Shavuot Tikkun
Tuesday, June 3, 2014 • 5 Sivan 5774
7:30 PM - 11:59 PMShomrei Emunah - 67 Park St. Montclair, NJ 07042HOST SYNAGOGUE
CONGREGATION SHOMREI EMUNAH, 67 Park Street, Montclair
Rabbi David Greenstein
PARTICIPATING SYNAGOGUES
CONGREGATION BETH AHM OF WEST ESSEX: Rabbi Mark Biller & Cantor Marsha Schreier
BNAI KESHET: Rabbi Elliott Tepperman & Rabbi Ariann Weitzman
TEMPLE NER TAMID: Rabbi Steven Kushner & Cantor Meredith Greenberg
TEMPLE SHALOM: Rabbi Laurence W. Groffman & Rabbi Norman R. Patz
SHAVUOT TIKKUN Schedule
7:30 pm MUSICAL MAARIV SERVICE – Sanctuary
led by Rabbi David Greenstein with music by Josh Levitin (piano), Ken Bannerman (bass), & Mark Weinstein (flute)
Youth Service – Youth Activity Center (YAC) located on the Lower Level
An alternative child-friendly service led by Allen Lefkowitz
8:30 pm KIDDUSH – Social Hall
Partake of the seven species - grapes, pomegranates, figs, olive (oil), wheat, barley, and honey - as well as a variety of dairy foods
Food will be available all night
9:00 pm KEYNOTE ADDRESS – SanctuaryWELCOME & INTRODUCTION OF GUEST SCHOLAR
Rabbi David Greenstein
CAN ISRAEL BE BOTH ISRAELI AND DEMOCRATIC? GOING BEYOND THE RHETORIC
Let's go beyond the Aipac/JStreet controversy and analyze the existential conflict Israel is facing regarding its identity as a Jewish and democratic state. This conflict stems from the clash over religion and state, and has wide-ranging implications in many areas of the life of the state, of society, and of individuals in Israel, as well as an important impact on American Jewry and Jewish Peoplehood.
CHILDREN’S PROGRAM – Youth Activity Center (YAC) located on the Lower Level
Tsipi Taube & Jerilyn Margulies
Shavuot is mystically referred to as the day the matchmaker (Moses) brought the bride (the nation of Israel) to the chuppah (Mount Sinai) to marry the bridegroom (God); the ketubbah (marriage contract) was the Torah. During this activity, we will decorate the chuppah, in preparation for receiving the ten commandments.
10:00 pm SESSION 1:
Kitchen located on Upper Level
Classrooms & Youth Activity Center (YAC) located on Lower Level
KITCHEN – CHEESECAKE MAKING
with Limor Gutman & Tsipi Taube
Participate in the Shavuot tradition of eating dairy food by making your own individual cheesecake.
YOUTH ACTIVITY CENTER – TEEN SESSION: WHO IS GOD?
led by Dr. Ken Bannerman
There’s a saying that we all pray to the same God; but do we? In this session, we’ll explore and compare each person’s concept of God.
ROOM 1/2 - CHANTING INTO THE LIGHT OF SINAI: OPENING TO REVELATION, A JEWISH CHANTING & GUIDED MEDIATION SESSION
led by Melissa Schaefer
This night we stand at Sinai together and prepare ourselves for revelation as individuals and as a community. During this hour we will pray with chant, the repetition of sacred phrases, and linger in the transformative peacefulness following each chant as we awaken to the Great Mystery.
ROOM 3 – THE MEANING OF ISRAEL
Rabbi Laurence Groffman, Temple Shalom
We will explore how both traditional and modern texts understand the significance and meaning of Israel. We will have the opportunity to discuss how those texts do or do resonate with us and how they might deepen our own appreciation for Israel.
ROOM 4 – DOING TZEDAKAH: WHO IS IT FOR?
Vicki Comptor, Executive Director, Capital Gifts and Special Initiatives, UJA-Federation
Tzedakah is often translated as "charity", suggesting that it is about helping the poor. An alternative translation is "deeds of loving kindness", which suggests a broader focus. This session will consider the meaning of tzedakah and varied options for engaging in this mitzvah.
ROOM 5 – LIFE’S UPS AND DOWNS & 4TH CENTURY ZONING LAWS
Rabbi Mark Biller, Congregation Beth Ahm of West Essex
Unnerved by life's ups and downs? Jarred by not feeling well? Don't know how to respond kindly to others' life upsets? And by the way, bugged by your neighbors noisy lawn mower? Want to set up a little business at home, but not sure what you can and cannot do? THESE SAME QUESTIONS TROUBLED 2nd & 3rd & 4th CENTURY RABBIS !!!! Come and see the texts they left behind, hear their questions & answers, and discuss what you think about them.
ROOM 6 –THE MIDRASH OF YEHUDA AMICHAIRabbi Elliott Tepperman, Bnai Keshet
Yehuda Amichai is considered by many to be the greatest modern Israeli poet. This session will explore themes of Shavuot and revelation from the stanzas of his epic poem, "The Bible and you, The Bible and you, and Other Midrashim".
ROOM 7 – Rabbi Steven Kushner, Temple Ner Tamid
11:00 pm SESSION 2:
Classrooms & Youth Activity Center (YAC) located on Lower Level
YOUTH ACTIVITY CENTER – TEEN SESSION, Rabbi Ariann Weitzman, Bnai Keshet, & Cantor Meredith Greenberg, Temple Ner Tamid
TEEN SESSION: A look at Judaism as the language we use to describe our worldviews, the way we've borrowed language and ideas from the other cultures we live among, and the way we share the language of Judaism to expand the language of others. A little text study, a little activity, a lot of talking.
ROOM 1/2 – TAI CHI SESSION led by Miriam Shankman
Tai Chi is a gentle yet powerful energy practice and a wonderful tool for a personal Tikkun (repairing the body and spirit).
ROOM 3 – LASHON HARA: THE ETHICAL DUTY TO AVOID IMPROPER SPEECH
Stuart Green, Professor, Rutgers Law School
When non-observant people talk about how difficult it is to observe Jewish law, they often mention the difficulty of observing Shabbat or keeping kosher or other similarly detailed rituals. Yet the laws that are most difficult for many to keep, and which are most commonly violated even by observant Jews, are those regarding improper speech. Under the concept of lashon hara -- literally, "evil tongue" -- it is forbidden to make true, let alone false, statements that cause harm, embarrass, or lower the status of the person being discussed. Why does lashon hara hold such an important place in Jewish ethics? Why is it so difficult to comply with this law?
ROOM 4 – GOD’S THIRTEEN ATTRBUTES
Rabbi David Greenstein, Congregation Shomrei Emunah
We celebrate the revelation of the Torah at Mount Sinai. But another Divine revelation took place there - of God's Thirteen Attributes of Love and Compassion. We will explore some intriguing ways that they intersect.
ROOM 5 – IF IT’S NOT “HALF A TORAH”, THEN WHAT IS IT REALLY?
Rabbi Norman Patz, Temple Shalom
Investigating a familiar yet mysterious fixture of Shabbat and Festival worship and why it is so important.
ROOM 6 – MODERN MUSIC AND THE CANTORIAL CONNECTION
Cantor Marsha Schreier, Congregation Beth Ahm
Hear how cantorial themes from our liturgy found their way into Yiddish theatre, vaudeville, Broadway, and 20th century popular music.
ROOM 7 – CREATING RELIGIOUS OBSERVANCE OF A MODERN HOLIDAY: THE LITURGY FOR YOM HA-ATZMOT
Allen Paisber
An examination of the Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, and Reconstructionist liturgies for Yom Ha’atzmaut, focusing on the choices made and what they say about the way we view G-d’s hand in modern events.
12:00 am THE 10 COMMANDMENTS – Sanctuary12:45 am WHO IS A JEW? WHAT DOES THE TRADITION REALLY SAY ABOUT CONVERSION? – Sanctuary
Guest Scholar Rabbi Uri Regev
In the current battle over who is a Jew, it is a fact that Israel's official rabbinic courts would have refused to convert the Biblical heroine, Ruth, if she applied today! We will review some key examples of biblical and responsa literature, codes, and legal decisions handling the issue of who is a Jew and share the challenges faced by Israeli converts and the impact on American Jewry.
Tikkun Leyl Shavuot - "after party" - An open invitation from Rachel & Jeremy Brown for those who just can't get enough
On June 3rd, our community Shavuot Tikkun at Shomrei ends around 1 a.m., after the study session led Guest Scholar Rabbi Uri Regev .
For those of you who are interested - and/or those of you who don't
sleep much anyway - you're invited to our house to study, etc. until
sunrise.
It will be a tisch-like Tikkun with a theme of how the holy can be
found in the ordinary or the way we live every day. Bring stories,
songs, guitars, text or nigguns. Rachel will be brewing her famous mud coffee,and we'll have Red Bull and some dairy food as well.
We hope you'll come! Feel free to bring teens and pre-teens as well. Also, please forward this on to others in the community who you think may be interested (I just don't have everyone's email address).
18 Elizabeth Road
Montclair 07043
-Jeremy and Rachel
KITCHEN – CHEESECAKE MAKING with Limor Gutman & Tsipi Taube
Participate in the Shavuot tradition of eating dairy food by making your own individual cheesecake.
YOUTH ACTIVITY CENTER – TEEN SESSION: WHO IS GOD? led by Dr. Ken Bannerman
There’s a saying that we all pray to the same God; but do we? In this session, we’ll explore and compare each person’s concept of God.
ROOM 1/2 - CHANTING INTO THE LIGHT OF SINAI: OPENING TO REVELATION, A JEWISH CHANTING & GUIDED MEDIATION SESSION led by Melissa Schaefer
ROOM 3 – THE MEANING OF ISRAEL, Rabbi Laurence Groffman, Temple Shalom
We will explore how both traditional and modern texts understand the significance and meaning of Israel. We will have the opportunity to discuss how those texts do or do resonate with us and how they might deepen our own appreciation for Israel.
ROOM 4 – DOING TZEDAKAH: WHO IS IT FOR? Vicki Comptor, Executive Director, Capital Gifts and Special Initiatives, UJA-Federation
Tzedakah is often translated as "charity", suggesting that it is about helping the poor. An alternative translation is "deeds of loving kindness", which suggests a broader focus. This session will consider the meaning of tzedakah and varied options for engaging in this mitzvah.
ROOM 5 – LIFE’S UPS AND DOWNS & 4TH CENTURY ZONING LAWS, Rabbi Mark Biller, Congregation Beth Ahm of West Essex
ROOM 6 –THE MIDRASH OF YEHUDA AMICHAI, Rabbi Elliott Tepperman, Bnai Keshet
Yehuda Amichai is considered by many to be the greatest modern Israeli poet. This session will explore themes of Shavuot and revelation from the stanzas of his epic poem, "The Bible and you, The Bible and you, and Other Midrashim".
ROOM 7 – Rabbi Steven Kushner, Temple Ner Tamid
GUEST SCHOLAR -
RABBI URI REGEV is the president and CEO of the educational and advocacy Israel-Diaspora partnership “Hiddush - Freedom of Religion for Israel” and of its Israeli counterpart, “Hiddush – For Freedom of Religion and Equality".
For seven years he served as president of the World Union for Progressive Judaism, a global umbrella organization of the Progressive, Reform, Liberal and Reconstructionist movements, serving more than 1,200 congregations and communities in 42 countries on six continents. As head of the World Union, Rabbi Regev worked to strengthen modern, pluralistic Jewish life and democracy in the Jewish state and throughout the world.
Prior to assuming leadership of the World Union in 2002, Rabbi Regev served as founding chair, and later as executive director and legal counsel, of the Israel Religious Action Center (IRAC). In that role he led the IRAC’s legal team to historic victories in the Israeli Supreme Court in cases involving the “Who is a Jew?” issue, equitable funding for Reform and Conservative institutions , and the fight for representation in the religious councils.
Rabbi Regev is a cum laude graduate of Tel Aviv University Law School and the Hebrew Union College-Institute of Religion in Jerusalem.
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