Congregation Chesed V'Emes/A Little Chat About This and That Issue
B’H”
Ira Axelrod (617) 731-8316
A Little Chat About This and That Issue #3
27 Tishri 5769 October 25, 2008
Dear Friends:
It has been a LONG time since I last distributed “A Little Chat…”, so it is now way overdue that I communicate with you on many matters.
An Invitation
You presumably have now seen our flyer for our upcoming Golden Shabbaton at the Aishel Center (102 Salisbury Road, Brookline). Shabbos, November 1, will feature almost a whole day of special activities, beginning with Schacharis at 9:15 a.m., followed by Kiddish at about 11 a.m. The latter commemorates the 50th anniversary of my bar mitzvah, and I would considerate it a privilege to welcome you to help me celebrate it. Later in the day (3:15 p.m.), I will deliver the latest in my increasingly well-attended “T” Time series of lectures. This one, entitled, “When the Air is Filled With Speeches – and Vice Versa”, will demonstrate how politics, in general, and the forthcoming election, in particular, will impact the Torah community. As always, it is open to men AND WOMEN. This time, after the lecture and some light refreshments, we will also hold a minyan for Mincha (at about 5 p.m.), then proceed to Shallos Seudos, Maariv and Havdalah. Again, everyone is cordially invited to everything.
Aishel Center
With each passing day, more and more individuals become familiar, usually through personal experiences, with the activities at the Aishel Center. Almost everyone knows of our involvement with hachnosas orchim, free shidduchim, kashrus information, kiruv rechokim, working with gerim and counseling in personal and sensitive areas. Yet, there are small, but highly useful activities we are involved in that may also make your life easier. Do you need to move and require the presence of boxes, foam “peanuts”, etc? We have them to GIVE to you, saving you a nice bit of change at a store. Do you want to learn how to bake a GREAT challah? Every few weeks, my wife, Nancy, bakes a batch and is happy to share her secrets with all comers. Speaking of Nancy, on Sunday night, November 9, she is hosting an old-fashioned Tupperware Party at the Aishel Center (7 p.m.). It is a lot of fun and you may find items there that you need! Having a simcha and expecting out-of-town friends and relatives, who can’t afford the outrageous local hotel rooms (if they are even available)? At the Aishel Center, we may be able to help by putting a few of them up. The list goes on. If we don’t do it, we usually know somebody who does! Just give us a call!
Community Services
There are some areas where others in the community have already taken the lead, and we do our best to learn about them and publicize their work. At this time, we want to spotlight two particular sources of help, while giving them a big “yasher koach” for what they do. The first is the Chair Gemacht sponsored by Chaim and Leah Dovek, who have been doing this for everyone’s events for a number of years. A newer, but equally important, mitzvah is performed by Ettel Posy, with her Ride Gemacht. In her case, in particular, it is not only important to call when LOOKING for a ride to New York, bur to think of her project when you are in a position to OFFER one.
