May 16, 2013
7 Sivan 5773
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In This Issue
Parshat Naso
Learning Opportunities
Caring Community Information
SHABBAT SHALOM
Parshat 
Naso

Rabbi Norman Roman

Temple Kol Ami

 

Most of us are familiar with the classic interpretation of the Birkat Cohanim (Priestly Benediction) that teaches:

May God bless you and guard you - May you be blessed with affluence, and may you be guarded from that wealth corrupting your life.

May God cause light to shine upon you and be gracious unto you - May you appreciate the light of Torah, be constantly enlightened by it and not forget it, and as a result, you will find grace in the eyes of all who share life with you.

May God lift up the Divine Presence upon you, and grant you peace - may the goal of your life in Torah be Shalom, not only peace for your community, but peace within yourself, i.e. contentment and wholeness.

 

But a wise and discerning student of mine (now a Doctor!!!) many years ago, discovered the following Midrash about this blessing while she was preparing her D'var Torah in anticipation of becoming a Bat Mitzvah:  How do we know that the Children of Israel have the z'chut (the merit) of being blessed with these words?  The answer, our Rabbis taught, is in the phrase from the Torah portion, "Co t'varachu . . . Thus shall you bless" (Num. 6:23).  We are privileged to be blessed this way, because of z'chut avot, the merit of our fathers.  For the simple term "Co" (thus) was used with or by each of our Patriarchs.

 

One Rabbi commented that God said to Abraham: "Thus shall it be for your descendants" (Gen. 15:5).  The merit of Abraham was that he promised to raise his children to follow in his faithful path.   Furthermore, Isaac joined in the merit of blessing by displaying trust in his father and sanctifying God's name in the face of personal danger: "The lad and I will proceed to there ('Co')" (Gen. 22:5).  And finally, we receive the Priestly blessing because of the merit of Jacob: "Thus shall you say to the house of Jacob" (Ex. 19:3).  Jacob, though knowing that they would be living in Egypt, still taught his sons the faith and values of the Israelite people.

 

My student shared the lesson that if we inspire each other to follow in the faithful path of Abraham, if we emulate the sincerity and preparation for sacrifice of Isaac, and if we strengthen our children's understanding of and commitment to 'Am Yisrael, then we will truly merit the blessing of Shalom.  May we all have that confidence!


May Their Memories Be For a Blessing 

May Yahrtzeits

5/17/2013 (8 Sivan)

Daniel Graub

5/20/2013 (11 Sivan)

Arnold Manko

George Weiss

5/21/2013 (12 Sivan)

Henry Fridenberg

Annette Sirlin

5/23/2013 (14 Sivan)

Irene Belsky

5/25/2013 (16 Sivan)

Harriet(Sivia) Band

5/26/2013 (17 Sivan)

Elka Reiter

5/28/2013 (19 Sivan)

Sidney Silverman

Ethel Toby

5/29/2013 (20 Sivan)

Alex Harris

To make a donation to commemorate a yahrtzeit, please click here.  If you are a member of the synagogue and a yahrtzeit for your loved one is not on the list, please contact the synagogue office so we can update our records.

 

Please click here if you wish to permanently memorialize a loved one by purchasing a yahrtzeit plaque.  

Learning Opportunities   
Siddur Appreciation/Learnin
with Dr. Mitch Parker 
This class is held on Shabbat mornings in the lower level, Room 9.       May 25th, 11 a.m.

Caring Community Information

Refuah Sh'leimah/Wishing a Speedy Recovery

Please email Michael Golob or call the synagogue:  248-432-2729 if you wish to add a name to our communal list.  Our caring community reaches out to one another in a variety of ways.  We welcome our new members warmly with a special visit and gift.  We provide shiva minyan leaders.  We call/visit/provide meals for members who are ill or home-bound, bring a home-cooked shiva meal to mourners in our community, and help to drive members who need a ride to synagogue services and events.  If you would like to help in any way, please call or 
Attention BI Families with high school seniors 
Please send us your child's full name, Hebrew and English, and post-high school plans.  We plan to honor our high school graduates during Youth Shabbat, Saturday, June 8th. click here to send your student's information.
Join Our Mailing List
To make a donation to the synagogue, 
click here 
phone:  248-432-2729
SHABBAT SHALOM
Shabbat Services: Naso

Friday, May 17th

6 p.m. Services, Chapel
Shabbat Table

Saturday, May 18th

Volunteer Appreciation Shabbat

9 a.m. Services,Sanctuary
Kiddush Lunch is sponsored by the Kiddush Lunch Fund in honor and appreciation of all of our volunteers.  Kiddush Lunch is also sponsored by Louise and David Lazarus in honor of Louise's birthday.
Correction to last week's Kiddush Lunch sponsorship, should have read: sponsored by:  Jeffrey Eisman and Nancy Benchell-Eisman, Hilda Hanburger, Ilene Miles, Gail Kay, Bonnie Sorkin, Carole Wiseman, Marlene Margolis, Joe Rose and Rita Goldstone.

Kiddush Lunch is available through the generosity of weekly sponsors.  Please e-mail or call the synagogue office if you would like to sponsor a kiddush lunch.  You may also make a donation to the synagogue specifically for the Kiddush Lunch Fund by clicking here.  

 

Condolences

To Mel Toby on the death last week of his brother, Bernie Toby.

 

 

Honey

ORDER "HONEY FROM THE HEART" once again this year.   Please help support the synagogue and order (or re-order) honey for your friends and family.   Click here and follow the simple instructions.  ORDER DEADLINE IS JULY 9TH Honey from the Heart logo

 

  

SAVE THE DATE:   

Youth Shabbat, Saturday June 8th.

The Youth of our congregation will participate in and lead services.  We will honor our graduating high school seniors.

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Frank


Shabbat in the Park 2013

Fridays at 6 p.m.,  

Bloomer Park, West Bloomfield

June 7th, July 5th, August 2nd

Upcoming Youth and Family Activities
Upcoming Youth Services  

Supervised Youth Activities,  Room 3, lower level 

May 4, 11, 18, 25 supervised youth activities, lower level.

To stay current on all youth and family activities, contact Ilana Glazier  to join the B'nai Israel Families Facebook Group.

 

  MInute to win it

IMPORTANT MEETING
USY logo REGARDING USY
(MCUSY-Motor City USY in the Detroit area, 
UNITED SYNAGOGUE YOUTH, 9TH-12TH GRADERS)

Sunday, June 2, 10-11:30 a.m.

Congregation Shaarey Zedek

This meeting is for parents from all Detroit-area conservative synagogues.  Please plan to attend if you have a high school age child.  Please e-mail Susan Knoppow with questions.

 

Youth Shabbat:  Saturday, June 8th.
Children of all ages will be participating in the service. If your child would like to participate and has not yet been assigned a part, please contact Karen Rosenberg.
Mazel Tov 
May Birthdays
Happy Birthday!

 

Birthday Cake16 Trudy Jacobson

18 Gloria Ruskin

19 Elizabeth Lovinger

20 Linda Foster

21 Louise Lazarus

21 Megan Victor

22 David Feber

22 Karen Lovinger

26 Robin Rosen

27 Jay Kozlowski

28 Susan Birnholtz

28 Hilda Hamburger

30 Jordan Rosen

31 Irvin Kappy

 

May Anniversaries
Jewish Wedding

19 Oscar & Adele Band

20 Jay & Joanna Abramson

25 Michael & Shelli Dorfman

26 Jeffrey Lupovitch & Alissa Citron

28 David Saperstein & Susan Knoppow

29 Adele and Oscar Band

30 Ed & Fran Chudnow

30 Steve & Linda Jacobson 

To make a donation in honor of someone's birthday or anniversary, please click here.
If your birthday or anniversary information is not listed, please email the synagogue so we can update our records.
Upcoming Community Events
and TKA/BI Joint Opportunities

Save the Date:  
Road Rally with TKA and BI 
Sunday, July 29th, 5:30 p.m.

KNITTING 
All stitchers are welcome.  Bring yourKnitting1 
needlepoint, crochet hook or cross stitch and join the group. There is no charge to attend.  

7 PM at the TKA/BI building.  

FUTURE DATES:  5/21, 6/10

Just drop-in! No registration required.  For more information, e-mail Gail Raben

 

BI running
Join us at this year's Detroit Free Press Marathon as part of our team, Sunday, October 20, 2013!

Several spots on our two teams are still available.  Once the spots fill up, they are gone. The marathon length of 26.2 miles is divided into five legs.  The length of each relay leg is as follows: 6.2 miles, 6.0 miles, 6.7 miles, 2.9 miles, and 4.4 miles.  Full details are available at: http://www.freepmarathon.com/events/relay

For more details and costs to participate, please contact David Saperstein directly:  dsaperstein@maddinhauser.com

 


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B'nai Israel Synagogue is affiliated with USCJ, 
United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism.