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Kol Nefesh (Every Soul) CRT Google Calendar

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SERVICES November 2019 Sabbath Eve service: Report on Pilgrimage of Memory and Solidarity to Pittsburgh Friday, November 1, 6:30pm

This past weekend, 11 members of our Temple joined in a Pilgrimage of Memory and Solidarity to Pittsburgh, on the first anniversary of the Tree of Life Synagogue shootings. We shared a number of deeply meaningful and emotional experiences, as we attended Shabbat Services at two of the three congregations that were attacked and lost members, meeting with survivors and bringing the support and blessings of the CRT family. Rabbi Berman will report on this deeply moving visit, as we collectively mark this sad Yahrzeit. CRT Friday, November 1 & November 15, 2019

Choir practice 5:45pm Pre-service Kabbalat Shabbat 6:00pm Oneg following the service

Central Reform Temple & Emmanuel Church: Affirmation of our Covenant CRT Sabbath Eve service & grand oneg, Friday, November 15, 2019, 6:30pm Emmanuel Church morning service & coffee hour celebration, Sunday, November 17, 10:00am

The clergy and lay leaders of Boston’s Central Reform Temple and Emmanuel Episcopal Church recently signed a spiritual covenant, a declaration of our commitment to our life together at 15 Newbury Street. This affirmation grew out of our 14 years of sharing space and the ever-deepening relationship between the two communities. As partners in this covenant relationship, each congregation is both faithfully rooted in its distinct religious traditions and deeply committed to our shared spiritual roots, values, and hopes for humanity and the world. In a world that is torn by strife and hatred, the covenant states:

We practice modeling compassionate encounters between Judaism and Christianity that affirm the difficult challenges of history and aspire to new levels of understanding.

The relationship between Central Reform Temple and Emmanuel Episcopal Church is, to the best of our knowledge, unprecedented in terms of the depth and breadth of the partnership we have established. Our joint programs reflect our commitment to our shared values while creatively and respectfully exploring our differences. Our relationship is no longer one of residency or community or even family, but all of these bound together in a commitment to share our house and partnership in a long-term relationship. The two communities will celebrate this milestone in a Covenant Affirmation Weekend, November 15-17, with a series of services and festivities. Reverend Pamela Werntz will join Rabbi Howard Berman in the pulpit at the Temple’s Sabbath services on Friday, November 15, at 6:30pm in the Lindsey Chapel, followed by a grand oneg reception. The rabbi will join the rector in the pulpit on Sunday, November 17, at 10:00am in the main sanctuary, followed by a celebratory coffee hour. All members of both communities are invited to both services and celebrations. The full text of the Covenant will soon be posted on our congregations’ websites.

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STUDY & TORAH November 2019

A new learning opportunity: Shabbat Torah study with Rabbi Berman Saturdays 10:00-11:15am, starting November 2, 2019

The new season of CRT learning programming will feature a series of Sabbath morning Torah study discussions, beginning on Saturday, November 2, from 10:00am to 11:15am. Rabbi Berman will base each session on study and reflection of his favorite stories and texts from the Bible, inviting participants to explore their personal understandings of these key passages of Jewish faith and teaching. Subsequent sessions will meet on Saturday mornings, November 16, December 7, and December 21, 2019, resuming monthly in February through May, 2020. Please let us know if you can join us: rabbi@centralreformtemple.org. Each session will be self-contained, so please join us when you can.

Torah through the Arts: TRAYF: A contemporary coming of age comedy, by Lindsay Joelle New Rep Theatre, 321 Arsenal Street, Watertown Sunday November 3, 2:00pm, followed by group discussion

On Sunday, November 3, 2:00 PM, we will gather to see TRAYF: A contemporary coming of age comedy by Lindsay Joelle at the New Rep Theatre, Mosesian Center for the Arts, 321 Arsenal St., Watertown. The play will be followed by a CRT group discussion. The New England premiere of this new play depicts the challenges faced by two Chasidic young men whose single-minded dedication to their Orthodox faith is questioned by those they are seeking to win to their cause. You may order tickets through http://www.newrep.org/ or by calling 617-923-8487.

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Art exhibit: ABRAHAM: Out of One, Many Cathedral Church of St. Paul, 138 Tremont Street, Boston Sunday, October 27, through Friday, December 6, 2019

ABRAHAM: Out of One, Many is an art exhibit focusing on what we, Christians, Jews and Muslims, have in common through our ancestor in faith, Abraham; and what we can learn from the life and faith of Abraham, Sarah, and Hagar. The art will be on display from Sunday, October 27, through Friday, December 6, at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul, 138 Tremont Street, Boston, across from the Park Street T stop. The exhibit is open to the public 10:00am to 5:00pm, Monday through Friday; weekend hours may vary.

The exhibit, from CARAVAN (https://www.oncaravan.org), features three contemporary Middle Eastern artists,

Sinan Hussein, Qais Al Sindy, and Shai Azoulay, one each from Christian, Muslim, and Jewish faith traditions. Each artist has contributed five paintings that focus on themes from Abraham's life that can guide us today, as the artists interpret these themes for our contemporary context. Earlier this year, the exhibit toured in Rome, Paris, and Edinburgh, and here begins a 20-month tour in the US. The Boston installation of this exhibit is a collaborative project of the Cathedral Church of St. Paul, Central Reform Temple, Emmanuel Church, and the Jumah Muslim Prayer gathering. Learn more at https://www.stpaulboston.org/abraham

Associated book discussion group: Hagar, Sarah, and Their Children Sundays, November 10 & 17, December 1 & 8, 2019, 3:00-4:00pm

In conjunction with the art exhibit ABRAHAM: Out of One, Many, a book discussion group will meet on four Sundays, November 10 & 17 and December 1 & 8, at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul, 138 Tremont Street, across from the Park Street T stop. Jane Redmont of Emmanuel Church will co-host each week, along with a female faith leader from one of the three Abrahamic traditions. Focusing on the women of the Abraham story, we will read Hagar, Sarah, and Their Children: Jewish, Christian, and Muslim Perspectives, edited by Phyllis Trible and Letty M. Russell (2006, 224pp). This interfaith group will consider the interpretation of these women’s lives in the three monotheistic traditions, and what we as Jews, Christians, and Muslims have in common. People of all faiths and genders are welcome, and you may participate in some or all of the meetings.

Please sign up at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeKk6JJRSArosirao_ZMFpipy1DrPFHGRh-5wOKXOZ2LzW7vQ/viewform . You may order a copy of the book from

https://www.amazon.com/Hagar-Sarah-Their-Children-Perspectives/dp/0664229824 .

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Sisters in Spirit, our Jewish/Muslim/Christian women's interfaith dialogue Sunday, December 1, 2019, 3:00-4:00pm

Along with Jane Redmont, from Emmanuel Church, a CRT leader and a Muslim leader will co-host the book discussion group at 3:00pm on Sunday, December 1. That meeting will focus on Part Two: Hagar and Sarah in Jewish, Christian, and Muslim Traditions Chapter 4 Conflict and Coexistence in Jewish Interpretation Chapter 5 Interpretive Fate amid the Church Fathers Chapter 6 Islamic Hagar and Her Family

with context and background provided by Chapter 1 Unto the Thousandth Generation .

Please join Sisters in Spirit for a brief tour of the exhibit and/or for tea and snacks at 2:30pm.

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SOCIAL ACTION

Celebrate Chanukah with a holiday gift for Tobin School students For the past several years the CRT Tobin School Chanukah Fund for student uniforms has assisted families to purchase shirts, skirts, pants, and sweat suits. Thanks to the generosity of Temple members our collection provides clothing for many K through 8th-grade students, who are designated by school staff. The children of homeless families living in shelters are some of the recipients of gift cards for purchase of school uniforms. Wearing school uniforms is an important assist in helping underserved and newly arrived students assimilate into the Tobin community.

Please consider a donation this year in your own name or to honor or remember family or friends. Donors and those named by congregants will receive a CRT letter recognizing the contribution, explaining this annual holiday program. Please send checks to our 15 Newbury Street address or make your donation online at the CRT website. Tobin Principal Toledano, staff, and students send thanks to CRT for the continuation of the clothing program and for all of our Social Action outreach to their Boston Public School in Mission Hill.

You can’t wring your hands and roll up your sleeves at the same time. (Anat Hoffman)

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COMMUNITY UPDATES

CRT transition year: November message from Jill Dear CRT Community, Each month, as promised, we will update the congregation on the progress we are making in our search process, and answer questions that are bubbling up. Since we just began our outreach in mid-October (post-High Holy Days), we wanted to start this monthly update by answering questions about the process and the role the congregation will have. Our process to screen, evaluate, and introduce prospective candidates to the community will include:

Receive and review CVs and resumes. Deadline to apply is Sunday, December 15, 2019. Initial phone-screen of possible applicants from resumes. Video-conference call between each prospect and a couple of the Board members. Prospects will be required to attend a Friday night service to observe the services and community before beginning the interview process. Viable candidates will be interviewed by both the Board and Interview Committee (separate interviews). The 2 Committees will meet to debrief, assess, and make recommendations about next steps. Suitable candidates (final couple/few) will be invited to lead a Friday night service. Shabbat dinner provides a chance for the congregation to meet. Create several opportunities for the community to meet (finalist). Interview Committee and Board will work together to draft the recommendation to the congregation for the new rabbinic choice. Board will make the recommendation of a new rabbi to the congregation for a vote at the Annual Meeting on May 15, 2020.

As we have discussed, this will be a time of challenge as well as opportunity for us as a community. We are not looking to replace or replicate Rabbi Berman. The next rabbi will not be Howard. But, s/he will be someone who demonstrates passion for the community and its culture and will bring skills and experience that will serve our needs.

Peace, Jill ( jill_silverstein@yahoo.com )

Blessing of the Pets 2019 A beautiful Saturday morning, October 20, in our Sukkah. Rabbi Berman and Deacon Bob Greiner blessed the pets who were able to visit, plus some who had to stay home. There were lots of treats for all the furry and feathered.

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Security Briefs We are thinking about the big issues around security and safety, but also those mundane things that need our knowledge and awareness.

For smaller medical emergencies, we keep a fully stocked First Aid Kit in the Kitchen. It is on the wall opposite the door you enter from the Lobby. The Kit includes: First Aid Manual, Narcan (training is available for its use), glucose tabs/solution, antihistamines (Diphenhydramine (Benadryl) & loratadine (Claritin)), aspirin, antacids, topical antibiotic ointment, hand sanitizer, antiseptic cleaning solution, vinyl gloves, surgical masks (for respiratory precautions), plastic safety goggles (for protection from splashes), gauze pads, bandages, Ace wraps, paper tape, duct tape, safety scissors, and tweezers. Each month we will provide information about how we can all be safe. Hoping this will be helpful and useful information. If there is something specific on your mind that you would like us to address, please reach out.

Peace, Jill (jill_silverstein@yahoo.com)

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SAVE THE DATES: December 2019 through April 2020 Zamir Chorale concert, Lindsey Chapel. Joshua Jacobsen, Artistic Director Wednesday, December 4, 2019, 8:00pm

Join the Zamir Chorale for their Berlin Tour Prelude Concert, Back to Berlin, at Emmanuel Church’s Lindsey Chapel on Wednesday, December 4, 2019, at 8:00pm. Co-sponsored by Central Reform Temple, the concert will feature music that Zamir will perform at the Louis Lewandowski Festival in Berlin later in December. The focus of the Festival is the music of 19th-century Munich synagogue composers Israel Meyer Japhet, Max Löwenstamm, Meier Kohn, and Emanuel Kirschner. Although lesser known than their peers in Berlin and Vienna, these cantors and conductors created many beautiful works, several of which Zamir will be featuring. Also on the program will be modern American compositions, representing our home country. For tickets ($15):

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/back-to-berlin-a-tour-prelude-concert-tickets-73955686449.

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Chanukah celebration: A Light through the Ages Sunday, December 15, 2019, 4:00pm

Join us for the eleventh annual presentation of A Light Through the Ages, our community-wide celebration of Chanukah in story, song, and light. This event, which has become a beloved holiday tradition for hundreds of people of all faiths, will be held on the afternoon the First Night of Chanukah, Sunday, December 15 at 4:00 pm. For more information: http://www.centralreformtemple.org/events/chanukah-celebration/

Torah through the Arts: We All Fall Down, by Lila Rose Kaplan Huntington Theatre Company/Calderwood Pavilion, 527 Tremont Street, Boston Sunday, February 9, 2020, 2:00pm. Followed by group discussion.

A riotous and heart-wrenching Passover Seder celebration is the setting for a family's confrontation with major life changes and conflict. Order tickets from https://www.huntingtontheatre.org/season/2019-2020/we-all-fall-down/ 617-266-0800

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Touring as Torah: A winter respite weekend in Miami Friday, March 6, 2020, to Sunday, March 8, 2020

We will join Rabbi Berman and Steven in their new hometown for a weekend of exploration of Miami’s vibrant, world-class arts/culture/dining scene and its famed Jewish history and community. In addition to such highlights as South Beach’s Art Deco district, we will explore the art community of Wynwood, the bucolic historic tree-lined Mediterranean environment of Coral Gables, the Jewish Museum and Holocaust Memorial, and the unique fusion of Cuban/Latin American culture that includes an increasingly Spanish-speaking Jewish presence. Please sign up now (info@centralreformtemple.org ) to help us plan hotel arrangements, cultural events, and dining experiences.

Torah through the Arts: The Children, by Lucy Kirkwood SpeakEasy Stage, 539 Tremont Street, Boston Sunday, March 22, 2020, 3:00 PM. Followed by Artist's Talkback

A 2018 Tony Award nominee for Best Play and set in the wake of a devastating nuclear accident, The Children (https://www.speakeasystage.com/the-children/) is an astonishing new thriller that questions the responsibility each generation has for the way it leaves the world. Order tickets directly through www.bostontheatrescene.com 617-933-8600

Torah through the Arts: A Shabbat afternoon at the Museum of Fine Arts Saturday, April 25, 2020, 1:00 PM

Join Rabbi Berman for a Passover season visit to the MFA, as we tour artworks portraying the holiday themes of slavery and liberation, and the renewal and rebirth of springtime.

Seventh Plague of Egypt John Martin 1823 Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

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Sabbath helpers We are grateful to our CRT members who volunteered their hands and hearts for Shabbat tasks on October 18.

Candle blesser Bob Frank Greeter Marc LaCasse Hospitality sponsors Tannus Schlam & Todd Katzman

Our thanks always to our Shammases Joe Schlam and Arthur Marquis, who assist Rabbi Berman in setting up the Ark and Torah Scrolls for our worship.

High Holy Day volunteers We all know it takes a village to create the warm and welcoming home that Central Reform is to us and to those who visit us, for the Holy Days or on a Friday night. There are so many of you who helped make our celebration of the New Year beautiful – the Rabbi, greeters, ushers, musicians, readers, technical folks, everyone behind the scenes in planning, setting up, taking down, scheduling, and a million other details that contribute in a meaningful way. THANK YOU ALL. This year, we were again blessed to have our family from Emmanuel Church serve as greeters at the beginning of every service so that the Central Reform folks could participate in worship from beginning to end. Deacon Bob Greiner played a key role in both organizing Emmanuelites and being at every service to extend his warmth, greetings, and assistance. This year, Tom Barber, Edgar Brenninkmeyer, Ellen Hinkle, Peter Johnson, Jim Oleson, and Gennifer Sussman joined in as greeters. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all of them, as well as to the Reverend Pam Werntz for her love and greeting. We look forward to our opportunity to greet and usher at Emmanuel services on Christmas Eve (Tuesday, December 24, 2019) and Easter Morning (Sunday, April 12, 2020).

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