U.N. Moves Against Free Speech

I am posting this story because this affects everyone. The United Nations has adopted another resolution that urges members to outlaw any criticism against religion.

http://newsblaze.com/story/20090327170413zzzz.nb/topstory.html

I, for one, believe that this is a very dangerous road for our civilization to travel if we truly value our G-d given freedom and liberty. We cannot take a position that would attempt to rob any person of their right to free will and free speech.

Announcement From Marty

I just got this email, which I assume was sent to everyone on the roster. I'm reposting it here for anyone who did not get the email.

Shalom everyone,

I want everyone to know that I have officially "handed off" the Treasurer's responsibility for Temple Beth Shalom to Miriam Felt, who lives in Crescent City. Consequently, for convenience sake, we have closed the Temple's post office box in Brookings and opened a new box in Crescent City. All contributions and any other mail should now be addressed:

Temple Beth Shalom
P.O. Box 1557
Crescent City, CA 95531

Also, as I've tried to indicate in a number of previous emails, there will be no funds to operate Temple Beth Shalom after next month (April), without contributions from people interested in the survival of the Temple. We will still be able to have Torah study in Brookings and a Passover Seder at the Ship Ashore in Smith River on April 11th and Shabbat services and Torah study in Crescent City and Fort Dick respectively, the weekend of April 24th-25th. But unless the Rabbi is willing to provide services for free or people are willing to "step up" and contribute, there will be no Temple Beth Shalom in May.
These are the only choices that I can see at this moment, without a response.

Temple Beth Shalom is the only synagogue on the southern Oregon/northern California coast and has been in existence for more than twenty years. But without funds, like any organization, it cannot survive. So the fate of Temple Beth Shalom is in your hands and I will not be sending out any more emails on this subject.

Shabbat shalom and all the best to everyone,

Marty

Let's all give a very big todah rabbah to Marty for all of the hard work and dedication he's put into our little congregation.

Also, a hearty shalom aleychem to Miriam for stepping up to the plate and dedicating her services to keeping the synagogue healthy and operational going forward.

With H-shem's will and loving kindness may we all merit a brighter, happier future as we continue in our search to fulfill our G-d given potential and bring to reality the ultimate world with which we are blessed.

Friday Services This Weekend

Today is Rosh Chodesh, meaning "head of the month" which marks the beginning of the month of Nisan, during which we celebrate Pesach.

This year we will also be performing a rare blessing that is said only once every 28 years which blesses H-shem for creating the Sun. This blessing will coincide with the morning of the first night of Pesach which is doubly rare as the last time these two occasions happened at the same time was when the story of Purim happened.

This weekend Rabbi Scharnberg will be here to lead us for the Friday evening, maariv service at the synagogue in Crescent City. We usually get started around 7:00pm with the candle lighting and the service is usually followed by a kiddush over the wine and some snacks. This will also be an opportune time to discuss our plans for the pot-luck Pesach seder at the Ship Ashore Resort in Smith River.

Saturday morning we will have morning Torah study at 10:00 am at the Del Norte Ambulance facility in Fort Dick. This week we will be reading and discussing parshah Vayikra, Leviticus 1:1-5:26. You can read the entire portion online, in both Hebrew and English, here http://www.chabad.org/parshah/torahreading_cdo/aid/15574 and you can click on "Show Rashi's Commentary" for a more in-depth look at the text.

B'nei mitzvah studies will be held after Torah study for anyone interested in learning to read Hebrew and prepare for a bar or bat mitzvah.

We hope to see everyone soon. Until then, chodesh tov!

Announcing Our Annual Pesach Pot Luck Dinner

Shalom aleychem TBSers!

It is official. We are announcing our annual Pesach Pot Luck dinner, which will be held Saturday, April 11th, in the recreation room at the Ship Ashore Resort in Smith River, CA.


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This is a traditional Pesach Seder led by Rabbi Scharnberg. We will be reading the Haggadah and feasting on matzoh as we recall when H-Shem sent the 10 miraculous plagues against Pharaoh and brought us out from our bondage in Egypt.

There will be singing, story telling, wine and matzoh so bring your yarmulkes and your appetites as we honor the beginning of our journey to receive the sacred covenant that we all carry to this day from our Creator at mount Sinai.

We will be sending emails and making phone calls over the next few days to notify the congregation. Feel free to R.S.V.P. by email to delnortebethshalom@gmail.com or call David at 707.954.6559.

The 28 Year Blessing, Birchat HaChamah

This year, on wednesday, April 8 Jews around the world will be making a blessing that they say only once every 28 years. This blessing is called the Birchat HaChamah and I just read a great article that explains the mitzvah. You can read more about it below: http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/817862/jewish/About.htm

Local Paper Misprint

Shabbat Shalom to everyone. I am writing a quick post to notify everyone that there was a mix-up with the local papers and it was mistakenly published that we will be meeting for Shabbat services tonight, Friday, March 13 in Crescent City.

We are not meeting at all tonight.

Our next meeting will be tomorrow morning, Saturday, March 14, at 10 am, for Torah study, in Brookings at the Evergreen Bank across from Fred Meyers.

See you there.

Purim Sameach

A great big Purim Sameach to everyone, here is a quick excerpt about Purim from http://www.chabad.org/.

The story in a nutshell:

The Persian empire of the 4th century BCE extended over 127 lands, and all the Jews were its subjects. When King Ahasuerus had his wife, Queen Vashti, executed for failing to follow his orders, he orchestrated a beauty pageant to find a new queen. A Jewish girl, Esther, found favor in his eyes and became the new queen—though she refused to divulge the identity of her nationality.

Meanwhile, the anti-Semitic Haman was appointed prime minister of the empire. Mordechai, the leader of the Jews (and Esther's cousin) defied the king's orders and refused to bow to Haman. Haman was incensed and convinced the king to issue a decree ordering the extermination of all the Jews on the 13th of Adar—a date chosen by a lottery Haman made.

Mordechai galvanized all the Jews, convincing them to repent, fast and pray to G‑d. Meanwhile, Esther asked the king and Haman to join her for a feast. At the feast, Esther revealed to the king her Jewish identity. Haman was hanged, Mordechai was appointed prime minister in his stead, and a new decree was issued—granting the Jews the right to defend themselves against their enemies.

On the 13th of Adar the Jews mobilized and killed many of their enemies. On the 14th of Adar they rested and celebrated.

So break out your graggers and noisemakers, put on a costume, take baskets of goodies to those in need, eat som hamantashen and – if you can indulge safely without endangering yourself or others – then drink yourself silly and have a festive Purim.

Purim sameach.

Hamantashen Recipe

I just wanted to post a link to a great Hamantashen recipe I found.

Purim Sameach everyone!

http://www.cupcakeproject.com/2009/03/hamantashen-recipe-tips-to-make-perfect.html

Here are the basics:

3 C flour
3 t baking powder
1/2 C sugar
1/4 t salt
3/4 C butter, room temperature
3 eggs
your choice of filling (jam, jelly, preserves, chocolate chips, nuts). The recipe also included directions for a prune filling: blend raw prunes in a food processor, adding the juice and rind of one lemon and 1/2 C honey for every pound of prunes used.
Sift together flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt.
Mix in butter and eggs.
Roll out dough and form hamantashen (I've got step by step visuals on this below).
Bake on a well-greased cookie sheet or on parchment paper for 12-15 minutes at 400 F.

You'll have to read the rest for the details.

Rabbi's Scharnberg's Prayer Audio

Rabbi Scharnberg recorded an audio CD of the chants we use for our prayers during the shachrit (morning) service. The maariv (evening) service uses many of these prayers as well.

I converted the audio to MP3 format and have uploaded it to make it available for everyone to download and use.

Download the files here:

rss feed, iTunes or listen online.

The file name of each audio file contains a page number which corresponds to the red siddur (prayer book) entitled, "Kol Haneshamah: Shabbat Vechagim," by the Reconstructionist Press, ISBN 0-935457-46-7.

I hope this is a helpful resource for everyone.