Last Chance with Loring
I encourage you to take advantage of the opportunity this coming Shabbat (Shabbat Yachad, May 19) to spend some time with artist Loring Cornish. Following services and lunch, Loring will be leading a tour of our exhibit of his work. You will find Loring to be a delightful...
A Gift for the Museum
The Goldsmith Museum has been enriched by a new donation of a Betzalel School kiddush cup. The gift comes to us from Dee Silberman, who belongs to another area synagogue, and was donated by the Silberman family in memory of Dee's mother, Irene S. Gogel. The cup is an excellent...
Family Fare and other tidbits
It’s time to catch you up on some museum related news: The Goldsmith Museum is the first venue for Family Fare, Jewish Food Businesses in Baltimore. This traveling exhibit is the companion to Chosen Food: Cuisine, Culture and American Jewish Identity, now on view at the...
Can You Believe It?!
Can you believe it? Rosh HaShana services are over? Every year we can’t help but notice how much faster the pages of a calendar turns. When we look back, the years seem like months; months seem like days; days seem like hours; and hours seem like minutes. However,...
A Hidden Gem
In case you missed it, the Baltimore Jewish Times ran a cover article in the August 26 issue titled “The Jewish Baltimore Bucket List.” Included on the list of “18 things to do in town before you, um, die,” is a visit to our own Goldsmith Museum. The article says...
New High Holiday Music
Dear Friends, Yes it is the season to be prepared. So prepare by listening to the beautiful new music the Professional Chizuk Amuno Choir under the direction of T. Herbert Dimmock and I will introduce as we concomitantly usher in a new Machzor filled with contemporary...
A Trip to Germany and Israel with over a Hundred Cantors
It is my pleasure to invite you on an awe-inspiring Cantors Assembly journey of Heritage & Healing to Germany and Israel. As you are aware the Cantors Perlman 5 have led mometous trips in the past to Israel full of song and lasting memories that many of you attended...
Sadie Jacobs Crockin Returns to Chizuk Amuno Congregation
After a lapse of 46 years, Sadie Jacobs Crockin has returned to CAC , as we honor her many achievements as a tireless advocate for women’s rights and as founder of the Baltimore chapter of Hadassah in a special exhibit. Until August 4, you have the opportunity to view this...
Noon in Jerusalem
It was somewhere in the North, perhaps Tiberias or Tzippori. We were sitting in a circle on the dirt and studying the text from Baba Metzia. It was the well known story of the Oven of Achnai in which a clay oven is broken into parts, repaired with sand and its status...
A Trip Of A Life Time
Dear Friends, It is our pleasure to invite you on an awe-inspiring Cantors Assembly journey of Heritage & Healing to Germany and Israel. As you are aware the Cantors Perlman 5 have led mometous trips in the past to Israel full of song and lasting memories that...
Judaica Goes Mainstream
A few years ago, I participated in a week-long seminar in NYC co-sponsored by JTS and The Jewish Museum of New York. The focus of the seminar was Judaica and its use in Jewish ritual. The participants were all museum professionals, but of the eighteen attendees, more than...
Covering the Matzah - American Style
As we all know, the seder table is traditionally set with special items, including intricately decorated seder plates, Elijah's cups, and matzah covers. The Goldsmith Museum matzah cover, found in the Avodah case, is one such object. Made in the United States at the turn...
The Walls are Talking
If you have been in the Schechter lobby recently you might have heard the walls talking. For the past weeks parents, students, alumni, faculty and community members have been painting murals on the walls in honor of Krieger Schechter’s 30th anniversary. I’ve been keeping...
Watch Our Torah Writing Opening Ceremony
My favorite reaction from last Sunday’s Torah Writing Opening Ceremony is the overwhelming reaction of joy and inspiration everyone is sharing. In that celebration we did what we always intend to do when we gather as a synagogue community. We found our community’s voice...
Bob..."and you shall be a blessing..."
Bob Hallock masterfully conducted and arranged the Debbie Friedman song, Lechi Lach, that filled every crevice in the historic walls of our magnificent sanctuary on Sunday. The enormous time and energy that he put into this worthy endeavor enabled voices and hearts...
Great Kick-Off to the Torah Writing Campaign
The shul was packed on Sunday for the kick-off to the Torah writing campaign. It was a joyous, mostly informal event. The procession of Torah scrolls was accompanied by live klezmer music. Rabbis Shulman and Wechsler exchanged quips at the bimah. Then Rabbi Moshe Druin,...
Gala Museum Celebration
A very special evening is coming up on Saturday night, January 22 – we are celebrating the 10th anniversary of the opening of the Goldsmith Museum and I would like to see you all there! We have a lot to celebrate, since our museum is one of the most widely recognized synagogue...
Jew Vs. Jew in NYC starring Hazzan Perlman
Hazzan Perlman is starring in a new musical that is being reviewed and assessed by Broadway producers and directors next month at a showing in New York City. He will be performing the role of "vaht else" but "de" Hazzan of a shul in Upstate New York. "Kimber Road: Jew vs...
Fiftieth Anniversary of Our Majestic Sanctuary
A huge thank you to Bev Fine Serpick for the great article about the 50th Anniversary of the Chizuk Amuno Congregation Sanctuary. Please click on the article: Click here: Chizuk Amuno celebrates completion of sanctuary - Community Times: Social Shabbat Shalom, Hazzan...
Day at the Museum
“Dad, if our kitchen blender is on display in a museum case, don’t you think its time to buy a new one?” Robin and I laughed at our daughter’s question. Our family was in the middle of visiting the new National Museum of American Jewish History in Philadelphia. ...
Hanukkah Menorahs - It's Time to Light!
There are several types of Hanukkah lamps that have been in use since the Gothic period. The earliest known hanukkiyah is a small, triangular type of lamp that was meant to hang in the doorway, opposite the mezuzah. These early hanukkiyot are only about five inches high...
Timeline Brides
Bridal Glory on the Hendler Learning Center Timeline of Jewish History As I said in my last post, there is a misconception that bridal gowns have historically been white and lacey. On the Timeline of Jewish History in the Hendler Learning center, you can see several miniature...
Jewish "Angels" Sing at the Basilica
A Disclaimer: On Novemeber 21 the Ravens have an away game at 1:00 p.m. that you can record. An Invitation: On November 21st the Chizuk Amuno Professional Choir and Hazzan will participate in a rare historic Baltimore community event at 2:00 p.m. that you can plan to be...
Tunisian Veil
A common misconception is that wedding gowns and veils are always of the white, lacey type worn by contemporary brides. This is actually a modern (19th century), European custom. There are two places in the museum where you can see examples of other bridal types of costumes:...
"If These Walls Could Sing"
On Friday, October 29, 2010, from 7;30-8:30 p.m, our Congregation will become time travelers. We will recreate Jules Verne's "Time Machine" and transport everyone back into time to relive majestic and captivating melodies. This is a rare and unique opportunity, to sit...
Shabbat Mini-Tour with Wendy Davis
It is frustrating to be in the dark about the origins of many of the beautiful works of art we have in our museum: each piece in our collection is here because of a narrative that, for most objects, is unknown. If only a certain pair of rimmonim inscribed in honor of a mid-19...
Angels in the Infield
The greatest choir directors in the world, during passionate choral conducting moments of liturgical masterpieces, experience an intense "feeling of oneness" with all of their choir members; their audience for the most part made up of perfect strangers and...
If These Walls Could Sing
Friday Night October 29th the Chizuk Amuno Sanctuary's walls will release its memories and sing in harmony melodies that have been sung by previous Hazzanim, choirs, grandparents, great-grandparents and even great-great-grandparents. A recent article (September 8, 2010) in...
Holding History
A few days ago, on one of these gorgeous late summer days we’ve been privileged to enjoy, I was looking out over the South River down by Annapolis. About 50 museum specialists from the Annapolis - Baltimore – Washington, DC area had gathered for a one day conference...
Marc R. Kivitz
We are blessed that Marc not only dedicates his time to the Chizuk Amuno Professional Choir but for the many selfless acts of gemilut hasadim that he does on behalf of so many in the community. Marc R. Kivitz served as Law Clerk to the late Honorable Harvey M. Lebowitz,...
High Holiday Baltimore Radio Show
Saturday Night September 11, 2010 WBJC 91.5FM 9 p.m. This past Sunday Herb Dimmock and I were interviewed on WBJC regarding the upcoming 50th Anniversary of our glorious Chizuk Amuno Sanctuary. Jonathan Palevsky, live on the radio, wanted to know how many previous incarnations...
Caitlin Vincent
Chizuk Amuno Congregation is so fortunate to have so many talented vocalists chanting our holy prayers with "musical precision" in the Chizuk Amuno Choir throughout the year. Caitlin Vincent Caitlin loves to reminisce about her family experiences. One of Caitlin’s favorite...
Silver Polishing Time
It’s silver polishing time at Chizuk Amuno – silver in the museum cases, Torah silver from all over the building, and silver pieces brought in by congregants to be polished as part of our annual Holiday Sparkle fundraiser. Do you know how when you clean your house for...
Judy Chernak
The enormous talent in our choir is what gives it the spiritual "sound" and depth. Judy is a former teacher of music, language and crafts in private schools. An experienced performer and lecturer in piano, song and storytelling, she has appeared in Baltimore, Washington...
Singing our Hearts out for the High Holidays
I really get psyched around this time of year. Most people's favorite holidays are hanukah or passover, but mine is definitely rosh hashanah. For me, my high holiday season always kicks off with my birthday. I usually joke to my friends and family that, since my hebrew...
Albert Niedel
Beginning today this column will feature members of our incomparable professional synagogue choir. Many of you may not be aware just how illustrious and accomplished each member of our choir is. We begin with Albert Niedel. Mr. Albert Moshe Niedel is a Lyric-Dramatic Baritone...
Detective work
I have the perfect job. It’s perfect for me, anyway. As curator of the Goldsmith Museum and the Hendler Learning Center of Chizuk Amuno Congregation, I interact daily with beautiful objects, old and interesting books, and documents about the history of this community....
