May 2013 Shofar - Israel Congregation of Manchester

21 Iyar–10 Tammuz 5773 Page 2 May/June 2013 May 3May 4MayShabbat Evening Services, 6:30 pmCommunal Table DinnerShabbat Morning Services, 9:30 amParashat Behar-BechukotaiMay 8 92nd Street Y Lecture, 4:00 pmMay 10 Shabbat Evening Services, 6:30 pmMay 11 Communal Table DinnerTot Shabbat, 9:00 amParashat BamidbarMay 14 Shavuot study and desserts, 7:30 pmMay 15 Shavuot Services (Yizkor), 9:30 amMay 16 Board of Directors meeting, 7:00 pmMay 17 Student Cantor Vera BroekhuysenShabbat Evening Services, 6:30 pmCommunal Table DinnerMay 18 Shabbat Morning Services, 9:30 amParashat NassoMay 19 ICM Annual Meeting, 10:00 amMay 22Red Cross Blood Drive at FirstCongregational ChurchMay 24 Shabbat Evening Services, 6:30 pmCommunal Table DinnerMay 25 Shabbat Morning Services, 9:30 amParashat Beha’alotchaMay 31 Shabbat Evening Services, 6:30 pmCommunal Table DinnerJoin us each Friday for a “preneg” at 5:45 pm!CALENDAR OF EVENTS June 1June 7JuneShabbat Morning Services, 9:30 amParashat Sh’lachJacob Waters becomes bar mitzvahShabbat Evening Services, 6:30 pmCommunal Table DinnerJune 8 Jacob Waters becomes bar mitzvahShabbat Morning Services, 9:30 amParashat KorachJune 14 Dr. Michael Grodin in residenceShabbat evening services, 6:30 pmCommunal Table DinnerJune 15 Dr. Michael Grodin in residenceShabbat Morning ServicesParashat ChukatLunch & Learn with Dr. Grodin, 12 pmJewish healing through guided Jewishmeditation with Dr. Grodin, 6:30 pmJune 20 Board of Directors meeting, 7:00 pmJune 21 Shabbat Evening Services, 6:30 pmCommunal Table DinnerJune 22 Shabbat Morning Services, 9:30 amParashat BalakJune 28 Shabbat Evening Services, 6:30 pmCommunal Table DinnerJune 29 Shabbat Morning Services, 9:30 amParashat PinchasSave the Date…July 4: Barbecue & performance of Tzofim: The Israel Friendship Caravan and Dessert Auction, 5:45 pm(Chaired by Sheila Mills and Carol Goldsmith)July 17: Dr. Jack Mayer, author of Life in a Jar: The Irena Sendler Project, 7:00 p.mJuly 14: ICM’s Annual Tag SaleAugust 9-10: Miller Scholar in Innovation in Judaism with Rabbi Elie Kaufner, founder of MechonHadar and author of Empowered Judaism (Chaired by Dr. David and Linda Sischy)

21 Iyar–10 Tammuz 5773 Page 3 May/June 2013 Student CantorVera Broekhuysen ICM is delighted to welcome StudentCantor Vera Broekhuysen to our bimahfor the High Holy Days of 5774. StudentCantor Broekhuysen is a second-yearcantorial student at Hebrew College inNewton, Mass. She and her husband, agraduate student at University ofMassachusetts, Amherst, make theirhome in Sunderland, Mass. She willalso be joining us to co-lead Fridaynight services on May 17.Student Cantor Broekhuysen, asoprano, received her bachelor’s degreein Music History and Theory with aspecialty in history from the Universityof Toronto Faculty of Music, conferredwith honors, in June 2007. She brings awealth of experience to ICM includingleading High Holy Day services andserving as Torah reader (leyner) bothinternally and professionally at theJewish Community of Amherst, aReconstructionist synagogue; serving asa minyan leader at Temple Hillel B’neiTorah in West Roxbury, Mass.; andleading Shabbat morning services at aConservative congregation inSpringfield, Mass.She has also performed with manygroups including the Zamir Chorale ofBoston; the Kol Arev choir of HebrewCollege; the Jewish community choir ofWestern Massachusetts, Mak’hela; andthe Bach Festival Singers of theInternational Festival in Toronto. She isthe leader and founder of CIRCLEChoir Interfaith, a group of singerscomprised of students from bothHebrew College and the AndoverNewton Theological Seminary, which islocated adjacent to Hebrew College’sNewton campus.The May 17 Shabbat is underwrittenby ICM’s new Music Fund, designed tobring creative individuals to ourcongregation who will introduce us toboth new and familiar music. We are allexcited to welcome Student CantorBroekhuysen warmly.Celebrating ShavuotWe will observe Shavuot on Tuesday, May 14 andWednesday, May 15. On Tuesday at 7:30 pm, we willjoin together for our annual Tikkun Leil Shavuot, thestudy session held to honor our commemoration ofreceiving Torah at Mount Sinai. This year we will bereading the Book of Ruth (in English!), which istraditionally read during Shavuot. Yummy dessertswill be served.We will also have a worship service at onWednesday at 9:30 am, including a Yizkor (memorial)service at approximately 11:00 am. All are welcomeand encouraged to attend both Tuesday evening andWednesday morning. Let us once again receiveTorah into our lives!Lifelong Learning needs youOver the winter and spring, ICM’s LifelongLearning Committee, chaired by Carol Goldsmith,has been working to put together a slate ofprogramming for this summer that is sure tostimulate your mind on many levels.The first program is Dr. Michael Grodin (readmore about Dr. Grodin’s ICM residency on thefront page). We also will host the Israel FriendshipCaravan on July 4, performing in the Rec Park andin our sanctuary.On July 17, Dr. Jack Mayer will speak on hisbook Life in a Jar: The Irena Sendler Project, the truestory of a Holocaust hero who rescued 2,500Jewish children from the Warsaw ghetto. OnAugust 9 and 10, ICM will host Rabbi Eli Kaufner,founder of Mechon Hadar in New York City.Finally, one of our ongoing programs is theproposed bible garden on ICM’s campus.All of these programs need your support, bothfinancially and in the planning stages; we are alsolooking for people to serve on the committee.Please let us know if you would like to join us inworking on these exciting projects by emailingCarol at cgoldsmith251@gmail.com.❧ Pastoral Care and Bikkur CholimDo you know someone who is ill or inneed of a pastoral call or visit? Please letRabbi Novak know by calling the office at802-362-4578 or contacting him on hismobile phone at 802-688-3555.

21 Iyar–10 Tammuz 5773 Page 4 May/June 2013 New Additions to the Israel Congregation LibraryThe Library Committee has been busily atwork adding important new books to ourcollection, among them two major works offiction that we hope will attract readers andenrich their lives.By Night Under the Storm Bridge by LeopoldPerutz is new to our collection, but was writtenat the turn of this century and was firsttranslated into English in 2007. Perutz lived inVienna until the Anschluss, when he moved toIsrael. He was a noted mathematician whoeven has an algebraic equation named afterhim. He wrote his first novel in 1915 andeventually completed 10 during his lifetime.Despite the accolades he received from otherauthors, including Luis Borges, Ian Fleming,Italo Calvino and Graham Greene, Perutz wasnot recognized as the literary genius he wasuntil recently.By Night Under the Storm Bridge is a series ofindependent stories which, taken collectively,become a historical novel spanning threecenturies. The characters are an amalgam ofreal-life people, folktale personalities, andfictional movers and shakers. The history ofcentral Europe during these centuries startswith a love affair between an emperor and thedaughter of a Jewish merchant and continueswith more and more unlikely-but-true events.The People of Forever Are Not Afraid byShani Boianjiu is totally a story of today. Theauthor was born in Jerusalem in 1987 and stilllives in Israel. This is her first novel. Telling thestory of three young girls who grew uptogether in an Israeli village, the book is ariveting insight into the mindset of youngIsraelis today. Like teenagers everywhere, thegirls gossip, have crushes, pass notes to eachother in class… and are conscripted into thearmy together. And from that point on theylive inside a single, intense second beforedanger erupts. Their story is told with humorand intense intelligence.—Doris BassICM staffs Community FoodCupboard in MayManchester’s Community Food Cupboard(CFC) does an exceptional job in ensuring thatpeople who struggle to eat are able to findreadily accessible food. Each month, the CFCis staffed by volunteers from Manchester-areafaith communities, and May is ICM’s month.The CFC is open on Tuesday morning from10:00 am – 12:00 pm, Tuesday afternoon from2:00 pm – 4:00 pm, and Wednesday afternoonfrom 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm. Each shift lasts forapproximately two hours and fifteen minutes.Volunteers are assigned “stations” byMartha Carey, the CFC administrator, to helpthe CFC clients get their food items. The CFCprovides a wide variety of items — fromdried goods in boxes to canned food tofrozen meats to personal care items. As partof its mission, CFC also has keeps gardeneach year in order to raise its own produceand complement what is already deliveredby area farms.For the last few months, ICM has had thehonor of welcoming the CFC board to ourA note from the PresidentIsrael Congregation’s multitalented officeadministrator, Karen Dreiblatt, has decided tomove on and has resigned from ICM.I want to thank her for all of her years ofwonderful and dedicated service to oursynagogue and wish her the best in whatevernew endeavor she chooses to follow.—Ed Glazer building for its monthly meetings.ICM congregants who have volunteered in thepast describe it as a richly rewarding experience.To volunteer, contact Judy Hirschberg(judyhirschberg@yahoo.com or 802-297-2662) orMicki Lisman (msloane.esq@mindspring.com or802-362-4332), or call the rabbi and he will letyou know what shifts are available.Nobody in the Manchester area should gohungry: this is our opportunity to use our timeand energy to feed those in need whilebuilding camaraderie with fellow congregants!

21 Iyar–10 Tammuz 5773 Page 5 May/June 2013 Dr. Michael Grodincontinued from page 1of ICM’s Lifelong LearningCommittee, chaired by CarolGoldsmith.“We are delighted to have such afine scholar as Dr. Michael Grodincoming to ICM,” said Merrily andFrank Lewis. “Bioethics in medicineis a fascinating topic, and we expectDr. Grodin to both educate andchallenge us.”Dr. Grodin is a professor of HealthLaw, Bioethics and Human Rights atthe Boston University School ofPublic Health as well as a professorof Family Medicine and Psychiatryat the Boston University School ofMedicine. He also serves as directorof the Project on Medicine and theHolocaust at the Elie Wiesel Centerfor Judaic Studies. He completed hisB.S. at MIT, his M.D. at the AlbertEinstein College of Medicine, and hispostdoctoral and fellowship trainingat UCLA and Harvard. He has beenon the faculty of BU for the last 34years.Professor Grodin is presentlyworking on a new book, The Role ofJewish Physicians in the GhettosDuring the Holocaust. His primaryareas of interest include therelationship between health andhuman rights, medicine and theHolocaust, and bioethics. Monthly Tot Shabbatto continueWe are pleased to announce that wewill be continuing to host Tot Shabbaton the second Shabbat of each monthfrom 9:00 – 10:00 am during thesummer months. Since our report inthe last Shofar, we celebrated Passoverand Yom Ha’atzma’ut together, andwe look forward to exciting summerprograms!—Alison HillMazel Tov!Sara, Chuck and Ruthie Michelsen on the birth oftheir new daughter and sister, Talia GittelMichelsen, 6 lbs., 11 oz., on March 3, 2013.Jacob Waters on his bar mitzvah, June 7-8, 2013.CondolencesYuval Sela on the death of his father, Tzvi, inIsrael on April 3, 2013.Karen, Michael, Tyler and Eric Dreiblatt on thedeath of Karen’s mother, Helene Mottes, in NewYork on April 11, 2013.Elinor and Joel Katz on the death of Elinor’smother, Yetta Karel-Goldreyer, in Manchester onApril 30, 2013.Religious School update Religious School for our school-aged childrenconcluded on April 24 with a celebration of LagB’Omer. The school year was very productive. Thestudents completed their study of the stories in thebook of Genesis and performed plays, made craftprojects, and did a variety of other activities related tothe stories and the lessons we take from those stories.In addition, they completed all of the lessons in theirHebrew book and greatly improved their Hebrewreading fluency.—Alison HillRed Cross Blood Drive & Canteenneeds you on May 22Volunteers are still needed for two-hour shifts at theRed Cross Blood Drive on May 22 at the FirstCongregational Church in Manchester Village. Help isalso needed to make sandwiches and food for thisvitally important, life-giving event. Please contactCathy Rano at cathyrano@gmail.com or call her at802-362-4843 to pitch in.People who donate blood require something to eatafterward; ICM is honored to be able to participate inthis important community activity each year as partof our commitment to pikuah nefesh, the preservationof life.

21 Iyar–10 Tammuz 5773 Page 6 May/June 2013 MA’ASER SHENIWhen the Temple functioned in Jerusalem, the Jewish community supported it and its priests with a system of tithes inthe form of food and/or money. Today we feed our communal needs by offering financial gifts that strengthen andenhance Jewish religious and communal life in the Northshire.Thank you for your generous donations!RABBI’S DISCRETIONARY FUNDGalia Gulack • Norma WatersMarilyn Rice in memory of Tzvi Sela and Rae NoreckIn Memory of Tzvi SelaRabbi Michael Cohen and Alison Hill • Linda Feldman • Rebecca and Gary FishkinJanet Kleinberg and Harvey Flaxman • Barbara and George KramerSandy Mailman and Donna Burack • Marion Mueller • Belle Rita NovakEdith and Milt Novak • Deborah and Richard Polivy • Lisa and Jonathan PrialNorma and Marvin Rappaport • Norma RosenblattGENERAL OPERATING FUNDJudith and Michael Adler • Doris Bass in memory of Tzvi Sela and Helene MottesCarole and Mel Cohen in memory of Joseph Cohen • Ronald Cohen in memory of Tzvi SelaBarbara and Martin Donner in memory of Sam Donner Susan and Herb Donner in memory ofDorothy Donner Markus • Karen and Michael Dreiblatt • Roberta Forman and MerylHazelton in memory of Lillian Grossman • Lory Gitter in memory of Deborah Platt • Irene andEd Glazer in memory of Barbara, mother of Andy Gloss, Arthur Skolnick, Connie SkolnickPhyllis and Steve Gottdiener • Claire and Richard Katz in memory of Norcia Katz and EstherRoseman • Sara Lee and Barry Larner in honor of the “special” birthdays of Fran Aronowitz,Ruthie Ellenbogen, and Cathy Kimmel • Trina and Steve Liebowitz and Harriet Liebowitz inmemory of Morton Liebowitz • Micki and Stan Lisman in memory of Sue MarcusMarion Mueller • Ina and Al Rubin in memory of Tzvi Sela, Helen Mottes, and StephenGreene’s sister • Herbert Sackett in memory of Morris SackettMarilyn and Raymond Starker in memory of Abraham StarkerPurim basket thanksPhyllis and Robert Topchik • Marilyn RiceGeorgette and Albert Levis • Ruthie and Norman EllenbogenIn memory of Helene MottesRabbi Bob and Sherri Alper • Ruthie and Norm Ellenbogen • Lilli and Gary MayersonNorma and Marvin Rappaport • Marlene and David Skulnik • Dinah StevensHOROWITZ FUNDMicki and Bob Horowitz in memory of Helene MottesCULTURAL AFFAIRSJanet SteigSHABBAT DINNER FUNDIrwin Adler • Robin Bass • Mindy and Alan Bloom in memory of Tzvi Sela and Helene MottesMarion Mueller • Cheryl and Elwin Schwartz • Debra and Donald Wanamaker in memory ofRuth Weltman • Anonymous in honor of UVM HillelDonations received after April 25 will appear in the July edition of the Shofar.

21 Iyar–10 Tammuz 5773 Page 7 May/June 2013 From the Presidentcontinued from page 1on what has transpired at ICM over thelast year. You will also hear from therabbi and committee chairs, including afinancial report and the presentation ofour budget for congregational approval.The primary order of business thisyear is the presentation of the by-lawsrevisions — the first major revisions in13 years. By now, you will havereceived the annual meeting packet,which includes a detailed report of thesuggested revisions. The by-lawscommittee, chaired by Phil Goldsmithwith members Frank Lewis and MickiLisman, did an amazing job in creatingthe document that, if accepted, willgovern ICM’s structure and operatingprocedures for the next many years.For this reason, I urge all of you toread through the changes and attendthe meeting to cast your vote.Israel Congregation of Manchesterwas built and continues to thrivethrough the efforts of the people whogive their time and energy and intellectand resources to insure its future. You,our members — through your votes —will determine how we operate in thecoming years.—Ed Glazer➢ Find ICM’s current by-lawsat www.icmvt.org/members.If you would like a printedcopy, please call the office.From Rabbi Novakcontinued from page 1Shema. In this discussion, another question arises:when one is addressed by another human being,where may one interrupt the mandated requirementto recite the Shema?This is a fair question because the Shema itself is alengthy recitation, comprised of Deuteronomy 6:4-9, Deuteronomy 11:13-21, and Numbers 15:37-41.Each is its own paragraph, and the ideal, accordingto the rabbis, is to recite this entire rubric withoutinterruption.So, the question arose: what to do when one isinterrupted during the lengthy recitation? Fromthe very beginning of the Mishnah, which precedesthe Talmud, the rabbis conclude that someone whois interrupted (usually by a greeting) by anotherperson while reciting the Shema is obligated torespond to the greeting mipneh darchei shalom… forthe ways of peace.Why? First, the person who is recitingthe Shema may be in his or her own world whiledoing it, yet the rabbis prize the comity that comesfrom dignifying humanity. One who is greetedwhile praying and does not respond might at aminimum be considered impolite — the personwho offered the initial greeting might feel asthough the person praying ignored that greeting.This incredible idea comes to embody the rabbi'srespect for the role of human dignity — at thesame time that they were reinventing Jewishworship whole cloth after the destruction of theSecond Temple. The reason one is required tointerrupt even the recitation of the Shema is mipnehdarchei shalom… for the ways of peace.Human dignity plays a great role in ourexperiencing each other. Mipneh darchei shalom…for the ways of peace is a concept that shouldallow all of us humans to understand that wehonor each other by recognizing when someoneaddresses us — no matter what we may be doing.This is a cornerstone of the rabbi's humanity, andit should be the cornerstone of ours.

21 Iyar–10 Tammuz 5773 Page 8 May/June 2013 Israel Congregation has about 180 memberunits from diverse Jewish backgrounds, bothfull-time and part-time residents of southernVermont. We provide Shabbat and holidayservices, a religious school, adult education,life-cycle events, and cultural and socialprogramming in a warm and welcomingenvironment.An integral part of Jewish life in the Northshirefor almost 90 years, Israel Congregation hasbeen at its current location on Rte 7A, 1.2 milesnorth of Rte 11/30, since 1985. Our building isADA accessible.Office: 802.362.4578website: www.icmvt.orgemail: office@icmvt.orgRabbi’s cell phone: 802.688.3555email: rabbi@icmvt.org6025 Main Street / P.O. Box 1050Manchester Center, Vermont 05255Friday Evening Shabbat Services, 6:30 pmPreneg at 5:45 pmfollowed by Congregational Communal DinnerSaturday Morning Shabbat Services, 9:30 amTot Shabbat: 9:00 am, second monthly Shabbat(Saturday)David Novak, RabbiRabbi Michael Cohen, Rabbi EmeritusBoard of DirectorsEd Glazer, PresidentMark Aronowitz, Vice PresidentDavid Sischy, Vice PresidentMarlene Skulnik, TreasurerMarisa Eisemann, Corresponding SecretaryMindy Bloom, Recording SecretaryCathy Kimmel, Immediate Past PresidentDirectorsLynne Abcug, Morty Bunis, Sandy Castelbaum,Al Feldan, Rebecca Fishkin, Carol Goldsmith,David Heisler, Micki Lisman, Sheila MillsShofar Editorial BoardDoris Bass, Laurie Sullivan, Cheryl UllmanP.O. Box 1050Manchester Center, Vermont 05255802-362-4578 — www.icmvt.org