Letter from the Chairman of the Board

Dear Friends,

We were deeply saddened to learn of the passing of the former Chief Rabbi of Israel, the Rishon L'Zion, Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu, z"l.  On several occasions he honored us with his presence, officiated at many weddings in our Synagogue and was the guest speaker at a Siyum in our Beit Midrash Be'er Miriam.  Speaker after speaker at his funeral, which was attended by tens of thousands of people, spoke of his efforts to promote Jewish unity and his ability to communicate with young and old, observant and secular, talmidei chachamim and beginners.  In addition to the Rabbis who eulogized this great individual, Jerusalem's Mayor Nir Barkat spoke of the many conversations he had with the Rabbi and the constructive guidance and advice Rabbi Eliyahu gave him. Our condolences to the Rabbanit, to his children and their families and to all Am Yisrael.  May the family be comforted among the other mourners of Zion and Jerusalem and experience no further sorrow for many more years.  

We hope you will be able to join The Jerusalem Great Synagogue at 8:00 PM on Thursday evening June 17th, as we partner with The B'nai Brith World Center-Jerusalem for the Jerusalem Address 2010 "Torah V'Chochma: Judaism in the World" to be given by Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, the Chief Rabbi of the British Commonwealth. His address will explore the dichotomy between Torah and secular knowledge and the need for both in a Jew's intellectual being in the contemporary world. The program will take place in the Friedler Banquet Hall of The Jerusalem Great Synagogue.  Admission is free and the community is invited.  This special event marks the publication of the second volume of Rabbi Sacks' acclaimed Parashat HaShavua series, "Covenant and Conversation" from Maggid Books, a division of Koren Publishers.  This and other books authored by the Rabbi will be available for purchase prior to and following the Lecture. The program is 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 Rabbinical Council of America-Israel.

Last Friday evening, we had the pleasure of hosting over 180 Lone Soldiers at our monthly Leil Shabbat service and Seudat Shabbat.  We were also joined by 38 young men and women from universities throughout the United States who came on a pilot Aliyah trip organized in cooperation with the Jewish Agency.  Our next Friday evening Shabbat program for Lone Soldiers will be on Friday evening July 9th.  These Dinners are sponsored by our 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 Michael Levin 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.  We welcome your contributions to assist us in covering the expenses for this very special project. If you are a Lone Soldier and want to attend the Dinner on July 9th, please register by clicking on the appropriate box at the website  www.lonesoldiercenter.com  or by contacting Daniel Charter via e-mail at: daniel@lonesoldiercenter.com

The Jerusalem Great Synagogue has a new telephone system. Beginning with Monday of each week, by calling our number (02-623-0628) and pressing 2, you will be able to hear our weekly schedule in Hebrew.  For English, call (02-623-0628) and when the announcement begins, press 1.  When the English greeting begins, press 2. After three rings, the English schedule announcement will begin.  

Mazal Tov to our dear friends, the Chief Rabbi of Moscow Rabbi Pinchas and Dara Lynn Goldschmidt on the engagement of their daughter Estee Tatyana Goldschmidt to Yosef Gillers.    May Chattan and Kallah go to the chupah b'shaa tova u'mutzlachat and enjoy a long, healthy and happy life together as they build their bayit ne'eman b'Yisrael.  A special Mazal Tov to the Bride's great-grandmother, Dr. Belle Rosenbaum who, together with her late husband Chazzan Jacob Rosenbaum z"l, donated the magnificent Mezuzah collection which adorns the Maurice and Vivienne Wohl Entrance Hall of The Jerusalem Great Synagogue. May Dr. Rosenbaum be blessed with good health and much continued nachat and abundant simachot from her entire family

Mazal Tov to our Supporting Members and congregants Bert and Shirley Abell on the Bar Mitzvah of their grandson Othniel Kramer and to his parents Yehuda and Aliza Kramer of Beitar Elite.  May Othniel continue to be a constant source of nachat to his family and to all Am Yisrael.  

Mazal Tov to our congregants and friends Neville and Dr. Pessy Krausz on the birth and brit of their great-grandson Kerem born to Moria and Azriel Merzbach and on the birth of their great-granddaughter born to Leah and Erez Lachs.  May the newborns go to Torah, chupah and maasim tovim and be constant sources of nachat to their families and to all Am Yisrael.

Mazal Tov to our Supporting Members Rabbi Aharon and Libby Ziegler on the birth of their great-grandson.  May the newborn go to brit, Torah, chupah and maasim tovim and be a constant sources 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 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 Aryeh ben Sarah Leah (Chazzan Aryeh Goldberg), Amiram ben Reina (Amiram Benshimol), Channa bat Chaya Devorah (Anna Schlesinger), Bracha Miriam bat Rachel (Miriam Sheinberg), Chaim Ariel ben Vera Devora (Ariel Sharon), Shoshana bat Miriam (Susan Shapiro),  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.

Chief Chazzan Chaim Adler will officiate this Friday evening (7:30 PM) and Shabbat Rosh Chodesh morning, Parashat Korach (7:55 AM) accompanied by The Jerusalem Great Synagogue Choir conducted by Elli Jaffe. Our monthly Kiddush will take place following Shabbat morning services.  We look forward to seeing you this Shabbat if you are in Jerusalem.

Shabbat shalom and Chodesh tov.

Asher Schapiro


UPCOMING EVENTS

June 10 – Thursday 1:13 PM – Tefillot Mincha and Yom Kippur Katan – Beit Hamidrash Be'er Miriam.  Guest Chazzan Mordechai Munk will officiate.
 
June 11-12 – Shabbat Parashat Korach and Shabbat Rosh Chodesh -  Chief Chazzan Chaim Adler will officiate on Friday evening (7:30 PM) and Shabbat morning (7:55 AM) accompanied by The Jerusalem Great Synagogue Choir conducted by Elli Jaffe.
Kiddush following Shabbat morning services.
 
June 17 – Thursday Evening 8:00 PM – The Jerusalem Great Synagogue in partnership with The B'nai Brith World Center – Jerusalem present the Jerusalem Address 2010 to be given by Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, Chief Rabbi of the British Commonwealth. The lecture is titled "Torah V'Chochma: Judaism in the World."  

June 18-19 – Shabbat Parashat Chukat – Guest Chazzan Chaim Dovid Berson will officiate on Friday evening (7:35 PM) and Shabbat morning (7:55 AM) accompanied by The Jerusalem Great Synagogue Choir conducted by Elli Jaffe.

Dates of the 5771 (2010-2011) Motzaei Shabbat Social Evening and Lecture Series: October 2, 2010; November 6, 2010; January 1, 2011; January 29, 2011; March 5, 2011.