A Message from Our Rabbi
July 15, 2020

The words for the well-known Shabbat melody “V’shamru” are typically translated:

The children of Israel shall keep Shabbat as an eternal covenant throughout the generations. Between Me and the children of Israel it is an eternal sign. For in six days, God made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day, God rested and was refreshed.

But that last word could also be translated not merely as “refreshed,” but rather as “ensouled.” God was not only refreshed, rejuvenated, after a week of work, but rather, when God rested on the seventh day, something happened to the Divine Soul — God’s soul unfolded more fully. Something about Shabbat increased God’s soulfulness.

I have thought about that translation often as we have made our way through the past four months. For many of us, Shabbat has taken on renewed meaning in our homes and in our lives. Our “Zoom” services bring Shabbat into living rooms and dining rooms, as we see, oftentimes for the first time all week, 150 friends as close to “in person” as we can get these days. It is ensouling. It touches us at the level of the soul — this opportunity for connection and community.

This Friday evening (6:30 pm), we celebrate our Installation Shabbat and our Shabbat of Thanks . (Zoom; click HERE for online siddur.)

It is our immense privilege to honor these members of our Family who have stepped up and into the highest positions of lay-leadership within a congregation, and to offer a special blessing for our Ner Tamid and Tikvah Circle members, and those who contribute at our enhanced levels, for helping to make sure M’kor Shalom continues to be a place of learning, spiritual growth, and a Source of Peace for generations to come. 

And, as we begin to plan for this next synagogue year, it’s a wonderful time to join a committee or check out a program or class you’ve been wanting to try. If you’re not sure where to start, please let me know and I would be happy to talk about all the various opportunities so you can find the right fit.

Shabbat morning , I will be leading Torah Study at 10:00 am (Zoom).  Saturday evening at 8:00 pm, join Cantor Harrison for Havdalah on Facebook Live. And, NEXT Wednesday (7/22) at 7:00 pm, we will be discussing Ibram Kendi’s book “How to Be An Antiracist.”  

L’shalom,

Rabbi Jennifer L. Frenkel