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August/September 2003
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The Shofar is a bi-monthly newsletter from Congregation
Beth Ahavah.
Previous editions of the newsletter are available in the
Shofar Archives.
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Articles from this issue of the newsletter:
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New Year's Message from Rabbinic Intern Susan Falk
You shall be safe from oppression
You shall have no fear
And ruin shall not come near you. (Isaiah 54:14)
These words from the book of Isaiah are among the prophetic readings known as the "Seven Weeks of Comfort" that carry us from the despair of Tisha B'Av (which commemorates the destruction of both the First and Second Temples in Jerusalem) right through to the Shabbat preceding Rosh Hashanah. They thus seemed a fitting opening for my message to you this year as we, at Beth Ahavah, prepare for High Holy Day services - this year to take place in Philadelphia's new National Constitution Center!
It would be difficult to ignore the colossal symbolic statement of this event. How far have we come as a community - and as a nation - that Beth Ahavah, Philadelphia's GLB synagogue, will hold its Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services at this very public venue of national importance and historical significance? Of course, none of this would have happened without the hard work of BA's Board and Ritual Committee members. I am both honored and thrilled that I will be conducting your High Holy Day services this year - and that I will be serving for another year as BA's Rabbinic Intern. Once again, I invite you to come to Shabbat services, an educational program, or other BA event. And I encourage you to call me with any concerns, questions, or suggestions - be they personal or BA-related.
This year, as we sit together in the National Constitution Center during High Holy Days, let us be mindful and proud of the gains the GLB community has made since our movement officially began 35 years ago - right down to the Supreme Court's recent repeal of the sodomy laws. Let us not forget, however, the work we still have to do to ensure the civil and human rights of every member of our community, and to abolish the fear of discrimination and the threat of violence, even when the laws to protect us are in place. Equally important, the U.S. Constitution is meant to protect the rights of all those who live within America's borders - citizen and non-citizen alike. Our government, rightly and understandably, seeks to balance national security with individual freedoms. Yet, some of the provisions of the so-called "Patriot Act" to detain, deport, question, and search both citizens and resident aliens without due process call out for our attention - as members of the GLBT community, as Jews, and as human beings.
The "Seven Weeks of Comfort" also lead us into the Hebrew month of Elul, a time when we Jews traditionally practice cheshbon ha-nefesh, or the accounting of the soul. This practice helps prepare us emotionally and spiritually for the High Holy Days when we undertake the act of teshuvah, or repentance. Our tradition tells us that teshuvah was created even before Creation itself. This teaches that there is no person for whom teshuvah is not possible; nor is there a time or a place where it cannot be obtained. This does not mean, however, that teshuvah is easy. On the contrary, teshuvah is hard, soul-searching work. And, it is hard mostly because it requires that we bestow upon ourselves not blame, but rather great compassion - something that does not always come easily to us.
I pray that we will all find this compassion within ourselves, and that, following the words of the prophet Isaiah, we will be safe from oppression, we will have no fear, and ruin will not come near us.
I look forward to seeing and working with all of you this year.
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Message from the President
In my message today, I wanted to relate a story about something that happened to me that definitely falls into the "truth is stranger than fiction" category. Recently, on my way to work, I exited the Blue Route at my usual spot and found traffic on the exit ramp at a standstill due to an accident. As the tow truck had just arrived, I knew it would be a long wait until we started moving again.
Just then, a woman from the van parked in front of me came to my window, asking if I had a lighter in my car. I have a non-functional lighter, but I do have an outlet. This is what she needed, as the one in her van did not work. She was driving from upstate NY to Ocean City, MD for a little get-away without the kids and, as she had given birth three months earlier, she desperately needed a place to plug in her electric breast pump. Without batting an eye, I welcomed her into my car, and for the next 15 minutes as she pumped, we chatted and shared snippets of our lives. Finally, the accident was cleared and she returned to her van and her travels, thanking me for helping her in her time of need.
As I reflected on this story, not only did it give me the opportunity to go to work and say, "Can you believe what happened to me?" but I also realized the greater meaning behind it. It reinforced one of my personal philosophies of life, which is, "we're all in this together." I have always felt that just by virtue of being placed here on earth, it is the responsibility of each of us to help each other. This is the feeling I want each of us to experience when we are at BA. This is the kind of community I hope each of us can help build.
As we enter the Days of Awe, we have a unique opportunity to make this happen. At High Holy Days Services at the National Constitution Center, we will kick off a 20 month campaign entitled "Freedom Rings for Everyone." The campaign will include programming, social action and special events that highlight six freedoms guaranteed to us by the United States Constitution. The campaign will culminate in May 2005 with a celebration of the 30th anniversary of Congregation Beth Ahavah. As we celebrate our freedoms and how far we've come, let us not lose sight of the responsibility we have to friends and strangers alike.
As we move into the New Year, let us not hesitate to open our hearts to each other, to welcome the strangers in our midst or, if you're on the Blue Route, the nursing mother into your car.
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Men's Club Event
BA members and their guests are invited for pizza and a movie at 6PM, Saturday, September 6, at a member's home in King of Prussia. The movie will hopefully be something from the recent Philadelphia Gay/Lesbian Film Festival, depending on availability. We'll also be brainstorming ideas for future events and looking for folks to plan them.
Cost is $5.00. You must RSVP by September 5 to bethahavahoffice@aol.com or to 215-923-2003, box 4. You will receive directions when you RSVP, so be sure to leave a phone number if you leave a message on the voicemail.
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A Note from the Editor
Just when things seem to be going well, we are forcefully reminded that we don't have the freedoms that the straight world takes for granted.
The recent 6-to-3 ruling by the Supreme Court striking down the Texas sodomy law was a cause for celebration, and was an important step toward winning full equality under the law for lesbians and gay men. We've seen that New Jersey seems to be headed down the path to legalizing gay marriage, and that a majority of NJ citizens are in favor of this. The Ontario Court of Appeals ruled in favor of marriage equality for same-sex couples, and the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts could challenge the state's denial of marriage licenses to 7 same-sex couples. The Episcopal Church USA confirmed its first openly gay Bishop.
But then we were also subjected to the comments of PA Republican Senator Rick Santorum. In case you don't remember, he likened the right to have consensual gay sex within the home to the right to bigamy, polygamy, incest, and adultery-all things he thinks are antithetical to a healthy, stable, traditional family. Then, panicky Conservatives in the U.S. House of Representatives introduced an amendment to alter the U.S. Constitution to prohibit the recognition of same-sex marriage. This is the U.S. Constitution which has, over time, spread its protection to cover more and more of us, not fewer and fewer.
And, President Bush, sworn to uphold the U.S. Constitution and the separation between church and state, quoted from Jesus' Sermon on the Mount to promote his view that marriage is between a man and a woman and that "we" have lawyers looking into the best way to codify that.
Let us be mindful, as we meet at the National Constitution Center for the High Holy Days, that we have to remain vigilant, raise our voices, and continue to support those institutions in which we believe. Our freedoms are fragile indeed. Vote, email, write letters, and yes, pay your dues. It's no accident that Congregation Beth Ahavah's logo is the Liberty Bell.
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News from Israel by Seth Goren, BA's Foreign Correspondent
Just to bring those of you who don't know up to date, I've begun studying at Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion's rabbinical school, which is a five-year program. All first year HUC-JIR students, regardless of their program, spend their first year studying in Israel. As a result, I, along with 70 rabbinic, cantorial, education, and communal service classmates, have been in Jerusalem since July 15 and will be here for the 2003-04 school year.
My class is an interesting mix of people. We run the gamut from 21-year-olds fresh out of college to 50-somethings with grown kids. Perhaps most interestingly, there are approximately 12 to 15 "non-straight" students in our class, including the first transgendered rabbinic student.
I've also been spending a decent amount of time at the Jerusalem Open House, which is the home of Jerusalem's gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered community. The Open House hosts a wide range of activities, including Friday afternoon soccer, a Sunday night men's discussion group, a youth club, and a Palestinian group. I'm going to be working on organizing a monthly movie night as a way to bring together people who may not have a common language with which they feel comfortable.
Security is incredibly tight here; to get into any public place, like a mall, a restaurant, or a
supermarket, you have to go through a search of your bags and an electronic wand search. Interestingly, this added security makes me feel safer than I often feel in the United States. Although I'm still a little jet lagged, all in all, I'm settling in nicely.
If you'd like to keep closer tabs on me, please feel free to check out my web page at:
www.swgoren.com.
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A Letter to BA
In the last issue of The Shofar, Shelly wrote about someone who told her that, for her, Congregation Beth Ahavah had been a very unfriendly place. Since that time, Shelly is happy to report that others have attested to just the opposite. A letter from one of these
individuals is included here.
For those of us who work so hard to make Beth Ahavah the kind warm of place we want as our spiritual home, this is wonderful news indeed.
Shelly, I am writing in response to the comments a woman made to you at Sunday Out a while ago now. You may print this if you wish.
I came to Philadelphia in August of last year to finish my undergrad degree at Bryn Mawr College. Shortly after the term began, I needed to look for a shul for High Holy Days. I came to BA, where I was not just warmly welcomed, but practically embraced from the second I walked into the door. I was greeted by almost every single person who noticed a new face, and twice greeted by a few more. I was introduced to other members and made to feel not just like I belonged, but that my presence was desired.
Though it has been a hard year adjusting to the academic demands of Bryn Mawr and I have not been able to return for services, I will still maintain that your reaching out to me in my new life here was an astounding act that I have reflected upon often in the difficult moments of adjusting. I was invited to Shelly's home for Shabbat dinner as well as kept abreast of every synagogue event. I still have not had time to take part in the community life of BA, but each time I receive the newsletter, I catch up, so at least this way, I know all about the good things I am missing-- and what kind of community life I can look forward to when my life and time permits.
Thanks for welcoming me!
Risa
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Excerpts from a Drash By Rie Brosco
According to our tradition, both the First and Second Temples in Jerusalem were destroyed on Tisha B'Av. It is a time when we adopt the mourning customs of our people: we sit on the ground or low stools; we don't wear leather; when we see each other, we refrain from greetings; we read Eicha (the Book of Lamentations) and we fast. It is a time of melancholy and sadness for all that we had lost. We are to imagine what it must have been like to be sitting outside the Temple gates; to feel that God was behind a curtain (sort of like the Wizard of Oz?) between two cherubim, right there in front of us. We are supposed to imagine what it must have been like to watch the smoke rise from a sacrifice to appease God, to thank God, to beg forgiveness from God, to celebrate a past miracle. We are to imagine what it must have been like to have our senses assaulted with the smells, sounds and sights of such ritual.
This year, I decided to read Eicha. I decided to take the advice of the author Lesli Koppelman Ross who wrote a wonderful book called Celebrate: the Complete Jewish Holiday Handbook. She suggests that one should read these prayers with feeling, as if you were, indeed, the one doing the lamenting. She writes, "The loss was devastating. (Imagine the city in which you live depleted of food and water, ablaze in every direction, littered with the rubble of fortifications and houses and the people, you and your friends the victims of starvation, disease, armed combat, smoke inhalation, and flame.) The Temple treasures and vessels were carried off to Babylon, and thousands of Jews were forced to march there in chains." As a Jewish people, we have experienced exile and expulsion so often as a result of our religious beliefs. As gay and lesbian people we have experienced exile and expulsion as a result of our sexual identity. We as GLB Jews can relate to the experience of expulsion when a gay man's parents disowns him because of his sexuality and as a result, he become homeless. We can understand the feeling of exile when a loved one dies and the lesbian "partner" is given no public outlet for her grief because, after all, she is just a "friend."
It is not enough to bemoan the great loss suffered by our people with the destruction of our Holy Temple. We need to use our loss as a way of initiating an examination of our present-day feelings, thoughts and actions, to help make the world a better, more secure place; alleviate sadness and sorrow in the world around us.
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In the Board Room
In the coming year, the Board of Congregation Beth Ahavah is committing itself to keep the lines of communication open with the congregation. One of the major times that decisions are made on behalf of the community is at Board Meetings. These meetings are generally held on the fourth Thursday of the month beginning at about 6PM. They are open to any member of the congregation who wishes to attend. If you'd like something specific considered at the Board meeting, you need to contact our President, Shelly Komito, to discuss getting your item on the agenda. Shelly is happy to hear from you and will work with you to bring your issue to the floor. If you'd like to get involved in what is going on at BA, please contact anyone on the Board and we'll help you get started.
Each issue of The Shofar will contain a brief synopsis of the Board Meetings held since the last issue. We hope that this information will help keep you in the "inner circle" of BA and that you will count yourself among those who really know what is going on!
June 26 Annual Congregational Meeting
Election of Board Members and Officers:
Shelly Komito, President
Diane Weinberg, VP for Administration
Rie Brosco, Treasurer
Gloria Becker, Secretary
Board Members:
Jack Butler
Abbe Forman
Scott Gansl
Roger Margulies
Budget passed unanimously.
July 24 Board Meeting
Membership: We are planning for an Open House Shabbat to be held August 22. Susan Falk will lead this service and those who may want to become part of the community will be invited to attend. A light nosh will be offered before services and visitors will have an opportunity to meet with Board members and congregants. Supporting a growing membership is everyone's responsibility and hopefully, we are all proud to welcome new people to our community.
High Holy Days: Diane Weinberg is heading up our High Holy Day Committee. She would love to have a few more volunteers to help. High Holy Day services will be held at the new National Constitution Center and information will be sent out with the membership mailing.
Communications: We are looking into ways to be in touch with members more frequently with up to date information. We will try to have a weekly email sent from the office to our members with upcoming information.
Freedom Rings For Everyone campaign: This sub-committee met earlier in July and developed a framework for the campaign. The kick-off will be during High Holy Days. We are going to need a lot of people to become involved in this project to make it work, which shouldn't be too hard since it is a very exciting project. Members can become involved by contacting the Programming VP.
Bikur Holim: This important function of our community will be headed by Roger Margulies, Jane Storman and Minna Davis, but they welcome others who want to get involved. Susan Falk, our rabbinic intern, will also work closely with the committee. They would like to start an email list to circulate information about those in our community who are in need of healing or assistance.
Oneg Shabbat: Since Vic Diamond's illness, Oneg Shabbat sponsorship has dropped. We thank Ric Ben Safed for his work and want to support his efforts to enable more members of our community to sponsor our Oneg Shabbat. Our new program will be sent to all members this fall. Sponsorship will remain at $18 per oneg, and multiple sponsors will be accepted. There will also be discounts for people who agree to sponsor multiple onegs during the year.
Future Meeting Dates
September 25, 6 pm
October 23, 6 pm
November 20, 6 pm
December 18, 6 pm
All are welcome, but you need to call ahead if you want something on the agenda.
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