Shemot
Dear friends,
I have just completed formatting the announcements – and so much is going on. We are very blessed to have such an engaged congregation, with members willing to participate in all manner of ways, be it volunteering to interview members as we write our ‘torah’, our story of the beginnings of Kolot Mayim, or participate in leading services, or make offers of shiva meals as needed. And more. Truly this is Jewish life – a life of doing. Community is what we build everyday – and yet this can be very hard for new members to tap into when we can’t have people over to our homes. Hence our idea for people to visit over Zoom, one-on-one. Originally this idea came to me as I was thinking about how to better engage individuals who are thinking about conversion. Some people joined Kolot Mayim just as we were locking down – and even as I stress community, it can be very difficult for any of them to build connection with members. But as I thought about this idea, I realized there is an opportunity for many of us – if not all of us, to build deeper connections, even as we are still online for a while yet. Please think about participating. I will put a list in circulation and then leave it up to people to make calls, put up the tea and visit.
Pekude
February 27, 2022 by Rabbi Lynn Greenhough • From the Rabbi's Desk • Tags: pekude, ritual, shemot, spiritual •
I read this recently: The word spiritual contains the word ritual. How had I not seen this before?
As we read through the final words of the journey of Exodus/Shemot, I am struck by this juxtaposition of word within word. The last two books – Vaykhel/Pekude provide extraordinary detail about the construction of the Mishkan, the sanctuary where God will reside with the people Israel. This collection of souls are barely a people at this point, even having stood at Sinai in their joined numbers; they are still learning how to do this “people” thing. The half-shekel requirement is part of building that bond. Giving on a footing of equality helps to build a bond of community. The many rituals of Judaism are not outside spirituality – they are within its very essence – our very essence. As we prepare to leave Shemot and enter the pages of Vayikra/Leviticus – many, many rituals – we begin to glimpse this essence.
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