Author: Melissa

Shabbat Shalom!  As I left TBA this week after Choir rehearsal and the Ritual committee meeting I was struck by the night sky and the full moon.  It was beautiful each night, first surrounded by clouds and then as they moved off just the bright white moon in the pitch black sky.  A full moon during the month of Elul means that the High Holydays are not far off and while there is still much to do to prepare I am looking forward to welcoming you all as we join together in prayer, song, and teshuvah, the process of turning to each other and to God to ask for forgiveness.  In preparation and study I am reading several Elul blogs.  “Jewels of Elul” is produced by Craig Taubman, a fantastic musician, a sweet singer of Israel, and an inspiring community organizer.  Each year he assembles a diverse group of writers to share a daily story, text, or inspirational thought on a particular subject that will prepare us for teshuvah.

This year’s theme is “Welcoming”.  In his introductory note Craig wrote:

This is the art of welcoming: being open as well as extending invitations. Welcoming brings ease – makes people feel wanted and accepted. It allows us to sanctify a moment, cherish a relationship, receive and embrace.  (Jewels of Elul)

TBA’s doors are open, you are invited, and I hope that it is with ease that you will join us as we come together as a community to pray, to sing, to be together, and to turn to one another as friends and family do to look for support, understanding, and peace.  As we begin a new year together I hope that you will look to TBA and our fantastic community as a place where you are always welcome!

L’shalom,

Cantor Margot E. B. Goldberg

Peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians have begun!  Though there is more than a little cynicism being expressed from all sides, there is reason to be hopeful.  There is a unique confluence of events that has opened the door to an agreement (more about that, perhaps, at the Holydays…).  Now if we could just get everyone to step through.

Despite all that has happened to us – perhaps because of all that has happened –  Jews are a people of hope, and our fondest hope is for peace.  Ashkenazic Jews greet one another not with “Hi” or “Good day,” but with “shalom aleichem -peace to you.”  The response is “aleichem shalom – unto you, peace.”  Every Friday night and Saturday we turn to one another and say, “Shabbat shalom – a peace-filled Shabbat.”  And of course, every worship service contains numerous prayers for peace.

There is always hope.  We should be practical, but we should not be cynical.  And we must not only pray, but also act.  May the One who makes peace in the heavens help us to make peace here on earth, between the Children of Isaac and the Children of Ishmael, and among all peoples.  Shabbat Shalom!

How will you spend the next 27 days?

Hopefully, hanging out with family, enjoying the sunshine, and reading a good book are all part of the picture. But I also hope that as the countdown to the High Holydays begin, you will take some time to reflect upon the past year and consider what you might want to do differently. Tradition tells us that the Hebrew month of Elul, which is the month leading up to Rosh Hashanah, is meant to be a time of introspection. It’s just not possible to do all that hard work on Rosh Hashanah or on Yom Kippur. To really think about one’s life takes time and careful consideration. It is (at least!) a month-long process.

Luckily, there are many people out there who want to help you in this process. My two favorites are “Prepent” by Amichai Lau-Lavie and “Jewels of Elul” organized by Craig Taubman. Each will send a daily post right to your inbox that is meant to spark a conversation of sorts.  Sometimes this is a conversation you have with yourself, and sometimes this might be a conversation you need to have with someone else.

I know, I know, you get a zillion emails a day. Why do you want one more? Well, I am willing to bet that very few of those emails inspire you to action. And probably none are a daily reminder to think, to change,  to grow.  So for the next 27 days treat yourself to this little gift. Sign up for one or both of these posts and see where the month of Elul takes you!

Jewels of Elul: http://www.letmypeoplesing.com/jewels/

Prepent: http://amichai.me/writings

Shabbat Shalom!

Pamela Joy Barkley

The countdown has begun. We knew that as we came to the end of  Tisha B’Av in mid-July. As of today we are less than five weeks away from the start of Rosh Hashnah. And I’m not even counting Selichot which will occur this year at the end of August. That thought is just too scary…

Leaving aside the earliest occurrence of Rosh Hashanah for the next 200 years or so our calendar and cycle of readings is a miraculous thing. For three weeks before the observance of Tisha B’Av we listen to the words of Jeremiah rebuking us for our behavior. In a master stroke of psychology our ancestors realized that it was easy to say something critical but harder to soften that blow with kind words. The harsh comment stays with us longer so while there are only 3 weeks of rebuke it takes seven weeks to feel consolation. We are already into that cycle and hearing these haftarot recited each summer reminds us that we are counting the swift passing of weeks toward the High Holydays. We also remember the words found in Pirkei Avot, the Ethics of our Fathers, to watch our words and our speech. Especially in this era of instant communication we need to be mindful not only of what we say but of how we say it. That seems to be a thought to keep in mind as we look to the start of Elul and the time of year when we examine ourselves and our behavior. May we find peace and comfort in Shabbat and the strength to start our chesbon ha-nefesh.

Shabbat Shalom!

Shabbat shalom!  “Hear oh Israel, The Lord is our God, the Lord is one.”  Sound familiar?  Called the watchword of our faith the Shema reminds us to pay attention to how we live our lives and of our connection to God and Israel (both the land and people). The paragraph which follows called the v’ahavta shows us how to make those connections: “You shall love the Lord Your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your might.”  The shema and v’ahavta were part of last weeks Torah portion Vaetchanan.  The v’ahavta is a collection of verses from two sections of Deuteronomy. In our Reform service we recite an abridged version, “…inscribe them on the doorposts of your house and your gates.” The full version which we recite during the Conservative service includes a section from this weeks Torah portion, Eikev.  We will read “therefore impress these My words upon your very heart: bind them as a sign on your hand and let them serve as a symbol on your forehead, and teach them to your children – reciting them when you stay at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you get up; inscribe them on the doorposts of your house and your gates.”  This section is both familiar and new to those who chant the Reform version of v’ahavta. What does it mean to “bind them as a sign on your hand and let them serve as a symbol on your forehead”?  These words led to the wearing of tefillin during morning prayer as a visible sign and connection to the text and our mindfulness of our relationship to God. For Reform Jews the wearing of teffilin is not usually customary. Without a daily minyan in the Conservative tradition at TBA tefillin is not something seen often in our building. The text goes on to mention mezuzah and in the section from Numbers we get the tradition of tzitzit which leads to Tallis. Without some of these visible signs I guess the question is what are the things either around us or that we add to our lives spiritually that serve as these visible reminders of our relationship to God and our community?  Join me tonight during services at 7:30pm to discuss this question.

Thanks,

Margot

Having just commemorated Tisha b’Av, the day which marks the destruction of the 1^st and 2^nd Temples in Jerusalem, we enter into the seven weeks of consolation leading up to Rosh Hashanah.  Each Shabbat morning, beginning tomorrow, we will read a section from the book of Isaiah, written some 2500 years ago to console the Jewish exiles in Babylonia.  Isaiah promises the people that if they repent and follow the rules, God will forgive them and return them to the land of Israel.  Each year I am both comforted and troubled by these haftarah readings.  Isaiah seems to be “blaming the victims” for their situation, and putting its resolution squarely in their own hands.  It’s nice to feel empowered and in control, and to be assured that if we will just behave better everything will be alright.  But experience teaches us that life is not that simple.  So how are we to learn from this ancient text, and what message does Isaiah send to us across the centuries?

The key is in knowing the audience.  Today, we generally understand religious messages as aimed toward us as individuals.  We hear a sermon and think about what it means to our personal behavior.  Indeed, that is the focus of our High Holyday experience.  But it’s important to note that Isaiah was not speaking to the Jews as individuals; he was addressing the collective Jewish People.  From his perspective God didn’t exile the Jews from Israel because of individual sins; it happened because as so much of the society was sinning that the entire group was punished.  When enough people are doing wrong, the good suffer along with the sinners.

That’s the message to take from Isaiah.  While we need to start any type of repentance by looking at our personal behavior, that’s not enough.  If our society is doing things that are wrong, we will be caught up in the consequences, even if we are personally righteous.  Isaiah calls to each of us to lend our voices and our actions to moving society in the right direction.  Bystanding is a sin.  So, as you begin your personal accounting leading toward Yom Kippur, consider how you will be a more active part of making your community what you want it to be.

Shabbat shalom!

I’ve gotten a quizzical look from many of you as you passed me by in the TBA building the past few weeks. “It’s summer, aren’t you off?” you say, brimming with excitement for me. I truly love your enthusiasm for my vacation. But in reality, summer is not actually one big time off. True, the kids are not here in classrooms on Sundays, Mondays, and Wednesdays so I am not technically “running” the school. However, all those things we do in the school on Sundays,  Mondays, and Wednesdays require an awful lot of planning.

I have been meeting with every teacher to talk about the past year and figure out ways to improve what we do for the upcoming school year. There are many new projects and programs we are working on and I hope you will be as excited as I am about the ways in which we are seeking innovation in Jewish education.

So in the meantime, I hope you are all enjoying your summers so far — if you’re in the building, please do feel free to stop by my office and say “Hi”. I’m here!

Pamela Barkley

Tarrytown, Sleepy Hollow, Irvington, White Plains. Philadelphia, Valley Forge, Yorktown. All place names that say something to us. And so begins part of our torah reading this Shabbat.  As parashat Mas’ei opens, Moses recites the names of forty two locations at which the Israelites stopped during their forty years of wandering in the dessert leading from Egypt to the edge of the Promised Land. As with the list of names above, it was not necessary to say anything more than the name of the place. That was enough to stir the memories of the Israelites who heard this list. The names of our local towns mean something to our congregants who live there. The names of places important to our shared American history also have meaning for us especially at this season when we celebrate Independence Day.  The Declaration in Philadelphia led to a hard winter at Valley Forge followed by eventual victory announced at Yorktown. But just reading the place names is enough to tell the story. Similarly, when your family next gathers around the dinner table, mention some place names that they will all recognize. They might be the names of a place where you all spent a vacation. “Remember_________?” – you can fill in the blank. Suddenly, everyone will have a story to tell or a memory to share. These are things that make us a community whether it be a family unit, the TBA family, or the Jewish or American people. Since this weekend really starts the summer and vacation time, I hope that you will all have the chance to take a break from your routines, travel to a different location for a change of scenery (even if it’s close by), and create some new memories. Travel safely and bring back your new perspectives so we all can share them together.

Shabbat Shalom!

Shabbat Shalom!   It is hard to believe that the choir and I are already preparing for the High Holydays but it is even harder to believe that this High Holyday season will be  my 20^th at TBA (b’ezrat haShem, with the help of God).  As I look through my notes from past High Holydays and prepare for the next it is amazing to see that, while many things have changed, so much has stayed the same.  TBA continues to be a welcoming community with a pluralistic view that welcomes everyone with open arms.  I felt that embrace when I started at TBA and have felt it through meeting and marrying Barry, bringing Tamir into our family, and the ups and downs that will naturally occur when you are in a relationship for so long.

But I have to admit that your outpouring of love and kindness at the “Bash” in my honor this past April was an overwhelming blessing and I want to Thank You again!  The “Bash” was wonderful and I am still floating on air.  The party itself was amazing and I want to thank Jen Schwartz and her Committee for all of their hard work.  The purple paper flowers from the centerpieces are in my office and serve as a constant reminder of your tribute.  I reread some part of the journal and the scrap book daily and am overwhelmed by your kind words.  Every time I hear Anna Nalick’s “Breathe” or Adele’s “Rollin’ in the Deep” on the radio I am transported to the Ballroom at Elmwood Country Club and how much fun it was to sing with Scott Freiman’s band.  Thank you so much for letting me sit in. Thank you to Leslie Kahan for lending her talents and taking beautiful pictures that will continue to help me remember that glorious night for many years to come.  I would like to take this opportunity to share those photos with you all.  To view the pictures from the Bash either one at a time or in slideshow form click here  http://albums.phanfare.com/isolated/4FfEckJi/1/6036488.  As you view the pictures feel free to download any of them that you would like to save to your computer and then either print them on your own or send them to your favorite picture printing website or retail store.  Thank you again for making me feel so loved.

L’shalom,

Cantor Margot

Tonight we are continuing a practice that we began two summers ago: holding a Shabbat evening service led entirely by congregants.  Sharon DeLevie is coordinating the 6:00pm service, which will include readings and music chosen and led by TBA members.  (We will also hold our regular 7:30pm service).  It promises to be a very special experience.  Many congregations use all or part of the summer to allow congregants to express their spirituality and love of Judaism by leading Shabbat services.  This practice also allows all of you to have a different experience of worship, and perhaps to discover new meanings.  Sometimes just having a different voice read a prayer you have heard a hundred times changes your understanding of the words.  So, while I don’t want to be the only one here at 7:30pm, I hope that as many of you as possible will come at 6:00pm to welcome Shabbat with our dedicated and talented lay-leaders.