xt75mk657c70 https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt75mk657c70/data/mets.xml Jewish Federation of the Bluegrass Kentucky Jewish Federation of the Bluegrass 1996-08 Newspaper of the Jewish Federation of the Bluegrass, previously named the Central Kentucky Jewish Association and Central Kentucky Jewish Federation. Published ten times annually. The Federation seeks to bring Jewish community members together through holiday parties, lectures, Yiddish courses, meals, and other celebrations of Jewish heritage and culture. They also host fundraisers and provide financial assistance for Jews in need, both locally and around the world. This collection is part of the Jewish Federation of the Bluegrass records, 2016ms010. newsletters 2016ms010 English Central Kentucky Jewish Federation Inc  Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. Jewish Federation of the Bluegrass records Jews -- Kentucky -- Lexington Jews -- History Shalom, August 1996 text image Shalom, August 1996 1996 1996-08 2025 true xt75mk657c70 section xt75mk657c70  

Newspaper of the Central Kentucky Jewish Federation

cxtfi‘xJF

“1”“

Shalom

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V

 

 

August 1996

AV-Elul 5756

 

CKJF offers new Israel Experience Program

by Joel Eizenstat

An exciting new element
has been added to the Central
Kentucky Jewish Federation
Israel Experience Program. For
many years CKJF has offered
Israel Study Scholarships which
have aided a number of our local
teenagers in traveling to Israel.
Now. the Central Kentucky
Jewish Federation is introducing a
unique Gift of Israel Savings Plan
that will allow patents to...

- Start saving for the teen trip
when their child new young.

"\.. an‘r

Central Jewish

Federation.

Kentucky

- Watch their funds grow with
interest in a special account
opened for their child at Bank
Leumi Trust Company of New
York, an FDIC insured full-ser-
vice commercial bank that played
an important role in Israel’s
founding, and is now the official
Gift of Israel banking organiza—
tion.

' Create a special feeling of
excitement and anticipation for
them and their child.

"i ' g 7..",..»‘.—.i

our Jewish youth and to foster the
relationship between Israel and
American Jewry.

To summarize the Gift
of Israel Savings Plan:

- The Gift of Israel Savings Plan
will be administered by the
Central Kentucky Jewish
Federation. The Federation will
set all policies for the program.

- An account can be opened for a
child at any time between birth
and the the end of the tenth grade.

- Each year that a family con—
' . ct‘QOt’l to m.-

ll'gyll‘l x.‘ ;| ”:15,an

 

I strengthen t’ " eWIs’ Lem yo t.

$100 into a matching account.

. To be eligible for matching
funds in any given year, all family
contributions to the UJA/
Federation annual campaign must
be paid in full by December 31 of
that year. The minimum family
contribution required to the annu-
al campaign is $200.

' All family contributions are
made directly to Bank Leumi
Trust Company of New York
through the Gift of Israel Savings
Plan.

' Each participant in the program
may use his or her accumulated

"~‘-~ .tt .11".1~7.'»‘hgth-ri'fi'rgr i .

' 1

funds must be used for a program
in Israel approved by the Central
Kentucky Jewish Federation.
While this will include the wide
variety of Israel programs exist-
ing now and new programs intro—
duced in the future, it will not
include family vacations or
Bar/Bat Mitzvah trips. Payment
for the participant’s choice will be
made directly to the program cho—
sen.

. Additional gifts can be made to
a participant’s Gift of Israel
Savings Plan account at any time
for occasions such as birthdays or
Bar/Bat Mitzvah. Any amounts

’lllltlirifi‘d or y a

 

 

Why are These
People Smiling?

This group is all smiles
because they have volunteered to
help organize the storage unit
containing all the contributions
for the CKJF‘s Resettlement pro-
gram. CKJF thanks this youthful
group and all who helped.

(I (o r) Greg Baker, Erin Baker,
Adam Goldstein. Jessica Dyer,
Jason Goldfarb, Catherine (or is
z: lam") (‘ole and Alicia Rose.

 

 

CKJF
3 40 Romany itmui

Lexington. K} ts n”;

 

Non-Profit Org.
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
Permit No. 719
Lexington, KY

 

 

 

Address Correction Requested

 

Special thanks to...

”Bob Schneider. at the
Lansdowne 8F Gas Station. for
twice loaning the CKJF
Resettlement volunteers his full
size Pick-Up truck for the pur
pose of moving donated lurni»
ture.

Next time you‘re in the
neighborhood. tell Mr Schneider
“thanks!"

CKJF Board Supports
Community Religious

School

by Joel Eizenstat

At its June, 1996 Board
of Directors meeting, the Central
Kentucky Jewish Federation
awarded a $1600 Educational
Grant to the Central Kentucky
Jewish Community School for the
1996—97 school year. An addi—
tional Grant of $1800 was award—
cd for the 1997-98 school year.
These Educational Grants are to
be. used toward instructor salaries
for the school.

The Central Kentucky
Jewish Community School is pro—
posed as a cooperative effort
between Temple Adath lsrael and
Ohavay Zion Synagogue with
supplemental funding prowded
by the Central Kentucky Jewish
Federation. The school will be
open to all Jewish 8th. 9th and

 

 

 

10th grade students in the com—
munity. Rabbis Jonathan Adland
and Eric Slaton will be the prima—
ry instructors and advisors for the
school. The curriculum has been
mutually developed by the two
Rabbis.

 

 

Ask JFS ........... 11
Calendar .......... 19
Editorial ............ 4
Financial Advisor . . . .7
Havurah ........... 14
Hadassah .......... 12
028 .............. 13
President’s Spot ..... 2
Rabbi Adland ....... 3
TAI ........... 14 & 15

 

 

 

 

  

MILESTONES

Mazel Tov to:

Paul & Carol Kaplan on the
birth of their son, John Bernard
on May 16, 1996.

David Cantor, son of Austin &
Susan Cantor, on his
achievement as an Eagle Scout.

Lou & Judy Hersh on the
marriage of their son,
Brian Hersh to Kerry Churchill
on May 18, 1996.

Kevin & Ann Freund on the
birth of their daughter,
Miranda Jean Freund

on May 22, 1996.

Emily Fried, daughter of
Andrew & Bobbi Fried,
on receiving the
Creative Writing Award from
the Lexington Woman’s Club.

 

 

Shalom
Published ten times annually
by the
Central Kentucky Jewish
Federation, Inc.

340 Romany Road
Lexington, KY 40502
(606) 268-0672
Fax (606) 268-0775

cxwar

August 1996
Volume III, Issue 15

Tomas Milch, H.
President

Joel Eizenstat
Executive Director

Holly Barnhill
Editor & Advertising Manager

Michael Adelstein
Evelyn Dantzic Geller
Editorial Board Members

Mollye Schwab
Jewish Family Services

Kim Slaton
Program Director

The appearance of any advertising in this
publication does not represent a kashruth
1 endorsement on the part of CKJF or any other
agency or organization. Shalom is supported
by the advertisements appearing in the paper.

 

 

 

 

 

David & Deborah Sogin on the
addition of Ari Khaim Sogin to
their family. Ari was born
October 12, 1992.

Keith Shapiro, son of Robert &
Meryl Shapiro, on being named
a National Merit Scholar.

Steve & Susan Caller on the
birth of their granddaughter
Talya Marti, June 18, 1996.
The proud parents are
Jim & Jill Kapenstein.

Terry & Carole Wilson on the
marriage of their son David to
Rachel Mandel, daughter of
Karen & Ed Mandel of Atlanta,
on June 9, 1996.

Neal Saxe, son of Stanley &
Judy Saxe, on his marriage to
Tova Bode, in Tel Aviv,
May 28, 1996.

Carolyn Weinberger on winning
the 1996 Older Americans Hall of
Fame Award. This award honors
a man and a woman who have
continued to make outstanding
contributions to the community
after reaching age 60.

Lexington Havurah on their chai
Anniversary.

on becoming American citizens;

Ruth Belin, daughter of
Bob & Jo Belin, who received
her medical degree from Harvard
University and is now doing
post-graduate training in
internal medicine at the
University of Pennsylvania
Hospital in Philadelphia.

Condolences to:

Cheryl Jonas & Marian Jonas,
on the loss of their husband &
son, Craig J onas.

Fran Cantin & Sharyn Sharer,
on the loss of their mother &
grandmother, Shirley Migler.

Liz & Bruce Broudy, on the loss
of their nieces & nephew, Ashley,
Courtney & Daniel Bowman.

Andy Gladstein, on the loss of
his father, Harry Gladstein.

Alice Mickler, on the loss of her
sister, Jayne Weil Bolotin.

We note with sorrow the death of
Herman Abel, July 14, 1996.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Your Central Kentucky
Jewish Federation has embarked
on two very exciting programs:
The Israel Experience and The
Central Kentucky Community

The President’s Spot

by Tomas Milch H.

Religious School. The first of
these programs allows all of us in
the community to assist in the
sending of our youth to Israel by
providing a mechanism of savings
for the child’s family. The details
of this program are listed in the
article beginning on the front
page. The second of these pro—
grams allows all of us in the com-
munity to further the Jewish edu-
cation of our youth and the details
of this program are also found on
the front page.

With these two initiatives we
are all keeping faith with our
youth, providing elements of
Jewish identity and experiences
that form the future of our com-
munity. We are truly lucky in
central Kentucky to have enlight-
ened Jewish leadership commit-
ted to ensuring the availability of
such programs to our youth.
Don’t forget that to make these
programs work, your financial
support is one of the key ingredi-
ents. Do us proud.

 

Zina, Sofya 8t
Willy Rozenzhak
gain American
Citizenship!

 

Zina receives her certificate
of citizenship

Zina Rozenzhak and her
family arrived in Lexington from
the former USSR in April of
1991. Today she and her chil-
dren, daughter Sofya and son
Willy, are American citizens.
The Rozenzhaks are the first of
the New Americans sponsored in
their relocation by the Central
Kentucky Jewish Federation to
obtain their citizenship.

Mazel Tov to the
Rozenzhaks!

 

 

School Supplies Needed by Evelyn Dantzic Geller

The Nathaniel Mission, an operation dedicated to facilitating
the health and well being of Lexingtonians living in Pralltown and
adjacent areas, is in need of some very special assistance. Many of the
children who are served by the Mission cannot afford to buy basic
school supplies, e.g. notebooks, pencils and pens, loose leaf binders
and loose leaf paper, backpacks or knapsacks to carry their books,

crayons, etc.

I would appreciate your keeping this community need in
mind when you go out to buy school supplies for your children and
consider buying one or two extra items. If you have the time, you can
call Sarah Moore at the Mission (255-0062) to arrange for drop Off.
Or, if it is more convenient, you can take them to the CKJF office, 340
Romany Road, we will deliver all of your gifts at once.

 

Church Burnings by MicMeLEAdelstein .

Anyone “lbllillg to contribute in the :V'utlltllldl Lounctl ot

" l‘" 'Sf.W.

Churches’ fund for the rebuilding of black churches in the South may
phone pledges to 1-800-762-0968. Be certain to specify that you want
all of your contributions to go directly to the churches, not to the polit«
ically inclined NCC.

 

Bowman Family Funds

Two funds have been established in memory of the Bowman
Family children. Ashley, Courtney and Daniel Bowman were the
nieces and nephew of Bruce and Liz Broudy of Lexington. The Funds
are:
Donations to the Synagogue:
Bowman Memorial Fund
Tri-County National Bank
600 Master Street
Corbin, Kentucky 40701
(606) 428-9950

Bowman Family Fund

Union National Bank & Trust
1285 North Cumberland
GAP Parkway

Corbin, Kentucky 40701
(606) 523-2978

 

 

Correction....

...in the June/July issue of Shalom, the article titled “A
Moment of What?” on page 18, the first sentence in the 12th
paragraph should say, “It is also a distortion of prayer to have it
chanted aloud in classrooms or even thought about in silence at
the daily direction of a lay person. ”

 

 

 

 

 

 §x\

 

Torah portions
6m the month of
August cover

from the middle of chapter 7
through the beginning of chapter
29 in the book of Deuteronomy.
These chapters include a signifi-
cant number of laws and rules,
blessings and curses, do’s and
don’t’s for one‘s life. We are
familiar with these rules if not
verbatim, then by general knowl-
edge. We live by many of these
commandments in both our ritual
and ethical lives, though we may
not be aware that their source is
the book of Deuteronomy.

What the Torah says
repeatedly in these chapters is
that by following these various
laws God will insure for the indi-
xtdual a good and blessed life.
On the other hand, by not follow-
ing these laws, life will be
cxtrentc‘=\ ‘ifficiilt and harxh

« Ltjx... ' '\,-~ a” Namath»;
..

ment based on our actions is not

the idea we would like to have of
a benevolent, kind, understand-
ing, loving. compassionate God.
For our ancestors though. this
notion of God seemed to be just
fine. They saw the world in a
cause and effect way. If you do
such and such, then this is what
will happen. If you don‘t, then
you must face the consequences.

For many of us, we are
not comfortable with this nature
of God and the results that may
come our way based on our per-
sonal lifestyle. We want to be
able to do whatever we want,
when we want, as we want. We
may be fully aware of what
Judaism says, but prefer to ignore
this for our own personal gain.
Rather than remembering
Shabbat, we do things that ignore
her. Rather than celebrating a

RabbiJon Adiand

Commentary

 

 

holiday, we choose to look the
other way. Rather than acting in
the manner of a Jew in regards to
the ethical values, we live our
lives as we see fit. Over and over
again in the book of
Deuteronomy, Moses confronts
people, like ourselves, telling us
to remember God and to walk in
God’s ways, as it says, “Love,
therefore, the Lord your God, and
always keep God’s charge, God’s
laws. God’s rules, and God’s
commandments.” (Deut. 11:1)
The people hear Moses’ charge
and listen for awhile, but they
eventually return to lives aban-
doning God’s direction.

The book of
Deuteronomy is set historically at
the moment just prior to the
Israelites entering the land of
Canaan. For 40 years this people
roamed the desert confronting the
enemies around them, as well as
the enemies within. The Israelites
received God’s word on Sinai and
worshiped a Golden Calf at the
bottom of the mountain. This
people battled those whose lands
they passed by and fought among
themselves about leadership and

'il\»[‘\\!‘.~l‘hllll\ \loxex‘ knew

wiicic tins labor. cairn; lioin and

_.,.v~‘ _

order to it before he dies. So

Moses stands before this people
and lays out what they have to
know in order to transition into a
people of strength, structure.
responsibility, purpose, and even
destiny.

The book of
Deuteronomy, Moses‘ words to
the people at the shore of the
Jordan River, stands as a guide-
post for us today. We are still
challenged by its words and lofty
ideals concerning our personal
lives and lifestyles. The chal-
lenge of Deuteronomy is for each
person to ask himself or herself
the question, “ Who am I and
what am I?” At the same time,
we can also ask, “What is the
meaning of my life and what do 1
do to make myself a Jew?" We
must remember that to be a Jew

Jewish learning.

means to recognize that Judaism
is a part of every aspect of our
lives. It is important to realize
that every act we perform, every
decision we make is a Jewish
decision.

There are those out in
the world who would like to see
us deny our Jewish souls and
leave behind our Judaism for
what they believe. For those of
us who understand our Jewish
selves, we recognize that these
other religions do not offer to us
any more than we already have in
our possession of our inheritance.
Judaism is rich in day to day
ethics, and a lifetime of obser-
vanees. Judaism is a religion
with a direct, personal relation-
ship with the God of our history
and the God of Creation; the God
of Abraham and Sarah. Isaac and
Rebecca, Jacob, Leah, and
Rachel. Those of us who are
comfortable and knowledgeable
of our Jewish identities feel no
threat.

Many Jews in this coun-
try and around the world are not
familiar enough with Judaism.
They choose to absent themselves

min-4'51; The;

s “M "if, is _

"yr-
surrounded and enveloped by the
book of Deuteronomy. To these
Jews, we Jews must reach out and
teach, educate, and celebrate. We
must not let them leave our com-
munity to what they perceive is a
better way without knowing what
Judaism is today.

Deuteronomy is full of
opportunity and choice. It says,
“Choose Life.” I urge every
member of this community to
make an effort in the coming year
to choose Judaism. Choose the
blessing that our tradition offers
so that you and your children,
friends, and family may live with
the blessing of God.

 

TOYOTAS

ILUE cuss MOMO'HW

 

C
I
L. #1

TOLL ms: IN KY 1-800-221-6043
Il‘l MECHANIC 51 uxmeron
DAILY UPS SHIPPING

 

l;
(1

 

0"

groveling was getting

me nowhere.

(V
Jhen I
remembered

her favorite color
was lavender.

')
Slwcloreyou run out of apologies, =_.

run over toyour llorlst.

IMPERIAL FLOWERS & GIFTS
(606) 233-7486
Toll Free (800) 888-7486 . . ., _, .. J

   
    

RESTAURANT

  
  

 

115 Locust Hill Drive
Richmond Rd. at Man 0‘ War
266-OVEN

 

Friendly visitors (companion) for elderly man, new to Lexington, who enjoys playing cards, reading, conversation.

 

Volunteers Needed

If you are interested, please call Jewish Family Services at (606) 2698244.

 

 

Shalom...August 1996...

 

  

Editorial

Let’s agree to disag re e

 

here’s an old adage that says, “Be careful or you just

might get what you wish for.” Now I truly understand
what that means. For over a year, I have eagerly awaited a “Letter to
the Editor" from someone in the Jewish community. Now that wish
has come true, twice.

Both letters appear on this page. Both reflect strong view-
points and opinions. Opinions are good things to have, and we all have
them. Just like our physical beings, our opinions come in all shapes
and sizes. Just as we accept different physical traits as an everyday
occurrence. we must also accept different points of view, and hopeful-
ly, learn from them.

Let’s agree to disagree, and let’s do so with respect and toler—
ance for each other. Jews represent a minority in most of the world.
Throughout history the Jews have been on the defensive from one
group or another. Now, unfortunately, there has also been a line drawn
between the Jews themselves.

In Israel, Jews are stoning other Jews because one side feels
the others are not observant enough of the Jewish traditions. Jews
fighting Jews, who would have though such a thing? This is the sort of
incident that should only put a smile on the faces of true anti—Semites.

In the central Kentucky area, Jews have held steadfast as a
minority. Our numbers are few, however, recently we have seen steps
towards a more accepting community. For example, the introduction
of a new Judaic Studies Minor at the University of Kentucky; a recon-
figuration of the public school calendar to consider Jewish holidays,
more media coverage of Jewish celebrations and traditions and a
stronger profile by the Jewish community in general.

These advances were all accomplished by working together,
not with anger, threats or an intolerant attitude. Let’s not draw lines
and dare the other to cross over. Let’s all work together from within

We are few, but as history has continually shown, if we stick 3

together, we can make a difference.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I believe there’s a missionary
knocking at my door.

 

 

Guest Editorial

by Tomas Mlch H;

 

 

When I first came to Lexington in 1979 and joined Temple
Adath Israel, I was struck by the number of kids (bratty kids) underfoot
at the Oneg in the old Temple building. That was OK since I had two
rug-rats myself. Over the next 15 years, these children and others that
have joined, have grown up, many going away to college and returning
to our community; others have chosen to make a life of their own else—
where.

Those of us in this particular generation have every reason to
be proud of all of these youths who have espoused a Jewish lifestyle,
affirming their Jewish identity, giving us the continuity to survive as a
Jewish community. Many of my friends at the Synagogue and the
Havurah have had similar experiences. I am certain that few if any,
other than my own children, know how proud I, and the rest of us in
this community, are of them. But as with their parents, many of whom
I have disagreed with, it would be improbable for all of us to agree
with our youngsters on a number of topics. This does not diminish our

pride in, and support of our young people.

I ...Shalom...August 1996

Iktters to the Editor

 

 

(Editor’s Note: The following
letter was edited for publication
in Shalom.)

A Response to “March of the
Living"

This response is to both
Mr. Ravvin’s article which
appeared in the June/July 1996
issue of Shalom and the talk he
presented June 7 at Temple Adath
Israel.

My wife and I hope that
the purpose of the March of the
Living is not only to remind the
participants of the Holocaust, the
horror perpetrated against Jews
and the loss of Jewish community
and culture in much of Europe,
but also to build bridges of under-
standing and help provide a basis
for discussion and exchange so
that the Holocaust will not occur
again whether perpetrated against
Jews or non-Jews. Mr. Ravvin‘s
presentations did not build
bridges of understanding or pro-
vide a basis for discussion.

Mr. Ravvin made a point
to attack the Polish people, the
Polish nation and to glorify Israel
by comparison. We are puzzled

why the March of the Living did
not include Germany, France and
what was the USSR. We can
only conclude that either Mr.
Ravvin went on his trip with his
mind set on what he would see or
that he was indoctrinated by the
sponsoring organization(s) during
the orientation when the group
was instructed “...how to process
the information and emotions that
would shortly thereafter be bom-
barding us.”

Mr. Ravvin can choose
to visit Poland again or not do so.
However, contrary to Mr.
Ravvin’s statements, the Polish
people, the building, the cars and
even the sky are not gray. The
Polish people are working to
rebuild a nation devastated by
Nazi and Soviet oppression.

During his talk and in
the article, Mr. Ravvin stated that
“The landscape of Poland and her
cities is absolutely littered with
monuments of varied shape, size
and purpose.” Would Mr. Ravvin
rather not have seen monuments,
including monuments to those
that died in the Warsaw ghetto,
Majdanek, Treblinka and
Auschwitz? Did he expect to see

monuments which remind us of
oppression only against Jews?
Clearly, three of the photos of
monuments by Sydney Scher in
Shalom very clearly depict the
horrors of the Holocaust.

My wife and I have fre-
quently visited Poland and Israel.
We found good and friendly peo-
ple in both countries. We saw
beautiful parks, castles, palaces
and people sitting in outdoor
cafes in Poland. We visited the
beautiful historic old city in
Warsaw, which was rebuilt from
ashes by Poles without help from
the USA or USSR. Polish people
we met were very willing to talk
to us about the period of Nazi and
Soviet oppression. They brought
us to monuments and Jewish
cemeteries and pockets of Jewish
community culture remaining in
Poland. We saw Jewish cemeter-
ies being restored. When we vis-
ited Poland and Israel, we did not
visit with a mind set that all is
beautiful and perfect. It is not in
both countries.

Dr. Joseph Kuc
Karola Kuc

 

 

Dear Editor,

At the CKJF Board
meeting of May 22, the CKJF
Board passed the Israel
Experience program without the
additional money to reward chil-
dren who attend and receive for-
mal Religious Education. The
original proposal of this program
contained the clause to award an
extra $50 per student if that child
attended Religious School. In my
opinion, the decision to remove
this clause from the proposal
diminished the CKJF Israel
Experience Program from an
expedient program to only an ade;
agate one. It lessens the impor-
tance of formal religious educa-
tion and says that a trip to Israel is
all that is needed to insure a posi-
tive Jewish identity. It removes
an opportunity for CKJF to sup-
port the two religious schools in
Lexington.

Among the issues raised
against the inclusion of this addi-
tional money was the discrimina-
tory nature of its content. There
are two institutions in this com-
munity which offer formal reli-
gious education to their children:
Ohavay Zion Synagogue and
Temple Adath Israel. They both
do an excellent job at this despite
all of the related problems that go
with once-a-week religious

school. The rest of the institu-

' tions iniexin‘gton do not offer or

have any fonnul religious educa—
tion. There are also those people
who choose not to affiliate with
the Temple or Synagogue. They
make that choice of their own
free will and therefore place
themselves in the position not to
receive formal religious training
for their children.

Rather than moving to
the lowest common denominator
of the institutions that don’t offer
religious school or toward those
who do not affiliate, I believe that
we must set our sights toward the
higher level of rewarding those
students who do attend week after
week, year after year. If they sign
up for the Israel Experience pro-
gram, give them the extra $50. It
is a way for CKJF to say to the
Temple and Synagogue, “We
commend your energy and finan—
cial commitment in this area. We
recognize that you are training the
students who are the leaders of
the future Jewish community.”
This is not to say that the other
institutions do not, but the
Temple and Synagogue put a
tremendous amount of ms
and time into their schools. We
should be thanking the Temple
and Synagogue and not giving
them the message that it doesn’t
matter.

Our local Federation
Board has made a terrible, short.
sighted thL‘lNlHIl. I can not and
will not support this program with
the zeal that I did initially. I will
enroll my children in the program
in order to receive the Federation
money, but I don’t do it with the
same excitement that I once had.
I could have said to my children,
“I am putting X dollars into this
Israel program and the Federation
is contributing X dollars, but
because you go to Religious
School, they are even giving you
more." I know that the pride my
children would have felt in that is
much greater than the politics
played to defeat this clause.

I urge the Federation
Board to reconsider their decision
and make a statement for FOR-
MAL RELIGIOUS EDUCA-
TION.

L'Shalom

Jon Adland, Rabbi

Letters to the Editor:
CKJF
340 Romany Road
Lexington, KY 40502

All letters must be signed and
include your phone number.
Please limit letters to 200 words.
Shalom reserves the right to edit
submitted letters for content.
clarity and brevity.

 

wvl’tj (‘3

(2

:3

._...-¢n—mt_4m-H ODH’T‘

._.__.».4u

 

     

Some Thoughts on

“The Psalms of David in the Middle Ages”

by Audrey Rooney

or many non-
Jewish wor-
shippers, the
book of Psalms provides a first
encounter with Hebrew prayer.
For some, and I count myself
among these, the Psalms offer
promise of a commodious and
consoling faith, different from
one they brought into adulthood.

Julius Brewer, a scholar
of scripture, finds the Psalms con-
taining “the whole range of
human life, its joy and its woe, its
light and its shadow, and its daily
routine...” Small wonder that
long exposure to the Psalms
might lead one to choose
Judaism.

Last year I wrote, for
Shalom, an appreciation of an
essay by Cynthia Ozick on the
Book of Ruth. What set Ruth
apart, said Ozick, was her
“vision," her gaze into a future
with Naomi in a strange land,
embracing a new religion. Such a
daring spirit befit her role as
great-grandmother of David.
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David has resonated through the
centuries.

recent exhibit at
the Walters Art
Gallery in

Baltimore celebrated David the
Psalmist in medieval manuscripts.
The book of Psalms. explained
curator Elizabeth Burin. was the
most important book of the
Hebrew Bible to be adopted by
the new religion of Christianity
after its emergence in the first
centuries of the Common Era.

Early church fathers took
pains to trace back the royal lin—
eage of Jesus to David’s father
Jesse. Such figures as Augustine
and Cassiodorus, who flourished
between the fifth and sixth cen-
turies of the Common Era, wrote
important commentaries on these
ancient songs of the Israelites. As
early as the sixth century, in the
late twilight of the Roman
Empire, monks throughout
Europe were singing the Psalms
at daily offices; the entire cycle of
150 would be sung each week.

As monasticism spread,
psalters for liturgical use were in
huge demand. They served an
educational function as well, as
first’reading primers and grammar

' I I G ,

.-.,.r . -

books for medieval boys and the
very occasional girl. Laymen, as
their wealth increased, were eager
to commission books for private
devotions.

Rich individuals and
monasteries could afford beauti-
fully illuminated luxury books,
“illuminated” referring to the
light-giving properties of gold
leaf and other precious pigments:

at the Walters

ment, might expect to feel disqui-
et, looking back on the Jewish
landscape close by those long-ago
monasteries. While monks illu-
minated and sang, Jews knew lit—
tle sustained peace. Now safe,
now suddenly in lethal danger,
they were always at risk.

isquiet begins at
the first display
case. The sole

 

W 46 f. 7, initial B. Detail,
The Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore

costly lapis lazuli or azuritc for
the blues, malachite for greens,
poisonous orpiment for yellow.
Reds were decocted from
cinnabar, iron oxides, or from
kermes, a translucent purple-red
hue distilled from dried insects
found in the European oak.

old leaf, applied
first, set each
brilliant color

alight as charged sable brush met
parchment. Hues remain as fresh
and intense today as in the hour
they were painted, thanks to the
binding medium of egg—yolk
which does not darken with time.
In a figurative way,
though, the colors have darkened
with time. However completely
the Christian Middle Ages adopt-
ed the Psalms, they remain histor—
ically Jewish poems. A Jewish
visitor to the Walters show,

absorbed in the glowing orna-

Hebrew book in the exhibit is a
rabbinical Tehilim. or book of
Psalms, printed in Venice in the
early sixteenth century. The first
word of the first psalm, ashri,
“blessed” (“is the man who walks
not in the counsel of the
wicked”), is set in large, decora—
tive Hebrew letters above three
lin of verse. Rabbinical com-
mentary follows in thickly-set
black type.

The lone and sober pres-
ence of the Tehilim speaks
between the lines, so to speak, of
the decorated verses nearby. Its
label reminds us that “very few”
medieval Hebrew manuscripts
have survived. We are well
aware of why this is so; no elabo-
ration is offered and none is need-
ed. Yet, in the mind’s eye, the
bright pages around the room are
dimmed by the smoke of count-
less bonfires.

- chilly

Fascination soon tem-
pers disquiet. The charm of the
medieval artist-scribe proves irre-
sistible. In scale alone, these
works are astonishing; most
scenes measure between one and
two inches square, contained in
the contours of the capital letter
beginning the first work of a
psalm. In them, we see David
portrayed as musician, bride-
groom, king, sinner, object of sal-
vation and model of godliness.

The letter B seems to
have been a favorite. The illustra-
tion here shows the initial letter of
“Beatus vir...” (Psalm 1, to which
the Tehilim was opened). The
upper bow of the B encircles
David and a fellow musician
playing a duet for harp and viol;
in the lower bow, David, divested
of his armor, slays Goliath.

n the S of “Salva,”

IPsalm 68 in the Latin

Vulgate, David,
wearing his crown, struggles in
deep water. The curling waves
are waist high: “Save me, O God,
for the waters are come into my
soul." And God does, shown as a
youthful Christ, reaching out to
David with one hand, blessing
With the other.

. g "-2- ‘ be. m1

Davrd pantomimes as though
playing charades, pointing to his
eyes, which have seen the light,
as he is blessed by God within the
D of “Domine.”

David’s image strength-
ened contemporary propaganda.
In a psalter produced in early
fourteenth century France, David
is shown as the priests anoint him
king. The scene was meant to
reinforce the french monarchy’s
claim to divine right.

salms of peni-
tence, appointed
for use during the

season of Lent, often pictured
David as sinner. In one manu-
script, his turr