ADULT ED:THE ORIGINS AND DEVELOPMENT OF ZIONISMSunday
10-11am
in the alcove
May 14,
1948 - Israel comes into being.
Please join me for all, or any part, of a 5 session class that will take us from the origins of Zionism in the writings of its earliest thinkers, through the turbulent rise of modern anti-Semitism, to 1948 and the War of Indendence, then to 1967/73 and beyond.
---Rabbi Tow
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CHOOSING HAPPINESS!
Find your Path Today!
On Monday, Nov 2, at 11:45am,
the monthly lunch meeting of
Movin 'On
will host a special speaker.
Ellen Resnick, daughter of
Movin 'On "founder" and GRJC member Binny Resnick, will conduct a workshop on the emerging field of positive pyschology.
Ellen, a psychotherapist in San Francisco, will discuss how to feel more satisfied with and more engaged in life. For more information on her work, go to www.ellenresnick.com.
All GRJC members are welcome at this presentation.
Nominal charge for buffet lunch.
RSVP to Binny Resnick
201-891-7190 |
Yasher Koach to Morah Devorah Ner's Daled Class.
They fed and served 129 people at Bergen County Walk-In Dinner Program in Hackensack on Thursday,Oct.29.
Thank you to Ravi Rosen, Adam Kane, Jesse Weiss, Ryan Stolz, and Dylan and Jason McDonald.
And to
Liz Kane for organzing the event.
The Hay Class will perform its own mitzvah this Sunday, Nov. 1
MITZVAH DAY
when Hay students help out at the Daughters of Miriam Carnival for senior residents in Clifton. |
please note:
GRJC offices will be closed and there will be no Hebrew School, Sunday School or Nursery School next Thursday thru Sunday, Nov.5-8 (NJ Teachers Convention weekend.)
The building will be open for most of the day on Thursday
and on Friday til noon (Rabbi Tow and Carlos will be here). |
ENTERTAINMENT 2010 BOOKS HAVE ARRIVED! SAVE UP TO 50% ON EVERYDAY PURCHASES
At only $30, the Entertainment Books are a huge value. To order or to see a sample book, please call Robin Frizzell: 201-445-1796 or email: robindale59@verizon.net
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BOOK COLLECTION BOXES AT THE GRJC  Ramapo Readers is collecting gently used or new books for distribution to elementary and high school students in Paterson.
Please consider bringing appropriate reading material to the GRJC
and dropping the books into one of the collection boxes.
Thank you!
--Fran Skrobe |
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We mourn with Stan Dessel on the recent passing of his beloved wife Marsha, of blessed memory.
Those who wish to send their condolences can write to:
Stanford Dessel
255 East Liberty Drive
Unit 206
Wheaton, IL 60187
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GRJC JEWISH SKILLS LEARNING VIDEOS NOW at www.grjc.org
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At www.grjc.org, click on the link for the "videos of ritual practices". Learn how to take an aliyah and more! Thank you to Walter Goldman for shooting and editing the videos.
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 THE ISRAEL TRIP IS ON!
We're moving forward with the Israel trip that's scheduled for February 6-16, 2010. We have the final itinerary available as well as the costs, and applications with deposits are being accepted.
Please contact
Roann Rubin ( roann@grjc.org) to learn more about this exciting Israel opportunity! This trip offers a maximum Israel experience at the most affordable price available today--a unique opportunity!. *See Tel Aviv, Haifa, the Golan, the Galilee, Jerusalem, Masada, the Dead Sea and more...
*Participate in an archaeological dig and planting a tree in Israel
*Dinner with members of a Masorti/Conservative congregation in Rehovot.
*Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial
*Wine tasting in the Golan Heights Winery
*See where King David lived
*And so much more...
Join us on our Israel adventure!
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October 30-31, 2009
13, Cheshvan 5770
Torah Portion: Lech Lecha, Genesis 16:1-17:27
Shabbat candles: 5:36 pm
FRIDAY EVENING SERVICES WILL BEGIN AT 8 PM
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SATURDAY MORNING SERVICES
WILL BEGIN AT 9 AM
Shabbat concludes at 6:36 pm
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 THIS SUNDAY AFTERNOON! November 1
2:00 pm
SPECIAL SCREENING OF
THE WOMAN FROM SARAJEVO
in the GRJC Social Hall
This documentary film is the story of one Jewish family and One Muslim family whose fates are forever tied together as they save each other, over the span of 50 years, from different political upheavals and wars. Its award winning writer and director, Israeli filmmaker Ella Alterman, will present the film and discuss it with us.
The Woman from Sarajevo has been shown at the New York Jewish Film Festival, the San Diego Jewish Film Festival, the Jacob Burns Film Center and the Jewish Museum in NYC
No charge for GRJC members
$5 admission for the general public
This film is suitable for family viewing
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LUNCH & LEARN WITH RABBI TOW
Do you work in Manhattan, or in another city nearby?
Does your workplace have a small conference room?
Would you and any of your co-workers, & GRJC members who work nearby, be interested in hosting a lunch & learn on a topic of Jewish interest?
Please let me know if you have a conference room available for a lunch & learn and I'll schedule a lunchtime visit and suggest a topic of interest for learning and discussion.
rabbi@grjc.org
With blessings,
Rabbi Tow
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From the Rabbi's Desk
A couple of thoughts about Halloween...
Shalom to the GRJC family,
This year, Halloween falls out on Saturday evening, as the stars come out and Shabbat ends. This Shabbat morning during services, we'll engage in a discussion as a community about the many ways the Jewish community of today responds to Halloween.
I would like to offer a couple of ideas to our community that come from material on the subject that I've spent time reviewing this week.
Suggestion #1: To parents who are taking children out for trick-or-treating, consider turning the activity into a mitzvah by visiting the home of someone who is a shut-in or taking a trip to a nursing home or hospital to bring sweetness and happiness to residents there. The visit can happen before or after this Saturday.
Suggestion #2: Use this Saturday evening as Shabbat ends to make Havdalah (separation of Shabbat and the week). Havdalah focuses us on life, and is a positive message on a night that there's a focus on mischief and things related to death, i.e. ghosts and mummies. The materials needed are: a twisted havdalah candle, or two regular candles that you can hold together (or soak in warm water and stick together), some spices from the spice rack, and grape juice.
Here's the short Havdalah ceremony below:
Blessing over Juice/Wine:
Baruch atah Adonai, eloheinu melech ha-olam, borei p'ri hagafen.
Praised are you, Ado-nai, Our God, Ruler of the Universe, who creates the fruit of the vine.
Blessing over the spices:
Baruch atah Adonai, eloheinu melech ha-olam, borei minei v'samim.
Praised are you, Ado-nai, Our God, Ruler of the Universe, who creates all kinds of spices.
We all share in the smell of the spices...The spices give us comfort as our "extra soul" that we have with us on Shabbat leaves us. Our soul is sad as Shabbat leaves, since something will feel like it is missing during the week.(Klein, 75)
Blessing over the candle:
Baruch atah Adonai, eloheinu melech ha-olam, borei m'orei ha-eish.
Praised are you, Ado-nai, Our God, Ruler of the Universe, who creates the lights of the fire.
We catch the light of the flame on our fingernails which are symbols of growth and renewal. And the Rabbis tell us the story: When God created Adam on the sixth day, the sun shined all through Shabbat. When the sun went down at the end of Shabbat, darkness came and struck Adam with fear. Then, God decided to give Adam the skill of striking two stones to bring forth light. Then Adam recited the prayer 'borei me'oray ha'eish.' We recite this prayer at the end of Shabbat since this was the time light was first created.
Separation:
Baruch atah Adonai, eloheinu melech ha-olam, hamavdil bein kodesh l'chol, bein or l'choshech, bein yisra-eil la-amim, bein yom hashvii, l'sheishet y'mei hama-aseh: Baruch atah Adonai, hamavdil bein kodesh l'chol:
Praised are you, Ado-nai, Our God, Ruler of the Universe, who separates between the holy and the ordinary, between light and darkness, who calls Israel a distinct entity, who separates between Shabbat and the six days of the week.
Havdalah ends by wishing one another "Shavua Tov!", Have a good week!
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With wishes for a Shabbat of peace and rest,
Rabbi Tow
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Following is the
'09-'10 schedule of the GRJC Library book discussions. Please feel free to join any or all of the events:
AUTHOR'S VISIT IN
JEWISH BOOK MONTH!
Sunday, November 22
10:00 a.m.
Israeli author Valerie Farber will visit Glen Rock Jewish Center to speak about her historical novel, City of Refuge, set in the time of the judges (shoftim), around 1030 B.C.E.
Thursday, January 14 Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay A historical novel that takes place partially in Paris, 1942, during the Vel' d'Hiv' roundup, and partially in the present. The protagonist, a French journalist, retraces the steps of a young girl during the War, and as she probes into the past, she begins to question her own place in France, and to reevaluate her marriage and her life. Tuesday, March 16 The Jew in the Lotus: a poet's rediscovery of Jewish identity in Buddhist India by Rodger Kamenetz From a historical meeting between a delegation of American Jews and a group of Tibetan Buddhists that included the Dalai Lama, the author finds similarities between the religion of the Jews and the Buddhists, and finds himself amazed by the intensity and altruism of Buddhism. We will also view the short documentary that was made of the book. May - date TBD (possibly Tuesday, May 11) Jewish Sephardic Cooking Class We will read a portion of Sephardic Flavors: Jewish Cooking of the Mediterranean by Joyce Goldstein and, in the GRJC kitchen, try our own hand at creating a few of the recipes (and eat them, too, of course!) Thursday, June 10 The Assistant by Bernard Malamud This is the classic tale of a poor Jewish grocer and the mysterious young man who comes to work for him. For further information, please contact Michelle Strassberg, mstrassberg67@hotmail.com, or Rabbi Tow, rabbi@grjc.org. |
FORMATION OF GRJC HEVRA KADISHA
UPDATE
Dear GRJC family,
As I mentioned on Yom Kippur, we are seeking to set up a Hevra Kadisha here in the GRJC community.
I am happy to announce that we now have three women and three men who will be participating in training on Sunday, January 17.
WE STILL NEED MORE VOLUNTEERS!
The Hevra Kadisha is a volunteer opportunity to perform an important mitzvah, the mitzvah of taharah, ritual washing and dressing of a body before burial. The taharah is done at the funeral parlor in a special room.
The thought of doing this mitzvah may inspire fear, anxiety, and discomfort. From my own personal experience, and coming from the same place of nerves and fears, I found that there is a sense of peacefulness and holiness in the presence of the deceased.
Men tend to men, and women tend to women. We need then to put together two teams. Training will be provided by the organization K'vod ve'Nichum that specializes in teaching this mitzvah.
The taharah normally costs about $300. We can save our people that cost and also reclaim an important mitzvah for our community. Instead of strangers performing this mitzvah, we will once again take care of our own.
QUESTIONS & MORE INFORMATION:
PLEASE CONTACT ME DIRECTLY AT 201-421-9811
OR RABBI@GRJC.ORG
With blessings,
Rabbi Tow
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RGET TO SET YOUR CLOCKS BACK AN HOUR AFTER SHABBAT ENDS ON SATURDAY NIGHT,
