Shabbat Kedoshim May 2-3, 2008 / Nisan 28, 5768
Rosh Chodesh
This Shabbat we bless the coming new month of Iyyar. Rosh Chodesh Iyyar is observed on Monday and Tuesday this coming week.
Sefirat Haomer
This Shabbat, we count the 13th day of the Omer
KAY's Torah Study Opportunities
Talmud class
Talmud Class will resume this Tuesday. We will focus on the Talmud and the Land of Israel. Tuesday evening, 7:30pm at the Academy, Room D105.
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.
Yom Hazikaron
Tuesday night May 6 we observe the remembrance for all the Israeli soldiers who gave their lives for the State of Israel. It would be appropriate to light a candle in honor of our Chayalim and Chayalot.
Yom Ha'atzmaut
Celebrations for Israel's 60th year of Independance. Wednesday evening, May 7th, the shul is invited to participate in an Orthodox, community-wide celebration for Israel's Independance sponsored by Scyhigh held at Beth Israel in La Jolla. The Tefillah begins at 7:45pm, followed by a celebratory meal; cost is $25 online or $35 at the door. RSVP to scyhighevent@gmail.com
Thursday Afternoon, May 8th, at 5pm, the entire community is invited to Rav Menashe and Donna's home for the actual day-of celebration of Yom Haatzmaut. We will have a Kids' blowup game, BBQ, creative kids project, Shira B'tzibur Live Israeli sing along and a special short Tefillah for Yom Ha'atzmaut. Join us! 3905 Carmel Brooks Way, 92130; For those who can, we ask that you pay $5/person. Sponsorships are available.
Community events
Yom Hashoah
This Sunday, May 4th beginning at 1:00 p.m., the entire community will gather together for a program of remembrance and prayer. This year's theme, HaBricha, ties into the 60th anniversary of the State of Israel with a video and stories of Holocaust survivors who, through the illegal population transfer knows as HaBricha, made their way to Palestine. The Commemoration will take place in the Garfield Theater of the Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center, 4126 Executive Drive, La Jolla. For more information call Tina Friedman at the UJF 858-571-3444 or e-mail at tinaf@ujfsd.org.
Yom Ha'atzmaut Festival
Join the Yom Ha'atzmaut Festival on Sunday May 18, 2008 from 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. …celebrating Israel's 60th birthday. Over 6,000 members from the community will attend this FREE event and enjoy entertainment, a special Israel@60 performance, an Israel photo exhibition, Walk the Land Program, a visit from Mayor Jerry Sanders, delicious kosher food, children's activities and more! To learn more visit http://israelat60sandiego.com/event/31 or call 858-571-3444.
Walk the Land - Sunday, May 18, 2008 at the Lawrence Family JCC (4126 Executive Drive, La Jolla 92037)
Kick off the Yom Ha'atzmaut Independence Day Festival with a one-mile walk in support of Israel! Join local San Diegans as you pass by beautiful murals of Israeli cities in this first-time-ever global event! Each participant will receive a unique Israeli "passport" to be stamped along the path. The General Walk begins at 11:00 a.m. and an alternative Youth Walk begins at 2:00 p.m. departing from the JCC's baseball diamond. Register in advance: $5/person includes an official hat, water and original passport. Proceeds benefit the building of a new safe Regional High School in Sha'ar Ha'Negev, San Diego's partnership region in Israel. To register for "Walk the Land" go to http://israelat60sandiego.com/event/56
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 Marc Lotzof (May 2) and Doron Pomeranetz (May 4)!
Wedding anniversaries - mazal tov to Ron & Leslie Fellman (May 4) and to Brendan & Merle Gaylis (May 4)!
Yahrzeit - we wish a long life to Linda Slome (for her mother).
Kiddush
Kiddush this Shabbat is sponsored by Brendan & Merle Gaylis on the occasion of their wedding anniversary.
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 May 2: Candle lighting 7.13 PM
- Sat May 3: Shabbat ends 8.13 PM
Thought for the week
A Holy Nation
On the minds of modern Jews this time of year is who we are as a people. We observe significant days, added to the calendar over the last sixty years, as minor holidays: Yom Hashoah, the day for Holocaust memorial, Yom Hazikaron, Israel's Memorial Day, Yom Ha'atzmaut, Israel's Independence Day, and Yom Yerushalayim, the day of Israel's reunification of Jerusalem. All these days commemorate events in such close proximity to our present reality that they pull at our heart.
When we first see G-d's vision for the Jewish people in the Torah, we are to become a "holy nation." (Exodus 19:6) What does that mean? What does a holy nation do? How does a holy nation behave? These are important questions that we can study from the Torah, but which deeply influence today, right now.
To answer the question of what a holy nation looks like, we must look at what the holy person looks like. From the minority, we can apply to the majority. This Shabbat we read the portion, Kedoshim, Holiness. The opening verses state: "You shall be holy, for I, the Lord your G-d, am holy." (Leviticus 19:2) Our classic commentators debate what it means to be ‘holy.' Rashi understands holiness to be a result of separation. We must separate from immoral conduct. Boundaries are synonymous with holiness. (See Rashi, ibid) Rashi's definition fits an accurate image of the holy person isolated from the world. This relates to the concept of marriage, kiddushin, an act which makes one woman uniquely devoted to her spouse.
Ramban understands holiness in different terms. To act holy is to know what Jewish law expects and to, then, go beyond the law. Perhaps an even more extreme definition of holiness than Rashi, Ramban demands that we make tough choices; we sometimes must avoid even that which is permissible. (See Ramban, ibid)
As a holy nation, then, we must think of ourselves in these two ways. In Rashi's sense, we must avoid the immoral in the clearest possible ways and behave in a manner that loudly announces our Jewishness. But we must also be wary of the religious life using the guise of Torah to justify immorality.
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