This is the anniversary of Temple Shirat Shalom, we have officially been serving our community with weekly services for one year. Let us now all say the Shehecheyanu our prayer of thanksgiving. In it we thank God for sustaining us and allowing us to reach this time.

 

The children of Israel are on the fortieth year of their wandering in the desert. They are a stiff necked people bickering and complaining; yet they were able to come together and rise victorious against their enemies. How can a people suffering from internal strife fight as a unit to overcome forces much stronger than they are? The children of Israel had a common cause: the survival of the Jewish people. They were fighting for their very existence. There is, of course, a lesson here for us. We too are facing many adversities. It is always hard to start something new and to keep it going past the first flush of excitement. We are still creating our structure and we are creating minhagim or customs for Temple Shirat Shalom. It is a daunting task yet we are energized because we are doing this to preserve something beautiful and meaningful.
In this week’s parsha King Balak, a Moabite, was frightened by the strength of the Children of Israel and calls upon a soothsayer to curse the Israelites. His name is Balaam. Balaam goes on his donkey and stands on a hill overlooking the encampment of the Israelites. He is about to curse them when an angel appears to stop him. Balaam does not see the angel but his donkey does. The donkey then proceeds to speak to Balaam and tells him about the angel. Balaam beats the donkey in frustration. Three times this happens and each time the angel tells Balaam to bless the Israelites, not to curse them, and each time he blesses them with beautiful poetry. This poetry is read every morning during the Shacharite service. Ma Tovu Ohalecha Yaakov. How lovely are your tents oh Jacob your dwelling places O Israel.
This is an amazing Torah portion filled with poetry and miracles. The miracle of a donkey speaking. The Rabbis pondered the speaking donkey and had many answers for this miracle. The donkey didn’t really speak: it brayed knowingly. Animals have a sixth sense and understand things we do not. But what was most telling to me was the discussion by the Rabbis that we have miracles everyday and we do not see them. The miracle of creation; the beauty of nature; the miracle of love. As it says in our prayer book “We walk sightless among miracles”. Ultimately what we are to learn from this Torah portion is that curses can become blessings and that miracles are everywhere: we just must look.

No one knows what the future holds for us. We can look forward with optimism and prepare for a bright future, understanding that not everything may go according to plan. Or we can hold onto the past, not because it is our best course of action, but because it is what we know and what makes us feel comfortable.

In the Parsha Shelach L’cha, the Israelites are presented with the choice to face an uncertain future and go bravely into a new land, or to go back to what they know, slavery in Egypt. The choice was not an easy one. The future held the promise of the land of milk and honey … but not without cost. They may have to fight for their right to claim this land. And even with God’s help, some believe that this cannot happen. They would rather retreat back to Egypt and live out their lives as slaves.

Making a change in your life may not be as dramatic a choice as this biblical story. But may be just as troubling. There are those who stay in bad relationships or bad jobs for fear that the unknown may be worse. They have little hope and less optimism that their future holds anything but sorrow. It takes courage to make life changes. It takes optimism to give that choice for change a chance to flourish and improve your life and affirm your decision.

The congregants of TSS, faced with a change and a choice to improve their spiritual life, had the courage to make that first step. Coming up on the first anniversary of our new Temple, I would say that this particular choice for change has proved successful. We did it! We went forward into an uncertain future. We pioneered a new way of worship. We did this together and created something wonderful.

Just a few weeks ago at our first Annual Congregational Meeting, Cantor Sussman handed out special certificates naming each of the founding families of TSS a Charter Member.

 

This was a very special moment for all those who were present.  The Certificates are a physical representation of the spiritual bond that has brought us together.  We have each chosen to be a member of TSS for our own individual reasons; however, when we come together as a congregation we are one voice.  We are examples of the true Jewish spirit.

 

Thousands of years ago when the Temple was destroyed, our ancestors were not deterred from practicing their religion.  They took their religion to the desert and kept it alive through prayer and practice.  It is that spirit that we share with our ancestors and each other here at TSS.  For wherever we are when we perform blessings, recite prayers and give thanks, God dwells among us.

 

Last Friday night, Shabbat was held at the home of Don and Judy Belmont.  Cantor Sussman gave a Sermon on The Priestly Benedictions from the Naso parsha in the Book of Numbers.  Congregants of TSS, reciting prayers and joining in song, felt the warmth of God’s presence among them … just as their ancestors had done thousands of years ago in the desert.

 

TSS thanks Linda and Mike Miller for sponsoring the Charter Member Certificate program.  If you have not yet received your Certificate, it will be mailed to you shortly.

 

More on Friday night Shabbat Service …

A big Thank You to Don and Judy Belmont for, once again, opening their home to TSS for Services.  Thanks to Elliot and Shari Gluskin for performing Shabbat honors and for sponsoring the Oneg celebrating their daughter’s Bat Mitzvah.  Mazel Tov Shelby and family!  And thanks to Cantor Sussman who guides us through song and prayer to wherever our faith takes us.

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.