The President, Robert Hershan, on behalf of the Board and staff of Temple Beth Israel welcomes you to our community. SHABBAT 20 - 21 March 2015 / 1 Nisan 5775

WeeklyKOL YISRAEL

EREV SHABBAT MAIN SYNAGOGUE 6.15pm Friday Night Shabbat Service Board members: Robert Hershan, Rebecca Silk, Helen Shardey and Alla Medownick Shammash: Tom Firestone Music: Toby Glaser with Sarah Edelstein and Ruach Community Choir

SHABBAT HACHODESH PARASHAT VAYIKRA Parashah: Leviticus 4:1 – 26 (page 769) Genesis 1:14 – 19 (page 19) Haftarah: Ekekiel 45:16 - 25 (page1653)

The Conservative Torah Commentary, Etz Hayim, in its introduction to the book of Vayikra, Leviticus begins with the following statement, “Leviticus is a difficult book for a modern person to read with reverence and appreciation. Its main subject matter – animal offering and ritual impurity seems remote from contemporary concerns, yet almost half of the 613 mitzvot of the Torah are found in this book. The core of this sidra, Vayikra, is the idea of ritual. While we may not be able to relate to burning an animal offering for a sacrifice, we can see the value in the elements of ritual. Rituals are activities in sequence performed in a particular time and place. They may involve words, gestures and objects. Communities, both religious and secular deem what is the appropriate ritual. And in the religious sense they are formal, they become traditional and they have deep symbolism. In the first ritual that begins Vayikra, God tells Moses to bring an offering of male cattle for a burnt oder (Lev 1.1ff).

The point of the sacrifice is to honour God. Rituals are important to all of us, whether they are religious or secular. From the moment we get up in the morning, we perform daily routines that become part of our lives. Eating is a ritual and a necessity. Dressing too is a ritual. But, what separates these rituals from eveyday religious rituals is that daily non-religious rituals are more habitual than anything else. Common Jewish practices allow us to mark time and space. For example, when a boy is born, we celebrate with the ancient rite of b'rit milah. The boy is officially brought into the covenant. B'nei mitzvah celebrations are rituals for the coming of age and the list continues for weddings, divorce and bereavement. The challenge is to bring religious rituals into our daily lives. This requires taking the mundane and the ordinary, and elevating it to the holy. The ritual of hand washing with a blessing before eating, followed by the b’rachah before eating and ending with Birktat HaMazon takes the

simplest act of nourshing our bodies into an act of holiness. We mark time with holiness especially on Erev Shabbat, when we light candles, and recite Kiddush, the blessing over the wine, followed by the Motzi, blessing over bread. We are marking Friday evenings as sacred and holy time of the week. The rituals cause us to pause and appreciate what we have in our lives. For the Pro-gressive Movement, it is essential for us to make certain rituals as permanent fixtures in our daily, weekly and monthly lives. We must try to infuse our lives with various aspects of Judaism. It is wourth the effort. Further, it is essential to make archaic rituals, relevant and meaningful with new rituals that complement the traditional ones. While we may not be slaughtering animals as a burnt offering to provide a pleasing odour to God (Lev 1.13), let us through our actions, engage in rituals that are pleasing to God and bring meaning to our lives.

DRASH FOR SHABBAT VAYIKRA

SHABBAT SHACHARIT 10am Saturday Morning Shabbat Service Board members: Robert Hershan, Helen Shardey and Joanne Loewy Irons Shammashim: Aviv Palti and John Hillel Music: Toby Glaser with Sarah Edelstein and Ruach Community Choir accompanied by Joe Stupel Bat mitzvah: Skyla Howard Torah readers: Esther Jilovsky and Skyla Howard Kiddush: Kindly sponsored by the Howard family

RABBI KIM ETTLINGER, TEMPLE BETH ISRAEL

TBI services are now streamed live from our website tbi.org.au for the benefit for those who are unable to attend services. If you are positioned near the front of the synagogue or near the bimah your image will be recorded. Attendance and participation in our services will be deemed as consent for your image, or the image of minors in your care, to be used for the purposes of filming and promotion. We thank you for your support.

Contact TBIPh: 613 9510 1488 Fax: 613 9521 1229

PO Box 128 / 76-82 Alma Rd, St Kilda Vic 3182

Please take this news sheet with you

MISSION: Temple Beth Israel is a kehilla kedosha (spiritual community) bringing innovation and creativity to Jewish traditions. We provide multiple pathways for our members and friends to enjoy an engagement with Progressive Judaism that enhances their lives through spiritual enrichment, learning and community. We are guided by principles of egalitarianism and respect for others. We are inspired to continually develop and grow and to provide a spiritual home for all who wish to embrace our values. Temple Beth Israel acknowledges that we are assembled on land whose traditional custodians are the people of the Kulin Nation.

SHLOSHIM • Lewis Bloom Son of Dorothy, husband of Mei Ping and brother of David • Ruth Byrne Sister of Betty• Werner Philipp Husband of Lotti, father of Peter and Lorraine, step father of Denise and Karen• Alan Sewell Brother of Jean Zemel • David Silver Brother and brother-in-law of Colin and Sue • Michael Taylor Father of Leslie • Betty Weeden Mother of Phillip and Pam

YAHRZEITS OBSERVED THIS SHABBAT• Samuel Carp • Sidney Edgar • Jacob Frey • Jack Goldin • Gitty Hoenig • Keith Hyman • Martin Jilovsky • Alma Joske • Eli Kaye • Dorothy Kempler • Marta Klempfner • Sam Kochen • Inna Kurzer • Erna Lewner • George Mansfield • Diana Lee Marks • Joseph Penner • Else Peritz • Alfred Rood • Norman Rose • Imre Schon • Maria Schon • Basil Starr • Joseph Tursz • Emma Willer • Bolec (Bill) Willer

WHAT’S ON

REMEMBRANCE

CALENDAR

tbi.org.auTwitter: @TBIMelbourne

ROSH CHODESH WOMEN'S GROUP SUNDAY 22 MARCH 7.30PM (OFFSITE) This month's topic is "Nudity vs Modesty in Judaism" Leonard Nimoy's book of photography "Shekhina" featured glamorous women, with some wearing t'filin in all their naked glory. How does this fit with Jewish law? What does Judaism say about nudity whether for art or in general? Why is Judaism so specific in its modesty laws, the lore of Tzniut? Contact Dani Silver 9510 1488 or dani.silver@tbi.org.au for locations, and to go onto our mailing list for future Rosh Chodesh Women’s Group meetings.

LIVING WITH DEMENTIA SUPPORT GROUP MONDAY 23 MARCH 7.30PM A Jewish support group for family and carers of a people with dementia. This is an opportunity to discuss any topics or questions with others.

DROP IN AND CHAT WEDNESDAY 25 MARCH 10.30AM Join seniors knitting, games and discussion.

TBI FILM CLUB SUNDAY 12 APRIL 6.30 ENTRY FOR A 7PM START TBI Film Club presents " Stranger Than Fiction". The story is about an IRS auditor who suddenly finds himself the subject of narration only he can hear that begins to affect his entire life, from his work, to his love-interest, to his death.To join the TBI Film Club and receive alerts for upcoming films contact: Ginny Klooger at vklooger@netspace.net.au or 9510 1488. Entry: Free of charge. FREE EVENT

Sunday 22 March 3pm Kol Simchah Choir rehearsal

(offsite) 7.30pm Rosh Chodesh Women’s Group

(offsite)

Monday 23 March 11am Holocaust Survivors

- Jewish Care 7.30pm Living with Dementia

Care Group

Tuesday 24 March 10am English Classes - Russian Speaking 4pm TBI Tamid - Chocolate Seder 7.30pm Introduction to Judaism 7.30pm Parashat Hashavua

Wednesday 25 March 10.30am Drop in and Chat 7pm Adult B'nei mitzvah class

Thursday 26 March 10am Holocaust Survivors - Jewish Care (Russian speaking) 6pm Young TBI Launch Event (offsite) 8pm Zimriya rehearsal

Friday 27 March NEXT SHABBAT 8 Nisan 5775

6.15pm Kabbalat Shabbat Service

Saturday 28 March 10am Shabbat HaGadol Tzav Service Bat mitzvah Marnie Danos

Don't go home from work

Thursday 26 March 6pm

Young TBI Drinks Launch Event

Seamstress - 113 Lonsdale Street MelbourneRSVP: info@tbi.org.au

28 - 40 yrs

TBI FILM CLUB SUNDAY 12 APRIL