TIDINGS OF ZION. from Student Rabbi Kaye. from the Congregation President ADULT ED SPECIAL

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1 TIDINGS OF ZION Iyar/Sivan/Tamuz/Av5776 MT. ZION CONGREGATION, Sioux Falls, South Dakota Summer (June, July & August) 2016 from Student Rabbi Kaye There are many midrashim (the plural of midrash) about the death of Moses. Moses doesn t want to leave the people of Israel. He wants to journey on with them into the promised land. Sometimes he s more like Gandalf or Dumbledore, throwing magical powers around in a battle with the Angel of Death. In others he s a high powered lawyer, calling upon Mount Sinai itself to testify on his behalf. But in one particular Midrash, Moses sets a plan into motion. He turns to God and says, If Joshua will take my place after I die... why don t we give that a try while I m still alive? Who knows what Moses is thinking. Maybe Joshua is still too green a leader, and that when God sees that he ll pardon Moses. Perhaps Moses will earn a gold star for being so humble and get to die in the land of Israel. And so in the Midrash the day comes for Joshua to take over, Moses steps aside, and the cloud of glory descends from heaven. And as Joshua and Moses are walking Joshua is the one who receives instructions from God, while Moses waits alone. And when the cloud lifts Moses runs to Joshua and says What did God say to you? And Joshua says Did you tell me everything God said to you? And in that moment Moses accepted his fate saying It would be better to die than a single day of jealousy. Student Rabbi s Column continued on page 4 ADULT ED SPECIAL Marty Gallanter will join us to discuss his book, A Little Lower Than the Angels, on we, June 29th at 7:00 pm in the Mount Zion Social Hall. If you need a copy of his book to read, contact Marty directly at martygallanter@gmail.com. From having read the book previously, I can tell you that we are in for a treat. PAGE 1 from the Congregation President Exhibit Tells the Story of Baseball s Role in Jewish-American Life by JON SCHUPPE In August 1909, The Forward, a Yiddish-language daily newspaper for New York s newly arrived Jewish immigrants, printed a front-page guide to the game of baseball, including a crudely drawn ballpark. The feature, titled The Fundamentals of the Base-Ball Game Described for Non-Sports Fans, may now seem quaint. But historians say it speaks to Eastern European Jews struggle to fit into American society, and how generations of them sought acceptance through baseball: understanding it, playing it, cheering it. Baseball is a meeting ground for all hyphenated Americans, be it African-Americans, Jewish-Americans, Latin-Americans, said Rachel Lithgow, executive director of the American Jewish Historical Society in New York, which is hosting a traveling exhibition that charts the sport s impact on Jews integration into American life as well as its influence on other minority communities. The exhibit, a pop-up version of one called Chasing Dreams that originated at Philadelphia s National Museum of American Jewish History and is now at the Skirball Cultural Center Museum in Los Angeles, focuses on the early 20th century, when the arrival of millions of Jews coincided with the rise of the national pastime. It traces the link between baseball and social reform efforts to help Jews prove loyalty to their country. It celebrates the sport s Jewish figures (including many early team owners and the composer of Take Me Out to the Ballgame ) and superstars such as Hank Greenberg and Sandy Koufax. And it examines their continued impact on the sport. It s more a celebration of the ways in which Jews in particular embraced the game and found their way into the American mainstream very quickly, said Bob Kirschner, the Skirball s director. That followed in other vocations and areas of society as well. Baseball s early history is dotted with anti-semitism, primarily as a function of anti-immigration anxiety, and mostly directed toward owners and other off-field figures. The role of Jewish President s Column continued on page 2

2 President s Column continued from page 1 gamblers in the 1919 Black Sox scandal didn t help. Chasing Dreams includes a quote from industrialist Henry Ford, who wrote the following year, If fans wish to know the trouble with American baseball, they have it in three words too much Jew. Jewish ballplayers faced discrimination too, but they were never banned outright from the game and, because of their skin color, were able to assimilate more easily than blacks, who didn t break into the major leagues until Jackie Robinson s debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers in The first documented Jewish baseball star was Lipman Pike, a power-hitting utility fielder who played in the 1860s- 70s and hit six home runs in one game for the Philadelphia Athletics. The first modern Jewish star was Greenberg, who debuted with the Detroit Tigers in 1930 and gave up three of his prime years to serve in the Army during World War II. And the first Jewish hero was Koufax, who was not a practicing Jew but asserted his identity in the 1965 World Series, when he refused to pitch for the Dodgers on Yom Kippur. FOR JEWS AROUND THE WORLD, THIS WAS JUST A SEISMIC MOMENT. For Jews, it was the kind of moment that you remember where you were when it happened, Kirschner said. To have Yom Kiuppur fall during the World Series was always a dilemma for me as a child, being in synagogue and wanting to listen to the game, Kirschner said. And here was Sandy Koufax saying, You know what, I never claimed to be an observant Jew but this is a significant moment to claim pride in my ancestry. For Jews around the world, this was just a seismic moment. There is perhaps no better example of baseball s role as an agent of integration than John Thorn. His parents, Polish-born survivors of the Holocaust, had him while living in a refugee camp in West Germany and settled in New York when he was 2. He learned to read from baseball cards, which he says served as his passports to street corner life in the Bronx. Thorn fell in love with the game, and discovered that, although he was a decent player, he excelled at collecting statistics and stories. This was between the eras of the first two Jewish superstars: Greenberg, the Detroit Tiger slugger who retired in 1947, and Koufax, the pitcher who joined the Brooklyn Dodgers in But it coincided with the rise of Jackie Robinson, the Dodger who broke baseball s color barrier in Thorn and countless other Jewish fans identified with Robinson as members of a marginalized group. All people who have been the wretched refuse of society identified with him, Thorn said. Thorn studied English in college and graduate school and began writing books on baseball. In 2011, he was named Major League Baseball s official historian. He says he never felt more Jewish than when he got that job. People find it almost as astounding as I do that someone who was not born in America should be entrusted to explain baseball, he said. Those who examine the game s history closely enough will not. These days, now that at least 160 of Jewish players have reached the Major Leagues, according to Jewishbaseballnews.com, it s no longer a big deal. The same could be said of Jews larger assimilation into American culture. Rebecca Alpert, a Temple University religion professor and a baseball historian, said that baseball s influence on Jewish life and on immigrant life more broadly has diminished as Jews have blended into American society and baseball relinquished its spot as the country s dominant sport. It s just one dimension of who we are, she said. But there are still people who keep track of the number of Jewish players in the Major Leagues (fewer than 10 at last count), and argue over the Jewishness of players like Ryan Braun (who identifies as Jewish, but whose mother is not), a former Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player who served a 65-game suspension for using performance-enhancing drugs. PAGE 2 Chasing Dreams is at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles through Oct. 30 and at the American Jewish Historical Society in New York through July 31, then travels to the Detroit Historical Museum, the Sherwin Miller Museum of Jewish Art in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and the Skirball Museum in Cincinnati.

3 GENERAL FUND To the Congregation with appreciation for welcoming me so warmly from Micah ben Yehudi With congratulations to Stephanie and DaNiel Wood as they celebrate their Conversion to Judaism from Shelly & Jay Rosenberg In memory of Margaret Ann Elmer (sister of Freda Hosen) with sympathy to the Hosen Family from Bernice & Peter Schotten; Shelly & Jay Rosenberg; Carolyn Margulies; Mark & Matilda In honor of the Temple Board Members and Officers from Mark & Matilda DONATIONS (April 9 - May 10, 2016) Please send all Temple contributions to: PO Box 756, Sioux Falls, SD In appreciation of Jan Forstein for teaching the Religious School Classes from Matilda & Mark YAHRZEITS/MEMORIALS In memory of Phyllis (Cohen) & Josef Bleichfeld from Matilda, Mark, Erika & Josh In memory of Jack from Mark, Matilda, Erika & Josh In memory of Etta (Halpern) & Harry Cohen from Matilda, Mark, Erika Josh In memory of Mathilde (Schroetter) & Simon Bleichfeld from Matilda, Mark, Erika & Josh In memory of Gertrude (Barth) & Arthur Ehrlich from Mark, Matilda, Erika & Josh In memory of Elsa (Reis) & Julius from Mark, Matilda, Erika & Josh In memory of Joel from Mark, Matilda, Erika & Josh In memory of Fritz Bleichfeld from Matilda, Mark, Erika & Josh In memory of Kathy Kaufman from Mark, Matilda, Erika & Josh In memory of Hilde & Lou Wolf from Matilda, Mark, Erika & Josh Join Us at the Table! PLANT A TREE IN ISRAEL! Reforest Israel by planting trees in Israel through Hadassah/JNF, the Jewish National Fund. The price of one tree is $18. To purchase a tree, contact SHELLY ROSENBERG at or her at shellyrosenberglpa@gmail.com Like South Dakotans for Israel on Facebook: Help support the extraordinary works of Hadassah with a card or certificate! Contact Cards & Certficates Chair Carol Rosenthal if you d like to make a donation. There s a card or certificate in every price range and for every occasion!! PAGE 3 Our potluck dinners have been a HUGE success. Everyone who comes says they are great and it s reallly wonderful to get together and share a Shabbat meal. The next Shabbat potluck dinner is June 3rdth at 6:00 pm. Save July 1st for the one after this month s. We hope to see even more of our community there. Just bring a dish and join us. This dinner is open to all families of the congregation. This dinner will occur every first Friday of the month whether the Student Rabbi is in town or not. The dinner will conclude before services. Attendees are not required to go to services following the dinner but are certainly welcome to do so. Please put this on your calendar and join us. For more information, contact Stephen Rosenthal at rosenthal.stephen@gmail.com or call

4 VOLUNTEERS NEEDED Do a mitzvah for the community - Be part of the solution Please note that we are in need of leaders for Friday night Shabbat Services when there is no Student Rabbi in town. There are several community members who are happy to assist you with preparing and/or leading the services. Prayers/readings/songs may be led in English or Hebrew at the service leader s prerogative. There are still openings in May and this summer (see schedule below). Please contact Jan Forstein, Ritual Committee to volunteer at bityah01@ aol.com or leave her a message at SUMMER SERVICE SCHEDULE Summer service schedule, every other Friday, will start on June 3rd, the same Friday as the Shabbat Potluck: June 3rd June 17th July 1st July 15th July 29th August will change a little since having a service the same time as the Shabbat Potluck makes more sense: August 5th August 19th BIG Thank You to Deb and Stuart and all who helped with this year s Community Seder Thank you to Deb Hicks and Stuart Jacobs for planning and coordinating the Congregation s Passover Seder. Thank you to everyone who helped with set-up and clean-up on the day of the Seder, as well as those who brought desserts. It was a community effort from start to finish and a lovely event! Student Rabbi s Column continued from page 1 Who was Moses jealous of? Joshua or God? The answer of course is both. Rabbis shouldn t compare themselves to Moses to often, let alone Student Rabbis, but this story rings particularly true to me as I write my final Tidings article. It s no secret that I would have liked to come back to you all next year, but forces outside my control have made that impossible. Instead I leave you all knowing that we have done incredible work this year, started some new programs, had a lot of laughs, and learned some really great Torah. And the Torah we learned together wasn t just in Adult Ed, or at services, or at Torah Study. It was in the meals we shared together, the life-cycle events I was honored to be present for, and the conversations we ve had. Jewish life is so vibrant here in Sioux Falls, no matter what demographics and numbers might say. Letting go is hard. Continuity (there s that word again) helps, and I know that the next Student Rabbi you ll have will do a great job. But I d rather not be jealous of him for getting to spend time with all of you. And I d rather not be jealous of you for getting to spend time with him. So you ll forgive me if I take a few steps back. With that said, my number and my aren t changing. Please keep them, and contact me if you need to. Until we see each other again. B Shalom. Remember birthdays, anniversaries, yahrzeits, memorials. Please send your donations to: Mt. Zion Temple PO Box 756 Sioux Falls, SD SISTERHOOD GIFT SHOP Remember to shop at the Sistrehood Gift Shop! Matilda ( ) and Judy Lampert ( ) PAGE 4 TIDINGS DEADLINE: AUGUST 10th Remember to submit articles appropriate for the SeptemberTidings. To submit articles, them to: carol@theprintersinc.com

5 Mt. Zion Congregation ANNUAL MEETING and ELECTION OF OFFICERS and BOARD OF DIRECTORS Wednesday, June 15th 7:00 pm Temple Social Hall All members are encouraged to attend Officers and Board of Directors will be elected! Annual reports will be given! budget to be presented! Every family that pays dues is considered a single member unit and has one vote on every issue that comes up for consideration. This includes the election of officers/board members for the membership year and our budget!!! PAGE 5

6 Potluck Dinner Friday, June 3, 2016 at 6:00 pm Friday, July 1, 2016 at 6:00 pm Friday, August 5, 2016 at 6:00 pm Friday, September 2, 2016 at 6:00 pm Mt. Zion Congregation 14th & Duluth Streets PO Box 756 Sioux Falls, SD President:... Royce Hansman Vice President:...Mark Treasurer:...Matilda Secretary:... Judy Lampert Board of Directors:... Cathy Ezrailson Marc Feinstein Jan Forstein Raleigh Hansman Margo Olson Stephen Rosenthal Past President:...Bernice Schotten PAGE 6

7 Mt. Zion Congregation - June 2016 SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY 5 A reminder that proper attire should be worn when participating in services at Mt. Zion Temple. Your cooperation with this matter is greatly appreciated (Iyar 27) (Sivan 5) 8:45 pm 6:00 Shabbat Potluck Dinner Torah: B'chukotai Lev 26:3-27:34 Haftarah: Jeremiah 16:19-17:14 Mark & Matilda Anniv, Rowan Greene Bday 8:50 pm 4 George & Margo Olson Anniv 11 Torah: B'midbar Num 1:1-4:20 Haftarah: Hosea 2:1-22 Marc & Nancy Feinstein Anniv 12 Shavuot 13 Richard & Gail Klein Anniv Harry & Lillian Greenbaum Anniv, Richard Klein Bday 16 Erika Bday 17 (Sivan 12) Torah: Naso Num 4:21-7:89 Haftarah: Judges 13:2-25 8:53 pm (Sivan 19) 8:54 pm 25 Torah: B'haalot'cha Num 8:1-12:16 Haftarah: Zechariah 2:14-4:7 Royce Hansman Bday Jennifer Dreiske Bday Shelly & Jay Rosenberg Anniv Cathy Ezrailson Bday Cam Crosby, Iain Crosby Bdays, Lewis & Helen Ofstein Anniv

8 SUNDAY MONDAY A reminder that proper attire should be worn when participating in services at Mt. Zion Temple. Your cooperation with this matter is greatly appreciated. Mt. Zion Congregation - July 2016 TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY 1 (Sivan 26) 6:00 Shabbat Potluck Dinner 8:53 pm Torah: Sh'lach L'cha Num 13:1-15:41 Haftarah: Joshua 2:1-24 SATURDAY (Tamuz 3) 8:51 pm 9 Rosh Chodesh Tamuz Torah: Korach Num 16:1-18:32 Haftarah: I Samuel 11:14-12:22 Steve Schwartz Bday Henry Pecheny Bday Marilyn & David Aronson Anniv (Tamuz 10) 8:47 pm 16 Torah: Chukat Num 19:1-22:1 Haftarah: Judges 11:1-33 Gail Klein Bday Serena Gutnik Bday Carol Rosenthal Bday (Tamuz 17) 8:41 pm 23 Torah: Balak Num 22:2-25:9 Haftarah: Micah 5:6-6:8 Marvin Bailin Bday (Tamuz 24) 8:34 pm 30 Marilyn Carlson-Aronson Bday 31 Torah: Pinchas Num 25:10-30:1 Haftarah: Jeremiah 1:1-2:3 Toni Hegna Bday

9 SUNDAY 1 MONDAY A reminder that proper attire should be worn when participating in services at Mt. Zion Temple. Your cooperation with this matter is greatly appreciated. Mt. Zion Congregation - August TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY (Av 2) FRIDAY 8:26 pm 6:00 Shabbat Potluck Dinner / Rosh Chodesh Av Torah: Matot-Mas'ei Num 30:2-36:13 Haftarah: Jeremiah 2:4-28; 3:4 SATURDAY Seth Lewis Bday 10 TIDINGS DEADLINE Sydney Rosinsky Bday, Jodie & Jacob Forstein Anniv (Av 9) Torah: D'varim Deut 1:1-3:22 Haftarah: Isaiah 1:1-27 Jacob Forstein Bday 8:16 pm 13 Tisha B'Av Judy Lampert Bday Temple Annual Mtg 7:00 pm Social Hall (Av 16) 8:05 pm Torah: Va-et'chanan Deut 3:23-7:11 Haftarah: Isaiah 40: Mary Magidson Bday Sandy Radin Bday Stephen & Carol Rosenthal Anniv (Av 23) 7:53 pm 27 Torah: Eikev Deut 7:12-11:25 Haftarah: Isaiah 49:14-51:3 Chuck & Leta Levinger Anniv Leon & Joyce Maggied Anniv Richard & Freda Hosen Anniv Book Discussion with author Marty Gallanter: A Little Lower Than the Angels 7:00 pm Social Hall Sept 1 2 (Av 30) 6:00 Shabbat Potluck Dinner Torah: R'eih Deut 11:26-16:17 Haftarah: Isaiah 54:11-55:5 or I Samuel 20:18-42 Joyce Maggied Bday 7:41 pm 3

10 YAHRZEITS All Yahrzeits that are observed Sunday through Saturday are read the Friday of that same week. If a Yahrzeit is not listed or you need information concerning Yahrzeits, please call Jan Forstein at A Yahrzeit card and envelope will be sent to you to notify you of upcoming Yahrzeits. (If you do not receive your notifi cation, please contact Jan.) Also included with the notification card is a donor envelope if you wish to make a donation to the Temple in memory of your loved one. June 3rd Louis Luskey Max Stein Louis Cohen Uryon Davidsohn John Agrant June 10th Rache Light Mark David Kohn Carolyn Bocknik Mollie Aaronson Belle Lewin Mamye Light June 17th Arthur Goldstein Maurice Magidson Ethel Kaufman David L. Aaronson Lucy Storm Sam Gellman June 24th Dorothy Stubnitz Morris Hudson Sam Weiner Tillie Brown Isidore William Brandwein Rachel V Angel Fanny Koplow Anne Rothman Emma Marie Aronson Morton Weinberg July 1st Mary J. McClusky Geraldine Rea Harry Marsh Samona Breslow Arthur Ehrlich Lillian Ackerman Shannon Beth Casson July 8th Joseph Livingston Ida Greenstein Ilse Jacoby Alice Frank Helen Hernstadt July 15th Dr Sydney Rosenberg Dick Rostrom Jake Davis Berta Nauen July 22nd Hy Kahn Esther Eirinberg Minnie Axelbaum William Bill Pitts Agnes Hosen Geraldine Roth July 29th Gertrude Kopel Silver Anne Zabel Irma Speier Rose Cohon Ida Shafton Jean Rae Hurwitz Esther Raisel Cohen August 5th Samuel Rothenberg Isadore Kroloff David Sternberg August 12th Phyllis Bleichfeld Hedy Greenbaum Leonard Julian Fine Kathy Kaufman Moses Adler Melvin Rosenthal Ilona Nauen Fred Saalfeld Hilde Wolf Esther Koplow Kominers August 19th Sara Ackerman Rachel Engel Antoinette Schwartz Rosenstein David Hirschfi eld Dorothy Pitts Lillian Gutnik Birdie Robinson Lou Shafton Rose Goldstein Sadie Hudson August 26th Victor B Angel Samuel Fantle Murray Borden Morris Ackerman Orvis R Cruikshank Clara Pitts Mathews Levinson September 2nd Louis Eirinberg Clara Agrant Goldie Weinstein Rebecca Friedman Borden Rose Glazer