Parashat Ha'azinu (listen) Deuteronomy 32:1-52
HafTorah Samuel II 22:1-51
Dear friends,
I would like to thank everyone who made Yom Kippur and all of our High Holy Day events so meaningful. It was good to see so many old and new friends at our services and events both in-person and virtually!
So, first of all, thanks to all who participated by attending one or more event and/or religious service. And kudos to those who made it all possible: Elliot Shapiro for his magnificent davening, Sarah Sekeres for her melodic shofar blowing, Danielle Merkle for chanting Kol Nidre and for the emphatic Tekiah Gedolah which concluded our Yom Kippur day, Arlene Corby for the beautiful renditon of the Mishabeyrach prayer, Jerry Landsberg for keeping the building in proper shape and making sure everything is always working, Barbara D. Johnson for managing our Zoom so that many could attend virtually, and of course, our beloved President, Eileen Hochstadt for her insightful D'var Torahs, for leading us in responsive prayers, and for all she does, so much of which is "behind the scenes" but critical for the survival of our shul. And finally for our Bar/Bat Mitzvah anniversary team of Ana Calderon, Barbara D and Barbara E Johnson, and Art Simon for the beautiful Haftorah at last week's Shabbat Shuva service.
As we anticipate the wonderful holiday of Sukkot, we have a very active Shabbat weekend ahead. Our services will take place in-person and virtually as usual at 7:30 pm tonight and 9:30 pm tomorrow morning. Then on Sunday, we will gather at the Sukkah at 10 am for our annual Sukkah decorating event. Please try to attend for as long as you can spare to help make our Sukkah magnificent and share an important mitzvah with your synagogue community! We will also be constructing our lulavim/etrogrim sets and instructions will be given on how to handle them and wave them. Then we will have our erev Sukkot service at 6:30 pm on Sunday night and the morning service at 9:30 am on Monday.
I'm looking forward to seeing you all at one or more activity!
This Shabbat, we will read and study the next-to-last portion of the Torah, that of HaAzinu in the Book of Deuteronomy. The portion consists mostly of a poetic song that Moses delivers to the multitude shortly before his death on Mount Nebo. It is written in the Torah in the rare double column song format identical to that of the Song of Sea chanted in praise after the parting of the waters and the subsequent crossing of the Sea of Reeds. It is a tribute to Hashem for leading His people out of Egypt, through the wilderness, and on the brink of entering the Holy Land. But it is strangely pessimistic as it recounts all of the difficulties encountered mostly by the stubbornness of the people and doesn't predict completely successful future as an independent holy society.
We will be chanting our Haftorah from the second Book of the Prophet Shmuel in which David presents a song praising Hashem for helping him through his trials and travails much as Moses does in the Torah portion.
See you in Shul on Shabbat and at the Sukkah on Sunday and Monday!
Ron Becker,
Spiritual Leader
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
FRIDAY:
JCC is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Shabbat Service, Friday, 10/7, 7:30 pm
Time: Oct 7, 2022 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
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
SATURDAY:
JCC is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Saturday Service, 10/8, 9:30 am
Time: Oct 8, 2022 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
ZOOM for Sunday night and Monday Morning to follow.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++