 | Volume 6, Number 6
Av 5773 - July / August 2013 |
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KI Online | |
Have you looked at Kesher Israel's updated website lately?
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KI thanks Cecelia & Jim Baker for keeping our congregational office running so smoothly.
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 Welcome to the latest edition of the Kesher Connection.
While shopping in a local store this week, I was shocked to see so little summer merchandise remaining. What surprised me even more was the display of fall seasonal items being set up. How could this be? In my mind, Tisha B'Av had barely ended and summer had just begun. Besides, don't the stores know that KI has not held our end-of-summer BBQ and picnic yet?! (It's scheduled for August 25th, so please mark your calendars!)
The summer months have seen Kesher Israel running at full speed -- as all of our regularly scheduled Minyanim and Torah study opportunities have continued unabated. I marvel at the impressive stream of summer guests and visitors who have been made to feel at home by our community as they pass through Harrisburg and KI. As a congregation, we were blessed to celebrate a beautiful Aufruf together. Our atmosphere was enhanced for almost three weeks by KI's Summer Kollel, and we shared a meaningful fast of Tisha B'Av with one another. Finally, even without air-conditioning, KI enjoyed a restful Shabbos Nachamu together. Sure it's been a lot warmer lately, but with all the activity at KI, I haven't yet fully appreciated the fact that it's summer. Next week, Layala and I hope to get away and enjoy a little bit of the summer before it's too late. I hope everyone will also find some way to enjoy themselves and 'recharge their batteries' before fall is upon us.
Wishing you the very best,
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Recent KI Happenings
 This year's fast of Tisha B'Av was observed from Monday night, July 15 through Tuesday night, July 16. Between a moving rendition of Eicha, explanatory readings of the Kinnos, Torah study opportunities with Rabbi Males and the Summer Kollel, and video presentations provided by the Orthodox Union / Yeshiva University and the Chofetz Chaim Heritage Foundation, Kesher Israel ran a full day of meaningful Tisha B'Av programming. ____________________
KI thanks Elaine Reis for organizing a group of friends to memorialize the late Bob Lipman, z"l, in our synagogue. KI has purchased new velcro-fastening Torah belts for each of our congregation's Torah scrolls (in year-round colors as well as white for the High Holiday season). These new Torah belts have replaced KI's older Torah belts -- many of which have become stretched out and/or too difficult to fasten properly.
In addition, in memory of Bob, a brand new white Torah cover was ordered -- and has arrived -- in time for the High Holidays.
Please contact Cecelia ASAP (238-0763 or kesherisrael@aol.com) if you would like to be part of this effort to memorialize Bob Lipman in our synagogue. _____________________
KI thanks Wesley Woodland for choosing to benefit Kesher Israel Congregation via his Eagle Scout project. Wesley and his hard-working team of volunteers did a masterful job of making the Sheimos vault at KI's cemetery much more accessible -- and far less of a hazard -- than it was before. Thank you so much Wesley!
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KI's new website now accepts PayPal!
Using PayPal's world-class system, you can now make safe and secure online donations / payments to Kesher Israel Congregation using your PayPal account or credit card. Please visit www.kesherisrael.org and give it a try!
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Kesher Israel Welcomes The 2013 Summer Kollel
 For close to three weeks in July, Kesher Israel Congregation happily welcomed a wonderful group of rabbinical students from Yeshiva Chofetz Chaim in Queens, NY for its annual Summer Kollel program.
KI's Summer Kollel is dedicated to the memory of Rabbi Berel Zafran - of blessed memory. A long-time chief Kashrus supervisor of Empire Kosher Poultry, he was devoted to our community and Kesher Israel, but most of all, he was unconditionally dedicated to the study of Torah.
Between an array of engaging Torah classes, a very popular after-camp youth program at the JCC, an 8:00 AM daily Shacharis, a song-filled Shabbos Nachamu, and the thrill of over 100 one-on-one Torah study sessions, the Summer Kollel was once again provided numerous opportunities for terrific summer Torah learning for men, women, and children of the entire Harrisburg Jewish community.
Kesher Israel Thanks:
- The Norman and Phyllis Lipsett Fund of the Jewish Community Foundation of Central Pennsylvania for their generous grant, which funded the fun-filled Jewish-crafts afternoon program at the JCC for the kids of Harrisburg's diverse Jewish community.
- The generous local supporters who made this important program possible.
- The Loketch Group for donating apartments in their River Plaza Apartment building for the Summer Kollel volunteers to stay in.
- Rabbi Barry Nussbaum, Rabbi Moshe Yosef Gewirtz, Ricki Gold, Marcy Flicker, and Oleasa Salkin for planning this wonderful Summer program.
- This year's Summer Kollel volunteers: Yitzy & Mishy Mandel, Yerachmiel Botnick, Aryeh Leib Dietz, Yisroel Shonefeld, and Yisroel Small. We thank each of the Summer Kollel participants for sharing some of their well-deserved Summer break with our community!
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The 2013 Ben Blutstein Memorial Shabbaton
 In commemoration of the eleventh Yahrtzeit of their dear son and brother, Ben Blutstein, of blessed memory, Dr. Richard Blutstein and Dr. Katherine Baker, Rivkah Blutstein and Judah Bellin invite everyone to enjoy three enlightening Torah presentations by Rabbi James Jacobson-Maisels over the course of Shabbos -- July 27th.
Rabbi James Jacobson-Maisels has been studying and teaching meditation and Jewish spirituality for over fifteen years. While growing up near Hershey, he was an active member of Chisuk Emuna Congregation. James went on to study at the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem, Israel -- where he became good friends with Ben Blutstein, z"l, and he was eventually ordained by Pardes' Rabbi Daniel Landes. He teaches Jewish thought, mysticism, spiritual practices, and meditation at a number of diverse Jewish institutions and is currently pursuing a PhD at the University of Chicago in Jewish mysticism.
The Baker-Blutstein family invites the entire community to enjoy Rabbi Maisels' three Torah presentations over the course of Shabbos:
1) Shabbos morning sermon at KI
2) 6:15 - 7:15 PM -- A Shabbat afternoon presentation for the entire community hosted in Chisuk Emuna's new building entitled: The Piaseczner Rebbe's Technique for Opening to the Divine in our Lives and Becoming the People We Want to Be.
3) A special Shalosh Seudot presentation at KI entitled: R. Kalonymus Kalmish Shapira - the Rebbe of the Warsaw Ghetto: Understanding the Life, Teachings, and Work of an early 20th century Spiritual Master (Preceded by Mincha at KI at 7:55 PM)
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Following a Siyum on the Talmudic tractate of Megillah after services on Shabbos morning, the Baker-Blutstein family invites the entire congregation to enjoy a special Kiddush luncheon which they have generously sponsored.
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Down To The Wire With Our Eruv
On Friday afternoon, July 19th -- just hours before Shabbos Nachamu -- a violent summer storm tore  through Uptown Harrisburg. Numerous power lines in our neighborhood were damaged, as many tree limbs were brought down by the heavy winds. In fact KI's own electrical system (and air-conditioning) was not fully functioning until late that Saturday night.
After receiving a phone tip from an astute Summer Kollel volunteer, I ran out to check on the sections of our communal Eruv that are prone to damage from falling trees / limbs. I soon discovered that a vital section of our Eruv (across from Wells Fargo bank on Front Street) had been destroyed by the storm. Thankfully, Quincy Rogers was quickly able to join me on the scene, and we had the downed Eruv line fully repaired in time for Shabbos.
(In addition, about one week prior to that storm, we had upgraded our Eruv by replacing two crucial sections of older rope -- crossing Front Street -- with newer and stronger lines. Had it not been for those preemptive upgrades, I believe this storm would have caused far greater damage to our Eruv than it did. Probably, we also would not have been able to enjoy our Eruv that Shabbos Nachamu.)
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Communal Eruv Update
Our communal Eruv continues to enhance the Shabbos experiences of our entire community. Nonetheless, it's important to realize our beloved Eruv is over 20 years old. As such, parts of it sometimes do fail and require repair.
On several occasions over the course of the past few months, crucial repairs had to be made to the Eruv and were completed in time for Shabbos.
KI thanks: Quincy Rogers and Mark Brodsky for working with me on KI's Eruv inspection team, Randy and Russ Pentz of Cheran Inc. for their repair services, as well as everyone whose financial contributions are maintaining our communal Eruv.
Enjoying our communal Eruv? Our Eruv cannot be maintained without everyone's support. Contributions to ensure the Eruv's viability are needed. Checks made out to 'The Eruv Fund' can be sent to Marcy Flicker at 3514 Green Street, Harrisburg, PA 17110____________________
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KI Dedication Opportunities
Are you looking to make a dedication in memory / honor of a friend or loved one? A number of new dedication opportunities at KI are now available:
1) Become a sponsor of an exciting future KI program.
2) Help fund one of KI's other projects.
3) Sponsor a Kiddush (basic = $180) or Shalosh Seudos (basic = $50) in honor of a special occasion.
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Please share your ideas, suggestions, or concerns with me. I look forward to receiving your input, so I can best fulfill my rabbinic duties.
KI Office: 717-238-0763
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