Ha’Shofar VOLUME IX, ISSUE 11 CONGREGATION BETH ISRAEL November 2017 Inside Prayer Corner ..................... p. 2 Friday Noon Study Group ....... ......................p. 3 Ongoing Events ..................... p. 5 CBI Committee News............ p. 7 Gift Shop ................... p. 11 Donations .... p. 14 November Calendar .... p. 17 The month of Heshvan is facetiously (or maybe not so facetiously…) referred to as every rabbi’s favorite month – the tradition is that we refer to it as Mar Heshvan, Bitter Heshvan, because it is vacant of any holidays (the truth is actually some- thing different, and it probably means either Rainy Season or Eighth Month). Whatever the origin of the name, the truth is that the month of Heshvan gives us a space to breathe and to allow for the hard spiritual work endeavored during the months of Elul and Tishrei to sink in and settle. It also happens to give us some nice breathing room, as Americans, to prepare Thanksgiving dinners. Could you imagine if Rosh Hashanah and Thanksgiving happened closer together? Seriously, though, having a cool-down period is essential for our spiritual well-being after a concerted effort of exertion, just as it is essential to our physical well-being after exerting our bodies, and just as it is essential to our intellectual well-being after exerting our minds. Whether intentional and pre-meditated or merely a circum- stance of the calendar cycle, it presents an oppor- tunity of which we can take advantage. The opportunity to breathe. Long, steady breathing has been shown to quickly reduce stress and increase calm. Breath- ing aids digestion, can increase concentration, and even increases optimism and positive emotions. It is by no coincidence that one of the Hebrew words for soul, neshamah, is also a word for breath. Perhaps our Sages of Blessed Memory were keenly aware of the benefits of healthy breathing when they constructed the gratitude affirmation a Jew is to say during our morning prayers: …any time in which breath is within me I will offer gratitude to You, my God and God of my ancestors, master of all worlds and connec- tive-force of all breaths… Since we have a break from the obligations and limitations which holiday observance places upon us, the month of Heshvan gives us the opportunity to utilize the power of breath to continue the spiritual trajectory which we cultivated during the High Holy Day Season. As an added bonus, the month of Heshvan just so happens to conclude this year the week before Thanksgiving. While preparing, hosting, and gathering at a time like Thanksgiving can be a source of stress for some, we can also take the opportunity of this month of breathing-space to find ways to increase our gratitude and thanks before we sit down to celebrate the abundance. Here is a brief, easy to follow Gratitude Breath- ing exercise which will help anyone cultivate a greater sense of gratitude while also benefiting physically, emotionally and spiritually from everything which healthy breathing contributes to our lives. A Space to Breathe By: Rabbi Justin Goldstein Thanksgiving November 23 https://www.facebook.com/bethisraelnc/
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Ha’ShofarVOLUME IX, ISSUE 11
CONGREGATION
BETH ISRAEL
November 2017
InsidePrayer Corner
..................... p. 2
Friday Noon
Study Group .......
......................p. 3
Ongoing Events
..................... p. 5
CBI Committee
News............ p. 7
Gift Shop
................... p. 11
Donations .... p. 14
November
Calendar .... p. 17
The month of Heshvan is facetiously (or maybenot so facetiously…) referred to as every rabbi’sfavorite month – the tradition is that we refer toit as Mar Heshvan, Bitter Heshvan, because it isvacant of any holidays (the truth is actually some-thing different, and it probably means eitherRainy Season or Eighth Month). Whatever theorigin of the name, the truth is that the month ofHeshvan gives us a space to breathe and to allowfor the hard spiritual work endeavored during themonths of Elul and Tishrei to sink in and settle.It also happens to give us some nice breathingroom, as Americans, to prepare Thanksgivingdinners. Could you imagine if Rosh Hashanahand Thanksgiving happened closer together?
Seriously, though, having a cool-down period isessential for our spiritual well-being after aconcerted effort of exertion, just as it is essentialto our physical well-being after exerting ourbodies, and just as it is essential to our intellectualwell-being after exerting our minds. Whetherintentional and pre-meditated or merely a circum-stance of the calendar cycle, it presents an oppor-tunity of which we can take advantage. Theopportunity to breathe.
Long, steady breathing has been shown toquickly reduce stress and increase calm. Breath-ing aids digestion, can increase concentration,and even increases optimism and positiveemotions. It is by no coincidence that one of theHebrew words for soul, neshamah, is also a wordfor breath. Perhaps our Sages of Blessed Memorywere keenly aware of the benefits of healthybreathing when they constructed the gratitudeaffirmation a Jew is to say during our morningprayers: …any time in which breath is within meI will offer gratitude to You, my God and God ofmy ancestors, master of all worlds and connec-tive-force of all breaths…
Since we have a break from the obligations andlimitations which holiday observance places
upon us, the month of Heshvan gives us theopportunity to utilize the power of breath tocontinue the spiritual trajectory which wecultivated during the High Holy Day Season. Asan added bonus, the month of Heshvan just sohappens to conclude this year the week beforeThanksgiving. While preparing, hosting, andgathering at a time like Thanksgiving can be asource of stress for some, we can also take theopportunity of this month of breathing-space tofind ways to increase our gratitude and thanksbefore we sit down to celebrate the abundance.
Here is a brief, easy to follow Gratitude Breath-ing exercise which will help anyone cultivate agreater sense of gratitude while also benefitingphysically, emotionally and spiritually fromeverything which healthy breathing contributesto our lives.
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Aviya Kushner has worked as a travel columnist for The International Jerusalem Post and she is currently language columnist for The Forward. She teaches at Columbia College in Chicago and is a mentor for the National Yiddish Book Center. SShhee wwiillll bbee CCBBII’’ss SScchhoollaarr--iinn--RReessiiddeennccee tthhiiss yyeeaarr ffrroomm NNoovveemmbbeerr 99--1111..
The Grammar of God tells the story of Ms. Kushner’s vibrant relationship to the Bible, and along the way illustrates how the differences in translation affect our understanding of our culture’s most important written work. Former Poet Laureate Robert Pinsky writes: “Aviya Kushner has written a passionate, illuminating essay about meaning itself. The Grammar of God is also a unique personal narrative, a family story with the Bible and its languages as central characters.”
Starting on October 20, our informal discussion group will be meeting every Friday, from 12-1, in a new location, the Unger Social Hall at Congregation Beth HaTephila, at 43 North Liberty Street. All are welcome to join us, regardless of their level of expertise. If you have questions, please contact Jay Jacoby at [email protected].
CCoonnggrreeggaattiioonn BBeetthh IIssrraaeell iiss ssppoonnssoorriinngg aa SScchhoollaarr--iinn RReessiiddeennccee WWeeeekkeenndd
NNoovveemmbbeerr 99--1111,, 22001177
Aviya Kushner is an associate professor at Columbia College in Chicago, where she teaches creative writing and translation. She has worked as a travel columnist for The International Jerusalem Post and currently serves as language columnist for The Forward. Her writing has also appeared in The Wall Street Journal, The Wilson Quarterly, and The Gettysburg Review. Professor Kushner is also a contributing editor at A Public Space as well as a mentor for The National Yiddish Book Center
Aviya Kushner grew up reading the Bible in its original language of Hebrew, which was also spoken by her family in New York. Later, as an MFA student reading the Old Testament in English, she was struck by major differences of interpretation and began a decade of research resulting in her book, The Grammar of God, a National Jewish Book Award finalist, a Sami Rohr Prize finalist
The Grammar of God, is about what the Bible loses in translation, what those who read it in Hebrew can access but those reading in other languages cannot. Former U.S. Poet Laureate Robert Pinsky observes, “Aviya Kushner has written a passionate, illuminating essay about meaning itself. The Grammar of God is also a unique personal narrative, a family story with the Bible and its languages as central characters.” And Rodger Kamenetz, author of the Jew in the Lotus, writes “Kushner reminds us that in Hebrew, beautiful things are also beautiful words. Her gift as a writer is to take us very near to the text, breathe into it, and give it a new life.”
LEARN TO CHANT TORAHTorah Trope Classes with Frank Goldsmith
Yes, you, too, can learn to chant Torah portions on Shabbat, using the correct trope. Beth Israel Synagogue will offer
a series of classes this fall on learning the ta’amei ha-mikra (Torah cantillation marks, or trope). No previous Torah
chanting experience is presumed, but you will need to know how to read Hebrew at least basically. It is not necessary
to be able to read musical notation. All of the tropes used in regular Shabbat Torah chanting will be covered (the course
will not cover the special tropes used for holidays or the haftarah). The course will also cover the function of cantillation
marks as an aid to understanding the Biblical text and as a guide for stressing the correct syllable, as well as some of
the common problem areas of proper Hebrew pronunciation. Frank Goldsmith will teach the classes. Written materials
will be provided. There is a charge, payable to Congregation Beth Israel, of $18 for CBI members and $36 for non-
members.
The classes will be taught on six consecutive Sunday evenings beginning on October 22 and concluding on November
26, from 6:00 to 7:30 pm in the downstairs conference room at Temple Beth HaTephila. Each student will also be
offered an aliyah to chant after completion of the course. Thus you will have plenty of time to practice before stepping
up to the bima.
To register for the classes, please contact the CBI office, 828-252-8660, or [email protected]. Please call by no
later than Monday, October 2, so that we will have time to prepare a sufficient number of materials for the students.
Mark Your Calendars CBI to Host Scholar-in-Residence November 9-11
In August, Aviya Kushner, language columnist for The Forward, was in Jersualem addressing an audience of 2,000 at the 70th Anniversary of the World Congress of Jewish Studies. This November, she will be here in Asheville as CBI’s Scholar-in-Residence.
Ms. Kushner is an associate professor at Columbia College Chicago, where she teaches creative writing and translation. Her 2015 book, The Grammar of God, was a finalist for The National Jewish Book Award and the 2016 Sami Rohr Prize in Jewish Literature. This book tells the story of Ms. Kushner’s vibrant relationship to the Bible, and along the way illustrates how differences in translation affect our understanding of our culture’s most important written work.
On the evening of Thursday, November 9, Professor Kushner will address the question of “Translating Creation--Is It Possible?” at UNCA in a program co-sponsored by CBI and the Center for Jewish Studies. On Friday, November 10, Professor Kushner will visit CBI’s Friday Noon Study Group who will have been discussing The Grammar of God. On Saturday, November 11, Professor Kushner will offer a d’var Torah at Shabbat services and will lead a discussion on “Why Translation is a Jewish Issue” following a Kiddush luncheon.
CBI’s Adult Education Committee hopes you’ll make plans to participate in what promises to be a most enlightening weekend. Stay tuned for further details in the November issue of HaShofar.