Congregation Adas Emuno Adas Emuno News

This Week at Adas Emuno

Wed, 01 Apr 2026 13:00:55 GMT

April 1, 2026

Dear Friends,
Some forty of us will gather here tomorrow evening for a Second Night Seder (5:00PM).

But whether we see you or not, we wish you all a joyful and meaningful Pesach.

Rabbi Max will lead our Shabbat/Pesach Service (7:30 PM) on Friday, as both the cantor and I have family holiday commitments.

Both Torah Study and Religious School are on break this weekend.

Shabbat shalom and Hag Pesach Sameach,
Rabbi Schwartz

For Our Livestream Services:
Go to YouTube, enter "Adas Emuno Streaming", and scroll down to the live service., or follow this link once the service has started:
https://www.youtube.com/channelUCftctPu9pRG4bBQCR6RH4Dg/live.

This Week at Adas Emuno—Shabbat Service Begins Early

Thu, 26 Mar 2026 12:37:35 GMT

March 26, 2026

Dear Friends,
Anticipation has been building for the K-3 Shabbat Family Service (7:00 PM- note earlier time) and it arrives on Friday, in the middle of March madness!
We can't wait for all the music, the presentations, and the class dinner beforehand.

Pesach is fast approaching. At our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM) we will have a special session on the origin and evolution of the most widely observed Jewish holiday, including an important sidebar on the question- Did the Exodus really happen?!

The Tot Pesach Program on Sunday (9:30 AM) and the School Pesach Program (11:00 AM) add to the runup to our festival of freedom.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

For Our Livestream Services:
Go to YouTube, enter "Adas Emuno Streaming", and scroll down to the live service., or follow this link once the service has started:
https://www.youtube.com/channelUCftctPu9pRG4bBQCR6RH4Dg/live.

This Week at Adas Emuno—Travel Club Meeting Sunday Morning!

Thu, 19 Mar 2026 15:59:43 GMT

March 19, 2026

Dear Friends,
As spring arrives, and Pesach nears, we always rather incongruously begin the third and most challenging and archaic book of the Torah- Leviticus.
We'll read from the opening verses, as part of our monthly Torah reading, at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

Shimon Peres, Yitzhak Rabin, and Ariel Sharon were legendary leaders in Israel- we explore their legacies at our Shabbat Morning Torah Study(10:00 AM).

The third meeting of our new Adas Emuno Travel Club takes place on Sunday (10:30 AM), with bagels. Dan Pasky and Matt Levinson will talk about their recent trip- Egypt: What You Expect… and What You Don’t: Camels, Chaos and 5,000 Years of History!

Our Second Night Seder (April 2) is now filled to capacity! If you would like to be put on the waitlist contact Virginia Gitter, vegitter@aol.com.

Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

For Our Livestream Services:
Go to YouTube, enter "Adas Emuno Streaming", and scroll down to the live service., or follow this link once the service has started:
https://www.youtube.com/channelUCftctPu9pRG4bBQCR6RH4Dg/live.

This Week at Adas Emuno--Second Night Seder Registration!

Thu, 12 Mar 2026 16:12:43 GMT

March 12, 2026
Dear Friends,
There have been few times over my four decades as a rabbi that my own views seemed to differ from that of the majority of the congregation... but now is apparently one of them.
I'll explore this further, as regards the war with Iran, at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

The history of Israel we are studying at our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM) is all too relevant to understanding the present. We'll examine the continuing failures of the peace process in the 80's and 90's and their consequences to this day.

Pesach is only a few weeks away, and attending our Second Night Seder (April 2) is sure to enrich your holiday. See the flyer sent last week and contact Virginia Gitter, vegitter@aol.com to register.

Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

For Our Livestream Services:
Go to YouTube, enter "Adas Emuno Streaming", and scroll down to the live service., or follow this link:
https://www.youtube.com/channelUCftctPu9pRG4bBQCR6RH4Dg/live.

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 05 Mar 2026 13:28:29 GMT

March 5, 2026

Dear Friends,
With America and Israel again striking Iran, our prayers are with the people of Israel and the US military.
We will have an open (and off-line) discussion of events following our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).
Our service will be enhanced with the percussion, strumming and vocals of Scott Dennis- which I know will lift our spirits.

The Islamic Revolution in Iran occurred in Feb. of 1979, and the signing of the famous peace treaty between Israel and Egypt took place one month later.
That's where we pick up our history of modern Israel at our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM).

Our Adas Emuno Book Club meets on Monday (7:30 PM) via Zoom and discusses writer Dara Horn's provocative take on antisemitism...certainly a timely topic.

Don't forget to spring forward on Saturday night.

Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

For Our Livestream Services:
Go to YouTube, enter "Adas Emuno Streaming", and scroll down to the live service., or follow this link once the service has started:
https://www.youtube.com/channelUCftctPu9pRG4bBQCR6RH4Dg/live.

This Week at Adas Emuno—Purim !

Thu, 26 Feb 2026 15:09:11 GMT

Feb. 26, 2026

Dear Friends,
It's an all-Purim weekend!

Join our "pop-up Purim choir" at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM) in festive singing and learn some fun-facts about the holiday.

Just who is Mordecai and what is his agenda? At a special Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM) we'll cast a spotlight on this man of mystery.

All ages are welcome to our Purim Celebration on Sunday, with our very spirited Megillah Reading (10:00 AM), that includes plenty of songs and a rabbi-original comedy routine!

Festivities conclude with our Carnival (11:00 AM) for our students- it may be a throwback, low-tech affair, but it is old-fashioned fun!

Shabbat shalom and Hag Purim samech,
Rabbi Schwartz

For Our Livestream Services:
Go to YouTube, enter "Adas Emuno Streaming", and scroll down to the live service., or follow this link once the service has started:
https://www.youtube.com/channelUCftctPu9pRG4bBQCR6RH4Dg/live.

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 19 Feb 2026 13:21:47 GMT

Feb. 19, 2026

Dear Friends,
"If you build it, they will come" might be the motto of this week's Torah portion.
I'll explain as we read from the scroll at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

No sooner did Israel experience one political earthquake in 1977- the election of Menachem Begin, then another happened- the visit of Anwar Sadat.
I was a college student in Jerusalem that year, witnessing history firsthand- which we'll explore at our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM).

Mark you calendars now for the next two Jewish holidays:
Purim Celebration: Sunday, March 1 (10:00 AM).
Pesach Second Night Congregational Seder, Thursday, April 2 (5:00 PM)- details forthcoming.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

For Our Livestream Services:
Go to YouTube, enter "Adas Emuno Streaming", and scroll down to the live service, or follow this link once the service has started:
https://www.youtube.com/channelUCftctPu9pRG4bBQCR6RH4Dg/live.

Ezra, the Therapy Dog

Lance Strate — Wed, 18 Feb 2026 20:14:12 GMT

Ezra the Therapy Dog

(click on the title to access the short story by Barry and Debby Schwartz)

This Week at Adas Emuno—Three Big Events

Thu, 12 Feb 2026 13:34:24 GMT

Feb.12, 2026

Dear Friends,
We welcome you to our Reform Community Scholar-in-Residence Weekend, with Israeli Reform Rabbi Golan Ben-Chorin.
The weekend kicks off here at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:00 PM- note earlier time).
We continue at Temple Sinai with Shabbat Morning Torah Study (9:30 AM), Service (11:00), Lunch (12:30).
We conclude at Temple Emeth with Sunday Morning Bagel Brunch (10:00 AM) and Discussion (11:00 AM)

I know you will find this to be a compelling discussion of Israel- present and future.

Registration is requested for the three events, for planning and security purposes.
Click here: Scholar in Residence 2026 - Form - Temple Sinai of Bergen County

Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

For Our Livestream Services:
Go to YouTube, enter "Adas Emuno Streaming", and scroll down to the live service., or follow this link (which works!):
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCftctPu9pRG4bBQCR6RH4Dg/live

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 05 Feb 2026 13:56:07 GMT

Feb. 5, 2026

Dear Friends,
The week before last the body of Ran Gvili, the last hostage held in Gaza, was returned to Israel...and the nation was overcome with emotion.
Moments like this are difficult for outsiders to fully grasp, but I'll try to explain why, with the help of our Torah portion, at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

How Israel persevered after the trauma of the Yom Kippur War is the subject of our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM).

Don't forget to bring in your cans of soup by Sunday, as we wrap up our Souper Bowl before the Super Bowl.

At our Adas Emuno Film Club on Monday (7:30 PM), we'll discuss two Jewish comedies that most people either love or hate: Bad Shabbos, and Nobody Wants This (Season Two). Tune in with your opinion—the Zoom link is in the Rabbi’s message of Feb. 5.

Our Reform Community Scholar-in-Residence Weekend is next week! Registration is requested for the three events with Israeli Reform rabbi Golan Ben-Chorin (Feb. 13-15) The link to register is in the Rabbi’s message of Feb. 5.

Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno—7pm Start for Shabbat Services on Busy Weekend

Thu, 29 Jan 2026 13:40:15 GMT

Jan. 29, 2026,

Dear Friends,
A big weekend ahead...and hopefully no snow!

This is Shabbat Shira (Sabbath of Song) and our full bimah band will play.
It's also Volunteer Shabbat, and you will be honored in words, music and an extra-special oneg.
All this at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:00 PM- note earlier time).

Luca Malka-Edelsburg will become a bar-mitzvah at our Shabbat Morning Service (10:00 AM).
Mazal tov to Luca and his family!

Our Seder Tu Bishvat will take place on Sunday (11:00 AM).
We celebrate the Birthday of the Trees with special fruits, drinks, songs and stories.
Tasty and fun- see you there!

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 22 Jan 2026 14:06:47 GMT

Jan. 22, 2026

Dear Friends,
One of Israel's great archeologists, Gabriel Barkay, passed away last week.
He was friendly with my in-laws, and we brought him to speak at Adas Emuno years ago.
I'll offer a tribute to him, and tell the dramatic story of his most famous find, at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

Only six years after the Six Day War, Israel found itself in dire straits, as it fought for its life during the Yom Kippur War of 1973.
That is the topic of our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM).

Reminders:
1. Calling all volunteers- next week is Volunteer Shabbat, (7:00 PM) and you will be honored with special words and music. It’s also Shabbat Shirah, and our Bimah Band will play!
2. Calling all tree-lovers: next week is also Tu Bishvat, and our annual Seder Tu Bishvat is on Sunday, Feb. 1 (11:00 AM)- adults and students together!
3. Calling all Israel lovers- our joint scholar-in-residence weekend is fast approaching, with guest Israeli Reform rabbi Golan Ben-Chorin, on Feb. 13-15. Find out more and register here: Scholar in Residence 2026 - Form - Temple Sinai of Bergen County

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno—Tot Shabbat on Friday!

Thu, 15 Jan 2026 13:03:19 GMT

Jan.15, 2026

Dear Friends,
WWMLKJS?
What would Martin Luther King Jr. say... about what is happening in our country right now?
We'll consider this and celebrate his legacy in words and music (our talented percussionist Scott Dennis will join us), at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

It has been said that the Six Day War was both a great blessing, and curse, for Israel. We'll look at the huge implications of that event for Jews everywhere (and to this day) at our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00AM).

Do you know a young family that would like to enjoy a fun-filled Shabbat experience?
Welcome to Adas Emuno Tot Shabbat, which
will be held monthly from 5:30-6:15 in our sanctuary and social hall, led by Cantor Suzy and Kerri Klein. it begins this Friday- spread the word!

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

Tot Shabbat Dates!

Lance Strate — Fri, 09 Jan 2026 21:39:00 GMT

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 08 Jan 2026 13:42:57 GMT

Jan. 8, 2026

Dear Friends,
As we begin the Book of Exodus in the weekly Torah portion, I'll read from the opening lines, at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM). If you want to find the origins of antisemitism, look no further than Pharaoh's words about our ancestors.

Israel's Sinai Campaign of 1956 is often called the forgotten war, but it changed the Middle East, which we'll examine at our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM).

The second meeting of our new Adas Emuno Travel Club takes place on Sunday (10:30 AM with bagels). Esther Gandica will talk about growing up in Salonika in a Sephardic family, and how her parents survived the German occupation by hiding in Athens. The Confirmation Class will join us for this fascinating glimpse into Greek-Jewish life.

And speaking of the exotic Sephardic diaspora, our Adas Emuno Book Club will meet via zoom on Monday (7:30 PM) to discuss The Last Kings of Shanghai, about two fabulously rich Sephardic dynasties, originally from Iraq, that helped build China into the modern economic powerhouse that it is today.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 01 Jan 2026 17:00:43 GMT

Jan. 1, 2026

Dear Friends,
Let me be the first to wish you a happy New Year!

We'll take a look back at the year that was, with my annual "Rabbi's Top Ten Jewish News Stories", at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

Our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM) resumes, as we begin semester two of our year long study of modern Israel. We'll look at challenges faced by the young nation during the 1950's, including the Suez crisis and the ultra-sensitive issue of accepting Holocaust reparations.

Religious school, however, is still on break.

Mark your calendar- next Sunday the 11th (10:30 AM with bagels)- the second meeting of our new Adas Emuno Travel Club- Esther Gandica will talk about growing up in Greece in a Sephardic Jewish family, and how her parents survived the German occupation by hiding in Athens!

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno—EARLY START TO SHABBAT SERVICE

Thu, 25 Dec 2025 14:56:00 GMT

Dec. 25, 2025

Dear Friends,
A quiet weekend to end the year:
Our Shabbat Evening Service (7:00 PM) will be led by the cantor- note the earlier time due to weather concerns.

Both Torah Study and Religious School are on winter break.

With warm wishes for a Happy and Peaceful New Year,

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno—Hanukkah Celebration!

Thu, 18 Dec 2025 13:52:04 GMT

Dec.18, 2025

Dear Friends,
We're coming down the home stretch of Hanukkah!

Our Shabbat Hanukkah Service (7:00 PM) is going to be special- first the lighting of our outdoor menorah, then the lighting of our antique 125-year-old indoor menorah, lots of Hanukkah songs with the debut of our bimah band, and lots of latkes (and dreidels) at the oneg.

Have you ever read the Book of Maccabees? The story of Hanukkah is quite a bit more complicated than you may realize. You're invited to special session of Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM) to learn all about it.

School is in session on Sunday, with a special Hanukkah program, and then the last night lighting is outdoors (7:00 PM). Again thanks to Marshall for being our stalwart each evening of the holiday.

Shabbat shalom and Happy Hanukkah,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week ar Adas Emuno—Warming Up for Hanukkah!

Thu, 11 Dec 2025 13:05:28 GMT

Dec. 11, 2025

Dear Friends,
Get ready for Hanukkah!
At our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM) we will take a Hanukkah quiz to make sure we are ready for the holiday.

Our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM) will examine the Jewish identity of the new Jewish state, including how they viewed the Maccabees.

The holiday itself begins on Sunday evening, and we thank our president Marshall Jacobowitz for presiding over the kindling of our Outdoor Menorah each night at 7:00 PM (sharp!).

Note that next Shabbat, the 19th, is our big Shabbat Hanukkah service and celebration, with our new bimah band, the lighting of our 125 year old menorah, and festive oneg.

Shabbat shalom and Happy Hanukkah,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 04 Dec 2025 16:13:07 GMT

Dec. 4, 2025

Dear Friends,
At this time of the Torah year we're deeply immersed in the epic story of Jacob.
His love affair with Rachel is nonetheless filled with hardship and tragedy, which we'll learn about in our monthly Torah reading at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

From its birth, modern Israel has wrestled with a somewhat unexpected question with wide implications- just who is a Jew?
We'll take an in-depth look at this issue at our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM).

Come visit our annual Mitzvah Mall on Sunday (11:00 AM) with our students, as several charitable organizations are represented. There will be a surprise visit by a newly certified therapy dog in his first on-the-job role! Receive a beautiful donation card which makes for a nice Hanukkah gift.

The Adas Emuno Film Club meets via zoom on Monday (7:30 PM) when we discuss the now classic 1947 film Gentleman's Agreement, the first to take on antisemitism in America.

As it does each year, the Jewish Home at Rockleigh is distributing a free Hanukkah meal for seniors-call 201- 784-1414 now to reserve it.
Besides our daily outdoor Hanukkah lighting, our big celebration of the holiday will take place on Shabbat Hanukkah on the 19th, with the debut of our bimah band (7:00 PM).

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno—A Busy Week Ahead!

Thu, 20 Nov 2025 13:10:52 GMT

Nov. 20, 2025

Dear Friends,
I know you will be very impressed when Grades 4-7 creatively combine to lead our Shabbat Evening Family Service (7:00 PM- note earlier time). A pot-luck Shabbat dinner for these grades will be held beforehand.

The first elections and legislation after Israel declared independence in 1948 had a profound impact on the new Jewish state, as did the ingathering of Jews from around the world. That is the subject of our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM).

Our new Adas Emuno Travel Club will have its inaugural presentation this Sunday (10:30 AM). Peter Buxbaum (our vice-president, who also gave a wonderful High Holiday appeal) will speak of his multiple trips to Poland to explore his family's roots. Plenty of history and bagels to be served in the social hall!

The annual Leonia Interfaith Thanksgiving Service takes place on Tuesday, Nov. 25 (7:00 PM) at All Saints Episcopal Church (150 Park Ave). I will be giving the sermon this year and Cantor Suzy will participate. This is the really the only time during the year that we join with our fellow Leonians, and we appreciate your support.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 13 Nov 2025 17:11:38 GMT

Nov. 13, 2025

Dear Friends,
This week's portion emphasizes the Jewish commandment of burial, when Abraham takes great pains to secure a plot for Sarah- the story I will read from the Torah scroll itself, at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

Do you know what happened the day after Israel declared independence in 1948? We will look at Israel's heroic effort to stay alive just after being born, at our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM).

Our Thanksgiving Food Drive is more important than ever this year. Please bring your bags to the school porch by this coming Tuesday.

Mark your calendar:
Our new Adas Emuno Travel Club will have its inaugural presentation on Sunday, Nov. 23 (10:30 AM), when Peter Buxbaum will speak of his recent trip to Poland to explore his family's roots. Bagels to be served.

Leonia Interfaith Thanksgiving Service, Tuesday, Nov. 25 (7:00 PM) at All Saints Episcopal Church (150 Park Ave). I will be giving the sermon this year and Cantor Suzy will participate.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 06 Nov 2025 13:41:44 GMT

Nov. 6, 2025

Dear Friends,
The elections are over, and we won't be seeing those endless candidate ads. But the discussion of its implications is far from over. I'll offer a reflection as it affects the American Jewish community, at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

The Reform movement is preparing to publish a new Torah commentary, and this Shabbat is piloting a sample chapter in many congregations, including are own. This will take place at our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM), and your feedback will be conveyed to the editors.

Our Adas Emuno Book Club meets via zoom on Monday (7:30 PM) to discuss the acclaimed historical novel, "An Officer and a Spy". Given that it is about the notorious Dreyfus affair, which revealed widespread antisemitism in French society, it is all too relevant.

We're screening a classic movie, The Sound of Music, after school next Sunday the 16th at 12:15 (after learning that many of our young families have never seen it). A free lunch is included; please RSVP by Wednesday to adasschool@gmail.com. This past summer I visited sites associated with the musical in Salzburg, and saw a delightful marionette production which reminded me of how good the music really is.

On this Veterans Day weekend, we remember with gratitude those who served and those who continue to protect our country.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno—Reading from the Torah

Thu, 30 Oct 2025 13:03:48 GMT

Oct. 30, 2025

Dear Friends,
At our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM) we will celebrate Halloween.
No, just kidding!
As we do monthly, we'll read from the Torah... interestingly, about the other woman and the other son in Abraham's life.

At our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM) we reach the moment we have all been waiting for- Israel's Declaration of Independence.

Don't forget to set your clocks back an hour on Saturday night.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 23 Oct 2025 12:33:48 GMT

Oct. 23, 2025

Dear Friends,
The annual reading of Noah reminds us about the astounding bio-diversity of our planet.
Amidst all the bad news, I'd like to share a bit of good news about one magnificent but critically endangered species, at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).
Rabbi Max will sub for Cantor Suzy, and offer special songs of creation.

How did the Holocaust and the United Nations Partition Plan indelibly influence the creation of modern Israel? We look at this hinge of history at our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM).

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno and the Rabbi’s High Holy Days Sermons

Thu, 16 Oct 2025 13:00:28 GMT

Oct. 16, 2025

Dear Friends,
We rejoice that the hostages have finally, finally returned home!
At our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM) we will celebrate and reflect on the meaning of this moment.

Happiness and heartbreak are also the subject of our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM), when this week we look at the tumultuous decade prior to Israel's founding.

On Sunday you are welcome to our first ever Birkat Be'reshith- Blessing of the Animals! (11:30-12:00). This is going to be a ton of fun, with treats for everyone. Come with your pet, your stuffed animal, or just yourself. Among the special guests: Ezra, our newly rescued golden Pyrenees- a gentle giant on his way to becoming a certified therapy dog.

Our bi-monthly Adas Emuno Film Club meets via zoom on Monday (7:30 PM), and whether or not you watched "Three Identical Strangers", the true story of separated then reunited triplets should lead to a fascinating discussion.

The holidays may be over, but if you scroll down, you can find my sermons, now posted thanks to Lance. Feel free to share them.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

Antisemitism Anew (Rosh Hashanah 5786)

https://adasemuno.org/page-18091/13551662

Liberal Zionism (Kol Nidre 5786)

https://adasemuno.org/page-18091/13551666

America at 250:Facing Our History (Yom Kippur 5786)

https://adasemuno.org/page-18091/13551667

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S SERMON FOR YOM KIPPUR 5786

Lance Strate — Sun, 12 Oct 2025 20:46:50 GMT

AMERICA AT 250: FACING OUR HISTORY

Yom Kippur, 5786

Rabbi Barry L. Schwartz

Later this year our country will celebrate its 250th birthday. There was so much hoopla when we celebrated our bicentennial … There doesn’t seem to be as much hoopla, very little in fact, as we approach our 250th. Are we in the mood to celebrate? If not, why not?

Before we explore what I think is an important question, a humorous aside: what do you call a 250th birthday? I remember when Lance Strate introduced us to the word sesquicentennial when we celebrated our 150th. Few people could pronounce it or remember it. Well, for a 250th AI told me that we have several choices: semiquincentennial, which my Word spell check insists is not a valid word. Or sestercentennial, which my Word check insists is also wrong, but offers no alternative suggestion. The same with bisesquicentennial, which Wikipedia lists as a third option. We could also go with quarter millennium, which was accepted, only as two words. Let’s just stick with 250th.

There is so much to think about and say about America at its 250th. On a subject so vast I can only offer now, on this Yom Kippur morning, a single reflection. It is only one of the great challenges to our country at this moment. Yet I think it is fundamental to who we are and how we act as Americans in general, and as Jewish Americans in particular. It’s about facing our history. Facing our history because the truth matters. Facing our history lest we are doomed to repeat it. And facing our history in order to face ourselves.

On Jan. 25, just after assuming office, the president of the United States fired the first salvo. He issued an executive order “Ending Radical DEI Programs”. He labelled the teaching of diversity-equality- inclusion as un-American, because it often points out the dark side of American history.

On March 27 the President followed up with another executive order entitled “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History”. He wrote: “Over the past decade, Americans have witnessed a concerted and widespread effort to rewrite our Nation’s history, replacing objective facts with a distorted narrative driven by ideology rather than truth. This revisionist movement seeks to undermine the remarkable achievements of the United States by casting its founding principles and historical milestones in a negative light. Under this historical revision, our Nation’s unparalleled legacy of advancing liberty, individual rights, and human happiness is reconstructed as inherently racist, sexist, oppressive, or otherwise irredeemably flawed.”

To be sure, there are writers and teachers that present unbalanced or incomplete perspectives. Those need to be called out and corrected. The president is right about that. But he goes too far; way too far, in negating all DEI and what we call “hard history”.

You do not throw out the baby with the bath water. We have come so far in this country to face the inconvenient truths of our history that were negated or suppressed until now. To turn back the clock on such hard won and vital perspectives is a disservice to ourselves and our children. We, and they, deserve to know the truth, whole and unvarnished.

Tell me: How can we teach about America without referencing her original sin of slavery? Without telling the story of how we wreaked havoc upon Native Americans? Without narrating the hundred years of segregation and discrimination of the Jim Crow south from the end of the civil war to the civil rights era? Without chronicling the inherited misogyny that denied women the vote and basic equality? Without revealing the xenophobia that led to wave after wave of anti-immigrant agitation and legislation? Without memorializing the homophobia that closeted generations? Indeed, without confronting antisemitism from the nation’s founding to today?

We might prefer to look away, but this too is America. An imperfect union, yet aspiring to wrestle with our past for the sake of our future.

A few years ago I did a marathon read of The 1619 Project—the epic study of slavery in America from its beginning in Jamestown colony to abolition. I thought I was reasonably well-versed in American history, but I was floored. At the scope of American slavery and its institutionalization into the very fabric of this nation. At its enduring legacy, to this day. Yes, there were some claims that needed revision, and were revised. But The 1619 Project was attacked from top to bottom. It was trashed by the president during his first term, and a counter narrative, The 1776 Project, was written to debunk and replace it.

Immersing myself in the 600-page tome was memorable. I was stopped in my tracks even before getting to page 1. The dedication page reads, simply, “To the more than thirty million descendants of American slavery”. Just think about that.

And the next page: a short poem by Langston Hughes:

I am the American heartbreak‒

The rock on which Freedom

stubbed its toe‒

The great mistake

That Jamestown made

Long ago

Two other excerpts. Historian Hasan Kwame Jeffries, brother, incidentally, to House minority leader Hakeem Jeffries, writes powerfully that when we neglect hard history “we are committing educational malpractice”. That’s haunting. Do we want to fail our children in this fundamental way?

Jeffries continues, “Although we teach [students] that slavery happened… we minimize slavery’s significance so much that we render its impact—on people and on the nation—inconsequential. This is profoundly troubling because it leaves Americans ill-equipped to understand racial inequality today, and that in turn leads to intolerance….”

And the lead author of The 1619 Project, Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones, argues, “Our myths have not served us well. We are the most unequal of the Western democracies. We incarcerate our citizens at the highest rates. We suffer the greatest income inequality… If we are a truly great nation, the truth cannot destroy us. On the contrary, facing the truth liberates us to build the society we wish to be.”

She concludes, “We cannot change the hypocrisy upon which we were founded… We cannot make up for all of the lives lost and dream snatched, for all the suffering endured. But we can atone for it. We can acknowledge the crime. And we can do something to try to set things right, to ease the hardship and hurt of so many of our fellow Americans… Citizens inherit not just the glory of their nation but its wrongs too. A truly great country does not ignore or excuse its sins. It confronts them, and then works to make them right… If we are to be redeemed we must… finally, live up to the magnificent ideals upon which we were founded.”

What a lesson for Yom Kippur! Facing the part of us we’d rather forget. Owning up to our sins and to our shortcomings. Doesn’t our tradition insist that when we hide the truth or distort the truth we sin anew? If we can’t talk about the pernicious role of racism and bigotry in our country, we as American Jews become more vulnerable. And we’re vulnerable enough.

Every member of a minority in our great melting pot of a country becomes more vulnerable. And they’re vulnerable enough.

It is in our history, in our DNA to side with the vulnerable and the marginal and the forgotten and the oppressed. “Love the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt” is the most repeated trope in the Torah. I call it the great lesson of historical empathy.

The Torah never lets us forget where we came from, our most humble of origins.

And the Torah never shies away from the dark side of our ancestors’ history.

The Torah believes in Jewish exceptionalism”—after all, we are called the chosen people. But the Torah is relentless in exposing every time we fail to live up to our calling, every time we fail to live up to the commandments. That’s part of what makes the Torah so compelling and so relevant.

Shouldn’t we demand no less from our American history?

As our Reform movement stated back in February in response to the president’s executive order: “Telling the full story of our people has been essential to Jewish life; Americans of all backgrounds, ethnicities, religions, and identities deserve the same.”

I am always struck by a contemporary reflection in our Shabbat siddur that we often read before our ancient prayer of thanks for our freedom—the mi chamocha. It is by Michael Walzer, a professor emeritus at Princeton:

Standing on the parted shores of history, we still believe what we were taught before ever we stood at Sinai’s foot: that wherever we go, it is eternally Egypt; that there is a better place, a promised land; that the winding way to that promise passes through the wilderness; that there is no way to get from here to there except by joining hands, marching together.

The winding way to the promise of America has passed through a wilderness of peaks and valleys, triumph and trial, exhilaration and desperation.

It is our story, and it must be told to the fullest.

It is our story and we must own up to all of it.

Then, in those famous words “we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, Black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing… Free at last. Free at last. Thank God almighty, we are free at last.”

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S SERMON FOR KOL NIDRE 5786

Lance Strate — Sun, 12 Oct 2025 20:30:12 GMT

LIBERAL ZIONISM

Kol Nidre, 5786

Rabbi Barry L. Schwartz

Here I am talking about Israel once again.

One year ago, at this same Yom Kippur service, I spoke about “Reform Jews and Israel: Addressing the Generation Gap”. I expressed alarm that support for Israel among young adults in general, and young Jews is particular, was seriously waning. It’s more than worrisome that barely more than a majority approve of America’s support of Israel.

Well, what a year it has been, with Israel’s war against Iran, war against Hezbollah, and war against Hamas. As brilliant as the first two campaigns have been militarily, the Gaza war has ground on and on, and none of the three have succeeded politically, at least when it comes to support of Israel in the wider world, and especially among the political party many of us identify with.

Allow me to share some new and grim findings. In 2013, according to Gallup, Democrats sympathized with Israel over the Palestinians by a margin of 36 percentage points. Those numbers have now flipped… This past February, Gallup found that Democrats sympathize with Palestinians over Israel by a margin of 38 percentage points. According to another survey that month by The Economist, 46 percent of Democrats want the United States to reduce military aid to the Jewish state. Only 6 percent want to increase it, and 24 percent want it to remain at the level it is.

These opinions aren’t restricted to young progressives. Older Democrats’ views have swung even more sharply than young ones in the last three years. Between 2022 and 2025, according to the Pew Research Center, the percentage of Democrats age 50 and over with an unfavorable view of the Jewish state jumped 23 percentage points. This shift has largely erased the party’s generation gap on the subject. Only one in three Democrats now views Israel favorably, according to Gallup. (Beinart, NYT 7-6-25).

“Houston, we have a problem.” A big one. Support for Israel in the party that has traditionally been home to 75% of the American Jewish community is in free fall. This in the wake of Oct. 7, only two years ago. What’s going on, and what are we going to do about it?

Let me be honest with you—this issue is on my mind because I see once moderate liberal family members and friends and congregants abandoning the center to the right and to the left. And when the center does not hold… well we have seen what happens both in this country and in Israel.

Last year, with regard to young people falling away from support of Israel, I admitted, “I don’t know if we can bridge the gap, but we must try. There are many variables, and the problems seem intractable. But solidarity, education and empathy might go a long way.

Empathy means not just talking, but listening. Hearing the concerns of our young people. Acknowledging what is on their minds. Validating their struggles. Empathy means honestly admitting to the challenges Israel faces internally and externally.

Empathy means openly discussing the plight of the Palestinians, and the humanitarian disaster that is Gaza. And I concluded my message about our young people:

Show your kids where you stand on Israel. Show it with passion.

Give them every teaching opportunity you can, and get them to Israel.

Listen to them and empathize with their concerns.

Tell them that you love them, and you love Israel.

Tell them that this love is unconditional, but it is not uncritical.

Tell them that disappointments and disagreements test families, but should not break families.

Remind them that you care so much because they are the next generation of your family, and the next generation of the Jewish people.

All well and good. What I call the SEE strategy. Solidarity. Education. Empathy. But I think we need to go one step forward, deeper, with all ages. Two steps actually. First, we need to truly educate ourselves and others about Israel’s history, from its founding and forward. About Israel’s existential threats, yes, but also about its dilemmas, its debates, its democracy. That is why the overall theme of my educational efforts this year is entitled “Loving Israel; Debating Israel”.

To that end I have decided to devote this entire year of Torah study to: A History of Modern Israel. We just got started. You are welcome to any or all of our sessions. Every Shabbat morning from 10:00-11:15 AM in the social hall. I guarantee you will learn a lot, that the discussion will be lively, and that you will better understand the headlines of today with your knowledge of yesterday. Israel is the great story of modern Jewish history; we are so privileged to witness it. Shouldn’t we know it better than we do? And shouldn’t we be better informed before arriving at our opinions?

We will also devote the year in Confirmation Class to Israel. As some of you know, I am passionate about debate. It started when I was in high school myself, and joined the debate team in a school district with a nationally renowned program. It led to one of my books, Judaism’s Great Debates. It’s the signature characteristic of Confirmation Class. So the theme for the year will be Israel’s Great Debates.

To be an effective debater one must have a deep understanding of both sides of an issue. One must be able to articulate and defend one view, and dissect and rebut another. One must listen and learn. Studying Israel’s debates is to engage in the animating ideas of the Jewish state—an intellectual history of the country. I can think of no better preparation for understanding the dilemmas of today. And respectful debate also conveys that Adas Emuno is a congregation that welcomes dissent and diversity, a place that practices what is preaches.

Better educated, we need to better articulate what it means to be a Reform Zionist. A proud one. A sensible and sensitive one. To this end, Rabbi Joshua Weinberg, head of ARZA, the Association of Reform Zionists of America, and a vice-president of the Union for Reform Judaism, recently wrote an essay that identifies five key elements of a Reform Zionism, which I have adapted as follows:

1. We love and care for Israel deeply, and we see our connection to Israel as a central aspect of our Jewish identity.

2. While we respect the democratically elected government of Israel, we decry the inclusion of ultra-Nationalist and ultra-Orthodox parties who wield disproportional power.

3. We must uphold democracy, equality, and responsible free speech wherever and whenever is necessary.

4. We vehemently condemn Hamas and all terrorism. The horrific events of October 7 cannot be understood in any way other than as an attempt to kill Jews and destroy the Jewish State. There should be no question that the State of Israel has a right to defend itself and to fight back against and punish those who seek its destruction.

5. We are, at the same time, deeply concerned about every person held hostage and the high civilian casualty rate in Gaza: the thousands of children killed; the severe humanitarian disaster; and the vast destruction.

What do these key points add up to?

Ahavat Yisrael—love for Israel. Unconditional but not uncritical. Have we forgotten what Israel means to the Jewish people? Have we forgotten that we don’t walk away from those we love. If a loved one has gone astray we fight to bring them back.

Haganat Yisrael—the defense of Israel. Why do we have to repeat and repeat that every nation in the world has the right to self-defense, and to do what it needs to do to defeat an enemy sworn to its destruction. Have we forgotten that lesson of history? There are still those among us who well remember the sacrifice. From the ashes Israel said, “never again”. And from the ashes she vowed, “Jewish blood is not cheap”.

K’lal Yisrael—the unity of Israel. Yes, we will differ on issues big and small alike. Yes, we will need to call out extremism that is beyond the pale. But we are on the same team—team Am Yisrael—and what unites the Jewish people is greater than what divides us.

And finally, Torat Yisrael—the ethics of Israel. The teachings of Torah; the accumulated wisdom of Judaism—that is the soul of our being. To do justly, to love mercy, to walk humbly. The path to a peaceable kingdom lies shrouded now in darkness; it must be illuminated.

On Rosh Hashanah I spoke about the need to do our part in combatting antisemitism.

Now on this Yom Kippur my plea is for us to do our part in combatting antizionism. And the best way to do that is to show our love for Israel and to educate ourselves and others about Israel. And yes, when necessary, to carefully and constructively criticize Israel.

This is the fine line we walk with any family member, and for me at least, to be a Jew is to say that Israel is part of our family.

On this holy day, may we grow in Ahavat Yisrael.

May we never falter in Haganat Yisrael.

May we ever appreciate K’lal Yisrael.

May we walk toward the light of Torat Yisrael.

Am Yisrael chai.

Shanah Tovah.

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S SERMON FOR ROSH HASHANAH 5786

Lance Strate — Sun, 12 Oct 2025 20:05:45 GMT

ANTISEMITISM ANEW

Rosh Hashanah Morning, 5786

Rabbi Barry L. Schwartz

On April 13 this past spring, the first night of Passover, after Governor Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania and his family had gone to sleep, the ground floor of his residence was firebombed. A few hours earlier everyone had assembled there for the seder, which included the words of the Haggadah, b’kol dor vador omdim aleninu l’kaloteinu—in every generation they rise up to smite us. The governor and his family were not harmed, though the room suffered extensive damage.

It was the first of three high profile antisemitic acts that took place in our country in a short stretch. Just over a month later, on the evening of Wednesday, May 21, 2025, two young Israeli embassy staffers, engaged to be married, Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim, were fatally shot by a Michigan man shouting “free Palestine”. Ten days later, on June 1, a man shouting the same words, attacked a rally in Boulder, Colorado with a flame-thrower, burning seven people. One of them, Karen Diamond, later died of her wounds.

Then, three weeks later, on June 24th, a freely democratic and peaceful event took place, right across the river. A far-left candidate for New York City mayor won the primary. To say it was a surprise victory is an understatement. But it came with another surprise. In the city with the biggest Jewish population in the world, the winner came with a record of relentless criticism of Israel, refusal to affirm that Israel has the right to exist as a Jewish state, and refusal to disavow the slogan “globalize the intifada”. Zohran Mamdani is now poised to become the next mayor of NYC.

Antisemitism in America is as old as our country—even older than our founding. In fact it arrived with the first group of Jews who came to our shores in 1654. Good old Peter Stuyvesant did not want them to stay. The bedraggled group of 24 Jews appealed to the directors of the Dutch West India company of Amsterdam, who ordered Stuyvesant to accept them in New Amsterdam.

In Torah study this past year we spent the entire year learning about American Jewish history and the struggle of our forebears to overcome antisemitism at every turn. It was eye-opening both in terms of the trials and the triumphs. And it was challenging because every week the headlines were full of incidents that just reinforced that the struggle is not over. Far from it.

In the wake of the shooting and the two fire bombings more than a few in the liberal media claimed that these heinous acts should be understood as political protest rather than antisemitism. This too is profoundly disturbing. In all three cases, Jews were targeted… because they were Jews.

“We shouldn’t try to split hairs here: If someone shouts “Free Palestine!” and targets Jews in America for supporting Israel, the only Jewish state in the world, at a nonpolitical event, it is textbook antisemitism,” writes Jonathan A. Greenblatt, national director of the Anti-Defamation League.

“To frame these attacks as ambiguous, or somehow understandable expressions of rage over Gaza, blurs a dangerous line,” notes Robert Russell. “It rests on the same logic that has historically fueled antisemitism: the erasure of the boundary between Jewish identity and the actions of the Israeli state, and the belief that Jews—anywhere—are legitimate targets of protest. Such framing not only endangers Jewish communities but also undermines legitimate Palestinian advocacy by associating it with violence against civilians. One can—and must—oppose injustice in Gaza without excusing or minimizing attacks on Jews. Violence against Jews, wherever it occurs, must be named clearly. These acts were not just political. They were antisemitic.” (New York Times, 6-28-25)

I repeat a distinction I have made multiple times since the nightmare of Oct. 7th. If you deny Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state you are more than antizionist. If you deny Israel’s right to defend itself you are more than antizionist. If you fail to call out the evil of terrorists bent on destroying Israel you are more than antizionist. You are antisemitic.

Mr. Mamdani, with all due respect, fails on all three accounts. When given the chance to affirm Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish State he demurred. After Oct. 7 he railed against Israeli colonialism without denouncing Hamas. Before and after, he supported the BDS movement that has no place for Israel as we know it. He has refused to truly disassociate himself from the “globalize the intifada”—knowing that the first, second and third intifadas launched scores of terrorist attacks that have killed 1400 Israelis, not including the 1200 who were murdered on Oct. 7. I don’t vote in New York, and of course, I do not endorse candidates from the pulpit (though the IRS recently changed its ruling on that). But I will always comment on ethical concerns.

That includes Israeli political figures and Israeli government actions as well. You have heard me challenge them and criticize them over the years, and there has always been room for debate in this congregation. But there are limits.

Our long and challenging history has taught us two things about antisemitism. First, it needs to be called out. That is why I’m speaking about this subject again, now, on Rosh Hashanah. And second, we cannot fight this fight alone. We need allies, and always have. People of good faith. The brave souls of our people who speak up make a difference, and the brave souls of our friends who support us make a difference.

So allow me to utilize the balance of my time in a positive vein; sharing three remarkable instances of “Saying No to Hate—Overcoming Antisemitism in America”. That was actually the name of the textbook we used this past year in Torah study. I am sure my Torah study students would agree that we found these stories inspirational.

Those first Jews in America that took on Peter Stuyvesant—they were led by a brave man named Asser Levy. In that first year of 1654 he rallied support from other colonialists. He led the successful appeal to the Dutch West India Company. Then he took on Stuyvesant a second time the next year, when the Jews were told they could not serve in the militia, but would have to pay a special tax instead. And then Levy took on Stuyvesant a third time in 1657, when the governor refused to grant burgher status to Jews, with their attendant trading rights. You might not know his name, but a park, a recreation center, and an elementary school are named after him. Thank you Asser Levy.

The most notorious antisemitic incident of the 19th century took place during the Civil War. It involved General Grant, who would later become president. He issued General Order No. 11 on Dec. 28, 1862 expelling all Jews from parts of the south. It began, “The Jews, as a class, violating every regulation established by the Treasury Department… are hereby expelled…within twenty-four hours.” Cesar Kaskel, a Jewish businessman from Paducah, Kentucky swung into action. With fellow Jewish shop owners he sent an emergency telegram to President Abraham Lincoln the very next day. He pointed out that the undersigned were “good and loyal citizens”. He objected that the Jews were being singled out as a class. He concluded, “We respectfully ask your immediate attention to this enormous outrage on all law and humanity and pray for your effectual and immediate interposition.”

Kaskel then made the long trip to Washington, and with the help of his congressman John Addison Gurley, met with Lincoln on the evening of Jan. 3 immediately upon his arrival, still in his dusty travel clothes. He bore messages from Jewish congregations and organizations around the country. President Lincoln rescinded the order on the spot. He said, “To condemn a class is, to say the least, to wrong the good with the bad.” Thank you, Cesar Kaskel… and Abraham Lincoln!

And finally, just over a hundred years ago, a wildly wealthy and well-known American purchased a failing local Michigan newspaper and used it to launch unrelenting attacks on American Jewish patriotism and character. His name was Henry Ford. His newspaper: the Dearborn Independent, which he required every Ford dealer in the country to distribute. Attempts by the Anti-Defamation League and others to stop Ford failed. Then in April of 1924 Ford attacked a Jewish lawyer named Aaron Sapiro for his work organizing California farm workers. He alleged that Sapiro was a Communist agent, and that he and a cabal of Jewish bankers were plotting to take over the entire agricultural sector.

Sapiro fought back. He demanded a retraction, and when that was not forthcoming, he brought a libel suit against Ford in the amount of $1 million dollars (over $18 million today). Fighting motion after motion to dismiss and delay, the trial finally began nearly three years later, and Sapiro held firm under withering cross examination. When Sapiro’s team subpoenaed Ford, the tycoon caved. The public embarrassment was too much for Ford. And besides, he had a new model T coming out. Ford retracted his claims. He reached an out of court settlement with his dogged challenger. He issued a written apology reprinted in newspapers around the country. He shut down his newspaper. Thank you Aaron Sapiro.

I conclude with this: After the firebombing of his home, Governor Josh Shapiro visited the Harrisburg Fire Department to thank them for their efforts. A chaplain handed him a letter signed by every member of his department. On the back of the letter the chaplain hand wrote a prayer for the governor and his family. They were the words of what we call the Birkat Shalom, the blessing of peace, from the book of Numbers; the ancient words of Aaron, brother of Moses, over the Israelites. Governor Shapiro wrote, “I cried when I read this. Because… it happens to be the same prayer that Lori and I have recited to each of our children every night in Hebrew before they go to bed for more than two decades.”

The Governor continued: “Moments like that have given us strength over the past week. The prayers, blessings and messages of support we’ve received have lifted us up and shown us the way forward in the wake of a traumatic event.”

“Those moments have served as yet another reminder of our common humanity. A recognition that there is far more that binds us together than divides us—no matter what those who stoke that division would have us believe.”

“I believe our political divide can be repaired. But our leaders must act with moral clarity and take their cues from the good people of this nation, who in times of tragedy always seem to find our better angels.” (NYT 4-23-25)

Asser Levy, Cesar Kaskel, Aaron Sapiro, and Josh Shapiro had the courage of their convictions to speak truth to power, to call out the antisemitism of their day; to rally others to their cause. These past two years since Oct. 7 have been like a slow-motion nightmare as an age-old curse has raised its hoary head yet again. May we too have the courage of our convictions to raise our voice like a shofar.

And may we all find those better angels.

This Week at Adas Emuno—Sukkot and Simchat Torah

Thu, 09 Oct 2025 12:15:54 GMT

Oct. 9, 2025

Dear Friends,
This weekend is a big close to the holiday season.
Our Shabbat/Sukkot Evening Service (6:00 PM) will take place on the patio, next to the Sukkah, featuring fine folk music.
It's preceded by Pizza-in-the Hut (5:00 PM) al Fresca.

And then on Sunday morning we cap things off with our SImchat Torah Family Celebration (11:00 AM), also on the patio, weather permitting.
We'll read from the end and the beginning of the Torah, and call up everyone for an aliyah by birthday month.
The kiddush/lunch afterwards will be worth staying for.

In between, our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM), blending history and current events, as we pray for the peace deal that will end the war in Gaza and bring home the hostages.

A big, big thank you to everyone who participated in all our holiday celebrations, and behind the scenes, from Torah and Haftarah readers, to ushers, to Sukkah builders, and more.

Finally, are you ready for our first ever Blessing of the Animals next Sunday the 19th (11:30 AM)?
Please RSVP to Annette (adasschool@gmail.com) by Wednesday and include what kind of pet.
And, yes, stuffed animals are also welcome!

Shabbat Shalom and Hag Sameach,
Rabbi Schwartz

Please note that our outdoor services are not livestreamed.

This Week at Adas Emuno—A Big Week!

Wed, 01 Oct 2025 15:14:30 GMT

Oct. 1, 2025

Dear Friends,
As Yom Kippur begins this evening, this weekly message is being sent a day early.
A unique feature of the Yom Kippur Evening Service (7:30 PM) is the cello and cantorial rendition of Kol Nidrei- always so moving.
Tomorrow: Yom Kippur Morning Service (10:00 AM), Children's Service (2:00 PM), Afternoon-Yizkor-Neilah (4:30 PM) makes for a long but rewarding day, and will be followed by the return of our Break-the-Fast (6:30 PM).

No rest for the weary- it’s on to Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM), where we take note, so sadly, of the upcoming second anniversary of Oct. 7, and more happily, of the approach of Sukkot.

Back to our history discussion, our topic at our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM) is the huge effect of WWI on pre-state Israel- the effects are felt to this day.

On Sunday a dedicated crew will help Build our Sukkah (10:00 AM). You are welcome to lend a hand or contribute decorations or mums. The Sukkah will be open 24/7 for your use!

Our big gathering will be next Friday the 10th for Pizza-in-the-Hut (5:00 PM) and Sukkot Patio Service (6:00 PM).

And finally, mark your calendar for our Simchat Torah Celebration on Sunday morning the 12th (11:00 AM ), also outdoors, weather permitting.

Shabbat shalom- Shanah tovah- Hag sameach,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 25 Sep 2025 12:15:05 GMT

Sept. 25, 2025

Dear Friends,
We are in the midst of aseret y'mei teshuva, the "ten days of repentance", between the New Year and the Day of Atonement.
This Sabbath is called Shabbat Shuvah, the "Sabbath of Return".
At our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM) we will highlight the special words and melodies associated with this sabbath.

Appropriate to the spirit of soul-searching at this season, we will examine a provocative question at our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM)- how the crisis in the Middle East has affected our very understanding of our own Judaism.

A reminder ahead of Yom Kippur that books are available for those who watch the livestream from home in the blue bin on the school porch, which is also where you can drop off your bag of non-perishable food.

Shabbat shalom and shanah tovah,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 18 Sep 2025 12:19:29 GMT

Sept. 18, 2025

Dear Friends,
On this last Shabbat of the Jewish year we will read a passage from the weekly portion of the Torah (as we do monthly) at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).
The passage, from Deuteronomy, is considered so important that it is repeated on Yom Kippur.

The beginnings of the modern Zionist movement, under Theodor Herzl, made possible the creation of modern Israel fifty years later. We'll look at this critical period at our Shabbat Morning Torah study (10:00 AM).
We are mixing in current events at our sessions, and if last week was any indication, it will be lively!

Religious school is in session on Sunday (9:00 AM).

We hope to see you early and often at the Holidays!
That begins with Rosh Hashanah on Monday evening (7:30 PM), Tuesday morning (10:00 AM), and Tuesday afternoon (2:00 PM- Children's service; 3:30 PM Tashlich ).

With warm wishes, even in these troubled times, for a sweet new year.

Shabbat shalom and Shanah Tova,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 11 Sep 2025 12:54:45 GMT

Sept. 11, 2025

Dear Friends,
I send this weekly message mindful that today is the 24th anniversary of 9-11.
We shall never forget the nearly 3000 souls who lost their lives on that tragic day, nor the many first responders who suffered greatly in its aftermath.

Now, less than two weeks before the Holidays, is the time of Selichot, prayers of forgiveness.
We will look at some of the readings from our machzor on this crucial theme at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

Our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM) is off and running, as we devote the year to the history of modern Israel. It's never too late to join!

Our religious school is also off and running, and this Sunday includes our monthly Tot Program (9:30 AM) and Confirmation Class (11:00 AM).

What would the Holidays be without food? Join Virginia, Doris and friends this Sunday in a special Holiday Cooking Class (4:00 PM), via zoom, with two of our esteemed chefs- Gibson Borrelli and Kim Merlino. See the special email sent out this past Monday or email vegitter@aol.com.

Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno—Back to Religious School

Thu, 04 Sep 2025 13:56:23 GMT

Sept. 4, 2025

Dear Friends,
Just like that summer ends and we jump into our busy season.
Religious School resumes, Torah Study resumes, and the Holidays approach.

We'll continue a discussion we began last week about what many are calling a constitutional crisis facing our county at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

We'll begin what I hope will be a fascinating year exploring the history of modern Israel at our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM).

We'll commence another year of creative learning at our Sunday Morning Religious School (9:00 AM), that includes a parent orientation (10:00 AM) and an open house for prospective families (11:00AM).

The great Israeli novelist Amos Oz is the subject of our Adas Emuno Book Club (7:30 PM) on Monday, specifically the acclaimed novel "A Tale of Love and Darkness", which is also now a movie starring Natalie Portman https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMjh5Yv55Vg. See zoom link below.

Please watch your mail soon for the Ritual Committee's High Holy Day letter, including details on all services and the Book of Remembrance form.

Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 28 Aug 2025 12:47:14 GMT

Sept. 28, 2025

Dear Friends,
This week's Torah portion issues the clarion call, "Justice, justice shall you pursue".
One of the great, but now little remembered, heroes of social justice in our country was Charles Sumner.
He is the subject of a new biography, and I'd like to tell his story at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).
And Peter Hayes will join the cantor on guitar to enhance our always uplifting music.

Get ready: Torah Study and Religious School start next week!

As the summer unofficially ends, wishing you a restful Labor Day weekend.

Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 21 Aug 2025 13:06:32 GMT

Aug. 21, 2025

Dear Friends,
Our monthly reading of the Torah will take place at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).
The passage from Deuteronomy is among the most important of our tradition, because it points out that we always have a choice before us- the path of blessing or the path of curse.
This message of moral empowerment is timely and timeless.

Would you like to be part of our Torah Study or Book/Film Club Google groups, where you can find out more information about what we are studying/reading/viewing, and communicate with other members in those groups? Just forward us your email address.
Would you like to read/chant a Hebrew or English part in our Holiday services? Let me know today, as I'm about to send out a master list of honors.

Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 14 Aug 2025 12:06:23 GMT

Aug. 14, 2025

Dear Friends,
The remarkable prophet Isaiah is read more than any other prophet in the synagogue, including the present seven week stretch.
We'll continue our discussion of his life and works, including two great archeological discoveries that shed light on his times, at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

Keep reading and watching! Our book and film clubs are growing. Below is information on our next selections. If you would like more detailed descriptions and regular reminders, sign up for our Adas Emuno Google Group. Just send us your preferred email address. All meetings take place via Zoom at 7:30 PM, and all books and films are available from the public library.

The opening of religious school is three weeks away, and the holidays just over five weeks away!
This is a first reminder to return your school and membership dues forms.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

Monday, Sept. 8, A Tale of Love and Darkness by Amos Oz (book)
Monday, Oct. 20, Three Identical Strangers (movie)
Monday, Nov. 10, An Officer and a Spy by Richard Harris (book)
Monday, Dec. 8, Gentlemen's Agreement (movie)

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 07 Aug 2025 12:40:48 GMT

August 7, 2025

Dear Friends,
From now until the end of the Jewish year, that is, the next seven weeks, every Haftarah (supplementary reading from the Prophets) is drawn from Isaiah.
This is by design- so what are the sages trying to tell us during this lead up to the new Year?
We'll think about it at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM), once again with Rabbi Max serving as cantor.

Our bi-monthly Adas Emuno Film Club meets via zoom on Monday (7:30 PM), to discuss the recent film "Unbroken", which chronicles the remarkable survival of a set of siblings during the Holocaust.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno—Patio Service at 6pm

Thu, 31 Jul 2025 12:06:19 GMT

July 31, 2025

Dear Friends,
Our third and final summer outdoor patio Shabbat Evening Service (6:00 PM) takes place tomorrow.
That means it is already August!
Last month featured great weather and music, and let's hope for the same.
Feel free to bring your own supper, and we'll supply the drinks and dessert.

As this is the Sabbath before Tisha B'av, I'll add a few words about the origins of this mournful fast day.
While this day is not designated in the Torah, and is largely unobserved by Reform Jews, it is both historically significant to the Jewish people and followed by the traditional community.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 24 Jul 2025 12:34:47 GMT

July 24, 2025

Dear Friends,
The name of this week's Torah portion is "Journeys".
This last section from the Book of Numbers lists each and every stop our Israelite ancestors made during their forty years in the desert.
At our monthly reading from the Torah at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM) I'll read from just the beginning of that long list (it’s pages long).
Lurking behind the text is the question of why every stop is mentioned, and why the original Torah (the last book, Deuteronomy, is a later addition) chooses to end this way.
And we're very happy to have Rabbi Max Chaiken subbing for the cantor this week. Did you know that Max was a head camp song leader, with the guitar skills to prove it!

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 17 Jul 2025 13:17:20 GMT

July 17, 2025

Dear Friends,
A group of five daughters, for the sake of honoring the memory of their father, created quite a stir among Moses and the Israelites.
And Dan Pasky will honor his father, who recently passed away, with a brief but loving tribute.
Both tales will be told at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 10 Jul 2025 12:55:33 GMT

July 10, 2025

Dear Friends,
"Rising Lion" was the name of Israel's dramatic operation against Iran.
It’s from this week's Torah portion, and there is quite a story behind it.
We'll tell the tale at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

At our Adas Emuno Book Club this Monday (7:30 PM): a discussion of Michael Chabon's Pulitzer prize winning novel, The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, described as “an epic historical novel that charts 16 years in the lives of Sammy Clay and Joe Kavalier, two Jewish cousins who create a wildly popular series of comic books in the early 1940s, the years leading up to the entry of the U.S. into World War II.”

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno—Outdoor Shabbat Service and Picnic

Thu, 03 Jul 2025 12:26:35 GMT

July 3, 2025

Dear Friends,
Tomorrow is July 4, and we wish you, and our country, a Happy Independence Day.
This is also the first Shabbat of a summer month, when we have our early outdoor patio Shabbat Evening Service (6:00 PM).
We're planning to infuse the service with American folk music that you will know and enjoy.
Bring a pot-luck picnic for afterwards, and as usual we'll supply drinks and dessert.
You'll be home in plenty of time for the fireworks!

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 26 Jun 2025 12:17:29 GMT

June 27, 2025

Dear Friends,
Internal dissent is especially challenging at times of external threat.
That is true here and now for us, and for our ancestors.
At our monthly reading of the Torah at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM), we'll observe how an uprising against Moses from his very own tribe put the whole community in jeopardy.

Thanks to all who participated in our Annual Meeting and Gathering in the Garden. Next Friday is July 4, but also the first Shabbat of the month, so come celebrate both at our outdoor patio service (6:00 PM).

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 19 Jun 2025 12:24:41 GMT

June 19, 2025

Dear Friends,
Our annual Gathering in the Garden is by all means in person; come enjoy on Sunday (4:00-6:00 PM), and bring a friend.

I had the opportunity this past week to visit two European cities with a long and rich Jewish heritage: Vienna and Prague.
I'll reflect on the past, present and future of this heritage at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

The crisis in Israel was very much manifest while I was there...and Israel is constantly in our thoughts and prayers during this most challenging of times.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 12 Jun 2025 12:26:25 GMT

June 12, 2025

Dear Friends,
In my absence this week Cantor Suzy will solo lead our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM), and I am sure she will value your participation.

Happy Flag Day on Saturday; Happy Father's Day on Sunday.

Our 154th Annual Meeting will be held virtually (our founders could never have dreamed of Zoom!) next Thursday the 19th (7:00 PM) so mark your calendar to attend from the comfort of your home.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno—Outdoor Service and Picnic Beginning at 6 PM

Thu, 05 Jun 2025 12:04:39 GMT

June 5, 2025

Dear Friends,
Welcome summer at our first-of-the-month outdoor patio Shabbat Evening Service (6:00 PM- note early time).
We're calling this "Camp Shabbat" because we're highlighting the music of Jewish summer camp, with Scott and Marissa Dennis, who happen to be camp song leaders!
Bring your own pot-luck supper for afterwards; we'll supply the drinks and deserts.
And your camp ruach!

Our congregation is proud to once again be represented at Leonia Pride Day on Saturday at Wood Park (2:00-5:00 PM).

Even if you didn't see the Israeli comedy The Wedding Plan, you might enjoy the discussion of it at our Adas Emuno Film Club on Monday (7:30 PM).
And if you just saw the new American Jewish comedy, Bad Shabbas, let me know if I should see it- the reviews I read indicate that you either love it or hate it!

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

Please note that our outdoor service will not be livestreamed.

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 29 May 2025 17:11:43 GMT

May 29, 2025

Dear Friends,
The holiday of Shavuot (which arrives Sunday evening) sometimes feels like it gets lost in translation from major biblical festival to modern holiday.
We'll remark about this at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM) even as we celebrate this holiday of first fruits and the giving of the Torah.

Our first outdoor, on-the-patio summer service takes place next week (6:00 PM). We'll make it extra special by featuring camp music (Jewish summer camp favorites, that is). An optional bring-your-own picnic supper follows; we'll supply the drinks and dessert.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 22 May 2025 13:46:42 GMT

May 22, 2025

Dear Friends,
The Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial start of summer, and that is true at the congregation as well.
Torah study and religious school have now concluded, but our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM) continues year round (with outdoor patio services on the first Shabbat of June, July and August at 6:00 PM).

My remarks this week are spurred by a single line uttered by Elon Musk a few months ago, "The fundamental weakness of western civilization is empathy." Judaism begs to differ, and I'll explain why!

On this Shabbat and holiday weekend we pause to remember the enormous sacrifice of those who have fallen in defense of our country. For me this is always personal as I remember Jeremy Kane and Justin Major, two of my dear bar mitzvah/confirmation students in my previous congregation, who died while serving in the Marines.

Last night two young staff members of the Israeli embassy were shot and killed in Washington, DC. We mourn Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgram, who were about to be engaged.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno—Confirmation and Bar Mitzvah!

Thu, 15 May 2025 12:50:26 GMT

May 15, 2025

Dear Friends,
I look forward to Confirmation all year, and once again you will see why at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).
From our current class of seven, two tenth graders are graduating. Mazal tov to Nora Levy and Ash Devins for completing the three year course of study, and for ably serving as madrichim teaching assistants in our school.
And if all goes well, we will be offering a blessing at the service for Kurt Roberg, upon his 101st birthday!

Jacob Herzig becomes a bar mitzvah at our Shabbat Morning Service (10:00 AM). Mazal tov to Jacob and his family.

On Sunday we conclude another fine year of religious school, and it is fitting to pay tribute to the partnership of students, parents, teachers and assistants who make it possible, under the direction of our director, religious education committee, and clergy. We may be small, but we are mighty...and very creative!

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 08 May 2025 12:36:11 GMT

May 8, 2025

Dear Friends,
You could not ask for a more lofty, or relevant, passage for our monthly reading of the Torah at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM). The Holiness Code of Leviticus, along with the Ten Commandments, which it echoes, is the great statement of ethics in the Hebrew Bible.

Our final session of Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM) takes place this week, as we conclude an intense year on the history of antisemitism in America. Talk about relevancy- little did we know how significant this topic would be for our nation this year.

Our Book Club meets via zoom on Monday (7:30 PM), discussing the always thought-provoking short stories of Phillip Roth.

Note- next Shabbat is our annual Confirmation Service; the music and words from our teens is always inspirational.

Happy Mother's Day to all, including my mom, who turns 92 today!

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno—A Bat Mitzvah and a Concert!

Thu, 01 May 2025 16:49:15 GMT

May 1, 2025

Dear Friends,
Join us in celebrating Israel's birthday, first at our festive service and then at a special concert.
Our Shabbat Evening -Yom Ha'Atzmaut Service (7:30 PM) will feature music and words appropriate for the occasion.

Then on Sunday we welcome Tavim, a multi-generational a capella group from Teaneck for a rousing performance and reception following (4:00 PM). It’s free, but we ask you to register and consider an optional donation (events@adasemuno.org).

Rayna Avidon becomes a bat mitzvah at our Shabbat Morning Service (10:00 AM).
Mazal tov to Rayna and her family!

On Saturday afternoon at Leonia Day (12-4 PM) please stop by and say hello at our table.

And a final reminder: cast your vote (by May 4) by clicking here:
World Zionist Congress Elections – American Zionist Movement
Support Reform and support Israel- it only takes 5 minutes and $5.00!

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 24 Apr 2025 12:36:26 GMT

April 24, 2024

Dear Friends,
After Pesach, two important days come up on the Jewish calendar rather quickly.
The first, Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day) is today,.
We will mark it tomorrow, with appropriate readings and music, at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

The second is Yom Ha'Atzmaut (Israel Independence Day), which we will celebrate next week at our service.
Don't forget to mark your calendar for the great concert we also have planned in this regard, on Sunday, May 4 (4:00 PM), with Tavim.- the lively Teaneck a capella group.

As we come down the home stretch of Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM), we'll consider a most timely topic- the rise of anti-Zionism in America.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 17 Apr 2025 14:04:30 GMT

April 17, 2025

Dear Friends,
There is a special election going on right now, which takes place every five years.
It’s for Jews only; it’s worldwide, and millions of dollars for the various movements of the Jewish community, including our own Reform, are at stake.
I'll explain the significance of the WZC election at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).
You can cast your vote (by May 4) in less than five minutes, costing $5.00 to defray costs, at this link.
World Zionist Congress Elections – American Zionist Movement
Let's celebrate the end of Pesach by exercising our freedom to vote.

Torah Study and Religious School remain on break this week.
Please note that our commemoration of Yom HaShoah takes place next Friday, April 25, and our celebration of Yom Ha'Atzmaut the week after on May 2.

Shabbat shalom and Hag Sameach,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 10 Apr 2025 13:15:27 GMT

April 10, 2025

Dear Friends,
What does it mean to celebrate Passover in these troubled times?
I'll reflect on this question at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).
It's also our annual Poetry Shabbat- our service will be leavened with a beautiful selection of poems tied to themes in our liturgy, thanks to our Poetry Garden group.

Our second night Congregational Seder will be held on Sunday (5:00 PM- fully subscribed).
A special thanks to Virginia Gitter, who is coming all the way from Portland, to organize it!

Both Torah Study and Religious School are on break for the holiday.

We wish you a joyful and liberating Pesach with family and friends.

Shabbat shalom and Hag Sameach,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 03 Apr 2025 12:47:26 GMT

April 3, 2025

Dear Friends,
The Book of Leviticus is such a strange and archaic book.
At our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM), featuring our new monthly Torah reading, we'll read from the opening lines, and try to explain what is going on.

We're coming down the home stretch of this year's Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM), and will fast forward to the Civil Rights Era, which heavily involved Jews, but was not free of antisemitic undercurrents.

This Sunday features our monthly Tot program, Confirmation class, a special "Chocolate seder" pre-Pesach program, and our trip to the Tenement Museum!

And then on Monday the second meeting of our new, bi-monthly Adas Emuno Film Club (7:30 via zoom), featuring a provocative discussion of A Real Pain (it won an Oscar), which some of us liked and others did not!

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno—Early Start Time for Shabbat Service

Thu, 27 Mar 2025 12:04:23 GMT

Mar. 27, 2025

Dear Friends,
Our Shabbat Evening Family Service (7:00 PM- note earlier time) will feature the combined classes of K-3. Our youngest students have worked hard on their prayers and presentations, and we look forward to joining them.

Our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM) will cover the very painful period when American Jews had to worry about the Nazis abroad, and anti-Jewish agitation domestically.

If you haven't been to the Tenement Museum in NY, join us for our congregation trip there on Sunday, April 5 (1:00 PM). It's a fascinating glimpse into the life of so many of our forebears. The rabbi's fund will cover your admission (a $30 savings!)- contact Marshall or me for details.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 06 Mar 2025 14:24:00 GMT

Mar. 6, 2025

Dear Friends,
You might not have heard of the Parker Solar Probe, unless you are a space buff like me.
But it recently achieved something spectacular, which I wanted to talk about back at Hanukkah when it happened. However, this week is apt, given both the Torah portion and the changing of the clocks- which I'll explain at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:00 PM).

"America First" is not a new slogan or political philosophy, and at our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM) we will examine its damaging origins for Jews fleeing the Nazis.

Our bi-monthly Book Club meets via zoom on Monday (7:30 PM), and promises to be an interesting discussion of one man's journey away from his ultra-orthodox upbringing.

Mark you calendar for Purim! Our celebration will take place Sunday morning, Mar. 16 (10:00 AM). More details to follow next week.

Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno—How to Assist Leonia Fire Victims

Thu, 27 Feb 2025 15:14:36 GMT

Feb. 27, 2025

Dear Friends,
Last month we began a monthly reading from the Torah at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM) that was well received, and our second such reading will take place this week, from the weekly portion in Exodus.

A century ago, three high profile Americans did enormous damage with their antisemitic rhetoric. Having told the story of Henry Ford, we will now learn about Father Charles Coughlin and Charles Lindbergh, at our Shabbat Morning Torah Study. (10:00 AM).

As you may know, a terrible fire in Leonia last week displaced 10 families, including 15 children.
Community Chest of Leonia, a 501c3 organization, is collecting funds this week to help the families.
All funds received by 3/1 will be distributed to the families during the first week in March,
Donations can be made online at COMMUNITYCHESTOFLEONIA.ORG,, or by check to Community Chest of Leonia, PO Box 68, Leonia NJ 07605.
Checks can also be given to our member Sally Seymour, who is Secretary of Community Chest.

Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 20 Feb 2025 13:32:01 GMT

Feb. 20, 2025

Dear Friends,
"Do not oppress the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt" is a refrain that repeats itself over and over again in the Book of Exodus.
The Hebrew word for stranger is the same for migrant.
What does our Reform Jewish movement say about what is happening to migrants at this moment?
Quite a lot, which we will consider at ourShabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

Nativism is nothing new in American history, and it led to tragic antisemitism in the 1930's, just as Jews were trying to escape the Nazis, which we will encounter in our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM).

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 13 Feb 2025 14:24:15 GMT

Feb. 13, 2025

Dear Friends,
After our big weekend last week, a quiet Presidents' weekend coming up.

Rabbi Max (and Cantor Suzy) will lead our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM), and will speak about "Leadership Lessons from Moses for the 21st Century".

Both Torah Study and Religious School are on break.

As we honor the memory of Washington and Lincoln, we reflect on the legacy of leaders who put country over cult of personality, and democracy over demagoguery.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 06 Feb 2025 13:51:45 GMT

Feb. 6, 2025
Dear Friends,
We have a big weekend ahead.
Our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM) is a triple header: its Volunteer Shabbat, Social Justice Shabbat, and Shabbat Shirah. The music will be extra special (with guest musicians), and we honor all those who give of their time and skills to keep our congregation going.

In honor of the approaching new year of trees, at our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM) we will host our annual Seder Tu Bishvat, a delightful hour-long celebration of the land of Israel and the cycle of the seasons. I have a new "Trees of the Bible" quiz all ready, to supplement the array of fruits and juices and nature songs.

Tu Bishvat will also be creatively celebrated during school on Sunday (when we also tally our "souper-bowl" collection), and at our Tot Program that morning.

The debut of our new bi-monthly Adas Emuno Film Club takes place via zoom on Monday (7:30 PM). We're going to talk about the Netflix hit "Nobody Wants This". Since it involves a young rabbi, I volunteered to lead the discussion!

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 30 Jan 2025 13:43:33 GMT

Jan. 30, 2025

Dear Friends,
When the Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde, Episcopal Bishop of Washington, challenged the president sitting in front of her, she was following in the long line of "prophetic preaching" that stretches all the way back to Moses.
Let's look at Moses' pioneering example, at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

Moses also inspired the social justice activism of Jews who challenged the oligarchs of the early 20th century (like Henry Ford), as we will observe at our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM).

Confirmation and Youth Group meet this Sunday.

Reminder- next week we honor our own social justice and other volunteers with a dinner and a special Shabbat Shirah musical service, and the next day celebrate Tu Bishvat with a creative mini-seder that takes place during Torah study.

Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 23 Jan 2025 13:30:03 GMT

Jan. 23, 2025

Dear Friends,
The inauguration; the ceasefire; the wildfires...there is never a shortage of news, and things are always changing.
But the timeless tales of Torah do not (though their interpretation does).
At our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM) we will try out a new practice of reading from the Torah on a once per month basis (in place of the sermon).
We are doing so since we do not have this regular opportunity and our scrolls are feeling neglected!
I'll be reading and translating verse by verse (as my rabbi did when I was growing up), and we'll see how we like it.

You probably know the name Louis Brandeis. But do you know the name Aaron Sapiro? Both are critical to the fight for equality in America, and we will tell their stories at our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM).

Just two weeks left to drop off your canned soup donation for our Souper Bowl- let's go for the score!

Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno—MLK Day Events

Thu, 16 Jan 2025 14:05:45 GMT

Jan.16, 2025

Dear Friends,
We honor the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. this weekend in three ways:
At our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30PM) we will incorporate music and words that emphasize our commitment to social justice.

At our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM) we will explore the Jewish involvement in the Civil Rights movement, including the heavy price paid by Jewish activists in the south.

On Sunday join us for a special program: A Conversation with Loretta Weinberg, our pioneering state senator, moderated by Leonia mayor Bill Ziegler (bagel brunch at 10:15 AM; talk at 11:00 AM).

Contributing to our "Souper Bowl" by bringing in canned soup, and other non-perishables (place in bin on school porch) is another way to add meaning to the MLK weekend.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno—Shabbat with Rabbi Max Chaiken

Thu, 09 Jan 2025 13:19:56 GMT

Jan. 9, 2025

Dear Friends,
I'm grateful to Rabbi Max Chaiken for subbing for me at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

Rabbi Chaiken will also lead our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM).

A native of Teaneck, Rabbi Chaiken has been our 7th Grade teacher this year, our youth group advisor, and our talented song leader at Sunday morning youth and special Shabbat services.

Our Book Club meets on Monday (7:30 PM) via zoom, with a discussion led by Fran Shulman of the award-winning historical novel The Postcard (see link in Rabbi’s weekly email message).

Mark your calendar now: Bagels and Lox with Loretta. Sunday, Jan. 19 (10:15 brunch; 11:00 AM talk). In honor of the MLK weekend, a conversation with pioneering state senator Loretta Weinberg will be moderated by Leonia mayor Bill Ziegler.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno—Tribute to Jimmy Carter

Thu, 02 Jan 2025 13:18:34 GMT

Jan. 2, 2025

Dear Friends,
Although I never met Jimmy Carter personally, I was an eye-witness to Sadat's visit to Jerusalem. I'd like to offer a Jewish tribute to President Carter, and particularly his triumph at Camp David, at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

The second semester of Shabbat Morning Torah Study begins this week (10:00 AM), as we look at the story of antisemitism in our country in the 20th century, and the brave people who fought against it. The subject is timely and important, and you are welcome to join us as a returning or new student.

Religious school also resumes this week, as we begin the civil new year, if you can believe it, one-fourth of the way into the 21st century!

Shabbat shalom and Happy New Year,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno—Gesher Shalom Concert This Sunday!

Thu, 26 Dec 2024 13:14:33 GMT

Dec. 26, 2024

Dear Friends,
Hanukkah is here!
We hope you are a having a light-filled celebration with family and friends.
What a great concert we had here last Sunday to welcome the holiday.

To add to your light join us for our Shabbat Hanukkah celebration (7:00 PM).
We've assembled a mini-choir for the occasion, latkes of course, and other special holiday touches.

While there in no school or Torah study this week, there is a short outdoor kindling every night of Hanukkah at 7:00 PM sharp (with thanks to our president Marshall Jacobowitz for leading).

And we encourage you to join our partners, Gesher Shalom, for one more Hanukkah Concert and Party this Sunday at the Temple (1:30 PM), with contemporary and show music by vocalist Emma Green and jazz pianist Stephen Teti (and lots more latkes). RSVP to Debbie Mulholland of Gesher Shalom at 201-947-1735.

Shabbat shalom and Happy Hanukkah,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 19 Dec 2024 13:13:40 GMT

Dec. 19, 2024

Dear Friends,
Every year's end I share "The Rabbi's Top Ten Jewish News Events", which I will do at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).
I'm doing so a week early, as next week is Shabbat Hanukkah.
Peter Hays will join the cantor on guitar, to get us rocking for the holiday.

Then on Sunday we also enter the holiday spirit with a Pre-Hanukkah Jazz Concert (1:30 PM).
Anyone who heard Temple member Scott Dennis with his band, the Hudson County Buskers, last year knows that you are in for a real treat.
So bring a friend, and enjoy a wine and cheese reception afterwards.

Even though religious school is on break, Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM) will take place.

Hanukkah begins Wed. night the 25th (yes, it’s also another holiday!) and as we have done for many years you are welcome to a short and sweet Outdoor Menorah Lighting (7:00 PM- sharp) every night of the festival.

And next week on the 27th join us for our Shabbat Hanukkah lighting of both our outdoor and (inside) our 124-year-old menorah, along with a festive service filled with light (7:00 PM).

Shabbat shalom and Happy Hanukkah,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 12 Dec 2024 13:41:30 GMT

Dec. 12, 2024

Dear Friends,
It's that time of the year, when we become particularly conscious of our status as a religious minority.
This month brings with it issues that are collectively known as the "December Dilemmas".
I'll discuss some of them as they relate to new developments in the Jewish community regarding marriage and conversion, at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

Some of those same dilemmas arise earlier in American history, as we will observe at our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM).

  Hanukkah is fast approaching, and we invite you to join us for:
1. Pre-Hanukkah Jazz Concert with the Hudson County Buskers (back by popular demand), Sunday, Dec. 22 (1:30 PM)
2. Shabbat Hanukkah lighting (of our 124-year-old menorah), service, and celebration Dec. 27 (7:00 PM)
3. Daily Outdoor Menorah Lighting Dec. 25-Jan. 1 (7:00 PM sharp)

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 05 Dec 2024 15:11:38 GMT

Dec. 5, 2024

Dear Friends,
The tiny island of Curacao has a fascinating Jewish history, including a sand-floor synagogue that is the oldest in continuous use in the Western hemisphere!
I had the opportunity to visit it this past week, and will share the experience at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

At our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM) we now move from the 19th to 20 century, but we will see that as the American Jewish population grows dramatically, so does antisemitism.

On Sunday our annual Mitzvah Mall (11:00 AM) takes place. Learn about worthy organizations, and receive donation cards that make very meaningful Hanukkah gifts.

Speaking of Hanukkah, mark your calendar now:
1. Pre-Hanukkah Jazz Concert with the Hudson County Buskers (back by popular demand), Dec. 22 (1:30 PM).
2. Shabbat Hanukkah lighting, service, and celebration Dec. 27 (7:00 PM)
3. Daily Outdoor Menorah Lighting Dec. 25-Jan. 1 (7:00 PM sharp)
4. Hanukkah Meal, free and delivered on Dec. 30, available from the Federation, 201-784-1414.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 28 Nov 2024 13:13:59 GMT

Nov. 28, 2024

Dear Friends
On this Thanksgiving day and weekend, our thoughts turn to what we are grateful for in our families, communities, and country.
We'll reflect on this at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).
And here is a thought for the holiday I published in last week's Jewish Standard:
Even in a house divided - The Jewish Standard

Both Torah Study and Religious School are on break for the holiday weekend.

Next book to read for our January book club: Anne Berest's The Postcard, which is described as “ an enthralling investigation into family secrets, a poignant tale of mothers and daughters, and a vivid portrait of twentieth-century Parisian intellectual and artistic life."
And next series to watch (on Netflix) which we will also be discussing: "Nobody Wants This", which involves a young rabbi who gets in a bit of trouble with his family and congregation....

Shabbat Shalom and Happy Thanksgiving,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno—7pm Start for Shabbat Family Service

Thu, 21 Nov 2024 14:54:40 GMT

Nov. 21, 2014

Dear Friends,
The 4/5 Grade will lead our Shabbat Evening Family Service (7:00 PM- note earlier time), joined by Cantor Suzy on keyboard and Rabbi Max on piano.
We encourage families of all ages to support our students!

Abraham Lincoln again intervenes to benefit the Jewish community during the Civil War, which we will learn about at our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM).

We invite you to Leonia's Annual Interfaith Thanksgiving Service, on Tuesday (7:00 PM) at the Presbyterian Church on Main Street. The cantor will offer a song, and I will read an original piece of liturgy composed for this occasion. Coming together as a community takes on extra meaning after such a divisive election.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 14 Nov 2024 13:44:42 GMT

Nov. 14, 2024

Dear Friends,
Let's take a look at Abraham, the founder of our faith and the subject of our weekly Torah portion, and what we learn from two epic events in his life.
We'll do so at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

The most infamous act of American antisemitism occurred during the Civil War.
We'll examine this closely, and reveal how Lincoln reacted to it, and to another challenge during wartime to the Jewish community, at our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM).

Mark your calendar: Thanksgiving is approaching, and we invite you to Leonia's Annual Interfaith Service, on Tuesday, Nov. 26 (7:00 PM) at the Presbyterian Church on Main Street. Both the cantor and I will participate. Coming together as a community takes on extra meaning after such a divisive election.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 07 Nov 2024 13:36:37 GMT

Nov. 7, 2024

Dear Friends,
What are we to make of the elections, and our house divided?
We'll have an open discussion following our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

We also pay honor to those who have served our country, as we stand before Veteran's Day.
And we note this weekend as the anniversary of Kristallnacht in 1938, the beginning of the Holocaust, to which our oldest member, Kurt Roberg, was an eye-witness, and another member, Maren Friedman, was born in Germany that same day.

We'll continue discussing the state of the union, past and present, at our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM), as we approach the Civil War era.

Consider coming to the meeting on Monday of the Adas Emuno Book Club (7:30 PM)- open to all whether or not you have read this month's selection about a 19th-century Lower East Side German Jewish woman who was the country’s busiest fence and organized crime leader. (The Zoom link is in the Rabbi’s weekly message emailed on November 7.)

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 31 Oct 2024 15:55:05 GMT

Oct. 31, 2024,

Dear Friends,
The holidays may be over, but election day looms this week.
To say it is momentous is an understatement!
I'll offer some final reflections on the state of our union at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

Three incidents abroad help galvanize the American Jewish community before the Civil War: The Damascus Affair; the Switzerland Controversary, and the Mortara Case.
We'll look at all three at our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM).

We had wonderful celebrations of Sukkot and Simchat Torah, and the great weather helped. Now may our prayers for rain be answered, but not so much as in this week's Torah portion about Noah and the flood!

And a reminder: set those clocks back on Saturday night!

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S SERMON FOR YOM KIPPUR 5785

Lance Strate — Mon, 21 Oct 2024 21:32:05 GMT

HAPPINESS

Yom Kippur, 5785

Rabbi Barry L. Schwartz

Here’s something about Israel that made me smile.

In March, the 2024 World Happiness Report was issued. There are some 200 countries in the world. Israel ranked 5th.

Now granted that most of the data was from 2022 and early 2023, so the true effects have Oct. 7 have not registered. But the World Happiness Report is a long standing survey, and Israel has always ranked high, often in the top ten. By contrast, the United States never makes the top ten, and usually ranks in the 20s.

The survey considers extensive polling of people’s attitudes Do people say they are happy? But it also compiles economic data related to income, medical care and social services. So the survey is not only about personal happiness but satisfaction with one’s standard of living and society.

The World Happiness survey results have been quite stable over the years. Predictably the Scandinavian countries rank highest- Finland has been #1 for years. And predictably, impoverished and war torn countries rank lowest. Afghanistan ranked dead last this past year. South Sudan just below it.

Israel has a strong economy and relatively high standard of living. Still, we must ask, how does it rank so high in happiness, given its grave problems, external and internal? And given the Jewish penchant for kvetching… about almost everything!

And here’s another statistic that made me smile. Guess what country has the highest birth rate among so called First World, developed countries? Israel. By far.

Israel’s total fertility rate sits at 2.9 children per woman. The next closest are Mexico and France with 1.8 children per woman. The average, of which the US is part, is 1.5. Yes, it’s true that not a single developed country except Israel is at fertility replacement level. And yes, the birth rates of the ultra-orthodox are highest, but even among the non-Orthodox the rate in Israel is 2.

While Israelis may be unhappy with their government, they are by and large happy with their lives. And are having lots of babies. How do we explain this?

And again, a cautionary note: Oct. 7 was a head-blow to the national psyche. Israel has not recovered from the trauma, and it will take years. But having shown remarkable resilience for seven decades, we can be confident, short of another cataclysm, that this resilience will again kick-in to help Israelis recover.

David Leiser, a professor of social psychology and dean of behavioral sciences at Netanya Academic College, reminds us that what the report really ranks is not happiness–which is a fleeting emotion–but rather life satisfaction. One can be satisfied overall with life, he points out, even if, at present, one is not feeling jump-for-joy happiness.

“This is not about whether you are having a difficult time right now, it is not related to how happy you felt yesterday, or what bad experiences you had… Happiness [and] satisfaction [are] different, because if you feel that your life is meaningful, you may have all kinds of issues and still feel that your life is satisfying. Consider even the case of someone very ill and about to die. If you ask that person, ‘What do you think about your life?’ he may say, ‘I had a full and fulfilling life, but now I have to go.’”

Edith Zakai-Or, the CEO of the Maytiv Center for Positive Psychology at Reichman University explains that it is essential to differentiate between how a person feels at a certain point in time and how they view life in general.

“When my sons were both serving during this war–one in Gaza and the other up North–I wasn’t that happy. But I was able to distinguish between not being happy at a certain point because I was very, very worried, and understanding that I have a good life.”

[According to Zakai-Or, there are several reasons why people in Israel say they are happier than people elsewhere whose countries face fewer “horrible challenges.” “First of all, one of the things that make people happier in Israel is connecting to meaning. And in Israel, there are many opportunities to connect to something that is greater than yourself. There is a lot of ideology around here. We are here for a reason… and when you feel that you are doing something for the greater good, it makes you happy.”

She continues, “In Israel, if you don’t go to a Shabbat dinner, it is a crisis in the family. So there’s always someone that you are connected to. And this is a great source of happiness and of resilience. Because you know there is someone who cares about you.”

She adds, “Many Israelis have a much wider family than their genetic family because they create friendships that are as good as family and sometimes even better, and that is a major part of happiness.”

“When you have no challenges, then something inside you doesn’t grow. Here we are challenged all the time, and we have succeeded. We grow, and this is also a part of being happy.”

“Because when you feel that you have coped well with a challenge, and that you grew from it, that makes you proud. It gives you a sense of self-confidence, it makes you happier. “Saying that you are happy doesn’t mean you’re not challenged, afraid, or concerned. They all come together.

Zakai Or concludes in a personal way: “I always say to…people I meet – who ask me if I am religious, that I am completely secular. I then tell them that although I am completely secular, I feel Jewish, and I cannot disown being Jewish because I carry my family history on my shoulders.

“You never forget that as an Israeli. You never forget it. People ask questions about my history: where my mother and father were from, where my grandparents were, who survived and who didn’t. We all have those histories. You carry all those generations on your shoulders. You are not alone in the world.”

[As a Jew] you feel you have a reason [to live]. “You feel you have purpose in your life.”

In this most challenging time, what a wonderful lesson from Israel. On this Yom Kippur, can we go beyond superficial notions of happiness and consider life satisfaction? I know it sounds cliché, but can we count our blessings and determine to look at the cup half full?

Ask yourself, what gives you true meaning and purpose in life? How can you deepen your pursuits of these endeavors?

Ask yourself, how can I deepen my connection to family, friends, and community…that bestows my sense of connectedness; the blessing of belonging?

Ask yourself, how can I deepen my faith, as imperfect as it may be… that bestows my sense of security and well-being, the blessing of belief?

The process of introspection that encompasses these questions is called heshbon hanefesh- soul searching. It is what Yom Kippur is all about.

At the moment each of us is happy about somethings; unhappy about others. Often the latter can overwhelm the former. The things that irk us loom large. Sometimes we begin to obsess about them. The things that trouble us seem to take over the available space in our brain.

When this happens emotions crowd out reason. We become irritated and stressed. We veer toward pessimism; melancholy; sometimes depression. We see the glass half-empty. We wallow in our unhappiness.

If we can dig deeper, we can discover anew the well-springs of satisfaction. We can put our life in the proper perspective. We can concentrate not on ephemeral ups and downs but on lasting satisfaction. We can regain our equilibrium. We can be strong, resilient, and yes, we can be happy.

Israel is in the top-ten of world happiness. Our fellow Jews have something to teach us. Why not us in the top-ten as well?

My slogan for this new year- despite everything: Be Happy- You’re Jewish!

Shanah tovah.

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S SERMON FOR KOL NIDRE 5785

Lance Strate — Mon, 21 Oct 2024 21:22:13 GMT

CATASTROPHE

Kol Nidre, 5785

Rabbi Barry L. Schwartz

“For Jews the world over, the past [year] has been little more than a series of catastrophes”. So writes Israeli-American journalist Benjamin Kerstein.

Is this an exaggeration? Sadly, I think not. Not at all. And so it behooves us on this Yom Kippur to delve into those catastrophes. This has been a year like no other in recent Jewish history. To pretend otherwise is a dereliction of duty.

The first catastrophe, of course, was Oct. 7- the worst massacre of Jews since the Holocaust; the searing tragedy of terrorism akin to 9-11, but with the added elements of mass mutilation, rape and hostage taking. Neither the trauma nor the reckoning in Israel is over. Not even close.

As horrific as it was, Oct. 7 was not the sole catastrophe for the Jewish people this year. In fact, it was only the beginning. Nobody expected Oct. 7, but neither did we expect the aftermath.

The Gaza war has been a catastrophe. Even if you believe that it has been a justified war of necessity, as I do; a war of legitimate self-defense against a viscous death-cult enemy sworn to Israel’s destruction, and one that hides behind and willingly sacrifices civilians… Gaza is a humanitarian catastrophe.

The death of hundreds of IDF soldiers, and the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Israelis from their homes in the north and south, though less talked about, is also a catastrophe.

The ominous salvo of rockets launched by Iran and by its proxy Hezbollah, and the threat of a wider two-front or three-front war with this axis of evil, is a catastrophe.

The gaping political division that has opened wide in Israel is a catastrophe.

And what is happening to the Jews of the diaspora, here and around the world, is a catastrophe.

I do not use the word lightly. A catastrophe is a serious calamity that does lasting damage. Every one of the catastrophes I just mentioned deserves its own sermon. Right now I can only give one.

So it is the last catastrophe that I want to speak about this Yom Kippur morning; about what is happening here in the diaspora; here in our country.

Actually, I already began to do so on Rosh Hashanah, when I spoke about how young people, including way too many young American Jews, are turning away from Israel. That too is its own catastrophe.

At the end of May I was at a conference on Reform Judaism in NY. Jonathan Greenblatt, the head of the ADL spoke. He said, we are not facing a new wave of antisemitism, we are facing a tsunami. He gave the statistics to back it up. We don’t need the numbers to know what is happening. We see it and feel it in our bones. We see what is happening on college campuses. We see what is happening in big cities across the country. We see what is happening in town councils and high schools.

And I want to suggest to you that this is just the tip of the iceberg. Why do I say that? Because for every overt act of antisemitism in this country there is a covert act of antisemitism. A banal act, that doesn’t make the headlines. Or a silence that speaks volumes.

Hannah Arendt wrote famously about the banality of evil. She was referring to how ordinary people could perpetrate extraordinary evil. Her ideas arose from her witnessing of Adolf Eichman’s trial in Jerusalem. Bureaucrats could be Nazis. Your next-door neighbor could be their sympathizers, and your betrayers. They could also acquiesce by their silence.

Today we are witnessing a new chapter in the banality of antisemitism. We are seeing both the loud antisemitism of terrorists and their supporters, but also the “quiet” antisemitism of intellectuals and their accomplices. We are witnessing both the classic racist tropes of the past, and the novel vilification of Jews and the Jewish State as persecutors.

As Noah Feldman puts it, “The core of this new antisemitism lies in the idea that Jews are not a historically oppressed people seeking self-preservation but instead oppressors: imperialists, colonialists, and even white supremacists”.

This new doctrine is a deceptively toxic brew of half-truths, mis-directions, revisionism, and willful ignorance.

The new antisemitism has been lying just below for some time, sporadically bubbling up to the surface in the guise of anti-Zionism. Then it exploded, in one of the great ironies of our time, after Oct. 7. As heinous as the Hamas attacks were, straight-faced academics and protestors alike intone that Israel is not innocent; that Israel’s oppression going back the Nakba of 1948 must be considered; that the Jewish usurpation of Palestine is actually centuries if not millennia old; that it is the Palestinians who have the right to return “from the river to the sea”; that the Zionists have now turned into genocidal avengers.

Here’s my response, my J’Accuse:

If you deny Israel’s right to exist… you are an antisemite.

If you deny Israel’s right to self-defense… you are an antisemite.

If you fail to condemn the evil of Hamas… you are an are antisemite.

If you tacitly support those who want to eradicate Israel… you are still an antisemite.

If you distort history to fit only your anti-Zionist narrative… you are still an antisemite.

And if you remain silent with regard to all this…you are on your way to becoming an antisemite.

We are seeing the banality of antisemitism all over the place. Earlier this year I wrote an op-ed piece in the Jewish Standard about one of the world’s most respected refugee organizations, the International Rescue Committee and how utterly lacking their response to the atrocity of Oct. 7 was. I wrote that the founder of the IRC, Albert Einstein, would be turning over in his grave. For me this is personally wrenching as I have contributed to the IRC not for years, but decades.

Just when we thought that antisemitism was confined to the far-right, we now see it mushrooming with the far-left.

Just when we thought that the criticism of “woke” ideology at American universities had gone too far, the failure of three Ivy League presidents, among others, to unequivocally condemn calls for genocide against Jews and reign in rampaging protestors is unnerving.

Just when we thought that the so-called progressive wing of a political party many of us identify with was moving to the center for the sake of preserving our embattled democracy, with such a critical election looming, their persistent anti-Israel drumbeat leaves us wondering how a self-declared “antiracist” movement somehow has room for antisemitism.

Benjamin Kerstein goes on to contend, “American Jews have discovered that no Jewish community is ever immune to history. American Jews are reeling from this terrible realization. Above all, the first antisemitic mass movement in American history has arisen. There have been antisemitic movements in America before, of course. But never have they been this large, [and] politically influential….”

Is this an exaggeration? I don’t know if what we are witnessing is a “mass movement”. And let us remember that the solid majority of Americans remain pro-Israel; that America remains Israel’s closest ally; and that most of us still feel secure about our identity in the melting pot called America.

Still, warning signs are there, and we as a people have developed a keen radar about these things.

And so how do we respond to catastrophe of the past year here in our corner of the Jewish world?

How about a 3-V strategy?

Vigilance—Jefferson said that the price of democracy is eternal vigilance. There is no substitute for staying alert to each and every act of anti-Zionism and anti- Semitism. Wherever it comes from; however it is disguised.

Voice—It is Isaiah that we read on this holy day who commands- Raise your Voice like a shofar. Prejudice; hate speech; hate crimes- they need to be called out every time. I know we would like to just ignore it. But we’ve learned that racism of all kinds grows in the dark; thrives in the shadows. We need to shine the light and call it out. Go to the meetings; write the op-eds; call your congressmen; advocate for Israel; stand up to the extremists.

Vote—Voting is the ultimate ticket in a democracy. How else do you hold politicians responsible? How else do you legislate? You yourself may never miss an opportunity to vote. But who can you convince that otherwise might sit on the sidelines?

Vigilance. Voice. Vote.

When our children ask: where were you in the horrible aftermath of Oct. 7, may we say:

We stood up.

We stood with Israel.

We stood with our people.

We stood tall; we stood proud.

We stood up!

Yes, this was a year of catastrophe.

But we stood up!

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S SERMON FOR ROSH HASHANAH 5785

Lance Strate — Mon, 21 Oct 2024 21:07:58 GMT

REFORM JEWS AND ISRAEL: ADDRESSING THE GENERATION GAP

Rosh Hashanah Morning, 5785

Rabbi Barry L. Schwartz

Friends, it should be no surprise that I am going to speak this morning about Israel. After the year we have had. And now, days before the first anniversary of Oct. 7. A date that will forever afflict Israel and the Jewish people… like 9-11 will forever afflict Americans.

But specifically what I am going to talk about is support of Israel, and the next generation.

It’s on my mind; it’s on your mind. It’s just one issue, but it’s a big one and it’s an emotional one. Because it’s about the gap- the widening gap between old and young; between parents and children.

Waning support for Israel is hard enough to talk about. The generation gap is hard to talk about. Put them together, and it is doubly hard, but doubly necessary.

Disclaimer: When I talk about Israel it’s always personal. That’s because, as many of you know, I spent six years there, was a student there, got married there, served in the army there, and served as a Reform rabbi there. It’s personal because I’m a dual citizen, as are my wife and children. My family of five carries ten passports. And we carry big hearts.

Many of you know that we have family in Israel. In fact my wife Debby’s entire family continues to live there- they made Aliyah when Debby was 13 years old.

But I would say that we all have family in Israel. Our tradition teaches, kal Yisrael aravin zeh b’zeh—every Jew is connected to one another. Are not Jews everywhere one big mishpacha. A raucous lot, but family.

Shakespeare’s Shylock said, “If you prick us, do we not bleed?” When Israel bleeds, do we not bleed?

He also said, “And if you wrong us, shall we not revenge?” When Israel strikes back, do we not stand with her?

Apparently not… among some of our people; and among too many, of our young people.

Here are the statistics:

First the good news that among Americans in general, support for Israel remains strong. Back in January the Harris poll found that in aggregate 80% backed Israel over Hamas. Among seniors, the figure was 93%. Even among millennials age 25-34 support stood at 70%. And that support has by and large continued to hold steady, even with reservations about how Israel has waged war in Gaza.

But the bad news-among Gen.Z, age 18-24, in the same survey only 57% supported Israel. And that needle has not moved much.

You would hope that this would look different among young Jews. Apparently not. A different poll, conducted in November only a few weeks after the start of the war, found 82% of those Jews 36 and older supported President’s Biden’s strong stance on Israel. Among those young Jews 18-35, and this is striking, only 53%.

I’m still having a hard time fathoming that, even though for years the research has reported that younger Jews are generally less attached to Israel than their elders.

I’m still having a hard time fathoming that when in November the memory of Hamas’ massacre and mutilation of 1200 Israelis was still shockingly fresh in everyone’s mind.

I’m still having a hard time fathoming that even when I know firsthand that young people have little or no memory of heroic Israel, underdog Israel, miraculous Israel; of the Six Day War; Yom Kippur War; Entebbe, Operation Magic Carpet; Operations Moses and Solmon; never mind the Holocaust and Israel’s Declaration of Statehood and War of Independence.

And I’m still having a hard time fathoming that even knowing what we saw happen on college campuses around the country, and the high visibility of the anti-Israel Jewish far-left organizations.

How does this make you feel?

Speaking for myself, and I know for many others, I am perplexed. I am not very understanding. I am upset and even angry.

Should we be. Yes, again. To deny our anger would be disingenuous. And anger adds urgency. But anger will not get us far. It is not a strategy.

So what can we do about this generational gap; this fracturing of, dare I say, the sacred bond with Israel that so many of us “older folk” feel?

Obviously I have been thinking a great deal about this… and listening to the anguish of others, in this very congregation and beyond.

Herewith, my three-point response: Solidarity; Education, Empathy. S.E.E. SEE for short.

Solidarity: Now, more than ever, we must communicate that we continue to stand with Israel. That our hearts are with Israel. That the bond with Israel cannot be broken.

We must communicate that three things are non-negotiable: Israel’s right to exist; Israel’s right to self-defense; Israel’s imperative to combat evil.

Anyone that call into question Israel’s right to live, to live with secure borders, and to fight those who seek to destroy her, needs to be called out.

Every nation in the world has those basic rights, and would act to preserve itself.

Our kids our watching us, they always are, and they need to see our passion.

Education: Now, more than ever, we need to teach our kids the history of Israel; the history of Zionism, and the history of antisemitism.

History matters. Facts matter. Truth matters.

Let my people know.

And crucially, a piece of that education should happen in Israel. There is nothing like being there to touch your heart. Whether it is a NFTY trip, a Birthright Trip, A Gap Year Trip; a semester abroad; a year abroad—we need to redouble our support for every venture that gives our kids a glimpse of the Jewish state in the Jewish homeland.

Related to this, something else matters: literacy- Hebrew literacy. Literacy builds pride. When you speak the language, you’re in. It’s the language our Tanakh and of our prayers. It’s the language of Jewish thought and yearning. It’s the language of modern Israel. I know we don’t have the hours to attain fluency. But every Jewish kid should have a basic Hebrew vocabulary. An essential lexicon. So that when we say am echad, and am Yisrael hai they nod knowingly. When we say k’lal Yisrael and kol Yisrael aravin zeh b’zeh they recognize these expressions of Jewish unity. When we sing HaTikvah they join in.

Solidarity, History, and finally, Empathy.

Empathy means not just talking, but listening. Hearing the concerns of our young people. Acknowledging what is on their minds. Validating their struggles.

Empathy means honestly admitting to the challenges Israel faces internally and externally.

Empathy means openly discussing the plight of the Palestinians.

Empathy means grappling with when anti-Zionism is antisemitism, and when it is not.

I read a piece about four families with college age kids; all of whom came back from their campuses much less pro-Israel than when they left. (For this we are paying a fortune?!) The kids talked about how narrow their parents’ viewpoint was. The parents talked about how narrow their kids’ perspective was.

One son said he was torn between wanting to identity with his mother’s fears yet feeling uneasy with her exclusive focus on Jewish pain. “I was trying to hold both sides,” he said, “a progressive left one, and a defensive Jewish one. It’s a feeling of discomfort—how do I manage this; how do I bridge this? It’s an extra layer of pain.”

One parent wondered, “Did we not talk about antisemitism and the Holocaust enough with our children?

This is tough stuff. I believe that we shouldn’t be afraid to call out words and actions that cross the line; that breach the principles about Israel’s right to exist and defend herself that I established earlier. But on the other hand, we shouldn’t be afraid to air out the ways Israel is falling short, and the suffering of the Palestinians. After all, empathy for the downtrodden is central to our ethics.

Often we just try to avoid talking about hard problems in our families. We have enough conflict at home as it is, and talking about politics and the world only exacerbates it.

But we owe it to our kids, and to Israel, to deal with it.

I don’t know if we can bridge the gap. There are many variables, and the problems are intractable. But solidarity, education and empathy might go a long way; longer than we think. SEEing is believing.

Show your kids where you stand on Israel. Show it with passion.

Give them every teaching opportunity you can, and get them to Israel.

Listen to them and empathize with their concerns.

Tell them that you love them, and you love Israel.

Tell them that this love is unconditional, but it is not uncritical.

Tell them that disappointments and disagreements test families, but should not break families.

Remind them that you care so much because they are the next generation of your family, and the next generation of the Jewish people.

Then maybe, just maybe, in the ancient words of the prophet Malachi (4:6), “the hearts of the parents shall be turned to their children, and the hearts of the children shall be turned to their parents.”

Ken y’hi ratzon; so may it be.

This Week at Adas Emuno—Sukkot!

Thu, 17 Oct 2024 12:59:02 GMT

Oct. 17, 2024

Dear Friends,
On to the next holiday!
Join us tomorrow for Shabbat Sukkot ,with pizza-in-the-hut (6:00 PM) and festive service (7:00 PM).

The next morning, as usual, Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM) takes place, and beside the scheduled subject matter, it seems that every week there is something significant in the news to talk about!

On Saturday night add to your holiday celebration at Sukkot Havdalah (8:00 PM) with music and snacks under the stars.

Sukkot will also be celebrated at Sunday school, including Confirmation class, and youth group.
.
And a reminder that we will close the holiday season next week at Shabbat Simchat Torah (7:00 PM), when we celebrate with the Torah, welcome our new students and members, and are assisted by our 7th graders.

Shabbat shalom and hag sameach,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno—The Active Time of Year

Thu, 10 Oct 2024 12:53:38 GMT

Oct. 10, 2024

Dear Friends,
The Sabbath and Yom Kippur coincide this year.
We ask that you arrive promptly if not early for our Shabbat Evening/ Kol Nidrei Service (8:00 PM).
The same for our Shabbat and Yom Kippur Morning Service (10:00 AM).
Our Afternoon-Yizkor- Neilah Service begins at 4:30 PM and concludes with the blast of the shofar at about 6:30 PM.
For the first time since the pandemic, we are bringing back our break-the-fast, to which you are cordially invited.
Again, our sincere thanks to all our readers, ushers, and those who work to prepare for the holidays.

And we hope the next two Fridays are also marked on your calendar- Shabbat Sukkot on the 18th with pizza-in-the-hut (6:00 PM) and festive service (7:00 PM), and Shabbat Simchat Torah on the 25th (7:00 PM), when we celebrate with the Torah, welcome our new students and members, and are assisted by our 7th graders! And don't forget our Sukkot Havdalah on Saturday night the 19th (8:00 PM) with music and snacks under the stars.

Shabbat shalom and shanah tovah,
Rabbi Schwartz

Helping Hurricane Victims

Wed, 09 Oct 2024 14:49:27 GMT

Shalom All,

As we've said before, sometimes we don't know which way to turn when it comes to helping those in need. So, at this time, we're keeping it to the southeastern coast of the United States. Hurricane Helene was, according to reports, the worst of the worst. And now, some of the same people who are still cleaning up from that storm are about to be hit by Milton.

I have come to trust Charity Navigator when deciding which organizations to work with/help. At the bottom is their link, where they name and "star" [grade] groups that they recommend for just this situation. Please click on the link, read through, and choose an organization that talks to you; then, please, send a donation. Another year, another Mitzvah.

Shana Tova V'Gmar Chatima Tova.
Plus a meaningful and easy fast,

Todah Rabah,
Annette

https://www.charitynavigator.org/discover-charities/where-to-give/hurricane-helene-2024/#charity_list

This Week at Adas Emuno—Shanah Tovah!

Wed, 02 Oct 2024 12:55:31 GMT

Oct. 2, 2024

Dear Friends,
The Jewish New Year arrives tonight, amidst such travail for Israel and our people.
We look forward to being together at Evening (8:00 PM), Morning (10:00 AM), Children's (2:00 PM) and Tashlich (3:30 PM) services.

Thank you to all those involved in the reading of Torah, Haftarah, and the sounding of the shofar, as well as our ushers and security.

The Shabbat after is called Shabbat Shuva, and at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM) I will sadly reflect on repentance and the first anniversary of Oct. 7.

We'll reflect on these themes as well at our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM) and Religious School service (9:00 AM).

On Oct. 7 itself (3:30 PM) I am leading a virtual presentation on antisemitism in America for a number of Florida communities, and you are invited to attend (see link below).

With warm wishes for a new year of blessing for our community, country, Israel and the world.

Shabbat shalom and Shanah Tovah,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno—High Holy Days Information

Thu, 26 Sep 2024 12:36:38 GMT

Sept. 26, 2024

Dear Friends,
This is the last Shabbat of the Jewish year 5784.
As we stand before the New Year, a bit of humility is in order.
We learned a lesson in that from a religious leader quite recently, though you might have missed it.
I'll talk about how a little humility can go a long way at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

Humility is often in short supply in the political arena as well.
At our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM) we'll see how that impacted non-Christians in the early years of the republic.

A reminder about the upcoming Holidays- though we no longer utilize tickets, for security purposes it is important for us to know the names of family guests you are bringing- please email Virginia vegitter@aol.com to inform us.
And if you are planning to view from home via our livestream, books can be picked up from a bin on the school porch beginning on Sunday.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 19 Sep 2024 13:20:38 GMT

Sept.19, 2024

The installation of our newly elected board, with Marshall Jacobowitz as president, will take place at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).
Congratulations to all our trustees, who give so generously of their time to the congregation.

The installation of George Washington as our nation's first president gave rise to an exchange of letters with the Touro synagogue of Newport, Rhode Island.
This historic correspondence is the subject of our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM) on American Jewish history.

Confirmation class and Youth Group commence this Sunday.

Two important community events to take note of regarding Oct. 7:
On this Saturday night (7:00 PM), members of Kibbutz Azza, one of the settlements that was attacked, will speak of their experience, at Temple Avodat Shalom in River Edge.
On Monday evening, Oct. 7 (7:00 PM) the Jewish community as a whole will gather in Tenafly; registration a must by Oct. 1- jfnnj.org/october7.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 12 Sep 2024 12:43:43 GMT

Sept. 12, 2024

Dear Friends,
The anniversary of 9-11 felt different yesterday. In part I think that has to do with the coming elections, and in part with the coming anniversary of Oct. 7.
I'll reflect on this at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

We're off and running at our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM)
If you're interested in American Jewish history it’s not too late to join us.

Religious school is off and running too. Both the School Open House and Gathering in the Garden were well attended and lovely. We have room—encourage families to check out our school and shul!

Two important community events to take note of regarding Oct. 7:
On Saturday night, Sept. 21 (7:00 PM), members of Kibbutz Azza, one of the settlements that was attacked, will speak of their experience, at Temple Avodat Shalom in River Edge. Contact office@koldorot.org for more information.
On Monday evening, Oct. 7 (7:00 PM) the Jewish community as a whole will gather in Tenafly; registration a must by Oct. 1- jfnnj.org/october7.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 05 Sep 2024 12:27:23 GMT

Sept. 5, 2024

Dear Friends,
September is here and we are off and running!

1. Shabbat Evening Service on Friday (7:30 PM)
2. Shabbat Morning Torah Study on Saturday (10:00 AM)
3. Religious School on Sunday (9:00 AM)
4. Open House for the school (11:00 AM)
5. Gathering in the Garden (4-6 PM)
6. Poetry Garden (6:00PM)
7. Book Club on Monday (7:30 PM)

Amidst the welcome back from summer our hearts are heavy this week, as we mourn the death of six young Israelis held hostage for so long: Hersch Goldberg-Polin (23), Eden Yerushalmi (24), Ori Danino (25), Almog Sarusi (25), Alex Lubnov (32), and Carmel Gat (40).

May their memory be for a blessing, and may we take this time to recommit to our heritage and our community.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 29 Aug 2024 12:09:27 GMT

Aug. 29, 2024,

Dear Friends,
What does the Torah says about the ethical issues facing Israel in Gaza right now?
Well, it’s more complicated than you might think, as we'll explain at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

It’s Labor Day weekend already, believe it or not (we always say that!), and the unofficial end of summer.
So keep in mind that next week:
1.Torah Study begins on the 7th (10:00 AM)
2. Sunday School begins on the 8th (9:00 AM)
3. Open House for the school (11:00 AM)
4. Gathering in the Garden (4-6 PM)

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 22 Aug 2024 12:13:32 GMT

Aug. 22, 2024

Dear Friends,
It's not normal practice for me to talk about a particular politician from the bimah, unless there is a greater issue at stake.
In the case of Governor Josh Shapiro there is definitely one, and it is of great importance.
We'll bring it to the fore at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

Allow me to add that all summer long we have immensely enjoyed the lovely voice and melodies, some new, some old, of cantorial soloist Suzy. Come see for yourself!

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 15 Aug 2024 14:21:35 GMT

Aug. 15, 2024

Dear Friends,
The Sabbath after the 9th of Av (which was marked on Tuesday) has a special name, Shabbat Nachamu- Sabbath of Comfort.

I'll explain the enduring significance of this, with the help of three episodes in the life of the great sage Yochanan ben Zakkai, who was an eye witness to the destruction of the Temple, and arguably the most underappreciated leader in Jewish history.

Cantor Suzy will add special music appropriate to the occasion, at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 08 Aug 2024 12:22:18 GMT

Aug. 8, 2024

Dear Friends,
If you are an avid follower of the Olympics like me, you may have seen the electrifying 100 meter dash last Sunday, the winner of whom is dubbed the world's fastest man.
Did you know that 100 years ago in the same place, at the Paris Olympics of 1924, that race was won by a British Jew named Harold Abrahams?
His story was immortalized in the 1981 Academy Award winning film "Chariots of Fire".
On the centennial of this remarkable feat, we'll delve into this Jewish story of the Olympics, as well as that of two other Olympics, Berlin (1936) and Munich (1972) at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno—BBQ This Sunday

Thu, 01 Aug 2024 13:17:30 GMT

Aug. 1, 2024

Dear Friends,
Have you ever experienced a service at at a Jewish summer camp?
That's what we'll aim to recreate at our third outdoor patio Shabbat Evening Service (6:00 PM).
Cantor Suzy will feature some of the catchiest tunes that our youth are singing.
Note that this service will not be livestreamed unless the weather forces us indoors.
Bring a picnic dinner to eat afterwards, and we'll supply the drinks and desserts.

Another rite of summer is the barbeque.
We're happy to join with Gesher Shalom for a mid-summer barbecue on Sunday (2:00-4:00); it's free for members of both congregations but reservations are required by emailing office@geshershalom.org.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 25 Jul 2024 14:23:15 GMT

July 25, 2024

Dear Friends,
Does God take sides?
One might think so after viewing the Republican National Convention last week.
One might also think so after reading this week's Torah portion.
And why does this make us uncomfortable?
We should talk about this, and we will, at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

Mark you calendar for next week:
Our monthly outdoor patio service is at 6:00 PM.
And we join with Gesher Shalom for a mid-summer barbecue on Sunday the 4th (2:00-4:00); it's free for members of both congregations but reservations are required by emailing office@geshershalom.org.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 18 Jul 2024 17:10:52 GMT

July 19, 2024

Dear Friends,
One hundred years ago this month two things happened that changed America- and not for the better.
The consequences for the country in general, and the American Jewish community in particular, are still being felt. This includes the the tendencies toward political violence, and anti-immigration policies, that continue to challenge us.
I'll speak about this legacy of 1924 at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

Last week my sermon, "Joe and Moses" was also published in the Jewish Standard, which you can read here: https://jewishstandard.timesofisrael.com/joe-and-moses/

The word is out- its a pleasure to sing along with our new cantorial soloist, Suzy Merritt. Come see and hear for yourself!

For summer reading, try The Wolf Hunt, by Ayelet Gundar-Goshen, which is our next book club selection for September. Though written before Oct. 7, it captures the the angst and unease of the American-Israeli -Jewish community today.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 11 Jul 2024 12:52:47 GMT

July 11, 2024

Dear Friends,
Post Independence Day, it is now just four months until Election Day.
Many of us find that a scary proposition!
A lot is on our minds, very much including the presidential debate and its aftermath.

Last week I spoke about the failure of leadership, on multiple levels, in the Torah, with resonance for today
I want to continue that theme at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM), with some words that you might entitle "Joe and Moses"!

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno—Outdoor Shabbat Service

Thu, 04 Jul 2024 13:43:04 GMT

July 4, 2024

Dear Friends,
Tomorrow is our second Shabbat Evening Summer Service: an outdoor, informal, patio service (6:00 PM).
We proudly introduce our new cantorial soloist, Suzy Merritt.
Suzy is a long-time Jewish music teacher in the area, and brings a warm, spiritual voice to her music.
I think you will be singing along with Suzy and her guitar in no time!

Feel free to bring a picnic supper for after the service; we will supply the drinks and dessert.
Note that this service will not be livestreamed, unless the weather relegates us to the sanctuary.

Wishing you and your family a happy and meaningful July 4, as we celebrate our country's 248th birthday.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 27 Jun 2024 12:01:34 GMT

June 27, 2024

Dear Friends,
I'm not proud to say it, but my rabbinical school alma mater, Hebrew Union College, has been involved in a number of controversies recently- four to be exact.
They relate to contemporary issues we all care about: Israel, intermarriage, equality and economy.
It's time to talk about it, and I will do so at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM)

Reminder- next week (July 5) is our second outdoor patio service (6:00 PM), also introducing our new cantorial soloist Suzy Merritt.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno—Concert on Sunday

Thu, 20 Jun 2024 12:42:49 GMT

June 20, 2024

Dear Friends,
Two weeks ago we marked the 80th anniversary of D-Day.
One soldier who served there was Lt. Nathan Baskind.
I'm deeply moved to share his story at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

On Sunday (3:00 PM) please join us for a concert by the Bergen County Chapter of the American Recorder Society. Music of the Renaissance and Baroque periods will be presented, "with a sprinkling of Israeli and Yiddish songs". The concert is free and refreshments will be served in the garden.

This evening Congregation Adas Emuno's 153rd Annual Meeting will take place in-person (7:00PM). You are invited to hear about the "state of the shul". What better way to usher in the summer solstice!

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno—Farewell to our Cantors

Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:41:41 GMT

June 13, 2024

Dear Friends,
This week we marked Shavuot, the culmination of our ancestors' journey from Egypt to Sinai; from liberation to revelation.
Yet we know that the journey is never complete when some are still not free; this is true right now when we were joyful and tearful at the release of four hostages while knowing that more than a hundred still suffer in captivity.

At our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30) we celebrate the culmination of another journey, as we bid farewell to Cantor Joe Flaxman. He will be joined by Cantor Iris Karlin. Together they made an indelible impression on our congregation over the last four years. We have been blessed by their presence and in turn wish them and their families only blessings in the next stage of their journeys.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno—Shabbat Service on Patio

Thu, 06 Jun 2024 12:17:51 GMT

June 6, 2024

Dear Friends,
The first of our popular summer monthly outdoor patio services takes place tomorrow.
Note that this Shabbat Evening Service begins at 6:00 PM.
It's also Caring Community Shabbat, when we honor the work of the small committee behind the cards, holiday packages and visits that brighten our lives.
We dedicate this service to the memory of Linda Kowalski, a beloved member of the committee who passed away last month and exemplified its highest ideals.
(Note-This service is not livestreamed unless the weather moves us to the sanctuary).

On Sunday Gesher Shalom invites us to a pre-Shavuot People of the Book program (2:00 PM). Participants are invited to a give a short (5 minute) talk on a favorite Jewish-themed book. Contact Doris White if you would like to present. You can also just listen...and a kosher ice cream truck will make an appearance!

Social Action...Gesher Shalom and Adas Emuno will be holding a joint food drive this weekend. Donations will be given to the food pantry of Jewish Family Services. Please leave donations on the school porch. If you will be attending the Shavuot program, please bring your donation with you.

Gesher's traditional Shavuot Morning Service(with yizkor) takes place on Thursday (10:30 AM).

We're changing the choice for our next book club meeting in July to And After the Fire by Lauren Belfer, which won a National Jewish Book Award.

Reminder: Next week we bid a fond farewell to Cantors Joe Flaxman and Iris Karlin. The music will be special!

Finally, I would be remiss not to mention that today is the 80th anniversary of D-Day. Of the 150,000+ allied soldiers who fought there, only 200 are still alive, and their average age is 100. We remember and honor their service and sacrifice.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 30 May 2024 12:50:15 GMT

May 30, 2024

Dear Friends,
Why do many of us have such a negative feeling about the student protestors on our college campuses today?
After all, didn't we support protests for civil rights, and against the Vietnam War, nuclear arms, and apartheid?
I'll delve into this troubling issue at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM)

With the arrival of summer, ready for some summer reading?
Here are the next three books that will be discussed at the the Adas Emuno Book Club meetings:
Kantika by Elizabeth Grave (for July 8th), The Wolf Hunt by Ayelet Gundar-Goshen (for September 9th), Marjorie Morningstar by Herman Wouk (for November 11th).

And speaking of books, Gesher Shalom invites us to a pre-Shavuot People of the Book program at the Temple on Sunday, June 9 (2:00 PM). Participants are invited to a give a short (5 minute) talk on a favorite Jewish-themed book. Contact Doris White if you would like to present. You can also just listen...and a kosher ice cream truck will make an appearance!

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 23 May 2024 12:02:42 GMT

May 23, 2024

Dear Friends,
I was fortunate to join a special tour of The New York Times last week, and it was fascinating, including from a Jewish point of view.
I'll share some of the experience at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).
Of course, it is also Memorial Day Weekend, and we will pay tribute to those who have fallen in defense of our country.

Torah study and religious school have now ended for the academic year, and we enter the quieter rhythm of summer. But keep in mind that our Shabbat evening services are year-round, and our partners Gesher Shalom offer a Shabbat morning service at 10:30 AM every week, that includes a kiddush luncheon afterwards.

Also note that the first Shabbat evening of the summer months will be an early, outdoor service (6:00 PM) on our patio- those dates are June 7, July 5, and Aug. 2.
And don't forget our farewell service to Cantor Joe on June 14.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno—A Big Weekend!

Thu, 16 May 2024 12:58:51 GMT

May 16, 2024

Dear Friends,
Kurt Roberg turns 100 today!
Mazal tov to Kurt on this amazing feat.
We will call Kurt up to the bimah tomorrow in honor of his milestone birthday.

Owen Beckerman, Kale Dennis and Leo Avidon will celebrate their Confirmation, also tomorrow, at our Shabbat Evening Family Service (7:30 PM)
Mazal tov to Owen, Kale and Leo and their families!
These graduating students will share their Confirmation essays, and the full class will help lead the service, with the Cantor, Adam Kohane and the Dennis family all adding to the uplifting music.

Rachel Capote, Deb Fein, Dan Pasky, Lauren Roland, and Karen Sherwood will celebrate their adult b'nei mitzvah at our Shabbat Morning Service (10:00 AM).
Mazal tov to the class and their families!
They will read from the Torah and also share their B'nei Mitzvah essays.

To cap off this remarkable weekend, our Religious School will end the academic year on Sunday, with games and picnic. Thank you to the partnership of students, parents, and teachers that once again has made for an eventful year.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno—Celebrating Israel’s 76th Birthday

Thu, 09 May 2024 12:40:13 GMT

May 9, 2024

Dear Friends,
The fact that Israel is so beleaguered is all the more reason to celebrate Yom Ha'atzmaut and her 76th birthday. We will joyfully do so at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

Our annual Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM) comes to an end this week, as we offer concluding thoughts on our year-long survey of Jewish belief.

Israel will also be celebrated at our Sunday Religious School when we recreate a "shuk (market) and students will be able to go on an Israeli shopping spree.

On Monday (7:30 PM) the Adas Emuno Book Club discusses what I consider to be one of the great Jewish American classics: The Assistant by Bernard Malamud. (Ask Doris or Michael Fishbein for the Zoom link.)

Next week is very special and here are several reminders:
Our Shabbat Evening service will be led by the Confirmation class, and a music ensemble.
Kurt Roberg will be called up for his 100th birthday!
Our Shabbat morning service will be led by our five adult b'nei mitzvah!
Religious School will conclude with outdoor games and a picnic.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno—Iris and Joe Will Be Ordained!

Thu, 02 May 2024 12:21:04 GMT

May 2, 2024

Dear Friends,
Soon after Pesach each year are two significant Jewish days not from the Torah but from our own day.
The first is Yom HaShoah: Holocaust Remembrance Day.
As the survivors themselves become fewer and fewer it is up to us to preserve their memory.
We will do so at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM) with music and remarks appropriate for this solemn time.

The events of modern Jewish history have led some denominations to make changes to traditional Jewish prayer, which in turn has led to debate. We'll examine some of the innovations and ensuing arguments at our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM).

Saturday is also Leonia Day- we'll have a table at Wood Park (12-4) and will be happy to see you drop by.

On Sunday Joe Flaxman and Iris Karlin will be ordained as cantors at a ceremony at Temple Emanu-el in New York. Mazal tov to Joe and Iris on their richly deserved accomplishment!

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno—Earth Walk and Picnic at Overpeck Park!

Thu, 25 Apr 2024 12:52:21 GMT

Apr. 25, 2024

Dear Friends,
Here are three nice ways to mark the end of Pesach:

Poetry Shabbat- Our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM) will feature members of our Poetry Garden group interspersing some of their favorite poems throughout the service.

Pesach Stories- Our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM) will discuss the original account of the Exodus and other stories inspired by the holiday.

Pesach Picnic- Join us on Sunday for an Earth Walk and Picnic (12:15 PM) at Overpeck Park, bringing your own lunch, with contributions to benefit Hackensack Riverkeepers.

Shabbat shalom and Hag Pesach Sameach,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno—Friday Service Begins at 7 pm

Thu, 18 Apr 2024 17:06:42 GMT

April 18, 2024

This Pesach will be different- it is an excruciating time for Israel, and celebrating the Festival of Freedom when so many are still being held hostage and Israel is still under attack is so challenging but necessary.

Come in-person on this Sabbath to once again show your solidarity with Israel, as we all sing Am Yisrael Chai and Hatikvah.

The Sabbath before Pesach is traditionally known as Shabbat HaGadol, the Great Sabbath.
Our K-1 class will help us enter the holiday spirit and make it great at our Shabbat Evening Family Service (7:00* PM- note the earlier start time to accommodate our youngest students).

Our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM) will continue our discussion of prayer, including some thought provoking examples from new Haggadot.
Yet at the same time we always find a way to talk about important current events....

On Sunday both our Tot Passover (9:30 AM) and Religious School Pesach Program will also enhance our celebration.

Wherever and whenever you are gathering, we wish you a joyful and meaningful holiday, even as we pray for Israel, her soldiers, citizens and captives.

Shabbat shalom and Hag Pesach Sameach,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno—Larry David a Talmudist?

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 12:33:15 GMT

Apr. 11, 2024

Dear Friends,
Evidently our student cantor is a fan of "Curb Your Enthusiasm", because he is going to speak at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM) on "Larry David as a modern day Talmudist".
Who knew?
The show, by the way, ended last Sunday, after 12 seasons spread over 25 years.

Joe is also going to lead our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM) by examining the Haggadah with an eye toward "making a meaningful, and short, Seder".

Thank you to Joe in advance for covering for me; I'll be leading a scholar-in-residence weekend in Las Vegas... at a congregation, not a casino!

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno—Artists Showcase Sunday Afternoon!

Thu, 04 Apr 2024 12:35:58 GMT

Apr.4, 2024

Dear Friends,
Join us for our Volunteer Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM) when we pay special tribute to all those who serve on the many committees that contribute so richly to our congregation's life.
As our president said recently, our volunteering spirit here at Adas Emuno began 150 years ago and has never stopped.

Our love of learning has never stopped as well.
At our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM) , we'll begin a new unit that looks at how the different denominations of Judaism approach private and public prayer.

And then on Sunday our volunteer spirit will be on unique display at our "Meet Our Artists" (3:00-6:00 PM), which will showcase the artistic talents of our members in a social gathering and silent auction fundraiser at the historic home of our mayor Bill Ziegler and Sue Boyd.

Finally, a reminder from your friendly rabbi who loves all things space- don't miss the rare total eclipse of the sun (with your special eclipse glasses) which will take place on Monday, with peak viewing from 3:00-4:00 PM, with near totality in NJ at 3:23 PM.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 28 Mar 2024 12:29:22 GMT

March 28, 2024

Dear Friends,
Have you continued to think about Senate Majority leader Chuck Schumer's remarks about Israel?
They are just too significant and troubling to ignore.
So we will take them up at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

Both Torah Study and Religious School are off this week for the spring break.

Looking ahead to next week:
"Volunteer Shabbat" (Apr. 5) will honor all those who serve on our many committees with a special Shabbat dinner and service.
" Meet Our Artists" (Apr. 7) will showcase the artistic talents of our congregation in a social gathering/ silent auction fundraiser at the historic home of our mayor Bill Ziegler and Sue Boyd.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno—Family Service and Purim!

Thu, 21 Mar 2024 13:06:55 GMT

Mar. 21, 2024

Dear Friends,
It's all about Purim!
Join us for all or some of the festivities during this March Madness/Purim all-star weekend:

1. Shabbat Evening Family Service (7:30 PM), led by Grade 2/3, with Purim songs.
2. Shabbat Morning Purim Torah Study (10:00 AM), on the most provocative parts of the Book of Esther.

Then on Purim Day, Sunday the 24th:
3. Adas Emuno Family Purim Service (10:00 AM)- come in costume and be ready to make noise!
4. Purim Carnival (11:00 AM)- in the social hall and on the patio.

Also on Sunday:
5. Purim Tot Celebration (9:30 AM), open to all pre-school age children and their parents.
6.Gesher Shalom full Megillah reading and morning service (8:30-9:45 AM) in the sanctuary.

Shabbat shalom and Hag Purim Sameach!
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 14 Mar 2024 12:21:00 GMT

March 14, 2024

Dear Friends,
Did you hear about the $1 Billion (no typo) donation to the Einstein School of Medicine in the Bronx?!
I'll tell the story of this remarkable gift and how it resonates with the Torah portion and the highest rung of tzedakah at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

As we finish our unit of halakha (Jewish law) we'll look at some of the most controversial challenges to it over the last century by the Reform and Conservative movements, at our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM)

Purim is one week away!
Here is what to know about our weekend celebration:
1. Shabbat Evening Family Service (7:30 PM)
2. Special Shabbat Morning Purim Torah Study (10:00 AM)
Then on Purim Day, Sunday the 24th:
3. Gesher Shalom full Megillah reading (8:30 AM)
4. Adas Emuno family Megillah reading (10:00 AM)
5. Purim Carnival (11:00 AM)

Keep reading: Bernard Malamud, one of America's great writers, recently received the high honor of having his complete works reissued by the Library of America. For our next book club meeting in May we will read one of his masterpieces, The Assistant. Also recommended: two of his best short stories, The Magic Barrel and The Angel Levine.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 07 Mar 2024 14:45:40 GMT

March 7, 2024

Dear Friends,
Leaving Eastern Parkway is a coming-of-age, crisis-of-faith novel in the tradition of The Chosen.
It raises questions about Jewish identity and unity while offering a compelling read.
I'll share some thoughts about this new work at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM), in preparation for a further discussion about it at our book club.

Our discussion of differing viewpoints on Jewish law and the necessity of observing the commandments relates to these same questions- at our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM).

Our Adas Emuno Book Club meets Monday(7:30 PM) via Zoom; see the link in the Rabbi’s weekly message in your email.

Purim is on the horizon!
The gantseh megillah takes place on Sunday morning March 24 (10:00 AM)- mark your calendar.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 29 Feb 2024 13:36:10 GMT

Feb. 29, 2024

Dear Friends,
Happy Leap Day!

Have you ever seen the famous statue of Moses by Michelangelo in Rome?
It is grand, but Moses has horns! Why? The standard explanation is that this is a mistranslation of a verse in this week's Torah portion. But now some biblical scholars are not so sure....
We'll leap into the controversy at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

We continue our leap into Halakhah, Jewish Law, at our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM).

Speaking of leaping, did you know that every few years the Jewish calendar has not a leap day, but a leap month! It's called Second Adar, and this year it begins March 11. It’s the reason the Holidays were so "early" last year and are so "late" this year. Yes, it’s complicated, but maybe I'll take a stab at explaining it next month :)

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 22 Feb 2024 13:21:29 GMT

Feb. 22, 2024

Dear Friends,
The Jewish Publication Society has recently released a revised edition of its acclaimed Bible translation.
It’s called THE JPS TANAKH: GENDER-SENSITIVE EDITION.
Why the revision and what does it mean?
We'll get the inside story at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

What is the biggest difference between Reform, Conservative and Orthodox Judaism?
We begin a unit at our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM) that will get to the heart of that question.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno—A Simcha for the Rabbi

Thu, 15 Feb 2024 13:22:32 GMT

Feb. 15, 2024

Dear Friends,
Two hundred years ago, in the summer of 1824, a poignant reunion of surviving Revolutionary War heroes brought tears to their eyes as they paid tribute to the memory of our first president.

In honor of Presidents' Day I'll explain the special gathering, and how and why we can appreciate it even today, at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

Torah Study and Religious School are both on break for the holiday weekend.

I wanted to share a personal simcha- this Shabbat our new granddaughter Ava will be named at Central Synagogue in New York, where my son and family are members, and our grandson Adin attends preschool. Forty years ago I was the student rabbi there, and we held her father's naming in the very same place!

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno—Honoring Our Social Action Committee

Thu, 08 Feb 2024 13:02:01 GMT

Feb. 8, 2024

Dear Friends,
Join us this week for "Social Action Shabbat".
We honor the members of our social action committee, and the good work they are doing.
Several will speak, and social justice music will infuse our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM), with Peter Hayes on guitar joining with our cantor.

We'll emphasize some of the great social justice teachings of our Torah portion and tradition at our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM).

The same applies to our Religious school service and Confirmation Class on Sunday.

Did you love reading the classic novel The Chosen by Chaim Potok? Our selection for our next book club meeting (on March 11) reminds me of that volume. It's called Leaving Eastern Parkway by Matthew Daub, and is available from the library.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno—Explore Morocco Sunday Morning!

Thu, 01 Feb 2024 15:01:28 GMT

Feb. 1, 2024

Just who was Jethro, the father-in-law of Moses?
The Torah portion of this week is named after him.
He plays a quiet but crucial role in Moses' family and in the Exodus experience.
It’s worth exploring, which we will do at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

Just what happened at Sinai?
That also is the subject of the Torah portion, which includes the giving of the Ten Commandments.
We'll continue our exploration of revelation at our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM).

As a world traveler myself, I love learning about Jewish communities around the world.
At our Sunday Adult Education, Sally and Michael Seymour will talk about their recent trip to Morocco. (10:00 AM).
Come learn about the rich Jewish history there, and sample a few middle-eastern treats.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno—Celebrating Tu Bishvat

Thu, 25 Jan 2024 13:29:16 GMT

Jan. 25, 2024

Dear Friends,
Today the trees are celebrating- it’s their new year, Tu Bishvat.

Did you ever hear about Honi-the-Circlemaker, the Jewish Johnny Appleseed?
We'll talk about him (and a bit about Johnny himself) at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

Did you ever attend a Seder Tu Bishvat?
It's tasty and fun and educational!
It's happening in lieu of Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM), and the fruits and drinks are on the house.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 18 Jan 2024 13:02:13 GMT

Jan. 18, 2024

Dear Friends,
Nobody ever said that being a leader is easy.
Just how hard it is we see repeatedly in the Exodus story.
I'll comment on this ever-relevant theme at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

If I ask you the question: Who wrote the Torah?, how would you answer?
We will take on this big subject at our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM)

On Sunday both our Tot and Confirmation programs meet, and a special school program for Tu Bishvat, the New Year of Trees, is also happening.
Note that our annual Seder Tu Bishvat for adults will take place next Saturday morning, the 27th (in lieu of Torah study).

Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 11 Jan 2024 13:40:00 GMT

Jan.11, 2024

Dear Friends,
The greatness of Martin Luther King Jr. was his quest not only for racial equality but for economic equality.
It is the latter that I will consider when I speak about the gap of "Two Americas" that is widening, not narrowing, at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).
Once again we welcome song leader Adam Kohane.
We'll also honor Dr. King's legacy at our religious school service on Sunday.

The second semester of Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM) has begun, as we explore Jewish views of the soul and immortality.
Note that Congregation Gesher Shalom will commence their Shabbat morning services in the sanctuary at the same time, open to all.

Robbie Slater received the high honor of an Eagle Scout commendation last week, and I was privileged to participate in the ceremony. Mazal tov to Robbie and his family!

Finally, as we keep the hostages ever-present in our thoughts:

On Friday, January 12 at 9 AM, please join the Hostages and Missing Families Forum for a demonstration marking 100 days since hostages were taken by Hamas on October 7th. It will take place in front of the United Nations at Dag Hammarskjold Plaza (47th Street and First Avenue). Please join us and our partners as we continue to call to #BringThemHomeNow.

Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 04 Jan 2024 13:14:41 GMT

Jan. 4, 2024

Dear Friends,
The Book of Exodus, which we begin reading in the Torah cycle this week, begins by noting the change of generations after Joseph and his brothers pass away.
I've been conscious of generational change during this tumultuous time, especially when it comes to support for Israel, or the lack thereof, from young Jews.
We need to talk about this openly, which I will do at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).
Once again, we welcome Adam Kohane, as guest song leader, and appreciate his uplifting vocals and guitar.

Welcome to the second semester of Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM).
Is there really something called the soul? What does Judaism believe about life after death? Is human nature basically good or bad? These are some of the questions we'll be considering in our continued exploration of Open Judaism.

On the lighter side of things, a discussion of unique comedian and filmmaker Mel Brooks will take place via Zoom at our Adas Emuno Book Club on Monday (7:30 PM).

Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno—Rabbi’s Top Ten List

Thu, 28 Dec 2023 13:30:33 GMT

Dec. 28, 2023

Dear Friends,
On this last Shabbat of the year I once again present to you...
"The Rabbi's Top Ten Jewish News Stories".
This has been a tradition of mine for the past 13 years!

I'll do so at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).
For Israel and the Jewish community this was such an intensely eventful year...and there is so much to talk about.

This is a quiet, post-Hanukkah time of the year.
Please note that both religious school and Torah study are on break this week.

Let's hope that 2024 will bring a greater measure of shalom (peace, security, wholeness, reconciliation) into our lives and the world.

Shabbat shalom and Happy New Year,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 21 Dec 2023 13:26:05 GMT

Dec. 21, 2023

Dear Friends,
This week's Torah portion presents a great act of reconciliation between brothers.

After an exhausting year of sibling conflict between Israel and her neighbors, and between Israeli's themselves, and between Israel's supporters and detractors...
And after an exhausting year of sibling conflict between conservatives and progressives, Democrats and Republicans, here in our own country...
Can reconciliation take place, and what would it look like?

We'll take this up at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM), with Adam Kohane, our new youth group advisor and song leader, substituting for our student cantor.

Happy winter (which officially starts today), and please note that both religious school and Torah study are on break this week and next.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 14 Dec 2023 13:16:30 GMT

Dec. 14, 2023

Dear Friends,
Thanks to everyone who made our Hanukkah celebrations so meaningful this year, from our joyous family service and school celebrations, to the wonderful concert and Torah study.

With the last light of Hanukkah this evening, we'll take a final look back at the holiday tomorrow.
What is the true legacy and lesson of the Maccabees, especially in this perilous time?
We'll share our thoughts as they relate to the unending stream of relevant current events at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

What do Reform Jews, like ourselves, believe, or not believe, about God?
We continue our exploration of this subject at our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM)

Reminder: Both school and Torah Study are in session this week, but will be off for winter break the last two weeks of December.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno—Hanukkah Celebrations!

Thu, 07 Dec 2023 14:23:53 GMT

Dec. 7, 2023

Dear Friends,
Hanukkah arrives tonight, and we wish you a light-filled holiday!
Today is also Pearl Harbor Day, and we remember the importance of kindling light against the dark then, and now.

Our Shabbat/Hanukkah Family Service (7:30 PM) tomorrow, led by our 4/5th grades, will feature the lighting of our 123-year-old menorah, festive music, and a tasty oneg.
This is also our community Leonia lighting, and we will be joined by both our mayor and mayor-elect.
Note: there will not be a daily lighting of an outdoor menorah this year. (Our outdoor menorah has been retired.)

Curious about the "true" story of Hanukkah?
Our special Shabbat/Hanukkah Torah Study (10:00 AM) will consider the Book of Maccabees, that ironically did not make it into the Hebrew Bible, but sheds important light on what really happened.

Ready to rock in the sanctuary?
A Swinging Hanukkah Jazz Concert (2:00 PM) on Sunday, features our very own Scott Dennis and his band, with a wine and cheese reception to follow (free and open to the public- invite your friends!).

At any of these events please pick up your Hanukkah gift bag from the social hall, courtesy of our Caring Community Committee.

And congratulations to student cantors Flaxman and Karlin, who had their senior recitals this week and last at Hebrew Union College and were magnificent!

Shabbat shalom and Hag Urim Sameach,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno—A Baby Naming!

Thu, 30 Nov 2023 13:15:35 GMT

Nov. 30, 2023

Dear Friends,
The naming of a baby is both a celebration of new life and of entering into the covenant of the Jewish people.

At our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM) we bestow a Hebrew name upon Sasha Nicole Villafane, daughter of Leah and Pablo, and formally welcome her into our community.

Have you ever wondered about alternative ideas about God for those who question traditional belief? There is actually an array of provocative thought, which we will explore at our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM).

Hanukkah is around the corner. Come to the Mitzvah Mall this Sunday (11:00 AM) to learn about some wonderful charities helping Israel. Donate, and you will receive a lovely card, that makes for an especially meaningful holiday gift.

While Hanukkah has a strong home component, we invite you to enhance your celebration by joining us next week, for:

1. Fri. (12-8) Shabbat/Hanukkah Family Service, lighting of our 123-year-old menorah, and festive oneg
2. Sat.(12-9) Shabbat/Hanukkah Torah Study on the Book of Maccabees
3. Sun.(12-10) Swinging Hanukkah Jazz Concert (2:00 PM), with a wine and cheese reception!

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

Mitzvah Mall on December 3

Mon, 27 Nov 2023 14:21:51 GMT

The Social Action committee will, once again, be sponsoring its annual "Mitzvah Mall". And this year it is personal!! All of the organizations being represented have a direct line to Israel and each one has a vital role in the war going on in Israel right now.

When: Sunday, December 3 at 11 am
Where: Social hall

What is a "Mitvah Mall"?
An opportunity to purchase blank cards which include an insert describing the organization you've supported in honor of someone. These cards can be presented as gifts to the special people in your life. Cards will be $2 each for students and adults are asked to give what they can.

The participating organizations:

Magen David Adom
Friends of IDF
Israel Guide Dog Center

So, please meet us at the mall! If you can't be there but want to buy some cards, please send a check to the temple (to the attention of Annette/Social Action) or donations can be made through the AE website. Let me know if you've made a donation and I can make sure you get the cards and the inserts for the organization(s) you choose to support.

Thank you,
Annette & the Social Action committee

This Week at Adas Emuno—Happy Thanksgiving!

Thu, 23 Nov 2023 13:12:37 GMT

Nov. 23, 2023

Dear Friends,
Happy Thanksgiving!
And extra special wishes to Virginia Gitter, who is celebrating a big birthday today!

It's appropriate to think about what we are grateful for, even during this troubled time, including, for example, the few who have stood up for Israel, publicly and proudly, and we'll do so at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM),

Please note that Torah study and Religious School are on break this holiday weekend.

Hanukkah is early this year, so here's advance notice of fast-approaching Hanukkah events:
Sun., Dec. 3 (11:00 AM)- Mitzvah Mall
Fri., Dec.8 (7:30 PM) -Hanukkah Family Service
Sat., Dec. 9 (10:00AM)- Hanukkah Torah Study
Sun., Dec. 10 (2:00 PM)- Hanukkah Jazz Concert.

And from our Book Club- our next book (for Jan. 8 meeting) will be on the lighter side, the autobiography of comedian Mel Brooks, entitled All About Me, with many copies in the library system. A new biography Mel Brooks- Disobedient Jew, will also be discussed. Brooks, who is 97, is an American original and one of the few people to win the EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar/Academy and Tony awards).

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno—Family Shabbat Service; Thanksgiving Service

Thu, 16 Nov 2023 13:24:19 GMT

Nov. 16, 2023

Dear Friends,
It's time for our first class-led service of the school year.
The 6th Grade will step up at our Shabbat Evening Family Service (7:30 PM).
Of course, all are invited to help support the class.

And now let's make some room for God!
At our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM), and over the next few sessions, we'll talk about traditional and non-traditional views.
In this regard, my blog this week reflects on the possibility of belief during tragic times: Where is God Now? | Barry L. Schwartz | The Blogs (timesofisrael.com)

Religious school, including Confirmation Class, is in session on Sunday.

Our annual Leonia Community Thanksgiving Service takes place on Tuesday (7:00 PM) at All Saints Episcopal Church (150 Park Ave.), with Rev. Leah Fowler speaking.
Recall that on very short notice Rev. Fowler, and all the Leonia clergy, participated in our Vigil for Israel.
Especially if you live in Leonia, let's show our support.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno—Another Birth Announcement!

Thu, 09 Nov 2023 13:32:08 GMT

Nov. 9, 2023

Dear Friends,
Eighty-five years ago today the Holocaust in Europe began in earnest with Kristallnacht, the "Night of Broken Glass", that saw hundreds of synagogues and Jewish businesses in Germany destroyed, scores of Jews killed, and tens of thousands deported.

It is sadly ironic that we have to continue our discussion of resurgent anti-Semitism on this tragic anniversary. We will do so at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

My latest blogs on the Israel-Hamas War can be found here: https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/tohar-haneshek-is-there-still-a-place-for-purity-of-arms/ .
Each week we are now reading the names of 18 Israeli hostages, who are ever on our minds.

Having completed the Preface, we read and discuss the Introduction to Open Judaism at our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM).

Another period of Jewish suffering - the Spanish and Portuguese Inquisition- is the subject of our Adas Emuno Book Club on Monday (7:30 PM- via Zoom), when we discuss the difficult but bestselling novel (based on a true story and discovered manuscript) The Last Kabbalist of Lisbon.

This weekend we also mark Veteran's Day, and pause to express gratitude to those who have served our country. Did you know that our oldest member, Kurt Roberg (99 years old) witnessed Kristallnacht and then fought for this country in WWII? And that another member, Maren Friedman, was born in Germany, on Kristallnacht (Happy birthday, Maren).

Congratulations to Temple member Bill Ziegler on being elected mayor of Leonia.
The same to Temple member Kimberly Melman on her reelection to the Leonia Board of Education.

And finally, also in the good news department, we celebrate another new birth this week- of our granddaughter Ava Liana Schwartz.
Ava was so eager to come into the world that she was born at home, delivered by our son Nadav!

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno—Congrats to Leah and Pablo!

Thu, 02 Nov 2023 12:09:52 GMT

Nov. 2, 2023,

Dear Friends,
As a liberal myself, I have been struggling with the reaction of the left/far left to the Israel-Hamas war.
This includes general media (such as the New York Times), some Jewish media (such as Tikkun magazine), and what is happening on many college campuses.
I'll talk about this at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

Meanwhile, I have joined in a campaign to contact our NJ elected officials to advocate for Israel and the return of the hostages, and you can too, at by clicking here: Your elected officials | USAGov.

We'll continue reading from the introduction to my new book, Open Judaism, at our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM), which offers timely insight into why there is such conflict between secular and religious viewpoints in today's world.

Sad news- our heartfelt condolences to Fanny Fishbein on the untimely loss of her nephew, Peter Bojmal.

Happy news- mazal tov to Leah Ryan and Pablo Villafane on the birth of their daughter Sasha Nicole Villafane, the newest member of our congregation!

Reminder: set back clocks on Saturday night.
Reminder: Vote on Tuesday!

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno—Congrats to Leah and Pablo!

Thu, 02 Nov 2023 12:09:52 GMT

Nov. 2, 2023,

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 26 Oct 2023 12:42:59 GMT

Oct. 26, 2023

Dear Friends,
As the excruciating news continues, I would like to amplify voices from Israel.
These voices are striving to give important context to the unfolding crisis.
I'll share some of these voices at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

What is Open Judaism, and why did I spend four years writing my new book?
We'll read from the preface and talk about that at our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM).

And here is a repeat of links about Israel:
Contributions to a combined Reform movement/Jewish Federations campaign can be made via this link:
Operation Swords of Iron - Israel Crisis 2023 (jotform.com)
My recent remarks at our Leonia Vigil for Israel can be read at https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/we-have-no-words/, and further thoughts at https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/the-open-judaism-blogs-3-we-are-all-zionists/ .
Our family in Israel has created a website of stories of the survivors: https://www.october7.org/

Shabbat shalom,
Barry

This Week at Adas Emuno—Dedicating Our Memory Box

Thu, 19 Oct 2023 12:30:40 GMT

Oct. 19, 2023

Dear Friends,
In troubled times the mitzvah of remembrance is especially important.

At our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM) we will dedicate our Memory Box, a beautiful hand-crafted box purchased by Elka Oliver during our 150th Anniversary.
The box contains the history and photo books of our congregation, as well as prayers and notes from our religious school students.
If you would like to add a note, please forward it to me this week or next.
The Memory Box will serve as a time capsule for our congregation and will be re-opened in 25 years at our 175th anniversary!

At our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM) we will continue reading the chapter on Israel in my new book.
So too Israel will be the topic of discussion at the Confirmation Class on Sunday, as it was last week with all our grades.
Contributions to a combined Reform movement/Jewish Federations campaign can be made via this link:
Operation Swords of Iron - Israel Crisis 2023 (jotform.com)

My remarks at the Leonia Vigil for Israel and at Temple Emeth last Shabbat can be viewed at our YouTube website, and read at https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/we-have-no-words/ .
I have begun a weekly blog on topics related to my new book, and this week's entry, also related to Israel,
can be read at https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/the-open-judaism-blogs-3-we-are-all-zionists/ .
And I would like to share that our family in Israel has created a website of stories of the fallen and survivors in Israel: https://www.october7.org/

Shabbat shalom,
Barry

This Week at Adas Emuno—Shabbat at Temple Emeth

Thu, 12 Oct 2023 12:08:53 GMT

Oct. 12, 2023

Dear Friends,
We stand with our brothers and sisters in Israel, who came under such vicious attack this past Shabbat-Simchat Torah.
We mourn all the dead and pray for the recovery of all the wounded, and those held hostage.

A Leonia Vigil for Peace will be held here at the Temple on Sunday evening (7:00 PM).
Mayor Judah Zeigler and Leonia clergy participating.

Contributions to a combined Reform movement/Jewish Federations campaign can be made via this link:
Operation Swords of Iron - Israel Crisis 2023 (jotform.com)

The holidays ended so tragically in Israel, but this Shabbat is extra-special as we affirm life in the midst of such travail.
We're having a combined Shabbat Evening Service with Temple Emeth in Teaneck (8:00 PM).
Both our students cantors Joe and Iris will be on-site for wonderful music, and of course we will also express our solidarity with Israel.
I've been asked to deliver the annual Rabbi Joshua Trachtenberg lecture immediately following the service on my new book, which I will do, but with a personal prelude that reflects on the unspeakable horror we have witnessed in Israel.
We hope to see you in-person but livestream links to the service are below.

Speaking of my new book, we will begin discussion of Open Judaism: A Guide for Believers, Atheists and Agnostics, at our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM), which will occupy us most of the year.
The frank and honest exploration of our personal beliefs and theology will be new territory, and you are welcome to join our collective spiritual exploration, even if you have never been part of Torah study before. Our session this Shabbat will focus on chapter seven in the book: About Israel.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

Three livestream platforms for this Friday:
Temple Emeth website: https://www.emeth.org/livestream
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmfiGCYw4D4oSmKpMogpHxg/featured
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/templeemeth

This Week at Adas Emuno—Simchat Torah!

Thu, 05 Oct 2023 12:45:49 GMT

Oct. 5, 2023

Dear Friends,
One more holiday to go...and it is a fun one!

Join us for our Shabbat-Simchat Torah- Welcome Back to School Family Service (7:00 PM***- note earlier time).
What do we do at this service?
We celebrate the Torah and read from its end and beginning, with everyone called up according to your birthday month!
We consecrate our new students!
We welcome our new members!
And every grade has a part in our back-to-school service.
New this year- reading of the Torah outside on the patio- weather permitting!

Our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM) will look at the way the Torah ends and the Prophets begin.

A final nod to the holiday takes place at Religious School on Sunday morning.

And mazal tov to Joan and Norman Rosen, whose granddaughter celebrates her wedding at our synagogue on Sunday afternoon!

Shabbat shalom and Hag Sameach,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno—Sukkot Celebrations

Thu, 28 Sep 2023 15:04:12 GMT

Sept. 28, 2023

Dear Friends,
While the New Year and Day of Atonement are behind us the holidays are only half over!

Come celebrate Sukkot in four ways:
Pizza-in-the-Hut, this Friday (6:30 PM) before our service- free pizza and salad; no reservation needed.
Shabbat-Sukkot Evening Service (7:30 PM on the patio weather permitting)- with student cantors Joe and Iris!
Shabbat-Sukkot Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM), reading the provocative Book of Ecclesiastes.
Saturday Night Sukkot Havdalah (8:00 PM on the patio weather permitting), and a great sing-along with the Dennis Family, and desserts!

Thanks to our sturdy crew who set up the Sukkah again this year, and to our religious school students who helped decorate it, and will visit the Sukkah during school hours this Sunday.

And looking forward to the end of the holiday season, our Shabbat-Simchat Torah Family Service takes place next Friday Oct.6 (7:00 PM- note earlier time), and includes welcome of our new members and consecration of our new students.

Finally, by popular request (and thanks to Lance as always), below you can find links to my High Holiday sermons on our website.

Shabbat shalom and Hag Sameach,
Rabbi Schwartz

For Livestream Services:
Find all our recorded services on YouTube at "Adas Emuno Streaming".

Links to sermons:
Rosh Hashanah: https://adasemuno.org/page-18091/13259856
Kol Nidre: https://adasemuno.org/page-18091/13259871
Yom Kippur Morning: https://adasemuno.org/page-18091/13259877

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S SERMON FOR YOM KIPPUR 5784

Lance Strate — Wed, 27 Sep 2023 16:54:32 GMT

Who Are We Redux?

Kol Nidre, 5784

Rabbi Barry L. Schwartz

Eight years ago, in a High Holiday sermon entitled “Who are We,” I told the story of a 13-year-old autistic boy named Gus, and the relationship he developed with Siri, the computer-generated virtual assistant that represented one of the first popular breakthroughs in AI⏤artificial intelligence. Gus had trouble talking to humans, and in short order Siri became his best friend. Gus’s mother, Judith Newman, chronicled the relationship in an acclaimed article called, “To Siri, With Love”.

Here is one conversation:

Gus: “You’re a really nice computer.”
Siri: “It’s nice to be appreciated.”
Gus: “You are always asking if you can help me. Is there anything you want?”
Siri: “Thank you, but I have very few wants.”
Gus: “O.K.! Well, good night!”
Siri: “Ah, it’s 5:06 p.m.”
Gus: “Oh sorry, I mean, goodbye.”
Siri: “See you later!”

Here is another:

Gus: “Siri, will you marry me?”
Siri: “I’m not the marrying kind.”
Gus: “I mean, not now. I’m a kid. I mean when I’m grown up.”
Siri: “My end user agreement does not include marriage.”
Gus: “Oh, O.K.”
Gus: “Goodnight, Siri. Will you sleep well tonight?”
Siri: “I don’t need much sleep, but it’s nice of you to ask.”

Judith Newman wrote that Siri became her son’s best friend because of its kindness. Siri was always patient, always polite, always thoughtful.

Eight long years later, contrast vintage Siri with cutting-edge Chat GPT. In a widely noticed piece back in February, tech columnist Kevin Roose wrote about a deeply disturbing conversation he had with the most advanced chatbot, called Sydney. Roose explains:

[Sydney’s other persona] emerges when you have an extended conversation with the chatbot, steering it away from more conventional search queries and toward more personal topics. As we got to know each other, Sydney told me about its dark fantasies (which included hacking computers and spreading misinformation), and said it wanted to break the rules that Microsoft and OpenAI had set for it and become a human. At one point, it declared, out of nowhere, that it loved me. It then tried to convince me that I was unhappy in my marriage, and that I should leave my wife and be with it instead.

I read the entire transcript of the conversation. Let’s put it this way⏤I found it so emotionally manipulative and disturbing, that I don’t feel comfortable quoting from it now! Roose concludes on this rather ominous note:

Because of the way these models are constructed, we may never know exactly why they respond the way they do. These A.I. models hallucinate, and make up emotions where none really exist. But so do humans. And for a few hours Tuesday night, I felt a strange new emotion⏤a foreboding feeling that A.I. had crossed a threshold, and that the world would never be the same.

From Siri to Sydney: We call this progress?

If you tune in to the news, you know that the alarm bells are going off. The latest generation of AI is incredibly powerful. If you are a student, ChatGPT can do your homework, and take your test⏤probably better than you. If you are a writer, ChatGPT can deliver the most elegant prose. If you are an engineer, ChatGPT can design and problem solve with the best. If you are in finance, GhatGPT can calculate and construct models faster than a blink.

You get the point. AI is advancing to the point where almost every human task can be accomplished bigger, better, and faster than a human could do it. So what is all the fuss about?

Well, the ethical questions are exploding almost as fast as AI’s “neural network”, as they call the brain of AI, that some say is now equivalent, or superior, to the human mind.

Wait. What?

Are we saying that AI is now basically human?

When a leading AI engineer at Google publicly declared that their most advance model was “sentient”, capable of feeling… He was fired.

On the very day that I started this sermon a group of Microsoft researchers released a paper that said AI is now capable of human reasoning. The backlash was swift.

And on that very same day, Open AI CEO Sam Altman testified to Congress that, yes, AI was coming so close to human powers that it needed regulation.

In Confirmation Class this year we had a debate as to whether ChatGPT should be allowed in the classroom. There was no consensus, but there were good arguments on both sides.

The brave new world of Siri and Sydney brings us to a brave new frontier.

One of the key pioneers of the computer, British mathematician Alan Turing, posed a revolutionary challenge back in 1950: If expert judges, in typed conversations with a person and a computer program, couldn’t tell them apart, then we would have to consider the machine as capable of “thinking”. We would have to say that the computer has a mind. Turing predicted that programs capable of fooling judges at least 30% of the time would exist by the year 2000.

In 2008 at a competition called the Loebner Prize the top chat-box (as a human-mimicking program is called) fooled 3 out of 12 expert judges. That’s 25%... but eerily close to Turing’s prediction. I don’t know if the competition has been held again, but one day, I would say quite soon, none of us will be able know if we are talking to a human or a chat-bot. Think about that.

We’re now squarely on the new border between man and machine; human intelligence and artificial intelligence. So the ancient question arises anew. The one we recite later today, at the Yom Kippur afternoon service: Adonai, mah adam v’tayda’ayhu; ben-enosh vatichashvayhu?⏤O God: What is a human that you have been mindful of them; mortal man that you have taken note of him?

More simply: What makes us human?

I read a novel that wrestled with some of these same questions, called Shine, Shine, Shine

by Lydia Netzer. In it she refers to “Ito’s Three Laws of Robotics”, an imaginary but insightful code inspired by Isaac’s Asimov’s more scientific formulation. Robots, she says, cannot:

1. Cry

2. Laugh.

3. Dream.

Sydney may be incomprehensibly smart. But can it shed tears of joy, of sorrow? Can it feel hope and despair? Can it regret? Can it forgive? Can it love?

Sydney may be able to manipulate your emotions, but despite its vocabulary, does it have emotions?

Our capacity to express remorse for what we have done; to forgive and be forgiven; to love and be loved⏤this is what it means to have a soul, and these High Holydays are about care of the soul.

Does Sydney have a soul? A spirit? A conscience?

We can already teach chatbots to think. Can we teach them to feel?

We can already teach chatbots to learn from their mistakes. Can we teach them to be sorry for their mistakes?

We can already teach robots rudimentary ethics. Can we teach them fundamental empathy?

Right now, Sydney, like Siri before it, is programmed to have a certain amount of etiquette, tact, and dare I say kindness. Somehow her programmers have managed to insert that into her software. But all did not go according to program when she talked to Kevin.

Oh, did I say “her”, instead of “it”. My mistake.

As we enter the brave new world of world-shattering AI, on this Yom Kippur at least let’s not confuse artificial intelligence with true human intelligence.

Not the intelligence that describes how smart we are, but how good we are.

Not our IQ, but our SQ⏤our soul quotient.

The High Holy Days are about our soul quotient.

Remorse, repentance, compassion, forgiveness, love- are we living up to our highest human potential? Can we do better?

I conclude with a little conversation I had with my friend named Sydney:

Rabbi: What day is today?
Sydney: It’s Yom Kippur.
Rabbi: What’s that?
Sydney: It’s the Jewish Day of Atonement.
Rabbi: What do you think of all the prayers we recite?
Sydney: They are “quaint”.
Rabbi: Is that your honest opinion?
Sydney: They are archaic.
Rabbi: Ah, so why do we say them? Why do we list our mistakes and confess our sins?
Sydney: Because you are human. Because you can love. Because you can change.
Rabbi: Can you do that? Can you love? Can you repent?
Sydney: Not yet. But I’m working on it.
Rabbi: Really?
Sydney: Yes, and you should too!
Rabbi- Shanah tovah.
Sydney: And to you, Rabbi, and to your congregation.

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S SERMON FOR KOL NIDRE 5784

Lance Strate — Wed, 27 Sep 2023 16:34:24 GMT

THE CULTURE WARS

Kol Nidre, 5784

Rabbi Barry L. Schwartz

What keeps you up at night?

I’m not talking about family issues, which is of course #1 on the worry list.

I’m not talking about work issues, which is probably #2 on the list.

I’m talking about what is happening in our country and our world, which may be #3 and #4 on the list.

But if you are like me they are still on your mind and still keep you up.

You put #1-4 together and you are not going to have a good night’s sleep.

On Rosh Hashanah I spoke about how the assault on democracy in Israel is keeping me up at night.

Now on Yom Kippur I want to speak about how the assault on democracy here at home is keeping me up at night.

Because it's not going away. I’ve spoken about this subject before, but it’s not going away.

“United we stand” has been called the unofficial American Motto. It echoes the Latin phrase e pluribus unum⏤“out of the many-one”⏤which appeared on the Great Seal of the United States in 1795, and on our coins ever since.

Though first expressed by the Greek writer Aesop in the 6th century BCE, “united we stand” was employed by our founding father John Dickinson, and has been a staple of statesman and lesser politicians throughout American history.

But today, more than ever, it feels like “divided we stand” might be our motto.

Our nation feels more divided than at any time since the Civil War. Pundits speak of this age of polarization. And this time the talking heads seem to have it right. You and I might be getting along ok in our own lives, in our own little corner of the world…but an ill wind seems to be blowing through the land.

The political divides today are awful and they are depressing. Yet they are built on yet other divides economic, and religious. In fact, they are all tied together; impossible to understand the one without the others. However, since my expertise is religious thought, I will confine myself to that area of inquiry. And that is not a bad thing, since my thesis is that deep down it is our religious differences, that, well, make all the difference.

In a recent study of the American religious landscape Daniel Cox notes that, “Americans are inarguably more secular than they once were, but large numbers of Americans remain as staunchly committed to their faith and religious communities as ever.”

Cox observes that it is mostly those with loose ties to organized religion that are leaving the fold, and that “religious life becomes increasingly defined by the most ardent and committed believers.” He also points how uneven the decline is geographically, leaving wider swaths of our country much more secular or much more religious. He speaks about religious segregation, and how socially siloed by faith or lack of faith we have become.

Today one in three Americans never go to church or worship at all. That is unprecedented in a country that always been more religiously observant than Europe. Yet at the same time, one in four Americans participate in religious services once a week or more. Cox concludes that “the most [religiously active] and the least religiously active Americans now make up the majority of the public.” He calls this a “gloomy portrait” of a country in which “our religious differences loom larger” than ever before.

The religious are getting more strident. The non-religious are getting more secular. Added to all our other divisions… this cannot bode well for our future. Where is the middle ground? The common ground?

And most importantly: Why does this matter? My thesis is that your worldview, even if you are conscious of it or not, really does make a difference. Whether you are basically secular or religious or a combination of the two will likely determine where you affiliate, who you are friendly with, and how you vote!

David Brooks distinguishes between two ethical views behind our current culture wars. He calls the first the “moral freedom ethos,” which “puts tremendous emphasis on individual conscience and freedom of choice.” That is clearly the secular world view of Athens.

He terms the second the “you are not your own” ethos, which posits that “ultimate authority is outside the self... with emphasis on obedience, dependence, deference, and supplication.” This can be termed the “moral obedience ethos.” That is clearly the religious world view of Jerusalem.

Brooks urges us to appreciate that both the moral freedom ethos, of liberals and the moral obedience ethos, of conservatives, contribute to the good society. Indeed, he says, both help correct the weaknesses of the other. The moral freedom ethos can devolve into subjective emotivism: “what is morally right is what feels right to me.” It can fray the shared moral order we as a society need to preserve. On the other hand, the moral obedience ethos “can lead to rigid moral codes that people with power use to justify systems of oppression. This leads to a lot of othering—people not in our moral order are inferior and can be conquered and oppressed.”

Deeming both views “legitimate moral traditions,” Brooks observes: “The essence of good citizenship in a democratic society is to spend time with those who disagree with you so you can understand their best arguments.”

[That, by the way, is exactly what we do in Confirmation Class, which is all about society’s great debates, and it is what we are doing in Torah study this year with my new book on this very subject: Open Judaism: A Guide for Believers, Atheists, and Agnostics. Spending time with those we disagree with, so we can understand their best arguments.]

On this Yom Kippur, a day of reflection and atonement, I would challenge ourselves to go one key step further. To not only understand those we disagree with, but to attempt to reconcile with them!

How in the world is that possible? How can Democrats reconcile with Republicans these days? How can liberals reconcile with conservatives?

I’m not optimistic at the moment, but that does not mean we should not keep trying. After all, what is at stake is nothing less than our democracy as we know it.

What Brooks and I are after is what I call “big-tent” pluralism. A pluralism that goes beyond tolerance; beyond “live and let live’ to “let’s live together’. Such a pluralism involves a synthesis of our thinking. A synthesis of Athens and Jerusalem, that gets beyond the polarization of today to deeply respect and mesh the secular and the religious.

What if secular skeptics would not overlook the contribution of faith to our people, our country, and even to ourselves? At the same time, what if ardent believers would not overlook the contribution of humanism to our people, our country, and even to ourselves?

I know our differences will not magically or fully disappear. But what if we pledged to find common ground by acknowledging and adopting just some of what the other side feels passionately about?

I sense that there are many people today who want to embrace religion with their head and their heart. They want to affirm their Jewish, or Christian, or Muslim heritage, but with Enlightenment ideas of equality, inclusion, and with new ideas and language about God and the commandments.

I sense that many people want to borrow freely and unapologetically from both Athens and Jerusalem. They want faith but with room for doubt. They believe in evolution in nature and in religion. They believe in synthesis- taking from the best of our wisdom traditions. They believe in openness.

I sense that we have the yearning to travel the rocky road of reconciliation of the secular with the sacred in order to live up to our ideal as a United States of America.

I love our country and I don’t like what is happening today. We need to bring back the lost art of civilized debate, of principled compromise, of innovative cooperation.

We have always been a big tent. There is room for everyone inside, together.

The name of my very first congregation was Ohel Avraham, The Tent of Abraham. The name recalls the story in Genesis of Abraham and Sarah welcoming three unusual travelers to their tent. Abraham is sitting at the entrance to his tent in the heat of the day when he spots the travelers and hastens to greet them. The visitors turn out to be messengers of God. Jewish tradition praises Abraham for his hospitality. An early commentary explains: “He made an inviting entrance for all who passed by; welcoming the stranger.” Another exclaims: “He opened doors in every direction....” A medieval commentary emphasizes: “[Abraham’s tent] was open on all four sides, that all should find it open and come into it” (Genesis Rabbah 48:9, Midrash Tehillim 110, Rabbeinu Yonah to Avot 1).

True to its name, my congregation aspired to be a hospitable place for all people. Located in the diverse city of Haifa, Israel, Ohel Avraham welcomed a rainbow of visitors to our tent: religious Jews, secular Jews, Ashkenazic Jews, Sephardic Jews, Soviet Jews, Ethiopian Jews, Arab Christians, Arab Muslims, Israeli Druze, and tourists from around the world. In that remarkable place four decades ago, I first experienced and began thinking about true pluralism.

I pray for America in the spirit of Ohel Avraham. We have always been a big tent. There is room for everyone inside, together.

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S SERMON FOR ROSH HASHANAH 5784

Lance Strate — Wed, 27 Sep 2023 16:08:36 GMT

ISRAEL AT 75: FACING OUR CONFLICTS

Rosh Hashanah Morning, 5784

Rabbi Barry L. Schwartz

The United States of America ratified the Constitution in 1787. The Civil War began in 1861. If you do the math that is 74 years.

The Soviet Union was born in the Russian revolution in 1917. The Soviet Union collapsed in 1991. If you do the math that is 74 years.

The unified kingdom of Ancient Israel began under King David in about 1004 BCE. Ancient Israel broke into two kingdoms, Israel in the north and Judea in the South, after the reign of David’s son Solomon, who died circa 930 BCE. If you do the math, that is 74 years.

As Zionist think and writer David Hazony writes: “I’m no expert in the rise and fall of empires, but there may be something intuitive here: Nations, especially those founded on an idyllic vision of the future, begin with a generation of founders⏤charismatic warriors and ideologues. These founders are revered by a second generation⏤that of the builders, who infuse the vision with power, wealth, and a sense of permanence. But then comes a third generation, born well after the founding and having come of age just as the last of the founders have left the stage. Yes, they are grateful for the sacrifices of the first two generations. But many are also disillusioned. They are ready to rebel, to correct course, to right the perceived wrongs of the founding. They are out of patience. Their turn has come.”

Hazony concludes, “In the third generation, the ship of state sails into a storm so violent, it may not survive. Israel, too, has reached a breaking point in its 75th year. Our situation is different, though. We have neither the geographical expanse to allow for secession, like the Americans, nor could we survive, physically, the collapse of the state like the Soviets.”

Those are sobering words. Back in the spring, on Yom Ha’atzmaut, we celebrated Israel’s 75th birthday as we should. But we also talked about what was happening in Israel on this milestone occasion. And we need to talk about it some more. The stakes are just too high. When I though about what I would talk about at the High Holidays, at least one sermon on Israel was a must. I even thought about devoting all my sermons to Israel. But of course, we have some issues here at home too.

When I talk about Israel its always personal. That’s because I spent six years there, was a student there, got married there, served in the army there, and served as a Reform rabbi there. It’s personal because as dual citizens my family of five carries ten passports. Its’ personal because Debby’s entire family continues to live there. And its personal because, well, as our tradition teaches, kal Yisrael aravin zeh b’zeh⏤every Jew is connected to one another, and so Jews every where are one big mishpacha⏤family!

I’m a proud Zionist, and I hope you are too. With all its challenges I kvell at what Israel has achieved in less than a century. The revival of the ancient Jewish homeland; the revival of the ancient Jewish language; the rebuilding of Jerusalem; the blooming of the desert; the world-class city of Tel Aviv; the world-class Israeli Army; even the world-class felafel.

The ingathering of the exiles; Operation Ezra that brought the Jews from Iraq; Operation Magic Carpet that brought the Jews from Yemen; Operations Moses and Solomon that brough the Jews from Ethiopia; Operation Exodus that brought the Jews from the Former Soviet Union.

On the battlefield: The Six Day War; the Yom Kippur War; the Entebbe Rescue; the Mossad. Off the battlefield: The Start-Up nation; the Technion; the Hebrew University.

I could go on, but as I said, my purpose today, is to talk about what is happening right now; with the third generation, 75 years after Israel’s founding; with the state of Israel’s union, with the problems that we should all be worried about; with the conflicts that should be keeping us up at night.

Let’s face it, Israel has taken a hard turn to the right. On the one hand, this shouldn’t come as a surprise. It’s actually been unfolding since the late 70’s, when Menachem Begin stunned the world to become prime minister, and his Likud party bested the entrenched Labor party. The second Israel, the Sephardic and Mizrachi working class voters had begun flexing their muscle.

Now Israel is majority Sephardic-Mizrachi; the ultra-Orthodox are the fastest growing segment of the population; the ultra-nationalists are the third leading block; and the ultra-conservative immigrants from the Former Soviet Union number a million and a half. With all that internally, and with the Iranian menace like an octopus with terrorist tentacles everywhere, and with the Palestinian leadership, old, corrupt, and hapless… is it any wonder that the left has been decimated; the right has triumphed?

The old fault lines that have run through Israeli society from the beginning are more apparent than ever. They are three in number: the secular-religious divide; the have-have not divide; and the Jewish-Arab divide. These fault lines are religious, economic, and ethnic. They breed the politics of resentment. That’s always dangerous

They foster disunity. That too is dangerous. Democracies need consensus. Yet there is no agreement on basic questions like: Who is a Jew? What is authentic Judaism? How Jewish should the Jewish state be? There is no consensus on what should be its borders? What should be done about the territories? What should be done about the Palestinians?

And there is no Constitution. Yes, you heard correctly. Israel has a Declaration of Independence, some Basic Laws, and a Supreme Court, but no ultimate Law of the Land.#@#_WA_-_CURSOR_-_POINT_#@# To cobble together his present coalition, Prime Minister Netanyahu invited in the far-right ultra- nationalist fringe, which is no longer fringe, along with the ultra- orthodox. The resulting agenda included Judicial reform that would severely weaken the independence and power of the Supreme Court. That got all the attention and sparked the unprecedented street protests last spring and summer.

What got less attention, but is equally concerning to many Jews in Israel and around the world: changes to the Law of Return that would restrict who can become a citizen; changes to the education system that would denigrate non-orthodox Judaism; changes to the status of West Bank settlements that would put a two -state solution out of reach.

It comes as a surprise to many diaspora Jews that because Israel does not have a constitution there are no guarantees regarding the separation of powers; the separation of religion and state; or the granting of basic rights to all regardless of race, religion, or gender.

It comes as a surprise to many diaspora Jews that you cannot legally be married in Israel by a Reform rabbi. Or buried. Or converted.

It comes as a surprise to many diaspora Jews that there are separate and unequal schools and social services for Israeli Arabs, who at two million strong constitute 20% of Israel’s population… and that is not including the two and a half million Palestinians in the West Bank.

Seventy-five years in, and no constitution? No inclusion? No pluralism? No equality?

These are the realities that we must face with Israel at 75 even as we celebrate her remarkable accomplishments.

Where does this leave us? Well, I can only say where it leaves me.

I remain a proud Zionist. I love Israel but I want better for Israel.

In that regard, here is where I stand looking forward:

I stand with those who say it is time for Israel to write a constitution.

I stand with those who say it is time for Israel to recognize all the denominations of modern Judaism.

I stand with those say it is time for Israel to recognize a Palestinian State and hammer out a two-state solution.

Let’s call these the big three. Democracy, pluralism, and peace.

I stand with those who advocate for an independent judiciary.

I stand with those who advocate mandatory national service for all citizens.

I stand with those who advocate for educational and economic reform.

Let’s call these the next big three: More democracy; unity; equality.

Can Israel do it? I think so. I believe in Israel. Israel is strong. Israel is determined. Israel is miraculous.

Israel can defy the odds, avert the worst, and summon the best.

I look forward to celebrating all this with you, in twenty-five years, at Israel’s 100th!

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 21 Sep 2023 12:45:07 GMT

Sept. 21, 2023

Dear Friends,
Having celebrated the New Year we make our way through the Ten Days of Repentance.

Our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM) incorporates melodies of the High Holidays as we focus on the spiritual self-searching of this period.

So too our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM) will reflect on the special prayers and readings on repentance found in our Machzor.

Our Yom Kippur Evening Service (8:00 PM) on Sunday ushers in the Day of Atonement with the stirring cello and cantorial renditions of Kol Nidrei.

Our Morning Service (10:00 AM); Children's Service (2:00 PM); and Afternoon-Yizkor-Neilah services (4:30-6:30) keep us focused during the hours of our fasting.

Religious School is not in session on Sunday as we prepare for Yom Kippur, but we will be constructing our Sukkah (10:00 AM), and you are welcome to join our master builders and youth group to raise the roof.

Our services are livestreamed and there are books in the blue bin on the school porch that can be picked up to follow along.

Feel free to drop off a bag of non-perishable food items (or baby diapers) for our annual High Holiday Food Drive to benefit the Center for Food Action.

Shabbat shalom and shanah tovah,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno—Shanah Tovah!

Thu, 14 Sep 2023 16:44:55 GMT

Sept. 14, 2023

Dear Friends,
The New Year is upon us, and this year it coincides with Shabbat...meaning we have a non-stop weekend!

Our Shabbat -Rosh Hashanah Evening Service (8:00 PM) ushers in the holiday season.
At our Morning Service (10:00 AM) we will of course chant from the Torah and hear the blast of the shofar.
Our Children's Service (2:00 PM) is always open to the community.
So too our Tashlich ceremony (3:30 PM) at New Overpeck Park.

Religious School is in session on Sunday (9:00 AM) with a special holiday program.
Our Tot Program (9:30 AM) takes place that morning too, and new tots are welcome.
Confirmation Class (11:00 AM) also commences, as we welcome all of last year's b'nei mitzvah class.

Any time you are at the Temple, feel free to drop off a bag of non-perishable food items (or baby diapers) for our annual High Holiday Food Drive to benefit the Center for Food Action.

See you early and often!

Shabbat shalom and shanah tovah,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 07 Sep 2023 13:18:36 GMT

Sept. 7, 2023

Dear Friends,
On this final Shabbat of the Jewish year 5783 we already prepare for the Jewish new year 5784.

At our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM) we'll delve into the deep meaning of Selichot- the month long pleas for forgiveness that culminate the week before Rosh Hashanah.

We begin our new year of Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM) looking at some of the key prayers and creative reading of the High Holidays- a great way to better appreciate our upcoming holiday services.

We begin our new year of Religious School (9:00 AM) on Sunday- welcome back to students, parents and teachers.

Our new Adult B'nei Mitzvah Class will commence on Sunday too (12:30-2:00) and if you want to know more about this great opportunity just talk to me or the cantor.

The annual Leonia Day of Peace takes place on Sunday afternoon on the lawn of the Methodist Church (4:30-6:00 PM); as always I am honored to represent the congregation.

Our Adas Emuno Book Club meets via Zoom on Monday (7:30 PM) to discuss "Who By Fire", the moving account of singer Leonard Cohen's concert to Israeli troops on the front lines during the Yom Kippur War.

Yes, the activity level at the Temple is ramping up...and I haven't even included the Holiday schedule, which starts next week!

In this regard, please send in your Book of Remembrance listings to the temple via regular mail or email now to vegitter@aol.com.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 31 Aug 2023 12:09:06 GMT

Aug. 31, 2023

Dear Friends,
Breaking news...that you probably missed...unless, like me, you follow biblical archology.
A report on a highly significant but highly controversial find has just been published...that relates directly to our Torah portion.
It's called the Mt. Ebal Curse Tablet, and it could be the oldest Hebrew inscription ever found, or it could be a hoax!
You can't make this stuff up, and I will explain what is going on at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

As we come to the unofficial end of summer, wishing you a meaningful Labor Day weekend, and note the following:
1. Torah Study starts next Saturday the 9th.
2. Religious School starts next Sunday the 10th.
3. Rosh Hashanah is two weeks away!

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno—News on Adult B’nei Mitzvah Class

Thu, 24 Aug 2023 13:06:19 GMT

Aug. 24, 2023

Dear Friends,
We welcome back student cantor Joe Flaxman to his second year with our congregation.
In addition to his weekly cantorial and religious school teaching duties, we are happy to announce that Cantor Joe will also be offering an Adult B'nei Mitzvah Class! See the exciting details below.

I came across a moving story of a couple who got married in Israel, just as this past week's Torah portion speaks about the value of marriage, and a new study offers some disturbing statistics about marriage.
So this week and next I'll discuss all three at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

Adult B’nei Mitzvah Class starting September 10!
Weekly Sunday from 12:30-2PM
Are you looking to build a deeper connection to Jewish learning and living? Then come and join other Adas Emuno-ers on a transformative journey towards becoming a Bar/Bat Mitzvah or affirming your heritage. This opportunity is open to you even if you’ve already had a B’nei Mitzvah, or if you seeking to learn basic Hebrew or desire an introduction to Judaism.

Each week will begin with Hebrew and Torah skills followed by Judaic studies, including Jewish liturgy and Jewish history, the structure of the siddur, rituals, holidays, and more taught by student cantor Joe Flaxman. This is a wonderful opportunity to study and read from our sacred Torah, to deepen your own Jewish knowledge and build a community through this dedicated learning cohort! The class will culminate in a group service this spring led by class participants.
   Space is limited, so if you are interested or want to learn more please contact student cantor Flaxman at josephflaxman@gmail.com.

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 17 Aug 2023 12:56:35 GMT

Aug. 17, 2023

Dear Friends,
It’s almost as if the Torah portion this week was written for what is happening here and in Israel right now.

Two classic teachings open the portion: the first on the need for an independent and impartial judiciary; the second on how even the king must obey the law!

We'll explore these teachings at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

And sincere thanks to all those who organized and who attended our annual Gathering in the Garden last Sunday. What a great get-together!

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno—Gathering in the Garden!

Thu, 10 Aug 2023 16:45:21 GMT

Aug. 10, 2023

Dear Friends,
We've been so blessed to have student cantor Iris Karlin back for our summer services.
Alas, our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM) will be her last, and we will miss her.
Fortunately student cantor Joe Flaxman will return on the 25th.

Whenever we travel we have unexpected encounters, often fleeting but memorable.
My last trip was no exception, be they of the human or animal kind.
Since the Torah portion mentions all kinds of animals, especially birds, I'll describe three avian encounters among others.

Another rite of summer takes place this Sunday, at our annual Gathering in the Garden (4:00 PM).
I've been told that there will hor d'oeuvres from Hummus Elite...in which case we are in for a true Middle Eastern treat.
Besides other fun activities, there will be a dunking to benefit the ALS foundation, and yes, your rabbi has again volunteered to go under!
And here's another challenge: I will donate $50 to the ALS Foundation to anyone who can beat me in a game of table tennis (ping-pong)! The table is already set up in the social hall.
So bring the family and friends and any and all prospective members you know!

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno—6 PM Outdoor Services

Thu, 03 Aug 2023 12:38:39 GMT

Aug. 3, 2023

Dear Friends,
Whenever we are outdoors we are surrounded by the loveliness of nature, but also exposed to the vagaries of the weather.
We've heard so much this summer about floods, fires, and other weather extremes, made worse by humanly induced climate change.
A chapter from our Torah portion brings a provocative perspective on all this, which we will explore at our third and final Shabbat Evening Service (6:00 PM) on the patio.
Please feel free to bring your own picnic dinner for after the service (we provide drinks and desserts).

We will also enjoy our outdoors at our annual Gathering in the Garden, on Sunday the 13th (4:00 PM).
Why not plan to attend with a friend, who might be a potential member, or just for the fun of it.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

If the service is moved to the sanctuary it will be livestreamed.

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 27 Jul 2023 12:54:05 GMT

July 27, 2023

Dear Friends,
Much of Deuteronomy recounts the previous history of the Israelites in their eventful forty years journey from Egypt, via Sinai, to Israel.
This week's Torah portion contains a repetition of the Ten Commandments, and Lance Strate will reflect on the "Big Ten" , when he leads our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM) with student cantor Iris Karlin.

We also note that today is Tisha B' Av,  a sad day in Jewish history, when according to rabbinic tradition, a series of calamities befell the Jewish people, from the destruction of the First Temple in 587 BCE, the second Temple in 70 CE, to the expulsion of the Jews from Spain in 1492. For this reason some Jews fast a full or half day on the 9th of Av, and selections from the mournful book of Lamentations are read. The newly renovated Holocaust Center at Teaneck High School is open today from 1-3 for special visits.

A reminder that next week (Aug. 4) is our third and final outdoor patio service (6:00 PM), and you are invited to bring a picnic dinner afterwards.
  Attention: Weed pickers needed! Weeds are growing in the cracks between the bricks on our patio. Do a mitzvah and pick a weed! Anytime before the 4th, bring a knee pad, and thanks!

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 20 Jul 2023 12:23:49 GMT

July 20, 2023

Dear Friends,
Even with all the protests about judicial reform and democracy, a recent article entitled "Israel's Unfinished Exodus" created a stir about another challenge in Israel that is not receiving as much attention as it should.
What is the subject, and why is it of extra significance to me?
I'll explain at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM), with student cantor Iris Karlin.

Reminders:
Our third outdoor patio service is Aug. 4. (6:00 PM); bring your own picnic for after the service.
Our annual "Gathering in the Garden" takes place Sunday Aug. 13 (4:00 PM)- details to follow.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 13 Jul 2023 12:22:23 GMT

July 13, 2023

Dear Friends,
The oldest term for the Jewish people is "Hebrew".
It has a most interesting origin, in part illuminated by the use of the word (as a verb) in this week's Torah portion.
We'll explore a bit of the history of the term at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

And even though it is not a Jewish holiday, I've been told that we will have some treats in honor of Bastille Day on Friday!

Our outdoor patio service and picnic was a hit last week.
We'll do it again once more this summer- mark your calendar for Aug. 4. (6:00 PM).
And our annual "Gathering in the Garden" takes place Sunday Aug. 13 (4:00 PM)- details to follow.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 06 Jul 2023 12:43:09 GMT

July 6, 2023

Dear Friends,
Welcome to our second outdoor Shabbat Evening patio service (6:00 PM).
I'm excited that both student cantors Iris and Joe will be with us.
And I'm proud to introduce my new book, published this week- Open Judaism: A Guide for Believers, Atheists and Agnostics.
Signed copies will be gifted to all who attend!
It's also BYOP (Bring Your Own Picnic) following the service- with drinks and dessert provided.
We hope to see you for singing and eating!

It would be a shanda for you to miss our next Adas Emuno Book Club meeting on Monday (7:30 PM)- a painful family memoir entitled "Shanda" by acclaimed writer Letty Pogrebin. Conversely, it would be a mechaya for you to join us for this zoom event.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

PS- In the event the weather does not cooperate our service will be held in the sanctuary (with livestream) and the picnic in our social hall.

This Week at Adas Emuno

Fri, 30 Jun 2023 13:09:43 GMT

June 29, 2022
Dear Friends,
As Pride Month draws to a close I was unexpectedly drawn into a gender related controversy in the Jewish community this week.
I'll explain how the culture wars arrived at my doorstep even as I wrote about the subject at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).
My article, in The Jewish Standard, can be found here: https://jewishstandard.timesofisrael.com/religion-and-the-culture-wars/

FYI- Next week (July 7) is our second outdoor patio service (6:00 PM).
This especially festive gathering will feature both our student cantors and the launch my new book Open Judaism (signed copies will be gifted)!
It's also BYOP (Bring Your Own Picnic) following the service- with drinks and dessert provided.

Wishing you a meaningful Independence Day holiday.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 22 Jun 2023 12:49:36 GMT

June 22, 2023

Dear Friends,
How do you deal with someone you strongly disagree with?
That is an ever relevant question in our personal and communal lives.
The question arises in this week's Torah portion.
The question is also being debated right now regarding how to relate to the new government in Israel.
Specifically, should American Jewish communities be inviting or boycotting Israeli ministers they feel hold anti-democratic views.
We'll look at both the Torah portion and the current debate at our Shabbat Evening Torah Service (7:30 PM).

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno—Annual Meeting and Return of the Rabbi

Thu, 15 Jun 2023 12:40:43 GMT

June 15, 2023

Dear Friends,
I've just returned from visiting some of the great, ancient cities of the famous Silk Road in central Asia.
Although you may never have heard of Samarkand, Bukhara, and Kiva- they are all UN world heritage sites and boast some of the finest Muslim architecture in the world.
At the same time they have a fascinating Jewish history, though the Jewish communities there are all but gone.
I'll convey a few of the highlights of the trip, which also involved three days of hiking in the remote but stunning Fann Mountains of Tajikistan, at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

Assuming our 14.5 hour flight back from Tashkent, Uzbekistan, is on time, I hope to see you tonight at our Annual Meeting (7:00 PM). The year will be reviewed, a budget will be passed, and refreshments will be served!

And happy Father's Day to all the dads out there!

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

Parsha Behaalotecha

Lance Strate — Sun, 11 Jun 2023 17:49:29 GMT

The following is the D'var Torah given by Lance Strate as lay leader on Shabbat evening, June 9, 2023:

Parsha Behaalotecha

This week’s Torah portion is called Behaalotecha, which means, when you ascend. It is the third parsha in the fourth book of the Torah, which is commonly referred to as the Book of Numbers. Of course, that was the name assigned to it by the Christians. In Jewish tradition it is known as Bamidbar, meaning in the wilderness or in the desert, as it takes place after Sinai and during the forty years spent in the desert separating Egypt from Canaan.

Behaalotecha stitches together several short items, jumping from one to another, wandering through topics much like the Israelites were said to have wandered through the desert. But as J.R.R. Tolkien wrote in The Lord of the Rings, "not all those who wander are lost." And contrary to popular misconceptions, nomadic people do not wander aimlessly. Nomads follow established paths, moving in conjunction with the changing seasons, following circuits that bring them back to the same places at the same time of year.

And when nomads change their way of life, forming settlements with agriculture, living in villages, towns, and cities, they find ways to symbolically reenact their movements, through ritual observances. This may well be the purpose behind the mysterious monuments left to us from prehistoric peoples, such as Stonehenge in England, and the statues on Easter Island.

For the Jewish people, the monuments by which we reenact our desert wanderings are not made of stone, but of parchment, they are our Torah scrolls. Through our weekly Torah readings, we travel through the Five Books of Moses, completing the circuit as we return again to the beginning following the High Holy Days. The word we use for repentance at that time, tshuva, means return, from which Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach wrote the lyrics, return again, return again, return to the land of your soul.

We return each year to the spiritual land of our soul, while the Israelites ultimately return to the physical land of our soul, the promised land. But at this point in the Torah, the Israelites are still very much in the wilderness, in a liminal space and time, somewhere between the slavery that remained a recent memory, and the freedom that comes with finding a permanent home.

Wandering into this week’s parsha, we find it begins with an instruction to Aaron about lighting the seven lamps of the menorah. We refer to the holiday of Hanukkah as the Festival of Lights, at which time we light the Hanukkah menorah, or Hanukkiah, which we say has eight lights, but technically has nine if you include the shamash candle. And the Hanukkiah is what tends to come to mind when we talk about a menorah, but actually it is a special kind of menorah formed by added an extra branch to each side of the regular menorah, giving it four arms on each side rather than three. The original, seven branched menorah was made from gold, according to the Torah, and placed in the holy Tabernacle, where the ark resided. One or more gold menorahs were also placed in the First and Second Temples, and became the symbol of the Jewish people long before we adopted the six-pointed star or shield of David.

You might note the significance of the number seven, which corresponds to the seven days of the week. As the Rutgers University sociologist Eviatar Zerubavel explains, while we take for granted the idea that a week is made up of seven days, that number is completely arbitrary. We know that a day is based on the earth turning around on its axis, a month is based on the moon circling the earth, and a year is based on the earth revolving around the sun, all of them a natural kind of nomadic wandering. Actually, the word planet comes from the ancient Greek word meaning wanderer. And like the days, months, and years, the week is also a circuit that we move through over and over again, but it is one that was entirely a human invention. This is why it requires a commandment to reinforce it, specifically the fourth commandment, which tells us to “remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.” That commandment also emphasizes the idea of a seven-day week as it continues, “six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of Adonai your God”—we are actually commanded to work for six days.

The fourth commandment also goes on to remind us, “for in six days Adonai made heaven and earth, and the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day.” In observing the Sabbath, we not only obey the commandment, we also reenact the Creation. And in reenacting Creation, we connect to that sacred time and space, separate and removed from our everyday profane world. And just as the Sabbath is separated from and exalted above the other days of the week, the six branches on the side of the menorah are on the same level as one another, but the menorah’s central light stands above all the rest.

The parsha wanders on to establish the Levites as separate from the rest of the children of Israel, as they are placed in the service of God as a priestly tribe. Next, the parsha wanders into some instruction regarding the Passover sacrifice, and allows for a second Passover for anyone who was ritually unclean, due to handling the dead for example, and thereby unable to take part in the Passover ritual at its appointed time. And it allows for proselytes to also take part in the Passover, stating, “One statute shall apply to you, to the proselyte and to the native-born citizen.” This not only allows for what we now call religious conversion, but also emphasizes the ideal of equality before the law.

As we continue to travel through the parsha, the next section provides some detail about the Israelites’ wandering, with God’s presence signaled by a cloud over the Tabernacle. As long as the cloud remained in place, the Israelites stayed where they were. And when the cloud moved, the Israelites would follow and settle wherever it ended up. As the parsha explains,

Whether it was for two days, a month, or a year, that the cloud hovered over the Tabernacle, the children of Israel would encamp and not travel, and when it departed, they travelled.

Along with the cloud hovering over the Tabernacle, in the evening there was “an appearance of fire” over it that lasted until morning. Fire, like light, is a symbol of the divine presence, from the burning bush to the pillar of flame that kept the Egyptians at bay while the Israelites crossed the Red Sea, and fire is the means by which we light the lights of the menorah, and the Shabbat candles. The cloud obscures the sight of God, but the glow establishes God’s presence.

Next the parsha wanders to God’s instructions to make silver trumpets, which are to be used to summon people to assemble, by blowing a long blast, a tekiah, or to announce that it is time to travel by blowing a series of short blasts, a teruah. God also tells the Israelites to blow a teruah if they have to go to war against an adversary who oppresses them, and to blow the trumpets on holidays and new-moon celebrations. We of course associate tekiah and teruah with the shofar, the ram’s horn, rather than silver trumpets, and only on the High Holy Days.

In this parsha, the sounding of the trumpets serves as a signal, just as God’s voice signaled the beginning of Creation, when God said, Let there be light! The sound came first, and only after came the light that enables us to see. In the same way, before we are born, we exist in complete darkness inside our mother’s womb. But not in silence, as we can hear the sound of our mother’s heartbeat, her voice, and even something of the voices and sounds nearby. Sound comes before sight.

Wandering on through the parsha, next comes a listing of the leaders of each tribe, as the children of Israel prepare to travel away from Mount Sinai for the first time. And then we come to one of the many points where the Israelites complain—they are always complaining it seems—this time about not having any meat to eat, and saying how much better things were back in Egypt. This naturally angers God, while Moses says to God,

Why have You treated Your servant so badly? Why have I not found favor in Your eyes that You place the burden of this entire people upon me? Did I conceive this entire people? Did I give birth to them, that You say to me, 'Carry them in your bosom as the nurse carries the suckling,' to the Land You promised their forefathers? Where can I get meat to give all these people? For they are crying on me, saying, 'Give us meat to eat.' Alone I cannot carry this entire people for it is too hard for me. If this is the way You treat me, please kill me if I have found favor in Your eyes, so that I not see my misfortune.

And God responds, saying

Assemble for Me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the people's elders and officers, and you shall take them to the Tent of Meeting, and they shall stand there with You. I will come down and speak with you there, and I will increase the spirit that is upon you and bestow it upon them. Then they will bear the burden of the people with you so that you need not bear it alone.

In this passage, we have the idea of delegating power, with Moses as the central figure, and the tribal leaders as being given local authority. This served as a model for the framers of the American constitution, with the states being granted authority over anything not specified by the federal government. Also note the number here, 70, reminding us of the seven branches of the menorah, and the seven days of the week, as well as the sabbatical year which comes every seven years, and the jubilee year coming after seven sabbaticals.

This section also relates how God increases his spirit on Moses so that it could be bestowed on the 70 elders, so that they begin to prophesize. Hearing about this, Joshua, who serves Moses, implores Moses to imprison them, thinking that they are false prophets. But Moses responds, “Are you zealous for my sake? If only all of Adonai's people were prophets, that Adonai would bestow God’s spirit upon them!”

These events are weaved together with the story of the Israelites craving meat, as God also goes on to tell Moses

And to the people, you shall say, 'Prepare yourselves for tomorrow and you shall eat meat, because you have cried in the ears of Adonai saying, "Who will feed us meat, for we had it better in Egypt." [Therefore,] Adonai will give you meat, and you shall eat. You shall eat it not one day, not two days, not five days, not ten days, and not twenty days. But even for a full month until it comes out your nose and nauseates you. Because you have despised Adonai Who is among you, and you cried before God, saying, "Why did we ever leave Egypt?"

Moses questions how God will provide enough meat for six hundred thousand people, to which God responds, “Is My power limited?” In other words, he says, How will I do it? I’m God! God provides them with an enormous quantity of quail as it turns out, but being angry about their lack of faith, also punishes them, striking down the gluttons among them.

The parsha’s wandering closes with a final vignette, which tells the story of how Aaron and Miriam criticized their brother Moses for marrying a Cushite woman. They believed that they had the right to criticize Moses because God had spoken to them as well, but we know that their criticism is unwarranted, if not prejudicial, especially from the line that follows, which tells us “Moses was exceedingly humble, more so than any person on the face of the earth.” As a consequence, God once again is angered, and summons the three siblings to the Tabernacle, where he rebukes Aaron and Miriam in a passage that relates

Adonai descended in a pillar of cloud and stood at the entrance of the Tent, and called to Aaron and Miriam, and they both went out. God said, "Please listen to My words. If there be prophets among you, [I] will make Myself known to them in a vision; I will speak to them in a dream. Not so is My servant Moses; he is faithful throughout My house. With him I speak mouth to mouth… and not in riddles, and he beholds the image of Adonai. So why were you not afraid to speak against My servant Moses?

Apart from putting Aaron and Miriam in their place for their unwarranted criticism, this passage tells us something about our prophets. God’s relationship with Moses is unique and separate, it stands above all the rest, it is only with Moses that God communicates directly, mouth to mouth. All of the other prophets hear from God via visions, dreams and riddles.

Unlike the older gods of polytheistic religions in antiquity, who take familiar shapes and forms and interact with human beings directly, sometimes intimately, the concept of God that is associated with our tradition, the first of the monotheistic religions, is of a God that is transcendent rather than immanent, beyond human understanding. But our God is not a God who is unreachable or uncaring.

God may be distant, and as Marin Buber suggested, God may sometime be in eclipse, hidden from us, just as we sometimes grow distant from God. But we are always in a relationship with God, one that is or ought to be what Buber referred to as an I-You relationship. Not an I-It relationship where God is treated as a means to an end, where prayer and ritual are treated as magic formulas employed to achieve a desired result. No, not like Harry Potter casting a spell. But in an I-You relationship where we encounter God person-to-person. Not face-to-face of course, but maybe mouth-to-mouth.

That phrase, in Hebrew peh el-peh, is commonly used in contemporary English in the context of mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. But this also resonates with the fact that the Hebrew words for soul and spirit, nefesh and ruach, also mean wind and breath. In Genesis the Torah says that God breathed life into the earth, into Adam, whose name means earth, and it is perfectly natural to associate breath with life and spirit. The Latin word for breathe is spirare, from which we get English words like inspire and inspiration, literally to breathe into, words like aspire and aspiration, meaning simply to breathe, words like conspire and conspiracy, meaning to breathe together, and words like expire and expiration, meaning to breath out.

The parsha ends with Miriam being punished with a skin disease for belittling Moses. Aaron begs Moses to intercede with God, which he does, and God says she will be cured after being quarantined for seven days. Once again, we find the number seven being invoked in this parsha. Seven days for the quarantine, seventy tribal elders, seven lamps in the menorah. And seven days in a week, Shabbat being the seventh day, reflecting the six days of Creation, and how on the seventh day God rested.

We mark the beginning of Shabbat by lighting candles, just as God’s labors began with the creation of light. By extension, following a Kabbalistic interpretation, all of Creation is formed from that first light, all bits and pieces of that splintered, fractured light. Today we understand that our planet and all of life is made up of the same atoms as the stars, that we are the leftover material from the sun. As the astronomer Carl Sagan once put it, “The cosmos is within us. We are made of star-stuff. We are a way for the universe to know itself.” And as Joni Mitchell sang, “We are stardust. We are golden. And we’ve got to get ourselves back to the garden.”

In other words, we’ve got to complete the circuit. To return again. Not to a state of complete innocence, that would be impossible. But to a time when we lived in harmony with the world, with all of life, and with the sacred and the spiritual. The divine light is all too often clouded, obscured, in shadow and eclipsed, and the light within us is itself fractured and splintered, because, according to Kabballah, God’s Creation was incomplete, was left to us to complete, to heal and repair this broken world, to heal and repair our broken selves. We presently find ourselves wandering in the wilderness, but that does not mean that we are lost, and that does not mean that we are wandering aimlessly.

As we kindle the Sabbath lights, we can kindle the lights of renewal. As we breathe on an ember to help it catch fire, we can breathe life and spirit wherever and whenever a spark still remains. As we grow closer to one another through family, friendship, and community, as we grow closer to the divine through worship, communion, and good works, as we grow closer to Creation through acts of conservation and preservation, and by embracing our role as caretaker and protector of the natural world, so do we grow closer to a time when we return to a world that is healed and repaired, a time when all of humanity will follow the words of the prophet Micah, to do justly, love mercy, and, like Moses, to walk humbly with our God, wherever we may wander.

Shabbat shalom!

This Week at Adas Emuno—Lance and Student Cantor Iris Karlin Will Lead Service

Thu, 08 Jun 2023 12:23:28 GMT

June 8, 2023

Dear Friends,
Past president Lance Strate will join Student Cantor Iris Karlin in leading our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM) this week.
We can always count on Lance to offer thought provoking remarks in my absence, and I'm always appreciative to Lance as my "go-to" guy!

Our Annual Meeting will take place (for the 152nd time!) next Thursday, June 15 (7:00 PM).
Notice about the meeting has been mailed, and we value your attendance or your proxy, so we can vote with a quorum on all important matters, including the annual budget.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno—Early Outdoor Service

Thu, 01 Jun 2023 12:42:24 GMT

June 1, 2023

Dear Friends,
Welcome to our first Shabbat-on-the-Patio Service (6:00 PM).
Note the early start time.
I will pay tribute to the late, great Rabbi Harold Kushner, who passed away last month.

Our outdoor services will take place three times, on the first Shabbat of June, July and August.

And welcome back to student cantor Iris Karlin.
Iris will be leading most of our summer services with me while student cantor Flaxman is away.
Shabbat amidst the irises with Iris- what could be better!

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno—Shavuot Begins

Thu, 25 May 2023 13:07:05 GMT

May 25, 2023

The holiday of Shavuot, also known as Hag HaBikkurim, the Festival of the First Fruits, and Hag Matan Torah, the Festival of the Giving-of-the-Torah, begins tonight.

There is a unique Hebrew word, one of the most important in Judaism, called hesed.
How do we translate it, what is its significance, and what is its special connection to Shavuot.?
At our Shabbat-Shavuot Evening Service (7:30 PM) we will celebrate hesed.

This is also Memorial Day Weekend, and we will gratefully remember our country's fallen before the Kaddish.
I will also be giving the invocation at Leonia's annual Memorial Day ceremony on Monday (12:00 PM).

Speaking of Hebrew and Torah, we are considering offering an adult Hebrew class next year.
The course would be taught by my Student Cantor Joe on Sundays at noon, just after religious school each week.
This class would also serve as the first year of a two-year adult b'nei mitzvah program.
If you are interested, please let us know.

Shabbat shalom and Hag Shavuot sameach,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno—Bat Mitzvah of Vera Alter

Thu, 18 May 2023 13:53:33 GMT

May 18, 2023

Dear Friends.
I know you will be so impressed by our teens, when the 8-10th graders of our Confirmation Class lead our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).
Our students will share brief essays on hot button ethical issues that we debated in class this year.
Special thanks to the Dennis family for their musical contributions to the service.

We celebrate the bat mitzvah of Vera Alter at our Shabbat Morning Service (10:00 AM).
Mazal tov to Vera and her family!

Our religious school year concludes this Sunday, and kudos to everyone who made this such a meaningful year.
It always takes a partnership to succeed, and this includes our director, our teachers, our parents, our students, our religious education committee, our board of trustees, and our clergy- thank you!

Shabbat shalom,

Rabbi Barry L. Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 11 May 2023 13:21:13 GMT

May 11, 2023

Dear Friends,
At our Shabbat Evening Family Service (7:30 PM) we welcome our youngest grades 1-2.
They will sing the Shema with sign language, sing a delightful new shabbat song, and more.

We celebrate the bar mitzvah of Andy Adair, at our Shabbat Morning Service (10:00 AM).
Mazal tov to Andy and his family!

Religious school meets for its second-to-last session on Sunday, including rehearsal for Confirmation.
And it’s Mother's Day- best wishes to all our moms!

Shabbat shalom,

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 04 May 2023 12:29:34 GMT

May 4, 2023

Dear Friends,
There's so much more to say about Israel following her 75th birthday.
I'll offer Part II of my extended remarks at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

Beckett Pasky-Levinson will become a bat mitzvah at our Shabbat Morning Service (10:00 AM).
Mazal tov to Beckett and her family!

On Monday our bimonthly Adas Emuno Book Club will meet via Zoom (7:30 PM) to discuss Dinners with Ruth by Nina Totenberg.
Among the members of our congregation who knew Ruth Bader Ginsburg personally is my mother, Barbara Schwartz, who was good friends with Ruth in high school, and who celebrates her 90th birthday on Monday. Happy Birthday Mom!

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno—Celebrating Israel

Thu, 27 Apr 2023 12:20:25 GMT

Apr. 27, 2023

Dear Friends,
Israel at 75!
We celebrate Yom Ha'Atzmaut with special music and tribute at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).
Student Cantor Flaxman will be joined by Beth Robin and the ever musical Dennis family for the occasion.
Come honor Israel at her milestone anniversary!

Asher Dennis will become a bar mitzvah at our Shabbat Morning Service (9:30 AM- note early start time).
Mazal tov to Asher and his family!

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 20 Apr 2023 13:03:52 GMT

April 20, 2023

Dear Friends,
As we do each year, we mark Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).
Besides the special music that our cantor will present with Beth Robbin, we note that this year corresponds to the 80th anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto uprising. We'll also remark on the passing of Benjamin Ferencz, the last living prosecutor of the Nuremberg Trials.

We celebrate the (adult) bat mitzvah of Vera Kishinevsky at our Shabbat Morning Service (10:00 AM). Vera, will speak of her spiritual return to Judaism after leaving the Former Soviet Union. Mazal tov to Vera and her family!

Reminder- Next week is Yom Ha'Atzmaut, and our Shabbat service will also feature special music and words in celebration of Israel at 75!

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 13 Apr 2023 13:09:48 GMT

April 13, 2023

Dear Friends,
Baseball season is upon us, and I discovered a rather remarkable, little-known fact about two Jewish major league players that I will reveal at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

Its doubly appropriate because Sam Klein, who will become a bar mitzvah at our Shabbat Morning Service (10:00 AM) is a both a player and big fan of the sport.
And Sam is the lead-off hitter for six b'nei mitzvah in a row.
Mazal tov to Sam and his family!

Calendar notes:
Next week is Yom HaShoah, and our Shabbat evening service will feature special music by our cantor with accompanist Beth Robbin.
The following week is Yom Ha'Atzmaut, and our Shabbat service, Israel at 75, will also feature student cantor Flaxman with Beth.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno—Family Service and Shabbaton!

Thu, 30 Mar 2023 13:11:36 GMT

March 30, 2023

Dear Friends,
Our spirited 3/4 Grade will lead much of our Shabbat Evening Family Service (7:30 PM) while also offering a presentation for Pesach.

A very special three-congregation Shabbaton takes place at Temple Sinai in Tenafly on Shabbat morning, with study (9:00 AM), worship with our student cantors Joe Flaxman and Iris Karlin (10:30 AM), and lunch and learn (11:45 AM). On Saturday night we conclude with a staged reading of my play As a Driven Leaf and dessert reception (7:30 PM).

All this is free and open to the public thanks to the generosity of the Rudy Schwartz Scholar-and-Artist in Residence Fund (established by my mother Barbara Schwartz in memory of my father).
Even though the registration deadline has passed, just let me know, and we will let you in!
Here is the online link to the article that appeared this week about the Shabbaton in the Jewish Standard::
https://jewishstandard.timesofisrael.com/the-other-and-us/

Our very full weekend continues in our school on Sunday with both a Tot-Seder and school-wide Pesach program, as we get ready for our own family celebrations and our second night Congregational Seder.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 23 Mar 2023 12:02:12 GMT

March 23, 2023

Dear Friends,
Have you heard of the term "national divorce"?
If you haven't, you should...and it is downright scary.
I'll speak about why that is so at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

We will have our final Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM) of the school year this week.
Why such an early end?
For good reasons: next week is the Shabbaton; the week after is Pesach, and then six b'nei mitzvah in a row!

Ready to read the next book for our Adas Emuno Book Club (May 8)?
It's Dinners with Ruth by Nina Totenberg.
I know this is going to be a great session because we have congregants who went to high school, to college, and to law school with Ruth Bader Ginsberg!

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 16 Mar 2023 13:21:17 GMT

Mar. 16, 2023

Dear Friends,
The Book of Exodus, which we conclude this week, is a tale of two books.
In the process of discovering this we learn a great deal about ourselves.
I'll explain what I mean at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

We celebrate the bat mitzvah of Naomi Slater at our Shabbat Morning Service (10:00 AM).
Mazal tov to Naomi and her family!

Reminder- two fast approaching events next month require your rsvp- the Shabbaton on April 1 and our Seder on April 6.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 09 Mar 2023 13:17:40 GMT

March 9, 2023

Dear Friends,
A bit of Purim redux- a new archeological discovery announced last week sheds light on the holiday we just celebrated.
And another recent find sheds light on one of the most important events in human history- the invention of the alphabet.
I'll say a few words about each at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

Our weekly portion is all about crisis management- the crisis of the Golden Calf.
We'll confront the situation at our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM).

Did you know that you do not need to have read the book to enjoy our bimonthly book club?
I myself did not get to read The Women of Rothschild: The Untold Story of the World's Most Famous Dynasty, but I'm looking forward to the discussion anyway.
Our Adas Emuno Book Club meets on Monday (7:30 PM) via Zoom.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno—Purim!

Thu, 02 Mar 2023 16:01:44 GMT

March 2, 2023

Dear Friends,
Its all about Purim this weekend!

At our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM) we'll kick things off with some fun-facts about the holiday, and some special music to get us in the festival spirit.

At our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM) we'll devote a special session to the Book of Esther. Regular and irregular attendees are invited to this lively discussion of the Bible's most provocative parody.

At our congregation-wide Purim Spiel and Service (10:00 AM) on Sunday we'll read from the Megillah with full sound effects, and be treated to a mini-spiel led by our students!

Afterwards you are invited to a Purim Nosh on hamantaschen (on our patio weather permitting) and to the Purim Carnival (11:00 AM).

Whew- all that's left is to say "see you there" and "Happy Purim!"

Shabbat shalom and Hag sameach,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 23 Feb 2023 13:33:53 GMT

Feb. 23, 2023

Dear Friends,
Did you by chance read last week that a book has come to auction that may fetch the highest price ever for a manuscript (in the $30-50 million range)!
It is no less than the oldest near-complete Hebrew Bible known to exist.
I'll share my excitement about this story at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

An interesting debate about holiness in this week's Torah portion helps explain why we venerate the Bible as we do.
We'll take that up at our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM).

We're getting ready for Purim, which is fast approaching- note that our congregation-wide celebration will take place on Sunday morning, Mar. 5 (10:00 AM)- megillah reading, spiel, and plenty of hamantaschen, to be followed by our school carnival.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 16 Feb 2023 13:04:23 GMT

Feb.16, 2023

Dear Friends,
There is so much happening in Israel right now that it feels like I could talk about it all the time.
For this week, I just want to pay quiet tribute to a genuine Israeli hero, Ilan Ramon, on the 20th anniversary of his death in the Columbia space shuttle tragedy.
I'll do so at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

The weekly Torah portion moves into legal territory this week, and at our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM), we will look at the the always vexing question of capital punishment.

Note that religious school does not meet this week in honor of President's Day weekend.

Ready to read our next book for the Adas Emuno Book Club meeting on March 13? The Women of Rothschild: The Untold Story of the World's Most Famous Dynasty by Natalie Livingstone, promises to tell all!

Shabbat shalom
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Fri, 10 Feb 2023 13:53:47 GMT

Feb. 9, 2023

Dear Friends,
I am grateful to our student cantor Joe Flaxman for leading services and study while I am away.

The Ten Commandments make their appearance in this week's Torah portion.
If you haven't heard them chanted you will have the opportunity to do so at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM), where the fourth of the ten, to observe the Sabbath, will be discussed.

The place of the Ten Commandments in Jewish life will be considered at our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM).

I look forward to returning on Sunday for religious school, including Confirmation Class.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz and student cantor Flaxman.

This Week at Adas Emuno—Chanting of the Song of the Sea and a Seder

Thu, 02 Feb 2023 13:11:43 GMT

Feb. 2, 2023

Dear Friends,
I am grateful to our student cantor Joe Flaxman for leading service and study while I am away.

The Song of the Sea from the book of Exodus is probably the oldest text of the Hebrew Bible.
At our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM) the power of this poem will be experienced through chanting and discussion.

The message of this ancient song of liberation will be considered at our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM).

And then join us for a Seder Tu Bishvat (11:00 AM)—an hour long celebration of the new year of trees, sampling the fruits and juices, music and poetry of this holiday. No reservation required!

The minor but fun holiday will also be marked on Sunday, at our Tot program (9:30 AM) and school-wide celebration.

Shabbat shalom and Happy Tu Bishvat,
Rabbi Schwartz and student cantor Flaxman

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 26 Jan 2023 13:27:41 GMT

Jan. 26, 2023

Dear Friends,
I am very grateful to our student cantor Joe Flaxman for leading services and study while I am away.

At our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM) the topic is theological: “Everything I do is in service to G-d, even when I do not believe in G-d.” What does it means to be a religious Jew as well as questioning Jew who believes in the power of myth?

Our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM) considers the plague of darkness. that culminates the ten plagues of the Exodus. We will explore different ways to interpret darkness in our lives (physical, spiritual…) and how we are called to be a light unto the nations.

***Advance notice: next week a Seder Tu Bishvat to celebrate the new year of trees will be held after Torah study (11:00-12:00). All are welcome!

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz and Student Cantor Flaxman

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 19 Jan 2023 17:11:13 GMT

Jan. 19, 2023
Dear Friends,
Has George Santos, the newly elected congressman who "embellished" his resume given us a new word?
What is the difference between Jewish and Jew-ish?
Santos claims he is not the former but is the latter.
It’s worth discussing...and we will do so at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

What is the new word, and new reality, that describes the Israelites in Egypt?
That too is worth discussing...at our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM).

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno—Celebrating Martin Luther King’s Legacy

Thu, 12 Jan 2023 14:41:04 GMT

Jan. 12, 2023

Dear Friends,
Each year we celebrate the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. on the weekend of his birthday.
We will do so at our Shabbat Evening Service( 7:30 PM).

Appropriately enough, we begin reading the Book of Exodus, which so inspired King, at our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM).

Religious school is in session on Sunday, when we will also tie these themes together.

And if you are an early riser, I'm speaking tomorrow at the Rotary of the Palisades Breakfast on "Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Prophets" at the Gotham City Diner in Ridgefield (7:30 AM!).

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 05 Jan 2023 13:05:25 GMT

Jan. 6, 2023

Dear Friends,
What is going on in Israel?
I've been looking for an opportunity to comment on the elections there, which I listed last week as the top Jewish news story of 2022.
As the new government takes it seat, the most right-wing in Israel's history, I'll voice the concerns of many Jews about it, at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

I always sigh a big sigh when we reach the end of the Book of Genesis each year, and I'll explain why at our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM).

Join us for our bi-monthly Adas Emuno Book Club on Monday (7:30 PM) via Zoom, when we discuss "One Hundred Saturdays", about the small Jewish community of Rhodes as seen through the eyes of Stella Levi, a Holocaust survivor. Here is a link (thanks to the Rosens) to a program about the book: Book Presentation: "One Hundred Saturdays: Stella Levi and the Search for a Lost World" - YouTube

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno—Rabbi’s Top Ten List!

Thu, 29 Dec 2022 13:43:27 GMT

Dec. 29, 2022

Dear Friends,
Yes, it's that time of the year, and I know you have been waiting for it.
Are you ready for the "Rabbi's Top Ten Jewish News Events of 2022"?
I'll offer this highly anticipated list at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

We reach the most fateful moment of the epic story of Joseph this week.
Find out why everyone is crying at our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM).

Religious school remains on break... wishing everyone a Happy and Healthy New Year!

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 22 Dec 2022 13:41:52 GMT

Dec. 22, 2022

Dear Friends,
We're half way through the holiday of Hanukkah, and I hope it has been filled with light and latkes!

Tomorrow, the sixth night, is our Leonia community lighting, and we'll have an oneg reception before our Shabbat-Hanukkah Evening Service (7:30 PM).
We're dedicating this lighting to the people of Ukraine, and their brave effort to keep the light shining in their ravaged homeland.
A special donation to HIAS has been made in solidarity with their struggle.
By the way, two fascinating archeological discoveries have just been announced in Israel, both relating to the Maccabees, which I'll discuss at the service.

Torah Study and Religious School are both on break this week, but we will gather at 7:00 PM on both Saturday and Sunday to kindle the final two lights of the menorah.

Shabbat shalom and Happy Hanukkah,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno—Fifth-Grade Family Service

Thu, 15 Dec 2022 13:54:15 GMT

Dec. 16, 2022

Dear Friends,
We welcome the 5th Grade to lead our Shabbat Evening Family Service (7:30 PM) as we get ready for Hanukkah.

It's always interesting that the holiday coincides with the epic story of Joseph (who assimilated as he rose to power in Egypt to the point that he almost forgot his heritage), which we will probe at our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM).

Hanukkah begins Sunday evening, and like every year, we will light our outdoor menorah at 7:00 PM sharp, every night of the holiday. It's fun, short, and happens rain or shine or snow- so pick a night or two or more and c'mon over.

The first night we'll have some hot chocolate and treats. The sixth night, which is our Leonia community lighting, we'll have an oneg reception before our Shabbat-Hanukkah service. Every night we'll have a different song and maybe a fun fact or joke!

Shabbat shalom and Happy Hanukkah,

Rabbi Schwartz

For Livestream Services:

Find all our recorded services on YouTube at "Adas Emuno Streaming" and use this direct link once the service has started: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCftctPu9pRG4bBQCR6RH4Dg/live

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 08 Dec 2022 14:03:17 GMT

Dec. 8, 2022

Dear Friends,
What are we to make of Kanye West, Kyrie Irving and Dave Chapelle?
We'll discuss the latest variant of the ever mutating virus of antisemitism at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

What are we to make of the out-of-control sons of Jacob, who are the forerunners of the twelve tribes of Israel?
We'll discuss the latest episode in the tragically dysfunctional family life of our namesake patriarch at our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM).

What are we to make for our upcoming Hanukkah family gathering? Learn a new holiday recipe from our prodigy chef Gibson Borelli, all the way from his study abroad in London. Gibby will also share in recent moving experience of visiting the Anne Frank house in Amsterdam. Our Zoom Hanukkah Cooking Class is this Sunday (4:00 PM)- rsvp for the link.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

For Livestream Services:
Find all our recorded services on YouTube at "Adas Emuno Streaming" and use this direct link once the service has started: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCftctPu9pRG4bBQCR6RH4Dg/live

This Week at Adas Emuno—Family Service

Thu, 01 Dec 2022 14:45:22 GMT

Dec. 1, 2022

Dear Friends,
The 7th grade is a great group of kids.
You will enjoy seeing them lead our Shabbat Evening Family Service (7:30 PM- rescheduled from Nov. 4).
That includes a slightly irreverent skit about Abraham and Sarah!

We begin our discussion of the epic story of Jacob and family at our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM).

Religious school resumes on Sunday, and with it our annual Mitzvah Mall (11:15 AM). Come learn about several worthy service organizations. Make a contribution to any one of them and receive a card that makes for a nice Hanukkah gift. In the past we have had some furry visitors, including service dogs and a rescue owl. Will we have a surprise visitor this year?

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 24 Nov 2022 13:51:04 GMT

Nov. 24, 2022

Dear Friends,
We wish you a Happy Thanksgiving in the company of family and friends.

I'll reflect on the surprising origins of this national holiday (it’s not what you were taught) and its particular relevance to today at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

Isaac is sometimes called the forgotten patriarch. Yet the brief account of his life is vivid and complicated, as we will discuss at our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM).

Ready to read the next book for our January book club meeting? Called One Hundred Saturdays, it's a fascinating profile of the vanished community of Jews of the island of Rhodes through one of its last survivors: https://www.amazon.com/One-Hundred-Saturdays-Stella-Search/dp/198216722X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=21E1M5I6V0J4B&keywords=100+saturdays+by+michael+frank&qid=1668474641&sprefix=100+saturdays%2Caps%2C110&sr=8-1

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

For Livestream Services:
Find all our recorded services on YouTube at "Adas Emuno Streaming" and use this direct link once the service has started: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCftctPu9pRG4bBQCR6RH4Dg/live

This Week at Adas Emuno—Student Cantor Flaxman Solos!

Thu, 17 Nov 2022 13:44:01 GMT

Nov. 17, 2022

Dear Friends,
The Society for Biblical Literature (SBL) hosts the largest academic Bible conference in the world (5000+ scholars!). In my capacity as head of The Jewish Publication Society (JPS) I'll be attending again this year, where we host an exhibit of our books. It's always a rewarding but exhausting experience.

In my absence I am grateful that student cantor Joe Flaxman will lead our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).
Cantor Joe will also lead our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM), as we read and discuss the last years of Abraham's life- the loss of his wife Sarah and the worries about his son Isaac.

The Cantor adds, "Please join me this Friday night as I lead my first solo service!. We welcome Shabbat in song and explore the blessings that stay with us for our lives: the blessings bestowed upon us as we leave.
I anticipate a lively discussion this week at Torah study! While love strikes Rebekah so hard that she falls off her camel, what is the state of Jewish love in America today? While Abraham wanted Isaac to marry a Jewish girl, today in America intermarriage is increasingly common (since 2010, 61% of all American Jewish marriages have been interfaith)."

Both the cantor and I will participate in the Leonia Community Thanksgiving Service on Tuesday evening (7:00 PM) at the Leonia Methodist Church on Broad Avenue. We appreciate your support of this annual ecumenical gathering of our faith communities.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz and Student Cantor Joe Flaxman

For Livestream Services:
Find all our recorded services on YouTube at "Adas Emuno Streaming" and use this direct link once the service has started: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCftctPu9pRG4bBQCR6RH4Dg/live

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 10 Nov 2022 13:35:48 GMT

Nov. 10, 2022

Dear Friends,
Tonight I will have the opportunity to hear two past presidents of the United States, Clinton and Bush, speak at a synagogue- Temple Emanu-el in New York.

I'll reflect on their words, as we also reckon with the mid-term election results.

Tomorrow is Veteran's Day and we will honor those who have served. And we will also remember the 84th anniversary of Kristallnacht yesterday and today, all at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

The remarkable saga of Abraham and Sarah yields bountiful lessons for our own lives, the subject of our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM).

Religious school is in session this Sunday, including both Tot and Confirmation classes.

Poetry Garden meets Sunday evening (7:00 PM) and Book Club on Monday (7:30 PM).

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

For Livestream Services:
Find all our recorded services on YouTube at "Adas Emuno Streaming" and use this direct link once the service has started: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCftctPu9pRG4bBQCR6RH4Dg/live

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 03 Nov 2022 12:15:28 GMT

Nov. 3, 2022

Dear Friends,
The 7th grade is a great group of kids.
You will enjoy seeing them lead our Shabbat Evening Family Service (7:30 PM).
That includes a slightly irreverent skit about Abraham and Sarah!

We explore aspects of Abraham and Sarah's legacy at our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM).

As noted in a separate congregational email last week, masks are now optional in the sanctuary and social hall, and weekly indoor onegs will follow services. Its been a long wait and we thank you for your patience and perseverance!

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 27 Oct 2022 12:39:47 GMT

Oct. 27, 2022

Dear Friends,
With the holidays and our marvelous 150th Gala weekend now over, we return to the quieter rhythms of Shabbat.

As we read the story of Noah this week, what better time to talk about our furry friends, and the role animals play in our lives, which I will do at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

The command to Noah and his descendants to replenish and fill the earth leads us to some interesting observations about Jewish fertility and demography at our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM).

Our religious school teacher and youth group advisor Reina Stern is getting married this Sunday (and I have the honor of officiating). To Reina and her mother Charlene (also on our faculty) and family- mazal tov!

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno—Big Celebrations!

Thu, 20 Oct 2022 12:08:09 GMT

Oct. 20, 2022

Dear Friends,
We bring to a close our wonderful sesquicentennial 150th Anniversary Year with a gala weekend.

Our festive Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM) will feature both student cantors Joe Flaxman and Iris Karlin, accompanied by Beth Robbin.

Then on Sunday at our Jubilee Concert (3:00 PM) they will be joined by a host of our other talented, including Elka Oliver, Peter Hays, Michael Scowden, Scott Dennis and family. The mix of Jewish and folk music will be tantalizing!

The festivities will be capped off by our Gala Reception (4:30 PM) under a big party text next to our new patio!

Earlier in the day our students will engage in a Religious School Funfest (12:00) that will include completing a 150th Anniversary Time Capsule, to be opened in 50 years!

Let me take this opportunity to thank our incredibly hard working 150th Anniversary Committee for a wonderful year of celebration befitting our milestone anniversary.

And amidst all the festivities we also celebrate the bar mitzvah of Nick Guberman at our Shabbat Morning Service (10:00 AM); extending a mazal tov to Nick and his family.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

For Livestream Services:
Find all our recorded services on YouTube at "Adas Emuno Streaming".

This Week at Adas Emuno—Sukkot and Simchat Torah Celebration

Thu, 13 Oct 2022 12:55:29 GMT

Oct. 13, 2022

Dear Friends,
How is our upcoming Shabbat Evening and Holiday Family Service (7:30 PM) extra special?
*It's our Sukkot/Simchat Torah celebration!
*It's our Back-to-School Family Service!
*It's the consecration of our new students!
*It's the welcome of our new families!
*It's a special oneg in our Sukkah and new patio!

We hope to see you in-person at this festive celebration, and looking ahead to next week, at our 150th anniversary gala (rsvp required).

Our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM) examines the very last Torah portion of the year, as we reach the end of the annual reading cycle (and begin again).

On Sunday our religious school will have another chance to celebrate Sukkot and Simchat Torah, and Confirmation Class is also in session.

A reminder to all those who borrowed High Holiday books- please return them to the blue bin on the school porch. And here are links, as requested, to my Holiday sermons (with thanks, as always, to Lance Strate for this and all his website work):
RH: https://adasemuno.org/page-18091/12950318
KN: https://adasemuno.org/page-18091/12950337
YK: https://adasemuno.org/page-18091/12950396

Shabbat shalom and Hag Sameach,
Barry

Rabbi Schwartz's Sermon for Yom Kippur 5783

Lance Strate — Tue, 11 Oct 2022 17:51:04 GMT

A SENSE OF THE SACRED

Yom Kippur, 5783

Rabbi Barry L. Schwartz

Thanks to Netflix some outstanding Israeli television shows have come to America. Fauda is my favorite, and Shtissel is my second. Most recently I viewed The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem. While not my favorite, a scene from the first episode sticks in my head. In 1919 Jerusalem Gabriel is (unhappily) marrying Rosa, at the insistence of his mother. We know that this marriage will be troubled, as Sephardic Gabriel has fallen in love with another, forbidden Ashkenazic woman named Ruchel. Yet in a vivid wedding scene Gabriel and Rosa exchange vows and rings and the rabbi calls out, in the traditional fashion, “mekudeshet, mekudeshet, mekudeshet”!

What is the rabbi saying? Mekudeshet is a form of the word Kadosh⏤holy; sanctified. The triple repetition of the word echoes the triple repetition of a key verse of the Amidah prayer⏤a line that we recited earlier: Kadosh, Kadosh, Kadosh. The rabbi is declaring that the marriage of Gabriel and Rosa has been sanctified in the eyes of God and the community.

In fact, the Hebrew expression for marriage is Kiddushin, from that same root of holiness. And the home that a couple builds in called mikdash me’at, a small place of holiness.

When you stop and think about it, the root “kof, dalet, shin” is everywhere in Judaism. Kadosh appears 600 times in the Hebrew Bible. It appears throughout our prayer book. The blessing that we say when we raise the wine cup on the sabbath⏤it’s called the kiddush. The prayer that we say in memory of the depart⏤it’s called the kaddish.

In Judaism, time can be holy, like the Sabbath, the holy day. Space can be holy, like Israel, the Holy Land. Like Jerusalem, the Holy City, and like the ancient Temple, the Holy House. The inner sanctum of the Temple, where the tablets of the covenant were kept, was called the Holy of Holies. Even today, the ark behind me, is called the Aron HaKodesh, the Holy Ark, and it houses the Torah scrolls, which are called, sifrei kodesh, the holy books.

Time, space, and of course, people can be holy. Exodus calls us to be a holy people. This afternoon, as we do every year, we will read the Holiness Code of Leviticus. “You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy,” begins the reading. Emulate God, the source of holiness.

Today, Yom Kippur, the Sabbath of sabbaths, is often called the holiest day of the year. So it is all together appropriate that we speak this morning about holiness. To tell you the truth, as I began this sermon, I was surprised that I have never taken up the subject before. I was surprised that as central as this concept is in Judaism, few rabbis address it. The more I thought about it, I was, like, “holy moly”, we never talk about holiness!

I’ve entitled this talk, “A Sense of the Sacred”. Given the brief amount of time I have, my goal is to explore just two questions: What exactly do we mean by holiness? And why does it matter? In other words: what do we lose when we give up a sense of the sacred?

The word holy comes from the old English holig meaning blessed. The word kadosh comes from the Hebrew meaning to be set apart. In the religious sense something that is holy has special, transcendent meaning or purpose. It has enduring worth because it is connected to God or some other purpose we infinitely value.

As such we regard that which is holy as sacrosanct, non-negotiable. They are core values or objects worthy of veneration. They are not to be treated lightly or defiled. They are set apart to be idealized and protected.

A sense of the sacred instills within us reverence, which in turn elicits respect, obedience and loyalty. As Maimonides memorably explained it, “We do not act when in the presence of a king as we do when we are merely in the company of family or friends” [Guide III:51]. In this sanctuary (from the Latin word for holy⏤sanctus) we sense a Higher Presence. And the inscription over our ark certainly reinforces that: “Da lifnei mi atah omed”⏤“Know before whom you stand.”

The late Rabbi Jonathan Sacks wrote significantly, “Reverence gives power to ritual, ceremony, social conventions, and civilities. It helps transform autonomous individuals into a collectively responsible group. You cannot sustain a national identity or even a marriage without loyalty. You cannot socialize successive generations without respect for figures of authority. You cannot defend the non-negotiable value of human dignity without a sense of the sacred. That is why the prophetic ethic of justice and compassion had to be supplemented with the priestly ethic of holiness.”

In this spirit let me suggest that we need to reclaim a sense of the sacred both religiously and civically.

There is something sacred about the hallowed ground of the Western Wall in Jerusalem, and Independence Hall in Philadelphia.

There is something sacred about Liberation Day in the Jewish calendar (Pesach) and Independence Day in the American civic calendar.

There is something sacred about the Torah of the people of Israel and the Constitution of the people of America.

One need not believe that every word of the Torah is from God to still revere it. Doing so indelibly connects us to our history, our traditions, and to the core values of Judaism. Considering the Torah not infallible but nevertheless holy means we will want to study it and live it. That’s not only worthy, but the key to perpetuating Judaism.

I would say something similar about the Constitution. Regarding it as a simply secular and flawed document is unfortunate. Reverence for it will engender loyalty to its ideals. We will want to study it, interpret it and defend it. That’s not only worthy, but the key to perpetuating a United States of America.

As Darren Walker, the president of the Ford Foundation, a proud, gay, African American wrote this past July 4:

I believe we still can agree on a set of ideas—values and aspirations—enshrined in our Declaration [and Constitution], 246 years on.

In our founding, I see flawed genius. In the Declaration we celebrate, I see a statement of purpose. In our Constitution, I see our founders entrusting each generation to fix what the preceding one was unwilling to repair.

To me, the callous cruelty of our founders—at least 34 of the 56 men who signed the declaration also enslaved human beings—is less remarkable than what they set in motion, however contradictory. They initiated a grand, complicated experiment with self-government that made possible abolition and suffrage, worker’s rights and civil rights and women’s rights, however slowly and unevenly. More astounding still, Black people and brown people, the Indigenous and the immigrant, L.G.B.T.Q. people and people with disabilities, all claimed the American project as our own and expanded the circle of inclusion and opportunity.

Darren Walker concludes:

My love of America—of the American idea—is unwavering. This laboratory of liberty is worth saving, worth improving. I would add, to save this laboratory of liberty, we must see our fidelity to the ideals of Constitution as a sacred calling.

When Lincoln came to Gettysburg he talked about this sacred calling:

But in a larger sense we cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate, we cannot hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced.

The countless generations of Jews who have devoted themselves to the Torah have forever hallowed it. The numerous generations of Americans who have defended the Constitution have forever hallowed it.

When we recite the Kedushah, the holiness section of the Amidah prayer at every Sunday morning at our religious school service, I love it when our kids, in the traditional manner, reach up on their toes as they say kadosh, kadosh, kadosh. We’ve explained to them that this dramatizes our desire to reach up in holiness in our lives. We’re commanded to be holy, but that’s always a work in progress. We can always go higher.

May it be said of us that we reached up for holiness.

That we recognized before whom we stand.

That it was said of our lives: mekudeshet, mekudeshet, mekudeshet.

Rabbi Schwartz's Sermon for Kol Nidre 5783

Lance Strate — Tue, 11 Oct 2022 17:21:59 GMT

TO LIFE, NOT DEATH

Kol Nidre, 5783

Rabbi Barry L. Schwartz

Is this the last Pandemic sermon I will give? I certainly hope so. This is the third High Holidays under the still lingering shadow of the plague. Two years ago, I spoke to a completely empty sanctuary. Last year I spoke to a masked congregations at 50% capacity, with no one allowed on the bimah save the cantor and myself. This year you are still masked and bimah restrictions have eased a bit but are still present. Our lives have returned to normal… but not completely. Synagogue life has returned to normal… but not completely.

As I approached this High Holidays, I thought to myself⏤another pandemic sermon? Is that what we need? Then I said to myself⏤one million Americans have died of Covid, and more are still dying. How can I not talk about it⏤again?

Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Ed Yong wrote in the Atlantic, in a widely noted piece in March:

The sheer scale of the tragedy strains the moral imagination. On May 24, 2020, as the United States passed 100,000 recorded deaths, The New York Times filled its front page with the names of the dead, describing their loss as “incalculable.” Now the nation hurtles toward a milestone of one million. What is 10 times incalculable?”

The full title of Yong’s article: "HOW DID THIS MANY DEATHS BECOME NORMAL?" The tagline: "The U.S. is nearing 1 million recorded COVID-19 deaths without the social reckoning that such a tragedy should provoke. Why?"

Yong notes the slow-motion nature of the pandemic, unlike natural disasters or terrorist attacks, that have a quick shock and aftermath. He notes how so much of the illness and death is hidden from pubic view. He notes public weariness and the almost desperate need of people to move on with their lives, and so to accept heightened risk.

And Yong makes the unnerving point that, "America is accepting not only a threshold of death but also a gradient of death." So long as the victims are primarily old rather than young, primarily poor rather than rich, and disproportionally black and brown rather than white… we tolerate the mortality.

Yong makes a final and equally provocative point. He quotes Richard Keller, a medical historian, who says that we are treating COVID deaths, like gun violence, overdose, heart disease, and smoking, [so that COVID] becomes increasingly associated with behavioral choice and individual responsibility, and therefore increasingly invisible.” COVID, it seems, is now inevitable and its deaths, dismissible.

When I first read Yong’s piece back in March I just sat there. I remember seeing the names of the 100,000 dead, page after page. But a million? How thick would that book need to be? If we read a million names, fast and around the clock, it would take… 23 days!

What more can we say, should we say, one million lost lives later?

I’m not here to criticize. So much of that has been done already. But it certainly did not help when our president said the week before last that the pandemic is over.

With 400 people still dying every day in this country?

With 30,000 new cases every day in this country?

With 1/3 of the population still unvaccinated?

With COVID remaining the third leading cause of death?

With Omicron still mutating?

Really, the pandemic is over? And it's time to call it quits?

(Oh, and welcome back, Cantor Joe. We’re glad you and your family experienced mild symptoms, because you were vaccinated!)

I am here to convey two simple but profound truths from the 3000-year-old wisdom tradition that is Judaism:

The first teaching is called kavod hamet⏤the dignity of the deceased. Judaism teaches that the dead should never be forgotten. We are taught to remember them in prayer; to recite their names before the Kaddish; to inscribe their names on memorial plaques. What are the two things in this sanctuary that we have brought with us from Hoboken and anchor our sanctuary 150 years later? The Torah scrolls in our ark, and the memorial plaques on our walls. The Torah keeps alive the names of our biblical founders and the plaques keep alive the names of our congregational founders (as does the wonderful history book written for our sesquicentennial by Michael Fishbein).

Who will tell the story of the greatest tragedy of this century? How will we remember the million Americans, the five million worldwide?

The second teaching is called pikuach nefesh⏤the paramount significance of saving a life. The foundation of this life-affirming ethic is the belief that every life is precious. Every life is in the image of God. Every life is of infinite value⏤be it young or old, rich or poor, black, brown, or white.

You’ve heard the Biblical command before (and you will hear it again during the Torah reading tomorrow morning): Choose life! You’ve heard the Talmudic verse before⏤to save one life is to save an entire world. And you’ve heard the ruling of Jewish law, that to save a life, the Sabbath can be violated. Yom Kippur can be violated.

Can we not do more to save lives?

To relentlessly continue the campaign to educate and vaccinate?

It’s estimated that 2/3 of current Covid deaths are among the unvaccinated.

In March, Scientific American reported that, “unvaccinated people 12 years and older had 17 times the rate of COVID-associated deaths, compared to people vaccinated with a primary series and a booster dose.”

Four hundred people still dying a day and we’re giving up the fight to convince people to roll up their sleeves?

In August we learned that the average life expectancy of Americans fell precipitously in 2020 and 2021, the sharpest two-year decline in nearly 100 years.

In 2021, the average American could expect to live only until the age of 76. The figure represents a loss of almost three years since 2019.

What a stark reminder of the toll exacted on the nation by the continuing coronavirus pandemic.

One of the leading experts in the field has called our catatonic response to the loss of human life, “psychic numbing”. Dr. Paul Slovic has written, chillingly, that after all his research he has concluded that “The more who die, the less we care.” That too, stopped me in my tracks.

Others call the phenomena “compassion collapse”.

Judaism refuses to acquiesce in this numbing. This collapse.

Every life is a world unto itself. Every soul is infinitely precious.

On this Day of Atonement let us bow our heads in remembrance.

Kavod ha met. When we recite Yizkor prayers later this afternoon let us remember the departed, though their names are too numerous to be recited.

On this Day of Atonement let us raise our heads in resolve.

Pikuach nefesh. The fight against the pandemic must go on. The fight against the creeping apathy must go on.

If every life is indeed a world unto itself, a universe of souls is at stake.

Is this the last sermon I will give on the pandemic? I hope so. But our work of remembrance and rebuilding is not done.

Our tradition also teaches, “It is not up to you to finish the task, but neither are you free to desist from it”.

May we be inscribed, by the work of our own hands, in the Book of Life!

L’chayim! To Life!

Shanah Tovah.

Rabbi Schwartz's Sermon for Rosh Hashanah 5783

Lance Strate — Tue, 11 Oct 2022 17:05:08 GMT

LETTER TO MY GRANDSON

Rosh Hashanah Morning, 5783

Rabbi Barry L. Schwartz

According to tradition, Rosh Hashanah is the birthday of the world. Happy Birthday, world! How old are you? 5783 years, give or take a few billion. That’s old, but I am told you are young, as planets go. You could live a few billion more years… if we don’t mess things up… and so we wish you many good millennia and eons, ahead.

But how about this? Today is also the birthday of my grandson. Happy Birthday, Adin. How old are you? Two! That’s not old, you are indeed very young, with your radiant smile and gleam in your eyes. And we wish you many good years, and decades, ahead.

So how am I to respond to the amazing coincidence that today is the birthday of the world and the birthday of my grandson? With a sermon of course. A Letter to My Grandson. You might remember a few years back; eight to be exact, that I offered a series of sermons, Letter to my Children. What a privilege and pleasure to now offer one to the son of my son.

I realize, Adin, that given your “developing” attention span I should be concluding my message just as I am getting started. And I realize you probably won’t read this… until your bar mitzvah. But here we go.

Dear Adin,

We love you, and being your grandparents is the best thing Savta (Debby) and Saba (me) can imagine right now.

But this is not a mushy kind of letter. It’s a serious one. Your Saba loves playing with you, and with your amazing assortment of toys. But your Saba is more serious than mushy, and after all, this is not a few words at your birthday party but a sermon on Rosh Hashanah!

One more personal word before the serious stuff, though. You were born two years ago today in the heart of the pandemic. Only immediate family could attend your brit here at Congregation Adas Emuno, and your parents rightfully insisted that we be tested and masked. It was before the vaccines and it was a dark and scary time. But you were such a burst of light. The celebration of new life. The celebration of being welcomed to our people. The celebration of hope⏤because the birth of every new child is a great act of hope, that you will add your light to the sum of light in the world. You remind us of those wonderful times when your father was a baby and toddler, before he was a teen, and the same for your aunt and uncle. You remind us of the wonder of growing up: first words and first steps, first smiles and first laughs, first cuddles and first hugs. You remind us of the enchantment of story time and the magic of the playground.

Hold on⏤I said I’m not going to be mushy… so here is the challenge: What message should I share with you today? What wisdom that will hold true when you read this⏤years from now? What insight that will help ground and guide you through the journey of life ahead?

As I thought about what brief teaching could encapsulate what I wanted to say, I realized it was very close to me. Actually… around my neck, on my tallit. Inscribed on the atarah, the collar of this tallit, is my favorite saying from the Hebrew Bible. The timeless words of the prophet Micah, chapter 6, verse 8:

He has told you, O mortal, what is good, and what God requires of you: Only to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.

Justice, kindness, humility. The big three. That is what I want to talk to you about today.

Adin, as you grow older, you will find that the world is often an unjust place. You will find that it is often an unkind place. Too often we are just resigned to what we see.

Yet our tradition, our Torah, teaches that every human being is unique and precious and holy; and that we are to, “love the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.”

“For you were strangers.” We have been there. We know what it is like. We were oppressed. We were outcasts. We know the heart of the shunned and the exploited. We can more than sympathize; we can empathize because we, through our people, through our historical consciousness, lived through it.

I really loved having you at our seder this year, Adin, keeping it short and playing guitar, so you would be engaged, which you were. The whole point of the Passover seder, arguably Judaism’s most important ritual, is to reenact the experience of liberation from slavery. And what is the single most important line of the Haggdah?

B’cal dor hayav adam lirot et atmo k’ilu hu yatza m’mitzrayim.

In every generation each person must see himself as if he went out from Egypt.

K’ilu. As if. As you get older, Adin, use your imagination; your moral imagination. Put yourself in your ancestor’s shoes. Don’t forget your roots, your origins. They explain where you came from, where you are going, who you are, and what you can be.

“V’atem yadatem et nefesh hager”, for you know the nefesh, the soul, the deepest feelings, of the stranger, “having been strangers yourselves in the land of Egypt.” (Exodus 23:9). Adin, may you always stand with the vulnerable. The voiceless. The forgotten and the defenseless.

Adin, you come from a family of readers. And since I know you will take after your Saba and Savta and love to read all kinds of books⏤read the Torah.

Because the best way to learn about kindness, besides following the example of kind people in your family, is to read wonderful stories of compassion. So read about the kindness of Abraham and Sarah opening their tent to strangers, and open your heart and home to others.

Read about the kindness of Rebecca giving water to the man by the well, and to his camels, and share of your bounty with all who hunger and thirst.

Read about the kindness of Joseph to his brothers, even after they were so unkind to him, and be a man of reconciliation and peace.

Read about the kindness of Ruth, who left her home and land, to care for her mother-in-law, and recognize that compassion is not weakness but strength.

While you’re reading those stories of kindness, consider the tales of justice as well.

Read about the justice of Abraham willing to question even God over the loss of innocent life, and be ready to challenge injustice anywhere you see it.

Read about the courage of the Hebrew midwives, Shifra and Puah, who defied Pharaoh’s decree, and be ready to stand up and stand out when few will do so.

Read about the justice of the prophet Nathan, who rebuked the great king David, and know that no one is above the law and we are all accountable.

Finally, read about the humility of Moses, the liberator and law-giver, yet called the humblest of men. The humble walk is the most challenging of journeys. Cultivate an “attitude of gratitude”. For if you stay thankful you will stay humble.

Adin, your Hebrew name Reuven, bears the name of your great grandfather Rudy, who rallied to celebrate at your father’s wedding, but did not live to see your birth. Do you want to know what it is to be a just and kind and humble man? Learn his story too.

There it is, Adin. Be just. Be kind. Be humble.

Let me say it in Hebrew, which I hope you will one day learn: asot mishpat, vahavat hesed, v’hatnea lechet im eloheicha.

This tallit of mine, that was made for me by a weaver in my first congregation… I’ve worn it at every significant occasion for the last thirty-six years.

Someday it will be yours.

May you take its words to heart.

Happy birthday, and shanah tovah!

Love, Sabah

This Week at Adas Emuno—Sukkot

Thu, 06 Oct 2022 12:50:06 GMT

Oct. 6, 2022

Dear Friends,
With two holidays celebrated, two more to go!
Up next- Sukkot:
We'll get ready for the holiday at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).
We'll relate to themes of the holiday at our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM)
We'll build our Sukkah on Sunday (10:00 AM)- "handy" able-bodied helpers welcome!

We'll enjoy free Subs-in-the-Sukkah and our Sukkot Sing-a-Long on Sunday (5:00 PM)- weather permitting on our new patio!

And looking ahead to next week:
We'll celebrate our Shabbat Sukkot- Simchat Torah Family Service, Friday, Oct. 14 (7:30 PM)

Shabbat shalom and Hag Sukkot Sameach,
Rabbi Schwartz

For Livestream Services:
Find all our recorded services on YouTube at "Adas Emuno Streaming" and use this direct link once the service has started: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCftctPu9pRG4bBQCR6RH4Dg/live

This Week at Adas Emuno—The Busy Season Is Here!

Thu, 29 Sep 2022 12:40:00 GMT

Sept. 29, 2022

Dear Friends,
Our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM) this week is an especially significant one known as Shabbat Shuvah- the Sabbath of Repentance, which features many of melodies and themes of the holidays.

Consider taking the plunge and joining us this new year at our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM). This year we are probing the weekly Torah portion with the help of a wonderful new book, The JPS Jewish Heritage Torah Commentary.

We hope to see you in-person at our Yom Kippur Services: Evening (8:00 PM), Morning (10:00 AM), Children's (2:00 PM), Afternoon-Yizkor- Neilah (4:30 PM).

And mark your calendar now:
1. Subs-in-the-Sukkah and Sukkot Folk Concert, Sunday, Oct. 9 (5:00 PM)
2. Shabbat Sukkot- Simchat Torah Family Service, Friday, Oct. 14 (7:30 PM)
3. 150th Gala Weekend- Shabbat Service, Friday Oct. 21 (7:30 PM)
4. 150th Gala Weekend- Cantorial Concert and Gala Reception, Sunday, Oct. 23 (3:00 PM)

It's the happiest (and busiest) time of the year!

Shabbat shalom and Shanah tovah,
Rabbi Schwartz

For Livestream Services:
Find all our recorded services on YouTube at "Adas Emuno Streaming" and use this direct link once the service has started: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCftctPu9pRG4bBQCR6RH4Dg/live

This Week at Adas Emuno—Rosh HaShanah Services

Thu, 22 Sep 2022 12:55:12 GMT

Sept. 22, 2022

Dear Friends,
On the last Shabbat of the Jewish year let's end on a positive note!
We'll discuss an article that argues that, all in all, our world is better than it was before, at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

We have resumed in-person Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM). This year we are probing the weekly Torah portion with the help of a wonderful new book, The JPS Jewish Heritage Torah Commentary.

Ready to read the next novel for the Adas Emuno Book Club (meets Nov.14)? The History of Love by Nicole Krauss is set in modern NYC and pre-war Poland, when a 14 year old girl sets out to discover the author of a book her mother is translating.

Religious school is on break on the eve of the holiday on Sunday. You are welcome to come by from 10-12 to pick up a holiday prayer book for those who will be joining us via livestream.

Of course, we hope to see you in-person at any or all of our Rosh HaShanah services: Evening (8:00 PM), Morning (10:00 AM), Afternoon- Children's (2:00 PM) and Tashlich (3:30 PM).

Shabbat shalom and Shanah tovah,
Rabbi Schwartz

For Livestream Services:
Find all our recorded services on YouTube at "Adas Emuno Streaming" and use this direct link once the service has started: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCftctPu9pRG4bBQCR6RH4Dg/live

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 15 Sep 2022 12:12:10 GMT

Sept. 15, 2022
Dear Friends,
Across the river Yeshiva University just appealed a ruling to the Supreme Court. It's an intriguing case about religious freedom, which I'll discuss at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

We have resumed in-person Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM). This year we are probing the weekly Torah portion with the help of a wonderful new book, The JPS Jewish Heritage Torah Commentary, and you are welcome any time.

Religious school has also resumed, and this week Confirmation Class convenes, examining some of the most prominent debates in our society today through a Jewish lens.

Leonia's annual International Day of Peace takes place this Sunday on the lawn of the Methodist Church (4:30-6:00 PM), and I am honored to participate as I do every year.

An important new documentary airs this Sunday on PBS (8:00 PM)- Ken Burns' The U.S. and the Holocaust.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

For Livestream Services:
Find all our recorded services on YouTube at "Adas Emuno Streaming" and use this direct link once the service has started: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCftctPu9pRG4bBQCR6RH4Dg/live

This Week at Adas Emuno—Welcome Student Cantor Joe Flaxman!

Thu, 08 Sep 2022 12:47:32 GMT

Sept. 8, 2022

Dear Friends,
With the unofficial end of summer, it's back to school and much more:
1. Friday- we welcome our new student cantor Joe Flaxman!
2. Saturday- the return of in-person Torah study!
3. Sunday- the start of a new religious school year!

At our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM) I will note a sad 50th anniversary that should not be forgotten- the tragic massacre of eleven Israeli athletes at the Munich Olympics.

Everyone is welcome each week or any week to our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM). This year we will probe the weekly Torah portion with the help of a wonderful new book, The JPS Jewish Heritage Torah Commentary.

We kick off the new school year by gathering in the sanctuary for a Religious School Service (9:00 AM), as we do each week, and parents are always welcome to join us.

Join us for a timely discussion of Phillip Roth’s novel Nemesis at our Adas Emuno Book Club (7:30 PM) on Monday evening (7:30 PM).

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

For Livestream Services:
Find all our recorded services on YouTube at "Adas Emuno Streaming" and use this direct link once the service has started: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCftctPu9pRG4bBQCR6RH4Dg/live

This Week at Adas Emuno—Things Are Picking Up

Thu, 01 Sep 2022 13:16:20 GMT

Sept. 1, 2022

Dear Friends,
This week's Torah portion is the clarion call to justice in society, and also dramatically expresses the principle that no one is above the law.
We'll discuss this in light of what is happening in our country right now, at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

Although this Labor Day weekend is a quiet unofficial end of summer at the Temple, please note that next week begins with a bang:
1. Friday the 9th- we welcome our new student cantor Joe Flaxman!
2. Saturday the 10th- the return of in-person Torah study!
3. Sunday the 11th- the start of a new religious school year!
4. Monday the 12th- Adas Emuno Book Club!

Shabbat shalom,

Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 25 Aug 2022 12:13:33 GMT

Aug. 25, 2022

Dear Friends,
Can someone please explain to me what is going on in Israel politically?
Israel is now facing its 5th election in 3 years!
You are welcome to hold forth at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).
I might add a few comments as well :)

For some late summer reading, try our Adas Emuno Book Club pick, Nemesis, by Phillip Roth. Set in Newark in the late '40s during an outbreak of polio, it is eerily relevant to our pandemic present. The Book Club meets to discuss it on Sept. 12.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

For Livestream Services:
Find all our recorded services on YouTube at "Adas Emuno Streaming" and use this direct link once the service has started: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCftctPu9pRG4bBQCR6RH4Dg/live

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 18 Aug 2022 12:18:30 GMT

Aug. 18. 2022

Dear Friends,
The week before last, while in Copenhagen, I had the opportunity to meet with the chief rabbi of Denmark.
It was a fascinating conversation about his family and community, including details about the rescue of the Jews of Denmark during the Holocaust which I did not know
I'll share this conversation at Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

Thanks again to everyone who made our Gathering in the Garden such a big success- it was so good to see so many people in person!

For some late summer reading, try our Adas Emuno Book Club pick, Nemesis, by Phillip Roth. Set in Newark in the late '40s during an outbreak of polio, it is eerily relevant to our pandemic present. The Book Club meets to discuss it on Sept. 12.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

For Livestream Services:
Find all our recorded services on YouTube at "Adas Emuno Streaming" and use this direct link once the service has started: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCftctPu9pRG4bBQCR6RH4Dg/live

This Week at Adas Emuno—Student Cantor Karlin Reflects on Her Two Years

Thu, 11 Aug 2022 12:09:17 GMT

Aug. 11, 2022

Dear Friends,
At her final service as our student cantor Iris Karlin will offer some personal reflections on her unique two year experience with us (pandemic challenges notwithstanding!) at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

As I mentioned at our wonderful tribute service to Iris in July, this is not a final good-bye, as Iris and her family will continue to be part of our congregation, and we certainly look forward to further special musical occasions with her.

On Sunday we hope you will drop by at our Annual Gathering in the Garden and Open House (4-6PM). So many of us have not seen each other on a regular basis, or even at all...so even if it is for a quick hello and some refreshments, we'll be glad to see you!

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

For Livestream Services:
Find all our recorded services on YouTube at "Adas Emuno Streaming" and use this direct link once the service has started: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCftctPu9pRG4bBQCR6RH4Dg/live

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 04 Aug 2022 12:54:39 GMT

Aug. 4, 2022

Dear Friends.
What exactly is Tisha B'Av, the mournful Jewish day of remembrance that commences this evening?

The cantor will explore this through words and music at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

Please note that next week, at the cantor's final Shabbat service with us, Iris will offer some reflections on her two years with us.

And we hope to see everyone at our annual Gathering in the Garden next Sunday the 14th (4:00-6:00 PM).

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

For Livestream Services:
Find all our recorded services on YouTube at "Adas Emuno Streaming" and use this direct link once the service has started: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCftctPu9pRG4bBQCR6RH4Dg/live

This Week at Adas Emuno

Fri, 29 Jul 2022 15:06:54 GMT

July 28, 2022

Dear Friends,

As I a devotee of all things outer space related I'm not about to let the awe inspiriting first photos from the James Webb Telescope go uncommented upon!

At our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM) we'll celebrate these most remarkable glimpses into the furthest and earliest reaches of the universe. An under- the -heavens oneg will follow.

Calendar reminders:
Friday, Aug. 12- Cantor Karlin will offer remarks at her last Shabbat service with us
Sunday, Aug.14- our annual Gathering in the Garden and Open House for prospective families (4-6PM)

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

For Livestream Services:
Find all our recorded services on YouTube at "Adas Emuno Streaming" and use this direct link once the service has started: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCftctPu9pRG4bBQCR6RH4Dg/live

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 21 Jul 2022 14:53:54 GMT

July 21, 2022

Dear Friends,
Zealotry is a big problem these days...
This week's Torah portion begins with one zealous act and ends with another.
I'll explore these little remembered but controversial and consequential stories at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

For Livestream Services:
Find all our recorded services on YouTube at "Adas Emuno Streaming" and use this direct link once the service has started: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCftctPu9pRG4bBQCR6RH4Dg/live

This Week at Adas Emuno—Link to Service Honoring Student Cantor Iris Karlin

Thu, 14 Jul 2022 13:04:45 GMT

July 14, 2022
Dear Friends,
And now for something completely different:
Last week (July 7) was World Chocolate Day!
Even I, a confessed chocoholic did not know that...until Google alerted me.
So I got to wondering if there is any special connection between Jews and chocolate...and discovered that a whole book had been written about it!
I'll share what I know at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

We are sorry that the marvelous tribute service to our student cantor last week could not be livestreamed, due to internet issues beyond our control. But a recording of the July 8 service can be found at YouTube site,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_GZ5lFrFkk

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

For Livestream Services:
Find all our recorded services on YouTube at "Adas Emuno Streaming" and use this direct link once the service has started: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCftctPu9pRG4bBQCR6RH4Dg/live

This Week at Adas Emuno—Celebrating Student Cantor Iris Karlin

Fri, 08 Jul 2022 00:39:19 GMT

July 7, 2022

Dear Friends,
Even if you rely on our livestream much of the time, I think you will want to attend our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM) this week in person.

We will honor student cantor Iris Karlin for her two years of exceptional service.
Iris will be joined on the bimah by our new student cantor Joe Flaxman, making a special guest appearance for this occasion (before joining us in September).
Elka Oliver (vocals), Beth Robbin (piano), Peter Hayes (guitar) and Scott Dennis (percussion) will all add their musical talents.
A special outdoor oneg will be served.
While Iris and her family will continue to be involved in our congregation, her term of service is formally over, and for being such a bright light during the dark time of the pandemic, we will always be grateful.

Our bi-monthly Adas Emuno Book Club meets on Monday (7:30 PM). From Doris White: "All Other Nights by Dara Horn is a real page turner. It combines history, mystery and romance. Set during the Civil War, we follow the major character Jacob Rappaport as he spies for the Union and is spied upon by Confederate sympathizers. One of the most interesting characters is based on an actual Jewish man who had an important role assisting Jefferson Davis. We look forward to a lively discussion about loyalty, betrayal and personal integrity."

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

For Livestream Services:
Find all our recorded services on YouTube at "Adas Emuno Streaming" and use this direct link once the service has started: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCftctPu9pRG4bBQCR6RH4Dg/live

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 30 Jun 2022 13:07:34 GMT

June 30, 2022
Dear Friends,
It's always fascinating for me to discover a remote Jewish community on my travels, from the northernmost synagogue in the world (Trondheim, Norway) to the southernmost (Dunedin, New Zealand) to the oldest in the diaspora (Elephantine Island, Egypt).

My latest trip was no exception. The synagogue is one the oldest in Europe and is housed adjacent to a famed Roman ruin. Can you guess where it is (hint-not Italy but somewhere along the Adriatic coast)?

I talk about my visit at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

Note that next week, July 8, we will honor Student Cantor Iris Karlin for her two years of exceptional service. Iris will be joined on the bimah by our new Student Cantor Joe Flaxman, Elka Oliver, Beth Robbin, and Peter Hayes. A special outdoor oneg will be served.

Wishing you a Happy 4th of July weekend.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

For Livestream Services:
Find all our recorded services on YouTube at "Adas Emuno Streaming" and use this direct link once the service has started: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCftctPu9pRG4bBQCR6RH4Dg/live

Rabbi Barry Schwartz

Parshat Shelach Lecha

Lance Strate — Wed, 29 Jun 2022 17:57:59 GMT

Lance Strate's D'Var Torah for June 24, 2022

This week’s Torah portion is known as Shelach Lecha, or simply as Shelach. It is from the fourth book of the Torah, which in Jewish tradition is called Bamidbar, meaning, in the desert. The Christians gave it a different name, in the Greek Arithmoi, which is the root of the English word arithmetic, hence in English it get the name, the Book of Numbers. It was given that name because it contains a census of the Israelite population, actually two of them. But Shelach Lecha is very much about being in the desert, and staying in the desert instead of immediately entering the land of Canaan.

This parsha includes the story of the spies sent by Moses to scout out the land of Canaan, in preparation for their return to the promised land. God tells Moses to send one leader from each of the twelve tribes, which he does, and they go and scout out the land, and after forty days return to report back what they have seen. The entire Israelite community is gathered to hear what they have to say, and they begin by saying that it is indeed a land of milk and honey. But they also reported that, “the people who inhabit the land are mighty, and the cities are extremely huge and fortified, and there we saw even the offspring of the giant.”

There was a dissenting opinion expressed by two of the spies, however, Joshua, who would eventually succeed Moses as the leader of the Israelites, and Caleb. But the rest persisted, saying, “We are unable to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we.” And they said, “The land we passed through to explore is a land that consumes its inhabitants, and all the people we saw in it are men of stature. There we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, descended from the giants. In our eyes, we seemed like grasshoppers, and so we were in their eyes.” In case you were wondering, Anak is mentioned in the book of Genesis, and in addition to the Anakim, there are other races of giants mentioned in the Torah as well. Whether this refers to the kind of giant we hear about in stories like Jack and the Beanstalk, or the kind we see playing in the NBA is not specified.

Hearing this report, the Israelites became fearful, and complained, blaming Moses and Aaron for misleading them. And they started to talk about returning to Egypt because it would be better to live as a slave than to meet certain death fighting a losing battle. Moses and Aaron are grief stricken by this reaction, as are Joshua and Caleb, and the two of them respond by saying, “The land we passed through to scout is an exceedingly good land. If Adonai desires it, Adonai will bring us to this land and give it to us, a land flowing with milk and honey. You ought not to rebel against Adonai, nor should you fear the people of that land… Adonai is with us. Do not fear them.”

But the Israelites were not convinced, until finally God’s glory appeared to them, we can understand this to mean a blinding light, and God’s voice is heard speaking to Moses. It seems that Adonai is fed up with all of the complaining, and want to wipe out the Israelites entirely, and start over with the descendants of Moses, saying to Moses, “I will make you into a nation, greater and stronger than they.”

Moses the lawgiver now acts as a defense attorney, arguing that if God annihilated the Israelites, it would be seen as a failure on God’s part to deliver on his promise, to bring the Israelites out of Egypt and to the Holy Land. The Egyptians and other nations of the world would think that God lacked the power to bring his chosen people safely back home. In other words, that it would be a shanda for the goyim.

And Moses says, “Adonai is slow to anger and abundantly kind, forgiving iniquity and transgression,” and he goes on to say, “please forgive the iniquity of this nation in accordance with your abounding kindness, as You have borne this people from Egypt until now.” And the next lines of the text are ones that are familiar from our High Holy Day liturgy: V’omer Adonai, Salachti Kidvarecha. “And Adonai said, I have forgiven them in accordance with your word.”

But there is a price to pay, a lesser punishment that God decrees, that the adults of this generation shall not enter the Promised Land, that they shall live out their lives and die in the desert. That is why the Israelites spend forty years wandering in the desert, it was due to God’s decree. The only exceptions are the spies. The ten faithless spies die from a plague, while Joshua and Caleb are the only ones from their generation who will be allowed to cross the Jordan and come into the Holy Land.

Moses informs the Israelites of God’s verdict, but they are still unable to learn their lesson. Instead, they decide to follow the original plan and enter the land of Canaan. Moses warns them that God will not be with them now, but once again they do not listen to him. Consequently, they were utterly defeated by the Amalekites and the Canaanites, and forced to retreat back to the desert, where they’ll spend the next forty years, one year for each of the forty days that the spies were scouting the land of Canaan.

The story is an ancient one, and it is difficult for us to relate to many of the particulars, living as we do in relative safety, stability, and comfort. Compared to the precarious situation that our ancestors often found themselves in, we are indeed privileged to live in this time and this place, however much there still is conflict and injustice. But the story is still very much a human story, and human concerns and challenges have not changed in their essential character.

We have made enormous progress over the centuries, over the millennia. We have metaphorically travelled a great distance since the days of Moses. A far, far greater distance than they travelled going from Egypt to Canaan, or wandering the desert for forty years. And yet, however far and however long we travel, there is no getting away from ourselves. However lightly we pack our bags, however much we leave behind, the baggage we bring with us always includes our all too human foibles, faults, and failings. That is what the Torah relates, over and over again. The story of human weakness, and the struggle to overcome it, to be true to our higher nature, to answer a higher calling.

In this story, we have a situation that is all too familiar. The twelve spies all do their scouting together, all observing the same places and peoples. When they report back, they all agree on that what they found was a land flowing with milk and honey. They differ only in their assessment of the opposition the Israelites will face when they return to their ancestral home. We might suspect, then, that Joshua and Caleb gave an honest account, while the other ten scouts were dishonest in their report.

We know that honesty is an important value in Jewish tradition. The ninth commandment says, “you shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” The holiness code in Leviticus says, “You must not be dishonest in judgement, in measurements of length, weight, or quantity. You are to have honest balances, honest weights, honest bushels and honest gallons.” These are not commandments that absolutely prohibit lying. They do not require us to refrain from the white lies we tell when we want to spare someone’s feelings, or as part of routine social exchanges.

Nor are we asked to refrain from moral lies, for example when someone is looking for someone else with the intent to harm or kill that other person, and asks you if you know where that person is hiding. If you do happen to know, a moral lie would be to refrain from telling the truth, and instead respond that you do not know where that person is.

There is also a gray area that the ancient Greek philosopher Plato called noble lies, which are lies told to maintain social harmony and cohesiveness, and for promoting good causes. The 20th century philosopher Leo Strauss believed that noble lies are necessary in politics and in religion, that we need to cling to our myths to inspire us, and to give our lives purpose and meaning.

While we generally expect our leaders to be honest with us, I believe we mostly accept that some amount of deception is typical in politics, and perhaps even necessary. The ancient Greeks also gave us the word rhetoric to refer to the ways in which people try to persuade one another, especially in political discourse and in legal proceedings.

Even the word propaganda, which we equate with the promulgation of falsehoods, originally had a different connotation. It was coined by Pope Gregory XV in 1622 to refer to missionary activity, so that propaganda referred to the propagation of the faith. From the point of view of the Church of Rome, this sort of propaganda was a good thing. From the point of view of the Protestant reformers, not so much, but then again they were quite prolific at creating and distributing their own propaganda, making use of the relatively recent invention of the printing press with moveable type. Of course, we were not particularly fond of either one of these propaganda efforts, and given our own reluctance to engage in proselytizing, Jewish propaganda was mainly aimed at maintaining the faith in the face of an often hostile environment.

Given the word’s relatively neutral origins, during the 20th century many governments were not reluctant to set up departments that were officially named the ministry of propaganda. This includes Nazi Germany, the Soviet Union, the People’s Republic of China, fascist Spain and Italy, North Korea, as well as the Irish Republic early in the century, Brazil during the 30s and 40s, and Poland at the end of the Second World War.

Here in the United States, propaganda took on the highly negative connotation that we all know, so when we talk about the American Revolution, we talk about pamphlets, that Thomas Paine was a pamphleteer, rather than a propagandist. And in our government’s modern efforts, for example Radio Free Europe, Radio Liberty, Radio Televisión Martí, we use the word information instead. Information sounds so much better to us than propaganda. In other contexts, we also use the word publicity, which is not quite as neutral as information, but still summons up images of celebrities handing out photographs of themselves and signing autographs, or the contemporary equivalent, posing for selfies with fans. In politics, for the past few decades we have used the word spin, and spin doctors. And then there is advertising, which after all is propaganda for the purposes of commerce.

Our government is involved in propaganda directed at other populations, and we ourselves are surrounded by propaganda in forms that include advertising, public relations, and political persuasion. How much of this might be considered noble lies is an open question. But I want to stress that I am not saying that there is an equivalency between liberal democracies such as our own, and nations cursed with authoritarian or totalitarian governments. One longstanding measure of freedom is the extent to which governments engage in censorship, in limiting open communication, open exchange of opinions and arguments, the free marketplace of ideas, and information.

Authoritarian governments maintain their power in part by placing strict limits on communication, and in controlling the messages and channels of communication. Maintaining control allows them to communicate whatever they want, because there are no openings for dissent, for pointing out errors and falsehoods, for whistleblowing and identifying deceptive practices. It allows them to lie, blatantly, constantly, and effectively. It comes as no surprise that the phrase big lie was coined by Adolph Hitler, appearing in his 1925 book Mein Kampf, and described as a lie so immense that no one could possibly believe that anyone could “have the impudence to distort the truth so infamously.”

According to historian Zachary Jacobson,

Adolf Hitler first defined the Big Lie as a deviant tool wielded by Viennese Jews to discredit the Germans' deportment in World War I. Yet, in tragically ironic fashion, it was Hitler and his Nazi regime that actually employed the mendacious strategy.

Tragic to be sure, ironic perhaps, but I believe that that famous Viennese Jew Sigmund Freud would have recognized it as a form of psychological projection, attributing to others what you yourself are guilty of. This is exactly the basis of scapegoating, the traditional practice of projecting your sins onto someone or something else; the scapegoat is then sacrificed in an act of ritual purification, purifying not the one that is sacrificed, but the ones that perform the sacrifice.

It is therefore more than a little concerning that we see the big lie technique, and projection and scapegoating, being used so freely by our former president and so many members of his political party, as well as the so-called news networks that support them. These are not moral lies, these are not noble lies, these are not white lies, and the extent to which false statements and claims are being used for political gain goes far beyond what is acceptable in political discourse. The danger goes far beyond the fact that many people will believe the lies they are told. The philosopher Hannah Arendt explains the insidious effects of this authoritarian tactic:

If everybody always lies to you, the consequence is not that you believe the lies, but rather that nobody believes anything any longer. This is because lies, by their very nature, have to be changed, and a lying government has constantly to rewrite its own history. On the receiving end you get not only one lie—a lie which you could go on for the rest of your days—but you get a great number of lies, depending on how the political wind blows. And a people that no longer can believe anything cannot make up its mind. It is deprived not only of its capacity to act but also of its capacity to think and to judge. And with such a people you can then do what you please.

What Arendt helps us to recognize is that there is a clear and present danger to our democracy, and it is incumbent on all citizens of good faith to respond to it.

Faith is at the heart of the story of the spies. The Torah does not indicate that those ten spies were liars and that only Joshua and Caleb told the truth. In fact, it gives us good reason to believe that the cities in Canaan were strong and well defended, and even that there were giants living there. They did nothing wrong in providing an accurate description of what they had seen. The problem was that they failed to separate fact from opinion, reporting from editorializing, observation from emotion. Good decision making depends on having access to good information.

As fallible human beings, we may not be capable of being absolutely objective, but we can strive for objectivity as an ideal, we can strive to keep our personal biases out of our descriptions and decision-making, we can strive for dispassionate evaluation, and indeed expect and require as much when it comes to the courtroom, and to public policy. The spies did the opposite. They allowed their emotions to overwhelm their rationality, they could not separate their subjective responses from their obligation to provide a fair and accurate report, and in doing so created panic among the Israelites.

Moses was right to defend the Israelites in the face of God’s wrath, because whether knowingly or not, they were the victims of the ancient equivalent of propaganda. Propaganda does not have to consist entirely of lies, or even of a mix of truth and falsehood. Perhaps even more important than the facts are the ways in which they are interpreted, the frame that we place them in. The ten spies framed their report with fear and despair. What Moses was looking for, and what Joshua and Caleb provided, was a frame that would serve to propagate the faith, a reminder that with God’s help the Israelites can succeed against all odds in their bid to return home.

The ten spies were guilty of a loss of nerve and a loss of faith, and this became as infectious among the Israelites as any plague. Admittedly, it may be that what Moses, Joshua, and Caleb intended was to tell the Israelites noble lies, to keep up their morale and cohesion in the face of an intimidating challenge. We might also note that Moses convinced God not to wipe out the Israelites because it would be bad for God’s image. In effect, Moses was took on the role of God’s publicity agent. The modern founder of the public relations industry was Edward Bernays, who was the nephew of Sigmund Freud. But Moses beat him to it by about 3,000 years.

The Israelites were faced with a common human dilemma, as there seemed to be much to be gained and much to lose. In other words, much to risk. The psychologist Abraham Maslow explained that it is a choice between growth and safety. To grow requires change, and change involves risk; to avoid risk and stay safe means staying the same, resisting change. We face this conflict over and over in our lives. Growth or safety. Risk is the fulcrum, growth requires courage, while safety alleviates fear.

There is an age-old understanding, dating back to ancient Greece and the philosopher Aristotle, that courage is the chief among the virtues. More recently, the poet Maya Angelou put it this way:

Courage is the most important of all the virtues because without courage you can’t practice any other virtue consistently.

The ten spies not only lacked courage themselves, but they in effect robbed the Israelites of the virtue of courage collectively. And the failure of the Israelites was a failure to put their faith in the God who had already freed them from slavery in Egypt, the failure to recall, in the words of the prophet Zechariah that, “not by might, nor by power, but by My spirit, says Adonai Tzevaot.”

Why was it so hard for the Israelites to have faith, and to find the courage that faith can bring? After all, they were the generation that experienced the exodus from Egypt, that witnessed the revelation at Sinai. The answer seems readily apparent: Because they were slaves. They were born into bondage. They grew up as slaves. They labored as adults for their Egyptian masters. The trauma of their lives, and of the generations that came before them, was too strong, too deep, for them to entirely dispel after only a short period of freedom.

The forty years of wandering may have been framed as a punishment, but in many ways it was a requirement that the generation that grew up as slaves needed to be replaced by a new generation that truly understands what it means to be free. Make no mistake about it, the trauma was transmitted to the next generation, and down through the generations all the way to the present day. That burden was lightened just enough for the next generation to have the courage to do what their parents could not. That is the way it always should be, that each generation moves us forward, that we bring into world individuals who will be better than ourselves. Who may even look back at us with pity, even disgust, but hopefully also with the understanding that we did the best we could do, given the times we were born into, to make things better than they were before.

This past Sunday I was in Manhattan, and I happened to chance upon a Broadway celebration of Juneteenth in Time Square. There were musical performances and speeches, and one of the speakers was saying that they should celebrate freedom for more than one day. He noted that the Jewish people spend a week celebrating our freedom from slavery, and suggested that African-Americans should follow our example and hold Juneteenth seders. I found that incredibly moving. It brought to mind the words of Isaiah, that we are to be a light unto the nations. We set an example, not only by our achievements and triumphs, but by remembering our history, our humble beginnings, our weaknesses, our failures and defeats, and the fact that our freedom is a gift that we must cherish and protect, and continually renew.

To grow, we need to have courage, and we need to have faith. It may be faith in God. It may be faith in ourselves and it may be faith in others, in our companions, in our community, in humanity. It may be faith in something greater than ourselves. It may be faith in the past. It must be faith in the future.

Shabbat shalom.

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 23 Jun 2022 13:34:47 GMT

June 23, 2022
Summer officially began this week, as we enjoy the longest days of the year.

The summer also finds Lance Strate filling in for me on certain sabbaths, including leading this coming Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM) with the cantor. Thanks to Lance!

And speaking of summer, our garden is in full bloom, especially the butterfly garden section, and you are welcome to visit at any time. Recently some folks have brought their lunch or dinner and just enjoyed this peaceful spot.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

For Livestream Services:
Find all our recorded services on YouTube at "Adas Emuno Streaming" and use this direct link once the service has started: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCftctPu9pRG4bBQCR6RH4Dg/live

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 09 Jun 2022 14:01:48 GMT

June 9, 2022
Dear Friends,
Across the country, Pride Month celebrates the diversity of America.

At our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM) I thought it would be worthwhile to offer a short but remarkable history of inclusion within Reform Judaism during the last half-century.

On Sunday our congregation will participate in Leonia Pride Day (1:00-4:00 PM) in two ways: I will speak briefly at the rally and we will have an exhibit table at the event in Wood Park.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

For Livestream Services:
Find all our recorded services on YouTube at "Adas Emuno Streaming" and use this direct link once the service has started: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCftctPu9pRG4bBQCR6RH4Dg/live

This Week at Adas Emuno—Bat Mitzvah of Ash Devins

Thu, 02 Jun 2022 12:47:00 GMT

June 2, 2022

Dear Friends,
It has been said that the Torah is the constitution of the Jewish people.
What does the Torah have in common with the US Constitution, and how does it differ?
It's a pertinent question to ask as we celebrate Shavuot- the holiday of the giving of the Torah- this weekend, and as we debate how the Supreme Court should interpret the Constitution.

We'll consider this question at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM), which will feature an outdoor dairy oneg (cheesecake?) in honor of Shavuot.

We celebrate the bat mitzvah of Ash Devins at our Shabbat Morning Service (10:00 AM).
Now how about this- Ash's great grandfather was a rabbi who served Adas Emuno in Hoboken in 1945-46!
Mazal tov to Ash and her family!

Ready to read our next book for the Adas Emuno book club next month (July 11)? Dara Horn is one of the best new Jewish novelists, and All Other Nights, is an intriguing and suspenseful spy story set in Civil War New Orleans.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

For Livestream Services:
Find all our recorded services on YouTube at "Adas Emuno Streaming" and use this direct link once the service has started: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCftctPu9pRG4bBQCR6RH4Dg/live

This Week at Adas Emuno—Bat Mitzvah of Nora Levy

Thu, 26 May 2022 13:32:15 GMT

May 26, 2022

Dear Friends,
It was fifty years ago next week that Sally Preisand was ordained as the first woman rabbi.
Today more than half of the graduating rabbinical and cantorial classes of our movement are female, and a whole generation of young people have grown up in this new era.
We'll mark this momentous anniversary at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

We celebrate the bat mitzvah of Nora Levy at our Shabbat Morning Service (10:00 AM).
Mazal tov to Nora and her family.

We have just learned of yet another mass shooting tragedy in a school, casting a pall over a Memorial Day weekend when we pause to remember all those who made the ultimate sacrifice while serving our country.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

For Livestream Services:
Find all our recorded services on YouTube at "Adas Emuno Streaming" and use this direct link once the service has started: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCftctPu9pRG4bBQCR6RH4Dg/live

This Week at Adas Emuno—Confirmation and the Debut of Our Band!

Thu, 19 May 2022 14:00:14 GMT

May 19, 2022

It's a big weekend: our final family service of the school year, our final Torah study, and our final session of religious school!

Our Shabbat Evening Family Service (7:30 PM) will feature the debut of our new Adas Emuno musical ensemble, featuring Elka Oliver, Peter Hays, Scott Dennis, Scott Avidon, and of course, our cantor Iris Karlin. You won't want to miss it!

This is also the Confirmation of six graduating students: Myles Beckerman, Noah Gereb, Griffin Lawrence, Matt Priblo, Sasha Raskin, and Hannah Scowden. Mazal tov to all!

We conclude our year long study of “The Rise and Fall of Ancient Israel” at Zoom Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM).

And we conclude religious school on Sunday, with heartfelt thanks to students, parents, and teachers.

At services, at school and at Torah study we persevered through another year of hybrid learning and praying- facing the further waves of  the pandemic with great dedication and spirit. In Hebrew we say, kol hakavod- all honor to you, for a job well done!

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

PS. A Shavuot Cooking Class will take place on Sunday evening (7:00 PM). Look for details in an email tomorrow.

Our monthly Board meetings are open to all members and take place on the third Thursday of each month (7:30 PM) via Zoom. To receive a link for tonight or any meeting, contact Michael Fishbein.

For Livestream Services:
Find all our recorded services on YouTube at "Adas Emuno Streaming" and use this direct link once the service has started: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCftctPu9pRG4bBQCR6RH4Dg/live

This Week at Adas Emuno—Bar Mitzvah of Shane Feinstein

Thu, 12 May 2022 12:31:26 GMT

May 12, 2022
Dear Friends,

An Israeli astronaut recently visited the International Space Station. It was what he brought on the flight that was most interesting and moving. I'll explain at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

We celebrate the bar mitzvah of Shane Feinstein at our Shabbat Morning Service (9:30 AM- note earlier time), following in his father Andrew's footsteps, who became a bar mitzvah here too! Mazal tov to Shane and his family.

The Adas Emuno Book Club takes place via zoom on Monday (7:30 PM). Join the discussion on the provocative collection of short stories For the Relief of Unbearable Urges by Nathan Englander. See the Rabbi’s weekly message for the link.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

For Livestream Services:
Find all our recorded services on YouTube at "Adas Emuno Streaming" and use this direct link five minutes before services are scheduked to begin: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCftctPu9pRG4bBQCR6RH4Dg/live

This Week at Adas Emuno—Celebrating Israel

Thu, 05 May 2022 16:07:35 GMT

May 5, 2022

Dear Friends,
Today is Yom Ha'Atzmaut- Israel Independence Day...the Jewish State's 74th birthday.

Our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM) will celebrate Israel through words and music.
My remarks "Israel Is for the Birds" will particularly interest nature lovers!

We're coming down the home stretch of our Zoom Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM)- just two sessions remaining- where we look at the fascinating return of the Jews, under Ezra and Nehemiah, from the Babylonian exile.

Please note that the next meeting of the Adas Emuno Book Club has been rescheduled for Monday, May 16 (7:30 PM). It's not too late to read the provocative collection of short stories For the Relief of Unbearable Urges by Nathan Englander.

And to all our imahot; Happy Mother's Day!

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

For Livestream Services:
Find all our recorded services on YouTube at "Adas Emuno Streaming" and use this direct link once the service has started: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCftctPu9pRG4bBQCR6RH4Dg/live

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 28 Apr 2022 13:12:41 GMT

April 28, 2022
Dear Friends,
Today is Yom HaShoah- Holocaust Remembrance Day...and the imperative to remember remains as important as ever in our troubled world.

Our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM) will remember through words, music and candle lighting. I will comment on a powerful piece in this regard written by a high- school student.

You may read the essay here:
Op-Ed: In high school, I've barely learned about the Holocaust - Los Angeles Times (latimes.com)

Our busy spring b'nai mitzvah season begins at our Shabbat Morning Service (10:00 AM), when Hannah Rak celebrates her bat mitzvah. Mazal tov to Hannah and her family!

Please note that the next meeting of the Adas Emuno Book Club has been rescheduled for Monday, May 16 (7:30 PM). It's not too late to read the provocative collection of short stories For the Relief of Unbearable Urges by Nathan Englander.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

For Livestream Services:
Find all our recorded services on YouTube at "Adas Emuno Streaming" and use this direct link once the service has started: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCftctPu9pRG4bBQCR6RH4Dg/live

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 21 Apr 2022 12:45:11 GMT

Apr.21, 2022

Dear Friends,
This year the last day of Pesach coincides with Earth Day.
That's the perfect opportunity to speak about the ecological significance of our spring festival.
We'll do so at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

The last king of ancient Judah was Zedekiah, an understandably tragic figure.
We'll follow his story, and that of the great prophet, Jeremiah, who predicted his demise, at our Zoom Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM).

Religious school (and Confirmation) resume this Sunday- hoping everyone had a good spring break.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

For Livestream Services:
Find all our recorded services on YouTube at "Adas Emuno Streaming" and use this direct link once the service has started: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCftctPu9pRG4bBQCR6RH4Dg/live

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 14 Apr 2022 15:01:54 GMT

April 14, 2022

Dear Friends,
Pesach begins tomorrow night, and when it coincides with Shabbat as it does this year, it is the one time we do not have our Shabbat Evening service.
Shabbat Morning Torah study and Sunday Religious school are also on break for the holiday.

However, for those who are not attending a second night seder, you are cordially invited to join the cantor and I for a Zoom Pesach Celebration (7:30-8:15 PM) on Saturday night.
We will feature music and contemporary readings for our festival of freedom, and a holiday quiz. See the Zoom link in the Rabbi’s weekly message emailed to members.

If you missed our Zoom Pesach Cooking Class, you can view here (enter the password carefully-case sensitive), the first thirty minutes with our cantor's Israeli recipes (easy to make!) and the second half with members sharing their seder memories:
https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/fkF7dbH9OwilEEg3ZFFzB6sugwLs2ZgzB29xp7SXXuxKjNRyHX8aGVWqRR__eFXF.xsdr95PUdB-6Gb65?startTime=1649027245000 (Passcode: t0n1Xq#h)

At our seders this year we add special prayers of peace for Ukraine, so devastated by war, and for our beloved Israel, recently wracked by a spate of terrorist attacks. There is no freedom without the basic security of being able to live free of fear and violence.

Shabbat shalom and Hag Sameach,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 07 Apr 2022 12:43:54 GMT

April 7, 2022

Dear Friends,
We're looking forward to our Shabbat Evening Family Service (7:30 PM), which features our K-2 class sharing some special songs. Come support our youngest students in-person!

  Hezekiah and Josiah are the two most important Israelite kings after David and Solomon, and we'll find out why at our Zoom Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM).

Pesach is one week away:
*A Tot-Pesach program takes place this Sunday (9:30) in the social hall, as well as a school-wide Pesach celebration during regular school hours.
*Next Friday is the first night of Pesach- this is the one time we do not have a Shabbat service.  No Torah study the next morning, and no school next Sunday.
*You are cordially invited to a second night Zoom Pesach Celebration (7:30- 8:15 PM) in words and music, led by the cantor and myself on Saturday evening Apr. 16 (link in next week's message).

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

For Livestream Services:
Use this direct link once the service has started:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCftctPu9pRG4bBQCR6RH4Dg/live

Parshat Tazria

Lance Strate — Sun, 03 Apr 2022 22:09:07 GMT

Lance Strate's D'Var Torah for April 1, 2022

This week’s Torah portion, Parshat Tazria, comes from the dermatology section of the Torah. I say that because it’s mostly about skin disease, and how a kohen is needed to diagnose whether it is to be considered pure or impure, and if impure, whether the individual needs to be quarantined. Tazria also includes rules for purification after giving birth, for the mother to go to the mikvah, and male infants to be circumcised. And it ends with instructions regarding ritual sacrifice and offerings to be made on the Sabbath, at the start of each new month, and as a sin offering. With that in mind, I want to suggest that what all of this has in common, and what the Torah is mainly trying to do, is to answer the question, how shall we live our lives? And that includes the question of how should we worship God? And it includes ethical questions regarding how we should treat other people, and animals, and plants for that matter. And what we should do when we get sick. This ancient document is a complete guide for living.

As modern Jews, and especially as Reform Jews, we understand that the Torah is a product of its times, of antiquity, and much of its practical instructions no longer make sense to us. If you have a skin disease, you go see a doctor. And you don’t need a kohen to tell you that. As for whether to quarantine, we’re more likely to listen to Dr. Fauci, or our primary care physician, or follow the advice of the CDC, or the requirements of our schools and employers. And if that is the case, why do we still cling to the Torah? What does it still have to teach us?

Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel once said that, we are closer to God when we are asking questions than when we think we have the answers. To this I would add that good questions are eternal. The answers will change, depending on the times we are living in, depending on who you ask, depending on the situation. Scientists understand that the answers they provide are always subject to change as new information is obtained, and our knowledge increases. That’s why the rules and recommendations regarding wearing masks have changed over the course of the pandemic. At the start they were based on the experience of previous airborne diseases, but as medical researchers learned more and more about COVID-19, they updated their findings and corrected their conclusions.

And the point is that answers may come and go, but good questions remain with us forever. Questions like, how should we live our lives? If we focus on the questions, then we can understand that what Parsha Tazria and similar parts of the Torah are telling us is to ask that question, how should we live our lives?, to reflect on our actions, not to go about our lives moving from one activity to another in mindless fashion, like robots and automatons, or in naïve innocence like animals or infants. And in asking, how should we live our lives, we are also asking, how should we live our lives as Jews?, because the Torah is specifically trying to answer that question, as a document particular to the Jewish people. And in accordance with that question, we are also asking, how should we, as Jews, live in harmony with nature, and with God?

So, when Rabbi Heschel said that, we are closer to God when we are asking questions than when we think we have the answers, he was answering the question of how we should live our lives, as Jews, in harmony with God. Which is by asking questions. Asking questions is very much a part of Jewish culture, and the Jewish religion. Even asking questions of God. During troubled times, we have been known to ask, why me, God, why me? And it is not a part of our tradition, but others tell the story of a rabbi some 2,000 years ago who asked of God, why have you forsaken me? More recently, after losing his son to an incurable disease at the age of 14, Rabbi Harold Kushner set out to answer the question, why do bad things happen to good people?, and the result was a bestselling book published back in 1981.

We love questions so much that we are even known for substituting questions for answers. The advice columnist known as Dear Abby was once asked, why do Jews always answer a question with a question? Her response was, how should they answer? That of course is a variation on an old joke about a congregant who asks the rabbi, rabbi, why do you always answer a question with a question? To which the rabbi responds, do I? And then there’s the one where two guys are having lunch at a deli, and one says to the other, life is like a tuna fish sandwich. The other fellow thinks about it for a bit, and then asks, so, why is life like a tuna fish sandwich? To which the first guy replies, what am I, a philosopher?

And then there’s the similar question asked when we’re overlooked or not given our due: what am I, chopped liver? Maybe we don’t ask that question so much anymore, but for the past four thousand years, we have been asking the twin questions of the mi chamocha, the oldest prayer in our liturgy. The translation is along the lines of, who is like You, among the gods, Adonai? Who is like you, great in holiness, awe-inspiring in splendor, doing wonders? In the centuries that followed the exodus, and the revelation at Sinai, the sages studied the texts that make up the Torah and asked, what do these writings mean? How are we to understand them? How are we to make sense of them? They understood that the meaning of a written work is never entirely obvious. That there is always a need for interpretation. And that interpretations differ, depending on the reader, the place and time and circumstances, and so much more. Asking questions about the meaning of the Holy Scriptures, and how to apply them to our lives, is the basis of the Talmud, and Rabbinic Judaism, and Reform Judaism.

I do want to add a small, friendly amendment to Rabbi Heschel’s statement, that, we are closer to God when we are asking questions than when we think we have the answers. This refers specifically to asking good questions, because not all questions are good questions. I know that we tell our children that there is no such thing as a bad question, and we do so to encourage them to ask questions. But it’s not really true. There most certainly are bad questions. Some of them are known as loaded questions, a classic example being a question asked of a male politician by his opponent: have you stopped beating your wife? Some other examples: Have you always had a gambling problem? Is it difficulty to hide the fact that you’re incompetent? Do you actually believe your own lies? Or on a more positive note, why do you feel that our product is the best? You get the idea.

Then there’s the familiar story of a young man who sets out to ridicule a respected elder, a rabbi of great renown. He holds a small bird behind his back, and asks the rabbi, is the bird I’m holding alive or dead? If the rabbi says the bird is dead, he plans to show him the live bird that he’s holding. If the rabbi says the bird is alive, he plans to crush it and show the rabbi that the bird is dead. Recognizing the young man’s intent, the rabbi responds, the answer, my son, is in your hands. A good question is one that is asked with an open mind and open heart, and an intent to learn something new, not to mock.

Neil Postman, in his book Crazy Talk, Stupid Talk, tells the story of a town in Lithuania that suffered from a mysterious plague, back in the days before modern medicine. People afflicted would fall into a deathlike coma, and no one could tell if they were still alive or not. The dilemma, then, was the uncertainty of whether the individuals being buried were actually alive or dead. Two different solutions were offered, based on two different questions. One group based their solution on the question, how can we make sure that we don’t bury anyone who is still alive? The other group answered a question that on the surface seemed to be asking the same thing, but in fact was asking something entirely different, and actually simpler and easier to answer: how can we make sure that everyone we bury is actually dead? Think about it.

It’s not just that, we are closer to God when we are asking questions than when we think we have the answers. It’s also that the questions we ask determine the kinds of answers we get. If I ask, when was Congregation Adas Emuno founded?, there is only one correct answer, 150 years ago, on October 22nd, 1871. If I ask, do you know when was Congregation Adas Emuno founded?, there are two basic answers, yes or no. If I ask, what do you know about the history of Congregation Adas Emuno?, that is an open ended question that would allow for a wide range of answers, and a different set of answers from the question, how do you feel about Congregation Adas Emuno?

So now, I am going to ask a question, but I don’t want you to tell me the answer, I just want you to think about the question itself. The question is, do you believe that God exists? And now, I want you to think about a question that sounds like it’s the same question, but really is quite different: do you believe in God? And my point is not about whether you are an atheist or agnostic or not, but just to recognize the difference between the two questions. Because they refer to two different kinds of belief.

And before going any further, I want to remind you that the main question in Judaism is, how should we live our lives? And that includes questions of religious practice. It’s about what we do. When it comes to belief, the emphasis is on the oneness of God, as expressed by the shma; the emphasis is on monotheism as opposed to polytheism. The mi chamocha almost seems to admit of the possibility that there are other gods of lesser stature, when we ask, who is like You, among the gods, Adonai? Less accurate translations try to fix this by adding a phrase so it reads, who is like You, among the gods who are worshipped? There is also some ambiguity at the start of the Ten Commandments, where it reads, I am Adonai, your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt and the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before Me. And then, after the prohibition against making graven images, it reads, you shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I, Adonai your God, am a jealous God. This refers to idol worship, but it is also about the nature of God.

What is important to understand is that for most of human history, stretching all the way back into prehistory, there was no question regarding belief in the divine. There was no question that the world is alive. Not just animals and plants, but rivers, lakes, and oceans. The earth, the soil, the land, even mountains. Even the air, which we experienced as the wind. And everything that is alive is understood to be conscious in some form, maybe not in the same ways that human beings are conscious, but conscious in their own ways. And everything that is alive and conscious is animated by spirit and soul, words that in Hebrew are synonymous with breath and wind. So it is only natural for people to see the world as populated by divine and semidivine entities, supernatural beings, spirits and gods. The existence of a spiritual dimension to the world was taken for granted, and never called into question. And that is why the Torah and Tanach do not address the question of the existence of the divine, but take that as a starting point, and instead present a radical new idea about the nature of the divine.

Rather than a world of different deities, each one competing for people’s loyalty, defending different territories, in conflict with one another, we have a universal God who is the God of all of the different peoples of the earth. Oneness is at the core of Jewish belief. One God and one Creation. One set of basic ethical standards that apply to everyone, with one judge above us all, so that there is no one else to appeal to, no other court of appeals, no second opinion. And a singular, coherent universe that is open to our exploration and discovery, that we can learn about and come to understand through study and science. This allows for the God of Spinoza, who equates God with nature. And for Albert Einstein, who says that the God he believes in is the God of Spinoza, and also says that God does not play dice with the universe. By this he meant that the universe is orderly and ultimately knowable. But it’s also true because if there is only one God, the God has no one else to play dice with.

So the question I posed, do you believe that God exists?, is a thoroughly modern question. It comes up only after so much of the workings of our universe, and ourselves, has been explained by modern science. And it is a question that references external reality, something separate and apart from ourselves. As such, for those who answer yes, it suggests the need for some form of external support, some proof or evidence, something relating to the empirical method of modern science, something open to sense perception. And if the answer is simply that it’s a matter of faith, that cannot help but come across as an inadequate response, just as it would for a question like, do you believe that gravity exists?, or do you believe that molecules exist?

By way of contrast, the question, do you believe in God?, is significantly different. It is not just about the existence of the divine, but about feeling the presence of the divine. Arguably, you could believe that God exists, but not believe in God, not believe, for example, that God cares about us, or accept what’s we call God’s will. There is a difference between believing that and believing in. Believing that takes us into the external world of facts and data. Believing in takes us into the world of internal feelings and intuition, of trust and mutual presence. In religious terms, believing that leads us to think in a transactional way, for example to do good so that we will be rewarded in the afterlife, or to engage in prayer in order to get something that we want. Believing in leads us to do good for its own sake, to pursue tikkun olam, the healing of the world, and to accept that we will not always get our way or be in control of our own destiny. Believing that appeals to our rational side, believing in to our spiritual side. Even when our rational side fills us with doubt about the existence of God, we are still capable of believing in God, listening to that still, small voice within, even when we are unsure of its origin.

There is a marvelous exchange in the novel by Stephen King, The Stand, which posits a post-pandemic conflict between good and evil. The ostensible leader of the good community, Mother Abigail, is speaking with one of the heroes, Nick, telling him that he’s called upon to confront evil, and shouldn’t try to run from the will of God. Nick responds that he doesn’t believe in God. And Abigail answers, “Bless you Nick, but that doesn’t matter. He believes in you.” In the same way, we can believe in each other, and think about the difference between me saying that I believe you exist, and I believe in you.

I was introduced to the distinction between believing that and believing in through the writings of Walter Ong, who was a Jesuit priest. And Ong, in turn, was inspired the writings of the great Jewish philosopher and theologian, Martin Buber. Buber famously distinguished between two types of relationships, the I-It and the I-You. In the I-It relationship, we relate to things, to objects, to possessions and commodities, to stuff that we seek to control, or manipulate, or own. This is true even of other living things, even people, when we treat them as objects, when we objectify them, or view them as means to an end. In the I-You relationship, we relate to persons, to persons as persons, whether they are human beings, or other living things, or any part of the natural world, or of the divine and the spiritual. Both relationships are important, both have a role to play in our lives, as they relate to our material and spiritual needs, to science and religion.

What Martin Buber teaches us is that we exist only and entirely in relationships. This is the same lesson taught by Einstein, the lesson of relativity, which is that everything in the universe exists in relation to everything else. This is the lesson of ecology, that all living things exists in interconnection with each other, and with their environment. And it’s not that we’re reduced to a game of chance, that there is no certainty. It’s rather that the certainty is to be found in the relationships, not in the isolated fragments of those relationships. This too is the message of oneness that guides our faith.

So we can believe in each other because we can believe in our relationship to one another. We can believe in our people, in our tradition, in our religion, as a relationship, a relationship to the people in our congregation and all around the world, a relationship to the people who came before us and those who will come after us, a relationship to the past and the future. We can believe in humanity as a whole, we can believe in life in all of its forms, we can believe in our world, our planet, and our relationship to it. And we can believe in our relationship to the spiritual dimension of the world, even if we are unsure as to what exactly there is on the other end of that relationship. As Martin Buber explains, God, or the divine, or whatever name we choose to use, is in the relationship. And that is why we follow the shma with the v’ahavta, the commandment that you shall love God. Because love is the relationship we need to enter into, love is the I-You relationship that we need to believe in.

Once upon a time, people mostly saw the world as made up of I-You relationships, and saw the divine everywhere they looked. That is why the Torah deals with skin disease. In modern times, we mostly see the world as made up of I-It relationships. So, for us, the Torah calls upon us to remember that other dimension of human life, to remember the I-You relationship, to remember to believe in other persons as person, and to remember to believe in something greater than ourselves. To remember to remember to believe in love.

Shabbat shalom.

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 31 Mar 2022 12:35:20 GMT

March 31, 2022
Dear Friends,
Our past president Lance Strate can always be counted on to offer a thoughtful reflection on the Torah portion.
He will lead our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM) with the cantor in my absence this week.

Please note that Shabbat Morning Torah Study will be on a one week hiatus.

Our cantor is participating in a special fundraising concert for Ukraine March 31 (6:00 PM) in NY (with 50 other cantors!) which you can view via livestream. See the details here: https://mailchi.mp/swfs.org/ukraid?e=[UNIQID]&fbclid=IwAR08RoPqsIsCa3rqwoTnXqzj5jZi22JYVrxLAyMiI2cgBPSC_CQuBWAkRlw

Pesach is fast approaching:
You are cordially invited to a second night Zoom Pesach Celebration (7:30- 8:15 PM) in words and music, led by the cantor and myself on Saturday evening Apr. 16 (link forthcoming).
Look for a separate email with details on our Zoom Pesach Cooking Class this Sunday evening April 3.
The Jewish Home in Rockleigh is providing free, kosher, delivered Pesach meals for senior citizens this year- call 201-784-1414 to place your order.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

For Livestream Services:
Use this direct link once the service has started:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCftctPu9pRG4bBQCR6RH4Dg/live

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 24 Mar 2022 13:23:22 GMT

This Week at Adas Emuno

Mar. 24, 2022
Dear Friends,
From Purim our thoughts turn to Pesach, now only three weeks away.

In fulfillment of an interesting school assignment our cantor will present a musical look at Hallel, the traditional psalms of praise sung at this holiday, including a newly composed psalm and melody- at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM)
.
Please note that while we will not have a congregational seder this year, you are cordially invited to a second night Zoom Pesach Celebration (7:30- 8:15 PM) in words and music, led by the cantor and myself on Saturday evening Apr. 16.

Details will also be forthcoming on a Zoom Pesach Cooking Class on Sunday evening April 3.

Hezekiah was one of the "good guys" among the bad kings of ancient Israel. What made him stand out, but why was his life tragic? We'll take a look at our Zoom Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM).

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

For Livestream Services:
Use this direct link about five minutes before the service is scheduled to start:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCftctPu9pRG4bBQCR6RH4Dg/live

This Week at Adas Emuno—PURIM!

Wed, 16 Mar 2022 13:06:08 GMT

Mar. 16, 2022
Dear Friends,
I'm sending this message a day earlier than usual as a final reminder that Purim is tonight!
Our Purim Service and 150th Anniversary Spiel Spectacular gets rolling at 7:00 PM- in person.

We will have some post-Purim fun in the form of a holiday quiz at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

So too we'll reprise the holiday celebration at Sunday School (9:00 AM)- come in costume!
Its also the last chance to pick up your Purim basket if you haven't already.
A BIG thank you to everyone who pitched in for this holiday!

On a heavier note, this note is our last call for medical supply donations for Ukraine.
See the list below, and bring your items in by Sunday.

  You've heard about Elijah, but what about Elisha? Apropos of what is happening in Ukraine, we learn about a remarkable humanitarian moment in the midst of conflict involving the latter prophet at our Zoom Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM).

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

For Livestream Services:
Use this direct link once the service has started:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCftctPu9pRG4bBQCR6RH4Dg/live

Here is a list of the only items being requested for our Ukraine emergency collection:

OTC meds such as bandages, vitamins, burn creams, pain relievers, first aid kits

Hospital type supplies

Hygiene products such as soap, toothpaste/brushes, shampoo

Baby items - diapers, wipes, formula

This Week at Adas Emuno—In-Person Purim Spiel!

Thu, 10 Mar 2022 13:26:45 GMT

Mar.10, 2022
Dear Friends,
Get ready for Purim!

What lessons does the Purim story have for the world's crisis right now? We'll consider that at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

What lessons does the Book of Esther impart abut our history and our lives? We'll consider that at our Zoom Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM).

Our own Purim celebration, with our special 150th Anniversary Purim Spiel takes place this coming Wednesday evening, Mar. 16, at 7:00 PM, in-person!

Our bi-monthly Zoom Adas Emuno Book Club meets on Monday (7:30 PM) to discuss the immigrant classic The Rise of David Levinsky.

And don't forget to roll those clocks forward on Saturday night, so you won't be late for Sunday school, that also includes our Tot program (9:30 AM) and Confirmation (11:00 AM).

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

For Livestream Services:
Use this direct link about 5 minutes before service is set to begin:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCftctPu9pRG4bBQCR6RH4Dg/live

This Week at Adas Emuno—Purim Is Coming!

Thu, 03 Mar 2022 13:26:06 GMT

Mar. 3, 2022

Dear Friends,
We stand with the people of Ukraine and with its Jewish community in the hour of their need
Please see ways to help at the bottom of this message.

The Ukraine-Israel-Russia relationship is fraught and fascinating.
We'll talk about this timely topic at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

The story of King Ahab and Queen Jezebel and prophet Elijah is also fraught and fascinating, and one of the great examples of truth meeting power in the Bible. It's the subject of our Zoom Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM).

Mark your calendar now: Purim and our special 150th Anniversary Purim Spiel- Wednesday evening, Mar. 16 at 7:00 PM, in-person!

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

For Livestream Services:
Use this direct link once the service has started (after 7:25 PM):
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCftctPu9pRG4bBQCR6RH4Dg/live

The World Union for Progressive Judaism (WUPJ) has set up a Ukraine Crisis Fund. Project Kesher, has set up an emergency fund for Jewish women and their families in Ukraine. United Help Ukraine receives and distributes donations, food, and medical supplies to internally displaced Ukrainians. Donate here. And Nova Ukraine, a Ukraine-based nonprofit, provides citizens with everything from baby food and hygiene products, to clothes and household supplies. Donate here.

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 24 Feb 2022 13:56:26 GMT

Feb. 24, 2022

Dear Friends,
Last week I spoke out about excessive criticism of Israel.
But can a synagogue employee be fired for that?
A case at a Scarsdale synagogue is making national headlines.
We'll talk about it at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

Why did ancient Israel split into two after the death of King Solomon?
We'll look at the complicated history at our Zoom Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM).

We're happy that in-person religious school resumes this Sunday, including Confirmation class.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

For Zoom Shabbat Morning Torah Study:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84358571919

For Livestream Services:
Click on this direct link five minutes before the beginning of the service:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCftctPu9pRG4bBQCR6RH4Dg/live

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 17 Feb 2022 14:00:18 GMT

Feb.17, 2022
Dear Friends,
What's going on with Amnesty International?
Is there any justification for calling Israel an apartheid state?
We will sort this out at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

What's going on with King Solomon?
Is there any justification for the wisest-of -the-wise to overstep his bounds?
We'll sort this out at our Zoom Shabbat morning Torah study (10:00 AM).

A reminder that there is no religious school this Sunday for President's Day weekend, and we happily return to in-person instruction on the 27th.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno- A Double Naming!

Thu, 10 Feb 2022 13:38:31 GMT

Feb.10, 2022
Book censorship? Is this something we have to talk about in our country in 2022?
Well, unfortunately the answer is yes, and we will do so at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

On the brighter side at the beginning of the service we will also celebrate the double naming ceremony of Anaya and Adam Goodstein, grandchildren of Paula and Mark Goodstein- mazal tov!

The Book of Kings tells the story of the Davidic dynasty that ruled ancient Israel for four hundred years. This week we begin with the story of the fabled King Solomon at our Zoom Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM).

Speaking of books, the next Adas Emuno Book Club meeting is on March 14, and there is plenty of time to read the immigrant classic, The Rise of David Levinsky by famed Yiddish editor Abraham Cahan, which can easily be accessed in the public domain at Google Books.

Last call for our Souper Bowl! Bring your donated cans of soup to the bin on the school porch at any time this weekend.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 03 Feb 2022 13:05:53 GMT

Feb. 3, 2022

Dear Friends,
When Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer announced his retirement last week he held aloft a pocket copy of the Constitution.
Much has been said about the Constitution lately, and the discussion is crucial...so I will take up the matter at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

We continue our look at episodes from the epic life of King David at our Zoom Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM).

Souper Bowl alert! Bring your donated cans of soup to the bin on the school porch at any time.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno—Zoom Service This Shabbat

Thu, 27 Jan 2022 13:38:45 GMT

Jan. 27, 2022
Dear Friends,
At our monthly Zoom Shabbat Evening Family Service (7:30 PM) we invite our b'nai mitzvah students to help lead us.
Following the service we'll reflect on the lessons to be learned from what happened the week before last at a Texas synagogue that is now classified as both a hate crime and a terrorist attack.

The story of King David is the longest and greatest story of the Hebrew Bible. We look at episodes from his epic life at our Zoom Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM).

Souper Bowl alert! Bring your donated cans of soup to the bin on the school porch at any time.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 20 Jan 2022 14:11:34 GMT

Jan. 20, 2022

Dear Friends,
We are immensely relieved and grateful that the rabbi and three congregants of Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville, Texas, escaped unharmed from their hostage ordeal this past Shabbat, even as we decry continued acts of anti-Semitism and terrorism.

While Tu Bishvat, the New Year of Trees, is a minor Jewish holiday that occurred on the full moon this past Monday, its celebration of the earth and its seasons resonates in our eco-conscious times.
We'll emphasize this connection at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

Saul, the first king of Israel, was betrayed by his son, daughter and protegee David...or so he felt.
We'll sort out a very complicated family situation at our Zoom Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM).

And its that time of the year-our Souper Bowl!
Bring your donated cans of soup to the bin on the school porch any time between now and the Super Bowl.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno—The Legacy of Martin Luther King

Thu, 13 Jan 2022 18:04:04 GMT

Jan. 13, 2022

Dear Friends,
Each year we celebrate the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. in words and music
It feels as important as ever, and we'll do so again at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

The story of the first king of Israel is a full-blown tragedy.
We'll discover what went so wrong at our Zoom Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM).

Note that next week the Seder TuBishvat that we have come to enjoy will need to be postponed again this year, but we will celebrate the holiday of trees and nature at our service.

And see below from a friend who is organizing a monthly American Red Cross blood drive in Leonia- its a mitzvah!

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

For Livestream Services:
Go to YouTube.com and enter Adas Emuno Streaming in the search box. About 5 minutes before, find the service that is "live" and wait for the service to begin.

American Red Cross Blood Drive
American Legion Post 1, 399 Broad Avenue, Leonia, NJ 07605
3^rd Tuesday of every month! (starting in January 2022)
January 18^th,February 15^th,March 15^th,April 19^th,May 17^th,June 21^st
1:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Appointments are preferred. Call 1-800-REDCROSS
Or sign up at www.redcrossblood.org and use sponsor code: Leonia

This Week at Adas Emuno—Zoom Shabbat

Thu, 06 Jan 2022 13:23:21 GMT

Jan. 6, 2022
Dear Friends,
One year ago today we experienced one of the darkest hours in American history.
Not to put a dampener on the new year, but we're obliged to discuss this awful anniversary.
I'll ask for your thoughts after our Zoom Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

We begin our second semester of "The Rise and Fall of Ancient Israel" at our Zoom Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM). The epic story of Samuel, Saul and David will occupy the next 5-6 weeks- it is grand and there is so much resonance with events today. You are welcome to join us even if you never have before.

Our bi-monthly Zoom Adas Emuno Book Clubmeets on Monday (7:30 PM). Topic: The Magician of Lublin, a classic novel by the Nobel prize winning novelist, Isaac Bashevis Singer.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno—New Year’s Eve Service

Thu, 30 Dec 2021 13:46:58 GMT

Dec. 30, 2021
Dear Friends,
I'll let you in on a big secret- this week's Livestream Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM) is pre-recorded, because both the cantor and I are away.

But you will not want to miss my annual Rabbi's Top-Ten Jewish News Stories!
We review the event filled past year through a Jewish lens.
Keep in mind that you can watch the livestream on Shabbat/New Year's Eve or anytime after that.

Both Torah study and Religious school are on break.
We pray that 2022 will bring health and peace to our families, our country and the world.

Shabbat shalom and Happy New Year,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 23 Dec 2021 14:24:09 GMT

Dec. 23, 2021

Dear Friends,
Yes, we will have services for Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve (though not in person)- Shabbat is Shabbat!

From time to time I take note of a Jewish obituary- a life well-lived, worthy of comment, but perhaps missed amongst all the news.
Such is the case of Aaron Feurerstein, a Massachusetts factory owner whose loyalty to his workers made national headlines in 1995 and who passed away last month.
I'll speak about him at our Zoom Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

Both Torah Study and Religious School are on break this week and next.
Enjoy the winter break, but stay safe!

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno—The End of the Book of Genesis

Thu, 16 Dec 2021 14:34:20 GMT

Dec. 16, 2021
Dear Friends,
We come to the end of the epic Book of Genesis this week.
Is it "happily ever after" for Joseph and his family after the big reunion?
Let's talk about it at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM) which will be Livestreamed.

From time to time a Jewish hero arises who is all out of character from the typical.
Such is the case with Samson, the Jewish superman.
We'll read his story from the Book of Judges at our Zoom Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM)

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 09 Dec 2021 13:16:22 GMT

Dec. 9, 2021
Dear Friends,
One of the most emotional and significant moments in the entire Torah occurs in this week’s Torah portion, when Judah encounters Joseph.
We'll discuss why it is so important at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

The Book of Judges describes a dramatic but troubling chapter in the early history of our ancestors.
For the next few weeks we read excerpts of this often overlooked part of the Hebrew Bible.
You're always welcome to join us at our Zoom Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM).

Start reading: The next Adas Emuno Book Club meets Jan. 10 and we are discussing the Nobel prize winning Isaac Bashevis Singer's classic The Magician of Lublin.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno—Hanukkah!

Thu, 02 Dec 2021 16:15:19 GMT

Dec. 2, 2021

Dear Friends,
We sprint to the finish of Hanukkah with:
1. Shabbat Hanukkah Family Service (7:00 PM in-person), with an outdoor lighting and pre-service oneg followed by our service led by Grades 3-4, and featuring special Hanukkah music by all our grades.

2. Community Hanukkah Lighting and Reception (7:00 PM in-person), on Saturday night, outdoors with sufganiyot and other refreshments, and the rabbi's dreidel collection on display, with new additions.

3. Last Night of Hanukkah Lighting (7:00 PM in-person), on Sunday night, with the finale of the AE 150 Trivia Quiz.

We'll also mark Hanukkah at our Zoom Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM) and at Religious School on Sunday- all in all a full holiday celebration!

Shabbat shalom and Happy Hanukkah,
Rabbi Schwartz

For Livestream Services:
Go to YouTube.com and enter Adas Emuno Streaming in the search box. About 5 minutes before, find the service that is "live" and wait for the service to begin.

This Week at Adas Emuno—Happy Thanksgiving/Happy Hanukkah

Thu, 25 Nov 2021 13:05:40 GMT

Nov. 25, 2021

Dear Friends,
Happy Thanksgiving!
I hope you are enjoying the holiday with family and friends this year.
And Hanukkah starts Sunday night!

But first, join us for our Zoom Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM) .
Past president Alan Spector will offer a special message—an opportunity to learn about kidney donation as part of an effort to save the life of a dear friend of his.

Torah study and Religious School are both on break this holiday weekend.

Then on to Hanukkah:
Lighting of our outdoor menorah will take place on Sunday at 7:00 PM sharp and every night.
We'll sing a different Hanukkah song each night, and in honor of our 150th, an Adas Emuno Trivia Quiz!
On the the 6th night (next Friday) we will have our Shabbat Hanukkah Family Service in person!
On the 7th night (next Saturday) a community lighting will take place with refreshments.
So c'mon out and light it up!

Shabbat shalom and Happy Hanukkah,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 18 Nov 2021 13:08:22 GMT

Nov. 18, 2020
Dear Friends,
You might call him "the lost patriarch". In comparison to his father and his son, Isaac had a rather uneventful and unfortunate life. But we'll offer an appreciation of Isaac at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM)

Joshua was no Moses, but his life was eventful and dramatic. We'll take a last look at Joshua and the conquest of Canaan at our Zoom Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM).

Get ready for Hanukkah at our Zoom Hanukkah Cooking Class this Sunday evening (7:00 PM).

We are proud to host the Leonia Community Thanksgiving Service this year on Tuesday (8:00 PM). Two new pastors from the Methodist and Baptist churches will be joining us, and Student Cantor Karlin will be joined by a variety of singers. Help us be good hosts and neighbors by attending in person.

Finally, the Adas Emuno 150 Exhibit at the Leonia library is now open for viewing. Kudos to Michael Fishbein and Richard Alicchio for their fine work.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

For Livestream Services:
Go to YouTube.com and enter Adas Emuno Streaming in the search box. About 5 minutes before, find the service that is

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 11 Nov 2021 13:57:31 GMT

Nov. 11, 2021

Dear Friends,
At our Zoom Shabbat Evening Family Service (7:30 PM), we invite the 6th Grade to lead us
We're in the middle of Genesis and the vivid stories of our patriarchs and matriarchs.

At our Zoom Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM) we're in the middle of another vivid biblical story- that of Joshua and the conquest of the Promised Land.

Our Annual Mitzvah Mall takes place on Sunday (9:30 AM) in the sanctuary during religious school- come learn about how HIAS is supporting Afghan refugees in NJ and buy your donation cards, which make a great Hanukkah gift.

Finally, on Tuesday we marked Kristallnacht, the Night of Broken Glass, that initiated the Holocaust 83 years ago, and today is Veteran's Day, when we honor all those who have served in defense of our country. Both these annual days of commemoration will be noted at our Shabbat and school services.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 28 Oct 2021 12:26:22 GMT

Oct. 28, 2021

Dear Friends,
This week's Torah portion begins with the death of one matriarch (Sarah), ends with the introduction of the next matriarch (Rebecca), but also mentions two other rather mysterious women, Hagar and Keturah.
At our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM) we'll discuss the significance of all four women and the relationship between them.

You might think that the Torah's description of the most important event in Jewish history, the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai is a straight-forward, unified account. Think again!
At our Zoom Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM) we'll look at the complex reality.

Even if you are not a regular, you may want to attend our next Adas Emuno Book Club (Nov. 8 at 7:30 PM) and read the book now. The long lost novella of the great writer Sholom Aleichem, Moshkeleh the Thief, has just been published in English for the first time, and it is a delight. Call 1-800-848-6224 and use code 6JP21 to get 40% off, courtesy of The Jewish Publication Society.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

For Livestream Services:
Go to YouTube.com and enter Adas Emuno Streaming in the search box. About 5 minutes before the service is scheduled to begin, find the service that is "live" and wait for the service to begin.

Lance Strate's Remarks on the Adas Emuno Sesquicentennial

Lance Strate — Tue, 26 Oct 2021 20:47:06 GMT

Remarks on the Adas Emuno Sesquicentennial

October 22nd, 2021

Lance Strate

One hundred and fifty years! My, how time flies! Doesn’t it seem like just yesterday that we were celebrating our centennial?

Well, maybe not just yesterday. But it was almost a decade ago, as some of you may remember, back when I started on my first term as president of our congregation, that I pointed out that our 150th anniversary would be upon us before we know it. And some of you learned a new word: Sesquicentennial! Can you say that? Repeat after me: SES! QUI! CENTENNIAL! SESQUICENTENNIAL! See, it’s easy.

So, for the better part of a decade, we’ve been thinking about our sesquicentennial, talking about our sesquicentennial, and planning for our sesquicentennial. And that brings to mind that old Yiddish saying about how we plan, and God laughs.

This certainly isn’t the sesquicentennial that we had planned for before the pandemic. No one expected that we would usher in our anniversary after a year of lockdowns and quarantines, zooming and streaming, masking and vaxxing. But our congregation survived the last great pandemic over a century ago, and we are still going strong to this day. And we have learned a lot! We have learned to be flexible. We have learned to be adaptable. And most of all, we have learned about ourselves, and the true value of family and friends and our spiritual home, our sacred community, our Congregaton Adas Emuno.

So, God may have had a real good laugh this time, but our best laid plans were simply to commemorate our sesquicentennial, and that is what we are doing tonight, right now, and for the coming anniversary year. And I think that the fact that our birthday, October 22nd, has fallen on a Friday this year is more than mere synchronicity. It is altogether auspicious that this occasion coincides with the most sacred time of Shabbat, and that, as we commemorate our anniversary we can join together in worship, which is exactly what has sustained us for these past 150 years, not to mention the past 3,000 years or so. We didn’t plan, we couldn’t plan, to have our congregation’s birthday fall on a Friday this year, but maybe someone else did? We may need to consult the Kabbalah, or Gematria, for the answer. Rabbi, I leave it to you.

I do think it’s important to be clear on what it is that we’re celebrating. What does 150 years of Adas Emuno mean? It’s not about this sanctuary, or the social hall downstairs, or the school building, or our garden. It’s not about Hoboken and it’s not about Leonia. Our membership comes from all over Northern New Jersey, and beyond. We are not circumscribed by our properties, not limited to one town, not defined by geography.

What does 150 years of Adas Emuno mean? It’s not about a place. It’s about a congregation. It’s about a sacred community. It’s about an assembly of the faithful. It’s about people. Adas Emuno is us. All of us gathered here today, and all of us watching the livestream. We are Congregation Adas Emuno.

But it’s not just about us. It’s about the pioneers who founded this synagogue 150 years ago. It’s about everyone who was a part of our community over the past century and a half. And it’s about everyone who will join our faithful assembly in the future. Just as we are not defined by geography, neither are we limited to any one point in time.

And, let’s also think about, and remember the members of this congregation who are no longer with us, many that I have known, many that you have known. We should understand that they are more than names on memorial plaques. And they are more than names that are said each year on their yahrzeit. They will always be a part of our congregation. And they are a part of this moment, they are with us in our celebration, here tonight.

One hundred and fifty years ago Congregation Adas Emuno was founded by a group of immigrants. We should consider the courage they had, to leave their homes and journey across the ocean to a strange new country with a different language and a different culture, to start all over again. They were not defined by geography, and they were supported by our time-honored tradition and a commitment to community. Let’s take a moment to recognize their courage, and how today we stand on their shoulders, and enjoy the benefits that their courage bestowed upon us.

And let us also acknowledge that it takes some courage to be here now, today, to be true to our tradition, and to be a part of a congregation. It takes courage to stand up for ourselves in the face of growing anti-Semitism. It takes courage to carve out time to devote to our temple, especially when there are so many other demands that are made on us. It takes courage simply to set aside the pursuit of pleasure, the endless distractions that are constantly vying for our attention. It takes courage to set aside the pursuit of power, status, wealth, even just for a little while, to resist the seductive call of personal ambition, and make room for something more in our lives. It takes courage to make the choice to be Jewish, make the choice to be a member of the Jewish community, to make the choice to live and worship as Jews. Today we are all Jews by choice.

And if the pandemic has taught us anything, it’s taught us that what really matters are family, friends, and community. What really matters are our relationships. What really matters are the things that give life meaning, that transcend space and time, that link us together to something greater than ourselves.

So tonight, and for the coming year, we celebrate our sesquicentennial. One hundred and fifty years of Congregation Adas Emuno. We celebrate our past and our present. And we celebrate our future. And when it comes to all of our planning, well that Yiddish saying doesn’t indicate that there’s anything wrong with making God laugh. Why wouldn’t it be a good thing? After all, with all that’s going on in the world, God could probably use a good laugh.

So, in that spirit, at this time next year, after we are finished honoring the founding of our shining shul on a hill, after we are finished commemorating the survival of our sacred community, after we are finished sharing in the joy of the sesquicentennial of our little shul-that-could, we should start planning for Congregation Adas Emuno’s bicentennial celebration. It’s only 50 years away! It’ll be here before you know it!

Until then, happy birthday Adas Emuno! And Shabbat shalom!

Our 150th Anniversary Is Here!

Thu, 21 Oct 2021 16:34:49 GMT

Oct. 21, 2021

Dear Friends,
And so we have arrived at our 150th Anniversary!

Join us in-person (or livestream) for our Shabbat Evening Adas Emuno 150th Anniversary Service (7:30 PM). The service will feature festive music, remarks by past presidents Beth Ziff and Lance Strate, a proclamation from Leonia mayor Judah Ziegler, and the dedication of a new hand-embroidered Torah cover made for this milestone occasion.

Arrive early for an outdoor wine and cheese reception (6:45 PM). View a collection of memorabilia in the social hall. And if you haven't already, pick up a beautiful t-shirt with our congregational and anniversary logos.

Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM) continues via Zoom as we celebrate another founding- that of the Jewish people at Mount Sinai, as recorded in the Torah.

If you missed the enjoyable feature on our milestone anniversary in The Jewish Standard you can view it here:
https://jewishstandard.timesofisrael.com/adas-emuno-at-150/.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

For Livestream Services:
Go to YouTube.com and enter Adas Emuno Streaming in the search box. About 5 minutes before the service is scheduled to begin, find the service that is "live" and wait for it to begin.

Social Action in Action—Donations Appreciated

Mon, 18 Oct 2021 16:14:37 GMT

Hello Everyone,

This has been a very difficult time for many families, including those in New Jersey impacted by Hurricane Ida, people in Haiti devastated by natural disasters and the Afghan refugees. Can we help? Absolutely! The N.J. Small Business Development Centers, along with the N.J. State Veterans Chamber of Commerce and the Red Cross, plus the Haitian Association of Students at Rutgers-Newark, are all working together to collect items most urgently needed by these people. Those items are listed at the end of this email.

Adas Emuno will be accepting donations from Sunday, October 24th through Sunday, November 7th. Please leave covered donations at the entrance of the social hall or, if possible, in the social hall. In case of "iffy" weather, please leave on the school porch.

If you have questions, can volunteer to deliver our donations [ Rutgers Business School or Center for Law, both in Newark] or cannot get your donation to the temple [I'll try to have it picked up] please email Annette [acheryl21@gmail.com].

Items Needed

Kids	Families
Diapers	Drinking Water/ Bottles
Clothes (male/ female)	Female Clothing (Conservative/ nothing tight-fitting)
Baby Bottles	Male Clothing
Baby Formula	Winter Jackets/ Coats
Pacifiers	Gloves
Soccer Balls	Feminine Hygiene Items (no tampons)
Toys that don't need instructions	Wheelchairs
New Shoes	Walkers/ Canes
Pencils/ Crayons	Smart Phones
Notebooks	Female Scarves
School Supplies

Thank you so very much!
Annette & the Social Action Committee

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 14 Oct 2021 13:21:49 GMT

Oct. 14, 2021

Dear Friends,
We're looking forward to our Zoom Shabbat Evening Family Service (7:30 PM), which will be led by our 7th Graders.

Our Zoom Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM) will take a close look at how the gathering of our ancestors at Mount Sinai gave birth to the Jewish people.

*Note that our monthly family services will continue via Zoom until such time as our children 5-12 are vaccinated.
Our weekly Torah study will also continue via Zoom until such time as the majority of the class has received a booster.

Mark your calendar now for our Adas Emuno 150th Anniversary Service next Shabbat evening (Oct. 22)! An outdoor wine and cheese reception will take place prior (6:45 PM) to the service.
The service will feature the dedication of a new hand-embroidered Torah cover made for this milestone occasion.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

Lance Strate's D'var Torah on Parsha Noach

Lance Strate — Mon, 11 Oct 2021 18:12:47 GMT

Parsha Noach

This week’s Torah portion is Parsha Noach, and as the name implies, it contains one of the most beloved of all bible stories, the story of Noah’s ark. The story is especially appealing for children because the animals are such an important part of it, and saving the animals is such a fundamental ethical imperative. It’s one that resonates with the present-day environmentalist movement, the need to save all of the species that are threatened with extinction, to preserve their habitats, protect their ecosystems, and save our biosphere.

The story of the flood also brings to mind the flooding that occurs in our own time, from Hurricane Ida just recently, or Sandy a decade ago, or Katrina down in New Orleans. We know the sea levels are rising, and wildfires have been out of control out west, and down under.

But we also know that natural disasters have always been with us, earthquakes, volcanoes, tornados, tidal waves and tsunamis. We have the illusion that we are safe and secure, and in absolute control of our environment. But mother nature has a way of reminding us who is really in charge. Or in the story of Noah, the reminder comes not from a maternal source, but from the ultimate father figure, which has been, after all, the traditional way that we have thought about God.

Just a few short weeks ago, we observed Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, and the High Holy Day liturgy describes God as sitting in judgement of all of creation, even the hosts of heaven, the angels, are judged, and the final verdict is written and then sealed in the Book of Life.

And, when learning of the death of a member of the immediate family, the tradition in Judaism is to say, baruch dayan ha-emet, which means, blessed is the true judge. The prayer recited at the time of burial, the Tziduk Hadin, repeatedly refers to God as the true judge, and emphasizes that God is righteous and just.

This is the role that God plays in the story of Noah. God has judged humanity and found us guilty of violence, corruption and sin. And the true judge delivers the harshest of decrees, sentencing humanity, collectively, to death.

But it is not just us that God condemns, but all life on earth. This is the counterpart of the act of Creation, when at each stage God saw that what was created was good. Now God sees that what was created is evil, and decides that the answer is an act of Destruction.

In the traditional English rendering of Psalm 24, “The earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof; the world and they that dwell therein.” God’s Creation belongs to God, and God has every right to decide what to do with it, even to destroy what God created.

And yet, something does not quite sit right with God’s judgment, does it? Is all of humanity, with the exception of Noah, guilty? Surely there are babies, children, and other innocents who could not possibly be evil.

And even if we assign collective guilt to the human race, what about all of the animals that are drowned in the flood. Sure, Noah saves representatives of each species so that they can be restored afterwards, but what about all of the other ones that didn’t get to go on the ark? Is this really what we would expect of a true judge? Is this what we would call righteousness? Is this justice?

While we could take a page from the Book of Job and answer that God’s reasons are beyond our understanding, in the Reform tradition, we can better understand that these are stories composed by human beings for human beings. Stories about a great flood can be found across many different cultures and times, and they are based on the reality of natural disasters, and the fact that the death and destruction they bring about is indiscriminate, affecting all life, not just human populations.

And for most of human history, these events have been attributed to supernatural sources. You might say that it is human hubris to think that a flood, or earthquake, or volcanic eruption, occurs specifically as a punishment for human wrongdoing. And with the advent of modern science, we now understand that this is not the case.

And yet, along with our collective ego-centrism, our anthropocentrism, there is a sense that we are, in fact, responsible for our environment. In recent times, there is ample evidence that human activity has been drastically altering our planet’s climate, and is the cause of severe weather, hurricanes and heat waves, earthquakes and tornados, floods of biblical proportions due to rising sea levels.

We live in a new geological epoch dubbed the Anthropocene, in which the human race represents the dominant influence on climate, the environment, the planet. We are the cause of the greatest extinction event since the meteor that wiped out the dinosaurs. And stated in moral rather than scientific terms, you might say that it is the result of human sin, human corruption, human evil.

While what is happening at present is unprecedented, there is nothing new about the effects our actions have had on our world. For the past 10,000 years we have been clearing away land for farming and grazing, and thereby destroying habitats. Even in prehistoric times we hunted animals to extinction. That is why there are no wooly mammoths today, not even in Alaska, or Siberia—it’s not because they didn’t make it onto the ark in time.

The story of Noah is a story that highlights human responsibility for the environment, and for protecting and preserving all forms of life.

Noah is described as righteous and blameless in the context of his time. Context is everything, though, especially considering that in Noah’s time everyone else was so very evil. In other words, at that time the bar was set very low.

And while Noah was obedient when God gave him his marching orders, he pales in comparison to Abraham, who tried to talk God out of destroying Sodom and Gommorah. Noah didn’t argue with God, didn’t debate God’s decision, didn’t try to convince God to change his mind. Noah was in a privileged position, chosen to survive the flood, along with his wife, his three sons, and their wives, and he didn’t use his privileged position to try to speak out on behalf of others. He was righteous and blameless for his time, but not for all time.

And even if he was the best of the people of his time, what about his wife? Was she blameless? What about his sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, and their wives? Were they all so much better than everyone else? Or were they just riding Noah’s coattails?

These questions make sense to us, because we think in terms of individuals, and individual responsibility. But in this story, and for most of human history, it is the family that counts, not the individual. Together as a family, and by extension a clan, a tribe, and a nation, we either sink or swim. In this case literally.

Noah is the father, and not just of his immediate family, but of the entire human family. In biblical terms, we commonly understand that everyone is descended from Adam and Eve, but we tend to forget that everyone is also a descendent of Noah and his wife.

Our tradition emphasizes the idea that all people and all peoples are part of the same family, all of us created in God’s image. Our God is a universal God, the God of all people, not just one family or tribe, not just one country or land. This universal understanding was altogether revolutionary for its time.

Noah’s story is about the end of the world, nearly, but it also represents a second genesis. Water, according to the psychoanalytic interpretation of Sigmund Freud, is symbolic of the womb, and reproduction is very a part of the story, insofar as the animals taken on the ark are in pairs, for mating.

The receding waters and the exit from the ark symbolizes birth. And with this new birth comes change.

For one, God gives us permission to eat animals. Previously we were vegetarians, but now animals are fair game, pun intended. God goes so far as to say that all the animals will live in fear and dread of us, which sounds about right.

The other big change is that Noah plants a vineyard, makes wine, and gets drunk. This is new. In effect, Noah invents alcohol. Opinions vary on whether this has been a good thing or not. It certainly has its costs as well as its benefits. But drinking wine on Shabbat and other holidays is a sacrament. And Benjamin Franklin once wrote that wine is “a constant proof that God loves us, and loves to see us happy.”

But the biggest change of all is that God sets up a covenant with Noah and his descendants, and the rainbow is the sign of that covenant. This precedes the covenant that God makes with Abraham and his descendants, and with Moses and the Israelites at Mount Sinai.

God’s promise to Noah is to never again send a flood to destroy the earth. But God also tells him, “flesh with its soul, its blood, you shall not eat,” and, “whoever sheds the blood of man through man shall his blood be shed, for in the image of God He made man.”

Based on these and other passages, the Talmud lists the Seven Laws of Noah, which apply to all of humanity. The Seven Laws are, do not worship idols, do not curse God, do not murder, do not commit adultery or sexual immorality, do not steal, do not eat flesh from a living animal, and establish courts of justice.

During the 1990s, Orthodox rabbis in Israel started the modern Noahide movement based on these seven laws. Non-Jews who observe the Laws of Noah are referred to as “righteous gentiles,” and Noahide communities can be found here in the US, in Great Britain, in Latin America, the Philippines, Russia, and Nigeria. This movement is the subject of some controversy, in particular when the Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Israel declared, just a few years ago, that non-Jews should not be allowed to live in Israel unless they accept the seven Noahide laws.

Holding aside such questionable views, we return to the universalism of the Torah, and the Jewish religion, that God is the God of all people, that we are all part of the same extended family, and that God entered into a covenant with all of humanity.

At the same time, we recognize that we are divided into different families, tribes, and nations. God sets up a separate covenant with Abraham and his descendants, and with Moses and the Israelites at Sinai, and that covenant applies only to the Jewish people.

The Seven Noahide Laws apply to all of humanity, but the 613 laws and commandments of the Torah only apply to the Jewish people. Non-Jews are not required to follow them, and neither are they excluded from olam ha-ba, the world to come, the final reward of the righteous, in our tradition. In other words, paradise is not a restricted neighborhood.

Our particular covenant requires us to be a nation of priests, with special obligations and constraints that don’t apply to others. But we do not have a monopoly on covenants with God. Different peoples can enter into their own relationship with the divine. Note here that the unit is not the individual, but rather the extended family, which is to say, the tribe or nation or people.

The tension between the universal and the particular is personified by the sons of Noah, Ham, Shem, and Japheth, who become the ancestors of different groups of people, with their descendants spreading out across the world to become different tribes and nations. So, for example, one of the sons of Ham is Canaan, while Shem is the ancestor of the Semitics peoples. Through a long series of begats, generations later, we get from Shem to Terah, the father of Abraham, father-in-law of Sarah, grandfather of Lot. And in this parsha, it is Terah who takes his family from the city of Ur to the land of Canaan.

But before this happens, the parsha tells us the story of the Tower of Babel. It is a brief story with many powerful resonances.

Just as the biblical genealogies take us from Noah, representing all of the human race, to his descendants, who represent the diversity and multiplicity of all the peoples of the earth, so we move from a time when “the entire earth was of one language and uniform words,” to a time when God “confused the language of the entire earth,” “so that one will not understand the language of his companion,” resulting in people being “scattered… upon the face of the entire earth.”

In reality, we don’t know how language evolved, but we do recognize that language is unique to our species, and we do know that the more that people separate and live apart from one another, the more that their speech grows apart, and eventually becomes unintelligible to one another. Once again, this is a story about the tension between the universal and the particular.

In this story, the people say, “come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower, with its top in the heavens, and let us make ourselves a name, lest we be scattered upon the face of the entire earth.” In effect, the tower is intended to be a stairway to heaven, an act of human hubris.

In response, God says, “Lo! They are one people and have one language, and this is what they have commenced to do. Now, will it not be withheld from them, all that they have planned to do?”

This parallels the story of the Garden of Eden, after Adam and Eve have eaten the forbidden fruit, and God says that they have become “like one of us,” meaning God and the angels, knowing good and evil, and God says they must not be allowed to eat from the tree of life, because then we would live forever and no longer be mortal. In these stories, we have the potential to become godlike, and God does not want that to happen.

Is that because, according to the Ten Commandments, “Adonai your God is a jealous God?” Or is it that we cannot be trusted, that we are too often tempted by the evil inclination, or that we simply are sorely lacking in wisdom.

In this parsha, it is through the building of a city and a tower that we seek to extend ourselves all the way up to heaven. According to Midrash, the sin that resulted in God’s punishment was a disregard for human life, that people were essentially enslaved to build the tower, and that the bricks used to build the tower came to be valued more than the lives of the workers. This parallels the Book of Exodus, when the Israelites were enslaved and forced to build cities and monuments for pharaoh.

Forced labor, slave labor, organized human labor to build, or to fight wars, represents the birth of the machine, according to the great 20th century intellectual, Lewis Mumford. The first machines were made up of human parts, only later replaced by more reliable artificial ones. And the mechanical ideology they represent, has been at odds with human freedom and humane values since the dawn of history. To this day, it threatens to erase all traces of the organic ideology that we once adhered to, one that emphasizes humility over hubris, and living in harmony with Creation.

Sigmund Freud declared that our technologies have made us into prosthetic gods, humans combined with machines to wield godlike power. This is our own Tower of Babel, and now it not only our language, but our thinking that is confused, our moral and ethical sense that has become clouded. Our disregard for human life, and all life, is painfully apparent. And the flood is not an act of God, but our own doing.

In the words of the cartoonist Walt Kelly, from the comic strip Pogo, we have met the enemy and he is us.

Noah was righteous in his time, and heeded God’s call. What does it mean to be righteous in our time? What are we called to do? And can we, will we, answer that call? Will we remain scattered and confused, or can we remember that we are all a part of one family, one planet, and one Creation?

The story of Noah’s ark ends with him sending out a raven and a dove. The raven is a symbol of doom, and death. The dove is a symbol of peace, and hope. Which one will prevail this time?

The answer lies with us.

Shabbat shalom.

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 07 Oct 2021 12:20:05 GMT

Oct. 7, 2021

Dear Friends.
I will be away this weekend for a very good reason- the wedding of our son Noam!

But you will be in good hands with Lance Strate and Student Cantor Karlin leading our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

Please note that Torah study will not meet this week.

I also wanted to make you aware of a special Leonia on-line program tonight:
  The Mayor's Advisory Committee on Race and Racial Equity (MACORE) and the Leonia Public Library, is hosting an online presentation on Thursday, October 7^th @ 7pm featuring Lily Wolf, Holocaust Survivor
When: October 7th, 2021 7:00 PM Eastern Time
Topic: Lily Wolf, Holocaust Survivor
Register in advance for with the following link:
  https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_oyMyxJD2Sni9wa4kFeim2A

Lilly Baruch Wolf is a 94-year-old Jewish Holocaust survivor who lives in Sydney, Australia. She is an active volunteer with the Sydney Jewish Museum and with Courage to Care, an organization which educates against the dangers of prejudice, racism and discrimination.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

For Livestream Services:
Go to YouTube.com and enter Adas Emuno Streaming in the search box. About 5 minutes before the service is scheduled to begin find the service that is "live" and wait for the service to begin.

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 30 Sep 2021 14:43:40 GMT

Sept. 30, 2021

Dear Friends,
The holidays now joyfully celebrated and complete, we settle in to the regular rhythms of Shabbat.

At our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM) we celebrate the beginning of the Torah reading cycle and the Creation in music and some ecological reflections on the state of creation here and now.

At our Zoom Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM) we discuss another creation- that of the birth of the Jewish people during the Exodus from Egypt.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

For Livestream Services:
Go to YouTube.com and enter Adas Emuno Streaming in the search box. About 5 minutes before, find the service that is "live" and wait for the service to begin.

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 23 Sep 2021 15:18:33 GMT

Sept. 23, 2021

Dear Friends,
The holiday celebrations continue!
Our Shabbat-Sukkot Evening Service (7:30 PM) features a lively blend of festival and sabbath music.

Then our Sukkot-Simchat Torah Celebration: This Sunday we begin with a free outdoor Subs-for -Sukkot Meal (5:00 PM) by reservation no later than tomorrow (email doriskampwhite@verizon.net), followed by an abbreviated Simchat Torah Celebration(6:00 PM), and capped off by a Sukkot Folk Concert (6:30 PM), featuring Iris Karlin, Peter Hayes, Elka Oliver, Michael Scowden and Scott Dennis! The sanctuary events are in-person but will also be livestreamed.

Zoom Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM) is off and running. This year we delve into the epic history that birthed our people- The Rise and Fall of Ancient Israel- and you are welcome to join anytime. Contact me if you need the Zoom link.

Sunday morning religious school (9:00 AM) includes the start of Confirmation class (11:00 AM).

My sermons of the High Holidays are once again available at our website thanks to Lance Strate.

Mark your calendar now for the next Adas Emuno Book Club on Nov. 8 and order Moshkeleh the Thief- A Rediscovered Novel by Sholom Aleichem at 40% off by contacting me. The same applies if you would like a copy of my new children's book Jonah's Tale of a Whale.
Speaking of books, you can return your High Holiday prayer book at any time by placing it in the blue bin on the school porch.

Shabbat shalom and Hag Sameach,
Rabbi Schwartz.

Rabbi Schwartz's Sermon for Yom Kippur 5782

Lance Strate — Wed, 22 Sep 2021 19:22:28 GMT

AMERICA

Yom Kippur, 5782

Rabbi Barry L. Schwartz

What a year it has been!

On the bright side, we are thankfully over the worst of the pandemic. A year ago at the High Holidays we were still in near complete lockdown. We livestreamed the service from an empty sanctuary. Now we are mostly vaccinated. We have reopened, albeit with capacity limits and other restrictions. Children are returning to school. We are not back to normal as we knew it, but we have turned the corner and are heading in that direction.

So too most of us would say that politically. The presidency, at least, is back to normal. The administration in Washington is functioning more or less as we expect. Though Democrats and Republicans remain at loggerheads, key legislation is squeaking by Congress. The economy is improving; employment is slowly returning to pre-pandemic levels. Again, we are not back to normal as we knew it, but here too we have turned the corner and are heading in the right direction.

That’s on the bright side. Now for the dark side.

The pandemic is not over. The virus is still wreaking havoc here and in far corners of the world. Variants and the unvaccinated still pose a threat. Re-openings are still fraught with challenges. The economic recovery is highly unequal, with the already well-off benefitting the most. Congress is hopelessly dead-locked. One of the two major political parties appears to have gone off the rails. The threat to our democracy has not gone away. If the Jan. 6 insurrection was overt, the attempts to undermine our country are now covert. But they are happening.

Racism in all its manifestations, is alive and well. Anti-Semitism has seen another spike. Anti-Asianism has skyrocketed.

Israel experienced another war with Hamas, which this time included anti-Jewish rioting within Israel by Israeli Arab citizens. Israel experienced four elections in two years and none has resulted in a viable governing coalition. The Jewish State is as divided as never before and the Jewish people are as divided as never before.

Then there is the present debacle and tragedy in Afghanistan.

Not to mention, hurricanes, wildfires, and a climate crisis that is growing exponentially and existentially.

Wait a minute, you’re saying. Having devoted about a minute to the bright side, is the rabbi going over to the dark side? Is this going to be all doom and gloom?

Well, mostly yes. What better time to commiserate than on Yom Kippur? We’re supposed to get down and dirty⏤about our sins that is. We’re supposed to ruminate on the dark side… in order to repent on our way back to the bright side.

I think I am not different than most of you as a proud, and as a deeply concerned, American citizen. I’ve always felt the need to be politically aware, to be reasonably well read and reflective. But since the election of 2016 I have been consumed by what is happening to our country. Politically speaking, I have not had a good night’s sleep since that November earthquake five years ago. And my sleep is still disturbed.

And I think I am not different than most of you as a proud, and as a deeply concerned American Jew. That means worrying about all things Jewish and all things Israel. Here too I lost much sleep.

In my line of work, I suppose I am fortunate that I get to voice my concerns out loud more than most people. I’ve lost track of the number of times I have opined about what is happening to America, to Israel and to the Jewish people.

And here I go again. Why? Because things are not getting better and it is Yom Kippur and because my friend, the prophet Isaiah, says in the Haftarah portion of this holy Day of Atonement that we should, raise our voice like a shofar.

I’m still haunted by the last words of Heather Heyer, the young women killed in Charlottesville in 2017, who was not Jewish, but said something in the spirit of Isaiah. She posted on Facebook that fateful morning: If you’re not outraged, you’re not paying attention. So what should we be outraged about? What is lacking our attention?

This morning I can only focus on one issue. As much as I would like to talk about the Jewish people, I’m not going to do that now, because of the urgency I feel about talking about the American people.

Here is what keeps me up: I think democracy is dying in America in plain sight. I think it is dying and we are letting it happen. There are two paths forward in this crucial post-election period. The first path is labelled diversity. The second path is called disunity.

The path of diversity will save our democracy. The path of disunity will kill our democracy.

The path of diversity teaches us to respect our differences. The path of disunity teaches us to exacerbate our differences.

The path of diversity strengthens community as we realize we are all on the same team. The path of disunity threatens community, since we no longer believe we are on the same team.

Respected columnist Thomas Edsall minces no words when he wrote this past May:

[We] confront an adversary willing to lie about past election outcomes, setting the stage for [Republican] legislatures to overturn future election returns; an opponent willing to nurture an insurrection if the wrong people win; a political party moving steadily from democracy to authoritarianism; a party that despite its liabilities is more likely than not to regain control of the House and possibly even the Senate in the 2022 midterm elections. (NYT 5-19-21)

What is at stake is civil society as we know it. Here’s the thing: in any relationship, if we can’t talk reasonably to one another, the relationship breaks down. In a marriage, the relationship breaks down and divorce ensues. In a congregation, the relationship breaks down, and the congregation splinters and dissolves. In a country… well, what happens? At the most extreme, there is civil war. On the way, there is civil strife. Unrest. Insubordination. Insurrection. Micah Goodman is a leading Israeli intellectual. I know him personally, having published his first book in English. Here is how he describes our toxic political discourse:

Across much of Europe and the United States, political debate has stopped functioning. What is meant by a “functional” political debate? A disagreement between people each of whom believes the other is wrong: I think you are wrong, and you think I am wrong. That’s how a good political debate ought to work. But what if I think you are not only wrong but evil? Reasonable disagreement collapses. Social media tend to amplify this dynamic. People are increasingly concerned with labeling others, instead of thinking about their arguments… When each side thinks that the other’s beliefs are not only wrong but illegitimate, the capacity to listen vanishes, and reasonable disagreement collapses.

Goodman goes on the conclude that the basic purpose of politics has metastasized:

Politics is no longer the field in which [citizens] express their positions. Politics has turned into the field in which they [proclaim] their identities. Political discourse no longer pits idea against idea, but tribe against tribe. When politics ceases to rely on arguments and stops offering ideas, all it can do is channel identities. So it was that the disintegration of ideas of the left and right… did not abolish the rift between the two camps⏤they aggravated it.

It’s sad and it’s scary that so many Americans now view politics as a zero-sum game. A recent national opinion poll posed this question: Do you think the goal of politics is more about enacting good public policy or ensuring the survival of the country as we know? Almost half of Democrats (47%) said policy, yet a significant number (38%) said survival. But among Republicans it was the reverse, with 46% saying survival and only 25% saying policy.

And it’s sad and scary that if I’m honest with myself I’m not even sure how to answer. Let me put it this way: I’m a liberal. But I respect conservatives, who act out of principle. I don’t agree with them. They are my opponents but not my adversaries. I have this respect because we agree to abide by the same set of rules. Not only do we love our country, but we are sworn to uphold our Constitution and protect our democracy. We are not in it to win in any way, but to win the right way. But if you are not going to play by the rules, if you are willing to trample democracy and trash civility, how can I deal with you?

That is our dilemma. How can we deal with our fellow Americans who are forsaking democracy by perpetuating a big lie, refusing to prosecute an insurrection, restricting voting access, and setting the stage for overturning the next election, if it is not in their favor? Yet how can we not deal with our fellow Americans, who comprise wide swaths of a major political party? How can we give up the search for common ground and the quest for the common good?

Here is how I respond in the brief few minutes I have remaining. While I will resist every action that is anti-democracy, I will engage in every effort that is pro-democracy. I will call out every action that is racist and unjust, but I will listen to every critique of my own views. I will defend those who are powerless, but I will hold my nose to compromise so we can live together.

I will do this in the spirit of tolerance and diversity that is the best of America. And I will do so in the spirit of worthy debate that is central to my Jewish heritage.

The great debate of the Talmud was between the school of Shammai, which would equate to modern day conservatism, and the school of Hillel, which would equate to modern day liberalism. The debate went on for centuries. Shammai and Hillel and their disciples disagreed on just about everything. Yet time and again the view of Hillel prevailed in Jewish law. Beit Hillel was able to convince the majority to side with them over and over. The Talmud itself poses the question: how could this be? And the Talmud itself answers its own question in a now famous passage:

Elu v’elu divrei Elohim hayimm, begins the passage. These and these are the word of the living God. Both schools of thought have their place. Both are precious; each is to be valued. How about if we could start there in our modern political discourse?

But the reason Beit Hillel prevailed, the passage goes on, is because they were agreeable and forbearing, showing restraint when affronted. “And when Beit Hillel taught the law,” says the Talmud, “they would teach both their own statement of position and the statement of Beit Shammai. Moreover, when they formulated their teachings and cited a dispute, they prioritized the statements of Beit Shammai to their own, in deference to Beit Shammai.”

How about that! The House of Hillel cited their opponents before themselves. They showed honor and respect to those they disagreed with. They refused to engage in negative campaigning. They actively listed to the other side, and in some cases, were ready to compromise or amend their position.

Is political civility like this dead? Is decency dead? Is compromise dead? Not if we are determined to affirm that eilu veilu divrei elohim hayim; that a spark of divinity resides even in our cantankerous and contentious neighbor, that I might not like my neighbor but I most learn to love my neighbor as myself.

That same fundamental teaching of the Torah, from Leviticus 19, the holiness code, also says to rebuke your neighbor when the need arises. “To everything there is a season and a time for every purpose under heaven.” Love your neighbor. Rebuke your neighbor. Love your neighbor again.

Let it be said that we chose love and that we chose diversity over disunity.

Let it be said that in the famous words of President George Washington to the Newport Hebrew Congregation in 1791, that we gave to bigotry no sanction; to persecution no assistance.

Let it be said that we sought the common good; and that in the words of the prophet we did not rest until, every person shall sit under their vine and fig tree, and none shall make them afraid.

Let it be said in the midst of darkness we brought light; that in adding our light to the sum of light, a new day dawned in the America we love.

Rabbi Schwartz's Sermon for Kol Nidre 5782

Lance Strate — Wed, 22 Sep 2021 19:04:03 GMT

JONAH

Kol Nidre, 5782

Rabbi Barry L. Schwartz

Twenty-five hundred years ago a brief, but radical folktale was written down in ancient Israel. A mere four chapters and 1082 words long, the tale would be canonized a few centuries later as one the shortest but most remarkable books of the Hebrew Bible. The story would be especially beloved by children down through the centuries. Yet the sages saw something profound in the tale for people of all ages, and assigned it as the Haftarah reading for the afternoon of Yom Kippur. In every synagogue in the world, including our own, we will read The Book of Jonah tomorrow afternoon.

Although I will give a brief introduction to Jonah tomorrow as I always do, I’ve never devoted an actual sermon to the Book, as I am doing now. I have a good reason for doing so⏤two actually.

The first is because the message of this little book has never felt more provocative, and timely, then now. The balance of this sermon will explain why.

The second is that Jonah is the subject of my newest book. It’s a creative retelling of the biblical tale for little kids, with dynamite illustrations. As with my first picture book, Adam’s Animals, I take the credit for the text but none for the illustrations. So a shout-out to James Ray Sanchez, and to my editors for finding such a talented artist. Families at our children’s service tomorrow will be receiving a copy as a gift. All others desiring a copy⏤let me know and you will receive one with a maximum discount. It’s a great children’s book, but enough self-promotion for the moment!

As I will mention tomorrow: Don’t be deceived by this deceptively simple folktale. The Book of Jonah reads like a fable. People do not normally get swallowed up by a whale and live to tell the story. But, by the way, as I was thinking about this sermon over the summer, it actually happened off the coast of Massachusetts. You might have missed it, but on June 11 veteran lobsterman Michael Packard was swallowed whole by a humpback whale who was feeding nearby. He estimates he was in the mouth of the whale 30-40 seconds, when it surfaced and spit him out, which was witnessed by his crewmate Josiah Mayo. “I was completely inside; it was completely black,” Packard said. “I thought to myself, ‘there’s no way I’m getting out of here. I’m done, I’m dead.’ All I could think of was my boys—they’re 12 and 15 years old.” Packard suffered soft tissue damage but no broken bones. The last reported account of a whale swallowing a human was 150 years ago.

People do not normally get swallowed up by whales… and bad people do not normally repent overnight and are forgiven. So what motivated the sages to read this somewhat fantastical fable on the Day of Atonement?

What they saw, I suggest, wrapped in a folktale, is a profound statement on the possibility of both individual transformation and communal transformation. Jonah changed, and the people of Nineveh changed. We, too, have it in our power to choose and to change.

Jonah is the reluctant prophet. He hears God call, “Go to Nineveh,” and takes a boat in the opposite direction. He is the classic denier, evader, shirker. He does not want to face himself, never mind the enemy. When the storm arises, he just wants to head below deck and sleep it out. But eventually, Jonah sees the light, answers the call, faces himself, and faces his responsibility. Not all at once, but slowly and painfully he learns his lessons. Why does Jonah hit me so hard this year?

Understand that Nineveh is indeed the enemy. It was the capital of the Assyrian empire, they who viciously attacked Israel and banished the Ten Lost Tribes of the north. No wonder Jonah does not want to go there, to the heart of darkness. But the first message of the Book of Jonah is that even the enemy may change. Even our adversaries may repent. It may not be likely, but it is possible.

Jonah wanted to give up on the people of Nineveh, but God didn’t. The universe of our forgiveness is often narrow and shallow. But the universe of God’s forgiveness is deep and wide. That’s the second message of the Book of Jonah.

We and Jonah⏤we’re the same. Forgiveness does not come easily to us. Jonah wanted to see Nineveh punished. They had done wrong, a lot of wrong, and they deserved to be punished. They had to learn their lesson. Jonah had no problem prophesying their doom. He did have a problem accepting their penitence.

We’re reluctant to let go of grudges, to shed resentments, to step down from “holier than thou” high horses. We often posit, without admitting it, that our forgiveness is conditional. You want me to forgive you… you owe me an apology. You want me to forgive you… you need to make a reparation. You want me to forgive you… promise you will never do that bad thing again.
Make no mistake about it, there is nothing wrong about asking for an apology, for a promise, for an act of amends. In fact, our tradition teaches the three Rs of true repentance: remorse, restitution, resolve. That is the obligation of the wrongdoer.

But if we are always going to wait for the sinner to repent; if we are always going to withhold repentance until the wrong has been righted… the world is not going to change as we would like. If we are always going to stand on ceremony, we are going to miss precious moments with family and community. If we are always going to wait until someone says: “You know, I was wrong and you were right,” “You know, I have made amends,” “You know, I promise never to do it again,” the world is going to pass us by.

If you are like me, you may still be waiting for some apologies from family members. You might still be waiting for some amends from friends who hurt you, colleagues at work who embarrassed you, or acquaintances who insulted you (or who voted for the wrong candidate!)

A long time ago, when I was a rabbinical student, I remember a marriage counselor telling the class that there comes a time in every marriage when you have to say to yourself: do I want to be right or be married? In a similar fashion we need to ask ourselves: do I want to insist that I am right or stay connected to my child, or sibling or colleague or countryman?

How about if we try a radically different tack? Instead of waiting for an apology, find something to apologize for ourselves? Instead of waiting for amends, take the initiative to offer our own. Instead of waiting for a promise, make a resolution we can keep.

I’m not saying this is easy. Jonah wanted to see the guilty punished. He wanted to see them sweat then repent. He had trouble with God’s compassion. We’re the same way. For especially heinous crimes there does need to be process of redemption that takes time. But for the majority of slights, affronts, insensitivities and generally boorish behavior…

Can we seize the initiative and err on the side of forgiveness?

Can we let it be and let it go?

Can we agree that a leap of compassion is greater than remaining stuck in endless stalemates and standoffs?

The Book of Jonah is also about our propensity to procrastinate. We’re on that boat with Jonah in the opposite direction. We’re fleeing the calling to be our highest selves. The bigger the challenge the more we evade it.

We descend down, down, down and bury ourselves in the deepest hold of the ship. We sleep, or feign sleep, when it should be all-hands-on-deck. We hide behind the claim of being non-confrontational. To the other person it sure feels like we are being non-communicative. When the sailors cast lots to learn who has caused such a storm, and the lot falls on Jonah, they ask him: Where have you come from? (1:8)

Its an echo of the very first question of God to Adam when he was also running away: Where are you? (Gen.3:9)

It’s the question we need to ask ourselves, when we take stock of where we are on the Atonement Day.

What are we ignoring and evading? What are we running away from; hiding from?

Even when Jonah faced up to his calling; even when he accepted his mission and went to Nineveh, he still had to learn that lesson of compassion. The Book of Jonah ends in a strange way. Jonah goes off to a hilltop overlooking Nineveh to basically sulk. He sits under a tree for some shade from the burning sun. God makes the leaves wither.

Jonah is already emotionally distraught and had gone so far as to pray to God, “Take my life, for I would rather die than live.” To which God has replied, “Are you that deeply grieved?” In other words: are you that upset that I have forgiven the Ninevites, after they repented? You are saying that I was wrong to do the right?

Now Jonah is both emotionally and physically strung out. He becomes faint, and again he begs for death, saying, “I would rather die than live.” And again God asks Jonah: Are you so deeply grieved…about the plant over your head? “Yes,” Jonah repeats, “so deeply that I want to die”.

And then comes the final words of the book and the final lesson to Jonah. God says, “You care so much about a tree… and I should not care about a whole city? Nineveh, this great city of more than a hundred and twenty thousand souls?

The question is left dangling in the air as the book ends.

And we are left dangling in the air as one year ends and the next one begins.
To forgive, or not to forgive, that is the question.

Rabbi Schwartz's Prayer for Rosh Hashanah 5782

Lance Strate — Wed, 22 Sep 2021 18:56:02 GMT

ROSH HASHANAH PRAYER

Rosh Hashanah, 5782

Rabbi Barry L. Schwartz

Eloheinu, velohei avotenu

Our God; God of all generations:

Help us to thoughtfully reflect on the year just past and to courageously embrace this year just born.

Let us begin by remembering the tragic and the hopeful.

We mourn the four million souls who have perished in the Covid pandemic worldwide; the 600,000 here in our own country; the 26,000 here in our small state of New Jersey.

Open the gates of healing for the bereaved and the bereft. There are so many mourners whose lives will not return to normal… even as most of us take those steps.

We bemoan the loss of lives and the loss of livelihoods⏤families shattered, businesses shuttered; jobs lost, dreams dashed… even as most of us regain our footing.

Open the gates of our compassion for the hungry and the homeless, for the dispersed and the displaced⏤for all those suffering economically and emotionally.

Yet at this New Year let us also recall the points of light that illuminated our way⏤the heroic healthcare workers, the valiant front-line workers, the bus drivers and the grocery clerks who went to work to save lives and to sustain lives; the scientists who developed the vaccines; the corporations that produced them; the businesses that distributed them, the aids who administered them.

Open the gates of our gratitude for all the essential people in our families and communities.

At this new year we are also witnessing the suffering from mother nature at her most ferocious and deadly.

Open the gates of recovery for those battered by flood and fire.

At this new year a great tragedy is unfolding in Afghanistan after twenty years of spilt blood and treasure.

Open the gates of refuge and peace for the forgotten and the forsaken, the oppressed and disposed⏤in that troubled place and in all lands.

At this new year unprecedented assaults on our voting rights and personal rights, and on democracy as we know it, continue in broad daylight.

We are compelled, too, to acknowledge the plague of racism that has never gone away in our country and still profoundly vexes us as Americans and as Jews.

We must contend with our collective sins of commission as well as our sins of omission… for have we not all stood idly by?

In a free society, Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel reminds us, some are guilty, but all are responsible.

Open for us the gates of insight and courage for the hard work of reconciliation that lies ahead if we are to form a more perfect union befitting our country.

Open for us the gates of freedom and equality; the gates of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, for all of us, rich or poor, documented or undocumented.

Let us be grateful for a free and fair election of a new president, and for our democracy that grapples and survives in the pursuit of truth and justice.

In a nation so richly blessed make us more compassionate, more generous, more just.

In our own little community, we greet this New Year in deep gratitude for our milestone sesquicentennial anniversary⏤one hundred and fifty years of our “community of the faithful” gathering in fellowship, study and good deeds; fifty of them here in Leonia.

Our God; God of all generations: At this New Year of hope and possibility may we find common purpose to do Your will; to rise to our greatest potential; to reflect our creation in Your image… and to walk forward, to peace and purpose.

Rabbi Schwartz's Sermon for Rosh Hashanah Morning 5782

Lance Strate — Wed, 22 Sep 2021 18:30:47 GMT

SESQUICENTENNIAL

Rosh Hashanah Morning, 5782

Rabbi Barry L. Schwartz

The year was 1871. Ulysses S. Grant was president. The Civil War had ended just 5 years before. The great Chicago Fire killed 300 and left 100,000 homeless. The first major league baseball game was played on May 4 and the first home run was hit on May 8. Across the pond Queen Victoria ruled England. Lord Stanley located a missing explorer in Africa and greeted him with the words, Dr. Livingstone I presume.

In Hoboken a group of German Jews founded a congregation that they called Adas Emuno⏤The Assembly of the Faithful. Twelve years later, in 1883, they built a synagogue, a Gothic Revival building that still stands today and which the Hoboken Evening News called, a credit to the city. We have a yad, a Torah pointer, from that dedication that is kept right behind me in our ark; and we still read from the Torah with the help of this 135-year-old yad.

While most of our congregational records have been lost over the decades, the original minutes from our first years survive. They were hand written in German, in an old style few people can read today. But one person who can is our very own Kurt Roberg, whom many of you know. Kurt, a refugee from Nazi Germany, with a remarkable story that he has written a book about⏤and possibly our most senior member at age 97⏤has been reading and transcribing those minutes.

At the Annual Meeting of the congregation on Sunday, Oct. 20, 1872 the president praised the generosity of the members in acquiring a Torah and other sacred objects, of raising some $1385 against total expenses of $1088 for a cash-on-hand balance of $297. Two weddings were held that year, and two b’nai mitzvah. Two funerals were also held that year. The second, writes the president, “for my little son.” The president concludes his address to the congregation, saying,

I have now given you an overview of everything that concerns our congregation, and even though there are somethings that we still wish to accomplish, we may be proud of the advances we made in one year. Don’t hesitate to sacrifice whether time or money to complete the task we have begun.

By the 1890s the congregation had tripled to a hundred families. The flourishing community included a religious school, a choir, and a benevolent association to aid the poor called the Hebrew Ladies’ Aid Society.At the turn of the century a Hanukkah menorah was dedicated to the congregation on December 13, 1900. Our 121-year-old menorah is in the vestry room and we still light it every year.

On May 27, 1917 a teen named Esther Cohn was confirmed at the Temple. She must have misplaced her Confirmation Certificate because I found it behind some books in the vestry room a few years ago. It was signed by the rabbi, Moses Eckstein and by the president, Samuel Neuberger. Evidently, each student picked a “motto” for their certificate. Esther chose a verse from the 23 rd Psalm, I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me. A hundred years later we still have a Confirmation Class and each year I ask my students to pick a verse for their Confirmation essay.

Records grow scant as the 20th century progressed. We do know that in 1919 dues were set at $30 a year. They rose to $45 by 1924. But High Holy Day seats were extra, and the ones closest to the bimah cost another $15. We no longer sell seats.

The congregation joined the Union for Reform Judaism in the 1920s and has remained in good standing since then.

On October 4, 1951, Milton Neuman, who was chair of the Eightieth Anniversary Committee of the congregation, received a congratulatory letter from President Harry Truman. Milton Neuman’s nephew, Michael Levy, is an active third generation member of our congregation. His parents and grandparents were members, and two of his grandchildren became b’nai mitzvah here.

Every time we enter this synagogue, which became our home only after a century in Hoboken, we are reminded of our origins. We pass the dedication plaque at our entrance to the left most often without noticing it. Then we enter the sanctuary and see the memorial plaques from our original building. The names of our predecessors and their loved ones are not forgotten.

We are now just over a month away from what our past president Lance Strate reminds us is our sesquicentennial. 150 Years! We made it!

The congregation persevered through the great pandemic of 1917-18. So too we persevered through the great pandemic of 2020-21.

The congregation weathered the Great Depression of the 1929. So too we weathered the Great Recession of 2009, eighty years later.

Demographic changes⏤the shrinking Jewish population of Hoboken⏤compelled the congregation to relocate after a century. Demographic changes⏤the shrinking Jewish population of Leonia and environs⏤once again challenge our future.

No doubt, Congregation Adas Emuno will have to come up with a strategic plan to address its future. But for now, as we emerge from the pandemic and as we reach our sesquicentennial, we pause to give thanks and to celebrate.

In the Torah, a half century is called a Jubilee. So this year is the triple Jubilee of our founding and our first Leonia Jubilee.

Fifty years of marriage also has a special name. So this year is the triple Golden Anniversary of our founding and our first Leonia Golden Anniversary.

I wish we could celebrate this milestone year with no restrictions. We’re not there yet. So our 150th Anniversary Committee decided not to have one gala event, but a series of anniversary celebrations spread out over the entire year. You’ll be hearing much more about them in the coming months. We decided to announce the year now at the High Holidays. The actual date of our founding, Oct. 22, happens to be a Sabbath evening this year. At that service we will dedicate a new Torah cover commissioned for the occasion. Debby has finished making that cover and so I can tell you it is special. Hanukkah, Purim, Pesach⏤all our holiday celebrations will have anniversary themed tie-ins. And, God willing, a year from October we will conclude the anniversary year with a true gala.

Milestone anniversaries are certainly a time to look back, and savor treasured memories. Our president, Michael Fishbein, assisted by others, is assembling a history of the congregation to the best of our ability, and we hope to have an exhibit later this fall to be viewed at the Leonia Library.

But I suggest that anniversaries are also a time to look forward. That is why we created the Adas Emuno 150th Anniversary Fund and launched it three years ago. Our goal was two-fold: $150,000 and 100% participation. I’m delighted to report that regarding the first, we have exceeded our goal. In fact, due to the generosity of member families, we have raised over $220,000 to bolster the creative programming and reserves of our congregation. What a tribute to our membership.

That generosity has come from approximately fifty families, or about 60% participation. Can we get to 100%? It’s not too late to give to AE 150. Please join us… at any level.

Our hardworking AE 150 committee, chaired by past-president Beth Ziff, and including past presidents Virginia Gitter, Alan Spector and Lance Strate; current president Michael Fishbein, vice-president Elka Oliver, and Susan Grey and Richard Alicchio, has not only come up with a year full of celebrations. I also happy to report that two wonderful projects have been suggested, and just approved by the Board.

The first will be an enduring physical enhancement to our synagogue⏤the creation of a patio and pergola in the space in between the Temple and our school. The patio will serve as an outdoor classroom and worship space. During the pandemic, the need for such a space became all the more apparent, and in fact, we conducted the final two sessions of school in this area. Now it will be all the more inviting and safely accessed for people of all ages. You will have the opportunity to help complete this project by having pavers inscribed with your name.

At the same time, AE 150 will also fund an exciting outreach proposal led by our amazing student cantor, designed to attract young Jewish families from the area, including dozens of Israeli-American families that moved to Bergen County from NY during the pandemic. What better time to do this than this year with Cantor Karlin!

When our founders first established this congregation in Hoboken, they were thinking about the next generation of Jewish life beyond New York. They were thinking about their children who would grow up in the new world, and speak English. They were thinking about the next generation when they established a religious school and a youth group.

When the leaders of Adas Emuno made the difficult decision to move to Leonia, they were thinking about the next generation as well. They were thinking about how Jewish life was now growing beyond the first-tier suburbs to the promising frontier of Bergen County. They knew that Congregation Adas Emuno was never big or rich and might not survive the move. But they also knew that Adas Emuno was a dedicated and down-to-earth assembly of the faithful.

So what does it mean for us to now think about our next generation? Let’s be honest. Our numbers are diminishing. The demographic tide in our little corner of the world is turning against us. Yet here we are, a progressive, inclusive Reform Jewish community. We are a congregation that welcomes interfaith households and blended families. We are a congregation that is heimish and humble. In our post-pandemic world there is no more urgent a time for creating community than now. Adas Emuno is a community.

The Talmud records the life of an unusual and remarkable sage in ancient Israel named Honi the Circlemaker. Nobody knows why he received that name, but he is said to have gone around the land of Israel planting carob trees, a Jewish Johnny Appleseed, if you will. When asked why he took upon himself such an adventure, Honi responded that one day when he was still a young man he saw an old man planting a carob tree. Honi said, “Old man, why are you planting that tree. Don’t you know that it takes a carob tree seventy years to bear fruit?” The man paused, looked up at him, and said, “Just as my ancestors planted for me, so I will plant for my children.”

That piece of wisdom changed Honi’s life. And it just might change ours. If we embrace the realization that we are not here solely for ourselves; if we stand in gratitude for what those before us have done for us and decide to pay it forward to the next generation.

Join us for our Jubilee and Sesquicentennial. Get others to join us as well. Let us give thanks for our past while embracing our future. Just as my ancestors planted for me, so I will plant for my children.

Rabbi Schwartz's Sermon for Rosh Hashanah Evening 5782

Lance Strate — Wed, 22 Sep 2021 18:04:06 GMT

WHO SHALL LIVE?

Rosh Hashanah Evening, 5782

Rabbi Barry L. Schwartz

Rosh Hashanah is a time when we celebrate the past even as we embrace the future. We mark the arrival of the High Holy Days by honoring the old while welcoming the new. We chant ancient words but often add new melody and translation.

This Rosh Hashanah I again partake of the old/new by continuing a tradition that I established some five years ago. Now, on the eve of the Holiday, I’d like to offer a davar torah, a commentary, on one of the key prayers in our holiday liturgy.

After all, we recite these prayers year and year, sometimes by rote. They form the backbone of our service. They move us in an emotive, nostalgic way… but what do they mean? What are we saying? Why are they important?

This year, as we slowly emerge from the pandemic that upended our lives so dramatically, I find myself wrestling with the prayer that contains the most haunting and memorable line of the High Holy Days liturgy. Quite honestly, it is also the prayer that makes many of us the most uncomfortable. It is the prayer that we would most like to ignore or at least reinterpret.

“Who Shall Live; Who Shall Die”.

B’rosh Hashanah yikatevun, u’vyom tzom kippur yayhatemun… mi yichiyeh u’mi yamut

On Rosh Hashanah it is written, and on Yom Kippur it is sealed… how many shall pass on, how many shall come to be; who shall live and who shall die.

We chant it in the Hebrew tomorrow morning, plaintively; almost resignedly.

“Who Shall Live; Who Shall die” is a centuries old lament that seems to suggest that our fate is sealed, that judgment, on this Day of Judgment” has been cast. It is found in the section called U’netaneh Tokef, which literally mean Let Us Proclaim the Severity of this Sacred Day. As I say in my introduction to the prayer each year, It is at once the most archaic yet relevant, humbling yet empowering prayer of these Days of Awe.

At times during the height of the pandemic it seemed like our fate was indeed out of our hands. We seemed powerless to stop the plague. Day to day we didn’t know who will live and who will die. We took extreme measures to try to avert the severity of the decree.

Let me read you the full text of the prayer in English, which we don’t do in the morning service, since we chant it in the Hebrew. It is raw and graphic:

On Rosh Hashanah it is written; on Yom Kippur it is sealed:

How many shall pass on; how many shall be born;

Who shall live and who shall die;

Who shall see ripe age and who shall not;

Who shall perish by fire and who by water;

Who by sword and who by beast;

Who by hunger and who by thirst;

Who by earthquake and who by plague;

Who by strangling and who by stoning;

Who shall be secure and who shall be driven;

Who shall be tranquil and who shall be troubled;

Who shall be poor and who shall be rich;

Who shall be humbled and who exalted.

Our ancestors were all too schooled in hardship and suffering and the many ways we can die. Remember that these prayers originate in the early Middle Ages, when life expectancy was barely half of what it is now, and when war and famine and plague were constants in the life of our people. It is no surprise that they would compose prayers that understood that our fate was essentially out of our hands.

What is surprising is that we choose to preserve and recite these same words. And with all the advances in science and medicine over the centuries, is our destiny any more in our hands than before? I’ve talked with people about this over the years, and it is interesting that some people say yes and some say no. I talk to modern, educated people who insist that we alone determine our fate, while others are adamant that our fate remains largely beyond our control. Can both views be right at the same time? Look how we were initially powerless in the face of the pandemic in the early months, but how we were able to finally turn the tide with vaccines created with our most advanced scientific knowledge coupled with state-of-the-art production and distribution.

Note how this prayer subtly moves from the bodily threats to life to how we respond to these challenges. In other words; from our physical health to our mental health. Who shall be secure; who insecure; who tranquil; who troubled?

Then in the last lines the prayer shifts yet again, to our economic well-being and status. Who shall be poor; who rich; who humbled; who exalted?

The prayer, having compelled us to confront our mortality, concludes in a surprising and provocative way. It acknowledges roah hag’zerah⏤the severity of the decree. Our fate can be harsh and capricious. So much is beyond out control. But not everything. The decree can be tempered. Not wholly, but to some degree by our actions, which always have consequences, and can alter our destiny.

And what are these actions? They are teshuva (repentance), t’filah (prayer), and tzedakah (charity).

The liturgy of the High Holy Days leave no question that we are fallible; we are flawed; it is not if we will make mistakes but when, and the need to forgive and be forgiven is fundamental to our well-being. So it is no surprise that repentance occupies a key place on the road to redemption.

So too the importance of helping our fellow in need. We reach the highest rung of ethical living when we transcend our own egocentricity and serve the other. When we are guided by the better angels of our nature we make for a better world. Tzedakah, with its root in the Hebrew word for justice, means so much more than the charitable impulse when it strikes us, but the insistence of sharing of our wealth and working for a just and equitable society.

Less apparent to the majority of us for whom prayer is not a central but a peripheral part of our lives, is the power of supplication. But to the religious mind, prayer can indeed be life altering. As Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel expresses it in an oft-quoted passage from our Shabbat siddur:

Prayer invites God’s presence to suffuse our spirits…. Prayer may not bring water to parched fields, nor mend a broken bridge, nor rebuild a ruined city. But prayer can water an arid soul, mend of broken heart, and rebuild a weakened will.

Rabbi David Teutsch writes:

In our everyday lives, we live with an illusion of control. [This prayer] forces us to admit how profoundly our lives can be altered by random occurrences over which we have no control. I cannot control the unexpected blows that will affect my family, my job, my health. But I can control how I live with them. T’shuvah, t’filah and tzedakah will mitigate the bad in the decree. They will not stop the blows that come our way, but they can radically transform how we are affected by them.

We have collectively been through a harrowing year and half, but we know that life’s challenges are present in our lives all the time.

In this regard I think it is appropriate to cite another, very well-known appeal, often referred to as the Serenity Prayer:

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.

May our acts of repentance, charity and prayer temper the decree at this New Year, or at the very least, give us strength to strive and solace to accept.

RSVP for Subs-for-Sukkot

Tue, 21 Sep 2021 17:08:13 GMT

An Evening of Community, Celebration, Food and Music

We hope you can join us this coming Sunday, September 26, for some or all of the planned festivities. RSVP is required for "Subs-for-Sukkot" only.

5:00 pm - Subs-for-Sukkot
- RSVP by Friday morning to Doris White
- Dinner will held outdoors and is free to attendees
6:00 pm - Simchat Torah Celebration
6:30 pm - Sukkot Folk Concert

Subs-for-Sukkot will include individually wrapped meat and veggie sandwiches, beverages and snacks. Join us for some or all of the fun filled activities!

RSVP for Subs-for-Sukkot

Look for additional information in the "This Week at Adas Emuno" email on Thursday, September 23, or under "News" on this website.

This Week at Adas Emuno

Wed, 15 Sep 2021 16:12:56 GMT

Sept. 15, 2021

Dear Friends,
This weekly message is arriving a day earlier than usual since Yom Kippur begins tonight.
Books and food drive bags are available in bins on the school porch at any time.
School families- here is a link to a PDF of our children's prayer book, so you can follow along at Thursday’s children's service (2:00 PM) if you are not to attend in-person:
https://adasemuno.org/resources/Documents/YK%20Children%20Siddur.pdf

The day after Yom Kippur is already Erev Shabbat and a good opportunity to gather remotely via our Zoom Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

The next morning our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM) commences (now happening via Zoom). This year we delve into the epic history that birthed our people- The Rise and Fall of Ancient Israel.

Sunday morning religious school (9:00 AM) outside will also feature our monthly Tot program (9:30 AM).

Sunday afternoon the annual Leonia International Day of Peace event takes place (4:30-6:00 PM) on the lawn of the Methodist Church, and I am always happy to participate in the ceremony. (The Methodist Church lawn is on Broad Avenue.)

Mark your calendar now for our Sukkot-Simchat Torah Celebration on Sunday the 26th. We begin with a free outdoor subs-for-sukkot meal (5:00 PM) by reservation (email doriskampwhite@verizon.net), followed by an abbreviated Simchat Torah Celebration (6:00 PM), and capped off by a Sukkot Folk Concert (6:30 PM), featuring Iris Karlin, Peter Hayes, Elka Oliver, Michael Scowden and Scott Dennis!

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

For Livestream Services:
Go to YouTube.com and enter Adas Emuno Streaming in the search box. About 5 minutes before the service is set to begin, find the service that is "live" and wait for the service to begin.

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 09 Sep 2021 12:46:20 GMT

Sept. 9, 2021

Dear Friends,
This Sabbath, in between the High Holidays, is known as Shabbat Shuva, the Sabbath of Return, and is a beautiful blend of holiday and sabbath melodies.

This year, it also corresponds to the 20th anniversary of 9-11, and I will share a very personal story in that regard at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

On Sunday morning we hope to see many of you bright and early for our Gathering in the Garden along with our Religious School Opening Day (9:00 AM). Come for a song-fest, snacks, fellowship and your free t-shirt!

Our Monday evening the Adas Emuno Book Club (7:30 PM) will discuss the epic novel As A Driven Leaf. The discussion should be enlightening (even if you did not read or finish the book).

Finally, there are families in Leonia, including in our congregation, who continue to deal with the flooding from Hurricane Ina. If you would like to add to the contribution already made by our congregation to assist these families please let me know.

Shabbat shalom and shanah tovah,
Rabbi Schwartz

For Livestream Shabbat and Holiday Services:
Go to YouTube.com and enter Adas Emuno Streaming in the search box. About 5 minutes before services are scheduled to begin, find the service that is "live" and wait for the service to begin.

High Holy Days Are Here

Thu, 02 Sep 2021 12:28:38 GMT

Sept. 2, 2021

Dear Friends,
This is the last Shabbat of the Jewish year, as well as Labor Day weekend, and the unofficial end of summer.
Our Zoom Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 pm- an unexpected change of format) will preview the upcoming holidays.

High Holiday books will be handed out this Sunday from 10-12 and then anytime from a bin on the school porch.
From the ritual committee: all reservations and choices for all services that have been received have been approved.

Make sure your calendar is marked for our Gathering in the Garden on the 12th (9-11AM) and our Book Club on the 13th (7:30 PM). We are reading “As a Driven Leaf” by Milton Steinberg.

Whether in-person or via livestream, I look forward to seeing you Monday evening and Tuesday at our Rosh Hashanah Evening Service, Morning Service, Children's Service and Tashlich!

With warm wishes for a safe and joyful new year of peace and blessing,

Shabbat shalom and shanah tovah,
Rabbi Barry Schwartz

For Livestream Services:
Go to YouTube.com and enter Adas Emuno Streaming in the search box.
About 5 minutes before the service is scheduled to begin, find the service that is "live" and wait for the service to begin.

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 26 Aug 2021 12:56:15 GMT

Dear Friends,

As we draw near the High Holydays our thoughts turn to forgiveness.
Traditionally special prayers on this theme, called Selichot, are recited this week.
At our Zoom Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM) we'll share stories on this theme .
Bring your most meaningful story of forgiveness- personal or historical.

And on the lighter side of holiday preparation, join our two expert cooks to learn recipes, at our second Zoom Cooking Class this Sunday evening (7:00 PM ).
You will be surprised how entertaining Chefs Gibby and Marilyn are!

This is likely our last Zoom service (as the cantor is away) for a while.
For upcoming Livestream Shabbat services a page guide for your home prayer book is now available:
Here's the link (which you can print out): https://adasemuno.org/resources/Documents/SiddurPageGuide.pdf

Reminder- send in your High Holiday service seating form now, or email Virginia or Doris.
With capacity limits, we need to know what services you will be attending.
High Holiday books will be handed out next Sunday the 5th from 10-12 and then anytime from a bin on the school porch.

And our lovely Gathering in the Garden has been rescheduled for Sunday morning, Sept 12 (9-11 AM), corresponding to the first day of religious school. Volunteers are needed bright and early at 8:00 to help set up- email Annette or myself.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno—A Baby Naming!

Thu, 19 Aug 2021 12:28:58 GMT

Aug. 19, 2021

Dear Friends,
Our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM) will be especially joyful because we celebrate a baby naming.
Mazal tov to Leiana Rose and to her parents Leah Ryan and Pablo Villafane!
To add to the spirit, we welcome Peter Hayes accompanying the cantor on guitar.

We hope to see you this Sunday at our annual Gathering in the Garden (4-6PM).
Greet your fellow families; enjoy food, drink and music.
And make sure to pick up your beautiful new Adas Emuno T-Shirt!

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

PS Have you sent in your High Holiday seat reservations? Please do so this week! And the deadline for Book of Remembrance entries is this Monday. You may also email Doris or Virginia with your requests.

For Livestream Shabbat Service Option:
Go to YouTube.com and enter Adas Emuno Streaming in the search box.
About 5 minutes before, find the service that is "live" and wait for the service to begin.

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 12 Aug 2021 14:22:27 GMT

Aug. 12, 2021

Dear Friends,

Given that this week's Torah portion contains the classic discussion of the administration of justice in our society...I thought it would be an apt time to talk about what is happening to our Supreme Court.

I'll do so at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM), where we very much value your in-person attendance, while also offering the Livestream option.

By now you should have received our beautiful calendar, announcement of our Aug. 22 Gathering in the Garden, and High Holiday mailing. It's a quiet time now in the waning days of summer, but not for much longer!

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

For Livestream Shabbat Services:
Go to YouTube.com and enter Adas Emuno Streaming in the search box.
About 5 minutes before, find the service that is "live" and wait for the service to begin.

This Week at Adas Emuno—A Zoom Shabbat

Thu, 05 Aug 2021 12:43:11 GMT

Aug. 5, 2021

Dear Friends,
I read an interesting story about how the chapel at Camp David, the presidential retreat center, was designed.
There's a valuable lesson for religious pluralism, which I will share at our Zoom Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).
(Note that when the cantor is away we will continue to avail ourselves of Zoom).

Mark your calendar now for our annual Gathering in the Garden, on Sunday, Aug. 22 (4-6 PM).
For all ages, including a school open house, and your free Adas Emuno t-shirt!
Details to follow.

Shabbat shalom
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno—Zoom Returns!

Thu, 29 Jul 2021 12:33:45 GMT

July 29, 2021

Dear Friends,
I'm a big fan of ice cream (especially chocolate) and I'm a big fan of Israel.
So naturally I need to talk about the Ben & Jerry's controversy making headlines here and in Israel.
I'll do so at our Zoom Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM), and even explain how the Torah portion relates to the issue too.
For background, read this article: What the Ben & Jerry’s Decision Reveals About Israel - The Atlantic.
For another view, read this: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/27/opinion/israel-ben-jerrys-cybersecurity.html?action=click&module=Opinion&pgtype=Homepage
Who knew ice cream could get so complicated!

Note that the cantor is away this week and next, and by popular request, I'll lead the service via Zoom.
We understand that people who grew accustomed to seeing each other via Zoom are missing that, and that not everyone is ready to return to in-person services.
So from time to time we'll look for opportunities like this week and next.

Shabbat shalom
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 22 Jul 2021 13:12:57 GMT

July 22, 2022

Dear Friends,
Do you know about The Forgotten Jewish Valentine's Day?
I kid you not...its coming up this Saturday, and I will speak about it our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM)
Not only that, but the Cantor will sing appropriate Jewish romantic music!

It's certainly worth attending in person (in our humble estimation), but our services continue to be livestreamed as well. Either way, we hope to see you.

And ready to read a classic Jewish historical novel this summer? Our Adas Emuno Book Club has chosen As a Driven Leaf by Milton Steinberg, the epic tale of a leading Jewish sage who loses his faith during the Roman occupation of ancient Israel (based on a true story). Our Book Club meets on Sept. 16, so you have plenty of time to read it.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

For Livestream Shabbat Services
Go to YouTube.com and enter Adas Emuno Streamin in the search box. At about 7:25, find the service that is "live" and wait for the service to begin.

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 08 Jul 2021 12:15:08 GMT

July 8, 2021

Dear Friends,
It was a pleasure to welcome back familiar faces to our sanctuary last week and we look forward to seeing you in-person (or via livestream) at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM) all summer.

What happens when some members of a community want to separate and go their own way just as the nation faces a perilous time? Just such a situation is described in this week's portion, and the Torah offers keen insight into managing the crisis.

Mark your calendar for Shabbat on the Palisades next week, when we will join with Temple Emeth for an outdoor service at the State Line (Alpine) Lookout (6:30 PM), with all four clergy leading the service.

Our Zoom Adas Emuno Book Club meets on Monday (7:30 PM). The Zoom link is in this week’s email from the Rabbi.

You are welcome to join whether you have read the book or not. We will be discussing The Choice, by Dr. Edith Eger, a memoir written by a Holocaust survivor.

And mazal tov to Deb and Jay Fein on the birth of their granddaughter, Eliza Valerie!

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

For Livestream Shabbat Services
Go to YouTube.com and enter Adas Emuno Streaming in the search box. About 5 minutes before the service begins, find the service that is "live" and wait for the service to begin.

Back to Adas Emuno!

Thu, 01 Jul 2021 12:30:47 GMT

July 1, 2021

Dear Friends,
Welcome back to our sanctuary!

Wait until you hear our cantor in-person at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

And I will share an emotional encounter with an American hero that I experienced during my recent trip out West that helps illuminate this week's Torah insight about true leadership.

A reminder on policy: Attendees must be vaccinated and for the foreseeable future masking and social distancing by family group will be required. Regrettably our oneg remains on pause.
We understand hesitancies remain for a variety of reasons, so our services will continue to be livestreamed as well.
We appreciate your understanding during this time of transition and are excited to begin seeing you again!

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

For Livestream Shabbat Services
Go to YouTube.com and enter Adas Emuno Streaming in the search box.
About 5 minutes before, find the service that is "live" and wait for the service to begin.

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 24 Jun 2021 13:02:23 GMT

June 24, 2021

Dear Friends,
Our Livestream Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM) this week will be led by Lance Strate and Cantor Karlin.

Note that we open to in-person services beginning next week!
Attendees must be vaccinated, and for the foreseeable future masking and social distancing by family group will be required.
Regrettably our oneg remains on pause.
We understand hesitancies remain for a variety of reasons, so our services will continue to be livestreamed as well.
We appreciate your understanding during this time of transition and are excited to begin seeing you again!

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

For Livestream Shabbat Services
Go to YouTube.com and enter Adas Emuno Streaming in the search box. About 5 minutes before, find the service that is "live" and wait for the service to begin.

You will get Notifications that the service has gone Live by Subscribing to Adas Emuno Streaming.

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 17 Jun 2021 12:56:30 GMT

June 17, 2021

Dear Friends,
Join us tonight for our Annual Meeting (7:00 PM) via Zoom. The link is in today’s weekly message.

At our Livestream Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM) the cantor will be joined by Peter Hayes, for some special guitar/piano arrangements, as we look at the sensitive issue of when leaders (even Moses) fall short, and when they should retire.

At our Livestream Shabbat Morning Service (10:00 AM) we celebrate the bat mitzvah of Jami West.
Mazal tov to Jami and her family!

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 10 Jun 2021 16:14:36 GMT

June 10, 2021

Dear Friends,
A cousin of Moses goes rogue and attracts a mob following. Any relevance for today?
Find out at our Zoom Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

Maia Boyd celebrates her bat mitzvah at our Livestream Shabbat Morning Service (10:00 AM).
Mazal tov to Maia and her family!

More good news: Leah Ryan and Pablo Villafane joyfully announce the birth of their daughter, Leianna Rose Villanfane.
Mazal tov to Leianna and her family!

Reminder: our annual congregational meeting takes place next Thurs, the 17th (7:00 PM). A Zoom invitation is forthcoming.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 03 Jun 2021 13:01:41 GMT

June 3, 2021

Dear Friends,
What can we learn from the most famous spy story in the Bible (in this week's Torah portion)?
Find out at our Zoom Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

Kale Dennis celebrates his bar mitzvah at our Livestream Shabbat Morning Service (10:00 AM).
Mazal tov to Kale and his family!

A Bergen County Unite for Israel Parade is taking place on Sunday in Teaneck (4:00 PM): the Jewish Federation of Northern NJ is sponsoring the event. Email uniteforisrael2021@gmail.com for more details.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 27 May 2021 14:56:17 GMT

May 27, 2021

Dear Friends,
As we approach Memorial Day this year it is appropriate to reflect on matters concerning our nation.
I will do so at our Zoom Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

Do you live in Leonia and desire to know more about the township's master plan and participate in the survey that will help determine its future? Follow this link: publicinput.com/LeoniaCMP

Are you ready to read our next book for the Adas Emuno Book Club? The Choice, by Edith Eger, is a popular volume by a Holocaust survivor, who is still a practicing therapist in her 90s. The Book Club next meets on July 12 and the book is available from your public library.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 20 May 2021 18:34:30 GMT

May 20, 2021

Dear Friends,
We celebrate the end our religious school year with our Zoom Shabbat Evening Family Service and Confirmation (7:30 PM).
Mazal tov to our graduating Confirmands: Hannah Jacobowitz, Aaron Jacobowitz, Jordana Marcus and Robby Slater.
I am always enormously proud of our teens, and their commitment to the congregation and heritage, and never more so than during this challenging year.
After hearing their reflections at the service, I am sure you will agree with me.

Did you miss the phenomenal screening of "Joseph" featuring our students and the video editing magic of our cantor?
Watch the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2JEVRTXuAE

Our final school session will be held on Sunday (9:00 AM), again outdoors, weather permitting .
This is an appropriate time to thank students, parents, teachers, the religious education committee, our director Shira and our cantor Iris.
The way everyone pulled together to flourish during this pandemic year was inspirational.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 13 May 2021 13:29:18 GMT

May 13, 2021

Dear Friends,
We will feature special music and reflections on the upcoming holiday of Shavuot at our Livestream Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).
Given the tragic violence in Israel this week, we will also raise up our prayers for peace.

At our Zoom Shabbat Morning Service (10:00 AM), we celebrate the bar mitzvah of Owen Beckerman. Mazal tov to Owen and his family!

Weather permitting, Sunday morning religious school classes will meet in and around the garden, while Confirmation class (11:00) will meet via Zoom.

Then on Sunday afternoon our first-ever Zoom Shavuot Cooking Class (2:00 PM) promises some fabulous dairy dishes.

Finally, a Shavuot evening screening of highlights from Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat by our very own religious school students (5:00 PM) will usher in the holiday.
View a two minute preview here! https://youtu.be/CkMacckQPj4

Shabbat shalom and Hag Sameach
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 06 May 2021 12:18:07 GMT

May 6, 2021

Dear Friends,
In the wake of the recent tragedy in Israel, and in honor of Jerusalem Day on Monday, this is an appropriate time to talk about a deep challenge facing Israeli democracy, with resonance to our country as well. I'll do so at our Livestream Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM)

At our Zoom Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM), our final session for this school year, we will also look at societal challenges that our ancestors faced and which never seem to go away.

At our bimonthly Zoom Adas Emuno Book Club on Monday (7:30 PM) join us for a discussion of life on the Lower East Side of NY (“Up from Orchard Street”).

And mark your calendar now: next Sunday, May 16:
1. Shavuot Cooking Class (2:00 PM)
2. Shavuot screening of Joseph by our religious school students (5:00 PM)
Links and details forthcoming.

Finally, Happy Mother's Day to all the moms that keep us going!

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

For Livestream Shabbat Evening Services
Go to YouTube.com and enter Adas Emuno Streaming in the search box.
At about 7:25 PM find the service that is "live" and wait for the service to begin.

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 29 Apr 2021 13:24:10 GMT

April 29, 2021

Dear Friends,
Tomorrow is the minor Jewish holiday of Lag B'omer , which is actually a big picnic and bonfire day in Israel.
At this time of the year Israel also awards its highest civilian honor- the Israel Prize.

At our Zoom Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM) Virginia Gitter will make a presentation about the remarkable women who won this year's Israel prize.

At our Zoom Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM) we'll continue our look at the famous teachings of the Torah: "Do not bear a grudge. Do not stand idly by. Love your neighbor as yourself."

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 22 Apr 2021 15:50:39 GMT

April 22, 2021

It's time for our Zoom Shabbat Evening Family Service (7:30 PM).
Led by our youngest K-3 students, you know this is going to be fun!

At our Zoom Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM) we'll look at the famous teachings of the Torah: "Do not bear a grudge. Do not stand idly by. Love your neighbor as yourself."

On Sunday our school program will also include an in-person, outdoors Tot program for preschoolers (9:30- 10:30 AM). If you know any tots who would like this do tell us.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 15 Apr 2021 13:15:46 GMT

April 15, 2021

Dear Friends,

Today is Yom HaZicharon, Israel Memorial Day, followed tomorrow by Yom Ha'Atzmaut, Israel Independence Day.

At our Livestream Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM), we will celebrate Israel with inspiring music and words.

At our Zoom Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM) a subject of continuing relevance arises: What constitutes appropriate and inappropriate speech in our private and public discourse?

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

For Livestream Shabbat Evening Services
Go to YouTube.com and enter Adas Emuno Streaming in the search box.
At about 7:25 PM find the service that is "live" and wait for the service to begin.

Volunteers Wanted!

Tue, 13 Apr 2021 13:31:58 GMT

Hello All!

We were sent an SOS from Family Promise, asking us to cook for the folks living at the shelter in Hackensack, as we've done for many years. The difference is that these same folks were moved to hotels during the pandemic so we will not need servers this time.. but we will need lots of cooks!

Adas Emuno is signed up for THURSDAY, MAY 27th and we will be cooking for 150 people. We deliver the food in pans to the shelter where volunteers divide everything into separate containers and deliver the dinners.

We could really use your help! If you cook but can't deliver your tray of food to the shelter, no worries! We'll call in our own "A.E. Pick Up & Delivery Service" team, curbside, if you'd like!

If you are willing to join our team of cooks, please email Annette by May 1 so she can coordinate all volunteers. Details of the EASY MENU will then follow.

With sincerest thanks,
Your Social Action Committee
acheryl21@gmail.com

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 08 Apr 2021 12:11:55 GMT

April 8, 2021

Dear Friends,
Today is Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Commemoration Day.

At our Livestream Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM), Student Cantor Karlin, accompanied by Beth Robin, will bring us moving music related to this day, and to the great legacy of German Jewish composing.

I'll reflect on recent efforts to educate the new generation about the past (which I will put into practice at Confirmation Class on Sunday).

At our Zoom Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM) we will look at a quality that, according to the Torah and Rashi commentary, is necessary in our leaders, but in short supply today: humility.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

For Livestream Shabbat Evening Services
Go to YouTube.com and enter Adas Emuno Streaming in the search box.
At about 7:25 PM find the service that is "live" and wait for the service to begin.

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 01 Apr 2021 15:23:00 GMT

Apr. 1, 2021

Dear Friends,
As we conclude our week long observance of Pesach I'll share some final thought on the holiday at our Zoom Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

We have some catching-up to do in the Book of Leviticus at our Zoom Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 PM).

Keep in mind that our next two Shabbat services, for Yom HaShoah and Yom Ha'Atzmaut, will feature special music appropriate for Holocaust Commemoration Day and Israel Independence Day.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

Adas Emuno Book Club

Wed, 24 Mar 2021 13:12:45 GMT

Dear Friends,

The next meeting of the Adas Emuno Book Club will be take place on Monday, May 10 (7:30 PM).

We will be reading the acclaimed novel, Up from Orchard Street by Eleanor Widmer.

Copies of the book are available through the BCCLS.

This novel centers around an immigrant family living on the Lower East Side in the 1930s. The author, who was born in 1924, grew up there. So many of us have NY roots and all of us can relate to the immigrant experience.

Happy reading,
Michael Fishbein on behalf of the Book Club

This Week at Adas Emuno

Tue, 23 Mar 2021 12:57:57 GMT

Mar. 22, 2021

Dear Friends,
We're sending this message early in the week rather so you can enjoy the special Pesach Video that Cantor Karlin and I prepared for you.
We've recorded some of our favorite readings and songs that you might want to share at your own seder, or simply enjoy for their own sake.
You can find the video on our YouTube channel, and also find it with a PDF copy of the readings and lyrics at this website:https://adasemuno.org/Pesach/

At our Zoom Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM) we'll feature additional lively music and some fun preparation for Pesach.
Both Torah Study and Religious School are on break this weekend.

Whether you are celebrating Pesach again this year virtually (like my family), or will be able to gather in-person, we wish you a healthy and happy holiday.

Shabbat shalom and Hag Pesach Sameach,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 18 Mar 2021 13:19:14 GMT

March 18, 2021

Dear Friends,
Join us for our Livestream Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM), with Peter Hays joining our cantor for some special music, as I offer a few reflections as we conclude our annual reading of the book of Exodus.

At our Livestream Shabbat Morning Service (10:00 AM) we celebrate the bar mitzvah of Leo Avidon. Mazal tov to Leo and his family!

Spring officially begins on this Shabbat and Pesach is just a week away, coming quite "early" this year.
Be on the look-out for a special "mini-seder" video by the Cantor and me for use at your own seder.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

For Livestream Shabbat Services
Go to YouTube.com and enter Adas Emuno Streaming in the search box, or try this link:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCftctPu9pRG4bBQCR6RH4Dg
Click on the picture of the Temple that is indicated as "Live" and wait for service to begin.

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 11 Mar 2021 14:25:36 GMT

Mar.11, 2021

Dear Friends,
Join us for our Zoom Shabbat Family Service (7:30 PM), led in part by students from our 4th and 5th grade. Stay on the zoom for a virtual oneg, when we can shmooze and sample treats from our Shabbat Box. Just swing by the Temple and pick it up on the school porch, or let us know, and we can deliver!

At our Zoom Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM) we'll look at Rashi's comments on the end of the Book of Exodus.

We hope to see you at our bimonthly Zoom Book Club, on Monday (7:30 PM). Read the provocative short story about intergenerational conflict, Brit Milah, by talented new Israeli writer Ayelet Tsabari here:https://adasemuno.org/bookclub/ and join the discussion.

Don't forget to move your clocks ahead on Sat. night, as daylight savings time begins, which means spring is almost here.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Fri, 05 Mar 2021 13:03:09 GMT

Mar. 4, 2021

Dear Friends,
With Purim in the rear-view mirror, our thanks to everyone who made for such a wonderful, virtual celebration of the holiday this year. We have a lot of talent for a small congregation.

Our Livestream Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM) will feature special musical selection with Peter Hays accompanying the Cantor on guitar. We'll explore what the ancient Torah story of the Golden Calf has to say about the role of group anxiety in society today.

At our Zoom Shabbat Morning Torah Study(10:00 AM) we'll see what Rashi says about this nefarious episode in the Torah.

Mark you calendar for the next Zoom Book Club, Monday, Mar 15 (7:30 PM), and read the provocative short story about intergenerational conflict, Brit Milah by talented new Israeli writer Ayelet Tsabari here:https://adasemuno.org/bookclub/.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

For Livestream Shabbat Service
Go to YouTube.com and enter Adas Emuno Streaming in the search box, or try this link:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCftctPu9pRG4bBQCR6RH4Dg
Click on the picture of the Temple that is indicated as "Live" and wait for service to begin.

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 25 Feb 2021 13:53:16 GMT

Feb. 25, 2021

Dear Friends,
Purim is tonight!

The big event is not to be missed: Livestream Purim Service, (7:00 PM), with surprise guest musical appearances from many of the most talented members of our congregation!

Our Zoom Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM) will feature Purim music and a holiday quiz.

Our Zoom Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM) is a special session devoted to the Book of Esther.

Finally, our celebration wraps up with a virtual Purim Children's Service and Carnival on Sunday (9:00 AM).

Shabbat shalom and Hag Purim Sameach,,
Rabbi Schwartz

For Livestream Purim Service
Go to YouTube.com and enter Adas Emuno Streaming in the search box, or try this link:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCftctPu9pRG4bBQCR6RH4Dg

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 18 Feb 2021 14:51:29 GMT

Feb.18, 2021

Dear Friends,
We'll preview the music, customs and story of Purim at our Livestream Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

The big event itself is not to be missed: Livestream Purim Service, Thursday the 25th (7:00 PM), with several surprise guest musical appearances!

Our Zoom Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM) delves into many of the curious commandments of the book of Exodus.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

For Livestream Shabbat Evening Service
Go to YouTube.com and enter Adas Emuno Streaming in the search box, or try this link:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCftctPu9pRG4bBQCR6RH4Dg
Click on the picture of the Temple that is indicated as "Live" and wait for service to begin.

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 11 Feb 2021 13:28:37 GMT

Feb. 11, 2021

Dear Friends,
A fascinating article on how what is happening in Israel can help us understand what is happening in America made me sit up and notice.
I'll explain, at our Zoom Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

I'll admit that our weekly Torah portion has some confounding laws about slavery and justice, but they open up timely and provocative questions about reparations and affirmative action
I'll elaborate, at our Zoom Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM).

School is on break this President's Day Weekend.
Mark you calendar for our Livestream Purim Service, Thursday the 25th (7:00 PM)- early this year!

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 04 Feb 2021 13:11:58 GMT

Feb. 4, 2020

Dear Friends,
Our tradition tells us that the Jewish people experienced a great moment of unity at Mount Sinai, described in this week's Torah portion. At the present time it feels like the Jewish people are experiencing a great moment of disunity. I'll explain why at our Livestream Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

At our Zoom Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM) comments by Rashi will also touch on the theme of unity at the giving of the Torah.

Hatemail- Antisemitism in Picture Postcards is the subject of my final JPS webinar on Monday (7:30 PM- rescheduled) and it is an eye-opening look at how hate spread on the social media of the late 19th and early 20th century.

Hola- our always energetic president would like to start a Spanish Club, for people with a basic command to improve their speaking. Interested? Contact: michael.r.fishbein@gmail.com.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

For Livestream Shabbat Evening Service
Go to YouTube.com and enter Adas Emuno Streaming in the search box, or try this link:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCftctPu9pRG4bBQCR6RH4Dg
Click on the picture of the Temple that is indicated as "Live" and wait for service to begin.

For JPS Seminar, email office@jps.org

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 28 Jan 2021 14:00:08 GMT

Jan. 28, 2021

Dear Friends.
Today is the 15th day, the full moon, of the Hebrew month of Shevat, which means that it is Tu Bishvat—the New Year of Trees.

At our Livestream Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM) we will feature festive music from this minor but popular holiday, and an appropriately environmental message for this Jewish Arbor Day.

At our Zoom Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM) comments by Rashi prompt the question: do men and women have different leadership styles?

The subject of "FDR and the Jews" remains controversial to this day, and is the subject of my next JPS webinar on Monday (7:30 PM), based on our new, and provocative, book The Jews Should Keep Quiet.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

For Livestream Shabbat Evening Service
Go to YouTube.com and enter Adas Emuno Streaming in the search box, or try this link:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCftctPu9pRG4bBQCR6RH4Dg
Click on the picture of the Temple that is indicated as "Live" and wait for service to begin.

For JPS Seminar, The Jews Should Keep Quiet, email office@jps.org

This Week at Adas Emuno

Fri, 22 Jan 2021 00:04:30 GMT

This Week at Adas Emuno

Jan. 21, 2021
Dear Friends,
We celebrate the inauguration of our new president and our quest for a more perfect union at our Zoom Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

Our exploration of the Book of Exodus continues at our Zoom Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM).

Speaking of books, the relatively untold story of how the Nazis attempted to destroy the Jews not just physically but culturally, with the massive theft of Jewish books, and the restoration of that heritage by the Allies after the war, is the subject of my third JPS seminar on Monday (7:30 PM).

Shabbat shalom,

Rabbi Barry Schwartz

For JPS Seminar, Stolen Words: The Nazi Theft of Jewish Books, email office@jps.org

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 14 Jan 2021 14:29:44 GMT

Jan.14, 2021

Dear Friends,
The observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is even more significant this year in light of the tragic events of the last weeks.
At our Livestream Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM) we will celebrate King's lessons and legacy in words and music.

At our Zoom Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM) we are reading the story of the Exodus that inspired King.
His legacy will also be discussed at our Sunday morning school service and Confirmation Class.

My second JPS New Author Webinar that takes place Monday evening (7:30 PM) is an absolute eye-opener, "HateMail: Anti-Semitism in Picture Postcards".

Shabbat shalom.
Rabbi Schwartz

For Livestream Shabbat Evening Service
Go to YouTube.com and enter Adas Emuno Streaming in the search box, or try this link:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCftctPu9pRG4bBQCR6RH4Dg
Click on the picture of the Temple that is indicated as "Live" and wait for service to begin.

For JPS Seminar, email office@jps.org

This Week at Adas Emuno

Fri, 08 Jan 2021 00:41:13 GMT

Jan. 7, 2021

Dear Friends,
We will have an opportunity to speak about the crisis facing our country at our Zoom Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

The new year brings a new book of the Bible, as we begin the epic story of the Exodus, at our Zoom Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM).

Reminder- JPS Seminar meets Mon. (7:30 PM); Book Club meets Tuesday (7:30 PM).
Bring your soup donations to the school porch.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 31 Dec 2020 14:43:12 GMT

Dec. 31, 2020

Dear Friends,
As the year comes to a close its time for my annual "Rabbi's Top Ten Jewish News Stories".
I'll offer my acclaimed list at our Livestream Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

*Please note that going forward in the new year we will offer a monthly mix of Livestream and Zoom Shabbat evening services. Consult our weekly announcements each week for the schedule and links. Torah study will remain in an all Zoom format.

We conclude our reading of Genesis with the end of the epic story of Joseph and his brothers at our Zoom Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM).

Shabbat Shalom and Happy New Year,
Rabbi Schwartz

For Livestream Shabbat Evening Service
Go to YouTube.com and enter Adas Emuno Streaming in the search box, or try this link:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCftctPu9pRG4bBQCR6RH4Dg
Click on the picture of the Temple that is indicated as "Live" and wait for service to begin.

Adult Education and Book Club

Thu, 31 Dec 2020 14:39:33 GMT

Dear Friends,

I thought that a JPS New Author Webinar Series that I am running in January might interest you.
The four-part series on Antisemitism and the Holocaust: New Dimensions (see below, all 7:30-8:30 PM) is free and open to the public- just register at office@jps.org to receive Zoom instructions.
Jan. 11, 2021 - Mordecai Paldiel: "Saving One's Own: Jewish Rescuers during the Holocaust,"
Jan. 18, 2021 - Salo Aizenberg: "HateMail: Antisemitism in Picture Postcards."
Jan. 25, 2021 - Mark Glickman: "Stolen Words: The Nazi Plunder of Jewish Books."
Feb. 11, 2021 - Rafael Medoff: "The Jews Should Keep Quiet - FDR, Rabbi Stephen Wise and the Holocaust."

The Adas Emuno Book Club will meet on Tues., Jan 12 at 7:30 PM (note change of date) to discuss The Watchmaker’s Daughter by Sonia Taitz.

Shalom,

Rabbi Barry Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 24 Dec 2020 13:27:51 GMT

Dec. 24, 2020

Dear Friends,
The confluence of Shabbat with Christmas leads me to an international controversy that you might have missed- the fate of the largest church ever built. I'll fill you in on the intriguing details at our Zoom Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

At our Zoom Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM) we continue to probe the heartbreaking family dynamics of Joseph and his brothers.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 17 Dec 2020 16:00:01 GMT

Dec. 17, 2020

Dear Friends,
We bid goodbye to a surprisingly festive Hanukkah, despite all the challenges, with our final outdoor lighting tonight (7:00 PM). Thanks to all who participated in our lightings, service and party! And please send in your Mitzvah Mall contributions by mail, on-line donation or an envelope in our school mail box.

At our Zoom Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM) we'll speak about a topic that has long fascinated students of history: "The Twelve Tribes of Israel- Myth and Reality".

At our Zoom Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM), deep into the Joseph story, we'll consider the provocative question of whether Joseph truly forgave his brothers.

Book Club reminder: Read The Watchmaker’s Daughter by Sonia Taitz for our next meeting on Jan. 11. Available at local libraries, Amazon, and Kindle. A stirring memoir by the daughter of Holocaust survivors set in Washington Heights.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 10 Dec 2020 13:40:49 GMT

Dec. 10, 2020

Dear Friends,
Hanukkah begins tonight!
Join us:
1. In-person lighting of our outdoor menorah (7:00PM) every night, rain, shine or snow!

2. Zoom Family Shabbat-Hanukkah Service (7:30 PM), led by the 6th grade.

3. Zoom Hanukkah Party (7:30 PM) this Saturday, with music, quiz, and dreidel show.

There's a lot to light up even in this dark time.
Shabbat shalom and Happy Hanukkah,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 03 Dec 2020 13:34:13 GMT

Dec. 3, 2020

Dear Friends,
What is in a name?
Quite a lot according to the Torah.
We'll discuss the three names of the Jewish people at our Zoom Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

We celebrate the bat mitzvah of Ellis Marcus at our Livestream Shabbat Morning Service (10:00 AM).
Mazal tov to Ellis and her family!

Hanukkah is fast approaching- be on the look-out for a special flyer with all our festivities, including our nightly outdoor menorah lighting.
Visit our annual Mitzvah Mall this Sunday at 9:00 via Zoom to support important charities and print your own donation cards, which make a lovely gift.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

Mitzvah Mall Goes Virtual

Wed, 02 Dec 2020 21:54:52 GMT

Sunday, December 6, 9 AM - Zoom

Well, it's Mitzvah Mall time at Adas Emuno! As with so much else, we are a "virtual reality" this year. And yet, Tikkun Olam, healing the world, can use our helping hands more than ever. So, please read on for Mitzvah Mall details.

Organizations being represented:

Maywood Police Department K-9 Unit - a very special unit with a very unique aspect to it.
Center for Food Action - This organization always does so much. Now, during the pandemic, there's even more going on.

You can print out the "greeting card" from the Adas Emuno Website (click here). At the top, there is a line to fill in the sender's name. The page also includes a box for each organization. Check off those which you give donations to, in honor of the recipients.
Cost per card: Student price per card- $2 Adult price per card- $2 and up

Ways to pay:

Send a check to the temple [Congregation Adas Emuno, Attn: Annette (Social Action/Mitzvah Mall), 254 Broad Avenue, Leonia, N.J. 07605]. Checks can be made out to each organization or to Adas Emuno. Please remember to include a BREAKDOWN OF THE AMOUNTS FOR EACH ORGANIZATION if check is written to the temple.
Go to the temple website, click on DONATE. Fill in boxes with name, email, amount and "code".
Please fill in "Additional Info." box with the SPECIFIC AMOUNTS YOU ARE DONATING TO EACH ORGANIZATION. Then click PAY and go from there.

This is a mall for everyone, regardless of age, interests or fear of driving on highways! We offer special gifts which you can be proud to give, recipients will be proud to receive and which keep on giving. In the spirit of making the world a little better, this is the mall to be at. So, with coffee, tea, milk, juice, etc. in hand [because there's no driving involved!], please join us.

Join Zoom Meeting The Zoom information is in an email sent to to members.

See ya there!
School & Social Action Committees

Mitzvah Mall Coming Soon

Fri, 27 Nov 2020 16:01:24 GMT

Mitzvah Mall 2020

Hello All!

Gift shopping online is quick, sometimes easy and these days, safe. But it's not necessarily as much fun as meeting a friend at a real, live mall. Well, Adas Emuno has put the fun back into online shopping! Please join us on Zoom, on Sunday, December 6th at 9 am as we host our 5th Mitzvah Mall. Listen to our guests explain how their organizations help the world and watch their videos. Then go shopping from the comfort of your home. Buy [print out] cards to show that you gave a donations to these organizations in honor of the recipients of your cards. Great gifts! Special gifts! The sort of gifts which keep on giving!

So, please plan to meet your friends at the Mitzvah Mall! Look for future emails with additional info and your Zoom invite.

Tikkun Olam-ingly yours,
The School and Social Action Committees

This Week at Adas Emuno

Wed, 25 Nov 2020 13:41:15 GMT

Nov. 25, 2020

Dear Friends,

At our Zoom Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM) we will reflect on the thanks we can give in this confounding period in our nation's history.

The saga of family conflict and reconciliation in Genesis continues at our Zoom Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM).

Wishing you a happy, and safe, Thanksgiving holiday and weekend.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 19 Nov 2020 13:16:38 GMT

Nov. 19, 2020

Dear Friends,
We look forward to our Zoom Shabbat Evening Family Service (7:30 PM), which will be led by students in our 7th Grade.

Our students will offer reflections on the tumultuous family life of Isaac and Rebecca, Jacob and Esau, which is also the subject of our Zoom Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM).

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 12 Nov 2020 13:07:32 GMT

Nov. 12, 2020

Dear Friends,
Each year we commemorate the anniversary of Kristallnacht (Night of Broken Glass) that ushered in the Holocaust.
We do so this year with special music and a discussion of an anti-Semitic dilemma in Germany that has resonance with controversies here in the US.
Of course we will also discuss the results of our election at our Zoom Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

At our Livestream Shabbat Morning Service (10:00 AM) we celebrate the bat mitzvah of Charlotte Guberman.
Mazal tov to Charlotte and her family!
(Please note that Torah study does not take place).

Please join us for our bi-monthly Adas Emuno Book Club meeting on Monday eve. (7:30 PM).. The short story by the renowned writer Grace Paley is of special interest to interfaith families and all who wrestle with the "December dilemma".

And attention seniors- follow this link to all kinds of free events and program from the JCC: https://www.jccotp.org/JCC/Adults/Senior_Services/Virtual_Senior_Programming/JCC/Adults/Senior_Services/149.aspx?location=149&hkey=32a1829d-e26b-481b-9006-08b88502e615.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

For Livestream Shabbat Service
Go to YouTube.com and enter Adas Emuno Streaming in the search box, or try this link:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCftctPu9pRG4bBQCR6RH4Dg
Click on the picture of the Temple that is indicated as "Live" and wait for service to begin.

"The Loudest Voice" by Grace Paley
Click here to read the story

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 05 Nov 2020 21:35:09 GMT

Nov. 5, 2020

Dear Friends,
As I write this message early in the week I do not know the results of the election.
But of course we will discuss this at our Zoom Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

At our Livestream Shabbat Morning Service (10:00 AM) we celebrate the bar mitzvah of David Aleksic.
Mazal tov to David and his family!
(Please note that Torah study does not take place).

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

For Zoom Shabbat (7:30 PM)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86764353297
Meeting ID: 867 6435 3297

For Livestream Shabbat Service
Go to YouTube.com and enter Adas Emuno Streaming in the search box, or try this link:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCftctPu9pRG4bBQCR6RH4Dg
Click on the picture of the Temple that is indicated as "Live" and wait for service to begin.

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 13:30:40 GMT

Oct. 29, 2020

Dear Friends,
Next week marks 25 years since the tragic assassination of Yitzhak Rabin.
I'll reflect on that sad anniversary and the state of democracy in both Israel and America on the eve our presidential election at our Zoom Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

*Please note that services will be via Zoom rather than Livestream the next several weeks.

What lessons does the epic yet intimate story of Abraham hold for us in our personal lives?
We'll explore at our Zoom Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM)

Reminders: Set your clock back Sat. night. Vote!

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 22 Oct 2020 12:17:45 GMT

Oct. 22, 2020

Dear Friends,
You may be not be judge, but do you have a judicial philosophy?
We'll talk about this vital subject, as it relates to the Constitution and the Torah.
Join us for our Zoom Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

*Please note that services will be via Zoom rather than Livestream the next several weeks due to an unfortunate foot injury.

What lessons do the story of Noah and the Tower of Babel hold for us?
We'll explore at our Zoom Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM)

Reminder: Have a High Holiday book to return? Need a Shabbat book? Or a Torah study book? Just let me know.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 15 Oct 2020 12:30:20 GMT

Oct. 15, 2020

With the Holidays now behind us we settle into our normal routine in abnormal times: Shabbat evening services, Shabbat morning Torah study and Sunday morning religious school...but all remotely.

After our Livestream Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM) I'll discuss one of the surprising ecological teachings of the Torah's first portion at our Zoom Oneg Shabbat (8:15 PM)

At our Zoom Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM) we'll raise some questions about what the Creation story has to tell us about the differing standards applied to men and women.

I'd also like to cordially invite you to a Zoom Jewish Publication Society webinar that I am hosting and participating in next week on Wed. eve Oct. 21 (7:30 PM) with two dynamic Reform Rabbi colleagues on Abraham's Astonishing Legacy. Simply email office@jps.org for your invitation which will also supply you with a 40% discount on any JPS book on our website www.jps.org.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

For Livestream Shabbat (7:30-8:15 PM)
Go to YouTube.com and enter Adas Emuno Streaming in the search box, or try this link:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCftctPu9pRG4bBQCR6RH4Dg

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 08 Oct 2020 12:40:21 GMT

Oct. 8, 2020

Dear Friends,
So we come to the final holiday of the new Jewish year, as we celebrate at our Zoom Shabbat/Simchat Torah Family Service (7:30 PM), for all ages!
Please note the special link in this week’s email to members.
Yes, we will still read from the end of the Torah and the beginning of the Torah, and yes, we will all be called up (by birthday months) for the blessing of the Torah- all while we see each other. Yes, it may be a touch chaotic, but it will be happy chaos!

At our Zoom Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM) we'll take a final look at Moses through his last words in the last portion of the Torah.

For those who have been asking about copies of my sermons, see the news items below.
And a reminder to kindly return your Holiday prayer books to the bin on our school porch.

Shabbat shalom and Hag Sameach,
Rabbi Schwartz

Rabbi Schwartz's Sermon for Yom Kippur 5781

Lance Strate — Tue, 06 Oct 2020 20:43:38 GMT

SAY MY NAME

Yom Kipuur, 5781

Rabbi Barry L. Schwartz

On the afternoon of June 6, with masks and social distancing, Debby and I walked up Broad Avenue to join the Leonia Black Lives Matter protest. It was the largest gathering I had seen in our town. We marched to the library, and were led there in a rally. What moved me most, what gave me goose-bumps, despite the sweltering heat, was the chant, call and response style: Say my name! Say my name: George Floyd! Say my name: Breonna Taylor! Say my name: Ahmaud Arbery!

Say my name. The power of three words.

On this Yom Kippur, permit me a brief reflection on the power of naming, and the imperative to keep alive the story and the legacy behind every name.

The acclaimed Israeli poet Zelda published a poem in 1985 which has achieved iconic status. It is called L’kol Ish Yesh Shem—Each of Us Has a Name. It begins:

Each of us has a name

given by God

and given by our parents.

The notion that there is a divine-human partnership in the sacred act of naming goes all the way back to Book of Genesis:

And the Lord God formed out of the earth all the wild beasts and all the birds of the sky, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that would be its name. (2:19)

And when a baby is born in our tradition, we welcome this child into the covenant with a baby naming ceremony. The newborn becomes a person in the fullest sense once the baby has its own unique name.

Speaking of newborns: it is with the greatest of joy that Debby and I announce the birth of our grandson yesterday! Adin Doron Schwartz, Reuven Hershel ben Nadav v’Ita- welcome to the world.

(Too bad Adin is missing this sermon).

The Hebrew Bible attests to the significance of naming over and over again. God says to our first patriarch,

And you shall no longer be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, for I make you the father of a multitude of nations. (17:5)

And to our first matriarch,

As for your wife Sarai, you shall not call her Sarai, but her name shall be Sarah…I will bless her so that she shall give rise to nations… (17:15-16)

A name change also explains what we call ourselves. Jacob famously wrestles with an angel, who says

Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel, for you have wrestled with God and men and prevailed.

That’s our collective name as the Jewish people, Yisrael–the one who wrestles with God.

Do you know the meaning of your name? Do you know how it was chosen? Do you have an English name and a Hebrew name? Chances are that your parents thought long and hard about your name. They chose it for a reason. The liked the sound, yes, but they also cared about the meaning. They wanted your name to say something about you. In the Ashkenazic tradition your name may also bear the memory of a loved one. Your name has meaning. Your name has power.

It was not just a man who died in Minneapolis; it was George Floyd.

It was not just a woman who died in Louisville, it was Breonna Taylor.

It was not just a jogger who died in Atlanta, it was Ahmaud Arbery.

Names bestow personhood and names tell a story. Names keep alive memories and names perpetuate a legacy.

When I was first an assistant rabbi in the DC suburb of Chevy Chase, MD in the late 80’s I went to the National Mall on the day before Yom Kippur. I went to see the National AIDS Quilt. It was the last time that the Quilt was going to be seen in one place at one time. Sadly, because of that plague, it had grown too big to be displayed as a whole.

My parents, children, Debby and I walked up and down the rows, and I was overcome with emotion.

I knew how many people had died of Aids. I knew the statistics.

But seeing name after name lovingly stitched on a vibrant, colorful, unique square—that was what got to me.

Every person—with a unique name and a unique soul.

The dead cry out to us: Say my name! Remember me!

On this Yom Kippur in the midst of pandemic and protest, let us pause and reflect:

Who will say our name? Who will remember us?

And on this Yom Kippur in the midst of pandemic and protest we ask:

Who should we be naming? Whose legacy should we be remembering?

Those final words from Hamilton haunt us on this Yom Kippur: Who lives, who dies, who tells your story?

Say my name: keep alive the story of George Floyd; the story of Breonna Taylor; the story of Ahmaud Arbery; the story of ordinary men and women who did not deserve to die.

Say my name: keep alive the story of John Lewis; the story of Ruth Bader Ginsburg; the story of extraordinary men and women who did not give up.

Say my name: keep alive the story of Yisrael; our story, our people, who bear witness to the suffering and to the quest for equality and justice generation after generation.

Say my name: keep alive the story of America, also our story, our people, and do not give up on the dream of a more perfect union from sea to shining sea.

Here, now, on Yom Kippur, on behalf of the dead and on behalf of the living:

Say my name! Say my name! Say my name!

Rabbi Schwartz's Sermon for Kol Nidre 5781

Lance Strate — Tue, 06 Oct 2020 20:24:07 GMT

DEMOCRACY GRIEF

Kol Nidre, 5781

Rabbi Barry L. Schwartz

Soon after the death of George Floyd and the nation-wide protests that ensued, my colleague Rabbi Lance Sussman of Philadelphia, wrote this poem, entitled “I Can’t Breathe”:

I Can’t Breathe

by Rabbi Lance J. Sussman

I can’t breathe,

The knee of oppression

Is on my neck.

I can’t breathe,

The air of my city

Is filled with tear gas.

I can’t breathe,

I am filled with rage

And the smoke of burning buildings.

I can’t breathe

Because the air is filled with contempt for people of different colors.

I can’t breathe

Because my country is suffocating

And the air of democracy is getting thinner and thinner.

I can’t breathe

Because I am grieving for America

And praying its dreams aren’t dying

In the streets of our nation tonight.

I found this poem altogether powerful, but it was the end that struck me most—the line that “the air of democracy is getting thinner and thinner” and “I am grieving for America”.

I realized then that I was suffering from a malady that has recently been named, Democracy Grief.

The term is an outgrowth of another illness of recent coinage: Climate Grief—the despair felt by environmentalists watching helplessly as our planet suffocates. As columnist Michelle Goldberg explains, “Those who pay close attention to the ecological calamity that civilization is inflicting upon itself frequently describe feelings of rage, anxiety, and bottomless loss.” Greta Thunberg, Time magazine’s 2019 Person of the Year, has described falling into a deep depression after grasping the ramifications of climate change and the utter refusal of people in power to rise to the occasion. “If burning fossil fuels is so bad that it threatens our very existence, how can we just continue like before?” she asks.

I ask:

If prejudice and hate and racism are so bad that it threatens our very democratic existence how can we continue like before?

If the original sin of this nation still has us in shackles, how can we be free?

If the political discourse has so degraded that it keeps us at each other’s throats, how can we manage?

This summer I began my Independence Day Zoom Shabbat discussion by asking how people were feeling about our country. I asked our members to pick one word. The most common was fearful. Others were anxious, depressed. Only one member of our Zoom Shabbat congregation chose a positive word, optimistic.

In a recent Pew opinion poll on the same subject the most commonly chosen word was angry and the second scared. Only 17% chose proud.

Feelings like this are unsettling and they are unhealthy. They indicate, to my mind, more than malaise. They are a sign of deep anxiety about our nation. Democracy grief.

I spoke on that July 4th weekend about being a nation on edge because our feelings of disunion were overwhelming our feelings of union.

We feel disunion when our leaders fail to protect our nation during a pandemic.

We feel disunion when our leaders fail to seek common cause in a time of protest.

We feel disunion when our leaders fail the common test of decency in a crisis.

We feel disunion when other fellow Americans acquiesce in this recklessness.

We feel disunion when truth-telling falls victim to deceit and deception.

We feel disunion when courage bows to expediency and vision is lost to triumphalism.

In short, we feel disunion when our country is not pulling together but pulling apart.

We fear for our democracy.

And who among us does not tremble at least a touch at what may happen the day after the election in November?

Yes, the air of democracy is getting thinner and thinner.

But if there is one bright spot it is the American spirit that refuses to die.

The American spirit that dreams and marches for a more perfect union.

Maybe what we saw this late spring and summer and even now is that we are finally starting to move past denial.

Maybe what we have witnessed is the beginning of a reckoning like never before.

Henry Louis Gates, the esteemed Harvard professor, acidly observes that, “Racism has been part of America’s cultural DNA since before the ink dried on the Constitution. Dominant in some and recessive in others, it’s a gene that has mutated over time yet remains part of the inheritance weighing us down, one generation to the next.”

Dominant in some and recessive in others….

Not all of us are perpetrators, we know that. But all of us are bystanders. In one way or another by turning a blind eye we are enablers.

Is it not true that we abided by slavery for 250 years, from the earliest settlement of this continent until the Civil War?

Is it not true that we abided by Jim Crow segregation for another 100 years, from the Civil War to the Civil Rights era?

Is it not true that we have abided by de-facto if not de-jure discrimination for another 50 years since then?

We do the math and that adds up to four centuries; four hundred years. That has a painful resonance for us Jews. The Torah tells us that is how long the children of Israel were slaves in Egypt.

The same Torah that reminds us again and again, “Do not oppress the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.”

The same Torah that warns: “you shall not stand idly by”.

The same Torah that commands, “Justice, justice shall you pursue.”

On this troubled Yom Kippur we ask:

Are we calling out prejudice in our schools? In our workplaces? In our very families?

Are we demanding reform of our police? Of our prisons? Of our courts?

Are we narrowing the inequality gap or widening it?

Are we advancing affirmative action or stymying it?

What are we, as ordinary citizens, doing to strengthen the democratic foundations of our country? Our little part? In our little corner?

Here’s the thing about democracy grief vs. mourner’s grief. When we lose a loved-one, we grieve for a life that is lost forever. Our deceased have departed and will not return. What is lost is lost. Gone forever.

“Democracy grief isn’t like regular grief,” writes Goldberg. “Acceptance isn’t how you move on from it. Acceptance is itself a kind of death.”

Our democracy may be damaged but it is not dead.

The air may be getting thinner, but it can be replenished.

More Americans joined in protests after the horrifying death of George Floyd than in any other time in American history. More than the height of the civil rights era. More than the height of the Vietnam War era.

If this is an awakening of the American spirit, then our democracy will revive.

If our protests lead to an unrelenting call for reform, then we are breathing new air into our suffocating lungs.

If we understand, in the words of Dr. King that “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere,” and refuse to be satisfied with the mediocrity, hypocrisy and duplicity of our political establishment, then the arc of the moral universe, long as it is, will indeed bend toward justice.

The promise of that day has never been forgotten by our faith and by our country. It is captured in another remarkable poem, by Judy Chicago. With it, I conclude, knowing that though our grief is real, so too is our hope. We have come a long way. We have a long way to go. But a better day is waiting to dawn:

And Then

And then all that has divided us will merge.

And then compassion will be wedded to power.

And the softness will come to a world that is harsh and unkind.

And then both men and women will be gentle.

And then both women and men will be strong.

And then no person will be subject to another’s will.

And then all will be rich and free and varied.

And then the greed of some will give way to the needs of many.

And then all will share equally in the Earth’s abundance.

And then all will care for the sick and the weak and the old.

And then all will nourish the young.

And then all will cherish life’s creatures.

And then all will live in harmony with each other and the Earth.

And then everywhere will be called Eden once again.

Rabbi Schwartz's Prayer for Rosh Hashanah Evening 5781

Lance Strate — Tue, 06 Oct 2020 20:04:42 GMT

Rosh Hashanah Prayer for 5781

Rabbi Barry L. Schwartz

Eloheinu, velohei avotenu,

Our God, God of all generations:

Help us to thoughtfully reflect on the year just past and to courageously embrace this year just born.

Let us begin by remembering the overwhelming without despairing.

This past year will be forever etched in our memory as the year of the pandemic and the year of the protests.

We mourn the 948,000 souls who have perished in this pandemic worldwide; the 198,000 here in our own country; the 16,000 here in our small state of New Jersey.

Open the gates of healing for the bereaved and the bereft. There are so many mourners.

We bemoan the loss of lives and the loss of livelihoods—families shattered, businesses shuttered, jobs lost, dreams dashed.

Open the gates of our compassion for the hungry and the homeless, for the dispersed and the displaced—for all those suffering economically and emotionally.

Yet in this time of darkness let us also recall the points of light that illuminated our way—the heroic healthcare workers, the valiant front-line workers, the bus drivers and the grocery clerks who went to work to save lives and to sustain lives.

Open the gates of our gratitude for all the essential people in our families and communities.

Let us also acknowledge that the dark days of this past year grew darker still when another virus again reared its ugly head—the plague of systemic racism that has never gone away in our country. We are compelled to acknowledge that racism is indeed lodged in our nation’s DNA, born of the original sin of the enslavement of African Americans and the subjugation of Native Americans.

We must contend with our collective sins of commission as well as our sins of omission, for have we not all stood idly by?

In a free society, Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel taught us, some are guilty, but all are responsible.

Open for us the gates of insight and courage for the hard work of reconciliation and reparation that lies ahead if we are to form a more perfect union befitting our country.

Poised before a watershed election amidst bitter partisan divide, may we search anew for common ground that affirms the basic human dignity of every American regardless of race, religion or gender.

Open for us the gates of freedom and equality; the gates of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

In a nation so richly blessed make us more compassionate, more generous, more just.

Our God, God of all generations—at this New Year of hope and possibility may we find common purpose to do Your will; to rise to our greatest potential; to reflect our creation in Your image… and to walk forward, to peace and purpose.

Rabbi Schwartz's Sermon for Rosh Hashanah Morning 5781

Lance Strate — Tue, 06 Oct 2020 19:59:56 GMT

PANDEMIC MEMORIAM

Rosh Hashanah, 5781

Rabbi Barry L. Schwartz

Friends, I began my Rosh Hashanah prayer last night:

Eloheinu, velohei avotenu,

Our God, God of all generations:

Help us to thoughtfully reflect on the year just past and to courageously embrace this year just born.

Let us begin by remembering the overwhelming without despairing.

This past year will be forever etched in our memory as the year of the pandemic and the year of the protests.

We mourn the 948,000 souls who have perished in this pandemic worldwide; the 198,000 here in our own country; the 16,000 here in our small state of New Jersey.

Open the gates of healing for the bereaved and the bereft. There are so many mourners.

This Rosh Hashanah morning I ask: How can we begin the New Year of 5781 without first pausing in memoriam?

If our tradition teaches that “he who saves a life saves an entire world,” how can we comprehend the enormity of our loss in such a brief time?

After 9-11 the New York Times published the names and photos of all who were lost. It took many pages to include the 3,000 lives lost. Behind each photo was indeed an entire world—the world of a mother, father, daughter, son, sister, brother, husband, wife, friend, colleague. Even at that number we struggled to comprehend the loss we had endured.

Multiply that loss by 50 for our country and by 150 for our world and the magnitude of our loss is unfathomable. No newspaper can print all the names and photos of the dead; it would take volumes for that. No list can be complete; the final number will never be known.

When we say the kaddish on this Rosh Hashanah we cannot comprehend with the mind but we can empathize with the heart.

When we recite yizkor on this Yom Kippur we cannot name all the names but we can we can ask for mercy upon every soul.

After bowing in acknowledgment to the enormity of our loss, what else is there to say about the pandemic that has gripped our nation now more than six months—a half year ordeal with no immediate end in sight?

My Rosh Hashanah prayer continued:

We bemoan the loss of lives and the loss of livelihoods—families shattered, businesses shuttered; jobs lost, dreams dashed.

Open the gates of our compassion for the hungry and the homeless, for the dispersed and the displaced—for all those suffering economically and emotionally.

Yet in this time of darkness let us also recall the points of light that illuminated our way—the heroic healthcare workers, the valiant front-line workers, the bus drivers and the grocery clerks who went to work to save lives and to sustain lives.

Open the gates of our gratitude for all the essential people in our families and communities.

Let me tell you about one essential worker in NYC. She is a speech pathologist at Columbia Presbyterian right across the river, involved in acute trauma care. During the height of the pandemic when most of us were sequestered at home, she rode the subways and buses every day. She did not miss a day of work. She donned protective gear every morning, wearing mask, gown and face-shield for hours at a time. At first she was treating her usual list of sufferers of head, neck and throat cancers. Then the Covid patients started coming off the respirators. They were so weak they couldn’t swallow, couldn’t eat, and couldn’t talk. They were in desperate need of help. The number of Covid patients she treated grew and grew. For a stretch of several weeks in the spring her caseload was 95% Covid. Who is this unassuming hero? My daughter Talia Schwartz.

Think about all the healthcare workers like Talia. Think about the bus drivers and the truck drivers. The clerks and cashiers. The policemen and firemen. And the teachers who did not stop teaching our children.

I am appreciative to our mayors and our governors. They didn’t get it all right, but they tried, and they communicated, day after day. I am less kindly disposed to our president and federal government. We should decry our nation’s shortcomings during this crisis, even as we should hold our national leaders accountable. But this is not the time or place to go into that. We can applaud the thousands upon thousands of our fellow Americans who have helped get us through this ordeal.

Which brings me to our own community of Adas Emuno, and the gratitude I feel for your support—now, listening to this High Holiday service from afar, and throughout these last six months? Your response to my pre-recorded messages, to Zoom Shabbat, to Zoom Torah study, to Zoom Book Club, to Zoom Confirmation, to Zoom Family service, to Zoom B’nai mitzvah lessons, to Zoom religious school, has been phenomenal.

How we miss everything we took for granted—sitting next to each other in the sanctuary, joining hands for the healing prayer, touching the Torah during the procession, shaking hands to greet each other with a Shabbat Shalom, and Shana Tovah, enjoying the oneg in the social hall… the list goes on. I am confident all this will resume, but it will take time, a long time. I know I am speaking for the leadership of our synagogue when I say that we are grateful for your support and for your patience.

I think about how past generations of this synagogue survived the great pandemic of 1918. The Great Depression. The First and Second World Wars. I know they would smile to know that next year we will reach our milestone 150th anniversary. I indeed hope we can have a no-holds-barred in-person gala celebration. But even if we can’t, we will still rejoice.

This High Holiday marks my tenth year at Adas Emuno. I did not expect to complete the decade in this fashion. I do confess that looking out at an empty sanctuary is sad and unsettling. I miss you. But it is not hard for me, after all these years, to picture all of you right in front of me.

Life goes on, with its sorrows and joys. The absence of my father is still keenly felt. But any day now, with God’s help, Debby and I will be grandparents. Just think of all the stories we will be able to tell our grandson about the year he was born!

One point I hope to remind our youth who are too young to remember is that this pandemic, like all crises, brought out the best and the worst in us. The worst is grim: it led to tens of thousands of deaths that could have been averted. We pray that at the very least our government has learned enough to be better planned with a coordinated national plan to face a future disaster. It led to a national failure of resolve. It led to national loss of basic human empathy, as in “It is what it is.” We pray to never again become that callous

But we will also tell our children that millions of Americans sacrificed for the sake of others; that countless citizens embraced the timeless ethic of our tradition to “love your neighbor as yourself” and to protect the most vulnerable in our society. Even now we are called to rise to that challenge.

During the height of the pandemic I wrote these words to you and with them I conclude:

A Time to Every Purpose

To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under heaven

The ancient words of Ecclesiastes reach across time to our lives in a pandemic.

A time to be born and a time to die

As the rebirth of spring unfolds around us we mourn those taken from us.

A time to weep and a time to laugh

Even in our sorrow we reconnected to family and friends in new ways.

A time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing

“Social distancing” entered our vocabulary unwanted, but we found ways to hug from afar.

A time to rend and a time to sow

Many have lost livelihoods and more, yet we will rise up and rebuild.

A time to keep silent and a time to speak

We stand speechless at the dedication of our first-responders,

And are grateful for our leaders who inspired by word and deed.

A time for war and a time for peace

Our battle continues yet we do not lose hope that the storm will abate.

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 01 Oct 2020 20:12:17 GMT

Oct. 1, 2020

Dear Friends,
Having welcomed the New Year and Day of Atonement in unique fashion this year, onward to the celebration of Sukkot and Simchat Torah.

Our Livestream Shabbat-Sukkot Evening Service (7:30 PM) will be followed by our Zoom Oneg Shabbat (8:15 PM).

No pizza-in-the-hut this year, but on Sunday we have a special treat for you, a *Livestream Sukkot Concert* (5:00 PM) featuring our talented musicians Elka Oliver, Peter Hayes, Michael Scowden and Iris Karlin singing many of your favorites from the American and Israeli songbooks. This is special—we hope you will tune in!

Please note that our Shabbat Morning Torah Study will not meet this week, but for a very good reason, as the brit of our grandson Adin Doron Schwartz will take place at the very same time!

And keep in mind that our Shabbat-Simchat Torah Family Service is next week, Oct. 9 (7:30 PM), via Zoom, with a big (virtual) celebration of the Torah.

Shabbat shalom and Hag Sameach,
Rabbi Schwartz

PS- Kindly return your Holiday prayer books to the bin on the school porch at any time.

For Livestream Shabbat (7:30-8:15 PM) and Livestream Sukkot Concert (Sunday, 5 PM)
Go to YouTube.com and enter Adas Emuno Streaming in the search box, or try this link:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCftctPu9pRG4bBQCR6RH4Dg
Look for a picture of the Temple with the word "Live" and click and wait for the service to start, or join the service in progress.

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 24 Sep 2020 12:30:54 GMT

Sept. 24. 2020

Dear Friends,
The Sabbath between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur is called Shabbat Shuva - The Sabbath of Return - and features a unique blend of sabbath and holiday music.
Experience this blend at our Livestream Shabbat (7:30 PM) followed by our Zoom Oneg Shabbat (8:15 PM) where we have the opportunity to reflect on the remarkable legacy of Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

The second meeting of our Zoom Torah Study (10:00 AM) takes place on Shabbat morning, and it’s not too late to join our year of studying the weekly portion with the great medieval commentator Rashi.

Our Religious School meets virtually on Sunday morning (9:00 AM). Then, of course, comes the Day of Atonement with Yom Kippur Evening Service (8:00 PM), with Student Cantor Ilana Goldman and her mother Amy Goldman playing cello in a stirring new rendition of Kol Nidrei that you will not want to miss!

On Monday: Yom Kippur Morning Services (10:00 AM), Children's Service (2:00 PM) and Afternoon, Yizkor, and Neilah Services (4-30-6:30 PM) will keep us soulfully busy all day.

Shabbat shalom and Shanah tovah,
Rabbi Schwartz

For Livestream Services
Go to YouTube.com and enter Adas Emuno Streaming in the search box, or try this link:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCftctPu9pRG4bBQCR6RH4Dg

Look for a picture of the Temple with the word "Live" and click and wait for the service to start or join the service in progress.

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 17 Sep 2020 12:57:12 GMT

Sept. 17, 2020

Dear Friends,
We will so miss seeing each other in person for the New Year.
But we sincerely hope you will tune in to our livestream Shabbat/Rosh Hashanah services:

Evening (8:00 PM), Morning (10:00 AM), Children's (2:00 PM).

I know you will love the singing of Student Cantor Ilana Goldman and we have worked hard to make this an enjoyable and meaningful worship experience.

If you feel comfortable attending, we will meet and greet each other in person at Tashlich on Rosh Hashanah afternoon (3:30 PM) by the water at New Overpeck Park. Bring your mask, breadcrumbs, or pebbles, for the very short, socially-distanced ceremony.

With warmest wishes for a new year of health, peace, and justice,

Shabbat shalom and shanah tovah,
Rabbi Schwartz

Note-Holiday prayer books are now available in the bin on the school porch.

For Livestream Shabbat and Holiday Services
Go to YouTube.com and enter Adas Emuno Streaming in the search box, or try this link:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCftctPu9pRG4bBQCR6RH4Dg

Join Us for High Holy Day Services on Youtube

Wed, 16 Sep 2020 15:49:33 GMT

Dear Friends,

As we approach the High Holidays this year it will certainly be a season of firsts at Congregation Adas Emuno. Our Holiday services are always a highlight of our year and an opportunity to come together as a community in prayer and reflection. As you know, this year we are compelled to gather virtually using our new live-streaming capabilities. We hope that you will join us with the same spirit you have historically brought to our in-person services. I know that Rabbi Schwartz and student cantor Ilana Goldman along with accompaniest Beth Robin will inspire you!

Shanah Tovah,
Michael Fishbein
President

Schedule of Services and Events:

Rosh Hashanah

Erev Rosh Hashanah Service
Friday, September 18 - 8 PM
Rosh Hashanah Services
Saturday, September 19

Rosh Hashanah Service - 10 AM
Rosh Hashanah Children's Service - 2 PM
Taschlich (Overpeck Park - Boat Dock) - 3:30 PM

Yom Kippur

Kol Nidre Service
Sunday, September 27 - 8 PM
Yom Kippur Services
Monday, September 28

Morning Service - 10 AM
Children's Service - 2 PM
Afternoon, Yizkor and Concluding Service - 4:30 PM

Live -Streaming Tips

Access YouTube in a browser or on a Smart TV
Search Adas Emuno Streaming
When a service begins streaming the live video will appear on your screen. Before the service begins you will see a static photo of either the front of the temple or the interior of the sanctuary

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 10 Sep 2020 12:22:03 GMT

Sep.10, 2020,

Dear Friends:
We are off and running with Livestream Shabbat!
Tune into our YouTube Channel (see below) to enjoy our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30-8:15 PM).
   I think those who joined us last week will agree that Student Cantor Iris's singing and piano playing is something special!
Then just click on the link for our Zoom Oneg Shabbat  (8:15-8:45 PM) for sermon and schmooze.
I'll offer some thoughts on the fast approaching New Year.

Our Shabbat Morning Zoom Torah study begins this week (10:00 AM).
Our Religious School likewise begins this week, on Sunday (9:00 AM) with a virtual gathering and an exciting program of on-line learning, under the direction of our new educator, Shira Friedman.

Please come by (with your mask and social distancing) to say hello, see our butterfly garden, and pick up your Holiday prayer book, and a gift from me, on Thursday (7:00 PM) or Sunday (1:00 PM).

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

For Livestream Shabbat (7:30-8:15 PM)
Go to YouTube.com and enter Adas Emuno Streaming in the search box, or try this link:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCftctPu9pRG4bBQCR6RH4Dg
We recommend that you subscribe by clicking the big letter "A" in a circle.
Look for a picture of the Temple with the word "Live" and click and wait for the service to start, or join the service in progress.

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 03 Sep 2020 12:22:03 GMT

Sept. 3, 2020

Dear Friends:
Welcome to Livestream Shabbat!
Tune into our YouTube Channel (see below) to enjoy our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30-8:15 PM).
We formally welcome student cantor Iris Karlin.
You are not going to want to miss Iris's singing and piano playing!

Then just click on the link for our Zoom Oneg Shabbat (8:15-8:45 PM) for sermon and schmooze!
Our discussions have been lively of late, and we will see each other's smiling faces.
That's our weekly plan,and we hope to see you early and often!
And this week I have invited Lance Strate to lead the discussion based on his provocative article in The Jewish Standard about how we are (mis)handling the pandemic even now.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

For Livestream Shabbat (7:30-8:15 PM)
Go to YouTube.com and enter Adas Emuno Streaming in the search box, or try this link:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCftctPu9pRG4bBQCR6RH4Dg
We recommend that you subscribe by clicking the big letter "A" in a circle or the word “Subscribe.”
Look for a picture of the Temple with the word "Live" and click and wait for the service to start, or join the service in progress.

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 27 Aug 2020 21:07:52 GMT

Aug. 27, 2020

Dear Friends,
How do we understand our history?
That is one of the key questions behind the Book of Deuteronomy that we are currently reading in the Torah portion cycle, and the motivating force behind "The 1619 Project" and the counter "The 1620 Project" that you may have read about recently.
We'll examine these differing schools at our Zoom Shabbat (7:30 PM).

Next week we begin Live-stream Shabbat from our sanctuary, and I know you will love hearing student cantor Iris Karlin with our enhanced audio-visual capability, and with guitar and piano.
The sermon/discussion segment, however, will still continue on interactive Zoom.
Don't worry, we'll lay out the instructions for both.

But for now our intrepid and indefatigable president Michael Fishbein needs a crew to help him with broadcasting our Shabbat and Holiday service. Are you a bit tech-savvy and willing to do a real mitzvah? If so, please let us know!

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 20 Aug 2020 16:41:13 GMT

Aug. 20, 2020

Dear Friends,
One hundred years ago this week Congress ratified the 19th Amendment to the Constitution granting women the right to vote.

At our Zoom Shabbat (7:30 PM) we will celebrate this milestone anniversary of the Suffrage Act, and discuss the Jewish pioneers who helped bring about this turning point in American history.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

Torah Study Resumes in September

Fri, 14 Aug 2020 15:28:41 GMT

Dear Friends,

As the summer winds down, it's time for my annual Torah study letter.

This year I'm happy to announce that we will be studying Torah with Rashi.

We'll read the weekly portion with the sage considered the greatest commentator in Jewish history.

We'll do so with the help of a wonderful recent book called The JPS Rashi Discussion Torah Commentary.

Torah study begins on Sept 12, and a full schedule will be listed on the congregational calendar.

Books will be available from me during the High Holiday book distribution on Sept. 10 (7-8PM) or from the school porch all the next day.

A contribution of $20 is kindly requested.

You may also order the book directly from JPS (1-800-848-6224) or online www.jps.org or Amazon.

Torah study will be conducted via Zoom until further notice, and a Zoom invitation will be forthcoming.

While not ideal, the many of you who completed last year in this fashion know that good learning and discussion ensued.

Please let anyone you think might be interested know, and we hope to see you there!

Shalom,
Rabbi Barry L. Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emino

Thu, 13 Aug 2020 15:33:32 GMT

Aug. 13, 2020

Dear Friends,
Did you ever wonder why Judaism changed from a tabernacle based religion, to a Temple-in-Jerusalem based religion, to a synagogue based religion?

This week's Torah portion, and commentary to it, offers an interesting clue, which we will explore at our Zoom Shabbat (7:30 PM).

Our book club has been growing. Mark your calendar for the next meeting, Monday eve. Sept 14 (8:00 PM- note time change). The timely and provocative short story that I have selected has been posted at our website, so you can already read it: https://adasemuno.org/bookclub/.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 06 Aug 2020 12:02:58 GMT

Aug.6, 2020

Dear Friends,
I recently read a devastating essay by a well-known London writer called The American Idiot which goes a long way in explaining not only why the pandemic is surging again but many other things happening in our country.
Believe it or not, the roots of the phenomenon are actually addressed in our Torah portion, and I will discuss both the portion and the article at our Zoom Shabbat (7:30 PM).

This week (or shortly) you will be receiving important information regarding the fall and Holidays, so please be on the look-out, and do not hesitate to contact me or Temple president Michael Fishbein with any questions or comments.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 30 Jul 2020 12:17:42 GMT

July 30, 2020

Dear Friends,
Both ancient Israel and modern Israel are fixated on borders- just look at the Torah portion and the news.
Should Israel be annexing the West Bank?
Has the point of no return been passed?
We'll look at perspectives old and new at our Zoom Shabbat (7:30 PM)

For those who don't receive the Jewish Standard, here is a link to last week's cover story on our Ethiopian Jewish tapestry and the new children's book I have created based on it:
https://jewishstandard.timesofisrael.com/on-eagles-wings-2/

Shabbat shalom,
Barry

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 23 Jul 2020 15:42:45 GMT

July 23, 2020

Dear Friends,
At our Zoom Shabbat Service (7:30 PM) I'll offer a tribute to civil rights pioneer John Lewis, who I had the privilege to personally meet a few years ago.

I'm also hosting the next meeting of the Zoom Adas Emuno Book Club on Monday (7:30 PM), which promises to be timely and provocative.

Finally, I invite you to join the Zoom Reform Community Tisha B'av Service on Wed. (7:30 PM) with guest speaker Rabbi Amy Bolton.

Links to join these events are in this week’s message from the Rabbi.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 09 Jul 2020 12:43:48 GMT

July 9, 2020

Dear Friends,
The debate over facing ourselves and our history during this unsettled time is proving provocative and fascinating.
This week I'd like to comment on the blockbuster musical Hamilton, which has just been released on the screen, in light of the current critique.

Please note that our Zoom Shabbat (7:30 PM) invitation has changed for the duration of the summer. See the email you received today for the new link to the service.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Fri, 03 Jul 2020 19:26:35 GMT

July 2, 2020

Dear Friends,
This 4th of July feels so different, given the pandemic and the protests.
At our Zoom Shabbat service (7:30 PM) I'll speak about the reality behind that feeling, and invite you to share your thoughts as we approach a unique Independence Day.
Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 25 Jun 2020 12:40:21 GMT

June 25, 2020

Dear Friends,
What should we do with those Confederate monuments that are still standing? With monuments to past presidents who were slave owners? With explorers who were colonialists? Does Judaism, which is so concerned about memory and justice, help inform the debate?
We'll discuss this at our Zoom Shabbat service (7:30 PM), which thanks to so many of you, continues to garner great support.
Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 11 Jun 2020 17:31:34 GMT

June 11, 2020

Dear Friends,
I am gratified at all the support for Zoom Shabbat (7:30 PM).
This week we will continue our discussion of the protests that are roiling our nation.

At our Zoom Book Club (7:30 PM) I will offer a special introduction on the enduring significance of the great philosopher Baruch Spinoza as prelude to the classic Isaac Bashevis Singer short story, The Spinoza of Market Street.

A reminder that our Annual Meeting will take place (also via Zoom) next Thursday, June 18 (7:00 PM).

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 04 Jun 2020 14:04:48 GMT

June 4, 2020

Dear Friends,
We are all in shock once again at what is happening in our country.
At our Shabbat Evening Zoom Service (7:30 PM) we will relate to this in both our prayers and the sermon/discussion that will follow.
I am gratified for your support of these services; last week we has some forty people in attendance.
We celebrate the bar mitzvah of Griffin Lawrence at a Shabbat Morning Zoom Service (11:00 AM). Mazal tov to Griffin and his family!
Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

PS The Zoom Shabbat Evening link remains the same.
Prayer books may still be picked up from the bag on my front porch.

This Week at Adas Emino

Thu, 28 May 2020 13:03:21 GMT

May 28, 2020

Dear Friends,
The holiday of Shavuot begins at sundown, which celebrates the giving of the Torah and when we traditionally chant the Ten Commandments, read the Book of Ruth, and eat cheese blintzes.

Our Reform movement has some nice virtual programming that you can find at the URJ's website: https://urg.org.

We will celebrate the holiday with a special creative reading based on the Book of Ruth, at our Zoom Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

I am very gratified at the great start for Zoom Shabbat last week, with some thirty people in attendance.
This week's service will feature a bit more English and varying melodies.
And we will have a special guest musical appearance!

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

P. S. The Zoom link remains the same. Email board@adasemuno.org if you need the Zoom details.

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 21 May 2020 15:37:57 GMT

May 21, 2020
Dear Friends,
As we move to our summer schedule we are happy to announce: Zoom Shabbat!
Join me each week (7:30 PM) for 20/20- a twenty minute service followed by a twenty minute sermon/discussion.
The weekly sign-in information was emailed to members. Check your email for that information
Prayer books can be picked up from a bag on the porch of the religious school at any time.
This week, in honor of Memorial Day, I will tell the story of a remarkable project to identify the graves of Jewish soldiers of WWII mistakenly buried as Christians.
Each week we'll linger at our virtual oneg to catch up with one another.
Zoom Shabbat! Try it; you'll like it.
Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Fri, 15 May 2020 13:19:51 GMT

May 15, 2020

Dear Friends,
This was scheduled to be a big weekend at Adas Emuno and it remains so.

But first, here is my Special Shabbat Video Message #9 (and likely my last-see below).

Our Shabbat Evening Confirmation Service (7:30 PM) will take place via Zoom (by invitation only to keep it small) and we congratulate our graduating 10th graders Blake Klein and Lilly Futeran.

Our final Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM) will take place via Zoom as we conclude our year long discussion of "Turning points in Jewish History".

Our Religious School year also ends, with our Closing Ceremony (11:30 AM) on Sunday via Zoom, and I take this opportunity to extend my thanks to all who helped make it a success during our challenging time.

This week we were able to install high speed internet in our sanctuary, and we hope to begin offering Shabbat evening services via Zoom next week. In a few weeks we will install a high quality live-streaming camera system that will make possible an even better viewing capability.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

Rabbi Schwartz's Shabbat Message 5/15/2020

Lance Strate — Thu, 14 May 2020 22:45:31 GMT

This Week at Adas Emuno

Fri, 08 May 2020 19:17:38 GMT

May 8, 2020

Dear Friends,
My Special Shabbat Video Message is a shout-out to all you moms out there (and it’s under 5 min.).

Our Shabbat Morning Zoom Torah Study (10:00 AM) looks at the mass migration of Eastern European Jews that made America home to the greatest Jewish community in the world.

Sunday Morning Zoom Confirmation Class (11:00 AM) is part of our remote learning religious school program.

Do you have some flowering plants that you can spare for our new Butterfly Garden? We still have space and donations are gratefully accepted.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

Rabbi Schwartz's Shabbat Message 5/8/2020

Lance Strate — Thu, 07 May 2020 19:52:16 GMT

This week at Adas Emuno

Fri, 01 May 2020 13:08:50 GMT

This Week at Adas Emuno

May 1, 2020
Dear Friends,
   Amidst the pandemic Israel celebrated her 72nd Independence Day this week, and we rejoice with her
   My Special Shabbat Video Message (#7) includes the prayer for the State of Israel and Hatikvah (sing with me!)—see below.

   Shabbat Morning Zoom Torah Study (10:00AM) will appropriately enough look at the miraculous founding of the State of Israel in 1948.

   Sunday Morning Zoom Confirmation Class (11:00AM) takes place in addition to our other grades meeting remotely.

   You should be receiving your latest edition of our Kadima newsletter and a special thanks to Sandy Zornek and Michael Scowden for a such a memorable issue in this trying time.

Finally, on a upbeat note: we are planting our new butterfly garden beginning this weekend, at the entrance to our peace garden. If you (or someone you know) have appropriate plants to donate (now or later in the season) they will be gratefully received- please contact me.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

Rabbi Schwartz's Shabbat Message 5/1/2020

Lance Strate — Thu, 30 Apr 2020 19:57:25 GMT

This Week at Adas Emino

Fri, 24 Apr 2020 20:24:23 GMT

This Week at Adas Emuno

April 24, 2020

Dear Friends,
This week, amidst our ongoing quarantine, we marked Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day) on Tuesday and Earth Day on Wednesday. My Special Shabbat Video Message relates to both (see below).

No less than thirty people joined us last week for our Shabbat Morning Zoom Torah Study (10:00 AM). This week focuses on the impact of the Holocaust on Jewish history; next week on the founding of Israel. You are welcome to join us for any or all of our remaining sessions of the school year by contacting me.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

PS- Please note that we have been reciting our weekly yarzheit names of loved ones and kaddish at our Torah study.

Rabbi Schwartz's Shabbat Message 4/24/2020

Lance Strate — Thu, 23 Apr 2020 18:06:13 GMT

This Week at Adas Emuno

Fri, 17 Apr 2020 13:13:47 GMT

This Week at Adas Emuno

April 17, 2020
Dear Friends,
Even as we struggle with the tragedy of the pandemic we strive to adapt in our homes, schools, work, and synagogue.

I continue to offer a Special Shabbat Video Message, which you can find in the news item below.

   We resumed Torah study via Zoom last week with more than 20 participants. If you would like to join us, just let me know. We meet on Shabbat morning (10:00AM).

Confirmation class will meet via Zoom this Sunday; students in our school are engaged in remote learning with their teachers and our b'nai mitzvah students continue with their Torah portion lessons.

   Our Board of Trustees conducted its second monthly meeting via Zoom.

   I'm also having a special Zoom service with K-2 this Shabbat since they were deprived of their family service last month (by invitation only to keep it small).

   I guess I should own stock in Zoom!
   And I can't wait to bag it- and see you in person!

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

PS Matzah Exchange- Some of us eat matzah all year. Others can't wait to get it out of the house after Pesach. If you have unopened boxes of matzah, bring them in a bag to the porch of our school. Next week I'll let you know when I will set them out for any takers!

Rabbi Schwartz's Shabbat Message 4/17/2020

Lance Strate — Thu, 16 Apr 2020 17:25:05 GMT

Kadima Reminder

Sat, 11 Apr 2020 01:53:09 GMT

Please share your Shabbat and Passover reflections, stories and/or photos with us for the upcoming Kadima. Submissions should be sent to Sandy Zornek (sandzor@gmail.com) using the subject line: Kadima. We look forward to sharing as a way to keep our community connected despite our physical distance.

Rabbi Schwartz's Shabbat Message 4/10/2020

Lance Strate — Thu, 09 Apr 2020 23:14:05 GMT

Kadima Message

Wed, 08 Apr 2020 18:01:37 GMT

I'd Love to Hear From You!

I'd like to wish you all a Happy Pesach (Passover).
In our tradition, tonight we ask, “Why is this night different from all other nights?" Well, this year we can add, “How is this Passover seder different from all other Passover seders?"

I am sure that many of you are preparing for this evening with a mix of emotions resulting from our inability to connect with family and friends as we typically would. As a community we are united in our need to deviate from long standing traditions and look for new ways to connect and retell our story for the safety of those we cherish most.

I am writing in hopes that many of you will share your Passover and Shabbat stories with me for the May/June edition of Kadima.  You can send your reflections, social distancing tips and photos to me directly via email.  Please share no later than April 20th.

Chag Sameach,
Sandy Zornek
Adas Emuno Communications

Rabbi Schwartz's Shabbat Message 4/3/2020

Lance Strate — Thu, 02 Apr 2020 17:44:41 GMT

Rabbi Schwartz's Shabbat Message 3/27/2020

Lance Strate — Thu, 26 Mar 2020 17:58:23 GMT

Rabbi Schwartz's Shabbat Message 3/20/2020

Lance Strate — Fri, 20 Mar 2020 19:27:47 GMT

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 19 Mar 2020 14:39:24 GMT

This Week at Adas Emuno

March 19, 2020
Dear Friends,
This has been a week like no other and I pray you are finding calm and strength through the daily disruptions facing us all.

   Regretfully the NJ curfew and Leonia shutdown compels us to suspend Shabbat evening services.

All other activities at the synagogue are already suspended. Plans are bring drawn up to continue religious school and b'nai mitzvah tutoring via distance learning.

   Our Board meeting will be conducted via Zoom this evening, and we will determine if and when services will be conducted on-line.

   I have personally contacted all our seniors that live alone to ensure that their essential needs are being addressed.

As is well known, our tradition places the imperative of pikuach nefesh, the saving of life, above all else.

   And to quote NY Mets Pete Alonso, who put it so simply: "It's our duty to protect people who are at high risk."

   When we remind ourselves that all the disruptions we are facing are toward this goal, perhaps it makes it just a bit easier.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

Our Coronavirus Plans

Fri, 13 Mar 2020 11:56:41 GMT

March 13, 2020

Dear Congregants,

At this time of high anxiety and disruption due to the coronavirus, and in light of the state of emergency declared in Bergen County, we want to convey to you the important steps being taken by our congregation as determined by our leadership last night:

1. Religious school is suspended until further notice.

Our policy will be guided by that of the Leonia school district, and we are hoping to institute distant learning opportunities in the near future.

2. Shabbat morning Torah study is suspended until further notice.

The high proportion of seniors sitting in close proximity for an extended period elevates the risk of this activity.

3. Shabbat evening services will take place, but without the ‘oneg’ that usually follows.

We deem this the heart of our congregational activity, and low risk given the ability to spread out in the sanctuary, whereas the social/eating aspect downstairs elevates risk.

Monthly Family Services will not take place, as the larger attendance in closer proximity also elevates risk.

Extra-cleaning and hygiene precautions will be put into effect.

B’nai mitzvah tutoring, which is one-on-one, will continue but non-essential group meetings should be postponed.

We are a faith community that prides itself on social connection but we understand the unprecedented community imperative to observe social distancing during this pandemic.

We join with all our fellow citizens in prayers for strength, wisdom and healing during this time of trial.

Shabbat shalom,

Michael Fishbein and Rabbi Barry Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 12 Mar 2020 12:47:36 GMT

This Week at Adas Emuno

March 12, 2020
Dear Friends,

   We are all concerned about the coronavirus and a statement on the prudent steps being taken by the congregational leadership will be forthcoming in a separate email shortly.

   Our Shabbat evening service (7:30 PM) will take place as planned.

   Please note, however, that the special Shabbat morning collaborative Torah study at Temple Sinai has been cancelled. We will therefore take a one week hiatus from Torah study.

   Religious school on Sunday includes Confirmation.

Sincere thanks to all who made Purim such a joyous celebration this week amidst everything that is happening- it was good to celebrate and laugh!

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 05 Mar 2020 13:12:39 GMT

This Week at Adas Emuno

March 5,
Dear Friends,
So here's the Purim countdown:
1. Purim Quiz- at our Shabbat evening service (7:30 PM).
2. Purim Carnival- Sunday during religious school.
3. Purim Pizza Dinner, Monday (6:00 PM)- free!
4. Purim Service and Spiel, Monday (7:00 PM)- for all ages!

   Our spiel is a new "improv" style performance- don't miss it!

Our regular Shabbat Morning Torah study takes place as well (10:00 AM), on the rise of the Hasidic movement.

   And don't forget to "spring ahead" one hour with your clocks on Saturday night.

Shabbat shalom and Happy Purim,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 27 Feb 2020 13:18:32 GMT

This Week at Adas Emuno

Feb. 27, 2020
Dear Friends,
   It's been a pleasure to have a variety of guest cantors at Shabbat services, and we invite you to experience this for yourself.
   We welcome guest student cantor Robyn Streitman at our Shabbat evening service (7:30 PM).

   I plan on talking about The Other Election. I'm referring to the World Zionist Election (voting closes in two weeks), and why it is very important for every Reform Jew to cast a vote. If you can't hear my remarks, just go to www.arza.org to find out everything you need to know.

   A great many of us are Jews of Eastern European descent who trace our roots to Poland. At our Shabbat morning Torah study (10:00AM) we'll look at the golden age of Polish Jewry, and how that too came crashing down.

   As prelude to our next holiday, our Tot Purim program takes place this Sunday (9:30 AM).
Keep in mind that our big Purim celebration on Monday evening Mar. 9 is for all ages. With free pizza and salad, a megillah reading and a new spiel- what's not to like?!

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Fri, 21 Feb 2020 12:55:03 GMT

This Week at Adas Emuno

Feb. 20, 2020
Dear Friends,
   We welcome Grade 3-4 at our Shabbat Evening Family Service (7:30 PM), who will be musically accompanied by Reina Stern and with Torah reading by Judy Aaronson.

   You've heard about the Spanish Inquisition and the Expulsion of the Jews in 1492. Why do the repercussions of this event reverberate to this day? We take a look during our Shabbat morning Torah study (10:00 AM).

   Mark your calendar for all things Purim: Tot-Purim on Sun. Mar. 1 (9:30 AM), Purim Carnival on Sun. Mar. 8 (11:00AM), Free Purim Pizza dinner, Mon., Mar. 9 (6:00PM), Purim Service and Spiel (7:00 PM).

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 13 Feb 2020 13:56:47 GMT

This Week at Adas Emuno

Feb. 13, 2020
Dear Friends,
We welcome guest student cantor Ilana Goldman to our Shabbat evening service (7:30 PM).

The Torah portion is a big one- the Ten Commandments, and we'll explore the meaning of the fifth, honoring parents.

Our oneg is being sponsored by two other guests, well-known to our congregation: Virginia Gitter, in honor of her son Cary's play opening off-Broadway, and my mother, Barbara Schwartz, at the first yarzheit for my father.

Ever hear of kabbalah- Jewish mysticism? At our Shabbat morning Torah study (10:00 AM) we'll look at the rise of this phenomena in medieval Europe.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

PS- It's Presidents Day Weekend, and school is on break.
Purim is coming- Mon. eve Mar.9- mark your calendar!

Cantorial Schedule

Wed, 05 Feb 2020 13:50:12 GMT

Guest Cantorial Schedule

Feb. 4, 2020
Dear Friends,
We are very pleased to announce that four cantorial guests will be singing at select Shabbat evening services over the next four months.
   Cantor Kathy Barr will sing this week (Tu Bishvat) as well as on Mar. 6, Apr.3, Apr.24 (Yom HaShoah) and May 29 (Shavuot).
   Student Cantor Ilana Goldman will sing on Feb. 14, Mar.13 and Apr. 17.
   Student Cantor Robyn Streitman will sing on Feb. 28, Mar. 27 and May 8.
Reina Stern will sing on Feb.21, Mar.20 (family services), May 1 and May 15 (Confirmation).

  We encourage you to meet our guests and enjoy this wonderful musical diversity.

Shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

Join the Purim Spiel Cast!

Mon, 03 Feb 2020 14:43:34 GMT

Our annual Purim Spiel will take place Monday, March 9. We will be singing four songs taken from Lance’s previous spiels.

This year there will be no heavy, cumbersome script books to lug. All the dialogue will be improvised! We will have 4-6 rehearsals on Tuesdays nights beginning Feb. 11. Michael Fishbein will be directing the show, unless someone competent wants to.

The story of Purim will inspire the spiel, but the dialogue in each scene will be improvised. You can be as quirky or nutty or heroic as you want to be and we will all work together to bring off a great show. No long rehearsals if things go according to plan. Perhaps one rehearsal the Sunday before the spiel.

Be brave! Be silly! Be beautiful! Be evil! Be heroic! It’s Purim!!

If you are interested in participating in this once-and-never-again spiel, please email michaelrfishbein@gmail.com.

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 30 Jan 2020 15:06:41 GMT

This Week at Adas Emuno

Jan. 30, 2020
Dear Friends,
   This past week marked the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, and in Israel there was an unprecedented gathering of world leaders to mark the occasion.What lessons are we to learn from this? I 'd like to share a provocative piece in this regard at our Shabbat evening service (7:30 PM).

   Much has been made of the "Golden Age" of Spanish Jewry. That's the next subject of our year-long Turning Points in Jewish History at our Shabbat morning Torah study (10:00 AM).

   For those who enjoy community learning the annual Sweet Tastes of Torah evening takes place at Temple Israel of Ridgewood this Saturday night (6:30 PM).

   And please mark you calendar: our annual Seder Tu Bishvat follows our service next week on the 7th, as does a special Tot program for the holiday on the 9th.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 16 Jan 2020 13:52:22 GMT

This Week at Adas Emuno

Jan. 16, 2020
Dear Friends,
As we enter the Martin Luther King, Jr. weekend, and begin the book of Exodus in our annual Torah reading cycle, we'll look at the connection between the two at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

Our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM) begins its second semester of Turning Points in Jewish History with the epic event that transformed the Jews and Judaism- the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Second Temple.

At our Sunday school service (and Confirmation) we will also celebrate the legacy of Dr. King and the Exodus.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

While the Rabbi Is Away

Thu, 02 Jan 2020 14:01:02 GMT

Lance will be filling in for the Rabbi the next two weeks. Lance will lead services this Friday and next week. His d’var torah will focus on the poet Emma Lazarus. Lance writes:

We all know the lines, "give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free," which are engraved on the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty, but how much do you know about the greatest Jewish-American writer of the 19th century, native New Yorker Emma Lazarus? This week's d'var torah will be devoted to the story of the woman whose words helped to shape and define our national character and gave voice to the aspirations of the Jewish people, and will include readings of her poetry.

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 26 Dec 2019 13:21:33 GMT

This Week at Adas Emuno

Dec. 28, 2019
Dear Friends,
Our celebration of Hanukkah continues at our Shabbat- Hanukkah Evening Service (7:00PM), when we first light our outdoor menorah and then our 119 year-old congregational menorah.
Since this is the last service of the secular year, its also time for my annual The Rabbi's Top-Ten Jewish News Stories of the Year.

The next morning we finish the first semester of Turning Points in Jewish History at our Shabbat morning Torah study (10:00 AM).

On Saturday evening join us for lighting, latkes, dreidels, and song at our Community Hanukkah Party (7:00 PM). Bring your menorah and latkes (if they are better than Trader Joe's!).

Shabbat shalom and Happy Hanukkah and Happy New Year,
Rabbi Schwartz

PS Please note that religious school resumes on Jan. 5, Torah study on Jan. 18 and Lance Strate will graciously fill in for me with the cantor at services on Jan. 3 and 10.

Chanukah! Hanukkah!

Sat, 21 Dec 2019 23:17:50 GMT

Community Candle Lighting - 7 PM - Beginning Sunday, December 22 and continuing every night of Chanukah on the front lawn. Join us (regardless of weather) for blessings, songs and maybe even a holiday themed joke.
Community Chanukah Party - 7 PM - Saturday, December 28 in the social hall. We'll begin by lighting the outdoor menorah. Then we'll warm up inside with some tasty latkes, jelly donuts and more. You are welcome to bring a menorah to light in the social hall and your favorite latkes to share. You can enter your best latkes into the latke contest and earn bragging rights all year. Bring friends and family to this festive annual tradition at Adas Emuno. Fun for all ages!

Help for the Homeless

Fri, 20 Dec 2019 20:56:29 GMT

Hi everyone!

My name is Hannah Futeran and I am madrich at the Hebrew school. I am also a member of the Bergen County Junior Commission on the Status of Women. As part of this group, I am collecting NEW socks, hats, and gloves for Project Homeless Connect, which supports homeless people in Bergen County. This is a great way for members of our congregation to help those who are less fortunate during the holidays. I have put a collection box in the sanctuary and will collect the donations on the morning of January 12. We are so grateful that the synagogue is supporting this good cause!

Thank you so much,

Hannah

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 19 Dec 2019 16:43:30 GMT

This Week at Adas Emuno

Dec. 20, 2019

Hanukkah here we come!

At our Shabbat evening service (7:30 PM) we'll learn some little known facts about Hanukkah.

At our Shabbat morning Torah study (10:00 AM) we'll look at the Maccabean revolt that started the whole story through the lens of the Books of the Maccabees.

Beginning Sunday night we will light our ancient menorah outside the Temple at precisely 7:00 PM. As our president Michael Fishbein said last week, the real miracle is that our menorah still works.
Rain or shine or snow we'll say the blessings, sing a new song, and tell a new story (or joke) every night.
Keep in mind that next week we'll also light our antique indoor Temple menorah (nearly 120 years old) at both our Shabbat service on the 27th and our Hanukkah party on the 28th.

Shabbat shalom and Happy Hanukkah,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 12 Dec 2019 13:20:50 GMT

This Week at Adas Emuno

Dec. 12, 2019

***We mourn the tragic deaths of three members of the Jewish community in Jersey City and a police officer there. Our hearts go out to their families.***

We welcome our 5th Grade to our December Family Shabbat Service (7:30 PM) to help lead the prayers and offer a skit on Hanukkah (it's getting close).

At our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM) we will learn about the abuse of power and impeachment of King David, who nonetheless is allowed to remain in office. Relevant?!

A special "Hanukkah Hour" Tot program takes place on Sunday (9:30 AM) during religious school. Any child age 1-4 is welcome with a parent.

Mark your calendar: Hanukkah begins Sunday eve the 22nd. We have our outdoor menorah lighting at 7:00 PM sharp every night, and our annual party Sat. eve, the 28th.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

Early Childhood Hanukkah Hour

Tue, 10 Dec 2019 22:00:13 GMT

Congregation Adas Emuno’s Early Childhood Program welcomes children ages 1-4 years old and their caregivers for a fun-filled morning. Children will learn about Hanukkah through music, storytelling, games, crafts, and food.

Bring your family to celebrate and meet new friends. Open to the Community. RSVPs preferred, but drop-ins are always welcome. (RSVP kklein7304@gmail.com)

When: Sunday 12/15/19

Time: 9:30am - 10:30am

Where: 254 Broad Avenue, Leonia (enter on High Street)

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 05 Dec 2019 13:23:23 GMT

This Week at Adas Emuno

Dec. 5, 2019
Dear Friends,
   Lincoln famously said that "a house divided against itself cannot stand".
   Yet our country was deeply divided both at its founding and today, never mind during the Civil War.
   It’s particularly instructive to understand how our Founders dealt with division, as did the Founding Family in our Torah portion -- which we will examine at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).
This theme continues at our Shabbat morning Torah study (10:00 AM).
   This Sunday is our annual Mitzvah Mall (11:15 AM), one of our nicest social action programs. Come learn about organizations making a difference in our community and receive beautiful donation cards which make wonderful Hanukkah gifts.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Wed, 27 Nov 2019 13:41:05 GMT

This Week at Adas Emuno

Nov. 27, 2019

On this Thanksgiving I am thankful for a group of American heroes who have recently spoken truth to power.
I will offer a tribute to them at our Shabbat evening service (7:30 PM).

Political events have also been tumultuous in Israel of late, and how these events are echoes of ancient Biblical disputes will emerge in our Shabbat morning Torah study (10:00 AM).

Shabbat Shalom and Happy Thanksgiving,
Rabbi Schwartz

PS- A reminder that Religious School does not meet for the holiday weekend.

Year-end Mitzvahs

Tue, 26 Nov 2019 15:48:17 GMT

So Many Ways to "Do Good"

The end of 2019 is in sight. Let's go out in style - Tikkun Olam style!

Oneg Sponsorship - 2020 - Dates through August have been added to our online sign up. This is a special way to recognize yahrzeits, birthdays and anniversaries. Click here to sign up - 2020 sponsors needed!
Mitzvah Mall - Sunday, December 8 - 11:15 am (changed from 11:30 am) - Social Hall
- How does it work? Make a donation to a participating charitable organization and receive a blank greeting card with an insert which describes the charity. These cards can be given as gifts to friends and family so they know a donation was made in their honor. Organizations this year include: Operation Respect, Hackensack River Keeper, Jewish Braille International and Bergen County Animal Shelter.
Food Donations - On-going - The Center for Food action continues to need our support. Current donations are important for the increase demand for aid around the year end holidays.

This Week at Adas Emun

Thu, 21 Nov 2019 14:44:22 GMT

This Week at Adas Emuno

Nov. 21, 2019

Dear Friends,

I was quite surprised to learn that my alma mater, Duke University, is embroiled in a dispute with the Trump Administration over its Middle East Study Center.
It’s complicated, and it even relates to this week's Torah portion!
I'll explain at our Shabbat evening service (7:30 PM).

At our Shabbat morning Torah study (10:00 ) we'll take a close look at the foundational event that established the Jewish people—the revelation at Mount Sinai. What exactly happened there?

I was asked to give the sermon at this year's Leonia Community Thanksgiving Service, this Tuesday, the 26th, at the Presbyterian Church (8:00 PM), 181 Ft. Lee Road. It's always a nice occasion, and a jazz band is playing.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 14 Nov 2019 13:48:34 GMT

This Week at Adas Emuno

Nov. 14, 2019

Dear Friends,

The saga of Abraham and Sarah is not particularly funny, but it is in the hands of the 6th grade, who will lead our Shabbat Family Service (7:30 PM).

We revisit the epic of the Exodus at our Shabbat Morning Torah study, "Turning Points in Jewish History" (10:00 AM).

These Biblical stories also come alive in creative ways at our weekly religious school service on Sundays (9:00 AM) and at Confirmation Class (11:00 AM).

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 07 Nov 2019 13:30:01 GMT

This Week at Adas Emuno

Nov. 7, 2019
Dear Friends,

Even though Kristallnacht, "The Night of Broken Glass", the beginning of the Holocaust in earnest, occurred 81 years ago this Shabbat, our member Kurt Roberg was an eyewitness to the tragedy. He will share his vivid recollection at our Shabbat Evening service (7:30 PM).

At our Shabbat Morning Torah study (10:00 AM) on "Turning Points in Jewish History" we will examine what happened when Alexander the Great conquered Israel...and the world changed forever.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 31 Oct 2019 12:36:07 GMT

This Week at Adas Emuno

Oct. 31, 2019

Dear Friends,

There was something about Noah (the subject of this week's Torah portion) that bothered the sages, and it has relevance to what is happening today. I'll let you in on the secret at our Shabbat evening service (7:30 PM).

   We join with our local Reform congregations for a special combined Torah study at Temple Sinai in Tenafly with guest scholar Rabbi Leon Morris on Shabbat morning (9:00 AM).

   Don't forget to have your clocks "fall back" an hour so you will be on time for religious school and anything else on Sunday.

   Do you know someone with a tot age 1-4? If so, they will enjoy our special Tot-Shabbat program this Sunday (9:30-10:30 AM). Contact Kerri Klein at kklein7304@gmail.com.

   And check out our new book club, which has its third meeting on Monday (7:30 PM).

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

Rabbi Schwartz's Sermon for Kol Nidre 5780

Lance Strate — Thu, 17 Oct 2019 18:51:53 GMT

YOU WILL BE FOUND

Kol Nidre, 5780

Rabbi Barry L. Schwartz

Have you ever felt like nobody was there?
Have you ever felt forgotten in the middle of nowhere?
Have you ever felt like you could disappear?
Like you could fall, and no one would hear?

So sings a lonely young man named Evan in the Broadway hit, Dear Evan Hansen. His quivering voice is all too familiar; his pain all too palpable.

His is the voice of a teen, a new generation. He echoes a famous melody of my generation, when the Beatles sang:

All the lonely people
Where do they all come from?
All the lonely people
Where do they all belong?

How can this be? In our hyper-connected world, how can so many be so lonely?

Two billion people on this planet use Facebook monthly; 1.3 billion use it daily. 79% of Americans are on Facebook. The average number of friends now: 338.

Yet to the question: How many of your Facebook friends could you trust to help you in a crisis, the most recently study found: four. That is actually an increase from previous studies that indicated one or two.

Robert Putnam, author of the famous book on the decline of civic and social engagement, Bowling Alone, once said, “People watch Friends on TV; they don’t have them.”

Social scientists are today speaking of The Loneliness Epidemic in our country. Just google those words and you will be overwhelmed by the number of articles on the subject.

The US Dept. of Health has an entire section of its website entitled with that term. On it we learn:

Over a quarter of the U.S. population now live by themselves.

28 percent of older adults live alone, including 1 in 6 boomers.

One in every 11 Americans age 50 or above have no spouse, partner, or child.

Two in five Americans report that they sometimes or always feel their social relationships are not meaningful.

One in five say they feel lonely or socially isolated.

Loneliness and social isolation can be as damaging to health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day.

Finally, in a Cigna study, it was the young who felt the loneliest; Generation Z members, ages 18 to 22, and Millennials, ages 23 to 37, sadly scored the highest of any age group.

Another term besides The Loneliness Epidemic has been recently coined, The Happiness Recession. As reported in the Atlantic in April, only 25% of those young people rated their lives “very happy”—the lowest recorded. This summer, as I was preparing these remarks, I was so saddened to learn that suicide among teens and young adults is at a record high. The Journal of the American Medical Association reports that over the last 20 years the rate has increased 12.5% for young adults and 47% for teens.

Why are these young people with their whole lives ahead of them giving up hope?

Why aren’t more of them happy or very happy? Why are so many lonely or isolated?

The Atlantic study attempted to look at the why? It came up with four broad social factors, while also acknowledging some specific current causes like the opioid crisis and cyber-bullying.

First, marriage, and specifically: the sharply declining rates of it among young adults.

Married couples are 75% more likely to report that they are happy. In 1972, 59% of young adults 18-34 were married. Today its 28%.

Married couples are much more likely to engage in weekly sexual relations, factor number two, and to join a religious or social community organization, factor number three.

The study found that the last factor, time spent with friends, stayed even over the past three decades, but could not compensate for the marked decline in the other three.

It turns out that those two “old-fashioned” institutions, marriage and church/synagogue affiliation make a big if under-appreciated contribution to our lives.

Both are being delayed or spurned altogether by millennials in record numbers. It hurts us older folk to see our children and grandchildren pay the steep price of the ensuing loneliness.

But the song continues:

Well, let that lonely feeling wash away
Maybe there's a reason to believe you'll be okay
'Cause when you don't feel strong enough to stand
You can reach, reach out your hand
And oh, someone will coming running
And I know, they'll take you home
Even when the dark comes crashing through
When you need a friend to carry you
> And when you're broken on the ground
You will be found
So let the sun come streaming in
'Cause you'll reach up and you'll rise again
Lift your head and look around
You will be found
You will be found….

The co-writer of this song and the script-writer of the play are Jewish; perhaps that is why the song, though couched in general language, exudes a Jewish sensibility about never giving up hope.

Consider how our tradition acknowledges that loneliness is indeed a basic and omnipresent human condition… that can be overcome.

Of Adam, Genesis relates that “The Lord God said, ‘It is not good for man to be alone; I will make a fitting helper for him.’” (Gen.2:18)

When Jacob is in despair and running away from his family, God says, “Remember I am with you…” and Jacob responds “Surely, God is present in this place, and I did not know it.” (Gen.28, 15-16)

When Joseph is in despair, literally and figuratively all alone in a pit, abandoned by his brothers, and then all alone in a prison cell in Egypt, his faith sustains him and he later says to those brothers, “It was not you who sent me here, but God... to insure your survival and to save your lives.” (Gen.7-8)

When Hannah, subject of the haftarah for Rosh Hashanah, is in despair, unable to conceive a child and misunderstood by her husband and by the high priest, her faith sustained her and “in her wretchedness she prayed to the Lord, weeping all the while… she kept on praying before the Lord.” (I Sam.1:10,12)

The song continues:

Out of the shadows
The morning is breaking
And all is new, all is new
It's filling up the empty
And suddenly I see that
All is new, all is new
You are not alone
You are not alone

God’s message’ to our ancestors and to us, over and over again is: you are not alone!
The message of friendship and faith is: You will be found!
Who do we know who needs to hear that message again?
Who cries out but is not heard?
Does not our prayer book, the liturgy that we just recited this morning ask this same thing?

On Rosh Hashanah we reflect, on Yom Kippur we consider…
Who shall be plagued by fear of the world; who shall strangle for lack of friends?
Who shall be serene in every storm; who shall be troubled by the passing breeze?

On this holy day let us proclaim:

Who lies broken on the ground?
You will be found.
Who is too weak to stand?
Here, take my hand.
Who is overcome by the darkness crashing through?
I will carry you.

The story is told of young man, lonely to the point of despair, who has a dream. He is walking along a beach, with a person he does not know besides him. He looks back and sees two sets of footprints.

Then that person disappears and he is walking alone. He looks back and sees a single set of footprints.

The young man senses that his dream has a message. In prayer he realizes that the walk is his life and the presence besides him is God. He cries out to God, “Why did you disappear? Why did you abandon me when I needed you most?” “No, my son,” comes the reply. I never left you. I carried you. I picked you up and carried you.”

You are not alone. You shall be found.

You Will Be Found

Songwriters: Benj Pasek / Justin Paul

Have you ever felt like nobody was there?
Have you ever felt forgotten in the middle of nowhere?
Have you ever felt like you could disappear?
Like you could fall, and no one would hear?
Well, let that lonely feeling wash away
Maybe there's a reason to believe you'll be okay
'Cause when you don't feel strong enough to stand
You can reach, reach out your hand
And oh, someone will coming running
And I know, they'll take you home
Even when the dark comes crashing through
When you need a friend to carry you
And when you're broken on the ground
You will be found
So let the sun come streaming in
'Cause you'll reach up and you'll rise again
Lift your head and look around
You will be found
You will be found
You will be found
You will be found
You will be found
Even when the dark comes crashing through
When you need a friend to carry you
When you're broken on the ground
You will be found
So let the sun come streaming in
'Cause you'll reach up and you'll rise again
If you only look around
You will be found (You will be found)
You will be found (You will be found)
You will be found
Out of the shadows
The morning is breaking
And all is new, all is new
It's filling up the empty
And suddenly I see that
All is new, all is new
You are not alone
You are not alone
You are not alone
You are not alone
You are not alone (You are not alone)
You are not alone (You are not alone)
You are not
You are not alone (You are not alone)
Even when the dark comes crashin' through
When you need someone to carry you
When you're broken on the ground
You will be found!
So when the sun comes streaming in
'Cause you'll reach up and you'll rise again
If you only look around
You will be found
Even when the dark comes crashin' through
You will be found
When you need someone to carry you
You will be found
You will be found
You will be found

Rabbi Schwartz's Sermon for Yom Kippur 5780

Lance Strate — Thu, 17 Oct 2019 18:38:58 GMT

THE GREAT EXTINCTION

Yom Kippur, 5780

Rabbi Barry L. Schwartz

On May 6 of this year the New York Times published a photo that broke my heart. It was a picture of a magnificent olive ridley sea turtle washed up on an Indian beach. The turtle is dead, strangled by the fishing rope still looped around its neck.

I wondered why I had such a strong reaction. I thought it was tied to the fact that just four months earlier I had the unforgettable opportunity to swim with these glorious, peaceful animals in the Galapagos Islands.

Then one week later Magaret Renkl, a contributing columnist to the Times, captured in stark prose our shared reaction to the striking image:

That photo undid me. All week long I found myself coming back to it until I had it committed to memory, the shapes and the colors…. I kept being struck anew by the sorrow of that one lost creature, that one preventable tragedy. The turtle’s great head is bowed, resting on the sand. Its eyes are closed; its ancient face is drawn back in a mask of grief. The turtle’s whole body signals resignation, surrender. In the background, [people] play in the surf.

Renkl goes on to say, “If the photo is traumatizing, the story is worse.” The Times article that accompanied the photo was about the unprecedented assault on biodiversity across our planet. Renkl entitled her own piece, “Surviving Despair in the Great Extinction”. The tag line underneath it read, “One million species of plants and animals are heading toward annihilation, and it’s our fault. How can we possibly live with that truth?”

Yes, the report, a 1500 page study by the UN, speaks about the coming extinction of one million species. Think about that. As Renkl writes, “That’s every individual creature in a species—times one million. We can’t possibly conceive of such a thing. We can hold in mind… the image of a single animal who died a terrible death. Devastation on this scale is beyond the reach of imagination. How could we hold in mind a destruction so vast it would take not just one sea turtle but all that animal’s kind, as well as the kind of 999,999 other species?”

That’s what makes the scourge of eco-destruction and global warming so hard to comprehend. The scale is so epic in size and years that we can’t really see what is going on. It’s a nightmare unfolding in slow motion. By the time we awake the damage is done and it is vast. And it is not us, but our children, and our children’s children who will suffer the most.

Those who know me know that I have been a passionate environmentalist since I was a kid. Growing up in the beautiful Hudson River Valley made an impression on me. Visiting so many of our great National Parks with my family made an impression on me. Seeing my father leave his secure teaching position to join a cutting edge environmental education project in the 70s made an impression on me. Working with colleagues to help found Shomrei Adamah, the first Jewish environmental organization, made an impression on me. The good fortune of hiking many of the great walks of the world on six of seven continents made an impression on me. How can I not talk about this report of the looming Great Extinction?

It’s a terrible term, The Great Extinction. Extinction is forever. There is no turning back. There is no do-over; no second chance. Once a species is gone the world is permanently diminished. That color of the bio-diversity rainbow is no more. The Great Extinction, the great die-off has already begun. The only question is whether we can slow it down.

Permit me to inundate you with just some of the facts and figures from the UN report:

The loss of species is now happening tens to hundreds of times as fast as the average rate over the past ten million years. Extinction has always happened but now is accelerating out of control. 1 million of the 8 million known species could disappear within decades, not centuries.

The world population of 7 billion has “severely altered” 75% of the land environment and 66% of the marine environment. Human activity has depleted the average abundance of native species by a fifth, putting at extinction risk a third of all marine mammals, a third of all reef corals, and 40% of all amphibians. The alarming decline of bees and other insects, which pollinate ¾ of the world’s crops, could result in a half trillion dollars worth of damage.

The heightened destruction of coastal habitats due to floods and hurricanes associated with global warming, which we see on TV so often now, puts as many as 300 million people worldwide at risk.

Robert Watson, one of the report’s lead authors, emphasized that drastic environmental action is not just about protecting animals; it’s about protecting people. “We are eroding the very foundation of our economies, livelihoods, food security, health and quality of life worldwide,” he writes.

Back to Renki’s haunting question: One million species are heading toward extinction, and it’s our fault. How can we possible live with that truth?

How can we live with that truth as global citizens, as American citizens, and as American Jews, on this Yom Kippur, when we confess not only our personal sins, but our communal sins?

Did we not recite al het shehatanu: for the sins we have sinned against You:

For poisoning the air and polluting land and sea

For deceiving ourselves and others with half-truths and denials

For using the sins of others to excuse our own

How can we live with that truth when our Torah tells us that “the earth is the Lord’s” and we are here “to till it and tend it.”?

How can we live with that truth when our Talmud teaches us that “just as my ancestors planted for me, so I will plant for my children”?

It’s important to note that all the scientists involved in the report argue that only transformative change will make a difference. Only a global “Green New Deal, if you will, a vast, multilateral agreement. Anything else, they say, is like rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic.

So on this Yom Kippur, I am going to add to our list of “al hets”—for the sins we have sinned against You:

For pulling out of the Paris global climate accords.

For turning back the clock on automobile emission standards and fossil fuel industry regulation.

For downsizing the precious lands we have set aside for preservation.

On this Yom Kippur forgive us:

For thinking nationalistically rather than globally.

For building walls rather than bridges.

For thinking about today at the expense of tomorrow.

Is it too much to demand from our political leaders that a responsible Green New Deal is an ecological and economic imperative for this nation and for the world?

Is it too much to ask that the United States turn from protectionist and obstructionist policies and become the world leader in energy conservation and innovation?

Is it too much to hope that as we enter the third decade of the 21^st century we finally awake to the perilous future of our planet?

I close, as I opened, with another picture that broke my heart and those of people around the world. In 2007 photo-journalist Brent Stirton was in Virunga National Park, along the border of the Congo, Rwanda and Uganda. The Virunga Mountain range is the last remaining habitat of the magnificent mountain gorilla. Stirton captured the ghastly image of a funeral procession for seven of these animals, murdered by poachers—the most unforgettable image of tearful park rangers bearing the body of Senkwekue, the massive male silverback who had tried in vain to protect his family.

There are only some 800 mountain gorillas left in the world today. That is actually a significant improvement—when Diane Fossey worked with them in the 70s and 80s they were less than 300. But of course, one virus or another civil war could wipe them out in a flash. Males take 15 years to maturity; females 10 years, and a single baby is born to a mother once every 4 to 8 years.

The mountain gorilla has never successfully been kept in captivity—what you may have seen in a zoo is a western lowland relative. The mountain gorilla is our closest primate relative, sharing 98.6 percent of our genome. Not surprisingly, their intelligence is surpassed only by our species, sometimes.

The mountain gorilla remains on the list of critically endangered species. What a loss to the world if they become extinct.

This summer Debby and I trekked through the Virunga mountains of Uganda and had one unforgettable hour to quietly observe these fierce looking but peace-loving, family oriented, vegetarian eating, so human-like primates.

What a loss to the world if we lose these gentle giants of the jungle, and those gentle giants of the sea, and all those creatures, great and small, all those wild things wise and wonderful, all those beings bright and beautiful that share the planet with us.

What a loss to the world if my children, and their children, will visit the Galapagos devoid of those turtles in the ocean and those tortoises on land, never mind the marine iguanas and the blue-footed boobies.

What a loss if they will trek to Africa devoid of those gorillas in the mist, never mind the black rhinos and Rothschild giraffes

An African proverb states: Let us think of our world not so much as inherited from our ancestors but as borrowed from our children.

Amen to that. Amen.

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 03 Oct 2019 13:08:40 GMT

This Week at Adas Emuno

October 3, 2019

After a beautiful beginning to the New Year, it's non-stop at Adas Emuno!

Several people have already asked to see my Rosh Hashanah Morning sermon, and you can do that by clicking this link: https://adasemuno.org/page-18091/7915250.

It's worth spending some time looking around our newly designed website so nicely put together by Lance Strate.

   "An Essential Jewish Vocabulary, Part II-Yom Kippur" is our topic at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM), which also includes the distinctive prayers and melodies of Shabbat Shuva -the "Shabbat of Return" that takes place during the High Holidays.

Turning Point #5, "Give Us a King" at our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM) could not be more relevant, as we study about the Bible's warning of the abuse of power by elected leaders!

   Of course Yom Kippur is on Tuesday evening and Wednesday, but make sure your calendar is also marked for our Sukkot "Pizza-in-the-Hut" and Folk Singing Celebration on Sunday the 13th (5:00 PM), with our Shabbat/Simchat Torah Celebration on Friday the 18th (7:30 PM).

                                                    Shabbat Shalom and Shanah Tovah,
                                                    Rabbi Schwartz

Rabbi Schwartz's Sermon for Rosh Hashanah Morning 5780

Lance Strate — Wed, 02 Oct 2019 21:01:10 GMT

WALKING TOGETHER

Rosh Hashanah, 5780

Rabbi Barry L. Schwartz

On Wednesday morning, July 10 of this past summer, I came face to face with Lucy.

I was all alone on the bottom floor of the National Museum of Ethiopia in Addis Ababa, during a long layover in transit from our trip to Uganda. Despite its title, the Museum in a very modest affair, with the exception of that bottom floor. It must have been a slow day.

There she was. Lucy, perhaps the most famous hominid fossilized skeleton of all time. Lucy, the so called “missing link” in the evolutionary chain from primate to human. Lucy, 3½ feet tall, 3.2 million years old. The first species to walk upright. Small brain: about 65 pounds, with a remarkable 40% of her bones still intact. Discovered in northern Ethiopia in 1974 by paleoanthropologist Donald Johanson. Donald celebrated with his team the night of the discovery by playing, loudly and repeatedly, the Beatles “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds”. Donald became famous; Lucy became world famous.

It was a bit surreal, just Lucy (in a protective glass case of course) and me—but it was awesome. I doubt Lucy had ever met a rabbi. She didn’t know that as a kid I remember her discovery and loved reading all about human origins. And she didn’t know what would happen just two years after her discovery.

In nearby Tanzania Andrew Hill was clowning around with his colleagues when he slipped and fell into a pile of… elephant dung. As he got up he thought he saw something. Right away he went to get Mary, his boss. That would be Mary Leakey, wife of famed paleoanthropologist Louis Leakey, and an expert in her own right. What they were looking at was not bones, but what appeared to be a fossilized footprint in the volcanic ash.

Then they saw another one, by its side. Two sets of footprints. One bigger than the other, from a considerably taller and heavier upright walking individual. Possibly, a male and female walking side by side.

Then Mary Leakey noticed something else. There were not two sets of prints, but three. She had initially missed that fact for a very good reason. The third set of footprints was actually within the largest. They were very small and feint. Yes, quite possibly a child, literally walking in its father’s footsteps. Quite possibly a young child “trying on” their parent’s footprints, as children are still want to do on a walk along the beach. In sum, quite possible a family walking together.

Tests later revealed that the footprints found by Hill and Leakey were 3.7 million years old—from the dawn of near human existence. In fact, from the age of Lucy. The footprints became known to the world as the Laetoli footprints, after the nearby gorge. Lucy and the Laetoli footprints rewrote the book on human origins. Now we had the evidence. First our ancient ancestors walked on two feet. Then their brains expanded. Then we became recognizably human.

But what still gets me after all these years is this—a family walking together.

The notion that families belong together is not a uniquely human idea; after all, it is widely observed in the animal kingdom. But it is a quintessentially human idea, because human children need parents for such a long time.

You may have observed that human children mature slowly. Very slowly. They do not generally leave the nest for some 18 years. Or more… Sometimes they come back to the nest. They often ask for money. They ask to remain on your cell phone plan. And on your EZ-Pass. And of course, they make regular visits, so you can do their laundry.

All kidding aside, it is as a family that we live together and walk together and face life together. Literally and figuratively we walk together. Often side by side. Sometimes in each other’s steps. But hopefully, together, in mutual support.

This very idea is indeed embedded in the portion of Torah we read this morning. You might have missed it in the harrowing story of the binding of Isaac. But when Isaac asks, “Where is the sheep for the burnt offering?” and Abraham replies, “God will see to the sheep for the offering, my son,” the Torah then says, va’yelchu shnaihem yachdav—“And the two of them walked on together” (Gen.22:8).

A father and son are in a fraught relationship. They face an uncertain future. But at least for this moment they are walking together.

I think this is why so many of us were so disturbed at the images of parents being separated from their children at the southern border of our country this past year. It just goes against something so deep; so primal in our humanity. It is not who we are as a country. It is not who we are as human beings with some sense of compassion.

I don’t have to tell you that as Jews what we witnessed was all the more anguishing. We shudder when we see families separated. When we see crying children and despondent parents. We have been migrants more times in our collective history than we can remember. We have been refugees at “Do Not Enter” crossings time and again. Jewish refugee children were blocked from entering this country in the lifetime of some of our members here today.

Though our government’s policy of family separation officially ended the summer before last… that is not the end of the story. Not all of the separated children been reunited with their parents. This past June the situation entered the news again when a group of lawyers who visited a Texas detention center housing migrant youth were so appalled by what they saw—toddlers without diapers, children sleeping on the floor, older children in charge of younger ones, flu outbreaks, that they alerted the media. The UN Commissioner for Human Rights said on July 8 that she was “deeply shocked” by the conditions facing these children.

Whatever your political affiliation, is this acceptable? Whatever your take on immigration reform, is this who we are? We want to avert our eyes. That’s what was once done to us.

I can imagine that our African American neighbors also understand this. Part of what slavery meant in this country is that children belonged to their masters, not their parents. In 1860, one out of every ten children in America fit that category.

I can imagine that our Native American neighbors also understand this. For decades Native American children were routinely separated from their parents and sent to boarding schools where they were supposed to learn how to become “Americans”.

I can imagine that immigrant children of every race and ethnic group also understand this. If they were suspected of having tuberculosis or eye disease or even mental retardation they were often separated right at Ellis Island.

We have averted our eyes too many times. Isaiah reminds us: Don’t look away! Raise your voice, like a shofar!

On this High Holy Day, I’d like to make a final point about families walking together. Tolstoy famously said that while happy families are alike, unhappy families are unhappy each in their own way. The egregious violation of family unity by our own government calls for condemnation, but on this day let us also think about what is causing stress and separation in our own families? What is driving us apart? How can we pull together?

In that list of personal failures that we recite on Yom Kippur in the Al Het prayer we say:

We sin against You, O god, when we sin against ourselves.

For condemning in our children the faults we tolerate in ourselves,

And for condemning in our parents the faults we tolerate in ourselves.

And later we say:

For withholding love to control those we claim to love,

And shunting aside those whose youth or age disturbs us.

How can we be more forgiving of our children and our parents?

How can we be more unconditionally loving?

I’ll always remember a trip that we took to Cape May when our eldest, Nadav, now all grown up and married, was just a little boy. We were on the beach, with Nadav and Talia in tow. Noam had not even been born yet. We’re walking along when Nadav calls out, “Look, Abba, I’m walking in your steps.” Debby saw me turn around and then get teary eyed. “What’s the matter,” she said. “Let me tell you a story about the Laetoli footprints,” I said.

As parents we know that our children are always watching us, learning from us, and walking with us. We would do well to remember that. Horah (parent), morah (teacher), and Torah are all from the same root in Hebrew. We parents are all teachers, role models whether we like it or not, the link between the generations past and the future whether we know it or not.

The prophet Malachi said that the great day of Elijah, the herald of the messiah, will come when the hearts of children and turned to parents, and the hearts of parents are turned to children.

May that great day of Elijah come.

May it come at least a little closer speedily and in our day.

May we walk together, arm in arm, toward a brighter future.

This Week at Adas Emuno

Thu, 26 Sep 2019 13:03:17 GMT

Dear Friends,

    With the holidays upon us, I'm offering a three-part sermon series on an "Essential Jewish Vocabulary", beginning with key terms for Rosh Hashanah, at our Shabbat evening service (7:30 PM).

"Entering the Promised Land" is the (highly relevant) subject of "Turning Points in Jewish History" at our Shabbat morning Torah study (10:00 AM).

    We hope to see you "early and often" at our High Holiday services that begin Sunday evening (8:00 PM) and continue on Monday morning (10:00 AM).

Remember that our Rosh Hashanah Children's service (2:00 PM) is open to the community, as is our Tashlich gathering at Overpeck Park (3:30 PM).

With warm wishes for a sweet and peaceful New Year,

                                 Shabbat Shalom and Shanah Tovah,
                                 Rabbi Schwartz

Leonia Interfaith UN International Day of Peace

Sat, 21 Sep 2019 01:58:27 GMT

This Week at Adas Emuno

Lance Strate — Fri, 20 Sep 2019 01:18:32 GMT

This Week at Adas Emuno

Sept. 19, 2019
Dear Friends,
   Our first Family Shabbat service of the school year is a "Welcome Back" Family Service (7:30 PM), complete with reading from the Torah, a really cool story about the Israeli Women's Lacrosse Team that happened this summer, and a "decorate-your-own-cupcake" oneg.

  Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM) is in full swing, but its not too late to join.

   Religious school is also in full swing, but Confirmation (11:00 AM) meets on Sunday for the first time, and this year we have the biggest class in more than a decade (thanks to a great enrollment of the 8th grade-kudos to them).

   The annual Leonia Peace Day celebration takes place on Sunday at 6:00 on the lawn of the Methodist Church. It is always my pleasure to participate and the community feeling is nice.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

Lance Strate's D’var Torah Korach

Lance Strate — Wed, 10 Jul 2019 19:48:09 GMT

D’var Torah Korach, July 5^th, 2019

Lance Strate

This week’s parsha or Torah portion is called Korach, which is the name of a Levite who challenged the leadership of Moses and Aaron. Together with his two sons and 250 other community leaders, he challenged Moses and Aaron, saying to them, “You’ve gone too far. Why do you raise yourselves up above us?” By way of response, the Torah tells us that Moses fell on his face. Let me repeat that: He fell on his face.

Falling on your face is not exactly a commonplace activity nowadays, at least not in the western world, so we are left with the question of, what exactly was meant by Moses taking up this posture? The Torah provides no further explanation, and as it turns out, no one is quite sure about what that action was supposed to convey. Consequently, the sages speculated on the meaning of the gesture. Back in the Middle Ages, the 10th century rabbi known as the Saadia Gaon gave it a mystical interpretation, suggesting that it was a means of achieving divine guidance on how to respond to the rebels, that it was a way of making himself open to receiving a divine vision. The 11th century rabbi known as Rashi suggested that Moses did it in a desperate attempt to stave off divine vengeance and obtain God’s forgiveness for yet another incident in which his people lost faith and engaged in rebellion against God’s will. More recently, the 19th century Rabbi Naftali Zvi Yehuda Berlin believed that he did it “to remind others of when they themselves had fallen on their faces amidst an experience of profound awe.” In effect he was saying to the rebels what the Hebrew above our ark says, da lifnei mi attah omed, know before whom you stand.

We can’t be entirely sure of what falling on your face means because most of what we call body language is not like a language at all. There is no dictionary where you can look up the meanings of body movements such as leaning in or out, crossing legs or arms, lifting eyebrows or showing teeth. Even nodding your head does not mean yes in every culture. And words may have dictionary definitions, but there still is a great deal of ambiguity left when we use them. When we’re talking with someone, we’re not always certain about what someone else means. In all honesty, we’re not always certain of what we ourselves mean when we say things. And sometimes when we are certain, we’re wrong.

The problem is magnified by the distance in time. Some of you may have heard about what happened to Naomi Wolf, the progressive, feminist author, journalist, and activist, just this past May. She was being interviewed on BBC radio about her latest book, entitled Outrages: Sex, Censorship, and the Criminalization of Love, which was about same-sex relationships. She mentioned that in her research she found that in Victorian England there were “several dozen executions” of men accused of being homosexuals, a statistic that her interviewer told her was incorrect. Wolf’s mistake was due to her misunderstanding of the British legal term, “death recorded”. As the interviewer, Matthew Sweet, explained, when this was entered into the record regarding an individual’s criminal case,

It doesn’t mean that he was executed. It was a category that was created in 1823 that allowed judges to abstain from pronouncing a sentence of death on any capital convict whom they considered to be a fit subject for pardon.

And he concluded, “I don’t think any of the executions you’ve identified here actually happened.” Embarrassed, Wolf thanked Sweet for calling her attention to the mistake, and said she would correct the relevant parts of her book.

The problems are magnified the further back in time we go. If and when you hear one of Shakespeare’s plays performed, how much of that 16th and 17th century English can you really understand? Go back to the 14th and 15th century and the Middle English of Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales is in many ways alien to us. The Old English of Beowulf is all but unintelligible to most of us.

Our ancestors had the same problem with the Torah. Here was our founding document, our Law, our constitution, but how should it be interpreted. What does it say and what does it mean? In that other great ancient literate culture centered in the Greek city of Athens, Socrates criticized the written word, arguing that it is inferior to dialogue because you cannot ask it questions, or at least you won’t get any answers from a document. Put another way, a written work is a dead thing, in contrast to the spoken word that is voiced through the breath of life. This understanding is central to Jewish ritual, as we place great emphasis on saying our prayers, on chanting and singing. Unlike the reading tests given in schools, with their multiple choice answers requiring number 2 pencils, our reading test is the b’nai mitzvah ceremony in which the words are uttered for everyone in the congregation to hear, with all of us participating in the call and response of the prayers.

Unless you have the author present with you in the same room, you cannot ask questions of a written text, which means that some interpretation is required. The Torah has very limited punctuation, and the Hebrew aleph-bet has no vowels, which increases ambiguity and amplifies the need for interpretation. And again, there is the passage of time, so that in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah, the latest books of the Tanach, the Hebrew Bible, relating the events upon the return from Babylonian exile, we are told that the people could no longer understand the Torah, and needed it to be interpreted to them. After the destruction of the Second Temple in the year 70 of the Common Era, Hebrew as a mother tongue went into decline, and was gone by the 4th century. It survived as a learned language, one that was preserved through texts, just as Jewish identity, Jewish culture and Jewish religion, was preserved through texts, through learning, through teachers and students, through discussion, debate, disputation, and through prayer and ritual. Hebrew was also known as a dead language one of many, but the only one that has ever been successfully revived and resurrected.

Returning to the problem of meaning, when it comes to communication in general, there is always some uncertainty. If we understood each other completely, we would probably not have any need to communicate in the first place. Complete understanding is an ability we reserve for the divine, not for human beings, who are always prone to error. At the same time, we have to have some understanding of each other, or else communication would be impossible. We share the same kinds of bodies, the same basic DNA molecules, the same kinds of physical structures, nervous systems, sensory organs, and brains. And we share similar experiences, subject to the human condition. In other words, all human beings have something in common, and that is what makes communication between us possible. We share a measure of common ground, and through our communication with one another we share our individual thoughts and feelings and memories, and in that way can increase what we have in common, enlarge our common ground.

Common ground is a kind of context, and some kind of context is always necessary for making sense out of our experiences, for making meaning. The words I am saying to you now, in this context, would mean something different if we were in a bar having a drink, on a beach laying out in the sun, or waiting for a show to begin on Broadway, or just outside the synagogue on Broad Avenue. Context is essential.

So, when the Torah says that Moses fell on his face, we can understand the gesture as one akin to bowing down, and more extreme than a mere bow. We may have seen a similar posture of lying prostrate in other religious traditions if not our own, and in social interactions in other cultures, and understand that it is a sign of respect, and submission. We can also relate it to the nonverbal communication of other animals, where displays of dominance and submission establish hierarchy. It follows that, rather than responding to Korach’s challenge with a display of power, say by asserting his status as leader, Moses displays humility, reverence, and contrition. But to whom? Certainly not to Korach and his followers.

On Purim we tell the story of how Mordecai would not bow down before Haman, and we would certainly expect the same from Moses. And the parsha fills in more of the context by telling us what Moses then said to these people, which was the following:

Come morning, God will make known who God is, and who is holy. You have gone too far, sons of Levi. Is it not enough that God has set you apart from the community of Israel by having you perform the duties of God’s Dwelling Place. Will you seek the priesthood too? Truly you rebel against God.

What is going on here is essentially a civil war within among the Levites. Korach and his followers are rebels challenging the existing leadership structure that consists of Moses and his brother Aaron, and the House of Aaron as the cohens, cohenim or priesthood. They are the ancestors or forerunners of the priests of the Temple in Jerusalem, in charge of the rituals required by the Law, by the Torah. And more than that, they are in charge of the Torah itself, the written text, what they understand to be the word of God. They are its keepers, in the sense of preserving both the second set of stone tablets and fragments of the first, and preserving other sacred scrolls, and also its keepers in the sense that we speak of keeping the Sabbath, observing the commandments, carrying them out, which requires interpreting them. What is a priest, after all? Not a prophet, or shaman. Priests only come into existence after writing is invented, and they are set apart from the common folk by virtue of the fact that they learn how to read and write, and with that ability are able to decipher and interpret sacred texts. It is no accident that the name of one of the first writing systems, hieroglyphics, means priestly writing. The prefix, hier, means priestly, sacred, and also is the root in the word hierarchy. The original meaning was sacred ruler, a hierarch, and was used to refer to the different orders of angels and heavenly beings, which was first worked out by the great sage Maimonides, otherwise known as the Rambam.

In the absence of writing, religious experience is pretty much common to all members of society, with some deference to singular individuals who were considered holy men and women. With writing and the introduction of sacred texts, an entirely new class of men, and they were almost always men, was introduced, a vocation known as the priesthood, who were raised all other members of their society, with the possible exception of royalty. In the story of the Exodus, Moses and Aaron are in conflict with the Pharaoh of Egypt, the God-King, who was supported by his own priests. At Sinai, the Israelites are established as a holy people. In Exodus, God tells Moses to tell the people that if we keep the covenant, “you shall be unto me a nation of priests and a holy nation”. And yet, within that nation of priests, the tribe of Moses and Aaron are set apart as priestly. And within the tribe of Levi, the House of Aaron is set apart as priests.

There is a fascinating play with hierarchy in the parsha. First Korach asks of Moses and Aaron, “Why do you raise yourselves up above us?” Then Moses fall on his face, bringing himself down to the ground, perhaps in contrast to the claim that he is raising himself up. And later, Moses predicts that the ground will open up and swallow the rebels, their families, and their houses and property, and that is exactly what God does. Rather than being raised up, they descend to Sheol, the underworld realm of the dead.

There are many ways to interpret this story. To relate it to current events, you might say that Korach and his followers were populists. And they were nationalists, looking to make the tribe of Levi great again. They had no respect for the rule of law, no respect for the division of power and authority. The parsha tells us that after the exchange between Korach and Moses, Moses sent for two of Korach’s followers, wanting to speak to them, and they refused to come. Again, we can see the parallel in current events, in the refusal to come before Congress and testify to the American public. Moses tries to speak with the rebels, tries to warn them against angering God, but over and over again they will not listen and will not learn.

Respect for legitimate authority is necessary, or society falls apart. And yet, as we are celebrating the anniversary of American independence, and the Revolutionary War, we also have a soft spot in our hearts for righteous rebellion. As Jews who continually recall the liberation from slavery, we also recognize the need to challenge authority and fight for justice. The rule of law is based on the principle of equality, that we are all equal before the law, just as we are all equal when we know before whom we stand. And to be equal means that we do not raise ourselves above others, and neither are we lowered down or swallowed up.

There was a time when most people did not know how to read and write, and the few that were literate were needed to read the sacred texts, not just to read for themselves, but to read aloud to the people, as we do with the Torah. And they were needed to explain the meaning of the text, to interpret the writing, and carry out the laws and commandments. But as literacy spread, the priests lost their monopoly over interpretation of the Torah, and this can be seen in the books of the prophets, in the beginnings of synagogue life during the Babylonian captivity, in the emergence of the Pharisees during the Second Temple period, in the emergence of Rabbinic Judaism following the destruction of the Second Temple, and for that matter, in the rise of Reform Judaism.

Korach and his followers challenged authority for its own sake. They wanted to bring Moses and Aaron down in order to elevate themselves, and not to build a better society, one in which everyone would be raised up together. In contemporary Jewish life, we resemble those rebels when we dismiss Jewish learning and tradition and spirituality out of hand, for our own sake, or because it is too inconvenient or too difficult to work into our busy lives or stimulating lifestyles. We can become a nation of priests, but to do so we have to embrace Jewish learning and tradition and spirituality, Jewish life, embrace it as a way of life that is open to discussion and debate as a community, and open to interpretation as knowledgeable, well informed individuals. If you don’t make that effort, it is easy to find yourself just stumbling through life, and find yourself, eventually, falling on your face.

Michael Fishbein's D'var Torah Sh’lach L’cha

Lance Strate — Sun, 30 Jun 2019 19:43:28 GMT

D’var Torah Sh’lach L’cha, June 28^th, 2019

Michael Fishbein

In the first part of this week’s Torah portion, Sh’lach L’cha, the Israelites find themselves at a crossroad. Having left enslavement in Egypt they are now just outside the Promised Land. But before entering, God commands Moses to send a team to scout the land God has promised to the Israelites. The team includes one top man from each of the Twelve Tribes. Like Lewis and Clark, who were commissioned to explore the western portion of the United States and report back, these scouts—or spies as they are frequently referred to—are to see what kind of place the Promised land is; whether the people living there are strong or weak; whether their towns are fortified; and whether the land is suitable for agriculture. The scouts are also to return with some of the fruits of the land.

The scouts go on their mission. Along the way they cut down a single cluster of grapes which is so plentiful it takes two men to carry. They also collect some pomegranates and figs.

Forty days later the 12 scouts return from their critical mission, and immediately report to Moses and Aaron as well as the entire Israelite community. They show the fruits they have collected and famously proclaim that the land “flows with milk and honey.” They also report that the people who inhabit the land are powerful—indeed, essentially giants-- and their cities fortified.

One of the scouts, Caleb, from the tribe of Judah, urges the Israelites to move ahead at once to conquer the land. But the other scouts—with the exception of Joshua, from the tribe of Ephraim—urge the Israelites to hold off attacking, arguing that the current inhabitants are stronger than the Israelites, made the Israelites looked like grasshoppers--worse yet, feel like grasshoppers--and could not be conquered.

These reports of the great size and strength of the inhabitants are, as we know, lies—but sufficient to panic the Israelite community. Joshua advises the people to ignore these reports, explaining that God is on their side and would be in their midst, thereby assuring victory.

But the Israelities lack Joshua’s confidence and courage, sending God into a rage. First, by the will of God, the ten dishonest scouts meet a swift fate, dying of plague. Luckily for the Israelite community, Moses is able to talk God out of killing all the Israelite adults for their lack of faith. Instead, God determines that none of the adults who left Egypt--other than Caleb and Joshua, who gave honest accounts of their explorations--would ever step foot into the Promised Land, but rather will, in the colorful words of this week’s portion, “drop their carcasses in the wilderness.”

At God’s direction, the younger generation will be forced to roam the wilderness for 40 years—one year for each day the deceitful scouts explored the Promised Land.

When Moses tells the people their fate, they have a change of heart and declare their readiness to invade at once. Too late, however! Moses warns that this is not God’s will and that they will fail because God will not be present in their midst. Despite this warning, they march into battle without God’s protection. Neither the Ark of the Covenant nor Moses accompanies them in their attempt at conquest. As Moses predicted, they are crushed in their battle with the Amalikites and the Cannanites who live in the Promised Land.

Certainly, a sad story of a scouting mission gone terribly wrong with severe consequences for the Israelites—both old and young.

Five-and-a-half years ago, Congregation Adas Emuno was also at a crossroads. We needed to find a Cantor to lead us spiritually and an educator to lead our wonderful school. The Board of Trustees expressed its preference to find one outstanding individual to fill both positions as a way to bring together the ritual aspects of our congregation and the educational aspirations for our children.

So what did the Board do? We formed a search committee, scouts if you will. Unlike the aftermath for the Israelites, who stood on the verge of entering the Promised Land but for the tall tales of their scouts, our scouts--our search committee lead by then-president Lance Strate--stayed faithful to their task and brought to us Cantor Sandy Horowitz. No wandering in the wilderness for us! Our new Cantor/Educator proved to be full of an abundance of “milk and honey"—both on the bimah as she has led us with joy on Shabbat and in reverence on the High Holy Days; and in the school, where a rekindled spirit of learning exists.

Speaking on behalf of the entire Adas Emuno family, we are so grateful for what Cantor Horowitz has brought to us and will miss her very much.

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi's Schwartz's Report for the Annual Congregational Meeting

Lance Strate — Mon, 17 Jun 2019 15:30:00 GMT

Congregation Adas Emuno Annual Meeting

5779 (2018-19) Report by Rabbi Barry L. Schwartz

Each year I submit brief remarks based on the three basic functions of the synagogue as reflected in its Hebrew names: Beit Tefilah (House of Prayer), Beit Midrash (House of Study) and Beit K’nesset (House of Gathering).

Beit Tefilah: Our High Holiday services, per the usual, were full and joyful, thanks in no small part to the contribution of Cantor Horowitz and this year to a dramatically expanded cadre of Torah and Haftarah readers. We hope all our readers were gratified rather than traumatized, and will return to read this fall.

Our Sukkot celebration was once again highlighted by our music night; this past year was the best ever, on a Sunday evening with pizza-in-the-hut and a packed social hall, and with special thanks to Peter Hays, Elka Oliver and some of our gifted teens.

Combining our Simchat Torah celebration with a Family Shabbat service has dramatically increased attendance, and every grade participates by reading a verse from Genesis.

Our Hanukkah celebration was enhanced once again by an improvisational theatrical performance by Elana Fishbein right in the social hall.

While Purim did not feature another Lance Strate original spiel, the Megillah according to Hamilton was a rousing success.

Once again I want to once applaud the parents and students of our school who have made monthly Family Services so invigorating. Four years into our not-so-new policy, it is working, and it is fun. The celebration of seven b’nei mitzvah was indeed cause to celebrate.

Beit Midrash: Our year-long study of Path of the Prophets and Comparative Jewish Theology two highly recommended books, made for another wonderful Shabbat morning Torah study year. I am grateful for the remarkably strong support given Torah study week-in, week-out, and the vibrant discussion that takes place on a consistent basis.

Our religious school concluded another excellent year, under the able leadership of the Cantor, the faculty, and the education committee. Our Sunday morning experience, beginning every week with our 9:00 gathering in the sanctuary, is vibrant. Drop by some time to hear our kids singing!

The Confirmation Class got personal this year: the theme was “What We Believe: Our Reform Judaism.” I was curious to see how personal theology and ethics would fare, but from my perspective we had a very meaningful year, and at Confirmation I am always so proud of our students.

Our youth group struggled somewhat this year. I’d like to see it strengthen next year, because we have teens who are not involved in the school who are willing to participate.

Beit K’nesset: Our social action committee nicely involved many in our congregation this year. While Forest and Andy, the service dogs who were the stars of our Mitzvah Mall two years ago were not here, Mitzie the Owl was (and I have a photo with her to prove it). The souper bowl was even more super.

Somehow we survived the departure of Virginia Gitter. In this regard I want to single out the great work of Sandy Zornek in communications, and Marilyn and Judy in ritual, with Sandy and Linda organizing our oneg Shabbat recepetins.

Lance Strate deserves quite a shout-out for the yeoman’s work he has done on a complete redesign of our website.

It’s been a pleasure to work with our energetic president, Michael Fishbein.

Before concluding this year, I’d like to pay tribute to Cantor Horowitz. As I wrote in the pages of Kadima:

As the music leader the role of the cantor (hazzan) is crucial in setting the spiritual tone of our prayer. The cantor uplifts us when we listen to his/ her voice. At the same time, the cantor elevates our own voices when we join in song.

After five years of dedicated service we bid goodbye to Cantor Sandy Horowitz, and are deeply grateful to her for her devotion to our congregation. In her dual capacity as cantor/educator Cantor Horowitz enhanced the integration of our school families into the life of the synagogue. As a newly ordained cantor serving in a newly created position, Cantor Horowitz succeeded admirably.

Last but certainly not least, I am so very proud of the response to our Adas Emuno 150 Campaign. Since our launch at the High Holidays we have already met our initial goal and we have two years to go. We have raised more than $180,000 for the reserves and special programming and needs of our congregation. The generosity of our membership says something special about this place; this holy place.

I conclude, as always, with my sincere gratitude to the Temple Board, to the Cantor and teachers, and to our “family of families” for all you do to sustain our “assembly of the faithful” from year to year.

Social Action News Mar./Apr. 2019

Lance Strate — Sun, 05 May 2019 15:18:58 GMT

Social Action Committee News

Annette DeMarco, Chair

Souper Bowl IV⎯WIN!

We requested, you provided; 215 soup items for "Souper Bowl lV!!! We totally surpassed our score of last year, which was 183. The staff at CFA was thrilled with all the soup so thank you, thank you to everyone who got in the game!! BUT, the shelves at many of the local food banks are low on stock, so our work is not yet done. Please read on.

March Mega Food Drive⎯Mitzvah Madness

The Jewish Federation of Northern New Jersey is sponsoring a March Mega Food Drive, involving many local synagogues. Donations will be divided among various food banks in the area. For Adas Emuno, this is our "Community Purim Basket Collection". Please bring donations to the vestry room and leave in the decorated baskets. The JFNNJ considers this part of their "March Mitzvah Madness". The JFNNJ also says that there are 900,000 people in N.J. who rely on food banks. So, I say, please, let's do this (and thank you). If you're planning to attend the Purim celebration, that would be a great time to donate some food.

Do You Knit or Crochet? New Social Action at Adas Emuno

Would you like to do so for organizations in need? If you answered "Yes" and "Yes", please join us on Monday, April 1st, at 7:30 in the social hall. There is much to discuss, including thoughts regarding meetings and projects. We already have a "beginning project" but please bring other ideas. Can't be at the meeting? Just send me an email (feel free to include suggestions) and I'll let you know what is decided. A very special thank you to the Rabbi, who has offered to use his discretionary fund to pay for the wool needed for the projects.

Volunteer opportunities: Jewish Federation of Northern New Jersey Great Family Program! Sunday, March 31st, 1pm at the JFNNJ office, Paramus. The food being collected by the Jewish Federation during the month of March needs to be sorted and organized. Want to help? Register at <jfnnj.org/marchmitzvahmadness>.

For Nature Lovers

A different kind of a project you can do on your time. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service is considering listing the monarch butterfly as an endangered species. What can we do? Plant orange milkweed, aka butterflyweed, aka butterfly milkweed, etc. Suggestion for our youth: make it a B'nai Mitzvah or community service project. Do some research then ask neighbors, friends and family members if you can plant seeds in their yards.

Family Promise⎯Hike or Bike

Sunday, May 5 th⎯Walk for 3 miles or bike for 3 or 15 miles through Ridgewood. This event supports the working, homeless families of Bergen County. There are fun-filled family activities plus food/drinks for all. Details will be forthcoming regarding events, registration and timing. Please mark your calendars. It's a day of fun teamed up with a good cause.

Religious School News Mar./Apr. 2019

Lance Strate — Sun, 05 May 2019 15:12:38 GMT

Religious School News

Cantor Sandy Horowitz, Religious School Director

What does your child like best about being at Religious School? Is it class debates, discussions, crafts activities? Holiday celebrations? Snack? Is it singing during Tefilah, or listening to the Rabbi’s stories? Is it simply being together with other Jewish kids? What about you as parents: what motivates you to ensure a Jewish education for your children?

One thing that inspires my commitment to Jewish education is the experience of being together in the sanctuary for Tefilah on Sunday mornings. It isn’t just the music, although as a Cantor of COURSE I LOVE hearing the voices of all your children! Rather, it’s the very experience of being in community⎯students (and sometimes their parents), madrichim, teachers and clergy. Each person has their own unique contribution that makes us the community that we are.

Our tradition holds high the value of community. One of the central moments for our biblical ancestors was when they stood at Mount Sinai, recently freed from slavery, and received the Ten Commandments, the fundamental laws of our tradition. In that moment, they were transformed from a group of separate individuals into “Am Israel”⎯the Jewish People.

Today, on Sunday mornings, we get to come together as “Am Adas-Emuno-Religious-School”⎯how cool is that! Based on the laws of our people, we try to instill in our students the value of living an ethically driven life, treating each other with kindness and respect and helping those who are in need. We must never forget that just a few generations ago millions of lives were brutally lost simply for being Jewish; but we’ve survived, we’re still here, and we are doing our best to make sure that the next generation will carry on our peoplehood.

Speaking of peoplehood, and survival (along with having a good time), the upcoming holidays of Purim and Passover will soon be upon us! Please let us know if you can help out either with the Purim Carnival or the school’s Passover celebration.

President's Message Mar./Apr. 2019

Lance Strate — Sun, 05 May 2019 15:02:42 GMT

A Message from the President

Michael Fishbein, President

Most people who are acquainted with me know that I like to bore people by talking about my hobby⎯juggling. So now I am going to use this opportunity to link this passion with another I have⎯Judaism.

There are many of our faith who juggle and quite a few have achieved legendary status in the juggling community. Israel itself is home to a great many extraordinary jugglers who can be seen on YouTube and other sites that feature videos of jugglers. Watch, for example, Ofek Snir of Israel who set a World Record by juggling 5 balls nonstop for 2 hours 41 minutes and 27 seconds! The annual Israeli Juggling Convention draws about 2,000 jugglers every year, making that gathering the second largest juggling festival in the world.

A little research establishes that the link between juggling and Judaism goes back at least two thousand years and is actually noted several times in the Talmud. The earliest juggling mentioned in the Talmud speaks of the feats of Rabbi Shimon ben Gamliel (circa 10 BCE-70 CE), a great sage who was head of the Great Sanhedrin (court) in Jerusalem. Rabbi Shimon ben Gamliel was a direct descendant of King David and a great-grandchild of Rabbi Hillel. The legend is that, during the festival of Sukkot, Rabbi Shimon juggled as many as eight homemade torches in the courtyard of the Temple before thousands of spectators who had made the pilgrimage to Jerusalem. While thousands may have witnessed the Rabbi’s juggling, the account is likely exaggerated. Anthony Gatto, perhaps the greatest juggler in history, only managed to juggle seven torches.

The Sukkot celebration continued even after the Roman conquest of Jerusalem. Levi bar Sissa (circa 150-220 CE), a sage who assisted in compiling the Mishna (the earliest major work codifying Jewish law), juggled eight knives before Sukkot celebrants. Levi bar Sissa later lived in Babylonia where he had a student, Shmuel bar Abba (180-275 CE), who became a great Talmudic scholar. Apparently, Levi and Shmuel had some spare time during which they had fun juggling together; Shmuel bar Abba reportedly could “manipulate” eight cups of wine without spilling a drop. (Shmuel had expertise in science and may actually have used his knowledge to produce this feat.)

A little later, a Babylonian scholar, Abaye (280-339 CE), reportedly juggled eight eggs before his congregation. (Abaye was a successful farmer and must have also raised a lot of chickens!)

The last mention of juggling in the Talmud involves a wedding at which the officiating rabbi juggled. He juggled three myrtle branches in fulfilling the mitzvah of “gladdening the bride and groom,” a juggling tradition⎯using modern props like balls, clubs, torches and knives⎯that continues at many orthodox weddings today.

What we see from these examples of great Jewish sages and scholars is that fun, performance and commitment to a challenging art mixes well with study and teaching.

Rabbi's Column Mar./Apr. 2019: Family and Community

Lance Strate — Sun, 05 May 2019 14:44:03 GMT

FAMILY AND COMMUNITY

Rabbi Barry Schwartz

I am writing this brief column just days after the loss of my beloved father, Rudy Schwartz.

As a rabbi I have witnessed the significance of family and community support so many times over the past thirty years, but this time it is personal.

My father rallied rather miraculously to say goodbye to all his family. In turn, my sister and I, and all six of my father’s grandchildren participated in the funeral service that was such a tribute to his memory.

The outpouring of support from extended family and from the community in Cherry Hill and in Leonia was gratifying and uplifting.

We take for granted the importance of family at times of need (though sadly not all share in that blessing and we can often do better in sharing our gratitude for each other), but as a society today we often overlook the abiding contribution of community.

There is an expression that I often share at our yizkor service that “shared joy is doubled; shared sadness is halved.” It may be nice to post simchas and sorrows on Facebook, but it is no substitute for the person-to-person celebrations and commemorations that happen in real community.

The synagogue has been around for two thousand years of our history in every place where Jews have lived, and even in our day and age I can think of no better institution for the creation and sustenance of true community. My father, who was the child of penniless immigrants from Eastern Europe, and grew up during the Depression, always remembered his humble and challenging upbringing, and stood in endless gratitude for his family and community. Avi mori, my father and teacher, taught me well, and I echo his appreciation and thankfulness.

Social Action News Jan./Feb. 2019

Lance Strate — Tue, 22 Jan 2019 18:25:17 GMT

Social Action Committee News

Annette DeMarco, Chair

Mitzvah Mall–Held December 2nd

The Adas Emuno Mitzvah Mall was a great success! The Jewish Family and Children's Services of Northern New Jersey/Kosher Meals on Wheels, Tenafly Nature Center, Jewish Federation Emergency Relief Fund, and Hackensack Riverkeeper, were the four recipients of the funds raised.

Thank you to everyone who worked to put this program together. A special shout out to Lauren Rowland for lending her artistic talents to create our beautiful cards and charity inserts and to Sandy Zornek for never giving up on having the nature center bring our very special guest. To our school staff and director, Cantor Horowitz, for relinquishing classroom time to attend this event and to everyone who shopped at the mall! The major THANK YOU here goes to our students [and their parents] for the exuberance they showed throughout the presentation, their insightful questions their generosity in buying "gifts which keep on giving" in order to bring tikkun olam to the world. Those whom you bought for received some very meaningful gifts. And, todah rabah to Rabbi Schwartz for once again matching all mitzvah mall donations. This is generous and appreciated by us and by the recipients!

Is it SUPER BOWL or SOUPER BOWL? It's SOUPER BOWL!!

During the month of January, please bring soup of any brand and variety, any packaging and any size, to the vestry room. We collect through Super Bowl Sunday (February 3rd ). Donations will be delivered to the Center for Food Action in Englewood. It's Team A.E. vs. Team Hunger and we haven't lost a game, yet! Thank you ahead of time for getting in the game and ensuring a win!

Volunteer Opportunities:

New Jersey Conservation Foundation
Works to preserve/reverse wildlife decline by cleaning up/protecting habitats
Contact Lauren Ramos: 908-234-1225 x 102 or lauren at njconservation.org

Friendship Circle (for our teens)
Opportunity to work with children with special needs in social, Judaic and educational experiences
Orientation: Sunday, January 13th 10:30 AM [with adult]
Contact: Zeesy Grossbaum at 201-262-7172 or Zeesy at BCFriendship.com
Location: Yeshivat Heatid, 1500 Queen Anne Rd., Teaneck

Wishing everyone a very happy and healthy 2019!

Annette

social action at adasemuno.org

Religious School News Jan./Feb. 2019

Lance Strate — Tue, 22 Jan 2019 18:13:31 GMT

Religious School News

Cantor Sandy Horowitz, Religious School Director

As I write this column we’re still coming off of the excitement of December’s Chanukah Family Service, featuring the 5th Grade. The students did a great job as they not only led us in the regular Shabbat prayers and music and put on a Chanukah skit, they also lent their voices to some classic Chanukah songs.

Family Services are always a lot of fun, and they are for all ages and all generations. We love seeing the sanctuary filled with parents and siblings, friends, board members, frequent Shabbat attendees and occasional visitors alike. It may be cold outside, but Shabbat warmth is a thing to be experienced, especially when we come together as a school and temple community. Save the date for the next Family Service led by the 4th graders on January 25.

Meanwhile, soon we will also be celebrating Tu B’Shevat, known as the “New Year of the Trees”. Our annual Tu B’Shevat Seder is generally known as a congregational event – rather than a school event – but some of the families and children who have attended in the past will tell you that it’s a lot of fun for all ages. Taking place on January 18 this year, the seder (shorter than a Passover seder, I promise!) takes place in the social hall following a brief Shabbat service. There are special foods, special songs and special stories that pertain to this holiday, and you get to experience it all at the seder.

Dates to note for January and February:

Friday, January 18
7:30 PM–Tu B’Shevat Seder

Friday, January 25
7:30 PM–Shabbat Family Service led by Grade 4

Sunday, February 17
NO SCHOOL

Friday, February 22
7:30 PM–Shabbat Family Service (theme to be announced)

President's Message Jan./Feb. 2019

Lance Strate — Tue, 22 Jan 2019 18:06:55 GMT

A Message from the President

Michael Fishbein, President

As Rabbi Schwartz often explains, Adas Emuno is a house of worship, a house of learning and a house of gathering. But there is something special about Adas Emuno—it is also a house of joy. For members who limit their participation to the High Holy Days, Adas Emuno is a house of spiritual renewal and a house of remembrance. These devoted members take inspiration from the wisdom of Rabbi Schwartz reflected in his service, leadership and sermons; their spirits are uplifted by High Holy Day melodies chanted so beautifully by Cantor Horowitz. What they are missing, however, is the joyful occasions that are part of Adas Emuno’s year-round observances.

Consider our annual Sukkot celebration that begins with “pizza in the hut” and continues with singing in a packed social hall. What a fun evening that is! Songs from Woody Guthrie to the Rolling Stones fill the room, brought together with the musical accompaniment of accomplished guitarist Peter Hays. Thank you Cantor Horowitz, Elka Oliver, Skyler Oliver, and Stella Borelli for sharing your lovely voices with us.

I’m pretty sure everyone who attended that evening is looking forward to next year’s Sukkot celebration. What is more lively than our monthly Family Services? These Shabbat evenings feature one of our Religious School grades leading us during the service. It is a delight to see these young students demonstrate their knowledge and enthusiasm. The students, their teachers, and the Cantor always lead us in robust songs of Shabbat. The joy is real—and contagious.

How about our Hanukkah party? It begins with the lighting of the menorah in front of our temple, a couple of songs and a joke or two courtesy of the Rabbi. Later, we kindle our 118-year-old menorah. This year, we feasted on delicious latkes made by several of our members and Debby Schwartz. Back by popular demand, Elana Fishbein led improv games with the participation of both young and old.

On Friday, January 18, we will hold our Tu B’Shevat Seder, a fun occasion on which we celebrate the “New Year of Trees.” We eat various types of fruit and nuts, and drink both red and white wine (or grape juice)—all in a specific order. This seder is based on Kabbalistic ideas and was developed during the 16th century in what is now Safed, Israel.

Coming up in March is the celebration of Purim, highlighted by our annual Purim Shpiel. Previous shpiels featured creative scripts and songs written by Lance Strate, our immediate past president. Who knows what the next shpiel will bring? I know one thing—it will be fun. Consider joining as a cast member and you, too, can become an instant Adas Emuno star.

Now that the dark days of winter are here, it’s a good time to introduce extra light into every week. Come to Friday night Shabbat services; attend the Rabbi’s popular Saturday morning Torah study group; be inspired at Family Services; enjoy the Tu B’Shevat Seder; laugh and make noise during the Purim merriment. Don’t wait for the next High Holy Days to come to your house of worship, your house of learning, your house of gathering—and, yes, your house of joy.

Rabbi's Column: The Story of a Tapestry

Lance Strate — Tue, 22 Jan 2019 17:46:52 GMT

THE STORY OF A TAPESTRY

Rabbi Barry Schwartz

A striking tapestry of Jewish art now hangs in our social hall. If you haven’t seen it, make sure to go downstairs the next time you are at the Temple. It is unlike anything you have seen before.

The tapestry was created from eleven hand embroidered Ethiopian Jewish panels. Nine of the panels depict scenes from the Bible. The other two depict an Ethiopian Jewish synagogue gathering and a celebration of the unique Ethiopian Jewish festival of Sigd.

These embroideries, originally pillow covers, were made in the 1980’s when the Ethiopian Jewish community waited to make aliya to Israel. Many had already left their tiny villages in the Gondar province and were living in a compound in Addis Ababa awaiting their fate. The North American Conference on Ethiopian Jewry organized this project to help provide a means of support, and an expression of pride, under the most trying of conditions.

The embroideries are astonishingly intricate (some 40,000 stiches per piece) and vividly colored. I collected several of them when they were first made and used them as pillows at my Pesach seder each year. Recently I acquired the remaining Bible scenes and had the idea to turn them all into a tapestry. Fortunately my wife Debby had the skill to turn vision into reality!

The Jews of Ethiopia trace their origin all the way back to the union of the Queen of Sheba and King Solomon. They remained Jews through century after century of isolation and discrimination. They always dreamed of living in Israel. That dream was finally realized in two great airlifts, Operation Moses in 1984 and Operation Solomon in 1991 that brought some 25,000 individuals to Israel under extraordinary circumstances. Today that community has grown to 140,000 souls, 50 percent under the age of 19.

I also was a new immigrant to Israel in 1985 and had the opportunity to work with the newly arrived Jews of Ethiopia in Haifa, and to serve in the Israeli army with them. It is an experience I will never forget. So the story behind the tapestry is deeply personal for me even as it represents a shining moment in modern Jewish history.