Remarks at Kehillah Hadassah Donor Brunch, May 5, 2019
05/08/2019 01:20:46 PM
May8
Author | |
Date Added | |
Automatically create summary | |
Summary |
It's my honor to be here today in support of Hadassah. I also extend my congratulations to Dodo Friedman, who is a devoted member of my synagogue, Congregation KTI. Dodo, I love seeing your quiet smile every Shabbat. It is my honor to be celebrated with you today and to be your rabbi.
When Kathy Salom asked me if I would agree to be honored this year, I immediately said yes. She thought that this chapter was merely honoring one of the new rabbis in the area. Little did she know that I have a longstanding personal connection to Hadassah. Five generations of women in my family, from my great-great grandmother to my sister, have been Life Members of Hadassah, and I am proud to be a Life Associate.
I grew up hearing stories about these women's commitment to Hadassah, especially that of my great-grandmother Rita Oxman. We called her Nana and she and I had a wonderful relationship until she died when I was 13. Family lore has it that she would take her daughter, my grandmother, around in a baby carriage. Women would stop to admire the baby, and then Nana would get them to join Hadassah.
A generation later, my grandmother was very active in her local chapter in Philadelphia, and she would keep its belongings in her car. These included a portrait of Henrietta Szold that lived in their car trunk for months at a time. One day, she took my aunt to the central Hadassah office in Philadelphia, which had that same portrait of Szold on the wall. “We have her in our trunk!” my aunt exclaimed.
Because of their mother's leadership in Hadassah, my mother and her siblings learned from an early age to answer the phone, “Chicken or fish?” as people called to RSVP for Hadassah events. I'm so pleased that my grandmothers, aunt, and mother are here today as the connection with Hadassah continues to the next generation.
My own connection to Hadassah was forged by reading every issue of my mother's copy of Hadassah Magazine when I was a teenager, which connected me to Israel and to the broader Jewish world. I am also a graduate of JTS, the same institution where Henrietta Szold broke barriers by studying Jewish texts with men, on the condition that she not seek rabbinic ordination. During my rabbinical school year in Jerusalem, the wife of one of my classmates had her appendix removed. When I visited her at Hadassah Hospital I was very proud to know that generations of my family had supported and sustained that world-class facility.
So because of this long-standing connection, Daniel and I are proud to contribute to Hadassah on a regular basis. But I support Hadassah not only because of this family connection, but also because of my firm belief in the importance of Hadassah's ongoing work. I want to highlight three aspects of Hadassah's work that can teach all of us in the Jewish community how to achieve our goals and strengthen our communities.
The first is the importance of meaningful volunteer work. Hadassah has given generations of women meaningful opportunities to improve their communities and feel that they are joining with others to support a cause. Especially in its early decades and even now, Hadassah has empowered women in particular to take leadership in the Jewish community.
Voluntary work in the Jewish community enables all of us to use skills that otherwise lay dormant, and to forge deep bounds that allow us to be there for each other in good times and bad. In my first year with KTI, I've been so impressed and inspired by our dedicated volunteer leaders who donate their time and effort to keeping our synagogue strong and vibrant.
The second is a focus on practical problem-solving. While European Zionists were sitting in salons debating the theoretical foundations of a Jewish state, Hadassah women were busy stitching bandages and raising money to send to support the impoverished communities in the land of Israel. At a time when lots of flashy and so-called innovative projects get lots of attention and money, the legacy of Hadassah reminds us of our important responsibility as a Jewish community to make sure that the hungry are fed, the sick are healed, the young are educated, and the elderly can age with dignity.
To this day Hadassah remains true to its mission of providing world-class medical care and social services to everyone in need in Israel, regardless of background. Hadassah has not forgotten the basics and neither can we. In that respect, I am so proud of my synagogue's excellent Early Childhood Program and Religious School, and charitable work in the community, through our support of the Food 2 Grow On program, the interfaith soup kitchen, and our Mitzvah Madness day of service.
Finally, we all can learn from Hadassah's broad-minded love of all things Jews. From reading Hadassah magazine, I was introduced as a young person to an all-encompassing vision of Jewish life, which includes religion and spirituality, but also literature, politics, the Hebrew language, history, food, travel and the arts.
Hadassah celebrates the totality of our heritage and culture as Jews, and promotes a sense of responsibility and connection to all Jews everywhere, especially but not only in the State of Israel. Likewise, I am so proud of KTI's efforts to instill an appreciation for our rich heritage, in particular through our electives in the Religious School, which use cooking, art, dance and drama to teach Jewish traditions and history.
These basic ideas behind Hadassah remain as inspiring today as they were more than a century ago when Henrietta Szold and other pioneering woman founded it. They provide instruction for us all as we work to sustain and grow our Jewish communities into the future.
Today we celebrate Rosh Chodesh Iyyar, the new month on the Hebrew calendar. On this day, we pray that are lives be renewed with “goodness and blessedness, joy and gladness, deliverance and consolation, sustenance and support, life and peace.” May Hadassah continue to experience all of these good things for many, many years. Thank you again for this honor.
Tue, May 13 2025
15 Iyyar 5785
Photo Gallery
Photo Albums
Tue, May 13 2025 15 Iyyar 5785
Upcoming Events
All Events
-
Wednesday ,
MayMay 14 , 2025
Wednesday, May 14th 1:00p to 2:30p
Wednesdays, 1 - 2:30 PM, Social Hall Ever since Abraham’s famous argument with God, Judaism has been full of debate. Moses and Korah, David and Nathan, Hillel and Shammai, the Vilna Gaon and the Ba’al Shem Tov, Spinoza and the Amsterdam Rabbis . . . the list goes on. No wonder that Judaism cherishes the expression machloket l’shem shamayim, “an argument for the sake of heaven.” Beyond their historical importance, what makes these disputations so compelling is that nearly all of them, regardless of their epochs, are still being argued. The parade of characters spanning three millennia of biblical, rabbinic, and modern disputation reflects the panorama of Jewish history with its monumental political, ethical, and spiritual challenges. This series will examine Jewish responses to exile from the biblical period to our modern day. Considering texts from all genres of Jewish literary creativity, we will explore how the realities and iterpretaions Join as we re-open these timeless debates that lead us to the core of 3,000 years of Jewish conversation. • Justice: Abraham vs. God (October 19) • Holiness and Authority: Moses vs. Korah (November 9) • Inclusion: The Five Daughters vs. the Twelve Tribes (November 30) • Accountability and Morality: David vs. Nathan (December 21) • Resistance: Ben Zakkai vs. the Zealots (January 18) • Law: Hillel vs. Shammai (February 15) • Spirituality: The Vilna Gaon vs. the Baal Shem Tov (March 15) • Boundaries: Spinoza vs. the Amsterdam Rabbis (April 19) • Religious Evolution: Geiger vs. Hirsch vs. Frankel (May 10) • Zionism: Herzl vs. Wise (May 31) -
Thursday ,
MayMay 15 , 2025
Thursday, May 15th 5:00p to 7:30p
Lag Ba'Omer BBQ KTI and JCCH invite you to a L'ag B'omer Barbeque! An evening filled with singing, fun and games as two communities join together to celebrate L'ag B'omer. May 15th at Crawford Park 5:00-7:30pm Live rock infused Jewish music with Ohh Lam Band, bouncy castle for children and a barbeque dinner (hamburgers, hot dogs, veggie burgers watermelon and more)! RSVP Required -
Wednesday ,
MayMay 28 , 2025
Wednesday, May 28th 1:00p to 2:30p
Wednesdays, 1 - 2:30 PM, Social Hall Ever since Abraham’s famous argument with God, Judaism has been full of debate. Moses and Korah, David and Nathan, Hillel and Shammai, the Vilna Gaon and the Ba’al Shem Tov, Spinoza and the Amsterdam Rabbis . . . the list goes on. No wonder that Judaism cherishes the expression machloket l’shem shamayim, “an argument for the sake of heaven.” Beyond their historical importance, what makes these disputations so compelling is that nearly all of them, regardless of their epochs, are still being argued. The parade of characters spanning three millennia of biblical, rabbinic, and modern disputation reflects the panorama of Jewish history with its monumental political, ethical, and spiritual challenges. This series will examine Jewish responses to exile from the biblical period to our modern day. Considering texts from all genres of Jewish literary creativity, we will explore how the realities and iterpretaions Join as we re-open these timeless debates that lead us to the core of 3,000 years of Jewish conversation. • Justice: Abraham vs. God (October 19) • Holiness and Authority: Moses vs. Korah (November 9) • Inclusion: The Five Daughters vs. the Twelve Tribes (November 30) • Accountability and Morality: David vs. Nathan (December 21) • Resistance: Ben Zakkai vs. the Zealots (January 18) • Law: Hillel vs. Shammai (February 15) • Spirituality: The Vilna Gaon vs. the Baal Shem Tov (March 15) • Boundaries: Spinoza vs. the Amsterdam Rabbis (April 19) • Religious Evolution: Geiger vs. Hirsch vs. Frankel (May 10) • Zionism: Herzl vs. Wise (May 31) -
Sunday ,
JunJune 1 , 2025
Sunday, Jun 1st 9:15a to 11:00a
Playground Playdate Join other families raising Jewish children from birth to age 6 in the Rye Brook/Port Chester area! Bagels, coffee and our kid-favorite playground! RSVP Appreciated -
Sunday ,
JunJune 1 , 2025
Sunday, Jun 1st 11:30a to 12:30p
Come Try Us! KTI’s Kinderjamz Class ECP 4's are invited to join a sample class with KTI's teacher Tara Girouard! Bagel lunch will be served. Sunday, June 1st 11:30am-12:30pm Gantz Building, Purple Room See what fun you can have at KTI's Kinderjamz along with your friends from the ECP! KTI Kinderjamz meets on Select Sundays from 9:30-11:00am from September-May KTI membership is not required to enroll KTI is open and inclusive to all families Tuition: $360 For more information please contact Jane Wermuth, CLC Director, at (914)939-1004 ext. 0, or at kticlc@congkti.org Sign up here! RSVP required
Privacy Settings | Privacy Policy | Member Terms
©2025 All rights reserved. Find out more about ShulCloud