SB Right – 3 Column
Bamidbar
May 19, 2020 by Rabbi Lynn Greenhough • From the Rabbi's Desk • Tags: bamidbar, numbers •
Dear friends, This week, in Torah, we enter the Wilderness, the Book of Bamidbar. In B.C., we also begin a new phase of re-opening and re-entering, as we might go to places we have not seen for months now. We enter those new spaces carefully, avoiding risk where we can, and hopefully, we will continue […]
Behar–Bechukotai
May 11, 2020 by Rabbi Lynn Greenhough • From the Rabbi's Desk • Tags: Behar–Bechukotai, bonnie henry •
Dear friends, Shavua tov, a good week to all of you. This week we are in yet another double portion: the books of Behar – the shortest parashah in Torah and Bechukotai.
Emor
May 5, 2020 by Rabbi Lynn Greenhough • From the Rabbi's Desk • Tags: emor •
Shavua tov, dear friends. We are in the middle of the middle as I said on Friday night – not the middle of the muddle, as COVID may make us feel. We are in the very centre of Vayikra, the Book of Leviticus, and in the central readings of that book. This week we are […]
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 […]
Yizkor, Shiva, Yom HaShoah
April 20, 2020 by Rabbi Lynn Greenhough • From the Rabbi's Desk • Tags: shiva, yizkor, 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 […]
Pirkei Avot
April 14, 2020 by Rabbi Lynn Greenhough • From the Rabbi's Desk • Tags: pesach, pirkei avot •
Shavua tov, dear friends, This week we are going to begin a new cycle of studies. It is customary to learn from the book Pirkei Avot during the seven weeks between Pesach and Shavuot. These texts are extraordinary teachings. See this teaching from My Jewish Learning for an explanation of these texts: https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/pirkei-avot-ethics-of-our-fathers/
Passover
April 7, 2020 by Rabbi Lynn Greenhough • From the Rabbi's Desk • Tags: Covid-19, passover, seder 5780 •
Shavua tov dear friends, 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 […]
Tzav
March 31, 2020 by Rabbi Lynn Greenhough • From the Rabbi's Desk • Tags: tzav •
Shavua tov dear friends, Neomi Summers sent me this lovely prayer and it gave me a thought: what if each of us were to hang a prayer on a virtual prayer tree. If you are inspired to pen a thought, send it in, so we can share your prayers amongst all of us.
Naso
May 25, 2020 by Rabbi Lynn Greenhough • From the Rabbi's Desk • Tags: blessings, naso •
This week in Torah we read the book of Naso – which has one of our most significant blessings: Many Jews recite this blessing over the heads of their children on Friday nights before reciting Kiddush. It is a special moment in the family when parents come up to their children and acknowledge the circle […]