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. Visitors are welcome to attend services. Special uplifting weekly messages for the Hebrew month of Elul recorded by Rabbi Magal are posted on the synagogue website.
On Friday, September 16, a Friday evening Erev Shabbat 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 the Torah portion will be chanted: Ki Tavo (Deuteronomy 26:1 – 29:8 ), with Moses telling the Israelites about how, after they enter the Promised Land, they will work the soil and be rewarded in the with rich crops. They will then bring their first fruits to the Sanctuary in thanksgiving to God. 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 morning minyan begins at 8:30 a.m. on September 21 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 will lead a class on Jewish meditation on Zoom. Each session focuses on a different tool or aspect of Jewish meditation practices.
Selichot will be observed on Saturday evening, September 17, at 7:30pm to introduce melodies of the High Holy Days and change the mantles on the Torah scrolls from colorful to white. It is an introspective and meditative service.
On Thursday, September 22, at 4:00 pm, Torah study, led by Rabbi Alicia Magal, will be held on Zoom. The Torah reading for that week is Nitzavim (Deuteronomy 29:9 – 30:20) as Moses speaks to the new generation of Israelites before they enter the Promised Land, and reminds them of the Covenant which is binding upon all of them as well as on all the generations to follow for all time. The Torah will be theirs as much as if they had personally received it at Sinai.
The Social Action Committee is continuing to collect food for the local Sedona food pantry. Please drop of cans or boxes of non-perishable foods in the bin at the foot of the stairs leading up to the sanctuary.
High Holy Day information is listed on the synagogue website, www.jcsvv.org. Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year 5783, will begin on the evening of Sunday, September 25, continuing on Monday, September 26; and Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, will begin on Tuesday evening, October 4 and continue on Wednesday, October 5.
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.
