THE VOICE OF YOUNG ISRAEL
Published by: THE YOUNG ISRAEL OF FOREST HILLS - 7100 YELLOWSTONE BOULEVARD - FOREST HILLS, NY11375
Vol. 58 No. 3 SEPTEMBER 2009 ELUL 5769RABBI'S MESSAGE
Dear Friends,
As I was considering what message to write for this year’s Rosh Hashanah newsletter – indeed what messages would be important to share with all of you on Rosh Hashanah in Shul – I received an email from my good friend Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz of the Seattle Kollel. In addition to being a Kollel member, Rabbi Schwartz started a wonderful shul in his basement on the other side of town dedicated to outreach, and has had wonderful success. I felt that the message that he shared in the piece below was so wonderful that I wanted to share my somewhat adapted version of it with you. May his words inspire you as much as they inspired me to do what we can to bring Bracha and Hatzlacha to all of our families and our entire community in the coming year.
החותם בברכת כתיבה וחתימה טובה
Rabbi Yehuda L. Oppenheimer
* * * * * * * * *
Can you picture the scene? Can you hear the uproar that must have taken place in shul? Everyone had come to shul, dressed in their finest new outfits for Rosh Hashana. They had prepared the entire month of Elul, as our sages had taught, for this Holy Day of Judgment. Anxiously they looked up to the pulpit as Rava, the Talmudic sage, made his famous Halachic ruling. “There will be no Shofar this Shabbat Rosh Hashana day”…. There was a hush in the synagogue. What?! No Shofar? How can that be? Aren’t we taught that it is through the power of Shofar that Hashem becomes anointed on his nation as King? Doesn’t the Shofar recall the merit of the Akeida,-the Binding of Isaac and the ram that our forefather Abraham sacrificed in his place? How will we make it through (cont’d. on page 2)
PRESIDENT’S COLUMNAs we close out Year 5769 on the Jewish calendar and embark on the Year 5770, we must thank Hashem Yisborach for the blessings of the past year and fervently hope that he gives us the strength to meet the challenges of the coming year.
It should be self evident that as a consequence of our declining membership base and the recent and continuing economic crisis, our congregation has been suffering financially. I am making a public appeal to those in our congregation who are able to do so, to be more generous to our various appeals and to step forward when a request is made for sponsors for our various events throughout the year.
In the new year I hope to see increased volunteerism and participation from every member in our shul.
One of the major accomplishments of the past year was the installation of the mechanical chair lift that carries people from the side entrance of our building to the second floor. Once again we thank Mr. and Mrs. David Kupperman for their generous donation,the Salvitfamily who donated in honor of Mrs.Regina Amtman a"h at her last birthday,and the others who made it possible. I am pleased to announce that through the generous gift of our long-time members, Juliette and Lenny Dressler, we are installing another lift for the stairs leading down to the ballroom. The Dressler’s significant contribution is being made in memory of Juliette’s parents, Doris and Maurice Teschner, a”h. The Teschners, who were founders and pillars of our shul, were active in all aspects of our Shul’s activities. They were beloved by all who knew them. The new chair lift is a fitting tribute to their memory.
Finally, Sheila and I take this opportunity to wish our Young Israel family as well as the larger Forest Hills/ RegoPark community, a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year.
wmtjtw wbtkt hbwf hncl
Sholom Simanowitz
THE VOICE OF YOUNG ISRAELSeptember 2009 Vol. 58, No. 3
Issue #: 287
Published five times a year in
March, April, June, September, December
by the Young Israel of Forest Hills
7100 Yellowstone Boulevard
Forest Hills, NY11375-3540
RABBI'S MESSAGE (cont’d from p. 1)
this Day of Judgment without the Shofar? Why, Rabbi? Why is there no Shofar today?
Rava looked out at his students and gave an even more perplexing response. “The reason there is no Shofar this year-or on any year when Rosh Hashana will fall out on Shabbos, is because we are fearful that an individual who doesn’t live near a synagogue might take his Shofar to someone to teach him to blow on Shabbat. And there is a prohibition to carry any object in a public domain on Shabbat. So as this person might not be aware of this Law or may forget it, we have decided to enact a decree that no one will blow the Shofar on Shabbat. We will blow it on the second day of Rosh Hashana but not on the first.”
Can you imagine a Rosh Hashana without a Shofar? It sounds scandalous. Seemingly the student’s objections seem well placed. I mean, do we really have to worry about that one Jew out there who might violate the Shabbos? Isn’t the biblical commandment to hear the Shofar on this Holy Day more important? Doesn’t the mitzvah of the entire Jewish people hearing the Shofar, achieving their inspiration, and celebrating the holiday in the proper way outweigh the very unlikely case of this one person who obviously isn’t too observant, doesn’t live near a Jewish community, and doesn’t know the laws of Shabbat? Does it make sense that no one should hear Shofar this year because of him?
The great 19thcentury Mussar teacher Reb Itzeleh Peterburger shares with us a powerful thought and answer to the above questions. His answer is a resounding YES. It is worth all of our Rosh Hashana shofar blasts for all these years and for all of the millions of Jews through out all the generations from the times of Rava (4thcentury Babylonia) and including this coming year so that we as a Jewish people can get up and say that we are all responsible for one another. There is not even one Jew whose Shabbos should not be important to us. We are all willing to put down our Shofars, to even risk losing some of own personal inspiration on this most important day of the year, so that our brother or sister will experience Shabbos properly. So that they will keep it holy too.
This past year has been a challenging year for many of us. So many have lost their jobs, their savings, some even their homes. There aren’t too may people who haven’t been hurt this past year. For many the added financial stresses and pressures have created tension if not worse in their homes. Others feel shamed to come to Shul, to greet their friends, to even talk to their family members. The overwhelming sentiment from so many that I have talked to and counseled this past year is the natural sense of loneliness and helplessness that comes from having lost so much of what a person once had and who they were and the fear of what tomorrow might bring; if they will ever get it back. It’s natural for all of us come Rosh Hashana day, the day when we are told that judgment is passed upon us for the coming year, to want to exclusively use that special time to pray for ourselves. We need so much. It hurts too much.
But maybe that’s why this year there won’t be a Shofar blast on Shabbos. Perhaps Hashem wants us to stop and think about someone else this year. We’re not in this alone. We’re a family. We’re His family. Family has to look beyond their own pain hurt and needs and consider what it must be like to be our brother and sister who also have needs. Some of them need a Shabbos; a day of rest when they can put all their stress and worry behind and just experience the inspiration, holiness and joy that Shabbos always brings. Let’s resolve and daven that they have Shabbos. Others need their Bashert; a loving spouse who will support them share with them be their Shabbos Eishes Chayil or Kiddush Maker. Have them in your prayers. No one should feel lonely. Some need healing, others need comfort, and all of us know someone who needs miraculous divine financialassistance, maybe even more then ourselves. This Rosh Hashana when we don’t blow the Shofar, maybe we should take those moments of silence to pray for them. 1700 or so years ago we stopped blowing the Shofar on Shabbos. It was not so much because that one Jew needed all of us stop for him. Perhaps it was because we all needed him for us to move forward. For Hashem to look down upon his Family and see the love caring and connection between all of us, and grant us all a sweet, happy and blessed year.
Once again this yearLulavim & Esrogim will be available through
Our Young Israel
Details: in your mail, and on our bulletin boards.
CARING FOR YOUR ARBA MINIM
1. The esrog and lulav should notbe put
in the refrigerator. They should not be
kept in a damp place.
2. The hadasim and arovos should be stored in the refrigerator
in one of the following ways:
a. in aluminum foil which is tightly closed.
b. in a damp towel
c. wrapped in a damp paper towel inside aluminum foil
USING YOUR ARBA MINIM
The hadasim should be placed in the holder on the right side of the lulav as you hold the (green spine of the lulav) facing you. The arovos should be placed in the holder on the left side. The hadasim should be a little bit higher than the arovos. Rabbi Oppenheimer will review the order of the shaking of the lulav on the first morning of Yom Tov.
HALACHOS FOR SHABBOS & YOM TOV
On Shabbos, the four species are all muktzah, and should not be touched. On Yom Tov, one may return the hadassim and arovos to whatever was used to store them, but no water should be added.
SOCIAL WORKER FOR AGES 60+
How can I get in-home services for myself or my parents? How will I get through the holidays alone? How can I prevent my rent from increasing? What benefits am I entitled to?
Young Israel of Forest Hills has a free social worker available to congregants 60 and over. Carmiya Weinraub, MSW, is available to answer these and other questions. She can provide short-term counseling, case management, and referrals. This service is available through a partnership with F·E·G·S Health and Human Services System via the UJA-Federation initiative, Partners in Caring. For more information, please contact Carmiya Weinraub, (718) 896-9090 ext. 243 – .
Dear Friends,
The ongoing economic recession has contributed to an even greater amount of families turning to FEGS Health and Human Services for emergency assistance.
FEGS Project Replenish is a meaningful way to demonstrate your concern for those in need throughout our greater community. We ask you to join us in our efforts and donate non-perishable food items to help replenish FEGS food pantries located in Long Island and Queens. Empty shopping bags will be available at your synagogue. Please fill them with your food donations and return them to the synagogue.
We look forward to your enthusiastic response and this opportunity to help surrounding families in need.
Sincerely,
Carmiya Weinraub, MSW
FEGS Liaison - Partners in Caring
(718) 896-9090 ext. 243
A Healthy Happy New Year
TO THE
YOUNG ISRAEL OF FOREST HILLS FAMILY
FROM THE
FOREST HILLS CARE CENTER FAMILY
ROSH HASHANA/YOM KIPPUR REQUESTSThere are people in shul who have trouble following the davening. There are times when one may not speak and we can not announce the pages. Please help your neighbor by pointing to the place.
Children are welcome, but please keep your children with you, or have someone else supervise them so that other congregants are not disturbed during the davening.
We will not have babysitting available on Rosh Hashana. The classrooms will be open for children to play in. Please bring toys from home. The toy closet will not be open. If you are bringing food for your children, please make sure they eat in the classroom or outside the building. Please pick up what drops, and on Yom Kippur, be considerate of people who are fasting.
YIFH Sisterhood is sponsoring babysitting on Yom Kippur:
Sunday evening from 6:30-9:30pm
Monday, 10am-2pm, and 5:30pm until the end of Yom Tov.Drinks will be available. Children should bring there own snacks.
Several of our members are hospitalized,
homebound, or living in retirement homes near
our community. They would love your calls
or visits. If you notice someone missing on Shabbos
why not give them a call during the week?
Call our office, or Rebbitzen Lonni Oppenheimer for more information.
RABBI YISSOCHER FRAND'S TESHUVA DRASHA
here at our Young Israel was a great success, both in terms of the crowd who attended, and because of the important message he conveyed: If we want our Teshuva to last, we have to start keeping Shabbos the way it’s meant to be kept.
Thank you to everyone who helped – Rabbi Oppenheimer, Rabbi Ben Geiger, Rav of Queens Jewish Center, our President Sholom Simanowitz, Sheila Simanowitz, Rose Wolf, Mark Laster, Lisa Roslyn, Phyllis Sendic, Ashira and Diti Oppenheimer and friends, and QJC representatives.
* * * * * * * * * *
YOUNG ISRAEL OF FOREST HILLSSENIOR LEAGUE
68-07 Burns Street
As a member of the Young Israel of Forest Hills as well as the Director of our Center, I would like to extend an invitation to you to join us any Monday – Friday for activities and lunch. There is absolutely no charge to be a member at our Center. Our members range currently from 60 – 97. Our lunches are superb and the menus are extremely diversified, and prepared by “Prestige Caterers.” The suggested contribution for lunch is only $2.00 – Where can you find a full course meal for this price? – A cup of coffee at Starbucks costs more!
Our Center is known as “The Center with a Heart." Give the Young Israel of Forest Hills Senior League a try, and let it become your Center as well.
Looking forward to greeting you personally,
Susan Rabinowicz, Director
SISTERHOOD NEWSRobin Holcman, Sisterhood President
To begin our new program year, we hosted a “Women’s Night Out” for women from our shul, our Sisterhood and our community. There was a boutique with many uniqueitems like hair extensions, designer clothing and hand crafted earrings, the debut of the YIFH Cookbook, wine tasting, and more.
We are proud of the efforts of the women from the Gluck Bais Medrash Minyan, who put a good deal of time and effort into compiling a cookbook filled with outstanding recipes. Yasher Koach to all the women involved: Avital Greenbaum, Robin Holcman, Jodie Jerome, Penina Schoenfeld, Dina Spierer, Melinda Strauss, Yoni Wilbur, and Jen Yedlin. We appreciate everyone who purchases the cookbook; please remember that a portion of the proceeds go towards supporting shul projects.
A wonderful evening was had by everyone.Special thanks to Dina Allweiss, Melinda Strauss, Susan Rabinowicz, Tova Reiser, and Anne Wiener for all they did behind the scenes to make this event a success.
Rebbitzen Lonni Oppenheimer shared words about preparing ourselves in Elul for Rosh Hashana. Her Dvar Torah was an inspiration to all of us.
Rachel Epstein encouraged us to once again participate in the Moreshes Aviva Project, and plans to discuss the midda of the month during Women’s Parsha group on a Shabbos near each Rosh Chodesh. Starting with Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan, we will begin a Women’s Amen Group led by Reb Lonnie Oppenheimer and Rachel Epstein. We will kick this off on Sunday evening, October 18 in the home of Chaya Ostrow. The food we eat there that will give us the opportunity to recite many Brachot, and have the chance to respond “amen” will be sponsored by the Holcman family. We hope to “sing and shmooze” as well. If you are interested in hosting or sponsoring this event in the future, contact Rachel or Lonnie.
Thank you to all Sisterhood members for allowing us to enhance our Chesed fund by contributing a portion of the Sisterhood dues to this fund rather spending a fortune on food at our events. We cut the menu of the start the year event to desserts and nosh to build enough funds to provide food shiva houses, and for people who are ill and homebound. The Sisterhood’s fund raising has become increasingly essential to the operations at our Shul. We hope that in the future, woman will continue to support us, and attend our events.