COVID UPDATE - Mask Recommendation In accordance with the CDC guidlines, which recommend universal mask wearing in public indoor settings in areas with substantial Covid transmission, we strongly recommend wearing masks at all heavily attended indoor shabbat services, regardless of vaccination status. Masks must continue to be worn by all unvaccinated individuals (including those with prior Covid infection) inside the SOI campus.
We are looking forward to a joyful holiday season and welcoming many congregants and guests alike into our synagogue. As the reality of High Holy Day tefillot will result in many people, including those traveling from out of town, being together for long periods of time, masks will be required at all indoor services during the chagim. Vaccinated baalei tefillah will be permitted to lead services without a mask.
We will continue to seek guidance from the CDC, the NJ Department of Health, and the rabbinic and medical leadership of the OU to help keep our synagogue safe and we expect that our policies and recommendations may change as the pandemic continues to unfold. Thank you all for helping to keep our synagogue and our community safe.
Thank you for your cooperation.
Important Safety Update Synagogue Access For everyones safety, the driveway from the new gym to the Mens Mikvah entrance is blocked because of the current phase of construction on our campus. The trench being dug is too wide and deep for people to safely cross.
If you come to shul using the path from Acqueduct Lane, please access the front doors by walking along the back of the building up past the Keilim mikvah and Mikvah Ohel Leah then around the building to the main entrance.
If everything goes according to plan, this inconvenience should only last one or two weeks.
Thank you for your continued cooperation in keeping everyone safe. Respectfully, Sam Tilonsky Security Chair
I am very excited for the opportunity to share words of Torah with you. Each week, in this spot, I will look to share an idea I've found that speaks to me and that I think will resonate with you as well. This week, I sharean article from Rabbi Shraga Simmons of Aish HaTorah entitled 'The Big Picture', which speaks to the importance of gratitude in our lives.
Parshat Ki Tavo speaks about bringing the first fruits of the harvest to the Temple in Jerusalem. There we make a declaration of gratitude, saying: "An Aramite man tried to destroy my father, and our nation endured slavery in Egypt." Huh? An Aramite tried to destroy my father, we suffered in Egypt - and this is supposed to be a declaration of gratitude?!
The commentators explain: The Aramite is Laban, who deceived our forefather Jacob by switching Rachel and Leah. (Jacob had intended to marry Rachel, but Leah appeared under the chuppah instead.) Now let's consider: If Laban never would have pulled that stunt, then Jacob would have married Rachel as he intended - and Joseph would have been the first-born son. Thus when Jacob showed favoritism toward Joseph, the other brothers would have likely not been jealous - and Joseph never would have been sold into slavery. Now here's the catch: Joseph would never have become Egyptian prime minister who, years later, was in position to save the Jewish people from famine. So, yes, even though Laban the Aramite tried to destroy our forefather, we express the gratitude, that somehow, some way, it was all for the best. When tragedy strikes, it's difficult to see the big picture and understand why this may have happened.
I once attended the shiva of a woman who was killed in a bus bombing in Jerusalem. She was the mother of five children, and the sheer number of mourners was horrifying - her husband, parents, many siblings, children, grandchildren - all in shock and with their garments torn in grief. I was sitting there in silence, trying to make sense of the tragedy, when her husband spoke. He said: "We are so grateful for the life that she led. Children ... grandchildren ... not everyone merits to raise generations. And the fact that she died as a Jew, sanctifying the Name of God ... we are so grateful," he said. No, we don't always know why things happen. When events occur that are so unfathomable, all we can do is trust in the Almighty. This is the lesson we learn when bringing those first fruits to the Temple: We express the gratitude, that somehow, some way, it's all for the best.
I recently finished reading the book Effortless by Greg McKeown, which is about making it easier to do the most important things. In the book, McKeown shares a simple tool on how to increase gratitude in our every day:
BJ Fogg, founder of the Behavior Design Lab at Stanford University, says that to create a new habit we simply need to look for something we already do and then attach a new behavior to it. He calls this a habit recipe [...]. We can apply this idea to make gratitude a habit, by using the following recipe: After I complain I will say something I am thankful for. The moment I started applying this recipe, I was shocked to realize how much I was complaining. [...] It wasn't long before I would catch myself simply thinking about complaining---and I would think of something I was thankful for instead.
Perhaps this is a tool we can use as we work to feel more gratitude, even and especially when things are difficult.
"You don’t have to be a ‘person of influence’ to be influential. In fact, the most influential people in my life are probably not even aware of the things they’ve taught me." – Scott Adams
Throughout your life there are people who influence you in various ways. They are probably not even aware of their influence. Mr. Blum, back in the 60’s was in charge of Jr. Congregation at B’Nai Jeshurun in Mt. Airy. He encouraged everyone to participate in davening and made you feel good whatever your contribution was, big or small. You learned by hearing the prayers, sitting with your peers and positive reinforcement. He always had a smile, although toothless, and words of encouragement. We did not have a candy man, but we always had pastry bow ties and Mr. Blum.
Since Mr. Blum instilled such a love of davening and prayer in me at a young age, I wanted a Bat Mitzvah desperately to be able to accept my role into Judaism. Back in the dark ages, a Bat Mitzvah wasn’t as prevalent as now. My parents felt a woman had no place in Jewish religious practices. Little did they know what my future held. I pleaded and begged and made promises to no avail. Mr. Goldstein, a well-respected member of the family, spoke to them and B”H, I had a Bat Mitzvah. It was one of the most compelling experiences for me and I am eternally grateful. I did not have a big party, that was not my intent, but I was able to help lead and participate in Friday night services. That was the first time my parents gave me a blessing and I remember saying to them, “when I grow up, I want to be a Rabbi.”
Later in life, believe it or not, the process of accepting a Get, motivated me to start creating art again exploring Hebrew calligraphy with the influences of Mordechai Rosenstein. Sharyn Rauer encouraged me to start teaching art, which was the furthest thing from my mind at the time. Leslie Gordesky, my first friend in Cherry Hill, influenced me to get involved in this community and Politz Day School and NCSY. Rabbi Chaim Safren and his wife Peggy instilled a love of Shabbos and holidays in me and my family.
You never know what influence you will have on someone later down the line or how you can help change someone’s life for the better. Getting involved helps better your own life and ultimately the lives of others. SOI needs you, your unique skills, your caring attitude, and your love of Judaism. During this month of Elul, reach out, get involved, help your community and better yourself.
For the balance of Elul let us all strive to have complete tshuvah and come together as a community for the common good of SOI.
Shabbat Shalom Donna Moskowitz
These recipes are all traditional recipes I make for Rosh Hashanah yearly. Enjoy!!
BARBA (Moroccan-Style Beet Salad) 4 servings Naturally sweet beets, nature's candy, are eaten not only for a sweet new year, but also because the Hebrew word for "beet" sounds like a word in the New Year blessing in which we ask to rid ourselves, or "beat" back our enemies. Ingredients: 1 lrg. bunch medium-sized fresh beets (about 1 pound) 3T. fresh lemon juice 1t. sugar 1 1/2 T olive oil pinch cinnamon 2 cloves garlic, finely minced pinch salt 2T fresh parsley chopped pinch cumin Directions: 1. Cut off the beet greens about 1 inch above the beets and reserve for next week's recipe. 2. Scrub the beets well and roast in the oven at 425 degrees until tender enough to pierce wiht a fork. Approximately 25-30 minutes 3. Let them cool completely and then carefully peel off the skins, taproots and stems. If stubborn, use a sharp knife. 4. Cut into strips and place in a bowl. 5. Stir in the remaining ingredients, adjusting to your taste. 6. Chill, mixing occasionally. 7. Serve chilled or at room temperature. Courtesy of "The Jewish Holiday Cookbbok"
With the High Holidays quickly approaching, there is extensive planning involved:
There will be various additional minyanim, Vasikin (Weather permitting - outside) Sephardic and Indoors and exploring the possibility of reinstituting Camp Shofar.
We have several volunteer opportunities for interested people.
Disclaimer: Everything is tentative due to COVID updates
Indoor and Outdoor Options Available
Movie Ticket $1.50 Average Monthly Rent $150.00 Cost of a gallon of Gas 40 cents Average Income per year $10,600.00 Datsun 1200 Sports Coupe $1,866.00 United States postage Stamp 8 cents Average Cost of new house $25,250.00
WAYS TO HELP SOI PAINLESSLY
Just go to smile.amazon.com, search for Congregation Sons of Israel Synagogue. Every qualifying purchase will send 0.5% of the total to our Shul. Over time, this will add up.
SOI members and affiliates can click the link to go to the JCommerce websites and purchase their products. You can support SOI through the commission we earn.
Locker rentals open to all members.
If you have previously rented a locker and are not renewing, please clean it out or we will remove the items left in there.
Thanks for your cooperation
Hashkama Minyan Update We will be re-starting Hashkama MinyanShabbat Shuva, September 11, 2021 at 7:30am in the Chapel. Kiddush immediately following davening. For questions please contact Bill Jungreis at soiprez2014@gmail.com.
Please Note: Highlighted section reserved for social distancing and unvaccinated people
______________________________________________________ SOI Committees 2021-2022 Advertising Chemmie Sokolic chemsok@aol.com Chesed Karen Cohen karen.e.cohen@gmail.com Bikur Cholim Larry Miller twinks-3043@msn.com Fundraising Historical Society president@soicherryhill.org Jubilee Helene Raush raushfamily@comcast.net Sabrina Spector sabrinaspector@gmail.com Helen Baker bakera412@comcast.net Membership Heshy Chaitoff heshychaitoff@gmail.com Michael Partnow mrpmjp@aol.com Programming Sabrina Spector sabrinaspector@gmail.com Suzie Mindel suziepm@yahoo.com Ritual Heshy Chaitoff heshychaitoff@gmail.com Chani Wiesman chaniwiesman@gmail.com Security Sam Tilonsky drsamod@gmail.com Sisterhood Karen Cohen karen.e.cohen@gmail.com Youth Sabrina Spector sabrinaspector@gmail.com Caryn Hurlock cmhurlock@gmail.com Welcome Aliza Chaitoff alizachaitoff@gmail.com
Volunteers are needed. You do not need to be a Board member to be involved.
Welcome to new members: Evan & Kimberly Hershenson Welcome to the community: Dovid & Anna Schwartz Ari & Jillian Daniels Elliot & Rikki Zahler
Thank you to Aliza Sadiky, Naama Weiss, Gali Brody and Devora Linetsky for running groups
Thank you to Bill Jungreis, Sam Oshlag, Avi Rynderman, Baila Silverman, Seth Cohen, Etyan Irwin, Harvey Chaitoff, Jeff Liss, Sam Tilonsky.
Thank you to Etyan Irwin for helping iorganize the Book Room.
Thank you to Bob Moskowitz for helping organize the storage room.
Mazel Tov to Fred Brockman on the occasion of his second Bar Mitzvah.
This week our featured "Neighbors" are: Alise & Ken Panitch If you would like to be featured here, please contact Chani Wiesman. In this feature, you will get to meet new families as well as become reacquainted with familiar faces. Click here to meet Alise & Ken Panitch and see past submissions.
Florence Axelrod – Fruma bas Sarah Estelle Lerner- Esther Ethel bas Rochel Andy Rauer – Avigayal bas Peshe Ella Bruce Goldhagen - Berel Dov Ben Chia Sheryl Malamud Amy Goldwasser Gavriel Yehuda ben Chaya Sarah Raphael Shraga Ben Dina Sarah
David Partnow - David Avram Ben Tilla Razel
Since the tehillim group is not meeting again until after COVID, following is a link to the prayers for good health and healing that you can recite for our ailing members
ATTENTION TEENS AND PARENTS OF TEENS Please complete complete the following survey so we can better serve our teen population. https://forms.gle/gC5mEC1LUQz1hYRDA
There are many ways to support our Shul: Yartzeit Plaque ($400) Shabbat Security ($180) Chumash for the sanctuary ($75) Newslink ($36) Siddur for the sanctuary ($50) Welcome Basket ($18) Bottle Club ($36) https://www.soicherryhill.org/sponsor
Adult Medium & Children's Sizes still available.
Orders can be taken for other sizes
New session of JFCS “SARAH Supports” group forming this fall
Domestic abuse occurs in 15% to 25% of Jewish families—about the same rate as it does in families of other religions. The COVID-19 pandemic has coincided with a spike in incidences of abuse. As social distancing restrictions continue to lift, domestic violence will not miraculously disappear, and this remains a critical time. The JFCS Project SARAH (Stop Abusive Relationships At Home) domestic violence program works to overcome the cultural, legal, emotional, and financial barriers confronting survivors. This fall, JFCS will be offering a new session of its “SARAH Supports” group for female survivors of domestic abuse. This support group is free, safe, and confidential. To learn more or to register for SARAH Supports, please contact Hilary Platt at 856-424-1333 or hplatt@jfedsnj.org.
ERUV UPDATE As a part of creating a new organization for the community eruv, we are making a new email server for the eruv status and other eruv related information.
After Sukkos the official announcement of the weekly status of the Eruv will come from the new email server.
Boscov Department Store is sponsoring Friends Helping Friends 25th Anniversary on October 20,2021 from 8AM to 11 PM! Amazingly you will get a 25% discount on most items in the store! All you have to do is donate $5.00 to SOI’s Bikur Cholim organization! Get your discount shopping pass now. Call the shul office or Janet Miller at 856-667-0860 to receive your pass!
*********************************************************** Our Jubilee Year is Starting 50 Years in Cherry Hill/Established 1894 We are asking you to submit statements, stories, anecdotes about what you love about SOI. They will all be featured in the newslink and other celebrations throughout the year. See flyer below. ****************************************************************************************
Reminder: If your mailing information has been changed, please update it on our website by logging on at soicherryhill.org If you know someone who is not receving our weekly email, please let the office know The office will be open from 10-2 Monday thru Friday this week
Congregation Sons of Israel 720 Cooper Landing Road Cherry Hill, NJ 08002
