The Brotherhood Synagogue
h’’bZ
28 Gramercy Park South
New York, NY 10003
Phone (212) 674-5750 Fax (212) 505-6707
www.brotherhoodsynagogue.org
Volume XXXIII Number X
Tammuz / Av / Elul 5775
Lifting of the Hands (Dukhaning)
by Rabbi Daniel Alder
S
ome may have fond memories of being
under their father’s tallit during the blessing
of the Kohanim. This is the point in the holiday
service when those descended from Aaron—the
brother of Moses—would come before the
congregation and offer the Priestly blessing.
This is something we plan to offer this year on
Yom Kippur.
The source of the Priestly blessing is from
the Torah (Numbers 6:22-7): “The Lord spoke
to Moses: Speak to Aaron and his sons: Thus
shall you bless the people of Israel. Say to
them: ‘The Lord bless you and protect you. The
Lord deal kindly and graciously with you. The
Lord bestow His favor upon you and grant you
peace.’ Thus they shall link My name with the
people of Israel, and I will bless them.”
In the ancient Temple the priests recited
the blessing twice daily, in the morning and
afternoon, while they stood on a special
platform, known as the dukhan. In the
synagogue the blessing is recited by the
priests while standing in front of the Ark. To
this day, the recital of the priestly blessing is
called in Yiddish dukhaning, after the Temple
procedures.
The procedure in the synagogue is as
follows. The Kohanim remove their shoes and
have their hands ritually washed by the Levites.
The Kohanim then stand before the Ark and
the cantor calls out the word: “Kohanim” as
a signal for the priests to begin. The Kohanim
then cover their heads with the tallit and recite
an introductory benediction: “Blessed art
Thou O Lord our God, King of the universe,
who has hallowed us with the sanctity of Aaron
and commanded us to bless His people Israel
in love.”
The Kohanim then raise their hands with
the palms facing downward and thumbs of their
outspread hands touching. The four fingers of
each hand are split into two sets of two fingers
each (ie., Spock’s Vulcan salute) thus forming
the Hebrew letter shin. This ceremony is
sometimes called Nesiat Kapayim, the “lifting
of the hands.” Jewish tradition states that the
Divine Presence would shine through the
fingers of the priests as they blessed the people,
and no one was allowed to look at this out of
respect for God.
Each Kohen’s tallit is draped over his head
and hands so that the congregation cannot see
his hands while the blessing is said. If a man
has children, they will come under his tallit
to be blessed. The basis of this custom is to
emphasize the spiritual aspect of the blessing
over the role of the Kohanim themselves; as
per the scriptural verse above, the Kohanim
are simply a vehicle for the expression of the
blessing, when they “place My name upon the
children of Israel.”
It is customary that the cantor prompt
the Kohanim by reciting each word of the
blessing and the Kohanim then repeat each
word. This prompting is done to avoid errors
or embarrassment if any of the Kohanim are
not sure of the words of the recitation. The
words are recited in a distinctive melody. The
congregation responds amen after each of the
three phrases of the blessing.
In Israel this procedure is done daily as
part of the repetition of the Amidah blessing.
In the Diaspora, it is traditionally recited only
on festivals. This year we plan to offer this
“duchaning” at the musaf service on Yom
Kippur. In preparation for the ritual, we will
hold a workshop for the Kohanim (you are
one if your father was one) and the Levites
(ditto) and anyone else who is curious about
the details of this custom and how to properly
perform it. Hold the date of Thursday,
September 10th from 7–8 pm. l
July / August 2015
Shabbat Services
FRIDAY, JULY 3, 7:30 pm
Speaker: Phillip Rothman
SATURDAY, JULY 4, 9:30 am
FRIDAY, JULY 10, 7:30 pm
Speaker: Dominick Porto
SATURDAY, JULY 11, 9:30 am
FRIDAY, JULY 17, 7:30 pm
Speaker: Carina Marton
SATURDAY, JULY 18, 9:30 am
FRIDAY, JULY 24, 7:30 pm
Speaker: Gary Papush
SATURDAY, JULY 25, 9:30 am
t
FRIDAY, JULY 31, 7:30 pm
Shabbat Koleinu
SATURDAY, AUGUST 1, 9:30 am
FRIDAY, AUGUST 7, 7:30 pm
Speaker: Debra Saltzman Hill
SATURDAY, AUGUST 8, 9:30 am
FRIDAY, AUGUST 14, 7:30 pm
Speaker: Phil Ensler
SATURDAY, AUGUST 15, 9:30 am
FRIDAY, AUGUST 21, 7:30 pm
Speaker: Ann Schwartz
SATURDAY, AUGUST 22, 9:30 am
FRIDAY, AUGUST 28, 7:30 pm
Speaker: Seth Reagen
SATURDAY, AUGUST 29, 9:30 am
Seeking Ushers for the High Holidays!
Simply visit http://brotherhoodsynagogue.org/usher (after July 15) and select
the service or services at which you wish to usher. If you prefer, you may also
contact our Ushers Committee co-Chairs Richard Breier (Richard.Breier@
BreierGroup.com) or Sam Breier ([email protected]) directly to
volunteer.
Ushering during the High Holidays and during Shabbat services is a great
contribution to the Synagogue and a great way to get to know our community
better! Please volunteer for this important task!
Israel Stories
by Trudi Bartow
O
n my first visit to Israel I spent a lot of
time looking for a precious childhood
memory. I wanted to visit a certain, magical
street where a giant pink porcupine (Kippi Ben
Kipod) lived with his friends—an oofnik named
Moishe and a tzefarde named Kermit. Alas, I
never found the mysterious Rechov Sumsum—
the Israeli version of Sesame Street that aired in
the earlier 80s with American Muppet segments
dubbed in Hebrew—but what I did find was
even more magical. The experiences I had, the
food I tasted, the people I spoke and prayed
with, has left an impression on me that cannot
be shaken. This year, as we celebrate a themed
year of Israel through the synagogue, we are
turning over the My Two Cents column to be an
open forum for Brotherhood members to share
their favorite stores about Israel. All are welcome
to write about their most treasured memories;
bittersweet stories; family histories; funny
vacations; and even your best sensory
experiences—the taste of a perfectly ripe Jaffa
orange, the smell of the shuk spice cart, the
sound of prayer at the Western Wall! All stories
are welcome (750 words or less).
To get us started on our community
memory project of Israel the photos and
The Brotherhood Israel group at Masada (fortunately
no Romans surrounded us and we all made it back
alive).
“If we wish to live and to
bequeath life to our offspring,
if we believe that we are to
pave the way to the future,
then we must first of all not
forget.” Prof. Ben Zion Dinur,
Yad Vashem, 1956
captions shown here are throwback to the
February 2010 Brotherhood bulletin, where
we featured an array of photos from our first
synagogue trip to Israel.
On December 23, 2009, 23 members
and friends of the Brotherhood Synagogue
embarked on a trip to Eretz Israel. For many
of us, this trip was a first physical step into our
ancestral and religious homeland. After ten days
of touring, laughing, crying, and falling in love
we returned to the U.S. with a renewed sense of
who we are as a people and as a nation.l
Save the
Dates!
Our guide Raya was amazing! Filled with fantastic
stories, a rich knowledge of both history and myth, and
a will of Iron to make sure we got to every place on our
packed itinerary.
After climbing through Hezekiah’s tunnels in the City of
David Archaeological Park, we emerge into the bright
sun for a photo op.
Shabbaton
5776
Please join us for a year of Israelfocused Shabbaton programs on
Call For Stories: In keeping with Brotherhood Synagogue’s “Israel” theme for 5776
the following dates:
beginning this September we hope to feature a congregant’s personal story of Israel in each
monthly bulletin during the year. We want to hear your stories, whether brief anecdotes or
lengthy, serious or funny, from long ago or last week (photo illustrations also welcome!).
Please send these to Roberta in the office for what will be called our “Israel Stories” column.
Stories for the September 2015 bulletin must be submitted no later than July 31, 2015. So,
start writing and send us your story as soon as possible!
October 23-24
December 4-5
February 26-27
March 25-26
On the Timeline. A Note from the Development Committee
I
f you joined us at the barbecue, thank you
for coming out on a rainy night and joining
the community as we said “thank you” for
another successful Annual Fund drive! The
barbecue marks the end of a yearly cycle
that begins when the appeal goes in the mail
around the high holidays and gift envelopes are
inserted into the prayer books. Volunteers then
follow up with phone calls, and letters from
the trustees as well as numerous emails and
pleas for you to give are sent in order to help us
meet our Annual Fund goal. The goal? A hot
dog? In a way it is that simple. The Synagogue
needs these added funds to pay the basic bills.
2
Nothing fancy, ­ just what we need to sustain
us—from salaries to electric bills. The funds are
not extra cash in pocket but rather an income
line on the annual budget to make up the
difference of income from membership dues
and the actual cost of running the Synagogue.
And so the barbecue celebrates the success of
the Annual Fund and the beginning of the new
cycle. As soon as it ends we are planning for the
coming year. Though the concept is simple, the
work done in the office and by the Board of
Trustees and volunteers does not stop.
This year’s barbecue was bittersweet in
that it marked the stepping down of Martin
The Brotherhood Synagogue
Sage who has been leading the fundraising
efforts for six years. Martin’s tireless efforts,
passion for the Synagogue, and sense of
humor will be greatly missed. On behalf of
the Trustees and the Synagogue, I want to
thank all those who generously donated to
the Annual Fund, Martin for his years of
leadership, commitment and hard work, and
all the volunteers who helped along the way.
This summer as we reassign committee roles
and begin again, we look forward to more
opportunities to say thank you.
—Donna Rothchild,
Development Committee Chair
Tammuz / Av / Elul 5775
July / August 2015
Tisha B’Av (the 9th day of the month of Av) marks the
day when the Babylonians destroyed the First Temple in
Jerusalem in 586 BCE and also when the Romans burned
s e r v i c e s down the Second Temple in 70 CE. To commemorate this
sad day on the Jewish calendar, Tisha B’Av was designated a
full fast day, although one is permitted to work.
On the evening of Tisha B’Av, Jews gather in the synagogue to hear the mournful chanting
of the Biblical book of Lamentations (Eicha), an ancient dirge written by the prophet Jeremiah
after the destruction of the First Temple. Congregants often sit on the floor of a darkened room
like mourners. This year, Erev Tisha B’Av services will take place on Saturday, July 25th from
9-10 pm.
We will hold morning services for Tisha B’Av on Sunday, July 26th at 9 am and mincha/
ma’ariv services (at which tallis and tefillin are worn) on Sunday evening at 7:45 pm followed
by a light meal to break the fast.
Tisha B’Av
Summer Candle Lighting and Torah Portions
Friday, July 3, 8:13 pm
Saturday: Parshat Balak
Friday, July 24, 8:00 pm
Saturday: Parshat Devarim
Friday, August 14, 7:38 pm
Saturday: Parshat Re’eh
Friday, July 10, 8:11 pm
Saturday: Parshat Pinchas
Friday, July 31, 7:55 pm
Saturday: Parshat Va’ethanan
Friday, August 21, 7:28 pm
Saturday: Parshat Shofetim
Friday, July 17, 8:07 pm
Saturday: Parshat Mattot-Masay
Friday, August 7, 7:47 pm
Saturday: Parshat Ekev
Friday, August 28, 7:16 pm
Saturday: Parshat Kee Tetze
Shabbat
Koleinu:
A Musical Service
for the Entire
Congregation
Friday, July 31 at 7:30pm
Join us on Friday, July 31 as the Koleinu
Ensemble joins us once more for a
spirited, high-octane Shabbat service
you and your kids will love! Designed
for adults and children of all ages, you
won’t want to miss this exciting, one-ofa-kind Kabbalat Shabbat experience.
Led by Rabbi Alder and Cantor Weis,
Shabbat Koleinu will feature Tali
Rubinstein, Gil Smushkowitz, Rich
Stein, and Avram Pengas.
Life Goes On
Life Goes On is a group for those of us who
have lost a spouse or life partner and want to
experience the beauty, joy, and opportunity that
New York life offers surrounded by supportive
friends who understand and share in the loss.
Our private tour of the New York Historical
Society’s exhibit: “To See Jerusalem Before
I Die: Abraham Lincoln and the Jews” was
excellent owing to our incredibly well informed
and interesting guide. In fact, the tour led to
a spirited discussion around the table at our
delicious and warm dinner afterward.
We have a very special program planned
for Wednesday, July 8th: A walking tour of
Governor’s Island! Once a secluded military site,
the island is now a beautiful public retreat open
during the summer. Among other areas, our tour
will include a fort from the War of 1812, the site
of the final Reagan-Gorbachev summit, and even
a location associated with the Wright brothers!
Let’s meet just outside the Museum of
the American Indian (the former Alexander
Hamilton U.S. Custom House) at 1 Bowling
Green (Broadway at Bowling Green in Lower
Manhattan—take the 4 or 5 to Bowling Green)
at 2:30pm so we can catch the 3pm ferry to
Governor’s Island together. We plan to take the
4:30pm or 5pm ferry back to Manhattan in
time for dinner—meal details to follow. The cost
of the tour is $25 per person which must be paid
in advance. Please advise Agnes or Roberta right
away if you plan to come since our plans depend
on having enough people in attendance.
Tammuz / Av / Elul 5775
If the weather is bad, we will stay in
Manhattan instead and tour the stunning US
Customs House to learn about its fascinating
history. Designed by famed architect Cass
Gilbert, it is one of New York’s most beautiful
interiors. We’ll also see some of the exhibits in
the Museum of the American Indian (housed
in the Customs House), then step outside to
see some great neighboring sites including the
incredible interior of the Cunard Building.
Our next book club meeting will be on
Wednesday, July 29th at 7pm. We are reading
Elizabeth Gilbert’s The Signature of All Things,
a very accessible Victorian-style novel about
a female botanist in the 19th century who
successfully forges her own life path. There will
also be some discussion of our previous book,
All The Light We Cannot See, since the meeting
for that book did not take place. NYU professor
Margaret Boe Birns will expertly guide our
discussion as usual, accompanied by wine and
desserts. The cost of participating is $20 per
person; please call or e-mail Agnes if you are
planning to join. Again, please let Agnes or
Roberta know if you’re coming ASAP—the club
meeting depends on your participation.
If you or someone you know would like to
be a part of Life Goes On, please come to our
meetings—we would be happy to see you! If you
have any questions, please call Agnes Marton at
917.519.4427 or e-mail her at 1agnesmarton@
gmail.com or call Roberta in the Synagogue
office at 212.674.5750. l
July / August 2015
The Brotherhood Synagogue
Shabbat Club
The Shabbat Club is on vacation for the
summer. No meetings will be held during
July and August but we meet again on:
September 19.
See you in September!
Deborah Newman, as always, welcomes
topic and speaker ideas and suggestions
([email protected]). l
Memorial Book Listings
ARE NOW DUE
If you have not yet returned the sheet indicating
your entry in the Memorial Book distributed at the
Yizkor service on Yom Kippur, kindly send it to
the office now.
If you had a listing last year, please verify
its accuracy and let us know if you would like to
make any changes to this year’s edition. Those
who have not listed in our Memorial Book in the
past are asked to complete the form that was
sent to you. Please call the office if you have any
questions, 212.674.5750.
3
THE BROTHERHOOD
SYNAGOGUE
Trustee Information
Honorary Presidents:
Arthur Abbey, Inge Dobelis, Bernard Esrig,
Vertella Gadsden, David Lande
Honorary Trustees:
Sam Brown, Jay Dankberg, Arthur Greenbaum,
Arthur Plutzer, Ben Saltzman
Officers:
President ...............................................................Judy Shapiro
Chairperson, Board of Trustees.........................................Charles Rich
First Vice-President.................................................. Bradley Miles
Second Vice-President...........................................Howard Glatzer
Treasurer ................................................................Neal Epstein
Corresponding Secretary............................................Debra Aaron
Recording Secretary............................................... Carol Ginsburg
Counsel............................................................. Debra Pearlstein
Welcome New Trustees
Pamela Chisling: Pamela and her husband, Brian, joined
Brotherhood in 2006 when they became engaged. Her 5 year old
son, Max, just graduated from the Blue Room and their 2 year old
daughter, Kayla, will start in the Yellow Room next year. Pamela
is a professional theatrical lighting designer who has volunteered
her services over the years at various Brotherhood events including
the 150th Anniversary, the school benefits, and the Hebrew School
plays. Pamela has been an active parent in the Nursery School
including helping to lead the playground upgrade project. She has
served on the Social Action Committee and would like to help start
a “greening” committee at the synagogue.
Hillary Pearlman: Hillary, her husband, Ari, and their two children,
Allie and Rex, have been members of the synagogue since 2006.
Hillary’s aunt is Naomi Blumenthal. Hillary is an active member
of the Social Action Committee, running her seventh Children’s
Clothing Drive this past year and she is to become co-Chair of
the committee this September. Her daughter, Allie, attended
Brotherhood’s Nursery School and Hillary was an active Class Parent,
Chaired the Chesed Committee and ran the Challah program.
Allie now attends our Hebrew school and Hillary is a past Hebrew
School Class Parent. Her son, Rex, attends the Thursday Corner
class for 3-5 year olds. Professionally, Hillary spent over 10 years
working in the healthcare industry in both hospital administration
and managed care. l
Trustees Serving Until 2016
Debra Aaron David Monk
Trudi Bartow Debra Pearlstein
Inge Dobelis Marianna Vaidman Stone
Neal Epstein
Laura Ward
Robert Lewis
Ellie Wertheim
Ted Mermel Robert Wolf
Trustees Serving Until 2017
Tracie Basch
Alan Fell
Ruth Raskin
Hillary Perlman
Marge Ginsburg
Charles Rich
Howard Glatzer
Neal Rosenberg
Susan Halper
Fifi Simon
Bradley Miles
Renée Ward
Trustees Serving Until 2018
Michelle Abraham Beth Barry Naomi Blumenthal Hollis Salzman
Richard Breier Judith Shapiro
Pamela Chisling Malcolm Davis 4
Carol Ginsburg
Donna Rothchild
Shelly Taylor
Lew Teperman
Brotherhood Continues Tradition of Providing
Transportation for Cemetery Visits
The Social Action Committee helps arrange cemetery visits for
those who need transportation to area cemeteries in Long Island,
Queens, Westchester, and New Jersey before the High Holidays.
If you are in need of transportation and would like to travel to
the cemetery with a member of the congregation, please call
Manda in the office (212.674.5750).
DRIVERS NEEDED! If you are able to perform the mitzvah of
driving others to a cemetery and haven’t done so previously,
please call the office and let Manda know you would like to
volunteer.
The program was specifically requested to be undertaken at
the urging of our founding rabbi, Rabbi Irving J. Block, z’’l and we
honor his memory in the fulfillment of this mitzvah.
The Chesed* Committee
Wants You to Know
The Jewish Board of Family and Children Services offers a wide
range of assistance for children, families, and adults. The agency
has assigned a social worker to work with Brotherhood congregants.
For a referral to this social worker, please contact Rabbi Alder, Phil
Rothman, Barbara Simon or Merril Feinstein.
*The Chesed Committee provides help and compassion to Brotherhood members
in times of need. We can be reached at [email protected] or
through the synagogue office.
The Brotherhood Synagogue
Tammuz / Av / Elul 5775
July / August 2015
Yahrzeits
^Garden of Remembrance
July 4 - 10
Louis Abelson, Deanna Basch, *Samuel M. Baum,
*Abraham Berkowitz, *Mae Lena Slotnick Block,
Rosalind Cohen, ^Barbara Sugarman Cohen, ^Sabina
Herbst Ehrlich, David Fein, Bernard Fine, Rosalind
Fleckman, Marla Friedes, ^*Eugene O. Gadsden,
Irving Gaines, Violet Ginsberg, ^Max Goldberg,
*Sheila Gourse, ^Kenneth Greenberg, *Sucher Gross,
^Jesse Gruber, *Jennie Herbst, Samuel Herman, Lillian
Hoban, Dorathy Petchenik Isaacson, Henry Jones,
*Albert M. Kaltman, ^Harry Kirshbaum, ~^Avraham
Kolodicki, ^Albert Kosta, Frances Kramer, Dorothy
Leff, Ida Leibowitz, ^Tevel (Ted) Leifschutz, Benjamin
Leinweber, ^Minnie Levitt, ^Lillian Levy, Sarah
Mandel, *Mollie Mandelowitz, ^Morris Meyerson,
Herman Miller, ^Sylvia Murzin-Lipson, ^Ernest
Noymer, *Louis Pearl, ^Gertrude Pilpel, Gertrude
Pine, *Saul Presser, ^Florence Reiff, Fannie Rosenfeld,
^Beatrice Rothstein, Arthur Schoenberg, ^Monya
Schwartz, ^Max Schwartz, ^Monya Schwartz, ^Harry
Seinfeld, ^Judith Pitreich Seinfeld, ^Solomon Shlomo
Seinfeld, Irwin Shapiro, Louis A. Siegel, Walter
Siegel, Irving Silver, ^Joseph Silverstein, *Bessie Block
Slotnick, Genevieve Steinberg, *Edith F. Vyner, Sandra
Weiss, *Gertrude Werner, Gustav Wertheim, Jeannie
Wilen, Ernest Wolff, ^Emma H. Wolff, Natalie
Zenkel
July 11-17
Barry Arnold, Morris Barr, Stephanie Benedikt,
*Jeanne H. Berger, Rivka Borochov, Pearl Braff,
Rachelle Bronfman, Edward Cohen, Philip Cooper,
Akiva Distenfeld, ^Susan Ember, ^Alan Feitell, Saul
Flame, Joseph Frankel, Sue Friedes, Arthur Friedman,
Harry Gaum, ^M. Milton Glass, Max Goldfarb,
George Goldman, Annabelle Hafter, Jean Hans,
*Kate Herrmann, Herbert Holtzman, ^Marvin D.
Kenigsberg, Aaron Lerner, ^Lillian Rose Seinfel Lester,
^Bertha Hilda Levine, Dora Levy, Cyril Marcus,
Stewart Marcus, ^Mania Markowitz, ^Josepha Marton,
Louis Mayer, ^Golda Alpert Miller, ^Belle Mintz,
Adam Oblegorski, ^Wallace Parker, Aubrey Pollick,
*Judith Graham Pool, *Sidney S. Reiss, Samuel Rosen,
^Rita Sager, Dora Saltzman, Amiya Samanta, Berta
Men Schenkolewski, Richard Schoenberg, Albert
Schwartzberg, Simon ben Simcha Sellam, Leo Shargel,
Adeline Silver, *Claire Sirkin, Jack Spilkin, Irving
Steinberg, ^Jacob Sweet, ^Jessica A. Troiano, ^Bertha
Tudor, *Anna Weisburg, *Russell Weith
July 18 - 24
^Esther Lila Baum, ^Rabbi Shepherd Z. Baum,
*Caroline Baumann, Sanford Berk, Tomi Berney,
*David Bienstock, Bernard Bittman, ^Herman
Braunstein, ^Betty K. Braverman, Harry Bronstein,
^Milton Cohn, ^Hugh Conway, ^Clara Coppersmith,
^Sue Davis, Howard Ehrlich, *Florence Fishman,
^Selma Flash, William Fox, Martin Fox, Ann Gaines,
^Maurice G. Gans, Tillie Gewirtz, ^Esther Goldberg,
Francine Goldfarb, Florence Greenfield, Harry Lionel
Guild, ^*Estelle Halpern, Laurence Heller, Razelle
Hirshovitz, Benjamin Hoffman, ^*Ethel Horowitz,
*Rose B. Kalb, *Gertrude Katz, Bruce Kopp, *Sarah
Rebecca Kuperman, ^Ethel Levy, Nathan Lewis, Sarah
Lifschutz, Barbara Margulis, *Dr. Matthias Marks,
Bertha Moed, Irving Olshever, Robert Richkin,
Abraham Rosenstock, ^*Jacob Rossman, ^Charles
Schaffer, Rose Schreick, ^Jenny Schwartz, Sidney
Selzer, ^Hinda Settle, *Bella Shafer, ^David Shapiro,
Judith Sheppard, ^Philip Shorin, Mallie Shugalter,
^Mark L. Silverman, ^Flora Silverstein, Sylvia Simon,
Tammuz / Av / Elul 5775
*Book of Remembrance
^Noah Simring, ^Julius J. Stein, Martin Stone, ^Lena
Tevelow, ^Rose Tomkin, ^Gertrude Wachler, ^Robert
J. Ward, Robert Weiswasser, Kenneth Wyman, Paula
Yassky, Yisroel Yitzchok
July 25 - 31
^Adolph Abeles, ^Bernard Alpren, Irving Berry, *Max
Breitman, Lee Brody, David Bronshteyn, Osias Chazen,
Henry Chazin, ^Joseph Cohen, ^Julius Cohen,
Benjamin Cooperman, ^Barbara King Ferraiolo, ^Ray
Fink, Abraham Gerstein, Israel Giman, Rose Godlin,
^Samuel P. Goldman^, Natalie Goldstein, ^Howard
Goldstein, ^Albert Gordon, ^James J. Herzig, ^Ethel
Hochhauser, ^Nedra Jedwick, ^Herbert Kanen,
Michael J. Kaufman, ^Zel Kelvin, *Esther Kessner,
Mino Koen, ~^Feige Kolodicki, Louis Kornblatt,
Irving Leffel, *Benjamin Levine, Martin Markus,
^Annie Menaker, William Richard Miller, ^Rose
Moskowitz, Mollie Newman, Morris Papush, Max
Penchina, *George Ringler, Arnold Rosenfeld, Samuel
Roth, Philip Rubin, Francine Salom, Lawrence Schiff,
^Sally Bloch Schneck, ^Julius Schorr, Abe Siegel, Esther
Sigel, Lisa Simoncic, ^Rebecca Ilana Sivak, ^Abraham
J. Stelzer, ^Carole Stutzel, Regina Teitel, Paul Unger,
^Elfreda E. Valentine, ^*Harry Weintraub, ^Fanny
Wolf, ^Barry Zonon
August 1 – 7
Arleen Adelman, ^Irving W. Albert, ^Saul Alter, Floyd
Baslow, Frank Bauer, ^Rose Bender, Rina Bialer,
Anne Bolotin, Joseph Brown, Sylvia Davis, Isaac
Elleshawitz, ^Gussie Esrig, Katherine Falk, ^Dora
Hindin Fine, *Regina Friedman, Rose Garber, Elsa
Chazen Gershenson, Alan Gerstein, Sidney Golden,
*Henrietta Goodkin, ^Jean Gross, *Rose Hirsch,
Leonard Hirshovitz, *Jack Judashko, ^Caron Kallman,
Josephine Kaplan, Fanny Kasman, *Charlotte Kast,
Sophie Kaufman, Eva Kirshner*, Benjamin Kramer,
*Louis Kuperman, *Anna Lapides, Selma Leber, Jack
Levine, ^Peter Adam Levine, Louis Marshall, Sheila
Marton, Pinchos Medwed, ^Joseph Meiselman, Lee
Mintz, ^*Ida Neidich, Jack Nirenberg, *Sonia Padva,
^Abraham Pilpel, *Shirley Plitt, *Annie Riemer, Julia
Rubenstein, Beatrice Schneider, Angelina Seffens,
Henry Shapiro, ^Bertha Shear, Minnie Signer, *Anna
Silverman, *Jerry Solomon, Paul Soroka, Celia Stern,
Claire Sussman, ^Simon Teitelbaum, Jerry Teller,
David Tucker, Mary Turkheimer, *Lizzie Weckstein,
^Muriel Winicki
August 8 – 14
Bertha Apsel, Leonard Berg, ^May Blatt, Ruth
Blumberg, Natan Bornstein, Balfour Brickner, Ida
Chagall, Albertina Cohen, Thomas Cohen, Dinah
Cohen, Philip Edlis, ^Anna Elsky, *Jacob Etelson,
^Mamie Joan Feingold, Nathaniel Fish, ^Al Forman,
*Mary Frankel, ^Aaron Friedman, Edward Friedmann,
*Frank Fruchtman, Addie Gabel, Lenore Ginsberg,
^Bessie “Billie” Ginsburg, ^Harry Greene, Martin
Hanfling, Anna Hausner, ^Ruth Heisler, ^Sally
Hendel, Michael Ingall, Michael Insdorf, ^Martin
Jelin, ^Bertha Kane, Bernard Korach, ^Sophy Koven,
Stephen Kramer, Florence Kreseloff, Louis Krieger,
Ruth Kroll, Mollie Leinweber, Leon Mandell, ^Rose
July / August 2015
GRAMERCY PARK
MEMORIAL CHAPEL
353 Second Avenue New York, NY 10010
(212) 477-6334
The Brotherhood Synagogue
Meiselman, Nachum Miller, Jack Miller, Ethel
Newman, Nathan Riemer, *William Riemer, ^Shirley
Schachter, Nathaniel Schorin, Benjamin Schwartz,
^Dorothy Schwartz, ^Issie Schwartz, Harry Shargel,
Sally Silver, Sophie Silver, ^Benjamin Tenenbaum,
Stanley Seymour Wasserman
August 15 – 21
Sylvia Abelson, Oscar Berliner, *Anna Berlowitz, Rose
Bernstein, Inez Bezief, ^*Dr. Leon Brody, Phillip
Edelman, Mary Edlis, Frank Estrine, ^George Faleck,
^*Peyser C. Freedman, Dorothy Friedenberg, Harold
Gabel, Julia Gerstenhaber, ^Leo Giddins, Martin
Gilman, Sam Giman, Rose Glaser, ^Louis Glass,
^Alex Gold, *Morris Goldenberg, Gladys Goldman,
*Jacob Goldman, Arthur Gottlieb, ^*Freida Gross,
*Sidney Grossman, ^*David Grossman, Jesse Hafter,
Cecile Insdorf, ^Boris Karalunsky, ^Sidney Katz,
Rachel Kommissaroff, Sadie Krulik, ^Selma Lande,
^Henry Lieberman, Benjamin Liss, William Maloff,
Rose Mandell, Dov Beryl Manischewitz, ^Rose
Martus, *Raphael Miller, Ruth Monheit, Herman
Plasse, Miriam Rahav, ^Jack Schachter, Adeline Schor,
*Lee Seiger, *Max Edward Shaine, ^Judah Shechter,
^*Harry Shulman, Saul Sonenblick, ^Caroline Stein,
Abraham Storick, Jerry Strumpf, *Anna Topal, Regina
Toporek, ^Marilyn Vogel, ^Molly Walder, *Jacob
Weckstein, *Anna Weiss, Gerta Wertheim
August 22 – 28
Sarah Abraham, Rachel Alcalay, David Alter, Goldie
Berkowitz, Lorraine Bloom, ^Jerome Blumenthal,
Maurice Brandes, ^Sophie Braver, *Nathan Cantor,
*Samuel Cassell, *Lena Cooperman, ^Bernard
Drimmer, *Myer Elson, Albert Falk, Macy Feinstein,
^Isa Feinstein, Freda Fell, *Herbert F. Finney, Lillian
Fishman, ^*Abraham Friedman, Barbara Gazes,
Theresa Genzer, Harriette Getz, ^Anne Goldman,
Donald Goldstein, *Joseph Gross, ^Elaine Handler,
*Frederic Herrmann, Harriet Hochman, *Estelle Katz,
Max Kramer, Sarah Ladani, *Helen Langer, Virginia
Leffel, *Julius Levine, Pearl Levitz, ^Mickey Low,
Samuel Meadow, Milton Meyerowitz, Zelda Michaels,
Lawrence Novick, ^Allen B. Novick, ^*Abraham
Jacob Rechtschaeffer, Anne Rich, Leon Roony,
Max Rottenbach, ^Irving Schaffer, Mark Schimel,
^Joseph Schkurman, ^William Schneck, *Fannie
Seidler, *Nellie Siegal, Elihu Silver, Irving Silverman,
^Bertha Tenenbaum, Marjorie Teperman, ^*Frances
Weintraub, Hannah Wildstein, ^Sophie Yaker
August 29 - September 4
^Joan Antelman, Leonard K. Berger, Arnold Bergman,
^Simon Bohrer, Eva Braslow, Richard Casher, Harry
Danoff, Harvey Domow, ^Anna Dursht, Minnie
Elleshawitz, ^Dr. Frank Ferraiolo, ^Simon Fink, Alfred
Fisher, Meir Gellman, *Julius Gewirtz, Abraham
Glaser, Max Gold, ^Hannah Kurland Goldman, Leon
Goldstein, *Alfreda Goldstein, *Ethel Gourse, Edward
Grobow, ^*Adele Gross, ^Leon Herzfeld, Edward
Hunter, *Rhoda King*, Saul Klein, Saul Koppelman,
^*Max N. Koven, Elsie Kramer, ^Julius Krauss, *Joan
Lappert, ^Ida Lieberman, ^Samuel Shmoael Litsky,
^Myra “Myke” Mandell, *Peppie Meyer, ^*Murray
Meyer, ^William Miller, *Cantor Leo Mirkovic,
^Morton Pintel, Sheila Polks, Yankele Rosenbaum,
^Pauline Rubinoff, Ida Schneider, Melanie Schneider,
^Hattie Schwartz, Irma Schwartzberg, ^Aaron
Settle, Joan Shipley, Elaine Simon, ^Martha Simon,
Karin Joan Singer, Sanford Solender, ^David Noah
Sugarman, Gregorio Teitel, Harriet Vernikoff
5
President’s Posting
S
ummer is in full force! I am sure many of you
have started your vacations, or are about to.
With kids off at camp and the generally slower
pace of the summer months maybe now is a
chance for a little down time.
It’s been a very exciting and busy year at
Brotherhood and we can look forward to the
same in the coming year.
Next year, 5776, the theme for Brotherhood
Synagogue is ISRAEL. Much of our program
planning will be around Israel. Now would be
a good time for you to let me know if there are
any particular programs you would like to see
at Brotherhood.
Services for Tisha b’Av will take place on
July 25 and 26. Tisha B’Av commemorates the
destruction of the first and second temples in
Jerusalem. This is a fast day and the saddest day
in the Hebrew Calendar.
Also in July, on Friday, July 31, Cantor Weis
will be leading another wonderful “Shabbat
Koleinu.” I hope you will join us for this
Shabbat service and sing out!!
Though it may seem early, you will see a
notice within this bulletin about our continuing
practice of driving congregants to cemeteries
before the High Holidays. If you have a car and
would like to participate in this Mitzvah, please
call Manda in the office as is indicated in the
notice.
There are still a few openings in our Fall
Toddler Program and our Thursday afternoon
& Saturday programs for 3-5 year olds. Please
visit the website under “Early Childhood
Programs” for further details.
On Wednesday, September 9, Brotherhood
will hold its annual Open House for prospective
members. Please mention this to your friends
and colleagues who may be looking for a
synagogue. Have them stop by for a tour and
chat!
Next year, we again continue with our
Shabbaton programming. Since our theme
for the coming year is Israel, most of our
Shabbatonim will feature programs and foods
with an Israeli accent!
Beginning with this bulletin, you will
notice a new column devoted to fundraising
and development. Several of you have indicated
that you are interested in fundraising activities.
Please let me know by email or give me a call if
you would like to be a part of this committee.
Meanwhile, RELAX and have a great
summer.
Judy Shapiro
A Year of Accomplishment and Activity for Social Action
T
he Social Action Committee is responsible
for undertaking those activities of the
Synagogue that can be identified by the Hebrew
expression Tikkun Olam—to heal and repair our
world. The committee and volunteers along
with wonderful participation from the Nursery
and Hebrew School communities were involved
in many meaningful activities this year.
We started the year by taking members
who had no easy access to transportation to
area cemeteries in Westchester, New Jersey and
Long Island prior to the High Holidays so that
they could visit the graves of their departed
loved ones.
In October, we began our third year of
English in Action, a program that helps
newcomers to our country gain fluency and
confidence in conversational English.
We brought the message of hunger and
nutritional deprivation to our members by
doing something about it. For the High
Holidays we asked our members to donate
to Mazon, the Jewish Response to Hunger,
an amount equal to the cost of food forgone
during their Yom Kippur fast. We followed this
with a very successful City Harvest Food Drive.
With donations and the generous support of
the Board, we provided 20 boxes of food and
beverages for toddlers and children. Prior to
Passover, we collected food and donations for
Project Ezra, an independent, non-profit grassroots organization serving the frail elderly on
New York’s Lower East Side.
We had a Shabbat tribute to Veterans Day.
We honored our very own Brotherhood members
who are veterans, men and women who served
in the U.S. military and/or the IDF.
6
We staffed and organized the 12th annual
Chuck Ginsburg Memorial Blood Drive and,
once again, had many volunteers and blood
donations.
We participated with DOROT, a social
service agency under Jewish communal auspices,
and delivered a Thanksgiving meal and had a
friendly visit with homebound seniors over the
Thanksgiving weekend.
Our annual Children’s Clothing Drive was
one for the record books. We collected 58 large
bags of gently used and new clothing and shoes
for children ages 0-10 years old and distributed
these to local charities. The following month our
efforts focused on Project Cicero, an annual nonprofit book drive designed to create or supplement
school and classroom libraries for children in
under-resourced New York City public schools.
In conjunction with the Interfaith Committee
we again joined forces with Muslims Against
Hunger and had a wonderful morning where
members of all ages came together to make lunch
for our city’s hungry. In another joint event with
the Interfaith Committee, we joined forces for
our first ever Backpack and School Supply
Drive to benefit the Dream Center. Through
the extraordinary generosity of one of our own
members, Meredith Zenkel. and her company,
Poppin, an office and school supply company,
we were able to donate 450 backpacks, 1,000
folders, 100 boxes of crayons, 300 boxes of
highlighters, 1,000 spiral notebooks and a 100+
pencil pouches. To say the Dream Center was
overwhelmed would be an understatement!
Our Shelter Program operated through
the winter months and we provided food and
friendship for our guests.
The Brotherhood Synagogue
We have provided links on the Social
Action page of the Brotherhood website to
the organizations we work with and who also
promote our mission of Tikkun Olam. Check
us out at: http://brotherhoodsynagogue.org/socialaction.
All members who would like to help in
promoting our mission are encouraged to join with
us. Please contact the office if you are interested.
Helaine Teperman & Beth Barry
Co-Chairs, Social Action Committee l
The Brotherhood
Synagogue
28 Gramercy Park South
New York, N.Y. 10003
Phone: (212) 674-5750
Fax: (212) 505-6707
www.brotherhoodsynagogue.org
RABBI DANIEL ALDER,
CANTOR MIKE WEIS,
RABBI IRVING J. BLOCKZ’’L D.D.:
Founding Rabbi
HERMAN DIAMOND: Cantor Emeritus
SHIYA RIBOWSKY: Cantor Emeritus
JUDY SHAPIRO: President
PHILLIP ROTHMAN:
Executive and Education Director
Congregation founded in 1954
Historic Landmark Building
erected in 1859
Tammuz / Av / Elul 5775
July / August 2015
Happenings in Our Kehilah
B’nai Mitzvah, Mazal Tov to:
Weddings, Mazal Tov to:
Rachel and Neil Blumenthal on the birth of
their daughter, Gemma Sloane Blumenthal;
and to older brother, Griffin; and to
grandparents, Bill and Diane Blumenthal.
Amy and Slava Leykind on the birth of their
daughter, Eloise Hannah Leykind; and to
older sister, Charlotte.
Jackie and Joel Wittman on the birth of their
grandson, Nolan Myles Mannarino, born
to Leah Wittman Mannarino and Michael
Mannarino.
Carmen Elortegui and Derek Giddon on
their marriage.
Congratulations to:
Katie Ida Halper who will be leaving for Israel
late July to begin Ben-Gurion University of
the Negev, Medical School for International
Health.
Condolences to:
Lisa Weis on the passing of her mother,
Natalie Tannenbaum.
Devick Sellam on the passing of his father,
Simon Sellam.
Welcome New Members:
Welcome to Rob and Jenna Wizenberg of
Greenwich Village. Rob is a commercial
real estate broker at CBRE and Jenna is a
Director in Human Resources at Blackstone.
They have a one year old baby girl named
Reese. She enjoys singing and dancing at
the family Shabbat services.
♪ Cantor’s Notes: ♪
Five Things I Learned from Shiva
by Cantor Mike Weis
T
his past Erev Shavuot, early in the
morning on Shabbat, my mother-in-law,
Natalie Tannenbaumz’’l (may her memory be
for a blessing), died after a three-year battle
from complications of breast cancer.
If we haven’t already, we all will experience
loss in our lives. And for most of us, that
loss will involve some kind of shiva, which
has been traditionally observed for 7 days
following the burial of a close relative. As this
was my first time going through it, I thought
it might be instructive to share a few things I
learned over that seven day period while my
wife, Lisa, sat shiva for her mother.
1. There is such a thing as too much babka.
That’s right. Spoken by an addict. I must have
gained at least 10 lbs during shiva from the
constant stream of babka and other sweets
that came through our door. Thank G-d for
2nd Avenue Deli!
2. Shiva can be totally exhausting.
At the end of each day, we were both
completely worn out. Don’t be a hero! If
you’re sitting shiva and someone offers to
help, take it. Every dish that you don’t have
to wash, or bag of trash that you don’t have to
take out is worth its weight in gold!
3. When it’s your parent, no amount of time
is too much.
No matter how old your parent is when his/her
time is up, it won’t feel like enough, especially
if your relationship has unresolved issues.
Tammuz / Av / Elul 5775
While you may never resolve them, that is
not reason to ignore them. We can all think
of some combination of “Thank you…I’m
sorry…please forgive me…I forgive you…I
needed…I wanted…I love you,” that would
make sense to say to our loved ones. Say what
needs to be said while you still can.
4. Most people don’t know what you know
about your relative.
We often think that our “warts” are what
define us. When you are forced by tradition
into a week of hearing tale upon tale of
what made your loved one special to others,
though, the warts, while not forgotten, may
no longer seem like your relative’s central
features.
5. If there’s a minyan, DO show up for it.
Mourners require a minyan to say Kaddish.
From Lisa, “When you’re standing there
saying it all by yourself, you feel completely
alone. And when the community responds,
it’s like being embraced by a warm blanket.
It tells you you’re not alone. It’s like saying,
“We’re here to support you.”
(Note: Last month I wrote about how it felt
to be on the receiving end of “sorry,” a few too
many times in a short time span. If my words
seemed to suggest that I was not grateful for
the care and concern that went into each and
every one of those “sorrys,” then those words
were not chosen carefully enough. And for
that, I apologize.) l
July / August 2015
The Brotherhood Synagogue
Welcome to Adam and Elissa Futterman of
Chelsea. Adam is the Managing Director
of Options Trading at Cantor Fitzgerald
and Elissa is the owner of M.E. NYC. They
have two children: Jacob, who attends
Leman Manhattan Prep, and Stevie, who
attends Stephen Gaynor. Stevie will be
attending Brotherhood’s Hebrew School
in the fall.
Welcome to Adam and Seribeth Kertzner
of Greenwich Village. Adam works in the
asset management business and Seri is the
founder of Little Miss Party Planner, an
event planning business here in Manhattan.
They have two children: Gavin is 5½ years
old and attends PS 41 and Luke is almost
3 years old and attends Preschool of the
Arts. l
Early Childhood
Programs at Brotherhood
Registration Now Open!
Early Childhood Programs at Brotherhood
Synagogue help our community’s
youngest children grow and flourish in
an atmosphere where Jewish values
and traditions are integrated into all of
our classes. Cognitive skills and social,
emotional, and physical development are
encouraged through music, movement,
theater arts, storytelling, learning activities,
play, and arts & crafts with a special focus
on Shabbat & Jewish holidays.
The following programs still have some
spots this Fall:
• Toddler Program (18 mos-3 years)
• Thursday Corner (3-5+)
• Hebrew Corner (3-6+)
• Shabbat Corner (3-5+)
Class sizes are limited and are
filled on a first come, first served
basis so register now!
For further details and to download
a registration form, please visit the
Early Childhood Programs page on the
Brotherhood website under the
“Education” tab:
www.brotherhoodsynagogue.org/
early-childhood
programs.
And feel free to call Roberta
at 212.674.5750 or email her at
rkahn@brotherhoodsynagogue.
org if you have further questions!
7
please join us!
at Brotherhood
Synagogue’s up
coming
Open House fo
r Prospective M
embers
Dear Members:
Please tell your
friends, family, and
colleagues about
Brotherhood’s open
house in September!!
hood…
Brother out here
b
right a
If you’ve been
thinking about
joining a
downtown con
gregation, plea
se come to
Brotherhood’s
Wednesday, S
Open House
to learn more!
eptember 9 6 7:30 pm
Our warm and
welcoming syna
gogue offers sc
classes for ad
hools for kids,
ults, engaging
pr
ogramming, an
progressive m
d a socially
embership.
We can’t help
but think you’ll
love what you
and that Broth
experience
erhood Synago
gue might be
the synagogue
ex
actly
you’ve been lo
oking for!
The
28 Gramercy Pa Brotherhood Synagogue
rk South, New
York 10003
www.brotherhoo 212-674-5750
dsynagogue.org
The Brotherhood Synagogue
28 Gramercy Park South
New York, NY 10003