May 23, 2025

Candle-lighting for Shabbat: 7:36

Dear Friends,

This week we read the combined Parshiot B'har and B'Hukkotai, in which we are introduced to the laws of the Shmita and the Juvel, which require that the land rest every 7th year and that every 50th year the land reverts to its ancestral owner. In my short overview of B'har, I was struck by the verse: "The land must not be sold beyond reclaim, for the land is mine and you are but strangers resident with me." (Lev 25:23) I, for one, appreciate the reminder that the land belongs to God, and that we are visitors.

This week the Library Minyan joins with the Feuerstein and Rembaum families in celebrating Ayla's Bat Mitzvah. This service will be held upstairs in the Main Sanctuary and will be Live Streamed.

Also in this week's Update:

• Shabbat Services - 9:30
• Mishnah Study - 9:15
• Important Messages
• Upcoming Events
• Donations This Week
• Haftara Plethora
• Jewish Trivia



If you have questions or suggestions, or would like to include something in a future edition of the Weekly Update, please email Rachel Rubin Green at rachelrubingreen@gmail.com.

Shabbat Shalom!

Rachel Rubin Green

Rosh Minyan

Shabbat Services

9:30 am in the Main Sanctuary. We celebrate the Bat Mitzvah of Ayla Feuerstein, granddaughter of Joel and Fredi Rembaum. The Kiddush lunch this week will be outside and is sponsored by proud parents Israel and Nomi Feuerstein.

Mishna Study

Joshua Zimmerberg will teach Mishnah 3 of Chapter 19 of Tractate Shabbat at 9:15 a.m. in the Whiteman Conference Room and on Zoom .

Important Messages

From Torah Club Leader Nina Golden:



Torah Club celebrates 12 years with its annual end-of-year celebration on May 31 in Library Minyan! There will be a special, sponsored kiddush, awards, and recognition for Torah Club members.

We are honored to partner with the Greenstein family, whose daughter, Emily z”l, was a member of Torah Club. 

Please consider a gift in honor of a torah reader(s) or to honor all of the kids.

Here are instructions to donate to Torah Club:

1. Go to: https://tbala.shulcloud.com/payment.php

2. Click the “Type” dropdown menu and scroll down to “Torah Club” listed 3rd from the bottom.

4. Indicate your donation amount and that it’s in honor of a particular Torah Club member, or the program in general 

Your support of Torah Club is appreciated!

From Drash Coordinator Diane Herman:

Looking for Darshanim!

We are looking for darshanim for the summer months. Most of the slots in July and August are still available. If you'd like to volunteer, please contact Diane Herman at: dnherman@gmail.com   

Available slots can be seen on the Library Minyan calendar at: https://libraryminyan.org/calendar/

From TBA Podcast Guru Norm Garr

Last Shabbat, the Library Minyan was privileged to hear from Rabbi Gordon Bernat-Kunin. The service was LIVE-STREAMED and his drash posted on the TBA Podcast Website.

You may hear it here:

Shabbat Sermon: "The Past, Present, and Future of Shabbat."

Upcoming Events

5/31 Torah Club End of Year Celebration

6/2 Shavuot Day 1 Combined Service Live Streamed

6/3 Shavuot Day 2 includes Yizkor

6/7 Lunch and Learn with Rabbi Adam Kligfeld

6/14 Aufruf of Leora Weinstock

6/21 Lunch and Learn with Rabbi Gail Labovitz

Donations This Week

In honor of the birth of Shira Rose, granddaughter of Benjamin and Frumi Glick

-Jana Lehman and Bruce Richland

In honor of the upcoming Lunch and Learn Series re: Live Streaming

-Susan Laemmle and John Antignas

In memory of Jason Rosenbaum's mother, Judith Altman

-Debbie Rich

-Dafna and Scott Taryle

-John Antignas and Susan Laemmle

Haftarah Plethora

In this week’s Haftorah Plethora for B-har-B'hukkotai, Rick and Larry talk about curses and blessings and decide that Jeremiah’s treatment of them is more uplifting than the Torah reading for Bechukotai. Larry points out that this haftarah gives us two important verses that are part of our daily liturgy while Rick opines that playing episodes of Haftorah Plethora may not be the best way to get Millie to smile. Shabbat Shalom

Jewish Trivia

Last Week's Question: What does Lag Baomer commemorate? (Multiple answers possible -- name as many as you can.)  Answer: The origin of the holiday is not known for certain.  Possible explanations include:

• the day on which the plague that killed Rabbi Akiva's 24,000 disciples came to an end
• the hillula (anniversary of the death) of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai
• the unsuccessful Bar Kochba rebellion
• the date on which construction of the Third Temple in Jerusalem began (temporarily) under the Emperor Julian
• Under the kabbalistic tradition of assigning an attribute to each week of the omer, and then to each day in the week, the 33rd day represents the doubling of hod (glory), signifying the spiritual manifestation of God preceding the physical manifestation on the 49th day, when malchut (kingship) is doubled

This week's question: The Library Minyan has used four different siddurim since its inception. Can you name them and provide the page number for Adon Olam in each? (Answer next week)