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After the Israelites finally escape Egypt, they face the challenge of survival in the desert. The narratives in the second half of our parsha detail Bnei Yisrael’s quest for food, water and physical protection in the wilderness. God supports them at every turn, providing manna, water, and military victory. Yet these moments are not without stress and turmoil. When the people do not have water to drink, tensions run so high that they exclaim, “’Why is it you brought us up from Egypt to bring death on me and my children and my livestock by thirst?!’” (Exodus 17:3) Moshe turns to God for help, his words betraying his frustration, “What shall I do with this people?! Yet a little more and they will stone me!” (17:4) Yet God responds patiently, instructing Moshe on how to provide water to the people. He tells Moshe, “Look, I am about to stand before you there on the rock in Horeb, and you shall strike the rock, and the water will come out from it and the people will drink.” (17:6) The Mekhilta d’Rabbi Yishmael makes a seemingly strange comment on this verse; “God said to Moshe, ‘Wherever you find signs of a human foot, there I am before you.’” What does this midrash mean by attaching the presence of God to a footprint, of all things!? How does this comment relate to the larger context of this story? To make sense of this midrash, Rav Dessler, in his Michtav Me’Eliyahu, explores the symbolism which
a foot or footprint would hold in the rabbinic perspective. He argues that the foot, as the lowest point of the human body, would indicate the lowest level of a person’s spiritual existence. In support of his claim, he points out that when God curses the snake in the Garden of Eden, God says, “You will attack him [the human being] at the heel.” (Genesis 3:15) The evil inclination -- metaphorically embodied by the snake -- attacks a person at the heel, the place in which he is the weakest. In our story, both Moshe and Bnei Yisrael act from a place of anger and frustration. They lose their tempers and let fear get in the way of faith. Though they give into their weakness, in that exact moment, God chooses to stand before them. He stands in their footprint, present and supportive, even in moments of failure. Oftentimes we worry that our failures separate us from God. We lose faith, act out of anger, jealousy or impatience. Counter to what might be our intuition, it is in those exact moments that God is with us! He stands in our footprints, ready to support us in our weakness and elevate us beyond our lowest point. All we need to do is perceive that presence. Rav Dessler concludes his discussion of our verse with a deeply challenging yet comforting assertion, “It is precisely [a person’s] lowliness which may contain the seed of his spiritual regeneration.”
Yosie Levine Rabbi
Dovid Zirkind Associate Rabbi
Noach Goldstein Assistant Rabbi
Chaim David Berson
Cantor
Ora Weinbach Community Educator
Eliezer Buechler William Fischman Rabbinic Intern
Aaron Strum
Executive Director
Batsheva Leibtag Director of
Programming and Communications
Sarah Cromwell Youth Director
OFFICERS Andrew Borodach
President
Mark Segall First Vice President
Len Berman Vice President
Aliza Herzberg Vice President
Michael Jacobs Vice President
Scott Black Treasurer
Daniel Solomons Assistant Treasurer
Naomi Goldman Secretary
LOCAL RESOURCES Yoetzet Halacha Shiffy Friedman
[email protected] 646-598-1080
Jewish Center Chevra Kadisha
212-724-2700 x555
UWS Mikvah 212-579-2011
Hatzoloh 212-230-1000
Eruv Status 212-724-2700 x4
On the Heels of Failure Parshat Beshalach 5779
Ora Weinbach, Community Educator
ISRAEL UPDATE January 18, 2019
Israeli Army Finds Last and Largest Hezbollah Attack Tunnel, Ending Six-Week Op The Israeli army announced on Sunday morning the end of Operation Northern Shield, which it launched in early December to destroy Hezbollah attack tunnels crossing into Israel from Lebanon. According to Haaretz, Israel Defense Forces Spokesman Brig. Gen. Ronen Manelis said the army located on Saturday afternoon the sixth and largest tunnel crossing into Israel and is working to destroy it. Manelis said that with the latest discovery, "the threat posed by the tunnels has been eliminated. "Speaking at a briefing for military correspondents, Manelis said the tunnel discovered on Saturday was the largest and most important one detected since the beginning of the operation. The tunnel is hundreds of meters long and reaches dozens of meters into Israeli territory, said Manelis, and contains "railroads to transport equipment, garbage, lighting, and ladders to enter Israeli territory. Stairs were built. A lot of resources were invested in this tunnel."Manelis added that there are additional tunnels that do not cross into Israel, noting that the army is proceeding with the construction of the border wall. Our synagogue partners with AIPAC, America’s pro-Israel lobby, in educating our community on issues affecting the U.S.-Israel relationship. We encourage you to learn more by contacting AIPAC at (202) 639-5200 or by visiting www.aipac.org.
THANK YOU TO OUR USHERS Lily Kaplan and Emilio Krausz
Thank you to our CSS members whose efforts help maintain a safe shul for
our community.
The Jewish Center - The Modern Orthodox Center for Jewish Life and Learning 131 W. 86th Street, New York, NY 10024 • www.jewishcenter.org • 212-724-2700
JANUARY 19, 2019 • 13 SHEVET 5779 • PARSHAT BESHALACH
The Jewish Center SHABBAT BULLETIN
WOMEN’S TEHILLIM GROUP: Monday, January 21st, 2019 at 7:15PM Contact Joyce Weitz for more info. at 212-877-1176
Sunday Jan. 20 7:45AM Daf Yomi 8:30AM Shacharit 4:45PM Minchah
Monday Jan. 21– Thur Jan. 24 7/8AM Shacharit 7:45AM Daf Yomi 4:45PM Minchah
Friday January 25 7/8AM Shacharit 7:45AM Daf Yomi 4:46PM Candle-lighting 4:50PM Minchah
DAILY SERVICE TIMES
COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS SHABBAT SCHEDULE EREV SHABBAT 4:38PM Candle-lighting 4:45PM Minchah 5:00PM Young Leadership Kabbalat Shabbat (1st floor) SHABBAT 7:45AM Hashkama 8:30AM Rabbi Israel Silverstein Morning Midrash with Rabbi Zirkind (will resume next week) 9:00AM Shacharit 9:15AM Hashkama Shiur with Ora Weinbach, Warrior Women Subverting Stereotypes 9:30AM Young Leadership (1st floor) 9:41AM Sof Zman Kriat Shema 10:00AM Youth Groups 12:35PM Early Minchah (4th floor, Beit Midrash) 2:45PM Bikkur Cholim/Bikkur in the Home (meet at 730 Columbus Ave.) 4:30PM Minchah Daf Yomi Muktzah 101 with Rabbi Dovid Zirkind (will resume next week) Seudah Shlishit Speaker, Ora Weinbach, MLK and Us: A Jewish Perspective on the Fight for Civil Rights 5:39PM Shabbat Concludes THANK YOU TO OUR KIDDUSH SPONSORS: Community Kiddush: Gilda & Irving Chodosh in commemoration of the Yahrzeits of Gilda's mother Rochelle Tennenbaum and Irving's parents, Jean & Benjamin Chodosh Esther & Steve Graber in honor of the 50th Anniversary of Steve's Bar Mitzvah Ira Kellman in honor of Rona's 50th Wedding Anniversary Suzanne Smith and family in commemoration of the yahrzeit of their husband and father Allen Smith Seudah Shlishit: Ruth & Lawrence Kobrin in Memory of the 26th Yahrzeit of Larry's mother, Hortense Kobrin, Chaya bas Yaakov Aharon vEsther Rayzel, first Yahrzeit of Ruth's brother, Stephen Freedman, Shabsai ben Chananiya YomTov Lipa vFradel, and first yahrzeit of Larry's brother, Jay Kobrin, Yaakov Aharon vn Isser vChaya
SHABBAT OF SONG Featuring Cantor Chaim Dovid Berson
and Six13 February 1-2, 2019
● Friday Night Dinner. ● Inspiring davening throughout Shabbat ● Musical Havdalah Sponsorship opportunities available. Visit jewishcenter.org for details and registration.
Questions: Please contact Cantor Berson at [email protected]
Jewish Center Professional Networking Event
January 29th, 2019 at 7:30PM The Jewish Center and its Young Leadership Committee are excited to announce an evening of networking and professional development at which we will build lasting relationships across our com-munity.
Cocktail hour reception to follow. Please visit jewishcenter.org to register. *Exclusively for members of the JC
JEWISH CENTER UNIVERSITY WINTER SEMESTER For more information visit our website or contact Rabbi Dovid Zirkind at [email protected]
TUESDAY Talmud Class Rabbi Noach Goldstein, 7:45am–8:30am Nosh and Drash With Dr. Adena Berkowitz, 10:15AM-11:30AM (will resume January 29th) Tanach 101: Athens vs Jerusalem: War in Tanach and The Iliad Rabbi Noach Goldstein The Sadye and Henry Bayer Tanach Class at 8:00 PM
WEDNESDAY An Introduction To The World of Mussar: The Writings of Rav Eliyahu Dessler Rabbi Dovid Zirkind at 11:00 am Talmud 101 Ora Weinbach, Community Educator at 8:00pm. January 9, 16, 23, 30
SHABBAT
Muktzah 101 Rabbi Dovid Zirkind Shabbat Afternoons Between Minchah and Maariv in the main sanctuary
Birthday Kiddush Shabbat February 9th Join us in celebrating our December, January and February Birthdays! Please contact [email protected] if you would like to sponsor the kiddush. Teen Minyan Shabbat February 9th Please contact [email protected] if you would like to sponsor the kiddush. Movie Night February 9th 7-8:30PM Elementary School Children At the home of Sarah Cromwell 325 West 96th Street Featuring Monsters, Inc. (light snacks will be provided) There is limited seating in the movie theater so be sure to reserve your spot early! Visit jewishcenter.org to register.
UPCOMING YOUTH DEPARTMENT EVENTS
If you are interested in reading for homebound seniors please contact Batsheva at [email protected]. Women and girls (ages 12 and up) who are interested in reading for the women's Megilah reading on Purim day at The JC, in connection with Kol HaNeshama and MJE, please contact Naomi Goldman at [email protected].
CALLING ALL READERS OF MEGILAT ESTHER:
AIPAC Policy Conference 2019 Sunday March 24-26, 2019 in Washington, DC Registration for the conference costs $599, but if you purchase a ticket through The Jewish Center, you will pay $399, a $200 discount. Contact the Jewish Center office for more information and to purchase your ticket.
TEACH NYS MISSION TO ALBANY | MARCH 12TH
Partake in the largest Jewish advocacy day in any State Capitol at the Teach NYS Mission to Albany happening on March 12th, 2019. Lobby and advocate for increased government funding for STEM programs and security funds for our Yeshivas and Day Schools alongside over 500 parents, teachers, and students from our local Day Schools. Email Annie Watman at [email protected] for more information or sign up online at www.teachnys.org/albanymission
Monday evening at the Center featured the annual Sheldon Rudoff Memorial Lecture, in conjunction with the Beth Din of America and The Orthodox Union. This years lecture was introduced by Rabbi Shlomo Weissmann of the Beth Din as well as Hedda Rudoff, and included a special shiur by Rabbi Yitzchok Gettinger on the subject of Tu B'Shvat and Its Significance today. The was a beautiful tribute to Sheldon's memory as well as a wonderful celebration of our broader West Side community.
This past Monday morning, The Jewish Center was honored to welcome the first grade of Manhattan Day School for a special Tefillah program in honor of the students receiving their first siddurim. The program included a talk by Rabbi Zirkind and featured some JC Junior members, excited to welcome friends into their special shul. Thank you for joining us!
ANNUAL SHELDON RUDOFF MEMORIAL LECTURE THE JEWISH CENTER WELCOMES MDS FIRST GRADE!
