Shabbat Shalom March 18-19 9 Adar II 5776 Parshat Vayikra Shabbat Zachor Torah Reading - Page 544 Maftir - Page 1066 Haftorah - Page 1214
SCHEDULE OF SERVICES Saturday, March 19 Shacharit... 9:00 a.m. Torah Parade and Regular Kids Classes... 9:45 a.m. Mishnah L Neshama and Teen Class following Kiddush Insights into the Weekly Torah Portion... 6:15 p.m. Mincha/Seudah Shlishit... 7:00 p.m. Havdalah... 8:18 p.m. Sunday, March 20 Shacharit... 9:00 a.m. Bagels and Beit Medrash... 9:45 a.m. Community Wide Purim Carnival @ JCC... 12:00 p.m. Shavua Tov Israel will not meet this week Caffe Ivrit... 2:30 p.m. Monday, March 21 Shacharit... 7:00 a.m. Tuesday, March 22 Shacharit... 7:00 a.m. Wednesday, March 23 Taanit Esther followed by Purim Night Shacharit... 6:45 a.m. Mincha... 7:10 p.m. Maariv... 8:00 p.m. Megillah reading... 8:15 p.m. Ice Cream social will follow the Megillah reading Late Megillah reading... 9:30 p.m. Thursday, March 24 Shacharit... 6:45 a.m. Megillah readings at Beth Israel:...... 7:15 a.m., 9:00 a.m., and 5:30 p.m. Mincha... 6:00 p.m. Seudah and Costume Contest... 6:15 p.m. Maariv... 7:45 p.m. Yeshivat Modechai & Esther post Purim Learning... 8:00 p.m. Friday, March 25 Omaha/Kansas City Kesher Shabbaton Shacharit... 7:00 a.m. Mincha/Maariv & Kabbalat Shabbat... 7:25 p.m. Candle Lighting... 7:25 p.m. During the month of March until Pesach, Friday night services will be at 7:00 p.m. Lighting candles at home should be done before the posted Candle Lighting time. 2 Baruch Dayan Ha-Emet We regret to inform you of the passing of Harriet Miller and Howard Gelman May the families know no other sorrow.
Orders are closed for delicious, delectable, not to be missed Beth Israel hamantashen. We will be making more than 1,000 hamantashen here at Beth Israel. Volunteers needed for the baking crew on Saturday March 19th from 8:45-10:45 p.m. or Sunday from 2:30-5:30 p.m. please contact Ilana Weiss at weiss.ilana@yahoo.com or 402-682-1166. Pick up will be the week of March 21st during office hours. 3
Wednesday, March 23 Fast of Esther begins, 5:59 a.m. Fast ends, 8:11 pm. Shacharit 6:45 a.m. Mincha 7:10 p.m. Maariv 8:00 p.m. Megillah reading 8:15 p.m. Ice Cream social will follow the Megillah reading Late Megillah reading 9:30 p.m. Purim Day - Thursday, March 24 Shacharit 6:45 a.m. Megillah readings: 7:15 a.m., 9 a.m., and 5:30 p.m. at Beth Israel 10:30 a.m. at Rose Blumkin Jewish Home 11:15 p.m. at Remington Heights Mincha 6:00 p.m. Seudah and Costume Contest 6:15 p.m. Seudah menu includes meat loaf, mashed potato bar, tossed salad, and dessert. $12 for adults; $6 for kids ages 4-12; free for kids 3 and younger; family rate of $36 Popping Penelope will return again this year and join us to enhance the Purim Seudah! Maariv 7:45 p.m. Yeshivat Mordechai & Esther 8:00 p.m. Post Seudah Learning for children and adults 4
Chaim Silberstein, Scholar In Residence ~ April 1-2 Chaim Silberstein is the founder and president of "Im Eshkachech - Keep Jerusalem" a public diplomacy and advocacy organization specializing in Jerusalem. He was formerly a senior adviser to Israel's minister of tourism. He has lived in Jerusalem and now resides in Beit El. Chaim is a geopolitical expert who has vast experience in government, marketing and informal education, ingredients that make him a sought after and dynamic speaker around the world. Chaim's presentations convey in a powerful and fascinating manner, a deeper and clear understanding of the abovementioned issues. He uses maps, tables, aerial photographs and structured and concise briefings to remove the confusion as well as share insights and suggestions as to possible future scenarios. Mincha, Maariv & Kabbalat Shabbat at 7:00 p.m. Services will be followed by dinner at 8:00 p.m. Adult - $12; children, ages 4-12 - $6; Ages 3 and under - free Friday Night - A Brief Journey Through the Jerusalem You Never Knew Shabbat Kiddush - Whose Jerusalem Is It? Who Does Jerusalem Belong to Historically, Morally, and Under International Law? Pre-Mincha - The Current Jerusalem Intifada (Uprising); Its Goals and Methods and How to Deal With It Make plans to join Beth Israel s Second Seder Saturday, April 23, 2016; Seder begins at 7:45 p.m. with Seder Introduction, Salad, and Salmon Maariv/Intermission at 8:40 Menu: Grape juice and wine, matzah, matzo ball soup, tossed salad, brisket, baked chicken, mushroom farfel kugel, asparagus, and dessert. Cost - $20 adults; $12 ages 4-12; $5 under age 4 who are eating. Reservations needed by April 18th. If financial assistance is needed, please contact the office. This year s Passover Seder is being subsidized by a grant from the National Jewish Outreach Program. Beth Israel was chosen from more than 200 organizations to participate in the Passover Across America program. 5
BIAV of Kansas City / Omaha Kesher Shabbaton March 25-27 Beth Israel will host a group of children in grades 5-8 from Overland Park/Kansas City for a Kesher Shabbaton. Kansas City is one of the closest Jewish communities to Omaha, and we look forward to building the relationship between the children in both of our communities. Together with the youth of Beth Israel, the group from Kansas City will spend an incredible Shabbat together. Highlights Include: Group Friday Night Dinner Oneg Shabbat Shabbat Gameshow Lunch at Beth Israel Learning sessions together Musical Havdalah Movie & Melava Malka at Beth Israel The children from KC and Beth Israel will be hosted within the neighborhood for the Shabbaton. Please contact Rabbi Weiss to sign up or to volunteer to help. 6
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Monday, March 28 ~ 7pm Omaha Community Playhouse One-time special performance of The Mitzvah In this one-man play and lecture, Roger Grunwald tells the tragic story of the mischlinge men of partial Jewish heritage who served in Hitler s army. Tickets are free, but seats must be reserved in advance at: ihene.org VOLUNTEERS NEEDED! The Rose Blumkin Jewish Home is in need of volunteers to lead Shabbat and holiday services. Please consider being a part of this program, providing this wonderful service for the residents. Contact the synagogue office for more info. Beth Israel Sisterhood Gift Shop The gift shop has games, toys, and other items for weddings, babies, graduations, birthdays, anniversaries, or just for yourself. Visit the Gift Shop anytime during synagogue office hours Monday - Thursday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Shop Amazon and Help Beth Israel! Buy ANYTHING on Amazon - including e-books - and earn cash for Beth Israel Synagogue. Every purchase you make on Amazon that begins on the Beth Israel website will return a percentage of your purchase to the synagogue. The link is found on the Beth Israel website at orthodoxomaha.org. MINYAN UPDATE To assure the scheduling of mincha/maariv minyan times in advance, please contact the office by the Wednesday of the week before the date. This allows the synagogue to include those times in the weekly schedule and also allow minyan attendees to adjust their schedules accordingly. Mikvah News For mikvah access, please contact Dani Shrago at (402) 333-6108. The community mikvah is located in the Blumkin Home on the JCC campus. Everyone is asked to please give as much notice as possible. 8
Children s Shabbat Morning Class Schedule The Youth of Beth Israel Part I Aleph Beit - All ages 10:00-10:30 in the Chapel Parsha and Midot - Ages 3-6 10:15-10:30 in the Social Hall Topics in Jewish Life - Boys, Ages 11 and older 10:00-11:00 in the Social Hall Junior Congregation - Grades K-6 10:30-10:50 (Haftorah sermon) in the Youth Lounge Tefillah & Parsha - Girls, Ages 5-12 10:50-11:25 in the Teen Lounge Parsha and Life Lessons - Ages 6 and older 11:00-11:25 in the Chapel Tot Shabbat - Ages 3-6 10:50-11:20 in the playroom Advanced Parsha - Boys, Ages 13 and older 11:00-11:30 in the Social Hall The Youth of Beth Israel Part II 12:00pm Mishna L Neshamah - All ages (children under age 5 must attend with a parent) in the Sanctuary Teen Class - Grades 6 and up in the Social Hall Eliad Eliyahu ben Shushan, Community Shaliach Shavua Tov Israel Sundays, 1:00pm, Beth Israel Learn Torah through songs, dances & games. Prizes for the winners & snacks for every child! Caffe Ivrit Sundays, 2:30pm, Beth Israel Do you have basic skills in Hebrew and want to improve upon them? Then this is the class for you! Monthly Kids Learning Chabura (Grades K-2) Next Session: April 6th Children in grades K-2 are invited to come learn with Rabbi Weiss on the first Wednesday of each month at the Blumkin Home Chapel. In the monthly meeting, we will explore Jewish life, customs, and Torah. 9
Calendar at a Glance March 23 Purim Night: Megillah Reading & Ice Cream Social March 24 Purim Day & Seudah with Costume Contest March 25-27 April 1 April 1 April 15 April 17 April 21 April 22-30 April 23 May 1 Omaha/Kansas City Kesher Shabbaton Chaim Silberstein, Scholar In Residence Sr. NCSY Shabbaton in Kansas City Pre-Pesach Friday Night Dinner at Beth Israel Paysie & Susie s Pre-Pesach Perfect Pasta Dinner Dinner @ Bagel Bin / Bedikat Chametz Pesach Second Seder at Beth Israel Beth Israel Annual Meeting Celebrating a Simcha in April? Be a part of the Simcha Kiddush on Shabbat, April 16, 2016 A sponsorship is just $25. Call the synagogue office at (402) 556-6288 to be included. 10
1st & 2nd & 3rd Aliyot: The instructions for offering a "Oleh" - burnt offering (fully consumed on the Alter) is detailed. This offering could be brought from a bull, or male sheep or goat. The less expensive "Oleh", using a Turtle Dove or common dove, is described. The Mincha, an offering made from baked, fried, or deep fried matzoh type crackers is detailed. 4th Aliya: The Korban Shlomim - the peace offering, brought from male or female cattle, sheep, and goats is described. 5th Aliya: This aliya describes this Korban Chatas - the sin offering. Three unique sin offerings are described: 1. When the High Priest sinned 2. If the King sinned 3. If the entire nation sinned because of a wrong ruling by the Sanhedrin - High Court. Note: A Korban Chatas could only be offered if the sin was unintentional. 6th & 7th Aliyot: The Korban Chatas of a commoner is detailed, as well as the specifics of the Korban Asham - the guilt offering. This Korban was offered in instances where intentional wrong doing was implicated; such as not fulfilling an assumed oath, or doing something questionable without first ascertaining the law. Additionally, a type of Asham was offered in instances of dishonesty and swearing falsely. (Source: www.torah.org) Questions for the Torah Reading Answered before the Haftorah Reading 1. Does one bring a male or female offering for the Olah? 2. What are the ingredients of the Mincha offering? 3. What happens to the bull that is brought as a sin offering of the anointed Kohen? 4. What happens when someone sins accidentally? 5. When did Amalek first attack the Jewish people? 11
WELCOME TO BETH ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE We are delighted to welcome you to Beth Israel Synagogue. A passage from Deuteronomy 30:11-14 inspired the art work in the sanctuary. For this commandment that I command you today - it is not hidden from you and it is not distant. It is not in heaven, [for you] to say, Who can ascend to the heaven for us and take it for us so that we can listen to it and perform it? Nor is it across the seas, [for you] to say, Who can cross to the other side of the sea for us and take it for us, so that we can listen to it and perform it? Rather, the matter is very near to you - in your mouth and your heart - to perform it. The focal point of the sanctuary is the Menorah Window, which frames the Ark and is shaped in the form of the six branched candelabrum. To the right, brilliantly colored window has forms that reflect the heavens, while the left side depicts the seas. The message is completed in a frieze, the horizontal painting on wood mounted on the wall. The background of the frieze symbolically and abstractly represents the relationship between G-d and the people of Israel through the Covenant. The perochet, or curtain over the Ark, completes the symbolic composition, with an expression that intertwines the Torah and the letter Aleph, the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet, of the Ten Commandments, and of G-d s name in Hebrew. As is traditional, the sanctuary has 12 windows, representing the 12 tribes of Israel. These windows contain the name of each tribe in flowing, organic letters. The windows are located above the continued frieze, which includes two central texts of the revelation at Sinai - If you will keep my Covenant, you shall be precious to me, and You shall be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. This composition expresses the unity of Israel as the people stood together at Sinai and accepted the Torah. Beth Israel Synagogue strives to perpetuate the legacy of Torah Judaism in the modern world. Beth Israel welcomes all persons of the Jewish faith to join and accepts the diversity of practice and thought among its members. Toba Cohen-Dunning, President Rabbi Ari Dembitzer, Senior Rabbi Rabbi Yaakov Weiss, Assistant Rabbi Jeannie Nickels, Office Manager Leo Fettman, Cantor Emeritus 12604 Pacific Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68154 (402) 556-6288 / www.orthodoxomaha.org