Tifereth Israel Congregation

Notes from the Rabbi

By Ethan Seidel

Study Opportunities in the New Year and a CD of Holiday Tunes

I hope the New Year brings you health and happiness, as well as opportunities to serve God and study Torah.  Concerning the latter, here are some opportunities to study Torah with me in the coming year:

Beginning Hebrew

I’ll be starting a beginning Hebrew class again this fall, after the holidays.  Anyone who can read Hebrew words (even haltingly) is welcome to try the class.  We’ll study out of The First Hebrew Primer (EKS Publishing Co.), which you can buy yourself, or have me order for you.  Classes will meet on Sunday evenings, 7 to 8 pm.  I am also considering a separate section for Sunday mornings, after minyan, perhaps 10:15 to 11:15 am.  Let me know if you are interested, and which time would be better for you.  I plan to start the class on October 18.

Warning: this class is serious–there is homework every week, so you need to be sure you’ve got a few hours during the week for homework, in addition to the class time.  Having said that, I should also note that the reward is commensurate with the effort expended.  If you can stick with it, you will begin to understand the prayers you’ve been saying for years, and you will deepen your davening and your attachment to our tradition in general.

Parashat HaShavua

I’m also planning to continue the Parashat HaShavua class I taught last year.  Each Sunday at 8 pm (again, starting on October 18), we’ll discuss the Torah portion we read in shul the day before.  This class requires no preparation or special skills besides a familiarity with the Torah portion under discussion.  And you can come to any one of the sessions, or to many of them–whatever you have time for.

Last year we had lots of fun; I especially love having the time to delve into questions more deeply than we can in a Shabbat morning discussion after the drash.  (And, come to think of it, with the many B’nai Mitzvah this fall, we may not have many drash-discussions at all during Shabbat morning services.)   NOTE:  I’m also planning another section of this class to meet on Monday mornings at 11 am. 

Family Services

This year, as you have no doubt heard, we are trying out some family services during the High Holidays.  As of this writing, I haven’t decided on exactly what the services will consist of, but I can promise you this: there will be lots of singing.  I’m planning to make a CD of the tunes I will be using for the family services, available to anyone who calls the office.  I remember doing this with my own kids when they were little–we’d sing, for example, Pesach songs in the car for a whole month before the holiday.  By the time the holiday rolled around, they were ready.  And now you and your kids can be ready for the High Holidays!  Invite me into your car with this new High Holiday CD!

L'Shanah Tova!

Rabbi Seidel