Marian Eisner and Rich Kessler have taken several Adut ... version of Spring Issue 2013.pdfMarian...

> Raise your voice this Yom Ha’Shoah so “Never Forget” is “Act Now.” p. 7

Spring Issue 5773/2013

Marian Eisner and Rich Kessler have taken several Adut Eductation classes at Shir Tikvah, including Hebrew and Torah chanting courses that culminated in their B’nei Mitzvah last June. Read more about Shir Tikvah’s Lifelong Learning Program on page 2.

> Read about the music and partnerships of Shabbat Shirah and the choir. p. 9

> Step inside the Thursday morning minyan. p. 4

2 | Kol Tikvah | www.shirtikvah.net

“ “Adult Ed classes shed light on Judaism, history, Hebrew and moreBy Laura Silver

Does it ever seem as if the kids have all the fun? Whether it’s special one-on-one time with the

rabbi for B’nei Mitzvah prep, flipping latkes at Chanukah, or the exhilaration of that first attempt to conquer the Hebrew aleph-bet, the kids get the new and exciting, and the grown-ups get the ho-hum.

Or do they? Just talk to a sampling of congregants

and you’ll see that adult education at Shir Tikvah is anything but ho-hum. Last year, Rabbi Melissa B. Simon, Director of Lifelong Learning, and a lay task force drafted a Vision for Lifelong Learning, and have been working since then to develop an adult education program that explores “holy conversations about Torah, concepts of God, Judaism, Israel, and relevant issues of today’s world in all their exhilarating, challenging, and profound forms.” In other words, says Rabbi Simon, “We are looking to offer opportunities to deepen people’s learning, to make Judaism relevant in their daily lives.”

One Shir Tikvah member who has taken advantage of that opportunity is Kristy Snyder. Snyder joined the congregation two years ago with her husband, David, and their two children, and all four are participating in the pilot year of Nesiya, which offers an innovative approach to family learning. “It’s perfect for our family,” says Snyder. “I’m not Jewish, and it helps me connect with things I learned in my own faith through a different lens. It helps me deepen and refine my knowledge.”

Snyder’s oldest child, Spencer, 5, took part in the Mishpacha (Pre-K) program when the family first joined Shir Tikvah, and enjoyed it. But Snyder appreciates Nesiya for what it has to offer her. “What’s super nice,” she says, “is when the adults separate and learn at a different level. I love the rigor; I enjoy hearing people’s perspectives.”

New member Freda Marver signed up for the Great Jewish Questions class with her non-Jewish significant other after he had expressed an interest. “I wouldn’t have thought to sign up on my own,” she says, “but I’ve gotten some ‘nuggets’ for myself.” Marver, who grew up in a Conservative synagogue where she attended Hebrew School three times a week, says it’s a wonder she remembers anything given when and how the classes were taught. “I learned the name Heschel back then, but in this class, I learned about his philosophies.”

Long-time member Christina Rothstein

took two adult classes this fall—Great Jewish Questions and Beginning Hebrew—with a goal of joining the next adult B’nei Mitzvah cohort. She had taken Basic Jewish Practice and Beliefs two times before—once when she met her husband, Robert, and once during her son’s Bar Mitzvah year. She converted to Judaism 18 years ago. “There’s a lot to learn, even if you don’t convert!” she says with a laugh.

At first, Rothstein dreaded the Hebrew class. “Languages don’t come easily to me,” she says. I was convinced I couldn’t learn Hebrew. When I first met Rabbi Simon at a retreat, I said, ‘I can’t do it! I don’t have the mind.’ But I knew I had to give it a try.”

And after 10 weeks, she’s getting it, “little bit by little bit.” Soon she’ll be ready for her own Bat Mitzvah celebration. “It’s never too late,” she says. “At Shir Tikvah there are always more chances.”

Never too late to learn

“We are looking to offer opportunities to deepen people’s learning, to make Judaism relevant in their daily lives.”

— Rabbi Melissa B. Simon, Director of Lifelong Learning

photo by Chris GellerRabbi Michael Latz speaks to a group of Lifelong Learning students.

www.shirtikvah.net | Kol Tikvah | 3

Friday, March 8, 8 p.m.Saturday, March 9, 10:30 a.m.Lou Weiner Memorial Lecture Weekend, with distinguished speakers, Rabbis Arthur Waskow & Phyllis Berman, co-authors of A Time for Every Purpose Under Heaven and Tales of Exodus & Wilderness Across Milennia

Monday, March 18, 7 p.m.Professor Sonja Hedgepeth, at Mt. Zion on Sexual Violence against Jewish Women during the Holocaust (Details on page 7.)

Friday, March 22, 8 p.m.Saturday, March 23, 10:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.Robert N. Schlesinger Memorial Lecture Weekend, with special guest lecturer Rabbi Or Rose, Director of the Center for Global Judaism at Hebrew College

First Passover Seder is Monday evening, March 25.Have an extra seat at your seder table? Let us know.Looking for a place to have seder? Let us know.Shir Tikvah will do all possible to connect guests and hosts this Passover. Contact Sara at (612) 822-1440 or [email protected].

Thursday, April 11, 7 p.m.Book talk by author Joy Ladin, St. Paul JCCThrough the Door of Life: A Jewish Journey between Genders(Details on page 6.)

“Our exquisite Jewish tradition calls us to laugh and to weep, to live fully on Purim and Yom Kippur—and all the days in between.”

Rabbi Latz

“

“By Rabbi Michael Adam LatzIn my Kol Nidre sermon this past year, I wrote, “The essential message of Purim is that life is inescapably unpredictable — on a whim, the Jews of Shushan’s very existence were threatened because of a conniving yet powerful narcissist named Haman. What got Haman so bent out of shape? Mordechai the Jew refused to bow down before him. For this, Haman demanded Morechai’s execution — and all the Jews with him — and went as far as to build a series of gallows to watch our ancestors hang. But Mordecai convinced Esther, the closeted Jewish Queen, to approach the King and save our people. She prevails, the Jews survive, Mordecai gets a promotion, and in a neo-classic Hollywood ending, Haman is put to death on the gallows he built for the Jews.

V’nahafoch Hu, the text reads: In a split second, the world is upside down.”

V’nahafoch Hu. The world is upside down. On Yom Kippur, we address the unpredictability

of life by fasting to cleanse our souls and focus our

attention on the spiritual; it is a quest for piety and purity.

On Purim, we dress in fanciful costumes, mask ourselves, and celebrate life’s absurdities with bawdy revelry and mocking the winter’s darkness, all the while giving mishloach manot—sweet treats—and matanot l’evyonim—tzedakah to those in need.

Our exquisite Jewish tradition calls us to laugh and to weep, to live fully on Purim and Yom Kippur—and all the days in between, and to celebrate our triumphs even as we reach for one another in the depths of our despair.

V’nahafoch Hu. Yes, indeed, the world is upside down. Often, this is out of our control. Judaism, with Purim and Yom Kippur, offers deep spiritual insight guidance, and moral clarity as to how we might respond and live holy and wholly in our upside down world—and even, perhaps, turn it right side up.

L’shalom.

>Conversations with Clergy V’nahafoch Hu: Spiritual guidance for an upside-down world

Berman

Hedgepeth

Waskow

Rose

Upcoming events


Morning minyan offers memorable

Winter sunshine barely peeks through the Torah ark window in the sanctuary when gatherers warmly greet each other, coming together for the sacred tradition of Shacharit Minyan. For two and a half years, Shir Tikvah has been transforming its own Thursday-morning

version of the rabbinic-designed prayer tradition, which dates back about 1,000 years to the period of post-temple destruction.

It was 2010 when summer rabbinic intern Jason Rodich proposed that Shir Tikvah create a minyan to daven with an additional 15 or 20 minutes of learning and conversation. Thursday was chosen because it is one of the historical market days on which Torah is read in community. Conservative and Orthodox congregations generally have daily minyan, where at least 10 people gather to pray a set liturgy between one and three times per day. Shir Tikvah started Thursday minyan on a trial basis, and it caught on.

By Katy Campbell

A group starts the day with Thursday morning minyan.


Special to Shir Tikvah’s minyan, which meets at 7:45 a.m. each Thursday, are visits by B’nei Mitzvah students who chant their Torah portion to an encouraging and responsive congregation of adults. This debut is frequently reported to be a student’s tipping point to the “zone of readiness,” confident about leading the congregation in prayer on Shabbat, says B’nei Mitzvah Coordinator Wendy Goldberg.

In addition to reading Torah,

another reason a minyan meets is to say Kaddish Yatom, the Mourner’s Kaddish, in community. A mourner doesn’t feel isolated, then, in the process of grief.

Shir Tikvah’s minyan is typically attended by 10 to 20 people, many regulars. While the prayers follow Siddur liturgy, direction is dynamic and unique, with clergy and congregants alternating leadership.

For example, after this year’s High Holy Days services, congregant and University of Minnesota English professor Dr. Andrew Elfenbein led minyan with a reading from “The Sermon” chapter of Melville’s Moby Dick. A lively discussion relating to the book of Jonah followed.

Shir Tikvah member Jackie Casey had a deeply transformative experience recently at minyan. Minyan leader Sharon Jaffe invited the group to the bimah and encouraged Jackie to stand close to the Torah. New to Judaism, Jackie says she was “awed” because she had never held a yad (text pointer) or stood next to an open scroll.

“I became overwhelmed with a

sense of joy and belonging and was reduced to tears,” Jackie recalls. “The moment was powerful and a little embarrassing — awe, wonder and radical amazement. The Torah was returned to the ark and I was surrounded by my fellow congregants with words of support easing my embarrassment and embraced in a loving community of acceptance.”

The depth and richness of minyan experience leads Rabbi Michael Adam Latz to say of the joys, “My heart is full.”

“I love the stunning authenticity of a prayer community—the depth of sharing, the power of moving through the years together.”

Shacharit morning minyan is open to all.

prayer experience at Shir Tikvah

“ “The Torah was returned to the ark and I was surrounded by my fellow congregants with words of support easing my embarrassment and embraced in a loving community of acceptance. — Minyan attendee Jackie Casey

min�yan noun \’min-yen\: the quorum required for Jewish communal worship that consists of 10 adults.


By Carolyn Levy, member of Shir Tikvah and of the JCC Book Fair CommitteeJoy Ladin, author of Through the Door of Life: A Jewish Journey Between Genders will speak at the St. Paul JCC on Thursday, April 11, at 7 p.m. as part of their 2013 Annual Jewish Book Fair, co-sponsored by Shir Tikvah.

Joy Ladin is a poet and English professor at Yeshiva University’s Stern College for Women. Joy was born Jay Ladin, and in 2006 when she told University officials that she was transitioning to become a woman, she was put on indefinite leave.

Many at the Orthodox Jewish university were upset by the presence of a transgender professor. Some feared the news could cut alumni donations.

Rabbi Moshe Tendler, a senior dean at Yeshiva’s rabbinical school and a professor of biology and medical ethics, voiced his opinion, saying “There is no niche where he can hide out as a female without being in massive violation of Torah law, Torah

ethics and Torah morality.” The decision to fire Ladin was revoked after

her lawyers sent a letter to the school. Ladin has remained on the Stern College faculty.

Through the Door of Life recounts Ladin’s journey as she changed genders and recreated herself in the face of opposition not only from her employers, but from her family, her faith, and her community.

To make this work, we need you and your voice!

Are you a photographer?

Do you like to write?

Have you done something interesting related to Shir Tikvah or Judaism that other congregants should know about?

Please submit your photos, articles, and ideas for Kol Tikvah to Sara Lahyani at [email protected].

2013 Jewish Book Fair preview: Through the Door of Life: A Jewish Journey Between Genders

Carolyn Levy will be speaking about the book at Shabbat services on Friday, February 22 at 8 p.m. Levy is a professor of Theater Arts at Hamline University. Through her work with the Hamline Social Justice Theater Troupe, Levy has created plays examining transgender issues with a focus on educating the campus community about this subject. Copies of Through the Door of Life are available for sale at the St. Paul JCC.

Rep. Ellison stops at Shir Tikvah

photo by Chris GellerThe Human Rights Bus Tour, a civil rights-style trip organized by Occupy Homes MN, traveled throughout the Twin Cities on January 5 to raise awareness of affordable housing issues. Shir Tikvah was the first stop on the tour, which brought together justice activists, diverse neighborhoods, and faith communities to call an end to dual-trading and unfair foreclosure practices.


Every year, we remember the Holocaust with tributes on Yom Ha’Shoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day.

This solemn occasion is a time when we honor the memory of the six million Jews who perished, including 1.5 million children.

After the Holocaust, the world’s leaders vowed that never again would people stand by while innocent men, women, and children are targeted for extermination based solely on who they are. Yet, “never again” has become over and over again, as we witnessed genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia, Darfur, Argentina, Guatemala, and East Timor.

We also say “never forget.” But what should we never forget? Certainly we shouldn’t ever forget those who perished. But we should never forget that extermination is at the very end of a long process of discrimination and hate that builds, almost inexorably, to dehumanization, separation, polarization, and ultimately to violence and death.

This process isn’t inevitable. Genocide happens for many very complicated reasons. But it also happens for a simple one – we let it happen.

The late Sen. William Proxmire once said, “The most lethal pair of foes to human rights is ignorance and indifference.”

We may never forget our loved ones, but we forget that we watched as bystanders, waiting for someone else, anyone else, to step up, raise their voices, demand protection and safety and security for those in grave danger. A Holocaust survivor once told me, “Bystanders are every bit as guilty as the perpetrators.” Our indifference allows evil to flourish with impunity.

Holocaust Remembrance Day is sacred to memory – and a travesty to conscience.

Yehuda Bauer, professor of Holocaust Studies at Hebrew University of Jerusalem, delivered a speech to the German Bundestag, or parliament, in which he said, “I come from a people who gave the Ten Commandments to the world. Time has come to strengthen them by three additional ones, which we ought to adopt and commit ourselves to: Thou shall not be a perpetrator. Thou shall not be a victim. And thou shall never,

but never, be a bystander.”Take a stand. Contact your elected officials in Washington,

D.C. and urge protection for people at risk: people in Burma or Congo or Syria.

Make the call today. There is a toll-free hotline, 1-800-GENOCIDE (800-436-6243). You’ll be prompted to enter your ZIP code. Then you’ll press 1 to speak to your representative, 2 to speak to your senator, and 3 to be connected directly to the White House. Before you’re connected, you’ll hear talking points, suggestions for what you might say.

We at Shir Tikvah are not indifferent. We are not bystanders. We will remember that genocide is not inevitable, it can be prevented, and we can all be “upstanders” in the effort to protect innocent people, prevent violence, prosecute perpetrators – and remember those whose lives and cultures have been destroyed by genocide.

At Yom Ha’Shoah, we can do more than remember. We can act. Shir Tikvah has hosted speakers, including survivors of recent genocides in Rwanda and Sudan; we have supported vital legislation to provide humanitarian aid for those who are displaced and suffering; and we teach our youth to stand up in the face of injustice. As Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, “The moral arc of the universe is long, but it bends towards justice.” We all must have a hand in bending that arc.

Never again. Never forget. Over and over again. By Ellen J. Kennedy, Ph.D.Executive Director, World Without Genocide at William Mitchell College of Law, St. Paul

Upcoming event: Monday, March 18For decades, there was nearly complete silence about the sexual brutalization of Jewish women during the Holocaust. Professors Rochelle Saidel and Sonja Hedgepeth break that silence in their landmark volume, Sexual Violence against Jewish Women during the Holocaust.

Shir Tikvah, Temple Israel, Mt. Zion Temple, and World Without Genocide are co-sponsoring Professor Hedgepeth’s visit to the Twin Cities. For details about her talk at 7 p.m. on Monday, March 18, at Mt. Zion, visit worldwithoutgenocide.org or call (651)695-7621.

We at Shir Tikvah are not indifferent. We are not bystanders. We will remember that genocide is not inevitable, it can be prevented....“

“


Strength for the Future: Chazak L’Atid By Jackie CaseyIn my role on the Development Committee, I have the honor of being a leader in our newest fundraising campaign to celebrate Shir Tikvah’s 25th anniversary: Chazak L’Atid (Strength for the Future).

This $750,000 campaign is born of a vision for Shir Tikvah, and so far, over $350,000 has been raised. I invite you to read the details about all the campaign seeks to achieve on shirtikvah.net or in campaign materials.

From my perspective, the campaign is essentially about people — those who embraced me in my journey to Judaism and those I see embraced each and every day in this holy community. It is a distinct honor to ask you, the Shir Tikvah community, for your support of our amazing place of worship, learning, and friendship.

I and my fellow leaders have been and will be reaching out to you in various ways. Embrace us when we reach out to you with the gift of your listening. And join us in the holy honor of giving—beyond what you are already doing—to support Shir Tikvah’s important work in this anniversary year and beyond.

By Jane Binder, PresidentAs can be seen throughout this issue of Kol Tikvah, there are a number of ways that Shir Tikvah continues to move forward on projects and programs we have started in recent months. The Board has spent a great deal of its time reviewing these exciting projects:

Vision StatementWe have held many meetings with committees and congregants, including STIFTY, founders of our synagogue, and staff, regarding the draft Vision Statement. All of the wonderful and varied feedback we received will be reviewed by those of us who have been drafting the Vision Statement. A revised Vision Statement will be available for comment and discussion soon, with a congregational vote on the final draft at the Annual Meeting on May 31, 2013.

FinancesOn November 15, Shir Tikvah had a very successful Give to the Max Day, receiving more donations–by a large margin–than any other nonprofit our size. The overwhelming support we received on that day is a tribute to the love we have for our community. The Board has reviewed the success of that event, while also realistically reviewing our financial status.

Chazak L’Atid (Strength for the Future) is a new fundraising campaign that is off to a fantastic start with 100% participation from the Board of Trustees and many other congregants already pledging to contribute to this important fund.

GrowthAt each meeting we are given a membership update and our community continues to grow. We are presently a congregation of approximately 425 households, and counting. The Board wants every member, whether a founder or a brand new member, to feel welcome and at home at Shir Tikvah.Feel free to contact Board members to ask questions and share feedback. Our names are listed on shirtikvah.net and in Kol Tikvah. We would love to hear from you.

>Board Update >Welcome, new members!Bruce Manning & Tricia CornellNora & Arlo3921 Upton Ave S, Mpls 55410

Lisa Wasserman & Aimee Klapach

Natalia Dorf & Joel CarterAnouk & Alec3236 Humboldt Ave S, Mpls 55408

Ellen Deutsch Flannigan3727 Harriet Ave S, Mpls 55409

Dana Buchwald4412 W Lake Harriet Pkwy #201, Mpls 55410

Voices of the Congregation: D’var N’Shama (Word of the Soul)At the First Friday Shabbat service on November 4, 2012, Laura Dettloff was the first congregant to share a D’var N’shamah, or “Word of the Soul.” This excerpt from Laura’s piece offers a fresh perspective on the role that limitations can play in fostering empathy:

Without understanding our own fear in the face of everyday, how is it possible to understand that other people are holding in their own secret dreads? If we believe ourselves to be invulnerable, how can we accept the vulnerability of others? It is one thing, no small thing, to legislate fairness and make it a matter of custom or law. It is quite another to meet someone on their own ground, to open yourself up and say “Me, too.”

If you are interested in writing and delivering a D’var N’shamah for a future First Friday service, please contact Rabbi Latz.


Celebrating Shabbat in song By Eric Brook

Shabbat is always filled with music at Shir Tikvah — songs of joy, sadness, celebration, remembrance, reverence, and prayer. We have a rich history of congregants leading music and prayer at services, sharing their diverse talents and styles. We have brought together our own singers and instrumentalists, soloists, duos, and ensembles, and welcomed friends from our Jewish and non-Jewish communities. Above all, the enthusiastic musical participation of the congregation is the lifeblood of song at Shir Tikvah.

What is Shabbat Shirah?Shabbat Shirah is the “Shabbat of

Song,” the Shabbat on or before Tu B’Shevat, on which we read the Torah portion that sings the joyous song of Moses and Miriam. Many congregations take this occasion to give a special place to Jewish song and music. In 1998, Shir Tikvah began its own tradition of gathering singers, musicians, composers, and music leaders to celebrate Jewish music at this Shabbat service.

What’s different about Shabbat Shirah music?

Over the years, the choir, music leaders, and musicians have brought to the congregation new melodies that we hadn’t heard at our Shabbat services.

Shabbat Shirah has taken us to many musical sources, in many places and times. Traditional Ashkenazic and Sephardic nigguns made their appearances, as did an array of Jewish and distinctly American sounds influenced by avante-garde composition, pop, jazz, gospel, opera, Broadway, and Hollywood.

The choir has explored Hebrew psalms written in exquisite madrigal form; and belted the grand, stirring music of the 19th-century Classical Reform movement. Often, the repertoire has come from contemporary composers. There were intricate harmonies, complex rhythms, and intense emotional moments.

Who are our Shabbat Shirah partners?

We have had many wonderful collaborations over the first 16 years of Shabbat Shirah. We combined our choir with that of our friends from Bet Shalom. We joined the One Voice Mixed Chorus performing Donald McCullough’s Holocaust Cantata. We’ve welcomed several Twin Cities composers, including Charles Lilienfeld, composer-in-residence Jan Gilbert, and Judith Lang Zaimont of the U of M. We were fortunate to work in person with Cantor Gerald Cohen, whose moving Adonai Ro’i and Y’Varech’cha you have heard at High Holy Days. And, in 2011, cantor-composer David Shukiar came to share his talents, helping us to bring his spirited, joyful music to life. And just last year, everyone in the sanctuary was up, singing, and clapping as the choir rocked the Psalms with the electrifying Robert Robinson and singers from First Covenant Church and the Twin Cities Community Gospel Choir.

What has Shabbat Shirah meant to Shir Tikvah?

By exploring music beyond the familiar, Shabbat Shirah has led the choir

and congregants to enriched ways to experience Shabbat and Jewish music. For the singers and accompanists, from veterans to those joining the choir, it has brought wonderful memories of working together on challenging pieces to elevate ourselves and our fellow congregants in new modes of prayer. For those experiencing the new music for the first time on Shabbat Shirah evening, it has been an annual “surprise” that usually fills every seat in the house and offers a chance to delve into a new aspect of Jewish music.

For creating and continuing to reinvent Shabbat Shirah over the years, much gratitude is due to musical directors David Harris, Cantor Sarah Lipsett-Allison, masterful conductors Susan Wood and Marlys Fiterman, and to our current musical director, Wendy Goldberg. Our rabbinic leadership has always supported and inspired us. And Shabbat Shirah would not happen without all who show up at rehearsals and those who come every year to the service that is Shir Tikvah’s own Shabbat of Song. Contact Wendy — [email protected]— if you’d like to get involved.

The Shabbat Shirah choir members raise their voices together.


Sarah Alana Lipkin Sularz was the first baby born to members of the new congregation on Aug. 1, 1988. Pictured from her baby naming are four generations of family: great-grandmother Helen Goodman Leon,grandmother Ellie Leon Lipkin, mother Laura Patricia Lipkin, and baby Sarah. At right: Sisters Sarah and Tova last year.

On Friday, May 13, 1988 there were 110 people attending the first Shir Tikvah Shabbat service, which was held at the St. Paul Jewish Community Center. The service was compiled and led by Jeff

Prauer, Cathy Nemiroff and Laura Birns-Levison. Music was by Marianne Luban. The Torah was loaned by Beth Jacob synagogue.

First Shabbat Shirah program.

Dave Snyder was one of the first Bar Mitzvahs at Shir Tikvah. Below: Dave with his wife, Kristy, and children Spencer and Norah.

As we approach our 25-year anniversary...a look back at Shir Tikvah’s past


SHIR TIKVAH TRIVIAQ: Which nationally known artist performed as musical guest at Rabbi Stacy K. Offner’s installation as Shir Tikvah’s first rabbi?

A: Debbie Friedman. But she didn’t get top billing — her mother did.“Frieda Friedman’s daughter Debbie will perform. Congregants get top billing no matter how famous their children may be” was the write-up in the newsletter announcement from August 1988.

Q:What names were among those considered for the new congregation, in addition to “Shir Tikvah”?

A: � Rodeph Shalom (Pursuers of Peace)� Ha Bonim (The Builders)� Har Tikvah (Mountain of Hope)� Temple Tikvah� Shir Shalom (Song of Peace) � Bet Breine (House of Choice) and � Congregation Or Chadash (New Light)

Alex Dashe, center, was part of one of the earliest Confirmation classes (June 1989). Here is an excerpt from Dashe’s Confirmation speech, which was printed in the July/August 1989 issue of Kol Tikvah:

Alex Dashe today, with his wife, CiCi, and children Rafaela, Gabi and Max.

“I feel I have matured in my understanding of Judaism. What being Jewish for me has dramatically changed. When I look to the future I wonder what is in store for me. Where do I go to college, can I still express my Jewish-ness there? What about dating, do I date Jews? What about God? What is he, or is he even real? How strictly do I raise my kids? What Jewish traditions do I pass on to them? I have to deal with these questions and others as I look forward to what being Jewish means to me in the future.”

Cathy Nemiroff was the first to have an adult B’nei Mitzvah at Shir Tikvah on March 4, 1989. The next year, as president of the congregation,

she shared her vision of Shir Tikvah in an October 1990 president’s address:“...This is radical: to create a community that incorporates difference and allows difference to become part of the fabric of its existence. This is what I cherish most

about Shir Tikvah and it is also, I think, our greatest challenge.”

“


Eileen Campbell was called to the Torah on February 9. She chanted her Torah portion Mishpatim, which is a list of rules, from the book of Exodus.

Eileen is a 7th grader at Southview Middle School in Edina. Eileen enjoys playing flute in the 7th grade band and playing soccer in the spring and summer. She likes hanging out with her friends, and in the summer, she especially enjoys swimming and whitewater rafting.

Eileen thanks all the teachers at Shir Tikvah who have helped her with her Hebrew and Bat Mitzvah learning, particularly Rabbi Simon, Rabbi Latz, and Wendy Goldberg.

Eileen will give tzedakah to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and to YouthLink, an organization that helps homeless teens in Minneapolis.

Julia Hertzberg will be called to the bima as a Bat Mitzvah on Saturday, March 16. Her Torah portion is Vayikra from the book of Leviticus.

Julia is a 7th-grader at The Blake School in Hopkins, where her favorite subject is English. Julia loves to sing and play piano, and she enjoys running cross-country and track.

In honor of her Bat Mitzvah, Julia will be giving tzedakah to Jewish Family and Children’s Services of Minneapolis and Vital Voices vitalvoices.org/hawafund, a Washington organization supporting women’s rights, which has set up a tax-deductible mechanism to support Dr. Hawa Abdi’s hospital, school, and refugee camp in war-torn Somalia.

She would like to thank her tutor, Maggie Burton, for helping her learn

and understand her Torah and Haftarah portions, and her family and friends for their support.

Julia, her parents, Jeff Hertzberg and Laura Silver, and her big sister, Rachel, invite you to join them on this happy occasion. Julia will also participate in the Friday evening service at 6:30 p.m. on March 15. Sam Pacala and his family invite you to join them in celebration when Sam is called to the Torah as a Bar Mitzvah on Saturday, April 20, at 10:30 am. Sam’s Torah portion is K’doshim from the book of Leviticus, in which a list of ritual and ethical laws are offered to distinguish Jews as a holy people.

Sam is a 7th grader at the Breck School. He enjoys sports, especially soccer, hockey and skiing, music, and time with family and friends.

Sam is happiest and most himself when he is at Camp Kawaga, his home away from home, where he spends eight weeks each summer. In this spirit, Sam will give tzedakah to the American Camp Association’s Send a Child to Camp Fund. Sam believes that camp can positively change a child’s life forever and he hopes that his donation will help make this happen for many children.

Sam and his family would like to thank the Shir Tikvah community, Rabbi Simon, Wendy, and especially Rabbi Latz for his tutoring, support, mentorship and true friendship.

Sam will also participate in the Friday evening service on April 19 at 8:00 pm.

Adam and Connor Bass invite the congregation to celebrate with them as they are called to the Torah on April 27 at 10:30 a.m. for their Bar Mitzvah. They will each read a portion of the parshah Emor of Leviticus which focuses on the nature and importance of purity among the priestly Kohanim and the legal consequences of blasphemy.

Adam and Connor are 7th graders at Black Hawk Middle School in Eagan. Adam enjoys wrestling, hiking in Lebanon Hills, climbing, skiing, traveling, video games, following current events and reading about history --particularly WWII. Connor enjoys swimming, climbing, hiking in Lebanon Hills, skiing, skating, traveling, video games, following his stocks and developing a lucrative future business plan. They both love to spend time with friends and family (and, yes, each other).

Connor will give tzedakah to the World Wildlife Fund and The Conservation Fund because he cares deeply about environmental issues. Adam will give tzedakah to Heifer International because he feels it is important to help those in need in a sustainable fashion.

Connor and Adam want to thank their teachers, friends and family for all the support along the way. They want to give special thanks to their tutor, Stephanie Fink, for “being a great teacher and strongly influencing our Jewish life.” They look forward to having all of their family from across the country come to share this event with them, particularly their grandparents, Max and Marion Spoont from Binghamton NY. They wish their late grandmother, Francene Bass, could have also come for the celebration.

Adam and Connor will also participate in the Friday night service on April 26.

>B’nei Mitzvah


TASTEf Shir TikvahSharing recipes for your holiday table

Have a favorite recipe you’d like to share? Send to [email protected] along with a brief introduction about the recipe. See the back page for deadlines.

This recipe for Hamantaschen yields a beautiful tender crust and is quite simple to make. It can be found in “Beni’s Family Cookbook for the Jewish Holidays” by Jane Breskin Zalben. Fun to make with the kids and easy, too! Make plenty — at least a double batch — because I promise you these will go fast!

Yield: 4 dozen3 cups of unbleached flour1/2 tsp baking soda2 tsp baking powder1/4 tsp salt2/3 cup sugar1/8 tsp cinnamon1/4 cup cream cheese1/2 cup butter1/2 tsp vanilla2 tbsp milk2 tbsp orange juice1 medium egg1/2 cup of filling of your choice: poppy seeds, apple butter, jelly, pitted cherries, chocolate chips, minced walnuts and honey...

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.Sift flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Mix in salt, sugar, and cinnamon. Set aside.Cream butter and and cream cheese. Add vanilla, milk, orange juice, and egg to creamed mixture.Blend well in food processor or mixer. Gradually add dry mixture and mix until dough mixture is formed.Place dough on lightly floured surface. Flatten with rolling pin until dough is 1/8-inch thick.Cut into 3-inch circles using an upside down glass.Fill each circle with 1/2 tsp of filling. Press the edge of the circle up and pinch to make triangles. Place hamantaschen on a greased cookie sheet. Bake 10 minutes or until lightly tan. Note: If pareve, substitute water for milk and add 1/4 cup margarine for cream cheese.

ANNOUNCEMENTSMazal TovsLaura and David Eisen and big brother Ben, on the birth of Olivia Violet

Kvelling Along with several of their colleagues in the Minnesota Rabbinic Association, Rabbi Simon & Rabbi Latz were selected as Human Rights Rabbis of the Year by Rabbis for Human Rights for their work to defeat the Marriage Amendment.

CondolencesHoward Orenstein & Barb Frey, Maddie, Ross, and Walker, on the death of their father and grandfather, Gene OrensteinPenny, Allie, Talia & Samara Schumacher and their family on the death of their husband and father, Steve SchumacherMichael Resnick & Lyn Bearinger, their children Katie & Jeff Eichten, and Ari Resnick, and grandchildren —Benjamin, Joseph, Natalie,

on the death of their mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, Helen ResnickBecca (Lugar-Guillaume) & Gavin Poindexter on the death of Becca’s grandfather, Leon LugarJeff & Jennifer Lewin, Max, Simon, & Devra and their family, on the death of Jeff ’s mother, Rhoda LewinLaura and David Dettloff on the death of Laura’s father, Stephen Mario Matusewic

Submitted by Sara Lahyani


Shir TikvahJen & Jeff Lewin, in honor of

Mona DewayneMichael Bahr, in memory of

Lottie HillerMicki & Burt Danovsky, in

memory of Micki’s aunt, Sylvia Schwartz Grossman

Susan Rosenthal & Erica Pyatt, in memory of Doris Rosenthal

Martin & Florence Koby in memory of Edith Sleutelberg

Norman Steinberg, in loving memory of Celia Waldimer

Pam & Robert Goldman, in appreciation

Tamar Ghidalia, in honor of LeeEl’s birth and in appreciation of Rabbi Latz

From the estate of Gerald Cohen

Neal Gosman & Sandy Pappas, in memory of Bernice Weinberg Gosman Rand

Bilinkoff Corbett Family Martin & Ronnie Eisen Ruth & David Olkon, in

appreciation of Susan Heineman

Ina & Larry Gravitz, in memory of Ina’s grandfather, Abraham Feuer

Micki & Burt Danovsky, wishing a speedy recovery to Mert Suckerman

Tafat Ostfield & Alex Linzon, in honor of their newborn daughter, LeeEl

Judith Pierotti, in honor of the marriage of Rabbi Latz & Michael Simon

Audrey Friedman, in memory of Natalie Mucha, mother of Audrey Friedman and grandmother of Megan Friedman and Lara Friedman Shedlov

Robert & Elizabeth Weil

Kathy Kosnoff & Lyonel Norris

Jessica & Daniel Schroeter, in memory of Dr. David Coffey

Jill Madsen, in honor of Ali Serrioz’s conversion

Ina & Larry Gravitz, in memory of Larry’s parents, Edith & Sydney Gravitz and in memory of Rose Feuer, Ina’s grandmother

Ron & Phyllis Ettinger

In memory of Gerry CohenJane & Gene Borochoff Steven Levy Ginny & Ray LeviHarvey Zuckman & Phil

Oxman

In memory of Steve Schumacher

Michael & Polly SaxonJudy G. TobiasLeatrice & Lewis MarshakRobert & Sharon GoldsteinKevin & Elizabeth HoffmanKaren & Barry MazinDee & Ken SteinJerry & Selma ShlenskySheri & Allen LuckAndrea FeshbachMr. & Mrs. Shelby LozoffRobert E. Lozoff, DDSMargot Sue & Joel KimmelMark & Julie SchnollRabbi Stacy Offner & Nancy

AbramsonReina MalakoffBarbra Wiener & Catherine

ReidMarc Roth & Ann Kaner

RothLisa Pogoff & Jeff

ZuckermanDori DenelleMax & Ari StevensonCathy TobiasElliot & Polly LansonHarlene & Bernie SiegelEdward Bookstaff & Carol

Dubin-BookstaffDiana & Shelly LutzShari GozaliEugenie & Carl EbertMarlene & Jerry MarksMarilyn & Jack RosenBarbara & Al SimonJean LazarusJay Benanav & Lucy KansonPhil Oxman & Harvey

ZuckmanAnita DinersteinSusan & Chris GellerMiriam KlaneRachel BreenBarbie Levine & Sara Lynn

NewbergerJulian & Susan DobranMarvin Yanoff & Sybil

SuvalskyMartin & Beverly LoveNeal Gosman & Sandy

PappasFreddie Weisberg

In honor of Tamar Ghidalia’s new granddaughter, LeeEl

Jen & Jeff Lewin Ginny & Ray Levi

Rabbi Latz Discretionary FundRick Appelsies, in honor of

the wonderful guidance and tutoring provided by Rabbi Latz for Noa’s Bat Mitzvah

Karen CohenJackie LeaderNeil BloomEric RehmAriella Tilsen & Scott

EdelsteinAbdo Sayegh Rodriguez &

Leif AndersonGloria & Alan Weinblatt, in

memory of Gene Orenstein Gerry Cohen Abbey Kuller Howard Schwartz Jay Binder Rachael Borochoff Gilard

Frank SchultzGloria & Alan Weinblatt, in

honor of the birth of Joshua Arthur Edelson

Kinari Weinstein Murrow Noa Elza Graetz Yonas Aria Sol Knazan

Rabbi Simon Discretionary FundLiz Rubin Rabbi Offner Legacy Fund for YouthSara & Joseph Weed, in

honor of Arthur Samuel Goldman’s Bar Mitzvah

Judith & Earle Silber, in honor of Naomi Silber

Simon Stratford, in memory of Steve Schumacher

Building FundRick Appelsies, with

gratitude to Sara Lahyani for all her logistical and emotional support for Noa’s Bat Mitzvah and in appreciation of Armando Vela-Villagrana for preparing the building for Noa’s Bat Mitzvah

Amy Ollendorf & Miriam Weinstein, in memory of Gerry Cohen

Harris Music FundSanford & Marlene GoldbergRick Appelsies, in honor of

Wendy Goldberg’s musical leadership for Noa’s Bat Mitzvah

High Holy DaysSanford & Marlene GoldbergJack L. Abrahamson

Donations made from Oct. 23 – Jan. 7 are reflected below. Donations received after Jan. 8 will appear in the next edition of Kol Tikvah. Donations can be made anytime at shirtikvah.net.Tzedakah

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Continued from previous page

Yad b’YadIda Swearingen & Ellen

Hawley, in memory of Caryl Barnett

GIVE TO THE MAX DAY

Shir TikvahAaron Lichtov & Molly

KeenanAdele HallAlex & CiCi DasheAlex Rothman & Nina Sayer,

in recognition of the 8th grade parent sessions conducted by Barbara Rudnick

Amira CohenAmy & Harry Funk, in

memory of Sadie & Willie Powell

Amy Ollendorf & Miriam Weinstein

Andrea FeshbachAndrew SilbermanAnn Kaner-Roth & Marc

RothAnn LevitonBarbara Wiener, because

Rabbi Latz is such an inspiration!

Beth & Larry FoxBeth ZemskyBruce Manning & Tricia

Cornell, Happy Birthday Rabbi Latz!

Bryan AltmanCarin & Michael MrotzCarol Keyes-FerrerCarole Evenchik & Val WolfeCheryl DvorakClaire Buchwald & Larry

Bogoslaw, Shir Tikvah is a treasure!

CM Swoboda KrugDan Higgs & Emmy MatznerDavin Lagerroos & Michelle

LeeDenise Tennen & Kenneth

Fox, in honor of our wedding

Edward WeinsteinEllen KennedyEnzi Tanner, in honor of

Rabbi Latz’s birthdayGene & Jane BorochoffEvan BlattnerFran ZimmermanFred GlazerGail Freedman & Reuben

LubkaGerry & Toni GilchristJanet & Luke WeisbergJanet WeivodaJeff Danovsky & Jodi JosephJessica & Daniel SchroeterJill Madsen & Ali SerriozSam HumlekerJonathan Kahn & Karen Sue

TaussigJudy Reisman & Jane LevinKathryn Klibanoff & Jeremy

PierottiLaura DetloffLisa BrownsteinLisa KaneLisa Mer, in honor of

the conversion of Katy Campbell and Chelsea Matson

Lisa SchlesingerLyonel Norris & Kathy

KosnoffMargie Siegel & Scott HorneMark HiemenzMarleen Tanzer, in memory

of Susan Gaye MillerMarly FitermanMary Small, in honor of the

rabbis, staff and boardRabbi Melissa B. Simon,

in honor of Rabbi Latz’s birthday

Micki & Burt DanovskyMerle GreeneMichael Bahr & Morrie

HartmanMichael SternRabbi Michael Adam Latz &

Michael SimonMichelle LeePat KarasovRay & Ginny LeviRebecca Skoler & Steve

StovitzRich Kessler & Marian

Eisner, in honor of all the work done by Rabbi Latz, Rabbi Simon & Wendy

for both the Marriage and Voter ID amendments

Robin & Jim L. MillerRubin Latz, in honor of the

Latz Simon familyRuth Markowitz, in honor

of Amy Lange & Jane Newman for all they do for Shir Tikvah and the world

Sandra Levine & Carolyn Belle

Sarah & Ben MalakoffScott Edelstein & Ariella

TilsenSherry & Bill Cooper, in

honor of all that Rabbi Latz & Rabbi Simon do for all of us

Susan & Chris GellerSusan WatchmanSusan & Jim NordinSusan Rosenthal Kraus, in

honor of Wendy LernerSven SungaardTalia EarleTony NowickeGinny HeinrichWayne & Ellen LeebawWendy Horowitz & Julian

BowersBarbara Block, in memory of

Gerry CohenWayne & Wendy SalitaSusan & Chris Geller, in

honor of the First Friday Core Team

Cookie Montgomery, in memory of my beloved Peter Montgomery

Barry Epstein, in honor of Jackie Fitzcollins and her future baby Tafat, Alex & LeeEl Judith Brook Adam Rochlin, a wonderful young man and a true mensch Kayla Goldfarb, a wonderful young woman and a true mensch Sara Lahyani Rabbi Simon, my angelic boss and inspirational rabbi Rabbi Latz

John Humleker Wendy Goldberg Rachel Breen Talia Earle’s teaching in religious school and her conversion to Judaism Lynn Van Heerde’s upcoming conversion Lisa Mer Bill, Sherry, Eli & Ethan Cooper Lisa Brownstein Ralph, Katy & Jack Campbell

Rabbi Latz Discretionary Fund Verna Lind, in memory of

Gerry Cohen & Leona and Eddie Holtzman, (Verna’s parents) and in gratitude to Wendy, Sara, Rabbi Simon, John, Jackie & Rabbi Latz who generously give their talents, skills, energy and dedication to make Shir Tikvah our blessed spiritual home.

Marla Eisenberg, in honor of Rabbi Latz’s birthday

Rabbi Simon Discretionary FundMargie Siegel & Scott HorneRichard Cottle & Evelyn

Cottle Raedler, for the sensitive and caring manner in which Rabbi Simon and Wendy Goldberg presided at the funeral of Irving Miller.

Special Needs Freddie Weisberg

Social Justice Amanda & Mark Tempel

Harris Music FundEric Brook, in memory of my

late uncle Isaiah Sheffer, a voice of hope and joy, who lived his life in music, story, and theater

Shir Tikvah1360 West Minnehaha ParkwayMinneapolis, MN 55419-1199

Kol Tikvah is a publication of Shir Tikvah, a progressive Reform congregation1360 West Minnehaha Parkway, Minneapolis, MN 55419-1199 (612) 822-1440 | [email protected] | www.shirtikvah.net

Shir Tikvah welcomes and supports children and adults with disabilities. We try to make our programs and services accessible to all within the limits of our resources. If you need accommodation or assistance in order to participate in our programs, services or activities, please contact the Shir Tikvah office at (612) 822-1440.

Board OfficersPresident Jane BinderPresident-Elect Ray LeviVice President & Communications Secretary Kathryn KlibanoffTreasurer Andrea RubensteinRecording Secretary Luke Weisberg

Board MembersChris Bargeron, Mara Benowitz, Alex Dashe, Jeff Danovsky, Paula Forman, Morrie Hartman, Julie Jacobs, Jennifer Kahn, Jackie Krammer, Wayne Kuklinski,

Jen Lewin, Jim L. Miller, Cookie Montgomery, Lisa Powell, Jonah Rothstein

Committee ChairsDevelopment Committee Luke WeisbergFinance & Administration Andrea RubensteinLibrary Ginny HeinrichMembership Jeff Danovsky, Janet WeisbergT’filah Alex DasheCaring Community (Yad b’Yad) Chris Bargeron

Senior RabbiRabbi Michael Adam [email protected] of Lifelong LearningRabbi Melissa B. [email protected] DirectorJohn [email protected] DirectorWendy [email protected]

Clergy AssistantJackie Fitzcollins [email protected] ManagerSara [email protected] and JYG AdvisorAmira [email protected]

Founding Rabbi EmeritaRabbi Stacy K. Offner

Kol Tikvah Editing and Design: Sarah Malakoff

KOL TIKVAH DEADLINESMay/Jun/Jul issue — March 15

Aug/Sep/Oct issue — June 15

Nov/Dec/Jan issue — Sept. 15

Feb. 23 T’tzaveh – Zachor Exodus 27:20-30:10

March 2 Ki Tisa – Parah Exodus 30:11-34:35

March 9 Vayak’heil/P’kudei – HaChodesh Exodus 35:1-40:38March 16 Vayikra Leviticus 1:1-5:26

March 23 Tzav – HaGadol Leviticus 6:1-8:36

March 30 Chol HaMoed Pesach Exodus 33:12-34:26

April 6 Sh’mini Leviticus 9:1-11:47

April 13Tazria/M’tzora Leviticus 12:1-15:33

April 20 Acharei Mot/K’doshim Leviticus 16:1-20:27

April 27Emor Leviticus 21:1-24:23

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