Happy Friday! School is back in full swing - which of course makes everything more challenging at home. I'm really grateful to the school for trying to engage our kids through ZOOM classes with lots of worksheets and assignments to get through, but making sure everything happens is on us, which is a lot of pressure.
Sometimes we have to set our household mental health needs as the priority though. Playing hooky and taking a family bike-ride one afternoon this week for a properly distanced "driveway visit" with family was definitely a highlight for me.
Today and Shabbat are Rosh Chodesh Iyar - the beginning of the new month of Iyar. The Hebrew of Iyar אייר is explained to be an acronym for the Torah phrase - Ani HaShem Rofecha אני ה' רופאיך - I am HaShem who heals you. Iyar is a month of healing.
The Parshah this week, Tazria/Metzora is also about healing. It talks about a person who gets a particular sickness - tzara'at - and needs to be socially distanced (and quarantined) from the rest of the community to make sure that they can heal without afflicting others.
Tzara'at is a spiritual disease that traditionally happens to someone when they speak Lashon Hara - which is destructive and harmful speech, and gossip. It is a sickness about perceiving others negatively. Perhaps the value of the distancing is to make the person with the sickness recognize the value and importance of being an active part of a healthy community.
Our community has FAMILY SHABBAT every month. We can't do it in the shul, but we can do it virtually. So, once again, there will be a
Date: Friday, May 1, 2020 Time: 5pm Where: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84625061553 Stay tuned for a mid-week e-blast that will include the whole program.
Tonight at 6pm, the Chazzan will be LIVE on the Beth Emeth Facebook page to do an abridged musical kabbalat Shabbat. Tomorrow night he will be doing Havdallah.
The shul is constantly creating more virtual opportunities for learning, praying and connecting. Check out www.beby.orgfor a full listing.
If there is something that YOU want to see, please let me know by replying to this message. We will do our best to bring you what you want.
We, both the shul, but also more personally, Shira Rachel and I, are here for you during this COVID-19 experience. Physical and mental health are primary and we need to do everything possible and utilize every resource available to ensure that we stay healthy.
Please, do not hesitate to call or email, 24/7, for any reason:
HELP B.E.B.Y. BE THE BEST IT CAN BE! We are looking to create a community of involved leaders. Are you looking to...
improve current programming?
create new innovative programs?
bring your expertise to our community?
Let me know and we will create our teams!
SHABBAT SHALOM!!!
Rabbi David, Director of Ritual and NEXTgen Community rabbidavid@beby.org
TORAH TALK FOR THE TABLE with Rabbi David
Parshat Tazria/Metzora
The parshah this week starts off talking about a baby being born. YAY! It is an amazing miracle of new life. But, the parshah switches right away to talk about impurity and sickness.
Sometimes in our lives we take the greatest blessings for granted, and it is only when we experience some distance from those blessings that we truly appreciate them.
Discussion Questions
What is one of your favorite things that you miss being able to do during this time of social distancing?
Is there something that you took for granted that you really value now?
Can you think of two ways to show how grateful you are for the blessings in your life?
We want to grow the program and need YOUR HELP! Email Rabbi David for more info.
YOUTH
ALL SHABBAT YOUTH PROGRAMMING IS CANCELLED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.
Nursery (ages 0-6) Junior Congregation (7-11)
Here is the weekly Youth Program schedule. Come early for the most FUN available!
10 - 10:45 - Free play
10:45 - 10:50 - Clean up
10:50 - 11 - Tefillah
11 - 11:10 - Parshah Discussion/Story
11:10 - 11:20 - HEALTHY snack
11:20 - 11:45ish - Games/Activities
11:45ish - Go into main shul for Ein Keloheinu, Aleinu, Adon Olam
Beth Emeth's Youth Department is looking to hire energetic, engaging, and caring staff for weekly Shabbat morning youth programming. Positions are available for the Nursery (Kindergarten and younger) and Junior Congregation (Grades 1-6). These are paid positions.
Responsibilities include: -Welcoming all children into the programming space -Engaging with the children in play and other activities -Leading interactive and fun circle time (nursery) or prayers (junior congregation) -Ensuring the safety and wellbeing of participants at all times -Supervising volunteers and other Shabbat morning staff -Working together with the Youth Coordinator and other Shabbat morning Youth Department staff to execute all aspects of Shabbat morning youth programs -Attending staff training sessions as necessary (not on Saturday mornings)
Please send a cover letter and resume to Rabbi David, Director of Next-Gen at rabbidavid@beby.org. Please indicate which age group you are interested in working with in your cover letter. We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.
NEXTgen
LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING YOU SOON at the next NEXTgen EVENT!!!
Beth Emeth Bais Yehuda Synagogue 100 Elder Street Toronto, ON M3H 5G7
SHABBAT SHALOM!!!
