In this parshah there is mention of many colors as required for mishkan, the tabernacle, the altar, the Torah covers, and their garments.

Sash of linen in turquoise, purple and scarlet wool, of an embroiderer’s craft.

Robe’s hem they made with pomegranate design of turquoise, purple and scarlet wool, twisted.

They made bells of pure gold amid the pomegranates on the hem of the Robe.

Colored stones

Breastplate made of chains with gold settings and gold rings placed on the ends of the Breastplate.

Copper Altar

Gold, turquoise, purple and scarlet wool and linen twisted.

The colored stones were encircled in gold.

They made shohan stones encircled with gold settings like the engraving of a signet ring according to the names of the sons of Israel.

The color purple may have is place in the Mishkan and clothing of the ancient Priests, so people notice it.

Purple is a mix of red and blue. Perhaps indicating how we seek G-d. We view colors separately and comgined symbolizing ourr

Torah covers can be blue, maroons, texture, with braided gold trim. What does that add to our shul experience.

On the HH they are white, is white no color, or deliberately white, is that heavenly, ethereal, what does it mean to us?

When in mourning we wear black, does wearing black make us sad, feel solemn, does it make us feel better. What does that add to the experience of loss and mourning to wear black?

When we dress for shul, do we chose one color over another with any kind of meaning? We usually dress casual, yet often dress up for shul. Wearing a dress, different attire than the rest of the week, I feel different, better when I dress up. It makes shul a special event and it is.

What color is your shabbat? Things to think about. There is a biblical significance to colors and textures. We feel differently when wearing linen, cotton. Or wool. Perhaps the shabbat experience is different if we dress in turquoise, purple, scarlet and gold. There may be a different experience of spirituality when dressed in these colors or a white experience and a black experience, different with each color or a blend of colors,  let’s enjoy a colorful shabbat. Is there a color that will bring peace?

When I feel blue, should I wear blue? Would everyone know I was feeling blue?

Let us continue to pray for peace in The Ukraine and in Israel.

Wishing you a colorful Shabbat shalom

In Parshah Shemot, we learn about Moses and the burning bush, which is a significant event in the life of Moses and the beginning of his mission to free the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. When Moses sees the burning bush, he approaches it and hears the voice of G-d calling out to him. G-d instructs Moses to go to Pharoah and demand the release of the Israelites.

This encounter with the burning bush teaches us several important lessons. Firstly, it demonstrates that G-d can reveal Himself through ordinary objects or situations. The burning bush was not consumed by fire, symbolizing the eternal nature of G-d’s presence. This reminds us that even in our everyday lives, we should be open to recognizing and experiencing the Divine.

Secondly, the burning bush serves as a reminder of the importance of humility. Despite being raised in the palace of Pharoah, Moses remains humble and hesitant to accept his role as a leader. G-d reassures Moses that He will be with him every step of the way, emphasizing the need for trust and reliance on G-d’s guidance.

Additionally, the signs and miracles performed by Moses in front of Pharoah are also discussed in Parshat Shemot. These signs such as turning his staff into a snake and causing his hand to become leprous, demonstrate G-d’s power and authority. They serve as a means to convince Pharoah to let the Israelites go and highlight the ongoing struggle between G=d and Pharoah’s hardened heart.

Overall, Parshat Shemot teaches us about the significance of recognizing G-d’s presence in our lives, the importance of humility, and the power of divine signs and miracles. It encourages us to have faith in G-d’s guidance and to stand up against oppression and injustice, which is a theme of being an Upstander not a bystander. The Dallas Holocaust Museum has being an upstander as a message they convey quite well, to do something when seeing an injustice.

There was a beautiful and unusual sunset last night with a vibrant red color. I wondered if the unusual colors were a sign. If it was a sign, what does it mean, and what does it mean for me personally. How can I interpret it? The answer is that I will know in time if it was a sign for me and what will change in my life and for the others who saw the sunset.

Let’s continue to pray for peace in The Ukraine and in Israel.

In today’s Torah reading I will focus on the story of Sodom and Gomorrah, the cities known for their wickedness and immorality. The people there engaged in sinful acts for which G-d destroyed their cities.

G-d sent two angels to investigate the situation and determine if there were any righteous individuals within the cities. The angels arrived at the house of Lot, who was Abraham’s nephew and a righteous man.

Lot welcomed the angels into his home and offered them hospitality. However, the wicked residents of Sodom soon surrounded Lot’s house, demanding that he hand over the visitors so they could engage in immoral acts with them. Lot, knowing the severity of their intentions, pleaded with the crowd not to commit such wickedness.

Realizing that there were no righteous individuals left in the cities, the angels informed Lot that G-d would destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. They instructed him to gather his family and flee the cities before the punishment was unleashed.  Lot and his family obeyed the angels’ command and escaped just in time.

As G-d had warned, fire and brimstone rained down upon the cities completely destroying them. This act of divine judgment serves as a reminder of the consequences of leading a life filled with sin and immorality. It serves as a powerful lesson for us regarding the importance of leading lives that are guided by moral values and obedience to G-d’s commandments.

The story of Sodom and Gomorrah also emphasizes the significance of righteousness and the impact it can have on others. Lot’s righteousness saved him and his family from destruction. It reminds us that even in times of great wickedness, we can strive to be righteous and make a positive difference in the world.

As Lot’s family was fleeing, Lot’s wife looked back to see what was happening to her city – something the angels had instructed Lot’s family not to do. As a result, she turns into a pillar of salt. From a modern standpoint this event can be seen as a lesson about the dangers of clinging to the past and being unwilling to let go of negative influences. Lot’s wife’s act of looking back may symbolize a reluctance to fully embrace the new path that G-d had set for them. This interpretation highlights the importance of trust and faith in following G-d’s guidance, even when faced with difficult circumstances or the need to leave behind familiar surroundings. It reminds us of the significance of letting go of harmful attachments and embracing the future that G-d has planned for us. I’m a big fan of not looking back and replaying painful experiences. Living in the moment withs hope for the future.

 Let’s continue to pray for peace in the Ukraine and in Israel. Peace out.

A few weeks ago Alan introduced us to a D’var Torah written by artificial intelligence of ChatGPT. There is also a Jewish artificial intelligence website called Kosher.chat. It is described as being according to halacha and screens for antisemitic remarks. Here is a Dvar Torah written by Kosher.chat on Parshah Bamidbar.

In Parshah Bamidbar, we learn about the counting of the Jewish people in the desert and the journey of the Jewish people through the deserts. This journey was not an easy one, as they faced many challenges along the way. One of the most difficult challenges was death. Death is a natural part of life, and yet it can be hard to accept when it happens to someone we love.

As Jews, we believe that death is not the end.  It is merely a transition from this world to the next. We also believe in the importance of mourning and honoring those who has passed away. In Bamidbar we see how the Jewish people mourned for Aaron, their beloved high priest, after he passed away.

Hashem commands Moshe to take a census of the Levites who are responsible for transporting the Mishkan (Tabernacle) and its vessels. The age range for this census is from 30 to 50 years old. After the age of 50, they were no longer allowed to participate in this service. This limitation on age teaches us an important lesson about death. Death is inevitable for all of us and it is not something that we can control. It reminds us that our time on this earth is limited and we must use it wisely. Just as the Levites were allotted a specific time period for their service, we too have a finite amount of time to fulfill our purpose in life. Fortunately, today we don’t age out on counting in minyans or being able to participate and to be of service.

Furthermore, the fact that the Levites were only able to serve until the age of 50 shows us that while our physical abilities may decline as we age, our spiritual potential can continue to grow. We should focus on developing our spirituality and connection to G-d throughout our lives even as our bodies age.

As we reflect on the lessons of Bamidbar, let us remember the importance of valuing life, cherishing our loved ones, and honoring those who have passed away. May we all strive to live meaningful lives and make a positive impact on the world around us. This limitation on age teaches us an important lesson about death. Death is inevitable for all of us, and it is not something that we can control. It reminds us that our time on this earth is limited, and we must use it wisely.

But that is not all for today. I would also like to tell you the story of my Uncle Freddy’s posthumous YouTube fame. My Uncle Freddy was born in Essen Germany and emigrated to the US with his parents in the 1930s. He was in the army in post WWII and, since he knew German, he worked with military intelligence interrogating high ranking prisoners of war. After the war, he married my Mum’s youngest sister Betty and was a VP of a meat packing company.

Uncle Freddy and Aunt Betty lived on Long Island. Eventually, as many do, they began to split their time between a condo in Boca Raton and their house on Long Island, until they finally decided to live year-round in Boca. When I visited Uncle Freddy, he showed me a certificate from the synagogue. He was so proud that he was a minyanaire: one who attended minyan regularly for several years. This is what he saw as his big accomplishment in life. When Uncle Freddy passed away, his body was transported to New Jersey where he was to be buried. Aunt Betty was not able to make the trip to the funeral so my niece Stephie, who lived in NYC, went to the funeral and recorded it. She posted it on YouTube as Freddy V.’s funeral, just using the last initial of his name. This allowed Aunt Betty and the residents of their condo to view the funeral from afar. After the funeral, my cousin Katie began following the YouTube posting. First there were 100 views, then 1,000 views, then 6,000 views. My niece Stephie went on YouTube and posted a comment stating this was her great uncle’s funeral and asking why so many people were viewing it. She got a reply from the family of a man named Freddy Fender. They said he went by Freddy V and asked her to change the name of Uncle Freddy’s funeral on YouTube. Of course she didn’t. The views continued to increase, reaching 60,000 over time. Then the movie Bohemian Rhapsody was released—the story of Freddie Mercury. Somehow, peoples’ searches for Freddy Mercury were bringing them to the video of Uncle Freddy’s funeral. When last I checked, the views had reached 683,814. The comments are fun to read, including the replies to my niece, Stephie’s question, which include comments like, “Thank your great uncle for his service,” and “Your uncle was a great musician.” My family believes that Uncle Freddy would be quite amused with his posthumous fame. At a minimum he is having an interesting transition from one world to the next.

Upon reflection, I think that not many Divrei Torahs include both artificial intelligence and military intelligence references, but we can Goggle that to confirm. I have include the link to Uncle Freddy’s funeral video below, for those who are curious. Uncle Freddy was proud to be a minyanaire and would probably be proud to have an extraordinarily popular YouTube video as well. Rest in peace, Uncle Freddy. May your memory be a blessing and give us an occasional laugh.

This week’s Parashah Shemini includes numbers. I did not use ChatGPT for today’s D’var Torah, tempting as it may have been. I did find an intriguing, to me, D’var Torah from 4 years ago. It was written and delivered by Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis. He serves as the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations to the Commonwealth based in London and is an Orthodox rabbi. He has held this position since September 2013 when Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks retired. Both of whom have been knighted. Rabbi Mirvis had previously been the Chief Rabbi of Ireland from 1985-1992 and was born in Johannesburg, SA.  In this D’var, Rabbi Mirvis explains the hidden depth of numbers in Jewish teaching.

What is special about the number 8? The fact that this week’s Parashah is called Shemini, which means ‘the eighth’, issues an invitation to us to answer the question.

In Kabbalistic teachings, the number 6 represents the natural world. Hashem created our world in 6 days, and therefore we work on 6 days. The number 7 represents the perfection of people. On the 7^th day we celebrate Shabbat which is known as ‘M’ein Olam Haba’ the closest we can come in this world, to the perfect spirituality of the world to come. The number 9 represents Ha’Kadosh Baruch Hu. It is the divine number. In math, quite extraordinarily, a number can only be divided by 9 if its digits add up to 9, or any multiple of 9. For example, in the number 459, 4+5+9=18 which is a multiple of 9, and therefore we know it is divisible by 9. It shows that 9 fits perfectly into the world around it, and that is a description of G-d. At the end of the Shema, we conclude the words ‘Hashem Eloheichem the Lord your G-d, but we always add the word ‘emet’ onto it which means truth. That is because the Talmud teaches us ‘chotamo shel HaKodesh Baruch Hu emet’, the seal of G-d is truth. The gematria of the word ‘emet’ adds up to 441 which is 4+4+1 which equals 9, indicating that the truth of G-d is represented by the number 9.

So if 7 represents the perfection of people and 9 represents Hashem, 8 represents the bridge, connecting us with our creator. This is why a baby boy has his ‘brit milah’ through which he establishes a covenant between himself and Hashem on the 8^th day. That is why the festival of Chanukah is 8 days long when we recall the divine intervention which saved our people. And that is why between Pesach and Shavuot for a period of 7×7 days we prepare ourselves for the re-enactment of the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai. Once we reach that number 49, we are prepared for the festival of Shavuot, which takes place at the beginning of the 8^th week, reminding us of that ultimate revelation when Hashem appeared to us – the ultimate bridge between Heaven and earth.

Now we can understand our Parashah, ‘vayehi b’yom hashemini’-and it came to pass on the 8^th day. Once the Mishkan (the sanctuary in the wilderness) had been completed, and the altar was there to be dedicated, for 7 continuous days the people offered sacrifices with no response from G-d, but after those 7 days, ‘va teitzei aish min ha Shamayim’ on the 8^th day, fire came from heaven and consumed the animal on the altar signifying that connection between Heaven and earth.

The number 8 is a special number. It issues a call to us to embrace the natural world represented by the number 6 and to strive to reach our greatest potential for perfection, represented by the number 7. In that way, may we merit to live up to aspirations of the number 8, to feel the presence of Hashem in our lives and to enable Him to bless us always.

Let us continue to pray for peace in the Ukraine. Shabbat Shalom.

The teachers of the Kehillat Chaverim: Rabbi Michele Sullum, recipient of the Kehillat Chaverim 10^th Anniversary Award Golda Meier Award for Excellence in Teaching and Fred Nathan and Larry Tobin, recipients of the Kehillat Chaverim 10^th Anniversary Maimonides Awards for Excellence in Teaching

Let’s begin our D’var Torah today since we all want to end on time of our High Tea, which I named our British Yiddish Kiddush. I have attended synagogue in London at the New London Synagogue on the famous, Abbey Road. They have a prayer to the King, as we have a prayer to our country so for today I will include G-d Bless King Charles III.

Today’s Torah reading Tzav continues the Torah’s instructions regarding korbanos (altar offerings). Where Parashat Vayikra focused on the altar aspect of the offerings, Parashat Tzav concentrates on the human aspect: which parts of each offering are given to the kohen, which parts of each offering are eaten by the bringer of the offering and his family and guests, and which offerings are not eaten at all.

Instructions are provided clearly and decisively. They are teachings to be followed. We, too, have teachings quite often as we attend our services at our Kehillah. We have members who clearly and decisively select scholarly courses of study for us covering different topics than our weekly dvar Torah. Aren’t we fortunate to have such a learned group of our teachers volunteering to give us such a fine selection of courses on an ongoing basis? When the Kehillat Chaverim 10^th Anniversary Challenge was announced, Fred asked what the award was. I said it was to do a mitzvah, which is true. Today as we approach our 10^th anniversary it is time to give awards to our teachers, who didn’t wait for the challenge. Each individually stepped up to offer an array of classes for us. They have tirelessly put together classes for us on different topics in Jewish history and studies, spending time preparing and customizing each class just for us. They also are great resources who answer our questions and provide additional information from their scholarly studies during our services. Everyone in the Kehillat does their part, but these individuals also bring their Jewish scholarship and are such a benefit to our Kehillah community and our services.

First let’s learn about Michele, our only current member who is a rabbi.

Education: BA in Philosophy (UCLA), MA in Education & MA in Hebrew Letters from the University of Judaism in LA, Ordination from JTSA in NYC. 

Work Experience: Chaplaincy at NYU Medical Center, Education Director at SAJ in NYC, Judaic Studies Director at Gesher JDS in NoVA, Education Director at Cong. Shearith Israel in Dallas, TX.

Classes Michele taught for KC: 

What’s God Got to Do With It? How and Why Halacha (Jewish Law) Developed.

The History of the 4 Jewish Movements

Kedoshim: Jewish Concepts of Holiness

High Holiday Class: Giving Forgiveness in Jewish Tradition

Pre-Passover Workshop: Hidden Messages of the Haggadah

Why did Michele  become a rabbi? Originally her plan was to obtain an MA in Jewish education. She decided to study for rabbinic ordination when she realized that her professional ambitions in Jewish education demanded learning and skills that an MA in Jewish Education couldn’t give her. In order to achieve her goal properly and well, she decided she needed a program of study that would enable her to become a deeply educated Jew as well as a spiritual leader. Her ultimate goal in becoming a Jewish educator was to change the Jewish educational paradigm so as to make elementary and teen Jewish learning experiences more engaging, challenging, spiritual, creative, & enriching because she believed that doing so would enable students to achieve much higher levels of understanding and proficiency in core Jewish subjects such as Hebrew, Tefillah, Torah, and Jewish rituals. At that point in time, the University of Judaism in L.A. (now the American Hebrew University) was offering a dual curriculum program which allowed students to work on an MA in education simultaneously with their first two years of rabbinical school – after which they would finish ordination studies at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America in NYC. This program seemed ideal for Michele’s purpose, so she ended up becoming a rabbi in addition to a Jewish educator. Although American society tends to view the title “Rabbi” as superior to that of “Jewish Educator,” Michele believes that Jewish education has always been the heart and soul of Jewish life. Without a good Jewish education as its foundation, one’s Jewish identity can easily become a kind of perceived ethnic superiority – the very antithesis of the central Jewish belief that all of humankind was created in God’s image.

Next let’s learn about Fred.

Frederick Nathan, born in Brooklyn, N.Y., attended Jewish day elementary

and high schools. Received a B.A. from Yeshiva College and B.H.L. (Bachelors of

Hebrew Literature) from Teachers’ Institute of Yeshiva University. Spent half his

junior year in Israel at Hayim Greenberg Institute for Teachers in the Diaspora

where he met his wife Esther. Awarded a fellowship to NYU graduating with a M.A.

in Education. Awarded an Honorary Doctorate from the Jewish Theological

Seminary in 2008.

Fred started teaching religious school at age 18 and at age 23 assumed his first

position as principal. He spent the next 46 years as head of Jewish Day Schools in a

number of communities in America, retiring at age 69 from his last position as head

of School at Ann and Nate Levine Academy in Dallas, TX.

He is married to Esther and the father of three and grandfather of six.

Fred integrated story telling in his lessons and began writing following his

retirement. He has published two fictional novels and is presently completing two

short stories based on Jewish history. He is a history buff and news junkie.

Now let’s learn about Larry Tobin

Larry received his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in math from Purdue University. Larry then went on for a Juris Doctorate in law at Southwestern School of Law in Los Angeles.  Larry attended high school at the Skokie Yeshiva and Chicago Jewish Academy. Larry taught Sunday School for 3 years at two different synagogues and he taught  junior high and high school math and science for 8 years (4 years in public schools and 4 years in Jewish Day Schools).  He taught college math for 1 year at a Community College. When he completed junior high and high school teaching, he worked as an attorney for 26 years. Larry ran his own firm with 13 attorneys and a staff of more than 30 for 20 of those 26 years. He taught various law classes to staff attorneys and claims examiners during his attorney years. He also prepared a workers’ compensation manual for an insurance company teaching the subject nationally to its attorneys and claims examiners when he worked as an attorney for the insurance company

Isn’t it nice to learn more about our teachers? Today we express our appreciation for their contribution to our community. Their work is not done, of course, as we get ready to embark on our second decade. Let’s move on to the award ceremony, since we all want kiddush on time today.

I asked Michele for a copy of the KC logo. She asked what it was for and said its use should stay within the Kehillah. Well today she will learn what I did with it and, of course, we are within the Kehillah. I’d like to ask Joel Roffman, President of the Kehillat Chaverim, to present our teachers with their awards.

Joel Roffman then presented Rabbi Michele Sullum with the Kehillat Chaverim 10^th Anniversary Golda Meir Award for Excellence in Teaching and presented Fred Nathan and Larry Tobin with the Kehillat Chaverim 10^th Anniversary Maimonides Award for Excellence in Teaching.

All of us at the Kehillah thank all of our teachers for their contributions and the work you do to prepare and give us such wonderful educational opportunities.

Let us continue to pray for Peace in the Ukraine. Shabbat Shalom.

The first 2 verses of Parashat Terumah read: G-d spoke to Moses, saying:  Tell the Israelite people to bring me gifts; you shall accept gifts for me from every person whose heart is so moved.

By asking for donations, Tzidaka, G-d invites everyone in the community–rich and poor, old and young, wise and innocent–to participate in building the meeting place where the Israelites would gather to encounter G-d. By asking for donations of the heart, G-d makes it clear that all donations–whatever their size or monetary value–are to be valued as equally precious because they come from the heart–and that makes them more valuable than anything money could buy.

These first 2 verses are similar to the way Kehillat Chaverim Shabbat services work. Everyone is invited to participate in whatever way their hearts move them and every kind of participation is a precious gift to the community. It doesn’t matter if we read Torah, provide the location for us to meet, lead a service, open the ark, give a dvar, set up tables, or arrive on time to make the minyan, we are all giving our community a gift by being here.

The gift I have brought to the Kehillah today is the story of a precious memory I received from my Mum, Father, brother, our house, neighborhood, and also from Benjamin Netanyahu. This week my heart moved me to share this memory with the community as a gift of sorts.

Fast Facts: In the 1970’s the Israel Government sent Benjamin Netanyahu under the name of Ben Nitay to the US to get his undergraduate and Master’s Degree at MIT. Part of his agreement was to be available to speak to the community.  He completed undergraduate and graduate degrees in architecture and management at MIT.

Who knows Fred’s wife’s first and last name, please say it. (Her name is Esther Nathan). My parents were named Esther and Nathan. My parent lived to 120. Our address was 120 Woodchester Dr., Chestnut Hill, Newton. At the time the street was 100% Jewish, referred to as the guilded ghetto. Of course walking distance to the conservative shul, my father would not buy a house that wasn’t.  My Mother was a Zionist and also the American and Zionist Affairs chairperson in Boston Hadassah for many years.  At the time Hadassah was more about education of Israel and less about being social and other issues like it is now. It has always been strong on fundraising for the Hadassah Medical Center and Youth Aliyah, which was a favorite project of my Mum. She would speak, be interviewed on the radio, and arrange for speakers. My parents went on an Israel Bonds Leadership tour to Israel in 1973 and met with David Ben Gurion, Moshe Dayan, among other leaders

Continuing with fast/fun facts:  My father put himself through Harvard and Harvard Law with partial scholarship and working as a tutor for Harvard student who spent the semester on yachts at Newport. Perhaps the tutoring business led Harvard to later institute an attendance requirement. He said he would tutor students differently if they wanted an A or a B or a C.

My cousin Michael went to Tufts Medical School and became a doctor. My brother Robert, had learning difficulty, but was able to pass the real estate broker test on the first try.

In 1976 while working on his Master’s Degree at MIT, my mother called Ben Nitay, a name on the Hadassah speaker’s list and arranged for Ben to come to our home one evening to speak at a Hadassah meeting. My Mum invited the young student for dinner at our home before the meeting. He took public transportation to Newton from Cambridge and my Mum picked him up. I was not there, I already graduated college, moved to LA, working by day, disco dancing by night. My brother, father and Mum had dinner with Ben followed by a Hadassah meeting at our home where Ben spoke. My mother did not like his politics, and it was a memorable evening.  Then in June 1976 Ben was on his way to get a doctorate in political science when his older brother Yonatan died in a commando raid that freed passengers on a hijacked plane in Entebbe, Uganda and Ben returned to Israel.  It also marked the beginning of his career in politics, mere weeks after dining at our home with the family.  Netanyahu was the son of a Cornell professor and spent a good part of his early life in the US.

I wrote a midrash, as any midrash it is based on facts and is plausible, but may or may not have happened. There is a midrash about Moses and the 10 commandments with a comic twist. G-d asked different people in the day, will you take my commandment and G-d was asked what is included and G-d replied thou shalt not kill, they said no we make our living by killing. G-d asked another people will you take my commandment and was asked what was included and G-d said though shalt not steal and their reply was no we make a living from stealing. Then G-d asked Moses will you take my commandment and Moses asked how much? G-d replied they are free and Moses replied well then, we will take 10.  Is this true? Perhaps it is or perhaps not.

My midrash. My mother introduced Ben to my father, saying Ben, this is my husband Nathan, a Harvard lawyer. Nathan, the Israel Government sent Ben to MIT to get his Master’s Degree. My father, this will reveal things about him and also the great rivalry between Harvard and MIT, which my father always referred to as Tech, said upon meeting Ben, if my nephew Michael could go to Tufts and become a doctor, if my son Robert could pass the real estate broker’s exam on the first try, Oh, well. So the Israel government sent you to Tech to get your Master’s degree, well then you could be the Prime Minister of Israel and the rest is history. Is this a true midrash? We don’t know but it may be. However, the only living person we can ask, if he remembers, is busy answering questions of a very different nature in Israel.

This year our community of Kehillat Chaverim will be 10 years old. So, it seems appropriate to celebrate by bringing gifts–not material gifts, but gifts of ways we can contribute and enrich our services.

Is there some new thing in shul you’ve thought you might like to do one day? Why not try it this year? Thereby you will participate in our Kehillat Chaverim 10^th Anniversary Challenge.  What are the donations you will give us, not of money, but of participation in our services that need you. I challenge you to do it. I plan to relearn the Torah trope, stay tuned to see if you can tell of my efforts to do so.

Yet again my dvar takes us back to the 1970s. This will be the final visit to the 1970s in my dvars, not that I have no more 1970s stories, but there are no more 1970s stories of mine suitable to be told in shul. Please rise and turn to p. 488 and we will sign Hatikvah. Shabbat shalom, Peace in Israel. Peace in the Ukraine. (holding up peace sign), Peace Out.

There will not be a dvar Torah today, there will be a dvarette or a dvarala, if you prefer.

Shemot, names. There are many names you will recognize that you will be hearing in a few minutes in today’s Torah Reading.

In exile in Egypt, the Jewish people increased in number from being a family to become a nation. Pharoah, fearing they pose a threat to Egypt, enslaves the Israelites and orders that their male children be killed. Fortunately the Jewish women figured out ways to hide their newborn sons. We all know the story of Moses being found by Pharoah’s daughter in a basket in the water.  Moses is adopted by Pharoah’s daughter and later is chosen to confront Pharoah and lead the people to freedom.

“But the more they were oppressed, the more they increased, the more they spread.” The worse things get, the stronger we become as Jews. Back in biblical times and even today, Jews not only survive, but thrive in adversity.

This reminds me of the Ukrainian people, today, although not all Jews, they have a Jewish leader, Zelensky, perhaps a modern day Moses. Some Ukrainians fled since the war began, but many are staying to defend their homeland despite atrosities and adversity. Bravo to them.

Shemot is the portion where we read about Moses and the burning bush – it burns but is not consumed. Sadly and happily it reminds me of the news reports from the Ukraine. There is senseless destruction yet the people of the Ukraine are like the burning bush where their resilience is unphased. They remarkably stay strong to do their best, unified, to save their nation and safeguard their citizens.

There are other historic occasions this weekend. This is the 50^th anniversary of the death of the  rabbi scholar, and perhaps modern day prophet Abraham Joshua Heschel, his yartzheit, and also the birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. Heschel presented Martin Luther King the Judaism and World Peace award in 1965. They also were together in the historic march in Selma on March 21, 1965, also along with Rabbi Ofseyer. Heschel later referred to the march as praying with their feet. Also, tomorrow will be the first anniversary of the gunman at the synagogue in nearby Colleyville, such a remarkable story of surviving in the face of terror. Racism and anti-semitism are still splitting people apart by hatred and bigotry. Like the story of the Jewish People in Shemot, we, as Jews, can and do face adversity and thrive.

Please join me to sing a song I learned in my 1970’s Vietnam War protest days, We shall overcome. (We linked arms and swayed singing We Shall Overcome.)

Shabbat Shalom. Peace Out.

(The service ended singing Adom Olam to the tune of We Shall Overcome.)

Today’s Torah portion is Ha’azinu, the 2^nd to last portion, getting near the end of the Torah. The sidra begins with the song/poem that Moses introduced at the end of the last Parashah, Vayelech. Through a variety of metaphors, G-d’s faithfulness to the Israelites in the past and into the future is extolled. This contrasts with Israel’s often ungrateful behavior, which can only lead to destruction. There is mention that the people will turn from G-d in the promised land.  Yet, G-d’s mercy for his people will prevail. G-d can be trusted to rescue them ultimately. At the conclusion, for the final time, Moses stresses to the people the importance of observing G-d’s Torah. He then ascends the mountain, from where he will behold the Promised Land and spend his final moments.  This is just before Moses dies. The word tsor, rock, is used referring to G-d, possibly for the first in the Torah.

As I was asked to talk about a trip I made, I will continue, it also has elements of past and future. About 5 years ago I explored if there are still world’s fairs or expos and found they have them every 5 years. My parents often spoke of the 1939 NY World’ Fair where they saw the clover leaf highways years before they were built.  As a child my family and I went to the 1964-65 NY World’s Fair where we saw picture phones for the first time and Expo 67 in Montreal showed multi screen images in movies and we rode the world’s first commercial hovercraft. I liked Expo so much I told my father I wanted to return and we returned the same summer. I flew for the first time, he flew for the 2^nd time, the first when in the army flying in WWII in Italy. We often talked about the Expo trip and seeing the future in the pavilions. I lived long enough to see which of the predictions from the world’s fair and expo would happen in 50+ years later.

I decided I wanted to go to one more expo and the next was in Dubai, supposed to begin Oct. 1 2020. Due to covid it was not cancelled but postponed one year. Then it opened, but due to omicron I had concerns about going, but eventually wanted to go so much I went to Dubai end of Feb. I stayed at the one hotel inside the Expo. Covid vaccainations were required to enter the Expo and masks were required indoors. I thought I would get to 4-5 pavilions a day due to long lines like I had seen at the other events, but when I got there anyone over age 60, and there weren’t too many, got a lanyard and card and could bypass the lines. So there could be 75 or more people in line and I just walked right in, sometimes through the VIP line. I got to 15-18 pavilions a day. I went to about 80 out of the 200 pavilions, 192 were countries and 8 were companies.

It was more than I expected. There was loads of pavilions full of displays on the themes of sustainability, recycling, the environment, and mobility. So many ideas of new technologies with prototypes of new vehicles, new cancer fighting innovations, cataloguing of DNA of all animals and plants, air taxis, recycling, many countries doing far more than in the US, hydrogen powered airplanes, once they figure out how to safely store and transport hydrogen, commercial planes without pilots or flight attendants. Not to mention all the entertainment and parades as I walked from pavilion to pavilion. Also I was fortunate on the timing of my visit since I was able to visit the Museum of the Future which just opened in downtown Dubai. The museum begins entering an elevator which simulates travel in the year 2070 from Dubai to Dubai’s colony on Mars. Many countries are planning to have the first colony on Mars. The top floor in the museum is like the colony, with jobs to do, ability to monitor capturing plastics from the world’s oceans from Mars, and so many imaginative ideas. Then the next floor of the museum had a sign at the entry. It read “ In 2030, _________ passed obesity as the world’s greatest health risk”.   Depression, anxiety, and loneliness. Interestingly one cause was described as being due to iphones, social media, remote work, remote schools, lack of face to face contact. But they have solutions with technology, such as soothing vibrations. Back to the expo. I would start out each morning when the expo opened, I had a lot to see.  Early one day I went to the Morocco Pavilion, took an elevator up 8 stories and exited to a very Zen courtyard with a sloping walkway and many rooms off of the walkway. Some were on Moroccan culture, fashion, technology, the arts. There were 4 Arab men way ahead of me I could see way on lower levels in the courtyard. I then got to a room where they were seated. I normally would have skipped the room, but they were there awhile and I thought maybe there is something to this. The room only had blocks as benches to sit on and a high ceiling with a pendulum in the middle of the room. It was a zen or meditation room. I sat there awhile, although the men were still there when I left. I went back to the courtyard, as I said it was early and not many people were in the pavilion and I saw no one in the courtyard. As I proceeded to walk to the next room and I was flooded with good memories of my time at the Expo with my father. I thought about how I lived to see 50 years in the future, if the predictions from the expo came true and I won’t see 50 years in the future now. But I am good with that. Since I saw no one, I actually spoke out load as if my father were walking next me, telling him I loved going to the expo with him and wanted to go to one more and here I was in Dubai. My father loved a walk. With the High Holidays, and finishing reading the Torah and starting at the beginning, this is a time of year to reflect on the past, present, and future, make use of the opportunity.

Good shabbas, shana tovah and chag sameach.

This week’s Torah portion is Tsav. It is the 6^th word and means command.  G-d tells Moses to describe the ritual of the burnt offerings to Aaron, which the priests are to perform. Then the priests undergo the process of ordination.

G-d commands Moses to command Aaron and his sons to do rituals of burnt offerings which must remain burning upon the altar all night and each morning the priests would give more wood to the offering on the altar. They burn the fat which turns into smoke.  This keeps the altar burning all night. These animal offerings must not be eaten.

Aaron and his sons remain in the Sanctuary compound 7 days during which Moses initiates them into the priesthood.

What are modern day offerings of sacrifice? Some say it is the prayers we do morning, afternoon and evening, some say it is the fear of G-d. Or perhaps it is the sacrifices we do in our lives for each other, giving a different meaning to the word.

Maimonides said G-d didn’t want the Israelites to perform burnt offerings of animals but the ancients were accustom to making these offering to their gods. Therefore the Israelites did offerings, but to one G-d, it was something familiar in those days. He goes on to add that G-d could have created another ritual for our ancestors, but ancients were used to these rituals so they continued with a slight variation of offering to only one G-d. G-d wanted them to only do the sacrifices in the Temple and only to be performed by the priestly class which indicates G-d wanted these sacrifices restricted, not as widespread as among the other ancients.

Rabbi Dorff has some comments also. He is with the Zeigler School of Rabbinic Studies of the American Jewish University and also teaches law at UCLA.  In 1945 when the Conservative movement created the Prayerbook for Sabbath and Festivals, some of us grew up using, they changed Musaf. It went from being a prayer to G-d to restore the Temple and animal sacrifice to a recalling of the devotion that our ancestors had when they worshipped. Musaf was about the restoration of a homeland for the Jewish people, implying sacrifice is essential to fulfill human ideals, but not to restore animal sacrifice.  That was the decision made, instead of eliminating Musaf, to change it. Then the most recent Conservative prayer book, the High Holiday Mahzor Lev Shalom, restored some optional words, indicated by parenthesis. It is each congregation’s option, to include the words in the third to last blessing of the Amidah “and the fire offering of Israel”.   But a note on the page indicates we are not praying to restore animal sacrifice but to add an intensity for religious fervor. Once more giving a different meaning to the word “fire” as in being “fired up” in praying.

So, as we approach Passover and reflect back on the lives of the Israelites leaving Egypt, it is also a time to think about how we can incorporate modern day ways in our daily lives to perform the biblical ancient rituals.