It’s Been Quite a Year

 “For everything there is a season” – a time for the rat-race and a time for the slow-pace, a time for labor and a time for play, a time to be active and a time to reflect on our activity, a time for sorrow and a time for joy, a time to be busy and a time to rest.  

Our brothers and sisters in our homeland of Israel were hit last October by a devastating and horrific blow, the direct and rippling effects of which – both in Israel and for Jews worldwide – still strongly manifest all around us.  Simultaneously, while coping with all this, the joys of life go on, as they should.  We have seen and been part of – here, in Israel, worldwide, and specifically at Ashreynu – a year filled with much activity, lots of joy, intergenerational camaraderie with people of all ages and backgrounds, and many celebrations and various milestones marked.  We merited helping to fulfill that song of hope which proclaims, to paraphrase the Biblical verses, that ‘there will be heard in this shul the sounds of life and happiness, song and joy, groom and bride, and the sounds of our children and successive generations who will carry us ever-forward.’  It is beautiful to see all that is happening at our shul, and I express deep and profound thanks to Ashreynu’s stellar founding team, its wonderful members, and to all who give of their time, resources, energy, and enthusiasm to keep things positively going and growing at our unique shul and community. 

So now we take a breath… and reflect… and never forget… and plan even more for next year.

Summer is here, and many things slow down.  While we keep at the forefront of our consciousness the ongoing, multi-front onslaught against the Jewish State and the Jewish People, both near and far, our attention naturally and appropriately also turns towards some relaxation, recreation, and vacation activities of all kinds.  We make plans to catch up on things undone during the year – reading books, completing projects, cleaning house – when we lacked any time and a leisurely state of mind to do them.  We arrange for family (immediate and extended) and friends to spend more time together.  The children have their special plans for the summer, as do parents.  We eagerly anticipate spending some time away from the hustle and bustle of the long and challenging year. 

Of course, we need not wait for summer vacation to enjoy the opportunity to be with family and friends, catch up on reading, to relax and take respite from everyday activities.  We have this opportunity every week – on the sacred and special day of Shabbat! – to come together with those important to us, to pray, sing, learn, eat, rest, shpatzir, play, chat, renew, reflect, appreciate, delight – as Rabbi Leo Baeck described it, “seclusion from the world in the midst of the world.”  Welcoming and embracing Shabbat each week is something to truly consider taking advantage of on a regular basis.

Any vacation period we are afforded during the summer is something to relish to the fullest.  It is just worth bearing in mind that at all times – during the year as well as during vacation – the lessons and guidelines of our heritage (many of which we contemplate, explore and discuss often in shul) should always guide us in our daily lives, whatever the season.

            Bivracha,

            Rabbi Pearl