IN THIS ISSUE: Message and Announcements from Rabbi David Torah Talk for your Table - Ki Tisa - Keeping It Real Upcoming Events for the BEBY NEXTgen Community (for all age groups): - TONIGHT!!! Opportunity for Bnai Mitzvah Families! BEBY NEXTgen Community Connection - BEBY TEENS IN THE NEWS!!! - NEW: Why Jewish Education Matters - NEW: TEENS - My Jewish Identity Contest. WIN $1800!!! - Kids Pre-Shabbat Party with Morah Debbie - EVERY FRIDAY! - Teen Community Service opportunity - NEW: ADRABAJEWISH SUPPLEMENTARY HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM
Shalom Everyone, Normally, I send the e-blast on Fridays, but there is a special information meeting tonight for Bnai Mitzvah Families from the last 2 years, and I wanted to make sure everyone got the reminder. Check out the special section below.
Now that Purim is past, we are looking ahead to Pesach, and let me tell you the truth: I am not looking forward to it. I just don't want to do it!
The cleaning and preparing for Pesach is such a daunting task every year it is hard to find the joy. I'm sure I'm not alone in that feeling, and while it is true every year to a certain extent, this year I'm feeling it even more.
Pesach was the first holiday we celebrated in lockdown at the start of the pandemic and it now represents a year of this extremely challenging time in our lives. I feel trapped and enslaved to the pandemic and am longing for a sense of freedom.
It makes sense then, that Pesach is coming. It is the holiday of our freedom. The Pesach story that we tell at the Seder sounds like it happened quickly, but in actuality, the process of the 10 plagues and of leaving Egypt also took about year. In the haggadah it says that we each need to see ourselves as though we personally are experiencing slavery and the Exodus.
Perhaps, even though I'm not ready for the physical preparations for Pesach, maybe we're all closer to the spiritual and emotional preparation than we've been before.
As a community, our goal is to strive to support each other in every way. If you need an ear to listen, help finding resources or other support your family needs, please don't hesitate to reach out. It is so important that we take care of our mental and physical health and your Beth Emeth community is here for you.
Beyond that, we are working dilligently to provide as many social and educational opportunities as possible for the broadest demographic range possible.
COMING SOON FOR Pre-TEENS: Together with other Toronto shuls, we are presenting a Pre-TEEN AUTHOR SERIES. Read their books and then meet the authors. Check out the flyer below!
FLYERS FOR ALL UPCOMING PROGRAMS BELOW! (For programs from the broader Beth Emeth Community, visit the Beth Emeth website: www.beby.org.)
We are also looking to create NEXTgen teams of volunteers who are looking to make things happen for the benefit of their friends, families, and our community in general. If you are interested in getting involved, pease let me know!
For more information about what is happening check out www.beby.org.
SHABBAT SHALOM!!!
Rabbi David, Director of Ritual and NEXTgen Community rabbidavid@beby.org
TORAH TALK FOR THE TABLE with Rabbi David
Ki Tisa - Keeping It Real
Parshat Ki Tisa tells us the story of the Golden Calf. The Nation of Israel has been camping at Mount Sinai for 40 days since receiving the 10 commandments. They are waiting for Moshe to come down the mountain but got impatient and decided to build an idol and worship it as the god who took them out of Egypt.
When Moshe came down the mountain soon after he got so angry that he actually smashed the 10 commandments and berated the nation for their behaviour. God also was extremely angry and told Moshe that He was going to destroy the nation and start over from Moshe.
Moshe, though, was our faithful leader. He challenged HaShem: "HaShem, these are your children and you are going to destroy them? They made a HUGE mistake, that's true, but let's keep it real. People make mistakes, and they made a big one today and will make other mistakes in the future, and You can't destroy them every time."
HaShem heard Moshe, and agreed, not only to forgive the nation, but to teach about the importance of mercy and compassion in the world.
No one is perfect. We are supposed to try and be like HaShem in the world. Even when we are angry, or frustrated, or scared, it is so important to keep it real and recognize that people make mistakes. If we are the ones who made the mistake, we should explain what we did, that we know it was wrong, say sorry, and try again next time.
Let's all keep it real and keep trying again and again.
Questions for Discussion:
Describe a situation when you did the wrong thing and apologized for your mistake. What happened?
Describe a situation when someone else did the wrong thing to you. How did they handle it and how did that make you feel?
Has someone ever defended you afte you did the wrong thing?
Why do you think it is so important to remember that people make mistakes?
While we are finalizing details for our third and final unit of this year's Bnai Mitzvah Experience, I am excited to announce a very special opportunity.
JNF Canada has created a special MISSION TO ISRAEL for Bar and Bat Mitzvah families.
The trip is being led by Beth Emeth's own Jeff Springer!
There is an information session TONIGHT!!! THURSDAY, MARCH 4, 2021 @ 7pm.
If you are interested in learning more, click the flyer below, or email Jeff at the address on the flyer.
UNIT ONE, Connecting to Israel and how that impacts Jewish Identity was amazing. You can watch the recorded programs here . UNIT TWO, The Mitzvah in Bnai Mitzvah is now complete. It was an amazing learning experience for everyone who attended. Videos will be uploaded shortly. As a recap: January 24, 10am - Protecting Our World January 31, 10am - All about Shabbat February 7, 10am - Take a Trip Inside a Torah Scroll and Inside Tefillin Boxes February 14, 10am - Everything you need to know about Jewish History in 20 minutes and Becoming a Responsible
We are now looking ahead to Unit 3, about Our Jewish Community, which will take place in the spring. Watch this space.
You can still register your kids for the rest of this year's Bnai Mitzvah Experience.
If you have a child who recently had, or is about to have their Bar or Bat Mitzvah, this program is for you. It will be fun, experiential, educational, engaging, thought provoking and will give your Bnai Mitzvah kids a real sense of connection to our local and broader Jewish community. Sign up here!
BEBY NEXTgen Community Connection
In this section we will be including programs, articles, links, and updates from our community members. It is one way we can all support each other - as a community!
Sometimes I see news that I MUST share:
The people below are the York Centre Youth Council, working with our local MP, Ya'ara Saks.
I am SO proud to say that at a quick glance I see FOUR familiar faces from our Beth Emeth Community!
KOL HAKAVOD to Mark, Sarah, Danielle, and Jacob!
Beth Emeth Bais Yehuda Synagogue 100 Elder Street Toronto, ON M3H 5G7
