Shabbat-O-Gram for June 7-8, Sivan 28 5762
Rabbi Joshua Hammerman, Temple Beth El, Stamford, Connecticut
The Web link for this week's Shabbat-O-Gram is http://www.tbe.org/sog/020608.htm. The site is continually updated during the week with corrections and additions. Feel free to forward this link to your friends. People can subscribe to the weekly Shabbat-o-Gram at www.tbe.org. If you wish to unsubscribe, contact office@tbe.org. Previous Shabbat-O-Grams are archived at http://www.tbe.org/sog/.
Please note: Next week we will be having a new server installed. E-mail communications will be shut down between Wednesday and Friday. We apologize in advance for any inconvenience.
Note – see NBA FINALS prediction below…
SHABBAT SHALOM
JUST THE FACTS: Services and Such (N.B. 7 PM Fri night, outdoors)
Friday Night: Candles: 8:05: PM
Kabbalat Shabbat service: 7:00 PM, OUTDOORS (weather permitting -- dress is casual).
Tot Shabbat: 7:15, in the lobby
Shabbat Morning:
P'sukey d'zimra (psalms and meditations) 9:15 and Shacharit: 9:30
MAZAL TOV, to Rachael Dubinsky, who becomes Bar Mitzvah this Shabbat morning.
MAZAL TOV to Lori and Victor Bushell on the naming of their daughter, Hannah, this Shabbat morning.
Children's Services: 10:30, in the chapel (grades 3 - 6) and downstairs in the Kindergarten room for younger grades.
TORAH PORTION: Shelach Lacha.
Read the Masorti commentary at http://www.masorti.org/mason/torah/index.asp. JTS commentary is at: http://learn.jtsa.edu/topics/parashah/. USCJ Torah Sparks can be found at http://uscj.org/item20_467.html. UAHC Shabbat Table Talk discussions are at http://uahc.org/torah/exodus.shtml. Other divrei Torah via the Torahnet home page: http://uahcweb.org/torahnet/. Test your Parasha I.Q.: http://www.ou.org/jewishiq/parsha/default.htm. CLAL's Torah commentary archive: http://click.topica.com/maaaiRtaaRvQhbV2AtLb/
Morning Minyan: Daily at 7:30, Sundays at 9:00
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New Feature: “The Highest Level of Tzedakkah” -- TBE Job Shidduch
According to Maimonides, the highest level of tzedakkah is not to give money to another, but to provide that person with the means to earn a living on his/her own. In these difficult economic times, many within our Beth El family find themselves “downsized” out of a job for the first time in many years. It is incumbent upon us to help them. It would be an honor to utilize the Shabbat-O-Gram for this kind of mitzvah. If you are looking for employment right now and would like the help of the congregation, please e-mail me a brief paragraph describing your needs and qualifications. Anyone with potential leads can then contact me and I will in turn forward to that person contact information. Everything will be handled in the strictest confidence. I can personally vouch for any of the individuals whose particulars are featured here.
This week we have two announcements:
MARKETING PROFESSIONAL seeks challenging position. Has 15 years of marketing/advertising and communications experience and having spent the last 8 years working in Account Management roles, primarily at agencies. Role in serving clients involved everything from developing marketing strategies to the daily management of the account. Prior to agency experience, was a freelance consultant primarily in the area of event marketing.
This week we are also looking for job contacts for a senior level professional with extensive experience in accounting, financial planning and credit and collections. Here is his personal request:
“I need to build my job search network real fast. Recently my company filed for bankruptcy, which was expected. As a result of the bankruptcy there was an additional 30% of the workforce let go including myself, which was not expected. Any suggestions or contacts would be appreciated. At this point due to the minimal severance package (which is subject to approval of the bankruptcy court) I would be interested immediate opportunities in the areas of, finance, client services or human resources; even if it was on a consultancy basis.”
If you have any leads or wish to contact this person directly, contact me at rabbi@tbe.org.
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A Sad Web Journey to Megiddo: Israel Remembers…
In lieu of this week’s regular web journey, let’s take a few moments to recall the seventeen Israelis who were killed on Wednesday when a car bomb packed with a large quantity of explosives detonated near a crowded Egged bus No. 830 at the Megiddo junction near Afula, in northern Israel. If you know Hebrew, you can go to the Egged Web site at http://www.egged.co.il/egged/info/index.asp and trace the exact route of the fateful 830 bus. These are the names and stories of some of the victims, each a universe.
* Sgt. Yigal Nevifur, 22, of Netanya, served in the Israel Defense Forces'Logistics Branch. He graduated from Ort technical high school, and planned on a career in the army. He is survived by his parents and sister.
* Sgt. Sivan Weiner, 19, of Holon, celebrated her birthday a day before the attack. Her family did not want her to return to her army base late at night, and urged her to spend the night at home and take the bus in the morning. Before joining the army, she was a dancer with the "Horah Re'im" folk dancing troop, and performed around the world. She completed a
commanders' course recently, and was about to be in the service as a platoon commander for the first time next week. Friends of Weiner said on Wednesday, "we can't grasp this. Sivan was always so full of life. How can it be that
she's gone?" She is survived by her parents and three older brothers.
* St.-Sgt. David Stanislavsky, 23, of Netanya, immigrated to Israel from the Ukraine with his mother several years ago. He was 10 days short of his discharge from the army. After his discharge, he planned on taking the money he'd saved during his service and marrying his girlfriend of two years. He is survived by his mother.
* Sgt. Violeta Hizgayev, 19, of Hadera, served as technician. Her mother was killed several years ago in a car accident, and her father died of a terminal illness. Violetta was left with her sister Ida, 15, and her brother Yitzhak, 20. Yitzhak usually took the same bus as his sister, but on the morning of the attack took a different bus to see an army doctor at a
different base. The Hizgayev family immigrated to Israel from the former Soviet Union eight years ago. Violeta is survived by her siblings.
* St.-Sgt. Eliran Buskila, 21, of Hadera, served as a non-commissioned officer in charge of ammunition. He planned on a career in the army. His mother said, "you left us, but we're not leaving you. We will stay with you forever, Eliran, my flower." He is survived by his parents and three brothers.
* Sgt. Sariel Katz, 21, of Netanya, served as a computer technician. He returned home every night from his army base in order to support his ailing parents. He planned on starting an officer's course in the coming months. At his graveside, his mother said, "Sariel, come home. You don't belong there, in the ground." He is survived by his parents and two brothers.
* St.-Sgt. Genadi Isakov, 21, of Hadera, immigrated to Israel with his family from the Former Soviet Union in 1998. He was called to his base earlier than usual on Wednesday, as he was slated to receive a new appointment as a non-commissioned officer in charge of computers, as well as a higher rank.
* St.-Sgt. Tzvika Gelbard, 20, of Hadera, was almost killed two months ago in another Palestinian suicide bombing, after having missed bus number 823 seconds before it exploded. In his spare time, he served as a soccer referee, and was excited about watching the World Cup games. He is survived by his parents and two sisters.
* Corp. Avraham Barzilai, 19, of Netanya, surprised his parents on Tuesday as he came home for an unexpected leave from the army. On Wednesday morning, his father escorted him to the bus station. He is survived by his parents and three siblings.
* Corp. Vladimir Marari, 20, of Hadera, immigrated to Israel with his family from the former Soviet Union three years ago. On Tuesday night, he called his sister Irena, and told her how excited he was about his upcoming birthday and discussed plans of studying after the discharge from the army. "We were soul mates," Irena said. "He had a heart of gold. Always helping everyone. In five weeks, he was supposed to be 20. It will never happen." He is survived by his parents and sister.
* Corp. Dennis Bliumin, 20, of Hadera, immigrated from the Ukraine with his family in 1991. He loved computers, and spent most of his time building Internet sites. He also took only express busses, thinking that decreased the chance of the bus being boarded by a suicide bomber.
* Corp. Liron Avitan, 19, of Hadera, was slated to complete a professional training course today. She spent most of her time at the army or at home, tending to her younger brother who was injured in a car crash several years ago. She is survived by her parents and three siblings.
* Sgt. Dotan Reizel, 22, of Hadera, was the youngest son of the family. He was excited about his older brother's wedding next month. He is survived by his parents and two siblings.
* Tzion Agmon, 50, of Hadera, as a successful lawyer, who had served in the past as a District Attorney. On Wednesday, he and his son Yuval took the same bus, but did not find seats next to one another. Tzion sat at the front of the bus, while Yuval sat in the back. Tzion was killed, and Yuval was moderately injured. "When I was in the hospital," Yuval said, "I asked where my mother was, and they told me she's on her way but that she's stuck in traffic. But I knew right away where she really was: she was at the morgue, identifying my father's corpse." Agmon served on the board of directors of the local radio station, and was an active member in several charities. He is survived by his wife and son.
* Adi Dahan, 17, of Afula, was just completing her junior year of high school. Two months ago, her older brother, Shlomi, was killed in an accident. Her aunt, Shoshana Cohen, said, "after Shlomi died, Adi tried to bring life back to the home. She was the pillar of this family, a talented girl who loved life. Just as the smiles were returning to this home, this
horrible blow came." She is survived by her parents and two siblings.
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To read more about Megiddo’s significance in the Bible, the most comprehensive site I found is http://siteofmegiddo.tripod.com/, there’s also http://www.bibarch.com/ArchaeologicalSites/Megiddo.htm or you could go to http://www.bib-arch.org/bswbDigBAR.html and click on Megiddo. The site http://www.tau.ac.il/~archpubs/megiddo/ allows you to fly over this site, virtually. Megiddo, overlooking the Jezreel Valley, is one of the most beautiful spots in all of Israel, and has for millennia been one of the most strategic spots on earth. You cans ee how it was even for the ancient Egyptians, at http://www.hillsdale.edu/dept/History/Documents/War/Classical/Egypt/1469-Megiddo-Egypt.htm. Megiddo inspired Michner’s masterpiece, “The Source,” still, after all these years, a great summer read covering the history of the land and people of Israel.
To read more about Egged buses and what they
Of course, the bus was on its way to Afula, our sister city, all too often hit by the waves of terror emanating from nearby Jenin.
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REQUIRED READING AND ACTION ITEMS
ISRAEL AND THE WAR ON TERORRISM
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2002/ “What can you expect from a kid named Jihad?” By Chris Matthews Sunday, June 2, 2002, San Francisco Chronicle
http://www.thejewishweek.com/top/editcolcontent.php3 Gary Rosenblatt, editor of the Jewish Week, on how Jewish college students regard Israel.
Speaking of colleges, check out the Petition Scoreboard:
Israel haters at the University of California, Berkeley, are circulating a petition calling for the UC system to divest from Israel and U.S. companies that do business with Israel. The Daily Californian reports that the petition has an underwhelming 134 signatures--67 from Berkeley and a like number from other UC campuses. In Massachusetts, meanwhile, an identical Harvard-MIT petition has 533 signatures, vs. 5,832 for a Harvard-only antidivestment petition. The pro-Israel side, in other words, is winning by nearly 11 to 1.
To subscribe to the Daily Alert, Prepared for the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations in association with the Fairness Project by the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs. please send a blank email message to: daily-subscribe@jcpa.org
HonestReporting.com announces the launch of TerrorPetition.com, a major petition drive calling on newspapers and broadcast media to label Palestinian suicide bombers as "terrorists." News agencies like MSNBC.com, BBC and Reuters have come under criticism for refusing to refer to Palestinian suicide bombers as "terrorists." Instead, they use the terms "militants," "activists," or even "freedom fighters." TerrorPetition.com is collecting 100,000 signatures, at which point we will present the petition to editors and executives of hundreds of media outlets worldwide. You can sign the petition now at http://www.TerrorPetition.com. The site also allows you to forward the petition information to your friends.
Useful References: · Twenty Facts about Israel · Myths & Facts: A Guide to the Arab-Israeli Conflict
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Quotes of the Week:
“The car bombing at Megiddo in which 16 Israelis were killed is an indication that even though the Palestinian Authority may implement some reforms, terror will still continue…The whole debate over whether there will be four or five branches of a restructured Palestinian security service is meaningless. What is key is the elimination of all the armed militias, from Hamas to the Islamic Jihad to the Al Aqsa Brigades. Otherwise Israel will be forced to continue operating throughout the territories. It is also clear that all these attacks serve Iraqi interests. They trigger an Israeli military response and so it becomes more difficult to coordinate the position of the Arab states regarding an American strike against Saddam Hussein. This is the moment of truth for the moderate and responsible Arab regimes: They have to move to restrain Yasser Arafat…”—Military analyst Ze’ev Schiff (Ha’aretz, June 5)
“I am a religious Muslim and I realized that what I was about to do was to murder innocent women and children, like those in my own family. This murder is strictly forbidden by the Koran—I now see that. I urge the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades and all the young girls not to follow in my path, no matter what happens. They didn’t look on me as a young woman with a future ahead of me, as someone who could get married and have children. They only saw me as a tool to carry out their mission.”—Torayah Hamour, 25, in jail in northern Israel, after having aborted her plans to carry out a suicide mission in Jerusalem last week
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And now, what you’ve been waiting for…my fearless NBA Finals Predictions (based on Torah logic):
In the spirit of my famous Super Bowl picks, here’s my take on the NBA Finals. Much as I wish it weren’t so, I have to go with the Lakers, from the Jewish perspective. If you go by the Had Gadya theory, it looks like the Lakers (the water) are much higher up on the food chain than the Kidd. And a common nickname for Jacob (Ya’akov) is actually Kobe. I wonder if Byron Scott sold his birthright to him. Finally, although the most common word for “lake” is “agam,” (also a great artist – Ya’akov (Kobe) Agam), such a body of water can also be a “braycha.” And “braycha,” is one of the sources of the word “bracha,” blessing. So the Lakers are a “blessed” team. And what is that all-purpose b’racha that is used for all types of food? “Shaquille (she-hakol) n’iyhye bid’va’ro.” It looks like Shaq will be receiving a very large winner’s “sheq” (Hebrew for check), in, oh, about 5 games.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
A Shloshim service for Pamela Cohn Allen (marking the end of the traditional 30 day mourning period), will be held here at Temple Beth El, next Thursday, June 13, at 8:00 PM. Please join us.
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ISRAELI VENDOR FAIR
(an opportunity to support Israel)
SUNDAY, JUNE 23rd, 2002, 10:00 A.M. - 7:00 P.M.
at Congregation AGUDATH SHOLOM
350 Strawberry Hill Avenue
co-sponsored by Temple Beth El and other community organizations
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Sisterhood Board Meeting, Sunday, 6/9, 9:30am - final board meeting of the
year, meet our new incoming officers and chairwomen
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You are cordially invited to a lecture on
The Public Relations War on the Middle East:
Who's Winning and Why?
featuring
Bret Stephens
Editor-in-Chief of the Jerusalem Post
On Tuesday, June 18th @ 7:30PM
Jewish Community Center, Newfield Avenue at Vine Road in Stamford
This event is co-sponsored by the following institutions:
Anti-Defamation League : American Jewish Committee : Chavurat Aytz Chayim : Congregation Agudath Sholom : Fellowship for Jewish Learning:
Greenwich Reform Temple : Jewish Community Center : Temple Beth El : Temple Sholom of Greenwich : Temple Sinai :
UJA Federation of Greenwich : United Jewish Federation of Greater Stamford, New Canaan and Darien :
United Jewish Appeal/Federation of Westport-Weston-Wilton-Norwalk : Young Israel of Stamford :
Bret Stephens is editor-in-chief of the Jerusalem Post, Israel's renowned English language daily.
At 28 years old, Mr. Stephens is the youngest editor-in-chief in the paper's 70 year history. Prior to joining the Post, Mr. Stephens was an editorial writer and editor for the Wall Street Journal in Brussels and New York. He has also worked at Commentary magazine.
Mr. Stephens was educated at the University of Chicago and the London School of Economics. He has written extensively on Middle East politics, as well as on the European Union. The son of a Mexican born father and an Italian born mother, he was raised in Mexico City.
Mr. Stephens is visiting the United States as part of the Anti-Defamation League’s Eugene Warner Middle East Lecture Series which was launched in 1985 to deepen and enrich understanding between the United States and Israel. On this current tour, Mr. Stephens is visiting New York, Boston, New Jersey, Connecticut, Cleveland and Columbus.
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From our Youth Center:
COME ON OUT AND SEE OUR BASEBALL TEAM IN ACTION: THE BETH EL BRONCOS PLAY ON SUNDAY AFTERNOON AT RIPPOWAM FIELD!
GRADES 5-12:
SIX FLAGS NEW ENGLAND
DATE: Sunday, June 9th
TIME: leave Beth El at 9:00 am, return 9:00 pm
COST: $50.00 Includes: admission to both parks (Six Flags New England & Kingdom Water Park),
bus transportation, dinner & program at Temple Beth El, Springfield, MA
*If you are a season pass holder, your cost is $30.00.
ALL GRADES:
FAMILY FUN DAY at the Bridgeport Bluefish Baseball
DATE: Sunday, June 23rd
COST: $15.00
RSVP: to Marcie at 322-6901 ext.324 or e-mail youth@tbe.org with your # of tickets requested by
THURSDAY, MAY 30TH.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS...
Encampment
WHO: Entering Grades 6-12 Teens from Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Western Massachusetts Regions
DATES: August 20-25
WHERE: Camp Ramah in the Poconos
watch your mail for more information, or contact Marcie at 322-6901 ext.324 or e-mail youth@tbe.org
2002 Senior Class: watch your mail for staff application
APPLICATIONS ARE ON THERE WAY!
Marcie B. Gelb
Programming & Youth Coordinator
Temple Beth El
350 Roxbury Road
Stamford, CT 06902
phone 203-322-6901, ext. 324
fax 203-322-0532
e-mail youth@tbe.org
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SHA’AR
Outreach to Young Jewish Singles
So, you’ve come to the Greater Stamford area and you are interested in the who’s who and the what’s what in the Jewish world. Well, you’ve come to the right place to find out. Through a grant provided by Michael Steinhardt, project SHA’AR was developed to provide information about and/or formulate welcoming Jewish educational, cultural and social programs that are geared to the interests of young Jewish singles. SHA’AR is your link to existing Jewish organizations in the Greater Stamford community.
SHA’AR will provide information about the existing Synagogues, so that you can find the one that fulfills your religious needs. A number of programming options will be available to fulfill your Jewish religious and educational desires. Additionally, SHA’AR can connect you to the popular Young Jewish Professionals singles group to accommodate your social interests.
Our program is unique, due to the fact that SHA’AR involves you in the development process of the project and that its coordinator is 26, single and can relate to and understand the needs of the young Jewish single.
For more information please contact Dan Rozett, Coordinator of SHA’AR, United Jewish Federation of Greater Stamford, New Canaan and Darien.
203.321.1373 ext. 115 or dan@ujf.org
www.ujf.org
SHABBAT SHALOM
The Shabbat-O-Gram goes out weekly to hundreds of Beth El congregants and others. Feel free to forward it to your friends, and if you know of anyone who might wish to be included, please have them sign up at www.tbe.org. You can unsubscribe by contacting our office at office@tbe.org.
For more information on my synagogue, check out Beth El's Web site at www.tbe.org. To check out some previous spiritual cyber-journeys I have taken, see my book's site at www.thelordismyshepherd.com.
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