Congregation Agudath Sholom Shabbat Bulletin

Congregation Agudath Sholom Shabbat Bulletin Achrei Mot Shabbat Mevarchim 11th day of the Omer May 4, 2024 26 Nisan 5784 send your submission to bulletin@cas-stamford.org ‌ ‌ Friday Mincha 7:00 PM Candle Lighting 7:35 PM Shabbat Shacharit 7:00/8:00/9:00 AM Latest Shema 8:32 AM Sephardic Minyan 8:45 AM Coffee & Commentary 8:45 AM Shmuel Class 9:00 AM Latest Shacharit 9:59 AM Bob's Basics 10:00 AM Shiur 10:30 AM Code Of Jewish Law 6:40 PM Mincha 7:30 PM Havdalah 8:37 PM Shabbat Shalom Yom Kippur: An Antidote to Distracted Living We are living in an age not only of distracted driving but distracted living. The effects may not be as immediate, God forbid, as a car crash but are as invasive as it erodes our relationships with God, our family members, and friends. Even when we try to be focused on the day—today—we're affected by CPA—not certified public accounting but a syndrome I call "continuous partial attention." We pay continuous partial attention in an effort not to miss anything—multitasking, surfing the Web, answering our cell phones—yet in the end, we gain nothing. Most of us do not deliberately sin. We stumble because we are not paying attention. When we eat food, we forget to bless. When we forget to make a bracha it leads to ingratitude, a sense of entitlement and diminishes our relationship with God. When we pray, we focus on the clock, how fast can I say the words, all the while our mind is wandering and we end up missing out on a conversation with the Almighty. Our bodies are here but heads often elsewhere. Mindlessness creeps into our interpersonal relationships and can be destructive. Communication and listening are foundations of a marriage and the parent child relationship. When we pretend to listen or do not even focus on the other but are on our phones, distracted relationships decay. With friends, as well, we may hear the words, "You did not call, I never heard from you", common refrains in a world of busyness, that erode a friendship. It is small actions that cement an enduring relationship. This week's Parsha highlights Yom Kippur which serves as a stirring reminder to lead a life of mindfulness and the deep awareness that we are always standing before God. The image of the Kohen Gadol in the holy of holies and the intense service of the day is intended to awaken within us God's ever presence in our lives. One of the key figures in the drama of Yom Kippur was a man called Ish Iti, the timely man. Who was he? How was he chosen? Rashi offers the following poignant approach. He states that this timely man was a person who was muchan lekach miyom etmol, prepared for the task from the previous day. At face value this means that he was appointed from the day before. However, the Sages suggest it means much more. This man must possess a singular character trait of inestimable value for any person on the road to Teshuva, the road to spiritual renewal. What was it? He lived his life with the deepest awareness that each day possesses eternal value as it lays the foundation for tomorrow. Consider for a moment how different our lives would be if we were conditioned to realize that the seeds of our future are in the actions we do today? We would not live in a blur but fully present. In the words of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov, "The reason that the world is far from G-d, and does not seek to come close to Him is only because people lack yishuv ha-da'as -- a calm, settled mind. All that a person has in the world is this one day and this one hour in which he stands." Be mindful of the moment before you right now. The Ish Iti, the timely man, is everyman and an essential model for all of us to lead life with minimal distractions and maximum purpose. I will always remember the words my father told me after he gave me his blessing on a recent Erev Yom Kippur. In our struggle against mindlessness, his simple wishes for me are a worthy goal for all of us. He told me not to study the prayers on Yom Kippur but let them penetrate my heart and then he offered the following wish: May you grow in your role as an Oved Hashem, a servant of God, may you realize your Divine potential and be a better person this year than last. His words offer deep clarity about our sacred missions. May we open our hearts to be mindful and fully present in each moment. Wishing you and your families a Shabbat Shalom and God willing good news here and in Israel, Rabbi Daniel Cohen Shabbat Information  Learn about the Shabbat Torah Reading for Parshat Acharei Mot with the insights of Rabbi Jonathan Sacks z"l - click here.  Read Dovi Siderson's weekly parsha resource click here.  The Haftarah is read from Amos 9:7-15 Haftarah summary by Chabad.org - click here. Haftarah summary by Haftarah Helper -click here Rosh Chodesh Iyar is observed from Tuesday evening through Thursday afternoon The Molad will take place Wednesday, May 8, 2024 at 11:41 (8 chalakim) AM Halachic Note: We do not recite Tachanun and associated prayers (e.g. Yehi Ratzon, Av haRachamim, Kel Malei, Tzidkasecha) during the entire month of Nissan. Would you like to read the Torah or Haftarah for your bar mitzvah parsha? Let us know by clicking here Shabbat Icebreakers (courtesy of Yaakov Moshe and Elisheva Shmidman) What is something you learned from someone after they passed away (Acharei Mot)? What is your go to pre or post fast food (the parsha talks at length about Yom Kippur)? What is something you want to work on before next Yom Kippur? New Shabbat Stroller Parking Policy  We are blessed, thank God, with bustling Shabbat attendance in all our youth groups and minyanim. We are writing to inform you of an important update regarding our shul's Shabbat stroller parking policy. In our ongoing efforts to ensure the safety and security of all members and visitors, we have implemented a new stroller parking policy effective immediately. This policy aims to enhance safety within our premises and provide a more organized environment for everyone. Outlined below are the key points of the new stroller parking policy: Strollers can be parked against any wall in the lobby - see pictures below for examples Please do not block access to another stroller We kindly request that all strollers are parked in a manner that does not obstruct pathways or exits. This is essential for swift evacuation in case of an emergency. ​​​​​​​Strollers are not allowed upstairs under any circumstances By working together, we can ensure a safer and more welcoming environment for everyone. Thank you for your assistance in making these changes. Shabbat Topics & Participants Shmuel Class Mark Wagshul Bob's Basics Bob Abrams Shiur Rabbi Tzvi Bernstein Code of Jewish Law Rabbi Yossi Kamman Seudat Shlishit Rabbi Daniel Cohen: Pirkei Avot, Chapter #1 Mazal Tov to Anne Peskin on her 98th birthday thank God! She will be in shul, God willing. Join us for a communal Happy Birthday in her honor prior to Adon Olam in the Sanctuary. Celebrate with the family! Make a donation in their honor and we will send an acknowledgement to the family. Just click here Thanks To Our Sponsors Senior Challah Deliveries: Bruce Newman in honor of the 55+ Empty-Nester Committee Chapel Kiddush: Co-sponsored by The Bernstein Family in memory of Samuel Bernstein z"l on his 1st yahrzeit and The Boxer Family in memory of Dr. Eric Boxer z"l Sanctuary Kiddush: The Haron Family in commemoration of the yahrzeit of Nancy Haron z"l Seudat Shlishit: Howard Weiss in commemoration of the yahrzeit of his father, Herbert Weiss/Chaim Ben Shlomo Gad z"l Sign Up for these Events sign up Baby & Me Playdates Monday, May 6 - 9:30 AM sign up Scholar-in-Residence Series with Shira Schiowitz Wednesday, May 8 - 8:15 PM Learn more CAS Family Davening Shabbat, May 11 - 10:00 AM sign up Yom Hazikaron & Yom HaAtzmaut 2024 Monday, May 13 - 7:00 PM sign up CAS Movie Club Sunday, May 19 - 8:00 PM sign up Royce and Dr. Alfred Wolfsohn Memorial Lecture with Bret Stephens Thursday, May 23 - 7:30 PM Sign up Stamfords First Annual 5K Run/Walk for Israel Monday, May 27 - 8:45 AM Learn more Donate Seforim to the Beit Midrash Learn more Senior Challah Delivery Sponsorships Upcoming Events Sunday Family-Friendly Minyan Sunday, May 5 - 8:30 AM Open to All Ages - Experience the joy and sanctity of davening as a family! Join us on the first Sunday of every month for our Family-Friendly Minyan. Invite your children to sit next to you! We will have kid friendly siddurim and we will sing Shema, Ashrei and Alenu together as part of the Tefillah. Enjoy fresh doughnuts and juice at the end of davening! Join us for a morning that will leave you uplifted and inspired. To find out more and/or sponsor, please contact Eli Reichner (eli.reichner@gmail.com) or Rabbi Kurtz (rabbikurtz@cas-stamford.org). Crafty Ladies is back! Wednesday, May 8 Wednesday, May 8th & Wednesday, May 22nd, 10:00 am - 11:30 am. Join us with your knitting, crochet, needlepoint, and embroidery needles! We will continue making hats. We have crochet instructions for hats upon request. All handcrafts are welcome and bring your personality! Literature at Lunch Round Table led by Dr. Richard Schwartz Wednesday, May 8 - 12:00 PM Join us in person or by Zoom as we continue to investigate the Judaic concept of Sheoul (the netherworld). We will refer to the medium of En Dor from 1 Samuel 28 and then pivot to King David's Psalm 30. As always, lunch is catered by Restaurant 613. Please let me know if you plan to attend in person or have any questions. at rj@richardjschwartz.com. Zoom meeting ID 8784487429. Passcode: 868450 CAS Announcements Shabbat with Chazan Zevi Muller   We are honored to welcome back Chazan Zevi Muller to Agudath Sholom on Shabbat, Shabbat May 17th and 18th. He will be joined by his wife Chavi and their children Adina, Avi and Rafi. Chazan Zevi Muller has been the cantor at West Side Institutional Synagogue of Manhattan's upper west side since 2007, starting at the age of 20. As our Guest Chazan in Residence, Chazan Muller will lead davening Friday night (mincha at 7 PM), Shabbat Shacharit and Musaf at the 9 AM Sanctuary Minyan and lead Zemirot and share reflections at Seudah Shlishit. Chazan Zevi studied at the Ponevezh Yeshiva in Bnei Brak, Israel, and in Beth Medrash Gavoha of Lakewood, New Jersey. Zevi also received his PhD in Computational Neuroscience from Columbia University and is currently a Postdoc researcher at the Center for Theoretical Neuroscience at Columbia University. To be a sponsor for the weekend, contact Rabbi Cohen at rabbicohen@cas-stamford.org Check out Rabbi Cohen's Article in the Forward  click here Holy Habit - Food Pantry Donations  Rather than wait for a Food Drive, make it a habit each week when shopping for Shabbos to purchase kosher, non-perishable food for the Freedberg Kosher Food Pantry.Drop off at JFS or CAS Weekday Schedule Shacharit  Sunday: 7:15/8:30 AM; Mon-Tues, Fri: 6:30/7:30 AM; Wednesday-Thursday: 6:20/7:30 AM Mincha  Sunday-Thursday: 7:45 PM; Friday: 7:47 PM Candle Lighting  Friday: 7:42 PM Sunday  12th day of the Omer Monday  13th day of the Omer, Yom HaShoah Tuesday  14th day of the Omer Wednesday  15th day of the Omer, Rosh Chodesh Iyyar Thursday  16th day of the Omer, Rosh Chodesh Iyyar Friday  17th day of the Omer CAS Classes Join one of our classes. Click here for up to date schedule We Wish A Speedy Recovery To Tzvi Zev Yosef ben Chana Shulamit Chaya Sara bat Chava Hershel Wolf ben Brucha Freidel bat Esther Chaya Shoshana bat Yehudit Nira bat Rachel Sara bat Nira Yitzchak Osher ben Chana Shauna Chaya Nadav Ephraim ben Shlomit Leah Mark Emanuel ben Leah Shlomo ben Velvel Rivkah Devorah bat Channa Gittel Moisha Gedalia ben DK Nechemiah ben DK Dorit bat Ora Asher Anshel Eliezer ben Baila Leah bat Tzirel Miriam Rut bat Chana Daniel David Yitzchak ben Shulamit Chaya bat Liba Harav Eliezer ben Chaya Uria ben Talia אסתר רחל bat רייזל ביילה פרידה הדסה bat פערל לאה Dov ben Pnina Nehama Miriam bat Dvora Moshe Gavriel ben Rachel Esther Cheryl Sheva bat Gittel Leah Sossie Raizel bat Sarah Fraida Click here to add a name to this list We Honor Our Military Ariel Y Shani Y Tali Y Harry B Zevi M Nathan H Noam H Yehudit Sally K Oren L Nathan L Jeremy S Meni N Yaniv H Rachel W Click here to add a name to this list Community Announcements Communal Yom Hashoah Program  Sunday, May 4th at 4 PM at Temple Sinai. This year's Yom HaShoah commemoration features Dr. Joanne Intrator (Summons to Berlin: Nazi Theft and a Daughter's Quest for Justice). Toby Schaffer, long-time Stamford resident and daughter of survivors, will chair the event and speak about her family's experience in Hungary during the war.This free event is open to the public but registration is required. For more information contact JCRC Director, Sharon Lewis at slewis@ujf.org. RSVP Here Temple Sinai will host Judy Batalion, writer of The Light of Days: The Untold Story of Women Resistance Fighters in Hitler's Ghettos  for the fourth Joan Danoff Community Lecture. This acclaimed author will be available to discuss not only the extraordinary stories of the young women resistance fighters she has chronicled but also the implications of their story for events today. Join on May 19th at 4:00 pm for an in-person conversation or to attend via a webinar. The event is free and open to the community. To register to attend in person or to view as a webinar, contact Temple Sinai at 203-322-1649 or https://www.templesinaistamford.org/form/joan-bruder-danoff-lecture2024.html. United We Walk!  Please donate & participate in The Friendship Day & Walk on May 19th, 2024 from 12:30-3:30. Come for a free family fun day as we walk hand in hand and heart to heart in support of families of individuals with special needs. There will be entertainment, delicious food, and more. Go to www.FriendshipDayCT.com to sign up!

Congregation Agudath Sholom | 301 Strawberry Hill Avenue, Stamford, CT 06902 Unsubscribe iberk@cas-stamford.org Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice Sent by notices@cas-stamford.org powered by Try email marketing for free today!