Miketz, Genesis 41:1-44:17, Parashat Hashavua for Shabbat December 16, 2023
Friday is the last day of Hanukkah, our celebration of light. The Alter Rebbe (the founder of Chabad Hasidism) said, “A little light can drive out a great amount of darkness.” Each December, during the darkest time of the year, Hanukkah reminds us of the wisdom of this message.
In this week’s Torah portion, Joseph is taken out from the dungeon and brought before Pharaoh to interpret his dream of the seven fat cows and the seven lean cows. The word for dungeon in this week’s Torah portion is, Ha bor, the pit. The trajectory of Joseph’s life until now has been a fall from his father Jacob’s favorite son to the bottom of the pit. Now, Joseph begins his ascent from the depths of the pit of darkness and despair to the heights of power in Pharaoh’s palace. Joseph’s misfortunes and suffering have changed him; made him more caring of and empathetic toward others, giving him the capacity to successfully interpret Pharaoh’s dream.
Life has its share of tragedy and suffering and, hopefully, its full measure of joy as well. Like Joseph we can learn and grow from our struggles and misfortune and become better people. This is a message of Hanukkah as well. Even in the darkest of times we can bring light, hope, and goodness into the world. During these dark days, when many of us feel frightened and isolated, it is important for us to remember Hanukkah and, like Joseph, to bring our light into the world, the message of Jewish values. We and the world will be better for it, especially when it is darkest.
From the Presidents – December 14, 2023
Hello Everyone!
First of all, we wanted to express our immense gratitude to all the volunteers who are currently making Food for Thought a reality. Over the last few days they have put together hundreds of boxes to send out to hundreds of families and will help feed thousands of people for the end of the year. Thanks to all of your hard work, we will have another incredible year for this important program.
As we near the end of Hanukkah, we wanted to share an illuminating lesson our students learned in Religious School this past week. While looking at various songs celebrating the season, the older students discussed the deeper meaning of “Light One Candle,” a classic by Peter, Paul and Mary. Over the course of the song, eight key themes about Hanukkah emerge: Children, Pain, Sacrifice, Wisdom, Strength, Suffering, Belief, and Togetherness. Taken together, these themes highlight both the struggle of the Israelites in ancient times and the unbreakable bonds forged in Jewish communities today. Along with lighting candles and enjoying dreidel games and opening presents, we encourage everyone at TBH to reflect on at least one of these themes each of the remaining nights of Hanukkah. Doing so gives us the opportunity for deeper contemplation on the message and meaning of this holiday of miracles as the secular year comes to an end.
Also, we wanted to express our deepest gratitude for all our members who volunteered to serve on the newly created search committee to look for TBH’s next rabbi. We will all miss Dean very much after his retirement next year but this also marks the next chapter in the story of TBH. We and the members of the committee will be working hard to find a worthy successor for our beloved Rabbi Dean. As part of this effort, the committee recently sent out a survey for members to fill out indicating what qualities you would like to see in our future Rabbi. We look forward to hearing from all of you and welcome your input.
And for those who wish to make a difference in our community, we highly encourage you to 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. Serving on the Board makes us appreciate how much Temple Beth Hillel means to us and our children.
Finally, our next regular Shabbat Service will take place this Friday, December 15, at 7:30 p.m. The next Family Shabbat will occur on that same Friday at 6:15 p.m. so please help spread the word. We will also be hosting the second annual TBH Dreidel Olympics, so be sure to come and show off your dreidel skills. And for our new members, we will be holding a special Shabbat service for all of you in January. Torah Study will take place every Saturday at 10:15 a.m. on Zoom, and the Adult Education class will be hosted by Rabbi Dean (see calendar for dates). And of course, we encourage everyone to come to our wonderful Tefillah services at Religious School every Sunday at 9:30 a.m. Thank you 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
Vayeshev, Genesis 37:1-40:23; Numbers 7:18-23, Parashat Hashavua for Shabbat Hanukkah, December 9, 2023
This Shabbat falls on the second day of Hanukkah and according to our liturgical tradition, in addition to reading the Torah portion of the week, Vayeshev (the beginning of the story of Joseph) we also read Numbers 7:18-23 for maftir and the Prophet Zechariah for the Haftorah. Zechariah was a prophet of the Jewish return to the land of Israel after 40 years of Babylonian exile. He lived through the reestablishment of Jewish sovereignty in Judah and imagined the final redemption of all humanity at the end of days. Exile and return, loss and fulfillment, are recurring themes in Jewish life. We are going through a difficult period right now. In Israel people are still identifying the victims of the October 7th attack and burying them; they continue to bury soldiers who have given their lives to defend Israel; and they continue to work for the release of the hostage taken into captivity by the terrorists. We here in the US are facing the harsh reality of anti-semitism that has been tolerated and allowed to metastasize into the body politic on the left and the right. It feels like a dark time. In the arc of Jewish history this is nothing new. Yet, good is coming out of these troubles. Jews are reconnecting to Israel and to Jewish community. Many more people are coming to services, here at our synagogue and across the country. We feel the need for community and connection and we are acting on it. Last Sunday, our community Hanukkah fair was a joyous event filled with members, new folks, and young families. The need for connection was palpable as was the strength we drew from one another. In that sense Zechariah’s words ring particularly true this year, “This is the word of GOD to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by My spirit — said GOD of Hosts.” Never underestimate the power of the Jewish people or the strength of Jewish community. It is always there for us to draw on to sustain us, in times of trouble and in times of joy. Remember too the words of the Alter Rebbe, “A little light drives out a great amount of darkness.” This Hanukkah let the lights glow in your window.
From the Presidents – Dec. 7, 2023
Chag Hanukkah Sameach Everyone!
First of all, we wanted to say a huge thank you to everyone who helped to make our annual Hanukkah Fair such an extraordinary event. Thanks to Jane, Wendy, and all the committee members for all their hard work putting the event together. Thanks to all our volunteers for helping with the cooking, set up, clean up, cookie decorating, face painting, overseeing the bake sale, and all the other critical jobs. We had such an amazing turnout, with our own members and those of the greater East Bay community coming to show their support.
Starting Thursday we will all be celebrating the Festival of Lights, complete with latkes, sufganiyot, gelt, dreidels, menorahs, and of course family and presents! Candles will be lit, prayers will be said, games will be played, and good times will be had by all. At the same time, as with all our holidays, we must keep the deeper meaning of this wonderful time in mind. The story of Hanukkah symbolizes the themes of Redemption, with the restoration of the Temple by the Maccabees; Faith, when the Maccabees lit the menorah with only one day’s worth of holy oil believing that God would provide a miracle; and Persistence, with the successful conclusion of a war against a mighty empire against the odds. Just as importantly, the rituals of Hanukkah require us to reflect on holiness and life. Before we enter the room where we celebrate, we must pass through a door flanked by a menorah and mezuzah to symbolize entering a holy space. On the night of Shabbat, we wait 18 minutes after sunset before lighting candles to symbolize Chai (Life). When we light the candles, we light the newest candle first to symbolize that no one is superior to others. As this holiday is full of meaning, let us all reflect on the meaning of our own lives and how we live out that meaning everyday.
Also, we wanted to express our deepest gratitude for all our members who volunteered to serve on the newly created search committee to look for TBH’s next rabbi. We will all miss Dean very much after his retirement next year but this also marks the next chapter in the story of TBH. We and the members of the committee will be working hard to find a worthy successor for our beloved Rabbi Dean. As part of this effort, shortly we will be sending out a survey for members to fill out indicating what qualities you would like to see in our future Rabbi. We look forward to hearing from all of you and welcome your input.
And for those who wish to make a difference in our community, we highly encourage you to 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. Serving on the Board makes us appreciate how much Temple Beth Hillel means to us and our children. And for those who wish to volunteer for Food for Thought this year, there is a sign up sheet in the main hallway.
Finally, our next regular Shabbat Service will take place on Friday, December 15, at 7:30 p.m. The next Family Shabbat will occur on that same Friday at 6:15 p.m. so please help spread the word. We will be hosting the second annual TBH Dreidel Olympics, so be sure to come and show off your dreidel skills. And for our new members, we will be holding a special Shabbat service for all of you in January. Torah Study will take place every Saturday at 10:15 a.m. on Zoom and the Adult Education class will be hosted by Rabbi Dean (see calendar for dates). And of course, we encourage everyone to come to our wonderful Tefillah services at Religious School every Sunday at 9:30 a.m. Thank you 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
From the Presidents – Nov. 23, 2023
Shalom Everyone!
First of all, we wanted to thank everyone who came to our most recent Shabbat service. We had a wonderful turnout thanks to our guests from the Beth Chaim congregation from Danville, who came to support us in solidarity. This just goes to show how much the various Jewish communities in the East Bay can support each other amidst these turbulent times. We will be working to arrange more of these kinds of events in the future.
We also wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving this week as you spend time with friends and family with turkey, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie, and other traditional tasty treats. Incredibly, this tradition of celebrating Thanksgiving during the last week of November is quite recent, only dating back to the Civil War. Before then, families and communities could hold a thanksgiving whenever they had something for which they were thankful. The concept of Thanksgiving itself is a deeply held Jewish value. As stated in the 23rd chapter of Exodus, after working the fields for six years, the Israelites would leave the fields fallow so that the poor “may eat from the field”. The ancient Israelites were thankful for the bounty the land provided and then expressed their thanks by providing charity for those who needed it. So as we sit down to our Thanksgiving feasts, let us be reminded that thanksgiving should not be consigned to just a single day of the year. Instead, we can celebrate thanksgiving at any time for those we are thankful for in our lives.
When we all return from Thanksgiving, we have several fun events planned for the community. Our annual Hanukkah Fair will take place on Sunday, December 3 from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.. We are looking for volunteers to help out with set up, running games, helping out in the kitchen to make latkes, etc. You can find the link for the sign-up sheet on the next page. Thank you to everyone who will contribute their time and effort to make this event a joyous occasion for the end of the year. And for our new members, we will be holding a special Shabbat service for our newest TBH members in January.
Also, we wanted to express our deepest gratitude for all our members who volunteered to serve on the newly created search committee to look for TBH’s next rabbi. We will all miss Dean very much after his retirement next year but this also marks the next chapter in the story of TBH. We and the members of the committee will be working hard to find a worthy successor for our beloved Rabbi Dean. As part of this effort, shortly we will be sending out a survey for members to fill out indicating what qualities you would like to see in our future Rabbi. We look forward to hearing from all of you and welcome your input.
And for those who wish to make a difference in our own community, we highly encourage you to 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. Serving on the Board makes us appreciate how much Temple Beth Hillel means to us and our children. And for those who wish to volunteer for Food for Thought this year, there is a sign up sheet in the main hallway.
Finally, our next regular Shabbat Service will take place on Friday, December 1, at 7:30 p.m. The next Family Shabbat will occur on Friday, December 15, starting at 6:15 p.m. so please help spread the word. We will be hosting the second annual Dreidel Olympics, so be sure to come and show off your dreidel skills. Torah Study will resume every Saturday at 10:15 a.m. on Zoom and the Adult Education class will be hosted by Rabbi Dean (see calendar for dates). And of course, we encourage everyone to come to our wonderful Tefillah services at Religious School every Sunday at 9:30 a.m. Thank you 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
Vayetzei, Genesis 28:10-32:3, Parashat Hashavua for Shabbat, November 25, 2023
Since Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7 we have seen a profound increase in antisemitic speech, at demonstrations, on social media, written on walls and repeated in the media. We saw it with our own eyes at the recent Richmond City Council meeting. Antisemitism is the hatred that transcends political boundaries. Many American Jews are shocked that this ancient hatred has once again become permissible to speak in public. But antisemitism has been on the rise for many years now. Hamas and Iran have been calling for the annihilation of Israel and its Jewish population for decades. The alt-right and their defenders on conservative media have been attacking Jews since the mid-2010’s. The progressive left has made the eradication of Israel part of its ideology. Antisemitism is the hatred that cuts across all political boundaries and it always has. In response many of us feel a need to connect to Jewish community and in ways we never have. But it is critically important not to let Jew haters define who we are. In this week’s Torah portion, Jacob is on the run from his brother Esau. He pauses for the night and in his dreams has a vision of God, “Remember, I am with you: I will protect you wherever you go and will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” (Genesis 28:15) Upon awakening, Jacob says, “Surely God is present in this place, and I did not know it! How awesome is this place! This is none other than the abode of God, and that is the gateway to heaven.” Jacob comes to understand that he and his descendants (us) are a living connection between God and humanity. To be a Jew means to know our history, our culture, our religious practices and our traditions and then to live them out as authentically and truly as we can. We can never let our enemies define us. We must define ourselves. Or, as David ben Gurion, the first Prime Minister of Israel said, “It doesn’t matter what the world thinks. It matters what Jews do.” Live your Jewish life openly and proudly and you will make a positive difference in the world.
Opinion: The Palestinian and Jewish experiences are both valid
Rabbi Dean published an op-ed in the Nov. 22 edition of the East Bay Times. Read it here
Toldot, Genesis 25:19-28:9, Parashat Hashavua for Shabbat, November 18, 2023
What is the value of living honestly and what is the cost of lies and manipulation to get what we want? In this week’s Torah portion we read about the life of Isaac, Abraham’s son, through his marriage to Rebekah, the birth of his twin sons, Esau and Jacob, their rivalry and ultimate estrangement from each other. The story climaxes with Jacob deceiving his father, with the help of his mother, to gain Isaac’s blessing which should go to Esau. When Esau comes to him, after Isaac has blessed Jacob, we read, “Isaac was seized with very violent trembling.” (Genesis 27:33). Commenting on this verse, Rashi (11th C. Germany) wrote, “The Midrashic explanation (Midrash Tanchuma, Toldot 11) is that he saw Gehinnom opening beneath him (Esau).” Rabbi Michael Dolgin (21st C. America) expands on this idea, “In rabbinic literature, Esau represents Rome: the empire that conquered the Jewish people, desecrated our holy places, and destroyed the Temple. In this passage, we can discern the roots of our conflict with the civilization that surrounded and dominated us. The issue is fundamentally the lack of honesty in this biblical family. Esau and Jacob (who represents Israel) maneuver and deceive rather than interact truthfully.” Think about how in personal, political and national conflicts each side is willing to manipulate the conflict narrative to achieve their own ends. How much better off might we be if we faced each other honestly, admitted our flaws and shortcomings and the validity of each side’s narrative. We might have less conflict and suffering in the world.
Vayigash, Genesis 44:18-47:27, Parashat Hashavua for Shabbat December 23, 2023
December 22, 2023 by Dean Kertesz • Drashot