Shabbat Announcements, July 25,2009

Parshat Devarim, Shabbat Chazon

July 25, 2009 4 Av, 5769

Rabbi Frand: Thoughts on the Parsha Torah Artscroll, 938 Hertz, 736 Haftorah Artscroll, 1195 Hertz, 750

Times Candle Lighting

8:00 pm

Mincha

7:00 pm

Hashkama

8:00 am

Youth

8:30 am

Main Minyan

9:00 am

Beit Midrash

9:15 am

Gemorah Shiur

6:50 pm

Mincha

7:50 pm

Shabbat Ends

9:07 pm

Sunday, 7/26

7:30 /8:30 am

Mon.

6:35 am

Tues., Wed. Fri.

6:45 am

Thursday 7/30, Tisha B’Av See schedule page 2 Second Shacharit Minyan (Daily) Mincha (week of July 26)

7:45 am 8:00 pm

Latest times for Shema/Shmoneh Esrei July 25

9:23/10:35 am

August 1

9:26/10:37 am

Next Shabbat –Vaetchanan Candle lighting

7:53 pm

Mincha

7:00 pm

Children are a Gift "May God, the Lord of your fathers, add a thousand fold more like you and bless you, as He spoke to you." (Devarim 1:11) The Jewish people, Rashi informs us, were not very happy with the blessing Moshe gave them. "May God, the Lord of your fathers," he had said, "add a thousand fold more like you and bless you as He spoke to you." "Only that and no more?" the people responded. "Is that the full extent of your blessing? Hashem blessed us (Bereishis 32:13) to be 'like the dust of the earth that is too numerous to count.'" "You will surely get the blessing Hashem gave you," Moshe replied. "This is just my own personal blessing to you." What exactly was Moshe's reply? What additional benefit would the Jewish people derive from his blessing of a

thousand fold increase if they were already receiving Hashem's blessing of virtually limitless increase? The Chasam Sofer explains that Moshe was testing them. Why did they want children? Was it because children were useful, because they help carry the household burden, provide companionship and are a source of security in old age? Or is it because each child is a spark of the Divine, a priceless gift from Heaven, a piece of the World to Come? So Moshe gave the Jewish people a test. He blessed them with a "thousand fold" increase in their population. If they had wanted children for their usefulness alone, they would have said, "Thank you, but that's enough already! A thousand fold will suit our purposes just fine. We have no use for any more right now." But that was not what they said. They wanted more children. They wanted children "too numerous to count." Obviously, they were not thinking about their own

material and emotional needs, but about the transcendent blessing that each child represents, and so, they proved themselves worthy of Hashem's blessing. Hundreds of years earlier, these two conflicting attitudes toward children had already become an issue. Yaakov and Eisav had made a division. Eisav was to take this world, and Yaakov was to take the World to Come. When Yaakov came back from Aram, Eisav welcomed him at the head of an army four hundred men strong. In the tense early minutes of the confrontation, Eisav noticed Yaakov's many children. "Who are these children?" Eisav asked. "These are the children," Yaakov replied, "that Hashem graciously gave to your servant." The Pirkei d'Rabbi Eliezer expands the dialogue between Yaakov and Eisav and reveals the underlying argument. "What are you doing with all these children?" Eisav asked. "I thought we made a division, that I would take this world and you would take the World to Come. So why do you have so

Kiddush is Sponsored By Karen & Edward Wydra in Memory of his Mother Helen Wydra

26 Old Mill Road, Great Neck, NY 11023 (516) 487-6100

many children? What do children have to do with the World to Come? Children are a boon in this world!" "Not so," Yaakov responded. "Children are sparks of the Divine. The opportunity to raise a child, to develop a Divine soul to the point where it can enter the World to Come, is a privilege of the highest spiritual worth. That is why I have children." Yaakov wants children for their own sake, but Eisav views them as an asset in this world. Children are an extra pair of hands on the farm. They can milk the cows and help with many other chores that need to be done in agrarian societies. Modern man has progressed beyond agrarian life. He has moved off the farm and does not have such a need for children anymore. In fact, he has made a startling discovery. Children are a tremendous burden. They are expensive, time consuming and exasperating. Who needs children? But what about companionship? Loneliness? No problem. Modern man can get a dog. Dogs are wonderful. Instead of coming home to a house full of clamoring, demanding, frustrating children, he can come home to an adoring, tail-wagging dog who will run to bring him his slippers and newspaper. So why does he need children? This is the attitude of Eisav adapted to modern times. Yaakov, on the other hand, understands that the purpose of children is not for enjoying this world or for making our lives easier. Each child represents a spiritual mission, a spark of the Divine entrusted to our care and our guidance, an opportunity to fulfill Hashem's desire to have this soul brought to the World to Come.

Shabbat Announcements Parshat Devarim, 5769

TISHA B’AV 5769

Wednesday Schedule Mincha 7:30 pm Seudah Mafseket: Rolls and hard boiled eggs Fast Begins: Maariv, Eicha & Kinot :

8:13 pm 8:15 pm

Thursday Schedule First Shacharit: - with kinot until 8:15am

6:00 am

Second Shacharit: - with kinot until 11:30am

8:30 am

Shiurim on Tisha B'Av Rabbi Polakoff Rabbi Axelrod

11:30 – 12:00 pm 12:00 – 12:30 pm

Shiurim broadcast in the Weinstein Torah and Technology Center OU Videos l 12:30 – 1:35 pm Rabbi Steven Weil: “The Death of the Righteous: The Tragedy of the Deaths of Yoshiyahu HaMelech, The Children of Rabbi Yishmael, and the Ten Martyrs” Mincha

1:45 pm

OU Video 2:15 pm Rabbi Tzvi Weinreb: “My Shoulders, Your Shoulders, Our Shoulders” Rabbi Zvi Sobolofsky “From Galus to Geulah” Shaimot burial

6:00 pm

Chofetz Chaim Video 6:15 pm Rabbi Yissocher Frand “Heeding the Call: What Are Our Trying Times Telling Us?” Great Neck Synagogue Shabbat Activities Program

Dale Polakoff, Rabbi Shalom Axelrod, Assistant Rabbi Dr. Ephraim Wolf ,z”l, Rabbi Emeritus Zeev Kron, Cantor Eleazer Schulman, z”l, Cantor Emeritus Mark Twersky, Executive Director Howard Silberstein, President Harold Domnitch, Chairman of the Board

2nd Mincha

7:45 pm

Ma’ariv

8:35 pm

Fast ends

8:51 pm

great neck synagogue ROSH HASHANA IS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER!! Although there are still many days of summer left, Rosh HaShana will be here before we know it. Order your New Year’s Greeting for the High Holy Days issue of SCOPE now.

Greetings are priced as follows: SCOPE SPONSORSHIP*

$36.00 One line greeting

$180.00 for Quarter page

If you enjoy reading SCOPE, please become a SCOPE sponsor. Your name will appear in each edition that you sponsor. You may sponsor in honor or in memory of a loved one.

$275.00 for Half page

$36 per issue___ $100 for one year (3 issues)____

$100.00 for Business card size

Name_________________________

$400 for Full page

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$100 for one year sponsorship*

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Deadline: August 3, 2009 Make checks payable to: Great Neck Synagogue, 26 Old Mill Road, Great Neck, N.Y. 11023

Please fill out and return to office: Name_______________________ Address_____________________ Ad Size_____________________

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ANNOUNCEMENTS FEEDING THE HUNGRY To help feed those who have no food for Shabbat, a cooler will be set up on Fridays only, between 11am and 1 pm outside the front door of the home of Morris & Cindy Hodkin, 18 Birchwood Lane, Great Neck, 11024 Please put your well wrapped food in the cooler between these hours ONLY. This food will be picked up and delivered to those areas where it will be needed. MEN’S CLUB EVENTS Bus Trip to NYC Sun., July 26th 10am, to the NYC Eldridge Street Synagogue and Center for Jewish History on 16th Street. Visiting four museums in one, docents will accompany our group. Cost including lunch is $60 per person. Call Dave Wagner 487-9795, Hilly Milun 597-0320, or Al Leiderman at 482-0628. Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv vs New York Knicks at MSG Sun. Oct 18th, at 1pm. All proceeds are donated to Migdal Ohr. Midcourt tickets at $105 each. Tickets are now available on a first come basis. For tickets call Steve Blumner 487-3859, Hilly Milun 5040320, or Paul Brody 466-5412

SCOPE MAGAZINE The deadline for the Rosh Hashanah Scope Magazine is Monday, August 3rd for all advertisements, articles, photos and New Year Greetings. We strongly encourage you to be a Scope Sponsor in honor or in memory of a loved one for $36 an issue or $100 for 3 issues (Rosh Hashanah, Chanukah, and Pesach) Please email all submissions to [email protected]. HIGH SCHOOL PIRKEI AVOS CLASS There will be a Pirkei Avos shiur for High School students every shabbos afternoon approx. 40 minutes before mincha given by Cary Schwechter in the GNS Youth Center. IMPORTANT SISTERHOOD ELECTIONS MEETING On Tuesday evening, October 13th at 8:00pm in the Braun Youth Center the Sisterhood will be having its bi-annual election of officers and trustees. We strongly encourage everyone to attend this meeting and nominate yourself or someone else for a position. Also please join us and help plan the activities for the upcoming year. TEFILLA DIGEST by RABBI BRAHM WEINBERG The book that was dedicated by Diane & David Rein of Rabbi Weinberg’s Tefilla Digest articles that was given out this past Shabbat is available in the Shul office. There are a limited number still available.

WITHIN OUR FAMILY Mazal Tov to Isadore Sirota on the birth of a great-grand son born to his grandchildren Tova & Rabbi Baruch Perl SAM AHARONOFF MEMORIAL SHIVTEI TORAH CAMPAIGN The Siyum will take place on Sun., Nov. 22nd, the Yarzheit weekend of Sam Aharonoff z”l. All proceeds will support the Sam Aharonoff Memorial Scholarship Fund to help offset tuition costs for dozens of needy students. To participate in the campaign or for more info: www.shivteitorah.org, or call Arnie Flatow 487-8687 ext 2. SAT TRAINING July and August, 6-7:30pm at GNS given by David Rabinowitz. Mondays: Math, Tuesdays: Verbal, Wednesdays: Writing, Thursdays: Misc. review of material from the previous three days. For more info call 998-6621.

LOST A ladies gold bracelet was lost in shul last Shabbat. If found please return to shul office. EIRUV EMERGENCY Once a year, we ask each family in the community for a suggested donation of $100 to help us continue to maintain the Eiruv. It is necessary for all of the families living within the Eiruv to send in this tax-deductible contribution for the continued upkeep of our Eiruv. You can either send your check made out to the “Eiruv Association of Great Neck” to our synagogue office or to the following address: Eiruv Association of Great Neck, c/o Ronald Malen, 24 Old Pond Road, Great Neck, New York 11023. GNS WELCOMES NEW MEMBER Great Neck Synagogue warmly welcomes our new members Todd and Amy Langert

Richard Lillien and Family would like to thank Rabbi Polakoff, Rabbi Axelrod, Cantor Kron , Jerry Weinstein and the Great Neck community for their support and guidance following the passing of his father Llewllyn Lillien

Great Neck Synagogue Summer Learning Program Roshei Yeshiva Lecture Series July 22, 2009 (following Maariv) Rabbi Shmuel Maybruch “The Wait-Conscious Diet: Waiting Between Meat and Milk” Jewish Professional Lecture Series August 12, 2009 at 8:15 pm (following Mincha at 7:45 pm) Rabbi Dr. Edward Reichman “When Man Creates Man: Medical Halacha Update 5769” August 19, 2009 at 8:00 pm (following Mincha at 7:35 pm) Rabbi Dr. Aaron Levine “Preventing the Next Great Depression: A Jewish Law Perspective”

To sponsor please call the Synagogue office

Y A H R Z E I T

Saturday, 4 Av Sunday, 5 Av Herbert Eckstein for Arthur Eckstein Anne Gold for Harry Feinstein Marion Rabinowitz for Rose Getreu Edward Wydra for Helen Wydra Monday, 6 Av Sabina Geist for Rachel Lea Geist Sabina Geist for Tova Geist Tuesday, 7 Av Dassie Barth for Roslyn Orenstein Stanley Fischer for Harry Fischer Sabina Geist for Ichaskel Geist Marion Kapner for David Eisenberg Alan Levy for Willaim Levy Wednesday, 8 Av Sheila Bachman for Max Gur Sabina Geist for Itzchak Geist Sabina Geist for Moshe Geist Israel Rosenzweig for Evelyn Rosenzweig Thursday, 9 Av Trudy Jettelson for Sol Sirota Ruth Kraft for Rachel Kraft Friday, 10 Av Claire Behar for Patricia Winston Marback Sanford Brand for Frieda Brand Annette Forman for Frieda Krauss Marilyn Freedman for Anna Cohen Phillip Lanzkowsky for Lily Lanzkowsky Hilda Schulman for Mollie Trainer Jerrald Weinstein for Phillip Weinstein