WEEKLY NEWSLETTER

The word Naso, which is the title of this week’s portion, is a term for counting the Israelites. More specifically it says Naso et Rosh, literally meaning “lift the head” of each person. Normally terms for counting in Hebrew would be Moneh, Tispor etc. so why this unusual expression?

Rabbi Dovid Feinstein in his Kol Dodi says that by counting each person you demonstrate that each person “counts”, creating self-worth. Thus, it’s like if a person feels down and has their head down will feel like lifting their head because they now feel good about themselves because they are an important component of the community.

The TriBeCa Synagogue takes this opportunity to express deep gratitude to the 5 students who spent the 3 day weekend with us tremendously enriching our holiday. We wish Shmuel Perton, Gabriel Maron, Zach Lowinger, Elizabeth Pavel and Shira Kurland success in all their future endeavors!

TriBeCa Torah is sponsoring “Mitzvah Day” this Monday after school open to all children but especially for present and potential Hebrew School students.

   & 

We complete the book of Leviticus this weekend with Parshat Bechukotai which includes some of the more unpleasant passages of the Torah but concludes with an innocuous discussion of pledges.

The question asked is what are these “chukot” that the verse refers to as a condition for peace and prosperity? The commandments are covered in the next phrase “mitzvotai”. Most commentators say that this is a reference to the study of Torah which must accompany any lifestyle of observance of Judaism. Torah is called a Chok because it’s mastery isn’t accomplished under normal circumstances.

Hence we have yet another hint to the upcoming Torah season of Shavuot that is upon us in just over a week.

Today is the 40^th day of the Omer and Sunday is Yom Yerushalayim, commemorating the reunification of Jerusalem in 1967.

TriBeCa Synagogue expresses it’s deepest appreciation to our benefit committee, and its chairperson Deborah Koenigsberger, for a spectacular evening this past Tuesday. It was elegant, fun and successful!

Dr. Freema Gottlieb is featured in current edition of the Jewish Week, enjoy!

We are excited to welcome Launch Math + Science Centers camps to Tribeca Synagogue this summer!  From engineering to electronics, kids learn all about STEM topics through an exciting summer program.  Plus, Tribeca Synagogue members can receive an additional $50 off by using the discount code TRS2019 during checkout!  Click here more information about Launch camps.

   & 

This week we read in the portion of Emor a lot about the propriety involved in temple ritual. The kohanim have to comport themselves in an appropriate manner whether it be in dress or grooming or lifestyle. Even the animal sacrifices had to be perfect specimens.

In these matters, and in many similar ones, the question is often asked as to whether this is really important to God, who is all knowing and all powerful. Does these details really matter in the context of the infinity of the universe?

One important answer is that these requirements are more for us than God. We need to know the importance of these rituals and without the attending requirements they would lose significance in our eyes which would be a real tragedy. So whatever we wear and whatever the place we pray looks like and how we behave is about us and our attitude as much as about what God may need from us.

Today is the 26^th day of the counting of the Omer.

Congratulations to Richard and Yen Tesler for the Bar Mitzvah of their son Liem this Shabbat at the synagogue.

Congratulations to board member Lisa Balter and Grant Saacks for the Bat Mitzvah of their daughter Annabel this Sunday at the synagogue.

Both Liem and Annabel are graduates of our TriBeCa Torah Hebrew School.

On Wednesday May 22 at 7:30pm BIGVISION and The Teshuvah Center are partnering for an event discussing addiction and healing in the Jewish community with Rabbi ILan Glazer, author of  “And God created recovery”.

The event will take place at Ascendant located at 113 East 60^th Street, NY 10022. Please reserve your space at www.tinyurl.com/Jewish-recovery

After the death of her son Isaac from an accidental overdose, BIGVISION was founded by our board member Eve Goldberg in 2015 to fill the void in the recovery process with fun, wholesome sober activities for young adults in NYC. https://www.bigvision.nyc/

FINAL STRETCH FOR OUR BASHERT OUR SPRING BENEFIT!

Please reserve and buy ads now!

We are excited to welcome Launch Math + Science Centers camps to Tribeca Synagogue this summer!  From engineering to electronics, kids learn all about STEM topics through an exciting summer program.  Plus, Tribeca Synagogue members can receive an additional $50 off by using the discount code TRS2019 during checkout!  Click here more information about Launch camps.

   & 

Beyond the momentous themes of the just concluded holiday of Passover is its launch to the next period of the Jewish calendar called Sefirat HaOmer (counting of the Omer). This period is often associated with sadness and mourning due to the tragic events of the Mishnaic period and then later on in eastern Europe, but the reality is that its main basis is inspiring ideas from the Torah. 

Chava Chalom is sponsoring the security detail for the month of Nisan in memory and in honor of her parents, Aharona Bat Mordecai V’ Kochava Tziona whose yahrtzeit is 24 Nissan and Mayer Ben Esther V’ Eliyahu Halevi whose birthday is 21 Nisan and the remarkable lives they lived in their travels and raising a family on 3 continents imbued with the values of Torah and Tzedaka. And also in the hope that others will follow her lead in sponsoring our security in future months!

We are excited to welcome Launch Math + Science Centers camps to Tribeca Synagogue this summer!  From engineering to electronics, kids learn all about STEM topics through an exciting summer program.  Plus, Tribeca Synagogue members can receive an additional $50 off by using the discount code TRS2019 during checkout!  Click here more information about Launch camps.

   & 

Generally accepted statistics indicate that of all the Jewish calendar, Passover is the most attended occasion of the year, even beating out Yom Kippur slightly. But both occasions attest to something profound about the Jewish nation even in this post modern age. The fact that so many Jews of all backgrounds subject themselves to the holy rigors of the Day of Atonement is an astounding phenomenon. But even more importantly, a wide swath of the children of Israel take the time and make the effort to experience annually a ceremony renewing our nationhood. This attests to the innate sense that we all have of our eternal nationhood-Am Yisrael Chai!

A range of emotions

Tuesday night memorial for Marilyn Sontag

TriBeCa Torah Model Seder

A Charcoal portrait by Toby Turkel is currently being exhibited in the Manhattan Borough President’s office, 1 Center Street, 19th floor.  The show, “Better With Age” is open to the public until April 30.

Reserve for Communal Second Seder ASAP here

Chava Shalom is sponsoring the security detail at Tribeca synagogue every Shabbat during the month of Nissan in loving memory of her mother Aharona bat Tziona Kachava whose yahrtzeit is the 24^th of Nissan. Aharona’s life took her from the persecution in Egypt and through 3 continents, all while raising a family and maintaining a deep devotion to her heritage. Her life has meaning that is particularly powerful at this time of Passover freedom.

 Future sponsorship for security detail at Tribeca Synagogue is always available!

We are excited to welcome Launch Math + Science Centers camps to Tribeca Synagogue this summer!  From engineering to electronics, kids learn all about STEM topics through an exciting summer program.  Plus, Tribeca Synagogue members can receive an additional $50 off by using the discount code TRS2019 during checkout!  Click here more information about Launch camps.

   &