Ruach 6800 35th Ave NE Congregation Beth Shalom Seattle, WA 98115 206.524.0075 May 2019 • Nissan-Iyar 5779 Volume 51, Issue 9 Message from Rabbi Rose One of my middle school teachers used to joke about that we count as we would count the days waiting for a bedikat chametz, saying she hoped that searching for bread- loved one to arrive, ticking off each day in anticipation of crumbs with a feather, candle, and spoon would never be being in such intimate proximity to the Divine. Slightly later anyone’s first exposure to Judaism. Yet for all of the Kabbalistic traditions frame counting the omer as a period of weirdness of that pre-Passover ritual, performed just a few self-improvement, with particular areas of focus for each weeks ago, I think that counting the omer, which started day. I imagine that I am not alone in finding these just two days later, may actually be this season’s most interpretations to be more inspiring for my own counting of cryptic Jewish practice. the omer in 2019. I am not particularly attuned to the agricultural cycles of the land of Israel, whereas counting The source for counting the omer comes from the Torah. from our annual reenactment of leaving Egypt until our According to Leviticus, we are to count from the day of the celebration of the gift of Torah resonates with me, as does “sheaf of elevation offering” and fifty subsequent days. The the idea of using these weeks as an opportunity to improve rabbis set that sheaf waving on the second day of Passover, our own behavior. and thus the fiftieth day is the holiday of Shavuot (this year, the omer is counted from the evening of April 20 through But more than I find inspiration in any particular June 8). But the Torah does not mention either Passover or interpretation of counting the omer, I am moved by the Shavuot in conjunction with this counting; the count begins ways that this ritual has been framed and reframed over the with a ritual that initiates the new grain harvest and allows course of our history. Generations of Jews have taken a for its use, and ends with another offering of new grain. ritual whose original underpinnings no longer resonated and invested it with new life and new meaning. And that After the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem, when reinvention continues; in the modern state of Israel, more these offerings could no longer be brought, this counting emphasis has been placed on connection to the land ritual became layered with new significance. Marking the (Shavuot is celebrated there as the festival of first fruits far grain harvest no longer resonated, but the counting was not more than as the festival of receiving the Torah), reviving discarded (after all, the Torah does command it quite some of the original meaning behind this period of explicitly). Instead, the rabbinic commentators focused on counting. the holidays at each end of the counting, Passover and Shavuot, and their themes. While counting is a less strange practice than hunting for crumbs, it might be harder for most of us to explain to the In the medieval period, the Sefer HaChinuch explains that casual onlooker, especially when we read the Torah’s receiving the Torah on Shavuot was the main point of the version of this agricultural ritual. But as we count the omer Exodus from Egypt, and thus it is appropriate for us to count this year, I hope that you find your own meaningful from Passover to Shavuot as an expression of yearning and desire to reach that moment of revelation. Rambam writes (Continued on page 2) INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Did you notice the new silver letters on our Sifrei Torah? Check out the article on page 6. Updates 1-8 SHAVUOT 9 Shomrei Atid 10-11 Service Animals 12 Annual Meeting / Rain Garden 13 Youth Updates / B’nai Mitzvah 14 Adult Education 15 Anniversaries and Birthdays 16 Events in Members Lives 17 Contributions 18-20 Service Schedules / Yasher Koach / Calendar 20-22 Tzedakah Form 23 Updates (Continued from page 1) interpretation of this ancient ritual, even if it has nothing to do with sheaves of grain (or everything to do with sheaves of grain, if you’re more agriculturally-minded than I am). Yet even more than that, I hope that we take the unfolding of the multiple meanings ascribed to sefirat ha’omer as a reminder and a challenge to bring our commitment and our creativity to the ever-evolving ancient tradition that is Jewish life. Happy counting! Hebrew Word of the Month The CBS Israel Committee presents the Hebrew Word of the Month. Each month, a modern Hebrew word or expression will be presented, along with an English transliteration, and a translation or description. This is an easy and simple way to broaden our linguistic horizons. - ( סונוב ) - So far, the Committee has presented only one word at a time. This month, there is a bonus two words that are somewhat related. Here are the Hebrew Words of the Month: החיש Transliteration: Sichah הזוח Transliteration: Chozeh Translation: Sichah means conversation, and chozeh means agreement, or a visionary person. There have been many earnest conversations lately in Jerusalem, regarding the political parties that will be included in a governing coalition, as well as which leaders of those parties will receive the honor of heading a ministry of the government. If all goes well, the coalition agreement will lead to a stable government. Three cheers for parliamentary politics! Fun fact: Chozeh is related to the word Chazon, meaning vision. Also, in Israel, Theodor Herzl is known as Chozeh Hamedina (Visionary of the state). CBS 2018-2019 Board of Directors President Vice-President Religious School Committee Andrew Cohen Norbert Sorg Harry Goldman Chair Marc Cohen Mike Grodin Keith Eaton President Elect Treasurer Deirdre Gabbay Nancy Simon Mark Stiefel Members at Large: Stacy Globerman Broch Bender Beth Hartell Past President Secretary Aviad Benzikry Jeff Ross Michael Madwed Debra Gussin Paige Chapel Matt Saunders Craig Chosiad Deadlines: Rabbi Jill Borodin Marjie Cogan Emma Shusterman [email protected] Communications Coordinator Bookkeeper [email protected] [email protected] Articles / Announcements Rabbi Paula Rose are due in synagogue office [email protected] Heidi Piel Louis Friedkin Lifecycle Coordinator Comptroller by the 10th of each month Carol Benedick [email protected] Tamara Fernandez Executive Director for the following month’s Asst to the Director of the ECC [email protected] newsletter. Shira Orzech Rachel Wachtel B’nai Mitzvah Coordinator Noam Rinat Shinshinit Education & Youth Director [email protected] 206-524-0075 CBS phone [email protected] Rimma Lobas Lauren Fellows 206-525-5095 CBS fax Service Assistant Leah Lemchen Front Office Coordinator [email protected] Director of Early Childhood Center [email protected] Carlos DelCid [email protected] Building Maintenance Susan Monas/Francie Ringold Sarah Greenberg Rosh Kitchen Luis Martinez Community & Membership Engagement [email protected] Maekele Gebremeskel Director Custodial Attendants [email protected] Synagogue office address: 6800 - 35th Ave NE • Seattle, WA 98115 • website: www.bethshalomseattle.org 2 President’s Message How serious are we, at our Seder tables, year after year, agriculture, not the least of them the abuse of antibiotics when we say “dayyenu”? to increase meat production at the cost of future generations who will die from infections that will no longer Firstly, the story line doesn't support such a sentiment. respond to antibiotics. It is incompatible with many aspects Throughout the Exodus and forty years of wandering of our economic system. My first teacher of Talmud told us through the desert the Israelites do nothing but complain. the story of his brother-in-law's investment in a shopping No water, no food, the manna tastes the same day after mall in Israel. When the majority of investors changed the day, the promised land is populated by giants - and the policies of the mall and allowed stores to be open on conclusion is always “Why on earth did you bring us here? Shabbat he asked his rabbi what he should do. His rabbi Can we go back to Egypt now, please?” Not once do the advised him to sell his share of the mall, but to take people say “Thank you for all your help, we’ll take it from enough time so it wouldn't be a fire sale. here.” The Talmud, too, when it discusses how to perform In spite of this, at the seder at my house we continue to mitzvot, maintains a very strong sense of “enough”. After sing "dayyenu" with conviction, and we mean it. I do it establishes rules for saying the Amidah (standing, facing believe that it nurtures a sense of the being aware of just Jerusalem, with feet closed, in a proper state of mind) it how blessed we have been in so many instances in our launches into a discussion of "what if's": what if your lives. circumstances don't allow you to meet these requirements? Secondly, human nature doesn’t support such a sentiment. It looks at cases like "what if you travel with a caravan and I wonder whether it’s because our DNA is that of hunters they won't stop to give you time to say your prayers". The and gatherers, and it would simply be irrational to stop Talmud gives all kinds of leniencies, and in the end it gathering while there is anything left to gather. And we see concludes "if you can't control the circumstances, just how humans drive athletic activities to ever higher levels of direct your heart to heaven, that's enough." absurdity because we need to outdo each other.