Avoid Seder Panic!!

Ellen Elow-Mintz and Bob Kott are leading a "mini course" on ideas to improve your Pesach seder experience.

It's the antidote to the pre-Pesach panic about keeping everyone involved in the Seder. Come to the second part of the Pledge 25 session on Enhancing Your Family Seder on Wednesday, February 10 immediately following minyan.

This past Wednesday, Bob and Ellen shared ideas with congregants who TiVo'd President Obama's State of the Union message. The discussion centered on selecting a haggadah (haggadot) to meet the needs of those present and ways to incorporate different themes and materials without having a seder that runs until dawn.


For those who could not make the session, here's a link to materials discussed http://public.me.com/emamom . Click on Passover Seder Resources and you can download a variety of items. The session on Wednesday, February 10 will focus on mechanics, logistics, food and tips to make seder flow smoothly. Plan to be there!

Topical Tuesdays With Rabbi Fishman

Rabbi Fishman has been continuing his weekly Tuesday night teaching, this month focusing on the Amidah. Previous sessions have included discussions of the Poetry of Yehuda Amichai, the story of Samson, and the Shema. The classes have been warmly received, and all are invited to attend. Future monthly subjects include:

Selected Psalms -- In modern life, do these poems still resonate? Explore the relationship between selected Psalms and critical emotional moments of our lives.

Heroines of the Hagaddah -- Learn the fascinating stories and profound impact of the heroic women of the Exodus. including Moses’ mother Yocheved, the midwives Shifra and Puah, Pharaoh’s daughter Batya, and, of course, the prophetess Miriam.

Contemporary Israeli Holidays -- How should Jews outside of Israel observe modern Israel commemorations, including Yom Hashoah, Yom Ha-atzmaut and Yom Yerushalayim?

The Torah Service -- Choreography, pageantry and meaning.

The Binding of Isaac -- From Kierkegaard to Spiegel and beyond, this class will explore the Akedah from a modern perspective.

Rabbi Joshua Haberman, the rabbi emeritus of Washington Hebrew Congregation, offered a touching and instructive lecture on "The Mixed Blessing of Aging" at Ohr Kodesh on Sunday, January 24. His presentation was part of the special Sunday Scholar series being offered by friends of Rabbi Fishman to honor his 25th anniversary with the congregation.

Rabbi Haberman suggested at the outset that he has the bona fides to speak on the topic, having recently celebrated his 90th birthday. He began by asking whether we truly want the Biblical "meyah v'esrim" - the fabled "120 years" of life. Are the final years worth living? He answered with a resounding "yes!"

He noted that while traditional western culture denigrates the aged, the Biblical view is expressed by the aphorism "a gray head is a crown of glory." He noted that in the United States, the elderly often suffer from a high degree of social ostracism, and warned that the "attitude of the environment may become one's self-image." He acknowledged that old age does bring with it changes in mental acuity and physical capability, but argued that these changes are not all negative. He pointed to many examples of elderly individuals who continue to be creative and actively contribute into their 8th 9th and even 10th decade, and suggested that all institutions, including Jewish communal institutions, should "recruit, rather than retire the elderly" and take advantage of their accumulated wisdom.

Pointing to what he called the "compensations of aging," Rabbi Haberman suggested that the elderly can gain tranquility, enjoy the cooling of passions, and gain the ability to let things go. Further, having faced the greatest challenges of life (career, marriage, raising children, etc.) the elderly can take the opportunity to savor life without also having to withstand the pressure to succeed. More humorously, he suggested that the elderly can be "liberated from the compulsion of setting everyone straight."  He also opined that old age can, for the fortunate, be a time to rejoice in children, grandchildren, and even great-grandchildren.

Following his remarks, Rabbi Haberman engaged the attendees in a spirited and insightful round of questions and answers.

The next in our Sunday Lecture Series will take place on Sunday, February 21 at 7:00 PM with Dr. Erica Brown speaking on Spiritual Boredom: Rediscovering the Wonder of Judaism (re-scheduled from the December snow cancellation). This session will explore the nature of boredom through general philosophy, psychology and Jewish texts in an attempt to understand what boredom is, how it affects the spiritual life, pervades our parenting, impacts our Jewish institutions and limits our discovery of wonder within our tradition. 

For the text of the talk, please use the following link: http://graphics8.nytimes.com/packages/flash/health/newoldage/haberman.sermon.pdf

Helping Sunflower Bakery

The Sunflower Bakery is an exciting program in the community which provides on-the-job training for individuals with developmental disabilities, helping them learn skills needed for success as bakery employees. Their excellent products are kosher. OKC member  Deena Leener, advises that they are in need of volunteers to assist trainees and to produce cookies. They will be baking Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 8:30-12:30 and 1:00-5:00. Please contact Deena at dinarl3@aol.com

Learner's Service - A Great Opportunity

A Learners’ service was held in the Cohen Chapel at 9:30 AM last Shabbat (January 16). Led by Rabbi Fishman, this service included singing and a lively discussion of the structure and meaning of the Shabbat Torah Service. The service is great for both novice and experienced. The next Learners' service will be on April 10, led by Rabbi Israel. All are cordially invited to attend, and it's a service where all of - regardless of our current knowledge - can learn more!

Rabbi Steinsaltz Draws Huge Crowd, Salutes the Memory of MLK

In a truly transcendent opportunity, more than 500 members of Ohr Kodesh and the DC Metro Jewish Community attended a memorable and moving event: a presentation by world-renowned scholar, teacher, and Talmudist, Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz. His presentation was entitled: Dreams of Freedom - Honoring the Legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. Rabbi Steinsaltz was joined by Ohr Kodesh member Arthur Spitzer, who heads the Washington Metro area chapter of the ACLU at Ohr Kodesh on Monday, January 18.


By turn approachable, witty, passionate and professorial, the soft-spoken Steinsaltz made his presentation in Ohr Kodesh's social hall to the highly attentive throng. Following a very brief introduction by Rabbi Lyle Fishman, Rabbi Steinsaltz slyly thanked Rabbi Fishman for not giving a eulogy as an introduction - without a recital of his achievements, he explained, expectations for his remarks would be lower!

Rabbi Steinsaltz suggested that Dr. King was greatly influenced by the tradition of the Hebrew Bible (which Rabbi Steinsaltz apologetically referred to as "The Old Testament" since it was known by that name to King in particular and as such to Americans in general). He remarked that while Christian theology is based on mercy (he called it "offering a second cheek"), Jewish tradition is based on the concept of Justice: "Tzedek, Tzedek tirdof" he quoted from Leviticus ("Justice, Justice you shall seek!"). According to Rabbi Steinsaltz, Dr. King demanded justice for his people; in so doing, he reflected the Jewish tradition of taking action, and not simply waiting prayerfully for help.

Rabbi Steinsaltz taught that Jewish tradition demands that we obey the laws of the land in which we live, but he noted an important caveat: where the law creates inequality, it is not a law we need observe. In fact, he stated, when a law is unjust, it is our religious obligation to oppose it.

Rabbi Steinsaltz stated that while King (and Gandhi before) him were able to overcome the oppression of their peoples through non-violent protest, such a course of action can only work when the "oppressor" society is essentially just. While England and the United States were moved to change through non-violence, he opined that such could not take place in Iran today or in Nazi Germany. Sometimes, he suggested, we must do what we must do, citing both Abraham and Moses as Biblical figures who took to arms when necessary.

In his remarks, the ACLU's Spitzer suggested that non-violent protest may indeed have worked "too well," as those seeking confrontation with authority have found that the laws they must break to gain notoriety often have no relationship to the object of their protest. While activists in King's day could march because they had improperly been denied a parade permit (a clear link), or sit in a restaurant which refused to serve African Americans, today’s protestors may seek arrest by sitting on the sidewalk in front of the White House in order to publicize their opposition to a range of governmental policies unrelated to limits on movement hear the White House.

The evening was co-sponsored by Ohr Kodesh and by the Partnership for Jewish Life and Learning. On behalf of PJLL, Dr. Erica Brown was on hand to greet the crowd. She announced future educational opportunities being sponsored by PJLL, including the Routes Program on Sunday, March 7. For more information, please go to pjll.org.