What's Happening in West Orange Synagogues?

D'Var Torah:

"Yaakov became very frightened and it distressed him..."(32:7)

Rashi comments that Yaakov was frightened that he would be killed and he was distressed that he may have to kill Eisav.

The Talmud teaches that "haba lehorgecha hashkeim vehorgo" - "If a person comes to kill you it is permissible to kill him in self-defense."

Many commentators raise the following question: Why should Yaakov be distressed by the possibility that he may have to kill Eisav?

Golda Meir once commented at a press conference in London in1969, “When peace comes we will perhaps in time be able to forgive the Arabs for killing our sons, but it will be harder for us to forgive them for having forced us to kill their sons.”

Yaakov was not only bothered with the physical dangers in his confrontation with Eisav but he was also concerned with what it would do to him as a person.

In war, wounds can sometimes heal quicker than the psychological damage that occurs to an individual. A damage caused by not liking the person we were forced to become due to the war. It was this damage that scared Yaakov in his meeting with Eisav. 

Sell Out Crowd at Murder Mystery 

A sell-out crowd of more than 80 people attended the Ohr Torah Murder Mystery, last Saturday evening, Nov. 17.

After starting with a reception of sangria and Spanish appetizers, the crowd got serious about discovering just who murdered Arthur Seaton, the owner of the Grand Hacienda Hotel.

Sixteen attendees played the suspects who doled out their clues in bits and pieces over three acts. 

The audience, with help of an investigator, tried to figure out whodunit. Members of the audience also had a few clues of their own to share. In between rounds, there was more food. 

When it came time to guess the solution, Pascal, the French chef, played by Jay Goldberg, received the most votes (11) from the audience. However, it was Marilda, the Spanish barmaid, played by Jacki Routhenstein (9 votes), who was the murderess. 

Prizes were awarded for the best solutions  (Marilyn Croman and Margot Freedman) and best costume (Shawn Holt and Karen Miller). At the end of the evening, the people who correctly guessed the whodunit had a chance to swing at the piñata. 

The murder mystery was the first program of the year by the Ohr Torah programming committee. Special thanks to the sponsors who made the evening possible: Marilyn and Ed Croman, Robert and Louraine Eagle, Margot and Larry Freedman, Andrea and Marc Goldberg, Jacki and Alan Routhenstein, Raphi and Bertha Sharret. 

Thanks to Jay Goldberg, Aaron Shechter, Rebbitzen Debbie Spivak, Debbie Goldberg, Marcia Schoppik and Bertha Sharret for arranging and preparing the dinner.