TEMPLE ISRAEL – Valdosta, Georgia
229-244-1813 (Shul) / 229-269-8680 (Rabbi Cell) • Rabbi’s e-mail: mosheelbaz46@gmail.com
קהילת טמפל ישראל
ESTABLISHED 1908
RABBI MOSHE ELBAZ הרב משה אלבז
Join us this Sabbath evening, help us make a minyan!
Synagogue Events
- Friday – 7:30 p.m. – Shabbat Services
- Saturday – 10:00 a.m. – Torah study session
- Sunday – 1:00 p.m. – Zoom with the Rabbi
Message from the Rabbi:
To all our dear friends, Shabbat Shalom, We hope that this message finds you and yours in good health and spirits. Services will be tonight, Friday August 8th at 7:30pm.
Last Sunday, we observed the Tisha B’av with fasting and reading lamentations. A three-week period of semi-mourning ended. Now follows seven-week period of consolation, including this Shabbat: va’et’chanan.
The Houthis continue to launch ballistic rockets on Israel 2-3 times per week and they are intercepted by Israel defense systems. The other major front that confronts Israel is Gaza and the Hamas terror gang. Due to the civilian population of close to two-million it is a most difficult challenge to resolve the crisis. Last night, the Israeli cabinet decided to direct the IDF to move with a plan to capture Gaza, providing humanitarian assistance, release the kidnapped Israelis and defeat Hamas.
Of course Israel and its war with the radical terror Hamas received international coverage, especially the big lie of starvation in Gaza. It was a propaganda ploy from Hamas, which the world easily adopted. It has been compared with the war against Nazi Germany but did the allies provide supplies to the Nazis and in doing so sustain their efforts? Obviously not, but Israel is doing so to Gaza.
In Israel politics, a major crisis is underway. The Haredi/Hasidic community of 1.3 million, 11% of the population, has declared that their Torah students will continue with a life-style against the IDF demands to recruit them to military service. this issue had been around since the beginning of the State of Israel in 1948.
In our Torah portion of Va’et’chanan, the 2nd portion in the book of Devarim, Moses continues his final review. He reminds the new generation, to remember the wonders of God and to keep the laws in the Torah. The Haftarah from Isiah, opens with ‘nachamu, nachamu ami’ comfort my people.
IN MEMORIAM: Bronze Memorial plaque forms available include English & Hebrew names and are available to order locally. Please send a $500.00 donation to be included with the order.
TREE OF LIFE: To honor family/friends with a Tree of Life Leaf that can be engraved locally – Please send your order to Rabbi with a $150.00 donation per leaf. Chanah Wilson is a member of the board and handles the Tree of Life & other dedications.
If you have knowledge of a member/friend who is ill, or in the hospital, the rabbi would like to know and make it known to our congregation for e-mail communications. In addition, we’ll announce the sad news of the passing of members/friends in Valdosta and in the neighboring communities.
* All Yahrtzeit weekly announcements will be made twice. On the previous week and on the actual week. To place a Memorial Plaque for a loved one, please contact the rabbi (need the name in English & Hebrew, date of death) – it takes 3 months for the order to be completed – ($500.00)
A Yahrtzeit memorial lamp, will (if available on the large bronze tablets) be lit in the Synagogue. On the appropriate date, a Mourner’s Kaddish may be recited.
Yertzeits
AUGUST 9-15, 2025 15-21 AV 5785
Bradley Cohen (8/13) Lena Pearlman Lazarus (8/15)
Lillian Broitman Bienstock (8/10) Larry Aigen (8/11)
Arnold Cohen (8/14) Frances Hackel Golivesky (8/12)
Dorothy Pearlaman (8/15)
AUGUST 16-22, 2025 22-28 AV
Rubin Bonnett (8/16) Irving Pressmn (8/17)
Phillip Lazarus (8/18) Morris Bierman (8/21)
Gene Perlman (8/21) Sam Perlman (8/22)
Ivan Preston Friedlander (8/19)
Bette Braun (8/18)
AUGUST 23-29, 2025 29 AV-5 ELUL
Virginia Miller (8/24) Laura Libby Able (8/27)
Hannah Stein Golivesky (8/28)