December 8 - Parashat Vayeshev

David Bassous - Rabbi
Ray Morris - President

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

Friday

  • Shacharit 6:30am
  • Shir Hashirim: 4:00 pm
  • Mincha: 4:12pm
  • Candle lighting 4:12pm

Saturday - Parashat Vayeshev

Full Range of Children's Groups: 9:45am - 11:30am

  • Boys 6 and up in the Library.
  • Girls 6 and up upstairs left classroom.
  • Boy’s tefila group meeting at 9:30am
  • Children 3 - 5 upstairs right classroom.
  • Parasha with Rabbi Ben Hakakian: 8:00am
  • Shacharit: 8:45pm
  • Latest Shema: 8:56am
  • Kiddush after Shacharit
    • Sponsored by Dr. Yechiel Weinstein & Family in honor of his wife.
  • Tehillim group for women: 2:30pm
  • Class with Rabbi Bassous: 3:05pm
    • The Maccabees and Chanukah.
  • Mincha: 4:05pm
  • Seuda Shelishit after Mincha
    • Sponsored by the Mitzner family
      • For the continued good health of the Rav and community*
      • Class: Chanukah Laws & Customs
  • Arvit and Shabbat Ends: 5:12pm

Sunday

  • Shacharit: 8:30am
  • Women's Class: The Thirteen Principles of Faith: 10:00am
  • Shulchan Aruch: 3:45pm
  • Mincha and Arvit: 4:15pm
    • Followed by a Safrut Training Course - (limited room)
  • Women in Tanach: 8:00pm
  • Rav Kook's Orot Teshuvah class: 9.00pm

Monday - Thursday

  • Shacharit: 6:30am
  • Mishna a Day: 7:30am
  • Shulchan Aruch: 7.00pm
  • Arvit: 7:30pm
  • Mondays: Jewish Meditation: 8:00pm
  • Tuesdays: Talmud: 8.00pm
  • Wednesday: **New Chavurah Series: Ethics of the Fathers - Pirkei Avot - Exploring a Classic: 8:00pm

Next Week – Friday

  • Shacharit: 6:30am
  • Mincha: 4:13pm
  • Candle lighting 4:13pm

Upcoming Events on our Webpage

The following events are on our wepage under the events section. Keep up what's going on with Etz Ahaim and our community!

  • December 16: Our Fourth Annual Simcha Kiddush We hold this annual Kiddush to help us celebrate the various simchas we’ve had over the year and share them with our fellow congregants. Sponsor and help celebrate your Simcha with the rest of us at Etz Ahaim.
  • December 16: Saturday Night Live All night Torah learning. A great chance to earn merit for toiling in Torah in the long winter night.
  • February 10: Park Mikvah Melava Malka More details to follow. For more information and to help sponsor the event, please email The Park Mikvah or call 516-526-0941

Synagogue News

All levels are welcome but please note this is not a class.
  • 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 on Shabbat and Chaggim) make sure all the lights are out
  • If you are celebrating a simcha or want to remember a loved one, sponsoring a kiddush is one of the best ways to mark the occasion. To sponsor a Shabbat Kiddush, please go to our Kiddush Sponsorship Page on our website and fill out the on line form. We'll get in contact with you as soon as possible. To sponsor a seuda or a Sunday morning breakfast, 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, 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 email Rahel Baruh or call her at 732-672-4673

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.

The congregation extends get-well wishes to:

  • Avishai ben Esther
  • Linda Balavram (Emuna bat Sarah)
  • Donna Bardy
  • Mary Belsky
  • Galina bat Riva
  • Bradley Greenberg
  • Lita Greenberg
  • Millie Hakim (Miriam bat Sarah)
  • Viktorya Koen
  • Leora bat Matana
  • Yvonne Levy (Rivka Miriam bat Gittel)
  • Benny Mayo
  • Mary Naar
  • Clara bat Rachel
  • Perla bat Leah
  • Yehudah Reich
  • Lilas Saltiel
  • Marcelo Schor
  • Abraham ben Sarah

Community News

Rebbitzen Eichenstein’s classes for women: No class on Sunday, Dec. 10th. Parsha class will be on Monday, Dec. 11th at 8pm at Congregation Ohr Torah. For more info, please contact Ricki at 732-828-6939 or rickistern@yahoo.com

Rabbi Yisroel Weiss shiur, Living with Parsha, for men and women: Wednesday evenings at 8:30pm at the Eiseman Residence at 154 North 10th Avenue.

Contact Marsha Eiserman at 732-503-6675

Bikur Cholim

  • New Apartment: Bikur Cholim of Raritan Valley is setting up a new apartment for long term stays. Our first family is expected in 2 weeks. We will need everything necessary to set up an apartment including mezuzahs, lamps, bookcases dressers, and on and on. If you have items in new or excellent condition, please call or text Georgie London 732-343-3908. Cash donations are also very much appreciated.
  • Volunteers: To visit a male patient at the AristaCare facility in South Plainfield. It is a 10 minute drive from our community. Also looking for a male to sit, schmooze and learn with a male patient at AristaCare. Family is willing to pay. For more information please contact Nitza Adler (732)819-9294
  • 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, as well as two reclining chairs. For inquiries, please call the helpline at 732-572-7181.
  • Mother’s Helpers: Bikur Cholim is looking for Mother's Helpers to help with a special need's five year old girl. Volunteers are needed for any time, Monday through Friday. We are looking for girls tenth grade and up. If you can help, even for a few hours, please call Mrs. Rivka Teresh directly at 347-598-9448.
  • Homebound Visitation: Seeking adults and 11th graders and older who would be interested in volunteering to visit homebound people in our community. For more info, please call Bikur Cholim at 732-572-7181.
  • Nursing Home Visitation: Seeking volunteers to visit at the Regency nursing home on DeMott Lane in Somerset. For more info, please contact Rahel Baruh or call her at 732-672-4673.
  • Transportation Committee: Drivers and coordinators needed. Coordinate rides to and from medical appointments - match requesters 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

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Women's Learning Initiative Parsha class by Mrs. Miri Cohen: No class on Tuesday, December 5.

Women's Learning Initiative Shimiras Haloshon class by Mrs. Leah Drillman: Monday, December 4th and 11th at 7:30pm at Smith house, 407 North 8th Avenue, Edison. For more info, please call Ellen at 201-410-1893 or 732-777-6787.

ACTT: The current source book is: Artscroll’s Living Simchah: Finding the joy in everything by Rabbi Hadar Margolin. The audio of Rabbi Weinberg’s insightful and inspiring “Serve Hashem with Joy: Can we work on being happier?” presentation is now available for listening or downloading from the Audio page of the ACTT website. For more info, e-mail ACCT or call Phil Rosen (732) 572-8762.

RJJ Ladies Luncheon presents: Close Community Get Together on Sunday,December 10 at Congregation Ohr Torah at 12:00 noon. Honoree: Mrs. Shelly Presby. More details to follow. For more info, please call JJ at 732-985-6533.

The Women's AMEN Group meets monthly on the Sundays following the Shabbos in which one bensches Rosh Chodesh, at 9:30am in a downstairs classroom at Congregation Ohr Torah. The group meets in the zechus of a refuah shelaimah for Menachem Mordechai ben Ophira and the other Cholim in the community.

Bikur Cholim OWLS (Overnight Women Labor Support): A complimentary service for maternity situations whereby volunteers will come to stay with your kids during the night. For more info on receiving this service or becoming a volunteer, please contact Rikki at 732-249-5116. Thank you.

Donations of diapers, pull-ups, and wipes are currently being accepted for the new HP/Edison Diaper Gemach. Please email diapergemach@gmail.com for more information.

The Edison/Highland Park gown Gemach, L'iluy Nishmas R' Yitzchok Ben Binyomin, is open for business! The Gemach houses a wide selection of gowns for children, pre-teen, teens and adults. Please note the Gemach is still looking for donation of gowns in very good condition. Tax deduction is given and pick up of the gowns can also be arranged. For more information and/or to schedule an appointment please call Sara Scott at 516-526-0941.

Collecting Sheitels: Keren Kol Kallah - established to provide orphan and destitute kallahs in Israel with essential needs. Donated custom sheitels, some brand-new, some gently worn, are sold to women in Israel who would not otherwise have the funds to buy a quality wig. All the money raised at the sale goes towards a hachnasas kallah fund which helps needy brides in Eretz Yisrael. Sheitels can be dropped off by Aviva, 16 Edgemount Road, Edison. For more info, please see contact Aviva Siegel or call (732) 572-4408.

The Eruv

The Eruv committee checks the eruv every week. However, if the eruv is down, and you didn’t check the status before Shabbat, the averah of carrying on Shabbat is on you. It’s extremely important to know the status of the eruv before Shabbat start!

Fortunately, we now have six official ways of alerting you to the eruv’s status. It’s very important for you to be aware and find out the status of the eruv every week before Shabbat and Chaggim.

You can get alerts of the eruvs statuses on Twitter, Text Messages, Facebook, or Email. You can find out about the eruvs' statuses on the webpage or by calling the hotline.

Visit the Highland Park Eruv webpage for more information about getting alerts, or contact David Weintraub for help.

Park Mikvah

Park Mikvah is now providing towels and robes.

Please support the mikvah while purchasing on Amazon. Use Amazon Smiles and a portion of all sales will go to the Park Mikvah.

Hours

  • Sunday - Thursday 8:00pm to 10:30pm
  • Friday Nights: By appointment only
  • Motzai Shabbat: November - January: 7:30 – 10:00 PM

We appreciate your patience and financial support. Please continue to check our website and hotline at 732-249-2411 for updates

Have you participated in this incredible mitzvah campaign yet? Please go to http://www.parkmikvah.org/donate to help raise the remaining funds!

Park Mikvah

Park Mikvah is now providing towels and robes.

Please support the mikvah while purchasing on Amazon. Use Amazon Smiles and a portion of all sales will go to the Park Mikvah.

Hours

  • Sunday - Thursday 8:00pm to 10:30pm
  • Friday Nights: By appointment only
  • Motzai Shabbat: November - January: 7:30 – 10:00 PM

We appreciate your patience and financial support. Please continue to check our website and hotline at 732-249-2411 for updates

Have you participated in this incredible mitzvah campaign yet? Please go to http://www.parkmikvah.org/donate to help raise the remaining funds!