“Friend” us on Facebook and stay tuned for upcoming events, classes & happenings

CLICK ON DANCING CHOSID IMAGE TO LAUNCH OUR FACEBOOK PAGE.

Annual Community Wide Public Menorah Display Project

Your complete chanukah mega site. December 20 – 28, 2011

Your Complete Sukkot Holiday Guide

CKI’S NEW spacious and inviting Sukkah!

CKI’S NEW spacious and inviting Sukkah!

Open to the public for Sukkot

Thanks to a generous grant by Mr. & Mrs. Eitan & Johanna Baron & Mr. Peter Gordenstein and several other’s who contributed, we are excited to announce that Cong. Kol Israel’s new Sukkah (& year-round pergola) and rear backyard patio, will be larger and more beautiful then ever and above all, opened to the public for the duration of sukkot for meals and socializing.

If you would like to arrange access, please contact Rabbi Ari for the combination to the lockbox and other shul instructions.

To DONATE towards the NEW Sukkah fund, please CLICK HERE

Why an Eruv?

A Community Eruv

Every Friday night at sundown thousands of Jews in Brooklyn, NY and millions throughout the world begin celebrating the Sabbath. The Sabbath is a time of communal prayer, rest, study, and relaxation with family and friends.

CLICK ON ERUV IMAGE TO ENLARGE

One of the Sabbath laws derived from the Bible is a prohibition, as observed by traditional Jews, against performing work on the Sabbath. This prohibition includes the carrying of objects. The recognized exception to the prohibition against carrying is carrying within a private area‑‑defined as an area with set borders surrounded by a wall. In the ancient past, cities and neighborhoods were enclosed by walls, and the entire city or neighborhood was considered as one large private area. Accordingly, carrying was allowed on the Sabbath within these cities or neighborhoods. In the absence of a walled city or neighborhood, many communities throughout the world have established, pursuant to Jewish law, a symbolic wall called an “eruv” to surround the community for the sole purpose of permitting, within the eruv, carrying on the Sabbath.

What is an eruv?

An eruv is a symbolic enclosure that surrounds the Jewish community. Under Jewish law, carrying on the Sabbath is allowed within the eruv because the entire area within the eruv is considered as if a single property. An eruv may consist of natural boundaries such as a river bank or of walls, fences, buildings, or hedges. It can also consist of designated utility poles and wires (electric, telephone and/or cable) or strings, as long as the perimeter of the community eruv is uninterrupted.

Why is an eruv important to the Jewish community?

The celebration of the Sabbath is a communal celebration. Traditional families do not drive, but walk together to synagogue for prayers, and then gather to eat, visit, and study with family and friends.

In the absence of an eruv, children cannot be carried or pushed in stroller to synagogue or other family activities.

People requiring wheelchairs, walkers, crutches or canes cannot use these outside their homes. Those who take medication frequently must stay home because they cannot carry their medication with them.

Without an eruv there is a significant diminution of the enjoyment of the Sabbath for the entire community. Those with disabilities, and families with infants and small children are especially affected.

In communities with an eruv, families are permitted to carry or take their small children in strollers to the synagogue, homes of grandparents and friends, or even to the park for a swing. People with disabilities are able to use their wheelchairs and other devices. Families and people with disabilities can celebrate and enjoy the Sabbath with the community.

An eruv not only enhances the quality of life in the Jewish community, but also makes the community much more attractive to those considering relocating to a new community. For many young couples, the presence of an eruv is key to their decision of where to live and raise a family.

TO DONATE TO THE ERUV FUND PLEASE CLICK HERE AND WRITE ERUV IN THE MEMO

Or mail a check made out to Mesivta Reishis Chochma and mail 765 St Johns Pl #2A Brooklyn, NY 11216 and add ERUV FUND in the memo.

Sale of Chometz form

בס”ד

Delegation of Power of Attorney
for Sale of Chometz

It is traditional not only to put your leavened products out of sight during Passover, but also to sell them through a Rabbi to a non-jew. This is done in order to fulfill the commandment of not owning any Chometz.

Kindly print, complete, sign and return this  form and email it to rabbiari@brooklynyid.com or fax (718.504.4019) us by Friday, April 17^th 2011.

I _________________________________ fully empower and permit Rabbi Ari Kirschenbaum to act on my behalf to sell all Chametz/ Mixtures of Chometz owned by me, as defined by the Torah and Rabbinic Law, particularly at the address/es listed below, and elsewhere. This power is in conformity with all Torah, Rabbinic and Civic laws.

Residence Address ________________________________ Apt. ______

City/State/Zip _______________________________________________

Business Address _________________________________ Suite ______

City/State/Zip _______________________________________________

Signature _______________________________ Date _______________

Must be signed by head of household, and preferably by all parties.

Best wishes for a happy, healthy and kosher Passover.

Any donations or contributions accompanying your form will be distributed to the local needy families to assist with Passover expenses.

Rabbi Ari Kirschenbaum
Director
Chabad Prospect Heights & Fort Greene

Shul Pesach Cleaning & Southern style BBQ Smoked Ribs & Brisket

“True happiness comes from the joy of deeds well done, the zest of creating things new.”Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Dear Friends,

The shul provides us a place to rejoice, share and spiritually connect and sometimes, it needs us to physically connect with it and it’s upkeep.

This upcoming Sunday, April 10, at 10am we would like to invite you to join us in preparing Congregation Kol Israel for Pesach. Various small forms of maintenance need to be done and with enough of us, we can get it done quickly, starting from the women’s section to the basement. If you have building tools (hammers, screws, etc.) and gentle cleaning items (brooms, paper towel, dusters, etc.), please feel free to bring them.

Thanks to Phillip Gerschel & Adam SaNoguira, we will have a meat smoker for a tasty BBQ following cleanup.

While you do NOT have to RSVP it is appreciated so they may prepare accordingly. It would also help knowing what cleaning utensils you intend on bringing so we don’t end up with 40 rolls of toilet paper and one dustpan

Sponsors Welcome

Special thanks to Mellina Paez for initiating the project.

Thank you!
Rabbi Ari Kirschenbaum

Weekly Talmud class for women & Men

Join us for our weekly Talmud class with Rabbi Ari Kirschenbaum held every Wednesday at 8:00pm at Cong. Kol Israel of Prospect Heights 603 St Johns Pl. We ask all attending to please be prompt.

This class is intended to be accessible to people of all learning levels. Translations for texts will be available. While the theme is continual, you may attend any given week or if you missed a week. We will offer a short review of the previous session at the beginning of every class.

Class is every Wednesday evening, 8:00-9:30pm Location: Cong Kol Israel of Prospect Heights 603 St Johns Pl.

Please also feel free to share this information with anyone else you know who might be interested. Thank you.

more info: 347.787.0864 or info@brooklynyid.com

Gemara Skill Building class at Kol Israel

The curriculum and educational model is under the leadership of Rabbi Dovid Neiburg (see biography below).

Rabbi Dovid Neiburg

Next Page »