Shavuot - agudathshreveport.com · Shavuot is considered to be when the Torah was given to the...

CONGREGATION AGUDATH ACHIM May 2018

Shabbat Services: Friday Evening at 8:00 p.m., Saturday Morning at 10:00 a.m.

iyar - sivan MAY 2018

Hazzan Neil Schwartz Spiritual Leader (612) 999-5060

Howard J. Silberman President (318) 317-5554 9401 Village Green Dr. Shreveport, LA 71115-2801 (318) 797-6401 [email protected] Website: agudathshreveport.com

Congregation Agudath Achim

The Shul Shpiel

Shavuot Festival Service 10:00 am,

Sunday, May 20th

Yizkor will be observed.


Shalom my Agudath Achim Brothers and Sisters,

Well…the time has come for my final President’s Message. Naturally, I

have very mixed feelings about this and so……first let me thank the person

who relentlessly reminded me that I needed to turn in my message for the

Bulletin every month for two years !! My trusted sidekick, Joyce Bailey, the

best Office Manager with whom I have ever had the pleasure to work.

Todah Rabah to Cantor Neil Schwartz whose spirituality and humanity

inspired me every day. And to Carnell Smith, who is always there to deal

with every challenge and cares about every member of our congregation,

thank you sir. Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to read my

President’s Message and have been most kind in their responses, usually !!!

As I look back over the last two years, it has been an amazing journey and

the words of my predecessor ring so true, when he told me, “you will be

amazed at what comes across your desk as president of Agudath Achim.”

So true David…..and now, ironically, David Ginsburg will reassume the

presidency and as his predecessor, I say to him, “ you will be amazed what

comes across your desk as president of Agudath Achim. ” Good luck my

friend.

David will have a lot of help in the form of an outstanding group of

Officers and Board Members. These fine people, are so committed to

Congregation Agudath Achim and will represent you so well, but one last

time, I ask you to step up and get more involved in

your synagogue; join a committee, sponsor a

Kiddush or Oneg, participate in a class or join

the Men’s Club or Sisterhood.

And so….. let us move forward together…..Kadima

B’Yachad !!

Howard J. Silberman

From the President


Hazzan’s Notes

Shavuot and Yizkor

Shavuot seems like a Festival in search of an identity. Most Jewish Festivals have specific ritual items and actions, and many have specific Jewish foods. While we do eat dairy foods on Shavuot, the Torah only mentions its agricultural place in our Jewish calendar, and its historical connections were only assigned in the Second Temple period, after 500 B.C.E.

In reality, Shavuot is a very important Festival within the cycle of the Jewish religious year. It is one of the "Shalosh Regalim" or Three Pilgrimage Festivals, during which the Israelites brought their sacrifices up the mountain to the Temple in Jerusalem. Shavuot is considered to be when the Torah was given to the Israelites at Mt. Sinai, seven weeks after the Exodus.

Here is a "ready-reference" to Shavuot in a "Who–What–When–Where–Why–How" format.

WHO: The seven weeks between Pesach and Shavuot are marked by "Counting the-Omer" (sheaves of barley brought to our ancient priests to see if they were ready for harvest). Very traditional Jews do not get married during these seven weeks, and Orthodox men do not get haircuts nor shave their beards. Marriages happened after the Spring Harvest was finished.

WHAT: Shavuot has three different names in five Torah Festival lists, and all three names show its agricultural nature. These names are: Chag HaKatzir (Harvest Festival), Chag HaShavuot (Festival of Weeks), and Yom HaBikkurim (Day of the First Fruits).** Only in our Siddur is Shavuot called Z'man Matan Torateinu (Season of the Giving of our Torah).

WHEN: "Shavuot" literally means "Weeks", which seems like an odd name for a Festival. There are two connotations involving the seven weeks between Pesach and Shavuot. The first is that it takes about seven weeks to get from the beginning of the barley harvest to the end of the wheat harvest. The second is that it takes about seven weeks for a large group of people to walk from the area of the Suez Canal to the mountain that is called Mt. Sinai.

WHERE: Shavuot is more of a synagogue Festival rather than a home celebration. The only special ritual associated with Shavuot is decorating the Sanctuary with greenery, and liturgical additions include the Hallel prayers (Psalms 113–118) and the Yizkor Memorial. The modern "Confirmation" service on Shavuot is also a ceremony held in the synagogue.

WHY: The relationship between Sukkot and Sh'mini Atzeret at the time of the Fall Harvest is reflected in the relationship between Pesach and Shavuot in the Spring. Just as Sh'mini Atzeret marks the end of the intense Fall Harvest of grapes and olives, so does Shavuot mark the end of the long period of Spring Harvest for barley and wheat.

HOW: Dairy foods are associated with Shavuot for an ancient practical reason, and for a religious reason. During the Spring Harvest, it was "all hands on deck" and there was no time for the work of slaughtering and cooking animals for meat. Religiously, the laws of Kashrut were not given until the Torah was given to the Israelites at Mt. Sinai on Shavuot.

This year the First Day of Shavuot falls on Sunday, May 20th. We will have full Festival services in our Sanctuary beginning at 10:00 a.m., including Yizkor Memorial Prayers. Please join us then so that we can chant the Ten Commandments from the Torah scroll, and fully enjoy the end of our Spring holiday cycle which began with Passover. ** Torah names = Chag HaKatzir, Ex. 23:16; Chag Shavuot, Ex. 34:22 & Deut. 16:9-12; Bikkurim = 1st Fruits at 7 weeks, Lev. 23:15-21; Yom HaBikkurim, Num. 28:26-31.

Hazzan Neil Schwartz


D'var Torah for Parashat Tazria – M'tzora

It is an interesting challenge to write two straight months' worth of sermons and Divrei Torah on the animal sacrifices and many other ritual laws of Leviticus. It is even more interesting to find a meaningful aspect of the double Parashah Tazria – M'tzora, whichis all about a skin disease and other forms of physical impurity.

This year, American and world political trends have provided a clear direction for a very relevant D'var Torah on this obscure and arcane subject. If you read between the lines of this "short but punchy" D'var Torah, it may be possible to find lessons herein for how we interact with each other in our own synagogue and community.

The key to making this relevant is a "play on words" based on the three-letter Hebrew root of this skin disease "M'–tzo-ra" in chapters 13 and 14 of Leviticus. These same three letters can be recombined with different vowels to mean "Motzi Shem Ra", which literally means "bring an evil name", or gossip and slander.

This metaphorical reinterpretation appears in the Babylonian Talmud, Tractate Arachin, folio 15b. The Rabbi who is quoted as presenting this interpretation is Reish Lakish, an esteemed teacher and scholar in one of the ancient Babylonian Talmudic academies.

Motzi means “one who brings forth”, shem means "name", and ra means "evil". The m’tzora ("leper") is the person who brings forth evil; or, it can be understood to mean the person who listens to and further spreads an evil report. Either way, the m’tzora or “leper” doing damage among us is a tale-bearer, a hurtful gossiper, a rumor-monger. This person must be isolated from the community, as if carrying a contagious disease.

Jewish law is restrictive about what we may say to or about others. We must respect each other, as people created in the image of God. We may dislike particular people and what they say or do, but we must not malign them. In addition to prohibiting lying about other people (sheker), Jewish law also prohibits defaming them, even when the negative comments are based on what that person actually said or did.

A related kind of speech that is also prohibited by Judaism, even if true, is lashon ha-ra, speech about negative aspects of someone else's personality or actions. The one who utters such slander should be subject to the same isolation that is imposed on a person with a communicable disease, following the quarantine rules of our Torah reading.

The sages spoke more dramatically about lashon hara than any other offence. They said that it kills three people: the one who says it, the one s\he says it about, and the one who listens to it. One who speaks lashon hara creates dissension within the camp. Therefore, his\her punishment (metzora) was to be temporarily banished from the camp.

Don’t gossip or slander. Don’t speak badly about people. Judaism has rigorous ethics of speech because “Life and death are in the power of the tongue”. Judaism is a religion of the ear more than the eye; of words rather than images. God created the natural world with words, and we create or damage the social world with words. Evil words can cause emotional injuries that are as painful as physical ones, perhaps more so.

Per Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks: "Evil speech destroys relationships. Good speech mends them. This works in marriages and families, in communities and organizations."

Hazzan Neil Schwartz

SERMON


Annual Congregational Meeting

This month our Rubenstein Gift Shop features many beautiful glass objects. Stop in to admire the blue crystal wine stopper, the

cut-glass perfume atomizer, the etched glass Star of David plates, the mirrored votive candle-holders, the silver-gold and

Roman glass pendant, and tall glass candlesticks, among other elegant pieces of Judaica.

Gift Shop

Sisterhood

Mindy Gordon, Central Region Director of United

Synagogue will be making a presentation at our

annual Congregational Meeting on May 6 at 3:00pm.

New Jewish Community directory will be

available in June.

Price will be $5.00, extra for mailing.

Thank you to all who submitted information.

We will be meeting to discuss and vote on the following:

• Slate of officers and Board members for 2018-2019

• AA Budget 2018-2019

Board Meeting at 2:00 pm and Congregational meeting to follow.


Simchas May 2018

Please join us on Wednesday, May 9th at 7:00 p.m. Topic is: “What happened at Mt. Sinai”?

Three answers.

Jewish Film Series

Family Service

Upcoming Events

Friday, May 18th, 7:00 pm

With story and songs

Agudath Achim Board Meeting,

May 6th @ 2:00 pm

Board Meeting Adult Education

Richard Murov May 6

Scott Serkin May 12

Berte Muslow May 23

Dr. Jeffrey Leblang May 26

Bruce Herniter May 30

Jerry & Carolyn Sheehan 39th

Rabbi & Vivian Kawaler 47th

Robinson Film Center, 617 Texas Street, Shreveport

Bal Ej, The Hidden Jews of Ethiopia May 22, 6:00 pm

SAVE THE DATE: Special Fundraiser - June 24th 2018 1:00 pm -4:00 pm

BAR MITZVAH at B’nai Zion, June 30th - Ben and Luke Muslow, sons of Todd and Leah Muslow Shabbat of June 16th - Rabbi Dekla of our Sister Congregation in Israel will be visiting Shreveport


Curtis and Barbara Joseph invite you to join them as their son Caleb Abram Joseph

leads the Shabbat evening service Friday, June 8, 2018, 8:00 p.m.

Oneg Shabbat hosted by Carol Ginsburg to follow;

and is called to the Torah as a Bar Mitzvah Saturday, June 9, 2018, 9:30 a.m.

Kiddush luncheon to follow hosted by Curtis & Barbara Joseph

And David & Sandra Ginsburg

In the past year, I have learned about children who are not

as fortunate as I am. Please help me make a difference at

https://fundraise.heifer.org/caleb, or pick up a

donation form in the synagogue office.

Thanks, Caleb

Chava Herniter, daughter of Bruce & Carla Herniter was called to the Torah on March 24, 2018 in New Jersey.

https://fundraise.heifer.org/caleb


Congratulations on the upcoming

weddings:

Beth Zweig and Alan Deckelbaum

on May 27, 2018

in New York City.

Jonathan Zweig and Leah Jacobs

on September 2, 2018

in New York City.

Adam Schwartz and Danielle Berkow

on May 27, 2018

In Minneapolis, MN.


Yahrzeits

If you are interested in being a Host or would like more information concerning Oneg or Kiddush refreshments, contact the synagogue office at 797-6401,or Sandra Ginsburg at 865-2218.

It is the custom of Agudath Achim to commemorate the Yahrzeit

by reading the name the Sabbath before.

May - Oneg Shabbat / Kiddush Schedule

4 & 5 Carolyn & Jerry Sheehan in honor of

their 39th Wedding Anniversary

11 & 12 Oneg Committee

18 & 19 Oneg Committee

25 & 26 Bob & Deena Lachman

Week of April 28 - May 4

Week of May 5- 11

Week of May 12 - 18

Ida Horowitz Robert Diebner Norma S. Waltman

Pessie Goldfinger Lynne Goldberg Sylvia Dyne

Nat Greenstein Ida Kutcher

Frieda Kottle Abe J. Katz

Abe Diebner Miles (Chip) Sugar

Herbert Diebner

I.H. Ginsburg

Sylvia G. Rubenstein

Jake Chapman

Week of May 19 - 25

Week of May 26 - June 1

Matilde Hemsani Wolf Gelikman

Ida F. Levine Sarah Witriol

Herta Saphier Nathan Kottle

Rubin Shavin


Donations

We send our condolences to B’Nai Zion and the families on

the loss of two matriarchs, Flo Selber and Gloria Meyer.

May their memories be a Blessing.

In Memory of: By:

Benjamin Witriol Norman Witriol

Nathan Carroll Samuel Carroll

Matilde Hensani Sara Tebele

Wolf Gelikman Annemarie Ain

In Honor of: By:

Chava Herniter (Bat Mitzvah) Dr. Richard & Sara Zweig

Thinking of those that SERVE our Country

Please join us as a congregation and send a “thinking of you” or “thank you for your service”

notes or cards to our members and families serving in the military. Let’s remember to keep

them in our prayers as well.

Bob & Deena’s Lachman’s son at: 1st Lt. Danny

Lachman, 805 W. Christopher Dr., Clovis, NM 88101.

Staff Sgt. Rafael Padin is serving at Barksdale AFB,

2113 Sandhurst, Bossier City, LA 71111.

Scott Serkin and his family are stationed in Europe.

If we have missed any member, family member or friend that you would like us to remember

with a card, prayers, etc. please contact our office.

Sending a Special Thank you to Daniel, Rafael and Scott.


May 2018

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

16 iyar 1 17 iyar 2 18 iyar 3

Lag Ba’omer

19 iyar 4

Service

8:00 pm

20 iyar 5

Emor

Service

10:00 am

21 iyar 6

Board Mtg.

2:00 pm

Congreg.

Mtg. 3:00pm

22 iyar 7 23 iyar 8 24 iyar 9

Adult

Education

7:00 pm

25 iyar 10 26 iyar 11

Service

8:00 pm

27 iyar 12

Behar-

Bechukotai

Service

10:00 am

28 iyar 13

Mother’s

Day

29 iyar 14

1 sivan 15

Rosh Chodesh

Jewish 101

Class 7pm

2 sivan 16

Federation

Board Mtg

AA Library

6:00 pm

3 sivan 17 4 sivan 18

Family Service

7:00 pm

5 sivan 19

Bemidbar

Service

10:00 am

6 sivan 20

Shavuot

10:00 am

Yizkor

7 sivan 21

8 sivan 22

Bal Ej:

The Hidden

Jews of

Ethiopia

Robinson Film

Center 6pm

9 sivan 23 10 sivan 24 11 sivan 25

Service

8:00 pm

12 sivan 26

Naso

Service

10:00 am

13 sivan 27 14 sivan 28

Memorial

Day

Office

Closed

15 sivan 29 16 sivan 30 17 sivan 31 18 sivan 1

JUNE

Service

8:00 pm

19 sivan 2

Beha’alotecha

Service

10:00 am

JUNE

7:40 pm

7:45pm

7:50pm

7:55pm

7 :59pm

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