NEWAU. MONUMENTS
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Remember the Louis Brier Home and Hospital In your will
with a bequest to the
Louis Brier Jewish Aged Foundation
Telephone: 604-261-5550 Fax: 604-261-5565 www.loulsbrier.com
Support Jewish Day School Education
with a lasting gift or bequest to . The Vancouver Talmud Torah Foundation
Ensure Jewish education for future generations 604-230-2050
8
Relatives and Friends are advised that the
UNVEILING OF HEADSTONE
in loving memory of the late
U\ZARUS
LOU HOLU\NDER
will take place Sunday, Dec. 22 at 11:30 a.m.
Schara Tzedeck Cemetery
Rabbi Feigelstock will officiate
M Porti
on
Only one true homeland
RABBI SHLOMO RISKIN TORAH COLUMNIST
Vayechi
Genesis 47:28-50:26 Efrat
The Book of Genesis con-ludes with this week's Torah portion, which describes the death and funeral of the last of the patriarchs and his beloved son Joseph, Grand Vizier of Egypt.
Indeed, the last picture we have of Joseph is of a very successful Jew - a penniless immigrant from the land of Canaan who has risen to fame and fortune in his adopted country. Joseph has even become the patriarch of a new dynasty developed in Egypt: "And Joseph lived 110 years. Joseph saw grand-chilit2n bom to [his son] Efraim, and the children of Makhir the son of Menashe were bom on the knees of Joseph." (Genesis 50:24) In the heels of such spectacular professional and familial success in Egypt, the ringing declaration of Zionism and devotion to the homeland of Israel in the next verse may take readers by surprise: "And Joseph said to his brothers, 'I am about to die; G-d will surely remember you and will bring you up from this land to the land which was sworn to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.' And Joseph abjured the children of Israel, saying: 'G-d will surely remember you; you must bring up my bones Ito Israel] fix)m this [place].'" (50:25)
To be sure, a final "plug" for Zionism is in consonance with the Book of Genesis, wherein the first patriarch, Abraham, is given the commandment of "aliyah" as his very first charge from the Divine. But such a message seems to ring false coming from Joseph at the crescendo of his success. So how do we explain his burial request?
The last chapter of Genesis opens after the death of Jacob, upon which "Joseph falls upon the face of his father, weeps over him and kisses him." (50:1) He then commands the doctors to embalm the body and decrees a 70-day mourning period throughout Egypt, following which, the text says, "And Joseph spoke to the household of Pharaoh saying, 'If please I have found favor in your eyes, speak please into the ears of Pharaoh, saying that my father made me take an oath, saying, behold I am about to die; in my grave which I dug for my-
self in the land of Canaan, there shall you bury me. And now may I please go up to bury my father, and then I shall return.'" (50:4,5)
This hardly seems like the expected manner of preparation for an imperial trip to bury one's dead. Does Joseph, second only in power to Pharaoh, have to beg Pharaoh's servants to whisper into the despot's ear on his behalf? The round-about nature of the request causes one of the biblical commentarists, Rav David Pardo, to suggest that Joseph had lost his exalted position at this juncture - that he had been fired as Grand Vizier.
The explanation maybe much simpler: Joseph didn't lose his job, but he did become aware of the sensitive nature of his position. His main concerns related to the welfare of Egypt -when he had to deal with a personal matter of burying his father in Israel, he became the Jew suspected of dual loyalty. This is why, according to the Ramban, Joseph had to trouble his aged father to take the arduous journey to Egypt in order to feed his family rather than visit his father himself and send grain from Egypt to Israel to sustain his relatives. This is why he must beg the servants to prepare Pharaoh for Joseph's trip to Israel. Joseph realizes that despite his apparent power, he still remains the Jew, the eternal outsider. And so Joseph commands his family with his dying breath to bury his bones in Israel, our only true homeland.
Moreover, Joseph probably also realized that all of his cosmic dreams can only be realized from Israel. After all, Jacob's dream of uniting heaven and earth can only be realized - according to the vision of the patriarch -when G-d restores him to Israel. Indeed, the mission of Israel is to transform and perfect the world in the image of ethical monotheism, but this will only be accomplished by Israelites living in Israel, true to their tradition, with their national lifestyle expressing the message of peace and harmony that will inspire all of humanity to accept the seven laws of biblical morality.
Shabbat shalom. □
Rabbi Shiomo Riskin is ch.ief rabbi of Efrat, Israel, and dean of Ohr Toraii institutions in Israel.
DEATH ANNOUNCEMENTS
LEO LO\VY DEC. 11
NINA NARVEY DEC. U
Candlelighting:
Friday, Bee. 20 3:57 p.m. Vayechi Dec. 21, 4:57p.m.
Alsh Halorah (Orthodox) JCC, 3636 Shelboume St., Victoria. Min-yanim two Shabbatim a month at 9:30 a.m. 250-592-4162.
Belllngham Eytz Chaim (Conservative) 2116 Walnut St., Belling-ham. Every 2nd Sat, 9:30 a.m., alternates with Fri night tisch or Sat night Havdalah. 360-733-5961. 6.
Beth Hamidrash (SepJiardic Ortlio-dox) 3231 Heather St. (Enter at rear of building.) Rabbi llan Acoca. Daily, 7 a.m.; minchah, 6:30 p.m.; Fri, 7:15 p.m.; Shabbat, 9 a.m.; minchah, 45 minutes before sundown; Sun, 8:30 a.m. 604-872-4222.
Beth Israel (Conservative) 4350 Oak St. Rabbi Charles Feinberg, Cantor Steve Levin. Daily, 8 a.m. (public holidays, 9 a.m.) and 6 p.m.; Fri, 6 p.m.; Sat, 9:15 a.m. and 6 p.m.; Sun, 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. 604-731-4161. 4v
Beth Shalom Sanctuary (Traditional) OJCC, 108 North Glenmore Rd., Kelowna. Shabbat service last Saturday of the month, 9:30 a.m. 250-862-2305.
Beth Tikvah (Conservative) 9711 Geal Rd., Richmond. Rabbi Barry LefF. Fri, 8 p.m. and Sat, 9:30 a.m. 604-271-6262. 6.
The Centre for Judaism (Cliassidic) 2351 128 St., Crescent Beach, White Rock. - Rabbi Falik Schtroks. Shabbat (and holiday) morning services 10 a.m., followed by kiddush lunch. Kab-balat Shabbat with inspirational singing, 7 p.m., the first Friday of every month. For information on the centre's Hebrew school, classes and summer camp, call 604-541-4111. 6-
Chabad-Lubavitch (Cliassidic) 5750 Oak St Rabbi Yitzchak Wineberg. Daily, 7 a.m.; Sat, 10 a.m.; Sun, 9 a.m. 604-266-1313. 6-
Chabad-Richmond (Cliassidic) 200-4775 Blundell Rd. Rabbi Yechiel Baitclman. Sat, 10 a.m.; Sun, 9:30 a.m. 604-277-6427.
EiU Chaim (Ort/joiac; 8080 Francis Rd., Richmond. Rabbi Avraham Feigelstock Daily, 7 a.m.; Fri, 6 p.m.; Sat, 9 a.m.; Sun, 8:30 a.m., followed by breakfast 604-275-0007. 6-
Emanu-EI (Conservative) 1461 Blan-shard, Victoria. Thur, 7 a.m.; Sat, 9 a.m. 250-382-0615. 6^
Friday, Dec. 27 4:01 p.m. Shemot Dec. 28, 5:01 p.m.
Har-EI (Conservative) 1305 Taylor Way, West Vancouver. Rabbi Slunuel Bimham. Fri, 6 p.m.; Sat, 10 a.m. 604-925-6488. b-
Kolot Mayim (Reform) Second Fri of every month, services with student rabbi, 7:30 p.m.; Fourth Fri every month is family service, 7 p.m. Victoria JCC. 250-477-7749.
Louis Brier Home (Orthodox) 1055 W. 41st Ave. Fri, 4:15 p.m., officiated by S. Habcr and choir -A. Selwyn, P. Pelman, M. Moses and R. Rosenberg. Sat, 9 a.m., officiated by B. Smollan, R. Rosenberg and C. Komfeld. Daily, 4:15 p.m. 604-261-9376. 4v
Ohr Emet (Ortliodox) 8500 Saunders Rd., Richmond. Daily, 6:30 a.m. and 8:15 p.m.; Fri, 6:45 p.m.; Sat and Sun, 9 a.m. 604-689-8228.
Or Shalom (Jewish Renewal) 710 E. 10th Ave. Rabbi David Mivasair. Sat, 10 a.m.; Wed morning minyan, 8-8:30 a.m.; www.or-shalom.ca. 604-872-1614. 6^
Schara Tzedeck (Ortlwdox) 3476 Oak. St. Rabbi Baumol, Cantor Orzech. Mon and Thur, 7 a.m.; Tue and Wed, 7:15 a.m.; weekdays, sunset; Fri, 7:15 a.m. and sunset; Sat, 9 a.m. and half-hour before sunset; Sun, 8:30 a.m. 604-736-7607.
Sha'arei Mizrah (Traditional) Conservative-style Shabbat and holiday services in Tri-Cities area. Call for schedule. 604-552-7221. 6^
Shaarey Tefilah (Union for Traditional Judaism affiliate) 785 W. 16th Ave. Rabbi Ross Singer. Fri, 7:15 am., eve. (call for time); Sat, Sun and holidays, 9 a.m. 604-873-2700. 6^
Temple Sholom (Reform) 7190 Oak St Rabbi Philip Bregman, Canto-rial Soloist Arthur Guttman. Morning minyanim; Mon and Wed, 7:15 a.m.; Fri, 8:15 p.m.; Sat, 10 a.m. 604-266-7190. 6.
Torat Hayim Community (Traditional participatory) 483 Eastcot Rd., West Vancouver. Services led by Jeffrey Milton and Gabriel Milton. Services each Sat, 10:30 a.m., followed by Kiddush. 604-984-4168.
White Rock/South Surrey Jewish Community Centre Monthly Fri services held in host members' homes. 7:30 p.m. Conducted by community members. #105 -15284 Buena Vista Ave., White Rock. 604-541-9995. 6-