From the President – Feb 22 2019
What does the Temple Board do? In the mundane world, we make business decisions regarding the day-to-day functioning of the Temple. We make sure the facilities and buildings are up to date, we approve contracts with employees and tenants, and we keep an eye on the budget. But the real honor and purpose is to make sure that we follow the three foundations of Judaism – Avodah, Halacha and Tikkun Olam. While much of the work in these areas is accomplished by committees such as the Ritual and Social Action Committees, the discussions of how these actions take place within the context of our congregation and the 21st Century are what the Board is really all about. Interested? Contact anyone on the Board.
Lately there have been quite a few new faces at services, events and other TBH functions. Most of this is definitely due to the hard, mostly behind the scenes, work of our Marketing Committee. They handle all the media outreaches, keep up the Temple website, run ads in local press, keep up our Facebook page, publish the Weekly Update and so much more. A HUGE thank you and more is due to Audrey Berger, Marilyn Herzberg, Jane Kemp, Wendy Roth, and Sheri Tattenheim. They are helping the Temple grow!!
Next weekend, the Berkeley Actors’ Ensemble will conduct a dramatic reading of the classic play A Dybbuk on February 24, 2:00 PM at TBH. Our own Michael Cohen directs.
We are what we do.
Neil Zarchin
Ki Tissa — Exodus 30:11-34:35, The Parashat Hashavua for Saturday, February 23, 2019
February 22, 2019 by Dean Kertesz • Drashot
One of my teachers, Rabbi Mordechai Finley, taught that it is easy to find God when we are alone on top of a mountain. The challenge is to find God when we are caught up in the messy reality of daily life. Judaism challenges us to find God amidst the petty realities and profound worries of our lives.
In this week’s Torah portion, Moses ascends to the peak of Mt. Sinai and receives God’s revelation. He is in direct contact with God for 40 days and 40 nights.
While he is up there, the Israelites grow afraid. In Moses’ absence they command Aaron to create an idol, the Golden Calf, to comfort them–the ultimate violation of the covenant. Fear drives the Israelites away from God, and Moses in a rage comes down the mountain and smashes the tablets. Later he will seek God out again on another mountain and ask God to reveal its essence.
Alone, on a mountain top, Moses can find God, but with the Israelites he is full of anger and frustration. Just like us.
Perhaps that is why Judaism never developed an ascetic culture of religious orders who withdrew from society or hermit monks. Judaism is lived among people, in community, not alone on a mountaintop. Because, as Rabbi Finley taught… that is the heart of the spiritual life: to find God among people.