Rabbi Amy L. Morrison
There is a Chasidic story that tells of Rabbi Baruch’s grandson, Yechiel, who was once playing hide-and-seek with another child. He hid himself well and waited for his playmate to find him. When, after a long wait, he came out of his hiding-place, the other was nowhere to be seen. It seemed his friend had not looked for him at all.
That made the boy cry and, crying, he ran to his grandfather and complained of his friend. Then tears brimmed in Rabbi Baruch’s eyes, and he said: God says the same thing: I hide, but sometimes no one comes looking for me either.
This week’s Torah portion, Vayeira, challenges Sarah’s faith in God. What happens, when, like our matriarch Sarah, we too question God’s presence and assume our solitude in this realm? How often do we fall back onto questioning faith and grasp tightly only on facts and identifiable possibilities?
This Shabbat, I challenge each one of us to try and shift our perspectives when we find our faith faltering or fleeting. Possibly God is there all along and it is us, those clinging to concretized facts’ that is not seeking the connection or the possibility of God’s voice. Maybe its our turn to find God.
Announcements
Saturday, Nov. 16
10am - Shabbat Morning Service & Bat Mitzvah of Lucy Auld
Sunday, Nov. 17
8:45am - Brotherhood Schmooze
9:30am - Religious School - Family Participation Day - Kindergarten Class
Monday, Nov. 18
2pm - Women’s Spirituality CirclePrivate Residence
Tuesday, Nov. 19
8:50am - TBE Walks - Sawgrass Lake Park
Upcoming Events
IfyouarenewtoTempleBeth-El,welcome!
OPENCOMMUNITYCREATESENGAGING&DIVERSEJEWISHPATHWAYS
LocatedinSt.PetersburgonFlorda'sbeautifu westcoast,TempleBeth-E isaReform Jewishcongregationthathasservedthisareasince1928andisfocusedon strengthenngreationshipsandmakingconnections.WeareawelcomingReform communityforJewshandinterfaithhouseholdstoexperienceanupliftingandjoyful senseofbeongingasweseektoconnectourmemberswitheachotherandthe greatercommunityandworldaroundus EnjoyandhaveaShabbatShalom!
Torah Portion
Parashat Vayeira: Genesis 18:1-22:24
Saturday, November 16, 2024 / 15 Cheshvan 5785
Abraham welcomes three visitors, who announce that Sarah will soon have a son. (18:1-15)
Abraham argues with God about the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. (18:16-33)
Lot's home is attacked by the people of Sodom. Lot and his two daughters escape as the cities are being destroyed. Lot's wife is turned into a pillar of salt. (19:1-29)
Lot impregnates his daughters, and they bear children who become the founders of the nations Moab and Ammon. (19:30-38)
Abimelech, king of Gerar, takes Sarah as his wife after Abraham claims that she is his sister (20:1-18)
Isaac is born, circumcised, and weaned. Hagar and her son, Ishmael, are sent away; an angel saves their lives. (21:1-21)
God tests Abraham, instructing him to sacrifice Isaac on Mount Moriah. (22:1-19)
Relax! God put the wiggle in children. Don’t fee you have to suppress it in our sanctuary or chapel
Sit towards the front where it is easier for your little ones to see and hear what is happening on the Bima. They tire of seeing the backs of other’s heads.
Quietly explain our rituals and sing or clap when appropriate Children learn liturgical behavior by copying you
If you need to leave services with your child, do so, but please come back.
Remember that the way we welcome children in synagogue directly affects the way they respond to coming to synagogue, to God, to one another Let them know that they are welcome in this house of worship, here, at Temple Beth-El
Cantor Pamela Siskin
Memorial Choir
As a professional Cantor, Pamela knew quite well the power of music to bring us together, connecting to one another and to God. She thus inspired us to start the Temple’s adult choir in January and was overjoyed to attend our very first rehearsal.
Under the direction of Cantorial Soloist Joyce Liu, the choir members are honored to carry on Pamela’s “adorable” legacy. If you ’ ve attended a Shabbat service with the choir, you know that we are already adding extra joy and ruach (spirit) to our community.
Save the Dates!
Louis Arotlin*
Paul Backer*
Martin Bader
Herbert Boksen*
Albert Bunin*
Irving A. Eichenbaum*
Betty Gloria Englander*
Marion Fortunoff*
Belle Friedman*
Fay Fuldauer*
Arzena Conrad Ginsberg*
Mitchell Goldstein*
Yahrzeits Shabbat Spotlight the
Paul Grossman
Sophie Grove*
Edward Kunitz
Martin Lebowitz
Sophie Lees*
Ruth Leveen*
Milton Milch*
Florence Miller
Leif Nissen
Lorraine M Ott
Genevieve Polack*
Yetta Pollack
Samuel Rickman*
Brenda Carol Rochman
Milton Erwin Rochman
Dave Rubin
Joseph Schwartz
Rose Schwartz*
Edward Scully
Julia Snyder
Nathan Snyder
George Weinstein*
Jacob Weinstein*
*Denotes plaque in Memorial Alcove
Reach out to us with any questions.
Amy L. Morrison - Rabbi
727-347-6136 - RabbiMorrison@TempleBeth-El com
Tracy Nash - Bookkeeper 727-347-6136 - Bookkeeper@TempleBeth-El.com
Tara O’Donnell - Early Childhood Center Director
727-350-5885 - Tara@TempleBeth-El.com
Josh Gamson - Director of Teen & Youth Engagement 727-347-6136 - Josh@TempleBeth-El.com
Tovah Feld - Communications & Engagement Coordinator 727-347-6136 - Tovah@TempleBeth-El.com
Allison Fowler - Executive Assistant to Rabbi 727-347-6136 - Allison@TempleBeth-El.com
Bobby Gerry - Maintenance Coordinator 727-347-6136 - Maintenance@TempleBeth-El.com
Mike Shapiro - Temple President 727-347-6136 - President@TempleBeth-El.com
