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May 3, 2024 - 25 Nisan 5784 Parasha Achrei Mot - Each Day
I hope you had a good week and that this correspondence finds you well and in good health. We have a full slate of activities for you at the synagogue this weekend and I hope you can join us for them, beginning with our Shabbat morning services, which will take place in our lovely, new sanctuary at 10:00 am. As always, the services will be followed by a festive Kiddush. In the calendrical cycle, we are presently entrenched in the period referred to as Sefirat Haomer, or the counting of the Omer. The Torah commands us to verbally count the days connecting the holidays of Pesach and Shavuoth. As I write this article, we are on the tenth day of the Sefira. Historically, this counting fulfills the Torah’s commandment of bringing a measurement (an Omer) of barley to the Temple as a sign of homage to the Divine. Thematically, we are recognizing the inherent connection between the two biblical festivals of Pesach and Shavuoth. Whereas Pesach represents our physical redemption from bondage in Egypt, Shavuoth represents our spiritual redemption of receiving the Torah on Mount Sinai. In fact, the very purpose of granting our physical freedom as a people is so that we can accept God’s law spiritually and recognize that we are servants, but only to Hashem. Almost every Rabbi I know hermeneutically reminds their flock that while we are commanded to count every day, we are, in parallel, commanded to make every day count. As I reflect on our congregation’s work, far be it from me to break this hallowed and time-honored tradition… This weekend, you will see numerous examples of how our daily efforts as a sacred synagogue are implemented for the benefit of the greater Jewish community. On Shabbat morning, we will learn about the project of reconceptualizing our Holocaust Museum. You will hear how our Shul now boasts to be only the 17th such museum in the country and the only such educational center housed in, and literally overseeing, an active and vibrant synagogue sanctuary. When considering the past and present of the People of Israel, the contiguity of these two spaces is both moving and emotionally overwhelming. I have benefited from “before” and “after” viewings of the museum and can share that this incredible project is the result of thoughtfulness, preparation, educational strategy, aesthetic considerations, and goal-oriented planning. Through the blessings of the ongoing, day-by-day dedication of Craig, Beth, and David, this project has come to fruition. The museum represents yet another accomplishment of our Shul. On Sunday afternoon at 5:00pm, we will host a members-only guided tour of the museum and Q&A session, followed by a light collation. On Sunday evening at 6:30pm, we will be joined by Rabbi Ilan Acoca and the members of Congregation Bet Yosef, our neighboring Sephardic Shul, for a community-wide Yom HaShoah commemoration. Rabbi Acoca and I will jointly lead the event. We will be honored by the presence of our newest member, Dr. Avri Ravid, and we will learn from Holocaust scholar and my friend, Alan Brauner. The Yom HaShoah commemoration is the result of daily work and a shared vision by Rabbi Acoca and me of bringing our communities together as one, regardless of synagogue affiliation. The program emphasizes to all of the Jewish community that we are one people, engaged in the same daily tasks of bringing peace, harmony, prayer, and Torah to the world at large. Friends, we should be proud of our ongoing daily work. Whether through adult education, community Seders, or Shabbat worship, we are all in this together. Each 24-hour cycle is holy and each of you, as beloved members of our Shul, are holy and cherished. As we enter Shabbat, let us be proud of what we have accomplished as a synagogue and use that energy and Naches to bring about the betterment of a world that clearly needs it. Today, I pray for the return of the hostages. Today, I pray for lovingkindness. Today, I pray for peace, goodness, and the end of suffering. Now, how will you use your next “today?” Shabbat Shalom, Rabbi Eric L. Wasser, EdD, Hon DM.
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