For tomorrow, Thursday, November 25th we will have two Minyanim for Shacharit. We will hold minyan in the Main Sanctuary at 7am and 8am. Looking forward to seeing you there - what a great way to start Thanksgiving Day!
IMPORTANT COVID UPDATES FOR THIS SHABBAT We are well on the road to recovery from the recent outbreak of COVID in our community. We wish a refuah sheleimah to all those families affected. Let's all keep them in our Tefillot and do what we can to support them.
Mincha/Kabbalat Shabbat/Maariv on Friday night and Mincha/Maariv on Shabbat afternoon will be in the main sanctuary. Due to the cold weather, we are moving the outdoor minyan to 8:30am, indoor and Sephardic minyanim will meet at the usual times.
Anyone davening inside will be required to wear a mask at all times.
If you have been instructed to quarantine or are feeling sick in any way, please stay home.
We encourage anyone at high risk for infection or complications to exercise additional precaution during this local uptick in COVID cases.
We hope to be able to get back to our regular Tefillah schedule, youth programs and kiddushes as soon as possible. Rabbi Michael Davies, Donna Moskowitz, and the Covid Task Force
Announcements & Upcoming Events "Can"ukyah Can Drive - ongoing. Drop off your cans in the lobby.
SIP Kiddush: Saturday, November 27 after groups in the Sukkah
Please Note: Shacharit this week will be at 6:30am for Chanukah.
I am very excited for the opportunity to share words of Torah with you. Each week, in this spot, I look to share an idea I've found that speaks to me and that I think will resonate with you as well.
Since many of you were not able to be in Shul this past Shabbos, allow me to share with you some of the remarks I shared, which continue to be very apropos:
Over the course of the Parshiyot we have been reading, there are quite a few mentions of angels interacting with our ancestors. The interesting thing to note is that, often enough, it is not so clear as to whether or not an angel is involved. At the beginning of last week’s Parsha we are not sure who Yaakov’s messengers were – Rashi says they were angels, Ibn Ezra says they were people. Later in the Parsha we find a mysterious Ish, who many understand to be an angel. Then again in this week’s Parsha, the individual who redirects/misdirects Yosef on his errand to find his brothers is understood by some to be an angel as well. Why is there so much ambiguity about these beings? What are we meant to learn from the unclear nature of their form; spiritual or physical?
In honor of Thanksgiving, I will quote from one of the great leaders of this country. In the concluding paragraph of his first inaugural address, President Abraham Lincoln, who accepted the Presidency under the shadow of a deeply divided country, appealed to his fellow citizens as follows:
"The mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battlefield and patriot grave to every living heart and hearthstone all over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union, when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature."
We also depend on our ‘better angels’. The wonderful acts of Chessed, that started amongst our members and spread throughout the community, is the best way to combat the aggressive foe we face. The best thing for us to do is to continue to find ways to come together and support each other, in good times and bad. We are the angels of our story – perhaps this is what our Parshiyot are coming to teach us. Let us continue to find the opportunities to be the angels that those around us need in their and our times of struggle.
With Chanukah coming up next week, here are a couple of virtual opportunities for families to enjoy while sitting by their Chanukah candles. Just click the images to find out more, each program has something for every night of Chanukah. Chag Urim Sameach!
“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.” – JFK
These words are so true about our community. On Thanksgiving we focus on things, people, and actions that we are grateful for. I am so thankful to be a part of this compassionate and caring community: from meals, packages, pizza, and shopping for our quarantined COVID infected families, to our generous benefactors, to grant writers and the myriad of volunteers who traditionally make SOI stand out as a warm, welcoming and giving organization.
Giving back to our community is a chesed we are continuously involved in. We are still collecting cans for the Betty & Peter Fisher Food Bank and creating a sculpture of cans - our "can"ukyah. We will be accepting cans throughout Chanukah. There is a - now Virtual - family Magical Chanukah party on December 2 with registration deadline November 28th. We also have a Chulent Cook-off and taste testing on Chanukah Shabbat, December 4th. There is still time to register as a chulent chef. Sisterhood is also having a Women's Gift Exchange - Matanot L'Chaveirot. bit.ly/soigifts Many people come into and out of our lives continuously and leave their mark. Food has always been a big part of our family and our traditions. When Bob and I first got married, I wrote a cookbook, following everyone in my family around to preserve their recipes, our family traditions. My Uncle Doodie’s specialty was latkes. He would never use a food processor when making his latkes because he said the blood from using a grater enhanced the flavor. He made them every year for us no matter where he lived. I am so grateful he was a big part of my life growing up. He was a great man, a great uncle, and a great friend and every year I refect and remember the happy times and foods we shared. I hope you enjoy his recipe for latkes.
Uncle Doodies Potato Latkes Delicious, tasty, greasy, Chanukah treat. Makes 25-30 latkes NO FOOD PROCESSORS ALLOWED Ingredients: 5 lbs. potatoes 4 eggs 2 medium onions 2-5 T. flour ( to hold them together) garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste peanut oil for frying Directions: 1. Grate potatoes and onions by hand (I do confess, I use a food processor) 2. Mix all ingredients together ( except oil) 3. Heat oil in an electric frying pan to 375 degrees 4. Drop potato mixture into the hot oil by spoonfuls, pushing an indentation into the center of each latke to insure they will cook evenly 5.Cook until golden brown, then flip and repeat. 6. Drain on paper towels 7. Always eat the first one before serving – they are usually tasty but don’t look good. 8. Serve with apple sauce, sour cream, or sugar.
Shabbat Shalom & Refuah Sheleimah to all who are battling this disease, Donna Moskowitz
president@soicherryhill.org
Thanksgiving Snowstorm 1971 Heavy snow began on the day before Thanksgiving and continued into Thanksgiving Day. Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day Parade was cancelled. Albany, N.Y., picked up 22.5 inches, the greatest November snowfall on record, with amounts up to 30 inches reported elsewhere. This storm turned the busiest travel day of the year into a nightmare, with many stranded travelers not making it to their destinations.
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.
Mazel tov to Achim and Gerrie Rudoler on the birth of a great-granddaughter (and first great grandchild)! Proud parents are Tali and Yotam Heller of Tel Aviv. *Please send all Mazel Tov notifications to MemberHotline@soicherryhill.org in order to put them in the Newslink.
Thank you to Shari Goldberg for beautifying the shul & designing the Rabbi's office. Thank you to Eytan & Diane Irwin for dedicating our brand new chuppah.
Thank you to Debbie Fineberg, Mike from OPS, Donna Moskowitz and Sam Tilonsky for providing security this past Shabbos.
Volunteer for a 30 minute shift helping to protect our congregation. Contact Sam Tilonsky at drsamod@gmail.com to volunteer or more information.
______________________________________________________ SOI Committees 2021-2022 MCAT Chemmie Sokolic chemsok@aol.com Chesed Karen Cohen karen.e.cohen@gmail.com Bikur Cholim Janet Miller twinks-3043@msn.com Fundraising Yaeli Sokolic ycsgraphix@gmail.com Ilana Weiss weiss.ilana@gmail.com Historical Society president@soicherryhill.org Jubilee Helene Raush raushfamily@comcast.net Sabrina Spector sabrinaspector@gmail.com Helen Baker bakera412@comcast.net Kitchen Dan Malamud daniel@furn1.com 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 Youth Sabrina Spector youth@soicherryhill.org Welcome Aliza Chaitoff alizachaitoff@gmail.com
Volunteers are needed. You do not need to be a Board member to be involved.
Mr. Finklestein L'Chaim Bottle Club Thank you to Michael & Marcy Partnow for your donation
Florence Axelrod – Fruma bas Sarah Estelle Lerner- Esther Ethel bas Rochel Andy Rauer – Avigayal bas Peshe Ella Sheryl Malamud Amy Goldwasser Gavriel Yehuda ben Chaya Sarah Eytan Raphael Shraga ben Dina Sarah David Partnow - David Avram ben Tilla Razel Marvin Korff - Moshe ben Bessie Elyse Greenberg - Elisheva Miriam bas Dovah Hillel Yochanan ben Bracha Moshe ben Leah Gittel 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
SOI Members Get Great Benefits We are so excited about the many families who have recently joined Sons of Israel. As a member in good standing, you are entitled to a fob which would give you access to the building for minyanim. Please reach out to Heshy Chaitoff for more information at heshychaitoff@gmail.com
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
On behalf of the Eruv, we are excited to announce that the Eruv is raising funds to cover costs for repairs, expansions, tree trimming, inviting a Posek to come, and more. This is the first fundraiser for the new communal eruv organization, and everyone should make a contribution. Most of our families use the Eruv every shabbos especially during the pandemic, and this is a way to show our appreciation for the eruv checkers and all who are involved with the Eruv. Eruv Checkers are Sid Goldberg, Avi Lifschitz, Dr. Simcha Moshe Gerzoff, Heshy Chaitoff, and R’ Baruch Gore. If you have any questions about the Eruv, please speak to Moshe Moskowitz, Rabbi Davies, or any of the Eruv checkers. Go to this website to make your contribution: https://thechesedfund.com/chwesteruv/startingcampaign/teams/sonsofisrael
COVID UPDATE - Mask Protocols - All unvaccinated adults and children must wear masks indoors at all times. - Masks (properly worn) will be required for all indoor attendees. - Everyone on the bima must wear a mask except for vaccinated baalei tfillah and baalei kriya - It is recommended that high risk individuals remain masked indoors at all times for their protection - Masks are optional at the outdoor minyan 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.
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 - Friday
Congregation Sons of Israel 720 Cooper Landing Road Cherry Hill, NJ 08002
