For more information and details on how to sign-up for our limited outdoor in-person services, please visit ostns.org/reopening.
We are saddened to announce the passing of:
Adele Brem z"l, mother of Henry Brem, grandmother of Andrea Wolf
Ruth Udell z"l, mother of Sindy Udell
Virtual learning for today and tomorrow is sponsored by the Troy family in loving memory of their mother, grandmother, and teacher, Elaine Troy.
Dessert Kiddush To-Go: Join the community this Shabbat for a covid-safe kiddush following morning services. The kiddush is sponsored by Yaakov and Arielle Roth in appreciation of all the volunteers who helped put back the Ohev tent which was moved to help facilitate installation of solar panels.Cupcakes will be individually boxed and are to be taken to-go. Please maintain social distancing when approaching the table.
Tot Shabbat: Join Yoni Friedman and Justin Rubin this Shabbat, February 20 at 10:30 AM. Masks, social distancing, and registration required; register here.
Purim Schedule Posted: Our complete Purim schedule is posted at ostns.org/purim. This includes pre-purim programs and classes, as well as the list of megillah readings and special events on Purim. Register here for megillah readings plus light shows.
Reminder- Purim Programs This Sunday! Purim Stop-by outside at Ohev, 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM, and Kids Zoom program (create a "Silly Book") at 4:00PM. Schmaltz Brothers Food Truck will be at the Stop-by on Sunday. Pre-orders strongly encouraged; order here: https://www.toasttab.com/schmaltz-brothers-food-truck/v3. Select 2/21 and any available time slot between 11:15 AM and 12:45 PM. Thank you to our virtual learning sponsor for this past week, Elena Tscherny. If you are interested in sponsoring a day of virtual learning for $54, please visit https://www.ohevdc.org/form/virtual-learning-sponsor.html
Spotlight on.... Pre-Purim Virtual Gathering for Women
Ohev's Winter Food Drive for Yad Yehuda
Ohev's February Food Drive: Yad Yehuda has asked Ohev Sholom to collect winter foods for the food pantry, specifically: dried (tube) and boxed (broth) soups, barley, lentils, Near East mixes, and quinoa. We have a bin outside the shul on the Jonquil steps for drop off or you can order online and have the items shipped to the shul for us to deliver. Below are a few direct links to items on Amazon:
YCT Learning Series: Sunday, February 21 at 8:00PM
Save the Date: Talk by Hannah Tsimmerman, March 10 at 8:00 PM
Liberation Through Creation: From Building Egytian Cities to Creating our Holy Objects
The parshas of Vayakhel and Pekudei describe the making of the temple vestments in great detail. These parshiot offer more than just vivid descriptions- they also represent a critical turning point in B'nai Israel's path to liberation and the breaking of Egytian cultural expectations.
Trace the journey of B'nai Israel from Egytian slavery to nationhood through the lenses of craftsmanship, labor, resources, and holiness.
Community News
Congratulations to Shepherd Park Citizens Association President, Mrs. Naima Jefferson, on being named one of Nationbuilder's Top Ten #EverydayLeaders in an international competition! Read her profile here.
New Jewish App Created by Hannah Joffe!
Sixth grader and member of Ohev Sholom, Hannah J., just published her first App on the Apple App Store! The app is called Jewish Holy Days. It displays the dates of the major Jewish holidays and stores to-do lists for each holiday that you can use from one year to the next (never forget a pomegranate for Rosh Hashanah again!). The app includes the Gregorian calendar dates of the holidays outside of Israel and inside Israel, as well as the Hebrew calendar dates.
OSTNS on YouTube!
The shul has two YouTube accounts which have recordings of past classes, shiurim, and events. They can be accessed here:
Comments on this Week's Parsha, Haftorah, and Special Additional Readings Submitted by Rabbi Ben Mintz
This week's parsha, Terumah, contains instructions about the various objects in the Tabernacle (the Mishkan). This is also Shabbos Zachor, the second of the special Shabbosim preceding Pesach. More about that later.
God's initial instruction is "And they shall make for me a sanctuary and I will dwell in their midst." (Shmos, 25:8). We of Ohev Shalom should be especially familiar with that saying since it is engraved on the outside of our building facing 16th street. The message is that when we build a synagogue, God dwells, not in the synagogue building alone, but among the people, wherever the people are.
The parsha goes on to say that the Jews shall make an ark (aron) and place within it the tablets of the law (Shmos 25:16). The Torah instructs that the ark should be overlaid with gold both "inside and outside" (25:13). The Talmud learns from these words that a Torah scholar whose "outside" conduct, that is, his conduct with others, does not reflect the wholesome views that he has within him, is not considered a "true" scholar.
The parsha also instructs that the utensils in the mishkan shall be made according to the pattern shown to Moshe "on the mountain" (Sinai).The Talmud interprets that an ark of fire and a table of fire, and a lamp stand of fire descended from the heaven, and Moshe fashioned these items to match what he saw coming from the heavens (25:10).
The second Torah reading this Shabbos, for Parshas Zachor, is Dvorim, 25:17-19. We are told that we must remember the perfidy of the Nation of Amalek, who attacked the weakest of us by surprise in the desert when we were exhausted and weak.
The Haftorah for Shabbos Zachor is from 1 Samuel, 15:2-34, It tells the tragic story of King Saul who lost his kingship because, in making war on Amalek, he spared the King of Amalek, Agag The rabbis say that Haman, the Agagite, descended from King Agag, who had been spared by Saul. King Saul was replaced by David, opening a great era in Jewish history.
NEXT WEEK - PURIM Next Thursday -- close to the time that next week's Shabboom arrives in our inboxes -- Purim will begin. So perhaps we should discuss it briefly, now. Next Thursday night, and again on Friday, Megillat Esther will be read. The familiar story tells of Mordechai and his relative Esther, who, in the course of the megillah rendering becomes Queen Esther. The megillah relates Mordechai's and Esther's triumph over the evil Haman, who sought to exterminate the Jewish people.
In one incident in Megillat Esther, Mordechai overhears officers of King Achashveirosh plotting against him. He reports this to Queen Esther, who tells the King about the plot, and lets him know it was Mordechai who gave her the information. The king frustrates the plot and punishes the plotters. It is in part because Mordechai, who is now a hero in the king's eyes, is a Jew, that the King softens the decree against the Jews and orders that Haman be hanged. From that story, the rabbis learn this lesson: "Whoever gives information in the name of the person who is the source of the information brings redemption to the world."
Haftorah Video, by Hal Brodsky z"l
... will return next week.
Upcoming Events and Weekly Schedule
To view and register for upcoming events and view the weekly schedule, visit our website's online calendar. Sign up for in-person services here.
Sunday, February 21 (Adar 9) Day of virtual learning sponsored by Ellen Epstein in memory of her father Josef Robinson, grandfather of Asher Epstein, Dina Epstein Levisohn, and Kira Epstein Begal. Great-Grandchildren who attend Ohev Sholom: Dalia and Ami Epstein; Ezra, Talya, Ilan, and Leor Levisohn; and Isaac and Karlyn Begal
8:00a Shacharit (in person or via Zoom) 9:00a Daf Yomi with Rabbi Herzfeld 12:00p Exploring Judaism: The Richness of our Tradition with Rabbi Mintz via Zoom 5:45p Mincha/Maariv (in person or via Zoom) 7:30p Book Club 8:00p Yeshivat Chovevei Torah - Winter Learning Series
Monday, February 22 (Adar 10) 7:00a Daf Yomi with Rabbi Herzfeld 8:00a Shacharit (in person or via Zoom) 12:30p Class with Rabbi Herzfeld: Book of Esther 4:30p Book of Kings with Maharat Friedman via Zoom 5:45p Mincha/Maariv (in person or via Zoom) 8:00p Women's Pre-Purim Virtual Gathering with Maharat Friedman Tuesday, February 23 (Adar 11)
7:00a Daf Yomi with Rabbi Herzfeld 8:00a Shacharit (in person or via Zoom) 4:00p Parashah Storytime with Rabbi Herzfeld (recommended ages 4-6) 5:45p Mincha/Maariv (in person or via Zoom) 7:00p Class with Baruch Roth via Zoom 8:15p Class with Rabbi Herzfeld: The Laws of Purim
Wednesday, February 24 (Adar 12) 7:00a Daf Yomi with Rabbi Herzfeld 8:00a Shacharit (in person or via Zoom) 12:30p Class with Rabbi Herzfeld: Book of Esther via Zoom 4:30p Book of Kings with Maharat Friedman via Zoom 5:45p Mincha/Maariv (in person or via Zoom)
Thursday, February 25: Taanit Esther, Erev Purim (Adar 13) 5:27am: Fast begins 8:00a Shacharit (in person or via Zoom) 5:30p Mincha (in person or via Zoom) 6:30pm: Maariv followed by Megillah reading + Purim Laser Light and Music Show (at approx 7:30 PM, registration required) 8:00pm: Second reading + Purim Laser Light and Music Show (at approx 8:30 PM, registration required) 9:15pm: Third reading (registration required; no light show)
Erev Shabbat, February 26: Purim (Adar 14) 7:00a Daf Yomi with Rabbi Herzfeld 8:00a Shacharit (in person or via Zoom) 12:20pm: Women's Megillah Reading (registration required) 5:05pm: Megillah reading, followed by Mincha 5:39p Candle Lighting
Isaiah Segal-Geetter John Hite Mathew Barkan Omri Lazarus Nili Berger Adira Margulies Barbara Ledeen Cary Greene Michaela Wilkes Klein Sharon Gruber Dina Epstein Rena Fruchter Aleta Margolis Belle Davis Samuel Matheson
Don't see a birthday listed? Update your lifecycle events and more at ostns.org (login required)
Members Observing Yahrzeits
Thursday Barbara Ledeen for mother Norma Joyce Davidson Schlacter
Friday Bernard Troy for wife Elaine Troy Daniel Troy for mother Elaine Troy Sidney Rosenheim for grandmother Chaya Katzman
Shabbat Julie (Julius) Levine for grandfather Jacob Freed Norma Fedder for mother Ethel Fedder Ramona Cohen for grandfather William Gildenhorn Richard Atkins for father Jack Atkins
Sunday David Torchinsky for father Irving Torchinsky Dorothy Marder for father Morris Glick Ellen Epstein for father Stanley J. Robinson Linda Katz for father Irving Torchinsky Sandra Burt for father Millard Cass
Monday Jeffrey Sherman for father Samuel Sherman Ronald Viener for uncle Maurice Viener
Don't see a yahrzeit listed? Update your lifecycle events and more at ostns.org (login required)
