[Shefa] Check out Occupy-ing Sukkahs, Across the Nation – Forward Thinking – Forward.

 

Occupy-ing Sukkahs, Across the Nation – Forward Thinking – Forward.com

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[Shefa] Hirsh Goodman in Jpost.com: "It’s not about price"

 

Hirsh Goodman in Jpost.com: "It's not about price"
By HIRSH GOODMAN 
10/13/2011 http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Op-EdContributors/Article.aspx?id=241646 

The Schalit deal reaffirms the sanctity of human life and the commitment of the people of Israel to those who serve in its name and to their families.

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Usually, it is said that parents are proud of their children. If there has ever been a case where a child should be proud of his parents, it is that of Gilad Schalit.

Never have I seen a family persevere and fight with such tenacity to get their boy back home – and this without diminishing any of the heroic struggles by other parents to do so in the past.

This time, however, it was different.

For five long years, every day, every hour, they devoted all their energies to Gilad's release, traveling the world, beseeching heads of state, going to the UN, and even having to put up with Jimmy Carter's cold shoulder when they tried to get the former president to be more proactive on Gilad's behalf with his contacts in Hamas.

And then, after months of frustration and disappointments, the proclamation that few believed they would actually carry out: a vow not to leave the tent encampment they, and hundreds of volunteers, erected literally on the prime minister's doorstep until Gilad comes home.

And there they were, every day, day after day, sometimes alone, often with sympathizers and supporters. Slowly the encampment became a transpolitical national shrine of sorts. Busloads of school children from all over the country came to pay their respects; synagogues held Friday night services there, and often laid out a long table for Friday night dinner so the Schalit's would not be alone.

Then came the massive empty chair someone placed on the pavement in an act of solidarity with the missing soldier – something soon emulated across the country – and a white sheet was tied to a fence and within days covered with thousands of names, a tablet of sorts to show Gilad when he gets back tangible proof that even in his darkest hours, even when he may have thought there was no hope, thousands, tens of thousands, thought about him every day, and had come to leave their mark.

It is fair to say that though there were those who opposed the deal, getting Gilad back home enjoyed a national consensus.

So did concerns over the price Israel had to pay, 1,000:1.

There is undeniable logic that the horrendous imbalance ostensibly sends a message of weakness to Israel's enemies, and stokes fears that it could only encourage more kidnappings.

There are serial killers among those being released, who in many other democracieswould have lost their heads a long time ago, and who will now be technically free to plan more murders.

That is all true. But this is not about price, and Israel can well manage the potential threat from people we know intimately, who have been banished to lands far from here, and who will be on the radars of every intelligence service committed to fighting international terror – even unlikely allies, like Israel and the Saudis.

What it is about is that Israel never leaves a wounded soldier in the field, that its service men and women know – even if they are kept in the darkest dungeon, deep underground, no matter where – at home no effort will be spared to get them back. No price will be too high.

The country rallied behind the Schalits because that is what the country's moms and dads, soldiers and children about to be inducted want to hear. We are with you through thick and thin. What message could be more important for both parents and children in a country where there is universal (well, almost) service for all? And what stronger message of national strength and unity could Israel send? It is a fallacy to see the exchange as weakness.

Ask Hamas. Ismail Haniyeh, its leader, said in an interview that he saw Israel's dedication to getting its soldiers back as one of the country's greatest attributes. Sometimes one has to know how to take a compliment from one's enemy.

The Schalit case is, unfortunately, not unique.

We all remember similar exchanges in the past, albeit with smaller ratios. Gilad's case, however, is a re-affirmation of the principle of the sanctity of human life, the commitment of the people of Israel to those who serve in its name and to their families, in the mostfundamental sense.

In December 2009, and I say this responsibly, an exchange was on the table that would have had Gilad back in return for the release of some 460 prisoners, some of whom would have been banished. At the last minute the prime minister pulled back, mainly because of vociferous opposition from some in the security community, notably Meir Dagan, then the head of the Mossad.

In the summer of 2011, when serious negotiations were renewed, the "price" was over 1,000, and growing.

There also was no military option. It was not a question of intelligence. Even if Israel knew exactly where Schalit was being held (and one assumes Israel did, as Gaza is a very small place) according to someone who I guarantee knows these things, there was no chance of extricating Schalit alive and without Israel sustaining serious casualties in the effort. Those who claim there was such an option, are being knowingly disingenuous. It was never seriously there. Failure was guaranteed.

This is a country where officers famously say, "After me."

If Schalit has been abandoned, more than a human life would have been thrown away. Israel's morality would have gone with it, as would the core of the military code that makes the Israel Defense Forces the fighting force it is.

Hamas could kidnap another Israeli soldier with or without Schalit incarcerated. The border with Sinai, which is a tunnel away from Gaza, is porous, and we all see soldiers waiting for lifts on the roads.

The price is not the problem.

The problem is with people like Moshe Ya'alon, a former paratrooper, head of military intelligence, chief-of-staff and now minister for strategic affairs, one of only three cabinet ministers who voted against the exchange.

What example, I ask, is he sending to young soldiers, or those about to be inducted, or their parents, or those he sent into battle on Israel's behalf? And this is the minister responsible for the long-term security of Israel.

Somehow I'm more worried about that, than not having to feed 1,000 terrorists three times a day.

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Rabbi Menachem Creditor
Congregation Netivot Shalom  || Bay Area Masorti ||  ShefaNetwork 

Rabbis for Women of the Wall  ||  menachemcreditor.org 

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[Shefa] alban.org: "Finding Your Fundraising Voice"

 

alban.org: "Finding Your Fundraising Voice"

by Dan Hotchkiss

http://www.alban.org/conversation.aspx?id=9765

"How can we persuade people to give more?" Not surprisingly, this is one of the most frequent questions I encounter in my work as a congregational consultant. Whether I'm consulting mainly on strategic planning, governance change, or growth plans (I rarely come in as a fundraiser any more), clients always want to raise more money.

One way to respond to such questions is by teaching better fundraising techniques. Most congregations approach their donors so haphazardly that any of a dozen practical ideas, applied with diligence, will increase results substantially. Even contradictory ideas work: if you've tried to do the Every Member Canvass for a few years, Consecration Sunday may give you a quick 10- or 20-percent bump—and vice versa. There's nothing wrong with that! Even slightly increased giving raises morale, eases stress for leaders, and creates planning options.

Better giving also has spiritual benefits: donors, reflecting on their increased generosity, decide they must be more religious than they previously thought. If only to reduce cognitive dissonance, they start thinking and behaving more religiously. Go ahead: find and use some fresh fundraising techniques.

Techniques, though, can take you only so far. New fund-raising methods, like new exercise and diet programs, often produce results for a while, and then give way to a relapse. It's hard, without a deeper change, to keep them up.

Lasting change requires a dive into the psychology of faith to look at deeper motivations. Guilt once was a prime inducement to financial giving, and it still works with some people. But most nongivers born since 1945 see nothing to feel guilty about: the sense of obligation to support congregations simply isn't there.

Today, speaking about the joy and other benefits that come with generous giving usually works better. Generous people actually are happier than stingy ones, so it's possible to convince people to be quite generous out of motives that are basically selfish. To the extent that you are talking to a sanctuary full of people who already have a strong commitment to your congregation, conversation on the spiritual rewards of giving can be fruitful—for both givers and the treasury.

The catch, though, is that you probably are not talking to a sanctuary full of people with a strong commitment to your congregation. You are more likely talking to a motley crowd of people, each with many loyalties and obligations, each with more ideas about what to do with money than money. I'm not talking about selfish pleasures—we don't even need to go there. I'm talking about worthy goals like putting children through college, caring for parents, and preparing for retirement. Each of us is aware of many worthy opportunities for major gifts: our beloved college, the hospice that cared for a dying parent, or the art museum, symphony or theater that elevates our hearts and souls. (And did I mention selfish pleasures? Those too.)

To inspire people to give more, we need to look beyond technique, beyond the motivations of potential donors, and take a hard look at ourselves and at the institutions that we lead. Congregations compete for gifts with worthy charities, as well as sellers of enticing goods and services. Our competitors have become sophisticated at collecting and processing information, utilizing paid and volunteer fund raisers, and maintaining positive relationships with donors—particularly large donors.

Meanwhile, most congregations do what we have done since the invention of the "stewardship pledge drive" in the 1890s. When congregations ask for money, several well-established notions get in the way, all of which distort our mental picture of our institution and its relationship to donors:

• Everyone agrees that religious institutions merit support.Even in Southern and Midwestern towns where "everybody" goes to church, hardly anybody feels an obligation any more to support yourchurch if they prefer another. In most places, non-affiliation has become a reputable option. Congregations need to make their case before a skeptical public that gives no church or synagogue a free pass.
• People give as individuals. Even leaders who can usually "see systems" still imagine that people sign their checks and pledge cards in a vacuum, out of strictly personal values and beliefs. Giving is a social act. It matters a great deal who asks, who knows, and how much others give. The single most powerful motivation for giving—as secular fundraisers know—is the desire to pull one's weight with a peer group. Saying "The Bible says we ought to tithe" has little impact, but if you can say, "Each of our top leaders as pledged to give 5% of his or her gross income to the congregation and 5% to other charities" can make an enormous difference to a congregation's giving. The specific numbers matter less than the leadership example.
• People all think about their giving the same way. Some religious leaders know this should be true, and I won't try to argue with them. But unless your congregation is extremely stable—or, in other words, is slowly dying—then you have some people who just walked into the door, including some potential major donors who may never join as members, as well as many who are long schooled in the congregation's current attitude toward giving. Sending them all the same letter, the same canvasser, the same pitch, and the same "table of percentages" can only reinforce the sense that—at least where giving is concerned, you don't know them.
• People give to vision, not to budgets. There is, of course, a grain of truth in this: treasurers who stand up and intone the budget, line by line, inspire no one. On the other hand, a congregation generally can raise more money for a building project than the annual campaign. Donors pay attention to the size of the vision—as measured in dollars—when they decide the size of their gifts. This point is especially important for the congregation with a "large" endowment. An endowment seems large only in comparison to a small vision, and there is no clearer indicator of a vision's size than the budget it produces. So yes—people give to vision. But how much they give depends upon the size of the vision as expressed in the budget, and on how well leaders connect one to the other.

In short, to get people to give more money, a congregation has to step up to its place in a newly competitive fundraising marketplace. The governing board and senior clergy articulate a clear and distinctive vision—not as an occasional exercise, but as a central year-round task. Clergy and lay leaders build relationships with potential donors as donors all the time. Asking for money, thanking donors, and asking for more money become regular parts of congregational life, just like asking for and thanking volunteers.

The congregation that succeeds in today's fundraising marketplace makes the case that the specific good it does deserves support from all who hear its strong fundraising voice—which then it uses well and often.

---
Rabbi Menachem Creditor
Congregation Netivot Shalom  || Bay Area Masorti ||  ShefaNetwork 

Rabbis for Women of the Wall  ||  menachemcreditor.org 

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[Shefa] from the Masorti Movement: Shalit Release Prayer

 

May we merit reciting this in the coming days!!!  (it is online here: http://www.rabbinicalassembly.org/sites/default/files/public/readings-prayers/prayer-for-gilad-shalit.pdf)

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Rabbi Menachem Creditor
Congregation Netivot Shalom  || Bay Area Masorti ||  ShefaNetwork 

Rabbis for Women of the Wall  ||  menachemcreditor.org 

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[Shefa] Bringing Gilad Home!

 

a note from Rabbi Creditor Bringing Gilad Home! 13 Tishrei, 5772 Oct. 11, 2011 Dear Chevreh,   If you haven't already heard, Prime Minister  Noam Shalit,  Gilad's father, standing in front of a banner depicting his son of Israel Binyamin Netanyahu went on Israeli television just hours ago to announce an agreement concerning the planned release of Gilad Shalit.  We have been praying and calling as a community for Gilad's release for five years. This is not a political event - it is the return of our son, our brother, 5 years after he was kidnapped by Hamas.  He is now only 25.  An entire People has been yearning for the improbable moment that now seems possibly true. Prime Minister Netanyahu said, "If all goes according to plan, Gilad will be returning to Israel in the coming days." As we all know, the phrase "if all goes according to plan" is at best, a precarious condition. I ask you to pray today, tomorrow, and every day until Gilad is safe in his mother's and father's arms for his safety and for his return. The text of the Misheberach we recite in shul for Gilad is here:  English Hebrew As we pray every Shabbat and Chag for Gilad,  may the Tanach's words come to pass: "And the ransomed of Adonai shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads; they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away."  May our brother and son Gilad be safe home very, very soon. Rabbi Creditor

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[Shefa] Fwd: Happenings at JTS

 

 

 

---

From: news@jtsa.edu
To: alanjayg46@aol.com
Sent: 10/11/2011 6:45:23 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time
Subj: Happenings at JTS

 

 

Chancellor Eisen Announces Initiative to Broaden JTS Reach  Rabbi Marc Wolf Appointed Vice Chancellor of External Affairs  JTS Chancellor Arnold M. Eisen has announced a personnel change designed to help JTS achieve the significant broadening of its work outside the walls of 3080 Broadway that is called for in the JTS Strategic Plan adopted in spring 2010: "We want to reach new audiences—Jewish and Gentile, Conservative and others—with a new set of courses, programs, initiatives, and ideas. Some of these programs will be offered on a fee-for-service basis. All will greatly increase the visibility of JTS and widen the circle of our supporters. "To best take advantage of these opportunities, I am creating a new senior level position, Vice Chancellor for External Affairs, and have asked Rabbi Marc Wolf to assume it. When Marc took the helm in Development three years ago, it was our intention that he remain in that position for a transitional period and then move on to a wider set of roles that draw more fully on his expertise, experience, and relationships. The time for that move has arrived, following on the heels of last year's development campaign in which giving to JTS increased by 8 percent and many new donors joined the ranks of our supporters. Marc has long been involved closely with JTS—first as a student here, then as a proud alumnus, and, most recently, as one of the leaders of the institution. His record, aptitude, and interest in advancing programmatic aspects of JTS in the areas of public and continuing education will serve him and JTS well as he seeks to bring JTS resources to bear in partnership with the Conservative Movement, the Jewish community, and our society at large. "A search is now underway to find a successor to Marc, who will continue to serve as Head of Development until his successor is appointed and only then will assume his new role. Please join me in congratulating Marc on the responsibilities that await him—and join me, too, in helping JTS make this coming year's campaign the most successful ever." Back to top^ JTS Joins White House Interfaith Program on Student/Community Dialogue The Jewish Theological Seminary is now a partner in the President's Interfaith and Community Service Campus Challenge: Advancing Interfaith Cooperation and Community Service, a program that invites institutions of higher education to commit to a year of interfaith cooperation and community service programming on campus. The best examples of students coming together to help those in need will be recognized by the White House in summer 2012. JTS, Chancellor Arnold M. Eisen, and Dr. Burton L. Visotzky—director of the Louis Finkelstein Institute for Religious and Social Studies, director of the Milstein Center for Interreligious Dialogue, and JTS's liaison to the president's initiative—are joining several other partners in this commitment: Union Theological Seminary (Serene Jones, president; Dr. Su Yon Pak, senior director and associate professor, Integrative and Field-based Education; and Piper Dumont, director of the Edible Churchyard program) The Poverty Initiative Mosque of Islamic Brotherhood St. Mary's Episcopal Church Justice in the Sukkah: An Interfaith Exploration of Food and Social Change will be the first event of the initiative. It will take place at JTS on October 16 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Nathan Schumer (LC '09, GS '09), Shuli Passow (RS '14), Yael Hammerman (RS '14), many additional JTS students, and members of other faiths, community organizations, and the government will discuss "food justice"—tackling hunger by exploring its underlying political and social issues—and how to get involved in food issues in the Harlem community. Suggested donation for the evening—and a light dinner in the JTS sukkah—is $10. Please email Shuli Passow at shpassow@jtsa.edu. The "official" inaugural event of worship, work, and celebration will be held on October 23 at St. Mary's Episcopal Church on 126th Street in Manhattan. The day will begin at 10:00 a.m. with an interfaith service, and be dedicated to clearing the garden at St. Mary's and making way for the interfaith gardening project that will be a focus of the initiative. A potluck meal will be served: please contribute a dish if you can, and consider making it vegetarian to accommodate various religious eating practices and dietary considerations. For more information about the White House initiative and this event, and to RSVP, contact Dr. Visotzky at buvisotzky@jtsa.edu or (212) 678-8989. Back to top^ Prospective Graduate Student Open House at JTS Students who want to learn about graduate study at one or more of JTS's renowned graduate and professional schools—William Davidson Graduate School of Jewish Education, The Rabbinical School, The Graduate School, and the H. L. Miller Cantorial School and College of Jewish Music—are welcome to join us for all or part of JTS's annual Prospective Graduate Student Open House on Sunday and Monday, October 16 and 17. Participants will have a chance to study with JTS faculty and meet with current students and alumni. JTS graduate-level classes are small and offer individualized attention from world-class Jewish studies faculty, plus rigorous encounters with Jewish texts in their original languages. Generous merit- and need-based financial aid is available, as are experienced career mentors. So take a day or two to learn why JTS is a great fit for you, and invite other aspiring students you know as well. See the Prospective Graduate Student Open House schedule and register. Back to top^   Chancellor Launches Latest Phase of JTS Arts Initiative New Jewish Art Collection Begins in the Sukkah Chancellor Eisen has announced the next phase of the JTS Arts Initiative. Called Ushpizin (guests), which builds on the tradition of inviting biblical heroes and deceased relatives into the booths built during the harvest celebration of Sukkot, the new JTS art collection will feature works of art old and new: historical pieces from The Library of The Jewish Theological Seminary and new works created by current artists. The compilation will be on display in the Brandt Family Sukkah during the holiday season, and will be the basis of a new collection designed to spotlight the essence of Judaism, Torah, and the history of the Jewish people. Ushpizin was developed by the chancellor and the JTS Arts Advisory Board, whose members include Provost Dr. Alan Cooper, representatives of The Jewish Museum, professionals from several artistic disciplines, arts philanthropists, and collectors. "The ushpizin panels that beautify this year's Brandt Family Sukkah," says Dr. Cooper, "were created by artists at JTS under the supervision of JTS Artist-in-Residence Tobi Kahn. Shirah Rubin, who received a master's degree in Jewish Education from the William Davidson Graduate School of Jewish Education in 2003 and whose support helped make the display of these works possible, wishes to dedicate it to the memory of her beloved mother, a teacher of art who saw the creative process as a spiritual act and who sought to inspire everyone to explore their creativity to the fullest." Back to top^                          More Sukkot at JTS and Beyond • The JTS quadrangle is now populated by the three familiar sukkot erected annually to celebrate the holiday. Although the deadline for reserving space in the courtyard-level sukkot has passed, the sukkah on the third-floor terrace, which is not weather-protected, is first-come, first-served. The annual List College Alumni Sukkah Dinner will celebrate the holiday on Monday, October 17, at 7:30 p.m. in the Brandt Family Sukkah at courtyard level. Free to alumni and $18 for guests, List College alumni can click here to RSVP. • On this holiday of the harvest, alum Heather G. Stoltz (GS '04) explores the stories of homeless New Yorkers. She's created an 8' x 8' x 8' sukkah, the outside walls of which display works of art created by children in family shelters throughout the city; the inside walls are fiber-art panels Stoltz created based on her conversations with homeless individuals in faith-based shelters. The installation piece will travel to churches and synagogues in Manhattan during November; refer to the exhibitions section of www.sewingstories.com for the schedule and see Stoltz's blog at the site for some of the panels and student work. • As the holiday month continues, enjoy the annual Erev Shemini Atzeret Concert of Pizmon, a JTS/Columbia/Barnard a cappella group, October 19 at 10 p.m. in JTS's Feinberg Auditorium. Tickets are free and are available now in the JTS Office of Student Life (Unterberg 209) and the Kraft Center (606 W. 115th Street). Back to top^           Library Book Talk with Dr. Eitan Fishbane Dr. Eitan Fishbane will speak about his book The Sabbath Soul: Mystical Reflections on the Transformative Power of Holy Time at a JTS Library Book Talk on October 24. The book draws on the writings of mystical masters from the history of Hasidism to convey an appreciation of the specific rituals of the Sabbath and the ways they transform awareness on the seventh day. The Sabbath Soul is one of two books by Dr. Fishbane published in the past two weeks. The other is Shadows in Winter: A Memoir of Love and Loss, a memoir of grief and parenthood in the wake of his wife's death. The Library Book Talk will take place at 7:30 p.m. in Kripke 406. Admission is free, but reservations and a photo ID are required. RSVP to Hector Guzman at heguzman@jtsa.edu. Back to top^         New Milstein Center Celebrates Its Founding and Its First Academic Event JTS's new Milstein Center for Interreligious Dialogue is cosponsoring a one-day academic colloquium on "Oral Transmission of Sacred Texts in Judaism and Islam." The host and partner for the Tuesday, October 25, event is Georgetown University's Center for Christian-Muslim Understanding. JTS faculty members Rabbi Burton L. Visotzky, Dr. David Kraemer, and Dr. Neil Danzig will participate. The Georgetown/JTS colloquium brings together scholars on orality in each religious tradition to familiarize them with the scholarship of one another's traditions and to open new vistas in scholarship and comparative religious studies. The Milstein Center's own inaugural event is a luncheon on Monday, October 31, welcoming His Eminence Kurt Cardinal Koch from the Vatican, where he is president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, which includes the Pontifical Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews. This is Cardinal Koch's first trip to New York City in that capacity. JTS announced the founding of the Milstein Center in September. The center is funded with a $2 million gift from New York philanthropist Howard Milstein and the Paul Milstein family. The Milsteins have a long history of engagement with JTS. Irma Milstein chaired The Davidson School and served on the JTS Board of Trustees. The gift from her family marks the second generation of relationship between the Milsteins and JTS. Back to top^         JTS Convocation to Honor Members of the Rabbinical Assembly On November 1, The Jewish Theological Seminary will award honorary doctorates to 42 rabbis who have served the Jewish community with distinction for a quarter century or more at a Convocation being held in tribute to members of the Rabbinical Assembly (RA). JTS Board Chair Abby Joseph Cohen will preside at the event. Chancellor Arnold M. Eisen, who will deliver the convocation address and confer the degrees, has noted that the occasion will enable JTS's faculty, administration, and Board of Trustees to express their collective esteem and thanks to these rabbis—spiritual leaders and scholars—for their more than 25 years of religious leadership in the cause of Conservative Judaism and kelal Yisra'el. JTS will celebrate their achievements and voice appreciation for their devotion. Rabbi Daniel S. Nevins, dean of the Division of Religious Leadership and Pearl Resnick Dean of The Rabbinical School at JTS, and Randie Malinsky, chair of the Religious Leadership Advisory Board, will be the sponsors of the honorees at the ceremony, and Rabbi Gilah Dror, president of the RA, will deliver greetings on behalf of the RA. Those honored will include congregational rabbis, Jewish communal professionals, educators, and chaplains from the United States and abroad. Back to top^                 What's Happening at JTS and in Your Community On Thursday, October 6, the H. L. Miller Cantorial School choir, under the direction of Hazzan David Tilman, provided the moving musical interlude at one of the New York City stops on the "Jewish Chaplain's Monument Tour: Honoring the Memory of 14 Jewish Chaplains Who Died While on Active Duty" held at the Center for Jewish History. A memorial plaque listing the fallen becomes a permanent installation later in the month at Arlington National Cemetery. • JTS students and alumni take note: If you are attending the Jewish Federations of North America's 2011 General Assembly in Denver, Colorado, early next month, you'll want to make time in your schedule for the Ramah Alumni Reception on Monday, November 7, at 5 p.m. National Ramah Assistant Director Amy Skopp Cooper will receive the prestigious 2011 Covenant Award for Excellence in Jewish Education. Request an invitation online, via email, or by calling (212) 678-8881. • "Rebel Women of the Bible" is Rabbi Andy Shugerman's topic at a JTS Lunch & Learn in Florida on two Tuesdays, November 8 and November 15. It takes place at noon at B'nai Torah Congregation in Boca Raton. To RSVP, contact Carolyn Kantor at cakantor@jtsa.edu or (561) 852-3454. Back to top^ Making News: In Print and Online Chancellor Eisen's poignant High Holiday Message of Hope is a must-read at HuffingtonPost.com. • JTS's recent survey commissioned by Chancellor Eisen and conducted by Dr. Steven M. Cohen on the generational differences about Israel among JTS rabbis and rabbinical students is discussed in the JTA's "Rabbis' Love for Israel: Is It a Generational Thing?" and in the Forward's "Young Rabbis Love Israel But Lean to Left of Elders." • Rabbi Daniel Nevins's essay, "Rebranding Tzedakah: From Charity to Sacred Spending," is the cover story in October's issue of Sh'ma and on the journal's website. The essay has been selected by Sh'ma to be syndicated to all Jewish newspapers around the country. • An article by Dr. Robert Harris, "The Book of Leviticus Interpreted as Jewish Community," appears in the online journal Studies in Christian-Jewish Relations (Vol. 6, No. 1, 2011: 1–15). • Dr. Eitan Fishbane is quoted about Kabbalah and why married couples tend to seek it out when they experience marital woes at abcnews.com in a piece called "How Kabbalah Could Help Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher." • "Atoning for Nothing" in the Jewish Week describes the development of Ohel Ayalah, an organization founded by Rabbi Judith Hauptman that provides free High Holiday services for hundreds of Jews. • Cantor Nancy Abramson, Dr. Carol K. Ingall, Dr. Anne Lapidus Lerner, and David Wachtel each contributed essays to the Hiddur Mitzvah Project: A Fresh Approach to Enhancing Mitzvot, a publication of the Women's League for Conservative Judaism (WLCJ). The text helps to enhance and adorn holiday and Shabbat celebrations throughout the year, and is available on the WLCJ website for purchase at $18 each and, in a few weeks, for downloading by members only. WLCJ's semiannual newsletter, BookMarks, features interviews with JTS faculty members Dr. Carol Ingall, Shira Kohn, and Dr. Edna Nahshon and introduces their current books. • Rabbi Moshe Margolin is quoted in "JTS Reaches Out to Suburbs Through Adult Study," a New Jersey Jewish News article about JTS's Institute for Jewish Learning and its inaugural program, Context.  Unable to attend an event, but interested in what we're doing? You can still share in the inspiration, wisdom, and community of JTS. Listen to lectures, programs, performances, commentary, and more. Connect with your fellow alumni and friends of JTS—check out our Social Media Initiatives. And visit our online community calendar to find out about upcoming talks and events on and off campus. Missed an edition of Happenings? You can visit www.jtsa.edu/News/Happenings.xml to browse the archive and get caught up. You can now receive JTS Torah commentary automatically, as soon as it's posted online, through RSS feeds such as Live Bookmarks or Google, by signing up at http://www.jtsa.edu/x15092.xml. Back to top^ Admissions and Recruitment Highlights  Once a month, the admissions offices let you know what's happening in the admissions and enrollment world at JTS. Keep up to date with JTS admissions—learn about upcoming events and important deadlines, and read profiles of the next generations of Jewish leaders, the students of JTS. Join our distribution list by clicking getadmissionshighlights@jtsa.edu and sending the blank email—you don't need to include any text or a subject.      October 11, 2011 / 13 Tishrei 5772 In this issue Chancellor Eisen Announces Initiative to Broaden JTS Reach JTS Joins White House Interfaith Program on Student/Community Dialogue Prospective Graduate Student Open House at JTS Chancellor Launches Latest Phase of JTS Arts Initiative More Sukkot at JTS and Beyond Library Book Talk with Dr. Eitan Fishbane New Milstein Center Celebrates Its Founding and Its First Academic Event JTS Convocation to Honor Members of the Rabbinical Assembly What's Happening at JTS and in Your Community Making News: In Print and Online Admissions and Recruitment Highlights Forward this email Do you know someone who might be interested in receiving this newsletter? Give Your gift will make it possible for JTS to fulfill its mission of educating the best and brightest students. 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