COVID UPDATES FOR THIS SHABBAT Reminder: Masks are required in the building for Shabbat for everyone. Out of concern for fellow Shul attendees, if you are feeling sick we ask that you please refrain from attending. Thank you. Rabbi Michael Davies, Donna Moskowitz, and the Covid Task Force
Announcements & Upcoming EventsKiddush is sponsored by Sarah and Ron Zanger in gratitude to Rabbi Davies and the SOI community for their support during Ron's shiva.
50 Miles for 50 Years Challenge: January 1-May 19. A friendly competition to walk, run, skip, or jog 50 miles in honor of SOI's 50th year in Cherry Hill (see flyer)
Shabbat, January 1: Shabbat Mevarchim, Vaera (Tevet 28) There is no outdoor or early minyan this Shabbat 8:30am Sephardic Minyan 9:00am Main Minyan - Indoors 9:43am Latest Shema 10:00am Groups K-2nd Jr. Congregation 3rd-5th 10:30am Tot Shabbat 11:30am Kiddush sponsored by Sarah & Ron Zanger 4:15pm Mincha 4:40pm Rabbi's Parsha Shiur 5:20pm Maariv 5:31pm 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 Lord Jonathan Sacks entitled 'Free Will: Use it or Lose it', which speaks about how Pharaoh's decisions during the plagues can be a strong lesson for us.
[... W]e now have a scientific way of explaining the hardening taking place in Pharaoh's heart. Having established a pattern of response to the first five plagues, he would find it progressively more difficult at every level - neuro-scientifically, psychologically and politically - to change. The same is true of every bad habit and political decision. Almost all our structures, mental and social, tend to reinforce previous patterns of behaviour. So our freedom diminishes every time we fail to exercise it.
If so, then today's parsha and contemporary science tell the same story: that freedom is not a given, nor is it an absolute. We have to work for it. We acquire it slowly in stages, and we can lose it, as Pharaoh lost his, and as drug addicts, workaholics, and people addicted to computer games lose theirs. [...]
We are not born free. We have to work hard to achieve freedom. That takes rituals, whose repeated performance creates new neural pathways and new rapid-response behaviour. It requires a certain calibrated distance from the surrounding culture, if we are not to be swept away by social fads and fashions that seem liberating now but destructive in retrospect. It needs a mental mindset that pauses before any significant action and asks, "Should I do this? May I do this? What rules of conduct should I bring to bear?" It involves an internalized narrative of identity, so that we can ask of any course of action, "Is this who I am and what I stand for?"
It is no accident that the elements listed in the previous paragraph are all prominent features of Judaism, which turns out to be an ongoing seminar in willpower and impulse control. Now that we are beginning to understand the plasticity of the brain, we know at least a little of the neuroscience that lies behind the ability to overcome bad habits and addictions. [...]
Freedom is less a gift than an achievement. Even a Pharaoh, the most powerful man in the ancient world, could lose it. Even a nation of slaves could, with the help of God, acquire it. Never take freedom for granted. It needs a hundred small acts of self-control daily, which is what halakhah, Jewish law, is all about.
Freedom is a muscle that needs to be exercised: use it or lose it. That is a life-transforming idea.
Rabbi Sacks had many 'life-transforming ideas' to share throughout his life. We are fortunate to have so many of his writings and teachings available to us even after his passing. We will have the opportunity to study many of these ideas in the coming months through our upcoming educational series 'Ten Paths to G-d', beginning this coming Wednesday, January 5th, at 8pm. I encourage you to join us virtually (Zoom Link Here) and look forward to studying together with you.
“You can get excited about the future. The past won’t mind.” —Hillary DePiano, playwright and author
What a year this has been for Sons of Israel. We have welcomed a new rabbi, Rabbi Michael Davies and his wife Ora and family to Cherry Hill. We have received 4 grants: Homeland Security Target Hardening Grant, SNJFED COVID Relief Grant, JCF Grant for SIP and another one for Kitchen Renovations. We even had our own ice cream truck. We have welcomed over 15 new families into our membership. We received a generous sponsorship from Sybil Bernstein in honor of her husband Ed to renovate our front entrance. We had daily and multiple Shabbat minyanim indoors and out throughout the year. We had a stupendous Jubilee Kick Off and welcome to the Davies family. Our first Annual Chulent Cook-Off was a delicious success. We have a new and beautiful chuppah. Chanukah was amazing, even though it was made virtual at the last minute demonstrating our flexibility and health concerns. We've had special kiddushes, donated blood and learned how to "stop the bleed". We've gotten to know many of our members through the popular "Won't You Be My Neighbor" program. The Thursday night D'var Torah’s have been an ongoing, well attended, zoom event. We have 6 new HEPA Air Purification Systems adding another level of protection for our membership. Our diverse community has had a plethora of activities to learn, explore, and support each other with kindness, with hope and with caring.
Being president of a shul like ours holds lots of challenges, but also many rewards and benefits. I have been blessed to deliver monies, from anonymous donors, to several families in our community. I have met numerous people I would not have had the opportunity to otherwise meet. I have learned the inner workings of our shul from our mikvah in the basement to our heating/air conditioning units on our roof. I even get to play bartender every Shabbat. Working with a fantastic and hard working board has made my job enjoyable and so much easier.
2021 was a year of growth, both spiritually and educationally. 2022 will see increased learning opportunities and social events as we continue to grow as a community. We have great Tu B'Shevat plans for all, and active youth programming. Purim is March 17th with Mishloach Manot already in the works. Our GALA event, run by Vicki Miltz and TL Wienberg, will be held on May 23. Please save the date! I can't wait to see what 2022 brings. Join your fellow members as we strive to make 2022 a year to remember.....a year of good health, great friendships, increased chesed and mitzvot, spiritual growth and fun for all.
As we approach the end of the 2021 tax year, now is a great time to address any outstanding obligations to the Shul and get in a last minute tax deduction. (Make sure you log onto your account)
Thank You We are pleased to announce that SOI has ordered 6 large air purifiers with HEPA filters. These portable units will be set up in the social hall and kiddush room in order to add an additional layer of protection against Covid and other airborne pathogens. The units have filters capable of trapping viral particles and when run simultaneously, can filter the air in the rooms roughly 3 times every hour.
Air filtration alone will not prevent the spread of a virus, but we are excited to add this additional layer of protection to help make indoor activities at SOI safer. A tremendous thank you to those who have donated to make this purchase possible and we look forward to putting them to good use as soon as they arrive.
Thank you to Dr. Oze Henig for all your hours spent on reseaching these filtration units and implementing the campaign to order them for SOI.
SPONSORS Gail & Bob Belfer Rivka & Robert Kieserman Brenda & Jon Bender Rachel & Eric Klein Chani Wiesman & Yoni Berliant Marcy & Michael Partnow Sharon & Harvey Chaitoff Debbie & Hillel Pester Devora & Jonathan Delman David & Heelene Raush Neely & Elon Elisha Baila Silverman & Avi Rynderman Evan Fishman Eve Narrows & Sam Tilonsky Maetal & Oze Henig Shari & Charles Weg Lynn & Bill Jungreis
If you would like to add your contribution to this effort, please click below.
Here are some of the most popular slang words and expressions from the 1970s: Boogie: Dance Gig: A temporary job Chill: Relax Bummer: Too bad Go bananas: Go crazy Groovy: Cool Fab: Short for fabulous Nifty: Cool Far out: Very cool Rip off: Something that is poor quality Right on: Yes, I agree Dude: A generic term for a guy Keep on truckin’: Don’t stop now Funky: Cool Take a chill pill: Calm down Out of sight: Cool Dream on: A response to someone who is being unrealistic in their thinking To the max: Take something to the extreme
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.
Welcome new members Guillaume & Devora Schpektor and family
Mazel Tov to Janet and Larry Miller on the marriage of their granddaughter Miriam Zamel, daughter of Dr. Yaacov and Amy Zamel to Avroham Weiss.
Mazel Tov to Yoni and Ilana Yares on the birth of a baby boy.
Mazel Tov to Dovid and Anna Schwartz on the Bris of their son, Ari.
Mazel Tov to Devora Delman, Meital Lindenberg, Alise Panitch, Ilana Weiss, and Chani Wiesman who will be completing Nach Yomi. The Siyum Celebration will be Sunday, January 16, 2022. A new cycle of Nach Yomi will begin Thursday, January 20th. (see flyer below)
Thank you to Malka Moskowitz, Marsha Sadres, and Yaeli Sokolic who helped Wednesday night to prepare delicious kugels for the shul. A special shout out to Estelle Lerner for leading the charge and to Dan Drabkin for purchasing all the supplies.
A big thank you to Jeff Liss, Hector from OPS 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.
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 Pinchas ben Susan Swisa Robert Shapiro - Doniel-Avraham ben Hannah 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: (check out our website for more oportunities) Yartzeit Plaque ($400) Shabbat Security ($180) Siddur for the sanctuary ($50) Chumash for the sanctuary ($75) Newslink ($36) 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 and social distancing are required at all times in the Early Indoor 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
100 more needed SOI is collecting 250 tissue packets for the Chemo Comfort Bags. Please bring your donation to the shul office. Thank You
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 to Friday
Congregation Sons of Israel 720 Cooper Landing Road Cherry Hill, NJ 08002
