Psalm 27:4 (July KOL)
One thing I ask of God
only that do I seek
to live in God’s house
all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the Eternal’s beauty
and to frequent your temple. Psalm 27:4
“God’s house is neither a palace or a courtroom. Rather it is the world in which we live, where God’s sheltering presence can be experienced anywhere.” (Rabbi Kerry Olitsky in his book 100 Blessings Every Day: Daily Twelve Step Recovery Affirmations, Exercises for Personal Growth & Renewal Reflecting Seasons of the Jewish Year.) For some of you the summer’s beach, mountain hike, or vacation vista connects you to the Divine. We know that God is everywhere, and even those who may not be “God people” report to me that they have moments where the spiritual and the sacred transcend every day life.
For me, Psalm 27 is more literal. It is my aspiration for my life. To frequent God’s temple and do sacred work is not only my professional passion — it is my reason for being and my life’s work. As I have prepared the calendar for our new TBS year with all of my TBS partners, we have focused our energies on ways for our members to find meaning at TBS. Our L.I.F.E. (Learning is For Everyone) adult learning program will be focused on the theme “Living a Values-Driven LIFE” for the coming year. We will integrate this theme into our religious school and to many of the sermons, classes, and programming for the coming year. I do hope you look at the calendar of events and find ways to “frequent your temple.”
The value of learning Jewishly is important in our congregation, and I am thrilled to announce that Introduction to Judaism will be returning to B’nai Shalom. Rabbi Rappaport and I will teach a 14-session course for Jews and non-Jews interested in learning about basic Judaism. In the past, this course has been attended by Jews who did not receive a Jewish education or remember very little, Jews and non-Jews raising Jewish children who want to know more and feel Jewishly confident, interfaith couples trying to make decisions about how they want to incorporate Judaism into their lives, and people considering conversion. This beginner’s course is a wonderful, stress-free, safe, and inclusive way to get a basic overview of Jewish life, thought, customs, observances, and values. I hope that we can have as many people as possible take advantage of this incredible opportunity. Even if you have taken the class before, we will permit people to come to sessions they may have missed or feel they need. Classes will begin March 30thand go every Wednesday night through June 29th. We haven’t offered this class in many years, but the hundreds of people who have taken it in the past will tell you that it is worth blocking out the time now. There will be many opportunities to learn and grow through our LIFE program. I wanted to highlight this one now, as it requires allotting time in advance for your work and home schedules. I promise you it is well worth the effort.
Another value that we treasure at TBS is offering members support and caring. As many of you know, I run four support groups over the course of the year: Mother’s Support Group for mom’s with children 9 years old and younger, Grief Support Group for members who have lost spouses, siblings, children or parents since Rosh Hashanah last year, (COAP) Children of Aging Parents Support Group, and a Children of Holocaust Survivors Support Group. The dates for these groups will appear on the calendar shortly and I encourage you to consider attending. These are not “drop in” groups, as we hope that people get to know one another and can build a trust here in God’s house so that real sharing and caring can take place.
Finally, I want you to know how blessed I feel that as a congregation you frequent God’s house more regularly than members of most congregations. There is so much that happens on Friday and Saturday. Whether you attend the main sanctuary or Minyan Makers, prayer, community, spirituality, remembering, loving, and nurturing is a weekly blessing here in God’s house. Please consider making TBS a regular part of your spiritual and personal wellness and practice. Our members who have done so can tell you that they reap a multitude of rewards from those efforts. If you are shy or uncertain, we can provide you with a mentor or prayer partner to ease your way. We want the time you spend here to be barrier and anxiety free.
I am so glad that you share Psalm 27 with me, whether out in nature or here in Fairfax Station. Together may we learn and grow, pray and share, care and create community. Enjoy the rest of your summer.
Fondly,
Rabbi Amy R. Perlin, D.D.