By Rabbi Alicia Magal
Sedona News – Shalom and greetings from the Rabbi, Board of Directors, and congregation of the Jewish Community of Sedona and the Verde Valley.
All the services, classes, and programs are listed on the synagogue website.
Come join us either in person or online. See jcsvv.org for instructions to register for in-person services.
On Friday, March 11, Rabbi Magal will lead a service to welcome in Shabbat with candle lighting, songs, prayers, and a Torah reading from the portion of the week, Vayikra, the beginning of the Book of Leviticus(1:1 – 5:26), telling of the offerings given by the Children of Israel in the Mishkan, portable Sanctuary, as they slowly made their way to the Promised Land. Eventually, prayer replaced sacrifices as the form of worship for Israel, but the impetus for those offerings in ancient times, and these prayers since the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem and up to our own day, remains similar: a wish to come closer to God, to get over feelings of guilt, the desire to bring a peace or thanksgiving offering in appreciation of good and well-being, and other desires to bring our lives into balance. The Erev Shabbat service will also include a healing blessing and a mazal tov to those with a birthday or anniversary. People who passed away recently, or at this time on the Hebrew calendar in years past, will be remembered as Kaddish, the Mourner’s Prayer, is recited.
The Adult Jewish Education Committee is offering a three-session course on Sephardic Cooking, led by Jaine Merliss. The first class on Tuesday, March 15, at 3:00 pm on zoom, will focus on an appetizer. The second, on March 22, will present a main dish, and the last class, on March 29, will culminate with a dessert recipe. Sephardic cooking is known for its variety of colorful spices. Expand your culinary knowledge, and embrace a wider view of Jewish cooking around the world.
Wednesday morning minyan begins at 8:30 a.m. on March 16 on zoom. Join the group to offer healing prayers, and to support those saying the mourner’s prayer, Kaddish, for a loved one who has passed away. Every person counts and is needed!
At 4:00 pm Rosalie Malter and Rabbi Magal lead a class on Jewish meditation on Zoom. Each session focuses on a different tool or aspect of Jewish meditation practices.
Erev Purim begins in the evening of Wednesday, March 16, and will be celebrated with the traditional reading and chanting of Megillat Esther, the Scroll of Esther, in Hebrew and English on Zoom. Wear a funny hat or mask, and have a noisemaker or box of pasta available to shake for the times when we blot out the name of (the villain of the story, you know who) with loud noise. A Purim spiel, or play based on the Book of Esther, will be held both in person and on zoom on Sunday, March 20 at 4 pm.
On Thursday, March 17, at 4:00 pm,Torah study, led by Rabbi Magal, will be held on Zoom. We will spend a moment briefly reviewing the Torah portion of the week, Tzav (Leviticus 6:1 – 8:36), but will be exploring the Book of Daniel from the Writings section of the Bible. Perhaps you’ve heard of “Daniel in the Lion’s Den” but haven’t ever heard the whole story. We will have a close reading of the original text with additional commentaries over the next few weeks.
The Social Action Committee is continuing to collect food for the local Sedona food pantry, and summer supplies for the homeless to be donated to Cottonwood Old Town Mission. Please drop of cans or boxes of non-perishable foods, or items like sunscreen, hats, and other hot weather supplies in the bin outside the lower level parking lot entrance to the synagogue.
The Jewish Community of Sedona and the Verde Valley, located at 100 Meadow Lark 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. Messages to the office telephone at 928 204-1286 will be answered during the week. Updated information is available on the synagogue website – www.jcsvv.org.