Magen David Sephardic Congregation 

         Beit Eliahu Synagogue

       11215 Woodglen Drive

        Rockville, MD  20852

     301-770-6818

 

The Sephardic Synagogue of the Nations Capital

 

magendavidsephardic.org  

Like us on Facebook

Follow us on Twitter

Contents
Shabbat Kiddush
Rabbi Avraham Sultan
General Membership Meeting
Light It Up-Hanukkah Party
Kudos of the Week
Sisterhood News
Free Hebrew Program for Kids
Breakfast at MDSC
Bikur Cholim
PJ Library
Shabbat Opportunities for our Children
From the Gabbi
In The Community
In The Sanctuary
Eruv Status

Service Schedule   

 

Friday, December 12

7:00 am Shaharit 

4:15 pm Minha/Kabbalat Shabbat

4:28 pm Candle Lighting

 

Shabbat, December 13 

Parasha Vayeshev  

8:30 am Shaharit-Rabbi Sultan will be leading Musaf, reading Torah, and will deliver a D'var Torah

10:30 am Shabbat Youth Program

4:00 pm Minha, followed by Seudah Shelisheet and D'var Torah with Rabbi Sultan

5:10 pm Arvit

5:31 pm Shabbat Ends/ Havdala

 

Sunday, December 14

8:00 am Shaharit

 

Weekly Service Times

7:00 am Shaharit

 

Hanukkah begins on Tuesday evening, Dec 16

Blessing of the New Month will be next Shabbat, Dec 20

Rosh Hodesh Tevet will be on Monday and Tuesday, Dec 22 & 23.

Shabbat Kiddush 

 

The Shabbat Kiddush is sponsored by Zion & Cookie Avissar in memory of Lilian Diener A"H.

 

The Seudah Shelisheet is sponsored by KBF.
 

Why not sponsor a Kiddush lunch or Seudah Shelisheet in honor or memory of a loved one? Contact Andy Suissa at [email protected] or 301-346-4212 for more information.

Rabbi Avraham Sultan-Scholar In Residence
Magen David Sephardic Congregation Welcomes
Rabbi Avraham Sultan - Scholar In Residence
Parasha Vayeshev

Rabbi Avraham Sultan emigrated with his family from Rabat, Morocco to Montreal, Canada at the age of five. Three years later he started to sing as a soloist in weddings and concerts around North America and weekly in the Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue of Montreal choir under the leadership of Salomon Amzallag. By 13, he was the acting Hazan of the Jewish Center of Montreal.
As a young adult, he decided to combine his passion with formal education and training at the Shehebar Sephardic Center with Rabbi Sammy Kassin in the Old City of Jerusalem, Israel where he was ordained as Rabbi, Shochet, Mohel and Sofer by the Sephardic Chief Rabbinate of Jerusalem. A Lyric Tenor Hazan as well, Rabbi Sultan is knowledgeable and experienced with Moroccan, Yerushalmi and Ashkenazi Piyuttim.
Rabbi Sultan has served the communities of Caracas, Venezuela, Malaga, Spain, and San Francisco, while also continuing to perform concerts across North America and Europe.
In 1997 he returned to Montreal as the Chief Hazan at the Adath Israel Poale Tzedek Anshei Ozerrof Congregation where he served for the next 10 years and taught at the Safra campus of Ecole Maimonides High School during the entire decade. Additionally, Rabbi Sultan was chaplain for the Jewish Federation of Montreal, counseling members as well as lecturing on medical ethics.
From 2007 to 2013, Rabbi Sultan was the Senior Hazan of Shaarei Shomayim Congregation in Toronto, the largest Orthodox congregation in the city.
Rabbi Sultan currently resides with his wife Raquel and their four boys, in South Florida where he teaches Judaic and Hebrew studies at the Rabbi Alexander S. Gross Hebrew Academy and serves as the Rabbi/Chaplain of the SeaSide and Grand Court of Lakes Assisted Living Facilities.

 
Shabbat Schedule for Dec 12 & 13
Friday evening Dec 12

Minha/Kabbalat Shabbat4:15 pm
SOLD OUT-Communal Shabbat dinner to honor Rabbi Sultan, starting approximately between 5:45 and 6pm

Saturday Morning Dec 13
Shaharit - 8:30am (Rabbi Sultan will be leading Musaf, reading Torah, and will deliver a D'var Torah)
Kiddush lunch to follow services
Minha - 4:00 pm, followed by Seudah Shelisheet and D'var Torah by Rabbi Sultan.
Arvit followed by Havdalah - 5:10 pm
Shabbat ends at 5:31 pm

Saturday evening Dec 13
Meleve Malka - Sriqui-Haim Social Hall
7:30 pm-no charge, but donations appreciated
Singing and shmoozing with Rabbi Sultan
Desserts, coffee, tea to be served

Please plan on attending so Rabbi Sultan can experience the warmth and welcome of the entire Magen David community!
 
General Membership Meeting on Sunday, 10am
 

Our Bi-Annual General Membership meeting will be held this Sunday, December 14 at 10:00 am.  Arrive early for bagels and coffee.

President Frederic Richardson will be giving a year end review and a glimpse into our agenda for 2015. Committee chairs will also be reporting from the Rabbi Search committee, Programing, Finance, Sisterhood, and Men's Club to provide you a more detailed insight. 

 

Please do what you can to attend this meeting so that we can have the required quorum of 60 to make this a formal meeting and a constitutionally legal vote.


We look forward to seeing you then.


Light It Up! MDSC Hannukah Party

Saturday, December 20, 8pm at MDSC 
 

Dinner, dancing, and a surprise performance!  

Full spread of shawarma, falafal, and more!

Open Bar!

 

DJ spinning the best of both US and International tunes all night!

 

Brought to you by the Magen David Men's Club  We put the "Men" in Menorah

$40 per person in advance
$50 per person at the door
register through this link by 3pm on Dec 19 for the advance ticket price.  

 

Special thank you to Davinci Florist davinciflorist.com

 

Kudos of the Week
Please join us in wishing mazal tov to Orly Mechaly on being elected as the new Sisterhood president.  
We would also like to thank Roslyn Needle for all of her dedicated service to the sisterhood over the last few years.  
 
Sisterhood News

We had a get together with elections and Hanukkah social on Monday, Dec 8.  Orly Mechaly is the new sisterhood president.  The Hanukkah social was lovely with lots of snacks, a Hanukkah discussion, a raffle and a gift exchange. We will be reading The Paris Architect by Charles Belfoure. You can see a synopsis on Amazon. Please email Orly at [email protected] if you would like to participate. We will meet in early January. 

Look for an email on signing up to help out Shabbat mornings for the months of December and January. We need you to volunteer!

 

Free Hebrew Program for Kids

 

We're happy to announce that our popular, Hebrew Program with Maria is back.  Held weekly on Tuesday nights, from 5:00pm-6:00pm, this free class is open to all children ages 7-12.  

 

For more information or to register, please contact the office at 301-770-6818 or by email at [email protected]

 

Breakfast at MDSC

 

Join us Monday through Friday to start your day with both spiritual AND physical nourishment. Shaharit begins at 7am; noshes follow immediately after prayers.

 

Sponsored by the MDSC Men's Club.

 
Bikur Cholim
MDSC has formed a committee to participate in Bikur Cholim, "visiting the sick".  Bikur cholim provides comfort and support to those that are ill and the elderly.  Bikur Cholim can include such activities as:
  • visiting patients in the hospital, rehabilitation center, or nursing home
  • visiting people who are home bound
  • driving people to doctor appointments
  • grocery shopping and errands
  • telephoning the sick or isolated senior
If you are aware of any member of our community in need, please contact the members of the Bikur Cholim committee.  If you would like to participate in this very rewarding mitzvah, please contact Jacob Elbaz at [email protected] 202-257-8518

 

 
 PJ Library 

We are excited to let you know that Magen David is now a proud sponsor of the PJ Library

 

PJ Library� (PJ, as in "pajamas") provides families raising Jewish children from 6 months-8 years old with a FREE treasury of high-quality, expertly-selected and kid-tested (!) Jewish books and music each month.  Keep an eye out for your special delivery of books. 

PJ Library in Greater Washington is a gift from The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington, the United Jewish Endowment Fund and generous local donors.  

Shabbat Opportunities for Our Children

 

We would love to see your child participate more actively in Shabbat services! There are many opportunities for children of all ages to take part in the prayers.


Girls 5-10 years old, and boys 5-12, may do one or more of the following:
1) Assist with opening and closing the Ark when we remove/return the Torah scrolls
2) Carry the Sefer Haftarot (post-Bar Mitzvah boys may carry the Torah)
3) Stand at the Tevah and assist in chanting Kabbalat Shabbat (Friday night), Nishmat Kol Hai, Yishtabach, Shema Yisrael, El Adon, Kedusha or Ein Kelohenu.


Boys who can read Hebrew and are 7 years of age or older may read an Aliyah of the Torah and/or Haftara on Shabbat. Girls who can read Hebrew may prepare to chant a section of Shir Hashirim on Friday Night, or a portion of one of the Megillot on Purim, Pesah, Shavuot or Sukkot. 


Please contact the Gabbai and make arrangements for your child to take advantage of one of these beautiful opportunities for participation in our services.

Rami Levi [email protected]

 

Haftara Requests
Please note that if you wish to read the Haftara on a specific Shabbat you must communicate this to the Gabbai four weeks in advance. The first person to reserve a particular Haftara will be given that Haftara - no reassignments will be made, regardless of circumstances. Since the Gabbai cannot take responsibility for keeping track of all of your memorial dates, azkarot, etc.,  please be sure to take the initiative and reserve the Haftarah that you need four weeks ahead of time. You can reach the Gabbi at 301-775-9662 or by email at [email protected] 
In The Community... 

 

Explore Israel on a Taglit-Birthright Israel: Shorashim-JNF Israel Adventure Trip 

With Shorashim and JNF you experience the awesome adventure of Israel from the inside, through the eyes and hearts of Israeli participants. Travel for 10 days with Israeli friends and staff who share the beauty, excitement and complexities of their country with you.
This trip is a gift from Taglit-Birthright Israel. For more information or to register now, visit israelwithisraelis.com.

In The Sanctuary...
Please note that it is customary not to enter or leave the sanctuary during the silent Amida.
Eruv Status
To check the status of the eruv, call 240-627-1661 later Friday afternoons.

 
When forwarding emails from Magen David, please use the foward link at the bottom of the email.  Using any other method might cause a disruption in your ability to receive future emails.