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Etz Chaim Newsletter 

February 18, 2017 
22 Shevat,  5777
Upcoming Events
     
                     

February 24-25
Scholar-in-Residence 
Rabbi Ronen Neuwirth

February 26
First of 3-Part Lecture Series with 
Rabbi Pesach Sommer

March 7
Sisterhood Book Club Meeting
The Other Einstein

March 15
General Member Meeting at 7:30 pm
(All members welcome)

March 23
Men's Club Pre-Pesach "Man-Seder"

March 26-28
AIPAC Policy Conference in Washington DC
K iddush Sponsor
  
   

Kiddush this Shabbat is  being sponsored 
by the Etz Chaim Community

Message from the Rabbi
Parshat Yitro
This week we have one of the shorter Parshiot in Shemot as far as the number of verses goes. However, one should never judge a Parsha by its cover. This reading contains the episode of Matan Torah - the giving of the Torah and the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai.

Interestingly enough, the name of the Parsha has really nothing to do with the great episode of revelation. The title - Yitro - is about Moshe Rabbeinu's father in law. After a long period of absence and non communication (because Moshe was a little busy in Egypt saving the Jewish people) there is a reunion between Moshe, Yitro, Moshe's wife and their two sons. The meeting is heartfelt and touching with each showing the other party great respect.

The Torah then tells us that Yitro decided to do what every good "Shver" does. He gave unsolicited advice to Moshe about how to run his business! What is even more shocking is that Moshe listens, processes and complies! This may be the first (and perhaps last) time something like this ever happened.

Pirkei Avot teaches us that a wise man is one who is "Lomeid Mikol Adam." Wisdom is characterized by one's ability to learn from anyone! It does not matter if the person is less learned, less pious or even related. Knowledge and good practice are there for the taking. The wise man knows how to get it from many different places.

Moshe was a very wise man!

Shabbat Shalom
 
Pre-Passover Shabbat Dinner Survey
Please reply by this Monday, February 20

Pre Passover
Shabbat Dinner  
 
 
Please let us know if you are interested in coming to a Shabbat Dinner on the Friday right before Pesach, April 7. We are ready to start planning but would like to make sure there is enough interest. Please include the number of family members that will be joining you. 

RSVP ASAP!!!
by this Monday, February 20.

Jamie Eckstein jamiee908@aol.com
Mindy Goldman mindygoldman1@gmail.com

Mishloach Manot Fundraiser
Deadline this Wednesday 

With Purim only a few weeks away, now is the time to sign up for our 
Mishloach Manot Fundraiser, 
and be included in the greetings that go
with the Purim baskets sent to every

Etz Chaim member.  


The deadline to be included in the card is 
Wednesday, February 22, 2017.

 
If you don't have your login code, 
no problem! You can request it on the sign up page.
 
If you have already signed up - Thank You!   
And if you don't remember whether you signed up or not,  give it a try.  The system will not let you sign up twice.  
Shabbat Feb. 24-25 Scholar-in-Residence 
Rabbi Ronen Neuwirth

Please join us next Shabbat as Etz Chaim welcomes 
Rabbi Ronen Neuwirth, 
  founder and president of Ve'AhavTA - TLV Jewish Experience, a grassroots social movement that is aiming to form a new narrative of unity in Israeli society based on Jewish identity. 



About Rabbi Neuwirth
In addition to being the founder and president of Ve"ahavTA-TLV Jewish Experience,  Rabbi Neuwirth served as the Rabbi of Ohel Ari (Minyan Chadash) Congregation in Ra'anana. 

He is the founder and was the first executive director of "Beit Hillel - Attentive Spiritual Leadership", a spiritual leadership organization comprised of over 200 rabbanim and rabbaniyot, that strives to magnify the voice of the centrist mainstream Judaism and stop the religious extremism in Israel .

 Rabbi Neuwirth also served as the head of the overseas department director of Tzohar Rabbinical organization and the director of the "Tzohar Open Communities" project.

Rabbi Neuwirth also teaches at Matan HaSharon seminary in Raanana. He was a R"am in Yeshivat Hesder of Petach Tikva, and also taught at Midreshet Orot Elkanna and Midreshet Aviv in Tel Aviv, as well as serving as the Rabbi of Bnei Akiva of the U.S. and Canada. 

This unique experience gave him the chance to work closely and educate Modern Orthodox youth in North America. Rabbi Neuwirth, a firm adherent of the Torah v'Avodah philosophy, combined his work as a rabbi and teacher with work as Chief Technology Officer (CTO) for a hi-tech company. Rav Neuwirth served as a captain in the Israeli Navy Special Forces. 

He holds Semicha from the Chief Rabbinate of Israel and received a B.A. in Mathematics and computer science from Bar Ilan University in Israel.
Three- Part Lecture Series with 
Rabbi Pesach Sommer
Starting Sunday, February 26

Please join us for an exciting three-part series lecture by  Rabbi Pesach Sommer:

God or Torah -
Which Comes First?

A Religious, Intellectual, and Psychological Investigation into the Challenges of 
Biblical Criticism


The lectures will be given on the following Sunday mornings at 9:15am following  Shacharit: 
February 26, March 19, April 2nd.

  The class is open to men and women.
    Breakfast will be served.

About Rabbi Sommer
Rabbi Pesach Sommer is a member of the Judaic Studies faculty at the Ramaz Middle School in Manhattan. 
He is a veteran educator who has taught for more than 15 years in various schools, including MTA, and Yeshiva of Flatbush. Pesach is a graduate of Queens College, where he studied psychology and has semicha from Rav Zalman Nechemia Goldberg. 
He is involved with Project Makom, an organization for charedim who are looking to find a more modern observant community, where he lectures and offers guidance. Pesach is also a writer, blogger, and accomplished speaker. His versatility allows to him to speak on topics as diverse as biblical criticism, chassidic thought and its ramifications for modern Jews, and losing and regaining one's faith. 
He lives with his wife and eight children in Passaic, New Jersey.
Sisterhood Book Club Meeting
Tuesday, March 7

Please join us for Sisterhood's next  book club meeting.
 
The Other Einstein
by Marie Benedict

Tuesday, March 7
7:15pm
 
at the home of Sharon Halpern
8 Stonehenge Terrace, Livingston

Moderated by Chana Krasnjanski 
dynamic Kushner high school English teacher
 
Please RSVP to Barbara Berger at bberger227@aol.com 
  to let us know if you are coming.   
General Meeting for Etz Chaim Members

A general meeting for members will be held Wednesday night, March 15th, at 7:30 PM 
(all members are welcome)
 
Etz Chaim Israel Mission
May 22-28

This coming May,  we will celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the reunification of Jerusalem. 
Congregation Etz Chaim is proud to announce that we will be in Jerusalem to mark this historic event with a Shul mission. 
Highlights of the trip include:

The dedication of the new Ammunition Hill Museum with the Prime Minister of Israel;
A march to the Old City of Jerusalem with hundreds of thousands of people;
A guided tour of Mt. Herzl cemetery to pay respects to those who made the ultimate sacrifice for Jerusalem;
Day trip to the Negev to witness the revitalization and growth in the region;
A unique Shabbat Yerushalayim experience;
Memories to last a lifetime 
-and so much more.

We are planning to leave 
Monday, May 22nd and return Sunday morning, May 28th.  
The anticipated cost of the mission per person (including regular airfare and based on double occupancy) is approximately $2500.
This will be an  opportunity  of a lifetime to visit Israel with your friends from Shul to mark this historic Milestone.

For more information, or to sign up, 
please contact 
Rabbi Klibanoff

In light of most recent events at the UN Security Council, it is now more important than ever that we visit Israel, 
OUR HOMELAND!

           Community              Events

AIPAC POLICY CONFERENCE 2017

Sunday March 26 - 28, 2017
The Washington Convention Center
             801 Mount Vernon Place NW  MAP
Act now to join thousands of other pro-Israel activists for three of the most important days impacting Israel's future!

For more information on Policy Conference,  click here.
 
The AIPAC Policy Conference is the pro-Israel community's preeminent annual gathering. The event attracts more than 16,000 community and student activists from all 50 states, members of Congress, and countless Israeli and American policymakers and thought leaders. Over three jam-packed days, Policy Conference participants choose from hundreds of informative sessions and participate in the pro-Israel community's largest and most important advocacy day.

 
NORPAC
May 17
Norpac Flyer

Mission to Washington
Wednesday, May 17, 2017

Come be a part of Etz Chaim's delegation to speak with Members of Congress to advocate for a stronger 
U.S.-Israel relationship.
Talking points and training provided.


Register Here

Special Early Bird Discount until March 13.

Contact Eliane Levy at 973-422-1705
for more information.  


Mission attendees are bused (or can come on their own) to Washington in the morning, and arrive at the Washington Convention Center where they attend a brief plenary session with presentations by Congressional leadership. 
Afterwards, individuals converge to their assigned groups - usually of 4 to 6 people - and meet with Members of Congress and their staff to discuss this year's talking points regarding pressing legislation on U.S.-Israeli concerns. 
Transportation home provided.
 
Davening Schedule
PARSHAT YITRO
 
  SHABBAT 
 Davening Times

Friday 
 
Candle Lighting 
5:17 pm

Mincha  
5:20 pm


SHABBAT DAY 

Shiur - 8:30 am
 
Shacharit 
9:00 am

Teen Minyan
9:45 am

Z'man Kriat Shema
   9:29 am  

Mincha 
5:15 pm

Shabbat Ends
6:17 pm


  Weekday Services
    Feb. 19-Feb. 24

Sunday and Monday
Shacharit -8:30am
Mincha/Ma'ariv - 5:20pm

Tuesday-Friday
Shacharit - 6:45am

 Ma'ariv only at 6:45pm

MINCHA/MA'ARIV SERVICES AT SUBURBAN TORAH ARE AT 5:25PM

The History and Meaning of Prayer 
Tuesdays, 10:30 am
When did the siddur get compiled?
Who chose what
to include?
Why were certain prayers chosen?
What do they mean?

Join us to answer these questions and more
Rabbi's Classes
Women's class
with Rabbi Klibanoff

***NEW CLASS***
The History and Meaning of Prayer

Tuesday mornings
10:30 - 11:30

Talmud Shiur in 
Masechet Sotah

Tuesday evening after Mincha/Maariv
Kiddush Sponsorship

  Sponsoring a kiddush is wonderful way to commemorate a loved one's yahrzeit or celebrate a simcha.  

If you would like to sponsor, please 

Etz Chaim Youth

Updating
Cholim list
Prayer for the Ill


To add or remove a name from the cholim list, please contact 
Shelley Paradis at shel4p@aol.com

 

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