From the Rabbi - May 2000

Dear Friends,

As I near the end of this, my fourth year as your rabbi, I am just now beginning to feel the rhythms of life at Congregation Albert. This is very important to me. Judaism teaches us that every aspect of our lives is based on cycles and rhythms. Holidays and sacred times, weekly torah portions, yahrtzeits and anniversaries serve the function of providing yearly markers that seem to come faster with each passing season.

The coming month is, as always, filled to the brim with special events. There is not a Sunday afternoon or evening in May when we do not have something happening: from celebrating Yom Ha-Atzmaut (Israel Independence Day), to our wonderful TASTY play "A Higher Ground." In May, we install our sisterhood board and thank all of our wonderful teachers. We recognize devoted volunteers and members of our "Mitzvah Circle." We celebrate with adult B'not Mitzvah who are renewing their commitment to Judaism and Torah study. We come together to vote on a new budget and give thanks to our leaders as well as paving the way for new leadership. These are only a few of the important events that will be taking place in our community.

This year, the entire month of May also takes place during the counting of the Omer. As many of you already know, the Omer is the 7 week period between the holidays of Pesach and Shavuot. In the Torah, we are commanded to count these days which corresponds with the ancient Barley harvest. The Rabbis interpreted the period of the Omer as symbolizing a journey that begins with the liberation of the Exodus that we celebrate during Passover. Our journey reaches it's climax at the revelation at Sinai that we celebrate during Shavuot.

It has been our custom here at Congregation Albert to utilize the liturgy during the seven shabbatot that take place from Pesach to Shavuot as an opportunity to reflect on our journeys from liberation to redemption. We celebrate both the freedoms that we take for granted and the struggles that await us on a personal, communal and spiritual level.

May all of you find a true sense of spiritual awakening during your journey. May the liberating joy of Pesach bring you to a new understanding of the possibilities for enlightenment that can be found in Torah, prayer and the practice of Tikkun Olam - repairing our world.

I look forward to seeing you at all of our special events during the next few weeks.

B'Shalom,
Rabbi Joseph R. Black

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