MAY 2016 NISAN/IYAR 5776 Madison Jewish Center SCHEDULE OF SERVICES FOR MAY 2016 Friday, May 6 Candle Lighting 7:40 pm Service 7:30 pm Saturday, May 7 Services 9:00 am Jr. Congregation 10:30 am SHABBAT MAHAR HODESH BIRKAT HaHODESH Weekly Portion: AHAREI MOT Leviticus 17:1-18:30 HAFTARAH: I Samuel 20:18-42 HALACHAH FOR THE MONTH Friday, May 13 Candle Lighting 7:47 pm Service 7:30 pm BIRTHDAY/ANNIVERSARY SHABBAT NEW MEMBER SHABBAT Saturday, May 14 Services 9:00 am Jr. Congregation 10:30 am SOCIAL CLUB SHABBAT Weekly Portion: K’DOSHIM Leviticus 19:23-20:27 HAFTARAH: Amos 9:7-15 Friday, May 20 Candle Lighting 7:53 pm Service 7:30 pm special Shabbat Speaker Norman Sapoznik Saturday, May 21 Services 9:00 am Jr. Congregation 10:30 am Weekly Portion: EMOR Leviticus 23:23-27:23 HAFTARAH: Ezekiel 44:15-31 QUIZ Friday, May 27 Candle Lighting 7:59 pm Service 7:30 pm Saturday, May 28 Services 9:00 am NO Jr. Congregation Weekly Portion: B’HAR Leviticus 25:29-26:2 HAFTARAH: Jeremiah 32:6-2 ASK THE RABBI Our 85 th Year Tel: 718-339-7755 * WWW.MADISONJC.ORG
Transcript
MAY 2016 NISAN/IYAR 5776
Madison Jewish Center SCHEDULE OF SERVICES FOR MAY 2016
Friday, May 6
Candle Lighting 7:40 pm
Service 7:30 pm
Saturday, May 7
Services 9:00 am
Jr. Congregation 10:30 am
SHABBAT MAHAR HODESH
BIRKAT HaHODESH
Weekly Portion: AHAREI MOT
Leviticus 17:1-18:30
HAFTARAH: I Samuel 20:18-42
HALACHAH FOR THE MONTH
Friday, May 13
Candle Lighting 7:47 pm
Service 7:30 pm
BIRTHDAY/ANNIVERSARY SHABBAT
NEW MEMBER SHABBAT
Saturday, May 14
Services 9:00 am
Jr. Congregation 10:30 am
SOCIAL CLUB SHABBAT
Weekly Portion: K’DOSHIM
Leviticus 19:23-20:27
HAFTARAH: Amos 9:7-15
Friday, May 20
Candle Lighting 7:53 pm
Service 7:30 pm
special Shabbat Speaker Norman Sapoznik
Saturday, May 21
Services 9:00 am
Jr. Congregation 10:30 am
Weekly Portion: EMOR
Leviticus 23:23-27:23
HAFTARAH: Ezekiel 44:15-31
QUIZ
Friday, May 27
Candle Lighting 7:59 pm
Service 7:30 pm
Saturday, May 28
Services 9:00 am
NO Jr. Congregation
Weekly Portion: B’HAR
Leviticus 25:29-26:2
HAFTARAH: Jeremiah 32:6-2
ASK THE RABBI
Our 85th
Year
Tel: 718-339-7755 * WWW.MADISONJC.ORG
Page Two Madison Jewish Center
In case you missed it here is the Sermon I gave
at the Kings Highway United Methodist Church on March 1, 2016
Rabbi Shae J. Kane D.D.
Truth or Consequences
A jazz pianist complained to the club owner about the piano, but the owner did nothing.
Angry and frustrated, the pianist announced that he would not show up for work until the piano
was repaired. A week later, he received a call from the owner that the piano was now fine. The
pianist returned to work, but found that the piano was still badly out of tune. He confronted the
owner: "I thought you told me the piano was now fine; but it is not fine at all." The owner replied
with a surprised look. "I did have the piano fixed. Don't you see that it has been freshly painted?"
This story epitomizes a massive and widespread problem that faces all of us as human
beings. We are confronted with items, individuals, institutions and even politicians, that are
seriously flawed. Instead of analyzing the problem and coming to a reasonable and intelligent
solution, there is a tendency to seek superficial cover-ups that merely serve as camouflages. We
think that if we paint the piano, put make-up on an individual, or do a p.r. job for an
institution...we thereby have solved the problem. But, of course, we have left the core problem
in tact; it will surface soon enough in spite of the superficial cover-up job.
In this past week's portion of the Torah – the Five Books of Moses taken from the The Book
of Exodus and chanted in Synagogues throughout the Jewish World – we read the truly startling
story of the Children of Israel and the molten calf – commonly called the golden calf. Moses had
ascended Mount Sinai - and the people were awaiting his return at a certain time. In their
calculation, the time had elapsed. Immediately they panicked and compelled Aaron to make a
molten calf of gold for them to worship. When Moses came down from the mountain and saw
the Children of Israel worshiping the molten calf, he cast the Tablets of God’s Law to the ground
and shattered them. The Children of Israel suffered great punishment for this foolishness.
When Moses failed to appear at the time they expected him, how did the Children of Israel
evaluate the situation? What options did they have? They could have waited another day or two
to see if Moses would return? Or they could have appointed or elected someone else - Aaron or
Hur - to become their leader in place of Moses. But instead of going to the core of the problem
and finding a solution, they sought a quick fix. They wanted a molten calf, even though the idol
surely could not replace Moses, nor could it provide proper leadership. Why would anyone want
a glittering calf instead of a real human leader? Why would anyone forsake God in order to
worship idols? Sometimes people are simply perverse or misguided. Sometimes they are fearful
or confused. In desperation, they may turn to someone who will build for them a golden wall -
paid for by someone else - as a quick fix, or to a false idol which they think is "good luck" and to
which they can attribute magical or supernatural powers or even divinity.
madisonjc.org Page Three
What is the essence of idolatry? It is the assigning of false value to an individual or to an
object. Idolaters think that if they worship an idol, bow to it, bring it offerings or rally and support
it --then it must be god! They convince themselves that a falsehood is actually true. If they can
get others to, also, foster the falsehood, this gives it the appearance of being true. The evil of
idolatry is: believing in falsehood and abandoning truth. The Torah warns us not to fall into this
trap. This applies not only to idols, but to everything and everyone. This applies to any
demagogues or p.r. experts who try to make us believe things we know to be wrong or go against
the moral and ethical ideals of our religious heritage and of our great American Society. Too
many people succumb to these falsehoods. The Torah commands us to cling to truth and to reject
lies.
In our society, there are many who foster an idolatrous worldview. They attempt to
convince us that a painted piano is fixed, even if it is out of tune with our spiritual and communal
values. They promote products or people or institutions or ideas by spinning superficial images
that are false and rotten at the core. They seek to make us fall into line with a lynch mob
mentality, so that we suspend our own sense of clear judgment and become an idolater. The
Torah warns us: do not be an idolater, do not veer from truth, do not falsely evaluate things or
people.
Our Talmud (Hagigah 14b) tells of four great sages who entered the "pardes" i.e. the world
of profound speculation. Rabbi Akiva, one of the four, warned the others: "when you reach the
domain of pure marble, don't call out 'water, water'; as it is written (Psalms 101:7), ‘one who
speaks falsehoods will not be established before My eyes.’" Rabbi Akiva knew how easy it is to
mistake clear marble for water, a metaphor for how easy it is to succumb to falsehood instead of
clinging to truth. The marble looks so much like water: but it is not water, it is cold stone. If we
wish to pursue truth, we need to evaluate people and things and ideas as they really are and not
as they appear to be in their painted cover-up. Molten calves do not bring redemption. Painted
pianos do not produce good music if the piano is out of tune even golden walls will not protect
us. If we succumb to falsehood, we will surely pay the severe consequences. Because fakes and
fakery because demagogues and demagoguery because lies and lying cannot and will not lead us
to the promised land.
Page Four Madison Jewish Center
President’s Message
MAY 2016
Greetings everyone. We hope everyone enjoyed getting together with family and friends at your Passover seders. During Hol Hamoed many of us had a fun time on our Atlantic City bus ride. Earlier in the month, Sisterhood arranged a fascinating trip to the Lower East Side Tenement Museum. There was plenty of time for socializing afterwards at a local restaurant. . May is a very busy month at Madison. We begin with our very moving Yom Hashoah program, featuring our Youth Chorus, on Wednesday evening, May 4th. Then, on Wednesday evening, May 11, our choir will sing at our Yom Ha Zikaron/Yom Ha’atzma’ut observance. Israeli treats will be served. Friday, May 13th is new member Shabbat. Please attend services to support them. Saturday, May 14th is this year’s wonderful Social Club Shabbat. The service will be run by our members. Cantor Rimer’s classes begin Wednesday evening, May 18th. They are always interesting. We begin a monthly program of Friday evening special speakers with Norman Sapoznik on May 20th. The month ends with our two largest fundraisers, the Journal celebration honoring past president Ruth Rosenberg on Sunday, May 22nd and the Fashion Show on Thursday evening, May 26th. If you haven’t made reservations yet for either event, now is the time to do so. Our affiliates work hard to prepare a variety of social and interesting programs. All our religious services are friendly, inviting and meaningful. And, since we are Jewish, most are followed by food. So, join us here at Madison. Try out our brand new sidewalk. Attendance has been increasing. I look forward to the day when we can no longer fit in the Beit Ha Midrash and must return to the Main Sanctuary. This month, continuing what I began last month, the “spotlight” falls on one of our newer members, Cecile Kops. Cecile, who has been coming to Madison for almost two years, grew up in Washington Heights and Laurelton, Queens in an orthodox home. She was a student at Yeshiva Central Queens. She has a BA in history from City College and a MA in political science from Brooklyn College. After retirement from the teaching profession she earned a second BA degree in Judaic Studies. Cecile belonged to the Flatbush Jewish Center for several years before moving, in 2003, to Nostrand Avenue and Quentin Road. While walking her dog, Toffee, one morning at about 6:35 AM, she crossed paths with Ilene Karpas, who invited her to the morning minyan. Cecile liked the people here; she said, “everyone was so pleasant and friendly” and almost immediately became one of our “regulars”. She particularly liked that we were egalitarian and that women received aliyot. But, there is much more to Cecile. Years ago when she was teaching on the Lower East Side, on a lark she went into a nearby ceramics studio and discovered a latent talent which has given her hours of pleasure. She is an accomplished potter and also designs and makes jewelry. Oh, and she makes books by hand. Another passion is her love of animals. Her beloved dog, Toffee, recently died leaving an empty space but she has several cats which she has rescued over the years. Cecile feels right at home at Madison Jewish Center.
Shalom,
madisonjc.org Page Five
THE LATEST FROM SISTERHOOD
MAY 2O16
The Sisterhood trip to the Tenement Museum on Sunday, April 3, 2016 was a huge
success. All who attended had a great time. The tour guide was very informative and a dynamic
speaker. The tour group also had an interactive experience where they visited an actual apartment
where a former resident spoke and responded to questions from the people on the tour (this
was an actor wearing the clothing from the time period and role playing one of the people who
lived in that apartment). This made the experience come alive for the tour group. Thanks go to
Rachel Streich and Ilene Shapiro for organizing this wonderful event.
The Sisterhood Board Meeting held on Monday, April 18 was devoted to the Fashion Show.
Thank you all who attended.
Sunday, May 15, 2016 is our next Maj and Mingle from 10:00 AM– 12:00. Please contact
Teresa Gottesmann if you are attending this event.
The next Sisterhood Board Meeting will be Thursday, May 19, 2016. This will be both a
Sisterhood board meeting and a Fashion Show meeting. Hope you can attend.
Looking forward to seeing you at our annual Fashion Show on Thursday, May 26. Everyone
who attends always enjoys this event. The theme is “Disco” and look forward to music, dancing,
raffles, dinner and exciting fashions from TJ Maxx. If you have not made reservations, please
contact Irene Cimini or Bonnie Solomon.
Our annual Sisterhood End of Year dinner will be held in June of this year. A flyer will be
forthcoming.
Check the MJC website for upcoming events.
Harriett Cohen and Shelli Feldman
Sisterhood Co-Presidents
Page Six Madison Jewish Center
MJC SOCIAL CLUB HAPPENINGS ------ MAY 2016
Great events are happening at MJC. Try to attend as many as you can. You will
have an enjoyable time. Our annual Passover trip to Atlantic City was on Tuesday, April
26th. We enjoyed Passover snacks and had fun playing Bingo on the bus. Everyone had
a wonderful day gambling, shopping, and walking on the Boardwalk.
The Social Club Shabbat will take place on Saturday, May 14th. Social Club
members will be conducting many parts of the service. Please try to attend and show
your support. A delicious Kiddush luncheon will follow.
The end of the year election barbecue is scheduled for the afternoon of June 5th.
We will be honoring Rabbi and Arlene Kane, Cantor and Kate Rimer. A proposal was
made for a golf outing in the fall. It sounds like a great event. More information will be
available soon.
Please mark your calendars and join us as often as you can. You are guaranteed to
have a wonderful time.
Every member of MJC is also a member of the Social Club. Please take
advantage of the many opportunities to spend time with friends. Let’s keep MJC as the
center of Egalitarian Conservative Judaism in this part of Brooklyn.
Check our website (madisonjc.org), watch for flyers, and check the Message for
further information. Reservations for all activities can be made through our email
Social Club Saturday, May 14 9:00am Social Club Shabbat
Sisterhood Sunday, May 15, 2016 10 am -12 noon Maj & Mingle Thursday, May 26 7:00pm Fashion Show
Parents’ Association
Sunday, May 15, 2016 10 am – 4 pm Flea Market
Congregation Wednesday, May 4th 7:00pm Yom HaSHOAH service Wednesday, May 11th 7:30pm Yom Haatzmaut service Sunday, May 22nd 11:00am Journal Celebration
Jewish Humor
A man says to his Jewish friend, “Why does a Jew answer a
question with a question?” His friend responded, “Why shouldn’t
a Jew answer a question with a question?”
SAVE THE DATE
Page Ten Madison Jewish Center
Online Gift Cards Are Now Available at M.J.C. through the Parents Association It is Easy, Fast, and Available all year long!
1. Go to www.shopwithscrip.com
2. Click on family signup and then click on create an account.
3. Next fill out all the necessary info and set up an account.
4. You will see “join a nonprofit”. Underneath will be a box marked
“enrollment code”. Enter A3897D5229989 and then click on join.
5. Now you will be able to order your gift cards online through M.J.C.
6. All money for gift cards must be checks payable to M.J.C and sent to the office after you order
your gift cards online. Please Label the envelope Attention Melanie or Steven Green.
7. For those of you who are not comfortable ordering online we also have a printed list of gift cards that
are available and a printed order form. These also get sent to the
office with a check payable to M.J.C and marked attention Melanie or
Steven Green.
8. No gifts cards will be sent to us unless we send them a check first.
