Shabbat Shalom ~ Bemidbar 2024

Dear WJC Family,

We have two very exciting events coming up this week – one brand new and one as old as the Torah. The new one is our first ever Spring Fest Gala Celebration on Sunday from 4-7 (Sunday evening minyan will be at 7pm immediately following the event). I hope you have already signed up to join us on Sunday. There are so many reasons to come – we are honoring Joanna Liebman, Jonathan Berg, and the Strategic Planning Committee that worked so hard for WJC’s future; we are celebrating Yom Yerushalayim and honoring Israel; there will be fun for people of all ages and all family situations; AND this is an important way for the synagogue to raise funds for our regular operations. What better way to support the synagogue than by coming and having a great time? Haven’t registered yet or want to place an ad in the journal? Click here and I’ll see you there!

The second, much, much older event is the holiday of Shavuot, the anniversary of the Revelation at Sinai. The whole holiday schedule can be accessed on the WJC website, but here are a few highlights:

 

Preschool Family Shavuot Extravaganza & Pizza and Pasta Dinner – Tuesday –  4:45-5:30pm, Dinner 5:30-6:30

Extravaganza stations:

• Paper Flower Making Craft-Decorate our sanctuary with paper flowers
• Seven Species Food Tasting Bingo-Taste and compare the seven species of the Land of Israel
• Story Walk-Read and explore stories for shavuot
• Quiet Corner-Quiet play area

5:30-6:30pm Pizza and Pasta Dinner for Preschool ($5/person for dinner) RSVP!

 

Tikkun Leyl Shavuot – Tuesday – 7:15-11:45pm (open house style, so drop in for any portion!)

The custom of Tikkun Leyl Shavuot is studying Torah all night long! Join us for Food, Community, and six 30-minute Torah discussions to celebrate the anniversary of our receiving the Torah on Sinai:

7:15pm: Customary Dairy Dinner –  RSVP Now here!

8:15pm: Ma’ariv Evening Service
8:30pm: Dessert (think cheese cake!)
8:45-11:45pm: Tikkun Torah Seminars:

• 8:45-9:15pm – Special Mystery Presenter!
• 9:15-9:45pm – Seth Schafler – Rabbinic Attitudes Toward Zionism and the Three Oaths
• 9:45-10:15pm – Tami Arnowitz – The Two Tablets – How Challenging Assumptions Allows for Deeper Meaning
• 10:15-10:45pm – Cantor Goldberg – The Paradox of the Stiff-Necked People
• 10:45-11:15pm – Rabbi Dalton – Empty We Left, Full We Returned: Naomi’s Story as a Balm for a Heartbroken Nation
• 11:15-11:45pm – Rabbi Arnowitz – “I am that I will be” – How Jewish Philosophers Understand God’s Appearance in History, especially in Challenging Times

All that and regular Yom Tov services Wednesday and Thursday too, with the Yizkor Memorial Prayers on Thursday morning. We will also hold an early 7am service on Thursday for those who would like to say Yizkor earlier. That service is usually over at 8:45am.

And before all of that we have Shabbat when we’ll be celebrating the bat mitzvah of Sarina Lee. Mazal tov to Sarina and to her parents Jonathan and Glenna!

See you in shul,