SHABBAT SHALOM
Shabbat Behar
May 20-21, 2022 - 20 Iyar 5782
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Counting the Omer, sefirat haomer, is a daily mitzvah from the second night of Passover until Shavuot. Seven weeks of seven days for a total of forty-nine days.
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We have chaverim who need rides to Shabbat/Holiday Services and Programs. If you are available to help, please email office@shaareikodesh.org so we know whom to reach out to
when the requests come in.
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Rabbinical Assembly and USCJ
Condemn Terrorist Attack in Buffalo, New York
Rabbinical Assembly and USCJ Condemn Terrorist Attack in Buffalo, New York.
Following the attack in Buffalo, New York, in which ten people were killed by a white supremacist gunman at a supermarket in a black neighborhood, the Rabbinical Assembly (RA), the international association for Conservative/Masorti rabbis, and United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism (USCJ), issued the following statement:
Along with all Americans who value human life, the Rabbinical Assembly and USCJ express our utter horror at the unspeakable act of white nationalist terrorism against a Black neighborhood in Buffalo. We offer our deepest condolences and support to all those impacted by the attack and reiterate our fierce condemnation of white supremacy and gun violence. We commit, along with our institutional partners:
- To raise our voices against the profoundly dangerous theory of Great Replacement, which endangers Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color, as well as Jews, since white supremacist theory places Jews at the center of their grossly distorted ideology.
- To continue to educate our communities about the interwoven nature of racism and antisemitism; and
- Actively recognize that an attack on any of us is an attack on all of us.
"In 2016, the RA spoke out against mass shootings, as it has very many times, and took a strong stand in favor of gun control by passing a Resolution on American Gun Violence. Seeing yet another explosion of racist hate, the RA and USCJ unequivocally call upon lawmakers to take all available measures to ensure the safety of the public, limit the availability of guns, and condemn white supremacy in all its many forms. As tradition reminds us, 'Do not stand idly by the blood of your neighbor' (Leviticus 19:16)."
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Let me begin by echoing the words of the Rabbinical Assembly and USCJ’s statement on the attack in Buffalo carried out by a white supremacist gunman. We offer our deepest condolences to the families of the victims of the shooting. I urge you all to read the prepared statement carefully to see how and where we can take action to ensure that the scourge of racism and gun violence ends.
Last night, the Jewish people celebrated a mini-holiday called Lag BaOmer, a holiday that has taken on a life of its own in recent years. It is celebrated with bonfires and a pilgrimage to the grave of Shimon Bar Yochai in Meron (Israel), a famous rabbi who some believe wrote the Zohar, the foundational text of Kabbalah.
Shimon Bar Yochai was a great rabbi, but he was famous for one not-so-flattering story. One day, he and his son had to exile themselves to a cave due to a Roman Emporer who tried to capture them, and a miracle occurred in the cave - a spring came bursting out of the ground and a carob tree grew out of nowhere. They had food and water, and Torah - that’s all they needed. They lived in this cave for 12 years, and they emerged to see men plowing and sowing their fields. Rabbi Shimon could not believe his eyes - he saw Jews not studying Torah, but working in the real world. He said, "They forsake eternal life (olam) and busy themselves with temporal life?!”
Every place they turned their eyes to was immediately burned. A heavenly voice (bat kol) came out and said to them: "Did you go out to destroy my world? Return to your cave!" They returned. A year went by, and they ventured out of the cave again, and this time, they saw a man with two myrtles and they asked him what he was doing with them, and he answered that he was bringing them home for Shabbat, to represent the two aspects of Shabbat, Shamor, to observe Shabbat, and Zachor, to remember Shabbat. And their minds became at ease.
So what does this story teach us? To me, it tells about the destruction we can bring to the world when we remain outside of the world and out of touch with others. The more closed off we are, the more our eyes can burn others, and the less understanding we are of others who might be different from us. The man they find isn’t a rabbi, he’s just a normal Jew, and perhaps they see that their way wasn’t the only way to be - that they must be with others to understand the Divine.
Every human being is created B’tzelem Elohim, in the image of God. The sooner all of humanity can understand this simple, and yet deeply profound idea, the closer we will come to a less violent and more loving world.
If you’ve made it this far, thank you for reading! I would like to share some personal news. As some of you may know, I came down with Covid-19 early this week, therefore, I will not be at shul this weekend, as we isolate from others. Although masks are optional at CSK, I highly recommend wearing a mask if you are attending services this weekend, as we are in the middle of yet another surge of Covid-19. I will be taking it easy for the next week and will return all messages and emails when I feel better.
Thank you and Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi David Baum
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FRIDAY MORNING MINYAN
IS CANCELLED THIS WEEK
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Mazal Tov
to our Graduates!
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Mazal Tov Noam Bernstein! May you continue to go from strength to strength.
Our love, Mom & Dad
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Dori Baron, daughter of Betty and Michael Baron, is graduating from Donna Klein Jewish Academy's Rosenblatt High School. She has been accepted to Columbia University! |
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Ethan Lubin, son of Sharon and Eric Lubin, is graduating from Boca Raton Community High School. He will be attending University of Central Florida in the fall. |
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Evan Wadler, son of Gina and Michael Wadler, graduated from Columbia Law School with a JD degree.
After taking the NY Bar Exam in July, he begin as an associate at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP in NYC.
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KABBALAT SHABBAT SERVICES
May 20, 2022
6:15PM
Join us as our Religious School Students lead Kabbalat Shabbat!
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In-Person and on Zoom
Vaccination and Masks Encouraged but Not Required
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SHABBAT MORNING SERVICES
Shabbat Behar
Saturday, May 21, 2022
9:30 AM ET
In-Person and on Zoom
Vaccination and Masks Strongly Encouraged but Not Required
KIDDUSH-TO-GO FOLLOWING SERVICES
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D'var Torah by Lenny Berkowitz
Jack Dembowitz - Leviticus 25:29-34
Jack Dembowitz - Leviticus 25:35-38
Lenny Berkowitz - Leviticus 25:39-43
Lenny Berkowitz - Leviticus 25:44-46
Geil Bilu - Leviticus 25:47-50
Matt Weiss - Leviticus 25:51-54
Matt Weiss - Leviticus 25:55-26:2
Matt Weiss - Leviticus 25:55-26:2
Haftarah - Jeremiah 32:6-27
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Meeting ID: 882 0065 3129 Passcode: 910086 |
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SPONSORS FOR MAY
KEMACH TORAH NADIV SPONSORS 5782
Alexander & Rachel Baum
Nan Berkowitz
Stacie & Jeff Brody
Sue and Ben Eisenberg
Bernard and Ann Grossman
Kol Isha Sisterhood of CSK
Scott Reiter
Judy & Gary Richman
Diane and Robert Salamon
Kiddush -To-Go Sponsors
The Bernstein/Reback Family in honor of Noam's Graduation
Sherry & Brad Dansky in honor of the birth of their granddaughter, Esther Shira (Effie)
Gina & Michael Wadler in honor of Evan's Graduation from Columbia Law School
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*Thank you to Bagel Twins for donating bagels for our Kiddush! |
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*Please note that ONLY the bagels, bialys, and pocket rolls from Bagel Twins at 5130 Linton Blvd are considered kosher (dairy) and are under the supervision of Rabbi Lester Herring. |
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