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Shalom Congregants and Friends.....
Weekly Message from your Rabbi......
We can make jokes about the "Malach haMavet," the Angel of Death," but death is still a reality in our lives, especially as a congregation. After having suffered a number of losses in the congregational family, I earnestly hope and pray that this unwelcome visitor takes a vacation to the South Pole for an extended period of time! Until then, it has been wonderful to see the congregational family be with those bereaved, providing support and caring.
For various reasons there was not a January congregational bulletin. The February one is in process now and should be out shortly. It will include all January donations and milestones.
Many of us may have received in recent days emails that the actor Mel Gibson, well-known for past anti-Semitic words and actions, has another movie coming out and urging a boycott. If you feel that his past history is sufficient reason for you not to see the movie, more power to you! However, it is also possible to see things in a different way. There has been a lot of debate on this question among rabbis. One wrote,
"This is old stuff. Mel Gibson apologized for his anti-Semitic eruption.
His film The Passion did not create any measurable increase in anti-semitism and if you go back you will see that the ADL over reacted and simply created more press for a movie that Christians literally experienced as having nothing to do with Jews. Having spent two hours with Mr. Gibson during this period in what was then I required be a private meeting about his remarks and the movie I can say that his level of regret for his outburst felt very genuine and his understanding of what he was doing in The Passion was radically different than what Jews experienced. I wrote about this back then......."
There are many more important causes today than our calling for boycotting a movie for an offense committed years earlier. Other than that, the use of our energy to mount a (useless) boycott against Mel Gibson only gives him more publicity and attention. If you don't like him, go see a George Clooney movie instead!!
This Friday evening is our congregational TuBishevat Seder with its theme of environmental awareness. Note that the Seder is after an early service, beginning at 6:15, just like our congregational Shabbat dinners.
Saturday morning, Iris and will be attending a friend's daughter's bat mitzvah. Services will be conducted by our ritual committee co-chairs. Please come and give David and Mike your attendance and support!
Dr. Joe Olzacki, the Bloomfield High School Music Director who pioneered the "Identity Project," has returned from his travel to Rwanda and participation in a UN Conference on preventing genocide. He has shared reports of his experiences in some very inspiring emails, and he has agreed to speak here at Beth Hillel on Friday evening, February 12. That's a date to put for sure on your calendars!
If you have not yet assisted in some way in helping the victims of the Earthquake in Haiti, I hope you will do so. The need is very great.
Shabbat Shalom....looking forward to your coming to shul and being with your "synagogue family" here at Beth Hillel Synagogue!
Rabbi Gary and Iris Atkins
"No one should leave services unmoved or unchanged..." |
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Shabbat Services & Candle Lighting
CANDLE LIGHTING
FRIDAY EVENING, JAN. 29, 4:42 pm
FRIDAY EVENING, FEB. 5, 4:51 pm
FRIDAY EVENING, FEB. 12, 5:00 pm
FRIDAY EVENING, FEB. 19, 5:09 pm
Note: You may see a few minutes difference between different times given in different sources. It all depends how many minutes before actual sunset the source feels candles should be lit. You may use any source you choose!
SHABBAT SERVICE TIMES:
Friday, Jan. 29 - 6:15pm - Followed by Tu Bishevat Seder
Saturday, Jan.30 - Shaharit 9:30am, Mincha/ Ma'ariv/ Havdalah 4:45pm....
Friday, Feb. 5 - 7:30pm - Religious School Leading Services
Saturday, Feb. 6 - Shaharit 9:30am, Mincha/ Ma'ariv/ Havdalah 4:45pm....
FIRST 2010 HAVDELI - MAKE YOUR RESERVATIONS NOW!
Friday, Feb. 12 - 7:30pm - "Dr. O" speaking
Saturday, Feb.13 - Jr Cong, Tot Shabbat, Learning Service 5:00pm....
COMMUNITY HAVDELI 7pm
Friday, Feb. 19 - 7:30pm - Ruach Shabbat/ Simcha Shabbat
Saturday, Feb 20 - Shaharit 9:30am, Mincha/ Ma'ariv/ Havdalah 5:15pm....
Come enjoy the beautiful Havdalah ceremony that ends Shabbat! |
Some Upcoming Events for your calendar
RELIGIOUS SCHOOL TU BISHEVAT SEDER
SUNDAY MORNING, JAN. 31, 11:00am
RELIGIOUS SCHOOL SERVICE FRIDAY, FEB. 5, 7:30PM
PLEASE NOTE THAT "REGULAR" FRIDAY EVENING SERVICES IN FEBRUARY and MARCH WILL START AT 7:30pm
WORLD WIDE WRAP -- SUNDAY MORNING, FEB 7,
9:00am MINYAN AND BREAKFAST FOLLOWING... SPECIAL GUEST SPEAKER
RACHEL ISAACS FROM AMERICAN JEWISH WORLD SERVICE
FEBRUARY 12,
DR. JOSEPH OLZACKI, speaking at FRIDAY EVENING SERVICES
COMMUNITY WIDE HAVDALAH/ SOCIAL EVENING.... FEB. 13, 7pm
AT CONGREGATION BETH ISRAEL
PURIM WEEKEND - FRIDAY FEB. 26, MEGILLAH READING AND KAROAKE SATURDAY EVENING FEB. 27
MONDAY EVENING, MARCH 29, PASSOVER BEGINS
SATURDAY EVENING, APRIL 24, SYNAGOGUE ANNUAL FUNDRAISER |
Social Actions Projects
FOOD AND COAT DRIVE
January continues to be "Tikkun Olam" month at Beth Hillel.
Every time you are at synagogue, consider bringing a donation of food for the kosher or general food bank, or appropriate-to-wear clothes and coats to help the needy.
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Important Community Event
The Jewish Community Relations Council in collaboration with several community agencies and the Greater Hartford Rabbinic Association will be sponsoring a screening of
The Case for Israel: Democracy's Outpost
A feature-length documentary film with Alan Dershowitz
February 25, 7:00 pm
Mandell JCC
Gloria Greenfield, one of the film's producers, will be leading a discussion after the screening
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Being a Caring Community......
If you know someone who is hospitalized, ill, or in need of a call from the rabbi ... or a visit from our Hesed committee, please let Rabbi Atkins or the office know.....
Many people are travelling this time of year. Rabbi Atkins' favorite mitzvah is "shaliach kesef,"..... giving those travelling the prayer for a safe journey and "mitzvah money." Let him know if you are traveling.... |
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Magen Tsedek - Heksher Tsedek Update
January 22, 2010 (New York, NY) - The Magen Tzedek ethical certification seal for kosher foods received an important vote of confidence yesterday as the Rabbinical Council of America released its Guidelines to Enhance Kosher Food Producers' Compliance with Jewish Legal and Ethical Teachings.
Launched during the summer of 2007, Magen Tzedek is a joint project of the Hekhsher Tzedek Commission of the Rabbinical Assembly and the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism.
"We heartily salute the RCA for developing these guidelines which obviously come in response to recent serious abuses within the kosher food industry," stated Rabbi Morris Allen, founder and director of Magen Tzedek. "We are gratified to have the core principles of Magen Tzedek affirmed in their guidelines and feel supported in our effort by our counterpart organization in the Orthodox world."
"The power of a good idea is magnified when it gains support from all corners," said Rabbi Julie Schonfeld, executive vice president of the Rabbinical Assembly. "The observance and promotion of kashrut is a commonly-shared value of both Conservative and Orthodox Judaism. The Rabbinical Assembly looks forward to working with the rabbis of the RCA so that our joint efforts can insure that kashrut is a kiddush Ha-Shem, a sanctification of Gd's name for the Jewish People."
The RCA's announcement comes at a critical time in the development of Magen Tzedek as the Hekhsher Tzedek Commission is about to sign a contract with a major social auditing firm that will take its two years' work on the development of standards and guidelines and transform them into objective and verifiable means to certify companies that their ethical practices meet appropriate standards of conduct in the production food, reported Rabbi Allen.
"The RCA's announcement underscores Magen Tzedek's message," said Rabbi Schonfeld. "While Magen Tzedek constitutes a unique expression of our unflagging commitment to the integration of ethics and ritual, we are pleased that our Orthodox colleagues have begun to develop their guidelines."
The world's first Jewish ethical certification seal, Magen Tzedek will help assure consumers that kosher food products were produced in keeping with the highest possible Jewish ethical values and ideals for social justice in the area of labor concerns, animal welfare, environmental impact, consumer issues and corporate integrity.
It is designed to coexist with other rabbinic kosher seals.
The development of the Magen Tzedek seal came as a response to the egregious violations of human and animal rights at the AgriProcessors Meat Processing facility in Postville, Iowa, the largest producer of kosher meat and poultry in the US. As an expert witness on the ground, Rabbi Allen had an intimate knowledge of the situation and advocated for much-needed changes, developing Hekhsher Tzedek in the process.
The basic principle of Hekhsher Tzedek is that the ethical underpinning of kashrut is inextricable from the ritual observance.
The Magen Tzedek seal will be awarded to kosher food companies based on a number of criteria having to do with such matters as employee health, safety and training; wages and benefits; the company's environmental impact; corporate transparency and product development, among others.
"More than anything, the RCA's new ethical and legal guidelines demonstrate that Magen Tzedek has captured the hearts and minds of American Jews, reflecting deeply-held social and religious values," said Rabbi Allen.
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Weekly Torah Commentary...
written by Rabbi Michael Gold of Tamarac, Florida
People find themselves in impossible situations with what seems like no way out. We use the phrase that they are "caught between a rock and a hard place." Those with more sophisticated vocabularies will use a phrase from an ancient Greek myth, "between Scylla and Charybdis," two fabled sea-monsters who guarded the Strait of Messina. If a sailor moved far enough away to avoid one, the other threatened to eat him. The phrase refers to being trapped with no escape.
This week's Torah reading is the classical Biblical view of no escape. Moses and the Israelites are trapped in an impossible situation. On one side are the pursuing Egyptians, ready to bring them back into slavery. On the other side is the Sea, usually translated the Sea of Reeds but formerly translated the Red Sea. Even Jack Bauer could not get out of that situation, unless he had some divine help.
We all know the story. The people complain bitterly to Moses. And Moses stands there praying to God. God says, enough prayer; it is time to take action. The people jump forward into the sea. According to the Rabbinic Midrash, Nachshon ben Aminadav of the tribe of Judah jumped into the sea up to his neck. And the waters parted. The Egyptians pursued the Israelites and were drowned in the sea. Rescue only came when someone took action.
This idea of being trapped between a rock and a hard place is not simply an ancient Biblical story or Greek myth, nor is it simply part of television script. It is a real issue that many people face during their lives. People feel caught with no good choices. They may be trapped between family members who are making demands with no room for compromise. They may be trapped in a financial situation with seemingly no way out. They may be trapped in a career or job where they feel they cannot escape. People come to me for counseling, "Rabbi, what should I do when no choices are good."
I try to be objective, thinking through the alternatives. "What are your choices? What would happen if you did this? And what would happen if you did that?" Sometimes talking with an objective party helps them formulate a plan. But often people tell me that every choice is impossible. They cannot do this and they cannot do that. They cannot stay at their job and they cannot quit their job. They cannot try to make peace with this family member and they cannot remain estranged from this family member. They cannot sell their house and they cannot remain in their house. They are caught between the pursuing Egyptians and the Sea of Reeds, between the proverbial rock and a hard place.
Sometimes the answer is to take no action, remain paralyzed, and whatever happens, happens. But in our Torah reading God says to Moses, stop praying. Leap in one direction. God says, "Go forward and I will meet you half way." Perhaps the lesson is to move forward, and even when things seem hopeless, there is a way out.
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