The Jewish Center S H A B B A T B U L L E T I N FEBRUARY 11, 2017 PARSHAT BESHALACH 15 SHEVAT 5777

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1 The Jewish Center S H A B B A T B U L L E T I N FEBRUARY 11, 2017 PARSHAT BESHALACH 15 SHEVAT 5777 EREV SHABBAT 5:06PM Candle lighting 5:10PM Minchah 6:15PM Community Dinner (for those who pre-registered) SHABBAT 7:45AM Hashkama Minyan (The Max and Marion Grill Beit Midrash) 8:30AM Rabbi Israel Silverstein Mishnayot Class with Rabbi Yosie Levine 9:00AM Shacharit (3 rd floor) 9:15AM Hashkama Shiur with Rabbi Ari Lamm 9:30AM Young Leadership (1st floor) 10:00AM Youth Groups: Under age 3 (drop off optional, babies must be able to independently sit upright), 3-6-year-olds: Geller Youth Center, 2nd-6th graders: 7th floor Hot Kiddush (1st floor & 5th floor) WITH THANKS TO OUR KIDDUSH SPONSOR: Hashkama Kiddush, Miryam & Amos Alter in commemoration of the yahrzeit of their father, Haim Alter (Haim ben Mordecai) Community Kiddush, Gilda & Irving Chodosh in commemoration of the yahrzeit of Gilda s mother Rochelle Tennenbaum Community Kiddush, Beverly & Andrew Druck, in commemoration of the yahrzeits of Beverly s parents, Faiga bat Bezalel v' Chaya Mindel and Shlomo Zalman ben Dovid v Bayla and the yahrzeits of Andrew s parents, Dvorah bas Mordechai v Maryam and Avrohom ben Anshel v Mattel (Frances and Sigmund Goldsmith, Dora and Abraham Druck) Community Kiddush, Chaim & Rochelle Eliav in memory of Chaim's mother, Sara Markovich Eliav Community Kiddush, Nancy & Joseph Sklarin in commemoration of the yahrzeit of Nancy's mother, Rochelle Tennenbaum 12:40PM Early Minchah (3rd floor) 3:00PM Bikkur Cholim/Bikkur in the Home (meet at 730 Columbus Ave.) 5:00PM Minchah 5:00PM Afternoon Groups (5th floor) Daf Yomi Seudah Shlishit Youth Speaker: Gavriel Harmetz Seudah Shlishit Speaker: Batya Krauss, Disabilities, Inclusion and the Halachic Process: Shifting Perspectives in the Modern Era Hilchot Shabbat with Rabbi Dovid Zirkind: 6:07PM Shabbat concludes Musical Havdallah Parent Child Learning with Rabbi Ari Lamm Sun. Feb. 12 Daf Yomi 7:45AM Shacharit 8:30AM Minchah 5:15PM DAILY SERVICES Mon, Feb Thur Feb. 16 Shacharit 7/8AM Daf Yomi 7:45AM Minchah 5:15PM WOMEN S TEHILLIM GROUP Friday, Feb. 17 Shacharit 7/8AM Daf Yomi 7:45AM Candle Lighting 5:14PM Minchah 5:20PM Monday, February 13 at 7:15PM Contact Joyce Weitz for more info. at SHABBAT OF SONG THE JEWISH CENTER WELCOMES LIPA SCHMELTZER & THE ZAMEIRU CHOIR! (Please see insert for details and complete list of sponsors). YOUTH SHABBAT, FEBRUARY 25TH Youth Shabbat is an annual event that enables our children to lead davening and layning and deliver divrei Torah in the main sanctuary of The Jewish Center. Its objective is twofold: Primarily, we hope to enhance our children's spiritual lives by giving them a special role in tefilah, kriat ha-torah and teaching Divrei Torah to the community. Second, it benefits the entire community by fostering a sense of pride in the Jewish development of our children. We sincerely hope that you will encourage your child to participate in this important Shabbat. Jenn and Gaby to get involved at jennandgaby@jewishcenter.org THE JEWISH CENTER AND YESHIVA UNIVERSITY: CELEBRATING A CENTURY-LONG RELATIONSHIP SHABBAT MARCH 18, 2017 FEATURING SCHOLAR-IN-RESIDENCE RABBI ASSAF BEDNARSH For 100 years, The Jewish Center and Yeshiva University have enjoyed a very special relationship. Our rabbis and members have been and continue to be instrumental in the development and success of YU. Rabbi Leo Jung taught Jewish philosophy at Yeshiva for decades. Rabbi Norman Lamm served as Yeshiva's third president from Rabbi Jacob J. Schacter currently serves as a University Professor. In 2016, Rabbi Ari Berman was named Yeshiva's fifth president. Today, our membership is proud to count among our ranks prominent faculty, board members and alumni, including Rabbi Benjamin Blech and Rabbi Robert Hirt. Both Rabbi Levine and Rabbi Zirkind are graduates of RIETS. Like Rabbi Lamm, Rabbi Levine is pursuing his doctorate at YU s Bernard Revel Graduate School. And at this year's Chag HaSemikha celebration, Rabbis Ari Lamm and Noach Goldstein will celebrate their ordination. Save the Date for Shabbat, March 18-19, we will be privileged to host Rabbi Assaf Bednarsh from the YU Gruss Kollel in Israel as our scholar in residence. Please join us for a leadership luncheon on Shabbat afternoon open to current students, alumni, faculty and friends of Yeshiva. Details and Registration to follow shortly. DID YOU EVER WONDER WHO IS GOING TO WRITE YOUR OBITUARY? We know the answer: Meet Daniel Slotnick, obituary writer for the New York Times in conversation with Rabbi Daniel Cohen, author of What will they say about when your're gone? Register at WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22ND AT 8:00PM The Jewish Center - The Modern Orthodox Center for Jewish Life and Learning 131 W. 86 th Street, New York, NY

2 JOIN THE JC AIPAC DELEGATION AIPAC POLICY CONFERENCE 2017 SUNDAY MARCH 26-28, 2017 IN WASHINGTON, DC Dahlia Bellows Moshe Bellows George Blank Harriet Blank Jonathan Blank Steven Bram Lisa Buksbaum Jonathan Buksbaum Joshua Buksbaum Jacob Buksbaum Susan Canter Michelle Chrein Hillel Cohen Arthur Degen Susan Degen Daniel Faizakoff Rabbi Avi Feder Lauren Geller Martin Geller Talia Gerber Hanna Gerber Estee Gerber Sander Gerber Tracy Gerber Andrew Haberman Rebecca Hanus Avi Heller Steven Hirsch Janice Honig Ira Kellman Rona Kellman Eitan Kimelman Jonah Kupietzky Fran Kupietzky Charlie Laifer Daniel Laifer Jill Lavitsky Eric Lavitsky Rabbi Yosie Levine Susan Lobel Daniel Mael Linda Moed David Pfeffermann Daniel Posner Leyla Posner Rachel Ringler Pinny Rosenthal Andrew Schonzeit Beth Schwartz Joshua Schwartz Shimon Shkury Yossi Siegel Lionel Slama Philip Wagman Daniel Wagman Rabbi Mark Wildes Registration for the conference costs $599 Please visit to register. UPCOMING EVENTS A COMMUNITY CONVERSATION WITH MALCOLM GLADWELL FEBRUARY 13, 2017 AT 7:30PM Hosted by UJA-Federation of New York Location: Park Avenue Synagogue 50 East 87th Street (Enter on Madison Avenue) New York City, NY SISTERHOOD EVENING AT THE THEATER FEBRUARY 25, 2017 The New York Times called the new Broadway musical, Natasha Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812 rapturous and a witty, inventive enchantment. On February 25 th, decide for yourself if this is the next Hamilton. Join the Sisterhood for this season s mustsee musical followed by dessert. A limited number of tickets at $150 per person are available so reserve early by calling the Jewish Center at or visit our website at ROSH CHODESH ADAR WEBINAR WITH DR. ERICA BROWN FEBRUARY 27TH AT 12:00PM Join our visiting scholar live from Washington, DC for a special Rosh Chodesh Adar lunch break full of inspiration. Registration and webinar instructions to follow. SAVE THE DATE WEST SIDE HATZOLOH 32ND LEV ANNIVERSARY DINNER EVENT MARCH 20, 2017 AT 7:00PM LIGHTHOUSE AT CHELSEA PIERS RSVP at WestsSideHatzoloh.org BASKETBALL WITH DIVISION I PLAYER BEN MILSHTEIN We hope you enjoyed basketball with Ben and Blake motzei shabbat. If you and/or your kids are interested in playing more regularly, PLEASE let us know. Ben is available on Saturday nights as well as for private coaching both individually or in small groups. MISHLOACH MANOT PACKAGING Sunday, March 5th from 10am-12pm Join us in a simple and meaningful mitzvah! Every Purim, families of the Jewish Center deliver mishloach manot to elderly/homebound members of our community. We invite kids and parents to help us package the mishloach manot on and there will be a light breakfast. PURIM NIGHT Join us for a family friendly megillah reading in the gym, more details to follow. YOUTH DEPARTMENT UPDATES PURIM DAY Drop off Childcare and Entertainment during the 10:00 am Megillah Reading for babies and kids up to age 11. Magic Show, Animal Show, Face Painting, Music Games and More! Stay tuned for more details and registration. ADD A BIRTHDAY SPONSORSHIP TO ONE OF OUR FUN-FILLED YOUTH EVENTS! Party Choices this year Include Arts & Crafts, Movie Nights, Zumba, Krav Maga, Laser Tag, Bubble Soccer. Jenn and Gaby for more details and dates at jennandgaby@jewishcenter.org. MATANOT L EVYONIM Please remember to send Matanot L'evyonim, gifts to the poor, before Purim. The amount given should be sufficient to assist at least two different people with their Purim meal. Checks made out to the Rabbi Leo Jung Memorial Fund earmarked "Matanot L'evyonim" that are received before Purim March 7, 2017 will be distributed to the poor on Purim day to fulfill your obligation. PREPARING FOR PURIM MEGILLAH READING We would like to provide everyone with the opportunity to hear the Megillah on Purim. If someone you know will not be able to leave home on Purim, or if you would like to volunteer to read Megillah for the homebound, please contact Rabbi Zirkind at dzirkind@jewishcenter.org or MISHLOACH MANOT TO IDF SOLDIERS Send baskets filled with Israeli products and bakery goods to IDF soldiers in Israel. Packages will bear a card noting your name with a Purim greeting. Please place your order by Tuesday February 21. The cost is $15 per package, $450 for a platoon, and $2000 to a company. Make your check payable to The Jewish Center and earmark it "Mishloach Manot to IDF" or donate online at and write in the notes field "Mishloach Manot to IDF". ONEG SHABBAT Make the holiday a festive time for the needy or homebound in our community. Help provide mishloach manot packages in addition to their regular Shabbat meals. Colorful Purim cards are also available. For more information and to donate, visit To sponsor Kiddush or Seudah Shlishit or a JC event, please contact Aaron at astrum@jewishcenter.org

3 COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS MAZEL TOV Allen & Suzanne Smith on the birth of their grandson, Shmuel Dovid Smith, born to Jeffrey & Aimee Smith THANK YOU TO OUR USHERS Barbara Paris and Andrew Ackerman THANK YOU TO CSS We would like to once again thank CSS and our dedicated CSS members for providing the security for our synagogue this week. February 5-26 Don t miss the world s largest Jewish book sale completely run by Yeshiva University students. For more information visit theseforimsale.com. When shopping at the Seforim sale, please use the coupon code TJC and a portion of your purchase will be donated to our shul. This is a wonderful time to consider making a gift to enhance The Jewish Center s Al and Sylvia Baris Library housed in our Beit Midrash. Donate online at or contact Rabbi Dovid Zirkind for more information. DAVID HOROVITZ AT THE JEWISH CENTER Thank you to everyone who joined us this past Tuesday evening as we partnered with AIPAC to welcome Times of Israel Editor, David Horovitz. Thank you to Rabbi Robert Hirt and Yossi Siegel for their inspiring and provocative words and to everyone of who came for making our AIPAC event such an amazing success. To access discounted tickets to AIPAC's Policy Conference in March please contact our office. COMPLETE SCHEDULE OF CLASSES For more information visit our website or contact Rabbi Dovid Zirkind at dzirkind@jewishcenter.org DAILY (except Shabbat) Israel Friedman Daf Yomi with rotating JCU Faculty, 7:45AM TUESDAY Advanced Gemara Chaburah with Rabbi Noach Goldstein 7:45-8:30AM Nosh and Drash with Dr. Adena Berkowitz, 10:15-11:30AM Jewish History: Judaism in a Christian Empire with Rabbi Ari Lamm, 7:00PM NEW! Exodus: The Origins of Leadership, Community and Redemption Sadye and Henry Bayer Chumash Class with Rabbi Yosie Levine, 8:00PM WEDNESDAY Women of the Bible with Rabbi Yosie Levine, at 11:00AM SHABBAT Rabbi Israel Silverstein Mishnayot Class with Rabbi Yosie Levine, 8:30AM Hashkama Shiur with rotating JCU Faculty, 9:15AM Israel Friedman Daf Yomi with rotating JCU Faculty, 1 hour before Minchah 39 Melachot With Rabbi Dovid Zirkind To sponsor Kiddush or Seudah Shlishit or a JC event, please contact Aaron at astrum@jewishcenter.org

4 Flying First Class Rabbi Avi Feder, William Fischman Rabbinic Intern The song of Az Yashir, sung following the crossing of the Sea of Reeds (Kriyas Yam Suf), is noted in Gemara Shab- זה אלי, ואנוהו - התנאה phrase bos (133b) for it s poetic Thisלפניובמצות is my G-d, and I will beautify him. This נוימצוה - of verse is used as the source for the Halacha an imperative to beautify mitzvos; our shofar should look nice, the esrog must be pleasing to the eye, our Sifrei Torah (Torah Scrolls) are to look magnificent, and any Mitzvah we do should be done with a reverence for its appearance. Taken at face value, we can understand the command to treat G-dly affairs in a befitting manner. The question, however, is why source such a command here if the focus of the miraculous episode was the salvation from the advancing Egyptian army and defeat of our archnemesis? Where did the Gemara see a thematic connection to aesthetics in Judaism in the story of Kirays Yam Suf? To appreciate the derivation of this Halacha, let us look at a novel bit of trivia. The official Guinness World record for Most Passengers on an Aircraft is 1,088 people, set by an El Al Boeing 747 on May 24th The feat was accomplished during Operation Solomon, Israel s rescue of nearly 15,000 refugee Jews in under 36 hours from persecution and growing dangers due to the Ethiopian civil war. Organizers from the IDF and the Mossad commissioned El Al to remove all the seats from its planes, enabling the greatest possible capacity on-board the airlift fleet. The record accounts for an additional 2 babies born in the skies while en-route but actually fails to account for an additional 34 toddlers whose mothers smuggled them to safety under their robes! The scene on board was simply crazy! JEWISH BOOKS FOR THE BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED Recapture the Joy of Reading through The JBI Library for visually impaired, blind and reading disabled individuals. JBI is the world s largest library of Jewish interest for people of all ages and backgrounds who cannot read standard print, offering fiction, history, biographies, periodicals, a concert and lecture series and much more, in Audio, Large Print and Braille, all provided free of charge and delivered to your doorstep. JBI Talking Books are available in English, Russian, Yiddish and other languages. Liturgical materials are available in all formats. Call A librarian will be happy to help. Or visit JBI s website at JBI, since 1931, connecting the blind and visually impaired to the Jewish world. Landing in Israel, the passengers kissed the ground, blessed G-d and were just thankful for their salvation. Given the peril they faced in Ethiopia, the crowded environment and unpleasant flight was the most welcome experience. Not one cared that their travel plan didn t include seats, let alone respectable legroom, in-flight entertainment or beverage carts rolling down the aisles. Looking back at Kriyas Yam Suf, the Mishna in the 5th Perek of Avos tells us that G-d performed 10 different miracles for the Jews. Rav Ovadia mibartenura explains that G-d arranged the sea floor they walked upon into an elaborate brickwork, formed a special channel through the water for each of the 12 tribes, yet fashioned the dividers transparently so each tribe could still see their fellow. He placed a shelter of water above their heads for protection and created fresh-water spouts for drinking. The list of miracles continues, but the point is clear. The walk through the Sea of Reeds, while similar in purpose to Operation Solomon, differed starkly in its means of execution. All the Children of Israel wanted at the time was to live, they didn t ask, expect or even need a beautiful stroll through a water paradise, yet that is exactly what G-d provided them, a first rate experience, for which they gave praise in Az Yashir. Understanding this context, the source of derivation for the Halacha to beautify mitzvos is that much more beautiful. G-d was going to save His people, but He chose to do so in a First Class manner. The bare floors of the El Al planes served their purpose excellently for those Ethiopian Jews, but we are encouraged to do more in our Avodas Hashem (service of G-d). We must emulate the First Class experience we were given during Kriyas Yam Suf in our daily mitzvah observance. Invest in our Mitzvos, and together we can join G-d in a Flying First Class. Yosie Levine Rabbi Dovid Zirkind Associate Rabbi Chaim David Berson Cantor Ari Lamm Resident Scholar Erica Brown Community Scholar Noach Goldstein Resident Scholar Avi Feder William Fischman Rabbinic Intern Aaron Strum Executive Director Jenn & Gaby Minsky Youth Directors OFFICERS Avi Schwartz President Andrew Borodach First Vice President Michael Jacobs Vice President Deena Blanchard Vice President Mark Segall Assistant Vice President Yaron Kinar Treasurer Len Berman Assistant Treasurer Andrew Kaplan Assistant Treasurer Miri Lipsky Secretary PHONE NUMBERS Yoetzet Halacha Ilana Gadish nycyoezet@gmail.com Jewish Center Chevra Kadisha x555 UWS Mikvah Hatzoloh Eruv Status x4

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6 SHABBAT OF SONG FEATURING CANTOR CHAIM DOVID BERSON & LIPA SCHMELTZER FEBRUARY 10-11, 2017 Come and join us for an inspiring Shabbat of Song featuring Lipa Schmeltzer, Chaim Dovid Berson & the Zameiru Choir 6:15PM Friday Night Dinner (pre-registration required) 8:30 PM Friday Night Oneg (1st floor) Young Leadership invites you to join them for a Friday night Oneg with Lipa following dinner (free of charge). Services Don't miss Friday night and Shabbat morning davening lead by Lipa Schmeltzer, Chaim Dovid Berson & the Zameiru Choir Join us motzei shabbat for an inspiring musical havdallah! Thank you to our event planning committee Naomi Goldman Isabel & Daniel Mael Leah Pluchenik Monique & Laurence Shore Grant Silverstein Rona & Andrew Steinerman THANK YOU TO OUR SHABBAT OF SONG SPONSORS Lori Zeltser & Leonard Berman*, Marnie & Scott Black*, Harriet & George Blank*, Serena Wieder & Jonathan Blank*, Rachel Wolf & Andrew Borodach*, Vivian & Daniel Chill*, Sherry & Mark Fessel*, Debbie & Elliot Gibber, Naomi Goldman, Susan Kensky & Samuel Goldman*, Ruby & Joseph Gottlieb*, Janine Behrman & Alan Gover*, Esther & Steve Graber*, Eleanor Merczynski & David Hait*, Millie & Alvin Hellerstein*, Aliza Herzberg*, Virginia Bayer Hirt & Rabbi Robert Hirt*, Esther & Michael Jacobs*, Fran & Jonah Kupietzky*, Amanda Nussbaum & Daniel Laifer*, Rachelle & Alan Laytner*, Arlene & Zvi Lefkovitz, Rachel Lurie*, Tiki & Simcha Lyons*, Isabel & Daniel Mael, Robert Marcus, Barbara & David Messer*, Hanno Mott*, Pamela & David Neikrug, Sarah Finegold & Andrew Newton*, Michael Rand, Laurence & Monique Sasson, Avi Schwartz*, Chani & Mark Segall*, Rachel Ringler & Yossi Siegel*, Jennifer & Mark Smith*, Radine & William Spier*, Rona & Andrew Steinerman, Rachel & David Vorchheimer, Adina & Philip Wagman*, Cindy & Jay Worenklein* * One Gifters