The President, Robert Hershan, on behalf of the Board and staff of Temple Beth Israel welcomes you to our community. SHABBAT 13 - 14 March 2015 / 23 Adar 5775

WeeklyKOL YISRAEL

EREV SHABBAT MAIN SYNAGOGUE 6.15pm Kabbalat Shabbat Service Board members: Robert Hershan, Rebecca Silk, Helen Shardey and Alla Medownick Shammash: Debra Star Music: Cantor Michel Laloum with Toby Glaser Guest Speaker: Rabbi Dr Danny Schiff

SHABBAT PARAH PARASHAT VAYAK’HEIL P’KUDEI Parashah: Exodus 37:17 – 38:1 (page 673) Numbers 19:1 - 3 (page 1145) Haftarah: Ezekiel 36:22 - 36 (page 726)

Just over a year ago, while my family and I were in Jerusalem, we visited The Temple Institute in the Jewish Quarter of the Old City. It was a fascinating walk into history, to see replicas of the musical instruments in the Beit Ha’Mikdash (The Holy Temple in Jerusalem), the clothing of the cohanim (the high priests) and the leviim (the priests) including the breast plate with the 12 stones, the vessels used for washing, even the spices used for the incense as part of the sacrificial ceremony. The highlight was the golden aron – Ark of the Covenant, and the golden menorah, which everyone now passes on their way to the kotel (Western Wall). While the Temple Institute views these items as preparation for the coming of the Moshiach and the building of the Third Temple in Jerusalem, I viewed them as historical insights, a way to gain a deeper, tangible understanding of our past. So when we read parshiot such as Vay-akel-Pekudei, which expound upon the building of the mishkan (tabernacle) and the instruments used therein, as well as the vestments of the

cohanim, we can literally see them and understand the efforts used in creating them.Most interestingly, however, is the command at the beginning of this week’s double parsha. Moses gathered “kol adat yisrael” - the whole community of Israel - and recounted God’s command to keep Shabbat, followed be a call to each person “whose heart so moves him [or her]” and to “each person who is skilled” to come and offer gifts and help in the building of the mishkan. Mordecai Yosef Leiner of Izbica taught that in the building of the tabernacle, all Israelites were joined in their hearts; no one felt superior to his fellow. At first each person brought their unique skill or offering, but realised that only when they depended on each other, only when they joined together could they create something holy. “Then they understood that what they accomplished was not by their vir-tue of their own skill alone, but that the Holy One had guided the hands of everyone who worked on the Tabernacle. They had merely joined in com-pleting its master building plans, so that “It came

to pass that the Tabernacle was one” (Kushner and Olitzky, Sparks Beneath the Surface, p. 109-110).Two questions came to mind while reading the parsha: 1) What is the connection between keeping Shabbat and the focus of the rest of the parsha, that being the building of the mishkan? 2) How is this at all relevant to Jews today?So much time in our community is wasted in how we are different or what we do wrong. And yet our Torah emphasises the importance of working together. Each person, each community, offers a gift from their hearts, offers their skills and life ex-periences to building up the Jewish people, to help create a sacred place to connect with the Divine and strengthen the Jewish people. No one person, no one community is better or worse, immune to flaws, more destined for greatness, or more likely to create “better Jews” than another. When we are able to come together as kol adat yisrael, we will be stronger, build up our people and create a true beit ha’mikdash – a house of holiness in our time.

DRASH FOR SHABBAT VAYAK’HEIL P’KUDEI

SHABBAT SHACHARIT MAGID RESOURCE CENTRE 9am Tot Shabbat Service FRIEDLANDER SYNAGOGUE 9.45 Gesher Service MAIN SYNAGOGUE 10am Saturday Morning Shabbat Service Board members: Robert Hershan, Dorothy Graff, Rebecca Silk and Joanne Loewy Irons Shammashim: Jackie Birkett and Laurie Krauss Music: Cantor Michel Laloum with Toby Glaser accompanied by Joe Stupel Bat mitzvah: Ilana Margolis Bar mitzvah: Remy Castan (offsite) Aufruf: Dima Pudel and Briana Eastaugh Torah readers: Ilana Margolis and Nadav Shachmon Kiddush: Kindly sponsored by the Margolis, Pudel and Eastaugh families

RABBI ALLISON RH CONYER, ETZ CHAYIM PROGRESSIVE SYNAGOGUE

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 imagewill 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.

6.15pm POP-UP SHABBAT Head St Pier, Elwood Beach7.30pm Community Dinner with Rabbi Dr Danny Schiff

Weekend of FREE* educational and inspirational sessions. Bookings essential: info@tbi.org.au 9510 1488*excluding Friday dinner

Friday 13 March 6.15pm"Startup Civilization: How Judaism Changed the World"

7pmCocktails and Canapes

Sunday 15 March 3pmJudaism and the Internet: Considering Online Behaviour

Program

"Judaism and the Sexual Revolution" Followed by a Havdalah Service

Rabbi Dr Danny Schiff13-15 March

Scholar in Residence Followed by Dinner with Rabbi Dr Danny Schiff speaking. Cost: $20

per person / $50 for a family of four RSVPs are essentialSaturday 14 March 10amDvar Torah on VaYakheil-P'kudei

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 • Alan Sewell Brother of Jean Zemel • David Silver Brother and brother-in-law of Colin and Sue • Betty Weeden Mother of Phillip and Pam

YAHRZEITS OBSERVED THIS SHABBAT• Ariane Giselle Appelboom • Erika Bence • Fred Berman • Alfred Bresner • Rosalie Bristow • Gerda Bursztyn • Bela Chmielarz • Ruth Collard • Salomon Fast • Morley Felts • Siegfreid Gaster • Olga Geiger • David Genis • Joskie Goldman • Werner Graff • Mary Graff • George Gutermann • Alexander Hegedus • Katarina Holec • Ada Jacoby • Charlotte Kenner • Stanley King • Raya Langsam • Eva Laster • Morris Lawrence • Paul Loewenstein • Johanna Loewenstein • Joseph Henry Opas • Vernon Pearce • Annie Roberts • Molly Rockman • Ralph Samuels • Michael Segal • Alan Temin • Paul Vati • Pavel Zelicki

WHAT’S ON

REMEMBRANCE

CALENDAR

tbi.org.auTwitter: @TBIMelbourne

KABBALAH MEDITATION SUNDAY 15 MARCH 7.30PM Spiritual development and soul nourishment through meditation. Suitable for beginners and experienced meditators, with or without knowledge of Kabbalah. $25 per session held in the synagogue. For enquires contact: Sue Beecher 0405 241710 sbeecher@accsoft.com.au

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.

Sunday 15 March 10am Uri Palti Book Launch 3pm Rabbi Dr Danny Schiff - Judaism

and the internet: Considering online behaviour

5pm Kol Simchah Choir rehearsal (offsite)

Monday 16 March 11am Holocaust Survivors

- Jewish Care 8pm TBI Men’s Group

Tuesday 17 March 10am English Classes - Russian Speaking 10am TBI Archive Group 6pm Ruach rehearsal 4pm TBI Tamid 7.30pm Introduction to Judaism 7.30pm Parashat Hashavua

Wednesday 18 March 7pm Adult B'nei mitzvah class

Thursday 19 March 10am Holocaust Survivors - Jewish Care (Russian speaking) 8pm Zimriya rehearsal

Friday 20 March NEXT SHABBAT 23 Adar 5775

6.15pm Kabbalat Shabbat Service

Saturday 21 March 10am Shabbat Vayikra Service Bat mitzvah Skyla Howard

Sunday 15 March 10amRabbi John Levi launches TBI member

Uri Palti's two latest books Contact: uri.palti@lifestyle.com & 9813 8586

Don't go home from work

Thursday 26 March 6pm

Young TBI Launch Event

Seamstress - 113 Lonsdale Street MelbourneRSVP: info@tbi.org.au28 - 40 yrs THIS SUNDAY