July 25, 2013
 18 Av  5773
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In This Issue
Parshat Eikev
SHABBAT SHALOM
Learning Opportunities
Parshat Eikev
Jeremy Pappas
 

Despite proudly displaying pictures of my eight-month-old dog Izzo on Facebook as if he were my child, I cannot claim to be an actual father. I wouldn't dare compare the task of being a parent to owning a pet. However, I do believe Abbie and I are being offered a glimpse into the world of being the sole caretakers for a living being. I distinctly remember the first night we brought Izzo home. We put him to sleep in his crate, he cried-he has a major FOMO, fear of missing out-and then sometime later he fell asleep. A few minutes later, I turned to Abbie and said, "How do we know if he is still breathing?" It was a strange moment: I felt a lack of control over the very being that I was just getting used to being in control of. And, at that moment, I had to simply trust that his mammal functions were working correctly. Simply put, I wanted to protect my dog.

            What I soon realized was that I could not protect Izzo at all times of the day. In fact, offering him full protection wasn't so simple even when we tried - we put him on a leash, he wiggled out and ran off; we fed him the right amount of food, but he ate too much and threw up; we made sure dangerous items were closed and he chewed through the bottom of the aspirin! All we could do was try our best: take Izzo out to the bathroom, give him space to run and play, train him to behave well, provide him food and a place to sleep. Anything beyond the basics is out of our control. It was the first time in my life that I did not have control over something I was responsible for sustaining, and that was not easy!

            This week, in Parashat Eikev, we learn in-depth the idea of responsibility. More specifically, the Torah expands on the concept of reward and responsibility: if you followmitzvot, you will be rewarded. However, while Moshe specifically outlines the rewards that the Jewish people will receive for following mitzvot, I believe he is taking a bit of a different angle. Moshe is essentially saying do what you are supposed to do and trust God to protect you. In other words, take control of what you can and let the pieces fall into place.

This lesson is challenging - as human beings we want to be fully in control; it is not natural submit control over our lives. But, as being a first-time dog owner (and God willing one day a parent), I believe that we live this lesson daily when we care for others. Even when we provide everything we can and offer as much protection as possible, some things are left to change, out of our control. I still text my parents when I take off for a flight and again when I land, letting them know that I arrived safely. And, whenever I go on a long-distance drive they call an average of three times per hour! Yet, as I've grown to learn what it means to fully take care of something else, I've also learned to love those calls. And perhaps that is Moshe's message: to work hard for what w can control, while learning to appreciate and be thankful for what we cannot.

 
Jeremy Pappas is completing his studies at the Jewish Theological Seminary and will receive his rabbinic ordination in May 2014. 

May Their Memories Be For a Blessing 

July Yahrtzeits

7/25/2013 (18 Av)

Lillian Handler

7/28/2013 (21 Av)

Theodore P. Mason

7/29/2013 (22 Av) 

Joel D. Hamburger, 

Bennie Magy

7/31/2013 (24 Av)

Bertha Chitkin

August Yahrtzeits 

8/1/2013 (25 Av)

Ron Taub

8/2/2013 (26 Av)

Sarah Lewis

8/4/2013 (28 Av)

Louis Jonah Lieberman

8/5/2013 (29 Av)

Mr. Max Friedman

Leonard Gaba

Robert Alan Kapetansky

8/7/2013 (1 Elul)

Moshe Buncel, Moshe 

Louis Silverstein

8/8/2013 (2 Elul)

Robert Keila

8/9/2013 (3 Elul)

Louis Rose

Sam Toby

8/10/2013 (4 Elul)

Jack Harold Kaufman

8/11/2013 (5 Elul)

Lillian Katzman

8/12/2013 (6 Elul)

Franka Charlupski

8/13/2013 (7 Elul)

Beverly Togal

8/14/2013 (8 Elul)

John Eby

8/15/2013 (9 Elul)

Reinald Freedman

8/17/2013 (11 Elul)

Ernest Gans

Arthur Markowitz

8/18/2013 (12 Elul)

Alex Kuhn

8/19/2013 (13 Elul)

Pearl Leah Naimark

8/21/2013 (15 Elul)

Rabbi Carl L. Manello

8/23/2013 (17 Elul)

Yosef Garber

8/24/2013 (18 Elul)

Leo Orel

8/27/2013 (21 Elul)

Douglas Cohen

8/30/2013 (24 Elul)

Lawrence Sklar

8/31/2013 (25 Elul)

Mary Friedman

Lawrence Sklar

 

 

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.  

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To make a donation to the synagogue, 
click here 
phone:  248-432-2729

SHABBAT SHALOM
Shabbat Services: Eikev

Friday, July 26th

6 p.m. Services, Chapel
Saturday, July 27th  
9 a.m. Services, Sanctuary
Shabbat Table
Kiddush Lunch is sponsored by the Kiddush Lunch Fund.

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.  

B'NAI ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE COLLEGE STUDENTS CONTACT INFORMATION REQUESTED. 
Please e-mail Cheryl Berlin with your student's address, phone and e-mail address for the 2013-14 school year by July 31st.  
 
  Join us for a night at the ballpark!
Tuesday, August 20th
Tigers vs. Minnesota Twins
5:45 bus leaves TKA/BI.  
Jerusalem Pizza, transportation and tickets all included in the price.
SPACE IS LIMITED TO THE FIRST 48 RESERVATIONS.
DEADLINE:  JULY 31ST.

B'nai Israel Synagogue High Holiday Tickets

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
Shabbat in the Park 2013
Frank

 6 p.m. 

Bloomer Park, West Bloomfield

FINAL SHABBAT IN THE PARK:

August 2nd.

Bring your dairy or pareve picnic and join us for Shabbat music, food and fun!

 

Upcoming Youth and Family Activities
Upcoming Youth Services  

Supervised Youth Activities,  Room 3, lower level 

Parent volunteers staff the youth room during the summer months.

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

 

CHILDREN SINGING
VOICES NEEDED, Youth ages 10+ 
to accompany our hazzan during Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services.  
E-mail the synagogue if your child would like to participate.
Learning Opportunities   
Learn to Read Hebrew with Michael Wolf
Monday evenings, 7-8:30, July 8th-August 19th
BI/TKA Library  Materials Fee:   $36.00
Class size is limited. This class is for adults with limited or no Hebrew reading knowledge.  Click here for registration form.  Non-members of B'nai Israel are welcome to attend.

Sacred Remnants:  Rediscovered Treasures of the Jewish Past with Professor Howard Lupovitch
Wednesdays in July, 7:30 p.m., Beth Ahm

July 31:  "The Soviet Archives: The Unknown World of Eastern Europe" 

$15 per session or $50 for the series

RSVP nancyellen879@att.net or call 248-851-6880
 
Upcoming Community Events
and TKA/BI Joint Opportunities

The Detroit Sisterhood Community presents
"Preparing Spiritually for the High Holidays"
Two engaging learning sessions with 
Rabbi Abigail Treu
National Director of Torah Fund, 
Women's Campaign for Conservative Judaism
Monday, August 5th, 7:30 p.m., B'nai Moshe
Tuesday, August 6th, 9 a.m., Adat Shalom
No Charge to attend, reservations are requested. 
to register, or call 
248-258-0055,

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:   e-mail Gail Raben.

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 
e-mail the synagogue.

Congregant looking for a ride to services
 
West Bloomfield congregant is looking for a ride to morning or evening minyan and/or Shabbat services. The congregant lives behind Crosswinds Mall (Kroger), just north of Lone Pine Road. If you are available to assist, please contact Rabbi Robbins at (610) 574-5179 or rabbi@bnaiisraelwb.org. Thank you.
 
Mazel Tov 
Happy Birthday!

Birthday Cake July Birthdays

27 Barbara Kappy

28 Francine Stark-Hundiak

29 Robin Jacobson

29 David Lazarus

30 Hannah Finn

30 Ian Robinson

31 Brandon Kappy

31 Noah Weingarden

August Birthdays

  1  Alissa Citron

  2  Joshua Breitman

  4  Steve Freedman

  8  Melissa Berlin

  9  Leonard Rosen

10  Julia Abramson

10  Betsy Wolf

11  Nancy Benchell-Eisman

11  Marybeth Rosen

11  Michael Soverinsky

13  Elizabeth Breitman

13  Cathy Graub

15  Andy Beider

15  Kayla Kapen

15  David Saperstein

16  Marlene Margolis 

16  Marcia Seigerman 

19  Katie Rosen

19  Sally Soverinsky

21  Stefani Chudnow

21  Adam Gordon

22  Maya Rosenberg 

23  Vernon Gordon

25  Rabbi Jonathan Berger

26  Robyn Hoffenblum

27  Noah Marcotte

27  Cary Rosen

27  Melvin Toby

29  Edward Chudnow

July Anniversaries  
Jewish Wedding

19 Allan & Karen Lovinger

30 David & Gloria Ruskin

August Anniversaries 

  4  Steve & Nancy Kaufman

14  Jeffrey Eisman & Nancy 

Benchell-Eisman

14  Steve & Tammy Dines

14  Armando & Rhonda Duer

14  Ram & Karen Orzach

15  Richard & Lois Wonboy

17  Philip & Eiileen Epstein

18  Jonathan & Laura Berger

18  David & Louise Lazarus

20  Michael & Debbie Balkin

25  Jerry & Sharon Knoppow

30  Roy & Robin Rosen


 

If your birthday or anniversary information is not listed, please email the synagogue so we can update our records.
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B'nai Israel Synagogue is affiliated with USCJ, 
United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism.