Support Schomre Israel

Sisterhood Fund Raiser
 
  Flower Centerpieces for the Holidays 

All community members who wish to have a beautiful floral centerpiece to enhance their table during the High Holidays may order by contacting the Shul's office 845.454.2890, schomre1@aol.com,  or Cassia Brown 845.452.8317 
The cost of the centerpieces is $25, prepaid. Orders must be placed by September 25th and pickup will be Sunday, October  2, from 9 to 11 am at the shul. 






 











Congregation Schomre Israel

Week of July 22 , 2016    י'ז תמוז תשע"ו
Shabbat Parashat Balak
  שבת פרשת בלק     

 


From The Rabbi's Shtender

Pokemon
Pokemon

As we mourn the victims of the tragic attack in Nice, France. I share with you an essay by Rabbi Benjamin Blech.

When the Victims of Terror Are Not Jews
The terrorism of Nice and the world's select outrage

     Nice has till now been world renowned as the capitol of the French Riviera. Founded by the Greeks long ago, it became a resort for the elite - the cultured, the artistic, the sophisticated, the liberals and the intellectuals who gloried in its symbolic status as paradigm of 21stcentury paradise.

     Today Nice has joined the geographic list of monuments to the tragedy of terrorism. The names of the cities stand as powerful reminders of the universal threat to civilized society. It is no longer just Jerusalem or Tel Aviv. It is Paris and Brussels, San Bernardino and Orlando, Istanbul and Dhaka.

     And so we have come full circle.

     For years now Europe has been in the forefront of those justifying Palestinian atrocities - terrorist acts of murder of innocents, of slayings of Jews at prayer, children asleep in their bedrooms, mothers in front of their children - all deemed permissible with the torturous logic that people who believe they have no other alternative are morally permitted to carry out brutal and barbaric violence.
Is wholesale murder in fact ever tolerable because the executioners are convinced that their ultimate goal is noble?
     But surely now the world needs to ask the question: When does terrorism cease to be terrorism? Is wholesale murder in fact ever tolerable because the executioners are convinced that their ultimate goal is noble? Is there any possible vindication for driving a truck into a crowd of celebrants of Bastille Day, supposedly to distribute free ice cream to the revelers, viciously killing and injuring small children as well as hundreds of others in its path?

   I ask because the response to the tragedy in Nice has been notable for the kind of words which its spokespersons previously so often made clear they do not believe.

     Listen to the leading Muslim clerics who united in condemning the attack and calling for a joint struggle against extremism because, as they piously exclaim, they are opposed to extremism in any form.

     Listen to United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan who said: "This heinous terrorist crime makes it imperative for all to work decisively and without hesitation to counter terrorism in all its forms and manifestations."
Listen to Sunni Islam's leading center of learning, Al-Azhar which said the "vile terrorist attack" contradicted Islam and urged the world to unite efforts "to defeat terrorism and rid the world of its evil".

     Listen to Iran which also decried the "criminal terrorist incident" in Nice. "As we have repeatedly said before, terrorism is an evil phenomenon that will only be eradicated through international unity and collaboration," foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi said.

     Senior Egyptian Muslim cleric Shawki Allam condemned the assailant as an "extremist". "People who commit such ugly crimes are corrupt of the Earth, and follow in the footsteps of Satan... and are cursed in this life and in the hereafter."

     Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi denounced "in the strongest terms the vile terrorist attack," his office said.
Arab League chief Ahmed Abul Gheit condemned the "craven terrorist attack," his spokesman said.

     What happened in Nice is not nice because it was the kind of violence whose victims weren't Jews, whose targets weren't Israelis. But when it is a marketplace in Tel Aviv or a bedroom in Kiryat Arba terrorism appears to lose its obscene stench for all the hypocritical mouthpieces of moderation who would like us to believe they are opposed in principle to murder inspired by fanatic motives and targeted at innocent victims.

     It is both strange and appalling that at one and the same time the world could condemn with great fervor the fanaticism of terrorism against some nations while continuing to justify those very crimes against those for whom they share hatred and animosity. And it is precisely because of this hypocrisy - the implicit belief that "my terrorism is not your terrorism" - that civilization is so powerfully imperiled.
How long will the world praise terrorists in one corner of the globe and assume it won't become victimized everywhere else?
     The Jewish calendar long-ago cautioned us about the danger of this approach. The most tragic day of the year for Jews is the ninth of Av, Tisha B'Av. It was the exact day on which both of the temples were destroyed. It is a day of fasting and mourning, meant to ensure we never forget the tragic events it commemorates as well as our spiritual failings which contributed to the terrible events of this day. But what is a remarkable is that three weeks before the ninth of Av, this coming Sunday, we observe an additional day of fasting and mourning. It is the 17th of Tammuz. On that day the Temple was not yet destroyed. Yet it needs to be equally remembered because that is the day on which the walls of Jerusalem were breached. It was the beginning of the end - and the beginning of our downfall needs to be recalled as much as the day of final tragedy.

     It is a message of great contemporary relevance. The day when the walls first fell, which allowed for all that followed, was when the world failed to respond to terrorism even though it wasn't their house that was burning nor their children who were brutalized; when it was Tel Aviv and not Paris, when it was Jerusalem and not Istanbul, when it was just Jews celebrating a Passover Seder in the seaside resort of Netanya and not proud French citizens in the beautiful capital of the Riviera.

     Terrorism didn't appear to be such a terrifying threat when the wall of civilized behavior was first overrun. But inexorably the 17th of Tammuz is followed by Tisha B'Av. Evil un-confronted and un-challenged has taken the first step to victory.

     How long will the world fail to understand this? How long will the world continue to praise terrorists in one corner of the globe and blindly assume it will not become similarly victimized everywhere else?

      Our fate rests on the correct answer.


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Seventeenth of Tamuz Blues
Seventeenth of Tamuz Blues
 
Laws and customs for the Fast of the 17th of Tammuz, the Three Weeks and Tish'a b'AV may be found HERE. History of the events leading to the destruction of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem are at  ou.org has background information. 




Tisha B'Av and the 3 Weeks  July 24 - August 14, 2016  A Major Fast Day -- remembering the day when the Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed, not once but twice. aish.com





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Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Eliezer Langer

Hebrew, History, or Current Events?
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Please complete the Education Survey found in the last Bulletin. 

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UPDATED: Davening Names from Nice Attack / Nom des blessés pour lesquels il faut prier
Nom des blessés pour lesquels il faut prier/ updated davening names of those injured in the terror attack in Nice, France:
French: SVP Concentrez vos prières pour Raymonde bat Nouna (pas encore localisée) et Clara bat Nouna (Claire Benshimoun, 80 ans, amputée des jambes et actuellement dans le coma), ainsi que tous les blessés.
English: Raymonde Bat Nouna, Claire Ben Shimoun
Axel ben Yael
Moshe ben Yaakov
Clara bat Nouna
Yonathan ben Zuzy
John Dray
Dominique Azan

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In Israel
Chava Rachel bat Ayelet Hashachar
Pdaya Menachem ben Chava Rachel
T'hila bat Chava Rachel
Yehoshua Chai ben Ester (guard wounded at the Ariel home)

 
אַחֵינוּ כָּל בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל, הַנְּתוּנִים בְּצָרָה וּבַשִּׁבְיָה, הָעוֹמְדִים בֵּין בַּיָּם וּבֵין בַּיַּבָּשָׁה, הַמָּקוֹם יְרַחֵם עֲלֵיהֶם, וְיוֹצִיאֵם מִצָּרָה לִרְוָחָה, וּמֵאֲפֵלָה לְאוֹרָה, וּמִשִּׁעְבּוּד לִגְאֻלָּה, הַשְׁתָּא בַּעֲגָלָא וּבִזְמַן קָרִיב.
 
Acheinu kol beit yisrael, han'tunim b'tzara uvashivyah, haomdim bein bayam uvein bayabasha. Hamakom Y'racheim Aleihem v'yotziem mitzra lirvacha um'afaila l'orah umishiabud lig'ulah, hashta ba'agala uvizman kariv.V'nomar: Amen 


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Tzedakah in Action 
Support the Morse Elementary School Pantry

Here's the challenge­­ -Can the Hudson Valley Jewish Social Action Coalition provide food for approximately 30 Morse School families, at risk for hunger over weekends and holidays?

The Jewish Social Action Coalition, currently composed of four local congregations-Schomre Israel, Shir Chadash, Temple BethEl, and Vassar Temple­-has learned that the Morse School food pantry is dangerously low. Over 200 students will attend summer school this summer. While all these children qualify for free or reduced lunch, a number of them and their families are still in need of food. Please help assure that these children have the nutrition they need so that they can learn.

You can help by contributing cash, a gift card, scrip or actual food items. Listed below are the food items most needed. Any kosher items may be donated through Schomre Israel.

Let us show that we are a caring community. For more information please contact Sandy Corwin dcorwin@gmail.com 845-452-2436 Debby Sullum dsullum@msn.com 462-1259 

There is a carton set up for food donations in the hallway near the office. 
Suggested List BREAKFAST: cold cereal, hot cereals, breakfast bars, complete pancake mix(add water 
LUNCH: graham crackers, goldfish, cheese­its, granola bars, fruit snacks, pretzels, juice boxes, pasta, tomato sauces, egg noodles, dried rice, or canned beans,  

We hope to continue to provide food to the food pantry throughout the school year,  now concentrating on the summer needs. 

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Chair Yoga - Mondays 11:30 AM
 
  Chair Yoga, taught by Toni Farkas
 Nominal fee of $5 per class.

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Tefillah -  Services
July 22-29


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Friday July 22
Candle Lighting 8:05PM
Mincha 7:00PM

Shabbat July 23
Shacharit 9:00AM
Shma before 9:22AM
Mincha after 1:39PM
Shabbat ends 9:04PM
 
Sunday Shacharis 8:30 AM
Monday & Thursday Shacharis 7:00AM   

Monday evening Mincha/Maariv at the Levines' 7:00PM

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JULY 2016
      
22 Ellen Schaffer
22 Nechemyeh N. Zinger
22 Breanna Calli
23 Stacey Gamberg
26 Paul Medina
30 Linda Skolnik
31 Sara Tehila Fox

We wish much happiness and good health on this special day. עד מאה ועשרים שנה - Biz 120!!
 
This information comes from our Shul calendar. If you would like to be listed please contact us.
 

 
Yahrtzeit



We commemorate the yahrtzeit of:

 
YAHRZEITS JULY

22 Moshe Yitzchak Langer           16 Tamuz
23 Samuel J. Klein                        17 Tamuz
23 Bessie Kessler                          17 Tamuz
23 Joseph E. Levine                      17 Tamuz
24 Sidney Davis                            18 Tamuz
26 Morris Schreibman                   20 Tamuz
27 Samuel Robles                         21 Tamuz
28 Morris Luttinger                      22 Tamuz
28 Jack Sachs                               22 Tamuz
28 William Kaplan                       22 Tamuz
30 Rose Pastreich                         24 Tamuz
30 Louis Stich                              24 Tamuz


 

תהה נשמתם צרורות בצרור בהחיים
May their souls be bound in the bond of eternal life.

This information comes from our Shul calendar. If you wish to add a name to this list please  contact us.

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Kosher Konsumer Korner


Glatt Kosher Restaurants Come of Age
by Menachem Lubinsky, President & CEO of LUBICOM Marketing Consulting,  founder and co-producer of Kosherfest.

"There is something about the new age of glatt kosher restaurants that makes it more exciting than their predecessors. It's that they have steadily moved from the old school of just serving food to what are rapidly becoming venues of fine 
dining. New age kosher restaurants understand that a good restaurant is more than good food; it's a combination of atmosphere, themed dishes, creative presentations, cleanliness, and of course, good service.
People are actually spending more time at kosher restaurants nowadays. Diners no longer look for a restaurant that just serves kosher food quickly. It's an opportunity to spend some time with family, friends or business associates. It has given new meaning to the concept of "going out". For many young couples, going out is more than a ritual practiced on special occasions like birthdays and anniversaries. It is an opportunity to have fun and enjoy a kosher food experience in what is frequently an upscale dining environment.
The new age of kosher restaurants is all about choices, ranging from traditional "home feeling" kosher dishes to international dishes that just happen to be kosher. Jews who were once considered adventurous just for going to a Chinese restaurants are today frequenting Japanese, Thai, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, and of course European eating establishments. The expression of "let's do Chinese tonight" has given way to "let's do Sushi" or "let's do Asian." The new age of kosher restaurants is all about diversity which has led to a new generation of kosher restaurants, replete with Asian sushi chefs, salad bars, low carb and diet menus, and unprecedented choices of fish. This new age has taken note of lifestyle changes that demand this diversity. the rest of the story
 
 
 
 


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