Shabbat Greetings from Cantor Margot Goldberg – November 30

Shabbat Shalom!  Black Friday, Small Business Saturday (AMEX), Cyber-Monday, and now Latkepalooza!  It seems as if CVS has been ready for the winter holidays since the spring and the Jewish community is constantly aware that either the holiday is too early or too late.  The holidays are always right on time in the Jewish calendar; the issue is how the lunar and solar calendars work in tandem.  Our lunar calendar adds a leap month seven times in every 19-year cycle, so as to keep the holidays in their proper season.  For example, it would be odd to celebrate Passover, known as Chag ha-Aviv, or Spring Festival, in October.  So as we enter the winter holiday season, I wonder how you are planning to spend your Chanukah time and your Chanukah dollars.  The internet is filled with Chanukah ideas for gifts, recipes, virtual candle lighting, and the list goes on.  For example, the Union for Reform Judaism has a whole page dedicated to links that might be helpful as you plan you Chanukah festivities.  Here at TBA, there are opportunities for you to shop, donate, and celebrate.  We hope that you will join us this Sunday, December 2 from 9-3 for an array of activities and shopping opportunities at Latkepalooza, our Tikkun Olam team has created 4 opportunities for you to share your abundance with Light One Candle, the UJA Gift of Chanukah Program, donations of oil and onions for the food pantry, and our annual coat and sweater drive for La Asociacion.  The 6th night of Chanukah has been designated as Ner Shel Tzedakah, where we would like to encourage you to discuss with your family giving gifts to others rather than yourselves by either donating to charity, giving a gift to UJA, volunteering at a soup kitchen, or the charity that speaks most to your families values.

Please join us on December 14 for the 7th night of Chanukah for services at 5:45pm or 8:00pm with a dinner in the middle at 7:00pm (reservations with the office a must).

However you and your family choose to spend the holidays, I hope that your homes are filled with the light and joy of the freedom that our ancestors fought so hard for and that the year to come is filled with health and happiness.

L’shalom,
Cantor Margot

Author: Melissa