I hope your summers are going well so far. As you've likely noticed, there hasn't been a NEXTgen email for the last few weeks as I've been busy at Camp Ramah, bringing passion and excitement into their Chinuch (education) program. I feel so refreshed, rejuvenated and inspired from the experience.
Aside from being able to teach Torah, more importantly, I was truly able to form a deep and meaningful connection with so many unbelievable campers, from the youngest Shorashim age group (entering grade 3) to the Magashimim (entering grade 10), as well as many staff, specialists and other Jewish professionals from around Toronto, and beyond.
There was such a special energy there, as we all came together after experiencing 18 months of separation and distance. The Camp, under the guidance of the Camp Director and Beth Emeth member Rabbi Jordan Ben Dat Appel, was able to create and maintain cohorts and this week was able to announce that the entire camp was an inclusive bubble!
What an amazing experience. Every Jewish camp is providing the most important service of helping to create community, and I feel so blessed for the part that I got to play in that community.
Here is a picture of me with Beth Emeth members (my family included :) and campers from my Chinuch groups!
Here at Beth Emeth, we are also working hard to rejuvenate and reinvigorate our community and I am riding the positive energy from camp to make sure that the year ahead is packed with community building opportunities for each one of us to grow and connect.
We are open on Shabbat mornings again. I look forward to seeing you all back in shul soon! SCROLL DOWN FOR MORE PROGRAMMING INFORMATION!
TORAH TALK FOR THE SHABBAT TABLE with Rabbi David
VaEtchanan – Just Beginning
This week’s Torah reading is Va’Etchanan. It begins with Moshe pleading to HaShem to let him into Israel. In Moshe’s Tefillah he gives HaShem a specific reason: “HaShem, I’m just beginning to understand your greatness and want to learn more.”
Moshe’s prayer is striking: Moshe is the person who had the closest connection to HaShem ever in history and he was just beginning to understand the world? If he was just beginning, what about us?
We can learn a great Torah lesson from Moshe here: even if we feel we are just starting, we can still have amazing things to share. When we start a new project, a new friendship, a new experience or a new activity it can often feel like we will never reach our goals. Moshe is teaching us that working toward the goal, is itself the goal we want to achieve.
Discussion Questions: 1. Describe a time when you started something new. How did it feel? 2. What is something that you are good at? How did you get to be so good? 3. How do you handle difficult situations? Do you try or do you not even start? 4. Why do you think that Moshe felt like he was just beginning?
Shabbat Shalom!
Coming Soon from :
Upcoming Programs include:
Social action Family Shabbat Bnai Mitzvah Experience Guest Speakers Pizza and Parsha Kids Programming Holiday Parties Choose Your Own High Holiday Adventure....
AND MUCH MORE!
So, stay tuned for upcoming events and programs, which can be found at beby.org
BEBY NEXTgen Community Connection
Do know a Jewish student starting university in Ontario this fall?
Hillel Ontario, your home for Jewish campus life, will send them a welcome gift package! We will also enroll them in our newsletters so they don’t miss out on Jewish programming, opportunities to make new friends and other great events.
Let Hillel welcome your first year student to campus before they even arrive.
For more information about what is happening at Beth Emeth check out www.beby.org.
SHABBAT SHALOM!!!
Rabbi David, Director of Ritual and NEXTgen Community rabbidavid@beby.org
Beth Emeth Bais Yehuda Synagogue 100 Elder Street Toronto, ON M3H 5G7
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