One of the greatest leaders of the Jewish people also won respect and love as a poet. King David is said to have authored many Psalms, including those we recite in our most vulnerable moments. His humanity is apparent in the beauty of the words that continue to comfort through the ages. Poetry and leadership go hand in hand, reminding us that words matter: they can sow hurt and division and they can also heal.
Amanda Gorman, inaugural poet, both comforted and inspired with her gift of verse to our nation this week. She summoned the best of America in her beautiful poem, “The Hill We Climb.” Her invitation to lift our gaze is resonant of biblical texts from Abraham, to the prophets to the Psalms, all of which invite us to see holiness in places we may have missed at first glance.
Ms. Gorman’s words are our prayer as we end this historic week and enter Shabbat.
"And so we lift our gazes not to what stands between us but what stands before us We close the divide because we know, to put our future first, we must first put our differences aside We lay down our arms so we can reach out our arms to one another We seek harm to none and harmony for all Let the globe, if nothing else, say this is true: That even as we grieved, we grew That even as we hurt, we hoped That even as we tired, we tried That we’ll forever be tied together, victorious Not because we will never again know defeat but because we will never again sow division”
H. Jack Feibelman Kitty Gottfried Anna Cohen Haberman Herman Haberman Lawrence Hoffman Marshall Jacobson Donald Jaffa Farrel A. Jaffa Jean Moverman Jaffa Sloan Myles Jaffa Richard Kuh Alvin Kurzer Maxwell Mann
Joan Adler Mark Sheila G. Miller Eileen Parker Sherry Royall Lenore Rakatansky Faye Rozovsky Stanley Smith Judith Spindell Morton Starr Nathaniel H. Sugerman Florence Tilles Norman Toobe William Torgan
YIZKOR ELOHIM The Congregation joins in mourning the death of Dianne Isenberg Bernie Levine Marilyn Gredinger Arthur Fixler
Shabbat Morning Service
Saturdays February 13th March 13th April 10th 9:00 AM
We are excited to be returning to our roots with monthly Shabbat morning service incorporating study, Torah, and Haftarah readings.
If you’re interested in participating with a reading in Hebrew or English contact Kit Haspel (katherinehaspel@gmail.com).
We will be using Mishkan Tefilah for Shabbat and Festivals for our siddur (prayerbook) and will share a digital link during the service. If you would like to borrow a hard copy, you are welcome to pick one up at the Temple office during our regular business hours. Please call and let us know when you will be coming, to insure everyone’s safety.
