June 2001 - סִיוָן .. תַּמּוּז תשס״א Sivan..Tammuz 5761

In June, after a full year of preparation, two of our young people will become B'nai Mitzvah. Note the proper use of the Hebrew term. A young person becomes a בַּר־מִצְוָה Bar Mitzvah, a Son of the Commandments, or becomes a בַּת־מִצְוָה Bat Mitzvah, a Daughter of the Commandments. He is never Bar Mitzvahed, Sonned of the Commandments. She is never Bat Mitzvahed, Daughtered of the Commandments. Neither does he have a Bar Mitzvah. His parents have the Bar Mitzvah; they have the Son of the Commandments. Similarly she does not have a Bat Mitzvah.

Rachel Feldman will become a Bat Mitzvah on June 22nd and 23rd. Jonathan Buchalter will become a Bar Mitzvah on June 29th and 30th. Rachel and Jon have been studying all year with their classmate, Ginnie Saunders, who was recently elected to the Temple Beth Sholom Board of Directors. Obviously, Ginnie is not a 13-year-old. Actually Dr. Saunders is a full professor at San Francisco State and UC San Francisco Medical School. She is not now a child prodigy; (she may have been when she was a young girl). Rather Ginnie is studying to become an adult Bat Mitzvah on August 4th along with Dr. Ethie Davis. Ethie has chosen to study independently with me. Both Ethie and Ginnie did not publicly become B'not Mitzvah on their thirteenth birthdays and have pursued different routes to the same goal, that is accepting the responsibility of the mitzvot.

Becoming a Bar or Bat Mitzvah means that an individual has accepted the obligation of doing mitzvot, fulfilling the commandments decreed through our tradition. One does not have to be called to the Torah to become a Bar or Bat Mitzvah; one automatically becomes responsible to perform the mitzvot on the thirteenth birthday. (Technically, when accompanied by the physical signs of maturity on her twelfth birthday, a girl becomes responsible for the mitzvot. In an egalitarian age, boys and girls are equal, and all girls are equal regardless of physical maturity.) Just as marriage does not change the love that one feels for his/her partner, being called to the Torah does not make someone a Bar or Bat Mitzvah. The wedding ceremony and the Aliyah to the Torah become the public declaration of commitment, in the former case to one's life partner, and in the latter case to God and the mitzvot. All of us, every Jew, is a Bar or Bat Mitzvah, an individual committed by tradition, history and faith, to fulfill the commandments commanded to us at Mount Sinai. God dictated it, Moses wrote it down, and we accepted the responsibility. How blessed we are.

From now until they become B'nai Mitzvah, Rachel, Jon and Ginnie, help the cantor and me lead worship. Don't wait for a special occasion. Come to the synagogue and practice your prayer skills. Come to the synagogue and fulfill your obligation as a Bat or Bar Mitzvah.

Shalom, shalom,

—Rabbi Harry A. Manhoff, Ph.D.

Dr. Lillian Zucker, zikrona livracha

On Thursday, May 10th, Dr. Lillian Zucker, z"l, the widow of our beloved Rabbi John J. Zucker, passed away. Many will remember that “Mrs. Zucker” as the rebbitzen was called, not only supported her husband as the Rabbi of Temple Beth Sholom for 38 years, she also taught in the Sunday School and directed the choir.

Dr. Zucker had a Ph.D. in European History and French Literature, being one of the last Jewish women to earn a Ph.D. in Nazi Germany. Up until the outbreak of World War II, Rabbi and Dr. Zucker remained in Germany helping as many children to escape to England via the Kindertransport. Together they made a new life in the United States, mostly in California, specifically here in San Leandro. Rabbi and Dr. Zucker raised three wonderful children, two of whom became rabbis like their father.

Dr. Lillian Zucker and Dr. John J. Zucker were גְדוֹלֵי הַדּוֹר gedolei ha dor, true leaders of their generation. Their contributions to our community and to the greater community have been legendary, and they will be sorely missed. Zikronam livracha, may their memories be for blessing.

May

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