Friay, June 10, 11 Sivan 6:00 PM Please join Rabbi Plumb, and Ellen Allard for a Hybrid "From Our Home to Yours" Kabbalat Shabbat Service.
Saturday, June 11, 12 Sivan 9:30 AM Please join Rabbi Plumb and Cantor Marc Stober for a Hybrid "From Our Home to Yours" Shabbat Morning Service.
We will celebrate the 101st birthday of Ruth Shire, mother-in-law of Rabbi Marcia Plumb
We will also be offering birthday blessings for Ann Rollins and anniversary blessings for David and Susie Kohen.
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.
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
We Remember: This week's upcoming Yahrzeit Observances
Shloshim Bernice 'Sis' Kazis
Saturday Estelle Mitchell Barbara Golov
Sunday
Monday Herbert Kamowitz
Tuesday
Wednesday Aaron Fleischer
Thursday Morris D. Katz
Friday James "Jimmy" Kurland Eva Alpert Noach Bresler Israel Halper Sarah Wizansky
A Teaching From Our Rabbi
During our lockdowns, I sometimes felt like the nazirite from our parasha, Parashat Naso. Like them, we didn't have our hair cut. The nazirite has strict disciplines to follow as part of their zealous spirituality. They see themselves as serving a Higher Power, God,so they stay focused on their tasks.
In the book A Mussar Torah Commentary, I wrote the chapter on our parasha this week, about the Nazir, and their connection to the mussar middah (trait) of zerizut/ persistence and determination.
A nazirite, like us during the pandemic, has to have zerizut to support their responsibilities.
The nazir is focused on godly pursuits. You may have seen recently about an organization that is also using zerizut to achieve their goals, but not for the good.
The Mapping Project is a collection of anti-semitic organizations that are targeting any Boston institution that seems to supports Israel. They are recruiting followers and funders to tear down any institution that might directly or indirectly have connections with the 'colonial oppression of Palestinians.' They claim these institutions include all our major Boston universities, Jewish based foundations, organizations and synagogues. They are a nascent domestic terror group that is being closely watched by the ADL, JCRC and CJP.
There is no imminent threat to any of our synagogues or organizations. We at CMT are in touch with our local Boston leadership and will keep you informed. You are invited to join a community briefing on Monday June 13 (see the information below).
How do we counter such a determined misguided group? We use our own zerizut, our determination and persistence. Parashat Naso gives us a path to follow that leads to the good rather than evil. The Birkat Kohanim, the Priestly Blessing, is in our parasha. 'May God bless you and keep you, etc.' This powerful sustaining ancient blessing asks that God shield us. It can also be a reminder that we should make our lives a blessing; be a blessing to others, and bring blessing into the world. Counteract evil with good.
We also show our zerizut, our dedication and enthusiasm for being Jewish.
The ADL wrote: 'In the face of rising antisemitism, we cannot allow our fear to displace our pride in our Jewish identity, nor can we allow ourselves to become isolated from our greater community. Instead, we must stand strong, united and resolute in confronting antisemitism.'
This Shabbat may we be filled with zerizut to bring blessings into the world. May we continue to show our commitment to the Jewish people.
Please see the information below about a community briefing on The Mapping Project, on this Monday, June 13 at 5.00 pm. Registration is required.
Last week, a report known as the " Mapping Project" was released, raising questions and concerns within our Boston Jewish community. This report uses millennia-old antisemitic tropes to target the community and its partners, including naming several community members. It makes an antisemitic call for the "dismantling" of Boston's Jewish community, including Jewish cultural institutions and schools, because of the purported "devastation" they cause. This report and the explicit naming of individuals erodes the sense of safety and security we expect when we engage in community activities through Jewish institutions. To ensure you have the latest information on this project and its implications on communal security, we are holding a community briefing with ADL and CJP on Monday, June 13 at 5:00 PM ET, during which community leaders, extremism experts, law enforcement and security professionals will address the implications of this report, how we can keep our community safe and how we can collectively stand together and call out this antisemitism. Come prepared to take action. Registration is required. In the face of rising antisemitism, we cannot allow our fear to displace our pride in our Jewish identity, nor can we allow ourselves to become isolated from our greater community. Instead, we must stand strong, united and resolute in confronting antisemitism. As always, if you see anything suspicious, please call 911 immediately. You can also report incidents to ADL here.
Congregation Mishkan Tefila 384 Harvard St. Brookline, MA 02446
