Parshat Shemos

TORAH
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January 14, 2012 19 Tevet, 5772

Rabbi Frand on Parshat Shemot

In this week's parsha, at the beginning of Sefer Shmos, Pharaoh issues his cruel order to the Hebrew midwives that they must kill all male Hebrew children. The Torah tells us that the names of the midwives were Shifrah and Puah. Rashi identifies Shifrah as Yocheved and Puah as Miriam, the mother and sister respectively of Moshe Rabbeinu. The names Shifrah and Puah were given because of their treatment of the newborn children. Shifrah comes from the root shin-pey-reish, meaning to improve the child (through cuddling and massaging in a way to correct any deformity that occurred as a result of the birthing process). Puah refers to the way Miriam spoke to the infants, calming them down and stopping their crying. Kehuna, Leviya, and Malchus.

HAFTORAH
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Times

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4:32 pm 4:35 pm 8:00 am 8:30 am 9:00 am 9:15 am 9:30 am 3:45 pm 4:25 pm 5:41 pm 7:30/8:30 am 6:35/7:45 am 6:45/7:45 am 4:40 pm 8:15 pm

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The question that must be asked is why the Torah seems to hide the identities of these women, by calling them Shifrah and Puah. We are In an act of tremendous talking about the courage, the midwives daughter and did not listen to granddaughter of Pharaoh's edict. At his Levi. This is the granddaughter and whim, he could have put them both to death great-granddaughter for disobedience. When of Yaakov Avinu. Why confronted, they gave be so oblique? Why the excuse that Jewish not call them by their real names women did not really Yocheved and need midwives and by Miriam? the time the midwives arrived at the women's homes, the babies were I saw an interesting observation in the already born. sefer Tiferes Torah by The Torah states: "And Rav Shimshon it was because the Pinkus, zt"l. Rav midwives feared G-d Pinkus invites us to that He made them picture the following houses." [Shmos 1:21]. scene: (May we never Rashi interprets this as personally have to referring to houses of witness it!) We have

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Seudah Shlishit is sponsored by Helaine & William Helmreich in honor of the birth of their grandson born to their children Esty & Jeff Helmreich

26 Old Mill Road, Great Neck, NY 11023 (516) 487-6100

Shabbat Announcements Parshat Shemos 5772

before us a child who is seriously sick. We rush him to the hospital at night. The doctors and nurses take one look at him and say the baby is in extreme danger. They quickly remove his clothes and start an IV. They immediately rush the child to treatment and feverishly try to save his life. In such a situation, do the doctors and nurses bother to start cooing at the baby and making smiling faces at him so he will be happy? They do not waste a minute with niceties and small talk. Emergency room personnel have no time to worry about soothing the child and cooing at him. A life is at stake. There is no time for pleasantries!

demonstrated they were still mamas. They treated each child as it if it were their own baby. When a baby needed to be cuddled and soothed, Miriam -- sister of Moshe and daughter of Amram sang sweet little lullabies to the baby. And Yocheved the daughter of Levi and wife of Amram despite everything that was going on, still worried that the shape of the baby's head should be just right.

That is why the just reward for their heroism is that G-d made them "houses". He made them matriarchs. This was midah k'neged midah [measure for measure] because above everything else, they were mothers. The reward for being a mother is to have What does the mother do through all of this? grandchildren and great grandchildren and When the mothers sees those doctors working great, great grandchildren. When on the baby in the emergency room, she sits motherhood could have perhaps been there with the child and gently sooths the overlooked, they nevertheless remained baby assuring him everything will be alright, mothers and so G-d saw to it that they that the poking and prodding will soon be would eternally be remembered as over. She coos at the baby, she pets the baby, matriarchs of the nation. she whispers to the baby, she sings to the baby. Why? Because that is what a mother The wife of Rav Shlomo Heiman, zt"l, was does. involved in charity and kindness all her life. She specialized in marrying off orphans. She The doctors are saving the baby's life. They was once going to a wedding of one of these are doing what they must do. But they are not orphan girls for whom she had arranged the mamas. Mamas are mothers. Mothers realize entire wedding. Her husband asked her if that babies need to be soothed and she was taking flowers for the bride to the comforted. wedding. She was surprised at the question, because she felt it was not right to buy Yocheved and Miriam were righteous women flowers with charity money that she raised who risked their lives. But what really for hachnasas kallah. However, her husband impressed the Almighty was the fact that insisted that she buy flowers because this while risking their lives, they simultaneously orphan was also like a daughter. He reminded his wife that she was not only a charity collector, but she was also a mother Great Neck Synagogue for this bride. Just like a mother would not Shabbat Activities Program contemplate her own daughter walking down the aisle to her Chuppah without carrying a Dale Polakoff, Rabbi bouquet of flowers, so too here. "You are not Ian Lichter, Assistant Rabbi just a Gabbai Tzedakah, you are a mamma Dr. Ephraim Wolf ,zl, Rabbi Emeritus Daniel Schwechter, Rabbinic Intern for this girl. A mama worries about the Zeev Kron, Cantor flowers."
Eleazer Schulman, zl, Cantor Emeritus Mark Twersky, Executive Director Avraham Bronstein, Program Director Joseph Hecht, President Harold Domnitch, Chairman of the Board

 Reservationform Name_____________________Phonenumber_________________ #ofadults_____#ofteens___#ofunder12s_______ Amountenclosed______________________ Iwouldliketobeadinnersponsor$180__________________ IwouldliketobeaShabbatSponsor$360________________

ANNOUNCEMENTS
FIND US ON FACEBOOK Log onto www.facebook.com/greatnecksynagogue for pictures from events and programs, up-to-the-second news and updates, and more. Photos from our 60th Anniversary Dinner are now online! HASHKAMA KIDDUSH Sponsored by Michael, Linda, Daniel and Judy in memory of their Mother Raymonde Katz z"l. RABBI REISMAN Saturday nights at 7:30 pm in the Weinstein Center. GNS SISTERHOOD AND MENS CLUB EVENT The Sisterhood and Mens Club are delighted to present A Conversation with Lorraine Abramson who will discuss her memoir My Race: A Jewish Girl Growing Up Under Apartheid in South Africa which was nominated for the 2010 Jewish Book of the Year Award. Please join us on Wednesday, January 11th at 7:30pm for this event. Books will be available to purchase and will be signed by her that evening. Refreshments will be served. Thank you to Debbie Chadow for her help on this event. SISTERHOOD MEETING Please join us on Wednesday evening, January 18th at 7:00pm in the Braun Youth Center for a Sisterhood meeting to discuss and plan upcoming events. WANTED DONATION OF A USED CAR The synagogue is looking for someone to donate a car which we will sell and use the proceeds to enhance our security at the shul. Please contact Scott Danoff if you have such a vehicle, and would like to make a tax deductible donation to the shul. E-mail Scott, at Danoff.GNS@gmail.com.

Within Our Family

Mazal Tov to Dana & Ian Lustbader on the Bar Mitzvah of their son David. Mazal Tov to Viggi & Danny Arbusman on the birth of a grandson born to their children Tali & Adam Tantleff. Mazal Tov to Helaine & William Helmreich on the birth of a grandson born to their children Esty & Jeff Helmreich. Mazal Tov to Rebbetzin Elaine Wolf on the Bar Mitzvah of her great-grandson Yitzchak Shmidman son of Rabbi A. & Mrs. Adina Shmidman of Bala Cynwyd, PA. Mazal Tov to Lillian & Al Leiderman on the engagement of their granddaughter Jill Lauren Leiderman, daughter of Hermine & Michael Leiderman to Robert Cohen Mazal Tov to Michal & Ronald Malen on the birth of a grandson born to their children Allison & Jacob Malen in Israel.
PEACE OF MIND COMES TO GREAT NECK The Great Neck Jewish community will be hosting a group of 16 young Israeli servicemen who have rendered outstanding service to their country. This is a community wide project. Peace of Mind is to help former combat soldiers make the transition back to civilian life after incredibly traumatic experiences. For more information go to www.afherzoghospital.org or www.traumaweb.org. The program is being sponsored by families from GNS, YIGN, Mashadi Jewish Center and Temple Beth El. GNS sponsor: Elena & Anthony Berkowitz. January 14th at GNS . RSVP: sari@afherzoghospital.org 212-683-3702 - 516-482-4045. Community Melave Malka Saturday night 8:30 pm Meshadi Jewish Center.

SHABBAT FAMILY DINNER SPEAKER January 27-28, we will have Rabbi Steven Weil, Exec. Vice President of the OU will be here with us for a Family Shabbat Dinner. There will be a special luncheon for sponsors on Shabbat. Please call the office to make reservations or speak to Rabbi Avraham Bronstein or Mark Twersky about becoming a sponsor See page 3 for more details. NSHA OPEN HOUSE There will be an Open House for the NSHA elementary school on Wed., Jan.11, 2012, at 10:00 A.M at Cherry Lane Campus, 16 Cherry Lane, GN. View the school "in action" by visiting various classrooms and speaking to administrators. Members of the faculty will be available to answer questions regarding all grades. Please RSVP by calling 516-487-8687 x136. If you have any questions, feel free to contact Laura Cohen at (917) 270-4297, Sherri Ghodsi at (516) 482-3723, or by calling the school directly.

SAVE THE DATE Back by popular demand, the Sisterhood will be having a Shalom Bayit Dinner and Lecture with Rabbi Dale Polakoff on Wednesday evening, Feb. 1st ,7:00pm at Colbeh restaurant, $40.00 per person. Please reserve as soon as possible. Call the synagogue office for reservations 487-6100. For further information, please contact Susan Sheena at susheena@aol.com or 516-353-6158.

JANUARY CHESED COLLECTION We will be collecting New and Gently used Blankets, Sheets, and Bath Towels to be given to Oneg Shabbos of Brooklyn. Please drop of at the Great Neck Synagogue on Wed. night Jan 11th and Wed. night Jan 18th from 6:00 pm until 8:00 pm in the lobby. You may also drop off your donations at the home of Hindi Lunzer, 91 Bayview Avenue on Tuesdays, from 2:00 pm until 5:00 pm or at the home of Judy Lillien, 35 Margaret Court on Thursdays, from 2:00 pm until 5:00 pm. Last date for collections will be Thursday, Jan 26th. If you need assistance and can not bring the items to us, please call Judy at 516-487-6845 (9am until 9pm) and we will pick it up from you. Thank you for your help in this months Chesed Collection.

Y A H R Z E I T

Saturday, 19 Tevet Gladys Moslin for Solomon Moslin Sunday, 20 Tevet Vivian Kron for Salim Mahlab Al Leiderman for Ralph Leiderman Grace Oster for Freda Horowitz Fred Pomarantz for Mina Pomerantz Ephraim Slonim for Sara Slonim Monday, 21 Tevet Lev Dynkin for Rashe Dynkin Semyon Dynkin for Rashe Dynkin Sarita Greszes for Rifca Rosenberg Keltai Helaine Helmreich for Dorothy Gewirtz Arnold Swartz for Irma Swartz Tuesday, 22 Tevet Anita Beretz for Seigfried Reischenberg Arnie Flatow for Miriam Flatow Wednesday, 23 Tevet Klara Brand for David Sabov Linda Bunim for Isadore Shapiro Mel Fox for Leah Solomon Susan Mayer for Hans Abramson Lisa Solemanyan for Charles Lerman Judith Weinstein for Ruth Kloogman Thursday, 24 Tevet Albert Benak for Esther Benak Jerrald Weinstein for Sara Weinstein Friday, 25 Tevet Shoshanah Ambalo for Sion Raphel Melvin Breite for Yisroel Breite Pauline Levy for Leon Joseph Susan Mindick for Phyllis Cohen Fay Smith for Abraham Brafman