An Indelible Moment in Time

Yesterday, three Jewish women were ordained. For us in the Reform Movement, and for our counterparts in the Conservative and Reconstructionist Movements, this may not seem like anything earth-shattering, now fully 41 years and 800 women rabbis after the electrifying ordination of Rabbi Sally J. Preisand on June 3, 1972. But in fact, this ordination WAS earth-shattering. In fact, these three women: Ruth Balinsky Friedman, Rachel Kohl Feingold, and Abby Brown Scheier, comprised the first graduating class of Yeshivat Maharat, an Orthodox yeshiva in Riverdale, formed for the purpose of "confirming Orthodox women as halakhic and spiritual leaders." The Dean of Yeshivat Maharat is Rabba Sara Hurwitz, who was ordained four years ago by the founder and driving force of Maharat, Rabbi Avi Weiss, the spiritual leader of the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale, and founder and Rosh Yeshiva Emeritus of Yeshivat Chov'vei Torah, a progressive Modern Orthodox rabbinical school (for men, as one might expect). But Maharat is for women. The name is an acronym for Manhiga Hilkhatit Rukhanit Toranit: a leader in Halakha, spirituality, and Torah.
Rabba Hurwitz called each of these women to the stage for their new status to be conferred upon them. The three rabbis who led the conferral were Rabbi Avi Weiss, Rabbi Jeffrey Fox, who serves as the Rosh Yeshiva of Maharat, and Rabbi Daniel Sperber, Professor of Talmud at Bar-Ilan University. Each of these outstanding rabbinic leaders spoke to one of the women, proclaiming her to be "ordained as a spiritual leader, and decisor of Jewish law."

It is particularly noteworthy that this was not just a ceremony taking place in a vacuum. In fact each of these women has already secured full-time employment for next year as functioning clergy in Orthodox congregations, two in Montreal and one in Washington, DC. In her concluding remarks, Rabba Hurwitz held out her arms to the assemblage and declared: "This is the beginning of a new reality. . . this is what the Orthodox community now looks like. . . men and women, standing side by side, and leading and shaping the Jewish community!"

I met Rabba Sara Hurwitz for the first time last June, when Steve and I attended a program called "Four Firsts" at the National Museum of American Jewish History in Philadelphia, to mark the 40th anniversary of Sally Preisand's ordination. She is brilliant and engaging. Moreover, I will have the opportunity and pleasure of studying alongside Rabba Hurwitz this summer, and throughout the next three years, in the Rabbinic Leadership Initiative at the Shalom Hartman Institute. God willing, in three years we both will become Fellows of the Hartman Institute. I very much look forward to getting to know Rabba Hurwitz better, and learning with her, and from her.

Of course, I needn't remind you that my own ideological comfort zone lies within Reform Judaism. Nevertheless it has always been the case that we Jews have strengthened each other across denominational lines, pushing each other to move BEYOND our personal comfort zones. History has shown that we need each other to push and pull, and create the dynamism that will keep Judaism alive and vital. I pray that this opening of a door that until now has been closed, will only further strengthen and expand our people in ways we never could have imagined only one generation ago.

The most famous verse by far in our Torah portion this week was uttered by the sorcerer Byl'am: Ma tovu ohalekha Ya'akov, mishkenotecha Yisrael: How lovely are your tents, O Jacob, your dwellings, O Israel! On this day, we can all raise our voices in a chorus and sing out those words with deep conviction. I am deeply moved and grateful that this milestone has been reached, and I offer my deep congratulations and pride to these three newly-ordained Jewish women. May they be blessed with courage, patience, and wisdom, as they go on to contribute their creativity and strength to the Jewish People.

The congregation of Union Temple is a diverse, yet closely knit group of thoughtful and compassionate people who draw together in times of joy as well as times of sorrow. It has been a privilege for me to serve as Rabbi since 1992. On behalf of our congregational family, I invite you to celebrate our past, share our present, and be a part of shaping our future.   Rabbi Dr. Linda Henry Goodman  Click here to read the Rabbi's Message

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Union Temple Preschool Discount

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Pastoral Counseling and Services

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Our Religious School students, our junior choir, and our Brotherhood and Sisterhood, all assist in conducting the services at various times during the year. Music is an organic part of our services in the gifted hands of Shinea Kim, in addition to our wonderful cantorial students, as they encourage congregants to participate actively in the musical life of the congregation.

Dear Friends:

With the support and approval of our Board of Trustees, I am pleased to announce our participation in an exciting new program of partnership with the Jewish Board of Family and Children’s Services of UJA. Some six other synagogues in the general Brownstone Brooklyn area also are participating in this partnership. It will provide all the rabbis and temple officers with much needed support for our older adults. I have inserted the announcement from the JBFCS below. We will be talking more about it in the coming months. If you have any questions at all, or know immediately that you would like to avail yourself of this program for yourself, a parent or relative, or someone you know, please call me at the temple: (718) 638-7600 or e-mail me at rabbigoodman@uniontemple.org.  - Rabbi Linda Henry Goodman

A FREE SYNAGOGUE‐BASED PROGRAM FOR JEWISH OLDER ADULTS IN NORTHERN AND CENTRAL BROOKLYN

Through a generous grant from the Weinberg Foundation provided by UJA Federation of NY, the Jewish Board of Family and Children’s Services is able to offer the expertise of our geriatric social worker to area synagogues, free of charge.

We can provide your congregants with:

∙ Innovative programs and workshops addressing the needs of older adults

o Health education

o Caregiver resources

o Social and recreational programs

∙ Emotional support for older adult life issues

∙ Support, consultation, and education for volunteers helping older adults

∙ Individual and family assessment and counsel by our on‐site geriatric social worker.

∙ Home Care oversight and advocacy

∙ Access to the full range of services of JBFCS, and other community agencies.

Partnering Synagogues will:

∙ Develop an ongoing working relationship with our project social worker.

∙ Work with our program staff to identify, plan and host activities to address the needs of older congregants.

∙ Identify and refer older congregants in need.

∙ Market and publicize the program workshops, groups, and services to the congregation and community.

Beginning Sept. 7 and thereafter, all Friday services will begin at 6:30 PM, except for the 4th week of each month, when they will begin at 8:00 PM.  The first Friday of the month we will have our potluck dinner following services as usual.  Saturday morning services remain at 10:30.

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Union Temple is an egalitarian, inclusive Reform Congregation, spanning the generations. Founded in 1848 by a small group of German and Alsatian Jewish immigrants living in Williamsburgh, since 1929 Union Temple has been located in a magnificent building at Grand Army Plaza. We are a house of worship, a house of study, and an intimate community of mutual support for our members. We reach out to the diverse communities of Brooklyn and warmly welcome individuals and all types of families to join us. As a congregation we are dedicated to Tikkun Olam, the repairing of our world, through the pursuit of social justice and active participation in the larger Jewish and general communities. Union Temple is a member congregation of the Union of Reform Judaism

Read more about the History of Union Temple...

Open to all children in the community, the Union Temple Preschool is a morning program for two, three, and four year olds with some extended day options. Our dedicated, nurturing staff provides a child-centered environment with a curriculum enhanced by a Jewish perspective, and enrichment programs.

We join together through Adult Education, Brotherhood, Sisterhood, and the Social Action Committee for a wide variety of educational, social, and cultural activities including:

• Shabbat Morning Study Hevre

• Adult Bar/Bat Mitzvah Class

• Shabbaton with Notable Speakers

• Concerts  *  Films  *  Lectures

• Book Discussions  *  Game Nights

• Dances  *   Theatre Outings

• Walking Tours of Jewish New York

We view all our programs as opportunities to bring our congregational community together to socialize, to learn, and to celebrate our heritage.