As part of the ritual of the Friday evening meal, we offer blessings- prayers of gratitude for our children and for our partner. The prayer men traditionally offer to their wife is the Eshet Chayil, A Woman of Valor. Taken from Proverbs 31 (verses 10-31) this poetry expresses our gratitude for the blessing of a cherished partner. Please enjoy this rendition of Eshet Chayil.
Shabbat Shalom
This weekend is an extraordinary confluence of memories and events that I pray leads to our rededication to the values we cherish as a nation and as Jews. Kristallnacht and Veteran’s Day are times of extraordinary solemn remembrance. The lessons we learn from these can shape our commitment to the world we seek to achieve.
November 9 marks the anniversary of Kristallnacht, Nazi Germany’s great pogrom and genocide against the Jewish people. The oppression and persecution of the Jews of Europe entered a new and deadlier phase bringing the long-simmering anger and aggression out into the open as Goebbels encouraged mass arrests, violence against Jews and any visible signs of Jewishness, including synagogues, stores, and our sacred texts.
November 11 marks Veteran’s Day, the time we honor those who have bravely fought to preserve, protect, and defend our country and the values we represent. Eventually, these men and women fought against the Nazi’s tyrannical regime built on hate but sadly too late to rescue the 6 million Jews slaughtered.
And yesterday, November 9, I was proud to accompany the Women’s Philanthropy Division of the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia on a trip to Washington, DC to advocate both in Congress and the White House for DACA, Responsible Gun Legislation, Food Insecurity and the SNAP program, and against BDS and Anti-Semitism. We championed our values and spoke truth to power with persuasive force and civility.
The struggle to realize a better kinder nation and world continues. Yasher Koach and most profound gratitude to all of those who join the fight.
Shabbat Shalom.
For most of October, I have been away traveling with Naomi from Budapest to Amsterdam, spending most of our time in Germany. It was a fascinating trip, both revealing and thought-provoking. I look forward to sharing some of what I have learned and some of the questions that remain unanswered in the weeks ahead.
For now, I wish you Shabbat Shalom and share with you Psalm 92. This music was written by Franz Schubert and performed by Cantor Solomon Sulzer for the consecration ceremony of the Stadttempel in Vienna. I will share in other posts the famously talented Shmuel Barzilai, Cantor of the Stadttempel. (This performance is by the Choeur de la synagogue de Copernic Soliste: David Serero)
Shabbat Shalom!
This evening is Shabbat Shuva, the Shabbat between Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur. May your High Holidays be meaningful and 5778 be a year of health and blessings.
L’ShanahTovau’metukah!
Shabbat Shalom
Rosh HaShanah is around the corner as we wind up Elul. Wishing everyone L’Shanah Tova and
Shabbat Shalom!
As we progress through the month of Elul towards the High Holidays, take a moment to listen to this wonderful duet. Naftali Kalfa and Gad Elbaz sing of return to the Almighty in Teshuva. A beautiful song to start Shabbat.
Shabbat Shalom!
Just a note to wish everyone a Shabbat Shalom.
Tonight I will go to a friend’s synagogue for Kabbalat Shabbat and then off to have dinner with friends and loved ones. Sounds like a pretty amazing way to celebrate a birthday.
Shabbat Shalom
After a hard week where hatred brutally showed itself in Charlottesville and Barcelona, I offer our response: Rabbi Menachem Creditor singing his beautiful song, Olam Chesed Yibaneh. We will build this world with love.
Shabbat Shalom
Another tumultuous week comes to a close. Welcome Shabbat with a prayer for peace with the incomparable Rabbi Angela Buchdahl and Cantor Azi Schwartz.
Shabbat Shalom
Nachamu, Nachamu Ami- Take Comfort, my People. These are the words of Isaiah (40:1) after the destruction of the Temple and the words of the Haftarah this week.
Shabbat Nachamu is the Shabbat that follows Tisha b’Av.
Enjoy the music of the Maccabeats as they set these beautiful words to music.
Shabbat Shalom.
