Weekly Newslinks

Announcements & Upcoming Events

Schedule for the Weekend

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 "There’s No I In Happy".

[...] In one of my favorite stories, Rabbi Jonathan Sacks retells what he heard about the Lubavitcher Rebbe, when he visited him in 1968. Someone had written to the Rebbe that “I am depressed. I am lonely. I keep mitzvot but find no peace of mind. I need the Rebbe’s help.” The Rebbe’s total response to the letter was to just circle the first word of every sentence; “I.”

The word simcha, which can be roughly translated as happiness or joy, appears seven times in this week’s Torah portion. Fascinatingly, in each of the seven times, the simcha is communicated in the context of others. It is what Rabbi Sacks calls happiness shared, or collective joy. When we rejoice, it is with others present and others in mind. We share the happiness with our families and with strangers, orphans, widows, and Levites. There is no “I” in happy and the is no “I” in joy.
Yet there is another pattern amongst the seven contexts of the word simcha. Not only is simcha presented in relation to others, but as Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik highlighted, it is also bound to being lifnei Hashem, before God. Being in the presence of God both obligates and generates feelings of joy. The experience of transcending the self and experiencing the Divine, provides a framework for true simcha.

This is why there is a commandment to be happy on the Three Festivals when everyone would visit the Beit HaMikdash, the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, the place where the Divine Presence rested. It is also why the Kohen Gadol, who was in the presence of God every day, had a continuous obligation to be happy. Rabbi Soloveitchik developed the idea further, explaining that there is a commandment to be happy on Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur as well, since those are both days where we attain spiritual closeness to God.

It is striking that happiness is explained exclusively in the context of the other. It is only before God and it must be shared with other people. Focusing exclusively on the “I” to boost happiness will inevitably fall short. Rather, if we want to enhance our experience of simcha, let us look for opportunities to do for others and to become closer to God.

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.

 Seating Selections

What seats are included in my membership?
Family Membership - Two seats are included in your membership
Single Membership - One Seat is included in your membership
Members have reduced rates for seats for their children and additional guests.
Associate Members - Reduced fee for seats

**Arrangements for membership dues payment must be made in advance of reserving seats**

Sign up by August 26 if you want to request the seat where you sat in past years. All seating requests are subject to approval. After August 26th, your request for your "regular seat" may not be honored.

All seats will be assigned and will be your seat for both
Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. 

Those interesed in attending the Vasikin minyan or Sephardic Minyan should note this in the "additional information" portion of the form. For information about the Vasikin minyan, please contact Aaron Greenberg at ahgreenberg@gmail.com and for the Sephardic minyan, please contact Hoosh Sadiky at  hsadiky2@gmail.com .

Chulent Fund - We are at 51%
Chulent at our weekly kiddush 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.
Add your name to the growing list by becoming a sponsor today!

Thank you to everyone who has contributed so far: 
Noah & Madi Botwinick, Harvey & Sharon Chaitoff, Sandy Crass, Daniel & Michal Drabkin, Daniel & Rory Eisenstein, Ronald Ellis, Alan Friedman, Nimrod & Dana Gal, Sidney & Shari Goldberg, Yoni & Michelle Goldstein, Oze & Maetal Henig, Evan & Kimberly Hershenson, Karen & Marc Hess, Adam & Alison Kaye, Dovid Schwartz & Anna Kerzner, Eric & Rachel Klein, Steven & Rachel Klein, Steven & Karine Koloski, Raphael & Tovah Kurlansik, Avi & Biana Lifschitz, Andrew Linder, Jeffrey & Liz Liss,  Raphael Littwin, David and Leia Mendelovitz, Larry & Janet Miller, Steve Nunez & Shana Sokolic, Kenneth & Alise Panitch, Alexis & Zachary Pells, Andy Rauer, Matti & Rachel Rosenberg, Avi Rynderman & Baila Silverman, Avi & Aliza Sadiky, Hooshang & Lea Alvo Sadiky, Charles Weg & Shari Solomon, Yehuda & Sloane Stuchins, Karen & Richard Sullivan
Sabra Hess & Shealtiel Weinberg, Jeffrey & Ilana Weiss, Nate & Tamar Wiener, Yoni Berliant & Chani Wiesman, Ron & Sarah Zanger, Avital & Marc Zeffren, Isabella and Joseph Zummo, 

Volunteers Wanted!

Kiddush: Volunteers wanted to help with Kiddush - preparation, set up, and clean up! Please contact Yaakov Linder to get involved.

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 Tovah & Rafi Kurlansik for sponsoring water this Shabbat

Thank you to Bob Belfer, Rachael Shuster, Jeff Liss, Steve Koloski, Robbie Friedner, Debbie Fineberg and  JFed Security Officer Bill DiCola for providing security on Shabbos.

Text Message Scams
Earlier in the week, several members of our community received fraudulent text messages today falsely claiming to be from synagogue leadership and asking for money or urgent assistance. 

Unfortunately, phishing scams—fraudulent emails or text messages that impersonate trusted individuals—are becoming increasingly common.
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• Rabbi Davies and synagogue leadership will never email or text you asking for money to be sent directly to them.

• All donations to the synagogue should always be made through ShulCloud or other officially approved channels.

If you ever receive a suspicious message claiming to be from the Rabbi or synagogue staff requesting money, gift cards, or personal information, please do not respond. Instead, please reach out to the person through your regular contact information to confirm if they actually made that request, and please contact the shul office. 
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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  
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Congregation Sons of Iarael
720 Cooper Landing Road
Cherry Hill, New Jersey 08002