Here is how we celebrated in 2021
The celebration of Lag BโOmer starts Monday night! Like many Jewish holidays, it has its basis in the ancient agricultural calendar. Lag BโOmer falls on the 33rd day of the seven-week period between Passover and Shavuotโthis year on Tuesday, May 12. This period, known as the Omer, marks the spring cycle of planting and harvest, as well as the Israelitesโ journey out of slavery (Passover) to make their way toward receiving the Torah at Mount Sinai (Shavuot).
An omer (sheaf) is an ancient Hebrew measure of grain. It was forbidden to use the new barley crop until after an omer was brought as an offering to the Temple in Jerusalem. โAnd from the day on which you bring the offeringโฆyou shall count off seven weeks. They must be completeโ (Leviticus 23:15-16).
In the weeks between Passover and Shavuot, a plague raged amongst the disciples of the great sage, Rabbi Akiva, and it ceased on Lag BโOmer. A time for reinforcing our unity, since in modern times Lag BโOmer has come to symbolize the resilience of the Jewish spirit.
Letโs Learn TogetherโIn A Virtual Way!
30 With The Clergy Omer Theme: Jewish Time in the Wilderness
[ai1ec cat_name=”30 with the clergy” tag_name=”lag b’omer”]
How Can We Celebrate When Weโre Staying In?
We can stay safe and still have a socially responsible picnic! Traditionally, celebrations take place outdoors, so if you have a porch or backyard where it is safe to do so, eat outside. And those of us in apartments can spread a blanket on the floor and enjoy having a meal in our living rooms! We can even set up a real tent or drape a blanket over some chairs, add a sleeping bag or two, and enjoy a picnic.
Things to do
Social Action on Lag BโOmer
- A plague that killed thousands of students of the Talmudic scholar Rabbi Akiva during the Omer is a reminder to acknowledge our responsibility to the environment. Tell Congress to Pass the Climate Action Now Act! We need to help mitigate climate change or it will affect our health, food, water, and economic growth. The International Climate Accountability Act would help keep the U.S. in the Paris Agreement and ensure the U.S. continues to help prevent climate change. Urge your member of Congress to support the International Climate Accountability Act (S.1743).
- Lag BโOmer is also a time to support Jewish learning. Rabbi Akiva and his students were forced to study Torah in secret due to laws prohibiting the teaching of Torah. Today our Religious School and Rodeph Sholom School are places where even now students are still thriving, learning virtually from our amazing teachers. Appreciating them โ a great way to honor the sacred calling of Rabbi Akiva and his students.
- Like the plague that caused the demise of Rabbi Akivaโs students, our own health crisis around coronavirus is causing many to be without food. During this time, our partner, the West Side Campaign Against Hunger, has doubled the amount of food they distribute each week, and they need our help to continue. Make an online donation to the CRS Food Drive and we will quickly pass along the fund to WSCAH.
Recipe for Chocolate Chip Mystery Mandelbrot
Mandelbrot cookies are an Ashkenazi dessert dating back to the early 19th century. They are closely related to the Italian biscotti, which were first made in the Middle Ages. During the Depression and World War II, oil and butter were expensive and hard to come by, so mayonnaise was used in their place. Did you guess the secret ingredient in these mystery Mandelbrot? Yep, Hellmannโs Mayo!
Ingredients:
- 1ยฝ cups flour
- ยพ cup sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ยฝ tsp cinnamon
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- ยฝ cup Hellmannโs mayonnaise
- 2 tsps vanilla extract
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- ยฝ cup slivered almonds
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 325ยฐF.
- Place the flour, sugar, baking powder, and cinnamon in a 3-qt mixing bowl and stir with a wooden spoon to combine. Add the remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly.
- Divide the dough in half and form into 2 long, narrow loaves on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Bake for 25 minutes. Remove the cookie sheet from the oven and cool 5 minutes.
- Transfer one loaf to a cutting board. With a chef โs knife, slice the loaf on the diagonal into ยฝ-inch slices. Lay the slices cut side down on the cookie sheet, and repeat with the other loaf. Return the cookie sheet to the oven and bake for 5 minutes.
- Remove the cookie sheet from the oven, turn the slices over, and return to the oven to bake for another 5 minutes or until golden.
- Cool completely before storing in sealed container.
(Recipe from Entree to Judaism for Families by Tina Wasserman)
Banana Pudding
Or try this perennial camp favorite, from ReformJudaism.org!
Make a Quilled Paper Lag B’Omer Bonfire
Click on the image below for instructions!
Justin Callis (he/him), our Cantorial Intern, is a fourth-year student at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in the Debbie Friedman School of Sacred Music. He is the recipient of the Reuben Peretz Abelson Prize for dedication to Yiddish Song, the Temple Israel of Boston Cantorial Prize, and the Lee Gura Memorial Prize for Aptitude in Synagogue Choral Music.
Sarah Adams, viola, performs locally with the New York Chamber Ensemble, theย Claring Chamber Players, the Sherman Chamber Ensemble, the Friends of Mozart, and the Saratoga Chamber Players.
Violinist Michael Roth is a native of Scarsdale, NY and received his early musical training with Frances Magnes at the Hoff-Barthelson Music School. He attended Oberlin College and Conservatory, continuing his studies with Marilyn McDonald. At Oberlin, he won the Kaufman Prize for violin and First Prize in the Ohio String Teacher’s Association Competition. He completed his Master of Music degree at the University of Massachusetts where he worked with the distinguished American violinist and pedagogue Charles Treger and was a recipient of the Julian Olevsky Award.ย Mr. Roth is currently associate concertmaster of the New York City Ballet Orchestra and has appeared in chamber music and as a soloist with the company, most recently in the debut of “Slice Too Sharp”, a ballet of Biber and Vivaldi violin concerti, and “After the Rain”, violin music of Arvo Part. In addition he is a member of the Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra, Principal 2nd violin of the Westchester Philharmonic, the American Composers Orchestra and the New York Pops. He was concertmaster of the Vermont Mozart Festival Orchestra for many years and often appeared as soloist there, as well as at the Caramoor and Bard Music Festivals. He has played and toured internationally with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra and the New York Chamber Soloists.
Known for his sweet and โsumptuousโ (New York Times) tone, American-born Doori Na took up violin at the age of four and began his studies with Li Lin at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. He quickly made his first performance with orchestra at age seven with the Peninsula Youth Symphony as the first prize winner of the concerto competition. Thereafter Mr. Na went on to win top prizes in The Sound of Music Festival, The Korea Times Youth Music Competition, the Chinese Music Teacherโs Association, The Menuhin Dowling Young Artist Competition, The Junior Bach Festival, VOCE of the Music Teacherโs Association of California, and The Pacific Musical Society. Receiving full scholarships to private high school Crossroads School of Arts and Sciences in Santa Monica, he moved to Los Angeles to study with renown violin teacher, Robert Lipsett, at The Colburn Music School. There he appeared as soloist with the Palisades Symphony, Brentwood Symphony, and Torrance Symphony. During that time, the summer of 2004 was Mr. Naโs first time at the Perlman Music Program where his expression and musical identity were greatly influenced. He has been a part of the program ever since and participated in many of their special residencies in Florida, Vermont, New York, and Israel.
Alan Goodis is a touring Jewish musician playing over 150 events a year. Born and raised in Toronto, Alan is a proud product of URJ Goldman Union Camp Institute. Noted for his dedication to building relationships and community through music, Alan tours throughout the US to serve as an Artist-In-Residence and performer at Temples, Youth Conventions and Jewish summer camps.
Julie Silver is one of the most celebrated and beloved performers in the world of contemporary Jewish music today. She tours throughout the world, and has been engaging audiences with her gorgeous compositions and liturgical settings, her lyrical guitar playing, her dynamic stage presence, and her megawatt smile for over 25 years.
Dan is a product of the URJ Jewish camping movement. He has toured Jewish summer camps across North America for the last 15 years. A classically trained singer, Dan received his Bachelor of Music degree in vocal performance at the University of North Carolina. In 1995, realizing the potential of music to make powerful connections with Jewish youth, Dan established the Jewish rock band Eighteen. Since that time, Dan and Eighteen have released 13 albums. Songs like, Lโtakein, Bโtzelem Elo-him, Kehillah Kedoshah, Chazak, Sweet As Honey, and Asher Yatzar have become Jewish communal anthems throughout North America.
Naomi Less is an internationally celebrated singer/songwriter, ritualist and educator. Beloved for her warm smile and inviting presence, communities celebrate her imagination and innovation, tenderness and pizzazz! Her original music is sung in worship communities worldwide. Naomi serves as Co-Founder, Ritual Leader and Associate Director of Lab/Shul and is a leader in amplifying women’s voices through her work at Songleader Boot Camp and her Jewish Women Rock show on Jewish Rock Radio. Naomiadvocates for people struggling with fertility journeys as a performance artist and speaker for Uprooted: A Jewish Response to Fertility Challenges. Fun fact: Naomi and her husband wrote the song shine/Yivarech’cha, a Friday night blessing, specifically composed for URJ Crane Lake Camp, sung every Friday night in the dining hall.
Her destiny became obvious to Joanie Leedsโ parents when, at the tender age of 2, Joanie grabbed the performerโs mic at a party and belted out the entire songโTomorrowโ from Annie. Jaws dropped! No one could remember ever hearing a big voice like that coming from one so tiny and certainly no one would have thought she would one day earn a GRAMMYยฎ Award for her original music.
A composer, multi-instrumentalist, and prayer leader, Elana Arian is one of the leading voices in contemporary Jewish music. Elanaโs music is part of Jewish life across the globe, and her compositions are sung in spiritual communities, summer camps, and synagogues from Louisville to London, from Chicago to the CzechRepublic, and everywhere in between. Elana just released her fourth album of original music, The Other Side of Fear, and her compositions have been published in countless Transcontinental Music collections. Elana serves proudly on the faculty of Hava Nashira (Oconomowoc, WI), the Wexner Heritage Foundation (Aspen, CO), Shirei Chagiga (London, England), and as an instructor at the Hebrew Union College in New York, where she teaches in the Debbie Friedman School of Sacred Music. Elana has performed at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Tanglewood, and perhaps most memorably, five separate appearances at the (Obama) White House. She lives in New York with her wife, Julia, and their two daughters, Maya and Acadia.
Known for his unique, engaging, and deeply soulful approach, Noah Aronson is considered one of the most sought after Jewish musicians in North America, making over 65 community appearances each year.
There is a reason why Time Magazine has listed Michelle in their Top Ten list of Jewish rock stars.
Kol BโSeder has been composing and performing contemporary Jewish music since the early1970s. Rabbi Dan Freelander and Cantor Jeff Klepper met as college students; over the past 50years they have released numerous CDs and songbooks. With Debbie Friedman (z”l) and others, they forged a new musical sound for American Jewish camps, schools and synagogues. Their songs, such as “Shalom Rav,โ โModeh Ani,โ and “Lo Alecha,” have become traditionalJewish melodies around the world. They are delighted to be inaugurating their fiftieth anniversary celebration by appearing in support of URJ camps, where they first composed and incubated many of their early songs.
Rabbi Mira Weller (she/her) received her ordination at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Los Angeles in May 2022. She studied Culture and Politics at Georgetown Universityโs School of Foreign Service and received her Masterโs in Jewish Education at the Rhea Hirsch School of Education at HUC-JIR. She is the proud recipient of awards for her studies in rabbinic literature, her work in Jewish education, and she was granted the Myrtle Lorch Pfaelzer-Monroe Pfaelzer Award for an Outstanding Female Rabbinical School Student (2022). Rabbi Mira speaks Hebrew and Spanish (so please practice with her!). She has a passion for uncovering new possibilities in the great wealth of our tradition and for making music inspired by Judaismโs many cultures. Her guilty pleasures include cupcakes, classical music, and philosophy.
New York bassist Roger Wagner enjoys a long and diverse career. As soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral bassist, Mr. Wagner has appeared on many of the world’s great concert stages.
Sarah Adams 
Leonard Bernstein described 
Praised by the New York Times as โirresistible in both music and performance.โ flutist, 
Margaret Kampmeier, 
Michael Roth
Our initiative for young children and their grown-ups provides a slate of offerings including Shabbat and holiday celebrations, music, classroom readiness programs, and new parent experiences. During the pandemic, we have leaned on $1m of seed funding for Sholom Sprouts established through this campaign as we offer age-appropriate virtual programs for our families with young children, who are the future of our community. We look forward to welcoming our littlest members and their grown-ups back to our new fifth floor, as well as hiring a Program Assistant to increase the capacity of Sholom Sprouts to grow. This program provides a crucial entry-point to the congregation and membership for young families.
