Crain’s: The first of several properties in Brooklyn Heights that were recently put on the market by the Jehovah’s Witnesses has been sold. The price paid was $7.1 million, slightly under its asking price, according to Massey Knakal Realty Services, the brokerage that was retained to sell three of the Witnesses’ buildings valued at a total of $18.45 million in the neighborhood.
The five-story, 20-unit elevator building at 50 Orange St. was sold in an all cash deal, said Robert Knakal, chairman of the brokerage. The sale closed on Dec. 13. The Jehovah Witnesses’ business arm, the nonprofit Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, bought the property for an undisclosed sum in 1988 and used it as a residence for the members of its religious order. Last year, the group, which is thinking about moving its headquarters upstate, decided to sell the property along with seven other buildings, ranging from a carriage house to a seven-story apartment building.
The new owner of 50 Orange St. was not disclosed. A spokesman for Jehovah’s Witnesses confirmed the sale, but referred further comment to Mr. Knakal.

Chabad.edu: Welcome to “Extreme Sports: Jewish Style.” I’ll leave the suicidal skateboarding to the kids. Being a rabbi, I’m more of a dreidel blackbelt!

While they aren’t as transformative as the Kabbalah or as lucrative as a lottery win, I’m uniquely qualified to reveal to you another very powerful secret of the universe: the Upside Down Dreidel Spin.

This is the bubbie of all spins, but in the spirit of Chanukah, remember: just as the oil in the temple burned for eight days, a great dreidel player must cultivate patience and perseverance in order to master this move.

The Brooklyn Heights Association’s executive director Judy Stanton cautions that Watchtower property sales may cause a major issue in the area. “Right now, we don’t have the schools capacity to support an influx of residents with children,” she says.

But most interestingly is this passage about some “regular” folk who still live there:

NYT: The group took over the building in a state of disrepair in 1983, renovated it in 1988, and in summer 2010, turned it into a 224-room hotel. Five residents who lived there before 1983 remain in their apartments, Mr. Devine said.

“We’re just extras,” said one of them, Monica Grier, 83, laughing.

Ms. Grier, originally from England, moved into the two-bedroom apartment on the 11th floor with her husband, George, in 1956. She is grateful for the infusion of polite activity, recalling the female screams she heard when part of the building was a seedy single-room occupancy hotel. Until last summer, the hallways were mostly silent except during the Witnesses’ special events.

When her husband died in 1988, she decided to stay. She first paid $300 in rent; now she pays $800. She said staff members treated her well and had not tried to proselytize to her.

Daisy Diamontopulos, 80, who has lived on the 10th floor since 1965, said the same. “I am a Roman Catholic and that doesn’t bother them,” she said. “I put my Christmas decorations on the wall. They come to my home, they invite us to theirs.”

Both she and Ms. Grier hope they will be able to stay through whatever incarnation is next for the Bossert.

Fr. Michael Lapsley was born in New Zealand and ordained in Australia. In 1973 he went to South Africa as a young Anglican priest where he became chaplain to both black and white students at the very height of apartheid oppression. He was elected National University Chaplain in Durban in 1976, the year of the Soweto uprising in which many black school children were shot and killed. Fr. Michael began using his public platform to speak out on behalf of students who had been shot, detained, and tortured, and was soon was expelled from South Africa. He spent the next 16 years in Zimbabwe as chaplain to the liberation movement in exile and in April 1990, three months after Nelson Mandela’s release from prison, he was sent a letter bomb from agents of the South African apartheid regime, disguised as religious literature. In the blast, he lost both hands, the sight of one eye, and was severely burned.

In 1993, after returning to South Africa, Fr. Michael became chaplain of the Trauma Centre for Victims of Violence and Torture in Cape Town and in 1998 he formed the Institute for Healing of Memories. The Institute offered crucial support to address the emotional and spiritual needs of survivors of apartheid and has since worked with victims of war, violence, and genocide in places like Rwanda, Burundi, Northern Ireland, Sri Lanka, and East Timor. In South Africa, the Institute now works with people with HIV/AIDS, prisoners, victims of gender-based violence, and refugees. Recently, it has begun training the staff of an agency in East Harlem, New York City, which operates a shelter for abused, disabled women.

Fr. Michael’s own experience of inner healing has helped him connect with people in countless cultures who experience systemic violence and personal pain. He challenges individuals and communities to move through a journey of healing towards forgiveness and reconciliation. He has been awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the University of KwaZulu Natal in recognition of his work in South Africa and around the world.

One interesting passage closes the piece by Linda Collins regarding the group’s involvement in their rural community:

Brooklyn Eagle: The organization is also known for helping its surrounding neighborhood, which included building a park in Brooklyn.

The Times Herald-Record reported that in the Ulster County town of Shawangunk, where the Witnesses have property in the hamlet of Wallkill, they helped the town demolish and rebuild its town hall.

The organization has its printing facilities in Wallkill as well as a farm.

“We do beef farming for the table and also fruits and vegetables that grow well up there,” Devine said.

Crain’s NY Business writes about how our local electeds and others are already licking their chops over the potential buyers, uses and tax revenue resulting from the sale of the Watchtower properties in Brooklyn Heights.

Crain’s NY Business: “There is great potential here to transform the surrounding neighborhoods,” said Marty Markowitz, Brooklyn borough president.
Even with the sale likely a few years away, he and others are dreaming big about what could be. For the city, the sales could return the holdings of the largest landlord in Brooklyn Heights and vicinity—the nonprofit Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, the Witnesses’ business arm—to the city’s tax rolls. The move could net City Hall millions of dollars a year in revenue.
Meanwhile, backers of the nearby Brooklyn Bridge Park have already tentatively factored the sale of some of the Witnesses’ properties into the park’s long-range funding plans, and developers are eyeing the possibility of vast amounts of new housing and office space. The Witnesses themselves offer some other suggestions.
“These would be good for universities or a senior-housing operator,” said Richard Devine, a spokesman for the Witnesses, referring to half a dozen buildings linked by brightly lit, spotless tunnels that the Witnesses dug over the last 35 years.

Today was the Feast of St. Francis, and Grace Church celebrated with a blessing of the animals at the 5:00 p.m. service. Here the Rector, the Rev. Stephen Muncie, administers a blessing–holy water delivered via a dogwood sprig–to Wellington, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, held by proud owner Stacey Mankoff. More photos and text after the jump.

Calico kitty Samantha receives her blessing impassively, while “big sister” looks on appreciatively.

Annabelle, a French bulldog, seems to find the blessing blissful.

The Holbrookes’ Hicks Street hens were on hand, but this year no eggs were laid.

Apart from some baby chicks that accompanied the Holbrooke hens, the smallest creature blessed was Aloysius Mahoney, a.k.a. Little Bird.

This Sunday, September 18, the Brooklyn Heights Synagogue, 131 Remsen Street (between Clinton and Henry) will hold an open house and learning workshops in preparation for the High Holy Days. A study session with the Rabbi will start at 10:00 a.m., followed by High Holy Days workshops (“fun for the whole family”) from 11:15 to 12:30 p.m. Immediately after, lunch, featuring delicacies from Shelsky’s Smoked Fish, will be served (I’m tempted to show up for this, and I’m not Jewish). All day, you may explore membership, the religious school, the Judaica shop, the women’s homeless shelter, and events and committees. All free and open to the public. For more information, call 718-522-2070.

Dr. Ahmad Jaber, President of the Dawood Mosque, located on State Street in Brooklyn Heights, reads from an English translation of the Qu’ran, Chapter 6, verses 151-153.

Rabbi Samuel Weintrob, of the Kane Street Synagogue, Cobble Hill, chants in Hebrew a passage from the Book of Lamentations.

Other speakers at the gathering were: Rev. Julie Slok of the Danish Seaman’s Church, who read a Biblical passage in Danish; Deborah Hallen of Congregation Mount Sinai; Fr. James Root of Our Lady of Lebanon Maronite Cathedral; Imam Abdallah Allam of Dawood Mosque, who chanted in Arabic the Qu’ran passage read in translation by Dr. Jaber; Rev. Dr. John McGinty of Grace Episcopal Church; Rev. Jude Geiger of the First Unitarian Congregational Society; Brother Thomas Grady of St. Francis College; Rabbi Serge Lippe of Brooklyn Heights Synagogue, who acted as master of ceremonies; Fr. Ed Doran of St. Charles Borromeo Church; Syd Farley and Frank Kain of St. Ann and the Holy Trinity Episcopal Church; and Rev. Flora Wilson Bridges of the First Presbyterian Church.

At the conclusion of the spoken passages, the people were invited to join in singing “America the Beautiful.”

On Sunday, September 11, 2011, at 3:00 p.m., St. Ann and the Holy Trinity Church will host Sanctuary STILL, a community event to honor the spirit of Brooklyn and its particular perspective on our nation’s loss, recovery, and renewal ten years after the attack and destruction of the World Trade Center. The church is located at the corner of Montague and Clinton Streets in Brooklyn Heights.

SANCTUARY STILL will include spoken word, music, and video presentations. Presenters will include Borough President Marty Markowitz and other elected officials, Brooklyn-based writers Tiphanie Yanique and Tim McLoughlin, first responders from the fire and police departments, faith leaders, and community members. Music will be provided by the Brooklyn Symphony Orchestra, the String Orchestra of Brooklyn, Grace and Spiritus Chorale of Brooklyn, and St. Ann’s Choir and organ.

The event is free and will last about 1 ½ hours with a reception to follow in the Parish Hall.

More information is available at the Church’s website or by calling 718-875-6960.

Plymouth Church of the Pilgrims, the historic Brooklyn Heights institution on Orange Street announced today that is returning to its original name. The congregation will now be known as Plymouth Church, just as it was when the legendary Henry Ward Beecher preached there.

“Of the Pilgrims” was added in 1934 when Plymouth merged with the now defunct Church of the Pilgrims on Remsen Street (it is now the Our Lady of Lebanon Maronite Cathedral).

Why the change and new logo? Read the full press release after the jump.

Plymouth Church Press Release: Brooklyn, NY. In seeking a new identity for a renewed congregation, Plymouth Church—the historic landmark Congregational Church in Brooklyn Heights—looked to the past. The congregation began its life in 1847 as Plymouth Church with the celebrated Rev. Henry Ward Beecher as its first settled minister. It was not until the 1934 merger with Church of the Pilgrims, a fellow Congregational church on Remsen Street in Brooklyn Heights, that the name Plymouth Church of the Pilgrims first appeared.

In recent years, the idea of abandoning the composite name gained support within the Plymouth congregation. “Many members felt it was a clumsy hybrid name for a congregation that sees itself as vital and rejuvenated,” explains Senior Minister Rev. Dr. David C. Fisher. “Our goal was to modernize without losing a sense of Plymouth’s rich history. Returning to the name Plymouth Church felt like the perfect solution.”

Before launching as Plymouth Church minus “of the Pilgrims,” the congregation embarked on a process of self-learning and discovery to better understand its current attributes and goals. Beginning in the spring of 2010, a group of volunteer members experienced in branding and identity development (Timothy Malefyt, Peter Bysshe and Tony Kleckner) led focus groups, interviews and discussions with church leadership. According to Sandra Deming, President of the Plymouth Council, most of the congregation was already using a shortened name for the church. “Today’s members think of this place as ‘Plymouth,’” she points out. “The concept of ‘Pilgrims’ is not central to the draw that brings people to the church.” In May 2011, following approval of the name change, the Plymouth Council adopted a new mission statement to better focus and support church decision-making and communications, together with a new tagline, “Knowing God. Growing together.”

With the adoption of a new tagline and a shortened name, Manhattan-based graphic designer Alan Barnett revised his 2004 identity for Plymouth Church of the Pilgrims, retaining the existing multi-colored cross design. The new logo for Plymouth Church will begin appearing on church banners, signage and print materials in early September.

Sunday, September 11 will be the tenth anniversary of the attack on the World Trade Center, and on that day, starting at 3:00 p.m., St. Ann and the Holy Trinity Church, at Clinton and Montague streets, will host “a community event to honor the spirit of Brooklyn and its particular perspective on our nation’s loss, recovery, and renewal.”

SANCTUARY STILL will include spoken word, music, and video presentations. Presenters will include elected officials, first responders from the fire and police departments, Brooklyn-based authors, faith leaders, and community members. Music will be provided by the Brooklyn Symphony Orchestra, the String Orchestra of Brooklyn, Grace and Spiritus Chorale of Brooklyn, and St. Ann’s Choir.

On September 11, 2001, the St. Ann’s parish opened its doors to provide sanctuary for members of the Brooklyn Heights community and people fleeing lower Manhattan across the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges. The building was a haven for many afterwards and remains in continuous use for weekly worship, quiet contemplation, and as a venue for arts and community programs.

In announcing the event, the Rev. John E. Denaro, St. Ann’s Priest-in-Charge, said, “All of Brooklyn, in gathering spots like St. Ann’s, was and remains a sanctuary—a reality this community observance of 9/11 will honor a decade later. The participation of so many representing the diversity of Brooklyn promises to make this a profound and memorable tenth anniversary tribute.”

The public is invited to attend. The event is free and will last about 1½ hours with a reception to follow in the Parish Hall.

More information is available at the Church’s website or by calling the church office at 718-875-6960. Photo courtesy of The Smoking Nun.

Brooklyn Paper: The deal calls for the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society’s holdings in Brooklyn Heights and DUMBO to be rezoned for residential use — a change that real-estate experts believe will send the value of the Society’s properties well north of $1 billion.

“If they put them on the market now, they’ll be sold very quickly,” said Downtown real-estate broker Chris Havens.

The deal between Mayor Bloomberg and state officials will reduce the amount of luxury condos inside Brooklyn Bridge Park by capturing property taxes from the Watchtower properties after they are sold. The money will be diverted from the city general fund to pay for maintaining the world-class park at the foot of two wealthy neighborhoods — and that has green advocates seeing red.

Brooklyn Heights realtor Donald Brennan pondered the worth of the Watchtower portfolio in a BHB guest post last summer.

MK Press Release: Located in the heart of Brooklyn Heights on the southeast corner of Orange and Hicks Streets, 50 Orange Street is a five-story elevatored apartment building containing a total of 20 residential units. Of the 20 units, 10 are studios and 10 are one-bedroom units. The building is approximately 15,355 gross square feet including the cellar. In 2006, a renovation of the property was completed including the installation of a new elevator and central heating and air-conditioning system. The property also features views of the Manhattan skyline, harbor, and bridges from the upper floors.
The building will be delivered vacant, which is rare for this size and location, making this property ideal for an institutional level user or an investor as it can be immediately rented at market levels or converted to condominium ownership. The asking price is $7,350,000.

183 Columbia Heights is a seven-story elevatored apartment building which will also be delivered vacant. It is located between Clark and Pierrepoint Streets just steps from the Brooklyn waterfront promenade. The gorgeous residential building has been immaculately maintained and features 10’ ceilings, storage space, a bike room and laundry room. Additionally, the property features stunning unobstructed views of the Manhattan skyline, harbor, and bridges from the upper floors. The building is approximately 15,158 gross square feet including the cellar and consists of 13 fair
market apartments. The asking price is $7,650,000.

Just a few buildings away is a beautiful five-story townhouse located at 161 Columbia Heights, which consists of seven fair market units, one rent stabilized unit and two rent controlled units. The building is approximately 7,513 gross square feet including the cellar. The property is an excellent candidate for an owner user who wishes to live in a portion of the building while receiving income from the remaining apartments. The asking price is $3,450,000.

Based on its study, BAE concluded that the annual revenue to be anticipated from the alternative sources, taking into account risk factors, ranges from $2,421,000 on the most conservative assumptions to $6,951,000 on the most optimistic ones. (See page iii of the Report; these amounts are the same as in BAE’s draft report–see here.) The largest part of this ($1 million on a conservative basis; $4 million on an optimistic view) would come from creation of a Park Improvement District, which would levy a fee on properties (both business and residential) located near the park. Creation of such a District would require approval of a majority of the affected property owners. No revenues were anticipated from conversion of the Watchtower properties because of uncertainty concerning Watchtower’s willingness to pay for expedited land use review, which was the one source of revenue (apart from a potential one-time payment in consideration for redesign of the hotel planned for the Pier 1 upland so as to improve the view from apartments in the Watchtower complex) that was considered to meet the requirements of the MOU. Proposals to allow PILOTs, or similar levies, on the Watchtower properties were dismissed as violating the terms of the MOU. (See pages vii-viii.)

The projected revenues from the alternative sources, even on the most optimistic assumptions, would be far less than the anticipated annual operational and maintenance expenses of $16 million (see page 11). Therefore, if the conclusions of the BAE study are accepted, alternative sources can at best be expected to reduce somewhat the scale of housing needed to supply revenues for the park.

The Committee on Alternatives to Housing will meet this coming Tuesday, June 14, at 2:00 p.m., on the first floor of the Brooklyn Public Library, Brooklyn Heights Branch, 280 Cadman Plaza West, to consider whether to submit BAE’s report to the full board. The public is invited to attend, but no comments from the public will be entertained. Public comments were received for a period following submission of the draft report in February until April 23 (see here).

The Brooklyn Heights Synagogue, located at 131 Remsen Street (between Clinton and Henry), will hold an open house for its religious school this Thursday, May 12, from 3:45 to 5:00 p.m. At the open house, you may learn about the program, observe a class in session, and chat with other parents.

Registration is now open for new students entering grades K-1-2-3. Enrollment for Bar/Bat Mitzvah begins in Grade 3. Transfer students are welcomed in Grades 4-9. There is a Sunday or Thursday option for students entering grades K-1-2. RSVP: 718.522.2070 or email religiousschool@bhsbrooklyn.org. If you know someone who may be interested in learning more about the Religious School program, please feel free to pass this along. This event is open to the public.

The Eagle quotes the Rt. Rev. Lawrence Provenzano, Bishop of the Diocese of Long Island (which includes Brooklyn) as saying Rev. Denaro is “uniquely qualified” for the mission the Bishop envisions, that of developing new ministries in Brooklyn Heights and Downtown Brooklyn, especially an “active weekday ministry” Downtown.

seattleu.edu

First Presbyterian Church, located at 124 Henry Street, between Clark and Love Lane, has concluded its search for a new senior pastor.

Brooklyn Daily Eagle: Concluding a nationwide search lasting more than three years, The Reverend Dr. Flora Wilson Bridges will be installed as senior pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Brooklyn on Sunday, Jan. 30, at 5 p.m.

Dr. Wilson Bridges previously was a professor at the School of Theology and Ministry of Seattle University. She will be the first woman to serve as senior pastor at First Presbyterian in the church’s almost 200 year (it was founded in 1822) history. First Presbyterian is proud of the diversity, in terms of economic status, race, and sexuality, of its congregation.

Brooklyn Daily Eagle: The Dawood Mosque’s Friday noon Sabbath service on Nov. 19 had a guest clergyman, Imam Abdelhamid. I was met at the bottom of the brownstone’s steps by Dr. Ahmad Jaber, president of the Arab American Association of New York and current president of the Brooklyn Heights Clergy Association. Inside the door, we removed our shoes just as I had done in Turkey. Women, very fashionably dressed, are permitted but must worship on the second floor out of the sight of men.

The sermon was given from a short pulpit by the imam dressed in white robes…The service began with a call to worship, similar to the calls from minarets that we heard five times a day in Turkey. The subject, with quotes from the Qu’ran, was about friendship, sharing, hospitality and maintaining contact with one’s family.

In my impression, Islam—meaning “peace” in Arabic—is a very gentle religion based on much prayer. The congregation was attentive with occasional bows to the East and quiet calls to Allah, just as “Hallelujahs” spot some Christian sermons. A closing chant concluded the service. After the service, everyone near me greeted me, shaking hands just as I had seen in Turkey.

Manbeck goes on to argue that “[t]he radicalism that has been protested in America refers to an extremist fringe extant in every religion just as fanatics anywhere will maim and kill in the vain attempt to pacify their version of God.”

In 2009 two young men, Aman Ali and Bassam Tariq, decided to visit a different mosque in New York city on each of the thirty days of the holy month of Ramadan. This was documented in a blog, 30 Mosques in 30 Days. Ali’s visit to the Dawood Mosque is chronicled in this post, which includes an interior view of the Mosque, as well as photos of the food and drink served after sundown to break the daily Ramadan fast. (Photo by 30mosques.tumblr.com).

Photo: Mrs. Fink

Controversial Korean religious leader Pastor Ock Soo Park is holding a Bible Crusade this week at Plymouth Church of the Pilgrims on Orange Street. Part of the Saviorist movement in his home country,  Park reportedly did not attend an accredited seminary and his organization is mostly  known for its orange t-shirted followers who aggressively hand out flyers here and around the world.

They are generally referred to in Korea as “Saviorists,” although their precise name is Association of Korean Christian Baptists. In contrast, the name of the official Baptist organization is The Korea Baptist Convention. … Apparently, Saviorist movement started in the 1960s, when an American missionary named Dick York made Park [Ock Soo] a pastor through an informal mission. Mr. Park did not attend any established seminary. (Ask a Korean via NYT City Room)

So are they a cult? Depends on who you ask.  Some commenters on the definitive website for such things, rickross.com, seem to think it is.  However, Mr. Ross has not added Mr. Park’s Good News Mission to his official list of active cults.

We’ve contacted Plymouth Church of the Pilgrims about the group’s use of its facility and we’re awaiting a reply.
Update: Plymouth spokesperson Ann Geismar tells BHB, “The Good News Church is strictly a rental, and not affiliated with Plymouth Church or our programs. We’re not supporting them financially in any way.

As you probably know, Plymouth Church rents our spaces to other religious organizations (the Brooklyn Heights Synagogue among them) and we don’t ask that they adhere to our views on theology.”

New York Post: The Jehovah’s Witnesses could answer the prayers of locals fighting to keep more high-rise condos out of Brooklyn Bridge Park.

During a closed-door session at Borough Hall yesterday, some civic leaders and elected officials discussed having the city revise the waterfront park’s project plan to include dozens of DUMBO and Brooklyn Heights properties that the religious group has put up for sale.

The Post article credits Heights resident Tony Manheim with “leading this charge” to utilize revenues from the Witness buildings in lieu of those from newly built residential buildings within the Park itself.

Will there be another “miracle” at this year’s ceremony?

The Bossert Hotel’s lobby is something very rarely seen by Brooklyn Heights residents who are not members of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society. In 2008, it was part of the Brooklyn Heights Association’s Annual House Tour but that’s about it. The YouTube video after the jump by Michael R. Huff provides a brief peek inside its historic lobby.

Official press release after the jump.

Plymouth Church press release: Brooklyn, July 29, 2010. Plymouth Church, the historic landmark Congregational Church in Brooklyn Heights, is pleased to announce that local resident Al Bunis has been named to the newly created position of Assistant Minister. Bunis, a member of Plymouth since 1998, is a seminarian at New York Theological Seminary, where he is scheduled to receive his Master of Divinity next spring. Over the past year, he has served as Minister in Training at Christ Church, a United Church of Christ congregation in Summit, NJ.

In searching for a new minister, the Plymouth congregation is responding to significant growth in membership. Rev. David C. Fisher, Senior Minister of Plymouth Church, helped lead the search committee “at a critical juncture,” as he describes it. “The church has grown rapidly and needs to restructure our ministry in order to grow in a healthy way. The addition of an Assistant Minister is a large first step, and Al Bunis’s appointment is an exciting beginning to this new chapter.”

The role of Assistant Minister at Plymouth will encompass the development and implementation of the church’s small group ministry and an expanded youth program, including confirmation classes. Bunis will also be active in supporting the assimilation of new members, teaching Adult Education classes and leading public worship. The Plymouth Search Committee was unanimous in selecting him for this multi-dimensional role. As noted in the recent letter that Rev. Fisher and Plymouth Council President Sandra Deming sent to the congregation, “[The committee] was so impressed with Al’s character, passion and potential for ministry at Plymouth, it decided Al is the right person for the job and we should look no further.”

Al and his wife Lynn Bunis live in Brooklyn Heights with their children Alison and Gregory. Alongside his seminary studies, he has had an extensive career in New York-based financial services. An avid tennis player, Bunis also serves on the board of the New York Junior Tennis League.

Raskin (L) and Weinstein (R)

We asked Rabbi Simcha Weinstein and Rabbi Aaron Raskin to write a little something in celebration of Rosh Hashanah , the year 5771 and Yom Kippur:

In tumultuous times of social and economic upheaval, one must reflect with great poignancy on the big questions posed by the High Holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. If one were reading a chapter in one’s own book of life, this may be a time to pause and ponder what that chapter is. What are our core moral values, and are we imparting those values to our colleagues in the workplace, family members and, most of all, our children?

The last couple of years have brought much pain to many. As a community we have seen much suffering as the poor and the needy have come knocking on our doors in greater numbers than ever before. Yet Judaism offers the timeless message that happiness does not come from worrying about the possession we are yet to acquire, but rather appreciating those which we have. As we enter the year 5771, we can learn a timeless lesson from ancient texts. The year can be abbreviated as 771, and through Gematria, a system of assigning numerical value to a word or phrase, we can learn a powerful lesson for the coming year.

771 is a multiple of 3; therefore, if we divide 771 into 3, the result is 257, the very gematria of the word, “awesome” (or Nora in Hebrew). Amazingly, this word appears exactly three times in the Torah, thus solidifying its connection to the year 771. We often hear college students around the neighborhood proclaiming life as “awesome”; yet the coming year will be a triple-header awe-inspiring year.

We have all watched in amazement the “awesome” growth of downtown Brooklyn into a thriving metropolis; yet we must appreciate the awesomeness of what we have.

Judaism is a religion full of details. The great architect, Mies van der Rohe, once noted that ‘G-d is in the details.’ Yet these details are tiny brush strokes in the magnificent painting of life, which we can only appreciate if we step back and study it as a whole. This is the essence of the High Holidays, a time to step back and appreciate the whole.

May we all spend more time on the things that matter most, and May G-d write and seal all of us in the Book of Life for a good, sweet and prosperous year.

Blessings and prosperity,
Rabbi Aaron L. Raskin & Rabbi Simcha Weinstein
Congregation B’nai Avraham & Chabad of Pratt

Grace Church, at Hicks Street and Grace Court, between Joralemon and Remsen, will hold a Requiem Holy Eucharist service at 8:00 a.m. Saturday, at the time the World Trade Center towers were attacked. Grace has held a service at this time on September 11 since 2002.

lumierefl via flickr

On Sunday, September 26, Plymouth Church will dedicate a new pulpit at the worship service led by Senior Minister Rev. Dr. David C. Fisher. This special moment for the membership of the Brooklyn Heights-based Congregational Church has historical resonance beyond the walls of the church’s 19th century sanctuary.

In the years following the Civil War … an era of peace and prosperity led many prominent church members to seek new leisure, and one group led by Moses Beach, publisher of The Daily Sun, put together an ambitious plan in 1867 to take an epic passenger cruise to Europe and the Holy Land … the Quaker City voyage gave him the opportunity to bring a special gift back to Plymouth: olive wood from Jerusalem’s Mount of Olives. The wood was used to create a new pulpit as well as a chair, a baptismal font and two small pulpit tables. These were an integral part of Plymouth worship into the 1940s, whereupon a large, sleek and modern lectern arrived. Once replaced, the old pulpit was lost to history, save the original olive veneer top which had been incorporated into the new version.

With the 2004 arrival of Rev. Fisher to Plymouth Church and growth in the church’s History Ministry came new interest in building a pulpit that honored the church’s past as well as its modern presence. Plymouth member and interior designer Sabina Hemminger, trained as a woodworker in her native Germany, volunteered to undertake a design that referenced the original piece. To aid her work, photographs and documents of [Henry Ward] Beecher’s pulpit were uncovered in the Plymouth archives and Brooklyn Public Library. She then found a Brooklyn-based woodworking specialist with experience in ecclesiastical furniture named Franz Fischer. He crafted the new piece of furniture from Mediterranean olive wood, once again incorporating Beecher’s original veneer top into the design.

The new Plymouth pulpit will be dedicated on Sunday, September 26, at 11:00 a.m. Additional information is available at 718-624-4743 or at the Plymouth site, www.plymouthchurch.org.