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EDIEYETTA ROGER
Edie Yetta Roger passed away peacefully in San Francisco on June 13, 2002. She graduated as a registered nurse from the Vancouver General Hospital school of nursing. She then worked as a rehabilitation nurse in San Francisco hospitals for 25 years. She is survived by her son, Joshua Roger, and her brother, Jack Lcderman. She will be greatly missed. □
JACOB KALDERON
Jacob Kalderon, at 90 years of age, passed away June 20, 2002, in Israel surrounded by his wife of 56 years, Daisy, his daughter, An-ney Keil-Soronow (Richmond) and son Rami Kalderon (Israel). He is also survived by grandchildren Shay Keil (Richmond), Sharon Farac (Seattle) and Dana, Leron and CJallie Kalderon (all of Israel) and great grandchildren Trevin Keil (Richmond) and Gavin Farac (Seattle). □
Relatives and Friends are advised that the
UNVEILING OF HEADSTONE
in loving memory of the late
ANHA GOLD
will take place Sijn£jay, June 30 at 12:30 p.m. at the
Schara Tzedeck Cemetery
Rabbi Charles Feinberg, Cantor Steve Levin & Davicj Rubin will officiate
M Port!
on
Eternal link to the land
Our bond to Israel is 4,000 years old and counting.
RABBr SHLOMO RISKIN TORAH COLUMNIST
Pinchas
Numbefs 25:10-30:1 Efrat
What is the magical quality of the land of Israel that has caused it to intoxicate the Jewish people for 4,000 years? Why is it the spiritual and cultural centre to which Jews continue to send their children for significant periods of study and celebrations despite the dangers of drive-by shootings and suicide attacks? I believe the answer is to be found in a striking request made by the daughters of a gentleman named Zlofhad in this week's Torah reading.
"Our father has died in the desert... and he had no sons. Why should the name of our father be removed from the midst of his family because he has no sons. Give us [women] a possession together with the brothers of our father." (Numbers 27:3,4) The five daughters of Zlofhad (a scion of the tribe of Menashe) make their claim in the presence of Moses himself- no small feat for prestige-less women who im-doubtedly had to go through many lesser officials to see him. Moses then turns to G-d, who accepts their argument and uses their right to inherit the land as the first law in the most basic biblical passage delineating the proper order of inheritance. (Numbers 27:6-11)
The most striking words in the argument of the daughters are that, if their father's possession of land in Israel cannot be passed down to his progeny, his name will be removed or erased from his family and he will lose his place in Jewish posterity. They maintain - and G-d says that the daughters of Zlofhad spoke correctly (Numbers 27:7) - that Jewish eternity is linked to the land, specifically the Ijmd of Israel.
This is the primary message of the Scroll of Ruth that we read on Shavuot. If the Festival of the Giving of the Torah eternalizes the Jewish religion, the Scroll of Ruth eternalizes the Jewish nation. If the Torah guarantees the continuity of Jewish law, the kmd of Israel guarantees the continuity of Jewish history. Elim-elech, Mahlon and Kilion exited from the drama of Jewish history when they lefl the Holy Land for Moab. Naomi, Ruth and Boaz entered Jewish eternity - and redeemed Elimelech - when they restored the possession of land to its original familial owners. It is the joint heritage of the Torah of Israel and the land of Israel that
brings redemption and guarantees eternity.
The cardinal place of the land has both historical and existential significance. The Talmud (B.T. Horayot 3b) insists that only in the land of Israel are the Jewish people to be called a community, I believe that is because only in Israel is there a continuity of Jewish history: from Hebron, the city of our patriarchs and matriarchs, to the Galilee, where our Mishnah developed, to Jerusalem, where King David's descendant will eventually bring peace to the entire world. Only Israel has the Divine guarantee that "it will never be bereft of a community of Jews." (Maimonides, Book of Commandments, Positive Commandment 153)
From an existential perspective, when an individual is buried in a parcel of land, their physical remains eventually merge with the very earth in which they lie. If that land is the Holy Land of Israel, then the body merges with sacred Jewish eternity. Is it any wonder, then, that the first parcel of land acquired as a Jewish possession was Abraham's purchase of a burial site for Mother Sarah, the Ma'arat ha'Machpcla (Cave of the Couples) and that a vital community of Jews live around the ma'ara and pray in it thrice daily to this very day. That is why burial in the land of Israel does not require a coffin; no foreign element should serve as an obstruction between the sacred body and the sacred earth. The Talmud urges every Jew to be buried in Israel even if they were not privileged to live in it. (Tractate Ketubot)
The daughters of Zlofhad understood that the desert generation, including their father, would not be privileged to enter the Promised Land. However, they realized that if his progeny had a share in the eternal land, he would have a share in it as well. Those of us who are privileged to live in the land bring with us the generations that prepared the way but were not so privileged. In the words of the sages; "the inheritance of land in Israel is different from every other inheritance in the world; in eveiy other inheritance, the living inherit the dead, but, in the case of Israel, the dead inherit the living." (B.T. Bava Batra 117a)
Shabbat shalom. □
Rabbi Shlomo Riskin is chief rabbi of Efrat, Israel, and dean of Ohr Torah institutions in Israel.
Candlelighting:
Friday, June 28 9:03 p.m. Pinchas June 29,10:08p.m.
Aish Hatorah (Orthodox) JOG, 3636 Shelboume St., Victoria. Min-yanim two Shabbatim a month at 9:30 a.m. 250-592-4162.
Bellingham Eytz Chaim (Conservative) 2116 Walnut St., Bellingham. Every 2nd Sat, 9:30 a.m., alternates with Fri night tisch or Sat night Havdalah. 360-733-5961. 6t
Beth Hamidrash (Scphardic Orthodox) 3476 Oak St (Schara Tzedeck chapel). Rabbi Ilan Acoca. Daily, 7 a.m.; minchah, 7 p.m. Fri night services at candle-lighting time; 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. 6.
Beth Shalom Sanctuary (Traditional) OJCC, 108 North Glcnmorc Rd., Kclowna. Shabbat service last Saturday of the month, 9:30 a.m. 250-862-2305.
Beth Tikvah (Conservative) 9711 Gcal Rd., Richmond. Cantor Daniel Leeman. Fri, 8 p.m. and Sat, 9:30 a.m. 604-271-6262. 6^
The Centre for Judaism (Chassidic) 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 Winebei^g. Daily, 7 a.m.; Sat, 10 a.m.; Sun, 9 am.604-26G-1313. 6-
Chabad-Richmond (Chassidic) 200-4775 Blundell Rd. Rabbi Ycchicl Baitelman. Sat, 10 a.m.; Sun, 9:30 a.m. 604-277-6427.
Eitz Chaim (Orthodox) 8080 Francis Rd., Richmond. Rabbi Avra-ham Fcigelstock. Daily, 6:45 a.m. and 5:45 p.m.; Fri at sunset; Sat and Sun, 9 a.m. 604-275-0007. 6^
Emanu-EI (Conservative) 1461 Blan-shard, Victoria. Thur, 7 a.m.; Sat, 9 a.m. 250-382-0615. 4v
Friday, July 5
9:01 p.m. Matot-Masei July 6,10:05 p.m.
Har-EI (Conservative) 1305 Taylor Way, West Vancouver. Rabbi Shmuel Bimham. Fri, 7 p.m.; Sat, 10 a.m. 604-925-6488.6.
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., ofliciatcd by S. Habcr and choir -A. Selwin, P. Pclman, 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. b-
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 (Orthodox) 3476 Oak St. Rabbi Baumol, Cantor Orzcch. Mon and Thur, 7 a.m.; Tue and Wed, 7:15 a.m.; weekdays, simsct; 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.
Shaarey Tefilah (Union for Traditional Judaism affiliate) 785 W. 16th Ave. Rabbi Ross Singer. Fri, 7 a.m., eve. (call for time); Sat, Sun and holidays, 9 a.m. 604-873-2700. 6.
The Shteebl (Ortlwdox) 5435 Bail-lie St. Rabbi Chad Maon. Sat, 9 a.m. 604-263-0303. 4v
Temple Sholom (i?c/brm) 7190 Oak St Rabbi Philip Brcgman, 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. 6u
ToratHayim 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^