KAY Bulletin: August 24, 2007 Parshat Ki Teitzei
Back to school
The Kehilla wishes a successful new year of study and growth to all our
students!
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!
For catering purposes, please RSVP to Barbara Lurie at (858) 792-7942 or email
barblurie@san.rr.com by next Thursday, August 30.
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; Rav
Menashe and Donna's home: 3905 Carmel Brooks Way, 92130. Bring instruments and
sweaters.
KAY"s Trip to the Dead Sea Scroll Exhibit Oct 21st
Save the Date: KAY"s Trip to the Dead Sea Scroll Exhibit in Balboa Park will be
after the High Holiday season. Sunday October 21st, at 11am-1pm. Please RSVP to
Rav Menashe to let us know how many tickets we need to order.
Kid's Services for September
All Tot's are invited to KAY programming in the Moadon over Rosh Hashanah and
Yom Kippur. And to the Sukkah in preparation for Sukkot
KAY's Torah Study Opportunities
Advanced Talmud Class: Men and Women are invited to study high level Talmud. We
will be starting this Class after the High Holiday Season. Please speak to Rav
Menashe to inquire further and to vote on what will be this year's Talmud
tractate for the Kehilla.
KAY Chavurot: Join an informal, social Chavurah study group this year. Please
speak to Rav Menashe on which Chaburah you'd like to join or create.
Work Person's Shiur: Join us every third week for a lunchtime Torah class at
Aubrey Meyerowitz's office. 9863 Pacifc Heights Blvd. Suite E SD 92121
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.
Member news
Happy birthday to Michael Rosin (Aug 24), Steven Ratner (Aug 27) and Jonathan
Shkedy (Aug 27)!
Wedding anniversaries - mazal tov to Ernest & Linda Slome (Aug 29), Israel &
Chaya Zingerevich (Aug 29) and Michael & Vanessa Lurie (Aug 30)!
Yahrzeits - we wish a long life to David Ellman (for his father) and Gary
Shkedy (for his father).
Levaya - we regret to announce the passing of Dana Katzenellenbogen's
Grandmother in South Africa. May she and her family be comforted amongst the
mourners of Zion.
Kiddush
Kiddush will be sponsored by Aubrey & Sheree Meyerowitz in honor of their
wedding anniversary and Aubrey's birthday - mazal tov!
Please contact Barbara Lurie at
barblurie@san.rr.com <http://email.blueminegroup.com/go.shtml?20070823235845259435&m357&mailto: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 <http://email.blueminegroup.com/go.shtml?20070823235845259435&m357&http://kay.blueminegroup.com>
for more information and directions.
Shabbat times
- Fri Aug 24: Candle lighting 7.06 PM
- Sat Aug 25: Shabbat ends 8.06 PM
Thought for the week
Can the Torah be Immoral?
The first three commandments in this week's Torah portion, Ki Teitze, force our
eyes wide open. We, first, read of the steps a Jewish captor must put his prize
through if he wants to marry the captured woman. Then, we read of the command to
present an eldest child with his fair share of inheritance, even though he is
unloved. And, finally, we read about the rebellious child and the tragic end for
this youth. (Deuteronomy 21:10-21)
Separately, these three stories are all troubling. How can a just, ethical
community legalize such vulgar behavior and attitudes? These commandments force
us to ask difficult questions about who we are and what type of community we are
meant to be building.
Our Rabbis struggled to make sense of these commandments too. True. The Torah
speaks of these controversial subjects. But the Torah is not neutral on the
matter. Here, the ordering of these commandments offers us a value statement as
to what end will come if we behave in this manner. To abduct and abuse a captive
will lead to disharmony in the home, forcing the captor to choose his beloved
over his hated. The child of that union is destined to rebel and ultimately
wreak havoc on the broader community. (See Rashi 21:11, commenting on Sifrei
211)
According to this view, the Torah assesses valuation of such behavior. Just
because we can behave in such a way, does not mean we must. In fact our
community has striven for this goal. According to the Talmud, both Rabbi Judah
and Rabbi Yishmael agree, though for differing reasons, that the story of the
rebellious child never once occurred in our history. (TB Sanhedrin 71a) This
suggests that, though the Torah offers us the rubric to potentially travel down
a morally dangerous, even reprehensible path, our community has, thankfully,
chosen an alternate route.
Approaching Rosh Hashanah, we try to take some of these messages to heart:
Living with upright character, a clear vision of right and wrong, and a
religious life that is not odds, but wholly in step with moral, ethical
behavior. These ideals will bring us all a sweet year.
Shabbat Shalom Umevorach,
Rav Menashe
Kehillat Ahavat Yisrael (Love of Israel - the nation and the land) is a warm,
caring 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
mlurie1@san.rr.com