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Our JCPodcast for Thanksgiving!

Welcome to the second episode of the JCPodcast! Every few weeks, in lieu of a written D’var Torah, Rabbi Deena and Rabbi Jacob will share a brief discussion about an interesting and relevant Jewish topic. This week, in honor of Thanksgiving, we’re talking about Jewish practices that help us cultivate and express our gratitude. Listen to the podcast here and check out the animated version on our Youtube channel!

If you’re looking to give back during this season of gratitude, we hope you will join us to volunteer. Check out our community service opportunities here! 

We hope that you and your loved ones had a meaningful Thanksgiving. We’re so grateful for our JCP community. 

Shabbat shalom, 

Deena & Jacob

I Carry You in my Heart: First Reflections from the JCP Solidarity Mission to Israel

As we close the Book of Shemot (Exodus) with Parashat Pekudei this week, we read about the consecration of the Mishkan, the public place where the Israelites will pray, and the role of the Kohen Gadol, the High Priest who will lead worship. 

As he prays, the Kohen Gadol wears elaborate garments, the centerpiece of which is the Choshen Mishpat, the Breastplate of Judgement. This Breastplate contains twelve precious stones, one representing each of the twelve Israelite tribes. These stones remind the Kohen Gadol that he approaches God not on his own behalf, but on behalf of all of his people. The symbolism of the Choshen always reminds me of the first few lines of the famous E.E. Cummings poem: 

i carry your heart with me(i carry it in

my heart)i am never without it(anywhere

i go you go,my dear;and whatever is done

by only me is your doing,my darling)

The Kohen Gadol carries the heart of the people as he encounters the Divine.

As I journeyed with the incredible cohort of the JCP Solidarity Mission to Israel, I felt as though each person I met, each story I heard, was a precious stone—like the one on the Breastplate of the Kohen Gadol—that I will carry in my heart forever. 

The stones on the Breastplate were diverse in color and character. The stones that I gathered, the people we met and the experiences we had, were equally varied, and comprised the rich religious, political, and cultural diversity of Israeli society. Yet they all came together to create a resilient, strong, and robust collective

I want to share some of their stories with you: 

Hostage Square in Tel Aviv

JCP Mission Participants at Hostage Square

On our first evening, we visited the Headquarters of the Hostages and Missing Families Forum to meet with Shelly Shem Tov, mother of Omer Shem Tov (21), who is still being held as a hostage in Gaza. Shelly shared the heartbreaking story of watching Omer’s phone location move into Gaza on October 7. Shelly maintains her strength, even after more than 140 days of her beloved son in captivity. She heard from one of Omer’s friends, who was in captivity with Omer and later released, that Omer tries to keep Shabbat even in Gaza and that he has faith in God. His faith bolsters hers, from afar. Her requests to us? To spread the stories of the hostages, and to keep their plight on the forefront of our minds and hearts so that the world won’t forget them. 

Kibbutz Nir Oz

Kibbutz Nir Oz

Kibbutz Nir Oz

The next day we visited Kibbutz Nir Oz and were guided on a tour by Yiftach Cohen, who grew up on the kibbutz. We walked from house to house, learning the individual stories of devastation and heroism that took place on October 7. We visited the home of Liat and Aviv Atzili, cousins of JCP community member Ilana Fischer. Liat was kidnapped on October 7 and has thankfully been released, while Aviv was tragically killed during the attack. Liat recently wrote a beautiful and moving essay in the New York Times; her courageous perspective is uplifting. While the pain is overwhelming, I was inspired by the community’s desire to rebuild their beautiful sanctuary. The road will be long and uncertain, but they are determined. And we will be there to help. 


While on Kibbutz Nir Oz and the site of the Nova Festival in Re’im, we were only about a mile away from the Gaza border. The devastation wrought upon the communities and cities within Israel that dot the Gaza border was overwhelming to behold. Peace-seeking homes and villages, idyllic places to live and raise families only a few months ago, were now hollow skeletons of houses and piles of wood and ash. While many Israelis we met had different answers about how to ensure that an attack like this will never reoccur (should it be through military means? diplomatic or political ones? some combination?), it was a stark reminder of the impossibility of living with the threat of Hamas terrorism on Israel’s border. And yet, as the earth shook and my heart jumped with the sounds of artillery being launched into Gaza, it was also impossible to escape the knowledge of the fear, hunger, and loss of innocent life that Palestinian civilians have now been facing for so many months. Being so close to the violence was a sobering reminder of the humanitarian and spiritual toll of this dark time in human history.

JCP Mission Participants with Mohammad Darawshe, Director of Strategy at Givat Haviva  

We also met Orly Erez-Likhovski, Executive Director of the Israel Religious Action Center (IRAC). Orly and her team are committed to making Israel a place where all people—no matter their religion, observance level, or marital or immigration status—are treated with dignity. Though the lives of all Israelis have been impacted by the war, IRAC’s work remains vital in shaping Israeli society and determining what Israel’s character will be after the war is over. 

Rabbi Deena and Orly Erez-Likhovski, Executive Director of the Israel Religious Action Center

These are just a few of the precious stones—stories, people, and places—that I am bringing back with me from Israel, that I carry in my heart. I hope you will talk with more JCP Mission participants—they each have their own stories and experiences that they have brought home. I know they will inspire you. 

Cummings ends his poem with the following lines. To me, it is a powerful prayer: 

here is the deepest secret nobody knows

(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud

and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows

higher than soul can hope or mind can hide)

and this is the wonder that’s keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart(i carry it in my heart)

I hold the people of Israel close to my heart as I pray for a speedy return of the hostages, for a swift end to the crisis in Gaza, and for resilience, strength, and love to grow higher than the soul can hope or mind can hide. 

Shabbat shalom, 

Deena

JCP Mission Participants at the Kotel

Family Mitzvah Day with Supplies for Success

Join us in the JCP lobby for a family day of Mitzvah! Children in Pre-K—2nd Grade will help pack backpacks with essential school supplies which will be distributed to NYC students in need by Supplies for Success. Supplies for Success is a non-profit that aims to help ensure equal access to education to all children by providing essential tools for learning and confidence.

This event is generously sponsored by Hanna & Bret Richheimer and Jessica & Todd Jacobs.

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Creating Holiness

This week, I found myself searching and searching for something meaningful to say about the Torah portion, parashat Vayakhel, which details the building of the ancient Tabernacle. How I wished to be inspired by the description of the artistry involved in building a space for God, by the lampstand made of pure gold, by planks of acacia wood, by the cloths of goat hair! Despite the detail, I found it difficult to imagine—much less be inspired by—this place of offering to God. 

Rabbi Rachel Adler explains why the Torah goes, repeatedly, into such painstaking detail about the Tabernacle (a structure whose existence many scholars debate): “How the temple is designed and furnished and where objects are positioned express symbolically what its builders believe about the nature of the cosmos.” 

In other words, when our ancestors designed their sacred space for God, they sought to reflect the glory of the universe. No wonder they furnished it with pure gold, beautiful wood, and luxurious fabrics. How many of us do something similar when creating our own homes, our own personal sanctuaries, evoking elegance and comfort? 

Furthermore, the Torah tells us over and over again that everyone was moved to participate. Women and men donated jewelry, the most talented artisans stepped up to design and decorate —so many things were offered for the building of the sanctuary that Moses eventually had to tell the people to stop bringing gifts: they had brought enough! 

Yet one difference between the Tabernacle and our own homes is that the Tabernacle was meant to be portable: deconstructed and reconstructed as the Israelites camped in new places in the desert. So much effort went into designing and constructing a structure that would only be taken down and recreated. No wonder we need such detailed descriptions!

Another difference between the Tabernacle and our own living spaces, however, is greater than portability. Our homes are personal and private, while the Tabernacle is a space shared by the entire community. The tabernacle is meant to be a place used by all the people: from beloved friends to the irritating nemesis, family members who are sometimes lovely and other times overbearing, the person who always speaks for too long, and so on. 

The Torah portion this week begins with the word Vayakhel, meaning “gather” or “convoke.” The whole community is brought together for a sacred purpose. But what is that sacred purpose? It is defined by its wholeness, its radical inclusion. We are reminded repeatedly in this Torah portion that everyone participated in the building of the Tabernacle, that our sacred spaces are for each of us. 

This Shabbat, whether we are focusing on our own homes or the wider JCP community, we have the opportunity to consider: what can I lovingly bring? How can my words or actions create a space of welcome, inclusion, and holiness?

Shabbat shalom, 

Sam

The Seemingly Impossible

This week’s Torah portion contains the account of the Golden Calf: the Israelites, fresh out of Egypt and wandering the desert, build a golden calf to worship instead of God. For this great mistake, many lose their lives. It’s an intense story of action and punishment, or of action and consequence, if you prefer. But in reading it this week, I found a different message. 

Instead of the story of a “stiffnecked people” (a phrase repeated multiple times in this Torah portion) punished by God, I found a story of a people afraid, who make a big mistake, and a process toward healing and wholeness. Let’s dive into it. 

First of all, the Israelites don’t make a golden calf because they are bored and vain. They make a golden calf because they want a god to accompany them through the desert: “The people saw that Moses took so long coming down from the mountain [where he was talking to God], they congregated before Aaron and said, ‘Come, let us make us a god who shall go before us, for that fellow Moses — who brought us out of Egypt — we do not know what has happened to him!’” (Exodus 32:1). Rashi, a medieval commentator, explains that the Israelites think that Moses is dead, and they need a god to lead the way. What could be more logical than replacing a dead leader with a new guide? Through this lens, their action makes perfect sense!

Next, God (the omniscient), sees that the people have begun to make a golden calf. He tells Moses: “Leave me alone, so that I might destroy them in my anger!” (Exodus 32:10). But Moses advocates on the peoples’ behalf, pleading with God to be compassionate. “Think of what people will say!” Moses appeals to God—it won’t look good if you rescued us from Egypt only to destroy us in the desert. “Remember our ancestors, and the promises you made to them,” Moses adds, and God relents (Exodus 32:14). 

But the story doesn’t end here. When Moses sees the people worshiping the golden calf, he himself becomes incensed. He sees that they have become “out of control” and sends the priests to regain control. Some 3,000 people are killed, and then God sends a plague. But this harsh punishment isn’t the end of the story. 

No, the story ends with God taking some time to cool off and reconsider the next steps. Moses intercedes on behalf of the people—but this time, in full view of the people. They won’t again fear losing him. 

Moses says: “If I have truly gained Your favor [O God], pray let me know Your ways, that I may know You and continue in Your favor. Consider, too, that this nation is Your people.” God responds, compassionately: “I will go in the lead and will lighten your burden.” (Exodus 33:13-14). Wow—what a shift! Once God and Moses have both calmed down, they both seem eager to reunite. Moses says: “Unless You lead us, do not make us leave this place.” 

What an incredible resolution—both sides proclaiming their desire to continue on together. I would have thought that the story of the Israelites could have ended with the golden calf, so angry were both Moses and God! Instead, they tried every tool in their arsenals: calming one another down; then acting from anger; calming down yet again, and finally, refocusing on the bigger picture. 

Perhaps this story of purposeful resolution, despite seemingly impossible odds, can offer us hope—both individually and as we consider the continuation of the painful war in Israel and Gaza—as we look to the days ahead. 

Shabbat shalom, 

Rabbi Sam 

Yom Haatzmaut Community Celebration

Join the JCP community at our Yom Haatzmaut Community Celebration on May 14! We’ll enjoy Israeli bites and learn from those who participated in JCP’s Solidarity Mission to Israel as they share their experiences and insights. Registration and time of event coming soon. 

Shavuot Ice Cream Party

Join your friends at JCP to enjoy ice cream and to celebrate the Torah! We’ll spend time together at JCP, digging our spoons into ice cream from The Urban Cone and celebrating the holiday of Shavuot. We’ll also have crafts, music, and a celebration of the Torah with Rabbi Deena. Please note this is not a drop off event—all children 3rd grade and under must have adult supervision.

Registration and time of event coming soon.

 

The Climate for Jewish Students on Campus Today: A Conversation with the Hartman Institute

Join JCP for an evening with the Hartman Institute at this home-hosted event. We will hear from three outstanding student leaders currently on NYC campuses, all graduates of the Shalom Hartman Hevruta gap year program. Our conversation will be facilitated by Tilly Shemer, Senior Vice President of Wellspring at the Shalom Hartman Institute where she leads the organization’s work with young adults ages 15-25. High school juniors and seniors welcome. 

Reach out to Nathalie to join.

Second Night Seder

Experience an entertaining Seder with a modern twist and the story of Pharaoh and Moses reimagined in NYC, with special guest Danielle Brody of Jews in Doodles. This is open to all ages and includes dinner!
The seder will be community-oriented and interactive.
We’ll follow “Don’t Fu-haggadah-boudit,” a funny, timely, illustrated Haggadah that is written for adults, but it’s appropriate for all ages, inclusive for newcomers, and interactive.

JCP Members—use code “SEDER” for $20 off your ticket! Not a member? Learn more here.

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Tot Shabbat

Join Rabbi Deena and Musician-in-Residence Molly Rose for a joyful and musical Shabbat morning experience for families with children up to five years of age! Come together for song, dance, prayer, and stories, followed by grape juice and challah. This event is free of charge. 

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