Parashat BeHar-BeChukotai
Submitted by Robert Rabinoff
And you shall count for yourself … seven weeks, complete shall they be. (Parashat Emor, 23:15)
And you shall count for yourself seven Sabbaticals of seven years, 49 years (Parashat beHar, 25:8)
Time is money (Benjamin Franklin)
Time is evolution (Indian saying)
The locution “count for yourself” indicates that the count, even though it is a commandment given to us by Gd, is for our benefit. (These two commandments were not given by Herman Cain… .) In the same way, our father Avraham is told to “go for yourself” from your native land to the land which I [Gd] will show you – and there Rashi comments explicitly: “for your benefit.” In the latter case the benefit to Avraham is that only in the Land of Israel could Gd “make [him] a great nation,” but not in his native land. What is the benefit to us of counting the Omer (first quote, from Emor) or counting to the Yovel (Jubilee)?
By Ben
– May 16, 2012
This week’s highlights:
Shabbat services; Candle lighting times; Organ Donation; Weekly Torah portion by R. Rabinoff; Beth Shalom Resources.
Shabbat Services Friday, Nov. 13
Services, led by Yael Ya’ar and other lay leaders, will be Friday evening, starting at 8:00 p.m., at Beth Shalom.
Shabbat Candle Lighting Times for Fairfield
Shabbat (candle lighting) begins at 4:33 p.m. Friday, November 13; Shabbat ends (Havdallah begins) Saturday, 5:33 p.m. in Fairfield.
Organ Donation — It’s Kosher
submitted by Robert Rabinoff
November is National Organ Donor Sabbath month. Please spread the word to your local synagogue and ask the rabbi to participate in a state-wide donor registry enrollment drive. Synagogues can participate in a variety of ways:
Distribute HODS educational brochures
Include information about organ donation in the shul’s newsletter
Ask your Rabbi to deliver a sermon on the topic
Hold discussions on the topic over the Shabbat table
Invite donor family members or transplant recipients to speak at your synagogue
Please forward this email to friends and ask them to register for an organ donor card on-line. Charitable donations may be made to HODS.
ABOUT THE HALACHIC ORGAN DONOR SOCIETY
MISSION: To save lives by encouraging organ donation from Jews to the general population (including non-Jews). The HOD Society has facilitated more than 100 transplants saving over 100 lives since 2002.
GOALS:
To educate as many Jews as possible about the halachic and medical issues surrounding organ donation, so decisions about organ donation may be made based on an understanding of the issues. And, to provide the world Jewish community with a unique organ donor card that allows members to register for an organ donor card that complies with their religious beliefs.
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By Julie
– November 11, 2009
Congregation Beth Shalom
House of Peace
Located at: 308 South “B” Street, Fairfield, Iowa 52556
Mailing address: 200 W. Washington Street, Fairfield, Iowa 52556
20010-11 CONGREGATION BETH SHALOM
BOARD MEMBERS AND COMMITTEES
President/Acting Director: Marc Berkowitz and Susan Berkowitz, as of February 2011
Vice President: Dean Draznin
Vice President: Sol Waksman
Vice President: Ben Winkler
Secretary: Lisa Cohen
Treasurer: Fred Swartz
Julie Blum
Joy Hirshberg
Kabuika Kamunga
Steve Sufian
Brian Teitzman
Yael Yaar
Nathan Zenack
Committees:
Building: Nathan Zenak, Sol Waksman, Bill Pollak
High Holiday: Joy Hirshberg – Speakers, Lewis Denbaum – Aliyah’s
Lewis Denbaum and Mark Berkowitz – Torah Service
Landscaping: Bill and Brenda Pollak
Newsletter: Ben Winkler, Editor-In-Chief
Editors: Sol Waksman
Religious Committee: David Matt, Bob Rabinoff, Haim Menashehoff, Yael Yaar
Set-up: Lisa and David Cohen (and family)
Tu Bishvat: Yaal Yaer
Volunteers: Brian Teitzman
By Julie
– August 27, 2009