Dear Kol Rinah Family,
As I write this, a ceasefire has come into effect, it seems. While we don't know a precise timetable for next steps, it seems like hostages may be released in the coming days.
This coming during Sukkot, zman simchateinu, the "season of our rejoicing," feels apt, and almost ordained--what began at the end of that holiday two years ago concludes now in its midst. A time of joy that became filled with sorrow can once again be fully joyous, even as we still mourn all that we lost that day, and these two years since.
One of the ways that we've reacted to this attack--in Israel, clearly, but also here in America, is by doing what we can to make ourselves feel secure--militarily, with safety measures, and by putting up walls, whether literally or metaphorically--anyone who's not with us is against us.
Sukkot is a time when we leave our firmly-built houses and go outside to our temporary dwellings, which are less secure and protected--whether from people or the elements. We're making ourselves vulnerable to allow ourselves to be part of the world in a way that we don't always do the rest of the year.
This ceasefire, hostage release, and all that we hope will ensue, is a little bit like walking out from behind the firm walls we have built, and making ourselves vulnerable (even despite all the assurances that we have). This will, we hope, allow Israel, and the Jewish people, to be, once again, a part of the world in the ways we want to be.
We also know the battening down of the hatches, so to speak, the building up of our walls, these last two years, was never intended to be permanent. We always hoped a day would come when we could let our defenses down. We are not there entirely yet, but that seems at least a little closer.
As we leave a state of war and move into a ceasefire, we are holding breaths. We feel the tenuousness of this moment, in the same way that we feel the fragility of the sukkah. But the Mishna (Sukkah 2:9), our earliest post-Torah lawcode, tells us, "All seven days of Sukkot, a person renders their sukkah their permanent residence and their house their temporary residence."
We are going to be joyful in the sukkah of ceasefire. We're making it permanent for now. And we have hopes, but who knows what next week will bring. This too is a temporary space, until something new is built. Our new permanent is, God williing, not far off.
Every week at the end of this email I've been counting the number of days the hostages have been in captivity. As of today, it's 735 days, amidst the war in Gaza, where civilians continue to suffer. May all who are in captivity be released speedily from their bonds, and all who are suffering feel a sense of hope for what the future can hold.
I've been writing this Friday morning while sitting in my office with our visiting rabbinical student from the Jewish Theological Seminary, puck glass. It's already been so lovely to have a partner to think and write with, for just an hour! Many of the insights above are theirs, and all the mistakes are mine! They'll be here all the way through the end of Simchat Torah next week.
Much is happening these last few days of the holiday season.
Tonight, at 6pm we'll have mincha and ma'ariv. (Kabbalat Shabbat is greatly abbreviated because it's already the holiday time.)
Candle lighting is at 6:12pm.
Tomorrow morning we'll start at 9am, and services will include Hallel, reading from Ecclesiastes, and Hoshanot (special prayers for Sukkot). We don't use our lulav and etrog on Shabbat though, so you can leave them at home tomorrow.
At about 10:15am, our visiting JTS Ambassador puck glass will be leading Torah Talk, focused on something from Ecclesiastes.
Karen Kern will lead Tot Shabbat at 10:45am.
Kiddush will be in the Sukkah.
Shabbat ends at 7:08pm.
Sunday evening begins Hoshana Rabbah, the 7th day of Sukkot.
Bais Abe is hosting an evening of learning to which all are invited. It's cosponsored by CRC as well as Kol Rinah. I'll be teaching, as will be puck glass. Details and signup are here. It's always a very sweet, lovely evening, and I hope to see many of you there.
Monday morning, services for Hoshana Rabba will be in person at 7am in the sanctuary. This the craziest liturgical day of the entire year--come check it out! It involves beating willow branches on the floor.
Monday night at 6pm we'll have mincha and Erev Shemini Atzeret services, with Yizkor to follow, for those who will not be able to make it to Yizkor the following morning.
Candle lighting is at 6:08pm.
Tuesday morning, Shemini Atzeret services begin at 9am, and will include Geshem, the prayer for rain, as well as Yizkor (at about 10:45am).
Tuesday evening is erev Simchat Torah. Sign up for dinner at 5:30pm, and ma'ariv, hakafot and dancing and music will start at about 6:15pm.
Wednesday morning we'll do Simchat Torah again, starting at 9am.
The holiday, and all the holidays, end at 7:02pm Wednesday evening.
May the one who makes peace in the heavens make peace over us, and over all Israel, and over all who dwell in the world.
Shabbat shalom and see you in shul (or in the sukkah),
Rabbi Noah Arnow
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Phone: 314-727-1747