Letter from the Chairman of the Board
Dear Friends,
In
one of the most memorable Motzaei Shabbat Social Evenings and Lecture
programs we have had thus far since we initiated this series in the
Fall of 2003, we had the honor this past Saturday evening of hosting
Jerusalem's Mayor, the Hon. Nir Barkat and David Horovitz, the
Editor-in-Chief of The Jerusalem Post. Their conversation allowed us
to learn about the Mayor's management style, his vision for the future
of Jerusalem, his list of priorities – including affordable housing,
employment opportunities and raising the quality of education in the
city's schools, and some of the problems he faces in implementing
needed changes in the city. We also learned about the Mayor's past –
his youth, army service (during which he was wounded in an operation
against a terrorist group in South Lebanon), his family, business
successes and entrance into the world of politics. As Mayor, he has
not accepted the salary due him and receives only one New Israel Shekel
(1 NIS) annually. In the limited time available, it was impossible to
discuss every issue of interest to each person in the audience.
However, the Mayor ended the evening's conversation by inviting people
to e-mail his office with any questions or areas of concern for which
the Mayor's office might me able to assist. The e-mail address is lishka@muni.co.il
We are very grateful to Mayor Barkat and his staff, David Horovitz and
The Jerusalem Post staff, the organizations in cooperation with which
the evening was sponsored and the over 1500 people who were in
attendance. Our next Motzaei Shabbat Social Evening and Lecture Program
is on Saturday evening, January 9th at 8 PM with guest speaker, Dr.
Daniel Gordis.
The
next Lone Soldier Dinner sponsored by The Jerusalem Great Synagogue is
taking place on Friday evening December 11th (the first night of
Chanukah). These young people came on aliyah without their families
and volunteered to serve our country by joining the IDF. We owe them a
great debt of thanks. By hosting them monthly for Shabbat services
followed by a sumptuous Dinner catered by our Synagogue's caterer, we
try to show them our appreciation. We thank the Jaffe Family, who are
the patrons for this coming Shabbat Dinner for Lone Soldiers. These
programs are sponsored in cooperation with the Yeshurun Central
Synagogue, The Center for Lone Soldiers and Nefesh B'Nefesh. If you
would like to contribute towards the costs of future such events,
please note that the cost of the Dinner is $20 per person. You may
mail your contributions to: The Jerusalem Great Synagogue, POB 7924,
Jerusalem 91078, Israel. Please note on the bottom of the check that it
is for the "Lone Soldiers Program." (For U.S. tax deductible
contributions, you may make checks payable to The American Friends of
The Jerusalem Great Synagogue and mail them to the above address.) If
you are a Lone Soldier and would like to participate in the upcoming
Shabbat Dinner, please contact Daniel Charter of the Center for Lone
Soldiers at 054-206-3321 or Ellie Solimani of Nefesh B'Nefesh via
e-mail ellie@nbn.org.il
You
recently received a special mailing from us inviting you to join The
Jerusalem Great Synagogue as Supporting Members. The requested
contribution is a nominal 500 NIS or $180 annually. Please partner
with us in this way so that we may continue to increase the programs we
offer to the community at large. You will find a copy of the
Supporting Member form on our website www.jerusalemgreatsynagogue.com Please feel free to contact our Membership and Special Projects Coordinator, Yael Levontin via e-mail at: yael.jgs@gmail.com
for any further information you may require. We look forward (if you
haven't already joined) to adding you to our growing Supporting
Membership list.
As
I noted last week, Dr. Sheldon Abramson, our Board Member and Chairman
of The Jerusalem Great Synagogue's Welcoming Committee, will receive
the Community Service Award at the upcoming Dinner of the Council of
Young Israel Rabbis in Israel, on Wednesday, December 30th
at The Jerusalem Great Synagogue. If you would like to make a
reservation or place a greeting in the Commemorative Journal, please
contact Daniel Meyer at mush@youngisraelrabbis.org.il or Susan Taragin at either 02-625-4983 or susan@youngisraelrabbis.org.il
The
Ezer Mizion organization is sponsoring a campaign on Tuesday, December
8th, for people ages 18-50 to give blood samples for the national bone
marrow bank. For further information regarding locations or to donate
money to help defray the costs of these tests, please contact Ezer
Mizion at 1-800-236-236.
We
thank to our good friend, Albert Sherman of Massachusetts, for the kind
donation of ArtScroll's large print Machzorim for Rosh Hashana and Yom
Kippur. We appreciate the immediate response to our request and the
beautiful gift. Yasher Koach!
We
continue to pray for the good health and immediate release of Gilad ben
Aviva Schalit. Please add prayers for refua sheleima for those who
were injured in terrorist attacks and in the War in Gaza and for
Moreinu Harav Zalman ben Mina Mindl (Rav Zalman Druck), Reuven Shmuel
ben Reitza (Raoul-Sam Lokiec), (Ratza bat Reesa (Roslyn Lowy), Aryeh
ben Sarah Leah (Chazzan Aryeh Goldberg), Amiram ben Reina (Amiram
Benshimol), Zahava bat Rachel (Zahava Meczes), Channa bat Chaya Devorah
(Anna Schlesinger), Bracha Miriam bat Rachel (Miriam Sheinberg), Chaim
Ariel ben Vera Devora (Ariel Sharon), Shoshana bat Miriam (Susan
Shapiro), Chaya bat Chava (Chaya Herstik), Amit Yehuda ben Malka
(Dr.Amit Schwartz), Shimon Elimelech ben Sima Rivka (Marc Weinberg),
Avraham Yeshayahu ben Aviva (Avraham Yeshayahu Feiner), Shai ben
Rachel (Shai Peltz), Miriam Rivkah bat Adina Leah (Miriam Strasberg),
Yissachar Dov ben Peshe (Bud Silver), Moshe Avigdor ben Rivkah (Martin
Herzog), Penina Rivka Yoela bat Mirel (Penny Bowman), Avichai Avraham
ben Sarah Miriam, and Gitel Rivka bat Chaya Risa. May they all be
blessed with a speedy and complete recovery and enjoy good health for
many more years.
Guest
Chazzan Moshe Solomon will officiate this Friday evening (4:25 PM) and
Shabbat morning Parashat Vayishlach (7:55 AM). If you are in our area,
we hope you will join us. Shabbat shalom.
Asher Schapiro
UPCOMING EVENTS
December
11-12 – Parashat Vayayshev - First Shabbat Chanukah - Chief Chazzan
Chaim Adler will officiate on Friday evening (Lighting of the Chanukah
Menora 4:20 PM; Mincha: 4:25 PM) and on Shabbat morning (7:55 AM)
accompanied by the Jerusalem Great Synagogue Choir conducted by Elli
Jaffe. Shabbat sheva brachot: Ronen and Sigal Ricanati. Kiddush
sponsored by our Chattan Breishit, Sir Ian and Lady Gainsford.
December 11 – Following Leil Shabbat services – Shabbat Dinner for Lone Soldiers Patrons: The Jaffe Family
December 18-19 – Parashat Miketz – 8th
Day Chanukah - Chief Chazzan Chaim Adler will officiate on Friday
evening (Lighting of the Chanukah Menora 4:20 PM; Mincha: 4:24 PM) and
on Shabbat morning (7:55 AM) accompanied by the Jerusalem Great
Synagogue Choir conducted by Elli Jaffe. The Shabbat is dedicated to
the memory of Dr. Stephen M. Stowe, ז"ל, of New York.
January 9 – 8:00 PM - Motzaei Shabbat Social Evening and Lecture Program – Speaker: Dr. Daniel Gordis.
February
13 - 8:15 PM - Motzaei Shabbat Social Evening and Lecture Program
–Speaker: Israel's Minister of Intelligence and Atomic Energy, The Hon.
Dan Meridor.
March 13 – 8:30 PM - Motzaei Shabbat Social Evening and Lecture Program – Speaker: Ambassador Yehuda Avner