Dear congregants,
I know that you have all heard the news about the deal that was signed between the Israeli government and Hamas releasing Gilad Shalit in exchange for 1,000 Palestinians in Israeli prisons. On June 25, 2006, Shalit was captured by terrorists who infiltrated an Israeli army post near Gaza. During the raid, two IDF soldiers were killed and three others wounded.
Elul 25
The Music of Darkness by Karyn Kedar
It was early September. My husband and I went on a high–speed car chase around the valleys and mountains of the Grand Tetons to capture a glimpse of the setting sun.
With five minutes to spare before the spray of light turned dark, we found a spot nestled in a valley on the side of the road with no mountain crag to obscure our view. Simply the horizon, the setting sun, and majestic colors of miracle and awe.
Friends,
Next week the Palestinian Authority will go to the United Nations to request recognition for Palestinian Statehood. This is a dangerous move for the stability of the region and the security of Israel. Israel is on high alert in preparation for the consequences of this vote. If the UN does not vote for a Palestinian State then there is danger of a third intifada. If the UN does vote and nothing changes because there can be no peace without direct negotiations of the parties, then a third intifada is likely to happen.
I have prepared a few excerpts for your reading as well as links. Stay informed. Next week could be a difficult one for Israel and the peace process.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Karyn Kedar
Today I send you the last message in the counting of the Omer.
I have numbered my days and come to understand that my days are numbered. The finite nature of my life demands my attention and constant consideration. I have been granted daily life in order to think, to contemplate, to be kind, to be purposeful, to be silent, to be energetic, to be God like, to be fully human, to be forgiving, to be in love, to be aware of life with all aspects of my being, with my mind, my body, my spirit.
Consider carefully the words that you use. While it may seem like words are spoken and then they disappear, words, in fact, endure for along time after they leave your mouth.
Blessings too are made of words. They shape the communication we intend with God. Consider these words carefully. Unlike the communication between humans, the words you share with God have an infinite life to them.
Rabbi Kerry M. Olitzky, Life's Daily Blessings
