Shabbat Shalom ~ Ki Teitzei 2025

Shalom WJC Family,

Well, summer is officially over and there are signs of it everywhere. The relaxed pace summer weekends have dwindled and instead weekends are filled with scheduled events. There is a chill in the air at night (which I love) and I even saw an eager tree already shedding its leaves. Tuesday and Wednesday I saw some less-than-eager students heading for the first day of school, but they were mostly smiling in their “first day pictures.” It’s the most wonderful time of the year – I love it!

I know, I know. People always ask me, “Really rabbi? Isn’t this your most challenging time of the year?” And the answer is yes, but both are true. We open our year with the High Holidays like the PGA starts its season with the Tour Championship – it’s exciting and we can’t wait to see you! If you hadn’t thought about the High Holidays until now and you have not signed up for services, please call the office right away to get that all squared away.

Unlike the regular schools, our supplemental school, “The Dan and Beverly Cannold Religious School,” doesn’t start until September 14th, but there is good reason to mention it today nonetheless. This Sunday, September 7th, the very incredible namesake of our school, Bev Cannold, will turn 100-years old! If you don’t know Bev, you are missing out. She is extraordinary. I especially enjoyed her as a regular attendee of my Zoom classes during the Covid shutdown, and you can sometimes catch her galavanting around town at regular dinner dates with various members of WJC and other friends.

I wanted to mention Bev’s big birthday not only to honor an extraordinarily supportive, dedicated, and proud member of the community – Bev joined WJC almost 70 years ago, but also to remind us of another central pillar of the WJC community. While we love when new families join and seek to adapt to the needs of an ever-changing neighborhood and world, we also honor and serve those who built this extraordinary spiritual home. Bev is one of our builders and we are so happy to celebrate this amazing milestone with her. Please see a note she wrote me about this special birthday and some advice for longevity at the end of my message. 

First though, I want to introduce our new rabbinic intern Jacob Lipkin, who will be taking over the Shabbat morning 101 program and helping with other rabbinic duties at WJC. Jacob is a fifth year (senior) Rabbinical School student at the Jewish Theological Seminary (JTS) and we are so excited to have him joining our team for the year. The first Shabbat Morning 101 will meet on Saturday morning September 13th and the theme will be, “Why we pray, what we want out of prayer as a community, and how Shabbat services (and the High Holidays) relate to those goals.”

  And speaking of the High Holidays, I encourage you to check out the JTS High Holiday Reader, featuring an article from our own Rabbi Cantor Shoshi Levin Goldberg as well as insights and ideas from a plethora of great rabbis and teachers. In lieu of my weekly parsha video, I have attached the link to Rabbi Cantor Levin Goldberg, and our Cantor Goldberg, performing a beautiful rendition of the High Holiday poem, “Ohila La’el.” It should put you in the mood for this time of year at least as much as the school bells and changing leaves. And while you are in the mood for gorgeous, meaningful music, don’t forget to register for our Selichot: A Spiritual Introduction to the High Holiday Season program Saturday night September 13th so you can hear lots more of it.

See you in shul,

RJA

 

Message from Beverly Cannold to RJA:

When people ask me how I did it . . I often say . . I ate french fries.    Because I really didn’t do anything . . I’ve just been very lucky and G…d has been good to me.

What I have come to realize is . . it’s not that it’s me . . but it is that a human being can have experienced so many events . . so many emotional and or physical changes . . so many joys . .  and sad times . . and  satisfying moments . . and frustrating ones . . so much joy as a daughter and a sister and a wife . . and a mother  and a grand mother  and a great grand mother  . . and yes . . a friend . . so much learning . . so much growing and loving it . . ( that reminds me :   so much loving ) . . and most precious of all . . the treasure that is family. 

sometimes I do wander when I write . . as I think and feel. . 

Bottom line . . I’m extremely and truly grateful . . and appreciate the goodness of my life and all those years . . and cannot deny how lovely it is when people remind me with their warm wishes.

Thanks for all . . a Sweet and Good New Year to you and your family . . a hope and prayer for a different kind of Year . . one with hostages released . . with peace for Israel and for our country and our world .

Warm regards . .. bev