WOOD RIVER wrjc
  JEWISH COMMUNITY        
"The Wood River Jewish Community is a gathering place that strives to perpetuate  
Jewish tradition through worship, fellowship and learning.  Founded in 1976, we seek to provide a welcoming and caring community in the Wood River Valley
February 13 , 2018

Silver Lake- Courtesy picture: Mila Lyon  
WEEK'S TORAH PORTION 
Parasha T'rumah
Exodus 25:1-27:19
 
Parasha T'rumah ("gifts") is a descriptively stunning parashah detailing the design of the mishkan, or tabernacle. With specific measurements "exactly as I show you" says G-d (Ex. 25:9), T'rumah is a holy architectural blueprint.
 
G-d asks Moses to tell the children of Israel: You shall accept gifts for Me from              every person whose hearts shall move them."   (Ex. 25:1-2)
 
Here are some of the items on G-d's wish list:  

"gold, silver and copper; blue, purple and crimson yarns, fine linen, goat's hair, tanned  ram skins, dolphin skins, and acacia wood, oil for lighting, spices for the anointing oil   and for the aromatic incense, lapis lazuli and other stones for setting" ... and more. (Ex. 25:3-7)
 
G-d is also specific in creating the holy lamp, the menorah, and it becomes one of the earliest symbols of Judaism.
 
As the Israelites fled Egypt they stripped these valuables from the Egyptians. But when it came to donating to build the tabernacle, no one was required to bring any gifts - it was totally up to the individual to do so. They were to give as their heart so moved them. In order to create the tabernacle, which is only made possible through the generosity of all the people, we ask similar questions today: What does your community need? Are you giving from your heart? Are you getting what you need? We will be having ongoing conversations about what moves your heart when it comes to the WJRC, but even back then, the Israelites were voting with their sandals.
 
            V'ahsu li mikdash v'shahchanti b'tocham (Ex. 25:8)
 
"Let them build for Me a sanctuary so that I might dwell within them" are G-d's words. Within them, G-d says - not around them or next to them. Within their bodies, souls, minds and their hearts. G-d could be saying that G-d's presence is meant to permeate our lives. In T'rumah's carefully laid-out instructions, we learn the concept of "hiddur mitzvah," the beautification of a mitzvah. We are asked to show in our art, our ritual items, our worship spaces and our music that we ourselves continue to build our tabernacle today. It is up to us to fill it with light, color and love. To be present in this beauty and to give lovingly from our hearts is one way to demonstrate that G-d dwells within us.
 
My Jewish band, Sababa, recorded a song I wrote with Dr. Larry Lesser, based on T'rumah: "What We'll Bring (Let Us Sing)" You can find it here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/bqpjvn07ik94jj8/11 What We%27ll Bring %28Let Us Sing%29.mp3?dl=0 
 
Looking forward to my next weekend! See you February 22-26th!
 
Rabbi Cantor Robbi Sherwin
rabbirobbi@wrjc.org
1-512-947-7270         
 
In this issue
Torah portion
Shabbat
Save the dates
Donations of the week
Thank you
Thinking of you
Caring Committee
Celebration of the week
Yarzheits
Book Club
Our Board of Directors

Marshall Meyer 
President
Joanne Mercer 
Vice-President
Judy Teller-Kaye  
Treasurer
Eileen Prager
Secretary
Lenny Cohen
Linda Cooper
 Jami Delgado
Ellen Fastow
Susan Green
Ken Lewis
Naomi Fine Sloan
Eileen Prager
Carlyn Ring
Bob Safron
Neil Siegel
Scott Rogel 

Rabbi Robbi Sherwin
   
  Claudie Goldstein
Executive Director
Director of Development

 Cindy Smith
Bookkeeper
Addresses
Mailing:
PO Box 837
Ketchum, ID 83340

Physical:
471 Leadville Avenue
Ketchum, ID 83340

Office Hours
Tuesday:
10:00am-4:00pm

Thursday:
10:00am-4:00pm

Friday:
 10:00am-1:00pm
Quick Links


Contact us
tel: 208-726-1183
fax: 208-727-9646
Join our list
Join Our Mailing List
NO SHABBAT SERVICE ON FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 16 

 
SAVE THE DATES
Rabbi Robbi will be in town the weekend of February 23 to 26. The following has been scheduled.

   
On Friday, February 23rd:    
  • Coffee hours at Starbucks in Ketchum, 8:30am to 10:00am 
  • Leadville office hours 12:30pm to 2:00pm
  • Shabbat service at the office at 6:00pm
On Saturday, February 24th:
  • Adult Education at 10:00am at the office    
On Sunday, February 25th:
  • Coffee hours at Java Coffee Shop in Hailey 8:30am to 10:00am
  • Leadville office hours 12:30pm to 2:00pm
  • Sunday school at the office at 4:00pm
DONATIONS OF THE WEEK
Honor a special occasion, express sympathy, remember a  loved one, or simply say "Thank You" with a donation to a WRJC fund of your choice. 

 
JEWISH LIFE 
David Kaye and Judy Teller Kaye in honor of Rabbi Robbi joining us in the Wood River Valley  
David Kaye and Judy Teller Kaye in memory of David's Father, Irving Kaye
Flora Lovejoy in memory of Cousin Edwin Margolius, Mother Esther Nelson, Aunt Mildred Mottahedesh.
  
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A SPECIAL THANK YOU 
TO OUR "SUPER SUPPER" GANG

Bob Goldstein, Sammy Mailman, Mila and Marty Lyon, Jerry and Joe Mailman

                       
THINKING OF YOU

Sylvia Bunshoft
Ron Heller
Margery Friedlander
CARING COMMITTEE
Karen Saks is our February caring leader.
ksaks12@yahoo.com
208-726-2828

CELEBRATION OF THE WEEK
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
Rabbi Robbi Sherwin
Jori Magdison
Julius Gilman
Isabel Stusser
 
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!
Ken and Ravona Molkner
Ralph Fullerton and Myra Friedman


YARZHEITS OF THE WEEK
A Yahrzeit donation allows you to honor the memory of the special people in your life. Your gift will memorialize 
your loved one during the anniversary of his or her passing.     
yahzeit

   
Monroe Benton             
Oscar Brodney
Lucille Paris Carp , Mother of Bunker Frank
Irving Kaye, Father-in-Law of Judith Teller Kaye
Lazelle Mason Lorch, Mother of Barbara Gett
elman
Saul Shaffer, Father of Rowena Kleinman
Edward Weil Sr., Father of Edward Weil
BOOK CLUB

The Jewish Book Club will meet on the
la st Sunday of February, and March, at 3 pm.  Note change in time!  
 
The books for this winter are:
February: Phoenix - Shimon Peres and the Secret History of Israel by Michael Bar Zohar
March: Angels in the Sky by Robert Gandt
 
Dora at 726-7441 or doralevin@cox.net.
If you want to read more about our organization, please go to our website wrjc.org.

If you want to know more about our activities of the month, please click on the summer Shofar edition on the website.

Sincerely,

Claudie Goldstein
Executive Director/Director of Development

  WRJC STANDS WITH ISRAEL