From the Rabbi's Desk...
 
Rabbi Irwin Huberman
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February 27, 2009
Alan Dershowitz Movie
This Monday, CTI will be showing the extremely important documentary by Alan Dershowitz,
The Case for Israel: Democracy’s Outpost.
This 2009 movie provides a factual look at Israel and discusses its basic right to exist. The Case for Israel is currently being shown in communities throughout the United States, and we are fortunate to have secured a copy.
A discussion following the movie will be led by Dr. Phyllis Chesler, who is an author, lecturer, political activist and human rights organizer.
The movie provides a cogent argument for Israel’s existence in the face of propaganda and other misinformation that often permeates media and social conversation. Dershowitz also refutes deeply entrenched misperceptions about Israel’s history.
This is an important opportunity to "load up" on information regarding Israel and its importance to the Jewish people.
The program will begin at 6:30pm with a light dinner. Please support this program, and as always is the case at CTI, please feel free to bring a friend.
Purim Program Notes
CTI’s Purim celebration kicks off a week from Saturday night with a special children’s’ celebration.
Kids and adults will be in costume as we celebrate the holiday with hamantaschen, arts and crafts, a parade and a reading of the Purim story. There will also be lots of prizes.
We’ll begin at 6:30pm with Havdallah.
On the evening of Purim, Monday March 9, we will be reading Meggilat Esther at 6:30pm, followed by CTI’s world famous Purim Schpiel.
It is a Mitzvah to hear the Purim story. You can either hear the authorized Hebrew/ English text at 6:30pm, or CTI’s updated version titled “Megillah Around the Clock.” Our all star CTI cast, led by director Rochelle Bordwin, is hard at work preparing for this one night limited engagement.
It is also a mitzvah to give charity to the poor and, again this year, CTI will be collecting cans and boxes of food for the needy in the Glen Cove area.
This Mitzvah is called Matanot L'Evyonim (gifts to the needy), and reminds us that even in times of extreme joy, the world is still in need of repair and rebalancing.
A bin has been placed in the shul lobby. As is the case for all sealed food donations to the Interfaith Nutritional Network, foods need not be kosher. This drive is extremely important especially during these challenging economic times.
General Tzedakah Drive
Within our tradition there is no real word for “charity.” We use the word “Tzedakah” because it is the closest in concept but, in reality, the word means “justice” or “rebalancing.”
An elder in our congregation reminded me this week that in the “old country” there was little use of the word “Tzedakah,” only the instructions across the community to “either give, or take.”
I wanted to remind everyone that CTI maintains a Rabbi’s Discretionary Fund, and these funds are available to assist those in the congregation with food and shelter. This fund is currently being utilized.
If you or anyone you know is in need, please contact me. And if you are particularly blessed at this time, please feel free to help.
Meeting on Renovations
CTI has scheduled five information and organization meetings to discuss proposed renovations to our synagogue.
The first will take place Tuesday at 7:30pm, and will cover plans to improve our educational area.
President Richard Lazarow has detailed the purpose of these meetings in an e-mail to members.
Please come and get involved in these discussions as we move “from strength to strength.”
Lord & Taylor Offer
Our Nursery School is once again partnering with Lord and Taylor in a fund raising project.
For five dollars you can buy a Lord & Taylor Benefit Shopping Bash Card that entitles you to 15% off cosmetics and fragrances, and 20% off everything else.
Our school keeps five dollars for each purchased card. This is one of the many creative partnerships CTI uses to turn our buying power into mitzvoth.
The Nursery School receives 1% back on all King Kullen purchases and the synagogue also receives a rebate on all purchases made in Glen Cove at Ron Hill Cleaners, and through our web site by you first click the Amazon.com icon.
Keeping God in this Place
This week’s Torah reading on the surface reads like a construction manual for the building of the original ark to house the Ten Commandments.
But below the surface it provides us with some important lessons. Indeed, our tradition tells us that God does not live on the top of some mountain but rather in our homes, our workplaces and, indeed, in our synagogue.
We have been fortunate that within this shul a group of people has gathered in a spirit of mutual respect, and that has played a major role to ensure that God continues to live among us in spirit at CTI. We focus on the positive.
I will be speaking about the topic of “keeping God in this place” during our Shabbat morning services.
Patte and I will be hosting two friends from Canada at our Kabbalat Shabbat services tonight. Last week, more than fifty attended our Friday services.
Come shed your worries, and enter Shabbat with song, dance, and good friends. We begin at 8:00pm.
Shabbat shalom. Have a wonderful and peaceful Shabbat.
Rabbi Irwin Huberman
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