"To be a teacher in the right sense is to be a learner.  I am not a teacher, only a fellow student."  (Soren Kierkegaard)

• Home
• Professional Staff
• Board of Directors
• Calendar
• Ritual Events
• Education
  • Religious School
  • Adult Education
• Auxiliary Organizations
  • Youth Groups
  • Old Enough To Know Better
  • 50 is the New 30
  • Sisterhood
  • Men's Club
• Tikkun Olam
• Cemetery
• Volunteer Opportunities
• Donations & Payments
• Beth Sholom News
• Contact Us

A FEW PRE-SHABBAT WORDS FROM RABBI AARON

Flood

This Shabbat we revisit the Flood, God, Noah, his family, humanity - many layers to this rich ancient narrative. Flood is a powerfully apt metaphor for a great deal of unease and turbulence felt in many corners of the American landscape, really all around our world. The Occupy Wall Street (along with its many offshoots) is articulating a flood of anxiety and indignation surrounding the rich becoming (even) richer while the other 99% slide even further toward the ledge. The huge rippling political earthquake we call the Arab Spring is reflecting a flood of feelings (some of them quite violent) about longstanding tyranny and corruption throughout the Arab world. And on the literal level we've seen the awesome and mighty Mississippi (largely) sparing our city even as many other towns felt the punishing power of the river.

As I type these word into my shiny new iPhone I'm sitting on a bench on a quiet stretch of green in Leisure Village in Camarillo, California. My parents live here. I had expected them to join us for the second half of Sukkot but when they learned that my dad has pancreatic cancer, plans changed, which brings me here for a few days - before the flood of the biopsy and the second opinion and the chemo and everything else. Flood resonates for me in some unanticipated ways this year. I am flooded with a range of emotions; anxiety about the coming days and weeks, guilt about living so far away. I am flooded with memories here; There's artwork I gave my folks a lifetime ago, photos filling the fridge, there's my noticing my dad's toes on my son's feet, my dad's walk in mine and in Zohar's. There's my noticing my dad's face when I look in the mirror, my hearing my dad's tunes when I chant the High Holy Day davening. It is all a flood, and it's quite a challenge to climb above the waters.

When Noah sent the dove forth she had a tough time finding her footing and this Shabbat I'm feeling for the dove. I have to tell you that your many words and generous gestures of encouragement have greatly bolstered the spirits of my family. You all have reminded me what a kehilla is supposed to be about. I will always be grateful to you for this.

I know that there are some difficult chapters ahead but I draw comfort from my dad who loves to constantly quote Torah (other folks Google it in; I call Dad). Referencing God speaking to Moshe, my dad says: daber el b'nei yisrael v'yisa'u - "tell the Israelites to move forward."

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Aaron

Click any of the images below to view the complete pdf file (some pdf files are more than one page)