“Our Voice” January 2017/Tevet-Shevat 5777 Rabbi Round-Up By Rabbi Jeffrey Abraham Tu B’Shevat: A Time for Re-Planting We see in the Mishnah Rosh Hashanah 1:1 there are friendship? Plant a new cause you are going to four New Years. Without the Temple, only two are support? Plant a new dedication to something now celebrated. One is obviously Rosh Hashanah, meaningful? and the other coming up at the beginning of February is Tu B’Shevat. Yes, some of us may garden, and some of us may donate to the Jewish National Fund by planting trees You may be wondering what the other two are. One in Israel, which is of course an important cause, but I is the first of Nissan, the anniversary of the Jewish would like to encourage everyone to think during this people’s departure from Egypt, and the other is the holiday of planting on our own terms. first of Elul, the date used to determine the start date for the animal tithe to the priestly class. The month of January is best known for the secular New Year on January 1st. Some frown upon Returning to Tu B’Shevat, there was a debate celebrating January 1st as a New Year, but clearly our between the house of Hillel and the house of Talmud tells us that it is the time always in either late Shammai as to when this holiday would begin, with January, or this year in early February, for our second Hillel prevailing, making it the 15th day of Shevat. For new year of Tu B’Shevat. We can embrace the secular hundreds of years, this mid-winter day was marked as New Year concepts of think and rethink of self- a minor holiday. It was customary among East improvement. It is appropriate for us to rethink European Jews to eat 15 different kinds of fruit, about our lives many times throughout the year, especially those from the Land of Israel mentioned in whether it is in the secular or Jewish calendar. More the Torah: olives, dates, grapes, fig, and importantly, Tu B'Shevat is a subtle reminder for us to pomegranates. (You may have heard of the Tu refocus ourselves and reconnect with what we B’Shevat Seder; it is in essence a sampling of the wanted to improve back on Rosh Hashanah day. various foods.) On top of enjoying these delicious treats, the eating of fruits reminds us of glorifying the Happy 2017 and Early Tu B’Shevat! wonder of God’s creations. —Rabbi Jeffrey Abraham Midrash Vayikra Rabbah 25 states, “The Holy One, Blessed be He, occupied Himself with planting immediately after Creation of the world.” For it is specifically written: “And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden.” So shall you also, when you enter the land of Israel, first of all occupy yourself in planting. This Midrash teaches us that God “planted” right after he created the world. My question is, on this secular New Year of 2017, what will each of us plant? It does not need to be something literal; it can be a figurative planting. Perhaps you would like to plant a new . Kol Shira: The Voice of Song ……………………………… By Hazzan Jeremy Lipton A JEWISH VIEW OF THE NEW YEAR As Jews we live in an overwhelmingly non- appear. On Shabbat, for example, we welcome our day Jewish world, especially here in Texas. We are of rest by gathering together in the evening just before constantly exposed to secular holidays and practices, sunset, and follow certain rituals to mark that which we typically view through a Jewish lens. A transition (for example, we light the Shabbat candles, seemingly innocuous example of this occurred this bless the wine during Kiddush, and share a communal week with the marking of the end of 2016 and the meal). At the end of Shabbat, when we recite beginning of 2017—New Year’s Day, the first U.S. Legal Havdallah, we conclude through similar communal Holiday of the year. How do we, as Jews, normally rituals to mark the separation of time: once again, we relate to New Year’s Day? Aside from the fact that this bless a cup of wine, light a multi-wicked candle, inhale year it just happened to corresponded with the last day spices and gather together as we prepare to begin of Hanukkah (certainly a rare occasion!), we have our another week. own Jewish New Year’s Day. In fact, according to the On New Year’s Eve you may have witnessed a Mishna, we annually celebrate four distinct Jewish New secular practice that is similar to our Jewish rituals and Years: the first day of Tishrei (Rosh Hashannah) is the not even thought twice about it. The singing of the New Year for the Seasons; the fifteenth day of Shevat song Auld Lang Syne is used to mark the end of the old (Tu Bishvat) is known as the New Year for Trees; the year welcome the New Year at the stroke of midnight. first day of Nissan, the first month of the year The formalized ritual associated with this song has according to the Torah, is also known as the New Year been described by numerous writers: “It is common for the Reign of Jewish Kings; and finally, the lesser- practice that everyone joins hands with the person known, first day of Elul, which is designated as the New next to them to form a great circle around the dance Year for the Tithing of Cattle. floor. At the beginning of the last verse, everyone For most of us, it is Rosh Hashannah alone that crosses their arms across their breast, so that their Jews traditionally mark as our New Year’s Day, for right hand reaches out to the neighbor on their left and several reasons: 1) the actual counting of our years vice versa. When the tune ends, everyone rushes to (now 5777) advances with the first of Tishrei; 2) a the middle, while still holding hands. When the circle is sense of spiritual renewal is experienced through our re-established, everyone turns under the arms to end sincere teshuvah and urgent reconciliation with others; up facing outwards with hands still joined.” My Jewish 3) Rabbinic tradition tells us that the creation of the mind instantly connects this with our choreography for world took place on the first of Tishrei; and 4) Rosh Havdallah. How many times have you participated in a Hashannah is also known as Yom Teruah, the Day of circle of family, friends and community members as the Sounding of the Shofar, whose haunting notes you said farewell to Shabbat? You stood together in touch our souls in uniquely emotional ways. the fading light of the Havdallah candle, with your arms It is curious that the secular New Year has intertwined, singing together, swaying back and forth, another component to it that is extremely familiar to as you looked forward to the possibilities of renewal in us as Jews—the celebration begins the night before, on the coming week. You enthusiastically wished each New Year’s Eve. As Jews, we know that this is normal other a “Shavuah Tov” (a “Good Week”), and then operating procedure, because we follow the biblical looked hopefully toward the future. Doesn’t this tradition that “there was evening and there was sound familiar to your Jewish mind? Shanah Tovah… morning” on each of the days of creation. For us, a Happy New Year!! new day begins and ends during the transition --Hazzan Jeremy Lipton between day and night, as the sun sets and the stars 2017 Officers & Board of Trustees Installation Shabbat & Kiddush Luncheon Shabbat, January 28 9:00 AM Service of Healing with Rabbi Platt Saturday, January 7 Friday, January 6 9 AM 6:16pm Friday Night With Friends Musical Kabbalat Shabbat Oneg in honor of Penner Family 100 years of Penner’s Store Saturday, January 7 Parsha Vayigash 9:00am Shabbat Healing Service 11:00am Bim Bam Shabbat & Mini Minyan Kiddush Luncheon Friday, January 13 6:16pm Friday Night With Friends Musical Kabbalat Shabbat Oneg Shabbat Saturday, January 14 Parsha Vayechi 9:00am Shabbat Service 11:00am Bim Bam Shabbat & Mini Minyan Kiddush Luncheon Friday, January 20 Sisterhood Shabbat Weekend 20 & 21 6:16pm Friday Night With Friends Musical Kabbalat Shabbat Oneg Shabbat Saturday, January 21 Parsha Shemot 9:00am Shabbat Service 11:00am Bim Bam Shabbat & Mini Minyan Kiddush Luncheon Friday, January 27 6:16pm Friday Night With Friends Musical Kabbalat Shabbat Oneg Shabbat 7:45pm Shabbat En Español Saturday, January 28 Parsha Va’era 9:00am Shabbat Service & Board Installation 11:00am Bim Bam Shabbat & Mini Minyan Kiddush Luncheon in honor of Susanne Jalnos 90th Birthday Torah Study with Rabbi Abraham 1 PM in the Goldie and Joe Tills Library Following Kiddush Lunch every Shabbat ! Congregation Agudas Achim Welcomes New Board Members for 2017 Congregation Agudas Achim held its annual meeting on December 11 and voted to elect the following Officers and Board of Trustees to the 2017 Board term. Board of Trustees President VP Ritual Rhonda Gurinsky VP Membership Octavio Viramontes Esther Lasky-Mata VP Finance Secretary Michael Peck VP Fundraising Amy Saklad Eileen Jalnos VP Education Treasurer Craig Berkowitch Mia Spigel 1st Year of 2 Year Term Ephraim Brenman Jon Gordon Fred Wartell Monica Lizka-Miller Jeff Siegel Ava Weinstein Lisa Abramson Alan Himmelstein 2nd Year of 2 Year Term Mervyn Bloom Dan Garvin Mel Waldgeir Oren Leff Marilyn Karren Renee Glazier Ron Schlesinger Phil Landes Mazel Tov to all of the 2017 Board of Trustees and Officers.