8-3-06

IDF forces are fighting a critical war in defense of our nation and the land of Israel. The daily barrage of deadly rocket fire has forced our brethren in northern Israel to evacuate, while families who have nowhere to go swelter in bomb shelters. The stress is real, and the need for support is urgent. Now It's Our Turn.

Chabad has established a relief fund for our brothers & sisters in the Holy Land. Give generously to the soldiers and the people of Israel. Chabad's 300+ Centers in Israel, especially those located up North, close to the Lebanon border, are actively assisting those who have now become dependent on help. Chabad is constantly on call, providing food and basic needs to all. Help us help them!

For further information on Chabad's relief efforts in Israel, and to submit your generous contribution online (or to look up the American mailing address) please visit our website, https://www.chabadpw.org/404337. Thank You!

Shabbat Shalom!
Rabbi Shalom M Paltiel

Berkowitz Gan Israel Day Camp
This week was Jewish Home Week at Berkowitz Camp Gan Israel. Every day the campers studied about the things that make a Jewish home special. On Monday, the campers designed a huge Jewish home, had a fun time on the camp water slide, got to color and wash the camp car, and then had Tae Kwon Doe and Arts and Crafts. Whoa! How’d they fit that much excitement in one day?! Then, on Tuesday, the youngest campers went to My Gym where they went on the trapeze and really got a good workout. The older campers were off to Charles J. Fuschillo Park and QZAR!

Wednesday was Wacky Water Wet Day at camp and boy! did they get sopping wet from a water balloon toss and sliding down that huge water slide! Once the campers dried off a little, they had sports instruction and rugalach baking! Camp sure smelled great! Thursday was Tisha B’Av, the day which we commemorate the destruction of the Beis Hamikdosh., so the campers learned that loving their fellow Jew will help rebuild the next Holy Temple on their bus ride to the Hall of Science.

Friday will be an unforgettable Freckle Shtetl Day! This fabulously fun day will feature challah baking, lemonade making, and a marvelous marketplace in true shtetle style. View camp photos on our website - click here!

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	NEW WEEKLY FEATURE! Torah Thought

The TEN Commandments — Not Multiple Choice

Often, I hear people say, "Well, I am not all that religious but I do keep the Ten Commandments." At such times I'm tempted to say, "Really? You do know that The Ten Commandments are not multiple choice..." I sometimes wonder if the people who glibly make that claim actually know what the Ten Commandments are...

Seeing as in this week's Parshah Moses reviews the Big 10, why not go through the list so we can all get a better idea of how we score?

1) I am the L-rd Thy G‑d. Basically, this is the command to believe in One G‑d. I have every confidence that we all get full marks on this one.

2) Thou shalt have no other gods before Me. O.K., so you don't make a habit of bowing down to that bust of the Buddha in your living room. The question is, should it be there in the first place? And isn't it interesting that today we have all these Idols competitions being run around the world. Then, of course, there are all those well-established contemporary idols we tend to ogle and worship, celebrities like Brad Pitt, Madonna, Donald Trump, or even (Heaven protect me) Oprah.

3) Do not take the name of G‑d in vain. This is not only about taking the oath or swearing in court. What about swearing in the street? How many choice four-letter words are in your vocabulary? And why drag G‑d into those graphic expressions?

4) Observe the Shabbath day to keep it holy. Interestingly, the Ten Commandments appear twice in the Torah. In Exodus, the fourth Commandment begins with Zachor- Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. This week, we read Shamor - Observe the Sabbath day. "Remembering" is achieved through positive acts such as Kiddush, candle lighting, etc. "Observing" Shabbos, to guard it from any desecration, is the hard part. It may cramp our current lifestyles. That is where true commitment comes in.

5) Honor thy Father and thy Mother. Many people do indeed fulfill this mitzvah in exemplary fashion. I stand in admiration of sons, daughters, and often in-laws, who care for and tend to the needs of an aged parent or parent-in-law. They shlep, they cook, they humor and often tolerate irritable, cantankerous elders. This commandment seems to get more difficult as time progresses. Yet the Torah makes no distinctions based on age. It is our responsibility to look after our parents when they are dependent on us as they looked after us when we were dependent on them.

6) Thou Shalt Not Murder. Well done. Here's another easy one to fulfill. I'm sure not one of you reading this ever murdered anyone. You thought of doing it, you almost did it but, in the end, Jews are not the murdering type. We can safely tick another one.

7) Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery. Umm... Let's move on the to next one.

8) Thou Shalt Not Steal. Strictly speaking, this refers to kidnapping in particular. However, all stealing—including the white-collar methods—apply.

9) Thou Shalt Not Bear False Witness. How truthful are we? Even if we are not under oath, our word should be sacred. I remember hearing an old rabbi being introduced to a group of university students simply as a "man who never told a lie." How many of us could make that claim?

10) Thou Shalt Not Covet. Not easy either. Commentary defines this injunction as a prohibition on badgering someone, or conniving, to acquire—even legally—that which belongs to another. Go get your own. Why must it be his spouse, house or car?

There you have it. Did you score full marks? Did you pass, or are you in the forty-percent-or-less bracket? Worth working on, isn't it? Hopefully, we can all improve our score and one day claim with justification that we really do observe the Ten Commandments.