The Daily Minyan is of crucial importance to our community. You can sign up to
participate in the morning minyan by clicking here and by indicating when
you can attend, whether just a single day or a regular commitment. Please join
us!
Or Zarua Talmud Class -
Wednesday Nights 8:00 - 9:30 pm, beginning after Simhat Torah 2008
Join us as Rabbi Wechsler teaches Talmud. All discussion is in English. In our 2008-2009 class
we'll be studying Masekhet Kiddushin. No Hebrew, Aramaic, or previous
Talmud study is required.
Registration is NOT required
Shivah Asar b'Tammuz -
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Shaharit, Sunday morning, July 20, at 8:45 am
From before sunrise until nighttime on Sunday, July 20, is the fast of the 17th of Tammuz,
commemorating the following tragedies which befell the Jewish people on that date. This fast
day begins the Three Weeks, the annual period of mourning which
culminates in Tishah b'Av.
1. Moses, upon seeing the people worshipping the golden calf, shattered the tablets
which he brought down from Mt. Sinai.
2. The Tamid - the daily offering - was suspended in the First Temple
due to the unavailability of sheep during the siege of Jerusalem.
3. After many months of siege, the walls of Jerusalem were breached on this date:
by the Babylonians in 586 BCE, and by the Romans in 70 CE.
4. A Torah scroll was burned by the Roman general Apostamos prior to the revolt of Bar Kochba.
5. An idol was placed in the Beit haMikdash by King Menasseh (as recorded in II Kings 21:7)
Tishah b'Av -
August 9-10, 2008
Reading of Eikha, Saturday evening, August 9 at 9:00 pm
Shaharit, Sunday morning, August 10 at 8:45 am
Minhah/Maariv, Sunday evening, August 10 at 7:30 pm
From Motza'ey Shabbat on Saturday, August 9, 2008, until nighttime on Sunday, August 10,
is the fast of the Ninth of Av,
commemorating the following tragedies which befell the Jewish people on that date:
1. The destruction of the First Temple by the Babylonians in 586 BCE.
2. The destruction of the Second Temple by the Romans in 70 CE.
3. The twelve spies returned from their mission. Although Joshua and Caleb returned with
a positive report, the people of Israel heeded the negative report of the other ten spies and,
as a result of their defeatism, their generation was deprived of the privilege of entering
the land of Israel.
4. The revolt of Bar Kochba against Rome failed in 135 CE when the fortress at Betar fell.
5. Jerusalem was razed by the Romans one year following the date of the destruction
of the Second Temple.
Other tragic events in more recent history also occurred on the Ninth of Av: It's the date
in 1492 by which all Jews were expelled from Spain; it's the date upon which World War I began;
and it's the date upon which the deportation of the Jews began from the Warsaw Ghetto to the
death camp of Treblinka.
Shabbat Classes Reminder -
Saturday Mornings, from 10:30 am - 12:00 noon
Or Zarua now offers four different classes for children on Shabbat mornings:
Class 1: Ages 4-5 (Kindergarten)
Class 2: Grades 1-3
Class 3: Grades 4-6
Class 4: Ages 2-3 (new toddler playgroup)
Children under 2 years of age are welcome to join Class 4 if accompanied by an adult
For information, contact Ilana Burgess at
ilana@orzarua.org or call 212-452-2310, Ext 15
Or Zarua Items of Interest
Rabbi Wechsler Teaches
Click on these links to hear Rabbi Wechsler speak about Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook's
teachings about teshuvah:
Used laptops are needed for formerly homeless clients of the Neighborhood Coalition for Shelter (NCS). OZ Resident Techie Noah Eisenbruch deletes your data, refurbishes the laptops, and teaches NCS clients to operate them. Laptop donations are tax deductible; receipt forms are available. Contact Richard Stadin at 212.879.0448 or stadin1@aol.com.
Monday Night Pizza Servers Needed!
OZ volunteers serve pizza each Monday night at the Neighborhood Coalition for Shelter Residence at 211 East 81st Street. By spending one hour ( 6-7 p.m.) one Monday per month, youll experience personally rewarding interactions with the residents while performing your own special mitzvah! Contact Richard Stadin at 212.879.0448 or stadin1@aol.com.
Decorate the Newly Renovated NCS Residence
Do you have framed prints, posters or art in good condition for donation to NCS? The residence at East 81st Street has seven floors of newly painted, blank hallways and client rooms to decorate. Clean out that overstuffed closet and start collecting art now! Dates will be announced.
Donation Deliveries
NCS needs volunteers to pick up donations and transport supplies to volunteer events in various locations in Manhattan. Volunteer drivers are notified in advance, and shifts are based on the volunteers availability. Willingness to carry boxes is a plus, but is not required.
For details, contact Milllicent Cavanaugh, Director of Volunteer Services, at 212.861.0704 (option 1), x407 or mcavanaugh@ncsinc.org.
Free Student Leadership Trip to Israel, June 15-26, 2008
CAMERA (Committee for Accuracy in Mid East Reporting in America) Fellows is sponsoring a limited number of college students for a free 10-day student leadership trip to Israel.
Contact Stephanie Failla at civillib@aol.com for more information and an application.
There's so much more to Israel than what one reads in the media, but unless you live
in Israel, how can you learn about the full diversity of Israeli life? "Today's
Israel",
born out of concern for how Israel is portrayed in the media,
is an online magazine focusing on the "rich tapestry of culture" that makes Israel unique.
Read about lifestyle, music, the arts, cinema, religion, food, health, and more - aspects of
life we take for granted in our own community but which are so rarely covered
with respect to Israel.
