Newslink for Shabbat Parshat Behar-Bechukotai (May 12-14)
05/11/2023 05:01:21 PM
May11
Author
Date Added
Automatically create summary
Summary
We, her friends, wish to honor the memory of a kind, gentle, loving soul, Chaya Tova Klavens, on the occasion of her second yahrzeit, by sponsoring the Newslink. May her neshama have an aliyah.
Announcements & Upcoming Events
Kiddush is sponsored by the Davies family in honor of the celebration of Chana's Bat Mitzvah.
Seudah Shlishit is sponsored this week by Duke McCarthy.
SOI Annual Gala: Monday, June 12th at 6pm: Tickets and Journal Ads are now on sale. Early bird deadline is May 15th! Purchase your tickets and ads here.
Women's Halacha Shiur with Rabbi Davies: Thursday, May 11th at 8:30pm in the SOI chapel. (Note SPECIAL DATE and NEW TIME)
In Depth Talmud with Jeff Schwartz: Saturday afternoon at 6:05pm in the SOI Chapel. Contact Jeff Schwartz for more information.
NEW Mincha Teen Minyan and Seudah Shlishit: Shabbat, May 13 at 7:25pm and will continue weekly at the same time as Shabbat mincha at SOI. For more information contact Eric Klein.
Reflections on the World Orthodox Israel Congress with Ken & Alise Panitch: at Seudah Shlishit on Shabbat, May 13 7:55pm.
Semichas Chaver Program with Rabbi Davies: We have begun the new Zman/Semester, but you can still join. Next class will be held on Wednesday, May 17th after Maariv (Approximately 8:30pm). For more information or to sign up please contact rabbi@soicherryhill.org.
Middle School Sky Zone Event: Sunday, May 21st 3:40pm - 6:00pm. $18 per child. Register here.
Vintage: Tuesday, May 23 6:30-8:00pm Join our new group for adults 55 and over and come to our inaugural event. RSVP
Signup for Shavuot Torah Slam: Contact Rabbi Davies if you are interested on presenting on a parsha from Sefer Shemot.
Schedule for the Weekend
Erev Shabbat, May 12: 36th Day Omer (Iyyar 21) 6:45am Shacharit 8:15am Shacharit 6:36pm Plag HaMincha (Earliest Candle Lighting) 7:00pm Mincha/Kabbalat Shabbat/Maariv 7:47pm Candle Lighting Tonight's Sefirah Count Is: היום שבעה ושלשים יום שהם חמשה שבועות ושני ימים לעמר
Shabbat, May 13: 37th Day Omer, Behar-Bechukotai (Iyyar 22) 8:00am 8AM Minyan 8:30am Sephardic Minyan 9:00am Main Sanctuary Minyan 9:22am Latest Shema 10:00am Youth Groups 10:30am Tot Shabbat 11:30am Kiddush sponsored by the Davies Family 6:05pm Gemara Shiur 7:25pm Teen Minyan & Seudah Shlishit 7:25pm Mincha 7:55pm Seudah Shlishit sponsored by Duke McCarthy 8:20pm Reflections on the World Orthodox Israel Conference with the Panitch's 8:50pm Maariv 8:52pm Havdalah Tonight's Sefirah Count Is: היום שמונה ושלשים יום שהם חמשה שבועות ושלשה ימים לעמר
Sunday, May 14: 38th Day Omer (Iyyar 23) 7:00am Shacharit 8:00am Shacharit 7:55pm Mincha/Maariv Tonight's Sefirah Count Is: היום תשעה ושלשים יום שהם חמשה שבועות וארבעה ימים לעמר
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 with you an excerpt from an article by Rabbi Shraga Simmons entitled ‘Why Things Happen’, in which he shares some deep lessons about what perspective we should have in the face of challenge.
The beginning of this week's Parsha describes the specific cause-and-effect of human actions. "If you follow the laws, then you will have abundance ... but if you break the covenant, you will have distress..." The idea that "choices are meaningful" is so basic to Judaism that it is expressed in the very first verse of the Bible: "In the beginning, God created heaven and earth." There are two ways to understand the origins of life: Either it is random, or by design. What are the implications of this argument? [...]
The Jewish perspective is that the world is here by design. Which leads us to the next question: Why are we here? We are here for a purpose. Before a person is born, his soul – non-physical and eternal – is living in a "world of souls." [...] But then one day the soul gets a tap on the shoulder. "It's time for you to go down into the physical world, to be placed into the body of a human." Why? Because the soul, as-yet imperfect, needs to refine itself through encountering and surmounting challenges.
These challenges come in the form of specific events which modify our behavior in the area where our soul needs its "tikkun," rectification. These events are not random; rather, they are instructive. Which means there is a deep connection between the event and the message it contains.
The task of life? To discover that connection, and grow from it. [...] Sometimes the connection is not so obvious, and we have to work hard to discover it. We may not even always be successful in making the connection. But whatever the outcome, one thing is for sure: We cannot lose. The process of introspection is bound to reveal tremendous insight and growth. [...]
Every test, every challenge, is tailor-made for our specific set of circumstances and station in life. The whole point is to awaken us from apathy and slumber, and to encourage the soul rectification that we came here to do. Granted, sometimes the test is fiercely difficult. But as difficult as it may seem, it reveals a deeper purpose in the overall scheme of life. That ordeal has the power to lift a person to become wiser, stronger, and more compassionate. [...]
God does not challenge us with trivialities. He challenges us only to grow. Imbalance in one area will trigger a challenge to modify that trait. The whole concept of mitzvot is that they are actions which work against our nature. [...] All the mitzvot direct our growth, building our weakness into strength. [...] Life is not about suffering. Life is about growth and making the change we were put here to make. Challenges will happen. That we cannot change, because that is our reason for being. What we can change is our attitude. Will we view difficulties as a nuisance, or as a message? Let's make the most of it. We have nothing to lose, and everything to gain.
Mazal tov to Rikki (Irwin) and Lawrence Valverde on the birth of a girl. Mazal Tov to grandparents Eytan & Diane Irwin.
Mazal Tov to Marc and Karen Hess on the birth of a grandson to their daughter Rebecca and her husband Chaim in Israel.
Mazal tov to Rabbi Michael and Ora Davies on the occasion of the celebration of Chana's Bat Mitzvah this Shabbat.
thank you to Oze, Maetal, Neta, Aviv and Gal Henig, Tova and Hadassah Kurlansik and Daria Newfeld for helping with kiddush last week.
Thank you to Yaakov Zeffren, Yaakov , Linder, Matti Rosenberg, Eric Klein, Yair Klein, Jonathan Delman and Yochai Yares for helping with seudah shlishit last week.
Thank you to Eytan and Diane Irwin for sponsoring the Lag BaOmer event in memory of David Zauder and Abraham Irwin. Thank you to Anna Schwartz, Suzie Mindel, and Alisa Fox for organizing the Lag BaOmer event and to Hildy Berlin, Ahuva Boniuk, Madi Botwinick, Ora Davies, Debbie Fineberg, Jeff Liss, Avi Rynderman, Sara Rynderman, Yaeli Sokolic, Sam Tilonsky and Ilana Weiss for helping at the event.
Thank you to Debbie Fineberg, Donna Moskowitz, Debbie Pester, Harvey Chaitoff, Jeff Liss, Robbie Friedner, Shlomo Aronoff, Chani Wiesman Berliant, Bob belfer, Hector from OPS and Sam Tilonsky for providing security on Shabbos.
Volunteers Needed Thank you to those individuals who have answered the call to be a security volunteer on our teams. There are just 3 vacancies left - sign up now to help! Contact Sam Tilonsky (drsmod@gmail.com).
Gavriel Yehuda ben Chaya Sarah David Partnow - David Avram ben Tilla Razel Aaron Moshe ben Ruth Gaela bas Pinina Chayim Gedalya haLevi ben Henya 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 Inga bat Bella Shaindel bas Gruna Leah Moshe Krumbein - Moshe ben Yehudit Sarah Shmuel ben Ita Ettle Tinok ben Esther Esther bat Yehudit Nechamah Avigail Sarit bat Emilia
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
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
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
