I hope you had a good week.

I stood under the Chupah this week, officiating the union of a wonderful couple, who after postponing the date of their wedding multiple times due to the pandemic. are now finally married. Mazal Tov! 

In my blessing to them, I highlighted the idea that marriage isn't just two independent and unique human beings coming together - a miracle in and of itself - the Kabbalah teaches that the union is on a soul level as well, it's deep, it's cosmic. But there's more, not only is marriage a union of souls, says the Kabbalah, it's actually a merging of a soul.

A soul that split as it entered the physical world, half belonging to the bride and the other to the groom. Separated for 20+ years, each doing its thing, becoming the person they are today. Over the last few year these two halves of this one soul began to draw closer, like a magnetic pull, as the they found one another and got to know each other, developing that soul connection.

Under the Chupah, these two halves after so many years and distance between them, finally merge back into one soul. The wholeness that the couple experienced prior to the wedding as individuals is now replaced with a new and much deeper level of wholeness.

What a concept. Two halves of a whole coming together, with love, devotion and selflessness, building a deep soulful relationship that will allow them to flourish as individuals and as a couple - Please Gd in good health and happiness.

So when the Torah Portion opens this week, with the command for each member of the Jewish community, rich and poor, young and old, to donate HALF a Shekel to the Temple of old, perhaps the lesson is the same, not only for a bride & groom, but for us all.

As much as we are self sufficient and complete individuals, we are in fact incomplete and very much need each other as we journey through life. We are there for each other, to give and to receive, in good times and sad times, as a people, as a community and as friends. Each of us, the Torah reminds us, is an indivisible part of a whole.

Let's look out for each other and lift one another up, so we can feel whole.

Shabbat Shalom and a healthy week ahead!

Shabbat Starts / Ends
Friday, 18 Feb: Light Candles by 7:57pm
Shabbat, 19 Feb: Shabbat ends at 8:55pm
This week is Parshat Ki Tisa - See synopsis below.

In-Shule Services - We'd love to see you!
Masks are required to be worn in Shule for ages 8+

Fri Night 6:40pm - Pre-register required by clicking here
Shabbat morning 9:30am - Pre-register required by clicking here.
Sunday Morning 9:00am - Please QR code on entry
Mon - Fri Morning 6:45am - Please QR code on entry
Sun - Thur Mincha Maariv 7:30pm - Please QR code on entry

Please join us his Shabbat, 19 Feb for a Shabbat of Inclusion 
During the sit down Kiddush (11:30am), Access participant Eli Jones-Resnik will be sharing some of her experiences, in conversation with Access Board Member Jayson Hurvitz.

This is an excellent opportunity to learn about Access Inc and what they do in our community, as well as explore and discuss meaningful engagement of people with disabilities in community life.

TRIAGE IN JEWISH LAW Thurs, 24 Feb, 8:00pm With Rabbi Shmuel. In Shule after Maariv and on Zoom www.elwoodshule.org/zoom.

One heart available... One ventilator left... One bag of blood... Multiple patients... Who do you save first?

Destination Purim! Let's Fly! Thurs evening, 17 March, 5:30pm!
Food. Drinks. Fun. Megillah. Stay tuned for seat booking & itinerary details this week.

Bar Mitzvah program 2022! We're kicking things off with a BBQ at Ronny's.
Sunday, 6 March, 7pm. Contact Ronny for more information, ronnyk@elwoodshule.org.

Stay tuned for details of our Bat Mitzvah program launching in March!

Sisterhood Book Club, Mon, 7 March 8:15pm. Ladies, please join us for the first Book Club of the year. We'll be discussing the international bestseller tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom. Contact Rivki for more information, rivki@elwoodshule.org. 

Mazal Tov to Dana Kushnir & Greg Lippy on their wedding this week! we wish them a lifetime of love and happiness, in good health!

Please keep us in the loop by notifying us of your lifecycle events.

Happy - Jewish - Birthday! 
We wish a very Happy Jewish Birthday to Travis Aubor, Milton Herson, Jeremy Kamil, Evie Lewinsohn, Madi Livshiz, Cynthia Salter, Stephen Zielinski. We wish them good health till 120. Jewish birthday Calculator.

Happy Anniversary!
We wish a very Happy Anniversary to Len & Lynette Halprin, David & Gwen Joseph, David & Sally Kiper, Antony & Dana Michael, Eden & Caroline Rose, Boris & Yelena Vainberg. To many more happy and healthy years!

Condolences
We extend our heartfelt condolences to Richard and Stephen Nowak on the passing of their father, Mark ob'm. We wish the whole family blessings of long life and good health.

Yahrtzeits
Sunday
Aaron Plotnik - Father of David
Mark Lissauer - Friend to many and stalwart of our Shule

Monday
Ada Birch - Mother of Sandra Reisner

Tuesday
Amy Krantz-Levin - Wife of Andrew

Wednesday
Karol Lipp - Father of Leo

Friday
Sam Epstein - Father of Helen Russek and Fay Colman

We wish the respective families blessings of long life and good health.

This week's PARSHA is Ki Tisa (Exodus 30:11–34:35)
The people of Israel are told to each contribute exactly half a shekel of silver to the Sanctuary. Instructions are also given regarding the making of the Sanctuary’s water basin, anointing oil and incense. “Wise-hearted” artisans Betzalel and Aholiav are placed in charge of the Sanctuary’s construction, and the people are once again commanded to keep the Shabbat.

When Moses does not return when expected from Mount Sinai, the people make a golden calf and worship it. G‑d proposes to destroy the errant nation, but Moses intercedes on their behalf. Moses descends from the mountain carrying the tablets of the testimony engraved with the Ten Commandments; seeing the people dancing about their idol, he breaks the tablets, destroys the golden calf, and has the primary culprits put to death. He then returns to G‑d to say: “If You do not forgive them, blot me out from the book that You have written.”

G‑d forgives, but says that the effect of their sin will be felt for many generations. At first G‑d proposes to send His angel along with them, but Moses insists that G‑d Himself accompany His people to the promised land.

Moses prepares a new set of tablets and once more ascends the mountain, where G‑d reinscribes the covenant on these second tablets. On the mountain, Moses is also granted a vision of the divine thirteen attributes of mercy. So radiant is Moses’ face upon his return, that he must cover it with a veil, which he removes only to speak with G‑d and to teach His laws to the people.

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