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Weekly E-News 5786
Nov 13 - Nov 19, 2026
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Prepared by Tova Javetz & Lauren Fins.
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From the Desk of
Rabbi Cantor
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The story of how Jacob stole Esau’s blessing is framed by Esau’s choice of wives. Just before it begins, we read:
When Esau was forty years old, he took to wife Judith daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Basemath daughter of Elon the Hittite; and they were a source of bitterness to Isaac and Rebekah. (Genesis 26:34–35)
Even so, Isaac prepares to bless Esau. Rebekah overhears and coaches Jacob to deceive his father and take his brother’s place. Jacob complies. When Esau discovers what has happened, he vows to kill Jacob.
Rebekah tells Jacob to flee to her brother Laban and wait there until Esau’s anger cools. But when she speaks to Isaac, she gives a different reason:
I am disgusted with my life because of the Hittite women. If Jacob marries a Hittite woman like these, from among the native women, what good will life be to me? (Genesis 27:46)
Isaac responds by sending Jacob to Laban’s household to find a wife, and blesses him with the blessing of Abraham (Genesis 28:1–5).
Then something remarkable happens:
When Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob and sent him off to Paddan-aram to take a wife from there, charging him, as he blessed him, “You shall not take a wife from among the Canaanite women,” and that Jacob had obeyed his father and mother and gone to Paddan-aram, Esau realized that the Canaanite women displeased his father Isaac. So Esau went to Ishmael and took to wife, in addition to the wives he had, Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael son of Abraham, sister of Nebaioth. (Genesis 28:6–9)
Consider what this reveals about the family. Isaac is pained by Esau’s marriages, yet seems not to have communicated his objections in a way that Esau understood. Rebekah knows Esau means to kill Jacob, but instead of telling Isaac, she dresses up Jacob’s escape as a search for a suitable wife. Jacob is caught between his parents’ expectations, obeying his mother by deceiving his father.
And Esau? Only when he learns that his father has charged Jacob not to marry a Canaanite woman does he grasp how deeply his own marriages have disappointed Isaac. His response is to marry into Abraham’s family. Whether this pleased Isaac, the Torah does not say.
We cannot know how things might have gone had Isaac and Rebekah spoken openly with each other and with their sons. But the pattern is a familiar one: expectations left unspoken, disappointments left to fester, and family members trying to please one another without knowing what is actually wanted.
How much anguish might have been avoided if Isaac had spoken to Esau as plainly about his choice of wife as he eventually spoke to Jacob?
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Crossing Over: Reading the Book of Joshua
What happened after Moses died? Who was Joshua, and how did the Israelites make the transition from wandering in the wilderness to establishing themselves in the Promised Land? Join us as we explore the Book of Joshua, with its stories of spies and battles, courage and deception, miraculous victories and troubling moral choices. Along the way, we will discover how generations of Jewish commentators and rabbis have understood, interpreted, and sometimes struggled with these stories. No knowledge of Hebrew is required—our discussions will be based on English translations, with the original Hebrew available for reference.
Beginning Wednesday, December 2, 2026
In person: Wednesdays, 10:30 a.m.–noon
On Zoom: Wednesdays, 2:00–3:30 p.m.
Both sessions will cover the same material. Classes will run through the spring, with breaks for holidays.
More information to follow.
Rabbi Cantor
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The best part of Rabbi Cantor's Day is when he sits down to meet with congregants. To make an appointment with Rabbi Cantor:
Call: 912-352-4727
Email: rabbi@agudath-achim.com
Use this link: Schedule a Meeting
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In Person Service Times
Tuesday: 7:30 AM
Wednesday: 8:00 AM
Friday: 8:00 AM
Shabbat: 9:45 AM
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Parashat Toldot 5787 / פָּרָשַׁת תּוֹלְדוֹת
14 November 2026 / 4 Kislev 5787
Candle lighting November 13, 2026 5:08 pm / Havdalah November 14, 2026 6:03 pm
Torah Portion: Genesis 25:19-28:9
Toldot (“Generations”) opens with the births of Isaac and Rebecca’s twins, Jacob and Esau. Esau sells his birthright to Jacob in exchange for soup. Isaac and Rebecca travel to Gerar, where Isaac makes a peace treaty with King Abimelech. Isaac gives Jacob the blessing meant for Esau, and Jacob runs away to his uncle Laban.
1: Genesis 26:23-29 · 152
2: Genesis 26:30-33 · 153
3: Genesis 26:34-27:4 · 153
4: Genesis 27:5-13 · 154
5: Genesis 27:14-17 · 155
6: Genesis 27:18-23 · 155
7: Genesis 27:24-27 · 156
M: Genesis 27:24-27 · 156
Haftarah: Malachi 1:1-2:7 · 163
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Service Leader Sign Up
Are you interested in leading services? Reading Torah? You can sign up on our service leader sign up sheet!
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New Date for AA Trip to Israel
The trip to Israel has been rescheduled for September.
If you're interested, call Motti!
912-352-4737
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Birthdays
Wednesday, Nov 18 - Jeffrey Lasky, Bert Tenenbaum
Thursday, Nov 19 - Stephen Morris
Anniversaries
Monday, Nov 16 - Kasey & Daniel Berman,
Libby Waldman-Strugatch & Bruce Strugatch
Tuesday, Nov 17 - Natalie & Bruce Hyman
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Yahrzeits
Thursday night/Friday, Nov 13 - 3 Kislev
none
Friday night/Saturday, Nov 14 - 4 Kislev
Evelyn Neidich - mother of Linda Hoffman
Saturday night/Sunday, Nov 15 - 5 Kislev
Hilda Broome - grandmother of Simone Wilker
Sunday night/Monday, Nov 16 - 6 Kislev
none
Monday night/Tuesday, Nov 17 - 7 Kislev
Louis Nathan - grandfather of Michael Konter
Hedwig Richtman - grandmother of Lewis Schneider
Tuesday night/Wednesday, Nov 18 - 8 Kislev
Rose Hirsh - mother-in-law of Gale Hirsh
Wednesday night/Thursday, Nov 19 - 9 Kislev
Frances Weil - mother of Loren Weil
Thursday night/Friday, Nov 20 - 10 Kislev
Harvey Rosengart - father of Russell Rosengart
Commemoration of the Yahrzeit begins the evening of the first noted date.
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Donations
To make a donation to the synagogue in recognition of a birth, birthday, anniversary, bereavement, or yahrzeit, you may use the button below. The message box can be used to tell us who we should notify of your donation.
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Elise & Victor Shernoff to the Kiddush Fund to celebrate the birth of Jodi & Kenneth Sadler's granddaughter
Elise & Victor Shernoff to the Kiddush Fund to celebrate the birth of Patty & Gerald Clarke's great-grandson
Libby Waldman-Strugatch & Bruce Strugatch to the Kiddush Fund on the birth of Jodi & Kenneth Sadler's granddaughter
Charna & Marvin Cweibel to the Kiddush Fund to celebrate the birth of Jodi & Kenneth Sadler's new granddaughter
Linda & Michael Zoller to Backpack Buddies for AM Goldkrand's recovery
Betsy & Larry Lehner to Backpack Buddies wishing Richard Bodziner a speedy recovery
Amy & David Rosenthal to the Kiddush Fund wishing Richard Bodziner a speedy recovery
Amy & David Rosenthal to the Kiddush Fund with Jim Montag a happy 90th birthday
Vickie & Arnold Tillinger to the Camp Ramah Fund in memory of Helen Rosengart
Rachel Israel to the Kiddush Fund in memory of Albert Gomel
Reggie & Melvyn Goldstein to the General Fund wishing Richard Bodziner a speedy recovery
Eva & Motti Locker to the General Fund wishing Richard Bodziner a speedy recovery
Lynn Goodman to the General Fund wishing Richard Bodziner a speedy recovery
Sandy & Marcus Seligman to Backpack Buddies wishing Richard Bodziner a speedy recovery
Sandy & Marcus Seligman to Backpack Buddies in memory of Helen Rosengart
Sandy & Marcus Seligman to Backpack Buddies in honor of AM & Judith Goldkrand
Elise & Victor Shernoff to the Kiddish Fund in honor of AM Goldkrand
Paul Abel to Rabbi's Discretionary Fund in memory of Israel Broder
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Benefactor
$5000 - $9999
Melvyn & Eleanor Galin
Leader
$1800 - $3599
Stephen & Annette Friedman
Ed Price
Patron
$720 - $1799
Paul & Harriet Kulbersh
Aaron & Dayle Levy
Allan & Arlene Ratner
Sherwin & Sara Robin
Michael & Linda Zoller
Chai Member
$360 - $719
Matthew & Michelle Allan
Gerald Caplan
Ted Geffen & Adelle Burnsed-Geffen
AM Goldkrand
Jeffrey & Stacy Lasky
Jim & Bunny Montag
Andrew & Leslie Walcoff
Supporter
$100 - $359
Lynn Berkowitz
Adam Fins
Doug & Lisa Goldstein
Seth Grenald
Gale Hirsh
Jonathan & Tova Javetz
Harriet Karlin
Michael & Suzanne Konter
Larry & Betsy Lehner
Steve & Linda Sacks
Victor & Elise Shernoff
Call the synagogue if you'd like to make this additional donation!
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The Montag Gallery at the Jewish Educational Alliance is pleased to announce the show and monthly reception of Janet Bailey.
Janet Bailey studied art, specializing in watercolors, and soon after, she was hired by Hallmark to create scenes for their cards. She typically works with acrylics, graphite, and oil pastels; mediums that can encourage layers.
For this show, she has painted a large series of colorful trees, woodland fireflies, and swaying beach grasses. Also featured are tree ink/ graphite drawings, including owls, a favorite bird, which come from the privilege of seeing them in their habitat.
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Rabbi David Cantor
Tova Javetz, President
Motti Locker, Executive Director
Congregation Agudath Achim | office@agudath-achim.com | 912-352-4737 | www.agudath-achim.com
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