Parshat Mikeitz-Shabbat Chanukah

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Mevorchim Chodesh Tevet Tuesday, Dec.3 Molad 12:58:5 am Rosh Chodesh Tues dec 3 and Wed Dec 4

November 30, 2013 27 Kislev, 5774

Rabbi Shlomo Riskin on Parshat Mikeitz/Chanukah

The Festival of Hanukkah celebrates two momentous and fateful victories of Judea over GrecoSyria in the second century before the Common Era, during the period of the Second Temple. Greco -Syria was one of three heirs to the political and cultural hegemony of Alexander the Great, a masterful military tactician whose goal was to spread Hellenistic culture throughout the "Fertile Crescent." Despite the brevity of his life, he succeeded to an amazing extent - and miraculously, he allowed the State of Judea to maintain her municipal and religious independence. Jewish lore records that when Alexander the Great entered the gates of Jerusalem, the High Priest, Shimon the Righteous came out to greet him. The mighty conqueror bowed before the High Priest, exclaiming that before every battle, in his dreams, he received a blessing for victory from the High Priest. Hence, Judea received a special dispensation, and that year every male baby born was named Alexander (Yoma 69a). About 150 years later, prior to the victory of Hanukkah, the situation changed drastically. Greco-Syria and GrecoEgypt were struggling to control the Alexandrian empire, and the High Priests of Judea were becoming more and more enamored of the popular Hellenistic culture replete with Olympic athletic games dedicated to the idolatrous gods of Mt. Olympus and hedonistic orgies. The High Priest Menelaus wished to turn Judea into a Greek City State, bringing the idolatrous activities right into the heart of Jerusalem. A civil war ensued, with the religious Hasmoneans rebelling valiantly against the establishment Hellenist - assimilationists. When the Hasmoneans appeared close to victory, the Hellenist rulers called GrecoSyria for help, agreeing that once the rebellion was quelled, Judea would become a satrap of Syria. Hence the

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Early Friday Mincha

3:00 pm

Candle Lighting Friday Mincha Hashkama Parsha Shiur Youth Minyan Main Minyan Beit Midrash Gemorah Shiur Mincha Shabbat Ends Sunday Dec. 1 Mon. Tues., Wed. Thurs. Fri. Mincha

4:11 pm 4:15 pm 8:00 am 8:30 am 8:30 am 9:00 am 9:15 am 3:30 pm 4:05 pm 5:19 pm 7:30/8:30 am 6:30/7:45 am 6:30/7:45 am 6:35/7:45 am 6:45/7:45 am 4:15 pm

Latest Times for Shema/Shmoneh Esrei Nov. 30 Dec.7

9:16/10:04 am 9:27/10:13 am

Kiddush is sponsored by Great Neck Synagogue

Next Shabbat Vayigash Candle Lighting Mincha 4:09 pm 4:10 pm

Seudah Shlishit is sponsored by Judy & Richard Lillien, Charlotte & Perry Schneider, Meryl & Mark Friedman and Alice & Brian Boczko in honor of the marriage of Melissa & Yonatan Lautman and by Renee & Stuart Schwartz in memory of his father Herbert Schwartz, zl and in honor of the marriage of their children Dara & Yuvam Atia.

26 Old Mill Road, Great Neck, NY 11023 (516) 487-6100

Shaabbat Announcements Parshat Mikeitz 5774

Hasmoneans were battling for both the political and religious independence of Judea. Their military victory secured their political independence; the rededication of the Holy Temples' Menorah symbolizing the "candles of commandment and the light of Torah" (Proverbs 6: 23) - expressed the renewed religious commitment of the newly formed revolutionary leadership. But if our kindling of the Hanukkah Menorah represents the victory of Torah Hebraism over Assimilationist Hellenism, why does the Talmud ordain the essential lighting of the Hannukah Menorah to take place in the Jewish home, "each person must light in his/her home" (B.T. Shabbat 21b) - in the home and not in the Synagogue? The sages called the Synagogue "a miniature Holy Temple", so would it not be more a more appropriate location for our Hanukkah celebrations?

emerge from their repressed underground of furtive whispers into Jewish pride and observance. He took me to the magnificent new Synagogue in Belmonte where I joined 70-80 Crypto-Jews who gathered for the weekday evening prayer. Every word was recited aloud by each participant. The Cantor, a fifteen year old student of the Rabbi, led us all in the spirited singing. They explained that four families went underground in 1492. For 500 years, their descendants married one another while keeping Judaism secretly. They rebuilt the synagogue; and now at least 120 come to shul every Friday night and Sabbath day! At the entrance way to the sanctuary is the following inscription in Hebrew: "Here in this place, the chain of our tradition has not been severed.... As a result of government decrees, the Jewish residents of this village, like other Jews throughout Spain and Portugal, were forced to I discovered the answer to my query in a beautiful publicly deny their Jewish religion. But they city in Portugal. Among its many institutions, Ohr maintained their Judaism in their homes. Here Torah Stone has the Joseph and Gwendolyn Straus the candle of Jewish light was never Rabbinical Seminary which trains rabbis and sends extinguished. For a period of 500 years, from them to Jewish communities all over the world. 1492 (when the one synagogue in Belmonte was Our rabbis in Portugal began asking many destroyed) until 2002 (when it was reopened), in questions about the Marranos, or Crypto-Jews, who the homes of this village the Jewish are quite numerous there. These are the commandments were secretly performed, the descendants of Jews who were forced to convert to tradition was transmitted from parent to child, in Christianity during the times of the Catholic hushed tones, the Sabbath was sanctified in Inquisition. Now they wish to return to their Jewish hiding while Sunday was celebrated before the faith. What is their status? Do they require formal eyes of the neighbors. They made blessings over conversion? the hallah and the wine and mumbled words of I visited Portugal to meet these "Crypto-Jewish" Hebrew prayers in the darkness. Here the Jewish communities in order to assess how to enable soul was never lost. Here the Jewish soul them to re-unite with their Jewish heritage. Rabbi remains forever.... From the midst of the past Elisha Sales, the rabbi sent by Shavei Yisrael (an will rise the future. From the bleak darkness of organization dedicated to finding "lost Jews") to the Middle Ages shall emerge the light of this minister to the Marrano communities in the towns Synagogue." and villages outside of Lisbon, introduced me to people all of whom shared a burning desire to Hanukkah celebrates the eternal Jewish spirit in the face of assimilation. Belmonte proves that it Great Neck Synagogue is the Jewish home which preserves the Jewish Shabbat Activities Program spirit - even in the total absence of a synagogue! 26 Old Mill Road, Great Neck , NY 11023
Dale Polakoff, Rabbi Ian Lichter, Assistant Rabbi Dr. Ephraim Wolf ,zl, Rabbi Emeritus Zeev Kron, Cantor Eleazer Schulman, zl, Cantor Emeritus Rabbi Sholom Jensen, Youth Director Zehava & Dr. Michael Atlas, Youth Directors Mark Twersky, Executive Director Rabbi Avraham Bronstein, Program Director Dr. Scott Danoff, President Harold Domnitch, Chairman of the Board Dena Block, Yoetzet Halacha 516-320-9818

CHANUKAHFAMILYCELEBRATION EITANKATZINCONCERT
FEATURING 8:00pm ChildrensandFamily MusicalCelebration 8:30pm GeneralConcert YELADUDESTHEATER CHANUKAHSHOW forchildren3108:30pm

Ticketsincludefulladmission&dairydinner $36/person|RSVP:516.487.6100 SponsorshipOpportunities:$200|$350|$500| allsponsorshipsinclude4VIPtickets CalltheSynagogueofficefortickets4876100 SATURDAYNIGHT,NOVEMBER30 ShabbatDinner&GuestSpeakerseries Presents NathanLewin,Esq. FridayeveningDecember6,2013 $36peradult $24perteen $10perchildunder12 Familymax$125 Reservationsrequired Sponsorshipsavailable SeeRabbiAvrahamBronsteinfordetails. Name________________________________ Email_______________________________ Phone_______________________________ Numberadults_____________________ Numberteens_______________________ Numberchildrenunder12________________ AmountEnclosed________________________ SeatingRequests__________________________

YOUTHNEWS NOVEMBER29 LoavesofLove Comeandlearnaboutthemitzvahofchallah bakingwithMorahZehava!Friday November29th 3rd5thgraders10:0011:30 PleaseRSVPtoMorahZehavabyNovember 26th atzehmach@aol.com Everyonewilltake2challothome1for themselvesand1topassalongto someoneelse!

To Help Victims in the Philippines You can donate to: American Jewish World Service , www.ajws.org (Information and opportunity to donate online) or:checks can be sent to: AJWS,TYPHOON RELIEF, 45 West 36th Street, NY, NY 10018 Joint Distribution Committee: www.jdc.org (Information and opportunity to donate online) or: checks can be sent to: JDC, TYPHOON RELIEF, POB 4124 , NY, NY 10163 AFYA FOUNDATION (opportunity to VOLUNTEER to sort food and medical supplies to be sent out immediately!!) www.afyafoundation.org (Bring canned and boxed ready to eat FOOD and DRINKS, DIAPERS), donate online or: checks can be sent to: AFYA Foundation 140 Saw Mill River Road, Yonkers, NY 10701 VOLUNTEERS NEEDED TO SORT SUPPLIES THIS WEEK IN YONKERS WAREHOUSE (140 Saw Mill River Rd) : Monday -Thursday 9:30- 4:30 pm Sunday, NOV 24th 10:00 am 1:00 pm Great Neck Synagogue Hunger Initiative has already donated canned food to AFYA for Hunger Relief.

ANNOUNCEMENTS
GNS ANNUAL DINNER Our 62nd Annual Dinner will take place on Saturday evening, Dec.14, 2013. Our Guests of Honor will be: Dina & Natan Hamerman Judith & Jerrald Weinstein and Boneh Habayit: Zachary Mittleman FIRM DEADLINE FOR ADS Monday, December 2, 2013 GNS ANNUAL DINNER RAFFLES FOR SALE Raffle tickets are on sale on our website www.gns.org. Pre buy your tickets now and have more time to eat, drink and socialize at the dinner.
MEN'S CLUB UPCOMING EVENTS
TUES. Jan 21, 8pm: The next event in our Medical Forum series features a PLASTIC SURGEON, Dr Arnold Breitbart. He will educate and inform you on many aspects of Plastic Surgery, from Tummy-tucks and Breast reconstructions to Facelifts and Rhinoplasty. Details to follow.

Within Our Family

Mazal Tov to Judy & Richard Lillien on the recent marriage of their daughter Melissa to Yonatan Lautman son of Arielle & Donny Lautman. Mazal Tov to Karen & Adam Zalta on the Bat Mitzvah of their daughter Ilexa. Mazal Tov to Netta & Gavriel Jansenson on the birth of a daughter. Mazal Tov to Aliza & Dov Sassoon on the birth of a son. Mazal Tov to grandparents Rori & Charles Sassoon and Brenda Rosmarin.

EMAIL ANNOUNCEMENTS At the beginning of each week the information contained in the weekly Shabbat Announcements is emailed to our membership. Attached to that email is the pdf copy of the Shabbat Announcements, as well as any relevant flyers for that week. Additionally, each day a Daily Email Digest is sent out from our shul highlighting important events and announcements. We do not want to bombard you with emails from GNS, so we only send out one per day unless there are extraordinary circumstances. If you want to know whats going on at GNS and in our community, these daily emails are a good source of information. If you have not been getting these emails, it could be because we dont have a correct email address for you, so please email Mark at mtwersky@gns.org and he will make sure that you are added to the list. Thanks.

In The Community
TOMCHEI SHABBOS Volunteer needed to deliver food every Friday morning. Please contact Brenda Parver: bparver@gmail.com

CHANUKAH FAMILY CELEBRATION EITAN KATZ IN CONCERT FEATURING 8:00pm Childrens and Family Musical Celebration 8:30pm General Concert YELADUDES THEATER CHANUKAH SHOW for children 3-10 - 8:30pm Tickets include full admission & dairy dinner $36/person | RSVP: 516.487.6100 Sponsorship Opportunities: $200 | $350 | $500 | all sponsorships include 4 VIP tickets Call the Synagogue office for tickets 487-6100 SATURDAY NIGHT, NOVEMBER 30

NATHAN LEWIN, ESQ. FRIDAY NIGHT DINNER Shabbat Dinner & Guest Speaker series Presents Nathan Lewin, Esq., Friday evening, December 6, 2013 $36 per adult, $24 per teen, $10 per child under 12 Family max $125. Reservations required. Sponsorships available. For more info see Rabbi Avraham Bronstein. Call the office for reservations. SNOW BIRDS Please let us know when you are going south. MASTER CHEF COMPETITION Our 1st ever Adult Master Chef Competition will be Saturday night, Feb. 1st. We are looking for interested parties to captain teams of 6 each. Please contact Rabbi Lichter at ilichter@gns.org if you are interested.

Y A H R Z E I T

Sunday, 28 Kislev Pauline Loewenstein for Naomi Rutta Amir Mardkha for Touti Mardkha Monday, 29 Kislev Helaine Helmreich for Harry Gewirtz Tuesday, 30 Kislev Drora Brody for Mazal Yefet Edith Lubin for Annie Goldberg Wednesday, 1 Tevet Ada More Benerofe for Miriam Aviv Steven Kashan for Ezra Kashan Stuart Schwartz for Herbert Schwartz Norman Seif for Helen Gewitz-Seif Chava Shalmon for Yosef Grinszpan Martin H. Sokol for Milton Sokol Gerald Traub for Emil Traub Thursday 2 Tevet Joseph Hyman for Leon Hyman Friday, 3 Tevet Lev Dynkin for Rakhil Shifman Semyon Dynkin for Rakhil Shifman Susan Frisch for Felix Samelson Sabina Geist for Harry Geist Leonard Kahn for Robert Kahn Joan Katz for Nathan William Rezak Joan Jatz for Max Sadinoff Roslyn Korman for Fannie Wasserman Rachel Lee for Harry Geist Sidney Mauthner for Frieda Mauthner Leo R. Mindick for Israel Mindick Katalin Samelson for Felix Samelson Ezra Sheena for Gorjia Sheena Jerrald Weinstein for Morris Weinstein Doreen Zobel for Harry Geist