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.
Come join us either in person or online. See jcsvv.org for instructions to register for in-person services.
On Friday, May 6, a Friday evening service, led by Rabbi Alicia Magal, begins at 5:30 pm both in person and on Zoom, and livestreamed for members and their invitees. Congregants participate by lighting candles, doing a reading, or having an Aliyah for the Torah service. Verses from Kedoshim (Leviticus19:1 – 20:27) will be chanted, including the ethical teaching “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Blessings for those who are ill and a Mazal Tov for those celebrating a birthday or anniversary will be offered. 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. Readings, songs, and refreshments will relate to the 74th year of Israel’s Independence which was on Thursday, May 5, but will be observed at Erev Shabbat services on Friday.
Wednesday morning minyan begins at 8:30 a.m. on May 11 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!
On Wednesday 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.
On Thursday, May 12, at 4:00 pm, Torah study, led by Rabbi Magal, will be held on Zoom. The Torah portion for that week is Emor,(Leviticus 21:1 – 24:23) reviewing the pilgrimage festivals of Passover, Shavuot, and Sukkot, as well as the weekly day of rest, Shabbat. We will continue to count the days between Passover and Shavuot, the journey of 49 days culminating in the 50th day, the revelation at Mt Sinai when Torah was given through Moses to the Children of Israel. This practice of Counting the Omer is a kind of spiritual preparation and refinement that enables each person to do an honest check-in of his or her personality qualities that form the focus for each day during this seven week period.
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.