Shaarey Tphiloh Prayers, by Caryl Herzfeld
Please join us in our new location
Saturday morning services
9:30 a.m. Room 4A
400 Deering Avenue
Portland, Maine
September 17, 2016 – 14 Elul 5776
Deuteronomy 21:10-25:19
Haftarah: Isaiah 54:1-10
Candle lighting 6:29 p.m.
Shabbat Services
September 17, 2016 9:30 a.m.
Kiddush generously sponsored by Hilde Jaffe in memory of Benjamin Rossman
Congregation Shaarey Tphiloh, 76 Noyes St. Portland, ME 04103
President: Dr. Natan Kahn
Administrative Director: Susan C. Lawrence
www.mainesynagogue.org/wp 207-773-0693
maineshul@nullgmail.com cstexec@nullgmail.com
Shaarey Tphiloh Office Hours: T, Th, F 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Ner Lamaore
Lou and Shula Bornstein, in memory of Samuel and Sarah Romanow
Hilde Jaffe, in memory of Benjamin Rossman
This parsha has the largest concentration of mitzvot of any portion; 74 out of the traditional 613 commandments are found in it. Of all these commandments, one stands out. If [walking] along the road, you chance upon a bird’s nest….and the mother is sitting over the fledglings or on the eggs, do not take the mother together with her young. Let the mother go and take only the young, in order that you may fare well and have a long life. (Deuteronomy 22:6).
The Talmud labels this mitzvah the “lightest” (the most insubstantial) of all the commandments, probably because it takes little effort to perform. Sending away the mother might well involve merely making a loud noise. Indeed, just walking close (or advancing menacingly) might induce the mother to fly away.
Commentators in every generation have wondered why there is so extravagant a reward (a good, long life) for so “trivial” an act! Indeed, one Talmudic commentator points out that the same reward is specified in the Torah for honoring parents. Yet fulfilling that commandment takes a lifetime and often involves money, emotion and effort without limit. He concludes that the equality of reward is the point. The “lightest” of commandments rewarded as much as the “weightiest” to teach us to treasure and observe all commandments equally – for the reward of any mitzvah is incalculable.
Through this commandment, the Torah teaches that every act is of immense significance. Therefore, no act is inherently trivial. When you eat, you can choose food and prepare it to express reverence for life or commitment to being a Jew (kashrut). When you speak, you can say a word of encouragement, truth or love or you can say a word of malicious gossip, falsehood or degradation.
Maimonides writes in his laws of repentance that every person should consider himself or herself as perfectly balanced between good and bad and the world as perfectly balanced between good and evil. The next action you do― however trivial― can tilt you and the whole world toward the side of good and life or to the side of evil and death. Choose life!
Irving Greenberg – www.clal.org
CLAL – National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership
You and I
I am not immortal.
Whatever I put off for later
May never be.
Whoever doesn’t know now
That I love them
May never know.
I have killed time.
I have squandered it.
I have lost days…weeks…
As a man of unlimited wealth
Might drop coins on the street
And never look back.
I know now, that there will be an end,
A limit.
But there is time
Valuable and precious time
To walk,
talk,
breathe.
Time to touch,
taste,
care.
To warm the child
Who is cold and lonely.
There is time to love
I promise myself…
I will.
I am
I am ready
I am ready to give
I am ready to give and to receive
I am ready to give and to receive love
– Leonard Nimoy
Blog of Rabbi John Rosove – per Rabbi Ruth Adar
The Israel Book Shop is now accepting orders for your Lulavim, Etrogim and Hoshanot. Sukkot begins Sundaynight, October 16, 2016. The deadline for placing orders is very shortly after Rosh HaShanah which is October 3-4. Don’t miss out! Sets are $45.00 plus a small shipping charge.
– Call Shaarey Tphiloh now! 207-773-0693 –
– Holocaust Cinema: rare and esoteric films, some from the direct postwar period, most of European origin.
– Classes will meet from 6:00 to 9:00 pm on Wednesdays – 10/26; 11/30; 12/21; 1/25; 3/1. Films are listed at the JCA link below
$100.
– Primo Levi ‘book club’: one book per month (not provided). Books and ordering information are listed at the JCA link below.
Classes will meet from 6:00-8:00pm on Wednesdays – 11/2; 12/7; 1/4; 2/1; 3/8 $100.
All classes held will be at JCA – 57 Ashmont Street, Portland, Maine
See JCA Adult Education link below for details.
https://mainejewish.org/life-and-culture/adult-education
A musical adventure of historic scope and proportion, the Milken Archive was founded in 1990 to document, preserve, and disseminate the vast body of music that pertains to the American Jewish experience. Over two decades, the Milken Archive has become the largest collection of American Jewish music ever assembled—more than 700 recorded works, including over 500 world premiere recordings. But the Milken Archive, known primarily up to now for its groundbreaking 50-CD series released on the Naxos label, is far more than a recording project. The Milken Archive’s collection consists of 800 hours of oral histories, 50,000 photographs and historical documents, and thousands of hours of video footage from recording sessions, interviews, and live performances, plus an extensive collection of program notes and essays—the vast majority written by Artistic Director Neil W. Levin, Professor of Music at the Jewish Theological Seminary and one of the foremost authorities on Jewish music—that provide historical and cultural context.
Use this link to find a selection of music related to Tisha B’Av and thousands of other choices, including oral histories and photographs.
http://www.milkenarchive.org/works/view/774
Melton: I am delighted to welcome you to our 7th year of course offerings through the Florence Melton School of Adult Jewish Learning with a few additional treats from local faculty members. Molly Curren Rowles, our Assistant Director, will be the contact person for classes until a new Programming Director is hired. I will be returning mid-January and look forward to catching up more with you then. Registration is currently open; I encourage you to sign up early and to support the scholarship fund. Deposits are $75/class and scholarship applications are due by August 8. – Fae Silverman
Call the JCA, 207-772-1959 to register
Mondays @ JCA 5:30pm-7:00pm
Sept 12-May 8
Rhythms of Jewish Living w/ babysitting & dinner
Tuesdays @ BH 9:00am-10:30am
Nov 1-Apr 4
BeMidbar: Leadership Defined & Defended
Wednesdays @ JCA 6:00pm-9:00pm
Oct 26 – Mar 8
Holocaust Studies: Primo Levi Book Club and Cinema
Wednesdays @ JCA 7:00pm-8:30pm Mar
15-May 23
Jewish Humor
Thursday @ Brunswick 6:30pm-8:30pm
Sept 15-May 11
Rhythms of Jewish Living
Wednesdays @ JCA 6:00pm – 8:00pm
Sept 21-Oct 5
Siamese Mah Jongg
Rabbinic Intern from Yeshivat Chovevei Torah
More About Josh
Josh Pernick is currently a rabbinical student at Yeshivat Chovevei Torah in NY. A graduate of Brandeis University, he worked in the field of Jewish education for a number of years before beginning his rabbinic training at YCT, obtaining a Master of Arts in Teaching in Jewish Day School Elementary Education through the DeLeT program at Brandeis University as well as completing a post-graduate fellowship in Jewish education through the Pardes Center for Jewish Educators in Jerusalem.
He spent the past few years teaching Judaic studies at Jewish day schools in Charleston, SC, Watertown, MA and Atlanta GA, and currently teaches in a community education program at the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale in NY. Josh also serves on the Judaic Studies teaching staff during the summer at Camp Yavneh in Northwood, NH. The son of a pulpit rabbi, Josh is looking forward to beginning his rabbinic career at Shaarey Tphiloh, learning from all of you who have been part of this community for so many years about all of the unique qualities that make Shaarey Tphiloh such a warm and special place
Center Day Camp, 74 Hackett Road, Windham, ME 04062
Sunday, September 18, 2016
1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
1:15 pm – 2:00 pm
2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
3:00 pm – 4:00 pm Adult and Family Enrichment such as Yoga.
How to participate:
Please mail us the name of your organization, the organizational representative who will attend and a description of what materials you will display. Along with contact information.
Deadline for participation: August 1st
Email to: Alexandra Sax
Jewish Community Alliance
asax@nullmainejewish.org
Hannaford at Back Cove is now carrying more items in its Kosher food freezer located at back of store. Ask an employee for more information.
Wish List:
Diapers and wipes
RICE!!
Baked Beans
Pasta Sauce & Pasta
Kid Friendly Snacks-granola bars, etc.
Cereal
Juice Boxes
On Tuesdays at 7:00 p.m., Dr. Shimon Simons will teach Maimonides’ Hilchot Deot, “laws of character development,” at Chabad House, 11 Pomeroy Street, Portland. The next class meeting is Tuesday, January 19. Texts will be provided. Call Chabad House at 871-8947 for more details or check the December issue of the Jewish Journal.
Because the program has proven so popular in the past, this year we’re offering two sessions of Great Jewish Books: July 24-29 and July 31-August 7.
All students admitted to the program receive scholarships covering the full cost of tuition, room and board, books, and special events.
Now in its fifth year, Great Jewish Books brings together a diverse group of rising high school juniors and seniors to spend a week reading important works of modern Jewish literature and discussing them in seminar-style classes led by college professors. Outside of class, they meet renowned visiting authors, enjoy group recreational activities in the Amherst area, and get a taste of college life while staying (with staff RAs) in dorms on the Hampshire College campus, adjacent to the Yiddish Book Center.
Every year, the Yiddish Book Center welcomes a group of enthusiastic, engaged high school students for our Great Jewish Books Summer Program. Applications for the 2016 program are due April 1.
You can learn more about the program at yiddishbookcenter.org/great-jewish-books or by calling or e-mailing us at 413-256-4900, ext. 143, orgreatjewishbooks@nullyiddishbookcenter.org. I’m also including a flyer about the program that can be downloaded here, which I hope you will post and share with others.
As we look forward to another exciting summer of Great Jewish Books, we appreciate your sharing this information with any prospective applicants you know.
No electronic devices are permitted. No electronic children’s toys or cell phones or cameras are permitted in the synagogue on the Sabbath.
Please consider making a gift to one of our many funds. Call the office at 773-0693 for details. Thank you for your support of Shaarey Tphiloh. Contributions are tax-deductible.
15 Elul Ann Goodman, Vicki Lustig, Rose Pascal, Ellen Pluznick, Sarah Romanow, Dorothy Seigal
16 Elul Arthur Gordon, Leah Lewis, Benjamin Rossman
17 Elul Harry Glovsky, Beatrice Setlin
18 Elul Libbie Cohen, Rebecca Goodkowsky, Myer Jacobson, Philip Plotinsky, Rose Taylor
20 Elul Florence Anches, Samuel Goldblatt, Eric Hartglass, Samuel Mack
21 Elul Anna Branz, Samuel Cohen, Jennie Mack, Bella Shatz, Hirsh Sulkowitch
Shaarey Tphiloh is now celebrating 112 years as a traditional Jewish spiritual home in Maine!