Kol Ramah

Because the first day of Hanukkah was on Friday and we record Parashah Talk on Thursday, we have the 2nd Hanukkah edition of Parashah Talk for 5781. Parashat Miketz [Genesis 41:1-44:17] is the 2nd of the 3 parashiyot which focus on Joseph and his brothers. Joseph rises to 2nd in command to Pharaoh on the basis of his dream interpretation and suggested program for how to deal with the coming famine, he reencounters his brothers after 20+ years, and Benjamin is discovered to have the royal goblet. We focused on the character of Joseph, with some attention spent on the character of the butler, even comparing the butler to Haman (!). A discussion of the meaning of the names of Joseph's two sons suggests a comparison between Joseph and Moses. Along the way we talk about the possibilities and difficulties of Jews in Exile [or the Diaspora, as we like to say nowadays]. Comments welcome at [email protected]. A Happy Hanukkah to one and all on this last night of Hanukkah! Rabbis Eliot Malomet, Jeremy Kalmonofsky and Barry Chesler.

Presented by Rabbis Eliot Malomet, Jeremy Kalmonofsky and Barry Chesler. Our first Hanukkah edition of Parashah Talk! This week is parashat Va-yeshev [Genesis 37:1-40:23], the beginning of the Joseph story in earnest [we have been previously introduced to him], which will carry through to the end of the book in another 3 weeks. This week we have Joseph's dreams, his sale into slavery, his stay in Potiphar's house, and his imprisonment with the butler and baker. There is the curious story of Judah and Tamar, which, like Hanukkah, we did not have time for. At least with Hanukkah, we have another crack next week! With best wishes for a Shabbat Shalom and Hag Urim Same'ah [a peaceful Shabbat and a joyous Festival of Lights]!

Parsha Talk - Rabbis Eliot Malomet, Jeremy Kalmonofsky and Barry Chesler. This week, Va-yishlach [Genesis 32:4-36:43], the parashah covers a lot of ground; we perhaps not so much. We wrestle with the texts, particularly the wrestling match between Jacob and the angel, and the reconciliation between Esau and Jacob. Along the way we make connections to a number of other stories in the Torah, which often provides unexpected food for thought. Comments and criticisms welcome at [email protected]!

In recognition of our wonderful medical staff, Max shares medical stories from Wingdale, Lake Ellis and Camp Kee - Wah going back to the to the 1940s and 1950s. Did you know one year there was a milk shortage at camp?

Join our virtual L'Chaim Gala https://www.ramahberkshires.org/gala2020/, honoring our medical, nursing and Marp staff! December 5, 8:00 PM

Rabbi Barry Chesler writes: This week's parashah, Vayetze [Genesis 28:10-32:3], holds a special place in my heart. A mere 52 years ago I was called to the Torah as a Bar Mitzvah at South Suburban Beth Israel Synagogue, as it was then known, Park Forest, Illinois. Six years later, unbeknownst to me at the time, Carol became a Bat Mitzvah this same parashah, in University City, Missouri.

The parashah begins and ends with a journey; in-between Jacob gets married twice, fathers 12 children with 4 women, and acquires large herds. There is much to discuss; as with all the parashiyot in Genesis, the central task is deciding what not to talk about. While there is much we could have talked about, we filled our time well. Send us a message at [email protected] to let us know if you agree!

Parsha Talk is brought to us by Rabbis Eliot Malomet, Jeremy Kalmonofsky and Barry Chesler!

Rabbis Eliot Malomet; Jeremy Kalomonofsky and Barry Chesler bring us Parsha Talk! Parashat Toldot [Genesis 25:19-28:10] takes us from the birth of the twins, Esau and Jacob, to the leaving of Jacob for Paddan Aram to find a wife from among his kin and the marriage of Esau to a daughter of Ishmael to please his parents. Perhaps the two key stories are the selling of the birthright [b'khorah] and the blessing [b'rakhah] of the twins by Isaac. There is much to discuss and we get into it! Now it is your turn!!

In 1910, Joseph D. Weil founded the College Camp and Pine Forest Colony, which later became Camp Ramah in the Berkshires. In 1939, shortly before his passing, he transferred ownership of the camp to his only child, Linton Weil. In 1942, Linton left Wingdale for New York City to open a nightclub in midtown called The Riobamba. Linton still owned camp, which Joseph's widow Rose operated in his absence. Linton funded the Riobamba, however, with $45,000 that he made from camp. Inflation adjusted for today, that's nearly three quarters of a million dollars! Its namesake being a city in Ecuador, the Riobamba's decorations had a Latin American theme to them. It was also inspired by a popular club of the time, the Copacabana.

For Riobamba's opening night, Weil and his team brought in Jane Froman and the Chandra-Kaly dancers. Froman comissioned a theme song for the club, paying $50 to composer. Who was this composer? A not yet well-known Jew from Massachusetts named Leonard Bernstein! This song uses many different musical motifs as a window into meeting the different peoples and cultures who lived in Riobamba over thousands of years. The club became a huge success on day 1, partly thanks to this song being such an exciting opener. While this song itself is not well known today, Bernstein later used the material in his 1944 ballet Fancy Free.

A few weeks after opening, Weil hosted a meeting in the Riobamba with other Broadway producers to plan out President Franklin D. Roosevelt's 61st birthday, happening at the Waldorft-Astoria hotel.

The Riobamba also made history a few weeks after that, in March of 1943, when Frank Sinatra made his cabaret debut there.

Linton Weil continued running the club for just under a year, until selling out his share in October of 1943.

Another person associated with ownership of the club was infamous Kosher mobster Louis "Lepke" Buchalter. He was the head of the Murder Incorporated mafia contract killing organization and recieved the death penalty in 1944, the only American mobster to do so.

Unforunately, the Riobamba was shut down by the authorities in December of 1943, a year after it opened, due to failure to pay taxes.

Linton Weil went on to sell camp as well in 1945. Later in life, he at points owned the Wingdale Diner, and a Magnesium Quarry in Dover. He also worked as a stockbroker for Bache and Co. until his death in 1971.

Thank you to camp's pre-camp historian Max Silverstone for bringing this special tune and uniquely New York information to Radio Kol Ramah!

Parashat Chayyei Sarah [Genesis 23:1-25:18] begins with the death of Sarah at the age of 127 [and Rashi's curious comment about how she was as sinless at 100 as she was at 20, as sinless at 20 as she was at 7], and concludes with the death of Abraham, followed by the genealogy of Ishmael and Ishmael's death. The longest chapter of Genesis, 24 [67 verses], features the story of Avraham's servant securing Rebecca as a wife for Isaac. There is a lot to talk about! Questions and comments are welcome at [email protected].

Max Silverstone, cantorial student at the H.L. Miller Cantorial School - JTS and member of the music staff Camp Ramah in the Berkshires, shares his research on the history of our camp in Wingdale, NY. He has unearthed wonderful musical recordings from the earliest years of Camp Ramah as well as its predecessor on the site, Camp Kee-Wah.

From 1934 to 1963, Camp Kee-Wah operated on the property that we know as Camp Ramah in the Berkshires. It was split as Camp Kee-Wah-We for Boys (today's A-Side) and Kee-Wah-Ke for Girls (today's B side Boys Kikar from 1934-1951, and all of B-side from 1952-1963). In 1961, the camp created a vinyl record. Side two consists of the cheers of the girls’ junior camp (first 4 tracks) and camp wide Kee-Wah spirit songs (the last 5 tracks)

Max visited with Mitch Mernick for this special presentation of Kol Ramah BaBayit!

We have featured tracks from these two albums on this podcast.

The complete albums can be found at https://kolramah.us/ and www.soundcloud.com/kolramahberkshires.

Featured tracks:

An evening in Wingdale – 1965. Camp Ramah in the Berkshires

Velvel Finkelstein, David Tilman, Aviva Kligfeld

Recorded by Ken Tarlow

Asis Eskol

Ride the Chariot

Netsach Yisrael

Chorale

Hassidic Service

Kee-Wah Camps in the Berkshires

Directors: Isidore L Mones, Adolph Geiger

Alma Mater Recording Company, Riverdale 63, New York

Sioux Tribe

Dash

Wah Farewell

Wah Alma Mater

The latest edition of Parashah Talk, for Parashat Va-yera [Genesis 18:1-22:24] is now available. We ignored chapters 21 [birth of Isaac and banishment of Ishmael] and 22 [binding of Isaac and birth of Rebeccah], most recently read on Rosh Hashanah, a mere 7 weeks ago, and focused on chapter 19, Abraham's famous conversation with God over the fate of Sodom and Gomorrah and the curious behavior of Lot, Abraham's nephew, who, shall we say, repeatedly takes the low road, when given a choice. Comments are welcome at [email protected]. Rabbis Eliot Malomet, Jeremy Kalmonofsky and Barry Chesler. Enjoy!