Parashat Lech Lecha (Go Forth) Genesis 12:1 - 17:27
HafTorah Isaiah 40:27 - 41:16
Dear friends,
With another difficult week behind us, we continue to pray for peace and for the safety for all who are in harm's way as we mourn our losses and the sad state of the world. Please see the invitation below to Sunday's interfaith peace gathering and plan to attend in person or through a special Zoom link. Thru this gathering and other related activities, we can show the world that in our small corner of it, we can live together in harmony and encourage it to spread.
This Shabbat, we continue our journey through the Book of Genesis (Bereshit). This week's portion of Lech Lecha (“Go Forth”) recounts Abraham’s (here known as Abram) first encounter with G-d, his journey to Canaan, the birth of his son Ishmael, the covenant between him, his descendants, and G-d, and G-d’s commandment to circumcise the males of his household. We are reminded that we are so closely related to the descendants of Ishmael and that we must resolve our differences and live in peace as brothers, thus healing the wounds between Sarah and Hagar and between Ishmael and Isaac. We are all descended from Abraham, and we are reminded that we are all humans subject to human frailties just as our patriarchs and matriarchs were. However, we have been given the hearts and the minds to overcome those challenges and strive for peace between families, between cultures, and between nations.
Our Haftorah from the Prophet Isaiah reminds us that just as Abraham received Devine intervention, so do we all, another indication of our obligation to pursue peace and justice.
For I the ETERNAL One am your God,
Who grasped your right hand,
Who says to you: Have no fear.
I will be your help.
אַל־תִּֽירְאִי֙ תּוֹלַ֣עַת יַעֲקֹ֔ב מְתֵ֖י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל אֲנִ֤י עֲזַרְתִּיךְ֙ נְאֻם־יְהֹוָ֔ה וְגֹאֲלֵ֖ךְ
קְד֥וֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל
Please join me in-person or virtually on Zoom (through the synagogue link that was sent to you yesterday) this evening at 7:30 pm and tomorrow morning at 9:30 am for Shabbat prayers and study and make every effort to attend the interfaith peace gathering on Sunday afternoon at 2 pm (see the information regarding it below).
Interfaith Peace Gathering
Faith, Humanity, Peace, and Justice
Sunday Oct 29 at 2pm
at the Jewish Community Center of West Pasco
9841 Scenic Drive, Port Richey, FL 34668.
Presented by the Nature Coast Interfaith Council, the Jewish Community Center of West Pasco, Temple Beth David, The Islamic Community, Unity of Port Richey, The Bahai Community, Unitarian Universalists, The Catholic and Protestant Communities and many more. Special music by Christine Mariani and Kimberly Mangino.
We ask all lovers of peace to come together in solidarity for a Call for Peace in the Middle East and Ukraine. We will share, pray, sing and stand as One in many traditions and languages with music and the Power of Love and solidarity with our Human Family. We share the belief that the killing must be stopped, and that all violence must end between Israel and Hamas, and Russia and Ukraine. We are encouraged by the release of four hostages and encourage everyone to continue to negotiate the release of all hostages taken by Hamas, and the protection of civilians in Israel, Gaza, the West Bank. As long as the violence continues, the likelihood of a wider war involving many other nations is inevitable. Peace must be our goal. Let us show the world that we in our region can live together in harmony and mutual respect. Peace begins with us. Everyone is welcome! If you are not able to attend in person, please join us virtually on Zoom through this link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81659120730?pwd=ZVBnSk9XbUxSTjBGMzdWQkFNekozdz09
Shabbat Shalom!
Ron Becker
Spiritual Leader
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FRIDAY:
JCC is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Shabbat Service, Friday 10/27/2023 7:30 pm
Time: Oct 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, 10/28/2023 9:30 am
Time: Oct 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
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