Newslink for Shabbat Parshat Ki Tissa Shushan Purim (March 14th - March 15th)
03/13/2025 05:01:07 PM
Mar13
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Announcements & Upcoming Events
8AM Kiddush is sponsored by Jonathan & Devora Delman in honor of a Siyum on the completion of Masechta Zeraim to mark the shloshim of Baila Sara bas Feivel.
Seudah Shlishit is sponsored by Marvin & Nancy Bleiberg in memory of Isadore Bleiberg, Yitzhak Elchanan ben Mordachai. PURIM AT SOI: For the full Purim schedule, see below or go to our designated Purim page on the SOI website - www.SOICherryHill.org/Purim. An important note for Megillah reading Purim night: To assist everyone in fulfilling the Mitzvah of hearing the Megillah, SOI will provide babysitting during the first nighttime Megillah reading for children ages 2 and up. If you would like to be at the first Megillah reading and require childcare to do so please click here.
Purim Break-Fast Bingo:Thursday, March 13th at 8:30pm. Join us for a fun-filled evening featuring a delicious dairy dinner and exciting bingo games for kids and adults. Registration is closed at this time, we look forward to celebrating with those who have registered.
Matanot L'Evyonim Campaign 5785:Donate today and support those in need in our own community and beyond! Send donations to SOI and indicate "Matanot L'Evyonim" or submit donations through our website by March 14th at 10am. If you are in need of help, reach out to Rabbi Davies or Michal Drabkin. Requests are kept in strictest confidence.
Bnei Akiva Purim Carnival: Sunday, March 16th 10am-12pm at SOI. Fun for 1st through 8th graders. $5 per child. Pay at door. Email Bneiakivach@gmail.com for questions or more information.
Gemara Shiur with Jeff Schwartz:Sunday evening at 7:40pm in the SOI Chapel. Come join for an in depth study of Talmud.
Rabbi Kelemen's Inner Circle:Monday evenings at 8:00pm, March 24th Video presentation with Rabbi Kelemen, March 17th and March 31st review session with Rabbi Davies.You can attend one, the other, or both. Missed the first sessions? Click here to receive Rabbi Kelemen's first few presentations. Please note that, starting with the January sessions, Rabbi Kelemen presentations will only be available at the Monday evening screening for free or through paid subscription. Monday evening sessions with Rabbi Davies remain free of charge.
Semichas Chaver Program: Wednesday evening, March 19th from 8:00pm-9:30pm.Topic: Review of Business Law, Contact Rabbi Davies to participate or for more information. New Zman begins after Pesach!
Women's Weekly Parsha Discussion: Wednesday evening, March 19th from 8:30-8:45pm. Join us on Zoom for a brief peer led discussion on the weekly parsha. Click Here to Join the Zoom.
Coffee with the Rabbi: Whether you have a burning question, seek guidance, or just want to chat, this is the perfect opportunity. Secure a cup of coffee (or tea), and your 30-minute one-on-one slot for a conversation with Rabbi Davies. Click here to reserve your slot.
Join the Shnayim Mikra Initiative! Become part of our expanding group dedicated to daily study of the weekly Parsha. Choose between in-person morning sessions or follow along with recordings on WhatsApp. Click here to join the WhatsApp group. For more information contact Rabbi Davies.
Knollwood Bridge Closure: The bridge from Knollwood Drive to the baseball fields has been deemed unsafe and is closed to all foot traffic until further notice. We are actively working with the city to address this issue as soon as possible and appreciate your patience during this process. We kindly ask that community members refrain from contacting the mayor’s office directly about this matter, as we are already in communication with the necessary officials. For those walking between Knollwood and Cooper Landing Road, alternative routes include Chapel Avenue or Church Road. If walking via Church Road, in order to comfortably remain within the Eruv, it is best to use Washington Avenue and stay on the south side of Church Road. Please note that walking near Columbia Lake presents additional Eruv challenges.
Thursday, March 13: Taanit Esther, Erev Purim (Adar 13) 5:55am Fast begins 6:30am Shacharit 8:15am Shacharit 6:30pm Mincha 7:30pm Maariv & Megillah Reading 7:37pm Fast ends 8:30pm Purim Bingo and Breakfast 9:15pm Late Megillah Reading
Purim, Erev Shabbat, March 14 (Adar 14) 6:30am Shacharit & Megillah Reading 8:30am Shacharit & Megillah Reading 10:45am Late Morning Megillah Reading 1:09pm Chatzot (Halachic Midday) - preferable to begin Seudah before this time 4:00pm Afternoon Megillah Reading 6:50pm Mincha/Kabbalat Shabbat/Maariv
Shabbat, March 15: Shushan Purim, Ki Tisa (Adar 15) 8:00am 8AM Minyan 8:30am Sephardic Minyan 9:00am Main Sanctuary Minyan 10:00am Youth Groups 10:11am Latest Shema 10:30am Tot Shabbat 6:25pm Mincha 6:25pm Teen Minyan 6:55pm Seudah Shlishit 7:45pm Maariv 7:47pm Havdalah
Sunday, March 16 (Adar 16) 7:00am Shacharit 8:00am Shacharit 10:00am Bnei Akiva Purim Carnival 6:55pm Mincha/Maariv 7:40pm Gemara Shiur with Jeff Schwartz
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 Avraham Kovel entitled "The Psychology of Idol Worship" that asks how our ancestors could have worshiped a Golden Calf. I believe the ultimate message has connections to the holiday of Purim as well.
Let me offer you an irresistible deal: trade your spiritual perfection to bow down to a golden cow. Any takers? Anyone reading this week’s Torah portion confronts this seemingly absurd proposition. What drove our ancestors to worship a golden calf? How could they abandon the pinnacle of divine connection at Sinai for a lifeless idol? What power did this strange service hold that made it worth such a devastating trade? [...]
The ancient world understood something we've largely forgotten: the universe operates through channels of spiritual energy. The Rambam describes how early humans recognized that celestial bodies served as conduits for divine power - like transformers stepping down cosmic voltage into usable current. These weren't mere symbols but genuine interfaces between the infinite and the finite. This system offered humanity a choice: connect to the Source directly, or tap the power at intermediary points. Taking the shortcut through intermediaries promised immediate gratification without the demanding work of authentic relationship. The allure was immense. One glance at the Greek pantheon reveals the tantalizing menu of spiritual forces these celestial bodies possessed: wealth, victory, fertility.
[...] This inclination toward seeking intermediaries reflects a deeper human struggle. The Kuzari explains that, with Moses absent for 40 days, the people felt overwhelmed trying to maintain their connection to an invisible God without Moses as their intermediary. Their creation of the Golden Calf wasn't simple rebellion - it was an anxious response to perceived abandonment. Their solution? Create a physical medium to channel their spiritual devotion. While misguided, their struggle mirrors our own - we can relate to the inherent difficulty of connecting to a transcendent being. We often prefer a tangible falsehood to an intangible truth, something we can see and control rather than surrendering to what transcends our grasp. Yet this shortcut violated the very foundation of their relationship with God - the first two of the Ten Commandments: "I am Hashem, Your God... There shall be no other gods before me. [...] While we no longer bow to statues, self-serving pleasure without regard for the other is an ongoing disease in the human condition. Where God seeks relationship, we chase selfish gratification through expedient means. In our relationship with our fellow man, this self-seeking desire transforms intimacy into one-night-stands, business into exploitation, and politics into graft. It’s what transforms "I'm here for you" into "you're here for me." Every time we choose expedient pleasure over principled action, we echo our ancestors' choice of the Golden Calf. We might not sacrifice to sticks and stones, but we still fall prey to sacrificing our values on the altar of self-aggrandizement. The material gods have changed, but the essential choice remains: Will we do the hard work of authentic relationship, or opt for the easy path of self-serving shortcuts?
This understanding transforms our Torah portion from an ancient cautionary tale into a mirror for our own spiritual struggles. The Torah's message is clear: true fulfillment comes only through genuine relationship - with God and with our fellow man. May we find the wisdom and courage to choose authentic connection over convenient substitutes, and the strength to serve something greater than ourselves. Hoping and praying for a Purim Sameach and 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.
World Zionist Congress Elections Every five years, the World Zionist Organization (WZO), one of the most influential organizations in the Jewish world, of which 30% is controlled by US Jewry, holds a crucial election. This election, which runs from March 10, through May 4, gives American Jews the opportunity to vote for representatives in the World Zionist Congress. The number of seats a slate receives directly impacts leadership decisions, policies, and the allocation of over $1 billion annually toward Jewish education, aliyah, security, and other vital causes.
I am strongly encouraging our members to vote for Orthodox Israel Coalition (OIC) Mizrachi, slate #5. Coalition partners include RZA-Mizrachi, YU, OU, RCA, Amit, Bnei Akiva, NCYI, Touro University, and Sephardic organizations such as Shvilim and UMJCA. Your vote will ensure that our Religious Zionist voice is heard. An authentic Torah voiceof integration and unity: integration between Judaism and Zionism; Torah learning and army service; between Torah u’Madda; and balancing Israel and Diaspora needs.
All Jewish American residents who are 18 (by June 30, 2025) can vote. There is a voter registration fee of $5.00. Click here to register and vote. Please share this link with your family and friends. If you’d like to volunteer to help us mobilize our community, please let me know.
Rabbi Michael Davies
Join Our Team: Event Manager Wanted! SOI is looking to hire a friendly and organized per diem Event Manager to oversee and assist with various events, such as Bar/Bat Mitzvot, parties, graduations..etc. This position involves being on-site to ensure everything runs smoothly—from coordinating with office staff and renters to making sure the building is set up and ready before and after each event. You’ll also help with any on-site needs, work closely with caterers, and warmly greet guests as they arrive. This is a paid position. If you’re interested, or to learn more, please reach out to Heshy Chaitoff at CoPresident@soicherryhill.org
Volunteers Wanted!
Kiddush: Volunteers wanted to help with Kiddush - preparation, set up, and clean up! Please contact Yaakov Linder to get involved.
SOI Gala: We are looking for volunteers to help with all aspects of the SOI Gala. Please reach out to Ilana Weiss, Avital Zeffren, or Yaeli Sokolic to get involved.
Do you enjoy small fix-it projects or just love helping out? We’re looking for friendly hands to assist with minor repairs, like sealing doors and patching up little gaps. No special skills needed! Just a willingness to pitch in and help make a difference! If you’d like to help, please reach out to Dan Malamud or Oriel Weinberg. We truly appreciate it!
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!
Thank you to all the volunteers who helped with last week's Kiddush.
Thank you to the volunteers who helped with last week's Seudah Shlishit.
We regret to inform you of the passing of Evan Fishman - Eliyahu Baruch Ben Eliezer
We are deeply saddened by the untimely passing of Avraham Rothman z”l, beloved son of Rabbi Bernard Rothman—Rabbi Emeritus of Congregation Sons of Israel and Founder and Dean of Politz Day School. As we mourn this tremendous loss to his family and to Klal Yisrael, we recognize the significant emotional and financial challenges placed on his loved ones, particularly his widow, Miriam, and their four children, ages 5 to 16. To help provide them with much-needed support during this difficult time, a Chesed Fund has been established with a goal of $1 million. Your generosity—whether large or small—will make a meaningful difference in easing their burden.
Thank you to Bob Belfer, Harvey Chaitoff, Adam Shulman, Jeff Liss, Steve Koloski, Robbie Friedner, Debbie Fineberg, Sam Tilonsky and JFed Security Officer Bill DiCola for providing security on Shabbos. Chag Purim Sameach!
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!)
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