Erev Shabbat, July 10 (Day 18 of Tammuz): 5:00p D'var Torah with Rabbi Herzfeld via Facebook Live 6:00p Laining of the Torah reading by Baruch Rothjoin here 7:00p Mincha/Kabbalat Shabbat/D'var Torah (in person, advance registration required or via Zoom join here) 7:30p Maariv (in person only, advance registration required) 8:17p Candlelighting Shabbat, July 11 (Day 19 of Tammuz): 8:00a - 9:30a Shabbat morning services (in person, advance registration required) 8:20p Mincha/Maariv (in person, advance registration required) 9:17p Havdalah via Zoom at 9:19p Join here
Mazal Tov to Carmel Pinsky on her Bat Mitzvah! The family invites the entire community to join them for an online ceremony, Friday, July 10 at 10:30 am via Zoom at https://umd.zoom.us/j/9907444658?pwd=ejRrM1FMTnJaRlpieXlXS2ZiUUxqQT09 Meeting ID: 990 744 4658 Password: Carmel OSTNS Limited Reopening As a reminder, we have begun limited in-person services outdoors (advanced sign-up required). For more information and details on how to sign-up, please visit ostns.org/reopening.
Thank you to our virtual learning sponsors from this past week: Carol Newman, and Naomi & David Balto. If you are interested in sponsoring a day of virtual learning for $54, please email Alejandra at alejandra@ostns.org.
Friday's Virtual Learning is sponsored by Helene Reisler in loving memory of her father Jerome Altschul.
Spotlight On........
Dear friends, Our first week is underway and we have some exciting developments to share with you! OUTDOOR ADVENTURES We will be offering a socially distant outdoor excursion once a week (weather dependent). Options may include (and are not limited to): A moderate short hike Water Balloon Tag Color-by-numbers mural making Obstacle Course/Relay Race No-touch Capture The Flag
It will be either Tuesday or Thursday 1:30-3:00. This will be included in your Full Access Package, combined with other drop-in classes, or you can REGISTER HERE
TEACHERS AT CAMP KIBBUTZ Check out www.CampKibbutz.org to see our roster of teachers! They include some Ohev favorites such as Hannah Gerstein, Lisa Redisch, Sharon Gelboin-Katz, and more!
REGISTRATION FOR WEEK TWO IS STILL OPEN! SIGN UP HERE!
See you at camp! Tyler and Sarah
Recordings
On Tuesday, OSTNS hosted an insightful discussion with Mark Trencher from Nishma Research titled "Who owns Modern Orthodoxy?" with a focus on Jewish Day Schools. The recording can be found here.
Community Resources
The Association for Safe International Road Travel (ASIRT) is working on a project to help make our community's roads safer. During the pandemic, many people have been going on more walks, bike rides, and runs throughout the neighborhood and have come in contact with dangerous areas for both pedestrians and drivers (these areas are called black spots). Our project's goal is to survey community members and find the larger and more dangerous blackspots and then work with local governments to fix the blackspots. We have created a survey that can be easily accessed and filled out by anyone in the area in order to gather all of the data on the area, issue, and possible solutions. To take the surveyclick here
Free Produce for Families in Need We are working with community groups to acquire fresh produce for shul families and individuals who might not have the means to access it at this time. Please fill out this form by sundown Friday so we can coordinate with the community groups.
Free Kosher Meals for all Children Under 18! Yad Yehuda has started a daily kosher meal distribution through the USDA Summer Food Service Program, distributing breakfast and lunch simultaneously each day.
Distribution takes place Monday through Friday each week, 11:00 am – 1:00 pm, at E. Brooke Lee Middle School, 11800 Monticello Ave, Silver Spring, MD 20902. There is no charge for these meals. All households with children age 18 and under are eligible to participate in this USDA program; income requirements have been waived during this time.
Visit http://moco.covidgw.com for further instructions and to place your orders for the coming week. It is very important that you pre-order so our vendors (Ben Yehuda Pizza and Shalom Kosher) will know how many meals to prepare. Meals will be available for those who do not pre-order but we urge you to assist us by using the pre-order process.
FAQ: Q. If I live in DC, can I pick up meals for my family in Kemp Mill? A. Yes. Families living in any jurisdiction in the DC region can pick up meals at our distribution site; residency requirements have been waived at this time.
The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington COVID-19: Rabbi Emergency Fund. During this unprecedented time, congregations, their members, and the larger community are experiencing unbelievable challenges including significant financial instability. To assist congregations in meeting these increasing community needs, The Federation, through its COVID-19 Emergency Funds established the Rabbi Emergency Fund to provide financial support directly to congregations for emergency use to help community members in need. These funds, up to $1500 per household, can be used to meet individual and family needs (e.g., housing, utilities, food, medical, mental health, or other relevant emergency needs of individuals and families that may or may not be covered by the Federal Stimulus) and are to be paid to the service provider (i.e. utility company, mortgage company, drug store or health company.) If you are experiencing financial challenges and these funds can be of assistance please contact Rabbi Herzfeld or Maharat Friedman.
The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington, JSSA, and our network of local human service organizations are proud to introduce 703-J-CARING: The Jewish Community Support Line, serving residents of DC, MD, and Northern Virginia. With one call to 703-J-CARING (703-522-7464), you can connect with a professional case manager ready to assist you in finding the resources and support that are right for you. All calls are confidential. For more information visit: https://www.jssa.org/jcaring/
Yad Yehuda has a new website that includes a wide range of resources for the Greater Washington Jewish community. Please visitcovidgw.com.
Bikur Cholim of Greater Washington is working to pair volunteers with folks who would like a phone visit. If you would like to volunteer to make calls, or request a phone visit, please fill out this form here
Bikur Cholim also has funds available to help those in need to pay for medical expenses incurred during this time. Please contact Maharat Friedman or Audrey Siegal asiegel@bikurcholimgw.org to learn more.
Bikur Cholim of Greater Washington and the Jewish Council for the Aging are partnering to deliver free kosher meals and groceries to people over 60 years of age this summer. If you would like to participate please contact Audrey Siegel asiegel@bikurcholimgw.org. This current program is only for residents of Montgomery County. If you do not live in Montgomery County and would like to participate in a similar program please contact Audrey or Maharat Friedman.
Senior Planet is a program created and sponsored by national nonprofit Older Adults Technology Services (OATS) that harnesses technology to change the way we age. Our courses, programs, and activities help seniors learn new skills, save money, get in shape, and make new friends. They have a robust schedule of daily zoom classes available here.
Comments on the Torah portion, haftora, and Pirkei Avos Contributed by Rabbi Ben Mintz
In this week's parsha, Pinchas, God proclaims that the line of priestly inheritance will run through Pinchas, the grandson of Moshe's brother, Aharon. As described at the end of the prior parsha, Pinchas had taken a spear and pierced Zimri, an official in Israel, and the Midianite woman with whom he was having sexual relations . Pinchas said that he had been taught by Moshe that the Jewish zealots (kana'im) are obligated to kill an individual having sexual relations with a non-Jew. As a result of Pinchas' action, the plague which had overcome the Jews for their sexual promiscuity ended.
The parsha continues with the daughters of Zelophechad, who had died, coming to Moshe and asking that they share in their father's inheritance. Normally, it was only sons who inherited from their fathers. But here, the daughters argue, there are no sons. Moshe does not know the answer and so, he says that he will submit the issue to God. God resolves the issue in favor of the daughters. Why was Moshe, the leader of the Jews, not able to resolve that issue himself? Rashi answers that Moshe was being punished for his earlier arrogance. He had previously told the elders of Israel that they were to issue judgments, but that if anything should be too difficult for them to decide, they were to bring it to him for a decision.
God then tells Moshe to ascend Mount Avarim to see the Promised Land before he dies, Like Aharon, he will not be privileged to enter the Promised Land, because he violated God's word when he struck the rock to produce water for the complaining Jews. This image of seeing the Promised Land from a distance was famously utilized by Martin Luther King, who said that although he might not "get there," God had allowed him to ascend the mountain and see the Land from afar. Tragically, as we know, Dr. King was killed the day after he gave that speech, and of course his dream of racial equality has yet to be realized.
This week there is a special haftora because we are now at the beginning of the Three Week period before Tisha B'Av, the major fast day commemorating the destruction of the Jewish Temple. The Haftora is the beginning of the Book of Jeremiah (1:1-2:3) and it contains what is universally accepted as one of the most beautiful passages in the Tanach. The passage is quoted in the High Holiday services. God says, "I have remembered the devotion of your youth, your love as a bride. how you followed me in the wilderness, in a land not sown. Israel is holy to the Lord; those who would harm her will be blameworthy."
PIRKEI AVOS Chapter 6 -- Whoever learns from his neighbor a single chapter, a single rule, a single verse, a single expression, or even a single letter, must pay him honor. We learn this from King David who learned only two things from Achitophel, and yet regarded him as his teacher.
A Haftorah Video by Hal Brodsky z"l
. . . will resume next week
Upcoming Virtual Learning Opportunities
To see the schedule and links for upcoming virtual services and classes schedule, visit our website's zoom page, ostns.org/zoom.
Minyanim Week of 7/12 NEW - In person option available for: Shacharit (Sunday - Friday @ 8:00 AM) Mincha/Maariv ( Sunday - Thursday @ 6:50 PM) Click here to register to attend in person. Non-Shabbat Services will continue to be available via Zoom. Daf Yomi via Zoom (Monday- Friday @ 7:00 AM)
All minyanim via Zoom at https://zoom.us/j/3127816941 or via phone at 646-558-8656, 3127816941#.
Classes & Shiurim To see a list of our current virtual classes please visit ostns.org/zoom For a step-by-step video guide on how to use zoom Click here
Lifecycles
Support our community and its members by making a donation dedicated in honor of (IHO) or in memory of (IMO) a loved one.
