The Jewish Community of Sedona and the Verde Valley, April 5-11, 2024

By Rabbi Alicia Magal

The JCSVV offers services and classes which are life-affirming and soul enriching. All are listed on the synagogue website, jcsvv.org. Visitors are welcome to attend services after security check. People who cannot attend or who live far away can access the service through zoom. Several classes, holidays, and special events are coming up in March and April. Check the website and plan to join us!

The Shabbaton, expanded weekend of services and programs) begins with Erev Shabbat services on Friday evening, April 5 beginning at 5:30 pm in person and on Zoom led by Rabbi David Zaslow and Rabbi Alicia Magal. With song, story, and prayers, the rabbis will evoke a sense of Sabbath calm and peace. Rabbi Magal will chant from this week’s Torah portion Shemini (Leviticus 9:1 – 11:47) telling of Nadav and Avihu, the two elder sons of Aaron who died after bringing a “strange fire” to the Tabernacle. Devorah Zaslow will offer a story as a teaching. 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.

The Shabbaton (expanded Shabbat experience) whole weekend of programs continues on Saturday morning with Torah study led by Rabbi Zaslow in the downstairs library beginning at 11:00 am and followed by a kiddush luncheon. Saturday evening of the Shabbaton with be an interfaith concert of song and story featuring Rabbi David and Devorah Zaslow for the entire community beginning at 7:00 pm. Small group workshops led by the Zaslows on finding relevance in ancient teachings for us today are scheduled for Sunday afternoon, April 7, from 2:00 – 5:00 pm. Please register. See details on the website under Events.

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 10, 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 11, at 4:00 pm on zoom, led by Rabbi Magal. The portion for that week is Tazria about various diseases and situations that rendered a person “impure” or unfit for holy rituals. How does this relate to our modern day understanding of illness, quarantine, and participation in religious or community events and rituals?

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.

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.