Weekly Newsletter

Week of March 11, 2022
8 Adar II 5782
Shabbat Zachor Vayikra

Erev Shabbat March 11 (8 Adar II)
5:40p Candle Lighting

Shabbat Zachor Vayikra March 12 (9 Adar II)
9:30a Shabbat Services in SHUL with In-person Kiddush! 
6:40p Havdalah

Tuesday, March 15 (12 Adar II)
7p Rabbi Leead Staller's Parshat HaShavuah Shiur via ZOOM

Wednesday, Taanit Esther Erev Purim March 16 (13 Adar II)
5:53a Fast Begins
6:15p Maariv followed by Megillah
6:30p WTG Women's Megillah Reading
7:38p Fast Ends + Break Fast in Beit Midrash (Looking for Sponsors!)

Thursday, March 17 Purim (14 Adar II)
7:30a Shachrit and Megillah Reading (shaloch manos/gift baskets)
12 - 2p Grab and Go Seudah at Rabbi Leead's (194 E 2nd St. Outdoor Space)

Thank you to this Week's Donors

Jessica Spector & Raffi Abelson • Mona & Stephen Klaber • Lina Morales Rebecca Betensky & Jeremy Newberger • Phyllis & Paul Ruffer
Marc Schwartzberg • Michael Gordon & Julie Wolfe for Mishloach Manot
Margie Segal for Matanot l'Evyonim

Shabbat Zachor Kiddush
is sponsored by

Shul Officers Barry Feldman, Paul Ruffer
and Marc Schwartzberg

in honor of the Shul Board

P U R I M SCHEDULE

Wednesday, March 16 Taanit Esther
5:53am: Fast Begins
6:15pm: Maariv followed by Megillah
6:30pm: WTG Women's Megillah Reading 
7:38pm: Fast Ends + Break Fast Downstairs (Looking for Sponsors!)

Thursday, March 17 Purim
7:30am: Shachrit and Megillah Reading
12:00 - 2:00pm: Grab and Go Seudah 
@ Rabbi Leead's (194 E 2nd St. Outdoor Space)

Remember for a donation of $180 to the Shul you can fulfill your
Mitzvot of Mishloach Manot, Matanot LeEvyonim,
and help fund the Shul celebration of Purim!
Fulfill the Mitzvot of Mishloach Manot and Matanot l'Evyonim with The Stanton Street Shul

When you contribute $180, you will:

• Pick up a mishloach manot/shalach manos/gift bag after Megillah Reading at shul (we encourage each congregant to take a gift bag and hand it to a fellow congregant)
• Be listed as a contributor and have an opportunity to send Purim greetings in a congregation-wide announcement
• Fulfill the Purim mitzvah of Matanot l'Evyonim - a special charity for the poor on Purim

To sign up, click here and select "shalach manot" from the
donations drop down menu.

From Rabbi Leead

Drasha
Rabbis around the world are doing their best this Shabbat to do anything they can to avoid talking about this week’s Parasha. From Pesach to next Purim and everything in between, any topic is fair game when we get to Sefer VaYikra. But while the laws of sacrifices may be esoteric, inapplicable, and even unintuitive, I find them exciting, as an opportunity to engage with unadulterated divine ideas, unmitigated by the filter of personal experience and baggage. 

It goes without saying that the various categories of sacrifices in our Parshah contain a wealth of lessons and values to learn from. But rather than pontificate on abstractions like the value of “Thanksgiving,” I want to zoom in on a hyper specific detail of sacrificial categorization. In addition to the Korban Chatat, the sin offering, the Torah also details a Korban Asham, a guilt offering, which is brought in response to committing certain other sins than those that compel a Korban Chatat. I can understand why I need to distinguish between a Peace Offering and a Sin Offering– those two Korbanot accomplish entirely different goals. But why should I need a Sin Offering and a Guilt Offering? 

The Ramban points out that while it is undeniable that the Chatat is a Sin Offering, perhaps it is not accurate to refer to an Asham as a Guilt Offering. Rather, the Ramban identifies the root of the word “Asham” with the Hebrew word “Shmamah,” desolation or destruction. Based on that, the Ramban concludes that, in fact, the two sacrifices are not accomplishing the same thing at all. The Asham offering is a totally distinct sacrifice from the Sin Offering altogether, and is in fact, a “Desolation” Offering. But, while we can understand intuitively the role of Sin Offerings as repentance for wrong doing, what exactly is the function of this Desolation Offering? ...continued 

Click here for a full archive of Rabbi Staller's drashot

VOZ iz NAYES?
What's New?
This month we hear from Kressel Housman

I’ve heard that the phrase “people of the book” was meant to be an insult, but I choose not to take it that way. Neither, I think, does the historian Rabbi Berel Wein. He is fond of saying that if Jews are the people of any book, it’s the Gemara as opposed to the Written Torah. Either way, most Jews are bookish people. As I wrote in my column in our shul's annual bulletin, it was the existence of a shul book club that brought me to Stanton, though the progressive worldview was what got me to stay. I also wrote that Rabbi Staller spoke to me about chairing the social justice committee the first time I met him. Here it is, a little over a year later, and he’s found a much better fit for me. Stanton Street now has its own writing group! I’m so flattered to have been asked to run it!

Just as we are the “people of the book,” I firmly believe that everybody, whether Jewish or not, has the wherewithal to write a book. Language is the way we process the world, so writing talent comes naturally to most people. It’s more common than being able to carry a tune, and much more common than drawing ability. By the same logic, everyone has a body, so perhaps we could all be athletes if we’d put in the time and effort. Writing is similar. The difference between professional writers, hobbyists like me, and people who’ve never ventured to try, is time and practice.

As I write this, the last few Torah portions have been about the Mishkan. One Torah podcast I listen to asked the question: how was it known that Betzalel was fitting for the holy task of crafting vessels for the Mishkan? The answer is surprisingly simple. He didn’t have to take a test, show a portfolio, or give references. He had artistic talent, so it was understood that he was meant to use it al kiddush Hashem. And that is my prayer for our newly launched writing group. May all our talents be used for Hashem’s kavod and to create unity amongst ourselves and klal Yisroel.

To join our writing group, please be in touch. No experience necessary!

As we pray for the safety of our Jewish family in Ukraine and all communities in affected areas, we encourage you to do what you can to make a difference.

Please consider making a donation to UJA Federation. They and their partners have been on the ground in Ukraine since the beginning fulfilling emergency needs such as emergency relief for those who are homebound or have disabilities, humanitarian supplies, refugee aid, and the facilitation of Aliyah for those trying to leave the country.

Anything you can give will help support these efforts; thank you in advance for stepping up to support the critical needs in Ukraine as the crisis continues to unfold.
Kindly donate here.

Misheberach: We pray that all who are sick may have a full recovery. To add a name to our communal misheberach prayer list, email us. 

While scaling back because of Omicron has been hard on all of us, we've found beautiful moments as a Shul in those opportunities we do have to gather together. Since reducing in-person activities two months ago, we've been able to host a handful of weekday Yhartzeit Minyanim for congregants, facilitating their Kaddish, learning about their lost loved ones, and sharing in snacks and Mitzvot in their memory. 

If you have a Yhartzeit coming up, please reach out to Rabbi Leead to organize a Yhartzeit Minyan! These moments of gathering are so meaningful and special, but they need a little bit of forewarning to plan so don't be shy. 

And, as always, feel free to update your Shul account info with Yhartzeit dates either on your own, at www.stantonstshul.com, or email me or Jill with the info and we an input it for you.

The Stanton Street Shul COVID PROTOCOLS
(as of January 19, 2022)

While things in New York are starting to head in the right direction, as of right now, Omicron is still a threat and we remain cautious. Our vaccine and mask policy remain in place, and we will continue to suspend Kiddush, but we are hopeful that we will be able to, safely, resume in-person events in the near future.

Security Protocols for Entering Shul:
At all times as a security precaution, please use the code to enter the door on the right side of the building. If you do not know the code, knock and someone will let you in.

SPONSOR A CLASS
Please sponsor a virtual class for as little as $36. Thank you!!! 

Archive of classes on the Shul YouTube account

Women's Tefillah Group
Starting in February, the WTG will meet via ZOOM once a month on Sunday morning at 9:30am for tefillah, dvar Torah, and brunch. This will replace the WTG Zoom Rosh Chodesh services, which were held for over a year. 

Through May, WTG will meet on the 1st Sunday of every month, and from June through August on the 2nd Sunday of the month. 
Sunday, April 3rd
Sunday, May 1st
(Rosh Chodesh - hopefully this will be an in-person tefillah)
Sunday, June 12th
Sunday, July 10th
Sunday, August 14th
Please email Rachel if you would like to give a 5-10 minute dvar Torah on one of these dates. The February slot has already been filled. 

UPCOMING EVENTS

Mark your Calendars!

Wednesday, March 16th: Women's Megillah Reading on Purim 
Please contact Rivky Friedman to coordinate if you would like to read a portion of Megillat Esther (no experience necessary) and please spread the word!!

March 19th: Triangle Shirt Waist Factory Yhartzeit Kiddush sponsored by Elisssa Sampson and Jonathan Boyarin

StantonKIDS
This Shabbat: March 12th
March 26th / April 9th, 30th / May 7th, 21st / June 5th Shavuot, 18th 
Join Morah Eliza and Leslie
for games, celebration of holidays, snacks, songs and davening

Shabbat Shmooze
Another way to stay connected to congregants and let people know we care! 
Each Thursday, we will call a few congregants to chat, touch base,
and wish them Shabbat Shalom! 
Send all call requests, recommendations, or interest to Rabbi Staller

For those of you who missed our Volunteer Recruitment Meeting last week, it was a great start to enriching our community engagement and participation. Check out Rabbi Staller's slide show to review what we discussed and survey the committees and tasks available as volunteer opportunities.

Some examples of ways to get involved:

(Note: You will always have support and assistance. If you want to try something you've never done before, we will guide you. You won't have to figure it out on your own. We encourage you and welcome you to give as little or as much of your time as you are able.)
 

For our health and that of our city, country and world -- 
get vaccinated and boosted!
Walk-in vaccines and booster shots are now available throughout the city. Or speak to your doctor. Or call the main vaccine hotline for NYC: 877-VAX-4NYC or 877-829-4692. Or visit https://vaccinefinder.nyc.gov/ or  https://www.turbovax.info/

ONLINE ARCHIVES
Click HERE for an archive of shiurim by Rabbi Staller
Click HERE for an archive of drashot by Rabbi Staller
Click HERE to go to our YouTube Channel for an archive of our ZOOM classes