Parshat Vayeira
January 16, 2021 / 3 Shevat 5781
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Kabbalat Shabbat: Friday, 5:30pm Via Zoom
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Sanctuary Services: Saturday, 9:45am Via Zoom
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Mishpacha Service: Saturday, 10am Via Zoom
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TeleTefila Services: Saturday, 10am Via Zoom
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TeleTefilah Havdallah Saturday, 5:39pm Via Zoom
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Torah Reading: Vayeira | Exodus 6:2 - 9:35 (7:8 - 8:15)
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Haftara: Ezekiel 28:25-29;21
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The Un-Distancing Hour: Thursday, 5:30pm Via Zoom
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Shabbat Morning Study: Saturday, 8:45am Via Zoom
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Stock the Ujamma Community Fridge: Monday, 11:30am More Info
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An Introduction To Kabbalah WILL NOT MEET THIS WEEK Via Zoom
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Psalm Of The Week Tuesday, 8:15am Via Zoom
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Social Protest and the Legacy of MLK Tuesday, 3pm Via Zoom
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Inauguration Eve Maariv Tuesday, 8pm Via Zoom
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War of Shadows by Gershom Gorenberg Thursday, 7:30pm Via Zoom
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We send condolences to Joni Greenspan and Dan Lenchner at the passing of Joni's sister Beverly (Breindel) Greenspan. |
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Collecting Images of Purim’s Past
Do you have a favorite picture of Purim’s past? Your best family costume, your first time reading megillah, your home made grogger, baking hamentashen with your grandparents, or grandchildren? Anything festive and fun that reminds you of the holiday? We hope to be able to create a collage of these images to share with the community as we celebrate the holiday this year on Thursday, February 25th at 6pm.
DEADLINE: FEBRUARY 11
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Monday-Friday at 7:30am
Sunday at 8:30am
or call: 929 205 6099
Meeting ID: 933 006 171
Passcode: minyan
Morning Minyan on Martin Luther King Day, (Monday, January 18) will take place at 8:30am.
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At Bill Clinton's inauguration 28 (!!) years ago, Maya Angelou read her poem "On the Pulse of Morning," including these lines:
History, despite its wrenching pain,
Cannot be unlived, and if faced
With courage, need not be lived again.
On the eve of a new president's inauguration, please join Ansche Chesed on Tuesday, January 19, for Maariv services at 8 pm. Sharing fears and hopes, we will ready ourselves as American Jewish citizens for the challenges and possibilities ahead.
Meeting ID: 9830 7068 203
Passcode: 963608
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Shabbat Services on MLK Weekend |
Please join Ansche Chesed for services this weekend on MLK Shabbat, as we look toward an American renewal inspired by one of our greatest moral voices. Friday night Kabbalat Shabbat at 5:30pm will combine our traditional psalms with MLK's words. And Shabbat morning 9:45am services will feature a panel discussion on how people can find hope in hopeless times. |
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Join us as we begin Shabbat with our traditional Kabbalat Shabbat and, now that Shabbat is beginning earlier, a full maariv service.
Please join the Ansche Chesed clergy to reconnect with our community as well as find nourishment and inspiration in the music and words of our tradition.
Please click in before services begin for some time to schmooze and greet each other first, the ritual gathering will start at 5:30pm.
or call
929 205 6099,
Meeting ID: 875 1782 0145
Passcode: Shabbat
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Shabbat Morning Services
When will you sign in? We have set this up so that the same Zoom will be used for Kabbalat Shabbat as for Shabbat Morning, so you can join us for Kabbalat Shabbat, (before Shabbat begins) and be set, as long as you disable your computer's sleep function. We will begin tefillah itself promptly at 9:45am.
We will recite prayers for healing during our morning services. Since most participants will be muted, you won't get to call out the name of those you have in mind. If you'd like to give Rabbi Kalmanofsky the name of an ailing friend or loved one, please email the names to him at RJK@AnscheChesed.org and include your relationship to the person you are praying for. When/if the person you've been praying for is doing better, please let us know, so we can joyfully remove them from this list!
We are grateful to the Rabbinical Assembly (RA) for making Siddur Lev Shalem and Parshat Vayeira from the Etz Hayim Chumash available to us as PDF's. During our Zoom services, we will typically read a smaller quantity of Torah than we do in person.
We hope that everyone will be able to fully participate with us!
or call
929 205 6099
Meeting ID: 875 1782 0145
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UPCOMING SPECIAL PROGRAMS |
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Serve our Community in Honor of Martin Luther King Day
Sunday, January 17, 10am | Rain/Snow date MLK Day, • Monday, January 18
Meet outside of Ansche Chesed on 100th Street
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ONE BLOCK is a non-profit, formed this summer in response to the massive cuts to the Department of Sanitation budget. Upper West Side residents commit to clean their block or side streets 1 or 2 days a week, and there are weekly group cleanups as well. Through donations, ONE BLOCK also pays for 3 ACE Programs for the Homeless employees to clean Amsterdam, Broadway, and Columbus Avenue 5 days a week.
DETAILS ARE AS FOLLOWS:
- Warmly dressed volunteers should meet outside Ansche Chesed (251 West 100th Street) at 10am.
- Jake Russell and Ann Cutbill Lenane, founders of ONE BLOCK, will give out bags, gloves, and ONE BLOCK baseball hats.
- If you’d like to bring a garbage grabber, you can buy one at your local hardware store or on Amazon.
- Children are welcome to help, but they must be carefully supervised.
- Bringing your dog is not a good idea for a variety of reasons.
- You will bag as much garbage as you can (not twigs or leaves) and place it next to the existing trash bins.
- You will be asked to clean approximately 3 to 4 blocks between West End Avenue and Amsterdam, between 96th Street and 110th Street.
- Feel free to take pictures and videos, and make sure to tag #OneBlockUWS.
- YOU NEED TO SIGN UP ON THE LINK BELOW.
- PLEASE DO NOT reserve a spot for children under 15, they are welcome to come, but the sign up sheet is only for volunteers ages 15 and older.
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Stock the Ujamaa Community Fridge
MLK Day, Monday, January 18, 11:30am-1pm
101st Street and Columbus Avenue
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Join other AC members to support the Ujamaa Community Fridge which provides the neighborhood with free, fresh food. With so many struggling with food insecurity, especially during the pandemic, our goal will be to stock the fridge for the day. When you shop this week, think about adding a few extra items to your cart and dropping them off at the fridge on Monday. All donations are welcome but to make things easier and provide a range of food and other items, please sign up here so we know to expect your donation.
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Love and Rebuke: Social Protest and the Legacy of Martin Luther King with Rabbi Bill Plevan
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Martin Luther King's advocacy of non-violent protest was deeply rooted in a Christian love ethic that demands love of the enemy. Join Rabbi Bill Plevan to look at some of the most daring of King's interpretations of this love ethic and consider how Jews might view the relationship between love and non-violent social protest. In particular we will look at the relationship between love and rebuke in Leviticus 19:17-18 and its meaning for the challenges of our times.
Rabbi Bill Plevan holds rabbinic ordination from the Jewish Theological Seminary and a doctorate in Religion from Princeton University where he wrote his dissertation on the German-Jewish philosopher Martin Buber.
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WAR OF SHADOWS by Gershom Gorenberg
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War of Shadows is a a true-life spy thriller: the story of the World War II espionage affair that brought Germany's Erwin Rommel to the very brink of conquering the Middle East - bringing with him the S.S. officer already responsible for the murder of half a million Jews. Only a last-minute intelligence breakthrough cut off Rommel's secret source and defeated the Nazis.
Years in the making, this book is a feat of historical research and storytelling. Set against intrigues that spanned the Middle East, it presents a new picture of a crucial period in the pre-state history of Israel, and challenges the conventional memory of World War II and and of the Holocaust.
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The Czech Scroll Story: from WWII to the Diaspora
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A series of miracles allowed a huge hoard of Czech Torah scrolls to survive the devastation of the Shoah and stand as a testament to the communities that perished. The Memorial Scrolls Trust is committed to maintaining the legacy of these scrolls by dispersing 1400 of them around the world on permanent loan from our collection. To those who were entrusted with the scrolls, they are a symbol of hope as well as sorrow. The hope pushed forward an ongoing mission. We believe these Czech scrolls should be reinstituted in Jewish life as a memorial to the vanished communities which once treasured them. The Memorial Scrolls Trust bears witness to the fulfillment of this hope. Let us teach our children about the world of miracles and let us use the scrolls to remind people about what binds them together everyday |
Lois Roman is a Trustee of the Memorial Scrolls Trust (MST), and serves as the US Representative based on the East Coast. The Memorial Scrolls Trust is a London based non-profit which oversees the legacy of 1,564 Czech Torah scrolls that survived the Shoah.
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High Risk: Stories of Pregnancy, Birth, and the Unexpected
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In this book talk from high-risk ob doctor Chavi Eve Karkowsky, we'll discuss the stories we don't tell about our reproductive lives such as the origins of our families, of our bodies, and of the larger medical system - and what we lose because we don't.
Dr. Karkowsky completed medical school at Mount Sinai, her residency in obstetrics and gynecology at the integrated program at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, followed by a fellowship in Maternal-Fetal Medicine (MFM) at Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine, and
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now works as a high risk obstetrics specialist in New York City.
Chavi has written for the Atlantic, Slate, the Washington Post, and other publications. "High Risk: Stories of Pregnancy, Birth, and the Unexpected" (Liveright/Norton 2020) is her first book, and is available everywhere that books are sold.
JOIN VIA ZOOM
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To Schmooze or not to Schmooze: The Un-Distancing Hour
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We'd like to announce the rebranding and re-imagining of the Thursday afternoon Kiddush cocktail hour, which has been a lovely way for people to connect during this crazy time. But we thought it needed a transformation into something a bit more specific.
Before the pandemic, Kiddush has traditionally been a way for people at Ansche Chesed to connect with one another, to share milestones, to kvetch and moan a bit, to express support to friends who are going through one of life's many struggles, or even to share a joke. It's informal, unstructured, and enables people to check in and out as they please. The Pre-Shabbat Un-Distancing Hour is a way to enable people to get together and continue doing that with one another, for one another.
So join us with your paper cup of seltzer or beverage of your choice. Looking forward to schmoozing.
Meeting ID: 859 7986 0603
Passcode: schmooze
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While we will not be together in person on Shabbat morning for services, that doesn't mean that we can not study together. Join Rabbi Kalmanofsky to delve into the weekly portion through the eyes of favorite commentators-ancient, medieval, and modern; midrashic, mystical, and academic.
Meeting ID: 875 1782 0145
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Join us for virtual mindfulness meditation and contemplative practices to help us keep centered in these unpredictable times. A number of our fellow congregants are experienced meditation leaders and will act as facilitators. Through the wonders of technology, we can enjoy the power of meditating together as a community.
No prior meditation experience is necessary.
Led on alternate weeks by AC members Sheila Lewis, Sheldon Lewis, and Peter Silverman.
Meeting ID: 614 506 599
Passcode: breathe
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Or Neerav/"The Sweet Light": An Introduction to Kabbalah
WILL RETURN MONDAY, JANUARY 25, 7pm Via Zoom
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One of the greatest of all Kabbalists, R. Moshe Cordovero (or “Ramak,” 1520-1570, Safed, Land of Israel), wrote a primer on Jewish mystical doctrines to encourage all Jews to explore this secret realm. This relatively short work is available on Sefaria.
To mark Ramak’s 500th birthday, please join Rabbi Kalmanofsky for a weekly spiritual and intellectual adventure into the teachings and techniques that make Kabbalah one of the world’s great mystical traditions. (I promise: no red strings, no holy water. Just a holy book from a spiritual master.)
Meeting ID: 885 6780 5304
Passcode: ramak
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Most of the Bible reads as God's communication to humanity, in messages delivered through prophets like the unique Moses and his successors, Isaiah, Jeremiah and the rest. But in the Book of Psalms, Israel turns toward heaven and pours out its praises, hopes, fears and laments.
Please join Rabbi Kalmanofsky for a 30-minute Zoom study of one Psalm each Tuesday morning. 8:30am, to explore the human poetry that reveals our ancestors' spiritual life. (You don't have to join the 7:30 am morning service immediately before the class ... but it would be a terrific lead-in!)
Meeting ID: 933 006 171
Passcode: minyan
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Shirei Chesed Community Chorus
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Even in the Covid era, our Shirei Chesed Community Chorus will continue to build community through learning a rich and diverse repertoire of Jewish music, and bring harmony into the world that needs it more than ever. In lieu of live performances, this semester we will focus our efforts this semester on growing our repertoire and musicianship, as well as recording a virtual choir project.
Meeting ID: 9830 7068 203
Passcode: 963608
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Talmud Study With Rabbi Kalmanofsky:
Taking Responsibility and Fixing Mistakes
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Jewish ethics require us to be responsible people — that we fix what we break, and pay for our crimes. This year we will study some of the Talmud’s lengthy examination of torts, the complicated economic damages people can cause. Bava Kamma chapter 9 examines the laws of robbery, fraud and the restitution those criminals must make.
Meeting ID: 872 9427 4347
Passcode: bavakamma
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Mishpacha Services
January 16, 23, February 6, 13 March 13, 27, April 10, 24, May 8, 22, June 5
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Babies, toddlers and preschool age kids and their families are invited to join Leilah for our Mishpacha Service, this Friday afternoon. Get ready for Shabbat with songs, puppets, movement -- and your friends from Ansche Chesed.
Meeting ID: 634 698 822
Passcode: shabbat
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SOCIAL ACTION & COMMUNITY SERVICE |
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Gift of Life Bone Marrow Registry
A few weeks ago, we sent you an e-mail explaining that an Ansche Chesed member was in profound need of a transplant to address her rapidly worsening leukemia. We urged you to find someone between 18 and 35 to register as a potential donor with the hopes that we would find a match.
We're off to a good start. Many thanks to those of you who have already participated.
But we need to do more! A few minutes of your time can literally save a life.
More information is available here. Please reach out today to a potential donor, and follow up with them to ensure he or she requests and returns a Gift of Life cheek swab. Start the New Year with a huge mitzvah.
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DOROT Winter Package Delivery
Sunday, January 24 and Monday, January 25
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Deliver a package of treats and useful supplies & share warmth and companionship over the phone with an older neighbor!
Here's how it works:
- Check in at DOROT to collect the package (171 West 85th Street).
- Drop off the package at the senior's front door.
- Connect with the senior by phone to share good wishes!
Please note that Sunday drop-off locations are primarily Upper East Side, Monday locations are on the Upper West Side.
Registration Closes January 20, 2021
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Community Fridges Need Our Support |
Looking for a way to ease hunger in our community this holiday season and beyond? Consider supporting one of the friendly fridges in our neighborhood. At community refrigerators anyone may take what they need or leave food for others.
Donations of fresh produce, frozen meals, packaged and pantry items, etc., are all welcome.
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Ujamaa Community Fridge
Columbus Ave @ 101st Street
(West Side of Columbus)
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The West End Community Fridge
77th St between Broadway and WEA
open M-F, 9am-5pm
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Ansche Chesed is pleased to announce it has joined with other New York synagogues and communal organizations in an initiative called What Matters: Caring Conversations About End of Life. This effort aims to heighten awareness around the importance of completing advance care directives, and enable individuals to thoughtfully consider and document their end of life preferences, with opportunities to engage Jewish values as part of the process. Confidential conversations are conducted by trained and certified Ansche Chesed facilitators, who are available to answer important questions and help walk you through the process, clarifying your goals and wishes for future healthcare and related choices in case you are unable to speak for yourself.
We look forward to working with you on this important initiative. Should you wish to schedule a conversation, please eMail, whatmatters@anschechesed.org, or leave a message at (212)865.0600 x201, and we will be in touch with you as soon as possible.
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Do you know someone who is ill or in need of temporary support? The Bikkur Cholim Committee is here to help. |
If you know someone who is ill and in need of a visit or a meal, or other assistance, please contact the Bikkur Cholim committee. The Bikkur Cholim committee helps care for Ansche Chesed members who are ill or have been hospitalized. We visit them; telephone and send cards; provide meals, especially for Shabbat; shop for them; and escort them to doctors' appointments.
Click here for more information on life cycle support at Ansche Chesed.
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Get Covid-19 Exposure Alerts:
Add Your Phone, Stop The Spread
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To stop the spread of COVID-19, New York needs each of us to do our part. One way you can help yourself and your community is by participating in our newly launched mobile contract tracing app COVID Alert NY.
COVID Alert NY is a voluntary, anonymous, exposure-notification smartphone app. You will get an alert if you were in close contact with someone who tests positive for COVID-19. Knowing about a potential exposure allows you to self-quarantine immediately, get tested and reduce the potential exposure risk to your family, friends, neighbors, co-workers and others.
Download the free app to your smartphone to receive an alert if you have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.
Apple: Download on the App Store
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DOROT Onsite at Home (previously On-site programs) |
Dorot has made changes and moved all of our on-site programs onto a digital platform - these are now Zoom-based classes.
To register and receive a weekly email of the upcoming classes, please send an email that includes your name and phone number to dorotprograms@dorotusa.org. For those seniors who don't have computers or technology (smartphone/tablet/cell) with cameras, you are welcome to participate in the Zoom programming by dialing in over the phone.
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Join the Yaldaynu Community: 2021-22 Application Process Open |
Yaldaynu Preschool is currently accepting applications for the 2021-2022 school year! Yaldaynu is a child and family-centered school, defined by its warm and nurturing environment. We encourage intellectual, emotional, physical and social growth, and Yaldaynu parents are an integral part of this process. Our "neighborhood school" atmosphere promotes friendships between families that continue long after the children have moved on to other schools. Check out our website to learn more: www.yaldaynu.org. Email office@yaldaynu.org to set up a Zoom meeting with our Director!
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Weekly Pandemic Support Group
Mondays at 7pm
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COVID19 has led to a significant amount of stress, and many people need a space of connection and support. The Jewish Board of Family and Children Services (JBFCS) is sponsoring a special support group to help those who are struggling, to get through the current pandemic. These Zoom sessions will be facilitated by Jessica Cohen, LMSW.
Please contact Jessica with any additional questions, concerns or to receive information about joining by email or at 347-735-0583.
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Chef's Table Kosher Catering has prepared gourmet foods, delivered to customers in New York City. These are be pre-cooked, delicious kosher meals delivered right to your door.
Visit their website to view their menu.
Contact Bruce at (917)-868-7964 or his website for more information.
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If you are a member, you may send "shuk" postings to shuk@anschechesed.org. All postings must have a member's contact info, and received by Tuesday at 3pm.
Postings run for only two weeks.
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Rabbi Jeremy Kalmanofsky
ext. 21
Rabbi Yael Hammerman
Associate Rabbi
ext. 208
Mark Paul
President
Martin Sivorinovsky
Administrative Director
ext. 216
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Hazzan Natasha Hirschhorn
Music Director
ext. 242
Joshua Hanft
Executive Director
ext. 209
Darone Ruskay
Programming Director
ext. 201
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Despite our best efforts and extensive proofreading, we apologize for any errors or omissions. Please note: If you wish to be included in the Community or Shuk sections of the Weekly Newsletter (which is sent out on Thursday), please email druskay@anschechesed.org with a Word or plain text version of your title, date/time, brief blurb, and relevant link/contact info by end of business on Tuesday.
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