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“TheBeautificationCommittee hasbeen working on. replacing theterrace and thewalkway to theparking lot withpavers.”THE COMEDIANHARMONISTS INTHE EARLY 1930S.To the left, on page 2, is aphotograph of theComedian Harmoniststaken in the early 1930s.Cantor Roman Cycowski isfourth from left.A mix of The ComedianHarmonists is on YouTubehere: https://bit.ly/ComHarmonistsThe Museum of JewishHeritage: https://mjhnyc.orgTHE CANTOR’S VOICEPRESIDENT’S MESSAGEHarmony atFolksbieneLooking Back,GratefullyThe National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene (NYTF), atheater company founded in New York in 1915, isthe oldest consecutively producing theater companyin the United States—English or Yiddish,commercial or amateur. Originally known simply asthe Folksbiene, meaning “The People’s Stage,” it wasunder the auspices of the Workman’s Circle (DerArbeter Ring in Yiddish). The Workman’s Circle isstill active, promoting Yiddish and Ashkenazicculture with an emphasis on social and economicjustice. True to their principles of equality, theWorkman’s Circle recently renamed themselves tothe gender neutral “The Workers Circle.”The highly relevant and successful NationalYiddish Theatre Folksbiene, now housed inManhattan’s Museum of Jewish Heritage, has alsokept up with the times. A few years ago, theymounted the surprise hit Fidler afn Dakh, Fiddler onthe Roof, in Yiddish, to glowing reviews andextended runs.This year the NYTF premiered a new musicalHarmony, performed in English by award-winningsongwriter Barry Manilow. Harmony tells the storyof the incredibly popular Comedian Harmonists, asinging sextet from Berlin in the 1930s, three of themJewish and three not. I have long been fascinated bythem, with their tight harmonies and charismatichumor, using only their voices to imitate jazzinstruments. Their popularity and adoration by fanswas not seen again until the Beatles.In 1934, the Harmonists were banned fromperforming in Germany, because three of themwere Jews, and because the Nazis labeled theirmusic as “degenerate art.” One of the Jews in thegroup, baritone Roman Cycowski, eventuallyemigrated to the U.S. and served for 31 years as acantor, ending his career in San Francisco.Describing the energy and emotion around theirfinal performance in 1934, the bass singer of thegroup Robert Biberti said: “We bowed, and ahurricane erupted. The entire audience got on itsfeet; they cheered and tromped, and we stood upthere like drenched poodles.” This moment isportrayed in the excellent 1997 German movie TheHarmonists.Yashar koach to the National Yiddish TheatreFolksbiene and Barry Manilow for reminding theworld of their story and music.Dear Friends,Spring is here and summer is around the corner.Preschool has ended and Camp Zion is all set for agreat summer of fun. We thank our wonderfulpreschool staff for their hard work and dedication.Also as you may be aware we are in the midst of asearch for a new director. I am confident that thesearch is moving along and only the most qualifiedcandidates are being considered.Religious school is over for the summer; DavidSchwartz and our teachers have done an amazingjob with our students. We look forward to ourteachers returning in the fall and the continuationof David’s excellent programming.Rabbi Glick and Cantor Figa, along with Davidand our member Courtenay Harris-Black, havegiven us a number of new programs that haveenriched us all. We’ve enjoyed our monthly FridayNight Musical Shabbat, and our recent first everShabbat Morning Musical Shabbat was a huge hit.(Our next Shabbat Morning Musical Shabbat isSaturday, June 4, 10 AM. Join us!) We look forwardto musical services every month.The Board of Directors voted for a three yearplan to repair/replace our air conditioning/heatingsystems. We hope to start in the fall and work willbe scheduled as needed in order to have all thework completed in an organized manner. Thanks toJay Michaels and the Building Committee for all oftheir hard work on this enormous project.The Beautification Committee has been workingon adding/replacing furniture in the foyer in orderto make the space more inviting. They are alsoworking on replacing the terrace and the walkwayto the parking lot with pavers. After the terrace isfinished, we will be able to use the space forservices, programming, and other events.This year has been busy at Har Zion; I amgrateful for our amazing congregation. I am alsograteful to the Executive Committee and Board ofDirectors for all of their hard work and dedication.Wishing you a wonderful spring and summer.JULIANN Y. GELDNERPRESIDENT@WSTHZ.ORGCANTOR STEWART FIGA: CANTOR@WSTHZ.ORGTHE GOLDSTINE FAMILY CANTORIAL CHAIRContact the office for our online program password.Page 3

EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER NEWSTHE COVIDTESTING TEAM FORTHE LAST WEEK OFECC CLASSESA Year ofTransitionsHello All,As we are wrapping up another year at Har ZionEarly Childhood Center, I want to take a moment tolook back and celebrate all that’s happened thisschool year and to appreciate everyone who madethis year possible. This year was full of transition andchallenges that required everyone to work togetherand, maybe, step outside our comfort zones. We haveall worked hard to prioritize smooth transitions andwonderful experiences for the amazing little peoplewho inhabit our preschool. This commitment isalways critical, but navigating challenges for themmakes it clear: The children are our most importantpriority. It is our job and pleasure to be here forthem. I think we really came together and did thatthis year!I want to take a moment to say how proud I am ofthese incredible children, each and every one ofthem. When I heard children laughing or saw thatthey were excited to come to school in the morning,I knew that everything would be okay—that we havea great team who encourage and nurture laughterand excitement!I also want to take a moment to say a hearty thankyou to all of the parents who have been our greatsupporters and teammates this year. You haveenriched our jobs as teachers and we could not havedone it without you. I am reminded of the saying “ittakes a village” when I look at our community and Ithink it’s true in the best way possible; when a groupof caring, hard-working individuals come togetherwith a common goal we make anything possible!All of you—teachers, parents, staff, and children—show us that this is true. Even this week—especially this week—we have seen the power ofcommunity, with Dr. Moselle Brotman, MeganDawson, Certified Nurse-Midwive (CNM), and Dr.Jon Henry volunteering to help swab the children inthe morning, each morning, to make our final weekof school possible in person. Thank you volunteers,and thank you to the Covid committee, for helpingus to stay safe this week and keep the school runningin person.So thank you all so much for joining us on thiswonderful, difficult, challenging, and meaningfulschool year! I am so glad I got to share andexperience it with you all.Todah Rabah,Clockwise, from upperleft: Dr. Jon Henry (alsobottom left), NurseMidwife Megan Dawson,and Dr. Moselle Brotman.CLAUDINE GURALNICK, ECE INTERIM DIRECTORCGURALNICK@WSTHZ.ORG, WWW.WSTHZ.ORG/PRESCHOOL.HTMLPage 4Contact the office for our online program password.

FROM THE EDUCATION DIRECTOR’S DESKIce Cream forBreakfast on Shavuot?When my daughter was four, she could tell you onething about Shavuot: That’s when we have ice creamfor breakfast. Why does my family have such adelicious tradition? It goes back to my own mother,who was tired of my siblings and I asking when wewould get to eat ice cream on Shavuot. Yet why dowe eat dairy on Shavuot at all?Like most things in Judaism, there is the originalreason why something started, and then there arethe reasons ascribed to something that builds upover time. Probably, this all began when Jews werelooking for a treat for the holiday. Since Shavuot isin the spring, there is an abundance of animal milk,and so we went with that. However, there are manyother reasons that have been developed over time.The first one is that when the Jews were at Mt.Sinai, they didn’t have the rules for kosher meat yet,so they decided to play it safe and eat dairy instead.Variations on this one are that the Israelites wereoverwhelmed by the rules for kosher meat so theydecided to eat dairy while they figured them out, andthat the Israelites realized that their meat was nowtreif (not-kosher), so they ate dairy until they couldmake kosher meat (Mishnah Berurah 494:12).The second explanation comes from the Song ofSongs, an X-rated book of the Bible that required alot of work to be interpreted as an allegory of thelove between G-d and the Jewish people. The textsays “Sweetness drips from your lips, o bride, honeyand milk are under your tongue.” (Song of Songs4:11) The medieval commentator Rashi said thatthis meant “your lips are dripping with words ofTorah”, and so Torah became connected with milkand honey (hence cheesecake) (Kol Bo 52:10).Additionally, at Mt. Sinai we were on our way to“the land of milk and honey” (Ex. 3:17).A third set of explanations have to do withreading hidden connections in the text. For instance,when it says in the Torah to “bring new grain to G-don Shavuot,” that makes an acrostic for the Hebrewword for “milk,” chalav (Num. 28:26). UsingGematria, an alphanumeric code, the numeric valueof “milk” is 40, which is the number of days thatMoses spent on Mt. Sinai, while the numeric value of“cheese” is 70, which is said to be the number of facesto the Torah.* Moreover, according to Psalms 68:16,the “mountain of G-d” is said to be “a mountain ofpeaks,” and the Hebrew word for “peaks” is verysimilar to the Hebrew word for “cheese.”And then there are the other explanations.Shavuot looks toward the messianic age, which issaid to be a time when even the animals will bevegetarian (and presumably the people will be too)(Isaiah 11:6–7). Shavuot was when we brought anomer of new grain baked into two loaves of breadfor the priests. Eating a dairy meal, when normallyone might have meat on a festival, reminds us ofthese two distinct loaves of bread (Shulchan Aruch,Orach Chayim 494:3). Finally, milk spoils when it isput into fancy vessels, so this reminds us not to beboastful about whatever Torah knowledge we haveacquired.There are many reasons that have developed forthe custom of eating dairy on Shavuot, and the greatthing about Judaism is that you can go withwhichever explanation works for you. I hope you willjoin us for some dairy and Torah learning in ourcombined Tikkun Leil Shavuot on Saturday, June 4, atOak Park Temple. Whatever your rationale for eatingdairy, I wish you a sweet and delicious Shavuot!DAVID SCHWARTZ; US-SCHOOL* “In fact, the Rabbis say that ‘there are seventyfaces to the Torah’ (Numbers Rabbah 13:15-16)to emphasize the point that there are multipleways in which the Torah may be interpreted.” —“Seventy Faces to the Torah—and Grateful for Allof Them,” by Rabbi Elliot Dorff, grateful-all-themADULT EDUCATIONChicago Scholars Series ContinuesThursdays at 7:30 PM via Zoom; June 2 and 9;register to receive the Zoom eries1.htmlJune 2, 7:30 PM: Professor Barry WimpfheimerTopic: History of the TalmudDr. Barry Scott Wimpfheimer is Chair ofReligious Studies at Northwestern University. Hespecializes in the Talmud and other rabbinicliterature. His work focuses on the BabylonianTalmud as a work of law and literature, and has wona number of prestigious prizes.June 9, 7:30 PM: Professor Ranana DineTopic: Jewish Medical EthicsRanana Dine is a doctoral student in religiousethics at the University of Chicago Divinity Schooland a research assistant in medical ethics at theUniversity of Chicago’s MacLean Center for ClinicalMedical Ethics. Her scholarship, teaching, and writingfocuses on several topics including Jewish medicalethics, the relationship of Judaism and the visual arts,and comparative Jewish–Christian thought.Contact the office for our online program password.Page 5

SOCIAL ACTION & ADAMAH/GREEN“If I cannot do great things, I can do small things in agreat way.” —Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.HAPPYANNIVERSARY!JUNE 2:James and AllisonBernardAlan and Debra LandayLisa and Terence WisterJUNE 5:Doug and Susan LaneyJUNE 6:Marc and Claudia FreedJUNE 16:Morrie and Carol FredJUNE 17:Michael and RosenaKruleyJUNE 24:Courtenay and StephenHarris-BlackJUNE 25:David and Bonnie KlassJUNE 26:Alan Peres and RyaBen-ShirJUNE 27:Erick and MarisolGuzmanJUNE 28:Anatoly Libgober andDiane RedleafSandy and Bruce TaylorJUNE 29:Larry and KristinaKatzovitzJUNE 30:Morris and BeverlyApplebaumFrank Vozak and TerrieRymerThank You, Pam Tate!Pam gave a stimulating talk about climate changeand what we can do about it. Some things: Switch energy supplier to wind or solar;switch lighting to LEDs. Plant native trees, shrubs, flowers, grasses; soilsequesters carbon, so enrich and save it. Switch to electric or hybrid cars. Veer away from gas appliances. Weatherize your living space. Eat plant-rich diets. Move retirement funds out of fossil fuelindustry. Compost.Did you miss her talk? It’s on Har Zion’s YouTube.Reaching Across AustinAPAC: We are preparing 304 N. Parkside for two HarZion sponsored projects: A second native garden and a parkwaygarden to compliment the one next door at302 N. Parkside, and Four raised vegetable beds in the back yardfor veggies and herbs to compliment anoutdoor kitchen APAC will be building onthat site.We will need volunteers to support the work ofAustin youth in these gardens. Please contactPhyllis.SOUL CITY COMMUNITY MARKET: Please support this Austinmarket, 5713 West Chicago Avenue, Saturdays,9 AM–3 PM, and Sundays, 10 AM–3 PM. Theyhave everything you’re looking for. We want tobuild bridges in all the ways we can!RefugeesWORLD REFUGEE DAY, SUNDAY, JUNE 12, 2022, 11–12:30, VIRTUAL:Come hear Dr. Stevan Weine, professor ofpsychiatry at the UIC College of Medicine andDirector of Global Medicine and Director of theCenter for Global Health. His talk, “BuildingHope: Challenges and Opportunities in RefugeeMental Health,” will be on his research withrefugees and migrants in the U.S. and in postconflict countries. Stevan’s research focuses onmental and physical health and on counteringviolent extremism. As Har Zion plans to supporta refugee family in the future, this is a topic thatwill help us get well prepared.AdamahWe are proud to now have a sign in the templegarden that announces that our garden feedsBeyond Hunger. Teens, grown-ups—come play inour dirt!!! It’s good for your mental health! Also,when you are making a donation to the temple,consider making it to the Adamah Fund. Our bedsneed enriching to replenish their nutrients.Every healthy garden makes does a little to stopthe progression of the warming of our planet. Helpkeep our garden healthy!!!PLASTIC FREE JULY IS COMING: If you are not mindful of youruse of plastic already, July (and June) is themonth to take our plastic problem to heart. If youhaven’t seen Phyllis’s “Plastic Freer” talk, it’s easyto pick a few things to start doing in July. Make a trip to Sugar Beet where you can findsoap, shampoo, conditioner, moisturizer,even toothpaste that is not wrapped inplastic. Look for beeswax covered linen as asubstitute for plastic wrap. Buy theircompostable plates, cups and utensils. Trytheir milk in a glass jug!! Trader Joe’s hassome of these items, too. Refuse plastic utensils when you carry out.Keep sets of bamboo utensils in yourbackpack, bag, or car. Carry metal or siliconestraws and refuse plastic ones. One of the most obvious behaviors to learn:bring your own reusable grocery bags whenyou go shopping. No more single-use plasticbags! (But if you do bring home a plastic bag,bring them to the temple for our TrexChallenge; see “Plastic Collections” onpage 7!)What We Are ReadingTHE ADAMAHCOMMITTEE’SBEYOND HUNGERGARDENVolunteers are neededto help tend this and theother temple gardens, andto help Austin youth to takecare of the APAC gardens.Page 6Phyllis has finally gotten to The Color of Law: AForgotten History of How Our GovernmentSegregated America, by Richard Rothstein. Whata read! This book documents how our local andnational governments supported laws, zoning,regulations, and the like, that created segregatedhousing that has played a major part in the sadstate of affairs in the more disadvantaged areasof our cities. Although we have a tendency toblame “inner city” conditions on thoseconstrained to live there, our governmentsContact the office for our online program password.

created and then allowed these constraints. Pick upthis book!Plastic CollectionsPLASTIC BAGS: Continue to bring in your plastic so weHAPPYANNIVERSARY!JULY 1:Ignacio and IrisPalomaresJULY 2:Clara Rubinstein andRonald FriedmanJULY 4:Suzanne Fournier & ChrisMartinGeorge and Donna SrajerJULY 7:Cindy Kirshman-Gradleand Charles GradleJULY 11:Bob and Mimi MillerJULY 15:Gary and BarbaraBelenkeDaniel Edelman and FranKravitzRichard and SusanSchneiderJULY 17:Marc Stopeck and JanelDennenJULY 18:David and Shirley LiebJULY 20:Sarah and MichaelRumanJULY 27:Adam and Suzanne WestJULY 31:Larry Stark and MimiAlschulercan get our free Recycled Plastic Bag Bench fromTrex. We expect that, at time this is published, weshould only have about 100 lbs to go! Thanks forbringing in only clean plastic that tears in ajagged edge. If it tears in a straight edge, Trexcan’t use it. The bag you bring your plastic inneeds to comply with these guidelines as well.Would you like me to repeat how this Trexchallenge works? When you bring your plastic tothe temple, I weigh it and log the weights into aspreadsheet. I email Trex monthly to tell themour weights. This is on the honor system. Whenwe get to 500 lbs, they will make us our bench.But, if you prefer to take your plastic straight toany Jewel or Fresh Thyme plastic recycling bin,then weigh your bags first! Weigh yourself, thenweigh yourself holding the bags. Send me the bagweights and I will log them in. It all counts!BOTTLE CAPS AND LIDS: Continue to save your bottle capsand lids up to 7" and plastic containers that are #2and #5 plastic only. Clean caps only and no capswith other materials in them like metal. We savethem for Cody James Norman, a local Oak Parkartist, who melts down the plastic to createunique sculptures. Or you can drop them off onthe porch at 120A, Lake Street, Oak Park.Chicago Jewish Coalition for RefugeesChicago Jewish Coalition for Refugees (https://www.jcfs.org/hias/ser vices/chicago-jewishcoalition-refugees) is tasked with disseminatinginformation to the Jewish community so that wecan be informed and take actions to “welcome thestranger.” Any of us can join this group that meetsquarterly on Zoom. Contact Phyllis.Contact PhyllisFor more information on any of this, call or emailPhyllis Rubin, 708.848.6168, phyllis.rubin@comcast.net.Tie the pairs you are donating together if youcan. And also include their footliners if you havethem; shoes without footliners are automaticallyrecycled, no matter how good shape they are in.Contact Amy Guralnick at amysg@hotmail.comif you have questions on any of these programs.STAR SUBURBAN THURSDAY AFTERNOON RETIREESSuburban Thursday Afternoon Retirees, betterknown as STAR, meets every Thursday from1–3 PM, except on Jewish and national holidays.This vibrant group includes attendees from WestSuburban Temple and Oak Park Temple, as well asthe broader community.This joint endeavor of both temples offers a placefor candid discussions on a variety of topics as wellas an opportunity to socialize and to support eachother. Recent STAR programs have included apresentation by The Onion Roll about its historyand its new in-house bagel making; a presentationby Stephen Jackson, the Director of Equity andAnti-Racism at the Oak Park Public Library, apresentation by Esther Craven, from the Council forJewish Elderly on their 50 years of continuingservice, and a presentation by Charles Shapera,Executive Director of Temple Har Zion. STAR haslong-term partnerships with Rush Oak ParkHospital, Dominican and Concordia Universities,Brookdale, Oak Park and River Forest Townships,Arbor West Neighbors, Jewish Child and FamilyServices and more.Our upcoming meetings are as follows:JUNE 2 AND 9: A chance to schmooze, and possibly asurprise guestJUNE 16: STAR does not meet; STAR participants mayattend a CSO rehearsalJUNE 23 AND 20, AND BEYOND.: a chance to schmooze, andpossibly a surprise guestSNEAKER COLLECTIONLOOK FOR EMAILS WITH ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR CALL THE TEMPLE OFFICE.The temple has paired with Got Sneakers (https://gotsneakers.com), a sneaker recycling organization.Continuing for the next few weeks, please bring anysneakers you aren’t using to the temple. Got Sneakerswill either recycle them or distribute them tosecondhand markets, depending on what shape theyare in. When you join our sneaker recyclingcommunity, you will be making a globalenvironmental impact and you will earn money forthe synagogue for every pair of sneakers youcontribute. Bins to put your shoes in are in the foyer.We are planning future programming on a varietyof interesting topics, incl

Opportunities in Refugee Mental Health," on his research with refugees and migrants in the U.S. and in post-conflict countries. See page 6. Har Zion Men's Club Book Circle Sunday, June 12, 8 PM Zoom ID# 860 2758 3957 and our password. The Temple Har Zion Men's Club invites you to join their book club, which aims to address issues facing .