For the Week of April 20th – April 26th Nisan 20– Nisan 26; The concluding days of Passover and Parasha “Kidoshim”

We would like people to be aware of some of the Jewish things and thoughts taking place in Harrison NY.

The concluding days Passover begins the Night of April 20th.  The Young Israel of Harrison, New York (YIOH) will have a full line up for services for the holiday.  Our Passover (Pesach) schedule is the following:

Sunday, April 20

Light candles: 7:22pm

Mincha: 7:25pm

Monday, April 21

Shacharit: 9:00am

Mincha: 7:30pm

Light candles: 8:26pm

Tuesday, April 22

Shacharit: 9:00am

YIZKOR

Mincha: 7:30pm

Passover ends: 8:27pm

Those are some of the Jewish things taking place in Harrison, here is a Jewish thought.

This week we read the Tora portion (“parasha”) known as “Kidoshim” (Leviticus 19:1-20:27).  There are several valuable lessons we can learn from this week’s parasha. 

In this week’s prasha is Kidoshim.  The last regular parasha we read, just before Pesach, was of Achri Mot.  In parasha Achri Mot we encounter laws dealing with the service in the Tabernacle (“Mishkan”) and in the Temple (“Bet HaMigdash”), particularly on Yom Kippur.  Now, in parasha Kidoshim we have many laws relating to how we should treat others.  Among other things we are commanded to respect our parents, to leave part of the harvest behind in the field for the poor, to have honest weights.  Having these two parashas one after another comes to teach an important lesson.  Serving G-d (“HaShem”) does not only occur in the Mishkan and Bet HaMigdash, (or nowadays in the synagogue sometimes called “shul”).  Rather, we serve HaShem in our everyday activities such as respecting our parents, helping the less fortunate and being honest.  We know that HaShem is everywhere and always with us even if we do not always sense him.  Sometimes however we feel closer to him when we are in shul.  The juxtaposition of these parashas teaches us that we can always be near him simply by being decent and helpful to our family, our friends and even strangers. It is a simple message but a most important message.

The Young Israel of Harrison, New York (YIOH) is a Modern Orthodox synagogue offering an intimate religious and communal experience.  Sabbath morning services begin at 9 am, mincha/maariv services on Friday and Saturday vary with sundown, and services on Sunday morning are held at 8 am.  For those who would like more information or would like to spend Shabbos in the area, visit the Young Israel of Harrison’s website at www.yioh.org or email Yiohnews@aol.com

Rabbi Bienenfeld gives weekly Talmud and Chumash classes at 7:00 pm on Monday and Tuesday evenings, respectively.  Please check the calendar posted on YIOH.org to confirm the schedule.

© W. Fraenkel 2014