The Family Shul Wishes You a Shabbat Shalom!

July 3, 2015 – Tammuz 16, 5775 Flamingo E Weekly 622646 Erev Shabbat Parshat Balak / Avot Chapter 6 Shabbat Candles may be lit anytime from 7:26 pm onwards, until: 8:44 pm Shabbat ends: 9:56 pm The Family Shul Wishes You a Shabbat Shalom!

Weekly Schedule Friday, July 3 Shabbat (Saturday), July 4 Sunday, July 5 Fast Of Tammuz 6:30 am Maamer Moment 8:30 am The Chassidic Reader – Lekutei Torah 3:27am Fast Begins 6:40 am Early Minyan 9:15 am Main Shacharit Services 8:00 am Early Minyan 7:00 am Regular Minyan 9:30 am Parents n’ Kids Youth Minyan 8:30 am Tanya Teachings 6:30 pm Early Mincha, 10:30 am All Youth Programs 9:15 am Regular Minyan Sefer HaMitzvot Express and 8:00 pm Mincha followed by Seudah Shlisheet, 8:00 pm Mincha and Sefer Parsha Insights followed by 9:50 pm Ma’ariv followed by Living Torah with the Rebbe video HaMitzvot Express Kabbalat Shabbat! 9:25 pm Ma’ariv Kiddush Honours: Seudah Shlisheet Honours: 9:41pm Fast Ends Eric & Michelle Glass Claire & Howard Glowinsky Women’s Mikvah: Women’s Mikvah: Women’s Mikvah: by appt. only 10:45pm - 12:00 am 9:00 - 11:00 pm Monday, July 6 Tuesday, July 7 Wednesday, July 8 Thursday, July 9 6:30 am Parsha Perspectives 6:30 am Parsha Perspectives 8:00 am Early Minyan 6:30 am Parsha Perspectives 6:35 am Early Minyan 6:40 am Early Minyan 8:30 am Parsha Perspectives 6:35 am Early Minyan 7:00 am Regular Minyan 7:00 am Regular Minyan 9:15 am Regular Minyan 7:00 am Regular Minyan 10:00 am The Laws of 7:30 pm Hilchot Beit 7:30 pm Hilchot Beit 7:30 pm Hilchot Beit Shabbat HaBechira Class HaBechira Class HaBechira Class 10:30 am Redemption Songs! 7:35 pm Mincha and Sefer 7:35 pm Mincha and Sefer 7:35 pm Mincha and Sefer 7:30 pm Hilchot Beit HaMitzvot Express HaMitzvot Express HaMitzvot Express HaBechira Class 8:00 pm Ma’ariv 8:30 pm 8:00 pm Ma’ariv 8:00 pm Ma’ariv 7:35 pm Mincha and Sefer 8:30 The NEW “Mitzvah 8:10 pm Men’s Chavruta HaMitzvot Express Methodology” Series Launches! 8:30 pm Talmud Studies 8:00 pm Ma’ariv Women’s Mikvah Women’s Mikvah Women’s Mikvah Women’s Mikvah 9:00 - 11:00 pm 9:00 - 11:00 pm 9:00 - 11:00 pm 9:00 - 11:00 pm

A Heroes’ Welcome! – An exceptional group of meritorious Israeli soldiers - whose lives the murderous Hamas terrorist tunnel dwellers have tried to deeply disrupt, are finally joining us for their journey of a lifetime. Help us present them with a week of accolades, acclaim and activities starting Tuesday, July 7. The physical and spiritual courage they exhibit – not only on the fierce battlefield, but also in their remarkable struggles to heal through severe pain and debilitating injuries sustained while defending Am Yisrael – is truly inspiring! Their strength of character is extraordinary. We’re grateful for the chance to demonstrate our tremendous appreciation to them. They risked their lives for us; now we take the opportunity to reciprocate by showing them that their sacrifice is deeply cherished. Their presence promises to be touching and inspiring for our entire community. Please get involved any way you can. We’re also grateful to CTPV of Israel for collaborating with us and look forward to sharing this exceptional mitzvah together with all of you! To be part of the welcoming committee, serve as a chaperone, or to contribute in a variety of ways, please contact our dear Shul member, Sari Bachar: [email protected]. Grateful for Your Support – Please join us for a special Evening of Appreciation Fundraiser. Fully 100% of the funds raised will be directly used to help the wounded soldiers and other victims of terror in the Holy Land with absolutely nothing going to any other overhead or expenses. This event will be hosted at the beautiful home of Debbie Tessler and Ed Glina. The inspiring program includes a delicious buffet dinner. It’s a special chance to interact personally with our heroes. A formal e-vite invitation has been sent out. You must RSVP no later than Monday, July 6, 12 pm. Since there’s only room for 100 participants, please make your reservations ASAP. The covert is $90 per person. Dinner of Heroes – Next Shabbat - Parshat Pinchas, on July 10 & 11, we’re hosting two Community Wide Shabbaton Meals to honour the visit of our Israeli War Heroes. Everyone in our community is invited to attend and be part of a warm communal embrace for these exceptionally deserving young men. Every member of our Kehillah can interact with and be inspired by these very special individuals who will publically share their thoughts, feelings and experiences. Friday evening’s Shabbat Dinner in our beautiful Ballroom follows Kabbalat Shabbat services and starts at 7:45 pm. The cover charge is $55 per person. On Shabbat, a full Kiddush Luncheon will be offered after Shabbat services, beginning at about 12:45 pm. Cover charge for this lunch is $60 per person. Attendance for children is $30 for each of these meals. Note: there will not be a congregational Kiddush on this day. Please RSVP to Shternie: [email protected] or 905- 763-4040, Ext 21. Travels of a New Tree of Life – Last year, our dear Shul members, Jack & Jodi Ganz commissioned the writing of a brand new Sefer Torah to honour the memory of Jack’s beloved parents, Hershel & Rachmie Ganz Z’L. The inscribing began at the Kotel on Reb Hershel’s yahrzeit, but due to the war last summer, the focus thoughtfully expanded to include the memories of the three kidnapped Yeshiva students and the fallen IDF soldiers of “Protective Edge” in Gaza. During the year, this Sefer Torah travelled throughout Israel, and portions were written in all of Israel's Holy Cities: Yerushalayim, Chevron, Teveria and Tzfat. Letters were individually inscribed by Our People of All Walks of Life. This past winter, the Ganz Family visited Israel and brought the parchment to hospitals where seriously wounded soldiers struggled in painful rehabilitation; they wanted these heroes to have the mitzvah of inscribing Torah letters. The Torah was then brought to Har-Nof where the families of the Kedoshim joined in. Last week, more holy letters were inscribed near the Rebbe’s Ohel and at the exact spot in 770 where the Rebbe used to distribute dollars and bless all members of Am Yisrael. Next Motzai Shabbat, (Saturday night), all who wish to participate in the completion of this extraordinary Torah scroll are welcome. This special program begins after evening services about 10 pm with Havdallah, followed by your letter writing. Melava Malka refreshments will be served. Join us in making and celebrating the Tree of Life! A True-Torah Celebration – The entire community is invited to a joyous Siyum & Hachnasat Sefer Torah! The program comes on Sunday, July 12 starting at noon in the Ganz home at 219 Glenforest Drive. We will inscribe the final letters of the Torah. A beautiful mantel cover bearing the names of each soldier tragically killed last summer will adorn this Sefer. The letters and mantel are living testament to their sacrifice from our grateful nation: Am Yisrael. At 1 pm, the Torah will be escorted with a great parade of honour and fanfare along Flamingo Road, to our Shul for a Grand Dedication Ceremony that will include exuberant Hakafot - singing and dancing in our Main Sanctuary. From 2 to 4 pm, a celebratory Seudat Mitzvah will be offered in our ballroom: the entire community is invited. Amazingly, many of the soldiers who will be here for Shabbat actually already participated in penning a letter while recovering in hospital! This Sefer Torah will serve as a permanent memorial for the three kidnapped Yeshiva students, the 66 IDF soldiers, and four civilian casualties, as well as the four Kedoshim of Har Nof, as the letters of this Sefer Torah were inscribed by, and in the presence of, many of the mothers, fathers and loved ones of these holy martyrs of the Jewish people. We look forward to your joyful participation at this momentous event!

Transformation for the Jewish Nation – This Shabbat, July 4th is Shivah Asar B'Tammuz, the 17th day of the Jewish month of Tammuz. On this day, we embark on a three-week period of remembrance, commemorating the many tragedies in Am Yisrael’s long, sad history of Galut beginning with the breaching of the walls of Jerusalem. These Three Weeks culminate with Tisha B'av, the saddest day in the Jewish calendar. During this period, we commemorate the destruction of the Ba'atie Mikdash – the Holy Temples in Jerusalem – and the consequence of Galut - our physical and spiritual exile from which we still suffer today. Our Sages have taught us that this experience gives us the chance to awaken hearts towards repentance, to recall and to remedy our forefathers' misdeeds. These misdeeds led to national calamities that we don’t intend to repeat! This means that we retain the redeeming power to transform this sadness into joy. Holy scriptures tell us that these days are also “days of goodwill before G-d,” because they give us the power to use our past national failings as a catalyst for a renewed and deepened bond with G-d, and the opportunity to quickly hasten redemption through Moshiach. Our challenge is to seize these opportunities and turn them into concrete actions. This is one Shabbat you don't want to miss! Please make every effort to participate and invite guests to join you. Do your part in affecting a positive transformation for ourselves, our families and our community.

Guess What’s On At the Youth Minyan! – This Shabbat the Youth Minyan begins at 9:30 am sharp. In addition to the regular rewards, all active youthful participants will also get the chance to guess how many coins are in The Box! Please be there on time Shabbat morning to participate in this exciting event. Some of our children are away at camp, but by popular demand, Rabbi Avrumi will continue to lead this wonderful weekly program that brings parents and kids together to enjoy an awesome family-friendly program. Hey parents! Remember, this is your special opportunity to directly develop your child’s Yiddishkeit by getting involved in their Tefillah (prayer experience) and their pursuit of meaningful Torah knowledge.

My Throat’s A Little “Horse” – The usual Children’s’ Shabbat Fun begins at 10:30 am with circle time, davening, parsha learning, snack, and games. This week’s Parsha, Balak, tells us how the King of Midyan tries to hire the “prophet” Bilaam to curse the people of Israel. G-d says no, but Bilaam insists and is allowed to proceed at his own risk, but he will only be able to prophecy what G-d allows. Bilaam thinks that he’ll convince G-d to give him the freedom which his royal sponsor craves to slander and curse the Jewish people. While on his way, his donkey miraculously talks to him after seeing an angel blocking their path, but still, Bilaam doesn't get the hint and continues on. His three attempts to curse the Jewish people end in stunning failure; however, Bilaam actually ends up expressing famous and extraordinary blessings on the Children of Israel! After this “failing”, he advises the King to bring G-d's anger upon the Jewish people by sending the immodest Moabite princesses to trick them away from Torah to worship idols instead. We’ll learn more about the amazing talking donkey, when it’s talked about in the Torah, and why it’s said that the Moshiach himself will arrive on a donkey! We’ll end by leading in the singing of Ein Kelokainu in the Main Sanctuary. Mazal Tov to this week's Shabbat Mensch – Benny Stark! Not So Fast – Because Shiva Assar B'Tammuz falls on Shabbat Kodesh this year, the fast traditionally observed on this date is deferred to Sunday, the 18th day of Tammuz. We should begin to abstain from eating and drinking no later than daybreak (3:27 am); the fast concludes at 9:41 pm. During Shacharit services, special Selichot services are added and we also listen to an additional special Torah reading, thereby formally initiating the saddest period of the Jewish calendar. Note: Mincha services on Sunday begin at 8 pm, not 7:30 pm. After the usual Sefer HaMitzvot and the new Beit HaBechira class, Rabbi Kaplan will also deliver a traditional Divrie Kevushin (words of sobriety) brief sermonette. Ma’ariv will begin at 9:25 pm, followed by a break-fast sponsored by Eliezer and Esther Shefer in memory of their son Roy, whose 9th yahrzeit is observed on Tammuz 17. Preparing Spiritually to Rebuild the Beit – During the next three weeks, we commemorate the destruction of the Ba'atie Mikdash – our Holy Temples - in Jerusalem and the resulting Galut (the physical and spiritual exile) from which we still suffer today. Our Sages have taught us that this time gives us the chance to “awaken hearts towards repentance through recalling our forefathers' misdeeds; misdeeds which led to calamities,” and experience an intensified yearning for the redemption through Moshiach in the very near future. Because the most important thing that Moshiach is supposed to do, after ingathering the exiles, is rebuilding the Beit HaMikdash, our beloved Rebbe urged that this special time of the calendar should be used to study about and focus on its very special sacred architecture. In order to honour those wishes, Rabbi Kaplan will deliver a brief class about the Beit HaMikdash from the Maimonides’ text, Hilchot Beit HaBechira, each day just before Mincha. Please join us each day at 7:30 pm sharp for this special timely learning just before regular services begin.

It Could Be a Sin To Miss This – All the women of our community are invited to join us Monday morning for our weekly Exclusively Women's Torah Study. Beginning at 10:30 am, Rabbi Kaplan will continue the ongoing Redemption Song Series with the text-based study of Megillat Eicha or Jeremiah’s Lamentations. This week, we’ll learn that the prophet attributes all of the suffering described in the first seven verses to divine retribution for Jerusalem’s grievous sins. The entire series is now available on-demand. Visit our website to watch, listen and learn!

Holy Matrimony, Batman! – On Tuesday July 7, 8:30 pm, we’re launching our brand new ten-part series: Mitzvah Methodology. Building on the ideas that initiate Parshat Pinchus (the disgusting incident of promiscuous relationships - Ba’al Peor - which concluded Parshat Balak), the first mitzvah we’ll feature is Taharat HaMishpacha or “Family Purity.” Please join us and help us create “a splash” as we learn about the mitzvah of Mikvah and discover how intimacy that is graced by the blessings of marriage can be sanctified and hallowed. We’ll peel away the layers to uncover the deeper meanings, legal jurisprudence, mystical philosophies and beautiful symbolic insights that this divine commandment implies. Discover how you can infuse your marriage with positive purpose, deeper meaning and elevated love life, and how all this can ultimately transform the universe! Can it Be Chanukah in July? – This Thursday, in our weekly Talmud Study class (now focussed on the second chapter of Masechet Shabbat), we’ll explore the relationship between the Beit HaMikdash’s Menorah and the Chanukah Menorah. We’ll delve into the Halachik requirement of our “Jewish Festival of Lights” and also try to illuminate the nature of this extraordinary holiday and the deeper positive messages that inspire our Jewish lives all year long. Even though Chanukah is many months away, you'll discover how relevant and encouraging these lessons and ideas are for us especially as we observe the saddest days on the Jewish calendar.

Pronto Toronto - BCM Is Selling Out ASAP! – Registration for our amazing Bat Mitzvah Club (BCM) as well as the Beyond Bat Mitzvah (BBM/JLI Teens) program for the 2015/16 season has been open for the past few weeks and the applications have been pouring in! We now have only six spots left for the Monday sessions and only two left for the Tuesday meetings! Our exceptionally dynamic and expert instructor, Goldy, continues to refine this already amazing program for the young ladies coming of age in our community. Give your daughter a Bat Mitzvah gift of learning and friendship that lasts a lifetime simply by signing her up today. Our Beyond Bat Mitzvah/JLI Teens Program for girls going into Grade 7 has only two spots left. For more information, contact Goldy at [email protected] or sign up using our online form to secure your daughter's place! Family Shul Members Bulletin: Mazal Tov to Eric & Michelle Glass upon the birth and baby-naming of their daughter, Yael! Shabbat Sponsors – This week’s Congregational Kiddush has been sponsored by our dear Shul members Eric & Michelle Glass in honour of the birth and baby-naming of their daughter Yael. The Seudat Shlisheet has been sponsored by Claire & Howard Glowinsky to commemorate the Yahrtzeit of Claire’s grandmother, Chayka bat Shmuel.