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e President, Robert Hershan, on behalf of the Board and staff of Temple Beth Israel welcomes you to our community. SHABBAT 28 - 29 November 2014 / 7 Kislev 5775 Weekly KOL YISRAEL KABBALAT SHABBAT SERVICE MAIN SYNAGOGUE 6.15pm Friday Night Shabbat Service Board members: Robert Hershan Shammash: Debra Star Music: Cantor Michel Laloum, with Josh Nezon and Sarah Edelstein Baby naming: Harlow Ashleigh Pastor SHABBAT PARASHAT VAYEITZEI Parashah: Genesis 30:14 – 31:19 (page 202) Haftarah: Hosea 12:13 – 14:10 (page 344) In Vayeitzei this week’s parashah, Jacob leaves Beersheva and heads to Haran. ere he puts a stone on the ground, goes to sleep and dreams. He dreams that angels are ascending and descending a ladder from heaven. When Jacob awakens, he realises that God’s presence was with him and so anoints the stone and makes it holy. is holy place is named Beth El. Angels appear with some frequency in Jewish lure. Within Judaism angels are depicted as benevolent celestial beings who often act as intermediaries between heaven and earth. ey may also be guardian spirits, serve as a guide, or carry out God’s tasks and message. e Hebrew term for an angel is a malach, or malach Elohim. Malach means messenger and is connected to the Hebrew root ‘to send’. Malachim are usually sent on a journey and often take human form with the mission and message from God. For example, messengers were sent to Abraham to tell him that Sarah would conceive (Gen. 18:4-8). Angels are also the messengers of destruction, warning Lot and his family to flee from Sodom, the place God is about to destroy (Gen. 19). Jacob too struggled with an angel (Gen. 32:22- 32). Only four angels are named in the Tanach. Michael is the angel of mercy; Gabriel the angel of justice; Raphael the angel of healing; and Uriel the angel of light. If we recite the prayer before going to sleep we would recite: “In the name of Adonai , the God of Israel, may Michael be at my right hand; Gabriel at my left; Uriel before me; Raphael behind me; and the Shechinah (Presence) of God be above my head.” While angels are no longer evident in recent Jewish history, I believe that angels are present in our daily lives. As I mentioned, the role of angels were to bring God’s message – within that, I believe the messages have been comforting, inspiring and necessary. Like, for many things, we must open our eyes to find them, and to see them, and our hearts to experience their presence. Today, they may not be celestial beings, but they are certainly godly. ey are you and me, they are our children, our parents, our loved ones, they are the people working quietly and often behind the scenes to make the lives of others better, or easier, or meaningful, and inspire others. ey are B’tzelem Elohim, made in God’s image. e angels, the malachim in our lives today are the ones who do not seek attention or recognition for their efforts. Having just returned from the UPJ Biennial in Adelaide, I felt inspired by the people around me. I was surrounded by angels; these angels were individuals working tirelessly and selflessly for the development and the future of Progressive Judaism in our region. For four days we studied together, we prayed together, we ate together and we schmoozed with each other. At times, the learning was not in the presentations, although, these were fantastic, the learning was in the conversations over coffee. In these coffee moments, I learnt about people’s passion, their work and what is truly important to them. ey are inspiring, they are learned and they believe in what we are all doing, together, to build and strengthen Progressive Judaism in our region. What a blessing to have such angels in our midst. BY RABBI KIM ETTLINGER, TEMPLE BETH ISRAEL DRASH FOR SHABBAT VAYEITZEI SHABBAT SHACHARIT FRIEDLANDER SYNAGOGUE 9.45am Gesher Service MAIN SYNAGOGUE 10am Saturday Morning Shabbat Service Board members: Robert Hershan, Rysia Rozen OAM and Joanne Loewy Irons Shammashim: Eve Stupel, and Chris and Graeme Smith Music: Cantor Michel Laloum accompanied by Joe Stupel Torah readers: Cantor Michel Laloum Kiddush: Kindly sponsored by Sandy Benjamin Bring your chanukiyah, your friends and family and celebrate the Festival of Lights with us.We will light the candles together in a short service followed by Chanukah songs and delicious donuts. Chag Chanukah Sameach! Saturday 6 December 10am Volunteers Shabbat Honouring those who give up their time for our community Lighting of 1001 Chanukiyot Join us for the Friday 19 December 6.15pm
