Parashat Ha'Shavuah/Weekly Torah Portion with Rabbi Matthew Bellas 

Shabbat Parashat Tazri'a - Shabbat Ha'Hodesh

Living by the Rhythm of Holy Time

As we inch closer to the festival of Pesah, we experience each of the four special Shabbatot that occur during the six weeks prior to it.  This week, as we do each month, we announce the coming of Rosh Hodesh/the celebration of the new Jewish month during the upcoming week.  However, as the Shabbat immediately before Rosh Hodesh Nisan (the month during which Pesah falls), the Rabbis designated it as a special Shabbat: Shabbat HaHodesh.  The special Torah reading for this week's special Shabbat contains the first commandment given to the Israelites as a free people: to celebrate the beginning of the month of Nisan (the first official Israelite/Jewish month that could be marked by our people) as the New Year of all months, that is to say as a "Rosh HaShana."  Marking holy time and creating a calendar is the first thing that God instructs God's people to do, not to pray, not to observe Shabbat or to keep dietary laws, not to follow a unique set of "Ten Commandments."  The foundation of Israelite religion, which would later come to be known as Judaism, is sacred time. It entails living a life based on the rhythm that our sacred times provide, from Shabbat each week, to Rosh Hodesh each month, to the various festivals each year.  The Jewish calendar is the bedrock of our religion. Read more online...

Shabbat Shalom!

Rabbi Matthew Bellas
rabbibellas@talmudtorah.com

 

PASSOVER VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!

Volunteers are needed to help prepare the food for the in-school seders. This is a big holiday and your help is greatly appreciated by the students and staff.

                                                                            

This year we will be making chocolate matzah and charoset as well as prepping the eggs and veggies that the classes enjoy during their seders.

 

Each class will be holding their own seder but everything will be prepped for them in advance.           

                    

Volunteers are needed Monday, April 11th and Wednesday, April 13th for organizing and prepping.

 

Click this link to sign-up or email Marcie

 

If you have any questions please contact Pesach Coordinator Marcie Flom  mflom@jewishvancouver.com 

 

TWENTY PARENT VOLUNTEERS NEEDED ON MONDAY, APRIL 4 AT 11:20 A.M. 

On Monday, April 4 at lunch (11:20am - which coincides with preschool dismissal) all the faculty and staff will gather for the staff photo that takes approximately 15 minutes (but will count for one hour of volunteer time). Some parents have volunteered but we are still in need of more volunteers to cover Noshniks, Kindergarten, lunchroom and outside supervision for 10-15 minutes to ensure all staff can be in the photo.  

 

Thank you in advance for your help! If you can assist us, please contact Tammy Kalvari: tkalvari@talmudtorah.com.

 

VTT DONATIONS FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH 2011

 

Building Fund

Mark and Corrine Gelfer- Mazal tov - Davod Bogoch

Simone Kallner: Happy Birthday - Marni Katz

Sorel and Judy Leinburd: Mazal tov - David Bogoch

Sorel, Jacob Leinburd and family: Mazal tov - Michelle and Martin Gerber and family

Ellen Wiesenthal, Yuval Daniel and family: Mazal tov - Michelle and Martin Gerber and family

 

Library Fund

Eytan and Zahavit David and Meirav and Yaron David: In honour of Aviv, Amit, Ziv, Yael and Shira David - Ruth and Tony David

Sam Rothstein: Condolences - David Bogoch

Rhona Schneiderman: Happy Birthday -Robert & Marilyn Krell

Sherri Wise and Guy Almog: In honour - Deborah Litvack

 

MVP Fund Donations:

Ellen Pekeles

Janice St. Helene

Sari Zack-Weintraub

Dara Festinger

 

Performing Arts Fund

Feldman family: Condolences - Cathy & Jeff Lowenstein

Sonia and Jeffrey Hayes: Condolences - Lisa & Alan Boroditsky and family

 

Donations to "Fiddler on the Roof" and the Cast and Crew:

Anonymous, Fishman Family, Ron & Megan Bakonyi, Joel and Ilene-Jo Bellas, Matthew and Oksana Bellas, Sonia Bellas, Epstein-Bogdonov Family, Book Family, Doctor Family, Glassman Family, Friedland Family, Gertsman Family, Gross Family, Hamburg/Weidman Family, Corinne & Jerome Henry, Brian & Elana Jacobson, Lewin/Brewer Family, Lutrin Family, Lyons Family, Sigal & Roy Mathews, Quig/Miller Family, Millman Family, Audrey & Sean Moss, Nifco family, Rosenthal-Schertzer Family, Sasky Family, Shecter-Balin Family, William & Francis Switzer, Carla and Jeff Swartz, Teperson Family, Wiesenthal-Kelly Family, Wingerin-Schertzer Family

 

VTT Family Fund

Karol Epstein: Happy Birthday - Linda Bogdonov

 

Wish-List item Donation:

Anonymous- iPad for grade 4

 

Special thank you to:

City TV and "Be There For Schools Program" for their generous donation to VTT.

Nandos Flame Grilled Chicken and King David High School for their support of "Fiddle on the Roof" through advertisements.

 

 

VIDEO OF THE WEEK

VTT Alum Practices His Icelandic

Once Jordan Chark, a VTT alum, mastered Hebrew the next logical language to learn was Icelandic! Self-taught and a master linguist, Jordan's video has gone viral in tiny Iceland and he will be interviewed on Icelandic television next Monday.

THE 2010-12 JEWISH DIRECTORY IS NOW ON SALE

 $23.50 (includes GST)

 Available at VTT's school office and various locations throughout the city. Check out the website here!