Dear All -- I volunteer at the Arlington Food Bank. Because they have served record numbers of people their inventory is running low. I was thinking we should do a chometz food drive. If you would like to donate chometz (or any food) and are planning on coming to our Friday night musical shabbat please bring a bag of food or some items like instant soup, instant mac & cheese, misc can items.

Thanks,

Barbara Jazzo

Small packages of snack food are being collected for our troops in Afghanistan & Iraq on April 24, May 1, and May 7.  Some suggestions are Milk Duds, Fruit Roll Ups, and Jerky/Beef Sticks.  Please contact Peggy Rothschild if you have any questions.

Family “Earth” Pledge Sheet

I will spend less time per day other playing with electronic devices during my leisure time than I will playing sports, playing board games, reading and playing outdoor activities
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I will be certain recyclable items I use will be recycled.
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We will plan family outings that leave no blemish on our Earth (cross-country skiing, kayaking or canoes, tent camping, hiking, biking, etc.
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I will replace driving/riding (including getting to school) with walking, biking whenever possible.
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I will carpool or use public transport when possible.
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I will use energy/water saving devices to replace light bulbs, worn-out appliances, showers, etc
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I will read labels, research products so that I will be able to purchase goods with the least environmental impact.
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Before making purchases, I will look for the most environmentally sound business that sells what I am looking for.
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I will check all switches and outlets, insuring that all lights are off in empty rooms, televisions and computers only on when needed and all chargers and other cords are only plugged when being used.
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I will use only natural products in my garden including all fertilizers and pesticides.
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I will use a portion of my tzedakah money for projects designed to have a positive impact on our environment.
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Shalom friends,

As we all watch the horrific images emerging after the earthquake in Haiti, our hearts ache, our eyes fill with tears at the scenes of the dead and dying, dazed and injured children, now orphaned, wandering through devastated streets, crying "Mama," "Papa," - a country utterly destroyed. Amidst the tears, there is hope - families reunited, people saved after days, locked in the grip of collapsed buildings, the courage of rescue workers,  doctors, nurses flying in from all the world to save the people of Haiti. How proud we are of all of them - Americans, French, Israel -- an Israeli field hospital set up, an American hospital ship sailing from Baltimore toward Haiti's shores, Germans, many, many countries -- all coming together - not war, not bombs blasting -- just compassion and caring and kindness. We are all fighting a great battle, as Philo the Jew wrote two millennia ago in Alexandria, Egypt - so we must be kind to one another.

Better late then never:  Here's a link to a Washington Jewish Week article from our very own Michael Linick published on December 23rd about Jews in serving in the military during Hanukkah. In it he thanks:

"my own congregation, Kol Ami-the Northern Virginia Reconstructionist
Community in Annandale, sent boxes for all the troops -- nothing
specifically Jewish, but everything a soldier (or sailor, or airman,
Marine, Coast Guardsman, Defense Department civilian and contractor)
may need or want to just feel a little more connected to home."

During our children's High Holiday Yom Kippur service, our student rabbi leader, Amy Lowenthal, asked the children to write notes that she would deliver to the Western Wall in Jerusalem when she returned there. This short video clip sent by Amy from Israel shows her delivering our children's messages.

Shalom!

Five millennia ago, our people fled the bondage of Egypt and moved toward a land "filled with milk and honey" that would offer them freedom and the opportunity to grow into a great nation. During our desert wandering, we listened to God's instruction [Leviticus 23:39-43] to build thatch-roofed huts. Decorating our huts with boughs of leafy trees and myrtle and willows of the brook, the people rested and gave thanks to God for their freedom. These former slaves envisioned a New World that they themselves would help to create on the soil of Canaan.

Once they reached the Land, the Israelites enjoyed its abundance and shared it, leaving the gleanings of their crops at the corners of their fields for the poor. Three times a year, they made pilgrimage to Jerusalem and brought thanksgiving offerings to God. And still today, in the Fall as the havest comes in, we Jews sit in thatch-roof huts, eating our meals under the stars, inviting guests into our Sukkah, and thank God for the abundance we enjoy.

Almost 390 years ago, pilgrims from Europe celebrated their first Thanksgiving here on the soil of America. They were expressing their gratitude for the survival of the Plymouth Colony during that first very difficult year. These pilgrims had wandered through their own wilderness. Fleeing from the bondage of religious oppression in Europe, they traveled towards a land that would offer them freedom and the opportunity to grow into a great nation. They too, envisioned a New World that they themselves would help to create on the soil of America.

Shalom!

We are in a time of year when the Jewish value of hachnasat orchim, the welcoming of guests — hospitality — is very much with us. It started with our feasts at Rosh Ha-Shana and our Break-the-Fast at Yom Kippur and then came Sukkot, when our tradition tells us that we are to engage in the wonderful minhag (custom) of ushpizin — welcoming of guests into our Sukkah.

The founder of Reconstructionist Judaism, Mordecai Kaplan, teaches us that as American Jews, our goal is to creatively and joyfully dwell in "two civilizations" — our American culture, and our Jewish culture. So - in the midst of our "Jewish time," we come upon our American, secular time markers — Halloween - yes, yes — pagan, wiccan, etc. - but there is an element of hospitality here too -- so often, we are isolated from our neighbors. On this night, however, we smile and open our doors to the young ones dressed in their costumes who come to our doors as say, mostly so innocently "trick or treat!" And we offer them sweet candies! We tell them how great their costumes are and they move along from house to house, their parents standing at a discreet distance, loving them, watching over them — and for a few hours on that night, neighbors see each other's faces, and we welcome each other with sweets. Then, of course - Thanksgiving comes upon us, in just a few weeks - we gather with our families and friends, open our doors, and prepare sumptuous meals (and, we hope, help others less fortunate, if we can). This is a time to be grateful, as Psalm 92 says, "tov l'hodot" — it is good to give thanks" - and it is a time to welcome guests into our homes.

Shalom,

     Now that the High Holy Days are over, and in between my rabbinic work, teaching and parenting, one of the joys of my life is reading. It is no coincidence that I am a Jew — we are indeed the people of the Book - not just the Torah, but of many books. Traditionally, when we Jews read, converse, debate or teach, we are always referencing other books we have read. We mention "proof texts" — examples upon examples of teachings from other books that prove our points in a debate, quotations from Torah, Talmud, Mishna and the great rabbis, to illustrate an idea, teach a child or an adult. We tell stories we have heard or read in books OR we make up stories and then write them down. We Jews thrive on books - perhaps someday we will thrive on Kindle, or some other computer-driven reading device (though I pray that good old paper books will never cease to be part of the human landscape!). We are not unique. Other cultures and peoples, too, read books, cherish books and share their stories — but I am a Jew, so I talk about us.    

I want to enthusiastically recommend two books for your reading pleasure, learning — and the deepening of your hearts. Both are in the genre of 'memoirs' of a sort. I love reading memoirs because, if well-written and substantive,  they give me a chance to peek into the window of the life, mind, heart and soul of another human being.

The first  book is: Rage Against the Meshugenah: A Memoir by Danny Evans.  The subtitle of the book is: WHY IT TAKES BALLS TO GO NUTS. This is a tough book to read - and a pleasure. I laughed, I was put off by some it pages, I cried at parts, I became thoughtful at others. Danny Evans writes a moving account of his own prolonged and deep depression and he emerged from it.

Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz teaches that “whenever we remember a historical event, we connect ourselves not so much with the facts as with their psychological and emotional significance. If we want to understand the personal, inner meaning of a festival, we should look into its intrinsic spiritual essence. We should see the festivals as internal events in the life of the individual, which are reflections of the collective life of the nation. . .”

So, here we are during the interim days of Sukkot. Kol Ami celebrated joyfully in our communal sukkah built at Dann and Jenn Sklarew’s home. Jenn and Dan warmly and hospitably welcomed everyone to their home, and the community spiritually welcomed guests into the sukkah – this custom of welcoming guests is called ushpizin.

What is “inner, spiritual essence” of Sukkot that we can each individually take into our hearts and in which we can find personal meaning?

In the Book of Leviticus (Sefer Va-Yikra) 23:42-43, we are commanded by God: “You shall live in huts, seven days, all citizens of Israel (i.e., all Jews) shall live in huts in order that future generations may know that I made the Israelites people live in huts when I brought them out of the land of Egypt, I, the Lord am your God.”

Why huts? Why the sukkah? The sukkah is supposed to be fragile, with a roof that is open enough that we can see the stars and the sky. It must be a temporary dwelling – the wind can blow it down, the rains can come through it — it is impermanent, flimsy even — fragility is its essence.

The sukkah itself teaches us that our homes themselves are fragile, life is perilous, there is no safety in this structure — unless we hold on to each other for security and safety – we depend on each other, because the structure cannot protect us.