spirit PLEASE JOIN CONGREGATION T’CHIYAH torah portion FOR HIGH HOLIDAY SERVICES Please visit www.tchiyah.org for information about our High Holidays schedule and locations The Blessings In Life A CONGREGATION T’CHIYAH STRIVES TO BE A WARM, WELCOMING, AND INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY, COMMITTED TO SOCIAL JUSTICE AND THE PRINCIPLES OF RECONSTRUCTIONIST JUDAISM. SHOLEM ALEICHEM INSTITUTE Established in Detroit over 90 years ago, we are an organization focused on our cultural heritage. We celebrate the holidays with reflections, stories, music and prayers in English, Hebrew and Yiddish We invite you to join us at our SECULAR HIGH HOLIDAY ASSEMBLIES to be held at Steinway Piano Gallery – Recital Hall 2700 East West Maple Rd, Commerce Twp MI 48390 (SE corner of M-5 and Maple) ROSH HASHANA MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 10 TH 10AM – 12 NOON KOL NIDRE TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18 TH 7:30PM – 9:30PM YOM KIPPUR WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19 TH 10AM – 12 NOON No Ticket Required Membership inquiries welcome. Call Institute Office (248) 865-0117 40 August 30 • 2018 jn 2118860 CALL US AT (248) 823-7115 IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS friend of mine recently moved to Flatbush. He’s doing comedy in the city, but Manhattan apartment prices have pushed him deep into Brooklyn, so now he’s surrounded by yeshivahs and delis rather than upscale bou- tiques and … well, I guess still delis. He grew up in a secular Jewish home, so it’s taking some lies before this new guard time to get used to the with some rather unpleas- religiosity of his new digs. ant certainties: that the But all in all, he’s embrac- Promised Land will be ing it and loving the fact occupied, that war will be that he gets to experience inevitable, that people will a Judaism so different from die and that autonomy will the one in which he grew come with great challenges. up. Rabbi Yoni And yet, the intention, But there’s one small the prayer given to the Dahlen thing that really bothers Israelites during Moshe’s him that he’s noticed when great speech is of fruit, of in conversing with his many nourishment, of life. new frum neighbors. In his The mitzvah of bikkurim own words … “I can’t stand ( first fruits) asks our ancestors and, this ‘Baruch HaShem’ business. therefore, asks us not for a great act Everything is ‘Baruch HaShem.’ of submission or some statement of How’s your day? ‘Baruch HaShem.’ power and might. It asks us to take How’re your studies going? ‘Baruch the first fruits of our trees and to HaShem.’ How was the air condi- say, “thank you.” tioning on the subway? ‘Baruch As we travel together to the awe HaShem.’ Are we thanking God for and splendor of the High Holidays, air conditioning now?” it is crucial that we remember His point is well taken. Baruch those small moments of gratitude HaShem, literally translated as because they are what keep our “blessed be God,” is a staple phrase story alive. of religious Judaism, especially in We say thank you because we Brooklyn. It can be heard as often have come a long way. We have as the singing of birds or the honk- seen unspeakable horrors. We have ing of car horns. It is said in refer- traveled from the tethers of slavery ring to air conditioning on the F to the orchards of this moment. We train just like it’s said for myriad have fought amongst ourselves; we other moments and situations that have gone astray; we have lost … might seem overzealous to some Oh, God, have we lost … because it’s an acceptable response But before us lies the fruit of to almost any aspect of daily life. potential waiting to be harvested And this important nuance is exact- and savored. We will savor it ly the reason why I love it. because tomorrow it could all spoil This short and simple phrase is, without warning. So we say thank in its essence, a mantra of mindful you for it all. For the fruit of our living, an intentional meditation of ceaseless gratitude. It’s a decision to lives, no matter how big or small, how seemingly trivial that fruit see life in all of its complexity and might be. to reply with thanks. In a world of For our health, for our families, chaos, gratitude is a prayer of order. for our friends, for shelter and food, Our Torah portion this week for peace and security, for each celebrates that order. Here, the moment of our days, for the minu- Israelites have wandered the desert tiae of our lives and, yes, for the for 40 years. They have seen mira- cles but also unspeakable tragedy. A air conditioning on the F train … Baruch HaShem. Blessed be God. • full generation, with the exception of some paragons of righteousnes,s have been wiped out, and the future Parshat KiTavo: Deuteronomy 26:1- 29:8; Isaiah 60-1-22. Rabbi Yonatan Dahlen is a rabbi at Congregation Shaarey Zedek in Southfield.