 Or Chadash Newsletter April 2011 Update |
Rabbi's Message - The Four Children in Each of Us
| |  As our celebration of Passover approaches, the passage of the Four Children in the Haggadah can provide a wonderful model for us to look inward and discover how this holiday of freedom can address our own needs for person freedom from the tyranny of unrealistic expectations. In preparing our homes, our families and ourselves for Passover, we might need a bit of reassurance that despite the number of Seders we have either led or been a part of, there is always more to learn. It's the wise part of our personality that reminds us that we don't actually need to know everything. It is OK to say: I don't know. And maybe a bit of rebelliousness that says we don't need to. But gnawing away at us might be a bit of guilt that we should have done more, we should have prepared more, cooked more, cleaned more, learned more. There is so much noise in our heads that by the time Passover does arrive we are already exhausted and have had enough. Dayenu! we say, Enough! And the Seder hasn't even begun. Perhaps if we took a simpler approach - not necessarily a bad thing - it would be better for us and our guests. Next year (in Jerusalem) we will know better. For now, perhaps, the best thing might be to let all who are hungry come and eat and enjoy -- with no questions asked at all. Writing about the Four Children, Rabbi Miriam Spitzer shares wonderful insights into this section of our Haggadah and reveals that "...each one of us contains aspects of each child; each one of us is sometimes wise and sometimes wicked, sometimes simple and sometimes silent. We are the four children. As such we ask questions and we provide answers, different answers for different needs....By telling us the story of the four children, each with a distinct question and each with a distinct answer, the Haggadah is telling us to accept each person where they are and to begin from there." This message is one you can teach yourself -- and your children. I encourage you to see the deeper message of this brief section of the Seder. Click here to read her article so you, too, can share in this insightful reading of the Four Children.
Wishing you a Sweet Passover,
Rabbi Joe Forman |
| Second Night Seder | | |
 "In every generation let each one feel as if he or she came forth out of Egypt" (from the Haggadah of Pesach)
Each year the Jewish People throughout the world gather around the Seder table, united in our collective memory of the passage from slavery to freedom. It is my pleasure to invite you and your family to join me for our Or Chadash Congregational Seder on Tuesday April 19, 2011, 5 p.m. - 8 p.m. We will join together in story (Haggadah means "the telling") and song as together we create a meaningful holiday worship experience.
The menu includes tossed salad, gefilte fish, chicken soup with matzah balls, brisket, chicken potato kugel, fresh fruit, dessert, and coffee, tea, juice and wine (BYO).
I am looking forward to sharing this experience with you, your friends, family and neighbors. Please register on line by going to https://orchadash.wufoo.com/forms/or-chadash-congregational-seder/.
DEADLINE TO REGISTER IS APRIL 17.
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REMINDER: Spring Break | | |
Just a reminder there will be no Religious School on the following days during spring break:
Sunday, April 17
Thursday, April 21
Sunday, April 24
We will be having Religious School on Thursday, April 28! |
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Rimonim Dedication Ceremony - April 22
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Please join us on Friday, April 22 for a very special Rimonim Dedication Shabbat Service.
Our new Rimonim (Torah Crowns) were donated in Loving Memory of
Stanley D. Weinstein by
the Albert and Weinstein
Families and Friends.
Rabbi Steinbrink will be joining Rabbi Forman for this special service.
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Shabbat and Holiday
Service Schedule
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April 15: 7:30 PM Shabbat Evening Service
April 16: 10:00 AM Bar Mitzvah of Michael Brodsky
April 22: 7:30 PM Shabbat Evening Service and dedication of our new Rimmonim (Torah Crowns)
April 29: 7:30 PM Shabbat Evening Service Commemorating Yom HaShoah - Holocaust Memorial Day |
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IDF Musical Ensemble In Concert - May 10 | | |
Community-Wide
Yom Ha'atzmaut Celebration
Featuring the
Israeli Defense Force
Musical Ensemble
Tuesday, May 10th, 2011
Enjoy a memorable performance of popular and traditional Israeli songs in celebration of the State of Israel and in support of the soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces.
Doors open with Israeli Celebration at 6:00pm
Concert Will Begin at 7:00pm
Temple Beth-El, Hillsborough
For more information and/or to purchase tickets, please call
Margo of "Friends of the IDF" at:
212-244-3118 x14. |
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Thank you from The Mitchells
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Deborah and Daniel Mitchell would like to express their feelings of strong gratitude to all those who recently reached out to support them in different ways, through a challenging period.
Shelly Weller
Susan Ingram
Andrea Harvey
Andrea Weinberg
Cindy Stoter
Rabbi Forman
A special thanks to Leslie Werstein Hann and the Chesed Community for helping coordinate the efforts.
They thank everyone from the bottom of their hearts, for the thoughtfulness, and time spent, most especially for all those wonderful family meals provided! Deborah said "No one knows quite what it feels like to be the recipient of this type of support until its brought their way. It is quite amazing!" Deborah and Dan's hearts are warmed and they feel blessed to be a part of this community. Dan's spinal surgery was very successful, and he is well on his way to recovery now!
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Thank you to Rabbi Forman from Feed the Need
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Dear Rabbi Joe,
Thank YOU for all that you did to support Feed the Need! It is truly a community event with tremendous global impact. It's been on my heart to just commend you for having the grace and willingness to look beyond religious differences and encourage your faith community to join in this cause. I am truly humbled, inspired and honored to have had the opportunity to serve God with you and your team from Or Chadash. I hope to have the opportunity to continue on this path with you in whatever God puts in our path.
I thought I would also share some important numbers with you. This weekend, 1651 volunteers packed 292,248 meals for Nicaragua and earthquake-ravaged Japan. This will feed 801 children for an entire year, truly saving and transforming their lives.
Thank you again and bless you,
Steve Sargent |
| Kup* O' Joe | | |
Caffeinated Conversations
....with Rabbi Forman. Drop-in for a Kup or two and we think you'll return for a refill. This informal gathering meets on Sunday mornings, from 9:00-10:00AM. No registration required. Sunday:
May 1 - The 11th commandment
Childcare will be provided!
*Kup is Yiddush for Head/Mind
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| Photos Up on the Web! | | |
Photos from 4th Grade Service, Feed the Need and the 8/9/10 Grade Visit to Shir Ami are now up on the web!
Click here to see the photos! |
| Meals on Wheels | | |
If you or someone you know is over 60, homebound or has a disability, Meals on Wheels in Hunterdon can deliver a hot noontime meal Monday through Friday with weekend coverage if needed. Participants are also invited to join Meals on Wheels at one of its Congregate Dining Nutrition Sites around Hunterdon County. Delicious meals delivered and served by warm and caring neighbors - what could be better?
If you or someone you know would benefit from the security and support of home delivered meals or congregate dining, contact Meals on Wheels today. Call (908) 284-0735 for more information. |
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Yarns and Midrash-- Knit, Crochet, Storytelling Circle | | |
Amara Willey and Rabbi Jonathan Gerard invite Or Chadash members (and their friends) who do needlework (or who would like to learn) to join themfor a knitting/crochet circle.
First Tuesday of each month:
May 3
June 7
9:00 - 10:30 AM
CitiSpot in Clinton, NJ
Questions? Call Amara at 908-868-4311. |
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Rabbi Richard Jacobs Nominated as URJ President
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 The URJ has announced the recommendation of Rabbi Richard Jacobs of Westchester Reform Temple to succeed Rabbi Eric H. Yoffie, who will retire in 2012 after 16 years as leader of the Reform Movement. Click here to learn more about Rabbi Jacobs and the process for selecting the new president.
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Hebrew 101 (with a sprinkle of Yiddish)
| | We often hear Hebrew and Yiddish phrases and we are not sure exactly what they mean. We have decided to help demystify some of them. If you have any phrases or terms that you would like help with, please email Rabbi Forman.
Seder - סדר - is a Hebrew word meaning "order" or "sequence". It refers to the order of the prayers recited during the holiday meal. Incidentally, our prayerbook is called a Siddur in hebrew, which also refers to the order of the prayers.  |
| April Newsletter | | |
Click here to see the full April Newsletter email. |
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| President's Message | |
 "Going green" is a term that has been used in my industry for years, as we are material subcontractors to the building industry, which is committed to reforesting and to the use of non toxic building materials. The goal is to also procure as many of these materials as possible locally (within five hundred miles). Having met certain criteria, literally leads to LEEDS certification. LEEDS is an acronym that stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, which is a green building certification system founded in 1998. One can apply for platinum status, which is the most difficult, or for a less ambitious certification. This often comes with incentives for owners. So where am I going with this you ask?
Well, it is Spring if you haven't noticed, and what better time than Spring than to go green. The Union for Reform Judaism and the Religious Action Center have partnered with GreenFaith, an international environmental coalition founded in 1992, that "works with houses of worship, religious schools and people of all faiths to help them become better environmental stewards". GreenFaith "aims to inspire, educate and mobilize people" toward taking on the moral responsibility of tikkun olam.
There are eight New Jersey congregations involved in a pilot program, and I'd like to share this link: http://urj.org/green/programs/greenfaith/. Please take a look and see who they are, and let's form a green team here at Or Chadash. I will be glad to take the lead, and start a green committee. The URJ notes that the foundation of the Jewish relationship with environment stems from Genesis 2:15 which states: "the Lord God took the man and placed him in the Garden of Eden, to till it and tend it". In light of recent global events, there is no better time than the present to repair the world.
Please share your thoughts, and let me know if you will partner with me. I look forward to hearing from you. Our children's children will thank you. Repairing the world never seemed more important than it does right now.
Kol Tuv,
Ross Weinick
President |
| Student Cantor's Message | | |
In response to the many suicides in high school s and colleges due to gay violence in the past few months, Hebrew Union College (HUC) decided to take part in the making of an "It Gets Better" video. The YouTube videos became a very popular and positive way for celebrities, politicians, and large organizations to tell young gay people that although their life is hard now, it will get better. My school decided to partake in this project. Due to more press and higher numbers, often times Orthodox Jewish leaders, teachers, and rabbis are the voice of what Jews around the world believe while a more pluralistic view of Judaism is not heard in the public sphere. Far too often, the extreme Jewish communities belittle and are bigoted against homosexuals in their own communities. Hebrew Union College strongly believes in the universal right to be Jewish no matter what sexual orientation one possesses, and the decision to make this video was largely a result of that belief. The Reform movement wanted young Jews struggling in their "coming out" experience to know that they have a place in the Jewish world!
The video premiered in our school just a few weeks ago, after faculty and students poured hours of work over months into its production. The video is wonderful- not only does it include many themes of hope, personal stories, and a Jewish perspective, the video also tells the story of an evolving HUC community that is constantly striving towards self-improvement.
The gay faculty of HUC told of a time when it was not acceptable to be an openly LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender) student or teacher at HUC. This slowly began to change in the 1990s, during which many of the community members felt more comfortable sharing their sexual orientation. Though it has taken time, the LGBT community is currently welcomed with open arms at HUC, and the school prides itself on that fact.
I, myself, am proud to be a student at a school that does not turn a blind eye to those who are different. I am proud to be learning at a place where people come to reconcile their gay and their Jewish identities, which are so often seen as incompatible in the larger Jewish world. I am proud to be able to share this video with the Or Chadash community, and to be going to school in a time where gay issues are being confronted and solved.
Enjoy! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJckL52r6Qg
Rachel Harrison,
Student Cantor |
| Upcoming Special Events | | |
Sunday, Matzah Making Experience 10:30 AM and 3:00 PM -
Boblink Dairy and Bakehouse
Tuesday, April 19, 5:00 PM - Second Night of Passover Seder
Friday, April 22, 7:30 PM - Rimonim Dedication Service
Friday, May 6, 7:00 PM - Book Reading, Signing and Discussion with Estelle Breines
Friday, May 13, 7:00 PM - Confirmation Service
Sunday, May 15 - Mitzvah Day
Check out the OC Calendar for all upcoming events.
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| Jewish Coalition for Disaster Relief | |
"What is might? When you see people about to fall and rescue them."
- Midrash Tehillim 52:24
In response to the tragic devastation of the earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan on March 11, 2011, the URJ has partnered with a number of North American Jewish organizations to form the Jewish Coalition for Japan Relief.
This Coalition is serving as a coordinating body for its member agencies and sharing information about needs on the ground. Funds collected by the Coalition will be dedicated towards relief and recovery efforts in the affected region. Learn more or donate now.
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| OC Teens Share memories of L'Taken Seminar in D.C. | | |
Erika Lewy:
Walking into the lobby of what would be our home for the next three nights, the atmosphere was clearly buzzed. At the sign-up area, there were several men with kippahs bent over clipboards and the entire population seemed to have name-tags with their names, temples, and states (Betsy would have been in heaven). I went last year, but this feeling swallowed me again: yes, we all had suitcases, disheveled hair, name-tags, nervous chaperones, but we all felt oddly alike. All of the teens around us were Jews. And in Hunterdon Central, that's weird...
Click here to read more of the students perspectives on the L'Taken Seminar.
Bea and Larry Abrams:
We had the privilege of chaperoning 9 of our temple's teens for a weekend in Washington, DC, sponsored by The Religious Action Center (of the Union for Reform Judaism). It was the second time we participated in the program, called L'Taken (meaning to heal or fix). While the program was similar to that of last year, we were still impressed by its timeliness, scope and depth, as well as the professionalism and approachability of the RAC staff. We also were awed by how well the students became involved. Their grasp of subject matter and final presentations would make any rational person proud. Click here to read more of the chaperones perspective on the L'Taken Seminar. |
| Religious Action Center's Consulatation on Conscience | | |
Fifty years ago, the Union for Reform Judaism and the Central Conference of American Rabbis established the Religious Action Center, with the resolution declaring,"Social Action will succeed to the extent that in our synagogues, individually and collectively, we have the understanding and the daring to make Judaism relevant to the great issues of our time." This year, our Center is celebrating its golden anniversary of being the hub of Jewish social justice and legislative activity in Washington, DC.
In every one of the significant policy debates during the last half century, the RAC has been a voice - our voice - of moral conscience, a powerful champion of justice and decency - making Jewish values a reality and significantly impacting the course of history. The eloquence, courage, advocacy, and unflagging support of the rabbinic leaders across North America have been at the heart of the RAC's work and success.
It is with great appreciation that we invite you, and urge you, to attend our Movement's flagship social justice conference, the Consultation on Conscience (May 1-3,2011) and a special 50th Anniversary Gala reception on May 2.
As you know, the RAC's Consultation on Conscience joins together those with a passion for tikkun olam with public policy decision makers and leaders that bring Jewish values to contemporary issues of civil rights, economic and environmental justice, religious persecution, Israel's security and more. During the Consultation, there will be a special Gala reception at the National Press Club paying tribute to Reform Jewry's impressive and inspiring history of activism while celebrating the Center's bright future and the people whose work have made our Movement's successes possible.
Click here to learn more and register to attend. |
| Caregiver Forum - May 5 | | |
Caregiver Forum
A Jewish LIFE Program
Presented by Wilf Campus for Senior Living &
Jewish Family Service of Somerset, Hunterdon and Warren
May 5th, 2011
7:00-9:00 PM
SSBJCC, 775 Talamini Road, Bridgewater
The evening will feature a panel discussion on
"Powerful Tools for Caregivers"
Moderated by Susan Harris, LNHA, CEO of the Wilf Campus
Panel Members:
Mark Chazin, Esq., Eldercare Attorney, Gebhardt & Kiefer, PC
Jeanne Lankin, LCSW, Jewish Family Services of Somerset, Warren and Hunterdon Counties
Kelly Finnegan, MSW, Somerset County Office on Aging
Rabbi Bryan Kinzbrunner, Wilf Campus Chaplain
An informational forum to help caregivers of older adults learn how to:
· Reduce Stress
· Balance Their Lives
· Make Tough Decisions
· Locate Helpful Resources
Please email any questions that you would like covered at the forum to info@wilfcampus.org.
To register contact the SSBJCC at 908-725-6994 |
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Brooklyn Roots: A Tale of Pickles and Egg Cream
Book Reading, Signing and Discussion with our member Estelle Breines - Friday, May 6 at 7:00 PM | | |
 Brooklyn Roots is the story of Estelle Breines' experience growing up in Borough Park, but it will resonate with anyone who grew up there, or for that matter, in any other urban, ethnic neighborhood. She paints word pictures that take you back in time, evoking the scenes, scents and sensibilities of the old neighborhood.
Once stirred, those memories rolled out in bursts, demanding recording. A description of the neighborhood of her youth emerged: her father's pharmacy, shops along the avenue, and the house with its magnificent purple irises peeking above a stone wall as tall as a four year old. A small garment is remembered in detail: a doll's dress made from an old pillowcase, using a needle encrusted by baked on grease from the stuffed chicken necks her grandmother prepared; this the woman who braided the author's hair so tightly as surrogate parent while her parents worked to provide for them all in an era emerging from the Great Depression. There was the school she attended when the war began, and the celebrations at its end, and the places she and her friends explored as they grew. Her recollections of the neighborhood's artifacts appear as she  envisions pickles and egg creams. Each shop along the 13th Avenue of her memory is sustained in its original character, even the corsetiere and milliner of the past, stuck there in time. Click here to learn more about Estelle and her new book! |
| An Invitation to Confirmation | | |
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| 3rd Grade Visit to Rolling Hills Nursing Home | | |
On Sunday, March 27, the 3rd Grade Jewish Studies Class visited the Rolling Hills Nursing home as an act of G'milut Chasadim. This was an excellent opportunity for them to perform the specific act of kibud z'keinim - respect for the elderly. The children brought aloe plants they decorated with them - center-pieces for the dining room tables - and they sang songs for the nursing home residents, and read to them short paragraphs explaining what makes springtime special to them. The children had the opportunity to interact with the residents, and everyone at the nursing home was truly appreciative of the time they spent visiting.
Click here to see more pictures from this special program. |
| Social Action: The Fresh Air Fund | | |
Sign up NOW to make a difference in the life of a child!
The Fresh Air Fund needs your help in summer 2011 to give more inner-city children the opportunity of new experiences and lasting friendships in Hunterdon County! Since 1877, The Fund has provided free summer vacations for more than 1.7 million New York City children. Sign up to become a host today and discover what many families in the area have already learned - a Fresh Air summer is one that makes a difference. On first time visits to host families, Fresh Air children are six to 12 years old and stay for one to two weeks. Fresh Air children and volunteer families often form bonds of friendship that last a lifetime.
For more information, please call Julie Stine at (908) 832-7153 or Jody Berkowitz at (908) 359-0509. You can also reach The Fresh Air Fund at (800) 367-0003 or visit the website at www.freshair.org. |
| JFS Emergency Assistance Fund | | |
"Help all who are hungry, eat;
all who are in distress, celebrate."
From the Passover Haggadah
For those who would like to bring more meaning to their Passover Seder ...
Make a donation to JFS' Emergency Assistance Fund
To help provide food assistance and other essential needs
for those in our community struggling to make ends meet.
For more information contact JFS at 908-725-7799
Admin@JewishFamilySvc.Org or visit our website www.JewishFamilySvc.Org |
| MAZON: The Jewish Response to Hunger | | |
This Passover, as you gather to retell the story of our people's freedom from bondage help re-write the stories of others less fortunate.
Please visit MAZONPassover.org and help those who go hungry every night in communities across America and abroad.
This year, don't just say the blessings, share them. |
| Jewish Federation Business Networking Breakfast | | |
Please Join Us For Our Next
Business Networking Breakfast
Thursday May 12, 2011 - 7:30AM
Sponsored by:
Roberta Smith,
Mortgage Consultant
Co-sponsored by the Shimon & Sara Birnbaum
Jewish Community Center
Registration: $25 in advance, $30 at the door
7:30 AM AT THE FEDERATION OFFICES IN THE JCC
To register for this event, log on to www.jfedshaw.org
The Business Networking Group is Chaired by:
Michael Saul, CIMA, CRPC, Vice President, Financial Advisor, Merrill Lynch, Vice President of the Jewish Federation
And
Michael B. Lehner, CPA/ABV, CFE, ASA, Senior Manager, Litigation and Valuation Services Department,
EisnerAmper LLP
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