It’s time to get back to normal, but, what is normal? Is there still a normal?
For us Jews the normal has always been and always will be consistent with our G-d given values, morals, and ethics. Our family first values and traditions, community life, prayer and the respect for, and celebration of life.
We are happy to report that our synagogue has been conducting daily and Shabbat services for a very small amount of regular attendees for a few weeks now. We have been adhering to all covid guidelines, and thank G-d all are well.
As of this Shabbat we will be officially opening to our Bris Avrohom of Fair Lawn community.
Please see below for schedule and services, as well as safety guidelines.
We will continue to provide our online Shabbat print resources for those that are not yet ready to return to Synagogue.
We look forward to seeing you soon, and drink L’chaim to our continued good health and happiness.
May we continue to share good news!
Sincerely,
Rabbi Mendel & Elke Zaltzman
Supporting our community
As we open Synagogue, we continue to provide online resources for you, and for those who are not ready to join Synagogue just yet.
A Swiss tourist in Tel Aviv is looking for directions and pulls up at a bus stop where two Israelis are waiting.
”Entschuldigung Sie Bitte, koennen Sie Deutsch sprechen?” he says.
The two Israelis just stare at him. “Excusey-moi, parlez vous Francais?”
The two continue to stare.
“Parlare Italiano?”
No response.
“Hablan ustedes Espanol?”
Still nothing.
The Swiss tourist drives off, extremely disgusted and frustrated.
The first Israeli turns to his friend and says, “You know, maybe we should learn a foreign language…”
“Why?” says his friend, “that fellow knew four languages and that didn’t do him any good!”
WEEKLY eTORAH
Some conclusions are more obvious than others. Sometimes the most obvious conclusion isn’t necessarily correct. Drawing our own conclusions can often be a risky business.
Take the case in this week’s Parshah. The spies sent by Moses return from their reconnaissance mission of the Promised Land with a frightening report about the fierce warrior nations of Canaan. The Jewish people are dejected and frightened, and even weep at the thought of their impending invasion, convinced it can only be a suicidal mission impossible. The Almighty is angered, the people are punished for their lack of faith in His promise, and the spies go down in history as the villains in the story.
But why? What, in fact, was their sin? Moses asked for a report of the land. They came back and reported exactly what they had seen. They told no lies. The land was formidable. The inhabitants were huge and powerful. The fruits were extraordinarily large. They even brought back samples to prove it. So, if it was all true, why were they punished?
The answer lies not in the report, but in their conclusion. The facts as the spies presented them were entirely accurate. The sin was their conclusion, “We will not be able to go up to that people, for it is too strong for us.” Moses had sent them on a fact-finding mission. Their job was to bring back information. Nobody asked them for their personal opinions. The whole point of their mission was to gather the data necessary for the Israelites to find the best way of conquering the land. That they would do so was a given. G‑d had promised them the land, told them of its natural beauty and assured them of success.
The same G‑d who just miraculously delivered you from Egypt, the mightiest superpower on earth; split the sea for you; and revealed Himself in all His glory to you at Sinai—has now said that the Promised Land is there waiting for you. And, after all He has done for you, you turn around and publicly doubt His power to help you succeed? This is not only a mistake in judgment. This is shameful, sinful and faithless. The spies’ report was correct, but their conclusion was disastrous.
The facts are there for all of us to see. The question is how to interpret them. If we have a preconceived position and then manipulate the data to draw conclusions that suit us, we may come off clever at first, but in the end we may well go the way of the spies. Without faith, even the most accurate information can lead to the wrong conclusion.
