Shalom All,
As we begin the month of April this year we find ourselves in the midst of Passover. The matzah, charoset, and maror are still fresh on our lips, and there is comfort in its familiarity. We celebrated together, as best we could, somehow finding community through our computers. Even the Zoom, which has allowed us to maintain connections with one another is starting to feel normal, though I yearn for the days when we can be together again in person.
Unfortunately, those days are still to come and we will be forced to continue our virtual meetings and services for a bit longer. This inevitably means that our Yom HaShoah commemoration this month will also have to be over Zoom. The Thaler Holocaust Education Committee is, once again, inviting a survivor to speak to our community’s high schools and colleges. This year that person is Marion Blumenthal Lazan. A few of her sessions on Wednesday and Thursday next week are open to the public and there are links in this bulletin where you can register to hear her. I hope you will be able to do so.
Typically, her talk would be included as part of an ecumenical Holocaust Remembrance Service, but that won’t be the case this year. Instead we will be hosting a Yom HaShoah service for just our Temple Judah community, on Thursday, April 8th, at 7:00 pm. This will again be a Zoom service and a link for it will be included in the Temple Happenings email next week. As happened last year, I have a number of readings that we’ll be sharing together. You can also participate by lighting a yahrzeit candle during our service in remembrance of the 6 million Jews who perished during the Holocaust. Anyone who wants a candle can either contact me or the Temple office and we will make sure you get one. I hope you will all be able to join us.
During our service, this is one of the things we will read, “We light candles in memory of the light of the millions of people, extinguished in the Holocaust. We gather to remember the time of horror, to mourn our dead, to reflect on the innocence and courage of the martyrs. We reassert our commitment to a world where all people will live together in peace and justice, with kindness, compassion, charity, mercy, and love.”
Zichrono Liv’racha
May their memories be a blessing to us and all the world.
Shalom,
Rabbi Todd