THENEW MAY 2018 — 5778 WAVE - shirathayam.org · Torah service that creatively fuses traditional...

NEWTHE

WAVEFeel the Difference

MAY 2018 — 5778

After an exhaustive search and live auditions from three candidates, Cantor Search Committee Chair Marla Gay announced that Cantor Alty Weinreb and his wife, Elizabeth, will join the Shirat community on July 1. “We are confident that Alty’s neshama, warmth, music and enthusiasm will inspire you,” she said.

Cantor Alty was first attracted to Shirat Hayam by its name (“Song of the Sea”) because he loves music and the ocean. “Then I learned of your shul’s friendliness, love of music and commitment to combining tradition and innovation, and I thought, ‘Maybe this is bashert (meant to be).’”

Raised in a strict Orthodox home in Flushing, New York, Cantor Alty hopes

to introduce “Storahtelling,” a Torah service that creatively fuses traditional chanting with English translation, dramatized commentary and audience interaction to bring the text to life. “I have been energized by Storahtelling,” he said.

Shirat Hayam is Cantor Alty’s first residential synagogue cantor position. “I feel this is the right time in my life to contribute to building a community,” he said. He loves Shirat’s desire to “rethink basic assumptions about ritual and spiritual practice,” especially the use of musical instruments for prayer services. “Your Renewal Service is a natural

and beautiful way to ease into a Shabbat morning,” he added.

Cantor Alty sees engaging unaffiliated Jews (agnostics, atheists and young people) as the biggest challenge facing synagogues today. “These people crave meaningful

connections but the synagogue service bores them to tears. They don’t want to be spoken to using the God language of their grandmother,” he said.

He is excited about moving to the North Shore and helping Shirat continue to be a place where people experience a joyous and meaningful

Judaism. So is CSH Board President Renee Sidman. “I cannot wait to see what he will bring to shul on a weekly basis!” she said.Watch for opportunities to meet, greet and host Cantor Alty this summer.

Meet CSH New Cantor Alty WeinrebNew Staff at Shirat Hayam

SUNDAY, APRIL 2912:00 pm Connections Spring Brunch, RSVP

MONDAY, APRIL 307:00 pm Torah Hub w/Rabbi Michael @ JCCNS

WEDNESDAY, MAY 210:00 am, 7:30 pm Dvar Torah Workshop

FRIDAY, MAY 46:00 pm Kabbalat Shabbat Service

SATURDAY, MAY 5Shabbat Synaplex™ - Bar Mitzvah of Max Schapiro

WEDNESDAY, MAY 910:00 am, 7:30 pm Dvar Torah Workshop


SATURDAY, MAY 12Shabbat Synaplex™ 6:00 pm Bar Mitzvah of Aydan Wulf

TUESDAY, MAY 157:30 pm CSH Annual Meeting

WEDNESDAY, MAY 167:30 pm Adult Ed, Dvar Torah Workshop

THURSDAY, MAY 1710:00 am Adult Ed, Dvar Torah Workshop 7:30 pm Women’s Rosh Hodesh Group

FRIDAY, MAY 18No Kabbalat Service at CSH5:00 pm Young Families Shabbat at JCC8:00 pm Service, Speaker Oneg at Temple Sinai

SATURDAY, MAY 19Shabbat Synaplex™ - Bat Mitzvah of Anna Ratner, Last day of CJE7:00 pm - Shavuot Cheesecake Bake Off

SUNDAY, MAY 209:00 am Shavuot Service at CSH10:15 am Yizkor

MONDAY, MAY 217:30 pm Becky’s Book Club: And After the Fire by Lauren Belfer

TUESDAY, MAY 227:30 pm Shir Chesed kickoff meeting


SATURDAY, MAY 26Shabbat Synaplex™

NEW WAVE – MAY 2018 | Congregation Shirat Hayam | 781.599.8005 | www.shirathayam.org | 1

May Calendar

“ Then I learned of your shul’s friendliness, love of music and commitment to combining tradition and innovation, and I thought, ‘Maybe this is bashert (meant to be).’”

On a Friday night in January 2000 in an old stone building in Tzfat, I heard my first niggun, a wordless melody, as I lit Shabbat candles. I was 26-years-old, on a Birthright-Israel trip, and for the first time in my

life prayer had meaning. These niggunim opened a hidden door that led me to a new space, one of both inner and outer relationships. I knew I had discovered something special about myself and about potential connections to others through Judaism.

Here at Shirat Hayam, our strategic plan calls upon us to “deliver the most fulfilling spiritual experience … on the North Shore.” Music - sound, rhythm, melody, timbre — is an essential part of achieving this vision.

During High Holy Days, Purim, the second night Seder, Renewal, and Holy Happy Hour

Minyan, music plays an essential role in the service.

Why is music so critical to our spiritual experience?

The last of the Psalms exhorts human beings to “Praise God” with horn and harp, lyre and lute, timbrel and pipe. The Psalmist, who has exclusively used words in the previous 150 Psalms, seems to acknowledge that there are inherent limitations to words as a means of spiritual expression and connection. Music, he implies, more effectively overlaps with our real lived emotions and thoughts, struggles and joys. Moreover, it offers a highly accessible gateway into meaningful prayer, a kind of counterbalance to the challenge of Hebrew words alone.

Let’s be grateful for the extraordinarily innovative quality of our music at Shirat Hayam, which opens hidden door to both inner reflection and outer interconnection. Wait and see what we do next!

Life of the Congregation

2 NEW WAVE – MAY 2018 | Congregation Shirat Hayam | 781.599.8005 | www.shirathayam.org

Rabbi’s CornerEverybody Needs a Theme Song

Center for Jewish EducationCJE Celebrates Passover With A Seder

Join us at any time to recharge and reconnect

9:00 amRenewal Service, Traditional Minyan

and Boker Tov Café

10:00 am Nosh & Drash (Torah discussion),

Traditional Torah Service and Yoga Minyan

11:10 amHealing Service with

Rabbi’s Talk

11:45 am Ruach Rally with the

Ruach Rally Band

12:00 pmShabbat Café for all

Babysitting available, 9:00 – 11:45 am

Friday Candle Lighting Times

May 4, 2018 – 7:29 pmMay 11, 2018 – 7:37 pmMay 18, 2018 – 7:44 pmMay 25, 2018 – 7:51 pm

Phone: 781.599.8005

Rabbi Michael Ragozin, x14, [email protected]

Cantor Elana Rozenfeld, x12, [email protected]

Barri Stein, x11 Director of Events & Facility,

[email protected]

Janis Knight, x25 Director of CJE,

[email protected]

Andrea Bernard & Cheryl Schwartz Co-directors of CEE,

781-598-3311

Richard Kelleher, x22 Financial Manager,

[email protected]

Marylou Barry, x10 Office Manager,

[email protected]

Shelley A. Sackett Editor-in-Chief

Nancy Marland Wolinski Designer

Shabbat Synaplex™

Hours and Info

CSH Staff Contacts

NEW WAVE(right) Nat Mahler at the CJE seder with a plate of handmade matza.

(above) L-R: Madison Walker, Anna Sokolov and teacherJason Stark (holding Liora Stark) listen to the story of the Exodus at the CJE seder.

Students in 2nd through 6th grades learned about the symbolism of Miriam’s Cup on the Seder table as they made one. They learned that the cup is filled with water to recall the mystical well of water that followed the People of Israel during their wanderings in the wilderness and disappeared suddenly at Miriam’s death.

We had an incredible Second Night Pesach Seder with over 200 people! Bethany Roditi posted on Facebook, “Thank you and thank you again for such a wonderful Passover Seder! It was the first one that we have not hosted in almost 40 years, and we all loved it... from my 92-year-old Dad to my 17-year-old nephew from Texas!” The food, catered by Becky Convicer, formerly of Becky’s Gourmet in Marblehead, was delicious, Rabbi Michael framed the seder with a sense of fun irreverence as well as deep spiritual meaning. Finally, the Ruach Band led the service musically, playing traditional Pesach tunes, semi-traditional humorous tunes, as well as African-American spirituals, showing the universality of the Pesach story. It was a pleasure to be singing with the band, and watching kids and adults clapping and singing at their tables, and dancing on the dance floor!

Congregation Shirat Hayam | 781.599.8005 | www.shirathayam.org | NEW WAVE – MAY 2018 3

Cantor’s NewsCommunity Seder = Spirituality, Music + FUN!

Learning by Doing: Miriam’s Cup

New Goalby May 31: $300,000

Budgeted: $215,000

Current Pledges: $255,590

$300,000

$200,000

$100,000

CSH offers multiple pathways to Jewish

life, learning and prayer. We will deliver

the most fulfilling spiritual experience and the best childhood and

teen education on the North Shore.

Every encounter with our congregation leaves you feeling welcomed,

connected and enriched.

We embrace our responsibility to invest in strengthening our

Jewish community for generations to come.

CSH Vision Statement

(above) Noah Schapiro and Miriam’s cup.

(left) Miriam’s cup productions 2018.

Sammy Abrams and Taylor Bennett (Izzi and Howie Abram’s grandchildren) dance the seder night away to the Ruach Band and Cantor Elana’s catchy Pesach tunes.



The Book of Judges class concluded April 4. From left to right: Betty Dyer, Arlyne Rosenberg, Doris Villa, Patricia Kreitzer, Jerry Kreitzer, Stanley Goldstein and Francine Goldstein.

L-R: Michele Tamaren, Gitte Kushner, Faith Kramer, Janis Knight and Barbara Sidman celebrate and contemplate Rosh Hodesh.

Students brainstorm tactics during a CAST training small group discussion session.

On March 25, sixth grade pre-Bat Mitzvah girls and their mothers from Shirat Hayam and Temple Emanu-El finished a 3-week seminar called “Beneath the Surface,” created by Mayyim Hayyim and funded by a CJP grant. The program, facilitated by Janis Knight and Liz Levin, gave mothers and daughters the opportunity to consider Jewish ritual in the context of their own relationships. Through text, art projects, crafts, writing, discussion and reflection, the participants arrived at a capstone moment when each mother-daughter pair stood before the open ark

and participated in their own personally crafted ritual moment.

During this period known as “The Counting of the Omer”, it has become the custom for some people to use the 7 weeks between Passover and Shavuot, symbolically the period between the Exodus from Egypt and the receiving of the Commandments at Mt. Sinai, to concentrate on a different spiritual aspect for each week. These correspond to the lower sephirot, the aspects of God identified by the Kabbalists.

This first week’s meditation was Chesed, or “lovingkindness.” The group studied about the Omer and its origin in Leviticus, then discussed, meditated, and sang about the value of Chesed in our lives and world.

Next meeting is May 17 at 7:30 pm. Contact [email protected] for more information.

Despite threats of the fourth nor’easter in the last few weeks, 15 high school students from three schools attended a training session called “What’s Up at College: How to Identify and Respond to Campus Anti-Semitism” on March 22. The training was presented by CAST, a nonprofit organization established to provide awareness, education, and support to high school and college students and their families based on the North Shore.

Arinne Braverman, former Hillel director at Northeastern University, led the interactive discussion, helping the students recognize and prepare possible responses to various examples of anti-Semitism, both subtle and direct. The evening’s most important lesson was that students have a prepared response for situations that make them uncomfortable and that they be prepared to use it, rather than being silent and later regretting it.

Students broke into smaller groups to discuss real scenarios, focusing on the difference between anti-Semitic and political advocacy (free speech), and on how, when and why they should report an anti-Semitic incident.

Several college students shared situations they had experienced, including Dylann Cooper, a Cohen Hillel graduate and current senior at Roger Williams University.

CAST members Daniel Kasten, Mason Friedman, and Lily Gregory worked with the adult members of the Task Force to plan this event. Please reach out to Rabbi Ragozin if you would like to help with future events.

Community News BriefsBeneath the Surface Capstone

Adult Ed at Shirat Hayam

Women’s Rosh Hodesh Spiritual Connections Group Studies, Meditates and Sings

Campus Anti-Semitism Task Force of the North Shore Conducts Training

Rabbi Michael’s next adult education class, Dvar Torah Workshop, combines Torah study (selections from the Torah, medieval commentaries, Talmudic insights, and Hasidic teachings) with techniques for finding and sharing your personal message from our sacred texts. Begins April 25. Details & registration at http://bit.ly/dvar-csh.



Make a DonationTo make a donation,

please visit shirathayam.org/Donate or mail your donation

with a check made out to CSH or Congregation Shirat

Hayam. Please specify the fund to which your

donation should be allocated.

Thank you!

CSH Annual Meeting

Tuesday, May 15, 7:30 pm

Election of new officers and directors, budget reports and question and

answer period. All current members are encouraged to attend and vote.


RABBI MICHAEL’S DISCRETIONARY FUND

In memory of Maria Samiljan and Alan Samiljan’s mother, Bernice (Bunny) Samiljan by Carolyn Perlow and Gary

Glenner; Roz and Sandy Levy

In memory of Karen Meyer’s father, David Goldberg by Leslie and Bob Ogan

In memory of Steve Solomon’s mother, Irene Solomon by Roz and Sandy Levy

In memory of Dr. Al Namias’ brother, Charles Namias by Linda Kleeman and Jeff

Oringer; Roz and Sandy Levy; Maury and Pearl Greenbaum

In honor of Rachel and Cory Schauer’s daughter and Herb and Arlene Leventhal’s granddaughter, Leah Schauer, becoming a Bat Mitzvah by Roz and Sandy Levy

In honor of Reggie and Lew Weinstein’s grandson, Max Brodsky, becoming a Bar MitzvahIn honor of Charlotte and Donald Fine’s 55th wedding anniversary by Diana and Ed Caplan

In memory of:Mother-in-law, Bee Baker by Edye Baker

Husband, Lloyd CastlemanFather, Samuel Gilberg by Fay Castleman

Mother, Sylvia Goldstein by Karen Madorsky

SALE OF HAMETZ ~ Ma’ot Hittim (JF&CS Family Table donations) by Ellen and Robert Zirin; Roz

and Sandy Levy; Michael P. Bailen; Charlotte and Donald Fine; Bethany and Moshe Roditi

CANTOR’S DISCRETIONARY FUND

In memory of my mother, Vivian Weisman by Ellen Weisman

In memory of Lois Ogan’s husband, Jerry Ogan by Beverly Kahn

In appreciation of Cantor Elana’s shiva services for our father, David Goldberg by Karen and Mark Meyer

In memory of:Grandfather, Abraham Siskind by Beverly Kahn

CSH PRESCHOOL FUND

In honor of the birth of Peter and Jennifer Moskwa’s son, Samuel George Moskwa by Center for Early Education

Family

In memory of Steve Solomon’s mother, Irene Solomon by Lorin, Stephen and Courtney

Madow

In memory of Marilyn Fishman’s husband, Seymour (Cy) Fishman by Cheryl Schwartz

GENERAL FUND

In memory of Steve Solomon’s mother, Irene Solomon by Lois and Bobby Kaplan; Marc

and Beth Andler; Steve and Joan Rosenthal; Harriett Kaplan; Eric Rochelson; Empire Recycling Corp.; David and Heleene Fink

In memory of Lois Ogan’s husband, Jerry Ogan by Toby Sloane; Helen and

Ed Rosenthal; Selma Sherr; Sam and Carol Denbo; Joann Tenenbaum; Ruth Lunder; Eli and Muriel Talkov; Steve and Joan Rosenthal;Maxine Goldman; Michael and Robin Blake; Lois Miller; Norma Rooks; Mark and Judy Arnold; Barbara and Bernie Forbush; David and Heleene Fink

In memory of Margie Shapiro’s father, Jerry Ogan by Barbara and Bernie Forbush

In honor of and with gratitude to the “Cantor” Committee by Edye Baker and Annette Baker

In memory of Karen Meyer’s father, David Goldberg by Judy and Dan White

In memory of Dr. Al and Gila Namias’ brother, Charles Namias by Sam and Carol Denbo

In honor of Barri Stein by Valerie and Alan Gilbert;

In honor of Sherman Eidelman’s special birthday by Sally Miller

In appreciation of Alex Shube and the CSH Teen Initiatives Purim donation in my honor by Roslyn G. Hoffman

In memory of Dr. Sheldon and Brenda Cohen’s sister, Roberta and brother-in-law, Jerry by Mark and Judy Arnold

To the Dusseault and Machnes families in honor of their wonderful Passover Seder andin memory of their father, Louis Rudolph by Valerie and Alan Gilbert

SAMUEL BRODY MINYAN FUND

In memory of Dr. Al and Gila Namias’ brother, Charles Namias by Phyllis and Jack Karas; Eli and

Muriel Talkov

In memory of Lois Ogan’s husband, Jerry Ogan by Carla Greenberg

In memory of:Brother-in-law, Eugene PosterMother-in-law, Phyllis Dunn by Linda Dunn

Husband, Gus Nathan by Beverly Nathan

Mother, Ethel Strogoff by Carol Levin

Father, Louis Morrison by Joel Morrison

Mother, Eva Hurst by Phyllis Dinerman

Father-in-law, George SloaneFather, Edward Tattlebaum by Toby Sloane

Father, Jacob Gulko by Paul Gulko

Father, David Goldberg by Herbert Goldberg

Sister, Beatrice Laufer by Edward Bobroff

Mother, Mollie Cutter by Diane Hart

Father, Hyman Goldman by Gloria Sax

Husband, Bernard KaplanMother, Marnie Cohen by Miriam Kaplan

Brother, Jerry Brenner by Beverly Shapiro

Father, Samuel Tishler by Jackie Rosenfield

Husband, Father and Grandfather, Eugene Poster by Cynthia Poster and Family

Mother, Madeline Sidel by Ruth Goldenberg

Sister, Sarah LibertyHusband, Charles Segal by Ann Segal

Husband, Michael Greenberg by Carla Greenberg

Father, Michael Greenberg by Mindi Greenberg

Husband, Marvin Meyer by Barbara Meyer

Aunt, Tillie Kantrowitz by Natalie White and Family

Father, Lawrence Collier by Deborah Comins

Father, Morris Germain by Arlene Germain

Mother-in-law, Rosa Bershad by Helaine Bershad

Father-in-law, Meyer GorfinkleWife, Harriet DiamondFather, Alexander Diamond by Dr. Alan Diamond

Father, Oscar Spector by Arnold Spector

First Husband, Abraham Gold by Sandra Shalit

Husband, Michael Kelly by Madelyn Kelly

KIDDUSH FUND

In honor of Herb and Arlene Leventhal’s granddaughter, Leah Schauer, becoming a Bat Mitzvah by Carolyn Perlow and Gary

Glenner; Reggie and Lew Weinstein; Donald and Charlotte Fine

In honor of Rachel and Cory Schauer’s daughter, Leah Schauer, becoming a Bat Mitzvah by Donald and Charlotte Fine

In honor of Barri Stein by Arthur and Cheryl Schwartz;

Phyllis and Jack Karas; Roz and Sandy Levy; Marty and Roz Goldberg; Ron and Barbara Gilefsky

In memory of Robert Sanford’s brother by Beatrice Strome

Donations Received between March 1 – March 31

Donations, continued

In memory of Dr. Al and Gila Namias’ brother, Charles Namias by Susan and Larry Goldberg;

Andrew and Nancy Leader-Cramer; David and Susan Kauder; Ellen and Dick Alexander; Phyllis and Jack Karas

In memory of Yvette Namias’ son, Charles Namias by Merle Sidell

In memory of Steve Solomon’s mother, Irene Solomon by Arthur and Cheryl Schwartz;

Howard and Sharon Custis; Gloria Sax

In memory of Maria Samiljan’s mother, Bernice (Bunny) Samiljan by Arlene and Herb Leventhal

In memory of Margery Shapiro’s father, Jerry Ogan by Sandra Goldstein

In memory of Lois Ogan’s husband, Jerry Ogan by Rand and Arnold Bergman;

Arthur and Cheryl Schwartz; Arlene and Herb Leventhal; Bunny and Lenny Lieberson; Ellen and Dick Alexander; Beatrice Strome; Leslie, Bob, Rachel, Michael, Emily, Lylah and Nathan Ogan

In honor of Carolyn Perlow’s son, Adam’s wedding by Alice and Charles Leidner

In memory of Beth Hoffman’s father, Nelson Kessler by Hope and Larry Zabar

In honor of Reggie and Lew Weinstein’s grandson becoming a Bar Mitzvah by Jerry Rosen

In honor of Steve and Lorily Forman’s granddaughter becoming a Bat Mitzvah by Marilyn and Harry Epstein

In memory of Myrna Bernstein’s husband, Irwin Bernstein by Joan and Leonard Weill

With get well wishes for a speedy recovery to Harry EpsteinIn honor of our grandson, Max Brodsky, becoming a Bar Mitzvah by Reggie and Lew Weinstein

In honor of the birth of our grandson, Alexander Lucas Freedman by Leslie and Harold Freedman

In memory of:Father, David Goldberg by Marty Goldberg

Mother, Fay Bonfeld by Roz Goldberg

Mother, Rhoda Cashman by Marvin Cashman

Son, Louis Patkin by Phyllis Patkin

Brother, Hyman Tassel by Frances Babbitt

Sister, Ann Forest by Frances Bobroff

Mother, Jeanette Perlman by Eunice Goldman

Father, Moses Katz by Harriet Friedman

Step-father, David GilmanMother, Anna Gilman by Arlene Leventhal

Father, Bernard Harsip by Michael Harsip

Brother, Sumner KraftHusband, Mel Pearlman by Frances Pearlman

Mother, Rebecca Schectman by Shirley Shulman

Wife, Arlene RosenBrother, Barry Rosen by Jerry Rosen

Father, Theodore Kaplan by Howard Kaplan

Mother, Sura Rozenblum by Perlina Levitin

Grandmother, Jean Gartz by Karen Hirsch

Grandmother, Dora Dlugin by Bunny Lieberson

Brother, Leon Berlow by Bette Ann Weisman

Mother, Sadie Kirstein by Ruth Turkanis

Mother, Rose Samuels by Helaine Bershad

Father, Sydney Comins by Stuart Comins

Grandfather, Samuel NewmanGrandmother, Rhoda Cashman by Robert Cashman

Sister, Dorothy Trotsky by Dr. Sanford Levy

Father, Bernard Kaplan by Harryette Katzen

Father-in-law and FatherWilliam Greenblatt by Stephen Simmons and Judi

Simmons

Sister-in-law, Ruth Goodman by Thelma Gibbs

Mother, Phyllis Zeff by Barry Zeff

TORAH FUND

In honor of Barri Stein by Marion Garfinkel

In memory of:Mother-in-law, Ida GarfinkelGrandmother, Adelle Germain by Marion Garfinkel

DAILY/SHABBAT PRAYER BOOK

In honor of Diana Caplan’s special birthdayIn honor of Charlotte and Donald Fine’s 55th wedding anniversary by Lorily and Steve Forman

ETZ HAYIM CHUMUSH BOOK

In memory of Lois Ogan’s husband, Jerry Ogan by Leslie, Bob, Rachel, Michael,

Emily, Lylah and Nathan Ogan

TREE FUND

In honor of Lorily Forman’s special birthdayIn honor of Diana Caplan’s special birthday by Charlotte and Donald Fine

In memory of Marlene Chamrin by Aunt, Phyllis Potash and

Cousin, Dayle

In memory of Dr. Ted Swedlick’s beloved mother by Donna and Philip Lapatin

BECKY AND BURT SHEPARD SCHOLARSHIP FUND

In memory of Steve Solomon’s mother, Irene Solomon by Eddie and Diane Knopf

In memory of Lois Ogan’s husband, Jerry Ogan by Eddie and Diane Knopf; Herb Goldberg; Ruthie and Shea Rood

In memory of:Father, Harold Weiner by Lawrence Weiner

HOWARD STEVEN FEFFER MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP FUND

In memory of:Grandfather, Samuel Zoll by Lawrence Feffer

Mother, Edith FefferAunt, Ruth Saxe by Judith M. Feffer

IDA KALICK FLOWER FUND

In memory of:Brother, Leonard Breitman by Evelyn Ginsburg

CHESED COMMITTEE

In memory of:Father, Isaac Roditi by Moshe Roditi

LEV

In memory of Maria Samiljan’s mother, Bernice (Bunny) Samiljan by Leslie and Bob Ogan; Larry

and Lori Groipen

In memory of Lois Ogan’s husband, Jerry OganIn memory of Dr. Al and Gila Namias’ brother, Charles NamiasIn memory of Steve Solomon’s mother, Irene Solomon by Lori and Larry Groipen


Condolences To

Our deepest condolences to those who have passed away.

Members:

Henry Barbanel 3/29/2018Husband of Frances Barbanel

Relatives:

Ruth Feffer Saxe 3/24/2018 Aunt of Larry and Marsha Feffer

Robert Merken 4/2/2018 Son of Elaine Merken

The InterviewPeriodical

Postage

PAIDUSPS 075-400

at Lynn, MA

55 Atlantic Ave. Swampscott, MA 01907

Every month, The New Wave will spotlight a congregant as a way to help us get to know each other better. This month, Michael Cohen shares his thoughts and fills us in on his background and family.

1. Was synagogue a big part of your childhood?

When I was growing up in Winthrop, there were two temples and a very busy JCC. Synagogue played a significant role. Our family belonged to an Orthodox congregation where my parents were very active and my father served as president when I became a bar mitzvah. We attended services Friday nights and Saturday mornings and any other morning during the week that they needed someone for a minyan. Between my brothers, my father and myself, we made almost half a minyan! Through a Facebook community called The Jews From Winthrop, I’ve recently reconnected with the memories of Jews from Winthrop’s past.

2. What roles do you play at CSH?

I try to help in any capacity that I may be needed and useful. I am just finishing my fourth year as a board member. I never realized how important it is to have good

leadership on a board level to make sure the business aspect of the entire temple operation is on a good solid course. It is important for congregants to be involved in wherever they feel they can make a positive impact. My real involvement started when my father passed away. I started attending minyan to honor his memory. During that journey, I felt a responsibility to pay it forward so there would always be a minyan for anyone in need. I wish more congregants would volunteer and attend any minyan. It really makes me feel like I am making a difference. Now on Tuesdays, my brother Barry attends and it gives us time to spend together and catch up during our busy schedules.

3. Why did you choose CSH? What is special about it?

My wife Susan and I decided to move to the Marblehead-Swampscott area when we were thinking of starting a family. Our children

went to Temple Israel preschool, and it was natural for us to become members there. Many years and life cycle events later, that synagogue has evolved into Shirat Hayam, a new young temple with a vision for the future. The clergy, staff and board are proactive and committed to total inclusion, making sure we are set on a firm foundation for generations to come.

Congregational SpotlightLong-time Member and Minyannaire Michael Cohen

Brothers Michael (left) and Barry Cohen regularly chant Ashrei together at Tuesday morning minyan.

THENEW MAY 2018 — 5778 WAVE - shirathayam.org · Torah service that creatively fuses traditional...

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