Can Intermarriage be a Good Thing?

Purim celebrations start tomorrow night

CLICK FLYER TO BOOK NOW Question of the Week:     I have always felt an affinity to Queen Esther from the Purim story. Just like me, she married a non-Jew. And because of it she saved the Jewish people. Isn't the message that intermarriage can be good for the Jews?   Answer:   Esther is a tragic hero. Unlike the common misconception, she was not happy to be queen. She was dragged away from her family and people, against her will, and forced to marry a grotesque and uncouth tyrant, the king of Persia, Achashverosh.   This was no romantic courtship. Having executed his previous queen for not obeying his wishes, Achashverosh ordered that every woman in the kingdom present herself before him. Esther, a sweet Jewish girl, was deemed the most beautiful candidate, and so she was taken to the king's palace. She had no choice. To resist meant death.   When an evil decree was made to annihilate the Jewish nation throughout the kingdom, Esther used her position to beg for the salvation of her people. She succeeded, and from there we have the festival of Purim. But there was no happy ending for her. The Jews celebrated their victory in the streets, but Esther was stuck in the palace. She remained chained to her despotic husband till the end.   Esther is not a model of intermarriage. She had no choice. But if you would like to take a lesson from Esther's life, perhaps it is this: Being married to a non-Jew in no way diminishes your responsibility to your people. Esther's marital situation was never used as an excuse for her to weaken her ties to Judaism. She kept kosher, she kept Shabbos, and she remained a loyal Jew her entire life.   A Jew, no matter how far they think they have strayed, remains a Jew. All the tasks and obligations expected of a Jew apply to you. The fact that you don't observe one law - the law forbidding intermarriage - does not exempt you from observing all the others. And it does not take away your essential identity. You are a Jew and always will be.   Intermarriage almost always leads to a weakening of Jewish connection, and that is never good for the Jews. But Esther was good for the Jews, because despite her circumstances, she never gave up her Jewishness, and did her part for her people. You can too.   Good Shabbos and Happy Purim, Rabbi Moss   To subscribe CLICK HERE or email rabbimoss@nefesh.com.au  AUDIO CLASSES: Why Did Mordechai Tell Esther to Hide Her Jewishness? A Purim Party that went wrong...or did it? BOOKINGS CLOSED SHABBAT SERVICES TIMES AND COMMUNITY INFO ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Friday, 10 March, 2017 | 12 Adar 5777 Candle Lighting............ 7:02 pm (*Earliest 6:05pm)   Mincha........................ 6:10 pm Friday Evening Service... 6:30 pm Followed by Kiddush Shabbos, 11 March, 2017 |13 Adar 5777 Chassidus Class................ 9:00 am Children's program........... 11:00am Shabbos Morning Service..  10:00am- 12:20pm  VERY IMPORTANT Torah reading: Parshas Zachor remembering Amalek, it is a mitzvah for all to hear this reading 11am this Shabbos   Followed by Kiddush sponsored by Israel Barukh in honour of the yartzeit of his father Moshe Barukh- Long Life. Early Mincha after Kiddush ...1:35 pm  Shabbos ends....... 7:56 pm SAY "BARUCH HAMAVDIL BEN CHODESH LECHOL" and then you can do weekday activities Maariv & Megillah Reading (in fancy dress).....8:30 pm   Purim Day Sunday 12 March, 2017 | 14 Adar Shachris and Megillah reading ..........8:00 am Second Megillah reading.................10:00 am Kid Friendly Megillah reading at Purim Playland............................11:30am Late Megillah reading ........... ..........6:00 pm followed by Studio 54 Purim Party .....6:45 pm Purim L'Chaim sponsored by Jack Reuben in honour of his recent birthday- and dessert sponsored by the Kessel's in honour of Keshet's big birthday -  Mazal Tov!   WEEKDAY SHACHARIS SERVICES Mon- Fri................................. 7:00 am Latest Shema this week............ 9:55 am WEEKDAY CLASSES (No Monday Chassidus Class this week only) MAZEL TOV TO Gilda Cohen-Shapira on the birth of her granddaughter, born to Natalia Wise and Robert Beenstock, in London. Mazel tov to Gilda and Jon. Adam and Taryn Burland on the birth and bris of their son Ben.   HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO Vicki Lever............ 12 Adar/ Friday 10 March Lisa Peles.............. 12 Adar/ Friday 10 March Adam Ensly........... 13 Adar/ Saturday 11 March Keshet Kessel........ 14 Adar/ Sunday 12 March David Redelman..... 16 Adar/ Tuesday 14 March Ruth Cromer......... 17 Adar/ Wednesday 15 March Russell Klein......... 19 Adar/ Friday 17 March   HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO Leah & David Dennes...... 17 Adar/ Wednesday 15 March   LONG LIFE TO Paul Ereira for his late mother Ida Ereira, Ida Bas Mordechai....... 16 Adar/ Tuesday 14 March Elana Castle for her late grandfather David Freed David ben Micha........ 17 Adar /Wednesday 15 March CORRECTION Lior Freedman's birthday is 3 Av, not 2 Adar. We apologise for this mistake.

Nefesh Shul, 54 Roscoe Street, Bondi Beach, NSW 2026 Australia SafeUnsubscribe™ shmuly77d@gmail.com Forward email | Update Profile | About our service provider Sent by rabbimoss@nefesh.com.au in collaboration with Try it free today

"Do You Love Me?"

Purim Early Bird Ends Soon Book Now

Question of the Week:    I have come to shul a few times now and quite enjoy it, but I have an issue with some of the prayers. I feel like a liar saying things when I don't know if I believe in them. How can I exclaim, "love G-d with all your heart" when I am not sure He even exists?   Answer:   You have been married a few years now, and I am sure that you love your wife dearly. But have you ever woken up one morning with a sense that you've lost that loving feeling?   Perhaps after a moment of tension between you, or maybe you have been feeling down for other reasons, or for no apparent reason at all, you just feel that your heart is cold and the love you once felt has disappeared.   What if, just at that moment, your wife asked you, "Do you love me?"   What should you answer?   Should you be honest and say, "Well, I'm not sure. I don't feel it right now..."?   Not if you want to stay married.   You should tell her confidently and sincerely, "Of course I love you!" And that is not a lie. Because you do love her, it is just that the love is not manifest in your heart at that moment. It is there, it hasn't gone anywhere, but your heart is blocked, not allowing you to experience the loving feeling. Just because you don't feel the love doesn't mean that you are no longer in love. You are just going through a low patch as we all do from time to time, but the love is still there as it always was.   So it is perfectly honest to say "I love you", even at a moment when you don't feel it. And an amazing thing happens when you do. Your heart starts to melt. By mouthing the words "I love you", not because you felt like saying it, but because your wife needed to hear it, you have reached outside of yourself, bursting the bubble of self-absorption that is probably the cause of the blockage in the first place. Now you are open to feel again. It won't be long before the love starts flowing back, more powerful and passionate than ever.   The same applies to our relationship with G-d. Our soul is connected to G-d, because it is a part of Him. But we often don't feel that connection in our hearts, because we are spiritually blocked, our hearts are frozen to spirituality. The love is there, just like the soul is there, it is just not felt, not apparent.   We don't have to wait for those feelings to come in order to pray. It is the other way around, by saying the words of the prayers, even without feeling them, the layers of cynicism and doubt start to melt away and our connection to G-d comes to the surface.   So you can pray when you are not sure you believe it, just like you can tell your wife you love her even when you don't feel it. Because not so deep down, you really do.   Good Shabbos, Rabbi Moss To subscribe CLICK HERE or email rabbimoss@nefesh.com.au  PURIM EVENTS FILLING UP FAST CLICK FLYER TO BOOK NOW CLICK FLYER TO BOOK NOW SHABBAT SERVICES TIMES AND COMMUNITY INFO ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Friday, 3 March, 2017 | 5 Adar 5777 Candle Lighting.............. 7:11 pm (*Earliest 6:13pm)   Mincha......................... 6:10 pm Friday Evening Service.... 6:30 pm Kiddush sponsored by Lance and Liza Friedman in honour of their recent wedding anniversary- Mazal Tov! Shabbos, 4 March, 2017 |6 Adar 5777 Chassidus Class................................ 9:00 am Children's program........................... 11:00am Shabbos Morning Service .....10:00 am-12:20 pm Followed by Bris of Josh & Kelly Frank's son and Kiddush in honour of the Bris; and also in honour of the recent Wedding Anniversary of David & Janet Kessler- Mazal Tov to all!   Mincha followed by Seudah Shlishis ......   7:05 pm Gematria and story by Rev Amzalak......... 7:25pm Shabbos ends and Maariv...................... 8:05 pm Followed by Havdalah   WEEKDAY SHACHARIS SERVICES Sunday  .......................... 8:00 am Mon- Fri........................... 7:00 am Latest Shema this week...... 9:53 am   FAST OF ESTHER | THURSDAY 9 MARCH FAST BEGINS: 5:30AM FAST ENDS 7:47PM   WEEKDAY CLASSES Monday Chassidus............ 8:00-8:45am   MAZAL TOV TO The Pozniak and Lowy families on Doron & Jessica's wedding this Sunday Josh and Kelly Frank and extended Frank and Rosenberg families on the birth of their son and grandson   HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO Jack Reuben........... 6 Adar/ Saturday 4 March Doron Lever............ 6 Adar/ Saturday 4 March Shai Farhy............... 6 Adar/ Saturday 4 March Craig Deubler........... 8 Adar/ Monday 6 March Iliana Lavecky.......... 8 Adar/ Monday 6 March Yasmin Dabscheck.... 8 Adar/ Monday 6 March Lee-Anne  Whitten..... 9 Adar/ Tuesday 7 March Elana Castle............ 10 Adar/ Wednesday 8 March Daniel Lowinger........ 11 Adar/ Thursday 9 March Vicki Lever............... 12 Adar/ Friday 10 March Lisa Peles................ 12 Adar/ Friday 10 March   CONDOLENCES TO Allen Rosenberg and the extended Bernstein family on the passing of Fay Bernstein A"H   LONG LIFE TO Rev Amzalak for his late brother Chaim ben Yitzchak a"h....9 Adar/Wednesday 7 March Rosie Stern for her late father Elias Friedman............... 10 Adar/ Wednesday 8 March Leslie Tanchum for his late mother Esther Tanchum, Esther bat Hirsch Hillel........................................... 10 Adar/ Wednesday 8 March Les Regos for his late mother Mariska Regos, Miriam...... 13 Adar/ Saturday 11 March Donald Levy for his late father Noel David Levy Daniel Ben David..................................................... 13 Adar/ Saturday 11 March

Nefesh Shul, 54 Roscoe Street, Bondi Beach, NSW 2026 Australia SafeUnsubscribe™ shmuly77d@gmail.com Forward email | Update Profile | About our service provider Sent by rabbimoss@nefesh.com.au in collaboration with Try it free today

Is Academic Antisemitism Surprising?

Purim Early Bird Tickets Book Now

Question of the Week:   I am shocked by the resurgence of anti-Semitism in the world. When Jew-hatred comes from backward extremists and street mobs, it isn't so surprising. But when university educated, well-read westerners, who know history and have access to the facts, are able to demonize Israel and the Jewish people, something is wrong. Has the world gone mad?   Answer:   The academics who single out Israel for contempt are guilty of ignoring the facts. But those who are shocked by it are also guilty of ignoring the facts.   History has shown that being educated has nothing to do with being moral. Some of the most cultured people have also been the most evil.   The Holocaust was committed by men who appreciated classical music and read the works of great philosophers. From the very cradle of modern culture and enlightenment came the most barbarous attack against humanity the world has ever seen. The notion that evil stems from the ignorant masses, and the enlightened class are paragons of goodness is a simple myth.   Ideas have consequences. An education that teaches moral relativism, that there is no right and wrong, that there is no absolute truth and there is no G-d, is teaching moral confusion. And in a moral vacuum it is easy for the lowest of human impulses to take root. Civilized hatred is hatred nonetheless.   It is worth bearing this in mind when choosing an education for our children. Academics alone will not a mensch make. I want an institution that will not just sharpen my child's mind by teaching them to read and write, but will sharpen their moral character by teaching wrong from right.   Good Shabbos, Rabbi Moss To subscribe CLICK HERE or email rabbimoss@nefesh.com.au  CLICK FLYER TO BOOK NOW CLICK FLYER TO BOOK NOW SHABBAT SERVICES TIMES AND COMMUNITY INFO ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Friday, 24 February, 2017 | 28 Shevat 5777 Candle Lighting............. 7:20 pm (*Earliest 6:20pm)   Mincha........................ 6:10 pm Friday Evening Service... 6:30 pm Kiddush sponsored by Mark Van De Vyver in honour of Lior's birthday- Mazal Tov! Shabbos, 25 February, 2017 |29 Shevat 5777 Class: Parsha in-depth..............................9:00 am Children's program & Kids Kiddush sponsored Mark Van De Vyver in honour of Lior's birthday- Special birthday treats sponsored by the Gold family in honour of Amiell's 3rd birthday- Mazal Tov!...11:00am Shabbos Morning Service ................10:00 am-12:20 pm Followed by Kiddush in honour of the call up and wedding of Doron Pozniak and Jessica Lowy- Mazal Tov!   Mincha followed by Seudah Shlishis ....   7:15 pm Shabbos ends and Maariv.................... 8:15 pm Followed by Havdalah   WEEKDAY SHACHARIS SERVICES Sunday  ........................ 8:00 am Mon- Fri......................... 7:00 am Latest Shema this week.... 9:51 am   WEEKDAY CLASSES Monday Chassidus.......... 8:00-8:45am   NEW MOON | MOLAD | SUNDAY 26 FEB | 6:20:9AM ROSH CHODESH ADAR SUN-MON 26-27 FEB   MAZAL TOV TO Michael Lenn & Linda Sim on their recent wedding   HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO Aliya Eichenblatt.............. 30 Shvat/ Sunday 26 February Alexa Lavecky.................... 2 Adar/ Tuesday 28 February Lior Freedman.................. 2 Adar / Tuesday 28 February   LONG LIFE TO The Barukh family on the 6th yorztheit of Ewaz Barukh A"H... 29 Shevat Abie Greengarten for his late father Moshe Nachum Uri ben Yisroel Yoel...30 Shevat/ 26 February

Nefesh Shul, 54 Roscoe Street, Bondi Beach, NSW 2026 Australia SafeUnsubscribe™ shmuly77d@gmail.com Forward email | Update Profile | About our service provider Sent by rabbimoss@nefesh.com.au in collaboration with Try it free today