Jewish American Heritage Month

Posted By richards on June 27, 2017

The bima of Beth El, featuring the handmade wooden ark that found a permanent home in a former church. (Image courtesy of Congregation Beth El)

Congregation Beth El in Bangor, Maine, will soonthrow one heck of a party. Its wont be a bar mitzvah party, or a wedding shindig, or a Purim rager, or a fundraising gala, or any other type of social affair that a synagoguewould typically put on. But when the time is right, Congregation Beth El will host an inaugural birthday bash for their newest piece of art, a wood-worked Torah scroll overlaid with the birkat Kohanim in colorful quilting. In addition to welcoming the fresh entryway decor, the celebration will also be a thank youto the people who handcrafted this piece from scratchBeth Els own congregants.

This isnt the first time the members of the 110-family congregation have dedicated their time and sweat equity to the building. Thats what Mary-Anne Saxl, the current President of Congregation Beth El, calls it. Shes been a member since she was 15, when the synagogue first started in 1981. She recalls the first piece a congregant made. When the group was gifted a 200-year-old Czech Torah that was rescued and restored after World War II, Ed Harrow, a physician and woodworking hobbyist, made an ark for the Torah. But because the congregation didnt have their own building thenthey were using a Unitarian churchHarrow put wheels on the ark, so that the structure could be moved to and from the bima every time easily. The congregation finally was able to afford their own building in 1995, and a meaningful moment was shared when the ark was rolled to its new residence, when its wheels were removed. It finally found a place of permanence and a home, Saxl said.

The woodworked and quilted art piece decorating Beth Els entryway was a collaboration of talented congregants. (Image courtesy of Congregation Beth El)

Though the building was formerly a Baptist church, Saxl knew that the space was perfect for them. We just had to paint over a couple New Testament things and it was good to go! she said. Still, congregants dedicated their artistic skills to make the new venue their own. Everything from bookcases to photographs on the walls to the solar-powered Ner Tamid were created by Beth Els own members. Even architects who belonged to the synagogue helped redesign the new area by creating extra rooms for their religious school and a bigger kitchen. Harrow, now in retirement and dedicating his time to woodworking, often comes to the board with ideas for new art pieces. Their response is always, Oh, thats lovely, Eddie! Go ahead.

A labor of love by Beth El member Ed Harrow, who made the Tree of Life in honor of his grandchildren. (Image courtesy of Congregation Beth El)

The congregation isnt stacked with full-time artists, however. They are social workers, engineers, and attorneys, for example, who take it upon themselves to learn a trade as best they can. Saxl explained that the culture of Maine is very DIY, and that its members reflect that culture. We rely on each other, she said. We hire out for things we dont know how to do, like the plumbing. But if we had someone that did know how to do the plumbing, we would do that, too. Volunteers work to maintain all facets of the synagogue, including their garden and soup kitchen.

Congregants find prayer to be more meaningful when theyre surrounded by their own piecesa true a labor of love. But for the members of Beth El, its not just its outward appearance that makes the place what it is. If a group of people are praying together, it doesnt have a needed architecture, Saxl said. What makes it a synagogue are the people who pray there.

Sophie Aroesty is an editorial intern at Tablet.

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The bima of Beth El, featuring the handmade wooden ark that found a permanent home in a former church. (Image ... - Tablet Magazine

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Posted By admin on June 27, 2017

By Pat Padua, Special To The Washington Post

Set in an Orthodox Jewish community in Jerusalem, The Womens Balcony centers on the literal breakdown of a synagogue. Structural damage to the womens seating section results in a social conflict one that resonates well beyond its specific milieu.

After a balcony in a moderate synagogue collapses during a bar mitzvah, the congregations rabbi falls ill. While plans are being made to renovate the house of worship, his replacement, the younger, more conservative Rabbi David (Aviv Alush), comes in with ideas that divide the community along gender lines.

Rabbi David insists that married women cover their hair, a proposal that is largely met with resistance. After the women raise enough money to reconstruct the balcony, he further insists that the money be used for a new bible scroll instead of balcony repairs.

The Womens Balcony immerses the viewer in a culture whose rules may seem unusual to outsiders. One example is the debate over whether its acceptable to employ a Sabbath Gentile (that is, a non-Jew who is allowed to use a flashlight when the power goes out).

In the face of this particular orthodoxy, husbands and wives sometimes find themselves at odds. But in society at large, whether secular or religious, such contentious climates are becoming an increasingly unfortunate reality.

The film itself seems divided. While director Emil Ben-Shimon and writer Shlomit Nehama appear to side with the more moderate camp, images of the neglected synagogue including a broken window that was never repaired suggest that, just as the structure has been left to decay, so have its traditions.

Although the film ultimately strikes a celebratory tone, the stark divisions it reveals offer an unsettling look at the state of public discourse. Despite that broader message, it may be hard for some outsiders to feel fully invested in the central conflict. In the end, the solution offered by The Womens Balcony to end the rancor feels unearned.

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The Women's Balcony: A synagogue is divided when a balcony collapses - The Denver Post

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Posted By admin on June 27, 2017

Please send religious events and ongoing listing changes at least two weeks before the event, to: Amy Berkowitz, Times Herald-Record, P.O. Box 2046, Middletown 10940, or email aberkowitz@th-record.com or call 346-3155.

Livingston Manor

Congregation Agudas Achim: Rock Avenue. 439-3600.

n One-woman play - Goldas Balcony, 7 p.m. July 6. The play by William Gibson follows the late Golda Meirs (played by Sandra Laub) life from child to Israels fourth Prime Minister and her struggle to save Israel in the 1973 Yom Kippur War. $25. msnaab@aol.com. 796-0892. 389-1210.

Middletown

Temple Sinai: 75 Highland Ave. 343-1861.

n Family Shabbat Dinner and Service, 6-8 p.m. July 14, Aug. 11, Sept. 8, Oct. 13. Free. Reservations required. 343-1861.

Hadassah Middletown Chapter: at the home of Dr. Joel and Cynthia Weintraub, 41 Whitlock Road, Otisville. 386-9050.

n Mindfulness exercise with Shahla Gorovoy, July 25 during a summer luncheon. $36. Members and nonmembers are asked to bring a pareve or dairy dish to share. Reservations required.

Newburgh

Jewish Federation of Orange County: Honors IDF and Jewish War Veterans of Orange County, Kol Israel (Agudas Israel, JCC and Temple Beth Jacob), Newburgh. If you know of any Jewish veterans residing in Orange County, contact Joe Birnbaum (Jbirny@aol.com) or Harvey Horn (harmini@optonline.net).

Congregation Agudas Israel: 290 North St. Rabbi Phillip Weintraub. 562-5604.

n Learning Liturgy, 10 a.m. Thurs., and resume June 29.

n Learn to lead services class, 7:30 p.m. June 29 and July 6.

n Daughters of Agudas meeting, 7 p.m. July 13.

n Special Occasions To send a Birthday, Get Well or Anniversary card, 562-0997. A portion of the proceeds goes to Noar Hadassah.

The Greater Newburgh Interfaith Council: St. George, 105 Grand St.

n Israel Trip 2017 Join Rabbi Weintraub on an Israel adventure for 11 days. rabbiweintraub@gmail.com.

Newburgh Jewish Community Center, 290 North St. 562-5516.

Temple Beth Jacob: 290 North St. Rabbi Larry Freedman. 562-5516, office@tbjnewburgh.org or tbjnewburgh.org.

n Friday Night Service, 7:30 p.m. June 30.

n Torah Study, 9:30 a.m. July 1. No Torah Study July 8.

n Shabbat morning service, 10 a.m. July 8 and July 22.

n JCC Aloha Shabbat, 5:30-8:30 p.m. Aug.11. $10 per person. Kids 13 & under are $5 each. Services by Rabbi Freedman and Rabbi Weintraub. Music by Ross M. Levy. Grass skirts, hula hoops, face painting & games for everyone. RSVP to 561-6602.

n Barbecue and Shabbat Service, 7:30 p.m. Aug. 25 at the rabbi's house. Vegetarian side dishes and desserts of any kind are welcome. Reserve by Aug. 18.

n Yizkor Book - It's that time again to start preparing the Yizkor book for Yom Kippur. The prices for dedications are the same as last year. Forms are in the office, on the oneg table and in the July newsletter. All dedications are due to the office with payment by Aug. 25.

Port Jervis

Chabad House of Pike County, Port Jervis & Deerpark: 30 Shinhollow Road. 672-0325. acme770@gmail.com. MessiahTimes.com.

n "Kuntres Acharein," (Tanya, Part V) - 9 p.m. every Wed., through July. A learning series on the Alter Rebbe's sacred work, Tanya.

n "Likutei Torah" on the Book of Numbers - 9 p.m. every Mon. through July. Follow the Jewish people on their sojourn through the wilderness, learning the weekly Torah portion from a Jewish mystical perspective.

n Concepts in Kabbolo: Knesses Israel, Divine Presence from which the soul descends and is sustained, 9:30 p.m. Tues. through July with Rabbi Shaul Elkeslasi.

n Rosh Chodesh Menachem Av celebration, 9:45 p.m. July 23.

Walden

Congregation Beth Hillel - Walden Jewish Community Center: 20 Pine St. 778-7374.

n Kabbalat Shabbat service, 7:15 p.m. Fri., July 7, July 21.

ONGOING

Please note: Ongoing synagogue and congregational listings will be printed on a rotating and space-available basis each week in alphabetical order by town/village.

Beacon

Beacon Hebrew Alliance: 331 Verplanck Ave., corner of Fishkill Avenue. Rabbi Josh Wohl and Cantor Ellen Gersh. Handicapped-accessible. 831-2012 or beaconhebrewalliance.org.

n Service, 7:30 p.m. Fri. Candlelighting 10 minutes prior to Friday services. Morning services, 9:30 a.m. second and fourth Sat. Kiddush follows.

n Hebrew school, 9 a.m.-noon Sun. and 4-6:30 p.m. Tues.

Chester

Chabad of Orange County: 1170 Route 17M, Suite 1. Call Rabbi Pesach Burston, 782-2770, or email rabbi@chabadorange.com. All affiliations of Judaism welcome.

n Tanya Class, 9:15 a.m. first and third Sat. prior to Shabbat services. Cake and coffee served.

n Second Sunday Siddur Study, 8:45-9:45 a.m. second Sun. A commentary on the Jewish prayers. Bagel breakfast, cake and coffee. For men and women. Course fee $50.

n Shabbat Services & Kiddush, 9:45 a.m. first and third Sat. No membership, affiliation or experience necessary.

n Hebrew school, 10 a.m.-noon Sun., 4-6 p.m. Mon. Bar/bat mitzvah preparation. No membership or synagogue affiliation required.

n Kabbalah & Chicken Soup, 7:30 p.m. Tues. Weekly study group. Refreshments and chicken soup served. Classes are complimentary; textbook purchase required.

Ellenville

Congregation Ezrath Israel: Rabbi Eisner Square (31 Center St.). An orthodox synagogue. Rabbi JJ Hecht. 647-4450 or 347-930-1420.

n Shabbos, Fri. evening; 9 a.m. Sat. followed by kiddush. Call for Friday schedule.

n Morning shacharis, 8 a.m. Wed.

Florida

Temple Beth Shalom: 13 Roosevelt Ave. 651-7817. temple@warwick.net. tbsny.org.

n Shabbat services, 7 p.m. Fri. followed by an oneg. Shabbat services, 10 a.m. first Sat.

n For information about the progressive Hebrew School, call temple office.

Goshen

Chabad of Orange County: 12 North Church St. A Jewish education center and Hebrew school sponsored by the Lubavitch Hasidic community. All affiliations of Judaism welcome. Contact Rabbi Meir Borenstein, 291-0514 or chabadoc@aol.com.

n Free Judaism class about Kabbalah and Talmud, 7:30 p.m. Tues.

n Hebrew School, 10 a.m.-12:15 p.m. Sun. Jewish holidays, Jewish history, Hebrew reading, Aleph Camp, Judaic art and activities. Ages 4-13. No affiliation or membership needed. To enroll, contact Chabad office.

Greenwood Lake

Congregation Bnai Torah: 14 Lakes Road. Services 7 p.m. Fri.; community dinner every third Fri. 477-3716.

Highland Mills

Wellness Springs: 489 Route 32. Interfaith worship service, 9:30 a.m. third Sun., with the Rev. Naomi Fay, honoring and respecting all faith traditions. 928-2898.

Kauneonga Lake

Congregation Beth Sinai/White Lake Torah Center: 36 Lake St. Rabbi Shmuel Y. Fishbain. 583-7374. whitelaketorahcenter.org.

n Daily services, 8 a.m. and 8:15 p.m. Morning services followed by a quick study in Jewish law. Coffee and refreshments after daily services.

n Sabbath services, 8:15 p.m. Fri

n Talmud study, 8 a.m. Sat.; morning services, 9 a.m. Followed by kiddush and refreshments.

n Class in Ethics of the Fathers (Pirkei Avos), 6:30 p.m. Sat; afternoon service, 7 p.m.; evening service, 60 minutes after sundown.

Congregation Temple Beth-El: 3531 Route 55. A Conservative Egalitarian synagogue. Shabbat Services, 8 p.m. Fri., and 9:30 a.m. Sat. Rabbi Neal Loevinger. http://congregationtemplebethel.com/ 518-339-3219.

Kerhonkson

Kerhonkson Synagogue: 26 Minnewaska Trail. Progressive shul and welcoming community. Rabbi Reb Sally Wittenburg. rabbi@kerhonksonsynagogue.org. kerhonksonsynagogue.org.

n Services, every second Sat. Check website for details.

Kingston

Congregation Agudas Achim: 254 Lucas Ave. 331-1176.

n Torah & Tea, 11 a.m. Thurs. For information, call 331-1176 or email leah@iloveganisrael.com.

Congregation Ahavath Israel: 100 Lucas Ave. Morning minyans offered at 7 a.m. Mon. and Thurs., 9 a.m. Sun. Rabbi Tamar Crystal. 338-4409.

Jewish Federation of Ulster County: 1 Albany Ave. Suite G-10. 338-8131, info@ucif.org, ucif.org.

Temple Emanuel: 243 Albany Ave. Rabbi Yael Romer and Cantor Robert Cohen. 338-4271.

n Kabbalat Shabbat service, 7:30 p.m. Fri. Monthly potluck meal, 5:30 p.m. first Fri., followed by early Kabbalat service at 7 p.m.

n Musical Kabbalat Shabbat service, 7:30 p.m. third Fri.

n Morning Minyan service, 10 a.m. Sat.

Liberty

Congregation Ahavath Israel: 39 Chestnut St. Shabbat services, 9:15 a.m. Sat. 292-8843.

Ferndale Synagogue: 72 Academy St. Sabbath morning service, 9 a.m. Sat. 292-7623.

Livingston Manor

Congregation Agudas Achim: Rock Avenue. Shabbat service vary. Rabbi Fredric Pomerantz. Call Bob Freedman, 439-3600.

Loch Sheldrake

Hebrew Congregation of Loch Sheldrake: Route 52, next to the movie theater. An Orthodox synagogue. Evening service, 7 p.m. Fri. Sabbath service, 9 a.m. Sat. Daily service, 8 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. Check bulletin board for events and time changes. Call Herb at 434-8840.

Lords Valley, Pa.

Jewish Fellowship of Hemlock Farms: 1516 Hemlock Farms. 570-775-7497. JFHF@enter.com.

n Services, 7 p.m. Fri., 9:30 a.m. Sat.

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Synagogues - Times Herald-Record

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Posted By richards on June 27, 2017

The Zemun Synagouge was home to a rock and live music club during the 60s. Photo: Goran Boroja

Few traces are left of the Jewish synagogues that were present in Belgrade before the outbreak of World War II.

There is only one operating synagogue in Belgrade today; the Sukat Salom Synagogue - or Belgrade Synagogue on Marsala Birjuzova street. The other, in the Zemun neighbourhood of the city, is currently home to a kafana, a traditional Serbian restaurant.

Before the war broke out, there were four synagogues in Belgrade. Today, however, traces of the Jewish population and culture are scarce, as more than 95 per cent of the Serbian Jewish population either perished or fled Serbia during the war.

The Zemun Synagogue is at 5 Rabina Alkalaja street, not far from the centre of Zemun. The street is named after the Sephardic rabbi, Judah Alkalai, who lived and worked in Zemun where he became a rabbi in the 1820s. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential pioneers of modern Zionism.

Built in 1850, the Zemun Synagogue is the oldest, while construction of the Sukat Salom Synagogue was only completed in 1929.

A house of prayer until 1962, the synagogue was then sold to the Zemun local municipality by the Jewish Community of Zemun, JOZ. Since the sale, the synagogue has functioned as a cultural centre, rock club and restaurant.

Today, it is a kafana that goes by the name Sac - referring to a large metal or ceramic lid which are used while cooking or baking over live coals or wood.

According to one of the restaurants waiters, the owners called the restaurant Sac as this is the method they use to prepare the food. The ethno-restaurant has been operating here since 2005.

Green umbrellas bearing the Montenegrin Niksicko Pivo beer brand dot the outdoor space of the former synagogue, as the aroma of barbequed food hangs in the air.

However, the contract between the restaurant owners and the local municipality will end in September 2018. JOZ told BIRN the synagogue will once again be under its ownership from that date.

Petar Stanisic, the owner of Sac, told BIRN they will respect the decision, underlining they have always had very good relations with JOZ, which is based on the same street.

However, Stanisic noted they have been leasing the site for 12 years now and that 14 people are currently living off the restaurants earnings.

Still, he remains philosophical, saying: We will see what we will do next.

Two Jewish communities were active in Zemun before World War II, the Sephardic and Ashkenazi communities. According to historical sources, between 500 and 600 Jews were recorded as living in Zemun before the war.

Before the allied bombing of Belgrade in 1944, there were two Jewish synagogues located in Zemun in close proximity to one another one serving the Sephardic community and located in Dubrovacka street, whilst the other one, still standing today, belonged to the Ashkenazi community.

The Sephardic synagogue, founded by Rabbi Alkalaja, was located in Dubrovacka street, 40 metres from the remaining Zemun Synagogue. It was almost completely destroyed during allied bombing.

The Zemun municipality eventually demolished what was left of the building in 1957.

While it is not clear exactly why the building was demolished, some academic studies suggest that, as the Jewish population had declined to such a degree, the remaining synagogue in Rabina Alkalaja street the Zemun Synagogue - was considered sufficient to meet the needs of those Jews who stayed in Zemun after the war.

Prior to March this year, when the Jewish Community of Zemun celebrated the Purim holiday, no prayers had been held at the Zemun Synagogue since it was sold to the Zemun municipality.

Newspaper articles published at the time raised questions over whether the sale was forced, as the building was apparently sold way below market price. In a story published by the daily Politika, Aca Singer, then president of the Jewish Communities Union of Yugoslavia, claimed the sale was a result of pressure from the then Belgrade mayor, Branko Pesic.

It was then home to the rock and live music club during the 60s. According to news portal Zemunske Novine, the famous writer David Albahari often dj-ed in the club.

The sale was subject to an agreement that the synagogue would serve as a cultural centre. That understanding came to an end after Vojislav Seselj became president of the Zemun municipality in 1996.

According to Nedeljnik magazine, Seselj firmly believed that as the synagogue was the property of the local government, the municipality should choose how it was used.

As a consequence, the municipality began leasing the former synagogue to private catering companies.

Ria Beherano, JOZ secretary, told BIRN that the organisation plans to ensure the synagogue once again opens a cultural centre that will organise various events. As the scheduled take over date is still one year away, Beherano said that no concrete plans have yet been agreed.

JOZ began fundraising in 2005 in order to buy the property back from the Zemun municipality. However, according to Beherano, they werent able to raise enough cash.

Instead, she said, they managed to agree a deal with the municipality that the building would be returned to them once the Sac restaurant lease expired with the help of the Serbian Agency for Restitution in May 2016.

The agency is in charge of property restitution and compensation claims, and the synagogue was returned according to the Serbian Law on Restitution of Property to Churches and Religious Communities.

Beherano said that other buildings in the area, including a Jewish school in the centre of Zemun, were also once the property of JOZ but were also sold to the Zemun municipality in the aftermath of the war.

She said the synagogue was returned on the understanding that JOZ would not lodge any further property claims.

If everything goes according to the plan, Sac will be operating here until the building is in 2018 once again a cultural centre; but this time in the hands of JOZ.

This article was published in BIRN's bi-weekly newspaper Belgrade Insight.Here is where to find a copy.

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The Many Lives of Belgrade's Old Synagogue :: Balkan Insight - Balkan Insight

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Posted By simmons on June 27, 2017

Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett, in partnership with the Montgomery County Muslim Foundation and the Montgomery County Muslim Council hosted Iftar Dinner on June 15 at the Montgomery County Council Executive Office Building in Rockville.

Iftar is the meal that Muslims eat to break their fast after sunset during Ramadan. After maghrib prayer, a full-course meal, consisting of soup, salad, appetizers and main dishes is served. Iftar is a social event which involves family and community members. It is common for Muslims to host others for dinner, or gather as a community or to invite and share food with those less fortunate. The spiritual reward for charitable giving is considered to be especially significant during Ramadan.

The iftar dinner was attended by more than 400 guests including a large number of Montgomery County residents who serve as faith leaders from the Muslim, Christian, Jewish and Buddhist faiths. In addition to Leggett, the event was attended by Montgomery County Council President Roger Berliner, and Councilmember Marc Elrich. In addition to the above, U.S. Rep. John Sarbanes, Maryland Delegates Aruna Miller and Dr. Hassan Jalisi were also present in the event.

Besides the elected representatives, several Montgomery County and Maryland State officials attended the event which included representatives from the Office of the Montgomery County Police Chief Thomas Manger, Officials from Human Right Commission, Special Assistant to the County Executive Chuck Short, Interfaith Community Liaison Rev. Mansfield Kaseman, Director of the Office of Community Partnerships Bruce Adams and several others.

During the event, the County Executive and County Council issued a joint Proclamation declaring May 27, 2017 to June 24, 2017 Muslim American Ramadan Heritage Month.In their comments, both Leggett and Berliner appreciated the contributions made by the 65,000 resident Muslims in diverse professions and trades in the Montgomery County. Sarbanes in his address admired the significant role played by the Muslim community in Maryland in all walks of life.

The highlight of the program was a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition awarded to the Montgomery County Muslim Foundation by U.S. Rep. John K. Delaney.

The citation reads as follows: In Celebration of the 2017 Annual Iftar Dinner and for your dedication to encourage and promote Interfaith activities and dialogue in the community. Your commitment to creating community development services to reduce hunger in Montgomery County is a testament to your dedication to serve the needy.

MCMF members were also active in charitable events during Ramadan. They launched a Ramadan refugee project in which they served meals to more than 400 refugees, distributed 150 Toys R Us gift cards to refugee children, donated cars to help refugees drive to work, distributed more than 2,000 items of clothing to low-income residents and aided in the monthly food pantry distribution to low income residents of Montgomery County.

Tufail Ahamad, chairman of MCMF, expressed his thanks to the County Council for their support for the mission of the MCMF. He also mentioned that lack of office space is preventing the efforts of MCMF to expand its various programs.

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Bringing People Together in Montgomery County - Virginia Connection Newspapers

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Posted By admin on June 27, 2017

The Texas Jewish Historical Society is donating $25,000 to Corsicanas century-old, onion- domed synagogue, an architectural gem that needs $403,000 to replace rotting wood, upgrade HVAC equipment and install a fire-sprinkler system.

The city, which has owned and maintained the Moorish revival Temple Beth-El since 1987, is optimistic that the TJHS grant will attract funds from Jewish foundations and individuals, which in the past have contributed little for the landmarks preservation.

Babbette Samuels, 89, the oldest surviving member of Corsicanas once-thriving Jewish community, said it was a miracle that the TJHS approved the $25,000 grant. The temple is a monument to Judaism and to this small town, the octogenarian said, following an emotional discussion and vote at a TJHS board meeting June 11 in Austin. The city of Corsicana has been taking care of the synagogue all these years and will continue to do so. It just wants financial help.

The 117-year-old Temple Beth-El is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and has a Texas Historical Marker. Although repurposed as a city community center, the worship area with its stained-glass windows, vintage menorahs and wooden pews hosts Shabbat services once a month, drawing up to 20 people from miles around.

Dallas attorney Bud Silverberg, who grew up in Corsicana, told the TJHS board, Temple Beth-El is not just a structure. It represents a part of our Jewish heritage and the lives of Jews living in small towns in Texas and across our great country.

Since 1980, when Temple Beth-Els congregation disbanded and its exotic building faced demolition, the local Christian community has rallied to preserve the religious landmark. Initially, a Save-the-Temple Committee staged potluck suppers, applied for grants, and hired a preservation architect to restore the building and reopen it as a community center available for weddings, parties and meetings.

The synagogue, located on 15th Street, is within sight of the Collin Street Bakery, known internationally for its fruitcake. Both landmarks draw tourists from around the world, most recently two Israelis representing the Israel Movement for Reform and Progressive Judaism. The website http://www.Synagogues360.org describes the building as a fine example of Eastern European wood and Gothic masonry motifs modified for American frontier construction.

Corsicana (population 25,000), a rural county seat 55 miles southwest of Dallas, budgets $30,000 annually for the temples upkeep. Seven years ago it restored the buildings twin onion-domed towers and three stained-glass windows which some authorities say were crafted by Tiffany.

British-born Judith Steely, a non-Jew and president of the recently formed Corsicana Preservation Foundation, said local residents often wonder why Jews havent contributed toward maintaining this landmark. Last year she convened a meeting of Dallas residents with ancestral ties to Corsicanas Jewish community. The idea to approach the TJHS for funds came from that meeting. The ad hoc committee plans to draft a formal fundraising plan to tap Jewish institutions and individuals.

The city restored three stained-glass windows seven years ago.

The city preservation society has also received a $25,000 restoration grant from the Navarro Community Foundation and $1,500 from the Church in the Park, a local Southern Baptist congregation. The Parks and Recreation Department has published a handsome brochure promoting the temple as a unique venue for weddings and receptions.

The distinctive synagogue, with its octagonal towers and keyhole windows, has seating for 150. The main sanctuary has a rose window with a Star of David and two other stained-glass windows depicting matching tablets of the Ten Commandments.

During the first half of the 20th century, Corsicana was a thriving oil, industrial, mercantile and agricultural center. It became home to more than 500 Jews and both a Reform and Orthodox synagogue. During the late-1960s, the younger generation began gravitating to urban areas. Faced with dwindling membership, the Reform Temple Beth-El, unable to afford the upkeep of its landmark building, disbanded in 1980. The Orthodox congregation, Agudas Achim, dissolved in 1999. Its building became a senior citizens center.

Temple Beth-El is the only onion-domed house of worship in the Southwest, and one of a handful across the country. The others include Temple Aaron in Trinidad, Colorado; Congregation Bnai Israel in Butte, Montana; and the Plum Street Temple in Cincinnati. The onion dome harks back to the Golden Age of Spain in Jewish history. Its use in Moorish revival architecture reflected optimism that the American Jewish experience would lead to another Golden Age.

Writing in 1990 about Corsicanas distinctive synagogue, Texas historian Jane Manaster described it as a two-story wooden structure fronted by a gabled roof and squat twin towers, each exotically topped by an onion-shaped cupola or dome. Her article in the East Texas Historical Journal deemed the house of worship a remarkable ecclesiastical heirloom.

Renovations on Temple Beth-El have already begun, utilizing funds donated to date. According to Charla Allen, director of Parks and Recreation, restoration work is divided into four phases:

Remove existing siding and substrate, install new plywood, weather barrier, and wood siding with trim to match original;

Seal dissimilar material junctions with urethane sealant; paint new siding and trim with two coats of acrylic latex paint;

Refurbish 24 windows and two doors;

Install fire-sprinkler system and up-to-date heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning systems.

For further information or to make individual donations, contact the City of Corsicana Parks and Recreation Department, 903-654-4874 or http://www.cityofcorsicana.com.

Reprinted with the permission of the Texas Jewish Post.

On the Net: http://tjpnews.com/preserving-small-town-history/

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Corsicana receives $25k grant to maintain Temple Beth-El - Corsicana Daily Sun

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Posted By simmons on June 27, 2017

The Marlboro Library, Wyncrest Road, Marlboro, will present the band Rave On! in concert on July 5 featuring the music of Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry, Roy Orbison and other early rock and roll musicians. Free admission; ticket required; limit of four tickets per family. Details: 732-536-9406.

The Italian American Cultural Society of New Jersey invites members of the public to its July 13 dinner meeting at Basiles Italian Restaurant, 536 Park Ave., Freehold. Special guest Candice Guardino will speak about her new play, Italian Bred, coming to Asbury Park this summer. The July 13 dinner is $35 per person for society members and $45 for non-members. Cash is preferred, no credit cards. To reserve seating, call Anthony Grassi at 917-743-3311 or Richard Favara at 732-861-9465.

Barbara Bogner, who taught human anatomy and physiology at Middlesex County College for 24 years, will present Our Beautiful Baffling Brain as part of the 2017 Discussion Series at St. Robert Bellarmine Co-Cathedral, 61 Georgia Road, Freehold Township, from 7-9 p.m. July 12. The series is sponsored by Kathy Lo Bue, managing director, Glen Eagle Advisors LLC. Adults of all ages are invited. Refreshments provided.The series is free, non-sectarian and open to the community. RSVP to 732-866-6660.

The fourth annual PJ Library Summer Carnival will take place at Solomon Schechter Day School of Greater Monmouth County, Marlboro, from 10-11:30 a.m. Aug. 6. The carnival will feature inflatable rides, games, face-painting, prizes, snacks and special guest appearances. Admission is free, but advance registration is required to attend. Details: Linda Glickstein, 732-431-5525.

The Manalapan-Englishtown Regional School District Board of Education will meet on the following dates: July 11, 7:30 p.m., committee of the whole, 54 Main St., Englishtown; and July 25, 7:30 p.m., regular action meeting, 54 Main St., Englishtown. The meetings are open to the public.

An Independence Day concert and fireworks celebration will be held on July 2 at Freehold Raceway. Gates open at 6:30 p.m. Live music by NRG from 7-9 p.m. Kason Jackson will perform The Star-Spangled Banner. Food and beverages will be available for purchase. Rain date July 9. Fireworks made possible by Freehold Borough, Freehold Raceway Mall, Downtown Freehold and the support of sponsors. Check http://www.freeholdboroughnj.gov for weather updates.

The Old Bridge Toastmasters Club meets on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month from 7:15-9 p.m. at the Sayre Woods Bible Church, 2290 Route 9 South, Old Bridge. The club seeks to help individuals become better speakers and better leaders. There is no cost to attend a meeting and residents of all towns are welcome to attend. Details: 908-906-4926 or http://oldbridge.toastmastersclubs.org/

The Monmouth County Audubon Society will host a bird walk on Sandy Hook in northern Monmouth County at 6 p.m. July 20. Open to society members and non-members. Meet at 6 p.m. in parking lot M. Follow Hartshorne Drive (the main park road) north to a right turn onto Atlantic Avenue, then right on Ford Road to parking lot M. No cost to participate. Bring binoculars and dress appropriately for the weather. Insect repellent is recommended. Details: http://www.monmouthaudubon.org or email info@monmouthaudubon.org

Joe Grabas, genealogist, entrepreneur and author, will present So You Want to Write a Book: Sharing Your Story and Passion at the 1:30 p.m. July 9 meeting of the Monmouth County Genealogy Society at the Community Center, 72 Broad St., Eatontown. The program is free and the public is welcome. Details: 732-747-0090.

Marlboro senior citizen artists are presenting an exhibit of their work at the Monmouth County Library Headquarters, Symmes Drive, Manalapan, during June. The group, Dabbling in the Arts, is sponsored by the Marlboro Senior Recreation Division of Marlboro Recreation. Artist Susanna Anastasia is the class instructor. The class meets from September through June.

Embroiderers Guild of America-Monmouth Chapter is dedicated to teaching and sharing the joys of needlework. Stitchers of all levels are welcome. There are sit and stitch tables at each meeting as well as special projects. Evening stitchers will meet July 17 from 7-9 p.m. at the Colts Neck Library, 1 Winthrop Drive, Colts Neck; Day stitchers will meet July 20 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Colts Neck Community Church, 25 Merchants Way, Colts Neck. Details: Toni, 732-462-5540, or http://www.mcega.org

The Freehold Borough K-8 School District Board of Education has made changes to its meeting schedule. The July 17 meeting will be moved to 7 p.m. July 18 at the Freehold Learning Center. The Aug. 7 meeting will be moved to 7 p.m. Aug. 8 at the Park Avenue complex. The Aug. 21 meeting will be moved to 7 p.m. Aug. 22 at the Park Avenue complex. The Oct. 9 and Oct. 23 board meetings are cancelled. The board will meet on Oct. 16 at the Freehold Learning Center.

The Monmouth County Fair will run from July 26-30 at the East Freehold Showgrounds, Kozloski Road, Freehold Township. Admission is $8 per person. Children 12 and under are free. The fair gate will be open from 5-11 p.m. July 26-28; from 3-11 p.m. July 29; and from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. July 30. Entries will be accepted for the Home and Garden competition. To download a brochure, visit http://www.MonmouthCountyFair.com

A concert to benefit Special Strides will be held at 8:30 p.m. July 7 at Congress Hill Farm, 118 Federal Road, Monroe Township. Special Strides is a nonprofit organization devoted to improving the lives of individuals with special needs through horses, therapy and affordances of a natural environment. The community is invited to the free concert. Bring blankets and chairs. Details: http://www.specialstrides.com or 732-446-0945.

The Deep Cut Orchid Society meets at 7:30 p.m. on the second Tuesday of every month (July 11) at the Monmouth Reform Temple, 332 Hance Ave., Tinton Falls. There is a speaker, refreshments and a discussion of plants on the show table. There is no cost to attend and everyone is welcome.

The Italian American Association of Monmouth County is accepting registration for an Italian Summer Enrichment Camp to run from July 23 through Aug. 4 (Monday-Friday), 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (included, lunch made by camper on premises) at St. Rose of Lima, Freehold Borough. Cost: $300 for child/grandchild of an IAA member; $350 for non-member. Ages: 5 years old to teenage. Activities include Italian language lessons, Italian crafts, Italian games, cooking lessons and more. To register, download a form at http://www.iaaofmc.com. Details: Cheryl Scuorzo, 732-536-5832.

The Jewish Heritage Museum of Monmouth Country, Freehold Township, announces its next journaling series, Our Stories, Ourselves Jewish Journaling and More, facilitated by Michele Bernstein Klausner. This series is based on the museums new exhibit, Three Centuries of Growth and Change: A History of Jews in Monmouth County. The workshop is held Tuesdays from 10:30 a.m. to noon. The fee is $5 per session. Details: 732-252-6990.

Look for turtles, egrets, herons, ospreys and other wildlife during a boat tour of the Manasquan Reservoir, Howell. Each 45-minute tour leaves from the Visitor Center, Windeler Road, Howell. Tours are offered at the top of the hour from 2-5 p.m. on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, May 6 through Sept. 4. Wednesday tours are offered at 2, 3 and 4 p.m. from July 5 through Aug. 30. Evening tours are offered on the first Friday of each month May through September; call 732-751-9453 as times vary for the evening tours. All tours are weather and water level dependent. The fee is $6 per adult and $4 per child age 12 and under.

The Essential Tremor Support Group meets from 7-9 p.m. on the first Thursday of each month (July 6) at the Jack Aaronson Conference Center at CentraState Medical Center, Freehold Township. Details: 732-462-8304, after 10 a.m.

New Jersey Blood Services is in need of volunteers to work blood drives in Ocean and Monmouth counties. Tasks include assisting donors with registration, watching donors for post-donation reactions and responding to their needs. Details: Jan Zepka, 732-616-8741.

The Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance will meet in the spiritual center of St. Marys Roman Catholic Church, 1 Phalanx Road, Colts Neck, from 7:30-9 p.m. every Thursday. Details: 732-536-5826 or 732-320-0029.

Items for the Datebook may be sent to gmntnews@newspapermediagroup.com. Please send items at least two weeks prior to a scheduled event.

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News Transcript Datebook, June 28 - centraljersey.com

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Posted By simmons on June 27, 2017

Yuli Edelstein. (photo credit:MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST)

Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelsteins visit to Moscow will involve discussions aiming to reach agreements on security matters, he said at the start of a meeting Tuesday with Valentina Matviyenko, his counterpart in the Federation Council.

Edelstein praised the cooperation between the defense committees of the two parliaments, but pointed out there are points of disagreement.

Our Foreign Affairs and Defense committees will have to discuss how to close the gaps, he said.

The Knesset speakers comments come at a time of increased spillover into Israel of fire from the war in Syria to which Israel has responded by attacking targets affiliated with President Bashar Assad. Russian forces have been fighting on Assads side since 2015.

Its no secret that there are tensions in our region, and Russia plays a role in the region, Edelstein said at a press conference following the meeting.

These meetings are meant to create a platform for better understanding.

Edelstein said the meetings between the parliamentary defense committees were very serious and a lot was learned.

I think they were able to see things differently in relation to the complex reality in Syria, northern Israel, Lebanon and Iran, he added.

As for other issues, Edelstein said they discussed improving economic cooperation, education, Holocaust remembrance and fighting antisemitism.

Matviyenko kept her comments warm and vague, expressing, as Edelstein did, a wish to further strengthen relations between the two countries, and mentioning her two recent visits to Israel.

We are satisfied with how relations between our countries are developing, she said.

She also said Russia opposes all forms of racism, including antisemitism, as well as Holocaust denial.

Matviyenko was joined by the chairmen of several committees in the Federation Council, including the Defense, Foreign Affairs and Atrategic Affairs committees.

The Knesset delegation included MKs Robert Ilatov of Yisrael Beytenu and Yoel Razbozov of Yesh Atid, both born in the Soviet Union.

On Wednesday morning, Edelstein will give the first speech by an Israeli official to the Federation Council.

He will begin his address in Hebrew, the language it was a crime for him to teach, and point out the symbolism of the event.

Edelstein also plans to praise improved ties between Israel and Russia, including the role of more than a million immigrants from the former Soviet Union in promoting those ties.

In addition, he will point to recent terrorist attacks in Russia and say they have the same roots as terrorism against Israel, calling for unification in fighting it.

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Edelstein hopes to 'close gaps' with Russia on defense issues - The Jerusalem Post

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Posted By richards on June 27, 2017

A New Jersey rabbiand his wife were arrested with three other Jewish couples forunderreporting their incomes to receive government benefits.

The couples, including the rabbis brother and wife, were arrested Monday inraids that resulted from an investigationinto Lakewood, a New Jersey town that is home to a large haredi Orthodox community. More arrests are expected, Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph Coronato said, according to The Associated Press.

The FBI and the New Jersey State Comptrollers Office launched the probe.

By underreporting their incomes, Rabbi Zalmen Sorotzkin and his wife, Tzipporah, and the other couples defrauded state and federal assistance programs of over$1 million, according to criminal complaints, AP reported.

The Sorotzkins were charged in state court withillegallycollecting more than $338,000 in benefits. They will plead not guilty, their attorney said, according to AP.

Another couple, Mordechai and Jocheved Breskin, was charged with illegally collecting $585,000.

In federal court, Zalmen Sorotzkins brother, Mordechai, and his wife, Rachel, were charged with another couple, Yocheved and Shimon Nussbaum, withillegally collecting benefits, including Medicaid.

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Lakewood Hasidic Rabbi Accused In Sprawling $1M Benefits Scam - Forward

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Posted By richards on June 27, 2017

The reception catered by Wise Sons Jewish Delicatessen set the tone for the evening: a talk about food with San Francisco State University Jewish studies professor Rachel Gross.

Though many Jews might claim to be experts on Jewish cuisine or innovators in the kitchen, Gross is one of the regions most knowledgeable academics when it comes to understanding why certain trends in Jewish commercial cooking exist as they do today.

Why did Michael Siegel, owner-chef of the now-defunct Shorty Goldsteins Jewish deli, draw on his family tree and family recipes as part of the restaurants marketing? What exactly is kosher-style, as opposed to kosher?

These questions came up in Feeling Jewish: Buying and Selling American Jewish Nostalgia, Gross inaugurallecture asthe John and Marcia Goldman Chair in American Jewish Studies at SFSU, a position she startedin August 2016.

The sold-out lecture, which she gave June 15 at the Contemporary Jewish Museum in San Francisco, was in part based on her research for an upcoming book,which will have the same title as the talk.

In recent years, Ashkenazi Jewish cuisine has experienced something of a cultural revival; in the Bay Area, think Wise Sons or Sauls Restaurant and Delicatessen in Berkeley. More than ever before, words like local and sustainable are coming up as selling points for pastrami sandwiches and matzah ball soup, and Gross set out to explain why.

Rather than simply reproducing recipes from Ashkenazi Jews Eastern European past, and immigrant heritage in the U.S., restaurateurs and purveyors of Jewish food are deliberately making American Jewish food fit for the 21st century, she said.

[Culinary innovators] have lost faith in the legitimacy of American Jewish culinary norms and institutions, mainly mainstream Jewish delis, restaurants and manufacturers. Their work emphasizes sustainability, reliance on local goods and the slow food movement. They tout their artisanal production, culinary creativity or a playful irony, all of which demonstrate a campy nostalgia that brings American Jewish history to bear on the present.

Gross traced this culinary revival to a central theme: nostalgia, which she described as a sentimental longing for Jewish communal origins that cannot be fulfilled. [Foodmakers] products create an emotional connection to specific Jewish pasts.

Nostalgia functions as both religion and culture for American Jews.

Specifically, American Jews buy and sell products such as sandwiches at Jewish delis that speak to American Jewish immigrant culture in the 20th century, as well as harkening back to Central and Eastern Europe. Nostalgia functions as both religion and culture for American Jews, Gross said.

Gross calls Jewish culinary innovators who use nostalgia in their marketing, product choice and creation revivalists, and she shared stories from across the country on how or why businesses fit into her thesis.

Zach Kutsher, who ran Kutshers Tribeca restaurant in New York City, sought to recreate an experience that riffed on his familys now-demolished resort in the Catskills. Kutsher elected to serve kosher-style food, which to him meant that his eatery didnt serve treyf (unkosher) menu items such as pork and shellfish, but it did source meats exclusively from animals that would be considered kosher though they were not halachically so.

On the other hand, some Jewish delis throw out the laws of kashrut altogether.

Ken Gordon, owner of Kenny and Zukes Delicatessen in Portland, Oregon, told Gross in an interview, Youre either kosher, or youre not. In a move that decidedly bucked tradition, Gordons restaurant recently added bacon to the menu after it received requests for bacon and eggs.

Sometimes finding the balance between nostalgia and a modern sustainable food sensibility can be a real pickle. Literally.

Gross cited the example of Sauls Deli in Berkeley, run by Peter Levitt and Karen Adelman. The average customer is likely unaware that sour pickles typically found at Jewish delis like Sauls require fresh cucumbers and up to 20 days in the pickling jar. Because locally grown cucumbers are often unavailable in the winter, Sauls had an issue.

Participating in the Bay Area sustainable food movement, Adelman and Levitt began to buy more local and seasonal ingredients, Gross said. But as they altered their menu they ran into a pickle problem For a period of time, customers had to put up with having half-sour pickles at Sauls, only on seasonally appropriate months.

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Nostalgia is key ingredient in your pastrami on rye, says SFSU prof - Jweekly.com

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