Cantor's Articles

Hello again everyone, 

I hope everyone is staying safe and warm this winter season.

Our Kesher and Youth programs are doing wonderfully. There is a lot of Ruah and participation.  It is truly wonderful to see the excitement from all of the students and participants.  

 As always, please remember to check your calendars, emails, and        Facebook page for upcoming events, announcements, and great pictures.

 Also, if you have not already done so, sign up for our new TEXT MESSAGING system (especially with snowy weather already happening.

Shabbat School and Shabbat B'Yachad Family Service: The next Shabbat School and Shabbat B'Yachad Family Service will be Shabbat, February 23rd (10am). We want every child and parent to attend to give everyone the best Shabbat morning experience possible.

NEW:TOT SHABBAT for little people and their adult friends (Toddlers through Kindergarten). The next one is on Shabbat, February 23rd (11am). Please tell your friends.

Service Attendance is a very important component in our Kesher          curriculum. Every student has an attendance card that can be found in a small box in the lobby. When you have attended a Friday night, Shabbat    morning, holiday, or weekday service please pull your name card. We are   keeping record each week. Great attendance will come with a reward.

Upcoming dates:

Hebrew High School - next session is on Wednesday, February 6th  and Wednesday, February 20th.

YOUTH NIGHT - next program is on Wednesday, February 13th.

[Chaverim & Kadima 6:15pm & USY 7:45pm]

If you have any questions, please contact me at cantorlarry@ebjc.org

Please share with your friends all the new and wonderful activities happening at Kesher, USY, Kadima and Chaverim, as well as all of the programs being offered at EBJC. It truly is a place for everyone and for everything!

I look forward to learning with all of you! ~ Cantor Larry

            I love stories and when I find a story worth telling, I love to share it.  Since the upcoming month of Adar I is an additional month in the calendar, due to this year being a leap year, it allows me to focus once again on Shabbat.  Shabbat has so much beauty, warmth and pleasure, yet we sometimes take it for granted since it occurs every week. 

            So here is a story to remind us of Shabbat, and a little music to boast:

Once in a far-away place lived a group of Jews. Their village was surrounded by a forest on one side, mountains on two sides, and a dangerous river on the fourth side. For thousands of years, no one had entered from the outside world.

            One day a stranger miraculously appeared. You can imagine the joy with which the people greeted him. They took the stranger in and begged him to tell them of what life was like "out there."

            As the week wore on, the stranger saw no signs of preparation for Shabbat, and he questioned his hosts. To his great surprise, he discovered that these Jews had never heard of Shabbat!

            So the stranger began to describe Shabbat in detail. He spoke of ¬the food, the time with family and friends, the synagogue, and the wonderful rituals for observing the day. The Jews in the community were enchanted with the stranger's words - especially a young girl named Sarah. She had listened to every word the stranger had spoken.

            "How can we get Shabbat?" the townspeople asked (echoing Sarah's very thoughts). "It is not difficult," replied the stranger, "but first you will need to bring the Shabbat Queen from heaven." How do we do that? the people thought. They turned to ask the stranger, but he had disappeared.

            The townspeople began to make plans for bringing the Shabbat Queen. They thought of building a ladder up to heaven. Someone else suggested sending the local rabbi up in a rocket ship. They tried these ideas and many more - but they all ended in failure. The people argued and argued. Sarah tried to help because she so wanted to have Shabbat, but the adults kept sending her away.

            Days and nights passed. When the last plan (making a giant net and throwing it up to heaven) totally unraveled, Sarah felt she was going to cry. To keep herself from crying, she began to hum a melody. And the strangest thing happened. As she walked by people arguing (and blaming one another for not having Shabbat), the tune was so catchy that they stopped arguing and began to hum along. Soon, in place of the arguing and yelling, all one could hear were the beautiful and calming sounds of that melody.

            The notes of the song twisted and turned and wound their way up to heaven and wrapped themselves around the Sabbath Queen, gently tugging her down to the village.

            That week and forever after, the villagers welcomed the Shabbat Queen with peace and harmony and Sarah's beautiful melody.

            On behalf of my family, I wish you a continued warm and safe winter season. 

~ Cantor Larry