Thursday, April 27, 2006

COS Landesgebet - Prayer for the Government

HE,
  • Who gives Salvation! -
  • Whose kingdom is an everlasting kidngdom.
  • Who delivered his servant David from the hurtful sword.
  • Who makes a way in the sea and a path in the mighty waters,
  • May HE bless, guard and protect the Government of the United States of America.
  • May The Almighty in HIS Mercy Preserve and Protect it so that it may prosper in all its undertakings for the benefit of our Noble Country.
  • May HE inspire our Government with Tenderness to Act kindly towards us and all Israel.
  • May The Almighty bless the State of Israel,
  • May it flourish and progress, and it become once again the Home of the Jewish People and
  • May peace come to the Holy Land!
  • May we feel God's Mercy and blessings for our own community, for old and young alike.
  • May The Almighty protect them from illness, wan , and sorrow.
  • May HE give inspiration to the men and women who lead this congregation.
Let all of us uphold our religion and our traditions, and practice true philanthropy, as to honor The Lord and all of Israel.

U'vchein yehi Rozaun, we naumar Omein!

Monday, April 17, 2006

Listing of Mt. Sinai Class

Listing of My Shabbos Class @ Mt. Sinai, URL:
http://www.torahheights.com/shiur.html
Note: that eventually the Chumash Shiur was switched to Sefer haChinuch

1 hour before MinchaChumashRabbi Richard WolpoeMount SinaiEnglish

Brief Online Bio of Rabbi Wolpoe

Rabbi Richard Wolpoe - Rabbi of Congregation Ohav Sholaum, ordained by Yeshiva University/Reits and graduate of Bernard Revel Graduate School, majoring in Jewish history. Rabbi Wolpoe is a pioneer on the "Jewish Internet" discussion groups such as UTJ-L and Aishdas Society's Avodah List.

Hebrew Home Museum Website

For more details on the Riverdale Hebrew Home Exhibit please see:
http://www.hebrewhome.org/museum/ce.htm

-RRW

NY Times Obituary of Rabbi Neuhaus

Ralph Neuhaus, Rabbi, 81

Published: June 21, 1990

LEAD: Ralph Neuhaus, the rabbi of Congregation Ohav Sholaum in the Inwood section of Manhattan, died on Tuesday at Presbyterian Hospital. He was 81 years old and lived in Manhattan.

Ralph Neuhaus, the rabbi of Congregation Ohav Sholaum in the Inwood section of Manhattan, died on Tuesday at Presbyterian Hospital. He was 81 years old and lived in Manhattan.

Rabbi Neuhaus died of a heart attack, his wife, Betti, said.

He had been associated with Congregation Ohav Sholaum for 47 years. Earlier, he had studied social work at Columbia University.

Rabbi Neuhaus was born in Ostrovo, Germany, which is now part of Poland, and came to the United States with his family in 1941, after being interned by the Belgian and French Governments.

Besides his wife, he is survived by a daughter, Miriam Mandelbaum of Philadelphia, and eight grandchildren.

Outline of Matnas Yad

Order of Matnas Yad @ COS
I. Individuals:
  • A. Rabbi
  • B. Board of Directors by Name
II. Groups:
  • A. Organizatinos:
    • Men’s Chevra,
    • Members of the Sisterhood
    • Members of the Men’s Club
  • B. Leaders of Services:
    • Cantors
    • Gabbaim
    • Choir
    • Minyan Men
  • C. Congregation
III. National - Our Brethren in Israel

Yizkor Outline


Yizkor @ COS
Order Of Special Prayers
I. Individuals:
  • A. Rabbi Ralph Neuhaus
  • B. Cantor Eric Neumann
II. Groups:
  • A. Four Soldiers of Our Congregation who Perished during WWII
  • B. Members of the Sisterhood
  • C. Members of the Congregation, and Family of the Congregation
III. National
  • A. Victims of the Holocaust
  • B. Defenders of Israel

Thanks for the Honors

Ramona and I wish to thank the President, the Board of Directors, as well as the entire Congregation, for the beautiful and thoughtful ad honoring me in the recent Mt. Sinai Journal. It was very considerate of you to participate in my honor and to support one of our “neighbors” as well.

“Yasher Koach!”

Passover 5765

From Purim to Passover

It would seem that Passover is a continuation of Purim. After all the first two of the four special Parshiyos take place BEFORE Purim and the last two take place AFTER Purim and Before Passover. And especially this year, a Jewish Leap Year, it would seem from the fact that we observe Purim during the SECOND of the two Adars, that Purim is again connected to the upcoming Passover. Indeed this is one reason mentioned for observing Purim during the 2nd Adar and NOT during the 1st Adar.

Nevertheless, we must remember that Passover takes place during the first month of the Jewish Calendar while Adar is the last month of the year; i.e. the 12th month during a regular year, or 12th and 13th months during a leap year. When viewed from this perspective, Passover is at the beginning of the year, and Purim is actually 11-12 months later.

Thus, Purim is close to Passover in the same way the END of one year is near the Beginning of the following. Recall that on Simchas Torah we read V’zos Habrocho at the end of the Torah immediately before we resume a new cycle by reading Breishis. Additionally when a Siyyum is done on a tractate of the Talmud Gmara, there is a tradition to begin the first few lines of the NEXT Tractate. One lesson we then learn is that ends are merely preludes to new beginnings.

Another lesson is about protection and salvation. Just as Hashem rescued us at the beginning of the year, i.e. during at Passover; so, too, HE rescued us at the end of the year during Purim. And just as Hashem rescued us at the Beginning of History during Passover, so, too will HE rescue us at the end of days with the Advent of our Moshiach and the reconstruction of our Beis Hamikdash.

Best Wishes for a Sweet and Kosher Passover !
From the Wolpoe Family

Passover 5764

Passover Message for 5764

The Mishnah in Tractate Rosh Hashanah states that there are Four New Years. The most familiar one, of course, is at the beginning of Tishrei. There is another one is the beginning of Nissan, which co-coincides with Parshas Hachodesh.... So, as we see, there is a connection between Passover and the New Year as far as the calendar goes. How about regarding rituals?

The month before New Year we begin the process of Teshuvo by beginning with introspection and ending with Forgiveness. The month before Passover- in other words right after after Purim - we begin the cleaning process ending with an inspection for Chometz

Thus, before New Year we clean out our misdeeds while before Passover we clean out all Chometz. Chometz is considered by our Rabbis as symbolizing ego or arrogance. Just as yeast causes dough to rise and to “puff up” so does arrogance cause our egoes to “rise above” others in our mind and to puff ourselves up. Matzo, on the other hand, is symbolic for humility.

If so, then why not then rid ourselves of Chometz all year? Well, we cannot function properly without SOME ego! Never would we adequately assert ourselves to do our daily tasks. Nevertheless, periodically, we need to clean it out and start from scratch.

Similarly it is impossible for humans not to sin once in a while over the long run. Therefore, we ritualize repenting once a year in order to keep ourselves from sinning habitually.

Best Wishes for a Sweet and Kosher Passover !
From the Wolpoe Family

WELCOME to the COS BLOG

Welcome to the BLOG site in Memory of Congregation Ohav Sholaum - popularly called "Neuhaus" in honor of our late Rav - Rabbi Ralph Neuhaus, OBM.

It is conceivable that we will enventually support a full-sclase web-site. For now this is a first step.

Members and Friends are invited to contribute their own memorires or bits and pieces of memories from those no longer with us.

Best Wishes for a Sweet Passover!

Rabbi Richard Wolpoe