Shalom!

Please share this rabbi’s message with your children!

There are some moments in a parent’s life when joy encompasses all. Such a moment for us was this past Shabbat when my beloved daughter Kayla stood on the bima, called to the Torah as a bat mitzvah. There she stood, a poised young woman, chanting beautifully from the Torah, offering a wise and moving d’var Torah (teaching from the Torah text) about Bereishit — the very beginning of the Torah, Genesis, and the story of the creation of our world. Kayla shone with beauty, and a large community brought all our worlds together there to honor her, to send loving energy to her and to us. Kayla’s d’var Torah is on our website — perhaps you might learn from our newest Jewish teacher — about Creation, Nature, and the protecting our planet.

I want to thank all the members of Kol Ami who came to celebrate with us, and I promise to share pictures with everyone who wasn’t able to be with us (O.K., so the proud Ima – mom – will bore you with her photos! You can tell me too stop when you’re too bored!).

When I had an opportunity to offer blessings to Kayla, one of the things I said to her was that when she was born, Renee (my ex-partner) and I planted a seed — Kayla herself.  I told her that now, seeing her grow into a fine, intelligent, kind and vibrant young woman, I had faith in the wisdom of the seed. As the children at Kol Ami grow up, I want to say to each of (the kids!), I have faith in each of you. I have faith in the wisdom of each young “seed” in our community, and want you to know that in addition to the love and nurturing that your parents (the most important ‘gardeners’) give to you, you can depend on the love and nurturing of the whole Kol Ami community and of you can depend on your rabbi’s love and nurturing.

An ancient text tells us that

When Israel stood to receive the Torah, the Blessed Holy One said to them: "I am giving you my Torah. Give to me good guarantors that you will guard it, and I shall give it to you."

They said: "Our ancestors are our guarantors."

The Blessed Holy One said: "Your ancestors are not sufficient guarantors. Yet bring me good guarantors and I shall give you the Torah."

They said: "Ruler of the Universe, our prophets are our guarantors."

Said the Blessed Holy One: "The prophets are not sufficient guarantors. Yet bring me good guarantors, and I shall give you the Torah."

They said: "Here, our children are our guarantors."

The Blessed Holy One said: "They are certainly good guarantors. For the sake of your children, I give you the Torah."

(Song of Songs Rabbah 1:24)

We will share with all of you “seeds,” the young folks in our shul, our Torah, our love of Judaism, our fun times, our happy times, our sad times and when you want or need it, our guidance, our faith in you, and always, always, our love for you all.

B’shalom,
Rabbi Leila (proud Ima)