This time of year is bittersweet. The leaves are as bright as can be. It is stunning outside. But it is also temporary. The leaves will fall. Winter will come.
This week’s Torah portion Lech Lecha is all about change. Translated as “go forth”, lech lecha is a directive to Sarah and Abraham to leave their home to fulfill their new, G-d given purpose and mission. A humbling, dramatic change of course. Lech Lecha can also mean “go towards yourself,” in other words, find your inner drive and pursue the change you wish to see, within and without.
Tonight, my dear friend and colleague Rabbi Margot Meitner will be giving a powerful d’var Torah/sermon on the topic of Lech Lecha. Join us under the big tent, or register for the Zoom link here. Rabbi Meitner has a private psychotherapy and pastoral counseling practice and teaches pastoral care at the Rabbinical School at Hebrew College.
I also want to invite you to three other upcoming events:
TOMORROW/Saturday morning at 10 a.m., we have our monthly Community Shabbat Torah Service, including the celebration with the Fox/Daniel family of Ben and Ruby’s Mitzvah simchas. Join us under the big tent with a community oneg to follow, or register for the Zoom link here.
THIS Thursday at 5 p.m., we have another virtual opportunity to discuss Yossi Klein Halevi’s book “Letters to My Palestinian Neighbor” online. With 100 copies of the book spread across Vermont, please join this fruitful conversation here and bring your favourite passage to discuss.
And save-the-date of October 29 at 6 p.m. for the Kosher meat-friendly meal and NEW MEMBERS Shabbat with our JCOGS muscians as we welcome our newest members. Vegetarian and vegan options will also be provided.
We embrace change and growth, personal and communal, and move forward
with resilience and determination that, as G-d said of Abraham and Sarah in Lech Lecha: “all the families of the earth shall bless themselves by you.”
