Shabbat Message:The whole point of counting the days... : Coastside Jewish Community

This week’s Torah portion, Shemini (Lev 9:1-11:47), begins by describing what took place on the the eighth day of the consecration of the Tabernacle in the wilderness. Today happens to be the eighth day of the Omer period. To learn more about counting the Omer, click here.

There is no CJC Shabbat tonight. How will YOU make this Shabbat special?

Read the complete Shabbat Message (including pictures and announcements)

Dear CJC Members & Friends,

Do you remember the virtual seders we had during the COVID pandemic?

Somehow, those days seemed more “normal” than what we’re experiencing now, in the shadow of increasing global tensions, antisemitic rhetoric, and other polarizing trends. Nonetheless, our CJC communal seder this year was joyful, reflective, and touched on important environmental themes, which deserve reflection. If you missed the photos and videos, you can see some of them here.

At our seder, we also engaged in counting the Omer, a daily practice that will continue through the next six weeks leading up to Shavuot. It symbolizes our ancestors’ journey to Sinai and their receiving of the Torah, which they were to carry with them into the Promised Land.

Sadly, our Promised Land is in serious trouble today, as is the entire Middle East. This unfortunate reality ia already having profound implications for American Jews, which Yehudah Kurtzer recently wrote about here.

You’ll notice in the events listed below some of our efforts to become better informed and more effective in addressing the conflicts. I hope you’ll join us for the events related to Israel’s Memorial Day and Independence Day (April 20-22)

Coming up next weekend are a few events related to Earth Day. I hope you’ll join us at the Earth Day Eco-Fest (April 18), and support the climate justice efforts of CJC members like Dave Schorr, whose new project you can read about below.

CJC members are also active on other fronts. For example, Suzanne Flecker wrote a beautiful opinion piece for the San Mateo Daily Journal about the importance of civility, which was published this week. And to add some much-needed humor and levity to our lives, I recommend the Interfaith Comedy Night on April 26, and our Community Chavurah’s Game Night on May 2.

You’ll definitely want to have your calendar handy as you read the chronological listing of CJC events, followed by a separate chronological listing of events within the wider Jewish community. These events are too important to ignore.

In closing, as we count each day of the Omer over the next six weeks, I hope you’ll plan and RSVP for our Shabbat service and dinner on April 24, when we’ll explore the deeper meaning of this practice. After all, the whole point of counting the days is to make sure that each day counts.

Shabbat Shalom,

Reb Moshe

Read the complete Shabbat Message (including pictures and announcements)

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