WEEKLY NEWSLETTER

In the beginning of Chapter 5 in Tractate Sukkah it states “And they said ‘Whoever did not see the rejoicing of the Beit Sho’eva (Place of Drawing) never saw rejoicing in one’s lifetime.’” The rejoicing we experienced at the beginning of Sukkot is supposed to continue throughout the holiday in numerous fashions. Whether it be in shaking the Lulav which manifests simcha, festive meals in the Sukkah or parties thrown at appropriate times during the intermediary days. We culminate this rejoicing with the rapturous singing and dancing at Simchat Torah celebrating the completion of the 5 Books of Moses this coming Monday night on the holiday of Shemini Atzeret which is the day that God especially rejoices with His people.

It was very gratifying to see two full Sukkahs for the first two nights of Sukkot and then having big minyans throughout the week buying lunches and a great group braving the rain for Adult Education/Sushi in the Sukkah. But there is so much more to go with our Shabbat Cholent Bake Off and then Community Simchat Torah and we implore all of you available to keep the energy going by attending these fun events. Simchat Torah will be enhanced by 4 YU students from Torah Tours who will lead services, present Divrei Torah and run a Junior Congregation, something for everyone!

Contestants for the Bake Off: Fraya Berg, Rami Mishani, Jeff Dagowitz, Robert Blakeley and the “D/S Group” (Deborah and Samantha)

For a link to the online Cholent book by Robert Blakeley click here

Sukkot - A Tutorial

Sushi in the Sukkah

Parshat Vayelech begins with a phrase that seems extraneous: “And Moses went”, but doesn’t really say  where he went or what he did. The commentators propose a bunch of suggestions like he went to visit the people individually and the like, but the upshot is, that on this, his last day of life, he made the most of every minute.

Ethics of the Fathers exhorts us to live each day of our lives as if it could be the last, at least regarding settling our affairs with God and our fellow human being. And for these days of awe there could be no more topical message. But beyond this theme we should also be inspired by Moses’s example to live life to its most productive.

TriBeCa Synagogue expresses its deepest appreciation to the High Holiday Committee, our sponsors and everyone else who helped make Rosh HaShana a memorable  inspiration!

Please submit your names for the Book of Remembrance ASAP!

For those still needing seats for Yom Kippur register here:

Check out the latest from our own Dr. Freema Gottlieb in the Jewish Week!

https://jewishweek.timesofisrael.com/moses-in-the-heart-of-every-jew/

Upon entering the promised land the tribes were divided into 2 groups of representatives to stand on the 2 mountains of Ebal and Gerizim. They would pronounce the blessings and curses involved in observing or not observing the Torah. The last curse seems redundant in that it simply states “Cursed is the one who doesn’t ‘stand up’ the words of the Torah”. Nachmanides, quoting the Jerusalem Talmud, says this is an indirect reference to the ritual of lifting the Torah scroll for all to see at the completion of the Torah reading.

David Wilensky questions the whole premise of this ritual in that if the purpose is for people to see the text why not play it safe and leave the scroll on the lectern and have everyone come up and see it? Why risk its falling or tearing? He suggests that this teaches us that wherever the Torah is located it is in a precarious position and thus needs constant vigilance, and yes, even some risk taking to insure its preservation. Leaving the Torah in a secure, inert place will simply lead to it’s fading from our collective consciousness.

Congratulations to Toby Turkel and the entire Demsky family as documentary film producer and director Noam Demsky received the prestigious national award for Jewish Culture from the Israel Ministry of Education.

Cast and Screenwriter for “Lucky Jack”*

*A movie about the amazing life of Jack Edwards, father of Steve Edwards

Filmed in Twin Oaks, NJ

Overflow crowd at Adult Education

Join us for High Holiday Prep!

Register NOW for the High Holidays and Membership

High Holidays Registration can be done here. 

Parshat Shoftim introduces the concept of a king that was to be appointed eventually, after the land was settled. We know historically that this didn’t happen for the first few hundred years, and only when the people demanded it from the prophet Samuel. Apparently things were fine without one for quite some time. He was to carry a Torah scroll with him at all times to ground him and prevent his heart from becoming exalted over his people. Yet we know there were very strict conditions of regal honor that were to be observed, even potentially on pain of death. Indeed, Saul lost his monarchy because he didn’t guard the honor of his position.

Comes the midrash and qualifies: he shall not be exalted over his brethren - except in holy matters (v’lo mishel hekdesh), meaning to say that regarding physical possessions the king had to be humble and not make a spectacle of himself. On the other hand he had to recognize that he was God’s personal representative on earth and had to conduct those kind of affairs accordingly.

And we would be remiss if we didn’t recognize that while we are talking about a king, the message radiates to all of us in our struggle to balance our humility with our dignity!

TriBeCa Synagogue congratulates our longtime members and trustee, Miriam and Paul Goodman, for the wedding of their daughter Glory to Simon Linley in California this past Sunday.

May they merit to build a faithful household in Israel.

TriBeCa comes to life with the end of summer!

The bar mitzvah of Lucas Schaeffer

Adult Education Tuesday Night

Hebrew reading

Community comes out in force to prepare for the high holidays!

Celebrating the impromptu Aufruf of Alex Leybov.

Best wishes for his upcoming wedding to Viktoria Terentiev!

Upcoming:

TriBeCa Torah Hebrew School Open House this Monday at 3:45pm!

Shofar factory and more, bring friends.

Young Professionals Friday night dinner September 13^th at 7:30pm

Ongoing:

Adult Education Tuesday nights

Beginners Hebrew Reading

High Holiday Prep