December 13th, 2018 5 Tevet, 5779 A Message from Rabbi Gaber- I watched with interest the open meeting between President Donald Trump, Senator Chuck Schumer and Representative Nancy Pelosi. I am glad to see some of our top elected leaders meeting to discuss and perhaps find solutions to the most pressing issues of the day. However, I was saddened that throughout their 16-minute public exchange our elected leaders spent their time talking at each other and past each other. They staked out positions and traded witticisms instead of finding ways to tackle the important issues of border security and the potential shutdown of the government. I was disappointed in their selfishness and shortsighted thinking as they govern our amazing country. Their exchange reminded me of a story called: Heaven and Hell, the Parable of the Long Spoons. The parable s author is unknown, but its message is important: One day a man said to God, God, I would like to know what Heaven and Hell are like. God showed the man two doors. Inside the first one, in the middle of the room, was a large round table with a large pot of stew. It smelled delicious and made the man s mouth water, but the people sitting around the table were thin and sickly. They appeared to be famished. They were holding spoons with very long handles and each found it possible to reach into the pot of stew and take a spoonful, but because the handle was longer than their arms, they could not get the spoons back into their mouths. The man shuddered at the sight of their misery and suffering. God said, You have seen Hell. Behind the second door, the room appeared exactly the same. There was the large round table with the large pot of wonderful stew that made the man s mouth water. The people had the same long-handled spoons, but they were well nourished and plump, laughing and talking. The man said, I don t understand. For more information, see our website at www.cboi.org Shabbat Service Schedule All services are held at 8:00pm on Friday night and 9:30am Shabbat morning Sunday morning minyan Begins at 9:20am Upcoming Services Friday, December 14th Saturday, December 15th Discussion on the Observant Life: Gossip, Slander and Tale-bearing during Kiddush Kiddish is sponsored by Gizelle Kauf In memory of Herbert Kauf Friday, December 21st Cantor May will be here Saturday, December 22nd Cantor May will be here Friday, December 28th Saturday, December 29th Friday, January 4th Saturday, January 5th Continued on page 3
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Continued from page 1 God smiled. It is simple, he said, Generosity only requires one skill. These people learned early on to share and feed one another. While the greedy only think of themselves [Author unknown] The meeting between our elected leaders was, in my opinion, an example of Hell. I am not naïve enough to think that there are not significant viewpoints that divide our elected leaders from one another, but I believe we elected our leaders to serve the needs of those who live in the United States. I would encourage them to take this beautiful parable to heart by being generous with one another instead of selfish and self-serving. During the next month, Congress will transition in new members and the members new and veteran will accept new committee positions and responsibilities, I pray that the transition will be one where all members will find ways to be generous with one another helping to benefit our country. While I send this message to the Members of Congress, I also hope that each of us will pretend to have a long spoon and that we too will model generosity to those around us because that too will benefit our community and our country. Shabbat Shalom Page 3
Between now and the end of the year, retirees 70 1/2 years of age and older are required to take a distribution of traditional retirement accounts or face tax penalties. But if you donate your RMD to the synagogue you may experience tax advantages. Here is an article from US News and World Report that outlines some basic information: https://money.usnews.com/money/retirement/iras/ articles/2017-12-04/how-to-donate-your-requiredminimum-distribution-to-charity Of course, consult your financial advisor for more information. Page 4 Congregation Brothers of Israel
Services This Weekend: Friday, December 14th Saturday, December 15th Torah Reader: Rabbi Wolpe Parashah: Vayagash, Pg. 274, Genesis 44:18 Haftorah: Ezekiel 37:15 Haftorah Reader: Tony Brickman Yahrzeits Sarah Albert, Harriet Blaustein, Roth Goldman Borger, Bernard Cooper, Edward G. Dubrow, Simon Epstein, Gertrude Fishman, Ruth Geller, Samuel Glaser, Joan Elin Rothenberg Griff, David Handel, Samuel Haveson, Morris Hirsch, Herbert Kauf, Eileen Kelberg, Michael Kohn, Nettie Kornfeld, Charles Eric Landsman, Lena Levenstein, Joel Mailer, Minnie Malter, Hinda Perlin, Harry Polonsky, Sarah Reich, Jay Morton Roberts, Vernon Rosenberg, Harry Rosenblum, Margie Simon, Stanley Solomon, Nathan Spiezle, Joseph Tankel, Stanley Tyger, Roberta Unger, Bea Weber, Benjamin Wouch, Joseph Youth It s time for new Mahjongg Cards! Large card $9. Small $8. Send a check made out to JUDITH YOUNG, care of CBOI, 530 Washington Crossing Rd, Newtown, PA 18940. Please put your name and address on your check so Judi can send you your card. Happy New Year! Donations We thank you for your generosity- To the General Fund from Judith and Fred Young with get well wishes to Alex Geiger, Shalom Cohen and Alan Epstein Judith and Fred Young in memory of Frank Orland, father of Steve Orland Stuart Berney in memory of Joel Meir Maxine and Brian Goldsmith with wishes for a speedy recover to Rita Schultz Maxine and Brian Goldsmith with Mazel Tov to Donna and Ira Spector on the birth of their granddaughter Marcy and Stephen Wouch in memory of Benjamin Wouch To the Yahrzeit Fund from Lynne Azarchi in memory of Arthur Azarchi Roberta and Gregory Kenwod in memory of Roslyn Perla and in memory of Pauline Steingesser Bonnie and Lee Pedowicz in memory of Jack M. Pedowicz Josiane Morgenstern in memory of Ruth Salama Miriam Banin in memory of Ruth Salama To the Alvin Berger Fund from Donna and Seymour Nowicki with wishes for good health to Gloria Berger To the Martin Belovin Fund from Harriet Belovin with Mazel Tov and good health on Robin Belovin s retirement Jan Hanlon with Mazel Tov and good health to Robin Belovin on her retirement Harriet Belovin with get well wishes to Jack Arter To the George Weiner Scholarship Fund from Susan and Larry Keller in memory of Judith Young s mother, Ida Ruth Maretsky To the Anna and Edward Dubrow Fund from Linda and Michael Dubrow in memory of Edward Dubrow To the Marci Scharf Fund from Hollis and Mark Nemiroff in memory of Ruth Nemiroff To the Spring Gala from Susan and Larry Keller in memory of Frank Orland, father of Steve Orland To the Deutsch ABC Educational Fund from Francesca Axe and Alex Draifinger in memory of Stanley Solomon Page 5
Join us for the Mid-Atlantic Mini & Junior JCC Maccabi Games (ages 9-10 and 11-12) on May 5, 2019 at the JCC in Wynnewood and for the Big Maccabi Games (ages 13-16) in Atlanta or Detroit this summer. This is a regional program and tryouts are happening all over our area. For the tryout schedule and complete Games information, visit www.phillyjcc.com/maccabi The Kaiserman JCC is the proud host of the 2019 MidAtlantic Junior Maccabi Games where over 800 Jewish athletes from 20 East coast JCCs will gather in Wynnewood, PA on May 5, 2019. The Kaiserman JCC is also the home of Team Philadelphia which will bring over 120 high school athletes to the JCC Maccabi Games over the summer. In a nutshell, the JCC Maccabi Games is an Olympic-style sporting competition held each summer in North America and is the second largest organized sports program for Jewish teenagers in the world. The Mid-Atlantic Junior & Mini Maccabi Games were created by the Kaiserman JCC in 1998 and give our younger athletes a one-day Maccabi experience. 900 student athletes. 3,500 spectators. 30 sports. 1 great Maccabi Experience. If you are a Jewish athlete age 9-16, then the Kaiserman JCC is looking for you.