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S YNA GOGUE^^ONGREGA TIONS The Charlotte Jewish News - May 2007 - Page 11 Jewish Renaissance at Ohr HaTorah New Meaning to Holiday Rituals that Enrich Jewish Life Shavuot, also known as the fes tival of weeks, is a time for Jewish renaissance at Ohr HaTorah. The holiday brings with it its own set of rituals and customs that bring to life the historic significance of this wonderful holiday. Shavuot, which begins this year on the evening of May 22 and concludes at the nightfall of May 24, is most ly known as the cheesecake holi day. Of course, there is much more to this holiday than delicious cheese blintzes. Shavuot today is centered on the theme of the giving of the Torah by God at Mt. Sinai. All the rituals and customs are geared to reinforce the recognition of this theme and the Jewish connection to Torah. An all-night Torahthon which will begin at midnight will be held at Ohr HaTorah on the evening of May 22. This is one of the won derful customs of this holiday, to study the Torah all night on the first evening of Shavuot. According to the Midrash, the Jewish people slept late on the morning of the first Shavuot, the day that Torah was handed down to Moses, so that they had to be awakened by God. To show that we are eager to receive the Torah and to know its commandments, we stay up all night and study Torah as a way to properly prepare for the reading of the Ten Commandments which are read during the morning service on Shavuot. Many people read a book called Tikkun Leil Shavuot, which contains selections from each book of both the Written and Oral Torah. The festival of Shavuot is also unique for its delicious dairy foods such as blintzes and cheese cake. The reason for this is that on Shavuot the Children of Israel received God’s greatest gift to humanity, the Torah. One of the first commitments the Jews made to God upon entering this special covenant was to observe the kosher laws. They were not yet familiar with Kashrut and only ate dairy until they were proficient in their new lifestyle. It has thus been a tradition for thousands of years for Jews to feast on dairy foods during the festival of Shavuot in commemo ration of this mitzvah. It has been a tradition at Congregation Ohr HaTorah to celebrate the festival with a scrumptious dairy Kiddush luncheon, after morning services on the first day of Shavuot. A newer tradition for Shavuot is the gathering of all children, even the very young, to the reading of the Ten Commandments. Services at Ohr HaTorah begin at 10 AM on Wednesday, May 23. An excit ing children’s program and service will take place as well beginning at 11 AM, during which the chil dren will engage in an interactive Junior Congregation and prepare for their role in the reading of the Ten Commandments. The children are the guarantors for the Torah, as they are the key in the passing of the Torah to the next generation, and this role is celebrated in grand style at Ohr HaTorah. Services for the second day of Shavuot begin at 10 AM, and will include the Yizkor service. For more information, please contact one of the rabbis at 704-366-3984 or go online to www.ohrhatorah- nc.org. C.ongre;gation MaTorah a pTo^tt of Lubavilch of Korth Carolina Life changes. Your insurance should keep up. That’s our stand. Temple Israel Book Club A Tale of Love and Darkness: A Memoir by Amos Oz Tuesday, May 29 - 7:30 PM, Temple Israel “Tragic, comic, and utterly honest, A Tale of Love and Darkness by Amos Oz is at once a family saga and a magical self- portrait of a writer who witnessed the birth of a nation and lived through its turbulent history.” The Oz memoir is the story of a boy growing up in the war-tom Jerusalem of the forties and fifties, the story of an adolescent whose life changed forever when his mother commits suicide, and the story of a man who leaves his family to join a kibbutz, change his name, marry and have chil dren. Above all, it is the story of a writer who becomes an active par ticipant in the political life of his nation. No repertoire of Jewish book readers is complete without at least one work by this prolific, award-winning writer of fiction Temple Israel Sisterhood Judica Gift Shop and essay collections. Borrow A Tale of Love and Darkness at the public library, the Levine-Sklut Judaic Library and Resource Center, or purchase it at a local book store or on-line for under $20. Come to the Temple Israel Book Club discussion on May 29 and enrich your Judaic lit erary experience. Temple Israel Book Club meet ings are open to all community members. For additional informa tion call Linda Levy 704-366- 6362 or Sandra Hirschman 704- 867-7051. O /lllstate. Call or stop by for a free quote Hours are 10 AM-1 PM on Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, and fi’om 11 AM-1 PM on Friday. A 10% discount on all gift shop items (except books) will be offered from May 6-20. CCFA Spring Fiing St Silent Auction Temple Israel Social Club May 10 - Thursday - Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens We will tour these magnificent gardens, then we’re off to a deli cious lunch. There will be a car pool from Temple Israel. Watch for more information or call Gale Halverson-704-365-8851, or Janine Rosner - 704-366-5631. May 20 - Sunday - Enjoy the wonderful, melodious “Carolina Voices.” It will be a matinee and dinner afterward. More information will follow or call Gale Halverson- 704-365-8851. The Temple Israel Social Club is for active adult couples and sin gles ages 60+. We invite you to join us to meet new people and enjoy our interesting programs and trips. For information call Janine Rosner - 704-366-5631.4* S?tuHfy, M^y12, 2007 C^nne! Countfy Club fl50/pet^on ^280/couplG fOSO/UbkoflO ♦Ticket includes cocktails & dinner ♦Old-ftsbioned carnival games •Silent auction CMS Superintendent to Speak at TBE Peter Gorman, Superintendent of the Charlotte- Mecklenburg School System, will speak to the Jewish community at Temple Beth El, on Wednesday night. May 16 from 7:30-9 PM. The format will be question- and-answer. Following the program, a dessert reception sponsored by the TBE Brotherhood will be held in the Silverman Social Hall. Please RSVP (so there are enough desserts) to andy- wayne@carolina.rr.com or hermz@bellsouth.net. 2007 AmeHc^n Jews afe thi-ee times mol-e likely to 4evelop Cfohn's Pisease tlian the population as a whole.' Cfohn's Pisease & Ulcerative Colitis, known as iBP (Inflammatory Bowel Pisease), affects more than 1.4 million Americans k 30,000 North Carolinians, while there is no cure, there is hope! Attencjing the event will raise fun4s for much-nee4e4 research, e4ucation an4 supportive services for patients in the Carolinas. “ ’Prescnted3ttbe2006annujl rocctingor the American Gastrocntcrologica I Association. SPRING, Call Alisha Glaser at 704-44-2-0815 for ticket information.
The Charlotte Jewish News (Charlotte, N.C.)
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May 1, 2007, edition 1
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