National Council of Young Israel Board of Directors
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NATIONAL TABLE OF CONTENTS COUNCIL OF YOUNG ISRAEL GREETINGS 3 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Rabbi David Warshaw RABBI DAVID WARSHAW INTRODUCTION 4 YOUNG ISRAEL OF OCEANSIDE, PRESIDENT Rabbi Shmuel Ismach DAVID SCHULTZ Rabbi Sholom Axelrod YOUNG ISRAEL OF CENTURY CITY/LOS ANGELES CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD HOLYDAYS OR HOLIDAYS? 7 HAROLD ASPIS Rabbi Baruch Taub YOUNG ISRAEL OF SCARSDALE 1ST VICE PRESIDENT JOURNEY IN TESHUVA 8 CHARLES MILLER Rabbi Joshua Goller YOUNG ISRAEL OF WOODMERE 2ND VICE PRESIDENT AN ACRONYM OF TESHUVAH 10 ROBERT LEVI Rav Shalom Gold YOUNG ISRAEL OF SHOMRAI EMUNAH/ GREATER WASHINGTON, TREASURER VOICES 17 ARI PEARL Rabbi Elazar R. Muskin YOUNG ISRAEL HOLLYWOOD- FT. LAUDERDALE FINANCIAL SECRETARY ROSH HASHANAH: FRIENDSHIP DAVID GROSS YOUNG ISRAEL OF PLAINVIEW DAY 19 RECORDING SECRETARY Rabbi Yosef Weinstock JONATHAN ABBETT YOUNG ISRAEL OF BROOKLINE, ASSOCIATE VP THIRTEEN DIVINE ATTRIBUTES 23 Rabbi Chaim Wasserman ADAM P. COHEN YOUNG ISRAEL OF GREAT NECK, ASSOCIATE VP SUKKOT AND THE PURSUIT OF STEVE COHEN YOUNG ISRAEL OF OAK PARK, ASSOCIATE VP HAPPINESS 30 Rabbi Doron Perez ARYEH DAVIS YOUNG ISRAEL OF LAWRENCE/CEDARHURST Executive Chairman, World Mizrachi ASSOCIATE VP THE MITZVAH OF DALET MINIM 32 NAOMI KORN GOLD YOUNG ISRAEL OF SHARON, ASSOCIATE VP Rabbi Shay Schachter ANDY GROSS MOSHE’S BRACHAH TO REUVEN; YOUNG ISRAEL OF EAST BRUNSWICK, ASSOCIATE VP MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE 40 JANET HOD Rabbi Zev Goldberg YOUNG ISRAEL OF TEANECK, ASSOCIATE VP OWEN RUMELT HOW DO I KEEP SHEVI’IT WHEN YOUNG ISRAEL OF WEST HEMPSTEAD, ASSOCIATE VP VISITING ERETZ HAKODESH? 43 MARK SEMER Rabbi David Rue YOUNG ISRAEL OF NEW ROCHELLE, ASSOCIATE VP ELIMELECH TENENBAUM ADDENDUM 49 YOUNG ISRAEL AISH HATORAH LAS VEGAS ASSOCIATE VP MARK TRENCHER YOUNG ISRAEL OF WEST HARTFORD, ASSOCIATE VP Rabbi Chaim Wasserman, Editor JONATHAN WOGAN Rabbi Binyamin Hammer, YOUNG ISRAEL OF MEMPHIS, ASSOCIATE VP Director of Rabbinic Services, NCYI GREETINGS FROM THE PRESIDENT TISHREI 5782 Dear Friends, portant information to their memberships, I am honored to present the first in a through the weekly presentation of our 4 planned series of Torah Journals to be dis- Minutes of Torah videos, through Town Hall tributed by National Council of Young Isra- meetings with branch memberships and el, the Tishrei Torah Journal for 5782. an extremely well attended Delegates As- sembly, we have begun the process of re- The diversity of both our contributors and storing the feeling of Mishpacha for which the topics they have selected, reflect the Young Israel was always known. AFTER ALL, broad scope of our movement and those WE ARE FIRST AND FOREMOST A SHUL OR- who wish to connect with it. It is my hope GANIZATION, THE AIM OF WHICH IS TO SERVE that the thousands who will read these AND BENEFIT ITS CONSTITUENT BRANCHES Divrei Torah will benefit greatly and thus AND THEIR FAMILIES. enhance their spiritual experience during this crucial time period for each and every We are also working on expanding our Jew. presence in Eretz Yisrael through our Yis- rael Hatzair, which offers vitally important I would like to take this opportunity to services to hundreds of individuals and thank all of our sponsors, without whose works to coordinate the activities of our support this undertaking could never have 38 Young Israel branches in Israel. You will succeeded. I particularly want to thank be hearing much more about this devel- our many branches which joined togeth- opment in the coming weeks and months. er in a true spirit of Achdus by sponsoring and encouraging this project. Thanks also I realize that there is much hard work to Charles Miller, Chairman of our Syna- which lies ahead if we are to truly succeed gogue Services Committee for your ideas in restoring the role of National Council and suggestions. And a special thank you of Young Israel. Perhaps even more im- to our Director of Rabbinic Services, Rab- portantly, is the need to create the sense bi Binyamin Hammer, for coordinating of working together between the Coun- the actual production and printing of the cil and the branches, as well as among Journal. Yasher Koach for your efforts. the branches themselves. The success of these efforts will lead us towards the ac- As we enter the Yamim Noraim, the time complishment of our one shared goal, the during which we all engage in Cheshbon strengthening and further growth of Or- HaNefesh, it is a perfect opportunity to thodoxy in both the US and Israel. consider where our Young Israel Move- ment stands and the direction in which we I am confident that with continued perse- are headed. verance and the cooperation of our mem- bers, we can succeed in this mission and During the brief six months since the regain the status of a truly vibrant, affec- election of our administration, we have tive, and influential national organization. focused on revitalizing the spirit of coop- eration and unity which had seemed to My best wishers for a Shanah Tovah and a almost disappear over the past several Kesivah V’Chasimah Tovah to all. years. By establishing direct weekly com- munication with our branch presidents, Rabbi David Warshaw asking them to distribute useful and im- President, National Council of Young Israel | THE MONTH OF GREATNESS 3 INTRODUCTION HOW TO JUDGE A YOM KIPPUR? RABBI SHMUEL ISMACH AND RABBI SHOLOM AXELROD INTERIM LEADERSHIP, YOUNG ISRAEL COUNCIL OF RABBIS IT IS GENERALLY difficult to mean- week and count towards its arrival. ingfully appreciate momentous occa- Rav Samson Rephael Hirsch (1808- sions and significant moments in our 1888) explains that the word “re- lives as they pass so quickly, and then member” is used here as it usually is, life moves on. We are reminded of this to mean that we recall the past. How as we approach a most sacred day so? He explains that for every day of on our calendar, Yom Kippur. How are the next week, we should be recalling we to assess whether we have accom- the previous Shabbat and that “we plished what we are meant to on that are to let the Sabbath at its termina- special day, when before we know it, it tion reach over into the weekday, and has passed. in the blessing of the Havdalah we again mention the importance of the שַׁ ּ ַ ב ת“ Perhaps, as Yom Kippur is the Sabbath as an institution that sancti- ”,שַׁבָּ תוֹן the “Sabbath of Sabbaths,” fies our whole life, so that we take the (Vayikra 16:31) we can derive a lesson Sabbath spirit with us into the working from Shabbat itself. life of the weekdays.” Regarding Shabbat, the Torah fa- To Rav Hirsch, the memory of Shabbat ”זָכוֹר אֶ ת mously states (Shemot 20:7) must reverberate into the following יוֹם הַשַׁבָּ ת לְקַדְּשׁ וֹ,“ “Remember the day of week and that the heightened spiri- Shabbat to make it holy.” What exact- tual awareness it offers and the time ly is it that we required to remember? for prayer and reflection it affords There are many interpretations of must not only impact that day but these words. To some, it refers to the must spill over into the following week obligation to make Kiddush on Friday, as well. The successful Shabbat is one and to others, the requirement to re- that will be “remembered” well past member Shabbat every day of the the time when the Havdalah candle is | THE MONTH OF GREATNESS 4 HOW TO JUDGE A YOM KIPPUR blown out. would wash his hands and feet. He wonders why the final washing, per- This might be what the Gemara means formed as he would remove his sacred when it says (Shabbat 118b): garments and ready himself to put ,on his ordinary clothing to go home אמר רבי יוחנן משום רבי שמעון בן יוחי: אלמלי -would require a formal washing be משמרין ישראל שתי שבתות כהלכתן - מיד נגאלים forehand. How was this part of the Rabbi Yochanan says in the name of Yom Kippur service? He explains that Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai: “Would the this is exactly what the symbolism of Jewish people keep only two Shab- the detailed service means to display: bats, they would removing the sa- be immediately cred garment to redeemed.” the memory of don his everyday clothing does in- Most commen- Shabbat...must deed constitute tators explain spill over into the avodah! that this is not to following week be understood He writes (Vay- as requiring two ikra 16:4): “The random weeks of meaning of all the Shabbat observance, but instead, two symbolic procedures performed in the consecutive ones. The after-effects of sanctuary is in the actual life outside a successful Shabbat, taken into its the Sanctuary; for ordinary life actu- next week and forming the basis for alizes the spirit that is drawn in Sanc- another successful Shabbat would tuary life. Indeed, the meaning of the create not only a repeated cycle but aspirations in bigdei kodesh is in the a narrowing spiral of closeness to and deeds performed in bigdei chol.” The awareness of G-d that would result in official service might end when the inevitable redemption. white vestments are removed, but the kohen’s inspired personal service So what of Yom Kippur, the “Shabbat must continue beyond any wardrobe Shabbaton?” If Shabbat is supposed change. to be a day that reverberates into our week, what should we expect of Again, we are reminded that the spe- the after-effects of the all-important cial day of Yom Kippur - like the day of day of Yom Kippur? Again, we turn to Shabbat - is not judged only by how Rav Hirsch.