Shabbat Vayikra Mar 14-15, 2008 / 8 Adar 2, 5768
A reminder we start afternoon services at 6:15pm this Friday evening.
As the shabbat before Purim, we read Parshat Zachor to remember the dangers of Amalek to the Jewish people.
Purim
Purim Night - Megillah Reading and Party, Thursday night, March 20th, 7:00 pm; Meal at 8pm (approx.)
The whole community is invited to come to KAY to hear the Megillah reading at the Shul.
Dinner: $15 (lasagne dinner); $10 (mac/cheese dinner); $5 (kids 5 and under). Please RSVP as soon as possible to Barbara Lurie at barblurie@san.rr.com or 858/792-7942. Checks in advance to 13030 Brixton Place, San Diego CA 92130-1325 will be appreciated.
Purim Morning – Morning Service and Megillah Reading, Friday, March 21st, 7:00 am
Men, women and children are invited to hear the Megillah reading, held at the Academy. Women's Megillah Reading, Friday, March 21st, 8.15 am at the Max's home for women who cannot make the earlier time.
KAY's Torah Study Opportunities
Talmud class
Talmud class in room D106-7 at the SDJA, Tuesday evening, 7:30pm. All are invited.
Workperson's Class
Next Workperson's Class will be held Wednesday, March 26th, at 1245pm at Aubrey Meyerowitz's office.
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
Aaron's Kosher Market in Kearny Mesa is unfortunately out of business. The new owners are not keeping the same kashrut standard.
SCY High's SCY 2unes Concert
Featuring Eitan Katz
March 23, 2008
7:00 p.m. at the
Lyceum Theatre Downtown
Give generously and enjoy!
For tickets contact scyevent@gmail.com
858-658-0857
AIPAC brunch fundraiser - Mar 30
Tickets $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.
The JCC MAccabi games website is now open for registration for all volunteers and/host families. Go to www.jccmacreg.org to register.
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 Sol Kempinski (Mar 14), Graeme Lazarus (Mar 14), Andi Neugarten (Mar 14), Gil Berkovich (Mar 15), Ashton Rosin (Mar 17) and Lawrence Sher (Mar 19)!
Wedding anniversary - mazal tov to Geoff & Jeanine Patz (Mar 17)!
Kiddush
Kiddush this Shabbat is sponsored by Gil & Barbara Berkovich to wish Gil a happy birthday - mazal tov!
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 Mar 14: Candle lighting 6.38 PM
- Sat Mar 15: Shabbat ends 7.38 PM
Thought for the week
Sacrifices Today
This Shabbat we begin our study and public reading of the third book of the Torah, Vayikrah; much of the book of Vayikrah stresses ritualistic and the sacrificial services in the Temple. Yet, we live in an age when the concept of Temple service, the priestly offices and the sacrifices carry scant meaning.
How can we read, study and appreciate the texts of Vayikrah in a way that can enliven and inspire our modern sense of who we are as Jews and students of the Torah? Some of our most profound thinkers and leaders wrestled with these very questions, trying to make sense of the applicability of the message of the temple community and the sacrificial rites.
In his major philosophic work, Moreh Nevuchiim, Guide for the Perplexed, Rambam offers his view of the sacrificial world in the desert as reaction to the prevalent idolatrous mores of the day. The Jews were steeped in the pagan, polytheistic cultures; cultures that worshipped and sacrificed to many different deities. These practices are truly reprehensible in the monotheistic world view, but a complete abandoning of these practices would have been jarring. G-d tries to ease the paganism out of the Jewish psyche by redirecting the energy toward sacrifice to the one G-d. (See the Guide III:46)
Rather than Rambam's nation building focus, Ibn Ezra suggests a psychological dimension. The sacrifice is often brought in response to sin. Atonement is the desired end for the bringer of the sacrifice. But the reparative actions needed for complete spiritual healing are through thought, word and deed. And the sacrificial system offers the one looking for atonement, healing in of those dimensions.
Finally, Ramban, Nachmanides, argues with both Rambam and Ibn Ezra. The sacrifices are commanded by G-d Himself. They are meant to serve as means for us to come near to G-d, from the language of Korban, which means to come close. Not because we are trying to rid the idolatrous spirit in us, nor because of the spiritual rewards we may reap from the process of the sacrifices, rather we are meant to be inspired from what is inherent to the system of sacrifices. G-d commanded us to bring the sacrifices and by performing that act, following the will of G-d, will serve as inspiration itself.
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