Rabbi's Column

It’s time to prepare for Pesach. Seems that there is more preparation for Pesach than for most holidays. In fact, much of the actual holiday is about the ways that we prepare.

So much to consider! There is cleaning and cooking and selecting a hagadah and considering the meaning of words we say each and every year, that take on new meaning each and every year.

Consider the words: “Let all who are hungry come and eat.” How do we honor this tradition? At TBT, we have a 2nd night seder that everyone is welcome to join. And though it is a catered event, with costs involved, we are emphatic that no one be turned away and so the Sharon Besser 2nd Night Seder Fund assures that “All who are hungry can come and eat.”

And yet – being provided one dinner isn’t enough for those on a subsistence budget. And so there is the annual TBT Food Drive that takes place from the 1st of April right up until the 1st Seder. Won’t you take part in it? Just pay attention when the Social Justice Committee asks for your contributions by going online and ordering fresh food to be delivered to the Branford Community Dining Room.

Cleaning for Pesach is like no other cleaning. Getting rid of all chametz requires emptying closets and refrigerators and assuring that not even one bread crumb escapes our brooms and sponges. It is the original “Spring Cleaning.” But those who think it is strictly a physical cleaning are mistaken. We rid ourselves of ‘chametz,’ which are any grains that contain leaven and are therefore ‘puffed up.’ So too, it is while on our hands and knees cleaning the floor, that it is the best time to consider the ways we ‘puff ourselves up,’ with pride and an inflated sense of self and lack of awareness about our weaknesses.

One of the most important lines in the Haggadah is “In every generation we are called upon to see ourselves as though we ourselves escaped from Egypt.” It is a line that shouts out to us today: remember where you came from! Remember that you came from slaves! Remember that you are a child of immigrants! And more: Remember that you yourself are an immigrant. Maybe, just maybe, if we can see ourselves as immigrants we will start treating others with more respect and dignity and welcome.

And one more final line in every Haggadah: “Next year in Jerusalem.” These words were never taken literally. Though it would surely be lovely to make a commitment to spend time in Jerusalem in the coming year, the phrase always reminded us of our hope in something greater than today, greater than the here and now. The Hebrew words “Yerushalayim” translate as “City of Peace.” Would that we could create that city of peace all over the world. What a soaring conclusion to Passover that would be.

My best to you for a zissen Pesach – a joyous and sweet Passover.

L’Shalom,
Rabbi Offner

President's Column March 2019

Shalom.

Spring is around the corner—although, let’s admit it: March often disappoints in Connecticut, making us wait until April for spring. But spring definitely comes to TBT in March. We have a wonderful Purim celebration scheduled on Wednesday, March 20 with a 5:15 p.m. communal dinner and then the 6:00 p.m. Purim service with the megillah reading and— most exciting—a Purim spiel. Cantor Stanton will coordinate TBT teens and choir in presenting a play to dramatize the Purim story (a tradition in many synagogues), and it’s not to be missed! Of course, we’ll have TBT’s annual Purim carnival on Sunday, March 17 at noon, organized as always by our SALTY youth group.

We’ll also fast forward some 2,400 years to the present day in March, when we are blessed by noted Jewish author Tal Keinan speaking at a free JCC-sponsored book author event at TBT on Sunday, March 10, at 12:30 p.m. The author’s book, God Is in the Crowd, is a modern and timely look at the Jewish people in the 21st Century. To help plan, please respond to the Evite.

Then, looking toward the future, please come to our special congregational meeting scheduled for Thursday, March 14, at 7:00 p.m., to hear the next installment of our periodic updates about the progress of our TBT building renovation project. There’s lots of exciting news and progress since our last congregational (building update) meetings last November.

Hope to see you all then.
Jeff Babbin

Cantor's Column March 2019

IT’S A JUNGLE OUT THERE!

It’s that time when we come to the opposite end of the year from the High Holy Days of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. It is the story of Esther and the whole Megillah. Yes, I'm talking about the festival of Purim.

On Purim, we can explore our inner personas and allow them to peek out through the different “masks” that we wear. We act silly and masquerade as many different things and sometimes reveal a piece of our hidden selves. Esther, the heroine of the story of Purim has a hidden side – the fact that she was Jewish. Why, even her Hebrew name, Hadassah, translates to hidden. We see people wearing costumes of all types.

In my former congregations, I had the opportunity to bring my theater experiences and apply them to the various Purim spiels to “kick things up a notch.” This year our Confirmation class, the Adult Choir, and other members of our Religious School will join together for an exciting take on the Purim spiel.

Join us on Wednesday, March 20th in the early evening – Dinner beginning at 5:15pm - and Purim Spiel at 6:00pm. All are invited! Bring a friend!

Please watch out for more information in the upcoming weeks. It's a jungle out there, and right now, I am looking for people to help with costuming, scenery, props, sound board, lighting as well as behind the scenes with make-up and a couple of hands helping with the kids. Please email me at cantor@tbtshoreline.org to let me know your interest(s).

This will be fun for all – the more the merrier!
Cantor Mark Stanton

President's Column February 2019

Shalom. As I write this, it is nearly zero degrees out on a cold January day. Time to stay inside, hibernate, and do nothing until the dreary days pass.

Well, no. Actually, it’s time to come to TBT and be cheered up with activities and warmed up spiritually. TBT does not hibernate in the dead of winter. We light Shabbat candles and create a space where you can step back from the week in order to reflect, relax, and enjoy the company of fellow congregants in the sanctuary and at an oneg. Perhaps even sponsor an oneg in February! (Call Bonnie in the office to arrange that.)

Also, every other Saturday, there is Mindfulness and Meditation at 8:00 a.m.—and weekly Torah Study on Saturdays at 9:00. What better way to escape the doldrums of February. Well, some would say they prefer TBT’s weekly Mah Jongg on Fridays at 1:00. Better yet, wake up your mind and lungs by joining the TBT Choir, which practices Wednesday evenings. Contact the Cantor about joining—no auditions or special talent required. Do all of this and, before you know it, spring will be here.

February will also be special because Cantor Stanton will lead services with the help of many congregants this month, as Rabbi Offner will be on her month-long Sabbatical. I know you will enjoy learning and praying with the Cantor.

- Jeff Babbin

Rabbi's Column February 2019

When you receive this SHOFAR, I will be away on a one-month sabbatical.

This being my 7th year at TBT, I can see the wisdom of the Torah, which teaches that the 7th year is a time for taking stock. While most sabbaticals are typically several months long, the Board and I are in full agreement that given the very full schedule of events at the synagogue, it is best to break up any sabbatical time into smaller parts. I therefore will be spending this month of February on sabbatical.

My best fantasy is to use the time for “R & R” – that is, READING and Relaxation. I have a book list that would take longer than a month but I am so grateful to have the time to dive in. Most of my reading list will serve to enrich my Adult Education teaching, and I would particularly invite you to consider, if you haven’t yet done so, enrolling for the April segment of my year-long Hartman Institute Course in “Jewish Values and the Israeli/Palestinian Conflict.”

If you can’t take the course, you might want to join in a couple of the reading assignments: ISRAEL: A Concise History of a Nation Reborn by Daniel Gordis, and Once Upon A Country by Sari Nusseibeh – to get just one important Israeli view and one important Palestinian view of the conflict.

Before I leave for sabbatical, my most important priority is to assure coverage for the congregation during the time that I will be away. Cantor Stanton and I have been meeting and going over all the details. He will be in charge of all clergy needs and I am glad to say, as you have seen in the past 7 months now, how very capable he is. I know he is ready and eager to step forward to cover for the month and I thank him deeply for that.

Of course, leading our congregation is a team effort and so I also want to thank our Administrator, Kim Romine, who loves our temple second-to-none, and cares for it constantly, always with zest and gusto. Administrative Assistant Bonnie Mahon is also stepping up and making sure that everything is seamless, as always.

I thank TBT President Jeff Babbin and the Board of Directors who have supported my having some time for spiritual replenishment. I want to assure you too that I am only a phone call away and that Jeff, the Cantor and the staff will be able to reach me if need be.

The months go by quickly; I am sure that I will be back in what will seem like a flash. At the same time, I hope something of this sabbatical will last forever.

Todah Rabbah – and see you in March, Rabbi

President's Column January 2019

Shalom. In my capacity as President, I recently attended the annual December orientation program for the students, and the parents of the students, who are about to embark on their b’nei mitzvah training in 2019. Even without a student of my own at this gathering, it was a fun event to attend, bringing back memories of my own daughters’ journeys to Jewish adulthood. Plus, I got to witness the advances TBT has made in teaching “trope” to the b’nei mitzvah students, making them all lifelong Torah readers.

The Rabbi asked me to speak to the parents on the topic of “parent engagement.” Of course, the parents are highly engaged in the b’nei mitzvah program, but the Rabbi meant something broader – parental engagement in the life of the synagogue, to act as role models for their children in their commitment to Jewish lives. That necessarily requires treating b’nei mitzvah studies as not just a milestone to check off a list, but as a springboard to a deeper commitment to communal Jewish life. A central feature of Judaism is its embrace of a sense of peoplehood, of a gathering of a community of Jews as the best way to experience life to its fullest.

So, to that end, I thought that I would share with the entire congregation the words I spoke to the parents of the upcoming b’nei mitzvah students one Sunday afternoon in early December. I am reprinting my talk here verbatim:

“TBT runs on the fuel of congregant engagement, including parent engagement. We have professional clergy and office staff – but, in the end, the congregation runs on the strength of its members’ commitment and support. And that includes engagement with the TBT community – from attending and bringing your children to services, volunteering for Mitzvah Day and class dinners, participating in activities like Habitat for Humanity, and helping TBT committees such as the education committee, social justice, and religious activities, among others.

“Your children certainly take note of the level of your engagement with TBT. I was hesitant to become president when my children were still in the house – and while I am now an empty nester, I am so glad I started my presidency with my twins at home, able to see my commitment to TBT, so I could model the importance of the synagogue to our lives. And now that they are in college, they have pleasantly surprised me by their involvement with their college Hillel programs and involvement with Jewish activities at school.

“We, as parents, are all role models. That also includes remaining as members of TBT following the bar or bat mitzvah, as Judaism is a lifelong pursuit, and supporting the presence of a Jewish congregation on the shoreline is an important way of showing that the bar or bat mitzvah is not the end of Jewish learning and engagement, but only the beginning.

“Thank you, and mazel tov on your child’s upcoming bar or bat mitzvah.”

Jeff Babbin

Rabbi's Column January 2019

As I think about the state of Israel and the state of Zionism today, I am reminded of that old joke about the 3 elderly folks who are sitting on the beach talking. One says: “Oy.” The other says “Oy vey.” The third says: “Oy vey iz mir.” Finally, they get fatigued from the conversation and agree spontaneously: “Enough talking about the children!”

These days, the punch line could be: “Enough talking about Israel.” Most conversations about Israel today are about Israel’s tsuris. (troubles). Yes, Israel has plenty of troubles. There is anti-Zionism on the left and on the right. There is anti-Semitism on the left and on the right. There is an occupation of the Palestinian people that has been going on now for over 50 years. There is a military build-up of those who would destroy Israel in lands that border Israel: in Gaza, in Lebanon and in Syria. There are those in America who seem to equate Israel with ‘the devil himself.’ And there are those in America who see Israel as the very vehicle to Heaven.

Against this backdrop, life in Israel is bustling and thriving. The foodie scene is very big. By all means, do see the movie In Search of Israeli Cuisine. Medical research in Israel has led to miracles in cancer treatment and calls that an actual cure for cancer is in reach within the halls of the Technion and Ben Gurion University. Israeli start-up companies have created methods to purify and re-use water that have recently been used now in California. Paraplegics have stood and walked once more because of the Israeli invention of a robotic exoskeleton machine.

There is a lot of diversity of opinion about who Israel is and what Israel should be. Remarkably, there is no more diversity of opinion on the subject of Israel than there is within Israel itself. Just take a look at the Knesset on any given day.

Temple Beth Tikvah is a synagogue where diversity of opinion should flourish. I cherish all opinions and viewpoints about Israel. At the same time, I cherish our common ground, which is our love of Israel, our attachment to Israel and our desire to stay informed and engaged.

To that end, I encourage you to join us this month of January in an exploration of Israel and the Jewish Values that undergird this Jewish state of ours. We meet in the sanctuary from 12-2pm on Wednesdays in January. Be a part of the conversation.

L'Shalom,
Rabbi Offner

President's Column

Shalom.

As the days get shorter, the month of December at least brings us the Festival of Lights, our eight-day celebration of Chanukah. TBT will bring our families together for dinner (with latkes!), a group menorah lighting, and the Shabbat festival service on Friday, December 7. This will certainly lift the spirits of everyone on a cold December evening.

Chanukah also acknowledges the renewal of the Jewish people and the rebuilding and dedication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem. Here at TBT, we are engaged in our own rebuilding project, to take this temple of Jewish life on the Connecticut shoreline and keep it thriving and serving all of our needs. Those members who came to either of our two Building Renovation Project congregational meetings in November were able to examine a detailed model and hear the specific plans for how our temple will fulfill TBT’s mission in the years to come. For those who could not attend, we will be posting the presentation online very soon, if it hasn’t already been done by the time you read this.

I also want to encourage all members who are able to do so, to donate to our 5779 Annual Fund, bridging the gap between our budgeted needs and what we collect from members’ pledges each year. The Annual Fund is what enables us to open our temple doors to the entire Jewish shoreline community regardless of means and ability to pay our full pledge amounts. We celebrate the perseverance and strength of the Jewish people during Chanukah, and the TBT Annual Fund is what gives us the ability to serve our entire local Jewish community and help it prosper.

Jeff Babbin

Rabbi's Column

Dear Friends,

As we descend deeper and deeper into the darkness of the month of December, we would be wise to consider this deep, dark lesson: words can kill. We have been surrounded by demonstration of this deep, dark truth.

The horror of Pittsburgh still lingers in our throats. We can wish it away with the rationale that it was ‘one lone individual,’ but that violent act was made in a context. The shooter was targeting Jews and he was specifically targeting Jews for coming to the aid of immigrants. Every time we hear ugly words about Jews or immigrants, every time we see Nazi swastikas, we must take these actions seriously and speak out about them. These are words and messages that lead to violence. These are words that are an invitation to do harm.

Surely we are not fanatics. Not us. But every time we let violent words pass, without countering them directly, we are aiding the cause of extremists.

December is indeed a dark month. But soon we will light the candles of Chanukah to combat that darkness. This year, there is a particular custom on Chanukah that addresses our fears of rising anti-Semitism. The Talmud instructs that we are to light the menorah “in order to publicize the miracle of the holiday.” It became the tradition to light the menorah in a window, so others could see it. The notion that we are to be vocal about who we are, allowing all to see, was a step in nurturing pride rather than hiding our true selves from others.

This Chanukah, may we be extra clear about who we are and what we do. May we be extra vocal when we hear antiSemitic words or words that defame any group of people. May the words we choose combat the darkness of December.

To a sweet festival filled with light.
Happy Chanukah,
Rabbi Offner

Rabbi's Column

Dear Friends,

The major Jewish holidays of the autumn season are now in the past, but we can look forward to two wonderful holidays in November. Though they are admittedly not Jewish holidays, they are most certainly holidays that we embrace and observe wholeheartedly as Jews.

Two holidays in November, you say? What could they be? Thanksgiving is obviously one of them. The other – a personal favorite: Election Day. Yes, I think it is right to call Election Day a holiday. In fact, it is such an important day that I don’t think it would be wrong for the U.S.A. to make it a federal holiday. Make sure to vote on November 6.

I am keenly aware that as I write this “November” column, we do not yet know the outcome of the 2018 midterm elections. But shortly after this SHOFAR is in your hands, we will indeed know the outcome. I don’t know if you will be excited or disappointed, surprised or dismayed. But I do know one thing: whatever the results of the election, we will continue to do the work that needs to be done. No matter who is in elected office, we will continue to work unceasingly to make our world a better, safer, more peaceful planet.

And as we head towards Thanksgiving, we should all pause and remember to be thankful that we live in these United States of America. Thanksgiving is an opportunity to remember those first pioneers who came to this country by boat. No, I don’t mean the pilgrims who travelled on the Mayflower, I refer rather to the Jewish pilgrims who were also fleeing religious persecution and came to these shores in the hopes of a better future. Twenty-three Jews came to the United States from Brazil in 1654 and settled in New Amsterdam.

Our numbers have swelled from 23 in 1654 to 5.8 million Jews in America today. That is less than 2% of the population of the United States, but it is still the largest Jewish population in the world outside of Israel, and almost equal in number to Israel. Fully 80% of the world’s Jewish population now lives in either the U.S. or Israel.

May we continue to flourish in this country, and may we always contribute to the flourishing of our country.

Chag Same’ach – to a good Election Day and a blessed Thanksgiving.

Rabbi Offner