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Shabbat Lech Lecha Genesis 12:
1-17:27
Candle Lighting Time: Friday, November 7, 2008 4:26 p.m
While taking a detour, I missed a turn and found myself driving on a back
country road in the Berkshires. I knew where I ultimately had to end up so
I made sure I kept going generally in the right direction. I passed through
little towns. When I had to make some unanticipated turns, I was just a
little concerned (I am known as “Wrong Way Greene”), because I knew I was
headed right.
Abraham left his house at God’s command. As he journeyed God tested him 10
times. Sometimes he doubted and sometimes he didn’t do as well as we would
have hoped (Gen. 15:1-6 and Gen. 16:1-5). But he always returned to the
path of obedience. He kept his faith fixed God’s covenant with him.
Life is a journey on an untraveled road. Sometimes moments of panic
overwhelm us as we contemplate what lies ahead. At other times we may even
turn aside because we become doubtful or we’re overcome with fear. But as
descendants of Abraham we can travel through life with calm assurance and
eager anticipation.
Because of our covenant with God, we have been set on a journey to the
Promised Land, both figuratively and literally. If we get off course, God
brings us back when we repent of the wrong turn we have taken. As we learn
to trust and obey Him, we can find our way through life’s detours. Just be
sure you’re headed right.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Gary Greene
Services Schedule:
Friday night 7:00 p.m.
Shabbat 9:00 a.m.
Mon. & Thurs 6:30 a.m
Sun. -Thurs night 7:30 p.m.
Coming Attractions:
Thursday, November 6, Adult Education classes begin. Carl Gussin’s class
will study the Bible. Ms. Lena’s Belly Dancing Class begins. Rabbi Greene’s
class on Saging will follow Carl’s class.
Shabbat November 8 We celebrate the Bat Mitzvah of Brooke Rutman
Tuesday, November 11 Board Meeting
Shabbat, November 15th Our first Lunch and Learn of the Season.
Tuesday, November 18, 8 pm Free screening of Elisabeth of Berlin with a
discussion with the director Steve Martin at St. Anastasia Catholic Church.
Elisabeth Schmitz was a member of the Berlin parish where Martin Niemöller
served as Pastor. Her efforts to prod the church to speak out for the Jews
were unsuccessful and she and Bonhoeffer condemned the failure of the
Confessing Church — which was organized specifically in resistance to the
Nazis — to move beyond a very limited concern for their church and its
Jewish converts to advocacy for all people and especially those suffering
the most. Elisabeth responded to the Confessing Church's timid action in
1935 by saying: “Why does the church do nothing? Why does it allow
unspeakable injustice to occur? …What shall we one day answer to the
question, where is thy brother Abel? The only answer that will be left to
us, as well as to the Confessing Church, is the answer of Cain." ("Am I my
brother's keeper?" Genesis 4:9)
When Elisabeth Schmitz died in 1977, only seven persons attended her
funeral. But this forgotten woman, a student of the greatest theologians and
scholars of twentieth century Europe, was one of the only voices of
resistance to the Nazis in the church. Could this forgotten woman be the one
we should most remember?
This event is free and open to the community and is co-sponsored by Marathon
Jewish Center.
Shabbat, November 22nd We celebrate the Bat Mitzvah of Alexandra Ofer
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