WEDNESDAY UPDATE: 4 NOVEMBER 2026
Movie Matinee: this month’s selection explained
Why would the Women’s League’s popular Movie Matinee choose a movie that every one of their ‘regulars’ has probably already seen at least twice? And why is this choice—Casablanca—so appropriate for a Jewish audience? For some answers to these questions, read Mark Pollock’s explanation here.
Women who made their mark
Heshy Engelsberg has been continuing his series of scenes from Northern Israel with a presentation on the tombs (or more likely tziunim) of some notably righteous women: Rabbi Akiva’s wife Rachel, Yocheved and Miriam, Bilhah, Zilpah, Tzipporah, Elisheva and Avigayil. For more, click here.
Bearing Arms
This is not what you think! It’s the title of Pessy Krausz’s latest poem—and what a lovely one it is! “Bearing Arms” is already winning plaudits in Israel’s poetry-in-English community and we are delighted that Pessy is sharing it with us, here.
Tehillim for Tzahal
Some of our new members may not know that we say Tehillim for our family members who are serving in Tzahal. Their names are listed every week in the full version of our Hanassi Highlights. If you would like to join our Whatsapp Tehillim Group and recited Tehillim for our family heroes, contact Simcha Fass on 054-205-6121. For the record, we are currently on our 238th cycle and you need only say as many (or as few) Tehillim as you want.
Mishnayot for the Siyum: a reminder
If you have undertaken to learn perakim of mishnayot for the Siyum to mark the Sheloshim of Debra Zohar z’l this Thursday evening, can you please check that you have completed them. Thanks!
**********************
TUESDAY UPDATE: 3 NOVEMBER 2026
Chayei Sarah: a presentation in four parts
Speaking to the BKH Golan tour party last night, Rabbi Kenigsberg spoke on this week’s Torah reading. First he emphasized a point frequently made by Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks—that God’s promises to Avraham were in effect tasks which he was to begin, Then, after explaining the significance of the vanishing vav in the name of Ephron the Hittite, he reviewed Yitzchak’s apparently passive but vital role in consolidating the changes his father made. Finally, the Rav learned over a dramatic re-reading of the sale of the Cave of Machpelah in the light of a fascinating essay written by Rabbi Norman Lamm back in 1952. To hear this shiur, click here.
Historical footnote: exactly one year ago, ahead of Parashat Chayei Sarah, Rabbi Kenigsberg was addressing members of the BKH party visiting the Galil. Here’s what he said then.
Reminder: our weekly parashah shiur
We look forward to welcoming Rabbi Eitiel Goldwicht back this Thursday morning to continue his series of weekly shiurim on the parashah to honor the memory of Rabbi Wein zt’l.
While we are on the subject, we have finally received the TorahAnyTme link to Rabbi Goldwicht’s shiur for Parashat Lech Lecha, “The Land of Israel: a Promise and a Test”. You can access it here.
Baruch Dayan HaEmet
It is with great sadness that we learned that Rabbi Chaim Shalom Lefshitz z’l, father of our ba’al keriah Rabbi Moshe Lefshitz, passed away on Sunday. Rabbi Lefshitz will be sitting shiva at Mesillat She’arim 15. Click here for the official notice.
Wolfson wanted
We have a request from a lady who is not a member of Beit Knesset Hanassi but who would very much like to join if she could find somewhere suitable in the area. She is looking for a Wolfson apartment that is bright and airy with two bedrooms and two bathrooms. If you can help, please contact Aviva at 053-879-1591.
****************************
MONDAY UPDATE: 2 NOVEMBER 2026
Sheloshim for Debra Zohar z’l
The sheloshim for our dear departed member Debra Zohar z’l will be taking place in shul this coming Thursday, 5 November, at 7.00 pm. Please be sure to be there on time.
Coming Home!
Hanassi Board member Rabbi Paul Bloom is passionate about Aliyah and it is his mission to facilitate Aliyah for as many people as possible. To this end he has launched several initiatives and has also written a book, Coming Home: 101 Reasons to Make Aliyah. On Wednesday 18 November, here in our shul, Paul is holding a book-signing session which will include discussion, questions and answers on this vital yet so sensitive topic. All members of the shul are warmly encouraged to attend, particularly those who have family abroad who may be contemplating Aliyah or conjuring reasons for not making it. Click here for full details.
Top posts, videos for October
Now that October has passed and November is well underway, we can let you know which of our social media postings has been the most heavily visited.
Our most-read blogposts for the month read like this:
- Beginning Again With Responsibility
- The Power to See Good
- When Ten is More than Just a Number
- The Voice of the Lord
- Sun, Sand and Self-Sufficiency: Growing Up at the Seaside
The most-viewed video recordings for October run as follows:
- Hespedim for Debra Zohar z’l
- She’arim beTefillah: Why Does Music Sometimes Matter More Than Words When We Pray?
- Birthing on Shabbat: halachot on Getting to Hospital and How Many People Can Accompany the Mother
- Parashat Noach: Three Mentions of Hamas—What this Means for Human Values and Emunah
- The Torah Has Three Different Terms of Praise for Noah. Why? Is This Necessary? And What do They Really Mean?
*********************************
SUNDAY UPDATE: 1 NOVEMBER 2026
Calling all men!
Today sees the beginning of the shul’s four-day trip to the Golan. This excursion will inevitably result in our midweek minyanim being a bit thinner than usual. Please make sure the minyan carries on in style by giving it your support. Thanks!
Not tomorrow
If you are looking forward to Rabbi Kenigsberg’s next Tzurba M’Rabanan shiur on the laws of Shabbat, you’ll have to wait till next week for it. The Rav is joining the shul trip to the Golan and will therefore not be available to give tomorrow’s shiur. As an aside, more than 40 people regularly view the weekly Tzurba shiur each week on our YouTube channel. If you want to catch up on the most recent shiurim (or any other shiurim we offer), you can find them here.
Aliyah: Want to be a mentor?
It’s no secret that Rabbi Paul Bloom is a big enthusiast for Aliyah. Evidence of Paul’s commitment is apparent to anyone who has seen or heard of his Israel Inspiration Initiative. Paul is asking members of our shul—almost all of whom are olim—if they would like to volunteer to take the responsibility for mentoring people who have recently made Aliyah, who are in the throes of doing so or who are engaged in the planning stages. If you would like to know more about Paul’s mentoring plans, please email him at pdbloom1@gmail.com, call him on 058-732-5666 or whatsapp him on +1 (732) 309-3192.
Membership: renewal—and our directory
Not all our members have renewed their membership for the present year. If you are a member and renewal has simply slipped your mind, may we remind you that, if you still haven’t renewed by the end of the year, you won’t be included in our Membership Directory for 2027. For all details relating to renewal, just click here.
There’s more to the North than just the Golan
While a bundle of BKH members trek north to the Golan this week, we can report that Heshy Engelsberg has been up north too, having recently stayed overnight in the mystical city of Tzfat. He has produced a three-part epic record of his visit and we are delighted to share it with you. His triptych of recordings is divided as follows:
Part 1: Hotel check-in, Old cemetery, Ancient Synagogues (Abuhav, Alshich, Yosef Karo), Beit Midrash of Shem and Ever.
Part 2: Ancient Streets and alleyways, Artist Quarter.
Part 3: Night walk, hotel grounds, morning breakfast, tomb of Nachum Ish Gamzu.
****************************
FRIDAY UPDATE: 30 OCTOBER 2026
This week’s Torah reading
Rabbi Kenigsberg’s devar Torah for the parashah of the week—Vayeira—was published in yesterday’s Hanassi Highlights. You can also read it on The Hanassi Blog in English and, thanks to ChatGPT, in Hebrew.
Was Avraham Avinu just seeing things?
In last night’s mini-shiur Eli Friedwald pitted those two great Jewish heavyweights, Rambam and Ramban, against one another in their titanic struggle over the true meaning of the narrative that opens this week’s parashah. Did malachim really visit Avraham or was it just a vision? To pick your rishon and follow the debate, join Eli here.
You’re afraid even though there’s no apparent reason?
But maybe there is an explanation. You can’t explain it logically, but your mazal sees what you cannot. This, along with a fascinating passage on whether reading the megillah trumps the mitzvot of Temple service and learning Torah, features in yesterday’s Zoom shiur by Rabbi Kenigsberg on masechet Megillah. Tune in here to catch the shiur.
Our masechet Beitzah siyum
Here’s a Facebook photocall from Wednesday night’s magnificent siyum to celebrate our completion of Gemara Beitzah.
Wot? Still no sponsor…
Is it really possible that, throughout the entire length and breadth of this wonderful community, there is not even one single soul who has a cast-iron excuse for sponsoring tomorrow’s kiddush in shul? Surely this cannot be! If you are nursing a good excuse for being our sponsor (or even a co-sponsor), just call Ronny on 050-440-3214 and save the day!
