1. religion and spirituality
2. judaism

KOL YISRAEL
Weekly
SHABBAT 14 - 15 November 2014 / 22 Cheshvan 5775
The President, Robert Hershan, on behalf of the Board and staff of Temple Beth Israel welcomes you to our community.
SHABBAT SHACHARIT
MAIN SYNAGOGUE
SHABBAT PARASHAT CHAYEI SARAH
Parashah: Haftarah:
Genesis 24:42 – 52 (page 162)
Kings 1:1 – 31 (page 338)
10am Saturday Morning Shabbat Service
KABBALAT SHABBAT SERVICE
MAIN SYNAGOGUE
6.15pm Friday Night Shabbat Service
Board members:
Shammash: Music: Guest Speaker:
Robert Hershan, Rob Sward, Rebecca Silk,
Rhys Roberts and Rysia Rozen
Tom Firestone
Cantor Michel Laloum with Josh Nezon
Yaron Shavit
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Board members:
Shammashim:
Music: Torah readers: Baby naming:
Kiddush:
Robert Hershan, Rysia Rozen, Rebecca Silk Joanne Loewy Irons, and Rhys Roberts
Dot Nathan and John Hillel
Cantor Michel Laloum accompanied by
Joe Stupel
Cantor Michel Laloum, Rabbi Fred Morgan
and Rena Langberg Wolf Whitman Pickering
In Slome Hall after the Service
Mitzvah Day
Sunday 16 November
TBI Friends Lend a Hand
• Prepare meals at Ronald McDonald House Clayton 10 - 2pm
• Wrap gifts for Impact for Women 12- 4pm
• Bake for Aunty Jacko’s Indigenous Friendship Group 10 - 2pm
• Garden at TBI 10 - 4pm
• Packing and Decorating bags for Ardoch 12- 4pm
Plant a herb garden with Netzer 1 - 3pm
• Sing at aged care homes 10 - 4pm
Register at tbi.org.au or 9510 1488
DRASH FOR SHABBAT CHAYEI SARAHH
BY RABBI ADI COHEN TEMPLE DAVID, PERTH WA
“Without the voice of reason, every faith is its
own curse.”(History Will Teach Us Nothing,
Sting, Nothing Like the Sun)
Parashah Chayei Sarah is a heart-breaking
closure to Sarah’s life and a sad glimpse into
her family life. While the text does not tell us
how many years have passed between Akeidat
Yitzchak (when Abraham was asked to sacrifice
Isaac), the text does give us a clue about the
effect this event had on their family. “And
Sarah died in Kiriath Arba (Hebron) in the land
of Canaan; and Abraham came to mourn for
Sarah.” Abraham and Sarah live in different
places, not even in the same city. Sarah dies
alone, Abraham is not there at her death bed,
though he comes to bury her.
Later on, we are told that while he was
morning for her in the tent, Isaac was
wandering in the fields, away from his father.
Abraham may have passed God’s test; however
religious fundamentalism has its price and
Abraham paid it to the full, by losing his family.
Where do we draw the line? Was it worth it? Is
there a magical, mystical scale of faith that we
need to push ourselves to be “more religious”?
After the epic story of creation and
destruction, the biblical narrator zooms in
from the universe to humanity and from
humanity to the individual. Abraham, as the
first person to believe in God, proves himself to
be a person of faith.
However, he and his descendants need to
learn what is acceptable and what is not when
translating their faith into deeds, while practicing their faith as a religion. How do we balance
Jewish faith and its implications as a religion,
culture or peoplehood today? How do we find
new meaning in old traditions and create
contemporary rituals? How do we balance
radicalism and conservatism between what we
are and what we would like to be?
The Rambam, in his Mishne Torah, explains
about the “golden path”: “Between each
trait and the [contrasting] trait at the other
extreme, there are intermediate points, each
distant from the other ... The two extremes
of each trait, which are at a distance from one
another, do not reflect a proper path. It is not
fitting that one should behave in accordance
with these extremes or teach them to himself.
Therefore, the early Sages instructed us along
the middle path. Every one whose traits are
intermediate and equally balanced can be called
a ‘wise person.’”
The stories of our patriarchs and matriarchs
reflect the struggle of taking the first steps into
monotheism and the early stages of the Jewish
relationship with God. They needed to
rationalise to themselves and to explain to
others what it means to believe in God, what
it means to be Jewish, and to define and deal
with what is unique in our religion.
The challenges faced by Progressive Judaism
today are not that different. We still need to
rationalise to ourselves and to explain to others
what it means to believe in God. We still need
to define what it means to be Jewish. We still
need to define what is unique to our religion.
Parashah Chayei Sarah reminds us that we
need to have faith. We need to have faith in
God and we need to be mindful and careful
when we translate our faith into deeds.
WHAT’S ON
JEWISH REFLECTIONS ON THE PROBLEM OF EVIL
SUNDAY 30 NOVEMBER, 7 & 14 DECEMBER 10.30AM
This three–part series presented by Rabbi Fred Morgan, follows on from
our extremely successful session in Jewish theology which took place earlier
this year. The existence of evil resulting in human suffering has probably
been the biggest stumbling block to religious faith in every age, not least for
the post–Holocaust Jewish Community. In this series we shall look at how
Jewish understanding of ‘theodicy’, the problem of evil, has changed over
time in response to changing historical experiences and thoughts. What do
we mean when we speak of evil? How can God of goodness be reconciled
with an apparently uncaring creation? Where was God in Auschwitz? Where
is God in human sufferings today?
BOOK LAUNCH - A POETRY TRIBUTE TO RABBI FRED
MORGAN BY SUZI GHENT SUNDAY 7 DECEMBER 2.30PM
The book celebrates his recent retirement, acknowledges the impact of his
time at TBI and recognises the significant impact his teachings and
leadership have had on our community.
CALENDAR
Sunday 16 November
10AM MITZVAH DAY
Activities are held throughout the day at TBI,
Ronald McDonald House and aged care homes
For details visit tbi.org.au
8pm TBI Men’s Group
Monday 17 November
10am Jewish Care Holocaust
Survivors Group
6pm B’nei Mitzvah Taster
6pm PJV Annual General Meeting
Tuesday 18 November
10am English Classes
(Russian Speaking)
10am TBI Archive Group
4pm TBI Tamid
7.30pm Introduction to Judaism
7.30pm Parashat Hashavua
Thursday 20 November
10am Jewish Care Holocaust Survivors Group – Russian Speaking
11am Aleph isn’t Enough
Friday 21 November
NEXT SHABBAT 29 Cheshvan 5775
6.15pm Kabbalat Shabbat Service
Saturday 22 November
10am Shabbat Toldot Service
11am Bar mitzvah Ashley Roth
REMEMBRANCE
SHLOSHIM
• Judith Dubiner
• Jack Frid
• Miriam Goldman
• Morris Kagan
• Liselotte Koopman
• Hadassah Komesaroff
• Harry Lehrer
• Henry Levin
• Stella Mitchell
• David Poznaski
• Herbert Stein
YAHRZEITS OBSERVED THIS SHABBAT
Aunt of David Freedman
Husband of Lyn, father of Natalie, Ben and Jess
Mother of Sara Saubern
Uncle of Bonnie Kagan
Mother of Ronnie, Lorraine, Michael and Elizabeth
Mother of Ilona, Ruth and Paul
Husband of Lynette, father of Jennifer, Debbie
and Amanda
Friend of Michael Aufgang and Family
Mother of Tony and Julian
Husband of Mary, father of Anna and Henry
Father of Ruth Silberman and Dorit Harvery
• Ora Arkles • Percy Cohen • Norman Cohen • Ian Dorey
• Hedwig Eisfelder • Posy Firestone • Lily Gardner • Jack Gould • Leo Alfred
Hartman • Gerda Betty Hauck • Cecilia Hegyi • Rive Hoffman • Kurt Jilovsky
• Edith Kohn • Frances Kolt • Fred Linden • Joyce Mankiewicz• Abraham
Moshinsky • Celia Pahoff • Beryl Phillips • Barry Rubin • Cypora Rybajzen
• Peter Schiftan • Frederic Schneider • Bernard Shulkes • Mary Star
• Rosine Bertha Vos • Maria Wollan • Gershon Zylberman
In the event of a bereavement
please do not hesitate to contact Rhonda Nirens on 9883 6237 or 0438 464 909
This service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Contact TBI
MISSION: Temple Beth Israel is a kehilla kedosha (spiritual community) bringing innovation
and creativity to Jewish traditions. We provide multiple pathways for our members and friends
to enjoy an engagement with Progressive Judaism that enhances their lives through spiritual
enrichment, learning and community. We are guided by principles of egalitarianism and respect
for others. We are inspired to continually develop and grow and to provide a spiritual home for all
who wish to embrace our values. Temple Beth Israel acknowledges that we are assembled on land
whose traditional custodians are the people of the Kulin Nation.
Ph: 613 9510 1488 Fax: 613 9521 1229
PO Box 128 / 76-82 Alma Rd, St Kilda Vic 3182
tbi.org.au
Twitter: @TBIMelbourne
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