Men's Club

Upcoming Events

Every aspect of the Bid N Buy Auction was a success. Men’s Club wishes to thank all congregants who donated merchandise items for the auction. Kudos to the office and custodial staff, the support of the Men’s Club and Temple board members, and most of all a hearty Mazel Tov to the people who attended the event, and those who participated by proxy and donation.

Message from TBE Men’s Club President Marty Solway

A PROPHET IS NOT A PROPHET IN HIS OWN LAND

I first heard of this expression at a Federation of Jewish Men’s Clubs convention. Steve Davidoff enunciated these words in his acceptance speech of a prestigious award. I did not grasp the significance of the meaning of these words at first, until I read the Prophets in the Bible. Hashem sent the prophets betimes and often to the people of Israel to mend their ways, and return to a righteous path to embrace the commandments of the Lord. The Lord sent prophets of nondescript and ordinary appearance and backgrounds. The reason being the Lord wanted the people to concentrate on the words of the prophecy, and not to ascribe any special stature to the prophet’s standing in the community. So one may ask, why the people of Israel, did not listen to the words of the prophecy, and return to the ways of the Lord. Easy peasy. Human nature stifles the capacity of the people to gain knowledge, through the limitations and barriers filtered by the sensory perceptions of the people. If the people cannot hear, see, touch or feel, the essence of the words of the message fall on deaf ears. For instance, Jeremiah had to ask for the protection of the Lord, in order to deliver the prophecy to the people of Israel. He knew in advance what the response of the people would be to a prophecy of an ominous nature, it would elicit a negative response. The people of Israel would openly say, who is this poor schlep telling us, if we do not mend our ways, a horrific consequence of death and destruction to the people and the land of Israel would take place. These must be the rantings and ravings of a crazy person. So what did Hashem do to break the log jam. After seventy years in exile, the Lord realized as was done before the Jewish people entered the land of Israel, the Lord would have to give the people fresh eyes to see, and ears to hear. In addition the Lord would have to instill the fear of the Lord into the hearts of the Jewish people, in order to breakthrough their spiritual barrier.

The congregants of Temple Beth Emet are fortunate that we are steeped in the traditions of Torah, as exemplified by our religious services, as well as our programs and activities. The words of the prophecy are well respected and lived by each day at Temple Beth Emet.