. It can lie, slander, and wound. Let us move toward Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur by considering the ethics of how we speak to and about each other, and how we speak to and about God.
4 Wednesday Evenings at 7 p.m.
August 30, September 6, 13, 20

HESHBON HaNEFESH: SPIRITUAL AUDITS
This phrase is the slogan of the High Holidays: "It's time to make a heshbon hanefesh, to examine our spiritual account books." How do we do that? What exactly is being asked of us? Together we will study this concept and plan steps that will make Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur a more moving experience.
Sunday, September 17 at 9:30 a.m.

SCHEDULE OF SERVICES

Selihot : Saturday Night, September 16
Study Session 10 p.m., Services 11 p.m.
Services 11 p.m.

Erev Rosh HaShanah Services
Friday, September 22, 6:45 p.m.

Rosh HaShanah
Saturday, September 23 & Sunday, September 24
Morning Services 9:00 a.m.; Minyan M’at and West Side Minyan 9:30 a.m.
Minha 6:30 p.m., Ma’ariv 7:20 p.m. (both days)

Tashlikh: Sunday, September 24
Meet at Ansche Chesed at 5:00 p.m.

Fast of Gedalia
Monday, September 25, 5:25 a.m. to 7:17 p.m..

Kol Nidre
Sunday, October 1 at 6:25 p.m.

Yom Kippur Services
Monday, October 2
Morning Services 9:00 a.m.; Minyan M’at and West Side Minyan 9:30 a.m.

Minha/Ne’ilah 4:50 p.m.
Tekiat Shofar and End of Fast 7:17 p.m.

 

ROSH HaSHANAH AND YOM KIPPUR FAMILY SERVICES
Ansche Chesed offers family services as well as childcare on both holidays. Family services begin at 10:45 a.m. and are open to the community. Childcare is provided for those who register in advance. On Rosh HaShanah, the shofar is blown, and apples and honey are served. At the conclusion of Yom Kippur, children are invited to participate in a special havdalah service, illuminating the sanctuary with a parade of lights, a symbol of our hope for a new year of peace.
Rosh HaShanah: Saturday, September 23 and Sunday, September 24
Yom Kippur: Monday, October 2

CIRQUE DU SUKKAH: SUKKAH-DECORATING PARTY
At Ansche Chesed’s annual Sukkah party, parents and children shake the lulav, decorate the rooftop sukkah, and make cookie sukkahs.
Thursday, October 5 at 5:45 p.m.

SIMHAT TORAH CELEBRATION
Simhat Torah, with its joyous singing and dancing in honor of the Torah, is a holiday of delight. Families with young children are invited to celebrate from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. and then dance into the main sanctuary where they are honored with their own hakafah, or circling with the Torah.
Saturday, October 14, from 5:30–6:30 p.m.

 

If you’ve sat in shul during the High Holidays or on Shabbat and wished you could follow along in Hebrew, this class is for you. Learning the Hebrew alphabet is easier than you think! The class will meet on 8 Tuesday evenings from 7:45 to 9:15 p.m.
There is no charge for Ansche Chesed members; non-members pay $120 To register, email sharri.posen@anschechesed.org or call ext. 205.

Halutzim: A New Class for 8th Graders
We proudly offer our first 8th grade class, designed for 8th graders from all educational backgrounds. Students will learn, challenge, and explore, as they focus on the Holocaust, Zionism, and the establishment of the State of Israel, and on how these events affect them as 21st century American Jewish teenagers. For more information, contact Rabbi Kurland at LKurland@AnscheChesed.org.
The class meets Wednesday afternoons from 4 to 6 p.m.
First session: September 13.

The Shorashim (Roots) Family Program
Shorashim (Roots) is an innovative enrichment program that will give parents and children an opportunity to learn together and experience the importance of lifelong Jewish learning. This program is for families who will have children ages 4¾ years to 6½ years in September 2006, and will meet monthly, usually on Sunday mornings. For tuition costs and an application, please contact Lisa at Lisa@AnscheChesed.org or at 212-865-0600 x243.

Teen Tefillah
Leading and Integrating the Shabbat Morning Service
Meets on the 2nd and 4th Shabbatot of each month. This new service is designed for post b’nai mitzvah students, who are encouraged to lead the entirety of the Shabbat service by themselves. Students also engage with classic Torah commentaries about the weekly Torah portion and add their own insights, as they consider the emotional and historical placement of the men and women of the Bible.

Ansche Chesed Children’s Chorus
Children in grades 3 to 6 are invited to share in the joy of singing and performing together in this brand-new group. The chorus is directed by opera singer and AC member Naomi Cohen. To sign up, contact Naomi Cohen at 212.570.5692 or nkcsings@yahoo.com.
Tuesdays, September 19 – December 19, 5:45-6:30 p.m.
Sundays, October 29, November 19, December 10
$180 per student.
 

TAG: Teen Action Group: A Chance to Make a Difference
8th to 10th graders are invited to join together for hands-on social action opportunities throughout the year. At our first meeting, teens will choose a cause. Among the possibilities: gardening and weeding in a local park, helping to build homes in the New York area, and making meals for needy individuals. Through these activities, teens will have the chance to make a difference while getting to know one another better. E-mail TAG Coordinator, JTS Rabbinical Student Jeffrey Abraham, at TAGJeff@gmail.com.
First meeting: Tuesday, October 10th at 6:30 p.m.
in the 5th Floor Sukkah

IN THE SHADOWS: THE BIBLE'S LESSER-KNOWN HEROINES
Wednesday, September 6, 12 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.
 

Come hear Rabbi Shmuel Sandberg speak on this compelling topic. Bring a dairy or parve lunch and we will provide beverages and cookies.

ANSCHE CHESED: A COMMUNITY OF LEARNERS
Synagogues each have a unique identity. One of Ansche Chesed’s chief characteristics is that we are A Community of Learners. Whether engaged in our broad array of class offerings, lectures, scholar-in- residence weekends, Shabbat morning study, reading groups, or study partnerships (hevruta), the members of our community revel in Torah study in the broadest sense.

What would you like to learn? We will help you with reading lists, a curriculum, or with trying to find a partner or group for you to study with.

Here are some of the topics AC members suggested in our recent survey:
 

Jewish Great Books – An Overview

Modern Conversational Hebrew Group

Sources of Jewish Liturgy – Text Study

How to Read Torah; How to Chant Haftarah and the Megillot

Study and Reading Groups: Maimonides Guide of the Perplexed; Franz Rosenzweig’s The Star of Redemption

Learning New and Old Zemirot (Shabbat and Holiday Table Songs)

To get started on this exciting journey, pick a topic, suggest your own, or let us know what you already are studying. Email us at Learning@anschechesed.org or speak to Rabbi Kalmanofsky.

MAZAL TOV TO:
June and July's B’nai Mitzvah:
Oliver Houser
Liana Kallman
Jacob Pastor
Efrata Kline-Salamon
Noah Schoer

Amanda and Michael Geffner on the birth of their daughter, Sophia.
Valerie Wald and Jeremy Goldman on the birth of their son, Judah David.
Navah Perlman and Robert Frost on the birth of Zamira Malka and Ivry Barak.
Rabbi Lauren Kurland and Scott Cohen on the birth of Hannah Leora and Micah Uriel.

Anne and Leon Hoffman on the engagement of their daughter Liora to Michael Garfinkle, son of Pam and Harold Garfinkle of Toronto.

The recipients of awards at the Annual Meeting held on Tuesday, June 6: President’s Award: Melvin Bukiet and Janet Burstein; Bernard Tenzer Volunteer of the Year Award: Bali Miller; Eugene Klein Award: Jennifer Raider; Youth Chesed Award: ACT (Ansche Chesed Tzedakah) Foundation -- Maxine Berman, Zoe Braiterman, Margalit Cirlin, Ariel Cohen, Scott Etkin, Allegra Epstein, Nathaniel Epstein, Marni Epstein, Hannah Gribetz, Nicholas Heim, Liana Kallman, Sara Kaplan, Efrata Kline-Salomon, Noah Krimstein, Zachary Lynn, Hannah Mark, Hallie Marx, James Messing, Abigail Noy, Jacob Pastor, Yael Rein, Sam Riggs, Noah Schoer, Rosa Schwartzburg, Casey Simring, Sean Toomey.

 

CONDOLENCES TO:
Larry Cohler-Esses on the death of his mother, Estyne.
Michael Bloome on the death of his sister, Carol Bloome.
Carolyn Lee on the death of her father, Clifford Lee.

TODAH RABBAH TO:
Elaine Morris for coordinating this year’s Scribblers on the Roof program, to Melvin Bukiet for his assistance, and to the many volunteers who helped make the program a success.

 

TODAH RABBAH TO JUNE AND JULY SHELTER VOLUNTEERS
(Names in bold indicate AC members)
Lauren Allerhand
Trudy Balch
Andrew Blank
Steven Bloom
Yoni Keiser Bluth
Esther Brumberg
Bessie Castagnello
Yehuda Charm
Geoffrey Claussen
Janet Curley
Alan Divack
Howard Eisenberg
Iris Fass
John Fraser
Matthew Feigin
Woody Freiman
Sarah Galena
Andrea Gilbert
Daniel Gluck
Avi Green
Shannon & Isaac Green
Marilyn Gunner
Yair Harel
Marjorie Hort
Gary Kallman
Ken Karan
Kehilat Hadar
Esther Hautzig
Bill Jaffe
Becky Klein
KOE Minyan
Joyce Mann
Naomi Marcus
Naomi Martin
Jocelyn Maskow
Andy Menkis
Michael Meric
Daniel Messing
Linda Messing
Bill Meyers
Michael Mortensen
Rachel Obenshein
Mike Patterson
Elizabeth Paul
Jennifer Raider
Molly Raik
Anne Rudder
Dan Schwarzbaum
Kate Sharp
Becca Stern
Molly Sugarman
Eli Terry
Phyllis Towney
Betsy Uhrman
Bonnie Zaben