Shabbat Message for Feb 4, 2022 |
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In this week's Torah portion, Terumah (Ex 25:1-27:19), God instructs the Israelites to build a sanctuary in which the Divine Presence can dwell. This can be understood on different levels. Listen to this 3-min body scan meditation and consider the idea that your body is a sanctuary.
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Click HERE to join tonight's Shabbat service at 7:00pm (PT)
To join by phone, call (669) 900-9128 Meeting ID: 862 473 039
Closed Captioning is now available.
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With the recent increase of anti-Semitic incidents and hate crimes, I have also seen an increase in expressions of solidarity and support for the Jewish community. I was especially touched by two such expressions - one was to our community, and the other was from our commmunity.
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The Youth Group of Community United Methodist Church in Half Moon Bay sent us a beautiful and thoughtul gift. They had written a card and painted some rocks with faith, hope, strength and love. I'm grateful that our neighboring faith communities know and care that we're here.
With similar feelings, CJC members Jacque Maxon & Richard Kirchner decided to write and mail a letter to Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker and his congregation in Colleyville, TX. It was so beautiful, we had them send it on behalf of CJC. They wrote, "Offering someone a cup of tea...is a gracious act of humanity. It is the Jewish way and made us proud." You can read the entire letter here.
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Welcoming the stranger, particularly on a day we deem sacred, is definitely a gracious act. As an inclusive community, we do that consciously and carefully whenever we celebrate Shabbat and holidays. That's why our gatherings these days are either virtual, or in-person AND virtual. For example, on Tu b'Shevat we enjoyed a glorious day outdoors and livestreamed it for those who watched online. Here is a 2-1/2 min video of the song our special guest, Lucas Lawson, wrote for the occasion.
In six-weeks, we'll be celebrating Purim. Prior to our virtual and hybrid gatherings, we will make and present our own CJC Purim music video, based on the Bob Marley song, "One Love." Our goal is to include in it as many CJC members and friends as possible. That includes anyone reading this message! There are three ways you can be in our music video, even if you can't sing:
1) Join us tonight in our Shabbat evening service as we kick off the project. When we sing it at the end of the service, we hope to have as many smiling faces on the Zoom screen as can fit. That means the first 25 people who sign on will show up in the video.
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2) You can use your smartphone to record a video of yourself singing along with this video that shows the lyrics so you'll be in synch with everyone else. Then you can email me the recording and we'll use a short clip of it. It's a 3-minute song, so you can email us a recording of you singing the entire song or just a few seconds of it. If you have any questions about how to do that, you can email me.
3) Reach out by email and we'll easily arrange a time to meet up or come to your home and record you. It'll only take a few minutes. Families with kids will be recorded together at our Family Circle gathering on Feb 27th.
You may recall that the story of Purim is all about how Esther defeated Haman, the embodiment of anti-Semitism, through exhibiting courage. Overcoming fear is something worth singing about, and for many, singing means overcoming one's fear. We hope you'll exhibit your courage and willingness to be counted as a member or friend of CJC by participating in this project in any of the ways listed above.
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The deadline for submissions is Sunday, March 6th, but don't wait 'til then. Tonight or this weekend, "let's get together and feel alright...." See you soon!
Shabbat Shalom,
Reb Moshe
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CJC members Marie Favorini and Ben Frandzel are grieving the loss of Marie's father, Attilio "Buck" Favorini, who died on Jan 22nd. They are also grieving the loss of Ben's cousin, Arthur Domsky, who died January 8th. Our hearts go out to them. If you'd like to reach out, you can email Ben.
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- Join CoastPride, CJC, and other local faith comunities for a talk by Bishop Megan Rohrer, the first openly transgender minister to be ordained by the Evangelical Lutheran Church. This virtual event will take place on Sun, Feb 13 at 2pm. Valentine’s Day is often seen as an exclusively romantic holiday, but love is about familial and community connection as well.
Prior to Bishop Megan's talk, CoastPride's Faith-Based Partners (which includes CJC) are supplying the crafts to make Valentine's cards. You can opt to make a traditional Valentines for partners and romantic interests, or you can choose to expand the scope of love by crafting a card for family, friends, and neighbors. Or you can exponentially expand the healing power of love by creating a card for one of neighbors currently living at Coastside Inn, a transitional housing shelter. When you register here, CoastPride will send you the Zoom link and info on how to pick up your Valentine’s packet which contains craft supplies plus goodies.
- Fixin’ San Mateo County (FxSMC) is a local grassroots organization working to enact effective civilian oversight of the County Sheriff’s Office. Congress provides checks and balances to the president, and the State Legislature does the same for the governor. Local police departments have the city manager and city councils to oversee their work. The San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office has none. Civilian oversight seeks to improve accountability and transparency while improving trust between law enforcement and the community they serve. How much do you know about the SMC Sheriff's office? Take this confidential survey.
- A year after the military coup in Burma, millions of people continue to live in fear. A military junta overthrew the country’s fledgling democracy — and since then, has tortured, arrested and murdered thousands of activists and civilians, crushing all opposition to its brutal rule. Ask our Representatives to sign the Burma Act, which will impose sanctions on the junta, hold the regime accountable for its atrocities and send assistance to families caught in the crosshairs of this devastating crisis. To take this simple, life-saving action, click here.
- Join an engaging, fun and theatrical reading of selected letters and responses from the acclaimed book, A Bintel Brief: Sixty Years of Letters From the Lower East Side to the Jewish Daily Forward. The letters are heartfelt, direct, vivid, and sometimes almost lurid. There is room for 15 actors / readers and unlimited audience members. The reading will take place on Sunday, Feb 20 from 1:30-3:00pm PT. Co-presented by Yiddish Theatre Ensemble and the Jewish Community Library. For more info and free registration, click here.
- Join us for our next "Shul-Hopping" adventure. Once a month, on a Friday night when we are not conducting our own Shabbat service, we attend an online service offered by another congregation or community. Last week, we joined Hineni: A Spirituality Group With Rabbi Jill Zimmerman. On Friday, Feb 25 we will join our friends at the Pasadena Jewish Temple and Center for a Conservative service that will be co-led by Cantor Ruth Berman Harris, who was the first female cantor in Argentina. After the service, we'll reconnect to share what we liked.
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Upcoming Events of interest for CJC members & friends: |
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TONIGHT Fri, Feb 4 at 7pm (PT) - Kabbalat Shabbat with Reb Moshe, Lissin Lev Chaya and Laura Alster-Martin. We'll discuss what it means to create sacred space and we'll fill it with song and a joyful spirit. We'll also kick off our Purim Music Video project at the end by singing "One Love." Join us virtually by clicking on this link at 7:00pm: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/862473039. To join by phone, call (669) 900-9128 Meeting ID: 862 473 039.
Sat, Feb 5 at 12:30pm - The Coastside Torah Circle will explore parashat Terumah. To share in the wisdom that emerges from The Circle, register here.
Sun, Feb 13 & 27 - Family Circle
Fri, Feb 18 - Kabbalat Shabbat
Fri, March 4 - HIAS Refugee Shabbat, featuring CJC Board Member, Mario Jovel
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Rabbi Moshe Heyn serves as CJC's Spiritual Leader. You can read his profile here. He serves alongside CJC's Sheli'ach Tzibbur, Lissin Lev Chaya, and follows in the footsteps of CJC's previous spiritual leaders.
The Mission of CJC is to provide an inclusive community that supports connection to Jewish life, both cultural and spiritual, on the coast from Pacifica to Pescadero.
We rely on the generosity of our members & friends. Please consider making a tax-deductible donation to CJC here.
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