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Announcements -Office Hours -This week’s 10-Minute -Events -Candle Lighting Times for Shabbat (Ontario, CA) Calendar Sunday, 28 May 2023-Memorial Day Monday, 29 May 2023-Memorial Day Friday & Saturday, 2 & 3 June 2023-This week's Shabbat services Sunday, 4 June 2023-Family Fun Learning -Miller Course Introduction to Judaism Monday, 5 June 2023-Adult Torah Study Friday & Saturday, 9 & 10 June 2023-This week's Shabbat services Sunday, 11 - 16 June 2023-Vacation/Out of Town Friday & Saturday, 16 & 17 June 2023-This week's Shabbat services Sunday, 18 June 2023-Miller Course Introduction to Judaism Monday, 19 June 2023-Adult Torah Study Thursday, 22 June 2023-Judaic Studies Friday & Saturday, 23 & 24 June 2023-This week's Shabbat services Sunday, 25 June 2023-Children's Hebrew Class -Miller Course, Introduction to Judaism -Mi Sheberach List *For your information, I have included below my schedule, including office hours for the next two weeks and specific classes in which I am involved. **For your convenience and information, Zoom links will be provided in separate emails for security purposes. ***I have updated our Mi Sheberach מי שברך list for those in need of healing by removing the names of those of whom we were uncertain. Please advise if any names were removed in error. For your convenience, I am attaching this revised list to this email that only goes to members of Temple Sholom of Ontario. Thank you. Office Hours this week: Going forward, I am planning on conducting Hebrew School and Miller Course from my office and making Sunday an office day to be more available. Sunday, May 28 2023 (Memorial Day) Monday, May 29, 2023 (Memorial Day) Tuesday, May 30, 2023 9:30am - 2:00pm Friday, June 2, 2023 2:00pm - 7:30pm (Friday Night Shabbat Ma'ariv @ 7:30pm) Sunday, June 4, 2023 9:30am - 2:00pm (Family Fun Learning @ 10:00am/Miller Course @ 12:00pm) Wednesday, June 7, 2023 11:30am - 5:00pm (At AJU in the morning) Friday, June 9, 2023 2:00pm - 7:30pm (Friday Night Shabbat Ma'ariv @ 7:30pm) Sunday, June 11 - Friday, June 16, 2023 Out of town on vacation Sunday, June 18, 2023 - 9:00am - 2:00pm Monday, June 19, 2023 - 9:30am - 1:30pm (Subject to change. Please call for appointments) Memorial Day Monday, May 29, 2023 Miller Course: Introduction to Judaism No session on May 28 due to Memorial Day Next Session: Sunday, June 4, 2023 This week's 10-Minute Torah (3 June 2023): Parashat Nasso 5783 https://youtu.be/3KgHfXQYTmY Adult Torah Study Class Next Session: Monday, June 5 at 7:30 pm PT Zoom Links sent in separate email Monday morning. Please reply if you do not receive them. (No session on May 29 due to Memorial Day) Parashat Beha’alotcha 5783 / פָּרָשַׁת בְּהַעֲלֹתְךָ 10 June 2023 / 21 Sivan 5783 (Diaspora) Parashat Beha’alotcha is the 36th weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. Torah Portion: Numbers 8:1-12:16 Beha’alotekha (“When You Raise”) opens with God instructing Moses to inaugurate the Levites for service in the Mishkan (Tabernacle). It also recounts the stories of people who request a second chance to offer the Passover sacrifice, complaints of the Israelites and their punishments, and a disease that affects Miriam. [1] Commentary and Divrei Torah: Sefaria OU Torah Jewish Theological Seminary American Jewish University Soncino Chumash: pp. 605 – 609) Triennial Year 1 (Full Kriyah pp. 605 – 619) Artscroll Chumash: pp. 774 – 781 Triennial Year 1 (Full Kriyah pp. 774 – 797) Etz Chaim Chumash: pp. 816 - 821 Triennial Year 1 (Full Kriyah pp. 816 - 837) Judaic Studies Next session: Thursday, May 25, 2023 @ 7:30pm We will continue with Louis Jacobs’ book on Jewish personal and social ethics. Shabbat Times for Ontario, California, USA Candle lighting: 7:39pm on Friday, Jun 2 This week's Torah portion is Parashat Nasso Havdalah (50 min): 8:48pm on Saturday, Jun 3 Powered by Hebcal Shabbat Times שבת פרשת נשא June 2 - י״ג סיון Candle lighting 7:39 Shabbat ends 8:42 72 minutes 9:11 Upcoming Services Shabbat Ma'ariv Service Friday, June 2, 2023 @ 7:30 pm Shabbat Shachrit Service Saturday, June 3, 2023 @ 9:30 am Zoom Links sent in separate email Friday afternoon. Please reply if you do not receive them. We are now incorporating guitar accompaniment with our Friday Night Shabbat Ma'ariv Parashat Nasso 5783 / פָּרָשַׁת נָשׂא 3 June 2023 / 14 Sivan 5783 (Diaspora) Parashat Nasso is the 35th weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. Torah Portion: Numbers 4:21-5:10 Triennial year 1 1: 4:21-24 · 4 p’sukim · 2: 4:25-28 · 4 p’sukim · 3: 4:29-33 · 5 p’sukim · 4: 4:34-37 · 4 p’sukim · 5: 4:38-49 · 12 p’sukim · 6: 5:1-4 · 4 p’sukim · 7: 5:5-10 · 6 p’sukim · maf: 5:8-10 · 3 p’sukim · Haftarah: Judges 13:2-25 · 24 p’sukim Commentary and Divrei Torah: Sefaria OU Torah Jewish Theological Seminary American Jewish University Soncino Chumash: pp. 586 – 589 Triennial Year 1 (Full Kriyah pp. 586 – 601) *Note that we are now doing the Triennial reading for our Shabbat Torah services. 5783 will be Triennial Year 1 **We are holding live Shabbat services back in the synagogue. We will still continue to broadcast on Zoom for those unable to come to the sanctuary. Please call the office for more information if you'd like to attend. Hebrew School at Temple Sholom of Ontario No Hebrew School on Sunday, May 28 2023 Happy Memorial Day Join us in person on June 4 for our Family Fun Learning Day: Family Fun Learning Day Sunday, 4 June 2023 Sunday 10:00am - 12:00pm Join for a day of learning for all of the family. After some singing, we'll break off into age-related groups for activities and discussions. Miller Course: Introduction to Judaism Next Session: June 4, 2023 Module 10: High Holy Days May 28 Preempted due to Memorial Day Your Jewish Journey Starts at Miller Intro to Judaism Welcome to the Miller Intro to Judaism Program! We invite you to explore Judaism with us. Whether you are in an interfaith relationship, re-discovering your Jewish heritage, or seek to convert to Judaism, we are here to support your journey. The core of the Miller Introduction to Judaism Program is an 18-week course that surveys Jewish living and practice, including history, ritual, culture, texts, and values. Classes are designed to be highly interactive, with much time for discussion and questions, and include personalized instruction in reading Hebrew. Children's Beginning Hebrew Class Tentative start date in June 25, 2023 10:00am -10:45am To teach Hebrew to those just entering Hebrew school or would like a refresher. ***I continually update our Mi Sheberach מי שברך list for those in need of healing. Please advise any names to be added or removed. This list only goes to members of Temple Sholom of Ontario but I will include anyone who can benefit from these prayers. Thank you. *The titles in blue and underlined are "hyperlinks". If you click on any of those, it will lead to that site/URL. The hyperlink gives a descriptive title with the actual link embedded in that title. Anyone who is concerned about clicking a link or hyperlink can access any of these resources by going to my website, www.modernrabbistephen.com. You can find them in the "Blog" and "Videos" sections, as well as the "Instagram Links" by clicking on the various pictures.

https://youtu.be/3KgHfXQYTmY Parashat Nasso 5783 / פָּרָשַׁת נָשׂא 3 June 2023 / 14 Sivan 5783 (Diaspora) Parashat Nasso is the 35th weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. Torah Portion: Numbers 4:21-7:89 Naso (“Take A Census”), the longest portion in the Torah, opens by detailing responsibilities of the Levites. It also describes laws of a woman suspected of adultery (sotah), the Nazirite, and the priestly blessing. The portion ends by listing the gifts that heads of tribes bring to the Mishkan (Tabernacle). [1] Triennial year 1 1: 4:21-24 · 4 p’sukim · 2: 4:25-28 · 4 p’sukim · 3: 4:29-33 · 5 p’sukim · 4: 4:34-37 · 4 p’sukim · 5: 4:38-49 · 12 p’sukim · 6: 5:1-4 · 4 p’sukim · 7: 5:5-10 · 6 p’sukim · maf: 5:8-10 · 3 p’sukim · Haftarah: Judges 13:2-25 · 24 p’sukim Commentary and Divrei Torah: Sefaria OU Torah Jewish Theological Seminary American Jewish University Soncino Chumash: pp. 586 – 589 Triennial Year 1 (Full Kriyah pp. 586 – 601) Artscroll Chumash: pp. 748 – 753 Triennial Year 1 (Full Kriyah pp. 748 – 773) Etz Chaim Chumash: pp. 791 - 795 Triennial Year 1 (Full Kriyah pp.791 - 811) Our Triennial portion discusses the census and the duties of the three Levite clans. Each of the men from age thirty to fifty from each clan was counted. When the Tabernacle, Mishkan, was dismantled for traveling, each of the three clans were responsible for various parts. The Gershonites were responsible for the curtains, coverings, screens and ropes. The Meraris were responsible for bars, pillars, sockets and pegs. Finally the Kohathites (discussed at the end of the previous portion) carried the sacred utensils. Finally, the Israelites are told to keep the camp pure by keeping bodily issues outside the camp and the importance of not stealing. Basically, everything in its place according to ownership and holiness. From our point of view we spend our lives working to provide for ourselves and our families. For the point of view of Hashem, each of us is on a path to acquire and own material goods, according to plan. Consider that the message here is for all of us to respect each other and their material possessions and responsibilities and not intrude on that plan. For us to steal is also violating G-d’s intention and plan for each of us. And we need to respect that. Parashat Nasso 5783 / פָּרָשַׁת נָשׂא 3 junio 2023 / 14 Sivan 5783 (Diáspora) Parashat Nasso es la porción semanal número 35 de la Torá en el ciclo judío anual de lectura de la Torá. Porción de la Torá: Números 4:21-7:89 Naso ("Haz un censo"), la porción más larga de la Torá, comienza detallando las responsabilidades de los levitas. También describe las leyes de una mujer sospechosa de adulterio (sotah), el nazareo y la bendición sacerdotal. La porción termina enumerando los regalos que los jefes de las tribus traen al Mishkán (Tabernáculo). [1] Trienal año 1 1: 4:21-24 · 4 p'sukim · 2: 4:25-28 · 4 p'sukim · 3: 4:29-33 · 5 p'sukim · 4: 4:34-37 · 4 p'sukim · 5: 4:38-49 · 12 p'sukim · 6: 5:1-4 · 4 p'sukim · 7: 5:5-10 · 6 p'sukim · maf: 5:8-10 · 3 p'sukim · Haftará: Jueces 13:2-25 · 24 p'sukim Comentario y Divrei Torah: Sefaria OU Torá Seminario Teológico Judío Universidad Judía Americana Sefaria OU Torah Jewish Theological Seminary American Jewish University Soncino Chumash: págs. 586 – 589 Año trienal 1 (Kriyah completa págs. 586 – 601) Artscroll Chumash: págs. 748 – 753 Año trienal 1 (Kriyah completa págs. 748 – 773) Etz Chaim Chumash: pp. 791 - 795 Año Trienal 1 (Kriyah Completa pp. 791 - 811) Nuestra porción trienal analiza el censo y los deberes de los tres clanes levitas. Cada uno de los hombres de treinta a cincuenta años de edad de cada clan fue contado. Cuando el Tabernáculo, Mishkan, fue desmantelado para viajar, cada uno de los tres clanes fue responsable de varias partes. Los gersonitas se encargaron de las cortinas, los revestimientos, los biombos y las cuerdas. Los Meraris fueron responsables de barras, pilares, zócalos y clavijas. Finalmente, los coatitas (discutidos al final de la porción anterior) llevaban los utensilios sagrados. Finalmente, se les dice a los israelitas que mantengan puro el campamento manteniendo los asuntos corporales fuera del campamento y la importancia de no robar. Básicamente, cada cosa en su lugar según la propiedad y la santidad. Desde nuestro punto de vista, nos pasamos la vida trabajando para mantenernos a nosotros mismos ya nuestras familias. Desde el punto de vista de Hashem, cada uno de nosotros está en el camino de adquirir y poseer bienes materiales, de acuerdo con el plan. Considere que el mensaje aquí es para que todos nosotros nos respetemos unos a otros y sus posesiones materiales y responsabilidades y no nos entrometamos en ese plan. Para nosotros, robar también es violar la intención y el plan de Di-s para cada uno de nosotros. Y tenemos que respetar eso.

Announcements -Office Hours -This week’s 10-Minute -Events -Candle Lighting Times for Shabbat (Ontario, CA) Calendar Sunday, 21 May 2023-Rosh Hodesh Sivan -Hebrew School -Miller Course Introduction to Judaism -SemiAnnual Congregation Meeting -Family Game Day Friday & Saturday, 26 & 27 May 2023-Shavuot Sunday, 28 May 2023-Memorial Day Monday, 29 May 2023-Memorial Day Friday & Saturday, 2 & 3 June 2023-This week's Shabbat services Sunday, 4 June 2023-Family Fun Learning -Miller Course Introduction to Judaism Monday, 5 June 2023-Adult Torah Study Friday & Saturday, 9 & 10 June 2023-This week's Shabbat services Sunday, 11 - 16 June 2023-Vacation/Out of Town Counting the Omer -Mi Sheberach List *For your information, I have included below my schedule, including office hours for the next two weeks and specific classes in which I am involved. **For your convenience and information, Zoom links will be provided in separate emails for security purposes. ***I have updated our Mi Sheberach מי שברך list for those in need of healing by removing the names of those of whom we were uncertain. Please advise if any names were removed in error. For your convenience, I am attaching this revised list to this email that only goes to members of Temple Sholom of Ontario. Thank you. Office Hours this week: Going forward, I am planning on conducting Hebrew School and Miller Course from my office and making Sunday an office day to be more available. Sunday, May 21, 2023 9:30am - 2:00pm (Hebrew Class 10am-11:30am & Miller Course 11:45am-12:45pm) Monday, May 22, 2023 2:00pm - 7:00pm (Board Meeting @ 7:00pm - 9:00pm) Friday, May 26, 2023 2:00pm - 7:30pm (Friday Night Shabbat/Shavuot Ma'ariv @ 7:30pm) Sunday, May 28 2023 (Memorial Day) Monday, May 29, 2023 (Memorial Day) Tuesday, May 30, 2023 9:30am - 2:00pm Friday, June 2, 2023 2:00pm - 7:30pm (Friday Night Shabbat Ma'ariv @ 7:30pm) Sunday, June 4, 2023 9:30am - 2:00pm (Family Fun Learning @ 10:00am) Sunday, June 11 - Friday, June 16 Out of town on vacation (Subject to change. Please call for appointments) Rosh Chodesh Sivan 2023 / רֹאשׁ חוֹדֶשׁ סִיוָן 5783 Start of month of Sivan on the Hebrew calendar 🌒 Rosh Chodesh Sivan for Hebrew Year 5783 begins at sundown on Saturday, 20 May 2023 and ends at nightfall on Sunday, 21 May 2023. Start of month of Sivan on the Hebrew calendar. Sivan (סִיוָן) is the 3rd month of the Hebrew year, has 30 days, and corresponds to May or June on the Gregorian calendar. רֹאשׁ חוֹדֶשׁ, transliterated Rosh Chodesh or Rosh Hodesh, is a minor holiday that occurs at the beginning of every month in the Hebrew calendar. It is marked by the birth of a new moon. Hebrew School at Temple Sholom of Ontario Next Hebrew School will be Sunday, May 21 2023 First Session Sunday 10:00am - 10:40am Second Session Sunday 10:50am - 11:30am Hebrew school is back on at Temple Sholom of Ontario. We will continue in the fall hold classes virtually on Sundays starting at 10:00am PT. There will be two sessions, 40 minutes each, with a 10-minute break in between. The first session will focus on Hebrew reading and prayers. We will read from the week's Torah portion using a Chumash and an online site. Besides the main prayers used in our services, we will also learn Torah and Haftarah blessings. The second session will be a general learning session of that weekly sedrah/portion. We will also discuss notable Jewish personalities, from celebrities to prophets and kings. There will also be special topics such as gossip and evolution. Please let us know if you'd like to join us and of course if you have any questions. Miller Course: Introduction to Judaism Next Session: Sunday, May 21, 2023 Module 9: Talmud/Rabbinic Judaism Your Jewish Journey Starts at Miller Intro to Judaism Welcome to the Miller Intro to Judaism Program! We invite you to explore Judaism with us. Whether you are in an interfaith relationship, re-discovering your Jewish heritage, or seek to convert to Judaism, we are here to support your journey. The core of the Miller Introduction to Judaism Program is an 18-week course that surveys Jewish living and practice, including history, ritual, culture, texts, and values. Classes are designed to be highly interactive, with much time for discussion and questions, and include personalized instruction in reading Hebrew. SemiAnnual Congregation Meeting Sunday, May 21st, 2023 3p.m. to 4p.m. Family Game Day Sunday, May 21st, 2023 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. domingo, 21 de mayo de 2023 13:00. a las 15:00 metro TEMPLE SHOLOM OF ONTARIO 963 West 6th Street, Ontario, CA 91762 Free to all Refreshments provided Come one…Come all! Fun for all ages! Bring games you like to play or come and play the games that are there…But whatever you do, don’t miss out on this fun afternoon! gratuita para todos bocadillos proporcionados ¡Llegado uno viene todos! ¡Diversión para todas las edades! Trae los juegos que te gustan o ven a jugar a los que hay allí… Pero hagas lo que hagas, ¡no te pierdas esta tarde divertida! This week's 10-Minute Torah (26 & 27 May 2023): Shavuot 5783 https://youtu.be/ztfP7Hzw9hg Adult Torah Study Class Next Session: Monday, May 22 at 7:30 pm PT Zoom Links sent in separate email Monday morning. Please reply if you do not receive them. Shavuot 2023 / שָׁבוּעוֹת 5783 Festival of Weeks ⛰️🌸 Shavuot for Hebrew Year 5783 begins in the Diaspora at sundown on Thursday, 25 May 2023 and ends at nightfall on Saturday, 27 May 2023. Shavuot I / שָׁבוּעוֹת א׳ Friday, 26 May 2023 / 6 Sivan 5783 Torah Portion: Exodus 19:1-20:23; Numbers 28:26-31 Soncino Chumash: pp. 290 - 301; p. 696 Artscroll Chumash: pp. 400 - 415; p. 892 Megillah 1: Ruth 1:1-22 · 22 p’sukim 2: Ruth 2:1-23 · 23 p’sukim 3: Ruth 3:1-18 · 18 p’sukim 4: Ruth 4:1-22 · 22 p’sukim Shavuot II (on Shabbat) / שָׁבוּעוֹת יוֹם ב׳ (בְּשַׁבָּת) Saturday, 27 May 2023 / 7 Sivan 5783 Torah Portion: Deuteronomy 14:22-16:17; Numbers 28:26-31 The festival of Shavuot (or Shavuos, in Ashkenazi usage; Shabhuʿoth in Classical and Mizrahi Hebrew Hebrew: שבועות, lit. “Weeks”) is a Jewish holiday that occurs on the sixth day of the Hebrew month of Sivan (late May or early June). Shavuot commemorates the anniversary of the day G-d gave the Torah to the entire Israelite nation assembled at Mount Sinai, although the association between the giving of the Torah (Matan Torah) and Shavuot is not explicit in the Biblical text. The holiday is one of the Shalosh Regalim, the three Biblical pilgrimage festivals. It marks the conclusion of the Counting of the Omer. Soncino Chumash: pp. 810 – 818; p. 696 Artscroll Chumash: pp. 1012 – 1023;p. 892 Etz Chaim Chumash: pp. Judaic Studies Next session: Thursday, May 25, 2023 @ 7:30pm We will continue with Louis Jacobs’ book on Jewish personal and social ethics. Shavuot 2023 / שָׁבוּעוֹת 5783 Festival of Weeks ⛰️🌸 Shavuot for Hebrew Year 5783 begins in the Diaspora at sundown on Thursday, 25 May 2023 and ends at nightfall on Saturday, 27 May 2023. The festival of Shavuot (or Shavuos, in Ashkenazi usage; Shabhuʿoth in Classical and Mizrahi Hebrew Hebrew: שבועות, lit. “Weeks”) is a Jewish holiday that occurs on the sixth day of the Hebrew month of Sivan (late May or early June). Shavuot commemorates the anniversary of the day G-d gave the Torah to the entire Israelite nation assembled at Mount Sinai, although the association between the giving of the Torah (Matan Torah) and Shavuot is not explicit in the Biblical text. The holiday is one of the Shalosh Regalim, the three Biblical pilgrimage festivals. It marks the conclusion of the Counting of the Omer. Shabbat Times for Ontario, California, USA Shavuot I / שָׁבוּעוֹת א׳ Candle lighting / הדלקת נרות Thursday, May 25⋅7:32 pm Thursday, May 25, 2023 / ה׳ סיון תשפ״ג רב שבועות Shavuot II (on Shabbat) / שָׁבוּעוֹת יוֹם ב׳ (בְּשַׁבָּת) Candle lighting / הדלקת נרות Friday, May 26⋅7:33pm Friday, May 26, 2023 / ו׳ סיון תשפ״ג בועות Powered by Hebcal Shabbat Times Upcoming Services Shavuot Shacharit & Ma'ariv Service Friday, May 26, 2023 @ 9:30 am Shabbat/Shavuot Ma'ariv Service Friday, May 26, 2023 @ 7:30 pm Shabbat/Shavuot Shachrit Service Saturday, May 27, 2023 @ 9:30 am Zoom Links sent in separate email Friday afternoon. Please reply if you do not receive them. We are now incorporating guitar accompaniment with our Friday Night Shabbat Ma'ariv Shavuot 2023 / שָׁבוּעוֹת 5783 Festival of Weeks ⛰️🌸 Shavuot for Hebrew Year 5783 begins in the Diaspora at sundown on Thursday, 25 May 2023 and ends at nightfall on Saturday, 27 May 2023. Shavuot I / שָׁבוּעוֹת א׳ Friday, 26 May 2023 / 6 Sivan 5783 Torah Portion: Exodus 19:1-20:23; Numbers 28:26-31 1: Exodus 19:1-6 · 6 p’sukim · 2: Exodus 19:7-13 · 7 p’sukim · 3: Exodus 19:14-19 · 6 p’sukim · 4: Exodus 19:20-20:14 · 20 p’sukim · 5: Exodus 20:15-23 · 9 p’sukim · maf: Numbers 28:26-31 · 6 p’sukim · Haftarah: Ezekiel 1:1-28, 3:12 · 29 p’sukim Soncino Chumash: pp. 290 - 301; p. 696 Shavuot II (on Shabbat) / שָׁבוּעוֹת יוֹם ב׳ (בְּשַׁבָּת) Saturday, 27 May 2023 / 7 Sivan 5783 Megillah 1: Ruth 1:1-22 · 22 p’sukim 2: Ruth 2:1-23 · 23 p’sukim 3: Ruth 3:1-18 · 18 p’sukim 4: Ruth 4:1-22 · 22 p’sukim Torah Portion: Deuteronomy 14:22-16:17; Numbers 28:26-31 1: Deuteronomy 14:22-29 · 8 p’sukim · 2: Deuteronomy 15:1-18 · 18 p’sukim · 3: Deuteronomy 15:19-23 · 5 p’sukim · 4: Deuteronomy 16:1-3 · 3 p’sukim · 5: Deuteronomy 16:4-8 · 5 p’sukim · 6: Deuteronomy 16:9-12 · 4 p’sukim · 7: Deuteronomy 16:13-17 · 5 p’sukim · maf: Numbers 28:26-31 · 6 p’sukim · Haftarah: Habakkuk 3:1-19 · 19 p’sukim *Note that we are now doing the Triennial reading for our Shabbat Torah services. 5783 will be Triennial Year 1 **We are holding live Shabbat services back in the synagogue. We will still continue to broadcast on Zoom for those unable to come to the sanctuary. Please call the office for more information if you'd like to attend. Hebrew School at Temple Sholom of Ontario No Hebrew School on Sunday, May 28 2023 Happy Memorial Day First Session Sunday 10:00am - 10:40am Second Session Sunday 10:50am - 11:30am Hebrew school is back on at Temple Sholom of Ontario. We will continue in the fall hold classes virtually on Sundays starting at 10:00am PT. There will be two sessions, 40 minutes each, with a 10-minute break in between. The first session will focus on Hebrew reading and prayers. We will read from the week's Torah portion using a Chumash and an online site. Besides the main prayers used in our services, we will also learn Torah and Haftarah blessings. The second session will be a general learning session of that weekly sedrah/portion. We will also discuss notable Jewish personalities, from celebrities to prophets and kings. There will also be special topics such as gossip and evolution. Please let us know if you'd like to join us and of course if you have any questions. Miller Course: Introduction to Judaism Next Session: Sunday, May 28 or June 4, 2023 Module 10: High Holy Days May preempt due to Memorial Day Your Jewish Journey Starts at Miller Intro to Judaism Welcome to the Miller Intro to Judaism Program! We invite you to explore Judaism with us. Whether you are in an interfaith relationship, re-discovering your Jewish heritage, or seek to convert to Judaism, we are here to support your journey. The core of the Miller Introduction to Judaism Program is an 18-week course that surveys Jewish living and practice, including history, ritual, culture, texts, and values. Classes are designed to be highly interactive, with much time for discussion and questions, and include personalized instruction in reading Hebrew. Memorial Day Monday, May 29, 2023 Family Fun Learning Day June 4, 2023 10:00am - 12:00pm Children's Beginning Hebrew Class Tentative start date in June 25, 2023 10:00am -10:45am To teach Hebrew to those just entering Hebrew school or would like a refresher. ***I have updated our Mi Sheberach מי שברך list for those in need of healing by removing the names of those of whom we were uncertain. Please advise if any names were removed in error. For your convenience, I am attaching this revised list to this email that only goes to members of Temple Sholom of Ontario. Thank you. *The titles in blue and underlined are "hyperlinks". If you click on any of those, it will lead to that site/URL. The hyperlink gives a descriptive title with the actual link embedded in that title. Anyone who is concerned about clicking a link or hyperlink can access any of these resources by going to my website, www.modernrabbistephen.com. You can find them in the "Blog" and "Videos" sections, as well as the "Instagram Links" by clicking on the various pictures.

https://youtu.be/ztfP7Hzw9hg Shavuot 2023 / שָׁבוּעוֹת 5783 Festival of Weeks ⛰️🌸 Shavuot for Hebrew Year 5783 begins in the Diaspora at sundown on Thursday, 25 May 2023 and ends at nightfall on Saturday, 27 May 2023. The festival of Shavuot (or Shavuos, in Ashkenazi usage; Shabhuʿoth in Classical and Mizrahi Hebrew Hebrew: שבועות, lit. “Weeks”) is a Jewish holiday that occurs on the sixth day of the Hebrew month of Sivan (late May or early June). Shavuot commemorates the anniversary of the day G-d gave the Torah to the entire Israelite nation assembled at Mount Sinai, although the association between the giving of the Torah (Matan Torah) and Shavuot is not explicit in the Biblical text. The holiday is one of the Shalosh Regalim, the three Biblical pilgrimage festivals. It marks the conclusion of the Counting of the Omer. Megillah 1: Ruth 1:1-22 · 22 p’sukim 2: Ruth 2:1-23 · 23 p’sukim 3: Ruth 3:1-18 · 18 p’sukim 4: Ruth 4:1-22 · 22 p’sukim We read the Book of Ruth on Shavuot becauseit occurred between the barley harvest and wheat harvest, corresponding to Shavuot; since her conversion was her accepting the covenant with Hashem as was the Israelites accepting Torah; and since she is the ancestress of King David, Shavuot is considered his yorzheit. Shavuot I / שָׁבוּעוֹת א׳ Friday, 26 May 2023 / 6 Sivan 5783 Torah Portion: Exodus 19:1-20:23; Numbers 28:26-31 1: Exodus 19:1-6 · 6 p’sukim · 2: Exodus 19:7-13 · 7 p’sukim · 3: Exodus 19:14-19 · 6 p’sukim · 4: Exodus 19:20-20:14 · 20 p’sukim · 5: Exodus 20:15-23 · 9 p’sukim · maf: Numbers 28:26-31 · 6 p’sukim · Haftarah: Ezekiel 1:1-28, 3:12 · 29 p’sukim Shavuot commemorates Israel receiving the Torah. In a sense, Pesach and Shavuot are one long festival connected by the counting of the Omer. This marks the time that we left Egypt to arriving at the foot of Mt. Sinai seven weeks later. Shavuot II (on Shabbat) / שָׁבוּעוֹת יוֹם ב׳ (בְּשַׁבָּת) Saturday, 27 May 2023 / 7 Sivan 5783 Torah Portion: Deuteronomy 14:22-16:17; Numbers 28:26-31 1: Deuteronomy 14:22-29 · 8 p’sukim · 2: Deuteronomy 15:1-18 · 18 p’sukim · 3: Deuteronomy 15:19-23 · 5 p’sukim · 4: Deuteronomy 16:1-3 · 3 p’sukim · 5: Deuteronomy 16:4-8 · 5 p’sukim · 6: Deuteronomy 16:9-12 · 4 p’sukim · 7: Deuteronomy 16:13-17 · 5 p’sukim · maf: Numbers 28:26-31 · 6 p’sukim · Haftarah: Habakkuk 3:1-19 · 19 p’sukim For the second day of Shavuot that this year occurs on Shabbat, we review commandments of the first born and of kindness and generosity. Since the first born were spared during the tenth plague, Hashem requires special consideration from our first born. We also review the remission of debts during the Sh’mittah year as a connection to the wealth we took from Egypt upon our leaving for the many years of servitude. Shavuot 2023 / שָׁבוּעוֹת 5783 Festival de las Semanas ⛰️🌸 Shavuot para el año hebreo 5783 comienza en la diáspora al atardecer del jueves 25 de mayo de 2023 y termina al anochecer del sábado 27 de mayo de 2023. La festividad de Shavuot (o Shavuos, en el uso asquenazí; Shabhuʿoth en hebreo clásico y mizrají: שבועות, literalmente "Semanas") es una festividad judía que se celebra el sexto día del mes hebreo de Sivan (finales de mayo o principios de junio). ). Shavuot conmemora el aniversario del día en que Di-s entregó la Torá a toda la nación israelita reunida en el Monte Sinaí, aunque la asociación entre la entrega de la Torá (Matán Torá) y Shavuot no está explícita en el texto bíblico. La fiesta es uno de los Shalosh Regalim, los tres festivales de peregrinación bíblica. Marca la conclusión de la cuenta del Omer. Meguilá 1: Rut 1:1-22 · 22 p'sukim 2: Rut 2:1-23 · 23 p'sukim 3: Rut 3:1-18 · 18 p'sukim 4: Rut 4:1-22 · 22 p'sukim Leemos el Libro de Rut en Shavuot porque ocurrió entre la cosecha de cebada y la cosecha de trigo, correspondiente a Shavuot; ya que su conversión fue su aceptación del pacto con Hashem al igual que los israelitas aceptaron la Torá; y dado que ella es la antepasada del rey David, Shavuot se considera su yorzheit. Shavuot I / שָׁבוּעוֹת א׳ viernes, 26 mayo 2023 / 6 Sivan 5783 Porción de la Torá: Éxodo 19:1-20:23; Números 28:26-31 1: Éxodo 19:1-6 · 6 p'sukim · 2: Éxodo 19:7-13 · 7 p'sukim · 3: Éxodo 19:14-19 · 6 p'sukim · 4: Éxodo 19:20-20:14 · 20 p'sukim · 5: Éxodo 20:15-23 · 9 p'sukim · maf: Números 28:26-31 · 6 p’sukim · Haftará: Ezequiel 1:1-28, 3:12 · 29 p'sukim Shavuot conmemora que Israel recibió la Torá. En cierto sentido, Pesaj y Shavuot son una fiesta larga conectada por la cuenta del Omer. Esto marca el momento en que salimos de Egipto para llegar al pie del monte Sinaí siete semanas después. Shavuot II (en Shabat) / שָׁבוּעוֹת יוֹם ב׳ (בְּשַׁבָּת) sábado, 27 mayo 2023 / 7 Sivan 5783 Porción de la Torá: Deuteronomio 14:22-16:17; Números 28:26-31 1: Deuteronomio 14:22-29 · 8 p'sukim · 2: Deuteronomio 15:1-18 · 18 p'sukim · 3: Deuteronomio 15:19-23 · 5 p'sukim · 4: Deuteronomio 16:1-3 · 3 p'sukim · 5: Deuteronomio 16:4-8 · 5 p'sukim · 6: Deuteronomio 16:9-12 · 4 p'sukim · 7: Deuteronomio 16:13-17 · 5 p'sukim · maf: Números 28:26-31 · 6 p’sukim · Haftará: Habacuc 3:1-19 · 19 p'sukim Para el segundo día de Shavuot que este año ocurre en Shabat, repasamos mandamientos del primogénito y de bondad y generosidad. Dado que los primogénitos se salvaron durante la décima plaga, Hashem requiere una consideración especial de nuestro primogénito. También revisamos la remisión de las deudas durante el año de la Sh’mittah como una conexión con la riqueza que tomamos de Egipto al partir por los muchos años de servidumbre.

Announcements -Office Hours -This week’s 10-Minute -Events -Candle Lighting Times for Shabbat (Ontario, CA) Calendar Sunday, 14 May 2023-Hebrew School -Miller Course Introduction to Judaism Monday, 15 May 2023-Adult Torah Study Thursday, 18 May 2023-Judaic Studies Friday & Saturday, 19 & 20 May 2023-This week's Shabbat service Sunday, 21 May 2023-Hebrew School -Miller Course Introduction to Judaism -SemiAnnual Congregation Meeting -Family Game Day Friday & Saturday, 26 & 27 May 2023-Shavuot Sunday, 28 May 2023-Hebrew School -Miller Course Introduction to Judaism Monday, 29 May 2023-Adult Torah Study Friday & Saturday, 2 & 3 June 2023-This week's Shabbat services Counting the Omer -Mi Sheberach List *For your information, I have included below my schedule, including office hours for the next two weeks and specific classes in which I am involved. **For your convenience and information, Zoom links will be provided in separate emails for security purposes. ***I have updated our Mi Sheberach מי שברך list for those in need of healing by removing the names of those of whom we were uncertain. Please advise if any names were removed in error. For your convenience, I am attaching this revised list to this email that only goes to members of Temple Sholom of Ontario. Thank you. Office Hours this week: Going forward, I am planning on conducting Hebrew School and Miller Course from my office and making Sunday an office day to be more available. Sunday, May 14, 2023 9:30am - 2:00pm (Hebrew Class 10am-11:30am & Miller Course 11:45am-12:45pm) Monday, May 15, 2023 9:30am - 2:00pm Tuesday, May 16, 2023 9:30am - 2:00pm Friday, May 19, 2023 2:00pm - 7:30pm (Friday Night Shabbat Ma'ariv @ 7:30pm) Sunday, May 21, 2023 9:30am - 2:00pm (Hebrew Class 10am-11:30am & Miller Course 11:45am-12:45pm) Monday, May 22, 2023 2:00pm - 7:00pm (Board Meeting @ 7:00pm - 9:00pm) Friday, May 26, 2023 2:00pm - 7:30pm (Friday Night Shabbat/Shavuot Ma'ariv @ 7:30pm) (Subject to change. Please call for appointments) This week's 10-Minute Torah (20 May 2023): Parashat Bamidbar 5783 https://youtu.be/67Z-OHlG0d0 Adult Torah Study Class Next Session: Monday, May 15 at 7:30 pm PT Zoom Links sent in separate email Monday morning. Please reply if you do not receive them. Parashat Bamidbar 5783 / פָּרָשַׁת בְּמִדְבַּר 20 May 2023 / 29 Iyyar 5783 Parashat Bamidbar is the 34th weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. Torah Portion: Numbers 1:1-4:20 Bamidbar (“In The Desert”) is the first Torah portion in the Book of Numbers. It describes God's command to take a census and details the camping formation of the Israelites in the desert. It also begins to enumerate the responsibilities of the Levites when transporting the Mishkan (Tabernacle). [1] Commentary and Divrei Torah Sefaria OU Torah Jewish Theological Seminary American Jewish University Soncino Chumash: pp. 568 – 572 Triennial Year 1 (Full Kriyah pp. 568 – 580) Artscroll Chumash: pp. 726 – 733 Triennial Year 1 (Full Kriyah pp. 726 – 747) Etz Chaim Chumash: pp. 769 - 774 Triennial Year 1 (Full Kriyah pp.769 - 785) Judaic Studies Next session: Thursday, May 18, 2023 @ 7:30pm Our next topic will be Jewish ethics. We will be reading most of a book by Rabbi Louis Jacobs (1920-2006), Jewish Personal and Social Ethics. The book is quite accessible, and reflects a great deal of scholarshp by this distinguished British rabbi and theologian, whose perspective is close to that of American Conservative Judaism. The text will be made available on line, along with a few additional readings on these topics. Shabbat Times for Ontario, California, USA Yom Yerushalayim occurs on Friday, May 19 Candle lighting: 7:30pm on Friday, May 19 Shabbat Mevarchim Chodesh Sivan occurs on Saturday, May 20 This week's Torah portion is Parashat Bamidbar Havdalah (50 min): 8:39pm on Saturday, May 20 Powered by Hebcal Shabbat Times שבת פרשת במדבר May 19 - כ״ח אייר Candle lighting 7:30 Shabbat ends 8:32 72 minutes 9:01 Upcoming Services Shabbat Ma'ariv Service Friday, May 19, 2023 @ 7:30 pm Shabbat Shachrit Service Saturday, May 20, 2023 @ 9:30 am Zoom Links sent in separate email Friday afternoon. Please reply if you do not receive them. We are now incorporating guitar accompaniment with our Friday Night Shabbat Ma'ariv Parashat Bamidbar 5783 / פָּרָשַׁת בְּמִדְבַּר 20 May 2023 / 29 Iyyar 5783 Parashat Bamidbar is the 34th weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. Torah Portion: Numbers 1:1-4:20 Triennial year 1 1: 1:1-4 · 4 p’sukim · 2: 1:5-16 · 12 p’sukim · 3: 1:17-19 · 3 p’sukim · 4: 1:20-27 · 8 p’sukim · 5: 1:28-35 · 8 p’sukim · 6: 1:36-43 · 8 p’sukim · 7: 1:44-54 · 11 p’sukim · maf: 1:52-54 · 3 p’sukim · Haftarah*: I Samuel 20:18-42 · 25 p’sukim *Shabbat Machar Chodesh Soncino Chumash: pp. 568 – 572 Triennial Year 1 (Full Kriyah pp. 568 – 580) *Note that we are now doing the Triennial reading for our Shabbat Torah services. 5783 will be Triennial Year 1 **We are holding live Shabbat services back in the synagogue. We will still continue to broadcast on Zoom for those unable to come to the sanctuary. Please call the office for more information if you'd like to attend. Shabbat Mevarchim Chodesh Sivan Saturday, May 20 Molad Sivan: Sat, 52 minutes and 14 chalakim after 2:00 The Shabbat before the start of a Jewish month (Rosh Chodesh) is known as Shabbat Mevarchim, “the Shabbat when we bless.” On this day, during the synagogue service, we recite a special blessing for the new month and announce the timing of Rosh Chodesh. Hebrew School at Temple Sholom of Ontario Next Hebrew School will be Sunday, May 21 2023 First Session Sunday 10:00am - 10:40am Second Session Sunday 10:50am - 11:30am Hebrew school is back on at Temple Sholom of Ontario. We will continue in the fall hold classes virtually on Sundays starting at 10:00am PT. There will be two sessions, 40 minutes each, with a 10-minute break in between. The first session will focus on Hebrew reading and prayers. We will read from the week's Torah portion using a Chumash and an online site. Besides the main prayers used in our services, we will also learn Torah and Haftarah blessings. The second session will be a general learning session of that weekly sedrah/portion. We will also discuss notable Jewish personalities, from celebrities to prophets and kings. There will also be special topics such as gossip and evolution. Please let us know if you'd like to join us and of course if you have any questions. Miller Course: Introduction to Judaism Next Session: Sunday, May 21, 2023 Module 10: High Holy Days Your Jewish Journey Starts at Miller Intro to Judaism Welcome to the Miller Intro to Judaism Program! We invite you to explore Judaism with us. Whether you are in an interfaith relationship, re-discovering your Jewish heritage, or seek to convert to Judaism, we are here to support your journey. The core of the Miller Introduction to Judaism Program is an 18-week course that surveys Jewish living and practice, including history, ritual, culture, texts, and values. Classes are designed to be highly interactive, with much time for discussion and questions, and include personalized instruction in reading Hebrew. SemiAnnual Congregation Meeting Sunday, May 21st, 2023 3p.m. to 4p.m. Family Game Day Sunday, May 21st, 2023 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. domingo, 21 de mayo de 2023 13:00. a las 15:00 metro TEMPLE SHOLOM OF ONTARIO 963 West 6th Street, Ontario, CA 91762 Free to all Refreshments provided Come one…Come all! Fun for all ages! Bring games you like to play or come and play the games that are there…But whatever you do, don’t miss out on this fun afternoon! gratuita para todos bocadillos proporcionados ¡Llegado uno viene todos! ¡Diversión para todas las edades! Trae los juegos que te gustan o ven a jugar a los que hay allí… Pero hagas lo que hagas, ¡no te pierdas esta tarde divertida! Shavuot 2023 / שָׁבוּעוֹת 5783 Festival of Weeks ⛰️🌸 Shavuot for Hebrew Year 5783 begins in the Diaspora at sundown on Thursday, 25 May 2023 and ends at nightfall on Saturday, 27 May 2023. The festival of Shavuot (or Shavuos, in Ashkenazi usage; Shabhuʿoth in Classical and Mizrahi Hebrew Hebrew: שבועות, lit. “Weeks”) is a Jewish holiday that occurs on the sixth day of the Hebrew month of Sivan (late May or early June). Shavuot commemorates the anniversary of the day G-d gave the Torah to the entire Israelite nation assembled at Mount Sinai, although the association between the giving of the Torah (Matan Torah) and Shavuot is not explicit in the Biblical text. The holiday is one of the Shalosh Regalim, the three Biblical pilgrimage festivals. It marks the conclusion of the Counting of the Omer. Memorial Day Monday, May 29, 2023 ***I have updated our Mi Sheberach מי שברך list for those in need of healing by removing the names of those of whom we were uncertain. Please advise if any names were removed in error. For your convenience, I am attaching this revised list to this email that only goes to members of Temple Sholom of Ontario. Thank you. *The titles in blue and underlined are "hyperlinks". If you click on any of those, it will lead to that site/URL. The hyperlink gives a descriptive title with the actual link embedded in that title. Anyone who is concerned about clicking a link or hyperlink can access any of these resources by going to my website, www.modernrabbistephen.com. You can find them in the "Blog" and "Videos" sections, as well as the "Instagram Links" by clicking on the various pictures.

Lilith: Lady Flying in Darkness The most notorious demon of Jewish tradition becomes a feminist hero. BY RABBI JILL HAMMER “Half of me is beautiful but you were never sure which half.” — Ruth Feldman, “Lilith” Lilith is the most notorious demon in Jewish tradition. In some sources, she is conceived of as the original woman, created even before Eve, and she is often presented as a thief of newborn infants. Lilith means “the night,” and she embodies the emotional and spiritual aspects of darkness: terror, sensuality, and unbridled freedom. More recently, she has come to represent the freedom of feminist women who no longer want to be “good girls.” Biblical and Talmudic Tales of Lilith The story of Lilith originated in the ancient Near East,where a wilderness spirit known as the “dark maid” appears in the Sumerian myth “The descent of Inanna” (circa 3000 BCE). Another reference appears in a tablet from the seventh century BCE found at Arslan Tash, Syria which contains the inscription: “O flyer in a dark chamber, go away at once, O Lili!” Lilith later made her way into Israelite tradition, possibly even into the Bible. Isaiah 34:14, describing an inhospitable wilderness, tells us: “There goat-demons shall greet each other, and there the lilit shall find rest.” Some believe this word “lilit” is a reference to a night owl, and others say it is indeed a reference to the demon Lilith. A magical bowl from the first century CE, written in Hebrew, reads:” Designated is this bowl for the sealing of the house of this Geyonai bar Mamai, that there flee from him the evil Lilith…” Ancient images of Lilith which show her hands bound appear to be a form of visual magic for containing her. In the Talmud, Lilith becomes not only a spirit of darkness, but also a figure of uncontrolled sexuality. The Babylonian Talmud (Shabbat151a) says: “It is forbidden for a man to sleep alone in a house, lest Lilith get hold of him.” Lilith is said to fertilize herself with male sperm to give birth to other demons. Lilith as Escaped Wife In Genesis Rabbah, we encounter a brief midrash that claims that Adam had a first wife before Eve. This interpretation arises from the two creation stories of Genesis: In Genesis 1, man and woman are created at the same time, while in Genesis 2 Adam precedes Eve. The rabbinic tale suggests that the first creation story is a different creation, in which Adam has a wife made, like him, from the earth. For some reason this marriage doesn’t work out, and so God makes Adam a second wife, Eve. In the ninth or tenth century, a clever collection of legends titled the Alphabet of Ben Sira draws on earlier stories of Adam’s wife, and of Adam’s coupling with demons, and spins an elaborate story in which Lilith is Adam’s first wife: When the first man, Adam, saw that he was alone, God made for him a woman like himself, from the earth. God called her name Lilith, and brought her to Adam. They immediately began to quarrel. Adam said: “You lie beneath me.” And Lilith said: “You lie beneath me! We are both equal, for both of us are from the earth.” And they would not listen to one another. As soon as Lilith saw this, she uttered the Divine name and flew up into the air and fled. Adam began to pray before his Creator, saying: “Master of the universe, the woman that you gave me has fled.” God sent three angels and said to them: “Go bring back Lilith. If she wants to come, she shall come, and if she does not want to come, do not bring her against her will. The three angels went and found her in the sea at the place where the Egyptians were destined to drown. There they grabbed her and said to her: “If you will go with us, well and good, but if not, we will drown you in the sea.” Lilith said to them:”My friends, I know God only created me to weaken infants when they are eight days old. From the day a child is born until the eighth day, I have dominion over the child, and from the eighth day onward I have no dominion over him if he is a boy, but if a girl, I rule over her twelve days.” They said: “We won’t let you go until you accept upon yourself that each day one hundred of your children will die.” And she accepted it. That is why one hundred demons die every day. They would not leave her alone until she swore to them:” In any place that I see you or your names in an amulet, I will have no dominion over that child.” They left her. And she is Lilith, who weakens the children of men…. Alphabet of Ben Sira 23a-b Some believe that this story is a serious attempt to explain the death of infants, while others are convinced it is a humorous tale of sexual quarrels and unsuccessful angels. The Lilith of this story confronts both Adam and God: she defies patriarchy, refuses a submissive sexual posture, and in the end refuses marriage altogether, preferring to become a demon rather than live under Adam’s authority. Notice that Lilith flees to the Sea of Reeds: the place where the Hebrews will one day go free from slavery. In this version of the Lilith story, Lilith becomes what all tyrants fear: a person who is aware she is enslaved. This version of the Lilith tale in the Alphabet of Ben Sira quickly spread throughout Jewish life, and others expanded on it. The Zohar, a mystical work from 12th century Spain, imagines Lilith not only as the first wife of Adam but also as the wife of Satan. In the Kabbalah, Lilith takes on cosmic power. She is a chaotic counterpart to the Shekhinah (the feminine Divine Presence, the bride of the Infinite). In fact, the Zohar imagines that while the Jews suffer in exile, the Holy One (the masculine aspect of the Divine) separates from the Shekhinah, and consorts with Lilith. Lilith’s sexual-spiritual link with the Divine will only end when the Messiah comes and the brokenness in the world is mended. In folk Judaism, the primary myths about Lilith continue to identify her principally as a stealer of babies. Numerous amulets for pregnant women and babies from medieval through modern times use the three names of the angels mentioned in the Alphabet of Ben Sira (Sanvi, Sansanvi, and Samangelof) to ward away Lilith. Such amulets may also contain a circle with the names of Adam and Eve on the inside of the circle, and the name of Lilith on the outside: a clear warning to Lilith to stay outside the family realm. A red ribbon is also sometimes placed on a crib to ward off Lilith. Lilith and Modern Jewish Feminist Midrash In the modern period, the tale of the put-upon wife who flees to a place of liberation became a celebrated paradigm. Numerous modern Jewish poets and authors, female and male, wrote accounts of Lilith that use old stories to express new ideas. Perhaps the best-known of the new Lilith tales is “The Coming of Lilith,” by Judith Plaskow. In this feminist midrash, Lilith flees the garden because she is an “uppity woman” who doesn’t want to be pushed around by Adam or God. However, she misses female companionship. Lilith soon sneaks back into the garden and befriends Eve. Eve has been told Lilith is a demon, but once the two women share their stories, they become allies and companions in the search for knowledge. Enid Dame, in her poem “Lilith,” imagines Lilith as an eternal bohemian who leaves Eden, drops in and out of men’s sexual fantasies in the Middle Ages, and now lives with a cab driver in New Jersey, where she still cries in the bathroom as she remembers Eden “and the man and the God I couldn’t live with.” In Lynn Gottlieb’s story of Lilith, Lilith is made from the sky and Adam from the earth. In her love for Adam, Lilith chooses to forget she came from the sky, and she becomes Eve, settled and happy but ignorant of her own true nature. In her story, Gottlieb dramatizes the struggle of women to love men while still loving themselves. On the other hand, Jacqueline Lapidus’ brief poem “Eden” imagines a lesbian encounter between Lilith and Eve. Using the Lilith legend, Lapidus invents an origin story for love between women. Scholar and author Ohad Ezrachi frequently writes about Lilith as a split-off sexual component of women, an image created by men fearful of a full relationship. He encourages men and women to see Lilith and Eve as the same person. Lilith has become such a popular figure that whole enterprises (like the women’s music concert Lilith Fair and the Jewish feminist journal Lilith Magazine) are named after her. Once a source of fear, Lilith has been transformed into an icon of freedom. While some disapprove of this widespread embrace of a former demon, Lilith’s rehabilitation makes sense. The frightening character of Lilith grew, in part, out of repression: repression of sexuality, repression of the free impulse in women, repression of the question “what if I left it all behind?” As modern Jews begin to ask questions about sex, freedom, and choice more directly, Lilith becomes a complex representation of our own desires.

Parashat Bamidbar 5783 / פָּרָשַׁת בְּמִדְבַּר 20 May 2023 / 29 Iyyar 5783 https://youtu.be/67Z-OHlG0d0 Parashat Bamidbar is the 34th weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. Torah Portion: Numbers 1:1-4:20 Bamidbar (“In The Desert”) is the first Torah portion in the Book of Numbers. It describes God's command to take a census and details the camping formation of the Israelites in the desert. It also begins to enumerate the responsibilities of the Levites when transporting the Mishkan (Tabernacle). [1] Triennial year 1 1: 1:1-4 · 4 p’sukim · 2: 1:5-16 · 12 p’sukim · 3: 1:17-19 · 3 p’sukim · 4: 1:20-27 · 8 p’sukim · 5: 1:28-35 · 8 p’sukim · 6: 1:36-43 · 8 p’sukim · 7: 1:44-54 · 11 p’sukim · maf: 1:52-54 · 3 p’sukim · Haftarah*: I Samuel 20:18-42 · 25 p’sukim *Shabbat Machar Chodesh Commentary and Divrei Torah Sefaria OU Torah Jewish Theological Seminary American Jewish University Soncino Chumash: pp. 568 – 572 Triennial Year 1 (Full Kriyah pp. 568 – 580) Artscroll Chumash: pp. 726 – 733 Triennial Year 1 (Full Kriyah pp. 726 – 747) Etz Chaim Chumash: pp. 769 - 774 Triennial Year 1 (Full Kriyah pp.769 - 785) The Torah book of Bamidbar is referred to in English as “Numbers”. This is because the book opens up with hashem telling Moses to take a census of all the able-bodied men between the ages of 20 and 50. So Moses is to count their numbers. However, the count is taken indirectly. Each man is to donate a half-shekel to the Temple, or in this case, the Mishkan/Tabernacle, for its upkeep. Those half-shekels are counted and thus we know how many they are. It is from this process that the rabbis have mandated that Jews are not to be counted. So how do we know that we have a minyan on Saturday morning? We ask everyone to hold up their siddurim and count the siddurim. Or we just look out and decide that we’re not allowed to count and it looks like we have a minyan. Thank you to the student who showed up at one of our Passover services. But what is the point of having this census and naming the heads of the tribes and specifying their positions during muster? Consider that this is give some relevancy to Torah. Perhaps it is to show that our history is real and these people existed. Perhaps it is to give some credence that some rabbis didn’t just dream up a religion that they thought would help guide the world and instill morality and integrity to the human. Perhaps it’s to show that our heritage developed out of real events and thus is a legitimate this system of ethics. By practicing Judaism and following our ancestors, our mission is to bring light to the world and show humanity how to respect each other. Parashat Bamidbar 5783 20 mayo 2023 / 29 Iyar 5783 https://youtu.be/67Z-OHlG0d0 Parashat Bamidbar es la porción semanal número 34 de la Torá en el ciclo judío anual de lectura de la Torá. Porción de la Torá: Números 1:1-4:20 Bamidbar ("En el desierto") es la primera porción de la Torá en el Libro de los Números. Describe el mandato de Dios de hacer un censo y detalla la formación de campamento de los israelitas en el desierto. También comienza a enumerar las responsabilidades de los levitas al transportar el Mishkán (Tabernáculo). [1] Trienal año 1 1: 1:1-4 · 4 p'sukim · 2: 1:5-16 · 12 p'sukim · 3: 1:17-19 · 3 p'sukim · 4: 1:20-27 · 8 p'sukim · 5: 1:28-35 · 8 p'sukim · 6: 1:36-43 · 8 p'sukim · 7: 1:44-54 · 11 p'sukim · maf: 1:52-54 · 3 p'sukim · Haftará*: 1 Samuel 20:18-42 · 25 p’sukim *Shabat Machar Jodesh Comentario y Divrei Torá Sefaria OU Torá Seminario Teológico Judío Universidad Judía Americana Soncino Chumash: págs. 568 – 572 Año trienal 1 (Kriyah completo págs. 568 – 580) Artscroll Chumash: págs. 726 – 733 Año trienal 1 (Kriyah completa págs. 726 – 747) Etz Chaim Chumash: pp. 769 - 774 Año Trienal 1 (Kriyah Completa pp. 769 - 785) El libro de la Torá de Bamidbar se conoce en inglés como "Números". Esto se debe a que el libro comienza con hashem diciéndole a Moisés que haga un censo de todos los hombres sanos entre las edades de 20 y 50 años. Entonces, Moisés debe contar su número. Sin embargo, el conteo se toma indirectamente. Cada hombre debe donar medio shekel al Templo, o en este caso, al Mishkán/Tabernáculo, para su mantenimiento. Esos medios siclos se cuentan y así sabemos cuántos son. Es a partir de este proceso que los rabinos han ordenado que los judíos no sean contados. Entonces, ¿cómo sabemos que tenemos un minyan el sábado por la mañana? Les pedimos a todos que levanten sus sidurim y cuenten los sidurim. O simplemente miramos y decidimos que no se nos permite contar y parece que tenemos un minián. Gracias al estudiante que se presentó en uno de nuestros servicios de Pesaj. Pero, ¿cuál es el punto de tener este censo y nombrar a los jefes de las tribus y especificar sus posiciones durante la reunión? Considere que esto le da cierta relevancia a la Torá. Tal vez sea para mostrar que nuestra historia es real y que estas personas existieron. Tal vez sea para dar cierta credibilidad a que algunos rabinos no solo soñaron con una religión que pensaron que ayudaría a guiar al mundo e inculcar moralidad e integridad a los humanos. Tal vez sea para mostrar que nuestra herencia se desarrolló a partir de hechos reales y, por lo tanto, es legítimo este sistema de ética. Al practicar el judaísmo y seguir a nuestros antepasados, nuestra misión es traer luz al mundo y mostrarle a la humanidad cómo respetarse unos a otros.

What is Lag Ba'Omer? This minor holiday — known for bonfires, weddings and haircuts — takes place about a month after Passover. BY FRANCINE KLAGSBRUN Lag Ba’omer is a minor holiday that occurs on the 33rd day of the Omer, the 49-day period between Passover and Shavuot. A break from the semi-mourning of the Omer, key aspects of Lag Ba’omer include holding Jewish weddings (it’s the one day during the Omer when Jewish law permits them), lighting bonfires and getting haircuts. Why We Celebrate There are a few explanations why we celebrate Lag Ba’omer, but none is definitive. The Omer is a time of semi-mourning, when weddings and other celebrations are forbidden, and as a sign of grief, observant Jews do not cut their hair. Anthropologists say that many peoples have similar periods of restraint in the early spring to symbolize their concerns about the growth of their crops. But the most often cited explanation for the Jewish practice comes from the Talmud, which tells us that during this season a plague killed thousands of Rabbi Akiva‘s students because they did not treat one another respectfully. (Yevamot 62b) The mourning behavior is presumably in memory of those students and their severe punishment. According to a medieval tradition, the plague ceased on Lag Ba’omer, the 33rd day of the Omer. (The Hebrew letters lamed and gimel which make up the acronym “Lag” have the combined numerical value of 33.) As a result, Lag Ba’omer became a happy day, interrupting the sad­ness of the Omer period for 24 hours. Rabbi Akiva and the Bar Kochba Rebellion The Talmudic explanation makes most sense when put into historical context. The outstanding sage Rabbi Akiva became an ardent supporter of Simeon bar Koseva, known as Bar Kochba, who in 132 C.E. led a ferocious but unsuccessful revolt against Roman rule in Judea. Akiva not only pinned his hopes on a political victory over Rome but believed Bar Kochba to be the long-awaited Messiah. Many of his students joined him in backing the revolt and were killed along with thousands of Judeans when it failed. The Talmudic rabbis, still suffering under Roman rule and cautious about referring openly to past rebellions, may have been hinting at those deaths when they spoke of a plague among Akiva’s students. Possibly, also, Lag Ba’omer marked a respite from battle, or a momentary victory. A completely different reason for the holiday concerns one of Rabbi Akiva’s few disciples who survived the Bar Kochba revolt, Rabbi Simeon bar Yohai. He is said to have died on Lag Ba’omer. Rabbi Simeon continued to defy the Roman rulers even after Bar Kochba’s defeat, and was forced to flee for his life and spend years in solitary hiding. Legend places him and his son Eleazar in a cave for 12 years, where a miraculous well and carob tree sustained them while they spent their days studying and praying. (Shabbat 33b) When they finally emerged, Simeon denigrated all practical occupations, insisting that people engage only in the study of Torah . For this God confined the two to their cave for another year, accusing Simeon of destroying the world with his rigid asceticism. But Rabbi Simeon’s otherworldliness resonated with mystics in his own time and later, so much so that tradition ascribes to him the Zohar, the key work of the Kabbalah (although critical scholars attribute it to the 13th-century Spanish kabbalist Moses de Leon). And in Israel, on Lag Ba’omer, people flock to the site of his tomb in the village of Meron in the Galilee, near Safed, where they light bonfires and sing kabbalistic hymns. Hasidic Jews follow the custom of bringing their 3-year-old sons to Meron to have their hair cut for the first time. (The custom of not cut­ting the child’s hair until his third birthday, when it is done in a ceremony called an upsheren, is probably an extension of the law that forbids picking the fruits of a newly planted tree during its first three years.) Lag Ba’omer Customs Unrelated to Rabbi Simeon, the kabbalists also give a mystical interpretation to the Omer period as a time of spiritual cleansing and preparation for receiving the Torah on Shavuot. The days and weeks of counting, they say, represent various combinations of the sefirot, the divine emanations, whose contemplation ultimately leads to purity of mind and soul. The somberness of this period reflects the seriousness of its spiritual pursuits. Finally, on yet another tack, some authorities attribute the joy of Lag Ba’omer to the belief that the manna that fed the Israelites in the desert first appeared on the 18th of Iyar. Though its origins are uncertain, Lag Ba’omer has become a minor holiday. (For Sephardic Jews, the holiday is the day after Lag Ba’omer.) School children picnic and play outdoors with bows and arrows — a possible reminder of the war battles of Akiva’s students — and in Israel plant trees. It is customary to light bonfires, to symbolize the light Simeon bar Yohai brought into the world. And every year numerous couples wed at this happy time. Reprinted with permission from Jewish Days: A Book of Jewish Life and Culture (Farrar, Straus and Giroux).

Announcements -Candle Lighting Times for Shabbat (Ontario, CA) -Office Hours -This week’s 10-Minute -Events Calendar Monday, 8 May 2023-Adult Torah Study Thursday, 11 May 2023-Board Meeting Friday & Saturday, 12 & 13 May 2023-This week's Shabbat services Sunday, 14 May 2023-Hebrew School -Miller Course Introduction to Judaism Monday, 15 May 2023-Adult Torah Study Thursday, 18 May 2023-Judaic Studies Friday & Saturday, 19 & 20 May 2023-This week's Shabbat service Sunday, 21 May 2023-Hebrew School -Miller Course Introduction to Judaism -SemiAnnual Congregation Meeting -Family Game Day Friday & Saturday, 26 & 27 May 2023-Shavuot Counting the Omer -Mi Sheberach List *For your information, I have included below my schedule, including office hours for the next two weeks and specific classes in which I am involved. **For your convenience and information, Zoom links will be provided in separate emails for security purposes. ***I have updated our Mi Sheberach מי שברך list for those in need of healing by removing the names of those of whom we were uncertain. Please advise if any names were removed in error. For your convenience, I am attaching this revised list to this email that only goes to members of Temple Sholom of Ontario. Thank you. Shabbat Times for Ontario, California, USA Lag BaOmer occurs on Tuesday, May 9 Candle lighting: 7:24pm on Friday, May 12 This week's Torah portion is Parashat Behar-Bechukotai Havdalah (50 min): 8:34pm on Saturday, May 13 Powered by Hebcal Shabbat Times שבת פרשת בהר-בחקתי May 12 - כ״א אייר Candle lighting 7:25 Shabbat ends 8:26 72 minutes 8:56 Office Hours this week: Sunday, May 7, 2023 (Family Fun Learning 10am-12:00pm & Miller Course 12:00pm-1:00pm) Thursday, May 11, 2023 2:00pm - 7:00pm (Board Meeting @ 7:00pm - 9:00pm) Friday, May 12, 2023 2:00pm - 7:30pm (Friday Night Shabbat Ma'ariv @ 7:30pm) Monday, May 15, 2023 9:30am - 2:00pm Tuesday, May 16, 2023 9:30am - 2:00pm Friday, May 19, 2023 2:00pm - 7:30pm (Friday Night Shabbat Ma'ariv @ 7:30pm) (Subject to change. Please call for appointments) This week's 10-Minute Torah (13 May 2023): Parashat Behar-Bechukotai 5783 https://youtu.be/JdIIn3nmzN8 Adult Torah Study Class Next Session: Monday, May 8 at 7:30 pm PT Zoom Links sent in separate email Monday morning. Please reply if you do not receive them. Parashat Behar-Bechukotai 5783 / פָּרָשַׁת בְּהַר־בְּחֻקֹּתַי 13 May 2023 / 22 Iyyar 5783 Parashat Behar-Bechukotai is the 32nd and 33rd weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. Torah Portion: Leviticus 25:1-27:34 Behar (“On The Mountain”) details the laws of the sabbatical year (Shemita), when working the land is prohibited and debts are forgiven. It also sets out laws of indentured servitude and of the Jubilee year (Yovel), when property reverts to its original ownership. Bechukotai (“In My Laws”) is the final Torah portion in the Book of Leviticus. It begins describing blessings that follow obedience to God's laws and curses that come with desecration of them. It ends with laws of vows and consecration of people and property. [1] Commentary and Divrei Torah Sefaria OU Torah Jewish Theological Seminary American Jewish University Soncino Chumash: pp. 531 – 536 Triennial Year 1 (Full Kriyah pp. 531 – 550) Artscroll Chumash: pp. 696 – 679 Triennial Year 1 (Full Kriyah pp. 696 – 723) Etz Chaim Chumash: pp. 736 - 7 Triennial Year 1 (Full Kriyah pp.736- 7) Lag BaOmer 2023 / ל״ג בָּעוֹמֶר 5783 33rd day of counting the Omer 🔥 Lag BaOmer for Hebrew Year 5783 begins at sundown on Monday, 8 May 2023 and ends at nightfall on Tuesday, 9 May 2023. Lag BaOmer (Hebrew: ל״ג בעומר), also Lag B’Omer, is a Jewish holiday celebrated on the 33rd day of the Counting of the Omer, which occurs on the 18th day of the Hebrew month of Iyar. One reason given for the holiday is as the day of passing of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. Modern Jewish tradition links the holiday to the Bar Kokhba Revolt against the Roman Empire (132-135 CE). In Israel, it is celebrated as a symbol for the fighting Jewish spirit. Judaic Studies Next session: Thursday, May 18, 2023 @ 7:30pm Preempted May 11 due to Board Meeting Our next topic will be Jewish ethics. We will be reading most of a book by Rabbi Louis Jacobs (1920-2006), Jewish Personal and Social Ethics. The book is quite accessible, and reflects a great deal of scholarshp by this distinguished British rabbi and theologian, whose perspective is close to that of American Conservative Judaism. The text will be made available on line, along with a few additional readings on these topics. Upcoming Services Shabbat Ma'ariv Service Friday, May 12, 2023 @ 7:30 pm Shabbat Shachrit Service Saturday, May 13, 2023 @ 9:30 am Zoom Links sent in separate email Friday afternoon. Please reply if you do not receive them. We are now incorporating guitar accompaniment with our Friday Night Shabbat Ma'ariv Parashat Behar-Bechukotai 5783 / פָּרָשַׁת בְּהַר־בְּחֻקֹּתַי 13 May 2023 / 22 Iyyar 5783 Parashat Behar-Bechukotai is the 32nd and 33rd weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. Torah Portion: Leviticus 25:1-27:34 Triennial year 1 1: 25:1-3 · 3 p’sukim · 2: 25:4-7 · 4 p’sukim · 3: 25:8-13 · 6 p’sukim · 4: 25:14-18 · 5 p’sukim · 5: 25:19-24 · 6 p’sukim · 6: 25:25-28 · 4 p’sukim · 7: 25:29-38 · 10 p’sukim · maf: 25:35-38 · 4 p’sukim · Haftarah: Jeremiah 16:19-17:14 · 17 p’sukim Commentary and Divrei Torah Sefaria OU Torah Jewish Theological Seminary American Jewish University Soncino Chumash: pp. 531 – 536 Triennial Year 1 (Full Kriyah pp. 531 – 550) *Note that we are now doing the Triennial reading for our Shabbat Torah services. 5783 will be Triennial Year 1 **We are holding live Shabbat services back in the synagogue. We will still continue to broadcast on Zoom for those unable to come to the sanctuary. Please call the office for more information if you'd like to attend. Hebrew School at Temple Sholom of Ontario Next Hebrew School will be Sunday, May 14 2023 First Session Sunday 10:00am - 10:40am Second Session Sunday 10:50am - 11:30am Hebrew school is back on at Temple Sholom of Ontario. We will continue in the fall hold classes virtually on Sundays starting at 10:00am PT. There will be two sessions, 40 minutes each, with a 10-minute break in between. The first session will focus on Hebrew reading and prayers. We will read from the week's Torah portion using a Chumash and an online site. Besides the main prayers used in our services, we will also learn Torah and Haftarah blessings. The second session will be a general learning session of that weekly sedrah/portion. We will also discuss notable Jewish personalities, from celebrities to prophets and kings. There will also be special topics such as gossip and evolution. Please let us know if you'd like to join us and of course if you have any questions. Miller Course: Introduction to Judaism Next Session: Sunday, May 14, 2023 Module 9: Rabbinic Judaism Your Jewish Journey Starts at Miller Intro to Judaism Welcome to the Miller Intro to Judaism Program! We invite you to explore Judaism with us. Whether you are in an interfaith relationship, re-discovering your Jewish heritage, or seek to convert to Judaism, we are here to support your journey. The core of the Miller Introduction to Judaism Program is an 18-week course that surveys Jewish living and practice, including history, ritual, culture, texts, and values. Classes are designed to be highly interactive, with much time for discussion and questions, and include personalized instruction in reading Hebrew. SemiAnnual Congregation Meeting Sunday, May 21st, 2023 3p.m. to 4p.m. Family Game Day Sunday, May 21st, 2023 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. domingo, 21 de mayo de 2023 13:00. a las 15:00 metro TEMPLE SHOLOM OF ONTARIO 963 West 6th Street, Ontario, CA 91762 Free to all Refreshments provided Come one…Come all! Fun for all ages! Bring games you like to play or come and play the games that are there…But whatever you do, don’t miss out on this fun afternoon! gratuita para todos bocadillos proporcionados ¡Llegado uno viene todos! ¡Diversión para todas las edades! Trae los juegos que te gustan o ven a jugar a los que hay allí… Pero hagas lo que hagas, ¡no te pierdas esta tarde divertida! ***I have updated our Mi Sheberach מי שברך list for those in need of healing by removing the names of those of whom we were uncertain. Please advise if any names were removed in error. For your convenience, I am attaching this revised list to this email that only goes to members of Temple Sholom of Ontario. Thank you. Shavuot 2023 / שָׁבוּעוֹת 5783 Festival of Weeks ⛰️🌸 Shavuot for Hebrew Year 5783 begins in the Diaspora at sundown on Thursday, 25 May 2023 and ends at nightfall on Saturday, 27 May 2023. The festival of Shavuot (or Shavuos, in Ashkenazi usage; Shabhuʿoth in Classical and Mizrahi Hebrew Hebrew: שבועות, lit. “Weeks”) is a Jewish holiday that occurs on the sixth day of the Hebrew month of Sivan (late May or early June). Shavuot commemorates the anniversary of the day G-d gave the Torah to the entire Israelite nation assembled at Mount Sinai, although the association between the giving of the Torah (Matan Torah) and Shavuot is not explicit in the Biblical text. The holiday is one of the Shalosh Regalim, the three Biblical pilgrimage festivals. It marks the conclusion of the Counting of the Omer. *The titles in blue and underlined are "hyperlinks". If you click on any of those, it will lead to that site/URL. The hyperlink gives a descriptive title with the actual link embedded in that title. Anyone who is concerned about clicking a link or hyperlink can access any of these resources by going to my website, www.modernrabbistephen.com. You can find them in the "Blog" and "Videos" sections, as well as the "Instagram Links" by clicking on the various pictures.

https://youtu.be/JdIIn3nmzN8 Parashat Behar-Bechukotai 5783 / פָּרָשַׁת בְּהַר־בְּחֻקֹּתַי 13 May 2023 / 22 Iyyar 5783 Parashat Behar-Bechukotai is the 32nd and 33rd weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. Torah Portion: Leviticus 25:1-27:34 Behar (“On The Mountain”) details the laws of the sabbatical year (Shemita), when working the land is prohibited and debts are forgiven. It also sets out laws of indentured servitude and of the Jubilee year (Yovel), when property reverts to its original ownership. Bechukotai (“In My Laws”) is the final Torah portion in the Book of Leviticus. It begins describing blessings that follow obedience to God's laws and curses that come with desecration of them. It ends with laws of vows and consecration of people and property. [1] Triennial year 1 1: 25:1-3 · 3 p’sukim · 2: 25:4-7 · 4 p’sukim · 3: 25:8-13 · 6 p’sukim · 4: 25:14-18 · 5 p’sukim · 5: 25:19-24 · 6 p’sukim · 6: 25:25-28 · 4 p’sukim · 7: 25:29-38 · 10 p’sukim · maf: 25:35-38 · 4 p’sukim · Haftarah: Jeremiah 16:19-17:14 · 17 p’sukim Commentary and Divrei Torah Sefaria OU Torah Jewish Theological Seminary American Jewish University Soncino Chumash: pp. 531 – 536 Triennial Year 1 (Full Kriyah pp. 531 – 550) Artscroll Chumash: pp. 696 – 679 Triennial Year 1 (Full Kriyah pp. 696 – 723) Etz Chaim Chumash: pp. 738 - 743 Triennial Year 1 (Full Kriyah pp.738 - 757) Once again we have a portion as we close the book of Leviticus. As we proceed in our journey through Torah, discovering the history and evolution of what we now call Judaism, we often encounter the commandment to remember and observe the seventh day as a holy Shabbat, a day or rest. This is a day when we put aside all earthly and secular pursuits to focus on our spirituality. In the expansive commandment to observe Shabbat, Hashem also tells us that not only do we have a day of rest but so do our relatives, servants and animals. The parashat of Behar now tells us that even the land gets a year of rest, one out of seven years. In exchange for respecting the land, Hashem promises that our insecurities about having enough food will not be anything we need to worry about. Truly, Judaism is very ecologically friendly. Also, there are times when people have to sell their ancestral land, the share that was given as Israel settled the Promised Land. After seven cycles of the Shmittah, fifty years, land reverts back to the original owners. Thus land ownership never becomes the domain of a wealthy few, creating a powerful and influential majority. People also see, as one of Judaism’s main themes, that people are given another chance to make good. Parashat Behar-Bechukotai 5783 13 mayo 2023 / 22 Iyar 5783 Parashat Behar-Bejukotai es la porción semanal de la Torá número 32 y 33 en el ciclo judío anual de lectura de la Torá. Porción de la Torá: Levítico 25:1-27:34 Behar (“En la montaña”) detalla las leyes del año sabático (Shemita), cuando se prohíbe trabajar la tierra y se perdonan las deudas. También establece las leyes de la servidumbre por contrato y del año del Jubileo (Yovel), cuando la propiedad vuelve a su dueño original. Bejukotai ("En Mis Leyes") es la porción final de la Torá en el Libro de Levítico. Comienza describiendo las bendiciones que siguen a la obediencia a las leyes de Dios y las maldiciones que vienen con la profanación de las mismas. Termina con leyes de votos y consagración de personas y bienes. [1] Trienal año 1 1: 25:1-3 · 3 p’sukim · 2: 25:4-7 · 4 p’sukim · 3: 25:8-13 · 6 p’sukim · 4: 25:14-18 · 5 p’sukim · 5: 25:19-24 · 6 p’sukim · 6: 25:25-28 · 4 p’sukim · 7: 25:29-38 · 10 p’sukim · maf: 25:35-38 · 4 p’sukim · Haftará: Jeremiah 16:19-17:14 · 17 p’sukim Comentario y Divrei Torá Sefaria OU Torah Jewish Theological Seminary American Jewish University Soncino Chumash: págs. 531 – 536 Año trienal 1 (Kriyah completo págs. 531 – 550) Artscroll Chumash: págs. 696 – 679 Año trienal 1 (Kriyah completa págs. 696 – 723) Etz Chaim Chumash: pp. 738 - 743 Año Trienal 1 (Kriyah Completa pp. 738 - 757) Una vez más tenemos una porción al cerrar el libro de Levítico. A medida que avanzamos en nuestro viaje a través de la Torá, descubriendo la historia y la evolución de lo que ahora llamamos judaísmo, a menudo nos encontramos con el mandamiento de recordar y observar el séptimo día como un Shabat sagrado, un día de descanso. Este es un día en el que dejamos de lado todas las actividades terrenales y seculares para centrarnos en nuestra espiritualidad. En el amplio mandamiento de observar Shabat, Hashem también nos dice que no solo tenemos un día de descanso, sino también nuestros familiares, sirvientes y animales. La parashat de Behar ahora nos dice que incluso la tierra tiene un año de descanso, uno de cada siete años. A cambio de respetar la tierra, Hashem promete que nuestras inseguridades acerca de tener suficiente comida no serán algo de lo que debamos preocuparnos. Verdaderamente, el judaísmo es muy ecológico. Además, hay momentos en que la gente tiene que vender su tierra ancestral, la parte que se le dio cuando Israel se estableció en la Tierra Prometida. Después de siete ciclos de Shmittah, cincuenta años, la tierra vuelve a sus dueños originales. Por lo tanto, la propiedad de la tierra nunca se convierte en el dominio de unos pocos ricos, creando una mayoría poderosa e influyente. La gente también ve, como uno de los temas principales del judaísmo, que a la gente se le da otra oportunidad de hacer el bien.

Announcements -Candle Lighting Times for Shabbat (Ontario, CA) -Office Hours -This week’s 10-Minute Torah Calendar Monday, 1 May 2023-Adult Torah Study Thursday, 4 May 2023-National Day of Prayer (Menifee) Friday & Saturday, 5 & 6 May 2023-This week's Shabbat services Sunday, 7 May 2023-Family Fun Learning Day Sunday, 7 May 2023-Miller Course Introduction to Judaism Monday, 8 May 2023-Adult Torah Study Thursday, 11 May 2023-Board Meeting Friday & Saturday, 12 & 13 May 2023-This week's Shabbat services Sunday, 14 May 2023-Hebrew School Sunday, 14 May 2023-Miller Course Introduction to Judaism Sunday, 21 May 2023-Family Game Day Counting the Omer -Mi Sheberach List *For your information, I have included below my schedule, including office hours for the next two weeks and specific classes in which I am involved. **For your convenience and information, Zoom links will be provided in separate emails for security purposes. ***I have updated our Mi Sheberach מי שברך list for those in need of healing by removing the names of those of whom we were uncertain. Please advise if any names were removed in error. For your convenience, I am attaching this revised list to this email that only goes to members of Temple Sholom of Ontario. Thank you. Shabbat Times for Ontario, California, USA Pesach Sheni occurs on Friday, May 5 Candle lighting: 7:19pm on Friday, May 5 This week's Torah portion is Parashat Emor Havdalah (50 min): 8:28pm on Saturday, May 6 Powered by Hebcal Shabbat Times שבת פרשת אמור May 5 - י״ד אייר Candle lighting 7:19 Shabbat ends 8:19 72 minutes 8:51 Office Hours this week: Monday, May 1, 2023 (@ AJU late morning) 2:50pm - 8:50pm (Torah Study @ 7:30pm) Tuesday, May 2, 2023 9:30am - 2:00pm Friday, May 5, 2023 2:00pm - 7:30pm (Friday Night Shabbat Ma'ariv @ 7:30pm) Monday, May 7, 2023 9:30am - 2:00pm (Torah Study @ 7:30pm) Thursday, May 11, 2023 2:00pm - 7:00pm (Board Meeting @ 7:00pm - 9:00pm) Friday, May 5, 2023 2:00pm - 7:30pm (Friday Night Shabbat Ma'ariv @ 7:30pm) (Subject to change. Please call for appointments) This week's 10-Minute Torah (6 May 2023): Parashat Emor 5783 https://youtu.be/DgLO35wbRII Adult Torah Study Class Next Session: Monday, May 1 at 7:30 pm PT Zoom Links sent in separate email Monday morning. Please reply if you do not receive them. Parashat Emor 5783 / פָּרָשַׁת אֱמוֹר 6 May 2023 / 15 Iyyar 5783 https://youtu.be/DgLO35wbRII Parashat Emor is the 31st weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. Torah Portion: Leviticus 21:1-24:23 Emor (“Say”) opens with laws regulating priestly behavior, working in the Mishkan (Tabernacle), and consuming sacrifices and priestly food. It describes the biblical holidays of Passover, Shavuot, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and Sukkot, and ends with a story about a blasphemer and his punishment. [1] Commentary and Divrei Torah Sefaria OU Torah Jewish Theological Seminary American Jewish University Soncino Chumash: pp. 513 – 517 Triennial Year 1 (Full Kriyah pp. 513 – 528) Artscroll Chumash: pp. 672 – 679 Triennial Year 1 (Full Kriyah pp. 672 – 695) Etz Chaim Chumash: pp. 717 - 722 Triennial Year 1 (Full Kriyah pp.717 - 733) Judaic Studies Next session: Thursday, April 27, 2023 @ 7:30pm Our next topic will be Jewish ethics. We will be reading most of a book by Rabbi Louis Jacobs (1920-2006), Jewish Personal and Social Ethics. The book is quite accessible, and reflects a great deal of scholarshp by this distinguished British rabbi and theologian, whose perspective is close to that of American Conservative Judaism. The text will be made available on line, along with a few additional readings on these topics. Upcoming Services Shabbat Ma'ariv Service Friday, May 5, 2023 @ 7:30 pm Shabbat Shachrit Service Saturday, May 6, 2023 @ 9:30 am Zoom Links sent in separate email Friday afternoon. Please reply if you do not receive them. We are now incorporating guitar accompaniment with our Friday Night Shabbat Ma'ariv Parashat Emor 5783 / פָּרָשַׁת אֱמוֹר 6 May 2023 / 15 Iyyar 5783 Parashat Emor is the 31st weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. Torah Portion: Leviticus 21:1-24:23 Triennial year 1 1: 21:1-6 · 6 p’sukim · 2: 21:7-12 · 6 p’sukim · 3: 21:13-15 · 3 p’sukim · 4: 21:16-24 · 9 p’sukim · 5: 22:1-9 · 9 p’sukim · 6: 22:10-12 · 3 p’sukim · 7: 22:13-16 · 4 p’sukim · maf: 22:13-16 · 4 p’sukim · Haftarah: Ezekiel 44:15-31 · 17 p’sukim Soncino Chumash: pp. 513 – 517 Triennial Year 1 (Full Kriyah pp. 513 – 528) Special Reading schedule this week *Note that we are now doing the Triennial reading for our Shabbat Torah services. 5783 will be Triennial Year 1 **We are holding live Shabbat services back in the synagogue. We will still continue to broadcast on Zoom for those unable to come to the sanctuary. Please call the office for more information if you'd like to attend. Family Fun Learning Day May 7, 2023 10:00 am - 12:0pm Join us for our monthly family learning session. We will start out singing for the first half-hour, then break off, by age ranges into groups for activities, Bible stories, and discussion on Torah, Talmud and Halachah. Activities for everybody. And then, of course, food! Hebrew School at Temple Sholom of Ontario Next Hebrew School will be Sunday, May 14 2023 preempted for Family Fun Learning Day First Session Sunday 10:00am - 10:40am Second Session Sunday 10:50am - 11:30am Hebrew school is back on at Temple Sholom of Ontario. We will continue in the fall hold classes virtually on Sundays starting at 10:00am PT. There will be two sessions, 40 minutes each, with a 10-minute break in between. The first session will focus on Hebrew reading and prayers. We will read from the week's Torah portion using a Chumash and an online site. Besides the main prayers used in our services, we will also learn Torah and Haftarah blessings. The second session will be a general learning session of that weekly sedrah/portion. We will also discuss notable Jewish personalities, from celebrities to prophets and kings. There will also be special topics such as gossip and evolution. Please let us know if you'd like to join us and of course if you have any questions. Miller Course: Introduction to Judaism Next Session: Sunday, May 7, 2023 Module 8: G-d Your Jewish Journey Starts at Miller Intro to Judaism Welcome to the Miller Intro to Judaism Program! We invite you to explore Judaism with us. Whether you are in an interfaith relationship, re-discovering your Jewish heritage, or seek to convert to Judaism, we are here to support your journey. The core of the Miller Introduction to Judaism Program is an 18-week course that surveys Jewish living and practice, including history, ritual, culture, texts, and values. Classes are designed to be highly interactive, with much time for discussion and questions, and include personalized instruction in reading Hebrew. Family Game Day Sunday, May 21st, 2023 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. domingo, 21 de mayo de 2023 13:00. a las 15:00 metro TEMPLE SHOLOM OF ONTARIO 963 West 6th Street, Ontario, CA 91762 Free to all Refreshments provided Come one…Come all! Fun for all ages! Bring games you like to play or come and play the games that are there…But whatever you do, don’t miss out on this fun afternoon! gratuita para todos bocadillos proporcionados ¡Llegado uno viene todos! ¡Diversión para todas las edades! Trae los juegos que te gustan o ven a jugar a los que hay allí… Pero hagas lo que hagas, ¡no te pierdas esta tarde divertida! ***I have updated our Mi Sheberach מי שברך list for those in need of healing by removing the names of those of whom we were uncertain. Please advise if any names were removed in error. For your convenience, I am attaching this revised list to this email that only goes to members of Temple Sholom of Ontario. Thank you. *The titles in blue and underlined are "hyperlinks". If you click on any of those, it will lead to that site/URL. The hyperlink gives a descriptive title with the actual link embedded in that title. Anyone who is concerned about clicking a link or hyperlink can access any of these resources by going to my website, www.modernrabbistephen.com. You can find them in the "Blog" and "Videos" sections, as well as the "Instagram Links" by clicking on the various pictures.

Although it may derive from Islamic or pagan culture, the hamsa today has become a Jewish and Israeli symbol. BY MENACHEM WECKER You’ve probably seen these uniquely shaped symbols on pendants worn by Jewish women or displayed in Judaica stores. And in Israel the hamsa — whether on necklaces, keychains or displayed on walls — is as ubiquitous as the Star of David. But what is a hamsa exactly? And what makes it Jewish? This symbol of an eye embedded in the palm of an open hand has had numerous other names throughout the ages, including the eye of Fatima, the hand of Fatima, and the hand of Miriam. The form is sometimes rendered naturally and other times symmetrically with a second thumb replacing the little finger. The hamsa has been variously interpreted by scholars as a Jewish, Christian, or Islamic amulet, and as a pagan fertility symbol. Yet even as the magical form remains shrouded in mystery and scholars debate nearly every aspect of its emergence, it is recognized today as a kabbalistic amulet and as an important symbol in Jewish art. Hamsa Origins As the references to Fatima (Mohammed’s daughter) and to Miriam (Moses’ sister) suggest, the amulet carries significance to both Jews and Muslims. One of the most prominent early appearances of the hamsa is the image of a large open hand that appears on the Puerta Judiciaria (Gate of Judgment) of the Alhambra, a 14th-century Islamic fortress in southern Spain. The Alhambra hand of Fatima seems to draw upon the Arabic word “khamsa,” which means “five,” a number that itself is identified with fighting the Evil Eye. The Alhambra motif, as well as other Spanish and Moorish hand images, hints at the five pillars of Islam (faith, fasting, pilgrimage, prayer, and tax) in the five fingers of the hand. According to Islamic folklore, Fatima’s hand became a symbol of faith after her husband Ali came home with a new wife one day. Fatima, who at the time had been cooking, dropped the soup ladle she had been using. Yet she was so preoccupied by the new arrival that she continued stirring using her bare hand, hardly noticing that she was burning herself. It would not be unusual for an Islamic symbol to find its way into Sephardic Jewish culture, which flourished alongside Islam. However, amulets are somewhat problematic in Judaism because the Bible prohibits magic and divination. Still, the Talmud refers on several occasions to amulets, or kamiyot, which might come from the Hebrew meaning “to bind.” One law allows for carrying an approved amulet on the Sabbath, which suggests that amulets were common amongst Jews at some points in history. (Shabbat 53a, 61a) Art historian Walter Leo Hildburgh also raises the possibility that the hamsa has Christian roots, and might be influenced by the Christian artistic form where Mary often carries her hands in a”fig” pose, or a configuration where the thumb is tucked under the index finger beside the middle finger. According to University of Chicago professor Ahmed Achrati, the hamsa did not necessarily arise in a religious context. The form of the open hand appears in Paleolithic caves in France, Spain, Argentina, and Australia, including one site in Algeria that earned the name The Cave of the Hands. In Egyptian art, the human spirit (called ka) is represented by two arms reaching upward (forming a horseshoe shape), albeit with only two fingers on each hand. The symbol of the Phoenician lunar goddess Tanit resembles a woman raising her hands, and hands also found their way into tomb decorations. Etruscans painted hands with horns on their tombs, and some Jewish burial practices featured images of hands (suggesting the priestly blessing) on stone markers of Levite graves. All of these could be considered very early precursors to the hamsa. Jewish Beliefs About Hamsas It is difficult to pinpoint the exact time when hamsas emerged in Jewish culture, though it is clearly a symbol of Sephardic nature. Jews might have used the hamsa to invoke the hand of God, or to counteract the Evil Eye with the eye embedded in the palm of the hand. Some hamsas contain images of fish, in accordance with Rabbi Yose son of Hanina’s statement in the Talmud that the descendants of Joseph, who received Jacob’s blessing of multiplying like fish in Genesis 48:16, are protected from the Evil Eye like fish. He explains: “the water covers the fish of the sea so the eye has no power over them (Berakhot 55b).” Other icons besides eyes and fish have also found their way into the hamsa, including the Star of David, prayers for the traveler, the Shema, the blessing over the house, and the colors of red and blue, both of which are said to thwart the Evil Eye. The symbol of the hand, and often of priestly hands, appears in kabbalistic manuscripts and amulets, doubling as the letter shin, the first letter of the divine name Shaddai. This mapping of the human hand over the divine name and hand might have had the effect of creating a bridge between the worshipper and God. The Hamsa Today The recent revival of interest in Kabbalah, in part due to the efforts of celebrities including Madonna, Brittany Spears, and Demi Moore, has brought with it a new public for kabbalah accessories, including hamsas. Hamsas can be purchased today in Judaica shops around the world, and even through companies like Sears and Saks Fifth Avenue. Many people hang them in their houses, and it’s not uncommon to see them dangling from the rear-view mirrors of taxis and trucks. In addition to appearing on necklaces and wall hangings, hamsas can be found on mezuzahs, bracelets, earrings, bookmarks, key chains, and candlesticks. Contemporary Jewish artists are using the hamsa form, and some like Mark Podwal are finding a large public for their work. Hamsas still play a role in some Sephardic rituals today. During the henna ceremony, when brides are decorated in the preparation for their wedding, brides may wear a hamsa around their neck to ward off the Evil Eye. Even as the hamsa is today affiliated with kabbalah, Israel and Judaism, it is perhaps the symbol’s mysterious origins and the superstitions surrounding it that attract the attention of celebrities and ordinary people alike. To read this article, “What is a Hamsa?” in Spanish (leer en español), click here.