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This week's Torah portion includes the story of the giving of the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai. (For a child-friendly musical version click HERE; for the venerable Hollywood version, click HERE; and just in case you've never seen the Mel Brooks version, click HERE.)
One of the curiosities of the Torah reading cycle is the way the ancient rabbis chose to make the somewhat arbitrary decisions about where to separate the weekly portions. The Hebrew names for the portions correspond to the first (significant) word. For this week of the Ten Commandments - surely among the central events of Jewish tradition - we get the anomaly of the portion being named Yitro ("Jethro"), after Moses' father-in-law...who happens not to be "Jewish." (For an animated explanation click HERE; for a long but worthwhile exploration of the anomaly of Moses' father, click HERE.)
The rabbis who crafted the legends we call midrash were fascinated by the choice of Sinai for the giving of the Ten Commandments and the Torah. Here are two explanations: (1) Why was the Torah given to us in the wilderness? Because just as the wilderness is accessible to anyone, so is the Torah accessible to anyone. (2) God says to us, "As I welcomed Jethro the Midianite in the wilderness of Sinai, so must you welcome anyone who comes to you to join your people."
Our contemporary Jewish community continues to be enriched by the many people who while not born into the Jewish tradition have chosen it as their own. In naming this week's Torah portion, perhaps the ancient rabbis were sending us a modern message: the Torah is a "tree of life to ALL who are true to it" - whatever their path may be.
This Friday, we will celebrate a Tot Family Dinner & Shabbat Service (dinner 5:30 pm; service 6:15 pm). We will also offer a Visual Tefilah Erev Shabbat service at 8:00 pm in the sanctuary; this service will also be webcast.
Torah study at 9:00 am on Saturday will be led by Rabbi Frenkel. Scott Kushner will lead Spice Up Your Judaism at 10:15 am.
Reminder: the office is closed Monday, February 20 for Presidents' Day.
Shabbat Shalom!
Rabbi Richard Hirsh
If you wish to have a Mi Shebeirach said during our Shabbat services, please let us know by noon each Friday so we can give the names to the rabbis.
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WE CELEBRATE
The B'nai Mitzvah of
Ari Weinstein
son of David & Susan Weinstein
Jillian MacHenry
daughter of Brian & Lori MacHenry
The Engagement of
Jordan Posner & Rachel Waldman
granddaughter of Stuart & Marylee Alperin
WE REMEMBER
Ira Naznitsky
father of Tami Vetesi
Ben Cohen
father of Barbara Abrams
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THE WEEK AHEAD
Friday, February 17
5:30 pm Tot Family Dinner (All-Purpose Room)
6:15 pm Tot Shabbat (Sanctuary)
8:00 pm Erev Shabbat Service with Visual T'filah (Sanctuary; webcast)
Saturday, February 18
No Religious School
9:00 am Torah Study, led by Rabbi Frenkel (Chapel)
10:15 am
Spice Up Your Judaism, Celebrate Shabbat! (Social Hall)
Exploring Your Personal Judaism, led by Scott Kushner
10:30 am Shabbat Morning Service (Sanctuary)
Bar Mitzvah of Ari Weinstein
5:45 pm Shabbat Afternoon Service (Sanctuary)
Bat Mitzvah of Jillian MacHenry
Sunday, February 19
No Religious School
Monday, February 20
Presidents' Day - Schools & Office Closed
Tuesday, February 21
7:00 pm Membership Committee Meeting (Boardroom)
Wednesday, February 22
7:30 pm Scholar-in-Residence Meeting (Boardroom)
Friday, February 24
6:30 pm Kabbalat Shabbat Service (Chapel)
Please join us for pre-service refreshments starting at 6:00 pm.
We celebrate February birthdays.
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UPCOMING EVENTS
Bowling Night
Saturday, March 4 (Off-site)
Join us at Laurel Lanes in Maple Shade for this two-part fundraising event!
Sponsorships available; click here for
sponsor information.
Hebrew School Open House
Sunday, March 5, 9:15-11:15 am
Tell your unaffiliated friends! Click here for
more information and to
RSVP.
Social Justice Initiative
Tuesday, March 7, 7:30 pm
Are you interested in issues such as intolerance and hate, immigration, women's rights, health care? Do you want to have a voice in what is happening on the local, state and federal level of government? Then join us to discuss important issues and strategize ways to make an impact in our community. Click here for
more information.
Purim Dis-Service & Shpiel
Saturday, March 11, 7:00 pm
A Guys & Dolls-themed take on the Book of Esther.
Purim Character Brunch
Sunday, March 12, 11:15 am
Tot families can enjoy a character brunch and carnival games during this fun twist on our traditional Purim Carnival. $18 per family. Click here for more information or to register.
Red Cross Blood Drive
Monday, March 13, 2:30-7:30 pm
Wednesday, March 22, 7:00 pm
Learn more about cancer and genetic screening from Generosa Grana MD, one of the leaders in Cancer Genetics. $5 per person. Click here for more information or to register.
M'korstock Unplugged
Friday, March 24, immediately following our 6:30 pm Kabbalat Shabbat service
Coffee House Dinner with music by Sarah & the Arrows. Registration required by March 17. Click here for more information or to register.
Tot Shake & Bake
Sunday, March 26, 10:30 am
Our tot families work out with Inspiring Bodies & bake with Classic Cake. Details to come!
Jukebox Sunday Night 2
Sunday, April 2, 5:45 pm
Songs from 1980-2016 by M'kor Shalom's most talented performers. A dinner show not-to-be missed! $40 per person. Click here for more information or to register.
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For late-breaking news, please visit our website at
www.mkorshalom.org.
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Michelle Bross
Executive Director
Congregation M'kor Shalom
850 Evesham Road
Cherry Hill, NJ 08003
(856) 424-4220
(856) 424-2890 (fax)
ExecutiveDirector@mkorshalom.org
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