From the Rabbi

Shabbat Services this Week

If you have a simcha, please share it with us and receive a special blessing from Rabbi Plumb during an upcoming Shabbat service.
Sponsor a Kiddush by virtually inviting us to your home as you lead the community in KIddush and HaMotzi prayers. (we will provide challah and grape juice!)
Please contect Rosalie Reszelbach, Janet Stein Calm or Toni Spitzer to arrange.

Genesis 16 1 - 17:27

Please click here for pages 10-62 of the 
Kabbalat Shabbat and Maariv Siddur Lev Shalem

Please click here for the link to the new Conservative prayerbook,
Siddur Lev Shalem:
Shabbat Shaharit Siddur Lev Shalem
The prayers will be the same as in our usual blue siddur,
so feel free to use that instead if you wish.

Please click here for the link to the page numbers for Shabbat morning prayers in Sim Shalom (Blue) and in Lev Shalem Page Numbers for Shabbat Morning

If you took a Mussar Class last year, and have not yet regisered for this years class, please contact Toni - some sections start next week!

We Remember:
This week's upcoming Yahrzeit Observances

Saturday
Isaac Davidi
Eva Modricamin

Sunday
Dora Chafetz
Morris Kaitz
Esther Dickerman

Monday
Harvey Weiss
Ina Seidman

Tuesday
Mira Schwartz
Eve Dickerman
 Samuel Sarver

Wednesday
Paula Sands Swartz
Miriam Kressyn
 Eliezer Eshkenazi

Thursday

Friday
Bessie Levine
 Doris Cohen
Louis Charnow
​​​​​​​Morris Selib

From Our Rabbi: A Teaching

Today, I'm delighted to share a poem written by Leann Shamash, a poet, photographer and dancer, as well as our co-president, Paul Gershkowitz's sister. She has written it in honour of the many journeys that Abraham and Sarah go on in our parasha this week. She notes that 'Each of us has embarked upon our own journeys through life. Perhaps they are inspired by God, or self inspired, but each journey on our path brings us further in our own development. Perhaps this little poem, entitled "Journeys" will help us all be more aware of the journeys we have already taken and more mindful of the journeys we have yet to make.'

Journeys by Leann Shamash
There are journeys that begin us
and there are journeys that complete us.
There are journeys that are Inspired 
and some journeys that are required.

There are journeys that are solitary,
there are some journeys that are best made with others.

There are some journeys that we travel to find the elusive, not knowing for what we search
and there are journeys which are personal quests.
 
There are some journeys we take for the sake of others
and others that we take for ourselves.

There are journeys of the feet,
and there are journeys of the heart.

There are journeys of language
and journeys of thought

Journeys of plenty 
and journeys of naught.

There are journeys that challenge us to our core 
and journeys that anger us, that ignite us.

There are journeys of the mind,
and journeys of the imagination.

These are journeys that require no travel.We close our eyes and are transported.

There are journeys taken for love
and journeys taken for loneliness.

There are some journeys long on words
and some journeys of profound silence.

There are journeys of courage
and there are journeys of cowardice.

There are journeys that narrow us
and journeys that expand us.

Some journeys we barely remember and some journeys we return to in our minds again and again

There are journeys that weave us into something larger than ourselves and journeys that separate us from others.

There are some journeys that bring us far from home
and some journeys where we return.

There are journeys that we regret
and journeys that we wish that we had taken, journeys that open doors, and journeys that bring closure.

There are journeys we make once and they change our lives.
and there are journeys that change the course of history.

This Shabbat, as we reflect on our journeys through life, may we come to appreciate the twists and turns along the way, and feel blessed for who we are today. 

Enjoy this song from the parasha that we will sing at services this Shabbat.
https://youtu.be/jZqU-ymdUhc - Lechi Lacha, by Debbie Friedman z"l


Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Marcia Plumb