MaNishma with Rabbi Arnold Goodman – Parshat Naso

Posted on by Damon Fonooni

MaNishma with Rabbi Arnold Goodman

Parshat Naso
From the Lip and from the Hip

By Rabbi Arnold Goodman

The haftara  (prophetic selection)  this Shabbat foretells the birth of Samson. His mother is "visited by an angel" informing her that, from birth, he was to be a nazir, and thus, forbidden to cut his hair. This would be the source of the superhuman strength enabling him to defend his people. This all came to pass, and Samson did become the scourge of the Philistines who had subjugated his tribe (Dan).

We know the rest of the story. His infatuation with the sultry Delilah led him to reveal to her the secret of his long locks, that, if sheared, would render him powerless. Once he fell asleep, Delilah proceeded to cut his hair, thereby enabling the Philistines to subdue and then blind him.

The Midrashic take on this story is that Samson violated the commandment not to go astray after his eyes. His succumbing to the temptation of carnal pleasures was thus  punished with the loss of his sight.

Yet, even before the Delilah affair, Samson exhibited one serious character flaw: impulsiveness. He often acted without giving thought to the consequences of his deeds. He lacked the capacity to consider the possible consequences of his actions, and all too often failed to restrain himself. This had grave consequences since his people regarded him as their leader.

Throughout history, and to this very day there continues to be understandable concern that a leader's impulsive words could be catastrophic when we are confronted with crises whether at home or abroad…

We delude ourselves, however, when our concern is limited to the behavior of our leaders or other power brokers. All of us have to be more measured in our behavior and in our responses. There is a Yiddish proverb that cautions us "to think before we speak and not to speak everything we think." It's a caveat that a word, once uttered, cannot be returned to our mouths.

The old adage that, if angered by someone's words or actions, we should count to ten before responding  is a strategy to curb the impulsive response that we will inevitably regret once we cool off. The Talmud is clear that we are responsible for our actions and words. The defense "I just lost it" does not excuse our behavior.

We are not Samsons. We are not Presidents. We are, however, social beings who are quite often irritated by the acts or comments of others; yet we are accountable for our impulsive responses. We must be leery of "shooting from the lip–or the hip." May we be blessed with the wisdom and the restraint to think before we speak and certainly before acting.

—

From Jerusalem, my best wishes for a Shabbat Shalom u'Mevorach–a Shabbat of peace and of blessing.

A Moment of Torah with Rabbi Neil Sandler – Parshat Naso

Posted on by Damon Fonooni

A Moment of Torah with Rabbi Neil Sandler

Parshat Naso

By Rabbi Neil Sandler

When all of our children were still at home, the highlight of Shabbat dinner for me was the privilege to offer each of our children Birkat Kohanim, the Priestly Blessing, and give each of them a kiss. It was a time to slow down, focus on the blessings Susan and I enjoyed in our children and invoke God's presence. It was a moment of love. The end of childhood and adolescence has not changed my practice. My children are adults now. I don't often see them and their spouses (oh, yes, and Remi!) on Shabbat evening. But when we are together, I still bless these 30+ year old children. In that moment we connect to an earlier time in our family's life, and we savor it.

As a rabbi, when I would place my hands on the bowed head of a Bar/Bat Mitzvah and offer the Priestly Blessing, I also felt something special at the end of my charge. I felt that I was the conduit for blessings "aimed" at that young adult from the Holy One and from loved ones and friends. I always felt it to be a privilege to be the representative of God and the community.

The words of the Priestly Blessing evoke feelings, but they also have meaning. Rabbi Shai Held in his book, The Heart of Torah, cites the interpretation of Rabbi Naftali Zvi Yehudah Berlin regarding the first line of the Blessing, "May God bless you and protect you." Rabbi Berlin draws our attention to the fact that the two verbs in this sentence are stated in the second person – singular.

"May God bless you—" the recipient of the blessing should feel that it addresses him/her personally.

"and protect you—May God protect you, lest the very blessing you receive turn into a stumbling block."

"…lest the very blessing you receive turn into a stumbling block." I never thought about that possibility, but Rabbi Berlin shares a potential truth. Many commentators interpret the first half of this blessing as referring to material success. Yes, it can be a wonderful blessing if used wisely. But material success can also alter one's values and relationships with other people. Good health is a tremendous blessing, but sometimes this blessing can be mitigated when a person feels he/she is invincible and does something foolish and harmful. Engagement in the community can be a blessing for many people, but what happens when a sense of balance is lost, and one does not pay sufficient attention to his/her own family?

Rabbi Berlin shared a wise, but somewhat subtle, thought in his interpretation of the first line of the Priestly Blessing. Those whom we bless should enjoy a blessing that is just right for them. But those who receive such blessings should be mindful that the blessing remain just that—a blessing that benefits the individual and others—and not become an unintended curse.

Schmooze and News at AA

Posted on by Damon Fonooni
Schmooze and News at AA

Special Message

Shabbat Corner

Shabbat Evening Service (Hybrid): 6:00 p.m.—Zoom
Candle Lighting: 8:30 p.m.
Shabbat Morning Service (Hybrid): 9:30 a.m.—Zoom
Torah Study (Hybrid): 10:30 a.m.—Zoom
Rebbe's Tish (In-Person): 12:15 p.m.—Zoom
Mincha/Ma'ariv/Havdallah Service (Virtual):
8:30 p.m.—Zoom
Conclusion of Shabbat: 9:14 p.m.
Shabbat Torah Parsha: Nasa: Number 4:21-7:89
Shabbat Haftara: Judges 13:2-25
A Moment of Torah with Rabbi Neil Sandler:
Parshat Naso
MaNishma with Rabbi Arnold Goodman:
Parshat Naso – From the Lip and from the Hip​
Parsha Video of the Week (~10 min):
Rabbi Jonathan Sacks – Covenant & Conversation

Feel-Good News

Mazal Tov to Amanda and Ryan Enoch >>
Mazal Tov to Rachel Feinberg >>

Events

Rebbe's Tish

Sat, Jun 11 @ 12:15 p.m.
More >>

The 135th Annual Meeting

Sun, Jun 12 @ 1:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m.
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Naomi's Book Club

Mon, Jun 13 @ 10:15 a.m.
More >>

mAAc Meets: Current Events with Rabbi Neil Sandler

Mon, Jun 27 @ 4:00 p.m.–5:30 p.m.
More >>

Sisterhood Minyan

Tue, Jul 5 @ 7:15 a.m.
More >>

mAAc Meets: Movie Discussion

Mon, Jul 18 @ 7:30 p.m.–9:00 p.m.
More >>
NEW

Shir Shabbat

Fri, Jul 29 @ 6:00 p.m.–7:15 p.m.
More >>

For more events, please visit our events calendar.

View Calendar

Other Things Happening at AA

As the High Holidays approach, we invite you to honor the memory of your loved ones by including their names in the Ida Pearle and Jospeh Cuba 2022-23 Yizkor Memorial "Pages of Remembrance" book. By inscribing their names in this book, you fulfill the mitzvah of giving in honor and in memory of those who have passed.

In order to meet our mandatory publication deadline, requests for inclusion must be received on time. Due to mailing constraints, the deadline to receive submissions is Friday, August 5.

Submit Names

Extra regular-size cards available! To order your card(s), please email Barbara Nathan (bgnathan@mindspring.com) with a list of names and addresses of all recipients so they can receive their cards in the mail. To pay, please write a check, payable to AA Sisterhood, and mail to Barbara Nathan (200 Brandon Place, Sandy Springs, GA 30328). Regular card = $9

We are grateful for your continued support, patience, and fortitude as our community, country and world move through one of the most challenging times in modern history. With the guidance of the Center of Disease Control's (CDC) latest guidelines, we are sharing with you our updated protocols which will allow our synagogue building and community to live up to its traditional name, a Beit Knesset (A House of Gathering). Effective today, Friday, March 11, the following changes to our safety protocols will be in effect for our worship, cultural events, adult learning, and business meetings:
  • Fully vaccinated adults (16 years old and above) and individuals who have fully recovered from a documented COVID-19 infection in the last six months may attend indoor activities with or without a mask.
  • If you are not vaccinated or have not recovered from a COVID-19 infection in the last six months (natural immunity), we invite you to use our virtual platform to participate with our community.
  • If you are immunocompromised, a high-risk individual, or spend time around others who are, we encourage you to continue the use of masks when attending synagogue functions.
  • For programs that share spaces with kids under five years old, including Family Shabbat, Kesher, and holiday celebrations, we will continue to require masks while inside the building for all attendees. We will always strive for outdoor gatherings for these communities whenever the weather cooperates.

We are hopeful that we are in the final stages of this pandemic, and we can continue to go from strength to strength (Hazak, Hazak, vNet'hazek). As we slowly reemerge from these difficult two years, there will be anxiety, concern, and caution. We anticipate some people will continue to wear masks. It is understandable to still be nervous about removing our masks indoors. Whatever choice you make regarding masks, we ask that, in the spirit of the cohesive and empathetic community that we are, you respect the choices that others make, even if you disagree with them. We will be monitoring the CDC recommendations carefully and will continue to adjust as we know more; this might mean that we revert to more stringent protocols if guidance changes. We appreciate your understanding, support, and patience as we continue to navigate these unprecedented times.

We're excited to announce that the Sisterhood Directory is now available digitally on our website! The following password is required to access the directory contents: Sisterhood21. We ask that you please refrain from sharing the password with those outside our congregation. The directory can be accessed through the Sisterhood webpage or by clicking here.
Do you know an AA congregant who is in the hospital or infirm? We are concerned about loved ones and friends who are in the hospital or infirm. Although our synagogue office remains closed, we are still working and would like to connect with you, especially in regards to pastoral care. If you have information about friends or family in the hospital or other care facilities, please contact Rabbi Rosenthal (lrosenthal@aasynagogue.org) directly. We always appreciate the opportunity to speak with anyone in need and offer support in any way we can.

The AAACTS (Awareness and Action to Abolish Child Trafficking for Sex) Committee is working to provide backpacks filled with school supplies to children who have been trafficked and rescued. Please help these children feel confident and cared-for as they start school in the fall. You can help make this possible by making a donation to AAACTS via this form (select Fund>AAACTS).

We are excited to move forward in aligning Ahavath Achim with United Synagogues of Conservative Judaism's (USCJ) membership section of Standards for Congregational Practice: "We celebrate diversity among and within our synagogues and encourage the engagement of all those who seek a spiritual and communal home in an authentic and dynamic Jewish setting." Most of us have or know Jewish families with loved ones of other faiths. Embracing these families will allow us not only to support their Jewish growth and identity with AA, it will also help them create a Jewish home of their own. To this end, we will soon be introducing proposed changes to our by-laws

We are in need of an online gabbai to help us deepen our Shabbat morning hybrid service experience. This opportunity will be facilitated from the comfort of your in-home "sanctuary." We seek somebody who can welcome our Zoom participants and invite selected individuals to participate in the service with honors like online aliyah to the Torah, English readings, etc. This position requires the use of the Zoom chat feature, computer camera, and a smiling, outgoing personality. Detailed instructions and training will be provided. We are looking for several individuals to create a monthly rotation. If you are interested, please contact Rabbi Laurence Rosenthal (lrosenthal@aasynagogue.org).
We have so many wonderful activities at Ahavath Achim Synagogue, from communal to spiritual to social action. The Membership Committee is requesting your help in asking others to come WITH you to any/all synagogue events! Share how many wonderful things are going on at AA with your friends and family! If you know of anyone who should be on our prospective member list or should be contacted by leadership in any way, please reach out to Miriam Habif Gelfond, Director of Outreach and Engagement (mhabif@aasynagogue.org). Thank you for your good word and promoting what Ahavath Achim – the synagogue of brotherly love – has to offer!
Ahavath Achim's Sisterhood is a dynamic organization of women of all ages with diverse experiences, talents, and interests within our synagogue, community, and the Jewish world. Every woman counts for Sisterhood to grow and thrive. Basic membership dues are $45, but we encourage you to join at a Chai-er level. Your generous dues and donations are vital for Sisterhood to continue to offer programs and projects that strengthen and sustain our Jewish values.
 
We need your involvement in AA's social action programs! Motivate your family and friends "into action" towards the betterment of our community, and envision our current programs continued for the future. Reach out to your nieces, nephews, friends, and new neighbors for new contacts and ideas to help us increase our pool of volunteers for our wonderful existing and future programs. We need you! Find out how you want to be involved by reviewing the list of social action programs in which our synagogue has been involved for many years. If you'd like to become involved, please email our Social Action Chair: Alan Wexler (alanwexler@databankinfo.com; 404.872.8880).
Are you a warm, friendly, dedicated volunteer who wants to make a difference in a fellow congregant's life through acts of loving kindness? Are you willing to make a personal call or visit to comfort and support a congregant who has lost a loved one or been ill? These caring touches – acts of loving kindness – make all the difference in the world to those receiving them. If you want to be a part of strengthening our community, then AA's new Chesed Initiative is for you! This committee will work with our clergy, staff, and lay leaders to connect members who need help with members who want to do good deeds! Additionally, if you know of a congregant who is facing personal difficulties related to health, loss, or grief, please contact Fern Schorr (fschorr@aasynagogue.org; 404.355.5222) to let us know. Help us reach out to members in need. We welcome your help and time with this important project.

Donate to the Ukraine Emergency Fund of Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta

Donate

Tribute donations offer the ability to memorialize or honor friends and family through donations to a variety of designated funds. Tribute donations can be made in honor of B'nai Mitzvah, the birth of a baby, a graduation, a wedding, or other special occasion. Donations in memory of loved ones are a thoughtful and meaningful way to remember those who have passed away. Your donation will be acknowledged with a card to the recipient of this tribute. Please note that Tribute Donations require a minimum contribution of $18.
 
The Rabbi Neil Sandler Education Scholarship is funded by the Sisterhood to further promote Jewish education in the older adult population. To be considered for a scholarship, the program must benefit the Ahavath Achim community and be targeted toward older adult Jewish education. Please fill out the application form for your program to be considered for funding.
 
We are proud and grateful to formally launch the Marilyn Ginsberg Eckstein Cultural Arts Program Fund. Formerly the Cultural Arts Program, established in 1977, this fund was established by congregant Marilyn Ginsberg Eckstein to perpetuate AA's broad cultural arts program offerings. AA's cultural arts programming currently consists of: the Fran Eizenstat and Eizenstat Family Memorial Lecture Series, the Chamber Concert Series, the Liturgical Music Artist-in-Residency Program, weekly Shabbat and annual High Holiday musical offerings, and jazz, pop, vocal and instrumental concert offerings. The Cultural Arts Program has long been recognized for its breadth of offerings and its excellence. We hope that you will consider making contributions to this fund as the Marilyn Ginsberg Eckstein Cultural Arts Program offerings continue to present world-renowned speakers, dignitaries, artists, and virtuoso musicians.
 
We are grateful and privileged to announce the launch of the Sonia Fishkin Memorial Fund. This fund was established by Dr. Andy Zangwill in Sonia's memory. The Sonia Fishkin Memorial Fund will honor Sonia's passion for the connection between song and Jewish spirituality. Contributions to the fund will sponsor individuals to create and bring new and singable Jewish music to Ahavath Achim and to the wider Jewish community for use during sacred events and services. Activities may include artists-in-residence, teaching workshops, concerts, and recordings.
 
We are proud and grateful to formally launch the Shirley Reisman Media Outreach Fund. This fund was established by the Reisman family in honor of Shirley z"l. Shirley was always passionate about the AA and together with her family had always been involved in various efforts and regularly attended services at the Shul I have had the personal privilege of knowing Shirley and always treasured my interactions with her, Don, and especially Bruce. This fund has been established to help us to upgrade and maintain the necessary audio/visual equipment to ensure that we give our clergy, staff, and leadership the necessary tools as we embrace the new digital platforms which will only become more important, even after the pandemic has ended. We hope that you will consider making contributions to this fund as we move forward so that we can remain current with the latest technology and trends.
 
AA and Ahava Early Learning Center are proud to participate in the ALEF Fund Scholarship, a program that allows families to make the dream of a Jewish school experience for their child a reality! Parents with children enrolled at Ahava are eligible and encouraged to apply for an ALEF Fund scholarship, which can provide up to approximately $9,000 of support per child per year! The ALEF Fund, Inc. is a registered Georgia 501(c)3 Student Scholarship Nonprofit organization that supports Jewish education in Georgia by helping taxpayers receive a dollar-for-dollar state tax credit for providing scholarships to students at the Jewish preschools or schools of their choice. This past year, thanks to the many who contributed a portion of their Georgia State Income Taxes to the ALEF Fund, Ahava received more than $100,000 in scholarship funds designated for students in our Pre-K class. Todah Rabah! Please visit the ALEF Fund website for more information about how you can allocate a portion of your taxes to help support Ahava or how your child can receive a financial scholarship for Pre-K. It's simple to qualify! Questions? Contact the Ahava ELC Director: Beth Arnold Helmey (beth@ahavalearning.org; 404.900.9411).