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Letter from
the Chairman of the Board
Dear Friends,
We apologize for listing an incorrect e-mail address for Mayor Nir
Barkat's office in last week's newsletter. The correct e-mail
address is: lishka@jerusalem.muni.il.
We are fortunate to have been able to arrange a special lecture to take
place at The Jerusalem Great Synagogue on Saturday Evening, December
26th, at 8:00 PM. Our
speaker will be Professor Irwin Cotler, Canadian Member of Parliament,
former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, former
Visiting Professor at Harvard University Law School, Woodrow
Wilson Fellow at Yale Law School and the
recipient of nine Honorary Doctorates. He is an international human
rights lawyer and has served as Legal Counsel to prisoners of conscience
throughout the world and is an active supporter of Israel. Admission is
free.
Please note two new programs at The Jerusalem Great Synagogue which will
be conducted in Hebrew:
This coming Sunday evening, December 13, at 7:30
PM, a program for religiously observant singles (ages 20-40)
from throughout the country, will be held at our Synagogue. Several
groups are joining in this effort to create a forum where both singles
and matchmakers (shadchanim) will enjoy an educational and social
evening. The entrance fee is 20 NIS, which is
being used by the sponsoring groups to defray their costs. For
further information, please contact Daniel at 054-281-4625.
As our Motzaei Shabbat Mevorchim Social Evening and Lecture Programs in
English have been so successful, we are beginning a similar type program
in Hebrew on Motzaei Shabbat January 23 at 8:00
PM. We thank our Supporting Member and Congregant Mrs.
Mina Ron who is chairing the Committee. Further information
regarding the speaker and topic for our opening program will be listed in
the near future.
This Friday evening we are once again hosting Lone Soldiers for our Leil
Shabbat service and for a sumptuous catered Shabbat meal which follows.
These programs are sponsored in cooperation with the Yeshurun Central
Synagogue, The Center for Lone Soldiers and Nefesh B'Nefesh. Our
thanks to the Jaffe Family who are the Patrons of this month's Dinner. If
you would like to contribute towards the costs of future such events,
please note that the cost of the Dinner is $20 per soldier. 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 attend this
month's Shabbat Dinner, please contact Daniel Charter of the Center for
Lone Soldiers by this Thursday evening at 054-206-3321.
Our next Motzaei Shabbat Social Evening and Lecture Program is scheduled
for January 9 at 8:00 PM. Our
speaker is the internationally acclaimed Professor Daniel Gordis.
His topic is: "Israel's Promise:
Zionism, the Bible and the Future of Human Freedom." The
lecture is in English and admission is free. A question and answer
period follows the formal presentation. For those who aren't familiar
with our speaker, either from his lectures, books or columns in The
Jerusalem Post, Dr. Daniel Gordis is Senior Vice President of the Shalem Center, where he is
also a Senior Fellow. His writing has appeared in magazines and
newspapers throughout the world. His latest book, Saving Israel: How the
Jewish People Can Win a War That May Never End was published in March
2009. You will have the opportunity to purchase Dr. Gordis' books on the
evening of the program. 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 (0U); Nefesh
B'Nefesh; Young Israel of Rehavia (Hanassi); Yeshurun Central Synagogue, American
Israeli Action Coalition, (AIAC), Council of Young Israel Rabbis in
Israel and the Rabbinical Council of America.-Israel.
One of our very popular speakers annually is the renowned Rabbi,
psychiatrist, author and lecturer, Rabbi Dr. Abraham Twerski. Many of his
essays and lectures are now available at no cost on his new website
www.abrahamtwerski.com We
recommend this website for much spiritual nourishment and positive,
practical life advice.
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
We congratulate our Supporting Member and congregant Mrs. Fiona Blumfield
on the publication of her new book for students who have completed at
least one year of College study in Biblical Hebrew and wish to advance
their knowledge of the intricacies of Biblical Hebrew language and
grammar. Titled "Further Biblical Hebrew Explanations and
Exercises," the volume is published by Gorgias Press.
Condolences to our Board Member David Lowy, of Lawrence, New York, on the
passing of his beloved wife Roslyn z"l. The Lowys are Sponsors
of The Jerusalem Great Synagogue and have been close with us and with
many other charitable causes and institutions in Israel and in the United
States for many years. The burial
took place this Monday, December 7, in Jerusalem. The
Lowy family is observing shiva at their home, 24 Beechwood
Drive, in Lawrence, New York. May the
family be comforted among the other mourners of Zion and Jerusalem and
experience no further sorrow for many more years.
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), 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.
Mazal Tov to Ronen Ricanati and Sigal Levi who are being married this
week. They will be celebrating their Shabbat Sheva Brachot in our
community and the Chattan will be called to the Torah at The Jerusalem
Great Synagogue. May Ronen and Sigal enjoy a long, healthy and
happy life together as they build their bayit ne'eman b'Yisrael.
Please note that both on this Friday evening and next week, Shabbatot
Chanukah, we will light the Menora at 4:20
PM in our Synagogue. Mincha will begin at 4:25 PM.
Chief Chazzan
Chaim Adler will officiate this Friday evening and Shabbat morning,
Parashat Vayayshev, Shabbat Mevorchim and Shabbat Chanukah (7:55 AM)
accompanied by our Choir conducted by Elli Jaffe. Following Shabbat
morning services, the Kiddush will be sponsored by our Vice-President and
this year's Chattan Breishit, Sir Ian and Lady Gainsford.
We wish you and yours a Shabbat shalom, Chodesh tov and Chanukah
samayach.
Asher Schapiro
UPCOMING EVENTS
December 13 – 7:00 PM – Program for
religiously observant singles, ages 20-40. (see this week's letter
for further details)
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.
December 26 – 8:00 PM Special
Lecture in English by Professor Irwin Cotler. Admission is free.
January 9 – 8:00 PM - Motzaei
Shabbat Social Evening and Lecture Program – Speaker: Dr. Daniel
Gordis. Topic: "Israel's Promise:
Zionism, the Bible and the Future of Human Freedom."
January 23 – 8:00 PM – Opening
Motzaei Shabbat Lecture Program in Hebrew. Speaker and topic to be
announced.
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
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