Shabbat Shemot Dec 28-29, 2007 / Tevet 20, 5768
KAY's Torah Study Opportunities
Work Person's Shiur
Workperson's Class at Aubrey Meyerowitz's office will meet on Wednesday, Jan 9th, 1pm. Address: 9863 Pacific Heights Blvd 92121. This class meets once a month.
Talmud Class: Classes begin Tue Jan 15th. 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.
Community events
JFS Embrace-a-Family for the Holidays
In our Embrace-a-Family Program, we match families in need with individuals, families, or groups in the community. We provide you with a description of your family, ages of children, and their holiday wish list. Embracers provide toys, clothes, staple food, and gift cards for the family, enabling them to have a more joyous holiday. To learn more about embracing a family contact Melinda Bell at (858) 637-3050 or by email melindab@jfssd.org.
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.
Contact Ian Aires at 858/481-2706.
Limmud: Community Day of Learning
Hosted by the AJE. Sunday, January 27th, 7:30am-3:30pm at the LFJCC
2008 Options
Guest Speaker: Anita Diamant - February 5th, 10am-1pm. All women from the community are encouraged to attend this annual UJF fundraising event; for more info: contact jessicah@ujfsd.org
SD Jewish Film Festival
Hosted by the Center for Jewish Culture at the LFJCC. Begins February 7th thru February 17th. For more info, go to www.lfjcc.org/sdjff
AIPAC brunch fundraiser - Mar 30
Tickets $50 till December, thereafter $65. Please contact Daniella Lewis 858/603-7553.
JCC Maccabi Games
The JCC Maccabi Games are coming to San Diego next summer, August 3-8, 2008. This Olympic-style event provides a unique combination of sports, cultural and social activities and will be the largest Jewish event in San Diego's history. The JCC Maccabi Games offer a transforming and powerful experience to Jewish teens by integrating sports with Jewish identity and values. The Games will welcome over 1,500 Jewish teen athletes, their families and friends, more than 1,000 volunteers and 650 host families. To learn more and to get involved as an athlete, host family, coach or volunteer, visit www.sdmaccabi.org or contact Gill Hoffman at Gillianpt@hotmail.com.
Kef Li San Diego
Connect to Israel from San Diego. Check out this website for Israel-inspired programs for the whole family, year round. www.keflisandiego.org Contact Jennie Starr for more
info 858-245-9375 or jennie@keflisandiego.org.
Refuah Sheleima
Please contact Rav Menashe to let him know of any family or friends who are ill.
Member news
Bar Mitzvah - mazal to Rav Menashe and all his family on the occasion of the Bar Mitzvah of Rav's cousin, Yosef Taubes, in New York.
Happy birthday to Yonatan Guelman (Dec 30), Sheryl Rabinowitz (Dec 30), Joanne Max (Jan 1), Ayala East (Jan 2) and Alex Novokolsky (Jan 2)!
Yahrzeits - we wish a long life to Joanne Max (for her mother) and to Gil Berkovich (for his grandfather).
Levaya - our deepest condolences to Barbara Berkovich and her family on the passing of her grandmother.
Kiddush
Kiddush this Shabbat is sponsored by the kehilla to wish all congregants a healthy, happy and successful 2008!
Please contact Barbara Lurie at 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: 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 Dec 28: Candle lighting 4.32 PM
- Sat Dec 29: Shabbat ends 5.32 PM
Thought for the week
The Meaning of Redemption
The book of Shemot, which we begin reading from the Torah this Shabbat, concentrates on the slavery and release of the Jews from Egypt. In the course of the story, the Jews transform from family into nation. But according to the Ramban, Nachmanides, the transformation into nation does not reach fulfillment simply by loosening the bonds of servitude; realizing redemption requires crossing a spiritual threshold. (see Ramban's Intro. to Exodus)
The exodus of the Jews from slavery into a full, true freedom occurs only when the people reach Sinai and build the Tabernacle. Then, according to Ramban, the Jews become fully free; they return to the state of their forefathers and foremothers.
This insightful reading of the exodus story adds a powerful message to those searching for meaning and personal fulfillment. We commonly look at the exodus story as a linear process, beginning with the freedom from slavery, and concluding with the return to the home land of Israel. After all, the Jews wandered as nomads in a barren, lifeless desert for forty years. How could we consider that state of homelessness as an ideal station for a young nation?
But Ramban makes us reconsider our definitions. The Jews of the Exodus story, and presumably each generation thereafter, experience redemption as a cyclical process: Redemption for the first generation of Israelites occurred despite a lack of home soil. They reach national, spiritual fulfillment when they bring Torah into their sanctuary, at the heart of the community.
Those first Israelites find home when they find themselves.
Indeed, this message has escorted generations upon generations of Jews who would never touch the soil, who would never taste the fruit, who would never smell the air of Zion. Yet, those generations did not pass in vain. Those faithful visionaries helped shape the character and quality of the Jewish people as it pined for its home. And now, thankfully, we face a similar question: Though we live in the land, does the land live within us?
May this Shabbat help bring us the blessings of freedom and the knowledge of where we can find our home.
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