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Our annual Hawaiian Shirt Shabbat is almost here and I look forward to our gathering under the tent on July 14 at 6:00 pm. Arrive a bit early to enjoy our usual warm up tunes (sometimes the best music of the night) and to find a seat that’s under the tent. We burst at the seams and spill out and over each year - no matter the weather! On that note, please, Mother Nature, be kind to us this year on our Hawaiian Shirt Shabbat! Pretty please…
Last year, Mother Nature surprised us with pouring rain, thunder and lightning starting when we were already well into the service - then shocked and delighted us with a breathtaking double rainbow at the conclusion! Dodging the driving rain and the puddling during the service was a challenge, however, we did not skimp on our year to year favorites such as Mi Chamocha (to the tune of Tiny Bubbles), Hine Mah Tov (to the tune of Aloha Oe), L’cha Dodi (to Pearly Shells), V’shamru (to The Magic Islands) and Adon Olam (to Moana’s We Know the Way.)
Looking beyond our required Hawaiian shirt apparel, the service is actually a very spiritual one. Every year, it becomes a deeper and a more meaningful event for me. Yes, there’s a lot of rehearsing and preparation, but once the service starts, there’s a quietness and a oneness with nature that comes upon us. It’s our communal Aloha moment! Please let it also be that way for us this year. We need it and deserve it.
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