UPCOMING EVENTS:
June 17 - Annual Meeting
June 20 - BBQ
June 27 - Pride Shabbat
June 29 - One Enchanted Evening
Weary from crying, my throat parched, my eyes fail me, as I await God's help. (Psalms 69.4) Words fail us as we confront a war that has lasted 617 days. In light of last night's attack on Iran and today's retaliation, how do we move forward? We begin by holding one another and those we know and care for. And if we are able, we dream of better days, days when our destructive nature as human beings does not predominate and we bring healing to one another.
In the words of Yehuda Amichai:
"Don't stop after beating swords into plowshares, don't stop! Go on beating and make musical instruments out of them. Whoever wants to make war again will have to turn them into plowshares first."
Pride Shabbat: June 6
Sunday, June 29
Family BBQ: June 20
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Rabbi Linda's Weekly Message |
June 13, 2025 |
Dear Friends,
Last Sunday we recorded our last Tehillah Talks before our summer break. The question on the table was, “what makes a good leader?” We had a thoughtful conversation and what came through was a sense that both of these young men thought that good leadership occurred when the leader truly cared about the community that they served. I invite you to tune in.
In the podcast, we began our conversation with the passage from the book of Samuel where the people demand a king and Samuel, with God’s guidance, outlines what the result of having a king will be like for the people. They are told that the king will have power over many aspects of their lives.
The conversation brought me directly to this week’s Torah portion, Beha’alotcha, "when you raise (the lamps)" (Numbers 8:1-12:16). Our conversation reminded me that of all of the leaders that we have in the Tanach (our Bible), only one is successful - not perfect, but successful: Moses. It is in this Torah portion that we continue to understand why he was an effective leader.
We know that he did not want the job, but once he had it he took it seriously. We know that when his father-in-law, Yitro, gave him advice, he was able to hear it and take it. Of course, it was in no small measure because of the way in which the advice was given.
Mitzvah of the Week
In looking over my past divrei Torah on this week’s Torah portion, Emor, I quote the same passage over and over again, noting that we read almost the identical passage last week.
“When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap all the way to the edges of your field, or gather the gleanings of your harvest; you shall leave them for the poor and the stranger: I, the Eternal One, am your God (Leviticus 23:22).”
I invite you to imagine a planted field, filled with products of the farmer’s labor; yet the corners are not harvested. Those in need are not to be made feel lesser; they too have to labor to harvest. When we examine this type of giving, we discover that those being aided are able to maintain a sense of agency.
In this time with so many in need, may we remember the dignity of those whom we are aiding. When we are enjoined to do the same thing two weeks in a row, the importance of this action is emphasized.
Riverdale Y 
| Oseh shalom bimromav, hu ya'aseh shalom aleinu ve'al kol Israel, ve'imru, Amen. |
| May the One who makes peace in the heavens, make peace for us all and all the people of Israel. |
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