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THIS WEEK IN TEMPLE 
Friday, January 1, 2021
 
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SERVICES THIS WEEK
 
Friday, January 1st ~ KABBALAT SHABBAT
9:30 AM YOFI  SHABBAT CONNECTION for KIDS
with Cantor Paula Baruch 
ONLINE LINK 

7:00 PM Kabbalat Shabbat Service
with Rabbi Cohen & Cantor Baruch ONLINE LINK 
Candle Blessing with Boris Apel & Ella Pavlova


Saturday, January 2nd ~ SHABBAT Vayechi
10:30 AM Shabbat Morning Music & Meditation 
with Cantor Baruch
 ONLINE LINK 

11:00 AM Talking Torah 
with Rabbi Cohen
ONLINE LINK 
FROM RABBI JORDAN COHEN
 

וְעַתָּה֙ אַל־תִּירָ֔אוּ אָנֹכִ֛י אֲכַלְכֵּ֥ל אֶתְכֶ֖ם וְאֶֽת־טַפְּכֶ֑ם וַיְנַחֵ֣ם אוֹתָ֔ם וַיְדַבֵּ֖ר עַל־לִבָּֽם
And so, fear not. I will sustain you and your children.
Thus, he reassured them, speaking kindly to them.
                                                           
-Genesis 50:21
 
This week, as we complete the Book of Bereshit, I can’t help but breathe a sigh of relief. I love these early Biblical stories but, as I grow older, I find them more difficult to read. As children, these stories of creation, the Garden of Eden, Noah’s ark, the patriarchs and matriarchs, all inhabit our imagination. But there is nothing childish about the stories. As we mature, we become aware that there are more questions than answers. Genesis is not a happy book. It is filled with jealousy and suffering; with betrayal and anger; with family distrust and discord. It is a book about dysfunctional families and frail human beings. So, what can we learn from Genesis?
 
As this most difficult of years also comes to an end this week, I would like to suggest that the entire book of Bereshit can be reduced to one little phrase: “Am I my brother’s keeper?” When Cain kills his brother, God comes looking for him and asks, “Where is Abel, your brother?” God knows what has happened and Cain knows that God knows. So, Cain says, “I don’t know, Am I my brother’s keeper?” Cain is saying, “Why should I care?”
 
Genesis becomes obsessed with this question, from the first Torah portion to the last. In this week’s parasha, Vayechi, we see that, even after Joseph’s reconciliation with his brothers, they are afraid of him. To his credit, Joseph reassures his brothers, effectively saying to them, “It is not my place to judge you.” We are one family – and I will take care of you because that is what our father wanted and that is what God expects.
 
Throughout this pandemic-ridden year, this message has been stridently reinforced. The answer is an emphatic YES! - we are our brother’s and sister’s keepers. The challenges of 2020 have taught us the importance of community and connection and we have learned the imperatives of justice, kindness and care. We have come to discern the difference between wants and needs and between rights and obligations. As we enter into 2021, many of the challenges of this past year will accompany us into the new year. But let the lessons accompany us as well. May our care and concern not turn into compassion fatigue. Rather, let our care and connection become strengthened as we continue to pray and act for the well-being of all of our brothers and sisters. May we all be our brother’s and sister’s keeper.

L'Shalom,
 
Rabbi Jordan Cohen
 
Tzedakah
 PROGRAMS & EVENTS
 
These are the times we need to be with each other and to join our voices in prayers for healing. We are meeting weekly for this 30 minute time of prayer.

Register once to attend all of our Healing Services continuing through Lockdown.
Winter 2021
Books of Wisdom: Ecclesiastes and Ben Sira

Mondays at 7:00 PM – Beginning January 18th on Zoom
Join with Rabbi Cohen for a study of biblical-era Wisdom Literature, a genre of Hebrew literature common during the Second Temple period. Wisdom Literature consists of proverbs and statements that offer insights into human nature and divinity. Two of the finest examples of Hebrew wisdom literature are Kohelet (Ecclesiastes) and the Wisdom of Ben Sira, the first of which was included in the Hebrew Bible and the second of which was denied a place in the biblical canon. In this course we will explore some of the distinct teachings of each of these unique books and how they can speak to us today.
All texts will be available online. To register, click here.
PURIM 5781 is on Thursday, February 25th, and we are now preparing for our PURIM Shpiel FUN. If you would like to be part of our cast please contact Cantor Paula Baruch.

pbaruch@anshesholom.ca
GREAT NEWS! This wonderful group will continue into January. The regulars are LOVING it! Try it out!

REGISTER HERE

In our Temple Family

  • THANK YOU to Laura Cattari for her participation in last week's Kabbalat Shabbat service and for technical assistance for our ZOOM online service.
  • HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Nathan Apel, Catherine Weddum, Andrew Singer, Barry Levitt, Ian Yanover, Richard Epand, Dora Ann Cohen Ellison, Ellen Orgel, David Horwood, Norm Eby and Amanda Murdoch

YIZKOR    
יזכור 


This week we are remembering:

Sheloshim
Fay Radzinski
Sura Apel
Alessa Fisher
Lily Curtis
John Stein
Myra Simon
Anne Aronson
Sam Horwood

Yahrzeit
Bertha Peters, Chaim David, David Nisker, Robert Dain, Eliazer Apel, Elsa Stadler, Frank Sussman, Giulia Acciaroli, Howard Michael Bregman, Jack L. Tick, Jeanette Enkin, Louis Mendes da Costa, Lucy De Leon, Mary Berlin, Morris Borofsky, Moses Simon, Nathan Gelber, Pauline Mossman, Rachel Leah bat Yisrael Yosef, Ruth Hanover, Ruth Lederer, Sharon Nagler, Sidney Weinberg, Sybil Smith, Tema Yanover, Tzipa Paikin, Wilf Gerofsky
IMPORTANT UPDATE ON YAHRZEIT RECORDS

If you are a Temple Anshe Sholom Member, we invite you review and update your Yahrzeit records with us. We are undergoing an update of our database and need your input. SHULCLOUD is the program our office uses to keep track of your family's account and life-cycle events. PLEASE login to your account on ShulCloud and check the information there for accuracy. Our weekly reading of Yahrzeit names depends on this data. Contact Brenda McAlpine in our office for assistance. 905-528-0121 ext 22  OR bmcalpine@anshesholom.ca

READ MORE ABOUT THIS PROJECT ON OUR WEBSITE
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215 Cline Ave North, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 2A1

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Temple Anshe Sholom · 215 Cline Avenue North · Hamilton, ON L8S 4A1 · Canada

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