Shabboom! Weekly Announcements

Energize your week with Ohev Sholom                                       September 5, 2019

Shabbat Times and Announcements

Erev Shabbat, September 6 (Elul 6)
6:30a Shacharit
6:45p Kabbalat Shabbat
7:13p Candle Lighting

Shabbat, September 7: Shoftim (Elul 7)
9:15a Shacharit, with a Dvar Torah from Rabbi Dr. Joshua Golding
10:30a Shabbat Youth Groups
11:45a Kiddush Luncheon
12:30p Communal Layning Project
5:35p Daf Yomi
6:05p Chaim Fruchter's Shiur
6:35p Mincha, followed by Seudah Shlishit with a Shiur from Rabbi Golding
8:12p Havdalah

Upcoming Kiddush Schedule
9/14: Kiddush
9/21: Kiddush Luncheon sponsored by the Hochstein/Ringel family
9/28: No food served

This Shabbat, we are delighted to welcome Rabbi Dr. Joshua Golding as our Scholar-in-Residence. He will give the Shabbat morning Dvar Torah and speak at Seudah Shlishit, as well as give a talk on his book on Sunday at 9:30am (breakfast will be served).
Rabbi Dr. Golding is a professor of philosophy, specializing in Philosophy of Religion and Jewish Philosophy at Bellarmine University in Louisville, KY. His book, "The Jewish Spiritual Path: The Way of the Name," serves as both an extended commentary on Jewish prayer and an intellectually rigorous spiritual self-help book.

This week's Kiddush Luncheon is sponsored by Shari Kleiner & Jay Einhorn in memory of Jay’s mother, Florence Farber Einhorn z”l, on her first yahrzeit (Sunday, September 8/8 Elul).

Kiddush dessert is sponsored by Naomi & David Balto in honor of the anniversary of David's bar mitzvah.

This week's Seudah Shlishit is sponsored by Saul Weinreb in honor of his recent marriage to Barbara Boland. Mazel tov, Saul & Barbara!

Mazel tov to Ben & Harriet Mintz on the engagement of their grandson, Ariel, to Ashley Stern!

Mazel tov to Shira & Aaron Hollander on the birth of a baby girl!

Order from Sunflower Bakery and pickup at Ohev! Rosh Hashanah orders can be placed through Monday, September 23, for pickup at Ohev Thursday, September 26, 12:00pm-5:30pm. Order at sunflowerbakery.org and select "Northwest DC Ohev Sholom" as your pickup location.

Rabbi Herzfeld has written a graphic novel, illustrated by Yoni Limor, about writing the Torah! You can order The Making of a Torah Scroll here.

The communal leyning of our new Torah scroll will begin this Shabbat, following Kiddush Luncheon!

The schedule of readings is as follows:
Shabbat, September 7 after kiddush (Sefer Bereishit)
Sunday, September 8 after lecture (Sifrei Shemot and Vayikra)
Shabbat, September 14 after kiddush (Sefer Bamidbar)
Sunday, September 15 after shacharit (Sefer Devarim)

After the final reading next Sunday, join us for a parade and BBQ to welcome the new Torah!

DEADLINE: SEPTEMBER 15
for Yizkor messages, babysitting, and free communal meals!

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

This week's parsha, Shoftim (Judges), contains an array of laws covering a variety of subjects: governmental structure, laws of war, domestic relations and judicial procedure in criminal cases. In particular, the parsha instructs that the Jewish community, in selecting the King who will govern, must choose a person from within the Jewish community and not a "stranger." The King, in turn, may not have a multitude of wives, or horses (lehavdil), and he must keep a copy of the Torah with him and study its contents throughout his life so that he will not act "haughtily" toward the community.
 
Finally, the parsha presents the unusual law of the heifer with a broken neck (eglah arufa). If a murdered body is found between two towns, and the murderer not known, the elders of the closer town are required to bring the eglah arufa as a sacrifice, saying, "We did not shed this blood." The Rabbis explain that the elders are considered responsible because, they admit, when the victim came to the town, they failed to accord him hospitality, thus making him vulnerable to the criminal act.
 
HAFTORAH
The Haftorah is again from the Book of Isaiah (51:12-52:12): "How welcome on the mountain are the footsteps of the herald, proclaiming happiness and good fortune, announcing to Zion that God's Kingdom has arrived." (52:7)
 
PIRKEI AVOT Chapter 6, Mishna 6
If a person gives a report in the name of the person who gave the report to him or her, that person will bring redemption to the world. How do we know this? In the Book of Esther, we are told that Queen Esther told King Ahashveirosh of the plot against him "in the name of Mordechai" who gave the information to her. As a result, Mordechai won the favor of the King which led to the ultimate triumph over Haman.

Haftorah Video, by Hal Brodsky z"l

A video about the Haftorah can be found here: Isaiah 51:12-52:12

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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Contact Us

Synagogue Office
info@ostns.org
(202) 882-7225
Rabbi Shmuel Herzfeld
RabbiShmuel@ostns.org
(202) 812-8900 
Maharat Ruth Balinsky Friedman
MaharatRuth@ostns.org
(202) 882-7225, ext. 107
Monica Wolfe, Interim Executive Director
Monica.Wolfe@ostns.org
(202) 882-7225, etx. 103
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