The holiday of Shavuos, the anniversary of the Ten Commandments, and receiving of the Torah, begins on Saturday night, June 8. Every year on this holiday, when we hear the reading of the Ten Commandments, we renew our acceptance of G‑d’s gift, and G‑d “re-gives” us the Torah.
Join the community this Sunday, June 9, at 5pm to hear the reading of the Ten Commandments, and enjoy a mega ice cream party to celebrate.
Camp calendars have now been published with awesome trips, theme days and amazing activities planned for summer 2019!
Get ready for another awesome summer adventure! We still have a few spots in some divisions. Click to Enroll Some job openings are also still available. Click to Apply
Our commitment to keep everyone safe continues!
We are continuing our commitment to security. Armed guard continues to be present at all major services. We are working on more security plans which we will share with you in the coming weeks. You can help by making a donation today.
Shabbos Times
Friday, June 7
Candle Lighting: 8:08pm
Evening Service Mincha: 7:30pm
Saturday, June 8
Morning Service 9:30am
Torah Reading and Sermon: 10:30am Kiddush Brunch: 12:00pm
Evening Service: 8:10pm
Candle Lighting from a pre-existing flame: After 9:17pm
Morning Service Shacharis
Sun-Fri 8:15am
Followed by breakfast
Evening Service Mincha & Maariv
Sun-Thu 8:10pm
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!
Production of the new 5780 Jewish calendar has begun.
Support the calendar by placing an ad or a dedication. Click Here
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.
Shavuos Ice Cream Party
Sunday, June 9 at 5pm
Hear the Ten Commandments, and enjoy a buffet of ice cream and dozens of toppings.
Fun for the entire Family!
Free admission! Come and bring your friends!
A Biselleh Humor....
Tim and Ben, walking down Main Street with Moshe, their boss, spied an oil lamp. With a rub, out popped a genie.
“You get one wish a piece,” said the genie.
Lyle shouted. “I want to be on a yacht in Bermuda!” Poof. He disappeared.
Tim exclaimed: “Make mine Hawaii!” Poof, he disappeared.
Moshe, the boss, looked around and calmly said. “For my wish ... I want those two, back in my office right after lunch!"
Weekly E- Torah
"Numbers” may be the name by which the fourth of the Five Books of Moses is commonly called, but in the Hebrew original it is known as Bamidbar, or “In the Wilderness.” It is interesting to note that this Parshah is always read immediately before the festival of Shavuot, “the season of the giving of the Torah.” What is the connection?
The Sages teach that it is not enough for G‑d to give us the Torah; we have to be ready to receive the Torah. What makes us worthy recipients of this most precious and infinite gift from G‑d? This is where the “wilderness” idea comes in. A wilderness is a no-man’s land. It is ownerless and barren. Just as a desert is empty and desolate, so does a student of Torah need to know that he is but an “empty vessel.” Humility is a vital prerequisite if we are to successfully absorb divine wisdom.
As long as we are full of ourselves and our preconceived notions, we will not be able to assimilate and integrate Torah into our being. Even if are already somewhat accomplished in our Torah studies, we still need to remember—as the Kotzker Rebbe put it—that “as much as you know, you are still an undeveloped wilderness.”
Then there is the idea that an ownerless wilderness is there for anyone to stake his claim. No person or group of people has a monopoly on Torah. It belongs to each and every single Jew, not just the rabbis or the yeshivah students, or the religiously observant. “The Torah that Moses commanded us is the heritage of the entire Congregation of Jacob” (Deuteronomy 33:4). While we acknowledge that there is much hard work ahead of us if we are to acquire the Torah and make it ours, we also know that with diligence and effort we can succeed. Indeed, some of our finest Torah scholars throughout the generations have hailed from the simple, ordinary folk—tailors, cobblers and the like.
Maimonides, in his Mishneh Torah (Laws of Torah Study 3:1), states: “With three crowns was Israel adorned—the crown of Torah, the crown of the priesthood and the crown of royalty. The priesthood was the privilege of Aaron . . . royalty was the privilege of King David . . . the crown of Torah is there ready and waiting for all of Israel . . . and it is the greatest crown of all.”
However, while Torah may be “free for all” as a desert wilderness, we must surrender ourselves to it, emptying ourselves of our ego and our preconceptions, rather than attempting to adjust it to our own circumstances and lifestyles.
And then, like the empty and uninhabited wilderness, the Torah personality may well find himself alone and isolated. We might express our strongly held values and beliefs, only to discover that we stand alone. We might display the courage of our convictions and find ourselves, like Abraham, “on the other side” of the whole world. Our principles may well prove unpopular, especially should they step on toes or upset apple carts. No matter. Being true to G‑d and His Torah means standing by it, under any and every circumstance.
May the literal title of our Parshah of Bamidbar, and the many lessons it conveys, serve as a fitting prelude for the beautiful festival of Shavuot. May we receive the Torah with joy and earnestness, so that this important festival will be both memorable and meaningful.
