Rabbi Blog

Dear QJC Family,

The situation in Israel continues to occupy my headspace during nearly every waking moment. We are going through tough times. Here are a couple of things I want to communicate further - please try to read the whole thing!

a) Rallies - thanks to everyone who came to Macdonald Park yesterday and the Tehillim at Havurat Yisrael.

In addition, there is a rally this afternoon at 5:00 PM at DAG-HAMMARSKJOLD PLAZA. Enter on 2nd Avenue and 47th Street. We need to show the world that we will not remain silent when Israel is terrorized. Im Yirtze Hashem, this will be a big rally, with many organizations involved. Flyer can be found at the end of the email.

b) Include Israel in your tefillot
Attaining a minyan, especially in the evenings, has been getting increasingly harder. We need everyone who is able to to help out.
Many men in Israel have been called for reserve duty. While we cannot help out in that way, one way to perform our own version of "reserve duty" is to come to minyanim when possible. We consider davening with a minyan to increase the power of our tefillot, and if there's anything needed and anything we can do right now for Israel, it is this.
(While women do not have the same obligation to be at a minyan, of course you are welcome to join us in communal prayer.)

You can include "Acheinu Kol Beit Yisrael" in Shema Koleinu; find parts of the davening that particularly speak to the needs of the moment; say any of the following Tehillim: Psalm 20, Psalm 121, Psalm 130, Psalm 142 followed by Acheinu.

Although our minhag is to resume Tachanun after Tishrei, have resumed saying it at minyan. We need this tefillah. Shomer Yisrael - we ask Hashem to protect the Jewish people. We will also say one chapter of Tehillim at each minyan.

c) NEW Torah Learning Initiative
While it would seem that this is unrelated to what's going on right now, and this was certainly planned beforehand, I am introducing a new initative for reading through the parasha each week in both Hebrew and English. As we begin a new cycle, we are reminded that Torah Tzivah Moshe Morasha Kehilas Yaakov - is the heritage of the entire Jewish people. Therefore, it is extremely valuable for us to increase our familiarity with the text of the Torah. I cannot understate how transformative it is for us to gain mastery of the Chumash by reading it through ourselves each week!

I am attaching a shiur that I recorded discussing the laws of Shnayim Mikra V'Echad Targum. Chazal enacted that the parasha should be read twice in Hebrew and once in "Targum," translation. For all intents and purposes, it is meaningful to do the Targum with an English translation.

(I gave this Shiur originally before hakafos on Simchas Torah night. Source sheet is attached to the shiur. It also includes an outline of the major points. The last five minutes discuss the value of the initiative.)

On a short term basis, the routine of learning parasha can be helpful during these turbulent times; on a long term basis, completing this project will make our Simchas Torah next year iy"H very meaningful.

Many shuls are participating in this initiative. Yasher Koach to Rabbi Shmuel Ismach of Young Israel of Great Neck for initiating this.

If you would like to commit to doing this, you can sign up here.

d) Donate
The following are just a few possible organizations to which to donate, where the money will be directed to the needs of the moment:
-UJA Federation
-United Hatzalah
-Friends of the IDF

- Orthodox Union

e) Final thoughts
As I said in my email the other night, we should keep Israel in our hearts as we go about our days. At the same time, that does not mean we should necessarily be consuming the news all the time, especially the most horrific of images and videos. We should stay updated, daven, learn, and donate but remember to take care of ourselves also.

We also need to remember that there have been major acts of heroism, major (and minor) acts of kindness that have taken place. There is reason to maintain our hope and optimism, even as we hold on to pain and anxiety. As the citizens of Israel continue to live their lives and help each other at the same time, that is on us as well.

With wishes for besorot tovot,

Rabbi Judah Kerbel, Queens Jewish Center