S ER 41 YE A R & S EDIC ATIO FD N O T EL V IC E TO EM PL R E BE T H I S A SEFER HAFTARAH Honoring Cantor Baruch Blum s 41 Years of Dedication and Service to Temple Beth Israel He [the Hazzan] is a person in whom a spiritual equation takes place the equation of song and soul, of word and mind. The self and prayer are one. Abraham Joshua Heschel TO BE PRESENTED AT THE TEMPLE BETH ISRAEL GALA IN HONOR OF CANTOR BLUM JUNE 3, 2018
The Cantor Blum Haftarah Project Temple Beth Israel is engaged in a beautiful project to honor the 41 years of extraordinary service that Cantor Baruch Blum has given to our community... O ur Temple has commissioned, world-renowned Jewish artist, Mordechai Rosenstein, (a TBI Artist-In-Residence in 2016), to create a Sefer Haftarah (a Haftarah Scroll), which will be an inspiring piece of art, and a functioning religious scroll. All of the Haftarot, which we read throughout the year, come from the second section of the Tanach (the Jewish Bible) and that section is called Nevi im, (Prophets.) Some of the stories in Nevi im include the life of Joshua, Samuel, King David, Isaiah, Elijah, and Jonah. Because of their passionate call for justice, and their inspiring description of a future world living in peace and harmony, the Jewish Prophets occupy a special place in Judaism and the world. This is one of the reasons that young adults, when celebrating their Bar and Bat Mitzvah, chant the weekly Haftarah. For the past 41 years, our community has been blessed to have Cantor Blum teach over 500 Bnai Mitzvah, and generations of congregants, how to read and chant their Haftarah portions. Cantor Blum has always done this at an exceptional level, with great love and care. Although Cantor Blum also teaches our Bnai Mitzvah how to read from the Torah and how to lead the services, the chanting of the Haftarah is one of the pinnacle moments of the Bar and Bat Mitzvah service. What better way to commemorate Cantor Blum s exemplary service to Temple Beth Israel, than by contributing to this Sefer Haftarah, which is being created in his honor. By commissioning this Sefer Haftarah in Cantor Blum s name, all those who read from this beautiful scroll will perpetuate his legacy of devotion, friendship, and love to our community.
What Is A Sefer Haftarah? The Sefer Haftarah is a compilation of texts from the Prophets assembled in a scroll that resembles a Sefer Torah. This unique, artistic scroll will be illuminated and mounted on to both ends of the atzei chaim (wooden Torah rollers) and covered in a cloth mantle for safe keeping. The mantle cover will be created and hand sewn by TBI congregant and artist Shula Mustacchi, who has created our ark cover, the Cantor s podium cover and many other beautiful, artistic pieces at TBI. What Is The History Of The Sefer Haftarah? The Haftarah has been part of Jewish liturgy since Roman times, nearly 2000 years ago, when it was first introduced as a way to counter a Roman decree forbidding the reading of the Torah in public assemblies. During the 9th century, the Ben Asher family (part of the Masorete Scribes) developed the system of cantillation and punctuation (trope and k tiv) that act as musical symbols, indicating which melodies should be used. From that time onward, the tradition of chanting the Haftarah took hold in Jewish communities across the Old World. It was common during the Middle Ages to have scrolls of the Prophets in the Ark next to the Torah scrolls, and to chant from them as part of the service. In modern times, books of Haftarah in scroll form nearly vanished due to the printing press. How Will The Sefer Haftarah Be Used? The Sefer Haftarah will be stored in the Ark alongside the Torah scrolls. It contains all of the Haftarot recited throughout the entire year including the ones read on Shabbat, the High Holidays, the Festival holidays, and special occasions. Unlike a Torah scroll, the Sefer Haftarah includes vowel and trope markings for easier reading. It will be available for all B nai Mitzvah and congregants who wish to read their Haftarot from it. Seeing this Haftarah scroll in the ark and watching Bnai Mitzvah and adults read from it, will serve as a constant tribute to Cantor Blum. In addition, with this Sefer Haftarah, we will honor Cantor Blum every Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur by designating a member of our congregation to carry it during the Torah service on those holy days. How Will My Contribution Be Recognized? You will receive a certificate acknowledging your contribution and will also be recognized on a donor recognition board, which we will proudly display in the synagogue.
The Cantor Blum Haftarah Project Sponsorship Form Order online @tbiport.org or return completed form to TBI Office. You may also complete this form by selecting the Haftarah sponsorship and the corresponding number. Please contact Cathy Seldin (cseldin@tbiport.org) if you have any questions or would like help in selecting a sponsorship. NO. TBI Sponsorship No. of TBI Sponsorship TBI Sponsorship Costs Opportunities 1 Mantle (Haftorah Cover) 1 $15,000 2 Atzei Chaim (wooden scrolls) 2 $5,000 each 3-7 Sefer Haftarah Books: 5 $7,500 each book 5 books of the Torah: (3 )Genesis, (4) Exodus, (5) Leviticus, (6) Numbers, (7) Deuteronomy (Exodus, Genesis committed) 8 Yad 1 $3,600 9-12 High Holiday Haftarah 4 $3,600 each (9) Rosh Hashanah Day 1, (10) Rosh Hashanah Day 2, (11) Yom Kippor Am, (12) Yom Kippor PM 13-26 Festival Haftarah: Major 23 $1200 each (13) Rosh Hodesh (multiple opportunities for sponsorship) (14) Sukkot-Day 1 (15) Sukkot-Day 2 (16) Shimini Atzeret (17) Simchat Torah (18) Hanukkah Day 1 (19) Hanukkah Day 2 (20) Pesach-Day 1 (21) Pesach-Day 2 (22) Pesach-Day 7 (23) Pesach-Day 8 (24) Shavout-Day 1 (25) Shavuot-Day 2 Festival Haftarah: Minor 10 $750 each (26) Mahar Hodesh (multiple opportunities for sponsorship) (27) Shekalim (28) Shelahim (29) Zakhor (30) Parah (31) Ha Hodesh (32) Ha Gadol (33) Pesach-Intermediate (34) Tisha B Av-Morning (35) Fast Days-Afternoon
Weekly Haftarah: 53 Parshas Available $360 each (multiple opportunities to sponsor each parsha each family/individual will be recongnized) GENESIS EXODUS LEVITICUS NUMBERS DEUTRONOMY (36) Bereshit (51) Shemot (62) Vayikra (72) Bamidbar (82) Devarim (37) Noah (52) Vaera (63) Tzav (73) Nasso (83) Vaetchanan (38) Lech-Lecha (53) Bo (64) Shemini (74) Beha alotecha (84) Eikev (39) Vayera (54) Beshalach (65) Tazria (75) Shelach Lecha (85) Re-eh (40) Chayei Sara (55) Yitro (66) Metzora (76) Korach (86) Shoftim (41) Toldot (56) Mishpatim (67) Acharei Mot (77) Chukat (87) Ki Teitzei (42) Vayetzei (57) Terumah (68) Kedoshim (78) Balak (88) Ki Tavo (43) Vayishlach (58) Tetzaveh (69) Emor (79) Pinchas (89) Nitzavim (44) Veyeshev (59) Ki Tasa (70) Behar (80) Matot (90) Vayeilech (45) Miketz (60) Vayakhel (71) Bechukotai (81) Masei (91) Ha azinu (46) Vayigash (61) Pekudel (50) Vayechi NO. TBI Sponsorship No of Sponsorships Cost (92) Verse from Parsha Unlimited $180 Sponsorship Order Form (Order Online or Return Completed Form to TBI Office) Use our convenient online payment: Go to tbiport.org Click the Cantor s picture on the Spotlight tab and follow the instructions DEADLINE: Friday, May 11, 2018 For hard copy: Return this form Email: jcheevers@tbiport.org Mail: Temple Beth Israel. Temple Drive. Port Washington, NY 11050 Donor s Name: Address: City: State: Zip: Mobile: Home: Email: Sponsorship Choice: 1. No. 2. No. 3. No. 4. No.