Congregation Adas Emuno

This Week at Adas Emuno—Family Service and Purim!

March 21, 2024 9:06 AM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

Mar. 21, 2024

Dear Friends,
It's all about Purim!
Join us for all or some of the festivities during this March Madness/Purim all-star weekend:

1. Shabbat Evening Family Service (7:30 PM), led by Grade 2/3, with Purim songs.
2. Shabbat Morning Purim Torah Study (10:00 AM), on the most provocative parts of the Book of Esther.

Then on Purim Day, Sunday the 24th:
3. Adas Emuno Family Purim Service (10:00 AM)- come in costume and be ready to make noise!
4. Purim Carnival (11:00 AM)- in the social hall and on the patio.

Also on Sunday:
5. Purim Tot Celebration (9:30 AM), open to all pre-school age children and their parents.
6.Gesher Shalom full Megillah reading and morning service (8:30-9:45 AM) in the sanctuary.

Shabbat shalom and Hag Purim Sameach!
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

March 14, 2024 8:21 AM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

March 14, 2024

Dear Friends,
Did you hear about the $1 Billion (no typo) donation to the Einstein School of Medicine in the Bronx?!
I'll tell the story of this remarkable gift and how it resonates with the Torah portion and the highest rung of tzedakah at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

As we finish our unit of halakha (Jewish law) we'll look at some of the most controversial challenges to it over the last century by the Reform and Conservative movements, at our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM)

Purim is one week away!
Here is what to know about our weekend celebration:
1. Shabbat Evening Family Service (7:30 PM)
2. Special Shabbat Morning Purim Torah Study (10:00 AM)
Then on Purim Day, Sunday the 24th:
3. Gesher Shalom full Megillah reading (8:30 AM)
4. Adas Emuno family Megillah reading (10:00 AM)
5. Purim Carnival (11:00 AM)

Keep reading: Bernard Malamud, one of America's great writers, recently received the high honor of having his complete works reissued by the Library of America. For our next book club meeting in May we will read one of his masterpieces, The Assistant. Also recommended: two of his best short stories, The Magic Barrel and The Angel Levine.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

March 07, 2024 9:45 AM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

March 7, 2024

Dear Friends,
Leaving Eastern Parkway is a coming-of-age, crisis-of-faith novel in the tradition of The Chosen.
It raises questions about Jewish identity and unity while offering a compelling read.
I'll share some thoughts about this new work at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM), in preparation for a further discussion about it at our book club.

Our discussion of differing viewpoints on Jewish law and the necessity of observing the commandments relates to these same questions- at our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM).

Our Adas Emuno Book Club meets Monday(7:30 PM) via Zoom; see the link in the Rabbi’s weekly message in your email.

Purim is on the horizon!
The gantseh megillah takes place on Sunday morning March 24 (10:00 AM)- mark your calendar.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

February 29, 2024 8:36 AM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

Feb. 29, 2024

Dear Friends,
Happy Leap Day!

Have you ever seen the famous statue of Moses by Michelangelo in Rome?
It is grand, but Moses has horns! Why? The standard explanation is that this is a mistranslation of a verse in this week's Torah portion. But now some biblical scholars are not so sure....
We'll leap into the controversy at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

We continue our leap into Halakhah, Jewish Law, at our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM).

Speaking of leaping, did you know that every few years the Jewish calendar has not a leap day, but a leap month! It's called Second Adar, and this year it begins March 11. It’s the reason the Holidays were so "early" last year and are so "late" this year. Yes, it’s complicated, but maybe I'll take a stab at explaining it next month :)

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

February 22, 2024 8:21 AM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

Feb. 22, 2024

Dear Friends,
The Jewish Publication Society has recently released a revised edition of its acclaimed Bible translation.
It’s called THE JPS TANAKH: GENDER-SENSITIVE EDITION.
Why the revision and what does it mean?
We'll get the inside story at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

What is the biggest difference between Reform, Conservative and Orthodox Judaism?
We begin a unit at our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM) that will get to the heart of that question.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno—A Simcha for the Rabbi

February 15, 2024 8:22 AM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

Feb. 15, 2024

Dear Friends,
Two hundred years ago, in the summer of 1824, a poignant reunion of surviving Revolutionary War heroes brought tears to their eyes as they paid tribute to the memory of our first president.

In honor of Presidents' Day I'll explain the special gathering, and how and why we can appreciate it even today, at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

Torah Study and Religious School are both on break for the holiday weekend.

I wanted to share a personal simcha- this Shabbat our new granddaughter Ava will be named at Central Synagogue in New York, where my son and family are members, and our grandson Adin attends preschool. Forty years ago I was the student rabbi there, and we held her father's naming in the very same place!

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno—Honoring Our Social Action Committee

February 08, 2024 8:02 AM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

Feb. 8, 2024

Dear Friends,
Join us this week for "Social Action Shabbat".
We honor the members of our social action committee, and the good work they are doing.
Several will speak, and social justice music will infuse our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM), with Peter Hayes on guitar joining with our cantor.

We'll emphasize some of the great social justice teachings of our Torah portion and tradition at our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM).

The same applies to our Religious school service and Confirmation Class on Sunday.

Did you love reading the classic novel The Chosen by Chaim Potok? Our selection for our next book club meeting (on March 11) reminds me of that volume. It's called Leaving Eastern Parkway by Matthew Daub, and is available from the library.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno—Explore Morocco Sunday Morning!

February 01, 2024 10:01 AM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

Feb. 1, 2024

Just who was Jethro, the father-in-law of Moses?
The Torah portion of this week is named after him.
He plays a quiet but crucial role in Moses' family and in the Exodus experience.
It’s worth exploring, which we will do at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

Just what happened at Sinai?
That also is the subject of the Torah portion, which includes the giving of the Ten Commandments.
We'll continue our exploration of revelation at our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM).

As a world traveler myself, I love learning about Jewish communities around the world.
At our Sunday Adult Education, Sally and Michael Seymour will talk about their recent trip to Morocco. (10:00 AM).
Come learn about the rich Jewish history there, and sample a few middle-eastern treats.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno—Celebrating Tu Bishvat

January 25, 2024 8:29 AM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

Jan. 25, 2024

Dear Friends,
Today the trees are celebrating- it’s their new year, Tu Bishvat.

Did you ever hear about Honi-the-Circlemaker, the Jewish Johnny Appleseed?
We'll talk about him (and a bit about Johnny himself) at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

Did you ever attend a Seder Tu Bishvat?
It's tasty and fun and educational!
It's happening in lieu of Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM), and the fruits and drinks are on the house.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

January 18, 2024 8:02 AM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

Jan. 18, 2024

Dear Friends,
Nobody ever said that being a leader is easy.
Just how hard it is we see repeatedly in the Exodus story.
I'll comment on this ever-relevant theme at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

If I ask you the question: Who wrote the Torah?, how would you answer?
We will take on this big subject at our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM)

On Sunday both our Tot and Confirmation programs meet, and a special school program for Tu Bishvat, the New Year of Trees, is also happening.
Note that our annual Seder Tu Bishvat for adults will take place next Saturday morning, the 27th (in lieu of Torah study).

Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz