Bath Jewish History

September/October 2019
Elul / Tishri / Heshvan 5779/5780

Rabbi’s Message

Rabbi Vinikoor

Dear Beth Israel members and friends,

As I write this note to you on a beautiful August day my mind is turned towards September and October when together as a community we’ll celebrate the High Holidays and the beginning of a new Jewish year 5780. Towards that end I want to share one of my favorite poems by Israeli poet Yehuda Amichai called The Place Where We are Right.

From the place where we are right
Flowers will never grow
In the spring.

The place where we are right
Is hard and trampled
Like a yard.

But doubts and loves
Dig up the world
Like a mole, a plow.

And a whisper will be heard in the place
Where the ruined
House once stood.

Through the metaphor of growing a flower garden, Amichai captures one of the key tasks of the High Holiday season, that of teshuva-examining our actions and asking for forgiveness in order to help our relationships flourish. Poignantly, the poet encourages us to examine our actions in the “the places where we are right” which I understand as the moments when we feel indignant that we in fact have been correct. Those moments are often the most challenging times to examine our actions. I love reading this poem during the High Holiday season as the poet gets to the heart of the challenge and opportunity of this sacred time in our Jewish calendar.

Finally, through the image of the whisper heard in a ruined house, Amichai reminds us that change is possible. What else strikes you about this poem? I’d love to hear!

Our hope is that during this season the offerings at Beth Israel will provide you with opportunities that compliment your teshuva practice. Beginning with Selichot, through Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot and Simchat Torah we will move individually and as a community through prayer, reflection, song, building (Sukkot) and dancing (Simchat Torah).

Join us!

May we all be inscribed in the Book of Life for a sweet and healthy new year!

L'Shanah Tova

Presidents Message

by Marilyn Weinberg

By the time you receive this newsletter, our summer, filled with visitors and travels will be ending and we will be back into a more regular routine. As the days get shorter and the nights cooler we are very aware of the changing seasons. What a perfect time for the High Holidays, with such an obvious awareness of change in the air.

 Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur provide us with time for personal reflection and an opportunity to renew our commitment for positive change. As the days before Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur draw near, I always feel blessed that we are given an opportunity to “take stock” of where we are and decide on those things we want to change. This is an opportunity to look not at just ourselves, but also at our community and think about our focus, direction and commitment. I am especially thankful that Rabbi Lisa Vinikoor is here and is helping us navigate this journey.

 We continue to change and grow each year. We are excited that we will be sharing more activities with our Hillel friends at Bowdoin College this year including our first night of Rosh Hashanah and Sukkot. In addition Peggy Brown has agreed to be co-president with me this year to share some of the responsibilities. Peggy is still chairing the security committee and doing a wonderful job. 

 We do face our challenges. Our synagogue building, although in fairly good repair, still needs regular upkeep. We have begun to make a list of the updates needed at the Minnie Brown Center and it’s a bit overwhelming. So with the joy of new leadership we also face the burden of asking for your financial support as we continue to grow and flourish in the future.

 No one person gives a synagogue life. It only works when we all pitch in. Although our membership is not large, there is the benefit in a small shul in that each person plays a very important role. When you come to services on a Friday night or Saturday morning, you make a difference. When you bring food for an oneg, you make a difference. When you attend a lecture or learning session, you make a difference. There are so many opportunities to make a difference in our synagogue and make a real contribution to the life of our congregation.

 We welcome all of you who choose to be a part of the Beth Israel community in some way and we wish you a most wonderful new year.

L'Shanah Tova

Jewish Programming for Preschool Children

by Rachel Connelly

Breaking News Flash—Tot Shabbat Is Morphing into Yahad, A Monthly Preschool Story and Craft Hour on Sundays

 Think of it as Tot Shabbat 2.0. The Hebrew word Yahadmeans “together.” Once a month (mostly the second Sunday of the month), we will spend Sunday mornings b’yahad(together), learning, playing, and hanging out with other Jewish families. Yahadprograms are designed to engage toddlers and preschoolers and their parents (or grandparents) in activities related to the annual cycle of Jewish holidays and core Jewish values such as kindness to others and careful stewardship of the planet. As we did with Tot Shabbat, we will meet from 10:00 to 11:00 am in the lower level of the Minnie Brown Center. The Minnie Brown Center is a nice big space to let the kids burn up some energy especially during our cold fall/winter/spring months. There will always be blocks and books, songs and crafts. No RSVP is needed, come when you can.

Our first Yahad program of the school year is September 8. Rabbi Vinikoor will be joining us and the theme will be Rosh Hashana. There will be a shofar to try and apples and honey to snack on. 

Complete List of Yahad Dates for 2019–2020:

September 8, October 6, November 3, December 8, January 12, February 9, March 8, 
April 5, May 3

Toddlers, preschoolers, kindergarteners and older siblings—all are welcome. 

For more information contact Rachel Connelly.

Dinner Club 

by Peggy Brown

Tuesday, September 10
6:00 pm
Best Thai II in Bath

Our Dinner Club has been very active this summer. In June, ten of us had a lively time at Sea Dog Brewing in Topsham and in July, nineteen people enjoyed a boisterous (read: noisy!) but delicious meal at Scarlet Begonia’s in Brunswick. Eleven of us tried the new Bruno’s Wood-Fired Pizzeria in Bath for the August meeting and were able to hear each other and eat good food. Each time we get together is a wonderful opportunity to get to know other members and friends of Beth Israel with whom we may not otherwise have had the chance to talk.

While the original “Dine Around Club” was designed to be a “Ladies Night Out,” our new version of Dinner Club is open to anyone who wants to try a local restaurant with a group of like-minded people for some good food and conversation. Join us on Tuesday, September 10 at 6:00 pm for a meal at Best Thai II in Bath.  

We will take a break in October, but look for information on our November gathering in the next newsletter. You can be added to the Dinner Club mailing list by writing me. See you at dinner!

A Tiny Red Bundle of Social Dynamite

by Annie Valliere

Wednesday, September 11
Minnie Brown Center
6:30 pm           

Please join in a conversation with Annie (Schneiderman) Valliere who will discuss the life and work of her remarkable great-aunt. We will explore how a poor Jewish immigrant girl became an intellectual and political powerhouse. Schneiderman was a leader in the U.S. labor movement during the progressive and New Deal eras and known nationally as a gifted suffrage speaker and activist, helping gain the New York suffrage victory in 1917, Midwestern suffrage victories and the national victory in 1920. 

Due to circumstances, she left school at thirteen becoming a cap maker and soon, with another young woman, organized the first female union local in the country, during a time when labor unions were not interested in unionizing women. As an organizer, vice president and then president of the New York Women’s Trade Union League and the National League, she fought for minimum wage, worker’s safety, universal health care, and international women’s rights, to name a few. 

Schneiderman is best known for her spellbinding speech after the infamous Triangle Factory Shirtwaist fire in 1911, her friendship with Eleanor Roosevelt and FDR and her impact on FDR’s support of unions and labor concerns that helped influence the New Deal policies. Annie will discuss Schneiderman’s efforts in pushing Congress to enter WWII and helping Jewish refugees come to the United States. Schneiderman’s influence spanned from the Progressive through the New Deal eras. Today her impact on our country has resurfaced in state and national efforts to fight the roll back of workers’ rights and the recent Me Too movement. 

Hebrew School

by Rabbi Vinikoor

Hebrew School begins this year on September 12 and we are thrilled to welcome new and returning students. As a Hebrew School community of kids, parents and grandparents we’ll celebrate holidays, support our friends and make new ones! Our learning environment nurtures Hebrew reading and comprehension, knowledge of Jewish history, culture, holidays and values. If you haven’t already registered please register here at www.bethisraelbath.org/religious-school. Finally, if you have a friend or friends who are considering being a part of our school, please have them contact Rabbi Vinikoor at rabbivinikoor@gmail.com 

We look forward to saying B’ruchim Ha-ba-im- Welcome - to you very soon!

Cleanup Day

by Marty Fox

We need your help before the High Holidays, so we can "spruce-up" our facilities while continuing to foster our deep sense of community with some minor cleaning, and maintenance. Don't worry! All we ask is a few hours volunteering at whatever capacity you are comfortable or able. Just come and be a part of it. Many hands will make a nice productive day together in support of Beth Israel Congregation facilities. There will not be a rain date.

 Please, mark your calendars. The more community that shows up, the better the day will be for all! We look forward to seeing you there.

Flowers for the High Holidays

by Marina Singer

If you are interested in contributing toward the synagogue flowers for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, please contact Marina Singer. Please include the names of the people you would like to honor or remember.

Your donations for the flowers should be sent to:

Treasurer
Beth Israel Congregation
PO Box 244
Bath, ME 04530

Cooking (and Tasting) forthe High Holidays

by Peggy Brown

Sunday September 22
5:00 pm
At the home of Norma Dreyfus and Stan Lane

Have you been cooking Yotam Ottolenghi or Joan Nathan recipes and looking for someone to share them with? Do you have a family favorite recipe that everyone is always asking you to make? So many of our holidays are defined by the special food we share. We often talk about sampling each other’s food and thought what better time than around the High Holidays when there are so many options.

Join us on Sunday, September 22 for a food and recipe tasting and sharing event. Norma Dreyfus and Stan Lane are hosting at their house in Arrowsic at 5:00 pm. 

If you like to cook, bring a dish to share and copies of the recipe. If you like to eat, bring a friend and join us! 

We do need plenty of cooks to make this work out well. RSVP Peggy or Marilyn to let us know what you’re making. This is not a kosher event.

Rabbinic Fellow

by Rabbi Vinikoor

Thanks to the Center for Small Town Jewish Life we are thrilled to welcome this year’s rabbinical student fellow Rachel Putterman. Rachel will be joining us to teach, lead prayer and enrich our community over four Shabbatot here at Beth Israel and at Bowdoin. 

Join us in welcoming Rachel at the following events this month:

• Saturday, September 21, 10:00 am Shabbat morning services and Torah Study

• Sunday, September 22, 10:00 am Adult Learning and Bagel Brunch led by rabbinical student fellow, Rachel Putterman

To Wrap Or Not to Wrap? Gender and the Wearing of Tallit and Tefillin: An exploration of gender and the mitzvot of tallit and tefillin.

We'll start with a discussion of our personal practices around the wearing of ritual garb. Then we'll look to a few classical Rabbinic texts to learn the traditional reasons for women's exclusion from these practices. Lastly, we will consider contemporary rabbinic opinions and poetry.

Rachel Putterman is in her last year of Rabbinical School at Hebrew College. For the past two years, Rachel was the Director of Boston College Hillel. She has spent her recent summers at the Hadassah Brandeis Institute mentoring undergraduate and graduate student interns on their projects related to gender and Judaism. Rachel is also the Creator and Director of All Genders Wrap, a series of tutorial videos featuring a diverse cast demonstrating how to wrap tefillin. In her prior career as a public interest attorney, Rachel represented domestic violence survivors in their family law cases. Rachel is excited to spend time in Maine this year and be involved in thriving Jewish small town life!

Selichot with Temple Beth El Augusta

by Rabbi Vinikoor

Saturday, September 21
5:30-7:00 pm
Vaughan Woods Homestead
2 Litchfield Road
Hallowell, ME 04347    

Rabbi Vinikoor will be leading Selichot services at Temple Beth El in Augusta and you are invited to join in what looks to be a lovely program. Join us in beautiful Vaughan Woods and Homestead as we explore gratitude in preparation for the High Holidays. We will gather at 5:30 pm for an introduction to our theme of gratitude. People will then have an opportunity to do a meditative walk on the Homestead Grounds and Vaughan Woods as part of a group or individually. We will gather back together for harp music, a Selichot service, the sounding of the shofar and havdallah. Snacks and drinks will be provided. RSVPs encouraged but not required: bethelaugusta@gmail.com

Directions:
This program is at the Homestead, not at Vaughan Woods. To get to the Homestead from downtown Hallowell go SOUTH on 2nd street. When you reach the end of the street (the corner of 2nd street and Litchfield Road) you will see a long driveway and a sign for the homestead. Drive down the driveway and park in the field to the right of the road. Accessible parking is available closer to the Homestead. Continue down the road a little further and it will be in front of you.

Erev Rosh Hashanah

by Rabbi Vinikoor

This year services for the first night of Rosh Hashanah (Sunday, September 29) will be at 5:00 pm (followed by Apples and Honey) in Daggett Lounge (map number 68 at B10) at Bowdoin College. All of our other High Holiday services will be held at the synagogue in Bath.

After services join Bowdoin Hillel and Beth Israel for a lovely Erev Rosh Hashanah catered meal. Dinner is at 6:30 pm on the first floor of Moulton Union (map number 42 at D7) 

Where: First floor of Moulton Union
When: 6:30 pm directly following Erev Rosh Hashanah services
Cost: $15.00 for adults
$40 for a family with children
Children under 6 years old are free 
RSVP: to Camille at office@bethisraelbath.org by September 18.

Map Locations: https://www.bowdoin.edu/about/campus-location/maps/Campus_Map_Oct_2018.pdf

Rosh Hashanah Community Luncheon and Tashlich

by Marilyn Weinberg

Monday, September 30
12:30 pm (following services)
Minnie Brown Center

Rosh Hashanah is the time when we all come together as a community. Our High Holiday potluck community luncheons have been a great opportunity to renew acquaintances.

We will begin our Rosh Hashanah luncheon at the Minnie Brown Center immediately following morning services on Monday, September 30, at approximately 12:30 pm. It will be a great opportunity to catch up with each other and share some delicious food, for which our members are known. 

We will then go together for a Tashlich service at the waterfront in Bath at approximately 1:30 pm. You can drop off a "non-meat" dish at the Minnie Brown Center before you come to services.

Yom Kippur Break Fast

by Marilyn Weinberg

Wednesday, October 9
6:30 pm
Synagogue

As usual our annual potluck break fast will begin right after we blow the shofar and have Havdalah, signaling the end of Yom Kippur. There is something very special about being together to break the fast. The break fast will be held at the Synagogue. You can drop off food any time at the Synagogue on September 18 or 19.

Sukkot Celebration

by Rabbi Vinikoor

Join Beth Israel Congregation and Bowdoin College Hillel for a joint Sukkot celebration. Together we will shake the lulav and etrog, share delicious food and learn about several of the local community organizations that help people move from housing insecurity to temporary and permanent housing. Children (of all ages) will have the opportunity to decorate the sukkah and learn about helping others too. Families are welcome. Stay tuned for more details about potluck food and programming.

Dudley Coe Quad is directly across from Smith Union (number 38 on this map)
www.bowdoin.edu/about/campus-location/maps/Campus_Map_Oct_2018.pdf

Simchat Torah

by Rabbi Vinikoor

Sunday, October 20
4:00–6:00 pm  
Minnie Brown Center

At the end of the fall High Holiday cycle comes the joyous holiday of Simchat Torah where we take all of the Torah scrolls out of the ark and dance with them, round and round! 

This year we’ll dance at the Minnie Brown Center. Join us for fun and merrymaking for all ages followed by pizza dinner. Bring a friend! RSVP to office@bethisraelbath.org

Jews, Baseball & Social Justice

by Paul Linet

Wednesdays, October 16, 23, 30; November 6
Synagogue
6:30–8:00 pm  

This 4-session course at Beth Israel under the auspices of the Jewish Community Alliance will examine our national pastime, baseball, and social justice through a Jewish lens.

By examining well-know baseball personalities (Sandy Koufax and Hank Greenberg) and less well known influencers (Marvin Miller and Isadore Muchnick), participants will be able to reflect on how baseball was impacted by these notable individuals. 

Additionally, learners will explore how well-known events in baseball history can be interpreted through a discussion of Jewish tenets such as atonement, hurtful speech and respect for the other.

A focal point of the class will be the story involving Jackie Robinson and the 1945 tryout he attended at Fenway Park.

Learners are encouraged to bring their favorite baseball related stories, books and movies to the sessions as this will be an interactive course with plenty of time for discussion. And, finally, since Shirley Povich was a witness to the Robinson story, please think if you have some material on a Bath native to bring to class.

For more information:
www.mainejewish.org/programs/adult-jewish-learning/

Fall Shabbaton

by Rabbi Vinikoor

October 26–27
Colby College
Waterville, ME  

Join us for the sixth annual Fall Shabbaton—a spirited, joyful gathering celebrating the best of Jewish life in Maine. Together we will experience a Shabbat weekend full of song, learning, meals, prayer, and outdoor exploration. We will be joined by scholar in residence Dr. Ruth Calderon, a former member of Knesset, and by Nefesh Mountain.

For more information:
www.colby.edu/jewishlife/fall-shabbaton/

Hebrew Class for Adults

by Rabbi Vinikoor

Tuesdays from 7:00–8:30 pm
Beginning November 5
Synagogue

Are you new to reading Hebrew in the prayer book or do want to brush up on your Hebrew reading skills? If so, this is the class for you! This multi-session class will help you improve your Hebrew reading skills and enable you to participate more fully in prayer services and Jewish ritual and culture life. All are welcome!

For more questions or to reserve your spot in the class contact Rabbi Vinikoor at rabbivinikoor@gmail.com.

Security Update

by Peggy Brown

Like synagogues and houses of worship everywhere, Beth Israel has been busy in the last year strengthening our security in order to make us safer and prepared for intrusion and danger. In the last couple of newsletters, we've written about the steps we've taken to improve the security infrastructure at the synagogue and at Minnie Brown. We’ve allied ourselves with the Bath Police Department to analyze our security needs and taken the actions they’ve recommended including training and protocols. Some of these things may be visible to you: police presence at special services, greeters, locked doors. Others may not be so visible: emergency panic buttons, alarm systems and so on. 

We hope you’ll ask us questions if you have concerns. 
We will be offering more training for congregants in the coming months. 
We encourage you to join us in learning how to respond to emergency events. 

We share responsibility for one another’s safety and well-being. You can help us by:

1.    If you see something suspicious, say something. Tell a greeter, the rabbi or a security guard.

2.    Familiarize yourself with exits. If, in the event of an emergency, we need to vacate the building, know in advance your route to leaving the building. Don't be afraid to use a window!

3.    Listen carefully for instructions. The rabbi or other program leaders will have instructions to help promote security and safety.

4.    Try not to let the uptick in emergency events in public locations keep you from drawing strength in our synagogue community. Our worship, lifelong learning, caring community, pursuit of social justice and acts of kindness are a vital mission and you are a big part of it.

5.    If you’re able, consider making a donation to help pay for the new expenses our new reality is incurring. Such a donation would be most welcome and appreciated. 

Building Committee Update

by Marty Fox

By the time you read this newsletter two major projects will have been completed at the Minnie Brown Center. To save energy, and to make the Minnie Brown Center summer usable the roof has been insulated and vented from the top (there was no insulation previously) and heat pumps have been installed in the social hall. If you would like more information, please contact Marty Fox.

Shabbat Under the Stars

by Camille Kauffunger

We wish we may, we wish we might, celebrate Shabbat so bright. As August comes to a close, Beth Israel is feeling grateful for another successful summer series of Shabbat Under the Stars. We thank the Vinikoor-Finn, Greenwald, Cohen-Shaw and Silver families for sponsoring this year's outdoor services, and all of you that joyously schlepped your chairs to Bath, Brunswick and Bristol to welcome the Sabbath with us.  

If you are interested in hosting a Shabbat Under the Stars gathering in 2020, it's not too early to let us know. Email us at office at office@bethisraelbath.org.

Social Action Committee

by Joanne Rosenthal

For over a year, the social action committee has made immigrant justice a priority. Through the Brit Olam initiative, Beth Israel pledged to work with local and national allies to welcome strangers seeking refuge in our lands. Members of the congregation volunteer with the Midcoast New Mainers Group as mentors and organizers and others support immigrant rights organizations such as ILAP and the ACLU. But I doubt that many of us imagined that asylum seekers from Africa would end up in midcoast Maine. 

Beginning this past spring, we began hearing about migrant caravans, allegations of mistreatment at the border, family separations, children dying in detention centers, and the implementation of historically restrictive immigration policies. Delegations of public officials and faith-based groups went to border towns to bear witness and report back about the injustices they had seen. Then, in June we learned that hundreds of asylum seekers would be arriving in Portland Maine. The city rallied and over a period of weeks, families from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Angola arrived on buses and taken to the Expo Center which served as a temporary shelter until mid August. With the clock ticking, families were moved to the greater Portland area to host-homes, apartments and closer to home, to Brunswick Landing. Two families moved to Bath into apartments subsidized by Maine State Housing Authority, and Beth Israel has been connected with one of those families. Rachel Bouttenot and Katherine Gulley are the family's navigators which has involved taking the family of four to the food pantry, doctors appointments, soliciting donations, arranging for rides and providing a warm welcome. While it would not be appropriate to ask these people about the details of their four months of walking from South America to the Mexican-American border, we know it was a dangerous and arduous journey and many did not survive. It appears that when these families finally arrived, they were taken into custody by border control and released as parolees. People ask, "how did they end up in Maine?" It is likely the same way many of our relatives were processed at Ellis Island and sent to wherever there was a relative (distant or otherwise), a name, or an address. In the case of Maine, Portland was known as a welcoming city with established supports for asylum seekers and refugees.

Seeking asylum is an incredibly complex legal process and more attorneys are needed to take these highly sensitive cases. Several lawyers from the congregation have volunteered to be trained by ILAP to provide much needed pro bono legal representation. In the coming weeks, we will have more information about ongoing needs, which could include more families coming to Bath. In the meantime, I encourage everyone to sign up for action alerts atwww.urj.org, to learn about how the Reform Movement is advocating for humane immigration reform and welcoming the stranger in communities across the land.

Susan Gaeta

by Camille Kauffunger

Early in the summer, vocalist and guitarist Susan Gaeta approached Beth Israel Congregation with an offer to visit and perform the traditional sounds of Sephardic music during her Canada and Midcoast Maine vacation. The weekend of August 9, Beth Israel learned just what a gift we had been given as Susan enchanted Beth Israel members and friends with her beautiful voice and stories at Friday Shabbat Service and a Saturday Music Workshop with approximately 30 adults and children in attendance. 

Susan Gaeta was selected in 2002 to participate in The Virginia Foundation for the Humanities as a “Master-Apprentice” to study with the legendary Sephardic singer Flory Jagoda, a National Heritage Fellow and “keeper of the flame” of Sephardic music and the language of Ladino or Judeo Spanish. Born in 1926 in Sarajevo, Bosnia, Flory learned songs from her grandmother, who knew the musical traditions passed down through their Sephardic Jewish family. As Susan shared at the workshop, Flory fled her Serbian village by train at age 17 when her Jewish community was no longer safe and credits her survival to her accordion, which she played on the journey. At 95 years old, she is the last surviving member of her family, and she and Susan have been making music together for over 20 years.

Dedicated to preserving her teacher’s rich heritage, Susan currently has a master apprentice of her own, and she shares her passion for Sephardic music and Ladino language by touring with her group Trio Sephardi and a newer group called Minnush, formed with her apprentice. Having now shared the songs and stories of Flory Jagoda with Beth Israel Congregation, we too have a little flame of Sephardic music to keep going. We hope to share newly learned songs with our Hebrew school students and to assist Susan in returning for a larger Maine concert in the future. And, of course, we’ll continue to sing one of Flory’s most well known songs during Hanukkah, Ocho Kandalikas!

REMEMBRANCES FOR September–October 2019

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.