August
2007 Newsletter
This newsletter is intended to provide
information to the Denver/Boulder area Secular Humanistic Judaism community.
FROM THE EDITOR – Sheila
Malcolm
We dedicate this issue to Rabbi Sherwin
T. Wine, founder of Secular Humanistic Judaism and the Society for Humanistic
Judaism, based in Farmington Hills, MI. Rabbi Wine’s sudden death has left us
saddened and concerned about our special branch of Judaism. After attending his
memorial service in Michigan and experiencing the commitment and quality of our
movement’s rabbis and leaders, I am confident that we are in competent and
visionary hands. Our Beth Ami Memorial Service was held at DU Hillel on Sat.,
Aug. 11.
In Memoriam
Rabbi Sherwin T.
Wine
January 25, 1928 - July
21, 2007
NEWS
COVERAGE
Full text of the Associated Press article, which was syndicated throughout the
world. (Used with permission of The Associate Press Copyright © 2007. All
rights reserved.)
Rabbi Sherwin Wine, who spent his life forsaking
convention as the leader of a sect of Judaism that saw the religion as a culture
instead of a faith, died July 21. He was 79.
Rabbi Wine, who founded the first congregation of
Humanistic Judaism in suburban Detroit in 1963, was killed in an automobile
accident in Essaouira, Morocco, according to the Web site of the Society for
Humanistic Judaism. He and his partner, Richard McMains, were on vacation when
another vehicle hit their taxi. The cabdriver also was killed; McMains remained
hospitalized in stable condition, the Web site said.
Rabbi Wine, who lived in Birmingham, Mich., founded the Birmingham Temple in
1963 and helped establish the Society for Humanistic Judaism in 1969. He retired
in 2003. The movement gained attention in a 1965 Time magazine article, but was
denounced at the time by Jewish leaders as a fleeting craze of the 1960s. Rabbi
Wine went on to help found several related organizations, including a rabbinical
seminary for which he served as provost and dean in North America, the society
said.
He built a movement that began with eight Detroit-area families and grew to an
estimated 40,000 members worldwide. The American Humanist Association selected
Rabbi Wine humanist of the year for 2003. “Rabbi Wine was a visionary who
created a Jewish home for so many of us who would have been lost to Judaism,”
Rabbi Miriam S. Jerris, president of the Association of Humanistic Rabbis, said
in a statement. “He taught us that human dignity is the highest moral value. We
will live our lives reflecting that value to honor his memory.”
Rabbi Wine was born Jan. 25, 1928, in Detroit and raised by conservative Jewish
parents. He earned bachelor's and master's degrees in philosophy from the
University of Michigan. He decided to become a rabbi in the Reform sect of
Judaism and spent five years at Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati. In 1998,
Humanistic leaders were invited to participate in the United Jewish Community, a
move that Rabbi Wine's followers believe validated their movement as Judaism's
fifth sect, joining Reconstructionist, Reform, Conservative and Orthodox.
Rabbi Wine is the author of books including “Humanistic Judaism,” “Judaism
Beyond God” and “Staying Sane in a Crazy World.” He was writing a book this
summer about living a meaningful, moral life without depending on faith for
guidance, according to the Detroit Free Press.
Rabbi
Shook Faith With Courage, July 24, 2007
By the Rev. Harry T. Cook, a former writer and
columnist for the Detroit Free Press. He worked for years with Rabbi Sherwin
Wine as a lecturer in the Center for New Thinking.
The first time I saw the late Rabbi Sherwin T.
Wine, he was 31 and I was 20. He was just back from a stint as a U.S. Army
chaplain in Korea trying hard not to outshine the then senior rabbi at Temple
Beth El in Detroit. I was a sophomore at Albion College bent on philosophical
rebellion. In an ecumenical mood, the college had invited Wine to be a speaker
for the weekly chapel service, thinking, perhaps, that it would be nice for the
students to hear from a young Reform Jewish rabbi. The campus got quite a jolt
that day.
The minute Wine stepped to the rostrum and fixed
a normally unruly crowd of students with his level gaze, something happened. It
must have been that way of his that made you believe that, in a crowd, he was
looking directly at you alone. Or maybe the Klaxon-like baritone quality of his
voice as he spoke in short declarative sentences. Or maybe his quickly stated
thesis to the effect that nothing - most especially religious "truths" - could
be taken seriously, absent the observations of human experience. Now there was
something new.
Newspapers were folded up, textbooks were put
away, and whispering ceased as all eyes and ears were trained on Wine. And that
is the effect he had on thousands of audiences over the past almost
half-century. Within four years after that momentous occasion in the Albion
College chapel, Wine went on to become the principal founder, not only of the
Birmingham Temple but, worldwide, of secular humanist Judaism. So
internationally known is he that recently he was invited to be on a panel at
Harvard University with Salman Rushdie -- an experience Wine told me was the
highlight of his career.
People over 50 will remember the controversy
spawned by Wine's declaration of himself as an atheist. "An atheist rabbi?
Impossible," read one newspaper headline in 1965. Wine be-came the bete noire of
conventional Judaism, and, indeed, of conventional religion in the mid-1960s, as
his brand of humanist Judaism took hold and tradition gave way to innovation.
Sherwin Wine was not only a hardworking and enormously successful temple rabbi.
He became a public intellectual as his reputation as a platform speaker and
lecturer spread abroad. At the time of his death, he had regular lecture series
in Plymouth, Mt. Clemens, Bloomfield Hills and Birmingham, not counting
individual invitations that poured in.
Wine's life and accomplishments will be rehearsed
over and over in the course of the next few days and weeks, as the many
communities that claimed him as a leader and mentor mourn his passing and
celebrate his extraordinary life. Some-one may note that there are not many
persons of whom it can be said that, at 79, they were at the top of their game.
The international Jewish community knew Wine and valued his signal contribution
to the evolution of that ancient religious experience. The Detroit community
knew him and valued him for his polymathy. He must have read, someone once said
of him, in his sleep. Now he has passed very suddenly and un-expectedly from the
scene. His footprint will not be effaced any time soon. His was a life of
courage. He was his own person and appeared never to be dependent on anyone or
anything. Yet words he once wrote really tell the story: "Where is my hope? My
hope is in me; my hope is in me, and in you and in you."
Rabbi Wine’s family has suggested that
contributions be sent to:
Rabbi Sherwin T. Wine Memorial Fund,
c/o The Birmingham Temple,
28611 West Twelve Mile Road, Farmington
Hills, MI 48334
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE – Jon Budoff
While
we are all still trying to deal with the shock and sadness of Rabbi Wine’s
sudden death, I think it’s important to focus on the legacy that he left us.
Humanistic Judaism was his gift to all of us, and even with his death, he has
continued to move it forward. It appears that the extensive media coverage of
Rabbi Wine’s death has generated a surge of interest in Humanistic Judaism. For
our congregation, I have been contacted by over a dozen people since Rabbi
Wine’s death expressing interest in Beth Ami. Many of these people’s stories
have been the same – they had never even heard of Humanistic Judaism before
reading about Rabbi Wine’s death, and after they started investigating it found
that it sounded very appealing to them.
With this surge of interest, I think it’s
worth asking the question of how Beth Ami is positioned to serve the needs of
these new people, and for all of our congregation. So in the spirit of the
State of the Union address, I am going to do a “State of Beth Ami” address. So
here it goes ...
The state of our congregation is strong. For
perhaps the first time ever, we have a program plan for the entire “year”, from
August 2007 – July 2008, already laid out and published on the website. This
plan is ambitious, and hopefully has something for everyone. In addition to our
regular celebrations and observances of major holidays, the schedule includes
Havdalah services, the continuation of the Adult Education program started last
year, and the introduction of several new types of events, which include Shabbat
dinner club nights, Shabbat family hikes, and a series of movie nights.
Our Jewish Cultural School is entering its
fourth year, and under the direction of Lenore Kingston, it is thriving. We
will have three levels this year, and all of our teachers this year are parents
or grandparents of children in the school. Joining Lenore and Marti Hirsch this
year, we welcome Christie Gosch as a new teacher for the younger kids. You
should all expect to see the kids being involved in many more activities with
the congregation. And finally, we are expecting our first B’nai Mitzvah
candidates this year, which is truly exciting.
Michelle Davis and Sheila Malcolm are
progressing in their Madrika training, and are already bringing back valuable
information and new ideas into the congregation. They have both already begun
to take a more active role in the leadership of the congregation, and have shown
nothing but enthusiasm and excitement for the Madrika training. There is no
doubt in my mind that they will be a huge asset to our congregation and will
play a large part in continuing to move Beth Ami forward.
We have established a very nice relationship
with DU Hillel, and plan to use their facility for many of our events and
services this year. For those of you who have not had the opportunity to attend
an event there, it is an impressive and beautiful facility. We are both
grateful to DU Hillel for allowing us to use their wonderful facility, and
excited to be establishing a relationship with such a great organization.
As always, I encourage all of you to become
actively involved to the extent that you can. It doesn't have to be a big
commitment, and every little bit helps. If you have ideas on programs
you'd like to see, let us know. Or better yet, volunteer to put on a
program on a topic that you'd like to share with the congregation. The
possibilities are endless.
I conclude by saying thank you to all of you
who contribute your time, efforts, and talents to make Beth Ami what it is.
Without you, we would have nothing. I am honored and excited to be associated
with such a great group of people, and I look forward to a great year.
Regards, Jon
P.S. By now, all
members from last year should have received their membership renewals in the
mail. Please send in your renewal and dues as soon as possible if you have
not done so already. We'd like to finish the renewal activity by the end
of August, so we can focus our full energies on the upcoming High Holiday events
and all of the other upcoming events. Thanks!
BETH AMI JEWISH CULTURAL SCHOOL – Lenore
Kingston
Save the date of Sunday, Aug. 26, for
the Jewish Cultural School Open House and first day of classes! Our fine team of
educators – Lenore Kingston, Marti Hirsch and Christy Gosch, with support from
Gerrie Karasik – are planning an exciting, stimulating year for students in
kindergarten through eighth grade.
Our theme is “Mitzvot, Tzedakah and
Tikkun Olam Through Jewish-American History.” To enable students to fully
experience concepts of “Good Deeds, Charity and Saving the World,” teachers will
incorporate hands-on, authentic activities. On Sept. 9, with the support of
Jewish Family Services, students will bake challah, make New Year cards and
deliver their gifts to seniors in local assisted living facilities. Music, art,
literature, drama and field trips will also support this year’s theme. The
JCS is
an integral part of celebrating the congregation’s holidays and moving students
toward a bar/bat mitzvah program. Contact Lenore at
golden.paws@hotmail.com or 303-828-2704
Support our Jewish Cultural School by
purchasing King Sooper’s scrip from Gerri Karasik at any event! Coupons are in
$25 denominations and are also honored at Safeway and other local stores.
Remember the Amazon.com link on our Beth Ami homepage! You can shop for items
from Amazon.com, Target, ToysRUs, BabiesRUs and Office Depot through the
Amazon.com link on your own Beth Ami homepage www.bethami.com. Beth Ami
will receive a percentage of all purchases, which will go towards supporting our
Jewish Cultural School.
SCHEDULE OF UPCOMING EVENTS
For Jewish events in Boulder, link to
www.boulderjcc.org.
For
Jewish events in Denver, link to
www.jccdenver.org.
August
11th (Sat) 10am,
Memorial Service
for Rabbi Wine.
12th (Sat) 10am-12pm, Exec Committee meeting at
Griss'
19th (Sun) 2pm, Music Fundraiser at Levene’s
26th (Sun) 10am-12pm, Jewish Cultural School (JCS)
Open House, Westminster Rec
September
9th
(Sun) 10am-12pm, Jewish Cultural School, Westminster
13th (Thu) 11:30 am, Rosh Hashanah Family Service. See invitation below.
16th (Sun) 10am-12pm, Exec Committee meeting at Kingston's
21st (Fri) 730pm Kol Nidre Service at Elaine's. See invitation below.
22nd (Sat) 4pm, Yom Kippur Service. See invitation below.
30th (Sun) 10am-12pm, Jewish Cultural School Sukkot at Budoff's
October
6th (Sat) Movie night at DU Hillel,
“Paper Clips.” Details TBD
7th (Sun) 10am-12pm, Jewish Cultural
School Simchat Torah, Westminster Rec
1030am-12pm, Adult Ed, Westminster Rec
12pm-1pm, Community Event, Westminster Rec
19th (Fri) 7pm, Shabbat Dinner Club.
Details TBD.
21st (Sun) 10am-12p, Jewish Cultural
School, Westminster Rec
November
10th (Sat) Movie night at DU Hillel.
Details
TBD.
11th (Sun) 10am-12pm, Jewish Cultural
School, Westminster Rec
1030am-12p, Adult Ed, Westminster Rec
December
2nd (Sun) 10am-12pm, Jewish Cultural
School, Westminster
1030am-12pm, Adult Ed, Westminster Rec
12pm-1pm, Community Chanukah Party
8th (Sat) Movie night at DU Hillel. Details
TBD.
15th (Sat) Havdalah service w/ Rabbi Richard
Newman, DU Hillel
16th (Sun) 10am-12pm, Jewish Cultural School,
Westminster Rec
High
Holidays Invitation
Rosh Hashanah Family Service & Potluck
Lunch
Thursday, September 13, 11:30
a.m.
Jefferson Unitarian Church
Kol Nidre
Service
Friday, September 21, 7:30 p.m.
Private home in Denver – free event
Yom Kippur Service & Break-the-Fast
Potluck
Saturday, September 22, 4
p.m.
Lakewood Clubhouse
Cost for both Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur
Services: Adult members $15, non-members $40, college students $5, under 18
free.
Services include humanistic liturgy, music, a
warm welcome and childcare (for Yom Kippur service only).
Two convenient ways to RSVP for any of the above events:
Call 720-748-1533! Email
info@bethami.com!
You’ll receive a quick reply with directions and potluck information.
Please
respond early as our capacity is limited on 9/21 and 9/22.
RECENT EVENTS
Boulder Jewish
Festival, June 10, 2007
Beth Ami Jewish Cultural
School shared a booth with the Sisterhood of Congregation Bonai Shalom,
Conservative Congregation in Boulder. Terry Fleisher, Maida Deborah, Lenore
Kingston and Marti Hirsh sold mandlebrot and answered questions about our
congregation.
The weather was hot and
sunny, the music was great, and the crowd enjoyed our mandlebrot, made strictly
kosher, so several Orthodox rabbis also visited our booth. Earlier that week,
Chabbad House of Westminster offered their kosher kitchen. Gerrie Karasik,
Marti and Lenore baked 400 pieces of bread. Many thanks to both
Congregation Bonai Shalom and Chabbad House for making it possible for us to
participate in this event.
Beth Ami Mandlebrot was a
big hit. If you would like the recipe, please email Lenore at
golden.paws@hotmail.com.
Beth Ami will be at the Boulder Jewish Festival next year. Hope to see you
there.
This newsletter is published at
least four times/year with the goal of communicating events and information to
inform our members and those interested in celebrating "Jewish culture and
identity consistent with a humanistic philosophy of life." Kindly send
submissions by email to
sheilamalcolm@comcast.net.
Beth Ami