TORAH TIMES - SPRING EDITION 2018

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A Message from Our Cantor A Chad Gadya for Our Time In memory of the victims of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School I rarely talk about politics, and this time it won’t be different. My main point in this short message is to open up our eyes to raise our level of consciousness within us and the society in order to grant inner peace to ourselves and peace for the entire world one day soon. Back in 1989, while the Tzahal (the Israeli Army) had a presence in the Lebanon and the first Palestinian uprising had begun a few months earlier, acclaimed Israeli singer and songwriter Chava Alberstein wrote and recorded a modern version of Chad Gadya (One Little Goat). Alberstein uses the full original version in Aramaic from the Haggadah (Passover ritual book of stories and prayers)we all love and enjoy singing at the end of the Passover Seder Dinner year after year. First we got the Goat, then the Cat, the Dog, the Stick, the Fire, the Water, the Ox, the Butcher, the Angel of Death and finally Ha-Kadosh Baruch Hu (God). However, as the song is about to get to God, in Alberstein’s modern version, the words turned to a deeper message alluding to the relationship between oppressor and oppressed and she states: “What has changed [mah nishtana]?” – “I have changed this year”, the song answers. Why are you singing this traditional song? It’s not yet spring and Passover’s not here. And what has changed for you? What has changed? I have changed this year. On all other nights I ask the four questions, but tonight I have one more: How long will the cycle last? How long will the cycle of violence last? The chased and the chaser The beaten and the beater When will all this madness end? I used to be a kid and a peaceful sheep Today I am a tiger and a ravenous wolf. I used to be a dove and I used to be a deer, Today I don’t know who I am anymore. Deezvan abba beetray zuzay… And we start all over again While the original song ends with God empowering the Angel of Death, Alberstein leaves God out of the picture. Chava Alberstein points the finger to violence generated by mankind. She opens up an invitation to stop and reflect before we start all over again. Since the shooting at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, I can’t stop thinking about the devastated families of the victims, the parents, the classmates and the residents of Parkland, or the three teenagers in my life. At the same time my inner thoughts question over and over again what was the role of the society, what part of this shooting situation is our responsibility. I can’t stop thinking about the 18th victim of the story, Nikolas Jacob Cruz, the 19 year old shooter, and the disturbed life he had, the amount of times he was the victim of violence by rejections, bullying, apathy, and margination by the society, his own classmates, CANTOR GASTÓN BOGOMOLNI teachers, relatives, biological and adopted parents and his own brother Zachary who now regrets the amount of bullying he and his friends had done to him. A Monster? Probably. Was he born like that? I doubt it. Did he need help? I am sure. Did he lack of love? I am completely sure. Like the song says: I used to be a kid and a peaceful sheep Today I am a tiger and a ravenous wolf. I used to be a dove and I used to be a deer, Today I don’t know who I am anymore. When you don’t know who you are anymore means you either are so lost, or you feel dead inside and have no control over yourself or your actions, and what is worse, you don’t care anymore about anything or anyone, including yourself. So what’s our responsibility as a society? As human beings? How can we stop the cycle of violence? When are we ever going to understand that we are all Hashem’s children, His creation, all created Continue in page 36... 4 BETH TORAH TIMES
A Message from Our Co-Presidents Fun Fact: Did you know that Passover is the most celebrated Jewish holiday for Jews in the United States? According to a recent Pew Research Study, over 70% of American Jews went to a Passover Seder in the past year. That’s more than Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Chanukah or the obscure holiday of Tu B’av (our version of Valentine’s Day). The interesting question is why is Passover so popular? Is it the family reunion aspect of the Seder, the Jewish traditions or the amazing amount of bread-like foods that can be made from Matzo Meal? While these are all great answers, we would like to propose another reason – Passover is our “Master Story”, the story of a people escaping slavery and finding their freedom. This is why telling the story of our exodus is the most important tradition of any Seder. It’s not just at the Seder either. Throughout the Torah, G-d reminds us 87 times that he took us out of the Land of Egypt. This concept is engrained in our minds over and over again and is why Jews have always been at the forefront of any fight for freedom, equality, justice and for helping those less fortunate. Passover is our annual reminder of who we are as a people and what we were put on this Earth to do. STEVEN SCHECK At Beth Torah Benny Rok Campus, we live these values every day. Here are some recent examples from the past month: • Our Social Action Team (www.btbrc.org/social-action-volunteers/) along with over 100 volunteers made over 200 blankets for The Ronald McDonald Home and The Jack Nicklaus Children’s Hospital • Along with our Millennials outreach partner, 1Echad (www.1echadlife.org), we invited over 100 kids from Joe Dimaggio Children’s Hospital, Overtown Youth Center and Norwood Elementary to our Captain Mensch Event with Marvel Propmaster, Russell Bobbit • Rabbi Rojzman led many of us on the March for Our Lives (www.marchforourlives.com) to support the Parkland community following the horrific tragedy at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and stand together against gun violence MIKE SEGAL Passover is truly our Master Story which we will continue to tell for generations and teach its values through our actions. If you are interested in being a part of Beth Torah’s volunteer programs or have any ideas of how we can better support our community, please let us know. We can always use a few more storytellers. On behalf of the Board of Directors, professional staff and clergy of Beth Torah Benny Rok Campus, we wish you and your family a Passover filled with family, food and most importantly, a good story! B’Shalom, Steven Scheck and Mike Segal Co-Presidents Spring Edition 2018 l Adar-Nissan-Iyar 5778 5
Page 1 and 2: BETH TORAH TIMES Spring Edition 201
Page 3: A Message from Our Rabbi March For
Page 7 and 8: A Message from Our Chief Operating
Page 9 and 10: A Message from Our Membership Direc
Page 11 and 12: Spring Edition 2018 l Adar-Nissan-I
Page 15 and 16: Candle lighting Times for Shabbat a
Page 17 and 18: Ad Journal OPPORTUNITIES Event Spon
Page 19 and 20: Contributions & Yahrzeit Donations
Page 21 and 22: WARREN HENRY AUTO GROUP AND THE ZIN
Page 29 and 30: News from the Youth Group Spring Ed
Page 33 and 34: PURIM CELEBRATIONS Spring Edition 2

TORAH TIMES - SPRING EDITION 2018

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