Fall Newsletter 2012 withouth Wigod.pdf - The Jewish Center

The Jewish Center 

F A L L N E W S L E T T E R 

FALL 2012/5772 

From A to Zohar 

Rabbi Yosie Levine 

Growing up in the age before Artscroll, I remember 

having a choice between two siddurim in shul: 

The Birnbaum and the Tikkun Meir. I preferred the 

latter – both because it was lighter and because it 

contained a number of illustrations. There was also 

something interesting on the opening pages: a set 

of graphic depictions of the Hebrew alphabet and 

an accompanying pronunciation guide to the Hebrew 

vowels. To a small child sitting in shul on a 

long Shabbat morning, it was a godsend. Unlike so 

much of what followed, here was something readily 

comprehensible and age-appropriate. 

It never occurred to me at the time that the inclusion 

of the Aleph Bet at the front of the siddur was, 

on its face, a bit odd. And in the past 30 years, this 

oddity has all but disappeared. In an admittedly 

unscientific survey of contemporary siddurim, it 

seems that the modern day convention is to replace 

the alphabet with a prefatory essay on the meaning 

of prayer. The good news in the 21 st century is that 

at least we now have children’s siddurim. 

Teacher and students in a heder, 

Lublin, Poland. Alter Kacyzne, 

1920s. YIVO Institute for Jewish 

Research, NY. 

In truth, the Aleph 

Bet at the front of 

the siddur was indeed 

a kind of historical 

relic. In the 

typical Eastern European 

ḥeder, the 

siddur doubled as a 

textbook. It was the 

Hebrew equivalent 

of the McGuffey 

Reader. The siddur 

was not only the 

first text the children 

would study, it was the very text from which 

they learned to read. So it is little wonder that the 

first pages of a thoughtful edition of the siddur 

would include a reference guide for these soon-tobe 

initiated Hebrew readers. 

It is nothing short of stunning to consider the advances 

in Jewish education in less than 100 years. 

The breadth and depth of day school graduates is 

staggering. The system is far from perfect, and 

there are challenges to be sure. But by and large it 

works – not only as far as imparting a vast amount 

of Jewish knowledge – but in terms of building a 

sense of Jewish commitment that far outstrips that 

of children who do not attend Jewish day schools. 

UJA Federation’s recent New York Jewish population 

survey, based solely on statistical data, was the 

most recent study to corroborate this observation in 

no uncertain terms. 

But as you know, with skyrocketing tuition costs, 

the day school system now stands at the brink of 

collapse. It is incumbent on each of us to recognize 

that the time has come for us to shift our thinking. 

We must replace the consumer model with the 

community model. Think of the Mikvah or Eruv. 

Whether we personally use these institutions or 

not, we certainly recognize how crucial they are for 

the vitality of the community. Day schools are no 

different. Parents cannot be expected to shoulder 

the burden alone. The children represent not only 

the future of their respective families, but the future 

of our collective people. If we fail to provide 

them with the necessary tools to be committed 

Jews, we are only failing ourselves. 

On Rosh Hashana each of us is judged as an individual. 

But we are also judged as a community. To 

be part of The Jewish Center family is to be part of 

an extraordinary institution. On a personal level, I 

consider it a great privilege to know that when I 

stand in front of the Almighty, not only am I not 

alone; I am flanked by men and women of exquisite 

personal character and individuals possessed of 

integrity, generosity and kindheartedness. 

But with the privilege of being part of this family 

comes concomitant responsibility. The Jewish Center 

has a deep and proud legacy of rising to meet 

the challenges of both the punctuated moments of 

historical crisis as well as the ongoing trials and 

tribulations of strengthening Orthodox Judaism in 

America. During the Holocaust, The Jewish Center’s 

munificence provided asylum and safe passage 

to countless Jewish refugees. In 1948, our 

membership did everything in its power to support 

the fledgling State of Israel. Continued on page 9 

1 

Inside this issue: 

Rabbi’s Message 1 

JC Committees 2 

President’s Message, Sukkot Meals 3 

Tochnit Elul 4-5 

Dvar Torah, Executive Director’s Message 6 

The Jewish Center Welcomes 7 

JC Committee Updates 8-9 

Get Involved at the JC 10-11 

Fall Classes and Lectures 12 

Upcoming Events 13 

JC Initiatives and Community Partners 14 

Dining Out 15 

September Calendar 16 

Lulav and Etrog Order Form 17 

Donations 18-21 

Announcements 21-23 

Save the Date 24

Clergy & Staff 

Yosie Levine 

Rabbi 

Dovid Zirkind 

Assistant Rabbi 

Chaim David Berson 

Cantor 

Daniel Fridman 

Resident Scholar 

Ari Lamm 

William Fischman 

Rabbinic Intern 

Yael Leibowitz 

Resident Scholar 

Aaron Strum 

Executive Director 

Eliane Dreyfuss 

Director of 

Programming & 

Communications 

Hod Klein 

Youth Director 

Officers 

Virginia Bayer Hirt 

President 

Avi Schwartz 

First Vice President 

Andrew Kaplan 

Vice President 

Rachel Ringler 


Mark Segall 


Len Berman 

Assistant Vice President 

Adina Spiro Wagman 

Treasurer 

Yaron Kinar 

Assistant Treasurer 

Andrew Borodach 

Secretary 

Jewish Center Committees 

Advanced Leadership Rose Lynn Sherr al@jewishcenter.org 

Archives Seth Jonas archives@jewishcenter.org 

Bikkur Cholim 

Shira Silton, Leah Albek, Ariel 

Jerushalmi, and Andrew Wigod 

bikkurcholim@jewishcenter.org 

Births Judy Birnboim jcbabymeals@gmail.com 

Book Club Dinah Mendes bookclub@jewishcenter.org 

Chevra Kadisha Andrew Kaplan 212-724-2700 

Education Bernard Falk education@jewishcenter.org 

Facilities Avi Schwartz aviconsultant@yahoo.com 

Hospitality Steven Antosofsky hospitality@jewishcenter.org 

Israel Activism Susan Canter israelcommittee@jewishcenter.org 

JC Connections Judy Falk jcconnectionsinfo@jewishcenter.org 

Membership 

Aliza Herzberg Brodie & 

Grant Silverstein 

Oneg Shabbat Sherry & Mark Fessel fess6@aol.com 

membership@jewishcenter.org 

Safety Eddie Lowenthal nicorp@mindspring.com 

Sisterhood 

Gilda Chodosh, Rachel Lurie, 

Angela Sacks 

sisterhood@jewishcenter.org 

Social Action Eliane Dreyfuss socialaction@jewishcenter.org 

Shivah Meals Paulette Papilsky support@jewishcenter.org 

Young Couples & 

Families 

Miri Lipsky and Josh Schainker 

ycf@jewishcenter.org 

Young Leadership Judith Lupatkin, Grant Silverstein yl@jewishcenter.org 

Ushers Penina Blazer, Rona Kellman ushers@jewishcenter.org 

Fundraising, Technology Aaron Strum astrum@jewishcenter.org 

Welcoming Committee Rachel Ringler welcoming@jewishcenter.org 

Women’s Tehillim 

Youth 

Joyce Weitz, Miriam Gutwein & Rose 

Lynn Sherr 

Hod Klein (Beth Schwartz, Judy 

Federbush) 

212-595-4388 

hod@jewishcenter.org 

2

Virginia Bayer Hirt 

In the calendar, September is a time of beginnings. 

From our childhood we know the feeling 

of going back to school with new books and 

supplies. New beginnings are exciting because 

they allow us to dream and imagine what we will accomplish 

in the coming year. 

In our Jewish calendar we celebrate and concretize the 

same process through the cycle and rituals of the upcoming 

chagim. This is a time filled with potential. As articulated 

by Rav Kook, we must continually strive to “Renew 

the old and sanctify the new”. 

What does this mean for us as a community, for The Jewish 

Center Family? You have all seen the email with the 

results of our most recent survey and the areas on which 

will focus. These are ways in which we, together, can 

enhance our community. 

As the members build our community so does our community 

build its members. Having a strong affiliation 

with The Center, its intellectually stimulating messages, 

its life-enhancing programming and its spiritually meaningful 

services makes each of us a more nuanced and 

President’s Message 

JC Sukkot Meals 

Catered by Darna 

deeper person with more to contribute to society. 

And contribute to society we do. Our members are in the 

leadership of Israel activism, hospitals both here and in 

Israel, educational institutions serving all age levels, social 

service agencies, and civic and cultural organizations. 

Some of us do this professionally and some as lay leaders. 

It is recounted that Rabbi Jung advised that all people 

in synagogue leadership needed to have experience in 

other such venues to enable them to bring a broader understanding 

of the needs of society to the synagogue. 

In our weekly bulletin Members Corner we have focused 

on several members who do such work. We hope more 

people will submit pieces to us so that we can be inspired 

by the roles that our members play on “the other six days 

of the week”. 

But remember – charity begins at home. We must keep 

The Jewish Center strong so we may draw strength from 

it. I invite each of you to contribute your time, energy, 

creativity and resources to the betterment of our Center. 

Each of us can make a real different in the life of our fellow 

members in this soon to being new year. 

Wishing you a Ktiva v’Chatima Tova 

A trip to the Mediterranean this Sukkot? Join The Jewish Center family at this year's Sukkot meals and enjoy 

Mediterranean cuisine with friends and family. 

Six catered meals, September 30-October 2 and October 5-6. 

Reserve online at www.jewishcenter.org or call The JC office 212-724-2700 

Early Registration—Prices Through September 19th: 

Night Meals Member - $49 adult; $24 child 

Night Meal Non Member - $59 adult; $28 child 

Day Meals Member - $40 adult; $20 child 

Day Meal Non Member - $49 adult; $25 child 

Prices after September 19th: 

$53-Dinner Members Per Meal, $29-Dinner Member Child Per Meal 

$60-Dinner Non Member Per Meal, $33-Dinner Non Member Child Per Meal 

$43-Lunch Member Per Meal, $25-Lunch Member Child Per Meal 

$50-Lunch Non Member Per Meal, $30-Lunch Non Member Child Per Meal 

Registration Closes September 27th at 12:00PM 

3 

Register early to beat the price increase!

Tochnit Elul 

A Teshuvah and Tefillah Education Series for the High Holy Days in memory of Moshe Green, z’l 

Moshe Green was a prominent leader and long-time member of our community. He was an officer of the Center and served as our 

Chairman of the Board for decades. As a Jewish leader and philanthropist, he had a major impact on advancing Jewish Education, 

both in Israel and in the Diaspora. Involved in a number of different Religious Zionist institutions and Torah U'Mada projects, Moshe 

Green was and continues to be a role model for our entire community. This annual series is sponsored by the Green family, and we 

are honored to perpetuate his name and legacy in the Center that was graced by his presence and leadership throughout his life. 

Monday, September 10, 8PM 

Rational or Irrational: 

Teshuva in the writings of Maharal 

Rabbi Dovid Zirkind 

A legendary scholar, mystic and philosopher, The Maharal transformed 

Jewish thought in the 16th century. Topic by topic, he analyzes 

traditional Talmudic texts with a unique analytic style; challenging 

the reader to cherish every word of the text. In his essay on 

repentance, Maharal poses the question of expectations. Do we have 

a sense of entitlement or confidence that our Teshuva will be 

well received in heaven. Must Teshuva be accepted? Tracing these 

questions back through Tanach, Maharal raises the issue that should 

be on all of our minds come Tishrei - what is our goal for this High 

Holiday season? 

Tuesday, September 11, 8PM 

Shema Koleinu: Hear Our Voices 

Chazzan Chaim Dovid Berson 

Please join us for an evening of inspirational music and insightful 

conversation about the Tefillot of the High Holidays with Cantor 

Chaim Dovid Berson. 

Wednesdays, September 5-19, 8PM 

Mizmorei Tehillim 

Rabbi Daniel Fridman 

Please join us for one or all of the following classes. These three 

sessions will be devoted to Mizmorei Tehillim featured during the 

Selichot Night at The JC 

Motzei Shabbat, September 8th 

Yamim Noraim. On September 5th we will learn about L' David 

Mizmor, on September 12th we will learn about L'David Hashem Ori 

and on September 19th we will learn about LaMinatzeach Livnei 

Korach Mizmor. These classes will analyze the Psalm and its pertinence 

to the season of redemption. 

Shabbat, September 15 

Scholar in Residence Rabbi Steven Weil 

Shabbat Afternoon Lecture, 5:40PM 

Highlights of the Rosh Hashana Machzor 

Join us for an in –depth analysis of the Rosh Hashanah service, its 

history, and development. We will reflect on Rabbi Joseph B. 

Soloveitchik’s insights into the machzor. 

Seudah Shlishit Lecture 

What the Akeida has to do with Rosh Hashana 

Shabbat, September 22, After services 

Shabbat Shuvah Drasha: Demons, Demigods and 

Denouement: The Scapegoat’s Role in the Yom Kippur 

Saga 

Rabbi Yossi Levine 

10:00PM Pre-Selichot Lecture 

Rabbi Meir Goldwicht 

Rabbi Goldwicht, a prominent Israeli scholar and educator, is a Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva 

University's Mazer School of Talmudic Studies and head of the Stone Beit Medrash Program. 

11:00PM Selichot 

Cantor Chaim David Berson 

The beautiful melodies and penitential prayers are led by our Chazzan to prepare and inspire us 

for the Yamim Noraim. 

Morning Selichot, Monday, September 10th-Friday, September 14th, 6:40AM & 7:40AM 

4

Tochnit Elul 

A Teshuvah and Tefillah Education Series for the High Holy Days in memory of Moshe Green, z’l 

Scholar in Residence 

Rabbi Steven Weil 

Shabbat, September 14-15 

Community Friday Night Dinner 

Putting The Fun in Dysfunctional 

For reservations please contact the Jewish Center office. 

Shabbat Morning 

Can We Afford Tomorrow: The Challenges and Opportunities Facing the Future of Day School Education 

Shabbat Afternoon 

The Fascinating and Sublime World of the Rosh HaShana Machzor 

Seudah Shlishit 

What Does The Akeida Have To Do with Rosh HaShana? 

Rabbi Steven Weil, the son of German “fie handlers”, grew up on a cattle farm in Upstate New York. His love for 

learning began early, and as a teenager he prevailed upon his parents to send him away to Yeshiva. He continued 

his education at Kerem B’Yavneh and Yeshiva University, concurrently completing his ordination at the 

Rabbeinu Yitzchak Elchanan Theological Seminary and a Masters in Business Administration from NYU’s Stern 

School of Business. Rabbi Weil began his career teaching, and then began pulpit work, first at the Young Israel of 

Oak Park Michigan and then at Beth Jacob Congregation in Beverly Hills, California. In both positions, Rabbi 

Weil significantly expanded the synagogue’s membership and programming and was involved in serving the 

needs of the greater community as well. In 2009 he became the chief executive officer of the Orthodox Union. 

Rabbi Weil is a popular teacher and lecturer, having delivered invocations for former President Bush and Governor 

Schwarzenegger among others. He has served internationally as Scholar in Residence on land and on sea, and is a passionate 

advocate for Israel and for Jewish education. Rabbi Weil resides in New Jersey with his wife and seven children. 

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5

The Jewish Center in the Digital Age 

Rabbi Daniel Fridman, Resident Scholar 

What’s your homepage? 

For years now, mine has been Google. With a 

double click, and the loading of the familiar 

Google webpage and its trademark multicolored 

insignia, my portal to the digital universe is 

open. From my homepage, and thanks to the 

fact that I do not reside in the People’s Republic of China or 

the Islamic Republic of Iran, I can truly go anywhere. 

When it comes to the spiritual and moral universe, however, 

The Jewish Center strives to be our homepage. Read through 

the Fall Bulletin, with all of the diverse programming which 

is being offered at our beloved Center, and the analogy becomes 

self-evident. Entry into The Jewish Center enables 

one to access literally the entire breadth of the Jewish religious 

experience, much as one’s homepage functions as one’s 

access point to the indescribably vast world of information 

available on the web. 

Our core programming relates to the realms of prayer, study, 

and chessed, which take place in this building literally every 

day. But, what is crucial is not just that these opportunities 

are available at The Center, but that, like on a homepage, one 

can access richer and deeper content by simply employing the 

right ‘prompt.’ Ideally, it our hope that everyone will establish 

a strong level of basic participation in all three core areas- 

Torah, Tefillah, and Chessed- and specialize in the area which 

best suits one’s unique character. 

For example, those interested in deepening their Torah study 

can choose from a weekly class, the Daf Yomi group, our 

weekly men’s or women’s advanced Talmud chaburot, or any 

combination of the above. Those who wish to further their 

engagement with chessed can choose from our wonderful 

committees that assist those at every single stage of the life 

cycle, from Births and Hospitality to Bikkur Cholim, Shiva 

and Chevrah Kadishah. In addition, this Fall we will have a 

renewed focus on Social Justice programming, enabling our 

community to be not only a font of chessed, loving kindness, 

but of tzedek as well. 

Yet, these opportunities represent just a few of the ‘links’ that 

one can access from The Jewish Center. With a deep sense of 

conviction that an ambitious synagogue must strive to offer 

comprehensive educational and experiential programming, we 

Message From Our Executive Director 

Aaron Strum 

Just as Elul is filled with changes and new beginnings, 

so is The Jewish Center. We are proud to 

announce that the shul has benefited from many 

renovations. For the first time, an air conditioning system has 

been installed in the 5 th floor gym. This has enhanced the davening 

experience for the Young Leadership minyan, as well as those 

who come to the JC to play basketball. Soon, the gym floor will 

be replaced, which will be ready for the chagim. The walls in the 

are deeply proud of the social framework painstakingly constructed 

to maximize Jewish life at The Center. Our Sisterhood 

is a pillar of our community, and our Youth Department, 

Young Leadership, Young Couples and Families, and Advanced 

Leadership ensure that wholesome and enriching programming 

is available for every age and stage of life. 

The relationship between the Center and its constituents, conceived 

through the metaphorical lens of the homepage, is a 

reciprocal one. For The Jewish Center to actually function as 

the kind of powerful homepage that we aspire to create, it 

requires the talents and skills of ‘web designers.’ Our community 

functions optimally only as a result of the contributions 

which these individuals make, donating their own 

unique personal talents towards our community. This starts 

with actual design, with our very own Dr. Robert Richter’s 

beautiful woodwork, and the care and zeal with which our 

Building Committee looks after our facility. It continues with 

our financial engineers, who work tirelessly to ensure that the 

Synagogue operates healthily and responsibly. It extends to 

our digital engineers, who make sure that the Center’s actual 

website and wireless infrastructure are fully functional. We 

know that everyone is a webmaster of one kind or another, 

and so, if you have not yet gotten involved, remember that a 

website which is not continuously developing and updating 

becomes obsolete in a heartbeat. The relevancy, and by extension, 

impact, which the Center has on our lives is directly 

proportional to the investments of time, energy, and resources 

which we put into it. 

The Rav, zt’l, the ideological polestar of Modern Orthodoxy, 

was wont to say that in addition to the Rambam’s classical 

formulation of the thirteen cardinal principles of Jewish faith, 

there is his cherished fourteenth. The Rav devoted his life to 

demonstrating that Torah centered Judaism is capable of 

flourishing in any society, at any point in history. One generation 

later, we might take matters one crucial step further. It 

is not merely that Torah centered Jewish life is, by definition, 

capable of thriving in the digital age, but more profoundly, 

that the digital age provides new perspectives through which 

we ought to conceptualize cherished and storied Jewish institutions. 

The pervasive presence of the Internet gives us a new 

vocabulary, actual and metaphorical, with which to engage 

the world in which we live. We ought to think of our Center 

as the homepage through which we may access the vast universe 

of cherished Jewish values, in our perpetual quest to 

enhance the authenticity and quality of our individual and 

collective relationship with God. 

gym have been painted, in addition to other areas of the building. 

The overall cleanliness and appearance is a constant challenge 

in such a large facility. Our staff has worked tirelessly to 

make sure when one enters the building they can have feelings of 

pride in our shul. 

So be sure to come by for services, enjoy a class or attend any of 

the many events the Jewish Center has to offer. We look forward 

to seeing you. 

Aaron Strum 

Executive Director 

6

Dovid Zirkind 

Assistant Rabbi 

Ari Lamm 

William Fischman Rabbinic Intern 

The Jewish Center Welcomes 

We all look forward to getting to know the members, the Center and being part of the 

Rabbi Dovid Zirkind, a native of Baltimore, Maryland, attended Yeshivat Kerem B’Yavneh for two 

years. From there he continued to Yeshiva University where he received his undergraduate degree 

in Psychology, graduating from the Yeshiva Program with honors. Rabbi Zirkind then attended the 

Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary. Most recently, Rabbi Zirkind served as Kollel Fellow 

at the Yeshiva University Beit Midrash in Toronto and served as the Rabbinic Assistant at Shaarei 

Shomayim Congregation. He and his wife Ariella, are the proud parents of their 15-month-old 

daughter, Amira. 

Serving as this year’s William Fischman Rabbinic Intern, Ari Lamm attended Yeshiva University, 

graduating summa cum laude with a B.A. in both History and Jewish Studies. While at Yeshiva he 

earned a Henry Kressel Research Scholarship in support of his work fusing Ancient Jewish Studies 

with Old Iranian Studies. Upon graduating from Yeshiva, Ari was awarded a U.S.-U.K. Fulbright 

Scholarship to complete his M.A. in Hebrew & Jewish Studies at University College London. Subsequently, 

Ari commenced his rabbinical studies at the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary, 

where he participated in the Straus Semikha Seminar on Jewish Ideas & American Democracy. Currently, 

he is a member of the Tikvah Foundation’s Post-Graduate Fellowship. His wife, Shlomit – a 

Stern College graduate with an M.A. from Columbia University in Biotechnology – is now a 

second-year dental student at New York University. They are the proud parents of their lovely 

daughter, Perri. 

Eliane Dreyfuss 

Director of Programming and Communications 

wonderful JC community. 

Eliane hails from Brookline, Massachusetts. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology and 

Social Anthropology and Religious Studies in 2007 from Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia, Canada. 

As part of her degree she was privileged to study abroad at both Tel Aviv University and the 

University of Haifa. She has worked for the Jewish Community Relations Council’s Israel Action 

Center in Boston, Hebrew University’s Hillel in Jerusalem and the World Zionist Organization in 

Boston. Eliane is thrilled about moving to New York and planning her wedding with her fiancé, 

Elliot Glassman. 

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Sisterhood Update 

As the Jewish Center Sisterhood looks forward to various cultural and social activities for the upcoming year, all of which bring together 

a wide cross-section of the Jewish Center community, we reflect back on this past year’s programs. 

Our annual brunch, graciously hosted by Jessica Piafsky, was held on May 6th and featured a unique line-up of memoirists, whose 

life stories provided an insight into three very different Jewish worlds. 

Upcoming news: as in the previous two autumns, the Sisterhood, in conjunction with the 

youth of the synagogue, will again provide the materials for and help with the Sukkah decorating. 

In addition, the Sisterhood is undertaking a refurbishing of the carpeting in the main 

sanctuary; those improvements should be in place by Rosh Hashana. 

Sisterhood dues, as well as participation in our events, enable us to provide shivah meals for 

mourners, and to sponsor a wide variety of other projects that benefit the entire shul, from safety to aesthetic concerns. Please continue 

to support the Jewish Center Sisterhood! 

Book Club Update 

Our JC Book Club draws together many members to read and discuss works of fiction and non-fiction. Meetings are held in the 

warm and friendly atmosphere of member’s homes. All are welcome to participate so please be in touch with us if you would like to 

join. The theme for this year's JC Book Club is: Jewish Memoirs Across Borders and Boundaries. Our fall meeting will take place 

on Sunday, October 28th at 7:30 PM (host to be announced), and we will discuss My Father’s Paradise: A Son’s Search for his 

Jewish Past in Kurdish Iraq by Ariel Sabar. The complete program of books, dates, and hosts will follow. 

Young Couples & Families Update 

The Young Couples and Families Committee has big plans for this year! Please join us for our kickoff YCF minyan on September 

8th before the Jewish Center Welcome Back Kiddush . We encourage you to bring your family and learn all about the exciting programming 

we are working on for the year ahead. We are looking forward to more regular YCF minyanim and to coming together 

for delicious kiddushes and luncheons. 

As we look towards the Fall calendar, we are hoping to bring a mix of social and educational events to suit a variety of interests. We 

are working to coordinate a Persian cooking class to excite your tastebuds, a JC Popcorn and Movie Screening and Friday night 

Games Night and Oneg to unwind with friends after a busy week, and a Round Robbin Shabbat Dinner to get to know some of your 

fellow shulgoers and make some new friends! And for the seasoned gourmets out there- we are beginning work on a special YCF 

Cookbook! More information will be forthcoming. 

We can't wait for a great year ahead and always welcome your feedback and suggestions. Please let us know what YOU want to see 

in your community and how you'd like to get involved! 

Dear JC Parents, 

Youth Department Update 

We’ve been busy at work this summer building an exciting schedule of activities for our synagogue’s 

youth. When putting together our programming, we always keep in mind our ultimate goal 

of enriching your child’s Jewish education. Through interaction with clergy, Torah learning, comprehensive 

Shabbat morning youth groups, and social programming, we seek to provide your child 

with a fun and meaningful experience at JC. 

This year, we’re brining back some of our most popular programs and introducing some awesome 

new ones! Join us on Sunday, September 9 th , as we kick off our year with our Welcome Back Family 

Rooftop BBQ. Stay tuned for more information about our High Holiday and Succot programs, Shabbat4Tots, Parent & Child 

Learning, Movie Nights, JC Birthday Party Packages, and a special Shabbat Chanukah Family Dinner. That’s just a short preview 

of what we have in store for you this year, and there’s more to come. 

As always, we need your help to bring the best programs to our synagogue. 

Learn how to get involved through chairing an event, joining a host committee, 

or becoming a sponsor by contacting hod@jewishcenter.org. 

Looking forward to another amazing year with all our JC Families! 

L’Shana tovah, 

Hod Klein—Youth Director 

8

Young Leadership Update 

After a nice summer of planning fall events & programming the JC Young Leadership is looking forward to an eventful fall schedule. 

We will kick-off the fall season with an oneg welcoming Rabbi Dovid & Ariella Zirkind along with their daughter, Amira, to the 

YL community. We look forward to having Rabbi Zirkind serve as the Young Leadership Rabbi. We would also like to thank Ruby 

& Joseph Gottlieb for hosting the oneg at their home. 

We are looking forward to having our Annual Shemini Azeret Lunch, Sunday Apple picking trip, and a Saturday night Panoply 

event. In addition to the wonderful events, we will continue with our always interesting and well attended Living Learning sessions 

every other Tuesday with Rabbi Zirkind along with our successful social action programs ranging from working with DOROT at the 

holidays to Bikkur Cholim and the annual blood drive. 

Young Leadership is always looking for new people to join the committee or to attend our wonderful events. To learn more about JC 

YL, please find us on Facebook at YL at the JC and email yl@jewishcenter.org. 

(Above) Youth Department IDF Training at the DubeZone. 

(Right) Young Leadership enjoying the JC Annual Dinner After 

Party! (Far Right) JC Annual Dinner 

From A to Zohar continued… 

When Soviet Jews were searching for a voice, our members were 

at the forefront of the movement to advocate on their behalf. And 

all the while, The Jewish Center added to the vibrancy and vitality 

of both its members and the broader Jewish community. 

In 2012, there is surely no more urgent and pressing matter on 

our communal agenda than identifying a way to sustain our day 

schools. The Rambam’s formulation could not be more emphatic 

(Talmud Torah 2:1): 

9 

Teachers of small children should be appointed in each and 

every land and in each and every province. If a city does not 

have schoolchildren who are studying Torah, its residents 

should be ostracized until such time as they employ teachers 

for the children. And if they should fail to comply, the city 

[deserves to be] destroyed, for the world exists only by virtue 

of the breath coming from the mouths of children who 

study Torah. 

We are duty-bound also to recognize not only that Jewish education 

is indispensable, but that we as a community bear its responsibility. 

Elul is a time to order and re-order our priorities. Our membership 

is a treasure trove of Jewish communal activism. Our members 

are leaders and supporters of dozens and dozens of outstanding 

Jewish organizations doing outstanding work for our people 

and for the State of Israel. But none of this is a substitute for engagement 

with the day school tuition crisis. 

With all the fragmentation of our society, synagogues are still the 

center of Jewish life. We have a crucial role to play in leading the 

synagogue community’s involvement in this issue. As part of our 

broader theme of Jewish Education this year at The Jewish Center, 

we will be devoting time and attention to both the local and 

global questions of Jewish education. I encourage you to join this 

conversation. 

And thinking about the future of Jewish education in the coming 

generations serves another purpose, too. It reminds us about the 

central role Torah should be playing in our lives. Part of what 

Teshuva means is the recognition that we are in fact educable – 

that change is possible. The habits and patterns of our past may 

inform our future, but they need not dictate it. As we shine our 

communal spotlight on Torah education, let us pause to shine a 

no less luminous light on our own personal commitments to regular 

Torah study. 

Just a few weeks ago, tens of thousands of Jews the world over 

celebrated the completion of Shas. Daf Yomi is a magnificent 

entryway into the world of Talmud and there is no better time or 

place to start than at the beginning. And if not Daf Yomi, choose 

one of our many classes on a weeknight or on Shabbat and be an 

activist in the world of Jewish learning. 

We all know that according to the Midrashic tradition Jewish 

education starts in the womb. But we must remember, too, that it 

does not end at graduation. In fact, it is only in adulthood that we 

can fully appreciate the depth and wisdom of the sacred texts we 

flew past too quickly in our youth. 

There is no statute of limitations on Jewish learning. There is no 

time that is not a ripe opportunity for Torah study. From the siddur 

to the Book of Job, the often-lonely tomes of our tradition 

wait expectantly for the moment some curious reader will open 

them, study them and embrace them. Let us not leave them disappointed. 

May the coming year be filled with opportunities seized and 

dreams realized. And may Hashem grant good health and good 

tidings to our community, our center and the entire Jewish people.

Advanced Leadership 

The Advanced Leadership committee creates a wide variety of 

programming for our 50+ member base at The Jewish Center. 

Contact: Rose Lynn Sherr at al@jewishcenter.org. 

Annual Fundraising Campaign 

The Annual Fundraising Campaign committee coordinates fundraising 

efforts to maintain The Jewish Center’s annual budget. 

Contact: astrum@jewishcenter.org. 

Archives 

The Archives committee works to preserve and make accessible 

the rich and storied history upon which The Jewish Center prides 

itself. Contact: Seth Jonas, archives@jewishcenter.org. 

Bikkur Cholim 

The Bikkur Cholim committee has Shabbat visits to Mt. Sinai 

Hospital twice a month, programming at the Atria Senior Residents 

Facility on West 86th Street once a month and Bikkur Cholim 

by phone where we connect with homebound JC members 

once a week. Contacts: Shira Silton, Leah Albek, Ariel Jerushalmi, 

and Andrew Wigod, bikkurcholim@jewishcenter.org. 

Births 

The Births committee provides crucial support in the form of 

meals for new mothers and their families as they adjust to the 

new arrival. Contact: Judy Birnboim, jcbabymeals@gmail.com. 

Book Club 

The Book Club provides an opportunity for Jewish Center members 

of any age to socialize and discuss books with Jewish 

themes or of Jewish interest in JC members’ homes. Contact: 

Dinah Mendes, bookclub@jewishcenter.org. 

Community Events 

The Community Events committee schedules programs intended 

to bring The JC community and the larger metropolitan Jewish 

community together to experience religiously and spiritually 

enlightening and inspiring events. Contact: communityevents@jewishcenter.org. 

Education 

The Education committee works to make the study of Torah and 

the pursuit of wisdom accessible to our members and the broader 

Jewish community. The committee strives to challenge, empower 

and inspire our members through engaging and relevant courses 

on a wide variety of Jewish topics. Contact: Bernard Falk, 

education@jewishcenter.org. 

Facilities 

The Facilities committee oversees the entire physical facility and 

has direct responsibility for any renovation, construction, or refurbishment 

of The Jewish Center building. Contact: Avi 

Schwartz, aviconsultant@yahoo.com. 

Get Involved at The JC 

House 

The House committee oversees the ongoing maintenance of The 

Jewish Center building's operating systems and ensures the general 

appearance and cleanliness of the entire facility. Contact: 

astrum@jewishcenter.org. 

Israel Activism 

The Israel Activism committee organizes events and projects 

to advance our members’ participation in local and national 

civic life to promote consciousness and awareness about Jewish 

issues by communicating with our elected officials and 

disseminating information to the community. Contact: Susan 

Canter, israelcommittee@jewishcenter.org. 

JC Connections 

Initiated to support the meeting of singles from The Jewish Center 

and the broader New York City community, JC Connections 

hosts creative programs to facilitate introductions and to maximize 

interaction of participants with one another. Committee members 

follow up with participants soon after events and assist in 

further relationship-building between individuals who express 

interest in each other. Contact: Judy Falk, 

jcconnectionsinfo@jewishcenter.org. 

Kiddush/Seudah Shlishit 

The Kiddush/ Seudah Shlishit committee works with The Jewish 

Center office to solicit and coordinate sponsorship for The JC’s 

weekly kiddush and seudah shlishit. Contact: Aaron Strum, 

astrum@jewishcenter.org. 

Membership 

The Membership committee attracts new members and facilitates 

their integration into The Jewish Center community. 

Contact: Aliza Herzberg Brodie and Grant Silverstein, membership@jewishcenter.org. 

Hospitality 

The Hospitality committee works to foster a warm and welcoming 

environment at The Jewish Center through offering members 

and visitors Shabbat meal hospitality. Contact: Steve Antosofsky, 

hospitality@jewishcenter.org. 

Photos from Mayim Bialik’s lecture 

at The JC’s Spring May & Samuel Rudin Lecture 

10

Oneg Shabbat 

Oneg Shabbat distributes Shabbat food to those within our 

community who are unable to provide for themselves. Meals 

are prepared and delivered in a manner which preserves the 

dignity and privacy of those served. Volunteers for distributions 

or donations are greatly appreciated. Contact: Sherry 

Fessel, fess5@aol.com. 

Safety 

The Safety committee ensures compliance with all governmental 

safety regulations. It outlines safety procedures and 

educates both staff and membership about these procedures. It 

provides training in appropriate life saving techniques to 

staff, officers and JC members. Contact: Eddie Lowenthal, 

nicorp@mindspring.com. 

Shivah Meals 

The Shivah Meals committee provides support and comfort to 

recently bereaved members by providing home-cooked meals 

for them during the week of shivah. Contact: Paulette 

Papilsky, support@jewishcenter.org. 

Sisterhood 

The Jewish Center Sisterhood's programs support and enrich 

the lives of The Jewish Center members while promoting the 

ongoing interests of women. The Sisterhood provides high 

quality social, educational and cultural activities for all members. 

Contacts: Gilda Chodosh, Rachel Lurie and Angela 

Sacks, sisterhood@jewishcenter.org. 

Social Action 

Social Action aims to put the Jewish value of tikkun olam into 

action. The committee coordinates annual food drives with 

the kosher division of City Harvest, clothing drives for various 

charities, and blood drives in conjunction and cooperation 

with other community synagogues, schools and Jewish institutions. 

Social action participates in public demonstrations 

against social injustice. Contact: Eliane Dreyfuss, socialaction@jewishcenter.org. 

Get Involved at The JC 

Women’s Tehillim Committee 

The Women’s Tehillim group meets biweekly to read 

Tehillim for those in need. If you would like join, please contact 

Joyce Weitz, Miriam Gutwein & Rose Lynn Sherr at 

212-877-1176 

Young Couples & Families 

Young Couples & Families (YCF) schedules a wide range of 

exciting programs to facilitate Jewish Center young couples 

and families meeting one another and to developing relationships 

with other members and with the clergy. Be a part of 

this wonderful network of couples and families. Contact: Miri 

Lipsky & Josh Schainker, ycf@jewishcenter.org. 

Young Leadership 

The Young Leadership Committee is a dynamic group that 

serves the young adult population of our community through 

an ambitious calendar of social and religious events. The nucleus 

of YL's programming is the weekly Shabbat minyan, a 

spiritual service in a warm atmosphere, including a sermon by 

JC clergy. The YL minyan sponsors a monthly hot Kiddush 

and Friday night dinners to please the palate as well as the 

soul, and Friday night onegs in casual venues to meet other 

members as well as the rabbis. Contact: Judith Lupatkin and 

Grant Silverstein, yl@jewishcenter.org. 

Youth Department 

The Jewish Center Youth Department is one of the most successful 

youth programs on the Upper West Side and remains 

warm and welcoming place for young families in our community. 

With professionally-run Shabbat programs in our Youth 

Center and Beit Midrash and a plethora of exciting and educational 

year-round events, parents of children in preschool 

through 6th grade can participate fully in Synagogue and Holiday 

services while their children are exposed to introductory 

tefillah education, Parsha study, and some wonderful peer fun 

as well. The Jewish Center is the center for the entire family, 

including your tots and teens. Contact: Hod Klein, 

hod@jewishcenter.org. 

Technology 

The Technology committee coordinates with The Jewish 

Center office on issues of technology and data management 

including web development and constituent tracking software. 

Contact: astrum@jewishcenter.org. 

Ushers 

Ushers create a warm and welcoming environment for Jewish 

Center members and guests by greeting them and welcoming 

them to our services on Shabbat and on holidays. Contact: 

Rona Kellman & Penina Blazer, ushers@jewishcenter.org. 

Welcoming Committee 

The Jewish Center Welcoming Committee will infuse a sense 

of warmth and community in all aspects of life at the Center. 

The Committee will generate ideas -- programmatic, procedural 

and structural -- to facilitate connections throughout 

our whole community. Contact: Rachel Ringler, 

Rachel@jewishcenter.org. 

Join us 

Plan upcoming activities, programs and social events. 

For more information, visit our website at 

www.jewishcenter.org or contact our program director, 

Eliane Dreyfuss at eliane@jewishcenter.org or 212-724- 

2700 x110. 

JC members enjoying the wonderful Sisterhood Makeover Event. 

11

November 3 

Sponsored by 

Karen and Paul Levy 

Leon Wieseltier 

Fall Classes and Lectures 

UPCOMING SCHOLARS IN RESIDENCE 

November 17 

David Kagan 

Memorial Lecture 

Rabbi Benyamin Lau 

December 8 

Rabbi Dr. Leo Jung 

Memorial Shabbat 

Rabbi Jacob J. Schacter 

Learn with Rabbi Daniel Fridman 

Wednesdays, September 5- 

December 19, 7:45AM 

Advanced Gemara Chaburah: The Rav's 

Yahrzeit Shiurim 


This year we will be studying the Yahrzeit Shiurim of the 

Rav, zt'l, in advance of the 20th Yahrzeit this coming Chol 

HaMoed Pesach. These shiurim represent the written manuscripts 

of the Rav's annual shiurim on 3 Shevat, in memory of 

his father and teacher, Rav Moshe Soloveitchik, zt'l. As has 

been widely noted, they represented the pinnacle of the Torah 

calendar for our community for over two generations, as thousands 

would flock to Lamport Auditorium to hear the Rav. 

We will devote 3-4 weeks at a time to each shiur, proceeding 

Learn with Dr. Berkowtiz 

Dr. Adena K. Berkowitz, co-founder/ 

Scholar in Residence, Kol HaNeshamah, 

is a Visiting Lecturer at Yeshivat 

Chovevei Torah Rabbinical School and 

co-author of Shaarei Simcha-Gates of 

Joy, the first liturgical work written in the 

modern era by Orthodox women for use 

in the Jewish Community. 

Tuesdays, weekly starting September 11, 10:15- 

11:30AM 

Nosh and Drash: A weekly parsha shiur focusing on intellectual 

and spiritual insights from the Torah 

Dr. Adena K. Berkowitz 

For Women Only. Nosh followed by lively teaching and 

discussion. On Tuesday, September 11th Dr. Berkowtiz 

will teach about The High Holidays and the Path of Teshuva: 

Discover Ten Ways to make the High Holiday/Ten Days 

of Repentance Even More Meaningful. 

12 

from covering the basic sources in the Talmud and Rambam, 

to advancing through the Rav's line of argumentation, and 

ultimately, chiddushim. 

Wednesday, October 17-December 19, 8PM 

The Sweet Songs of David 


The Book of Psalms may be described as having a triple identity. 

First, as one of the twenty four canonical works, the first 

of the sacred Writings. Second, as the foundation of large 

tracts of Jewish liturgy. Third, as the favored text of the individual 

Jew in distress, hallowed by generations of desperate 

prayers and tears of those in dire straits. This series will explore 

this stirring work of Biblical poetry, focusing each week 

on a different Psalm. 

Tuesdays, weekly starting October 23, 12:45-1:30PM 

NEW! Lunch and Learn 

Dr. Adena K. Berkowitz 

Weekly Parshah Shiur for Men and Women. Bring your 

lunch. Midtown Board Room Location TBA. 

Wednesday, November 14th, 7PM 

Kabbalah of Cooking: 

A Taste of Torah and A Taste of Turkey 

Registration: $25 members/$36 non members (men and 

women) 

Learn How to Carve Like a Master Chef and sample gourmet 

glatt Kosher meat delicacies with Ray Venezia, Master 

Butcher at Fairway Market; seen on The Today Show, 

Rachel Ray and nytimes.com turkey carving video. Never 

fear your meat again! Learn about Glatt Kosher, Glatt 

Yosher and Eco Kosher with Dr. Adena K. Berkowitz. Cosponsored 

with Kola Neshamah.

Young Leadership Living Room Learning 

Tuesday, September 4th, 8pm 

Join YL Living Room Learning series! Rabbi Zirkind will be 

kicking off this year on Tuesday, September 4th at Dina Burcat 

and Mira Herman's apartment on 752 West End Avenue, 

Apt 11C. 

YL Welcome Oneg for the Zirkinds 

Friday, September 7, 9:30PM 

Please join the YL Committee at a welcome oneg to Rabbi 

and Ariella Zirkind, Friday, September 7th at the home of 

Ruby & Joseph Gottlieb. 

Young Couples and Families Minyan 

Shabbat, September 8, 9:30AM 

YCF welcomes all those who are interested to join them for a 

minyan at The Jewish Center. Children are welcome. This 

will be the first of many! 

Upcoming Events and Programs 

see page 3 for more information. Registration available at 

www.jewishcenter.org. 

Women’s Tehillim Annual Sukkah Dinner 

Wednesday, October 3, 8:00PM 

Join the Women’s Tehillim group for recitation of Tehillim 

followed by dinner in The JC Sukkah. 

Young Leadership Shemini Atzeret Luncheon 

Monday, October 8, after services 

Join Young Leadership for their annual Shemini Atzeret 

Luncheon on The JC roof. For tickets or more information 

contact yl@jewishcenter.org 

Pizza in the Hut 

Thursday, October 4, 5:30PM 

This evening is fun for the whole family. Come enjoy a meal 

in the sukkah. 

Welcome Back Kiddush 

Shabbat, September 8, after services 

Please join us to welcome back all our congregants who were 

away over the summer, and welcome our new Rabbis—Rabbi 

Dovid Zirkind and Rabbi Ari Lamm and our new Director of 

Programming and Communications, Eliane Dreyfuss. 

Young Leadership Package Delivery Program 

Sunday, September 9th, 10:30AM 

Young Leadership’s Social Action Committee will be participating 

in the annual Dorot Rosh Hashana Package delivery 

program. We will be meeting at the Jewish Center—breakfast 

will be served. 

Community Shabbat Dinner with Rabbi Weil 

Friday, September 14th, after services 

Join us, the Shabbat before Rosh Hashanah, for an intimate 

dinner and discussion with the OU’s Chief Executive Officer. 

To purchase your seats for the meal, contact Eliane at eliane@jewishcenter.org 

Shabbat Shuvah Drasha: Demons, Demigods and Denouement: 

The Scapegoat’s Role in the Yom Kippur Saga with 

Rabbi Levine 

Shabbat, September 22, after services 

JC Sukkah Decorating 

Sunday, September 23, 3:00PM 

The Sisterhood of The Jewish Center, in conjunction with the 

Youth Department, invites you to a Sukkah decorating party. 

We’ll provide the supplies, you supply the creativity, enthusiasm 

and energy! Everyone is welcome! Questions? Contact 

sisterhood@jewishcenter.org. 

Sukkot Meals at The Jewish Center 

Sunday, September 30-Tuesday, October 3 and Shabbat, 

October 5-6th 

Join The Jewish Center family at this year's Sukkot meals and 

enjoy Mediterranean cuisine with friends and family. Please 

Drinks and Dessert in the Sukkah 

Thursday, October 4, 8:30PM 

JC Connections will gather in the sukkah for an opportunity 

to schmooze, meet other singles and enjoy an evening in the 

sukkah. 

Pre-Hakafot for Preschoolers 

Monday, October 8th, 4:30PM 

Join Cantor Chaim David Berson and The JC Youth Department 

for an afternoon of singing, dancing and a light dinner in 

celebration of Simchat Torah! Pre-schoolers ages five and 

under and their parents are welcome. Sponsorship opportunities 

are available. 

Youth Hakkafot 

Monday, October 8th 

Meet in the 4th floor Beit Midrash. All kids will be led into 

the shul to dance with the JC rabbis during their hakkafah. 

Candy bags will also be distributed. 

Book Club Gathering 

Sunday, October 28th, 7:30PM 

The theme for this year's JC Book Club is: Jewish Memoirs 

Across Borders and Boundaries. This gathering will discuss 

My Father’s Paradise: A Son’s Search for his Jewish Past in 

Kurdish Iraq by Ariel Sabar. 

High Holiday Babysitting 

The JC Youth Department will once again be offering 

babysitting throughout high holiday services. Kids will also 

have the opportunity to interact and learn with JC clergy. 

Todah Rabah! 

We would like to thank Avi Schwartz and Steve Graber as well 

as the Facilities Committee—Jacob Buksbaum, Shana Lev and 

Elli Himelstein for all their hard work! They oversaw many 

repairs that took place in the building over the summer. We 

greatly appreciate all of their hard work! 

13

14 

Tikkun Olam Initiative 

The Jewish Center is proud to announce that it 

is the recipient of the UJA-Federation of New 

York Jewish Social Action Month Grant which 

aims to enhance the connectivity between diverse 

segments of the New York Jewish community 

during the month of Chesvan. We are honored to 

take part in this tikkum olam initiative. We will work with 

Uri L'Zedek and with Anshe Chesed, another congregation 

on the Upper West Side to care for the elderly in our community. 

We hope to deliver them necessary supplies and 

bring them comfort and care. How can you get involved? 

We would love it if people would volunteer to help us— 

either by joining the committee or helping us with the deliveries. 

Any assistance would be lovely! Please contact 

Eliane at eliane@jewishcenter.org 

MJE at The JC 

Manhattan Jewish Experience 

www.jewishexperience.org / 212-787-9533 

Manhattan Jewish Experience, founded and directed by Rabbi 

Mark Wildes, is dedicated to spreading Jewish knowledge and 

observance by inspiring Jews to integrate Judaism into their 

professional lives. For members of The JC, MJE offers numerous 

beginner and intermediate level classes on a wide range of 

subjects including Jewish Law, Hebrew Reading and One-on- 

One Learning, as well as Shabbat morning beginners’ services. 

JC members are critical partners in the outreach efforts of MJE 

by serving as hosts for Shabbat meals and volunteering as 

Chavrutot, thereby providing MJE participants with a Jewish 

community which embraces them. For more information or to 

volunteer, contact the MJE office. 

The Next Level 

Join Rabbi Mark Wildes on Wednesday nights for a textual, 

in-depth class on all the ins and outs of Shabbat, Kashrut, Brachot 

(blessings) and Tefillah (prayer). Learn the very practical 

issues of warming food on Shabbat, non-Jewish help on Shabbat 

and other relevant Shabbat issues. Study some of the pertinent 

laws of milk and meat and how to maintain a kosher 

kitchen. Familiarize yourself with the different kinds of blessings 

recited on the various foods and occasions. Finally, as 

each holiday approaches, we will study the festivals, both in 

terms of their underlying concepts and ideas, as well as the 

particular observances relevant to the holiday. Wednesdays, 

8:00-9:00 PM. 

One-on-One Learning Sponsored by The Kagan Foundation 

in Memory of Daniel Kagan, z’l 

Get involved. Share your knowledge. One-on-One Learning 

will pair up a Jewish Center partner with an MJE participant to 

answer questions, explore, and discover new insights about 

life, Judaism, and anything in between. Join other young, enthusiastic 

people for a night of learning, growth, and communal 

involvement. Wednesdays, 7:00-9:30PM, 10 th Floor. 

JC Initiatives 

Community Partners 

Kallah Classes 

The Jewish Center is excited to offer kallah 

classes with Rebbetzin Ariella Zirkind. Ariella 

completed a BA in Judaic Studies from 

Stern College and is a trained kallah teacher 

through the National Council of Young Israel. 

Courses will be offered in both group and individual settings. 

Ariella offers a text-based curriculum that provides 

a thorough understanding of the halachot of family purity. 

Non-text-based classes are also available for students 

more comfortable learning without Hebrew sources. All 

are welcome to join—members and non-members. 

Please contact Ariella for more information: 

ariellazirkind@gmail.com 

Rabbi Zirkind is also available to teach Chosen classes. 

Contact chani@jewishexperience.org for more info. 

Gan Eden 

The American-Israeli Preschool at The Jewish Center 

www.ganedenschool.com/ 212-579-3096 

Preschool program for Ages 2-6 

Opening Windows to the World 

-Parents’ Workshop 

-“Baby Gan Eden” program 

-Afternoon Enrichment Program Hebrew School 

-Israeli Culture and Contemporary Hebrew 

-Preparation for Parenthood 

Discounts offered to Jewish Center Members 

PresenTense 

The PresenTense Group is a global Jewish organization that 

fosters innovation in the Jewish community by training seedstage 

social entrepreneurs and connecting them with global 

Jewish resources. 

To date, PresenTense has launched 281 Jewish community 

startups in fields like education, philanthropy, clean/green, 

civic engagement, social justice, community building, and 

more. 

In 2010 PresenTense began a Community Entrepreneur Partnership 

in New York City to draw upon the city's social capital 

in order to ignite new social ventures and energize the Jewish 

community. 

PresenTense has established its NYC headquarters on The 

Jewish Center's seventh floor, so please stop by and say hello! 

What are the pressing issues you see in the New York Jewish 

community? Would you like to take a hands-on role to develop 

solutions? If so, join PresenTense to address the realities of 

the Jewish community and engage with cutting-edge entrepreneurs 

and community builders. 

For more information about being a fellow, mentor, coach, 

volunteer, or NYC steering committee member, check 

out http://www.nycfellowship.com/ and contact Sara Weinreb 

at saraweinreb@presentense.org.

By Alan H. Zwiebel 

La-di-no 

1. The language of some Sephardic Jews, esp. formerly 

in Mediterranean countries. 

2. 2. A terrific new, kosher, tapas restaurant at 940 8 th 

Avenue @ 56 th Street. 

I’ve been to many good restaurants this past year. For the most 

part, the menus usually consisted of nicely prepared, traditional 

kosher cooking, served usually, by a reasonably adequate wait 

staff. Last night I took my daughter Jennifer out to dinner in 

celebration of a “Big Birthday”. A friend had suggested a new 

place on the west side called “Ladino” and it sounded interesting, 

so that’s where we went. One comes into a long, narrow 

room that is already very crowded at 7:15 on a Wednesday 

evening. It’s somewhat noisy but the crowd seemed to be really 

enjoying everything on their many-plate-laden tables and I 

was encouraged by the buzz. 

I ordered a glass of the Weinstock Red by “W”, $7, it arrived 

quickly, along with a basket of very thin, almost translucent, 

chips with two dipping sauces. The waiter, “Andres”, explained 

that the chips were not potato but cassava, and they 

were incredibly tasty. The wine was a nice, full-bodied, ‘house 

wine’, and held its own with the chips and the two VERY spicy 

sauces. 

The menus arrived, clad in heavy wood, three pages long, with 

a dazzling and slightly confusing array of tapas frias (cold), 

caliente (hot), sandwiches, tortilla envueltas, salads, appetizers 

and main courses. Seeing us quite puzzled, our waiter, Andres, 

came over quickly and proceeded to explain exactly what everything 

was and what his suggestions were as well. All the 

Spanish-named dishes were fully explained, and after some 

discussion we ordered a selection of tapas as well as one main 

course. 

The tapas we ordered started with the Costilla de Res, beef ribs 

with chipotle BBQ glaze, $16. Three medium-sized pieces of 

succulent meat, no bones, were absolutely delicious, smoky, 

slightly spicy and were fork-tender. 

Next we had the Pato Adobado, duck breast slices with onions 

and peppers, $16. Several slices of duck were very intensely 

flavored and the side grilled peppers were a wonderful counterpoint 

and contrast to the duck. Yummy! 

Dining Out 

We had a small side dish of Bravas, cubed, fried potatoes in a 

spicy mayonnaise sauce, $8. A cut above the usual roast potatoes 

due to the amazing sauce that was quite surprising and 

tasty. 

A huge, heavy stone bowl filled with guacamole accompanied 

by tortilla chips, suddenly appeared in the middle of the table. 

We hadn’t ordered it and I 

thought it was “compliments of 

the chef.” On the bill it was $14 

and probably the best guacamole 

I’ve ever had. We had to be 

careful not to overdo it because 

our main dish was about to 

come. Next time, caution! 

Our main course arrived in a 

very hot pan along with a covered 

wooden container of flour tortillas. It was La Cazuela del 

Ladino, skirt steak, cactus, peppers, spring onion and yet more 

guacamole, $36. We were supposed to carefully take a warm 

tortilla and place the slices of steak, the grilled veggies and the 

guacamole inside, wrap with care and then consume without it 

all sliding out the back over one’s pants. It actually worked and 

was a wonderfully satisfying combination of flavors, textures 

and spices. We barely dented the pan full of the goodies and 

Jennifer ended up taking it home for the family to enjoy later, 

including the tortillas. By this time I’d had a second glass of 

wine and was feeling incredibly mellow and full. 

But there was more to come. 

I had mentioned to the friendly manager, Pablo, that it was Jennifer’s 

birthday, and when the dessert she had ordered arrived it 

came with two glasses of wonderfully cold and semi-dry 

Prosecco in champagne flutes, compliments of the house. The 

dessert, “Date fritters in Mexican chocolate”, $9, was crispy, 

nutty and sweet, and I didn’t eat the candle. 

Five waiters and Pablo sang “Happy Birthday,” and I asked for 

the check. 

While waiting for the check, I turned to the table next to us and 

asked what they had ordered, just to increase the dishes I could 

mention. The table was loving the Paella with many varieties 

of fish and “the most delicious and spicy rice ever.” Someone 

else had the Braised Short ribs, $36, and loved it. 

Summing up: a most delicious dinner with unique tastes and 

spices, very attentive service, a bit noisy but very friendly and 

warm. With the tip, dinner for the two of us was $143. Next 

time I’d order fewer courses but everything we had was great. I 

give “Ladino” four Sombrero Kippot. 

Chocolate Works is the new SWEET spot on the UWS!* 

Under the supervision of Rabbi Marmorstein, Chocolate Works offers a full selection of gourmet chocolates, candy, gifts, 

frozen yogurt, chocolate making workshops, birthday parties & much more. 

641 Amsterdam Avenue 

(212) 799-3630 

chocolateworksnyc.com 

We specialize in customizing your very own party favors & holiday arrangements! Free samples daily! 

*This is a paid advertisement 

15

September 2012 

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 

1 14 Elul 

Parshat Ki 

Teitzei 

Hashkama 

7:45 AM 

Shacharit 9:00 AM 

Beginner’s Service 

9:30 AM 

Shiur 6 PM 

Israel Friedman 

Daf Yomi 6:15 PM 

Minchah 7 PM 

§ 8:11 PM 

2 15 Elul 


Daf Yomi 7:45 AM 

Shach 8:30 AM 

Minchah 7:10 PM 

3 16 Elul 



Shach 8:30 AM 


4 17 Elul 

Shach 7 & 8 AM 




5 18 Elul 





6 19 Elul 





7 20 Elul 





◊ 7:01 PM 

8 21 Elul 

Parshat Ki Tavo 

Hashkama 7:45 AM 



9:30 AM 


9:30 AM 

Shiur 5:50PM 

Israel Friedman Daf 

Yomi 6:05 PM 


§ 8:00 PM 

Labor Day 

Shuir by Rabbi Meir 

Goldwicht 10:00 PM 

Selichot at 11pm 

9 22 Elul 



Shach 8:30 AM 


10 23 Elul 

Shach 6:40 & 7:40 

AM 




11 24 Elul 

Shach 6:40 & 7:40 

AM 




12 25 Elul 

Shach 6:40 & 7:40 

AM 




13 26 Elul 

Shach 6:40 & 7:40 

AM 




14 27 Elul 

Shach 6:40 & 7:40 

AM 



◊ 6:50 PM 


15 28 Elul 

Parshat Nitzavim 




9:15 AM 


9:30 AM 

Shuir 5:40 PM 


Yomi 5:55 PM 

Minchah 6:40PM 

§ 7:48 PM 

16 29 Elul 



Shach 8:00 AM 

◊ 6:46 PM 


Erev Rosh Hashanah 

17 1 Tishrei 

Shach 8 AM 

Shofar 10:30 AM 



◊ 6:44 PM 


Rosh Hashanah 

I 

18 2 Tishrei 

Shach 8 AM 

Shofar 10:30 AM 




§ 7:43 PM 

Rosh Hashanah 

II 

19 3 Tishrei 

Fast begins 5:18 

AM 

Shach 6:30/7:30 

AM 




Fast ends: 7:29 

Tzom Gedaliah 

20 4 Tishrei 

Shach 6:30& 7:30 

AM 




21 5 Tishrei 

Shach 6:30& 7:30 

AM 



◊ 6:38 PM 


22 6 Tishrei 

Parshat Vayelech 




9:30 AM 


9:15 AM 

Shuva Drasha by Rabbi 

Yosie Levine 11 AM 


Yomi 5:45PM 


§ 7:36 PM 

23 7 Tishrei 



Shach 8:30 AM 


24 8 Tishrei 

Shach 6:30 & 7:30 

AM 




25 9 Tishrei 

Shach 6:15 & 7:45 

AM 



Kol Nidrie 6:30 

PM 

◊ 6:31 PM 

26 10 Tishrei 

Shach 8:30AM 

Yizkor 12:00 PM 


Neilah 6:10 PM 

Fast ends: 7:30 

27 11 Tishrei 





28 12 Tishrei 

Shach 7 & 8AM 



◊ 6:26PM 


29 13Tishrei 

Parshat Ha’ Azinu 




9:30 AM 


9:30 AM 


Yomi 5:35PM 


§ 7:24 PM 

16 

Yom Kippur 

Page 17 

◊ Candlelighting 

§ Shabbat Ends

The Jewish Center is now taking orders for 

Lulavim & Etrogim 

Place your order by returning the bottom portion of this Purchase Form to 

The JC office by Sunday, September 23rd, 2012 

Cost 

Category 1: $65 Standard 

Category 2: $85 Deluxe 

SETS WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR PICK UP AT THE JEWISH CENTER: 

AT THESE TIMES ONLY 

Friday, September 28th 

Sunday, September 30th 

7:45AM - 2:30PM 

9:0AM - 12:00PM 

NO DELIVERIES 

******************************************************************* 

PURCHASE FORM 

NAME __________________________ TELEPHONE _____________ 

I would like to order _______ Sets 

Set for $65 _____ 

Set for $85 _____ 

Enclose please find my check for $__________ 

Please note that orders will not be processed unless accompanied by payment. 

Purchase(s) cannot be billed to your account. 

17

Donations 2012 

With thanks to our generous donors throughout the year. Your help and support allow many of The Jewish Center’s events to happen. 

General Fund 

Riva Atlas & David Atik 

Harriet & George Blank 

in honor of Rachel Levine's fine job of 

coaching the Rabbinic basketball team 

(despite the loss). 

Tehillah Blech 


Ardell Borodach 

in honor of Ira Kellman's speedy recovery. 

Rachel Braha 

Edie Braun 

in honor of Andrew's Bar Mitzvah 

Geoffrey Cutler 

Ardell & Gerold Borodach 

in honor of Virginia Bayer Hirt & Rabbi 

Robert Hirt on the birth of twin grandchildren. 

Grace Gribetz & Israel Leo Glasser 

Avi Goldstein 

Joseph Greenberger 

Audrey Greenfeld 

Rina Karon 

Fran & Stan Kensky 

in honor of the generous hospitality of 

Susan Kensky & Sam Goldman. 

Abbe Lowell 

Mildred Mailick 

Elaine & Irwin Markow 

in honor of Mildred & Alvin 

Hellerstein’s 50th wedding anniversary. 

Barbara Messer 

in honor of Vered Kaplan's Bat Mitzvah. 

Philip Pockriss 

Brigitte Bedos Rezak 

Ann Rosenberg 

in honor of Ari Fischel completing Daf 

Yomi. 

Jeffrey Schachar 

Esther Schwartz 

in honor of Stanley Silverstein 

Rabbi Barry Dov Schwartz 

Eva Sher 

Stanley Silverstein 

Harvey Stober 

Adina, Philip, Sarah & Daniel Wagman 

in honor of Ariel Greenwald's Bat Mitzvah. 

Rachel Wolf 

in honor of Rabbi & Rachel Levine, Jonah 

Kupietzky & Andrew Borodach 

Miriam Wolf 

Morris Wyszogrod 

In Memoriam 

Leora & Benjy Allen 

in memory of Ayelet Galena. 

Natalie Batshaw 


Jennifer & Mark Becker 


Judy & Yosef Birnboim 


Elana Sinensky & Adam Blumenthal 



in memory of Rabbi Sheldon Rudoff 


in memory of Shoshana Comet 



Jessica & David Brand 


Dina Burcat 


Shaina Cohen 


Tamar David 


Rochelle & Chaim Eliav 

in memory of the yahrzeit of parents 

Rachel Engelhart 


Craig Englander 


Ezra Fass 


Saul Finkelstein 

in commemoration of the yahrzeit of his 

father, Bernard Finkelstein. 

Rachel & David Fischer 


Rena Fischler 


Tova Friedman & Israel Friedman 

in loving memory of Rivka Friedman, 

z"l, Liba & Yitzchak Friedman, z"l & 

Frida & Aryeh Hershman, z"l. 

Shannon Friedman 


Erin & Joshua Gelfand 


Amy Gross 


Elise & Steven Grossblatt 

in memory of Melvin Zeltser. 

Beth Mestel Haimm 

in loving memory of Semi Sznajderman. 

Elie Haller 


Ruth & Elli Himelstein 


Esther Hollander 


Rina Karon 


Rachel Kimmel 

in memory of Rabbi Sheldon Rudoff 

Bosi & Yaron Kinar 


Jessica Kravitz 


Lisa Kahn Kriegel 


Amanda & Daniel Laifer 


Jed & Amy Latkin 


Michelle Lebowits 


Sarah Lee 


Robin Levitt 


Stacey & Edmond Levy 


Joan Papier & Dr. Henry Lieberman 

in memory of the yahrzeit of her beloved 

father, Zvi Hirsch Axelrad. 

Russell Light 


Miriam Lipsky and Joshua Schainker 


Saul & Rebecca Lubetski 


Joey Nussbaum & Tamar Kaplan- 

Marans 


Amy Margulies 


David & Emily Menchel 


Sara Mordzynski 

in memory of Miriam Malka Chaya bat 

Alter, Zanjwel Ben Abeh HaCohen & 

Yehudah Aryeh Ben Shimon Asher. 

Michal & Ilan Nordmann 


Seth & Zeesie Pertain 


Yael Federbush & Tony Pinto 


Barbara & Guy Reiss 


Howard Rieger 

in memory of Joseph Dresdner, brother 

of Francine. 

18

Sarah Rindner 


Yehudit Robinson 


Lauren Hedvat Rosenberg 


Lauren & Jordan Rosenberg 

in memory of Lori Zeltser's father Melvin 

Zeltser. 

Pnina Saifer 


Rebecca Saidlower 


Lyat Salomon 


Elizabeth & Jonathan Schilowitz 


Adele & Leonard Schwartz 

In memory of Leonard's mother, Lillian 

Schwartz Greenzeig 

Menashe Shapiro 


Henry Sheinkopf 

in memory of Max Budick. 

Grant Silverstein 


Liz & Paul Towb 


Cindy Trop 

In memory of Judith Levine on the occasion 

of her 10th yahrzeit. 

Deborah Unger 

in memory of her beloved father, Leo F. 

Unger, D.O. 

Dorothy Van Amerongen 

Debbie Veetal 


Rachel Wachter 


Adina & Philip Wagman 


Rachel Fishman & Ari Wainberg 

in memory of the yahrzeit of her beloved 

mother, Bernice Fishman. 

Andrew Wigod 


Marleen & Kenneth Wolf 

in memory of Pesach Levovitz. 

Youth Sponsorship 

Leyla Fortgang & Daniel Posner 


in honor of Charlie's Birthday 

Rabbi Yosie & Rachel Levine 

in honor of Akiva & Yehoshua. 

Leonard and Maura Shaykin 

for the Shavuot Family Lunch. 

19 

Donations 2012 

Kiddush/Seudah Shlishit Sponsorships 

Maurie & Rich Axelbaum 

in honor of Tiki & Simcha Lyons, with 

love and appreciation for their kindness, 

friendship & tefillos. 

Marnie & Scott Black 

Young Couples & Families Kiddush 

Luncheon Sponsor 


Mevarchim Kiddush Sponsor in memory 

of his grandmother, Helen Borodach. 


Yom Ha'atzmaut Kiddush Sponsor in commemoration 

of the Yahrzeit of his beloved, 

grandmother, Edith Kabalkin. 

Sharon Schneier & Clifford Brandeis 

Graduation Kiddush in honor of the graduation 

of their sons, Aaron and Ben, from 

Heschel Middle School. 

Bernard Broome 

in honor of the Bat Mitzvah of his daughter, 

Gabrielle. 

Lois & Michael Burak 

in commemoration of the yahrzeit of Lois's 

father, Harold I. Levine, Purple Heart Veteran, 

WWII and in memory of Lois's uncle, 

Fred R. Wiesen, PFC and Michael's 

brother, Dr. George P. Burak, Silver Star 

and Purple Heart. 

Vivian & Daniel Chill 

Hashkama kiddush in memory of Daniel's 

father, Rabbi Abraham Chill. 

Vivian & Daniel Chill 

Kiddush in commemoration of the yahrzeit 

of Vivian's father, Harold Jacobs. 

Gilda & Irving Chodosh 

in memory of the 2nd yahrzeit of Gilda's 

father, Abraham Tennenbaum. 


in commemoration of the 2nd yahrzeit of 

Gilda’s mother, Rochelle Tennenbaum. 

Gilda & Irving Chosdosh in memory of 

Jean Chodosh 

Gilda & Irving Chodosh in honor of their 

daughter, Lisa, graduating from City College, 

Summa Cum Laude. She will attend 

Cardozo Law School in the fall. 

Michelle Chrein 

in commemoration of her father's second 

yahrzeit, Dr. Mel Chrein, L'Zecher Nishmat 

Moshe ben Shimon Halevi. 

David Cohen 

Mevarchim Kiddush Sponsor in memory 

of his father, Abraham Cohen. 

Liliane Cohen 

in observance of the yahrzeit of her father, 

Charles Steindecker. 

Adrienne Cooper 

in memory of her beloved father Irving 

Cooper, in honor of her engagement to Dr. 

Michael Wolf and in honor of Michael's 

birthday. 

Rachel Jonas & Elliott Davis 

in honor of their last Shabbos in NY. 

Golda & Avinoam Erdfarb 

hashkama kiddush in memory of Avinaom's 

Grandfather, Jack Erdfarb, Yaakov 

ben Moshe. 

Dora & Emanual Federbush 

in honor of the Bat Mitzvah of their granddaughter, 

Ariel Greenwald, daughter of 

Judy Federbush & Rodney Greenwald. 

Dana Septimus & Joseph Feldman 

in honor of Eva Leigh's Birthday. 

Ari & Ellen Fischel 

in memory of Ellen's father, Paul Rosenberg. 

Tova Friedman & Rabbi Israel 

Friedman 

in memory of 10th yarhzeit of their mother 

and wife Rivkah Friedman (Rivka bat Arye 

and Frida). 

Avi Assaban & Aviva Grunwald 

Young Leadership kiddush, in honor of 

their recent engagement. 

Susan Kensky & Samuel Goldman 

Graduation Kiddush in honor of their 

daughter-in-law, Victoria Sears Goldman, 

who just received her PhD in Art History 

from Princeton University, and their son-in 

-law, Jonathan Schilowitz, who just received 

his MBA from Columbia University 

Business School. 

Bella & Raymond Goldwater 


of their granddaughter, Ayelet Grajower. 

Ruby & Joseph Gottlieb 

Graduation Kiddush in honor of Aaron's 

graduation from Binghamton University 

magna cum laude with a B.A. in media 

studies. 

Alan Gover & Janine Behrman 


wife, Ellen Ross Gover. 

Alan Gover 

Yom Ha'atzmaut kiddush sponsor in commemoration 

of the yahrzeit of Alan's father 

Norman Gover, Grandfather Max Gover 

and father-in-law, Phillip H Ross 

Esther & Steve Graber 

in commemoration of the 8th yahrzeit of 

Esther's father - Rev. Abraham Jacobowitz 

- Avraham ben Dovid HaCohen 

Esther & Steve Graber 

in memory of Esther's mother, Ruth 

Jacobowitz, on the occasion of her 8th 

yahrzeit.

Judith and Robert Grauman 

in celebration of the engagement of Jesse 

Grauman and Rebecca Gerr. 

Judith and Robert Grauman 

in commemoration of the yahrzeit of Robert's 

mother, Ida Grauman. 

David Greenberger 

in memory of his grandfather, Louis 

Greenberger. 


in honor of the engagement of her daughter, 

Amanda Sussman, to Darren Bryk 


in memory of her father, Joseph Greenfeld. 

Sharon & Gary Greengrass 

in memory of Gary's father, Moe Greengrass. 

Sharon & Gary Greengrass 

in memory of Gary's mother, Shirley 

Greengrass. 

Michelle & Paul Grobman 

in memory of Michelle's beloved grandparents, 

Ghitty & Max Stern. 

Sammy Grossman 

in honor of his birthday and licensure as a 

Certified Public Accountant. 

Sharon & Sinclair Haberman 

Kiddush in honor of the Bar Mitzvah of 

their son, Andrew. 

Lisa & Doron Halpern 


Luncheon 

Michelle & Ronald Herzlinger 

in commemoration of the yahrzeit of 

Michelle's mother, Ruth Singer. 

Rabbi Robert & Virginia Bayer Hirt 

Mevarchim kiddush sponsor in memory of 

Virginia's mother, Molly Bayer. 

Mindy & Ami Horowitz 

in honor of the release of Ami's movie, 

U.N. Me, and with sincere gratitude to The 

Jewish Center clergy and members for 

their continued support. 

Rochelle Tarlowe & Seth Jonas 

Mevarchim Kiddush in memory of Seth's 

father, Mark Cohen & in honor of Seth's 

brother, Barry Jonas, on his upcoming 

wedding to Bianca Harris. 



Luncheon 


Yom Ha'atzmaut BBQ 

Joan Kagan & Joshua Kagan 

Kiddush in honor of the Bar Mitzvah of 

their son, Jeremy. 

The Kahn Family 


Hugo Kahn. 

Corey Kanon 

in memory of Mitchell Karr. 

20 

Chaviva, Andrew, Barak, Vered & 

Einav Kaplan 


their father, and Papa, Dr. Seymour Greenfeld. 

Chaviva, Andrew, Barak, Vered & 

Einav Kaplan 

in honor of the bat Mitzvah of their daughter 

and sister, Vered Rivka. 

Ruth Kastner 

in memory of her father Meir Levanon- 

Meir ben Moshe Yaakov 

Bosi & Yaron Kinar 


Luncheon 

Miriam Gutwein & Alex Klein 

in commemoration of Miriam's uncle's 

yahrzeit, Yehudah Aryeh ben Yitzchak. 

Arlene & Larry Klein 


father Avraham Yoseph Klein 


in commemoration of the yahrzeit of Miriam's 

father, Reb Yehoshua Ben Yitzchak. 

Fran & Jonah Kupietzky 

in memory of his father, Rabbi Jacob 

Kupietzky. 


in memory of Ayelet Galena 


Youth Birthday Kiddush in honor of Charlie, 

Emmeline & Juliette Laifer 


in commemoration of the Yarzheit of 

Charles Nussbaum, Father of Amanda 

Nussbaum. 

Marion Lauber 

in commemoration of the yahrzeit of her 

mother, Grete Lauber. 

Rachelle & Alan Laytner 

in observance of the yahrzeit of Helen 

Laytner. 


in memory of Ayelet Galena 



Judith Levine. 

Darren Litsky 

in memory of his father, William Litsky. 

Darren Litsky 

in honor his forthcoming marriage of Gail 

Wisner. 

Leah & Paul Lowenthal 

in memory of Adrienne Sclair. 

Leah & Paul Lowenthal 

Rachel Lurie 

in celebration of the marriage of Margalit 

& Assaf. 

Rachel Lurie 

Yom Ha'atzmaut Kiddush 

Rachel Lurie 

in memory of her beloved husband, Sanford 

Lurie. 

Tiki & Simcha Lyons 

in memory of her father's yahrzeit Harav 

Shmuel Tuvia Stern 

Paulette & David Meyer 

in memory of Paulette's father, Hal Stein. 

Paulette & David Meyer 

Graduation kiddush in honor of their 

daughter, Rachel, who is graduating from 

Ramaz Middle School, their son, Robby 

Charnoff, who is receiving a Master's Degree 

from YU's Azrieli Graduate School of 

Jewish Education and Administration and 

their son, Jack, for 'moving up" to the Middle 

School of Ramaz. 

Micol Braha & Maurizio Molinari 

in honor of the birth of their twins and the 

naming of their daughter. 

Hanno Mott 

to commemorate the Yahrzeit of his mother 

[Yochebed bat Yonah HaCohen] on 20 

Tammuz. 

Veronica & Erwin Muth 

in memory of Veronica's mother, Elizabeth 

Ungar 


in honor of the birth of their grandson 

Aharon Eitan, son of Danielle & Yaakov 

Liss. 


in Commemoration of the yahrzeit of Erwin's 

Mother, Sarolta Muth. 

Esther Nussbaum 

in honor of my grandson's bar mitzvah in 

Jerusalem. 

Esther Nussbaum 

in memory of her beloved husband Moses 

Nussbaum, z'l. 

Alan Nussbaum 


father, Max Nussbaum (Meir Ben Abraham 

Abba) and in honor of Rabbi Ari Berman 

Kathy & Milton Parnass 

in commemoration of the yahrzeit of 

Kathy's father, Samuel Berggrun. 

Mindy & Brian Pffermann 



Yael & Tony Pinto 



Leyla Fortgang & Daniel Posner 

Marlene Pressner 

Ephraim Reinhard 

Young Leadership kiddush Sponsor in 

honor of his birthday. 


Kiddush in honor of Harlans' Bar Mitzvah 

and Mickey's college graduation.

Francine & Jesse Salsberg 

Graduation kiddush in honor of the graduation 

of their grandson, Jacob Green, from 

SAR High School. 

Miri Lipsky & Josh Schainker 


Luncheon 

Elizabeth & Jonathan Schilowitz 


Luncheon 

Avram Schreiber 

sponsored by Renee Schreiber to mark the 

anniversary of her husband Avram's Bar 

Mitzvah 

Avi Schwartz 

Young Leadership Kiddush 

Chani & Mark Segall 

Graduation Kiddush in honor of their 

daughter, Orli's graduation from SAR 

Academy High School. 

Chani and Mark Segall 

Kiddush in commemoration of the yahrzeit 

of Mark’s mother, Joyce Segall. 

Nechi Shudofsky 

Yom Ha'atzmaut BBQ Sponsor 

Talia & Abie Shulman 


Luncheon 

Rachel Ringler & Yossie Siegel 

Kiddush in memory of Isidore Ringler. 

Ann & Stanley Siverstein 

Hashkama Kiddush 

Nancy & Joseph Sklarin 

in commemoration of the 2nd yahrzeit of 

Rochelle Tennenbaum. 

Nancy & Joseph Sklarin 

in honor of the engagement of Lesley to 

Joshua Herbert. 

Suzzane & Allen Smith 

Mevarchim Kiddush on the occasion of the 

birth of their granddaughter, Rachel Lila to 

their children Sharon & Steven Smith and 

to commemorate the yahrzeit of Suzanne's 

mother, Paula Shauer, Perel bas Avraham 

Yerucham. 

Jennifer & Mark Smith 

in honor of the birth of their daughter, Alexandra 

Hailey. 

Beth Feldman & Louis Solomon 


of their daughter, Tess Acitai, from 

the eighth grade at Ramaz. 

Hanna Abrams & Sam Spinner 


father, Reb Menashe Nachum ben 

Yitzchak Eizik, Dr. Nahum. Spinner. 

Rona & Andrew Steinerman 

in honor of Noam's Bar Mitzvah. 

Deborah-de Winter & Philip Sussman 

in honor of the visit of students from the 

Zwi Perez Chajes School in Vienna. 

21 

Deborah de Winter & Philip Sussman- 


of their daughter, Carolyn Sussman 

from The Rabbi Joseph H. Lookstein Upper 

School of Ramaz. Carolyn will be attending 

Cornell University's College of 

Arts and Sciences in the fall. 

Harold Turobiner 

in honor of the forthcoming marriage of 

his granddaughter. 

Rachel & Ari Wainberg 

Young Leadership Kiddush Sponsorship 

Rachel & Ari Wainberg 


Luncheon 

Miriam & Irving Weitschner 

in commemoration of the yahrzeit of Miriam's 

father, Herbert Rappaport, Chaim ben 

Yehudah 

Joyce & Aaron Weitz 

in commemoration of Joyce's mother, Gertrude 

Cohen & Aaron's father, Samuel Dov 

Weitz. 


in honor of the 68th anniversary of Aaron's 

Bar Mitzvah. 


in commemoration of the yahrzeits of Aaron’s 

beloved mother, Sarah Weitz and his 

sister Sylvia Siegel. 

Marleen & Kenneth Wolf 

in memory of his father, Avraham Wolf. 

Sylvia & Raphael Zeevi 

in commemoration of the yahrzeit of Sylvia's 

mother, Lea Zauderer 

David Gliner, Robert Grauman, Larry 

Klein & Henry Rothman 

in honor of Stanley Silverstein and to wish 

tzeitchem l'shalom to Stanley & Ann Silverstein 

upon their move. 

Adult Education 


Cindy Trop in honor of Rabbi Dr. Levi 

Meier & Melvin K. Sires 

Community Events 

Lori Zeltser & Len Berman 

Annual Winter Concert 



Aliza Herzberg & Howard Brodie 


Michael Chill 




Susan & Arthur Degen 


Sherry & Mark Fessel 


Brauna & Marvin Fortgang 


Shifra R. Epstein 


Ruby & Joseph Gottlieb 


Josh Grauer 


Rabbi Robert Hirt & Virginia Bayer 

Hirt 


Chaviva & Andrew Kaplan 


Rona & Ira Kellman 


Joan & Henry Lieberman 


Doborah & Robert Marcus 




Pamela Ring & David Neikrug 


Jonah & Stanley Raskas 




Avi Schwartz 


Debra & Henry Sheinkopf 

Purim Community Dinner 

Rachel Ringler & Yossi Siegel 


Rona & Andrew Steinerman 


Atara & Zeesha Twersky 


Rachel & David Vorchheimer 


Adina & Philip Wagman 




*Information as of August 20, 2012. We apologize for 

any omissions and ask that you please notify us if you 

were not acknowledged in the above categories by 

emailing saba@jewishcenter.org. 

Mazal Tov 

Aviva Grunwald & Avi Assaban on their 

engagement. 

Jennifer & Mark Becker on the birth of a 

girl. 

Lori Zeltser & Len Berman on the Bar 

Mitzvah of their son, Sam. 

Harriet & George Blank and Marilyn & 

Leon Moed on the engagement of their 

granddaughter, Jessica Blank, to Noam 

Zeffren. 

Rachel Wolf & Andrew Borodach on 

their wedding.

Andrew Borodach on being honored at 

the Gush Etzion Annual Dinner. 

Lizzy Brenner on graduating from SAR 

High School 

Bernard Broome on the Bat Mitzvah of 

his daughter, Gabrielle. 

Vivian & Daniel Chill on the recent Bar 

Mitzvah of their grandson, Jonah, son of 

Ilana & Adam Chill. 

Vivian & Daniel Chill on their grandson 

Jonah's 11th place finish in the international 

Chidon HaTanach this past 

week. 

Liliane Cohen on the engagement of her 

granddaughter, Faygie Berkowitz to 

Rachmiel Stern. 

Naomi Colton on the birth of a girl to 

her children Lea & Yosi Maruvka. 

Adrienne Cooper on her engagement to 

Dr. Michael Wolf. 

Beverly & Andrew Druck on the engagement 

of their daughter, Tamar, to 

Andrew Cohen. 

Beverly and Andrew Druck on the 

birth of a daughter to their children Avigail 

and Aryeh Shudofsky. Mazal tov, to 

Aunt Tamar, Aunt Danielle and Uncle 

Daniel. 

Ami Eden on receiving the Charles and 

Els Bendheim Distinguished Service 

Award at Manhattan Day School's upcoming 

dinner. 

Judith Fagin on being honored by 

Ramaz at their annual dinner. 

Bernard & Vivian Falk on the engagement 

of their son, Colin, to Alessandra 

Szulc, daughter of Dr. Massimiliano & 

Teri Szulc. 

Ethan Finkelstein on graduation from 

Heschel High School, and attending 

Tufts University this fall. 

Rachel & David Fischer on the birth of 

a boy. 

Brauna & Marvin Fortgang on the 

birth of a granddaughter, born to their 

children, Lauren & Andy Fortgang. 

Tamara & Israel Fried on the birth of 

twins, a boy and a girl. 

Judith & Walter Gadlin on the engagement 

of their son, Elie, to Marissa Tuchinsky. 

Judy & Walter Gadlin on the aufruf 

and forthcoming marriage of their son, 

Elie, to Marissa Tuchinsky. 

Gabrielle & David Goldberg on the 

birth of a boy. Mazal tov to greatgrandparents, 

Shifra Epstein-Goldberg & 

Samuel Goldberg. 

Announcements 

Sivia & Chanan Golub on the birth of a 

boy. 

Esther & Steve Graber on the engagement 

of their son, Aryeh, to Kayla Goldman. 

Judy & Rodney Greenwald on the Bat 

Mitzvah of their daughter Ariel. Mazal 

Tov also to brother: Jacob, grandparents: 

Dora & Emanuel Federbush, aunt and 

uncle: Yael & Rob Lebowitz, Maya, 

Julia and Isaac and aunt Dana Federbush. 

Avi Grumet on his engagement to Leah 

Greenstein. 

Aurielle Gutkind on graduating from 

kindergarden 

Danielli Gutkind on graduation from 

Ramaz Middle School 

Sharon & Sinclair Haberman on the 

Bar Mitzvah of their son, Andrew. 

Aaron Harris on his engagement to 

Jenna Statfield. 

Sylvia Heiden on the upcoming Bar 

Mitzvah of her son, Michael, in Israel. 

Shelley & Jonathan Helfand on the 

birth of a grandson born to their children, 

Avi & Sarah Helfand. 

Johanna & Robert Herskowitz on the 

Bat Mitzvah of their daughter, Sophie. 

Ruth Himelstein on graduating from 

Columbia University’s Teachers College, 

Advanced Master’s in Secondary 

Science Education. 

Virginia Bayer Hirt and Rabbi Robert 

Hirt on the birth of boy/girl twins to 

their children David and Michele Slifka. 

Chaviva, Andrew, Barak & Einav 

Kaplan and to Lily Kaplan on the Bat 

Mitzvah this week of their daughter, 

sister and granddaughter, Vered Rivka. 

Mazal Tov to grandmother Eudice 

Greenfield, visiting from Skokie, IL. 

Rona & Ira Kellman on the birth of 

twin granddaughters, born to Lanie & 

Ari Kellman. 

Ruth & Larry Kobrin on the recent Bat 

Mitzvah of their granddaughter, Naama, 

daughter of Rabbi Jeffrey & Michelle 

Greenberg-Kobrin. 

Ruth & Larry Kobrin on the Bat Mitzvah 

of their granddaughter, Ariela 

Feinblum, daughter of Rebecca Kobrin 

and Kevin Feinblum, this Shabbat in 

Riverdale 

Yaira Kobrin on graduating from SAR 

Academy 

Miriam Krupka on her engagement to 

Dr. Ari Berger. 

Amanda & Daniel Laifer on the birth 

of a girl. 

Jeremie and Shira Rose Lederer on 

the birth of a boy. 

Joan Papier Lieberman and Dr. Henry 

N. Lieberman on the engagement of 

their granddaughter, Devora Leah 

Lieberman, daughter of Andrea & Alan 

Lieberman of Boca Raton, FL to Hillel 

Lefkowitz, son of Dr. & Mrs. Stuart 

Lefkowitz of Boca Raton, FL. 

Resident Scholar Yael Leibowitz and 

Rabbi Aaron Leibowitz on the birth of 

a girl. 

Ruth Lemberger on the birth of a 

granddaughter. 

Toby & Ira Leviton on the bar mitzvah 

of their son, Max. 

Nechama & Yonah Levy on the recent 

Bar Mitzvah of their son, Shimi, in Israel. 

Joan Papier Lieberman & Dr. Henry 

Lieberman on the Bat Mitzvah of their 

granddaughter, Leora Adina, daughter of 

Julie & David Papier. 

Darrin Litsky on his marriage to Gail 

Wisner. 

Maureen & Laszlo Marcus on the birth 

of a grandson, born to their children, 

Shoshana & Michael Marcus. 

Paulette & David Meyer on the birth of 

a granddaughter born to their children 

Rabbi Robby & Shoshana Charnoff. 

Leon and Marilyn Moed on the birth of 

a great grandson, to parents Avi and Karen 

Golombeck of Woodmere, NY. 

Micol Braha & Maurizio Molinari on 

the birth of twins, a boy and a girl. 

Carol & Ira Morrow on the birth of a 

granddaughter. 

Veronica & Erwin Muth on the birth of 

a grandson, born to their children Daniella 

& Yaakov Liss. 

Tova Nadler on graduating from Barnard 

College with a B.A. in Neuroscience. 

She will be attending NYU’s College 

of Dentistry in the fall. 

Elizabeth & Moshe Neiman on the 

birth of a girl. 

Jacob Zvi Neumark on graduating from 

SAR High School. He will attend Torah 

Shraga in the fall. 

Avery & Susan Neumark on the birth 

of a grandson, born to Josh & Alyse Rozenberg. 

Mazal tov to great-grandparents 

Debby & Melvin Neumark. 

22

Tamar Kaplan-Marans & Joey Nussbaum 

on the birth of a boy. 

Esther Nussbaum on the Bar Mitzvah 

of her grandson. 

Ayalet Papier, granddaughter of Joan & 

Henry Lieberman, on graduating from 

Yavneh. 

Rachelle & Daniel Pilarski on the birth 

of a girl, Sarah Chaya, Sarah Anne. 

Ilana & David Prager on the birth of a 

girl. 

Marlene Pressner on winning the Membership 

Database Raffle, dinner for two 

at PrimeKo. 

Rabbi Ariel & Jessica Rackovsky on 

the birth of a boy. 

Barbara & Guy Reiss on the Bar Mitzvah 

of their son, Harlan. 

Mickey Reiss, on graduating from Carnegie 

Mellon University, Senior Leadership 

Award. 

Robbie Richler, grandson of Ted Comet, 

on graduating from Washington University, 

Magna Cum Laude. 

Yehudit Robinson on her recent engagement 

to Sam Daitch. 

Eva Romer on the birth of a greatgrandson, 

Meir, born to her grandchildren 

Henni & Tzvi Greenfield. 

Rafi Rosenbaum, winner of HODS’ 

3.5k race in Central Park. 

Rafi and Judith Rosenbaum on the 

birth of their baby girl, Rachel Gabrielle 

Rosenbaum. 

Jonathan & Fara Rosenberg on the 

birth of a boy 

Tamar & Yitzchak Rosenthal on the 

birth of a boy. 

Marilyn Rothschild on the birth of a 

granddaughter, Shari Eliana, to the proud 

parents, Limor and Ben and to Shari's 

brother Gadi. 

Samantha Rose Rothman, granddaughter 

of Esther Nussbaum and the late Dr. 

Moses Nussbaum, Jack M. Barrack 

Hebrew Academy, honors in 

French, attending Kivunim in the fall. 

Francine & Jesse Salsberg on the recent 

Bar Mitzvah of their grandson, 

Avery Salsberg. 

Seth Salpeter, PhD in Biochemistry 

from Hebrew University 

Joshua Schickman on his aufruf and 

forthcoming marriage to Rivkie Elbaum 

Avi and Dori Schiowitz on the birth of 

a girl. 

Beth & Josh Schwartz on the Bat Mitzvah 

of their daughter, Ravi. 

23 

Announcements 

Condolences 

Aliza & Dov Segal on the birth of a girl. 

Gabrille Segal on graduating from Yeshiva 

University High School for Girls, 

Ayelet Segal on graduating from 

HAFTR middle school and Nicole Van 

Amerongen on graduating from HAFTR 

Middle School, grandchildren of Dorothy 

& Jacques Van Amerongen Nechi 

Shudofsky on the engagement of her 

grandson, Ariel Chesner, to Efrat 

Knissbacher in Israel. 

Nechi Shudofsky on the marriage in 

Israel of her grandson, Ariel Chesner to 

Efrat Knisbacher and on the engagement 

of her grandson, Shai Shalev in Israel to 

Avital Willner. 

Talia & Abie Shulman on the birth of a 

boy. 

Nancy & Joseph Sklarin on the engagement 

of their daughter, Lesley, to 

Josh Herbert. 

Nancy and Yossie Sklarin on the birth 

of a grandson, Menachem Yaacov, to 

their children Michelle and David Simon. 

Sharon & Steven Smith on the birth of 

a girl, Rachel Lila. Mazal tov to grandparents 

Suzanne & Allen Smith. 

Jennifer and Mark Smith on the birth 

of a girl. Mazel tov to grandparents Suzanne 

and Allen Smith. 

Leanna R. Smith on graduating from 

Bronx Science High School, Arnold Canel 

Prize for Excellence in English at 

Bronx Science, Attending Northwestern 

University in the fall. 

Elyssa Sperber on her engagement to 

Daniel Bloom. 

Marcelle Swergold on the engagement 

of her granddaughter, Talia Swergold, to 

Mikey Pollack. 

Jay Taragin on his engagement to Zohara 

Bernell. 

Tobi & Meira Tugendhaft on the birth 

of a granddaughter, born to their children 

Chantal and David Ulmer. 

Jonathan Blank and Serena Wieder on 

the birth of a grandson, born to children 

Rabbi Netanel and Sara Wiederblank 

Tami & Shy Yellin on the Bat Mitzvah 

of their daughter, Temima. 

Miriam & Jeffrey Zuckerman on the 

engagement of their son, Dani, to Batya 

Herzberg. 

Miriam & Jeffrey Zuckerman, on the 

birth of a granddaughter born to Lea & 

Yakir Schechter. 

Ted Comet on the loss of his sister, Alice 

Budney. 

Lilian Dulken on the loss of her husband, 

Walter Dulken. 

Dora Federbush on the loss of her 

brother, Dr. Semi (Simcha David) Sznajderman. 

Hindy Poupko and Seth Galena on the 

loss of their daughter, Ayelet Yakira 

Galena. 

Shlomo Gewirtz on the loss of his father, 

Cantor Naftali Gewirtz. 

Shlomo Gewirtz on the loss of his 

mother, Sarah Gewirtz. 

Yona Levy, on the loss of his father, 

Shimon Levy. 

Francine Salsberg on the loss of her 

brother, Rudy Dresdner. 

Francine Salsberg on the loss of her 

brother, Joseph Dresdner. 

Jacques Semmelman on the loss of his 

wife, Esther Semmelman. 

Marsi Tokayer, on the loss of her mother, 

Ruth Wahrsager. 

Sivia Twersky on the loss of her father, 

Rabbi Pesach Z. Levovitz. 

Miriam Wolf on the loss of her sister, 

Ruth Sondheimer. 

Lori Zeltser on the loss of her father 

Melvin Zeltser. 

Carrie Zlotnick-Woldenberg on the 

loss of her father, Prof. Samuel Jack 

Zlotnick. 

* Information as of August 20, 2012. We 

apologize for any omissions and ask that you 

please notify us if you were not acknowledged 

in the above listings by emailing eliane@jewishcenter.org. 

(Above) Chanukah movie making event! 

(Below) A distinguished panel of Jewish 

female novelists gathered to talk about the 

art of memoir at the Sisterhood Spring 

Brunch

Save the Date: Upcoming Scholars in Residence 

September 14-15 

Rabbi Steven Weil 

Join us on Friday, Sept. 14 for a Community Shabbat 

Dinner. For tickets and information contact 

Eliane, eliane@jewishcenter.org 

November 3, Sponsored by Karen and 

Paul Levy 

Leon Wieseltier 

November 17, David Kagen 

Memorial Lecture 

Rabbi Benyamin Lau 

December 8, Rabbi Dr. Leo Jung 

Memorial Shabbat 

Rabbi Jacob J. Schacter 

THE JEWISH CENTER 

131 West 86th Street 

New York, NY 10024 

Phone: 212.724.2700 

Fax: 212.724.5629 

The Modern Orthodox Center for 

Jewish Life and Learning 

24 

Visit us online 

www.jewishcenter.org

Fall Newsletter 2012 withouth Wigod.pdf - The Jewish Center

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