27 Tishrei – October 29, 2016 Bereshit Rabbi Sean Gorman Steven Bloom, Synagogue Chairman Cantor Charles Weinberg Michele Axelrod, Society President Ritual Director, Larry Spring Steve Goldwasser, Ritual Chairman Carol Arshoff, Sisterhood President ANNOUNCEMENTS: The Congregational Kiddush will be held in the Brotherhood Room. We would like to recognize the following individuals/families who sponsored a breakfast for morning Minyan this past week. We appreciate your recognition of the strength of our Minyan group and the role they fill during our time of need: Larry Iskove Isaac and Harry Glowinsky Chairman’s Message: I would like to congratulate all of the nominees who have been selected for the 2017 Board of Governors and The Sick Benefit Society. There is much work to be done by these board members and your support, as committee members, would help to make their hard work and efforts more successful. Please consider volunteering on a committee or at events here at The Pride and support your Boards. Shabbat Shalom Steven Bloom Synagogue Chairman SERVICE TIMES Morning Service Evening Services Today 8:45 am 5:45 pm Sunday 9:00 am 6:30 pm Weekdays 7:30 am 6:30 pm Morning services on Tuesday and Wednesday, November 1st and 2nd will be at 7:15 a.m. WELCOME SHABBAT S H A L O M and good morning. Welcome to our synagogue, and we hope you have a meaningful and enjoyable experience. If you have any questions please ask any of the clergy, shul officials or members – we’d be pleased to help. At certain times during the service please try to avoid talking or moving around: when the ark is open, when the congregation is standing, and particularly during the private Amidah and the Kedushah at the beginning of the repetition of the Amidah. PLEASE turn off cell phones, pagers, and all similar devices. Use of electronic equipment is prohibited on synagogue property on the Sabbath. gabbaim Marty Risen, Jeffrey Sherman, Jack Steinmetz COME AND PARTICIPATE! Please consider coming to our weekday services – morning and/or evening – to help ensure we always have a minyan. SHABBAT MATTERS
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27 Tishrei – October 29, 2016
Bereshit
Rabbi Sean Gorman Steven Bloom, Synagogue Chairman
Cantor Charles Weinberg Michele Axelrod, Society President
Ritual Director, Larry Spring Steve Goldwasser, Ritual Chairman
Carol Arshoff, Sisterhood President
ANNOUNCEMENTS: The Congregational Kiddush will be held in the
Brotherhood Room.
We would like to recognize the following
individuals/families who sponsored a breakfast for
morning Minyan this past week. We appreciate your
recognition of the strength of our Minyan group and the
role they fill during our time of need:
Larry Iskove
Isaac and Harry Glowinsky
Chairman’s Message:
I would like to congratulate all of the nominees who
have been selected for the 2017 Board of Governors and
The Sick Benefit Society. There is much work to be
done by these board members and your support, as
committee members, would help to make their hard
work and efforts more successful. Please consider
volunteering on a committee or at events here at The
Pride and support your Boards. Shabbat Shalom Steven Bloom
Synagogue Chairman
SERVICE T IMES
Morning Service Evening Services
Today 8:45 am 5:45 pm
Sunday 9:00 am 6:30 pm
Weekdays 7:30 am 6:30 pm
Morning services on Tuesday and Wednesday,
November 1st and 2nd will be at 7:15 a.m.
WELCOME S H A B B A T S H A L O M and good morning.
Welcome to our synagogue, and we hope you have a
meaningful and enjoyable experience. If you have any
questions please ask any of the clergy, shul officials or
members – we’d be pleased to help. At certain times
during the service please try to avoid talking or
moving around: when the ark is open, when the
congregation is standing, and particularly during the
private Amidah and the Kedushah at the beginning of the
repetition of the Amidah.
PLEASE turn off cell phones, pagers, and all similar
devices. Use of electronic equipment is prohibited on
synagogue property on the Sabbath.
gabbaim
Marty Risen, Jeffrey Sherman, Jack Steinmetz
COME AND PARTICIPATE!
Please consider coming to our weekday services –
morning and/or evening – to help ensure we always
have a minyan.
SHABBAT MATTERS
1st Shabbat monthly
Prideofisraelshul.org
/shabbat-morning-
interactive-program
9:45 a.m. @ Ganz Chapel
See upcoming events
below
2nd Shabbat monthly
once a month
and connect with our people & traditions through learning;
Join Rav Sean Gorman & Rav Jennifer Gorman
Following Kiddush, approx 12:15
3rd Shabbat monthly
4th Shabbat monthly
Lively discussion of topics
of the day. Bring your questions.
Following Kiddush
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Notes on the book of Breishit One page before page 2
Torah reading Page 2
Haftarah Page 21
B’reishit bara Elohim eit hashamayim v’eit ha’aretz…
B’reishit, Elohim created the heavens and the earth. (Breishit 1:1)
Throughout history, scholars have asked, “Why does the Torah begin with a bet? Why not
begin with an aleph, as in the name of God?” It is a question to which there are many answers
and none.
Some examine the shape of the letter bet, open to the front, towards the rest of the Torah. The bet
encourages us to move forward, pushes us onward. It encourages us to focus on what the future brings
instead of looking back to what came before. It is an appropriate image for the start of a new year. We’ve
just spent a month examining the past, but trying to look to the future. At Simchat Torah we finished this
process reading Zot Habracha, and began anew. Today we simply look forward.
Others say the shape of the letter teaches us not to question what is above, below, and before. These are
beyond us. Of course, from Avraham until today, Jews have always questioned all these ideas.
A result of these ponderings is Jewish books rarely begin on page one. Most books have many pages
before they truly begin. The Hertz Chumash begins the Torah readings on page 2. The Etz Chayim
places B’reishit on page 3, as does the Plaut. The Jewish Publication Society Commentary begins on
page 3, although the Torah text does not appear until page 5.
Perhaps it is not a requirement, or even a suggestion not to examine that which comes before, but an
acknowledgement that, no matter where we start – whether our lives or our relationships, our studies or
our questions – there will always be something that comes before. So much of the past, whether we
question, examine, or wonder, will be beyond knowledge, memory, or understanding. Just like the
ineffable aleph, which is a guttural letter that makes no sound, what comes before, and at the moment of,
God’s creation is indefinable, inexpressible, and, at times, overwhelming.
And that is okay.
The Mishnah in Pirkei Avot teaches us that God created the world in 10
utterances.
In the genealogies later in the parashah, the only woman’s name listed is that of
Na’amah. Rabbinic tradition states that she is the spouse of Noach.
Shabbat shalom.
Rabbi Jennifer Gorman
PRIDE OF ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE 59 Lissom Crescent, North York, ON M2R 2P2, (416) 226-0111 Fax: (416) 226-0128
Office hours Monday to Thursday 9-5, Friday 9-1. Closed Jewish and statutory holidays.
website: www.prideofisraelshul.org
Shabbat Shalom to everyone and thank you for joining us today for services.
Whether you have been coming to us for quite a while for High Holy Days, attending our daily minyan, or just enjoy spending Shabbat with the Pride of Israel family, we`re so happy you`re here!
Don’t be shy! Learn more about our membership incentives. Make our synagogue your synagogue. I’d be pleased to take your call, or you could send an email to the office to my attention to learn more. Shabbat Shalom Bonnie Moatti
