OCTOBER 5 • 2023 | 41
J
N
SPIRIT
A Special Time
for Those We Love
W
hen Rachel and I
were getting mar-
ried, my in-laws
(the Tesslers) and their friends
threw a wedding shower based
on the Jewish holidays.
Each family gave us a
wonderful and mean-
ingful present based on
the theme of the holiday,
with a poem or a few
choice words.
The dear friends who
got Shemini Atzeret as
their holiday wrote a
very funny song with
the theme: “But why,
oh, why? What did we
do? How do we get —
Shemini Atzeret?”
It was very funny;
but, of course, Shemini
Atzeret is one of the great
holidays of our tradition and
does have its own theme, even
though it might seem to be bur-
ied among the more prominent
holidays before it. So permit me
a few words on how excited I
am to be approaching Shemini
Atzeret.
Shemini Atzeret contains one
of the most beautiful midrashim
about God’s relationship with
the Jewish people. After busy
Sukkot, which celebrates all of
nature, God wants one more
day to spend just with us. “It is
so hard for Me to say goodbye!”
as the Midrash says. God needs
more time with us — to be able
to focus just on us.
The Jewish people certainly
have a mission of being a light
onto the nations, engaging in
tikkun olam; “stranger and
citizen, they will thrive within
Jewish society” Leviticus says.
However, on Shemini Atzeret,
the focus is on God’s relation-
ship with the Jewish people and
that deep and personal bond
based on our Jewish tradition,
Torah, the culture that we have
built up over thousands of years
and the love we have for
each other as a people, a
family and a nation.
But what makes Shemini
Atzeret special as a
holiday? How can it teach
us that God loves us and
wants to spend time with
us? In ancient days it was
reflected in the sacrifices.
Yet, today, our prophets tell
us to replace sacrifices with
words. So I would suggest
on Shemini Atzeret, today,
we use our mouths to
elevate our relationships
with each other.
It might start with the “Happy
Holiday” — Chag Sameach —
to someone we never talk to or
a stranger. We should be doing
this anyway, but on Shemini
Atzeret let’s do it with kavanah
— with intention, knowing that
this Jewish person near us is
engaged in the same amazing
relationship with God that we
are. Let’s get to know each other
better.
I hope that on this Shemini
we use our mouths to celebrate
the Jewish people, our 4,000-
year relationship with God and
the love of Jews not only to the
world, but also within the Jewish
people themselves.
Why, oh, why, did we get …
Shemini Atzeret? Because God
loves us and wants to show it
one more time.
Chag sameach from me.
Rabbi Asher Lopatin is rabbi of
Kehillat Etz Chaim in Huntington
Woods and Oak Park and the
executive director of the JCRC/AJC.
TORAH PORTION
Rabbi Asher
Lopatin
Parshat
Shemini
Atzeret:
Deuteronomy
14:22-16:17;
Numbers
29:35-30:1; I
Kings 8:54-
66.
Rugiero Promise Foundation along with
the University of Michigan Medicine Center
Present the 2023 Casino Royale
Help us find a cure for diabetes!
Oct 14th
5:30pm
The Icon-
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200 Walker St.
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RugieroPromise.org
or
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We invite you, your family and friends
to join us and participate!
We are Virtual with a Silent Auction,
Raffles, Prizes
and Direct Donations
Although we cannot gather with 500 people as
we have done in the past, we will still do our part
to fight this horrible disease.
This virtual event will be open to everyone and
will benefit our commitment in finding a cure
for Diabetes. Now more than ever families
facing Diabetes need our help. The CDC has
determined people with diabetes that get COVID-
19 do face a higher risk of experiencing seri-
ous complications.
Information on how to connect to the
CASINO ROYALE
VIRTUAL SILENT AUCTION
AND RAFFLE EVENT
will be posted on the Foundation website,
so keep checking back:
http://www.rugieropromise.org
OR
Sign up at rpromisefund@yahoo.com
to receive an invitation for this
exciting-FUN virtual event.
BID HIGH…WIN RAFFLE DRAW…DONATE
Together we make a difference
supporting Diabetes!
HELP US
FIND A CURE
FOR DIABETES!
Rugiero Promise Foundation along
with the University of Michigan
Medicine Center
Present the
VIRTUAL
2020 CASINO ROYALE
SILENT AUCTION & RAFFLE
October 22-24, 2020
RugieroPromise.org
or
RPromisefund@yahoo.com
We invite you, your family and friends
to join us and participate!
We are Virtual with a Silent Auction,
Raffles, Prizes
and Direct Donations
Although we cannot gather with 500 people as
we have done in the past, we will still do our part
to fight this horrible disease.
This virtual event will be open to everyone and
will benefit our commitment in finding a cure
for Diabetes. Now more than ever families
facing Diabetes need our help. The CDC has
determined people with diabetes that get COVID-
19 do face a higher risk of experiencing seri-
ous complications.
Information on how to connect to the
CASINO ROYALE
VIRTUAL SILENT AUCTION
AND RAFFLE EVENT
will be posted on the Foundation website,
so keep checking back:
http://www.rugieropromise.org
OR
Sign up at rpromisefund@yahoo.com
to receive an invitation for this
exciting-FUN virtual event.
BID HIGH…WIN RAFFLE DRAW…DONATE
Together we make a difference
supporting Diabetes!
HELP US
FIND A CURE
FOR DIABETES!
Rugiero Promise Foundation along
with the University of Michigan
Medicine Center
Present the
VIRTUAL
2020 CASINO ROYALE
SILENT AUCTION & RAFFLE
October 22-24, 2020
Thank you to our
2017 Sponsors
Sponsors as of 9/1/2017
RugieroPromise.org
or
RPromisefund@yahoo.com
We invite you, your family and friends
to join us and participate!
We are Virtual with a Silent Auction,
Raffles, Prizes
and Direct Donations
Although we cannot gather with 500 people as
we have done in the past, we will still do our part
to fight this horrible disease.
This virtual event will be open to everyone and
will benefit our commitment in finding a cure
for Diabetes. Now more than ever families
facing Diabetes need our help. The CDC has
determined people with diabetes that get COVID-
19 do face a higher risk of experiencing seri-
ous complications.
Information on how to connect to the
CASINO ROYALE
VIRTUAL SILENT AUCTION
AND RAFFLE EVENT
will be posted on the Foundation website,
so keep checking back:
http://www.rugieropromise.org
OR
Sign up at rpromisefund@yahoo.com
to receive an invitation for this
exciting-FUN virtual event.
BID HIGH…WIN RAFFLE DRAW…DONATE
Together we make a difference
supporting Diabetes!
HELP US
FIND A CURE
FOR DIABETES!
Rugiero Promise Foundation along
with the University of Michigan
Medicine Center
Present the
VIRTUAL
2020 CASINO ROYALE
SILENT AUCTION & RAFFLE
October 22-24, 2020
Join This Team of Players!
October 28, 2017
at the Dearborn
Performing
Arts Center
RugieroPromise.org
or
RPromisefund@yahoo.com
Be a Victor!
Help us find a cure
for Diabetes
For Sponsorship
Opportunities
& Tickets Go To:
RugieroPromise.org
or
RPromisefund@yahoo.com
We invite you, your family and friends
to join us and participate!
We are Virtual with a Silent Auction,
Raffles, Prizes
and Direct Donations
Although we cannot gather with 500 people as
we have done in the past, we will still do our part
to fight this horrible disease.
This virtual event will be open to everyone and
will benefit our commitment in finding a cure
for Diabetes. Now more than ever families
facing Diabetes need our help. The CDC has
determined people with diabetes that get COVID-
19 do face a higher risk of experiencing seri-
ous complications.
Information on how to connect to the
CASINO ROYALE
VIRTUAL SILENT AUCTION
AND RAFFLE EVENT
will be posted on the Foundation website,
so keep checking back:
http://www.rugieropromise.org
OR
Sign up at rpromisefund@yahoo.com
to receive an invitation for this
exciting-FUN virtual event.
BID HIGH…WIN RAFFLE DRAW…DONATE
Together we make a difference
supporting Diabetes!
HELP US
FIND A CURE
FOR DIABETES!
Rugiero Promise Foundation along
with the University of Michigan
Medicine Center
Present the
VIRTUAL
2020 CASINO ROYALE
SILENT AUCTION & RAFFLE
October 22-24, 2020
We invite you to join our annual event with a Strolling Supper and Bar,
Dancing, Entertainment, Live & Silent Auctions, and Prizes
For more info visit www.rugieropromise.org or call Ann at 313-590-7493
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GREENBAUM
— Certified Mohel —
855ABoy@gmail.com
Office: (248) 547-7970
Answering all of your anesthetic
& aftercare needs.
(248) 417-5632
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come together to create your special Bris.
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