"The Wood River Jewish Community is a gathering place that strives to perpetuate
Jewish tradition through worship, fellowship and learning. Founded in 1976, we seek to provide a welcoming and caring community in the Wood River Valley
Elaborate rituals for purification after physical & spiritual healing, including skin diseases and impurity that results from contact with discharges from sex organs.
Contributing to the community according to one's means
The text for Metzora begins with an elaborate ritual for purification. (Leviticus 14) Once this is completed, the diseased person is rendered pure and able to be brought back into the camp.
We all know people who have endured the journey of illness to health. During that illness, they can be isolated from regular life. They may be in hospital or rehab or homebound as they journey from sickness back to health. Their return to "normal life" is often unmarked by any modern ritual. But, one of the gifts that Jewish tradition gives us is a blessing that can be said by the community to literally welcome someone back to life. The blessing is the "gomel" blessing. I have seen this used by congregations to celebrate the healing or cure or return to active life of a person who has been seriously ill, or recovered from a devastating injury. The blessing is based from a time when making a journey was dangerous and when a person arrived safe, a blessing was said to give thanks for the success of the journey. As many know, that journey from illness back to health can be no less perilous and certainly deserving of praise.
The blessing: "Praised are You, Adonai our God, who rules the universe, granting favor even to the imperfect. Thank You God, for granting mercy to me".
This is said by the individual. Then, the community or congregation responds: "May God who has been gracious to you continue to favor you with all that is good."
To that, both the healing person and the community can certainly be grateful and say: Amen!
The Wood River Jewish Community expresses its sincere condolences to Judy Alpert and family for the passing of Sidney on April 4,2019.
May his memory be for a blessing.
IN APPRECIATION
Last night , SOUPER SUPPER was hosted by our young families . Thank you to Rick, Jami, DJ
and Sofia Delgado, Keri, Ethan, Rowan Desler, Jen, Larry, Conner and Chase Schwartz, Rebecca, Dave, Caleb and Theo Bloom.
YARZHEITS OF THE WEEK
A Yahrzeit donation allows you to honor the memory of the special people in your life. Your gift will memorialize your loved one during the anniversary of his or her passing.
Rena Ackerman Gettelman, Mother of Michael Gettelman Geraldine Kalnick Feldbaum, Mother of Carl Feldbaum Joan Feldman, Wife of William Feldman Milton Friedlander, Fatheof Darrel Mendelsohn Marc Oliver, Husband of Myrna Oliver Frances S. Rypp, Mother of Joanne Firstenberg Alvin Schlom, Father of Arthur Sloan Robert Wilonsky, Father of Marilyn Rubin
To discuss leaving a legacy and providing support to our Wood River Jewish Community in perpetuity, please feel free to call 208-726-1183 or email [email protected] to arrange a private and confidential meeting.
If you want to know more about our organization, please contact
Claudie Goldstein, Executive Directorat [email protected] or 208-726-1183
