Rabbi’s Message – 2/1/12
“Galoshes”
“Money can’t buy friends. But you can afford a better class of enemy.” –Lord Mancroft
Mud is a poorly regarded but an effective ingredient in electoral campaigns, otherwise it wouldn’t be slung so ubiquitously. So as long as spectators in the political arena are adrenalized by the sight of this type of blood letting, money will be channeled toward slinging it. The more the money, the stronger the sling and the wetter the clump.
A concerned voter will want to know the font from which the money flows no less than a concerned consumer will want to know the origin of the item he/she picks from the shelf.
As to the latter, the globalization of production makes such knowledge nearly impossible to obtain. There are subsidiaries, holding companies, and investment factors at home and offshore that are so amalgamated or interconnected that supremely compensated CEOs can believably claim that they are clueless as to the whereabouts of millions of dollars entrusted to them by shareholders. For example, at one time or another, the following have been associated: Kraft, Duracell, Tupperware, West Bend, Kitchen Aide, Cadbury (UK), Ralcorp Holdings, Nabisco, Cadbury, Berkshire Hathaway, Philip Morris, Groupe Danone (FR), Royal Bank of Scotland, General Foods, Jacobs Suchard (EU), and Nestlé. Of course, associated with some of these names are hundreds of other brands.
The concerned voter is also daunted. Among electoral mud slingers, political action committees rank right at the top. We know that their sole purpose is to sway voters, to influence the “brand” we pick from the ballot. Albeit, our courts have ruled that the right to funnel money into PACs is equivalent to the right to free speech. More detrimentally to the concerned voter, they have supported the proposition that the right of the contributor to conceal his/her identity is equivalent to his/her right to privacy.
Jewishly speaking, these premises are topsy meshuganeh. Speech is a unique sacrament of humankind, and truth is the “seal of the divine.” However, there is a huge difference between speech and character assassination, between truth and denigration. Moreover, on the spectrum of revulsion, surely scatological references are far less deserving of being bleeped than innuendos of smear. And, as far as anonymity and money go, we only associate the two favorably when it comes to fulfilling the mitzvah of charitableness in order to avoid causing embarrassment.
So just because up until now we have enjoyed a relatively mild winter, don’t put your galoshes away. We’ll need them right through Spring, Summer, and Fall.
________
Rabbi Scott B. Saulson, PhD, Interim Rabbi
Cantor’s Message – 2/1/12
ALWAYS A NEW SONG
On February 3 this year, we will read the Torah portion Beshallach. This portion contains, among other things, the Song of the Sea – recounting the Israelites’ escape from the Egyptian armies at the Sea of Reeds. The Haftarah for the week includes the Song of Deborah (Judges 5:1-31). Because of this, it has become known as Shabbat Shira, the Sabbath of Song. This year, at Rabbi Saulson’s instigation, we will add new voices to this song, because services that evening will feature a poetry slam, presented by Temple members. We hope to include a wide variety of poems and presentation styles. And we hope to include your voice. Yes, yours. Do you have a poem that speaks to you that you’d like to share? One that you’ve written? Just want to get your hip-hop groove on? Performance space is still available, please contact me—CantorKim@gmail.com. For a very detailed description of various styles of poetry you might choose to present, please see the current e-news.
Spoken word not really your thing? Not to worry, there are still more “new song” opportunities at Temple Sinai in February. On Friday, February 10 we will again be celebrating Shabbat with our Friday Night Live band. Dancing in the aisles permitted and encouraged. This is an early service, 7:00pm, so bring the whole family!
Friday February 17 is the next installment of our Shabbat Composers’ Series. This time the Evelyn Zarrow choir will assist me in presenting compositions by Aminadav Aloni. You can learn more about the composer and the music that will be part of the service at a workshop on Wednesday, Feb 15. Or just come on that Friday night and enjoy!
And if that isn’t enough excitement for you? Well, I suppose I should remind you that Purim is also coming up soon. Our annual shpiel will take place this year on March 7. Trust me, you don’t want to miss it.
Cantor Kim
Religious School Director’s Message – 2/1/12
I am writing this on the first snow day of the year. We have had an incredibly wonderful winter so far! The month of February is full of activity. Be sure to watch your e-mail for further details on the following:
On February 3, the Sinai High students will lead services and participate in the poetry slam, preceded by the community pot-luck dinner!
The fourth and fifth graders and their parents will be participating in a family education program on Jewish Ritual Objects on Saturday morning, February 4 from 9:00 – noon.
On Wednesday, February 8 the students in the Religious School will be joining the students of Temple Emanuel, Congregation Beth Israel, and Beth Tikvah Synagogue at Temple Emanuel for a Tu B’Shevat Seder. Parents are welcome to join us, but you must RSVP so we have enough food and supplies.
Be sure to join us on Friday, February 10 for a special Religious School Family Shabbat! Meet your friends for a pot luck dinner prior to the Friday Night Live service, and socialize with them at the Oneg Shabbat following! Please RSVP to Renee Malowitz at rmalowitz@gmail.com or 978-928-5651 to let her that you will be coming to the dinner!
Our Passover fundraiser is underway. Here is your chance to have personalized Haggadot for your family. “The Promise Haggadah” is a family-friendly Haggadah. Order forms have been sent home, but you can also access them on the Temple website.
Save the date – March 7 for our Purim Shpiel – led by the 5th graders and our carnival – run by our Sinai High families!
Thank you to all of our parents for monitoring the traffic and helping out on Saturdays, and Joan-Beth Gow for coordinating the 6th grade luncheon.
Reminder, there is no Religious School February 18, 22 & 25. Have a safe vacation!
Wendy Davis Wong
