NO Services - Coronavirus is Spiking so We are Paused
No Services this Week
Coronavirus is Spiking so We are Pausing Until Safe
The shul IS NOT open for services this Shabbos due to the spike in coronavirus cases. We will, G-d willing, reopen as soon as it is deemed safe.
Weekly Sermon Friday @ 5pm on Facebook Live
Join Rabbi Eilfort this afternoon at 5pm as he gives his weekly sermon as a Facebook Live event. If you have not already done so, please send Rabbi Eilfort (Yeruchem Eilfort) a Friend Request on Facebook!
Shabbat Nachamu
The Shabbat after the 9th of Av is called Shabbat Nachamu, so named because of the Haftarah, the reading from the Prophets. The word Nachamu means “You shall be comforted.” The word is actually repeated, which would then translate, “You will surely be comforted.” Our sages tell us it is repeated so that we should be comforted for the destruction of both Holy Temples (the first by the Babylonians and the second by the Romans).
Hashem knows, that we need an abundance of comforting! The Jewish people need to find comfort, indeed we are promised that we WILL find comfort THIS Shabbos!
But, and this is an important caveat, in order to find comfort we must make ourselves into a proper receptacle to receive it. This Shabbos let us all resolve to make ourselves ready to receive the comfort the Prophet promises, as we seek comfort from the Almighty.
Membership – Will You Commit?
Dear Friends,
So far the year 2020 has been filled with opportunities. We have been presented with the opportunity to test ourselves as our country and our world has faced the devastation of the coronavirus pandemic. I know that I never thought that I would live in such times, and bet many of you feel the same. The health and wellbeing of each and every one of us has been severely threatened, the economy has undergone a tremendous shock, and a massive strain has been placed on our relationships and this community.
I learned in Yeshiva that tests are indeed opportunities, strange as that may sound. In Hebrew the same word for test, “Nisayon” is the root of the word for miracle, “Nes.” A Nes/miracle is when G-d suspends the rules of nature so as to reveal Himself in a supernatural way. Its root is to raise up. Therefore a test is an opportunity to raise ourselves up to a level otherwise inaccessible to us.
Our community, our beloved Chabad at La Costa, has not been immune to these opportunities. We have striven to rise to the occasion, and because of YOU we have risen to the occasion!
G-d bless all of you who have been instrumental in keeping us going. G-d bless those of you who despite (or perhaps because of) the coronavirus have stepped forward, dug deep, and made meaningful and ongoing contributions to our community.
What have your donations accomplished?
Your donations have fed many people spiritually and physically. Our lights are still on, spiritually and physically. We continue to be here for our community spiritually and physically. Our expenses have not decreased because of the pause in services. In fact, they have increased. Not only have many of our streams of income ceased (like catering and our barbecues, and Aliyah donations, and Hebrew school tuitions) but our expenses have increased as we continue to help people who face financial and spiritual crises. We are teaching more Torah, making more phone calls, counseling more people, and touching the lives of people in meaningful ways.
We therefore turn to you with the following requests: if you need help, let us know! We will do our utmost to help. If you can help others, let us know! If you can find your way to make a monthly contribution to our joint endeavor please demonstrate your commitment by becoming a member now.
We are asking all of those who can – please make a monthly financial commitment to us, to the Jewish community of this area, so that we can continue to serve the Jewish community of this area. We have always been and must always be self-supportive. That means we need you to step forward at this time of great opportunity!
Despite our increased budget we are not increasing our membership rates. Please note that our membership rates are lower than other communities’. It is not that we offer less. In fact, we offer more than we ever have. Those who can afford it and want to give more than the minimum are our heroes!
Please get back to me at your earliest convenience. I will send you this year’s membership form. You can also securely donate immediately by following the link found below. You can choose to make your gift monthly, which is deeply appreciated!
G-d bless you and thank you so much for your friendship and support!
Rabbi Eilfort
Jewish Art Calendar
It is calendar season! Yes, we are running a bit late thanks to our ubiquitous friend the coronavirus. But never fear; we will again offer our gorgeous Jewish Art Calendar! Those who wish to sponsor the calendar, or run an ad/s, or dedicate a date are encouraged to reach out to our Rebbetzin Nechama via email at [email protected], or simply reply to this message for the calendar form.
Looking forward to hearing from you!
BBQ Picnic to GO
Watch your email for our Summer Kosher Food Program! BBQ Picnic to Go Family Special $72 for a family of FOUR. Starting this Sunday. (You can find more information on our website under the Visitor tab.)
Easy Fundraising Opportunity
First, let us take this opportunity to thank all of those who have had Facebook Birthday Fundraisers for Chabad at La Costa! I cannot tell you how much Nechama & I appreciate it! The money we have received through these fundraisers has helped our shul continue with programming, delivering soup and challah as well as other activities.
Do you have a birthday coming up? We would be honored if you would consider making our shul the recipient of your birthday fundraiser. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to celebrate your birthday and do a wonderful Mitzvah at the same time? Thank you for your consideration and Happy Birthday!
Chicken Soup, Challah Available
Those who live near Chabad at La Costa are welcome to let us know if you want some delicious Challah and/or Chicken Soup delivered to you on Friday to help you celebrate Shabbat in the most delicious way possible.
Please note that all food is prepared and delivered using recommended safeguards.
Sponsors Appreciated (And Needed)
These are extraordinary times. Many people are reaching out for help and, Baruch Hashem / thank G-d, we are HERE to help! ‘We’ means YOU and US, TOGETHER. It is an amazing partnership that we have!
We are extremely grateful to those who have reached out to help fund us, enabling us to serve others.
We would like to specifically acknowledge at this time:
Channah Hale for her generous sponsorship of the Challahs. Channah has been absolutely phenomenal in her generous sponsorships! We thank her for her kindness and love.
We are seeking additional sponsors for the following dedications:
Next week’s Loaves of Love.
Next week’s Chicken soup.
Next week’s Torah classes.
Note About Sponsorships
You may have noticed that we seek multiple sponsors for the Challah, Soup, and Torah classes. We do this because we need to find ways to cover our budgetary shortfall that has been caused by the coronavirus. The donations coming to the shul have been dramatically reduced. We greatly appreciate those of you who are still supporting us! G-d bless you! We greatly appreciate your understanding as we seek ways of propping up the income necessary to keep things afloat. Your ideas about additional income streams are likewise greatly appreciated!
Ways to Give
We would be nowhere without the generous support of our community. Please know that your support is profoundly appreciated!
There are many ways to donate besides for checks and cash. Following please find a list of the various other ‘platforms’ that are available for secure donations that go directly and entirely into the synagogue account.
1. PayPal [email protected] or PayPal.me/Neilfort
2. Venmo @Nechama-Eilfort
3. Cashapp $nechamae
4. Zelle (Bank of America) [email protected]
5. Personal credit card chabadatlacosta.com/donate
Havdala Live with Rabbi Yossi
Join Rabbi Yossi Rodal on Facebook Live on Saturday night at 8:30pm for a meaningful Havdalah service. Following Havdalah Rabbi Yossi will share an uplifting Chasidic story as is traditional on Saturday night.
A Word of Torah
Living with the Times
Parshat Va’etchanan – And I Beseeched
By: Rabbi Yeruchem Eilfort
This week we read the Torah Portion titled, ‘Va’Etchanan’, which means ‘And I beseeched.” This portion is full with meaning and significance, as it recounts the giving of the Aseret HaDibrot / 10 Commandments and the Shma Yisroel / Hear O Israel. These passages are monumental and have literally changed not only the trajectory of the Jewish people, but of the entire world.
The Shma clearly and decisively demonstrates the Oneness of G-d; that He not only created the world and everything in it, but also that He is a personal G-d, involved in the daily details of our lives. The 10 Commandments emphasize the importance of acknowledging the One, True G-d, as well as G-d’s divine commandments. They bring into sharp relief the sanctity of the individual human life, human relationships, property rights, and even our attitude towards the possessions of others. In other words, it offers us the foundational necessities of society. Its laws are in stark contrast to the accepted norms of those days, when humanity lived strictly by the dictate of ‘survival of the fittest,’ making humanity comparable to the animal kingdom, and what humanity has (hopefully) evolved into, a society that cares for and insures justice for its weak and oppressed equally with the powerful.
However, there is one small passage that I wish to focus on this week. The Torah states, “You shall do what is fair and good in the eyes of G-d, so that it will be good for you, and you shall come and possess the good land that G-d swore to your forefathers…” (Deut. 6:18). The classic commentary simply explains the words, “fair and good,” as meaning, “compromise and going beyond the letter of the law.”
These days debates are raging about a whole host of issues. Our country is clearly divided. Protests are ‘flourishing’ and wanton destruction of many cities abounds. Fierce debates regarding our rights versus our responsibilities are ubiquitous.
As Jews should we be keenly aware of our Constitutional rights? The answer is that no people has a more profound interest in jealously guarding our rights than we Jews have. We have been victimized by everyone from lone gunmen to entire governments. Here, in the United States, described by the Rebbe as a “Nation of lovingkindness,” we have been largely spared systemic oppression and allowed to freely flourish, which has resulted in America’s Jewish community achieving unprecedented blessings.
With that being said, as individuals, it would seem that the words of Rashi mentioned above should inform our daily lives and the choices we make.
There is a Constitutional ‘right,’ and there is the ‘right’ thing to do. Both are important! But the Torah tells us to seek compromise and to go beyond the letter of the law. Compromise only applies when there are two oppositional positions. Going beyond the letter of the law means being willing to forgo what may be rightfully yours (in order to help someone who needs it).
Let us focus on doing what is fair and good, even when that means adjusting our personal claims. That doesn’t mean our rights aren’t important! It means that sometimes our rights do not insure fairness nor goodness, both of which lead us to the ultimate reward, as the passage continues, “so that it will be good for you…” (emphasis added).
Wishing everyone an uplifting, joyous, and HEALTHY Shabbos!
Haftarah Thought
From: Chabad.org Isaiah 40:1–26
This week’s haftorah is the first of a series of seven “haftarot of Consolation.” These seven haftarot commence on the Shabbat following Tisha B’Av and continue until Rosh Hashanah.
This section of Isaiah begins with G‑d’s exhortation to the prophets: “Console, O console My people . . . Announce to Jerusalem that her period of exile has been fulfilled and that her sins have been forgiven.”
Isaiah’s prophecy describes some of the miraculous events that will unfold with the onset of the messianic era, such as the return of the exiles to Jerusalem, the revelation of G‑d’s glory, and the rewards and retribution that will then be meted out.
The prophet then goes on to comfort the people, describing G‑d’s power and might, and reassuring them of His care for His people.
