Weekly Newslinks

Announcements & Upcoming Events

Rabbi Davies will be on vacation from Thursday, August 3 - Wednesday, August 16. During this time, for all SOI related matters and/or items of an urgent nature, please contact Ilana Weiss at president@soicherryhill.org. If you are in need of immediate Halachic assistance, please contact Rabbi Jonathan Bienenfeld at rabbijbien@gmail.com. 

Jean Klein, the office manager will be on vacation from August 7th - August 11th. The office will be open Monday - Friday from 12:00-2:00pm.

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 Dr. Mordechai Schiffman entitled "There’s No I In Happy" which shares two ways of how to find true happiness in life.

If you want to be happier, should you focus on yourself or on others? In a study entitled “Do Unto Others or Treat Yourself? The Effects of Prosocial and Self-Focused Behavior on Psychological Flourishing,” Katherine Nelson and colleagues reported their research findings that doing acts of kindness for others, or for the world at large, provided a bigger boost for better mood and increased well-being than doing acts of kindness for oneself.
 
These results align with previous research that indicates that spending money on others increases happiness levels over spending money on oneself. This stands in contrast to the more popular conception that in order to be happy, you should focus on self-care.
 
[…] The word simcha, which can be roughly translated as happiness or joy, appears seven times in this week’s Torah portion. Fascinatingly, in each of the seven times, the simcha is communicated in the context of others. It is what Rabbi Sacks calls happiness shared, or collective joy. When we rejoice, it is with others present and others in mind. We share the happiness with our families and with strangers, orphans, widows, and Levites. There is no “I” in happy and the is no “I” in joy.
 
Yet there is another pattern amongst the seven contexts of the word simcha. Not only is simcha presented in relation to others, but as Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik highlighted, it is also bound to being lifnei Hashem, before God. Being in the presence of God both obligates and generates feelings of joy. The experience of transcending the self and experiencing the Divine, provides a framework for true simcha. […]
 
It is striking that happiness is explained exclusively in the context of the other. It is only before God and it must be shared with other people. Focusing exclusively on the “I” to boost happiness will inevitably fall short. Rather, if we want to enhance our experience of simcha, let us look for opportunities to do for others and to become closer to God.

Have a Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Davies
Rabbi@SOICherryHill.org

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

         Kol HaNearim Tallit
Honor your children, grandchildren, nieces, or nephews by embroidering their names on the Congregation Sons of Israel Kol HaNe’arim Tallit. This beautiful Tallit is embroidered with children’s names in gold. It is used on Simchat Torah when the children are called up to the Torah for a special Aliyah. Deadline to be included is August 16, 2023 and each line is $25. See examples and submit your entry at https://www.soicherryhill.org/form/Tallit.

Mazal tov to Yaelle & Nathaniel Moldoff on the birth and bris of a baby boy, Yaakov Mordechai. Mazal tov to proud grandparents Charles & Jackie Nusbaum as well as proud aunt and uncle, Malka and Aaron Feibush.

Thank you to Baila Rynderman, Debbie Friedner, Neely Elisha, and Vicki Miltz for helping with kiddush last week and for Yaeli Sokolic for making the cholent.

Thank you to Matti Rosenberg, Yaakov Linder, Jonathan Delman, Jeffrey Weiss, Eric Klein, Yair Klein, Rafi Krumbein, Malka Moskowitz, and Sandy Crass for helping with Seudah Shlishit last week.

Thank you to Andy Rauer for helping in the office this week.

Thank you to Baila Rynderman for hosting the women's bonfire.

Thank you to “The Fellowship” (Team 4) for providing security this week.  They are Avi Rynderman, Baila Silverman, Andy Rauer, Noah Botwinick and Shlomo Aronoff.  Also thank you to Debbie Fineberg, Bob from JFeds and Sam Tilonsky for providing security.

Thank You
The entire security team wishes to thank everyone for sponsoring kiddush in our honor on Shabbos. 

Volunteers
We are urgently looking for several men and women volunteers to help with security in the main sanctuary during services.  In the event of an emergency these individuals will be responsible for directing the congregation to safety.  These important positions are vital to the success of keeping everyone safe and secure.  Training will be provided.  Contact  Sam Tilonsky (drsamod@gmail.com) for more information and to help.

Gavriel Yehuda ben Chaya Sarah 
David Partnow - David Avram ben Tilla Razel 
Aaron Moshe ben Ruth
Gaela bas Pinina
Chayim Gedalya haLevi ben Henya
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
Esther bat Yehudit Nechamah
Yitzhak Dovid ben Gruna Leah
Reizel bas Yentel
Peretz Yirmiyahu ben Elka
Moshe Simcha ben Sarah
Ester Chavah Nachamah bat Rifka Miriam
Gershon Daniel ben Malka Chaya

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)

Mr. Finklestein Bottle Club ($36)

Kiddush (starting at $180)

Join the SOI Updates Whatsapp group!
"Updated Link for the SOI Updates Whatsapp"
For all the news and announcements you don't want to miss.
  https://chat.whatsapp.com/BvaEbQ1h1eSEz1fSlUUa3T

ERUV UPDATE
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UPCOMING/ONGOING
EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

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UPCOMING/ONGOING
EVENTS & PROGRAMS

Support SOI While You're Shopping

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

New House of Kosher Donation Program
SOI will automatically earn 2% of your total purchase when you use our code when checking out!  SOI's code is 0720

(Think of our shul's address and add a "0" at the start!)

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

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Office hours next week are Monday - Friday 10am - 2pm

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