From the Rabbi
From the Rabbi: September 25, 2023
The story is told of a preacher who came to her congregation and preached a sermon in the church. Everyone loved the sermon and told her how much it meant to them. The next week, she stood at the podium and preached the same sermon. The congregation was polite, after all, she was their pastor, maybe she had a busy week and didn’t have time to prepare. However the next Sunday, she stood in front of them and preached the very same sermon once more.
One of the elders came up to her and said, “Pastor, the first time we heard this sermon, it was very good. The next week, we heard it, and while odd to hear it again so soon, it was good. This third week, you preached it again, Pastor, don’t you have another sermon to preach?” The preacher smiled and said, “Yes, you are right, I preached it the first Sunday, and the second and today the third Sunday. However, while you have all heard it, doesn’t seem like anything has changed, so here it is again.” This Yom Kippur morning I am talking about reparation
Several years ago, while visiting Berlin I was amazed by the way the German government openly told the truth about the Holocaust. Within the city and surrounding areas, there are many museums and public memorials telling the story of what Germany did to innocent people, Hitler and his government’s atrocities.
What was incredibly moving, was seeing the square stones placed in the sidewalk, in front of homes where Jewish people once lived. They are called stolpersteine, meaning stumbling blocks. Upon each one are the names of the Jews who once lived in the house, the year they were deported and where they were murdered. There are some 45,000 of these stones in Germany and 5,500 in Berlin alone.
At the same time, like some contrapuntal melody to the sobering cobblestones, everywhere you looked there is growth. Tall buildings being built or restored. A vibrant art scene. An abundance of classical music. My friend, Steven Sloane, a conductor from Los Angeles, moved to Berlin to teach and conduct. I was there to officiate at the Bat Mitzvah of his daughter. At the Bat Mitzvah party I met a number of Israeli classical musicians and opera singers who had moved to Berlin because of the government’s support of the arts.
I was stunned that any Jew, particularly one from Israel, would ever want to move to Germany, and yet, seeing the way Germany enacted reparations, it began to make sense. The healing efforts of acknowledgment and reparation made room for new life in Berlin that entices Jewish intellectuals and artists to return.
Lest we imagine that German reparations was a simple solution, history tells us otherwise because most Germans considered themselves the war’s worst victims.
In the 1950s, far more West Germans were opposed to paying reparations to Jewish victims . Time, effort and debate were needed before Germans were willing to confront the crimes of their fathers. Given the variety of reparations that were finally agreed upon, historians disagree about exact figures, but most estimate that as of 1990, when Germany reunified, West Germany had paid about 80 billion marks ($40 billion) in compensation to Jewish victims, while East Germany paid about 90 billion marks ($45 billion) in war reparations to the Soviet Union.
There is nothing in any reparation that can make up for the horrific sins of the Holocaust, nothing to bring back the lives of millions of slaughtered people. And at the same time, the reparations have an impact.
The reparations tell the truth.
According to Francois Bouchet Saulnier writer from Doctors without Borders, reparations mean: the making of amends for a wrong one has done, by paying money to or otherwise helping those who have been wronged. Reparations are meant to acknowledge and repair the causes and consequences of human rights violations and inequality in countries emerging from dictatorship, armed conflict, and political violence, as well as in societies dealing with racial injustice and legacies of colonization.
Look to the Torah and we find support for reparations.
In the book of Exodus, chapter 12 verse 35 and 36 we have a dramatic moment as the Israelites slaves are picking up and getting ready to escape. They quickly take their dough before it is leavened. And we are told in verse 35 “They asked from the Egyptians objects of silver, gold, and clothing. And the Eternal had disposed the Egyptians favorably toward the people and they let them have their request.”
You might wonder, were the Israelites really asking for gold, silver, and clothing or was this actually a moment of reparations?
According to Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, when there is a gift given to one who was once a slave, this is not a squaring of accounts, rather a minimal form of restitution what today we call “restorative justice.”
There is another example in Deuteronomy chapter 15 where the person who is no longer enslaved, receives financial security from the slave owner.
“If a man or a woman, sells himself or herself to you and serves you six years, in the seventh year you must let them go free. When you release them, do not send them away empty-handed. Supply them liberally from your flock, your threshing floor, and your winepress. Give to them as the Lord your God has blessed you. Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and the Lord your God redeemed you. That is why I give you this command today.”
Slavery needs, in the words of Noel Carrolle, “narrative closure.” To acquire real freedom, a slave must be able to leave without feeling as though he or she or they “slipped by” into freedom. The person must not depart heavy with humiliation and anger. Were that to happen, the person would have been released but not liberated. The insistence on parting gifts represents the Torah’s psychological insight into the lingering of servitude.
In the Babylonian Talmud there is another example of reparations and acknowledges the tension surrounding it. In the Talmud in Sanhedrin 91 it says “that the people of Egypt came to argue with the Jewish people before Alexander because they wanted all of their silver and gold back. The Jewish people argued, “we are due this payment for the labor of 600,000 people who you enslaved in Egypt for those years.”
Fast forward to today; the theme of reparations rise. A few years back at the Reform Rabbis conference in Chicago, we, the Central Conference of American Rabbis, voted unanimously on a resolution supporting the study of reparations here in the United States for the sin of slavery for African Americans and the urgent need to address it.
Our Jewish texts show how important it is to understand what happened when we left Egypt. We are not making an equivalence between Egyptian slavery and modern-day experience of African Americans in the United States. At the same time, we do have biblical cases of reparations. We do have a moral framework to bring this to our community today.
Here is a brief statement from that resolution, “Some argue that today’s generation should not bear the burdens of wrongs committed by their ancestors.
Yet as scholar Ta-Nehisi Coates said in his June 19, 2019, testimony before a congressional committee, and I quote, “We honor treaties that date back some 200 years despite no one being alive who signed those treaties. Many of us would love to be taxed for the things we are solely and individually responsible for.
But we are American citizens and thus bound to a collective enterprise that extends beyond our individual and personal reach.”
Let’s remember that in 1988 the United States formally apologized to more than 100,000 people of Japanese heritage who were subjected to internment during World War II and provided $20,000 to each survivor. Did that money make the humiliation and injustice go away. Absolutely not. Did it make it make a difference both to our government and to the Japanese American citizens, yes it did.
There is both a historical and a moral and textual underpinning to the concept of reparations. We have our Torah that reminds us not just of ancient slavery in Egypt but the unjust underpinning to everything related to slavery.
And yet, with a few notable exceptions, the Jewish community, which is so often proudly on the front lines of social justice causes, has remained quiet on the subject of reparations.
Our silence is an implicit claim that we have no role to play or no responsibility to act. Some in our community may not think this is our responsibility.
First, setting the record straight, Herbert Klein, in the Journal of Social History writes that while most American Jews immigrated long after slavery was abolished, we need to own that a number of American Jews owned slaves.
Acknowledging any part in the slave trade is part of our T’shuva, our returning to our souls. Our being an ally with the African American community is dictated by our sacred text, the truth we breath into those texts and our T’shuva. This morning Torah portion, Nitzavim there is a commentary which speaks about how Moses can obligate future generations to the covenant (I make this brit not with you alone…but even with those who are not yet here, the commentators suggest that just as descendants of a debtor are not exempt from the debt, so too we obligate future generations to take responsibility.
Some will argue that today’s human trafficking is slavery of women, men and children and that rather than focus on reparations for slavery in America long ago, we ought to put our energy on current slavery.
Today’s slavery is horrific and must be stopped. And that reality must not deter us from doing all we can to have our government do the T’shuva for what was done to African people in the name of white supremacy, and white greed. African slaves and their descendants had their freedom, self-determination, bodies, communities, ability to inherit and pass down wealth to their loved ones, possessions and, most important, their humanity, systematically stolen from them.
There are a variety of ways to conceive of reparations. International law suggests five forms of reparations: restitution, meaning how much wealth was accumulated by the slavery, compensation meaning, how much would have been proper payment for the work, rehabilitation, satisfaction and guarantees of non-repetition.
The impact of that slavery is felt in every shooting of an innocent African American, every African American man who has been pulled over by police, the underfunded schools, the redlining of African Americans to live in some neighborhoods, the majority of African American men in our jail system.
Reparations are an attempt to offer a restoration of the rightful blessings of African Americans to live full and decent lives, the same as we demand for ourselves. Reparation is the demand for integrity from a government, which did the wrong thing, and ultimately changed the law but the deep impact has not been addressed.
Martin Luther King Jr said,” Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. Hate multiplies hate, violence multiplies violence and toughness multiplies toughness.” Reparations means we are willing to turn on the light.
Reparations include the continued removal of confederate statutes glorifying the slave holder, the institution of government programs, making sure that the text books our children read in school tell the truth about slavery, creation of tax incentives for Black-owned businesses, educational stipends for Black Americans, and individual and community compensation.
John Lewis the iconic civil rights leader and congressperson who died in 2020 wrote an essay shortly before passing called Together You can Redeem the Soul of Our Nation. Simply put he said, “ it is good for the soul of a person, a people and a nation to set things right.”
Our sacred texts support reparation, however, that is not enough just to study them. Rather we need to live our deepest commitment and see if there is a way for the contemporary experience of slavery in the United States to be understood. I am no expert, however there are many people who have the expertise for us to gain from.
This afternoon following this service, as part of our Yom Kippur afternoon reflections, we are blessed to have Chris Lodgson, lead organizer for reparations and restorative justice advocacy organization will share with us updates on the California Reparations Task Force. I hope you are able to join us in learning and asking questions.
On this sacred day of Yom Kippur, we open our Torah. Let's together open our hearts. Let's open our minds. Let's open our history, and let's shape a better tomorrow. Amen
From the Rabbi: September 24, 2023
Tonight is Kol Nidrei. We reflect on our commitments. We re-examine our priorities. Tonight is Kol Nidrei. We pray to have courage to make necessary changes so that how we live, what we say, aligns with our truest values.
Once upon a time, people believed that the earth was flat. The story that people in the Middle Ages thought the Earth is flat appears to date from the 17th century as part of the campaign by Protestants against Catholic teaching.
Enough scientific proof led us to a new story that the earth was spherical. We’ve been relying on that one for some time. However, there still are people who call themselves flat earthers who will argue that indeed the earth is flat.
Recently I have been listening to a very interesting teacher, Rabbi Benay Lapi. She teaches about something she calls the Crash Theory. The Crash theory says people have master stories, stories that define what they believe about the world. Such as the earth being flat. However, inevitably our often-cherished master stories crash as new information is discovered making the old premise very difficult to accept any longer. And there will always be a few who deny change.
If the master story is successful, it can last a very long time. However, and I say this gently, every story will inevitably crash.
New information is revealed. Something inside of us changes. The story we have held onto will no longer really make sense. Hence, the Crash Theory and Rabbi Benay Lapi’s three options.
The first option when a master story starts to crash is: deny the crash. Promote that the new story is conspiracy and that the old one is still the master story. For example, the flat earthers.
The second option is to drop out of master story altogether. Tell everyone that you don’t care whether the planet is flat or round or a triangle. Explain that you are not concerned and it does not matter to you anyway. You still need to eat, sleep, pay your bills and annual taxes. No time to care about the shape of this place.
The third option would be, based on the scientific data, to accept that the earth is spherical, but to also acknowledge that when we look out at the ocean, it sure does appear to be flat. Option three is an integration of the new facts with a recognition that there is something in the old master story that is valid albeit sentimental.
For Jewish people, the master story is Torah. God gave the Torah to Moses who gave it to Joshua and to all of us. The master story says that the way to be close to God is through animal sacrifices performed by an elite group of male Jews called the Cohanim, the High Priests.
We don’t perform animal sacrifices any longer, so clearly the Master Story of literal Torah crashed.
Let's take a look at early Judaism with the framework of the Crash Theory and see how the three options played out.
Prior to the destruction of the first Temple, there was rumbling among our people about our master story. The Priests were totally dedicated to the Master Story that said that through animal sacrifices in the Holy Temple was the only way to connect with God and to work through the human transgressions that people tend to make. There was another group called the Pharisees who would become the rabbis. There was tension between these groups.
When the Romans destroyed the second Temple in 70CE, and our sacred holy place fell, according to scholars, 90% of the people who survived either left Judaism entirely or melted into the Roman empire.
We are here today, because of that 10%, the people who accepted that the master story of literal Torah had crashed beyond repair, meaning Judaism could no longer be a religion based on one centralized place, high priests and animal sacrifice. Done and over.
If you are Jewish today, it's because great great great great grandparents chose option 3. The leader of option 3 was Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakai,
Yochanan ben Zakai was a Palestinian Jewish sage, who lived in the first century CE. He saw the flames devouring the Temple and the city of Jerusalem falling. He asked a few trusted students to help him escape. Still in Jerusalem, he got inside a casket and told his students to take him outside of the city. Some accounts suggest Yochanan ben Zakkai took medicine that made him appear to be dead. When questioned by the Roman guards at the gates of Jerusalem, they told them they needed to bury their beloved teacher. Once outside the Temple area, Yochanan ben Zakai got out of the casket and found the Roman General Vespasian. His goal was to negotiate a plan for the survival of Judaism.
Yochanan ben Zakkai approaches the General and says, “Emperor Vespasian!” The General says, I am a general not an Emperor.” “Ah, but very soon you will be the Emperor.”
And suddenly someone rides up on a horse and proclaims that the Roman Emperor has just died and that he is now Emperor Vespasian.”
“Emperor Vespasian” says Yochanan ben Zakai, Jerusalem is falling, it and all the people will be utterly destroyed. I have 3 wishes. 1. Give me the city of Yavneh with its sages. 2. Give me the lineage of Gamliel. In other words, all the pharisees who studied with Rabbi Gamliel, let them out of Jerusalem as well. 3. A doctor for Rabbi Tzadok because the rabbi had been fasting since the Romans burned Jerusalem and is sick.”
All these requests were granted and essentially, Yochanan ben Zakai rejuvinated the city of Yavhneh and established a foothold for rabbinic Judaism to continue and they had a doctor. Courageous, radical, out of the box thinkers created a new master story. Rabbinic Judaism is the story for much of today’s Judaism.
Instead of animal sacrifice, they came up with three key ways to know God. Through Learning, prayer and acts of loving kindness. Instead of one centralized Temple, people could practice Judaism at home and meet in conveniently located synagogues. In place of literal Torah, they wrote the Talmud, an extensive how-to manual of how to lead Jewish lives wherever you live.
Yes, there were naysayers, like the flat earthers. They exist today. They is a small extremist group in Israel who try to get people during Passover to sacrifice goats on the Temple mount. They are part of the Return to the Mount movement. They do not have much traction.
We wouldn’t be here as we are, if not for the group that left a burning Jerusalem, who chose option 3. And yet, should Yochanan ben Zakai, somehow attend our service this evening, he would be more than baffled by our Jewish practice.
A woman rabbi? A choir? You drove? Or maybe better, what is a car? You have electricity? Men and women sitting together? Prayers in English?
I heard a lecture recently that said that there is good news and bad news about Judaism in the next one hundred years. The good news is that yes, Judaism will be here. The bad news is that we may not recognize it.
Judaism is evolving. Modern Orthodox Yeshivas produce social activists. There are more independent rabbinical seminaries, outside of Reform or Conservative. Renewal Judaism, an off shoot of Reconstructionist Judaism is very present on the Jewish scene. There is a Queer Yeshiva teaching a very interesting kind of Torah. Everything changes eventually. That is the nature of life. That is the nature of the Master story theory.
Taking the same framework of a Master Story and what happens when it crashes, let’s talk about Israel. The master story about Israel that I, an American, grew up with goes like this.
We have a promised land; it is promised in our sacred text the Torah. We have always felt a spiritual connection to the land that is described in our ancient text. After World War II, we desperately needed a place where Jews could escape. We needed a Jewish country where we would step away from the starvation and death of the Holocaust and build up muscle to work the land to make the desert bloom. All had seemed lost until the words of Theodore Herzl took root. Im Tirtzu Ain Zo Agadah, if you will it, it is no dream. The Jewish National Fund cards with slots for quarters to buy trees. The songs of the chalutzim, the Israeli pioneers, Hava Nagila, Jews lived on communes, called Kibbutzim, who grow their own food, tend to their own children and defend themselves.
Now the year is 2023. 75 years after the State of Israel was declared and the looking at the polarized country of Israel and the citizens are not united on their story, their purpose, their vision.
The felafel is still felafel. The open-air markets are the same, except you can use a credit card. However the master story is crashing. We have learned too much to be able to keep the earlier Israel master story from crashing. Metaphorically, we now know that the earth is not flat.
I began to observe close-up, how the orthodox resent the values of democracy, pluralism, feminism, as well as denying the humanity of Palestinians who lived there before 1948. I felt the orthodox influence and their belief that their Judaism was the only legitimate Judaism. Some buses in the ultra-orthodox parts of Jerusalem have women sitting in the back of the bus.
When I visit Israel, it is a priority to visit the West Bank. I often go with Rabbi Arik Ascherman a Reform college who devotes his life to telling the truth about the life of Palestinian people and making change.
I meet with families who live in rubble, and who fear that what little they have will be taken away. This summer I visited the town of Susya, an extremely poor dry area. The few Palestinians who live there are not permitted to use the water like other Israeli citizens, they have to pay a much higher price. They worry when their simple playground will be torn down.
In both February and July I joined hundreds of thousands of demonstrators. I was surrounded by people just like you, carrying Israeli flags, marching in peace, but definitely marching because of the governments shift to the far right, far right Jewish nationalism. We marched against Netanyahu’s judicial reform, against settler violence, the end to the occupation, and the demand democracy for all.
This year at the Rabbinic Torah Seminar, the two-week study program, our evening programs were about the direction of Israel, the destiny of modern Israel. We had Palestinian scholars talking with Jewish scholars, Palestinian leaders talking with Jewish leaders. The word, Nakba, which means catastrophe is the word for May 14th when Israel gained Independence. No longer a forbidden word to say, Nakba is a term heard among progressive Israelis and Jews.
The crash theory is happening before our eyes. What are our options?
Option one: keep to the early master story, the land is ours, it is our promised land, we made the desert bloom, this is for the Jewish people. Stick with ultra orthodox nationalism, Abraham Isaac and Jacob and Bibi.
The problem with option one is that we’ve changed. We know for a fact that there were people, Palestinians living in those areas when we got there. Palestinians, lived there for many generations in homes they built.
We know for a fact that the ultra orthodox are not required to serve in the IDF, however they demand substantial money from the government.
I know for a fact that the ultra orthodox denigrate Reform Judaism. Earlier this year when I went to the Kotel, the Western Wall, for Rosh Chodesh, to celebrate the new month, through song and reading the Torah, I, along with hundreds of Reform female rabbis were spat upon and cursed by ultra orthodox women and men. They shouted for us to go home.
Option Two says We ditch Israel altogether. We can be spiritual and not so religious.
Early Reform Judaism made option two its choice when it declared that every synagogue is a Temple and that we don’t truly need an Israel to be Jewish. One Reform Rabbi of Charleston, South Carolina, Rabbi Isaac Harby declared that “proud Americans of the Israelite faith no longer needed to pray for the redemption of the “stony desert” of Palestine.”
Option two does not work because I love Israel and believe in a vision of what it can yet become. Walking away will not make it so.
Option three. This is the only option, really. The truth is that I love Israel and am so incredibly proud of what Israelis have accomplished at such odds, in such a short amount of time. At the same time, the history of how we got there in 1948 meant taking over other’s people’s land and that the government-sanctioned Orthodoxy has little regard to the Judaism we practice.
Since my master story about Israel has crashed, I identify more than ever with today’s Israel, because for months and months, Israelis with whom I share my deepest values are protesting a right-wing Nationalistic government.
More and more Israelis want to work on some kind of reparative work with Palestinians. Today’s Israel has a Reform Rabbinical Seminary and ordains Israeli Reform Rabbis to serve Israeli Reform Synagogues.
The Israel with a new forming Master story needs our support.
This coming May, CBS has a trip planned to Israel. There has never been a more profound time to visit. A new story is emerging and we will be experiencing it. It is my fervent hope that many of you can join me, that we can as Liberal Jews, that means, non-ultra-Orthodox, come to Israel. We will see the ancient sites, Masada, the Kotel, the Dead Sea, but we will also attend Shabbat at Reform Synagogues.
It will be a relevant and meaningful visit because we can identify with their struggle for democracy, pluralism and transparency. It becomes very alive when you know you are part of a new Master Story.
The words of Theodore Hertzl Im Tirtzu Ayn Zo Agadah, now make sense in a new way. If we will it, if we commit to a new vision of Israel, one that reckons with plurality, that represents democracy, that honors the fact that Palestinians also deserve a State, then Ayn Zo Agadah, it will be no dream.
I am sure that the small group in the first century who went to Yavneh to create a new form of Judaism worried. They knew they could not go back to animal sacrifices and high priests but they loved the core of Judaism and wanted it to continue.
What they created was radical, unheard of, amazing, and it made sense. They worked very hard. They kept learning. They listened to their gut. The created Judaism with a new master story.
The same applies to Israel. The current state of Israel is alienating thousands of Israelis, it is alienating Jews from Israel and also Judaism because they are watching a right wing ultra nationalism rise and a denial of Palestinians to live decently.
Of course we are afraid, however, oppression will not ultimately win us blessing. We must be, like the first century radical ones who saved Judaism, by writing a different narrative.
On this sacred night of Kol Nidrei, we ask God to give us courage to re-examine our priorities and the stories we once accepted as truth. Give us courage to forge a new master story.
Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakai shines a light from beyond. We have done this before, and we will do so again.
From the Rabbi: September 18, 2023
Friday, September 18th, 6:00 Potluck dinner followed by Shabbat at 7:00 p.m.
What is the power beneath the things we do as a congregation? What makes Congregation Beth Shalom Carmichael tick?
Spiritually, we are a prosperous congregation, substantial in kindness, in generosity, one to another. We are one of the rare Terumah membership-based congregations in the country, and our philosophy is one of inclusion for all who want to be a member. If we have more, we give more. If we cannot offer as much financially, we contribute in other ways, and one day, when we are in a stronger financial position, we, too will help those who need a lift. Terumah is a gift of the heart.
We are a congregation with abundant hearts. Our Religious Practices Committee addresses the holidays and religious practices questions with integrity, creativity, and honor. We have a Social Action Committee that fuels us with contemporary issues, monthly Social Action Shabbat speakers, Sunday afternoon programs, and opportunities to engage with the world. Our Religious School, Neshama, and Youth Group are a place where teachers and curriculum focus on the soul of each child and their Jewish identity.
We are a robust congregation with a revitalized fundraising team bringing fun ways to build deeper relationships and support the nuts and bolts of our building, staff, and programs. We are a musical congregation with a devoted intergenerational group of talented singers under the direction of Carlos Fuentes and the energy of our monthly Shabbat with a Beat band.
We are a resilient congregation that thirsts to know more, reclaim more, love, interpret, and deeply own our Jewish heritage. There are few places in our lives where we can gather to hear Judaism taught, schmooze on Shabbat and holidays, and become more familiar with our mother tongue, Hebrew. We offer classes in Torah study, Hebrew, Mussar - spiritual ethics, mysticism, Introduction to Judaism, and Jewish food. Let us know if anyone has a class they want to teach or would like to have offered. Our dynamic CBS board under the leadership of Dr. Roy Schutzengel includes members who have been with us for years, new members, and, for the first time, two teen members.
We welcome interfaith opportunities. We annually host an Interfaith Sukkot gathering and, as regulars, at social justice marches and other interfaith events.
We are seeking participation in our CBS Caring Committee and Rosh Chodesh team planning and attending this year’s monthly theme, The Art of the Moon. Let Jenny Jeffrey know of your interest, administrator@cbshalom.org
As CBS, we proudly share our culture with the greater community. Sunday, September 10th, will be our 46th Jewish Food Faire. Anyone who has smelled the heavenly aroma from our kitchen knows that holiness can be experienced through the mouth-watering taste of Jewish delicacies of Rugalach, Mandelbrot, cabbage rolls, and bagels, as well as many others. This is Ashkenazi soul food. We teach it, prepare it and share it. One day we may also be serving traditional Sephardic soul food.
To make the Food Faire successful, we depend on you. We are the secret spice of the CBS Jewish Food Faire. CBS Family, please sign up to bake, help, and order food from our once-a-year extravaganza of the heart. The last day to order is Sunday, August 27th.
In the spirit of what makes us tick, join us this Friday, September 18th, coinciding with the 1st day of Elul, for our Welcome Back Shabbat Service. (We will be eating and praying indoors.) Our summer lay leaders deserve our praise for their dedication to bringing beautiful services and Torah study this summer. What an incredible group of leaders:
The Hucklebys
Bob Bennet and Roy Schutzengel
Eddie Appell
Sheree and David Meyer
Roberta and Dave Malkin
Jeff and Eli Swatt
Danielle and Cameron Hess
Sarah Rollins
Torah Study leaders include: Hank Lander, Bob Bennet, and Bill Rozell
Our tradition teaches that starting with the new moon of Elul, the Holy One is “in the field,” the ultimate Source of goodness, kindness, forgiveness, and acceptance is very close to us, encouraging us in T’shuva to come “home” to our purest, essential self.
Be part of the sacred work behind the scenes, the spirit of what makes us tick.
Be blessed and be the blessing,
Rabbi Nancy
From the Rabbi: September 16, 2023
This summer along with a dozen other rabbis, I visited a convent called the Beit
Jamal Monastery. It is a small convent just outside Jerusalem where the 32 nuns
have taken a vow of silence with the exception of Sunday when they take a walk
together in the hills of Jerusalem. I was at the convent for a day of interfaith
contemplation, first learning from the nuns on their spiritual practice and then
with rabbis who taught Jewish meditation practices.
The two nuns who, in their crisp white habits, were assigned by Abess, the
mother superior, to be our hosts spoke about their lives and answered our
questions. These two women had the most radiant faces and joyful smiles. We
saw their cubicles in the chapel where they sat separately but also in community.
Each sister receives a cell of solitude where she prays, studies the Word of God,
works, eats and sleeps. Like our ancestors of the desert, they believe that the one
who has God as a companion is never less alone than when she is by herself. And
truly with the silence, the solitude, the intensity of monastic routine, their
gardens, indeed their world seemed to be brimming with life.
And yet, as someone who does not lead a monastic life, their lifestyle made me
curious. I asked one of the nuns, “How do you deal with loneliness?” She paused
and she smiled her beautiful and patient smile.
She told me that for one thing, she never feels alone because she has a
relationship with God. However, she added “if I were to feel lonely, I would bring
it to the Abbess as it would be an important topic to talk about.” From her brief
words I learned that there are two kinds of being alone. Alone and connected
with God as well as alone and disconnected. The alone and disconnected variety
is loneliness.
Loneliness, as defined by mental health professionals, is a “gap between the level
of connectedness that you want and what you have.”
Even before the pandemic, Surgeon General Dr. Vivik Murthy surveyed the latest
data to determine what was the most serious threat to public health in the United
States. Assuming it would be cancer, heart disease, diabetes, obesity, addiction,
he was surprised to find that the most serious public health problem is loneliness.
After churning out staggering statistics, Murthy concluded that loneliness is as
bad for us physically as smoking fifteen cigarettes a day.
The same national study found that 61% of young adults report feeling lonely
almost all the time. Murthy suggested that our “epidemic of loneliness,” is driven
by the accelerated pace of life and the spread of technology into all of our social
interactions making us feel unseen.
Loneliness, like any other emotion, rises up to tell us something we need to know.
We don’t have to search far for examples in Torah.
In the Akeda story that we just read, the one I think who was the most lonely is
Isaac. After the ram is sacrificed instead of Isaac, Abraham, his father, leaves the
mountain. The Torah says, and Avraham left for Ber Sheva. There were only two
of them on the mountain aside from the ram, so that leaves Issac, by himself for
who knows how long.
In Hebrew the word for lonely is “hitboded.” The root of hitboded, is bet dalet
dalet, meaning separated, isolated and insulated. If someone is a soldier in Israel
without family, the IDF gives them a title: chayelet bode’dah, a lone soldier, a
solider disconnected physically from her family.
We might say, Isaac, up there on Mt Moriah felt profound loneliness.
In small doses, loneliness is like hunger or thirst, a healthy signal that we are
missing something and seeking out what we need. Loneliness in indiscriminate, all
ages, all people, situations align where the connections we want and what we
have do not match. For some the plague of loneliness is crippling, the negative
side of solitude.
When someone is physically sick, the Jewish penicillin is Chicken Soup. When
someone is lonely, there are two Jewish cures.
The first one is found in doing mitzvahs, pushing ourselves to check in on others,
to help another out of their hard time. It may be the very last thing we want to
do, this reaching out when our bowl is empty, however, it never fails to reconnect
us to others, and to God.
Five years ago, people in Great Britton began to take the issue of loneliness
seriously. The British government appointed a minister of loneliness to address
growing concerns among the public. One town set up “Happy to Chat” benches,
with signs reading “Sit here if you don’t mind someone stopping to say hello.” As
part of the work, the government urged everyone to:
- Check in with a neighbor, recognizing that some people will be eager to
get together in person, while others might be more cautious.
- Keep in touch with friends, family and neighbors - for example calling
someone or writing a letter, asking how they feel about getting out and
about again, and considering whether going together would help both of
you feel more confident.
- Set a routine with online activities, regular tasks or by volunteering.
Rejoin groups that might not have met for some time, and think about
how you can welcome others back, especially people not feeling very
confident.
- Help out through volunteering with local groups or by offering a regular
conversation to someone feeling isolated.
- In other words, do mitzvahs.
One of the solutions to soothing loneliness is right here, at Congregation Beth
Shalom. The Food Faire. Halleluyah for the Food Faire. Singing in the choir. Taking
a class. Attending Shabbat services. Consider Inviting someone sitting on their
own to sit with you. Support people who are grieving by attending the funeral or
joining the minyan at a Shiva. These connecting activities gives strength and at the
same time, makes us feel less lonely. If you seek companionship at dinner time,
reach out to others and make a CBS weekly potluck dinner hour. We are all just
people trying to figure it out.
In helping others, Rabbi Mark Katz writes in his book, The Heart of Loneliness (pg.
154) “we can repurpose our loneliness.”
Another important Jewish way to deal with loneliness is to remember that truly
we are never alone. We are each created for a purpose, our souls have a reason
to be here. This is a big beautiful world in which we have been placed. We can
seek that larger picture, through nature, knowing that we are part of the big sky,
the grand forests, the magnificent ocean. Remembering that God is here within
us, always, is something the nun at Bet Jamal referred to, as do the psalms. From
Psalm 121 I lift my eyes to the mountains from there comes my help. My help
comes from God maker of Heaven and Earth.
In my imagination, Issac shifted a crippling loneliness by making a decision to
come off Mt. Moriah and connect with love to everyone, to everything , to tap
into the essence of his name, laughter, to the best that he was capable.
Each time he looked into the eyes of others, each time he helped to carry
another’s burdens, each time he recognized holiness, his isolation lifted. Like
Isaac, we can hammer our heartache into a covering for another’s soul. Poet
Emily Dickenson wrote:
If I can stop one heart from breaking
I shall not live in vain,
If I can ease one life the aching,
Or cool one pain,
Or help one fainting robin
Unto his nest again,
I shall not live in vain.
Similar to Emily Dickenson’s words is the philosophy of twentieth century Martin
Buber. Buber was an Austrian Jewish and Israeli philosopher best known for
his philosophy of dialogue, a form of existentialism centered on the distinction
between the I–Thou relationship and the I–It relationship. This year marks the
100 th anniversary of that book.
At the heart of Buber’s theology is the idea that what matters is not that we
should understand God in abstract, intellectual terms but rather we can know
God by entering into a relationship with God. The way to enter a relationship with
God is by fostering relationship with other people, and beings.
In his theology, when we see the Thou in the other, we shift from lonely to
connected. We recognize Thou in nature. We feel Thou in the unconditional way
we are loved by our pets and sometimes by people.
On the other hand, when we see only It in the other or in nature, something to
use for our advantage, then we are plunged into existential disconnect and
numbness.
While a person cannot change the conditions that plunged them into loneliness,
they can take steps to pull themselves out of it. Even the smallest step forward on
our part can do a world of good and mean the difference between being stuck
and being transported.
A parable from stuck to transported is told in the Talmud that Rabbi Chanina Ben
Dosa once saw a group of people from his city bringing offerings up to Jerusalem
(Ecclesiastes Rabbah 1;1) Wanting to bring something himself, he entered a
wasteland and found a precious stone buried in an enormous rock. He chiseled it
and polished it, excited to bring it as an offering. However, the stone was too
heavy to carry. He found workers but their fee was too much which caused
Chanina to feel achingly lonely.
A group of angels, disguised as workers of course, heard his plight and came
down from Heaven to help him. “We can carry it for you,” they said, “But you will
have to place a hand and finger on it along with us.” Chania ben Dosa agreed, and
the minute his hand touched the stone, he found himself magically transported to
Jerusalem. Once in Jerusalem, he was alone, but he was not lonely.
In Hebrew, the word for “alone” is Lavad. Being alone is when a person is by
themselves, an objectively neutral state. Want to know something amazing? The
word lavad, alone, has a second meaning, and that is “to combine.”
Being alone, choosing solitude and at the same time joined to something greater
than ourselves is a beautiful way to live life.
In those moments when loneliness arises, when the connections that we want
and what we have don’t align, we need not be afraid, or embarrassed or broken.
We can bridge that chasm. We can open to the Thou in life, to the Thou in each
other. Small steps.
Be like the child, says the Midrash, who is far away from his father. When he is
told to return home, he does not have the strength to make the full journey. Soon
he receives a letter, “Come as far as you can, and I will take care of the rest”.
(Pesikta Rabbati 44:9)
From the Rabbi: September 15, 2023
Everybody misplaces things. “Have you seen my phone?” “Have you seen my keys?” “Have you seen my credit card?” We hope that someone has seen our things and we thank our lucky stars when our glasses, phone and credit card return to us. At school and summer camp, at gyms, grocery stores, and restaurants, the lost and found becomes the last resort for the things we value to be found.
I want to talk about lost things. By talking about things I have lost, and things found, I hope to begin the conversation with you about loss, acceptance and the renewal of hope.
On average, according to the beautiful book Lost and Found by Kathern Schulz “ we each lose two hundred thousand objects over our lifetimes.” That may include 384 pens, 192 items of clothing and 64 umbrellas. Typically we will misplace four items a month, our keys, phones, pens and glasses.
Devastating loss has a different texture. These are the losses that change us, break us, and then soften us, beyond what we could have conceived. The devastating ones are also common, although they feel entirely personal.
In the phrase Lost And Found, there are three distinct words. Lost; that is when what we once had is gone, at least temporarily and sometimes permanently. Found is when that which we lost is no longer lost, or at least something else lives in the place of where the lost object used to be. The middle word, “and” is key. “And” is the process which allows us to find, or replenish, reclaim, where the now lost object used to reside.
What is the nature of “and”? “And” is a neutral word that links two things together, indiscriminately. They don’t have to be similar at all. Such as guitar and cat. Sometimes for the word “and”, because it makes no excuses for what its bringing together, there is acceptance. Even more, the word “and” could include a sense of forgiveness, making no apologies, just agreement. Because the word following “and” need not make sense with the first word, “and” is a slow release of ownership of the first word and opens up the possibility of “what now?”
These past years, I have been losing my mother. Once a vibrant part of my life, mother nature, the violinist, the bridge player, the traveler, the avid walker, collector of inspirational thought, someone who I believed spoke with flowers, my cheerleader, my shopping muse, my mother now lives at Eskaton Memory Care. Due to a stroke, she speaks few words and moves with difficulty.
Her cognition limited. And I, her daughter, have the opportunity to find a new relationship with her.
I read her stories, the children’s books she once read to me. We play a form of gin, our family’s favorite game, and I help her hold her cards. I help her spoon find her mouth. Now I bring her flowers. Both wearing dark sunglasses, we take drives in my car blasting Mozart violin concertos or sometimes Frank Sinatra. These things bring me joy and deep peace. I am so happy to be there. All rough corners are smoothed, all is forgiven, there is something that we have found and I cannot adequately explain it.
Sometimes, we just hold hands and look out the window at the tree branches swaying. Who my mother used to be, what our relationship used to be is lost never to return, and what has been discovered is pure love. I wish with all my heart that her cognition and speech had not gone missing, and at the same time, there is a healing that comes with sharing this quiet state of peace.
Not so long ago, like you, we were younger and, in some cases, our children were little. I too raised children, with a husband in one house. Clouds in the form of sorrow swept over our lives and stayed, causing something that was supposed to last for all time to be lost. It took time, some eight years, for all that loss to settle. During that time, new things were found. My children who at one time fought at times like cats and dog, now claim each others as best friends. They cling, they laugh and cry with each other in ways, when they were growing up, I couldn’t have imagined. Now there is peace between their parents and each of us has been blessed with the finding of new love. Lost, now found. Because of “And.”
When I was growing up, there was no other mode of transportation I loved more than being on my bike. As a teen, I would ride miles to one friend’s house, then in the opposite direction to another. I even took a biking trip to France and then it stopped. Perhaps it was having a family, working full-time, finding out how much I loved swimming. Whatever the case, the love of bike riding got lost. Recently after having my parents’ home renovated, I moved into it. Having returned to this house, I have started taking out my bike to ride the bike trail and have fallen in love with riding all over again. I am not the same person; it is not the same bike. I wonder if I would have rediscovered how much I love bike riding if the situation had not occurred for me to move back to that house. Something lost has been found.Nobody here is the same they were years ago. This is the way life is. We live, we lose things and people we love. If we are fortunate and willing, we find new things on life’s path that open up, reveal themselves for us to discover and help us evolve into the people we are destined to be.
That is the essence of Rosh HaShana, the renewal of our lives.
During these ten days from right now till the conclusion of Yom Kippur, we reckon with ourselves, we look at our choices, the things we have lost along the way, and we perform T’shuva to help us open up to personal discovery.
Like the word “and”, T’shuva asks us to reflect, in some cases apologize, or release so that we clear a path to rediscover the best version of ourselves. Like the simple delight of entering a car wash, we trust the process of T’shuva to cleanse and refresh our soul, making it, at least for now, shiny and new. We start to recognize that perhaps we were the part that was lost in the hustle and bustle of life. Like the word “And” as in Lost And Found, T’shuva is on going, connecting past with future.
There was an article, originally found in an Israeli newspaper about losing then finding oneself.
The headline said:
"Missing woman mystery solved."
A group of tourists spent hours Saturday night looking for a missing woman near Iceland’s Eldgja canyon, only to find her among the search party. The group was travelling through Iceland on a tour bus and stopped near a volcanic canyon. Soon, there was word of a missing passenger. The woman, who had changed clothes, didn’t recognize the description of herself and joined in the search. But the search was called off at about 3am when it became clear the missing woman was, in fact, accounted for and searching for herself.”
Rosh HaShana reminds us to keep watch over our own souls. In Rav Kook’s book “Orot Hateshuva”, Rav Kook writes:
‘When we forget (and misplace) the essence of our own soul… everything becomes confused and in doubt. The primary teshuva, that which immediately lights the darkness, is when a person returns to himself/herself/themselves, to the root of the soul – then this person will immediately return to God, to the soul of all souls.’
No matter what goes missing, writes Kathryn Shultz, “the object you need or the person you love, the lessons are always the same. Disappearance reminds us to notice, to cherish. Loss urges us to make even better use of our days.” The word “and” is the permission by which the lost shifts to found.
As we enter this sacred New Year, may our hearts be open to the new insights, the new blessings, the perfume of hope, waiting patiently for us to find.
From the Rabbi: August 2-15, 2023
Before there was JDate, there was Tu B’Av
Wednesday August 2nd – 15th of Av
Tu B’Av, is the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Av. It falls this year on Wednesday August 2nd. It takes place on the brightest night of the month when the moon is at its fullest expression. Tracing its lineage to grape harvest, single women would dress in white and dance in the light of the full moon to signal their interest in courtship. Tu B’Av was one of the only times a year that the 12 tribes of Israel would intermingle, making Tu B’Av the original full out celebration of matchmaking.
While the month of Av contains the holiday Tisha B’Av, the 9th of this month as the saddest day of the year commemorating the destruction of the first and second Temples in Jerusalem as well as a host of other days of suffering, we are revived by this ancient holiday of sweetness. Our Sages had much to say about it.
Not only does the Mishnah tell us what was worn, but also that the clothes were borrowed from one another.
For many centuries, the holiday of Tu B’Av was overlooked, however it has re-emerged and been re-interpreted for our times. It is a day to be kind. It is a day to smile. It is a day to wink. It is a day to be your most loving self and appreciate the people in your life. It’s a nice evening to take a stroll in the moonlight and enjoy some fruit of the vine. The customary greeting has been similar to one on Rosh Hashana, “May your inscription and seal be for good” (ketiva v’hatima tova).
Wishing you a sweet Tu B’Av!
Rabbi Nancy Wechsler
From the Rabbi: June 10, 2023
Pride Shabbat Friday, June 10th 7:00 p.m.
With speakers, CBS members Angela, Jack, and Q Ezekiel.
About 5 years ago, I was introduced to the pronoun “them” as singular. My teens helped, patiently trying to guide me that “they are at the door” could mean one person was at the door when that person was non-binary. At that time, the concept of non-binary was new information. It struck me as a such a significant shift that I spoke about it during the High Holidays in the context of the urgency to awaken and honor expanding paradigms.
Bergman, S. Bear; Barker, Meg-John (2017) in "Non-binary Activism" wrote that binary or genderqueer is an umbrella term for gender identities that are not solely male or female—identities that are outside the gender binary. Non-binary identities fall under the transgender umbrella, since non-binary people typically identify with a gender that is different from their assigned sex though some non-binary individuals do not consider themselves transgender.
Non-binary people may identify as an intermediate or separate third gender, identify with more than one gender, no gender (agender), or have a fluctuating gender identity (genderfluid). Gender identity is separate from sexual or romantic orientation and non-binary people have a variety of sexual orientations, just as cisgender (denoting or relating to a person whose sense of personal identity and gender corresponds with their birth sex) people do. Being non-binary is also not the same as being intersex; most intersex people identify as either male or female.
Non-binary people as a group vary in their gender expressions, and some may reject gender "identities" altogether. Some non-binary people are medically treated for gender dysphoria with surgery or hormones, as trans men and trans women often are.
Jewish texts are not hesitant in expressing non-binary. In Genesis 1:27, “And G-d-created adam in G-ds own image, in the image of G-d, created G-d him, male and female created G-d, them.” Rabbi Elliot Kukla, in the book Reform Devises Sex-Change Blessings, wrote: “Hence our tradition teaches that all bodies and genders are created in G-d’s image, whether we identify as men, women, inter-sex or something else.”
Even more specifically from 18th century Hasidus, a teaching from Rabbi Yechiel Michael from Zloczow (1731-1786) “at times a female would be in a male body, because in the reasons of gilgal (reincarnation) the soul of a female would be inside a male.” (translated by Abby Stein)
This coming Friday, June 10th we celebrate Pride Shabbat. We hope very much that you will attend either masked in person or on zoom, and bring your welcome, love, and joy as we learn more about this journey. While not everyone will personally experience the shift from a plural “they” to a singular “they,” we all share in common, the longing to living in truth.
In our tradition leaving Egypt wasn’t an historical event alone. Leaving Egypt was a personal and existential leaving as well. In the Haggadah we say: In every generation a person must regard themselves as though they personally had gone out of Egypt.
Rabbi David Ingber of Romemu wrote: When we leave a narrow place, a place of constriction, painful servitude, a place where we are not authentically who we are, that leap taking, that transitioning, is an exodus. A freedom walk.
Shalom,
Rabbi Nancy
From the Rabbi: March 3, 2023
Dear Friends,
During the last two weeks I was fortunate to attend the Central Conference of American Rabbis in Israel. Over 250 Reform Rabbis, mostly from the United States and some from Argentine and England converged for deep study and to experience both the political extremes and uplifting innovations within Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.
I chose the image of spices from Machaneh Yehuda, the Jerusalem market to convey the intense and contrasting spiritual and political flavors. Like the intensity of color, flavor, and texture of spice, so is the daily life of today’s Israel.
Part of the conference included text study at Pardes, Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem. Pardes is a pluralistic yeshiva where Jewish adults from around the world study. In the first tasty session we eased our jetlag by studying Talmudic teachings about Pesach as well as Chassidic teachings on Jewish spiritual growth. That evening, however, we encountered razor-sharp teachings on how to disagree constructively. This text study was a prelude to the many moments that were about to unfold.
We had workshops on pluralism, democracy and security which form the current political Israeli landscape. We met with government officials who spoke candidly about our duty to speak out, to critique the moral failures and dangers to Israel’s democratic future. We were reminded repeatedly about our core values as Jews. In addition to text study and lectures, the conference offered field trips on a variety of topics. I took an inspiring fieldtrip to the city of Lod, which is considered one of Israel’s mixed cities where Arabs and Jews live together. We met with an organization that that supports women escaping from domestic violence. Another fieldtrip was glorious hiking in the hills of Jerusalem combined with creative writing prompts.
One of the mornings I joined the Women at the Western Wall (Kotel) to pray the Rosh Chodesh (New Moon) prayers. Since 1988, Women at the Wall have fought to pray collectively with Torah scrolls, kippot, and tallit. Women at the Wall is comprised of Reform, Conservative, Renewal and Reconstructionist Jews. They have chosen to pray at the Wall because it is the central symbol of Jewish unity to Jews around the world. Tradition teaches that the Temple was destroyed because of baseless hatred, sinat hinam. Women at the Wall believe that by allowing women’s voices to be heard at this holy place brings a mending of the history of Jewish intolerance.
Never in my life have I experienced hatred as I did at the Rosh Chodesh service at the Wall. Within minutes of arriving to the entrance of the Kotel, we were spat upon by Haredi, ultra orthodox Jewish men screaming above us to go back to America. Once inside the women’s area, a busload of Haredi, ultra orthodox female teenagers entered to further spit, jeer and scream as we chanted prayers and Torah. It was the epitome of sinat hinam, baseless hatred. We were dressed modestly. We were Jewish women. What insighted rage was that some of us wore kippot and tallitot, and that a single page of Torah written on parchment managed to enter the women’s section. Our very existence was perceived as a threat.
The following morning was an entirely different experience. It was beautiful, liberating, and inspiring. All of the Reform rabbinic participants prayed together at the egalitarian area off to the side of the Wall called Ezrat Yisrael. Ezrat Yisrael is supported by the Masorti movement, which is an Israeli expression of Judaism that is neither ultra orthodox nor secular. I am pleased to share that there are 121 Israeli Reform rabbis in Israel. There are 40 communities affiliated with the Reform Movement in Israel.
The second part of the conference took place in Tel Aviv. One afternoon we spent hours visiting an outdoor Reform synagogue called Achva BaKerem. It is a unique congregation where members learn about the food they grow, cook together and pray outside. There is no building. On Shabbat evening, I attended an Israeli Reform synagogue called Kehilat HaLev. The music and dancing were fabulous, and the energy contagious.
After Shabbat, I joined 150,000 Israelis and lovers of Israel for Havdallah and to demonstrate for Democracy in Israel. Every Saturday evening throughout the country for the past two months, thousands of Israelis gather in solidarity for a democratic Israel. Among this group, I felt truly at home. There was no screaming. There was no spitting. There was a profound love of Israel, deep concern for her dangerous political direction and a statement of unwavering dedication for Israel’s survival. The night we attended, the president of the Reform Movement, Rabbi Rick Jacobs gave a speech in Hebrew conveying that the Reform congregations of America stood in solidarity for a democratic Israel.
At this time, the core commitments of what we love about Israel are being severely tested. In the last few weeks, we have seen a major outburst of violence and several terror attacks that have killed innocent Israeli civilians. We have seen lethal Israeli military incursions in the West Bank that have resulted in significant Palestinian casualties. We have watched historic demonstrations against radical judicial reforms that are wildly unpopular in the Israeli electorate, even as they are being advanced by a government that was just elected. We have watched in horror, retaliatory behaviors by a group of Jewish settlers in Huawara following one of the terror attacks.
After all of the intensity, I continue to be committed to show up for goodness, democracy and compassion. There are Israelis and Palestinians working together for change. There are uban gardens and dedication to provide food for all those in need. There are Israeli communities that deeply align with our values. Let us remember that the national anthem of Israel is called, HaTikvah, the Hope.
With prayers for peace,
Rabbi Nancy Wechsler
From the Rabbi: January 30, 2023
In Torah, Pharaoh is known for his hardened heart. Initially G-d hardened his heart yet Pharaoh had the capacity to change. Over time, Pharoah’s heart became permanently calloused. While we generally don’t align with the Pharoah, we do understand the concept of how a heart hardens. When we face continuous disappointment or defeat, the tender heart copes through rigidity.
All of us on planet Earth are experiencing an onslaught of heartbreaking pain. Suffering individuals, mentally ill and enraged become lethal when a gun is in their hands. US gun owners possess 393.3 million weapons, according to a 2018 report by the Small Arms Survey, a Geneva-based organization, which is higher than our country’s population now of about 330 million. Becoming numb, even a little, may seem like the only way to cope with the insanity of gun violence.
I was thinking about the human tendency to numb the heart even before reading Governor Newsom’s words about the shootings this past week. He wrote: “This will barely make the news today. That's how numb we have become to this. Our hearts are aching for the victims and all those affected by this horrific tragedy. We must continue to raise our voice. Continue to push for @senatemajldr to pass commonsense gun reforms.”
Without articulating this human tendency, a numb heart becomes a hardened heart. And people with hardened hearts become bystanders.
This week we learned about IDF entering Jenin in the West Bank to disarm a terrorist cell, called Lions’ Den, to prevent further deadly attacks against Israel. Palestinians were killed. In revenge, we learned about the lethal shootings of Jewish worshippers exiting shul on Shabbat evening. Back and forth, untold suffering. All the while many lives are ended, families are shattered, and celebratory fireworks are heard in the streets. Our hearts must not harden. I worry. We all worry.
Let me share with you what helps me with “hardened heart syndrome.” It is not original; I learned it from others who despite it all, stay engaged with life, stay engaged in giving. The immediate fix for the numbing heart is love. It doesn’t matter who will be receiving your love. When I descend into the hole of unbearable sorrow, the spiritual medicine I grab off the shelf is engaging in compassion. Make a call. Send an encouraging email. Help a friend. Visit the sick. Do a good deed. Give tzedakah. Show up for something good. Pursue justice. These are the immediate remedies we ‘ve got to take in order to regain sanity and feeling. Love jumpstarts a hardened heart.
Not only that, but in this bleak season of global despair, Judaism also reminds us to find solace in nature. Not to overlook mayhem, but rather to replenish ourselves from the earth. Monday February 6th is Tu Bishvat, the 15th of the month of Shevat. It is the official Birthday of the Trees, Chag Ha’ilanot. This year Tu Bishvat calls us to breath in every hint of blue we see in the sky, to notice the deep green from the heavy rain, and applaud the resilience of Mother Earth.
At CBS we honor Tu Bishvat in several ways. In our religious school, our children began learning about the Kabbalistic connection between fruit and human beings and making leaves for a Gratitude Tree. Next week they will have a Tu Bishvat Seder. At our Shabbat Service on February 10th we will have a 6:30 p.m. Tu Bishvat pre-service Oneg learning about the four cups of varied juice from a seasonal perspective and the connection between fruit types and personality tendencies. At our 7:00 p.m. service, CBS member Linda Jones whose heart and soul are connected with Koobs Nature Area in Carmichael will be our guest speaker. On Sunday February 12th our religious school children will have the opportunity to visit Koobs Nature Area and experience it themselves.
How do we regain feeling when the heart grows numb? Our hearts beat when we show up for justice. Our hearts warm when we show kindness for one another. Our hearts heal when we sip deeply, even for a moment from the bounty of nature’s well.
From my heart to yours,
Rabbi Nancy Wechsler
From the Rabbi: December 29, 2022
Parashat Vayigash
6:00 – 6:50 p.m. Paint & Pray
Dear Friends,
The new secular year, 2023 is just around the corner and while we celebrate our new year in the Fall, we can also enjoy the global energy of refreshment and intentional optimism.
Think about a paint brush, water colors and a clean sheet of watercolor paper. Think about the Torah parasha, Vayigash, where Joseph and his brothers reconcile. Despite a difficult past, they drop the hurt and draw close to the souls of each other. Vayigash, the word meaning “and he approached” represents what happens when we soften the past and embrace the potential good.
Paint and Pray is a 50-minute program that takes place when we have 5 Shabbatot in a month. You arrive by 6:00 p.m. and join others in the Seminar Room for a quiet immersion of reflection and color.
The only thing you must do is register so there will be a place and art supplies for you at the table.
Wishing you a colorful approach into 2023.
Shalom
Rabbi Nancy Wechsler
From the Rabbi: December 23, 2022
Getting ready for the Seventh Night of Chanukah – Saturday December 24th
Dear Friends,
Each night of Chanukah is special. We watch the simplicity of one candle and its helper evolve into the fullness of illumination. Recently I became aware of something unique about the seventh night of Chanukah. This year the seventh night coincides with Saturday, December 24th.
In North African countries, the seventh night of Chanukah honors Jewish women, in particular, Judith from the apocryphal book of Judith. The story is set in the reign of the imperialist Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar in the 6th century BCE. Judith was a widow who single-handedly saved our people by killing the Assyrian enemy general, Holofernes. Holofernes was about to destroy Judith’s home, the city of Bethulia which was at war with the Assyrian army. Desperately under siege Bethulia was at the point of surrender until Judith devised a scheme. She pretended to desert her people and cross over into enemy territory. She fed the enemy general salty cheese to encourage his drinking of wine so that she could kill him once he passed out. After the fate of Holofernes had been discovered, the Assyrian army fell into disarray and retreated.
Chag HaBanot, the Festival of the Daughters falls on the new moon of Tevet.
In countries such as Algeria, Libya, Tunisia, and Morocco, on the seventh night, women would come to the synagogue, touch the Torah, and pray for their health of their daughters. It has been celebrated with feasts and sermons in honor of heroic women with gifts and blessings for girls and women.
According to Rabbi Jill Hammer’s article from the organization, RitualWell, there are some wonderful rituals to highlight the seventh night. She suggests using a separate chanukiah for this or if we have just one, that will be just fine. When the candle calls us to honor people, we are encouraged to mention their names.
- First candle is in honor of Judith and all the Jewish women heroes throughout history.
- Second candle in honor of women heroes that you admire.
- Third candle is in honor of women teachers and spiritual leaders whom who know including relatives and friends.
- Fourth candle in honor of Jewish mothers and grandmothers, including your own.
- Five candle in honor of all Jewish girls
- Sixth candle in honor of your family.
- Seventh candle in honor of the Shekhinah, the indwelling presence of G-d that is within every person.
At CBS, we will be celebrating Rosh Chodesh Tevet on Monday evening on zoom from 6:30-7:30. In addition to learning about the month of Tevet we will highlight the medicinal gifts of the herb Sage.
Wishing you a joyful Chanukah,
Rabbi Nancy Wechsler
From the Rabbi: December 16, 2022
Our Eight Nights
Dear Friends,
Each year we enter this season and open the big box of Chanukiahs and dreidels. Perhaps we will discover a few pieces of last year’s chocolate gelt and assorted candles. We take inventory and see what is needed to illuminate our festival. We get to the grocery store and pick up potatoes, onions, apple sauce and sour cream. We begin to remember.
The Talmud asks, “What is Chanukah?” It is a reflective question. Chanukah is so much more than the Jewish holiday that happens in December, more than the blue and white contrasting green and red. While Chanukah is a minor festival, it comes with a major message for both the body and the soul.
The aspect of body is the military coup against the Greeks who sought to wipe out the Jewish people for the reason that we were “other.” We were a distinct group, and stood our ground, loving one G-d, cherishing our holidays, and our way of life. Just existing with Jewish integrity threatened the Greek government. The miracle of Chanukah was the physicality, the military resilience of the Maccabees.
Chanukah is a holiday of the soul. The rabbis remind us that upon entering our desecrated Jerusalem Temple, we were shaken that there wasn’t sufficient holy oil to relight the Ner Tamid, the Eternal Light. The miracle was the discovery of a small jug of blessed oil that lasted far beyond expectation. The tiny amount of oil burned for eight days allowing our ancient family to replenish. Hence our Ner Tamid, symbolically our inner light, shines to this very day.
In many ways, you and I are living the Chanukah story. Acts of hate against our people have spiked. Anti Semitism is normalized from both white nationalism and the far left. Yet, our Maccabee spirt is strong. We have a locked fence around our perimeter, we regularly have guards when we gather and our security system is excellent.
However, we are more than defense.
We are passionate in social justice. We have strong and positive relationships in the interfaith community and with law enforcement. We choose to live our Jewish lives and show up with one another in times of difficulty and times of joy.
Long ago, the Maccabees stood for Jewish dignity. We represent the modern Maccabee, and it is our honor to keep the light burning strong.
What is Chanukah? It is about you and me. It is about loving who we are. We light our candles each evening, watching the light increase. We know that we are here to be lamplighters, people of conscience, generosity, justice, creativity and joy.
The organization JewBelong suggests having a theme for each night. If you click onto the CBS website after 5:00 p.m. each evening of Chanukah, you will see me lighting my Chanukiah with a message about each theme.
Day 1 – Peace
Day 2 – Acceptance
Day 3 – Repairing the world
Day 4 – The Golden Rule
Day 5 – Compassion
Day 6 – Diversity
Day 7- Forgiveness
Day 8 – Gratitude
My dear Maccabees, I wish each of you a beautiful Chanukah season. Let this more than ever be a holiday of our physical resilience and our beautiful spirit.
Rabbi Nancy Wechsler
From the Rabbi: December 8, 2022
Dear Friends,
This coming Friday, December 9th 7:00 p.m. at our Social Justice Shabbat, we welcome Willie Recht, director of the Sacramento Jewish Federation. A D’var from Willie is always a gift and a way for us to learn more about our Jewish Federation.
His talk will focus on anti-Semitism.
Anti-Semitism is palpable and grows in the soil of white nationalism. We watched Ye’s vitriol. We’ve witnessed Trump hosting Ye and Nick Fuentes. Anti-Semitism also attacks from the left, as seen on college campuses across our country.
Some of us respond to anti-Semitism by calling it out wherever we see it. Some of us are overwrought by fear and say little.
Another response to anti-Semitism is to stand up and practice “pro-Semitism.” In Webster’s Dictionary there is no definition of it, but there certainly is of its antithesis. Anti-Semitism is the “hostility toward or discrimination against Jews as a religious, ethnic, or racial group.” Thus, the inverse would be pro-Semitism, that is, friendliness toward or support for and by Jews as a religious, ethnic, or racial group.
As your rabbi, I want to share with you some of the ways I represent our congregation.
Last month I spoke at Sacramento State University when they held a town hall meeting on anti-Semitism. I spoke on an interfaith panel prior to Thanksgiving, sharing a Jewish perspective on gratitude and hope. Following “the Final Letters”, a play about the Holocaust performed by Jesuit High School students, Chabad Rabbi Mendy Cohen and I spoke with the students and audience about anti-Semitism.
I helped organize and represented Judaism at our Community Interfaith Thanksgiving event on the spiritual practice of gratitude. Our CBS Confirmation curriculum focusses on building interfaith relations by learning about the similarities and differences in world religions and visiting teens at their houses of worship. I have been a member of Salam Shalom Sisterhood for several years and, through the year, stand shoulder to shoulder with my Muslim sisters serving early breakfast at Loaves and Fishes. In addition to Jewish study partners, one of my regular study mates is Pastor Corrine Cordoza, an evangelical Christian.
My inspiration comes from our matriarch, Carry Cohn, who teaches that it is always better to make a friend. She does this today at Eskaton. Non-Jewish residents as well as Jewish residents know, love and respect Carry. While she is too modest to call attention to herself, she practices positive Judaism daily.
While December is a season of vigilance and one where we stand out as “other” this is also a season of being a positive ambassador of Judaism. Rather than stay home in fear, planning where we would move if we had to leave America, I encourage us to connect in, show up and strive to be the very best version of ourselves. As we prepare for Chanukah, remember that we are here on earth for Tikkun Olam, our human dedication to bring light, goodness, justice, and happiness into the world. Let us look to see how we as Jewish people can build bridges, strengthen our relationships and foster pro-Semitism.
I look forward to seeing you this Friday and welcoming our guest, Willie Recht.
Shalom,
Rabbi Nancy Wechsler
From the Rabbi: November 14, 2022
Interfaith Council: Exploring the Sacred
From the Rabbi: October 13, 2022
It takes a village, to be a village.
Simchat Torah Monday, October 17th 6:00 p.m.
Dear CBS Family,
It seems like forever ago. It has been our CBS Simchat Torah tradition to unroll our Torah and have our children sit in the middle of its sacred words.
With the outbreak of Covid we needed to pivot. We went from our Sanctuary celebration with the traditional seven circles (hakafot) to creating new ways of honoring Torah.
The first year, I decorated my car, which took on the name, Torah-mobile, and drove to seven locations including locations in Sacramento, Carmichael, Fair Oaks, Elk Grove, and Folsom where CBS members met me. We took the Torah out of my car, learned about a specific Torah passage, and circled with Torah and flags.
The second year, we marched our seven circles in the CBS parking lot. These were innovative rituals, and we did what we could to honor the holiday.
Now, we are back in our Sanctuary. To add joy to this year’s Simchat Torah, we have invited seven members of the Rio Americano High School Jazz Band to play seven Jewish songs while we circle with Torahs and flags.
Will you be there?
We ache to be able to unroll one of our Torah scrolls, however, can only unroll the Torah if enough of us are in the Sanctuary.
The ritual begins with a single person holding one end of the Torah and another slowly opening it around the room. The community stands shoulder to shoulder in a large circle with each person holding a part of the parchment. Then when the Torah is completely unrolled, I can read key verses from various points in the narrative. If you have never seen a Torah open from beginning to end, it is one of the most breathtaking sights to behold.
It takes a village, to be a village.
Please come out everyone to share Simchat Torah. We will be blessing our newest Neshama (religious school) children as well as honoring our upcoming B’nai Mitzvah students.
Simchat Torah, Monday, October 17th 6:00 p.m.
With joy,
Rabbi Nancy Wechsler
From the Rabbi: September 30, 2022
Friday, September 30th 2022 – 6 Tishri 5783
6:00 – 6:45 Paint and Pray in Social Hall
7:00 p.m. Shabbat Service in Sanctuary
Dear Friends,
Shabbat Shuva is this coming Friday. It is called the Sabbath of Return. On Shabbat Shuva we talk about to whom we are returning. We return to ourselves, our loved ones, our community and to God. What does it mean to return to each of them?
Sometimes words are helpful in this process. Sometimes words are not helpful. For this special Shabbat Shuva, you are welcome to join me an hour prior to services, from 6:00 pm to 6:45 p.m. to paint and pray.
You will be given prompts for reflection and then time to water color quietly. It is said that the rabbis used to spend an hour in meditation before beginning their prayers.
Mishna Brachot 5:1
הראשונים היו שוהים שעה אחת ומתפללים כדי שיכונו את לבם למקום
The original pious ones used to wait one hour and then pray, in order to direct their hearts towards the Omnipresent.
Kindly let me know if you will be attending Paint and Pray so we will have materials for you. We will be sitting at tables and working with simple non staining water colors, no need to wear special painting clothing.
Return again. Return again. Return to the land of your soul. Return to who you are. Return to what you are. Return to where you are, born and reborn again. Return again. Return again. Return to the Land of your Soul. -words by Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach
Shana Tova u’Metukah. Wishing you a very good and sweet New Year and much peace in the process of return.
Rabbi Nancy Wechsler
rabbinancy@cbshalom.org
From the Rabbi: July 29, 2022
How to Nationally Reflect?
Early August in American Jewish summer camp as campers are having the best Jewish experience of their entire lives, there comes a grim day. The fun, the shouts of joy, the cool of the pool grinds to a halt when the 9th of the Hebrew month Av, this year coinciding with Saturday evening, August 6th rolls around.
Tisha B’Av is one of tragic karma. Disasters occurred on this day such as the destruction of both Solomon’s Temple by the Neo-Babylonian Empire and the Second Temple by the Roman Empire in Jerusalem.
But it didn’t start there. In 1313 BCE we are in the desert recently freed from Egypt and poised to enter the Promised Land. Moses sends out twelve leaders for a mission of reconnaissance. Ten scouts return saying land is too formidable and that night the 9th of Av, the people demand to return to Egyptian slavery. As a result of giving up hope of national sovereignty, amongst other most unpleasant consequences, that generation doesn’t live to enter the Land.
Jumping ahead to 1290 CE the Jews were expelled from England on Tisha B’Av. In 1492, the Golden Age of Spain became far less golden when Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand ordered all Jews be banished. That date? The 9th of Av.
Leaping to WWII that historians argue was the drawn-out conclusion of World War II that began in 1914. Germany declared war on Russia starting the First World War on that same karmically charged day the 9th of Av.
In American Jewish summer camps, the 9th of Av programming moves from fun and games to somber reflection. The traditional text is the short Biblical section, the Book of Lamentations, in Hebrew, Eicha. More traditional Jewish summer camps may support the 25 hour fast. Outside of Jewish summer camps, one may choose to fast, read Lamentations, and sit on low chairs as an expression of mourning. In Israel, even the secular tattooed and pierced teens with ripped jeans fast as a matter of course.
While Tisha B’Av is unfamiliar partly because it falls in August, it is quite remarkable that within the Jewish calendar there is an official day for national reflection. According to the rabbis, one of the culprits of the bad karma of Tisha B’Av was the weakening of our spiritual immunity due to “Sinat Chinam,” baseless hatred. When people become so polarized in being correct and reactivity snaps into hating the other, we become vulnerable or perhaps distracted from dangerous realities brewing beyond our personal bubble.
My feeling is that Tisha B’Av is not only for reflection about Jewish people. The concept can be extended to being an American and a citizen of the world.
Down the street on my morning walk a house is sporting an upside-down American flag. According to the U.S. Flag Code, our flag must never be displayed upside down except to signal “dire distress in instances of extreme danger.” Some are protesting the nation’s recent Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe V Wade and the ruling that limits state and local government in restricting guns outside the home as well as a host of other national concerns. The upside-down flag is a visual alarm that our country is in trouble.
I wish I had the answers. What I do know is that baseless hatred breeds absolute distrust for the “other” leading to the dehydration of communication. Nothing good grows without water.
The evening of August 6th, the eve of Tisha B’Av will be here shortly. My teacher Daniel Hartman suggests opening a window into the national reflection conversation by reflecting on fixed opinions we used to fiercely hold. Think about something you used to tout with absolute certainty and where you now stand. Initially it can be a little thing, but that little thing may lead to curiosity instead of sinat chinam toward the other.
In reflection with you,
Rabbi Nancy Wechsler
From the Rabbi: June 7, 2022
Pride Shabbat Friday, June 10th 7:00 p.m.
With speakers, CBS members Angela, Jack, and Q Ezekiel
About 5 years ago, I was introduced to the pronoun “them” as singular. My teens helped, patiently trying to guide me that “they are at the door” could mean one person was at the door when that person was non-binary. At that time, the concept of non-binary was new information. It struck me as a such a significant shift that I spoke about it during the High Holidays in the context of the urgency to awaken and honor expanding paradigms.
Bergman, S. Bear; Barker, Meg-John (2017) in "Non-binary Activism" wrote that binary or genderqueer is an umbrella term for gender identities that are not solely male or female—identities that are outside the gender binary. Non-binary identities fall under the transgender umbrella, since non-binary people typically identify with a gender that is different from their assigned sex though some non-binary individuals do not consider themselves transgender.
Non-binary people may identify as an intermediate or separate third gender, identify with more than one gender, no gender (agender), or have a fluctuating gender identity (genderfluid). Gender identity is separate from sexual or romantic orientation and non-binary people have a variety of sexual orientations, just as cisgender (denoting or relating to a person whose sense of personal identity and gender corresponds with their birth sex) people do. Being non-binary is also not the same as being intersex; most intersex people identify as either male or female.
Non-binary people as a group vary in their gender expressions, and some may reject gender "identities" altogether. Some non-binary people are medically treated for gender dysphoria with surgery or hormones, as trans men and trans women often are.
Jewish texts are not hesitant in expressing non-binary. In Genesis 1:27, “And G-d-created adam in G-ds own image, in the image of G-d, created G-d him, male and female created G-d, them.” Rabbi Elliot Kukla, in the book Reform Devises Sex-Change Blessings, wrote: “Hence our tradition teaches that all bodies and genders are created in G-d’s image, whether we identify as men, women, inter-sex or something else.”
Even more specifically from 18th century Hasidus, a teaching from Rabbi Yechiel Michael from Zloczow (1731-1786) “at times a female would be in a male body, because in the reasons of gilgal (reincarnation) the soul of a female would be inside a male.” (translated by Abby Stein)
This coming Friday, June 10th we celebrate Pride Shabbat. We hope very much that you will attend either masked in person or on zoom, and bring your welcome, love, and joy as we learn more about this journey. While not everyone will personally experience the shift from a plural “they” to a singular “they,” we all share in common, the longing to living in truth.
In our tradition leaving Egypt wasn’t an historical event alone. Leaving Egypt was a personal and existential leaving as well. In the Haggadah we say: In every generation a person must regard themselves as though they personally had gone out of Egypt.
Rabbi David Ingber of Romemu wrote: When we leave a narrow place, a place of constriction, painful servitude, a place where we are not authentically who we are, that leap taking, that transitioning, is an exodus. A freedom walk.
Shalom,
Rabbi Nancy
From the Rabbi: May 18, 2022
Serving breakfast at Loaves & Fishes
From the Rabbi: May 17, 2022
Sundown May 18th till Sundown May 19th
Take a 24 hour break from all negative speech
Dear Friends,
We’ve been counting the Omer since the second night of Pesach. It is the 40 day counting practice leading up to the festival of Shavuot, observed this year on Saturday evening, June 4th. Pesach celebrates our escape from oppression. Shavuot celebrates the gift and our acceptance of revelation. The revelation is usually defined as the Ten Commandments; however it has come to be known as the ongoing gift of spiritual wisdom.
The Omer period is considered “semi mourning” on account of human beings, good folks, slipping into the habit of slander and degradation of other people. We’ve all been told that adage, “if you have nothing nice to say, don’t say it at all” as well as “look into the mirror first” yet honoring the other is one of the easiest to neglect.
According to Jewish tradition, the 49-day counting is clouded by mourning for the gossip and disrespect of Rabbi Akiva’s twelve thousand pairs of students. According to the Talmud, their maligning speech resulted in sickness and death. Hence, traditionally Jewish people do not receive haircuts, attend concerts, or get married during the Omer Counting, with the exception of one single day, the 33rd day of the counting called L’ag B’Omer. (L’ag meaning the numerical equivalent to 33)
Talmud, Yevamot 62b:9-10
They said by way of example that Rabbi Akiva had twelve thousand pairs of students in an area of land that stretched from Gevat to Antipatris in Judea, and they all died in one period of time, because they did not treat each other with respect. And the world was desolate of Torah until Rabbi Akiva came to our Rabbis in the South and taught his Torah to them. This second group of disciples consisted of Rabbi Meir, Rabbi Yehuda, Rabbi Yosei, Rabbi Shimon, and Rabbi Elazar ben Shamua. And these are the very ones who upheld the study of Torah at that time. Although Rabbi Akiva’s earlier students did not survive, his later disciples were able to transmit the Torah to future generations.
One of the ways to counteract the itch to gossip is pausing long enough to think before we speak. Mussar teacher Alan Morinis advises when working on this trait, to repeat the phrase, “every soul is a holy soul.” Said mindfully, it can curb the mouth from saying things that are hurtful and unnecessary. Additionally, Rabbi Akiva himself is credited for reminding us that the essence of Torah is to love others as we love ourselves.
Amar Rabi Akiva
V'ahavta l'reiacha kamocha
Zeh Klal Gadol Batorah. אָמַר רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא:
וְאָהַבְתָּ לְרֵעֲךָ כָּמוֹךָ,
זֶה כְּלָל גָּדוֹל בַּתּוֹרָה.
Translation:
Rabbi Akiva said:
Love your neighbor as yourself (Leviticus 19:18);
This is an essential principle of the Torah.
Join me in this L’ag B’Omer practice of guarding speech and in place of judgment, gifting all living beings, including yourself, with honor.
Shalom,
Rabbi Nancy Wechsler
From the Rabbi: April 4, 2022 3 Nisan M'tzora
Liberation from Mitzrayim
“Forgetfulness leads to exile, while memory is the secret of redemption.”
Baal Shem Tov
Mitzrayim comes from the root Mem, Tzadeh, Resh, meaning distress, boundary, pressed in, and confinement. At Pesach we speak of leaving distress and the Pesach Seder’s culinary message makes sure we remember the signs along the way. The Pesach Seder is truly brilliant, one of the greatest lesson plans of all time.
The Pesach foods:
Matza, the reminder that when we needed to leave, it had to be immediate. It is simple, humble, and true. Karpas, parsley symbolizes hope and spring. Salt water are tears. Charoset is the bricks cruel task masters forced us to make. Maror is bitterness of slavery. Chazeret, often romaine lettuce is considered a second bitter herb. Zaroah, shankbone or beet, both symbolize that our lives were spared from the 10th plague as well as the offerings made in the Temple in Jerusalem. Betza, hard-boiled egg is a symbol of mourning, as well as a symbol of new life.
Since we are commanded to bring vitality into our celebrations, new traditions evolve. Some add an orange on the seder plate representing those who have been estranged or marginalized in traditional Judaism such as women, and LGBTQ. Some add a piece of slave free chocolate, calling for an end to child slavery in the cocoa industry. Others add a potato peel remembering that during the Shoah, even that was considered a meal. Perhaps at your home Seder, you will add a symbol of something that has caused or is causing distress and invite those around your table to talk about it. It could be a cell phone (or picture of) a covid mask, or a miniature blue and yellow flag of Ukraine.
The resilience of the Jewish people comes from a willingness to address adversity. Jews don’t merely mention the hardship, rather we examine and talk about it. By doing so, we endeavor to heal from historical trauma, not be ruled by it.
The Pesach Seder is the most celebrated of all Jewish holidays and in many cases, we participate in two. Far more than a dinner party for which we primarily shop and cook, the Pesach Seder requires intentional cleaning of our entire kitchen to rid ourselves of chametz, leavened foods. Pick up a couple of cardboard boxes or bags and load up the chametz. If unopened, you may choose to donate it. If opened, toss or seal carefully and place somewhere out of sight.
We do this because we are about to leave Mitzrayim, the confined, oppressive place where chametz weighs us down. Entering the week’s freedom trek demands preparation. We wouldn’t dream of going camping without methodical planning. Think ahead. Begin the clearing out, the deep cleaning. The more effort we put into the preparation for Pesach, the greater the exhilaration of freedom. Clean mindfully, saying to yourself, “I am clearing the way for freedom.”
I hope that you can join me for our community Seder, the second night on Saturday, April 16th. We have not had the chance to celebrate in person for two years so this will be even more special. We will also have the opportunity to complete the holiday on Saturday, April 23rd with a joyful Pasta dinner showing just how far we have journeyed. For those observing Yizkor, we will meet in the Sanctuary at 5:00 p.m. and dinner following.
Wishing you intentionality and radiance as you prepare your hearts, your minds, and your homes for spiritual liberation.
Shalom,
Rabbi Nancy Wechsler
From the Rabbi: February 18, 2022 17 Adar 1 Ki Tisa
Everyone feels happy when things go the way they expect things to go. It is normal to have expectations. You buy tickets to a performance you have been eager to see, you expect the show to begin on time, and you expect it will be enjoyable. You do the work to file your taxes, and you wish them to be received on time. You made great travel plans, and you hope you will make all connections and start your adventure.
You expect if you are nice to others, they will be nice to you. You hope that if someone promises, they will follow through.
What happens when we face disappointment? The performance is canceled, or the performer takes three hours to show up. Your flights were delayed, and you missed the last flight. Your taxes didn't reach the IRS even though you sent them. You show nice behavior, and it is not reciprocated. Someone promised they would follow through on a tiny piece of a project, and they didn't do it, so you looked very bad.
Parashat Ki Tisa carries one of the biggest disappointments of all time. Moses climbs Mt Sinai to receive the revelation of Torah, or specifically the Ten Commandments. It is enlightenment. It is powerful. It is Moses close to G-d to bring the words to the Israelites.
After the Divine encounter, Moses begins the return to the people and faces one a mutiny in this dream. Descending the mountain, he sees the vulnerability of his people is exposed. The word is Faru-ah. The people weren't missing him, worried about him. There is no sackcloth and ashes.
They were dancing around a golden calf. The space between what Moses expected to find and what he found was unbearable. No time for sorrow, the shock erupted into a rage. Moses threw down the tablets, shattering sacred souled words at the foot of the mountain. Blinded by pain, he took the calf, burned it in the fire, ground it into a fine powder, sprinkled it over water, and made the Children of Israel drink it.
Rabbi Ya'akov Kamenstsky (1) wrote that Moses' disappointment fanned into a rage because Moses could understand their response to his delay on Mt. Sinai. He could understand their losing faith and grief and even finding a little solace in building a golden calf.
The Israelites were dancing, singing, and having a wonderful time. They were enjoying their worship of the idol, and he felt mocked. However, what he could not accept on any level was their joy.
According to Kamenstsky, Moses concluded that there was no justification for their deed, and they did not even deserve to have the Tablets. The rage that filled Moses to the very top of his being became a god to him. He accused the people of being idolatrous. He, too, became an idolator to rage.
Unexpected outcomes, which you didn't want to happen and perhaps didn't think would happen. And when they do, the experience is not unlike being stung by a bee or wasp upon tender skin. The outcome for most people is the sharp sting and painful swelling.
The first thing we want to do is reduce the pain, so if lucky, we find a cool compress, baking soda, anything to feel immediately comforted. If we are even luckier, someone is there to help out. Without relief from unexpected pain, it's hard to think clearly.
I am not sure there is a way to adequately prepare for the unexpected hurt. Other than to practice. Practice the truth that life does not revolve around our wants. Practice that we must be flexible to manage the unexpected. Insisting that the outcome has to be what we want only prolongs the sting.
I remember flying home on an international flight to San Francisco and waiting for the connection to Sacramento. The flight to Sacramento was canceled, and it was very late at night. I was exhausted, having traveled for 18 hours, and couldn't wait to get home.
People who needed that Sacramento flight were exhausted and angry. Their rage did nothing except make a loud noise. I must have been lucky or too tired to get angry; however, a few of us managed to shrug. We began to talk and came up with a plan to rent a car and drive to Sacramento. This actually became one of the sweetest moments of the trip. New friends. New plan. The disappointment was sweetened through flexibility.
It is said that people plan and G-d laughs. It's a Yiddish phrase: Der mentsh trakht un got lakht". It is good to keep that in our minds when we depend on life playing out according to our desires.
Author Dr. Saul Levine (2) wrote in Psychology Today 2016 that we try as best we can to minimize the possibilities of bad stuff happening by, for example, childproofing our homes, wearing helmets when biking and sunscreen when sunning, eating healthy foods, avoiding dangerous situations, and purchasing various kinds of insurance.
But deep down, we need to realize that we can't stave off disastrous acts of Mother Nature or Father Fate. We can't prevent life playing out as it will, and from time to time, we will be very disappointed, like Moses, traumatized by an outcome.
When confronted by setbacks or losses, clichés abound, and we're advised to "Ride the waves, roll with the punches," but we are sentient, emotional beings, not robots: We respond emotionally. Like Moses, we don't' cannot foresee things beyond our control, and almost everything is beyond our control.
Even in dark times, however, we know at some level that "this too shall pass." In Hebrew, it sounds like Gam Zeh Y'avor. After initial terrible feelings, we gather our thoughts, bring our strengths to bear, and begin a different action plan.
Life isn't fair. We plan, reach for our personal Mt. Sinai, and sometimes things work out beautifully, and sometimes they don't, and we never saw that coming. Perhaps a way to think about it is that we don't know the plan. So we breathe to relieve the jolt, pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and like Moses, begin climbing a little differently this time, once again.
Amen19th century Lithuania Yaakov Kamenetsky, was a prominent rabbi, rosh yeshiva, posek and Talmudist in the post-World War II American Jewish community.
Dr. Saul Levine, Emotional Footprint, Psychology Today Feb 2016
From the Rabbi: February 15, 2022
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From the Rabbi: February 2, 2022
Dear Friends,
Blessings as we begin a new Hebrew month, the month of Adar 1. This year we have two Adars, due to the intricacies of the Hebrew calendar which adds an extra month seven years out of nineteen. This is done to ensure that the lunar year, which determines the beginning of our months, exactly coincides with the solar year over the course of a nineteen-year cycle. For example, the leap year keeps Chanukah mostly during winter and Pesach in the spring.
When, like this year there are two months of Adar, the first month has its own smaller Purim observance, called a Purim Katan or a Purim Sheini, a second Purim. It was a celebratory day observed by a Jewish community or individuals to commemorate the anniversary of its deliverance from a catastrophe. Similar to the observance of the holiday Purim, the second Purims were typically commemorated with a reading of a Megillah describing the events that led to salvation, or simply recalling the event, prayer, a festive meal and giving of charity. It is taught in 19th century, Sefer Chayei Adam, Hilhot Megillah, a work of Jewish law by Rabbi Avraham Danzig:
“Anyone to whom a miracle happened, or all the residents of a city, can ordain by mutual agreement or by censure upon themselves and all who come after them, to make that day a Purim. And it seems to me that the festive meal that they make to celebrate the miracle is a seudat mitzvah.”
This year, Purim Katan, little Purim coincides with Monday evening, February 14th. We think about something in our own lives where we survived an ordeal, physical or emotional, and express gratitude by recounting what occurred, express thanksgiving for surviving it, and demonstrate generosity toward others.
Whether we are discussing Adar I or Adar II the same theme permeates, Happiness. The rabbis taught that when Adar begins, happiness increases or, in popular parlance, we say “Be happy, it’s Adar!”
It’s not always so easy to summon happiness. What happens if we felt miserable the day before and suddenly Adar begins? Is it possible to snap into happiness on demand? The real wisdom on happiness has to do with finding contentment with what we do have. And when facing a period of suffering, even there too, there are glints of kindness and goodness.
Pirke Avot 4:1 says: Who are wealthy? They who are happy with their lot in life. (hasameiach b’chelko).
Another key to happiness is found in meaningful work on behalf of something greater than ourselves, be it an institution, a faith, a people, or a cause whose mission we find important.
Research suggests that people who extend to others, aren’t just helping the communities they serve. People who volunteer actually experience a boost in their mental health — good news at a time when so many report feeling symptoms of anxiety or depression.
A beautiful example of this is our beloved Carry Cohn whose significant birthday comes up next week. Many share the pleasure and good fortune of having Carry in their lives. She is our teacher, our children’s teacher, and for some their grandchildren’s teacher. She is a sounding board, counselor, and dearest friend. Carry escaped Nazi Germany on Kristallnacht. She arrived in what was then Palestine and began working on a kibbutz, forging a new life. She has had several new life experiences. Moving to Eskaton a few years back is her recent example of joining new community. Upon arriving there, she created a Jewish presence at Eskaton with monthly Shabbat as well as holiday observance. She continues to teach Hebrew at CBS to adults and coach B’nai Mitzvah students.
This past December, she was volunteering at Eskaton’s annual Christmas Faire. She knew it was important to be known as a Jewish person happy and willing to engage in community work, regardless of the religion. She will tell you that it was fun.
A long life does not mean a life without suffering. Carry is the epitome of optimism. Her attitude reminds me of the late Victor Frankl. Frankl was an Austrian psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor. He was the founder of logotherapy, a school of psychotherapy which describes a search for a life meaning as the central human motivational force.
Frankl taught that “the more one forgets oneself, by giving oneself to a cause to serve or another person to love, the more human that person is. Wisely, he counseled, ‘everything can be taken away from us, but one thing: the last of the human freedoms, to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s way.”
Happiness is the theme of Adar. Think about the various keys to happiness. Reach out to someone who would be lifted by a phone call, email, or a text. Perhaps it means attending an event, on zoom or in person. Support an organization with time and tzedaka that is doing good work in the world. Think about three things for which you are truly grateful.
Mi sh’nich-nas Adar, one who welcomes Adar, mar’beh b’simcha, increases in happiness.
It really works. Happy Adar 1!
Shalom
Rabbi Nancy Wechsler
From the Rabbi: January 18, 2022
Dear CBS Family,
Grateful. Grateful that the hostages taken at Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville, Texas were released. Grateful. I sit with that for a long time. Grateful.
And then I play back what occurred on Shabbat morning and I am shaken to my core. Shaken that a small congregation, not unlike our beautiful CBS congregation, could be victimized. Shaken that offering welcome to a stranger turned into a nightmare. Traumatized.
During the ordeal, the only thing that brought comfort was the outpouring of prayers and support from friends all over the world via social media and private messages. It is in times like this that the relationships we have become a resting place.
We held these four precious souls in prayer, but we were not alone. Close to home, our Muslim friends at Salam held them in prayer. I received these words from their leadership:
“We at SALAM watched with alarm and dismay the crisis at the Beth Israel Congregation in Colleyville, Texas Saturday. We are so relieved that all hostages are safe, and the ordeal is over.
SALAM condemns the episode and wishes to extend its support to keeping all places of worship free and safe from any violence.
We hope and pray that the rest of 2022 ushers in peace and equanimity at all places of worship.”
I want to share words from Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker, spiritual leader from Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville who wrote them after being held for over 10 hours.
“I am thankful and filled with appreciation for
All the vigils and prayers and love and support
All of the law enforcement and first responders who cared for us,
All of the security training that helped save us…I am grateful to be alive.”
The days ahead will be challenging as we process our feelings and grapple with vulnerability. We will have a zoom meeting Tonight January 18th at 7:00 p.m. to talk about what occurred, and the security we have in place at CBS. Please join us.
With strength and wisdom,
Rabbi Nancy
From the Rabbi: December 27, 2021
In American football parlance, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” First attributed in 1953 to coach John Thomas of the Green Hornets and later Knute Rockne of Notre Dame, the theme is clear. Times have been very difficult, and the beat of stepping up our game has rarely been louder.
One of the greatest Jewish scholars and inspirational coaches of the 21st century was Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, chief rabbi of the UK; may his memory be for a blessing. Among his vast writings, Rabbi Sacks wrote about the imperative to live our lives wisely. In 2018 he wrote about the ten life-changing principles that we have the power to fine-tune. His words resonate with my soul, and I will be practicing this right along with you. With deep gratitude to the late Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, we collectively prep for 2022.
The first is to give thanks. He taught that it is a fact that we will face tough challenges in our lives; however, before we become swallowed up by them, practice gratitude. Make your gratitude list before you go to sleep. Even while suffering, some things make the situation better. Happy people are generally those who practice articulating those things that are good.
The second is to share with children, grandchildren, and friends ideas on how to live a good life. Rabbi Sacks taught that material gifts are lovely, of course, but the things that truly matter are the values we share. Do something with loved ones that align with your best ideas and goodness. Experiences exceed wrapped packages.
The third is to be a lifelong learner. We can join a book group, take a class online, or, when safe, attend a class in person. It is especially meaningful to learn with a friend. Learning keeps our minds sharp and our hearts open. Curiosity keeps us vibrant.
The fourth is not to compromise our Judaism in public. He taught that there is much value to being consistent in our Judaism. Own and be proud of your Judaism. When we live with self-respect as Jews, we are viewed with respect.
The fifth is forgiveness. The Torah reminds us not to hate our sibling in our hearts. Life is short, and forgiveness benefits us when we release resentment and grudges. Let it go already. It is much better for our health to release whatever it was that made us bitter. One exemplar of this is in Genesis, where Joseph forgave the cruelty of his brothers. Not only does Joseph live in peace, but the Torah also gives him the name Joseph the righteous.
The sixth is don’t speak negatively about others, even if it is true. Lashon Harah is actually about truth. When people gossip, even if true, it undermines and dirties the soul. Instead of speaking negatively, be silent.
The seventh is to keep Shabbat. It has been around for nearly 3,000 years. Shabbat has been a private island of happiness for the Jewish people. It requires self-control to avoid the phone, the laptop, the shopping, and the errands. It takes commitment to show up for ourselves and one another on Friday night in person or on zoom. Using baseball terminology, “we” are now up at-bat.
The eighth is to volunteer. The best medicine for depression is to extend ourselves to others. Judaism teaches that the door to happiness opens outwards. Give tzedakah. Show up to help. The beautiful word for unselfish love is chesed.
The ninth is to create moments of joy. Happiness comes from an external stimulus, sweet but finite. Joy is different from happiness, says Rabbi Sacks. Joy comes from the inside. Joy happens when we notice a break of sunshine after days of fog. Joy is what happens when we compliment someone, smile at someone, or smile inside thinking about a good moment in our day.
The tenth is love. The essence of Judaism is about love. We are to love G-d with all our hearts. We are commanded to love our neighbor as ourselves. We are to love the stranger, for we were once strangers. When we show love to others, we are also filled up.
These ten suggestions from Rabbi Jonathan Sacks are to be practiced slowly and gradually. They are an essential set of workouts as we boldly step into the year 2022. Certain things will always be out of our control. However, attitude and spiritual mindset are very much under our control.
With strength, confidence, shalom, and love,
Rabbi Nancy Wechsler
_______________________________________________
From the Rabbi: December 24, 2021
What is the most American thing a Jew to do on Christmas? We go out for Chinese food, a custom as American Jewish as apple pie.
It seems that the custom started as early as 1935 when a man named, Eng Shee Chuck brought Chow Mein on Christmas Day to the Jewish Children's Home in Newark, N.J. Others suggest there was an even earlier cuisine alliance starting in 1899 when the American Jewish Journal criticized Jews for eating at non-kosher restaurants and singled out Jews who flocked to Chinese restaurants.
Jews eating Chinese seemed like a match made in heaven as Chinese food rarely contains dairy hence avoiding the meat and dairy debacle. For more observant Jewish people, there are some dishes that are avoided altogether, however in general, Chow Mein on Christmas has been seen as a comfortable and tasty response to the holiday.
A Chinese restaurant always seemed like a safe and welcoming place for Jewish people who generally feel like outsiders on Christmas eve. The custom is now so well-known it’s been researched, parodied, and was once even referenced by U.S. Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan during her 2010 nomination hearing. Responding to a question by Senator Graham about where she was on a particular Christmas, Elena Kagan responded, "Like all Jews, I was probably at a Chinese restaurant." (June 29, 2010)
According to Ronnie Fein, a writer for The Nosher, the custom was born from a feeling of immigrant solidarity that began around the beginning of the 20th century and was cemented after a particularly deadly and vicious anti-Semitic pogrom in Kishinev (in what is now Moldova) in May of 1903. John Singleton, a Chinese businessperson, was so outraged at the cruelty and violence that he planned an event to raise money for the surviving victims. He and three other Chinese merchants held a benefit performance of a play at a theater in New York’s Chinatown. After the play, several Jewish men spoke about the common bond between the people, noting Russian atrocities against both Jews and Chinese. The actors in the play spoke Chinese. The Jewish men who spoke did so in Yiddish.
A Chinese dinner followed. There is no record of the menu but apparently no pork or shellfish was served, out of respect for the Jews.
For your Shabbat dining pleasure to accompany what you order via CBS from Panda Express, here is a recipe for Hot and Sour Soup, thoughtfully adapted for our enjoyment.
Hot and Sour Soup
- 6-8 dry black Chinese mushrooms
- 1 small boneless half chicken breast, about 6 ounces
- 8-ounce can bamboo shoots, rinsed and drained
- 6 ounces firm tofu
- 2 scallions
- 2 large eggs
- 3 Tbsp cornstarch mixed to a paste with water
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 2 to 2-1/2 Tbsp white vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- kosher salt to taste
- 6 cups chicken stock
- 2 tsp sesame oil
Directions
- Soak the mushrooms in hot water. When the mushrooms have softened, rinse them, discard the fibrous stem, if any, and shred the mushrooms. Set aside.
- Shred the chicken, bamboo shoots and tofu, and set aside.
- Finely chop the scallions and set aside.
- Beat the eggs and set them aside.
- Mix the cornstarch and water together.
- Combine the soy sauce, vinegar, pepper, and salt, and set this mixture aside.
- Bring the stock to a boil in a soup pot. Lower the heat to a simmer and add the chicken and bamboo shoots. Cook for 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and the soy sauce mixture. Cook for one minute. Add the tofu and stir gently to distribute the pieces. Stir the cornstarch mixture, add it to the pot and stir the soup gently, cooking for about a minute, or until the stock thickens slightly.
- Gradually pour the beaten egg into the soup. Stir gently with chopsticks to break the egg into pieces.
- Turn off the heat. Stir in the sesame oil.
- Pour the soup into a tureen and top with the scallions.
To life and good fortune!
Rabbi Nancy Wechsler
From the Rabbi: December 17, 2021
December 17th, 2021 – 13 Tevet 5782
Parashat Vayechi: Why Be Jewish?
There are a variety of reasons how and why people identify with Judaism. We identify as Jews because we may have been raised in a Jewish home and one or both of our parents were Jewish. If our ancestors were Jewish, we are proud to carry it on in our live.
We may identify as Jewish because we chose to convert to the religion out of a desire to attach to the heart, the theology and spirit of Judaism.
We may identify with Jewish because we fell in love with a Jewish person. We may identify with Jewish because something tugs at our heart and mind about Judaism although we chose to remain linked to the religion of our childhood.
We may identify as Jewish because we are “other” meaning that we identify because we are a minority, and we are proud of that. Along those lines, we identify as Jewish in part because of anti-Semitism and our refusal to give up or give in. We may have been bullied in school ostracized from clubs or social groups, so that our “other-ness” has become dear.
We may identify as Jewish because we align with Social Justice and the message, the doctrine of Tikkun Olam, to heal the world, loudly beats in our heart.
We may identify as Jewish because we really love Jewish food, and given the boxes: white bread or bagel, we check off the bagel box, every time.
We may identify as Jewish because we love the learning, the Torah, and the writings. We may identify as Jewish because of the music, and cultural history. We may identify as Jewish because the spirituality makes sense, moves us, and endlessly inspires us.
We may identify as Jewish because we love the fact that it is a mitzvah to discuss, question and even argue constructively for the sake of heaven. We may identify as Jewish because we love our attitude and use of comedy as a creative response to suffering.
We may identify as Jewish because of the State of Israel and we align with vision of having a Jewish homeland.
We may identify as Jewish because our soul belongs with the Jewish people and we are right here, where we need to be, either by birth or by choice.
We may be Jewish for a combination of these reasons.
When you think about your own life, what are the key reasons that most deeply pull you to Judaism?
In this week’s parasha Vayechi, this issue comes up when our second patriarch, Jacob is very old and is about to give his deepest blessing to his grandsons, Manasseh, and Ephraim. Manasseh is the eldest of the two boys. Torah dictates, especially in the book of Genesis, that the eldest son receives the big blessing, the one that supersedes the younger.
Under the watchful eye of his son, Joseph, Jacob sits upon on his bed, stretches out his arms to bless the boys’ heads. He places his right hand, the powerful big blessing hand on the youngest child, Ephraim and his left hand, the less powerful blessing hand on the eldest, Manasseh.
Joseph tries to stop him, upset at what he sees as the incorrect protocol. The text says, “va’yay’rah,” meaning, that it was bad, evil, definitely displeasing, so he reminds his father sharply that it is the eldest who receives the big blessing. However, the Torah says that Jacob, “vayee’mak-ayn,” he refused saying, “I know the older will become great, yet his younger brother shall become greater, and his legacy will fill the nations.”
What did the patriarch Jacob foresee? We look at the names of the two boys, Manasseh, the first born was described earlier in Torah as “God has made me forget all my hardship and my father’s house.” Ephraim’s name is described as “God has made me fruitful.” Manasseh’s name derives from the root Nun, Samech, Hey meaning “to be tested.” Ephraim’s name comes from the root “Peh, Resh, Hey, meaning, “fruitful.”
Jacob was making a statement so long ago that resonates all the way to this very moment. Both aspects of identification to Judaism matter; both the I am Jewish because I have been tested, as well as I am Jewish because of the fruitful, flourishing , creative delight.
From the Manasseh stream, we jokingly say about holidays such as Chanukah, Purim, and Passover, “they tried to kill us, they didn’t, let’s eat.” At the same time, there is the Ephraim stream that fills us with what is flourishing in of itself.
In that spirit I want to conclude with an excerpt of an email I received this week from a new member to CBS and her insight on watching her pre-school age child interact at Neshama, our religious school. She writes to Ester and to me,
“I wanted to reach out to you both and let you know how completely magical it has been to be welcomed into the community. Our little one adores Neshama, you all make it such a beautiful and supportive experience. As a mother, it is a dream come true to see my child running not the synagogue as it were a second home. All that you do and put into really makes a huge difference.”
We pray that the blessing of Ephraim continues to blossom and bear sweet fruit in the life of our community. And let us say: Amen
From the Rabbi: December 10, 2021
Shalshelet
Thunderous. Pausing. Making the right decision.
Of all the trope cantillations in the Torah, perhaps the most fascinating marking is found in this week’s Torah portion, Vayeshev. The melody is named Shalshelet. It looks like a lightening rod, placed directly above the word, and sounds like an arpeggio sung three times. Torah students respect this trope for two reasons. First, it’s hard to learn and once mastered, they feel like a singer. Second, this crème de la crème cantillation mark is exceedingly rare showing up a mere four times in the entire Torah. Delighted are the B’nai Mitzvah students who have Shalshelet in their parasha. These elite Torah chanters stand a little taller and chant their Shalshelet with an inner glow often making it integral to their D’var Torah (Torah speech).
Spiritually Shalshelet is referred to as Mar’imin u’Mafsikin (Mesorah Gedolah, Levicitus 8:23) Mar’imin means thunderous and Mafsikin means pausing, describing the melody in psychological terms. Shalshelet is about uncertainty, upheaval, and eventual resolve. Maimonides taught that “one who hesitates but, in the end, makes the right decision is on a higher level than one who acts without hesitation.” He explained that there are times when we are called upon to complete tasks that may not be in our immediate personal self-interest, however ultimately, when we make the correct decision, it is worthy of praise.
This week’s thunderous, pausing, and right decision making Shalshelet deals with physical temptation and restraint. Joseph, one of Jacobs 12 sons has been through the wringer. He was a dreamer who taunted his brothers with dreams of his superiority which led them to throwing him into a deep pit. In place of leaving him there to die, the brothers sold him off as a slave to the Ishmaelites and he wound up in Egypt working for the wealthy Mr. Potiphar. Mrs. Potiphar took a liking to Joseph and in no uncertain words let him know of her desire. While we will never know what Joseph was thinking when she demanded his amorous attention, we do have proof of his decisive refusal. The word, “But he refused,” in Hebrew v’y’mah’ein” is emblazoned with Shalshelet letting the reader know that Joseph was struggling with inner demons. Genesis 39:8
וַיְמָאֵ֓ן וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אֶל־אֵ֣שֶׁת אֲדֹנָ֔יו הֵ֣ן אֲדֹנִ֔י לֹא־יָדַ֥ע אִתִּ֖י מַה־בַּבָּ֑יִת וְכֹ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־יֶשׁ־ל֖וֹ נָתַ֥ן בְּיָדִֽי׃
But he refused. He said to his master’s wife, “Look, with me here, my master gives no thought to anything in this house, and all that he owns he has placed in my hands.
You may be wondering about the other three examples with the mysterious Shalshelet?
One concerns the tricky character of Lot, Abraham’s nephew. Lot needed to escape Sodom and Gemorah because these towns were going to be destroyed. Through the character of an angel, (a Biblical messenger of G-d) Lot, along with his wife and two daughters were commanded to leave. Lot’s delay to exit may have been fear based, or perhaps his comfort level with sin clouded his better judgement. In Genesis 9:16, Shalshelet looms above the word “still he delayed” suggesting Lot’s anguish.
וַֽיִּתְמַהְמָ֓הּ ׀ וַיַּחֲזִ֨קוּ הָאֲנָשִׁ֜ים בְּיָד֣וֹ וּבְיַד־אִשְׁתּ֗וֹ וּבְיַד֙ שְׁתֵּ֣י בְנֹתָ֔יו בְּחֶמְלַ֥ת יְהוָ֖ה עָלָ֑יו וַיֹּצִאֻ֥הוּ וַיַּנִּחֻ֖הוּ מִח֥וּץ לָעִֽיר׃
Still he delayed. So the men (angels) seized his hand, and the hands of his wife and his two daughters—in Adonai’s mercy on him—and brought him out and left him outside the city.
The next example concerns Abraham’s servant Eliezer who was sent to distant Mesopotamia to find an appropriate wife for Abraham’s son, Isaac. Eliezer was apprehensive how to fulfil the sacred vow he made to Abraham. The Shalshelet above the word “And he said” hints at the wailing cry in his heart as he remembered the precise conversation with his master Abraham. Genesis 24:12.
וַיֹּאמַ֓ר ׀ יְהוָ֗ה אֱלֹהֵי֙ אֲדֹנִ֣י אַבְרָהָ֔ם הַקְרֵה־נָ֥א לְפָנַ֖י הַיּ֑וֹם וַעֲשֵׂה־חֶ֕סֶד עִ֖ם אֲדֹנִ֥י אַבְרָהָֽם׃ And he said, “Adonai, God of my master Abraham, grant me good fortune this day, and deal graciously with my master Abraham:
The last Shalshelet citing concerns Moses struggling to overcome his personal feelings verses what G-d’s command. G-d told Moses to ordain his brother Aaron and Aaron’s sons as priests. Commentators explain that elevating his relatives’ status was beset with apprehension. Earlier on, Aaron’s sons Nadav and Avinu made a tragic error when they tried to perform priestly ritual, not to mention his brother singlehandedly encouraged the Israelites to build a golden calf. In this dramatic moment in front of the entire Israelite community, G-d orders him to ordain fallible family members. Shalshelet rises above the word “and it was slaughtered” referring to the sacrificial animal and the impending sacred performance. Leviticus 8:23
וַיִּשְׁחָ֓ט וַיִּקַּ֤ח מֹשֶׁה֙ מִדָּמ֔וֹ וַיִּתֵּ֛ן עַל־תְּנ֥וּךְ אֹֽזֶן־אַהֲרֹ֖ן הַיְמָנִ֑ית וְעַל־בֹּ֤הֶן יָדוֹ֙ הַיְמָנִ֔ית וְעַל־בֹּ֥הֶן רַגְל֖וֹ הַיְמָנִֽית׃
and it was slaughtered. Moses took some of its blood and put it on the ridge of Aaron’s right ear, and on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot.
Often when people become involved in an endeavor that does not bring gratification or what they prefer, they struggle to do the right thing. Rabbi Avi Weis, founder of Choveiveh Yeshiva, teaches that the rare Shalshelet helps us remember that the Biblical characters were not unlike us. They felt similar inner conflicts and struggled to reach past their lower inclinations. Rabbi Weis concludes, “when we reach beyond ourselves and primal self-interest, we are able to reach the heavens.”
As we enter this season of Thanksgiving, and the lurching of holiday commotion let’s welcome Shalshelet to help navigate the thunder, bless us with pause and ultimately guide us to thoughtful decisions.
Shalom,
Rabbi Nancy Wechsler
From the Rabbi: December 1, 2021
Chanukah: a Real Dedication of our Inner Temple
The Baal Shem Tov, the founder of Chasidism made a powerful connection between Chanukah and the Torah portion B’ha’alotecha (Numbers Chapter 8:1-2) Both Chanukah and this section of Torah focus upon the act of spiritual lighting.
He noted that the Torah word for used for “lighting” the Menorah was the same root as the word “to elevate” as the root of B’ha’alotecha is linked to the word Aliyah.
1The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 2) Speak to Aaron and say to him, “When you light the candles, the seven lamps …
:אוַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־משֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר
בדַּבֵּר֙ אֶל־אַֽהֲרֹ֔ן וְאָֽמַרְתָּ֖ אֵלָ֑יו בְּהַֽעֲלֹֽתְךָ֙ אֶת־הַנֵּרֹ֔ת אֶל־מוּל֙
:מוּל֙ פְּנֵ֣י הַמְּנוֹרָ֔ה יָאִ֖ירוּ שִׁבְעַ֥ת הַנֵּרֽוֹת
The Baal Shem Tov asked, “Why does the Torah use the word “b’ha’a lot’cha – elevate” the candles when you assume it should use the word “l’had’leek – to light”? Because one who lights candles must also bring light to himself or light to herself. Someone who elevates the candles must also elevate himself, elevate herself.” Through the act of lighting, we become that light and are elevated.
Rabbi Nachman of Bratzlav in his book Likutei Maharan writes:
This time of year is a time of renewal and rededication. It is the darkest time of the whole year, but it is also the time when the light is returning. It is a time of making the temple within you, once again clear and wholesome enough to become a dwelling place for the Divine to manifest within you. We become a container for pure Light by purifying ourselves. The way to receive the Divine light is by sanctifying our mouth, nose, ears, eyes, and thoughts. The seven openings of the head allow us to rededicate ourselves to our inner temple.
Hana Matt, a Berkely based teacher of world religions and spiritual direction teaches how lighting the Chanukah candles enables us to cleanse our inner temple. Her instruction is that as we light our candles, we elevate and interpret Rabbi Nachman’s message. Through the mindful remembering of the candle’s purpose, we create a very powerful opening for G-d’s light within us.
The first candle represents the mouth and reminds us to pay close attention to the words we communicate. To sanctify the mouth: avoid falsehood and speak only the truth. Offer words of kindness and empathy. This sanctification of the mouth also includes the healthy food we take into our mouths.
The second candle represents the nose. When we are about to be irritated or impatient, we are reminded to draw up a deep breath, as thought drawing up through our nose deep patience from the well. This practice enables us to show compassion for someone who angers you, the highest level of calming frustration.
The third candle and fourth candle represents our two ears. To sanctify your years: listen to the words of the wise, the teaching of the sages. Hear spiritual teachings. Be careful about what your years are taking in such as trivial, shallow or derogatory intake. Deep listening to what is being said beneath the surface helps cleans our inner temple.
The fifth candle and the sixth candle represent our two eyes. Sanctify your seeing involves not observing yourself or others with critical eyes, for this way of looking has a negative effect on yourself and the other person. Judge yourself favorably, giving yourself the benefit of the doubt and the same applies to judging another person favorably. Pay attention to the judgements we place on others as well as ourselves. Explore judging others more favorably. According to Rabbi Nachman, how we “see others” affects that person. We can bless someone through the way we see them.
The seventh candle represents our thoughts. Be aware of your thoughts during the day and watch how many of them are negative. This is the darkest time of the year and we can watch how our thoughts also can turn to the dark side of things. Be careful not to waste your thoughts. Cultivate a sweetening of the negative thoughts which allows us to develop gratitude. We become more mindful that even the mundane acts we do be attached to G-d. Bring that Divine connection with you into the car, as you eat, as you wash dishes. See how this transforms the action at hand.
The eighth candle is linked to the radiance within us. Once the seven gates have been opened by your working on each one, then the Transcendent wisdom and Divine Light flow and we begin to radiate. The Divine Abundance now pours into us unimpeded, and we become luminous like the candlelight. This is what we are doing symbolically by lighting the candles on Chanukah.
With joy and light to everyone as we rededicate ourselves.
Chag Sameach- Happy Chanukah!
Rabbi Nancy Wechsler
From the Rabbi: November 4, 2021
In the Genesis narratives, our ancestors bravely took steps to become who they were meant to become. Abraham responded to Lech L’cha, to go toward his truth and leave behind what used to define him. Rebekah and Isaac chose one another sight unseen and in doing so, found lasting union. Jacob walked his path, not always an easy one, and was blessed with the new name Yisrael, translated as one willing to wrestle with G-d, to be triumphant with G-d. Each was courageous in becoming and living their authentic lives.
In a similar way, manifesting that which already exists deep inside, is the sacred path of a Jew by choice.
When a person chooses to become Jewish, it is understood that this person’s soul already knew the course it needed to pursue. Some know when they are young children. Others become aware of their spiritual yearning toward Judaism as adults. The journey toward Judaism is called Gilgul Ne’shama, the transmigration of innermost soul. Some Jewish mystics view conversion to Judaism as a Jewish soul finding its way home.
Rabbi Alan Maller wrote in the Times of Israel: “I always inform people that most non-Jews who become Jewish already have a Jewish soul. This Jewish soul could never make sense of the trinity and always resented the claim that good people who do not believe in Jesus are not going to heaven. Their Jewish soul attracts them to Jewish people. This Jewish soul is in a Gentile body because it is a Gilgul; a reincarnation of an ancestor who was Jewish and for some reason became disconnected from the Jewish people some 2-7 generations previously. Some people who become Jewish are new souls who are here for the first time. The others are simply returning home where they belong.”
This Friday, November 5th at our 6:00 p.m. in-person Family service we welcome Henry Henridge Holloway - Yakir Daniel ben Avraham, and Sarah. Yakir Daniel has completed the Introduction to Judaism and the completion meeting with three rabbis, called Bet Din. Throughout these many months of covid, he participates in CBS zoom Shabbat services, Torah Study, the CBS Food Fair, and learns Mussar, Jewish Spiritual Ethics. This past week Yakir Daniel immersed in the mikveh at Beth Jacob Synagogue in Oakland, witnessed by CBS President, Bob Bennet.
Yakir Daniel writes:
“Judaism did not beckon me with a resounding roar; rather, it spoke to me as a gentle whisper. I felt a connection to the Jewish people. I was drawn to their uniqueness, history, strength, adaptability, resilience, achievement, sense of humor, and social justice work. I sympathized with the othering of Jewish people and viewed them as a culture of outsiders with a unique and attractive sensibility that came from their diverse history. Jews were ancient people with an ancient religion and language that continued to inspire others. Jews were strong; they survived countless attempts at eradicating them, more than any other cultural group in history, and most remained steadfast in their cultural identity. Jews have demonstrated intelligence, creativity, and innovation, especially, in the arts, sciences, and in academia, where they rose to the top through hard work and determination. Despite the grotesque things that have transpired against the Jewish people, they remained a proud people, who demonstrated a willingness to be a voice for the voiceless and an ally for the oppressed and underprivileged, such as Rabbi Robert Marx, who died this year at 93, and marched with Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for civil rights.”
Please join me this Friday as we joyfully welcome Yakir Daniel ben Avraham v’Sarah. We are blessed that his ne’shama, his innermost soul has brought him to his Judaism and to CBS.
Shalom,
Rabbi Nancy Wechsler
From the Rabbi: October 29, 2021
Rabbi Nancy Wechsler
24 Cheshvan 5782
Chayei Sarah: Blessed with Everything
I have been thinking about the verse in this week’s parasha Chayei Sarah that creates a spiritual conundrum. The text says that Abraham was “blessed with everything”, in Hebrew, Adonai barech et Avraham ba’kol. Later the same parasha, we learn that Abraham died at a good old age, mature and content, the Hebrew for that word is savei-ah, meaning content, sated or filled up.
On a purely literal level it would seem that Abraham was blessed with everything and died content. Our first patriarch seems to have had an easy and lovely life.
However, we know that is was not always easy and not always lovely. There was serious suffering. He had experienced ten significant trials. Maimonides2 lists them as follows:
1. G-d tells him to leave his homeland to be a stranger in the land of Canaan.3 2. Immediately after his arrival in the Promised Land, he encounters a famine.4 3. The Egyptians seize his beloved wife, Sarah, and bring her to Pharaoh.5 4. Abraham faces incredible odds in the battle of the four and five kings.6 5. He marries Hagar after not being able to have children with Sarah.7 6. G-d tells him to circumcise himself at an advanced age.8 7. The king of Gerar captures Sarah, intending to take her for himself.9 8. G-d tells him to send Hagar away after having a child with her.10
9. His son, Ishmael, becomes estranged.11 10. G-d tells him to sacrifice his dear son Isaac upon an altar.12
Abraham had plenty of trauma and suffering. How is then, that the Torah says that Gd blessed Abraham with everything, and that he died, content?
Suffering can either use us, or we can use our suffering. There is not a single Biblical role model who did not suffer in his or her life. They become our role models due to how they transformed their suffering, allowing them to become worthy of Gd’s grace, to become a br’acha, a blessing.
It was only because they permitted their trials to assail them for the benefit of their soul’s growth, that their merit, in Hebrew, zechut, continues to shine into our lives.
In a midrash from the 2nd century called Midrash Rabba we learn that when a person is tested, it is less about the test and all about how that person manages the test. In the following example the rabbis compare a tightly closed vial of incense to a life that has not been tested. No one can smell the beautiful fragrance when it closed. Only when the vial of incense is opened, or broken open, can the scent permeate.
It says that Rabbi Berekia said: What did Abraham resemble? Abraham resembled a vial of myrrh closed with a tight fitting lid and lying in a corner so that its fragrance was no disseminated. Yet, as soon as the vial was take up, opened up, exposed to heat, its fragrance was disseminated. Similarly, the Holy One said to Abraham, Lech L’cha, Travel from place to place and your name will become great in the world. (Genesis Rabbah 39:2) Through the unexpected upheaval, Abraham’s essence became known.
Another teaching from the sages about transformed suffering is where the individual accepts the suffering and has faith that something good will come from it. This parable is also from the 2nd century and is in the Talmud, Tractate Brachot 60b and features Rabbi Akiva.
Once when Rabbi Akiva was traveling, he had with him a donkey, a rooster and a torch. When he could not find lodging in town, he had to sleep in the woods. He said, “All the Gd does, is for the good,” When the donkey and the rooster were eaten by wild animals, he said, “All that Gd does, is for the good,” When the torch was blown out by the wind, he said, “All that Gd does is for the good.”
The next morning, Rabbi Akiva learned that bandits had destroyed the town overnight. He realized, that had he found lodging in the town, or had the bandits
seen his torch or heard his donkey or rooster, his life would have been in jeopardy. Rabbi Akiva exemplifies that his misfortunes, were actually for the best.
Another famous Talmudic story about the mindset of transforming suffering into good is Nachum ish Gam Zu, a nickname for an individual who reacted to misfortune with unyielding optimism. It is related that in later years Nachum’s hands and feet became paralyzed and he was afflicted with other severe physical ailments. He bore his troubles patiently however, and even found some good in then. That is why we say Gam Zu L’Tova, this too is for the good.
Today I spoke with someone who is out of town and in the ICU. She is getting better but it has been a difficult road. She laughed however when she told me that she likes that she is in room 22, because in Jewish folklore we have custom of making a spitting sound, 22, to keep the evil eye far away from us. She said it made the nurses laugh.
No one wants suffering, however, when it happens, the suffering uses us or we can use the suffering to grow.
A contemporary teacher of this is the 20th century theologian Reinhold Niebuhr, who statement of faith called the Serenity Prayer has helped millions of people transform feeling like a powerless victim, into a people with save’ah, serenity and
sanity. While very well known for those in recovery, it is a “suffering transformer” and can be utilized by anyone.
I can imagine Abraham saying such a prayer during times of his suffering.
Gd grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change. The Courage to change the things that I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. We could spend a long time talking about the three parts to this prayer. For now:
Accept the things I cannot change means that we accept the negative or terrible thing has happened. Accepting that it has occurred does not mean that we ever wanted it to happen. It means that we accept that it has happened.
The courage to change the things I can, means that there are things that I can do. This takes courage when certain situations deplete our desire to do anything. We are asked to think about if there is any action at all that we can do to help. Big or small.
And the wisdom to know the difference means that we can discern between the acceptance of the negative thing from the “what we can do.”
When we think about Abraham’s hard life and the fact the Torah says he was blessed ba’kol, with everything and died with savei’ah contentment, it is no
longer a a conundrum, because we realize that Abraham’s life embodies the ability to transform his suffering. In this way, his life will always be blessing to us.
We would like to show you a short video that packs into a few moments a deep insight into how faith works in our lives.
From the Rabbi: October 12, 2021
May we repair the world through
promoting peace and justice among all people,
through social action, tzedakah, and acts of lovingkindness.
Dear Friends,
We speak of Tikkun Olam frequently. The phrase is understood to mean “repairing the world” however the term has broader implications about our very purpose in being alive and our relationship with God. In some sources, the term is about the physical world, such as providing food for the hungry, and safe places for the unhoused. For others, it is linked to the fully realized dream of fixing the world under the rule of God.
One place we find the Tikkun Olam phrase is in the Aleinu prayer recited toward the end of every service since 1200 CE. The sentence reads: “l’takein olam b’mal’chut Shaddai” which indicates the goal of Jewish existence is to establish the world under the rule of God. We interpret this as we “fix the world” by helping make Godly qualities extend to all places. In the 16th century, the Kabbalistic teacher, Rabbi Isaac Luria of Safed taught that we are obligated to assume a partnership with God to repair the world. According to folklorist and author Howard Schwartz, the Lurianic creation is summarized as follows:
At the beginning of time, God’s presence filled the universe. When God decided to bring the world into being, to make room for creation, God contracted Godself by drawing in God’s breath, forming a dark mass. Then God said, Let there be light (Gen. 1:3) and ten holy vessels came forth, each filled with primordial light.
God sent forth the ten vessels like a fleet of ships, each carrying its cargo of light. But the vessels—too fragile to contain such powerful Divine light—broke open, scattering the holy sparks everywhere.
Had these vessels arrived intact, the world would have been perfect. Instead, God created people to seek out and gather the hidden sparks, wherever we can find them. Once this task is completed, the broken vessels will be restored, and the world will be repaired.
According to the Lurianic creation vision, our lifelong task is to find and gather these mysterious, elusive sparks of light. When we perform a mitzvah, we separate the holy from the not holy and release the light within. Every time we help share a burden of suffering with another person, we are allowing more light to infuse the world. Kabbalistic myth helps fire our imagination as we strive to fix what is broken.
At CBS we derive great meaning in Tikkun Olam; indeed it is fundamental to our mission. Our children in Neshama Religious school learn about and participate in Tikkun Olam. Our B’nai Mitzvah program emphasizes the importance of each young person devoting time to creating a “Mitzvah Project.” Our monthly Social Action Shabbat and workshops, highlight things that need fixing in our world by inviting activists to teach and guide. We don’t engage in Tikkun Olam simply because it is good to be good, we do these things because we exist. Our participation in Tikkun Olam is an opportunity to be God’s partners. As the prayer says:
Baruch atah Adonai
Eloheinu melech ha'olam
Shenatan lanu hizdamnut l'takein et ha'ol Blessed are You Adonai Our God Sovereign of the Universe Who has given us the opportunity to heal the world.
This coming Friday night on Zoom we have the opportunity to become more aware of the work done at Loaves and Fishes. Loaves & Fishes is a charity in Sacramento dedicated to feeding the hungry and sheltering the homeless. It is a fully private charity that does not solicit or accept government money. Every day they provide a noon meal to 600-1000 homeless people. Joe Smith is the Advocacy Director for Sacramento Loaves & Fishes. Before assuming this role, he served as Friendship Park’s Assistant Director for Loaves & Fishes. Before coming to Loaves & Fishes, Joe experienced 5 ½ years of living on the streets of Sacramento, San Francisco, and Reno. This shared experience with people experiencing homelessness makes for a unique, powerful, and meaningful bond. The Advocacy Director’s responsibility is to speak on behalf of the homeless and poor at every opportunity.
Along with our guest speaker, members of our CBS Band, Shabbat with a Beat will be playing live from the Sanctuary! Due to the technical skill and magic of Rick Snyder, you will be able to zoom into the vibrant music of CBS along with the vital message of Joe Smith.
At this service, our upcoming Bar Mitzvah, Edan Cohen will be sharing with us about his Bar Mitzvah Project which is connected to Loaves and Fishes, and how we, his CBS family can make this successful. As we ease along the month of October, we are well aware of next month’s Thanksgiving holiday. Every year, CBS is an active participant in donating lots of turkeys and Thanksgiving fixings to the Arden Food Bank. Our glorious cheerleader for Thanksgiving Food Donations, Robin Gillet has been experiencing health setbacks and we pray, that as CBS rallies this year to bring more donations for Thanksgiving, it will manifest healing energy. After Food Faire, stay tuned for when we can bring fixings to CBS and top our best Thanksgiving donations.
From the Rabbi: October 4, 2021
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From the Rabbi: October 4, 2021
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From the Rabbi: September 27, 2021
Dear Friends,
A new year has begun, and it is time to dive into Jewish Learning. CBS will be offering zoom classes and in person classes.
Saturday Morning Torah Study: 9:00 am – 10:15 am with Rabbi Nancy Wechsler. Join us for a collaborative exploration of the Torah and its meaning for our lives. ZOOM. No fee
Sunday Morning: 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
Beginning Hebrew with Carry Cohn IN PERSON (A minimum of 5 students are necessary)
6 Classes - $136 (Oct 3,10,17,31 Nov 7,14)
Sunday Morning:10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Mussar with Rabbi Nancy Wechsler ZOOM (Previous Mussar classes required)
6 Classes - $136 (Oct 3,10,17,31 Nov 7,14)
Monthly Rosh Chodesh: First Thursday of the Month 6:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Torah Learning and Challah Baking with Rabbi Nancy Wechsler IN PERSON We will study the parasha, study the theme of Rosh Chodesh and leave with a freshly baked challah for Shabbat. Takes place in the Social Hall.
RSVP required $18 per session (Oct 7, Nov 4, Dec 2, Jan 6, Feb 3, March 3, April 7, May 5, June 2)
Wednesday Lunch and Learn: Coming in December with Rabbi Nancy Wechsler. In Person. The Kuzari: In Defense of the Despised Faith. The Kuzari is a Medieval Treatise on Judaism by Judah Halevi. Purchase your book online and get a running start. 6 sessions - $72 (December 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, January 5). Bring your lunch.
This is what we are looking at thus far, and if there are things you would love to study, please let me know. We can make it happen at a time that works for you. If not now, when?
Shalom,
Rabbi Nancy Wechsler
From the Rabbi: September 27, 2021
Dear Friends,
A new year has begun, and it is time to dive into Jewish Learning. CBS will be offering zoom classes and in person classes.
Saturday Morning Torah Study: 9:00 am – 10:15 am with Rabbi Nancy Wechsler. Join us for a collaborative exploration of the Torah and its meaning for our lives. ZOOM. No fee
Sunday Morning: 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
Beginning Hebrew with Carry Cohn IN PERSON (A minimum of 5 students are necessary)
6 Classes - $136 (Oct 3,10,17,31 Nov 7,14)
Sunday Morning:10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Mussar with Rabbi Nancy Wechsler ZOOM (Previous Mussar classes required)
6 Classes - $136 (Oct 3,10,17,31 Nov 7,14)
Monthly Rosh Chodesh: First Thursday of the Month 6:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Torah Learning and Challah Baking with Rabbi Nancy Wechsler IN PERSON We will study the parasha, study the theme of Rosh Chodesh and leave with a freshly baked challah for Shabbat. Takes place in the Social Hall.
RSVP required $18 per session (Oct 7, Nov 4, Dec 2, Jan 6, Feb 3, March 3, April 7, May 5, June 2)
Wednesday Lunch and Learn: Coming in December with Rabbi Nancy Wechsler. In Person. The Kuzari: In Defense of the Despised Faith. The Kuzari is a Medieval Treatise on Judaism by Judah Halevi. Purchase your book online and get a running start. 6 sessions - $72 (December 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, January 5). Bring your lunch.
This is what we are looking at thus far, and if there are things you would love to study, please let me know. We can make it happen at a time that works for you. If not now, when?
Shalom,
Rabbi Nancy Wechsler
From the Rabbi: September 13, 2021
Dear Ones,
Long ago after the destruction of the Temples in Jerusalem, the rabbis asked the question of how we could manage spirituality without a physical location. They answered that our homes could become a “mikdash m’at” a miniature sanctuary, a holy place. Over the past eighteen months, we have become accustomed to this shift of creating sacred space at home, but I wanted to remind us of some ways to further elevate the sanctity of our upcoming Yom Kippur, Wednesday, September 15 thru Thursday, September 16th.
These ten suggestions collected by my friend Rabbi Elyse Goldstein (Toronto CN) are meant to help us enhance the High Holy Day experience at home while creating a communal atmosphere for us all.
1. Choose your prayer space carefully in advance by spending a few moments of individual contemplation/family discussion. Do not wait for the last minute!
2. Once you have chosen your space, say a blessing or kavannah (“intention”) over it to mark it as your mikdash m’at. Suggestions of verses and blessings are given below.
3. What chair will you sit on? Put a cushion or festive pillow on it, or drape it with a tallit, special piece of fabric, or scarf.
4. Change where you put your computer from a workspace to a contemplative space by covering the desk or table with a white tablecloth, white runner, or white placemat, and a vase of flowers.
5. Find meaningful objects to grace your space. On Yom Kippur, you can place cherished mementos, family heirlooms, and photos of loved ones to surround you. If you own a shofar, put it where it is visible. To participate more fully in Yizkor, make sure you have a yahrtzeit candle and matches available to light.
6. If possible, move the computer space back so that you are “watching” the screen more than “manipulating” it. Consider connecting your computer to a TV screen so it feels less like a work device.
7. Try to limit or disconnect auditory distractions. You can turn off your email and text message ping sounds, and/or close your email program and other apps so you can be fully present during the service.
8. Wear clothing that makes you feel as if you are entering a spiritual space. Kippah and tallit are welcome if they help you express a connection to this special worship.
9. Be sure you have your machzor with you, just like on past High Holidays when we gathered. You can still pick up the Machzor for Yom Kippur from the CBS office or download the Machzor on the CBS link.
10. Make it a habit to join the online services we already offer now. Praying as any other activity becomes more comfortable and “natural” when we practice it.
We all appreciate the time and effort it takes to make our mikdash m’at a truly holy place. Our individual effort impacts the rest of the congregation. May it add joy and meaning to your Yom Kippur.
Note that for Sukkot, on Monday, September 20 at 5-6, we will have a drive-through in person Sukkah celebration and Simchat Torah, Tuesday, September 28th at 5:00 we will march with our masks, outside at CBS.
I wish you a wonderful and meaningful Yom Kippur and look forward to the joy of seeing your faces on zoom.
G’mar Chatimah Tova, wishing you a good sealing for health, happiness, and peace in the Book of Life.
Rabbi Nancy Wechsler
Verses and blessings to help create your sacred space/mikdash m’at:
1. Numbers 24:5
מַה־טֹּ֥בוּ אֹהָלֶ֖יךָ יַעֲקֹ֑ב מִשְׁכְּנֹתֶ֖יךָ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
How good are your tents, O Jacob, Your sacred places, O Israel!
2. Birkat Habayit (home blessing):
בְּזֶה הַשַּׁעַר לֹא יָבוֹא צַעַר
בְּזֹאת הַדִּירָה לֹא תָבוֹא צָרָה
בְּזֹאת הַדֶּלֶת לֺא תָבוֹא בֶּהָלָה
בְּזֹאת הַמַּחְלָקָה לֺא תָבוֹא מַחְלוֺקֶת.
בְּזֶה הַמָּקוֺם תְּהִי בְרָכָה וְשָׁלוֺם
Let no sorrow come through this gate.
Let no trouble come in this dwelling.
Let no fright come through this door.
Let no conflict come to this section.
Let there be blessing and peace in this place.
3. Exodus 20:21:
בְּכָל־הַמָּקוֹם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אַזְכִּ֣יר אֶת־שְׁמִ֔י אָב֥וֹא אֵלֶ֖יךָ וּבֵרַכְתִּֽיךָ
In every place where My name is mentioned, I will come to you and bless you.
4. Exodus 3:5
כִּ֣י הַמָּק֗וֹם אֲשֶׁ֤ר אַתָּה֙ עוֹמֵ֣ד עָלָ֔יו אַדְמַת־קֹ֖דֶשׁ הֽוּא׃
Indeed, the place on which you stand is holy ground.
5. Psalms 121:8
יְֽהוָ֗ה יִשְׁמָר־צֵאתְךָ֥ וּבוֹאֶ֑ךָ מֵֽ֝עַתָּ֗ה וְעַד־עוֹלָֽם׃
Adonai will guard your going and coming, now and forever.
6. Pirke Avot 1:4
יְהִי בֵיתְךָ בֵית וַעַד לַחֲכָמִים, וֶהֱוֵי מִתְאַבֵּק בַּעֲפַר רַגְלֵיהֶם, וֶהֱוֵי שׁוֹתֶה בְצָמָא אֶת דִּבְרֵיהֶם:
Let thy house be a house of meeting for the wise, sit at their feet, and drink in their words.
7. The last line of the blessing said at havdala separating Shabbat from weekday can be used to “separate” this sacred space:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה’, הַמַבְדִּיל בֵּין קֹדֶשׁ לְחוֹל
Baruch atah Adonai, hamavdil bayn kodesh lechol.
Blessed are You Adonai, who separates between holy and ordinary.
From the Rabbi: September 13, 2021
Dear Ones,
Long ago after the destruction of the Temples in Jerusalem, the rabbis asked the question of how we could manage spirituality without a physical location. They answered that our homes could become a “mikdash m’at” a miniature sanctuary, a holy place. Over the past eighteen months, we have become accustomed to this shift of creating sacred space at home, but I wanted to remind us of some ways to further elevate the sanctity of our upcoming Yom Kippur, Wednesday, September 15 thru Thursday, September 16th.
These ten suggestions collected by my friend Rabbi Elyse Goldstein (Toronto CN) are meant to help us enhance the High Holy Day experience at home while creating a communal atmosphere for us all.
1. Choose your prayer space carefully in advance by spending a few moments of individual contemplation/family discussion. Do not wait for the last minute!
2. Once you have chosen your space, say a blessing or kavannah (“intention”) over it to mark it as your mikdash m’at. Suggestions of verses and blessings are given below.
3. What chair will you sit on? Put a cushion or festive pillow on it, or drape it with a tallit, special piece of fabric, or scarf.
4. Change where you put your computer from a workspace to a contemplative space by covering the desk or table with a white tablecloth, white runner, or white placemat, and a vase of flowers.
5. Find meaningful objects to grace your space. On Yom Kippur, you can place cherished mementos, family heirlooms, and photos of loved ones to surround you. If you own a shofar, put it where it is visible. To participate more fully in Yizkor, make sure you have a yahrtzeit candle and matches available to light.
6. If possible, move the computer space back so that you are “watching” the screen more than “manipulating” it. Consider connecting your computer to a TV screen so it feels less like a work device.
7. Try to limit or disconnect auditory distractions. You can turn off your email and text message ping sounds, and/or close your email program and other apps so you can be fully present during the service.
8. Wear clothing that makes you feel as if you are entering a spiritual space. Kippah and tallit are welcome if they help you express a connection to this special worship.
9. Be sure you have your machzor with you, just like on past High Holidays when we gathered. You can still pick up the Machzor for Yom Kippur from the CBS office or download the Machzor on the CBS link.
10. Make it a habit to join the online services we already offer now. Praying as any other activity becomes more comfortable and “natural” when we practice it.
We all appreciate the time and effort it takes to make our mikdash m’at a truly holy place. Our individual effort impacts the rest of the congregation. May it add joy and meaning to your Yom Kippur.
Note that for Sukkot, on Monday, September 20 at 5-6, we will have a drive-through in person Sukkah celebration and Simchat Torah, Tuesday, September 28th at 5:00 we will march with our masks, outside at CBS.
I wish you a wonderful and meaningful Yom Kippur and look forward to the joy of seeing your faces on zoom.
G’mar Chatimah Tova, wishing you a good sealing for health, happiness, and peace in the Book of Life.
Rabbi Nancy Wechsler
Verses and blessings to help create your sacred space/mikdash m’at:
1. Numbers 24:5
מַה־טֹּ֥בוּ אֹהָלֶ֖יךָ יַעֲקֹ֑ב מִשְׁכְּנֹתֶ֖יךָ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
How good are your tents, O Jacob, Your sacred places, O Israel!
2. Birkat Habayit (home blessing):
בְּזֶה הַשַּׁעַר לֹא יָבוֹא צַעַר
בְּזֹאת הַדִּירָה לֹא תָבוֹא צָרָה
בְּזֹאת הַדֶּלֶת לֺא תָבוֹא בֶּהָלָה
בְּזֹאת הַמַּחְלָקָה לֺא תָבוֹא מַחְלוֺקֶת.
בְּזֶה הַמָּקוֺם תְּהִי בְרָכָה וְשָׁלוֺם
Let no sorrow come through this gate.
Let no trouble come in this dwelling.
Let no fright come through this door.
Let no conflict come to this section.
Let there be blessing and peace in this place.
3. Exodus 20:21:
בְּכָל־הַמָּקוֹם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אַזְכִּ֣יר אֶת־שְׁמִ֔י אָב֥וֹא אֵלֶ֖יךָ וּבֵרַכְתִּֽיךָ
In every place where My name is mentioned, I will come to you and bless you.
4. Exodus 3:5
כִּ֣י הַמָּק֗וֹם אֲשֶׁ֤ר אַתָּה֙ עוֹמֵ֣ד עָלָ֔יו אַדְמַת־קֹ֖דֶשׁ הֽוּא׃
Indeed, the place on which you stand is holy ground.
5. Psalms 121:8
יְֽהוָ֗ה יִשְׁמָר־צֵאתְךָ֥ וּבוֹאֶ֑ךָ מֵֽ֝עַתָּ֗ה וְעַד־עוֹלָֽם׃
Adonai will guard your going and coming, now and forever.
6. Pirke Avot 1:4
יְהִי בֵיתְךָ בֵית וַעַד לַחֲכָמִים, וֶהֱוֵי מִתְאַבֵּק בַּעֲפַר רַגְלֵיהֶם, וֶהֱוֵי שׁוֹתֶה בְצָמָא אֶת דִּבְרֵיהֶם:
Let thy house be a house of meeting for the wise, sit at their feet, and drink in their words.
7. The last line of the blessing said at havdala separating Shabbat from weekday can be used to “separate” this sacred space:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה’, הַמַבְדִּיל בֵּין קֹדֶשׁ לְחוֹל
Baruch atah Adonai, hamavdil bayn kodesh lechol.
Blessed are You Adonai, who separates between holy and ordinary.
From the Rabbi: August 10, 2021
Dear CBS Family,
I am writing to you from the beauty of Netanya, Israel. Netanya is on the coast and my morning walks take place on the sand. Along with the soft crashing of waves and the sweetest songs of birds, and a plethora of stray cats, these past mornings I have heard the Shofar sounding. I stop in my tracks and follow the Tekiah, Teruah, and Sh’varim codes. I think of our CBS Shofar blowers, Ella Varano and Eli Swatt, and how the sound of their Shofars awakens our spirits to return to our truest selves. I cannot wait to hear them throughout our High Holy Days.
I have been enjoying the bliss of being with both of my daughters; Eliza who is a lone soldier, chayelet bode’dah, and my younger daughter Lily. We visited Eliza’s apartment at the Raanana Absorption Center which lone soldiers call home. Very different than in the United States Army, Israeli soldiers come home every Shabbat unless they are required to “close” Shabbat on their assigned army base. The compound in Raanana is a cement campus that also serves as home to new immigrants.
I had the opportunity to meet some of Eliza’s friends in the IDF who have come from various places in the world. They come because something about Israel passionately fills their hearts. They are dedicated to becoming fluent in Hebrew and physically strong to fulfill their assignment. Interestingly not all lone soldiers are Jewish. For those not Jewish, part of their unique track is the requirement to take Nativ, the Orthodox introduction to Judaism program. After the course, they can choose if they wish to convert.
Each lone soldier has a host family who welcomes them on Shabbat when they are off base. The host family attends the important ceremonies and helps them navigate the often-confusing medical services and bureaucracy of Israeli life. I was deeply moved to meet the wonderful family of five who now claim Eliza as part of their family.
Navigating the Israeli culture is not always easy, and the metaphor of sabra fruit is relevant. On the outside, the sabra fruit is inedible. It has sharp thorns. On the inside, however, the fruit is sweet. Cheerful smiles walking down the street are infrequent, however, in an instant, should a problem occur, the response would be immediate and absolute. Regarding faces, masks are worn in all shops and restaurants. Some wear masks outdoors as well.
Soldiers are the children of everyone. When a soldier is recognized as being a lone soldier, the appreciative reaction is moving. The Israeli understands that a young adult who comes without family to serve in the Israeli army is something very special. One person told me that the lone soldiers are like angels.
This past Shabbat I attended in-person services at a small Reform Synagogue in Netanya called Kehillat Natan-Ya. They allowed about 15-20 people into the small Sanctuary and the rest attended on zoom. Their rabbi, Rabbi Nof explained that he was unsure what was going to take place at his shul for the Chagim but shared the resilient spirit that no matter what, our Jewish spirit would be blessed, renewed, and inspired.
Throughout the last 18 months, each of us has had to grapple with what we need to survive and thrive. We leaned in, we nurtured relationships across physical space and even found new ways of connecting with Judaism. Because of our resilience, we will continue to be there for one another and find true ways to create CBS Sanctuary whether in person or on-screen. Despite how much we long for in-person connecting, we have learned that sacred space is far more than physical proximity.
As we walk this holy month of Elul, let us express gratitude and include everyone on our journey. I look forward to celebrating Selichot with you Saturday evening, August 28th.
With love from Israel,
Rabbi Nancy
From the Rabbi: August 10, 2021
Dear CBS Family,
I am writing to you from the beauty of Netanya, Israel. Netanya is on the coast and my morning walks take place on the sand. Along with the soft crashing of waves and the sweetest songs of birds, and a plethora of stray cats, these past mornings I have heard the Shofar sounding. I stop in my tracks and follow the Tekiah, Teruah, and Sh’varim codes. I think of our CBS Shofar blowers, Ella Varano and Eli Swatt, and how the sound of their Shofars awakens our spirits to return to our truest selves. I cannot wait to hear them throughout our High Holy Days.
I have been enjoying the bliss of being with both of my daughters; Eliza who is a lone soldier, chayelet bode’dah, and my younger daughter Lily. We visited Eliza’s apartment at the Raanana Absorption Center which lone soldiers call home. Very different than in the United States Army, Israeli soldiers come home every Shabbat unless they are required to “close” Shabbat on their assigned army base. The compound in Raanana is a cement campus that also serves as home to new immigrants.
I had the opportunity to meet some of Eliza’s friends in the IDF who have come from various places in the world. They come because something about Israel passionately fills their hearts. They are dedicated to becoming fluent in Hebrew and physically strong to fulfill their assignment. Interestingly not all lone soldiers are Jewish. For those not Jewish, part of their unique track is the requirement to take Nativ, the Orthodox introduction to Judaism program. After the course, they can choose if they wish to convert.
Each lone soldier has a host family who welcomes them on Shabbat when they are off base. The host family attends the important ceremonies and helps them navigate the often-confusing medical services and bureaucracy of Israeli life. I was deeply moved to meet the wonderful family of five who now claim Eliza as part of their family.
Navigating the Israeli culture is not always easy, and the metaphor of sabra fruit is relevant. On the outside, the sabra fruit is inedible. It has sharp thorns. On the inside, however, the fruit is sweet. Cheerful smiles walking down the street are infrequent, however, in an instant, should a problem occur, the response would be immediate and absolute. Regarding faces, masks are worn in all shops and restaurants. Some wear masks outdoors as well.
Soldiers are the children of everyone. When a soldier is recognized as being a lone soldier, the appreciative reaction is moving. The Israeli understands that a young adult who comes without family to serve in the Israeli army is something very special. One person told me that the lone soldiers are like angels.
This past Shabbat I attended in-person services at a small Reform Synagogue in Netanya called Kehillat Natan-Ya. They allowed about 15-20 people into the small Sanctuary and the rest attended on zoom. Their rabbi, Rabbi Nof explained that he was unsure what was going to take place at his shul for the Chagim but shared the resilient spirit that no matter what, our Jewish spirit would be blessed, renewed, and inspired.
Throughout the last 18 months, each of us has had to grapple with what we need to survive and thrive. We leaned in, we nurtured relationships across physical space and even found new ways of connecting with Judaism. Because of our resilience, we will continue to be there for one another and find true ways to create CBS Sanctuary whether in person or on-screen. Despite how much we long for in-person connecting, we have learned that sacred space is far more than physical proximity.
As we walk this holy month of Elul, let us express gratitude and include everyone on our journey. I look forward to celebrating Selichot with you Saturday evening, August 28th.
With love from Israel,
Rabbi Nancy
From the Rabbi: May 13, 2021
Dear Friends,
Like you, as I watch the events in Israel unfold in the news, I am at a loss for words. So much violence, so much hurting, so much fear I imagine those in Israel and in Palestine must be experiencing right now. I pray that G-d protects all those who are experiencing this violence.
This week my eldest daughter Eliza started basic training in the Israeli army. She asked me to include the Palestinians in our prayers for peace. The situation between Israelis and Palestinians has been tangled for a millennium. Tension has flared badly, and we pray for a de-escalation of everyone, and every place involved. Always, we pray for peace.
Adonai, You have protected Israel in the past. You have protected Israel throughout history, and you will not fail to do so now. Please shelter all people from harm, get families to safety, and shield them with your peace and protection.
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
“May they prosper who love you.
“May peace be within your walls,
And prosperity within your palaces.”
For the sake of my brothers, sisters and my friends,
I will now say, “May peace be within you.”
For the sake of the house of Adonai,
I will seek your good.
(Psalm 122:6-9)
Pray for peace.
Rabbi Nancy Wechsler
From the Rabbi: May 13, 2021
Dear Friends,
Like you, as I watch the events in Israel unfold in the news, I am at a loss for words. So much violence, so much hurting, so much fear I imagine those in Israel and in Palestine must be experiencing right now. I pray that G-d protects all those who are experiencing this violence.
This week my eldest daughter Eliza started basic training in the Israeli army. She asked me to include the Palestinians in our prayers for peace. The situation between Israelis and Palestinians has been tangled for a millennium. Tension has flared badly, and we pray for a de-escalation of everyone, and every place involved. Always, we pray for peace.
Adonai, You have protected Israel in the past. You have protected Israel throughout history, and you will not fail to do so now. Please shelter all people from harm, get families to safety, and shield them with your peace and protection.
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
“May they prosper who love you.
“May peace be within your walls,
And prosperity within your palaces.”
For the sake of my brothers, sisters and my friends,
I will now say, “May peace be within you.”
For the sake of the house of Adonai,
I will seek your good.
(Psalm 122:6-9)
Pray for peace.
Rabbi Nancy Wechsler
From the Rabbi: May 9, 2021
Dear Friends,
We come to the seventh and final week as we count up to Shavuot, this week the week of Malkhut. Malkhut’s identity is the summation of the other sephirot. It is the culmination of these ideas coming into physical reality.
Perhaps an easier way to envision Malkhut is “how we show up.” After the education we receive, both formal and life learning, what is the effect? How are we changed from lessons hopefully learned?
Malkhut, from the Hebrew word ‘melech’ meaning king, is linked to ‘kingdom.’ At the same time in the mystical tradition, the sephira Malkhut has an additional name, Shekinah, the feminine aspect of G-d. Shekinah is a Talmudic concept representing G-d’s dwelling in the world. As Malkhut/Shekinah is the recipient of higher sephirot, it carries the character of taking full responsibility.
Webster's Dictionary defines “accountability” as “the quality or state of being accountable; an obligation or willingness to accept responsibility for one's actions.” Accountability doesn't mean punishment. Accountability is a willingness to accept responsibility for our own actions.
The matriarch Rachel is the Biblical character who represents Malkhut. We are most like Rachel when we model the way we want to see all people treated. According to the Kabbalah, it is Rachel who spiritually hovers near us. She guards us when we feel disconnected, or when we are physically in exile. The rabbis teach that compassionate Rachel demonstrates responsibility by looking out for all of us, her children.
Questions to ponder in the 7th week of the Omer, Malchut.
What are some areas in my life where I take healthier responsibility due to processing certain life experiences?
What are some areas in my life where I am not taking as much responsibility as would be fitting?
What one thing can I try this week that will bring me to greater accountability.
With blessings in this 7th week of the Omer.
Rabbi Nancy Wechsler
From the Rabbi: May 9, 2021
Dear Friends,
We come to the seventh and final week as we count up to Shavuot, this week the week of Malkhut. Malkhut’s identity is the summation of the other sephirot. It is the culmination of these ideas coming into physical reality.
Perhaps an easier way to envision Malkhut is “how we show up.” After the education we receive, both formal and life learning, what is the effect? How are we changed from lessons hopefully learned?
Malkhut, from the Hebrew word ‘melech’ meaning king, is linked to ‘kingdom.’ At the same time in the mystical tradition, the sephira Malkhut has an additional name, Shekinah, the feminine aspect of G-d. Shekinah is a Talmudic concept representing G-d’s dwelling in the world. As Malkhut/Shekinah is the recipient of higher sephirot, it carries the character of taking full responsibility.
Webster's Dictionary defines “accountability” as “the quality or state of being accountable; an obligation or willingness to accept responsibility for one's actions.” Accountability doesn't mean punishment. Accountability is a willingness to accept responsibility for our own actions.
The matriarch Rachel is the Biblical character who represents Malkhut. We are most like Rachel when we model the way we want to see all people treated. According to the Kabbalah, it is Rachel who spiritually hovers near us. She guards us when we feel disconnected, or when we are physically in exile. The rabbis teach that compassionate Rachel demonstrates responsibility by looking out for all of us, her children.
Questions to ponder in the 7th week of the Omer, Malchut.
What are some areas in my life where I take healthier responsibility due to processing certain life experiences?
What are some areas in my life where I am not taking as much responsibility as would be fitting?
What one thing can I try this week that will bring me to greater accountability.
With blessings in this 7th week of the Omer.
Rabbi Nancy Wechsler
From the Rabbi: May 2, 2021
Dear Friends,
In the Sephira chart, Yesod is located near the base. It is seen as a vehicle allowing movement from one thing or condition to build. The word Yesod means "foundation."
Imagine someone building a home. Even if made of the finest material and advanced building techniques, it will sink into the ground unless it is anchored to solid bedrock. That bedrock is Yesod, the firm reality upon which things are built. The Biblical character linked to Yesod is Joseph.
A few reminders about Joseph’s spiritual journey.
Initially, we meet Joseph as a boastful and sassy young man. It was through suffering that he transformed his life into one of blessing. We remember that Joseph was sold by all his brothers, except Benjamin into slavery. After many years there was a famine, and his brothers’ journey to Egypt to procure food.
By now Joseph is Pharaoh’s right-hand man, and when his brothers arrive beseeching food, he recognizes them, but they do not recognize him.
His behavior towards his brothers shows his capacity to accept life and his gratitude born from pain. He has released resentment for his own churlish behavior and is willing to forgive his grown siblings for theirs. Through Joseph’s spiritual maturation, the family reunites resulting in the foundation of today’s Jewish people. Joseph is; Yesod connector, the anchor and restorer of harmony.
We integrate this sixth week of the Omer by reflecting on Joseph’s character. He had impeccable integrity. When he served in the affluent Potiphar’s house, he was so honest that he was made overseer of the entire estate. Even when Potiphar’s wife made repeated overtures toward him, he avoided temptation. While he was framed and thrown into prison for this complicated scenario his demeanor was respected. Joseph was released from prison because of his gift of dream interpretation among the prisoners.
Joseph showed deep humility when he told the Pharaoh that his ability to interpret dreams was not because of his efforts but entirely due to G-d. Joseph was prudent in saving for the future. He managed the seven years of plenty so that the seven years of famine could yet sustain the people and livestock. Above all was his ability to forgive those who wronged them.
Practice for the Sixth Week of the Omer:
Choose one of the Joseph characteristics that you want to work on this week. Pay attention to interactions on zoom, with business and close friends and family through the lens of one of these foundational characteristics. Consider writing the word you want to focus upon on a small piece of paper and tape it to your laptop.
With blessings in the sixth week of the Omer.
Rabbi Nancy Wechsler
From the Rabbi: May 2, 2021
Dear Friends,
In the Sephira chart, Yesod is located near the base. It is seen as a vehicle allowing movement from one thing or condition to build. The word Yesod means "foundation."
Imagine someone building a home. Even if made of the finest material and advanced building techniques, it will sink into the ground unless it is anchored to solid bedrock. That bedrock is Yesod, the firm reality upon which things are built. The Biblical character linked to Yesod is Joseph.
A few reminders about Joseph’s spiritual journey.
Initially, we meet Joseph as a boastful and sassy young man. It was through suffering that he transformed his life into one of blessing. We remember that Joseph was sold by all his brothers, except Benjamin into slavery. After many years there was a famine, and his brothers’ journey to Egypt to procure food.
By now Joseph is Pharaoh’s right-hand man, and when his brothers arrive beseeching food, he recognizes them, but they do not recognize him.
His behavior towards his brothers shows his capacity to accept life and his gratitude born from pain. He has released resentment for his own churlish behavior and is willing to forgive his grown siblings for theirs. Through Joseph’s spiritual maturation, the family reunites resulting in the foundation of today’s Jewish people. Joseph is; Yesod connector, the anchor and restorer of harmony.
We integrate this sixth week of the Omer by reflecting on Joseph’s character. He had impeccable integrity. When he served in the affluent Potiphar’s house, he was so honest that he was made overseer of the entire estate. Even when Potiphar’s wife made repeated overtures toward him, he avoided temptation. While he was framed and thrown into prison for this complicated scenario his demeanor was respected. Joseph was released from prison because of his gift of dream interpretation among the prisoners.
Joseph showed deep humility when he told the Pharaoh that his ability to interpret dreams was not because of his efforts but entirely due to G-d. Joseph was prudent in saving for the future. He managed the seven years of plenty so that the seven years of famine could yet sustain the people and livestock. Above all was his ability to forgive those who wronged them.
Practice for the Sixth Week of the Omer:
Choose one of the Joseph characteristics that you want to work on this week. Pay attention to interactions on zoom, with business and close friends and family through the lens of one of these foundational characteristics. Consider writing the word you want to focus upon on a small piece of paper and tape it to your laptop.
With blessings in the sixth week of the Omer.
Rabbi Nancy Wechsler
From the Rabbi: April 25, 2021
The fifth week in the counting of the Omer: Hod
Dear Friends,
In the counting of the Omer, from the second night of Passover until the holiday of Shavuot we journey through seven weeks of the mystical grid of Divinity called the Sephirot. Week five is the week of Hod, the trait of contained nobility. Qualities of Hod include majesty, splendor, reverberation, prophecy, surrender, temimut (sincerity), and steadfastness. The Biblical person linked to Hod is Aaron, older brother of Moses and Miriam.
A little review of Aaron’s spiritual journey.
Aaron was not always the epitome of steadfast splendor. In the book of Exodus when Moses took longer than expected in returning from Mt. Sinai, the Israelites revolted. To manage the chaos, Aaron told the Israelites to take gold rings from their families which he then took and cast into a mold, making the jewelry into a calf.
Fortunate for Aaron, the lesson learned from mismanaging chaos became an opportunity to transform himself.
Years pass and Aaron is the one who accompanies a less than secure Moses in negotiating with the Egyptian Pharaoh. He articulates the words that Moses cannot. Later, in the wilderness Sanctuary, Aaron faces tragedy. His sons Nadav and Avihu who were training to be priests, act recklessly by offering unrequested sacrifices and die. Aaron holds himself together, neither breaking nor blaming. Despite personal loss, Aaron continues to perform rituals as a conduit between the Israelites and G-d. By doing so, he models how we can manage loss and continue to live.
More than any other virtue, Aaron is an anchor of peace.
The Talmud explains:
"Two people were having a quarrel. Aaron went and sat with one of the disputants and said to him, 'My son, look what your friend is saying; he is distraught and is tearing his clothing.' The disputant says, 'Woe to me! How can I look at my friend and see his shame as I am the one who has wronged him.’? …" (and Aaron is doing the same with the other disputant) "When the two met each other, they hugged and kissed in reconciliation" (Avot D’Rabbi Natan, version A, chapter 12).
This week we look at Hod, the Sephira of contained glory, and think about how we can better manage life’s triggers with steady calm.
"Hillel would say: Be of the disciples of Aaron – a lover of peace, a pursuer of peace …" (Pirkei Avot 1:12).
Shalom,
Rabbi Nancy Wechsler
From the Rabbi: April 25, 2021
The fifth week in the counting of the Omer: Hod
Dear Friends,
In the counting of the Omer, from the second night of Passover until the holiday of Shavuot we journey through seven weeks of the mystical grid of Divinity called the Sephirot. Week five is the week of Hod, the trait of contained nobility. Qualities of Hod include majesty, splendor, reverberation, prophecy, surrender, temimut (sincerity), and steadfastness. The Biblical person linked to Hod is Aaron, older brother of Moses and Miriam.
A little review of Aaron’s spiritual journey.
Aaron was not always the epitome of steadfast splendor. In the book of Exodus when Moses took longer than expected in returning from Mt. Sinai, the Israelites revolted. To manage the chaos, Aaron told the Israelites to take gold rings from their families which he then took and cast into a mold, making the jewelry into a calf.
Fortunate for Aaron, the lesson learned from mismanaging chaos became an opportunity to transform himself.
Years pass and Aaron is the one who accompanies a less than secure Moses in negotiating with the Egyptian Pharaoh. He articulates the words that Moses cannot. Later, in the wilderness Sanctuary, Aaron faces tragedy. His sons Nadav and Avihu who were training to be priests, act recklessly by offering unrequested sacrifices and die. Aaron holds himself together, neither breaking nor blaming. Despite personal loss, Aaron continues to perform rituals as a conduit between the Israelites and G-d. By doing so, he models how we can manage loss and continue to live.
More than any other virtue, Aaron is an anchor of peace.
The Talmud explains:
"Two people were having a quarrel. Aaron went and sat with one of the disputants and said to him, 'My son, look what your friend is saying; he is distraught and is tearing his clothing.' The disputant says, 'Woe to me! How can I look at my friend and see his shame as I am the one who has wronged him.’? …" (and Aaron is doing the same with the other disputant) "When the two met each other, they hugged and kissed in reconciliation" (Avot D’Rabbi Natan, version A, chapter 12).
This week we look at Hod, the Sephira of contained glory, and think about how we can better manage life’s triggers with steady calm.
"Hillel would say: Be of the disciples of Aaron – a lover of peace, a pursuer of peace …" (Pirkei Avot 1:12).
Shalom,
Rabbi Nancy Wechsler
From the Rabbi: April 20, 2021
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From the Rabbi: April 20, 2021
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From the Rabbi: April 18, 2021
Netzach/Endurance
Choose to take another step. Choose to keep going.
Netzach/ Endurance resides on the Right Column of the Sephirot chart, just below Chesed (lovingkindness). A repository and storehouse of positive energy from Chesed, Netzach radiates the desire to stretch beyond where we are right now. Netzach represents eternity and is representative of the right brain where the creative process takes place.
Everyone has willpower and determination which can be further developed. We have the capacity to endure much more than we can imagine and to prevail under the most trying of circumstances. Endurance can show up as our ability to withstand something difficult. Endurance can show up as determination to improve something about ourselves. Endurance can show up as patience as we try to slow reactivity with a thoughtful response.
We may be aware of activities that build physical endurance.
- Brisk walking or jogging.
- Yard work (mowing, raking)
- Dancing
- Climbing hills
- Swimming
- Yoga
We may be less aware of activities that build spiritual endurance.
- Prayer. Pray by yourself. Pray with other people. Ask G-d to give you strength in something you are trying to do.
“The Holy One goes before you and will be with you; G-d will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” Deuteronomy 31:8
- Patience. Patience with yourself. Patience with others. The Hebrew word for patience is Savlanute, from the word meaning to carry something. A porter is a Sovel, one who carries something heavy. When we work on being more patient, we can imagine ourselves carrying something heavy just a little bit further. This Talmudic example shows how much Endurance in the form of patience is valued:
Rabbi Preida had a student to whom he would have to repeat each lesson four hundred times before he understood it. One day [Rabbi Preida] was required to leave and attend to a certain matter involving a mitzvah. Before leaving he taught [the student] the usual four hundred times, but he still did not grasp the lesson. Rabbi Preida asked him, “Why is today different?” [The student] answered him, “From the very moment they told master that there is a mitzvah matter for him to attend to, my attention was diverted because every moment I thought that now the master will get up and leave, now the master will get up and leave.” Rabbi Preida said to him, “Pay attention, and I will teach you.” He taught him again another four hundred times. A heavenly voice emanated and asked [Rabbi Preida]: “Do you prefer that four hundred years be added to your life, or that you and your generation merit the life of the World to Come?” [Rabbi Preida] replied, “That I and my generation merit the life of the World to Come.” The Holy One, blessed is He, said to them. “Give them both this and this.”[1] [1] Eruvin 54b, translation by Schottenstein Edition of the Talmud Bavli, New York: Mesorah Publications.
- Controlling impulses. G-d centered spontaneity is a blessing, ego-based impulsivity can be hurtful. Finding your center, reminding yourself of a text, can assist in tapping into the virtue of Netzach/Endurance.
“Da Lifnei Mi Attah Omed” – “Know before Whom you stand” Talmud (B’rachot 28b).
Endurance changes our character. It’s not just about crossing the finish line, it’s about who we are when we do.
Shalom,
Rabbi Nancy Wechsler
From the Rabbi: April 18, 2021
Netzach/Endurance
Choose to take another step. Choose to keep going.
Netzach/ Endurance resides on the Right Column of the Sephirot chart, just below Chesed (lovingkindness). A repository and storehouse of positive energy from Chesed, Netzach radiates the desire to stretch beyond where we are right now. Netzach represents eternity and is representative of the right brain where the creative process takes place.
Everyone has willpower and determination which can be further developed. We have the capacity to endure much more than we can imagine and to prevail under the most trying of circumstances. Endurance can show up as our ability to withstand something difficult. Endurance can show up as determination to improve something about ourselves. Endurance can show up as patience as we try to slow reactivity with a thoughtful response.
We may be aware of activities that build physical endurance.
- Brisk walking or jogging.
- Yard work (mowing, raking)
- Dancing
- Climbing hills
- Swimming
- Yoga
We may be less aware of activities that build spiritual endurance.
- Prayer. Pray by yourself. Pray with other people. Ask G-d to give you strength in something you are trying to do.
“The Holy One goes before you and will be with you; G-d will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” Deuteronomy 31:8
- Patience. Patience with yourself. Patience with others. The Hebrew word for patience is Savlanute, from the word meaning to carry something. A porter is a Sovel, one who carries something heavy. When we work on being more patient, we can imagine ourselves carrying something heavy just a little bit further. This Talmudic example shows how much Endurance in the form of patience is valued:
Rabbi Preida had a student to whom he would have to repeat each lesson four hundred times before he understood it. One day [Rabbi Preida] was required to leave and attend to a certain matter involving a mitzvah. Before leaving he taught [the student] the usual four hundred times, but he still did not grasp the lesson. Rabbi Preida asked him, “Why is today different?” [The student] answered him, “From the very moment they told master that there is a mitzvah matter for him to attend to, my attention was diverted because every moment I thought that now the master will get up and leave, now the master will get up and leave.” Rabbi Preida said to him, “Pay attention, and I will teach you.” He taught him again another four hundred times. A heavenly voice emanated and asked [Rabbi Preida]: “Do you prefer that four hundred years be added to your life, or that you and your generation merit the life of the World to Come?” [Rabbi Preida] replied, “That I and my generation merit the life of the World to Come.” The Holy One, blessed is He, said to them. “Give them both this and this.”[1] [1] Eruvin 54b, translation by Schottenstein Edition of the Talmud Bavli, New York: Mesorah Publications.
- Controlling impulses. G-d centered spontaneity is a blessing, ego-based impulsivity can be hurtful. Finding your center, reminding yourself of a text, can assist in tapping into the virtue of Netzach/Endurance.
“Da Lifnei Mi Attah Omed” – “Know before Whom you stand” Talmud (B’rachot 28b).
Endurance changes our character. It’s not just about crossing the finish line, it’s about who we are when we do.
Shalom,
Rabbi Nancy Wechsler
From the Rabbi: April 13, 2021
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From the Rabbi: April 13, 2021
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From the Rabbi: December 27, 2021
In American football parlance, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” First attributed in 1953 to coach John Thomas of the Green Hornets and later Knute Rockne of Notre Dame, the theme is clear. Times have been very difficult, and the beat of stepping up our game has rarely been louder.
One of the greatest Jewish scholars and inspirational coaches of the 21st century was Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, chief rabbi of the UK; may his memory be for a blessing. Among his vast writings, Rabbi Sacks wrote about the imperative to live our lives wisely. In 2018 he wrote about the ten life-changing principles that we have the power to fine-tune. His words resonate with my soul, and I will be practicing this right along with you. With deep gratitude to the late Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, we collectively prep for 2022.
The first is to give thanks. He taught that it is a fact that we will face tough challenges in our lives; however, before we become swallowed up by them, practice gratitude. Make your gratitude list before you go to sleep. Even while suffering, some things make the situation better. Happy people are generally those who practice articulating those things that are good.
The second is to share with children, grandchildren, and friends ideas on how to live a good life. Rabbi Sacks taught that material gifts are lovely, of course, but the things that truly matter are the values we share. Do something with loved ones that align with your best ideas and goodness. Experiences exceed wrapped packages.
The third is to be a lifelong learner. We can join a book group, take a class online, or, when safe, attend a class in person. It is especially meaningful to learn with a friend. Learning keeps our minds sharp and our hearts open. Curiosity keeps us vibrant.
The fourth is not to compromise our Judaism in public. He taught that there is much value to being consistent in our Judaism. Own and be proud of your Judaism. When we live with self-respect as Jews, we are viewed with respect.
The fifth is forgiveness. The Torah reminds us not to hate our sibling in our hearts. Life is short, and forgiveness benefits us when we release resentment and grudges. Let it go already. It is much better for our health to release whatever it was that made us bitter. One exemplar of this is in Genesis, where Joseph forgave the cruelty of his brothers. Not only does Joseph live in peace, but the Torah also gives him the name Joseph the righteous.
The sixth is don’t speak negatively about others, even if it is true. Lashon Harah is actually about truth. When people gossip, even if true, it undermines and dirties the soul. Instead of speaking negatively, be silent.
The seventh is to keep Shabbat. It has been around for nearly 3,000 years. Shabbat has been a private island of happiness for the Jewish people. It requires self-control to avoid the phone, the laptop, the shopping, and the errands. It takes commitment to show up for ourselves and one another on Friday night in person or on zoom. Using baseball terminology, “we” are now up at-bat.
The eighth is to volunteer. The best medicine for depression is to extend ourselves to others. Judaism teaches that the door to happiness opens outwards. Give tzedakah. Show up to help. The beautiful word for unselfish love is chesed.
The ninth is to create moments of joy. Happiness comes from an external stimulus, sweet but finite. Joy is different from happiness, says Rabbi Sacks. Joy comes from the inside. Joy happens when we notice a break of sunshine after days of fog. Joy is what happens when we compliment someone, smile at someone, or smile inside thinking about a good moment in our day.
The tenth is love. The essence of Judaism is about love. We are to love G-d with all our hearts. We are commanded to love our neighbor as ourselves. We are to love the stranger, for we were once strangers. When we show love to others, we are also filled up.
These ten suggestions from Rabbi Jonathan Sacks are to be practiced slowly and gradually. They are an essential set of workouts as we boldly step into the year 2022. Certain things will always be out of our control. However, attitude and spiritual mindset are very much under our control.
With strength, confidence, shalom, and love,
Rabbi Nancy Wechsler
_______________________________________________
From the Rabbi: December 24, 2021
What is the most American thing a Jew to do on Christmas? We go out for Chinese food, a custom as American Jewish as apple pie.
It seems that the custom started as early as 1935 when a man named, Eng Shee Chuck brought Chow Mein on Christmas Day to the Jewish Children's Home in Newark, N.J. Others suggest there was an even earlier cuisine alliance starting in 1899 when the American Jewish Journal criticized Jews for eating at non-kosher restaurants and singled out Jews who flocked to Chinese restaurants.
Jews eating Chinese seemed like a match made in heaven as Chinese food rarely contains dairy hence avoiding the meat and dairy debacle. For more observant Jewish people, there are some dishes that are avoided altogether, however in general, Chow Mein on Christmas has been seen as a comfortable and tasty response to the holiday.
A Chinese restaurant always seemed like a safe and welcoming place for Jewish people who generally feel like outsiders on Christmas eve. The custom is now so well-known it’s been researched, parodied, and was once even referenced by U.S. Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan during her 2010 nomination hearing. Responding to a question by Senator Graham about where she was on a particular Christmas, Elena Kagan responded, "Like all Jews, I was probably at a Chinese restaurant." (June 29, 2010)
According to Ronnie Fein, a writer for The Nosher, the custom was born from a feeling of immigrant solidarity that began around the beginning of the 20th century and was cemented after a particularly deadly and vicious anti-Semitic pogrom in Kishinev (in what is now Moldova) in May of 1903. John Singleton, a Chinese businessperson, was so outraged at the cruelty and violence that he planned an event to raise money for the surviving victims. He and three other Chinese merchants held a benefit performance of a play at a theater in New York’s Chinatown. After the play, several Jewish men spoke about the common bond between the people, noting Russian atrocities against both Jews and Chinese. The actors in the play spoke Chinese. The Jewish men who spoke did so in Yiddish.
A Chinese dinner followed. There is no record of the menu but apparently no pork or shellfish was served, out of respect for the Jews.
For your Shabbat dining pleasure to accompany what you order via CBS from Panda Express, here is a recipe for Hot and Sour Soup, thoughtfully adapted for our enjoyment.
Hot and Sour Soup
- 6-8 dry black Chinese mushrooms
- 1 small boneless half chicken breast, about 6 ounces
- 8-ounce can bamboo shoots, rinsed and drained
- 6 ounces firm tofu
- 2 scallions
- 2 large eggs
- 3 Tbsp cornstarch mixed to a paste with water
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 2 to 2-1/2 Tbsp white vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- kosher salt to taste
- 6 cups chicken stock
- 2 tsp sesame oil
Directions
- Soak the mushrooms in hot water. When the mushrooms have softened, rinse them, discard the fibrous stem, if any, and shred the mushrooms. Set aside.
- Shred the chicken, bamboo shoots and tofu, and set aside.
- Finely chop the scallions and set aside.
- Beat the eggs and set them aside.
- Mix the cornstarch and water together.
- Combine the soy sauce, vinegar, pepper, and salt, and set this mixture aside.
- Bring the stock to a boil in a soup pot. Lower the heat to a simmer and add the chicken and bamboo shoots. Cook for 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and the soy sauce mixture. Cook for one minute. Add the tofu and stir gently to distribute the pieces. Stir the cornstarch mixture, add it to the pot and stir the soup gently, cooking for about a minute, or until the stock thickens slightly.
- Gradually pour the beaten egg into the soup. Stir gently with chopsticks to break the egg into pieces.
- Turn off the heat. Stir in the sesame oil.
- Pour the soup into a tureen and top with the scallions.
To life and good fortune!
Rabbi Nancy Wechsler
From the Rabbi: December 17, 2021
December 17th, 2021 – 13 Tevet 5782
Parashat Vayechi: Why Be Jewish?
There are a variety of reasons how and why people identify with Judaism. We identify as Jews because we may have been raised in a Jewish home and one or both of our parents were Jewish. If our ancestors were Jewish, we are proud to carry it on in our live.
We may identify as Jewish because we chose to convert to the religion out of a desire to attach to the heart, the theology and spirit of Judaism.
We may identify with Jewish because we fell in love with a Jewish person. We may identify with Jewish because something tugs at our heart and mind about Judaism although we chose to remain linked to the religion of our childhood.
We may identify as Jewish because we are “other” meaning that we identify because we are a minority, and we are proud of that. Along those lines, we identify as Jewish in part because of anti-Semitism and our refusal to give up or give in. We may have been bullied in school ostracized from clubs or social groups, so that our “other-ness” has become dear.
We may identify as Jewish because we align with Social Justice and the message, the doctrine of Tikkun Olam, to heal the world, loudly beats in our heart.
We may identify as Jewish because we really love Jewish food, and given the boxes: white bread or bagel, we check off the bagel box, every time.
We may identify as Jewish because we love the learning, the Torah, and the writings. We may identify as Jewish because of the music, and cultural history. We may identify as Jewish because the spirituality makes sense, moves us, and endlessly inspires us.
We may identify as Jewish because we love the fact that it is a mitzvah to discuss, question and even argue constructively for the sake of heaven. We may identify as Jewish because we love our attitude and use of comedy as a creative response to suffering.
We may identify as Jewish because of the State of Israel and we align with vision of having a Jewish homeland.
We may identify as Jewish because our soul belongs with the Jewish people and we are right here, where we need to be, either by birth or by choice.
We may be Jewish for a combination of these reasons.
When you think about your own life, what are the key reasons that most deeply pull you to Judaism?
In this week’s parasha Vayechi, this issue comes up when our second patriarch, Jacob is very old and is about to give his deepest blessing to his grandsons, Manasseh, and Ephraim. Manasseh is the eldest of the two boys. Torah dictates, especially in the book of Genesis, that the eldest son receives the big blessing, the one that supersedes the younger.
Under the watchful eye of his son, Joseph, Jacob sits upon on his bed, stretches out his arms to bless the boys’ heads. He places his right hand, the powerful big blessing hand on the youngest child, Ephraim and his left hand, the less powerful blessing hand on the eldest, Manasseh.
Joseph tries to stop him, upset at what he sees as the incorrect protocol. The text says, “va’yay’rah,” meaning, that it was bad, evil, definitely displeasing, so he reminds his father sharply that it is the eldest who receives the big blessing. However, the Torah says that Jacob, “vayee’mak-ayn,” he refused saying, “I know the older will become great, yet his younger brother shall become greater, and his legacy will fill the nations.”
What did the patriarch Jacob foresee? We look at the names of the two boys, Manasseh, the first born was described earlier in Torah as “God has made me forget all my hardship and my father’s house.” Ephraim’s name is described as “God has made me fruitful.” Manasseh’s name derives from the root Nun, Samech, Hey meaning “to be tested.” Ephraim’s name comes from the root “Peh, Resh, Hey, meaning, “fruitful.”
Jacob was making a statement so long ago that resonates all the way to this very moment. Both aspects of identification to Judaism matter; both the I am Jewish because I have been tested, as well as I am Jewish because of the fruitful, flourishing , creative delight.
From the Manasseh stream, we jokingly say about holidays such as Chanukah, Purim, and Passover, “they tried to kill us, they didn’t, let’s eat.” At the same time, there is the Ephraim stream that fills us with what is flourishing in of itself.
In that spirit I want to conclude with an excerpt of an email I received this week from a new member to CBS and her insight on watching her pre-school age child interact at Neshama, our religious school. She writes to Ester and to me,
“I wanted to reach out to you both and let you know how completely magical it has been to be welcomed into the community. Our little one adores Neshama, you all make it such a beautiful and supportive experience. As a mother, it is a dream come true to see my child running not the synagogue as it were a second home. All that you do and put into really makes a huge difference.”
We pray that the blessing of Ephraim continues to blossom and bear sweet fruit in the life of our community. And let us say: Amen
From the Rabbi: December 10, 2021
Shalshelet
Thunderous. Pausing. Making the right decision.
Of all the trope cantillations in the Torah, perhaps the most fascinating marking is found in this week’s Torah portion, Vayeshev. The melody is named Shalshelet. It looks like a lightening rod, placed directly above the word, and sounds like an arpeggio sung three times. Torah students respect this trope for two reasons. First, it’s hard to learn and once mastered, they feel like a singer. Second, this crème de la crème cantillation mark is exceedingly rare showing up a mere four times in the entire Torah. Delighted are the B’nai Mitzvah students who have Shalshelet in their parasha. These elite Torah chanters stand a little taller and chant their Shalshelet with an inner glow often making it integral to their D’var Torah (Torah speech).
Spiritually Shalshelet is referred to as Mar’imin u’Mafsikin (Mesorah Gedolah, Levicitus 8:23) Mar’imin means thunderous and Mafsikin means pausing, describing the melody in psychological terms. Shalshelet is about uncertainty, upheaval, and eventual resolve. Maimonides taught that “one who hesitates but, in the end, makes the right decision is on a higher level than one who acts without hesitation.” He explained that there are times when we are called upon to complete tasks that may not be in our immediate personal self-interest, however ultimately, when we make the correct decision, it is worthy of praise.
This week’s thunderous, pausing, and right decision making Shalshelet deals with physical temptation and restraint. Joseph, one of Jacobs 12 sons has been through the wringer. He was a dreamer who taunted his brothers with dreams of his superiority which led them to throwing him into a deep pit. In place of leaving him there to die, the brothers sold him off as a slave to the Ishmaelites and he wound up in Egypt working for the wealthy Mr. Potiphar. Mrs. Potiphar took a liking to Joseph and in no uncertain words let him know of her desire. While we will never know what Joseph was thinking when she demanded his amorous attention, we do have proof of his decisive refusal. The word, “But he refused,” in Hebrew v’y’mah’ein” is emblazoned with Shalshelet letting the reader know that Joseph was struggling with inner demons. Genesis 39:8
וַיְמָאֵ֓ן וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אֶל־אֵ֣שֶׁת אֲדֹנָ֔יו הֵ֣ן אֲדֹנִ֔י לֹא־יָדַ֥ע אִתִּ֖י מַה־בַּבָּ֑יִת וְכֹ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־יֶשׁ־ל֖וֹ נָתַ֥ן בְּיָדִֽי׃
But he refused. He said to his master’s wife, “Look, with me here, my master gives no thought to anything in this house, and all that he owns he has placed in my hands.
You may be wondering about the other three examples with the mysterious Shalshelet?
One concerns the tricky character of Lot, Abraham’s nephew. Lot needed to escape Sodom and Gemorah because these towns were going to be destroyed. Through the character of an angel, (a Biblical messenger of G-d) Lot, along with his wife and two daughters were commanded to leave. Lot’s delay to exit may have been fear based, or perhaps his comfort level with sin clouded his better judgement. In Genesis 9:16, Shalshelet looms above the word “still he delayed” suggesting Lot’s anguish.
וַֽיִּתְמַהְמָ֓הּ ׀ וַיַּחֲזִ֨קוּ הָאֲנָשִׁ֜ים בְּיָד֣וֹ וּבְיַד־אִשְׁתּ֗וֹ וּבְיַד֙ שְׁתֵּ֣י בְנֹתָ֔יו בְּחֶמְלַ֥ת יְהוָ֖ה עָלָ֑יו וַיֹּצִאֻ֥הוּ וַיַּנִּחֻ֖הוּ מִח֥וּץ לָעִֽיר׃
Still he delayed. So the men (angels) seized his hand, and the hands of his wife and his two daughters—in Adonai’s mercy on him—and brought him out and left him outside the city.
The next example concerns Abraham’s servant Eliezer who was sent to distant Mesopotamia to find an appropriate wife for Abraham’s son, Isaac. Eliezer was apprehensive how to fulfil the sacred vow he made to Abraham. The Shalshelet above the word “And he said” hints at the wailing cry in his heart as he remembered the precise conversation with his master Abraham. Genesis 24:12.
וַיֹּאמַ֓ר ׀ יְהוָ֗ה אֱלֹהֵי֙ אֲדֹנִ֣י אַבְרָהָ֔ם הַקְרֵה־נָ֥א לְפָנַ֖י הַיּ֑וֹם וַעֲשֵׂה־חֶ֕סֶד עִ֖ם אֲדֹנִ֥י אַבְרָהָֽם׃ And he said, “Adonai, God of my master Abraham, grant me good fortune this day, and deal graciously with my master Abraham:
The last Shalshelet citing concerns Moses struggling to overcome his personal feelings verses what G-d’s command. G-d told Moses to ordain his brother Aaron and Aaron’s sons as priests. Commentators explain that elevating his relatives’ status was beset with apprehension. Earlier on, Aaron’s sons Nadav and Avinu made a tragic error when they tried to perform priestly ritual, not to mention his brother singlehandedly encouraged the Israelites to build a golden calf. In this dramatic moment in front of the entire Israelite community, G-d orders him to ordain fallible family members. Shalshelet rises above the word “and it was slaughtered” referring to the sacrificial animal and the impending sacred performance. Leviticus 8:23
וַיִּשְׁחָ֓ט וַיִּקַּ֤ח מֹשֶׁה֙ מִדָּמ֔וֹ וַיִּתֵּ֛ן עַל־תְּנ֥וּךְ אֹֽזֶן־אַהֲרֹ֖ן הַיְמָנִ֑ית וְעַל־בֹּ֤הֶן יָדוֹ֙ הַיְמָנִ֔ית וְעַל־בֹּ֥הֶן רַגְל֖וֹ הַיְמָנִֽית׃
and it was slaughtered. Moses took some of its blood and put it on the ridge of Aaron’s right ear, and on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot.
Often when people become involved in an endeavor that does not bring gratification or what they prefer, they struggle to do the right thing. Rabbi Avi Weis, founder of Choveiveh Yeshiva, teaches that the rare Shalshelet helps us remember that the Biblical characters were not unlike us. They felt similar inner conflicts and struggled to reach past their lower inclinations. Rabbi Weis concludes, “when we reach beyond ourselves and primal self-interest, we are able to reach the heavens.”
As we enter this season of Thanksgiving, and the lurching of holiday commotion let’s welcome Shalshelet to help navigate the thunder, bless us with pause and ultimately guide us to thoughtful decisions.
Shalom,
Rabbi Nancy Wechsler
From the Rabbi: December 1, 2021
Chanukah: a Real Dedication of our Inner Temple
The Baal Shem Tov, the founder of Chasidism made a powerful connection between Chanukah and the Torah portion B’ha’alotecha (Numbers Chapter 8:1-2) Both Chanukah and this section of Torah focus upon the act of spiritual lighting.
He noted that the Torah word for used for “lighting” the Menorah was the same root as the word “to elevate” as the root of B’ha’alotecha is linked to the word Aliyah.
1The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 2) Speak to Aaron and say to him, “When you light the candles, the seven lamps …
:אוַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־משֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר
בדַּבֵּר֙ אֶל־אַֽהֲרֹ֔ן וְאָֽמַרְתָּ֖ אֵלָ֑יו בְּהַֽעֲלֹֽתְךָ֙ אֶת־הַנֵּרֹ֔ת אֶל־מוּל֙
:מוּל֙ פְּנֵ֣י הַמְּנוֹרָ֔ה יָאִ֖ירוּ שִׁבְעַ֥ת הַנֵּרֽוֹת
The Baal Shem Tov asked, “Why does the Torah use the word “b’ha’a lot’cha – elevate” the candles when you assume it should use the word “l’had’leek – to light”? Because one who lights candles must also bring light to himself or light to herself. Someone who elevates the candles must also elevate himself, elevate herself.” Through the act of lighting, we become that light and are elevated.
Rabbi Nachman of Bratzlav in his book Likutei Maharan writes:
This time of year is a time of renewal and rededication. It is the darkest time of the whole year, but it is also the time when the light is returning. It is a time of making the temple within you, once again clear and wholesome enough to become a dwelling place for the Divine to manifest within you. We become a container for pure Light by purifying ourselves. The way to receive the Divine light is by sanctifying our mouth, nose, ears, eyes, and thoughts. The seven openings of the head allow us to rededicate ourselves to our inner temple.
Hana Matt, a Berkely based teacher of world religions and spiritual direction teaches how lighting the Chanukah candles enables us to cleanse our inner temple. Her instruction is that as we light our candles, we elevate and interpret Rabbi Nachman’s message. Through the mindful remembering of the candle’s purpose, we create a very powerful opening for G-d’s light within us.
The first candle represents the mouth and reminds us to pay close attention to the words we communicate. To sanctify the mouth: avoid falsehood and speak only the truth. Offer words of kindness and empathy. This sanctification of the mouth also includes the healthy food we take into our mouths.
The second candle represents the nose. When we are about to be irritated or impatient, we are reminded to draw up a deep breath, as thought drawing up through our nose deep patience from the well. This practice enables us to show compassion for someone who angers you, the highest level of calming frustration.
The third candle and fourth candle represents our two ears. To sanctify your years: listen to the words of the wise, the teaching of the sages. Hear spiritual teachings. Be careful about what your years are taking in such as trivial, shallow or derogatory intake. Deep listening to what is being said beneath the surface helps cleans our inner temple.
The fifth candle and the sixth candle represent our two eyes. Sanctify your seeing involves not observing yourself or others with critical eyes, for this way of looking has a negative effect on yourself and the other person. Judge yourself favorably, giving yourself the benefit of the doubt and the same applies to judging another person favorably. Pay attention to the judgements we place on others as well as ourselves. Explore judging others more favorably. According to Rabbi Nachman, how we “see others” affects that person. We can bless someone through the way we see them.
The seventh candle represents our thoughts. Be aware of your thoughts during the day and watch how many of them are negative. This is the darkest time of the year and we can watch how our thoughts also can turn to the dark side of things. Be careful not to waste your thoughts. Cultivate a sweetening of the negative thoughts which allows us to develop gratitude. We become more mindful that even the mundane acts we do be attached to G-d. Bring that Divine connection with you into the car, as you eat, as you wash dishes. See how this transforms the action at hand.
The eighth candle is linked to the radiance within us. Once the seven gates have been opened by your working on each one, then the Transcendent wisdom and Divine Light flow and we begin to radiate. The Divine Abundance now pours into us unimpeded, and we become luminous like the candlelight. This is what we are doing symbolically by lighting the candles on Chanukah.
With joy and light to everyone as we rededicate ourselves.
Chag Sameach- Happy Chanukah!
Rabbi Nancy Wechsler
From the Rabbi: November 4, 2021
In the Genesis narratives, our ancestors bravely took steps to become who they were meant to become. Abraham responded to Lech L’cha, to go toward his truth and leave behind what used to define him. Rebekah and Isaac chose one another sight unseen and in doing so, found lasting union. Jacob walked his path, not always an easy one, and was blessed with the new name Yisrael, translated as one willing to wrestle with G-d, to be triumphant with G-d. Each was courageous in becoming and living their authentic lives.
In a similar way, manifesting that which already exists deep inside, is the sacred path of a Jew by choice.
When a person chooses to become Jewish, it is understood that this person’s soul already knew the course it needed to pursue. Some know when they are young children. Others become aware of their spiritual yearning toward Judaism as adults. The journey toward Judaism is called Gilgul Ne’shama, the transmigration of innermost soul. Some Jewish mystics view conversion to Judaism as a Jewish soul finding its way home.
Rabbi Alan Maller wrote in the Times of Israel: “I always inform people that most non-Jews who become Jewish already have a Jewish soul. This Jewish soul could never make sense of the trinity and always resented the claim that good people who do not believe in Jesus are not going to heaven. Their Jewish soul attracts them to Jewish people. This Jewish soul is in a Gentile body because it is a Gilgul; a reincarnation of an ancestor who was Jewish and for some reason became disconnected from the Jewish people some 2-7 generations previously. Some people who become Jewish are new souls who are here for the first time. The others are simply returning home where they belong.”
This Friday, November 5th at our 6:00 p.m. in-person Family service we welcome Henry Henridge Holloway - Yakir Daniel ben Avraham, and Sarah. Yakir Daniel has completed the Introduction to Judaism and the completion meeting with three rabbis, called Bet Din. Throughout these many months of covid, he participates in CBS zoom Shabbat services, Torah Study, the CBS Food Fair, and learns Mussar, Jewish Spiritual Ethics. This past week Yakir Daniel immersed in the mikveh at Beth Jacob Synagogue in Oakland, witnessed by CBS President, Bob Bennet.
Yakir Daniel writes:
“Judaism did not beckon me with a resounding roar; rather, it spoke to me as a gentle whisper. I felt a connection to the Jewish people. I was drawn to their uniqueness, history, strength, adaptability, resilience, achievement, sense of humor, and social justice work. I sympathized with the othering of Jewish people and viewed them as a culture of outsiders with a unique and attractive sensibility that came from their diverse history. Jews were ancient people with an ancient religion and language that continued to inspire others. Jews were strong; they survived countless attempts at eradicating them, more than any other cultural group in history, and most remained steadfast in their cultural identity. Jews have demonstrated intelligence, creativity, and innovation, especially, in the arts, sciences, and in academia, where they rose to the top through hard work and determination. Despite the grotesque things that have transpired against the Jewish people, they remained a proud people, who demonstrated a willingness to be a voice for the voiceless and an ally for the oppressed and underprivileged, such as Rabbi Robert Marx, who died this year at 93, and marched with Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for civil rights.”
Please join me this Friday as we joyfully welcome Yakir Daniel ben Avraham v’Sarah. We are blessed that his ne’shama, his innermost soul has brought him to his Judaism and to CBS.
Shalom,
Rabbi Nancy Wechsler
From the Rabbi: October 29, 2021
Rabbi Nancy Wechsler
24 Cheshvan 5782
Chayei Sarah: Blessed with Everything
I have been thinking about the verse in this week’s parasha Chayei Sarah that creates a spiritual conundrum. The text says that Abraham was “blessed with everything”, in Hebrew, Adonai barech et Avraham ba’kol. Later the same parasha, we learn that Abraham died at a good old age, mature and content, the Hebrew for that word is savei-ah, meaning content, sated or filled up.
On a purely literal level it would seem that Abraham was blessed with everything and died content. Our first patriarch seems to have had an easy and lovely life.
However, we know that is was not always easy and not always lovely. There was serious suffering. He had experienced ten significant trials. Maimonides2 lists them as follows:
1. G-d tells him to leave his homeland to be a stranger in the land of Canaan.3 2. Immediately after his arrival in the Promised Land, he encounters a famine.4 3. The Egyptians seize his beloved wife, Sarah, and bring her to Pharaoh.5 4. Abraham faces incredible odds in the battle of the four and five kings.6 5. He marries Hagar after not being able to have children with Sarah.7 6. G-d tells him to circumcise himself at an advanced age.8 7. The king of Gerar captures Sarah, intending to take her for himself.9 8. G-d tells him to send Hagar away after having a child with her.10
9. His son, Ishmael, becomes estranged.11 10. G-d tells him to sacrifice his dear son Isaac upon an altar.12
Abraham had plenty of trauma and suffering. How is then, that the Torah says that Gd blessed Abraham with everything, and that he died, content?
Suffering can either use us, or we can use our suffering. There is not a single Biblical role model who did not suffer in his or her life. They become our role models due to how they transformed their suffering, allowing them to become worthy of Gd’s grace, to become a br’acha, a blessing.
It was only because they permitted their trials to assail them for the benefit of their soul’s growth, that their merit, in Hebrew, zechut, continues to shine into our lives.
In a midrash from the 2nd century called Midrash Rabba we learn that when a person is tested, it is less about the test and all about how that person manages the test. In the following example the rabbis compare a tightly closed vial of incense to a life that has not been tested. No one can smell the beautiful fragrance when it closed. Only when the vial of incense is opened, or broken open, can the scent permeate.
It says that Rabbi Berekia said: What did Abraham resemble? Abraham resembled a vial of myrrh closed with a tight fitting lid and lying in a corner so that its fragrance was no disseminated. Yet, as soon as the vial was take up, opened up, exposed to heat, its fragrance was disseminated. Similarly, the Holy One said to Abraham, Lech L’cha, Travel from place to place and your name will become great in the world. (Genesis Rabbah 39:2) Through the unexpected upheaval, Abraham’s essence became known.
Another teaching from the sages about transformed suffering is where the individual accepts the suffering and has faith that something good will come from it. This parable is also from the 2nd century and is in the Talmud, Tractate Brachot 60b and features Rabbi Akiva.
Once when Rabbi Akiva was traveling, he had with him a donkey, a rooster and a torch. When he could not find lodging in town, he had to sleep in the woods. He said, “All the Gd does, is for the good,” When the donkey and the rooster were eaten by wild animals, he said, “All that Gd does, is for the good,” When the torch was blown out by the wind, he said, “All that Gd does is for the good.”
The next morning, Rabbi Akiva learned that bandits had destroyed the town overnight. He realized, that had he found lodging in the town, or had the bandits
seen his torch or heard his donkey or rooster, his life would have been in jeopardy. Rabbi Akiva exemplifies that his misfortunes, were actually for the best.
Another famous Talmudic story about the mindset of transforming suffering into good is Nachum ish Gam Zu, a nickname for an individual who reacted to misfortune with unyielding optimism. It is related that in later years Nachum’s hands and feet became paralyzed and he was afflicted with other severe physical ailments. He bore his troubles patiently however, and even found some good in then. That is why we say Gam Zu L’Tova, this too is for the good.
Today I spoke with someone who is out of town and in the ICU. She is getting better but it has been a difficult road. She laughed however when she told me that she likes that she is in room 22, because in Jewish folklore we have custom of making a spitting sound, 22, to keep the evil eye far away from us. She said it made the nurses laugh.
No one wants suffering, however, when it happens, the suffering uses us or we can use the suffering to grow.
A contemporary teacher of this is the 20th century theologian Reinhold Niebuhr, who statement of faith called the Serenity Prayer has helped millions of people transform feeling like a powerless victim, into a people with save’ah, serenity and
sanity. While very well known for those in recovery, it is a “suffering transformer” and can be utilized by anyone.
I can imagine Abraham saying such a prayer during times of his suffering.
Gd grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change. The Courage to change the things that I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. We could spend a long time talking about the three parts to this prayer. For now:
Accept the things I cannot change means that we accept the negative or terrible thing has happened. Accepting that it has occurred does not mean that we ever wanted it to happen. It means that we accept that it has happened.
The courage to change the things I can, means that there are things that I can do. This takes courage when certain situations deplete our desire to do anything. We are asked to think about if there is any action at all that we can do to help. Big or small.
And the wisdom to know the difference means that we can discern between the acceptance of the negative thing from the “what we can do.”
When we think about Abraham’s hard life and the fact the Torah says he was blessed ba’kol, with everything and died with savei’ah contentment, it is no
longer a a conundrum, because we realize that Abraham’s life embodies the ability to transform his suffering. In this way, his life will always be blessing to us.
We would like to show you a short video that packs into a few moments a deep insight into how faith works in our lives.
From the Rabbi: October 12, 2021
May we repair the world through
promoting peace and justice among all people,
through social action, tzedakah, and acts of lovingkindness.
Dear Friends,
We speak of Tikkun Olam frequently. The phrase is understood to mean “repairing the world” however the term has broader implications about our very purpose in being alive and our relationship with God. In some sources, the term is about the physical world, such as providing food for the hungry, and safe places for the unhoused. For others, it is linked to the fully realized dream of fixing the world under the rule of God.
One place we find the Tikkun Olam phrase is in the Aleinu prayer recited toward the end of every service since 1200 CE. The sentence reads: “l’takein olam b’mal’chut Shaddai” which indicates the goal of Jewish existence is to establish the world under the rule of God. We interpret this as we “fix the world” by helping make Godly qualities extend to all places. In the 16th century, the Kabbalistic teacher, Rabbi Isaac Luria of Safed taught that we are obligated to assume a partnership with God to repair the world. According to folklorist and author Howard Schwartz, the Lurianic creation is summarized as follows:
At the beginning of time, God’s presence filled the universe. When God decided to bring the world into being, to make room for creation, God contracted Godself by drawing in God’s breath, forming a dark mass. Then God said, Let there be light (Gen. 1:3) and ten holy vessels came forth, each filled with primordial light.
God sent forth the ten vessels like a fleet of ships, each carrying its cargo of light. But the vessels—too fragile to contain such powerful Divine light—broke open, scattering the holy sparks everywhere.
Had these vessels arrived intact, the world would have been perfect. Instead, God created people to seek out and gather the hidden sparks, wherever we can find them. Once this task is completed, the broken vessels will be restored, and the world will be repaired.
According to the Lurianic creation vision, our lifelong task is to find and gather these mysterious, elusive sparks of light. When we perform a mitzvah, we separate the holy from the not holy and release the light within. Every time we help share a burden of suffering with another person, we are allowing more light to infuse the world. Kabbalistic myth helps fire our imagination as we strive to fix what is broken.
At CBS we derive great meaning in Tikkun Olam; indeed it is fundamental to our mission. Our children in Neshama Religious school learn about and participate in Tikkun Olam. Our B’nai Mitzvah program emphasizes the importance of each young person devoting time to creating a “Mitzvah Project.” Our monthly Social Action Shabbat and workshops, highlight things that need fixing in our world by inviting activists to teach and guide. We don’t engage in Tikkun Olam simply because it is good to be good, we do these things because we exist. Our participation in Tikkun Olam is an opportunity to be God’s partners. As the prayer says:
Baruch atah Adonai
Eloheinu melech ha'olam
Shenatan lanu hizdamnut l'takein et ha'ol Blessed are You Adonai Our God Sovereign of the Universe Who has given us the opportunity to heal the world.
This coming Friday night on Zoom we have the opportunity to become more aware of the work done at Loaves and Fishes. Loaves & Fishes is a charity in Sacramento dedicated to feeding the hungry and sheltering the homeless. It is a fully private charity that does not solicit or accept government money. Every day they provide a noon meal to 600-1000 homeless people. Joe Smith is the Advocacy Director for Sacramento Loaves & Fishes. Before assuming this role, he served as Friendship Park’s Assistant Director for Loaves & Fishes. Before coming to Loaves & Fishes, Joe experienced 5 ½ years of living on the streets of Sacramento, San Francisco, and Reno. This shared experience with people experiencing homelessness makes for a unique, powerful, and meaningful bond. The Advocacy Director’s responsibility is to speak on behalf of the homeless and poor at every opportunity.
Along with our guest speaker, members of our CBS Band, Shabbat with a Beat will be playing live from the Sanctuary! Due to the technical skill and magic of Rick Snyder, you will be able to zoom into the vibrant music of CBS along with the vital message of Joe Smith.
At this service, our upcoming Bar Mitzvah, Edan Cohen will be sharing with us about his Bar Mitzvah Project which is connected to Loaves and Fishes, and how we, his CBS family can make this successful. As we ease along the month of October, we are well aware of next month’s Thanksgiving holiday. Every year, CBS is an active participant in donating lots of turkeys and Thanksgiving fixings to the Arden Food Bank. Our glorious cheerleader for Thanksgiving Food Donations, Robin Gillet has been experiencing health setbacks and we pray, that as CBS rallies this year to bring more donations for Thanksgiving, it will manifest healing energy. After Food Faire, stay tuned for when we can bring fixings to CBS and top our best Thanksgiving donations.
From the Rabbi: October 4, 2021
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From the Rabbi: September 27, 2021
Dear Friends,
A new year has begun, and it is time to dive into Jewish Learning. CBS will be offering zoom classes and in person classes.
Saturday Morning Torah Study: 9:00 am – 10:15 am with Rabbi Nancy Wechsler. Join us for a collaborative exploration of the Torah and its meaning for our lives. ZOOM. No fee
Sunday Morning: 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
Beginning Hebrew with Carry Cohn IN PERSON (A minimum of 5 students are necessary)
6 Classes - $136 (Oct 3,10,17,31 Nov 7,14)
Sunday Morning:10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Mussar with Rabbi Nancy Wechsler ZOOM (Previous Mussar classes required)
6 Classes - $136 (Oct 3,10,17,31 Nov 7,14)
Monthly Rosh Chodesh: First Thursday of the Month 6:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Torah Learning and Challah Baking with Rabbi Nancy Wechsler IN PERSON We will study the parasha, study the theme of Rosh Chodesh and leave with a freshly baked challah for Shabbat. Takes place in the Social Hall.
RSVP required $18 per session (Oct 7, Nov 4, Dec 2, Jan 6, Feb 3, March 3, April 7, May 5, June 2)
Wednesday Lunch and Learn: Coming in December with Rabbi Nancy Wechsler. In Person. The Kuzari: In Defense of the Despised Faith. The Kuzari is a Medieval Treatise on Judaism by Judah Halevi. Purchase your book online and get a running start. 6 sessions - $72 (December 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, January 5). Bring your lunch.
This is what we are looking at thus far, and if there are things you would love to study, please let me know. We can make it happen at a time that works for you. If not now, when?
Shalom,
Rabbi Nancy Wechsler
From the Rabbi: September 13, 2021
Dear Ones,
Long ago after the destruction of the Temples in Jerusalem, the rabbis asked the question of how we could manage spirituality without a physical location. They answered that our homes could become a “mikdash m’at” a miniature sanctuary, a holy place. Over the past eighteen months, we have become accustomed to this shift of creating sacred space at home, but I wanted to remind us of some ways to further elevate the sanctity of our upcoming Yom Kippur, Wednesday, September 15 thru Thursday, September 16th.
These ten suggestions collected by my friend Rabbi Elyse Goldstein (Toronto CN) are meant to help us enhance the High Holy Day experience at home while creating a communal atmosphere for us all.
1. Choose your prayer space carefully in advance by spending a few moments of individual contemplation/family discussion. Do not wait for the last minute!
2. Once you have chosen your space, say a blessing or kavannah (“intention”) over it to mark it as your mikdash m’at. Suggestions of verses and blessings are given below.
3. What chair will you sit on? Put a cushion or festive pillow on it, or drape it with a tallit, special piece of fabric, or scarf.
4. Change where you put your computer from a workspace to a contemplative space by covering the desk or table with a white tablecloth, white runner, or white placemat, and a vase of flowers.
5. Find meaningful objects to grace your space. On Yom Kippur, you can place cherished mementos, family heirlooms, and photos of loved ones to surround you. If you own a shofar, put it where it is visible. To participate more fully in Yizkor, make sure you have a yahrtzeit candle and matches available to light.
6. If possible, move the computer space back so that you are “watching” the screen more than “manipulating” it. Consider connecting your computer to a TV screen so it feels less like a work device.
7. Try to limit or disconnect auditory distractions. You can turn off your email and text message ping sounds, and/or close your email program and other apps so you can be fully present during the service.
8. Wear clothing that makes you feel as if you are entering a spiritual space. Kippah and tallit are welcome if they help you express a connection to this special worship.
9. Be sure you have your machzor with you, just like on past High Holidays when we gathered. You can still pick up the Machzor for Yom Kippur from the CBS office or download the Machzor on the CBS link.
10. Make it a habit to join the online services we already offer now. Praying as any other activity becomes more comfortable and “natural” when we practice it.
We all appreciate the time and effort it takes to make our mikdash m’at a truly holy place. Our individual effort impacts the rest of the congregation. May it add joy and meaning to your Yom Kippur.
Note that for Sukkot, on Monday, September 20 at 5-6, we will have a drive-through in person Sukkah celebration and Simchat Torah, Tuesday, September 28th at 5:00 we will march with our masks, outside at CBS.
I wish you a wonderful and meaningful Yom Kippur and look forward to the joy of seeing your faces on zoom.
G’mar Chatimah Tova, wishing you a good sealing for health, happiness, and peace in the Book of Life.
Rabbi Nancy Wechsler
Verses and blessings to help create your sacred space/mikdash m’at:
1. Numbers 24:5
מַה־טֹּ֥בוּ אֹהָלֶ֖יךָ יַעֲקֹ֑ב מִשְׁכְּנֹתֶ֖יךָ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
How good are your tents, O Jacob, Your sacred places, O Israel!
2. Birkat Habayit (home blessing):
בְּזֶה הַשַּׁעַר לֹא יָבוֹא צַעַר
בְּזֹאת הַדִּירָה לֹא תָבוֹא צָרָה
בְּזֹאת הַדֶּלֶת לֺא תָבוֹא בֶּהָלָה
בְּזֹאת הַמַּחְלָקָה לֺא תָבוֹא מַחְלוֺקֶת.
בְּזֶה הַמָּקוֺם תְּהִי בְרָכָה וְשָׁלוֺם
Let no sorrow come through this gate.
Let no trouble come in this dwelling.
Let no fright come through this door.
Let no conflict come to this section.
Let there be blessing and peace in this place.
3. Exodus 20:21:
בְּכָל־הַמָּקוֹם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אַזְכִּ֣יר אֶת־שְׁמִ֔י אָב֥וֹא אֵלֶ֖יךָ וּבֵרַכְתִּֽיךָ
In every place where My name is mentioned, I will come to you and bless you.
4. Exodus 3:5
כִּ֣י הַמָּק֗וֹם אֲשֶׁ֤ר אַתָּה֙ עוֹמֵ֣ד עָלָ֔יו אַדְמַת־קֹ֖דֶשׁ הֽוּא׃
Indeed, the place on which you stand is holy ground.
5. Psalms 121:8
יְֽהוָ֗ה יִשְׁמָר־צֵאתְךָ֥ וּבוֹאֶ֑ךָ מֵֽ֝עַתָּ֗ה וְעַד־עוֹלָֽם׃
Adonai will guard your going and coming, now and forever.
6. Pirke Avot 1:4
יְהִי בֵיתְךָ בֵית וַעַד לַחֲכָמִים, וֶהֱוֵי מִתְאַבֵּק בַּעֲפַר רַגְלֵיהֶם, וֶהֱוֵי שׁוֹתֶה בְצָמָא אֶת דִּבְרֵיהֶם:
Let thy house be a house of meeting for the wise, sit at their feet, and drink in their words.
7. The last line of the blessing said at havdala separating Shabbat from weekday can be used to “separate” this sacred space:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה’, הַמַבְדִּיל בֵּין קֹדֶשׁ לְחוֹל
Baruch atah Adonai, hamavdil bayn kodesh lechol.
Blessed are You Adonai, who separates between holy and ordinary.
From the Rabbi: August 10, 2021
Dear CBS Family,
I am writing to you from the beauty of Netanya, Israel. Netanya is on the coast and my morning walks take place on the sand. Along with the soft crashing of waves and the sweetest songs of birds, and a plethora of stray cats, these past mornings I have heard the Shofar sounding. I stop in my tracks and follow the Tekiah, Teruah, and Sh’varim codes. I think of our CBS Shofar blowers, Ella Varano and Eli Swatt, and how the sound of their Shofars awakens our spirits to return to our truest selves. I cannot wait to hear them throughout our High Holy Days.
I have been enjoying the bliss of being with both of my daughters; Eliza who is a lone soldier, chayelet bode’dah, and my younger daughter Lily. We visited Eliza’s apartment at the Raanana Absorption Center which lone soldiers call home. Very different than in the United States Army, Israeli soldiers come home every Shabbat unless they are required to “close” Shabbat on their assigned army base. The compound in Raanana is a cement campus that also serves as home to new immigrants.
I had the opportunity to meet some of Eliza’s friends in the IDF who have come from various places in the world. They come because something about Israel passionately fills their hearts. They are dedicated to becoming fluent in Hebrew and physically strong to fulfill their assignment. Interestingly not all lone soldiers are Jewish. For those not Jewish, part of their unique track is the requirement to take Nativ, the Orthodox introduction to Judaism program. After the course, they can choose if they wish to convert.
Each lone soldier has a host family who welcomes them on Shabbat when they are off base. The host family attends the important ceremonies and helps them navigate the often-confusing medical services and bureaucracy of Israeli life. I was deeply moved to meet the wonderful family of five who now claim Eliza as part of their family.
Navigating the Israeli culture is not always easy, and the metaphor of sabra fruit is relevant. On the outside, the sabra fruit is inedible. It has sharp thorns. On the inside, however, the fruit is sweet. Cheerful smiles walking down the street are infrequent, however, in an instant, should a problem occur, the response would be immediate and absolute. Regarding faces, masks are worn in all shops and restaurants. Some wear masks outdoors as well.
Soldiers are the children of everyone. When a soldier is recognized as being a lone soldier, the appreciative reaction is moving. The Israeli understands that a young adult who comes without family to serve in the Israeli army is something very special. One person told me that the lone soldiers are like angels.
This past Shabbat I attended in-person services at a small Reform Synagogue in Netanya called Kehillat Natan-Ya. They allowed about 15-20 people into the small Sanctuary and the rest attended on zoom. Their rabbi, Rabbi Nof explained that he was unsure what was going to take place at his shul for the Chagim but shared the resilient spirit that no matter what, our Jewish spirit would be blessed, renewed, and inspired.
Throughout the last 18 months, each of us has had to grapple with what we need to survive and thrive. We leaned in, we nurtured relationships across physical space and even found new ways of connecting with Judaism. Because of our resilience, we will continue to be there for one another and find true ways to create CBS Sanctuary whether in person or on-screen. Despite how much we long for in-person connecting, we have learned that sacred space is far more than physical proximity.
As we walk this holy month of Elul, let us express gratitude and include everyone on our journey. I look forward to celebrating Selichot with you Saturday evening, August 28th.
With love from Israel,
Rabbi Nancy
From the Rabbi: May 13, 2021
Dear Friends,
Like you, as I watch the events in Israel unfold in the news, I am at a loss for words. So much violence, so much hurting, so much fear I imagine those in Israel and in Palestine must be experiencing right now. I pray that G-d protects all those who are experiencing this violence.
This week my eldest daughter Eliza started basic training in the Israeli army. She asked me to include the Palestinians in our prayers for peace. The situation between Israelis and Palestinians has been tangled for a millennium. Tension has flared badly, and we pray for a de-escalation of everyone, and every place involved. Always, we pray for peace.
Adonai, You have protected Israel in the past. You have protected Israel throughout history, and you will not fail to do so now. Please shelter all people from harm, get families to safety, and shield them with your peace and protection.
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
“May they prosper who love you.
“May peace be within your walls,
And prosperity within your palaces.”
For the sake of my brothers, sisters and my friends,
I will now say, “May peace be within you.”
For the sake of the house of Adonai,
I will seek your good.
(Psalm 122:6-9)
Pray for peace.
Rabbi Nancy Wechsler
From the Rabbi: May 9, 2021
Dear Friends,
We come to the seventh and final week as we count up to Shavuot, this week the week of Malkhut. Malkhut’s identity is the summation of the other sephirot. It is the culmination of these ideas coming into physical reality.
Perhaps an easier way to envision Malkhut is “how we show up.” After the education we receive, both formal and life learning, what is the effect? How are we changed from lessons hopefully learned?
Malkhut, from the Hebrew word ‘melech’ meaning king, is linked to ‘kingdom.’ At the same time in the mystical tradition, the sephira Malkhut has an additional name, Shekinah, the feminine aspect of G-d. Shekinah is a Talmudic concept representing G-d’s dwelling in the world. As Malkhut/Shekinah is the recipient of higher sephirot, it carries the character of taking full responsibility.
Webster's Dictionary defines “accountability” as “the quality or state of being accountable; an obligation or willingness to accept responsibility for one's actions.” Accountability doesn't mean punishment. Accountability is a willingness to accept responsibility for our own actions.
The matriarch Rachel is the Biblical character who represents Malkhut. We are most like Rachel when we model the way we want to see all people treated. According to the Kabbalah, it is Rachel who spiritually hovers near us. She guards us when we feel disconnected, or when we are physically in exile. The rabbis teach that compassionate Rachel demonstrates responsibility by looking out for all of us, her children.
Questions to ponder in the 7th week of the Omer, Malchut.
What are some areas in my life where I take healthier responsibility due to processing certain life experiences?
What are some areas in my life where I am not taking as much responsibility as would be fitting?
What one thing can I try this week that will bring me to greater accountability.
With blessings in this 7th week of the Omer.
Rabbi Nancy Wechsler
From the Rabbi: May 2, 2021
Dear Friends,
In the Sephira chart, Yesod is located near the base. It is seen as a vehicle allowing movement from one thing or condition to build. The word Yesod means "foundation."
Imagine someone building a home. Even if made of the finest material and advanced building techniques, it will sink into the ground unless it is anchored to solid bedrock. That bedrock is Yesod, the firm reality upon which things are built. The Biblical character linked to Yesod is Joseph.
A few reminders about Joseph’s spiritual journey.
Initially, we meet Joseph as a boastful and sassy young man. It was through suffering that he transformed his life into one of blessing. We remember that Joseph was sold by all his brothers, except Benjamin into slavery. After many years there was a famine, and his brothers’ journey to Egypt to procure food.
By now Joseph is Pharaoh’s right-hand man, and when his brothers arrive beseeching food, he recognizes them, but they do not recognize him.
His behavior towards his brothers shows his capacity to accept life and his gratitude born from pain. He has released resentment for his own churlish behavior and is willing to forgive his grown siblings for theirs. Through Joseph’s spiritual maturation, the family reunites resulting in the foundation of today’s Jewish people. Joseph is; Yesod connector, the anchor and restorer of harmony.
We integrate this sixth week of the Omer by reflecting on Joseph’s character. He had impeccable integrity. When he served in the affluent Potiphar’s house, he was so honest that he was made overseer of the entire estate. Even when Potiphar’s wife made repeated overtures toward him, he avoided temptation. While he was framed and thrown into prison for this complicated scenario his demeanor was respected. Joseph was released from prison because of his gift of dream interpretation among the prisoners.
Joseph showed deep humility when he told the Pharaoh that his ability to interpret dreams was not because of his efforts but entirely due to G-d. Joseph was prudent in saving for the future. He managed the seven years of plenty so that the seven years of famine could yet sustain the people and livestock. Above all was his ability to forgive those who wronged them.
Practice for the Sixth Week of the Omer:
Choose one of the Joseph characteristics that you want to work on this week. Pay attention to interactions on zoom, with business and close friends and family through the lens of one of these foundational characteristics. Consider writing the word you want to focus upon on a small piece of paper and tape it to your laptop.
With blessings in the sixth week of the Omer.
Rabbi Nancy Wechsler
From the Rabbi: April 25, 2021
The fifth week in the counting of the Omer: Hod
Dear Friends,
In the counting of the Omer, from the second night of Passover until the holiday of Shavuot we journey through seven weeks of the mystical grid of Divinity called the Sephirot. Week five is the week of Hod, the trait of contained nobility. Qualities of Hod include majesty, splendor, reverberation, prophecy, surrender, temimut (sincerity), and steadfastness. The Biblical person linked to Hod is Aaron, older brother of Moses and Miriam.
A little review of Aaron’s spiritual journey.
Aaron was not always the epitome of steadfast splendor. In the book of Exodus when Moses took longer than expected in returning from Mt. Sinai, the Israelites revolted. To manage the chaos, Aaron told the Israelites to take gold rings from their families which he then took and cast into a mold, making the jewelry into a calf.
Fortunate for Aaron, the lesson learned from mismanaging chaos became an opportunity to transform himself.
Years pass and Aaron is the one who accompanies a less than secure Moses in negotiating with the Egyptian Pharaoh. He articulates the words that Moses cannot. Later, in the wilderness Sanctuary, Aaron faces tragedy. His sons Nadav and Avihu who were training to be priests, act recklessly by offering unrequested sacrifices and die. Aaron holds himself together, neither breaking nor blaming. Despite personal loss, Aaron continues to perform rituals as a conduit between the Israelites and G-d. By doing so, he models how we can manage loss and continue to live.
More than any other virtue, Aaron is an anchor of peace.
The Talmud explains:
"Two people were having a quarrel. Aaron went and sat with one of the disputants and said to him, 'My son, look what your friend is saying; he is distraught and is tearing his clothing.' The disputant says, 'Woe to me! How can I look at my friend and see his shame as I am the one who has wronged him.’? …" (and Aaron is doing the same with the other disputant) "When the two met each other, they hugged and kissed in reconciliation" (Avot D’Rabbi Natan, version A, chapter 12).
This week we look at Hod, the Sephira of contained glory, and think about how we can better manage life’s triggers with steady calm.
"Hillel would say: Be of the disciples of Aaron – a lover of peace, a pursuer of peace …" (Pirkei Avot 1:12).
Shalom,
Rabbi Nancy Wechsler
From the Rabbi: April 20, 2021
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From the Rabbi: April 18, 2021
Netzach/Endurance
Choose to take another step. Choose to keep going.
Netzach/ Endurance resides on the Right Column of the Sephirot chart, just below Chesed (lovingkindness). A repository and storehouse of positive energy from Chesed, Netzach radiates the desire to stretch beyond where we are right now. Netzach represents eternity and is representative of the right brain where the creative process takes place.
Everyone has willpower and determination which can be further developed. We have the capacity to endure much more than we can imagine and to prevail under the most trying of circumstances. Endurance can show up as our ability to withstand something difficult. Endurance can show up as determination to improve something about ourselves. Endurance can show up as patience as we try to slow reactivity with a thoughtful response.
We may be aware of activities that build physical endurance.
- Brisk walking or jogging.
- Yard work (mowing, raking)
- Dancing
- Climbing hills
- Swimming
- Yoga
We may be less aware of activities that build spiritual endurance.
- Prayer. Pray by yourself. Pray with other people. Ask G-d to give you strength in something you are trying to do.
“The Holy One goes before you and will be with you; G-d will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” Deuteronomy 31:8
- Patience. Patience with yourself. Patience with others. The Hebrew word for patience is Savlanute, from the word meaning to carry something. A porter is a Sovel, one who carries something heavy. When we work on being more patient, we can imagine ourselves carrying something heavy just a little bit further. This Talmudic example shows how much Endurance in the form of patience is valued:
Rabbi Preida had a student to whom he would have to repeat each lesson four hundred times before he understood it. One day [Rabbi Preida] was required to leave and attend to a certain matter involving a mitzvah. Before leaving he taught [the student] the usual four hundred times, but he still did not grasp the lesson. Rabbi Preida asked him, “Why is today different?” [The student] answered him, “From the very moment they told master that there is a mitzvah matter for him to attend to, my attention was diverted because every moment I thought that now the master will get up and leave, now the master will get up and leave.” Rabbi Preida said to him, “Pay attention, and I will teach you.” He taught him again another four hundred times. A heavenly voice emanated and asked [Rabbi Preida]: “Do you prefer that four hundred years be added to your life, or that you and your generation merit the life of the World to Come?” [Rabbi Preida] replied, “That I and my generation merit the life of the World to Come.” The Holy One, blessed is He, said to them. “Give them both this and this.”[1] [1] Eruvin 54b, translation by Schottenstein Edition of the Talmud Bavli, New York: Mesorah Publications.
- Controlling impulses. G-d centered spontaneity is a blessing, ego-based impulsivity can be hurtful. Finding your center, reminding yourself of a text, can assist in tapping into the virtue of Netzach/Endurance.
“Da Lifnei Mi Attah Omed” – “Know before Whom you stand” Talmud (B’rachot 28b).
Endurance changes our character. It’s not just about crossing the finish line, it’s about who we are when we do.
Shalom,
Rabbi Nancy Wechsler
From the Rabbi: April 13, 2021
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