TU B’SHEVAT SHABBAT SERVICES

THOUGHTS FROM RABBI COURTNEY

We are going to be celebrating Tu B’Shevat this week.  The literal translation of the words “Tu B’Shevat” are just 15^th of Shevat (with the Tu standing for Tav Vav which is the Hebrew lettering corresponding to the number 15).  During this holiday – which officially falls this coming Wednesday – we have an opportunity to celebrate our greenery like our blessed trees, as well as the changing of the seasons.  

As we all know, our seasons have been jumping around a little this year.  I have not been in Ohio long, but I know that it is not quite normal to have 60 degree Fahrenheit temperatures one day followed by a day of temperatures in the 20s!  I also know that Minnesota (where I lived for four years) has seen a mild winter so far with a few snow showers thrown into the mix.

The somewhat erratic nature of our seasons this year has gotten me thinking, though.  The seasons are often a constant in our lives, something that we can expect to unfold in a specific way even as our lives often swirl around us in an unpredictable mix of occurrences.  The fact that our seasons this year seem to keep going back and forth reminds me, however, that nothing in life runs according to an immutable plan.  I do not mean this to sound negative, either.  I believe it is just truthful and even comforting.  Just like our seasons can seem to hop about, so too the stages and feelings in our lives can progress in one direction, turn us in another direction, and then lead us down yet another path.  In this way, our lives are related to nature.  No matter what we do, we are always tied to nature, but a winter such as this serves as another reminder.

I look forward to celebrating Tu B’Shevat with everyone this coming Saturday.  I hope that until then, we can all keep enjoying the strange mixes of weather we are having.  Enjoy the warmer days, and the colder ones, and let’s hope that this coming weekend we have nice enough weather to travel safely to Piqua!        

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

Susan Bargeman and Judy Feinstein

MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR Sunday, March 18

Religious School:

This Sunday, our younger students made “candy” with various dried fruits and nuts in preparation for celebrating Tu B’shevat.

We are also looking forward to learning more about mezuzot and making mezuzah covers with Rabbi Levi Simon from Chabad on Sunday, March 18.  Everyone is welcome to join the religious school families.

WE REMEMBER …OF BLESSED MEMORY….FEBRUARY

ELEANOR CLIPPINGER

SAM KASTNER

MORRIS KAUFMAN

ROSE LOUIS

LEO SHAPIRO

SALLY SHUCHAT

WITH THANKS:

For cleaning out the (long overdue)

storage room!

Judy Feinstein and her cousin Bonnie

For the General Fund

Lora Kaufman in honor of the memory of Lee’s Yarhzeit

MISHABEIRACH PRAYERS FOR HEALING:  

Eileen Yearsley

Millie Simon

Beth Miller

Jane Greene

Kevin James