Newslink for Shabbat Mevarchim Parashat Pinchas (July 18th-July 19th)
07/17/2025 05:01:38 PM
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Announcements & Upcoming Events
Kiddush is sponsored by the Hougah family in memory of Lawrence's mother, Magida bat Rayzaleh, son, Jevne Barak ben Joyce Yehodit, brother Avner (Avi) ben Magida, and Aunt Adiba bat Rayzaleh.
Seudah Shlishit is co-sponsored by Robbie & Debbie Friedner in loving Memory of Robbie's Mother: Tzvekah Hairshel Bas Moshe (Harriett Friedner), Grandmother Nana: Hyka Bat Sarah (Ida Glick), and Sister: Sprinzah Bas Mordechai (Sindy Friedner). And co-sponsored by Steven & Karine Koloski in honor and loving memory of their father Gabriel Addi on his Yartzheit. Summer Women's Shiur Series: Shabbat afternoons at 5:30pm. Open to all women in the community! July 19th, given by Ilana Weiss and hosted by Hannah Kaufman - 59 Knollwood Drive. For more information reach out to Suzie Lubin or Yehudeet Gore.
Gemara Shiur with Jeff Schwartz: Shabbat afternoon in the SOI Chapel 80 minutes before Mincha. Beginning a new chapter this week - a great time to join! Come join for an in depth study of Talmud.
Rabbi Kelemen's Inner Circle: Monday evening at 7pm - Please Note the New Time - July 21st review session with Rabbi Davies.
Semichas Chaver Program: Wednesday evening, July 23rd beginning five minutes after Maariv. Studying the laws of Brachot/Blessings, a very practical topic. Come and join this international program!
VINTAGE Event - Monster Golf & Pizza Night: Tuesday, July 30th at 5:30pmat 2040 Springdale Road, Cherry Hill. Price is $25 per person. To register, Venmo and RSVP to Debbie Friedner at 609-315-6094. Don’t miss out on this monstrously good time!
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.
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 Dr. Mordechai Schiffman entitled "Words Can Change Your Brain" that shares a focus for this first week of the Three Weeks/Bein HaMetzarim.
[...] Rabbi Tzadok HaKohen of Lublin points out that the three haftarot read during the three weeks preceding Tisha B’Av each begin with related, but different words. The first week begins with “Divrei,” the second with “Shim’u,” and the last with “Chazon.” These three words correspond to Dibbur, Shemiyah, and Re-iya, namely, speech, hearing, and seeing. The message and task for this week is to focus on recognizing the importance of speech and improving how we utilize it in our daily lives.
[...] The centrality of speech to our spiritual lives is alluded to in the narrative of Parshat Pinchas and its surrounding portions. In Parshat Balak we read about Bilam’s attempt to curse the Jewish people with words. While that particular endeavor failed, we are informed in Parshat Mattot that Bilam is the one responsible for influencing the licentious actions described at the end of Parshat Balak that leads to Pinchas’ act of zealotry, the aftermath of which is presented in this week’s reading. As a punishment for his actions, we are told that Bilam was killed “be-charev” – with a sword. Rashi comments that Bilam originally came to provoke the Children of Israel using the tribes’ own specialty, that of speech. The Children of Israel worship God through prayer and Bilam had the nerve to try and use the power of negative speech—a curse—to destroy them. As a consequence, Bilam was killed by the Children of Israel not with their usual mode of speech, but with the weapon of choice for the other nations, namely, a sword.
Toward the end of Parshat Pinchas, we are presented with details of various sacrifices that were to be brought in the Mishkan, the Tabernacle. One important function of the sacrifices was that they provided atonement for sins. In a fascinating passage, the Talmud presents a dialogue between Avraham and God, where Avraham is concerned with what would happen if the Jewish people sin. God reassures him that they will not be destroyed like the generation of the flood, because they have sacrifices to provide atonement. Avraham retorts, that is well and good when they have a Temple to bring the sacrifices, but what about afterwards? God answers that by learning and reciting the passages related to the sacrifices, that will provide the requisite atonement.
While our words undeniably have the power to change our brains, their significance does not stop there. Our recitation of Torah provides atonement. Our prayers characterize us as the Jewish people. Our speech defines us as human beings. As we [conclude] the first of the three weeks, let us work on improving our speech and utilize the power of our words for meaningful purposes. 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.
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Chulent Fund Chulent at our weekly kiddish has become a valued and appreciated aspect of kiddush for our community. Aside from a treat after davening, it helps create an environment of community and achdut.
In an effort to replenish the chulent fund, we are asking for your help. Please consider donating $36 or more to the "Chulent Fund". At full community participation, we will be able to have chulent at kiddush throughout the year. The success of this project will determine our ability to have chulent featured weekly at Kiddush. Click the link below to Donate!
Kiddush: Volunteers wanted to help with Kiddush - preparation, set up, and clean up! Please contact Yaakov Linder to get involved.
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 the volunteers who helped with last week's Kiddush.
Thank you to the volunteers who helped with last week's Seudah Shlishit.
Shabbos Water Thank you to Andy Rauer for sponsoring water this Shabbat
Thank you to Andy Rauer, Michael Morgenstern, Jeff Liss, Shlomo Aronoff, Chani Wiesman Berliant, Sam Tilonsky and JFed Security Officer Bill DiCola for providing security on Shabbos.
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