Please note that the office will be closed on Monday, September 2nd in observance of Labor Day.
Announcements & Upcoming Events
8 AM Minyan kiddush is sponsored by Paul Berlin in honor of a special occasion.
Seudah Shlishit & Teen Seudah Shlishit is sponsored by Duke McCarthy.
Doughnuts and Discussion with Rabbi Dovi Friedman: Saturday morning, August 31st at approximately 10:30am in Politz Science Room for 6th-8th graders. Summer Women's Shiur Series: Shabbat afternoon, August 31st at 4:30pm at the home of Devora Sachs- 334 Cherry Hill Blvd with speaker Malky Friedman
Semichas Chaver Program: Wednesdays after Maariv. Contact Rabbi Davies to participate or for more information. There is no class next week, September 4th. Class will resume Wednesday, September 11th. Women's Weekly Parsha Discussion: Wednesday evening, September 4th from 8:30-8:45pm. Join us on Zoom for a brief peer led discussion on the weekly parsha. Click Hereto Join the Zoom.
Join Us for a Bonfire with Sons of Israel: Come and connect with our community at our casual bonfire events! For Men: Thursday, Septmeber 5th at the Rynderman home. For Women: Motzai Shabbat, September 14th at the Provda home. Light refreshments will be served. EmailMadi Botwinick for more information.
Save the Date: Mezuzos & Tefillin Check! Join us at Congregation Sons of Israel for a special Mezuzos & Tefillin Check from Monday, September 9 to Friday, September, 13th with certified Sofer, Rabbi Yaakov Nachum Long. Space is limited. New Mezuzos and Tefillin will also be available for purchase. For more information or to reserve your spot, contact Chanan Avraham Baratz via call or text at (856) 870-3333. Newcomer Kiddush: Saturday, September 14th following davening at SOI. Get to know newcomers who have moved into the community over the past year! Sponsorships available for a warm welcome! Click here to sponsor. Birthdays in the Park:Shabbat, September 14th at 4:30 in Ivy Park celebrating July, August, and September Birthdays. Come join your friends & celebrate your birthdays together. Click Here to have your birthday announced or to sponsor.
A Vintage Event - Join Us for the Jewish Vineland Bus Tour Event! September 15, 2024 starting at 9am. Discover the legacy of Jewish settlers in Vineland with a captivating tour led by Stockton University & Marvin Raab. This unique experience includes visits to historic synagogues, Alliance Cemeteries, Alliance Homes, and Stockton Beaches. Click here to Register.
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 Yitzchak Zweig entitled "Kindness: A Gift Everyone Can Afford" which shares how Tzedakah is really something that benefits all parties involved.
[...] In this week’s Torah reading we find the obligation to give charity to the less fortunate and a lesson regarding the giving of charity, [...] “You shall surely tithe from all the crops that come forth from your field each year” (Deuteronomy 14:2). [...] The Talmud (Taanis 9a) records a fascinating conversation between the sage Rabbi Yochanan and his young nephew. Rabbi Yochanan asked his nephew, “Recite to me the Bible verse [you have learned today].” The latter replied, “You shall surely tithe.” Thereupon his nephew asked, “Can you explain to me the meaning of these words?” Rabbi Yochanan answered, “Give tithes that you may be enriched.” His nephew asked, “How do you know this to be true?” Rabbi Yochanan replied: “Go test it [for yourself].” Rabbi Yochanan thus explained to him that he may actually test this secret to achieving wealth through tithing. But children often don’t let things go and he continued to question his uncle; “Is it permissible to test the Holy One, blessed be He? Do we not have a verse (Devarim 6:16) that says, ‘You shall not try the Almighty?’” Rabbi Yochanan replied, “Thus said Rabbi Oshaia: Giving charity is excepted [from the prohibition of testing God], as it is said (Malachi 3:10), ‘Bring the tithes unto the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and with this you may test me.’”
In other words, God explicitly says that a person can literally test His promise to enrich those who give charity. Even though the general rule is that one may not test the Almighty; the mitzvah of giving charity is exempt from this prohibition. Not only is it exempt, but God actually encourages us to test Him by giving charity. This seems unusual. Why is the mitzvah of giving charity an exemption to the prohibition of testing God?
The great medieval Biblical commentator Rashi explains that in Hebrew the word “chessed” means “kindness,” yet in Aramaic the word “chessed” means shame (see Leviticus 20:17 and Rashi ad loc). As I have explained in prior columns, Aramaic is a language based on an understanding of another person’s perspective. While a charitable person may feel uplifted by sharing his good fortune with others, one has to also consider the receiver’s perspective. When someone has to accept charity or kindness from another there is a devastating feeling of embarrassment that accompanies the realization that he is unable to take care of his own needs. This is why in Aramaic the word “chessed” means shame – it is focused on the other person’s perspective.
Yet, we know that giving charity and doing acts of kindness – “chessed” – are key components of one’s obligation of acting in a God-like manner. So how do we reconcile this obligation with the pain being caused to the recipient of charity? This is the reason why the Almighty devised a system in which the person giving the charity is further enriched by his act of kindness. Just as a person would not be embarrassed to be paid for giving someone terrific investment advice, so too a person receiving charity is also providing the giver the opportunity to enrich themselves. In fact, it is better than ordinary investment advice; its success is actually guaranteed by the Almighty. God, in His infinite wisdom, is removing the poor person’s shame in having to receive charity by enabling the recipient to “give back” to his benefactor. [...]
Nishma Research on Middot Nishma Research is conducting a survey on the topic of middot, which will be an exploration of the community’s views on this important and timely topic. The brief survey will be online through September 2,and the findings will be released before Rosh Hashanah. All those age 18+ are invited to take part in this very thought-provoking survey.
Greta Rothman Judaic Library: As summer winds down and the school year begins, we kindly ask that all borrowed books be returned to the chapel and remain on the shul campus so everyone can continue to enjoy and benefit from them. Thank you!
Website Update: We are pleased to share that thanks to a grant from the Jewish Community Foundation of Southern New Jersey, SOI will be redesigning our website. As a ShulCloud-based site, updates take place in real time. This means that users will see updates to the design, navigation, and pages as they take place in all phases of the project, rather than only once the project is completed. It may take a few months for the website to display in its final form. We look forward to our site being easier to navigate for our members and better communicate what we offer to those seeking information about SOI. We appreciate your patience throughout this process!
Mazal tov to grandparents Ken and Alise Panitch on the bris of their grandson in Israel. Mazal tov to parents Amitai and Elianna, Great grandma Myrna and Saba Rabbah Panitch.
To our beautiful and caring community of Cherry Hill: Where do I begin? Thank You! Two words but they mean so much. It was such a surprise to see so many people come to Barry's funeral. It was so wonderful for his neshama, thank you. The food, the wishes, the kindess everyone showed to me was so heartfelt and thoughtful, thank you. People just could not do enough for me. Words are not enough to tell you how it made me feel, thank you. Once again, thank you for your kindness to Barry's neshama and to me. - Sandy Crass
Thank you to Debbie Friedner, Ilana Weiss, Shira Baratz, and Aharon Yeres for helping prepare last week's kiddush.
Thank you to Eric Klein, Jonathan Delman, Yaakov Zeffren, Yaakov Levinson, Jeffrey Weiss, Matti Rosenberg, and Aaron Yeres, for helping with last weeks Seudah Shlishit.
Thank you to Team 7 (Diane Irwin, Jeff Liss, Steve Klein), Debbie Fineberg, Donna Moskowitz, Netanel Rosenberg, JFed Security Officer Bill DiCola and Sam Tilonsky for providing security on Shabbos.
A belated thank you to Netanel Rosenberg and Ziv Tilonsky for helping with security the previous Shabbos. Security Volunteers Urgently Needed We urgently need several volunteers to fill the remaining open slots on some of our security teams. There are also positions available in the sanctuary. Please contact Sam Tilonsky drsamod@gmail.com or Debbie Fineberg dfineberg2@gmail.com for more information and to volunteer.
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.
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!)
All submissions for the Newslink are due by noon on Wednesday
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Congregation Sons of Iarael 720 Cooper Landing Road Cherry Hill, New Jersey 08002
