Passover PLUS Edition

April 8-22, 2006 – Nissan 10-24, 5766

Shabbat ha-Gadol, Pesach and Beyond

Rabbi Joshua Hammerman, Temple Beth El, Stamford, Connecticut

Send your friends and relatives the gift of Jewish awareness -- a Shabbat-O-Gram each week, by signing them up at www.tbe.org. To be removed from this mailing list, sent e-mail request to office@tbe.org. If you have signed up and are not receiving our e-mails, check your spam filter to make sure that TBE is not being “spammed out.”

IF YOU HAVE ROOM FOR ANYONE AT YOUR SEDER, I OCCASIONALLY RECEIVE REQUESTS – LET ME KNOW.

HAVE YOU SEEN THE LOVELY HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL GARDEN THAT IS NOW IN FULL BLOOM OUTSIDE OUR SANCTUARY WINDOWS???

IT IS A SIGHT TO BEHOLD!

Contents of the Shabbat O Gram:

(Click to scroll down)

Just the Facts (service schedule)

The Rabid Rabbi

Mitzvah/Tzedakkah Opportunities

Ask the Rabbi

Spiritual Journey on the Web

Required Reading and Action Items (links to key articles on Israel and Jewish life)

Announcements (goings on in and around TBE)

Joke for the Week

Quote for the Week

On Pesach we celebrate the power of giving life. The Zohar calls matza "nahama dmehemenusa", bread of faith. It is the fruit of the Tree of Life, before Adam sinned. One fruit is enough to give you life completely so you don't have to eat over and over again. If man would only really have faith, one piece of matza would be enough to last him for his whole life.

Reb Shlomo Carlebach

http://www.havurahshirhadash.org/shlomoarticle5.html

JUST THE FACTS

If you have yet to RSVP for Dan’s Bar Mitzvah on 4/22,

please do so TODAY at http://www.tbe.org/dansbarmitzvah/index.htm

INVITATIONS WERE SENT TO THE ENTIRE MEMBERSHIP LIST OF THE CONGREGATION.

IF YOU HAVE NOT RECEIVED ONE, PLEASE LET ME KNOW, BUT KNOW ALSO THAT YOU ARE INVITED! We want to be sure to get accurate numbers to the caterer.

Thanks

The Hammermans

Happy Passover

Those high school students wishing to attend services on the first day of Passover, Thursday, April 13^th, may obtain an absentee letter for their school’s attendance office by contacting Ellen at 322-6901, ext. 308 or TempleSec@tbe.org.

Friday Evening

Candle lighting Candle lighting: Candle lighting: 7:07pm on Friday, 07 April 2006 - Havdalah is at 8:11pm on Saturday evening. For candle lighting times, other Jewish calendar information, and to download a Jewish calendar to your PDA, click on http://www.hebcal.com/. To see the festivals of other faiths as well, go to http://www.interfaithcalendar.org/

Kabbalat Shabbat: 6:30 PM – in the chapel

Tot Shabbat featuring MATZO MAN: 6:45, in the lobby

Shabbat Morning: 9:30 AM – Mazal tov to Jeff Cooper, who will become Bar Mitzvah this Shabbat morning!

Children’s services: 10:30

Torah Portion: Tzav - Leviticus 6:1 - 8:36

1: 7:11-15
2: 7:16-18
3: 7:19-21
4: 7:22-27
5: 7:28-31
6: 7:32-34
7: 7:35-38
maf: 7:35-38

Haftarah –: Shabbat HaGadol / Malachi 3:4 - 3:24)

See a weekly commentary from the UJC Rabbinic Cabinet, at www.ujc.org/mekorchaim. Read the Masorti commentary at http://www.masorti.org/mason/torah/index.asp. University of Judaism, JTS commentary is at: http://learn.jtsa.edu/topics/parashah/. USCJ Torah Sparks can be found at http://uscj.org/item20_467.html. UAHC Shabbat Table Talk discussions are at http://uahc.org/torah/exodus.shtml. Other divrei Torah via the Torahnet home page: http://uahcweb.org/torahnet/. Test your Parasha I.Q.: http://www.ou.org/jewishiq/parsha/default.htm. CLAL’s Torah commentary archive: http://click.topica.com/maaaiRtaaRvQhbV2AtLb/. World Zionist Organization Education page, including Nehama Liebowitz archives of parsha commentaries: http://www.moreshet.net/web/index.asp?f=1 For a more Kabbalistic/Zionist/Orthodox perspective from Rav Kook, first Chief Rabbi of Israel, go to http://www.geocities.com/m_yericho/ravkook/index.html. For some probing questions and meditations on key verses of the portion, with a liberal kabbalistic bent, go to http://www.jewishealing.com/learning.html or, for Kabbalistic commentaries from the Zohar itself, go to http://www.kabbalah.com/k/index.php/p=zohar/weekly/intro. To see the weekly commentary from Hillel, geared to college students and others, go to http://www.hillel.org/hillel/NewHille.nsf/FCB8259CA861AE57852567D30043BA26/DF7D129F15B3DF0885256AB80058E9C3?OpenDocument. For a Jewish Renewal and feminist approach go to http://rabbishefagold.hypermart.net/Torah1.html . For a comprehensive Orthodox viewpoint from the Israeli rabbi, Yaakov Fogelman, go to the Torah Outreach Program at http://israelvisit.co.il/top/previous.shtml. Guided meditations for each portion by Judith Abrams at http://www.maqom.com/kavannah.pdf

For online Parsha quizzes from Pardes in Israel, go to http://www.pardes.org.il/online_learning/parsha_quizzes/ Torah for Kids: http://www.torah4kids.net/ Weekly Lesson of Popular Israeli Rabbi Mordechai Elon: http://www.elon.org/archives/archives.htm - and his parsha sheets: http://www.mibereshit.org/special/download_eng_pdf.htm From Bar Ilan University: http://www.biu.ac.il/JH/Parasha/eng/; http://www.torahproductions.com/weekly_article.jsp

Mincha – Ma’ariv – Havdalah: 7:00PM– Mazal Tov to Jesse Hirtenstein, who will become Bat Mitzvah this Shabbat late-afternoon!

Passover Schedule:

Wed., April 12. – Siyum for first born (completing a selection of Talmud enabling first born to avoid the fast) – after our 7:30 AM minyan

Thurs. April 13, Fri. April 14, Sat. April 15, Wed. April 19, Thurs. April 20:

Festival services for the 1^st two and last two days and intermediate Shabbat. Children’s services will be held with Nurit on all days of the festival. Keep in mind that Shabbat service attendance credit will also be given for attendance on all four weekday full-Yom Tov festival days.

Friday April 14 – Kabbalat Shabbat at 7:30 PM in the chapel (no Tot Shabbat)

Shabbat April 15 – Beth El Cares Shabbat (see below)

Friday April 21 – Kabbalat Shabbat at 6:30 PM in the chapel

Tot Shabbat at 6:45 PM in the lobby

Shabbat morning, April 22: 9:30 AM - Mazal tov to Dan Hammerman, who becomes Bar Mitzvah this Shabbat morning! Extra parking and shuttle buses will be available at Westhill High School

Children’s services: 10:30

Torah Portion: Shemini - Leviticus 9:1 - 11:47

1: 10:12-15
2: 10:16-20
3: 11:1-8
4: 11:9-12
5: 11:13-19
6: 11:20-28
7: 11:29-32
maf: 11:29-32

Haftarah - II Samuel 6:1 - 7:17

THE ENTIRE HEBREW BIBLE (AS WELL AS OTHER JEWISH SOURCES) CAN BE FOUND WITH SIDE-BY-SIDE TRANSLATION AT

http://www.mechon-mamre.org/

Morning Minyan: Weekdays at 7:30, Sundays at 9:30 AM

TO ENSURE A “GUARANTEED MINYAN” FOR THE DAY OF YOUR YAHRZEIT – GO TO THE ROSNER MINYAN MAKER AT WWW.TBE.ORG AND ALSO CONTACT ME AT RABBI@TBE.ORG.

Three Articles from the Times

I’ve never wanted to be one of those rabbis who spends all his time quoting the New York Times, but this week three front-page articles have fascinated me.

One indicated that prayer has been proven ineffective in dealing with illness. The article is called, Long-Awaited Medical Study Questions the Power of Prayer; for me the key quote is this one: "The problem with studying religion scientifically is that you do violence to the phenomenon by reducing it to basic elements that can be quantified, and that makes for bad science and bad religion," said Dr. Richard Sloan, a professor of behavioral medicine at Columbia.

I agree with Dr. Sloan. The idea is not that prayer provides a magic “bullet” that solves all problems. There has been some evidence that it might in fact impact our physiological state, but that is not the prime way that prayer heals. Prayer helps us to become more human, more organic and more whole. It connects us to that which is beyond the ailment to our community, to our people’s immortality, and to God. The word for prayer in Hebrew connotes introspection, so prayer also helps us to search deep within ourselves for those wellsprings of inner fortitude that can get us through. And prayer helps us to envision a time beyond the scope of the disease, a time when hope and healing have gained the ultimate triumph. I often tell people that the goal of prayer is healing rather than cure. When we are healed, the cure often comes as well. But even if it doesn’t, healing through connection and prayer is still possible.

On Tuesday, there was a front page article featuring, of all things, Synaplex! It was entitled: With Yoga, Comedy and Parties, Synagogues Entice Newcomers.

One read through helps us all to realize how helpful our connection to this exciting national venture will be for us – and how important it is for the Jewish future. I found this quote, by Rabbi Rick Jacobs, most compelling: "The world is a different world," said Rabbi Jacobs. "There's a greater marketplace of spiritual options for people. If synagogues are not compelling places, who's going to bother to join and be involved?"

Finally, on Thursday we read that the missing link has been found – a fish that walks!!! Well, at least it walked - millions of years ago. The thing is, not only did it have limbs – but it also had fins and scales. In other words, the missing link was kosher!

So when you bite into that first piece of gefilte on Wednesday night, pause for a moment to think of our pre-amphibious Kosher ancestor, with the fins, scales and limbs.

Have a good, sweet Passover.

Jewish Farmers in Connecticut

A Jewish author is writing a book about Jewish farmers past and present in Connecticut. If anyone knows of someone who has information on this subject, please contact Dr. Kenneth Libo at KenLibo@aol.com or 212-227-0732

COMING THIS FALL!!

For more information, go to www.starsynagogue.org

If you are interested in participating in our steering committee or would like an info packet, contact me at rabbi@tbe.org

Mitzvah/Tzedakkah Opportunties

Do You Have Room at Your Seder…for three Israeli au pairs??

I received this request from TBE member Evelyn Blum of the Au Pair in America program:

We have three Israeli au pairs who will be arriving in Stamford on April 10th for our 4-day orientation program at the Crowne Plaza Hotel before beginning their year-old program with their American host families. They would like to attend a Seder on Wednesday evening, and, if possible, would like to stay together.

Their names are:
Jasmin Lahav who is 22 years old
Efrat Ohayon who is 23
Lilach Rosenfeld who is 21.

If you are interested, contact Evelyn (399-5027). This could definitely be a fascinating multi-cultural experience!

The Au Pair in America program is a U.S. Department of State designated program which brings young people between the ages of 18 and 26 to the U.S. to stay with American host families while providing up to 45 hours a week of child care and attending 6 credits hours of post-secondary school. All of these au pairs already have been placed with families where they will be working (one of them in Stamford) – they just have nowhere to go for the Seder.

In Need of a New Kidney

This plea comes via Marcia and Michael Zlotnick, who know this family:

My 14 year old daughter Sophia has end stage renal disease (kidney disease). She was first diagnosed when she was six years old. Slowly, over the last eight years, this disease has destroyed her kidneys. Recently, her kidneys failed. She is now on dialysis every day and in need of a kidney transplant.

Unfortunately, neither my wife and I, nor any of our close relatives, extended family or friends are a “match”. The first hurdle to being a donor match is blood type.

Possible donors must be in good health and have either blood type “O” or a subset of “A” referred to as A2. Whether or not a person’s blood type is classified as “negative” or “positive” is not relevant. Adults are able to donate a kidney to children and sex is not an issue. Males can donate to females and visa versa.

I know it is a lot to ask, and really more than should be expected, but she is my daughter and she needs help. If anybody is interested in possibly donating a kidney (the first step being a simple blood test) or if you simply want to learn more about the process, the contact to call at Yale is:

Ms. Joyce Albert

Transplant Coordinator

Yale New Haven Hospital

Phone: 203-688-8373

albertjj@ynhh.org

(emails should indicate subject “Corsaro”)

All communication with the Transplant Coordinator is confidential. Yale will not contact us in any way, unless specifically instructed to do so by the donor candidate.

There is no cost for a donor or donor candidate.

If you or anyone else would like more information on the topic of organ donation / transplantation, please note the following internet web links:

The www.unos.org web site is very informative. The PDF booklet “What Every Patient Needs to Know”, found in the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) web site is particularly good. It takes a long time to download, but it has a good deal of information for both the patient and potential donor. It can be found as follows:

www.unos.org

Resources

Publications

Patient Brochures

PDF “What Every Patient Needs to Know”

Other relevant web links include:

www.kidney.org

www.organdonor.gov.

www.unos.org/resources/FactSheets.asp

Sincerely

Francis and Irene Corsaro

From a Student in our Hebrew School

Hello.  I am doing a fundraiser for "Walk Against Hunger".  I am going to be walking with my mom for 3 miles on May 7, 2006.  I was wondering if you could please help support me by including this in your shabbatogram. If any TBE member would like to contribute, they can do so by writing checks (which are tax deductible) to "Connecticut Food Bank" or "Walk Against Hunger."  The checks can be sent to me at 57 Saw Mill Road, Stamford CT, 06903.  When people donate, we as a whole are helping the hungry.  

Thank you very much,

~Haley Erskine~

TBE Job Bank (the Highest Level of Tzedakkah)

Lisa Gilbert is our fabulous architect who is designing our bakery and cafe at the JCC. Her friend is looking for an associate who does white collar criminal defense. She is Jewish if that helps. If you know someone looking for a job, pass it on!

Very best,

Rebecca Martin

 
Beth El Cares
Cathy Satz (968-9191; csscounsel@yahoo.com)
Cheryl Wolff (968-6361; cwolff@optonline.net)
BETH EL CARES co-chairs
 
 
Blood Drive
Give the Gift of Life! Get involved in a short term mitzvah project that will save lives. 
Who benefits from these blood donations? 
People who are born prematurely, people with auto-immune and other blood disorders, people involved in accidents… 
Many people, including temple members, have received blood transfusions in the past and some people need regular blood transfusions. 
 
On Sunday, April 30th between 8:30 am and 1:30 pm we need 125 healthy adults who are at least 17 years old, 
weigh at least 110 pounds and have not given blood since the beginning of March. 
The Red Cross will provide the “beds”; we need to put “arms in the beds”. Color War points will be awarded to your child’s color war team!
 
Contact Cheryl Wolff to schedule your donation time or to volunteer to help. 

Lock of Love

As promised, Beth El Cares will be hosting another group donation for children and teens to cut their hair for “Locks of Love”.  

If your hair is 10” or longer (in a ponytail), mark Sunday May 7 on your calendar.

Guy Sasson & Company will be coming to Temple Beth El to start haircuts at 12:00 noon

(right after Religious School). Advance sign-up is required. 

Mother and daughter teams will be accepted! Rebecca and Cathy Satz are hopeful they’ll both have their 10” by then-they’re close!

Contact Cathy Satz to schedule your appointment.

Beth El Cares Shabbat

We hope you can join us at Shabbat morning services on Saturday April 15,

when we will be hosting a panel discussion regarding Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath. 

We will feature at least two panelists, Gabi Birkner, staff writer for the Jewish Week

who has been to the south several times since Hurricane Katrina and has written some moving reports

and Rosaline Feinstein, congregant, who has also written a moving report detailing her recent visit to the south.

The panel may also include some students who recently spent a few days performing mitzvah projects in New Orleans with the JCC.

SAVE THE DATE, SAVE DARFUR.

Rally to Stop Genocide

Sunday, April 30th

2:00 - 4:00

(Group will gather beginning at 1:00)

The Mall Washington, DC

Carl Weinberg is working with Beth El Cares to organize a group from Stamford to attend this rally.  

For more information about the rally and other Darfur initiatives,

contact Carl at 539-5560 (day), 322-8675 (evenings) or carl.r.weinberg@us.pwc.com.

DARFUR UPDATE – April 9 at 11:00 here at TBE!!!!

The Darfur Support Coalition of Fairfield County has been very active in raising awareness of the terrible genocide taking place in Darfur (Western Sudan). Some of their recent activities include:  
      o Participation in a national Million Voices for Darfur post card campaign to
         President Bush asking him to use his influence to create an international
         force to protect the refugees in Darfur.
      o Planning and recruiting for a bus trip to Washington on April 30 to join the
         national rally to stop the genocide in Darfur.
      o Working in concert with other Darfur support groups  to convince the State of
Connecticut to divest itself of companies that are investing in or otherwise
         supporting Darfur.

There are still too many people who are unaware of what is happening in Darfur. We will be seeing a presentation designed to raise awareness of the crime against humanity that is taking place there, and what we can do to help stop it. The presentation includes an overview/background of the current situation, a 10 minute DVD, a Q& A period and handouts.

The Darfur Support Coalition of Fairfield County has been very active in raising awareness of the terrible genocide taking place in Darfur (Western Sudan). We hope you will take some action to urge our government to help stop this genocide. Contact Carl Weinberg at 539-5560 (day), 322-8675 (evenings) or carl.r.weinberg@us.pwc.com to learn about some of the things you can do, such as participate in a post card writing campaign.

Lock of Love

Todah Rabah to Rebecca Satz, the latest Temple Beth El Locks of Love Donor! Rebecca just couldn’t wait until Sunday May 7 when Beth El Cares will be hosting another group donation for children and teens to cut their hair for “Locks of Love”.  If your hair is 10” or longer (in a ponytail), join us on Sunday May 7. Guy Sasson & Company will be coming to Temple Beth El to start haircuts at 12:00 noon (right after Religious School). Advance sign-up is required.  Mother and daughter teams will be accepted-Cathy will volunteer to “adopt a daughter” for her team!

Contact Cathy Satz to schedule your appointment.

Help Wanted-A Beth-El Cares Representative On The Synaplex™ Shabbat Committee

We still need someone to represent Beth-El Cares on the committee that will be planning Synaplex Shabbats. Each Shabbat experience will be designed to meet the needs of our community at that time. Some congregations hold Synaplex™ on Friday evening, others on Saturday morning, while still others have it throughout Shabbat and conclude with havdalah and a post-Shabbat activity. Over the course of next year (September 2006-June 2007), with approximately one Synaplex Shabbat per month, we’ll do all of the above. We’ll be taking the best of what we’ve done over the past few years – Shabbat Unplugged, Scholars in Residence and Congregational Shabbatons, for example, and bringing it all to the next level, and we need your help.

Please contact Cathy Satz to sign up to help mold this unique and ground-breaking experience.

Cathy Satz 968-9191 (csscounsel@yahoo.com)

Cheryl Wolff 968-6361 (cwolff@optonline.net)

Sunday, June 4, 2006

The Bennett Cancer Center Walk and Run

The Walk/Run will be on June 4, 2006 in the morning at Shippan.  Each year TBE members walk together to raise money for cancer patients and their families.  In 2005, we had 51 walkers and our team raised over $5,200!!  This year our goal is to raise $6,000. 

We welcome all new and past walkers to come together to form the Sisterhood’s TBE Walk Team.  We always have a great time for a good cause.  You can walk at your own pace and you will have other TBE members to walk with!  The course is either 3 or 5 miles (your choice).

You can pre-register at www.thewalkandrun.org or call Beth Silver, a TBE walk team member, at 967-8852, beth@silverconsulting.net.

Looking forward to having YOU on the team!