Parashat Bamidbar (In The Wilderness) Numbers 1:1-4:20
HafTorah Hosea 2:1-22
Dear friends,
We have almost completed the navigation of time between Passover and Shavuot and tonight we will be counting the Omer for the last time.
We are now looking forward to a wonderful festival weekend beginning tonight with Shabbat and ending with Shavuot services and celebratory kiddush luncheon on Sunday. Tonight, we will read the first half of the condensed version of the Book of Ruth (p. 383-384 in the Sim Shalom siddur), with the second half to be read tomorrow morning. This is also Shabbat Bamidbar when we begin reading and studying the book of Bamidbar (in the wilderness). Throughout Vayikra (Leviticus), we were introduced to numerous mitzvot and detailed instruction relating to sacrifices and conduct. In Bamidbar (Numbers) we return to the narrative of the sojourn through the wilderness taking us to the brink of entering the Holy Land. In many ways, we have left the wilderness through the State of Israel and the freedoms and privileges we have in our own land. However, if one defines "wilderness" as the unknown, we remain there with challenges relating to our climate and the way we treat each other. Just as the children of Israel eventually emerged from Bamidbar with the tools to live as a free and moral nation, we need to learn the lessons of Bamidbar and build better futures for us, for those who come after us, and for the earth. Please join us tonight at 7:30 pm and tomorrow morning at 9:30 am for Shabbat services with this theme in mind.
In addition to our Torah reading, we will chant an important Haftorah from the Prophet Hosea which ends with the classic words which we chant every morning as we wrap our Tefillin around our arms and foreheads, and we pledge to our bride at all Jewish weddings:
וְאֵרַשְׂתִּ֥יךְ לִ֖י לְעוֹלָ֑ם וְאֵרַשְׂתִּ֥יךְ לִי֙ בְּצֶ֣דֶק וּבְמִשְׁפָּ֔ט וּבְחֶ֖סֶד וּֽבְרַחֲמִֽים׃
וְאֵרַשְׂתִּ֥יךְ לִ֖י בֶּאֱמוּנָ֑ה וְיָדַ֖עַתְּ אֶת־יְהֹוָֽה
I betroth you to Me forever.
I betroth you to Me with righteousness and justice,
with love and compassion, and with goodness and mercy.
I betroth you to Me with faithfulness;
then shall you at one with Adonai
Services on Shavuot morning will begin at 9:30 am and include the chanting of the Hallel (praises), the chanting of the beautiful poem Akdamut (p. 222-235 in the Sim Shalom siddur) folowed by the reading of the Ten Commandments in the Torah. We will also experience the Yizkor (memorial) service in memory of all of the family and friends who have come before us and no longer with us. This will be the final opportunity to experience the Yizkor service until Yom Kippur. And, lastly but not leastly, we will have a festival Kiddush luncheon together.
So please join us in person or remotely on zoom for all three days of this wonderful Shabbat/Shavuot weekend of prayer, study, song, and companionship!
Ron Becker
Spiritual Leader
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FRIDAY:
JCC is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Shabbat Service
Time: Jun 3, 2022 07:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81979421845?pwd=NTV0bkUycU9aT0NnMzU3dDBaZnFrUT09
Meeting ID: 819 7942 1845
Passcode: 502194
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SATURDAY:
JCC is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Saturday Service
Time: Jun 4, 2022 09:30 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89793022930?pwd=UFYrOGV3UG84TlBoSU43bVBSSWlzQT09
Meeting ID: 897 9302 2930
Passcode: 586263
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SUNDAY:
JCC is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Shavuot Service
Time: Jun 5, 2022 09:30 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85013123041?pwd=SzBIZDRtMTFmZzdFRHp0S1hlL0ZkUT09
Meeting ID: 850 1312 3041
Passcode: 993156
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