Shabbat Va'era Jan 4-5, 2008 / Tevet 27, 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
Happy birthday to Hilton Rappoport (Jan 6) and Suki Lurie (Jan 7)!
Yahrzeits - we wish a long life to Darren Aires and Gary Aires (for their father) and to Kim Lazarus (for her mother).
Kiddush
Kiddush this Shabbat is sponsored by Darren and Gary Aires in memory of their father, Brian Aires.
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 Jan 4: Candle lighting 4.37 PM
- Sat Jan 5: Shabbat ends 5.38 PM
Thought for the week
The Importance of a Name
With the start of the book of Exodus, the story line of the Jewish people changes dramatically from the book of Genesis. In Genesis, we see G-d's connection to a family; in Exodus, we see G-d's connection with that family's progeny, the people of Israel.
But the connection that G-d demonstrated to the family in Genesis came through direct, personal contact to the forefathers and foremothers. Now, the connection confronts a number of challenges. Instead of direct, personal contact through dreams or visions, G-d chooses Moses as an intermediary to serve as G-d's instant messenger between G-d and nation. So the people lacked the essential contact with G-d, which their fore parents achieved.
Beside the new, more indirect communication, the Jewish nation remembers the G-d of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. That G-d was known as "El Shaddai," which the Talmud describes as the G-d of creation who said ‘Enough' and the world came into harmony. The projected image of G-d for the Jewish people was a G-d of contentment; the G-d who saw that creation was ‘very good' and rested on the seventh day. That image of G-d would do little for those suffering discrimination and oppression under Egyptian tyranny.
In this Shabbat's Torah reading, Vaeyrah, G-d offers a new name of G-d, which would help inspire the people, despite their lack of communication and difficult circumstances. G-d tells Moses: "I appeared to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob…but the name YHVH was unknown to them." (Exodus 6:2) Rashbam explains that the name YHVH is a name that would inspire trust; the people would know that G-d would fulfill His promise to the people. (See Rashbam, ibid)
With this new name, G-d offers the people a new language and a new vision as to help Israel draw trust and hope. YHVH is the G-d that each person can trust in, within themselves, despite the silence. And YHVH is the G-d dissatisfied with the status quo.
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