Do you despair, become bitter and ask why me? Do you stand strong and weather the storm? Or do you see it as an opportunity?
In this week’s Torah portion we find that the very same snake that was the agent of destruction became the agent of healing (see Numbers 21:5–9)
The Hebrew word for crisis is Mashber. However, Mashber also means birthing-stool, because a crisis always carries the potential for re-birth and growth.
Consider a seed. For a tiny seed to produce a majestic tree it must first rot in the earth. As long as the seed remains in its shell, it is limited by that shell. It is the rotting that enables it to grow. Life works the same way. When
facing a crisis we must remember that the “rotting” provides the opportunity for radical growth.
We all hope to avoid crisis, but when it is forced upon us, those who perceive crisis as an opportunity will be better positioned to act on it.
Just as in the micro so too in the macro. These days the world seems to be in a perpetual state of crisis. It is painful, confusing and dangerous, however the greater the crisis, the greater the opportunity. Our responsibility is not merely to manage the crises but to find creative ways to transform them into opportunities.
May we merit that the crises that we are experiencing in the world today become the catalyst to a new world order of peace and prosperity.
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Sholom Schmerling
Judaism 101
A Crash Course on Jewish basics!
Are you puzzled by parts of Judaism?
Does your family ask you questions about Jewish practices?
Do you have trouble explaining Jewish customs?
Do you want to discover what it means to be Jewish?
Join Rabbi Sholom Schmerling for a four-week premier course on the foundations of Jewish life.
Tuesday's continues on June 26 | 7:30 - 8:45 PM
Free of Charge. Please RSVP
Judaism 101 examines the "How's & Why's" of being Jewish. It is designed to give you an appreciation and basic knowledge of some of the fundamentals of Judaism.
Blending the spiritual and the practical "Judaism 101" will deepen your knowledge and appreciation of Judaism and wet your appetite for continued growth and study in pursuit of your heritage.
This year, once again we will be publishing the calendar for the upcoming Jewish New Year 5779. Featuring a wealth of Jewish information, dates and art, the calendar has become a hit in hundreds of Jewish homes throughout the area.
Aside from being an amazing resource for Jewish Community, the Jewish Art Calendar enables Chabad to raise the much needed funds to help us better serve the community.
This year we are offering YOU the opportunity to be a part of this worthy endeavor.
By being a sponsor and placing your ‘Shana Tova” New Year greeting in the calendar you can help us continue our vital work of enhancing Jewish life, education & celebration.
If you have any questions or require additional information, please call our office at 941-493-2770 or email us at: [email protected]. If you would like to participate, please fill out the form here.
We thank you in anticipation of your prompt and generous reply.
Service Times
Shabbat day
Every Saturday 10:00 am
Torah & Kabbalah Study 9:30 am
followed by Luncheon Kiddush & Farbrengen
Sponsored by Avram & Lena Stekolshchik
Humor
It's the yahtzeit of Herman Mendelbaum's death and his widow decides to make a pilgrimage to the cemetery to recite a prayer over his grave and place a small stone, as is the tradition, to show that the deceased is remembered.
She arrives at the cemetery, but it being a while since she had been there, she is confused and cannot find poor Herman's grave site. Finally, she comes across a grounds-keeper who escorts her to a small chapel on the cemetary grounds where the records are kept.
Pouring over large maps and lists, he finally turns to the widow and says, "I can find no record of a Herman Mendelbaum buried here. The closest I can find is a Sadie Mendelbaum."
"That's him!" she exclaims. "He always put everything in my name."
Your Questions Can Wine Be Holy? I am a Muslim. In my religion, wine is forbidden. Does Judaism honestly believe that such a sensual indulgence can be considered holy?
Parshah The Consolations of Mortality Before any of the deaths are mentioned we read about the strange ritual of the red heifer, which purified people
who had been in contact with death – the archetypal source of impurity. That ritual, often deemed incomprehensible, is in fact deeply symbolic.
Story The Lost Boy and the Secret Slip of Parchment “I have three very strong
horses, fast as deer,” he whispered. “If you’re willing to pay, I’ll take the
innkeeper and his family to a city far from here. Tonight.”
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