The
Ethical Culture
Society of Essex County
Calendar of Events
Arts Super Special
See Below: Work by Ron Miyashio
June 1 - June 24; Artist's reception
June 15, 2013, 5:30 - 7:30 PM
We're in the News: Lisa Novemsky & Jean Shelby
AEU Family Camp!
PLATFORM
Sunday, June 16, 2013 11:00 AM
Martha Gallahue
Reflections from the National Assemby
Social Action Committee Minutes 6-9-13
Jerry Kaplan passed away May 8, 2013.
We mourn the death of ethical society member Jerry Kaplan, 86, who passed away on Wednesday, May 8th. His son Michael wrote that Jerry “died peacefully at the home of his significant other Flo Hauer’s, with Flo and my brother Andrew present.”
Jerry Kaplan was born in the Bronx and resided in New York. He served in the U.S. Army during and after World War II. He moved to Roselle Park, N.J., in 1960 and lived there for three years before moving to Maplewood in 1963, where he remained until December 2012, when he relocated to Ocean Township.
Jerry received his bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Cornell University and his master’s degree in English from New York University. He was a writer, editor and teacher. In the field of education, he coauthored several elementary textbook series. His other publications included short fiction and articles that appeared in Commentary, The New York Times, The Jewish News, the News-Record and various journals.
Jerry was predeceased by his wife, Thelma, in April, 1999. He is survived by his loving sons, Michael and his wife, Norene, of Metuchen, N.J.; Andrew, of Astoria, N.Y., and Bruce and his wife, Kate Robin, of Los Angeles, Calif. Jerome was the beloved grandfather of Henry and Eve Kaplan. He is also survived by his loving companion, Flo Hauer.
A member of the Essex Ethical Culture Society, Jerry presented a Platform several years ago titled, “Confessions of a Liberal.” Among his many fine qualities, Jerry will also be missed for his good cheer and kibbitzing.
We plan to hold a memorial service which will include his son’s original musical composition for Jerry. Please watch for an email announcement to come.
A short video tribute to Jerry was put together with the help of family & friends that can be viewed here..
Follow-up to Our Platforms & More:
Solidarity Singers 5-5-13!
The Union Makes Us Strong!
Carolyn Dorfman Dance Company
2013 Gala Benefit and PerformanceWorld Interfaith Harmony Event
Leader's Page
We're in the News: Tina Kelley Reads
News from Bob Bender
Things to Read:
New York Times article on Where Are the Humanists?
New York Times Opinion Piece on The Blessings of Atheism
Third Saturday Arts and
Sandy Relief Fund Art Show
This quilt is on loan to the Sandy Relief Fund Art Show from Laura Williams, an 83-year-old grandmother from Virginia. Clarence Williams, Mrs. William's son, lives in Maplewood along with his wife, Dr. Dione Williams
A Statement from the Board
In solidarity with all those who experience violence from too ready access to guns, we send our condolences to the community in Newtown, CT. We acknowledge your unimaginable pain in this moment. We ask for your guidance to bring about healing and reconciliation to all in our country as we search for ways to protect the public good. We renew our determination to end denial about the roots of violence that exist inside our homes. We in Ethical Culture throughout the United States have already taken strong stands against the unrestrained use of guns and weaponry. Now we promise to do more in your names as we share your sorrow.
Martha Gallahue, Leader
Andrew B. Weinberger, President
The Board of Trustees of the Ethical Culture Society of Essex County
December 17, 2012
The Leader's Page
Social Action Committee Minutes
AEU's Fall Issue of Dialogue is now online!
An Online Game for Global Good!
Learn More: Our National Ethical Service
Vimeo of Betty Levin's September 16 Platform
2012-2013 Coffee Calendar for Members:
Please check your datesLinks to Other Ethical Societies Around the Nation!
Action Opportunities:
Valley Settlement House
Watch Here for the next collection of materials
for Valley Settlement House.Valley Settlement House of West Orange is a non-profit social service agency
and the oldest 'settlement house in New Jersey. It services families living in several neighboring townsSponsored by he Social Action Committee of the Ethical Culture Society of Essex County
Ethical Action Dialogue May 2013
(AEU publication)Article on Women in Ethical Culture
VIMEOS!! Click here:
Vimeo of Betty Levin's September 16 Platform
Fred Sebastian Memorial
Meredith Sue Willis Talk on Political Novel
Building a Relationship: ECS & Valley Settlement House
Thank you, Gus Lindquist
Progress Report for Essex Time Exchange
Fifty-three members have exchanged eighty-six hours.!
Twenty-five people ranging in age from 2 months to octogenarians, both new and experienced members of the Essex Time Exchange, convened at Ethical Culture on Ground Hog's Day to meet each other in real time and to swap services. It was an informative event wherein folks were introduced to each other and matched needed services with eager providers. Mathilde Benveniste, who serves as the coordinator, led the group through a hands-on online tutorial on the use of the computer to list and search for member services, and communicate with other time bank members.
According to the rules of time banking, no money changes hands in these transactions. It is a friendly exchange of services, measured in hours only. The Essex Time Exchange is a project that was originated here and is supported by our social action committee.
All are welcome to join!!!
For Memorial information and pictures about our late
member Fred Sebstian, click here.
Information about Ill and Recovering Members
Calendar of Events
Unless otherwise noted, programs take place at the Ethical Culture Society Building at 516 Prospect Street, Maplewood, New Jersey and are free and open to the public.
May
May 18, 2013 7:30 PM
Saturday Arts
E. Betty Levin, a local psychotheerapist and long time active member of the Essex Ethical Society, will read from her memoir, Quiet Miracles. The reading will be followed by a discussion and reception. Ms. Levin will read chapters describing her high school years, "Getting and Losing My First Job," and "How the Visiting Frank Sinatra Affirmed My Religious Ideas" plus a a long forgotten democratic version of Sinatra's "The House I Live in." Selections will also touch on Levin's troubled growing up years including antagonism with her stepmother. She will rad an imaginary letter by her mother seeking help in a fictional plea to the ultimate therapist, "My Shetyl Mother writes to Professor Freud."
Eva Bouzard-Hui will also speak her art and describe some of her activities.
Reception will follow
Azalea Party at Betty Levin's
May 19, 2013
1:30 PM - 4:00 PMEveryone is invited--
(Images from Last Year's Party)
This is an annual ECS fund raiser…Open house at home of Betty Levin’s to view her lush azaleas cascading down her backyard mountain. Wine and cheese follows. Betty would welcome a few volunteers for set-up and clean up. Call to confirm and to check for rain date….973 763-1033
Sun, May 19, 5-7 PM
All are invited to an Essex Time Exchange potluck, concert and service swap at the Montclair Unitarian Fellowship, 67 Church St., Montclair, NJ.
Time Exchange members Danny Weiss and Mary Olive Smith will perform a mix of rockin’ honky tonk and blue grass.
In addition to the food and entertainment, there will also be a Technical Help Desk for time-bank software users. Volunteers will be available starting at 7:00 pm to offer technical assistance and answer questions. Bring your laptop/tablet and/or any questions you may have. WiFi will be available to access your account.
RSVP to essex.time.bank@gmail.com
June 2013
Annual Meeting
Sunday June 2, 2013
10:00 AM
In lieu of Platform
Social Action Committee Meeting
June 9, 2013 After Platform
Social Action Committee Minutes
Folk Arts Fridays
at Ethical
Sing-along and jam with friends
Friday, June 14, 2013
Second Fridays of each month
(September through June)
Ethical Culture Society
516 Prospect St
Maplewood, NJ 07040
7:30 PM
lnovemsky@comcast.net 973 763-8293
bring acoustic string and rhythm instruments
join in playing, singing, or listening with us bring some refreshments to share
Folk Fridays have expanded to invite all crafts people in the society
to come and listen to music while doing crafts! Everyone is invited!
The Ethical Culture Society of Essex County
Ron Miyashiro’s Work to Be Featured in Sandy Relief Fund Art Show
Art work by internationally acclaimed artist Ron Miyashiro, including three major pieces that have never been exhibited before, will be added to the 3rd Saturday Arts Sandy Relief Fund Art Show currently running at the Ethical Society of Essex County, 516 Prospect Street, Maplewood, NJ. There will be an artist’s reception on June 15, from 5:30 to 7:30 pm at the Society.
The work will be on display and offered as premiums at specified donation levels in the Society’s main hall from June 1 through June 24, with the display of Mr. Miyashiro’s itself as a work-in-progress through June 7. At least half of the proceeds will go directly
to victims of Superstorm Sandy.
Miyashiro’s work was featured in the Pacific Standard Time: 1945-1970 exhibition at the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles, California and the Martin Gropius-Bau in Berlin, Germany, as well as the Now Dig This! Art and Black Los Angeles: 1960-1980 exhibition at MOMA PSI in New York and the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles, and will be on display at the Williams College Museum of Art in Williamstown, Massachusetts from July 20, 2013 through December 1, 2013. Miyashiro, a graduate of the former Chouinard Art Institute in Los Angeles, came to prominence when his work was featured along with Larry Bell, Ed Bereal, and Joe Goode in the groundbreaking, but short-lived exhibition War Babies in 1961 at the Huysman Gallery in Los Angeles. The War Babies exhibition poster created controversy in segregated Los Angeles during the early 1960’s, because of the depiction of unity among the diverse group of artists seated around a table covered with an American flag tablecloth, and their overt use of food stereotypes associated with their cultural identities.
Curator for the Sandy Relief Fund Art Show, Hilding Lindquist, noted, “Having the opportunity to exhibit major pieces of Mr. Miyashiro’s latest art work is an incredibly huge event for the 3rdSaturday Arts program at the Ethical Culture Society of Essex County. More than anything else it reflects the size of the ongoing need among victims of Superstorm Sandy in keeping with a main tenet of the art show’s mission, to remind ourselves and our community of the continuing need.”
Please attend the reception on June 15th to help create a strong show of support for the artist, who honors us with his presence. In addition to the money, the Sandy Relief Fund Art Show seeks to raise our community's awareness that neighbors are still suffering from the effects of Superstorm Sandy. View the show, come to the reception, and/or make a donation. Choose any one or more of these options and you will have contributed to our mission of helping our neighbors recover.
The Sandy Relief Fund Art Show is curated by Hilding Lindquist, coordinator for the 3rd Saturday Arts program.
Ron MiyashiroArtist's Reception June 15, 5:30 - 7:30 pmPlease join us for refreshments and to meet the artistEthical Society of Essex County516 Prospect Street, Maplewood, NJ.
July 2013
July 21 - 27, 2013
Learn more about how to build humanist community, even as we create our own humanist community and, we hope, lasting networks of connection, during this exciting and fun week.Where: the location is The MountainRetreat and Learning Center, near Highlands, North Carolina. You'll be on top of a granite cliff on the Highlands Plateau overlooking a majestic Blue Valley. You'll breathe in the pure mist of clouds swirling among an ancient and rare forest of elegant dwarf white oaks and you'll be one with your surroundings.
What:The week will be a mixture of structured and unstructured activities. You'll be able to choose activities for the week from activities such as five workshop threads (described below), a one-day rafting trip, zipline adventure or a guided hiking trip (there is an extra fee for these excursions), hiking, networking and conversation, personal meditation and reflection, catching up with your reading or writing in a peaceful natural environment, volleyball and other sports, trips to town (Highlands NC is nearby), forming spontaneous interest groups around such issues as parenting, and more.Major meeting rooms at The Mountain are equipped with wifi access. Cell phone access may be spotty due to the location, but there are pay phones on the premises.Families:Register with your children. A children's program director is being selected and we will add staff depending on registration to have one adult per 5 children. Your children ages 4-17 will experience morning and afternoon sessions stressing nature, humanist values and fun. Children will have meals with their families. Families with children must register by July 1.Workshop Threads:Arranged by title of the workshop. Each will consist of four sessions, one each Monday through Wednesday plus Friday, with Thursday being a day off for one-day adventures.Adventures in Humanist HistoryExplore the history of humanism, from the beginnings of humanistic thought in ancient times through the Renaissance, the European Enlightenment, and the nineteenth century. This is a history that spans continents as well as time, bringing us to the modern humanist movement that emerged in the twentieth century. You'll learn about Ethical Culture, the American Humanist Association, and the changes we are seeing today. PowerPoint illustrated presentation with Q & A.Fred Edwords
has a long history in organized humanism. He was executive director of the American Humanist Association and for 12 years editor of the Humanist magazine. He is past president of Camp Quest, and has served on boards of such organizations as the International Humanist and Ethical Union and the National Center for Science Education.Today he serves as national director of the United Coalition of Reason, an organization founded in 2009 that works to foster cooperation among local groups in the community of reason and launch billboard and bus ad campaigns to raise the public profile of such groups. He also serves on the adjunct faculty of the Humanist Institute, is the American Humanist Association's historian, is national director of the International Darwin Day Foundation, and sits on the Human Origins Initiative Broader Social Impacts Committee of the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.Community Building CommunicationIn the Humanist and Ethical Culture traditions there is a strong emphasis on acting so as to contribute to a more caring, just and sustainable world. How we communicate - through speaking, writing, listening or engaging in silence - can either contribute or detract from our goals. The patterns that are reinforced in our larger society don't always support connecting communication, which is essential to building a caring culture. Thankfully there are many tools we can use to bring consciousness to our communication styles so that we can truly live our values.In this workshop we will work with ideas and processes originated and inspired by Nonviolent Communication and the Center for Nonviolent Communication,cnvc.org. Founded by the internationally respected peacemaker and psychologist Marshall B. Rosenberg, NVC, or compassionate communication by which it is also known, supports us in speaking and listening in ways that foster connection and understanding. This will be a highly-participatory workshop that will at times challenge the way we habitually communicate and invite us to play with different options.Diane Kirschner has been studying Nonviolent Communicationsince 2003 with various certified trainers. She is on staff of the American Ethical Union's Lay Leadership Summer School and an active member of the Brooklyn Society of Ethical Culture (BSEC) where she utilizes her NVC skills to lead trainings and meetings. She is currently facilitating a learning and practice group at BSEC in Restorative Circles. Diane is a Humanist Celebrant and Ethical Culture officiant. She also offers personal coaching as well as other consultative services in communications, training and program development.
Ideas that Sing: Bringing Humanism to LifeHumanism represents the highest ethical values and most profound philosophical commitments ever generated by the human species, and yet these ideas and values have not swept the culture. The number of self-identified Humanists is small, and our movement has not achieved major growth in the past few decades, even given the rapid increase in the number of people who consider themselves nonreligious. Why? Because we have failed to make our ideas sing: we haven't told the story of Humanism in a way that grips and thrills people. This workshop thread will explore techniques to overcome this problem, including the use of powerful, emotionally engaging narratives, the subtle art of persuasion, and the role of the arts in creating a compelling message.With these techniques you will be able to bring your Humanism to life in a way which excites and inspires people - and makes them want to join us.James Croft is the Research and Education Fellow at the Humanist Community at Harvard, where he works on the Humanist Community Project, helping build communities for nonreligious people. He is a graduate of the Universities of Cambridge and Harvard, and is currently studying for his Doctorate in the philosophy of education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education while training to become a leader in the Ethical Culture movement. He is an in-demand public speaker, an engaging teacher, and a passionate activist for human rights. James was raised on Shakespeare, Sagan and Star Trek, and is a proud, gay Humanist.
Living Ethics: Living Our Values, Humanist StyleA pioneer of American humanism, John Dietrich, defined humanism as "human responsibility for human problems." Ethics is the word we use as humanists to describe, not rules in some rulebook, but a living process involving active reflection and reflective action directed to solving human problems. Ethics is about how we as individuals relate to other individuals, groups, and the world, so at its core, ethics is about relationship. In this interactive workshop, we'll explore ethical values, principles and processes, as individuals. We'll also explore processes and tools for building communities that embody humanist values.Jone Johnson Lewis, a third generation humanist, is an Ethical Culture Leader, currently serving the Northern Virginia Ethical Society. She has been interim director of the American Ethical Union, was ordained as (a quite humanist) Unitarian Universalist minister, and was a founder of and on the staff from 1996 - 2006 of the AEU's Lay Leadership Summer School. She was a signer of Humanist Manifesto 3. A graduate of the Humanist Institute, Jone also served as co-mentor for two subsequent classes at the Institute. Before turning to humanist leadership as a profession, Jone had a successful career in training and executive management in several Fortune 500 corporations.
New Paradigm for Living on Earth - Peacefully and SustainablyFor the last five thousand years or so humanity has lived in a kind of dominion over the Earth and all of its creatures, including other humans. The ways of life that led to survival and progress for many hundreds of years seems no longer adaptive to the realities we have created and are facing -- radical climate change, overpopulation, violence, war, and destruction of the environment of which we are an interdependent part. What must we do to avoid catastrophe for the human race and other creatures? This will be an interactive and creative series of sessions. Come ready to participate.Joy McConnell is an Ethical Culture Leader, former AEU director of Religious Education and Growth and Development. She is a graduate of the Humanist Institute. She was a developer of the Lay Leadership Summer School and on its staff from 1996-2008. She is currently consulting Leader for Ethical Society of Asheville, NC.
SupportSupport staff for the week will include a child program director (currently being selected), as well as "Deans" for the week to help coordinate: Law'nence Miller of the American Ethical Union, and Bill Lewis of the Northern Virginia Ethical Society.Getting to the MountainIf you are driving, maps are available at The Mountain's website: Directions Plan to arrive between 3 and 6 p.m. on Sunday, July 21, and leave after lunch on Sunday, July 28.If you are flying into Atlanta, you can rent a vehicle there and drive yourself. Or, you can arrange a shared van service at cost -- contact the AEU office (212 873 6500 for details). If you are flying and want to use the van service, in order to deal with traffic issues, schedule yourself on a plane arriving no later than noon on Sunday, July 21, and a return flight leaving Sunday, July 28, no earlier than 6 p.m.Accommodations
Most rooms are doubles. Some are in the main Lodge, some in cabins. If you are planning to room with someone, please specify that on your registration form. There are accessible rooms and meeting spaces; please let the AEU office (212 873 6500) know your specific needs so we can accommodate you.CostThe cost for adults to participate is $1200 for the week - double occupancy (single rooms are available at an additional cost), meals and the standard programming (workshops, self-hikes, for example). Participants must arrange and pay for their own transportation costs - there will be an airport shuttle from the Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport to the Mountain made available for a round-trip fare of $150 per person. We will also offer a day long rafting trip and/or a Zip-line adventure for an additional fee. To reserve a seat on the shuttle or one of the paid excursions, please contact the AEU office for details (212 873 6500).The cost for children ages 4-16 is $600 for the week, including room with family, meals and the children's program. Children under 3 are welcome to accompany parents at no additional cost.Find us on Facebook:Adventures in Humanist CommunityRegistrationFees include room, meals, and most programming (see special program fees, below) for Sunday through Saturday.
- Fee summary (one per family)
- Housing/food registration (one per family)
- Workshop/activity registration (one per family)
- Payment information or check
Note: Please save a copy of your registration forms for your records. Copies of the blank forms should be downloadable from http://www.aeu.org/.Adventures in Humanist Community Registration/Fees SummaryName(s):(include one summary per family, one housing/food registration per family, and one workshop/activity registration per adult)
Ongoing
Sandy Relief Art Show Continues--
See Art Works in Public Spaces at the Society
The Sandy Relief Fund Art Show uses the transformative power of the arts to bring us together in common purpose as we struggle to understand and cope with our changing world.Sandy Relief Fund
Art Show Events
Folk Arts Fridays
at Ethical
Sing-along and jam with friends
Second Fridays of each month
(September through June)
Ethical Culture Society
516 Prospect St
Maplewood, NJ 07040
7:30 PM
lnovemsky@comcast.net 973 763-8293
bring acoustic string and rhythm instruments
join in playing, singing, or listening with us bring some refreshments to share
Folk Fridays have expanded to invite all crafts people in the society
to come and listen to music while doing crafts! Everyone is invited!
Tuesdays
11:00 AM - 12:00 Noon
Chair Yoga
Current Newsletter
(In order to read this, you need Adobe Acrobat Reader,
which can be downloaded free if you click here.)
Interested in Joining our Society?
Call Barbara Cotler 973-762-5287
Small weddings, Bar and Bat mitzvahs,
Graduation parties, etc. Call 973-763-1905
For more informaton about the
Ethical Culture Society of Essex County, call 973-763-1905
The Ethical Culture Society of Essex County
516 Prospect Street, Maplewood, NJ 07040
Employee Legal Notice: Click here for Mandatory Notice from the
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