We light our Shabbat candles this week at 7:15 pm. Friday
evening services will begin at 8 pm, and Saturday morning
services will begin at 9 am. Elaina Hirsch will become a
Bat Mitzvah this Shabbat, and the Hirsch family invites the
entire congregation to participate in services.
This Saturday morning we will announce the new month of Elul,
the month preceding Rosh Hashanah.
Elul is a time to prepare for the High Holidays. During this
month, the shofar is sounded every morning. Each Shabbat we
read another of the Haftarahs of comfort and consolation that
remind us that God will be with us. Elul is a time of
introspection, and a time to reflect on the year that has
passed.
During the High Holidays, God as parent is a prominent metaphor
in our prayers. We recite Avinu Malkenu, “Our Parent, our
Sovereign”, many times during the holidays as a prayer asking
for forgiveness. This parental relationship stands in contrast
to the picture of God as a cold and distant Judge in heaven.
God as a parent extends compassion and forgiveness to us in
return for our own work toward teshuvah, repentance, that
includes examining our words and deeds over the past year,
thinking about the health of the relationships in our lives, and
making choices that will help us explore our potential to live
out the message of the Torah and contribute to this world.
The Maharil, Rabbi Jacob ben Moshe (Germany, 14th-15th c.)
teaches us the following lesson about the month of Elul:
“All the month of Elul, before eating and sleeping, let us all
and look into our souls, search our deeds, that we may make
confession.”
Rabbi Jacob recommends that we focus our thoughts around the
time of eating and sleeping. Why are these particular moments
crucial in pursuing teshuvah? They are crucial moments since
eating and sleeping sustain our health and well-being. Just as
we cannot live without sustenance and rest, Rabbi Jacob teaches
us that we cannot live without coming to terms with our sins.
There are times when we avoid eating or sleeping for different
reasons, and we know that the after-effects are devastating to
our state of mind, health, relationships, and productivity. We
face similar consequences when we avoid confronting what we have
done wrong and thinking about what we can do better in this New
Year.
What is most difficult for us about owning up to the things we
have said and done over the past year? Are there already goals
as far as personal growth that we have set for ourselves for the
New Year? Is there an aspect of Jewish learning or living that
we hope to explore this year? With blessings for a
meaningful month of Elul, Rabbi Tow
CONDOLENCES
We extend our condolences to Michael Kane on the recent loss of
his beloved father Lawrence Kane z”l. May the family be
comforted among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.
We extend our condolences to Sherri Reeves on the recent loss of
her beloved mother June Reeves z”l. May the family be comforted
among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
The GRJC will be closed on Sunday, Aug. 30 and Monday, Sept 1,
for Labor Day weekend.
The September Bulletin and our annual High Holiday mailing will
be arriving in homes by the middle of next week.
The deadline for Book of Remembrance entries has been extended
to Wednesday, September 10, which will be the last day Book of
Remembrance entries will be accepted.
Tuesday, Sept. 2. 8:00 pm: The GRJC September Board of Trustees
Meeting will be held next Tuesday, Sept. 2,at 8:00 pm in the
Social Hall.
Our Nursery School year begins next week with Parent’s
Orientation on Tuesday, Sept. 2, 7:30 pm in the Youth Lounge;
Parents and Children’s Visiting Day on Wednesday, Sept. 3, 10-11
am in the classrooms; and half-day classes (9:00-11:30am) on
Thursday and Friday, Sept. 4 and 5. On Thursday, Sept 4, our
Membership Committee is holding an Open House from 9:00-10:30 am
in the Social Hall, primarily for Nursery School parents, but
all are welcome.
Our Membership Committee is also sponsoring an Open House for
prospective members and school families on Sunday, Sept. 7, 9:00
– 11:30 am. This coincides with the first day of Religious
School 9:00am –1:00 pm. Please spread the word to friends and
neighbors who may be looking to affiliate with a synagogue.
The next meeting of our Women’s Rosh Chodesh Group will welcome
the months of Elul and Tishrei on Sunday, Sept. 7, 6:00-7:30
pm. RSVP to Ornit Michael,
ornitmichael@yahoo.com by Sept. 4.
The Adult Education Committee is sponsoring a Hebrew Literacy
Class on Thursday nights at 7:30 pm, beginning September 18.
The 10-week course is aimed at intermediate learners, and, like
the beginner’s course offered last year, is taught by Ritual
Committee co-chair Michael Goodman. Contact Michael at
mgood831@optonline.net if you are interested in
signing up or have any questions about the course.
Please refer to our website calendar (www.grjc.org
--click on calendar link) or the September GRJC Bulletin for
times, locations and other details on the following September
programs and events:
Sept 8 -- Melton II Adult Ed Class begins
Sept 9 – Fall Mommy & Me sessions begin
Sept 11 – Widow & Widowers Support Group
Sept 14 – Whitewater Rafting (off-site)
Religious School Parents Orientation
50+ Club “Hidden Child” presentation and
discussion
Art from the Heart
Sept 18 – Hebrew Literacy Class begins
Sept 20 – Selichot Program and Service with Cantor Freedman and
Rabbi Tow
Sept 22 – Men’s Club Golf Outing (off-site)
Sept 29 – Erev Rosh Hashanah
Sept 30 – First Day, Rosh Hashanah
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