Taking a stand for women
Alan Zimmerman delivered 200 individually signed petitions from Bay Area Jews to Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Jewish Agency chair Natan Sharansky, the two people he feels can affirm women’s rights to pray at the Western Wall and other religious sites. “As Jews living in the United States, we petition you to support and celebrate worship at the Kotel Plaza by all Jewish women,” it began. Zimmerman, of Mill Valley, was called to act after hearing that a young friend of his daughter’s had been “spat on and cursed, simply for worshipping as a young Jew” at the Western Wall. “I am the son of a Jewish mother. I have a Jewish wife, daughter and granddaughter. It is unthinkable to me that Jewish women worshipping at the most holy site in our faith … could be subjected to such treatment,” he writes. While a recent court decision ruled that women could pray as they choose at the Wall, Zimmerman wants to continue his petition effort until Israel changes its law and is seeking “young, Internet-savvy people to pick up the ball.” To help, or sign a petition, contact him at [email protected].
Rabbi in the batter’s box
The Temple Beth Abraham softball team may have found its winning edge last week in the form of a 5-foot-3, 126-pound rabbi. After losing its first two games of the 2013 Diablo Valley Tzedakah league season, the Oakland synagogue team asked Rabbi Mark Bloom if he could suit up for a May 5 doubleheader (a few regulars were absent). Bloom, 46, is often too busy to play, but he was able to do it this time, and the results were noteworthy: a 13-6 win over cross-town “rival” Temple Sinai and a 10-6 win over Temple Isaiah in Lafayette. Bloom is quick to note, however, that he didn’t have much impact on either victory.
People get ready
Why is Friday, May 31 different from any other Friday? It’s MOTown Shabbat at Etz Chayim. That’s MOT — as in member of the tribe. Whenever there is a fifth Friday in a month, “we do something a little different,” explains Ellen Bob of the Palo Alto congregation. Using a particular theme, “we replace some of the prayers with songs and see what we learn about the message of the prayer and the message of the song from the juxtaposition.” In the past they’ve chosen the Beatles and the Grateful Dead. Among the songs they’ll be singing May 31 are the Supremes’ “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” and Marvin Gaye’s “How Sweet It Is to Be Loved by You.”
Short shorts
Stanford student Maya Kornberg was awarded the George and Charlotte Shultz Fellowship for Modern Israel Studies. It was presented to her at Hillel at Stanford by two former U.S. secretaries of state — George Shultz and Condoleezza Rice. New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman added his accolades, reports Rabbi Serena Eisenberg, executive director of Hillel at Stanford … Jonnie Loughlin-Hagan of Napa received the Boy Scouts of America Silver Beaver Award from the Mount Diablo Silverado Council. The award is given to adult leaders who have made an impact on the lives of youth through service to the council. Jonnie and her husband, John Hagan, founded Cub Scout Pack 122 at Congregation Beth Shalom … A retirement party was held for Rabbi Stephen Pearce of Congregation Emanu-El in San Francisco on May 11 at the Fairmont Hotel. His final service will be June 7.
This columnist can be reached at [email protected].