I wish you all a Shanah Tovah! It was so renewing to feel a special sense of community again. On the 1st day of Rosh Hashanah about 200 attendees representing Kehila, Am Kolel and friends and relatives gathered at Walter Johnson High School. An equal number of windows were open on Zoom. On the 2nd day of Yontif some 70 participants gathered outdoors at Sanctuary! While there are still concerns about Covid there was a sense of return to “our days of old.” It was wonderful for people to connect personally again.
Read MoreSome of us have been watching Ken Burn’s documentary, The U.S. and the Holocaust. I’ve seen many documentaries and films about the Holocaust over the years, but none as vivid, as disturbing and as thoughtful as this. Along with daily news about the atrocities committed by Russia to the people of Ukraine, I have been numbed witnessing “man’s inhumanity to man.”
Read MoreKi Tavo. “When you come…”. These opening words from this week’s Parsha coincide with our “coming” into the High Holy Days. In the biblical narrative, each Israelite is instructed to come to the priest to make an offering, but, more significantly, to recount his/her journey, to recount their ancestry and history from slavery to freedom.
Read MoreThis Parsha, Ki Tetze, is a continuation of Moses’ teachings to the people on how to create a just, compassionate and peaceful society. The range of concerns is amazing.
It begins with the treatment of women captives and the care provided foreign women in sexual and familial relationships. It’s worth noting that women captives were not considered slaves or to be sold as slaves. Nonetheless, women’s rights were terribly limited even though the Torah tries to take some leaps forward.
Read MoreGiven the assault on our justice system, the FBI and federal judges, not to mention other democratic institutions, this week’s Parsha, Shoftim, couldn’t be more right on.
“18 Appoint judges and officials for each of your tribes in every town the Eternal your God is giving you, and they shall judge the people fairly. 19 Do not pervert justice or show partiality. Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the innocent. 20 Follow justice and justice alone, so that you may live and possess the land the Eternal your God is giving you.”
Read MoreThe last Parsha, Ekev, started with notion of how we take our steps (Ekev) moving forward. This Parsha opens with the word, Re’eh, the intention of “seeing.” To watch where we are stepping is a important insight. “See, I set before you today a blessing and a curse.” Moshe Rabeynu, our eminent Teacher uses the visual aid of two mountains, one that is lush, Har Grizim, and the other that is barren, Har Eval, to drive home the point of the choices before us.
Read MoreEkev is a great Parsha! It becomes even clearer that G!d is in need of our right actions in order to be Godself. This understanding is explored beautifully in the teachings of Abraham Joshua Heschel is his work God in Search of Man.
Read MoreAs the Israelites prepare to enter into the Land of Promise we have just witnessed the long overdue Inflation Reduction Act, a thumbs up for this Land of Promise.
We hope it will impact the wellbeing of millions of people and the Land, Earth and climate. Like in ancient times, the bickering and ups and downs of the wilderness journey led to a reaffirmation of the covenant that we ought to have with each other, this planet and the Source of All Being.
Read MoreBusy week at Sanctuary and in Am Kolel. Our roof shingles at Sanctuary, after some 25 years are being replaced. It's pretty dramatic to see ten workers on the roof of this old farm house. Fortunately, insurance is paying for most of it due to wind damage.
Read MoreWell, we just got back from the Promised Land! Actually, not the biblical Promised Land. We spent several days in and around Canaan Valley, West Virginia. It was the perfect place to go if you’re into the Parshiot this week. Matot-Masey, a double Parsha, brings us to the mountains overlooking the Promised Land. The Israelites are about to enter and in Masey we recall the forty-two stops along the way.
Read MoreDear hevre,
I am on vacation this week.
Janeane Marks will be leading our Shabbat services this week.
This week's Parsha, Pinchas, addresses the response to Pinchas’ radical act of violence to stop the Israelites from moral corruption.
Read MoreFirst, I want to thank everyone who contributed to our June Appeal. While we didn’t quite reach our goal, we did well. Though it’s still a bit of struggle to cover expenses, the retreat center has come back to life. We are still exploring how we can continue some use of Sanctuary Retreat Center and also recreate our Center in the lower part of the County to better meet our community’s needs.
Read MoreLoss is a major theme in this week’s Parsha, Chukat. Almost immediately after last week’s parsha and the challenges to Moses’ leadership, he is now faced with the deaths of Miriam and, then, at the close of the pasha, of Aaron. Not only were they his siblings, but, they were co-founders and his closest allies in the birth of the Israelite nation and the Jewish people. When Miriam dies, rather than mourn the loss, they complain to Moses about who is now going to provide them with water as Miriam had done in the past. Aaron, however, is mourned for 30 days. This disservice to Miriam still needs to be rectified. We have tried to do that at our Shabbat of Chukat Service in past years and will do so again this week.
Read MoreThe name of the Parsha this week is Korach. Korach, a close relative of Moses, organized a rebellion to challenge and overthrow Moses’ and Aaron’s leadership.
Read MoreThis past Shabbat, a young man, Isaac Wallsten, celebrated his becoming a Bar Mitzvah. Held at Sanctuary, he read beautifully from the opening verses of the Parsha, Shlach L’cha. Part of his Dvar Torah is below.
Read MoreShalom members and friends!
We are making progress! As the Israelites in this week's Parsha, Bahaalotecha, begin to move forward, so are we. There’s a lot of movement in our country right now. Every few days people are marching for such causes as women’s reproductive rights, gun control legislation, voting rights and other causes.
Read MoreThis week’s Parsha, Naso, continues to lay out the duties of the Levites in caring for the Mishkan, the portable Sacred Meeting Place, which will accompany them through their journey. As with last week’s Parsha, the second verse also uses the root word “Sa” to emphasize the idea that each person is "lifted up" and counted. The wording is also an invitation to lift up one’s mind and spirit, in service.
Read MoreThis Shabbat we read from Parshat BaMidbar, in the Wilderness, the fourth book of the Torah. In English we know it as the Book of Numbers, given that name because of the census taken at the beginning of the book, counting those eligible for the defense of the new nation and those, the Levites, responsible for the Mishkan and the spiritual life of the people.
Read MoreOur hearts are heavy with the news of a gunman killing nineteen children and two adults in Uvalde, Texas. Many of us are furious over the inability of our leaders to pass stronger gun control laws. What will it take for our leaders to wake up? Many have children and grandchildren. Don’t they care? And what can we do?
Read Morepect of mourning that is still observed. In spite of the loss, the day is an affirmation of life.Tonight is the 33rd day of the Omer. Known throughout time as Lag B’Omer it is a special day during the 7 weeks between Pesach and Shavuot. After an intense four weeks of planting and cultivating the land there is a reprieve. Our sages also credit the day with the lifting of a plague. Some scholars say that was the day the fighting ended between the Roman legions and the Jewish rebels. There is an as
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