Sh'liach Tzibur's Page

In this section
   This Month
   Archive

October 2007

Fast twice in just over two weeks? You’ve got to be kidding?

But that’s exactly what we’ve been called to do. Rabbis Arthur Waskow, Phyllis Berman and the Shalom Center in Philadelphia are organizing an interfaith “Fast for Peace” on Monday, October 8th, just sixteen days after Yom Kippur – a fast being sponsored locally both by our interfaith clergy association and our interfaith initiative. The dawn-to-dusk fast is seen as one way for faith communities to stand together in opposing the war in Iraq (a position being taken with increasing passion by our Union of Reform Judaism), and in opposing the still-prevalent mentality of conquest and colonialism in our country. There will be well-publicized national events taking place at the same time as our local faith communities will be breaking the fast together at our shul on Greenleaf Street at 6:45, with appropriate prayers from each of the traditions and with a vegetarian potluck supper. If you’re a Hebrew School family, think about bringing some food and then staying after school for our ma’ariv minyan and the break-fast with our interfaith community. If you’re not a Hebrew School family, come for ma’ariv at 6:00 and/or the potluck supper at 6:30.

Jim Levinson, Sh'liach Tzibur
 

The October 8th fast is just one event in a month absolutely jam-packed with richness. Please pull out your calendars and mark the dates. If you’d like to experience fully the breadth and diversity of this community, join us for these happenings together with your loved ones. A look inside the newsletter provides information on our Sukkot service and potluck on Monday October 1, our raucous and celebratory Simchat Torah service on October 4th, Manya’s bat mitzvah celebration on Oct 6th and Galen’s bar mitzvah on Oct 13th – these two celebrations following Nina’s on Sept 29th.

And then, on Sunday afternoon October 28th – still have calendars and pencils out? – We have another first for our Brattleboro community, an Abrahamic Musical Service for Worship, beginning at 3 PM at West Village Meeting House. With our own Kate, three choirs (including our own), instrumentalists, and sacred music and movement from Judaism, Christianity and Islam, I can promise you a rare spiritual experience. How wonderful to have musicians performing together not for fame or fortune or reviews in the national press, but rather to connect with the holy and the spiritual in one another!

Let me add to Paul’s lovely Rosh Hashanah compliment, my own heartiest mazal tov to Andi and Julie for the prestigious “Congregation of Learners” award won by our adult education program in a national competition sponsored by the Union of Reform Judaism.

Perhaps not unrelated, we received recently the most wonderful of all compliments, this from a rabbi who has seen a great many congregations over the years and speaks of ours as one which truly seeks to live out the teachings. I can’t think of any better resolution for the New Year than continuing to live up to a compliment like that.

B’Shalom,
Jim