January 10, 2025

Candle-lighting: 4:45 p.m.

Dear Friends,

The devastation all around is awful. On Shabbat we will gather as we always do but with an added desire to join together for mutual comfort and support. We will add a prayer for those whose lives have been upended or are still threatened to be.

On a positive note, TBA has the honor of hosting Kol Tefillah all this weekend, while Library Minyan has the pleasure of hosting the Torah Club, whose members will be reading Torah and leading services.

Diane Roosth is pleased to announce the birth of her latest grandchild and little sister to Noam, named Renana Adi, born in Israel on Shabbat Chanukah to Meir Landau and LeeAnn Langer. She celebrates with a kiddush following services and a Torah Morsel below.

Also in this issue:

• Shabbat Services
• Mishnah Study
• New Rosh Announced/General Meeting
• 2024 Year-End Financial Report
• Getty Tour - Feb. 9
• One LA Seeking Auction Items
• Torah Morsel
• Upcoming Calendar
• Donations This Week
• Dear Libby
• Haftara Plethora
• Jewish Trivia

If you have questions or suggestions, or want to include something in a future Weekly Update, please email Joel Elkins at joel.elkins@gmail.com.

Shabbat Shalom!

Shabbat Services

Services begin at 9:45 a.m. in the Dorff-Nelson Chapel, followed by a Kiddush sponsored by Diane Roosth in honor of the birth of her granddaughter in Israel.

Mishna Study

Joshua Zimmerberg will lead the study of the seventh Mishna in Chapter 16 of Tractate Shabbat. Mishna study begins at 9:15 a.m. in the Whiteman Conference Room and on Zoom.

New Rosh Announced/General Meeting

As announced at services last Shabbat, the new Rosh Minyan will be Rachel Rubin-Green. Her term will begin on Tu B'shvat, February 13.

She will be inducted at the General Meeting, to be held February 8 following services. If you have any suggested agenda items for the meeting, please contact Joel Elkins or Rachel Rubin-Green.

2024 Year-End Financial Report

At the General Meeting we will discuss this past year and plans for the upcoming year. But, it being Shabbat, we generally do not get into the nitty-gritty of the finances. For those who are interested, following is a brief rundown. If you want more detail, here is the full year-end report.  

The Minyan's finances are on solid ground. The expenses were, more or less, offset by contributions. The Minyan's finances are divided into three funds:

• General Fund: This pays for all general Minyan expenses, primarily kiddushim, but also year-end gift cards for kitchen, maintenance and security staff, Purim seudah, luchot (Jewish calendars) for gabbais and coordinators, tribute book for the TBA gala, upkeep of the website, etc. This year the fund also collected contributions in honor of Rabbis Dorff and Berenbaum and purchased a tribute page for the AJU gala in their honor. Current balance: $10,884.34 ($327.66 less than at the start of the year).
• Chesed Fund: This pays for meals or other expenses for those sitting shiva, recuperating from injury or illness or with a newborn, at the discretion of the Chesed Committee. This year, all chesed services were provided directly by our members, and so no money was used from this fund. Current balance: $2,366.50 ($406 more than at the start of the year).  
• Outreach Fund: This pays for outreach for new members and supplements extra-curricular activities (including Shabbat dinners/lunches, Oscar party, Dodger outing, hike, mini-golf, Yom Kippur break-fast, etc.). Activities alternate between those for Young Professionals and those for the Minyan at large. Many of the activities are self-funding. Current balance: $3,348.99 ($134.29 less than at the start of the year).

Getty Tour - Feb. 9

The Library Minyan has scheduled a private tour of a collection of 19th century photographs of Israel at the Getty Museum for Sunday, February 9th at 10:30 a.m. Attendance and parking is free, but there is a limit of 25 participants.  Reserve your spot here.

One LA Seeking Auction Items

One LA is having a FunRaiser on January 18 and is looking for items, services or experiences for the silent auction. If you have any to donate, please contact Kathy Rosenblatt by text or call 310.562.6291 by January 12th to coordinate details.

Torah Morsel

This week's Torah Morsel on Va-Y'hi is brought to us by Diane Roosth in honor of her new granddaughter, Renana Adi. If you would like to present one in the future, sign up here.

In this final parsha of Bereishit, Jacob bestows blessings upon his children, and upon Joseph’s children, Ephraim and Menasheh. Rashi says that Jacob individualized his blessings for each of his sons. Rabbi Joseph D Soloveitchik z”l refers to Jacob blessing each with his essence, with his very being, that each child will be a blessing with moral character and a spiritual legacy.

My granddaughter Renana is blessed with grandparents, and extended family, and was given many blessings by her family during her naming ceremony. Her name was given with intent, that she should be a source of joy, embracing life, and dedicated to family and community. Her mother described that her name Adi is partially in memory of a number of people killed at the Nova festival, who had qualities and character and traits and habits and love of life she prays their daughter will acquire in her life.



They also sang her the blessing from the end of this parsha, often said by parents to newborns. Genesis 48:16:

הַמַּלְאָךְ הַגֹּאֵל אֹתִי מִכָּל-רָע, יְבָרֵךְ אֶת-הַנְּעָרִים, וְיִקָּרֵא בָהֶם שְׁמִי

וְשֵׁם אֲבֹתַי אַבְרָהָם וְיִצְחָק; וְיִדְגּוּ לָרֹב, בְּקֶרֶב הָאָרֶץ

May the Angel who has delivered me from all harm—bless these boys. May they be called by my name and the names of my fathers, Abraham and Isaac, and may they increase greatly on the earth.

Rabbi Merav Kallush’s addition, quoted by Rabbi Lior Nevo, Hebrew Senior Life Chaplain, and Shecter Parent, Boston:

הַמַּלְאָךְ הַגֹּאֵל אֹתִי מִכָּל-רָע, יְבָרֵךְ אֶת-הַנְּעָרוֹת, וְיִקָּרֵא בָהֶן שְׁמִי, וְשֵׁם אִמּוֹתַי

שָׂרָה וְרִבְקָה; וְיִדְגּוּ לָרֹב, בְּקֶרֶב הָאָרֶץ

May the Angel who has delivered me from all harm—bless these girls. May they be called by my name and the names of my mothers, Sarah and Rebecca, and may they increase greatly on the earth.

May the blessings of Jacob and our blessings keep our granddaughter healthy, safe, and happy; and may they help speedily bring the hostages home and bring an end to the violence.

Upcoming Calendar

Below is a list of upcoming special kiddushes and events. If you would like to contribute to any of these (or to add another kiddush-worthy occasion), please click here and indicate the event in the notes.

2/1 - Howard Fredman/Jules Kamin birthdays

2/8 - General Meeting of Library Minyan

3/8 - Torah Club Shabbat

Donations This Week

AJ Happel

-in honor of Carl Sunshine's birthday

Susan Laemmle & John Antignas

-in honor of the engagement of Leora Weinstock to Michael Hirschberg

Mayer & Sandy Brenner

-in memory of Sandy Patack on her 10th yahrzeit

Diane & Bob Roosth

-in memory of Diane’s father, Leon Fishman

Dear Libby

Dear Libby:

What the hell?

ASKING FOR A FRIEND

Dear Asking:

I wish I knew. We had the plague and the pestilence, and we now are experiencing the fire and the brimstone. But it's not time to panic just yet. However, just to be safe, keep an eye out for four guys on horseback riding down La Cienega Blvd.

LIBBY

If you would like Libby to answer your questions or solve your problems, submit your questions and/or kvetches to dearlibby@libraryminyan.org

Haftarah Plethora

In a Haftarah Plethora for Va-Y'hi, Rick and Larry compare the deathbed scenes of Jacob in the Torah and David in the Haftarah. Rick notes similarities between the beginning of David’s instructions to Solomon and the words of the Shema. Larry points out the dramatic change in tone and subject, quoting Robert Alter who likens David’s charge to Solomon to the last will and testament of a dying Mafia capo. Shabbat Shalom.

You can see all of Larry and Rick's recordings here.

Jewish Trivia

Last week's question: What 2009 movie, featuring a primarily Jewish cast and directed by two Jews starts off in a shtetl and then quickly moves to 1967 Minnesota. Answer: "A Serious Man," directed by Joel and Ethan Coen and starring (among others) Michael Stuhlbarg, Richard Kind, Fred Melamed, Alan Mandell, Adam Arkin and Fyvush Finkel.

This week's question: Who was the first Jew to win a U.S. presidential primary for a major party? (Answer next week.)