Bath Jewish History

May/June 2023
Iyyar / Sivan / Tammuz 5783

Rabbi’s Message

Dear Beth Israel Members and Friends,

Just a week ago Jews in Israel and around the world celebrated a momentous milestone, Israel’s 75th birthday.

The first time I traveled to Israel was on a summer learning tour for Jewish teens called Nesiya, which means journey. I was 17 and a rising senior in High School. I was taken with Israel from the moment I arrived; the tastes, smells, sights, and people. The desert landscape, the ancient ruins, the simple temperature of the air all captivated me.

So much was different there from my life in Vermont. It was simply thrilling to be around so many other Jewish people. Yet while so much was different there, I also felt a certain familiarity and comfort. As a young Jewish person, I felt understood, connected. I was at home.

Home, homeland. For many this is how we feel about Israel whether we’ve spent time there or not. For others of us, the connection to the Jewish state remains tenuous at best. And for others, while we may feel connected to Israel in some capacity, yet we oppose Israel’s policies towards Palestinians.

Years after my first trip to Israel I gained a more nuanced perspective on the nation and came to see that Israel is a country like any other that must contend with real life challenges.

And yet, Israel is different from other nations in that it is the only Jewish state in the entire world.

On Israel’s 75th anniversary, in the midst of a governmental crisis, corruption scandals, the ascendance of right-wing power nation-wide protests and the ongoing occupation of the west bank, it is clear that Israel must continue to strive to live up to its founding ideals of freedom, justice and peace for all of its inhabitants.

In the coming weeks and months, I hope you’ll join me and Jews across the world in deepening our own understanding of Israel’s history and speaking up to advocate for peace, justice and compassion for all who dwell in the land.

L’Shalom,
Rabbi Vinikoor

President’s Message

by Anne Schlitt

Some weeks ago, Gila Cohen Shaw decided to step aside from her role as Co-President. My first reaction, as her partner, was naturally sadness. I've never sought to be the "boss," and definitely prefer being backstage, but knowing that Gila and I were pairing up took some of the anxiety away from stepping into a leadership role.

In fact, Jewish tradition emphasizes concepts of shared leadership. The Torah features Kings (political), Prophets (ethical), and Priests (ritual) sharing different aspects of community leadership- -no one person can encompass all of these needs. Ecclesiastes 4: 9-10 asserts that “Two are better off than one, because they derive greater benefit from their efforts. And if either should fall, the other will lift them up."

In an example closer to my nerdy heart, studying in pairs (hevruta) emphasizes the collaborative learning process. By opening ourselves to other perspectives, we broaden our opportunity to learn and to see through another's eyes. My Jewish journey has been full of such support and collaboration and my experience has been immeasurably enriched by my partnership with Gila this past year.

However, there's another aspect to leadership, and that is knowing when to say no. Sometimes, doing nothing, stepping aside, is the most leaderly choice of all. In fact, Moses sets the ultimate example of this through his humility. Leadership is not about position or authority; instead, it is about behavior, about action. And sometimes saying no is the right action to take, the humble action to take. The fact that Gila and I were co-leaders means that I was able to "lift her up" when she needed to step away. And my orientation as President is very much not as a leader but as a partner to the Board, to the Rabbi, to all of the synagogue's volunteers and teachers, to our members and visitors and everyone in between.

Gila, I will miss you as Co-President. But I admire your self-knowledge and honor your need to step away from the role. Thank you for this past year of partnership and shared effort. I have learned so much from your leadership, and am inspired by how joyfully you embrace your Jewishness. Yasher koach!

Isla Tefft's Bat Mitzvah

by Rachel Ban Tefft

Saturday, May 6
10:00 am

Isla is 13 years old and an 8th grader at Brunswick Junior High School. Her favorite subjects in school are chorus, writing, and art. She enjoys musical theater and acting. Isla LOVES to sing whether it be in the starring role of her school's recent production of Mary Poppins, or in the shower. She has participated in many highly selective choir festivals in the state of Maine. For her community service project, she has organized a group of friends to sing for a local senior center.

We look forward to celebrating Isla's bat mitzvah on May 6th with family, friends, and our synagogue community.

Tallit Making Class

by Rabbi Vinikoor

May 22, June 12 and June 26 7:00 pm
Synagogue

Make your own Tallit (Jewish prayer shawl) Workshop with Rabbi Vinikoor and Rebecca Dunham.

Are you crafty, creative or just curious? Interested in making a tallit for yourself or making one as a gift? In this three-part series we’ll explore the history and meaning behind the tallit, share design ideas and tie tzitzit (fringes) together. For questions contact Rabbi Vinikoor. Registration required.

Beth Israel Dinner Club Reboot!

by Peggy Brown

Beth Israel Dinner Club is ready to roll out again! Each month we'll pick a different restaurant at which to meet up, have a meal and a nice time breaking bread together.

We'll meet at 6:00 pm on the third Tuesday of the month. Hope you can join us!

Where: Bath Brewing Company 141 Front Street in Bath
When: May 16 @ 7:15 (this month only)
RSVP to Peggy by May 9

Let me know if you know someone who would like to be added to our Dinner Club reminder list.

Shabbat Potluck

by Marilyn Weinberg

Date: May, June, July and August
Time: 5:30 pm

We have enjoyed gathering before our Shabbat services throughout the cooler months and want to continue this practice throughout the spring and summer. Once a month we will gather at 5:30 and share a meal followed by a slightly earlier (6:45) Shabbat service. They will be become part of our Shabbat Under the Stars

Upcoming dates are:
May 26, June 23, July 28, August 25

Shabbat Under the Stars and More

by Marilyn Weinberg

June 23
5:30 pm - picnic, 5:30, location TBD, Shabbat service at 6:45

July 28
5:30 pm - picnic, 5:30, location TBD, Shabbat service at 6:45

August 25
5:30 pm - picnic, 5:30, location TBD, Shabbat service at 6:45

Hebrew School Shabbat

by Marilyn Weinberg

Saturday, June 3
10:00 am – Shabbat Morning Service
11:30 am – Potluck Kiddush Lunch

Synagogue

Cast a vote for Jewish education and a vibrant Beth Israel community by attending our last of the season student-led Shabbat service on June 3.

You’ll be impressed by what this joyful group of dedicated learners has accomplished, and your participation will reinforce the feelings of community and connection that are possible when studying and celebrating Judaism. Let's fill the sanctuary!

Grief

by Chloe Zelkha

What’s your favorite book about grief? I have many. Joan Didion’s The Year of Magical Thinking, in which she explores the wildness of her mind in the wake of losing her husband, might top the charts. But Mary Oliver’s Thirst is also a contender; in it, she documents her reliance on things bigger than herself—nature and God—in her mourning process. There’s always Cheryl Strayed’s Wild, about the author’s epic journey on the Pacific Coast Trail, sorting out her mother’s death and the love that remains with each boot-clad step forward.

Grief is a universal human experience, so I suppose it shouldn’t be a surprise that almost all of my favorite authors have tackled it. But somehow, when you read a memoir or poem or novel that so captures an experience you’ve had, it is still a surprise. Like James Baldwin said, “You think your pain and heartbreak are unprecedented in the history of the world, but then you read.”

The course on grief that I have been teaching this winter and spring
through the Center for Small Town Jewish Life—with many wonderful
Beth Israel members as students—has been a little bit like that.
Together, we have brought some of our most personal, painful life
experiences into the light of community and text. In doing so, we
discover we are not alone. Over the last few months, we have studied
the latest psychological models for understanding grief, Jewish mourning rituals, the art of presence, and more. The last step is for participants to write their own “grief Torah,” sharing whatever wisdom they might have gleaned from the class with the community.

During this period of the omer, where we imagine ourselves trekking with our ancestors from Egypt to Sinai, from constriction to wisdom, I bless you with community on the journey. And a really good book.

Kulanu

by Joanne Rosenthal

As a Kulanu synagogue we are committed to fighting antisemitic hate locally and globally. One of the resources available is the ADL H.E.A.T Map (Hate, Extremism, Antisemitism, Terrorism). It is the first of its kind interactive and customizable map detailing specific incidents of hate nationwide. The interactive map lets you read details on specific incidents, better understand tactics extremists use, compare activity by type and/or state and access and download raw data.  It is updated monthly. Click on this link: https://www.adl.org/resources/tools-to-track-hate#H.E.A.T.%20Mapto view the map. To learn about incidents in Maine, hover your cursor over the state of Maine and click for the data.

Another report that we encourage everyone to take a look at is the 2022 annual audit of antisemitic incidents: https://www.adl.org/resources/report/audit-antisemitic-incidents-2022. The major findings were that “in 2022, ADL tabulated 3,697 antisemitic incidents across the United States. This represents a 36% increase from the 2,717 incidents recorded in 2021 and is the highest number on record since ADL began tracking antisemitic incidents in 1979. Jewish institutions, including Jewish schools, community centers and synagogues, were targeted by 589 antisemitic incidents in 2022. In total, this represents a 12% increase from the 525 incidents recorded in 2021 that targeted Jewish institutions. Synagogues were the most targeted Jewish institutions and experienced 50% (296 out of 589 incidents) of all incidents impacting Jewish institutions in 2022”.

We need one another to secure our synagogues, engage in education and take action to combat antisemitism. To get involved with Kulanu at Beth Israel, please contact us at kulanu@bethisraelbath.org

Community Passover Seder

by Camille Kauffunger

In 2020, as our Beth Israel community prepared to share a Passover Seder via Zoom, Rabbi Vinikoor reminded us, “We often think of a seder as a fixed and rigid ritual enacted each year during Passover. But in fact, the seder and the Haggadah were designed over millennia.  They have been shaped and reshaped over and over again in an effort to be relevant to the community that carries out the ritual.” This year, the creative task of reshaping the Haggadah for our 2023 Community Passover Seder was taken on by our Board President, Anne Schlitt, and member and Hebrew school parent, Janet Rae Jorgensen. No small feat, with gratitude for the diversity of our generous community, Anne and Janet Rae hoped for all of us sharing in a Jewish life to “feel welcome and integrated.”

Projected on the Minnie Brown Center screen for the first time, their new Haggadah moved us through Seder steps with a balance of beauty and humor appealing to all ages. Their Seder success was reflected in the active participation and laughter of all the children acting in their first improvisational Passover play and in much of the feedback shared in our online Seder Survey. Some sample responses include:

“It was magnificent! Inclusive, modern, warm and welcoming.” 

“I thought it was well organized and enjoyed the service and readings. Thank you for being such a welcoming community.” 

“It had such a nice community feel and so many people helped. We really enjoyed the kids and their participation as well. The Haggadah on the screen was well done and made it so easy to follow along. It was the best Seder I have been to with a group.”

Along with Anne & Janet Rae, everyone that volunteered and/or attended the Seder gave shape to this year’s telling of our freedom story. From registration managers, food shoppers, table setters, seder plate preps, cooks and bakers to tech supporters, singers and readers, adhoc baby and toddler entertainers, composters, table clearers, dishwashers, survey takers and more. Beth Israel is grateful for our growing community and the opportunity to celebrate Passover in person once again.

And yes, for those who witnessed the Rabbi’s handshake with the young afikomen negotiators, she made good on her promise to dye her hair purple, and an ice cream social is in the works. 

A Purim Celebration

by Marilyn Weinberg

What a wonderful time we all had during our creative Megilla reading and Purim celebration. Everybody got to dress up even if it was just a funny hat and a mustache. All of our Beth Israel members and friends were stars! Haman’s name didn’t have a chance to be heard with all of our noisemakers and loud voices filling up our sanctuary.

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.