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Fifteenth of Av – 2024

By Leave a Comment Filed Under: Congregational Happenings, Holidays

We had a beautiful meeting on the occasion of the 15th of Av.

15th of Av, known as Tu B’Av, is one of the most moving days on the Jewish calendar. It’s a celebration of love and joy, which symbolizes renewal and hope. In the Jewish tradition, 15 Av is the day when the mourning for the Destruction of the Temple ended. After many difficult days and months, the Jews begin to celebrate life and love.[…]

Wisdom and Unwavering Joy

By Leave a Comment Filed Under: Holidays, Sermons

Thoughts on Simchat Torah 5784

Why do we read the Book of Kohelet, the most ‘existentialist’ book of the Hebrew Bible, on Sukkot – the most joyous among the Jewish holidays? It seems to contradict the spirit of Sukkot! Did the rabbis want to put limits on our joy and happiness? Were they afraid that we might have become too happy? That’s exactly one of the (many) answers! Rabbi Azaryah Figo (1579-1647) in his Binah L’itim (published in Venice in 1648) connects the[…]