Reminder: Masks are required in the building for Shabbat. Out of concern for fellow Shul attendees, if you are feeling sick we ask that you please refrain from attending.
Rabbi Michael Davies, Donna Moskowitz, and the Covid Task Force
Announcements & Upcoming Events
D'var Torah on parshat Vayechi by Ilana Weiss: Thursday, December 16 8:45pm via zoom. Meeting ID: 873 0800-5701 Passcode: torah
Thank Goodness Kiddush: Hot Delicious Kiddush Sponsored Anonymously - "for a full Refuah Sheleimah for all those recovering from Covid in the community." Saturday, December 18 11:30am
B'nei Akiva Movie Night: Saturday, December 18 - 6:30pm at Sons of Israel
Shabbat, December 18: Vayechi (Tevet 14) 8:30am Main Minyan - Outdoors (Weather Permitting) 8:30am Sephardic Minyan 9:00am Main Minyan - Indoors 9:36am Latest Shema 10:00am Groups K-2nd Jr. Congregation 3rd-5th 10:30am Tot Shabbat 11:30am Thank Goodness Kiddush is being sponsored anonymously for a full Refuah Sheleimah for all those recovering from Covid in the community. 4:05pm Mincha 4:30pm Rabbi's Parsha Shiur 5:10pm Maariv 5:22pm Havdalah
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. This week, I share an excerpt from an article by Rabbi Yehuda Appel entitled 'Respect for the Dead', which speaks about what it means to truly live life.
A major theme in this week's Torah portion, Vayechi, concerns the funeral plans Jacob made for himself before his death. [...] Worried that his body will be worshipped by the Egyptians if he is buried by the Nile, and very much wanting to be laid to rest next to the graves of his wife and ancestors, Jacob implores his son Joseph to see to it that he is buried in Hebron. Joseph agrees, and when the time comes that Jacob dies, Joseph leads a great procession accompanying his father's body from Egypt to Israel.
Jewish tradition places great importance on the "Levaya," the act of accompanying the dead body to the grave. Rashi presents an interesting rationale for this practice, declaring it beyond simply showing respect for the deceased. Rashi writes that inasmuch as one who is kind to the poor is looked upon as being a partner with the Almighty, it follows that someone who shows kindness to the dead (who are "poorer" than any living person), will certainly have gained this relationship with God.
[...] Despite all the great changes that have occurred in the world since the time of Jacob, Jewish mourning practices have remained remarkably consistent. May we all live and be well.
Want to learn more about this significant area or our tradition? See below.
Each year, the National Association of Chevra Kadisha (NASCK) marks Shabbat Parshat Vayechi as a Shabbat to learn about Jewish views on various end of life issues. As a participating Shul in this very important project, I look forward to sharing remarks on Shabbat about this and hope that you will join the virtual event below. You can click on the virtual event flyer to register.
Bob and I just watched the classic film Gone With The Wind in its entirety. It took two nights of viewing (there really is an intermission imbedded in the DVD). Bob had never seen the film (or read the novel) and it is my favorite movie/book. It only took him 29 years and 4 children to be out of the house to sit down and enjoy the most epic movie ever. One of the more memorable quotes from this movie is when Scarlet O’Hara says: "As G-d is my witness, I will never be hungry again.” Thanks to the Jewish Commmunity Foundation, Inc. of SNJ, Estelle Lerner, Gerald Mindel, Heshy Chaitoff, Dan Drabkin, Flo Shulman and New System Power Steam Cleaning Company, SOI “will NOT go hungry again!”
Using our recent grant from the Jewish Community Foundation, Inc., the kitchen has been completely steam cleaned from top to bottom. Estelle Lerner coordinated the reorganization and scrubbing of the kitchen. We will be working together with Rabbi Davies to assure a kosher, clean, safe environment that is also user friendly. Appliances, materials and supplies will be methodically organized and clearly labelled having their own place in the kitchen.
Flo Shulman has been arranging for volunteers to help out with kiddush prep, set-up and serving for each Shabbat. To help with this, please sign up here.
Estelle and I utilized our newly cleaned kitchen to prepare kugels for this Shabbat’s special kiddush (sponsored anonymously) to thank the community for all their support, help and concern during the COVID outbreaks. We now have the resources to make delicious kugels on site and would like to incorporate this into SOI rather than spend excessive amounts of monies to purchase them. We proceeded to experiment with various recipes and made 4 potato kugels for this week’s Kiddush Extravaganza documenting the recipe and directions for future kugel baking.
On December 29th we will be having a Kugel Cooking Marathon. Anyone interested can meet in the kitchen on the 29th at 7:00pm and we will stock the SOI freezers for upcoming kiddushes with delectable kugels (wine will be provided for the occasion). Escape from your home and enjoy a night out with friends, cooking and wine. (See flyer below)
Our Chulent Crew, Heshy, Dan & Gerald, feel very strongly about having Chulent every week. They have made it their goal to provide a great kiddush each and every week in the hopes of bringing us all together to enjoy good food while making new and lasting relationships and supporting SOI in its continued growth.
Keep your eyes peeled for upcoming kitchen programs and to help be a part of the excitement going on in SOI’s Kitchen.
Shabbat Shalom, Donna Moskowitz SOI President president@soicherryhill.org
FYI We are in the final stages of purchasing air purification units with HEPA filters for our social hall and kiddush room. As winter weather will limit our ability to host outdoor events and minyanim, these units will add an additional layer of protection from Covid and other airborne particles to help make indoor activities in those rooms safer.
1971 Fashions Polyester was the material of choice and bright colors were everywhere. Men and women alike were wearing very tight fitting pants and platform shoes. Women could finally wear whatever they wanted. Compared to previous generations, women's fashion in the 1970s was nothing short of revolutionary. Men's fashion in the 1970s changed everything. Never before did men have so many choices. Wide flare jeans, platform boots and leisure suits, baby! It was the perfect blending of the mods with the hippies.
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.
Thanks to Dr. Oze Henig for his informative talk on COVID Vaccinations.
Thanks to Estelle Lerner and Donna Moskowitz for preparing kugels and to Rabbi Heshy Chaitoff for making chulent for the upcoming kiddush.
Thanks to Estelle Lerner for helping to organize and clean the kitchen.
Thanks to all the helpers who made last week's kiddush such a beautiful success.
Once again, thank you to Bill Jungreis, Avi Rynderman, Baila Silverman, Chemmie Sokolic, Debbie Fineberg, Jeff Liss 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.
Virtual Caregivers Support Group begins on January 19 While providing care for a loved one can be genuinely rewarding, family caregivers are often left feeling overwhelmed, anxious, and intimidated by their responsibilities. Many individuals struggle with emotional and physical stress, time management, financial constraints, lack of privacy, and feelings of isolation. JFCS will be offering a new session of its virtual Caregivers Support Group this winter. This group enables individuals who are providing hands-on or oversight care for a loved one to share their experiences in a caring, non-judgmental forum while learning stress busters and new coping skills. The first meeting will be held on Wednesday, January 19, 2022, at 2 p.m. on Zoom. Advance registration is required, and there is a $36 fee to participate in six monthly virtual gatherings. To register, contact Reva Farenback-Brateman at rfbrateman@jfedsnj.org or (856) 424-1333, ext. 1184.
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 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) Kiddush (starting at $180) 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.
UPCOMING/ONGOING SOI EVENTS & PROGRAMS
YOUTH & TEENS
COMMUNITY NEWS
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
