December 1 - Parashat Toldot (Rosh Chodesh Kislev)

David Bassous - Rabbi
Ray Morris - President

Visit our Website at http://etzhaim.org for the latest news

Friday

  • Shacharit: 8:00am
  • Shir Hashirim: 3:55pm
  • Mincha and Arvit: 4:13am Dvar Torah: Can you pray from a smart phone on a weekday?
  • Candle Lighting: 4:13pm

Shabbat Day

  • Full Range of Children's Groups: 9:45am - 11:30am
  • Boys 6 and up in the Library 
  • Girls 6 and up upstairs left classroom.
  • Children 3 - 5 upstairs right classroom
  • Class with Rabbi Ben Hakakain: Weekly Parsha and Halacha: 8:00am
  • Shacharit: 8:45am 
  • Latest Shema: 8:41am 
  • Kiddush: After Shachrit Services
  • Sponsored in memory of Curtis Presch
  • The Appointment of King Solomon -- Rabbi Bassous: 3:00pm
  • Mincha: 4:00pm
  • Seuda Shelishit after Mincha
  • Sponsored by Dr. Richard Shakarchi and Family in honor of his wife's birthday Class: Can you use a plunger to clear a blockage on shabbat?
  • Arvit and Shabbat Ends: 5:13pm

Sunday

  • Halacha/Parasha Class with Rabbi Ben Hakakian: 8:00am
  • Shacharit: 8:30am
  • Women's class: 10:00am: Happiness
  • Shulchan Aruch Class: 3:45pm
  • Mincha and Arvit: 4:15pm

Weekdays

  • Shacharit: Monday - Friday 6:30am
  • Shulchan Aruch Class (Monday - Thursday) 7:00pm
  • Arvit (Monday-Thursday): 7:30pm
  • Next Week - Friday
  • Shacharit: 6:30am
  • Shir Hashirim: 3:55pm
  • Mincha: 4:12pm
  • Candle lighting 4:12pm

Classes

  • Parasha and Halacha: Shabbat and Sunday: 8:00am
  • Nach: Shabbat: 3:00pm
  • Woman's Class: Happiness: Sunday: 10:00am 
  • Mishna-a-Day: Monday to Friday: 7:20am
  • Halacha-a-Day: Monday - Thursday: 7:00pm
  • Bitachon: Mondays: 8:00pm
  • Talmud Berachot: Tuesdays: 8:00pm

Simcha Kiddush on December 24

We like to thank the following people for sponsoring:

Diamond Sponsors

Reza Green and Moshe Silver - Hanukkah Sameach!!!

David, Elon, Daniel, and Noam Weintraub - In honor of Rachel's 55th birthday

Gold Sponsors

David and Heidi Stokar - Our amazing, wonderful children

Silver Sponsors

Eli and Chana Bishburg - Good Health of the Congregation

Ray and Gloria Morris - Rachel Teicher and Uri Yarmush

The Rushefsky Family - Wedding of Rachel & Mitchell Palacios

Albert Levy Mitzner and Dr. Leora Mitzner - HaKarat HaTov

Abraham and Vicky Cohen - For the Good Health of the Congregation

BJ and David Simon - For the Good Health of the Congregation.

Rivka and Martin Himmel - To our Sons' Engagements and Weddings

Rabbi and Mrs. David Bassous - In honor of All the Very Special Members of our Congregation

Deluxe Sponsors

Tzippy and Elisha Russ-Fishbane - The Rabbi and the Community

Aaron Epstein and Leora Wenger - Good Health of the Congregation

Dovi and Adi Yarmush - In Honor of Our Children, Idan and Omri and the Engagement of Uri and Rachel.

Rose and Nat Reiss - For our friendly Etz Ahaim Community

General Sponsors

  • Dina and Leo Horowitz - Everyone
  • Alex & Liz Kemeny - Our Wedding Anniversary
  • Jacob Oslick and Alisa Pinkhasik - Kahal Kadosh Etz Ahaim

If you would like to help sponsor the Simcha Kiddush, go to Etz Ahaim's website and fill out the form.

Weekly Bulletin

  • Bikur Cholim of Raritan Valley is thrilled to announce the new hospitality room at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital! It is located on the main floor. Go through the main entrance and bear left towards the gift shop. Turn right through the double doors. Follow hall and turn right. The room is located opposite the surgical intensive care unit. You will find it fully stocked with food and any items that you might need. There is a microwave, urn, sink, table & chairs, For inquiries, please call the helpline at 732-572-7181
  • If you have an outstanding balance with Etz Ahaim, please send in your payment to help the Synagogue. Your help is appreciated.
  • If you are the last person to leave the building (except for Shabbat and Chaggim) make sure all the lights are out
  • If you are celebrating a simcha or want to remember a loved one, sponsor a kiddush is one of the best ways to mark the occasion. Please contact Yvonne at 908-227-5194. To sponsor a seuda, call the shul at 732-247-3839.

Bikur Cholim of Congregation Etz Ahaim

  • Our Congregation has its own Bikur Cholim Committee. If you know of a congregant who is in the hospital or a nursing home and would like a visit, please let us know. If there is a Home-bound congregant who is in need of a visit or assistance, we can help. We may also be able to make contact with a Jewish Agency which may be able to provide additional services. Please call Rose Reiss at 732-828-7415.
  • Nursing Home Visitation: Seeking volunteers to visit Mollie Reuben, Esther Tucker, Red Mordoh, and Shirley Cohen and others at the Regency nursing home on DeMott Lane in Somerset. For more info or an updated list of residents requesting visitors, please call Rahel Baruh at 732-672-4673 or emailrbaruh@yahoo.com
  • Transportation Committee: Drivers and coordinators needed. Coordinate rides to and from medical appointments - match requests with an available driver. Each coordinator serves for two weeks at a time. To volunteer to coordinate or to drive, please call Bikur Cholim hotline at 732-572-7181 or fill out the volunteer form on the website bikurcholimrv.com

The congregation extends get-well wishes to:

  • Al Benzilio
  • Soroh Rosen
  • Viktorya Koen
  • Avishai ben Esther
  • Galina bat Riva
  • Joey Cenci (Yoseph Michael ben Yael Rut)
  • Linda Balavram (Emuna bat Sarah)
  • Esther Tucker
  • Red Mordoh
  • Nancy Reich
  • Yehudah Reich
  • Benny Mayo
  • Mary Belsky
  • Esther Arouh
  • Lilas Saltiel
  • Donna Bardy
  • Mary Naar
  • Lita Greenberg
  • Bradley Greenberg
  • Marcelo Schor
  • Sarah bat Naava 
  • Perla bat Leah

Community News

You Shall Not Veer From What They Tell You, Right or Left: Understanding Rabbinic Power and Influence

  • The Orthodox Forum of Edison/Highland Park presents Rabbi Shmuel Silber of the Suburban Orthodox Congregation of Baltimore, on Saturday Night, December 10, 8:00pm at Congregation Ohav Emeth. 

    The program is free of charge. The Orthodox Forum gladly accepts season sponsorships, as well as program sponsorships. For more information go online to http://www.orthodoxjewishforum.org

Women's Learning Initiative

  • Parsha: Mrs. Miri Cohen: Tuesday, December 6 at 9:30am at the home of Tzippy Rieder, 6 Cliff Street, Edison. (off of Brookhill Avenue, past Stone Street). For more info, please call 732-966-6503. 
  • SemPlus Evening Shiur for post seminary girls: Please call the hotline to confirm at 732-966-6503.
  • Tiferes DVD for Women: Motzai Shabbos, December 17 at 8:30pm, at the Siegel house. Weekly teleconferences with topics such as Shalom Bayis and Parenting are available to Tiferes members. For more info, please contact Aviva siegelmom@optonline.net. The Highland Park/Edison group of Tiferes is Zecher l'nishmas Malka bas Shalom.

Highland Park Mikvah

  • The Highland Park Mikvah now has Tzedakah boxes! Please contact Aviva at siegelmom@optonline.net to obtain one.
  • If you are purchasing from Amazon, please consider signing up with http://www.amazonsmiles.com. A donation will be made to Park Mikvah.
  • Hours
  • Sunday through Thursday from November 6 to March 8: 8:00pm - 10:30pm
  • Motzai Shabbos, November 26: 7:30 – 10:00pm.
  • Friday nights by appointment only. Please arrive with enough time to be out before closing time.
  •  We are excited to announce that Park Mikvah will be undergoing renovations! We are looking forward to our new State of the Art mikvah!
  • Please check the mikvah website and/or call our phone message, before coming, for any updates as to when the mikvah will be closing. The Highland Park Mikvah recently sent out a mailing. If you have not received the mailing, or need more information, please call 732-249-2411 or email hpmikvah@gmail.com.