Rabbi Lynn Greenhough

Over these past weeks several members of Kolot Mayim have died. I want to make mention of both Caroline Hergt and Sheila Greenberg.

Caroline and her family were founding members of Kolot Mayim – her three children – Quintin, Gabby and Sheldon grew up in our kehillah. The Hergt family donated the breastplate of our Torah – something I only discovered a few years back. We may remember Martin bringing his accordion to a service, or Caroline’s ‘lettuce’ hat, or her walking with Gabby straight into the waters during taschlich last fall – we have our own memories of a woman who personified love of family and love of Judaism.

Sheila is less well-known to many members as she had physical incapacities that precluded her attendance at services. Originally from Edmonton, Sheila moved to Victoria, and shared her home here with Todd. In speaking with her daughter Natalie and Todd, I discovered Sheila read my “From the Rabbi’s Desk’ religiously as it were. (I often wonder if anyone reads my words so that was most gratifying to hear)! Sheila was a wonderfully bright, engaged and extremely well-organized woman, who looked at her life with a straightforward and direct eye. Even in hospital, as we spoke about how to best plan for that death that will come to us all, she told me “Be blunt, be honest”, with a genuine and open smile.

It has been my honour to know both women. We send our condolences to both families.

Wishing all long life, healthy life, a good life,

With deep love,
Rabbi Lynn

Ki Tissa is such a monumental parashah. We read about the stone Tablets inscribed by the finger of God, the Golden Calf, the shattering of those tablets, and then God instructs Moses – “Carve for yourself two stone Tablets like the first ones, and I shall inscribe on the Tablets the words that were on the first Tablets, which you shattered.” And there is more…

As I read these words, I think about how Judaism asks much of each of us. We make our decisions. Here in one monumental sentence, God is asking not just Moses, but, in my interpretation, each of us to carve these words, on the Tablets of our hearts. God knows we will shatter those words. But in that shattering comes that most important aspect of who we are as Jews – agency, ownership, obligation. We carve our relationships with God and with each other on our hearts through our intentions and our actions.  

One sentence, packed with so much meaning.

Wishing all long life, healthy life, a good life,

With deep love,
Rabbi Lynn

This week we read Tetzaveh, command. We read, again in great deal, the garments commanded to be worn by the Kohanim, the Priests. These garments resonate particularly with members of the Chevrah Kadisha, as the garments worn by the dead are called by the same names as these priestly garments.  More

Shavua tov, a good week, everyone. This past Sunday evening many people, Jews and allies, stood together downtown in a light-filled vigil to honour the Bibas family and all hostages who are coming home to Israel, alive and dead. These are very challenging days as unimaginable horrors are visited upon Israel. We stand not just in vigil, but I hope, in the purpose of our covenant – to bring light into this world.More

I have such an interesting life; I spent Sunday morning learning with three women who want to learn how to leyn (chant) Torah, so we discussed conjunctives and disjunctives, the role of the meteg, and punctuation. This was followed by meeting with a new family and their daughter who is considering learning for her Bat Mitzvah. As I type these words, I am listening to a rehearsal of a play that involves mention of a rabbi, and every time I hear the word rabbi stated so vociferously, I jump! Meanwhile texts arrive about funerals and sadness, about minyan and banana bread, about the stuff of life and death.More

As I write this, I have the blessing of knowing Jack Shalinsky in my heart. A long-time member of Kolot Mayim, Jack and Sharon both were so committed to our shul, to the larger Victoria Jewish community and especially, with great heart, to Israel. As you will know by now, Jack died in the early morning of Shabbat, February 1^st. We will bury him Tuesday. His memory is truly a blessing for us all.

Wishing all long life, healthy life, a good life,

With deep love,
Rabbi Lynn

The entrance to the JCC along Shelbourne will be blocked for some time to come. Somehow it seems fitting that the planners for Saanich decided that Shabbat Bo was the week the entrance to our kehillah would be blocked.

In Bo we continue to encounter the hard heart of Pharaoh, his blocking the departure of the Israelites, his arrogance, his intransigence affronted by this demand from Moses to “Let my people go.” As the hostages in Gaza continue to trickle back to Israel we continue this refrain, “Let my people go.”More

Blessed is the one who frees the captive: Three woman came home this week; Romi, Emily and Doron, welcomed by the IDF and their families and friends back in Israel, welcomed with tremendous joy and relief. We continue to pray for the many souls who have “not yet” returned, praying with all our might for their returnMore

This week we begin to read the Book of Shemot, or Exodus.

Shemot is full of stories we are familiar with from our Pesach Seders – the plagues, the resistance on the part of Pharaoh, and the final leaving of Mitzrayim, that place of constriction and narrowness, to begin the return to the homeland of the Israelites. It is a magnificent sequence of events that includes the giving of Torah at Mt. Sinai.

But the first parsha in Shemot opens with how all the peoples of the original 70 souls of the house of Jacob now “were fruitful, teemed, and became strong – very, very much so and the land became filled of them.” Was this actual fact or possibly a perception based on fear?  

I’m five feet tall, yet I have often had people tell me they assume I am taller than I actually am. This aspect of what we might call projection is fascinating – as it is a quality both internally generated and externally perceived. If I feel strong and confident I take up more space – not necessarily physically, but my presence is felt as larger.  We see this same mechanism play out today I think, with Jews. In actual numbers we are less than 0.2% of the world population yet the perception of many is that we have control far beyond what is actually possible. Many think Israel is vastly larger than it actually is. Etc.

I think about this as I read Shemot. A Pharaoh who did not know the Israelites decides to enforce their servitude. The reality of their lives is brutal. Finally, God waits for Moses, and then God’s Presence speaks to Moses from a bush, all aflame. Resistance ensues and finally as Moses agrees, he asks God how he shall tell the Israelites what God’s Name is. Ehyeh Asher Ehey – I will be what I will be. And so, as it evolves, will we. We will be what we will be. A people who have survived, a people who have grown in strength and determination and creativity. A people committed to working hard and bringing light – every Shabbat. We may only be .02%, but each of us is part of that 100% Jewish people.

Wishing all long life, healthy life, a good life,

With deep love,
Rabbi Lynn

Vayechi is the last parashah in Bereshit/Genesis. “(Jacob) and he lived. Of course, in true Torah fashion we will read of the death of Jacob and of his son Joseph. We read about Jacob’s ‘ethical’ will, his eulogy, the seven days of shiva – all manner of mourning practices we hold to this day. Jacob was carried to the Cave of Machpelah to be buried, to lie with his ancestors.

Today, many of us will be buried apart from our own ancestors – they live too far away, shipping is expensive, the dilemma of where to be buried is very real. If you ever want to discuss this matter with me, please give me a call. I can help you make a plan, and also help you understand what preparations to make to help end-of-life realities easier for your children and your partners. Planning ahead can really help everyone.

Wishing all long life, healthy life, a good life,

With deep love,
Rabbi Lynn