By Rabbi Alicia Magal
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, jcsvv.org. Visitors are welcome to attend services.
On Friday, December 30, 2022, a lay-led Friday evening Erev Shabbat service, led by Meri Thomason, begins at 5:30 pm both in person and on Zoom, and live-streamed for members and their invitees. Verses from the Torah portion, Vayigash (Genesis 44:18 – 47:27) will be chanted by Anita Rosenfield. In this portion, Joseph finally reveals himself to his brothers once he is convinced that they regret how they treated him when he was a youth. He affirms to them that they are not to blame, but rather that it was God’s plan to have him sent down to Egypt to prepare the way for his family to be reunited. Blessings for those who are ill, and a Mazal Tov for those celebrating a birthday or anniversary will be offered at the Kabbalat Shabbat service. Kaddish, the Mourner’s prayer, will be recited in memory of those who passed away either recently or at this time in past years. Shabbat offers a time out from work and worry, an opportunity to be grateful for our lives and the bounty with which we are blessed.
Wednesday mornings at 8:30 a.m. members participate in a morning minyan on Zoom, with traditional prayers sung or read in Hebrew and English. Join through the website link to support each other needing a minyan to say Kaddish for a loved one.
Meditation class, led by Rabbi Magal and Rosalie Malter, will meet on Wednesday, January 4, at 4:00 on zoom.
On Thursday, January 5, Torah study, led by Rabbi Magal, will focus on the Torah portion of that week: Vayechi (Genesis 47:28 – 50:26), telling of the last period of Jacob’s life. He and all of his family have settled in Egypt at the invitation of Joseph. Before he dies, Jacob offers blessings and a final message to each of his sons. He instructs them to make sure that after he dies, they will take his body back for burial in the Cave of Machpelah at Hebron, with the other patriarchs and matriarchs. With this story the Book of Genesis ends.
The Social Action Committee is continuing to collect food for the local Sedona food pantry. Please drop off cans or boxes of non-perishable foods in the bin provided for collections at the stairs leading to the synagogue sanctuary. Winter coats and other warm clothing are also being collected for those seeking asylum at the border.
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.