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Rabbi's Resources - Bemidbar 5783 / Yom Yerushalaim

Rabbi's Resources - Bemidbar 5783 / Yom Yerushalaim

Dear Shaare Family,

This evening and tomorrow, the 28th of Iyar, marks the observance of Yom Yerushalaim, the anniversary of the liberation of the Old City of Jerusalem in 1967.

Six years ago, on the 50th anniversary, I delivered a talk at Shaare titled “My Grandmother’s Yerushalmi Memories” (for those who have Facebook, you can search for it in my archives or ask me for the link) and whose source material can be viewed here. In it, I tell stories my grandmother told about her youth in Jerusalem, living through the War of Independence and participating in the Six Day War. My grandmother, Chasida Gevaryahu (1923-2011), was a seventh-generation Yerushalmit, the second of nine children born to Rav Avraham Baruch Abba and Rebbetzin Chaya Basha Rackovsky (my parents are related - I explain how in more detail in the video).

On our last trip to Israel, my uncle, Dr. Gadi Gvaryahu, took Jessica and me to see the house in the Knesset Yisrael neighborhood, behind Machaneh Yehuda, in which my grandmother grew up. Nine children and two parents lived in two rooms. Their house was considered relatively spacious by the standards of the day, and was even considered luxurious because there was indoor plumbing!

Mystery Shul Of The Week

Kudos to Perrin White and Benji Zoller for correctly identifying last week’s shul as the Zoharei Chama shul, in the heart of Machaneh Yehuda. The shul has only one minyan for Shacharit- at vatikin, the earliest possible opportunity to say Shemoneh Esrei at Shacharit. The sundial on the facade was designed by Rabbi Moshe Shapiro, a watchmaker

in Mea Shearim and a self-taught astronomer who had learned the science required to design sundials by studying the pertinent writings of Maimonides and the Vilna Gaon. Shapiro built sundials for the outside walls of other synagogues, including the Hurva Synagogue in Jerusalem's Old City the Gr”a shul in Shaare Chessed.

This week’s Mystery Shul Of The Week:

Kudos again to Benji Zoller for sharing this shul with me, whose existence I was not aware of. It is not for the use of the general public- name the shul, its location and, for extra points, the significance of its design.

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Ariel Rackovsky

Congregation Shaare Tefilla
6131 Churchill Way
Dallas, TX 75230

Rabbi's Resources - Behar Bechukotai 5783

Rabbi's Resources- Behar Bechukotai 5783

Dear Shaare Family,

I hope everyone had a safe and meaningful week. On Shabbat morning, I will be speaking about the shooting in Allen last Shabbat, and the shooting in Djerba a little later in the week on Lag Ba’Omer- a site that should be familiar to everyone as it was the Mystery Shul Of The Week two weeks ago. While these are not subjects I would have liked to speak about, I’ve been thinking about both of them a great deal- as well as the deluge of rockets Israel is now experiencing- and I have some thoughts I think are important to share.

Hakarat HaTov

Thank you to all those who offered feedback over last week’s email about the Coronation of King Charles III, and found it interesting. Over the course of a few days, I did watch the service and must say I was deeply moved. While the ceremony itself was certainly Christian in nature (at a time when Church attendance has plummeted in the UK ), respect and honor was given to leaders of all the major faiths and denominations represented in the UK, including Judaism. Places of honor were occupied by Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis, who marched in the procession of faith leaders, and also Rabbi Joseph Dweck of the Sephardic Community of the United Kingdom, who was seated in a prominent place in Westminster Abbey. The Talmud (Berachot 19b) tells us that one should seek opportunities to behold non-Jewish kings, so that one can tell the difference between them and Jewish kings. For more on Kings in Jewish Thought, I recommend this episode of Jewish History with Rabbi Dr. Dovid Katz, Professor of Jewish History at Johns Hopkins University and a congregation Rabbi in Baltimore (who I am fond of quoting) for an excellent overview.

Last Week’s Mystery Shul Of The Week:

Last week’s Mystery Shul Of The Week was another North African shul, the Ettegui Synagogue in Casablanca, Morocco. It was rededicated in 2016, and the ceremony was attended by King Mohammed VI. Kudos to Perrin White for the correct identification.

This Week’s Mystery Shul Of The Week:

This sundial is on the facade of an iconic Jerusalem shul, and was designed by an autodidact astronomer who installed sundials on the facades of many other shuls in Jerusalem and beyond. Name the shul that features this sundial, and, for extra points, the designer and one other shul that boasts his work

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Ariel Rackovsky

Congregation Shaare Tefilla
6131 Churchill Way
Dallas, TX 75230

Rabbi's Resources - Coronation Edition

Rabbi's Resources- Acharei Mot/Kedoshim 5783

Dear Shaare Family,

While we at Shaare celebrate Adira Englander’s Bat Mitzvah, our British counterparts will mark the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla in their shuls. Of course, prayers for the royal family are recited each Shabbos in shuls throughout the British Commonwealth, but the prayers this Shabbos will be special. To read the Order of Service for the Coronation, published by the United Synagogue, to be recited in British shuls this Shabbos, click here . This is not the first time the United Synagogue has formulated an Order of Service for the Coronation of a Monarch- to see the Order of Service from the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth in 1953, click here - and from the coronation of King Edward in 1902, click here .

There have even been liturgical pieces composed for the occasion- click here to view the Shabbaton Choir singing the Prayer for the Royal Family , and the children of the United Synagogue singing a setting of Adon Olam .

When King Charles was still HRH The Prince of Wales, he attended a Yom Haatzmaut service at the St. John’s Wood Synagogue; for footage of his arrival, welcomed majestically by the remarkable Cantor Moshe Haschel and the Neimah Singers, click here . To view the singing of God Save The Queen (in English and Hebrew and Hatikvah, click here , and the King’s recessional, click here .

It is worth noting that the Union of Orthodox Hebrew Congregations, the governing body of Chareidi Rabbis in the UK, also issued a reminder to pray for the Queen.
It is also worth noting that the ruling of the London Beth Din is that one is not allowed to attend state functions in Churches, in accordance with Halacha. The exception to this ruling was issued by the late Dayan Chanoch Ehrentreu zt”l, who ruled that if a Rabbi (a Chief Rabbi, for example) is summoned by the monarch to attend (as opposed to being invited), they may enter a Church for the occasion. This is why Lord Rabbi Jonathan Sacks did not enter the church for Princess Diana’s funeral, but stood outside in a prominent location to pay his respects, as he had not been summoned, but he did attend Prince Willam and Princess Kate’s wedding, as he was. It is also why Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis attended Queen Elizabeth’s funeral and will attend the coronation as well- click here to read an op-ed piece by Rabbi Mirvis explaining how the Royal Family is accommodating the strictest halachic standards of Shabbos observance for him and Lady Valerie, including putting them up at St. James Palace. The Guardian also wrote about the participation of the Jewish Community in this event even taking Shabbos into account.

If you wish to celebrate the coronation culinarily, here is a recipe for Coronation Quiche . My dear friend and colleague Rabbi Shaul Robinson of the Lincoln Square Synagogue (and proud Scotsman), wrote the following:

After much research, I am ready to announce the official, approved Coronation Kugel! It's based on Buckingham Palace's Coronation Quiche, with the following CRUCIAL changes...
1) Omit the crust. (let's keep this gluten free and healthy!)
2) Instead of Spinach use lots of potatoes!
3) Instead of milk, use lots of oil
4) instead of cheese, add pastrami
5) No need for the tarragon, beans etc - just salt and pepper (maybe some garlic!) to taste!!
Royal Shabbat Shalom!

Hakarat HaTov Corner

A special shout out to the 5-6th grade boys at AYA, including many Shaare members (like my son Shaya, for example), who won the Metro Athletic League Soccer Championship on Tuesday with a victory against Zion Lutheran School, who were tough and worthy opponents all season. The boys played with passion, intensity, excitement and sportsmanship. A special thanks as well to the 8th grade boys, who were awesome superfans!

Last Week’s MSOTW

Last week’s clue:

This synagogue is a site of pilgrimage each year for many around the world, on Lag Ba’Omer. It is located in a place that has an unusually high percentage of Kohanim. Name the shul, and the location.
The shul is the El-Ghriba Synagogue on the Island of Djerba, off the coast of Tunisia. Kudos to Joram Wolanow for suggesting it and sending a picture of himself in it (see attached) just a week or so ago, and to Steve Natinsky and David Tobin for getting the answer correct.

Another view of the synagogue.

For more on this fascinating Jewish community, click here and here.

This Week’s MSOTW

Speaking of coronations, a monarch rededicated this shul’s building. Name the shul, the city and the monarch.

Congregation Shaare Tefilla
6131 Churchill Way
Dallas, TX 75230

Rabbi's Resources - Acharei Mot/Kedoshim 5783

Rabbi's Resources- Acharei Mot/Kedoshim 5783

Dear Shaare Family,

Hakarat HaTov Corner

My deepest gratitude to Charlie Adamski-Caulkins and her staff at Sotheby’s Dallas, for arranging the special guide to the Codex Sassoon last Thursday at the Bridwell Library at SMU. She was a pleasure to work with and was impressed by the size and knowledge base of our Shaare Tefilla contingent. A special thanks as well to Sharon Lieberman Mintz who provided a most fascinating and informative overview of the history and uniqueness of the codex. I know everyone who joined us learned a great deal, as did the many of you who went at other times.

Last Week’s MSOTW

In the year 1952, Shlomo Umberto Nahon, a leader in the Italian Zionist movement who made aliyah in 1947, began a campaign to transfer the contents of synagogues in defunct Italian Jewish communities to Israel. Under his leadership, some 40 Aronot kodesh and other synagogue furnishings were relocated to Israel. The process was complicated, requiring considerable financial resources, bureaucratic navigation, artistic expertise and administrative oversight. Among the required steps were included (an article in Hebrew, from which this information is taken, can be found here )

1) Permits from local and provincial authorities in Italy, as well as from the federal antiquities authority in Rome.
2) Detailed diagrams (in Italian) of the correct assembly of the artifacts, according to the Italian style, as the items were dismantled prior to being brought to Israel.
3) Dismantling each artifact into smaller pieces by professional artisans, made more complicated by the fact that they were often made of older wood that was coated in gold, as well as stone and marble.
4) Packaging each piece in containers that would be resistant to damage, should the ships carrying them encounter stormy conditions on the way (this was still a cause of damage).
5) Oversight of transport, both in Italy and Israel
6) Selection of the shul or institution where the Aron Kodesh would rest
7) Reassembly and repair

This process ended when the Italian government asserted that these Aronot Kodesh were part of the Italian heritage and belonged in Italy, not abroad. Italian Aronot Kodesh can be found in the following places, among others:

The Italian Shul in Jerusalem
At the bottom of Rechov Hillel in Jerusalem you can find the Museum and Synagogue of the Italian Jews. It contains a fully functional shul built in 1675, which was transported entirely from the community of Conegliano Veneto.

The Ponevezh Yeshiva, Bnei Brak
This Aron Kodesh originally sat in the Scuola Grande Italiana, a synagogue built in 1635 in Mantuaoes.

Heichal Shlomo
This Aron Kodesh, sitting in the shul in Heichal Shlomo in Jerusalem, was built in 1617 in Padua.

Yeshivat Kerem BeYavneh
Where I attended. The Aron Kodesh is from Florence.

Central Shul, Kiryat Shmuel, Haifa
This Aron Kodesh is from Reggio Emilia, built in 1756.

The Beit Knesset in the Knesset
The Aron Kodesh was brought by David Casuto from the community of Soragna.

There are plenty of other examples, of course. Recently, an Aron Kodesh that was sitting in an attic in the Padua synagogue was restored and installed in the Torah Links Center in Lakewood, New Jersey.

This Week’s MSOTW

This synagogue is a site of pilgrimage each year for many around the world, on Lag Ba’Omer. It is located in a place that has an unusually high percentage of Kohanim. Name the shul, and the location.

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Ariel Rackovsky

Congregation Shaare Tefilla
6131 Churchill Way
Dallas, TX 75230

Rabbi's Resources- Tazria/Metzora Rosh Chodesh Iyar 5783

Dear Shaare Family,

This week marks Yom Hazikaron and Yom Haatzmaut. On Yom Hazikaron, I recall the members of our family who paid the ultimate price in the line of duty, in defense of the Jewish people and Jewish state, and in terror attacks. Some of the hyperlinks below are in Hebrew.

My mother's first cousin Reuven Gvaryahu was a brilliant, sensitive, dedicated and talented soldier who rose rapidly through the ranks of the IDF, and gained renown for his natural leadership skills. My mother set him up with her best friend Chedvah, whom he married in a ceremony in the Old City. He was killed in action during the Yom Kippur War on Hoshana Rabba of 1973, in the Battle of the Chinese Farm. Many of the upper echelons of the leadership of the Jewish state paid condolences to his parents, as his father, Professor Chaim Gevaryahu, was a prominent lecturer in Tanach at Hebrew University and was the founder of the Chidon HaTanach that is still popular today.

Meir Avitzedek (originally Rackovsky), my second cousin, was a 23 year old student of the Chevron Yeshiva who had recently enlisted in the army. His uncompromising principles, deep brilliance and stellar people skills were appreciated both by his peers and superiors in the army and rebbeim in the Yeshiva. He often lectured on Torah topics to non-observant Israelis, with whom he enjoyed an excellent rapport; he was an autodidact who amassed a vast knowledge of philosophy, Hebrew literature and classical music, for whom a bright future in Jewish leadership was prophesied. He was on the verge of his release from the army, and was engaged to be married, when he died at his post during the Neot Hakikar disaster of 1970.

Mordechai Lapid was the husband of my cousin Miriam (Avitzedek, first cousin of the above-mentioned Meir, after whom she named one of her sons), who together had 14 children. Mordechai was an immigrant from Latvia who lived as a refusenik before finally gaining permission to make alilyah. He and his wife were among the original settlers in the Shomron, first in Alon Shvut and then in Kiryat Arba/Chevron. He was a prolific author and poet who wrote on Zionist themes. ֿThe oldest of their children was Shalom Lapid (named for my great-grandfather, Rav Shalom Rackovsky zt”l). Widely renowned as an iluy (Talmudic prodigy), he was already on his way to rabbinic ordination at the age of 19. He enrolled in the Lithuanian Chareidi Ponevezh yeshiva in Bnei brak, a departure from the norm mig from the staunchly religious Zionist family in Kiryat Arba. The story is told that the leadership of the yeshiva was reticent to accept him because of his different background, but the Rosh Yeshiva Rav Elazar Menachem Shach zt”l insisted he be accepted. On December 6, 1993 terrorists opened fire on the vehicle in which the Lapid family was traveling, killing Shalom and Mordechai and injuring three other Lapid children. The double funeral procession left from the Ponevezh Yeshiva, and Rav Shach paid a personal shiva call to the family. The intersection at which they were murdered is now called Tzomet Lapid.

May their memories, and their sacrifice, be for a blessing.

This Week’s MSOTW

Since over a month has passed from the last Rabbi’s Resources, I will remind you of the last MSOTW:

Name as many shuls or institutions as you can come up with, outside of Italy, that have an Aron Kodesh that was removed from defunct Renaissance and Baroque-era Italian shuls. I can think of at least four.

Hint: This communication contains the answer for one of them. Two others can be found, explicitly or alluded to, in previous MSOTWs.

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Ariel Rackovsky

Congregation Shaare Tefilla
6131 Churchill Way
Dallas, TX 75230

Rabbi's Resources Vayakhel Pekudei HaChodesh

Rabbi's Resources
Vayakhel Pekudei HaChodesh
Rabbi Ariel Rackovsky

Dear Shaare Family,

Last year, Purim and March 17 coincided, leading to a spate of green and Irish-themed costumes (I wore a green tie to the Purim Seudah). Purim seems to have been a dispensation for what would otherwise certainly fall under the category of chukkat akum, the prohibition against behaving in ways associated with gentiles; celebrating a Christian holiday certainly would fall under that heading. But if a Jew is not allowed to celebrate St. Patrick’s day, it doesn’t mean that the rich Jewish heritage of Ireland should be forgotten- especially in the realm of Rabbinic leaders.

Perhaps the best known Chief Rabbi of Ireland is Rav Dr. Yitzchak Isaac HaLevi Herzog, later to serve as Chief Rabbi of Mandatory Palestine. Born in Poland and raised in Paris, he was a talmudic genius with a brilliant Halachic mind who was revered by those he led and held in the highest regard by his colleagues. He was Rabbi in Belfast from 1916-1919, and then as Rabbi in Dublin from 1919-1922. From 1922-1936, he served as Chief Rabbi of Ireland, after which he emigrated to Palestine. Apparently, he spoke Gaelic fluently, and was a supporter of the Irish Republican cause during the Irish War of Independence; later, he supported the Irgun as well.

Two occupants of the role of Chief Rabbi of Ireland went on to become Chief Rabbis of the United Kingdom. Lord Rabbi Dr. Imanuel Jakobovitz served as Chief Rabbi of Ireland from 1949-1958, after which he assumed the position of founding Senior Rabbi of the Fifth Avenue Synagogue in Manhattan, and then as the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the British Commonwealth from 1967-1991. Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis, about whom we’ve spoken in this space in the past, was Chief Rabbi of Ireland from 1985-1992. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention another Rabbi who held that position- Rabbi Dr. Yaakov Pearlman, from 2001-2008. Rabbi Pearlman is a native of Manchester who studied in Beth Medrash Govoha, the Lakewood Yeshiva, and served several decades as a congregational Rabbi and teacher in Rochester, New York- where he was my Rebbe in elementary school and a formative influence on my life.

Aside from great Chief Rabbis, Ireland has produced native sons as well who were prominent Torah teachers. Rabbi Dr. Yehuda Cooperman revolutionized the field of Torah education for women as the founder of Michlalah Jerusalem College for Women. He taught thousands of students who have reached the highest levels in every field of endeavor, all in a thick Irish brogue. Another was Rabbi Cooperman’s first cousin, Rabbi Isaac Bernstein, an electrifying and unforgettable Rabbi and teacher of Torah in London, who served a four year stint as Rabbi of The Jewish Center in Manhattan from 1977-1981. Rabbi Bernstein possessed a sharp wit and a lyrical baritone, and he loved to sing. Unfortunately, Rabbi Bernstein passed away at the young age of 59, but his Torah classes can still be accessed through the OU’s All Parsha app and website each week and I highly recommend them.

All of this is remarkable considering that the Irish Jewish community has been in a decline for decades. Last week, the Dublin Orthodox community announced that it would be putting up its only synagogue building for sale and moving to smaller quarters.

Rabbi’s Recommendations

I highly recommend that you come to the annual Kosher Chili Cookoff, and vote for Shaare. It’s time for us to win…again!

Last Week’s MSOTW

Last week’s MSOTW is the Edmond J. Safra Synagogue on E. 63rd street in Manhattan. The winner is Rabbi Maury Grebenau, who not only correctly identified it, but yesterday morning sent me a hot-off-the-press selfie of himself in it, right before Shacharit! Honorable mentions go to Perrin White and Joe Ravitsky.

The synagogue is named after the legendary banker philanthropist, who died in 1999 in an arson incident in Monaco. Mr. Safra paid for the refurbishment of many shuls across Europe, and for the construction of many others. Some other synagogues named for him include:

The Edmond J. Safra Synagogue in Monaco- as you can see, it is almost identical to the one in Manhattan

Edmond J. Safra Synagogue, Deal, New Jersey

Synagogue Edmond J. Safra in Paris

Edmond J. Safra Synagogue, Aventura, Floria

The Edmond J. Safra Synagogue, Tel Aviv

The Edmond J. Safra Synagogue, Rio De Janeiro

This Week’s MSOTW

The Rabbi’s Resources will be going on hiatus until Parshat Tazria, a week after Pesach. I will leave you, therefore, with a difficult question:

Name as many shuls or institutions outside of Italy that you can think of, that have an Aron Kodesh removed from defunct Renaissance and Baroque-era Italian shuls (I know of at least four).

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Ariel Rackovsky

Congregation Shaare Tefilla
6131 Churchill Way
Dallas, TX 75230

Rabbi's Resources- Ki Tissa Parah 5783

Rabbi's Resources | Ki Tissa Parah 5783 | Rabbi Ariel Rackovsky

Dear Shaare Family,

It has been a busy few weeks since the last edition of Rabbi’s Resources. I thoroughly enjoyed myself at the RIETS Yarchei Kallah I attended in Miami- it was wonderful to spend several days with old friends and long-time colleagues, and to meet some younger ones as well. It brought home that I’m not as young as I used to be, as I was not one of the youngest or newest Rabbis anymore!
Purim was terrific at Shaare Tefilla- a full shul at night at both readings, an amazingly successful Mishloach Manot campaign and a delicious and packed Purim Seudah. A separate email will be sent thanking all the volunteers who made Purim so special, and the lengthy list should be read, Megillah style, in one breath (disclaimer: no resemblance is implied between our dedicated volunteers and Haman’s ten dastardly sons).

Rabbi’s Recommendations

The Israeli actor Haim Topol passed away today at the age of 87. He was known for his portrayal of Tevye in the stage and film version of Fiddler On The Roof, a role he performed more than 3500 times through 2009 and for which he was nominated for a Tony and an Oscar. His breakthrough role, and the one for which he is being talked about in Israel, is as the title role in the film Salah Shabati, nominated for an Oscar in 1964 as Best Foreign Film. The movie’s sendup of early Zionist institutions like the Kibbutz, and the Ashkenormative elitism of the early Zionist establishment, have made it an enduring classic in Israel. Here is one of the most famous scenes, in which Topol sings the movie’s iconic earworm song, Mashiach HaZaken.

Previous Mystery Shul Of The Week

The clue:

The outside of this landmark Israeli shul has been expanded and remodeled several times, its architectural style changing completely in the century it has been in existence. The neighborhood has changed, too, and the fortunes of the shul have fluctuated with it, and now it is used especially for Jewish lifecycle events. Recently, a concerted effort has been made to revive the shul, and a campaign was approved to return it to its original appearance. Name the city, and the shul.

The Shul -
The Tel Aviv Great Synagogue.
Here is what the shul looked like in 1930.

In 1969, the Architect Aryeh Elchanani made changes to the facade and added columns around the exterior to match a more modern architectural aesthetic. Changes were also made to the inside, including to the Aron Kodesh.

This is what the shul looks like today. While it is primarily used for lifecycle events, it is also an active shul that is apparently experiencing something of a resurgence.

Here is a picture of the new plans for the reimagining of the shul, according to its original look:

Mystery Shul Of The Week

This beautiful shul bears the same name as many others throughout the world (including one whose appearance is nearly identical to this one), in that they are named after the same person. Name this shul, its location, and its namesake. For extra credit, include a picture of another shul with the same name.

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Ariel Rackovsky

Congregation Shaare Tefilla
6131 Churchill Way
Dallas, TX 75230

Rabbi's Resources - Parshat Terumah

Rabbi's Resources | Parshat Terumah 5783 | Rabbi Ariel Rackovsky

Dear Shaare Family,

This coming Tuesday, with God’s help, I have the privilege of traveling to Miami to attend the 20th anniversary Yarchei Kallah for Rabbis under the auspices of RIETS, from which I am honored to be ordained. It will be several days of intensive sessions, but will also represent an opportunity to reconnect with friends serving around the world; for example, our Scholar in Residence, Rabbi Zsolt Balla, will also be in attendance. It will also be an opportunity for the Rabbinic community to show Hakarat HaTov to Rabbi Dr. Jacob J. Schacter, who has presided over these Yarchei Kallah experiences annually. In Rabbi Schacter’s honor, the participants put together a book whereby various Rabbis contributed sample speeches for lifecycle and other events. I was blessed to be among the few who could contribute a speech in honor of a building dedication, and am honored to have done so.

Rabbi’s Recommendations

In the past, I have compiled a playlist for the Yamim Noraim, and one for Pesach, and now I am honored to share with you my playlist for Purim. Drawing heavily from Chassidsh music and music from the Ashkenazi yeshiva world, with a Sephardic flavor as well, it will get you in the Purim spirit!

Mystery Shul Of The Week

The outside of this landmark Israeli shul has been expanded and remodeled several times, its architectural style changing completely in the century it has been in existence. The neighborhood has changed, too, and the fortunes of the shul have fluctuated with it, and now it is used especially for Jewish lifecycle events. Recently, a concerted effort has been made to revive the shul, and a campaign was approved to return it to its original appearance. Name the city, and the shul.

Last Week’s MSOTW

Last week’s mystery shul of the week was the Paradesi Synagogue in Kochi (Cochin), Indiathe synagogue used by the community of Paradesi (foreign in Malayalam) Sephardic Jews who either fled the Iberian peninsula or Arab nations to India. The shul still functions, though usually without a minyan; most Indian Jews have made aliyah and established vibrant Indian synagogues in places like Ashdod, Beersheva, Yeruham and Moshav Nevatim. The shul is also known for its clock tower.

While I may have been stumped by Stuart Wernick, our member Harel Rush texted me the answer within seconds of seeing the picture. With good reason, too- in 2019, he lained the Megillah there on Purim! I urge you to find Harel (and meet him if you haven’t already) and hear the story from him.

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Ariel Rackovsky

Congregation Shaare Tefilla
6131 Churchill Way
Dallas, TX 75230

Rabbi's Resources - Parshat Mishpatim Shekalim

Rabbi's Resources | Mishpatim Shekalim 5783 | Rabbi Ariel Rackovsky

Dear Shaare Family,

This week, we read Parshat Mishpatim, the Torah portion that contains the sources for many laws of Jewish jurisprudence, and the basis for many of the tractates in the order of Nezikin, or damages. Laws governing torts, charging interest, returning lost objects and the running of Jewish courts are all found in this week’s parshah. This week’s Hakarat Hatov goes to young Shaare members Mordechai Weiss, Joe Schwartz and Sam Rael, the members of the Yavneh Moot Beit Din team, for bringing me on board in a consulting role for their presentation, which they are preparing under the guidance of Rabbi Yaakov Tannenbaum. The case they have been given deals with the complicated interplay between healthy vs. predatory competition, the need for individuals to earn an income and the role a free market, benefitting the customer, plays in Jewish law. In my probbeh (try out) Shabbos in Dallas in January 2015, I delivered a shiur on this subject, based on a case that I worked on when I was a member of the staff of the Beth Din of America. The Beth Din has published a number of their rulings , of which this case was the second (all identifying details have been changed).

Rabbi’s Recommendations

My dear friend (and past Shaare Tefilla scholar in residence) Prof. Michael Avi Helfand of Pepperdine University School of Law (and guest lecturer at Yale Law School) is one of today’s experts on the legal intersection between law and religion, religious freedom and how it relates to Jewish communal interest in particular. This week, he was interviewed on the 18Forty Podcast , hosted by Rabbi Dr. David Bashevkin (another Shaare guest speaker, virtually, during deep COVID). I recommend everyone listen to Dr. Helfand’s erudite, lucid and entertaining explanation of many of these issues. I also recommend that you listen to the 18Forty podcast in general, as Rabbi Bashevkin has many really fascinating guests speaking about important, and often uncomfortable subjects (note: Rabbi Bashevkin often begins his episodes with lengthy introductions that can be quite interesting; if you want to hear just the interview, the episode notes indicate when the interview begins).

Mystery Shul Of The Week

Some of you have told me in the past that you are occasionally, or often, stumped by my Mystery Shuls. This week, I was stumped myself! This picture was sent to me by Stuart Wernick, taken by a friend of his, and he challenged me to identify it. I was unable to fully do so even after three tries (I now know what it is). I hope you will have better success!

Last Week’s Mystery Shul Of The Week

Kudos to Josh Bernstein who correctly identified the city of last week’s MSOTW- Tsfat. It is the Kossov shul (recently renovated), popular especially for its openness, and spirited Friday night davening.
Kossov was a Chasidic group that flourished in Western Galicia and Bukovina. The founder was Rav Menachem Mendel Hager, whose grandson, of the same name, founded the Vizhnitz Chassidic court.
In 1847, Kosover Chassidim made Aliyah, and moved to Tsfat, founding a shul named for their community and following their customs. After WWII and the War of Independence, the shul fell apart. Nearly 40 years ago, a group of English-speaking returnees to Judaism, inspired by the Biala Rebbe, began to pray there, and the Beit Din of Tsfat appointed them guardians of the shul, so long as the customs and the name of the shul would be preserved (a certain niggun from Kossov is still sung every Friday night).

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Ariel Rackovsky

Congregation Shaare Tefilla
6131 Churchill Way
Dallas, TX 75230

Rabbi's Resources - Parshat Yitro 5783

Rabbi's Resources | Yitro 5783 | Rabbi Ariel Rackovsky

Dear Shaare Family,

We are deeply saddened by the earthquake in Turkey and Syria, and the astronomic numbers of casualties- over 15,000 as of this writing, and many hundreds of thousands of lives forever changed. When there is suffering in the world, our mandate is to set an example with our caring, compassion and kindness. A few weeks ago, we had the privilege of hosting Eli Beer of United Hatzalah of Israel, whose representatives are always first on the ground when there is a catastrophe like this, and this earthquake is no exception. Please have the people of Turkey and Syria in your prayers.

In other news…

Our sages tell us that Yitro’s unique merit was that he caused an entire section to be added to the Torah (and is one of the few people with a Parsha named after them) because he counseled Moshe to create a tiered legal system in which he was not doing all the work himself. Failing to do so would lead, Yitro said, to burnout and ultimately to the perversion of justice. Indeed, organizing a legal system is one of the seven Noahide laws binding on all humanity. In this spirit, many of you (especially the women of Shaare) doubtless recall the appearance, at Shaare Tefilla, of Judge Ruchie Freier in November of 2019 (aka “The Before Times). She held us spellbound with stories of her path to the bench from the Chassidish community after starting college at age 30, law school at age 40, founding Ezras Nashim, a female volunteer EMT service, and then being elected as a Civil Court Judge. This week, it was announced that Judge Freier has been named Acting Supreme Court Judge, the first Chassidic woman ever to fill the post. As she was appointed to fill a vacancy, she will have to run this summer for the position she currently occupies.

Hakarat HaTov Corner

Once again, I am grateful to the leadership of Congregation Shaar Hashomayim in Montreal for the opportunity for us to partner with them on a lecture series, in the context of their Shaar Learning Center. The title of the series is Bold, Brilliant and Banned, a discussion of controversial and groundbreaking books that were banned in their day. The classes will take place virtually for the next two week on Wednesday nights at 7 PM - I hope you can join us (the registration link is in the original email).

Rabbi’s Recommendation

The Ten Commandments contain the prohibition against coveting - Lo Tachmod- rendered by our sages as the prohibition against coercing others to part with items they own and cherish because you want them. In some communities, there is a piyyut recited on Shavuot that describes the prohibitions surrounding each of the ten commandments. The legendary Chazzan Yossele Rosenblatt set the text to words with a choral accompaniment, performed here by the Lemmer brothers- Cantors Yanky and Shaare Tefilla favorite Shulem.

Mystery Shul Of The Week

This shul is named for a Chassidic court in Europe; for years, it lay dormant and was revived by English speaking baalei teshuvah. It is now known for its spirited Friday night tefillot with several hundred participants. Name the shul and the city in which it is located.

Last Week’s Mystery Shul Of The Week

Congratulations to Perrin White for correctly identifying this as the Aron Kodesh of Congregation Zichron Eliezer of Cincinnati, a shul named after the legendary Rav Eliezer Silver zt”l, a talmudic genius from Lithuania who served as the city’s Chief Rabbi from 1931 until his death in 1968.

Many of the city’s institutions, like the Cincinnati Hebrew Day School and Vaad Ho’Ir, were founded by him. Rav Silver was the President of the Agudath HaRabbonim and the Vaad Hatzalah, through which he saved the lives of thousands of Jews during the Holocaust. Chief Rabbi whose Yahrtzeit was observed this past week and who was heavily involved in rescue efforts during WWII.

Rav Silver was the grandfather of my Rebbe, Rav Ahron Silver of Yeshivat Kerem B’Yavneh (whose son is named Eliezer after him), and was the great-great grandfather of Donny Morris zt”l, who was killed in the Meron tragedy.

Shabbat Shirah Shalom,

Rabbi Ariel Rackovsky

Congregation Shaare Tefilla
6131 Churchill Way
Dallas, TX 75230

Rabbi's Resources - Parshat Beshalach 5783

Rabbi's Resources | Beshalach 5783 | Rabbi Ariel Rackovsky

Dear Shaare Family,

In the early 1960’s, a mother of six named Florence Rapoport was entertaining her children on a snowy February morning. Her kids were complaining that it was too cold to do anything, so she declared that it was Ice Cream For Breakfast Day. The next year, the children reminded her of the tradition, which became an annual celebration that they took with them to college. It was then that ICFBD went “viral.” Celebrations have been recorded all over the world, including in such diverse locations as China, Namibia and Israel. It is celebrated on the first Saturday in February; I recall as a child that our shul would throw an ice cream kiddush on this day, because Florence Rapoport lived in Rochester, and her daughter, Debby Kornfeld, was a member of our shul and continues to perpetuate her mother’s sweet memory through this lovely tradition. According to Hebrew Calendar Facts, Shabbat Shira and ICFBD coincide on average 25% of the time in a 100 year period (the triple combo of Shabbat Shira/Tu Bishvat/IFCBD coincides 7 times). The last time they coincided was 11 years ago, and the next time will be in 11 years from today. No promises on what our intrepid kitchen crew are putting together for kiddush, especially since, given the inclement weather over the past few days, anything at all served for kiddush this week should be viewed as a bonus. But on your own, enjoy a special Rochesterian tradition! Obviously, breakfast on Shabbat morning should be preceded by Tefillah at shul, and kiddush (in that order). If the ice cream is served alongside a fleishig kiddush, it should, of course, be pareve.

Hakarat HaTov/Rabbi’s Recommendation

I am grateful to the clergy and leadership of Montreal’s Congregation Shaar Hashomayim (Mystery Shul Of The Week, Parshat Nitzvaim- 9/22/22) for having invited me to serve as Scholar In Residence this Shabbat. Unfortunately, Hashem had other plans and the weather prevented me from actualizing the invitation. I won’t deny that I am disappointed, as Shabbat Shirah at The Shaar is a special weekend, when Cantor Gideon Zelermyer and the Choir always plan a special musical Shabbat celebration.

To get a taste of the music of Shaar Hashomayim, click here  to listen to the CDs they’ve issued so far (the link is for their Shabbat CD, but there is also a CD with general selections and two for the High Holidays).

MSOTW

This is the Aron Kodesh of a shul named after the legendary Rabbi of an American city, whose Yahrtzeit was observed this past week and who was heavily involved in rescue efforts during WWII. It is in the city where this Rabbi served. Name the shul, the Rabbi, and the city.

Last Week’s Mystery Shul Of The Week

Last week’s shul was the Agoudas HaKehillos shul, on Rue Pavee in the fourth Arrondissement of Paris, also known as The Pletzl. Built in the Art Nouveau style, This landmark shul was built by Polish and Russian Jews, who wanted a place to feel comfortable in contrast to the formal and stodgy shuls that already existed there. On Erev Yom Kippur in 1941,the building was dynamited along with six other Parisian synagogues by collaborators of the Nazis occupants; the building was only preserved because the dynamite didn’t go off.

On the night between 2 and 3 October of the same year, the synagogue was damaged following an attack organized by far-right association Mouvement Social Révolutionnaire. Since 1964, it has been under the spiritual leadership of the Rottenberg family - first, Rabbi Chaim Yaakov Rottenberg (known reverently as “Le Rouv”) and, since 1990, his son Rabbi Mordechai Rottenberg.

Shabbat Shirah Shalom,

Rabbi Ariel Rackovsky

Congregation Shaare Tefilla
6131 Churchill Way
Dallas, TX 75230

Rabbi's Resources - Bo 5783

Rabbi's Resources | Bo 5783 | Rabbi Ariel Rackovsky

Dear Shaare Family,

A few years ahead of me in high school, there was a student with a gregarious personality and huge heart named Ben Chafetz. He never met a stranger, and had a way of making anyone feel comfortable within moments of meeting them - staying in touch over long distances and periods of time. I didn’t keep up with Ben as I should have, but every now and then I’d hear from different sources that he was living in Cleveland, was a successful entrepreneur and a devoted family man. Tragically, many, many people found out about Ben last weekend.

Ben was, apparently, an experienced pilot and he and his friend Baruch Taub were traveling back from JFK to Cleveland on Thursday evening in a small plane, returning from a funeral in New York. A combination of severe weather, low cloud cover and engine problems led to Taub calling for urgent assistance even though they were only about a mile away from Westchester County Airport. They lost contact immediately thereafter; an open field landing was impossible given the lack of visibility and the heavily wooded area. The plane, and their bodies, were recovered much later that evening. Ben sent a message to his wife and seven kids asking them to daven for him, and telling them that he loved them - a message that went out to his shul’s whatsapp group instead.

At the heart wrenching funeral, and in social media posts afterward, we learned more about these two men - pillars of the Cleveland community who lived to help others. Baruch Taub was a mechanic who was known for his scrupulous integrity and deep humility; he had donated a Torah scroll to a shul nearby his auto shop - which he had built between two shuls to make it easier to attend minyan - but refused any recognition for his donation. Ben was dedicated to every aspect of the Cleveland community (he was, for example, a member of the Chevra Kadisha) who offered generous financial support to many local institutions. In fact, he also supported Torah institutions in other cities where he did business or visited, such as Las Vegas and Orlando, and the Chabad House in Bangalore, India, where he visited every six months. Ben was a passenger on the famous El Al flight that got diverted to Athens on account of Shabbos, and wrote about his experience here. In subsequent years, he led a fundraising effort to help Chabad of Athens build a Mikvah, as a gesture of gratitude for the unforgettable Shabbos they facilitated. In more recent years, he had begun arranging his daily schedule to allow for morning and evening Torah study. Dan Eleff, a Cleveland resident and the proprietor of Dan’s Deals, wrote poignantly about Baruch and Ben in these posts.

The ever present and unanswerable theological challenge of the death of the righteous, especially at a young age, certainly rears its head when confronting these stories. It would be disingenuous to say that I miss Ben; I hadn’t spoken with him for close to 25 years. However, his big heartedness was evident even when I knew him. The world in general, and Jewish Cleveland in particular, is a better place because he was in it. May his and Baruch Taub’s memories be for a blessing, and may the lives their families continue to live be sterling tributes to the legacy left behind by their remarkable fathers and husbands.

Mystery Shul Of The Week

This landmark shul was built in a unique architectural style by Polish and Russian Jews, who wanted a place to feel comfortable in contrast to the formal and stodgy shuls that already existed in this city. It has experienced a gas explosion, and, in rapid succession, dynamiting by the Nazis and attacks by far right revolutionaries within a few weeks in 1941. Name the shul, the city in which it is located, the architectural style and, for extra points, supply a photo.

Last Week’s Mystery Shul Of The Week

The first synagogue in the British Commonwealth to be issued an official Coat of Arms is Congregation Machizkei Hadass, of Ottawa, Ontario, led for decades by the legendary Rabbi Reuven Bulka. Here is a picture of the sanctuary, with the Coat of Arms on the parochet.

For more information about the Coat of Arms, click here.

Kudos to Elli Brodbaker for being the first to identify the shul, though in all fairness, it was the shul where he davened throughout medical school…

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Ariel Rackovsky

Congregation Shaare Tefilla
6131 Churchill Way
Dallas, TX 75230

Rabbi's Resources - Va'era 5783

Rabbi's Resources | Va'era 5783 | Rabbi Ariel Rackovsky

Dear Shaare Family,

This past week, I had the pleasure of attending the wedding of Miriam and Daniel Dimont in Passaic, New Jersey (special Hakarat HaTov to my good friends Chani and Zev Karpel for their hospitality on Monday night). At the gate for my flight from DFW to Newark, I saw many people with colored tags with their names on them, clearly members of a tour group of some kind. There was one man who was being asked questions by many people; figuring he was a leader of the tour group, I asked him where they were going. It may not be a surprise to you that they were 70 members of a delegation twice that size from Highland Park United Methodist Church, traveling to Tel Aviv. For virtually all of them, it was to be their first time in Israel. The man people were asking questions of was Aaron Long, the music pastor. He was excited to meet a Rabbi - especially one who studied in Israel and has, thank God, been there many times. Some of the members even shared the key Hebrew phrases they learned, such as “Habibi” and “Ahalan”- and were somewhat disappointed when I pointed out that both of those words were actually Arabic, incorporated into Israeli slang. I hope I will have an opportunity to get together with Pastor Long when the group returns, and hear how their trip was - and maybe for Shaare Tefilla to learn from their example (and that of, lehavdil, countless other shuls as well).

Rabbi’s Recommendations

1) When Shulem Lemmer and the choir came for Shabbat, they introduced a new tune to the second half of Lecha Dodi on Friday night. It wasn’t exactly a “new” tune - it is an old tune from the Sanz Chassidic dynasty, which includes the Bobov, Klausenberg and Stropkov chassidim - but it was new to us. Last Friday night, I used it again. It is a rousing niggun sung in chassidishe shtiebelach and header yeshivot alike, and it would be amazing if it were part of our repertoire - listen to it here, or sung by the talmidim in the Hesder Yeshiva in Otniel (where Benji and Sammy Zoller studied).

2) As we begin reading about the Ten Plagues, here is Franz Josef Haydn’s String Quartet opus 50, number 6 - titled “The Frog.”

Mystery Shul Of The Week

This was the first shul in the British Commonwealth ever to be granted an official Coat of Arms. Name the shul, and, for bonus points, share a picture of the Coat of Arms.

Last Week’s MSOTW

Last week’s clue was -
“You can find a minyan any time of day or night at this landmark Jerusalem shul. On Friday nights after dinner, a legendary Rabbi used to deliver speeches on the Parsha that drew capacity crowds. Name the shul, and the Rabbi.”

Last week’s winner was Bernie Rosenberg, who correctly identified the shul as the Zichron Moshe Shteieblach in Zichron Moshe, adjacent to the Geulah neighborhood of Yerushalaim, and for identifying the Rabbi as the legendary Maggid of Jerusalem, Rav Sholom Mordechai HaKohen Schwadron.

The Maggid’s passionate speeches and legendary oratory drew capacity crowds every Friday night after dinner to the main shul at Zichron Moshe.

Some of Rav Schwadron’s speeches were translated into English by the noted mohel Rabbi Paysach Krohn, who had a close personal relationship with the Maggid, and became a popular speaker in his own right.

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Ariel Rackovsky

Congregation Shaare Tefilla
6131 Churchill Way
Dallas, TX 75230

Rabbi's Resources - Shemot 5783

Rabbi's Resources | Shemot 5783 | Rabbi Ariel Rackovsky

Dear Shaare Family,

As part of this year’s New Years Honours, King Charles bestowed a knighthood on Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis, for his work on behalf of the Jewish community especially in interfaith relations. Rabbi Sir Mirvis is the fourth consecutive Chief Rabbi to have been knighted; his predecessors- Rabbi Sir Israel Brodie, Lord Immanuel Jakobovits and Lord Jonathan Sacks all were as well (the latter two being elevated to a life peerage several years after their knighthood). While he hasn’t been formally knighted yet, Rabbi Mirvis has already been called in public by his new title- when he received the final bracha under the chuppah of a close friend of mine this past week!

Kudos to the many members who answered last week’s MSOTW, and correctly identified the shul(s) with which Rabbi Mirvis was affiliated - Elli Brodbaker was first in identifying the Finchley United Synagogue, known as “Kinloss,” the shul Rabbi Mirvis served before being named Chief Rabbi.

Special recognition to Perrin White who identified all the shuls Rabbi Mirvis served, the Adelaide Road Synagogue (below right) in Dublin (now defunct), and the Western Marble Arch Synagogue In London.

But my favorite answer (no offense to the others) came from Shelley Weiss, who attached the picture of the Beit Midrash in Yeshivat Kerem BeYavneh, where Rabbi Mirvis studied from 1973-1976, and where I studied 24 years later.

This Week’s MSOTW:
You can find a minyan any time of day or night at this landmark Jerusalem shul. On Friday nights after dinner, a legendary Rabbi used to deliver speeches on the Parsha that drew capacity crowds. Name the shul, and the Rabbi.

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Ariel Rackovsky

Congregation Shaare Tefilla
6131 Churchill Way
Dallas, TX 75230

Rabbi's Resources - VaYechi 5783

Rabbi's Resources | VaYechi 5783 | Rabbi Ariel Rackovsky

Dear Shaare Family,

Parshat Vayechi, which deals with the end of Yaakov’s life, has become a Shabbat on which end of life issues are discussed. Whether it is the importance of formulating a will or the need for explicit end-of-life directives and proper funeral planning, failure to plan is planning for failure. This year though, there is one area that needs to be urgently addressed - what the National Association of Chevra Kadisha is calling The Cremation Crisis. At this time, the cremation rate among Jews is at 50% at least, and that number is only projected to rise. It is important for any of us in a position of influence to be able to speak about this and try and change the minds of those who are considering this route, so that we can help promote and preserve Jewish burial. In fact, neither shiva nor mourning rituals are held for a person who is cremated. This Shabbat afternoon, I will be discussing some halachic issues relating to cremation and how halachic authorities dealt with this issue when it began to become more widespread.

Hakarat HaTov Corner

I am grateful that an organization like Chaveirim of Dallas exists to help people out of tight spots (this is a Dallas branch of a national organization). In the most recent wintry weather, they were on call non-stop helping people shut off the water supply to their house and cleaning up after burst pipes. They have helped people get into homes or cars when they were locked out, and I have personally benefited from their services. as they helped give me a jump when my battery died. According to some of their volunteers, not enough people in the South Eruv know about them and what they do. Most of their calls come from up north. Please visit their website; find out what they do and see if you can help, if not as a Chaver, then as a supporter. If needed, please avail yourself of their services, too. The number of their emergency line is 214 814 0109.

Last Week’s MSOTW

Congratulations to Meyer Denn and Simon Raphael for correctly identifying last week’s MSOTW as the Great Park Synagogue in the northern suburbs of Johannesburg, a recreation of the former Great Synagogue on Woolmarans Street. The Senior Rabbi of the shul, Rabbi Dovid Hazdan, tells the story of how the move happened in this video . Extra points to Meyer for remembering that I referred to this story in a Yom Kippur sermon of three years ago!

MSOTW

No pictures this time…
A prominent person at one time associated with this shul was knighted by King Charles several days ago as part of his New Year’s Honours. Name the person, and name shul (hint: there are several correct answers to the shul part, and any and all will be accepted). Extra points if you send me a picture of it.
Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Ariel Rackovsky

Congregation Shaare Tefilla
6131 Churchill Way
Dallas, TX 75230

Rabbi's Resources - Shabbat Parshat Vayigash

Rabbi's Resources | Shabbat Parshat Vayigash | Rabbi Ariel Rackovsky

Dear Shaare Family,

This Tuesday, we observe the fast of Asara BeTevet. In two plac es in Tanach, (Melachim II 25:1, Yirmiyahu 52:4), the 10th of Tevet was the day on which Jerusalem was laid siege by the Babylonians, leading to the breach that happened months later on the 17th of Tammuz, and the destruction on the ninth of Av. In the book of Zechariah (8:19), it is identified as a fast day. For an excellent presentation of what Asara BeTevet is about, see this short talk from Rivky Stern of Aleph Beta.

It is easy to overlook Asara BeTevet in the northern hemisphere; it is a short fast day (in the Southern hemisphere, it is the longest one), ending in Dallas at 6:11 PM. But to ignore Asara BeTevet would be a mistake; it is one of the most stringent of fast days, in some ways even more than Tisha B’Av. For example, normally, one is not permitted to enter Shabbos while starving or afflicted (Eruvin 41a), so one is not usually permitted to fast on Friday. Under our calendar system, Tisha B’av cannot fall on a Friday, yet if it did, it would be rescheduled to another day for this very reason. However, Asara BeTevet can and does fall on Friday, and it is observed on that day. As an aside, an interesting calendrical anomaly is that in certain secular years, Asara BeTevet does not occur at all, like in 2022. It will occur twice in 2023- on January 3, and December 22. Even if you are not usually careful about the observance of fast days, if you are well enough to skip two meals, Asara BeTevet is a good day to start (obviously, if you are not, please speak to me and your physician).

Hakarat HaTov Corner

A special thank you to Rabbi Howard Wolk for organizing last week’s kiddush luncheon and for sharing meaningful words of Torah on Shabbat morning, all in honor of our 36th anniversary. Thanks as well to Lowell Michaelson and Simcha Kosher Catering for a delicious spread, and to all those who sponsored and attended!

Last Week’s MSOTW

Congratulations to Jeremy Hollander and Perrin White who correctly identified this shul as the The Lederman Shul in Bnei Brak. This is the shul where the Steipler Gaon, Rav Yaakov Yisrael Kanievsky (1899-1985) davened, as did his son, Rav Chaim Kanievsky (1928-2022). Perhaps more famously, it was the shul where his daughter in law, Rebbetzin Batsheva Kanievsky (1932-2011) davened every single morning, often surrounded by women who came to receive blessings from her. The Steipler’s brother in law, Rav Avraham Yeshaya Karelitz (also known as the Chazon Ish) (1878-1953) was opposed to the use of the Israeli power grid on Shabbat, because of the difficulty of running a power plant under Shabbat-compliant guidelines. Furthermore, he asserted that even if a power plant could run permissibly, using its electricity would be forbidden, as the secular workers there do not respect Shabbat and using their electricity would show public approval of their actions. In Bnei Brak, many people still follow this ruling, and the Lederman Shul adheres to it strictly, following the directives of the Steipler and Rav Chaim Kanievsky. Indeed, Rav Chaim only permitted air conditioners run on generator power when it was brought to his attention that, in summer months, the lack of air conditioning was causing people to faint and presented a pikuach nefesh situation. Another interesting fact about the shul is that the windows have diagonal cross bars, and not perpendicular ones, because the Steipler was exceptionally careful to avoid forming a shape that resembles a cross.

MSOTW

This prestigious shul used to be located in a different part of the city in which it is found, under a slightly different name, and was a center of Jewish life in that city. A changing neighborhood and the move of the city’s Jewish population to the suburbs led to its near closing. A rousing Rosh Hashanah speech by its senior Rabbi led to its relocation, and resuscitation. Name the shul, the city in which it is located, and, for extra points, the original name of the shul.

Congregation Shaare Tefilla
6131 Churchill Way
Dallas, TX 75230

Rabbi's Resources - Shabbat Channukah Parshat Miketz

Rabbi's Resources | Mikeitz Shabbat Channukah 5783 | Rabbi Ariel Rackovsky

Dear Shaare Family,

This past week, a historical event took place in Abu Dhabi. In 1945, the nascent Palestine Symphony Orchestra (now the Israel Philharmonic) performed a concert in Cairo, at the time a hub of culture and the arts. It was to be the last time they would play a concert in an Arab country for nearly 80 years- until this week. At the Emirates Palace, the Israel Philharmonic performed a concert organized by the UAE Department of Culture and Tourism-Abu Dhabi, in the presence of Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and Israel’s first lady Michal Herzog. Under the baton of music director Lahav Shani, who was also the piano soloist, the orchestra performed Mozart’s Piano Concerto #23, and Gustav Mahler’s epic Symphony No. 1, the Titan. You can live the historical magic, and see Hatikvah played on the stage of a concert in the UAE, by viewing the concert here.

Rabbi’s Recommendation
One of the most ubiquitous songs of Chanukah is the catchy Al Hanissim that we sing so often (also on Purim). Did you ever wonder who composed it, and how it became so popular? Watch this video (in Hebrew), about how a YU student named Dov Frimer (now Professor Dov Frimer, an attorney in Israel), a member of the band Shivat Tzion, composed the tune, which was then performed at a Chassidic Song Festival by Yizhar Cohen, a star of several Eurovision competitions.

MSOTW

This shul is known for several illustrious men and women who davened here, from the same family. On Shabbat, the only devices run by electricity are several air conditioners run on generator power. Name the shul, several people who davened here and, for extra points, why the shul does not employ electricity on Shabbat.

Last MSOTW

Congratulations again to Perrin White for correctly identifying the shul as the Nessah Synagogue in Beverly Hills, the flagship synagogue of the Persian community in Los Angeles. The Senior Rabbi, David Shofet, is the son of the former Chief Rabbi of Iran, Haham Yedidya Shofet, who lived in Los Angeles as well in his final years. Congratulations to Janice Schwarz for identifying the Aron Kodesh as a replica of the Portuguese Synagogue of Amsterdam.

Congregation Shaare Tefilla
6131 Churchill Way
Dallas, TX 75230

Rabbi's Resources - Vayishlach

Rabbi's Resources | Vayishlach 5783 | Rabbi Ariel Rackovsky

Dear Shaare Family,

I am excited for an action-packed Shabbat and weekend at Shaare Tefilla! I know some of you have actually spent Shabbat in China, but for those who have never had the privilege, this weekend will give you a taste of the unexpectedly rich Jewish history there. Early Shabbat allows us to take advantage and I will be delivering my talk titled Safe Haven: The Amazing Story of The Mir Yeshiva’s Escape to Shanghai after davening, before dinner. This is a fascinating and riveting episode in Jewish history- I highly recommend attending, even if you are familiar with the story or some aspects of it. The riveting story will whet your appetite for our congregational Chinese dinner, and for author Waina Dai Randel’s talk on Shabbat morning about Jewish life in China. After serving a Chinese dinner on Friday night, find out on Shabbat afternoon between Mincha and Maariv what Jewish law says about Chinese food as Rabbinic Intern Yehuda Rosenberg delivers a shiur titled Chinese Food (On December 25th): Jewish Tradition or Halachic Problem?

Rabbi’s Recommendation

In preparation for this Shabbat, I’ve been reading Jonathan Kaufman’s book The Last Kings of Shanghai, about the two Jewish families, the Kadoories and the Sassoons, that controlled commercial life in Shanghai and helped save the lives of tens of thousands of Jews, as well as hundreds of thousands of Chinese. No doubt, Waina Dai Randel will speak more about these families on Shabbat morning. I thank David Radunsky for making me aware of (and lending me a copy of) this fascinating book.

Hakarat HaTov Corner

I am grateful to HKB”H that my most recent bout with COVID last week was a comparatively mild one, and that He brought Jessica into my life. Among her many other amazing qualities and wonderful things she does, she shouldered the immense task of running a busy household with, B”H, high spirited kids entirely by herself while I was in isolation. I am also grateful to HKB”H that this illness visited me on a week that wasn’t either the Shabbat of Song or Ariel Davis’s Bar Mitzvah!

MSOTW

This synagogue is the flagship synagogue of a robust and significant community of immigrants. Its Aron Kodesh is a replica of that of another well-known synagogue nearly 6,000 miles away. Name the synagogue, the city, the community of immigrants and, for extra points, the synagogue whose Aron Kodesh this one replicates.

MSOTW from Two Weeks Ago

Congratulations to Perrin White, who correctly identified this as the “Soldiers’ Synagogue” in Rostov-on-Don, Russia. It was constructed by Jews who had been conscripted into the Czar’s Army, and is the only synagogue left there after Rostov dozens of synagogues in its prime. In 1916, the rebbe of the Lubavitch Hasidic movement, Sholom Dov Ber Shneerson- the Rebbe Rashab- settled there with his family; in 1920, his son, Yosef Yitsḥak Shneerson, moved the Tomchei Temimim Yeshiva from Lubavitch to Rostov. The town remained a center of Lubavitch activity until 1924.

Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Ariel Rackovsky

Congregation Shaare Tefilla
6131 Churchill Way
Dallas, TX 75230

Rabbi's Resources - Toldot

Rabbi's Resources | Toldot 5783 | Rabbi Ariel Rackovsky

Dear Shaare Family,

Someone asked me on Tuesday morning whether I had recovered yet from the amazing Shabbat we experienced with Shulem Lemmer and members of the Yedidim Choir (leader Aron Elya Friedman, Zindy Brody, Yoeli Schnitzler and Sruli Laufer). I said that I had not, and that I don’t want to recover- it was the Shabbat of a lifetime! Based on the feedback I’ve been receiving, I think many of you feel the same way. Even people who don’t like Chazzanut or don’t think they have the patience for a longer or more tuneful davening were telling me how much they enjoyed it. Of course, the phenomenal davening, Oneg and Seudah Shlishit were transformative. Shulem and the choir led us in tefillah and singing that featured popular music, well known tefillah tunes, Chassidishe niggunim (some of which I plan on including in our tefillot regularly) and Chazzanut, and he was at home in each of these. It seems like there is nothing in the realm of davening that he can’t do, and it all sounded even better when it was enhanced by the choir. And he got us dancing, too- on Friday night during the davening and the oneg, on Shabbat morning during the Birkat HaChodesh (to Rabbi Feitel Levin’s famous Rosh Chodesh Kislev niggun that is the theme song of every Chabad Kinus Hashluchim) and almost non-stop at the concert on Motzei Shabbat.

I think there was another aspect that made this weekend special, too, and many people picked up on it. This Shabbat was a force for unity (one person remarked that this Shabbat is what Shaare used to look like every week), as people joined us from every shul in the neighborhood, from other neighborhoods and even from other cities. It was also a unifying experience as Jews of all kinds davened together- a Modern Orthodox shul with yeshivish guests, led by a young Chassidish singer and choir, singing the prayer for the State of Israel, and everyone was made to feel welcome.

In the spirit of Thanksgiving and the Hakarat HaTov Corner, I am grateful to all those who made this weekend possible. The sponsors, of course, but also the hosts who housed and fed Shulem and the choir, the planning committee, the kitchen crew and all of you who showed up, smiled and sang along. I look forward to many more Shabbatot like this- may we only go from strength to strength!

Rabbi’s Recommendation
For more of Shulem Lemmer, I highly recommend his YouTube Channel or instagram page. For more of the Yedidim Choir, visit their YouTube channel or instagram page.

Mystery Shul Of The Week Answer

The clue from two weeks ago was: When the shul where this stained glass window is located was built, a critic decried it as the sign of “a society that cannot tell the difference between beauty and extravagance.”

The shul is the The Jerusalem Great Synagogue, better known for the magnificent stained glass windows above the marble Aron Kodesh, designed by Regine Heim of Zurich, Switzerland. The window pictured here is one of many that adorn the perimeter of the synagogue, designed by the synagogue’s architect, Alexander Friedman, depicting themes of Shabbat and Yamim Tovim. When the synagogue opened in 1982, the critic Yitzchak Tischler decried it as a garish symbol of societal conspicuous consumption, in the aforementioned quote. Whether he was right or not, the synagogue still remains a central address for tefillah, torah and tourism in Jerusalem- and most people have never heard of Yitzchak Tischler

This Week’s Mystery Shul Of The Week

This shul just celebrated its 150th birthday. It is the only surviving shul in a city that was once the center of a major Chassidic group, and has been reconstructed several times. Name the shul, the city where it is located and, for a bonus, the Chassidic group that was headquartered there.

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Ariel Rackovsky

Congregation Shaare Tefilla
6131 Churchill Way
Dallas, TX 75230

Rabbi's Resources - Vayera

Rabbi's Resources | Vayera 5783 | Rabbi Ariel Rackovsky

Dear Shaare Family,

This past week marked the 84th anniversary of Kristallnacht, the night marking the destruction of thousands of German Synagogues and Jewish-owned businesses. On the evening of November 9, 1938, the upper echelons of the Nazi leadership participated in a festive gathering in the Munich Town Hall, celebrating the 15th anniversary of the Beer Hall Putsch. At about 10:30 PM, a group of the revelers left the hall, and headed toward the Ohel Jakob Synagogue in Munich, setting it on fire. The synagogue was completely incinerated, including Torah scrolls and sacred objects. Joseph Goebbels records in his diary that he tried to alert the fire department that the synagogue was on fire (likely because of the risk the conflagration posed to non-Jewish property), but was unsuccessful. It seems that the order to destroy the synagogue (and so many others) originated either directly or implicitly from Hitler himself. The Jewish community had to pay for the cost of clearing the rubble of the synagogue afterward.

The Ohel Jakob synagogue was the hub of the more traditional, Orthodox community in Munich, which broke away from the Grossgemeinde (the umbrella community) when they began to adopt more liberal practices associated with the nascent Reform movement. The synagogue was completed in 1892; despite its majestic appearance, it was relatively small- the sanctuary seated 150 people. There was a school attached to the synagogue, and the community was led by the revered Chief Rabbi, Rabbi Dr. Chanoch Ehrentreu, for over 40 years, until his passing in 1927.

68 years after Kristallnacht, in November of 2003, the cornerstone was placed for a new Synagogue in Munich with the same name/ Funded by the City of Munich, the State of Bavaria and funds from the Jewish community, the magnificent structure was the result of an architectural competition won by Rena Wandel-Hoefer and Wolfgang Lorch. It seats 550 people, and is accessed, for security reasons, by an underground tunnel. The complex of the synagogue includes a kosher restaurant as well. Congratulations to Steven Bock for being the first to identify it as last week’s Mystery Shul Of The Week.

Rabbi’s Recommendations

On June 2, 2009, a remarkable event took place at this synagogue. Two Rabbis- Zsolt Balla and Avraham Radbil- became the first Orthodox Rabbis ordained in Germany since before World War II. They studied at Yeshiva Beis Zion- the Berlin Rabbinical Seminary. Rabbi Balla is now the state Rabbi of Saxony, and in 2021, he became the first Rabbinic Chaplain of the Bundeswehr, the German Military, in over a century.

I have gotten to know Rabbi Balla over the years, and I am pleased to tell you that he will be our Scholar in Residence on the weekend of February 24-25, 2023. He is a talented Torah scholar (with a lovely voice, too) who has many fascinating stories to tell and great insight into the state of Jewish life in Germany today. I hope you will be able to join us!

Mystery Shul Of The Week

When the shul where this stained glass window is located was built, a critic decried it as the sign of “a society that cannot tell the difference between beauty and extravagance.” Identify the shul.

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Ariel Rackovsky

Congregation Shaare Tefilla
6131 Churchill Way
Dallas, TX 75230

Rabbi's Resources - Lech Lecha

Rabbi's Resources | Lech Lecha 5783 | Rabbi Ariel Rackovsky

Dear Shaare Family,

There is a niggun that we sing every Shabbat at Shaare Tefilla, and in many Modern Orthodox synagogues, that is actually the final few moments of a 20-minute long Chassidic niggun from the Vizhnitz community. The amazing thing about it is that the composer of this niggun, Zeidel Rovner (Yaakov Shmuel Maragovsky) had connections in pre-war Chassidic Europe, and in the American synagogue. The niggun is Bei Ana Rachitz, and a fascinating history of it prepared by Rabbi Shraga D. Homnick can be found here. I found this endlessly fascinating and I hope you will, too!

Hakarat HaTov Corner

Thank you to Joey Schonbrunn for arranging a lovely Siyum/Breakfast for the Daf Yomi as we made a siyum on Masechet Ketubot this past Sunday. We have begun the study of MAsechet Nedarim and anyone who wants to join, and make Torah study a daily occurrence, is more than welcome.

Mystery Shul Of The Week

This shul was built between 2004-2006 in a city known more for a terrorist attack against Jews, not for the robust Jewish community that lived there at one time. Name the shul and the city in which it is located.

Last week’s mystery shul of the week must have been too difficult, as no one guessed the answer. It is the Baal Shem Tov Shul in Wesley Hills, New York (a neighborhood in Monsey), constructed as an updated replica of the shul of the Baal Shem Tov in Mezhibush, Ukraine. This year, on Tisha B’Av, bricks from 22 shuls and former Jewish communities in Poland were cemented into the facade of the building.

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Ariel Rackovsky

Congregation Shaare Tefilla
6131 Churchill Way
Dallas, TX 75230

Rabbi's Resources - Noach

Rabbi's Resources | Noach 5783 | Rabbi Ariel Rackovsky

Dear Shaare Family,

Yesterday, Rosh Chodesh Marcheshvan, marked the 400th anniversary of the publication of a fascinating work- Hashirim Asher Lishlomo by the composer Salamone Rossi, or Shlomo Min HaAdumim. Rossi was a groundbreaking and innovative figure whose music straddled the period between the Renaissance and Baroque eras. His polyphonic music (meaning that it featured many voices singing in harmony) sounds a great deal like his contemporaries, like Claudio Monteverdi- except that the text was all from Tehillim, or prayers from the Siddur. Nothing like this had been done in the world of synagogue music. Joshua Jacobson, Director of the Zamir Chorale, produced a lecture in honor of the occasion, with fascinating biographical information and amazing musical examples of Rossi’s output- it is well worth watching.

Mystery Shul Of The Week

This shul is a replica of another shul on a different continent. A moving ceremony took place a few months ago, adding several special stones to the facade of the building. Name the shul and where it is located, the shul it is a replica of and the origin of the stones that were added.

Last week’s Mystery Shul Of The Week

Last week’s clue was:

This shul was designed by architect David Casuto, and features an Aron Kodesh brought from the Jewish community in Soragna, Italy. Initially, there was some opposition to the construction of this shul, but now, it is a part of daily life even for people who are regularly in opposition (hint).

Perrin White correctly identified it as the shul in the Knesset.

It was originally the target of opposition by Emanuel Friedman, the planning and implementation coordinator for the Knesset building, because there was no plan to construct a church or a mosque for Christian or Muslim Members of Knesset. With elections in Israel looming on Tuesday, it is worth seeing a place where those who oppose one another, vehemently and passionately, gathering together to pray to the same God.

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Ariel Rackovsky

Congregation Shaare Tefilla
6131 Churchill Way
Dallas, TX 75230

Rabbi's Resources - Bereshit

Rabbi's Resources | Bereshit 5783 | Rabbi Ariel Rackovsky

Dear Shaare Family,

Over Sukkot, I read a fascinating profile in Mishpacha Magazine of a pathbreaking, dizzyingly brilliant and completely Rabbinic personality- Rav Shlomo Polachek, known as “The Meitchiter Iluy.” He was one of the first Roshei Yeshiva at RIETS, brought there to raise the prestige and profile of the Yeshiva in its nascency. Credit goes to the author, Dovi Safier, for not shying away from The Meitcheter’s involvement with the controversial Yeshiva in Lida, which taught secular subjects (in which he took a great interest), and whose founder, Rav Yitzchak Yaakov Reines, was a leading Rabbinic light in the Religious Zionist movement. On a personal level, I connected with this story as my grandfather, Rabbi Dr. Isaiah Rackovsky z"l, was a student of the Meitcheter, and received semichah from him at RIETS in 1929. Read the article here.

Hakarat HaTov Corner

I am grateful to all those who helped make Sukkot and Simchat Torah a memorable and lively experience, that ran smoothly, to boot. Last time, I listed people by name and forgot to mention two people- I won’t be making the same mistake again! There is one person, though, who deserves yet another round of applause: Gavi Wolk. The gabbai doesn’t get enough credit for the hard work he does, especially during the Chaggim. Keeping track of all the aliyot, all those leading davening and all the pledges (kein yirbu!) is a really difficult task and Gavi does it, as always, with professionalism and good humor.

Mystery Shul Of The Week

I guess I must have totally stumped everyone with this shul, or it completely slipped past everyone in the midst of the Chaggim. The clue was:

This shul/community center/minyan factory/popular wedding venue has a seasonally appropriate name. Name the shul, and the city in which it is located.

The shul/community center/minyan factory/wedding venue in question is Succat David (hence the seasonality), one of the largest of many Syrian Sephardic congregations in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

This week’s Mystery Shul Of The Week:
This shul was designed by architect David Casuto, and features an Aron Kodesh brought from the Jewish community in Soragna, Italy. Initially, there was some opposition to the construction of this shul, but now, it is a part of daily life even for people who are regularly in opposition (hint). Name the shul, where it is located and why some were opposed to its construction.

Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Ariel Rackovsky

Congregation Shaare Tefilla
6131 Churchill Way
Dallas, TX 75230

Halachic Public Service Announcement- What to Do With Shemittah Etrogim

Halachic PSA: What to Do With Shemittah Etrogim?

Dear Shaare Family,

This year, we were fortunate to use Etrogim for Sukkot that were even holier than usual, as they grew during the Shemittah year. As such, they are endowed with Kedushat Shevi'it, sanctity inherent in produce that grows in Israel during the Shemittah year.

Fruits and vegetables that grow during Shemittah should be treated differently than those that grow at other times- one is not allowed to destroy them, or hasten their demise. Practically, this leaves us with two options regarding etrogim:

1. Do nothing with the shemittah etrog and passively allow it to become inedible. This is what people usually do when they let their etrog dry out. It Should not be thrown out before it has reached this stage.

2. Eat the etrog (turning it into jam, for example), sometime before mid-April, which is the time of bi'ur, when the regular growth season of an etrog concludes (note that according to some authorities, there is no such season for etrogim because they don't stop growing as long as they aren't picked!) According to Ramban (Hashmatos Mitzvas Aseh 3) one performs a mitzvah when consuming shemitah fruit. Eating the Shemittah etrog is a rare opportunity for the Diaspora Jew to perform the mitzvah of eating fruits of the Shemittah year. . By purchasing an Israeli etrog and properly eating it after Sukkot, one supports Jewish farmers, fulfills his mitzvah of daled minim with an object that has already been used for a mitzvah and has the opportunity to fulfill the mitzvah of eating Shemittah fruits. For Etrog recipes, click here.

Note: For a long time, I thought that the FDA treats Etrogim as botanicals and not produce, and as such, many more pesticides are allowed than they would be on regular fruits and vegetables, thus mitigating against eating them. A colleague informed me that this is inaccurate- the FDA's rules governing etrogim are the same, re. pesticide use, as any other produce imported into the US.

Chag Sameach,

Rabbi Ariel Rackovsky

Congregation Shaare Tefilla
6131 Churchill Way
Dallas, TX 75230

Hoshana Rabba and Second Days

Dear Shaare Family,

1. This Sunday morning, we will once again be holding Hoshana Rabba services, marking the conclusion of the High Holiday season. Our tradition tells us that while our judgements are sealed on Yom Kippur, the verdict is not handed down officially until Hoshana Rabba. As such, the Hoshana Rabba service is arguably the most beautiful and memorable weekday service of the entire year. The Chazzan wears a kittel and uses High Holiday motifs in his prayers, which include a joyous Hallel, circling the bimah seven times for Hoshanot with the Lulav and Etrog and, of course, the unforgettable beating of the Willow branches (available at the beginning of shacharit).

In most years, it is difficult to savor the full Hoshana Rabbah experience, as it often falls on a workday and davening may be rushed in order for participants to arrive at work. This year, however, Hoshana Rabba is a Sunday and we have a little more time for meaningful and soulful prayer that will still allow us ample time for pre Yom Tov preparation. Davening begins at 8 AM It would be wonderful if we all came together as a community to offer our final spirited prayers to be sealed in the Book of Life, beseeching God for a year full of blessing with no more personal and national suffering.

2. Our Simchat Torah promises to be a joyous one, with all the usual memorable experiences for kids (and adults!) enhanced by our visiting NCSY advisors, and by our Rabbinic Intern, Yehuda Rosenberg and his wife Shira, who will be spending Yom Tov with us. Rabbi Rosenberg will share Torah leading into Yom Tov as well as on the afternoon of Simchat Torah. As we have done the past five years, we will read a special fertility prayer, composed by Rabbi Dr. Moshe Sokolow and Rabbi Dr. Shlomo Zuckier for the organization Yesh Tikva, to show our support for those who are still struggling to build or expand their families. We will read it after Kol HaNe'arim, a time that is especially fraught and vulnerable for those who are looking to start or expand their family. If you would like to send names of people who are navigating this challenge, please feel free to email me at rabbi@shaaretefilla.org (the names will not be read aloud), or insert the names quietly on your own during the prayer.

May we only experience joy, happiness and good news in the year 5783!

Moadim LeSImcha, a gutten kvittel and Chag Sameach!

Rabbi Ariel Rackovsky

Hoshana Rabba, Shemini Atzeret & Simchat Torah Schedule

NOTE: Sigun up for the Learn-A-Thon is not required, come join us!

Congregation Shaare Tefilla
6131 Churchill Way
Dallas, TX 75230

Rabbi's Resources- Ha'Azinu

Congregation Shaare Tefilla | Rabbi's Resources

Dear Shaare Family,

Once again, I am full of gratitude and awe at the amazing Yom Kippur experience we had together. Every person who was in shul made them special by your presence, but there were also people who worked especially hard to make these days run smoothly. Because the thank you's were on the other side of the flier advertising the upcoming Shabbat of Song with Shulem Lemmer, it’s possible not everyone saw their names, so I’m reproducing the list here. Once again, I ask forgiveness of anyone whose names I accidentally omitted.

Gil Abramov
Mindy Appell
Ezra Burstein
Jimmy Davis
Adam Davies
Pinchas Englander
Ben Fine
Bill Finkelstein
Joe Fischer
Rabbi Maury Grebenau
Jules Greif
Danny Guttman
Mordecai Klein
Wayne Lampert
Mordechai Langer
Robert Liener
Wayne Linksman
AJ Magid
Robyn Rovinsky Mirsky
Itzik Moyal
Karen Olivas
Mikey Oster
Rabbi Ariel Rackovsky
Joe Ravitsky
Michael Rutner
Steve Rosenberg
Eric Safern
Eric Schramm
Morti Tenenhaus
Rabbi Yaakov Tannenbaum
Justin Tucker
Sara and Natan Verschleisser-Pittinsky
David Waks
Stuart Wernick
Joan and Bernie White
Gavi Wolk
Rabbi Howard Wolk
Mike Zucker
And a special thank you to our youth leaders:
Jordyn Denn
Tehilla Kabilio
Deena Lampert
Dalia Lampert
Ezra Ohayon
Lily Rael
Kayla Rutner
Avigail Saltzman
Griffin Schwarcz
Evie Schwartz
Joe Schwartz
Matan Tsaroya
Talya Tsaroya
Joie Tucker

Last week’s Mystery Shul Of The Week

Yasher Koach to all those who correctly identified the mystery shul of the week last week as Congregation Ezra Bessaroth of Seattle, founded in 1914 by Jews from the Island of Rhodes.

Mystery shul of the week:

This shul/community center/minyan factory/popular wedding venue has a seasonally appropriate name. Name the shul, and the city in which it is located.

Shabbat Shalom and Chag Sameach,

Rabbi Ariel Rackovsky

Congregation Shaare Tefilla
6131 Churchill Way
Dallas, TX 75230

Rabbi's Resources- Shabbos Shuvah 5783

Congregation Shaare Tefilla | Rabbi's Resources

Dear Shaare Family,

What an amazing Rosh Hashanah we had together- spirited davening, meaningful Torah study and great energy in both minyanim. May this augur well for the rest of 5783!

I am looking forward to sharing my Shabbat Shuvah Derashah with you this Shabbat- Closing Time: Ne’ilah and the Never-ending Holiday Season. It will take place immediately following Mincha at 6:35 PM (Note earlier time). Childcare is available! I look forward to seeing you there.

Answer- Last Week’s Mystery Shul Of The Week:

I have to assume that the reason I only received one guess is that everyone was busy preparing for Rosh Hashanah- or you were well and truly stumped. Here was the clue:

This shul, celebrating its 120th anniversary this year, was founded by three brothers from a prominent Iraqi Jewish family, and was named in memory of their mother. Originally following the Iraqi nussach, it now incorporates a hybrid of both traditions to reflect the changing ethnic origins of the synagogue’s members from around the world. In 1998, the shul received a major award for a massive two-year project it undertook.

The answer is the Ohel Leah Synagogue in Hong Kong, founded in 1902 by the Sassoon brothers and named in memory of their mother, Lillian (Leah). In 1998, the synagogue received an award from UNESCO for the massive, two year project they undertook to preserve the building.

This week’s Mystery Shul Of The Week:

This synagogue was founded in 1914 by Sephardic Jews from the Island of Rhodes, and still preserves Rhodesli traditions faithfully. It is the only one in the world with its name, derived from a verse in Psalm 46. Name the synagogue and the city (and, for extra points, quote the verse).

Shabbat Shalom!

Rabbi Ariel Rackovsky

Congregation Shaare Tefilla
6131 Churchill Way
Dallas, TX 75230

Rabbi's Resources- Nitzavim

Congregation Shaare Tefilla | Rabbi's Resources

Dear Shaare Family,

I am grateful to all those who replied with the answer to last week’s shul of the week. It got more responses than any previous shul! The shul of the week was Congregation Shaar Hashomayim in Montreal, childhood shul of Leonard Cohen, who recorded the Grammy-winning single You Want It Darker with Cantor Gideon Zelermyer and the Shaar Choir. Last Motzei Shabbat, the synagogue held a special service celebrating its 100th anniversary in its current location, and dedicated the synagogue in memory of its Rabbi Emeritus, Rabbi Dr. Wilfred Shuchat z”l, who served as Rabbi and Rabbi Emeritus for a remarkable 71 years, until his passing in 2019 at the age of 98.

Rabbi Shuchat

A fact I didn’t mention is that Congregation Shaar Hashomayim in Windsor, Ontario is an exact replica of this synagogue.

The winner is David Yalovsky, whose high school graduation was in the sanctuary of The Shaar, and sent me pictures of Lilly and Jake in the sanctuary as well. There were many, many runners-up, too many to mention, B”H!

Rabbi’s Recommendations

Shaar Hashomayim is one of the few synagogues left with a Cantor and Choir that regularly officiate. Even if cantorial music is not your style (though I hope you keep an open mind), I think you will enjoy it if you Click here for a playlist of their High Holiday Experience.

Mystery Shul Of The Week

This shul, celebrating its 120th anniversary this year, was founded by three brothers from a prominent Iraqi Jewish family, and was named in memory of their mother. Originally following the Iraqi nussach, it now incorporates a hybrid of both traditions to reflect the changing ethnic origins of the synagogue’s members from around the world. In 1998, the shul received a major award for a massive two-year project it undertook.

Name the shul, its location, its founding family, the project and the award.

This is the last communication of 5782! I have enjoyed this immensely, and I appreciate all your feedback more than you can imagine. I have especially enjoyed compiling the Mystery Shul Of The Week feature, and am so glad so many of you have enjoyed it. I’m learning a lot, too!

Wishing you and yours a healthy, peaceful, fulfilling and successful year of connection to God, Torah and, yes, to shul!

Shabbat Shalom and Shanah Tovah,

Rabbi Ariel Rackovsky

Congregation Shaare Tefilla
6131 Churchill Way
Dallas, TX 75230

Rabbi's Resources- Ki Tavo

Congregation Shaare Tefilla | Rabbi's Resources

Dear Shaare Family,

This week’s Hakarat HaTov Corner is dedicated to the men and women who turned out to make the Massive Morning Minyan the annual success that it is. It is a fitting tribute to the memory of Mr. Izrael Becker z”l, whose yahrzeit is on Shabbat and for whom minyan attendance- and Shaare Tefilla in general- was such an important part of his life. If you said you would come but didn’t quite make it, don’t worry- it’s the Teshuvah season! Come to minyan on a different day, or evening. Your presence is always appreciated!

I am also grateful to Joan and Bernie White for conceiving the idea of, designing, and donating a new High Holiday parochet for the main sanctuary. It will debut on Motzei Shabbat at the Soulful Selichot at 11:30 P.M. I hope everyone will be able to attend. The Selichot service on the first night is “opening night” for the Ashkenazi High Holiday season, and our yearning, reflective, uplifting and participatory Selichot will surely put you in the right mood.

Rabbi’s Recommendations

I shared with you my personal High Holidays playlist.
Here is a recording made by Dr. Elli Kranzler, the baal tefillah for several decades at the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale, of some of thehighlights of the Rosh Hashanah davening there.
It was made at the height of COVID, when shuls were operating under restricted numbers and many were not yet comfortable returning. He titled it “Lashuv Habaita,” “To return home,” expressing the yearning so many of us had for just that. Aside from being an accomplished psychiatrist, Dr. Kranzler is a founding member of D’veykus, and many of the tunes we sing (and he sings) on the Yamim Noraim were actually sung by him in the original. As much as the recording itself, it is worth reading his introductory notes.

Shul Of The Week

Congratulations to last week’s winner Graeme Rael, and runner up Janice Schwarz, for correctly identifying last week’s mystery shul as Congregation B’nai Brith Jacob in Savannah. This shul is remarkable for several reasons, two of which I mentioned as hints. First, it features what may be the largest work of hand painted synagogue art anywhere in the United States, designed by its long time Rabbi, Rabbi Abraham Rosenberg and painted by artist Gisbert Palmier.

Second, it is the site of the first ever chapter of NCSY. The advisor was a young Rabbi Baruch Taub, who went on to be the founding Rabbi of the BAYT in Toronto, one of the largest Orthodox shuls in North America (by size and membership. After several decades of service, he retired and now lives in Netanya, Israel.
Finally, there are quite a few families in this shul who are sixth or seventh generation Orthodox Jewish Savannahans, a remarkable statistic for any city, let alone a smaller community.

This week’s Mystery Shul

This week’s mystery shul is celebrating the 100th anniversary of its sanctuary this weekend by dedicating it in memory of their late Rabbi Emeritus z”l, who served the congregation with distinction as Rabbi and Rabbi Emeritus for over 70 years (!). A famous artist who grew up in this synagogue, and whose family had been active in it for several generations, recorded a Grammy-award winning single with the shul’s Cantor and Choir.

Name the shul and, for extra points, the Rabbi Emeritus, the artist, the name of the single, and the Cantor.

Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Ariel Rackovsky

Congregation Shaare Tefilla
6131 Churchill Way
Dallas, TX 75230

Rabbi's Resources- Ki Teitzei

Congregation Shaare Tefilla | Rabbi's Resources

Dear Shaare Family,

The world is mourning the passing of Queen Elizabeth II earlier today. We are not British subjects, but the Jewish community all over the world owes her a debt of gratitude for her support of and friendship with the Jewish community for seven decades. As a new era begins with the accession and Coronation of King Charles III, we wish him long life in his reign-may he follow in the steady and principled footsteps of his illustrious and beloved mother.

This week, I am grateful for all the people who came together to make the AYA New Teachers Shabbaton happen this week at Shaare. This was a collaborative effort and there are many names to thank, but at the risk of inadvertently omitting anyone, the following individuals deserve our gratitude:

Rebbetzin Julie and Rabbi Wolk, Rabbi Chananya Englesman, Terri Rohan, Sara and Natan Verschleisser Pittinsky, Emily Prengler, Stephanie and Jimmy Davis, Gil and Dahlia Abramov, Malka and Rabbi Maury Grebenau, Talia and Gavi Wolk and Rebbetzin Dr. Jessica Rackovsky. Special thanks as well to AYA for sponsoring the Kiddush. In the spirit of the month of Elul, if I omitted anyone, I ask in advance for your forgiveness. Join us for an unforgettable Shabbos, hearing words of Torah and joining in Tefillah with the new teachers at AYA, Rachel and Rabbi Adiel Nachshoni, and Chen and R’ Evyatar Ifergan, and their families.

Rabbi’s Recommendations

1. This week, we began studying the second chapter of Masechet Bava Metzia in our daily Mishnah study between Mincha and Maariv. For this, we netted major “parsha points” because the mishnah deals with the laws of returning lost objects, which is also discussed in this week’s Parshah (Devarim 22:1-3). I highly recommend that you take a few moments and read this truly amazing story by my colleague Rabbi Akiva Males of the Young Israel of Memphis, about the potential far-reaching ramifications of returning lost items (you may recall that I told this story six years ago at the Bat Mitzvah of Sydney Denn).
2. Our Sephardic brothers and sisters have been saying Selihot for nearly two weeks (my Sephardic friends say they prefer a month of their Selihot to a week of ours!). One of the reasons I think the Sephardim enjoy their Selihot so much, and why so many participate in them, is that the text is identical, every day- and every tefillah is highly tuneful and interactive. This is a link to a complete Selihot service on the eve of Erev Yom Kippur from the Kotel, led by the legendary Sephardi Hazzan Moshe Habusha (actual Selihot begins at about 21 minutes).

Shul Trivia of the Week

Last week’s winner is Perrin White, who correctly identified the mystery shul as the splendid Great Synagogue of Basel, Switzerland, site of the first Zionist Congress of 1897, and the 125th of 2022. Runners up include Susanne Goldstone Rosenhouse, Moshe Levi, Ruth Solomons and Rabbi Mike Friedman.

Some of you have felt reticent being declared winners when you simply performed a Google Image Search. I appreciate that, but the goal is not necessarily to stump people- but to encourage learning about so many amazing shuls all over the world. However, in order to increase the “thrill of the hunt,” I am going to employ a different method from time to time-including this week. I will give some clues, but will not include a picture- identify the mystery shul based on these. The winner, and a picture of the shul, will be included in the following week’s Rabbi’s Resources.

Mystery Shul of the Week:

This shul was the site of the first-ever chapter of NCSY, and what may be the largest work of hand-painted synagogue art in North America. Name the city and the shul.

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Ariel Rackovsky

Congregation Shaare Tefilla
6131 Churchill Way
Dallas, TX 75230

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Tue, December 24 2024 23 Kislev 5785

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