How do we combat the forces of evil and hate in this world?
We add in acts of goodness and kindness, increase our involvement in Jewish community and life, and spread Jewish pride and awareness.
Celebrate this Shabbos together! Light the Shabbat candles and bring light to your home and surroundings, and come to synagogue to pray, rejoice and celebrate in unity!
Important Security PSA:
In addition to the upgraded security cameras and locks we have installed at the synagogue in recent months, we have now hired an armed security guard who will present during the services and Hebrew school hours.
Security details and procedures have been developed and will be introduced in the coming weeks. We will also need your participation in helping to finance the security guards project. Information on this will be coming soon.
Shabbos Times
Friday, May 3
Candle Lighting 7:36pm
Evening Service Mincha 7:40pm
Saturday, May 4
Morning Service 9:30am
Torah Reading and Sermon: 10:30am Kiddush Brunch: 12:00pm
Evening Service 7:40pm Shabbos ends: 8:41pm
Kiddush Sponsored by
Igor and Lina Perchuk
In Honor of the Bar Mitzvah of their dear son,
Jonathon (Mordechai)
Mazal Tov!!
Schedule of Synagogue Services May 5- 9
Morning Service Shacharis
Sun-Fri 8:15am
Followed by breakfast
Evening Service Mincha & Maariv
Sun-Thu 7:50pm
Fair Lawn Jewish Day Camp Enroll today for the full summer and save big! Enroll your child now!
You want a paid and impacting internship this summer for your high school and college age kids? Because of the dedicated staff that join our team each summer, our camp has been one of the fastest growing Jewish camps in North Jersey since 2008. Together, we serve over 400 campers each summer, and growing!
Next Session: Monday, May 13 at 7pm Jteens invite children ages 6-11 to participate in an exciting bi-weekly workshop. Free Admission!
TEEN TALKS & LOUNGE
Thursdays, 6pm-7pm Hang out, and get connected with other Jewish
teens in the area for casual, social meet and discussions.
Chats, Snacks, and Drinks
Moms and Tots Shabbat
Saturdays 11am-12pm Give your child an opportunity to explore, learn and discover with songs, story time with Russian language, and kiddie play area! Bond with your little one while connecting with other moms in our area.
Jteen It's Been Real BBQ
Wednesday, May 15 at 7:30pm-9pm
Join for the closing event of an awesome Jteen year!
Delicious bbq dinner, gifts, entertainment and fun!
Full BBQ dinner! Cold beer for adults! Rides and giant inflatables! Cotton candy! Face painting! Live Music! Arts & crafts! Round the fire marshmallow roasting!
Admission includes all rides, attractions, crafts, and full BBQ dinner.
A couple had two little mischievous boys, ages 8 and 10. They were always getting into trouble, and their parents knew that if any mischief occurred in their town, their sons would get the blame.
The boys' mother heard that a rabbi in town had been successful in disciplining children, so she asked if he would speak with her boys. The rabbi agreed and asked to see them individually.
So, the mother sent her 8-year-old first, in the morning, with the older boy to see the rabbi in the afternoon.
The rabbi, a huge man with a booming voice, sat the younger boy down and asked him sternly, "Where is G-d?"
They boy's mouth dropped open, but he made no response, sitting there with his mouth hanging open.
The rabbi repeated the question. "Where is G-d?"
Again, the boy made no attempt to answer.
So, the rabbi raised his voice some more and shook his finger in the boy's face and bellowed, "Where is G-d!?"
The boy screamed and bolted from the room. He ran directly home and dove into his closet, slamming the door behind him.
When his older brother found him in the closet, he asked, "What happened?"
The younger brother, gasping for breath, replied: "We are in real big trouble this time! G-d is missing, and they think we did it!"
Weekly E- Torah
Feeling spiritual on Yom Kippur is easy. No eating, no business, no spousal relations, and long hours praying in the synagogue are conducive to intense angelic sensations. It’s no wonder that so many religions place a premium on asceticism, demanding that their most devoted adherents divorce themselves completely from the temptations offered by the world. Celibacy, long hours of meditation, fasting, and life in a secluded monastery are the surest path to a life of spirituality.
The Torah, however, has a very different perspective. This week’s portion starts with a mention of Nadav and Avihu’s deaths—partially a punishment for their spiritually motivated decision to remain celibate. G‑d wants us to walk a thin tightrope. He wants us to be married, go to work, and partake of lavish Shabbat and holiday meals—and at that very moment to be at the pinnacle of spirituality and holiness. A daunting task, to say the least. How does one simultaneously dwell in two contradictory worlds—the world of the spirit and the world of the flesh?
Every mitzvah is comprised of a body and soul. How does one simultaneously dwell in the world of the spirit and the world of the flesh? The body is the physical act which we are commanded to do, or which we are instructed to avoid. The soul is the lesson the mitzvah imparts, its message which we must implement in our lives. The prohibition against consuming blood, which is also discussed in this week’s Parshah, as well as the process of its removal, teaches a powerful lesson pertaining to our approach to our relationship with the world.
We are not always fortunate enough to contend with the divine, or even with “humanity.” On a daily basis we also have to deal with the “animalistic,” completely non-spiritual aspects of regular life. Consumption of animal flesh is a metaphor for these moments of the day. Blood represents warmth, life and passion. The Torah enjoins us to remove all the “blood” from our worldly activities: to be involved in the world, to partake of its flesh, but without excessive enthusiasm or excitement.
How, you ask, is this possible? Through salt. Blood is removed from meat via a thorough salting process.
The Torah describes the covenant between G‑d and His nation as a “salt covenant.” The commentators explain that salt never decays; it remains eternally fresh, much as our relationship with G‑d never expires or even becomes slightly stale.
Interestingly, the symbol of our relationship with G‑d is a food item which is independently inedible—its primary purpose is to add wonderful taste to practically all other foods. Similarly, our relationship with G‑d is not an end within itself; rather, it is meant to give a spiritual “flavor” and meaning to all other aspects of our life.
We have to liberally “sprinkle salt” on every part of our life—on our workplace, on our dinner table, on our gym, and even on our vacation destinations. When our love for G‑d and our desire to serve Him with every fiber of our being is our leading motivation, then all we do is for Him. We eat and exercise so that we have the strength to serve Him; we work to have the means to serve Him; etc.
