Weekly Messages

If you’ve been wondering if what you may be hearing—on the news, in casual conversation, certainly on social media—qualifies as antisemitic, let me assure you, you’re not alone. There has been a dramatic spike in antisemitic events in the wake of the recent eleven-day war in Israel and Gaza. I cannot remember a time in my life when Jews at a restaurant were surrounded by angry fellow diners because someone was wearing a Star of David around their neck. And that was in West Hollywood last week, not Berlin in 1938.

As serious as these attacks are, there needs to be a commensurately serious response on the part of Jewish communities everywhere. I was given some relief when Rabbi Jill Jacobs of the Jewish organization T’ruah spoke directly and powerfully to the question in an interview over the weekend, “When do you know that someone is crossing the line from criticizing Israel to being antisemitic?”

Rabbi Jacobs answered as follows: While “reasonable people” can argue about the possible solutions to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the conversation needs to stay focused on whether or not Israel as a nation state is living up to its human rights obligations. It’s valid to argue with those who question Israel as long as the starting point, she says, is that we need to ensure the safety and human rights of both Palestinians and Israelis. But when someone equates “all Jews” with the state of Israel or attacks Jews verbally (including social media) or physically, that’s no longer reasonable; that’s antisemitism. 

It may be possible to have a civil conversation about Israel. We just all need to insist that Jews and Muslims and Christians; Israelis and Palestinians and Arabs deserve to live without fear or insecurity or humiliation. Maybe we can even make progress and start paving a path towards peace when we engage from that premise.

That may feel like pie in the sky right now. Folks on both the right and the left run to their corners on Israel and nuance flies out the window. So, what are the rest of us to do?  We need to remain vigilant against antisemitic rhetoric and maintain our physical safety. And then we need to talk amongst each other. I hope you will always feel free to have conversations with me about Israel, send me articles, and stay educated for yourself on current events. It’s part of the way we subvert the ludicrous and nefarious reality of Jew hatred and feel the strength and gift of being Jewish. It’s also the way we remain open to the possibilities of hearing all sides of the conflict which are posited by reasonable people.

And one more thing: I also invite you to share the good stuff with me and with one another (see the picture below). Taken in Pittsburgh, PA on May 30 by Or Mars.

By Beata Abraham

Yosef Mendele­vich, a Latvian born refusenik, lived through extreme anti-Semitism in the Soviet Union, including watching his father being arrested and imprisoned for being a Jew. Mendelevich studied Judaism in secret and founded an under­ground organization to fight for Jewish rights. In 1970, when his attempts to obtain an exit visa to immigrate to Israel failed, he and fifteen other refuseniks tried to hijack a plane to the West. This led to his arrest and a twelve-year sentence in the Gulag. While in prison, he did his best to study and practice Judaism.

Not long ago, Mendelovich published an article about his determination to hold a Seder on the Passover of 1978, while imprisoned in the Soviet Union.

“A month before the Passover festival I suggested that we hold a Pesach Seder. Among my personal belongings I kept a postcard from Israel on which there was a photograph of. . . a Pesach Seder Plate from the Israel Museum. From this postcard I learned what I would need for the Seder Plate. And there was a further small miracle: in the margins of the postcard there was all the order of the Pesach Seder: Kadesh, Urchatz. I began at once to write my own Pesach Haggadah according to the order written in the postcard.”

Mendelovitch tells of how he made wine. Having saved a few raisins his father had sent him ten years earlier, he began to hoard prison sugar rations.

“Every day a prisoner would receive a spoonful of sugar. People ate the sugar at once. But I decided to collect it. After a month I had enough sugar. I poured the sugar, raisins and hot water into the water-bottle and hid it underneath the bed. Although I was afraid that there might be a sudden search and they would discover my wine, I had no choice.”

He was even successful in making Maror:

“Suddenly there began an outbreak of influenza in the prison. The prison management didn't have medicines. They heard that onions prevent the flu. One day every prisoner received a fresh onion bulb. It was a real asset! For years I hadn't eaten a fresh vegetable. I thought to myself that if I put the onion in water the onion would sprout leaves and I would be able to make bitter Chazeret from them. I had an empty tin in which I put water in the little onion bulb and placed it on the cell windowsill exactly under the bars. They all laughed at me – "Are you crazy? Why didn't you eat it? Are you trying to grow flowers here?" And I remained silent.”

He used a small leaf that grew in between the cracks of the cement in the courtyard as Karpas. He made the egg from egg-powder. The Zeroa was symbolized by a soup cube from Israel with a picture of a chicken on the wrapping. He was permitted to receive matzah ( which prison authorities called "dry bread").

When it was time for the Seder:

“In the evening I asked the wardens to bring me the Pravda newspaper to read. I made from the newspaper a circle and wrote on it as on a Seder Plate: Zeroa, Egg, Maror. Everything was ready. I hid the Seder Plate under my blanket. When the evening of the 15th of Nissan arrived I called Hillel and said " Pesach has arrived, come let us sit at the Seder table."

He laughed at me: "You again with your stupid ideas, I already told you that it is impossible to hold a Seder in the prison!" Then I showed him the Pesach Seder Plate. He examined it. Everything was in place. And then he said to me: "But you don't have wine, it's impossible without the Four Cups."

I bent down and took out the water bottle with raisins from under the bunk. Hillel uncorked the bottle, smelt, and declared real wine. If that's the case, come let us sit down and hold the Pesach Seder."

The Hebrew language, with its abundance of words for Joy (including Hedvah—a joy that completely overtakes a person, physically, emotionally, and spiritually), doesn’tt have a single word for ‘tragedy’. Instead, it borrows from the English, and becomes Tragedia. Given all of the trials and tribulations the Jewish people have endured, the absence of this word may seem surprising. Perhaps, less so, when we consider the very Jewish way of telling a story.

The Exodus story begins with the bad news “We were slaves in Egypt”. But because focusing on suffering and tragedy is not the Jewish way of telling a story, it immediately continues with the good news—“we were led out of slavery to freedom.” Throughout our history, it has sometimes taken divine intervention, or tapping into our vast stores of resilience and perseverance, but the Jewish story is always a story of hope. Rather than a tale of exile and slavery, Passover becomes the festival of our freedom, “Zman Cherutanu”.

With the help of Jews from around the world, Yosef Mendelovitch was freed in 1981. It would have been easy for him to see himself as a victim of the Russians, an embittered prisoner, unable to practice Judaism. But instead, by holding an inventive Seder behind bars, he set himself free, and turned his own story into one of resilience and hope: a true Jewish story.

This past October, our congregant Brooke Thomas had her bat mitzvah. Brooke connected her Torah portion, No'ach, to her passion for the natural world. We can all get inspired by Brooke's message to sustain and watch over the environment while we celebrate Tu B'shvat this week!

My family and I went on a trip last year. I have so many amazing memories from that trip, but my favorite was snorkeling. As I dove into the water, I was greeted with the brightest colors. There were fish that would swim around you, and were all shapes, colors, and sizes. The coral varied shades and textures, and would sway beneath the surface. We saw jellyfish, and even a shark! I remember looking down and seeing this massive turtle, that we learned was over 100 years old! It was truly one of the coolest experiences. No offense to Ohio, but I never knew nature could be so beautiful. And the very joy I felt in that moment, is something that was in the back of my mind as I read through my Torah portion.

Most of us know the familiar story of Noah’s ark and the flood. There were even movies made about it in Hollywood. However, there is so much more to the story, and a much deeper meaning that I have found while studying my Torah portion Noach. It all started when G-d decided to send the flood. People were causing corruption and were not treating the world as the Holy One wanted. G-d gave many small warnings, but decided the flood was needed as almost a restart to humanity. So the flood began, covering up all civilizations and the surface of the earth. G-d told the righteous person Noah to build and ark for him and his family, and animals of every kind. After several days, the waters started to recede, and land was discovered. Noah, his family, and the animals were given a second chance at taking care of the world. G-d then sent a rainbow as a promise to never send another flood. 

Later on in the Torah portion, humans were still trying to figure out how to live life and create civilizations, so there was still a lot of disagreement. They decided to build the tower of Babel, which means confusion, to reach from earth to heaven. Seeing what the humans were trying to endeavor, G-d scattered them all around the world, and gave them different languages to speak. This leads us to where we are today, facing destruction and disagreement. But this time, we don’t have a restart, it is not G-ds responsibility, it is up to us.

As I was studying my Torah portion, I began to dig into the idea that we are being given our chance now, but unlike the story, there is no plan B. I feel as if we are receiving warnings such as the pandemic, a rise in racism and anti-Semitism, hurricanes, pollution, wild fires, and things that are starting to tear our world apart. These are signs telling us that we need to step up, and do our part. 

While there are many issues we are being challenged with in our world today, one that I know I can influence others on is pollution. I know I can motivate people to become more environmentally friendly and try and help our planet. So what is pollution? As we produce more waste, litter, make more air pollution, and destroy our earth environmentally, it causes a domino effect of problems. The list could go on forever about the earth’s temperature getting hotter, animal extinction, ozone layer depletion, etc. Basically, it stands for: our earth is dying, and the main cause is humans. Many of us individuals are aware of the topic and care greatly, but it is the doing something about it that has put a roadblock on humanity. We do not understand what it means to help the planet, and how one small action goes a long, long way.

As we live our everyday lives, common thoughts occur such as, “Does it matter if I pick up that piece of trash? Does it matter that I go through 8 plastic water bottles a day? Does it matter if I don’t recycle? Will I even make a difference?” And those questions are in the heads of about 8 billion people on our planet Earth. When we all sit back and rely on someone else to do the work for us, we get caught in this endless cycle of no change. As our ancient Rabbis taught us, Lo alecha hamelacha ligmor It is not upon YOU to finish the work, but you are not allowed to run away from it either. It is not upon you to complete the work but neither are you to desist from it.” Realizing that, you do not need to do everything, but you have to make an effort, is what we all need to comprehend. For some of us, it might be starting on level one. Just getting into the habit of picking up trash you see on the ground. For others, it might be trying something a little different such as not using plastic grocery bags and replacing them with reusable ones. It does not matter if it takes you days, weeks, or months to adjust to habits such as these, it is the idea of taking small steps to helping our planet. 

For me that journey started from being influenced by my father. He told me a story about his Uncle. Every time they were together, he would see his uncle picking up trash. It wasn’t any big action; it was simply someone cleaning up the litter around them. But that small action led my dad to start doing the same things. And bringing something to collect trash almost wherever he went. And here I am, and I try and do the same thing. It was my father’s uncle led my dad, who led me, on that small task. This started a passion for teaching others about things you can do to become more ecofriendly.

For my Bnai Mitzvah project, I did just that. I took this opportunity to ask my friends and family to pick up waste around their community. Even though we live in Ohio, that piece of trash that you didn’t pick up could end up in a river that flows into another river, into another river, then into the ocean, that eventually harms sea life. While solving pollution isn’t just about picking up trash, it is something we can do to positively contribute. If everyone on our planet tried to do one thing, we would make great strides. That is what I am trying to do today. To open the eyes of people, and grasp a problem that I know we can help solve. It is up to us to not take our beautiful world for granted. It is up to us to try and contribute whether it is a big action or a small action. It is up to us to help each other as a community and educate one another. It is up to us to realize we CAN make a difference, and start that journey wherever we may be.

As I was sitting through Yom Kippur services this year, I heard a prayer that resonated with me, and ties into what I have been talking about today. I would like to share this with you, and hope that it opens your eyes to what is happening in our world. 

We confess our sins against the earth.

We commit ourselves to saving it.

We have assaulted our planet in countless ways

We have driven myriad species to the point of extinction

We have exhausted irreplaceable resources 

We have harmed beyond repair the habitats of living beings

We have ignored the signs of change in our climate and our seasons

We have jeopardized the well-being of future generations

We have known the problem, but left the problem solving to others

We have lost sight of our roles as G-d’s partners in creation

We have questioned and doubted solid evidence of danger

We have transformed dazzling beauty into industrial ugliness

We have violated the commandment “Do not destroy”

We have wasted precious treasures, our G-d given gifts

And yet we yearn to be better Guardians of this Earth and the fullness there of.

Let us be zealous now to care for this unique corner of the cosmos, this planet - our scared home.

“Lo alecha hamelacha ligmor” It is not upon YOU to finish the work, but you are not allowed to run away from it either. It is not upon you to complete the work but neither are you to desist from it.”

I would like to dive into the ocean again, and experience the pure joy that I felt on the trip that I mentioned earlier. And want others in the future to be able to do the same. You can make a difference, together we can make a change, it is up to us. 

Alevel & Michal Samuel

The Holiday of Sigd

By Cantor Bat-Ami Moses

A very special Jewish holiday called Sigd was observed by the Ethiopian Jewish community this past Monday. This ancient holiday has been recognized as a state holiday in Israel only since 2008. Today, it is observed within the Ethiopian Jewish Community, also known as “Beta Israel” as an opportunity to raise awareness and educate Israeli and American Jews about their customs and rituals. 

Ethiopian-Israeli musician Avi Wogderas Wassa explains: “Sigd comes from the word Sigda, to pray to G-d to prostrate oneself. To celebrate Sigd In Ethiopia, Jews would walk for days to go to a high mountain where they could pray in the direction of Israel, towards Jerusalem. They would fast for the first part of the day, and go to the top of the mountain and pray. The kessim (rabbis) would bless them and then they would come down and eat a seudah (feast) together. The whole community would come together like brothers and sisters. It was our hope to return to Jerusalem.” 

Today, Ethiopian Jews celebrate much the same way they did when they lived in Ethiopia. Sigd is about accepting the Torah and yearning for Israel and the Temple. It is thought to be the date on which God first revealed himself to Moses. Traditionally, members of the Beta Israel community fast on Sigd, read from the Torah, recite psalms, and pray for the rebuilding of the Temple and for renewing the Israelite covenant with God.

I am embarrassed to admit that I didn’t know very much about this holiday until I heard that it was coming up in our liturgical calendar from Columbus’ new Israeli shlicha, Michal Avera Samuel—and her family—who are Ethiopian Jews. Only days before Yom Kippur, they moved to our community so Michal could begin her work at JewishColumbus. The goal of the shlicha or shaliach (messenger) is to enlighten and teach about Israeli history, arts, culture and politics by developing interactive programs and workshops with community synagogues and schools. How blessed and lucky that only days before Yom Kippur the Samuel family relocated to Columbus! It seems rather appropriate and “bashert” to introduce and welcome them to our community during the week of this Jewish Ethiopian celebration that always occurs 50 days after Yom Kippur. 

Michal has a rich and deep history that begins in Gondor as the youngest of nine children who made aliyah with her family in 1984 as part of Operation Moses via Sudan. Michal comes with a depth of experience and a wide range of talents. She has an MA in Educational Counseling from Haifa University and is regularly invited to lecture on Ethiopian-Israeli community history, culture and absorption at academic institutions and schools across Israel. She has served as the Executive Director of the Fidel Association since 2011 and also serves on the Government of Israel’s prestigious Round Table Panel on social issues which brings together leaders from the public, private and nonprofit sectors. Beyond her dedication to advancing the Ethiopian-Israeli community, Michal serves as a Board Member of the Israel Center for Educational innovation and volunteered at “Women to Women” in Haifa, supporting victims of domestic violence. As a role model, it is very important for her to encourage women to reach senior positions in the private and public sector. 

What a phenomenal time to welcome Michal, her husband Alevel, and their three children to Columbus. B’ruchim Ha’baim! We welcome you with open arms and hearts!

Did you know there’s a Jewish blessing one recites after seeing a rainbow? You may recall that rainbows are symbolic in Judaism, especially in Noach, our Torah portion this week. God creates a rainbow as a reminder of the Divine's promise never again to destroy the world with a flood. It seems to me that God was the first "parent" who engaged in a "do over," with his "children," but then immediately after doing so, regretted it, not once—but twice! God becomes aware that humans will continue to do bad things—presumably including engaging in acts of violence—yet despite this, God still blesses Noah and his sons and makes an eternal covenant with them, their future generations and the earth's animals, promising to never again send a flood to destroy all living creatures. 

Even though this Torah portion may be the most widely read, reenacted, and popular—especially among children, (even my S.O.S Song of Strength this week was written and geared towards children! Listen here). The idea of this "brit" or covenant is a serious, challenging, and mature concept—one that goes much deeper than the pediatric version we are so often presented. Rabbi Ellen Weinberg Dreyfus writes that the one problem is that God's lack of patience and forgiveness leads the Holy One to destroy the world not long after it was created. 

We can completely commiserate with God's regret, especially when we look at our world which we have been a part of creating today. How many times have you wanted to start over, begin again, get a second chance to make it right? This can happen in our personal lives regarding a work issue, a parenting failure, or in familial relationships that needs repair. It can also pertain to behavior in larger global issues of concern, perhaps regretting asking for that straw at the restaurant (plastic destroying our oceans), being a bystander when witnessing racial injustice, or not speaking up for religious and political freedoms. 

This Torah portion gives us one of the most profound teachings of all Judaism: that our agreement—known as the covenant or "brit" in Hebrew—that exists between God and all living creatures gives human beings responsibility towards animals, each other, and God. This covenant is a reminder to us that all creatures are connected to each other and need to be accountable for the wellbeing of all. As Rabbi Yitz Greenberg states, "Judaism proclaims the unity of existence and interconnection of all life bound up with this universal sustaining presence." 

So the next time we see a rainbow, let's remember our agreement with God and commit to taking care of each other, to be loving to all creatures—big and small—and to make decisions that treasure our earth instead of destroying it. Say the blessing: 

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יהוה אֱלהֵינוּ מֶלֶך הָעולָם זוכֵר הַבְּרִית וְנֶאֱמָן בִּבְרִיתו וְקַיָּם בְּמַאֲמָרו.
Blessed are You, LORD, our God, King of the Universe, who remembers the covenant, and is faithful to God’s covenant, and keeps God’s promise.
Baruch ata Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha-olam, zocher habrit v’ne’eman biv’reetoh v’kayam b'ma'amaro.

The days between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur are known as,"The 10 Days of Repentance." So if you didn't get around to doing all that spiritual "prep" work in the month of Elul, don't worry, you still have time! In the famous liturgical poem "Unetaneh Tokef," we are told that there are three actions we can do in between these two holy days to help us get a "good seal" in the book of life. By engaging in teshuva (repentance), tefilla (prayer) and tzekdaka (charity)  we have an opportunity to "avert the severe decree" and do our part to not only better ourselves but better the lives of others, thus elevating our own spiritual status. 

On Rosh Hashana we said goodbye to a year that has felt unbelievably broken, unprotected and fraught with fear, deep sorrow and loss. A year where justice and goodness have been replaced with hatred and anxiety, where sorrow and grief have replaced joy and hope, where even our blessings seem fragile and fleeting blackened out by plagues and injustice. So as we prepare to ask forgiveness from God for all the sins we have committed, some might ask, shouldn't God ask forgiveness from us? Shouldn't God apologize to us?  

It has always been my belief that God is just as broken hearted, angry, frustrated, perplexed and devastated when fires destroy, viruses spread, and humankind makes irreversible decisions that destroy instead of create. I do not blame God and I won't be asking God to apologize to me, but rather will apologize to God for not doing my ultimate best to help in God's initial vision for us, to learn deeply, do good, and repair this world.

Upon the eve of Rosh Hashana I was inspired by Rabbi Ed Feinstein's suggestion to "write a letter to your loved ones." He suggested that we write a letter that reveals what you have learned from your childhood, education, marriage, raising children, your work, triumphs and failures. What have you learned from the death of loved ones and the path of mourning?  He said that we should do this for three reasons, for yourself, for your loved ones, for your soul. I challenge and encourage you to begin this letter. It will reveal hidden truths to your soul. 

In honor of the ten days of teshuva, I share an excerpt from my letter with 10 things that life has taught me up till now. 

1. I've learned that having an open heart and mind, being kind and generous and wearing a smile will get you much further in life than being closed off to the world immersed in personal angst or despair. 
2. I’ve learned that opportunity is not a lengthy visitor. (Stephen Sondheim) and even when I'm feeling alone, I am not. 
3. I’ve learned that each soul comes into the world with his or her own “life curriculum,” with lesson after lesson and test after test. 
4. I’ve learned that we are here to learn, succeed, fail, time after time, again and again. Falling and rising in the same movement IS the path. 
5. I've learned that we only have this one life to be in relationship with our parents, siblings, partners, and friends. So forgive each other, speak to each other, love each other for who they truly are, not who you want them to be. Acceptance and love is the only option if you want to live a healthy emotional and spiritual life. 
6. I've learned to live out of faith instead of fear finding God's presence in music, silence, stillness, nature, laughter, prayer, resilience, pain, love, courage and kindness to one another. 
7. I’ve learned it’s okay not to be the very best, but it’s not okay to ever give up trying to be. 
8. I’ve learned that health, connection, creativity, curiosity and gratitude are essential to life as is breath. 
9.  I've learned that having hope and joy in your life is non negotiable.
10. I've learned that there is so much more I need to learn.

As I chant the words of Kol Nidre with you on Sunday evening, I will tremble and crack as I beg God for forgiveness. I will pray for more opportunities to learn and grow, to do justice and make the world a better place, and be sealed in goodness. 

Shabbat Shalom 
G'mar Hatima Tovah, 
May you be sealed in the Book of Life! 
Cantor Bat-Ami Moses date this content.

Dear Temple Israel Community,
 
Your congregational leadership and clergy want to make you aware of how we are monitoring the coronavirus outbreak and the recommendations we are making to insure everyone’s safety.
 
We have no information that any congregant or any personnel have been exposed to the virus. This is excellent news! Life within Temple Israel will continue as usual. Obviously, if this situation should change, we will immediately inform you.
 
As a community we have always insured everyone’s welfare, but now we must increase our vigilance down to the individual level. Even though you have probably heard and seen the various recommendations, they bear repeating:

• Do not come to services, events, classes, or meetings, if you are sick or symptomatic. If you believe you have contracted the symptoms, seek immediate medical attention.
• Properly cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze. Avoid touching your face, especially your eyes, mouth and nose.
• Washing hands thoroughly and frequently is the most effective preventive act you can take. This ought to include not sharing towels at any location including your home. Paper towels work wonderfully.
• Touching others is a no-no! This includes touching the Torah and others. Affectionate greetings can be done through smiles, waves, and Shaloms.
• At public events do not touch food with your hands! Serving utensils are there for a purpose.
• We are doing our utmost to maintain the cleanliness of all surfaces, including counters, sinks, and soap and hand sanitizers.
• If you have not done so, get a flu shot!

The very best thing we can do in a situation like this is to stay informed and work together to make decisions that maximize the well-being of our community. It is important to not panic or spread rumors. Staying informed is key, so use trustworthy sources.

Lastly, there is, unfortunately, a fair amount of mis-information being spread, and it is difficult sometimes to discern what is trustworthy. Here are some of the sources we are monitoring to stay informed:

• 2020 Coronavirus Fact Sheet, Cleveland Public Health
• The Ohio Department of Health, COVID-19 Resources for Local Health Districts and Providers
• CDC Coronavirus Information Page, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Please feel free to contact us at any time if you need assistance.

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Sharon Mars

Amy Weisbach, Congregation President

When the world is in steady decline, 
quit pretending that everything's fine. 
You'll be easing your pain if you moan and complain. 
It's much better for you if you...whine! 
(from the NPR radio news quiz “Wait, Wait...Don’t Tell Me!”, Jan. 11, 2020)

According to new research, kvetching (good old fashioned Jewish whining) is good for you!  This comes as tremendous news to those of us who may gravitate towards groaning about life’s trials, large and small. Whining can be a healthy way to process some of the emotional baggage we carry, an outlet for any frustration upon which we might fixate.  The study indicates that whining can help us bond with the people around us, “unless, of course, you're frustrated because everybody around you hates you because you whine so much” (ibid.).

With candidates abuzz and viruses awaft, we may very well find ourselves ruminating on the disquieting news of the day, in addition to other very real pressures of daily living.  The Jewish response is to approach life with equal parts seriousness and humor.  So it’s great timing for us to celebrate Adar - the Jewish month which ushers in the holiday of Purim.  I therefore submit to you a little levity on the subject of kvetching, or what Rabbi Marc Margolius calls “the Middah [or Jewish character-building trait] of Kvetchitude.”  Here are some of his recommended tongue-in-cheek resources for us to refine our kvetching skills:

Meditation of the Month: “Eh. Things could be better.” (The Veyizmir Rebbe)
Guided meditation: Close your eyes. Visualize any number of ways in which life could be better.
Embodied Practice of the Month:  Scrunch up your face tightly. Shrug your shoulders. Release. Sigh deeply. Moan. Whine. Repeat.
Text study: 
And Adam kvetchethed to Eve: “For sure, we can eat anything. The weather is great. And the fruit is always in season. But would it spoileth some divine plan if we ate an apple, for God’s sake?” - Bereishit Rabbah, midrash on Genesis 1.)
The people took to kvetching bitterly, saying “Oy” and “Vey iz mir.”
“Behold,” said Moshe to the Holy One, “they truly annoyeth me.” - The Book of Numbers, ad nauseum. Also, see pretty much the whole Torah.)
 
Ben Zoma said: Who is wise? One who learns from everyone. Who is mighty? One who subdues one’s passions.  Who is rich? One who rejoices in one’s portion.  Who is honored? One who honors one’s fellow human beings.  Who is miserable? One who wins the lottery and kvetches that last week’s pot was bigger.  Others say, one who complains loudest that the bagels were gone by the time he (some say she) reaches the buffet. (Others versions: the lox, not the bagels.)  Some say, who is miserable?  One who just moved one’s car and forgot that alternate side parking hath been suspended (this view is observed only in New York City and walled cities) -  Mishnah Avot – Ethics of the Patriarchy 1:4, version discovered stuck in a menu at the 2nd Avenue Deli.

Happy Adar, happy kvetching, and Shabbat Shalom!
 

Rabbi Sharon Mars

They were prophetesses, They were poetesses. They were leaders. They were singers. They prayed because they were believers. They were bold and courageous. They were admired and listened to. They were the musical branches that brought harmonic cadences in their journeys. They were Miriam and Devorah. As "SHE-roes" they set us free. 

This special Shabbat, known as "Shabbat Shira," the Shabbat of Song is dedicated to these two powerful Biblical characters because we will chant "their songs." In our dramatic Torah portion, Beshalach, we will be chanting one of the oldest songs in Jewish history, the triumphant melody of  the "Song of the Sea," known as "Shirat Hayam." Along with Moses,  Miriam led this song with her voice and timbrel as our ancestors fled from Egypt as the waters parted.  Congregations all over the world will also be chanting the Haftarah from the book of Judges, a section known as "Devorah's Song," describing a decisive victory over enemies into Israel,  the land to which we had come, enabling us to live there in peace for forty years. These stories are linked together by two women who lead their people in time of struggle and uncertainty to victory and triumph through the vehicle of song, thus creating this beautiful and powerful, "Shabbat of Song." 

The power of song and music is transformative and healing. Music is the expression of our deepest desires, joys, fears, triumphs and is at the core of human creativity. This is true whether we are praying, learning or merely enjoying its powerful properties. We have experienced melodies that have cracked open our hearts, moved us to tears and triggered memories that brought great joy as well as deep sorrow. Indeed, each of Miriam and Devorah's songs remind us of both the extremes, struggles and triumphs of the Jewish people, eliciting the gamut of emotions expressed in their distinctive

melodies. 
This Shabbat is also marked special because it is immediately preceding Tu B'shevat, the 15th day of the month of Shevat when we celebrate the new year for trees. It is a time in the Jewish calendar to celebrate and consider our environment and our impact upon it as we reflect on our own "carbon footprint" and the impact it has on our precious planet and our responsibility to the beauty of nature which has been left entrusted to us by God. 

Rabbi Jordi Gendra reminds us that celebrating our environment this Shabbat is actually linked to Shabbat Shira. The Ba'al Shem Tov and Rav Kook both suggest that every plant, tree, flower and shrub has its own song, even blades of grass sing their own unique melody.  The voices of the plants join together in a beautiful harmony and the song they sing together circles the world, resting gently upon us all. This is illustrated in a beautiful compilation of Psalms and Biblical passages sometimes attributed to Kings David and Solomon but compiled by the Rabbis of the Mishna, called, "Perek Shira"- A Chapter of Song, where there is a song and passage attributed to every element of nature. 

On this Shabbat of song as well as on Tu' B'shevat that begins Sunday night, let's set aside some time to truly listen to and then sing our own personal song that can flow through nature and can help us plant a seed to connect to the Divine. 
Together we can celebrate the wonder and beauty of this world, discovering our own voice and message while sharing it with each other. After all, as Doug Floyd teaches, "You don't get harmony when everybody sings the same note." 
I am looking forward to creating harmony with you, weaving together our songs of triumph and joy discovering the beauty and bounty of our natural world. 

Shabbat Shalom and Happy Tu B'shevat! 

Cantor Bat-Ami Moses

Enjoy this gorgeous song, "Shirat Ha'asavim" The Song of Nature, Text by Rabbi Nachman of Breslav and Music by Naomi Shemer 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDw_2sHhxXQ

If you travel E Broad you cannot miss the construction at our new home. Lots of activity both visible from the street as well as hard work occurring behind the scenes. Hopefully you notice the progress being made as the existing building expands. For those of you that do not regularly travel E Broad street, these pictures should help keep you informed and up to date.

We have several ongoing streams of work – many of which are less dependent on the weather!

  *   Working with a company that specializes in audio visual technology and experience to help us present our archives and possessions within our reduced space when compared to our prior building. This technology will bring us into the 21st century, from the memorial wall to the classroom teaching aids.
  *   Working with security & situational awareness experts to protect our members and our children.
  *   Working on networking capabilities within the building to support both state of the art audio visual technology and safety processes.
  *   Working on interior design to ensure our new home is welcoming and warm while maintaining our rich history.
  *   Engaging those congregants that have yet to participate in the Shuvu campaign.
There is still a lot of work to be done and we do not intend to slow down. We need you to help us finalize details and make many outstanding decisions. Please help us if asked – after all, it takes a village!
And pray for nice weather...

I've never been a fan of the aphorism:  "It will be what it will be."  No matter how true that statement may be, it is cold comfort for us when life throws us a fastball.  

In their book on leadership, Leadership on the Line: Staying Alive Through the Dangers of Leading, scholars Marty Linsky and Ron Heifetz teach that, "Leadership can be understood, in part, as about disappointing your own people at a rate they can absorb."  That lesson is lived out in this week's Torah portion, Shemot, the start of the Book of Exodus.  Moses asks God, who appears in the Burning Bush: “When I come to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your  ancestors has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is God's name?’ what shall I say to them?”  The Holy One answers:  "Ehyeh-asher-ehyeh.  I Will Be What I Will Be."

What a strange name for God and what an obtuse answer!  Our sages seem to agree, and they want to understand this cryptic name for God - Ehyeh Ashe Ehyeh - so they imagine the story continuing this way in a Midrash:  "The Holy One, Blessed be God, told Moses to go and tell Israel: 'I was with you in this enslavement, and in this redemption, and I will be with you in the enslavement of the kingdoms in the future.'"  Though this might be reassuring for some, Moses defiantly replies: "Master of the Universe, it is enough for them to endure! Let the future suffering be endured at its appointed time. There is no need to mention their future enslavement" (BT Brachot 9b).

Moses coaches God in Empathy 101.  He insists that God step into the shoes of God's people:  "Creator of the Universe," Moses seems to be saying, "Your people can only take so much!  After only knowing lives of slavery so far, don't remind them that they have more years of servitude awaiting them.  It will only crush their spirit!"   Henceforth, the Talmud notes, the Holy One agreed with Moses' compassionate response, and instructed him: "Go and tell the children of Israel only that, 'I Will Be has sent me to you.'"  God gets "schooled" by Moses in how to disappoint people at a rate they can absorb.

Even if life truly will be what it truly will be, that can be a tough pill to swallow.  As life lobs us its ups and downs, all we humans can do is learn to be nimble and manage our reality and our disappointment from one moment to the next.  And as leaders - whether we are parents or teachers or in any role of authority and expertise - all we can do is dole out difficult news and disappointment at a rate that other people can handle.  As we nurture our spiritual intelligence, may we each be blessed to become more skilled practitioners in giving and receiving every challenge that arrives at our feet.

Shabbat Shalom!
Rabbi Sharon Mars

When I first  began working at Temple Israel, Rabbi Emily Rosenzweig said to me, “Everyone here is like family. We have each other’s backs. We help each other out.”  That statement has stayed with me for 11 years, and to this day it rings true.
 
Temple Israel has become a family to me, and over the past 11 years, I have had the pleasure of serving its members.  My role as Religious School Assistant and Communications Coordinator has allowed me to get to know and work with so many of you and your families.
 
Thank you to the amazing staff that I have had the privilege of working with during my years at Temple Israel: Jennah Scher, Ruth Silverman, Zachary Looper-Friedman, Beata Abraham, Rabbi Sharon Mars, Cantor Bat-Ami Moses.  Thank you for your support, guidance, leadership, humor, friendship, and love.  Thank you to Elaine Tenenbaum and Rabbi Misha Zinkow for your mentorship when I began working at Temple.
 
In Ben Greenberg’s article The Jewish Way In Saying Goodbye he writes, “When we turn to the traditional statement uttered by Jews upon completion of study of a sacred text, and we ritualize a form of goodbye to that text, we recite Hadran Alach, we will return to you. A goodbye is never final in our lifelong engagement with Torah.”
 
I will miss everyone at Temple Israel.  While I am completing the end of my journey here, my goodbye is not final.  The experiences shared with you and the lessons I have learned will remain with me throughout my life, as I hope they will with you as well.
 
Hadran Alach,
Bethany Fitzgerald

When I was in Cantorial school (almost 18 years ago!) I remember being stumped at the extra credit question in my cantillation (Torah chanting) final exam. The question was, "What is the one time of year the Jewish people take out three Sifre Torah from the ark and read a portion of them all?" Clearly, as a student I didn't know everything (yet :) and I didn't receive the extra credit points. But when I did discover the correct answer, I never forgot it. And since that moment, I have always looked forward to the time when it would occur.

As it so happens, this special time will be happening this coming weekend when we will be celebrating a "trifecta" in our Jewish calendar. The three special observances will be: 1. Shabbat
2. The 6th day of Hanukkah
3. Rosh Hodesh, the new month of Tevet.

Each of these occasions merits a special reading from the Torah that reflects their liturgical meaning and place in our calendar. During the festival, one may not realize that every morning (not just on Mondays, Thursdays and Shabbat) during the holiday of Hanukkah we read a special section of the Torah during our Shacharit morning prayers. We not only immerse ourselves in the light of the menorah and the miracles of the Maccabees in the evenings, but we also immerse ourselves in the light and wisdom of the Torah during the daytime.

A week ago, I attended a wonderful "pre-Hanukkah" party at the Columbus Jewish Day School honoring beloved teachers and mentors in our community. Rachel Arcus Goldberg, the Principal and Head of School shared beautiful words bridging the light of Hanukkiah with the perpetual light above the Torah called the, "Ner Tamid." She explained that the Ner Tamid is not a light just lit during the festival of Hanukkah but one that remains lit perpetually, shining upon the Torah at all times. She described that the "Ner Tamid" not only reminds the congregation of the holiness of the Torah scrolls, but continually reminds us of God's abiding presence helping people feel that they are never really alone. And so it is that feeling of being surrounded by love, community, and the Divine presence shines even more brightly during Hanukkah.

So this Shabbat, Hanukkah AND Rosh Hodesh, let's BE the light for each other celebrating all the blessings, sometimes hidden by the darkness of the season, but illuminated by the light we possess when we love one another.

Shabbat shalom, Hanukkah Sameah and Hodesh Tov!
Cantor Bat-Ami Moses

Families are Complicated Regardless of the unique configuration of humans which will form your family at Thanksgiving dinner this year, you will all have at least one important thing in common with our ancestors; an intricate web of family dynamics. Family is complicated, but you might find it comforting to know that this has always been the case.

This week’s Torah portion; Toldot tells the tale of some of the most tangled and difficult family dynamics in our scriptures. After enduring years of infertility, Rebecca is blessed with twins who begin their squabbling while still in the womb. As different as night and day, Esau and Jacob’s struggle to get along is not helped by blatant parental favoritism. Rebecca chooses her gentle son Jacob as her favorite, while Isaac prefers Esau, the hunter.

During a moment of shortsightedness inspired by extreme hunger, Esau accepts an offer from Jacob to sell his firstborn birthright to his brother in exchange for a meal. An even deeper injustice occurs when Esau’s mother and twin brother conspire to deceive Isaac and trick him into giving Jacob the blessing meant for Esau. It is one of the saddest moments in the Torah. The abject sorrow in Esau's reaction to having been bamboozled is heartbreaking. “When Esau heard his father's words, he cried out a great and bitter cry, and he said to his father, "Bless me too, O my father!" (Bereishit 27:34)

“And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing that his father had blessed him, and Esau said to himself, "Let the days of mourning for my father draw near, I will then kill my brother Jacob. " (Bereishit 27:41) A grudge begins.

Decades later, it takes hundreds of goats, sheep, camels, cows, bulls and donkeys, sent ahead by Jacob, for the brothers to reconcile, proving that even family conflict of biblical proportions can be overcome with those we love. Also, that you should never underestimate the power of a peace offering.

In spite of the family dynamics requiring navigation, as Jews, we can’t help but embrace Thanksgiving. A holiday that forces us to carve out precious time from our insanely busy lives and stop everything to be with family, and enter into talmudic debate over the best way to cook a turkey. A holiday that urges us to remind the people around us who we love, who we struggle to love, and those we don’t want to lose, why we are so thankful for them. It is a chance to live the Jewish values of gratitude, (sometimes) forgiveness, while indulging in the Jewish tradition of eating too much food with people we love.

Happy Thanksgiving and Shabbat Shalom,
Beata Abraham

From someone who finds comfort and solace through prayers filled with words, music and movement, never did I imagine that it would be possible for me to find myself, discover balance and to encounter God through the magic of silence and stillness.

This was like an unexpected song, a gift that was granted to me through my experience as part of the third clergy cohort, a combination of Cantors and Rabbis who participated in two years of intense study of Torah, prayer, yoga and meditation in a Jewish context through the Institute for Jewish Spirituality. In fact, as you read this now, I will already be on my way to participate in a completely silent Jewish meditation retreat in New York as an alumnus of this program.

As much as I am saddened to not be with my community this Shabbat that will be honoring Or Mars, who spearheaded and built our beloved Jewish Meditation Project, and all of our Temple Israel facilitators who have led and brought this holy work to our community, I believe it is very poignant that I will be engaging in the work and practice that we will be honoring and celebrating this Shabbat.

Initially, I was inspired to participate in the Institute for Jewish Spirituality, not only because of the life changing experience of my husband, Rabbi Jay Moses, who after participating in the program changed the trajectory of his Rabbinate, but both Rabbi Zinkow and Rabbi Mars also studied in this program (and I believe they were hevruta (study partners!) as they experienced the deepening of their own spirituality through these new modalities, especially the spiritual practice of meditation.

Jewish meditation is not a new phenomenon. In fact, it was first experienced as a practice of Jewish mystics and was regularly a way in which to cleave to God, the Hebrew word, being "devekut, " much like the modern Hebrew term, "devek" which means "glue." Meditation was a spiritual way in which to literally bind oneself with God. Whereas the Hasidim cleaved to God through niggunim, wordless melodies, many mystics also connected to God by engaging in complete silence, and through practices of settling the mind, including introspection, visualization, and contemplation on the names of God or philosophical and theological ideas.

One of the first books I ever read on meditation that inspired my practice was Rabbi Areyeh Kaplans, "Jewish Meditation." As an American Orthodox Rabbi, he went on to write "Meditation and the Bible," "Meditation and Kabbalah, and "Inner Space," all of which remind us that meditation has deep Jewish roots, based on Torah and the Psalms of King David.

In fact, in parasha Hayyei Sarah which we will read next Shabbat, it says that "Isaac went out in the field toward evening," (Genesis 24:63) our prooftext for mincha, our afternoon prayers. The Hebrew word for "went out" used in this passage, is "lasuach" which can also be translated as "meditate" or "pray." Another example is the first passage in Psalm 65 which reads, "To you (God) silence is praise."

While there are many expressions of prayer I believe the greatest gift that silence and meditation gives us is the opportunity to truly receive the present moment. One is forced to relinquish all thoughts of the past and future and to completely be fully present in breath immersing in the moment of "here" itself. And once you are silent, you can listen.

At certain times in our lives, we need to be still and silent to be able to "hear our calling." Other times though, it is necessary to surrender and listen to this alternate message of the moment.

"HERE".....you're calling."

With heartfelt gratitude to Or Mars and all the Temple Israel Meditation Facilitators,
Shabbat shalom,
Cantor Bat-Ami Moses

I vividly remember leaving 5419 East Broad St. on the last Friday night we conducted Shabbat services at that location. Rabbi Mars and I walked out the back door together and were greeted by a magnificent and radiant rainbow, and if I recall correctly, it was a double rainbow! We looked at each other and knew deep in our hearts that Temple Israel was "going to be okay." In fact we were certain that the rainbow in front of our eyes was God's sign that the journey of our congregation would be blessed by God's protection and "brit," covenant with us. I must admit it was a pretty spiritual and magical moment. A moment which caused us both to utter the traditional Jewish blessing we recite upon seeing a rainbow, which is, "Blessed are You, Lord our God, Ruler of the Universe, who remembers the covenant, and is faithful to God's covenant and keeps God's promise."

When we think of Parashat Noah, we remember the ark, the rainbow, the olive branch, the dove of peace and of course the great flood that caused all of those other images to appear in the story in the first place. Rabbi Noah Arnow (yes, Rabbi Noah) teaches that "remembering is really what a rainbow is about, at least for God. After the flood, God establishes a covenant with Noah and sets the rainbow as a sign of this covenant “between Me and the earth” (Gen. 9:13), says God:

When I bring clouds over the earth, and the bow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between Me and you and every living creature among all flesh, so that the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. (Gen 9:14-15)

The rainbow, it seems, is a way for God to remember about the covenant not to destroy the earth. God, we suspect, will get angry at us humans, every so often, and perhaps desire to destroy the world again, but the rainbow is a reminder of God’s promise not to.

I have always been intrigued between the difference between a symbol and a sign. I have learned that the difference between a symbol and a sign is that a symbol can convey a deeper and more complex meaning than a sign while a sign is an indicator or marker for something very specific, very concrete and, in general, unambiguous in meaning.

Perhaps scientists may believe that a rainbow is a mere sign where an arch of colors is formed in the sky in certain circumstances, caused by the refraction and dispersion of the sun's light by rain or other water droplets in the atmosphere, but I would prefer to believe that the "keshet" (rainbow in Hebrew) serves as both a sign AND a symbol. Yes, a sign for us to remember God's covenant with the Jewish people and a deeper symbol for us to remember how to behave in our lives. The beauty of the rainbow can help us remember to live in integrity and fully embrace all the colors of this world and to commit to doing acts of loving kindness and justice not only after the flood has passed, but using that rainbow as a reminder to act even before the flood occurs.

And indeed, if and when that flood does descend upon us, it will be our task to "build an ark" made of the mitzvot we do, the relationships we nurture, and the kindness we spread.

Enjoy an original song by our own youth choir, HAVA NASHIRA- "Better Build An Ark!"

Here's to a Shabbat shalom filled with rainbows and miracles,
Cantor Bat-Ami Moses

Do you remember your Consecration ceremony? If you happened to have had one, you may not have fully appreciated it at the time. But whether or not you remember your Consecration, your understanding of the significance of beginning the journey of Jewish learning has probably grown over time. 

Consecration is a special ceremony unique to Reform Judaism. It usually takes place at the tail end of the high holy days, often on or near, Simchat Torah. This timing is fitting, as when the torah is read on Sukkot it includes God’s instructions to Moses, Deuteronomy 31:12.3: "Gather the people – men, women, children, and the strangers in your communities – that they may hear and so learn to revere Adonai your God and to observe faithfully every word of this Teaching.” 

Consecration includes special blessings from clergy under a grandparent held Chuppah. Each consecrant receives a certificate and the group picture is added to the growing gallery of those in the congregation who have embarked on this journey before them. What better way to mark the beginning of Jewish learning for our younger congregants as they set out to live these words of Torah? 

The consecrants in the parade of unbearable cuteness this Friday may not yet fully understand their roles as living legacies of our traditions, traditions which teach us that learning Torah is holy. But like many of our beautiful rituals, Consecration is also about coming together as a community. It is an opportunity to welcome new students and families, and to remind ourselves of our obligation to Jewishly educate our future generations. Don’t be surprised if you find your own passion for Jewish learning reignited during this beautiful milestone. The spark will help to perpetuate the passing down of wisdom from generation to generation ( L’Dor V’Dor). 

Even if you don’t have a child of Consecration age, please join us this Friday, October 18th at the JCC, at 6:00 PM.

Shanah Tovah and Happy New Year, dear TI family~

Temple Israel's board and staff have worked for this past year to assure that God is in every detail of our time together over the holidays. Here are just a few of the finer points we want you to know:

Security: Our time together at the JCC for the High Holidays depends first and foremost on our security. Your cooperation with our uniformed police officers and awareness of your surroundings is crucial. If something seems suspicious, please let an officer or usher know.

Nametags: We ask that you display your nametag at all times- it is your entry ticket for security AND it also helps others say hello! Please bring your badge with you for all services, and return it to staff only when you are no longer planning to return.

Seating: All members will be accomodated on a first come first served basis. With all of these changes, you’ll want to allow for extra time to park, check-in and be seated.

Navigation: After feedback from you last year and thanks to our High Holiday Task Force, you will be able to navigate - everything from parking to seating to way finding - with greater ease. Whether you sit in the main service (auxiliary gym) or the theater (overflow space), we aim for you to have a warm, accessible, and engaging spiritual and social experience. Countless technical details have been considered, so the sound and sights of the holidays will be of the highest quality, including live streaming for folks who watch from home.

The magical Torah tie-in: Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz once summed up the Jewish system of performing mitzvot (commandments) as "the design for a coherent harmony, its separate components being like the instruments of an orchestra. So vast is the harmony to be created by this orchestra that it includes the whole world and promises the perfecting of the world" (The Thirteen Petaled Rose). Let those words inspire us as we enter the New Year! Let's remember that God is all the details of our lives, and that we are the harmony-makers for our experience in community together. The world may not be perfect yet... but what a beautiful orchestra we are!

Sending you and your families only sweetness and peace,
Rabbi Sharon Mars

"Telling a story is like stoking a fire full of hot coals. The more one turns and prods the coals the hotter the fire will become" (Yismach Yisrael on Pesach Haggadah, Magid, par.2).

Eighteen years and one day have passed since the U.S. was attacked on September 11, 2001.  The trauma still stings us and the pain still clings to us, and despite our despair, we revisit stories of pain and trauma out of necessity and out of honor.  Stories keep us human.  Sharing them binds us together.

In telling the story of 9/11 again this year, may we stoke the fires of memory and ignite our passion to lift up all that is and all who are broken, sparking the transformation of despair and pain into faith, strength, hope, and love. 

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Sharon Mars

Into The Fire ( Bruce Springsteen, The Rising, 2002)

"I have to mentally prepare myself every single day just to go to school."

"For practically my whole life, I've been scared."

"How valuable are our lives, anyway?"

These are just a few voices of the many high school students who sat at the Big Table yesterday. The Columbus Foundation's annual event showcased young leadership in the Columbus community by having teens facilitate conversations all around town. At the Big Table I attended, we gathered at First Congregational Church downtown for lunch and conversation with around 200 other adults and students to share ideas and inspiration. The topic of our Big Table was gun violence.

No matter where you may land on the issue of gun violence, we can all agree that mass shootings have become a terrible part of our collective "new normal." While "the older generation" at my table told stories of drop-drills to prepare for the A-bomb, the younger folks shared in chilling detail their daily concerns of the day: whether to hide in a classroom if there is an active shooter or to run (best practice: run); why semiautomatic weapons are so easy to purchase (one student asked: "Are guns weapons or toys?"); and when our lawmakers will take action to make school a safer place, regardless of the neighborhood people live in.

But the most haunting and inspiring part of the discussion for me was when these students talked about the loneliness, alienation, and sadness that seems so prevalent among their peers. They spoke openly about the need to "be brave and introduce yourself" to that kid who sits alone at lunch or seems to get bullied a lot. "Go over and sit with them!" "Open your eyes to other people's needs!" "BE the leader!" The first step to changing society, said these thoughtful, wonderful kids, is to acknowledge each other's human frailty. Maybe then we can truly cultivate a culture of compassion inside and outside our schools. Maybe then people won't resort to violence. Maybe part of the solution to the larger problem of gun violence, said these young people, is simply to say, "I'm here."

As we enter the month of Elul this coming week and the new year just one month later, may our go-to words be anchored in "Hineni - I am here." The simplest of sentiments, but surely among the most powerful we can utter. Wisdom...from the mouths of babes.

Shabbat Shalom!
Rabbi Sharon Mars

Growing up, I was the kid who was prepared to fake my own death to get out of going to Religious School on Sunday mornings. Not one single thing about the experience appealed to me, starting with being dragged out of bed on a freezing cold weekend morning, to riding in the carpool with other unwilling kids (one of whom would get car sick and vomit out of the car window every single time on the short car ride). In the musty synagogue classrooms, humorless teachers struggled with the difficult task of making ancient texts seem relevant to our secular, suburban lives..We sat in our seats resigned to our shared fate, praying that we would be able to remember the Hebrew words for “Can I go to the bathroom?”  For many of us, this environment was the only place we dared to misbehave, even if it meant having to be reprimanded by the stern Rabbi of the synagogue. Our bonds were rooted in our shared weekly torment. 

Decades later, I never cease to be amazed on Sunday mornings as I watch the youth of our congregation arrive for a radically different Religious School experience than mine. In spite of the enduring American ritual among Jewish kids to bash Religious School the rest of the week, on Sunday mornings, these same bashers arrive to high fives and bear hugs from their Rabbi, before running to greet each other with urgent updates and giggles. They race to their classrooms early to snag some one on one time with their teachers and Madrichim (teen classroom assistants). There is an abundance of smiles, laughter, energy.

Religious School education is certainly not perfect (eliminating Chanukah Bingo, and the annual Passover screening of The Prince of Egypt are long overdue). But in addition to being fun, it is an opportunity for kids to be surrounded by a bunch of other Jewish kids who understand the difficulty of making the decision to attend Yom Kippur services, or to play in their soccer team’s end of the season match (and learning that even Sandy Koufax took Yom Kippur off). 

Educating our youth Jewishly has come along way. At its best, Religious School has a magical way of employing its elements of Torah, Jewish values, Israel and Jewish history, to imprint a deep connection to Jewish identity on kids who attend. Simply being there can spawn lifelong friendships and nurture cherished bonds with educators and clergy. It can equip students with the wisdom and guidance found only in our ancient texts, and provide them with the resilience of strong Jewish values through which to navigate their complicated world. 

Whether you bring your kids to Religious School so that you can spend 2.5 hours laying in bed watching The Great British Bake Off, or feel strongly that Jewish learning is instrumental to raising thriving Jewish children (or both) the payoff will likely be the same. You will participate in creating another Jewish adult who has a strong Jewish identity, and a love for Judaism. However, unlike some of us, this adult, will have joyous memories of Religious School to look back upon.

Desmond Meade knows a lot about the power of forgiveness and the power of one voice.  He spoke earlier this week to a group of 1,200 Reform Jews from all over North America and Israel in Washington DC at the Religious Action Center’s Consultation on Conscience.  Meade is a formerly homeless, formerly incarcerated returning citizen who took the stage to urge us as Reform Jews to consider what it means to take part in repairing the world.  After receiving his law degree while in prison, he was the prime mover to help Florida pass the state’s Amendment 4, which restores millions of voting rights to those who have served time in prison and seek to return as responsible citizens.  Turning to the plenary, Meade boiled this moment in America down to this: “The question we need to ask each other is not ‘How did you vote?’ but ‘Are you okay?’”

I felt so moved to hear these words as I sat alongside our awesome delegation of TI congregants, Bev Darwin, Izzy Naveh, Mitchell Snay, and Amy Wharton, all members of the TI Social Justice Team.  You could say that the question at the heart of Judaism has always been, “Are you okay?” This week we answered it by learning Torah and Tikkun Olam strategies for two days before going to Capitol Hill to speak with Ohio’s elected officials about upcoming legislation on criminal justice and immigration reform.  With the generous funding of a Lurie Micro Grant, this team of TI congregants did us all proud in representing the Jewish values of love, integrity, forgiveness, and redemption, all in an effort to make sure we all have a voice and that we are all okay.

While some people might choose to spend their time fighting across party lines, Meade preached, we can also choose to love each other and harness each other’s energy for the betterment of all people.  In houses of worship and in halls of power, these are not mere platitudes but can be used as practical guidance to those of us who seek to create change to help strengthen our inextricable American bond and craft a better country.  To maintain our humanity in the midst of myriad social challenges, “Are you okay?” should be our core question and our platform from which we ensure the "okay-ness" of others.

Shabbat Shalom!

Rabbi Sharon Mars

We have been holding Israel close to our hearts this week. Yesterday we commemorated Yom HaZikaron, a day of remembrance to the soldiers fallen in war and today we celebrate Yom Ha-Atzmaut, Israel's Independence Day. During these two days of ceremony and celebration, we have been acutely aware of those who still continue to hurt and heal from the violence that erupted this past week in our holy land, as we continue to pray for shalom. 

Today also marks the 20th day of the Omer, the seven week period of time counted between Passover and Shavuot, which serves as a spiritual exercise gearing up and counting the days to receiving the Torah. Every week of this  time period is matched with a specific theme. This third week of counting the Omer possesses the theme of "tiferet," meaning beauty. In her book, The Jewish Book of Days, Rabbi Jill Hammer explains that the 20th day of the Omer is specifically called "yesod shebetiferet," or the "root of the heart." Today we root ourselves in the land of Israel, and also acknowledge the need of all people for peace." 

Join us this Friday night to celebrate Shabbat and acknowledge the need of ALL people to live in peace, dignity, safety and joy at our annual PRIDE Shabbat. We will be blessed to hear from a guest speaker, our own Cheryl Rose as she speaks on the topic of the power of everyday moments. As we do on all Shabbatot, we will immerse ourselves in prayer and music that reminds us we are all loved, by an unending love and that we are "supported by hands that uplift us, even in the midst of a fall," as Rami Shapiro's poem so beautifully illustrates.  Join us in harmony as we acknowledge that which makes us unique while at the same time celebrating our oneness and the idea that we are all created "b'tzelem Elohim," in the likeness of God. 

Looking forward to singing with strength and praying with pride. 

Shabbat Shalom, 
Cantor Bat-Ami Moses 

LISTEN TO "We Are Loved"      Music: Shir Yaakov     Text: Rami Shapiro

We will sing it together this Shabbat!

As we near the end of this Passover week, we embrace the quality of Kavod (honor) in the counting of the Omer.  Marking each day between now and Shavuot when we celebrate the giving of Torah, we can set a spiritual intention to help bring consciousness to this special season of the year.  Cultivating Kavod for me means refining my awareness of those beings that I might otherwise overlook.  

We can cultivate our Kavod when we try to help the people around me who may be hungry, homeless, addicted, or forgotten.  I cultivate my Kavod when I recall the holiness of the soul who may be frustrating me in traffic or at the grocery store.  By honoring the other with kindness and compassion - rather than venom and vitriol-  we lift up that person's humanity and help our holy souls shine more brightly together.

When we open the door for "all who are hungry [to] come and eat," and later for Elijah the Prophet at the end of our Seder, we invite in those holy souls who deserve our Kavod.  The hungry deserve to eat and the Prophet deserves a seat.  It is only when we open our hearts and homes to others that peace can feed our own holy being selves.  

Shabbat Shalom and Chag Same'ach- Happy [end of] Passover!
Rabbi Sharon Mars

Just two days after the conclusion of the most divisive election in Israel's history, the country united to cheer on its first ever attempt to land on the moon.  Though the unmanned Beresheet aircraft crash landed in the final stage of its mission, it was still called a success for Israel.  "Compared to not doing the mission at all, it [is] still an advancement, because it proves that they got that far," noted planetary scientist Phil Metzger of the University of Central Florida.  "You can say they hit the moon, they didn't get hopelessly lost among the stars- that's amazing!"

I felt a thrill of pride and excitement for Israel when I heard the news.  Daring Israel, risk-taking Israel, "shoot for the moon" Israel - this is my Israel!  And it is such a far cry from the back-biting, contentious, Jewish in-fighting characterizing the campaign for prime minister which just ended with Netanyahu's victory.  How refreshing it is to see our people coming together to root on Jewish ingenuity and sheer grit, imagination and technological prowess for this shining moment.  We Jews are so divided these days - both in Israel and the U.S. - that it is a minor miracle that in this one instance we decided to collectively launch a symbol of our unity into space.  In this moment, we agreed that attempting the mission was more important than never trying at all.

Our mission as a people is to be a "goy kadosh," a holy nation.  The Jewish mission is to live in the presence of something awe-inspiring and vast as the stars in the sky, yet as tangible as the touch of a person's hand when we help them.  My prayer this Shabbat is therefore that our speech and actions reflect this sacred obligation we have to the Divine and to each other.  And as we enter into our preparations for Passover next week, we use the redemptive power of our freedom to take seriously our responsibility to our fellow Jew.  Without that commitment, we may find ourselves "hopelessly lost among the stars."

Shabbat Shalom!

Rabbi Sharon Mars

When it comes to doing the Mitzvah of volunteering your time and talents, sometimes the most impactful contributions are the least visible ones. The Religious School has been blessed with dedicated congregants such as Debbie and Ken Cohen who get up early every Sunday morning to make the Bistro happen for our community of learners. This year we have been fortunate to add to our list of volunteers and have welcomed Allen Reynolds and Mitchel Shapiro. Read Allen's own testimony to understand what his and his husband's investment in the school has meant to them both.

Portrait of a Volunteer (Allen Reynolds)

Train(Guide) a child according to their way; and even when they grow old, they will not turn away from it. (Proverbs 22:6)

A very short but meaningful verse, that in my opinion often gets overlooked. To me and my husband, Mitchel, this proverb contains a “directive” that on the surface might not seem to be relevant to us, and our childless lifestyle. But in fact, the very opposite is true.

Since Mitchel and I are gay, and have chosen not to go down the path of raising our own  children, you may wonder why we would care how other’s children are trained? Why should we get involved with Jewishly educating children? 

I firmly believe that the commandment to teach a child in the ways and traditions of Judaism falls upon the shoulders of the entire community, not just the parents who have their own child. Not only is this responsibility to be taken on by the entire community, but it will also be the entire community that benefits from creating future adults who carry on our learning and traditions, in a living legacy. 

As a Jew of choice, and without our own children, it was even more important for Mitchel and I to find a way to follow this important Mitzvah (commandment). Fortunately, as things often do in my life, at the right time the perfect opportunity presented itself. I was asked if I would take on the role of teacher for the 7th grade class at Religious School on Sunday mornings. While I originally accepted because I wanted to help Temple Israel in any way I could, it has turned out to be one of the most gratifying and meaningful things I have ever done. Over the past few months, I have taught Jewish values and Torah, but for all that I have taught, I have learned even more. I have also had the privilege of being a guide and friend to this incredible group of young adults- to- be, and to watch them forge their own paths in a way that would make their parents burst with pride. It has been a pleasure and a privilege.

As for Mitchel, my husband and partner in in early Sunday morning rising...he too (almost) glady wakes up with me at the crack of dawn each and every Sunday morning and heads to Religious School. While I teach the 7th grade, Mitchel patiently helps the other volunteers, Debbie and Ken Cohen, set up the Bistro where parents and students purchase snacks and coffee during Religious School. Neither one of us knew we would have the opportunity to invest in the community and in the guidance of Temple Israel youth. Neither of us realized how much we ourselves would benefit from doing so. But take it from us, the benefits far outweigh the investment, so if you have the time, and are thinking about donating it to helping out on Sunday mornings, there are lots of opportunities available and all of them will make you glad you decided to invest personally in being a part of the future of Temple Israel: its youth. 

I am convinced that in the right hands, a freshly baked Challah has the power to bring about world peace. While we patiently wait for it to reach  those right hands, the luscious loaf can, and should find its way into your kitchen. Although baking Challah can be a little intimidating (due to the vast number of ways to mess it up), with just a moderate bit of prep and toil, you too can rebrand yourself as a master Challah baker.

Your Challah will undoubtedly be fun to make and delicious to eat. But even more importantly, If you pay close attention throughout the process, you will absorb some of the many life lessons that your warm, crusty sage, the Challah, has to teach you. 

Here are just a few to get you started:

Life lesson #1: Gametime Decisions Matter
Wading through the infinite array of life altering choices hurtling towards  you at warp speed can be overwhelming. So can choosing the perfect Challah recipe from among the over 758,000 that come up in a Google search. Pick the wrong one and your divine dough is doomed. 

Fortunately, in both life and Challah baking, breaking down your decision making process to a few simple steps can help.

1. Identify your goal: Do you want to be a doctor or an electrician? Do you want your Challah be sweet or savory? 
2. Do your homework: What will it take to reach your goal? Talk to those have have gone through the process. Watch a YouTube video on Challah baking, read some recipe reviews. 
3. Trust yourself: Listen to your gut or inner voice, it probably has your best interest in mind. Pick a recipe, roll up your sleeves and plunge elbow deep into the flour.

Life Lesson# 2: Easier Is Not Always Better
We all want to arrive at our destination yesterday, and who can resist the seductive call of a fast-food place beckoning to you to stop in and grab dinner? But as with most things in life, you get out what you have put in. If you can get there on foot, the trip will be slower- but you will have added a smidgen of exercise and and a few lung-fulls of fresh air to your day. If you make that meal from scratch, your taste buds, wallet and waistline will join hands to do a dance of joy. 

Of course there are plenty of perfectly braided and baked loaves of Challah on the supermarket shelves, but buying one will mean that you miss out on being transported to a state of nirvana via the aroma of freshly baked Challah filling your kitchen. Baking Challah is messy and time consuming, but you cannot MacGyver it. Success depends upon following several complicated steps correctly and in order. 

Life Lesson #3: Question the Status Quo
Just because something has been around a long time or is done a certain way, doesn't mean it can’t be improved upon or that there isn’t a better alternative. Eliminate the words “supposed to” from your vocabulary and make it a habit to question the status quo in every situation. 

Do rainbow sprinkles on your Challah make your heart sing louder than sesame seeds? Does a shmear of Nutella tempt your taste buds more than a pat of butter? Following other people’s rules is overrated. Look at things from your own unique angle, and strive to find new ways that are meaningful and create joy inside of you. 

Does a Jewish angel gets its wings every time a Challah is baked? Probably not. But there are still plenty of good reasons to attempt the mystical alchemy invoked in baking Challah. The result will be supremely delicious and a great way to usher in Shabbat, as well as a reason to say a blessing. But also, Challah is not too shabby at reminding us of some much needed life lessons, which is almost as good as the an angel getting new wings.

Although Thanksgiving is not necessarily considered a Jewish holiday, you will find plenty of examples of the importance of gratitude (in Hebrew Hakarat Hatov) in the world’s number one best selling self-help book; the Torah. We can all agree that gratitude can bring you joy by helping you appreciate all that you have to be grateful for, can strengthen your relationships and build up your compassion muscle. All of which will result in you being a better human in the long run. And don’t worry, in case you forget to be grateful throughout the year, there is an actual holiday (some call it an entire month), dedicated to reminding you of its importance.

However, lurking in the background is the equally significant, and frequently underrated first cousin of being grateful- Kvelling. You have likely felt it, but perhaps didn’t know there was a word for it: the feeling that you are bursting with pride over the accomplishments of someone you care for deeply. Kvelling feels so personal - almost as though you are the one who gets the credit for the accomplishment, that you simply need to share your exultation with the world, or risk exploding. The Yiddish translation of Kvelling is: “Being filled with pride, to swell with delight over a family member’s achievements, to be delighted by another’s accomplishments, usually a relative”. Once again we can thank the Yiddish language for putting four sentences of meaning into one perfect, concise word.

So why is the act of Kvelling sometimes suspiciously regarded (and even suppressed)? Perhaps due to its other cousin; bragging. But make no mistake, Kvelling and boasting are distant relatives. While both require a bit of Chutzpah (another perfect Yiddish word), Kvelling makes the object of your attention feel good (who doesn’t love to have their achievements shouted from the rooftops?), bragging simply makes people think you are trying to show off.

This year amidst getting caught up in the minutiae of Thanksgiving (the menu, the travel, the imminent family warfare), try an experiment. Put the transformative powers of the Kvell to the test by actively seeking opportunities to point out and boldly share an achievement about each person sitting around your table. It doesn’t have to be something monumental, but it does have to be genuine. It must be something about the person that simply makes your heart sing with joy just thinking about. Be ambitious and challenge others at the table to take a turn at Kvelling. Although this experiment might alternate between being easy and challenging (Kvelling about Mean- Grandma might put you to the test), it will transform the focus of your guests from “How do I survive this turkey coma?”, to “I did not know that Uncle Sam built his lawnmower completely by himself!”. After all, isn’t the point of Thanksgiving for everyone to stumble away from the table, their bellies, hearts and souls filled to capacity?

Shabbat Shalom!
Beata Abraham, Education Director

Our Torah portion opens with a booming command this week:  “God said to Avram: ‘Lech lecha! Go from your land, from your relatives, and from your father’s house to the land that I will show you'”  (Gen. 12:1).  Avram, very much a "newbie" to being the first Jew, should have taken off running as the Holy One shouted out "Lech Lecha!" from on high.  Avram at the ripe age of 75 determines that he is being told "Go by yourself" and "Go for yourself."  So he goes with his family and he is ready for this "reinvention" of himself.  

But I think that Avram ultimately internalizes this command as: "Go TO yourself."  God chose Avram to set out and establish himself in a new land as God's holy instrument, and "Lech Lecha" is the call for Avram to pause before rushing out to fulfill God's command.  It is the Holy One saying, "Get up and WAIT!  Lech Lecha- Get ready to launch the best version of yourself to fulfill your life's mission which is My mission for you and for the Jewish people.  Look inside yourself.  Study your own potential.   But don't move a muscle until you know first who you are."

"Lech Lecha" isn't just an ancient echo for Avram and his family.  It is the shofar call, the alarm clock, the pop-up notification on our phone to live our lives in a state of mindful "forward march" every day.  If we live with the awareness that we only have 168 hours in every week- with an average of 56 hours for sleep and 50 more for work and travel- how do we (ideally!) live the 62 remaining hours per week with intention and grace?  Even one 24 hour period of self- care and reflection could make all the difference.  One simple answer is to make Shabbat itself a time for nurturing relationships, feeding our minds, taking care of our bodies, and contributing to the community.  Imagine what "going to yourself" might look like and how that could change your daily life!

Heeding the call of "Lech Lecha"- journeying to ourselves, regularly reflecting on our lives and taking care from within- can help us fulfill our missions in life and realize the promise of landing in a place of growth and potential.  May this Shabbat be our time for doing just that.

Shabbat Shalom!
Rabbi Sharon Mars