Dear Friends,

It is our pleasure to invite you to the annual Fleetwood Synagogue Journal Dinner, to be held on Sunday, June 6, at 5:00PM at the synagogue.  This year we will be honoring as our “Eishet Chayil” (Woman of Valor) Barbara Morris.

Barbara has lived in our community since 1988.  Shortly after she and David were married, they became members of our synagogue. Barbara became actively involved almost immediately, and after 22 years her enthusiasm has not waned.  Barbara’s warmth, caring, and energy can be observed throughout the many functions in which she has chosen to be involved.  Her leadership role in our Shabbat morning Children’s Services, her administration of our Gemilat Chesed Committee, (she coordinates the distribution of food to those in mourning, to those who recently gave birth, and to families new to our community), her nurturing of  and involvement with the boys of the Yatzkan Center Residential Program of Mount Vernon, her ongoing role as Corresponding Secretary on our Executive Board, and her representation of our synagogue as a participant in the Westchester Chevrah Kadisha (Holy Burial Society)—these are just a few of the many reasons why Barbara is a major presence within Fleetwood Synagogue.

Beyond this long list, Barbara has a longer list of wonderful traits.  She is creative, welcoming, funny, reliable, sympathetic, democratic, kind, eloquent, optimistic, ethical, and open.  To know her is to catch her infectious enthusiasm and dedication.  She is an integral member of our synagogue community.  For all the beneficence that Barbara bestows upon all of us, we are thrilled to have her as our Journal Dinner Honoree for the year 2010.

 The Journal Dinner is our main fundraiser and we ask for your contribution in Barbara’s honor.  Our small synagogue is run by volunteers, and Barbara is one of our leaders.  Please be as generous as you can be.  Tickets for the Dinner start at $225 per person or $450 per couple.  Alternatively, you may purchase an ad in the Journal.  For your convenience, we have enclosed an ad blank – please return your ad by May 3.

 Thank you for your generous support.  We look forward to seeing you at the Dinner.

Sincerely yours, 

Jack Lowenstein,                                              Will Herzfeld,                                    Jonathan Meyer,

Journal Chairman                                            Co-President                                     Co-President

Rabbi Berger’s Halakhah Refresher Series – Shiur #4 – Hilkhot Shabbat.

 illness and emergencies

Last week, we discussed two halves (when an angel divided the covenantal blood to be sprinkled–on the altar and on the Jewish people); this week, three–in the dimensions of  the Ark of the Covenant, which housed the two Tablets and the Torah scroll.  To wit: 22 cubits (length) by 12 cubits (width) by 12 cubits (height).

Written by Rabbi Kamlet

Rabbi Berger’s Halakhah Refresher Series – Shiur #3 – Hilkhot Shabbat.

Rabbi Natan Slifkin "The Zoo Rabbi"

will be at Fleetwood Synagogue

Charles Sidlow Scholar-in-residence

weekend of Feb. 5-6

 Lectures at Fleetwood Synagogue:   

 1) Friday night dinner, followed by lecture #1 – “The Animal Kingdom in Jewish Thought” – A look at the riddles of identifying animals of the Torah and a survey of their symbolism and significance.

Rabbi Berger’s Halakhah Refresher Series – Shiur #2 – Hilkhot Shabbat.

 listen to the video or MP3 online or download the MP3

The adverbial Avery is not used very much in the Torah; Avery, very, a veritable rarity.  Thus, famously, God appraises His 6-day Creation as Avery good (ABereishit- 1:31) and the land of Israel is deemed Avery, very good (AShelach 14:7).  While Moses was once recorded as being Avery distressed (AKorach 16:15, Rashi), he was normally known for being, uniquely, Avery modest (ABeha’alotecha 12:3).  Obiter dictum (apropos modesty), the fourth chapter of Pirkei Avot exhorts each of us to be Avery, very humble in spirit.

Rabbi Berger’s Halakhah Refresher Series – Shiur #1 – Hilkhot Shabbat (Kitchen).

http://fleetwoodsynagogue.org/video/Halacha_video_1.html

One of the many memorable scenes in the movie masterpiece Il Postino portrays the Chilean poet Pablo Neruda demonstrating to his newfound postman disciple, before the crashing waves, the meaning of metaphors.

Part of the grandeur of Rabbi Sorotzkin’s Torah masterpiece is his poetic prowess, by which I mean, beyond his sonorous style, the insightful interspersion of metaphor with which he weaves his words.  I would call Sorotzkin–figuratively, of course–a masterly weaver of waves: sinuous, satisfying, sweeping.

Written by Rabbi Kamlet