D’var Torah with Rabbi Wein All of us are aware of the difficulty of translating lofty values and ideas into practical daily human behavior. We all wish to be kind and gentle, considerate of others and their needs, a holy and good people. But life and its challenges and complexities always interfere and make the achievement of these goals difficult and elusive.

The goal of being a consecrated, good and holy nation, the goal set for the Jewish people at the onset of our history, is one that is agreed upon and revered by Jews in all centuries and locations. How to reach and realize that goal has been a matter of controversy and contention for millennia.

Moshe himself complains to God that “You have commanded me to elevate this people spiritually but You did not tell me how to do it! Explain Your essence to me.” And the Lord responds by stating that this is an impossibility for human beings to comprehend. So to speak, we are left to our own devices when it comes to achieving individual spiritual greatness. Only those who feel themselves spiritually impoverished can attempt to grow spiritually.

Much is left for human beings to accomplish with their own initiative and creativity. As the rabbis so succinctly put it: “Everything is dependent on Heaven but for awe and reverence for Heaven itself!” Achieving that awe and reverence is the path to spiritual growth and enhanced holiness in life. And this is the constant and complex struggle within to find and develop our better qualities and overcome and discard our negative ones.

But we should not think that Heaven has abandoned us completely in this search for holiness and spiritual greatness, without providing us with the tools that we may employ in accomplishing this lifelong mission. Hence, the plethora of commandments that make up much of this week’s Torah reading.

There seems to be a commandment that is relevant to every moment and situation in life. These commandments stand independent of any other goal in life except for their mandatory fulfillment. Yet all of Jewish thought and tradition saw them as being the building blocks of spiritual Jewish life, holy attitudes and behavior.

(Continued on page 4)

Welcome to the DAT Minyan! Shabbat Acharei / Kedoshim

May 6, 2017 - 10 Iyar, 5777 Joseph Friedman, Rabbi | David Fishman, President

Candle Lighting

Havdalah

7:39pm 8:43pm

Shabbat Schedule Please help make our prayer service more meaningful

by refraining from talking during the service.

FRIDAY 6:15 pm: Mincha/Kabbalat Shabbat/Maariv (Shema should be recited after 8:42 pm)

SHABBAT Parasha: Page 636 / Haftarah: Page 1173

Kiddush this week honors our Youth Advisors and is sponsored by the families listed on Page 5

7:30 am: Hashkama Minyan

8:30 am: Tefilla Warm-up with Ellyn Hutt

9:00 am: Shacharit

5:25 pm: SHAWL with this week’s guest lecturer, Aliza Bulow whose topic of discussion is “ Converts in Jewish History: Controversy, Conundrums and Contributions”

6:15 pm: HS Boys Gemara w/ Aaron Brooks at the Brooks’ home

6:30 pm: Shabbat Afternoon Study with Rabbi Friedman, discussing Pirkei Avot, Chapter 3

7:30 pm: Mincha

Seudah Shlisheet this week sponsored by the shul.

8:43 pm: Maariv / Havdalah

—————————————————————

Weekday Schedule and Omer Count

SHACHARIT

Sunday: 8:00 am

Monday—Friday 6:35 am

MINCHA/MAARIV

Sunday—Thursday: 7:40 pm

Friday: 6:25 pm

DAT Minyan is a dynamic and friendly Modern Orthodox synagogue for all ages and dedicated to meaningful personal spiritual development, community growth, youth involvement, Torah education, and Religious Zionism.

DAT Minyan - 6825 E. Alameda Ave. Denver, CO 80224 - 720-941-0479 - www.datminyan.org

Learning Opportunities @ the DAT Minyan

• Kitzur Shulchan Aruch: Daily, after Shacharit

• Mishna Berurah: Daily, between Mincha and Maariv

• Nefesh HaChaim: Sat & Sun, after Maariv

• Women’s Tuesday Parsha Class: 10:00 am at the Zazulia home

• Wed Evening Class: this week at 6:45 pm, “Rise of Islam”

FRI eve 5/5/2017 Day 25

SAT eve 5/6/2017 Day 26

SUN eve 5/7/2017 Day 27

MON eve 5/8/2017 Day 28

TUE eve 5/9/2017 Day 29

WED eve 5/10/2017 Day 30

THU eve 5/11/2017 Day 31

5/12/2017 Day 32 FRI eve

WEEKLY OMER COUNT

DAT MINYAN NEWS, EVENTS AND LEARNING

Please help make our prayer service more meaningful by refraining from talking during the service.

Mazal Tov to Rachel and Nathan Rabinovitch on the engagement of their son Avi to Beth Gindi, daughter of Alan Gindi and Barbara Goldstein Gindi of Los Angeles.

The DAT Minyan and the Denver Academy of Torah are proud sponsors of this year’s Jewish Colorado Walk for Israel and the JCC Denver’s Celebrate Family Festival on Sunday, May 7th from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm at South High School. Please visit the Jewish Colorado website, http://www.israelcelebratefest.org/ for free registration. We are also looking for volunteers who can help staff our DAT information table at this event. Please contact Rob Allen in the shul office if you can assist.

This month’s Golden Tassel Club is sponsored by Eileen Lowey in the merit of a refuah shlema for her father, Yitzhak haLevi ben Gittel.

Thank-you to all of those who contribute to our Shabbat services by signing up to help with our weekly laining. We remain in need of continued help with this and all able-lainers are encouraged to please volunteer! In addition, with a goal of expanding our roster of Haftarah readers, we have now opened up the weekly Haftarah portions for sign-up as well. The sign-up website is www.datminyan.org/laining. Please contact Steve Hutt for questions and additional information.

Our Adult Education Program has shifted its emphasis for the next several weeks to provide many learning opportunities in conjunction with Shavuot and our other special spring days of remembrance and celebration. Please see the attached flyer for complete details.

Looking for a way to make your donation to the shul really go the distance? We can use your Frequent Flyer miles to fly in our Scholars in Residence, saving the shul a great deal of money! Please contact the synagogue office to make a mileage donation.

Your safety and security while attending services at the DAT Minyan are a top concern for us. Now that we have a security guard in place, we ask that if you encounter a safety or security issue on the premises, do not attempt to handle it yourself. Please advise our Executive Director who will work with our security guard to resolve the situation. Thanks for your cooperation.

COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS

“Can Children Catch Curiosity From a Robot?” Please join hosts Sarah Prostak and Tel Aviv University Alum Jonathan Prostak, together with American Friends of Tel Aviv University, for a look inside the social robot, featuring special guest Dr. Goren Gordon, Head of the TAU Curiosity Lab. This event takes place this Monday, May 8th, 6:00 pm at the Prostak family home. Registration is free at alumni@aftau.org.

If you (or someone you know) are looking to improve your Hebrew skills, join Hebrew Nights at The Jewish Experience. The new 6-week series starts after Pesach and runs Mondays evenings from 7:00-8:15 PM until May 29. Three tracks are offered: Hebrew Reading for Beginners, Hebrew Reading Comprehension, and Conversational Hebrew – Ulpan. Register now at TheJE.com/Hebrew or call 303-316-6412.

Krav Maga classes - back by popular demand! Empower yourself with professionally trained Krav Maga instructors. Separate classes for men and women ages 13+. The separate classes will be held simultaneously at Bais Menachem on April 23rd, 30th, May 7th, 21st, 28th and June 4th from 4-5pm. $65 for all six classes. Must reserve and prepay by April 20th. For more information and to reserve, please email chanafeige@gmail.com or call 720-838-4093.

Spend your Lag B’Omer with your friends at the DAT Minyan. On Saturday night, May 13th, we’ll have our annual Lag B’Omer Bonfire here on the DAT Campus. And, on Sunday, May 14th, join us as we come together with the rest of Denver’s Jewish east side for a community barbecue at the Hillel Academy playground from 3:30 to 6:30 pm. Please register on line at Chabadcolorado.com. A flyer with additional information is attached to this Newsletter.

A special solo women’s concert by our own Julie Geller and sponsored by the DAT Minyan will take place on Sunday, June 4th at 7:00 pm at a private residence. The concert is free but donations are suggested. Please contact the shul office for more information and see the attached flyer.

JewPro at The Jewish Experience invites men ages 18+ to participate in the 2nd Annual Charity Basketball Tournament on Sunday, June 4 from 2:00-5:00 PM at DJDS. All proceeds to benefit Just Kitchen, a new chesed initiative providing nutritious, kosher, home-cooked food to community members in need. For more information, please contact Rabbi Danny Wolfe at 720-319-0402 or register at TheJE.com/BBall.

DAT MINYAN MEMBER MILESTONES

Please help make our prayer service more meaningful by refraining from talking during the service.

Adam Brown, Ellice Goldberg, Cindy Halpern, Jake Kark, Laura Kark, Noelle Lustig, Mari Sartin-Tarm, Karen Schottenstein, Noah Schottenstein, Aaron Segall, Michael Sunshine, Josh Thorner, Max Toys

Paul Horowitz — Mon., 5/8/17 (12 Iyar) Nettie Allen — Thu., 5/11/17 (15 Iyar) Erwin Friedman — Sat., 5/13/17 (17 Iyar)

The DAT Minyan wishes to acknowledge the following milestones* of our members in the coming week:

*These details were obtained from the DAT Minyan database, which contains information provided by the members when they joined. We apologize for any omissions or mistakes. For corrections or additions, please log on to your account and provide the information, or contact

the synagogue office at 720-941-0479.

Refuah Shelayma Please include the following names in your prayers. May each be granted a Refuah Shelayma. Names are kept on the list until the next Rosh Chodesh. Help us keep the list accurate by verifying the necessary details each month on the Cholim Document

at https://goo.gl/aeyJG2.

Ariella Bracha bat Sarah

Ariella Leah bas Yael Meira

Avraham Ben Mirel

Avraham Shalom ben Henna

Baruch Getzel ha Cohen ben Esther

Benyamin ben Bryna

Blooma Chana bas Esther Malka

Bryna bas Menucha

Carmel ben Tirtza

Chaim Tuvia ben Dina

Chana Yetta bat Bryna

Chaya Chanah Elisheva Rivka bat Sarah

Chaya Miriam bat Shoshana

Chaya Orah Bat Sarah

David ben Leah

David ben Sarah

Deena Meirav bat Gitel Sarah

Devorah Leah bat Chanah

Dinah bat Chayala

Doniel Gershon ben Raisel Shoshanah

Dovid ben Ita Sheva

Eitan Naftali ben Yael Bracha

Eliyahu Chaim ha Cohen ben Sara Rifka

Ephraim Ben Henna

Gitel Sarah bat Ita Golda

Hadassh Bat Fruma Rahel

Hillel Yerachmiel ben Ariella

Ita Sheiva bas Udyah

Itki bat Chava Mirka

Kalia bat Miriam

Laizer ben Yaffa

Leah bat Sarah

Leah Devora Kivitiya bat Chaya

Leya bat Sara

Malka bat Sarah

Menachem Yitzchak ben Yisraela

Miriam Tova Chaya bat Chanah

Naftali Yisroel ben Yisraela

Nataniel ben Elisheva

Nechama bat Chaya

Noa Shani bat Chaya Bracha

Ranan Eliezer ben Pesha

Raphael Yotam ben Efrat

Sara Chana bat Shaina

Sara Rifka bat Rochel Leah

Sarah Shoshanna bat Sarah

Shaina Meryl Bat Rivka

Shashi bat Batya Baila

Shira Chana bat Sara

Shirley Hasia bat Devorah

Shlomo ben Penina

Shoshanna bat Liora

Shoshanna Bat Smadar

Shoshanna Miriam bat Chanah

Tirtza bat Sarah

Tirtza Chana bat Malka

Tomas ben Galit

Tzipporah bat Gittel

Tzvi Gershon ben Shaindel Shaina Raizel

Yakar Betzalel ben Brindle

Yehudit bat Leah

Yehudit bat Sara

Yitzhak ben Gietel

Yona Malka bat Pola

Zacharya Mordechai ben Miriam

Ziporah Sarah Mirrel bat Miriam

This Day In Jewish History - May 6 / 10 Iyar 891 B.C.E.—The Jews are defeated by the Philistines, who capture the Aron HaKodesh containing the tablets of the Ten

Commandments and kill Chofni and Pinchas, two sons of Eli, the Kohain Gadol. Eli dies of shock upon hearing the tragic news. In all, 30,000 Jewish soldiers are slaughtered.

1103—Rabbi Yitzhak Alfasi, popularly know by the acronym, Rif. Alfasi, dies in Spain. He was born in Morocco, and studied in Tunisia under the famed Rabbeinu Chananel. Rabbi Alfasi wrote Sefer HaHalachot, the first codification of talmudic law and a precursor to the great codes of Maimonides and Rabbi Yosef Karo. Alfasi served for 40 years as head of the Jewish community of Fez, Morocco. At age 75, two informers denounced him to the government on a spurious charge, and he moved to Spain. The most famous of his many students is Judah HaLevi, author of the Kuzari.

1881—Anti-Jewish riots break out in Shpola and Ananyev, Russia.

1943—The Warsaw Ghetto uprising comes to an end after active resistance of four weeks, but resulting in total destruction.

Please help make our prayer service more meaningful by refraining from talking during the service.

YOUTH ANNOUNCEMENTS

Without these commandments, which translate themselves into daily repetitive human behavior, the road to holiness and spiritual fulfillment for Jews is pretty much blocked. Jewish history has shown us time and again the futility of trying to guarantee Jewish survival, let alone spiritual greatness, with the absence of the observance of the commandments.

The essence of Jewish life is not some mysterious guru­driven pursuit of holiness. Rather it is loyalty to Jewish tradition, as reflected in the necessity for observance of and reverence for the specific commandments described for us in the Torah. Fulfillment of these commandments does 5/2/2017 ACHREI – KEDOSHIM : Rabbi Wein : Jewish Destiny http://www.rabbiwein.com/blog/post­1984.html?print=1 2/2 not necessarily guarantee the creation of a holy Jew but absent those commandments and the pursuit of the goal of personal and national holiness wanes and soon disappears. Such is the clear lesson of Jewish history.

Shabbat shalom

Rabbi Berel Wein

Rabbi Wein (Continued from page 1)

Sunday, May 7, 7:00 pm—8:00 pm: Leetsdale Latte N’ Learning, 5835 Leetsdale Dr. Tuesday, May 9, 6:45 pm: Parent/NCSYer BMN @ EDOS on the topic of Chesed Wednesday, May 10, 6:30 pm—8:30 pm: Blankets for the Homeless—speak to Yisrael Katz

for more info Sunday, May 14, 7:00 pm—8:00 pm: Leetsdale Latte N’ Learning, 5835 Leetsdale Dr. Wednesday, May 17, 7:00 pm—8:00 pm: Belleview Latte N’ Learning, 4920 S. Yosemite St. Sunday, May 21, 7:00 pm—8:00 pm: Leetsdale Latte N’ Learning, 5835 Leetsdale Dr. Tuesday, May 23: Beit Midrash Night @ EDOS Saturday, May 27: Youth Shabbat and Luncheon @ EDOS Sunday, May 28, 7:00 pm—8:00 pm: Special Hakaras Hatov Latte N’ Learning, 5835

Leetsdale Dr. Tuesday, May 30: Shavuot with NCSY Sunday, June 18: End of the Year BBQ

MEET THE ADVISORS… CALEB WEDGLE Hi! My name is Caleb Wedgle, and I am a Junior at Denver Jew­ish Day School. Going into ninth grade I start­ed working groups as the advisor for the 4th-6th grade group. That group eventually turned into junior con­gregation where I work now. My favorite part about groups is just spending time with each kid and getting to know them better! They are all fun to be around, and playing basket­ball or football with them is always a good time! In my free time I love to play basket­ball, and I love how I can incorporate that into my group! I hope you all have an amazing shabbat!

Prizes

For all 4th—6th graders, and all 3rd graders who are interested.

Jr. Congregation TODAY at 9:30 am!

Attention incoming 8th graders and up

We are looking for new Advisors for next years’ groups. If you are interested in

working or subbing, please email Mor at youth@datminyan.org

THANK-YOU TO OUR YOUTH ADVISOR KIDDUSH SPONSORS

Marc and Melanie Avner

Joshua and Mara Baraban

Garrett and Elke Barter

Alan and Isadora Bielsky

David and Shira Fishman

Jonathan and Kim Fishman

Joseph and Andrea Friedman

Marc Gitler and Sarah Geiger

James and Ramona Harris

Ari and Miriam Hoffman

Yisrael and Jamie Katz

Dovid and Naomi Lev

Mark and Yana Levandovsky

Benny and Sarah Levy

Chaim and Bara Loewenthal

Adam and Rachel Lubchansky

Benjamin and Miriam Mezer

Alex and Hanah Polotsky

Jonathan and Sarah Prostak

Mark and Sarah Raphaely

Neil and Nina Rosenfeld

Aaron Segall and Cheryl Miller

Howard and Mor Shapiro

Michael and Ariella Sunshine

Aaron and Nicki Toys

Yair and Aravah Treister

David and Jessica Zalkin

Thank you for all your hard

work and dedication!

The Avners

Thank you Elinoa, Tova and Rivka.

Phoenix really enjoys his time with

you on a shabbat morning and it

lets us davern in peace. You're

awesome!

Kind regards,

Ramona and James Harris

Thanks to Elinoa, Tova and Rifka Miriam who take

such good care of Ava and Daina, Suzanne and Ariella who keep an eye on Max AND thanks to Mor who's leadership allows us all to enjoy the shul experience

as a family. The Raphaelys

Rivka Miriam, Tova and Ellie; Thank you for always giving Chana so much love on Shabbat mornings. She

loves groups, and so do we! Yisrael and Jamie Katz

Great job Daina and Ellie! We are very proud of you and your

commitment to the sweet kids at Dat Minyan groups.

Mama and Abba

Thank you for your dedication, for providing guidance and structure, and

for making groups fun for our children!

Joseph and Andrea Friedman

Thanks for make each Shabbat morning fun (and not snitching us out to our

mom and dad). Adira and Solomon Bielsky

Thank you so much for educating and looking

after our children during Shabbat!

Kim and Jonathan Fishman Thanks to all the amazing advisors and their fantastic

leader Mor Shapiro! With much appreciation,

The Zalkins

Thank you to our amazing advisors! Our kids have a great time with you every

Shabbat. The Baraban Family

Thank you to the 2nd grade group leaders and

to everyone who enhances Shabbat for

our children! The Lubchanskys

Thank you to all of our incredible

advisors for all that you do each week!

The Sunshines

Thank you so much to all of the advisors!

From Itai, Batya, Ori, and Margalit Levy

Thank you to all the subs and

advisors for all your amazing

work! The Shapiros

Thank you all for your hard

work. The Hoffmans