Rabbi Howard Morrison

Dear Congregational Family,

For those living in Toronto and other particular communities, the new regulations last week made many of us more isolated than even the weeks and months before. For those living elsewhere in Ontario, the experience of the lockdown over the past nine months has continued to be difficult and even overwhelming.

With all of these challenges in front of us, how wonderful it was to participate with over five hundred households in a pre-Kabbalat Shabbat this past Friday afternoon. Arranged by the Toronto Council of Chazanim, hundreds of us from several congregations came together as one community. Words of Torah, uplifting melodies, and an aura of spirituality all helped to raise us up after a challenging week.

In last week's Parsha of Vayetze, we learned the origin of the term Jew, when Leah names her fourth child, Yehuda, literally, one who is grateful. In this week's Parsha of Vayishlach, we read the origin of the term Israel, when Jacob wrestles and prevails against and with God.

While the origins of Jew and Israel pertain to individuals, we have been the Jewish people and the nation of Israel for some 4000 years. While the role of the individual is central, the belonging to a peoplehood is even greater. It is with this in mind that most of our core prayers are couched in the plural. It is with this in mind that we try to pray in the company of others, whether or not we call that presence a Minyan.

There is a concept in Judaism called B'Rov Am Hadrat Melech - With multitudes of people, God is glorified. How wonderful that over  500 Jewish households, along with Cantors and Rabbis, came together to share the opening words of welcoming Shabbat.

Sincerely,

Rabbi Howard Morrison