Thank you to everyone who filled out our Attendance Policy Survey that was sent out last week. We are pleased to report that of the over 150 respondents, over 90% have been vaccinated to date. Based on the advice of our medical advisement committee, and your feedback, we have adjusted our mask policy as follows effective immediately:
In line with the CDC's recent guidelines, if you have been fully vaccinated (2 weeks out from your 2nd Modena/Pfizer shot or your one J&J shot), you do not need to wear a mask. If you have not been fully vaccinated, we ask you to continue to wear a mask while in the building out of courtesy to your fellow members and attendees at services, programs, and events.
We will continue to have disposable surgical masks available at the entrance to both the building and sanctuary for those who wish to wear them. We have also procured a supply of KN-95 masks for those who prefer their additional protection.
We will continue to update you as we continue towards full reopening in the coming weeks and months, such as the resumption of kiddush on Shabbat, and in-person programming during the week. We look forward to seeing your smiling faces this and every Saturday morning as we hold Shabbat morning services and at upcoming programs and events.
- Your OVS Leadership
Dear {{first_name}},
כָּל מַחֲלֹקֶת שֶׁהִיא לְשֵׁם שָׁמַיִם, סוֹפָהּ לְהִתְקַיֵּם. וְשֶׁאֵינָהּ לְשֵׁם שָׁמַיִם, אֵין סוֹפָהּ לְהִתְקַיֵּם. אֵיזוֹ הִיא מַחֲלֹקֶת שֶׁהִיא לְשֵׁם שָׁמַיִם, זוֹ מַחֲלֹקֶת הִלֵּל וְשַׁמַּאי. וְשֶׁאֵינָהּ לְשֵׁם שָׁמַיִם, זוֹ מַחֲלֹקֶת קֹרַח וְכָל עֲדָתוֹ: Every dispute that is for the sake of Heaven, will in the end endure; But one that is not for the sake of Heaven, will not endure. Which is the controversy that is for the sake of Heaven? Such was the controversy of Hillel and Shammai. And which is the controversy that is not for the sake of Heaven? Such was the controversy of Korah and all his congregation.
I have spent my life as a politics junky. The reality is that in recent years as the political discourse has become more and more toxic it has become harder and harder to love politics. But the reality is we should all love politics, not for its sport, but for its very basic purpose. Its purpose is to care about the collective and to help further the goals of the group. The premise behind all politics is to step forward and lead. We all know that leaders have egos. They have to have egos in order to believe they have the ability and the right to be in front of the masses. One must believe in his/herself to be able to lead and that self-belief, and courage, are deeply linked to our ability to have an ego. But what’s to be said about the person whose ego is too great? What’s to be said about the person who wants more power, not because of the group, but because of the way (s)he feels from having that power? The answer is that person is not a leader so much as a power-hungry individual.
When looking at this week’s Torah portion, Korah, we find the story of a person demanding power. Korah comes forward and publicly questions Moses’ power and authority. When Korah came forward, he accused Moses of so much wrong doing and said everyone deserved to have power… not just Moses. The problem with this generous reading of Korah’s actions is it fails to account for the fact that Korah was not “every man.” He was not ordinary. He was a member of the priestly tribe… the same one as Moses, and as such he already had more power than most others. The reality was he didn’t have enough of it. Many of us have this issue in our lives. We can never be satisfied with what we have… we always want more and more. In the case of Korah, the power he craved would never have filled him up because there always would have been someone more powerful than him.
Our world needs leaders who lead for the sake of those being led and not for their own fame and legacy. Our world needs leaders who see from time to time that altering one’s course is a brave and noble thing to do. Our world needs leaders who display empathy for those they lead. We often mistake empathy for sympathy. The reality is leadership is not about feeling bad for people but about recognizing they have pains and needs as much as the next person. It’s about seeing the world through their eyes as best as one can. Korah was not capable of being that leader. He needed more power to make him feel better. Someone who needs power will never be the right person to meet our needs as our leader.
This Sunday, if everything goes according to plan, the State of Israel will have a new leadership team in place. Prime Minister Netanyahu has served for 12 years straight along with a stint in the 1990s. The new government is comprised of eight parties and their leaders. It makes up a sliver of a majority, 61 to 59, but it’s clear the people who have been selected are doing so to help the state move forward. They have each made the decision to diminish their egos and to enlarge their capacity to work with others.
When looking at the quote from Pirkei Avot that I opened with, I think we can easily see the relevance of the passage today. Hillel and Shamai are given as a good example of how to disagree and debate. They cared about each other and worked together. They didn’t assassinate each other’s character and they didn’t “hit below the belt.” The two of them demonstrated what we hope to see from our new leadership. We hope they work together to see that none of them has a majority without the others. We hope they see their task is to serve the State of Israel and, to a lesser extent, the Jewish people of the world. We hope they will succeed in seeing the world through the eyes of their constituents. We hope they are able to move the State of Israel forward into a brighter future. That success begins when leaders care more about principles and those they lead than they care about themselves and their power.
Shabbat Shalom, Rabbi Hearshen
Summer is Here!
I hope everyone is having an enjoyable and relaxing summer. So many of us are reacclimating ourselves to travel and going out into the world. I hope we each get to enjoy more and more of our world and I wish everyone good health as summer the progresses.
Each summer my family and I go to camp for a month at Camp Ramah Darom in Clayton, GA. It’s our home away from home. While we’re there, Ayelet is a camper in a cabin, Carrie and I both work all day, and Galit will be in the “gan” day camp for all the staff kids. Camp Ramah has a very substantial number of us “older” staff so we have our own sacred and special community while we’re there.
I’ll be away for four weeks. While I’m away, I won’t necessarily be able to write an article every week… but I will try. I hope to be able to share a weekly message via video each Friday. If you need to get in touch with me, please email me and I’ll get back to you as quickly as I can. For immediate assistance, you can email Nicoleor call her at 404-633-1737.
I will have access to the internet and other means of communication and look forward to being able to work for OVS from camp.
Have a great summer! Rabbi Hearshen
FOOD DONATIONS NEEDED for Jewish Family & Career Services Kosher Food Pantry
Most Needed Items Are:
Canned tuna/salmon
Dried beans and lentils
Hearty soups
Rice (1 and 2 pound bags)
Canned fruit in juice (not in syrup)
Peanut butter and jelly
Oats and oatmeal
Crackers
Mayonnaise
Salad dressing
Gefilte fish
Donations can be dropped off at:
OVS and placed in the barrels in the dome
JF&CS at 4549 Chamblee Dunwoody Road, Dunwoody, GA 30338
Help OVS While You Shop
Amazon Prime Day is June 21/22! You can make an impact while you shop for back to school supplies, college dorm bedding and furnishings, and even food for the Kosher Food Pantry!
Sisterhood has resumed baking EVERY Tuesday at 9:30 am.
Please review our new mask policy in the blue box above. In line with the CDC's recent guidelines, if you have been fully vaccinated (2 weeks out from your 2nd Modena/Pfizer shot or your one J&J shot), you do not need to wear a mask. If you have not been fully vaccinated, we ask you to continue to wear a mask while in the building out of courtesy to your fellow members and attendees at services, programs, and events.
Advanced registration is no longer required. We hope lunch can be served starting at a later date.
OVS Trip to Italy/Israel
Click here to watch the informational meeting held on May 25. Click here to send questions about the trip.
OVS Softball
Cheer on the OVS Softball team! Games are scheduled for:
June 13 at 5:45 pm and 7:00 pm at East Roswell Park June 27 at 3:30 pm at East Roswell Park July 11 at 7:00 pm at East Roswell Park July 25 at 1:45 pm at East Roswell Park August 1 at 11:30 am at Ocee Park August 8 at 11:30 am and 1:00 pm at Ocee Park
Start your summer reading!
New Siddur for Shabbat & Festivals
We are pleased to announce OVS has entered into an exciting community partnership with Izzun Books in the creation of a new Sephardi Siddur. The new Siddur, titled Siddur Massorti Volume 2, for Shabbat and Festivals, will be released this coming Fall. We have been using Volume I, their weekday prayerbook, since we restarted Sunday morning Shacharit services this past fall, and look forward to expanding use of the Siddur to our Friday night service as that section of Volume 2 becomes available in the coming months.
Please click here for the full press release from Izzun Books, and click here to see FAQs for details on what this partnership means for OVS.
Sunday Edvard and Larisa Sverdlov Joel and Nancy Hearshen
Tuesday Josh and Carrie Hearshen William and Deborah Hatherley
Wednesday Arthur and Jeannie Feinstein Si and Madeline Sater
Meldados
Shabbat Corrine Rousso for Mother-in-law Sarina Rousso Daniel D. Dinur for Mother Ela Delaticki Janet Soriano Seligson for Father Joe Soriano Marie Rousso Saffan for Mother Sarina Rousso Marilyn Mitchell for Father Henry L. Rich Morris (Moe) Soriano for Father Joe Soriano Peggy (Margaret) Tourial for Grandmother Sarina Rousso Phyllis Cohen for Father Henry L. Rich Shelley Cooper for Father Joe Soriano Sidney Tourial for Grandmother Sarina Rousso
Sunday David Falkenstein for Uncle Marvin Aaron Irwin Galanti for Grandmother Perla Benshushan Jeffrey Cohen for Grandmother Perla Benshushan Julia Roth for Brother Morris Alhadeff Lisa Galanti Rabinowitz for Grandmother Perla Benshushan Marilyn Bernstein for Uncle Morris Alhadeff Pat Schneider for Father Morris Alhadeff Rachel Galanti for Mother Perla Benshushan Renee Black for Father Morris Alhadeff Rochelle Richman for Uncle Morris Alhadeff Ronnie Galanti for Grandmother Perla Benshushan Thelma M. Ornstein for Husband Terry Ornstein
Monday Ronnie Melnick for Mother Sara Seiden
Tuesday Beverly R. Merlin for Husband Arthur (Archie) Merlin Burton Handmacher for Mother Myrna Handmacher Bullard Corrine Rousso for Husband Morris Rousso Daniel Rousso for Father Morris Rousso Lucy Levy for Aunt Violette Levy Marie Rousso Saffan for Brother Morris Rousso Rica Pieniek for Mother Violette Levy Robyn Rousso for Father Morris Rousso Salomon Codron for Brother Leon Codron Sidney Tourial for Uncle Morris Rousso
