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Shavuot
This past week brought many interactions and connections with people, as per usual. Babies and elders and everyone in between. People have moved here, and people have moved away. As we come to this week of preparation for Shavuot I find myself thinking about the many journeys our people have embarked upon, packing up, leaving a home […]
Bechukotai
I have been thinking a lot this past week about the word yes. Giving assent, agreement, even within our silence. Rabbi Mendel Torum of Rymanov taught: Only the first letter of the commandments, the aleph of anokhi, “I am,” was spoken by the Divine voice. Aleph signifies the number One, referring to the unity of all in God, […]
Behar
Each week when we have services over Zoom, I like to find part of our musical heritage to end the service – sometimes contemporary and sometimes an historical treasure. These past two weeks I was with families as we buried their beloved husbands, fathers, and grandfathers – both men born in Istanbul. In their memory, […]
Emor
We had a wonderful Shabbat morning service this week. Two people were called to Torah – one for the first time, and one for the first time since her daughter’s Bat Mitzvah in 1997! Kol haKavod to George Haniotis, moved here (we hope to stay) from Quebec, and to Cathy Basskin, visiting from Calgary.
Kedoshim
This week in Parashat Kedoshim, we face into some of the fundamental demands of Judaism. We are commanded to be kadosh, holy – to do what is holy – in all that we do. God tells us, “I am holy, so too, you are a holy people unto Me.” But holiness for Jews isn’t a feeling, or […]
Acharei Mot
We are a community of learners and a community of givers. I am so grateful to be in your midst. One of our members has suggested that we use our Seders moving forward (as we did this year – instead of a full – and costly – meal), we offer the Seder as an opportunity […]
Seder/Yizkor
We are now in the week of Pesach. We had a truly wonderful Seder this year, highlights included eating a delicious variety of charoset, singing with Susan Cogan, Neil and Charlotte Marcovitz, hail (marshmallows) flying around the room during the recitation of plagues, and (gently) whacking each other with scallions during Dayenu. Across the board, […]
Pesach
Chag sameach everyone, may you all have a joyous Seder. At our Seder this year we are incorporating a Sephardic custom of holding the Seder plate over the heads of each person, welcoming them with this song: “Bibhilu yasanu mi-mitzrayim, ha lahma ‘anya, bené horin,” “With haste we left Egypt, this is poor bread, [now] we are […]
Metzora
Shabbat HaGadol is traditionally a morning when the rabbi addresses the congregation with an often lengthy discourse about the mitzvoth applying to preparation for Pesach – how to rid one’s home of Chametz, preparation and koshering of kitchen, stove, fridge, counters, burning of Chametz and planning of Seder.
Naso
June 5, 2022 by Rabbi Lynn Greenhough • From the Rabbi's Desk Tags: naso, Rabbi Sally Priesand •
We had such a beautiful Shabbat/Shavuot service on Shabbat morning June 4th – many people brought flowers to help decorate out little shul. Thank you to everyone who helped in all manner of ways to make our morning as meaningful as could be; some helped lead the davening, some helped in the kitchen, some folded tablecloths, […]