Shabbat Ki
Tavo
Torah:
Deuteronomy 26:1-29:8 / Haftarah: Isaiah 60:1-22
“Seek the Joy”
Dear Friends,
These days, the news is filled with anxiety and
doom. There is plenty to have us question whether life will ever feel ‘normal’
and calm. While so much is beyond our
control, there is a lot we can do as individuals to live moral and responsible
lives and to look for the good everyday – to seek the ‘shehecheyanu moments,’ that
fill our days with blessing and plenty.
That’s what this week’s Torah portion tells our
ancestors to do. It instructed the
tribes to come together before God to express deep thanksgiving for the
abundance with which all Israel had been blessed. They were to celebrate true ‘shehecheyanu
moments’ – finding time to appreciate the wonder of life amidst all that
troubles.
This weekend, we at Shir Hadash will have the
opportunity to do just that, celebrate some ‘shehecheyanu moments.’
On Saturday
evening, we will gather to study and celebrate the Selichot service, which
introduces us to the High Holiday season of repentance and introspection. The study portion will include a screening of
the award winning movie, “Dolphin Boy,” an engrossing and tender documentary about a traumatized Israeli Arab
boy who is brought back to health through dolphin therapy. He is aided and supported by a loving and caring community in Israel.
The movie will be followed by a brief
havdalah service to bid farewell to the Shabbat and the Selichot service. The evening ends with a lavish pot-luck
dessert table. Bring something special
to share. Friends and family are most
welcome! (7:00 pm).
The great Rabbi Nachman of Bratzlav taught
us never to despair. Even in the most
troubling of times, we must find moments of celebration and thanksgiving.
L’shana tova – I wish you all a healthy, happy,
blessed, and abundant New Year.
Shabbat Shalom,
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