October 16, 2020 • Volume 17 No. 16 |
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"Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan Tov!" Or is it, “Rosh Chodesh Marcheshvan Tov!”
Some of you may be thinking to yourselves, “What is the Cantor talking about?!” Above, I have wished all of you a a happy new month of Cheshvan. Most of us are pretty well acquainted with the Jewish calendar through the holidays, whether the litany of Fall Holidays that just ended (Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, and Simchat Torah), or perhaps Chanukah in the Winter and Passover in the Spring. We certainly have a lot to celebrate throughout the year—but not every month. The new month Cheshvan begins on Monday. And as unbelievable as it might sound, there are no traditional holidays in the month of Cheshvan. Perhaps this is why it is sometimes called Marcheshvan, which could mean “bitter” Cheshvan—bitter because it lacks additional joyous celebrations.
Judaism is a bit obsessed with counting and taking account. The Torah is filled with censuses, multiple day holidays and genealogies. Before Rosh Hashanah, we have a full month of preparing to do the work of repentance. During the 10 days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, this work intensifies. During Chanukah we specifically enumerate each night, each candle. Between the festivals of Passover and Shavuot, we count the Omer for 50 days, and a bit like the days of repentance, we take account as well. In Hebrew, even letters and words have numerical equivalents.
But during Cheshvan, we are lacking holidays, markers which help us to take account and maintain awareness of the passing of time, the cycle of the year. This year especially, during this challenging time of pandemic, how easy it is to have one day run into the next and lose track of time. It’s easy to miss an accounting of our days. This year especially, Cheshvan seems well planned. The holidays, while joyous, powerful and reflective, took a toll. And now in Cheshvan, we are in the final stretch of what feels like perhaps the most important election of our time. As American Reform Jews, we participate fully in American society. Our Jewish month may be lacking, but through the American census, the issues affecting our communities, the volatile political universe and the upcoming election, we can shift to a counting and accounting that reflects our American experience.
Count the days, be counted, take account and vote!
Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan Tov!
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Reminder: If you haven't had the chance to return prayer books that were borrowed for the High Holidays, you can still return them. Today is the last day, but we will extend the deadline until next week, Monday - Friday, 9 am - 5 pm, in a socially-distanced environment.
If they are not returned by next week, we will assume that you want to keep them, and your account will be charged a $40.00 replacement fee.
Thank you for your cooperation!
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Shabbat Services
Tonight Friday, Tomorrow Saturday
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Friday, October 16: Shabbat Evening Service at 6:00 pm continues to be available via the Stream Services Webpage on the Temple Website. But, join us earlier at 5:45 pm every Friday via Zoom ( Meeting ID: 829 7590 5319 Passcode: 7AZ7u7), for some "casual welcome and conversation" before the services switch to LiveStream. This is a recurring link every week!
Saturday, October 17: Shabbat Torah Study and Morning Blessings with Cantor Schloss via Zoom: (Meeting ID: 914 4375 6981 Passcode: 2GCYAY), at 9:00 am. Join us at 8:50 am on the SAME Zoom link for Shabbat greetings before the service begins.
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Click for the Online Shabbat Leaflet
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Temple Israel On-Going Programming |
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Daily Check-Ins continue to be 3 pm for now, on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays. You can find the check-ins on the Temple Facebook page or in Connections on the Temple Website.
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Kehillah Shirah on Thursdays, 10:30 am via ZOOM ON-GOING
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Every Friday, The Responsa Class is an opportunity to spend some study time with Rabbi Hirsch on Friday mornings, 9:00 am. The class will be thought-provoking, interesting, but better yet, YOUR class to ask questions and study issues. Connect via ZOOM: Meeting ID: 206 879 5603 Passcode: 3GAeKM.
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Kehillah Shabbat on Friday, 10:30 am via ZOOM ON-GOING
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Connect With Temple Israel |
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Connect with Temple Israel can be found on the Temple Website, and includes current events or activities. Please visit!
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“SOCK”tober is underway and the Social Action Committee is collecting NEW socks for all ages.
Socks will be distributed between HOPE Community Services, Midnight Run, The Sharing Shelf, and Hearts and Homes for Refugees. A special appeal for teen boy socks is requested by The Sharing Shelf.
Place socks in bin outside the front door at Temple Israel (1000 Pinebrook Boulevard). Please purchase socks that you would wear yourself.
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Spotlight on Temple Israel |
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Spotlight can be found on the Temple Website towards the bottom of the homepage, and includes past events, activities, tells of the culture, or highlights congregants at the Temple. Please visit!
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Celebrate “Jewish Book Month”
(Oct 6 – Nov 29)
Alfred Stieglitz: Taking Pictures, Making Painters, by Phyllis Rose
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To reach Temple Israel clergy or staff, click here.
Visit our website for more information.
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We are a community that adds meaning and purpose to modern lives through an inclusive approach to Judaism. We live our Jewish values in our worship, celebration, lifelong learning and Tikkun Olam–the repair of the world. |
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