Weekly Message 05.09.2025 Parashat Acharei-Kedoshim

jccwestpasco
May 8
3 min read

Parashat Acharei (after the death of) Kedoshim (holy ones) Leviticus 16:1-20:27

HafTorah Amos 9:7-15

Dear friends,

**Wendy Seldin receiving her Woman of Distinction award**

As we approach another Shabbat, we recall Sunday's wonderful Women of Distinction event at Temple B'nai Israel in Clearwater where our own Wendy Seldin was honored together with women from 18 additional synagogues and Jewish organizations from throughout out our Pinellas/Pasco/Hernando Counties region. Our JCC contingent of ten members raised our voices and cheered as Wendy was so deservedly recognized for all she does for our synagogue and the community at large. The afternoon began with a "high tea" with tasty sandwiches, desserts, veggies, fruits and beverages followed by a program where each recipient was recognized and remarks from acclaimed pro-Israel activist Lizzy Savetsky. A beautiful colorful brochure was distributed and I will bring some to services for all to see this evening.

Speaking of our religious services, this evening at 7:30 pm and tomorrow (Saturday) at 9:30 am both in-person and virtually on Zoom, we continue our reading and study of the Book of Vayikra (Leviticus) 19:15-20:27. Our portion within the Sedrah of Kedoshim stresses our obligation to lead moral and holy lives including the prohibition of gossip and hatred, to judge others fairly. We are reminded that Adonai loves all people, not just those who follow the precepts of the Torah, but that we are chosen to be holy to uphold those commandments both morally and ritually. All the ritual practice means very little if it is not accompanied by righteous behavior and mutual respect towards all others. The Sedrah of Kedoshim marks the halfway point of the Torah and is central to our understanding of our faith. Its importance is recognized as the alternative Mincha service Torah reading on Yom Kippur in the United Synagogue High Holy Day Machzor.

For our Haftorah and to complement the lessons learned in Kedoshim, we are introduced to the Prophet Amos 9:7-15 who teaches us that Hashem cares mostly about the laws of righteousness and morality and judges us according to those principles, a perfect complement to the Torah reading.

On Sunday night and Monday May 11-12, our calendar reminds us that it is Pesach Sheni, or literally the Second Passover occurring exactly one month after Pesach and meant for those who might have been ill, traveling, or otherwise unable to observe Passover during its proper time. This can be done by eating some Matzoh and reading portions of the Haggadah on one's own. For the rest of us, it's a festive excuse to finish eating our matzoh and Kosher for Passover foods!

Please mark your calendars for two important upcoming events. On Thursday, May 29th we will continue our montlly volunteering at Metropolitan Ministries in Holiday, FL. Please help us meet our quota by signing up to volunteeer whether you have done so in the past or for the first time! It meets a critical need for many county residents and is guaranteed to make you feel good! You can sign up at this link

Jewish Community Center Group Link: https://vhub.at/1L1BLIK

Volunteering at Metropolitan Ministries

On erev Shavuot, Sunday, June 1st at 7 pm, we will be joining our friends at Temple Beth David in a Tikkun Leil Shavuot , a centuries old tradition of studying together as part of our preparation for the holiday of Shavuot which among other things, celebrates our receipt of the Torah. Members of both synagogues will be delivering short talks on religious, historical, and cultural themes as we learn together from our own homes as we will all participate on Zoom. Last year, Eileen Hochstadt and I both presented, and we encourage all to tune in again this year for what promises to be a great opportunity to learn from each other. I will be speaking on the significance of the Puglia region in the boot of Italy to the Jewish people from the expulsion from the Holy Land by the Romans after the destruction of the Second Temple to the establishment of displaced person camps after the Holocaust which served as a springboard to emigration (both legal and illegal) back to the land Israel. I sincerely wish for us to have great participation in this important event on our calendar. As we will all be on Zoom, here is the link: