It’s Jewish Music Month at Temple Shirat Shalom and we are celebrating by learning and singing beautiful Jewish music at each of our Shabbat Services. Music has been and always will be an important aspect of the TSS worship service. Our name is the Hebrew translation for Songs of Peace. So much of who we are begins and ends with song.

Every Shabbat evening, Cantor Sussman leads us in song and prayer. Before each song, Cantor explains the meaning it holds for us today and what it meant to ancient Hebrews of long ago. In this context, the music is not only a means by which we pray, it serves as a conduit to our ancestors. The songs we sing are an echo of their enduring message of hope and peace.

Understanding our past through Jewish music is another delightful benefit of our worship service. Everyone is invited this Friday to help us celebrate Shabbat as Debi Nelson, a member of our congregation, will chant the Torah portion,” The Song of the Sea” which describes God’s deliverance of the Israelites out of Egypt.

Last Friday Dr. David Stein gave a Sermon at Shabbat Services on the Torah Portion, Vaera. In his Sermon, David recalled the section where God asks Moses to speak to Pharaoh on behalf of the Jewish slaves. This was a huge responsibility for Moses and he initially felt inadequate for such a task.

Sometimes the responsibility of our religion may be overwhelming. Services each week, educating our children with Hebrew and History, studying the Torah for the greater meaning of life and making the entire world a better place to live are daunting tasks. And, like Moses, we may feel inadequate to accomplish all of the above.

Fortunately, living a Jewish life is not a burden. Our Services on Shabbat are peaceful and joyful. The education of our children and ourselves is quite rewarding and adds richness to the fabric of our being. Studying Torah may answer the true meaning of life, but it will most certainly give our lives a deeper meaning. And even the slightest effort to make our world a better place is a gift that we give future generations and ourselves.

We need not feel overwhelmed or inadequate. Moses had Aaron and the Hebrews to join him on their journey to worship God in the desert. We have each other, our families, our Temple and our Jewish Community to help us navigate our way on our spiritual path.

“Wringing out the old and ringing in the new” … for many of us that means a nostalgic look back over the past year while sipping champagne. And although it is our hope to make the year ahead an improvement over the year we left behind, do we really learn from our mistakes?

Norm Saracheck gave a thought-provoking Sermon last week telling us about the death of Jacob and the blessings he bestowed on his sons and grandsons. In relating the story, Norm explained that this was Jacob’s way of passing onto his survivors his legacy. Jacob lived a life for his sons and grandsons to emulate. Isn’t that what we all try to do … Live our lives as an example for our children and our grandchildren? And we really do hope that they learn from our mistakes.

As congregants of Temple Shirat Shalom it is our eternal hope to leave a rich and fruitful legacy for generations to come. Live our temple lives as a moral example for our children and their children. Leave behind a strong and vibrant Temple with an impressive history and the hope for a bright future. Please read Norm’s Sermon, which is attached. It is Jacob’s blessing that reminds us that what we do in our own lives is important and has so much impact on future generations.

Vayigash was last Friday’s Torah portion. Vayigash is to “draw near.” We learn from this parshas the story of Judah drawing near to Joseph through an impassioned plea on behalf of his brother, Benjamin, and father, Jacob. Judah shows remorse for his past wrong doings against Joseph and offers himself as a slave in place of his brother, Benjamin. Through a sincere and authentic speech of repentance, Judah was able to touch an emotional cord with his brother Joseph. And Joseph was then willing to finally reconcile with his brothers.

The power of words can heal or hurt. Our words can bring comfort or pain. Like Judah, preparing a carefully worded speech to Joseph, we need to carefully choose our words when speaking to each other. Working so closely together, creating our new Temple, we want to remember the message in this Torah portion. Our words are important. Our everyday speech is reflective of our character.
Some things need to be said, and other things are better left unsaid. It helps to know the difference.

Judah’s speech, so carefully constructed and passionately delivered, had a purpose. He convinced his brother Joseph to allow Benjamin to leave with the others. His words show us that over the years Judah had grown both in age and wisdom. We can embrace this Torah portion and be thankful for the lesson it teaches. Use our words wisely, respectfully and compassionately. Let things better left unsaid … unsaid.