NHC Jan 2021 Bulletin

NANUET HEBREW CENTER AFFILIATED WITH THE UNITED SYNAGOGUE OF CONSERVATIVE JUDAISM 411 S. LITTLE TOR ROAD, NEW CITY, NY 10956 (845) 708-9181 Visit us at: http://www.nanuethc.org E-mail address: [email protected] January 2021 Tevet — Shevat 5781 Volume 50, Number 5 Five fruitful facts to sweeten Tu Bishvat, the New Year for Trees By Yaakov Schwartz, 21 January 2019, www.timesofisrael.com Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion, his wife Paula, and the IDF Chief of Staff, Ya’akov Dori, arrive at the Tu Bishvat 1949 tree-planting ceremony at Sha’ar Hagai (more on p 26) (Courtesy GPO) Like so much in contemporary Judaism, the holiday of Tu Bishvat has its roots in customs both new and old. Known as the new year for trees, Tu Bishvat – or the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Shvat – was originally established as a cutoff for calculating tithes. The Bible in Leviticus says that the fruit of newly-planted trees should remain untouched for the first three years, donated to God in the fourth, and enjoyed by its farmers from the fifth year onward. But more recently, the holiday has taken on additional meanings, from the secular and nationalistic, to the mystical. (Continued , p 24) January Calendar Inside, p. 38

Nanuet Hebrew Center Please let the NHC office know of all important life events & occasions, including births, Published monthly by the Nanuet Hebrew Center weddings, etc., illness and deaths. CLERGY Rabbi Office: 845-708-9181 [email protected] Paul Kurland Cantor SERVICES 845-623-0407 [email protected] Barry Kanarek SHABBAT Friday evening Shabbat services at 6:00 p.m. [email protected] The 1st Friday of each month is Family Shabbat Gail Kaiser EXECUTIVE BOARD Co-President Saturday morning services at 10:00 a.m. Jeffrey Schragenheim Co-President Please call the office the Wednesday before Shabbat if you would like an aliyah on Saturday David Katz Vice President Andrew Toplitsky Vice President Nathan Schlanger Treasurer Jeffrey Tepper Financial Sec'y MINYAN Sunday thru Thursday evening at 7:30 p.m. Charyl Zweigbaum Corresponding Sec’y Jay Jaffe ARMS Recording Sec’y Wendy Spelman Ritual Comm. Chairperson Please try to attend minyan as often as possible to enable mourners and those who are observing John Fogelman Ritual Co-Chair Emeritus yahrzeits to say Kaddish. Mitchell Spiegel Men’s Club Co-President Eric Zweigbaum Men’s Club Co-President Donna Smith Sisterhood President Other Departments/Contacts Rebecca Bernstein Educational Director [email protected] Cynthia Schneider, Peggy Tepper Catering Candle lighting times (New City area) Dates Starts Ends [email protected] Estelle Eisenkraft Tree of Life/Stones Frieda Levitas Chair, Comm. of Education Esther Spiegel HAZAK January 1-2 4:21 5:25 January 8-9 4:27 5:31 Flora Silver Chesed Committee Co-Chair January 15-16 4:35 5:38 January 22-23 4:43 5:46 Marion Fuld Chesed Committee Co-Chair January 29-30 4:52 5:54 Gift Shop [email protected] Judy Friedlander [email protected] NOTE FROM THE EDITOR—All articles, photos, OFFICE Hours: ads or other info contributed for publication in the Bulletin must be received by the 15th of the month, Closed during the current crisis. We may be to be published the following month, subject to space reached by email or you may leave a message availability and editor's approval. Contributed on the machine. material may be edited as necessary. Please email your attached word documents, PDF files, or JPG photos as attachments to an email with the Subject line: BULLETIN.” Page 2 NHC Bulletin Tevet—Shevat 5781 January 2021

In This Issue: Sisterhood Menorah Workshop . . . . . . . . 19 Cover stories continued . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24 From Co-President Gail Kaiser. . . . . . . . . . 4 Life Cycle . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . .. . . . . . 30 Makom News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Tzedakah . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . .. . . . . .35 USY/Kadima . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 January Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . 38 Hazak . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . .. . . . . . . .18 Getting Together, with Zoom It is encouraging to see so many participating with Zoom in Synagogue meetings and events over the last few months, including the Rabbi’s Monday Study Group, our daily minyanim, pre-Shabbat gatherings, programs for children, USY/Kadima programs, and our new Macom Hebrew School with Montebello Jewish Center. We have been able to attend funerals to mourn with our friends. This is to acknowledge the extra effort of those who have not been particularly comfortable with meeting this way, whether with computer, tablet or cellphone, and are still in the learning curve (present company included). Since on-line meetings will no doubt be an indispensable part of our activities in the short term (and who knows how much in the long term), those of you who are not yet connected are invited to join up and download the program, at Zoom.us. There is plenty of information out there, if you google Zoom, including YouTube tutorials and the like. In this issue find a page of general instructions published by the University of California and a handy page of Zoom ‘Etiquette’ for any occasion supplied by Jeff Schragenheim. If you would like someone to walk you through the download, you may call the office. Once you have the program, it is so easy: You just click on the link provided in your invitation from Rabbi Kurland at the time specified, join the meeting, et voila! January 2021 Tevet—Shevat 5781 NHC Bulletin Page 3

From the Co-President As I write this, most of us are counting down the days to the end of the secular year, 2020, (and I, like most, am happy to see it go). We’ve torn off 11 pages, one for each month, on our calendar and are eagerly waiting to rip off that last one and start afresh with a new year and a new calendar. However, when we look at the Hebrew calendar, it’s different from the secular calendar in a number of aspects. Ever since the Jewish people fled from Egypt, they have been keeping track of time and celebrating the festivals according to a calendar. The Hebrew calendar is a lunisolar calendar which is in sync with the natural cycles of the moon and the sun. The months of the Jewish year are lunar in nature. Unlike the months of the Gregorian solar year that is the norm in the world today, the months of the Jewish year reflect the phases of the moon, and each begins with the appearance of the new moon. The difference in the calendars can be seen very clearly in the length of the months. Whereas the months of the Gregorian calendar vary in length between 28 – 31 days in order to make a solar year of 365 days (or, in leap years, 366 days), the months of the Jewish year are either 29 or 30 days long. This reflects the fact that a lunar month (from new moon to new moon) is 29 ½ days long. A year of 12 lunar months, however, is some 11 days shorter than a solar year. As it is not possible to have part of a month to account for those days, and in order to ensure that the various seasonally based holidays in the Hebrew calendar continue to occur at the correct season, the rabbis developed a system over time that allowed them to coordinate their lunar months with the solar year by inserting a leap month (Adar II) at the end of the year seven times in every 19-year cycle. This is now fixed in the 3rd, 6th, 8th, 11th, 14th, 17th, and 19th years of the cycle. In order to help standardize the calendar further, the rabbis determined that the months of Nissan, Sivan, Av, Tishrei, and Shevat are always 30 days long. Iyar, Tammuz, Elul, Tevet, and Adar are always 29 days in length. Cheshvan and Kislev are either 29 or 30 days long. In a leap year, there are two months of Adar. When that occurs, Adar I is 30 days in length, and Adar II s 29. A short Jewish year, therefore, consists of 353 – 355 days, while a leap year varies between 383 – 385 days. The names that we use for the Jewish months are actually Babylonian in origin and were adopted by the Jews as of the time of the Babylonian exile in the 6th century BCE. The Bible indicates that until then the months were oftentimes called simply by their numerical position in the year (First Month, Second Month and so on), just as the days of the week – with the exception of Shabbat – still are in Hebrew. Although the Jewish New Year (Rosh Hashanah) is celebrated at the beginning of Tishrei, this month is actually the Page 4 NHC Bulletin Tevet—Shevat 5781 January 2021

7th month according to ancient reckoning. The first month of the year is actually Nissan, during which Passover falls. In this manner the Jewish year begins with G-d’s great redemptive act at the time of the Exodus of Egypt. In the Hebrew calendar, the meaning of day is taken from the Bible – “And there was evening, and there was morning, one day”. Because “evening” comes before “morning”, a day in the Hebrew calendar starts in the evening. Rabbis determined that the start of a new day begins precisely when the sun goes below the horizon, meaning, at sunset. A new day starting at sunset makes sense – but it’s the opposite of our secular day reckoning. In the Gregorian calendar, when the sun comes up in the morning, we think it’s the start of a fresh, new calendar day – even though we count the new day from one second after midnight. Beginning a celebration just as the sun dips below the horizon further explains why every Jewish holiday, festival, anniversary, etc. begins the evening before the first day of it being observed. According to Hebrew time reckoning, we are currently in the sixth millennium. The Hebrew year count started in the year 3761 BCE. This was implemented in the 12th- century when the Jewish philosopher, Maimonides, established the timeframe as the biblical date of Creation. The number of the year found on the Hebrew calendar reflects the traditional date of creation from the description in Genesis. The period can be calculated by adding up the genealogies found in the Bible. Years in the Hebrew calendar are designated AM to identify them as part of the Anno Mundi epoch. The Anno Mundi epoch indicates “the age of the world” according to the Bible. For example the beginning of the year 2021 in the Gregorian calendar converts to year AM 5781 in the Hebrew calendar. So, regardless of whether you utilize a Hebrew calendar to mark special spiritual days in your life or in the world, the Gregorian or secular calendar indicates that another year is about to end and a new one will begin. My family and I, along with Jeff, and the rest of the Board of Directors at NHC want to wish you a happy, healthy, better and brighter, and more enjoyable 2021! Gail Kaiser, Co-President, Nanuet Hebrew Center January 2021 Tevet—Shevat 5781 NHC Bulletin Page 5

The students of Makom Religious School MJC/NHC have been learning so much! Each grade has been immersed in Torah learning, Hebrew, Israel and holidays. The students enjoyed learning about the Torah portions and were engaged in thought provoking questions. Each week they played an online game together called, Kahoot. It’s a fun quiz that adds to their knowledge and reinforces what they have learned. It was very exciting for everyone! The teachers and teaching assistants are working hard to help the students achieve their prayer goals; review letters and sounds, and learn a tune for each prayer. As a school all the students have learned about Havdalah. They really enjoyed making their own Havdalah candles. In addition, we experienced a beautiful Family Havdalah Service on Nov. 21. We are proud of our students who led the prayers in Hebrew (Jacob Santiago, Noah Levitas and Julianne Harbus). In addition, we are proud of the students who shared readings explaining the beautiful aspects of the ceremony (Olivia Santiago, Hailey Benner, Joseph Petrocelli and Aaron Santiago). It was especially enjoyable to have Cantor Barry Kanarek join us along with his guitar to lead us in Havdalah songs to the tunes of Debbie Friedman and Jeff Klepper. Our sixth and seventh grade students have started the Jewish Escape Rooms. They are moving at their own pace and sometimes share their screens on Zoom to help each other solve each challenge. Preschoolers and Kindergarten students are having a great time thanks to our talented music specialist, Morah Jody Prusan. They made their own Tzedakah boxes, ate Alef Bet cookies together, sang Jewish songs, made a Mitzvah tree, learned to say body parts in Hebrew, and how to say blessings over foods at snack time. Page 6 NHC Bulletin Tevet—Shevat 5781 January 2021

We celebrated Chanukah together with USY visitors, on Zoom with Menorah making and playing with dreidels. We are moving from Zoom to Google Classroom/Meet, which has enhanced features, to improve our interactions. Happy and Healthy New Year! Rebecca Bernstein, Educational Director January 2021 Tevet—Shevat 5781 NHC Bulletin Page 7

USY/Kadima News Rachel Benner, Youth Advisor As this year comes to a close, I am excited to say that CenterRock has flourished. As a whole we have gotten closer over the last six months, and grown some strong friendships. This has been possible even though we were only able to run virtual events in December. In December, Harrison and Ruth ran a Dreidel Decorating Craft for the Makom Hebrew School. We also had a Kadima and USY Chanukah celebration. Cookie kits were delivered while the group zoomed decorating and having some Chanukah Trivia. The USY board did a Chanukah Harry Secret exchange. Each board member was able to learn more about their assigned giftee as we exchanged names! January 9th we plan to start off with a BANG! CenterRock, OJC and NCJC are getting together (virtually) for a HUGE Escape Room. We were able to find a virtual escape room that is run by USY Alumni out in Ohio. We are excited to connect, as the Escape Room Moderators will be some of their regions’ USYers. We also have some of the following events coming up: January 17th – Virtual Baking with Sam and Harrison January 30th – Virtual origami night with Maya February 15th – Possible snow tubing event. We are excited for what 2021 will bring for CenterRock USY and Kadima. Page 8 NHC Bulletin Tevet—Shevat 5781 January 2021

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Especially during our unsettling environment, why go to a store to buy greeting cards? For just $3.00 each, you can have a personalized, handwritten Leagram sent to a member of our congregation, a relative or a friend. These can be sent for any occasion including, birthdays, anniversaries, Mazel Tovs for weddings, engagements, special events such as Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, get well and condolences. Each month, when the Bulletin is e-mailed, an additional message is sent which includes a Leagram list for the following month. If you don’t have an e-mail address, you can contact the NHC office to have a list mailed to you. Just circle the ones that you would like sent, enclose a check for the total amount and follow the instructions on the bottom of the Leagram list. In addition, you can also send Leagrams to non-members. Just write the name and address to whom it should be sent and the type of message you’re requesting. Please keep in mind that this is an NHC Sisterhood fundraiser which helps support our synagogue. You don’t have to be a member of Sisterhood to participate. Thank you and stay safe. Best regards, Diane Fishman, Leagram Chairperson Page 10 NHC Bulletin Tevet—Shevat 5781 January 2021

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HAZAK Our second HazakZoom get-together on December 2nd was a huge success. We discussed a lot of topics including exchanging our favorite recipes and, of course, discussing doctors and doctor’s appointments and ways of staying safe and surviving during this pandemic. Our next Zoom get-together is scheduled for January 7th. This month’s “Meet the Members of Hazak” is our very own NHC Men’s Club Man of the Year, David Rubenstein. David grew up in the Bronx, starting at a very young age. In 1961, he became a medic in the United States Army stationed in San Antonio, Texas. He received an honorable discharge from the army in1966 and then married a pretty young lady from the Lower East Side, Eileen Cohen, on September 3rd. They lived in an apartment near Montefiore Hospital before moving to Co-op City, where they had their two sons, Adam and Jason. When they moved to Rockland, they lived at the Hamlets. David retired from Passaic General Hospital as a Director of Respiratory Care at the age of 65. After his wife Eileen passed away, in 2015, he joined the Nanuet Hebrew Center. David can be seen in the neighborhood walking with his dog Sunny. I found this cute, so I thought that I would share it with you. Grandson: Hi grandpa, I hear you worked in media. Which one? Facebook? Instagram? Snapchat? Grandpa: None of those. I worked for a newspaper. Grandson: Never heard of it. Have a very Happy, Healthy and Safe New Year. Arthur Fishman Chief Senior Staff HazakWriter and Word Processor Page 12 NHC Bulletin Tevet—Shevat 5781 January 2021

NOVEMBER 2020 Program Dates: August 7, 2020 - March 13, 2021 Stop & Shop hopes everyone is staying safe and healthy. We thank you for your continued support of local schools through the A+ Program. Remember, our stores offer everything that you'll need for your holiday meals. You can turn your holiday shopping into cash for your school! Below is your school's combined AUGUST, SEPTEMBER & OCTOBER award totals. SCHOOL: 18033 COMBINED TOTAL: $86.36 SUPPORTERS: 44 January 2021 Tevet—Shevat 5781 NHC Bulletin Page 13

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Zoom Meeting Etiquette With this new era of video conferencing and online meetings, many have found that there are a new set of guidelines to follow. Let’s face it: attending meetings and minyanim from home is difficult. So here are some suggestions, compiled from Zoom’s own website as well as other sources, which will help you navigate your way through this new technology. Use the video option when possible. It lets people see you and confirm you are not some computer-generated voice. This is particularly important if you are the one hosting the meeting or a speaker, and slightly less so if you are an attendee, Dress appropriately, or Do not wear your pajamas. Times are tough for those sequestered at home, and wearing sweatpants all day, every day is one of the few silver linings. But if you are in a position where you can put on something you would usually wear;it is probably a good idea. You might also find it makes you feel a little more normal. Stage your video area. Keep in mind that people are not just seeing you, they are also seeing whatever the camera is pointed at behind you. Maybe arrange it so that your camera is not facing towards a pile of unfolded laundry? More light is better. Video quality is dramatically improved with more lighting. And don’t you want everyone to see your beautiful face, now that you have gone to all of the trouble to put on actual clothes and stuff? An extra nearby lamp is usually helpful. Just make sure the light is in front of you, not behind you - being backlit makes you harder to see. Try to look into the camera. If you are speaking to the group, looking into the camera will give the appearance of eye contact with whoever you are talking to. It is also definitely better than being forced to stare at your own face and realizing how badly you need a haircut. Do your own tech support before you start. Make sure you do a test run at some point, and that you are aware of your audio and video settings before you start. Most video conference services allow you to see a test of what your camera is recording before you start broadcasting it to everyone else, so have it arranged the way you want it. Zoom, for instance, has a feature that lets you test your settings before your meetings begin: just go to zoom.us/test. You can also usually decide if you come in with audio hot or muted before you accidentally broadcast whatever is on the TV in the next room. And speaking of sound … Stay on mute if you are not talking. Background noise can be really distracting. If you are not sharing anything at the moment, go ahead and hit mute until you do. That way, no one has to listen to the car alarm that goes off in your neighborhood or your neighbor’s perpetually barking dog. Do not eat during the meeting. It can be a little gross to watch other people eat sometimes. Or listen to them chewing, for that matter. Hold off if you can, or if not, maybe turn off the video and audio. Do not do other private things while on a meeting. Having a side conversation with someone in your house, especially if you are unmuted, can be a enormous distraction to others. Stay focused. Keep unnecessary conversations to a minimum. It can get very hard to be productive when several people are all talking at once, and even more so when overlapping audio and shuffling video screens are involved. For more details on how Zoom operates, check out their website and their FAQ page. January 2021 Tevet—Shevat 5781 NHC Bulletin Page 17

In Our Mailbox Dear Rabbi Kurland, You have a long relationship with my brother, Dave, and his family — and personal connections with mom. All this showed as we talked with you to prepare for Myra’s funeral — along with the deep empathy with which you walked all the Leons through miserable days. Thank you. On my behalf, for Jacquela, for Jadin. For all of us. As I said at least twice, I am the least religious brother, but it was comforting to mourn and recite Kaddish with your guidance, to honor my parents, to respect my brothers. One of these better days I will get to New York to finally meet Sophie, to hug Dave and Ellen. I look forward to shaking your hand on that trip. For your compassion, in gratitude, please put this small donation to work as best needed at Nanuet Hebrew Center. Finally, it is my hope that fewer families will need your skills and counseling, no matter how inevitable the cycle of life amid pandemic might be. Steve, Jacquela and Jadin Leon Austin, TX. Hi Everyone, We have had minimal donations of peanut butter and tea, since congregants aren't coming into the synagogue. We all know that this year is very different from other years. Since most congregants are not coming into the NHC building, the donations of tea and peanut butter from NHC has decreased. At the same time, the number of people needing food has increased. If you would like to support the community - without having to purchase food or drop it off - please consider donating money to NHC and specifically state it is for the Rhoda Bloom Kosher Food Pantry. We will take care of the shopping. The Rhoda Bloom Kosher Food Pantry is currently providing food for 250 families every month and we want to continue helping these families. If there are any questions, please contact Susan Saffar at [email protected] or 845- 352-1711. Thanks for your support! Susan Saffar Page 18 NHC Bulletin Tevet—Shevat 5781 January 2021

Sisterhood Held a Menorah Workshop On December 6th Here are some of the creations, by: Diane Fishman Lisa Green Rose Pollack Mindy Sayer January 2021 Tevet—Shevat 5781 NHC Bulletin Page 19

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(Continued from Cover) Notably, the 15th of Shvat, 2019 marked the 70th anniversary of the very first meeting in Jerusalem of the Knesset – Israel’s parliament. On February 14, 1949, which coincided with the holiday of Tu Bishvat, Israel’s first prime minister, David Ben-Gurion, along with many other fledgling parliament members, made a stop at Sha’ar HaGai en route to Jerusalem for the first Knesset assembly. There, they planted trees in honor of the holiday. Planting trees had become a trademark of the Zionist and religious revival taking place in the Land of Israel since the late 19th century, with an emphasis placed on involving children in the festivities. In honor of the 71st anniversary of the Knesset’s establishment in Jerusalem and David Ben-Gurion’s groundbreaking tree-planting ceremony, here are five fruitful facts related to Tu Bishvat. It’s not in the Bible While Tu Bishvat has legal implications for the biblical law of tithing, or donating a portion of the harvest to charity, the holiday is not explicitly mentioned in the Bible. In fact, the first mention of Tu Bishvat comes in the Mishnah, or Oral Torah, compiled during the second century CE. The Mishnah in Rosh Hashanah says that there are four new years in the Jewish calendar: One before Passover, by which is calculated the reigns of kings; one in Elul, by which animal tithes are calculated; the familiar new year of Rosh Hashanah, which falls in the month of Tishrei; and the New Year for Trees, which takes place in the month of Shvat. Interestingly, there is a dispute between the School of Hillel and the School of Shammai whether the New Year for Trees falls on the first day of Shvat or the 15th. Like in most cases, we hold by the ruling of the School of Hillel, and the holiday has been established on the tet-vav, or 15th, day of Shvat. Tu Bishvat has become a symbol of Zionist renewal The Jewish National Fund, or Keren Kayemet LeIsrael (KKL-JNF), was established by the Fifth Zionist Congress in 1901. Planting trees in a land that had grown barren over the centuries became a priority for the JNF-KKL, and it soon began a campaign raising money to plant trees in the Holy Land. Traditional charity boxes were widespread in Jewish homes and institutions around the world throughout the 20th century, and planting trees in Israel became a Tu Bishvat tradition. The efforts also continued year-round – for bar and bat mitzvahs, anniversaries, and other occasions, people commonly donated to the JFN in the name of a loved one, and would receive a certificate showing that a tree had been planted on their behalf. To date, the JNF-KKL has planted over 250 million trees in Israel. Page 24 NHC Bulletin Tevet—Shevat 5781 January 2021

A kabbalistic custom is partially responsible for its revival Disciples of the 16th century kabbalist Rabbi Isaac Luria of Safed, also known as the Ari, reestablished the significance of the holiday of Tu Bishvat with a mystical ceremony infused with symbolism, known as the Tu Bishvat seder. Over the years, the custom has become increasingly popular with both Sephardic and Ashkenazi communities the world over. Similar to the Passover seder, wine is drunk and fruits are eaten, and references are made to the spiritual attributes of the seven species indigenous to the Land of Israel, as mentioned in Deuteronomy. The species, and corresponding divine attributes are: wheat, symbolizing kindness; barley, as strength; grapes, as kindness; figs, as perseverance; pomegranates, as humility; olives, as foundation; and dates, as royalty. These attributes are said to be shared by God and the human spirit. Environmentalists love it Tu Bishvat has also been embraced as a Jewish day of environmental and social activism, with initiatives focusing on conservation, recycling, healthy eating, getting back to nature and educating about climate change. From the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism’s Tu Bishvat social action guide, to various local community initiatives, Jews around the world take advantage of the New Year for Trees to pay renewed attention to nature and the world around them. Making an extra effort to be environmentally friendly, participating in beautification projects, and educational Tu Bishvat seders are just some of the green activities people do in honor of the holiday. Israel’s Knesset has also embraced the eco-friendly trend, adopting the “Green Knesset” initiative, making it one of the world’s most environmentally friendly parliaments. Modern Tu Bishvat may have been inspired by Arbor Day According to the website Israel21c, a 2014 paper by Dr. Hizky Shoham of Bar Ilan University claims that Arbor Day, now known as Earth Day, may have been the inspiration for the modern Tu Bishvat. Established in 1872 by Nebraskan politician J. Sterling Morton, Arbor Day inspired the Zionist movement to turn Tu Bishvat into a tree-planting holiday, Shoham writes in his paper, “From the town – and from the village? The Creation of Planting Ceremonies on Tu Bishvat.” January 2021 Tevet—Shevat 5781 NHC Bulletin Page 25

(Continued from Cover photo) Sha'ar HaGai, or Bab al-Wad in Arabic, meaning The Gate of the Valley in both languages, is a point on the Tel Aviv-Jerusalem highway, 23 km from Jerusalem, where the road begins to ascend through a deep valley flanked by steep rocky slopes, named in Arabic Wadi Ali. During 1947 and into the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, this area and the nearby police fort at Latrun saw fierce fighting between Arab forces and Jewish convoys on the way to blockaded Jerusalem. Bab al-Wad and the defile it guards changed hands between the Arab Liberation Army supported by Arab irregulars, and Jewish Palmach and Haganah units, until April 20 1948, when the Arabs recaptured the heights around Bab al-Wad closing off the Tel Aviv-Jerusalem road. From mid-May 1948 on, the fort at Latrun, only two kilometres west of Bab al-Wad, was held by the Arab Legion, the very efficient, British-trained and commanded army of Transjordan. The Palmach's 10th (Harel) Brigade under the command of Lt. Col. Yitzhak Rabin, future prime minister of Israel, managed to capture Bab al-Wad itself, but the road section west of it, controlled from Latrun, remained in Jordanian hands until 1967, cutting off this main access route to Jerusalem. In order to bypass the Arab-held bottleneck, the Israelis constructed the Burma Road, named after the famous World War II road into China. This very steep bypass road was in use during the first, crucial part of the war, being replaced after just six months by a longer but safer detour route. Road to Jerusalem at Bab al-Wad seen from A bulldozer tows a truck on the \"Burma Arab Legion positions at Latrun, 1948 Road\" to Jerusalem, June 1948 (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia) Page 26 NHC Bulletin Tevet—Shevat 5781 January 2021

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Please tell our Carlson Craft, Checkerboard New Trends, Pioneer and others advertisers you Acrylic Sign-Book or Board, Favors saw their ad in Kipot, Wedding Gown Heirloomed the Bulletin. Their generous support helps pay for about 80% of the cost of the Bulletin. January 2021 Tevet—Shevat 5781 NHC Bulletin Page 29

January Yahrzeits /‫יזכור‬ 1 Rachel Mori 12 Bessie Adler 25 Arlene Rymer Louis Kaplan Laura Kaiser Hy Haleo Rose Postrion Louis Kaplan 13 Morris Borenstein 26 Barry R. Warren Harry Goodman Ann Rubin 2 Harold Pilavin William Meltzer Max Leffler 3 Dr Leo Bernanke David Warren 14 Ada Guthman Gottschalk Ida Stupay Frieda Aarons 27 Arline K. Vogel Celia Weiss Lynn Zeichner Darvin Theodora Fenster 15 Albert Ashkenas Louis Klein Harry Lieberman 16 Isaac Yarjovski Shirley Oberman 4 Sigmund Gottschalk Clara White 5 Harry Katzenberg Isaac Yarjovski Esther Goodman Sandra Chook David Kezner Alan Schulman 6 Michael Gardner Isaac Yarjovski Morton Metz Jerome Zweigbaum 17 Ruth Tepper 7 Brendt B. Altneu 18 Mary Ackerman 28 Albert Sperling Bernard Cozewith 19 Sandra Borenkoff Samuel Didner Helen Neuberger Harriet Richtol Sophie Reutlinger 20 Helene Cader 29 Emil Judd Helen Hudesman 21 Sarah Stupay 30 Robert Brandenburg Theodore Fierman Jonas Vogel Evelyn Leftkowitz Barnett Blumenthal Stuart Landsman Audrey Raff Irving Yatchie Herbert Steingart 8 Sally Kane Henry Taraboulos 31 Elias Kupchik Phillip Becker Marvin Sontag Harriet Malkin 9 Louis Rosenberg 22 Mae Hirsch Elias Kupchik Ruth Gerstein Norma Steinberg Anna Rosenberg 10 Debbie Moore 23 Miriam Schreier Phil Weber Jack Katz Rose Berkman Max Binenfeld 11 Inge Wanger 24 Albert Harap Margit Berger Genia Stolerman Morris Reiff Julius Kaikow Greta Didner Edza Winer Morris Reiff Dennis Roitman January Anniversaries Mazal Tovs / ‫מזל טוב‬ 9 Mark & Ingrid Sheiman 24 Herbert & Esther Spiegel 11 Zach & Natali Gabai John & Ilse Lang Page 30 NHC Bulletin Tevet—Shevat 5781 January 2021

February Yahrzeits /‫יזכור‬ 1 Abraham Savitzky 10 Sylvia Pechman 23 Bella Studnitzer Lillie Hecker 11 S ylvia Horowitz Rose Schuman 12 Abraham Hartglass 2 Otti Zollner 20 Shirely Rubinstein Gerald Borsuk Josephine Weiner George Rubin 13 Dorothy Zuckerman Roslyn Porcelli 3 Lillian Schein 14 Moses Shliferstein Sarah Sperber David Slotnick 15 Carl Hans Ida Goldblatt 21 Jay Gregory Fuld Tzvi Frishman Alexander Ellenbogen Abe Pechman Liesel Leib Harry Peskin Fred Ackerman Sherwin Patsner 4 Louis Solomon 16 Adele Tuttle 22 Betty Aloff Margaret Singer Jeffrey Gottschalk Martin Weinstein Jenny Daichman Gustave Fuld 5 Daniel S. Klein Daniel Roher Rose Stelzer Sarah Schwartz 17 Sidney Kantor Mary Kaikow Ida Buchman 24 Ruth Lipnack Harvey Green 18 Celia Kimmel 25 Lillian Kurland Mison Budak Shlomo Azran 26 Elaine Carl Benjamin Kaplan 28 Irma Peskin 6 Dora Pollack Richard Klinger Steven Berkowitz Bessie Sicklick Eleanor Garfinkel PeterWeiss Regina Himmelbrand Irving Hudesman Yetta Moskowitz Shlomo Azran Lillian Warren Hilda Blumberg Harry Reiter 7 Dorothy Green Rose Lehr 8 Paul Estreich 19 Oscar Schenkel Rhoda Roberts Max Estreich Gussie Kshonz 9 Abraham S. Edelman Adelia Peskin Soni Gellis Jean Abrams George Schweitzer Beatrice Shapiro Jerry Richtol Betty Borkon ✡✡✡✡✡ February Anniversaries Mazal Tovs / ‫מזל טוב‬ 6 Louis & Beth Kaplan 19 Michael & Lisa Lieberman 16 Serge & Lois Rotjan 21 Madelaine & William Gallin 18 Richard & Robyn Bollinger 25 Lawrence & Leslie Schiller January 2021 Tevet—Shevat 5781 NHC Bulletin Page 31

Engagement Mazal Tovs / ‫מזל טוב‬ Phyllis & Ken Benjamin on the engagement of their granddaughter Gabrielle to Ari Solomon Rachel & Craig Cohen on the engagement of their niece Gabrielle to Ari Solomon Bar/Bat Mitzvah Mazal Tovs / ‫מזל טוב‬ Frieda & Mark Levitas on the Bar Mitzvah of their son Noah Levitas Honor Mazal Tovs / ‫מזל טוב‬ Helene Kornstein for being NHC Sisterhood’s honoree at Women’s League Torah Fund Event Galit Maayani for being honored by Rockland Jewish Family Service Birthday Mazal Tovs / ‫מזל טוב‬ Happy 100th Birthday Fran Melamed Speedy Recoveries/äîìù äàåôø Condolences/ íéîåçðú Rabbi Kurland Elayna Kirschtel on the death of her mother, Phyllis Zakim Susanna Yarjovski Page 32 NHC Bulletin Tevet—Shevat 5781 January 2021

January 2021 Tevet—Shevat 5781 NHC Bulletin Page 33

Now you can pay your membership dues using VISA, MasterCard American Express or Discover card [email protected] Teaching Is Available Upon Request Don’t forget — You can help support the Synagogue at no cost to you — PURCHASE SCRIP — It’s easy: Contact NHC Office @ 708-9181 E-mail - [email protected] Mail - 411 South Little Tor Road, New City, NY We have gift cards for Shop Rite • Stop & Shop • DeCicco Wegmans You can make purchases by cash or check. Page 34 NHC Bulletin Tevet—Shevat 5781 January 2021

Tzedakah / ‫צדקה‬ Tzedakah received and recorded by the 10th of the month or the first business day after, will be acknowledged on these pages. If the office is closed because of holidays falling on these days, only donations received before the holiday will appear. Please also note that acknowledgment or lack thereof on these pages does not constitute an official receipt of your donation by the shul. In the event that acknowledgment of your donation does not appear, please let the synagogue office know and we will print it in the next issue of the Bulletin. Planning Ahead Now is the time to start the planning that enhances the work of the congregation by raising the necessary funds so dues need not be raised. Our ongoing fundraisers include the Rabbi's Walk and the Tree of Life. To reserve a brick on the Rabbi’s Walk or reserve a stone or a leaf on the Tree of Life, call Estelle Eisenkraft in care of the office at 845-708-9181. Donations to General Fund Jesse Blecher In memory of father, Harry Blecher Marilyn Brenner In memory of father, Charles Scheiner Stuart Fenster In memory of mother, Theodora Fenster Diane & Arthur Fishman Condolences to David Leon on the passing of his mother, Myra Leon Mazal Tov to Phyllis and Ken Benjamin on the engagement of their granddaughter, Gabrielle Benjamin to Ari Solomon Rita & John Fogelman Condolences to David Leon on the passing of his mother, Myra Leon Condolences to Kari Warren Kleinberg on the passing of her brother-in-law, Russell Fitzpatrick Mazal Tov to Phyllis and Ken Benjamin on the engagement of their granddaughter, Gabrielle Benjamin to Ari Solomon Marion & Milton Fuld Condolences to Kari Warren Kleinberg on the passing of her brother-in-law, Russell Fitzpatrick Get well wishes to Jeff Kleinberg Robert Garfinkel In memory of father, Fred Garfinkel Samuel Geffen In memory of father, Israel Geffen Arlene & Myron Hecker Mazal Tov to Marion Fuld in honor of her birthday Mazal Tov to Renee Schnur in honor of her birthday January 2021 Tevet—Shevat 5781 NHC Bulletin Page 35

Harvey Heilbronn In memory of mother, Anne Frank Heilbronn Sandra Heilbronn In memory of father, Carl Himmelbrand Joan Kaufman In memory of mother, Minna Kaufman Michelle Kezner In memory of father, Bernard Knippel Kari & Jeffrey Kleinberg Condolences to David Leon on the passing of his mother, Myra Leon Helene & Ira Kornstein Condolences to David Leon on the passing of his mother, Myra Leon Mazal Tov to Miriam Edelstein and John Hecht on their marriage Steven Leon In memory of mother, Myra Leon Joyce Mattaway In memory of husband, George Mattaway Eliott Newman Condolences to David Leon on the passing of his mother, Myra Leon Phyllis & Sy Reiner Condolences to David Leon on the passing of his mother, Myra Leon Sheila & Allen Reiter Mazal Tov to David Rubinstein, NHC’s Men’s Club “Man of the Year” Mazal Tov to Zachary Spiegel, our NHC Men’s Club “Youth of the Year” Adrienne Rubinstein Mazal Tov to Elinor Kantrowitz on the engagement of her granddaughter, Alana Poser to Yuval Haramaty David Rubinstein Condolences to David Leon on the passing of his mother, Myra Leon Mazal Tov to Arthur Fishman on getting a SMART PHONE Susan Saffar & Paul Van Alstyne Condolences to David Leon on the passing of his mother, Myra Leon Mazal Tov to Helene Kornstein, who was honored as NHC Sisterhood’s Exceptional Woman of the Year at the MetroNorth Region of Sisterhoods’ annual Torah Fund event Mindy & Adam Sayer Condolences to David Leon on the passing of his mother, Myra Leon Flora Silver Condolences to David Leon on the passing of his mother, Myra Leon Get well wishes to Jeff Kleinberg Mazal Tov to David Rubinstein, NHC’s Men’s Club “Man of the Year” Mazal Tov to Zachary Spiegel, our NHC Men’s Club “Youth of the Year” Allison & Todd Steingart Condolences to David Leon on the passing of his mother, Myra Leon Page 36 NHC Bulletin Tevet—Shevat 5781 January 2021

Peggy & Jeff Tepper Condolences to David Leon on the passing of his mother, Myra Leon Marilyn Wechsler Condolences to David Leon on the passing of his mother, Myra Leon Sybil & Joseph Weingast Mazal Tov to Phyllis and Ken Benjamin on the engagement of their granddaughter, Gabrielle Benjamin to Ari Solomon Phyllis & Kenneth Benjamin New Building Fund Condolences to David Leon on the passing of his mother, Myra Leon Ellie & Alan Farber Condolences to David Leon on the passing of his mother, Myra Leon Mazal Tov to Phyllis and Ken Benjamin on the engagement of their granddaughter, Gabrielle Benjamin to Ari Solomon Ilse & John Lang Condolences to David Leon on the passing of his mother, Myra Leon Mazal Tov to Phyllis and Ken Benjamin on the engagement of their granddaughter, Gabrielle Benjamin to Ari Solomon Dianne & Paul Rice Mazal Tov to David Rubinstein, NHC’s Men’s Club “Man of the Year” Mazal Tov to Zachary Spiegel, our NHC Men’s Club “Youth of the Year” Estelle & Allan Eisenkraft Rabbi’s Discretionary Fund Condolences to David Leon on the passing of his mother, Myra Leon In memory of father, Albert Ashkenas Mazal Tov to Phyllis and Ken Benjamin on the engagement of their granddaughter, Gabrielle Benjamin to Ari Solomon Mazal Tov to Helene Kornstein, who was honored as NHC Sisterhood’s Exceptional Woman of the Year at the MetroNorth Region of Sisterhoods’ annual Torah Fund event Mazal Tov to Zachary Spiegel, our NHC Men’s Club “Youth of the Year” Scott Milich In memory of great aunt, Anna Kriesberg Jeff Mittleman In memory of father, Max Mittleman Lee Pozensky In memory of father, Emanuel Pozensky Lenny Spiegel In memory of father, Simon Spiegel Arlene Hecker Shabbos Club In memory of father, Charles Krantz January 2021 Tevet—Shevat 5781 NHC Bulletin Page 37

Rotate Counter-Clockwise Page 38 NHC Bulletin Tevet—Shevat 5781 January 2021

REMINDER — TEA and PEANUT BUTTER Multiple synagogues help with the Rhoda Bloom Kosher Food Pantry and provide different types of food. NHC's responsibility is to supply TEA (boxes of tea bags) and PEANUT BUTTER to the Food Pantry families. Please drop off Kosher peanut butter and tea at the box outside of the NHC office. We are always looking for additional volunteers to support the Rhoda Bloom Kosher Food Pantry and distribute food at the JCC-Jewish Family Services. While NHC's turn to provide extra volunteers is every February, you are welcome to participate other months as well. For more information, please contact Susan Saffar at 352-1711 or [email protected]. Thanks for your help in supporting these 250 families! Please be sure to visit, like and share Nanuet Hebrew Center's Facebook page: www.facebook.com/nanuethc This page is open to all NHC members, family, friends and potential new members. We also welcome you to post information and photos on this page that are appropriate to Nanuet Hebrew Center. January 2021 Tevet—Shevat 5781 NHC Bulletin Page 39

Nanuet Hebrew Center Non-Profit Org. 411 S. Little Tor Road U.S. POSTAGE New City, New York 10956 Paid RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED Monsey, NY Permit No. 5409 DATED MATERIAL Do not delay 845-356-8600 15 State Street, Spring Valley, NY 10977