July 2026 - Who Is Like You?

Last month I wrote about one of the pieces of art, the one on the right, which I gifted to Beth Samuel on my 25th anniversary of Cantorial Ordination, and this month I will address the other.  These two beautiful canvases, created by artist Joanne Fink, hang in our sanctuary.  Stop in and take a look!

This month I will describe the picture on the left.  It is a lovely, colorful rendering of the well-known verse in the Torah and in our prayers, “Mi Chamocha ba’Elim Adonai, Who Is Like You, Adonai?”  It comes from parsha Beshalach, in Exodus, and is part of the Song of Moses, and the Song of the Sea.  It is really a rhetorical question, and the answer to it is, of course, “Ein Kamocha, There is None Like You!” 

These words are a prayer that thanks God for redeeming us from Egypt, for splitting the sea and enabling us to escape to our freedom.  You remember, Miriam and the women danced when they reached the other side.  You can see the colorful waves of the seas parting in this picture.  We show our gratitude by singing it morning and evening in our davening.  There are several melodies for it, depending on which prayer service we are doing.  There are also many musical compositions, one of which you can listen to HERE. This is Debbie Friedman’s composition and it is widely used in synagogues all over. 

When we sing Mi Chamocha, we celebrate our lives and our freedom, and also recommit ourselves toward freeing all who are enslaved, all who are oppressed in our world today.  One of the ways we can achieve this is by coming together and by singing together.  Come to one of our services, any service, and we will be singing, “Mi Chamocha…”

B’shalom,

Cantor Rena   

June 2026 - Make for Me a Sanctuary, Part 1

“V’asu li mikdash, v’shachanti b’tocham.” This phrase from Exodus 25:8 says, “They shall make for Me a sanctuary, so that I may dwell among them.” In honor of my 25th anniversary of Cantorial Ordination, I gifted 2 pieces of art to Beth Samuel. Created by the talented Joanne Fink, they hang now in our sanctuary as another expression of beautification. This article, Part 1, addresses one of the 2 pictures, and next month I will reference the other.

The picture on the right on the wall in the sanctuary is entitled, “Shiru L’Adonai, Sing Unto God,” Psalm 96:1, from the Friday evening Shabbat liturgy. The verse actually says, “Sing unto God a new song,” and many people wonder how it can be a new song if we are singing the same one every week! One way, is to use a different melody now and then. Our musical heritage is rich and varied, with a myriad of melodies, and contemporary composers are writing new ones, adding to the repertoire continually.

Another element that may make an old song feel new is how we feel at the time we are singing it. Each week we come to Shabbat with a unique perspective, depending on what is going on in our lives and what happened over the past week. An old, traditional melody can seem new to us and can enlighten us, just as a new one can, depending on our mindset.

May we proudly carry on our musical heritage singing new songs together and being inspired by the beautiful art work of Joanne Fink.  

B’shalom,
Cantor Rena

May 2026 - Merry Month of May

It’s the merry month of May, and we are marking the days from the physical joy of Pesach and our freedom to that of the spiritual joy of the giving of the Torah on Shavuot.

We also take stock of the past year at Beth Samuel and celebrate our own highlights – events, holidays, tsedakah projects, and more.

By now you know that my seminary is recognizing my 25th anniversary of Ordination as a Cantor! In those 25 years I have made friends and connected with many clergy around the country, and the circle widens with each passing year. To that end, I have brought so many of my colleagues to Beth Samuel, many on zoom these days, to teach and learn with us. You may remember these from just this past year: Dave Schlossberg, Rev. Carino Casas, Rabbi Laurie Gold, Dan Hudak, Cantor Barbara Barnett, Rabbi Suri Krieger, Dar James, Rabbi Michael Kohn, and Suzannah Warlick, whom we have already secured for another (very different) presentation for early fall.

Their topics ran from art to sports, travel, Jewish traditions, Torah study, Holocaust and personal stories, and more. I will be attending several conventions this spring, as I usually do, sometimes teaching there as well, and I will no doubt connect with others who want to share their knowledge with us. And some of our previous guests are eager to return.

I am proud to reach this milestone leading this wonderful congregation, as we continue to grow and flourish. And so I say, Chazak, chazak, v’nit’chazek! Be strong and together we will be strengthened! 

B’shalom,
Cantor Rena

April 2026 - Hatikvah, The Hope

Just when you thought we have a break after the holidays of Purim and Passover, at least until Shavuot (which doesn’t come for another 6 weeks or so), I’m here to remind you of three special days we observe this spring.

First is Yom Hashoah, for commemorating the Holocaust and the 6 million Jews who perished. Next, a week later, is Yom Hazikaron, remembering and honoring the fallen soldiers who died defending Israel and in terror attacks. Finally, the day after Yom Hazikaron, we celebrate Israel’s Independence Day, Yom Ha’atzma’ut. It’s a quick transition between these last two, being only a day away, but we go from mourning to celebrating, as we have much to be grateful for, even in today’s climate.

These special days are particularly significant to those who live in Israel and there are the appropriate observances there for each. We, too, in America note these days, and typically gather to honor, remember, and celebrate. We use this time to learn and experience pieces of our ever-growing history.

This year I have invited Suzannah Warlick to share her research and her one-hour film entitled “Passage to Sweden,” about heroic actions of people who saved Jews in Scandinavia during the Holocaust. This event will take place on Monday, April 20 at 6 PM, which is actually erev Yom Hazikaron.

I saw her presentation and I know you will be fascinated by her story, as I was. We will begin the evening with dinner, then watch her film, and have an opportunity for Q&A with the film’s Director after. We will close the program by singing Hatikvah. Please join us on this important evening.

B’shalom,
Cantor Rena

March 2026 - Stuck in the Middle With You

We have the juxtaposition of a war in the Middle East that reaches all corners of our existence as Jews and as Americans, with that of a Spring season of our joyous holidays of Purim, Passover, and Shavuot. The above lyric came to mind as I pondered the state of the world at large and our Jewish calendar, two seemingly opposites. While one of the ‘stuck” places is not a place we want to be in, the other “stuck” place is a joyful one we are commanded to celebrate.

We just observed our fun and zany holiday of Purim, with all of its raucousness and yummy Hamentashen. Our people were saved and we are keenly aware of the gift of life itself.

We are now looking forward to the joyous festivals of Passover and Shavuot, as we recount our journey and celebrate our freedom and the giving of the Torah. We remind ourselves of our deepest purpose, which is to live lives of humility, gratitude, and service.

In the first chapter of Pirkei Avot, The Ethics of the Fathers, we are told, “The world stands on three things: Torah, Divine service, and deeds of charity.” Some Rabbis expand this to denote that the world is sustained by justice, truth, and peace. All of these concepts together represent the Torah which we live by. We pray that the war ends quickly and that we actually get stuck, in a good way, “in the middle with you,” joyously observing our Spring holidays together.

B’shalom,
Cantor Rena

February 2026 - The Torah is a Tree of Life

As you know, when we return the Torah to the ark after the Torah reading at Shabbat services, we sing, Eitz Chaim Hi, The Torah is a Tree of Life… The tree represents growth, stability, and wisdom, as well as hope for and the link to future generations. It is a connection between God and humanity and represents the path of spiritual and practical growth. It is a powerful symbol in Judaism and many synagogues, ours included, have a Tree of Life on the wall near the entrance or some prominent place where we celebrate milestones by donating a leaf on it. Our Tree of Life in our vestibule is large and beautiful with many tributes.

At our Chanukah dinner I presented a piece of art which I recently came upon and decided to gift to the synagogue as a thank you for my 10 years as your Spiritual Leader and the lovely celebration last May. The picture is of a beautiful tree with many colorful leaves, and I call it the Tree of Life. It was created by an artist, Dar James, who lives in Pennsylvania and has a very interesting story. We hung the picture on the opposite wall across from our Tree of Life in the vestibule. I hope you will take a look next time you are in shul. Interestingly enough, we hung it right around Tu B’Shevat, the Jewish holiday of the trees, earlier this month.

Be sure to join us for our Third Friday Kabbalat Shabbat Zoom Service on Friday, February 20 at 7PM, when the artist, Dar James, will be featured. She will share her story, her process, and her love of art and nature. We are very fortunate to have her present her insights and talents. “See” you on zoom!

B’shalom,
Cantor Rena 

January 2026 - A Chance Encounter, or Two

My seminary has a meet-up Zoom every week for alumni and I try to log on when I can. We Rabbis and Cantors have an opportunity to exchange ideas, give updates on our lives, present challenges, and just talk shop. On one such day a colleague, Rabbi Suri Krieger, was describing an art class she was teaching on Jewish artists, the well-known Marc Chagall, and the lesser-known, Arthur Szyk.

It sounded interesting and I asked her about doing something for us, so we spoke after and came up with the date for our Friday Kabbalat Shabbat Zoom service this month, on January 16. I later saw her at our school’s Retreat in November and we firmed it up. We decided on Arthur Szyk this time, since his work is not well-known but sounds fascinating. We have put the information about Rabbi Krieger and Arthur Szyk on our eNews, and I hope you will zoom in.

On another note, those of you who attended the Chanukah dinner know that I am gifting a piece of art to the synagogue as a Chanukah present! It was created by an artist who lives in eastern PA and whose work I saw at the Pittsburgh Botanic Garden. To me it looks like the Tree of Life and so it will be hung in the vestibule, opposite our big Tree of Life. The artist, Dar James, will be our guest at next month’s (February) Zoom Kabbalat Shabbat service, to share her process and experience as an artist and an author. Stay tuned for more on this!

The beginning of this secular new year has been challenging in our country and beyond. As I look ahead, Tu B’Shevat, the holiday of the trees, will be coming up in a few weeks. Together may we plant seeds of justice and peace. 

B’shalom,
Cantor Rena 

December 2025 - A Special Cantor's Message

Friends, once again we find ourselves entering a Jewish holiday accompanied by heartbreak: the terrorist attack on a public Chanukah celebration in Australia which left 15 dead and scores injured. Among those beautiful souls lost were two Rabbis, a 10-year-old girl, and a Holocaust survivor. The brother-in-law of Rabbi Menachem Creditor (who wrote “Olam Chesed Yibane,”  “We will fill this world with love,” which we sang recently) was injured, but will survive.

 We grieve with the families affected and pray for healing, comfort and strength. We are facing times of increased anti-Semitism and many more threats of violence, and one may think that it is time to hide and lay low, but no! The Jewish community is strong and visible and determined. The story of Chanukah is a perfect example of our resilience in the face of those who would seek to harm us. Our history illustrates that a small group of determined Jews can re-shape history.

 Chanukah is a holiday in which, confronted by the world’s darkness, we respond with light. We light candles in defiance of those who wish to extinguish us, to embody our faith and hope that righteousness can prevail over evil and oppression. We light the candles as an act of rededication, affirming our commitment to a world with more justice, compassion, and peace. 

 We kindle the menorah and put it in the window to publicize the miracle of the small vial of oil which burned for eight days. At the same time we are confidently asserting our identity and sense of belonging as Jews. As we light our Chanukah menorah each night this week, may the light push the darkness back. Like the Maccabees, we can summon courage, and our spark of light will radiate light for generations to come. 

 Chag Chanukah sameach,

Cantor Rena

November 2025 - Modim, Many Thanks

In the middle of this month of November we read the Torah portion Vayera, in which Abraham and Sarah welcome 3 “beings” (we are not sure exactly what/who they are) and go out of their way to extend gracious hospitality to them. This is our earliest example of what we all do to this day, to welcome the stranger.

In Hebrew the phrase for this is hachnasat orchim, as you may know. It is particularly appropriate to speak of it at this point in the calendar, with Thanksgiving coming up. We reach out to our wider community and share our fall bounty, glad to do yet another mitzvah for our neighbors. Our cooking and serving at The Ladle is a perfect example.

The Hebrew word Modim is usually translated as “thank you,” and we remember it from a personal paragraph in the Amidah when we bow and say (to ourselves) "modim anachnu lach" (we give thanks to you). It implies both gratitude and acknowledgement. A closer translation might be “we gratefully acknowledge.”

There are a few other places in our service where we say these three Hebrew words, and traditionally we do not have to bow, but you may notice that I do. One such instance is in the blessings after the Haftarah. I feel that any time I can “gratefully acknowledge” God and how special this blessing is, I will do so. I once saw another Cantor bow at that phrase and I decided it was a meaningful thing to do, so I adopted the practice.

The first Thanksgiving grew out of a desire to express a profound gratitude to God. Many of our prayers are expressions of thanking God for our blessings. The depth of our thanks can be magnified by a deep bow, acknowledging our profound gratitude.

May we all find moments to acknowledge God’s sovereignty and to give thanks, this month and every month of the year.

B’shalom,
Cantor Rena 

October 2025 - Many Blessings

As we move from the fullness of the month of Tishrei and our High Holidays, Sukkot and Simchat Torah gatherings -- the days of prayer, harvest, and joyful celebration -- we shift into the quiet month of Cheshvan. We have time and space to breathe and integrate what we have experienced, that is, the stories, the teachings, the holiday meals at home and at the synagogue, and the insights that surfaced in prayer, song and just being together.

We also feel deep gratitude for the return of the hostages, and it seemed appropriate to create a ritual moment to mark this. We finally removed the empty chair from the bima and together we offered this prayer from our daily liturgy: Baruch Ata Adonai, Eloheinu, melech ha’olam, matir asurim. Blessed are You Adonai, Sovereign of the universe, who frees the captive.

We are cautiously optimistic that the bodies of the rest of those taken will be returned, that a ceasefire will hold, and a lasting peace will prevail. We continue to hold both joy and concern simultaneously, as we have so many times in our history. As we settle into a quieter rhythm of a Hebrew month without any Jewish holidays, may we find holiness in the ordinary and notice the bright spots and the many gifts we receive each day.

One very bright spot this weekwill be welcoming my friend Rabbi Laurie Gold to ourFriday Kabbalat Shabbat zoom service, on October 24 at 7pm. She will be speaking about Amulets, which are small objects which are believed to provide protection against harm or to bring good luck, like a hamsa, a Jewish star, and a mezuzah. It’s a fascinating topic and Rabbi Gold is wonderful, so I’m sure you will find her presentation inspiring. I’ll “see” you on zoom this Friday!

B’shalom,
Cantor Rena 

September 2025 - From Despair to Repair

This year as we approach and celebrate the High Holy Days together, we pray, and pray, and pray. And what do we pray for? For more time, more goodness, and for God’s favor. If you are wondering whether your prayer will be good enough to be answered, here’s a tip: if you complete your prayer and are a better person than when you began, then your prayer was answered.

We will sing and chant and slog through many prayers, as you know. And I will offer some words and thoughts, which I am preparing right now. We are steeped in the brokenness of our world, divisions in our own country, the situation in Israel, and increasing anti-semitism. We know these things may not be resolved quickly, and we could sink into despair as we contemplate it all.

However, we have the opportunity to engage in shifting our thinking from despair to repair. One way in which we can make this move is to focus on positive words of hope and faith. To this end, I will be offering a “feel good” sermon at each of our morning services, as well as at our Yom Kippur Mincha/Ne’ilah services.

May our time together be as sweet as the apples and honey that we will enjoy together, and may you all be inscribed for a shana tova u’metukah, a good and sweet year. 

B’shalom,
Cantor Rena 

August 2025 - Building Bridges

I met and have sung with Nick Page, a well-known singer, conductor, composer, song leader, and music educator in the Boston area. One year at the Jewish Choral Festival (which I attend every summer) he introduced us to a song entitled “Building Bridges.” Here are the lyrics:

Building bridges between our divisions, I reach out to you, will you reach out to me? With all of our voices and all of our visions, Friends, we could make such sweet harmony. Listen to the song HERE.

During my decade here at Beth Samuel Jewish Center I have had many opportunities to create and build bridges between interfaith communities, as the song suggests. I’ve been a guest speaker (and singer!) at several churches in our area and just beyond, and at peace gatherings of all sorts here. This is such holy and necessary work. At my previous synagogue, the Rabbi dubbed me the “Interfaith Connection.”

We at Beth Samuel have had a long and supportive relationship with Rev. Carino Casas, the Executive Director of the Church’s Ministry Among Jewish People. Rev. Carino recently returned from a Mitzvah Mission to Israel (as I call it), one of the many in which she has participated. I am delighted to say she has graciously agreed to come to our Shabbat service on Saturday, August 16th, and tell us about her trip. I’m sure her first-hand account of working and volunteering in Israel will be fascinating.

She will speak during our service on August 16 and we will then have our usual delicious Kiddush for everyone, afterward. Come at 10am and be ready to be enlightened by our friend and colleague, with whom we are always gratefully building bridges.

B’shalom,
Cantor Rena 

July 2025- Sounds of Summer

🎵“Summertime, summertime, sum sum summertime…”🎶 Some of you may remember this song by The Jamies, recorded in 1958. It was all about kids who were happy to be out of school and looking forward to summer vacation.  I’m sure we all felt that way at some point.

For me, happily, summer now means going BACK to school -- well, not literally, but gathering with my colleagues and learning together. I have been fortunate enough to attend several conferences in the Northeast this spring and summer where Rabbis, Cantors, and Religious School Educators have come together to share their knowledge, to network, and just to have our kind of fun.  I’ve brought back ideas, melodies, and prayer settings, some of which I have already shared at our services and will continue to do.  At these conferences I’ve also shared some of my teachings, which you either have heard or will hear.  I’ve met folks from everywhere, even stumbling upon a Cantor from the West coast who is actually related to me, as it turns out.  And at all of these, we sing, sing, sing!

At Beth Samuel one of our own summertime traditions is our popular Shabbat in the Park, with a delicious pot luck picnic and our short singing Kabbalat Shabbat service.  We sing new and old melodies, and I’m happy to do songs you would like to sing, including secular, too. I take requests!

Be sure to join us for Shabbat in the Park this Friday, July 18, at Old Economy Park at 6 pm to usher in the Sabbath together.  We will sing, sing, sing, and we need your voice! (RSVP here.)

B’shalom, b’shir, in peace and in song,
Cantor Rena

June 2025 - All You Need Is a Song

Dear Friends,

If you watched the Tony Awards this past Sunday night, you saw Cynthia Erivo open the program with her original song, “All You Need is a Song.” It was so poignant and perfect, an inspiring tribute to Broadway and to music in general.

About two weeks ago I flew to NYC for a quick 3-day getaway to visit some Rabbis and Cantors, friends from my AJR seminary, with whom I stay in touch. One of the shows we saw was Buena Vista Social Club, a music and dance extravaganza, which won a Tony award Sunday night. One of the lines in the show was, “There’s nothing a song can’t fix.” Boy, did I identify with that!

Many of you have heard me say, referring to almost anything, “I know a song about that!” Many of my divrei Torah on a Saturday morning are illustrated with a musical setting of something relevant to the topic. I frequently teach it to the congregation, as I taught my new Zeh Hayom at the beautiful anniversary honoring in May.

There is a story that one of the Rabbis tells in which one little girl is very sad and wanders into the forest to be alone with her thoughts. She hears another little girl singing off-key somewhere else in the forest and is drawn to the music nevertheless. The music lifts the spirits of the sad little girl and she eventually meets up with the other girl who is happily singing. Together they discover the joy of singing and become fast friends.

Music offers a way into our hearts, a way for our souls to connect to one another, and a pathway for us to connect with our Creator. It is fair to say that whenever we are together at Beth Samuel, singing is part of it. Join us on a Saturday morning for a service and delicious Kiddush luncheon, and sing with us. Come to a Shabbat in the Park and enjoy a pot luck supper and singing. I think I was that happily singing little girl when I grew up, and I’ve been singing ever since. Your community awaits – come sing with us and you will be uplifted!

B'shalom,
Cantor Rena

May 2025 - Looking Back and Looking Ahead

Dear Friends,

I want to thank you all for the lovely anniversary celebration on May 4.  It was beyond beautiful!

What follows is a shortened version of my message at the 2025 Annual Meeting, which took place earlier that morning:

It’s a time to look backward, and a time to look forward. We have had a very successful year, as you will hear, and thanks to all of you, we are poised for another. Many of my colleagues bemoan the fact they their congregations are shrinking and they are looking for ways to stay afloat, and I am proud to be here at Beth Samuel, where we continue to thrive!

Another look back takes me back to Passover, just a few weeks ago. At our congregational seder, after we recited the four questions, I proposed a fifth one: What can I possibly do in response to the deep challenges of these times? It was more of a rhetorical question, something to think about in the coming weeks and months as we march from Passover to Shavuot and beyond.

Our tradition responds to the question this way: Tend the fires of devotion to align yourself for healing, love, and liberation. What exactly does this mean? Fires of devotion? They represent God’s presence and God’s purifying power. They symbolize a yearning to be close to our Creator and to our traditions, as we learn in the Torah, and to be transformed by seeking that closeness.

For example, every time we approach each other with curiosity and interest rather than with judgment, we foster the ability to connect with one another. Every time we act with compassion rather than anger and fear, we stem the flow of aggression and pain. Each time we pause to appreciate beauty, to wonder at mystery, to give thanks, a new pathway opens. And finally, each time we ask for help and remember we are not alone, strength and guidance find us.

The season is calling, as we count the days of the Omer, 49 in all, from Passover to Shavuot, from liberation to revelation. May our own answers to the fifth question – what can WE do now – guide us to channels for healing and love. It can be contagious, in a good way, and the world certainly needs more of it.

As we say, with the words of the Shehechayanu, “Blessed are you Adonai, our Sovereign, who has given us life, sustained us, and enabled us to reach this day.”

B'shalom, Cantor Rena

April 2025 - Joy in Judaism

We are right in between Purim and Passover. We celebrated how Queen Esther saved the Jewish people and how Vashti stood up to the King. Soon we will celebrate our freedom from slavery and our redemption. Whereas Purim is fun, silly, noisy and has unexpected twists and turns, Passover is about order, routine, cleaning, preparing, and going step by step through the story we retell each year.
 
Each holiday teaches us lessons. We can learn from Esther that we too may have a purpose that reveals itself only after a zany set of unpredictable circumstances. And Passover reminds us of our constant striving for renewed freedoms, even today, and how our past is just as relevant to our present and our future.
 
Whether chaotic or orderly, our history has something for everyone. It provides for joy in all celebrations. Joy in Judaism is a reminder that, through life’s ups and downs, our strength lies in coming together, in rejoicing, and in acts of generosity. These are all key to both of these holidays, as well as many others. May we continue to embrace the joy as we move through this time period, looking back and looking ahead.
 
Chag sameach,
Cantor Rena

March 2025 - Purim: The Hidden Light

This week we celebrate our zany, fun holiday of Purim. It’s a topsy turvy time with things upside down and unexpected. We dress up in costume and masks, hiding our faces, and it’s an opportunity to be someone you usually aren’t. A little schnapps for the adults is ok too, and then maybe we even won’t know the difference between Mordechai and Haman! 
 
Our hero, Esther, was originally named Hadassah, which means “myrtle.” (You may remember the Hadas (myrtle) that we hold and shake with the other species on Sukkot.) Hadassah’s name was changed to Esther to hide her identity, and with that she saved our people. Her name, Esther, actually means “hidden” or “star.” 
 
So, put together, the holiday of Purim teaches us that there is a hidden light within each of us just waiting to be revealed. It is a quality that exists but is yet to be seen. This may be a type of boldness, a sensitivity, a humor, a talent, or anything you may have inside, that the world needs. One of your hidden qualities may just be an addition to tikun olam, the repairing of the world, which we all seek to do.
 
I will be chanting some of The Book of Esther at Beth El Congregation of the South Hills on Thursday evening this week, and if you would like to zoom in, please email me at the synagogue (Cantorrenabsjc@comcast.net) for the link.
 
Be sure to join us at Beth Samuel this Sunday morning at 10am for a presentation of “Esther in Rhyme,” and a Purim skit by our Religious School students. There will be games, prizes, lots of food and the best hamantaschen in town (thank you Karen Beaudway and her bakers)! 
 
Remember, God is constantly working to help us bring our inner light into the world, so let your beautiful light shine!

B’shalom,
Cantor Rena 

February 2025 - Light and Hope

These are challenging times. Some of the hostages have been released and we are grateful, but we’re not done yet, as I have been saying. We pray for the rest to come home and we will keep our empty chair, with a tallit and a prayer on it on the bima, until all are home, safe and sound. 

We have talked before about Israel’s national anthem, Hatikvah, The Hope, and we sing it even more fervently now. Our friend artist and liturgist Joanne Fink (a presenter awhile back on one of our Third Friday Zoom Kabbalat Shabbat services) shares her inspiration: “Hope is the candle that continues to burn even when we are lost in the dark.” 

She is drawn to the concept of light and envisions hope as an enduring flame that reminds us of the possibility of a better tomorrow. How do you define hope?  What tools do you use to keep hope in your heart? The late Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks suggests that through life’s ups and downs, our strength lies in coming together, in acts of generosity, and I would add prayer.

Last week our Torah reading included the Ten Commandments. This week we continue with ritual and social rules. We experience the light and hope that the study of Torah gives us. To that end, this Friday’s Zoom service will  feature our good friend and returning guest Cantor Anna Ott, who will offer a Sermon in Song on “Doing the Right Thing.” Be sure to Zoom in this Friday, February 21, at 7pm to learn and sing! 

 B’shalom,

Cantor Rena

January 2025 - "How Do Prayers Work"

This has been a particularly difficult time in California with the wildfires. We are hearing horrific stories of loss and we grieve for those we don’t know and those we do. Synagogues as well as homes and other structures are gone. Yet among the devastation and the rubble there have been some remarkable accounts of miracles, as I call them. One family went back to search through the ashes and found nothing but a Chanukah menorah that had been in the family for generations. Another discovered only a mezuzah that had been in their home. Such precious artifacts!

Rabbi David Wolpe, Rabbi Emeritus from Temple Sinai in LA, reminds us that “along with the sorrow, anger, and loss, the tree re-grows, the temple is rebuilt, and the hands of Jacob reach out across generations, across time, and across places to bless us, for we will grow again.” And so, the people affected by this unfathomable loss talk, even at this early date, of rebuilding. We, here in the East, can help with donations and prayers. Check the many opportunities to send aid, as we assist our brothers and sisters on the West coast.

And speaking of prayers, be sure to zoom into our Third Friday Zoom Kabbalat Shabbat service at 7PM this Friday, January 17, when my friend Jenn Birk Goldschmidt will enlighten us with her unique perspective on “How Do Prayers Work.” Jenn is a bright, sensitive Jewish educator and leader. Read her impressive bio in the Enews this week and zoom in to be refreshed and amazed with her presentation. If I sound “over the top” about her, I am, and rightfully so. I am honored to call her my friend and to have been her Cantor for many years at my previous pulpit. You will be delighted with her message.

B’shalom,
Cantor Rena

December 2024 - If Not Now, When?

I know you are all familiar with this phrase from Pirkei Avot, The Ethics of the Fathers. To me it seems to be a wake-up call to get moving, because the time is now. 
 
A few months ago I wrote about a scarf-making project I heard about here in Pittsburgh, in which a woman puts winter scarves out in the city for the homeless. There is a tag on each one inviting people to take a scarf to keep them warm in the winter. People send her their knitted or crocheted scarves from all over the country, and she has so far distributed thousands of them. I was inspired by this Tikun Olam project at about the same time I learned about finger-knitting (no crochet hooks or knitting needles), and it has been an undertaking which I have embraced. It’s a win-win, a hobby I am enjoying and a wonderful social action endeavor.
 
This coming Sunday, December 8 at 10AM at the synagogue, I am giving a workshop teaching a bit about “scarf bombing”, as she calls it, and how I make these scarves. You can finish one in a few hours. See the flyer in the E-News for the kind of loop yarn you will need (Joann Fabrics carries it), and other information.  You may just get as excited about it as I have! It’s also a great gift idea for the upcoming holidays.
 
If you are interested, buy one large skein of loop yarn (there are lots of pretty colors) and please let the office know, as class size is limited. And if Sunday does not work for you, I’m happy to meet at a better time. Let’s spread kindness around, one toasty warm winter scarf at a time!
 
B’shalom,
Cantor Rena