Shabbat Vayishlach Nov 23-24, 2007 / Kislev 14, 5768
ThanksgivingKAY Annual Thanksgiving Flag Football game
We meet at the park next to Carmel Creek Elementary school at 10am for a friendly, but fierce game of flag football. No charge, lots of fun!
In the Community
If you know of anyone that will be alone or housebound for Thanksgiving, please contact Rav Menashe.
KAY's Torah Study Opportunities
Work Person's Shiur
Workperson's Class at Aubrey Meyerowitz's office will meet on Wednesday, November 28th at 1pm. Address: 9863 Pacific Heights Blvd 92121. This week's topic will be about Chanukkah. This class meets once a month.
Advanced Talmud Class: Men and Women are invited to study high level Talmud. Please speak to Rav Menashe to inquire further.
KAY Chavurot: Join an informal, social Chavurah study group this year. Meet once a month for social Torah meetings about whatever area of Jewish life you are interested in. Please contact Rav Menashe.
Chanukkah is coming
First night of Chanukkah is Tuesday evening, December 4th!
KAY Chanukkah party - Save the date for our annual Chanukkah party at the Palacio Clubhouse on Sunday evening, December 9th, for the 6th night of Chanukkah. We will play music, eat latkes, dance and have lots of fun for the kids. Be sure to bring your own Menorah for the communal candle lighting.
Community events
Men's Event
Sign up for the Men's Event with KAY's Table. January 24th, 5:30 pm. This year's guest lecturer, Alan Dershowitz. http://sandiego.ujcfedweb.org/page.html?ArticleID=157988.
AIPAC brunch fundraiser - Mar 30
Tickets $50 till December, thereafter $65. Please contact Daniella Lewis 858/603-7553.
Refuah Sheleima
Please contact Rav Menashe to let him know of any family or friends who are ill.
Member news
Happy birthday to Kim Aires (Nov 23), Dylan Max (Nov 23), Ernest Slome (Nov 23), Aaron Krelstein (Nov 24), Jonathan Engel (Nov 26), Dina Aires (Nov 28) and Ami Berman (Nov 29)!
Wedding anniversary - mazal tov to Jack & Monique Shevel (Nov 29)!
Kiddush
Kiddush this Shabbat is sponsored by Jeff and Joanne Max in honor of all out of town guests!
Please contact Daniella Lewis at 858/603-7553 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: 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 Nov 23: Candle lighting 4.26 PM
- Sat Nov 24: Shabbat ends 5.26 PM
Thought for the week
Reading Torah
This Shabbat we read Parshat Vayishlach, but reading this portion is not so simple. At every turn in the Torah's narrative, we find one surprise after another. Let us examine some of those oddities.
As Jacob returns from living abroad for twenty years, he has great anxiety in meeting his brother Esau. The eve before meeting with Esau, Jacob is accosted by a mysterious "man," with whom he wrestles all night. Who is this unnamed character? (Genesis 32)
Later, after Jacob survives his encounter with Esau, the family settles near Shechem. Jacob is for the first time described as "whole." The very next chapter relates the troubling story of the abduction and abuse of Jacob's daughter by Shechem. And the vengeance that Jacob's sons wreak on the entire village, men, women and children (ibid 34)
When Jacob travels back to Beit El to fulfill his promise to G-d and offer thanks to G-d for protecting him in his return to Canaan, the story ends with the sudden death of Rebecca's heretofore unnamed midwife, Deborah. (ibid 35:8)
As the family sets out again on a journey to Efrat, Jacob's beloved wife, Rachel, dies in childbirth. After which time, Jacob's eldest son, Reuben, sleeps with Jacob's concubine, Bilhah. (ibid 35:22)
Finally, the portion concludes with the final forty-three verses, detailing Esau's family and the royalty of the future generations that will emerge from Esau's blood line. (ibid 36) Why do we need to know this?
Each of these events, when viewed independently is difficult to explain. When we study these events in context of this Genesis narrative, they become perplexing, even unintelligible. But all of these stories have prompted incredible scholarship, deeply spiritual teachings while raising more questions. As students of the Torah, our goal is to continually read with a discerning eye and an open heart so that we find meaning from our Torah, even as strange or surprising as it may seem.
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