Newslink for Shabbat Parasha Toldot (November 21st - November 22nd)
11/20/2025 05:00:38 PM
Nov20
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Announcements & Upcoming Events
Kiddush is sponsored by friends of Michael & Marcie Partnow to celebrate them and express gratitude as they head to the next stop on their journey.
Seudah Shlishit is sponsored by Duke McCarthy.
Women's Halacha Shiur: Thursday, November 20th at 8:00pm in the SOI Chapel. Studying the Laws of Shabbat with Rabbi Davies. Scholar in Residence with Rabbanit Noa Lewis:November 21st-22nd at SOI. Inspirational presentations throughout Shabbat sharing Torah and experiences from Israel.Generously sponsored by the Zichron Aryeh Visiting Scholar Series Fund. Click here for the full schedule. Registration for Friday night dinner is now closed.
Parent Child Learning: Motzei Shabbat, November 22nd at 6:00pm at SOI. Parents and Children in Grades 1 - 8 are welcome to join us for a fun evening of learning and Ice cream! Gemara Shiur with Jeff Schwartz: Sunday evenings at 7:30pm in the SOI Chapel. Come join for an in depth study of Talmud. Rabbi Kelemen's Inner Circle:Monday, November 24th. Join SOI's very own Mussar Vaad, studying Rav Shlomo Wolbe's Alei Shor and working on improving ourselves. Monday evenings at 8pm.
Semichas Chaver Program:Wednesday, November 26th at 7:30pm. New and exciting topic: Studying the laws of Basar B'Chalav. Come and join this international program! Save the Date - Women's craft night with Atara Paris: December 6th at 8:00pm at Sons of Israel. More information to follow.
Vintage Coffee House – A Musical Evening: Saturday, December 13th at the Raush home from 7:30pm - 10:00pm. Enjoy English and Hebrew tunes, coffee, ice cream, and bring your favorite desserts! Early Bird Rate: $18 | After Nov 28: $25 Sponsorship options available. Click hereto RSVP.
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. With the new cycle, we've added a ten minute review of Rashi's commentary on the daily Aliyah. Click here to join the WhatsApp group. For more information contact Rabbi Davies.
Schedule for the Weekend
Erev Shabbat, November 21: Rosh Chodesh Kislev (Kislev 1) 6:30am Shacharit 8:15am Shacharit 4:20pm Mincha/Kabbalat Shabbat/Maariv 4:21pm Candle Lighting 5:30pm Friday Night Dinner with Rabbanit Noa Lewis 7:15pm Rabbanit Noa Lewis talk following dinner - Open to all
Shabbat, November 22: Toldot (Kislev 2) 8:00am 8AM Minyan 8:30am Sephardic Minyan 9:00am Main Sanctuary Minyan 9:19am Latest Shema 9:45am Rabbanit Noa Lewis talk following 8am Tefillah 10:00am Youth Groups 10:30am Tot Shabbat 11:15am Rabbanit Noa Lewis talk following Main Sanctuary Tefillah 1:00pm Shabbat Lunch at the Davies home with Rabbanit Lewis for 9th - 12th graders 4:05pm Teen Minyan 4:05pm Mincha 4:30pm Women's Shiur & Refreshments at the home of Shari Goldberg with Rabbanit Lewis 4:30pm Seudah Shlishit 5:20pm Maariv 5:23pm Havdalah 6:00pm Parent Child Learning
Sunday, November 23 (Kislev 3) 7:00am Shacharit 8:00am Shacharit 4:20pm Mincha/Maariv 7:30pm In Depth Gemara Shiur
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 Lord Jonathan Sacks Z"L entitled "Why Did Isaac Love Esau?" asking the question that challenges us in this Parsha each year, answering with a unique perspective.
[...] So the classic answer is that Isaac loved Esau because he simply did not know who or what Esau was. But there is another possible answer: that Isaac loved Esau precisely because he did know what Esau was.
In the early twentieth century someone brought to the great Rabbi Avraham Yitzhak Kook, first Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of pre-state Israel, the following dilemma. He had given his son a good Jewish education. He had always kept the commands at home. Now however the son had drifted far from Judaism. He no longer kept the commandments. He did not even identify as a Jew. What should the father do? "Did you love him when he was religious?" asked Rav Kook. "Of course," replied the father. "Well then," Rav Kook replied, "Now love him even more."
Sometimes love can do what rebuke cannot. It may be that the Torah is telling us that Isaac was anything but blind as to his elder son's true nature. But if you have two children, one well behaved, the other liable to turn out badly, to whom should you devote greater attention? With whom should you spend more time?
It may be that Isaac loved Esau not blindly but with open eyes, knowing that there would be times when his elder son would give him grief, but knowing too that the moral responsibility of parenthood demands that we do not despair of, or disown, a wayward son.
Did Isaac's love have an effect on Esau? Yes and no. It is clear that there was a special bond of connection between Esau and Isaac. [...] So, was Isaac right or wrong to love Esau? Esau reciprocated the love, but remained Esau, the hunter, the man of the field, not the man to carry forward the demanding covenant with the invisible God and the spiritual sacrifices it called for. Not all children follow the path of their parents. If it was Isaac's intent that Esau should do so, he failed. But there are some failures that are honourable. Loving your children, whatever they become, is one, for surely that is how God loves us. 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.
Volunteers Wanted! Volunteers wanted to help with Kiddush - preparation, set up, and clean up! Please contact Yaakov Linder to get involved. _____________
Looking for someone to help with an organizing project in the shul. Please reach out to Chani Wiesman if this is your area of expertise and you may be willing to help out!
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.
Thanks to Joyce Joseph for coordinating Vintage's mosaic workshop. It was well attended and a great creative experience.
Mazel tov to Sam Tilonsky and Eve Narrow on the birth of their grandson in Israel. Mazal tov to parents Avi Narrow-Tilonsky & Atara Oren, and older brothers, Ziv, Yishai, and Asaf, on the birth of a baby boy!
We regret to inform you of the passing of Sara Bat Rachel, beloved mother of Diane (Eytan) Irwin.
Thank you to Debbie Fineberg, Diane Irwin, Jeff Liss, Eytan Irwin, Blake Daugherty, Shlomo Aronoff, Sam Tilonsky and JFED Security Officer Bill DiCola for providing security on Shabbos.
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