The Bulletin

Union Temple of Brooklyn

Affiliated with the Union for Reform Judaism

NOVEMBER 2009 CHESHVAN - KISLEV 5770 Vol. 161, No 3

SCHEDULE OF SERVICES
FOR NOVEMBER
SHABBAT VAYEIRA
6 Friday Evening 6:30 PM
First Friday Family Shabbat
Potluck Dinner
7 Saturday Morning 10:30 AM
Torah: Genesis 18:1-22:24 Haftarah: II Kings 4:1-37

SHABBAT CHAYEI SARAH

Reserve now for 13 Friday Evening
the hottest ticket 6:00 PM - Reception and Hors d’oeuvres
6:30 PM - Kabbalat Shabbat
With special guest: Rev. Tom Davis, PPFA
in town: Kiddush to follow

Fiddler on 14 Saturday Morning

Torah: Genesis 23:1-25:18
10:30 AM
Haftarah: I Kings 1:1-31
the Roof SHABBAT TOLEDOT
SYNAPLEX SHABBAT
at Union Temple 20 Friday Evening 6:30 PM
Kabbalat Shabbat
Sunday, 21 Saturday Morning 10:30 AM
11:15 AM - Tot Shabbat
December 13th. Luncheon to followed service
1:00 PM - Rwanda Youth Village Program

Get all the Torah: Genesis 25:19-28:9

SHABBAT VAYEITZEI
Haftarah: Malachi 1:11-2:7

details on 27 Friday Evening

Late Shabbat Service
8:00 PM

page 8. 28 Saturday Morning 10:30 AM

Torah: Genesis 28:10-32:3 Haftarah: Hosea 12:13-14:10
Rabbi’s Message

Health Care and a Special Guest

Women’s Health Care. . . . Our Yom Kippur Afternoon Forum was devoted to the
Health Care crisis in America, and was led most adroitly by Dr. Marvin Lieberman
and Jeff Stein. One of the subheadings of any discussion on health care must be
women’s health care specifically. This includes continued access to safe and legal
abortions, but also to the whole range of women’s medical concerns: mammograms,
sonograms, birth control, counseling, education, pap smears, HPV vaccine distribu-
tion and the like.

Bills in Albany. . . .There are several important bills that were making their way
through the NYS Senate until they were stalled by the stalemate in the State Senate last June. One is the Re-
productive Health Act, sponsored by Sen. Andrea Stewart-Cousins, D-Yonkers, which would ensure women’s
right to have an abortion if the fetus is not viable or if the woman’s health or life is at risk. Among other
things, this bill would ensure a woman’s right to an abortion if Roe v. Wade were to be overturned and states
were given back the authority to outlaw the procedure. Another is the Healthy Teens Act, sponsored by Sen.
Thomas K. Duane, D-Manhattan, and Assemblyman Richard N. Gottfried, D-Manhattan, who chair their re-
spective house’s health committees. The act would establish a grant program in the Health Department for
schools and community-based organizations to teach comprehensive, medically accurate and age-appropriate
sex education. The legislation is “aimed at preventing unwanted pregnancies and occurrences of sexually
transmitted diseases among youth,” according to the bill summary. The act has been passed in the Assembly
in 2005, 2006 and again on June 17, 2009, and was referred to the Senate Rules Committee on June 18th. The
Protections for Reproductive Health Care Act would increase the punishment for anyone convicted of injuring
reproductive health care providers, volunteers or patients, in the course of violating New York’s clinic access
law. The bill, which would make the crime a felony, has passed both houses of the Legislature, but has yet to
be sent to the governor for his consideration.

The fight for women. . . . I serve on the Rabbinic Advisory Board of Family Planning Advocates of NYS and
the Steering Committee of Reform Jewish Voice of NYS. FPA is a nonprofit statewide organization dedicated
to protecting and expanding access to a full range of reproductive health care services for all women. Reform
Jewish Voice is an advocacy group of the Union for Reform Judaism, focused on NYS legislation. Both or-
ganizations are on record as being in support of the three bills named above.

An outspoken and courageous leader. . . . On Friday, November 13, at our Kabbalat Shabbat service, we will
be privileged to hear from one of the fiercest advocates for women’s rights and health care concerns, Rev.
Tom Davis, Chair of the Clergy Advisory Board of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America.
Rev. Davis has been on the front lines of this fight since the dark days before Roe v. Wade. He continues to
lead this fight with courage, determination, and very great wisdom. There is more information about Rev.
Davis on the flyer on page 6. The schedule is as follows.

Friday, November 13th. Reception (light snacks), 6:00 PM. Kabbalat Shabbat service and Rev. Davis’s
presentation, 6:30 PM. Kiddush is to follow. I sincerely hope that you will join us to meet and hear from
this extraordinary man, whom I am honored to call my colleague and my friend.

-Rabbi Linda Henry Goodman

2
Officer’s Column
It’s “After the Holidays”
Time to Get Involved
This is the time of year when we do everything that we
put off until "after the holidays." Here at Union Tem-
ple our schedule of events is filling up, so there is much
to look forward to. Meanwhile, the biggest event on
our national domestic agenda is health care reform.
Now that it is "after the holidays," it is time to get in-
volved.
That was the subject of Rabbi Goodman's inspiring
and powerful sermon on Yom Kippur. If you missed it
or want to reread it, it is posted on the http://
uniontemple.org. Rabbi Goodman reminded us of the
long-held Jewish commitment to making sure that the
sick have quality, affordable health care. In this coun-
try, alone amongst all the developed countries, we do
not provide our citizens with affordable health care.
The numbers of uninsured and underinsured is dis-
graceful. The numbers of personal bankruptcies re-
sulting from health care costs is a disgrace. Our health
care system is broken. We have the highest costs and
the worst outcomes. There is no better focus for our
commitment at Union Temple than Tikkun Olam, re-
pairing what's broken in the world.
Sisterhood
To Save a Life
As we enter November, Sisterhood is gratified by the
great response to our first Rosh Chodesh Seder on Oc-
tober 18th. We are currently deep in preparations for
our next big event, on December 12th at 10 AM. It
will be a life-saving program on breast cancer and
ovarian cancer, which disproportionately strike Ash-
kenazi Jews. Genetic counselors from New York Uni-
versity will be here, and we'll be updating you on the
latest discoveries in research and treatment. Watch
this space and your mail for more information.
We wish everyone a happy Thanksgiving. Yet, as we -Barbara Brett, Recording Secretary
prepare for this joyous holiday, our hearts are heavy –
To that end, we devoted the Yom Kippur afternoon
social action forum to this topic. We had a lively dis-
cussion from a broad spectrum of participants in the
system – physicians, academics, healthcare profes-
sionals, payers and users. From all perspectives, there
was agreement that the way we currently pay for, de-
liver and insure health care does not provide compre-
hensive and affordable services in accordance with
Jewish custom and tradition. We could debate which
approach is best – single payer, increased competition,
a government option, exchanges, etc. – but any of
them would be an improvement.
So, we hope that now that it is "after the holidays," soon
our leaders will act to make this vital change in our na-
tional life. We encourage our members to reach out to
their representatives to make their voices heard on this
important issue, and tell them that it is time. If you have
a viewpoint you would like to share, please send it to
uniontemple@uniontemple.org and we will try to pro-
mote a dialogue either on our website or elsewhere.
If you'd like further information on our movement's
position on this topic please visit the Religious Action
Center of Reform Judaism website: http://
for we have lost Gertrude Berger. A longtime member
and past treasurer, Gert was herself a special treasure
of Sisterhood. She was truly a dynamic force. Her
hard work and dedication will continue to be an inspi-
ration to us all, as will the memory of her delightful
sense of humor, which, despite difficult times, was
with her to the end. Gert could always make us smile,
and we'll remember her with gratitude for all she did
and with a smile in our hearts for all that she was.
Zichronah liv’rachah.
3
Brotherhood

Saving a Language and Culture

The Brotherhood had a terrific book discussion on October 25th.
Outwitting History is the story of the author Aaron Lansky’s mis-
sion to rescue Yiddish books from destruction as the pre-World
War II generation starts to pass away. There were thought to be
few interested new readers of a language that appeared to be dying
out.
Lansky thought that perhaps 70,000 volumes of Yiddish language
books remained. Well, over 20 years and more than a 1.5 million
books later, Lansky, as well as the readers, are happy find out that
Yiddish is not dead and is, in fact, enjoying a renaissance among a
new generation.
Thank you to Abe Barnett for volunteering to lead the book discussion.
We are also looking forward to the next Brotherhood event on December 5th: Havdalah followed by an outing
to the First Saturday event at the Brooklyn Museum of Art.
The next book discussion will feature The History of Love, brilliant novel by Nicole Krauss which New York
Magazine called “a significant novel, genuinely one of the year’s best.”
As usual, Brotherhood is also looking forward to other activities during the coming year so please stay tuned.
A Happy Thanksgiving to all.
-David Rapheal, Secretary
Kinder Kef, Pre-K and
Kindergarten Programs
Union Temple is offering a weekly
REMEMBER Kinder Kef, kindergarten, pre-K
MAZON: program (for four- and five-year-
old children) every Sunday morn-
ing when the Religious School is in
A Jewish session. The program will run from 10 AM -
Response to Hunger 11:30 AM.
Kinder Kef's focus will be fun and experiential
Donate 3% of your food learning. The children will learn about Shabbat
and the Holidays through song, art, games and
expenditures to MAZON. stories.
The fee for this yearlong program is $200 for tem-
Give to our MAZON ple members and $330 for nonmembers.
tzedakah can at temple dinners. Please contact Ann Landowne at
Find out more at: ann.landowne@gmail.com to register
and for further information
www.mazon.org

4
Religious School
Mo’adim L’Simcha
One of my favorite memories from the holiday ser-
vices that just passed was a brief interchange and
teaching moment between Rabbi Goodman and the
congregation at the Sukkot Family Shabbat Service.
Rabbi Goodman taught the congregation the tradi-
tional exchange of greetings shared during the holiday
season of Sukkot. She said “Mo’adim L’simcha,” and
we answered “Chagim U’Zmanim L’Sasson,” and then
we reversed the greeting and practiced it the other way
around. There were smiles and laughs as we re-
sponded with increasing loudness and confidence in
our efforts to remember and perfect the words.
Even though Religious School has only met for two
official sessions on Sunday we experienced the holi-
day cycle together as our Religious School families
participated in the celebration of Rosh Hashanah and
Yom Kippur, followed by Sukkot and Simchat Torah.
We required Family Service attendance as a substitute
for the missed Sunday classes. This was an experi-
ment prompted by the calendar because Rosh Hasha-
nah and Sukkot were celebrated on the weekend. Feel-
ing connected to the Jewish holidays and the Jewish
calendar is an important way to develop a deeper and
richer appreciation and love of Judaism. But in order
to feel connected we need to achieve a sense of com-
fort and competence. That is why I loved Rabbi Good-
man’s teaching. If the traditional holiday greeting is
Love to sing?
Join our cantor on
Wednesday evenings
for a congregant-based
vocal ensemble.
If you are interested,
please contact Cantor Dubinsky at
mrdubinsky@gmail.com.
Wednesdays at
6:30 PM.
off putting and unfamiliar then from the first moment
you hear Mo’adim L’simcha you feel uneasy and out
of place. She began to remedy that by practicing with us.
One way we learn to belong to a group, profession,
workplace, school or religion is through the under-
standing of shared language and participation in com-
mon practices. At first we watch and listen, but even-
tually we jump in and participate, and that is when we
begin to feel that we belong and are actively engaged
in the enterprise. Judaism is no different. If traditions,
culture, vocabulary and practices are unfamiliar we
feel uncomfortable.
This year, one of the goals of the Religious School is
to help our students learn about the many dimensions
of prayer, or tefilla. and to develop a sense of com-
fort and competence with personal prayer and group
tefilla in services. Like reading, meditation or riding a
bicycle, prayer is a skill that requires practice. Lisa
Kingston, one of our teachers, developed a prayer cur-
riculum that we are implementing in coordination with
our song leader, Josh Adland. Parents are always wel-
come to join in the Sunday morning, Shaharit Tefilla,
service, which begins at 11AM.
May you have many times of joy and celebration dur-
ing the coming year,
-Dr. Ann Landowne, Director of Education
5
Preschool
Getting Ready to Soar
We are starting to settle into our daily routine at the preschool! Our classes of three and four year olds have fin-
ished their phase-ins and we are engaged in the children’s daily work: play. All of them are painting leaves and
fruit, which we have been hanging in the preschool’s sukkah in the big room. The children also waved the lulav
and etrog, with the help of Rachel Geballe—one of our Sparrow parents.
Our two year olds has been working on the transition into preschool routines, and are starting to do some won-
derful art projects. The three year olds have been busy with art, singing and “fingerplays.” The four year olds,
while engaged in many different kinds of creative activities—including making self-portraits—are also learning
how to become independent and responsible.
All of the children are enjoying yoga and music classes. And many of the children have been on neighborhood
walks, and visits to the park, taking advantage of the lovely weather.
-Susan Sporer, Preschool Director

Synaplex Shabbat Saturday

November 21st
Presentation of a film on
The Agahozo Shalom Youth Village, Rwanda
Discussion to follow.

Tina Wyatt, a representative of this special

project sponsored by the American Jewish
Joint Committee, will speak with us.
Schedule for this Synaplex is a morning
study session with the Adult Hevre at 9
AM, led by Rabbi Goodman on Yemin
Orde, the Israeli program which is the
model for Agahozo Shalom Youth Village.

Shabbat service will feature related music, and a Senegalese

lunch will precede the film and talk scheduled for 1 PM.
7
 UNION TEMPLE
PRESENTS
a Broadway Musical Fantasy Camp
Staged-Reading Production
Producer/Director: Stephen Hanks
Musical Director: Dr. Jonathan Hall

SUNDAY DEC. 13, 2009

4 PM
Tickets $15 in advance
$20 at the door

Union Temple of Brooklyn • 17 Eastern Parkway • Brooklyn, NY 11238

(718) 638-7600 • uniontemple@uniontemple.org •
www.uniontemple.org
Mail in this form to make your RESERVATIONS!
Name/s_________________________________________
#Tickets:________________@$15=_________________
Mail reservations form and check to Union Temple of Brooklyn
17 Eastern Parkway • Brooklyn, NY 11238
Make checks payable to Union Temple
YOUR TICKETS WILL BE HELD AT THE TEMPLE FOR PICK-UP.
8
 Tzedakah
UNION TEMPLE MEMORIAL FUND
Donated by .....................................................................................In memory of
Marilyn Goodman ................................................................................................. Samuel Schein and Arnold Goodman
Doris Klueger......................................................................................................... Arnold Schukin
Pamela Meersand .................................................................................................. Edith Meersand
Jeff Stein and Denise Waxman............................................................................. Ted Stein
Anna M. Budd & George Hausman .................................................................... Helen Machtinger
Jean Pierre Halioua................................................................................................ Moise Halioua
RABBI’S DISCRETIONARY FUND
Donated by
Dr. Michael Forman .............................................................................................. with best wishes
Dr. Wayne Lavender ............................................................................................. with best wishes
Anna Budd and George Hausman........................................................................ in appreciation
HAPPY DAY FUND
Donated by
Lucille Silvey......................................................................................................... in honor of Doris Klueger
Peter Butte and Rhonda Feinman......................................................................... in honor of Sheila Solow and Mickey Schwartz’s wedding
Paul S. Morris and Stephanie R. Morris .............................................................. in appreciation of the UT High Holiday Family Service
Leonard R. Arends................................................................................................. in appreciation of Union Temple
PRAYER BOOK FUND
Donated by ........................................................................... In honor of
Henry and Susanne Singer....................................................................... Robert Frey and Judy Stossel’s 25th wedding anniversary
SISTERHOOD MEMORIAL FUND
Donated by .....................................................................................In memory of
Barbara and Hy Brett............................................................................................. Gertrude Berger
Eleanor Forman ..................................................................................................... Gertrude Berger
SISTERHOOD HAPPY DAY FUND
Donated by
Eleanor Forman ....................................................................................... in honor of Rabbi Linda Henry Goodman
Barbara and Hy Brett ............................................................................... in honor of Judy Stossel and Robert Frey
on their 25th wedding anniversary
Eleanor Forman ....................................................................................... with gratitude to Evelyn and Bill Reder
Hortense Hurwitz..................................................................................... with gratitude Union Temple Sisterhood
Linda and Howard Simka ........................................................................ in honor of Sukkot and
to honor Suzanne and Henry Singer and Doris Klueger

With great sadness, Union Temple records

the passing of
Mazal Tov to
Sheila Solow and Mickey Schwartz
GERTRUDE BERGER on their marriage on October 3rd
on October 6th. and to
Gertrude was a longtime member of our Dr. Jonathan Hall, our music director,
congregation and on achieving the status of Choirmaster
former treasurer of Sisterhood. with the American Guild of Organists
We express our deepest sympathy and to
to her daughters, Moe Kornbluth and Fran Justa
Jane Conn and Ann Hochstein, on the marriage of their daughter
her five grandchildren and their spouses Sara Kornbluth
and her seven great-grandchildren. to
 Daniel Friel
May her memory be for a blessing on August 1st.

9
 Memorial Plaques
NOVEMBER
The Bulletin
Maurice H. Van Raalte....................................................November 1, 1932
Union Temple of Brooklyn
Herman Weinberger ........................................................November 2, 1956 17 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn NY 11238
Edward Elman, Past President.........................................November 3, 1976 (718) 638-7600
Rose Pollack....................................................................November 4, 1957
Esther Weinberger...........................................................November 5, 1954
Fax (718) 783-9151
Samuel Underberg...........................................................November 6, 1985 E-mail uniontemple@uniontemple.org
Hannah Lebowitz ............................................................November 7, 1925 Website Uniontemple.org
William Krell ..................................................................November 7, 1959
Estelle Martha Silverman Sloan ......................................November 7, 1984 Dr. Linda Henry Goodman
Mendel Nevin..................................................................November 8, 1950 Rabbi
Olga Rosenson ................................................................November 8, 1959
Ray Beck.........................................................................November 8, 1964 Maria Dubinsky
George Wiener ................................................................November 9, 1947 Student Cantor
Mathew Frank .................................................................November 9, 1954
Anne Silverberg ..............................................................November 9, 1973 Dr. Jonathan B. Hall
Gabriel Fried ..................................................................November 10,1924 Music Director
Moses Bloom .................................................................November 10,1935
Isaac M. Bermas.............................................................November 11,1931 Dr. Ann Landowne
Annie Wolberg...............................................................November 11,1952 School of Religion Principal
Sarah Marienhoff ...........................................................November 11,1958
Hon. Emil N. Baar, Past President .................................November 11,1985
Susan Sporer
Moses B. Schmidt, Past President ..................................November 12,1954 Preschool Director
Estella Selig....................................................................November 13,1906
Doris Klueger
Hulda Lissner .................................................................November 14,1931
Sidney Onkeles ..............................................................November 14,1957
President
Jerrold Feldman..............................................................November 14,1989 Henry Singer
Emile R. Brown May .....................................................November 15,1964
Jeffrey Stein
Rose Astro......................................................................November 15,1971
Minerva Love.................................................................November 16,1971
Vice Presidents
Rebecca Levinson ..........................................................November 17,1942 Ellen Kolikoff
Joseph Ehrlich ................................................................November 17,1944
Secretary
Dora Raphaels ................................................................November 17,1947
Felice D. Aaronson.........................................................November 18,1955
Saul Dumey....................................................................November 19,1961 Beatrice Hanks
Edward Charles Blum ....................................................November 20,1946 Treasurer
Ruth B Wolfort...............................................................November 20,1961
Jack Felsenfeld...............................................................November 20,1961
Mike Baron
Pearl Elman ....................................................................November 20,1980 Hortense R. Hurwitz
Joseph Petchesky............................................................November 21,1961 Honorary Presidents
Harold D. Silvey, Past President ....................................November 21,1997
Rosa Block .....................................................................November 23,1943
Eleanor Forman
Samuel Frank .................................................................November 24,1955 Honorary Trustee
Irving R. Gerstman, Past President.................................November 24,1987
David Rapheal
Bernard B. Block............................................................November 25,1962
Anne Silverman..............................................................November 25,1959
Bulletin Editor
Laura L. Cohen ..............................................................November 26,1959 John Golomb
Sgt. Harold C. Ginsberg .................................................November 27,1944
Temple Administrator
Bernard P. Weinstein .....................................................November 27,1986
Mamie Rosenson............................................................November 28,1931 Martin Kasdan
Minnie Baum Needle .....................................................November 28,1956 Funeral Director
Edith Helicher ................................................................November 28,1969
(800) 522-0588
Lazarus Rosenberg .........................................................November 29,1956
Max Silverman...............................................................November 30,1944
May Caplin.....................................................................November 30,1994
Union Temple suggests that its members
contact our Funeral Director
Martin D. Kasdan of
Boulevard-Riverside Chapels
A memorial plaque is a lasting tribute to a loved one.
1895 Flatbush Avenue
If you wish more information regarding
Brooklyn, NY
obtaining a plaque in memory of a loved one
1-800-522-0588
please e-mail the temple at
Proudly maintaining more
uniontemple@uniontemple.org
than 50 years of Temple involvement
or leave a message with the temple office.

10
 November 2009 ~ Cheshvan—Kislev 5770
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 2 3 4 5 6 7
9:30 AM 9:00 AM
Religious School Shabbat Study
Hevre
10:30 AM
Morning Service
4:30 PM
6:00 PM Religious School 6:30 PM
6:30 PM
Officers Meeting Bar/Bat Mitzvah Kabbalat Shabbat
“Fiddler”
Track Pot Luck Dinner
Rehearsal

8 9 10 11 12 13 14
9:30 AM 4:30 PM 6:00 PM 9:00 AM
Religious School Religious School Reception & Hors Shabbat Study
Bar/Bat Mitzvah d’oeuvres Hevre
Study 6:30 PM 10:30 AM
6:00 PM Kabbalat Shabbat Morning Service
4:00 PM 6:00 PM Adult Ed Special Guest:
Kristallnacht Board of Committee Rev. Tom Davis,
Commemoration Trustees 6:30 PM PPFA
Adult Choir Kiddush to follow

SYNAPLEX
15 9:30 AM 16 17 18 19 20 21
Religious School
Religious School Rosh Chodesh Rosh Chodesh Shabbat
10:00 AM Kislev Kislev 9:00 AM
Brotherhood; 4:30 PM Shabbat Study
Social Action Religious School Hevre
11:30 AM Bar/Bat Mitzvah 10:30 AM
Membership Study Morning Service
6:30 PM 6:00 PM 6:30 PM 11:15 AM
“Fiddler” Religious School Kabbalat Shabbat Tot Shabbat
Rehearsal Committee Lunch & Rwanda Youth
Village Program

22 23 24 25 26 27 28
9:30 AM Thanksgiving Day 10:30 AM
Religious School Morning Service
Food Drive No Religious
(Key Food School
Or 8:00 PM
Supermarket)
6:30-8:30 PM Adult Classes Late Shabbat
Brooklyn United Service
6:30 PM
Jewish High
“Fiddler”
School
Rehearsal
At Hannah Senesh

29 30
No Religious
School

11
 Prospect Park
Health and Racquet Association
In Union Temple Building at
17 Eastern Parkway
718-789-4600
Ask about Special discounts for
Union Temple Members

Union Temple of Brooklyn

17 Eastern Parkway
Brooklyn, NY 11238
(718) 638-7600
Uniontemple@uniontemple.org

NOVEMBER 2009
UNION TEMPLE OF BROOKLYN BULLETIN

Fiddler is Coming! See Page 8.