Thursday, April 17, 2008

TOS eWeekly April 16, 2008

Volume 2 Issue 30, April 16, 2008

Parashat Acharey Mot - Leviticus 16:1 - 18:30

“In the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month (Yom Kippur), you shall practice self-denial; and you shall do no manner of work, neither the citizen nor the stranger who resides among you.”

One of the most beautiful and endearing aspects of Jewish tradition is the respect offered to the “stranger,” the non-citizen who dwelt among the people.  In this verse from our sedra we are instructed about the central practices of Yom Kippur. The “stranger” is welcome and included in the practices of the ancient Israelite community.

We continue such welcoming especially at this season of the year. Our Festival of Freedom, Pesakh, is a time for opening our doors and welcome friends and “strangers”.  Please let me know if you might have an extra place or two at your sedarim this coming Saturday and Sunday night. We usually have members of our congregation as well as others, “strangers,” interested in learning more about Judaism who seek a chance to experience a meaningful seder!

Also, don’t forget that on Sunday, April 20th at 10 AM we will hold a Pesakh Festival morning service – please join us and help make a Minyan.

May you enjoy a sweet and joyous Pesakh,

Rabbi Art Donsky

Pre-Pesakh Entertainment!
“Come celebrate a music-filled Shabbat with Shara Taylor and Rabbi Donsky! Let the sound of the flute lift your soul for Shabbat and our spring Freedom Festival of Pesakh. Take a needed break from your Seder preparation and join us this Friday, April 18th at 7:30 PM.

CONGREGATIONAL MEETING
The congregational meeting will now take place at 10:15AM on Sunday, May 4th in the Multi-purpose room.  And we will take time to honor Elaine Rose for her years of service and love she has given to TOS!

PRESCHOOL HAPPENINGS
Thanks to Elana Kriess and Hilary Daninhirsch for coordinating the Preschool Shabbat Dinner.  The children sang beautifully and a good time was had by all.

The preschool welcomed Dina Liberman, a preschool director from Israel.  Dina spent time in each classroom reading stories, playing finger games in Hebrew and teaching the children some Israeli dances.  She brought gifts from Israel for the classrooms and children.

The preschool children made matzo with Rabbi Shmuly.  They made their own dough, rolled it out and baked it in the oven.  Each child got to take a sample home with them, if they didn’t eat it all up at preschool!

Liz Sender

Lifelong Learning and Youth News
Please fill out your school registration forms for next year!

New Kindergarten students should receive forms in the mail.  Returning students receive registration forms in their mailbox.  Please complete new 2008-09 forms and return them before this school year ends.  Place them in the wall pockets by the education wing door.  Thank you!
Last Day School Picnic….let’s celebrated at North Park from 12 – 2.  Please contact us and let us know you can help plan the picnic!

No school Sunday, April 20 or Tuesday, April 22
Enjoy your Passover Break! 

B’nai Mitzvah Workshop April 26, 9:30am

EXODUS
From Judaism for Dummies: Haggadah means “the telling,” referring to one of the most important aspects of the seder: the recitation of the Exodus story.  ….It’s customary in any Jewish households to invite non-Jews to the Passover seder, and we find that frequently it’s the non-Jews at our seders who enjoy them the most. While the Jews are busy regressing into traumatic memories of their boring childhood seders, the non-Jews arrive with a clean slate and can really experience the ritual……..

In our gift shop, we have The Promise Haggadah which offers a one-hour Seder.  Perfect for the young who don’t have a long attention span.  If you want to “upgrade” your seder, consider “A Different Night: A Family Participation Haggadah” by David Dishon and Noam Zion. (There is a Leader’s Edition available to help plan out the seder ahead of time.) The authors are talented educators who understand the often diverse needs of those attending a seder; realizing that you can’t include every single special reading or interpretation and still have an enjoyable and enriching seder.

YOM HASHOAH
Every Saturday as we sit in shul, just before the mourner’s kaddish, we observe the yahrzeit of those who are no longer with us.  And every week, the rabbi asks us to remember the 6 million Jews, who perished in the Holocaust.  Although this is a ritual that we do every week, once a year, we put everything aside and put all of our heart and soul into remembering the victims of this horrific event.  We call this day Yom Hashoah v’HaGevurah, the Holocaust Remembrance Day.

Yom Hashoah v’HaGevurah, translated, “Day of Destruction and Heroism”, can be looked at as a day of memoriam.  In fact in Israel at precisely 10 am, air-raid sirens go off and at that time, the whole country stops what it is doing regardless and pays tribute to the dead.

Yom Hashoah can also be seen as a “Day of Redemption or Salvation”.  Although one can look at this day as a day of mourning, others can say that this is a day when all Jewish people become closer and stronger as a people.  In these days when the persecution of Jews is still on the minds of extremists in the Middle East, the remembrance of the Holocaust and the on going strengthening of the Jewish people becomes more important everyday.

On Thursday, May 1 at 7:30 p.m. Temple Ohav Shalom will be having a Yom Hashoah, Holocaust memorial program featuring keynote speaker Sister Camille, Principal from Vincentian Academy, who visited Poland and several of the concentration camps with members of the Pittsburgh Jewish community several years ago.  In addition, the night will include a display of Holocaust projects by the religious school students, a processional into the Holocaust Memorial Garden, readings and prayers.  Refreshments will be served at the conclusion.

WOMEN OF OHAV SHALOM
The WOS are looking for a few (at least one) good women to be leaders of WOS!  Please contact Karen Savitz if you are interested. And if you are not a member, this is a good time enlist in our favorite women’s group of Temple Ohav Shalom. Contact Karen Savitz.

URJ Camping Program for Children on the Autism Spectrum
Two great camping experiences – one in Texas at “Camp Simcha” at URJ Greene Family Camp, Aug. 7th – August 10th and “Tzofim Camp” at URJ Kutz Camp in New York June 29 thru July 6th (14 – 18 years old) and July 9 thru July 13 (Campers 10 – 13 years old)

For more information email or

LIFE LONG LEARNING
CANCELEDassover Cooking with Efrat~~~ A fun “make and taste” program! 

UPCOMING EVENTS
Sunday, April 27thh Mah-Jongg 1-4:00PM Multi Purpose Room
Thursday, May 1st Yom HaShoah v’haGevurah-Day of Destruction & Heroism Holocaust Remembrance Day-Guest Speaker Sister Camille from Vicentian Academy
Sunday, May 4th 10:15AM Congregational Meeting-Multi-Purpose Room
Saturday, June 7th 2-5:00PM Regional Women of Reform Judaism Meeting—details to follow

SCHEDULE OF WORSHIP SERVICES FOR APRIL
Friday, April 18 Parashat Achrei Mot
7:30 pm Kabbalat Shabbat
Rabbi Donsky & Shara Taylor
Saturday, April 19 14 Nissan, 5768
Erev Pesach
10:00 am Shabbat Morning
Rabbi Donsky & Elaine Rose
Friday, April 25 Pesach Last Day
7:30 pm Kabbalat Shabbat
Rabbi Donsky & Bobbie Harley
Saturday, April 26 – 21 Nissan, 5768
9:30 am B’nai Mitzvah Breakfast & Workshop
10:00 am Shabbat Morning
Rabbi Donsky