MY JEWISH JOURNEY
09/27/2023 11:00:00 AM
Alan Bergman
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“My Jewish Journey” is an ongoing series in which members of the Bet Torah community describe and share their personal connection to Judaism and how that journey may have evolved over time. The Blog invites all Bet Torah members to submit their Jewish Journeys to: abwritebyme@gmail.com.
Immediately after becoming a Bar Mitzvah in 1968 at the Greenburgh Hebrew Center, the Conservative shul in Dobbs Ferry, I informed my parents,...Read more...
IT’S A BLAST
09/27/2023 11:00:00 AM
Tammi L. B. Ecker
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For me, the aroma of a fresh clump of dill is the precursor to Passover chicken soup. There were my mom’s hamantasch for Purim, and latkes for Chanukah. Rosh Hashanah included sitting aside my grandpa, Ike, as he insisted on saying “Bruchee” instead of Baruch, the flavor burst of the first bite of apple capped with honey, and the harmonious melody of the shofar. Tekiahhhhh - Joy, Hope and Faith in the...Read more...
MY JEWISH JOURNEY
09/20/2023 11:00:00 AM
Beverly Chorowski Dubs
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“My Jewish Journey” is an ongoing series in which members of the Bet Torah community describe and share their personal connection to Judaism and how that journey may have evolved over time. The Blog invites all Bet Torah members to submit their Jewish Journey to: abwritebyme@gmail.com.
My journey with Judaism went on a slightly different trajectory than many on this blog. I was raised in a strictly Orthodox home by parents...Read more...
ELLIOTT SAIONTZ HONORED BY THE NEW YORK STATE BOARD OF REGENTS
09/20/2023 11:00:00 AM
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Bet Torah member Elliott Saiontz was recently honored by the New York State Board of Regents in recognition of his dedication to Holocaust education efforts.
Rabbi Brusso weighed in on the significance of Elliott’s contributions to the community: “For those of us who know Elliot in the Bet Torah community, this award is no surprise. He loves to help out in any way he can and really takes the ethic of service to the larger...Read more...
A Poem For 5784
09/20/2023 11:00:00 AM
Unknown
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This very cute Rosh Hashanah post has been submitted by Corrie Jacobs. The author is unknown.
✈️ L'Chaim Airlines announces boarding for flight 5784.
Your luggage should contain only the best memories of 5783
The bad or sad moments should be deposited in the nearest dustbin
The duration of this flight will be 12 months. So adjust your seatbelt comfortably and the next refueling will be shortly at the scales...Read more...
MY JEWISH JOURNEY
09/13/2023 11:01:00 AM
Neil Klar
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“My Jewish Journey” is an ongoing blog series in which members of the Bet Torah community describe and share their personal connection to Judaism and how that journey may have evolved over time.
I grew up in lower Westchester and lived with my parents and two sisters. We had a Kosher home, but it was okay to eat non-kosher out of the house. My father brought his religious practices and traditions from Brooklyn to...Read more...
INTERVIEW WITH BET TORAH MEMBER AUTHOR GARY MYERS
09/13/2023 11:00:00 AM
Alan Bergman
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Gary Myers recently spent time with The Blog discussing his new book, “Once a Giant: A Story of Victory, Tragedy, and Life After Football” (304 pages), published on September 12th. Gary and his wife, Allison, have been Bet Torah members for nearly 35 years.
Q. What was the origin of “Once a Giant: A Story of Victory, Tragedy, and Life After Football,” and what inspired you to tell this particular story?
A. This is my...Read more...
MY JEWISH JOURNEY
09/06/2023 11:11:00 AM
Yael Friedland
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“My Jewish Journey” is an ongoing blog series in which members of the Bet Torah community describe and share their personal connection to Judaism, and how that journey may have evolved over time.
My Jewish journey is one shaped by cultural connections and a rich family history. It offers a unique perspective on identity, heritage, and the enduring spirit that binds generations together. My story begins with my parents....Read more...
Mazel Tov!
09/06/2023 11:00:00 AM
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MAZEL TOV to Kevin Kalikow for being named by Westchester Magazine as one of Westchester County’s top pediatric providers for child and adolescent psychology.
MAZEL TOV to Cindy and Alan Bergman for becoming grandparents for the first time, appropriately, on Labor Day. The proud parents of Ava Shaina are Zachary Bergman and Sarah Kupferman, who were married last year by Rabbi Brusso.
MAZEL TOV to Gary Myers on the September...Read more...
ABAYUDAYA: THE MUSIC AND CULTURE OF THE JEWS OF UGANDA
09/06/2023 11:00:00 AM
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Date - Wednesday, September 20, 2023
Time - 7:00 PM
Location - Purchase College, Humanities Building - Humanities Theatre
Cost - Free
Register Here
This is a lecture by Rabbi Jeffrey Summit on the music and culture of the Jews of Uganda.
The Abayudaya, a...Read more...
MY INEXPLICABLE JEWISH JOURNEY
08/30/2023 11:00:00 AM
Mike Gordon
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“My Jewish Journey” is an ongoing blog series in which members of the Bet Torah community describe and share their personal connection to Judaism, and how that journey may have evolved over time.
My Jewish Journey is part Alice in Wonderland, part Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, and part Home Alone: Alice in Wonderland because the rabbit hole I fell down exposed me to not only a world of deep Jewish thought and but also the...Read more...
AFTER DOBBS: JEWISH ADVOCACY FOR ABORTION RIGHTS - A FILM SCREENING AND PANEL DISCUSSION
08/30/2023 11:00:00 AM
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Hosted by The Bernard G. Segal Memorial Lecture in Law and Ethics
Monday, September 11, 2023, at 7:00 p.m. ET
In-Person at JTS
3080 Broadway (at 122nd Street)
New York City
Last summer, the US Supreme Court overturned 50 years of constitutional protection for abortion. Since the landmark ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health, many states have banned or severely limited abortion access,...Read more...
My Jewish Journey
08/23/2023 11:00:00 AM
Scott Binger
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“My Jewish Journey” is an ongoing blog series in which members of the Bet Torah community describe and share their personal connection to Judaism, and how that journey may have transitioned over time.
If you were to plot my journey with Judaism it would look like a stock market graph; highs and lows but overall, substantial growth.
Growing up in a traditional Conservative family, I checked all the boxes:...Read more...
BET TORAH’S KYLE GORDON FINDS FAME!
08/23/2023 11:00:00 AM
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Bet Torah’s own Kyle Gordon (aka DJ Crazy Time and other fun characters) hits the world stage with his smash hit, “Planet of the Bass.” Kyle is the son of Bet Torah members Mike and Rebecca Gordon and grandson of members Ken and Janice Gordon.
THE CREATOR OF ‘PLANET OF THE BASS,’ TIK TOK’S HIT OF THE SUMMER HAS MADE A SERIES OF JEWISH CHARACTERS TOO By Julia GergelyReposted from the NY Jewish Week 8/11/23.
Is it...Read more...
CANTOR EZRING PERFORMS AT LOCAL FESTIVAL
08/23/2023 11:00:00 AM
Alan Bergman
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Cantor Gil Ezring, along with several other local cantors, performed at the 47th Annual Westchester Jewish Music and Arts Festival. The event, held on Sunday, August 20th, at the Kensico Dam Plaza, drew young and old from across Westchester County (and no shortage of their...Read more...
MY JEWISH JOURNEY
08/16/2023 11:00:00 AM
Jill Ratner
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An essential part of the Bet Torah mission states that we “meet everyone on their Jewish journey where they are.” And we are all on a path. Often, a “journey” is not a straight line. One can plan and try to anticipate, but in the end, many unforeseen factors play an instrumental role. When I was asked to write about mine, it caused me to stop and think about what were the crucial moments, the decisions, the circumstances that...Read more...
ADL TEAMS UP WITH JEWISH FRAT AEPI ON INITIATIVE TO TACKLE ANTISEMITISM ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES
08/16/2023 11:00:00 AM
Philissa Cramer
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Reposted from The Forward, 8/14/23
For its latest effort to combat antisemitism on college campuses, the Anti-Defamation League is turning to a particular brand of college student: frat boys.
The Jewish civil rights group is partnering with Alpha Epsilon Pi, the historically Jewish fraternity, on an initiative to engage members of AEPi’s 150 local chapters starting this fall, the two groups announced Monday. They...Read more...
MY JEWISH JOURNEY
08/09/2023 11:00:00 AM
Jon Garfunkel
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“My Jewish Journey” will be an ongoing blog series in which members of the Bet Torah community describe and share their personal connection to Judaism, and how that journey may have transitioned over time.
My Jewish journey begins where I grew up, in White Plains. My family was secular and a generation or two removed from observance. My family’s main impact on the NY Jewish world was my mother’s father founding a synagogue in...Read more...
2000 YEAR-OLD COIN FOUND IN JUDEAN DESERT
08/09/2023 11:00:00 AM
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(Reposted and abridged from Heritage Florida Jewish News)
(JNS) - A 2,000-year-old silver half-shekel bearing the Hebrew inscription "Holy Jerusalem" has been discovered in the Judean desert, the Israel Antiquities Authority revealed on Tuesday.
The rare coin, dated to 66/67 C.E., the days of the first Jewish revolt against the Romans, was discovered at the entrance to a cave near Ein Gedi. The find was part of a cave survey...Read more...
BET TORAH FILM CLUB: AN OVERVIEW
08/02/2023 11:00:00 AM
Liz Schonfeld
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For over three years now, a group of Bet Torah congregants have gathered regularly on zoom to discuss Jewish films. Facilitated by Rabbi Lisa Sacks, Bet Torah’s Film Club offers an opportunity to exchange thoughts about interesting Jewish films. These days, to define a movie as Jewish, can mean it is either made by a Jewish...Read more...
A TALE FROM THE BIMA
08/02/2023 11:00:00 AM
Alan Bergman
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This past Saturday, my wife, Cindy, and I attended services at the Jewish Community Center of Long Beach Island, a Conservative shul in Spray Beach, New Jersey. I visit the island several times yearly to reunite with college buddies, and I typically make it a point to attend services at the synagogue.
The rabbi there for the past decade, Michael Jay, has been a family friend of my aunt and late uncle. Arriving at the synagogue early,...Read more...
BET TORAH’S ONLINE HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE
07/26/2023 11:00:00 AM
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For those members who are new to the Bet Torah community, and as a reminder to those who have been members for years, a link on the Bet Torah website will take you to the synagogue’s online Holocaust Remembrance site.
As is written on the introduction, "Help...Read more...
IN NEW YORK CITY, ISRAELI PRESIDENT ISAAC HERZOG ENCOUNTERS PROTESTORS —- AND TOUGH QUESTIONS
07/26/2023 11:00:00 AM
Jackie Hajdenberg
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(Reposted from the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, 7/21/23)
On New York’s Upper East Side, a crowd of a few dozen holding Israeli flags chanted “de-mo-cra-tia,” the Hebrew word for “democracy.” Some held signs playing on the 1982 song by Ehud Manor “I Have No Other Country” that has become a theme song of their movement. One sign read, “President Herzog, don’t sugarcoat our plight.”
The protesters had gathered...Read more...
LOOKING BACK … AN IMPORTANT PIECE OF BET TORAH HISTORY
07/19/2023 11:00:00 AM
Alan Bergman
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A substantial expansion of the Bet Torah physical footprint kicked off with a groundbreaking ceremony in the Autumn of 1989, nearly 35 years ago. A number of local politicians were in attendance at the event, as well, of course, as Rabbi Fine and many Bet Torah members.
The expansion included a new entry area, the two-story school wing, the part of the first floor which became the expansion area for High Holiday services, and the...Read more...
‘NEW YORK TIMES’: ORTHODOX JEWS NOT ‘ARCHETYPICAL’
07/19/2023 11:00:00 AM
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(Reposted from the Jewish News Syndicate, 7/11/23,)
If there is a quintessential New York Times reporter, that writer might complain that Orthodox New York Jews have too much influence and are not the “archetypical Jewish New Yorker.”
That’s just what Dana Rubinstein did in a July 6 article about New York City’s first Jewish Advisory Council, which Mayor Eric Adams appointed.
“If there is an archetypical Jewish...Read more...
SAVE-THE-DATE - 47TH ANNUAL WESTCHESTER JEWISH MUSIC & ARTS FESTIVAL
07/12/2023 11:00:00 AM
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This annual event presents a wonderful opportunity to listen to Jewish music, participate in Israeli dances, meet vendors with Jewish-themed products, and hobnob with our fellow Members of the Tribe.
Sunday, August 20, 2023
Kensico Dam Plaza in Valhalla
Noon - 6:00 PM
This festival is presented by the Westchester Jewish Council in cooperation with Westchester County Parks. There will be an...Read more...
EXTRA! EXTRA! EXCITING DELI NEWS!
07/12/2023 11:00:00 AM
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There’s exciting news for all the pastrami, stuffed cabbage, and knish lovers out there. Iconic Riverdale Kosher deli, Leibman’s, will be expanding into Westchester County. The new location in Ardsley’s Addyman Square, just off Saw Mill River Road (route 9A), is scheduled to open this fall.
Leibman’s has been dubbed the “Katz’s of Riverdale” by New York Magazine. A long-time institution in Riverdale, it has been...Read more...
SUMMER SCHMOOZING AT THE SHUL
07/05/2023 11:00:00 AM
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The Bet Torah Membership Committee is sponsoring four summer evening get-togethers to relax with and get to know your fellow adult members. The four evenings are targeted for four different groups of members. If you do not identify with one of these groups, please select whichever date or...Read more...
BET TORAH MEMBERS PARTICIPATE IN MACCABI GAMES
07/05/2023 11:00:00 AM
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May G-d bless you and protect you.
May G-d’s face shine upon you and grant you kindness.
May God’s face be lifted toward you and grant you peace.
This was the priestly blessing bestowed by Rabbi Sacks at a Kabbalat Shabbat service upon two Bet Torah members, Jack Metzger, and Gabe Goldman, before leaving for their participation in the 2023 JCC Maccabi Games.
The games commence on July 5th and will be held in...Read more...
THOUSANDS OF KOSHER FOOD LOVERS TURN OUT FOR THE FIRST-EVER KOSHERPALOOZA FESTIVAL AT THE MEADOWLANDS
07/05/2023 11:00:00 AM
Jackie Hajdenberg
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(Reposted and abridged from NY Jewish Week, 6/29/23)
At the first-ever “Kosherpalooza” — a kosher food festival geared toward consumers — savvy attendees knew best to strategize: First, sample everything on the “dairy” side of the convention center (lattes, ice cream, cheeses, pasta, fresh goat and sheep’s milk), and then cross over to the “meat” side, where steak tartare, charcuterie, deli meats, chicken soups...Read more...
Sat, September 30 2023
15 Tishrei 5784