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CELEBRATIONS SILLY AND SIGNIFICANT March 2000 by Rabbi Samuel M. Cohon First: Celebrations Significant Leap years have the reputation for bringing unusual and exceptional events: comets, discoveries, and feats of natural and human brilliance. In the Jewish calendar, following the cycles of the moon, leap years require the addition of an entire additional month, which provides a wonderful opportunity to seek the extraordinary. We are in such a leap year now, 5760, and this month is Adar Sheini, the 2nd month of Adar, the leap month. And wonders await! This Adar Sheini we begin to celebrate our 90th anniversary. As the first Jewish congregation in Arizona, Temple Emanu-El commences a year of festivities dedicated to remembering our past, celebrating our present, and envisioning our bright future. We commence Friday, March 10th with a special Birthday Oneg--complete with cake and 90 candles and Israeli dancing--followed on Saturday, March 11th by Heritage Shabbat. We'll return to the beautiful original home of our congregation, Stone Avenue Temple, for Shabbat morning services by reservation. Stone Avenue only holds about 120 people: as we celebrate the date of our founding, we ask that you call to reserve your place at either the 9 AM or 11:30 AM services. You can be a part not only of Temple Emanu-El's history that morning, but of Arizona's history. Next, and perhaps most significantly, on Friday night, March 17th we will honor Donald and Joan Diamond at a very special Shabbat Service. Don and Joan have contributed tremendously to our temple's life. It is safe to say that without their unqualified support we would simply not have a temple today, let alone a rejuvenated congregation that is vital and flourishing. Please join us as we honor them that night for all they have given us. Next: Celebrations Silly There is a famous nine-word description of the typical Jewish holiday: "They tried to kill us, we won, let's eat!" This certainly applies to this month's eminently festive festival, Purim. The semi-mythical bad guy Haman masterminded a plot to annihilate our people, he was out-witted by Mordechai and Esther, and would you please pass the poppy hamantashen? But Purim adds an element to the usual festival mix-or, rather, it subtracts one. While other celebrations are focused on spiritual elements and special religious rituals, Purim is primarily about having fun. Mishenichnas Adar, marbim b'simcha-when we enter the month of Adar, the month of Purim, we multiply our joy. It is a time to catch spring fever, to sing, dance, eat, masquerade and generally take delight in life. If spring brings out the folly in every culture, who are we to argue? According to Jewish tradition, even the Ultimate Supreme Being loves a good party. On Purim we are commanded to revel, imitating the Persian Jews of long ago who had "light and joy, delight and jubilation." And it must be a good idea: all of the other Western springtime celebrations, the Mardi Gras' and Carnivals and Spring flings, are more or less based on Purim. On Purim, most reasonable restrictions on behavior are lifted: for that one day a year we can drink, carouse, parody, and reverse our revered traditions. We are committed, serious people most of the time, but everyone needs a blowout now and then. If the rest of the year we strive to perfect the world, on Purim we seek only to brighten it. Of course, if one day a year is great, why not spread the Purim joy around a little? Even our ancestors invented a sort of second-day Purim, called Purim d'mifraza, Purim for walled cities, which took place the day after the regular Purim. So in this spirit of revelry, I invite you to a series of Purim-inspired events this month: On Saturday night, March 17th at 5:30 PM we will hold a gala-really gala-Havdalah Costume Dinner followed by a spectacular Purim parody musical, complete with full instrumentation, choirs, costumes, adult and kids' humor and outstanding production values. On Sunday morning, March 18th at 10 AM we will reprise the show--sans dinner--add some Megillah reading and graggers, and follow it with our magnificent Purim Carnival, chaired by Dr. Jason Feld. And as the coup-de-grace, on Monday, March 19th at 6:45 PM we will have our traditional Megillah reading (that is, the whole Megillah), preceded by a pizza party at 5:45 PM. Our goal is to prove that, on Purim, Temple Emanu-El can really party Guest Cantor Harold Orbach, Friday, March 3rd In a late addition to our calendar, we are delighted to welcome guest Cantor Harold Orbach of Temple Israel of West Bloomfield, Michigan on Friday night, March 3rd at 8 PM. Cantor Orbach is one of the outstanding cantors in America, having been featured in concerts and services throughout the world. Currently enjoying a "working sabbatical" from his congregation--which at over 3000 families is one of the largest in the world--he has recently returned from teaching and concretizing in Israel and Europe. Cantor Orbach will participate in a special musical service featuring solos, duets, and trios with Rabbi Cohon and Cantorial Soloist Marjorie Hochberg. Helping to lead the service that night will be Harmony Rosenthal, who will be marking her consecration in the presence of many family members and friends. To complete a truly delightful Shabbat, Amnon Eilat will lead Israeli dancing after services. From the March 2000 Temple Times |
