By Rabbi Alicia Magal
Erev Shabbat services led by Rabbi Alicia Magal will be held on Friday evening, March 29, 2024 beginning at 5:30 pm in person and on Zoom. Rabbi will offer Shabbat prayers to bring in the Sabbath sense of calm and peace, and chant verses from the Torah portion of the week: Tzav (Leviticus 6:1 – 8:36) telling of the laws about various types of sacrifices brought on the altar of the Sanctuary, Israel’s house of worship during their years of wandering in the wilderness. Included in the service are also healing blessings for those who are ill, a mazal tov for Simchas (happy occasions), and Kaddish, mourner’s prayer, recited for loved ones who have passed away. Everyone is invited to stay after services for refreshments and socializing.
On Wednesdays at 8:30 a.m. we offer 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 will meet on Wednesday, April 3, led by Rabbi Magal on zoom, focusing on a particular theme in this week’s Torah portion or other uplifting texts.
Torah study will be held on Thursday,April 4, at 4:00 pm on zoom, led by Rabbi Magal. The portion for that week is Shemini (Leviticus 9:1- 11:47) , telling of various kinds of offerings: for forgiveness, to express faith, to express thanksgiving, and a peace offering. In this portion we read about Nadav and Avihu, the elder sons of Aaron, who die suddenly when they bring a “strange fire” in their worship service in the Tabernacle.
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 bottom of the stairs leading to the synagogue sanctuary. We encourage people to donate generously. Hats, visors, bug spray, sleeping bags and tents, sunscreen lotion, visors, and other items for the Summer Survival kits are being collected through April.
A special Shabbaton (expanded Shabbat programming experience) “Journey of Passover and Easter” with guest Rabbi David Zaslow from Ashland Oregon is planned for the weekend of April 5 – 7, with an interfaith concert on Saturday evening and workshops on Sunday afternoon as well as Shabbat service Friday and Torah study session on Saturday morning. Please register. See details on the website under Events.
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.
