Letter
from the Chairman of the Board
Dear
Friends,
The
cold Jerusalem
weather didn't stop many hundreds of Singles from coming to The Jerusalem Great
Synagogue this evening (Wednesday) for a program designed to help them meet
their potential husbands/wives. As this day was observed throughout much of the
world as "International Holocaust Memorial Day," helping the Jewish
people to increase marriages and the building of families is the greatest
demonstration that "Am Yisrael Chai." Participating in the program
were Rabbi Avi Mizrachi- who focused on how one correlates the ideal with the
real and how better to understand oneself in order to better understand what
one wants in a suitable mate. He
stressed that one should feel destined to live life as a Single. Rabbi Yishai
Lifshitz, along with a group of other professionals answered practical
questions posed by the audience. Matchmakers and professional facilitators from
Religious Zionist and modern Chareidi backgrounds were available to counsel
people both in small groups and individually.
The fact that so many people came from throughout Israel shows
the great need we have to provide appropriate forums for Singles to meet one
another and to feel comfortable and confident with themselves. The Jerusalem Great Synagogue is committed to
providing the forum and doing everything possible to help in this most
important endeavor which ultimately will strengthen the future of Am
Yisrael. Our thanks to Daniel Dayan and
Yoav Elmalem who are the people who proposed these types of gatherings to us
and who have spared no time, effort and expense to make these evenings successful. We also thank Dr. Pessy Krausz and the
professional volunteers of the Shalshelet organization which will do necessary
follow up work, individually and in small groups, with those who are interested
in receiving further professional assistance and direction. We look forward to attending weddings and
other s'machot from couples who will be able to say "I met my bashert(e)
at The Jerusalem Great Synagogue event for Singles."
We
are eagerly anticipating the presentation by the HONORABLE DAN MERIDOR, Israel's Deputy
Prime Minister, Minister of Intelligence and Atomic Energy and member of the
Inner Cabinet, at our upcoming Motzaei Shabbat Mevorchim Social Evening and
Lecture at 8:15 PM on Saturday evening, February 13th. His topic is "Are We on Course? A View From the Inside." He will discuss some of Israel's
initiatives as well as some of the problems we are facing and how we are
responding to them. I am certain that
his presentation will be very enlightening and will help us better understand
Governmental policies. The program is in
English and admission is free. If you
are in our area, we look forward to your participation. This series is
sponsored by The Jerusalem Great Synagogue in cooperation with The Association
of Americans and Canadians in Israel (AACI), The Orthodox Union-Israel (OU),
Nefesh B'Nefesh, American Israeli Action Coalition (AIAC), Young Israel of
Rehavia (Hanassi), Yeshurun Central Synagogue, International Young Israel
Movement – Israel Region (IYIM), Council of Young Israel Rabbis in Israel and the
Rabbinical Council of America-Israel.
The
next Lone Soldiers Shabbat Dinner following our Leil Shabbat services will take
place on Friday evening, February 12th. These Dinners are sponsored by The Jerusalem
Great Synagogue and The Leo V. Berger Fund – Harvey Schwartz, President and
Sigmund Kassap, Vice President, our Benefactors. We thank our partners in these
Shabbat programs: The Center for Lone Soldiers, Nefesh b'Nefesh, the Yeshurun
Central Synagogue and The American Jewish War Veterans Post 180- Jerusalem. We also thank those who support these efforts
by their donations, helping to show our appreciation to these young men and
women who have become Olim and volunteered to serve in the IDF. Our cost per soldier is $30. We welcome your contributions to assist us in
covering the expenses for this very special project. If you are a Lone Soldier
and would like to attend the next Dinner on February 12th, please contact
Daniel Charter at the Center for Lone Soldiers at 054-206-3321.
We are pleased
to advise you that we have begun The Jerusalem Great Synagogue's repair and
renovation project. All of the restrooms
have been painted and new lighting has been placed in each. On Shabbat and Yom Tov, two women's restrooms
will now be available. One is located
one-half floor below the lower part of the women's gallery and the second is
one half floor below the upper part of the women's gallery. We will soon begin other projects in an
effort to make our 28 year old building look "like new." Of course, each of these endeavors requires
the necessary financial resources. We
will look to you, our supporters and friends, for your generosity in enabling
us to carry out these projects. For
further information, you may contact our Director General, Rabbi George
Finkelstein, at 052-389-5190.
We
extend our condolences to Mrs. Eva Weinberger, wife of our Council Member Dr.
Miklos Weinberger, and to Susan Fried, wife of Zvi Fried, on the passing of their
mother Mrs. Irene Wiesel z"l. Mrs.
Wiesel and her late husband Friedrich donated the Chupah which is used at the
many weddings which take place in The Jerusalem Great Synagogue and were
supporters of our Synagogue for decades.
May the family be comforted among the other mourners of Zion
and Jerusalem
and experience no further sorrow for many years to come.
We
continue to pray for the good health and immediate release of Gilad ben Aviva
Schalit and the other members of the IDF still in captivity. Please add prayers
for refua sheleima for those who were injured in terrorist attacks and in the
War in Gaza and for Reuven Shmuel ben Reitza (Raoul-Sam Lokiec), 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, Gitel Rivka bat Chaya Risa and Chaya Aviva Sarah bat
Adel Nechama (Alexandra Morgan Talbot). May they all be blessed with a
speedy and complete recovery and enjoy good health for many more years.
Have you become a
Supporting Member of The Jerusalem Great Synagogue? If you haven't, you will find the form on our
website www.jerusalemgreatsynagogue.com
or you may call Rabbi Finkelstein at 052-389-5190.
Guest
Chazzan Arik Wolheim will officiate on Friday evening, Guest Chazzanim Avraham
Kirschenbaum and Elazar Winograd will officiate on Shabbat morning, Parashat
Beshalach – Shabbat Shira – Tu B'Shevat.
Our Choir, conducted by Elli Jaffe will accompany the Chazzanim both on
Friday evening and on Shabbat morning.
If you are in our area, we hope you will join us. Shabbat shalom.
Asher
Schapiro
UPCOMING
EVENTS
January
29-30 – Shabbat Parashat Beshalach (Shabbat Shira) – Accompanied by our Choir
conducted by Elli Jaffe, Guest Chazzan Arik Wolheim will officiate on Friday
Evening (5:00 PM) and Guest Chazzanim Avraham Kirschenbaum and Elazar Winograd
will officiate on Shabbat morning (7:55 AM).
February
5-6 – Shabbat Parashat Yitro - Chief Chazzan Chaim Adler will officiate on
Friday evening (5:05 PM) and Shabbat morning (7:55 AM) accompanied by our Choir
conducted by Elli Jaffe.
February
12-13 – Shabbat Parashat Mishpatim, Shabbat Mevorchim and Shabbat Shekalim -
Chief Chazzan Chaim Adler will officiate on Friday evening (5:10 PM) and Shabbat
morning (7:55 AM) accompanied by our Choir conducted by Elli Jaffe.
February 12
– Leil Shabbat Dinner for Lone Soldiers following Friday evening services
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.
Topic: "Are We on
Course? A View From the Inside."
March 13 – 8:30 PM - Motzaei Shabbat Social Evening and Lecture
Program – Speaker: Ambassador
Yehuda Avner Topic: "Israel's Prime
Ministers – Past and Present"