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June 2025

Letter from the Rabbi

Dear Temple Israel Community,

Shalom Aleikhem! I am wishing for peace and well-being for each of you precious members of our Binghamton Jewish community as we transition into Summer.

On the final day of May, Rav Talia and I had the great pleasure of celebrating our recent wedding with you all – the dear friends who make up our congregation of Temple Israel and our Binghamton Jewish community. We were overjoyed to sponsor a festive meal which peaked with reciting together the Birkat haMazon – the Blessings of Sustenance said after a meal – and the Sheva Brakhot – the Seven Blessings recited for the seven days following a wedding. I want to express our most heartfelt appreciation to everyone who has offered us well-wishes in this special time in our lives together.

Towards the end Birkat haMazon, we quote a verse from Jeremiah Chapter 17:7 which articulates a challenging, foundational aspect of traditional Jewish belief:

בָּר֣וּךְ הַגֶּ֔בֶר אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִבְטַ֖ח בַּהֹ וְהָיָ֥ה הֹ מִבְטַחֽוֹ׃

Blessed is the person who trusts in G-d; G-d will be their place of safety!

While it may seem like this verse promises a G-d given reward of safety to those who trust in G-d, our tradition has long understood that safety and wellbeing are products of both faith and action. Maimonides uses this verse to praise people who, despite hardship, work hard to ensure that they will be able to be contributors to the well-being of others in the community.

As Art Siegel mentions in his letter, the past several weeks have brought an increase in concern and fear for many American Jews in the wake of alarming violent incidents in Pennsylvania, Washington D.C. and Colorado. Of course, our concern for the safety of American Jews mirrors our concern for the safety and well-being of our fellow Jews in Israel and around the world, and especially for the people who remain captive in Gaza. Simultaneously, we pray for a breakthrough in the efforts to bring a negotiated peace in the Land of Israel and relief for all those suffering in ongoing conditions of deprivation and war.

In this time, we will continue to take action for the sake of the well-being and safety of our community. At the same time, it is incumbent upon us to resolve to continue to choose to show up together to engage in the sacred work that is the heart of synagogue life: prayer, study, and acts of compassion. Even and especially in times of heightened concern, we must affirm our commitments to our core values of Torah (learning), Avodah (service), and Hesed (compassion). In other words, we must trust in G-d and the Torah which G-d has planted in our midst.

Over the holiday of Shavuot which we celebrated at the beginning of June, we came together in partnership with Temple Concord to joyously celebrate the giving of the Torah with our first late-night Tikkun Leil Shavuot. About 40 of us gathered on the eve of the holiday for thought-provoking and inspirational Torah discussion. I am grateful to everyone who added their voice to the unfolding conversation of Torah and hope to welcome more voices into our weekly
discussions of Torah and world affairs on Tuesday afternoons before minyan that we call Torah in Our Times.

It has been a blessing to work with two young members of our synagogue community who have dedicated many hours to prepare for their upcoming B’nei Mitzvah celebrations. I hope you will join us for these joyous events – in addition to our annual meeting – in June and together put our trust in the power of our community and our evolving tradition.

L’shalom,

Rabbi Micah R. Friedman

הרב מיכה שמחה פרידמן 

June 2025

Letter from the President

Dear Members and Friends of Temple Israel,

Once again, I must begin by taking note of ongoing antisemitic atrocities in the US and elsewhere. In addition to the 56 hostages and hostage remains still held by Hamas since October 2023, the Pennsylvania (Jewish) Governor’s mansion was firebombed, two young diplomats were gunned down in Washington, DC, and a dozen peaceful demonstrators were severely burned in a flamethrower attack in Boulder, CO, this week. We condemn these savage attacks, and recommit to enhancing the Safety and Security at Temple Israel, as well as support broader efforts across our Southern Tier community and beyond.

Your Safety and Security Committee continues to take actions to improve safety at Temple Israel. In the absence of grant monies from Federal or State sources, your Board of Trustees approved a plan to apply some Endowment earnings to get started on security-related capital projects over the next three years. We just replaced the video surveillance computer, and we will continue to retain hired security officers for large functions, especially if these are advertised publicly and if we expect many unknown guests. There are many small improvements behind the scenes, as well.

Spring seems to be hurtling toward summer as the flora of our Temple Israel grounds is now in full bloom. The transition from grey to green to a panoply of color somehow resonates with our congregational experience. A number of dear friends and relatives, some true pillars of our community, have passed away over the past year and we grieve these losses. Even as we mourn for those we have lost, our hearts are lightened by a number of simchas in our Temple Israel family. The B’nai Mitzvot of Zohar Friedman and Micah Yarkoni are each on the calendar in June, and we just celebrated the wedding of Rabbi Talia Laster to Temple Israel Rabbi Micah Friedman.

As we navigate these myriad emotions around these life cycle realities, we are fortunate to have Reb Micah as our spiritual leader. In the past year we have maintained spirited participation in our Shabbat, Weekday, and Holiday Services; delivered a strong calendar of Adult Education with the Rabbi and other teachers; and organized diverse and fun programs such as the Lag b’Omer Picnic and the Artist in Residence Weekend with Zach Mayer, to name just a few.

We will be working over the summer to plan for the High Holidays and a full calendar of events for next year. Won’t you join us? Please participate in the Annual Meeting on Tuesday, June 17th at 7:00pm at Temple Israel and via zoom. In addition to the elected Officers and Trustees, we have plenty of room for volunteers to serve on the Committees which are vital to fulfill every aspect of our synagogue life. The only way to ensure that Temple Israel will be here to fulfill your needs, and the needs of your friends and family, is to be part of the team. Perhaps you’d like to buy a leaf on the Simcha Tree or sponsor a Shabbat kiddush to celebrate a simcha?

Finally, a reminder that we rely on your Annual Dues and Donations to sustain our professional staff, pay our bills, and deliver our services, classes, and programs, so please give as generously as you can.

Best wishes to all for a healthy, happy summer!
Art

Arthur B. Siegel
President – Temple Israel