Shabbat Parashat Tazria and Metsora Rosh Chodesh Iyyar Day 2 Israel and Community April 21, 2023 – 1 Iyyar 5783

Dear Friends,

Believe it or not….This coming week, Israel is celebrating her 75th birthday!  Mazal Tov to us all!

We will be having a special Israeli foods dinner tonight after Kabbalat Shabbat services with an Israel trivia game included as part of the evening’s celebration.  Join us!

On Sunday the UJCVP will be holding an Israel 75th celebration from noon to 3 pm.  I hope to see you there as well.

And, this Shabbat is not only Shabbat School, but also Rosh Chodesh Iyyar!  So many reasons to be at services on Shabbat morning.

Our double Torah portion of Tazria and Metsora revolve around the moments in which we feel more, or less, connected with the a sense of holiness.  Throughout the double Torah reading we learn of times when we are personally “in touch” with all that we hold dear – moments of fulfillment and of gratitude when we feel more in tune with the Temple, with the people, and with our ultimate goal of maintaining a spiritual community, appreciative of our sacred values and headed toward the Promised Land and a more fully redeemed world.

But, sometimes, the Torah reminds us, we may feel farther away from our roots.  That is precisely when we need others to prompt us to turn our attention back to community, to Torah, to the values and to the journey we share.   These too, are moments of holiness, when we remember that we are here to support one another throughout all the ups and downs of life.

I hope to see you this Friday night, this Shabbat morning, and on Sunday, as we show our connection to one another, to our history, to our youth, to our congregation, to our community, and to Israel!  Let’s celebrate with full hearts and let’s remind our friends that they too can enhance the moment and the celebration by virtue of their presence in our midst.

Shabbat Shalom and Chodesh Tov and Chag Atzmaut Sameach [Happy Israel Independence Day]!

Rabbi Gilah Dror