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Pesach is over, but is it? We have another opportunity in our tradition, Pesach Sheini, for those who could not sit with family and friends at Seder. May this be the year that the hostages are finally home, and can say with their loved ones, Vehi sheamda. This year Pesach Sheini will be observed on May […]

Chag Pesach sameach, everyone – we had just a wonderful Seder. Thank you to all the souls who helped set up, put away, sweep the floor, sing, play music, prepare charoset – so much help, but best of all was being together, meeting new people, sharing and renewing friendships, and food. Marilyn sent me a […]

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 […]

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 […]

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.  

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]