1 HAMIGDALOR - CONGREGATION AM HAYAM · 2019. 6. 20. · 1 CONGREGATION AM HAYAM 4839 Market...
Transcript of 1 HAMIGDALOR - CONGREGATION AM HAYAM · 2019. 6. 20. · 1 CONGREGATION AM HAYAM 4839 Market...
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CONGREGATION AM HAYAM
4839 Market Street, Unit C, Ventura, Ca. 93003 Phone (805) 644-2899 Fax (805) 644-2887
Website: www.AmHayam.com
From The Rabbi’s Study— June 2017
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HAMIGDALOR
From The Rabbi’s Study— June 2019
From the Rabbi’s Study
Ruth and Naomi--The Impact of Chesed
When Boaz first met Ruth gathering sheaves in his fields, he greeted her with admiration,
It has been told to me all that you have done for your mother-in-law...how you leftהגד הגד לי, “your mother, your father, and the land of your birth and followed a people you had not known before.”
The Targum Pseudo-Yonatan1 explains that Boaz had received a prophetic communication that Ruth’s descendants would be bestowed the monarchy of Israel because of two deeds. The first was the care she bestowed upon her widowed mother-in-law Naomi. The second was her decision to relin-quish her life in Moab in order to live a life of hardship and poverty as a Jew. This latter has been deemed all the more remarkable because Ruth is depicted in Jewish tradition2 as a Moabite princess, daughter of King Eglon3 and granddaughter of King Balak4. The juxtaposition of these two reasons given for G!d’s rewarding Ruth’s descendants in the future with a monarchy appears strange. The second reason certainly seem so much more important than the first. Ruth’s willingness to surrender her royal position in exchange for a life as a pauper and stranger among the Jewish people, demonstrates spiritual greatness. To leave the lap of luxury and step down from the royal palace in exchange for hunger and isolation is indeed an achievement. On the other hand, the first reason cited hardly seems worthy of mention. After all, following the death of Naomi’s husband, wouldn’t it be expected, out of simple common decency, for Ruth to care for her mother-in-law? The fact that these two reasons are stated, not only in the same breath, but in this specific order, holds up for us a great lesson. Ruth’s caring for Naomi might have been overlooked as less significant had it not been placed as the primary reason. Tanakh explicitly mentions it first to teach us the value of
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1. Targum Pseudo-Yonatan is a western translation from the land of Israel, as opposed to the Targum Onkelos, which is a Babylonian targum. Its original title was Targum Yerushalmi, but was changed due to a printer’s error. It is a combination of translation, commentary, and midrash. Its dating is uncertain but seems to have been attained final form between the late eighth century and the early fourteenth century. 2. See BT Sanhedrin 105b. 3. See Judges 3:12-30. 4. See Numbers 22-24
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chesed, loving kindness, kindness performed with passion, with thoughtfulness, and with patience. It is hard to imagine how the kindness of Ruth’s care for and support of Naomi was actually greater than her even more difficult personal life decision, yet Tanakh and Pseudo-Yonatan compel us to consider this: A small chesed done in a meticulous and loving manner, with strong and sincere kavanah--intention--to do G!d’s will, to act ethically, can have a spiritual impact greater than Ruth’s monumental sacrifice to become a Jew. Ruth cared for Naomi in such a beautiful and special way that it shined forth much brighter than just a common courtesy. It was this act of heartfelt chesed that was the primary reason for deserving the eternal reward of the royal dynasty of David HaMelech (King David) and his descendants. At this time of Shavuot, when we have finally completed s’firat ha’omer (the counting of the Omer) culminating in our acceptance of Torah, our spiritual goals are--and should be--set high. Yet, we should not ignore our daily routine in our search for ways to uplift and improve ourselves. The acts of chesed--kindness--we perform should not be viewed with the same perspective that we had in our childhood--as mere good deeds or even humanitarian gestures. Rather, chesed is the hallmark of our G!d, and our chesed is the greatest emulation of G!d (imitatio Dei) that we can achieve. If we elevate our acts of chesed, infusing them with new depths of feeling and purity of intention, they can have boundless repercussions that will help merit for us the long awaited coming of Ruth’s descendant--the Mashiach (Messiah).
Rabbi J.B. Sacks
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Message from Brenda Rich
Greetings:
June is here and summer has come. Where did the first 5 months go? June brings a full month for our members and community. This coming weekend June 7th and 8th are our regular services. Friday night at 8 p.m. and Saturday at 10 a.m. Erev Shavuot begins on Saturday night but we will not be having services Saturday night.
Sunday, June 9th is Shavuot and there will be services at 10 a.m. Sunday night at 5 p.m. is our Community Shavuot kosher, dairy dinner followed by interesting discussions on the Book of Ruth led by Rabbi Sacks, Rabbis Lisa Hochberg-Miller, and Rabbi Lisa Bock. The evening is hosted by CAH, TBT, Jewish Community of Ojai and Ner Ami. There is a minimal charge of $10 per person. Please come and eat, pray, sing as we get together as a community in celebration of Shavuot.
Monday morning Shavuot continues with our service starting at 10 a.m. and Yizkor will be recited. Needless to say we need your presence at all these services.
All Family and singles have received ballots for the new budget and Board of Directors. Please return your ballots by either mailing them in or bringing them to our Congregational meeting on Sunday, June23 at 1 p.m. There has been a lot of loss in the world and in our own CAH family between our last Congregation meeting and the one on the 23rd. Let us come together as a community. Am Yisreal Hai.
Shalom
Brenda Rich
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June Birthdays
June Anniversaries
Roz & Mort Resnick 14
Andrea Massion 9
Kenny Halpern 11
Rabbi Sacks & Steven Karash 18
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Mondays with Mort
Remember!!!!!!
During the month of June there will be sessions of Mondays
With Mort at the home of Eva Lowe at 10:30 AM every
Monday except for Monday June 3rd and June 10th. Everyone
is invited to join us as we begin the Book of Bamidbar
(Numbers). Please email me if you are planning to attend any
session and if you need her address.
Question of the Month:
Which prince wanted to kill his father?
The answer can be found at
http://www.mondayswithmort.com/doyouknow.htm,
Also be sure to check out the entire Mondays with Mort web
site at
http:www.mondayswithmort.com
and the CAH
web site at www.amhayam.com .
Mort
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Get Well
Bob Packer
Sheila Myles
Fran Lande
Gail Packer
Irv Jacobs
Arnie Rich
Nancy Stein
Donna Gustafson
Isaac Javier Masnicoff
Judith Jacobson
Judye Newberger
Steven Karash
Eva Lowe
Craig Howard Gilman
Norma Van Riper
Mort Resnick
Dianne Ruthman
Ann Sperber
Herb Stein
Roz Resnick
Lee Rothschild
Beth Morales
Betty Abramson
Lois Lebman
Fil Barton
Dawn Kennedy
Bev Rosen
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SIGNIFICANT BOOK CLUB 2018-2019/5779
On Saturday, May 18, 2019, participants gathered together after Services, with plates full of good food from the Kiddush, to discuss the book “Letters to my Palestinian Neighbors” by Yossi Klein Halevi. Each chapter in the book is a letter which hopes to explain to the Palestinians the connections that Israelis have to their country. There was a lot of history packed into the book. Participants were asked to share what their connection to Israel was and what they would cover if they were to write a similar letter. Most had very intense responses ranging from Biblical reasons to historical occurrences. Rabbi Sacks shared about a group of Israeli and Palestinians who wanted to change the way peace was being negotiated.
In the end, it was clear that this book had so much to offer that further opportunities to learn and discuss the book and its subject matter should be explored.
This was the last book for this year. If you have suggestions for books for next year, please
contact Fran Lande, Adult Education chair, at [email protected].
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TREES FOR ISRAEL
Mishloach Manot Thanks
We have some more shout outs to people who helped make our Purim fundraiser a big success.
Cantor Maurice & Joanne Glick
Norma Van Riper
Fran Bagdad
Sue Cohen & Ed Palmer
Linda Nelson
Ruth & Jeff Sitzer
Thanks so much. Your support is so appreciated.
Ruthy Resnick
To Theresa Cordova
In loving memory of your father Jerry Cordova
From Brenda and Arnie Rich
To Myra Matlin
Good luck on your new home
From Brenda and Arnie Rich
To Kunstadt Family
In loving memory Of Hilda Kunstadt
Mother wife grandmother
Brenda and Arnie Rich
To Fran Bagdad
Speedy recovery
From Brenda and Arnie Rich
To Bob Fleischman
Speedy recovery
From Brenda and Arnie Rich
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People in Ventura County are hungry year-round
According to Food Share, 1 in 6 people in Ventura County are
food-insecure.
That's why we decided we need to keep a Food Share barrel in our lobby year-round. Please think about depositing non-perishables in the barrel. Bags are available in our lobby. When it's full, we'll call Food Share for pick-up. Look for the yellow barrel in our lobby.
Congregation Am HaYam of Ventura County
4839 Market Street, Unit C, Ventura, Ca. 93003 Phone (805) 644-2899
www.amhayam.com
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*Inscribed on Memorial Wall
Friday, June 7th
*Aaron Resnick, Father of Mort Resnick and Father-In-Law of Ruth Resnick
Joseph Stein, Father of Herb Stein
Sara Light, Sister of Herb Stein
Friday, June 21
*Rose Kaufman, Mother of Betty Abramson
Herman Spunt, Grandfather of Fil Barton
Sydney Becker, Father-In-Law of Renee Becker
David Goch, Father of Stephen Goch
Milton Resnick, Brother-In-Law of Irv Jacobs
Nathan Matlin, Grandfather of Myra Matlin
YAHRZEIT
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Shabbat
Ends
8:47PM
June2019 Iyar/Sivan 5779
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1
2 3
NO
Mondays with Mort
4 5 6 7
Services 8PM
Light
Candles
at 7:49PM
8 Services
10 am
Shabbat Ends
8:47PM
Happy
Birthday
Andrea Massion
Shavuot Services
10a.m.
Community
Shavuot Dinner/
Services
5 p.m. Light
candles 8:51
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NO Mondays
with Mort 10:30
Shavuot Ser-
vices 10 a.m.
Yizkor Service
Holiday ends
8:52 pm
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Happy
Birthday
Kenny Halpern
12 13 14 Happy
Anniversary Mort & Roz
Resnick
Light
Candles
at 7:52PM
15
16
Fathers Day
17 Mondays with Mort 10:30 AM
At Home of
Eva Lowe
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Happy Anniversary Rabbi Sacks
& Steven Karash
19 20 21
Services
8 p.m.
Light
Candles
at 7:54PM
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Services
10 a.m.
Shabbat Ends
8:56PM
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Congregational
Meeting 1 pm at
CAH
24 Mondays with Mort 10:30 AM
At Home of
Eva Lowe
25 26 27
28
Light
Candles
at 7:55PM
29
30
Shabbat
Ends
8:54 PM
Shabbat
Ends
8:57PM
S
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Rabbi J. B. Sacks
[email protected]———phone#323-387-0096
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
PRESIDENT Brenda Rich
phone#-805-469-0268
VICE-PRESIDENT—
TREASURER- Lois Lebman
SECRETARY - Donna Gustafson
CORRESPONDING SECRETARY-Ruth Resnick
WAYS & MEANS VP - Marc Goldman
MEMBERSHIP VP - Miriam Mack
RITUAL VP - Roz Resnick
RITUAL VP Emeritus—Milt Rothschild z”l
HOUSING VP - Neal Abramson
IMMEDIATE PAST PRES - Brenda Rich
ADULT EDUCATION VP - Fran Lande
DIRECTORS—Betty Abramson,
Andrea Massion
Lee Rothschild
PAST PRESIDENTS
Mort Resnick
Arnie Fingerhut z’l
Jerry Ruthman z'l
Peter Shack z'l
Brenda Rich
OUR VOLUNTEERS
Kiddushim - Brenda Rich
Oneg Shabbat -Fil Barton
Librarian -- Donna Gustafson
Programming
Tributes — Lois Lebman
Telephone
Purchasing — Ruth Resnick
Yahrzeits — Bev Rosen
Migdalor— Bev Rosen
Sunshine
Webmaster—Mort Resnick
Publicity