Yizkor, Shiva, Yom HaShoah
Good morning dear friends. Every day we are finding new opportunities and new challenges. On Thursday evening we held a Yizkor service (which we do four times a year – Pesach, Shavuot, Sukkot and Yom Kippur). Yesterday (Sunday) afternoon we were able to gather in a shiva minyan (of 52) to provide comfort and consolation to Marilyn Wolovick and her family members who had just buried their beloved mother Sarah. Our friend Rabbi Allan Finkel conducted the funeral which was live streamed, albeit over the wind, and then he joined us here in Victoria for shiva. Jewish geography meets technological advances! We will continue to meet on-line for classes and services.
We are just days before First Night Seder and when we begin to sing, Mah nishtana ha Laila ha zeh, we will have a very different answer on our tongues than the usual responses! Most of us are used to sitting with family and friends, new and old, and enjoying favourite Seder foods with the often raucous commentary. This year we will each be at home – but together at the same time. If you would like to join our community Seder, please let us know by sending Kolot Mayim an email (
On Blessings
April 27, 2020 by Rabbi Lynn Greenhough • From the Rabbi's Desk Tags: blessings, edible plants •
Dear friends,
Shavua tov, a good week to all of you. This cool’ish spring is allowing many of our spring flowers to linger in our gardens – our bluebells are giving us several weeks of delight. I have been picking and serving some wild “weeds” from our garden areas over these past weeks – weeds I have previously ignored. With an interest to limit trips to the market, I have been adding miner’s lettuce to our salads and soups, purple dead nettle and dandelion to pesto sauces and using lemon balm with parsley and miner’s lettuce in all manner of meals. This isn’t just a lesson in making do (although that was certainly the initial intention), but a lesson in gratitude and a lesson in paying attention – to not overlook the bounty that surrounds us. Here is a website if you would like to learn more about what is growing around us. http://edibleplants.b-king.ca/#harvestingMore