MIZRACHI MATTERS
Transcription
MIZRACHI MATTERS
MIZRACHI MATTERS בס"ד Friday, 8 April (29 Adar 2) SHABBAT HACHODESH / PARASHAT TAZRIA (Vol 10, No 30) Rabbi Mottel Krasnjanski will speak from the Pulpit Friday night Mincha: 5:50pm Candle Lighting: 5:44pm This week’s Kiddush is sponsored by Elliot & Linda Allen in appreciation of the warm welcome they have received from the Melbourne Community. They hope to reciprocate when you visit New York - contact them at [email protected] or (516) 766-5369! Shabbat 9 April ROSH CHODESH Sunday 10 April 2 Nisan Monday 11 April 3 Nisan Tuesday 12 April 4 Nisan Wednesday 13 April 5 Nisan Thursday 14 April 6 Nisan Friday 15 April 7 Nisan 1. Beit Yehuda 2. Beit HaRoeh 3. Kehillat Ohr David/Beit Midrash 4. Bnei Akiva 5. Elsternwick 6. Midrashah 7. Goldberger Hall Shacharit Dawn Tallit & Tefillin Sunrise Sh'ma ()גר״א Earliest Mincha Mincha followed by Maa'riv 1 1 1 7:30am 7:00am 8:00am 1 4 9:30am 9:00am 5:30am 5:31am 5:50am 5:51am 6:42am 6:43am 9:31am 9:31am 12:50pm 12:50pm 1 5:35pm 1 5:40pm 1 6:25am 1 7:30am 5:32am 5:52am 6:44am 9:32am 12:49pm 1 5:40pm 1 6:30am 1 7:30am 5:33am 5:53am 6:45am 9:32am 12:49pm 1 5:40pm 1 6:30am 1 7:30am 5:34am 5:54am 6:46am 9:32am 12:49pm 1 5:40pm 1 6:25am 1 7:30am 5:35am 5:55am 6:47am 9:33am 12:48pm 1 5:40pm Candle Lighting 1 6:30am 1 7:30am 5:35am 5:55am 6:47am 9:33am 12:48pm 1 5:40pm 5:35pm Plag HaMincha ()גר״א 4:50pm 4:49pm 4:48pm 4:46pm 4:45pm 4:44pm 4:43pm Sunset 6:01pm 5:59pm 5:58pm 5:56pm 5:55pm 5:54pm 5:52pm Night Second Ma'ariv 6:41pm 6:39pm 3 9:30pm 6:38pm 3 9:30pm 6:37pm 3 9:30pm 6:35pm 3 9:30pm 6:34pm 3 9:30pm 6:33pm SHIURIM Mishnah Yomit EVENTS YAHRTZEITS R’ Leor Broh Daf Yomi Daf Yomi Daf Yomi Daf Yomi Daf Yomi Daf Yomi 2 6 6 6 6 6 6 9:00am 8:45am 8:15am 8:15am 8:15am 8:15am 8:15am R’ James Kennard 12 Foundations Ramban on the Scotch & Shiur “Following in the Lunch and Learn 7 9:30am Bat-Mitzva Program Parsha for women Rav Noam Footsteps of our Guest Speaker Drashot Michal Kaufman & Sara Landau and Himelstein Fathers” Rabbi Yonasan 1 3 R’ James Kennard Avital Seifman Aviva Rosenbaum 12:00pm for Ladies & Girls Johnson 2 6 6 R’ Leor Broh 4.30pm 9:30am 11 Morrice St Lvl 51, 101 Collins St Ivrit Shiur for 3 R’ Chezy Deren 1:00pm Year 10-12 Girls Speaker: Dr. Michal Pre Bar-Mitzvah NEW Parashat HaShavua Kaufman R’ Danny Mirvis Hesder Hebrew Michael Kaufman Iyun on Parashah Shiur Time Change: Not this week Chabura 8.30pm Doodie Bankier R’ James Kennard 11:15am Elron Bandel Not this week Post Bar-Mitzvah Shiur for men & 3 4:40pm 5:00pm Gary’s Gemara R’ Danny Mirvis Women Parasha Shiur Shiur Not this week with R’ Noam (Ivrit Kala) with PART 3 The Seder: Robbie Berkowitz Himelstein a member of the Maharal on Pirkei Destiny Over Dinner 3 8:30pm R’ James Kennard Topic: The Four Hesder team Avot 3 3 7:30pm Sons - In the Torah 8:45pm R’ James Kennard and in the Haggadah for University & post Contemporary 2 8:30pm University women Halacha 6 8.30pm R’ Chezy Deren 7/93 Hotham St 8.30pm Sefer Shemot for women Michal Kaufman (Lewis’ house) 9:00pm Berachot 4:2-3 Berachot 4:4-5 Berachot 4:6-7 Berachot 5:1-2 Berachot 5:3-4 Berachot 5:5-6:1 Berachot 6:2-3 Between Mincha Between Mincha Between Mincha Between Mincha Between Mincha 5:25pm 5:30pm and Ma'ariv and Ma'ariv and Ma'ariv and Ma'ariv and Ma'ariv Aufruf Holy Bagel 2 3 Eitan Cher 9:00am Children’s Tefilah All learning tonight in 10:30 – 11:30am the Beit Midrash will KEHILLAH KIDDUSH be in memory of Caron and Eric in Goldberger Hall Goldman and Steven B’nei Akiva Cohen on their 4:00pm Yahrzeit Seudah Shlishit: R' Scott Berman Zev Brykman (Mother) Sylvia Cher (Father) Leil Limmud in memory of the late Miriam White ע"ה after the 9.30pm Ma’ariv Matzevah in loving memory of the lady Mrs Trudy Becher ע"ה will take place at 4:00pm at Lyndhurst Chill ‘n Cholent with Guest Speaker: Ya’akov Waller 3 9.45pm Noam & Yossi White (Mother) Solly Joss (Mother) MAZAL TOV We wish a hearty Mazal Tov to Yoni & Adina Felman on the birth of a daughter (in Jerusalem) Mazal Tov to the grandparents: Phillip & Sandra Felman and Rabbi Yitzchak & Naomi Talasnky (Jerusalem) Mazal Tov to the great-grandfather: Ludevit Ehrenreich We wish a hearty Mazal Tov to Delilah Schwartz and Dor Meshulam on their engagement Mazal tov to the parents: Jennifer Munz, Danny Schwartz and Gilad & Hadassa Meshulam Mazal tov to the grandmother: Mrs. Baba Schwartz We wish a hearty Mazal Tov to Eitan Cher & Gabi Levy on their forthcoming wedding Mazal tov to the parents: Sylvia & Lawrence Cher and Debbie & Geoff Levy (Sydney) Mazal tov to the grandparents: Ursula and Ivan Cher, Clarice Schwartz and Rose Levy BAR MITZVAH ANNIVERSARIES Tazria Metzora: Alan Moss, Mordechai Landau HAPPY BIRTHDAY Shabbat: Yehuda Orelowitz Sunday: Hayley Junger Monday: Ilana Zimmerman, Sue Tempelhof Tuesday: Adina Waller, Danielle Glick, Leah Waysman, Romi Mihalovich Wednesday: Anne Shnider Thursday: Benji Jotkowitz, Gary Esterman Friday: Elisa Donath If you have an occasion or milestone event that you would like to be mentioned in Mizrachi Matters, please email it to [email protected] by 12:00pm on Thursdays NEWSLETTER ב ס "ד 9 April 2016 1 Nissan 5776 Shabbat HaChodesh Parshat Tazria FOR THE ELSTERNWICK JEWISH COMMUNITY Yahrzeits during the coming week Miriam Hain (Father) [Shabbat] Sue Weinstock (Husband) [Shabbat] Contact numbers Rabbi Rabbi Chaim Cowen 0433-308-584 [email protected] Chairman Mark Kras Ed Goldman (Father) [Wednesday] Rachel Hyman (Father) [Friday] Shabbat times Candle Lighting this week Kabbalat Shabbat this week Pre-Shacharit Shiur Shacharit Mincha at Shabbat ends at Candle Lighting next week Kabbalat Shabbat next week 5.45 pm 5.55 pm 9.00 am 9.30 am 5.25 pm 6.41 pm 5.35 pm 5.45 pm 0410-460-970 [email protected] Gabbai Elan Jacobs 0419-527-227 The Rabbi’s Shabbat Shiurim The early shiur (9.00am, before Shacharit) - come join the Rabbi for cake, coffee and an exploration of the mystical parsha [email protected] Secretary Sally-Ann Jaye 0437-625-350 In shule this week … Rabbi Cowen will be leading Kabbalat Shabbat, Elan Jacobs will be leading Shacharit, Daniel Lowinger will be leining and leading Mussaf, and Jonathan Epstein will be saying the Haftorah. [email protected] Haftorah requests Dennis Max 9528-6865 Kiddush this Shabbat You are all invited to the kiddush, which will be sponsored by Judy & Mark Kras in celebration of Mark’s birthday. [email protected] Contributions to Newsletter (please) Sally-Ann [email protected] At the Rabbi’s For the Young Adults – the Wick on Thursday evenings from 8.00 to 9.00pm at the Rabbi’s home, Unit 3, 301 Glen Eira Road, Caulfield North Weekday times Sunday: Tefillin beginners class, including breakfast Monday and Thursday Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday 8.00 am 6.30 am 6.45 am Mizrachi Organisation בס"ד THE EUGEN YAACOV WEISS MIZRACHI CENTRE 81 Balaclava Road, Caulfield North, Victoria 3161, Australia Telephone: (03) 8317 2555 Fax: (03) 9527 5665 Email: [email protected] PRESIDENT Ian Waller QC Members are advised that the 72nd Annual General Meeting of the Mizrachi Organisation CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Daniel Solomon ********** will take place at 8:00 PM on Monday 9 May 2016, in the Goldberger Hall, Weiss Mizrachi Centre 81 Balaclava Rd, Caulfield North MIZRACHI SYNAGOGUES Beit Yehuda Beit HaRoeh Kehillat Ohr David ********** BEIT MIDRASH NAFTALI HERC Kollel Torah MiTzion Midreshet Ohr HaMizrachi ********** The Agenda appears below. A complete set of Annual Reports will be circulated via email prior to the AGM. It will also be available for collection in hard copy from the Mizrachi Office. A nomination form is attached at the end of the newsletter. ELSTERNWICK JEWISH COMMUNITY Faye Rockman Synagogue Persons entitled to vote or stand for election at that meeting are required to have been financial members at 31st December, 2015. ********** AGENDA LEIBLER YAVNEH COLLEGE The Joseph & Stera Gutnick School of Jewish Studies A.S. Leibler Secondary School Leopold & Isabella Abrahamovits Yavneh Primary School Abeles Liberman Early Learning Centre ********** KOSHER AUSTRALIA P/L ********** MIZRACHI CHARITY FUND MIZRACHI SICK VISITING SOCIETY BNEI AKIVA YOUTH MOVEMENT EMUNAH WOMEN’S MOVEMENT ********** MIZRACHI NOMINEES PTY. LTD. ABN 83 005 019 670 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Opening of Annual General Meeting Dvar Torah Apologies Minutes of the 71st Annual General Meeting Matters arising out of the Minutes Adoption of Annual Reports Leibler Yavneh College Constitutional Amendments Elections: a. Mizrachi President b. Mizrachi Vice President c. Mizrachi Chairman d. Mizrachi Treasurer e. Mizrachi Secretary f. Leibler Yavneh College Chairman g. Leibler Yavneh College Deputy Chairman h. Leibler Yavneh College Treasurer i. Kosher Australia Board Chairman j. Building Chairman k. Bet Midrash Committee Chairman l. Twelve (12) Committee Members 9. Address by incoming President 10. General business Rae Bower, Acting Returning Officer The Land of Israel for the People of Israel according to the Torah of Israel ארץ ישראל לעם ישראל על פי תורת ישראל 7 April 2016 28 Adar 5776 Dear Members of the Mizrachi and Yavneh Family, Yom HaShoa, Holocaust Memorial Day, will be on Thursday 5 May 2016. We will be having an assembly at school at 10:10am in which we will commemorate and pay tribute to those who died Al Kiddush Hashem during the Holocaust. If any members of your family are Holocaust survivors and would like to honour us with their presence and/or participate in our candle lighting ceremony during this assembly, please contact me at the email address below. As part of this year’s Yom HaShoah ceremony, we would like to honour family members from the Mizrachi and Yavneh community who perished in the Holocaust. These names will be screened during the commemoration. If you wish to include the names of your family members, we ask that you email the details to [email protected] by Friday 15 April 2016. Please note that if you sent this information to us last year, there is no need to re-submit it again as we have retained the information from last year’s ceremony. The information and lists submitted do not need to be comprehensive; simply provide the information you have. Thank you, Rabbi Chaim Cowen Head of Jewish Studies, Secondary STARTS SUNDAY THE 10th OF APRIL AND CONTINUES EVERY 2nd WEEK FROM 6:00-6:45PM STARTS THE WEEK OF THE 10th OF APRIL, ASK YOUR MADRICHIM FOR YOUR SPECIFIC DAY OF THE WEEK AND TIME. IT CONTINUES EVERY 2nd WEEK. GET EXCITED TO CHILL WITH YOUR MADS AND DISCUSS COOL TOPICS! (THERE WILL BE FOOD) LOCATION: MIZRACHI BEIT MIDRASH THE SEDER DESTINY OVER DINNER WITH RABBI KENNARD STARTING THIS WEEK! STRUCTURE, STRUCTURE: HOW THE SEDER IS ARRANGED AND HOW THE HAGADDA IS ORDERED MONDAY 28 MARCH AT 7:30 PM LAWS, CUSTOMS, STRICTURES AND LENIENCIES MONDAY 4 APRIL AT 7:30 PM THE MANY OBJECTIVES OF THE HAGADDA AND HOW BEST TO ACHIEVE THEM MONDAY 11 APRIL AT 7:30 PM NOT JUST OUR ANCESTORS - THE SEDER, JEWISH HISTORY AND THE JEWISH FUTURE MONDAY 18 APRIL AT 7:30 PM LOCATION: BEIT HAROEH PLEASE BRING A HAGADDA בס״ד THE SALE OF CHOMETZ On Pesach it is forbidden to keep “Chometz”, its mixtures and/or derivatives in one’s possession. All “Chometz” not destroyed before the morning before Pesach must be sold to a non-Jew. This sale must be in strict accordance with Jewish law and is therefore conducted by a Rabbi well-versed in the particular requirements necessary. B'dikas Chometz (“Searching for the Chometz”) takes place THURSDAY EVENING, 21st APRIL, 2016. The formal sale of Chometz to a non-Jew takes place mid-morning of FRIDAY, 22nd APRIL, 2016. The Rabbi should be empowered to sell the Chometz well before this time. Please note the procedure for the sale of Chometz: 1. The Rabbi is appointed as an agent of the seller of the Chometz to sell it to a non-Jew. The areas where the Chometz is stored are also leased to the non-Jew and Chometz being sold should therefore be stored in an appropriately segregated area. The non-Jew must be granted free access the Chometz he purchases. 2. This procedure is a bona fide sale in accord with Talmudic and secular law. 3. It is prohibited to derive any benefit from Chometz which has been kept in possession of a Jew during Pesach. Therefore, care should be taken to obtain Chometz after Pesach from someone who has sold his Chometz prior to Pesach. If in doubt in a particular case, one should delay before buying from the Jew until one is reasonably certain that a new stock of Chometz has been acquired. 4. Should one receive or even inadvertently acquire Chometz or find Chometz in one’s premises during Chol Hamoed, the Chometz should be burned (or destroyed). If received or found on Yom Tov, then handling it is prohibited since it is muktzeh. One should cover it with a vessel until the end of Yom Tov and then burn it. Please contact your local orthodox Rabbi directly to organise the selling of your Chometz or you may complete the form below and mail it to the Kosher Australia office. MECHIRAS CHOMETZ 5776 - DELEGATION OF POWER FOR SALE OF CHOMETZ I, the undersigned, fully empower and permit Rabbi Mordechai Gutnick to act in my place and stead and on my behalf to sell all Chometz possessed by me, knowingly or unknowingly, as defined by the Torah and Rabbinic law (e.g. Chometz, possible Chometz and all kinds of Chometz mixtures). Also Chometz that tends to harden and adhere to inside surfaces of pans, pots or cooking and usable utensils, and all kinds of live animals and pets that have been eating Chometz or mixtures thereof. He is also empowered to lease all places wherein or whereon the Chometz owned by me may be found, particularly in the premises located at (list home, business, holiday home addresses as applicable). and elsewhere. Rabbi Mordechai Gutnick has full right to appoint any agent or substitute in his stead and said substitute shall have full right to sell and lease as provided herein. This power is in conformity with all Torah, Rabbinic and Civil laws. Name Address Email Phone Signed Date Please note: If you use this form it is not technically necessary to personally empower the Rabbi in his presence. Please send this form to Kosher Australia Pty Ltd, C/- RABBI MORDECHAI GUTNICK, RABBINIC ADMINISTRATOR, 81 BALACLAVA ROAD, CAULFIELD NORTH 3161 or it can be scanned and emailed to [email protected] marked ‘Sale of Chometz Form’ or faxed to (03) 9527 5665. Those wishing to make a personal Kinyan for the sale of Chametz can meet with Rabbi Mordechai Gutnick personally at the following times at the Mizrachi office: Thurs 14 April 6:15 - 7:15pm .......................................................................................... Sun 17 April 9:15 - 10.30am Mon 18 April 10:30am - 12:00pm ........................................................................... Tues 19 April 10:30am - 12:00pm Because of mail hold-ups, it is strongly recommended that this form should not be mailed later than FRIDAY, 15th APRIL 2016 or it can be hand-delivered to the Kosher Australia office or left in the letterbox, at 81 Balaclava Road, Caulfield North, by MONDAY 18th APRIL 2016. © 2016 Kosher Australia Pty Ltd ABN 22 074 523 989 בס"ד Mizrachi Organisation THE EUGEN YAACOV WEISS MIZRACHI CENTRE 81 Balaclava Road, Caulfield North, Victoria 3161, Australia Telephone: (03) 8317 2555 Fax: (03) 9527 5665 Email: [email protected] MAOT CHITTEN APPEAL 5776 Adar I, 5776 February 2016 Dear Friends Although we work quietly and try to remain unobtrusive, the Mizrachi Charity Funds donates over $140,000 a year to those within our community who are hungry, homeless, jobless, abused or abandoned. Often these individuals have children to feed. Often, these children go to school with our own. Thanks to your generosity, we are able to • provide food vouchers • rental assistance • medical assistance • and much needed support whilst an individual retrains or re-enters the work force. Thanks to your generosity, we are able to change lives. And when we can’t – and that’s often the case – we can at least help alleviate some of the angst. Many in our community have become reliant on the regular food vouchers they receive and the emergency support they know they can count on. But we are reliant on you. On your continued support of what we do. On your acknowledgement that we must help. Please give generously. Wishing you a Pesach Kasher V’Sameach Yvonne Korbl Charity Fund Convenor A. Payment Type: Please tick only one of the following three boxes Cash in the sum of $__________ is enclosed. Cheque for $__________ is enclosed. Cheques should be made payable to “Mizrachi Charity Fund”. Please charge my credit card $________________ Credit Card Type: Mastercard Visa AMEX Credit Card No: ___ ___ ___ ___|___ ___ ___ ___|___ ___ ___ ___|___ ___ ___ ___ Expiry Date: ___ / ___ Name on Card: _____________________________ B. Your Details: Please Print Clearly Name: ________________________________________________________ Address: ________________________________________________________ Suburb: ______________________________________Postcode: __________ Phone: __________________ Email address: _______________________ CHILDREN'S PROGRAMS new shabbat morning children's programs Gan Shabbat: Ages 0-4- Kinder room closest to Balaclava Rd Led by experienced early childhood educators Children under 2 to be accompanied by a parent. Shabbat B' Yachad : Foundation- Grade 6 upstairs in the Bnei Maon Program written by parents. Led by enthusiastic High School Madrichim. 10.30 am - 11.30 am Each child will receive their own custom made siddur Free of Charge Bnei Akiva Australia in conjuction with Six Parallels South present: NEW AUTUMN 2016 RELEASE FUNDRAISER ORDER YOUR WINE FOR PESACH AND SUPPORT BNEI AKIVA Receive 10% OFF when you purchase 6 bottles of wine and 15% OFF when you purchase 12 bottles. DELIVERY STRAIGHT TO YOUR DOOR! Order online: www.6psouth.com NEW AUTUMN 2016 RELEASE FUNDRAISER 2015 will definitely go down as one of the best vintages in recent times for Victorian wines. An early start to spring combined with long days of sunshine and cool nights over summer enabled all regions to experience near perfect ripening conditions for grapes of all varieties. And the good news for lovers of kosher wine is that we too will be able to enjoy the fruits of this harvest with the upcoming release of the new range from Six Parallels South! Since the release of its first range in 2014, Six Parallels South wines have become a favourite amongst many of Melbourne’s best known restaurants, wine bars and wine stores and leading Australian wine journalist Nick Stock recently described the winery as ‘changing the kosher wine game’. Six Parallels South’s Autumn 2016 Release consists of four wines, made from five grape varieties in three different regions and Bnei Akiva Australia is proud to announce that it is collaborating with the winery in a special pre-release offer for Pesach. Six Parallels South will generously donate a sizable amount of all sales in the special pre-release offer to Bnei Akiva Australia in order to enable the continuation of educational and outreach programs for youth of the Australian Jewish community. The wines in the Autumn 2016 Release are as follows: MERLOT – Bendigo 2015 SYRAH – Heathcote 2015 SHIRAZ – Heathcote 2015 CABERNET MALBEC – Yarra Valley & Bendigo 2015 For further details including how to order in the Bnei Akiva pre-release offer, please visit www.6psouth.com | Wine certified by Kosher Australia, Kosher LePesach, Non Mevushal | PESACHFUNDRAI SER Pr emi um Mi xedDozen @ $199. 00f or12Bot t l es( 2ofeachwi ne) Hal fDozen@ $110. 00f or6Bot t l es( 1ofeach) Pr emi um Pl us +Mi xedDozen @ $299. 00f or12Bot t l es( 2ofeachwi ne) Hal fDozen@ $165. 00f or6Bot t l es( 1ofeach) Bi ny ami naBi nMer l ot201 3x2; Bar onHer z ogCheni nBl anc2008x2; Bar t enur aBl ueMos cat o201 4x2; Bar onHer z ogCaber netSauv i gnon201 3x2; Bar onJeunes s eCaber net201 4x2; Ki ngDav i dSacr ament al x2 Tul i pJus tMer l ot201 4x2; Bi ny ami naBi nShi r az201 3x2; Bar onHer z ogChar donnay201 5x2; Bar t enur aBl ueMos cat o201 4x2; CapcanesPer aj Pet i t a201 3x2; Ki ngDav i dSacr ament al x2 $12. 00perPr emi um Mi xedCase& $18. 00 perPr emi umPl us+Casedonat edt oYPO **$6. 00per6packPr emi um Mi xed&$9. 00per6packPr emi um Pl us +t oYPO ** **gr eatt as t i ngnot esf oral lt hewi nesavai l abl eonourwebs t or e** Mor ewi nes&deal savai l abl eonl i ne. FREEDELI VERY! ! Las tor der s17Apr i l2016, enqui r i es :mar k@cohenandvi ne. com 0411237443 t or edeem offert ype “ YPO”i nor derdet ai l sat checkoutf oral lpur chas es i t e BUYNOW ! onourwebs orf acebook Cohen&Vi ner es er v est her i ghtt os ubs t i t ut eawi newi t has i mi l a rwi neofequa l orhi gherv a l uei fapr oduc ti ss ol dout w ww. c ohe na ndv i ne . c om. a u www. Cohen&Vi nei st her egi s t er edt r a di ngna meofE a s t c oPt yL t d. Vi c t or i a nL i quorL i c enc e36139124. Noper s onundert hea geof18i sa l l owedt opur c ha s ea l c ohol f r om ourwebs i t e . Cohen&Vi nes uppor t st her es pons i bl ec ons umpt i onofAl c ohol . AFTER AN EXTREMELY SUCCESSFUL 1ST INTAKE WE WILL BE OFFERING A 2ND INTAKE OF OUR BAT- MITZVAH PROGRAM FOR 2016 BEGINNING ON THE 24TH OF JULY. PLACES ARE LIMITED FOR MORE INFORMATION EMAIL: [email protected] OR CALL AVITAL: 0423471992 MIZRACHI’S SHORT TERM MEDICAL AID GEMACH We have the following available to assist you: • • • • • • Wheelchairs Walkers Walking Sticks Shower Chairs Crutches Commode Chairs Conditions of borrowing: Contact Mizrachi Office on 8317-2555. If office unattended, please leave a message with your name and number and we’ll get back to you when Office is open Leave a refundable $50 Bond per item (cash) When item/s returned, you can either collect your Bond, or make a tax deductible donation All items to be collected from and returned to Office Do NOT pass item on to someone else to borrow Do NOT return to anywhere but Office, otherwise we’re not aware that it’s returned BOOK EARLY FOR PESACH Generic pictures only, not specific items in our Gemach Tazria | 1 Nisan 5776 | April 9th, 2016 | Issue 647 Mazal Tov to Orly Zilbershlag, our Office Manager, on the birth of a girl! Mazal Tov to Pnina and Baruch Weintraub (Toronto 2011-2014) on the birth of a son! Rav Gideon Weitzman Former Rosh Kollel in Kansas City (1998-2000) Currently Head of the English Speaking Section of the Puah Institute Purely Connected The Public and the Private This week's Parshah continues the theme of the Book of Vayikra that is also called Torat Cohanim, the laws related to the Cohanim and the Temple service. Someone who wants to enter into the Temple compound or to consume sacrifices has to be tahor, pure. And so Tazria deals with the intricate and complex laws of who is pure and who is impure and is barred from entering the Temple. However the Parshah opens up discussing the impurity of the postpartum woman. "A woman who gives seed and bears a son, she shall be impure for seven days like the impurity of menstruation". These two examples, giving birth and menstruation, take us out of the Temple and bring us right back to our homes, to our bodies, to the intimate areas of our lives. It appears that the Torah is teaching a lesson by starting the discussion of purity and impurity at home, in the private arena, and only subsequently connecting them to the Temple. Other examples of impurity are also personal and private, such as ejaculation, death and the skin blemishes that we will read about next week. To really understand the Torah's message we have to examine the deeper meaning of the terms purity and impurity. Purity as Connection Often we mistakenly assume that purity and impurity are synonymous with cleanliness or the opposite; being dirty. Yet this is clearly not the case as impurity exists in these private areas that are not immediately associated with being clean or dirty. Rather impurity comes when one is disconnected from God. The closer we are connected to God the more we have a sense of taharah, or purity. That is why one who comes to the Temple needs to be pure. Simply coming to the Temple is a physical act but it conveys a much deeper message of connection with God. The word korban, sacrifice, comes from the word karov, meaning close, and the sacrifices are a medium by which we can draw close to God. To do so we need to be pure and in doing so we enhance our own purity. The closest thing to God is life itself; in fact living and preserving life takes halachic precedence over almost all of the Torah itself. God declares that life itself is the dearest thing in His world and the holiest entity that there is. The opposite of life causes the ultimate impurity. Death and a dead body are the epitome of tumah and cause anyone to become impure even if they had indirect contact with the corpse; for example, if they were in the same building as a dead person. The Living Torah So why is a woman who gives birth impure? In his recent book on miscarriage, Rabbi Avraham Stav brings a moving and inspiring essay by Rabbi Yitzchak Zilberstein. He describes the wonder of the period of pregnancy during which a woman is usually pure for several months. The woman harvests life within her and this life that grows brings with it purity. Rabbi Zilberstein describes the woman as though she is carrying a Torah scroll in her womb and she is like the Ark in the synagogue that contains the most holy thing that we have today, the Torah scroll. In the same way that the Torah scroll does not and cannot become impure so too the pregnant woman has a long period of purity due to her elevated and special status. This is a wonderful time for the expecting parents that carries with it great hope and often a considerable amount of trepidation due to the tremendous responsibility that they feel by having been given this great gift of life. What happens when the woman delivers the baby? This purity, sanctity and life leaves her body and a vacuum is created. Since there is no spiritual vacuum when the life leaves her she becomes somewhat detached from that life and this leaves her impure for a certain time period. This is a result of the elevated status that she had during the pregnancy and the spiritual heights that she attained by her ability to nurture life. There is another message here as well; purity and impurity are natural and part of the circle of life. We need not fear them but recognize the cycle that occurs for each person. So too in our relationship with God, we have times when we are closer and times when we feel further apart, detached and less connected. This need not frighten us but we must be conscious of this ebb and flow in our relationship with Him, to embrace the times of proximity that give us strength to overcome the times of distance and estrangement. Shabbat Shalom. TMT Spotlight: Zeev Schwartz visits South Africa Johannesburg Over twenty years ago the vision of Religious Zionist Batei Midrash with shlichim from Israel was born. The underlying need was the reality that there was no venue for continued learning Torah for those returning from their Gap Year in Israel. Those seeking high level learning turned to Charedi institutions, but there was no continuation of the Israeli and Zionist experience. Thus "Torah MiTzion" was formed - a Religious Zionist revolution. Why did it all start in Johannesburg? That is the city where I grew up, and where I chose to become religious. It served as the basis for my thinking, to analyze the situation and alternatives and to ultimately create a functioning model for a solution, which still operates today - the Torah MiTzion Kollel. The first Zionist Kollel to open within this framework was established in Memphis, Tennessee. Since then, the phenomenon has spread like wildfire and within a few years we started about 18 Kollels worldwide. The Johannesburg Kollel was established 18 years ago, and has since gone through many changes until it reached its current successful model under the leadership of Rabbi Shlomo Glicksberg. The Beit Midrash, known as the Beit Mordechai Campus Kollel, is located in the Mizrachi Shul in Glenhazel, where Averichim, dozens of boys and girls returning from their year in Israel, high school aged Bnei Akiva members, college students and Ba'alei Batim learn daily. The focus of my visit was to strengthen the connection between Jerusalem and Johannesburg, to examine ways of working together and to meet with the Kollel leadership, the Mizrachi and "Yeshiva College" (the school I learned in as a student). During the visit in Johannesburg we explored the option of expanding the Kollel's activity to nearby cities. I met with Chief Rabbi Warren Goldstein in order to strengthen our partnership and discuss implementing the Global Shabbat Project in Torah MiTzion centers worldwide. Cape Town Amazing place. Amazing people. 21 years of impact and success. There is a sentence that describes the uniqueness and beauty of this city: "When God created Cape Town, He was in a good mood." The city also attracts unique people - each time it is exciting to see the dedication of community members to the Herzlia School, various synagogues, and the Kollel. The "Yeshiva of Cape Town" was established over 21 years ago by Rabbi Jonathan Glass, who conceived, pushed and established the model that has become integral to the evolution of Torah MiTzion. For 20 years, the Kollel was located in the Arthur's Road Shul, known as Beit Midrash Morasha. The highlight of the Kollel was the broad spectrum of Chavrutot with community members, which expanded to other synagogues in the nearby communities of Clermont, Milnerton, Camps Bay and more. A year ago, the Kollel moved to the Marais Road Shul in order to enhance and expand their impact. The focus of my visit was to meet the leadership of the Synagogue - Rabbi Weinberg and Rabbi Hecht, and of course to meet with the director of Herzlia Schools, Jeff Cohen and his team. Today there are four Torah MiTzion Bachurim who divide their time between informal education in the Herzliya Schools, Limud Torah, chavrutot and special activities around the holidays - Eliya Fuks, Aharon Shoklink, Netanel Miness and Daniel Halle. Around The World Last Parent Child Learning TMT Moscow's community-wide (PCL) of the year in Memphis Purim party Friday Tisch and Kahoot with Sunday BBQ with the Torah 10th grade boys in Montreal MiTzion Washington bachurim ISRAtag Arik Speaker In cooperation with: 'Lilmod' Coordinator and Head of European Desk in Torah MiTzion The synagogue named after Rabbi Judah HaChassid, most commonly known as the "The Churva" (ruin), is above all a symbol of Jewish life in the Old City of Jerusalem during the recent centuries. There is no absolute clarity regarding the early history of the synagogue. What is certain is that the synagogue was founded by a group of Lithuanian Jews, led by Rabbi Judah HaChassid, and was probably the first Ashkenazi synagogue in Jerusalem. The very construction of the synagogue needed quite a bit of siyata deshma'ya, since according to the Ottoman law it was forbidden for Jews to buy land in Jerusalem, let alone to build new synagogues. Rabbi Judah HaChassid died unexpectedly shortly after his arrival in the Holy Land, and the construction left heavy debts on the small Ashkenazi community, which ultimately led to their expulsion from the city and the destruction of the synagogue. Ashkenazim thereafter had to "dress up" as Sephardic Jews so that they could enter the city. Only some 150 years later the Vilna Gaon's disciples who had come to settle in Jerusalem payed the debts and completed the construction of the synagogue. The construction was completed in 1864. The synagogue, which was designed by a Muslim architect and has many similarities to a mosque, was then considered one of the most prestigious of the country. Rav Kook served as president of the synagogue before he was named Chief Rabbi. The Aron Kodesh seen in the previous bulletin is an accurate restoration of the original Aron which arrived from Ukraine and was built by Jewish soldiers in the Czar's army. The Aron has two floors, the top tier being designated for unusable Torah scrolls. During the War of Independence, even before the fall of the Jewish Quarter, the Jordanian Legion blew-up the synagogue completely, something which they believed would symbolize the end of Jewish history in the Old City. After the Six-Day War conquest the synagogue was not rebuilt and only only at the beginning of the 21st century the government decided on an exact reconstruction of the original synagogue. Today the synagogue is again a central point in the city, with hundreds of worshipers, learners and visitors. Yasher Koach to Rabbi Ari Enkin for providing the correct answer Where was this photo taken? Please send answers to [email protected] The answer, further information about this location, as well as the first person to recognize this site will be published in next week's edition. Torah MiTzion was established in 1995 with the goal of strengthening Jewish communities around the globe and infusing them with love for Torah, the Jewish People and the State of Israel. Over the past twenty years, Torah MiTzion's shlichim have inspired and enriched their host communities through high impactful formal and informal educational programs. In cooperation with : Our friend Benjy Singer has a very useful website, www.israelk.org, which contains accurate and fresh information of what's going on in the Religious Anglo Community in Israel.