Ohio Jewish Chronicle. (Columbus, Ohio), 1994-09-22, page 01 |
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i I tr I ii L n 1 «n 1 1 JTA XL The Ohio Jewish Chronicle , Serving Columbus and the Central Ohio , j ' Jewish Community since 1922, ■• .VOLUME 72 NUMBER 39 SEPTEMBER 22,1994 17 TISHREI 5755 Peace back on track page 2 Israel Bonds to hqnor Dr. Dorothy Rubenstein page 2 Rabbi runs for his life page 3 4&titiwtee.' to -Jews on Tin Pan Alley' '■• ' ''■ ■ ' ,"*■ ■"• ""-"i !—-—-. ;' '; ' ' *" Ary Schottenstein named Beth Jacob youth director page 8 Year begins for CTA's first high school grad class ' : ,' page 17 EARLY DEADLINE The deadline for the Sept. 29 OJC is noon on Thursday, Sept. 22. * ■■■■'"in The Chronicle •a••a•f*^s•••4*•*,' \<.^icUi&Ii0{M ' ^ J^'tSCf-'&Ti&I&Q^^ >'-J? i*ly "X©fljC»S /it0O*#*»(ittt"»»*»*+*4s^««»»M j Ohio Hi 1982 Ve ao'l Columbu &ll 43211 By Rabbi Jerome M. E.p»„„. A story is told about the Seer of Lublin, whose followers danced joyously on Rosh Hashanah. How could they behave in such a manner on this most solemn and serious day? According to the Rebbe, his hasidim were rejoicing in the knowledge that they had already been inscribed in the Book of Life. And what of those who were, not quite so confident? They, too, were dancing, relying on their feet to carry their prayers into Heaven. At first glance, this story seems childish, even fantastic. Upon closer examination, however, the story conveys a strong message about the power of joy in our tradition. Simchat Torah — which this year will be celebrated on Wednesday evening, Sept. 27, and Thursday, Sept. 28 — is a day for unbounded rejoicing. Like the hasidim of Lublin, we can demonstrate our confidence that our prayers have been heard and that we have been inscribed in the Book of Life. In addition, while we are still in this optimistic frame of mind, we come to the end of, the yearly cycle of Torah reading and immediately begin the cycle anew. This, too, is a reason to celebrate. Overwhelmed by the richness of our Jewish tradition, we have a unique opportunity to dance around the Torah and raise our voices in song. Two compelling reasons to rejoice. Yet, surprisingly, in many of our synagogues today, we find that it is only the children who dance and sing. When our children look at their parents, what do they see? If the parents are there at all, they are standing on the side, watching their children engage in joyous (sometimes raucous) activities. Even when . the adults take turns carrying the Torah around the synagogue, they are often unsmiling, fulfilling an obligation rather than savoring this choice moment when they may express pride and pleasure in their heritage; How unfortunate — not only for the children and for our collective Jewish future but for ourselves, as well. Sim- chat Torah is more than the yj ,«.,-->* MyjuVyky.;>•'"-,'-y^- Vyy-y'V; '„'-' ';/*>*>* '--\„ ,^*J«lji|^yC*©4f4^»4**4»4.^44&4444.4*4^^^ ,' -, '"~my*' -y(yy,. -jjj','7; 7 7; urn. ~yy. '"- m*^ ' ' , WCW. ^0J^0|f^|AOH.».'.*....U^,»4*..»4V4...4,4.^*..44....*4^*'Jtlf * ., ., l9J?I|Jtys01'Jt^sI^M.V»4..44i4f4^ I _ V|f![)t^^i0il$&.'^ mm^miikmiWmkmmMm st.Society Libr. lrtia Ave. s, Ohio COMP b.iu ui me idn iiuiiuay season, - and it does more than simply mark the end and beginning of the annual cycle of Torah reading. Simchat Torah is, according to Jewish mystical tradition, a Wedding, it celebrates the marriage between God (the hattan, or groom) and the kallah (or bride), the Jewish people. The seven hakafot (circuits) we make around the syna- TURE es the power of joy we help but dance and sing at so special a simcha as the wedding between God and the Jewish people? When children attend a traditional Jewish wedding, they see their parents smile and laugh, sing and dance. On Simchat Torah, however, they quickly come to realize that the adults have attended simply to accompany their children. Worse (but inevitably) gogue with the Torah are reminiscent ofthe circles traced by the bride around the groom during the traditional Jewish wedding ceremony. The use of a huppah is also a common element of the traditional Simchat Torah celebration, further reminding us of a wedding. The Torah itself, of course, is the ketubah, the wedding contract, marking the covenant between God and the Jewish people. How can they may infer that this is a "children only" holiday — one that they, too, will lay aside as they grow older. A wedding, on the other hand, is preceived as a celebration of all the guests, and when we receive an invitation; we make every effort to attend. Chances are, our children will remember the wedding festivities for a long time and will look forward to attending another one. Indeed, they will probably want a wedding just like the one they attended. So it is with Simchat Torah. So it is with all of Jewish tradition. When children see their parents unmoved by emotion, they too will fail to dance and sing. Like their parents, they will not appreciate the sheer joy ofthe Jewish tradition, the simcha of Torah. What does this mean for Jewish observance? It means that if Shabbat is acknowledged grud- ingly, rather than joyously, our children will not choose Shabbat observance as something they wish to emulate. If synagogue attendance and holiday celebrations are not marked by a full measure of joy, we will not experience them fully and our children may not see any reason to celebrate them at all. Jewish tradition has a variety of distinct components, „ many of which we treat with "benign neglect." How many of us — outside of Israel — have truly mastered Hebrew, the classical language of our people? How many North American Jews are frequent travelers to the Jewish State? How many modern Jews have incorporated Torah study into our otherwise busy schedules? Yet, even those who minimally fulfill these obligations and derive a certain amount of intellectual satisfaction from these pursuits'may find their emotional, needs unsatisfied. Ih the words of a modern commercial, singing and dancing may offer "immediate relief." No special training is required, only a desire to let oneself go, to allow oneself to become fully immersed in the joy of the moment. And as we joyously celebrate our Jewish- ness, so too will our children, and their children, and their children. Simchat Torah marks a beginning. Once again, we have a chance to recommit ourselves to God, as a community and as individuals. The cycle starts anew. Have a good time at the wedding. Rabbi Jerome Epstein is the executive vice-president of The United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, the association of Conservative congregations in North America. JDC sends second medical team to Goma Responding to the urgent need for medical care for the thousands of Rwandan refugees in Goma, Zaire, the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) has sent in a second medical team to the Kibumba refugee camp. The initial five-person medical team, lead by Dr. Richard Hodes of New York City, was sent over Aug. 4. Forming the second medical team also working with. Dr. Hodes are: Dr. Arthur Fost of Verona, N.J.: Dr. Richard Ad- let of Vero Beach, Fla.; Nancy Carrow Lawson of Maple Grove, Minn.; Debra K. Fi-, scher of Maple Plain, Minn., and Ellen Neiman from Los Angeles, Calif. Lawson and Fischer are paramedics and Neiman is a registered nurse. According to Dr. Hodes, each doctor or nurse takes out one or two helpers and a translator to the camps, each day. The logistics of the day's schedule are planned by the local medical staff in partnership with the International Rescue Committee.' Two mobile medical units were sent to Goma and over 100,000 units .of antibiotics are also being sent to treat thousands of cases of dysen tery, meningitis and other types of diseases. A feeding program has also been established for malnourished children, sustaining them with powdered milk and formula. Calling by satellite phone from Goma, Dr. Hodes stressed that those refugees strong ; enough to get to the hospital can survive, but the weakest die in their huts or out in the open. "We spend each day going from homemade hut (a few branches with a tarp over it) to hut or family to family with local chiefs, seeing the sickest people. We treat people every day who would otherwise die where they are," said Dr. Hodes. Dr. Hodes describes the dismal surroundings in Goma: "Imagine a Woodstock lasting 50 miles; over a million refugees Hying over 20 miles from a water source; the stench of dying bodies, cholera and you have some idea of what, it's like here." The relief projects are being supervised by JDC and are carried out in partnership with the" African-American Institute, a multi-racial, multi-ethnic organization that works in Africa. . seeOOMApg.2 '< l ■it.i.
Object Description
Title | The OJC the Ohio Jewish chronicle. (Columbus, Ohio), 1994-09-22 |
Subject | Jews -- Ohio -- Periodicals |
Place |
Columbus (Ohio) Franklin County (Ohio) |
Creator | OJC Pub. Co. |
Collection | Ohio Jewish Chronicle |
Submitting Institution | Columbus Jewish Historical Society |
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Type | Text |
File Name | index.cpd |
File Size | 4888 Bytes |
Searchable Date | 1994-09-22 |
Format | newspapers |
LCCN | sn91075643 |
Date created | 2016-10-31 |
Description
Title | Ohio Jewish Chronicle. (Columbus, Ohio), 1994-09-22, page 01 |
Searchable Date | 1994-09-22 |
Full Text | i I tr I ii L n 1 «n 1 1 JTA XL The Ohio Jewish Chronicle , Serving Columbus and the Central Ohio , j ' Jewish Community since 1922, ■• .VOLUME 72 NUMBER 39 SEPTEMBER 22,1994 17 TISHREI 5755 Peace back on track page 2 Israel Bonds to hqnor Dr. Dorothy Rubenstein page 2 Rabbi runs for his life page 3 4&titiwtee.' to -Jews on Tin Pan Alley' '■• ' ''■ ■ ' ,"*■ ■"• ""-"i !—-—-. ;' '; ' ' *" Ary Schottenstein named Beth Jacob youth director page 8 Year begins for CTA's first high school grad class ' : ,' page 17 EARLY DEADLINE The deadline for the Sept. 29 OJC is noon on Thursday, Sept. 22. * ■■■■'"in The Chronicle •a••a•f*^s•••4*•*,' \<.^icUi&Ii0{M ' ^ J^'tSCf-'&Ti&I&Q^^ >'-J? i*ly "X©fljC»S /it0O*#*»(ittt"»»*»*+*4s^««»»M j Ohio Hi 1982 Ve ao'l Columbu &ll 43211 By Rabbi Jerome M. E.p»„„. A story is told about the Seer of Lublin, whose followers danced joyously on Rosh Hashanah. How could they behave in such a manner on this most solemn and serious day? According to the Rebbe, his hasidim were rejoicing in the knowledge that they had already been inscribed in the Book of Life. And what of those who were, not quite so confident? They, too, were dancing, relying on their feet to carry their prayers into Heaven. At first glance, this story seems childish, even fantastic. Upon closer examination, however, the story conveys a strong message about the power of joy in our tradition. Simchat Torah — which this year will be celebrated on Wednesday evening, Sept. 27, and Thursday, Sept. 28 — is a day for unbounded rejoicing. Like the hasidim of Lublin, we can demonstrate our confidence that our prayers have been heard and that we have been inscribed in the Book of Life. In addition, while we are still in this optimistic frame of mind, we come to the end of, the yearly cycle of Torah reading and immediately begin the cycle anew. This, too, is a reason to celebrate. Overwhelmed by the richness of our Jewish tradition, we have a unique opportunity to dance around the Torah and raise our voices in song. Two compelling reasons to rejoice. Yet, surprisingly, in many of our synagogues today, we find that it is only the children who dance and sing. When our children look at their parents, what do they see? If the parents are there at all, they are standing on the side, watching their children engage in joyous (sometimes raucous) activities. Even when . the adults take turns carrying the Torah around the synagogue, they are often unsmiling, fulfilling an obligation rather than savoring this choice moment when they may express pride and pleasure in their heritage; How unfortunate — not only for the children and for our collective Jewish future but for ourselves, as well. Sim- chat Torah is more than the yj ,«.,-->* MyjuVyky.;>•'"-,'-y^- Vyy-y'V; '„'-' ';/*>*>* '--\„ ,^*J«lji|^yC*©4f4^»4**4»4.^44&4444.4*4^^^ ,' -, '"~my*' -y(yy,. -jjj','7; 7 7; urn. ~yy. '"- m*^ ' ' , WCW. ^0J^0|f^|AOH.».'.*....U^,»4*..»4V4...4,4.^*..44....*4^*'Jtlf * ., ., l9J?I|Jtys01'Jt^sI^M.V»4..44i4f4^ I _ V|f![)t^^i0il$&.'^ mm^miikmiWmkmmMm st.Society Libr. lrtia Ave. s, Ohio COMP b.iu ui me idn iiuiiuay season, - and it does more than simply mark the end and beginning of the annual cycle of Torah reading. Simchat Torah is, according to Jewish mystical tradition, a Wedding, it celebrates the marriage between God (the hattan, or groom) and the kallah (or bride), the Jewish people. The seven hakafot (circuits) we make around the syna- TURE es the power of joy we help but dance and sing at so special a simcha as the wedding between God and the Jewish people? When children attend a traditional Jewish wedding, they see their parents smile and laugh, sing and dance. On Simchat Torah, however, they quickly come to realize that the adults have attended simply to accompany their children. Worse (but inevitably) gogue with the Torah are reminiscent ofthe circles traced by the bride around the groom during the traditional Jewish wedding ceremony. The use of a huppah is also a common element of the traditional Simchat Torah celebration, further reminding us of a wedding. The Torah itself, of course, is the ketubah, the wedding contract, marking the covenant between God and the Jewish people. How can they may infer that this is a "children only" holiday — one that they, too, will lay aside as they grow older. A wedding, on the other hand, is preceived as a celebration of all the guests, and when we receive an invitation; we make every effort to attend. Chances are, our children will remember the wedding festivities for a long time and will look forward to attending another one. Indeed, they will probably want a wedding just like the one they attended. So it is with Simchat Torah. So it is with all of Jewish tradition. When children see their parents unmoved by emotion, they too will fail to dance and sing. Like their parents, they will not appreciate the sheer joy ofthe Jewish tradition, the simcha of Torah. What does this mean for Jewish observance? It means that if Shabbat is acknowledged grud- ingly, rather than joyously, our children will not choose Shabbat observance as something they wish to emulate. If synagogue attendance and holiday celebrations are not marked by a full measure of joy, we will not experience them fully and our children may not see any reason to celebrate them at all. Jewish tradition has a variety of distinct components, „ many of which we treat with "benign neglect." How many of us — outside of Israel — have truly mastered Hebrew, the classical language of our people? How many North American Jews are frequent travelers to the Jewish State? How many modern Jews have incorporated Torah study into our otherwise busy schedules? Yet, even those who minimally fulfill these obligations and derive a certain amount of intellectual satisfaction from these pursuits'may find their emotional, needs unsatisfied. Ih the words of a modern commercial, singing and dancing may offer "immediate relief." No special training is required, only a desire to let oneself go, to allow oneself to become fully immersed in the joy of the moment. And as we joyously celebrate our Jewish- ness, so too will our children, and their children, and their children. Simchat Torah marks a beginning. Once again, we have a chance to recommit ourselves to God, as a community and as individuals. The cycle starts anew. Have a good time at the wedding. Rabbi Jerome Epstein is the executive vice-president of The United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, the association of Conservative congregations in North America. JDC sends second medical team to Goma Responding to the urgent need for medical care for the thousands of Rwandan refugees in Goma, Zaire, the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) has sent in a second medical team to the Kibumba refugee camp. The initial five-person medical team, lead by Dr. Richard Hodes of New York City, was sent over Aug. 4. Forming the second medical team also working with. Dr. Hodes are: Dr. Arthur Fost of Verona, N.J.: Dr. Richard Ad- let of Vero Beach, Fla.; Nancy Carrow Lawson of Maple Grove, Minn.; Debra K. Fi-, scher of Maple Plain, Minn., and Ellen Neiman from Los Angeles, Calif. Lawson and Fischer are paramedics and Neiman is a registered nurse. According to Dr. Hodes, each doctor or nurse takes out one or two helpers and a translator to the camps, each day. The logistics of the day's schedule are planned by the local medical staff in partnership with the International Rescue Committee.' Two mobile medical units were sent to Goma and over 100,000 units .of antibiotics are also being sent to treat thousands of cases of dysen tery, meningitis and other types of diseases. A feeding program has also been established for malnourished children, sustaining them with powdered milk and formula. Calling by satellite phone from Goma, Dr. Hodes stressed that those refugees strong ; enough to get to the hospital can survive, but the weakest die in their huts or out in the open. "We spend each day going from homemade hut (a few branches with a tarp over it) to hut or family to family with local chiefs, seeing the sickest people. We treat people every day who would otherwise die where they are," said Dr. Hodes. Dr. Hodes describes the dismal surroundings in Goma: "Imagine a Woodstock lasting 50 miles; over a million refugees Hying over 20 miles from a water source; the stench of dying bodies, cholera and you have some idea of what, it's like here." The relief projects are being supervised by JDC and are carried out in partnership with the" African-American Institute, a multi-racial, multi-ethnic organization that works in Africa. . seeOOMApg.2 '< l ■it.i. |
Format | newspapers |
Date created | 2009-11-23 |