As you are all well aware, Israel is now in the midst of a critical war in Gaza. Even as we have the opportunity to study Torah in the comfort of our homes, our fellow Jews are enduring harrowing conditions and mortal danger. The civilian residents of the ever-expanding Gaza periphery experience the fright of rocket attacks on a daily basis, and the young soldiers, youger than most of our participants, are called on to bravely risk their lives in combat.

• This week we will begin studying medical ethics in Contemporary Issues shiur. The first shiur, about abortion, will be this Sunday at 5:30-6:30 PM Israel time / 10:30-11:30 AM Eastern.
• A review sheet on Hilchot Bishul is posted, please do it and send it in when you are done. We will continue with Melechet Melaben this Sunday.
• Mazal tov to incoming participant Nechama Horowitz on her Aliya!

Dvar Torah - Lessons for Tough Times from Miketz and Chanuka

Pictures from the Melava Malka in Washington Heights.

We will resume December 28; Please use the week for chazara.

Mazel Tov to Daniel Lorch and Tzipora Glassberg on their upcoming wedding!
Mazel Tov to Selig Davis and Rachel Howitt on their upcoming wedding!

May you share lives filled with much happiness!

Melava Malka - This Week, NY

This Motzai Shabbat at 6:30-8:00 PM
we will have a Melava Malka with free refreshments at the Multi-Purpose room of the
Mt. Sinai shul in Washington Heights - 135 Bennett Ave.

Shiurim for sunday Dec. 14 are available in prerecorded audio:

Hil. Shabbat: Megis - http://video.orachmishor.org/shabbat/megis.mp3

Contemporary Issues - Manipulative Pricing in Halacha - http://video.orachmishor.org/contemporary/onaa.mp3

There are no live video conferences December 14th!

Announcements
*Get Psyched. Next Motsai Shabbat (Vayeshev/December 20) we will have a melava malka in Washington Heights for Orach Mishor participants, their friends, and anyone else who wants to join. We will get to hear words of Torah from Andrew Zimmerman; if you have a vort, nigun or refreshment, bring it. It will be in honor of finishing Hil. Bishul, and accordingly we will be having free fleishik refreshments bbq'ed over genuine GEFET.

• SAVE THE DATE: We will have a melava malka for Orach Mishor in NYC, Motsai Shabbat December 20. Details to follow soon.

Dvar Torah for Parshat Vayetze

The Second Great Famine

Not unlike The Second Great Depression that is currently staring us in the face, our forefather Isaac had to deal with The Second Great Famine of the Middle East (there were probably more, but his is only the second one in the biblical narrative. The first was the one his father, Abraham, had confronted a generation earlier (as referred to in Genesis 26:1).