From Temple Sinai's Bulletin
Cantor Merel's regular contributions to our Temple bulletin.
May/June, 2008
MUSICAL HAPPENINGS
Temple Sinai is blessed to have two dedicated and active volunteer choirs that beautify our worship and other special musical programs with their singing. Most recently, our Adult Choir performed at the annual choral festival sponsored by our URJ New Jersey-West Hudson Valley Region. Our choir was one of 14 other participating choirs and made Temple Sinai proud with their inspiring and enthusiastic performance of three Israeli songs.
On Friday, May 2, in addition to our Intergenerational Choir’s participation during our Shabbat service, several of Temple Sinai’s teens will present music by Jewish Broadway composers. This annual Broadway Shabbat will include music performed by Sophie Blumert, Nicole Bodin, Alyssa Fine, Molly Leighton, Sasha Nussbaum, Emily Porter, and Arielle Wortzel.
During our Shabbat service on Friday, May 9, in honor of Israel’s 60th anniversary, our Adult Choir will present a collection of Israeli songs, including the familiar love song, Erev Shel Shoshanim as well as HaKotel, the wall, a stirring text and melody written after the six day war.
Both choirs offer opportunities to meet new people, learn new music, learn about specific prayers, and have fun! During the school year, the Intergenerational Choir rehearses on Sunday mornings from 10:30-11am and sings once a month during services. Our Adult Choir rehearses on Wednesday evenings from 7:45-9:15pm and sings during services and special music programs. Please let me know if you’re interested in joining either of our choirs in the fall.
I want to again take this opportunity to thank both choirs for donating their time and talents to our synagogue’s music programs!
January/February, 2008
2008 WELCOMES NEW REFORM PRAYERBOOK AT TEMPLE SINAI
During the last few years our services have included the use of multiple prayer books. On alternate Friday night services, we have used either Kabbalat Shabbat or Shir Chadash, both of which are our own creative liturgies; during the Saturday early morning Sharing Shabbat service, we have used a draft of the new Reform prayer book, Mishkan T’filah, and during the B’nei Mitzvah services we have used the Reform movement’s prayer book, Gates of Prayer. Beginning on January 4, we will be praying from Mishkan T’filah during all of our Friday night, Saturday Sharing Shabbat services, and Festival services.
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November/December, 2007
Community, Light, and Freedom, Temple Sinai Community Celebration of Chanukah, Friday, December 7, 2007, 7:00 pm
The Nadler Fund for Jewish Education has sponsored Temple Sinai’s annual Chanukah celebration for many years. The Nadler Family Foundation’s vision is to bring together our multi-generational community, while enriching and educating the community via special musical presentations. This year, our celebration will take place on Friday, December 7th, at 7:00 pm. Temple Sinai’s two choirs, Temple Sinai Rocks – our teen band, pianist Nancy Haimi-Cohen, guitarist Dr. Rob Wortzel, and bassist Clive Smith all are participating. The festivities will include special readings led by congregants on the theme of community, light, and freedom. Please save the date to join me in keeping alive the vision of Paul Nadler.
September/October, 2007
"HINENI – HERE I AM, EIFO ATAH – WHERE ARE YOU"
Life is a sacred pilgrimage – a sacred journey. During these High Holy Days, we join together with the Temple Sinai community, friends, family, and with Jews all over the world praying the same ancient liturgy and observing the Jewish New Year. As individuals, our sacred journey leads us to look inside ourselves to do a chesbon hanefesh – an accounting of the soul. It is as if God created these High Holy Days so that we have the space or permission to take the time and slow down to look within ourselves. Rosh Hashanah is also called Yom Hazikaron – the Day of Remembrance as well as Yom T’ruah – The Day of the Shofar Blast.
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November/December, 2006
“Why I Need Shabbat In My Life?”
I need Shabbat in my life so that I remember to pause and step back from the hectic pace of everyday life. Shabbat is like a weekly mini vacation that gives me the permission to retreat from my normal routines and to refresh my soul. As I slow down my racing mind and body, there is a clearing for me to see things in a new light and to be more open and present to my experiences. Just as I prepare for a vacation, I prepare for Shabbat by making sure that I have Challah and wine and that my table is set in the dining room and not the kitchen. I prepare by knowing, that even when I am not leading services, I am celebrating Shabbat at home with my family ...
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September/October, 2006
Jewish Meditation – Are You Interested?
In Alan Lew’s book, “Be Still and Get Going,” he states that mediation has many different meanings depending on whom you ask, “ but that is also always one thing. Mediation is always becoming. Meditation is always transformation. Meditation always moves us from one place to another; from unconsciousness to awareness, from tension to relaxation, from being scattered to being centered, from a shallow relationship with our environment and ourselves to a deeper one, from sleep to wakefulness, from a sense of God’s presence to the sense that God was in this place all along and I didn’t know it.” ...
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May/June 2006
"A Personal Journey Towards Kashrut – Keeping a Kosher Home"
Keeping a Kosher home is relatively new for me and I view this as a journey, as I still consider myself a novice in learning, understanding, and practicing the laws of Kashrut. I want to share with you some basics of Kashrut, my reasons for keeping a Kosher home, and the challenges and joys of doing so...
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March/April 2006
"The Sacred Journey of Becoming a Bar/Bat Mitzvah"
Like looking at a text of Torah, there are many different levels of looking at the meaning of becoming a Bar/Bat Mitzvah. Simplistically, the Bar/Bat Mitzvah marks the day a child becomes a Jewish adult, and celebrates this rite of passage publicly in front of the the congregation. Today, at Temple Sinai, the child recites the blessings before and after the Torah, chants some verses from the Torah, recites the Haftarah blessings, chant some verses of Haftarah, leads other prayers during the service and delivers a d’var Torah. On another level, the child is stating that he/she is now responsible for carrying out the Mitzvot, which is signified by the wearing of a Tallit. BUT BAR/BAT IS MORE THAN THIS ONE DAY OF CELEBRATION. BECOMING A BAR/BAT MITZVAH IS A CONTINUOUS PROCESS ON THE SACRED JOURNEY OF JEWISH ADULTHOOD. Participation in confirmation and Temple Sinai’s Hebrew High School is one part of this journey...
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January/February 2006
"Celebrating Our Victory of Long Ago….."
Shabbat Shirah, the Sabbath of Song, is the Shabbat when we read Parashat Beshalach (Exodus 13:17-17:16). We chant Shirat Hayam – the Song at the Sea, which is written in poetic form, and celebrates the victory of Moses and Miriam and the Jewish people as they escape Pharaoh’s army and safely cross the Red Sea...
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