Shabboom! Weekly Announcements

Energize your week with Ohev Sholom                                      December 20, 2018

Shabbat Times and Announcements

Erev Shabbat, December 21 (Tevet 13)
6:30a Shacharit
4:31p Candle Lighting
4:35p Kabbalat Shabbat

Shabbat, December 22: Vayechi (Tevet 14)
9:15a Shacharit, with a Dvar Torah from Maharat Friedman
10:30a Shabbat Youth Groups
11:45a Kiddush
3:10p Daf Yomi
3:40p Chaim Fruchter's Shiur
4:10p Mincha, followed by Seudah Shlishit
5:32p Havdalah

Upcoming Kiddush Schedule
12/22: Kiddush
12/29: No food served
1/5: Kiddush Luncheon in honor of Aliza Lesser's Bat Mitzvah

How have Ohev Sholom's programs and services supported you this year?
Honor that impact with a year-end donation.

Save the Dates

Yom Iyyun - Reading Torah in Braille for the Congregation: A Day of Study with Aliza Sperling
January 1, 9:30am-12:00pm

Zusha in Concert
at Milton Gottesman Jewish Day School
February 2, 8:00 pm

Kosher Komedy 
featuring Comedian Leah Forster
Pop up Restaurant from Pow Pow
February 23, Doors Open at 7:30 pm; Show at 8:30 pm

Comments on the Portion & Haftorah, Contributed by Rabbi Ben Mintz

This week's parsha, Vayechi, tells of the last days of Jacob, the reconciliation of Joseph and his brothers, and, finally, the death of Joseph and the entire generation. Next Shabbos, we begin the Book of Exodus, the story of the slavery in Egypt, of Moses, the leader of the Jews, and the exodus from Egypt.  

Before his death, Jacob blesses his sons, although for several of the sons, the "blessing" is hardly a blessing. Upon his death, Jacob is taken back to the Promised Land where he is buried with his ancestors. When the family returns to Egypt, Joseph's brothers express their concern that Joseph will take revenge for their treatment of him in his youth. The Midrash dramatizes this by suggesting that when the family was returning to Egypt, Joseph paused and examined the pit ("bor") that his brothers had lowered him into when he was young. To protect themselves, the brothers tell Joseph that their father Jacob had instructed that Joseph forgive his brothers for their conduct against Joseph. Their claim appears to be untrue, because there is no record that Jacob made any such statement. But the rabbis justify the brothers' fabrication,"mi'pnei darkei shalom," that is, an individual can sometimes make statements that are untrue in order to "maintain the peace."  

Joseph reassures his brothers, saying "Am I in God's place?" The Midrash notes that these same words were said by Jacob many years before when his wife Rachel told him of her distress at not having children. On that occasion, Jacob was acting harshly in not sympathizing with Rachel. Now, Rachel's son, Joseph, was using these same words gently, in forgiving his brothers, Jacob's descendants. 

In the Song of Songs (8:1), the beloved says "If only you could be like a brother to me." The Midrash is surprised at these words, for the story of the Bible is the story  of brothers hating one another: Cain and Abel, Esau and Jacob. The Midrash responds that the reference is to Joseph and his brothers -- specifically, to Joseph forgiving his brothers, despite their hateful conduct. 

The Book of Bereshit ends, the Congregation stands up and says "Chazak, Chazak, V’Nischazek,” "Be strong, be strong, and let us make ourselves strong." These words are substantially taken from the Second Book of Samuel and are uttered by the soldiers of David, in anticipation of their war against the Ammonites (2 Samuel, 10:12). 

 "Let us be strong and make ourselves strong for the sake of our people and our country."  

The importance of making oneself strong is iterated in this week's Haftorah, which contain King David's last words to his son Solomon, who is to become king, "Be strong and show yourself to be a man." (1 Kings, 2:2).  Similarly, in Dvorim, 31:7, Moses  speaks to Joshua, who is to become leader, and does so in front of the people of Israel, saying: "Chizku V'Imtzu…" "Be strong and resolute... Be not in fear or dread of them."

Haftorah Video, by Hal Brodsky z"l

A video about this week's Haftorah can be viewed here.

Upcoming Events and Weekly Schedule

To view and register for upcoming events and weekly schedule, visit our website's online calendar. 

Lifecycles

Support our community and its members by making a donation dedicated in honor of (IHO) or in memory of (IMO) a  loved one.

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November 2018 Donations to Ohev Sholom - The National Synagogue®

General Gifts and Donations
Naomi & David Balto
Norman Blaustein
Aliza Levine & Eric Brown
Harris Cohen
Sharon Hanopole
Rae Ringel & Amos Hochstein
Sarah Levine & Hylton Joffe
Ariel Levine & Barry Klein
Doreen Kreger
Chani & Steven Laufer
Chani Bloom & Nathan Lesser
Dora & Joshua Levin
Rachel & James Loeffler
Susan & Donald Lubick
Seth Mandel
Miriam Achtenberg & Michael Morse
Jorian Polis
Nicole Goldstein & Franklin Rubinstein
Pesha Rubinstein
Alisa & Daniel Schwartz
Sarah Gershman & Daniel Silverberg
Sunflower Bakery
Cheryl & Daniel Troy
Verizon Foundation

Taste of Ohev Kosher Supper Club
Helene Reisler

Meal Sponsorship
Rhanni & Shmuel Herzfeld
Chani & Steven Laufer
Aliza Sperling & Joshua Milner
 
Torah Project
Deborah & Michael Kopp
James Lando
Avril & Michael Weisman

Annual Giving Plan

Anne & Ronald Abramson
Leone & Tony Abroms
Naomi & David Balto
Kira Epstein Begal & Bill Begal
Naomi Brodsky
Aliza Levine & Eric Brown
Sandra & Jeffrey Burt
Belle Davis
Ellen Epstein
Shaw & Thomas Fodor
Ruth & Yoni Friedman
David & Danielle Frum
Laurie & Carl Gershman
Katie Schenk & Dov Grossman
Rhanni & Shmuel Herzfeld
Daphna Berman & Moshe Horowitz
Francesca & Joshua Kranzberg
Lucy & David Kurtzer-Ellenbogen
Wendy & Desmond Lachman
Chani & Steven Laufer
Chani Bloom & Nathan Lesser
Sharon & Steven Lieberman
Rachel & James Loeffler
Carol & Joseph Low
Lea & Jeffrey Mendelsohn
Miriam Achtenberg & Michael Morse
Leora Klapper & Jerome Netter
Ahuva & Aaron Orlofsky
Mona Charen & Robert Parker
Rebecca & Matt Price
Arielle & Yaakov Roth
Rachel & Baruch Roth
Jessica & Justin Rubin
Nicole Goldstein & Franklin Rubinstein
Jill & Thomas Sacks
Micah Salb
Jennifer Geetter & Joshua Segal
Sarah Gershman & Daniel Silverberg
Thera & Samuel Swersky
Cheryl & Daniel Troy
Avril & Michael Weisman
Andrea & Ariel Wolf
Tamar & Reuven Zakheim
Anonymous (3)

In Honor of
Naomi Brodsky in honor of Milo & Lucas Lutzky’s b’nai mitzvah
Naomi Brodsky in honor of the marriage of Tyler Herman & Sarah Conte
Belle Davis in honor of Milo & Lucas Lutzky’s b’nai mitzvah
Shari Kleiner & Jacob Einhorn in gratitude for Rabbi Herzfeld’s bar mitzvah preparation with Joshua
Tracy Akner & Simon Firestone in honor of the
Adele & Jonathan Gershater in honor of Gil Yehuda for his friendship and mentoring
Helene Reisler in honor of Moses Glassman’s bar mitzvah
Jill & Thomas Sacks in honor of Rabbi Herzfeld’s Torah writing and the spirituality that he is sharing

In Memory of/Yahrzeit
​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Raymond Band in memory of Fruma Berger
Fani & Dan Brandenburg in memory of Sol Brown
Marda Brown in memory of M. Harvey Brown
Shoshana & Stephen Bryen in memory of Bernard Silver
Belle Davis in memory of Rosa Rabinovitz, mother of Dina Leener
Florence & Henry Einhorn in memory of Florence Farber Einhorn
Ellen & David Feinsilber in memory of Helen Belitsky, sister of Rabbi Ben Mintz
Nina & Raymond Foer in memory of Benjamin Foer
Alan Gordon in memory of Fannie Gordon
Adele & Leonard Green in memory of Tami White
Sheila & Herbert Grossman in memory of Morris Neustadt
Annette Jolles in memory of Linda Aronstein
Betty Jordan in memory of Samuel Zaritsky
Rita Lehr in memory of Solomon Bass
Agnes & Alan Leshner in memory of Saul Leshner and Joli Winkler
Judith Levine in memory of Arnold Garfinkel
Zev Lewis in memory of Phillip S. Lewis
Helene Reisler in memory of Leah Balinsky, grandmother of Maharat Ruth Balinsky Friedman
Jill & Thomas Sacks in memory of Rosa Rabinovitz, mother of Dina Leener
Robin & Daniel Shapiro in memory of Selma Greenhouse and Hyman Shapiro
Leslie Silverstone in memory of Philip Silverstone
Maryanna Smith in memory of Rose Spiro
Ann Sterling in memory of Louis Luck Goldberg
Elaine & Sidney Waldstreicher in memory of Morris Neustadt
Avril & Michael Weisman in memory of Helen Balitsky, sister of Rabbi Ben Mintz
Ann & Stephan Werner in memory of D. Werner

Don't see a donation listed? If you believe a gift was omitted, please contact our office (202) 882-7225 or info@ostns.org. We will never list gift amounts in this email.

Contact Us

Synagogue Office
info@ostns.org
(202) 882-7225
Sarah Shapiro, Executive Director
Sarah.Shapiro@ostns.org
(202) 882-7225, ext. 103
Rabbi Shmuel Herzfeld
RabbiShmuel@ostns.org
(202) 812-8900 
Maharat Ruth Balinsky Friedman
MaharatRuth@ostns.org
(202) 882-7225, ext. 107
Stacey Watson, Director of Engagement
Stacey.Watson@ostns.org
(202) 882-7225, ext. 102
Lisa Redisch, Director of Youth & Family Programs
youth@ostns.org
(202) 882-7225, ext. 105
Board of Directors
board@ostns.org
Hospitality & Welcome Committee
BeOurGuest@ostns.org
Mikvah Chaim
mikvahchaim.org
attendant@mikvahchaim.org
Cemetery Information
cemetery@ostns.org
​​​​​​​(202) 882-7225