We are now in the week of Rosh Hashana.
The last two weeks have been a whirlwind with each day bringing another difficult-to-believe feat by the IDF.
The whole leadership of the most advanced and well funded terror organization in the world, crumbling like a cheap suit.
We ought to pinch ourselves to make sure this is true. Truly miraculous!
Yet, this past year has been anything but easy. So much pain yet so much beauty. So much loss yet so much opportunity. So difficult to make sense of it all yet the need to march forward with pride and determination.
We rarely get to choose what’s thrown our way but we are entirely empowered to choose how to respond.
As I prepare sermons and collect my thoughts for a Holiday that will be inspirational, joyous yet reflective and empowering — I reread the story of Rachel Edrie the mother and grandmother in Ofakim who staved off terrorist with coffee and cookies for 20 hours till she was saved by Israeli security forces.
Rachel quickly became a sensation. Her clearheadedness and immense faith helped saved her and her husband’s life.
By popular request, she later shared the recipe for her cookies. Here’s a link to it. You may want to integrate some deep feelings into your Rosh Hashana meal — this is one way to do so.
How about this for a topic. Thousands of non-Jews order mezuzahs after a pro-Israel Christian puts one on her door in solidarity.
Or researching one of the remaining hostages in captivity and sharing a quality of theirs at the Rosh Hashana meal.
It’s been well documented by released hostages that the knowledge they had of the public support whilst they were in captivity was a tremendous source of strength to them and sadly they won’t be celebrating — we need to do so for them at a minimum.
I wish just to end with the last words of the Israeli Prime Minister at the UN last week which rang so powerfully from a podium that rarely represents anything good for Israel.
With strength Bibi declared —Am Yisrael lives — Now. Tomorrow. Forever!! AMEN!
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From The Desk of Rabbi Yehuda
321… Happy New Year — HH Reflection
Tall and Proud
This Shabbat is the last one of the year— 5784.
A lot has happened in each of our own personal lives overt the year, and then there’s the collective reality of Am Yisrael — something that we all share in oh, such a deep and essential way.
Earlier this week I read an article referencing a report coming from the Arab Research Institute that concludes that “the firm stand of Israel is not what was expected. They expected that Israel would not last, that the pressures from home and abroad would overwhelm her”.
That’s not what caught my eye however. The report continues that this campaign (aka war)urges them to learn more about the “distraction and confusion tactics” used by the Israeli media which has flooded the Arab and Western media recently — with leaks about conflicts between Israeli officials on subjects about the war.
Simply put they can’t understand how despite all the conflicts internally in Israel and the seeming fracture in society, Israel is able to move forward as one collective body. The only explanation is that Israel is engaged in a disinformation war designed to confuse the enemy.
This is a Laugh Out Loud moment! We all know that the difference of opinion —very strong opinions that is— is the reality in Israel and the Jewish world as a matter of fact. We also know that the miracle of the Jewish nation, is that we are ONE nation.
Say what you want about this past year, one thing is indisputable. The level of oneness and unity that was experienced this year post October 7th is a life changer for each of us. It needs to be recorded in posterity because it highlights the indivisible nature of Am Yisrael seldom experienced — usually relegated to the books.
One Nation Undivided Under G-d! A truth that runs deeper than ALL other distractions and that has totally befuddled our enemies.
Indeed, it’s no surprise that the Shabbat before Rosh Hashana we always read the Torah portion called Nitzavim which means “standing firm and resolute”. It’s Moses’s last message to the Jewish nation and for this address “everyone” as in 
of the people were there as Moses passed the torch in covenant to the eternal nation.
In truth, we only know one way and that’s why we are here. The torch has been passed to us and difficult as it is — we are holding that torch firmly, with strength, pride and joy. Am Yisrael Chai!!
Bring on 5785 we have what it takes, we’ve proven that — SHABBAT SHALOM!!!
With best wishes for a Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Yehuda & Dina Kantor
Lessons in Gratitude!
It was a thoroughly explosive week.
Some say hat the preemptive nature of the exploding pagers in Lebanon is on the caliber of the preemptive strike that won Israel the war in 1967, The Six Day War.
I’m no expert on military or covert operations and though this is beyond wondrous and seems like a plot straight out of a movie, I am hardly surprised.
Our whole history is replete with wondrous moments and miracles. Some seeming supernatural and others appearing to be natural occurrences with such low odds of success that something deeper at play, screams out. The hand of G-d we know from experience, isn’t too short to provide in every which way.
Yet though I’m not surprised, it does draw forth tremendous gratitude to the Almighty. Gratitude is a foundational part of Judaism and this week’s Torah portion focuses specifically on this idea.
In Temple times we would bring the first fruits of the season (from specific species) to the Kohen and then go through a detailed ritual as we dedicated this bounty to Gd. We would proclaim the challenges of our history that very nearly derailed the very establishment of the Jewish nation and end with explicit praise and recognition for the great blessing of this new and fresh crop. It’s a long speech for a basket of freshly picked items and scrolling back hundreds of years to talk of the challenge seem a little overdone.
Yet suffice to say, it was an exercise and a lesson in appreciation. Not mere lip service or a quick grunt of appreciation rather, a text delineating and articulating the full extent of the blessing. The extent that can’t start with the beginning of the planting of this particular fruit, rather, all the steps beforehand that even afforded us the opportunity to plant.
This resulted in extreme joy. For joy always follows appreciation! On an average day, we move so fast, that not only don’t we have time to appreciate fully what we have we often don’t even realize that we have what to appreciate! Pause for reflection to be sure.
As we prepare for the New Year with our complete list of requests, let’s not forget to recognize and express our appreciation for all that we do have and let that serve as the spring board for the next set of blessings that will surely be coming our way — with joy and gratitude!!
With best wishes for a Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Yehuda & Dina Kantor
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Nature or Nurture
Nature or nurture, that is the question?
Truth is, it’s more a statement. The beauty of life is that we can always nurture and achieve even if it’s not so natural to us.
The opposite is also true. Mankind wasn’t created perfect; by design. We all have character traits that need perfecting. It takes discipline, creativity, resolve and a strong sense of wrong from right.
This week’s Torah portion spares no words when speaking of the ethical responsibility of a person to return a lost object or to help adjust a load on a pack animal that needs adjusting. Curiously however, after establishing the responsibility it explicitly prohibits “pretending” you don’t see the need. Conveniently not noticing the lost object or the seeming help needed.
The Torah is sparing with words so it jumps out when adding emphasis on not being mindful, on rationalizing if you will.
Nature. The Torah is obviously speaking to the nature of the human being but saying it needn’t be so. Nurture. We aren’t created finished products and that’s what makes life so exciting if not challenging.
We are currently in the month of Elul, the preparatory month for the High Holidays that are approaching. It’s a month of reflection of the past year and resolution for the year ahead. Gd beckons to us with extra closeness and added energies to achieve our goals and aspirations.
Basically it’s a month that we can transform nature through nurture. Case closed!
With best wishes for a Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Yehuda & Dina Kantor
P.S. As the New Year approaches we once again kick off our Partnership campaign — if you like what we do, please consider joining - here.
A Heartfelt Lesson!
This past week has been challenging for us all. The shocking news of the six hostages murdered in cold blood, has torn our hearts asunder.
We are one people. What happens to one happens to all. Yet it goes deeper.
We are one body. Each of us representing a different limb or organ. We are “one” at the core and at times like these it is highlighted.
Incredibly, the inspiration and lift that we all received was from the very person that was experiencing the grief on the deepest level.
The mother of Hersh Goldberg - Polin z’l, started her eulogy by the thanking Gd for the magnificent present of, my Hersh. “For 23 years I was privileged to have the stunning honor to be your Mama. I’ll take it and say thank you. I just wish it had been for longer”.
The strength to thank Gd and express appreciation at a time of such pain is beyond words. Yet it does give pause to reflect on just how much we all have and how much we ought to be grateful for. Do we acknowledge our blessings enough? Are we both thankful and joyous of our lots and making the most of it?
This week we ushered in the month of Elul. The preparatory month preceding the New Year. It’s a time of closeness to Gd, a time to reflect on the past year, make resolutions for the year ahead and to thank Gd for all the opportunities that we are afforded in our lives. The raw goods that are gifted to us from on High, with which we have the opportunity to create something way greater than the sum of its parts.
May the memories of Carmel Gat, Eden Yerushalmi, Hersh Goldberg, Alexander Lobanov, Almog Sarusi and Ori Danino be for a blessing and may we all help perpetuate their lives by adding one Mitzvah to our lives as we embark on the year ahead —5785 — for life and for peace, for gladness and joy, for salvation and for comfort and let us say, Amen!
With best wishes for a Shabbat Shalom and blessings that you and your family be inscribed for a good year,
Rabbi Yehuda & Dina Kantor