COVID UPDATES FOR THIS SHABBAT The 9AM Main Sanctuary Minyan and minyanim during the rest of Shabbos and throughout the week will be “mask optional”. For the time being, the 8 AM Minyan will remain “fully masked” for all participants. For the time being, the indoor children’s groups will remain “fully masked”.
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
Sunday, March 6 (Adar II 3) 7:00am Shacharit 8:00am Shacharit 5:45pm Mincha/Maariv 8:00pm Advanced Gemara Shiur
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 Abba Wagensberg entitled 'The Struggle to Build', which speaks of the importance of perseverance during the good times and the difficult as well.
[...] The Midrash (Tanchuma 11) states two opinions regarding the seven-day inauguration of the Tabernacle. According to Rebbe Chiya ben Yosef, Moses dissembled and reassembled the Tabernacle twice a day during the inauguration. This is deduced from the repetition of the word "to erect," which appears in the forms "takim" (Exodus 40:2) and "hukam" (Exodus 40:17). How could the Tabernacle be erected again once it was already built? According to Rebbe Chiya, the repetition of this word implies that Moses took the Tabernacle apart and then rebuilt it. Rebbe Chanina adds to Rebbe Chiya's opinion by noting the word "vayakem" (Exodus 40:18), which is from the same root word "to erect." Rebbe Chanina therefore claims that Moses dissembled and reassembled the Tabernacle three times a day! By now, the question is obvious: why was it necessary for Moses to continually take apart and rebuild the Tabernacle?
The Slonimer Rebbe uses this Midrash to teach us a vital lesson. Although we spend our lives toiling and struggling to build ourselves into sanctuaries - vessels worthy for the Divine Presence to rest within - there still may be times that we stumble and fall. Despite these low periods, however, we must never give up hope. Rather, we must rouse ourselves immediately and continue to strengthen and build ourselves, because it is forbidden for a Jew to fall into despair. [...]
We see this lesson expressed in Rebbe Chiya ben Yosef's opinion that Moses dismantled and rebuilt the Tabernacle twice a day. These two times correspond to morning and evening: the bright time and the dark time of the day. We could suggest that the message being conveyed here is to move forward not only during the bright, easy times of life, but also when circumstances are dark and difficult. No matter what the situation, our task is to build ourselves and continue to grow.
[...] May we be blessed to never give up, even after falling two or three or 21 times, by having confidence in ourselves and realizing that the fall is part of the climb. By doing so, may we build ourselves into a sanctuary, and merit to witness the rebuilding of the ultimate sanctuary, our Holy Temple in Jerusalem.
Baruch HaShem, we have been blessed with a number of Simchas in our congregation over the past couple of weeks coinciding with the joyous months of Adar. At the same time, we are dealing with difficult losses in our broader community, not to mention our slow and careful path forward while still contending with what remains of the COVID pandemic as well as the difficult news we continue to hear coming out of the Ukraine. This message of 'never giving up hope' no matter what is happening, is one that is ever important and certainly worth taking to heart at the current time.
March is National Women's History Month – commemorating and encouraging the study, observance and celebration of the vital role of women in American history. At SOI, we have many amazing women inspiring us with great programming for adults and youth, writing grants to enhance and secure our building and programming, fundraising to ensure our lights and heat stay on, helping with ritual coordination, providing security, and cooking and preparing foods for our beautiful kiddushes.
In commemoration of many talented and deicated women we have several programs this month. Saturday night there will be a virtual shiur “Breads, Clouds and Fire – Finding the Feminine in the Mishkan” by Yoetzet Stacey Goldman. I hope you will join us for this informative talk. This Tuesday night we will celebrate some great women in our own community at Politz’s Pre-Purim Night Out with Rochie Pingon. We celebrate Purim and Queen Esther. At the end of the month, Sisterhood is having a bonding program of String Art.
Rosh Chodesh has long been considered a special holiday for women. Some say that this is because the women of Israel did not offer their jewelry for the creation of the Golden Calf. Women were the first to offer their gold for the building of the Mishkan. As a result, they were given Rosh Chodesh as a day when they could abstain from work. To this day, some women refrain from some forms of labor on Rosh Chodesh.
This Shabbat we are showing our appreciation to the men who keep our shul going - filling our tefillot with kavanah: the gabbayim who keep everything running smoothly, to the men who lead our davening and to the men who prepare countless hours to read the Torah and haftorah. Thank you. Your dedication, time and energies are greatly appreciated by us all at Sons of Israel.
Sheila Scott, (1922 - 1988), was a British aviator who broke more than 100 light-aircraft records between 1965 and 1972 and was the first British pilot to fly solo around the world. Scott first flew around the world in 1966, covering about 31,000 miles in 189 flying hours. She set world records when she flew between London and Cape Town and across the North Atlantic Ocean , the South Atlantic Ocean, and from the Equator to the Equator over the North Pole (1971). After her record polar flight, she made a third around-the-world solo flight, earning her 100th world-class record. She wrote I Must Fly and On Top of the World. Scott was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire, and she received the Royal Aero Club’s Gold Medal.
FINANCIAL/MEMBERSHIP UPDATE It’s hard to believe that as Purim is just around the corner, we are heading towards the end of the current fiscal year. We appreciate everyone's support and commitment to SOI. We respectfully ask everyone to review your accounts, to see if you are up to date with dues and pledges. Clearing any outstanding balances allows the shul to start the new fiscal year fresh and financially ready to meet the challenge of returning to normal programs and services. If you have any questions please feel free to reach out to Heshy Chaitoff or Michael Partnow with any questions or concerns Thank you!
You are invited to participated in our 2022 Mishloach Manot Project. We encourage everyone to "Select all" for the flat price of $360 to make a statement of strength and resilience of our community . Of course, you can continue to select individual names as in past years if you would prefer. Click the the link below for a full explanation of options and pricing.
You can also give your Matanot L'Evyonim through this webpage.
If you have questions contact ShalachManot.CherryHill@gmail.com and a member of the committee will be in touch with you shortly.
Advertising Opportunity Do you have a business or service you’d like to advertise to our Cherry Hill community and beyond? Would you like to get more business and benefit SOI at the same time? Now you can! SOI now has a Products and Services page on our website where, for a small donation, people can post a business card advertising their products or services. As more business cards are added, cards will be displayed by category – the more people advertise, the more people will look, and the more business will flow. Check out https://www.soicherryhill.org/local-products-services for more info.
Mazel Tov to Flo & Adam Shulman & their entire family on the bris of Aharon Reuven, Jordan Arthur.
Thank you to all our kitchen help last week: Alisa Fox, Aliza Sadiky, Sarah Sadiky, Yoni Sadiky, Sandy Crass, Liana Weinberg, Soso Miltz, Yair Klein, Sylvia Levine & Andy Rauer.
Thank you to Yoni Panitch for making the delicious chulent last week. This week's chulent is created by Bob Moskowitz. We do need a volunteer for next week's chulent
Thank you to everyone who helped sponsor this week's Rosh Chodesh Kiddush in honor of our Ba'alei Tefillah and Ba'alei Kriyah: Aliza & Heshy Chaitoff Sharon & Harvey Chaitoff Barbara & David Felder Shari & Sid Goldberg Marcia & Bill Heine Judy & Steve Herzberg Diane & Eytan Irwin Lynn & Bill Jungreis Dina Horowitz & Charles Kivolowitz Karine & Steve Koloski Aliza & Eyal Levy Donna & Bob Moskowitz Debbie Pester Andy Rauer Helene & David Raush Rachel & Matti Rosenberg Rhoda & Jay Schmulowitz Yaeli & Chemmie Sokolic Sabra Hess & TL Weinberg Sarah & Ron Zanger
Thank you to our Ritual Committee, Gabbaim, Ba'alei Tefillah and Ba'alei Kriyah
Joel Belfer Max Bender Yoni Berliant Chaim Blumberg Heshy Chaitoff Meish Chaitoff Rabbi Michael Davies Yacov Farkas Allen Fineberg Akiva Fishman Sid Goldberg Aaron Greenberg Oze Henig Bill Jungreis Eric Klein
Chaim Kress Joey Lerner Chazzan Moshe Moskowitz Ken Panitch Yoni Panitch David Raush Tzuri Nagar Gerry Reiser Jeff Schwartz Gavriel Sokolic Chemmie Sokolic Pinchas Swisa Charles Weg Jeffrey Weiss Chani Wiesman
A very big thank you to Bill Jungreis, Debbie Fineberg, Avi Rynderman, Gila Davis, Harvey Chaitoff, Oriel Weinberg, Robbie Friedner, Eyal Levy, Chemmie Sokolic, Mike from OPS and Sam Tilonsky for providing security by watching our cameras and manning the front doors.
Security, It’s Everyone’s Responsibility It’s your shul, help protect it!
The CSS Entry Point Security Webinar scheduled for Sunday night, February 27th, was cancelled because not enough people from the congregation signed up. We will be rescheduling this program in the near future and strongly encourage everyone to attend this extremely important program.
At this time the community is raising much needed funds for Morah Francine and her 4 children. Please join us in publicizing the campaign and making your donation in support of this important Mitzvah. הַמָּקוֹם יְנַחֵם אֶתְכֶם בְּתוֹךְ שְׁאָר אֲבֵלֵי צִיּוֹן וִירוּשָׁלַיִם
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 Robert Shapiro - Doniel-Avraham ben Hannah Aaron Moshe ben Ruth Yosef Simcha Chaim Ben Sarah Chana Gaela bas Pinina Jackie Nussbaum - Eta Ruchmam bas Chaya Golda
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
March 9 Disability Financial Planning Workshop open to the entire community Parents of a child who has a physical, intellectual, or developmental disability often find themselves unprepared to face the challenges that have been thrust upon them. In some cases, families are aware of a prenatal diagnosis and are able to give thought to their child’s needs in advance. Other disabilities, such as autism, are invisible, and a diagnosis presents itself months if not years after birth. In either scenario, many families don’t know where to begin when it comes to financial planning for a child with disabilities. Next Wednesday, March 9 at 7:00pm, JFCS will host a free Disability Financial Planning workshop on Zoom. Guest speaker Michael Byrne of Lighthouse Planning Consultants will address qualifying for and maintaining government benefits; securing your child’s future after you are gone; making sure the money you have left your child will last throughout their lifetime; wills and special needs trusts; guardianship, power of attorney, and more. Advance registration required at https://jfcssnj.org/continuum.
With the encouraging news of dropping numbers of Covid cases in our area, we are taking small steps to relax our masking requirements. If numbers continue to fall, we hope to further relax these masking requirements.
· The 9AM Main Sanctuary Minyan, as well as the other minyanim throughout Shabbos and the course of the week will be “mask optional”. · For the time being, the 8 AM Shabbos Minyan will remain “fully masked” for all participants. · For the time being, the indoor children’s groups will remain “fully masked”.
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.
It is time to get moving toward that 50 mile goal! Start the new year off right by adding some exercise to your week. Yes it's cold out, so bundle up and embrace the crisp air ~ you won't regret it and your body will thank you for it! Here are log sheets to record your progress. Feel free to print and stick on your fridge. If you have any questions, email Hildy at hberlin610@gmail.com
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.
https://www.kosherwine.com/?rfsn=5940204.12e2a2 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.
Shoprite Scrip Now Available SOI Office Monday-Friday 10-2 Yaeli Sokolic at ycsgraphix@gmail.com Flo Shulman at florence.shulman@gmail.com
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
