Dear friends,

It is my honor and privilege to address you with this letter dedicated to the great Holiday of Purim as a Rabbi of The Congregation Beit Shalom.

I don’t believe in coincidences. It is Hashem’s plan that Purim will be the first Holiday we will celebrate together. The Holiday when: “The Jews had light and joy, and gladness and honor.” - Ester 8/16.

Purim is the day, when we can open our hearts and share the joy in unity and celebration with every Jew. I truly believe that we have a Divine opportunity to make this day a beginning of growth and success, while planting the seeds of mutual respect and unconditional love to everyone.

May we merit to share many moments of happiness together. Happy Purim.

The Purim 5781/2021 schedule at the Congregation Beth Shalom:

Thursday February 25th:

5:15PM Mincha

6:10PM Maariv / Megillah reading

Will be streamed, on ZOOM, as well

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81664479267?pwd=QngwVmJpeTBjWG9CVDJoSUlVOTNIdz09

7:00PM Lechaim. 

Friday February 26th:

7:00AM Shaharit

7:45AM Megillah reading

Will be streamed, on ZOOM, as well

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87072560773?pwd=d05jdER6S3lFMkRIdHNWWHVnaThxQT09

8:30AM Special breakfast

3:30PM Additional Megillah reading/Mincha

4:00PM Purim Party & Seudah: Kids entertainment, live music and a lot of fun with good friends

6:15PM Kabbalat Shabbat / Kidush and the party goes on!

Best regards,

Rabbi Asher Altshul

King Salomon Restaurant 1787 Coney Island Ave, Brooklyn, NY,11230

Tuesday March 10th 6:30PM

Megilah reading - 6:00PM

Registration:

If you wish to pay in-person/by the door/mail it, please, text your registration to 917 495 3349 or email asher@orazion.org

Shabbat at home

1. Minchah - before candle-lighting (6:50PM*),  but it is fine to pray after candle lighting, before sunset - 7:08PM.

2. Candle-lighting - 6:50PM. If there is no women to light the candles at home, men are obligated to light with the blessing.

3. Kabbalat Shabbat and Maariv - Ideally is to begin at the same time that the service is usually held in the the Synagogue - 7:30PM. Halachiklly -  after the nightfall - 7:36PM, but after the sunset -7:08PM. However, you can use the 26 minutes for the meaningful Parshah study. We do not recite: Kaddish, Barchu, Amida repetition, Kedushah in all the prayers. On page 160**, it is the Chabad custom to recite the paragraph beginning Velomar  instead of barechu when praying alone. After the silent Amidah, the paragraph va’yechulu p. 172 is recited, but we omit the first and last of the next three paragraphs.

4. Kiddush - P. 176. One person can make it for all the family, by keeping in mind all the present. Alternatively, everyone is allowed to make it for him/herself. Enjoy the Seudah with your family and say, as many, as possible words of Torah - “It is a tree of life for those who grasp it, and those who draw near it are fortunate” Mishlei 3/18.

5. Shaharit - Ideally is to begin at the same time that the service is usually held in the the Synagogue - 9:30AM. Do not recite: Kaddish, Barchu, Amida repetition, Kedushah in all the prayers.

6. Torah reading - skip the prayers associated with removing the Torah from the ark, from atoh (‘You have’) p. 222. Although there is obviously no Torah reading, read the Parshah of the week, Maftir and the Haftarah (from a Chumash. Suggestion: if you are spending Shabbat with your family, take turns in the reading (divide it by Aliya, for example) and feel free to peruse some of the commentaries as well. 

7. Birchat HaChodesh - P. 231. You allowed to bless the new month without a Minyan. only the first yekum purkan (‘may there’) is recited p. 230. Skip the following two paragraphs. One must know the exact time of the new moon appearance: Nissan, Tuesday March 24, 2020, 10:14 (11 chalakim) AM. (Wright it down before Shabbat). Skip the Av HaRachaman and continue with Ashrei p. 232.

8. Musaf -  P. 234. We do not recite: Kaddish, Barchu, Amida repetition, Kedushah in all the prayers. Do not say the prayers on the returning the Torah to the Ark.

9. Morning Kidush - see #4.

10. Minchah - p.250. We do not recite: Kaddish, Barchu, Amida repetition, Kedushah in all the prayers. Skip the Torah Reading

11. Shabbat is over 7:50PM. Recite the Maariv, with applicable guides from #3.

12. Havdalah

Stay Calm and Study Torah.

Shabbat Shalom.

*All the times are NY

**”New” Siddur