January, 2011 Tevet/Shevat 5771 Vol. 8, No.7 THE BULLETIN Rabbi Gerald M. Solomon Cantor Mordechai Dier SCHEDULE OF SERVICES Back by popular demand: FOR JANUARY Friday, Jan. 1 Romance & Candle Lighting Time. 4:19 P.M. Saturday, Jan. 2 - Parashat Vaeira Sexual Shabbat Mevarchim Services.. 9:00 A.M. Shabbat Ends. 5:29 P.M. References In Friday, Jan. 7 The Tanach Candle Lighting Time. 4:26 P.M. Part II Saturday, Jan. 8 - Parashat Bo Shabbat Services. 9:00 A.M. Shabbat Ends. 5:36 P.M. An In-depth Friday, Jan. 14 Study & Analysis Candle Lighting Time. 4:34 P.M. Saturday, Jan.15 - Parashat Beshalach Class Begins Shabbat Shirah Services.. 9:00 A.M. Shabbat Ends. 5:44 P.M. Wednesday, Friday, Jan. 21 Candle Lighting Time. 4:41 P.M. January 5, 2011 Saturday, Jan. 22 - Parashat Yitro (Ten Commandments) 10:30 AM Shabbat Services. 9:00A.M. Shabbat Ends. 5:51 P.M. Until 12 Noon Friday, Jan. 28 Candle Lighting Time. 4:49 P.M. Saturday, Jan. 29 - Parashat Mishpatim INSTRUCTOR: Shabbat Mevarchim Services.. 9:00 A.M. Rabbi Gerald Solomon Shabbat Ends. 6:00 P.M. Friday evening services for January are on a ATTENTION: To Be Announced basis. Please check with the office each week for the schedule. Page 2 THE BULLETIN January, 2011 SCHEDULED EVENTS MAZEL TOV Leslie Biscardi and her family on her son, Alex, rd Monday, January 3 @ 8:00 PM becoming a Bar Mitzvah. May you schepp much Program Committee Meeting nachas from this wonderful young man. All Are Welcome To Attend Wednesday, January 5th REFUAH SHELEIMAH 10:30 AM to Noon We wish to extend our heartfelt prayers to all those who are confronting illness, have undergone Adult Education Institute Courses medical procedures, and are recuperating from Conducted By Rabbi Gerald Solomon mishaps. Among those on our speedy recovery "Romance & Sexual References list are Anita Bernstein, Miriam Nadler, Carl in the Tanach” Part II Rosenthal, Bernie Solomon, Sylvia Udasin, and An in-depth study & analysis Shari Weinberger. Thursdays: 11 AM to 1 PM “On-going Discussion Group" TODAH RABAH Thank you to everyone for sharing in the th Saturday, January 15 celebration of Alexander’s Bar Mitzvah. It was Tu B’Shevat Kiddush very special to the family to be able to have all three congregations under one roof to enjoy our th Thursday, January 20 simcha. Much appreciation is extended to all for @ 10:30 AM their love and support. Thank you especially to Sisterhood Book Club Rabbi Solomon and Cantor Dier for their time, All Other Nights patience, and dedication in preparing Alexander By Dara Horn for his Bar Mitzvah. Job well done, gentlemen! Saturday, January 22nd Leslie Biscardi Annual Sarah Solomon z”l Memorial Lecture (Following Kiddush) ALERT FOR OUR SISTERHOOD BOOK CLUB ENDOWMENTS PARTICIPANTS Yahrzeit Plaque During the month of January the Fresh Meadows In main Sanctuary. $275 branch of the Queens Public Library will be In Lasky Chapel. $175 undergoing renovations. Books for the January Panel in new stained glass window. $500 20th discussion can be picked up at the Hillcrest Endow a Siddur. $50 Library branch, 187-05 Union Turnpike. Endow a Chumash. $75 Sponsor a kiddush. $150 Special kiddush. ask KEEP ON GIVING Listing in Book of Life.. $25 Hunger is a daily struggle for the indigent and Rabbi’s Discretionary Fund. does not end when the holiday season becomes a faded memory. Please continue to bring in canned Please contact office (718) 357-5100 or boxed goods so that the wintry months will be if you are interested a little less cold for those less fortunate. Page 3 THE BULLETIN January, 2011 TU B'SHEVAT: During the first three years, it is forbidden, while NEW YEAR OF THE TREES in the fourth, it is dedicated to God. While Tu B'Shevat occurs in the middle of winter Tu B’Shevat, the "new year of trees," begins this year in North America, in Israel, it marks the very first on Wednesday night, January 19th and ends at sunset signs of spring. The fall and winter rainy seasons, on January 20th. The name Tu B'Shevat corresponds which generally begin around the holiday of to the holiday's date, Tu being an acronym of the Sukkot, generally end some time before Tu Hebrew letters tet and vav, whose numeric values B'Shevat, and usually the first buds of the almond add up to fifteen, and occurs in the month of Shevat. tree, the first tree to blossom, appear about the Tu B’Shevat is a post-biblical holiday; it's first time of the holiday. mentioned in the Mishnah (the codification, A minor holiday, on which working and cooking completed around 200 CE, of what, until then, had are allowed, and during which the Torah is not been Jewish oral law). read and no special prayers are recited, Tu There, it is listed as one of four new years in the B'Shevat still is marked as a happy day. Hebrew calendar: Traditionally, no eulogies are delivered on Tu (1) Rosh Hodesh Nisan in the spring, the first day of B'Shevat. In addition, Jews everywhere drink what the Bible specifies is the first month, and the wines and foods from Eretz Yisrael (the Land of date for counting the number of years a king has Israel), particularly the seven types of grain and reigned; produce those for which the Land is praised in (2) Rosh Hodesh Elul in the late summer, the Deuteronomy 8:8: "a land of wheat and barley, dividing date for determining which crops are subject and vines and fig trees and pomegranates; a land to tithing (Maaisrot in Hebrew); those harvested of olive trees and [date] honey." If, as is before that date belong to one year; those on or customary, a person eats such fruit for the first during the date to another; time that year, he or she says the Shehecheyanu (3) Rosh Hodesh Tishrei, in the early fall, which blessing, praising G-d for allowing one to live subsequently came to be called Rosh Hashanah and "until this season." was designated as the beginning of a new Hebrew Additionally, in Israel, schoolchildren and other year, but here was designated as the day on which people plant trees on Tu B'Shevat, symbolizing God judged human beings; their commitment to the Land. In the Diaspora, (4) Tu B’Shevat, on which God "judges" trees Jews have used the holiday to learn more about according to the human behavior. the Land of Israel, and to make or renew a commitment to safeguarding the environment. Tu b'Shevat Seder A growing number of Jews have reinstituted the Tu b'Shevat seders first originated among followers custom of holding Tu B’shevat Seders. First of the Jewish mystical practice known as Kabbalah practiced by followers of the Jewish mystical who settled in the Israeli city of Safed in the 16th practice known as Kabbalah who settled in the century. Today, a growing number of Jews have Israeli city of Safed in the 16th century, these reinstituted the custom. seders, like the Passover one, sometimes involve Tu b'Shevat also is used as the "divider" in four cups of wine (dark red, light red, pink and determining the age of a tree, and when people may white), symbolizing the passing of the four eat its fruit. A tree planted any time (even one day) seasons. Also included are the seven species of before Tu b'Shevat is considered one year old on that grain and produce mentioned in Deuteronomy, day. In terms of when one may eat its produce: and other fruits and nuts from Israel, along with according to the law of orlah (forbiddenness), as readings related to Eretz Yisrael, nature and stated in Leviticus 19:23-25, only beginning in the ecology, and social justice. fifth year of a tree's growth may its fruit be eaten. Some Jews use Tu B'Shevat to learn about Page 4 THE BULLETIN January, 2011 traditional and modern Jewish teachings and values JEWISH NATIONAL FUND PROJECTS on ecology, ethics, and social justice. This emphasis flows from the metaphorical use of "tree" - for FORESTRY example, the Torah is called "a tree of life" (aitz JNF has planted more than 240 million trees since hayim). It also derives specifically from some of the 1901 to protect the land, green the landscape and instructive allusions to trees in traditional Jewish preserve vital ecosystems. Through the generosity texts. An example is Adam and Eve's having been of donors like you, JNF continues this effort, forbidden by God from eating from the "tree of the planting seedlings, maintaining forest health, knowledge of good and evil" in the Garden of Eden, combating desertification, protecting watersheds thus losing their childlike innocence, but gaining a and managing water flow. knowledge of the human potential for moral and immoral behavior (Genesis, chapters 2 and 3). WATER Jewish laws that pertain to nature, and to trees in Over the last decade, Jewish National Fund has particular, include one prohibiting soldiers from dramatically increased Israel's water resources, cutting down fruit-bearing trees to build bulwarks providing drinking water to 1.2 million Israelis. when besieging a city. In a striking expression of JNF's water management projects--never more concern, even empathy, for the integrity of nature, critical to Israel's survival--include reservoir and the Torah asks rhetorically, "For is the tree of the dam construction, water conservation, river field man, that it should be besieged of thee?" rehabilitation and recycling.