Shabbat Shalom, Beth Torah!
Saturday | 9:30 a.m.
We are delighted to be open and holding Shabbat morning services onsite. Please join us, no registration is necessary.
Those unable to attend in person are invited to join us online for our livestreamed services.
Shabbat Info
Friday, January 17 | Tevet 17, 5785
4:51 p.m. Light Shabbat candles
Saturday, January 18| Tevet 18, 5785
9:30 a.m. Shabbat Morning Service
5:57 p.m. Shabbat ends
Parshat – Shemot
Torah Reading
Exodus 1:1 – 6:1
Parshat Shemot Insights
.וְאֵלֶּה, שְׁמוֹת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, הַבָּאִים מִצְרָיְמָה אֵת יַעֲקֹב, אִישׁ וּבֵיתוֹ בָּאוּ
And these are the names of the sons of Israel, who came to Egypt with Jacob, each came with his household. (Shemot 1:1)
Names are important. They represent us. Nicknames and honorifics give insight into who we are and what others think of us. The genealogies in our texts trace the heritage of our people, giving insight into our origins, our present, and our future. Seventy souls are listed going to Egypt. Among them is a young woman, Serach Bat Asher (Breishit 46:17). Unlike everyone who accompanied her, Serach will leave Egypt during the exodus. Serach is the keeper of our communal knowledge. When Moshe arrives in Egypt, he says, “פָּקֹד יִפְקֹד” (Shemot 13:19). “God will surely remember you.” Serach recognizes this phrase handed down from Jacob to Joseph and to her. She tells Moshe where Joseph is buried, fulfilling Joseph’s request to be buried in our land.
Remembering those who came before us can spark institutional memory and the sharing of tradition, stories, and history. It can mark important moments and events. This year, Parashat Shemot immediately precedes International Holocaust Remembrance Day, marking the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau. As we read the names of Jacob’s sons, we see the familial connections. We are connected to these seventy people and to the 400,000 who leave. We are connected to those who perished and those who survived the Holocaust. We are connected to the men and women whose pictures we see each week in our sanctuary. We are connected to communities affected by antisemitism and to those affected by fire. Although we occupy different households, although we are individuals, we are also family, by birth and by choice, with a shared history, present, and future. Throughout Sefer Shemot, Jacob’s family will grow into a great nation, but we are reminded that, through it all, we are connected. No matter where we roam, no matter what distance separates us, Whether Toronto, Pasadena, Sydney, or Ramat Gan, we are connected through time and space. פָּקֹד יִפְקֹד, God will surely remember us.
On Monday, as we mark International Holocaust Remembrance Day, I will light two candles. A candle remembering my family who were murdered at Auschwitz, and a candle blessing those who survived, persevering so that my grandparents, my parents, my children, and I could continue to celebrate our Jewishness, to share our family stories and traditions, and to love and laugh and support the next generation. Like Serach, they lived to carry our stories, our traditions,
our knowledge, and our Jewish spirit.
Shabbat shalom.
Rav Jen
Kiddush Sponsor
This weeks kiddush is sponsored by: Brian and Shelly Feldman in honour of Rabbi Aaron Rotenberg’s S’Michah.
Guest Rabbi
Beth Torah welcomes Rabbi Aaron Rotenberg as our guest Rabbi this week. Please give him a gracious and warm welcome.
Weekday Morning Minyan at Adath Israel
UPDATE!
Many of our members attend Adath Israel’s weekday morning minyan services.
Beth Torah’s Yahrzeits will be read during services at Adath Israel from Monday – Friday. Morning minyan services begin at 7:30 a.m. with breakfast following.
Weekly Yahrzeit Listings
Week of January 18th Yahrzeit Listings
Jordan Appleby, Nephew of Tolsa and Jack Greenberg, January 18, 2025.
Israel Szuch, cousin of Shirley Korenblum, January 18, 2025.
David Bross, Father of Allon Bross, January 19, 2025.
Stanley Mostyn, Brother-in-law of Nannette (Honey) Mostyn, January 19, 2025.
Harry Schwartz, Father of Ken Schwartz and Maureen Warren, father-in-law of Gayla
Schwartz, January 19, 2025.
Minnie Abbey, Grandmother of Mitchell Abbey, January 20, 2025.
Leonard Dezenhouse, Husband of Fern Lukofsky, father of Pam Davis, father-in-law of Glenn
Davis, grandfather of Joshua and Geoffrey Davis, January 20, 2025.
Mary Kirshenblatt, Mother of Ernie Kirsh, mother-in-law of Norma Kirsh, January 20, 2025.
Martin Baranek, Father of Marlene and Leonard Baranek, father-in-law of Ita Kleiner-Baranek,
January 21, 2025.
Shirley Giblon, Mother of Frank Giblon, mother-in-law of Roslyn Kleiner, January 21, 2025.
Abraham Kaufman, Father of Debra Katz, January 21, 2025.
Pearl Lipson, Mother of Helen Lipson-Fox, January 21, 2025.
Doba Yermus, Mother of Leon Yermus, mother-in-law of Freda and Helen Yermus, January
21, 2025.
Mark Dulberg, Brother of Elana Dulberg, January 22, 2025.
Benjamin Kaplan, Father of David Kaplan, father-in-law of Natalie Kaplan, January 22, 2025.
Leo Kleiner, Father of Roslyn Kleiner, father-in-law of Frank Giblon, January 22, 2025.
Betty Rosenthal, Mother of Sharon Rosenthal, January 22, 2025.
Sandy Cusmariu, Father of Jerry Cusmariu, father-in-law of Debbie Cusmariu, January 23,
2025.
Monty Levitt, Father of John Levitt, father-in-law of Margie Levitt, January 23, 2025.
Jerry Farb, Father of Stephen Farb, father-in-law of Esther Yermus, January 24, 2025.
Gertrude Katz, Mother-in-law of Debra Katz, January 24, 2025.
Eve Violet Rubenstein, Grandmother of Mark and Ira Tytel, January 24, 2025.
Nathan Yermus, Father of Helen Leiderman, brother of Leon Yermus, father-in-law of Mel
Leiderman, brother-in-law of Freda and Helen Yermus, January 24, 2025.