What’s Happening at Local West Orange Synagogues

Shabbos Groups at B’nei Torah
Bring the entire family to Congregation B'nei Torah! For many years, Congregation B'nei Torah has been the best-kept secret in West Orange for Jews seeking an uplifting religious experience where they could focus on personal growth and developing a meaningful relationship with Hakadosh Baruch Hu. To further their religious mission of providing for the religious needs of every member, Congregation B'nei Torah has begun Shabbos morning groups for children ages 3-6. These groups, led by an experienced youth leader, feature children's davening, stories from the Parshas Hashavua, games, prizes and much more. Groups take place from 8:45-10:45 a.m. every Shabbos morning to conveniently coincide with the bulk of the Shabbos morning prayer service. Come join the minyan this coming Shabbos morning and bring your children along! Everyone is welcome to come and grow along with us.

Yomim Noraim
A sense of mission and purpose permeates the atmosphere of the B’nei Torah minyan and the Kollel as the Yomim Noraim (High Holidays) quickly approach. In less than two short weeks, we will once again be inspired by the uplifting words, stirring melodies and the sound of the shofar that mark these most special of days.

Our Rabbis teach us that it is impossible to enter into these Days of Awe without making the proper preparations, and B’nei Torah is busy preparing both physically and spiritually to greet the new year.  On the “physical” side, the seating committee has been hard at work to make certain that everyone will be happy with their seat, while the House committee is making sure that the hours spent in shul for the Rosh Hashono davenings are as comfortable as can be. Although demand for seats – especially the good ones, where you can hear every word the Rov says – is very strong, there are still choice spots remaining for whomever wishes to join with us for either Rosh Hashono, Yom Kippur or both. An anonymous donor has agreed to sponsor seats for all men and women whose last names contain at least one vowel so, as with all B’nei Torah programs, there will be no cost associated with having a seat. In keeping with past practice, the Kibbud committee plans to have a 100% kibbud distribution rate.

On the spiritual side, a group has been meeting on a nightly basis – Sunday through Thursday – with Rabbi Stone to pursue the study of Shaarei Tshuvah, the classic work on repentance authored hundreds of years ago by Rabbeinu Yonah but which is still as relevant today as it was when it was written. Following Maariv at the Kollel, they have been spending a half hour focused on understanding and appreciating the tshuvah (repentance) process and developing strategies to find the most effective methods of introspection for each individual that will enable them to approach this special season with the honesty critical for achieving true spiritual growth. In addition to the Shaarei Tshuvah group, the topic of doing real tshuvah has been a focus of the Rabbi’s talks on Shabbos. At B’nei Torah, we realize that the High Holiday season is a unique time to create a deep and meaningful relationship with HaShem, and everyone in the Kollel and MInyan is committed to taking full advantage of this opportunity.

Note: Because Rabbi Stone will be out of town for most of this coming week, the Shaarei Tshuvah group will not meet again until the Sunday night before Rosh Hashono.

The Davening
B’nei Torah is honored to have two exceptionally skilled baalei tefillah to serve again this year as the shaluchei tzibbur. Rabbi Jungreis, in addition to davening and leining so beautifully, will again be blowing shofar, while R’ Reuven Brown will daven the same moving Mussaf both days as he did last year. The pace of the davening will be slow enough for everyone to be able to understand and focus on the words being said. Rabbi Stone will speak a number of times over the course of the Yom Tov. And of course, there is the B’nei Torah guarantee of 100% satisfaction with the davening or your money back.

Mazel Tov
Hearty mazel tov wishes go out to Gabi Bayles and his siblings on the birth of their new baby sister, born to their parents Mr. and Mrs. Shmuel Baylis. The baby was born last week and named when Shmuel got an aliyah last Shabbos. A gala Kiddush in honor of the event, complete with Huggy Bears, is in the planning stages.

Who We Are
Torah study continues to be the focus of Congregation and Kollel B’nei Torah of West Orange. The Kollel will meet this week, as every week, on Monday through Wednesday nights, from 8:15 to 9:45. On Thursday night, it will be from 8:30 to 10. Maariv follows each night. The Kollel is held in the Sefardic Minyan at AABJD. All are welcome to come and experience the thrill and fulfillment of studying Torah one to one. B’nei Torah, with its minyan and Kollel, is dedicated to uplifting and enriching the lives of every Jew through Torah study, serious tefillah and atmosphere that stresses and encourages personal growth. No experience necessary – everyone is welcome to come and grow along with us.

Davening Times for Shabbos Parshas Ki Savo

Friday, Sept. 16
Mincha Erev Shabbos: 6:45 p.m.

Shabbos Day, Sept. 17
Brochos: 8:10 a.m.
Shochen Ad: 8:47 a.m.
1st Zman Krias Shma: 9:03 a.m.

Kiddush following davening
Daf Yomi following Kiddush
Learning Seder: 5:45 p.m.
Mincha: 6:35 p.m.
Maariv Motzei Shabbos: 7:53 p.m.

Weeknight Learning and Maariv - Week of Sept. 19
Learning: Monday – Wednesday 8:15–9:45 p.m.; Thursday 8:30–10:00 p.m.
Maariv (M,T,W): 9:45 (Th): 10 p.m (following Kollel; at AABJD Sephardic Wing) 

Reminder: The community mikvah will be available for use on erev Rosh Hashono and erev Yom Kippur.  Hours of operation to be determined.