communal worship honorary trustee scarty co-presidents ... · tonight, those who chose the desert...

Clergy and Staff JEFFREY C. BROWN • Rabbi [email protected] CHANIN BECKER • Cantor [email protected]

ILYSE GLICKMAN • Director of Congregational Learning [email protected] ROBERTA ARONOVITCH • Executive Director [email protected] JODY GLASSMAN • Nursery School Director [email protected]

SARAH METZGER • Director of Youth Engagement [email protected] SYNAGOGUE OFFICE • [email protected]

MELANIE APPELBAUM • Marketing, Communications & Public Relations Director [email protected]

Board of Trustees

Donna Vitale Ruskin – President Joel Wagman – Executive Vice

President Steven Eigen – Treasurer Jules Natowitz – Secretary Joy Bertan Karen Chapro Sara Feinstein Ron Katter Alison Litofsky Jeff Margolin Ellen Miller-Wachtel Jonathan Paul Beverly Picker Scott Rothstein Emily Scherer Steinberg Tom Vogel Jeff Zelkowitz

Ex-Officio Members of the Board

Brotherhood Co-Presidents Dan Alpert David Nodiff Richard Primoff Communal Worship Harvey Tessler Victor Goodman

Honorary Trustee Barbara Chesler SCARTY Co-Presidents Noah Steinberg Jenny Appelbaum

Women of SSTTE Co-Presidents Susan Lippmann Beth Quinn Sandy Rothstein Marilyn Shebshaievitz

Committee and Program Chairs Budget & Finance Steven Eigen Tom Vogel Care2Connect Christine Ginsberg Communal Worship Harvey Tessler Victor Goodman Connected Congregations TBA

Early Childhood Education Valerie Greenberg

Family Events Alison Litofsky Funds Investment James Shifren Jim Siegel Governance Task Force Karen Chapro Grounds Committee Madelaine Eppenstein Tara Tyberg Library Millicent Baschkin Barbara Ginsberg Randee Horowitz Life-Long Learning TBA Marketing & Stuart Pearlman Public Relations Eric Schoen Emily Scherer Steinberg Membership/Community Alison Litofsky Scott Rothstein PJ Library TBA Religious School TBA SSTTE Seniors Aaron Plum Social Action/Tikkun Olam Karen Chapro Elinor Wharton Strategic Planning Ellen Miller-Wachtel United Interfaith Larry Eidelberg Food Bank Elinor Wharton

Women of SSTTE Co-Presidents Susan Lippmann Beth Quinn Sandy Rothstein Marilyn Shebshaievitz

Brotherhood Co-Presidents

Dan Alpert Richard Primoff David Nodiff

Professional Staff Emereti

STEPHEN A. KLEIN ........ Rabbi – SSTTE ........................................... [email protected]

KERRY BEN DAVID z’l .. Cantor - SSTT

ALAN HOCHBERG ......... Exec. Director – SSTTE

GARY KATZ .................... Exec. Director – SSTTE

MARILYN SHEBSHAIEVITZ Exec. Director – TE

PHILIP ARONSON .......... Exec. Director – TE

REBECCA SHUBERT ....... Educator – SSTTE

ShalomNewsletterDEADLINEThe Shalom is partially funded by the Women of SSTTE. If you have ideas for a new article please contact Roberta Aronovitch, Executive Director at 914.725.5175.

The Shalom is published monthly (except for July & August). The Deadline for the May 2016 Shalom is April 5, 2016. In order to meet the publishing deadline, please submit information on a timely basis.

Welcome!Any questions, please contact us either by Email: [email protected] Phone: 914-725-5175 Fax: 914-725-4551

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TABLE OF CONTENTS COVER: FUNdraiser p. 4 Women's Shabbat p. 9

Worship p. 3 Mazel Tov p. 4 From Our Cantor p. 5 Communal Worship p. 6 Tikkun Olam / Social Action p. 7 What’s Happening at Scarsdale Synagogue p. 8-10 Director of Congregational Learning p. 11 Director of Early Childhood p. 11 & 14 Calendars for April & May p. 12-13 Director of Youth Engagement p. 15 Cycle of our Congregational Family p. 15-16 Advertisements

WORSHIP

RELIGIOUS SERVICES FRIDAY, APRIL 1 5:30 p.m. First Fridays for Families; Grade 3-5 7:45 p.m. Chavurah Service FRIDAY, APRIL 8 8:00 p.m. Shir Shabbat Service

FRIDAY, APRIL 15 6:30 p.m. Congregational Shabbat Dinner 8:00 p.m. Women of SSTTE Shabbat

SATURDAY, APRIL 16 10:30 a.m. Shabbat Morning Service & Bar

Mitzvah of Ryan Shedden 4:30 p.m. Havdallah Service & Bat Mitzvah

of Samantha Gross

FRIDAY, APRIL 22 Erev Pesach – NO Services SATURDAY, APRIL 23 10:00 a.m. Pesach BaBoker

FRIDAY, APRIL 29 6:15 p.m. Ma'ariv Service with the Chai

Notes

ARE YOU RECEIVING DUPLICATE EMAILS?

If you are receiving duplicates of our emails, please call us at the office to let us know at 914-725-5175 or email [email protected]

WHAT ARE THE FUNNY LOOKING CODES?

They are called QR codes. To scan the codes, download "NeoReader" (or any QR code reader) from the app store. Then use your mobile device to scan the code which will take you directly to the applicable web page (yes, you MUST have a mobile device. This cannot be done from a desktop.) Questions: Contact Melanie Appelbaum at [email protected] and she will be happy to help you!

Human Rights Seder Preparing for Pesach: A Creative Human Rights Seder SUNDAY, APRIL 17, 11:00 A.M.; LUNCH INCLUDED Passover is filled with distinctive foods and music. But it is also marked by a distinctive story and value system. We are taught to re-tell the narrative of our ancestors’ enslavement so that we too will be moved to fight for the freedom of others. Join Rabbi Brown, Cantor Becker, and Rabbi Glickman for a gathering that will be filled with learning and inspiration as we eat together, sing together, and study together. Best of all, the materials we use will be perfect for you to bring to your own Seder tables on the holiday itself! We encourage you to bring your favorite Passover dessert for our Passover dessert contest (with copies of the recipes if you are willing to share)! RSVP by April 11 to 914-725-5175 or to [email protected].

MAZEL TOV

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Samantha is a 7th grader at the Scarsdale Middle School. Her favorite activity is volleyball. Her favorite subject in school is Technology. She also loves to act. Memorable experiences for Samantha are going to Camp Emerson in the summer because it is so much fun. For her community service she cuts invasive vines off trees to help the environment.

Ryan Shedden April 16

Samantha Gross April 16

Ryan is a 7th grader at the Eastchester Middle School. His favorite activities are exploring and biking all over lower Westchester. His favorite subject in school is Math. A memorable experience for Ryan was going to Universal Studios with other families this winter. He enjoys spending time with his friends, cousins and grandparents. He especially enjoys his Grandpa Shedden and his hotrods (car shows).

FROM OUR CANTOR

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This Passover, Where Will We Be? Even as I sit to write this some weeks before Purim, I know this article

will find you readying your homes and your hearts for the spring festival of Passover. Many of you have favorite dishes you look forward to preparing and favorite Pesach traditions you love to observe (For some new pieces to add to your Seder, join us on April 17 for our Human Rights Seder. See page 3). Many of us are thinking about reuniting with loved ones at a Seder held in our homes and some of us are still figuring out who will be hosting us at the

annual gathering that celebrates our freedom. Some of us bring memories of relatives no longer physically present who led or shaped our Seders with distinctive styles and personalities. Others have come to celebrate Pesach more recently and are still getting comfortable with the rituals (and recipes!) that guide us through the holiday.

No matter where you find yourself physically this year, I want to suggest even another element to add to your celebration of this festival. Just as the Exodus from Egypt transformed our ancestors from a band of slaves to a nation of free individuals, perhaps preparing for Passover can be a source of transformation for us as well. Like Rosh Hashanah, the lead up time to Pesach can be a moment of cheshbon hanefesh (accounting of our souls), a period of reflection when we take stock of where we are in our lives.

The Haggadah mandates that we ask questions of each other: “Why is this night different from all other nights?” “What is the meaning of the Passover symbols and rituals?” The approach of Pesach might prompt us to ask other questions of a more introspective nature: How have we changed since last year when we gathered at a Seder? Have we found the courage to escape metaphorical forms of enslavement that kept us bound to destructive ideas or behaviors? Are we the people we want to be in our relationships, our professional lives, our performance of acts of lovingkindness? Where are we on the goals we set out for ourselves in the fall as the Jewish New Year began?

To encourage some reflection, consider the following poem by Marge Piercy entitled Maggid (Telling) – see p. 6 for the full poem. As it reminds us of the travails of generations of our ancestors, may it also inspire each of us to find the courage we need to let go of old habits and thoughts, to free ourselves from relationships or situations that oppress us and to celebrate the freedom that comes along with an honest accounting of our actions.

Chag Sameach! A Sweet Pesach to you and your family!

Cantor Becker

NEED A SEDER TO ATTEND? Elizabeth Rothstein is playing matchmaker and matching hosts with guests. Please see p. 8 for details.

Hal Baron, Korean War veteran, was interviewed by Alan Hochberg, as part of the Town of Greenburg's Living history project, presenting live interviews of veterans of American wars. The interview can be viewed online by going to: Town of Greenburg, NY, Living Histories.

COMMUNAL WORSHIP

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Maggid by Marge Piercy

The courage to let go of the door, the handle. The courage to shed the familiar walls whose very stains and leaks are comfortable as the little moles

of the upper arm; stains that recall a feast, a child’s naughtiness, a loud blattering storm that slapped the roof hard, pouring through.

The courage to abandon the graves dug into the hill, the small bones of children and the brittle bones

of the old whose marrow hunger had stolen; the courage to desert the tree planted and only

begun to bear; the riverside where promises were shaped; the street where their empty pots were broken.

The courage to leave the place whose language you

learned as early as your own, whose customs however dan-

gerous or demeaning, bind you like a halter you have learned to pull inside, to move your load;

the land fertile with the blood spilled on it; the roads mapped and annotated for survival.

The courage to walk out of the pain that is known

into the pain that cannot be imagined, mapless, walking into the wilderness, going

barefoot with a canteen into the desert; stuffed in the stinking hold of a rotting ship sailing off the map into dragons’ mouths, Cathay, India, Siberia, goldeneh medina

leaving bodies by the way like abandoned treasure. So they walked out of Egypt.3 So they bribed their way out of Russia under loads of straw; so they steamed out of the bloody smoking charnelhouse of Europe

on overloaded freighters forbidden all ports— out of pain into death or freedom or a different

painful dignity, into squalor and politics.

We Jews are all born of wanderers, with shoes under our pillows and a memory of blood that is ours

raining down. We honor only those Jews who changed tonight, those who chose the desert over bondage, who walked into the strange and became strangers and gave birth to children who could look down on them standing

on their shoulders for having been slaves. We honor those who let go of everything but freedom, who ran,

who revolted, who fought, who became other by saving themselves.

Come as you are … Leave as you want to be It’s Friday night. You’re thinking you might want to go to services but you’re feeling a bit tired (that’s why they call it Friday: you’re fried!). If only you could go to services dressed just as you are, in jeans and a sweater. Well you can! I have spoken with many congregants who have expressed this very thought. It’s just too much trouble to dress up to go to synagogue, so they stay home. Those of you who attend Friday night services regularly know that the apparel ranges from jeans to suits, and everything in-between. We have no dress code, and being a reform congregation, there is no expectation that women will wear dresses or skirts, or that men will wear suits. Indeed, looking around, those outfits are in the minority.

It is true that some feel that dressing up is a sign of respect. There is a midrash of a man who was a member of the royal court of the Sultan of Turkey. When he attended synagogue he would wear the same elegant dress that he would wear when appearing before the Sultan. When asked why, he said, if this is what I wear when going before a powerful king, should I wear anything less when appearing before the King of Kings? While we should not dress like we are going to the beach or the ballgame, there is also no need to dress in velvet (cf., My Cousin Vinny).

What is important is being present, being open to opportunities for spiritual refreshment, and this is especially the case when one is least inclined to seek it. The following quote is attributed to Marshall Brickman, who co-authored with Woody Allen the screenplay for the movie Annie Hall, when being interviewed in 1977 by the New York Times: “I have learned one thing. As Woody says, ‘Showing up is 80 percent of life.’ Sometimes it’s easier to hide home in bed. I’ve done both.”

I find that when I am the most exhausted and not inclined to make the effort to wolf down dinner and race off to services, this is when I find the services most beneficial. Perhaps at that service Cantor Becker will sing a new melody or a hauntingly beautiful duet with Merri Arian, or perhaps Rabbi Brown will read a truly inspirational poem. We might learn of the birth of a new grandbaby, or the passing of a congregant’s parent. Invariably, we share the palpable pride and excitement of the bar/bat mitzvah’s family and friends attending the service that evening. We study, we schmooze, we pray, we find peace. And always – always – I leave feeling more refreshed, more enlightened, and more at peace than when I arrived.

So come to a Friday night service. Come casual or not, but just come. I’m sure you’ll be glad you did. Susan Douglass

TIKKUN OLAM / SOCIAL ACTION

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EARTH DAY

This year Earth Day and the beginning of Passover fall on the same day-April 22nd

HONOR, CELEBRATE & VOLUNTEER:

7th Annual Great Saw Mill River Clean Up APRIL 16, 10:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M. For details Groundworkhv.org

Pitch in for Parks with Friends of Westchester Parks APRIL 17 For more information contact: Volunteer Coordinator, Sara Cavanaugh (914) 231-4530 OR email her at [email protected].

Ever wondered how Earth Day started? This observance arose from an interest in gathering national support for environmental issues. In 1970, San Francisco activist John McConnell and Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson separately asked Americans to join in a grassroots demonstration. The most common practice of celebration is to plant new trees for Earth Day.

CONTRIBUTE: Plant trees at JNF.ORG/TREES

Your favorite environmental group locally and for Israel

Israel is one of only two countries in the world that entered the 21st century with a net gain in its number of trees. Since it was established in 1901, JNF has planted more than 240 million trees all over the State of Israel, providing luscious belts of green covering more than 250,000 acres.

Visit The American Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel

Zissen Pesach!

LIFE-LINE SCREENING MONDAY, APRIL 25, 8:30 A.M. - 5:30 P.M.

Scarsdale Synagogue Temples Tremont and Emanu-El is pleased to offer a preventive health event. Life Line Screening, a leading provider of community-based preventive health screenings, will host their affordable, non-invasive and painless health screenings.

Five screenings will be offered that scan for potential health problems related to: blocked arteries which is a leading cause of stroke; abdominal aortic aneurysms which can lead to a ruptured aorta; hardening of the arteries in the legs which is a strong predictor of heart disease; atrial fibrillation or irregular heart beat which is closely tied to stroke risk; and a bone density screening, for men and women, used to assess the risk of osteoporosis.

Register for a Wellness Package which includes 4 vascular tests and osteoporosis screening from $149 ($139 with our member discount). All five screenings take 60-90 minutes to complete. In order to register for this event and to receive a $10 discount off any package priced above $129, please call 1-888-653-6441 or visit www.lifelinescreening.com/community-partners.

HUMAN RIGHTS SEDER APRIL 17, 11:00 A.M. See p. 3 for all the details

WHAT'S HAPPENING AT SCARSDALE SYNAGOGUE

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JUDAICA HAPPY PASSOVER

This year Passover arrives on April 22nd. In order to serve your holiday needs, the Judaica Shop will be open on:

SUNDAY, APRIL 10TH FROM 9:00 AM-12 PM On these dates we will have on display and offer for sale a large assortment of Seder and Matzo Plates and Covers, Afikomen Bags, Haggadahs, Cookbooks, Jewelry and various gift items. Our merchandise is priced below retail and, most importantly, in addition to these savings, your purchases benefit the Synagogue. Mah-Jongg Cards are still available if you need one. If you are interested, contact [email protected]. Marsha Williams will be selling Yarn & cross-stitch kits. A portion of the proceeds will benefit Women of SSTTE. P.S. If you have need of a specific quantity of Haggadahs, please let us know in advance so that we can order them for you in time for the holiday.

Judaica Shop Managers Barbara Baron Mitzie Stein 914-693-3131 914-723-0138

SSTTE Seniors TUESDAY, APRIL 5TH AT 1:00 PM Lunch at Buon Amici, 229 Central Park Ave., White Plains, NY

TUESDAY, APRIL 19 AT 1:00 PM Meet at the synagogue for Coffee and Conversation for a discussion on what our political contender’s offer Israel by Harold Citron. A friendly discussion to follow.

Everyone is welcome to attend our meetings and programs. TIKKUN OLAM/SOCIAL ACTION United Interfaith Food Bank Sort & Repack Sessions TUESDAY, APRIL 5 at 9:00 a.m. TUESDAY, APRIL 19 at 7:00 p.m. Concerned about hunger, an issue our Food Bank volunteers have been working tirelessly to address for a decade now.

BROTHERHOOD EVENTS

Comedy Night was on Saturday, February 27th. It was a huge success with almost 200 people in attendance. We had two phenomenal comedians, Dan Naturman and Ophira Eisenberg. There was continuous uproarious laughter throughout both sets. Special thanks to Rabbi Brown and Cantor Becker for a lovely Havdallah Service, Chase Caro for catering the event, the Chai Notes for live music as well as to our Executive Director, Roberta, our President, Donna and Melanie, Lisa and Rita in the office. We raised money for Dorot, a charity that is dedicated to helping seniors live independent lives. Although Dorot's headquarters are located in Manhattan, there is a separate Westchester division, so it is truly a local charity. For those of you who may be interested in volunteering your time or donating money to this wonderful organization, you can contact Patricia Cipora Harte, Director of Dorot Westchester at 914-573-9806 or by email at [email protected].

We want to thank everyone who supported the event and hope to see you next year.

Best regards,

Dan Alpert, Richard Primoff and David Nodiff

Passover Seder Matchmaking

Do you need a Seder to go to on the first (April 22) or second night (April 23) of Passover? Do you have room for an extra guest or guests at your Seder table? If so, please contact Elizabeth Troop Rothstein ([email protected]) or call her at 914 874-5057 with your needs or offerings by Wednesday, April 13. She will match hosts and guests and give you contact information on Friday, April 15. Strict adherence to the RSVP date of April 13 is requested to enable hosts to plan their Seder meals.

SAVE THE DATE as We Honor Our Builders FRIDAY, JUNE 3, 8:00 P.M.

Join us for a special Shabbat service as we will honor our Synagogue’s history, and the longtime members (who have been with us for 18 or more years) who helped to build our congregation and who continue to make our synagogue the special place it is today. We are especially delighted that our Rabbi Emeritus, Steve Klein, will join Rabbi Brown and Cantor Becker in co-leading the service and celebration. Festive Oneg Shabbat to follow!

Lifeline Screening MONDAY, APRIL 25, 8:30 A.M. – 5:30 P.M. This is a preventive health event. Life Line Screening, a leading provider of community-based preventive health screenings, will host their affordable, non-invasive and painless health screenings. See p. 7 for details.

WHAT’S HAPPENING AT SCARSDALE SYNAGOGUE

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WOMEN OF SSTTE

Board Meeting & Speaker WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6, 10:30 A.M. All members are invited to attend. We will be planning for many interesting and exciting Spring programs. Bring a brown bag lunch and we will supply coffee and cake. Please bring a box of cereal or a cans of soup/stew for the Interfaith Food Pantry.

Coming Up! Watch for Information! Synagogue FUNdraiser; SATURDAY, MAY 7 @ 7:00 P.M.: Join us for a great evening. Panel Discussion on the Role of Women in Islam and Judaism; MONDAY, MAY 23 Our annual California Pizza Kitchen Fundraiser; MAY (date to be announced) Spring Luncheon at Sunningdale Country Club – June 1 @12:30 p.m. See p. 14 for details.

Spring Mah-Jongg Tournament SUNDAY, MAY 15; RSVP by APRIL 30 9:30 A.M. – 5:00 P.M.

Use your new Mah Jongg cards and have an exciting day. For $50, you will have a light breakfast, a delicious lunch, and the opportunity to play many rounds of Mah Jongg and win cash prizes. Space is limited so make your reservation early. You can register on the Website and send your check to us in care of the Synagogue Office.

Past tournaments have sold out PRIOR to the deadline, so be sure to RSVP as early as possible!

RSVP: bit.ly/ssttemj

Support our Scotland Project

Thank you to all who have supported this project, so far. We are still accepting donations to defray the cost of the items that were sent to Scotland for the Education Project to combat anti-Semitism. Next, we are planning to establish a pen-pal (e-mail pal) program between our SSTTE young people and the students in Scotland. Please send your contributions to the Women of SSTTE Scotland Project c/o the Synagogue marked attention Beth Quinn.

Friday Night Service Participation Each Friday night a member of the Women of SSTTE participates in our Shabbat Service. It could be lighting the Candles; it could be doing a reading (in English). All members are welcome to represent us and it is a very wonderful way to participate. If you are interested in sharing in this experience please call the Synagogue office and leave a message for us or email to [email protected].

Lunch & Learn with Rabbi Brown WEDNESDAY, MAY 11 12:30 – 2:00 P.M. Rabbi Brown will share candid reflections and photos from his social justice mission to the Dominican Republic earlier this year. He'll especially focus on the plight of women in the DR...exploring how the poverty and racism of the country come together to create significant gender-based barriers to equality in Dominican life as well. Although there are many challenges in the DR, Rabbi Brown's presentation will also reflect the tremendous hope that exists there for positive change in the future, and how we can be a part of those exciting social justice efforts.

Yarn & Cross-Stitch Kits Sale APRIL 10; 9:30 A.M. – 12:00 P.M. Marsha Williams will be selling craft supplies. Proceeds benefit The Women of SSTTE.

Women’s Shabbat, Not for women only! FRIDAY APRIL 15 @ 8:00 P.M.; Dinner at 6:30 p.m. We will begin the evening with a catered Shabbat Dinner for the entire congregation followed by our Shabbat Service including a special guest speaker. Dinner is $36/person. FREE for children through high school. RSVP by April 6 to [email protected]

Brandeis Movie, Above & Beyond MONDAY APRIL 18 @ 1:00 P.M NYSUT Office. 520 White Plains Road, 4th Fl. Tarrytown. In 1948, just three years after the liberation of Nazi death camps, a group of Jewish American pilots answered a call for help. In sectret and at great personal risk, they smuggled planes out of the US trained behind the Iron Curtain Czechoslovakia and flew to Israel in its War of Independence. This ragtag band of brothers not only turned the tide of the war; they also embarked on person al journeys of discovery, sacrifice and renewed Jewish pride. For more information, email Susan Lippmann at [email protected].

WHAT'S HAPPENING AT SCARSDALE SYNAGOGUE

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ARZA

In Israel for the 2nd Time in 2 weeks pluralism scores a major victory Israeli mikvahs must allow non-Orthodox conversions, Supreme Court rules (JTA) – In a landmark decision, Israel’s Supreme Court ruled that mikvahs in the country must open up to non-Orthodox conversion rites.

Until now, Israeli mikvahs have denied access for conversion immersions to Reform and Conservative converts. Israel’s mikvahs are run by Israel’s Religious Services Ministry, which operates in lock-step with the Orthodox-dominated Israeli Rabbinate. Thursday’s ruling, based on a case brought in Beersheba, forces all Israel’s public mikvah ritual baths to allow access to groups wishing to perform non-Orthodox conversions.

I think this is one of the most important constitutional rulings by the Supreme Court,” Gilad Kariv, the president of Israel’s Reform movement, told JTA. “This ruling really goes beyond the issue of immersion in the mikvah. The justices are saying that even if we have an Orthodox establishment, this establishment cannot impose any policy that goes against the basic democratic values of the state.”

Kariv said he believes the ruling will help the non-Orthodox movements score victories in other areas related to religious discrimination in Israel, such as lack of public funding for non-Orthodox streams of Judaism and restricted access to other public religious facilities by non-Orthodox Jews, clergy and institutions…

Rabbi Rick Jacobs, the president of the Union for Reform Judaism, hailed the Supreme Court ruling.

“This is a breakthrough. Government-supported religious institutions must now, in a sense, move to a more pluralistic practice,” he said. “This changes some of the really difficult realities for non-Orthodox Jews and Judaism in Israel.”….

This was the second time in less than two weeks that the non-Orthodox movements in Israel scored a major victory. On Jan. 31, Israel’s government approved a compromise to expand the non-Orthodox Jewish prayer section of the Western Wall.

ARZA MEMBERSHIP SUPPORTS AND ENABLES THESE VICTORIES

TIKKUN OLAM/SOCIAL ACTION - CARE2CONNECT Our Care2Connect committee has one main goal – to reach out and support fellow congregants throughout various lifecycle events. Members of our committee are here for you, in good times and in hard times, offering support and a helping hand when needed. Throughout the years, we have provided words of congratulations for births, marriages and bar/bat mitzvahs, words of sympathy when those among us have lost loved ones, and words of support when others are not doing so well.

New volunteers are always welcome! There are no meetings to attend or events to schedule on your calendar. Just let us know what you are interested in doing, how often you are available and the best way to reach you. There is no requirement for what you would need to do, we are happy to work within your comfort level to help you get involved. Then, when a need arises that you are comfortable with, our committee will be in touch. Whether you can help out once a month or once a year, it all adds up to a more supportive and caring temple community! Tikkun Olam,Together.

Other services our network of member volunteers provide include: x Providing/Delivering Meals to homebound members or families during a health crisis; x Checking in via telephone with the ill, elderly and/or homebound; x Visiting an ill or homebound member; x Transportation to a doctor's appointment for an ill or non-driving member; x Hosting a single or widowed member for a holiday meal; x Transportation to services (when available) for an elderly or non-driving member.

If you know...of a Synagogue member who is ill or in the hospital, call the office and let us know. This way the Rabbi and Cantor can visit and Care2Connect can provide timely support. Don’t assume that we know---we will only know if you tell us!

For more information, to volunteer or to let us know of a Congregant who could use our support, please contact Christine Ginsberg at [email protected].

DIRECTOR OF CONGREGATIONAL LEARNING

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PESACH-THEMED HAIKU CONTEST! @PURIM… A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away…What a fantastic Purim celebration we had! The Purim Carnival was so much fun (who beat me at Skee Ball?!) and the Megillah reading had us laughing all night. Thanks to all of our volunteers who helped make Purim 2016/5776 such a roaring success. @FAMILY SHABBAT…Please join us on Friday April 1 for our monthly First Fridays for Families Shabbat experience. It all kicks off at 5:30 p.m. with Shabbat family fun, food and worship. Bring a

friend! SPREAD THE WORD TO FRIENDS & NEIGHBORS!

@TASTE OF RELIGIOUS SCHOOL…Spread the word to friends and neighbors: Experience the joy of Scarsdale Synagogue's Religious School on Sunday April 10 from 9:00-10:30am. For children who will be 2 years old by 12/31/16 through rising 1st graders. Come grow with us during a fun morning filled with Jewish learning including music, crafts, movement & nosh. RSVP to the school office at [email protected].

@PESACH IS ALMOST HERE… We Call It Pesach

But There Are Some Other Names For This Festival

It’s Chag Hamatzot (Festival Of Unleveaned Bread) Or Chag Z’man Cheyruteinu (Festival Of Our Freedom)

Or Chag Ha’aviv (Festival Of Spring) Each Name To Recall

One Of The Many Reasons Why We Celebrate

Join your fellow Religious School friends for our first annual Pesach-themed Haiku contest - submit your favorite and best original Haikus to the Religious School office (digital or hard copy) BY MONDAY APRIL 18TH and the winning original submissions will be included in our weekly emails, the Shalom, and more! Prizes will be awarded too! With my very best wishes to you for a joyous Pesach season. Together we grow, Rabbi Ilyse Glickman

DIRECTOR OF EARLY CHILDHOOD

MAZEL TOTS March was a great month for us! On the evening of March 15th we had a Milk and Cookies- Drive-In Movie Night. The children all came to school in their pajamas and sat in a “car” they created! The children were each given a clean cardboard box and all sorts of materials to use to decorate it. They then sat in their “car” and watched a movie. And, of course, we had cookies and milk. Spring has finally arrived and all the classes are celebrating! The onset of warmer weather has allowed us the pleasure of being outdoors. We’re noticing buds growing on the trees, hearing birds sing and appreciating all sorts of natural wonders. We’re planting in our classrooms and will soon

watch caterpillars turn into butterflies! We’ve been planning for our Mini-Camp, which runs from May 31st through June 22nd. It’s a camp-like program that bridges the time between the end of Nursery School and the start of most summer camp programs. Children Toddler through 5 years of age are welcome to join us. Temple membership or prior experience in our school is not required. If you are interested in knowing more about this program please call our Nursery School office at 914-723-3001.

On April 10, children turning 2 by 12/31/16 through rising 1st graders can come & try out our Religious School. See the top of this page for all the details.

Go to p. 14 for information on Summer Stars.

CALENDAR

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~ April 2016 ~ Adar Bet – Nissan 5776

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1

Jr. Youth Group Kallah First Fridays for Families - Grades 3-5 5:30 p.m. Chavurah Service 7:45 p.m.

2 Jr. Youth Group Kallah

3 Volunteer Appreciation Brunch 9:30 a.m.

4

5 Food Packing & Sorting 9:00 a.m. Study Chavurah 10:30 a.m. Seniors Lunch 1:00 p.m. The Jews as the Chosen People 7:00 p.m.

6 Women of SSTTE Board Mtg 10:30 a.m.

7

8 Shir Shabbat Service 8:00 p.m.

9

10 Taste of Religious School 9:00 a.m. Shorashim New Adult Learning Cohort 9:30 a.m. K'tanim Art Project 11:00 a.m. STEWEY Painting Program Time TBD

11 Communal Worship Cmte. Mtg 7:30 p.m.

12 Study Chavurah 10:30 a.m. Talmud Class 8:00 p.m.

13 Women of SSTTE HUC Trip 9:00 a.m. Mussar Study with Cantor Becker 7:30 p.m.

14

15 Congregational Shabbat Dinner 6:30 p.m. Women of SSTTE Shabbat 8:00 p.m. SCARTY Spring Kallah

16 Shabbat Service & Bar Mitzvah of Ryan Shedden 10:30 a.m. Havdallah Service & Bat Mitzvah of Samantha Gross 4:30 p.m. Saw Mill River Clean Up 10:00 a.m. SCARTY Spring Kallah

17 Creative Human Rights Seder 11:00 a.m. SCARTY Spring Kallah

18 Board of Trustees 7:30 p.m. Brandeis Movie Above & Beyond 1:00 p.m.

19 Study Chavurah 10:30 a.m. Seniors Coffee & Conversation 1:00 p.m. Food Packing & Sorting 7:00 p.m. Jewish Literacy 8:00 p.m.

20 Man of La Mancha w Women of SSTTE 11:00 a.m.

21

22 Erev Pesach NO Services

23 Pesach 1 Pesach BaBoker 10:00 a.m.

24 Pesach ll No Religious School

25 Pesach III Life Line Screening 8:30 a.m.

26 Pesach IV

27 Pesach V No Religious School

28 Pesach VI Erev 7th Day Pesach Services 7:30 p.m.

29 OFFICE CLOSED Pesach VII Ma'ariv Service 6:15 p.m.

30 Pesach VIII

NOTE: Religious School meets Sundays 9:00 – 11:00 a.m. and Wednesdays 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Team Tikkun meets Wednesdays 6:30 – 8:15 p.m.

NEED A SEDER TO GO TO? Elizabeth Rothstein is playing matchmaker and matching hosts with guests. Please see p. 8 for details.

CALENDAR

13

~ May 2016 ~ Nissan – Iyar 5776

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 NO RELIGIOUS SCHOOL Mazel Tots & Songs for Seeds Open House 4:00 p.m. Joint Yom Hashoah w/Shaarei Tikvah 7:00 p.m.

2 Jewish Foods Policy 6:15 p.m.

3 Food Packing & Sorting 9:00 a.m. Study Chavurah 10:30 a.m. Seniors Lunch 1:00 p.m. The Jews as the Chosen People 7:00 p.m.

4 Mussar Study with Cantor Becker 7:30 p.m.

5 6 First Fridays for Families - PK-2 5:30 p.m. Chavurah Service 7:45 p.m.

7 Annual Fundraiser 7:00 p.m.

8

9

10 Study Chavurah 10:30 a.m. Talmud 8:00 p.m.

11 Women of SSTTE Board Mtg 10:30 a.m.

12

13 Shir Shabbat Service w/Youth Group honoring H.S. Seniors 8:00 p.m.

14 Shabbat Morning Service & Bar Mitzvah of Zach Rosenberg 10:30 a.m. Havdallah Service & B’not Mitzvah of Alyssa & Madison Youngstein 4:30 p.m.

15 Shorashim New Adult Learning Cohort 9:30 a.m. Mah Jongg Tournament 9:30 a.m. Madrichim Workshop 11:15 a.m.

16 Communal Worship Cmte. Mtg. 7:30 p.m.

17 Study Chavurah 10:30 a.m. Seniors Coffee & Conversation 1:00 p.m. Food Packing & Sorting 7:00 p.m. Jewish Literacy 8:00 p.m.

18 Last Day of Religious School Mussar Study with Cantor Becker 7:30 p.m.

19

20 Sharing Shabbat 6:00 p.m.

21 Shabbat BaBoker With Nava Tehilla 10:00 a.m.

22 Last Day of Sunday Religious School

23 Women of SSTTE Panel Discussion 1:00 p.m. Board of Trustees Mtg. 7:30 p.m.

24 Study Chavurah 10:30 a.m.

25

26

27 Ma-Ariv Service 6:15 p.m.

28

29

30 Memorial Day OFFICE CLOSED

31 Study Chavurah 10:30 a.m.

We are now transitioning into an environmental facility by using biodegradable products throughout the synagogue.

DIRECTOR OF EARLY CHILDHOOD

14

SUMMER STARS

Summer Stars is a 7 week camp experience offered to children ages 18 months to 5 year olds. Our campers are engaged in activities such as sports, music, art, daily water play and much, much more. We also have a special day each week focusing on a theme such as Circus Day, Hawaiian Day or Carnival Day. We strive to foster friendships in a warm, nurturing environment and encourage children to grow socially, emotionally and intellectually as they engage in fun, stimulating summer activities. We offer a 3-day option for Toddlers ages 18 to 30 months and our Two year olds may choose 3 or 5 mornings a week. Our Three year olds to Five year olds may choose a half-day 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. or a full-day 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. option. Just a reminder, if you have not yet seen our school or camp and are interested in doing so, please call to arrange an appointment. I look forward to talking with you! Jody Glassman, Director

DIRECTOR OF YOUTH ENGAGEMENT

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Hi, everybody! So, how ‘bout that weather, eh? It sure has been weathering outside lately. But enough about weather… we’ve been having a lot of fun in the youth group world, and I’m excited to share what’s been going on. A few weeks ago, our 6th and 7th graders embraced irrationality while celebrating Erev Pi Day, the most important holiday in Jewish history (according to me, right now, for the sake of this article)! The following week, the whole congregation was invited to take part in our Purim Carnival and a great time was had by all! Our 6th and 7th graders are also getting excited for the Junior Youth Group Kallah (hosted by URJ’s Kutz Camp) where they’ll be joining congregations from all over NYC,

Westchester, Long Island, and New Jersey.

So, what’s coming up in the youth group world, you ask? Well, if you’d just be patient, I can tell you. Sheesh. Some people, m’i’rite? April 1-3: JYG Kallah! SCARPE DIEM joins synagogues from all over NY and NJ for a camp-style weekend of fun, friendship, color war (and then hopefully, color peace), which will serve as an introduction to NFTY, the Reform youth movement for teens. Hosted by URJ Kutz Camp in Warwick, NY. April 10: STEWEY Painting Program! All 3rd through 5th graders are invited to join me at Painting With a Twist, a new paint studio in Scarsdale (next to California Pizza Kitchen). Time frame TBD. April 10: K’tanim art project! Join us after Religious school for a fun art project and/or foody craft based on Jewish values! Youth lounge from 11 – 12:15 p.m. Drop-ins welcome! April 15-17: SCARTY/NFTY Spring Kallah! All 8th – 12th graders will be gathering at Eisner Camp in Great Barrington, MA for a weekend of awesomeness with other Jewish teens from all over New York and Southern CT. As always, if you have any questions, comments, or pictures of dragons riding unicorns (or vice versa), please feel free to get in touch! I’d love to hear from you. Sarah Metzger Director of Youth Engagement

CYCLE OF OUR CONGREGATIONAL FAMILY

IN REMEMBRANCE The Scarsdale Synagogue Temples Tremont and Emanu-El recognizes with sorrow the passing of:

Rita Levik, mother of Carol DeBear Morty Pincks

Helen Vogel, mother of Tom Vogel

MAZEL TOV

Phoebe Sarna on the birth of her great granddaughter, Billie Hazel Goldberg, daughter of Shannon and Jonathan Goldberg, granddaughter of Randy Sarna

Gerald & Stefani Cohen on the engagement of their daughter, Rebecca Cohen, to Robert Schliessman

CYCLE OF OUR CONGREGATIONAL FAMILY

16

We appreciate the thoughtfulness of those who support Scarsdale Synagogue Temples Tremont and Emanu-El by remembering and honoring their friends and loved ones through their generous contributions.

Cantor’s Discretionary Fund WILLIAM & CARYL GRUESKIN in memory of his father, Harold Grueskin PAULA LESTER in memory of Alan Ziperstein; Rhoda Feldman Chesed Fund LOWELL & MARSHA WILLIAMS in memory of Morty Pincks

General Tribute Fund JACK CHACHKES & JANE DAVID in memory of Morty Pincks GERALD & STEFANI COHEN in memory of his father, Abraham Cohen; in honor of the engagement of their daughter, Rebecca Cohen, to Robert Schliessman ELLIOT & CAROL DEBEAR in memory of her mother, Rita Levik ANDREW & SARA FEINSTEIN in memory of her parents, Florence & Irving Shillman; Stanley Landsberg, grandfather of Rabbi Brown; Helen Vogel, mother of Tom Vogel MICHAEL & KATHLEEN HYMES in memory of his father, Robert H. Hymes SANDRA MILLER in memory of her mother, Ruth Blachman LISE MINOVITZ & ERIC FREY in memory of her brother, Ethan Minovitz DR. FREDRIC & STACEY NEWMAN in memory of her grandmother, Beatrice Kandel SHARI PRESS in memory of Morty Pincks RITA REICH in memory of her father, Sol Evenson DR. MARCUS & JUNE REIDENBERG in memory of his mother, Adeline Reidenberg ALAN & RHEBA ROSENBLUTH in memory of his mother, Ina Wallye Rosenbluth TOM RUSKIN & DONNA VITALE RUSKIN in honor of the engagement of Rebecca Cohen, daughter of Gerald & Stefani Cohen, to Robert Schliessman; in memory of her uncle, Arthur Silvin MUTSUKO STEIN in memory of her mother, Nobuko Tanouchi JEANETTE TEITELBAUM in memory of her husband, Jerome Teitelbaum; Maxine Jacobson THEODORE & TARA TYBERG in memory of Helen Vogel, mother of Tom Vogel Irving Gershon Talmud Fund HARVEY & MARSHA TESSLER in memory of Helen Vogel, mother of Tom Vogel Rabbi Brown’s Discretionary Fund EILEEN GLIBOFF in loving memory of Gregg Feinstein, brother of Sharon Charles

Rabbi Stephen Klein’s Youth Initiative PAULA LESTER in honor Rabbi Stephen Klein & Joanne move into a new apartment; in memory of Morty Pincks PETER & PATRICIA SILVERBERG in memory of her sister, Nancy Rodgers Women of SSTTE Fund PHILIP ARONSON in memory of his cherished friend, Morty Pincks HAL & BARBARA BARON in memory of Maxine Jacobson; her parents, Harry & Lillian Lind; his father, Morris Baron; his brother, Saul Baron SYLVIA FOX in memory of Maxine Jacobson CECILIA PFEIFFER in memory of Morty Pincks AARON PLUM in memory of Maxine Jacobson SHARI PRESS in memory of Dr. Lise Lotte Gumpel, sister of Rosemarie Gumpel BARBARA RAPPAPORT in memory of her husband, Robert E. Rappaport; her son, Donald Andrew Rappaport BRADLEY & ELAYNE SEARLES in memory of Maxine Jacobson LEON & MARILYN SHEBSHAIEVITZ in memory of Morty Pincks; her grandfather, Sam Taub THOMAS & BETH QUINN in memory of her father, Abraham Cohen

communal worship honorary trustee scarty co-presidents ... · tonight, those who chose the desert...

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