Winter 2011 Horef 5771 www.ezrasisrael.org Hashem. More challenging, though, is Rabbi’s Message to recognize the hand of Hashem in On Chanukah, we say the tefil- occurrences that to the casual observer could seem lah of Al Hanissim, both in natural. To come to this level of Hodaah, gratitude, Shemonah Esrei and in Birchas to Hashem, we must first acknowledge that there Hamazon. This Tefillah is pri- was good that Hashem has done for us. Then, we marily one of Hodaah, of ex- can express our gratitude. pressing thanks to Hashem for those Nissim that This is why Al Hanissim does not include the were done for us during the time of Chanukah. In miracle of the Menorah. That is something that we fact, the tefillah of Al Hanissim is recited in the will thank Hashem for on our own, because it is so Bracha of Modim in Shemonah Esrei, and Nodeh obviously a miracle. The other miracles are ones Lecha in Birchas Hamazon, which are both para- that we must first think about and acknowledge, in graphs of gratitude to Hashem. order to bring us to properly express our gratitude. Looking at what is written in Al Hanissim, we The Gemarrah in Shabbos says that the eight see gratitude for the miracles related to the war, days of Chanukah are set aside as days of and for reclaiming and restoring the service in the and Hodaah , reciting Hallel and Al Hanissim. This Beis Hamikdash, but we see no mention of the is a festival to not only commemorate what miracle of the Menorah. Rav Chaim Friedlander Hashem did for us during the time of the Chash- Zt’l explains, that to understand why this is so, monaim, but also to express gratitude for all that we must first understand what Hodaah , gratitude, Hashem does for each of us every day. We must is. The concept of Hodaah, gratitude , is twofold; first acknowledge the gifts that we receive from first one must acknowledge the good that was done Hashem; the gift of life, and each of the myriad for him, and only then can he follow with words of gifts that we receive from Above, be it health, gratitude. prosperity, or just a good day. We must appreciate Of the many miracles that were done during them for what they are, a gift from Hashem, and Chanukah, the one that we all know about is the not our due. Only then, can we follow with ex- miracle involving the oil of the Menorah that was pressions of gratitude for all that we receive. only enough for one day lasting for eight days. This was an obvious miracle and, therefore, one Eliezer Y. Kreiser for which we will of course express our thanks to

President’s Mes- take place around Pesach, as per established shul sage practice. We had a successful High We also ask for your continued support of our Holiday season once again this daily minyanim, now in their tenth year at the Ring year. On behalf of the shul, I House. Sunday morning has become a challenge, would like to thank all those who because of increased competition from other shuls made this possible – Rabbi Kreiser, for his leader- (and also, sadly, because of some losses in our ship, divrei Torah and davening, and arranging for community over the past year). We certainly wish a Ba’al Tokea; Larry Shor, our Chazan; Rachmil those other shuls well, but that does place more Jacobovits, the chair of our High Holiday Commit- pressure on our membership to make up the differ- tee and our First Gabbai; and all those who assisted ence. Rachmil in putting up and taking down the shul set I look forward to writing my final column as -up at the Ring House. president in the pre-Pesach edition of this newslet- On account of term limits, I am reaching the ter. end of my presidency. We have reconstituted a Michael Richman nominating committee, with Norman Pollack gra- ciously accepting this role once again. Please be responsive if he calls upon you – we encourage service to our shul. The election is scheduled to

It’s Good to be Jew! sum of the name of Hashem. But the important part is not how much one gives, but that we use these occasions to By Jerry Roschwalb elevate their importance and help the sustain our shul. There is another path to tzedaka. Several times

each year we recite yizkor, and in every yizkor and kail Emanuel Kant was not Jewish, but he produced a moleh rachmim paragraph we agree to give tzedaka to ele- Jewish moral principle: If you don't do it, who should? Ju- vate the souls of our departed family member. And when daism offers many opportunities for communal responsibil- we have Yohrzeit, we not only say but tradition- ity. In Devorim, we learn from Moshe the mandate to care ally exalt the soul of the departed by doing mitzvoth in for the poor--stressed in different ways. their name and memory. Tzedaka is a universally accepted So on we collect money for Mattan way to fulfill that mitzvah. L'evyonim. And before Pesach we do the same with Maos Others also perform tzedaka by creating occasions Chitim. We ask our Rav to serve as our sheliach to use our to make brochot (blessings) donations to assist our less fortunate brethren. that would otherwise go un- There is also an obligation to our own Bet made. That is why a bottle of Hamedrish, our congregation. If we don't support, it who schnapps and cookies at a will? Thus it is a custom for men honored with an aliyah weekday shacharis, some- to respond to the "Mishaberach" for their families with a times a kiddish for the whole donation after . congregation on Shabbat, is a For a long a long time, the custom was to send in good way to cause brochot ―Chai -$18. (Obviously, the amount is entirely up to (and good cheer) in the name the honoree. But I recently learned from an Iranian shul of the departed to be multi- member that in his homeland they did not favor Chai--18, plied. but 26, the numerical sum of the name of Hashem.) I real- ized that with the help of inflation over the years, the ex- penses of the shul had risen while the value of Chai had markedly depreciated. Consequently, for each aliyah I get, I respond with a donation corresponding to the numerical

Mazel Tov Condolences

On the birth of Orlee Chana Lefman, to parents Sarabeth & Jona- To the Graff family on the loss of Ruth Graff / Rivka bat Yer- than Lefman, grandparents Roz & Sheldon Needle and brother achmiel HaKohen, mother of Stuart Graff and mother-in-law of Noam Shalom Lefman June Graff Mark & Tamira Lautman, on the wedding of their son Daniel Amitai to Rachel Ariel Cantor Robert & Gayna Kieval, on the birth of their first grand- child, Yehuda Aryeh (son of Moshe and Feigy) Beatrice Welik, on the wedding of her granddaughter Rose Glasner, on the appointment of her grandson David to be the Principal of a high school at the same location (on New York's Lower East Side) where Rose began her public school teaching career

2 Learning Schedule  Shabbat mornings, Rabbi’s shiur on the weekly Parsha, 8:15am at the shul. Open to all.  Sunday mornings following Shacharis, Rabbi’s Talmud Class at the Ring House (men only)  Wednesday Learning Nights on Wednesdays at 9:00 pm at the shul (men only) (contact Rabbi Kreiser to confirm dates)

Baruchim Habaim Are you receiving the weekly Ezras Israel e-mail update? New Member Davening times, upcoming events, and more! To subscribe, visit Charlotte Klein http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ezrasisrael

Yasher Koach Terner z‖l & Beril’s mother Baila Refua Sh’lema! bas Nuta z‖l Jake Van Houter High Holiday set-up and clean up Uri Fastovsky, on his birthday – Rachmil Jacobovits, Sheldon Nee- Mark Lautman, on the upcoming dle, Aron Kreiser, Mark Chaimovich, wedding of his son Daniel Amitai to Avi Chaimovich Rachel Ariel High Holiday page turning – Stu Doreen Blech, on the yahzeit of her Graff mother Rita Wacks / Rivka bas Zvi Sukkah set-up – Vahid Yahoodain, Hersh z‖l Mordechai Yahoodain, Uri Fastovsky, June Graff, on the yahrzeit of her Jared Lempel et al. mother Rachel Mannheimer / Rachel bas Yaakov z‖l All those who bid in the Simchat To- rah auction Sandra & Hadar Katz, on the birthday of their husband/father Gil For sponsoring a kiddush Jerry Roschwalb, on the yahrzeit of his mother Irene Roschwalb / Ita bas Tzvi Zev HaLevi Rachmil Jacobovits, on the yahrzeit of Beril Sinnreich & Selma Slater, in his mother Misie Devorah bas Moshe memory of their uncle/father Louis Dov

Shul News Sponsor a New Chumash There are opportunities to sponsor a new Chu- Cemetery Spaces Available mash for the shul - $50 to sponsor a regular Gift Shop by Mordechai Yahoodain Gan Zikaron (Garden of Remembrance) is a Stone Edition Chumash, and $36 for a com- 301.881.0647 bined Stone Chumash/Siddur Travel Edition. Jewish community owned and operated ceme- Support Israel—buy Israeli products tery. Spaces are available in the section previ- Please contact Rachmil Jacobovits (see box ously purchased by Ezras Israel Congregation below for contact information). Skin care, jewelry, Judaica, and more. of Rockville for $1,900 each. You will have 10% of profits go to Congregation the benefit of a tax deduction. Please contact Morris Altschuler at (301) 770-5591 for fur- Ezras Israel ther information and a tour of the site.

Memorialize a loved one Donate to the Donate a Machzor, Siddur or Chumash Ezras Israel Hachnosat Orchim Fund to support the Call Rachmil at 301-770-4342 or 301-461-4984 or hospitality the Rabbi extends to the community. e-mail [email protected]

For the holidays and all your Celebrate a special occasion! special occasions, send Sponsor a Kiddush personalized Call Odette Goldberg - 301-468-0108 or by Chesed Cards and e-mail [email protected] or reserve online at Help Ezras Israel at the same time Call June Graff 301.770.7129 www.ezrasisrael.org

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Minyan Times

a.m. 8:15 Friday Wednesday, Tuesday,

readings) Torah with weekdays other & Chodes Rosh on time the (Also a.m. 8:05 Thursday Monday,

only) (men shiur Rabbi’s by Followed a.m. 8:30 Sunday

4:00 p.m. Sunday through Thursday Thursday through Sunday p.m. 4:00 — location same — minyan 3: Room Activity House, Ring at Friday – Sunday

Maariv and Shlishit Seudah by Followed above. See Mincha/ a.m. 9:00 Shacharit

status. Eruv for 1661 - 627 - 240 Call Israel: Ezras at Shabbat

8:06 6:50 7:05 7:07 Parah - Shemini Sat - Fri Mar - 26

Purim XXXXX XXXXX XXXXX XXXX Sun Mar - 20

7:59 6:45 7:00 7:00 Zachor - Tzav Sat - Fri Mar - 19

7:57pm) ends 5:58am, begins (fast Ta'anit XXXXX XXXXX XXXXX XXXX Thu Mar - 17

XXXXX XXXXX XXXXX XXXX begins Savings Daylight Sun Mar - 13

6:52 5:40 5:55 5:53 Vayikra Sat - Fri Mar - 12

6:45 5:35 5:45 5:46 Mon) - (Sun 2 Mevorchim - Shekalim - Pekudei Sat - Fri Mar - 5

6:38 5:25 5:40 5:38 Vayakhel Sat - Fri Feb -

26 Luach HaZmanim

6:31 5:15 5:30 5:30 Tisa Ki Sat - Fri Feb - 19

6:23 5:10 5:25 5:22 Tetzaveh Sat - Fri Feb - 12

6:16 5:00 5:15 5:14 Terumah Mon Feb - 5

6:08 4:55 5:10 5:06 Sat) - (Fri 1 Adar Mevorchim - Mishpatim Sat - Fri Jan - 29

6:01 4:45 5:00 4:58 Yitro Sat - Fri Jan - 22

B'Shvat Tu XXXXX XXXXX XXXXX XXXX Sat - Fri Jan - 20

5:54 4:35 4:50 4:50 Beshalach Sat - Fri Jan - 15

5:47 4:30 4:45 4:43 Bo Sat - Fri Jan - 8

5:41 4:25 4:40 4:37 (Thu) Shvat Mevorchim - Vaera Sat - Fri Jan - 1

5:36 4:20 4:35 4:33 Shemot Sat - Fri Dec - 25

5:33 4:15 4:30 4:29 Vayechi Sat - Fri Dec - 18

5:32pm) ends 5:55am, begins (fast Tevet 10 of Fast XXXXX XXXXX XXXXX XXXX Fri Dec - 17

5:30 4:15 4:30 4:28 Vayigash Sat - Fri Dec - 11

5:30 4:15 4:30 4:28 Wed) - (Tue Tevet Mevorchim - Miketz Sat - Fri Dec - 4

candle) (1st begins Chanukah XXXXX XXXXX XXXXX XXXXX Fri Dec - 1

Event - Chag - Parsha Day Date Ends Mincha Mincha

lighting Yom Tov Tov Yom Tov Yom Tov Yom

Shabbat / / Shabbat / Shabbat Erev / Friday Candle

Congregation Ezras Israel P.O. Box 2281 Rockville, MD 20847

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