Weekly Message 01.23.2026 Parashat Bo
- jccwestpasco
- 1 day ago
- 4 min read
Parashat Bo (come to Pharoah) Exodus 10:1 - 13:16
HafTorah Jeremiah 46:13-28
Dear friends,
Thanks to all who attended the Martin Luther King Day's march and program and continuing our strong and enduring partnership with the African American Club fostering interfaith and cross-cultural activities for children and adults of all backgrounds and scholarships for the youths in our region. Mark your calendars for their annual scholarship fundraising dinner to be held on April 25th at 4 pm.
We have a very special Shabbat this week as we celebrate the Bat/Bar Mitzvah anniversaries of two very special people; our beloved President Eileen Hochstadt and Gregory Cohen, son of Paula and Barry Cohen. Eileen will be chanting her Bat Mitzvah Haftorah from the Prophet Jeremiah. And the Cohens and Hochstadts are sponsoring a sumptuous kiddish luncheon immediately following tomorrow (Saturday) morning service. Jeremiah's prophecy ends with this inspiring message:
וְ֠אַתָּ֠ה אַל־תִּירָ֞א עַבְדִּ֤י יַֽעֲקֹב֙ וְאַל־תֵּחַ֣ת יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל כִּ֠י הִנְנִ֤י מוֹשִֽׁעֲךָ֙ מֵרָח֔וֹק וְאֶֽת־זַרְעֲךָ֖ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ שִׁבְיָ֑ם וְשָׁ֧ב יַעֲק֛וֹב וְשָׁקַ֥ט וְשַׁאֲנַ֖ן וְאֵ֥ין מַחֲרִֽיד׃
But you,
Have no fear, My servant Jacob,
Be not dismayed, O Israel!
I will deliver you from far away,
Your folk from their land of captivity.
And Jacob again shall have calm
And quiet, with none to trouble him.
The Torah triennial reading and study which precedes the Haftorah (Exodus 10:1-11:3) contains an account of the plagues set upon Egypt and the difficulty of convincing Pharoh to avoid future disaster by freeing the Hebrew nation from bondage. With the hardening of Pharoh's heart, we are introduced to the first of many difficulties and trying times that will be faced in the near future as freedom is not something that can be achieved automatically, but must be earned through becoming a moral and upright community and following the mitzvot that will be introduced throughout the journey. And we encounter familiar passages from our Passover Haggadah so that we too can place ourselves in the shoes of our ancestors as they began that journey.
So please come and share this beautiful Shabbat with your shul friends and congratulate our B'nai Mitzvah! Services will be held at 7 pm this evening and 9:30 am tomorrow (Saturday) morning in-person and virtually on Zoom.
And please mark your calendars for all the wonderful events that your synagogue is holding in the coming weeks!
Shabbat Shalom!
Ron Becker
Spiritual Leader
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ZOOM LINKS FRI & SAT
JCC is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Shabbat Services 1/23 @ 7:00 pm, 1/24 @ 9:30 am
Time: This is a recurring meeting Fri & Sat
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Meeting ID: 497 903 0958
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COMING EVENTS AT JCC WEST PASCO MARK YOUR CALENDARS
Tuesday, January 27 We will volunteer at Metropolitan Ministries bringing sustenance, clothing, and hope to those in need at the headquarters at 3216 US-19, Holiday, FL 34691, at 11am-2 pm. Please sign up to help at this link: https://vhub.at/1L1BLIK
Friday, January 30 We will have a Shabbat dinner catered by Argento's immediately following our Kabbalat service which will begin ½ hour earlier than usual at 6:30 pm.
Sunday, February 1 We will be volunteering at the synagogue for another "Mitzvah Day" to help restore and beautify the building and grounds at 9 am followed by our Tu B'Shevat seder.
Sunday, February 1 We will be celebrating Tu B'Shevat celebrating the rebirth of trees and all of nature's bounty with a Tu B'Shevat seder on Sunday, February 1st at 11 am featuring "first fruits" including dates, figs, olives, and sweet treats. It is a time to reflect on humanity's role as stewards of nature.
Thursday, February 19 We will volunteer at Metropolitan Ministries bringing sustenance, clothing, and hope to those in need at the headquarters at 3216 US-19, Holiday, FL 34691, at 11am-2 pm. Please sign up to help at this link: https://vhub.at/1L1BLIK Note date change!
Saturday, February 21 We will celebrate Ron Becker's Bar Mitzvah anniversary and Chris Becker's birthday with a Kiddish luncheon immediately after morning services. All are invited to help celebrate together as a synagogue family and all are encouraged to sponsor festive meals to honor special life cycle events!
Monday, March 2 We will be celebrating the joyous holiday of Purim on Monday, March 2nd beginning with a social hour (with lots of Hamantaschen and ice cream) at 6 pm and followed by the reading of the Megillah (the Book of Esther) at 7 pm.
Sunday, March 8 We will be hosting a lecture by Nancy Sinkoff, Professor of Jewish Studies and Academic Director of the Allen and Joan Bildner Center for the Study of Jewish Life at Rutgers University at 2 pm. Her topic is "Did American Jews Ever Agree About Israel" and the talk will be followed by a reception in the Spigelman Room featuring delicious desserts crafted by our own Megan Hochstadt of "Meganables Edibles". The program is sponsored by the Rutgers University Foundation and will be open free of charge to the public. It will be a unique opportunity for us to hear from a distinguished scholar on a critical topic that concerns us all.
Tuesday, March 24 We will volunteer at Metropolitan Ministries bringing sustenance, clothing, and hope to those in need at the headquarters at 3216 US-19, Holiday, FL 34691, at 11am-2 pm. Please sign up to help at this link: https://vhub.at/1L1BLIK
Thursday, April 2 We will hold our annual Passover seder at 3 pm. Details to follow soon!
Tuesday, April 14 We will observe Yom HaShoah at 6 pm at the New Port Richey City Hall at 5919 Main St, New Port Richey, FL 34652 with the annual proclamation and presentations of the Mayor and City Council.
Saturday, April 25 We are cosponsoring the annual African American Club Scholarship dinner at Seven Springs Country Club at 3535 Trophy Blvd, New Port Richey, FL 34655 just off Little Road. All are encouraged to attend this important community fundraising event.
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