KAY Bulletin: August 17-18 Parshat Softim
Shabbaton Aug 17/18
Rav Chanan Gordon will be joining us for a special Shabbat of learning. Rav Gordon has an amazing resume including a Fulbright Scholarship to Harvard Law School and financial services with UBS and Morgan Stanley.
Friday night services 6.15 pm followed by Shabbat dinner.
Shabbat morning services at 9.30 am followed by cholent lunch.
Seuda Shlishit at 6.30 P.M at Rav Menashe and Donna's home, 3905 Carmel Brooks Way in Carmel Valley.
Topics for the Shabbaton
- Friday night: Why do bad things happen to good people?
- Saturday morning: The Torah perspective on having a successful marriage.
- Seudah Shlishit: What is my unique role in the Jewish world and beyond?
Israel update Sep 6th 7.30 pm
Join us for a special joint program with the San Diego Jewish Academy. Dynamic Israeli diplomat Gilad Millo will speak on "Current challenges in the Middle East and their effects on the global agenda". Don't miss this fascinating talk!
Selichot Sep 8th 8.30 pm
Save The Date: Saturday eve, September 8th is KAY's Musical Selichot evening. Join us as we spiritually prepare for the High Holiday season. 8:30 pm; location TBA
Jewish Childbirth Class
Hosted by the JCC, Shalom Baby and KAY, Rav Menashe and Vivianne Jacobs are offering the Jewish Childbirthing class to expectant parents. If you or someone you know is interested, please contact Judy Nemzer at Shalom Baby. shalombaby@lfjcc.com
Community events
The Museum of Man – Copper Age Exhibit, featuring Archeology in Israel, runs through February.
Museum of Natural History- Dead Sea Scrolls Exhibit- runs through December.
Jewish and Single? A new group of San Diego Jewish Singles has formed. Contact Rose to be included at shoshilender7@sbcglobal.net.
Refuah Sheleima
Please contact Rav Menashe to let him know of any family or friends who are ill.
Chavurot
Some of our Chavurot have already begun and more are on the way. Please let Rav Menashe if you are interested in joining any of these Chavurot:
- Tefillah: The What's, How's and Why's of Prayer
- The Relevance of Ritual: Making our celebrations and holidays come to life
- Jewish Mysticism: Exploring our Inner Dimension through Kabbalistic and Hasidic thought and stories
- Social Song: Musical gatherings to bring community and friends together
- Jewish Book of the Month: We will read and discuss a great book, fiction and non, from the current Jewish literary scene
- Mothers and Daughters: A unique group just for Jewish Women.
Member news
New members - we are delighted to welcome our new members Ron & Kim Lazarus & Family and Hilton Rappoport.
Happy birthday to Debbie Kempinski (Aug 17), Syd Rosin (Aug 17), Denise Matus (Aug 18), Justin Rapoport (Aug 20), Joshua Burland (Aug 22) and Laurence Bloch (Aug 23)!
Yahrzeits - we wish a long life to Ronald Lubesnick (for his father). Natalie Lubesnick (for her husband) and Selwyn Lurie (for his sister).
Kiddush
A cholent Kiddush lunch after Saturday morning services will be sponsored by our kehilla on the occasion of Rav Chanan Gordon's special Shabbat of learning.
Please contact Barbara Lurie at barblurie@san.rr.com or 858/792-7942 if you would like to sponsor kiddush on Shabbat morning.
Membership registration
Your support is vital! Please complete and send in your membership form as soon as possible. To discuss your monthly contribution in strict confidence, please contact Geoff Patz at 858/733-3777. All donations are tax deductible and should be made payable to Kehillat Ahavat Yisrael and mailed to 13030 Brixton Place, San Diego CA 92130-1325. Thank you for your support!
Shabbat services
Friday night services: afternoon services 6.05 pm Kabbalat Shabbat 6.15 pm. Shabbat morning: 9.30 am. Children's service 10.30 am. Services are held every week in the Bet Midrash of the San Diego Jewish Academy's Carmel Valley campus. Please see our web site for more information and directions.
Shabbat times
- Fri Aug 17: Candle lighting 7.14 PM
- Sat Aug 18: Shabbat ends 8.14 PM
Thought for the week
This Shabbat's Torah portion, Parshat Shoftiim, is replete with commandments. One fascinating commandment centers on war and just combat. If Israel lays siege on a city, the legions are not to cut down any fruit-bearing tree. The verse in the Torah gives explanation in the form of a rhetorical question: Are trees of the field human to withdraw from before you…?! (Deut 20:19)
In this instance, the Torah makes us aware to take an active concern for the wellness and the support of those unable and in desperate need of help.
The Talmud understands this as a precedent of the need to care for our bounty. We must not wantonly squander our G-d given gifts.
The simple meaning of this commandment from the Torah reading and the Talmudic elaboration of this command intersect in their basic message. The tree is helpless, unable to take cover, vulnerable to the might of the other and that is just why we must not cut the tree down. Just because we can, does not mean we should. The Talmud takes that message a step further: though the tree is at our disposal, we must cherish the gifts that it bears. Here, the Torah teaches an attitude, while the Talmud teaches a behavior.
At this time of year, approaching the high holiday season, Jewish communities throughout the World turn their gaze outside of themselves to seek out the vulnerable, the helpless amongst us and not only to feel pained by the absence, but whatever few fruit remains on their branches are meant to be upraised and honored as the sweetest, most precious gifts of our community; gifts that cannot be wasted.
Shabbat Shalom Umevorach,
Rav Menashe
Kehillat Ahavat Yisrael (Love of Israel - the nation and the land) is a warm, caring modern Orthodox community welcoming Jews of all backgrounds to personal exploration and growth within Judaism. Our name symbolizes our passionate love for both fellow Jews and the State of Israel.
Please feel free to forward this email to anyone who you think might be interested. Let us know at any time if you'd like to be removed from this email list.
Contact information:
Rabbi: Rav Menashe and Donna East 858/605-1111
Board:
- President: Michael Lurie 858/794-8278
- Marketing: Ian Aires 858/481-2706
- At large: Barbara Berkovich 858/353-1420
- Programs: Gary Lewis 858/538-2330
- Programs: Jeff Max 858/481-7627
- Finance: Selwyn Lurie 858/792-7942
- Ladies: Barbara Lurie 858/792-7942
- Membership: Geoff Patz 858/733-3777