Parashat Toldot

Friday Night Kaballat Shabbat Services,Tonight 11/13, at 7PM.

Shabbat services are in the morning, 11/14 at 9 AM, with the Torah service at 9:45. The kiddish is being sponsored by Lori and David Henderson in honor of her late father, Frank Singer, who shared her birthday, and who upon hearing that his daughter was going to be born on his birthday, promptly fainted.

Mazal Tov to Chazzan Yitzhak Ben-Moshe, who, as well as being honored this weekend for his seven years of service to our shul, is celebrating his birthday and has a Parasha with his namesake! In addition to all this, Cantor Ben-Moshe is a guest speaker at this Sunday’s Global Day of Jewish Learning at the J at 2PM. The dinner on Sunday evening is at capacity and we are grateful for the outpouring of support.

Save the date: Our annual Beth El Hanukkah party is Saturday evening, December 12 at 6 PM. Havdallah, candle lighting, food, fun, music, latkes, and more.

We have a team! Team “BETH EL BANDITS”
PLEASE sign up for the Turkey trot with Beth El. On Thanksgiving Day we have a team of runners. Please join the BETH EL BANDITS via the Turkey Trot website.
https://events.com/…/thundercloud-subs-turkey-trot-2015-aus…

THANK YOU KIDDISH CREW: The Shabbat lunch is lovingly made by Claudia, Iris, Lori, Mary, Rachel, Sarah, Genevieve! Yesher koach and thank you all!
We are very grateful to the following for helping with the Cantor’s dinner:
Elaine Jacobs, Gregg and Michelle Philipson, Barbara Cramer, Rachel Union, Juliette Meinstein, Keren Harvey, Claudia, Sofia and Vania Aguilar, Kevin, Sara and Iris Keoller, Barry Mann, the Butler family, Bev Golden and all the amazing members who are coming for the evening. Thank you to Simcha Kosher Caterers of Dallas who are catering the event.

Please support the following amazing Silent Auction sponsors:

* David Walker of Oriental Rug Company,
Jacob and Esther Gilboa jewelry and hand made Israeli art work,
Barbara Cramer Quickbooks,
Bam Rubenstein for custom made tallises,
Starbucks,
Esther’s Follies,
The Long Center,
Ballet Austin,
Benold’s Jewelers,
David Kruger of Kruger’s Jewelers,
Sandy Massman artwork,
Maggiano’s Little Italy,
Mom’s Best Friend babysitting,
Froggin’ Spanish Immersion classes,
Zach Scott Theatre,
Sport Ball,
Jessica Zimmerman nutrition therapy,
Outrageous Gallery,
Beth Israel Gift store,
Lisa Feder of Being Well Yoga,
variety of donations from Barbara Cramer.
Barry Mann for kosher Israeli wine,
AND THE DOUBLETREE HOTEL on Mopac and Steck!

Rabbi Peter Tarlow’s weekly Parashah:
This week’s portion is called ‘Toldot”. You will find it in the Book of Genesis 25:19-28:9. Toldot is unique in that it is the only portion that is dedicated to the life of Isaac. From a literary perspective, Isaac is the least developed of the three patriarchs. The text is filled with lacunae. It seems to teach us about Isaac less by what it says than by what it does not say. It is a lesson is communication through silence and thus Isaac’s story is ripe for great midrash (tales developed from the information the text chooses not to reveal) literature. It could not have been easy to be Isaac. His father was perhaps the world’s most gifted leader, yet despite his father’s brilliance, Isaac had to deal with a man willing to sacrifice him. Was Isaac’s unique gift his ability to follow his charismatic father, hold the family together and accomplish the difficult task of transitioning from one generation to another and from one leader to another?Isaac’s personal story is about the first time in the Bible that we note the passing of one generation of leaders and the coming of another. The Hebrew Bible provides a clear path for the transfer of leadership. Leaders were to follow four basic steps. These were (1) the leaders had to seek acceptance by the people, (2) leaders were free to chart their own course as long as they did so with humility and an understanding that he who rules without the consent of G’d is bound to fail, (3) leaders were expected to develop a sense of continuity upon which the basic beliefs of Israel are based, (4) leaders were to act in a moral, ethical and fair manner in which they would symbolize G’d’s eternal pact with the people of Israel. At later points in the Biblical narrative we learn about some leaders chose not to follow these four principles, and the results were always tragic.Perhaps the text’s silence is its way to teach us that Isaac was not Abraham, nor could he be Abraham. Isaac had to be Isaac. The text paints Isaac as a good honest man, who knew suffering, faced adversity, refused to become bitter and with wisdom and laughter moved Israel on to the next stage in its national development. Isaac was not perfect, but his story has a lot to teach our nation and the world about smooth transitions of power. Isaac reminds us that if we choose victimization then laughter turns to tears and nations become vessels of anger. Isaac, whose name means, “He would laugh” teaches all of us that life is not perfect and when faced with problems it is better to turn tears into laughter and sadness into joy. What do you think?

Community News:
The Global Day of Jewish Learning is this Sunday afternoon from 1-4 PM and Cantor Ben-Moshe is a guest speaker.
2 -2:50 PM Loving the Ger: Who is the Stranger in our Midst? Hazzan Yitzhak Ben-Moshe.
Being commanded to love is unusual, yet the Bible clearly instructs us to love the stranger/convert. Our experience as strangers in Egypt helps us to appreciate the importance of this commandment and the moral imperative that underlies it. What does it mean to be commanded to love a category of people? Who are the strangers? Location: Library, Second floor education building.