Bath Jewish History

January/February 2021
Tevet / Shevat / Adar 5781

Rabbi’s Message

Dear Beth Israel Members and Friends,

What a year it has been! Throughout this challenging and uncertain period of time you have persevered. You’ve created space for prayer and reflection, opportunities for Jewish learning for adults and youth, and mutual support through phone calls, fresh baked challot and bags brimming with holiday goodies. You heeded the Jewish and civic responsibility to vote and ensured others could do the same. You’ve listened to and led music and song, and even shared moments of laughter amidst the turmoil. You’ve been compassionate and flexible. I am truly blessed to be part of this amazing community and to serve as your rabbi. 

As we navigate living through a pandemic, we as individuals and as a community face the challenge of managing various obligations. Pirkei Avot 1:14 asks us three questions to help us discern how to spend our time and resources: 

אִם אֵין אֲנִי לִי, מִי לִי. וּכְשֶׁאֲנִי לְעַצְמִי, מָה אֲנִי. וְאִם לֹא עַכְשָׁיו, אֵימָתָי

If I am not for myself, who is for me? 
But if I am for my own self [only], what am I? 
And if not now, when?                                        

Said in another way, we must strive to balance our time and energy between meeting our own needs with those of our community. Both are important and help make us whole people. We must meet immediate and long term needs with urgency and enthusiasm for building a better world. 

I never could have imagined a year ago that 2020 would be so full of turmoil, challenge and pain nor that it would bring about so much new learning, opportunity and growth. And yet, isn’t this the reality of every new year? Indeed, we never really know what will happen, what stumbling blocks we’ll face, what new opportunities will open up. Despite our inability to see into the future, or perhaps because of it, as Jews, we choose life (Deuteronomy 30:19) - living our lives to the fullest with love, compassion and generosity.

With many blessings for 2021
Rabbi Vinikoor

President’s Message

by Peggy Brown

I’m writing this on December 23, and we are now beginning to tilt our collective faces back towards the sun. At least for those of us in the northern hemisphere, the dark days are slowly becoming lighter. It seems to be so both literally and figuratively as vaccines for the coronavirus are becoming available. 

Beth Israel Congregation continues to provide programming for our extended community. As Hanukkah is over and the daylight is increasing, the Jewish calendar is looking at Tu B’shevat. Literally that’s Hebrew for “the 15th of the month of Shevat” and it arrives by way of the secular calendar on the evening of January 27. Thought to have originally been an agricultural festival marking the beginning of the planting season, Tu B’Shevat is also known as the New Year of the Trees and is celebrated in Israel and around the world as a day to be aware of our environment and to renew our dedication to stewardship of our natural resources. 

There are many ways the members of Beth Israel Congregation work to protect the environment as families and individuals. Some contribute funds to organizations such as the Natural Resources Council of Maine, Maine Audubon, or the land trust in their local town. Others are writing letters, giving talks, raising awareness or volunteering in other ways to prevent irreparable harm to our climate and our health. There are many organizations doing good work to keep our air, land and water healthy for humans and all life which share this planet.

On Tuesday, January 12 at 7:00 pm via Zoom, Jill Standish and other members of the Citizens Climate Lobby will present a talk which will introduce participants to the work of this organization which is promoting federal legislation to mitigate climate change effectively and fairly. The CCL is a non-partisan climate advocacy organization. Join us to learn more about what you can do to support this effort.

And two weeks later, on Tuesday, January 26 at 7:00 pm, Marty Fox will be giving a talk on the Maine Climate Action Plan commissioned by Governor Mills to lessen the effects of climate change through state actions and goals. Marty will be joined by Josh Katz who will be talking to us about Brunswick’s efforts to oversee the cleanup of environmental hazards on Brunswick Landing, the site of the former Brunswick Naval Air Station.

You’ll find both of these events on the bethisraelbath.org calendar page and we’ll be sending reminders as we get closer to the events.

Ancient Poetry, Timeless Wisdom Series 2

by Rabbi Vinikoor

January 14
February 11
March 11
April 8

A richly textured collection of ancient poems, the Book of Psalms speaks volumes to us today touching on various themes such as fragility, longing, compassion and hope. Join us for learning and conversation. All texts will be in Hebrew and English.

This class will be a continuation of the class offered in the summer. Open to continuing or new students. No RSVP needed, just join us!

Come Together with Yahad:
Beth Israel’s Monthly Preschool Story and Craft Hour

by Rachel Connelly

January 3
February 7
March 7, 21 (extra for Passover) April 4

Every month for the last six years or so, a gaggle of preschoolers and their parents and grandparents have met in the basement of the Minnie Brown Center to build with blocks, sing songs, read a story, and share a snack together.

Of course, this all stopped in April 2020. We miss the blocks and the shared challah and juice, but we don’t have to miss seeing each other. Even preschoolers can Zoom (for a short time). In September we even met twice to celebrate the “birthday of the world” and to learn about saying you’re sorry and still being friends. October brought us together outside for some shaking of the lulav and Etrog and in November we learned about the three symbols of welcoming the Shabbat: the candlesticks, the Kiddush cup, and the challah. Can you guess what we talked about in December? I will give you a hint, we counted to 8 several times.

Each session lasts no more than 20 minutes with lots of share time and then a story and some songs. No one minds if the kids wander in and out or lose interest in the middle. The program is aimed at children 2 to 5, all are welcome to join us.
Email Rachel Connelly for the Zoom link.

For more information contact Rachel Connelly.

Lunchtime Hebrew with Rabbi Vinikoor

by Rabbi Vinikoor

January 13, 27
February 10,24
March 17, 24
April 7, 21

Do want to brush up on your prayerbook Hebrew reading skills? Are you new to reading Hebrew? If so, this is the class for you! This multi-session class will enable you to participate more fully in prayer services, Jewish ritual and cultural activities. The class is free, but registration is required. All are welcome.

Storytelling Workshop

by Marilyn Weinberg

January 16 at 7:00 pm
February 21 at 10:00 am
March 20 at 7:00 pm

The mission of Beth Israel’s storytelling project is to foster connections between Beth Israel community members through the sharing of stories. As Jews, we are familiar with the idea of remembering. So many of our holidays, customs and rituals have that a focus of our observance. Rosh Hashanah is often called the “Day of Remembrance” and we say Kaddish to keep our loved one’s memories alive. 

We had our first storytelling workshop in the fall with an interest to continue. It’s a great way to connect with each other as we are home “staying safe.”

So, we begin a series of three workshops with the ultimate goal that some of you might be willing to share your story online.  

To help you prepare consider some of these ideas:

• What events sparked your awareness of being Jewish?

• Do you have Jewish rituals, ritual items or a family photo that you find most meaningful and spark memories?

• Was there a time when you ever felt fearful or proud of letting people know you are Jewish?

Join this virtual workshop. Zoom links will be sent out a few days before the event.

Winter Walk/Snowshoe and Study

by Rabbi Vinikoor

Sunday, January 17 at 9:30 am
Meet in the parking lot of Squirrel Point Lighthouse trail in Arrowsic

Join Rabbi Vinikoor for a Winter Walk/Snowshoe in honor of Tu Bishvat. After exploring the role of trees in Jewish tradition, we’ll head out to enjoy the beautiful trees that lead us to the Squirrel Point House in Arrowsic. Pre-registration required as well as masks and social distancing. Open to all ages. Hiking shoes/ snowshoes.

Hebrew School Invitation and Update

by Rabbi Vinikoor

Please join us on Zoom on Friday, January 29 at 5 pm for our Hebrew School Shabbat Service led by our amazing K–6 students. At this service, you’ll experience first-hand the results of our student’s efforts to gather weekly online to pray, sing and learn together for this entire fall season. You’ll surely be impressed by their prayer, Hebrew and leadership skills.

Speaking of skills, our students spent November and December focused on learning Torah stories including that of Abraham and Sara, Rebecca and Isaac and Joseph and his brothers. They even learned a fun Israeli song about Noah and the ark! 

Coming up, in January and February we’ll be experimenting with a Jewish book club and Jewish movie club. 

The teachers and I miss seeing our students in person and are grateful to still be connected virtually. We can’t wait for 2021!

Second Beth Israel Congregational Read

by Debbie Smyth

Ready. Set. READ! Apeirogon, by Colum McCann, that is.

And please mark your calendars - Tuesday, February 9, 7:00 p.m. - for our group discussion. 

Now that Chanukah is over, perhaps things will slow down a bit and allow more time to read a book and share our observations as a congregation.

Apeirogon is profound, stunning in both content and presentation. While fiction, it is based on a true story, containing both Jewish (and Palestinian) perspectives, all of which provide for robust discussion. 

 “A beautifully observed masterpiece,” according to Alex Preston of The Guardian. In short, Preston says, “The book is based on the true-life friendship of two men whose daughters were killed in the Middle East. Apeirogon is named, we learn, “for a shape with a countably infinite number of sides,” which is certainly a good title for a book that eludes easy categorization (and for one that explores the furiously intractable Israel-Palestine conflict).”

This is not a quick, light read. It takes a little while to get accustomed to the unusual, non-linear presentation, but the effort is totally worth it, and your patience will be richly rewarded. 

Join us. You won’t be disappointed! 

Parties, Pastries and Parodies

by Rabbi Vinikoor

Thursday, February 18, 7:30 pm on Zoom

Prepare for the holiday of Purim with a pre-Purim Adult ed study with Rabbi Vinikoor. We’ll explore Purim traditions from across time and geography. 

Purim Celebration and Spiel

by Marilyn Weinberg

Thursday, February 25
5:00 pm          

Bring your masks and groggers to this wonderful virtual Purim celebration. Guess who will be Haman and who will be Esther, and of course who will have the roles of all of the other wonderful characters in one of our favorite and joyful holidays. Bake some hamantaschen and maybe add a little wine for those who are able to make this a merry event. 

This year we'll be putting on a spiel (humorous Purim play) and we need your help to read some lines in our play! If you'd like to have a role in our play, reading in English, email Rabbi Vinikoor. Join us to take the lead. We'll have fun. Open to all ages and no experience necessary! 

Community Hanukkah Celebration

by Rachel Connelly

The fundraising committee is pleased to report that Planting the Seeds—the Next 100 Yearscampaign is off to a strong start with $300,000 in pledges received by the end of 2020. Our sincere thanks to those members and friends who have already made their pledge for the campaign. 

For those who have not yet made a pledge, we hope you will do that soon. To reach our ambitious goal of raising one million dollars will require an active and generous participation of every member of the congregation. The money raised will be used to increase the size of our endowment and will allow us to upgrade the social and educational spaces we will again use regularly once we can meet together in person. Increasing the size of the endowment will help ensure that Beth Israel Congregation will continue to thrive in Bath Maine for another one hundred years. Our congregational ancestors left us a beautiful and functional synagogue building. It is our collective responsibility to continue to “pay it forward.”

Information about the campaign and pledge forms can be found on the campaign webpage at https://www.bethisraelbath.org/centennial-campaign. Our goal is to have all pledges in place before our big birthday bash a year from now, when we will celebrate the 100-year anniversary of the first service in our beloved community-built sanctuary. Please be part of this worthwhile endeavor.

Thank you to committee members Jeff Cohen, Rachel Connelly, Karen Filler, Andy Hagler, Camille Kauffunger and Stephen Paul.

A Step Towards Justice

by Joanne Rosenthal

It was encouraging to read that the Bath City Council adopted a statement condemning injustice and discrimination. The statement reads: 

“The council and staff are committed to proactively address racism directed at people who are Black, Indigenous and any People of Color. Moreover we strive to eliminate all forms of prejudice based on ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, age, physical ability and religion in our government, programs and processes.” 

The statement is a good start and I commend the Council for taking this first step in recognizing systemic racism. Police chief Mike Field commented that the statement should be “a living document,” with a reminder to continue evaluating what the department is doing and what more could be done to reject implicit bias. 

As Jews, we may have found ourselves on the receiving end of bias or antisemitism, and at the same time we may be working on becoming more self-aware and anti-racist. The social action survey conducted earlier this year indicated a strong interest in participating in anti-racism work. My hope is that we will join our voices with our municipal leaders in sharing our lived experiences and working to root out structural inequality in all its forms. The old adage, “actions speak louder than words” rings true in this moment where so much is on the line. I look forward to our Beth Israel community taking action in the new year. Please contact me with your thoughts and ideas. 

Thanks!
Joanne Rosenthal

REMEMBRANCES FOR MONTH–MONTH YEAR

May their memories be for a blessing.

BIRTHDAYS AND ANNIVERSARIES

Listing the birthdays and anniversaries of those in our immediate family creates a wonderful opportunity for our community/shul family to have an excuse to celebrate with each other.