Shabbat Shalom - 11 Kislev

This evening’s erev Shabbat service, conducted by Rabbi Dreyfus, will begin at 8:00 PM. Nancy Friedman will be the Cantorial Soloist. After the service, the Adult Education Committee will pesent a program on Global Warming, by Dr. Richard S. Treptow.

Tomorrow morning’s Shabbat service, conducted by Rabbi Dreyfus, with Nancy Friedman as Cantorial Soloist, will begin at 10:00 AM. Amy Blumstein will be called to the Torah, for the first time, as a Bat Mitzvah. Our congratulations to Amy and her entire family.

The Parasha will be Vayeitzei , Genesis 28:10 ?32:3. Jacob begins his trip from Beersheva to the ancestral home of Haran, falls asleep, sees a ladder going up to heaven and has a conversation with G-d. The next day, after marking the spot and calling it Bet El, because G-d had been there, Jacob continues to Haran, and meets his Uncle Laban. They agree that Jacob will work for Laban for seven years, and then marry Laban’s beautiful younger daughter Rachel. After the seven years, Laban tricks Jacob by marrying Jacob to Laban’s daughter Leah, instead, but then agreed that Jacob could immediately marry Rachel, too, if he worked another seven years. Jacob loved Rachel more, but G-d “opened Leah’s womb” and she bore four sons, while Rachel was barren. Rachel couldn’t bear children of her own, so she presented Jacob with her servant, who was more fertile. At which point Leah, who had stopped having children for the moment, countered with her servant and more sons were born. Leah bore another couple of sons, and finally a daughter, Dinah. Eventually, G-d remembered Rachel who produced Joseph. After fourteen years, Jacob wants to go back to Beersheva, but Laban prevails him to work another six for cattle and so forth. There is some unpleasantness between the two, and eventually Jacob takes what is his, and leaves Laban’s camp, sending a message to Esau that he is returning.