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MIKVEH ISRAEL SHABBAT NEWS 25 Shebat 5772 Shabbat Mishpatim/Shekalim February 17-18, 2012

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MIKVEH ISRAEL SHABBAT NEWS 25 Shebat 5772 Shabbat Mishpatim/Shekalim February 17-18, 2012 MIKVEH ISRAEL SHABBAT NEWS 25 Shebat 5772 Shabbat Mishpatim/Shekalim February 17-18, 2012 Parashah : In this week's parashah there are 53 mitzvot Shabbat Services (commandments). Included are laws regarding: the Hebrew manservant and maidservant, manslaughter, murder, injuring a parent, kidnapping, Candlelighting: 5:20 P.M. Friday Night Service: 5:15 P.M. cursing a parent, personal injury, categories of damages and Shabbat Morning Service: 9:00 A.M. compensatory restitution, culpability for personal property damage, seduction, idolatry, oppression of widows, children and orphans. Also Shabbat Afternoon Service: 4:45 P.M. included are laws regarding lending money, not cursing judges or Shabbat Ends: 6:20 P.M. leaders, tithes, first-born sons, justice, returning strayed animals, FROM THE RABBI assisting the unloading of an animal fallen under its load, Sabbatical year, Shabbat, the Three Festivals (Pesach, Shabuot & Sukkot) and the By Rabbi Albert E. Gabbai prohibition of eating meat and milk together. On four Shabbatot of the approximately six weeks before Pessah, we G-d tells Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and the 70 elders of Israel to take out an extra Sefer Torah as a Maftir. Also, these four bow to God from afar. Moses repeated the commandments to the Shabbatot have their own special Haftarot. These are: people, who answered: "All the things that the Lord has commanded we will do!" Moses then wrote the commandments down. He read the Shabbat Shekalim, Shabbat Zachor, Shabbat Parah and Shabbat covenant aloud to the people, who once again affirmed that they would HaHodesh. We will talk about each one at its appropriate time. follow it. Moses ascended Mount Sinai. A cloud covered the mountain, This coming Shabbat, Shabbat Shekalim, the topic of the Maftir hiding the glory of G-d for six days, appearing to the Israelites as a section is the obligation of every Jew to give half a shekal for the fire on the top of the mountain. Moses went inside the cloud and upkeep of the Temple of Jerusalem. This half shekal was to be remained on the mountain 40 days and nights. collected before the Passover holiday and it was announced early in In honor of Shabbat Shekalim, this week's Maftir tells how G-d instructs the month of Adar so that people would put aside this money in Moses to take a census of the people. Each person 20 years old or time. If someone was negligent, then the authorities had the right older, should give a half-shekel offering, neither more nor less, the to take it by force. proceeds which were to go to the Tabernacle. In our times and since we do not have a Temple of Jerusalem, This week's Haftarah is from Jeremiah and will be read by Mr. Manny it is customary to give half of the common local currency (in the Hova. U.S., one-half dollar) to the poor in addition to the regular Tzedakah __________________________________________ that we give. SHOP IN OUR GIFT SHOP Our sages did not want us to forget this Mitzvah and therefore Our Hanukkah items are on sale now. We are giving a 50% discount on instituted its remembrance by reading from the second Sefer Torah. dreidels, decorations, candles...everything for Hanukkah. Plus...we still have a May we open our hearts and give to those in need to gladden wonderful selection of wine and other items for regular prices. Please call the the hearts of the unfortunate. office, 215-922-5446, for an appointment to shop. We can arrange to have someone meet you. Mikveh Israel Association Meeting: February 19, 2012 Volunteers are Needed for our Gift Shop Do you like to meet people? Do you like to sell? If so, volunteer to work in The next Association meeting will take place Sunday morning, the Gift Shop. We need your help and will set up a schedule according to the February 19, 2012 following the 8:15 morning minyan and buffet hours you have available. breakfast. Please call Mrs. Fran Levy, 609-923-6765 The program: Mr. Aryeh Green, Director of MediaCentral. March 2, 2012—Shabbat Across America His topic: Israel and the Media: A Radically Different Approach. Please join us on Friday evening, March 2nd, when we will celebrate Shabbat Please save the date and join us for a very informative and Across America with hundreds of synagogues across the continent. Services important lecture. Everyone is welcome! will begin at 5:30 P.M. Mikveh Israel Newsletter 1 Continued from Page 1 THANK YOU Lecture by Dr. Mordechai Kedar To Mr. Israel Roizman for the floral arrangements at the Hekhal which he donates to Mikveh Israel every Shabbat. Please mark your calendars for Monday evening, February 20th at 7:00P.M. when we will welcome Dr. Mordechai Kedar. Dr. Kedar will speak on "The Arab Birthday Wishes Spring"- Where does it lead to?" So much is happening in the Middle East-- Happy Birthday this week to: keep up to date and learn what we can expect from all the recent events. Free Ms. Shirley Shchory admission. Please call the office, 215-922-5446, and let us know if you will be Mr. Stephen Victor and Mrs. Louise Cohen attending. Refuah Shelemah Wednesday, March 7, 2012: Megillah Reading & Association Purim Party We wish a Refuah Shelamah to: Mikveh Israel Association is planning the annual Purim Celebration for Wednesday Mrs. Sonia Schwartz evening, March 7th, following services at 5:00 p.m. and the reading of the Dr. George Ehrlich Megillah at 6:00 p.m. We want to see everyone there! Mr. Richard Marcus Mrs. Myrna Marcus Arrive in costume! Mr. Seth Bloom, First 18 children receive a pink or blue Mikveh Israel T-shirt Mrs. Gilda Silver Mrs. Nancy Shomer Dinner*Face Painting*Arm wrestling*Beer*Piñata*Kid Games Mrs. Charlotte Sady *Adult Darts*Musical Chairs*Candy Mrs. Liliana Elkouss Ms. Victoria Rosin and $18.00 for adults ~kids under 13 FREE Rabbi Michael Tayvah *Consider the mitzvah of giving mishloah manot to the whole congregation and Phone calls and cards to wish someone a Refuah Shelemah are appreciated. ~receive 2 free adult tickets to the party with orders placed by February 17th~ Advanced Reservations Required by March 1, 2012. UNVEILING . Please join the Levy family for the unveiling of Berthold Levy's tombstone on Sunday, March 11th, 11:00 AM, Mt. Sinai Cemetery, Bridge & FREE Tickets will be waiting for you at the door Cott age Streets, Philadelphia, PA 19124. _________________________________________________ FROM THE PARNAS: By Mark I. Wolfson This coming Monday at 7:00 p.m., we are presenting a talk by Mordechai Kedar. Dr. Kedar is an Israeli scholar on Arabic Literature, Arabic Press, and on Islamic Groups. He KKMI 3rd Annual Sephardic Film Festival will be speaking to us on "The Arab Spring - Where Does it Lead to?" This year our Film Festival will have 5 films over 4 nights. Join us! I am very excited to listen to Dr. Kedar, who is a professor at Bar Ilan University - I was just watching a 2008 interview he gave on Al Jazeera TV. During the show, which Wed., March 14: The Optimists: The Story of the Rescue of the Bulgarian Jews. was about the effect on the peace negotiations between the Israelis and the Palestinians, ( The dramatic story of how people of all ethnic backgrounds and religions at of building in the Jewish sections of Jerusalem. Dr. Kedar was arguing that Jerusalem the eleventh hour, secured the safety of their Jewish neighbors.) has belonged to the Jews for 3000 years. He states that the Jews do not need to ask Thurs., March 15: Expulsion & Memory: Descendants of the Hidden Jews (The permission to build in their own capital. story of the Conversos and the memories that still haunt their descendants.)& The interviewer tells Dr. Kedar, "you can't erase Jerusalem from the Koran", to which Dr. (2 Films) The Sephardic Legacy of Segovia Pentimento of the Past (The long- Kedar replies, "Jerusalem is not mentioned once in the Koran - you can't rewrite the term influence of the Jewish community on the ancient city of Segovia.) Koran here on Al Jazeera!". Amazing. You can watch the clip from Al Jazeera with English subtitles here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHpMhAzj-Tk Mon., March 19: Moshe Safdie: The Power of Architecture (A film portrait of Dr. Kedar teaches courses at Bar Ilan University on Islam, Islamic Movements, Islamic the dynamic, Canadian-Israeli architect.) Ideologies, Mass Media in the Arab world, and Gender Issues in Islamic Societies. He is Tues., March 20: The Impossible Spy (A spy film based on the life and career retired from the IDF with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel after 25 years of service as an of Israeli undercover agent Elie Cohen.) intelligence officer. All screenings start at 7:00 P.M This is very important programming for Mikveh Israel, and I encourage everyone to attend who can make it. Thanks go out to the Rabbi who bumped into Dr. Kedar while Tickets At the Door: $12 ($10 members); All 4 nights for $40 in Israel and invited him to come speak, and special thanks go to Vice President Eli Early Bird Special—Purchase Tickets Now Until March 5 Gabay, who is sponsoring the event. For Substantial Savings: $10 ($9 members); All 4 nights for $32! Purchase online at http://mikvehisrael.moonfruit.com/ or call or email the I hope to see you all on Monday night, February 20th (27th Shevat). The program office. begins at 7pm. Mikveh Israel Newsletter 2 .
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