Shul Spiel: Congregation Ohr Torah

What's Happening in West Orange Synagogues

This week's focus returns to Congregation Ohr Torah, 270 Pleasant Valley Way, West Orange.

Friday, May 10 — Sivan 1 5773 Mincha – 7 p.m. Candle lighting – 7:10 p.m. Candle lighting B’Zman – 7:44 p.m. Shkia – 8:02 p.m. Saturday, May 11 — Sivan 2 5773 Shacharit – 9 a.m. Minyanim Sunday Shacharit - 8:15 a.m. Mon./Th. Shacharit - 6 a.m. Tue./Wed. Shacharit - 6:10 a.m. Listserv Update Ohr Torah moved its Listserv to Google Groups. Shul e-mails will now show the actual sender and will be addressed to notices@congregationohrtorah.org. If you are not receiving shul e-mails, please contact Marc Goldberg for assistance. Thanks to Marc Goldberg and Shawn Holt for setting up the new Listserv. Members can sign up for the listserv by going to the shul website: www.congregationohrtorah.org and clicking on “Subscribe Here” at the bottom left …

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Shul Spiel: Congregation Ohr Torah

What's Happening at Local West Orange Synagogues?

This week's focus returns to Congregation Ohr Torah, located at 270 Pleasant Valley Way in West Orange.

Why do we say Yizkor on the last day of Pesach? In the Prayers of "Yizkor," we ask Hashem to "remember" the souls of our loved ones who have passed away. These include all of our primarily family members who have passed on and our extended family including who have perished in the Holocaust or other national tragedy. Being that Hashem never forgets, Yizkor is really an opportunity for us to bring to mind intensely, to re-create, if only for a few brief moments, connections that once existed between ourselves and loved ones, who have passed away. The original custom was to recite Yizkor only on "Yom HaKippurim," correctly translated as the "Day of Atonements (plural)" - meaning Atonement for the Living and Atonement for the Dead. This …

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Shul Spiel: Congregation Ohr Torah

What's Happening in West Orange Synagogues?

This week's focus returns to Congregation Ohr Torah, 270 Pleasant Valley Way, West Orange.

A few years ago, a close friend was attempting to get his four year old daughter to sleep after a very busy Purim day. After lying down for a just a brief moment, she bolted down the stairs towards the kitchen. Upon looking at the kitchen table filled with all types of cookies, sweets and little toys one more time before she had to go to sleep she turned to her father and proclaimed, "Dad, this is the greatest day of my life!!"  I can recall that same feeling. When I was a child, right before Purim, we had a family discussion about how we were going to get rid of all the chumetz that we would accumulate in the form of mishloach manot. I understood that it would be my duty as the eldest child to lead the way by eating as much as I could.  …

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Shul Spiel: Congregation Ohr Torah

What's Happening in West Orange Synagogues

This week's focus returns to Congregation Ohr Torah

In this weeks, Parsha Vayechi, Yaakov speaks to his sons before his death. The Torah introduces this by saying (Genesis 49:2)  הִקָּבְצוּ וְשִׁמְעוּ, בְּנֵי יַעֲקֹב; וְשִׁמְעוּ, אֶל-יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲבִיכֶם.  Which can be translated as “Gather together and hearken, sons of Jacob; and hearken to Israel your father.” The repeated term “hearken” implies not only blessing but as Rabbi Avigdor Miller points out it implies admonishment to learn and benefit from the teaching and rebuke. One example of this is Shimon and Levi were severely rebuked here for their wrathfulness. Later on in the Torah we see that Levi “hearkened” to this rebuke. At the time of the Golden Calf when Moshe proclaimed “Who is for Hashem, to me! And all the sons of Levi …

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Shul Spiel: Congregation Ohr Torah

What's Happening in West Orange Synagogues?

This week's focus returns to Congregation Ohr Torah, 270 Pleasant Valley Way.

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 …

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PHOTOS: Guests Enjoy West Orange Buffet

Three West Orange synagogues provide hot meal at Congregation Ohr Torah for those without power, in need of warm place to relax.

Dear Friends, Lubavitch Center along with Congregations AABJ&D and Ohr Torah invite those without power to a hot dinner buffet at Congregation Ohr Torah, 270 Pleasant Valley Way, West Orange, this evening (Sunday) beginning at 4:30. We know how stressful it is during this difficult time in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. Our goal is to provide a warm and friendly atmosphere to help you through the day. We understand you are not starving and that many of you have gone to stay with family or friends. However, moving out of your home with children or staying home with no lights/heat can be tough. I encourage you to come tonight relax and enjoy a hot meal together. If you plan to join us, please e-mail your name and number of people in your …

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Shul Spiel: Congregation Ohr Torah

What's Happening in West Orange Synagogues?

This week's column focuses on Congregation Ohr Torah on Pleasant Valley Way in the township.

Schedule of Services Friday, Oct. 26, 2012 – Cheshvan 10 Light Candles............. 5:42 p.m. Mincha .......................5:45 p.m. Shkia ..............................6 p.m. Shabbos, Saturday, Oct. 27, 2012 Cheshvan 11 Parsha…………………Lech L’cha Latest Sh’ma ..............10:01 a.m. Mincha ……................... 5:30 p.m. Maariv……..................... 6:34 p.m. Shabbat Ends ...............6:41 p.m. Daily Minyanim Sunday....................................8:15 a.m. Mon/Thurs...................................6 a.m. Tues/Wed/Fri ......................6:10 a.m. D'Var Torah for Lech L'cha On my list of the top 10 important questions on the Chumash is why was Avraham picked to be the father of Hashem’s people. For the most part we are never told…

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Shul Spiel: Congregation Ohr Torah

What's Happening in Local West Orange Synagogues

This week, the focus returns to Congregation Ohr Torah.

Of all the days in the Jewish year, the three weeks and nine days leading up to Tisha Bav is usually considered a big inconvenience and a big relief when it is all over so we can go back and truly enjoying the summer. Rav Solovietchik once wrote “Human happiness does not depend on comfort. The American Jew follows a philosophy which equates religion with making Jewish life more comfortable and convenient. It enables the Jew to have more pleasures in life. This is a philosophy that de-emphasizes Jewish spiritual values.”  What is striking about Tisha bav is it is the one day that we actively attempt to push away our comforts. We try to understand suffering and this is important. Suffering makes us human; it makes us more compassionate. When…

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Shul Spiel: Congregation Ohr Torah

What's Happening in Local West Orange Synagogues?

This week's focus returns to Congregation Ohr Torah.

Things normally slow down as summer approaches, but congregants at Congregation Ohr Torah continue to keep busy with multiple events, lectures, classes and services.  Here’s just a small listing of what’s happening at Ohr Torah in the next few weeks: • The Sisterhood graduation kiddush will take place on June 23rd. Anyone wishing to honor graduating family members and friends — whether graduating from college, high school, elementary school, preschool or any other program — may become a sponsor of the graduation Kiddush for $18. RSVP by Friday June 15 and send information and a check payable to Ohr Torah Sisterhood to Karen Berger, 14 Kinzel Lane, West Orange, NJ 07052. • Rabbi Spivak’s Wednesday night Chumash classes will take place next …

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Shul Spiel: Congregation Ohr Torah

Shul Spiel: What's Happening in West Orange Synagogues

This week's focus returns to Congregation Ohr Torah.

Friday Evening, March 16 Candle Lighting: 6:39 p.m. Mincha 6:45 p.m. Sh’kia: 6:57 p.m. Shabbat, Saturday, March 17 Shacharit: 9 a.m. Teen Minyan: 9:15 a.m. Sof Zman Kriat Shema: 10:05 a.m. R. Grosberg shiur: 5:15p.m. Mincha: 6:15 p.m. Maariv: 7:41 p.m. Shabbat ends: 7:48 p.m. Weekday Sun. Shacharit: 8:15 a.m. Mon./Th. Shacharit: 6 a.m. Tues./Wed./Fr. Shacharit: 6:10 a.m. Sun.- Th. Mincha/Maariv 7 p.m. Kiddush Kiddush this Shabbat is sponsored by the shul To sponsor a Shabbat Kiddush or Seudah Shlishit, please contact Sarah Diamond at schedule@congregationohrtorah.org. Thank You Ron Teichman and his family thanks the Ohr Torah community and, in fact, the entire West Orange Jewish community for the wishes, prayers and support they received …

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