Page 10 - The Jewish Voice - January '25

Page 10, The Jewish Voice

Local Happenings from page 9 Jewish Rock Radio and JKids Radio, the first high-caliber,
24/7 international Jewish music radio networks. Recht has 13
Silver, who was the rabbi until his passing in 2008. Barry top-selling Jewish albums, including his most recent release,
Silver was an amazing rabbi, lawyer, activist, and individual, Here I Am.
always fighting and going to bat for the underdog. The The 2024-2025 season of Friday Night Happenings goes
congregation will pay tribute to the life of this brilliant man, through mid-April. Each week begins with cocktails and
an environmentalist, feminist, humanist, and more. Rabbi camaraderie at 5:15 p.m., followed by Shabbat dinner at
Silver was like the Energizer Bunny, always on the go and 5:45, and Shabbat evening services at 7. An oneg Shabbat
willing to help wherever he was needed. Unfortunately, his completes the evening. The couvert for Shabbat dinner is $25/
life ended far too soon, at the age of 67, in March 2024. His person/week (early-bird $20/person/week); to register, go to
beliefs and outlook on life have been immortalized in his www.bethelwpb.com/fridaynight or call the Temple Beth El
book, Cosmic Judaism, which became available for sale in office at 561.833.0339.
the last days of his life.
Musical entertainment for the event will be provided by With political partisanship damaging many friendships, Celebrating 25 Years of
Pink Slip Duo, dear friends of Rabbi Barry’s, who will play more openness and empathy might have helped us learn
some of his adapted songs during the Gala, in addition to about the issues and the relative strength and weakness of Palm Beach Dramaworks
their regular musical itinerary. Congregation L’Dor Va-Dor the candidates and their policies.
welcomes all to attend this very special event, whether you By Jennifer Sardone-Shiner
knew Rabbi Barry, only heard of him, or knew nothing about Beth El Kicks off New Season In May 2024, Palm Beach Dramaworks was honored as
him. L’Dor Va-Dor is continuing the legacy of Rabbi Barry, Non-Profit of the Year by the Chamber of Commerce of the
led by Cantor Carol Garrett, who also sings some of the of Friday Night Happenings Palm Beaches. It was an acknowledgment of the theatre’s
rabbi’s adapted songs during Shabbat. contribution to the community; recognition of the artistry,
Tickets for the Gala Luncheon can be reserved by phone For close to a decade, Temple Beth El’s Friday Night commitment, and leadership of its cofounders, Producing
at 561.968.0688 or by email at info@ldorvador.org; members Happenings has brought the Jewish community in West Palm Artistic Director William Hayes and Managing Director Sue
of L’Dor Va-Dor $54 per person, guests $64. Beach and the surrounding areas together for lively Shabbat Ellen Beryl; and the perfect prelude to the company’s 25th
worship services, thoughtful speakers, good food, and great anniversary season.
Nurturing Relationships camaraderie.
Many of this season’s Friday Night Happenings guests
The opening session of Chabad’s newest Jewish Learning are making return visits to Temple Beth El, having been
Institute lecture series, Nurturing Relationships, occurred well-received in past years, including:
just after the highly contentious 2024 national elections. We Rabbi Leonid Feldman (December 27-28): Rabbi Feldman
all had witnessed the verbal jousting, anger management is rabbi emeritus of Temple Beth El, having served as its
failures, and “nuclear option” to cancel heretofore good spiritual leader from 2005 to 2022. Born in the former Soviet
friendships. Rabbi Vigler’s presentation informed the Union, Feldman has experienced violent anti-Semitism,
audience about tools and philosophies designed to help with imprisonment in Russia as a Zionist activist, Jewish rebirth,
the range of relationships and issues we all face. and freedom in the West. Now living in Israel, Feldman was
The first session, the first and only Soviet-born Conservative rabbi in America.
The Art of Empathy, Joe Buchanan (January 10): Texas-born and southern-
explored the four raised Joe Buchanan makes country music that is steeped
“circles of support.” in the values, teaching, and history of the Jewish people to It’s been a remarkable journey. PBD launched in
Rabbi V igler deliver stories that amplify the struggle and triumph of the December 2000: The company had no backers, no money,
illuminated how the human spirit. Buchanan draws from his life experiences, and no clear vision of what the theatre should be. Hayes
Golden Rule is to which led to his decision to become a Jew by Choice, as knew he wanted to produce work that would challenge and
be applied from our the influence for his music. He has released two albums, move audiences and illuminate the human condition, and
closest relationships, Unbroken and Back From Babylon. he believed there were local audiences hungry for that type
our spouses and Stephen Berk (January 17-18): Dr. Stephen M. Berk is the of fare. But what that meant in terms of play selection was
partners, to the more defused human connections such as Henry and Sally Schaffer Professor of Holocaust and Jewish unformulated. Beryl borrowed $10,000 from an employer,
neighbors, store clerks, and doctors. Studies at Union College in Schenectady, NY. A noted author, and PBD rented an old, soon-to-be demolished 200-seat
He reminded the audience about Chabad’s fundamental Berk has written books and articles on Russian Jewish history, theatre at Palm Beach Atlantic University, where it produced
construct of two souls, the G-dly Soul and the Animal antisemitism, and American policy in the Middle East, and is three shows that first season.
Soul. He elucidated how conflict drives our behaviors, and frequently consulted by the media on these topics. Currently, The company spent the next two seasons at a 45-seat theatre
encouraged us to defer to the G-dly Soul and to manage the he is working on a project focused on the Jewish involvement carved out of an 800-square foot storefront on Clematis Street,
contentious animal soul. The two forms of empathy, cognitive in the struggle for civil rights in the United States from 1954 before turning office space into an 84-seat theatre on Banyan
and emotional, offer two pathways to deal with another’s to 1965. Boulevard, which became its home for the next eight years. It
issues. The emotional is the deeper method and the one most Rich Recht (February 21): Rick Recht has been featured was there that PBD’s vision came into sharp focus. They even
likely to sooth the anxieties of one in torment. in concert and as scholar-in-residence at conferences and gave it a name: Theatre to Think About.
in Jewish communities across the U.S. He is the founder
and executive director of Songleader Boot Camp as well as Local Happenings on page 12

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