Shabbat Shalom ~ Emor 2025

Dear WJC Family,

First of all, I want to start with a prayer of thanks for the safe return of former hostage Edan Alexander. The emerging details about the conditions in which he was held and the tortures he suffered once again make it clear how crucial it is that the remaining hostages be returned as soon as possible. We will continue to pray for these remaining hostages and advocate for their release.

Today is Lag B’Omer, a day of celebration during the solemn period of Counting the Omer. One of the explanations for Lag B’Omer is that the students of Rabbi Akiva were experiencing a plague and the disease relented on Lag B’Omer. What a miracle if the hostages would be released on this day of good fortune. 

In honor of the return of Edan Alexander, and Lag B’Omer, my video Torah Talk is about counting days and how people count. Click on the video link below to check it out. In the same spirit, I wanted to share the documentary produced by Westchester Day School’s Names Not Numbers Project, under the guidance of WJC’s own Jill Rivel. The program allows seventh graders to interview survivors of the Shoah, an important opportunity to appreciate the human beings represented by the terrible number, six million. The resulting documentary is truly incredible. Check it out by clicking here.

 

Of course, at the culmination of the Counting of the Omer we celebrate the holiday of Shavuot, the anniversary of the Revelation of the Torah at Sinai. This year Shavuot begins on Sunday night June 1st, and as is our custom, we will host a Tikkun Leil Shavuot, a night of learning, food (dairy), and togetherness. We have an early activity for families with preschool-aged children, dinner for all (registration required), and amazing teachers lined up for the rest of the night 7:00-11:00. This year the theme is When God Appeared on the Mountain, Learnings from Peak Moments. Mark your calendars, here are the highlights:

 

• Two graduating high school seniors who grew up at WJC, Annika Lee and Jonah Baron, share their peak moments, hopes for the future, experiences looking at colleges, and concerns about the college experience to come.
• Cantor Ethan Goldberg and WJC congregant Dr. Jon Yaeger (Music History department chair at Julliard) will present excerpts from several works on the theme of The Book of Ruth and examine how the libretto and music serve as midrash (creative interpretation) of the text. 
• Camp Ramah Asst. National Director, Dr. Daniel Olson explores the themes of a speech delivered by Berl Katznelson (the namesake of kibbutz Be’eri) to a group of youth aliyah counselors in 1940. The speech delivered at a very complex moment in time for world Jewry sheds wisdom for this complex moment too.
• Rabbi Cantor Shoshi Levin Goldberg, Director, H. L. Miller Cantorial School presents on what happens when our momentous occasions look different from how we imagined them.

 

Of course, before all that we have a great weekend ahead – a fun Friday night with a community Shabbat dinner (registration required), followed by Rhythm & Ruach and our Traditional Shabbat Service. Shabbat will also be our last visit from our Cantorial Intern Marc Szechter – so come and help us wish him a great couple of months studying in Israel this summer and the best of luck in his studies.

This Sunday is a very special day. We start off with the Israel Parade and we’re happy to share that we have a bus available to take folks in and make getting there easier. Register for the bus here. And then,  of course, it’s our FABULOUS  80’s themed Gala at 6pm with fun, food, community, an auction, and fabulous honorees, Evan and Tracey Levy and Mark and Marcie Berger. If you haven’t registered for the Gala yet, it’s not too late. Join us.

See you in shul,

RJA