Newslink for Shabbat Parashat Vayikra (April 4th - April 5th)
04/03/2025 05:01:55 PM
Apr3
Author
Date Added
Automatically create summary
Summary
Announcements & Upcoming Events
Kiddush is sponsored by Gershon and Melissa Klein in honor of Devra Klein's Bat Mitzvah.
Seudah Shlishit is sponsored by Kenny, Alise and Gerson Panitch in Loving memory of their beloved mother Eveline, Esther Malka bat Yaakov Nissim Halevi on the occasion of her first Yarzheit.
Getting Ready for Pesach with Rabbi Davies: Special Mini-Series as we get ready to celebrate Pesach. Thursday evening April 3rd at 8pm in the SOI Kiddush Room.Classes can be accessed via Zoom or in-person. Click here to Join the Zoom.Please visit our Pesach webpage for all your Pesach related Information. Shabbat HaGadol Drasha 5785: "Getting to Geulah Through the Four Cups" Because Shabbat HaGadol is on Erev Pesach this year, the Drasha will be presented the Shabbat before, April 5th, at 5:45pm in the SOI Kiddush Room.
Gemara Shiur with Jeff Schwartz:Sunday evening at 7:50pm in the SOI Chapel. Come join for an in depth study of Talmud.
Getting Ready for Pesach Shiur with Special Guest Speaker: Sunday evening, April 6thwithRabbi Aaron Goldscheider at the SOI Kiddush Room. Class can be accessed via Zoom or in-person. Click here to join class via Zoom.
Rabbi Kelemen's Inner Circle:Monday evenings at 8:00pm, April 21st Video presentation with Rabbi Kelemen, and April 28th 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: New semester and topic will begin April 30th!
Women's Weekly Parsha Discussion: Wednesday evening, April 9th 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.
Restarting the Cholim and Chayalim Lists for Pesach: As we prepare for Pesach, we will be updating the list of cholim and chayalim. To ensure that names remain on the list or to add new names, please let us know by email at memberhotline@soicherryhill.org. We aim to maintain a thoughtfully refreshed list, allowing our community to focus on those who currently need our heartfelt tefillot.
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.
Join us at the SOI Annual Gala Honoring Michael & Marcy Partnow, Avi & Aliza Sadiky, and Allen & Debbie 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:We are so grateful about the temporary solution for the bridge!To read Rabbi Davies letter to the Mayor on behalf of our community, click here.
Shabbat, April 5: Vayikra (Nisan 7) 8:00am 8AM Minyan in Politz Beit Midrash 8:30am Sephardic Minyan 9:00am Main Sanctuary Minyan 9:51am Latest Shema 10:00am Youth Groups 10:30am Tot Shabbat 5:45pm Shabbat Hagadol Drasha w/ Rabbi Davies 6:50pm Mincha 6:50pm Teen Minyan 7:20pm Seudah Shlishit 8:05pm Maariv 8:10pm Havdalah
Sunday, April 6 (Nisan 8) 7:00am Shacharit 8:00am Shacharit 7:15pm Mincha/Maariv 7:50pm Gemara Shiur with Jeff Schwartz 8:00pm Special Haggadah Shiur with Rabbi Aaron Goldscheider
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)
*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 Avraham Kovel entitled "Why God Asked for Animal Sacrifices" sharing our contemporary connection with the sacrificial rite.
[...] The Torah introduces the sacrifices with the words, "When a man from among you will bring a sacrifice to God…" Or, at least that's how it's commonly translated. The verse actually reads "When a man will bring from you a sacrifice to God…" The word "mikem" (from you) is conspicuously out of place. From this misplaced word, Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi, the author of the Tanya, derives a profound truth: when you bring an offering, you are meant to offer your very self - "mikem" (from you).
What does it mean to offer oneself? On a simple level, it means sacrificing one’s physical resources. In Temple times, a cow held similar value and utility as our cars today. Imagine donating your car to a worthy cause - that's a personal sacrifice that demonstrates true devotion. On a deeper level, as the Ramban teaches, one who offers a sacrifice must feel as though they themselves are being offered on the altar. But why would God want us to sacrifice ourselves, even metaphorically?
[...] Through sacrifice, we're taught to surrender our lower nature to reach spiritual heights. The message seems clear: transcend the physical to connect with the divine. If that's true, we might expect Judaism to embrace asceticism - a life of spiritual seclusion and physical denial. Yet walk into any Orthodox community and you'll discover Rabbis surrounded by large families, communities gathering for lavish festive meals, and wedding celebrations with seven days of singing and dancing.
This is the uniquely Jewish approach to spirituality - not rejecting the physical world, but sanctifying it. To understand how this works, we need to look deeper into the meaning of the Hebrew word for sacrifice - 'korbon.' The word shares its root with 'kiruv' (to bring close) and 'krovim' (relatives), revealing the true purpose of sacrifice: not to destroy the physical, but to bring it closer to the divine. Through sacrifice, an animal, representing the physical world, becomes the very means by which we connect to the spiritual. We see this in the sacrifices themselves - most were partially eaten by the priests or the ones bringing the offering, transforming a physical act into a sacred connection. [...]
Today, we don't have a temple or an altar, but we do have lives we can dedicate to doing good and building God's world. We don't have cows, goats, and sheep, but we have time, wealth, and skills waiting to be offered to fulfill our life's mission and connect heaven and earth. This week, examine one area of your life - perhaps your morning routine, your professional skills, or even how you spend your free time. Ask yourself: How could this resource serve something higher? Then make one concrete change to elevate that aspect of your life. May our daily choices become worthy offerings, elevating both ourselves and the world around us. 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.
My family and I are deeply grateful for your kindness and support during the painful period following the passing of my beloved son Avraham. Your warm expressions of sympathy, your visits to the Shivah house, your participation in the Chessed Fund and Limud Mishnayos, and your caring phone calls were greatly appreciated. May HaShem comfort all of us. - Rabbi Bernard B. Rothman -
Thank you to Debbie Fineberg, Meir Miskin, David Mendelovitz, Aaron Rubenstein, Nate Wiener, Emily Gevins, Sam Tilonsky and JFed Security Officer Bill DiCola for providing security on Shabbos. SPEED BUMPS The speed bumps are being reinstalled around the shul and school campus. Please, drive slowly around our property and over the speed bumps. The safety of our kids and individuals walking here depend on you!
The Cholim and Chayalim lists will be refreshed as we head into Pesach. For more information, please see announcement section above for details.
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
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 receiving our weekly email, please let the office know.
