Parshat Vayera

October 30 - 31, 2026 · 20 Cheshvan 5787

Shabbat Schedule

Friday, October 30

5:42pm

Candle Lighting

5:45pm

Mincha / Kabbalat Shabbat / Maariv

6:45pm

Shabbat Dinner with Yirmiyahu Danzig (by reservation only)

Shabbat, October 31: Parshat Vayera

9:15am

Morning Services (Shacharit)

~11:30am

Kiddush

5:00pm

Amud Yomi Class

5:30pm

Mincha, Third Meal (Seudah Shlishit), Maariv

6:41pm

Havdalah / Shabbat Ends

The Center City Eruv is UP! For eruv status and interactive eruv map, click here. See below: the Eruv Campaign is now open to receive donations, and all donations are doubled! The official campaign dates are November 7 to 10, but you can donate early! Thank you in advance for your support of our eruv!

Please help the Center City Eruv with a donation. And, if you're able, the best way to support the Eruv is to become an eruv-checker. Speak to Rabbi Hirsch or Rabbi Gotlib if you are interested in this opportunity.

For more details on Shabbat zmanim, weekly services, sponsorship opportunities, Mishebeirach requests, and programming, please visit the Mekor website.

Kiddush

Kiddush this week is available to be sponsored.

Third Meal this Shabbat is sponsored by Rabbi Gotlib in honor of the Amud Yomi class's siyum on Masechet Yoma, which will be made at Third Meal. Mazal Tov!

If you would like to sponsor Kiddush, this week or an upcoming week, please contact the shul.

We greatly appreciate all of the contributions and gestures, great and small, that make Mekor the inclusive and welcoming community that we are.

We are especially thankful to those who sponsor, set up, and clean up our Shabbat dinners, kiddush, and third meal. Thank you for all of your help!

This Friday Night: Shabbat Dinner with Yirmiyahu Danzig (Oct 30)

This Friday Night, October 30, we will host a special Shabbat dinner with Yirmiyahu Danzig, co-sponsored by the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia's Jewish Community Relations Council's Center to Combat Antisemitism. Yirmiyahu is an educator, speaker, and social media influencer (@that_semite) who focuses on Jewish identity, Israel, history, and combating antisemitism and misinformation.

Thank you to our Shabbat dinner sponsors: Ruth Rohde and Rabbi Steven Gotlib, Rachel Glyn, Sunnie and Ken Rosenstein, Rachel and Barry Kirzner, and the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia's Jewish Community Relations Council's Center to Combat Antisemitism.

The dinner is by reservation only. If you did not sign up and would like to attend, please email the shul.

Email the Shul About the Dinner

Youth Programs: Mini Minyan & Shmuel Alef

Mini Minyan: Mini Minyan will be held every Shabbat. Mini Minyan starts around 10:20am and is for anyone in elementary through middle school.

Shmuel Aleph Class: Shmuel Aleph will not be meeting for the next two weeks. After that, it will meet each Shabbat at 3:00pm throughout the year. It is for 6th to 8th graders. Contact Yoella Epstein at yoella.epstein@gmail.com for location info.

Center City Eruv Campaign: Now Live (Every Dollar Is Doubled!)

The Center City Eruv fundraising campaign is now live! The official campaign runs from November 7 to November 10. Please consider donating early to help ensure we reach our $75,000 goal. Thanks to generous matching donors, every dollar donated is doubled!

This vital campaign funds critical infrastructure upgrades: replacing aging materials with durable alternatives, implementing halachic enhancements, and providing better tools and inspection routes for our weekly eruv-checkers.

Double your impact: Donate early to the Center City Eruv campaign →

Mercaz Chesed Project: Volunteers Needed!

Thank you to Joel and Dean Goldhammer and Hannah Glyn, who participated in our first ever chesed teen opportunity with Mercaz!

Join Mercaz for a meaningful chesed opportunity helping children living in local shelters. Volunteers will play games with the children and help serve and share lunch.

1340 Brown Street, Philadelphia
12:30 to 2:30 PM

Upcoming dates: December 20, February 28, and April 18.

Service hours available! For more information, email mercazphilly@gmail.com or follow @mercazphilly on Instagram.

Donations to Mekor

Please pay your Simchat Torah pledges. Thank you to everyone who pledged. You can pay by using this link, or contact the shul with any questions.

We deeply appreciate donations, large and small, to help support our shul. To make your contribution, please use this link.

Support of Israel: Events & Initiatives

In addition to the information below, please visit our new Support of Israel website page for announcements about initiatives online and across the greater Philadelphia Jewish community, all in support of Israel. See our newest entries about how you can support civil defense efforts in Israel.

To view the latest prayer for the welfare of soldiers of the IDF and all victims of terror click here.

Divrei Torah

Click here to read Rabbi Hirsch's latest Torah articles on Substack.

Click here to read Rabbi Gotlib's latest articles on Substack.

Sunnie Epstein's weekly Divrei Torah on the Parshiot HaShavuah can be found on YouTube here.

Daily Minyan

We welcome everyone to join us for a Minyan, whether it's once a week or every weekday!

Please email the Shul to RSVP or to join the Minyan WhatsApp group. RSVPs are appreciated.

Morning and evening weekday services are followed by a brief halachic insight by Rabbi Hirsch or Rabbi Gotlib. Amud Yomi follows most morning services.