Dear Hevreh,

There are certain moments when you realize the purpose of being a part of a Jewish community. It could be inspiring services like our past Cantorial Showcase or our upcoming Friday Night Shabbat By the Sea. It could be fun social oriented events with friends like Sunday’s Trip to Brighton Beach or June 20th’s Movie Night. It could be moments of great insight into the meaning of our tradition, like we try to do every Friday during our Online Parashah Class.

Yet, despite the worthiness of all of these Jewish communal opportunities, I think the one that hits the closest to home is when we are grieving and we need our community to support us. That is when we really get to see the value of being a part of our community.

This week, our member Larry Deutchman and his family said their final goodbyes to his mother, Leia Deutchman, who traversed the Atlantic Ocean from her home in England to build a family with her husband, an American soldier fighting in World War II. Tomorrow, we will lay her to eternal rest in Beth Israel’s Cemetery thus beginning the initial stages of public mourning known as shiva, a seven day period in which a Jewish community supports their member who is mourning with food and presence; food to sustain their bodies and presence to sustain their souls.Our task is to provide that support for Larry and his family as he begins his shiva period tomorrow and show the true purpose of our special Jewish community.

Kol Tuv,

Rabbi Ari Saks

Category : Ari-archive Cantorial Showcase What's Been Happening at Beth Mordecai
Tag : Brighton Beach Cantorial Showcase community food minyan movie online parashah class presence rabbi rabbi's journal shabbat by the sea shiva