Thursday, May 25, 2017

What Keeps You Up At Night?

SHAVUOS DINNER BOOKINGS CLOSING CLICK HERE

Question of the Week:
 
I am from a somewhat traditional Jewish family, and yet the festival of Shavuos is completely unknown to us. We always had Seder on Pesach and fasted on Yom Kippur, but we never did anything to celebrate the giving of the Torah. All my friends did the same. I would have thought that this would be an important event to commemorate. So why is Shavuos the forgotten festival?
 
Answer:
 
The reason why Shavuos is the least celebrated Jewish festival is a startling one. It is the least demanding. The easier the festival, the less it is observed.
 
The most difficult festival to observe is Yom Kippur, on which we abstain from food and drink altogether and pray all day. And yet, this rather grueling holyday is the most widely observed. The easiest festival to observe is Shavuos. All that is expected of us is to have a day of rest and eat lots of cheesecake. How hard can that be? And this pleasurable festival is the most neglected.
 
There's a surprising lesson there. We value things that require effort. If something comes too easy, it is taken lightly. But if it's demanding, it is more compelling. A tough diet will be taken seriously. A difficult work project will be given more attention. We invest ourselves where we feel what we are doing actually matters. When we are given serious responsibilities we step up to the role.
 
You would expect the opposite to be true. Indeed, there have been well meaning voices in Jewish history that have suggested that the best way to stem the tide of assimilation is by easing the laws of Judaism to make it more appealing. It makes sense. Lower the bar, lighten the burden, and people will be more willing to stay Jewish. But the result was the opposite. The Jewish movements that demanded less from their constituents have more often than not been a gateway out of Judaism rather than a way in. Quite simply, if Judaism asks nothing of me, then that's what Judaism will get.
 
We don't need to dilute Judaism to make it attractive. We just need to make it accessible. Jewish souls are thirsting for a Judaism that will ask something of them, demand their allegiance to a higher cause, stretch their minds to think deeper, challenge them to live with a sense of purpose and mission.
 
Perhaps this is one reason why the kabbalists introduced the custom of staying awake all night on Shavuos. Just eating cheesecake was too easy. Let's ask ourselves to give something up on Shavuos to show that it really matters to us. Fluffy Judaism is a tranquilliser. A demanding Judaism keeps us wide awake. 

Good Shabbos,
Rabbi Moss


BOOKINGS CLOSE TODAY CLICK HERE TO BOOK NOW








 SHABBAT SERVICES TIMES AND COMMUNITY INFO 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Friday, 26 May, 2017 | 1 Sivan 5777
Candle Lighting....................... 4:38pm  
Mincha................................... 4:50pm
Making Sense of the Siddur
(a class with Rabbi Moss).......... 5:30-6:00pm
Friday Evening Service.............. 6:00pm
Followed by Kiddush.
 
Shabbos, 27 May, 2017 | 2 Sivan 5777
In depth Parsha Class............... 9:00am
Children's program................. 10:45am
Shabbos Morning Service ........ 10:00am- 12:20pm 
Kiddush sponsored by Rabbi Zalman & Rivka Leah (nee Cylich) Popack on the occassion of their wedding- Mazal Tov!
 
Mincha with Pirkei Ovos Ch 6
followed by Seudah Shlishis ..............   4:30pm
Gematria and story by Rev Amzalak....... 4:55pm
Shiur with Rabbi Moss......................... 5:15pm
Shabbos ends and Maariv.................... 5:36pm
Followed by Havdalah
 
WEEKDAY SHACHARIS SERVICES
Sunday................................. 8:00am
Mon, Tues & Fri...................... 7:00am
Latest Shema this week............ 9:17am


SHAVUOS TIMES 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tuesday 30 May
Candle Lighting .................. 4:37pm
Mincha................................4:45pm
Shavuos Evening Service...... 5:30pm
Catered Dairy Dinner- BOOKINGS ESSENTIAL... 6pm
All Night Learning.......... 9:00pm-5:00am
 
Wednesday 31 May | 6 Sivan
Shavuos, Day 1
Morning Service.....................10:00 am
Reading 10 Commandments 
and Ice Cream Party .............. 10:30 am
Followed by Dairy kiddush!
Early Mincha after Kiddush
KIDS TEN COMMANDMENTS READING AND ICE CREAM PARTY WITH JEMS 4-5pm
Candle Lighting...................after 5:35 pm
Shavuos Evening Service............. 5:35 pm
 
Thursday 1 June | 7 Sivan
Shavuos, Day 2
Morning Service.....................10:00am
Yizkor-Memorial Service..........11:00am
Followed by Kiddush
Mincha...................................4:45 pm
Shavuos ends & Maariv.............5:35 pm

 
MAZEL TOV TO
Reverend and Mrs Amzalak on the engagement of their granddaughter Nechama Moskowitz (Ukraine) to Mendel Levitin (Israel)!
 
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO
Sabrina Tsipris...... 2 Sivan/ Saturday 27 May
Lilah Hedges......... 5 Sivan/ Tuesday 30 May
Wayne Kaplan....... 6 Sivan/ Wednesday 31 May
 
LONG LIFE TO
Mrs Amzalak for her late father Moshe Tuvia ben Abraham Aaron 2 Sivan/ Sat 27 May
Eric Borecki for his late brother David Borecki, David Ben Osher 4 Sivan/ Mon 29 May
Gabor Palanszky for his late sister-in-law Georgina Palansky,
Georgina Bat David....... 5 Sivan/ Tuesday 30 May
Judi Berman for her late grandfather Hyman (Ray) Segal 
Chaim ben Leib... 6 Sivan/ Wednesday 31 May
Martine Springer for her late grandfather Hyman (Ray) Segal
Chaim ben Leib... 6 Sivan/ Wednesday 31 May
Richelle Goldshaft and Robert Goldshaft for their late father and grandfather Leon Israel Rosenthal, Leib Yisrael ben Shmuel 7 Sivan/ Thursday 1 June
Mark Gindin & Faina Strier for their late father Ilya Gindin
Eliyahu ben Mordechai... 7 Sivan/ Thursday 1 June
Rosalie Cohen, Gilda Cohen-Shapira and Lee-Anne Whitten for their late husband, brother and father Edward Cohen, Tuvia ben Moshe      8 Sivan/ Friday 2 June
Nicholas Levy for his late grandmother Ruby Levy
Rifka bas Daniel... 8 Sivan/ Friday 2 June


KIDDUSH SPONSORSHIP
If you have a birthday, yorzheit, special occasion or just because, we'd love you to sponsor a kiddush. Just tell us the date and kiddush type you'd like and we look after the rest.

CURRENT DATES AVAILABLE
 
First Day Shavuos 31 May CHEESECAKES, BLINTZES AND SALAD BAR

HELP US FUEL THE SHAVUOS FUN
-          Sponsor an hour of learning (+coffee, red bull and cake) in honour of someone or something $45
-          Sponsor the whole night of learning (+hot drink and snack bar) in honour of someone or something $360
-          Kids ice cream truck cosponsor $50 (SOLD)
-          Cheesecake sponsor $54
-          Cosponsor dairy kiddush $180 (3 more neeeded) 

Friday night 2 June
Shabbos Day 3 June

Friday night 9 June

FRIDAY NIGHT KIDDUSH OPTIONS
Herring & L'Chaim-$60 + B.Y.O Whisky
HOT Soup kiddush- $75 | Basic Kiddush - $100  
Deluxe Kiddush - $180

SHABBOS DAY KIDDUSH OPTIONS
Herring & L'Chaim- $90 + B.Y.O Whisky  
Standard Kiddush - $300
  
Simply email office@nefesh.com.au 
 
For special or larger kiddushim, we recommend you engage an external kosher caterer to provide all the food, drinks and disposables. Just email the office for assistance with this option.  

Nefesh Shul, 54 Roscoe Street, Bondi Beach, NSW 2026 Australia
Sent by rabbimoss@nefesh.com.au in collaboration with
Constant Contact

Thursday, May 18, 2017

Must I Convert to My Own Religion?

WE NEED THREE MORE TABLES of 8 FOR TRIVIA NIGHT - and one table needs 2 players - see below and BOOK NOW

Question of the Week:

I have to admit, I am angry. I was brought up Jewish, attended a Jewish school, and have only known Judaism as my religion. Now I am told I have to convert, because my mother never formally became Jewish. Isn't it a little unfair that all my life I was more Jewish than my friends, was subjected to anti-Semitism, and then I am told I need to convert?
 
Answer:
 
I completely understand your frustration. It can't be easy to hear that you need to convert to your own religion. But please don't take it personally. This is not a reflection on you. The entire Jewish nation went through exactly what you are going through now.
 
After leaving Egypt, where they suffered as slaves and were tormented for being Jewish, the Israelites reached Mount Sinai. There they were told they had to formally accept the Torah, and convert to Judaism by immersing in a mikvah.
 
They could've had the same complaint as yours. We've always been Jewish, we have even suffered for it, and now we're told we need to become Jewish.
 
Indeed they were already Jewish in the ethnic sense, but they had not yet become Jewish in the religious sense. They were born into the Jewish clan, but they had not yet committed to the Jewish mission. Only by sincerely accepting the Torah did they take on the complete Jewish identity in body and soul.
 
The Israelites of old had a moment of truth. Am I ready to stand before G-d and commit myself to being Jewish? Not just for a day or a week or a year. Not just for my lifetime. For generations. And they said yes.
 
That power of that moment still reverberates to this day. All Jews alive today are descended from a mother who converted to Judaism, who took that plunge, either at Mount Sinai or sometime since then.
 
Now you have your moment of truth. You can be culturally and ethnically Jewish, as you already are. Or you can stand at your own Sinai and say yes to G-d.
 
Put aside the emotion and take this decision seriously. If you don't go ahead, you leave things hanging for your children and theirs. But if you do it, your commitment is forever, for all generations, once and for all.
 
Good Shabbos,
Rabbi Moss
 
Sources: See Exodus 19:10, Rambam Hilchos Issurei Biah 13

To subscribe CLICK HERE or email rabbimoss@nefesh.com.au 

CLICK HERE TO BOOK NOW









 SHABBAT SERVICES TIMES AND COMMUNITY INFO 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Friday, 19 May, 2017 | 23 Iyar 5777
Candle Lighting....................... 4:42pm  
Mincha................................... 4:50pm
Making Sense of the Siddur
(a class with Rabbi Moss)......... 5:30pm
Friday Evening Service............. 6:00pm
Followed by Kiddush.
 
Shabbos, 20 May, 2017 | 24 Iyar 5777
In depth Parsha Class.............. 9:00am
Children's program................. 10:45am
Shabbos Morning Service ........ 10:00am- 12:20pm 
Kiddush sponsored by t
he Barukh, Epstein and Caustill families in honour of the Yarzheit of their late mother, 
Esther Malka bas Yaacov on 24 Iyar- Long Life
.
 
L'Chaim in honour of the birth and naming of Danny and Samantha Meguideche's baby girl - Mazal Tov!
 
Mincha with Pirkei Ovos Ch 5
followed by Seudah Shlishis .................   4:35pm
Gematria and story by Rev Amzalak.......... 5:00pm
Shiur with Rabbi Moss........................... 5:20pm
Shabbos ends and Maariv....................... 5:39pm
Followed by Havdalah
 
WEEKDAY SHACHARIS SERVICES
Sunday.......................... 8:00am
Mon- Fri......................... 7:00am
Latest Shema this week.... 9:15am
 
NEW MOON/ MOLAD  
THURSDAY 25 MAY 8:32:12PM
ROSH CHODESH SIVAN FRIDAY 26 MAY
 
MAZAL TOV TO
Danny and Samantha Meguideche on the birth of a baby girl!
 
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO
Andrew Whitten........25 Iyar/ Sunday 21 May
Peter Goldshaft........ 28 Iyar/ Wednesday 24 May
 
LONG LIFE TO
Moshe Moses and Adee Moses for their late mother Matilda Moses
Masouda bat Toba..................... 25 Iyar/ Sunday 21 May
Lesley Judelman for his late brother David Ivan Steinhard
Itzchak Dovid ben Zalman .......... 1 Sivan/ Friday 26 May


KIDDUSH SPONSORSHIP
If you have a birthday, yorzheit, special occasion or just because, we'd love you to sponsor a kiddush. Just tell us the date and kiddush type you'd like and we look after the rest.

CURRENT DATES AVAILABLE
Friday Night 26 May
 
First Day Shavuos 31 May CHEESECAKES, BLINTZES AND SALAD BAR
 
Friday night 2 June
Shabbos Day 3 June
 
FRIDAY NIGHT KIDDUSH OPTIONS
Herring & L'Chaim-$60 + B.Y.O Whisky
HOT Soup kiddush- $75 | Basic Kiddush - $100  
Deluxe Kiddush - $180

SHABBOS DAY KIDDUSH OPTIONS
Herring & L'Chaim- $90 + B.Y.O Whisky  
Standard Kiddush - $300
  
Simply email office@nefesh.com.au 
 
For special or larger kiddushim, we recommend you engage an external kosher caterer to provide all the food, drinks and disposables. Just email the office for assistance with this option.  

Nefesh Shul, 54 Roscoe Street, Bondi Beach, NSW 2026 Australia
Sent by rabbimoss@nefesh.com.au in collaboration with
Constant Contact

Thursday, May 11, 2017

Should Jews Be Invisible?

KEEP QUIET trailer - showing next Saturday night, book below
KEEP QUIET trailer - showing next Saturday night, book below

Question of the Week:

What is the Lag Baomer Parade about?
 
Answer:
 
The first Lag Baomer Parade was in New York in 1953. And it shook the Jewish world.
 
This was just a few short years after the war. In those times, many Jews lived by the saying, "incognito ergo sum" - we can only survive as Jews if we keep our Jewishness to ourselves. A public display of Judaism was asking for trouble. Lie low, don't make waves, keep your head down and try to blend in as best you can.
 
Jews went to great lengths to hide their Jewishness. A kippa would never be worn in public. Mezuzas had to be almost invisible if there at all. Jewish names were changed to sound less Jewish, and you wouldn't dare speak Yiddish in the street.
 
But it didn't work. Even if Chaim Greenstein changed his name to Hank Goyishman, he still wasn't allowed to join the country club. Everyone saw right through it.
 
This culture of hiding was an understandable reaction to the horrors of the Holocaust. But it only perpetuated the damage. The next generation learnt that Jewishness is a badge of shame, and many opted not to wear that badge altogether, leaving the Jewish fold.
 
Along came the Rebbe, himself a survivor, with a radically different response. He taught that we will only be respected if we respect ourselves. And that means being proud of who we are regardless of what anyone else thinks. This approach is epitomized by the Lag Baomer Parade - Jewish children taking to the streets and marching in pride, waving banners promoting mitzvah observance and celebrating being Jewish, publically and for all to see. The Rebbe's answer to defensive and self-conscious Judaism was to offer another version that was open, positive and unapologetic. And it worked.
 
Thousands of children have marched in hundreds of Lag Baomer Parades since that first one. And no child will ever forget the life-changing feeling of singing through the streets wearing our Judaism on our sleeves, waving happily to passers by. We don't need to hide anymore. The haters will hate, but we don't. We love being Jewish, and we are not afraid to say it. There is no greater victory of our people than that.
 
Good Shabbos,
Rabbi Moss
 
Join us at the Lag Baomer Parade this Sunday (see below) or find one near you
 


CLICK HERE TO BOOK NOW





SHABBAT SERVICES TIMES AND COMMUNITY INFO 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Friday, 12 May, 2017 | 16 Iyar 5777
Candle Lighting.................. 4:47pm  
Mincha.............................. 5:00pm
Making Sense of the Siddur 
(a class with Rabbi Moss) ...  5:30-6:00pm
Friday Evening Service......... 6:00pm
Kiddush sponsored in memory of Suzy Raymond, for Mother's Day.
 
Shabbos, 13 May, 2017 | 17 Iyar 5777
In depth Parsha Class......... 9:00am
Children's program............ 10:45am
Shabbos Morning Service ... 10:00am- 12:20pm 
Kiddush sponsored by Steven Clemans in honour of the yortzheit of his father, Julian Clemans, Yaakov ben Moshe on 20 Iyar- Long Life.
 
Mincha with Pirkei Ovos Ch 4
followed by Seudah Shlishis .................   4:40pm
Gematria and story by Rev Amzalak.......... 5:05pm
Shiur with Rabbi Moss............................ 5:25pm
Shabbos ends and Maariv....................... 5:43pm
Followed by Havdalah
 
WEEKDAY SHACHARIS SERVICES
Sunday............................. 8:00am
Mon- Fri............................ 7:00am
Latest Shema this week....... 9:12am
 
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO
Eitan Meguideche................... 17 Iyar/ Saturday 13 May
Avishai Kessel........................ 18 Iyar/ Sunday 14 May
Jonathan Shapira.................... 22 Iyar/ Thursday 18 May
 
LONG LIFE TO
Alex Bartos for his late mother
Rachel Bat Avraham............... 15 Iyar/ Thursday 11 May
Carol Melman her late brother Brian Shapiro
Baruch ben Aaron.................. 18 Iyar/ Sunday 14 May
Mrs Amzalak for her late mother Bracha bat Moshe ...18 Iyar/ Sunday 14 May
Fiona, Wayne and Tami Kaplan for their late husband and father Alan Kaplan 19 Iyar/ Monday 15 May
Steven Clemans for his late father Julian Clemans Yaakov ben Moshe 20 Iyar/ Tuesday 16 May

KIDDUSH SPONSORSHIP
If you have a birthday, yorzheit, special occasion or just because, we'd love you to sponsor a kiddush. Just tell us the date and kiddush type you'd like and we look after the rest.

CURRENT DATES AVAILABLE
Friday Night 19 May
Friday Night 26 May
Shavuos 30 May-1 June (details to come)
 
FRIDAY NIGHT KIDDUSH OPTIONS
Herring & L'Chaim-$60 + B.Y.O Whisky
HOT Soup kiddush- $75 | Basic Kiddush - $100  
Deluxe Kiddush - $180

SHABBOS DAY KIDDUSH OPTIONS
Herring & L'Chaim- $90 + B.Y.O Whisky  
Standard Kiddush - $300
  
Simply email office@nefesh.com.au 
 
For special or larger kiddushim, we recommend you engage an external kosher caterer to provide all the food, drinks and disposables. Just email the office for assistance with this option.  


Nefesh Shul, 54 Roscoe Street, Bondi Beach, NSW 2026 Australia
Sent by rabbimoss@nefesh.com.au in collaboration with
Constant Contact