For Immediate Release: November 17, 2006
Bet Havarim's next Shabbat Worship service will be conducted 7:30 p.m., Friday evening, December 15th. Services are held at St. David's Church, located on Jamar Drive off of Maple Dr. in Dewitt. Leading the combined Hanukkah/Shabbat service will be Bet Havarim's Cantorial Soloist, Hanita Margulies Blair, assisted by members of Bet Havarim's Shabbat committee.
The December service will be held on the first night of Hanukkah with the lighting of the Hanukkah Menorah as well Shabbat prayers and readings. "We will be featuring traditional Hanukkah foods at our Oneg and know that everyone will truly enjoy the treats we have planned," said Mel Shindler, Shabbat committee chair.
Invited again this year to celebrate Hanukkah are the families of BH's host congregation, St. David's Episcopal Church. "Bringing our groups together to enjoy the food and the speaker is a wonderful way for us to experience the fellowship of our two religious faiths," added Shindler.
Joining Bet Havarim at the service will be featured speaker, Professor John Robert Greene of Cazenovia College. Professor Greene is the Paul J. Schupf Professor of History and Humanities at the college where he has taught for the past twenty-six years. Dr. Greene's teaching and writing specialty lies in American Political History, particularly the American Presidency. Having written or edited fourteen books, he also serves as an Associate Editor for the journal "Congress and the Presidency" Among the books he has written or edited there is one on the election of Dwight Eisenhower, one on the Nixon Presidency, three on the Ford Presidency, and a critically acclaimed study of The Presidency of George Bush Professor Greene's newest book, an encyclopedia of the first Bush administration, was released nationwide last October. Dr. Greene is also a regular political commentator on several national radio call-in shows, has appeared on C-Span, MSNBC, and National Public Radio. Locally Dr. Greene can be heard on WSYR radio Thursday mornings at 7:20 a.m. and as a panelist on WCNY's weekly "Ivory Tower Half Hour" television program.
Dr. Greene's talk will focus on "Freedom, how we define it and how our definition of freedom has changed throughout history." He will also discuss our "Concept of Freedom.not just who should be free but what it means to be free."
Shindler continues, "It is so appropriate that Dr. Greene's visit will take place on the first night of the Hanukkah festival when we celebrate the miracle of the re-dedication of the Temple after its desecration by the Assyrians and the victory over the occupiers by the Maccabees. Freedom is so precious to all of us and, especially, to our ancestors and to Jews throughout history it is as precious as life itself and Dr. Greene will bring a message that will resonate with everyone."
quot;We also want to thank Steve Sisskind, of Sisskind's Funeral Service, who joined us at our November Shabbat service as our guest and featured speaker," said Shindler, "his talk on the 'Modern Interpretation of Ancient Rituals' was excellent and enjoyed by everyone attending. We look forward to have him join us in the future."
Bet Havarim is organized to promote and cultivate a love and understanding of our Jewish heritage, teachings, and values, and to ensure the continuation of the Jewish people. Our common strength is through communal worship, celebration, study, a commitment to Israel and its people, and the practice of mitzvoth by applying the principles of Judaism to the values and conduct of the individual, family and the society in which we live for the betterment of humanity.
For information about Bet Havarim, service schedules, D'vrei Torah, etc., visit Bet Havarim's web site at http://www.BetHavarimSyr.org, send email to info -at- BetHavarimSyr.org (please make the obvious change in the address), or phone Marty Morganstein at 637-5390 or Mel Shindler at 478-6856.
St. David's Church is located on Jamar Drive. From the intersection off Maple Drive and E. Genesee St. in Dewitt (across from Wegman's) drive south on Maple Drive and take the third right turn on to Jamar Drive. The Church is located at the end of Jamar Drive with off-street parking available. St. David's is handicapped accessible.