The Blessing of Torah

The Centre Call GErmAntoWn JEWiSh CEntrE www.GermantownJewishCentre.org Volume 21, Issue No. 5 IYAR 5773 MAY 2013 The Blessing of Torah By Rabbi Adam Zeff were successful in making their version again, but neither did God intend that of Judaism one of the dominant visions the people would be “free” to simply abbi Hananyah of their age, and it is largely their teach- do whatever they wanted. Instead, Rben Akashyah ings that shape our Jewish lives today, God gave Israel a goal and a purpose taught: The Holy more than 2,000 years later. for their lives: to bring divine right- Blessed One desired to benefit the At the center of the ancient rabbinic eousness into the world. But to give people Israel; therefore, God gave understanding of Judaism was the con- them a goal and no way to bring it them the Torah with an abundance of cept of Torah and of commandments. about would have been cruel. So God commandments, as it is written, “God They rejected the view that Torah was blessed the Jewish people by giving was pleased, for the sake of divine simply an ancient (even then) historical them a method to fulfill their purpose: righteousness, to make the Torah great document that preserved early traditions the commandments. By studying the and glorious” [Isaiah 62:21]. of the Jewish people, most of which (like commandments and trying to bring Mishna Makkot 3:16 the rituals of the sacrificial cult) no longer them to life, the people would have We are in the period of preparation applied in their time. Instead, they saw signposts to guide them on their jour- for receiving Torah, as we count the in Torah a blueprint for living a life of ho- ney toward perfecting the world in days leading up to the revelation of liness and meaning. By systematically which they live. Torah on Mt. Sinai that we celebrate interpreting its words, they abstracted Of course, with the command- on Shavuot. During this period, we from the Torah a set of commandments – ments there is always the danger that study Pirkei Avot, the Teachings of the mitzvot – that were to govern the many people will mistake the signposts for Sages, a compendium of ancient rab- different spheres of human life, from in- continued on page 2 binic teachings, and the passage above teractions between spouses to business from Mishna Makkot is traditionally dealings, from celebration of Shabbat to Program Highlights read after studying each chapter of caring for the ill and infirm. Following Pirkei Avot. these commandments became the defi- Hazak Shabbat featuring Rabbi Yoav Ende of Kibbutz Some scholars believe that Pirkei nition of living a Jewish life, and we em- Hannaton Educational Center Avot represents an ancient rabbinic brace many of them today as we light our May 4 marketing plan. In the aftermath of the Shabbat candles, give tzedakah, and ad- destruction of the Second Temple in 70 vocate for justice for the oppressed. Women’s Club Torah Fund Brunch C.E., there were many different groups But the ancient rabbis also encoun- honoring Eve Pinkensone of Jews trying to map out and gain sup- tered opposition to the idea that com- May 5 port for a new vision of what Jewish mandments were central to Jewish life. Family Retreat life could be in the absence of a tem- Their opponents argued that this view of May 10-12 ple and its sacrificial cult. The early the commandments created an immense Confirmation Ceremony Jewish followers of Jesus were one number of laws that were impossible to (part of Charry Service) such group, the ancient rabbis were fulfill, far too heavy a burden to place on May 11 another, and there were many others the people. They viewed the command- Preparing for Revelation: An Evening vying for supremacy in this period. ments as oppressive and wondered if of Chant with Shefa Gold & Friends The ancient rabbis needed to do some- God could really have freed the Israelites May 13 thing to explain themselves, to make from slavery in Egypt only to subject Tikkun Leyl Shavuot their vision of Judaism both under- them to a new form of enslavement – to (including family-friendly activities beginning at 6:30 PM) standable and attractive to the Jews of the commandments! May 14 their time. They put together Pirkei In this passage from Mishna Makkot, Spring Concert honoring Avot to sketch out the essence of their the ancient rabbis push back against their Linda & Jake Kriger teachings and to draw followers to critics. No, God did not free the people May 19 them. As we know, ultimately they from slavery in order to enslave them Germantown Jewish Centre • 400 West Ellet Street • Philadelphia, PA 19119 • tel 215.844.1507 • fax 215.844.8309 iyAr 5773 • mAy 2013 President’s Message Women of Valor – A Constant Source of Surprise By Mitch Marcus, GJC President re you a long from the Charry Lobby up to the Silver raising events that the Women’s Club Astanding mem- Kiddush Lounge and the Marcus Audi- makes happen throughout the year. ber of our Women’s torium and more recently the renova- The Purim Bash is the big annual fund Club? If not, I bet tion of the Charry Lobby itself. Other raiser, and besides being a tremen- you don’t know how much the smaller projects have also had signifi- dous amount of fun, lets you extend Women’s Club contributes to GJC, cant impact, including quite recently the Purim celebration for at least a few both in time and in crucial financial the railings on either side of the Charry days, since it never falls on Purim it- support. To be honest, I keep being Sanctuary bimah that allow many of us self. (Google “GJC Purim Bash” to see surprised by the wide range of activi- to go up to open and close the ark some videos of many people having a ties within GJC that Women’s Club safely. very good time.) Other fund raisers currently supports, and how much this How can we show our appreciation include a craft show and a flea mar- relatively small group of women ac- and help the Women’s Club help GJC? ket, and an annual clothing swap that complishes each year. Their contribu- First of all, take advantage of another raises money for both GJC and differ- tions touch all aspects of GJC, but two major service the Women’s Club pro- ent global charities benefitting central focuses of their support have vides our community – become a fre- women. been our building and our children. quent shopper at the Little Shop, where Third, join Women’s Club and at- Women’s Club support affects all profits go right back into subsidies for tend their amazing programs. Dues every aspect of our programs for chil- our youth programs. My own shopping are only $40 a year. dren from ECP-age toddlers to our col- at the Little Shop falls into three cate- And finally, support the annual lege students. Many of these gories: for my 19-month old grand- Building Beautiful fund raising cam- programs would be impossible with- daughter, my three grown children, and paign, held each year around the High out Women’s Club’s substantial finan- for myself and Sue. For my grand- Holidays. cial support. Some examples: daughter, the Little Shop has a remark- And to the members of Women’s Women’s Club heavily subsidizes ably wide selection of children’s toys Club themselves, I say simply – Thank child care for our ECP-age children on and books, ranging from Melissa and you! Shabbat morning and on the High Doug-brand toys to such Jewish toys as Holidays. They also provide a major her current favorites, a wonderful Rabbi’s Message subsidy to GJC in support of our wooden Seder set (still) and a wooden Continued from page 1 Kadima youth group for middle school Noah and the Ark set, complete with 2 the destination, that they will turn the age students, and for our USY program each of a wide range of animals from method into the goal and seek to ful- for high school students, which we in- pandas to lions, Noah, his wife and his fill the commandments as ends in tend to reactivate in the coming year. children. Each of my children has a themselves. But without command- Another subsidy helps fund our sev- (real) seder plate from the Little Shop ments, there is a greater danger that eral Rosh Hodesh groups for teen-age that they picked out from a set of about we will make no progress on the girls, which are part of Kolot’s national 15 snapshots emailed from my phone a road at all, that our good intentions project. The Women’s Club also pro- couple of years ago; I was amazed at will lead nowhere. vides a financial subsidy to our reli- the wide range of styles. After my As we prepare to receive Torah gious school, and distributes gifts and granddaughter arrived, my daughter-in- again on Shavuot this year, it is treats at holidays to all our children law wanted to put up mezuzot on every worthwhile asking ourselves where here at home, from ECP through Reli- doorway in her house, and I had a field we are on this continuum. Do we gious School, and to our college stu- day picking out a handful in wonderful need to focus more on the method, dents away at school. modern styles.

Load more