Of Note for November 2014 Young Israel of Sharon

Transcription

1 Of Note for November 2014 Young Israel of Sharon Friday, October 31 6:10 & 6:50 a.m. Shacharit 5:22 p.m. Candle lighting Shabbat, November 1 Parshat Lekh Lekha 7:30 a.m. Hashkama Minyan 9:00 a.m. Shacharit 4:45 p.m. Shiur on the Parsha with Rabbi Sendor 5:22 p.m. Mincha, Shiur w/rabbi Fivel Glasser of Nesiay, Israel 6:22 p.m. Ma'ariv, Havdalah Sunday, November 2 8:00 a.m. Shacharit 4:20 p.m. Mincha/Ma'ariv Weekday schedule for November 3-6: Mon/Thurs: 6:00 & 6:50 a.m. Shacharit Tues/Wed: 6:10 & 7:00 a.m. Shacharit 8:00 p.m. Ma'ariv Friday, November 7 6:10 & 6:50 a.m. Shacharit 4:14 p.m. Candle lighting Shabbat, November 8 Parshat Vayera 7:30 a.m. Hashkama Minyan 9:00 a.m. Shacharit 4:14 p.m. Mincha, Mishneh Torah Shiur w/rabbi Sendor 5:14 p.m. Ma'ariv, Havdalah 6:00 p.m. Mishmash Sunday, November 9 8:00 a.m. Shacharit 4:14 p.m. Mincha/Ma'ariv Weekday schedule for November 10-13: Mon/Thurs: 6:00 & 6:50 a.m. Shacharit Tues/Wed: 6:10 & 6:50 a.m. Shacharit 8:00 p.m. Ma'ariv Friday, November 14 6:10 & 7:00 a.m. Shacharit 4:06 p.m. Candle lighting 8:00 p.m. Oneg Shabbat w/atara Eis, Yoetzet Halakhah (co-sponsored with Chevrat Nashim) Please Support Our Sponsors: Young Israel of Sharon 100 Ames Street, Sharon, MA Fax

2 Please Support Our Sponsors: Shabbat, November 15 Parshat Chayei Sarah Scholar-in-Residence Atara Eis, Yoetzet Halakhah, Nishmat, Jerusalem, Israel 7:30 a.m. Hashkama Minyan 9:00 a.m. Shacharit Drasha after Mussaf by Atara Eis: Lessons on Love from Rivka s Lekh Lekha Moment 9:45 a.m. Tefilat Nashim 4:06 p.m. Mincha, Mishneh Torah Shiur w/rabbi Sendor 5:08 p.m. Ma'ariv, Havdalah Sunday, November 16 8:00 a.m. Shacharit 4:05 p.m. Mincha/Ma'ariv Weekday schedule for November 17-20: Mon/Thurs: 6:00 & 6:50 a.m. Shacharit Tues/Wed: 6:10 & 6:50 a.m. Shacharit 8:00 p.m. Ma'ariv Friday, November 21 6:10 & 6:50 a.m. Shacharit 4:01 p.m. Candle lighting 8:00 p.m. Oneg Shabbat w/rabbi Scott Kahn, Rosh Yeshivah of Yesodei Ha-Torah At the home of the Goldman s Shabbat, November 22 Parshat Toldot Scholar-in-Residence Rabbi Scott Kahn, Rosh Yeshivah, Yesodei Ha-Torah, Zenoah, Israel 7:30 a.m. Hashkama Minyan 9:00 a.m. Shacharit Drasha after Mussaf by Rabbi Scott Kahn 9:30 a.m. Teen Minyan 4:01 p.m. Mincha, Mishneh Torah Shiur w/rabbi Kahn 5:03 p.m. Ma'ariv, Havdalah 5:45 p.m. Mishmash Sunday, November 23 Rosh Chodesh Kislev 8:00 a.m. Shacharit 4:01 p.m. Mincha/Ma'ariv Weekday schedule for November 24-27: Mon: 6:00 & 6:50 a.m. Shacharit Tues/Wed: 6:10 & 6:50 a.m. Shacharit Thurs (Thanksgiving): 8:00 a.m. Shacharit 8:00 p.m. Ma'ariv Friday, November 28 6:10 & 6:50 a.m. Shacharit 3:57 p.m. Candle lighting Shabbat, November 29 Parshat Vayetzei 7:30 a.m. Hashkama Minyan 9:00 a.m. Shacharit 3:57 p.m. Mincha, Mishneh Torah Shiur w/rabbi Sendor 5:00 p.m. Ma'ariv, Havdalah Sunday, November 30 8:00 a.m. Shacharit 3:57 p.m. Mincha/Ma'ariv 2 ( ) Harvard St Brookline, MA 02446

3 Please Support Our Sponsors: Please Support Our Sponsors: Weekday schedule for December 1-4: Mon/Thurs: 6:00 & 6:50 a.m. Shacharit Tues/Wed: 6:10 & 7:00 a.m. Shacharit 8:00 p.m. Ma'ariv Friday, December 5 6:10 & 6:50 a.m. Shacharit 3:55 p.m. Candle lighting Shabbat, December 6 Parshat Vayishlach 7:30 a.m. Hashkama Minyan 9:00 a.m. Shacharit 3:55 p.m. Mincha, Mishneh Torah Shiur w/rabbi Sendor 4:59 p.m. Ma'ariv, Havdalah 5:45 p.m. Mishmash Sunday, December 7 8:00 a.m. Shacharit 3:55 p.m. Mincha/Ma'ariv Weekday schedule for December 8-11: Mon/Thurs: 6:00 & 6:50 a.m. Shacharit Tues/Wed: 6:10 & 6:50 a.m. Shacharit 8:00 p.m. Ma'ariv Friday, December 12 6:10 & 6:50 a.m. Shacharit 3:55 p.m. Candle lighting The Chubby Chickpea Middle Eastern Food. FAST. Restaurant Food Truck Catering (781) Jackson St, Canton MA Stramer Law Offices 3 Chaim Stramer, Esq. Miriam S. Marcus, Esq. hstramer@stramer.com mmarcus@stramer.com Phone: (508) Fax: (508)

4 From The President What a great start to the new year with the shul bursting at the seams! We had our largest crowds ever for Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. Both minyanim were full to capacity and the babysitting rooms were all overflowing. It was wonderful to see so many family and friends visiting. To pull all of this off is truly a huge effort. I am amazed at how everyone just does their piece of the puzzle with little organization and when you step back we run smoothly. Thank you to the Gabayim from both minyanim for organizing and managing the services: Jay Harris, Marvin Berman, Dan Shimshak, Tzvi Bluestone, Matt Rides, and David Berg. Thank you to the Baal T'fillah, Shofar Blowers, Baal Torah and Haftorah; Aaron Weinberg, Mark Glass, Meir Weinberg, Cary Krimsky, Mitch Klausner, Rabbi Dov Huff, Yoni Weinberg, Rabbi David Saltzman, Amir Karger, Gilbert Shiffer, Ruby Yarmush, Avi Traum, Roy Schrieber, Adam Goldman, Jake Kosowsky, Zack Weiner, Josh Kosowsky, Jay Turk, Sheldon Hanau, Rabbi Dovid Resiman, Andy Shooman, Tzvi Diamond, Rabbi David Ehrenkranz, Rabbi Aryeh Klapper, and Rabbi Yehudah Potok, Thank you to Rabbi Sendor for sharing his D'var Torah each day with both minyanim. Thank you to Cyna and Dovid Reisman for putting together the beautiful Yizkor booklet. Thank you to Iris Blitstein and the Seating committee for managing all the requests, even the late ones. Thank you to Roy Strunin and Libi Rides for putting together this year s calendar. Thank you to Jon Marcus for organizing the Yom Kippur appeal, the business ads in the calendar and monthly newsletter, and the Simchat Torah Auction. Thank you to the CSS Shmira Team, for security reasons, I have been asked not to publish the list of names. Many of the team members took on multiple shifts to cover all the days of Yom Tov and Shabbat. Thank you to Ilyse Ehrenkranz, our teen leaders and the parent volunteers for coordinating baby sitting and groups. Thank you to Steve Schongold, Alec Blitstein and all the volunteers in the kitchen. Finally I want to personally thank this year s board for taking on your positions, I am excited to work with each and every one of you: Michael Delman, Cookie Gebler, Roy Strunin, Rebecca Milgram, Sareet Bluestone, Jon Marcus, Ian Schechter, Naomi Korn Gold, Ilyse Ehrenkranz, Tzvi Diamond, Adam Goldman, Jodi Saltzman, Aaron Saks, Andy Warren, Dahlia Weinberg, and Cyna Reisman. At this point I think I have thanked almost everyone in the shul, it really takes such a large group to get the shul through the chaggim. If I didn't mention your name, there is time to get involved this year. We are working on creating and growing our Youth and Family committee, Inclusion committee, and our programming committee. I wish all of us a Healthy and Happy new year! - David 4

5 From The Rabbi Rav Soloveitchik, ztz l, in his essay A Stranger and a Resident, analyzes the challenges of maintaining an authentic Torah existence in the Diaspora. He takes as his model Avraham Avinu, who had to navigate Canaanite society and its idolatry, polytheism, religious syncretism and immorality. The Rav notes that on the one hand Avraham established friendships and alliances and solidarity with fellow citizens, opening the doors of his tent in generous hospitality and coming to their aid when necessary, even leading a military expedition to rescue captives. On the other hand, Avraham is careful to maintain his religious distinctiveness, his commitment to spiritual truth and ethical principle. According to the Rav, ztz l, this dual approach is eloquently expressed in Avraham s speech to the people of Het, upon the passing of Sarah Imeinu: A stranger and a resident I am among you (Gen. 23:4). He is a stranger religiously, but a resident in all civil matters. The Rav took this as a model for Torah Jews in general, and a guide for how to chart our own course through the Diaspora. The Rav, ztz l, wrote this essay in 1964, during the period in which the Catholic Church was developing and implementing a less antagonistic policy towards Jews and Judaism that came to be known as Vatican II. Among the issues that seem to have prompted him to speak out was the sight of obsequious Jewish leaders embarrassing themselves and their faith in a rush to curry favor with the Church, abjectly grateful for the subordinate, though no longer vilified, position to which Catholic theologians sought to assign Judaism. In response, the Rav outlined an authentic Torah policy for interfaith discussions and relations with non-jewish society and culture. Following the model of Avraham Avinu, a stranger and a resident in ancient Canaan, the Rav stated that Jews should maintain religious distinctiveness and not engage in theological discussions that risk relativizing and diluting Torah principles, and focus instead on secular matters of mutual concern, cooperating as responsible citizens in areas of social and political welfare. The challenge for Jews in the Diaspora to walk this fine line remains with us today. Emblematic of this tension is our response to two non-jewish holidays that frame this period of the American year: Halloween and Thanksgiving. Halloween derives from the pagan pre-christian European Druidic festival of Samhain, which took place on November first and marked the death of summer. The night of Samhain, celebrating death with human sacrifices, was one of the central Druid rituals. When Christianity overtook Europe, pagan religions were usually not outlawed but co-opted, to gain the allegiance of the newly converted. Many pagan festivals were transformed into Christian holidays, or retained as folk customs. The Druidic fall festival of death was preserved in popular European culture as the demonic prelude to All Saint's Day: All Hallow's Evening becomes Hallowe en. The costumes and the mock begging ritual of "trick or treat," which was practiced in a spirit of bribery to avert harm, originate with pagan rituals for the dead. As such, Halloween inculcates negative values and is entirely antithetical to Torah. Jews who are serious about Torah should not participate in this practice and remain strangers to everything about it. 5

6 Rabbi s Message continued Thanksgiving, on the other hand, is considered to be based, to some degree, on festive meals celebrated by early seventeenth century Pilgrims grateful for good harvests and general success in surviving and thriving in their newfound home in America. The Rav, ztz l, celebrated Thanksgiving. During my years in the Rav s Shiur I remember him taking a few minutes at the end of his shiur just before Thanksgiving to explain why a Torah Jew should be grateful for the social and political benefits of the United States and join whole-heartedly in the secular American commemoration of Thanksgiving. When it comes to being grateful for democracy and enlightened social policy, Jews are enthusiastic residents and citizens. As the world becomes more dangerous and more violent due to barbaric interpretations of religion, and Judaism, Israel and Torah values are increasingly embattled, Rav Soloveitchik s insightful understanding of the vision of Avraham Avinu stands for us as a guide and a beacon of hope. It calls us to stand firm against the perversion of religion, and stand strong together with all people of good will to help humanity evolve a more mature and moral civilization. Rabbi Meir Sendor 6

7 Shul Activities and Announcements Two upcoming scholars in residence! See details on page 9. MISHMASH kicks off Motzei Shabbat 11/15: Mishmash is Young Israel of Sharon's parent-child learning program, including Divrei Torah, refreshments, and raffle prizes. All parents and 1st to 8th grade children are welcome to participate. The elementary school division (1st through 5th grade) involves one on one learning between parents and children. The middle school division (6th through 8th grade) involves a Shiur with one of the rabbis from the Community Kollel of Sharon. Mishmash meets in the YI Social Hall bi-weekly, 45 minutes after Shabbat ends. Our purpose is to learn Torah and to have fun. AIPAC Event, Sun 11/9 7:00PM: Our Shul is one of the sponsors of an important upcoming AIPAC event, featuring Ambassador Dore Gold at Cong. Beth El-Ateret Israel in Newton. Let's make every effort to attend this event together, show our support for Israel and get ideas on how to put that support into action and make it effective. If you are able to contribute to help defray the costs of this event, your contribution will be deeply appreciated. Please speak with Roy Schreiber about donating financial support. Checks can be made to AIPAC, ve-tizku le-mitzvot! Rabbinic Search: Please read the letter on the following page about an upcoming meeting on this process and opportunities to get involved. Meanwhile, if you have thoughts or concerns, please do not hesitate to approach one of us Michelle Avigan, Shlomo Lerner, and David Saltzman or send an to yisharonsearch@gmail.com. Inclusion Initiative: We are joining with many other Shuls of the Greater Boston area in a Synagogue Inclusion Initiative sponsored by the CJP and the Ruderman Family Foundation intended to help Shuls enhance their accessibility, hospitality and support for those with disabilities. Information on this important initiative can be found on our website under "programs," including my devar Torah from Shabbat Parshat Mezora inaugurating our inclusion program All Sharon-based Torah classes listed on one site! Young Israel's classes are included on SharonTorah.org, which lists all the Torah classes being offered by Eitz Chaim, Chabad, Young Israel, and The Kollel. Check it out! Chased: Our Rabbis taught: Gemilut Chesed (loving-kindness) is greater than charity in three ways. We all know people in our community, who at one time or another, could use the support and help of our community. So please, if you know of anyone who could use assistance or you are in need, please call Cyna Reisman at Also, if you are willing to help drive people to/from medical appointments, please let Cyna know. Thank you. Ideas welcome: If you have an idea for a shul event - and are willing to help plan it - please contact Dahlia (dahliasherman@gmail.com). 7

8 YI Sharon Rabbinic Search Update Dear Young Israel Member, Since we introduced ourselves to you as members of the Rabbinic Transition Committee in June, we have been researching best practices for finding a new rabbi for our shul. We have contacted representatives from several orthodox synagogues who have experience in searching for a rabbi and have gathered documentation from those institutions as well as from Yeshiva University. Based on that research, we have designed a process that is intended to be clear, transparent, and one in which all stakeholders can have a voice. At a special membership meeting scheduled for Sunday evening (time TBA), December 7, we will introduce the major pieces of this process, providing a detailed road map for this 18-month endeavor. The search includes several major components, including a comprehensive self study, the development of a job description, the recruitment and screening of candidates, probeh (try-out) weekend visits for finalists, membership vote(s) and contract negotiation. As you can imagine, this is a huge undertaking which will require many working committees and the support and participation from all of our membership. We hope you will come to the meeting to hear about the various volunteer opportunities, which range from participating in the survey, to working on one of the committees, to providing feedback on candidates that visit our community. We will begin by actively soliciting your input. At the December meeting, we will introduce the focus groups and membership survey that we will use to help us understand who we are as a community and what we want/need in a new rabbi. The results will inform a job description and the evaluation of candidates. Because it is very important to include each adult member of the congregation in the survey, we ask that you update your shul profile. Please be sure that your profiles are correct and that each adult in your household has gender, age, and a unique listed. Instructions for updating your profile from Roy Strunin are at the end of this document. We, the transition committee and the Young Israel Board, are committed to a collaborative and transparent process to hire the best Rabbi for our community -- one who will build on R. Sendor s legacy. To reach this goal, we will need your input and help. So save the date! We look forward to working together with you and meeting with everyone on December 7th. David Saltzman, Shlomo Lerner, Michelle Avigan Note: If you have trouble logging into SulCloud, contact Roy Strunin for help. 8

9 Upcoming Scholars in Residence Atara Eis, Yoetzet Halacha on November 14-15: Friday Night Oneg, co-sponsored by Chevrat Nashim, on the topic of Ne'emanut HaIsha: Jewish Law's Reliance on a Woman's Self-Knowledge. Shabbat Morning Drasha after Mussaf: "Lessons on Love from Rivka's Lech Lecha Moment." Atara Eis holds a B.A. in Judaic Studies from Yeshiva University s Stern College, an Associate Degree in Music, as well as an M.S. from Azrieli Graduate School for Jewish Education. After completing the YU Graduate Program in Advanced Talmudic Studies for Women, Atara studied at Nishmat's Keren Ariel Halachic Institute in Jerusalem to become a Yoetzet Halacha. Currently, she serves as Director of the U.S. Yoatzot Halacha Fellows Program under the auspices of American Friends of Nishmat's Miriam Glaubach Center, and teaches at Michlelet Mevaseret Yerushalayim. Before their aliyah this summer, Atara taught at Midreshet Lindenbaum and Kohelet Yeshiva High School in Philadelphia where she served as the Israel Guidance Counselor. She served as a Yoetzet Halacha in Philadelphia, at a consortium of Manhattan synagogues, and previously in Silver Spring, MD. In 2009, Atara was selected by The Jewish Week as one of 36 under 36," and in 2010, she was a recipient of Kohelet Yeshiva High School's Distinguished Educators Award. Rabbi Scott Kahn, Rosh Yeshivah of Yeshivat Yesodei Ha-Torah on November 21-22: Friday Night Oneg at 8:00p.m. at the home of the Goldman s. Shabbat Morning Drasha after Mussaf. Rabbi Scott Kahn is the Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivat Yesodei Ha-Torah. He studied at Yeshivat Hakotel, Darche Noam/Shappell's, and Midrash Shmuel, was a fellow of the Darche Noam Kollel, and received semicha from HaRav Zalman Nechemia Goldberg and Darche Noam. He graduated from Brandeis University, and was a graduate student at Oxford University in the Oriental Studies Department. He developed a skill-based approach to Talmud while teaching at Reishit Yerushalayim. 9

10 From Our B not, Ayelet and Odelya Hi! It s Ayelet & Odelya! We can t believe the chagim are over! We had such an amazing time with all the families and t filot! Thank you all so much for hosting us for so many meals! We are ready to jump into a routine and do amazing stuff! We want to thank all the group leaders for taking charge and leading the groups on all the Chagim and Shabbatot! It was long but we all survived :P In B nei Akiva we learned about listening to each other and how my actions affect everything from team work to respecting my friends and counselors. We hope B nei Akiva will keep growing and we ll all enjoy it. If you d like to host Ayelet and Odelya for a Shabbat meal, please contact Dayna Delman dhdelman@gmail.com. Mothers and daughters of girls in 5 th 6 th grade, stay tuned for our Bat Mitzvah project which will be coming soon! We are looking forward to keep enjoying and getting to know all this amazing community! We love you all, Ayelet & Odelya 10

11 Get To Know Our Members, featuring the Jacobs-Komisars! This month we get to know the Jacobs-Komisars: DeDe, Yaakov, Nani, and Itai How long have you been living in Sharon? We've been living in Sharon since July of this year. We were renting the Marx/Geller's house on South Main St, and this week are actually moving right across the street, to the corner of South Main and Ames.. Where were you living before and what brought you to our lovely town? We were in New Haven, CT, and came to the Boston area after Yaakov got a job as the Beit Midrash Program Director at Gann Academy. What is your favorite part of Sharon? So many things! How everyone is friendly, the diversity of the general community and the Jewish community, and most of all, the kids! In New Haven we were split between our older community at shul, where our sons Nani (4) and Itai (1) were the only children, and our Yale-affiliated friends, grad students mostly without kids. To have such a large built-in community of families with children our sons can play with is a wonderful thing. Purim 2014 (DeDe does not actually have dreadlocks, nor is Itai actually a guitar ) What do you do to keep busy, for work and play? DeDe is the Development Manager at Mayyim Hayyim Mikveh and Education Center in Newton (an incredible place!), and Yaakov works at Gann Academy, as mentioned above. In our "spare time", we like going to see theater and music, and are obsessed with the vegetarian kosher restaurants in Providence. Tell us an interesting tidbit about yourselves! DeDe is a theater geek who wants to start a Jewish play-reading/discussion group here in Sharon and would love for people to join! her at djkomisar@gmail.com. 11

12 Help Young Israel, Help Yourself Purchase of Yahrtzeit Memorial Plaques You can memorialize a loved relative or friend who has departed by purchasing a Yahrtzeit Memorial Plaque. The plaque is hung on the yahrtzeit board in the sanctuary of the Young Israel. Light bulbs are lit on the occasion of the yizkor services and the name of the departed individual is read aloud by the Rabbi at the time of the yizkor prayers. In addition, a reminder card is sent to the purchaser with the date of the yahrtzeit. If you re interested, please call Dan Shimshak at We are stocked with the 6- liter hot water urns, the original "pump pots," in a white with floral pattern. 12-month complete warranty. $75 to YI of Sharon (It is a fundraiser). Contact Amy Fistel, Your ad here helps the shul and you! Contact Jon Marcus for details (jmarcus@hawthorneliving.net) 12

13 Please Support This Year's Ad Journal Professional and Business Sponsors - Be sure to mention the ad journal! Van Leer Remodeling and Painting (781) Leonard M. Simons, Attorney (617) Nina Rogoff, RE/MAX Executive Realty (781) Mya Nails and Spa (781) My Grandma's of New England (800) 8-GRANDMA New Arts (drawing, painting, pottery) (781) Mizrach mizrachband@gmail.com Peter G. Berman, Counsellor at Law (401) Tri-Town Discount Liquors (781) Peter Needham Electrical (781) Aidance Skincare Aidanceproducts.com Portraits by Chaya (781) Allan Kitchen Gallery (781) Richie Gordon, RE/MAX, Realtor and appraiser (617) Authentic Israel (travel agency) (800) Roy Schreiber & Co., CPAs (781) Best Residential Renovation & Construction (781) Roger s Barbar Shop (781) Braintree Printing braintreeprinting.com Schlossberg & Solomon Memorial Chapel (781) Catering by Andrew (617) Scott Lite, DMD (specialist in orthodontic) (781) Community Kollel of Sharon (410) Sharon Credit Union (781) Crown Automotive (781) Sharon Optical (781) Dr. David Gale, DMD (family dentistry) (781) Sharon Shoe & Luggage Repair (781) David Sharff, Architect (508) SEE southeasteye family vision center (781) 784-4SEE (4733) Dr. Deborah Yarmush, DMD (dentistry) (508) Staula Plumbing & Heating (781) Elements diet & fitness (781) Steven I. Bergel, Esquire (personal injury law) (617) Flowers by Ami (781) Steven Shenkel, Indep. Insurance Agent (781) Hub City Cycle & Training (781) Strawberry Hill Confectionary (617) Isacc's Moving and Storage (781) Striar Hebrew Academy (781) Israel Book Shop (617) Tova s Catering (508) Kupel s Bakery (617) Vivian Selenow, Hammond Realty Sales Assoc. (781) John L. McGowan, Attorney at Law (781) Your Lucky Day! Thrift Shop (617) If you know of information to be included in the bulletin, please naomikorn@gmail.com. For other Shul contacts, go to our website. To sponsor a Kiddush, schedule a Simchah, and for all other Shul business, contact Iris Blitstein at or iris@yisharon.org. 13