Letter from the Chairman of the Board

Dear Friends,

Please note that this Shabbat, Parashat Vayechi, Chief Chazzan Chaim Adler will officiate on Friday evening (4:35 PM) and on Shabbat morning (7:55 AM) accompanied by our Choir conducted by Elli Jaffe.

The special gathering to honor the memory of our beloved and revered Rabbi Zalman Druck, z"l, will take place on Sunday evening, January 10th at 6:00 PM in our Main Synagogue.  Participants will include: Israel's Chief Rabbi, the Rishon l'Zion, Rabbi Shlomo Moshe Amar; the Chief Rabbi of Tel Aviv-Yaffo, Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau; the Chief Rabbi of Haifa. Rabbi Shear Yashuv Cohen; members of the Druck family   and our Chief Chazzan Chaim Adler.  The Jerusalem Great Synagogue is sponsoring this gathering in cooperation with our Beit Midrash Be'er Miriam, Yeshurun Central Synagogue, Young Israel of Rechavia (Hanassi), Hazvi Yisrael Synagogue (Hovevei), Cong. Ohel Yosef, Cong. Yad Tamar, Cong. Ohel Rivka, Cong. Horev, Cong. Ohel Aharon and Yeshivat Netzach Yisrael.      

If you were with us this past Saturday evening, you heard a frank but potentially hopeful presentation by Professor Irwin Cotler regarding the situation which the world faces with the current regime in Iran.  It is not only the threat posed by Iran's growing nuclear capability that must be viewed as a great danger to the world, but also Iran's sponsoring State terrorism and repression of human rights that are alarming.  He called for governments throughout the world to cease discussion and begin to act to stop Iran from proceeding on its current path.  A 25 minute edited version of Professor Cotler's presentation will be available on Sunday, January 3rd at 5 PM (Israel time) on  www.israelnationalradio.com.  Click on "Listen live" at the top of the website.  The lecture will be available afterwards on that website by clicking on the "Walter's World" square.

Our next Motzaei Shabbat Mevorchim Social Evening and Lecture is on January 9th at 8 PM.  Our speaker will be Dr. Daniel Gordis, Vice-President of the Shalem Center, prolific author and guest columnist of The Jerusalem Post. His topic is: "Israel's Promise: Zionism, the Bible and the Future of Human Freedom."  Dr. Gordis' latest book, Saving Israel: How the Jewish People Can Win a War That May Never End was published in March 2009. The lecture is in English, admission is free, and you will have the opportunity to purchase Dr. Gordis' books on the evening of the program.

Our next Shabbat Dinner for Lone Soldiers following Leil Shabbat services at The Jerusalem Great Synagogue, will take place on Friday evening January 8th.  These programs are sponsored in cooperation with The Center for Lone Soldiers, Nefesh B'Nefesh, Yeshurun Central Synagogue and The American Jewish War Veterans Post 180 Jerusalem.  Although the members of the IDF are our guests, our cost per soldier is $30.  We welcome your contributions to assist us in meeting our expenses for this very special project. If you are a Lone Soldier and would like to attend the Shabbat Dinner on January 8th, please contact Daniel Charter at the Center for Lone Soldiers at 054-206-3321 by next Thursday (Jan 7th).

Mazal Tov to our Board Member Professor Jacob and Lea Rowe of Haifa on the forthcoming marriage next week of their daughter Yael to Yehuda Zfati.  May the young couple share a long, healthy and happy life together as they build their bayit ne'eman b'Yisrael.

Condolences to Sharona Greenstein, wife of our Choir Member Jonathan Greenstein, on the passing of her father Yosef Gilboa z"l.  The family will be observing Shiva until next Tuesday morning at the Gilboa home, 5 Migdal Oz Street in Modiin.  May Sharona and her 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 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, 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.

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.

As I noted above, Chief Chazzan Chaim Adler will officiate both on Friday evening and Shabbat morning this week, Parashat Vayechi.  If you are in our area, we look forward to your joining us.  Shabbat shalom.

Asher Schapiro

                UPCOMING EVENTS

January 1-2  -  Shabbat Parashat Vayechi – Chief Chazzan Chaim Adler will officiate on Friday evening (4:35 PM) and Shabbat morning (7:55 AM) accompanied by our Choir conducted by Elli Jaffe.
 
January 7 – The Jerusalem Great Synagogue Board Meeting (5 PM)

January 8 – Leil Shabbat - Chief Chazzan Chaim Adler will officiate on Friday evening (4:40 PM) accompanied by our Choir conducted by Elli Jaffe. Lone Soldiers Shabbat Dinner in the Friedler Banquet Hall following the service.

January 9 – Shabbat Parashat Shemot - Chief Chazzan Chaim Adler will officiate on Shabbat morning (7:55 AM) accompanied by our Choir conducted by Elli Jaffe. Bar Mitzvah: Pinchas Belzberg. Kiddush following services sponsored by Professor Arye and Justice Miriam Naor.

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 10 – 6 PM  - Memorial gathering for Moreinu Harav Zalman Druck, z"l, at The Jerusalem Great Synagogue.  Participants include: Israel's Chief Rabbi, the Rishon l'Zion, Rabbi Shlomo Moshe Amar; the Chief Rabbi of Tel Aviv-Yaffo Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau; the Chief Rabbi of Haifa Rabbi Shear Yashuv Cohen, members of the Druck family and our Chief Chazzan Chaim Adler.  

January 23 – 8:00 PM – Opening Motzaei Shabbat Lecture Program in Hebrew.  Speaker and topic to be announced.

January 27 – 6:30 PM – Program for religiously observant Singles - ages 20-40.  For further information call Daniel at 054-281-4625.  The evening's program will be printed here in the coming weeks.  

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