This year April overlaps, more or less, with the lunar month of Nissan. At the full moon of Nissan we retell our people’s core story as we celebrate Pesach, festival of our liberation.
As it says in the traditional haggadah:
We were slaves to a Pharaoh in Egypt, and the Holy One brought us forth from there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm… Therefore it is incumbent on each of us to see ourselves as though we, ourselves, had been brought forth from Mitzrayim.
Good news — we are opening our doors to in-person worship and programs once again! The decreasing COVID-19 numbers in our community and the fact that the local risk level has moved from high to low means that we can once again meet in person. To ensure the safety of our most vulnerable, we will continue to require masks for everyone ages 2 and up. We will also keep seating spaced apart for those who wish to continue to practice social distancing. For those who are not able to attend in person for whatever reason, most services will continue to include a Zoom option.
This month brings Purim, our festival of costumes and masks and merriment.
When my son was little, he used to confuse the names Yom Kippur and Purim. One year he was very excited to wear a costume to Yom Kippur… until I regretfully informed him that Yom Kippur was not the costumes and silliness holiday!
He didn’t know it, but he was following in the footsteps of our sages.
“…The thing is, there’s holiness in the not-knowing. There’s holiness in opening ourselves to the uncertainties of wilderness. It’s no coincidence that our ancestors hear God’s voice most clearly in the wilderness. The midbar (wilderness) is where God m’daber (speaks) — or at least, where we hear….”
I hope that you are all well and enjoying this season, no matter where you are spending your time. Though our synagogue building was closed last month due to the pandemic, our Rabbi, the Board, and Oliver Jones, our synagogue administrator, have been very busy. Our Hebrew School continued to meet in-person and by Zoom. Services have continued by Zoom on their regular schedule.
5782 is a Jewish leap year, which means we get an extra month. In most years, there is a single month of Adar. This year, we get two of them. The first one is happening right now….
This week’s Torah portion contains one of my favorite verses: “Let them make Me a sanctuary, that I might dwell among them.” The Hebrew could also mean “within them.” We build God a sanctuary so that God — holiness, love, justice — can dwell within us….
In this week’s Torah portion, Yitro, we receive Torah at Sinai. Tradition teaches that every Jewish soul that ever was and ever will be was present at Sinai. At Sinai […]
Dear Congregation Beth Israel community, There is nothing quite like the gut-wrenching feeling of emerging from the peace of Shabbat — a day when some of us avoid the news […]
In this week’s Torah portion, Bo, we are deep in the story of the plagues and traumas that unfolded as a prelude to yetziat Mitzrayim, our Exodus or going-forth from […]
This week’s parsha is Vayechi, “He lived.” It opens, “Jacob lived seventeen years in the land of Egypt, so that the span of Jacob’s life came to one hundred and […]
Pharaoh’s dreams (artist unknown); an oil-lamp chanukiyah. This week we continue the Joseph story. In this installment, Pharaoh has two disturbing dreams. In one dream, seven happy fat cows emerge […]
Shabbat Services This Week Join us this week for multi-access Shabbat Chanukah Morning Services at 9:30am on Saturday. Because it’s Chanukah, we’ll sing the praise songs of Hallel with our morning […]
From the Rabbi – April 2022
From The Rabbi, Newsletter, Nissan, PesachThis year April overlaps, more or less, with the lunar month of Nissan. At the full moon of Nissan we retell our people’s core story as we celebrate Pesach, festival of our liberation.
As it says in the traditional haggadah:
We were slaves to a Pharaoh in Egypt, and the Holy One brought us forth from there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm… Therefore it is incumbent on each of us to see ourselves as though we, ourselves, had been brought forth from Mitzrayim.
Perpetual Fire
Divrei Torah, From The RabbiMarch 2022 | Adar-II 5782
Adar, From The President, NewsletterGood news — we are opening our doors to in-person worship and programs once again! The decreasing COVID-19 numbers in our community and the fact that the local risk level has moved from high to low means that we can once again meet in person. To ensure the safety of our most vulnerable, we will continue to require masks for everyone ages 2 and up. We will also keep seating spaced apart for those who wish to continue to practice social distancing. For those who are not able to attend in person for whatever reason, most services will continue to include a Zoom option.
From the Rabbi – March 2022
Adar, From The Rabbi, Newsletter, PurimThis month brings Purim, our festival of costumes and masks and merriment.
When my son was little, he used to confuse the names Yom Kippur and Purim. One year he was very excited to wear a costume to Yom Kippur… until I regretfully informed him that Yom Kippur was not the costumes and silliness holiday!
He didn’t know it, but he was following in the footsteps of our sages.
The Wilderness of Not Knowing: Ki Tisa 5782
Divrei Torah, Pandemic“…The thing is, there’s holiness in the not-knowing. There’s holiness in opening ourselves to the uncertainties of wilderness. It’s no coincidence that our ancestors hear God’s voice most clearly in the wilderness. The midbar (wilderness) is where God m’daber (speaks) — or at least, where we hear….”
February 2022 | Adar-I 5782
Adar, From The President, NewsletterI hope that you are all well and enjoying this season, no matter where you are spending your time. Though our synagogue building was closed last month due to the pandemic, our Rabbi, the Board, and Oliver Jones, our synagogue administrator, have been very busy. Our Hebrew School continued to meet in-person and by Zoom. Services have continued by Zoom on their regular schedule.
From the Rabbi – February 2022
Adar, From The Rabbi, Newsletter5782 is a Jewish leap year, which means we get an extra month. In most years, there is a single month of Adar. This year, we get two of them. The first one is happening right now….
Four Gifts
Community, Divrei Torah, From The Rabbi, PandemicThis week’s Torah portion contains one of my favorite verses: “Let them make Me a sanctuary, that I might dwell among them.” The Hebrew could also mean “within them.” We build God a sanctuary so that God — holiness, love, justice — can dwell within us….
From the Rabbi – January 2022
From The Rabbi, Newsletter, Shevat, Tu BiShvatOne heart: reading Yitro after Colleyville
Divrei Torah, Response to TragedyIn this week’s Torah portion, Yitro, we receive Torah at Sinai. Tradition teaches that every Jewish soul that ever was and ever will be was present at Sinai. At Sinai […]
A message from R. Rachel re CBI of Colleyville, TX
Community, Response to TragedyDear Congregation Beth Israel community, There is nothing quite like the gut-wrenching feeling of emerging from the peace of Shabbat — a day when some of us avoid the news […]
From smallness to hope – a d’varling for Bo
Divrei TorahIn this week’s Torah portion, Bo, we are deep in the story of the plagues and traumas that unfolded as a prelude to yetziat Mitzrayim, our Exodus or going-forth from […]
The ones who come after: Vayechi
Divrei TorahThis week’s parsha is Vayechi, “He lived.” It opens, “Jacob lived seventeen years in the land of Egypt, so that the span of Jacob’s life came to one hundred and […]
Abundance and dreams, resilience and hope: Miketz and Chanukah
Chanukah, Divrei TorahPharaoh’s dreams (artist unknown); an oil-lamp chanukiyah. This week we continue the Joseph story. In this installment, Pharaoh has two disturbing dreams. In one dream, seven happy fat cows emerge […]
Shavua tov, chag sameach, and looking forward to Shabbat Chanukah!
ChanukahShabbat Services This Week Join us this week for multi-access Shabbat Chanukah Morning Services at 9:30am on Saturday. Because it’s Chanukah, we’ll sing the praise songs of Hallel with our morning […]