Young Israel of Oak Park 15140 West 10 Mile Road Oak Park MI 48237 Contacting YIOP Tel. (248) 967-3655 Fax (248) 967-4272 www.yiop.org Non-profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Southfield, MI Permit No. 111 Volume 15 Issue 1 JAN. 2018 טבת-שבט תשעח Rabbi Michael Cohen Throughout the story of Yoseph, one cannot but muse at Yoseph s incredible character. He does not reduce himself to being merely a young Jewish slave when he is introduced to Pharaoh; he presents himself as a nobleman, who is not afraid to proclaim his belief in G-d even when standing before Pharaoh, a man who claims that he himself is a god. Ironically, once he has interpreted the dreams and offered advice Pharaoh himself is convinced and admits that Yoseph possesses the spirit of G-d. Pharaoh dreamed of two sets of seven cows. When the Torah relates how Pharaoh retold the dreams to Yoseph it uses unusual terms to refer to the two sets of cows. Concerning the fat cows, in the actual dream they are described as yifat marei, beautiful to behold, however in the retelling of the dream the language used to describe them is yifat toar, of beautiful form. Concerning the thin cows, whereas in the dream they are described as being dakot, thin, in the retelling of the dream they are described as rakot, empty. These differences may not seem significant to us, however to Yoseph these words hold the key to a profound insight and personal interpretation. The words yifat toar and rakot are very similar to the language used to describe Rachel and Leah. Yoseph understood that the seven cows could not represent children (as the Egyptian magicians had thought) but rather the seven years that Yaakov worked for Rachel and then for Leah. Thus, Yoseph understood that the seven cows represented seven years. (continued on next page) 1
What I find remarkable about this insight of Rabbi Dovid Fohrman is that Yoseph saw Pharoah dreams through his own life, he understood that he was part of the destiny of the Egyptian people and the Jewish People. The dreams that he himself had seen many years earlier now came into a new light. His brothers were not going to bow to him because he would rule over them, rather they would bow to him because he would be in a position to sustain them and prepare Egypt for the impending exile that had been foretold to Avraham so many years earlier at the brit ben habetarim, the covenant between the pieces. From this point on Yoseph is concerned with one goal, that of controlling the Egyptian economy, their taxes, their land, and their treasury, so as to create an environment favorable for the Jewish People who would soon be living as slaves and persecuted by this people. The exile of the Jewish people in Egypt was his chief concern, so much so that when he reveals his identity to his brothers he is able to say immediately that they should not imagine that they were responsible for his suffering, it was G-d that sent him to Egypt with the mission of providing for the Jewish people and the entire region. From TRIBUTES IN Nov. Eleanor Sosne in memory of Mr & Mrs Harry Laken Gabriel & Aliza Sosne Wayne Lusky, Todah Rabbah Gabriel & Aliza Sosne Sue Sendler, Mazel Tov on the engagement of her grandson Paula Katz Miriam Hoberman in memory of her husband, Sol Dorothy Klausner & Warren Tessler TO THE EDUCATION FUND For tributes, call the office, (248) 967-3655 Sam & Dorit Flatt, for a Refuah Shleima for their daughter, Donna Stuart & Janelle Teger Manny & Bessie Mittelman, Mazel Tov on the birth of their great great grandson Shiffy Jubas The book of Genesis ends with forgiveness and reconciliation. The Ramban on many occasions sights the concept that the events of Genesis are a precursor of the destiny of the Jewish people, the exile in Egypt a precursor for the impending exile of the Jewish people in later generations. Yoseph reaches an understanding that his deeds count, not for himself, but for the greater good of his family, he understands that G-d controls his destiny and that he has the privilege of being a part of something greater that his own life. It is with this lesson that we embark on the book of Exodus, it is the lesson of how to survive the exile and how to merit to see the redemption. MEMBER S ACHIEVEMENTS Kol Hakavod to Milt Neuman, who was the site leader for Mitzvah Day on Dec. 25, in Detroit. TZEDAKAH CORNER YIOP gave to these charities in Nov. including 40 TEP $20 each Yad L Achim $50 Yad Yisrael $200 Yad Sarah $100 2 11
TODAH RABBAH To Our Kiddush Sponsors: Howard & Margery Klausner, Gary & Malke Torgow, Debby Stoller To Our Kiddush Sponsors: Gene & Mintzi Schramm, Ed & Susie Kresch, Howard & Margery Klausner To Our Seudat Shlishit Sponsors: Anonymous Tikkun sponsors: Manny & Bessie Mittelman, Larry & Pearl Schon, David & Adina Barth, Rabbi Michael & Devora Cohen, Ed & Susie Kresch To Miriam Falcon for donating a Sefer in loving memory of her mother, Malca Perel bas Moshe Zev Falcon. To Our Iron Blech Volunteers: Adina & David Barth, Sharon & Steven Cohen, Debbie Devries, R Ari Ellis, Miriam Falcon, Mayer & Sarita Fox, Eli Klausner, Milt Neuman, Sherrill Platt, Miriam Rothenberg, Leah Sanders, Julie Edgar Sklar, Hildy Scholar, Ruvi Singal, Chani Stebbins, & Janelle Teger. To Mark & Badonna Berkman for sponsoring the Women s Rosh Chodesh Series, in December, in loving memory of his uncle, Robert Lutsky. To Milt Neuman for sponsoring Rabbi Cohen s on Monday, Dec. 25, in honor of Rabbi Cohen. To Sherrill Platt for donating a Sefer in loving memory of her father, Harold Platt, Tzvi ben Moshe Zev. MAZEL TOV To George & Estelle Gelberman on the engagement of their grandson, Shalom Weiss, of Monsey, to Adina Slepoy, of Lawrence. To Joel & Julie Margolis on the birth of their granddaughter, Ella Bracha, to Rabbi Shmueli & Sora Milecki, of Brooklyn. To Rabbi Joseph & Dorothy Hirsch on the birth of their great grandson to David & Adina Zier, of Yerushalayim. To Chanan & Ruth Kroll on the marriage of their daughter, Chumi, to Moish Zarecki, and to grandmother, Raiselle Snow. To Rabbi Joshua & Andrea Strosberg on the birth of their daughter, Chana Tehilla. David & Adina Barth William & Melissa Berlin Steven & Sharon Cohen Jeffrey & Debbie Devries Gil & Rebecca Feldman Mayer & Sarita Fox Ronald Herman Miriam Hoberman Shiffy Jubas Howard & Margery Klausner Nancy Kleinfeldt Milt Neuman Leonard & Shoshana Pollack Gene & Mintzi Schramm Dov & Esther Sherizen Michael & Ora Singer Ruvi & Shelley Singal Gil & Chani Stebbins Gary & Malke Torgow Edward Traurig David & Leah Ungar Becoming a Ha Bonim member demonstrates your commitment to further enhance the fiscal and spiritual viability of YIOP. Please contact the Shul office at (248) 967-3655 with questions. Please shop through Amazon Smile and choose Young Israel of Oak Park, when ordering anything on Amazon. Amazon donates 0.5% of the price of your eligible purchase to YIOP, when you shop at smile.amazon.com. AmazonSmile is the same Amazon, with the same prices, with the added benefit of supporting YIOP. The YIOP website now accepts online payments. Whether making a donation or paying for an event, you can make the payment by going to yiop.org/donate 10 3
Please join us for our YIOP Women's Speaker Series Sunday, January 14,at 10:00 am Young Israel of Oak Park Shoshana Katz, PhD will speak on "The Art of Setting Boundaries" Refreshments will be served. There is no charge for this event. This event is being sponsored by Debbie Devries in memory of Sheilah Goldberg's first Yahrzeit To sponsor future events please contact Sharon Cohen at sharoncohen4@gmail. 4 9
ANNOUNCEMENTS Please join us for an Education Committee Meeting, on Wed., Jan. 3, at 7:30PM, at YIOP, to help plan for our Scholar-in Residence Weekend. Join us for a lecture series, with Rabbi Shmuel Irons, on Sat. night, Jan. 6, at 9PM, at YIOP. This class is free for YIOP members. Topic: Emek Brachah: GaRav HaGoan Rabbi David Friedman of Karlin & the Cherem of Rabbi Yehoshua Leib Diskin. Women s Rosh Chodesh Series, Sun., Jan. 14, at 10AM. Dr. Shoshana Katz will speak on The Art of Boundary Settings. There is no cost for this event. Sponsorships are available. If you would like to be a sponsor, call the office. Save the date: Scholar in Residence Weekend, Jan. 26-27 with Rabbi Shalom Hammer. On Fri. night, there will be an Oneg at the Kornblum home (17538 Goldwin, Sfld), at 8PM. Rabbi Hammer will speak on The Ultra Orthodox & the IDF. On Shabbos morning, Rabbi Hammer will speak after davening on the Parshah Beshalach. On Sat. night, there will be a Melave Malke, at 8:15PM, at YIOP. Rabbi Hammer will speak on Off the Beaten Path: Observations on the Rejection of Observance. Suggested donation for the Melave Malka is $5.00. YIOP will once again be selling safety reflector belts for only $5.00. If you would like to purchase one, please call the office at (248) 967-3655. Fundraiser for YIOP-Join the English Gardens Flower of the month club and you can pick up a fresh cut bouquet or potted plant once a month for one year for a one time charge of $35. Valid at Clinton Twp., Dearborn, Royal Oak, and West Bloomfield locations only. Call Lynn, at 586-604-6907, to sign up for this package. Please mention Young Israel of Oak Park when ordering. Join us for our Scholar in- Residence Weekend with Rabbi Shalom Hammer Shabbat Parshat Beshalach, January 26-27, 2018 Our Schedule: Oneg Shabbat, 8:00 p.m., at the home of Dr. Marty & Sarah Kornblum, 17538 Goldwin, Southfield. Topic: The Ultra-Orthodox and the IDF. Shabbat at Young Israel of Oak Park: D var Torah on Parshat Beshalach, after davening. Melave Malka,* 8:15 p.m. Off the Beaten Path: Observations on the Rejection of Observance-- How Should Families Deal With a Member of the Family Who Rejects Observance? Motzai Shabbat, Rabbi Hammer will have books for sale and will show an inspirational short film on Jewish Identity in the Army. * Suggested donation for Melava Malka is $5. About Our Scholar-in-Residence Rabbi Shalom Hammer, born in New York, has lived in Israel for 25 years. He has had the unique experience of serving under the Chaplaincy of the Israel Defense Forces as well as being an educator in Israeli institutions such as the Menachem Begin Heritage Center in Jerusalem and the Hesder yeshiva affiliated with Sderot. Rabbi Hammer is currently a Senior Lecturer for the Jewish Identity Branch of the IDF, a contributing editor for the Jerusalem Post and in 2014, founded Makom Meshutaf, (A Place we share in Common), an organization which advocates tolerance and unity between religious and secular Jews in Israel. 8 5
Young Israel of Oak Park January 2018 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri SAT 1 יד טבת 2 טו טבת 3 טבת-שבט תשעח 4 6 יח טבת 5 יז טבת יט טבת שמות טז טבת Wkday 5PM Men s Gemara 9PM Candle lighting 4:56PM 5PM Shabbos Ends 8:15AM 4:45PM 6:02PM 10 כב טבת 9 כא טבת 8 כ טבת 7 Wkday 5:05PM Path of the Righteous Bk of Daniel 7PM 8PM 11 כד טבת 12 13 כה טבת כו טבת וארא כג טבת Shabbos Mevorchim Candle lighting 5:03PM Men s Gemara 9PM 5:05PM Shabbos Ends 8:15AM 4:55PM 6:09PM כח טבת 15 כז טבת 14 כט טבת 16 17 Women s Rosh Chodesh Lecture 10AM Wkday 5:15PM Path of the Righteous 7PM Bk of Daniel 8PM ה שבט 21 ו שבט 22 23 ז שבט 24 Wkday 5:20PM Path of the Righteous 7PM 28 יב שבט 30 יג שבט 29 יד שבט 31 א שבט-ראש חדש ב שבט 18 ג שבט 19 202 2 0 1 8 2 2 1 Candle lighting 5:11PM 5:15PM 27 י שבט 26 ט שבט 25 Men s Gemara 9PM 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1Early 7 Minyan 1 4 1 1 8:15AM 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 15PM 7 Shabbos Ends 6:17PM 1 1 1 1 7 Shabbos Ends Melave Malka ד שבט בא יא שבט בשלח-פרשת שירה ח שבט טו שבט Men s Gemara 9PM Oneg- 8PM @ Kornblums Candle lighting 5:20PM 5:25PM Scholar in Residence 8:15AM 5:10PM 6:25PM 8:15PM Wkday 5:30PM Path of the Righteous Book of Daniel 6:10AM 7PM 8PM