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HAVURAT YISRAEL WEEKLY NEWS
6 Iyar 5775
Shabbat Tazria-Metzorah
Shabbat Shalom!
7:28 pm Candle Lighting
7:00 pm Mincha & Kabbalat Shabbat
(summer schedule)
Parsha: p. 608, Haftorah: p. 1172
8:45 am Mishnayot
9:00 am Shacharit
9:27 am Latest time for Shema
11:00 am Drasha
11:45 am Kiddush
6:15 pm Perek in the Park
6:50 pm Gemara Shiur
7:25 pm Mincha
8:27 pm Maariv & Havdalah
April 24—25, 2015
Yizkor on Pesach
At our recent Pesach Yizkor service, we had the occasion of remembering our dear ones
who are no longer with us, but whose memory continue to inspire us.
During the service, we conducted an appeal to support the synagogue by making a donation in their memory. There is no better way to honor people who are no longer among us
than by giving tzedakah in their name. We hope you would like to add the names that are
dear to our Yizkor contributions. Please send your check and write the name(s) in whose
memory you are making a donation. Many people, especially at this time, also make contributions in memory of the martyrs who died during the Holocaust, children and parents
who have left no one to say Kaddish for them.
Kiddush and Seudah Shlisheet are sponsored
by HY members.
May the zechut of remembering our dear ones give us the strength to succeed in our important work that Havurat Yisrael is performing every day.
New Dues for The New Year (first increase since 1981)
Building News This week we passed the Public Assembly inspection, another step towards
the return of Havurat to the New Havurat.
Family: $425 / Individual: $250 / Associate: $75
Building assessment :$500 (for those who have not yet made a
pledge to the Building Fund — We need your help!)
Thanks! A contribution to HY was made by
Sara Simantov in honor of Yehuda Mendieta
Havurat Yisrael Sisterhood Dinner
Wednesday April 29
At the Restaurant Cho-Sen Garden @ 6:00pm
Prix Fixe Dinner $31
For RSVP call or email the office.
Refuah Shlema to: Yoseph ben Chava (Fred Isaac),
Shoshana bat Chana , Micha ben Devorah, Miriam bat
Tziporah, Leya bat Mina, Eliyahu ben Chanena, Danit
Esther bat Yaira Shoshana, Binyamin ben Ruth, Frida
Chanah bat Sarah Leah, Ahava Emunah bat Chava
Ehta, Yaakov David Halevi Ben Sarah , Leah Tirtza
bat Serel, Yehuda Yehoshua ben Rivka Ita, Havah bat
Lilian, Esther Reva bat Devorah Shifra (Eileen Alter),
Mordechai ben Itta, Lifsha bat Shulamit (Elona
Lazaroff), Roiza bat Yita Feiga (Rosalie Tenzer),
Asher ben Amalia (father of Oren Shmuel).
BUILDING COMMITTEE
(donors of $50,000 or more)
David & Debbie Sosnowik
Louis & Rachel Ordentlich
Refael Katz
Marc & Karen Rose
Mark & Gail Silverman
Edward Finfer
Jane Stiefel
Stu & Judy Rosen
Fanny Seinuk
Daniel and Carol Yaghoubian
Please note: to sponsor a cake for any occasion, it is required to sponsor (at least) a basic Kiddush!
DESIGN COMMITTEE
(donors of $20,000 or more)
Arlene Ross
Maddy & Bernardo Drucker
Ken Lewon
Rachelle & David Alkalay
Rabbi Joel & Chana Hochman
Miriam & Bruce Jacobs
SUNDAY
April 26 / 7 Iyar
Omer 22
MONDAY
April 27 / 8 Iyar
Omer 23
7:30 am Amud Yomi
8:00 am Shacharit
6:20 am Amud Yomi
6:50 am Shacharit
TUESDAY
April 28 / 9 Iyar
Omer 24
6:20 am Amud Yomi
6:50 am Shacharit
FURNISHINGS COMMITTEE
(donors of $10,000 or more)
Anne Biener
Renee & David Hirsch
Seymour Kaplan
Helen & William Kober
Gary & Yael Emmanuel
WEDNESDAY
April 29 / 10 Iyar
Omer 25
6:20 am Amud Yomi
6:50 am Shacharit
6:30pm Sisterhood Dinner
at Chosen garden RSVP
8:30 pm Rabbi Kraft’s
Class
SUPPLIES COMMITTEE
(donors of $5,000 or more)
Jay Waitzman
Gabriela Linder
Eileen Alter
Michael Blau
THURSDAY
April 30 / 11 Iyar
Omer 26
FRIDAY
May 1 / 12 Iyar
Omer 27
6:20 am Amud Yomi
6:50 am Shacharit
6:20 am Amud Yomi
6:50 am Shacharit
7:34 pm Candle Lighting
7:00 pm Mincha, Kabbalat
Shabbat
HAVURAT YISRAEL
68-60 AUSTIN STREET, FOREST HILLS, NEW YORK 11375 / TEL: 718-261-5500 / FAX: 718-261-7584
DAVID ALGAZE,RABBI / JACK GOLDHABER, PRESIDENT
WEB: WWW.HAVURATYISRAEL.ORG / EMAIL: HYOFFICE18@YAHOO.COM / ERUV: 718-544-6898
WHY ME?
Noblesse oblige
By Rabbi David Algaze
time. The corrective measures are in order that they do not stray
from the correct path and that they should fulfill the special mission that the Creator willed when He created Man “In His Image
and Form.”
This concept that the castigations visited upon Israel reflect the
special status of the chosen people has been also expressed by
Rabbi Yehuda Halevy as he describes Israel as a “live body”
among the nations. Israel is a live body that may be hurt and
maimed by horrible persecutions and exiles but it retains its vitality and life in spite of them while other nations may appear
An often asked question when confronted with a difficult situa- complete and unharmed but they lack the vitality of Israel.
tion, illness or some other calamity is always, “Why me?” What Even as they are mutilated, as a live body may be, they are supedid I do to deserve this? Sometimes we may be able to detect in rior to a body that is whole but lifeless. (Kuzari 2:29-32) Henry
the event some hint that may connect our minds to some defect George described this well, “Israel—a people who have been
overthrown, crushed, scattered; who have been ground as it
of ours or some misstep somewhere and we may interpret the
were to very dust and flung to the four winds of heaven; yet
occurrence as punishment or warning. However, in most instances we are left without a clue as to how to uncloak the enig- who, through thrones have fallen, and empires have perished,
ma. More poignantly, the question remains why have we to ex- and creeds have changed, and living tongues have become dead,
still exist with a vitality seemingly unimpaired.” The tribulaperience this discomfort and why was this sin or blunder not
tions of Israel are themselves the consolation. Noblesse
ignored or passed over?
oblige—it is said of the nobility and the kingly progeny—and
this is true of Israel too: the special status of the Jews will subIn this parasha of terrible lesions and skin diseases—wrongly
ject us to a very special treatment in the form of greater retranslated as leprosy--we find that most commentators do not
strictions rather than privileges.
regard these as natural diseases but rather as divine warnings
and signs. Many have noted, as Rabbi Hirsch for instance, that
The idea that Israel is subjected to more restrictions and limitathe disease called tzaraat cannot be the regular disease of lepro- tions because of its special status may be found in the introducsy and that the legislation concerning it cannot be merely a sani- tion to the dietary laws. (Leviticus 11:2). Since the laws are givtary precaution. The classical commentators, many of whom
en to Jews only, Rashi (ad loc.) explains that this is because the
were medical doctors themselves, such as Yehuda Halevy, Mai- Jews have a special spiritual mission and therefore they must
monides, Nachmanides, Seforno and Gersonides all assert the
avoid foods that may dull their sensitivity to the Divine energy
scourge of this disease is not strictly a medical disease but a
and intelligence. The Midrash Tanchuma compares this to a
punitive or warning visitation. Maimonides writes that this dis- doctor who gave a very restrictive diet to the patient that had a
coloration occurring in human skin, garments or the walls of
chance for recovery whereas he allowed the terminal patient to
buildings “connotes something beyond the natural realm; it rep- eat whatever he liked. The special diet of the Jew, with all its
resents a sign of miracle and wonder in Israel to warn them
restrictions, is due to the peculiar capacity for spiritual life that
against slander. He who speaks ill of somebody causes the walls we have.
of his home to discolor. If he mends his ways, the purity of his
This is a profound lesson for our lives. Although we would rahome will be restored. If, however, he carries on with his badther live in comfort and tranquility all the time, we know that
mouthing until his home is demolished…the scourge is visited
progress can only be achieved through trial and turbulence.
upon his household goods until he repents. If he perseveres in
Those moments when we encounter difficulties and challenges
his evil, his own body will be afflicted and he will be sent to
solitary confinement to cure him of his malicious talk, scoffing are the times when we grow the most and when we refine the
most delicate of our traits an d strengths. The person who is
and slander.” (Commentary on the Mishnah Nega’im 12:5)
tested and passes the test is higher and superior to the one who
A salient aspect of this disease is that it occurs only in connechas never been tested. Animals are not subject to the ordeals and
tion with the Jewish people and only in the land of Israel.
anxieties that beset human beings because they do not have the
Nachmanides writes that this visitation of the affliction occurs
free choice that is the crown of Man. For the same reason, Jews
only in the land of Israel, “marking the distinction of the Chosen will be subjected to unique misfortunes and miseries precisely
Land for delicate moral discrimination as the abode of the glori- because they are special. We need to recognize that our trials are
ous immanence that we call the Divine Name.” (ad Leviticus
a sign that we can do better, that someone believes we can pass
13:47) Why should this phenomenon be limited to Jews and to
the test, that our troubles are instructive and not merely punitive
the land of Israel? Why are they singled out for this catastrophic or random. G-d sends very special and calibrated prescriptions
occurrence?
to each of us in order to guide us in the right path. Therefore, we
should not begrudge these hardships. On the contrary, we
Seforno answers by explaining that Israel is the chosen people
should rejoice that Someone is paying attention to us. As King
and as such it is charged with a special moral responsibility
which incurs their punishment for each and every transgression. David says, “Your [chastising] rod and your [supporting] staff
do comfort me.” (Psalm 23). Not only Your support but even
This was expressed by the prophet Amos, “You only have I
known of all the families of the earth, therefore I shall visit upon Your chastising me is a source of comfort in the end. Why me?
you all your iniquities.” (3:2). Precisely because you are unique Because there is an eye that an eye that watches over us--that is
why it’s me. Perhaps, in the eyes of the Creator, it is because
among the nations in that you possess a special talent to
acknowledge the Divine and to rise to high spiritual levels, you you are special too.
will be subjected to more rigorous analysis and suffer greater
disciplinary actions than other peoples. The chosenness of Israel
does not entitle them to favoritism or nepotism; on the contrary, Follow Rabbi Algaze on J-APP for the latest shiurim, divrei
they are under the microscope of morality and justice all the
Torah, more. Available in the iTunes and Android app stores.
“If a person will have on the skin of his flesh an intensely white
spot or one not as white or a shiny white one and it will become
a tzaraat affliction on the skin of his flesh, he shall be brought to
Aaron Hakohen or to one of his sons the Kohanim.” (Vayikra
13:2)
HAVURAT YISRAEL/CENTER FOR JEWISH LIFE
Dedication Opportunities

BUIIDING COMMITTEE…(Builders) …………………………For donors of $50,000+

INTERIOR DESIGN COMMITTEE…(Patrons) ……………..For donors of $20,000+

FURNISHING COMMITTEE (Supporters) …………………..For Donors of $10,000+

SUPPLIES COMMITTEE (Contributors) …………………… For Donor of $5,000 +
Names will be listed on a special plaque at the entrance of the synagogue
THIS IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY—DO NOT MISS IT
“They shall make a sanctuary that I may dwell among them.” (Shemot 25:8) At this time and in this place we
have the special privilege to participate in the building of our “small sanctuary”(miqdash me’at)—the new
building of Havurat Yisrael.
Some have opened their hearts already with great generosity to enable us to reach this day and we thank them.
Many have wanted to memorialize special people in their lives with a dedication that will last long in our new
building. Below is a list of items and areas that are still open for dedication, some as low as $3,000 and higher so
that everyone can be a part of the building of the new Havurat. Please note that although the main building is
near completion, there are still many things that are needed, such a appliances for the kitchen, furniture for the
classrooms and synagogue, ner tamid, bookcases and so on. Please peruse through this list and select something
we still need and do not have. The names of all contributors will be inscribed in the walls of the synagogue so
that those names that you wish to memorialize will always be there with us. The Rabbis tell us, “When a mitzvah
comes your way, do not let it pass by.” Don’t say the building is done and they don’t need my help. We do. The
time is now.
Wall of Honor will be designed for the main lobby listing all gifts
Main Components
Center for Jewish Life Name Dedication
The Sanctuary
Social Hall
Library
Beit Midrash
1,000,000
Dedicated
150,000
100,000
150,000
The Center for Jewish Life Building
Main Entrance Lobby
Main Mezuzah
Shoah Memorial
Tree of Life
Administrative Office
Rabbi’s Study
Outdoor Garden/ Sukkah area
Inner Mezuzot (each)
100,000
36,000
50,000
50,000
50,000
50,000
dedicated
3,000
The Sanctuary
Aron Kodesh
Dedicated
Bimah
Dedicated
Women's Section
100,000
Ner Tamid
50,000
Ner Tamid Bet Midrash
18,000
Mechitza
75,000
Torah Reading Table
Dedicated
Parochet
50,000
Memorial Plaque (2)
each
36,000
Rabbi's Chair
18,000
Netilat Yadaim Station
20,000
Skylight
36,000
Speaker’s Podium
18,000
Main Chandelier
25,000
Pillars (3)
18.000 each
Window 1
Dedicated
Window (5)
18,000 each
Sconces (6)
5,000
**********************************
Kitchen
50,000
**********************************
Beit Midrash
Bet Hamidrash Aron Kodesh
100,000
Ner Tamid
18,000
Learning Tables--each
5,000
Bookshelves-each
18,000
Shulchan
26,000
Computer Center (Br Ilan Installed)
18,000
*********************************
Children’s area
100,000