Sh’ma

July 18, 2013 by Leave a Comment

This week’s Torah Portion Va’etchanan contains the words to the Sh’ma. The Sh’ma is our Doxology and as the great reformers called it “the watchword of our faith”. I came across a lovely poem about the Sh’ma that I would like to share.

Sh’ma
I heard you in the soft sleeping breath of my child
As the night turned to day
You told me to come close
To listen and hear your presence
Gentle and comforting as a hand upon my shoulder
or the embrace of a returning friend
Listen, you whispered, as I drew closer
Listen to my voice
In the cries of hunger and laughter of celebration
In the help and the solutions
In the struggle and the falling down
In love and in kindness and in each other-Hear Me
Listen
Come close
I am with you
We are one
Listen

Written by Rabbi David Burstein

Filed Under: The Spirit of TSS

Tools for School 2013

July 16, 2013 by Leave a Comment

TOOLS FOR SCHOOL

 

This summer, we at Temple Shirat Shalom are helping some Allentown grade school children get ready for the new school year by donating Tools for School.

We will be helping the kids at the Cleveland School, in Allentown (9th and Liberty).

The school has 365 students from grades 1st – 5th.

The school has a poverty rate of 91%!

Let’s pull together to provide these young students with the tools they will need to learn.

 

Items in need:

-cash
-pocket file folders for storing papers
-colored pencils (not crayons)
-hand sanitizer
-cash
-pencils (especially with designs – prefer not yellow)
-book bags and backpacks
-pencil boxes
-clip boards
-cash

 

Ways to help (Easy as 1-2-3):

  1. Donate cash ($10 and up)
  2. Drop off new supplies (contact Cheryl or Marcia about drop-off locations)
  3. Help us shop for supplies, or if you are shopping for your kids, pick up an extra and donate it!

Checks should be made out to Temple Shirat Shalom – attention: Tools for School.

Mail to Cheryl Shadick at: 3007 Kerns Ct., Orefield, PA 18069.

100% of donations will be used for school supplies.

We would like to complete this project by August 22nd, to deliver the supplies by the start of school.
Let’s help these kids get ready for the new school year!
Let’s get behind Cheryl and Marcia on this social action project!
For more info, contact:

Cheryl Shadick (kidnydoc@gmail.com) or

Marcia Berkow (MHBerkow@yahoo.com)

Filed Under: Featured Announcements

The Path to the Divine Presence

July 16, 2013 by Leave a Comment

This week’s Torah portion Va’etchanan, begins the seven shabbatote of consolation leading to Rosh Hashana.  The Sh’ma and the v’ahavta are included in this portion. The Sh’ma states Hear O Israel Adonai is our God Adonai is One. This connotes a personal relationship to God . We are told to listen for God’s voice each one of us. This is a hard thing to do because there is so much tumult out there. It says in our Doxology  to pay attention to” the small clear voice within us.” This is of course a quote from our liturgy. If we as religious people listen to God, for God I believe speaks to us every day we will do what is right for ourselves and our congregation. The process of searching for the Divine Presence  makes us follow the moral path.

Filed Under: Recent Sermons

Moses would like to have a few words with you…

July 11, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Deuteronomy, the last book of the Torah begins this week. The Hebrew name of the book is D’varim, which means words. The name “Deuteronomy” comes from the Greek translation of the phrase “mishneh Torah” (Deut. 17:18) meaning a copy of, or the repeated law. Much narrative and legal material which first appears elsewhere in the Torah is repeated here: Deuteronomy is cast as Moses’ farewell address to the Israelites and, in the course of his speeches, Moses reviews both the history of the people and such important segments of law as the Ten Commandments.

It is fitting that the Hebrew for this book is D’varim, as stated before, means words. It contains the words that are most meaningful to the people, the words of Moshe Rabbenu, Moses the great Teacher. Moses presents to the Israelites his take on what transpired. He gives them advice for the future. He tells them how to live as God’s children and how to function as a cohesive society. The last thing he does in this week’s Torah portion is to appoint Joshua as his successor.

D’varim is rich with advice on how to function in today’s world. It is worth a perusal.

Filed Under: Cantor's Corner
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