November 2022

Dear Chevre,

It was so good to see so many of you at High Holy Day services in the Zoom room and in the "room room." We love it when people join us from far and wide, stepping into the community for these very special holy days. I want to give our once-a-year folks a glimpse of what happens when we aren't engaging in our mega holidays:

In the intimate community of the congregation, whether on Zoom or in person, real relationships form among our members and the Rabbi. There's a lot of laughter. This past week in the weekly sharing space that we call Shamanu, Evy Simon asked the group, in relation to the Noah story, what three things each of us would take if we had to uproot because of a flood catastrophe? 

The first things that came to mind for many of us were electronics such as Ipads or phones, and we laughed at ourselves, realizing there wouldn't be electricity and electronics wouldn't last long in the flood. In a recent monthly Council meeting, we told our favorite jokes as we waited for people to gather -- and the Zoom room was filled with shared laughter.

We also share serious reflections and discussion.  The topic for our Fall Education Series is antisemitism, which is no joke.  We are making space for people to find their own stories, express concerns and join in understanding why and how antisemitism arises.

We respect each person's choice of exactly how to engage with Leyv Ha-Ir~Heart of the City.  For some people, attending the fall High Holy Day services is just the right amount of connection.  At the same time, we extend a warm welcome to anyone who wants to step further into the year-round life of this spiritual community.  All are welcome.

Warmly,

Rabbi Julie