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31 ST ANNUAL CRYSTAL ROSE CELEBRATION

THURSDAY, OCT. 27, 2016

Leave Your Legacy

LIVE MUSIC AND STROLLING DINNER AT WATERVIEW LOFT AT PORT DETROIT
On the riverfront at 130 Atwater Street, Detroit

Parshat Vayeilech: Deuteronomy
31:1-31:30; Isaiah 55:6-56:8.

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hen you die (may it not be
to help all those in need and to leave this
until 120), in planning the
world better than how we found it. Then
funeral your loved ones will
we are challenged to articulate that legacy
meet with a rabbi who might ask, “What
in some way, verbally or in writing, to
legacy does this person leave behind?”
concretize the blessed legacy we hope to
Do you know the legacy you hope to
leave.
leave? Do your loved ones share that
How will you share your legacy with
same understanding?
your loved ones before it is too
We mark this week Shabbat
late?
Shuvah, the “Sabbath of
When she was growing up,
Return” that falls between
my wife Rebecca’s parents would
Rosh Hashanah and Yom
write her a letter every year on
Kippur. During this Season of
her birthday. The letter would
Judgment, we are called upon
contain memories from that
to contemplate our actions from
year, accomplishments, family
the previous year and to seek
history, and also wisdom and
ways to improve in the coming Rabbi Aaron hopes they wanted to share with
year. We look back in order to
her daughter. Rebecca and I have
Starr
prepare to move forward.
continued that tradition with our
Similarly, our Torah portion this week, own children. My prayer is that our kids
parshat Vayelech, begins with Moses
will have something like 90 letters from
telling our ancestors that he has reached
each of us by the time she and I enter
the end of his life. “I am now 120 years
the next world (please God, at the age of
old,” he shared with them, leading to the
120).
Jewish prayer wishing someone “until
Tanach (the Hebrew Bible, including
120.” Moses continues, “I can no longer
Torah, Prophets and Writings) and the
be active.” Then Moses reminds them,
volumes of rabbinic law and exegesis
too, that God has decided that Joshua is
serve as our people’s inherited legacy
to take over leadership, as he — Moses
from God, from Moses, and from the
— is to die on the east side of the Jordan
countless great minds and hearts of each
River. Moses is reflecting on his life
Jewish generation. Our sacred Scripture
and on our people’s journey, so that the
represents the hopes and dreams of all
Israelites can move forward without him. our family who came before.
As such, Moses shares mitzvot (sacred
As we enter this new year, may we fol-
obligations), history and wisdom. Moses
low Moses’ lead of looking backward in
leaves them, too, words of encourage-
order to move forward. May we live lives
ment, “Be strong and resolute.” Have faith of righteousness and holiness that create
in God. Then God tells Moses that the
as well a proud legacy for our loved ones
end is near, and Moses goes off to write
to inherit. May we then also take the time
one final poem (next week’s Torah por-
to articulate to all those we love the obli-
tion) to share with our people.
gations, memories, wisdom and prayers
Few of us receive that “heads up” from we hope they inherit from us. Let us also
God that our time is nearing its end, and
remind them, “Be strong and resolute.”
few of us will reach with confidence that
Have faith in God.
blessed age of 120. So, we are called upon
I wish to you g’mar chatimah tovah:
regularly to look backward so that those
May we each be inscribed in the Book of
we love can move forward. We are called
Life for life, for health and for blessing.
upon to make sure in our lifetimes that
Rabbi Aaron Starr is spiritual leader of
we strive each year to better serve God
Congregation Shaarey Zedek in Southfield.
and the Jewish people, and that we seek

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contact Kim Ritter: 313.578.6268 / kritter@hom.org.
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October 6 • 2016

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