Newslink for Shabbat Parshat Vayakhel Parah (March 21st - March 22nd)
03/20/2025 05:01:17 PM
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Announcements & Upcoming Events
Seudah Shlishit is sponsored by Duke McCarthy.
Women's Halacha Shiur: Thursday, March 20th at 8:00pm in the SOI Chapel. Studying the Laws of Shabbat with Rabbi Davies. Gemara Shiur with Jeff Schwartz:Sunday evening at 7:45pm 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, April 21st & April 28th Video presentation with Rabbi Kelemen, 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 26th from 8:00pm-9:00pm.Topic: Review of Business Law, Contact Rabbi Davies to participate or for more information. New Zman and topic of Brachot begins after Pesach!
Women's Weekly Parsha Discussion: Wednesday evening, March 26th 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.
Getting Ready for Pesach with Rabbi Davies: Special Mini-Series as we get ready to celebrate Pesach. Thursday evenings March 27th & April 3rd at 8pm in the SOI Kiddush Room. And Sunday evening, April 6th with guest speaker Rabbi Aaorn Goldscheider in the SOI Kiddush Room.Classes can be accessed via Zoom or in-person. Click here to Join the Zoom. You can see the full schedule of classes here . Please visit our Pesach webpage for all your Pesach related Information.
Join us at the SOI Annual Gala Honoring Michael & Marcy Partnow, Avi & Aliza Sadiky, and Debbie & Alan Fineberg! Monday, June 9th at 6:30pm at SOI. Click hereto purchase tickets, become a sponsor, or place an ad.See more details below!
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.
Shabbat, March 22: Parshat Parah, Vayakhel (Adar 22) 8:00am 8AM Minyan 8:30am Sephardic Minyan 9:00am Main Sanctuary Minyan 10:00am Youth Groups 10:04am Latest Shema 10:30am Tot Shabbat 6:35pm Mincha 6:35pm Teen Minyan 7:05pm Seudah Shlishit 7:50pm Maariv 7:55pm Havdalah
Sunday, March 23 (Adar 23) 7:00am Shacharit 8:00am Shacharit 7:00pm Mincha/Maariv 7:45pm Gemara Shiur with Jeff Schwartz
Pesach Preparation Information Visit our Pesach Webpagefor Complete Information!
Click here to download the Sale of Chametz form or pick up a copy at the Shul. Rabbi Davies will be available before and after Mincha/Maariv for sale of Chametz. If you are not available at that time, please reach out to the rabbi to schedule another time to meet. (all forms must be given to Rabbi Davies no later than 9:00am on Friday, April 11th)
*Pesach Seder Hosts* We are seeking volunteers who are willing to open their homes and host others for the Seder. If you are able to host or if you are in need of a place to celebrate this special tradition, please reach out to Rabbi Davies. Let’s come together as a community to ensure everyone has a welcoming place at the table during this important time.
*Important Pesach Cleaning Information* As we prepare the shul for Pesach, we kindly ask everyone to clean up their personal spaces and remove any items from the coat room. Please make sure to clean your belongings by April 6th to make the cleaning process more efficient for our staff and volunteers, and to ensure your items don't get lost. Anything left behind will be disposed of. Thank you for your cooperation!
QUESTIONS? Feel free to email Rabbi Davies – Rabbi@SOICherryHill.org or text or call 609-301-0131.
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 Shaul Rosenblatt entitled "I Was Wrong" which takes an example from this week's Parsha in how and why to admit our mistakes.
Moses first instructs Betzalel to build the vessels of the Tabernacle, and then to build the Tabernacle itself. Betzalel, a much younger man (according to some, only 13 years old), replies that surely it makes sense to build the structure first. Who makes furniture, he says to Moses, before they have a house in which to put it? In the ancient world, to disagree on a public matter with the reigning Head of State was not such a clever idea. In challenging the head, you'd usually lose your head. However (and we see this many times with Moses), the opposite occurred. Moses admitted he had made a mistake and publicly bowed to Betzalel's opinion.
It takes tremendous strength of character to be able to admit, especially in so public a forum, that you made a mistake. All too often, the burning desire of our egos to be the one who is right overtakes our desire for truth. It's so easy to defend an opinion, only because it is ours, long beyond the time we know it to be incorrect.
It's sad that one of the greatest phrases in the English language, "I was wrong," is so rarely used. In admitting you were wrong, the sense of personal integrity is hugely empowering and uplifting. And far from undermining your credibility in the eyes of others, it actually helps establish it. [...] In a certain way, it's more of a pleasure to be wrong than to be right. When you are right, you have proven a point and made someone else feel uncomfortable. When, however, you accept that you are wrong, you have not only learned something new, but you also experience the uplifting trait of humility.
Obviously, there is no need to admit to being wrong if you really are right. However, admitting to being wrong when you are wrong is a wonderful experience. [...] Life is far too short for us to try to prove that we are right all the time. If we learn to be happy recognizing our mistakes, it will save us a great deal of energy battling futile causes simply to defend our pride. Train yourself to say the words, "I was wrong," so that when you need to, it's easy to say. You may even come to enjoy it! Hoping and praying for 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.
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 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.
Our community has been asked to join together in a siyum Mishnayot in memory of Avraham Elchanan ben HaRav Dov Ephraim z”l, the son of our beloved Rabbi Rothman. As we approach his Shloshim, let us come together in the merit of his neshama, ensuring that his legacy is honored through the timeless words of Torah. Learning Mishnayot is a powerful way to elevate a soul, and by uniting in this effort, we offer not only comfort to his family but also a tribute to the values he held dear.
Much of the learning has already been pledged, but a portion still remains. If you are able to join in completing these Mishnayot, please sign up using the link below. Please complete your learning by April 7, 2025 / 9 Nissan 5785. Sign up to learn Mishnayot here:https://hadranalach.com/3471
May our collective learning serve as an aliyah for his neshama and a source of comfort to his family.
Thank you to Aharon Yeres, Matti Rosenberg, Jeff Liss, Elon Elisha, Oriel Weinberg, Debbie Fineberg, Sam Tilonsky and JFed Security Officer Bill DiCola for providing security on Shabbos.
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.
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