Weekly Newslinks

Announcements & Upcoming Events

Schedule for the Weekend

Pesach Preparation Information
Visit our Pesach Webpage for Complete Information!

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 Dr. Leslie M. Gutman entitled "Do You Have the Necessary Grit to Cross Your Red Sea?" which explains the miracle of Crossing the Sea to provide contemporary wisdom for success.
 

‘Crossing the Rubicon’ is a metaphor used by Psychologist Peter Gollwitzer to explain the difference between being fully committed to a goal versus still weighing its pros and cons. [...] Psychologist Angela Duckworth relates the metaphor of ‘Crossing the Rubicon’ to grit – the passion and perseverance for long-term and meaningful goals. People with grit do not give up – they continually work to achieve their aspiration, even in the face of serious disappointment. Their ambition defines their sense of meaning and purpose in this world. Failures become opportunities for learning and growth, however painful. [...]

The Jewish people emulated this grit when crossing the Red Sea. As the vengeful Egyptian army advanced, the Jewish people stood with indecision and fear at the edge of the sea. Nachshon ben Aminadav, prince of the tribe of Judah, jumped into the sea, and as the waters reached his mouth and nostrils, he almost drowned. With God’s command, Moses lifted his staff and the waters parted. The Jewish people entered and were saved from assault. After this miracle, the Jewish nation reached such a high level of faith and trust in God that it continues to sustain us even during the most challenging times.

While the Jewish people experienced many setbacks along the way (the Golden Calf, 12 spies, Korach’s rebellion -- just to name a few), they finally made it to the promised land (after more than 40 years!). Crossing the Red Sea was the crucial turning point of their momentous journey. It is the defining moment when the Jewish People committed to their mission. Whatever the cost, there was no turning back. Now, they could move forward from slavery into freedom, accepting the Torah and becoming a nation.

As modern Jews, we can relate to the struggles of our ancestors. We are often in a place of indecision – considering all the available options (there are so many!). How do we cross our own metaphorical sea to arrive at a place where we are fully committed to striving toward our dreams? Psychological research offers a few tips.
First, consider what are your goals, dreams, ambitions – in other words, your sense of purpose in life. What drives your sense of meaning? Once this is clear, ask yourself – what is my mindset? Am I focused on why or how? With a why mindset, we are always questioning our commitment. When we have a how mindset, in contrast, we concentrate on when, where and how to act, staying on track to reach our goal. [...]

Judaism teaches us that each of us has our own unique mission. Psychological research emphasizes that having a sense of purpose and striving for meaningful goals are important for our mental health and wellbeing. Passover offers us an opportunity to become gritty, re-committing ourselves to reaching our dreams and meeting our highest potential. Crossing our metaphorical Red Sea can be the first step on this journey.

Hoping and praying for a Shabbat Shalom and a Chag Sameach,
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 untimely passing of
Judith Mona Krupnick, Yehudis bas Dovid.

Shloshim Memorial Service will be held on May 14, Iyar 16
at Chabad of Cherry Hill. Information will be forthcoming.

Thank you to Jeff Liss, Debbie Pester, David Mendelovitz, Steve Koloski,
Shlomo Aronoff and JFed Security Officer Bill DiCola. Special thanks go out to Debbie Fineberg for coordinating the volunteer schedule and making sure everything was going smoothly while I was away.

A complete list of Cholim and Chayalim that have been submitted to SOI can be  www.soicherryhill.org/cholim-chayalim
To add or remove from these lists, please email  
​​​​​​​memberhotline@soicherryhill.org

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For all the news and announcements you don't want to miss.

https://chat.whatsapp.com/K0syfQxNeobFsNC8NqYqez

ERUV UPDATE
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Regular Office Hours:
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Wednesday & Friday: 9:30am - 3:00pm (Remote) 

Congregation Sons of Iarael
720 Cooper Landing Road
Cherry Hill, New Jersey 08002