SAVE THESE DATES:
January 4 - Beineinu Learning Groups resume this week
January 9 - A little Torah returns
January 9 - Harlem Shabbat Sing 3:00pm
January 20 - "Wonderings" 8:00pm (Come! We had a lot of fun this past Wednesday.)
January 22 - "Shabbat Beineinu" 6:30pm (service and dinner)
Time for some Torah...
Genesis 44:18-47:27
Va'yigash - "And he got closer"
We are nearing the end of the Book of Genesis and we are going to go out with a BANG! So much happens. In fact, there is too much. Instead of writing, I am recommending you watch 2 videos ("thank you" g-dcast) and follow the steps below.
1. click on this link or paste it into your browser
http://www.g-dcast.com/vayigash-2008/
2. watch the video (at least twice)
3. acknowledge something you did that caused harm to someone (As the brothers did to Joseph when they threw him in the pit and told their father he was killed by an animal. Or as Joseph did to his brothers when he framed them and tried to get revenge before revealing his true identity.)
4. take responsibility for your action by apologizing to the person you harmed
5. do whatever it takes to repair the relationship
6. reclaim the closeness
7. click this link to find out how the Book of Genesis ends:
http://www.g-dcast.com/vayechi/
When we finish reading a Book of the Torah it is customary to say "Chazak! Chazak! Ve'nitchazek!" - Strong! Strong! We will be strengthened! I have always understood this to mean that studying Torah, unpacking the multiple layers of each story and then living the lessons, provides us with strength, strengthens us as a people and helps ensure our continued strength in the future. With all of this collective strength, we can make the world better.
Shabbat shalom,
Laurie
12.11.15 DONUTS AND/OR DIGNITY
Are you free this evening?
Come celebrate Shabbat and Chanukah with Beineinu.
6:30pm - All Angel's Church - 251 W80th St(and BDWY - behind Zabars)
We are entering the 6th night of Chanukah. For most of us, this is the season we indulge the material side of ourselves more than any other time of year. We are swept up and away by showering others with stuff. We experience joy from the joy we are bringing to others. In between presents, we eat latkes and donuts, and light the Chanukiyah (remember; all Chanukiyahs are menorahs, but not all menorahs are Chanukiyahs). Chanukah is the time when everyone feels good.
There is nothing wrong with any that.
Except the holiday is about a lot more than feeling good. In fact, it has nothing to do with feeling good. Chanukah celebrates the rededication of the Temple that was destroyed because Jews were forbidden to practice their religion. Chanukah highlights the deep divide that existed between Jews who wanted to maintain Jewish tradition and Jews who wanted to assimilate. Chanukah illustrates the challenges of survival. It reaffirms our strength and commitment to keeping Judaism vibrant and viable. Chanukah is about restoring dignity.
Our sacred texts teach over and over again; since we were slaves in Egypt, we are responsible for ensuring the freedom of anyone who is enslaved. We are mandated to love the other, not just tolerate, but love. We are commanded to take action.
So this year, what will it be? Donuts or dignity? It should be both. We should eat latkes. We should celebrate with family and friends. We should spin the dreidel and there's no harm in giving someone a present. We should also decide what we will do to affirm our strength as a people and demonstrate our commitment to keeping Judaism (and it's teachings) vibrant and viable.
What can we do to bring dignity to the lives of others? We know the problems. We know who is suffering. We know the challenges. We are commanded to act. It's our responsibility and it's our privilege. How can we use our privilege to compel us to strive for dignity for everyone? Only then will the true meaning of Chanukah be realized.
Mekor Ha'Chayiim, Source of Life, as we move into Shabbat and Chanukah, may the light of the Shabbat candles and the light of the Chanukah candles, remind us of our privilege and our tremendous capacity to act. May the light of the candles remind us that we are light and we have the ability to bring light into the lives of others.
Shabbat Shalom - Chag Uriim Sameach - Happy Chanukah,
Laurie
Come celebrate Shabbat and Chanukah with Beineinu.
6:30pm - All Angel's Church - 251 W80th St(and BDWY - behind Zabars)
We are entering the 6th night of Chanukah. For most of us, this is the season we indulge the material side of ourselves more than any other time of year. We are swept up and away by showering others with stuff. We experience joy from the joy we are bringing to others. In between presents, we eat latkes and donuts, and light the Chanukiyah (remember; all Chanukiyahs are menorahs, but not all menorahs are Chanukiyahs). Chanukah is the time when everyone feels good.
There is nothing wrong with any that.
Except the holiday is about a lot more than feeling good. In fact, it has nothing to do with feeling good. Chanukah celebrates the rededication of the Temple that was destroyed because Jews were forbidden to practice their religion. Chanukah highlights the deep divide that existed between Jews who wanted to maintain Jewish tradition and Jews who wanted to assimilate. Chanukah illustrates the challenges of survival. It reaffirms our strength and commitment to keeping Judaism vibrant and viable. Chanukah is about restoring dignity.
Our sacred texts teach over and over again; since we were slaves in Egypt, we are responsible for ensuring the freedom of anyone who is enslaved. We are mandated to love the other, not just tolerate, but love. We are commanded to take action.
So this year, what will it be? Donuts or dignity? It should be both. We should eat latkes. We should celebrate with family and friends. We should spin the dreidel and there's no harm in giving someone a present. We should also decide what we will do to affirm our strength as a people and demonstrate our commitment to keeping Judaism (and it's teachings) vibrant and viable.
What can we do to bring dignity to the lives of others? We know the problems. We know who is suffering. We know the challenges. We are commanded to act. It's our responsibility and it's our privilege. How can we use our privilege to compel us to strive for dignity for everyone? Only then will the true meaning of Chanukah be realized.
Mekor Ha'Chayiim, Source of Life, as we move into Shabbat and Chanukah, may the light of the Shabbat candles and the light of the Chanukah candles, remind us of our privilege and our tremendous capacity to act. May the light of the candles remind us that we are light and we have the ability to bring light into the lives of others.
Shabbat Shalom - Chag Uriim Sameach - Happy Chanukah,
Laurie
12.4.15 UP THE LOVE
LIGHT IT UP
CHANUKAH STARTS ON SUNDAY
RSVP: SHABBAT+CHANUKAH+DINNER = A WHOLE LOT OF WONDERFUL
DECEMBER ELEVENTH
(And, once you register, I can stop nudging)
The news of the violence that took place in San Bernardino and this morning in Cairo is heartbreaking. It seems that every week (and even multiple times per week) there is another act of terror and violence. However it's defined, the end result is the same innocent people being murdered. Every week the news seems unreal. How could this be? Again? When will it stop? We feel helpless. We feel ashamed. We feel scared.
We cannot give in to our fear. We must remind each other that there is a better way. We must demonstrate that we are going to continue to live our lives with compassion, kindness, integrity and strength. I want a world that is peaceful. I want a world where everyone is safe and has enough good food to eat and protective shelter. I want a world that prioritizes human life.
My new rebbe, Stevie Wonder (now I've got your attention), reminded me and the other 18,000 people attending his concert at the Garden last week, of an essential Jewish teaching, V'ahavta l'rei-a-cha kamocha - "LOVE your friend the way you love yourself", aka the golden rule, aka treat people the way you want to be treated.
The concert was amazing! He was funny, sentimental and his voice is still smooth and infectious. In between songs he sounded more like a preacher than a singer. He's nearing 70 and doing what(ever) he wants. "And what I want, is for people to just love each other. The world needs it and we can all give it." [Side note: At age 11, Stevie Wonder is still the youngest person ever signed to a record label. And he grew up in a home that didn't have a refrigerator or a stove!]
This week's Torah portion is "Va'yeishev" is about a lot but it ain't about love. Joseph, the youngest of Jacob's children, is thrown into a pit and sold into slavery by his brothers. They are jealous of him because they believe his father loves him more. And, apparently he can interpret dreams and they don't care for his interpretations.
Having read ahead to next week's parasha, we know, Joseph ends up in an Egyptian prison and ultimately rises to be #2 to the #1 Pharoah, who apparently does appreciate his talent for interpreting dreams. Joseph saves Egypt from total destruction by implementing a plan during times of plenty that will ensure survival during times of famine. But there is still no LOVE.
Tamar, yet another barren women in the Torah, has gone through two husbands and her father-in-law, Judah (one of Jacob's sons) won't give up his third son to marry her for fear of losing him too. She concocts a plan to get pregnant that involves pretending to be a harlot and sleeping with Judah - that's right, her father-in-law. It works! And there is still no LOVE.
The Torah didn't have The Beatles, "All You Need is Love", or Stevie Wonder. But we do. We need our national and world leaders to take real action and we need to also take real action by UPPING THE LOVE.
Mekor Ha'Chayiim, Source of life, as we move into Shabbat and the festival of lights, let us be reminded of the power we have to bring light into the lives of others. It's really simple and yet it's often neglected.
I am grateful for all of the light you have added to my life.
In blessing and friendship,
Laurie
CHANUKAH STARTS ON SUNDAY
RSVP: SHABBAT+CHANUKAH+DINNER = A WHOLE LOT OF WONDERFUL
DECEMBER ELEVENTH
(And, once you register, I can stop nudging)
The news of the violence that took place in San Bernardino and this morning in Cairo is heartbreaking. It seems that every week (and even multiple times per week) there is another act of terror and violence. However it's defined, the end result is the same innocent people being murdered. Every week the news seems unreal. How could this be? Again? When will it stop? We feel helpless. We feel ashamed. We feel scared.
We cannot give in to our fear. We must remind each other that there is a better way. We must demonstrate that we are going to continue to live our lives with compassion, kindness, integrity and strength. I want a world that is peaceful. I want a world where everyone is safe and has enough good food to eat and protective shelter. I want a world that prioritizes human life.
My new rebbe, Stevie Wonder (now I've got your attention), reminded me and the other 18,000 people attending his concert at the Garden last week, of an essential Jewish teaching, V'ahavta l'rei-a-cha kamocha - "LOVE your friend the way you love yourself", aka the golden rule, aka treat people the way you want to be treated.
The concert was amazing! He was funny, sentimental and his voice is still smooth and infectious. In between songs he sounded more like a preacher than a singer. He's nearing 70 and doing what(ever) he wants. "And what I want, is for people to just love each other. The world needs it and we can all give it." [Side note: At age 11, Stevie Wonder is still the youngest person ever signed to a record label. And he grew up in a home that didn't have a refrigerator or a stove!]
This week's Torah portion is "Va'yeishev" is about a lot but it ain't about love. Joseph, the youngest of Jacob's children, is thrown into a pit and sold into slavery by his brothers. They are jealous of him because they believe his father loves him more. And, apparently he can interpret dreams and they don't care for his interpretations.
Having read ahead to next week's parasha, we know, Joseph ends up in an Egyptian prison and ultimately rises to be #2 to the #1 Pharoah, who apparently does appreciate his talent for interpreting dreams. Joseph saves Egypt from total destruction by implementing a plan during times of plenty that will ensure survival during times of famine. But there is still no LOVE.
Tamar, yet another barren women in the Torah, has gone through two husbands and her father-in-law, Judah (one of Jacob's sons) won't give up his third son to marry her for fear of losing him too. She concocts a plan to get pregnant that involves pretending to be a harlot and sleeping with Judah - that's right, her father-in-law. It works! And there is still no LOVE.
The Torah didn't have The Beatles, "All You Need is Love", or Stevie Wonder. But we do. We need our national and world leaders to take real action and we need to also take real action by UPPING THE LOVE.
Mekor Ha'Chayiim, Source of life, as we move into Shabbat and the festival of lights, let us be reminded of the power we have to bring light into the lives of others. It's really simple and yet it's often neglected.
I am grateful for all of the light you have added to my life.
In blessing and friendship,
Laurie
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