PARSHAT TETZAVEH Shabbat ZachorFeb 24, 2018 · Hollywood Police will control the light this Friday...
Transcript of PARSHAT TETZAVEH Shabbat ZachorFeb 24, 2018 · Hollywood Police will control the light this Friday...
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YOUNG ISRAEL OF HOLLYWOOD-FT. LAUDERDALE
Rabbi Yosef Weinstock
Rabbi Adam Frieberg, Assistant Rabbi
Rabbi Edward Davis, Rabbi Emeritus
Dr. P.J. Goldberg, President
3291 Stirling Road, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33312
954-966-7877 email: [email protected] www.yih.org
PARSHAT TETZAVEH—Shabbat Zachor 9 ADAR 5778 FEBRUARY 24, 2018
TORAH READING 27:20 HAFTORAH SAMUEL I 15:1
Nach Yomi : I Samuel 14 Daf Yomi : Avoda Zarah 40
SHABBAT TIMES
Candle Lighting 6:01 p.m. Shabbat Ends 6:59 p.m.
We welcome all newcomers, visitors and guests
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Main Sanctuary will be locked while the Torah is being read, during Mussaf
Kedusha, and while the Rabbi is speaking
Contact Gerald Mayerhoff [email protected] or David Lasko
[email protected] for an aliyah or kibbud at any of the minyanim
Friday Night
6:01pm Candle Lighting Location
6:10pm Minchah/Maariv Main Sanctuary
6:10pm Minchah/Maariv Beit Midrash
6:10pm Sephardic Minchah/Maariv Library
6:10pm Ruach Minyan Rooms 1 & 2
Shabbat Morning
Parshat Zachor will be read at each minyan. An additional reading will take
place in the Sanctuary after 9:00 a.m. davening
7:00am Shacharit Minyan Main Sanctuary
8:00am Shacharit Minyan Room 1 & 2
8:15am Parsha Shiur with Rabbi Moshe Parnes Beit Midrash
8:45am Sephardic Minyan Library
8:45am Beit Midrash Minyan House
9:00am Shacharit Minyan Main Sanctuary
9:15am Parsha Class with Rabbi Yitzchak Salid Back Room of House
9:30am Youth Minyan Modular
9:30am Teen Minyan Room 5
9:41am Latest Shema Time
10:15am Mommy & Me with Morah Sonia Chapel
10:10am The Rest of the Story: Understanding the
Haftarah Rabbi Yitzi Marmorstein
Social Hall
10:15am Parsha Class with Rabbi Yitzchak Salid Back Room of House
10:45am Sefer HaMitzvot Shiur, Rabbi Moshe Parnes Beit Midrash
11:15am Teen Shiur with Rabbi Nachbar Room 5
11:30am Youth Haftorah Class with Shimmy Lazar Modular
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Shabbat Afternoon
4:00pm Chidon HaTanach Rav James’s home
5:00pm Gemara Shiur on Gittin (in Hebrew) Beit Midrash
5:00pm Daf Yomi Library
5:15pm Rabbi Weinstock’s class. Topic: Purim Ideas
to Enhance your Holiday
Main Sanctuary
5:30pm Boys Chaburah with Rabbi Brownstein Room 6
6:00pm Minchah Main Sanctuary
6:00pm Teen Minchah Room 5
After Minchah Youth Shiur & Seudah Shlishit with Rabbi
Grossman
Rooms 3-4
After Minchah Teen Shiur & Seudah Shlishit with Rabbi
Nachbar
Rooms 1-2
After Minchah Parsha Shiur with Rabbi Yossi Jankovits Beit Midrash
6:59pm Maariv Main Sanctuary
6:59pm Teen Maariv Room 5
Immediately
after Maariv
Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 5 min. class Library
Safety, Security & First Aid
“Safety & Security is everyone’s responsibility. If You See Something Say
Something!” Talk to the President, Rabbis, or Executive Director.
AED (Automated External Defibrillator) along with other first aid equipment in closet
next to Social Hall.
In an effort to improve our Security, please do not congregate in and near the
SECURITY TENT. Our Security teams needs to stay focused while they are on
duty. Any questions or concerns should be brought to the attention of the Shul
Security committee and Board of Directors.
Crossing schedule: Stirling Road at SW 33rd Avenue
Hollywood Police will control the light this Friday 5:30-10:30pm. Shabbat 7:45am-
12:30pm & 4:00-7:00pm. A custodian will manually change the light between 6:50
& 7:10am. Please cross Stirling Road in the crosswalk after all traffic has stopped.
THIS PUBLICATION GOES TO THE PRINTER ON WEDNESDAYS. ALL SUBMISSIONS MUST BE
IN THE SHUL OFFICE BY WEDNESDAYS AT NOON. THIS INCLUDES EVENTS, SPONSORSHIPS,
NAMES FOR THE REFUAH SHLEIMAH LIST.
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OUR YIH FAMILY….
Mazel Tov:
Rabbi Neil & Deborah Chames Cohen on Jacob Chames’ wedding to Esti Anflick
of Baltimore and to Jacob’s brother and sister-in-law Jonathan & Jennifer
Chames.
Marci Pachter on the engagement of her daughter Jordana to David Schmelzer of
Columbus, OH.
Jay & Michelle Mendelsohn on the birth of their grandson Jordan Alexander/
Yehudah Avraham born to Shira & Michael Shambon. Mazel Tov to Aunts &
Uncles Rachel & Jeremy White, Courtney & Seth Mendelsohn, Jared & Ari
Mendelsohn, Debbie & Carl Drucker, Caryl & Alan Mendelsohn, and to the
Dennis, Gelman, Sered, & Freiman families.
Rabbi Moshe & Mrs. Naama Parnes invite the community to a vort celebrating the
engagement of their son, Yitzchok Isaac to Elka Feder, this Motzei Shabbos,
February 24th, from 9:00 p.m. at their home in Hollywood. Mazel Tov.
Irwin & Fran Gottlieb on the birth of their great-granddaughter to Rebecca & Zach
Weinberg, and to grandparents Barbara & Jerry Weinberg, and the entire family.
Our Girl Scout troop & Cub Scout pack on 2nd in both overall campsite and
gateway competitions.
Condolences:
Danny Hoisman on the loss of his mother, Nomi Castle. The funeral was on
Tuesday in Los Angeles. Danny is sitting shiva at his home in Hollywood through
Monday a.m.. Shiva minyan times: Sunday 8:00am & 6:15pm., Monday 7:15am.
Melissa Naierman and Jennifer Chames on the loss of their grandfather Aaron
Drachman
The “Empty Nesters thank Isaac & Joyce Ben-Ezra for organizing a successful and
enjoyable trip last Sunday to the Jewish Museum of Florida and the walking tour of
Jewish South Beach. Kol Hakavod.
Reminders
AIPAC YIH delegates: Please pick up your synagogue delegation pins
from the shul office, or see Rabbi Weinstock.
2018 Membership Directories available for pickup in the shul office.
Additional copies are $15 each.
PATCH Free Tutoring Program for YIH Middle & High School students.
Contact Larry Reiss (954) 662-3128
The Chesed House is open to out-of-town visitors, as well as to residents
whose loved ones are in hospital. Contact 786-565-2424 or [email protected]
Pesach is coming…
Please claim your coats, bags, etc. from the closets in the Shul. All items
will be donated by March 15.
Please clean out your lockers and remove all chametz by March 24th.
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7:00 a.m. Minyan
Kiddush
Rabbi Yitzchak & Penina Salid, Leonard & Ellen Hoenig, Paul & Yvonne Ginsberg, Larry & Tobi Reiss, to commemorate Parshat Zachor, and to commemorate yahrzeits
8:00 a.m. Minyan
Kiddush
Usher & Brenda Bryn in memory of her father Mosey Albert Greenberg; Bat-Sheva Elefant in memory of her father Gershon Elefant; Lenny & Risa Yudkowitz to commemorate the yahrzeit of her father, Yehoshua ben Avraham HaCohen, and upcoming 1st yahrzeit for her brother, Tzvi Hersh ben Yehoshua HaCohen; Carol Carmel in memory of her mother Joan Hirshorn; Dale & Marlene Bergman in honor of the 1st visit to Hollywood by their new granddaughter, Liana Brooke Feldman.
Teen Minyan Kiddush Sam & Deborah Rand in honor of Jacob Bean’s Bar Mitzvah
anniversary
Beit Midrash Kiddush Mor & Yitz Taub in honor of their son Sammy’s 1st birthday, to
commemorate the yahrzeit of Yitz’s great-grandfather Shmuel
Aryeh ben Chaim after whom Sammy is named; in honor of the
engagement of Rabbi Moshe & Naama Parnes’ son Yitzchok
Isaac to Elka Feder.
Youth Minyan Kiddush Yariv & Shira Miron in memory of his father Elchanan Miron
All other Kiddushim &
Seudah Shlishit
Shabbat Sponsors Group
Torah Dialogue Shua & Lori Beth Schlinsky to commemorate the yahrzeit of his
father Rabbi Milton Schlinsky
THANK YOU TO OUR SHABBAT SPONSORS
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D’var Torah : Rabbi Yosef Weinstock
The nation continues to express shock and grief over last Wednesday’s shooting at Marjory
Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland. On Monday I visited three of the shiva homes,
where I offered my condolences on behalf of myself and the Young Israel of Hollywood
community. I was glad to see and hear that other shul members similarly made shiva visits.
In Israel, when a family loses a loved one to terror it is common for the shiva house to
be visited by strangers who may not have known the victim, nor even the family. They come
because they want to show that the Jewish People are one big family. A loss experienced by
one is felt by all. This is especially true when the death occurred due to a terrorist act. Those
not personally impacted by the tragedy know that “it could have just as easily been me”. It
reminds them of the frailty of the human condition. Though they can’t feel that pain nor take
it away from the grieving family, they want to visit the shiva house- to at least envelop the
family with love and to show solidarity. I think that strangers in Israel also show up at these
shivas as an act of defiance. Terrorist acts in Israel are meant to scare Jews out of living our
lives, and dissuade Jews from living in Israel. By visiting the shiva house, Israelis are
showing their defiance in the face of terror and their will to continue living and developing
the Land of Israel in the face of challenges and heartbreak.
Visiting the shiva of a stranger is less common in the United States. But I am glad that
these families were willing to open their homes (at least for a day or two) to us strangers,
who wanted to offer condolences, show our solidarity, appreciate how precious life is, and
demonstrate our resolve to live meaningful lives in memory of those whose lives were cut
short.
When we went to the shiva for teacher Scott Beigel, I had the opportunity to speak with
Scott’s mother, father and sister. Scott, aged 35, was shot and killed while shutting a
classroom door, which he opened to let more students take shelter. Scott was a geography
teacher as well as a cross country coach.
At the shiva, Scott’s father told me that this was his first year teaching at MSD. Scott
would complain to his father that he didn’t think the students liked him, he wasn’t sure that
he was making an impact. After his death many students shared how much Scott meant to
them; and not just on the day of the shooting. Upon hearing this from Scott’s dad (this
sentiment was also reported in the media) I couldn’t help feel that the enormous tragedy was
somehow exacerbated by the fact that Scott didn’t know the positive impact he had made-
while he was alive. Too often we wait until someone is gone before process the impact
someone has had on us, or express the appreciation that is really due.
This week we read Parshat Tetzaveh. Once Moshe is born in Shemot, this Parsha is the
only one that does not mention Moshe Rabbeinu’s name. Many note that this Parsha usually
falls out around Moshe’s yahrtzeit- 7th of Adar. Wherever we find Moshe’s name we often
find complaining and grievances by the Jewish People directed at him. Only when Moshe is
absent do we ask about him. In his absence we are meant to appreciate all that he does and
means to us.
Let us not wait for Tetzaveh to appreciate Moshe. And let us not wait for a tragedy, a
eulogy or an obituary to tell people how much they mean to us and how much we appreciate
them.
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EVENT DATE TIME
Bat Mitzvah Class Events this Sunday:
10:00 a.m. Mother-Daughter class: Feast of Queen Esther at the shul 4-5 p.m. Purim event, Regal Emerald Park
This week Sunday 2/25
Marriage 101 Class at the Tache home for
women only with Rebbetzin Yocheved Goldberg of Boca Raton Synagogue “Top 10 Tips to Improve our Marriages in Today’s World”
This week Monday 2/26
8:30 p.m.
Special Purim Chaburah Night
See flyer for topics
This week Tuesday 2/27
8:00 p.m.
Scholar in Residence R. David Pelcovitz Shabbat 3/2-3/3
Teichman-Rosenblatt Shabbat Mevorchim shiur with guest speaker Dr. Mark Jaffe
Shabbat 3/10 4:30 p.m. at the Warman home
Pesach Products & Preparation Class with
Rabbi Weinstock
Monday 3/12 8:00 p.m. in the Social Hall
Annual Journal Dinner honoring Rabbi
Yosef & Rebecca Weinstock
Tuesday 3/13 7:00 p.m. at Chabad Aventura South
Partnership Shabbat with JNF Israel@70:
From Vision to Reality
Shabbat 3/16-3/17
Rabbi Menachem Leibtag Monday 3/19 8:30 p.m.
Founding Fathers of Religious Zionism
final class with Rabbi Weinstock on Rabbi Yehuda Leib Maimon, rescheduled from 3/21
Date to be determined
Volunteers needed to make a Siyum for Taanit Bechorot at any of the 3 morning minyanim. Please contact Rabbi Frieberg: [email protected]
Friday, 3/30 Erev Pesach
UPCOMING EVENTS
36th Double Chai Annual Journal Dinner—March 13th
“Celebrating Our Future”
honoring Rabbi Yosef & Rebecca Weinstock
Submit your ads and RSVP for the dinner by March 1st. $1,000 in ads will
entitle you to 2 complimentary dinner tickets
www.yih.org/campaign/weinstock
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WEEKDAY LEARNING
Daf Yomi in the Library. Weekdays: 5:30am & 8:00pm. Shabbat: 1 hour
before Minchah. Sundays: 6:30am.
Morning Learning Program with Rabbi Yossi Jankovits. Sun. (8-9am),
Mon.-Fri. (7-8am). Daily in the Beit Midrash 15 min. Mussar 15 min. Chumash
with Rashi (Parashah HaShavua), 30 min. Gemara.
Sundays:
9:45am Chidon HaTanach for Middle School with Rav James, Social Hall
(No Class this Week)
9:45am High School Sunday Mishmar joint with KYHS with Rabbi Nachbar,
Beit Midrash (No Class this Week)
Mondays:
7:30pm Middle School Mishmar, Beit Midrash & Modular (No Class this Week)
8:30pm High School Learning in conjunction with NCSY, Beit Midrash
8:30pm The Book of Devarim, Tobi Wolf for women, Room 5
8:30pm Talmud Tractate Brachot, Rabbi Yitzchak Salid, Chapel
Tuesdays:
11:00am Women’s TaNaCh class, Lisa Baratz, Library
7:30pm Talmud Sanhedrin with Rabbi Michael Katz, Room 5
8:00pm Chaburah Night—Pre-Purim Chaburah Extravaganza (Sushi will be
served):
Rabbi Adam Frieberg: Purim: A Holiday for Our Times, Social Hall
Mrs. Sara Frieberg: One Nation, Under God, Social Hall
Rabbi Natan Brownstein: Rav Kook’s “Igeret HaPurim”: When Are We
Really Drunk?, Social Hall
Mordechai Korik: Tanya, Social Hall
Rabbi Yaakov Sprung: “Purim: Recommitment by Design” , Small Chapel.
Wednesdays:
7:30pm “Practical Jewish Living for Beginners” with Sara Frieberg, Room 6.
Weekday Daily Minyanim—Feb. 25-March 1
Shacharit: Sun. 7:15, 8:00, 9:00am, Mon. 6:15, 7:15, 8:00am, Tues. 6:15, 7:30, 8:00am, Wed. 6:00, 7:00, 8:00am (Ta’anit Esther), Thurs. (Purim)
6:30, 8:30am, Fri: 6:15, 7:30, 8:00am
Minchah/Maariv: 6:15pm
- See Full Purim Schedule on Back Page-
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Bahor ben Merhai (Boris Yusupov-Roman Yusupov’s father), Baruch Zvi ben Rivka Batya (Rabbi Dr. Brian Galbut-Daniel Galbut’s cousin), Binyamin ben Chemla (Binyamin Israel), David ben Naomi (Dean Palmer), David HaKohen ben Esther (Lev Kandinov’s father), Eliezer HaLevi ben Chana (Leon Brauser-Joel Brauser’s father), Solomon ben Solika (Solomon Perez-Ilana Melnitsky’s father), Yaakov ben Mira (Jacques Vogel-Michel Vogel’s father), Yehuda Arieh ben Mindla (Philippe Leiberman’s father), Yitzchak Chanoch ben Chana (nephew of Vanessa Shamah and Lauren Davis).
Bracha Etl bat Chana Nehorah (Ettie Langer), Chana Ety bat Zirel Libah, Chaya Sara bat Dubra (Irene Berlin-Reva Homnick’s mother), Devora bat Sheina Baila, Elka bat Tova (Leona Brauser-Joel Brauser’s mother), Etta-Reyzal Batya bat Chaya Reyzal (Tina Cohen-Danny Cohen’s mother), Feiga Necha bat Pessel (Fay Lerner), Masha bat Ruth (Marcia Chonchol-Craig Barany’s mother), Sara Leah bat Rochel (Cynthia Lynn Haber-Cheryl Hamburg’s sister), Sara Leah bat Bracha (Stacey Deutsch), Shira Raizel Esther bat Mina Zosha (Ruth Messer’s granddaughter), Tzirel Libah bat Frimed Mindel (Sylvia Lieberman-Philippe Lieberman’s mother), Vickia bat Fruma (Vivian Honig-Susan Chusid’s mother), Yocheved bat Tzril (Joan Niad).
If you know of a shul member in the hospital or who might appreciate a home visit, please let the Rabbis know by contacting the shul office. Please contact the office if someone on this list has, Baruch Hashem, recovered.
COMMUNITY NEWS
Goodman JFS Caregiver Series, a free series “When Did the Tables Turn”
addressing concerns and challenges about your aging family. Sunday, February 25, 10:30 a.m. at David Posnack JCC—Oys & Joys of Caregiving.
Bikkur Cholim Mishloach Manot packing for patients, Sunday, February
25, 10:00-10:45 a.m. Volunteers welcome. Meet in the YIH library.
Siyum Hashas of S. Florida March 4th at 6:30 p.m. at Temple Moses. For
more information: https://www.ichudhashas.com/
Shmurah Matzah: Prepaid orders for Shatzer Shmurah Matzah at Judaica
Gifts, 3379 Sheridan St., 954-589-0441. Order deadline is March 12th.
Rebbetzin Holly Pavlov, Shabbat afternoon, March 17th at 4:00 p.m. at the
home of Liz Brauser “Using Each Day Well”.
Annual PATH Luncheon, Shabbat March 3rd at YIH, Guest speaker Rabbi
Yaakov Sprung.
The Cupboard–a Kosher Food Bank is low on food & supplies. Drop off at
the home of Chani & Jay Dennis or Michael & Tsilila Goldberg.
Late Ma’ariv 9:30pm Sun.-Thurs. and Early Minchah 2:00pm Mon.-Thurs. at
Hollywood Community Kollel, 4016 N. 46 St. (Winn Dixie shopping center).
REFUAH SHLEIMAH
More than 150 grandparents attended TEACH FLORIDA’S brunch at Young Israel
of Deerfield Beach last Sunday to learn how they can help bring more government
funding to Jewish schools. 100% registered to join Teach Florida to make a
difference. Thanks to YIH members Sheila Klee, Berta Fine and Gary Magid for
volunteering and to Charlie Zablotsky for making the herring. To volunteer with
Teach Florida, email [email protected] or speak to Mimi Jankovits or Daniel Aqua.
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Tillerson comments on threats from Hezbollah and Syria
The United States is concerned about Syria creating further opportunities for threats to Israel, Jordan and Turkey, and instability in the region, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said on Tuesday. The Jerusalem Post reported that Tillerson, speaking in an interview with Michel Ghandour of Al Hurra TV, commented that the threats Israel is confronted which emanate both from Hezbollah in Lebanon and from Syria. "We take the threats to Israel seriously and we take a view that Israel has every right to defend itself from those threats." Asked about the issue of Iran’s influence in the region, Tillerson asserted that the U.S. believes the future of responding to the Islamic Republic’s influence in Syria is through the political process. "We want to use our presence to also be a stabilizing force to support talks in Geneva under the U.N. Security Council resolution process, allow the Syrian people to write a new constitution, allow them to hold free and fair elections. And through that process, we believe Syria will strengthen its independence and will take its own actions to reduce and ultimately reject the influence of Iran inside of Syria." Tillerson continued, "It is our view – I think it’s the view by and large of the international community – that Iran’s presence in these countries is not helpful. We ask Iran to withdraw and send their forces home, and that’s what we believe is the right pathway for the future."
Our synagogue partners with AIPAC, America’s pro-Israel lobby, in educating our community on issues affecting the U.S.-Israel relationship. We encourage you to learn more by contacting AIPAC at (202) 639-5200 or by visiting www.aipac.org
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Time Program Age/Grade Location
Shabbat
9:00am Game Room Pre K - 4th Grade Room 3-4
9:00am Babysitting 18months-Nursery 3 House
9:30am Youth Minyan 5th—7th Grade &
Families
Modular
9:30am Teen Minyan 8th - 12th Grade Room 5
10:15am Mommy & Me 18months—Nursery
3
Chapel
10:00am Shabbat Groups Pre K - 2nd Grade Rooms 2 & 6
10:00am Minyanairres with Kiddush 3rd & 4th Grade Room 1
11:30am Youth Haftorah Class with
Shimmy Lazar
5th-7th Grade Modular
4:00pm Chidon HaTanach Rav James’s
house
5:30pm Boys Chaburah with Rabbi
Brownstein
6th-8th Grade Room 6
6:00pm Teen Minchah Room 5
After
Minchah
Teen Shiur & Seudah Shlishit
with Rabbi Nachbar
8-12th Grade Rooms 1 & 2
After
Minchah
Youth Shiur & Seudah Shlishit
with Rabbi Grossman
5 -7th Grade Rooms 3-4
6:50pm Teen Maariv Room 5
Shabbat Tetzaveh
As we prepare for Purim, plans are in the works for our annual Mesibat
Meir Purim Celebration. As in years past, the celebration is dedicated in loving
memory of Michael Zablotsky, son of Charles and Lily Zablotsky, who was tragically
taken from us at age 20, just days before Purim 5755/1995.
As in previous year, we are once seeking sponsors for this event; I hope we can
count on you to help make Purim a wonderful experience for the children of our
community.
To sign up visit : https://www.yih.org/form/youth-purim-sponsorship-2018
Thank you in advance, and Happy Purim!
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Youth Upcoming Events
Youth Megillah Experience February 28, 2018, 4:00-5:00pm
Mesibat Meir - A Persian Carnival February 28, 2018, After the Megillah reading
Purim Megillah Mommy & Me with Laura Lenes March 1, 2018, 9:30-10:30am in Room 1-2
Youth & Teen Shacharit & Megillah March 1, 2018, 9:30am in Room 5
11th Grade Shabbat Lunch March 10, 2018 after Shul
Family Mishmar with Rabbi Berger of the ORB March 12, 2018 7:30-8:30pm
Bnei Akiva Manhigut Shabbaton March 16-17, 2018
Sunday
9:45am Chidon HaTanach with Rav James in Social Hall
9:45am KYHS Mishmar with Rabbi Nachbar in Beit Midrash
2:00-3:30pm Bnei AkivaAdar Color War for PreK to 4th Grade in Shabbat Park 4:00-5:00pm Purim Youth Chesed at Emerald Park ALF joint with the Bat Mitzvah Class
& Bikur Cholim Monday
7:30pm Middle School Mishmar in the Beit Midrash & Modular
8:30pm High School Monday Learning with Bnei Akiva & NCSY in Beit Midrash
Tuesday
7:00pm MS Youth Council in Rooms 1 & 2
Wednesday
6:15pm Cub Scouts in Rooms 3-4
6:15pm Girl Scouts in Room 5
7:30pm Boy Scouts in Rooms 1 & 2
7:30pm Bnei Akiva Tzevet Meeting in Room 6
Thursday
8:00pm Latte & Learn at Baskin Robbins
Youth Happening This Week
Parsha Quiz
Email answers to [email protected] on Motzei Shabbat
Elementary School
Who or what came first haman or hamantashen?
Middle School
Which four people’s names from the Chumash also come up as names in
Megillat Esther?
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D’var Torah : Rav James
This week’s parsha is Tetzaveh, the only parsha in the Torah where Moshe’s name is omitted since the point from which we are introduced to him. The Vilna Gaon notices further that this parsha always falls on the first week of Adar, when we mark the passing of Moshe, on the seventh of Adar. Consequently, a reason could be suggested that his name is absent in this parsha to express the loss of such a great leader. There is not a rule that Moshe’s name should be mentioned in every parsha, however, the Torah repeats, “and you” throughout Tetzaveh referring to Moshe. This begs the question of why didn’t Hashem mention Moshe by name? This whole portion refers to Aharon and his sons; their Priestly jobs, their inauguration and their clothes. It could be that Moshe didn’t want to interfere with his brother’s portion, which introduces his role and announces that Aharon and his descendants will become the Kohanim for all future generations. In recognition of the fact that this is his brother’s “moment”, Moshe takes a step back out of the limelight, but is nonetheless present in the proceedings. This teaches us that even Moshe, the greatest leader of our nation, knows at times to step back and let others have their chance to shine. It is Moshe’s name that is absent from the parsha, not him. There is a difference. One might be tempted to think that when a name is unmentioned the person also ceases to exist. But for those who can see what is there and what is not there, to read between the lines, names are not necessary to be put up in lights and said too often or too loudly. For those who can appreciate humility, we can see that Moshe’s influence is constant but he does not need his name to be forefront and center. To shout your name for the world to hear shows a lack of confidence for the worry that people may forget you. It is then the only supremely confident and content individual that can decline the fame and embrace the humility. We can learn from Moshe that we do not have to promote our deeds for everyone to hear if we do good, help others and lead a life of Torah. Are our actions not valuable when they are not well known to all? Moshe teaches us throughout the Torah that one can be there, and not be there at the same time. One’s actions can have a ripple effect and impact many however their name does not need to be mentioned at all in the process. Moshe has left some space for others to fill, whether it is for his brother Aharon or another Jew, he is showing humility and modesty through everything he does.
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