Laurie & Joe Brofsky - Hewlett E. Rockaway Jewish Center

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holidays LAG B’OMER HIKE & PICNIC SUNDAY, MAY 22, 10:30 AM AT MASSAPEQUA STATE PARK We will meet there, take a nice leisurely hike led by Shari Zagorski and then everyone is welcome to stay and picnic. Please bring your own food! Massapequa Preserve is 423 undeveloped acres of woodlands, ponds, lakes and freshwater wetlands with hundreds of species of plants and animals. We will do a hike on the wooded trails. The terrain is very flat, but because of the roots, boots (or good footwear) are recommended. Directions to meeting point (Brady Park, Massapequa Park): Approximately 2 miles east of Rte 135; From NY 27 (Sunrise Hwy), take Park Blvd north under Massapequa Park LIRR station, then immediate left onto Front Street; go 4 blocks west to Lake Shore Drive, then right on Lake Shore Drive to Brady Park (on left), 1/2 block ahead. Park in lot or on street, and meet at parking lot next to small building (restrooms available). MAP IT: http://maps.google.com Questions Email sharimit@yahoo.com or call Shari at 678-7460. LAG B’OMER Lag B’Omer is the 33rd day of the Omer (the 49 days counted be tween Pesach and Shavuot), which this year falls on May 22. Having no calendar, the Jews of ancient times counted the days from the second day of Pesach (the start of the cereal harvest) until Shavuot, when they would gather the harvest. Lag B’Omer is a solitary joyous day in this solemn period of the Jewish calendar, when so much Jewish persecution is remembered. On this day, we remem ber the miraculous cessation of a terrible plague that raged among Rabbi Akiva’s students. The yahrzeit of Simeon Bar Yohai, a great Jewish scholar who hid in a cave, living off carob and spring water when the Romans forbade the study of Torah, is also comme morated. When his students came to visit him, they disguised themselves as hunters with bows and arrows, hence the bows and arrows children play with on Lag B’Omer today. We also remember the amazing determination and bravery of Bar Kochba and his small, ill-equipped Jewish army in withstanding the mighty Roman army for three long years. In most countries, Lag B’Omer is celebrated with picnics, field days and games of skill. In Israel, many Jews visit the grave of Rabbi Simeon Bar Yohai in Meron. Bonfires are lit and there is singing and dancing throughout the night because Rabbi Bar Yohai requested that his followers celebrate, rather than mourn, his death. The bonfires also remind us that the torch of Jewish learning continues to burn, despite cruel persecutions by tyrants throughout the centuries. page 10 MAY/JUNE 2011 www.herjc.org HAKOL
shavuot services EREV SHAVUOT TUESDAY, JUNE 7 Services & Tikkun . . . . . . . . . . 8:00 pm Candlelighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8:05 pm FIRST DAY SHAVUOT WEDNESDAY, JUNE 8 Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9:30 am Services and Vav Class Graduation . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7:30 pm Candlelighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9:00 pm SECOND DAY SHAVUOT THURSDAY, JUNE 9 Services with Yizkor . . . . . . . . . 9:30 am Evening Minyan . . . . . . . . . . . . 7:30 pm Tikkun Layl Shavuot at HERJC TUESDAY, JUNE 7 FOLLOWING 8 PM SERVICES It is tradition to study Torah on the eve of Shavuot. Please join in our Temple’s annual Tikkun Layl Shavuot study and discussion session. Delicious dairy desserts will be served. SHAVUOT Shavuot means “weeks” and it falls exactly seven weeks after the second day of Pesach, on the 6th and 7th of Sivan. Shavuot is a three-fold celebra tion which commemorates the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai, the wheat harvest and the ripening of the first fruits in Israel. The Rabbis of old declared Sha vuot to be the most pleasant of all Jewish holidays. In ancient times, the cereal harvest began on the second day of Pass over with the ripening of barley. On this day, an omer or measure of grain was brought to the Temple as a thanks giving to God. The 49 days were counted until Shavuot and this period is still called Sefirat HaOmer or the counting of the Omer. A special prayer was and still is said at the end of the Evening Service during this period. In a way, it fits in very well with Passover and brings that great festival to a glorious conclusion. On Pass over the Jews were freed from slavery and on Shavuot the freed slaves were made into free men by the Ten Com mand ments. SHAVUOT CUSTOMS: In Israel, children usually march through the streets with baskets of fruit and beautifully decorated floats, in commemoration of the ancient festival processions carrying thanks giving offerings to the Temple. Synagogues and homes in countries all over the world are decorated with plants, flowers and greenery. On the first night of Shavuot, the Evening Service is delayed until abso lute nightfall to be sure the 49 days of counting are completed. Many observant Jews spend the whole first night studying Torah. During the day, the Scroll of Ruth is read at Services because this story describes harvesting in Palestine. On the second day, Yizkor is said. It is also customary to eat dairy foods, symbolizing the fact that the Torah is likened to “milk and honey.” HAKOL www.herjc.org MAY/JUNE 2011 page 11
Page 1 and 2: The VOICE of Hewlett-East Rockaway
Page 3 and 4: From the Rabbi’s Study RABBI ANDR
Page 5 and 6: DAN GERSTMAN From the President In
Page 7 and 8: please join us Monday May 9 7:30 pm
Page 9: A new endeavor of HERJC Cares is pa
Page 13 and 14: events Spring is in the Air! Let Yo
Page 15 and 16: of events 4 WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRID
Page 17 and 18: of events 2 THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDA
Page 19 and 20: 12t h AnnuAl nursery school Art exh
Page 21 and 22: A huge and heartfelt thank you to a
Page 23 and 24: personals & donations Personals Maz
Page 25 and 26: join our summer fun Once again, we
Page 27 and 28: July 5 - Tammuz 3 Harold Kaufman Ro
Page 29 and 30: Joseph Brofsky, D.M.D. Pediatric De
Page 31 and 32: HAKOL www.herjc.org MAY/JUNE 2011 p

Laurie & Joe Brofsky - Hewlett E. Rockaway Jewish Center

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