PARSHAT VA’ERA Moshe: The Greatest Speech Therapy … · Moria Kaplan in Ranana, Israel. ... the...

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YOUNG ISRAEL OF HOLLYWOOD-FT. LAUDERDALE Rabbi Yosef Weinstock Rabbi Adam Frieberg, Assistant Rabbi Rabbi Edward Davis, Rabbi Emeritus Dr. P.J. Goldberg, President 3291 Stirling Road, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33312 954-966-7877 email: [email protected] www.yih.org PARSHAT VA’ERA 26 TEVET 5778 JANUARY 13, 2018 TORAH READING Va’era 2:8 HAFTORAH Ezekiel 28:25 Nach Yomi : Joshua 17 Daf Yomi : Shevuos 46 SHABBAT TIMES Candle Lighting 5:31p.m. Shabbat Ends 6:29 p.m. WE WELCOME ALL NEWCOMERS, VISITORS AND GUESTS SHABBAT SHALOM THIS SHABBAT Scholar In Residence, Dr. Erica Brown Schedule Friday Night 8:45 p.m. @ the home of Phil & Lisa Baratz Who Are You? Varieties of Jewish Identity in the 21 Century Shabbat morning, following 9:00 a.m. Minyan Where Have All Our Leaders Gone? A View from Tanakh 4:45 p.m. Who Loves You? Friendship in Jewish Tradition ~~~~~~ SHABBAT MEVORCHIM SHEVAT SHIUR 3:45 Sharp - 4:30pm (to allow time to attend SIR) @ Bengio Home featuring Debbie Galitzer The Changing Faces of Anti-Semitism 2 Main Sanctuary will be locked while the Torah is being read, during Mussaf Kedusha, and while the Rabbi is speaking, Contact Gerald Mayerhoff [email protected] or David Lasko [email protected] for an aliyah or kibbud at any of the minyanim Friday Night 5:31pm Candle Lighting 5:40pm Mincha/Maariv Main Sanctuary 5:40pm Mincha/Maariv Beit Midrash 5:40pm Sephardic Mincha/Maariv Library 8:45pm Dr. Erica Brown - Who Are You? Varieties of Jewish Identity in the 21st Century Phil & Lisa Baratz Shabbat Morning 7:00am Shacharit Minyan Main Sanctuary 8:00am Shacharit Minyan Room 1 & 2 8:15am Parsha Shiur with Rabbi Natan Brownstein Moshe: The Greatest Speech Therapy Story in History Beit Midrash 8:45am Sephardic Minyan Library 8:45am Beit Midrash Minyan House 9:00am Shacharit Minyan Main Sanctuary 9:30am Youth Minyan Modular 9:30am Teen Minyan Room 5 9:15am Parsha Class with Rabbi Yitzchak Salid Room 6 9:49am Latest Shema Time 10:10am The Rest of the Story: Understanding the Haftarah Rabbi Yitzi Marmorstein Social Hall 10:15am Parsha Class with Rabbi Yitzchak Salid Back Room of House 10:45am Open Beit Midrash and Sefer HaMitzvot Shiur with Rabbi Moshe Parnes Beit Midrash 11:15am Dr. Erica Brown: Where Have All Our Leaders Gone? A view from Tanakh Main Sanctuary 11:30am Youth Haftorah Class with Shimmy Lazar Modular

Transcript of PARSHAT VA’ERA Moshe: The Greatest Speech Therapy … · Moria Kaplan in Ranana, Israel. ... the...

YOUNG ISRAEL OF HOLLYWOOD-FT. LAUDERDALE

Rabbi Yosef Weinstock

Rabbi Adam Frieberg, Assistant Rabbi

Rabbi Edward Davis, Rabbi Emeritus

Dr. P.J. Goldberg, President

3291 Stirling Road, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33312

954-966-7877 email: [email protected] www.yih.org

PARSHAT VA’ERA 26 TEVET 5778 JANUARY 13, 2018

TORAH READING Va’era 2:8 HAFTORAH Ezekiel 28:25

Nach Yomi : Joshua 17 Daf Yomi : Shevuos 46

SHABBAT TIMES

Candle Lighting 5:31p.m. Shabbat Ends 6:29 p.m.

WE WELCOME ALL NEWCOMERS, VISITORS AND GUESTS

SHABBAT SHALOM

THIS SHABBAT

Scholar In Residence, Dr. Erica Brown

Schedule

Friday Night 8:45 p.m. @ the home of Phil & Lisa Baratz

Who Are You? Varieties of Jewish Identity in the 21 Century

Shabbat morning, following 9:00 a.m. Minyan

Where Have All Our Leaders Gone? A View from Tanakh

4:45 p.m. Who Loves You? Friendship in Jewish Tradition

~~~~~~

SHABBAT MEVORCHIM SHEVAT SHIUR

3:45 Sharp - 4:30pm (to allow time to attend SIR)

@ Bengio Home featuring Debbie Galitzer

The Changing Faces of Anti-Semitism

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Main Sanctuary will be locked while the Torah is being read, during Mussaf

Kedusha, and while the Rabbi is speaking,

Contact Gerald Mayerhoff [email protected] or David Lasko

[email protected] for an aliyah or kibbud at any of the minyanim

Friday Night

5:31pm Candle Lighting

5:40pm Mincha/Maariv Main Sanctuary

5:40pm Mincha/Maariv Beit Midrash

5:40pm Sephardic Mincha/Maariv Library

8:45pm Dr. Erica Brown - Who Are You? Varieties of

Jewish Identity in the 21st Century

Phil & Lisa Baratz

Shabbat Morning

7:00am Shacharit Minyan Main Sanctuary

8:00am Shacharit Minyan Room 1 & 2

8:15am Parsha Shiur with Rabbi Natan Brownstein

Moshe: The Greatest Speech Therapy Story

in History

Beit Midrash

8:45am Sephardic Minyan Library

8:45am Beit Midrash Minyan House

9:00am Shacharit Minyan Main Sanctuary

9:30am Youth Minyan Modular

9:30am Teen Minyan Room 5

9:15am Parsha Class with Rabbi Yitzchak Salid Room 6

9:49am Latest Shema Time

10:10am The Rest of the Story: Understanding the

Haftarah Rabbi Yitzi Marmorstein

Social Hall

10:15am Parsha Class with Rabbi Yitzchak Salid Back Room of House

10:45am Open Beit Midrash and Sefer HaMitzvot Shiur

with Rabbi Moshe Parnes

Beit Midrash

11:15am Dr. Erica Brown: Where Have All Our Leaders

Gone? A view from Tanakh

Main Sanctuary

11:30am Youth Haftorah Class with Shimmy Lazar Modular

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Shabbat Afternoon

3:45pm

SHARP

Shabbat Mevorchim Lecture with Debbie

Galitzer.

Bengio Home

4:00pm Bnei Akiva Rooms 1-6

4:25pm Gemara Shiur on Gittin (in Hebrew) Beit Midrash

4:25pm Daf Yomi Library

4:45pm Dr. Erica Brown-Who Loves You? Friend-

ship in Jewish Tradition

Main Sanctuary

4:45pm Middle School Boys Gemara Chabura with

Rabbi Natan Brownstein

Room 6

5:30pm Mincha Main Sanctuary

5:30pm Teen Mincha Chapel

After Mincha Gemara Shiur with Rabbi Jonathan Hirsch Beit Midrash

After Mincha Youth Shiur & Seudah Shlishit with Rabbi

Gavriel Grossman

Rooms 3 & 4

After Mincha Teen Shiur & Seudah Shlishit with Rabbi

Moshe Nachbar

Rooms 1 & 2

6:29pm Maariv Main Sanctuary

6:29pm Teen Maariv Chapel

Immediately

after Maariv

Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 5 min. class Library

Motzei Shabbat

7:30pm V’Shinantam L’Vanecha (parent/child learning) Beit Midrash

7:30pm Mishna Chabura with Rav James, 4th-6th

Grades

Beit Midrash

7:30pm Nitsana Darshan-Leitner, Israeli human

rights lawyer, will speak about her new book

Harpoon: The Mossad’s Covert War against

Terrorism’s Money Masters.

Social Hall

Crossing schedule: Stirling Road at SW 33rd Avenue

Hollywood Police will control the light this Friday 5:00-10:30pm. Shabbat 7:45am-

12:30pm & 3:30-7:00pm. A custodian will manually change the light between 6:50

& 7:10am. Please cross Stirling Road in the crosswalk after all traffic has stopped.

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OUR YIH FAMILY….

Mazel Tov:

Cindy & Eitan Siev on the birth of a granddaughter Maayan Emunah, to their

children Yonatan & Rivka Siev in Beer Sheva, Israel.

Drs. Ilya & Diana Chern on the engagement of their daughter Bracha to Jason

Salamon of Lawrence, NY.

Adam & Ilana Greenbaum on the birth of their daughter Gabriella Pearl.

Ed & Marilyn Kaplan on the birth of their great grandson, Yacov, son of David

Moria Kaplan in Ranana, Israel.

KASHRUT UPDATE

Kashrut Reminder: Please note that in Broward County, only restaurants supervised by the ORB (Orthodox Rabbinical Board of Broward and Palm Beach) are recommended. For their full list of supervised restaurants go to: www.orbkosher.org.

Weekday Daily Minyanim—Jan 14– Jan 19

Shacharit: Sun. 7:15, 8:00, 9:00am, Mon: 6:15, 7:15, 8:00am Tues: 6:15,7:30, 8:00am. Wed: 6:00, 7:00, 8:00am. Thurs: 6:15, 7:15, 8:00am, Fri. 6:15, 7:30,

8:00am, Mincha /Maariv 5:45pm

Safety, Security & First Aid

“Safety & Security is everyone’s responsibility. If You See Something Say Some-

thing!” Talk to the President, Rabbis, or Executive Director.

AED (Automated External Defibrillator) along with other first aid equipment in closet

next to Social Hall.

SEASON 11 CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

MONDAY NIGHT @ 8pm

VS.

Season 12 registration open till 1/14. Sign up at: [email protected]

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8:00 a.m. Kiddush Willy & Harriette Moses in memory of their parents,

Jacob Moses, (Yaakov ben Menachem) and Blanka

Moses, (Brinedal bat Menachem Pinchas). Ida Esther

Katznelson (Chaya Esther bat Nachum Yitzchak) and

Rabbi Meyer Z. Katznelson (HaRav Meir Zavel ben

Avraham Zeev).Suchi & Raisy Gittler to commemorate

the 2nd yahrzeit of his father Norman Gittler.

Torah Dialogue Meryl & Norman Palgon in commemoration of Shirley

Lyman z”l, Yahrzeit on the 29th of Tevet. Shirley was

beautiful, charming and devoted to her children,

grandchildren and great grandchildren. We miss you

and love you Mom!

Youth Minyan Andrew & Rachel Bronfeld.

Teen Minyan Barry & Jillian Galitzer in honor of their daughter

Ashley’s 20th birthday and welcoming her and other

Stern/YU College students home.

All other Kiddushim and

Seudah Shlishit

Shabbat Sponsors Group.

THANK YOU TO OUR SHABBAT SPONSORS

Shabbat Sponsorship Opportunities

$54: 7:00 a.m., 8:00 a.m., YP Minyan, Sephardic Minyan (sponsorship fee for

catered Kiddush)

$250: Beit Midrash Kiddush includes food

$325: 9:00 a.m. Minyan Kiddush (cake, soda & paper goods only)

$100: 9:00 a.m. Minyan Kiddush (sponsorship fee for catered Kiddush)

$150: Youth Kiddush

$150: Teen Kiddush

$50: Shabbat Group Kiddush

$100: V’Shinantum L’Vanecha

$100: Monday Mishmar

$360: Seudah Shlishit for 150 people

$136 each: Torah Dialogue or Shabbat Announcements or Pulpit Flowers

Weekly and special classes are also available for sponsorship. Contact Rabbi

Adam Frieberg for more information [email protected]

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D’var Torah : Rabbi Yosef Weinstock

On Monday, we will commemorate the 89th birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Recently, I

had the chance to hear a recording of a sermon that Dr. King delivered to a Jewish audience at

Temple Israel of Hollywood in February of 1965. What I found so interesting in that sermon was

that the message was much more than an appeal against segregation, although that was part

of it. His message was universal and very much in line with Jewish thinking. For example at one

point Dr. King said, “We have allowed our technology to outdistance our theology.… We've

made of the world a neighborhood, but we failed through moral commitment to make of it a

brotherhood... What does it profit a man to gain the whole world of means -- airplanes,

television, electric lights -- and lose the end, the soul?"

As members of the Jewish community, it is appropriate to acknowledge Dr. King’s concern for

and support of worldwide Jewry. Dr. King felt a connection with the Jewish People and drew

historical parallels between our experience in Egypt and the African American experience in

America. Long before the plight of Soviet Jewry made headlines, Dr. King stated:

“I cannot stand idly by, even though I happen to live in the United States and even though I

happen to be an American Negro and not be concerned about what happens to the Jews in

Soviet Russia. For what happens to them happens to me and you, and we must be concerned.”

On Israel’s right to exist, Dr. King said:

"peace for Israel means security, and we must stand with all our might to protect its right to

exist, its territorial integrity. I see Israel as one of the great outposts of democracy in the world,

and a marvelous example of what can be done, how desert land can be transformed into an

oasis of brotherhood and democracy. Peace for Israel means security and that security must be

a reality."

Finally, Dr. King appreciated the fact that Anti-Semitism will often try to disguise itself as

opposition to Zionism. During an appearance at Harvard University shortly before his death, a

student stood up and asked King to address himself to the issue of Zionism. The question was

clearly hostile. Dr. King responded, "When people criticize Zionists they mean Jews, you are

talking anti-Semitism."

This last idea has gained increased visibility, and was prominently featured in the PBS

documentary that aired this week on Anti-Semitism in the 21st century.

Dr. King believed that he was involved in a holy endeavor and that his efforts were a

fulfillment of G-d’s will. The very notion that a human being can serve as G-d’s messenger on

Earth is introduced to us by Moshe Rabbeinu. As Rabbi Soloveitchik wrote, “Moses introduces a

new motif into the God-man fellowship, namely that of Shelichut-agency. He becomes the

divine angel who acts on behalf of God and represents Him.” It is not just Moshe or a Dr. King

that serves this role. Each and every one of us serves as an agent of God. On the most basic

level, we have all been enlisted to bring God’s Presence into this world through the

performance of Chesed and Mitzvot.

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EVENT DATE TIME

Safety & Security Workshop All Shul members are

requested to attend. Light refreshments will be

served. Sign up at https://www.yih.org/form/

Safety

January 14 10:00– 11:00am

Social Hall

Rabbi Yosef Weinstock Founding Fathers of

Religious Zionism

January 17 8:00 pm Chapel

Sisterhood Meeting at Fresh-2893 Stirling Road.

Come hangout and eat!

January 17

8:00pm

Dennis Prager Happiness is a Moral Obligation January 20 4:35 p.m.

Dr. Yael Ziegler speaking on: David’s Sons:

Punishment & Redemption

January 29 8:00 p.m.

Chapel

Edwin Black Israel & International Law, The

Historical Underpinnings

January 31 7:30pm

Brotherhood Super Bowl Party. $15 pp, $50

family max. RSVP at yih.org/superbowl

February 4 6:00pm

Empty Nesters Visit to the Jewish Museum of Flori-

da. Info & Register: yih.org/jewishmuseum.

February 18 11:00am

Sisterhood & Brotherhood Couples Chocolate

Making Night: Sweet Tooth 18435 NE 19th Ave,

NMB. Light dairy dinner & drinks $50 per cou-

ple. Signup: yih.org/chocolatemaking

February 21 7:00 - 9:00pm

UPCOMING EVENTS & REMINDERS

January-May 2018, Sunday afternoons- Sunday Baseball League at Rotary Park. Grades: Pre-K to 8th grade in September 2017. League fees: $125.00

THIS PUBLICATION GOES TO THE PRINTER ON WEDNESDAYS. ALL SUBMISSIONS MUST BE

IN THE SHUL OFFICE BY WEDNESDAYS AT NOON. THIS INCLUDES EVENTS, SPONSORSHIPS,

NAMES FOR THE REFUAH SHLEIMAH LIST.

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WEEKDAY LEARNING

Daf Yomi in the Library. Weekdays: 5:30am & 8:00pm. Shabbat: 1 hour

before Minchah. Sundays: 6:30am.

Morning Learning Program with Rabbi Yossi Jankovits. Sun. (8-9am), Mon.-

Fri. (7-8am). Daily in the Beit Midrash 15 min. Mussar 15 min. Chumash with

Rashi (Parashah HaShavua), 30 min. Gemara.

U’Vkumecha “And When You Awaken” with Rabbi Yitzi Marmorstein

Mon.-Fri. 30 minutes before the second Shacharit Minyan

Sundays:

9:45am Chidon HaTanach for Middle School with Rav James in Social Hall

9:45am High School Sunday Mishmar joint with YHS in the Beit Midrash with

Rabbi Nachbar

Mondays:

7:30pm Middle School Mishmar in Beit Midrash & Modular

8:30pm High School Learning in conjunction with NCSY in Beit Midrash

8:30pm The Book of Devarim, Tobi Wolf for women, Room 5

8:30pm Talmud Tractate Brachot, Rabbi Yitzchak Salid

Tuesdays:

11:00am Women’s TaNaCh class, Lisa Baratz, Library

7:30pm Talmud Sanhedrin with Rabbi Michael Katz, Room 5.

8:00pm Chaburah Night—Chaburah Options:

Rabbi Adam Frieberg: Hilchot Shabbat-Social Hall.

Mrs. Sara Frieberg: Insight into the Siddur– Social Hall

Rabbi Moshe Nachbar: Writings of the Aish Kodesh– Social Hall.

Rabbi Natan Brownstein: Rav Kook’s Orot HaTeshuvah-Social Hall.

Rabbi Yaakov Sprung: Parshat HaSHavua: In a way you've never viewed it-

Small Chapel.

Mordechai Korik: Intro to Tanya– Social Hall

Wednesdays:

7:30pm “Practical Jewish Living for Beginners” with Sara Frieberg, in Room 6.

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Bahor ben Merhai (Boris Yusupov-Roman Yusupov’s father), Baruch Zvi ben Rivka Batya (Rabbi Dr. Brian Galbut-Daniel Galbut’s cousin), Binyamin ben Chemla (Binyamin Israel), David ben Naomi (Dean Palmer), David HaKohen ben Esther (Lev Kandinov’s father), Eliezer HaLevi ben Chana (Leon Brauser-Joel Brauser’s father), Solomon ben Solika (Solomon Perez-Ilana Melnitsky’s father), Yaakov ben Mira (Jacques Vogel-Michel Vogel’s father), Yehuda Arieh ben Mindla (Philippe Leiberman’s father), Yitzchak Chanoch ben Chana (nephew of Vanessa Shamah and Lauren Davis).

Bracha Etl bat Chana Nehorah (Ettie Langer), Chaya Mariam bat Blima (Harriet Bloom-Wendy Goldsmith’s mother), Chaya Sara bat Dubra (Irene Berlin-Reva Homnick’s mother), Devora bat Sheina Baila, Elka bat Tova (Leona Brauser-Joel Brauser’s mother), Feiga Necha bat Pessel (Fay Lerner), Masha bat Ruth (Marcia Chonchol-Craig Barany’s mother), Sara Leah bat Rochel (Cynthia Lynn Haber-Cheryl Hamburg’s sister), Sara Leah bat Bracha (Stacey Deutsch), Shira Raizel Esther bat Mina Zosha (Ruth Messer’s granddaughter), Tzirel Libah bat Frimed Mindel (Sylvia Lieberman-Philippe

Lieberman’s mother), Vickia bat Fruma (Vivian Honig-Susan Chusid’s mother), Yocheved bat Tzril (Joan Niad), Tinnoket Bat Ita Miriam (niece of Ann Williams)

If you know of a shul member in the hospital or who might appreciate a home visit, please let the Rabbis know by contacting the shul office. Please contact the office if someone on this list has, Baruch Hashem, recovered.

COMMUNITY NEWS

The Hollywood Community Kollel Kiddush January 13 10:30am-1 pm-welcomes

everyone to come have a L’chaim with the Rabbis celebrate the opening of their new

Beis Medrash at 4016 46th Ave (in Winn Dixie Plaza).

AIPAC Broward Young Professionals January 17 8 a.m. a breakfast “ Shifting

Demographics– outreach beyond the Jewish community” Contact Joshua Donner

[email protected] for more info.

ZOA's Fuel for Truth Boot Camp. Wednesdays, 1/17-2/14, https://tinyurl.com/

fuelfortruthmiami. Contact Sharona Whisler 917-673-6123 or [email protected].

Kolot Luncheon February 11 10 a.m.- 1 p.m. benefitting Goodman JFS domestic

abuse program. (old cellphones can be dropped off at YIH to help support victims

of domestic abuse. Reservations http://bit.ly/2D7DvlX

YIH Late Ma’ariv 9:30pm Sun.-Thurs. and Early Minchah 2:00pm Mon.-Thurs. at

Hollywood Community Kollel,

New Hollywood Bridal Gemach The newly formed gemach is looking for

donations of bridal gowns in all sizes. We are also seeking bridesmaid/mother of the

bride gowns in good condition. Please contact Robin Andisman at (954)588-7600 or

[email protected]. We also welcome all monetary donations which will

REFUAH SHLEIMAH

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Israel sets new record with 3.6 million tourists in 2017

Israeli tourism hit an all-time high in 2017, earning 20₪ billion in revenue from incoming tourism alone thanks to new flight routes and marketing efforts led by the Ministry of Tourism, Israel21c noted. A total of 3.6 million tourists were recorded, a 25 percent increase over 2016. “The all-time record number of tourists visiting Israel this year is no accident; it is the result of a clear policy,” said Minister of Tourism Yariv Levin. As in previous years, the majority of incoming tourism was from the United States, with 716,000 visitors arriving between January and November 2017, 21% more than the previous year. Jerusalem remains the city most visited by incoming tourists (78% of all tourists) followed by Tel Aviv-Jaffa (67%) and the Dead Sea area (49%). With a new focus on the digital space, the ministry hosted nearly 3,000 opinion leaders, celebrities, bloggers, actors, sports stars, producers and journalists from around the world. Notable celebrity visitors in 2017 included Latin heartthrob William Levy, American fashion model Ashley Graham, and performers Justin Bieber and Mariah Carey. “The additional half million tourists who came to Israel this year are half a million more ambassadors of Israel around the world and our loyal representatives on social media, and this is also a decisive contribution to Israel’s image,” said Levin.

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Time Program Age/Grade Location

Shabbat

9:00am Game Room Pre K - 4th Grade Room 3-4

9:00am Babysitting 18months-Nursery 3 House

9:30am Youth Minyan 5th - 7th Grade Modular

9:30am Teen Minyan 8th - 12th Grade Room 5

10:00am Shabbat Groups Pre K - 2nd Grade Rooms 2 & 6

10:00am Minyanaires 3rd & 4th Grade Room 1

10:15am Nursery 3 Group Nursery 3 Chapel

11:30am Youth Haftorah Class with

Shimmy Lazar

5th-7th Grade Modular

4:00pm Bnei Akiva 2nd—8th Grade Rooms 1-5

4:45pm Middle School Boys Gemara

Chabura with Rabbi Natan

Brownstein

6th-8th Grade Room 6

5:30pm Teen Mincha Chapel

6:00pm Teen Shiur & Seudah Shlishit

with Rabbi Moshe Nachbar

8th-12th Grade Room 1 & 2

6:00pm Youth Seuda Shlishit and

Shiur with Rabbi Grossman

5th-7th Grade Room 3-4

6:29pm Teen Maariv Chapel

7:30pm V’Shinantam—Parent Child

learning

Family Beit Midrash

7:30pm Mishna Chabura with Rav

James

4th-6th Grade Beit Midrash

Shabbat Va’era

Parsha Quiz

Mazel Tov to Uriel Williams on winning last week’s quiz

Email answers to [email protected] on Motzei Shabbat

Elementary School

What were the names of Moses’ mother and father?

Middle School

What was the name of Moses’ wife?

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D’var Torah : Rav James

There are free men who are enslaved and slaves who are free. What is true freedom? We live in a society which is built upon foundations of freedom and repulses any form of bondage, but are we actually free? In our parasha the negotiations between Moshe and Pharaoh continue; they are fierce, and seem to be at a stalemate. But what are they actually arguing over? Presumably, it is an argument about Pharaoh freeing the Jewish slaves. It is interesting to note, however, that not once in the entire story of the exodus does Moshe suggest that the Israelites are leaving forever. Nor does Moshe demand of Pharaoh to free the Israelites from their bondage. From the moment Moshe first appeared before Pharaoh, he consistently stipulated “We shall go on a three day journey in the desert and we shall bring offerings to Hashem…” Why is Moshe only discussing a three day respite from the bondage when clearly it is not his intention to return the people to Egypt? This cannot be understood as a negotiation tactic, to try and fool Pharaoh, for Hashem, too, told Moshe that they would be leaving for three days. Could it be that the goal was indeed not to leave Egypt permanently? Had Pharaoh agreed, would the Israelites have been expected to return to Egypt after three days? The answer is found in the response to this question: What is the difference between a free man and one who is a slave? Is it merely the whip and chains that oppress him? A slave is someone whose entire life is dictated to them; it is someone who cannot choose when to wake in the morning or sleep at night, and certainly cannot decide what to do in between. A slave eats what he is given and speaks only when he is granted permission, saying only the words that his master would find favorable. A slave only wears the clothes his master permits him to and dares only to look in the direction which his master permits. A free man is someone who can choose; it is someone who can take his destiny into his own hands. A free man is someone who believes and dreams, and seeks to fulfill his inner truths. A free man is someone who can dare to break moulds if he so believes it is right. A free man recognizes the consequences of his behavior but doesn’t fear them, because the consequences of failing his own dreams are far more severe. A free man is someone who wakes up because there is something he can achieve, something he can contribute to the world. A free man chooses to eat and speak and dress and see because that is the right thing to do, and he will choose to do those things in the way which he believes is true. Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Kook defines freedom as: “To be faithful to ones’ inner inimitability, to the ‘image of G-d’ that is within him.” And so even within a society that espouses freedom there remains the possibility to become enslaved. Indeed sometimes when everything is offered to us for ‘free’, it is easier to follow the mould than to be faithful to our inner truth. It is easier to be a slave to society than to be faithful to our tzelem elokim, divine image. Hashem did not want to relocate us by taking us from Egypt, he wanted us to genuinely become free. In order to achieve this freedom, we need choose it ourselves. Thus Hashem only offers to take us from Egypt for three days, providing us with the opportunity to choose to continue towards full freedom and to choose for ourselves that Pharaoh is no longer our master. The choice is not easy: In the direction of freedom lies a scorching desert with no food or water, there are wars, and the challenges of developing a nation. On more than one occasion in the wilderness did we recall the relative ease and comfort of the conditions when we were slaves. There is only one way not to become enslaved, which is to be faithful to our inner truth. We have all been created in the ‘image of G-d’. Freedom is to live up to that infinite greatness that is within each and every one of us.

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Sunday

9:45am Chidon HaTanach Study Group

9:45am High School Sunday Mishmar joint with YHS in the Beit Midrash with Rabbi Nachbar

4:30pm Bnei Akiva Middle School Program at Laser Quest—sign up required

Monday

7:30pm Middle School Mishmar in Beit Midrash & Modular

8:30pm High School Monday Learning with Bnei Akiva & NCSY Beit Midrash

Tuesday

7:00pm Mother & Daughter Challah Bake-Room 1 & 2

Wednesday

6:15pm Cub Scouts

6:15pm Girl Scouts

7:00pm Middle School Youth Council Room 5

7:30pm Boy Scouts

8:00pm Bnei Akiva Tzevet Meeting Room 5

Thursday

8:00pm Latte & Learn Dunkin Donut

Youth Happening This Week

Youth Upcoming Events

Mommy & Me January 27, 2018, 10:15-11:00am in Chapel

VShinantam Siyum January 27, 2018 7:30pm in Social Hall

Motzei Shabbat Madness January 27, 2018

7 days for 70 years (a lecture series for Teens in honor of Israel) January 28, 2018,1:00-2:30pm in Room 1-2

HS Youth Council January 30, 2018 7:30-8:30pm in Room 1-2

Family Tu B’Shvat Seder January 31, 2018

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