By Rabbi Alecia 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, May 22 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. During the Festival of Shavuot we chant the Ten Commandments from the Book of Exodus, and, as a community, renew the covenantal vows like a marriage contract between Israel and the Holy One. This group aliyah, coming up to the Torah to hear the Ten Commandments, is likened to an anniversary of the giving of the Torah on Mt. Sinai. Stay to enjoy Kiddush and motzi (wine and challah), refreshments, and socializing after the service.
All are invited to participate in a special Shavuot program on Saturday evening May 23 beginning at 6:00 pm with Yizkor – a brief memorial service that comes at the end of each of the major festivals; an interactive session entitled “Crossroads: Challenges and Choices” based on the characters of the Book of Ruth; and a culminating Havdalah service for ending Shabbat. Cheesecake, blintzes and other traditional treats of the Shavuot holiday will be served.
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 and Rabbi Magal, will meet on Wednesday, May 27 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 Rabbi Magal, will meet on Thursday, May 28 at 4:00 on zoom, focusing on the Torah portion of that week which will be Naso, Numbers 4:21-7:89, describing the service of the Gershon family of Levites, and the laws relating to the suspected adulteress and the Nazirite. God empowers Moses and Aaron to offer the priestly blessing: May God bless you and protect you; May God shines God’s light upon you and be gracious to you; May God turn God’s face to you and give you the gift of peace. This ancient blessing is still given to this day.
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
www.jcsvv.org
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.