Shavua tov! Looking forward to Shabbat Korach and a special visit from Rabbi David!

Shavua tov — a good new week to you!

Join us on  Shabbat morning at 9:30am for a special Summer Shabbat morning Service led by Rabbi Rachel and Rabbi David Evan Markus!

This week we’re reading Korach. If you’d like to read some commentaries on this week’s Torah portion, here are a few:

• 2006: The hubris of Korach
• 2007: Korach: fruitful tension between paradigms
• 2008: Bloom [Torah poem]
• 2009: Fruit [Torah poem]
• 2013: Korach, privilege, and striving for more
• 2017: A Failed Rebellion (at My Jewish Learning)

Here’s a d’var Torah from Rabbi David: How To Fall On Your Face (The Spiritual Lessons of Leadership.)

And here are commentaries from the URJ: Korach at the URJ.

Join us on Shabbat morning for a celebration of Shabbat and summertime!

Blessings to all,

Rabbi Rachel

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Save the Date for a Special Summer Shabbat With Rabbi Rachel and Rabbi David

Save the date: there’s a special summer Shabbat coming up soon!

On Saturday, June 24 — the Shabbat morning closest to the summer solstice, the longest day of the year — Shabbat morning services will be co-led by Rabbi Rachel and Rabbi David Evan Markus. On that morning, the d’var Torah will be given by our very own Board member Steven Green, chair of Spiritual Life.

Weather permitting, we might aim to daven outdoors as we’ve done in the past. One way or another, expect a joyous, harmony-filled, musical morning during which we’ll celebrate Shabbat and the sweetness of summertime!

Save the Date: Rumi Shabbat this summer

Dear Congregation Beth Israel community,

On this rainy-snowy January day, July seems pretty far away… but open up your calendar to midsummer and save the date: we’re plannig to hold a Rumi Shabbat service on Saturday morning, July 19.

During that morning service, we’ll pray a liturgy which interweaves the poems of Sufi mystic poet Rumi (who died in the year 1273 C.E.) with our traditional Hebrew liturgy.

This will be CBI’s second Rumi-themed Shabbat service. Our first was held in 2012, to great acclaim; we had a great crowd, and everyone agreed that our familiar prayers took on new life when seen through the lenses of these poignant devotional poems.

Giving credit where it’s due: this was inspired by Rabbi Ed Stafman of Bozeman, MT, who was ordained by ALEPH a few years before me. He led a Rumi service at OHALAH (the annual gathering of Jewish Renewal clergy) a few years ago, and as soon as I attended that service, I knew I wanted to bring this beautiful experience home to CBI.

So save the date and join us this summer for a chance to experience Rumi and Shabbat together again at last!

Blessings to all,

Rabbi Rachel