TSS Hosts First Confirmation Ceremony

May 30, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Confirmation at Temple Shirat Shalom

 

Last Saturday evening Temple Shirat Shalom hosted its first Confirmation Class.  Five young men and women solemnly declared their intentions to live their lives as Jews, supporting and upholding the Jewish laws and way of life.  Aaron Donahue, Sam Zionts-Bernstein, Natalie Sams, Halle Nelson and Melissa Simon were eloquent and resolute as they spoke to us from their hearts.

 

The Confirmation Ceremony appropriately coincides with the Shavuot Holiday.  Shavuot commemorates the anniversary of the day God gave the Torah to the Jewish people.  And the Torah is the source for all Jewish teachings.  Torah study has provided our people with laws, order, structure and a way of life that was unique to the world at the time, and thousands of years later is still relevant.

 

These five young adults took the next step in their journey, going beyond a Bar or Bat Mitzvah, to proclaim their faith to their family, friends and Congregation.  Each one gave a heartfelt speech on what their faith has meant to them and a promise to embrace their Judaism throughout their lives.  So carefully guided by their teacher, Kim Zionts-Bernstein, these students explored the many facets of their lives as it is seen through the eyes of Judaism.  Many subjects discussed … many more questions posed … many thought provoking dialogues … all under the expert and careful tutelage of “Mrs. Z-B.”

 

Temple Shirat Shalom congratulates these five young adults, and is grateful for their commitment, their enthusiasm and their gift of a Yad for our Torah.   Temple Shirat Shalom also thanks “Mrs. Z-B” for her dedication to Jewish teaching and her deep understanding of what speaks to the young minds she so lovingly guides.

 

More on Friday night Shabbat …

 

Last Friday evening after the rain shower a Rainbow appeared.  We followed that Rainbow to its end hoping to find a pot of gold … but we found something so much better … Temple Shirat Shalom.

 

We thank Gene and Inna Tseytlin for performing Shabbat honors and sponsoring our Oneg.  It was also a special treat to have Dr. Michael Krentz as musical accompaniment for Cantor Sussman.  The Confirmation Class gave us a Sermon on what their Confirmation experience has meant to them.  We are ever so thankful for Stuart Shmookler who brings us news from the Board … in his own unique manner.  And we thank Cantor Sussman for her words brought to us in song.

 

 

Filed Under: Recent Sermons

TSS Confirmation

May 30, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Shavuote was a time when the ancient Israelites brought a part of their seasonal harvest to the Temple in Jerusalem. As Rabbi Peter Knoebbel  notes, in the – Gates of the Season- ,modern Confirmation echoes the symbolism of the ancient observance of Shavuote, “Today … young people are the first fruits of each year’s harvest. They represent the hope and promise of tomorrow. During the service they reaffirm their commitment to the covenant.”

Shavuote also marks the end of the counting of the Omer, which began 49 days earlier on the second day of Passover, and matan Torah, the giving of Torah to Moses and the Israelites at Mount Sinai. Reading the Ten Commandments, as that is holiday text, reminds us of their central place in Jewish tradition and in our lives. At 16, our teens can see this connection and understanding that although bar and bat mitzvah is an important ritual at which they declare their Jewish identity, Confirmation solidifies their connection to Jewish texts and the Jewish people.

Our Confirmation service includes the reading of the Haftarah portion for Shavuote, the Book of Ruth. Widowed and devastated by the death of her husband and two sons, Naomi tells her daughters-in-law that they are not obligated to stay with her. One,Orpah, chooses to leave, but the other Ruth, famously stays with Naomi, saying “ Wherever you go , I will go, and your people shall be my people, and your God my God”. This text is often used in a conversion ceremony and exemplifies what a Jew by choice is pledging to do. Ruth chooses to remain with her mother-in-law and to develop a more meaningful connection to Naomi’s God and people. As our confirmands reaffirm their Jewish identity, the words of Ruth can inspire them to cultivate a deeper relationship to their Judaism.

Confirmation is a beautiful ceremony filled with so much promise and enthusiasm. Today we are all excited to see our empowered Confirmation students take their place in the long chain of Jewish tradition. I have said many times that in 2012 everyone is a Jew by choice because there are so many paths we can follow. I am thrilled to say that these young adults have chosen to follow the path of Judaism and be a “Light to the nations” I am confident that they will.

 

Filed Under: Cantor's Corner

TSS Confirmation Speech

May 30, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Shavuote was a time when the ancient Israelites brought a part of their seasonal harvest to the Temple in Jerusalem. As Rabbi Peter Knoebbel  notes, in the – Gates of the Season- ,modern Confirmation echoes the symbolism of the ancient observance of Shavuote, “Today … young people are the first fruits of each year’s harvest. They represent the hope and promise of tomorrow. During the service they reaffirm their commitment to the covenant.”

Shavuote also marks the end of the counting of the Omer, which began 49 days earlier on the second day of Passover, and matan Torah, the giving of Torah to Moses and the Israelites at Mount Sinai. Reading the Ten Commandments, as that is holiday text, reminds us of their central place in Jewish tradition and in our lives. At 16, our teens can see this connection and understanding that although bar and bat mitzvah is an important ritual at which they declare their Jewish identity, Confirmation solidifies their connection to Jewish texts and the Jewish people.

Our Confirmation service includes the reading of the Haftarah portion for Shavuote, the Book of Ruth. Widowed and devastated by the death of her husband and two sons, Naomi tells her daughters-in-law that they are not obligated to stay with her. One,Orpah, chooses to leave, but the other Ruth, famously stays with Naomi, saying “ Wherever you go , I will go, and your people shall be my people, and your God my God”. This text is often used in a conversion ceremony and exemplifies what a Jew by choice is pledging to do. Ruth chooses to remain with her mother-in-law and to develop a more meaningful connection to Naomi’s God and people. As our confirmands reaffirm their Jewish identity, the words of Ruth can inspire them to cultivate a deeper relationship to their Judaism.

Confirmation is a beautiful ceremony filled with so much promise and enthusiasm. Today we are all excited to see our empowered Confirmation students take their place in the long chain of Jewish tradition. I have said many times that in 2012 everyone is a Jew by choice because there are so many paths we can follow. I am thrilled to say that these young adults have chosen to follow the path of Judaism and be a “Light to the nations” I am confident that they will.

 

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Congratulations Confirmation Class!

May 28, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Mazel Tov to Temple Shirat Shalom’s first Confirmation Class, their families and friends!   Our five Confirmands, Aaron (son of Cheryl and Michael Donahue), Halle (daughter of Debi and Michael Nelson), Natalie (daughter of Amy and Richard Sams), Melissa (daughter of Jodi Simon) and Sam (son of Kym and Brian Zionts-Bernstein) led us in a wonderful Shavuot service.  Thank you to the Cantor, Confirmands and their families for such a lovely simcha!  What a beautiful Shavuot!  Mazel Tov!

Photos of the confirmation class and Shavuot service can be seen under the ‘photo gallery’ tab.

Filed Under: Blog
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