By Rabbi Alicia Magal
Sedona, AZ — The Jewish Community of Sedona and the Verde Valley, located at 100 Meadowlark Drive off Route 179 in Sedona, is a welcoming, egalitarian, inclusive congregation dedicated to building a link from the past to the future by providing religious, educational, social and cultural experiences. The JCSVV offers soul-enriching services, programs, concerts, and classes, all listed on the synagogue website, jcsvv.org. Office telephone: 928 204-1286. Visitors are welcome to attend services after a security check. Those who cannot attend in person can access the service through zoom.
All are invited to Erev Shabbat service on Friday, June 26 at 5:30 pm. Join in singing songs to usher in the Sabbath, prayers of healing for loved ones, congratulations for those celebrating a birthday or anniversary, and Kaddish, the Mourner’s prayer in memory of those who have passed away recently or around this date in past years. A selection will be chanted from this week’s Torah portions: Chukat and Balak. Chukat is found in Numbers 19:1-22:1. God instructs Moses and Aaron regarding the red heifer. Miriam, the sister of Moses and Aaron, dies. Moses hits a rock to bring forth water rather than speaking to it. At the end of the portion, Aaron dies. Balak, Numbers 22:2 – 25:9, presents the story of Balak, the king of Moab, who persuades the prophet Balaam to curse the Israelites so that he can defeat them and drive them out of the region. However, Balaam blesses the Children of Israel instead and prophesies that Israel’s enemies will be defeated. That curse-turned-to-blessing is recited in the morning prayers when entering the synagogue! “How goodly are your tents, O Jacob; your dwelling place, O Israel.” Stay to enjoy Kiddush and Motzi (wine and challah), refreshments, and socializing after the service.
Egalitarian, participatory Morning Minyan meets on zoom every Wednesday at 8:30 am with traditional morning blessings, healing prayers, and Kaddish, the mourner’s prayer. Come be counted in our minyan! Link on the website.
Meditation class, led by Rosalie Malter, will meet on Wednesday, July 1 at 4:00 pm on zoom. The focus will be on themes of the current week’s Torah portion, including sacred phrases in Hebrew.
Torah study group, led by Anita Rosenfield, will meet on Thursday, July 2 at 4:00 on zoom, focusing on the Torah portion of that week, Pinchas, (Numbers: 25: 10-30:1), in which Pinchas kills an Israelite caught in an act of immorality. Nearing the end of the forty years of wandering in the desert, the young generation is ready to enter the Promised Land. Moses goes up to a high place to be given a chance to view the land from afar, as he will not live to cross over into it. The Haftarah (prophetic reading) is from 1 Kings 18:46 – 19:21 telling of the prophet Elijah who reproves the King Ahab and Queen Jezebel for Baal worship. In a contest between the Baal priests and Elijah, his sacrifice to God is consumed, symbolizing acceptance.
The Social Action Committee is collecting non-perishable foods, as well as infant formula and feminine hygiene products, for the local Sedona food pantry. Please drop off your donations in the bin provided for collections located at the bottom of the stairs in the parking lot. People continue to need sustenance. Let’s keep them in mind.
We wish all our members, guests, and neighbors a sense of wholeness and peace, included in the word Shalom.
Rabbi Alicia Magal
Jewish Community of Sedona and the Verde Valley, Arizona, USA
www.jcsvv.org
Office: 928 204-1286
“A Jewel of a Shul”
Mission Statement:
The Jewish Community of Sedona and the Verde Valley is a welcoming, egalitarian, inclusive congregation dedicated to building a link from the past to the future by providing religious, educational, social and cultural experiences. We choose to remain unaffiliated in order to respect and serve the rich diversity of our members and visitors.