Congratulations to Kolot Mayim’s Jack Shalinsky, who, over the weekend was presented with a certificate in recognition of his 17 years of service on the board of Jewish Federation of Victoria and Vancouver Island. Presenting him with the certificate is KM’s Aaron Devor.
Dear friends,
As I am composing my thoughts, I am listening to the rain, drip, drip, drip. We are so blessed to have rainfall, even as we may need to rearrange ourselves as we try to have outdoor visits. We know that without adequate rain, much vegetation around us will suffer. What is the geshem, the rainfall, that we our souls need to thrive, to not wither? For many, if not most of us, we need the steady drip of human connection, of everything from hugs with our dear friends, to dinner parties, to hosting parties for our children. We have had to reinvent ways to stay connected. Zoom is one platform but there are others to explore. Building bubbles may feel tenuous, but bubbles also have tensile strength. Here is a fun experiment. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/bring-science-home-best-bubbles/
Dear friends,
What a month plus of celebrations we have had. We have Zoomed around the world and into each other’s homes and hearts. As the wind knocked over the willows from our sukkah on Shabbat, we are reminded that the seasons have shifted. We now change the wording in the Amidah from Moreed ha’tal, a blessing for dew, to Masheev ha ruach oo’moreed ha geshem, for the wind to blow and the rain to fall.More
Dear friends,
The announcement page looks very bare after the fullness of this past month with so many announcements about our Yomtov preparations and services!
I have heard back from many of you and am so pleased that you enjoyed the array of videos and singing that we included in our Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services. There is so much musical talent in the Jewish world, and we have new voices emerging all the time.More
From Rosh Hashanah through Simchat Torah we have the blessing of so many days of celebration – a blessing that can feel never ending some days! We have days of great joy and anticipation – eating favourite foods, dancing, shaking the lulav – and we gather for more somber days, where, for example, on Yizkor we remember our loved ones with pain in our hearts to this day.
Dear friends,
One can learn from the smallest of details. As I was preparing this message, I attempted to diminish the photo of myself (above). If I diminished the photo too much, it flipped and showed upside down. What occurred to me in that moment was a lesson in being careful to not diminish ourselves too much. That even in this season where we are so conscious of our past failings, we need to hold ourselves upright with the dignity of good intentions, our sense of integrity and the balance that comes from standing with and beside each other. If we don’t hold ourselves upright in the fullness of our being the world may suddenly appear upside down.More
Hello dear Kolot Mayim friends,
We will be Zooming all Rosh Hashanah services – please join us to see all the wonderful faces of our Kolot Mayim membership. The really wonderful part of Zoom is we see each other face-on, and not just the back of many heads.
Hello dear Kolot Mayim friends,
The days are getting shorter, the time to prepare for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur is getting shorter. Rosh Hashanah is approaching so very quickly. I am rehearsing and planning, charting and listening and trying to make our services feel haimisch even as they will feel very different this year.
Hello dear Kolot Mayim friends,
Another week draws us closer to Rosh Hashanah. This week we explore Ki Tavo – when you come near. Torah is speaking to us about k’lal Yisroel, the Israelite peoples entering the Land, but for us, today, Ki Tavo also carries the extra meaning of approaching our new year. What is coming ahead for us and what are we leaving behind? And what do we want to build?
Lech Lecha
October 26, 2020 by Rabbi Lynn Greenhough • From the Rabbi's Desk Tags: avram, lech lecha, sarai •
Dear friends,
The weeks are flying by, are they not? This week we are following the journey of Avram and Sarai as they leave their homeland to a place “that God will show” them. As someone who grew up here, and still lives here, this story always astounds my heart. I am not sure if I would have the courageous trust and faith, that is demonstrated in this leave-taking. Many people in Kolot Mayim have arrived in Victoria from away, many of you have moved here after several moves – moves that have taken you from family members, parents and close friends. Such uprootings are perhaps more commonplace these days, more the norm than staying put. And, we also know there are many ways we move. Some of us move spiritually, not geographically.More