Parashat Bo (go) - Exodus 10:1 - 13:16
HafTorah - Jeremiah 46:13-28
Dear friends,
Hope you had a good week especially in light of all the illness that is making its rounds in the schools and households in our region. This Shabbat, we celebrate the anniversary of our beloved president Eileen Hochstadt's Bat Mitzvah. Eileen will chant the Haftorah from the prophet Jeremiah and sponsor a delightful Kiddush luncheon to which all are invited!
In this week's Torah reading (chapter 10 and the first 3 versus of chapter 11 of the portion of Bo in the Book of Exodus), we learn of the last three plagues set upon Egypt as incentive for their Pharoh to release the children of Israel from bondage and allow them to leave the country. Of course, we know the outcome and despite our ultimate victory, how can we not sympathize for the death of the first-born Egyptian male children who were innocent victims of the decree? So, it is easy to harbor mixed feelings regarding this chapter of the Exodus. One way to attempt to understand it is to realize that in many cases, an enslaving nation never voluntarily decides to abandon the cruel practice. Look what happened here in the United States. It took a bloody civil war killing more soldiers and civilians than were killed by the first- born decree in Egypt and nearly destroying the American experiment in democracy. This followed long years of Jim Crow inspired atrocities and rampant discrimination. In summary, for the Hebrew nation just like other examples, winning freedom from bondage was not easy and came at a great price not only for the soon-to-be-freed slaves, but from their enslavers as well.
Our Shabbat services will take place in-person and virtually on Zoom at the usual times—7:30 pm tonight and 9:30 am tomorrow morning. And a reminder that we now have Challah (from the new Railroad Square Bakery) for tonight's Kiddush and Motsie and a Shabbat luncheon in honor of Eileen tomorrow after services. And a final reminder, that our monthly Friday night dinner will be on the next Shabbat (Shabbat Shira) with an abbreviated Shabbat service at 6:30 pm followed immediately by dinner, comradary, singing and benching!
Lastly, stay tuned for the revival of our monthly dine-outs which will likely begin in March!
Shabbat Shalom,
Ron Becker
Spiritual Leader
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FRIDAY:
JCC is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Shabbat Service, Friday 01/27/2023, 7:30 pm
Time: Jan 27, 2023 07:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/4979030958?pwd=YXJPT2FGVTdzVVV2bVQ3c1ZnS1lMZz09
Meeting ID: 497 903 0958
Passcode: 5QdVaA
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SATURDAY:
JCC is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Saturday Service, 01/28/2023, 9':30 am
Time: Jan 28, 2023 09:30 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/4979030958?pwd=YXJPT2FGVTdzVVV2bVQ3c1ZnS1lMZz09
Meeting ID: 497 903 0958
Passcode: 5QdVaA