SEPTEMBER 28, 2019 --- 28 ELUL 5779 PARSHAT NITZAVIM SHABBAT MATTERS

Friday, September 27 Friday, October 4 Shabbat, September 28 11:15 am Post-Mussaf Drasha: Torah Reading: 6:55 pm Mincha 6:45 pm Mincha 7:30 am Hashkama Minyan Selevan Devarim 29:9 - 31:30 6:48 pm Candles 6:35 pm Candles 8:15 am Chumash-Rashi Shiur 5:35 pm Pre-Mincha Shiur: Hertz P. 878 (Earliest 5:53 pm) (Earliest 5:42 pm) with Melech Halberstadt Rebbetzin Selevan Stone P. 1086 9:00 am Shacharit: Sanctuary & 6:35 pm Mincha: Sharp Sanctuary Haftorah: Downstairs Minyan 6:55 pm Seudah Shlishit: Yeshayahu 61:10 - 63:9 10:00 am Youth Programs Rabbi Selevan Hertz P. 883 10:00 am Teen Minyan 7:43 pm Shabbat Ends Stone P. 1202

TODAH RABAH to the sponsors: CONGREGATIONAL KIDDUSH: MAZAL TOV AND OTHER MEMBERS MATTERS Jesse & Alexa Tepperman in honour of the birth of their son Mazal Tov to Jesse & Alexa Tepperman on the birth of a son. Proud grandparents are Casey Theodore Croitoru & Edith Devico in Tepperman and Noel & Andie Solomon. Elated great-grandparents are Joe Tepperman and commemoration of the yahrzeit of Rica Solomon. Ecstatic aunts and uncles are Katie Tepperman, Jeremy Elhadad, and Rachel Theodore’s mother, Jackie Croitoru z”l Solomon. DOWNSTAIRS MINYAN: Stephen & Janice Halpern in commemoration of the yahrzeit of PLEASE WELCOME Stephen’s father, Cecil Halpern z”l BREAKFAST: This Shabbat, we welcome Scholars-in-Residence RabbiRabbi Aaron & Leslie SelevanSelevan. Thursday October 3, 2 nd Minyan Rabbi Aaron Selevan performs various rabbinic duties in Hamilton and Lawrence & Ilana Kurtz in Toronto, including as a member of the Hamilton Beit Din. He has previously commemoration of the yahrzeit of served as the Rosh of the Hamilton Kollel Mitzion, Rosh and Lawrence’s mother, Shirley Kurtz z”l of the of Hamilton, and Mashgiach Ruchani at YU. SHOFAR BLOWING AT HOME & Rebbetzin Leslie Selevan received a Bachelor of Arts in Judaic Studies GETTING TO SHUL from Yeshiva University and a Master of Arts in Judaic Studies from Touro Do you know of someone who will not University. She is an enthusiastic and charismatic educator who has spoken be able to make it to shul on Rosh Hashana, but wants to hear shofar at throughout North America, Israel and Europe. home? Do you blow shofar? The following learning opportunities will be available: Do you know of someone who will not • PostPost----MussafMussaf Drasha - Rabbi Aaron SelevanSelevan: “Yomim Noraim – Sweeter be able to make it to shul on Rosh than Honey?” Hashana/Yom Kippur and would • PrePrePre-Pre ---MinchaMincha Shiur - Rebbetzin Leslie SelevanSelevan: “Gearing up for the Days appreciate being pushed in a of Awe.” wheelchair, or having a walking buddy? • Seudah Shlishit - Rabbi Aaron SelevanSelevan: “The Message of the Shofar.” Are you able to accompany someone or to push a wheelchair? Please e-mail Thank you to the Brown and Krakowsky Families for sponsoring [email protected]. Rabbi Aaron & Leslie Selevan’s visit.

This Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, we are thrilled to welcome Chazzan Shai Abramson, Chief Cantor of the IDF and his ChoirChoir. Shai was born in Jerusalem, and was exposed early on to the world of cantorial music. He acquired musical expertise and experience, studying with Conductor Elli JaGe, Cantor Moshe Stern, Cantor Naftali Herstik and Dr. Mordechai Sobol. In 2008 Shai was appointed Chief Cantor of the Israel Defense Forces. He serves as the representative cantor of the State of Israel, and participates in this capacity in formal state occasions and ceremonies. He has performed as cantor and singer under the auspices of the Knesset, the IDF, the Ministry of Defense, and various other government ministries and agencies. Chazzan Abramson performs with a variety of musical ensembles: the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, the Israel Chamber Orchestra, the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, the Ra'anana Simphonette, and the IDF Orchestra. Chazzan Abramson and his Choir’s visit is generously sponsored by: Beverley & Sam Cohen; Michael & Francine Goldrich and Family; Carol & Stephen Handelman and Family; Jack & Agi Mandel; The Mayvon Foundation; Benny & Elaine Osher and Family; Gayle & Martin Sable; The Shi= Families; Allan & Hinda Silber and Family; Ernest & Helen Singer, Miguel, Beth, Nelly and Barry; Linda & Fred Waks; David & Bernice Walerstein; The Henry Zagdanski z”l Family .

Erev Rosh Hashana --- Sunday, September 29 Pray & Learn 11:20 am Weinbaum Beit Midrash Talmud Shiur: Gittin 7:00 am Weinbaum Beit Midrash Mincha 6:50 pm Max & Lil Sharp Sanctuary Slichot & Shacharit 7:30 am Max & Lil Sharp Sanctuary Candle Lighting after 7:39 pm Hatarat Nedarim following Shacharit Second Day Rosh Hashana --- Tuesday, October 1 Mincha 6:50 pm Max & Lil Sharp Sanctuary Hashkama 7:00 am Weinbaum Beit Midrash Candle Lighting 6:44 pm (earliest 5:50 pm) Shacharit 8:00 am Max & Lil Sharp Sanctuary First Day Rosh Hashana --- Monday, September 30 Shacharit 8:30 am Sisterhood Hall Hashkama 7:00 am Weinbaum Beit Midrash Youth Programs 10:00 am-1:30 pm Classrooms / Social Halls A & B Shacharit 8:00 am Max & Lil Sharp Sanctuary Pray & Learn 11:20 am Weinbaum Beit Midrash Shacharit 8:30 am Sisterhood Hall Mincha 6:50 pm Max & Lil Sharp Sanctuary Youth Programs 10:00 am-1:30 pm Classrooms / Social Halls A & B Yom Tov ends 7:38 pm TORAH MATTERS: DATE DAVENING TIMES SHIURIM AND LECTURES Sunday, September 29 / 29 Elul 7:30 am Slichot & Shacharit 7:00 am Talmud Shiur: Gittin with Rabbi Strauchler Erev Rosh Hashana See full schedule on page 1.

Monday, September 30 / 1 Tishrei See full schedule on page 1. I Rosh Hashana

Tuesday, October 1 / 2 Tishrei See full schedule on page 1. II Rosh Hashana

Wednesday, October 2 / 3 Tishrei 6:13 am Fast Begins 6:00 am Talmud Shiur with Rabbi Shore Tzom Gedalia 6:45 / 8:00 am Slichot & Shacharit 6:25 pm Mincha 7:10 pm Maariv 7:27 pm Fast Ends Thursday, October 3 / 4 Tishrei 6:45 / 8:00 am Slichot & Shacharit 6:00 am Talmud Shiur with Rabbi Shore 6:40 / 7:05 pm Mincha / Maariv

Friday, October 4 / 5 Tishrei 6:45 / 8:00 am Slichot & Shacharit 6:00 am Talmud Shiur with Rabbi Shore 6:45 pm Mincha 5:42 pmKriyat ShemaEarliest should Candle be recited Lighting after 7:51 pm this week. 6:35 pm Candle Lighting PARSHA MATTERS - by Rabbi Jesse Shore HIGH [HIGH] HOPES FOR THE HIGH HOLIDAYS AND OTHER MISTAKES It took me too long to write this week’s Parsha Matters. I want to write it well. I want it to be insightful and meaningful. Its readership is thoughtful, and educated in both worldly and Torah matters. I owe it to them, and to myself, to make it worthwhile. So, naturally, I procrastinate; a telltale symptom of perfectionism. The high hopes that I have for the potential impact of these words are what delay my writing them. Fortunately this week, I am lovingly admonished by those beautiful words of Moshe (Devarim 30: 10-14). In words that are less poetic than Moshe’s: we are not expected to be perfect. We are not expected to perform perfectly. The sages explain that what Moshe denies as being “in the heavens” or “across the sea” is our potential for spiritual grandeur and religious virtue (Aruvin 55a). That potential can always be realized, no matter where we are on life’s journey. If our hopes are so high that they do not closely resemble the reality on the ground - where we are now - then we have done ourselves a disservice. We have misplaced our hopes beyond the reach of our own capabilities. Rather, Moshe insists, “the matter is exceedingly close” to each of us. When the time comes (or if you have an Ashkenazi High Holiday Machzor handy) you can see Moshe’s wisdom reflected in the powerful prayer “Hineni,” right before the Chazzan’s repetition of the Mussaf Amidah on the High Holidays. The wisdom of abandoning our high and distant hopes for religious and spiritual perfection is re-articulated in Shir Hashirim Rabah, 2:4. According to the Midrash, our otherwise embarrassing slip-ups and seemingly silly mistakes at just reading Hebrew - can stir within Hashem great endearment and love. The crucial question is: can we emulate Hashem in this way? Can we bear to look beyond even those small mistakes to benign with? (The misspelling is intentional.)

BA’AL TEFILLAH PROBAS This Shabbat, we will be hosting the last out of three Ba’al Tefillah probas : Rabbi Jesse ShoreShore. Rabbi Shore loves music. He also loves the nexus at which the universal draw and influence of music meets the particular themes and ideals expressed in Jewish prayer. Rabbi Shore has experience in the Jewish a cappella circuit as well as a wedding performer, singing with groups such as the Maccabeats, the Y-Studs, and the Shir Soul Band. Rabbi Shore wants to bring an eclectic blend of traditional and secular tunes to the Tefillah service, in order to enhance the dynamic of communal Tefillah. Rabbi Shore will lead the davening for Kabbalat Shabbat, Maariv, Shacharit and Mussaf. You are encouraged to attend these services and to provide your feedback through an online questionnaire, to be posted at shomayim.org/baaltefillah. Samples of recordings by Rabbi Shore and the other candidates are posted on this webpage, as well. Thank you to the Ba’al Tefillah Search Committee for arranging the probas .

Shaarei Shomayim wishes its members, friends, and the entire Jewish Community Shana Tova UU’’’’metukametuka ...

MATTERS Stay and Play Shaar Chadash Shaar Yafo Shaar Aryeh (Ages 0 - 3) (Ages 2 - 5) (Grade 1 - 2) (Grade 3 - 5) Youth Programs Room 101 Room 102 Room 103 Room 105 11101000::::000000 aaamammm tttotooo 11121222::::000000 pppmpmmm

WOMENWOMEN’’’’SS SIMCHAT TORAH DVAR TORAH PROGRAM If you are interested in delivering a Dvar Torah, please contact Marcy Ages at [email protected].

TTThThhheeee CCCeCeeennnnttttrrrreeee MMMeMeeecccchhhhiiiittttzzzzaaaa will be used on the following Shabbatot: October 19, November 16, and December 14. UNVEILING The unveiling for Eric Kosky z”l will take place on Sunday, October 6, 2019 at 11:00 am, at McCowan Road Cemetery. YAHRZEITS DATE YAHRZEITS BEING OBSERVED Shabbat, September 28 28 Elul Sunday, September 29 Renee Bald, mother of Ellen Grossman Ursula Gerstl, mother of RaS Gerstl 29 Elul Jackie Croitoru, mother of Theodore Croitoru Laurence ShiG, son of Dorothy ShiG and brother of Daniel Jonah Mark Gamulka, son of Lawrence & Alexandra ShiG and Randy ShiG Gamulka Monday, September 30 Jonah Gamulka, father of Lawrence Gamulka Joseph Lambert, husband of Myrna Lambert 1 Tishrei Shlomo Gassner, father of Celia Ostro Frances Olin, wife of Jack Olin

Tuesday, October 1 Jennie Abrams, mother of Sandra Genesove Gertrude Reiss, sister of Irving Reiss 2 Tishrei Pearl Paul, mother of Maxine Bernholtz

Wednesday, October 2 Meyer Samuels, father of Charlene Arje 3 Tishrei Thursday, October 3 Harold Brenman, father of Harvey Brenman Moshe Hirshberg, father of Haim Hirshberg 4 Tishrei Shirley Dale, mother of Elliott Dale Shirley Kurtz, mother of Lawrence Kurtz Cecil Halpern, father of Stephen Halpern Josef Weil, father of Dan Weil Friday, October 4 Jack Wintrob, father of Nanci Turk 5 Tishrei SHAAREI SHOMAYIM UPCOMING PROGRAMS • Wednesdays, 8:00-9:30 pm - Night Seder: All Things ShabbatShabbat. Join Rabbi Sammy Bergman and Rabbi Jesse Shore for Chavrutot, Shiur and refreshments. • Wednesday, October 16, 7:30-9:30 pm - Music Under TheThe SchachSchach. Hot cocoa, tea and refreshments. Bring your instruments! • Shabbat Chol Hamoed Sukkot, October 19, 4:30-6:30 pm - Shaarei Shomayim & Bnei Akiva Sukkah HopHop. Grades 2-6. • Monday, October, 21, Erev Simchat Torah, 5:30 pm - Shaarei Shomayim Youth Simchat Torah TournamentTournament. • Thursday, October 24, 2:00 pm - Catch the Spirit with Dr. Larry GaumGaum: “We Sang, We Danced, We Performed: A Musical History of Jewish Entertainers.” Members - free; Non Members - $5. Register by calling the oSce at 416-789-3213. • Shabbat, October 26 - ScholarScholar----inininin----ResidenceResidence Rabbi Shai FinkelsteinFinkelstein.

SALE OF LULAV & ETROG AND PRE-ORDERED HOSHANOT Tom Moos will be selling again this year Lulav & EtrogEtrog Sets (Arba Minim)Minim): Thursday, October 10, 4:00 pm-10:00 pm in the Lower Level Social Halls A & B; and preprepre-pre ---orderedordered Hoshanot for Hoshana RabahRabah: Sunday, October 20, 7:30-8:00 am in the Main Lobby. Please contact Tom for information, pricing and ordering: 416-789-3865 or [email protected]. COMMUNITY MATTERS • Monday, October 7, 1:00-2:00 pm - MekorotMekorot’’’’ss “““Rethinking“Rethinking Teshuva: Lessons on Repentance from the Book of HoseaHosea”” with Lea New Minkowitz. Yom Kippur Prep for women,no charge. At Ulpanat Orot. To register email [email protected]. • November 3-10 - The Neuberger Holocaust Education Centre’s 39 th annual Holocaust Education WeekWeek. It will explore the theme of The Holocaust and Now . At various locations throughout the GTA. For more details go to holocausteducationweek.com. • Sunday, November 17 - Migdal Ohr Gala Dinner: CelebratingCelebrating the Life & LegacLegacyy of Claude Bitton zzz”z”””llll. At the Sephardic Kehila Centre. For information and registration contact [email protected] or 905-597-9400. REFUAH SHLEIMAH z Pinchas Tzvi ben Basya, Yita Hentcha bat Shoshana, Rachmiel ben Dvorah (Randall Craig), Geula Liba Yehudit bat Gittel Tzipra, Leah bat Sarah, Hesha Channah bat Bayla, Michael Mordechai Avraham ben Hinda Rifka, Eliyahu ben Ryejah, Miriam bat Chaya, Yitzchak ben Chaya Raizel, Eliyahu Yom Tov ben Leah, Oved ben Regina, Ophira bat Raanana, Shlomo Shraga ben Esther, Yehuda Yosef ben Miriam Yocheved, Elyakim ben Meril, Yosef ben Esther, Rachel bat Leah, Yekutiel ben Sara, Sara bat Yocheved, Golda bat Sarah, Menachem Mendel ben Devorah, Eliyahu Reuven ben Sarah, Yerachmiel ben Luba, Faygala bat Freda , Dovid Chanoch ben Yhudis Ita, Yehezkiel Yehuda ben Chaya, Mindel bat Rochel , Yacov Israel ben Carmela, Hersh Leib ben Miryam, Chaya bat Tova, Efrat bat Etta Miriam, Zachariah ben Yehudit Rachel, Eliyahu ben Ruth, Pesach ben Faiga, Noach ben Eta Rayzil, Minah Tzurel bat Kate, Moshe Tzvi ben Golda, Sara Bleema bat Shaindel.

We would like to acknowledge your milestones! Please let us know when there is a birth, Bar/Bat mitzvah, graduation, engagement, aufruf, wedding, significant birthday/anniversary, community recognition, illness, bereavement, or unveiling. Call or email the shul oSce at 416-789-3213 or [email protected] or donate online at Shomayim.org/donate.

Rabbi Chaim Strauchler Avital Strauchler, Rebbetzin Rabbi Jesse Shore, Assistant Rabbi Randall Craig, President Nicole Toledano, Executive Director 470 Glencairn Avenue | Toronto, ON M5N 1V8 | Tel 416-789-3213 | Fax 416-789-1728 WWW.SHOMAYIM.ORG