The
Rainbow Reporter
http://www.bnaikeshet.org
March 2017
Volume XXXXI, No. 2
From Our Co-Presidents
Bnai Keshet has a long
history of volunteerism.
From the moment BK was
founded, until today, it
is our members who get
things done.
It’s no secret that I’m a
serial volunteer. My first
photo by Dan Epstein
volunteer gig at BK was co-chair of the Young
Family Pot Luck Suppers with Dan Epstein.
Dan asked for my help, I said yes, and the rest is history. Zach and
I made lasting friendships at these dinners. Over the years, I’ve
worked with other BK members on Service Auctions, Roabsts and
BK Second Night Seders. With each event or committee, I made
new friends and felt a sense of belonging that was both warm and
fulfilling. The talents, passion, and energy of our members and all
that they bring to our community continue to inspire me.
The next time you are on our grounds, or in one of our buildings,
take a look around. Everything you see has been conceived or
organized by a volunteer. In fact, volunteers made our very
building happen by fighting the legal battle to make it a reality and
then assisting in its design and construction. Every day, our school
is supported by parents; services frequently are led by laypeople;
High Holy Day observance is coordinated by “schleppers” and
“daveners;” and celebrations are fueled by amateur cooks.
This month launches a new feature in the Rainbow Reporter that
introduces BK members who always seem to be around when
a job needs to get done. We’re also listing upcoming volunteer
opportunities at BK. There is something for everyone, whether
you are experienced or looking for a place to start.
This year, one of the BK Board’s goals is to increase public
recognition of our many volunteers while making service
opportunities more transparent and accessible to inspire others
with the volunteerism bug. This great community was not born,
but made, and it is strengthened with every act and contribution.
Howard and I hope you will give of your time and energy
along with us, and that you will join in expressing our heartfelt
appreciation of our volunteers’ dedication.
B’shalom
Liz Lipner, co-president
Adar 5777
Rabbi Elliott
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!
Bnai Keshet is a congregation that is
built on the assumption that the more
our members take leadership, the
stronger our community and the more
profound our Jewish experience will
be. This assumption is perhaps most
self-evident when we look closely
at what we expect of Bnai Mitzvah
students at Bnai Keshet. We ask them to lead us spiritually by
being service leaders, Torah and Haftarah chanters. We ask
them to lead us intellectually by offering a devar Torah and
facilitating discussion about its meaning. We ask them to lead us
communally by doing a mitzvah project that helps to make our
world a better place. The ritual of Bnai Mitzvah at Bnai Keshet
symbolizes our vision for the fully engaged member: leading
spiritually, intellectually and communally.
We are blessed to have many members here who fully embody
these aspects of leadership. We also have many who have fully
jumped into one or the other of these spheres of leadership with
both feet as the rest of this issue of the Rainbow attests.
That said, of these three areas, leading spiritually is perhaps the
most challenging. For many people, prayer and Hebrew, much of
which is sung, combine into a pretty big hurdle. That is all before
we add to the mix the goal of bringing a community together to
experience holiness. But we still believe that the more people
who lead, the better it will be for our community.
Every time a congregant helps lead services, our community
is strengthened. First, because every person who leads brings
their own spark, their own enthusiasm, their own reflection of
divine spirit. Each service leader inevitably touches the spirit of
prayer in their own way and the communal experience of prayer
is always broadened. But also, each person who learns to lead
services increases the overall spiritual literacy of our community.
This is reflected not only when we need service leaders for a
minyan or others celebrations. It is also reflected when someone
who has led is just part of the minyan.
Leading strengthens our Hebrew and our ability to sing. It
sharpens our spiritual taste and amplifies our desire for holiness.
continued on page 2
March 2017
Rabbi Elliott continued
Every member who sometimes leads services buoys the whole
community. Their presence in services helps us all rise in
prayer. And we can all lead!
Every year I work with a few people individually to help them
take the next step in learning to lead services. I would love to
see even more Bnai Keshet members take the leap and become
service leaders. Whether you know Hebrew well, have led
services in the past, consider yourself traditional, consider
yourself a seeker, like prayer, believe in God – or not! Our
community will be stronger with your spiritual leadership.
So I invite you to make an appointment with me and start
planning your first steps in leading a service. Or collaborate
with me or Rabbi Ariann on a service. Or join me for a Service
Leading 101 class on April 3rd at 7:00 PM. You might sign
up in the spirit of community service and be surprised at how
much personal growth your spiritual leadership brings you.
Shalom,
–Rabbi Elliott
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Mark the weekend of June 2 - 4 on your calendar. It’s not to
early to register for the 2017 Congregational Retreat!
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Adar 5777
Rabbi Ariann
The Power of Showing Up
In the beginning of February, I
had the privilege of attending
T’ruah’s Rabbinic Convening in
NYC. T’ruah (formerly the North
American branch of Rabbis for
Human Rights) works on human
rights issues in the United States
and Israel/Palestine, primarily
by organizing, educating, and
supporting Jewish clergy in social justice work. Many of you
saw the headlines that started to appear in the middle of that
convening: nineteen rabbis arrested during an act of civil
disobedience in front of Trump Towers. It was a powerful story.
This, however, was not the headline of the week for me. I
probably would have chosen a different story to shout from
the rooftops. I might have told this story: Anthony Romero,
executive director of the ACLU, tells two hundred rabbis that
they are the keepers of our collective morality, and that they
therefore should not shy away from speaking the truth of their
faith in the face of injustice. Or maybe this story: Rev. Traci
Blackmon and Rabbi Susan Talve talk about their long-term
friendship, their shared social justice work, and how Ferguson
cropped up in the middle of it all.
In talking about her friendship with Rabbi Talve, Rev. Blackmon
also brought up three categories of people and institutions she
works with to get social justice work done. First, there are
allies. These are people who are “against what I’m against,”
but they may not be “for what I’m for.” They may be against
gun violence, against the Muslim ban, against the killing of
black youth by police, but they are not for women clergy or
LGBT rights or reproductive rights. The next category is
collaborators. Collaborators are “for what I’m for.” They’ll
work with me to help move the boundaries of our vision of
who we include in our community farther. And then there are
friends. Friends are people who will be in the trenches with
you for a very long time, who will be against most of what
you’re against, and for most of what you’re for. But they’ll
also be people you’ll have longstanding disagreement with over
some issues. And that will be okay, because you’ll be able to
visit and revisit those disagreements over time, and come back
to them with greater nuance and empathy.
Recently, I’ve been called, along with Rabbi Elliott, to stand as
an ally with Faith in New Jersey, a PICO community organizing
affiliate. Along with many other clergy, I’ve now spent two
weekday mornings standing in front of the Rodino Federal
Building in Newark, chanting and singing in support of a man
who was previously a stranger to me, Catalino Guerrero.
Catalino has been in the United States for twenty-five years, is a
law-abiding homeowner, taxpayer, father, and grandfather, and
is now slated for deportation.
While standing on the street, I was reminded of Rev.
Blackmon’s categories: ally, collaborator, friend. I noticed there
were many allies in the group: people opposed to deportation
of law-abiding people. There were collaborators: people
working to create more expansive possibilities for immigration
to and residency in the United States, such as those working in
the New Sanctuary Movement. And then there were friends: a
handful of people I’ve met through Faith in New Jersey who I
will likely stay connected to for a long time, and whom I now
trust well enough to show up for if they ask.
Making a commitment to “show up” on occasions like this
builds human power into any movement. In Catalino’s case,
each clergy person standing on the sidewalk represents their
congregation, their town, and their faith tradition. To anyone
who knows how to use power, those numbers are meaningful.
For that reason alone, it always feels better to me to err on
the side of showing up, ev`en when I am not sure what exactly
is going to happen. But showing up does another important
thing. It creates the opportunity for relationships between the
many of us showing up together. And those relationships hold
even more power to change the world.
Reb Chayim of Volozhin teaches about the phrase “b’tzelem
Elohim,” that the name Elohim is the name given to God’s
powerful aspect. If we are in the image of Elohim, we each
possess a portion of God’s power in the world. For those of
us who believe that God exists, in part, in the relational space
between human beings, that power is activated in that space.
And that space is only built up when we show up for and with
each other.
-Rabbi Ariann
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Join us in wishing a warm Mazel Tov to:
Sharon Freedman on the release of her CD,
EMBODIMENT.
Nancy Starr on the publication of her novel Sisters
One,Two,Three.
Arielle Berman on passing the National Physical
Therapy Exam.
Barbara Reisman and Eric Scherzer on the birth
of their Granddaughter, Esther Florence
Yael Silverberg for being featured in Hadassah, an
online magazine. http://www.hadassahmagazine.
org/2017/03/13/call-the-midwife/
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March 2017
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What is this tikkun olam thing that apparently has a seat on the board?
The Hebrew translates more or less to “repair of the world.” Ask most people at Bnai Keshet, and they’ll say it’s social action, or
action for social justice. An Orthodox person may say the only thing Jews have to do is follow all the laws and commandments
(mitzvot) and the rest will be up to G-d. Ask one of our rabbis, and you’ll learn tikkun olam is part of the purpose and core values
of our synagogue, and indeed of being Jewish.
Since I’m VP for another few months, I can tell you what I think it is: if we want to live in a world of peace and plenty for all,
we have to build it. No one’s going to do it for us. And as Jews, we do have an obligation to participate in that work. When we
pray to be granted peace (shalom), we know that we are expected to contribute to that peace. As Rabbi Tarfon said, “It is not your
responsibility to finish the work of perfecting the world, but you are not free to desist from it either.”
Whoah. Heavy! Don’t despair, though. Doing tikkun olam at Bnai Keshet is actually pretty fun. If you have kids in the Hebrew
school, they are probably doing it already, for example, by bringing non-perishable foods to collection boxes or cooking for MESH
(Montclair Emergency Services for the Homeless) on Monday nights, when a dinner is served in the Bnai Keshet sanctuary for all
who are hungry.You can see a run-down of Tikkun Olam activities and opportunities to participate when you click on the Tikkun
Olam tab at the right of the Bnai Keshet website.
One really intense activity that could use a lot more volunteers is the Interfaith Hospitality Network, a coordinated activity among
area congregations to provide homeless families with shelter. Each congregation takes responsibility for sheltering a number of
people for one week a year, and supporting the other congregations throughout the year. Many hands make light work, so find an
action that suits you--whether it’s cooking a meal, playing with kids, sleeping over, or schlepping laundry.
If you appreciate direct service work but yearn for bigger-picture actions, there are plenty of opportunities to join in defending
immigrants, pushing for climate action, and affirming the rights of women and LGBTQ people and fighting racism. Currently, there
is a very active anti-racism action group at Bnai Keshet that has organized a series of events for this year and is working on an antiracism study curriculum.
And of course, since we’re Jewish, there will be loads of opportunities to study and discuss. We don’t expect everyone to agree on
everything, but that shouldn’t stop anyone from doing something.
To sign up for an opt-in email list that will be used to post events that people are interested in, visit https://groups.google.com/
forum/#!forum/bk-tikkun-olam. This group will be moderated, and we do not expect everyone to agree with everything that is
posted.
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Save the Week of June 11-18, 2017 for IHN!
Interfaith Hospitality Network [IHN]
Hesed Committee
When? Host Week is June 11-18, 2017
What do Hesed volunteers do? We provide support to members going
through challenges that make life difficult such as illness, injury, or
a death in the family . That support may be providing meals, rides to
do shopping or to medical appointments or to services or BK events,
dog walking, sitting in a house while mourners are at funeral
and cemetery to receive delivery of food or set out food already there,
or visits to home bound or hospitalized members.
What Can You Do?
=
Mark that week on your calendar NOW as a reminder to
reserve some time for helping out.
=
Send an email to Beth Fuqua at [email protected]
asking to be added to the IHN Volunteer email list or ask
any questions about IHN.
=
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When the SignUpGenius link is posted on BK website in
April and emailed to volunteer list, sign up early and
often to provide a meal, hang out with families, play games
and interact with the children, drive to the laundromat, sleep
overnight and set out breakfast, etc.
How can I help?
=
Send an email to Beth Fuqua at [email protected] asking to be
added to the Hesed Volunteer email list.
=
When a request comes in, we send out an email blast which may
include a SignUpGenius link if the needs are many. Sign up if there’s
a link, if not, just answer the email if you are able to help. No need to
answer if you cannot.
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Adar 5777
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The Midrash tells the tale of an old man spotted planting a fig
tree. These commonly need 70 years or more to mature. When
asked if he truly thought he would live long enough to reap
the fruits of his labor, he answered, “No. My whole life I have
drawn from the abundance created by my ancestors. Now I
plant to ensure plenty for my children and their children.”
How can members of today’s Bnai Keshet ease the way
for the generations to come? How can we help ensure our
congregation’s future and contribute to sustaining the Jewish
community, in New Jersey and globally? Most importantly,
how can we support our values, which face unprecedented
challenges, and continue to be a positive and powerful force
doing the work of Tikkun Olam?
We invite you to consider making a legacy gift to Bnai Keshet,
either by including Bnai Keshet in your estate plans, or by
designating BK as a partial beneficiary of your pension plan or
life insurance policy. As others have done for us, we can plant
seeds now for trees that will bear fruit we never taste so our
values live on.
equal to or exceeding $18,000. Ninety percent of the money
will go to a board restricted endowment and 10% to the
congregation’s capital fund. Spending from the endowment
fund is limited to the greater of net realized earnings or 2% of
the principal.
If you would like to make a bequest to Bnai Keshet, or
if you have already made one and want to formalize that
commitment, please contact Barbara Reisman, 401-489-1991
or [email protected] and she or a member of our Legacy
Team will contact you.
The Bnai Keshet Legacy Team: Barbara Reisman, chair, Stuart
Kuritsky, Max Polaner, Scott Pollack, Stephen Rodner, and
Deborah Zafman.
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You can name Bnai Keshet as a beneficiary in your will,
either by specifying a dollar amount or a percentage of your
estate.
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In 2016, Bnai Keshet was selected in a competitive process to
participate in the Create a Jewish Legacy Program sponsored
by the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater MetroWest
and the Harold Grinspoon Foundation. The program is
teaching us how to plan for our future financial security so
that our wonderful community will continue to thrive and
sustain future generations with its community spirit, innovative
education, ritual practice and efforts to repair the world. The
Harold Grinspoon Foundation has also made incentive grants
available. We are the first of our cohort to reach our first
year target of 18 commitments, and BK will be the grateful
recipient of a $5,000 gift from the foundation.
Making a legacy gift is simple and will have a significant impact
on generations to come.
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You may specify the amount of your bequest or, if you prefer,
simply let us know that you have named Bnai Keshet as a
beneficiary without specifying the amount to us.
Bnai Keshet is experiencing a renewed awareness of our
responsibility to ensure our congregation’s future. We are
committed to securing and sustaining our future not just for
its own sake, but for a higher purpose: to realize our mission
of sustaining the Jewish community and being a positive and
powerful force in the work of Tikkun Olam.To do that, we
need to plant seeds now for trees that will bear fruit we never
taste, as others have done for us.
Your legacy gift will be carefully tended by future generations.
Bnai Keshet has a policy for receipt of any gift or bequest
By making a legacy gift to Bnai Keshet, you will plant seeds for
trees that future generations will tend.
=
You can make Bnai Keshet a partial beneficiary of your
401(k) or 403(b)
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You can make Bnai Keshet a partial beneficiary of a life
insurance policy.
-Barbara Reisman
5
March 2017
Vo l u n t e e r S p o t l i g h t
Ruth Davis and her
eleven-year-old twins, Alisha and
Cameron, joined Bnai Keshet five
years ago, after several years as
members of Shomrei Emunah.
Ruth grew up Conservative, but
our vibrant Religious School and
children’s programming drew
them to BK. Helping out with
the Purim Carnival and our IHN
host week were some of her first
volunteer experiences here.
For the past three years, Ruth has served as the shul’s
Coordinator for MESH (Montclair Emergency Services for
the Homeless). MESH began in winter 2005 as an ad hoc
group that handed out sleeping bags to people sleeping outside,
exposed to the harsh winter elements. In 2011 MESH became
a non-profit with an expanded mission to serve Montclair’s
homeless and near-homeless neighbors, and Montclair State
professor, Dr. Gwen Parker-Ames, was appointed Executive
Director. Since 2012, MESH has been providing nutritious
evening meals, six days a week, at various local churches and
synagogues, to Montclair’s most needy adults. Bnai Keshet
welcomes guests every Monday to a sit down meal prepared by
BK members, and served by our volunteers, MESH staff and
MSU students.
Typically there are 20-35 guests per week, many of whom are
regulars, and anywhere from three to ten BK volunteers. Ruth
enjoys the wide range of ages and watching the interactions
among the volunteers and between the guests and volunteers.
Our Teen Group has participated on several occasions and she
heavily recruits families with kids in the Religious School to
volunteer for MESH. But empty nesters also participate. Every
Monday, guests are warmly welcomed to sit and enjoy a hot,
three-course dinner, served to them by volunteers who treat
each individual in a dignified manner.
Coordinating our MESH dinners Ruth says “is my first taking
on of something in a more meaningful way at Bnai Keshet.”
When asked why she volunteers, she responds, “It’s such an
easy, meaningful way to make a difference. I get so much out
of the experience; there are people who are hungry and we
can feed them.” She notes that she grew up with parents who
always volunteered, and her mother still volunteers every
6
Friday at the Jewish Food Pantry where she lives. Ruth believes
that it is important for our children to see us doing this work,
to interact with those not as fortunate as they are, and to know
that there are ways for them to give back.
She also points out that participating in MESH builds
relationships within the BK community as people get to know
each other while working together.
If you are hungry to get involved, there are lots of ways to
participate. There are opportunities both big and small, one
time or ongoing. There is a link to MESH sign up info on our
website under the Tikkun Olam drop down menu. If you have
questions, you can always contact Ruth.
To chat with
Ellen Kolba about her
volunteer experiences at BK
is to listen to the history of
Bnai Keshet itself…the years
of wandering and temporary
homes, its rabbis and
members, and a tremendous
variety of volunteer
experiences. Members since
1981, Ellen and her husband
Marshall joined BK after
their oldest, Boris, came
home enthusiastic about
going to “a club for kids” with some of his friends. The “club”
turned out to be a synagogue! Somewhere between Boris’ bar
mitzvah and that of their younger son Nick, Rabbi Joy Levitt
instituted the practice of requiring parental involvement in
the pre-bar mitzvah year. Ellen, from a completely secular
upbringing, began attending services, and on their first visit,
Orthodox-raised Marshall couldn’t figure out where the
rabbi was.
Talking about her early years of volunteerism, Ellen’s speech
takes on the following pattern, “(task or activity) with (insert
name here)”…organizing the Kiddush Closet with Annie
Giszpenc, Mutual Support (forerunner of Hesed Committee)
with Miriam Silver, Membership with Susan Herman, CoPresident with Edna Goldberger. This is quite logical because
meeting and getting to know new people is one of Ellen’s
favorite things about volunteering.
Adar 5777
More recently, Ellen has participated in Bnai Keshet’s programs
with MESH (Montclair Emergency Services for the Homeless)
and IHN (Interfaith Hospitality Network), as well as our
interfaith cooperation with ICPC (Islamic Center of Passaic
County) to feed the hungry in Paterson. Though she has
stepped down from her role as Chair of the Hesed Committee,
she remains an active Hesed volunteer. She is also a member
of the Tikkun Olam Committee and involved in their current
Anti-Racism projects. In addition, Ellen is always willing to
lend her considerable expertise as a writing coach to those
working on their college application essays in exchange for a
donation to Bnai Keshet.
When asked what drives her participation other than the
chance to meet new people, Ellen talks about her college
days living in a Co-op house for two years at Oberlin, where
everyone was required to contribute to the cleaning, organizing
and cooking. Volunteering has felt natural to her ever since.
“Volunteering really makes you part of the community.You’re
not really part of it unless you do something…If you care
about an institution, you have to participate.” When people
ask Ellen how she knows so many Bnai Keshet members,
she answers, “Because I’m involved; that’s how I get to know
people.” She points out that in the early days, BK could not have
survived without volunteers. While Bnai Keshet is a vibrant
congregation that has grown over the years and added paid
staff members, we only continue to thrive through the ongoing
efforts of our volunteers.
Dan Epstein
joined Bnai Keshet
in 1991 after he met
then Membership
Co-Chair, Susan
Herman, as both
were pushing boys
in strollers in the
park. A month or
so later, she called
inviting him to a
Prospective Member
Coffee. There he
met amazing people.
“I was so impressed
by and had such
respect for them. I
wanted my son, Sam, to be raised in a community with other
kids being raised by people like them,” he recalls. He joined
immediately and may very well, excluding BK ‘s founders and
earliest members, hold the record for Quickest To Jump In &
Get Involved. Two weeks later he had joined the Membership
Committee and was working with Susan and Ellen Kolba. And
he’s never really stopped.
A professional photographer, for years he’s provided Bnai
Keshet with a visual record of congregational events, as well
as been the photographer of choice for so many BK families’
simchas. If you’ve attended any holiday celebration at BK,
you’ve most likely seen a man with a camera, capturing candid
shots of all the fun; that’s Dan. What you may not realize is
that Dan was often also an organizer of the event!
For many years he served on the Holiday Celebrations
Committee producing Purim celebrations, the Lag
Ba’Omer Picnic, Dinner in the Sukkah, Simchat Torah with
Thread of Blue (member Marty Fogel’s klezmer band),
and Latkepalooza. For eight years he did all this while also
a member of the School Committee, including two years
as Chair. In all these roles, inclusion is important to Dan.
Under his tenure, the Religious School began the Matanot
initiative and Teen Shadow program, believing that it is BK’s
responsibility to educate differently abled learners and ensure
that they too have a Jewish education. When planning holiday
celebrations, Dan always tries to make sure there is something
for everyone—fun for young families with little ones as well
as for older kids and teens, empty nesters and seniors. He
also believes in offering some Adults Only programming so
that members can connect and have some adult conversation
without worrying about needing to supervise their children.
For years he produced the Men Who Cook Banquets; you’ve
probably seen guys around wearing the tee shirts. And he tries
to get someone new involved every time.
Currently, Dan is planning events for the Men’s Club, a
relatively new BK group. Deli Night featured deli food and
the documentary “Deli Man.” The coordinated food theme
precedent was set, with BK member and food for a crowd
wizard, Sam Sheps, creating appropriate menus. Sports Night
featured stadium/arena style food, a panel of members Ron
Kaplan and Scott Raab, who write about sports for a living, as
well as a documentary about Jewish boxers by member Larry
Drill’s cousin. Comedy Night included comedy club style
appetizers and a documentary on the history of comedy in
the Catskills, followed by the guys getting on stage and telling
jokes. His other recent BK project has been working with
Paul Shatz and a task force, researching the shul’s history and
trying to create a BK History Museum with rotating exhibits.
Dan’s motivation for volunteering? He enjoys people and,
as he says regarding anything he decides to become involved
with, “If I’m in for a penny, I’m in for a pound.” He lived on
a kibbutz for a year and was “happy to wash everyone’s dirty
dishes and do other crap jobs because everyone had to as well.”
7
March 2017
He believes in the citizen as opposed to the consumer approach
to membership at Bnai Keshet, “Just as a citizen in a democracy
should show up, vote and participate in society, BK members
should show up, come to events and help out with at least
one thing, get to know people and be part of the community.”
Dan knows lots of people and has lots of friends, but he notes
that he has two couples who are “as close to me as any family,”
who he turns to in both the happiest of times and in times
of crisis. “They would not be in my life if I hadn’t met them
by volunteering and spent time working with them toward a
common goal at BK.”
For years Elise Aronov and Kevin Fried lived
in Manhattan
as chavurah
members and
frustrated
container
gardeners,
always looking
for a place to
go for the High
Holidays. When
Ellen Friedland,
who grew up
with Kevin,
invited them out
to Montclair to join them for the holidays at Bnai Keshet, they
took her up on the offer. Eventually they made the move to
Montclair, joining BK around the time Rabbi Elliott and Sarah
arrived. Elise and Kevin now had more space to indulge their
love of gardening. When the congregation became involved
with GreenFaith, an interfaith coalition for the environment,
Rabbi Elliott happened to ask Kevin what he’d like to get
involved with, what he enjoyed doing. Kevin was interested
in environmental issues and loved gardening. Thus, for some
time now, Kevin and Elise have nurtured not only the plant
life surrounding their Dodd Street home, but also have
planted and, with the help of volunteers have maintained all
of the lovely flowering gardens that surround BK! One of the
traditions they have tried to develop is to encourage families
to donate any live flowering perennials from their bnai mitzvah
celebrations [e.g. table centerpieces, bimah arrangements] for
planting in BK’s gardens.
Following that initial encounter, they led the Greening
Synagogue project, conducting an energy audit and selling
canvas shopping totes and compact fluorescent light bulbs
to raise money to plant the Red Gables Garden. Ever since,
Elise and Kevin have coordinated the year round maintenance
8
of that garden, organizing spring and fall cleanups. The fall
cleanup is held the day we build the sukkah. They always
try to involve their children’s Religious School classes in
various garden activities. They enlisted Jeff Kerbel and Noam
Sandweiss-Back (BK Bnai Mitzvah Class of 5766-67, Montclair
High Class of 2011) to clear out the overgrown mess of weeds,
deeply rooted vines and garbage behind the garage as part of
their Senior Option. With a new field available, Kevin tried
to grow sechach for the sukkah roof, but critters destroyed
this effort. Next Kevin built a raised bed and set up a rain
barrel so that vegetables might be grown. The Home School
Collective that rents space in Red Gables during the school
year currently uses the raised beds for their activities.
Elise and Kevin’s involvement at Bnai Keshet has not, however,
been limited to the garden. For many years they organized
an Alternative Gift Fair where buyers could make donations
to non-profits and receive cards (stating what their donation
would provide) to gift to their friends and family. Together
they took over organizing the Purim Shalach Manot Basket
fundraiser, filling the baskets with local and fair trade ecofriendly treats. Kevin, Elise and their children, Nora and
Tobias, are longtime volunteers during our IHN host week.
Though not a fan of committee work or night meetings,
Elise served on the Education Committee and was part of
the Search Committee that brought us Rabbi Ariann. She
prefers concrete actions that result in something coming from
nothing, like planting a garden. She’s also worked with Susan
Youdovin and Lisa Brennan to research and write up the info
regarding Chevra Kadisha that is now on the BK website. She
has prepared food to contribute to our interfaith efforts with
ICPC to feed the hungry in Paterson. Kevin has served as cochair of the Tikkun Olam Committee, first with Ellen Kolba,
then with Cheryl Marshall-Petricoff. He has also been Parent
Liaison for his children’s Religious School classes.
Kevin and Elise enjoy gardening as a connection to both the
community and to the land, noting that “being good stewards
of the Earth is part of our faith, and it’s how we do Jewish.”
Their work in BK’s garden is a great way to meet people and
give back to the synagogue. It also helps build relationships
within their own family and instills in their children that
volunteering is part of being a member of the community
and helps you be more connected. Elise and Kevin are eager
to increase the number of garden volunteers. Our paid
landscapers mow the lawn, mulch and occasionally prune, but
weeding and other maintenance of the flowering gardens is a
big job, especially in the warmer months. The more people
who show up for the twice a year cleanups and/or stop by
to weed for an hour, the more beautiful and healthier our
grounds will be!
Adar 5777
Passover - 2nd Seder at BK, on
Tuesday, April 11th.
Enjoy a traditional Seder meal which will include gefilte fish
(with horseradish, of course), Matzoh Ball Soup, Roast Chicken,
Brisket, a vegetarian option, side dishes, and tasty Passover
desserts. $45/person, Max $125/Family. Sign up now.
9
March 2017
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The Wiener/Plavskina Family: Steve Wiener, Assya Plavskina, and their son Zakhar Wiener live
in Montclair with their guinea pigs Begemot (Biggy) and Goldie. Assya works in historic building
restoration and Steve is a botanic garden public events planner. Steve has played guitar for
seventeen years and is avidly interested in heavy metal, as well as child care, cooking, horticulture
and video games. Assya is passionate about baking, ice cream making, hiking, and tea-drinking.
They are excited to be members of such a vibrant, engaging, and active synagogue that is so
welcoming to newcomers of every background!
The Bell-Elder Family: Stacey Bell-Elder and Darryl Elder live in Bloomfield with their
daughter, Chloe Elder, age eleven and their beloved cavapoo named Bailey. Darryl is a
lighting and irrigation manager in a landscape company and Stacey is a yoga teacher,
craniosacral therapist and an Alexander Technique instructor. Darryl is known to be
super-techy and keeps Stacey in the twenty first century! Chloe is a future lawyer and
actress. They love hanging out together as a family.
Natanya and Shannon Gramas: Natanya and Shannon Gramas met in Montclair in 2012.
Natanya is a pediatric occupational therapist and Shannon works in Manhattan for a media
buying company. They share their home with two adorable cats and way too many books.
Both are passionate about becoming part of the BK community and look forward to forging
many meaningful connections with other members in the years to come.
The Rodner Family: Jason, Liam age six, and Matthew age three have lived in South Orange
for four years moving here from Brooklyn. Jason grew up in Montclair and was a Bar Mitzvah
at Bnai Keshet. Liam and Matthew represent the third generation of Bnai Keshet members
from the family. It is important for our family to continue the traditions of growing up Jewish
and learning what it means to us. Jason is a business analyst in the investment banking
industry and looks forward to sharing his experiences with Bnai Keshet with his children.
The Merrit-Singer Family: Rebecca Merritt and Andy Singer moved to Montclair in July
with their two children, Lila and Zach. Lila, age twelve and in the seventh grade and is
thrilled to attend Glenfield and Zach who is ten, is in fourth grade at Bullock. Andy is EVP
of TV and digital content for Alkemy-X, a production company specializing in commercials,
visual effects and unscripted series. Rebecca has a background in large-scale event
production and helms R. Merritt Flowers, a floral and event-design company. The entire
family is happy to have landed back in the Tri-State area in after living in Tennessee and
Maryland for the past nine years.
Julie Kimmel: Julie and her wife Michelle will be celebrating their one year wedding anniversary
March 12. They presently reside in Hawthorne along with two of Michelle’s three daughters as well
as two cats and a chihuahua. Julie works in the audio and video production field, as a producer,
editor and production manager. In the not so distant past, she taught fencing. For fun, she plays
drums and rides a dirt bike.
10
Adar 5777
Near-Term Opportunities to Volunteer:
What
When
How
Habitat for Humanity – Join a BK crew in building a
house in Paterson.
April date TBD
Contact Marian Golan at
[email protected]
Community Seder – Assist in the advance planning
or day-of event (or both!)
April 11th
BK’s Spring Fundraiser: Casablanca Casino Night
at BK – Lend your artistic and organizational skills
to the Casino Night crew.
April 29th
Congregational Retreat – Help with planning and
programming.
June 2th to 4th
Interfaith Hospitality Network for the Homeless –
Help with various aspects of BK’s host week.
June 11th to 18th
Contact Beth Fuqua at [email protected]
Hesed – Help members in need through various
acts of loving kindness.
As needed
Contact Beth Fuqua at [email protected] to
get onto the Hesed mailing list
MESH – Help needed with meal preparation and
service for the homeless.
Mondays evenings at
Bnai Keshet
Sign up at Bnaikeshet.org
St Paul's Men's Shelter Dinner- The Islamic Center
of Passaic County and Bnai Keshet communities
volunteer the first Saturday of each month to prepare food at home, drop off these food donations in
Montclair or Paterson and serve dinner to the
guests of the St. Paul’s Men’s Shelter in Paterson.
First weekend of each
month
To receive monthly emails contact Penny Aarons
at: [email protected]
Saturday morning Ushers –Direct our members and
guests to the prayer books, talleisim and kippot.
Shabbat mornings
Contact Martin Slon at [email protected],
or Don Rifkin at [email protected]
Deliver a D’var Torah
Shabbat mornings
Contact Rabbi Elliott at
[email protected]
Chant Torah
Shabbat mornings
Contact Lauren Meyer at
[email protected]
Welcoming new members
Ongoing
Contact Jessica Gidal: [email protected]
Programs for seniors
New initiative
Contact Jessica Gidal: [email protected]
Programs for the kid-free set
New initiative
Contact Jessica Gidal: [email protected]
Contact Martin Slon at [email protected]
Contact Max Polaner at [email protected]
Contact Alvaro Donado at
[email protected], or Betsy Tessler at
[email protected].
Sign up to attend and to volunteer with activities
at bnaikeshet.org
11
March 2017
The Rainbow Reporter
Bnai Keshet’s Quarterly Newsletter
12
Rabbi:
Elliott Tepperman
Director of Congregational
Learning:
Assistant Rabbi:
Ariann Weitzman
Co-Presidents:
Liz Lipner &
Howard Kerbel
VP Religious Life:
Martin Slon
VP Tikkun Olam:
Noemi Giszpenc
VP Membership &
Community Engagement:
Jessica Gidal
VP Development:
Max Polaner
VP Education:
Deb Levy
VP Finance:
Brian Saltzman
VP Communications:
Jill Jeszeck
Director of Operations:
Stuart Brown
Assistant Director of Operations:
Alina Leonardo
Editors: Laurie Waite-Fellner &
Melody Kimmel
We welcome articles
Contact Jill at: [email protected]
Rabbi Elliott Tepperman
Rabbi’s Study: 973-783-2511
E-mail: [email protected]
Rabbi Ariann Weitzman
School Office: 973-746-0244
E-mail: [email protected]
Synagogue Office (Mon. – Fri.)
Synagogue office: 973-746-4889
Fax: 973-746-4963
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.bnaikeshet.org
Please contact Stuart Brown, Director of
Operations, for more information.