From the Reb's Desk...
 
Reb Irwin Huberman
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November 13, 2008
Quintuple Bat Mitzvah
Saturday morning's bat mitzvah ceremony at CTI will be relatively simple, but its importance will be enormous.
During Saturday's service, we will call five women, ages 81 to 95, to the Torah as they participate in a life cycle event that had previously been limited to men.
You know the story. A few weeks ago, The Regency at Glen Cove administrator Beth Dressler decided to attend our Simchat Torah morning service and brought along two seniors, including Ethel Goldblatt, age 92. Mrs. Goldblatt was so moved by the chance to dance with and say blessings over the Torah that she requested to celebrate the bat mitzvah she never had and, before we knew it four, other women had followed suit.
Since that time, Cantor Gustavo and I have been training the class and, this Saturday morning, all will be called to the Torah.
This happens to be the week that we read about Sarah conceiving at age 90. The idea of matching this week's Torah section with a seniors bat mitzvah is so new that a press conference will be held Friday, to be attended by the local and Jewish media.
As the news release states, "Sarah would be proud."
Saturday Dinner and Dance
This Saturday night's 111th anniversary party is shaping up to be a great social event.
More than 100 tickets have been sold, and we hope that many more will call today and Friday to reserve.
The party will include a live band, a great buffet, a magic show, and some fabulous raffles.
The Chassidic tradition considers it a mitzvah to dance and sing. Indeed, within these things lies the breath of God. Let's celebrate good times together. Tickets are $60.
Please contact me privately if you wish to attend but are prohibited by financial restraints. We want a full house to celebrate the birthday of Long Island's longest standing congregation.
Kadima Youth Group
Here's a message for parents of post bar/bat mitzvah students.
We are confident CTI Kadima group will be moving forward in the "new year."
Kadima is part of the Conservative movement's youth initiative. We at CTI are eager to continue to success of recent bar and bat mitzvahs with additional programming for youth of middle school age.
As the website says, Kadima offers fun and friendship, and we will be combining that with some additional study and social action initiatives. Please stay tuned.
Meanwhile, we have one taker to attend next month's United Synagogue Youth (USY)
conference in Washington. This is a conference for older high school youth and there is some money available to help defer costs.
We are especially looking for high school juniors to attend and help assist as leaders as we form our Kadima group for younger students. Please contact Gustavo or me if you know of anyone who may be interested in attending the Washington conference.
Coats for Kids
One of CTI's greatest jewels is its nursery school.
Every morning two dozen tiny people come skipping down the hall for a day of fun and learning. What makes this nursery so special is the dedication of its staff to developing children who are "good people" and who care about Judaism and making this world a better place.
You hear it every day in the hallways.
Nursery school's latest Tikun Olam (heal the world) project is Coats for Kids. From now until December 1, children and parents will be encouraged to bring in lightly worn winter coats for distribution to the needy.
With winter approaching, it's important that we as a congregation do our part to ensure that children in needy families stay warm this winter.
There will be a bin outside the nursery school office to drop off you coats. We also thank the National Cleaners Association for its partnership in this program.
Men's Shelter Volunteers
Glen Cove's Men's Shelter is in need of male volunteers to remain overnight during the winter months.
Whether you can volunteer one night or more, you're assistance is welcome.
We need to help ensure that no one in the Glen Cove area suffers this winter because they have now place warm to sleep.
Please contact Cantor Gustavo if you can help.
Blood Donor Drive
There is no mitzvah greater than Pikuach Nefesh, the saving of a human life.
And thanks to the efforts of 16-year-old Kyle Essex, CTI members, family, and friends will have a great opportunity on Sunday, January 4 to perform this mitzvah.
Kyle and his mother, Joan, met with the American Red Cross earlier this week, and finalized January 4 as the date of CTI's Blood Donor Clinic.
Kyle is undertaking this project as part of his commitment to community service, and he will be assisted by CTI's Men's Club in organizing this important event.
More details will follow but, for now, please mark January 4 on your calendar.
Award Winning Movie
One of the most talked about and important Jewish movies of 2007 will be shown at CTI on Tuesday, December 9.
Praying with Lior is the story of a Down Syndrome boy and his journey toward his bar mitzvah. The movie, which has just finished its theater tour of American cities, won first prize last year at Jewish film festivals in Washington, Boston, Seattle, Vancouver, and San Diego.
We will be purchasing a copy of this heartwarming movie for showing next month at CTI.
This movie is also important because CTI is currently developing a potential bar/bat mitzvah program for special needs students living in the area.
Please plan to attend the showing of this important movie.
Patte's Anniversary
Wednesday marked a very special day in our family.
Our daughter Sarah, currently working towards her English doctorate at Cambridge University, turned 30.
It would be enough if Sarah were just Sarah - a sensitive, spirited and inspiring woman, but Sarah is also a loyal and devoted daughter.
We're also proud that Sarah recently completed her first novel, "The Fidelity Trial," a political thriller about the final days of Anne Boleyn. The novel is currently being prepared for publication.
It is a sign of Sarah's loyalty and integrity that this, past week, as she passed her milestone birthday, she publicly dedicated her 30 years of life to her mother, Patte.
I invite you now to learn a bit more about Sarah and about Patte through her eyes as we reinforce this week's Jewish theme of motherhood. The Biblical story of Sarah reminds us that everything is possible and our Sarah's blog confirms it.
Even if she weren't a brilliant writer and an astute student of life, we'd love her completely. She is the gift of life.
She is our Sarah.
Have a wonderful Shabbat.
Shabbat shalom. Kol tuv,
Reb Irwin Huberman
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