MOUNT FREEDOM JEWISH CENTER

P.O. Box 202
1209 Sussex Turnpike
Mt. Freedom, NJ  07970
973-895-2100
www.mtfjc.org

Home

About Us

Services
Programming

Hebrew School 
               Calendar

Shabbat News

MTFJC Happenings
Monthly Bulletin

Directions

Links to Other Groups

Monthly Bulletin:              JULY/AUGUST 2008

Rabbi's Message  |  Vice President's Message
Listings

Rabbi's Message

Rabbi Search is in progress.

back to top

From The President

Fellow Freedomites,


The Rabbi search continues with 25 resumes, 3 interviews, and 2 more interviews scheduled. Yeshivah University has forwarded one resume from an elder Rabbi from a Philadelphia shul. Their first question to me was do we have a Mehitzah? I told them when needed we can pull our fence out and set it up. First we are an orthodox charted shul with traditional ways and a Mehitzah if needed for visiting mishbuchah. Hachol Yisroael: to include everyone is my goal. No one should feel unwelcome in our shul.


A book has been written concerning the search for a spiritual leader by Author Stephen Fried who knew that his book "The New Rabbi: A Congregation Searches for its Leader" would generate some controversy. What he couldn't have predicted, however, is what the controversy would be about. Some were miffed that Fried used the real names of candidates seeking to replace Rabbi Gerald Wolpe, and that members of Conservative Congregation Har Zion's search committee spoke so openly with Fried about the selection process. The author has been charged with committing lashon hara (idle gossip). The Philadelphia-based Fried disagrees. "Is any journalism that pisses off a Rabbi lashon hara?" he asked, before he gave a recent talk at Berkeley's Congregation Netivot Shalom. "Can we cover Jewish life accurately if we can't cover anything that causes lashon hara?" Fried said that in a situation such as this, people tend to get most of their information from rumors, and that a lack of communication could in fact devastate a community.

Fried was a nominally involved Jew as an adult, celebrating only the major holidays. He and his wife did not belong to a synagogue. Then his father died, and seeking comfort, he began attending a daily minyan to say Kaddish. It just so happened that a few months into the one-year mourning period, Fried heard that Wolpe would soon be stepping down from his pulpit. It all fell into place. Wolpe was not only Fried's childhood rabbi, but he was incredibly charismatic and a national player. With 1,400 family-units, Har Zion was one of the most wealthy and influential synagogues in the country. And Wolpe agreed to grant Fried whatever access he needed.


Calling it "an organic process," as well as his own personal "shiva project," Fried said in light of his father's death, he felt drawn to spending more time at synagogue anyhow. "The best non-fiction assignments are like that," he said,

-3-

"that you would have done anyway." The process took three years. The

committee settled upon one candidate, who then turned down the job. Then, against Rabbinical Assembly rules, the committee decided to elevate the assistant rabbi, who had only been out of seminary a few years, to the higher post. That too, ended in disaster.


"The New Rabbi," released in the summer, is still creating a buzz. And Har Zion is still without a spiritual leader. Fried is at work on an epilogue that will come out with the paperback edition. Fried said he intended to write a Jewish book, but also a secular book. And just as much as it is about looking for a new rabbi, it is about how a community makes priorities and decides what its needs are. He
said the book was meant to be about religious life and the clergy, as well. While he wasn't trying to be an advocate for rabbis, Fried said he hoped his readers would gain more insight into the difficulties of being in the rabbinate, as "being a rabbi is one of the hardest jobs in America."


This project was different than most other journalistic assignments, he said. Usually, reporters collect information about something that has already happened. In this case, events continued to unfold. Fried appreciated the opportunity to "watch a community grow, argue and react to things...I could have ended it 20 times. I kept writing the end and then another thing would happen."
His relationship with Wolpe and most people at Har Zion remains unchanged, he said. In fact, Fried receives about an e-mail per day from the rabbi, usually regarding feedback he has heard about the book. "Keep in mind what I had access to and what I could have written, and what I as a Jew concerned with the future of the Jewish community, wrote," he said. "I believe holding a mirror up to a community is a good thing."


With g-d's help and all of our collective interest and wisdom we will
be more fortunate then congregation Har Zion. My son wants to make the movie, I told him no dice.


Larry Weinstein,MD FACS
www.drlarryweinstein.com

From The Sisterhood

Thank you to Robin Shulman for hosting our May 21st event in her home. Robin had invited Ms. Wynne Whitman, a partner at the Morristown law firm of Schenck, Price, Smith & King to speak to us about her recently published book Wants, Wishes, and Wills: A Medical and Legal Guide to Protecting Yourself and Your Family in Sickness and in Health. She presented critical medical and legal information and answered questions on getting health care proxies, Living Wills, Wills and why you need them, tax and estate planning and much much more!!  Ms. Whitman specializes in estate planning and administration, charitable trusts, and estate and tax planning and counseling.

On June 4th Sisterhood had a Book Club Meeting and reviewed The Romance Reader by Pearl Abraham. Our discussion of the book was lively and enthusiastic as we discussed the story of a young girl's coming-of-age and her religious conflicts in an ultra orthodox Hasidic home.

On June 17th Sisterhood had its Annual Fashion Show. THANK YOU to all the women who attended!!! We had a GREAT turnout and a GREAT time!! Fashions by Clothes Call located in Chester were modeled. Another THANK YOU to the following women who helped to make this event a success: Debby Brafman chaired this event. Janet Tammam and Rocky Svirsky provided a plant for each woman to take home. Audrey Levine designed and created the beautiful invitations. The lovely models were: Linda Rosenbaum, Susan Scheer, Lanie Schwarz, Audrey Silverberg, Janet Tammam, and Roana Ratner.

We have two summer events planned:

On Wednesday, July 16th, we will have our pool party. Thank you to Dr. Lauren Cooper who will host this event at her home. Watch out for more information and surprises to come!!

The next Book Club Meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, August 13th and we will review Zugzwang by Ronan Bennett. Per a quick review, this book “transcends mystery with the haunting portrayal of a world on the verge of unstoppable change...no matter how much we may wish to ignore the undercurrents that exist beneath society’s civilized veneer, one day we may be swept away in events beyond our control.” The Men’s Club is invited to attend!!!

L’hitraot,

Roana Ratner

From The Administrator

Dear Congregants:

In an effort to make the Administrator continuity smoother all of the High Holiday and Dues Election Forms will be mailed to each of you in early July. Your attention to this mailing will also make it possible to get all of your Fall dates onto your calendar BEFORE you leave for Summer Break. I will do all that I can in my last few days to help facilitate the continuity for the office services that you have become accustomed to (I have offered to provide continuity into July or later, as needed).

As to the current status of the new Administrator recruitment process, I will be replaced by Lois Feller who will be joining the Shul on July 3rd.  Office hours will be Tuesday - Thursday, 9:30 - 5:00 PM.

As I've said before, it has been an honor to have been able to support the Shul and my prayers go out to each of you and to the Shul in the hopes that these moments of unrest that could have been avoided will soon come to an end for everyone. Have a sweet Summer and a sweet High Holiday Season.

Michael Smilack

From The Program Director

Summer is a slower season for programming as many of our members are away, kids at camp and others on vacation. But don’t be strangers at shul because we are always happy to see you and to be together.  

Join us on Shabbat, July 19th as one of the summer shlichim from Israel to our community presents ‘A Soldier’s Tale.’ Gal Bareket is an intelligence officer in the army and will share some of his thoughts and experiences with us during services followed by questions and answers during kiddush. A special Israeli kiddush will be enjoyed by all.

Special thanks to the Pollack family for their warm hospitality on Shavuot. A wonderful lunch was had poolside by our families and some guests as well.  And thanks to everyone in this community who was able to share my family’s simcha as Aaron and Zachary became b’nai mitzvah. For us it was the celebration of a lifetime, and it was especially meaningful with all of you at Mount Freedom Jewish Center.

Sharon

From The Membership Director

A special thank you to all of you who help us reach out for new members and a prayer that you will continue to help us grow!

Our current membership level is at 125 Member Families.

Sharon

From the House & Grounds Committee

Fix-ups continued around the Shul, including, in June:

  • All contaminated soil was removed from the site of the old oil tank and the driveway was repaired and resurfaced, as were holes in the entrance driveway.

  • Excess furniture was disposed of from Baum Hall so that it could be fully used for all upcoming Bat & Bar Mitzvahs.

As always, please let me know if you see Shul areas that need fix-up or replacement.

Bernie

Why Settle For 1% when It Could Be 6%

Due to the lack of participation in these programs, the office will no longer handle gift cards once the current inventory is diminished.. In particular, we have $1,000 in Pathmark cards.!

From the Kiddush Committee

Our next SHARED KIDDUSH will be held on July 26th.  If you have a simcha to celebrate in July (e.g. Birthday, Anniversary, New Baby), you are welcome to become a co-sponsor.  Just call Meryl at 973-895-4967 or the office at 973-895-2100, and we will be glad to add your name to the sponsor list for just $54.  This is a wonderful way to share your happy event with your Shul Family.

Meryl Rehaut

From the Sisterhood Gift Shop

A REALLY SPECIAL NEW ARTIST IS NOW BEING FEATURED IN THE GIFT SHOP, GARY ROSENTHAL, who has created a number of one of a kind and unique pieces by combining

copper, brass, and steel with brilliant fused glass. His inspiration comes from the rich history of

the Jewish people which tells us it's a blessing, a mitzvah, to make beautiful, functional art. See his unique Merrium cup plus dradels, limited addition supply groger. If you get a chance to visit the Shul, please see his unique vertical Seder Plate in the Administrator's Office.

Is your honey dish chipped? Take a look at our Gift Shop where you will find new ones that just might fit your décor. Or, perhaps, to give something to a newlyweds home for dinner, like a Havdalah set or candlesticks. Take a Look!!!!

The Gift Shop will also take special orders if you don’t see what you want. Winter hours are Monday Mornings from 10:00 – 11:30 AM. Call Linda Rosenbaum to make arrangements

The Gift Shop has also has a selection of gifts from the Jacob Rosenthal Collection from its TREE OF LIFE COLLECTION. Included are Kiddush Cups (even for newborns) and Candlesticks, and if we don’t have what you want, special orders can be made. This collection was created by Sandra Kravits, a British Artist and Silversmith trained at London University. The Tree Of Life has been exhibited throughout the United States.

The Gift Shop still has the Emanuel Collection that includes candlesticks, perfect for any Bridal shower. We also have Tzedakah Boxes and a new beautiful collection of ceramic ware.

PLEASE, before you go retail look at the Sisterhood Gift Shop where you'll find what you find elsewhere but at less expense, and you will be supporting the Mfjc Sisterhood and thereby supporting the Shul families.

Call Linda for an appointment at 973-895-2447 or 973-895-2927. Special Orders are welcome!

HAPPY SHOPPING!

Linda Rosenbaum

back to top

Mount Freedom Jewish Center
Copyright 2005