Torah Thoughts Vetchanan, Deuteronomy 3:23-7:11 Follow along tonight: Mishkan T’Filah Erev Shabbat Service Candle Blessing: page 120 Mi Shebeirach: page 371 “Moses the True Olympian” Mourner’s Kaddish: page 598 Friday, July 23, 2021/ 15 Av Tamuz 5781 If Moses was an Olympic athlete, he would be the one who excels at all the trials and then gets injured before the events begin. Or better yet, CONGREGATION SHIR SHALOM 6:00pm the athlete who aged out of competition because of the pandemic. Virtual Services and Events Standing at the foot of the Promised Land, he can see in, but he can’t Saturday, July 24th cross over. Everything he has been working for his whole life is in 9:00am Torah Study via Zoom reach, but impossible to attain. In this week’s Torah Portion Vetchan- 10:30am Shabbat Morning Service and Bat Mitzvah of Rayne an, he makes his final, desperate plea to God: “I beg you let me cross Klein via Boxcast, Facebook and YouTube over to see the good land beyond the Jordan” (Deuteronomy 3:25). Sunday, July 25th As the Tokyo Olympics begin this Shabbat, we can’t help but sympa- 5:00pm Comedian Benji Lovitt at Camp Centerland thize with the thousands of athletes whose hopes and dreams hang in Monday, July 26th the balance. Only a small fraction will find the Gold medals they seek. 8:00pm Worship Committee Meeting via Zoom After years of training and preparation, it is humbling to know just what Tuesday, July 27th is at stake. 4:00pm Chiavetta’s Chicken BBQ-Drive Thru Only The lesson of Moses’ life, is that sometimes just reaching the Steps of Moab is enough. Moses’ hard work and determination may not have Wednesday, July 28th been enough to propel him over the finish line, but it was enough to 6:00pm Women of Shir Shalom Meeting-offsite propel all of us. If only all of us could travel back in time to this week’s Thursday, July 29th Torah portion, we could share with Moses just what a profound impact 8:00pm Talmud Study via Zoom his life’s journey had on us. In all of our books, he is a true Olympian. Friday, July 30th 6:00pm Erev Shabbat Service Under the Tent via Shabbat Shalom! Enjoy the Games! Boxcast, Facebook & YouTube Rabbi Alex Chiavetta’s Chicken BBQ Tuesday, July 27th 4:00-7:00pm (or until sold out) Presale meals are $11 and include 1/2 chicken, coleslaw, potato salad, and roll Mazel Tov to the Napolitano and Weinman with butter. Please go to the CSS website to make your payment. Pre-orders close at 11:30am on the day of the event. Meals are $12.00 without a preorder. Families on the naming of Lila Helen tonight. French Fries are available for $3.00 for one order or $5.00 for two orders. When picking up your meal, please wear a face covering and DO NOT get out of your vehicle. Rabbi Alex Lazarus-Klein Mazel Tov to Rayne Klein and her family on her 22nd Annual Summer Celebration Cantor Arlene Frank Bat Mitzvah this weekend. Community Religious School Co-Director Einav Symons Monday, August 2nd Executive Director Joanne Marquisee This event features a Golf Tournament with luncheon or a Wine & Spirits Bus President Todd Sugarman Tour. Both are followed by cocktails, dinner and an auction. See the CSS website for registration information. Deadline to register is July 26th. Wine tour is sold out. “Jewish Olympians You’re Going to Want to Watch” In Memoriam Our Mission Statement, as a congregation, By Emily Burach in the Jewish Telegraphic Agency is to be a welcoming community and to enhance all aspects Shiva of Jewish life. Sue Bird-Basketball, USA Howard Hilfstein, husband of Debra Hilfstein The Board of Trustees of Congregation Shir Shalom COMMITMENT STATEMENT We, the Board of Trustees, pledge to unite and The basketball legend has won gold medals with the U.S. women’s basketball team in Sheloshim to enrich the lives of our congregation. the last four Olympics. Bird, now 40, is back for her fifth, and likely last, Olympics. The We will proceed in our commitment to Congregation Shir Shalom, Meyer Tubin to create an inclusive and open environment for the entire congregation. child of a Jewish father and non-Jewish mother, Bird was born and raised in Syosset, Sara Weinstein Long Island. She’s been a basketball star since her debut for the University of Connecti- Rabbi-Alex Lazarus-Klein Cantor-Arlene Frank cut in 1998 and selection as the WNBA’s No. 1 overall draft pick in 2002. Yahrzeits Community Religious School Co-Director-Einav Symons Executive Director-Joanne Marquisee The women’s basketball tournament begins on July 26; the U.S. plays its first game on Minnie Becker Mary Kneitinger Elliott Rosenthal President-Todd Sugarman VP Administration-David Safir July 27 against Nigeria. The gold medal game is Aug. 8. Benjamin Bush Ira Kweller Paula Rosner VP Membership-Bruce Corris VP Finance-Joe Glickman Linoy Ashram-Rhythmic Gymnastics, Israel Allen Eber Jack Landau Edward Schulefand VP Worship-Mindy Weinman VP Education-Marina Finkelstein Israel’s best chance at winning a medal is 22-year-old Linoy Ashram. The Mizrahi and Estelle Etelson Sumner Leondar William Segal Treasurer-Larry Posses Sephardi gymnast (her father is Yemeni Jewish and her mother is Greek Jewish) is set Irving Faden Aaron Lipman Tillie Sohinki Secretary-Shari Jo Reich Women of Shir Shalom Representative-Maureen Seitz to compete in her first Olympics after winning in the individual rhythmic category at the Max Philip Finkelstein Marilyn Miller David L. Stein Men’s Group Representative-Daniel Kester European Championships in 2020 — the first athlete to take the gold medal in decades Youth Group Advisor-Rachel Sugarman Nathan Finkelstein Maurice Mintzer Grace P. Stern Rabbi Emeritus-Irwin A. Tanenbaum, D.D. who was not from a former Soviet country or Bulgaria. Immediate Past President-Bruce Corris Milton Gabin Michael Organek Chester Stricker The rhythmic gymnastics competition takes place Aug. 6-8. Harold Gefsky Jack Orlick Doris Tubin BOARD OF TRUSTEES Diego Schwartzman-Tennis, Argentina Stephen Ira Haber Simon Perell Gussie Z. Ungerleider Andrew Abramowitz Rob Lederman Jackie Taylor Diego Schwartzman is the highest-ranked Jewish tennis player in the world. Last year Bruce Corris Amy O’Donnell Sheila Bernard-Tucker Mildred Gordon Haniford Murray M. Pikoff Morton Wakoff Marina Finkelstein Larry Posses Mindy Weinman he broke into the top 10 for the first time, becoming the shortest top 8 player since 5- Joseph Glickman Shari Jo Reich Nichole Weinstein Dr. Hanley M. Horwitz David Pohl Jacob Weiner Tara Karch-Cross David Safir David Zlotnick foot-6 Harold Solomon, also Jewish, in 1981. Watching him go shot to shot with players Robert Horwitz Gerald Rosen Viola Ziolkowski Mark Kneitinger Rebecca Shaw that are over a foot taller is nothing short of remarkable. Tom Lansing Todd Sugarman Louis Meyer Isenberg Walter Rosen Schwartzman is open about and proud of his Jewish identity. Last year he wrote mov- Prayer for those who lead our congregation ingly on his family’s Holocaust history, and how his great-grandfather escaped a train O God, this congregation has honored us with the task of leading them, and of serving You with them. car headed for a concentration camp and ended up in Argentina. May we strive to be fit for this sacred task. May we lead well and may we serve well. The men’s tennis tournament begins on July 24. Team Israel-Baseball, Israel May we hear the quiet as well as the active voices, and may we heed the call and follow the paths of what we, Anat Lelior-Surfing, Israel after honest searching, feel to be the right things to do. In 2017, Israel’s national baseball team — which included several American Jewish May we listen to each other, and may we listen to You, Anat Lelior is Israel’s first — and only — Olympic surfer. Surfing is new to the Olympics, players who became Israeli citizens to represent the country — surprised observers as all of us together make this synagogue a kehillah kedusha, a Holy place. and only 20 men and 20 women will be competing this summer. Lelior, 21, qualified as by placing sixth at the World Baseball Classic, an international tournament of the the highest-ranked female surfer from Europe (Israel competes in European leagues). world’s best teams. Video Stream Broadcast-Inside the Sanctuary Lelior started surfing at 5, and by 12 she had won the Israeli national championship. Erev Shabbat Services are available to watch live and recorded on your Along the way, the team generated enthusiasm for baseball in Israel and gave some computer, iPad or smartphone. The camera is stationary facing the The women’s competition is tentatively scheduled for July 25-28. under-the-radar Jewish players, many who had spent several years in the minor Bimah. If you are attending services, once you enter the sanctuary, you are giving your permission to be included in the video stream Alix Klineman-Beach volleyball, USA leagues, new chances to shine. Oh, and there was that endearing mascot — a life- broadcast. You can also watch our services with CLOSED CAPTION sized Mensch on a Bench. after the service has taken place on YouTube. If you have any questions, Klineman enters the Tokyo Games with a world ranking of No. 2, with a more than solid please contact Joanne Marquisee, our Executive Director. In 2019, Team Israel won the European Baseball Championship to qualify for the chance of winning gold.