Congregation Adas Emuno

This Week at Adas Emuno—Shabbat with Rabbi Max Chaiken

January 09, 2025 8:19 AM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

Jan. 9, 2025

Dear Friends,
I'm grateful to Rabbi Max Chaiken for subbing for me at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

Rabbi Chaiken will also lead our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM).

A native of Teaneck, Rabbi Chaiken has been our 7th Grade teacher this year, our youth group advisor, and our talented song leader at Sunday morning youth and special Shabbat services.

Our Book Club meets on Monday (7:30 PM) via zoom, with a discussion led by Fran Shulman of the award-winning historical novel The Postcard (see link in Rabbi’s weekly email message).

Mark your calendar now: Bagels and Lox with Loretta. Sunday, Jan. 19 (10:15 brunch; 11:00 AM talk). In honor of the MLK weekend, a conversation with pioneering state senator Loretta Weinberg will be moderated by Leonia mayor Bill Ziegler.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno—Tribute to Jimmy Carter

January 02, 2025 8:18 AM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

Jan. 2, 2025

Dear Friends,
Although I never met Jimmy Carter personally, I was an eye-witness to Sadat's visit to Jerusalem. I'd like to offer a Jewish tribute to President Carter, and particularly his triumph at Camp David, at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

The second semester of Shabbat Morning Torah Study begins this week (10:00 AM), as we look at the story of antisemitism in our country in the 20th century, and the brave people who fought against it. The subject is timely and important, and you are welcome to join us as a returning or new student.

Religious school also resumes this week, as we begin the civil new year, if you can believe it, one-fourth of the way into the 21st century!

Shabbat shalom and Happy New Year,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno—Gesher Shalom Concert This Sunday!

December 26, 2024 8:14 AM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

Dec. 26, 2024

Dear Friends,
Hanukkah is here!
We hope you are a having a light-filled celebration with family and friends.
What a great concert we had here last Sunday to welcome the holiday.

To add to your light join us for our Shabbat Hanukkah celebration (7:00 PM).
We've assembled a mini-choir for the occasion, latkes of course, and other special holiday touches.

While there in no school or Torah study this week, there is a short outdoor kindling every night of Hanukkah at 7:00 PM sharp (with thanks to our president Marshall Jacobowitz for leading).

And we encourage you to join our partners, Gesher Shalom, for one more Hanukkah Concert and Party this Sunday at the Temple (1:30 PM), with contemporary and show music by vocalist Emma Green and jazz pianist Stephen Teti (and lots more latkes). RSVP to Debbie Mulholland of Gesher Shalom at 201-947-1735.

Shabbat shalom and Happy Hanukkah,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

December 19, 2024 8:13 AM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

Dec. 19, 2024

Dear Friends,
Every year's end I share "The Rabbi's Top Ten Jewish News Events", which I will do at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).
I'm doing so a week early, as next week is Shabbat Hanukkah.
Peter Hays will join the cantor on guitar, to get us rocking for the holiday.

Then on Sunday we also enter the holiday spirit with a Pre-Hanukkah Jazz Concert (1:30 PM).
Anyone who heard Temple member Scott Dennis with his band, the Hudson County Buskers, last year knows that you are in for a real treat.
So bring a friend, and enjoy a wine and cheese reception afterwards.

Even though religious school is on break, Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM) will take place.

Hanukkah begins Wed. night the 25th (yes, it’s also another holiday!) and as we have done for many years you are welcome to a short and sweet Outdoor Menorah Lighting (7:00 PM- sharp) every night of the festival.

And next week on the 27th join us for our Shabbat Hanukkah lighting of both our outdoor and (inside) our 124-year-old menorah, along with a festive service filled with light (7:00 PM).

Shabbat shalom and Happy Hanukkah,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

December 12, 2024 8:41 AM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

Dec. 12, 2024

Dear Friends,
It's that time of the year, when we become particularly conscious of our status as a religious minority.
This month brings with it issues that are collectively known as the "December Dilemmas".
I'll discuss some of them as they relate to new developments in the Jewish community regarding marriage and conversion, at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

Some of those same dilemmas arise earlier in American history, as we will observe at our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM).

  Hanukkah is fast approaching, and we invite you to join us for:
1. Pre-Hanukkah Jazz Concert with the Hudson County Buskers (back by popular demand), Sunday, Dec. 22 (1:30 PM)
2. Shabbat Hanukkah lighting (of our 124-year-old menorah), service, and celebration Dec. 27 (7:00 PM)
3. Daily Outdoor Menorah Lighting Dec. 25-Jan. 1 (7:00 PM sharp)

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

December 05, 2024 10:11 AM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

Dec. 5, 2024

Dear Friends,
The tiny island of Curacao has a fascinating Jewish history, including a sand-floor synagogue that is the oldest in continuous use in the Western hemisphere!
I had the opportunity to visit it this past week, and will share the experience at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

At our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM) we now move from the 19th to 20 century, but we will see that as the American Jewish population grows dramatically, so does antisemitism.

On Sunday our annual Mitzvah Mall (11:00 AM) takes place. Learn about worthy organizations, and receive donation cards that make very meaningful Hanukkah gifts.

Speaking of Hanukkah, mark your calendar now:
1. Pre-Hanukkah Jazz Concert with the Hudson County Buskers (back by popular demand), Dec. 22 (1:30 PM).
2. Shabbat Hanukkah lighting, service, and celebration Dec. 27 (7:00 PM)
3. Daily Outdoor Menorah Lighting Dec. 25-Jan. 1 (7:00 PM sharp)
4. Hanukkah Meal, free and delivered on Dec. 30, available from the Federation, 201-784-1414.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

November 28, 2024 8:13 AM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

Nov. 28, 2024

Dear Friends
On this Thanksgiving day and weekend, our thoughts turn to what we are grateful for in our families, communities, and country.
We'll reflect on this at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).
And here is a thought for the holiday I published in last week's Jewish Standard:

Even in a house divided - The Jewish Standard

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

Next book to read for our January book club: Anne Berest's The Postcard, which is described as “ an enthralling investigation into family secrets, a poignant tale of mothers and daughters, and a vivid portrait of twentieth-century Parisian intellectual and artistic life."
And next series to watch (on Netflix) which we will also be discussing: "Nobody Wants This", which involves a young rabbi who gets in a bit of trouble with his family and congregation....

Shabbat Shalom and Happy Thanksgiving,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno—7pm Start for Shabbat Family Service

November 21, 2024 9:54 AM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

Nov. 21, 2014

Dear Friends,
The 4/5 Grade will lead our Shabbat Evening Family Service (7:00 PM- note earlier time), joined by Cantor Suzy on keyboard and Rabbi Max on piano.
We encourage families of all ages to support our students!

Abraham Lincoln again intervenes to benefit the Jewish community during the Civil War, which we will learn about at our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM).

We invite you to Leonia's Annual Interfaith Thanksgiving Service, on Tuesday (7:00 PM) at the Presbyterian Church on Main Street. The cantor will offer a song, and I will read an original piece of liturgy composed for this occasion. Coming together as a community takes on extra meaning after such a divisive election.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

November 14, 2024 8:44 AM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

Nov. 14, 2024

Dear Friends,
Let's take a look at Abraham, the founder of our faith and the subject of our weekly Torah portion, and what we learn from two epic events in his life.
We'll do so at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

The most infamous act of American antisemitism occurred during the Civil War.
We'll examine this closely, and reveal how Lincoln reacted to it, and to another challenge during wartime to the Jewish community, at our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM).

Mark your calendar: Thanksgiving is approaching, and we invite you to Leonia's Annual Interfaith Service, on Tuesday, Nov. 26 (7:00 PM) at the Presbyterian Church on Main Street. Both the cantor and I will participate. Coming together as a community takes on extra meaning after such a divisive election.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

November 07, 2024 8:36 AM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

Nov. 7, 2024

Dear Friends,
What are we to make of the elections, and our house divided?
We'll have an open discussion following our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

We also pay honor to those who have served our country, as we stand before Veteran's Day.
And we note this weekend as the anniversary of Kristallnacht in 1938, the beginning of the Holocaust, to which our oldest member, Kurt Roberg, was an eye-witness, and another member, Maren Friedman, was born in Germany that same day.

We'll continue discussing the state of the union, past and present, at our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM), as we approach the Civil War era.

Consider coming to the meeting on Monday of the Adas Emuno Book Club (7:30 PM)- open to all whether or not you have read this month's selection about a 19th-century Lower East Side German Jewish woman who was the country’s busiest fence and organized crime leader. (The Zoom link is in the Rabbi’s weekly message emailed on November 7.)

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz