Hazzan Azi Schwartz offers the Haskiveinu prayer. It is a soulful prayer asking for the protection of God’s loving presence, under the wings of the Shechinah. A beautiful part of our Shabbat prayer.
Shabbat Shalom
Patience, Forgiveness, and Compassion
Some guidelines for Emotional Well Being from the CDC
The CDC has some good information for us as we deal with the Coronavirus. Take a look at how we can cope better, help our children as they try to cope, and lastly signs that you might not be coping. There is everything right about asking for help when you need it!
Touching Base Monday
Be Kind
We are in this together
Shabbat Shalom
Shabbat is not on Hiatus!
Even if your synagogue is closed as a response to the Coronavirus, you can still be connected! Check if your community is webcasting, if not another congregation is, so virtually drop in!
And if that doesn’t work for you, here is a wonderful medley of Kabbalat Shabbat brought to you by Kippalive.
Shabbat Shalom- Stay safe and healthy
Shabbat Shalom
The Hashkiveinu prayer asks that we are sheltered under Shechinah’s protective wing, so we might find peace to protect us through the night.
At the end of this week, this prayer seems particularly apropos.
May we find a safe harbor from the storm that has been this tumultuous week so that we do not fear the darkness or the unknown. Let us find strength and comfort under God’s protective wing and with each other.
Shabbat Shalom
I offer Craig Taubman’s rendition of Haskiveinu to set the mood and help us connect:
Shabbat Shalom
Lecha Dodi is at the heart of Kabbalat Shabbat, Welcoming Shabbat. Joey Weisenberg and Deborah Sacks Mintz bring us the last two verses of this wonderful poem in beautiful fashion.
To the left and to the right they go out to welcome the coming of the Shabbat Bride.
Shabbat Shalom
Shabbat Shalom
As part of our recent CCAR* cultural trip to Israel, we visited Polyphony, an organization dedicated to teaching music to young people, Arab and Jew, together. One of the great gifts of humankind is Western Classical Music. The message of this school is that this music belongs to all of us; We all have access to this beauty, regardless of our backgrounds, and through music, we can come together sharing this exquisite high art form.
The following is a clip produced by Polyphony promoting their important work. It is a message of hope and building bridges through the common language of music. Watching the young students perform works of the Masters was inspirational and a wonderful way to welcome Shabbat.
Shabbat Shalom
*CCAR- Central Conference of American Rabbis