YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITED TO THE
2009/5769 ADULT BNAI MITZVAH
SERVICE
SATURDAY, JUNE 6
9 AM
6 STUDENTS WILL LEAD THE SERVICE AND COME TO
THE TORAH AS BNOT MITZVAH
This year's students:
Astrid Hesse, Janet Krebs, Tatyana Lysenko,
Anita Nakhimovich, Jackie Katz, Michelle
Silverman
Special kiddush celebration to follow.
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Shavuot and Shabbat, May 28-30, 2009
6-7 Sivan 5769
Services:
-
Thursday, 7 pm - Erev Shavuot and
Aleph Class consecration
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Friday, 7 am - Shavuot morning minyan
-
Friday, 8 pm - Shabbat and Shavuot
evening service
-
Saturday, 9 am - Shabbat and Shavuot
morning service,
YIZKOR
will be recited
Saturday morning toward the
conclusion of the morning minyan.
We light Shavuot candles
Thurs. at 8 pm
We light our Shabbat/Shavuot
candles Friday at 8:01 pm
Since Shabbat and 2nd day
Shavuot coincide, on Friday evening we
say, "Baruch Atah Ado-nai Elo-heinu
Melech ha'Olam, asher kidshanu
bemitzvotav, vetzivanu, lehadlik ner
shel Shabbat ve'Yom Tov."
We also add Shehecheyanu on both nights
of Shavuot.
Shabbat/Shavuot ends
at 9:09pm on Saturday.
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Chag Same'ach and Shabbat Shalom from
Rabbi Tow
The Ten Commandments are the centerpiece of
the Torah reading for the first day of
Shavuot. The congregation rises as the
first words of the commandments are
chanted. A special melody accompanies the
final words of each of the ten. There is
clearly something special happening as we
reenact God's giving of these commandments,
and by extension the entire Torah, at Mt.
Sinai.
What is not clear, though, is the exact
meaning of all the commandments. The King
James translation of the Bible, for example,
lists the sixth commandment as "Thou shalt
not kill." However, aren't we supposed to
be able to defend ourselves? Doesn't God
ask the ancient Israelites to slaughter and
offer animal sacrifices?
The third commandment is one that also
presents some difficulty in understanding
its meaning. The explanation I learned in
Hebrew school reflected a classic
translation of this commandment into
English, "You shall not take God's name in
vain." The lesson was that we should not
use the word "God" outside of prayer, in
jest or in anger. A more exact translation
is, "You shall not swear falsely by the name
of the Lord your God." There is no problem
in making an oath in God's name. Such an
oath is part of the expectation of witnesses
who testify in court cases, and swearing in
God's name is a significant religious issue
in Judaism. The issue is, rather, making a
false oath in God's name. One who makes a
false oath in God's name does not believe in
God's power to hold the oath-taker to his or
her word. A false oath like this is, then,
an insult to God who according to our
tradition does have power in the
universe.(Though we do not always know how
or why God exercises power.)
It is important to clarify that God does not
need our protection from the insult of false
oaths. A human being takes an oath within
the finite limits of time whereas God is
eternal and beyond time. The third
commandment, then, fulfills the equally
important objective of maintaining the
holiness of God's name. In Jewish thought,
the individual does not swear using the word
"God", but rather the YHVH--God's Name that
is used only in the holy context of our
prayers. If individuals make false oaths
using God's name, then conceivably down the
road we might begin to question whether God
really does have power and presence in the
universe. "God" might begin to sound like a
meaningless reference to something invisible
and bereft of authority and presence.
In what areas of human activity are oaths
still central to the experience? When
someone takes an oath, and invokes God, how
can we reconcile potential failure in one or
more responsibilities with the 3rd
commandment? Would an oath feel less
binding without God as part of the formula?
Wishing everyone a happy and healthy Shavuot
and Shabbat on behalf of Rachel, Dara, and
myself,
Rabbi Tow
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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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Upcoming Week's Calendar
Thursday, May
28 Erev Shavuot
No Religious
School,
No Bnai Mitzvah
lessons
7:00pm Aleph
Consecration and
Shavuot Service
8:30pm "Shabbat
University"
Friday, May 29
Shavuot
7am Minyan
No Nursery
School; Office
closed
6:00pm Shabbat
Dinners across
the GRJC
8:00pm Erev
Shabbat /
Shavuot Service
Sunday, May 31
Salute to Israel
Parade,
Bus leaves from
GRJC at 11:30 am
No
Sunday/Hebrew
School
June events:
June 1, 7:30pm
Last Melton II
Adult Ed Class
(Youth Lounge)
June 2, 7:30 pm
- Special
membership
meeting to
approve new
Constitution and
2009-10 Slate of
Officers and
Trustees
8 pm - June
Board meeting
June 4, 7:00pm
Melton II
Graduation (at
Temple Beth
Rishon,
Wyckoff)
June 5, 8:00
pm
Installation
of 2009-10
Officers/Trustees
during Friday
night
services;
Special Oneg
Shabbat
June 6, 9am
Shabbat
Service with
adult B'not
Mitzvah
10am - Junior
Congregation
June 7, Last
day of
religious
school;
2pm - Lunch
for HS and
College grads
with Rabbi Tow
June 8, 7:30pm
Teen Support
Group:
Responding to
crisis-Share
what's on your
mind with
peers and a
professional.
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