Weekly Newslinks

You can sponsor a newslink for $36 in honor or in memory of a dear one.

Announcements & Upcoming Events

Schedule for the Weekend

Erev Shabbat, February 17 (Shevat 26)
6:45am Shacharit
8:15am Shacharit
5:20pm Candle Lighting
5:20pm Mincha/Kabbalat Shabbat/Maariv

Shabbat, February 18: Shabbat Mevarchim, Parshat Shekalim, Mishpatim (Shevat 27)
8:00am 8AM Minyan
8:30am Sephardic Minyan
9:00am Main Sanctuary Minyan
9:32am Latest Shema
10:00am Youth Groups
10:30am Tot Shabbat
11:00am Kiddush is sponsored by Sabrina & Aaron Spector
5:00pm Mincha
5:30pm Seudah Shlishit sponsored by Duke McCarthy
6:20pm Maariv
6:21pm Havdalah

Sunday, February 19 (Shevat 28)
7:00am Shacharit
8:00am Shacharit
9:00am Red Cross Blood Drive (Ends at 2:00pm)
5:30pm Mincha/Maariv
8:00pm In Depth 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 Yitzchak Zweig entitled ‘Locus of Focus’ which talks about finding the meaning behind the Mitzvot.

[...] One of the places in which many people seem to miss the point of what they are trying to accomplish is in the area of religious observance. It is very easy to get caught up in the minutiae of checking every box [...] that we miss the experience entirely. I have noticed many devoutly religious men come to synagogue late and speed read through all the prayers to make sure they’ve said everything, seemingly forgetting that the purpose of prayer isn’t to say every word in the prayer book, it’s about having a conversation with the Almighty.

In this week’s Torah portion, which is called “Mishpatim – laws,” we have a remarkable exchange between the Almighty and Moses that highlights this point exactly. The Torah reading opens with: And these are the laws which you shall set before them (21:1). The great biblical commentator known as Rashi notes that the Almighty told Moses, “Do not think that it is enough to teach them (all the laws) chapter and verse two or three times until it is organized in their (mind) and that you do not have to bother to explain them and make them understand what those laws mean. Rather, you must teach them the reasons for the laws as well. This is why the verse says, ‘you shall set before them’ – it must be placed before them like a set table from which one is ready to eat.”

[...T]he Almighty informs him that it isn’t enough just do the mitzvot (the commandments), the people must understand the reasons as well. Why is this true and what does the analogy to "a set table from which one could readily eat" mean? The Torah is presenting one of the most important underlying principles of Judaism. There are two purposes in eating: nutrition and pleasure. When God tells Moses to organize it for them as a set table, He is referring to the presentation of the mitzvot.

Food presentation speaks not to the nutritional but rather to the pleasurable aspect. People will pay substantially more at a high-end restaurant where the presentation and ambiance adds to the pleasure of the experience. Though Moses is focused on the commandments as a way to fortify the people, God is telling him that it isn’t enough to just fulfill them; the people are also meant to enjoy them.

Therefore, the Almighty informs Moses that the laws are to be presented in such a way that the Jewish people should garner pleasure from them and thus have a desire to do them. The ultimate lesson here is that the Torah must be transformative. [...] Once we [recognize this], then we can begin to see that everything God asks of us is really for our own good. All these laws were given to us in order to provide us with the best possible life. In this way, we begin to anticipate the joyful experience of every one of God’s commandments; only then do we begin to scratch the surface of all the good God has created for us in this world.

Have a Shabbat Shalom from Eretz Yisrael,
Rabbi Davies
Rabbi@SOICherryHill.org

We are excited to be partnering with Mizrachi World Movement to provide their publication of HaMizrachi Parasha Weekly.

Purim is less than a month away. Join Congregation Sons of Israel in their Mishloach Manot Project 2023. This is a major fundraising project and we hope that you will participate generously.  We are hoping for 100% participation!

    2023 Congregational Survey
Last week, we sent out our congregational survey to all members in good standing.  This survey is an important way for members to recognize our strengths, provide feedback where we could do better and help us plan strategically for the future.  All submissions are completely anonymous.  If you have not received your survey, please check your spam folder.  If you have not received the survey or would like to complete a paper version please email president@soicherryhill.org.

Thank you to all those who contributed to SOI's

Automatic Defibrillator Campaign!

Aaron & Malka Feibush, Adam & Flo Shulman, Andrea Rauer, Charles & Jacquelyn Nusbaum in honor of Jackie Nusbaum, Chemmie & Yaeli Sokolic in honor of The SOI Family: The heart of the shul, David & Barbara Felder, Debbie Pester in memory of Hillel Yochanan ben HaRav Yaakov, Debra & Allen Fineberg, Eric & Rachel Klein, Eugene Resnick & Jane Glassman in memory of Marilyn Glassman & Morris Resnick, Evan Fishman, Eytan & Diane Irwin, Jeffrey & Menorah Schwartz, Jon & Brenda Bender, Joyce and Jeffrey Joseph, Judy & Steven Herzberg, Karen & Marc Hess, Robbie & Debbie Friedner, Marlene Goldhagen, Matti & Rachel Rosenberg, Mendy & Dinie Mangel, Oze & Maetal Henig, Paul Berlin & Hildy Steinbach in memory of Sylvia Berlin, Rachael Shuster, Robert & Gail Belfer, Ron & Sarah Zanger, Sam Tilonsky & Eve Narrow-Tilonsky, Seth & Karen Cohen in honor of Sam Wizov, Steven & Caryn Hurlock, Stewart & Sylvia Levine in memory of Aaron Lev ben Shmuel Moshe, William & Marcia Heine, Yaakov Linder & Sari Gindoff-Linder, Yoni Berliant & Chani Wiesman in honor of Chaim Wiesman, Zumi & Caryn Brody in memory of David Brody

A new AED has been purchased and will be installed soon.

Thank you to Dr. Eytan Irwin and Dr. Ron Zanger for coordinating this effort!

Mazal tov to Yaakov and Susan Bagley on the birth of their first grandchild, a girl, to their son Dani and his wife Rivka Bagley.
​​​​​​​
Mazal tov to Gaela and Tuvia Klein on their 10th wedding anniversary.

Mazal tov to Sabrina and Aaron Spector on the occasion of Daniel's Bar Mitzvah.

Welcome to Aaron and Marnie Rubenstein and family who have joined SOI as members.

Thank you to Tamar Wiener, Baila Silverman, & Anna Schwartz for helping with the kiddush last week.

Thank you to Jeffrey & Ilana Weiss, Malka Moskowitz, Yael Linder, Sandy Crass, Matti Rosenberg, Yair Klein, Jonathan, Devorah & Ahuva Delman, & Rachael Folowoshele for helping prepare Seudah Shlishit and to Matti & Rachel Rosenberg, Daniel and Michal Drabkin, Eric and Rachel Klein, Yoni Berliant & Chani Wiesman for their Birthdays at the Shul Seudah Shlishit sponsorships.

A huge thank you to  Bill Jungreis, Debbie Pester, Harvey Chaitoff, Jeff Liss, Chani Wiesman Berliant, Chemmie Sokolic, Ken Panitch, Hector from OPS and Sam Tilonsky for providing security on Shabbos.
Special thanks to Debbie Pester and Jeff Liss for doing extra shifts on Shabbos.
Thank you to Oze Henig for the hand sanitizer.

It’s Your Shul, Please Help Protect It!

We are always looking for more people to volunteer on a regular basis.  If you can’t commit to a specific time, why not be available to fill in when needed?  Just let me know you are willing to help. Thanks, Sam Tilonsky​​​​​​​

Gavriel Yehuda ben Chaya Sarah 
David Partnow - David Avram ben Tilla Razel 
Robert Shapiro - Doniel-Avraham ben Hannah
Aaron Moshe ben Ruth
Gaela bas Pinina
Jackie Nussbaum - Eta Ruchmam bas Chaya Golda
Chayim Gedalya haLevi ben Henya
Joan Solomon Weinberg - Yehudit Sarah bat Esther
Chaim Leib HaLevi ben Batya Gittel
Tobie Cohen - Tova Lieba bas Esther Chaya
Alan Friedman - Avraham Pinchas ben Hudda
Kayla Chaya bat Bayla
Simcha Avraham Ben Datya Leba
Karen Cohen - Esther Chaya bas Sara Chana
Inga bat Bella
Janet Miller - Devora bat Basha

Please help us keep this list up to date.  If you have names to add or would like to have a name removed from this list, please email memberhotline@soicherryhill.org.

 Click below for a link to the prayers for good health and healing that you can recite for our ailing members

​​​​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)

Join the SOI Updates Whatsapp group!

For all the news and announcements you don't want to miss.

https://chat.whatsapp.com/J2uWWdEVNogLTdyHvoYEJ4

ERUV UPDATE
Sign up to receive email communications by clicking here and filling out a short formPlease check your spam if you are not getting notifications from the new Eruv Hotline

Cecilia Bachana, an undergraduate student, is working with Professor Johanna Ray Vollhardt’s research group in the Psychology Department at Clark University. She is part of a team of Jewish American researchers conducting a study on how Jewish Americans (i.e., Jews living in the U.S., regardless of nationality) think about the history of violence against Jews and present-day antisemitism as well as how this may relate to psychological well-being and health. 

They are looking for a broad range of opinions on these issues among Jewish Americans (18 and older) with different backgrounds and diverse political and religious views.
 
If you would like to take part in her survey, click the link below.  The survey is anonymous, completely voluntary, and can be stopped at any point. The survey will take approximately 15 to 20 minutes to complete. Upon completion of the survey participants will be offered $10 as a small token of appreciation. https://clarku.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_1G1zOJznBc059Jk 

UPCOMING/ONGOING
EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

UPCOMING/ONGOING
EVENTS & PROGRAMS

YOUTH & TEENS
EVENTS & PROGRAMS

UPCOMING COMMUNITY
EVENTS & PROGRAMS

WAYS TO HELP SOI PAINLESSLY

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

https://www.soicherryhill.org/form/purchase_scrip

If you have news to share please send the info to:
MEMBER HOTLINE
memberhotline@soicherryhill.org

All submissions for the Newslink are due by noon on Wednesday

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
Office hours next week are Monday - Friday  10am-2pm
Rabbi Davies' general office hours are Monday, Wednesday-Friday 10am-5pm

Congregation Sons of Israel
720 Cooper Landing Road
Cherry Hill, NJ 08002