On a very personal note...

To FHC members and friends:

I have tried to limit blog entries to FHC and Jewish related material. However, since I am only human, I wanted to share with my FHC extended family the recent medical condition of my son Noah (see, a Jewish reference).

We were recently advised by Noah's Neurologist and Neurosurgeon that he will require brain surgery to G-d willing, remove tumor(s)? pressing on his third ventricle and possibly elsewhere. We are not fully aware, or my wife is not telling me, all the unpleasant details, but he is expected to have the surgery very soon. Today, Noah is seeing an eye doctor to get a baseline for his sight, pre-surgery; tomorrow we are seeing the Neurosurgeon.

For this reason, I will be taking a short hiatus (some of you may actually be happy) from blogging. I will not however, nor will our family be "avoiding" or "quitting" anything. We consider FHC to be part of our family and we are not quitters.

So, instead of submitting a resignation letter for some reason (I heard of one recently that sounded petty), or even taking a leave of absence, we herein submit a re-dedication letter to FHC to continue and to reaffirm our committment to Judaism and to FHC.

Shalom for a while...

Jeremy

FIRST HEBREW CONGREGATION OF NORTHERN WESTCHESTER???

Sometimes, a name change can make a new impression. Sometimes a new facade can (excuse the pun), "re-jewvenate". Remember Datsun became Nissan. Esso became Exxon. Peekskill Hospital became Hudson Valley Hospital Center.

The signage is stale. The name is dated. Without losing our link to the historic past, we can re-name our congregation with new signage and, hopefully a new logo. The new name can be part of a renovation project and re-dedication of the building in 2007.

There is no logical reason we must keep the name Peekskill as part of out title. In fact, the majority of our congregants do not reside in Peekskill. The concept of Northern Westchester is that the name should represent our demographics and the geography of the congregants, be more inclusive and not just where the building happens to be situated.

Shalom. Jeremy

Rabbi Radler remembered, with photo

Rabbi Radler (third from the right)

Earlier this year I tried, but was unsuccessful, in providing copies of photos of the late Rabbi Radler. However, I am able to provide this photo of Rabbi Radler in a 2004 parade. This photo is from his Hillcrest congregation.

Again, this blogger tries to fulfill what it promises. You will also note that I am now able to integrate pictures with text, another innovation I have learned.

Shalom. Jeremy

Hyperlink to First Hebrew Congregation Website

I AM PLEASED TO PROVIDE ALL READERS OF THIS BLOG WITH A HYPERLINK TO THE FIRST HEBREW WEBSITE.
HERE IT IS.

http://firsthebrew.org

A visit to a neighbor-shul...

This past weekend, my wife and I had the opportunity to visit, for the first time inside, an old shul off of Lake Peekskill in Putnam Valley. We were attending a free movie showing of Devil's Arithmetic. It was a fine movie and even though the lights went out during the movie due to the thunderstorm, the presentation was very nice and we also visited with several FHC members who were there to attend the movie.

Afterward, a friend of mine, who was running the movie, gave me a brief tour of the building and I was most saddened to see a repeatedly flooded basement which used to be their library and class-room(s). The entire back half of the basement of the building was unusable due to water on the floor. What was even more disheartening was the mildew and odor that permeated not only the basement but also other parts of the building. Most likely the shul also had mold since my friend advised that the rain infiltration occurred during regular heavy rains.

Nevertheless, there seemed to be a wonderful sense (possibly illogical) of optimism amongst the people who were there. This was their shul and they were having programs and planning events and conducting the business of a shul. The physical plant was clearly a problem, but, it did not discourage the congregants/visitors who were attending the movie.

FHC, on the other hand has a predominantly dry (with some exceptions that should be fixed), building and the physical plant, and while in need of updating and improvements, is a place where we engage in a longstanding act of Judaism... kvetching. (I know that members of the shul we visited must kvetch as well.)

But, I believe that kvetching and pessimism is a self-fufilling activity. If you see the glass half empty, you will be thirsty. Instead if you see the glass has water in it, maybe you will quench your thirst long enough to find a way to get more water, to make the glass full.

I believe FHC has a glass that has water in it. Once and for all I ask the leaders and the membership to think optimistically and take stock of the absolutely wonderful things we have in our glass. Everything from no debt, two shuls and a home, rental income from the Chase bank property (which is also owned by FHC), the cemetary, substantial monetary investments, our dedicated Rabbi and staff of FHC including the office, the principal and the teaching staff.

I believe that we must have a sense of vision and a sense of foward thinking. If we only see the glass as half empty, then we will never be able to envision the glass full. That goes for membership, building improvements, programming, fundraising and the like.

If our membership is going down, let us advertise and publicize.

If the building has deficiencies, let us fix them, and not just talk about them.

If our programming is lacking, let us improve it and get more people involved with what we plan to do.

We have the assets right here and now to make FHC a place where Jews (not just conservative and orthodox raised families) will want to raise their children and come to pray.

We need leadership and a membership with Forward positive thinking. Leave your half empty glass somewhere else.

Shalom. Jeremy

August 21, 2005: Movie night postponed: date to be posted TWO OTHER GREAT JEWISH RELATED EVENTS THAT DAY

At the request/suggestion of our terrific Audio-visual expert, who has set up and shown the last four movies of the FHC summer movie series, the last movie of the series, Brighton Beach Memoirs scheduled for August 21, 2005 will not be shown that night and will be postponed to a date to be announced.

Our audio-visual expert has advised that there are two great events on August 21, 2005 that we should try and attend.

Jewish heritage day at Shea Stadium,
sponsored by the Hudson Valley Regional Men's Club.

Yiddish festival at Kensico Dam, which we believe is co-sponsored by FHC

As such, enjoy a great day of events and the 8-21-05 movie at FHC will be shown on another day.

Thank-you and Shalom. Jeremy

Our House (of Worship), is a very fine House (of Worship), but...

CSNY said... "Our house, is a very very fine house...." (My wife will be thrilled I am quoting her favorite group.)

FHC (uptown), is a fine house of worship. It has served us well for close to fifty years. And hopefully, in the near future, we will spend some money to upgrade both the interior and the exterior of "our house". In the meantime, however, some small things should be done to keep the exterior of "our house" looking neat and tidy.

Below are some pictures of the exterior of FHC taken on 8-10-05. I do not believe that any of my suggestions will break the bank. They should be done now, prior to the high holidays to spruce up "our house". Although I am not a skilled laborer, I am willing to help a skilled laborer. I also believe we can easily obtain skilled and unskilled laborers quickly to address these issues.

Shalom. Jeremy

Would someone please tell me what this is?

While the lights work, maybe new domes may enlighten us.

This signage and Star of David heralds back to the time of Korvettes.

The FHC information station needs to be retired and a new one installed.

This looks like a project for simple roofing and paint.

A little paint would go a long way on this trim

This would be the perfect place for a mural.

The waste disposal site

Where do Conservative Jews stand on political issues?

Recently, some Christian sects have decided to become actively political. The Christian Fundamentalists has advanced political agendas, candidates, Supreme Court and other Court appointees. Other Christian sects, on the other end of the spectrum, so to speak, are now proposing a boycott of certain Israeli industries to place pressure on Israel in connection with the Palestinian issue.

While the Constitution suggests that our form of government should advance the separation of Church and State, (Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof), there is nothing that I am aware of, with the possible exception of certain tax exempt status laws, which prohibit a religion from espousing a political agenda.

Now, to get two Jews, let alone the Conservative movement to agree on a political agenda is difficult. But, I suggest that it is not impossible to find common ground on certain issues.

Conservative Judaism should, in my opinion:

Be supportive of policies and candidates that support the security and independence of Israel and a unified Jerusalem under Israeli rule.

Foster the marriage of a man and a woman and the retention of Jewish couples in the Conservative movement.

Make it easier and more affordable for Jewish families to join Conservative congregations and, coupled with that, if the parents so desire, have multiple children.

Take a firm position opposing Anti-Semitism throughout the world and if necessary the use of political force such as boycott and/or support of sanctions against such country until it affirmatively fights Anti-Semitism.

Take the position that it can grow the Conservative movement by seeking non-Conservative Jews and non-Jews to join the Conservative Jewish movement and embracing such individuals. No sect of Judaism, to my knowledge has focused on this issue and it would be a tremendous opportunity for the movement.

Food for thought.

Shalom. Jeremy

Bat Mitzvah Planning 101

We are now in the throes of the preparation of our second daughter's Bat Mitzvah. Where is the joy?

I wish that we could turn back the clock to a simpler time when Bar and Bat Mitzvahs were truly a religious rite of passage as opposed to a big celebration. I realize that, like Chanukah and other major religious holidays, the event has taken on a truly commercial value to our economy.

Caterers, musicians, DJ's, invitations, video, photographers, centerpieces, and on and on it goes. A good Bat Mitzvah is good for the GNP. But is it good for the soul? (Does this sound like Linus from a "Charlie Brown Christmas"?)

Did we somehow lose the meaning of the Bat Mitzvah when we felt it necessary to place a party after the religious service. Would not a simple Oneg Shabbat be a sufficient celebration?

We have been invited to Bat Mitzvahs where the family dog received an honor at a candle-lighting ceremony. We have seen the ice sculptures with Vodka flowing down as if it were a mountain river. We have seen the large bands and the numerous dancers employed solely to get the party "rocking". Maybe we should have "paid" guests who will guarantee a good time to the "volunteer" guests. My wife and I describe these events as similar to a bad James Bond movie where the host/hostess simply do not know when to stop the special effects.

I know that the host/hostess want a)everyone to have a great time, and b) the event to be favorably compared with other Bar/Bat mitzvahs attended. But does one need to have crab-races during the cocktail party to have a great time? Does one have to have huge styrofoam "artwork" as centerpieces that will be thrown out shortly thereafter? Does one have to have more food, better food, more drinks, more dancers, more lights, louder DJ's than the prior Bar/Bat Mitzvah attended to make the event a success?

I even know of a person who mortgaged his home in order to make the celebration huge.

Our approach, in light of the desires of the parties involved, is to try and find a happy medium where the celebration is not over the top and where the guests can have a great time. Even though one young lady would love for me to take out a home equity loan to satisfy all her dreams, "that will not be happening".
And the planning continues.....