Congregation Beth Chaverim

03/06/2023

Mishpocha,

On Monday at sunset we begin our annual Purim celebration. Purim is one of the most joyous and fun holidays on the Jewish calendar. It commemorates a time when the Jewish people living in Persia were saved from extermination.

The story is recorded in the Biblical Book of Esther (Megillat Ester in Hebrew, commonly known as The Megillah).

The heroes of the story are Esther, a beautiful young Jewish woman living in Persia, and her cousin Mordecai, who raised her as if she were his daughter. Esther was taken to the house of Ahasuerus, King of Persia, to become part of his harem. King Ahasuerus loved Esther more than his other women and made Esther queen, but the king did not know that Esther was a Jew, because Mordecai told her not to reveal her identity.

The villain of the story, Haman, royal vizier to King Ahasuerus, planned to kill all the Jews in the empire, mainly because Mordecai would not bow down to him (and, as typical for guys like him, he just did not like Jews very much).

Mordecai caught wind of the plot and persuaded Esther to speak to the king on behalf of the Jewish people. This was a dangerous thing for Esther to do, because anyone who came into the king's presence without being summoned could be put to death (even his queen!), and she had not been summoned. Esther went to the king. He welcomed her. Later, she told him of Haman's plot against her people (in the process identifying herself as a Jew). The Jewish people were saved, and Haman and his ten sons were hanged on the gallows that had been prepared for Mordecai.

There is disagreement among scholars whether any of these events actually took place. Historical records of the period make no mention of Haman, Esther, or Mordechai, nor do they refer to any of the incidents in the Scroll of Esther. There are theories that Purim co-opted and Judaicized the pagan carnivals of that era, or that since it was roughly the time of the Maccabean Revolt (our Hanukkah story) the Book of Esther was written to reinforce the national mood of confidence in deliverance. The themes are very similar. We’ll never know for sure but there seems to be strength behind the idea that this is all a myth.

Purim is celebrated by:

Exchanging gifts of food and drink known as mishloach manot.
Donating charity to the poor known as mattanot la-evyonim.
Eating a celebratory meal known as a se'udat Purim.
Public recitation ("reading of the megillah") of the Scroll of Esther

Other customs include men drinking wine or any alcoholic beverage, wearing of masks and costumes, and public celebration.

Interesting fact: The book of Esther is unusual in that it is the only book of the Bible that does not contain the name of God. In fact, it includes virtually no reference to God.

Also - The triangular shape of hamantaschen (pastries) that are eaten on the holiday is generally believed to reflect the shape of Haman's hat, or Haman’s ear, or Haman’s pocket (who would have thought there would be disagreement among Jews?).

Chag Purim Sameach,

Rick

02/06/2023

Mishpocha,

Beginning at sunset tonight (Sunday) is Tu B'Shevat, the New Year for Trees. It is essentially Jewish Arbor Day. The word "Tu" is not a word; it is the number 15 in Hebrew (just as “Chai” is the number 18) and this is the Jewish month of Shevat. Tu B'Shevat is not mentioned in the Torah.

Tu B'Shevat is the new year for the purpose of calculating the age of trees for religious observance. The Torah states that, in the life of a tree, fruit from trees may not be eaten during the first three years; the fourth year's fruit is for God, and after that, you can eat the fruit. Each tree is considered to have aged one year as of Tu B'Shevat.

There are few customs or observances related to this holiday. Many people plant trees on this day. In the 16th century, kabbalists developed a seder ritual conceptually similar to the Passover seder. Discussed during these seders is the spiritual significance of fruits and of other benefits we get from trees. The bounty of trees is consumed, such as fruits and nuts.

A Tu B’shevat story:

In the Talmud there is the story of an old man who was seen planting a carob tree as the king rode by. "Old man," the king called, "how many years will it be before that tree bears fruit?" The old man replied, "Perhaps seventy years." The king asked, "Do you really expect to be alive to eat the fruit of that tree?" "No," answered the old man. "But just as I found the world fruitful when I was born, so I plant trees that later generations may eat thereof."

Here is another Jewish practice concerning trees:

In ancient Israel, it was the custom to plant a young cedar tree for each boy when he was born and a young cypress for each girl. In this way, the beginning of life was celebrated by the beginning of even more life. When a young man and woman were married, cedar branches from his tree and cypress branches from hers were woven together to form a marriage canopy, their chuppah.

And to further underscore the importance of trees, Rabbi Yochanan Ben Zakkai says: “If you are holding a sapling in your hand and someone says to you, ‘Here comes the Messiah!’ - come and plant the sapling and afterwards go and welcome the Messiah."

One more interesting tidbit about trees:

We’ll never know for sure what the Garden of Eden was like, but considering where it was, the infamous Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil was likely a pomegranate tree and not an apple. And, how many seeds are there in a pomegranate? 613, exactly the number of commandments in our Torah.

B’shalom,

Rick

10/08/2022

Video showing the last 38 seconds of our Yom Kippur observance at Congregation Beth Chaverim, beginning with Tekiah Gedolah, featuring our Shofar blowers Mitch Katz, Steve Levy, and Ody Katz. Thanks Josephine Reiss for shooting this. Shanah Tovah to all

05/04/2022

We lost a friend and congregant today, Jennifer Morgenstern-Moreno. Way too young,, she will be missed. Z'chrona l'bracha

03/15/2022

11/28/2021

Mishpocha,

Tonight we light the first candle on the candelabrum beginning the Festival of Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights. The story is pretty widely known so I won’t repeat it here. It is, however, one of the best representations of that old Jewish joke describing holidays: “They tried to kill us, we won, let’s eat.”

Hanukkah has historically been a minor, even ignored holiday. It has come to prominence recently, mostly in America, as a response to Christmas. This is partially a result of the time of year it comes. But it's mostly because Jewish families, feeling the need to counter the glitz and glamor of Christmas in fear that it would draw their kids toward Christianity, began instituting the idea of 8 nights of gifts, even sometimes house lights and “Hanukkah bushes.” Our dreaded “December Dilemma.”

But my take is a little different than most in my position. I don’t agree with what Hanukkah has become in the Diaspora, but I do think that Hanukkah should be a major holiday. It represents so much of what we are about. A much more powerful hostile group, greatly outnumbering us, exiled us from our synagogue and our communities, forced us into the wilderness, where we fought guerrilla-style (today the Maccabees would be called terrorists) to get back what was ours. They did try to eliminate us; we did survive. This is the story of the Jewish people.

Purim, which revolves around a similar story, is a much more observed holiday. But I think that the Hanukkah story is as good a representation of these principles. My opinion, and as I said, not commonly held. If you disagree I’d love to hear your take.

By the way, technically “menorahs” are seven-branched candelabra. There is a huge one in front of the Knesset building in Jerusalem, and they have been present in synagogues since the early days of our tradition. What we light on Hanukkah is a Hanukkiah (ha-nu-KEE-a), a Hanukkah menorah – nine-branched, to commemorate the 8 days of the festival, plus the shammas that is used to light the other candles. It's a minor point and either term has become accepted, but (at least to me) it's an interesting piece of trivia.

Please join us on Friday evening December 3rd for a combined Shabbat/Hanukkah service. We’ll light Hanukkiahs, sing some songs, and discuss the REAL meaning of the holiday.

On behalf of the Shafarmans and the Kermans and Katzs, I wish for all receiving this a beautiful, peaceful Hanukkah.

Chag Sameach,

Rick

11/09/2021

Mishpocha,

Tonight we observe the 83rd anniversary of Kristallnacht, also referred to as the Night of Broken Glass. Kristallnacht was a pogrom (a series of coordinated attacks) against Jews throughout N**i Germany and Austria November 9 and 10, 1938, carried out by SA (Hitler’s secret police) forces and non-Jewish civilians. The name Kristallnacht comes from the shards of broken glass that littered the streets after Jewish-owned stores, homes, buildings, and synagogues had their windows smashed.

The true number of Jews massacred in the attacks will probably never be known, but Jewish deaths undoubtedly ran into the hundreds and probably numbered between 1,000 and 2,000.

Additionally, 30,000 were arrested and incarcerated in concentration camps. Jewish homes, hospitals, and schools were ransacked, as the attackers demolished buildings with bombs and sledgehammers. Over 1,000 synagogues were burned (95 in Vienna alone) and over 7,000 Jewish businesses were destroyed or damaged.

Kristallnacht was followed by severe economic and political persecution of Jews, and is generally considered as the official beginning of the Final Solution and The Holocaust.

Never again. Never forget.

Rick

04/07/2021

Yom HaShoah

Tonight we begin our annual observance of Yom HaShoah. It is Judaism's day of commemoration for the approximately six million Jews who perished in the Holocaust. In Israel it is a national memorial day. “Shoah” is the Hebrew word for Holocaust.

It is observed on the 27th day of Nissan, which corresponds to the end of the Warsaw Ghetto uprising in 1943, the greatest incident of Jewish resistance against the N**is in World War II.

Most Jewish communities hold solemn ceremonies on this day, but there is no institutionalized ritual accepted by all Jews. Lighting memorial candles and reciting the Kaddish—the prayer for the departed—are common.

Often a special yellow candle is used (instead of the white Yartzeit candle we use at other times). This dedicated Yartzeit candle was conceived, with yellow wax and a barbed-wire Star of David logo, which reminds us of the armbands Jews were forced to wear during the Holocaust. (Some communities have adopted a similar yellow candle concept for use on the anniversaries of Kristallnacht - The Night of Shattered Glass - and other important Shoah commemoration dates).

One of the most poignant rituals takes place in Israel where sirens blare at 10am and everything stops. Motorists exit their cars (even in the middle of intersections), pedestrians stop and stand still, everybody just ceases motion and they all stand in silence. This lasts for two minutes. Here is a link to a video that gives you an idea of how it works:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddsD1BtxXQ0

Yom HaShoah begins in Israel at sundown with a state ceremony held at Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Museum, in Jerusalem. During the ceremony the national flag is lowered to half mast, the President and the Prime Minister both deliver speeches, Holocaust survivors light six torches symbolizing the approximately six million Jews who perished in the Holocaust and the Chief Rabbis recite prayers. On Yom HaShoah ceremonies and services are held at schools, military bases and by other public and community organizations.

Also during this day, tens of thousands of Israeli high-school students, and thousands of Jews and non-Jews from around the world, hold a memorial service in Auschwitz, in what has become known as "The March of the Living," in defiance of the Holocaust death marches.

As the Holocaust is an integral part Jewish history so it is an important issue at Congregation Beth Chaverim. We count among our "Friends of Beth Chaverim" several survivors, including Leon Malmed and Dina Frydman (and her daughter/memoir-writer Tema Merback). I am proud that they are part of our community.

We say “Never Forget” and “Never Again”. I urge you to take a moment today and consider the Holocaust, how fortunate we are to be here, and how tragic it is that so many of our family members, by blood and by all other ways, are not. And how the Jews of central Europe had nowhere to go where they could be safe (the USA included), and how important it is to all of us that Israel exists.

B'shalom,

Rick

Yom Hashoah, Tel Aviv

12/10/2020

Mishpocha,

Tonight we light the first candle on the candelabrum beginning the Festival of Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights. The story is pretty widely known so I won’t repeat it here. It is, however, one of the best representations of that old Jewish joke describing holidays: “They tried to kill us, we won, let’s eat.”

Hanukkah has historically been a minor, even ignored holiday. It has come to prominence recently, mostly in America, as a response to Christmas. This is partially a result of the time of year it comes. But it's mostly because Jewish families, feeling the need to counter the glitz and glamor of Christmas in fear that it would draw their kids toward Christianity, began instituting the idea of 8 nights of gifts, even sometimes house lights and “Hanukkah bushes”. Our dreaded “December Dilemma”.

But my take is a little different than most in my position. I don’t agree with what Hanukkah has become in the Diaspora, but I do think that Hanukkah should be a major holiday. It represents so much of what we are about. A much more powerful hostile group, greatly outnumbering us, exiled us from our synagogue and our communities, forced us into the wilderness, where we fought guerrilla-style (today the Maccabees would be called terrorists) to get back what was ours. They did try to eliminate us; we did survive. This is the story of the Jewish people.

Purim, which revolves around a similar story, is a much more observed holiday. But I think that the Hanukkah story is as good a representation of these principles. My opinion, and as I said, not commonly held. If you disagree I’d love to hear your take.

By the way, technically “menorahs” are seven-branched candelabra. There is a huge one in front of the Knesset building in Jerusalem, and they have been present in synagogues since the early days of our tradition. What we light on Hanukkah is a Hanukkiah (ha-nu-KEE-a), a Hanukkah menorah – nine-branched, to commemorate the 8 days of the festival, plus the shammas that is used to light the other candles. See attached photos. It's a minor point and either term has become accepted, but (at least to me) it's an interesting piece of trivia.

On behalf of all Shafarmans and Kermans and Katzs, I wish for all receiving this a beautiful, peaceful Hanukkah. As with virtually everything else in 2020 this Hanukah will be very different for most of us than any other (to paraphrase Passover, Why is this holiday different than all other holidays?). But let us persevere as the Maccabees did, and let’s say “Next year in normalcy.”

Chag Sameach,

Rick

11/09/2020

KRISTALLNACHT

Monday night and Tuesday night we observe the 82nd anniversary of Kristallnacht, also referred to as the Night of Broken Glass. Kristallnacht was a pogrom (a series of coordinated attacks) against Jews throughout N**i Germany and Austria November 9 and 10, 1938, carried out by SA (Hitler’s secret police) forces and non-Jewish civilians. The name Kristallnacht comes from the shards of broken glass that littered the streets after Jewish-owned stores, homes, buildings, and synagogues had their windows smashed.

The true number of Jews massacred in the attacks will probably never be known, but Jewish deaths undoubtedly ran into the hundreds and probably numbered between 1,000 and 2,000.

Additionally, 30,000 were arrested and incarcerated in concentration camps. Jewish homes, hospitals, and schools were ransacked, as the attackers demolished buildings with bombs and sledgehammers. Over 1,000 synagogues were burned (95 in Vienna alone) and over 7,000 Jewish businesses were destroyed or damaged.

Kristallnacht was followed by severe economic and political persecution of Jews, and is generally considered as the official beginning of the Final Solution and The Holocaust.

Never forget, never again,

Rick

09/20/2020

Congregation Beth Chaverim: we got thrown out of the Angeles National Forest today after Tashlich. Park Service police are concerned about fire hazard. But we were done so all is good. Shanah Tovah

11/09/2019

Mishpocha,

Tonight we observe the 81st anniversary of Kristallnacht, also referred to as the Night of Broken Glass. Kristallnacht was a pogrom (a series of coordinated attacks) against Jews throughout N**i Germany and Austria November 9 and 10, 1938, carried out by SA (Hitler’s secret police) forces and non-Jewish civilians. The name Kristallnacht comes from the shards of broken glass that littered the streets after Jewish-owned stores, homes, buildings, and synagogues had their windows smashed.

The true number of Jews massacred in the attacks will probably never be known, but Jewish deaths undoubtedly ran into the hundreds and probably numbered between 1,000 and 2,000.

Additionally, 30,000 were arrested and incarcerated in concentration camps. Jewish homes, hospitals, and schools were ransacked, as the attackers demolished buildings with bombs and sledgehammers. Over 1,000 synagogues were burned (95 in Vienna alone) and over 7,000 Jewish businesses were destroyed or damaged.

Kristallnacht was followed by severe economic and political persecution of Jews, and is generally considered as the official beginning of the Final Solution and The Holocaust.

Never again. Never forget.

Rick