TSS Members Picnic and Havdalah Service – Saturday August 17th

Thank you TSS members picnic and Havdalah service

August 17, 2013

This is a picnic to say “thank you” to all of members. The date is August 17th from 4-8 PM.

 

This will be held at the Devonshire Park,  located behind the South Mall in Allentown. It has a covered pavilion with electricity.  The park also has the following items:

 

  • baseball field
  • basketball court
  • volleyball
  • tennis courts
  • playground and swings

 

These items are available to the public during the time we are there but this park is rarely used, so maybe we will have the whole place to ourselves!

 

We will provide hot dogs and drinks for all and ask people to bring a covered dish.

 

We want to make it fun for all as well as encouraging families to attend. As a way to have everyone interact more with one another we will be incorporating some games into the day. It will be the “TSS first annual Maccabi games”.

 

Here is a preliminary layout for the day:

4:00-4:30 Arrival

4:30-6:00- Maccabi games  (appropriate for ages 5-95)

6:00-6:15 – Havdalah service

6:15-7:00- Dinner

7:00-7:30- Volleyball or kickball

7:30- dessert and awards

 

We would like people to RSVP by August 10th. Once we know who will be attending we will make up the teams for the events. RSVP to Donna Iorio, at DonnaIorio@aol.com.

Judaism and the Founding Fathers

On this week of the celebration of the establishment of our great Republic, the July 4th holiday, I thought it would be appropriate to point out examples of the impact the Torah had on our founding fathers.

Among the early designs for the Great Seal of the United States were some that included Moses and the Israelites. Benjamin Franklin’s proposal is preserved in a note in his own handwriting: ” Moses standing on the Shore, and extending His hand over the Sea, thereby causing the same to overwhelm Pharaoh who is sitting in an open Chariot, a Crown on His Head and a Sword in His Hand. Rays from a Pillar of Fire in the Clouds reaching to Moses, to express that He acts by the command of the Deity. Motto, Rebellion to Tyrants is Obedience to God.”

Thomas Jefferson also suggested allegorical scenes. For the front of the seal: children of Israel in the wilderness, led by a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.”

When James Madison was composing the Bill of Rights, he kept a copy of the Hebrew Bible at his side as a source of inspiration and guidance.

I pray all of us have a happy and safe 4th of July celebration.