not slaves, but not yet free

The Centre CallG E r m A n t o W n J E W i S h C E n t r E

Volume 20, Issue No. 5 IYAR 5772 MAY 2012

www.GermantownJewishCentre.org

Germantown Jewish Centre • 400 West Ellet Street • Philadelphia, PA 19119 • tel 215.844.1507 • fax 215.844.8309

By Rabbi Adam Zeff

Each year at our Pesach seders we

make two seeminglyincompatible pronouncements. Wesay, “Once we were slaves; now weare free,” and we say, “Now we areslaves; next year may we be free.” Ihave always been perplexed by thiscontradiction. Pesach is the Feast ofFreedom, celebrating our releasefrom Egyptian slavery and our(re)birth as a free people. It is ourtouchstone. So many times in theTorah we are taught that we are obli-gated to do right because God freedus from slavery in Egypt. In whatsense could we still be slaves aftergoing through all of that?

This year, my family’s discussion atour seder table turned to the manyvarieties of slavery that existed in theancient world. There was theenslavement of an entire people aftertheir conquest by another nation, per-haps the closest analog to the situa-tion of the Israelites in Egypt. Andthere was chattel slavery, the odiousinstitution in which one person,dehumanized and reduced to anobject, was owned by another, whichflourished in the U.S. in the 18th and19th centuries. But there was a thirdtype of slavery in the ancient world,one that the Torah tried to regulateand bring under control but neverimagined outlawing. That was debtslavery, in which one person sold hisor her freedom to another in order toget out from under the burden ofmoney owed.

The Torah had good reason for try-

ing to impose constraints on debt slav-ery, including limiting its duration andrequiring good treatment of such slaves.Although in theory this institutionallowed those crushed by debt a wayout, in practice it often resulted in permanent enslavement as the slaveowners kept adding to the debt owed,never allowing the slaves to catch up.All the power was concentrated in theowners’ hands, and the slaves ended upcaught in a trap, at the owners’ mercy,powerless.

The shock for me this year was torealize how persistent debt slavery hasbeen throughout history, from theancient slaves spoken of in the Torah tolaborers in medieval Europe to share-croppers in the American South. Anddespite efforts to control and eliminateit, this practice has not abated in ourown time, in our own country andabroad. Plantation owners in Africa usedebt slaves to harvest and process thecacao that ends up in our hands aschocolate. Human traffickers in Europelure men and women with the hope ofgood jobs only to entrap them in hardlabor or in prostitution to “pay off theirdebt.” And in the United States,migrant workers mired in debt areforced to work in the fields to repaythose who brought them here.

These and other forms of economicoppression continue to flourish in ourown country, in our own times. Andthat is why we acknowledge at ourseder tables that we are not yet free.We are not at the end of our story; weare not at the end of the march fromslavery to freedom. We are only partway down the path. We have madeprogress, but there is still so far to go.

This time between Pesach andShavuot marks the progression of theJewish people. We begin the journeyas a people freed from Egypt, thinkingwe are now “free” to do whatever wewant. So we say, “Once we wereslaves; now we are free.” We contin-ue the journey as a people who cometo stand at Mt. Sinai, knowing wehave an obligation to push not justourselves but our world from slaveryto freedom. So we say, “Now we areslaves; next year may we be free.”May the work that we do in this time,individually and as a community,move us all a little closer to that goal.

Not slaves, but not yet free

Program HighlightsInstallation Shabbat honoring

Rabbi ZeffMay 4-5

Women’s Club Torah Fund Brunchhonoring Mindelle Goldstein

May 6

Blood DriveSponsored by Men’s Club

May 6

GJC’s 2nd Annual Family RetreatMay 11-13

Hazak ShabbatFeaturing Professor Naphtali Meshel

May 12

Kol HaNoarMay 18

Confirmation & 6th Grade ReadsTorah in the Charry Service

May 19

Spring Concert honoring Carol & Marty Kaplan

May 20

Tikkun Leyl ShavuotMay 26

www.GermantownJewishCentre.org2

i YA r 5 7 7 2 • m AY 2 0 1 2

This is mylast Centre

Call article asPresident ofGermantown

Jewish Centre. I will confess thatwriting these columns has not beenmy favorite part of the job. I do liketo write but I don’t consider myself tobe a deep thinker and have limitedmyself in this space to fairly simplecheerleading.

But my message this time is sim-ple. It is one of gratitude on manydifferent levels. I accepted this posi-tion with no particular game plan,no grand agenda—just a few things Ihoped to accomplish and otherwiseto work with the professional staff tohelp implement their visions. I wasof course warned by a number ofPast Presidents that “every Presidenthas his or her crisis” and I wanted toleave some room to deal with what-ever time might toss my way. As itturns out, my lack of a game planwas a fortunate thing since any planswould have rapidly been consignedto the dust bin as we faced signifi-cant transitional issues. I think we allknow what I mean.

For most of us, change is rarelyeasy. It often brings with it anunknown quantity that leaves usfeeling uncertain and uneasy. It is somuch easier to remain comfortablewith the familiar. And so my first bitof gratitude is for the graceful way inwhich this congregation hasembraced those changes and foundthe good in them. What could havebeen a crisis (or actually a series ofcrises) in fact turned into positivecommunity-wide experiences. Itdoesn’t always work that way.

And my second bit of gratitudeextends to the large number of you –our community – who have given sofreely of your time and skills to helpus navigate those changes. This con-gregation is blessed with a large

A President’s GratitudeBy Chris Levin, GJC President

President’s Message

number of members with a diversearray of talents and a great willingnessto share those talents with the com-munity. I won’t name names becausethere are too many but they extendfrom those of you who have helpedout with our professional staff changesto those who have worked on replac-ing the Charry sanctuary roof, to thosewho have helped to envision anexpansion of the ECP playground, tothose who have helped to envision acampaign to expand our endowmentand secure our financial future. Andof course, I have the utmost gratitudeto the Executive Committee, the Boardof Directors and all the CommitteeChairs and members who put in somuch time on a daily basis to makethis community a better place. One ofthe best parts of the last two years hasbeen getting to know so many of youbetter and for that I am grateful.

Then there are those at the centerof the change and with whom I haveworked most closely – Rabbi Zeff,Nina Peskin and Gloria Geissler. Inaddition to the strong collaborativeteam Rabbi Zeff and Nina make, they

have brought new musical offeringsthat have enriched the Centre. Welook forward to Annie Lewis joiningus and adding to the chorus. Manyof you do not know Gloria well, butas Finance Director, she does a con-summate job of managing the budg-et (which requires knowledge ofinsurance options, heating fuel con-tracts, employment law and a host ofother matters). It has been such apleasure to work with them all. Ihave learned so much from each ofthem. I am also grateful to my suc-cessor Mitch Marcus for acceptingthe responsibility of becoming thenext President and who I am surewill do a magnificent job leading usforward.

Finally, I am grateful to each ofyou. During my term, while navigat-ing these changes and making diffi-cult decisions, I have had the benefitof doing so with the support of thiscommunity. I am grateful you foryour energy, your dedication, andyour investment in GermantownJewish Centre. It has been a privilegeto serve you as President.

HoursSunday 9:30 - 12:30

Monday Closed

Tuesday 12:00 - 5:00

Wednesday 12:00 - 8:30

Thursday 12:00 - 6:00

Friday 12:00 - 5:00

So much to remember:

Our wonderful 10 % specials

continue with the

May Special: Seder Plates

June is 10% off All

Merchandise

(with the usual excep-tions) so think of the

Little Shop for Mother’sDay, birthdays and

graduations.

We are introducing a monthlywine special at 10% off. EverySunday there will be a samplingof the wine that is on special forthe month. The month of Mayfeatures Binyamina ReserveCabernet Sauvignon whichretails at $23.00.

Come see our newjewelry. We havenecklaces, made inSouth Africa; the profits are used fororphans of aids.

We have braceletsfrom Mali; the profitssupport the familieswho make them.

www.GermantownJewishCentre.org 3

IN cElEBRATIoN…Marcy & Dan Bacine, on the

engagement of their son Matthew Bacine to Alyse Levy, daughter of Lynn & Bob Levy

Isador Kranzel, on his special birthday

Sandy Marks & Adam Zissman, on the birth of their baby boy, Emmet

Lauren & Andy Ufberg, on the birth of their baby girl, Gabrielle

Chana Bonn, is “schepping nachas” from the bar mitzvah of her grandson Eliyah Hai David Bonn-Yavneh in Jerusalem, Parashat B’shalach

Marcy & David Fish, on their 18th wedding anniversary

David Barcan & Maribel Beas, on the Bar Mitzvah of their son Rafael Barcan

Aley Murtaugh, on the birth of her daughter, Claire

Sandy & Mike Rodin, on the birth of their granddaughter Claire to Aley Murtaugh

Louie and Steve Asher, on the birth of their first granddaughter

Cheryl Bettigole, on her appointment as Chief Medical Officer of CompleteCare Health Network

Nina Israel, on the birth of her first granddaughter, Yemima Chen Israel

David Ferleger & Dayle Friedman, on the B’nei Mitzvah of their children, Anat & Avram Ferleger

David Kanthor, on the marriage of his sister Jennifer Kanthor to Joe Schwartz

Sonia Dishler, on her special birthday

Stan Diamond, on his special birthday

Wendy Weingarten and Jerry Kutnick, on the engagement of Uri Weingarten (son of Marty Weingarten, z‘l’) to Gali Porat, daughter of Moshe and Rachel Porat

Wendy Weingarten and Jerry Kutnick, the engagement of Meira Weingarten (daughter of Marty Weingarten, z‘l’) to Eric Selkowitz, son of Diane and Scott Selkowitz.

(February, 2012 – March, 2012)

Shabbat chai-litesMay 4 & 5

• Installation Shabbat honoring Rabbi Zeff

• 6 PM - Tot Shabbat

• 6:30 PM - Community Dinner

• 7 PM - Kol Zimrah

• 12:15 PM - Community Kiddush

• 1:15 PM - Installation Ceremony

May 11 & 12• Family Retreat (offsite)

• Hazak Shabbat featuring Professor Naphtali Meshel

• Kol D’mamah

May 18 & 19• Kol HaNoar

• Confirmation & 6th Grade Reads Torah in the Charry Service

June 1 & 2• Carlebach Kabbalat Shabbat

• Charry Service – Mazel tov to Noah Griffith-Rosenberger

on becoming Bar Mitzvah

June 9• Kol D’mamah

June 16• Charry Service – Mazel tov to Yamit Netter-Sweet on

becoming Bat Mitzvah

June 22• Kol Zimrah

June 29• Tot Shabbat

Kabbalat ShabbatFridays at 6 PM (unless otherwise noted above)

Shabbat MorningTorah Study at 9 AM

Services at 10 AM

Pirke Avot at 4 PM (offsite through May 26)

T h e C e n t r e C a l l G E r m A n t o W n J E W i S h C E n t r E

IN MEMoRIAMNewlin Booth, husband of and step-father of Lila Booth & Beth Rosenbaum

George Shore, husband of and father of Joy Shore & Jackie and Ava

Joseph Goren, husband of Cherie GorenJay Dushoff, brother of Lee Dushoff Samuel Z. Kobran, father of Marcy BacineSamuel Brockman, father of Andi Brockman

Sundays at 10 AM$5 per session

For more info call Tamar Magdovitz at 215-247-9614

ISRAElI

dANcINGNEW MEMBERS• Melanie Berman• Sheila Weinberg• Meryl Bonderow & Togo Travalia & family


i YA r 5 7 7 2 • m AY 2 0 1 2



sor of Artificial Intelligence - and afull professorship when he was 35.Two years later he accepted the postat 37.

Susie, meanwhile, began her postcollege life focused on motherhood.“I always wanted kids,” Susie says.“I didn’t have professional goalswhen I was younger. I just wanted tobe a mother. Right after Josh wasborn I got interested in biostatisticsand ever since then I’ve had at leasta part time job.”

They have three children: Josh,36, who lives in West Philly with hiswife Hannah and their daughter,Sara Bela; Rachel, 36, who lives 3blocks away and Ben, 30, who livesin Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

Susie was born in Newark, NJ in1950 and grew up in Meadville PA,a small town in the northwest part ofthe state. She accumulated two mas-ters degrees and a doctorate before,during and after her childbearingyears. She received a Masters inMathematics from Clark Universitybefore she had children; a Masters inBiostatistics from the Harvard Schoolof Public Health when Rachel wasborn and Josh was 3 ½; and a PhD instatistics from the Wharton Schoolwhen Josh was in high school. She isan associate professor of Psychiatryand Biostatistics at ColumbiaUniversity and holds an appoint-ment at the Columbia College ofPhysicians and Surgeons in psychia-try and biostatistics.

Among the studies she participat-ed in was one that questioned thewarning on labels of antidepressantssaying that the medications wouldlead to suicide if given to teenagers.Her studies are mostly funded by theNational Institutes of Mental Health.

Mitch and Susie’s spiritual livesbecame particularly rich when theylived in the Boston area. They hadtraveled to Israel and the followingyear, Susie’s sister gave them an arti-cle talking about a havurah called

realized I needed to be in a place thatdidn’t ask if I was one or the other butwould understand what the combina-tion meant. My thesis was a computa-tional interpretation of NoamChomsky’s theories and a really spec-ulative model of what might be goingon linguistically in people’s heads.”

Mitch turned down a teaching jobat MIT, in part because “nobody hadkids on the MIT faculty until they weretenured and we had our first childwhile I was in grad school. We wantedchildren as soon as we possiblycould.”

Mitch and Susie met their sopho-more year of college at a fall mixer.She was at Wellesley. They quicklybecame deeply involved and marriedsix weeks after college graduation.This summer, they will be married 40years.

Mitch took a job at Bell Labs inNorth Jersey, where he remained foreight years. "Bell Labs at the time wasthe most amazing pure research envi-ronment you’ve ever seen,” Mitchrecalls. “They were interested in fun-damental scientific questions that mat-tered to them. If you want to build amachine that can read your email ortalk to you over the phone, you needto understand linguistics very deeply.There was no direct, ‘Tell us whatproduct you’re going to build.’ But thegroup I was working with was workingon speech synthesis - what happens toyour mouth when you talked.”

Another reason Mitch left MIT andwent to Bell was, he said, because,“the research I do is kind of risky. Mythesis was well received and I wantedto walk away from it and be able torisk failing. If you need to constantlyprove you’re the best in the world youcan’t take risks and my work has beenabout taking big intellectual risks.”

After living in Westfield NJ, andbeing active in a large Reform syna-gogue, Mitch and Susie came toPhiladelphia in 1987. The Universityof Pennsylvania offered Mitch anendowed chair – he’s the RCA profes-

Mitch Marcus, slated to be thenext President of the

Germantown Jewish Centre, hashad a rich and expansive profes-sional, personal and spiritual life,including a position as co-chair ofGJC’s Religious Committee for sevenyears.

Mitch was born in 1950 inSouthwest Philadelphia on the sameblock where his mother grew upand where his daughter Rachel, 32,and her partner Eileen, now live.After a year and a half, Mitch's fam-ily moved to Yeadon, across thestreet from Beth Tefillah, a conserva-tive synagogue, where Mitch foundhimself almost every day of theweek until sixth grade.

His family then moved to EastonPA, where his father grew up andwhere Mitch went to junior highand high school. Mitch's father wasborn in South Dakota in a tiny townat the edge of a Rosebud Siouxreservation. He carried a rifle fromthe age of four, Mitch says, andwhen drafted into the Korean War,Mitch's father, a Jewish orthodontist,was the best shot at Wright PattersonAir Force Base. He moved to Eastonto establish an orthodontic practicethere.

Mitch went to Harvard, thengraduate school at MIT. He was aresearch scientist in artificial intelli-gence and linguistics at MIT, wherehe worked closely with linguist andpolitical activist Noam Chomsky.

“I do a funny combination ofcomputer science and linguistics,”Mitch explains (as best he can). “I

Susie and Mitch Marcus

continued on page 6

Member Spotlight by Linda Kriger


i YA r 5 7 7 2 • m AY 2 0 1 2

Member Spotlight Continued from page 5

Havurat Shalom in Somerville. “ArtGreen had just left it and moved toPhiladelphia and I responded to thearticle, which was written by BillKavesh (now a member of MinyanMasorti) and within a couple ofweeks we joined. We went to talk toBill about how to keep kosher, eventhough we were vegetarian,” Mitchrecalls. “It was a tiny, intensive com-munity,” he says. “We started keep-ing kosher overnight, and were verystrictly shomer shabbas for a coupleof years. It was like going from 0-60in 10 minutes, studying Zohar inAramaic with Danny Matt (author ofGod and the Big Bang), studying SfatEmes, and it was just amazing. Susiewas really into it.” They also attend-ed the National Havurah Instituteevery summer, where they met anumber of people from GJC.

When they prepared to move toPhiladelphia, they received adviceabout living either in Mt. Airy orElkins Park. “The Elkins Park peoplesaid Mt. Airy was too funky. Funkysounded great to us. We were invit-ed to visit by the Teutsch’s and came

down in January in the middle of ablizzard. Dorshei was 6 months old.”

Mitch and Susie thought theirdream was to go back to Boston. “I’dpulled Susie from Boston where shewas a graduate student with some ofthe best people in biostatistics. Shesaid ‘I’d rather move to Philadelphia’”and they’ve lived here for 25 years.

Mitch delineated four initial goalsfor his GJC presidency: The first goal,he said, “is that I really want tostrengthen a deep sense of collabora-tion between the professional and layleaderships in the synagogue. Therereally needs to be a widely sharedunderstanding of what the roles are. I’dlike to work with Rabbi Zeff and therest of both the lay and professionalleadership to reach a stable under-standing and to codify it.”

The second goal is that “Our com-munity of communities model is reallyvery strong but it’s still the case thatmany members of the shul feel them-selves to be a member of one sub-community and not a member of thesynagogue as a whole. I want to workwith the professional leadership toincrease the opportunities for mem-bers of the shul to be involved in activ-ities with other shul members and get

to know people across the entireshul.”

Third, Mitch also wants to reor-ganize the planning and budgetaryprocess, shifting from creating a newbudget every year to a three yearmodel for planning and budgets, inwhich financial goals would be setout three years in advance based onGJC’s values and priorities.

Finally, Mitch wants to insure that“the synagogue continues to changeto meet the needs and the style of thenext generation of shul members.”For example, GJC has long used themodel of standing committees to getmost jobs done, whereas leaders inthe younger generation often viewad hoc groups as a better model forgetting particular jobs done.

Mitch looks forward to taking onthe presidency of GJC in June.

“I like serving communities,”Mitch said. “I owe a tremendousamount to the Germantown JewishCentre. It’s been very important tomy life for a long time. So whenasked to serve I felt an obligation todo so. The opportunity to be president with Rabbi Zeff and ournew professional team is really veryspecial.”

grateful to our tzedakah partners, towhom we disbursed $2,193.53, thebalance of donations after paying thecost of the baskets. Each of themdoes wonderful work feeding thehungry, as close as our neighborChurch of the Annunciation’s foodpantry, and as far as the Sikh KenyaFoodbank feeding famine victims inthe Horn of Africa. And as you cansee from their notes of thanks, theseorganizations are grateful for thedonations from our community.

The five programs are:• Weavers Way CommunityPrograms: Stenton Family ManorCommunity garden. (Stenton is ahomeless shelter.)• Hazon, supporting sustainable,local farming• The Female Hebrew Benevolent

Many thanks are in order for thewonderful results of our first syn-

agogue-wide Purim TzedakahCollective. We were able to distributeover 175 Mishloah Manot baskets toattendees, members and guests alike,our maintenance staff, office staff, andfaculty. That was a lot of baskets toassemble but our energetic crew gotthe job done in just over an hour! Wehad fun, actually, and enjoyed YossiRavital’s cre-ative assis-tance, actual-ly climbinginto the binof donatedclement ineboxes whichwas too deepfor us toreach.

We are so

Purim Tzedakah Update

Dear GJC Community,

Thank you so much for support-ing the Sri Guru Nanak Food Bankin Kenya. I can think of no betterway of celebrating Purim than byhelping those who are in dire needas a result of the drought andfamine currently taking place inEast Africa. Your generous gifts willgo a long way to support theKenyan Sikh community's efforts todistribute food as this crisis contin-ues. It means so much to me as aGJC kid to have our community'ssupport for this important work!

For more information or to getinvolved please be in touch with meat [email protected] orgo to www.unitedsikhs.org/solidarity!

Warm regards,

Nomi Teutsch on behalf of UNITEDSIKHS continued on page 7



Society, helping provide Passoverfood to 8 clients• The Church of the AnnunciationFood Pantry• The Sikh Food Pantry in Kenya,via Nomi Teutsch, a Tony BlairInterfaith Fellow at United Sikhs.

More details are available atwww.GJCMishloachManot.word-press.com

Kudos to co-chairs, Betsy Teutschand Elana Shaw and thanks tohelpers Mikael Elsila, Doug Lerner,Phill Goldberg, Nina Israel and allthe assemblers. As well as to all ofour donors . . .Adina Abramowitz & NaomiKlaymanDiane Ajl & Neil KitrosserAlex & Sheila AvelinMarta & Chip BeckerJulia Bell & Jeff SultarPeninah & Albert BerdugoLila & Dan BermanCheryl Bettigole & Adam ZeffMichael BlackmanEmily Blake & Karen DunnBarbara BloomMeryl Bonderow & Togo TravaliaSarah Braun & Shai GluskinBobbi Breitman & Avruhm AddisonEleanor BrownsteinReba Carmel & Eric FranklinAmy Cohen & Mark SpillerTamara Cohen & Gwynn KesslerDebrah CohenKen Cohen & Doug LernerFredi & Heshie CooperLeah Corsover & Jonathan RossosLynne & Art EllisSheila ErlbaumRachel Falkove & Michael MaschHelen & Michael FeinbergDayle Friedman & David FerlegerAudrey FingerhoodDana & Jacob GoldbergElisa Goldberg & Steve WeinbergPhill GoldbergShelly GoldmanHaviva Goldman & Greg LattanziAnna Herman & Robert DudnickDina Pinsky & Mikael ElsilaHila Rimon-Greenspan & Itay GreenspanPeninah Kelberg & Mike GrossNina Israel & Beto Duec

Lynne Jacobs & Alan SilverblattBarbara Jaffe & Howard LangerHarriet & Don JosephMelissa Klein & Nesya NevinsHillary Kruger & Judd LevingstonSarit & Ken KunzJacob LiebermanRuth Loew & Bob TabakAmy LoewenthalGena & Rob LopataArnie LurieTamar & Sam MagdovitzAlice & Richard MandelSue & Mitch MarcusKate & Geoff MargoGina Michaels & John Phillips

Lyndall & Chuck MillerNahariyah & David MosenkisAdina & Norman NewbergSteve NewmanJoyce & Carl NordenAllan OsterBarb PearsonRona PietrzakRayzel & Simcha RaphaelNeely & Leon RosenJoseph RotenbergMelissa Schiffman & Tom McLaughlinAmy Schrager & Craig BarkanMindy Shapiro & Allan Mendelsohn

Purim Tzedakah Update Continued from page 6

continued on page 8


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Early childhood Program (EcP)

In March ECP students celebratedPurim with Rabbi Kevin and Tigger!They also put together 88 MishloahManot bags that were distributedto seniors at the Klein JCC.

Education departmentGenerously supported by the

GJC Women’s Club

IMPORTANT FUTURE PROGRAM DATES

MaySHABBAT, MAY 19THCHARRY SANCTUARY

• Confirmation Class 5772Ceremony

• Kitah Vav (6th grade) reads Torah

BBMM (Bar Bat Mitzvah Mehina)• Shabbat Dates (students only):

May 5th and June 2nd

• For parents an Students, May 20th

ATID (4th and 5th graders)• May 6th, Bowling

KADIMA (6th and 7th graders) • May 20th, Bowling

Our pre-school students had alot of fun in a family programcalled “PJ Prepares for Shabbat.”Here they are singing withmusic teacher Miss Amy Jo.

Purim Tzedakah Update Continued from page 7

Hideko SecrestStefanie & Alex SeldinCarolyn SeplowElana & Brian ShawWendy Smith & Michael PosnerEllyn Specker & Lawrence CharapReena Spicehandler & Jeremy BrochinJacob Staub & Michael SpitkoBeth Stearman & Mitchell BerkAmanda SteinbergDebbie & George SternDanielle Stillman & MattUtterbackBetsy & David TeutschCarol TinklemanBeulah Trey & Steve MastersSonia Voynow & Brett BoyerSylvia VoynowMaani Waldor & Mark FallonRivkah WaltonEllen WeaverSheila WeinbergAbby Weinberg & Nathan MartinLeah Weisman & Eric BrunnerSusan & Ken WeissEsther Wiesner & Toby KesslerRachel Zibbell



How can it be? Is it possible? Noway is it the beginning of May.

Where has the time gone? Yesterdayit was January - cold, wet, and drea-ry and today it is warm, sunny, andthe trees and gardens are filled withgreenery and the year is almost halfover.

Since we last “spoke” much hasbeen going on, all of it quite fabu-lous. Just to highlight a few of ourprograms, there was the Purim Bashwith great music for dancing, deli-cious food for eating, laughter galoredue to the Purim Spiel, an auctionfilled with wonderful things to bidon, and of course the company of allof our family of Centre friends. Oneof the highlights of the evening wasthe costume parade where one couldmeet all sorts of characters from highchurch people to Hollywood stars.The evening was a hoot!

What else went on these last fewmonths: There was Thinking TogetherAbout The Un-Thinkable, an inter-

Women’s club News

generational community discussionprogram that focused on end-of-lifeplanning. We had a light breakfast andthen panel presentations and facilitateddiscussions led by a Rabbi, doctor,nurse, and lawyer. It was an importantdiscussion and we were very pleasedthat so many people decided to partic-ipate. Thank you especially to RivkahWalton for coordinating the program,as well all of the facilitators and pan-elists that volunteered their time.

Another highlight was Women’sShabbat and Scholar-in-Residence withDr. Lori Hope Lefkovitz, who holds theRuderrman Chair in Jewish Studies atNortheastern University, where she is aProfessor of English and Director of theJewish Studies Program. The theme ofthe weekend was “Wake-Up Call:Themes of Journey and Renewal”andthe discussion ranged fromMaimonides through Dante, Tennyson,Shir Hashirim to Yehuda Amichai andthe conclusion was a poem found inthe Hagaddah. It was a very exhilarat-

ing and stimulating experience. Ourown Centre women led Services onSaturday and it was a joy and pleas-ure to see and hear them. Theirdegree of comfort and expertise onthe bimah always makes me feelproud. It is a worn and hackneyedphrase, but we have indeed “come along way.”

This is just a brief summary ofsome of our programs and eventsthese past months. We hope that yousupport Women’s Club by payingyour yearly dues ($40.00), but even ifyou aren’t a member, you are wel-come to attend all of our programs.So we hope to see you at our verynext event: It is our Torah FundBrunch where we will honorMindelle Goldstein on Sunday, May6th at 11 a.m. Call Maxine Feldmanor Connie Katz for further informa-tion and to make a reservation.

Shalom V’lihitraotJudy Schwartz and Bev SomersonCo-Presidents of Women’s Club

From the desk of Women’s Club

Hazak

Hazak is the United Synagogue ofConservative Judaism’s organization forJewish men and women, 55 years andolder. The name HAZAK is an acronym.The het stands for Hokhma (wisdom),that zayan for Ziknah (maturity) and thekuph for Kadima (looking ahead). TheRhea Shils Chapter of Hazak atGermantown Jewish Centre has offeredprograms that appeal to a wide audi-ence since 2003.

Programming for Adults 55+By Hazak Co-Chairs, Cherie Goren & Sonia Dishler

On March 18, Hazak sponsored“Not JUST Your Grandmother’s

Yiddish Concert” featuring thePhiladelphia Workmen’s CircleChorus. Nearly 100 people attend-

ed, all smiling, clapping and singingalong. It was a real happening. Forthose of you who missed it, pleasejoin us next year, as we intend tomake this an annual event!

We are looking forward to HazakShabbat on May 12 as members of

the community 55 and older will helpto lead the Charry Service. We willalso welcome special guest NaphtaliMeshel, Assistant Professor of Religionand Judaic Studies at Princeton. Andplease join us for a special kiddushfollowing the service.

The Hazak Book Club will contin-ue our discussion of TheMisunderstood Jew on May 9th at 10AM. And our June 13 selection willbe announced soon.

Join us on Wednesday, June 27 at 1PM for a gem of a program, both inter-esting and educational, with GJC’sown Sam Feinberg on SherlockHolmes Baker Street. We will kick ofour new season in August with ourannual Opera Under the Stars pro-gram, stay tuned for a date and moredetails.

As you cansee, if you arenot a memberyet a memberof Hazak,there is a lotyou are miss-ing. Dues arejust $10 annually and it’s never too late to join. Pleasecontact us.


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New opera Aims to ‘Slay’ Intolerance

World premiere by GJC member Ellen Frankel opens at Prince June 7

Anew opera, Slaying the Dragon,with libretto by long-time GJC

member Ellen Frankel and music bycomposer by Michael Ching, willhave its world premiere on June 7and 9 at the Prince Music Theater.Presented by Philadelphia’s CenterCity Opera Theater, it will haveadditional performances at theAcademy of Vocal Arts on June 14,16, and 17, during the nationalOpera America Conference. OnThursday night, May 3, Women’sClub will sponsor an hour-long program about the opera here atGJC, during which Ellen will talkabout the two-year evolution of theopera and show video clips ofstaged workshops. Additionally dis-count performance tickets will bemade available through Women’sClub.

Based on a true story depicted inNot by the Sword by KathrynWatterson, which was discussed byGJC’s book group back in 1996,Slaying the Dragon is about a GrandDragon of the Ku Klux Klan, whorenounces violence and hatredbecause of his unlikely friendshipwith a rabbi and his wife. The operais a powerful vehicle for confrontingcontemporary themes of tolerance,the dangers of inflammatory rhetoricand stereotyping, and the possibili-ties of atonement, forgiveness, andpersonal redemption.

In writing the music for Slayingthe Dragon, Asian-American com-poser Michael Ching counters intol-erance through the joy of music,

bringing together a range of lively,eclectic, and wide-ranging styles. Forhis score, Ching drew from a variety ofmusical genres and sources—Yiddishfolk songs, Vietnamese children’ssongs, sacred music from the mahzor,Aryan rock, Broadway, and pop tunes.Slaying the Dragon is Ching’s third fulllength opera.

Although Slaying the Dragon isEllen Frankel’s first opera, she has beenwriting libretti for choral works for thepast twelve years, working primarilywith Philadelphia composer, AndreaClearfield. In May 2000, the LosAngeles Jewish Symphony premieredClearfield’s cantata, Women of Valor,which included two pieces by Frankel,“Sarah” and “Hannah.” In 2011, theWomen’s Sacred Music Project com-missioned Clearfield and Frankel towrite a new movement, “Hagar,” foran adapted version of Women ofValor, which was performed inSeptember 2011 at GJC’s Selichotservice as well as at a Catholic abbeyin Paoli.

In May 2006, Philadelphia’s presti-gious Mendelssohn Club Choir andthe Philadelphia Chamber Orchestrapresented Clearfield and Frankel’s ora-torio, The Golem Psalms, inspired bythe ancient Jewish legend of theGolem, at the University ofPennsylvania. It has also been per-formed at Haverford College, IndianaUniversity, and at Verizon Hall in theKimmel Center. Frankel and Clearfieldhave signed agreements with CenterCity Opera Theater to develop a full-length opera based on the Golem, as

part of CCOT’s CreativeDevelopment Projects.

Dr. Frankel is the author of tenpublished books, including TheClassic Tales, The Encyclopedia ofJewish Symbols, The Five Books ofMiriam, and The JPS IllustratedChildren’s Bible, which is given byGJC each year to Religious Schoolsecond graders. She served for eight-een years as the Editor in Chief andCEO of The Jewish PublicationSociety, and was named its firstEditor Emerita upon her retirement in2009.

PEOPLE OF THE BOOK

GJC’s Jewish Book Reading Group

We meet at GermantownJewish Centre in the Quitman

Library. We read fiction and nonfic-tion books of Jewish interest writtenmostly, but not solely, by Jewishwriters and chosen by the group.Volunteer group members lead thediscussion.

For more information, contactDena Lake at 215-233-1414 oremail [email protected].

Tuesday, May 8We will be viewing the film,Constantine’s Sword, thestory of James Carroll

Tuesday, June 12Day after Night by Anita Diamant

Special Thanks to

the Wolfe Family Foundation for

generously supporting programming at GJC.



Social Action Update

GJC’s Social Action Committeeinvites you to learn more about the

new Pennsylvania Voter ID law and whyit deserves your concern and action.

Many Pennsylvanians consider thenew Voter ID law a serious challenge toeveryone's right to vote. Very briefly, thenew law requires that registered votersshow an approved picture ID at the pollsduring a primary or a general election.The law’s supporters claim that this leg-islation will reduce fraud at the polls.

Opponents, however, feel that thecost of implementing the law is veryhigh. Not only the cost to theCommonwealth but the cost to individ-ual voters is substantial. Lost time and

lost wages and the complications of get-ting a valid ID are remarkably burden-some. All of which will actually deterlegitimate voters from exercising theirright to vote. Many detractors have com-pared the law to the poll taxes of the oldSouth. Another problem with the new lawis that it appears to unfairly impact certaingroups: the poor, minorities, the young,disabled and seniors. Finally, manybelieve that the law will have very littleeffect on voter fraud or, more to the point,that fraud is not even a problem.

If you have not been following the VoterID issue closely please see the explanationcreated by the non-partisan good government Committee of Seventy at

www.seventy.org/voterid.Try to keep in mind how it applies to

you and also to your kids in college,young friends or older folks and manypoorer citizens.

Would you like to learn more?Would you like to learn more about

how this will impact you and how tocomply with the new law?

Would you like to learn more abouthow you can help and join the GJC'sSocial Action Committee?

Contact the GJC’s Social ActionCommittee (SAC) just send an email to [email protected] feel free to contact Howard Bilofsky [email protected]

By Howard Bilofsky

Thank you to GJc and the Kids Stuff GiveAway & Electronics Recycling organizers!

By Rachel Falkove, Executive Director of NW Phila Interfaith Hospitality Network and a proud GJC Member!

Northwest Philadelphia InterfaithHospitality Network (NPIHN), an

emergency shelter, supportive services,housing andadvocacy pro-gram for home-less families ofour community,sends a BIGthank you toGermantown Jewish Centre and to theamazing organizers of the Kids StuffGiveAway & Electronics RecyclingEvent. Together these events, both heldon March 26th raised about $4,700 forNPIHN’s summer activities fund, pro-viding scholarships and campershipsfor homeless and formerly homelesschildren who have lived in our pro-gram. NPIHN's goal is to link 75 chil-dren and teens with meaningful sum-mer activities, first jobs and opportuni-ties that will open new interests, worldsand experiences, building each child'sresume from kindergarten on up. AsNPIHN proudly sends many highschool seniors off to college, we knowthat our children's programs are making

a difference, ending the cycle of home-lessness for the families we serve.

The Kids Stuff GiveAway is a creativehouse cleaning and sharing project anda brilliant idea. The first weekend ofspring was a perfect time to start springcleaning, emptying closets and reor-ganizing before Passover. The commit-tee of the 3rd annual Kids stuffGiveAway has created a wonderfulvenue for teaching our children to sharewhat they no longer need, recycle, andreduce landfill waste, and raise fundsfor a tzedakah project that helps needychildren. The event was very wellattended, and welcomed many atten-dees who were needy in a warm andrespectful manner. It was a true exam-ple of a “win..win...win” for allinvolved. Many thanks to Amy Schragerand the committee members - LeahCorsover, Haviva Goldman, MelissaKlein, Martha Millison and WendySmith for organizing this event andopening it to our broader community.Thanks also to the many parents andvolunteers who assisted with the event.

Meanwhile the Electronics Recycling

event was being held at GJC for the sec-ond time and saw a constant flow offolks for nearly four hours dropping offtheir old computers, toaster ovens, cal-culators, batteries, bulbs and virtuallyanything with a plug! A huge thanks toSharon Weber and Coleman Poses fororganizing the event, as well as othervolunteers for helping out.

And finally, thanks also to the GJCInterfaith Hospitality Network

Committee,under theleadershipof MiltCohen andthe manywonder fulGJC volun-

teers who cook delicious meals andprovide encouragement and compan-ionship to NPIHN families during ourstays at GJC.

As a member of GJC, I feel veryproud to be part of our wonderful syna-gogue community that offers so manygreat opportunities to work towardstikkun olam, repair of our world.


i YA r 5 7 7 2 • m AY 2 0 1 2

FUND BY OCCASION

Bar/Bat Mitzvah Fund Ellen Ufberg in memory of Pearl Axelrod, mother

Beck Scholar-in-Residence Fund Rose Beck in memory of Joseph Mahon, father

Bess Schick Memorial Fund Jeanette Dudnick in honor of David Ferleger & Dayle Friedman, on the B'nei

Mitzvah of their children, Anat & Avram

Judah Labovitz & Ellen Ufberg in memory of Samuel Z. Kobran, father of Marcy Bacine

Hershel & Betsy Richman in memory of Samuel Z. Kobran, father of Marcy Bacine

in memory of Jay Dushoff, brother of Lee Dushoff

Mariann E. Schick in memory of Becky Soloff, friend

in memory of Patricia Neighbors Schick, sister-in-law

Helen Schneeberg in memory of Newlin Booth, husband of Lila Booth & step-

father of Beth Rosenbaum

Ellen Ufberg in memory of William H. Axelrod, father

Camp Scholarships Fund Harry Kissileff in memory of Julia R. Kissileff, mother

Chesed/Kesher Fund Fredi & Heshie Cooper in memory of Samuel Z. Kobran, father of Marcy Bacine

Howard & Yona

Diamond Dansky in memory of Samuel Z. Kobran, father of Marcy Bacine

Judah Labovitz in memory of Jerome Labovitz, father

Marcy Landesburg in appreciation of the Chesed Committee

Dan & Melissa Livney in honor of the first birthday of Boaz Livney

Melissa Gartenberg Livney in memory of Beatrice Gartenberg, grandmother

in memory of Pearl Rosenbaum, grandmother

Beth Stearman in memory of Lillian Stearman, grandmother

Deborah Stern in memory of Myron Schoen, father

Jane Tausig in memory of Ted Hans Tausig, father

Dorshei Derekh Carol & Marty Kaplan in honor of David Ferleger & Dayle Friedman, on the B'nei

Mitzvah of their children, Anat & Avram

Early Childhood Programs Fund Joyce & Sheldon Eveloff in honor of Marcy & Dan Bacine, on the engagement of their

son Matthew to Alyse Levy

Phyllis Kauffman in memory of Samuel Z. Kobran, father of Marcy Bacine

Linda Kugler in memory of Samuel Z. Kobran, father of Marcy Bacine

Jeffrey & Linda Needleman in memory of Samuel Z. Kobran, father of Marcy Bacine

Elizabeth Richman in memory of Mae Rosner, mother

Martha & Chuck Schleifer in memory of Samuel Z. Kobran, father of Marcy Bacine

Judy Schwartz in memory of Samuel Z. Kobran, father of Marcy Bacine

Joan Silver in memory of Samuel Z. Kobran, father of Marcy Bacine

Bev & Ira Somerson in memory of Samuel Z. Kobran, father of Marcy Bacine

Susan & Berel Sternthal in honor of Kathy Amrom, and her wonderful Purim puppet

show

Shelley Weber in memory of Benjamin Marged, father

Women's Club in memory of Samuel Z. Kobran, father of Marcy Bacine

Fanny Seligman Fund Gisha Berkowitz in memory of David J. Berkowitz, son

Herb & Elinor Finkelstein in memory of Newlin Booth, husband of Lila Booth & step-


Floral Fund Elise Bromberg in memory of Fortunee Bromberg, mother

General Fund Anthony Arce in memory of Malvene Arce, wife

Emanuel H. Burd in memory of Louis A. & Kathryn M. Burd, parents

Peter Kuriloff in memory of Nancy Kuriloff, sister

Peter & Peshe Kuriloff in memory of Gabriel DiLorenzo, father of Vincent DiLorenzo

Ed Lake in memory of Morris Lakernick, father

Ed & Dena Lake in memory of Samuel Z. Kobran, father of Marcy Bacine


Contributions For the period of February, 2012 through March, 2012

Todah Rabbah!Sincere thanks and appreciation to those who remember to honor their friends and loved ones through their generous contributions.

The fastest way for your contribution to be processed is for you to fill out a Contribution Form (available in the office or on our website) and returnit to the office along with a check. Or just send in a check with a note.



Contributions ContinuedJim & Sandy Meyer in memory of Joseph Goren, husband of Cherie Goren

in honor of Marcy & David Fish, on their 18th wedding

anniversary


in memory of Samuel Z. Kobran, father of Marcy Bacine

David Picker in memory of Morris Picker, father

Sharon Prizant & David Kotok in memory of Newlin Booth, husband of Lila Booth & step-


Joan W. Stern in memory of Frances Winderman, aunt

Bernice Weiner in memory of Samuel Z. Kobran, father of Marcy Bacine

Gloria Weiss in honor of David Hahn & Barbara Weiss, on the Bar Mitzvah

of their son, Zachary

Hazak Fund Eileen Brown in memory of Joseph Goren, husband of Cherie Goren

Shirley Cohn in honor of Sonia Dishler, on her special birthday

Sonia Dishler in memory of Joseph Goren, husband of Cherie Goren

Jeanette Dudnick & Family in memory of Joseph Goren, husband of Cherie Goren

Art & Lynne Ellis in memory of Joseph Goren, husband of Cherie Goren

Joyce & Sheldon Eveloff in memory of Joseph Goren, husband of Cherie Goren

Sam Feinberg in memory of Gitel Feinberg, mother

Sam & Helene Feinberg in memory of Joseph Goren, husband of Cherie Goren

Maxine & Maurice Feldman in memory of Joseph Goren, husband of Cherie Goren

Irene Frank in memory of Joseph Goren, husband of Cherie Goren

Donald & Julie Friedman in memory of Joseph Goren, husband of Cherie Goren

Mindelle Goldstein in memory of Joseph Goren, husband of Cherie Goren

Cherie Goren in memory of Leo Fleischman, father

Nessa Graub in memory of Joseph Goren, husband of Cherie Goren

Ethel Harrison in memory of Joseph Goren, husband of Cherie Goren

Vivian Hoffman in honor of Sonia Dishler, on her special birthday

Stanley Isenberg in memory of Joseph Goren, husband of Cherie Goren

Lynne Jacobs in memory of Joseph Goren, husband of Cherie Goren

Carol & Marty Kaplan in memory of Joseph Goren, husband of Cherie Goren

Phyllis Kauffman in memory of Joseph Goren, husband of Cherie Goren

Leon & Diane King in memory of Joseph Goren, husband of Cherie Goren

Rebecca Ladenheim in memory of Joseph Goren, husband of Cherie Goren

Harriet B. Lam in memory of Joseph Goren, husband of Cherie Goren

Leah Mandelblatt in memory of Joseph Goren, husband of Cherie Goren

Erika, Jo, Lisa, Jon &

Fran Neiman in memory of Joseph Goren, husband of Cherie Goren

Joan Ochroch in honor of Sonia Dishler, on her special birthday

Pearl Raz in memory of Estelle Admonit, mother

Cyrilla Rosen in memory of Joseph Goren, husband of Cherie Goren

Lee Rosenbloom in honor of Sonia Dishler, on her special birthday

Bernice Schildhorn in honor of Sonia Dishler, on her special birthday

Norman Schwartz in memory of Hannah Garnick Good, mother

Judy Schwartz in memory of Joseph Goren, husband of Cherie Goren

Marvin Sclan &

Esther Braunstein in memory of Joseph Goren, husband of Cherie Goren

Joan Silver in memory of Joseph Goren, husband of Cherie Goren

Bev & Ira Somerson in memory of Joseph Goren, husband of Cherie Goren

Stephen & Elayne Stamm in memory of Joseph Goren, husband of Cherie Goren

Joan W. Stern in memory of Joseph Goren, husband of Cherie Goren

Berel & Susan Sternthal in memory of Joseph Goren, husband of Cherie Goren

Susan Vitale in memory of Joseph Goren, husband of Cherie Goren

Lucille & Aaron Weber in memory of Bessie Nussbaum, sister of Diane King

in memory of Gabriel DiLorenzo, father of Vincent DiLorenzo

Aaron Weber in memory of Samuel Weber, brother

in memory of Ida Weber, mother

Lucille & Aaron Weber in memory of Joseph Goren, husband of Cherie Goren


i YA r 5 7 7 2 • m AY 2 0 1 2

Interfaith Hospitality Network Alexandra Volin Avelin in memory of Ben H. Nash, grandfather

Gisha Berkowitz in memory of Newlin Booth, husband of Lila Booth & step-


in memory of Frieda Eisen, mother of Ambassador Norm

Eisen

Frieda Sanders in memory of Ray Wasserberg, aunt

in memory of Abraham Goldenberg, brother

Hyman Zelkowitz in memory of David Zelkowitz, father

Israel Affairs Fund Carol & Marty Kaplan in memory of George Shore, husband of Joy Shore & father of

Jackie & Ava

in memory of Newlin Booth, husband of Lila Booth & step-


in honor of Leah & Norman Schwartz, on the marriage of their

granddaughter Elisheva

Marcy Landesburg in memory of Joseph Goren, husband of Cherie Goren


in memory of Harold Landesberg, husband

Cyrilla Rosen in memory of Faye Weiss, mother of Susan Sternthal

in honor of Jeanette Dudnick, on her special birthday

in honor of Carol & Marty Kaplan, on their grandson's

becoming Bar Mitzvah

in honor of Rabbi Adam Zeff & Cheryl Bettigole, on the Bar

Mitzvah of their son, Avi

Cyrilla Rosen & Family in memory of Irving Rosen, husband & father

Leah & Norman Schwartz in honor of Tanya & Raphael Schwartz, on the marriage of

their daughter Elisheva to Ishiah Asher Waitzberg in Beit

Shemesh, Israel

Israel Garden Fund Marilyn Barr in memory of Edward I. Greenstone, father

Arnold Barr in memory of his loved one

Deborah Marine in memory of Walter Marine, husband

in memory of Henry Siegel, father

Kiddush Fund Saul & Kathy Axelrod in memory of Samuel Z. Kobran, father of Marcy Bacine

Sonia Dishler in memory of Henry Feinberg, brother

Ms. Joyce Eveloff in memory of Miriam Blumenthal, mother

Dena & Ed Lake in memory of Joseph Goren, husband of Cherie Goren

Dick Menin in memory of Irvin Menin, uncle

Michael Rodin in memory of Sherwin A. Rodin, father

Leah & Norman Schwartz in memory of Gabriel DiLorenzo, father of Vincent DiLorenzo

Joan W. Stern in memory of Sarah Winderman, grandmother

in memory of Lillian Winderman, aunt

Library Fund Melanie Berman in memory of Jay Dushoff, brother of Lee Dushoff

Linda Dzuba in memory of Rose Pinkenson, mother

Sam & Helene Feinberg in memory of Jeffrey Zaslow

Maura Sostack in memory of Edward Sostack, father

Men's Club Carol & Marty Kaplan in memory of Gabriel DiLorenzo, father of Vincent DiLorenzo

in honor of Carol & Michael Robinson, on the birth of their

grandson

Minyan Masorti Carol & Marty Kaplan in honor of Louie & Steve Asher, on the birth of their first

Memorial Shabbat Fund granddaughter

Leah & Norman Schwartz in honor of David Hahn & Barbara Weiss, on the Bar Mitzvah

of their son, Zachary

Wendy Weingarten in memory of Ernest Weingarten, father-in-law

in memory of Rose Weingarten, mother-in-law

in memory of Robert M. Traub, father

Contributions Continued



Music Fund Gisha Berkowitz in memory of Lily Berkowitz, mother-in-law

Ruth Rosenthal in memory of Robert Rosenthal, son

Charles Schleifer in memory of Betty Schleifer, mother

Playground Fund Sally Shenker in memory of Bertha Segal, mother

Rabbi's Discretionary Fund Daniel Bacine in memory of Jeanette Bacine, mother

Richard Bazelon in memory of David Bazelon, father

Lonnie Beer in memory of Harry Lore, father

Lila Booth in memory of Newlin Booth, husband

Nan Daniels in memory of Timothy Daniels, husband

Lyn Davis in memory of Gabriel DiLorenzo, father of Vincent DiLorenzo

in memory of Peter Rock, brother of Ed Rock

Vincent DiLorenzo in memory of Gabriel DiLorenzo, father

Tara Feiner in memory of Irene Kogut Laster, mother

Deborah Franklin in memory of Edward C. Franklin, father

Reena & Aryeh Friedman in memory of Peter Rock, brother of Ed Rock

Lynne Furman in memory of Nathan Klieman, father

Donald Joseph in memory of Charles Joseph, father

in memory of Sylvia King Joseph Levinson, mother


Edith Klausner in memory of Gilbert Klausner, husband

in memory of Sidney L. Quitman, father

in memory of Belle F. Quitman, mother

Joyce Lieberman in memory of Newlin Booth, husband of Lila Booth & step-



Dick & Barb Menin in memory of Samuel Z. Kobran, father of Marcy Bacine

Jeffrey Needleman in memory of Alan Needleman, brother

Norman & Adina Newberg in memory of Joshua Newberg, son

Sid & Roselle Numerof in memory of the mother of Dr. Michael A. Greenberg

Barbara Pearson in memory of Morris Balis, grandfather

Ellyn Phillips in memory of Morton Charlestein, father

in honor of the Sunday Morning Minyan

Ruth Seltzer in memory of Ed Seltzer, husband

refuah shleimah to Carol Seltzer

Ruthanne & George Singal in honor of Jessica & Mathieu Shapiro and Jacob &

Alexandra, our children & grandchildren

Bev & Ira Somerson in honor of Marcy & Dan Bacine, on the engagement of their


Jacob Staub in memory of Frieda Staub Cohen, mother

Judith & Barry Swartz in memory of Newlin Booth, husband of Lila Booth & step-


Ken Weiss in memory of Bernice Weiss, mother

Religious School Fund Nancy Fredland in memory of Samuel Berkowitz, father

Mathieu & Jessica Shapiro in memory of George Shore, husband of Joy Shore & father of

Jackie & Ava

Social Action Fund Alexandra Volin Avelin in memory of Rose Moskowitz, great-grandmother

Maxine & Maurice Feldman in memory of Gabriel DiLorenzo, father of Vincent DiLorenzo

in memory of Newlin Booth, husband of Lila Booth &

stepfather of Beth Rosenbaum

refuah shleimah to Joyce Kutler

Judah Labovitz & Ellen Ufberg in memory of Jay Dushoff, brother of Lee Dushoff

Judy Schwartz in memory of Gabriel DiLorenzo, father of Vincent DiLorenzo


Leah & Norman Schwartz in honor of Isador Kranzel, on his special birthday

Joan Silver in memory of Jay Dushoff, brother of Lee Dushoff

in honor of Stan Diamond, on his special birthday

Bev & Ira Somerson in memory of Gabriel DiLorenzo, father of Vincent DiLorenzo



i YA r 5 7 7 2 • m AY 2 0 1 2

Special Education Fund Joyce Videlock in memory of Matthew Wainer, father

Torah Restoration Fund Kathy & George Amrom in memory of Joseph Goren, husband of Cherie Goren

in memory of Peter Rock, brother of Ed Rock

George Amrom in memory of Leon & Ida Amrom, parents

in memory of Lou Amrom, brother

Mitchell Berk in memory of Mollie Needleman, grandmother

Chana Bonn in honor of the Bar Mitzvah of her grandson Eliyah Hai David

Bonn-Yavne in Jerusalem, Parashat B'shalach

Maxine & Maurice Feldman refuah shleimah to Bud Kutler

Yale Pinkenson in memory of Anne Pinkenson, mother

Martha & Chuck Schleifer in memory of Jay Dushoff, brother of Lee Dushoff

Stephen Tobias in memory of Rebecca Tobias, wife

Women's Club Bonnie Buyum in memory of Sylvia Buyum, grandmother

Frances Gold in memory of Gertrude Meloff, sister

Nina Gordon & Lou Walinsky in memory of Klara Furman, mother of Martha Schleifer and

Alan Furman

in memory of Miriam Blitzstein, mother of Ilene Blitzstein

Poses

in memory of Joseph Goren, husband of Cherie Goren


in memory of Annette Dansky, mother of Howard Dansky

Carol & Marty Kaplan in honor of Marcy & Dan Bacine, on the engagement of their



Marcy Landesburg in honor of her aliyah at Women's Shabbat

Women's Club - Torah Fund Susan & Randy Klueger in honor of Mindelle Goldstein, on being honored at the Torah

Fund Brunch

Racine Murdock in honor of Mindelle Goldstein, on being honored at the Torah

Fund Brunch

Youth Activities Fund Curt & Leslie Pontz in memory of Newlin Booth, husband of Lila Booth & step-


in memory of George Shore, husband of Joy Shore & father of

Jackie & Ava

Curt Pontz in memory of Selma Goodman, aunt

Joan W. Stern in memory of Charles B. Stern, husband


Don’t forget to check out our NEW website!

www.germantownjewishcentre.orgMembers can now

make donations online

GJC has cemetery

plots for sale at King

David Cemetery in the

Northeast.

Questions? Contact the Office.



William A. Sickel, F.D., Supervisor, R.R. Bringhurst & Co., Inc.

225 Belmont Avenue, Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004

[email protected]

www.forever-care.com

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Introducing Chesed Shel Emet,

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conceived to meet the needs of

families who observe the traditional

requirement of interment in an

area dedicated to members of the

Jewish faith.


i YA r 5 7 7 2 • m AY 2 0 1 2

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Please consider making a planned gift to the

Germantown Jewish Centre’s endowment fund.

Planned gifts come in many forms, including

for example – charitable gift annuities,

life insurance, trusts, or even a

bequest in your will.

For more information about how you can join

the Ner Tamid Society please contact the office.

Join the Ner Tamid Society

by Making a PlannedGift to GJc

www.GermantownJewishCentre.org

First Class Pre-Sort

U.S. Postage

P A I D Horsham, PA

Permit No. 179

400 West Ellet Street

Philadelphia, PA 19119

Chris LevinP R E S I D E N T

Rabbi Adam ZeffR A B B I

Rabbi Leonard D. GordonR A B B I E M E R I T U S

Nina PeskinE x E C U T I V E D I R E C T O R

Gloria Geissler F I N A N C E D I R E C T O R

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Alanna SkloverS T U D E N T R A B B I

Rod GriffithM E N ’ S C L U B P R E S I D E N T

Bev Somerson & Judy Schwartz W O M E N ’ S C L U B C O -P R E S I D E N T S

Affiliated with the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism

Please submit all articles via email to [email protected].

Deadline for the summer issue (online only) is June 1.

(215) 844-1507 fax: (215) 844-8309Web: www.GermantownJewishCentre.org

Save the DatesWomen’s Club & Men’s Club Installation

June 6

Annual MeetingJune 13

ECP Camp Keshet BeginsJune 20

Inside centre call

Rabbi’s Message . . . . . . . . . . .Page 1

President’s Message . . . . . . . . .Page 2

Little Shop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 2

Shabbat Chai-Lites . . . . . . . . . .Page 3

What’s New in the Mishpoche . .Page 3

Spring Concert . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 4

Member Spotlight . . . . . . . . . . .Page 5

Purim Tzedakah Update . . . . . .Page 6

ECP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 8

Education Department . . . . . . .Page 8

Hazak . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 9

Women’s Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 9

Social Action . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 11

Contributions (begin on) . . . . .Page 12

not slaves, but not yet free

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