Letter from the Chairman of the Board
Dear Friends,
It is very difficult for me, in words, to adequately describe the emotions of thanksgiving and hope as we, at The Jerusalem Great Synagogue, celebrated the 42nd anniversary of the reunification of Jerusalem, the investiture of Chazzan Chaim Adler as our Chief Chazzan and the installation of the President – Dr. Felix Glaubach, the other Officers, Board and Council Members of our Synagogue. The soul-stirring services led by Chazzan Adler accompanied by our Choir conducted by Elli Jaffe, the divrei Torah of our Mara d'Atra Rabbi Zalman Druck and Israel's Chief Rabbi Shlomo Moshe Amar, the participation of Jerusalem's Mayor Nir Barkat and Haifa's Chief Rabbi Shear Yashuv Cohen and the filled to capacity Synagogue all helped to make this such a special and uplifting Shabbat. We were also honored by the presence of a large delegation from France who came together with the Chief Rabbi Gilles Bernheim, Chief Rabbi David Messas of Paris and Dr. Jacob Mergui, who heads the Consistoire. Our heartfelt prayers for good health and success to all those who began or are continuing their leadership roles in our Synagogue. May all our prayers be answered and may we be privileged to see Jerusalem at peace.
We are saddened by the sudden and untimely passing of our congregant Shlomo Margalith. Born in Jerusalem's Old City in 1922 to a family of Karlin Chassidim, he served in the special police and the Hagana. For over thirty years he was the head of the Heichal Baruch Synagogue on King David Street. From the time that Shlomo became our congregant, he was a regular weekday baal koreh, was the baal tefilla each Shabbat Mincha and contributed many copies of each tractate of the Talmud being studied in the Daf Yomi shiur. Many other items that he contributed adorn Beit Midrash Be'er Miriam. Last year on Yom Yerushalayim, he was honored by our City and named a "Yakir Yerushalayim." Our condolences to his entire family. May they be comforted among the other mourners of Zion and Jerusalem and experience no further sorrow for many more years.
If you are in our city for Shavuot, I hope you will join us for the Yom Tov and Shabbat Parashat Naso services and the shiurim (in Hebrew) on Thursday night's Tikkun Leil Shavuot in cooperation with Moreshet Hamishpat B'Yisrael. The lecturers, topics and times are as follows: Rabbi Zalman Druck and Professor Nahum Rackover will open the program (11:15 PM); Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau "Sugyot b'Giyur" (11:40 PM); Professor Yaakov Neeman "Keviat Itim LaTorah" (12:20 AM); Dr. Jacob Weinroth "Maamado shel Hasafek (1:15 AM); Professor Nahum Rackover "Alimut B'halich Hashiputi" (2:00 AM); Rabbi Avraham Kilav "Pidyon Sh'vuyim" (3:00 AM); Dr. Aviad Hakohen "Shaapat Mexico: Mishpat V'Etika" (3:45 AM). The entire community is invited.
Chief Chazzan Chaim Adler will officiate on Shavuot this Thursday evening (Mincha is at 7:25 PM) and Friday morning (7:45 AM) accompanied by our Choir conducted by Elli Jaffe.
Rav Zalman Druck will speak before Maariv on Thursday evening and the Chief Rabbi of Tel Aviv-Yaffo Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau will speak on Friday before Yizkor. During Yizkor services, a memorial prayer will be recited for those who, during their lifetime, assisted in the building and strengthening of Israel by being major contributors to Keren Hayesod – United Israel Appeal.
Chazzan Adler will officiate on Friday evening (7:25 PM) and, accompanied by the Choir, on Shabbat morning Parashat Naso (7:50 AM).
For those from abroad who observe two days of Yom Tov, Friday evening services (7:25 PM) and Shabbat Yom Tov morning (8:30 AM) will be in Beit Midrash Be'er Miriam.
We are delighted to welcome our Chattan Bar Mitzvah of this Shabbat, Samuel Belmont, his parents Brian and Sharon Belmont and their family, from Modiin. They will be joining us for both Shavuot and Shabbat. May Samuel continue to be a constant source of nachat to his family and to all Am Yisrael.
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 Ratza bat Reesa (Roslyn Lowy), Aryeh ben Sarah Leah (Chazzan Aryeh Goldberg), Amiram ben Reina (Amiram Benshimol), Zahava bat Rachel (Zahava Meczes), Channa bas 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), Yehudah Leib ben Tziporah Rachel (Yehudah Rosenblatt), Miriam Rivkah bat Adina Leah (Miriam Strasberg), Mirel bat Shoshana (Mary Teich), Yehudit bat Yenta Leah (Judith Freiman), Yissachar Dov ben Peshe (Bud Silver), Moshe Avigdor ben Rivkah (Martin Herzog) and Aviva bat Shulamit Charna (Aviva Lazarus). May they all be blessed with a speedy and complete recovery and enjoy good health for many more years.
On behalf of your entire Jerusalem Great Synagogue family, our best wishes for a Chag samayach and Shabbat shalom.
Asher Schapiro
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