Weekly Newsletter

Stanton Street Shul Weekly Newsletter Week of August 16, 2019 / 15 Av, 5779

Shabbat Nachamu - Va'Etchanan

This Week's Schedule: Erev Shabbat, August 16: Tu B'Av (Av 15) 7:00p Mincha/Maariv 7:35p Candle Lighting Shabbat, August 17: Shabbat Nachamu, Vaetchanan (Av 16)   9:30a Shacharit - with guest drasha by Rabbi Melinda Zalma. 12:00p Kiddush is sponsored by Barry Feldman in honor of the Stanton Street Shul and Shabbat Nachamu.   7:25p Mincha with Torah reading   7:45p Seudah Shelishit and Class on Avot d'Rabbi Natan led by Mordecai Silver.   8:30p Ma'ariv   8:36p Havdalah   Wednesday, August 21 (Av 20) 7:00p Summer Film Series: S. Ansky’s The Dybbuk

Shabbat Nachamu Drasha with R' Melinda Zalma Long-time Stanton member Rabbi Melinda Zalma will deliver this week’s drasha. Rabbi Zalma is Program Director, Women in Faith Fellowship, at the Center for Community Leadership at JCRC-NY. She is a teacher, counselor and pastoral guide as well as a Chaplain with the US Navy Reserve.

Seudah Shelishit and Learning with Mordecai Silver, 7:45 pm Join us for Seudah Shelishit and learning with Mordecai Silver this Shabbat at 7:45pm. Mordecai will be presenting Avot d'Rabbi Natan at Seudah Shelishit each week up until the Shabbat before Rosh Hashana.    Avot d'Rabbi Natan is a commentary on the better-known Pirkei Avot, and consists largely of maxims that cover the proper approach to Torah study, common human courtesy, and other life advice.

Summer Films: The Dybbuk on August 21st, 7:00 pm Celebrate summer with classic films, at shul. Our three-part Stanton Summer Film Series kicks off on Wednesday night, August 21, with S. Ansky's The Dybbuk.   Filmed in Poland in 1937, this film includes supernatural forces, ill-fated pledges, unfulfilled passions, exorcism, and untimely deaths in an Eastern Europeam shtetl. Not to be missed. In Yiddish with English subtitles,      Popcorn and soft drinks will be served. Admission is $10.   All screenings are at 7:00 pm on Wednesday nights.

Summer Film Series Schedule August 21:  The Dybbuk - A 1937 Yiddish language film with subtitles. Two lovers unaware that they were betrothed to each other before their births.   August 28:  The World of Sholem Aleichem - In English, a collection of three stories from Yiddish literature, staring Zero Mostel, Gertrude Berg, and Nancy Walker.   September 4: The Goldbergs (TV series 1949-1957)

Fundraiser for Mazalot Restoration: LES Jewish Conservancy and Stanton Last May, as part of LES History Month, the Lower East Side Jewish Conservancy launched a Facebook fundraiser and raised one thousand dollars towards the restoration of the Stanton Street Shul's Mazalot.   We are thankful to David Wachs, Lori Weissman, and Karen Blatt for their efforts in initiating this successful fundraiser. The Shul is appreciative of its many friends who donated so generously to help in the restoration. It is very encouraging that those beyond our congregation are so invested in the renewal and restoration of our 106 year-old building and community.   The following narrative appeared in the Facebook announcement by the Lower East Side Jewish Conservancy and generated such an enthusiastic response.   "The pictorial display of Mazalot, Jewish East European folk art renderings of signs of the zodiac, on the walls and ceilings of synagogues, were once prevalent throughout Lower East Side Shuls. At the Stanton Street Shul, Bnai Jacob Anschei Brzezan, a congregation with roots in Brzezan, Galicia, the Mazalot paintings have deteriorated over the years and are in need of urgent conservation.   The Stanton Street Shul, established in 1913, is an active Shul that has undergone a major renovation in the past two years. Several of the twelve Mazalot have been restored by our resident artists and dedicated in the name of their sponsors. These rare and precious zodiac paintings represent an almost two thousand year old synagogue tradition that has endured since the Roman era. The deterioration and possible disappearance of the Stanton Street Mazalot would be like having a page torn out of a history book of the immigrant story. It’s one thing to hear about our families who emigrated from Eastern Europe; it’s quite another to see how they surrounded their shul walls with religious art.   The Shul is blessed with resident artists who will restore the remaining Mazalot this summer. Each original Mazal has been photographed and will be meticulously conserved. Evidence of their professional restorations is on view. Please come by for "All are welcome at the Stanton Street Shul, and all will feel welcome."   Several Mazalot remain to be sponsored and restored. If you have roots on the Lower East or wish to commemorate a relative or friend, the sponsorship of a Mazal would be a fitting gesture. Please contact Jeff Katz at the Shul."

Update from the Rabbinic Search Committee After casting a wide net and conducting an exhaustive search, we have not hired a rabbi.     Two candidates met with the congregation on two separate Shabbatot. The turnout for the Friday night dinners, services on Shabbat, and Q&A sessions with the candidates was very impressive.  The enthusiasm displayed by the congregation demonstrated our community’s strong interest in the process; in meeting the candidates, and in hearing what they had to say. In the end the survey responses many of you submitted strongly influenced our decision making.     We hope you agree that the search process had integrity and direction. We believe we left no stone unturned considering that the search began very late in the season.  Rabbinic graduates receive smicha in the late spring and generally find employment for the coming year in the late winter or early spring. Our late start set us at a disadvantage.     The Ritual Committee will be announcing plans for the High Holidays shortly. We are confident that our community will be properly served during this time of transition. As our search continues, we appreciate your patience and input.    We look forward to the eventual positive outcome for our beloved shul.

RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP AT THE STANTON STREET SHUL! The High Holidays are coming up, and it's a great time to become a member of the Stasnton Street Shul, or to renew your membership if you haven't yet.   Whatever you enjoy most at Stanton -- community dinners, walking tours, the Pesach seder, weekly and holiday services, learning, guest speakers, Women's Tefilah, our Stanton Kids programs, or holiday celebrations -- your presence is valued and appreciated. As a member, you are a key contributor to our growth and development.    You can renew HERE via your ShulCloud account, or send a check to Stanton Street Shul, PO Box 1008, New York, NY 10002.  To become a new member, click here.   Our community is growing, and our Shul is blossoming. We value your participation, and would be so happy if you renewed your membership with us. If you are not yet a member, we look forward to welcoming you!    For questions, email office@stantonstshul.com.

Sponsor a Kiddush Sponsoring a kiddush is a great way to celebrate milestones, commemorate a yahrzeit, or show your appreciation for someone in your life. It's about coming together with your community. And with kugel.    We have sponsorships available through the summer. Please email kiddush@stantonstshul.com for more information.

Upcoming Sponsorship Opportunities: Friday Night Kiddush: August 16, 23, 30 Shabbat Kiddush: August 17, 24, 31   To sponsor a kiddush email us at kiddush@stantonstshul.com To sponsor a class, click here.   Support Us! We rely on your generosity to keep us going with weekly prayer services, kiddushim, classes, kids programming, women's tefilah, cultural programs and other events. Click here to make a donation to the Stanton Street Shul! (We need your moral support, too: Click here to "Like" us on Facebook!)

Get in Touch! The Stanton Street Shul is located at 180 Stanton St., New York, NY 10002   Our mailing address is: P.O. Box 1008, New York, NY 10002   Visit our website: www.stantonstshul.com Send us an email: info@stantonstshul.com   To submit an announcement for our newsletter email announcements@stantonstshul.com