RABBI HEILMAN”S MESSAGE:
Shalom chaverim (friends),
As we enter the last part of our temple year, we have celebrations and commemorations to observe. Some of these are happy, others less so–but all are meaningful and important. It’s interesting to note that the Torah commands us to “remember” (zachor) both that which is holy–Shabbat–and that which is evil–Amalek. Amalek was the name of the tribe that attacked the Israelites as we were wandering in the Sinai Wilderness, targeting the rear of the camp, where the tired, the weak and the sick were struggling to keep up. The commandment to remember evil is particularly important today, in light both of the Holocaust and the rise in anti-Semitism that we are currently witnessing.
This Shabbat we will reflect on these evils. Yom Ha-Shoah (in Israel, we use the full name of this commemoration, Yom Ha-Shoah v’ha-G’vurah, Day of Remembrance of the Shoah and the Heroism) this year falls on May 2. At services on Friday night, instead of the usual Torah reading, we will have a short Yizkor service in memory of the six million who perished in the hellfires
of the Holocaust. This weekend we are happy once again to host Noam, the shlicha from Israel
to New Hampshire. Noam will participate at the Friday evening services and will also offer our Lunch and Learn adult ed program on Saturday. Noam’s program will focus on “Israeli Conflicts Through Music,” and she describes it thus:
Let’s dive into Israel’s internal conflicts, the subjects that touch millions of Israeli hearts,
through the hit song by Hanan Ben Ari – “Wikipedia.” 1 hour 15 minutes – program and discussion
We know quite a bit about Israel’s conflict with her neighbors, but in the United States we know much less about the internal conflicts, whether political, religious, social or national. Noam’s program should shed light on this important topic, and I hope you will take advantage of her beautiful voice and enlightening perspective. Sunday at Religious School, Noam will once again meet with the children, and then we will return to our year’s end project, summing up the book we
have been reading and discussing, The Mystery Of The Coins. This project will be presented to the Congregation at our annual meeting on May 19th.
I look forward to seeing you this weekend.
Rabbi Boaz D. Heilman
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