Blog
Ki Tisa
Our Purim party was such a delight – and now we prepare for Pesach and our Seder. I hope you will register to join us – Seder is just a few weeks away! This week we read Ki Tisa, and read about the infamous incident of the Golden Calf. Our Torah is never afraid to […]
Purim
Our first experiment at opening our doors an hour early (6 pm) on Friday evening was a wonderful success. We lit candles, drank tea, ate cookies, and schmoozed – it was hard to break things up for our service to begin. Kai Morsink led us with a heartfelt and joyous Kabbalat Shabbat, what a pleasure […]
Terumah
Many of us – many – have been down this past week with colds, flu, pneumonia even, and to everyone we wish a refuah shlemah, a complete healing. The ‘bugs’ even caught up with me and I was quite unable to lead Shabbat services this past Shabbat morning. Thank you, kol hakavod to Lis Louwrier and Marilyn Wolovick, who responded to my […]
Mishpatim
Snowdrops and forsythia and crisp morning breezes…Spring is coming. Mishpatim brings its own verses of hope and a big dose of that everyday pragmatism we call Judaism. Again, Judaism is not a religion per se, but a code of conduct. Religion can be found in all realms, from family life and our homes, to how we […]
Yitro
Yitro, the man of many names. Yitro (in English, Jethro) had seven names: Re’uel, Yeter, Yitro, Chovov, Chever, Keini, Putiel. Revenue Canada might have had something to say about all those names! Most of us have our English names and our Jewish names, but we may also have pet-names, or titles (Bubbe, Zeyde, Rabbi, Savta (Hebrew, grandmother), Sabba (Hebrew, grandfather), Shver (Yiddish, father-in-law) […]
B’shallach
I love Shabbat B’shallach, also known as Shabbat Shirah (Shabbat of Song) and Shabbat of the birds – and yes, I will be bringing my little birds to decorate the Bimah! Who can better sing than the birds in our midst?
Bo
This coming Shabbat – Shabbat Bo – we will welcome Yardenne Katz into our kehilla officially – it will be her Bat Mitzvah. Bo – come – seems such an appropriate parashah for such a ceremony. Just as God begins the process of leading us to freedom, to redemption, so too will this daughter of covenant find her way, God willing, to come […]
Va-eira
With Tu B’Shevat coming up we look forward to our Spring festivals, Purim, Pesach and Shavuot not far behind. Special readings, special customs and, of course, special foods accompany each celebration. I’m looking forward to that taste of dried fruits, that first hamantaschen, that sharp bite of a Hillel sandwich. Our taste buds are our storehouses of memories.
Shemot
We had a wonderful Shabbat morning service last week – and welcomed many of our students back from holidays and arduous work schedules. Thank you to our volunteers who help with setting up, and helping in the kitchen – you are very much welcomed and appreciated. We are now in the Book of Shemot. The Book […]
Vayakel-Pekudei
March 14, 2023 by Rabbi Lynn Greenhough • From the Rabbi's Desk
This coming Shabbat morning is Shabbat Mevarchim Chodesh Nisan. What does this mean? The Shabbat before the start of a Jewish month (Rosh Chodesh) is known as Shabbat Mevarchim, “the Shabbat when we bless.” So, on Shabbat we bless the coming month of Nisan. Nisan is the first of our months, and the month when we celebrate Pesach, and our redemption, […]