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    • The blessing of a united family
      • Drash by Professor Stephen Levine 4 December 2011 (4th day of Chanukah, 28 Kislev 5772) Shabbat Shalom and Chanukah Sameach: Happy Chanukah to all of you.  I will begin by stating that my presence up here at this moment is the result entirely of an invitation from Doron, and not any initiative on my part. This Shabbat, as you know – Shabbat Chanukah – occurs midway during the Chanukah holiday.  When we look at the Torah readings thus far this year, in the book of Genesis (or B’reisheet), it is striking how many of them involve situations of conflict between brothers.  Cain and Abel ... Abraham’s sons Isaac and Ishmael ... Isaac’s sons Jacob and Esau ... And now, recounted over a series of Shabbat Torah readings, the dramatic story of Jacob’s sons, Joseph and his brothers.  We have, in Jewish history, a moment of contrast with these incidents, these conflicts, these situations of brotherly disunity, and it occurs, right now, in the story of Chanukah. For the Jewish revolt – the successful Jewish revolt of the Maccabees – or the Chashmonim – involved a unified response by Judah and his brothers – Eleazar, Simon, John and Jonathan. These five young men, these five brothers, stood together, in combat, against the Greek occupiers of the land of Israel, and their unity, their strength, and their dedication have been – and should continue to be – a source of inspiration to Jews everywhere. What is more, their unity showed a devotion not only to their Jewish heritage, and to Jewish values, and to the cause of Jewish sovereignty and independence in the land of Israel, but also to their father, Mattityahu.  For their revolt, their action, was triggered by a deliberate and flagrant insult to their father, a kohen in the village of Modi’in.  Behind me, just above the Ark within which are this community’s Torah scrolls, is a rendering of the Ten commandments. The fifth commandment decrees, ‘Honour your father and your mother’ ...  In acting, at great risk to themselves, on behalf of their father – in defence of his life, his convictions, and his honour – they showed an instinctive, ineradicable and genuine dedication to that commandment.  And so we have, on this occasion, a unified family – a father and his sons – igniting a revolt that inspired a nation, that continues to inspire us, a revolt that restored Israel and Jerusalem to the Jewish people.  As we know, the word ‘Chanukah’ means ‘rededication’, and while the word is associated with the rededication of the Temple – which was given high priority by Judah Maccabee, upon his victory in Jerusalem and the entry of his forces to the Temple precincts – we can see, in the story of Chanukah, a narrative which can inspire us for other reasons, for at its beginnings this is a story of a group of people, a family, imbued with dedication: sons dedicated to their father, dedicated to his honour, dedicated to their heritage, their land, their country, their people, and willing to back that dedication with courage, and initiative, and perseverance.  I know that in the Chanukah blessings, which we say over eight nights as we light the candles, that we give thanks to the Almighty, in the second blessing, for the miracles performed for our ancestors at this time.  I am convinced that among those miracles was the fact that the Jewish people were led in this uprising by a family united on behalf of its traditions and values, unashamed of its laws and customs and practices, and that it was a type of miracle, too, that the Jewish people had as its political and military leader this person, Judah Maccabee, who at the moment of greatest triumph – the liberation of Jerusalem and the Temple – took the time to see if a flask of pure oil could be found so that the Temple might immediately be restored. It is said that it is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness. Contemplating the desecrated Temple, Judah and his brothers might have been moved to anger, and then moved on. But they acted otherwise, and their search, and their actions, and their example, continue to be commemorated, and celebrated, today, more than 2000 years later, as the glow from those eight days of fire, in the restored and rededicated Temple, still inspires us and Jews everywhere.  Shabbat Shalom, and I urge you to have a happy, and proud, Chanukah. 

    • Shiur on anger
      • The Yamim Noraim provides a time for reflection on the past year, to perform teshuvah where we missed the mark, to seek forgiveness and to resolve to do better. This shiur by Russell Harding looked at anger, arguably the greatest avera. The discussion addresses the causes of anger, the effects it has on us and those around us and seeks ways that we might avoid anger in the future. The Shiur concludes with the YouTube video from Rebbetzin Jungreis on anger.

    • Book Now for the Rosh Hashanah Community Dinner!
      • The Community is holding a Rosh Hashanah Dinner on Erev Rosh Hashanah (Wednesday 28 September 2011). Everyone is invited. The Dinner will follow the evening service which starts at 6pm. Members aged 17+ - $50Members' Children aged 4 – 7 - $15Members’ Children aged 8-16 - $35Family - $180Non-Members aged 17+ - $70Non-Members' Children aged 4-7 - $20Non-Members’ Children aged 8-16 - $45 Anyone who needs financial help should contact Rabbi Alima.  This will be treated in strict confidence. A Care of the Aged subsidy of $30.00 per person is available, for members only, if required. Wine can be pre-ordered from the Kosher Co-op (tel 384 3136) and should be paid for in advance. Please book through the Centre office: 384 5081 or e-mail bethel@ihug.co.nz

    • Welcome to our new website
      • If you've noticed our website looking a little different, don't adjust your monitor (or smartphone). We've moved to a new website hosting service to make maintaining it easier and cheaper. We'll also be adding new features to the site over coming months. The primary address of the website is www.wjcc.org.nz although you’ll still find it at the old www.beth-el.org.nz address as well in the meantime. You might notice some content from the old website has not yet been copied to the new. We intend to copy everything that is still current within the next couple of months. Let us know if there is something you need that can’t wait and we’ll see what we can do. If you have any questions about the site or suggestions for the site, please email webmaster@wjcc.org.nz. If you have any questions about the Wellington Jewish Community Centre, please email office@wjcc.org.nz.  

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