Enjoy your vacation

Shalom Everyone,

Please note that school is closed and classes resume Wednesday, March 4th. Temple Office is open and there are services Friday March 20th and 27th at 7:30 p.m. Have a wonderful vacation.

DO NOT let YouTube remove this video!

This video clearly shows Hamas using a school as a launching pad for missile attacks on Israel, yet no US media has aired it - - WHY???



The IDF broadcasting on You Tube, presented by Capt. Avichai Adraee,
an Israel officer speaking Arabic, showing and explaining in full
clarity what is really going on in Gaza and how Hamas terrorists
operate from the midst of civilian neighborhood, schools and mosques
and how they used a United Nations school as shelter while firing
mortar bombs at Israeli soldiers, thus endangering Palestinian
civilians. This clip actually shows a missle being fired directly from
the school itself, while U.N. representatives in Gaza and around the
world protect the terrorists and criticize Israel for "bombing
innocent schoolchildren" in their schools.

However, YouTube wants to remove this video by using the excuse that
not enough many people are logging in. So please watch the video
once, twice and three times and also forward this e-mail to as many
people so they also log in and the IDF will be able to have its voice
heard.

Click on: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8sznMP3dnCg&feature=PlayList&p=24B346594DCE3F37&index=5

Today In History

Three Portuguese Marranos from Ferrara were burned in Rome's Campo dei Fiori at the command of Pope Gregory XIII. One of them, Joseph Saralbo, proudly proclaimed that he had helped 800 Marranos return to Judaism. According to reports, he asked the Jews of Rome not to mourn for him stating "I am on my way to meet immortality."

Silent Auction

Gan Yeladim is holding a silent auction. For more information go to: chabadvt.org/auction

Snow Day????

I'm listening to the forecast of another possible snowstorm in this area. I think the Wednesday teachers are going to have a conniption fit if we have to cancel another Wednesday. I'll keep listening and keep you posted.

Today in Jewish History, 23 Shevat

On this date in 1918, the Jewish Legion left England to join the Allies in liberating Palestine from the Turks. Four years earlier, Zev Jabotinsky had proposed that a Jewish legion be formed, but the British resisted the idea of Jewish volunteers fighting on the Palestinian front; this led instead to the establishment of the Zion Mule Corps. Meanwhile, Jabotinsky pursued his project of a Jewish Legion, which was eventually designated as the 38th Battalion of the Royal Fusiliers. It included British volunteers, members of the former Zion Mule Corps, a large number of Russian Jews, and later joined by a large number of American volunteers. A few years later, the Jewish Legion was demobilized by the anti-Zionist British Military Administration. Yet it would be remembered as the first organized Jewish fighting force since Roman times, and a precursor to the Israeli Defense Force (IDF).

Shabbat, Motzei Shabbat and more

for important news about Saturday morning services, see below*

As many of you know, I am not in the office Fridays, hence, no blog posting. Yesterday, being Shabbat, I didn't post either.

We had a busy weekend at Temple with a fun Tot/Family Shabbat and dinner Friday night. At our 7:30 we had some special guest visitors. Rabbi Shana Margolin gave a very insightful d'var Torah about God and justice, and discoursing on the Noahide laws. Also, we were favored with a visit from a Confirmation class from the Congregational Church in Essex. Rabbi Margolin, Bruce & I met with the students and chaperones before the service. They stayed for the service and oneg. I asked them what they thought of our services. They thought they were 'cool.' They were impressed by how much singing we do. I also noticed that many of them were following along in the prayer book and trying to sing along with us. It was great.

Saturday morning we had a lively study group, the portion was the Yitro, in which we are given the 10 Commandments.

Motzei Shabbat, Saturday night, we gathered at Judy Rosenstreich's house for Aleinu, our living room lecture series which we hold 3-4 times throughout the year in a member's home. We were treated to a talk (and pictures) about Jewish communities in Kaifeng, Azerbaijan and Iceland, by David Franklin, the Honorary Consul to Iceland. The talk was both informative and entertaining.

*due to the popularity of the Saturday morning learning services, Bruce will be continuing them from March through the month of June. Torah Study group continues to meet each Saturday at 9 am and services begin at 10 am.

Bible and Birthdays and Candy

Last night we had an interesting discussion in "What is the Bible?" class. The question posed was that if the Torah was written by more than one author, does that take away from its "authenticity?" We've been reading a wonderful book by Richard Friedman, "Who Wrote the Bible?" If you'd like to borrow a copy, I have an extra one. I highly recommend it.

On another note, I want to wish a Happy Birthday to 3 great men in history, Abraham Lincoln, Charles Darwin, and Seth Chalmer. The first two men have changed the course of history and knowing Seth, I believe he too will have a great influence on the world in some way.

Passover Candy Orders are due today.

Chai School meets tonight

Religious School Directories

School directories were emailed on January 11th and again on the 20th. If you deleted the email without printing or copying it and would like me to email you one again, let me know.

Reminders

It's Wednesday, February 11th. Did you remember to RSVP for Friday night dinner? For ALEINU Saturday night? Go to our website: www.templesinaivt.org

Israeli Elections and Passover Candy

It's official, sort of. The Kadima Party in Israel barely edged out Likud in the elections. Could Israel see its second female Prime Minister? Now the party leaders need to build a coalition by going to the heads of the other parties. And you thought our system was hard to understand.

On another note, MISS BARTON'S Passover candy orders are due tomorrow. Please do all you can to support this fundraiser. It helps pay for Religious School programming, such as the Israel Scout Friendship Caravan, which is scheduled to come here JUNE 10th.

Election Day

It's Election Day in Israel. It's still too early to predict a clear winner. The election process in Israel is quite different than in the United States. Israeli voters elect a party to become Prime Minister, the highest office in the land. The president in Israel is pretty much a figure head. For an in-depth look at the Israeli system, go to
http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F20816FD355D0C708EDDAE0894DC484D81

Morah Judy

Shalom everyone. This is my first attempt at blogging. I have created this blog to keep you posted on things happening at Temple Sinai, particularly in the areas of education-- at all levels. I hope you will 'tune in' regularly.

For starters, this coming Friday, February 13, we are having a Family/Tot Shabbat service at 5:30. As usual, we will have a dinner afterward. Did you know that you could also attend the dinner if you are planning to come to the later, 7:30, service? Speaking of the later service, we have a special guest speaker at that service, Rabbi Shana Marolin, who will talk about God in the Details.

OY! what a busy weekend. Saturday morning at 9 Torah study group meets. Then at 10 we are having the final in the learn-and-do Shabbat morning service series. I know many of those who've attended have been enjoying it and asking for it to continue. Stay tuned.

And Saturday night... at 7:00 pm at Judy Rosenstreich's house we are having the next speaker in our Aleinu series, David Franklin, Ad.E., the Honorary Consul to Iceland, who will speak about Jews in Iceland, Azerbaijan, and Kaifeng. With so much going on, I hope you can come to at least one of the events.