SHABBAT
ACROSS THE GRJC COMMUNITY
MAY 29, 2009
6 PM
Join GRJC members in Fair
Lawn and Glen Rock in their homes for a
kosher dairy Shabbat meal. 10 host
families will host guests and then we
all will proceed to services at the
synagogue. Services will be followed by
a special dairy oneg in honor of
Shavuot.
We're still looking for more host homes!
All are welcome to host. Hosts do not
have to cook, all kosher dairy dinner
food, juice, challah will be provided as
well as paper and plastic for serving.
Materials will be provided with all
rituals/prayers for the table in
translation and transliteration.
FREE OF CHARGE TO GUESTS AND HOSTS.
Email to toothydave@juno.com
to attend, host, and for more
information.
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COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS
AVAILABLE-APPLY
NOW!
Open to Jewish undergraduates who wish to
attend a 4 year school full time in the
USA or Israel. Open to all North Jersey
residents & special consideration given to
students with special needs. Students
must possess demonstrated financial need
and be in good academic standing.
DEADLINE MAY 15, 2009! Download
applications at www.jccotp.org (under
children's and teens). Mail original and
4 copies to Kaplen JCC on the Palisades,
411 East Clinton Avenue, Tenafly, New
Jersey, 07670. Attention: Ronit Gorelik
More Info.: Debra Turitz, LCSW at
201-569-7900, ext. 305.
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Shavuot
Events
May 27-30, 2009
MAY 27:
WOMEN'S ROSH CHODESH GROUP, 7-8:30 PM
MAY 28:
EREV
SHAVUOT SERVICES AND ALEPH
CONSECRATION, 7PM
SHABBAT UNIVERSITY AT 8:30 PM -
Rabbi Tow and GRJC members will teach on
Shabbat: How do we prepare for Shabbat?
/ Shabbat in Sefardi homes. / Shabbat: A
philosopher's view.
MAY 29:
7 AM MORNING SERVICE
6 PM - SHABBAT ACROSS THE GRJC COMMUNITY
MAY 30:
9 AM - MORNING SERVICE WITH
YIZKOR
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Shabbat, May 15-16, 2009
22 Iyar 5769
Torah portion: Behar-Behukotai
Vayikra (Leviticus) Chap.
25:39-26:46
Haftarah - Jeremiah 16:17-17:14
We light our Shabbat
candles at 7:49 pm
Musical Prelude to
Shabbat 6:30 pm:
Rabbi Tow and Shir Michael will lead
us in a mixture of music to prepare
us for Shabbat
PLEASE NOTE: Friday night
services will begin at
7:30 pm
Saturday morning services will begin
at 9 am
Shabbat ends at
8:56 pm on Saturday.
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WELCOMING GUESTS...
Dear GRJC family,
This Shabbat we're happy to welcome
David and Hedda Kenton, long-time
friends of my family from Potomac,
Maryland. David will be chanting
Torah and Haftarah this Shabbat. He
is a talented reader and one of my
Torah reading teachers.
-Rabbi Tow
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COUNTING THE OMER
From
the 2nd night of Seder through the day
before Shavuot,
we
count each of the 49 days. Each
night, we count the next day in the
sequence. The Omer was a grain
offering brought on the second day of
the Passover holiday in ancient
times. The Rabbis turned the Omer
into a 7 week counting-up to the
celebration of receiving the Torah at
Sinai. Follow this link for a
printable Omer-counting calendar.
http://www.uscj.org/Koach/documents/omer.pdf
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THE ISRAEL TRIP IS ON!
After a successful opening meeting,
we're moving forward with the Israel
trip that's scheduled for February
6-16, 2010. We have the proposed
itinerary available as well as the
costs. Please contact Rabbi Tow
(rabbi@grjc.org) to learn more about
this exciting Israel opportunity!
This trip offers a maximum Israel
experience at the most affordable
price available today--a unique
opportunity!.
*See Tel Aviv, the Golan, the Galilee,
Jerusalem, Masada, the Dead Sea and
more...
*Participate in an archaeological dig
in Jerusalem.
*Dinner with members of a Masorti/Conservative
congregation in Rehovot.
*Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial
*Wine tasting in the Golan Heights
Winery
*See where King David lived
*And so much more...
Join us on our Israel adventure!
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Shabbat Shalom to the GRJC family
This Shabbat we complete our reading
from Sefer Vayikra, the Book of
Leviticus. Throughout our reading of
Leviticus we've focused our attention
on sacrifices offered in the ancient
Temple and on the duties of the
kohanim, the priests of the ancient
Temple. Many of the topics discussed
in Leviticus seem to be from another
time and another world of Jewish
experience.
What we see here in this week's
reading connects us though to the
present, to the difficult reality of
job loss that many families now face
in light of the economic recession.
The Torah reading for this week
begins, "If your fellow Jew is in
economic straits..." What follows is
a description of how an individual
without assets to sell or mortgage
makes himself an indentured servant
for a period of time in order to make
good on his debts. We no longer
engage in this practice, but we do
find that today many families feel
enslaved by the way the market seems
to be closed to many looking for
work. We find that many feel enslaved
by the unemployment system and its
pitfalls. Those who are out of work
want to become their own masters
again, and they want to provide a
solid foundation for themselves or for
their families.
It is difficult to have hope when
faced with the grim economic realities
of today. The spiraling costs of
health care and education are
significant challenges. We know too
that job loss not only affects
individuals but also spouses and
children. Despite these obstacles,
and all the other challenges our world
presents, it is important for us to
hold onto hope for the future. Here
in our synagogue the fire of Torah,
God, and our community continues to
burn bright. Our Jewish community
both within the synagogue walls and
outside them can provide a refuge
during the current economic storm.
After the terrorist attack on the
Dolphinarium dance club in Tel Aviv
eight years ago, a monument was set up
there with the words "Lo nafsik lirkod,"
meaning, "We will not stop dancing."
In our Jewish community we will not
stop singing, praying, schmoozing,
eating together, laughing together,
and leaning on each other for
support.
The end of one book of the Torah is
like a short breath we take between
the words of our prayers. The fourth
book of the Torah, Bamidbar/Numbers,
will begin next week, after the short
breath of one week passes. We say
Chazak, Chazak, Venitchazek/Strength,
strength, and may we be strengthened
as we finish the third book of the
Torah so that we will keep up our
strength and our hope that the public
reading of the Torah's holy words will
never stop. We also wish Chazak/strength
to all of us, all of us who feel the
effects of this economic downturn in
different ways. May our strength
preserve us through these hard times
and beyond.
With blessings,
Rabbi Tow
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Upcoming Week's Calendar
Sunday, May 17
Kitah Achat and Kitah Shtaeem
Trip to Riverdale Museum, NY
Hay Class Trip to Museum of
Jewish Heritage, NYC
11:00am-noon Rabbi Tow's
Adult B'not Mitvah Class
Monday, May 18
No Hay Class
7:30-9:45 Melton II Adult Ed
Class (Youth Lounge)
9:30-10:45am
Mommy & Me
(Social Hall)
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UPCOMING EVENTS in MAY
Look for separate email
"blasts" on the following:
May 27 Women's Rosh Chodesh
Group welcomes Sivan and
Shavuot
May 28-30 Shavuot
May 29 Shabbat (dinners)
Across the GRJC Community
May 31 GRJC Marches in the
Israel Day Parade in NYC
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WOMEN'S ROSH CHODESH GROUP
Welcomes the Month of Sivan
and
the Holiday of Shavuot
WEDNESDAY, MAY 27, 7:00-8:30pm
Join us for lively conversation
and an intellectual discussion in
a friendly atmosphere.
As Shavuot begins the next
evening, we will enjoy dairy
desserts and a study.
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GRJC MARCHES IN THE NYC
ISRAEL DAY PARADE
(rain or shine...hopefully
shine!)
SUNDAY, MAY 31, 2009
$18 per person / $56 family cap
Fee covers bus transportation
to/from Manhattan, t-shirts,
snacks and parade registration
Bus to leave GRJC around 10am
Return by approximately 3-4pm
RSVP by Thursday, May 21
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