Friday, May 8, 14 Iyyar 6:00 PM Kabbalat Shabbat Services Please join Rabbi Plumb and Ellen Allard for a virtual "From Our Home to Yours"
Saturday, May 9, 15 Iyyar 9:30 - 10:30 AM Shabbat Morning Services Please join Cantor Ellen Band and Rose Spitzer reading Torah for a virtual "From Our Home to Yours"
The Parasha is Emor Leviticus 21:1-6 The Haftarah is Ezekiel 44:15-31
Today marks the 75th anniversary of VE Day, the end of the Second World War in Europe.
This week, we also remember the anniversaries of the liberation of the concentration camps.
Today is the 29th day of the Omer, and the spiritual focus for today is Hesed she’b’ Hod, Loving Kindness within Gratitude.
During the war, so many gave their lives for the sake of freedom and democracy. They showed the ultimate expression of lovingkindness by sacrificing so much for the sake of others. One could say that WWII was not America’s war because it was fought in Europe, but we know that tyranny, hatred and terror is contagious and spreads quicker than a virus. When America and other allies added their forces to Britains’ efforts to fight Hitler’s despotism, the values of human dignity and religious freedom were strengthened.
Today, it is our honour to express our deep gratitude for all those who fought in WWII.
Today, it is our obligation to continue to defend human dignity and the unalienable right of every person to thrive in freedom.
On Mother’s Day weekend, we recognise the importance of women in the war effort, who served in many ways and turned the tide toward success. Women are often unseen and their role, perspective and voice is often diminished in our still patriarchal world.
Today, we celebrate women and pledge to honour women’s strengths and gifts to our past and our future.
At the end of this teaching is a brief video of the flyover in London marking VE Day.
I wish all the women in our community joy this weekend, and I hope our Shabbat is filled with celebration for each of us.
