Vaera, Exodus 6:2-9:35, Parshat Hashavua for Shabbat, January 21, 2023
We are living through a time of great turmoil and change and the outcome is unclear. Climate change seems to be accelerating. Russia‘s (or perhaps more accurately Putin’s) invasion of Ukraine has caused untold suffering, has upended the world food and energy markets, and pits the forces of freedom against those of despotism on the battlefield once again. At home our political system seems increasingly unresponsive to the challenges of our time, and there are many in our country who question the basic values and underpinnings of our democracy.
The Book of Exodus explores another time of great social upheaval and conflict – the struggle of an enslaved people to overcome tyranny and oppression to become free. This week’s Torah portion finds Moses and Aaron, as the representatives of the Israelites and God, locked in a battle of wills with Pharoah, the strongest ruler of the most powerful country of that time. All of Moses’ efforts to liberate the Israelite slaves only lead Pharoah to treat them more brutally, which leads them to lose faith in Moses’s leadership. Heartsick, Moses cries out to God, “The Israelites would not listen to me; how then should Pharaoh heed me, me—who gets tongue-tied!” (Exodus 6:12) God replies, a few verses later, “When Pharaoh does not heed you, I will lay My hand upon Egypt and deliver My ranks, My people the Israelites, from the land of Egypt with extraordinary chastisements.” (Exodus 7:4)
God is reminding Moses that he must not lose faith and must keep working toward God’s goal of freeing the Israelites. So it must be with us – we cannot lose sight of God’s goal of a just and fair society, where every human being has the opportunity to live lives of dignity and peace. Having just come out of Hanukkah, we should remember the words of the Alter Rebbi (19th C. Poland) that a little light drives out a great deal of darkness, or the words of Rebbi Tarfon, “It is not your duty to finish the work, but neither are you at liberty to neglect it;” Pirkei Avot 2:16. Just as God reminded Moses, we must remind ourselves to keep working to make the world a more just place.
From the Presidents – January 26, 2023
January 26, 2023 by tbhrich • president
Shalom Everyone!
First of all, a huge thank you to all the parents and members who volunteered their time last Sunday putting in the new sand and woodchips for the playground. It always fills our hearts with joy to see the members of the community come together for a common cause to make our corner of the world a better place. What was most astonishing is how relatively little time it took to accomplish the project. Even though the sand and woodchip pile took up several spaces in our parking lot, with all the volunteers the entire project was done in a couple of hours. The experience reinforced the old idea of “many hands make light work.” Like our ancestors who built the temples in Jerusalem, even the most daunting of tasks can be accomplished when the community works together to ensure that the burden does not fall on just one person. For this reason, the next time you have to tackle a project, whether at home or at work, that seems overwhelming, consider enlisting the support of family, friends, co-workers, and neighbors that will complete the job with relative ease. The best results often come from the work of many rather than the few.
On a separate note, an exciting opportunity has come to our attention concerning the JCC East Bay. They are currently partnering with six other local JCC organizations to promote the Jewish Bay Area Israel Trip (J-BA’IT), which will travel to Israel to celebrate the country’s 75th anniversary. If anyone would like to join the trip, or make a donation, please contact info@jcceastbay.org. It should be a fun time!
We also have plenty of other major holidays coming up in the next few months, including Tu B’shvat, Purim and Passover. You can help make a difference by volunteering to help with the Purim Carnival and Passover Seder. Assisting with any of these events allows us to connect with the community and make the Temple Beth Hillel experience even better. In addition, please consider joining the Temple Beth Hillel Board of Directors next year. Our Board is always on the lookout for members who have ideas for the future of the temple and the ability to carry out that vision. You can reach out to us or any Board member when you are interested.
Finally, the next Shabbat Service will be held on Friday, February 3, at 7:30 p.m. Family Shabbat will be held two weeks later on Friday, February 17, at 6:15 p.m., where we will celebrate Tu’Bshvat with delicious fruits. Please help spread the word to encourage families to join. There will also be Torah study on Saturday at 10:15 a.m., and will be on Zoom. And those who wish to join Tefillah services at the Religious School are welcome starting at 9:30 a.m on Sundays. Thanks everyone!
If I am not for myself, who will be for me?
If I am not for others, what am I?
And if not now, when? -Rabbi Hillel
~ Anna B Stein and David Zimring, Co-Presidents, Temple Beth Hillel