MORE THAN 100 EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER parents, teachers and guests gathered January 21 at Chez Zou for the “Miami Vice”-themed ECC Annual Auction raising some $120,000 to support our school.

Emceeing the live auction was comedian Seth “The Zog” Herzog, a regular performer on NBC’s “Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon” and the father of two ECC students.

“It was awesome to see our parent community come together for such an incredible evening of fun in support of our school,” said Stacie Dattner, who co-chaired the auction with fellow ECC moms Hitha Herzog and Maria Selip. “The fabulous decor, the scrumptious food and drinks, plus the amazing auction items made Miami Vice a night to remember!”

Some lucky parents left the auction with prizes like a weeklong stay at the Four Seasons Nevis, two nights at the Montage Laguna Beach, VIP tickets to Cynthia Rowley’s Fashion Week fashion-comedy show, a rooftop magic show birthday party at Stephen Wise, a night out with Seth and some of his showbiz friends, and more.

The auction raised critical support for the Early Childhood Center’s operations, including funding our art studio and other facilities, STEM and library programs, specialist teachers and security for our children. “I’m overwhelmed by the generosity of our close-knit parent body,” said ECC Director Miriam Kalmar. “This was such a fun event, bringing together our teachers, parents and synagogue leaders to support the ECC and strengthen our community. Thank you to everyone who donated and helped make it such an amazing evening.”

Along with their parents, our ECC children helped prepare for the auction by hand-writing invitations and signs, producing artwork and appearing in a special video about the school. “What makes the ECC so special is there are lots of kids here and I love being with my friends and teachers,” explained one of our 4s/5s children.

It’s not too late to donate and support our Early Childhood Center! Visit swfs.org/ecc-give.

All photos by Ian Cooke.

“VOLUNTEERING IS HUMBLING,” says Saul Sapadin, 13. “It helps me realize all of the things I should be grateful for.”

Saul started volunteering at our Emergency Food Program with his family while he was attending our Early Childhood Center, and it became their tradition to volunteer as often as possible until the pandemic struck. Once the city began to reopen, the Sapadins returned to help out — and Saul made it his mission to come every week for the past year and a half.

Service helps connect Saul to Judaism, he says. “Jewish tradition has always carved out a way to help those in need,” Saul explains, referencing Leviticus: “And when you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap all the way to the edges of your field… you shall leave them for the poor and the stranger” (Leviticus 23:22).

And he sure knows his stuff; Saul just celebrated his bar mitzvah at Temple Emanu-El, where his mom serves as associate rabbi. Two months before the celebration, in lieu of flowers, the Sapadin family ordered non-perishable food to create donation-basket centerpieces for each of the tables at their kiddush meal. “Each of the centerpieces had a card explaining how people could donate to the Emergency Food Program,” Saul explains.

“We received an entire cart full of food with hundreds of cans of tuna, juice boxes,
milk boxes, fruit cups, apple sauce, and boxes of cereal,” says Scott DiSavino, the Emergency Food Program’s volunteer coordinator. “Saul is one of the most dedicated volunteers we have — and a major asset to the program and to our community.” In addition to arranging the food packages, Saul fundraised more than $5,500 to support the program.

“Having too much of something can be bad for you, even if it’s healthy or good,” Saul said from the bimah during his d’var Torah about Joseph’s arrogance. He concluded his remarks by speaking about his service with the EFP: “A great way to keep yourself from being arrogant is to be involved in the community and give what you can offer.”

“Saul’s work at the EFP brought so much depth to his bar mitzvah preparation,” says his mom, Rabbi Sara Sapadin. “He has truly received so much more than he has given.”

And Saul plans to keep on giving. You can still find him most Saturday mornings distributing food to our neighbors in need. Learn more about our Emergency Food Program or sign up to volunteer at swfs.org/efp.

NEW YORK — Out of mounting concerns over increasingly hostile attitudes towards Israel and a departure from traditional liberal values, New York’s Stephen Wise Free Synagogue (SWFS) has launched a multipronged awareness effort to amplify support for the Jewish state within the progressive Jewish space.

“While the majority of liberal American Jews are not hostile to Israel or Judaism, we have already entered a phase that warrants the strengthening of Reform Judaism’s commitment to Israel,” said Stephen Wise Free Synagogue Senior Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch. “If we do not devote resources and tireless efforts to buildings liberal Jews’ Jewish identities and affinity for Israel, the future of American Judaism could very well be compromised.”

Rabbi Hirsch added: “The last thing we want to see is Reform Judaism decline beyond repair. With liberalism embedded in my psyche and a lifelong devotion to progressive causes, I am deeply concerned. However, there is still time, and that is why we must reinvigorate our movement now — as a pro-Israel movement — so that it does not fall prey to elements of American liberalism that have challenged and weakened Jewish identity and love for Israel.”

SWFS’s proactive endeavor has commenced with the establishment of the Marilyn G. and Joseph B. Schwartz Israel Fellowship to influence current and future rabbinic leaders. Fellows will reimagine and develop curricula and learning tools to help students and their families better understand and contextualize Zionism and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and give them the tools to identify and call out manifestations of anti-Israel bias, anti-Zionism and antisemitism.

To this end, SWFS announced Rabbi Tracy J. Kaplowitz, Ph.D. as its Marilyn G. and Joseph B. Schwartz Israel fellow. Kaplowitz previously was director of operations for the JCC Association of North America’s signature JWB Jewish Chaplains Council program that endorses and certifies a network of more than 100 Jewish chaplains and military lay leaders around the world. Kaplowitz has been an educator at the Schechter School of Long Island and the Jewish Education Project and served as a reserve chaplain in the U.S. Air Force.

“I wholeheartedly believe that we need to have an improved foundational understanding of Israel so that liberal Jewry’s Zionism and connection to Judaism are not shaken,” said Kaplowitz. “Because there is too much at stake, we will be relentless in creating a mechanism that heals the apparent fractured relationship between American liberal Jews, Israel and the Jewish people.”

As part of SWFS’ awareness building, Hirsch has also launched a podcast “In These Times with Rabbi Ammi Hirsch,” where he will host in-depth conversations that seek to unpack currents events and trends affecting the Jewish community through honest dialogue with guests from across the religious and communal leadership spectrum. The podcast launched on May 19 and so far has featured episodes with Hussein Aboubakr Mansour and Natan Sharansky.

“Amid the rise in domestic and global antisemitism, and on the heels of the biggest experiment in remote learning and worship, it is incumbent upon us to rethink how we educate non-Orthodox communities around support for Israel,” said Hirsch. “Because support is waning, our ultimate goal is to reverse this trend and pave the way for improved literacy around — and pride for — Judaism and the Jewish state.”

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About Stephen Wise Free Synagogue:

A vibrant Reform congregation on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, Stephen Wise Free Synagogue has served as a catalyst for progressive Jewish thought, committed social action in the local community and beyond, and support for Israel for more than 110 years. Visit swfs.org.

About Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch:

Ammiel Hirsch is the senior rabbi of Stephen Wise Free Synagogue in New York City, where he has led a dramatic revival in Jewish life. Since his arrival in 2004 the synagogue has grown rapidly and has tripled its membership. He has introduced dramatic changes in worship, ritual, and education, attracting a new generation of Jews from throughout the New York region. Read more about Rabbi Hirsch and follow him on Twitter.

Stephen Wise Free Synagogue is excited to welcome our new associate rabbi, Dalia Samansky. Born in Los Angeles, Rabbi Samansky is a fourth-generation Angelino. She comes to us from Temple Ahavat Shalom in Northridge, California, where she has run the religious school and youth programming for four years, and Los Angeles’ Melton School of Adult Jewish Learning, where she has been a member of the faculty for the past 13 years. She was ordained by Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in 2009.
 
As part of her portfolio here, Rabbi Samansky will be overseeing Family Experiences, Pathways the Jewish Values Project, and liaising with Community Connections and the Women’s Organization. Along with our other clergy, she’ll assist with all lifecycle events, help teach our Adult B’nai Mitzvah class and in our Religious School, and participate in Shabbat and holiday services.
 
We sat down with Rabbi Samansky so we could get to know her a little better.

Q: When did you decide you wanted to become a rabbi?

A: With the exception of wanting to be a firefighter at age six, all of the jobs I considered were in the traditional helping professions: I was either going to be a teacher, a social worker, or something along those lines. Somewhere in high school I realized I could do all those things in the place I loved most — the synagogue: I could make my passion into my profession and share Judaism as a rabbi.

Q: What was the “Aha!” moment for you?

A: When I was 17, I traveled to Israel on the NFTY summer trip. Being in Israel really solidified my desire to pursue the rabbinate. From that time on, I never wavered in my decision to become a rabbi.  I am incredibly lucky; I love my job and know that what I do makes our world a little bit better.

Q: Tell us about your family.

A: My husband Jason is an investment consultant and his parents live here in New York. We have two daughters: Naomi, who will be 14 in July and just became a bat mitzvah over Memorial Day weekend, and Tova will turn 11 this month. As a family, we are very excited to be moving to New York City. It’s so nice that my girls will have the opportunity to spend more time with their grandparents!

Q: How do you approach your rabbinate?

A: It’s all about personal relationships. I truly believe we make a difference when people feel valued, seen, and heard. I believe that being a rabbi, at its heart, is being an educator. I’m the daughter of two educators and the daughter-in-law of two educators, so education is in my blood; it runs through my veins. Whether delivering a sermon or working with kindergarteners, it’s about teaching parts of our culture and sharing my passion and love of Judaism.

Q: What most excites you about joining the Stephen Wise community?

A: I’m so excited to be moving to New York City and joining this wonderful community. My values are in line with Stephen Wise’s; I love the synagogue’s deep commitments to both Reform Judaism and Israel, two things I, too, hold dear. I am eager to return to full-time pulpit responsibilities, and I am inspired by the team I will be working with! Did you know that Rabbi Rena Rifkin and I were classmates at HUC?

Rabbi Samansky can’t wait to meet you after she starts on July 1. She hopes you’ll join us for services or stop by Stephen Wise this summer to say hello!

Photo credit: Rich Prugh Photography

Stephen Wise Free Synagogue is proud to announce the establishment of the Marilyn G. and Joseph B. Schwartz Israel Fellowship to pioneer an education and advocacy program aimed at healing the fractured relationship between American liberal Jews and Israel. We are grateful to Marilyn and Joe for their vision and generosity. 

Rabbi Tracy J. Kaplowitz has joined us as our inaugural fellow. She comes to Stephen Wise from JWB Jewish Chaplains Council, which ensures the quality of Jewish life for Jews in the U.S. military and the Veterans Administration. An experienced spiritual leader and educator, she served as a reserve chaplain in the U.S. Air Force and on the professional staff of both the Schechter School of Long Island and the Jewish Education Project. Rabbi Kaplowitz was ordained at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America and earned her doctorate in the sociology of education from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

We sat down with Rabbi Tracy to get to know her a little better.

Q: Where did you grow up?

A: I grew up in Union, New Jersey, where my parents still live. I started at Green Lane Y’s nursery school, then attended Solomon Schechter Day School of Essex and Union, and spent my summers at Camp Ramah in the Berkshires. My family belonged to the local synagogue, Congregation Beth Shalom, where my dad was president. Before he retired, he was a professor of social psychology at Kean University and he founded their Human Rights Institute. And my mom is a registered dietitian.

Q: What connects you to Israel?

A: My first visit to Israel was before I began first grade. My parents wanted to ensure that I could connect what I was learning about and celebrating in school with firsthand, real-world experience. One cute memory from that trip is how I had my first taste of soda in Israel. To save money on bottled water, my parents had bought these awful metal army canteens that we were lugging all over the place with us. They were rancid. When we climbed Masada, my brother and I decided to protest by refusing to drink. My parents gave in and from that point on we were drinking Kinley Lemon-Lime, Grapefruit, and Grape sodas. In retrospect, that gave my palate a sweet taste for Israel. 

I managed to return to Israel in fifth grade and then every year between ninth grade and my first year in college, including for a semester in Israel during my senior year of high school, and then again for my junior year of college. I also went back for my third year of rabbinical school, along with the Melton Senior Educators Program at Hebrew University. Midway through that year, I was invited to stay for a Ph.D. at Hebrew U., and my one-year stay turned into three years.

What connects me to Israel is a shared history with the People of Israel, going back to the time of our forefather Abraham. From that shared history comes a shared language, shared holidays, shared values, and some shared culture. And my passion for Zionism allows me to have a love affair with Israel of today. I’m amazed by the accomplishments of a country that is younger than my parents. I love the rebirth of the Hebrew language — and to hear it spoken from the mouths of immigrants from throughout the world. I have witnessed persecuted Jews find a home in Israel when no one else opened doors to them. While I see Israel’s flaws and failings, I am consistently inspired by and supportive of the activists who ensure that bad policies will not be unchallenged.

Q: Why is Israel education so critical, especially in these times?

A: There are so many people out there who will educate our youth about Israel. Yet, they often do so with a bias demonizing Israel. It is important that we ensure that Israel education comes from reliable sources.

It’s impossible to go to college today without encountering Israel Apartheid Week. We do a tremendous disservice to our youth by sending them off to college without an understanding of Israel’s history and its role as a democracy in the Middle East. I don’t believe that our youth have an obligation to counter events like Israel Apartheid Week, but I do believe they need to have a foundational understanding of Israel — and ideally to have been to the country themselves — so that their Zionism and connection to Judaism aren’t shaken.

Q: What excites you most about joining the Stephen Wise community?

A: I’ve known Stephen Wise Free Synagogue for a long time. I used to volunteer at the homeless shelter starting in 1994, when I was a student at Barnard and JTS. But Stephen Wise was a very different place in the 90s.

Today’s SWFS is a dynamic and engaged community. The professional and lay leadership are outstanding and visionary. As a community, Stephen Wise reflects the very best of the Upper West Side: a commitment to liberalism, a passion for intellectualism and culture, and a vision for a better world.

Q: What does your new role entail?

A: This is a brand-new position, so my role will develop and change as I dig into the work. Broadly speaking, I hope to help further establish Stephen Wise Free Synagogue as a beacon for Jewish peoplehood and Zionism, while combatting antisemitism and anti-Zionism.

By developing curricula, I’ll help our community — and liberal Jews everywhere — learn the language that enables them to align their liberal values with their Jewish values and support of Israel. And through advocacy and outreach, I’ll work to ensure that the next generation of leaders recognize that their support of Israel is an essential responsibility.

Rabbi Kaplowitz entered her new role today, May 16. She looks forward to meeting many of you tomorrow at our Spring Benefit celebration! But if you can’t make it tomorrow, come to services soon or drop by the synagogue!