The Spark

Perhaps it’s the heatwave, or maybe it’s the summer vibe and memories of late-night campouts, but I’ve got fire on the brain. As far as analogies go, it’s a particularly apt one. Our Jewish passions and identities are not spontaneous things which just come about. We are built up, we are ‘sparked’ by other people who are already aglow, and then we are sent off to shed our own light and continue the great chain of Jewish tradition. We start with a burst of energy and, just like a fire, to keep the Jewish journey going we must continue feeding our neshama with moments that give us meaning and joy.

For me, travelling to see the different facets of the Jewish diaspora keeps my soul fed and happy. In 2019 Taylor and I had a brief tour of Jewish Morocco, and it was transformational. Morocco stole a small piece of my heart, and I can’t wait to go back. One of my former chavruta invited me to visit him and his husband at the Jewish community in Curacao, where they have one of the oldest synagogues in this hemisphere! A few days ago I was comparing travel experiences in Lithuania with a Yiddishist who gave me a few spots to visit next time I make it to Eastern Europe. And, while yes, it is the opposite of the diaspora, I can certainly feel Jerusalem calling me home. The travel bug has been itching hard after the last few years, and who knows… maybe my next trip abroad will be with our community!?

Fire puns aside, I hope that you are also engaged in spiritual self-care practices. Rabbi Arthur Green argues in his book Judaism 10 Best Ideas, that Joy/Simcha is one of the cornerstones of our faith. Joy builds an appreciation of the divine and strengthens the soul. He compares the spiritual practice of joy akin to going to a wedding. Like a good guest, we celebrate everything we can. How great is this food, how lovely the decorations, how happy the family, how beautiful the couple! It is good to celebrate the blessings of life.

And one might say When it comes to the mitzvah of celebrating with the wedding couple, it’s easy to be joyous! But what about when it’s hard to be happy? “When the ancient Israelites wandered through the wilderness for forty years, a certain group of Levites were given the privilege of carrying the Holy Ark. ‘How heavy it must have been,’ somebody commended, ‘with those massive stone tablets inside it!’ ‘No,’ a Levite answered. ‘The Ark carried those who bore it.’ The same is true of any mitzvah carried out with Joy. It elevates and ‘carries’ the one who does it.”

Sometimes we carry joy into the world and light the fire. And sometimes, we are the ones whose spark needs to be rekindled. This summer, as you are building up your own Simcha, I hope that you are getting enough of both; the moments that are keeping your spark burning strong and the opportunities to inspire others to glow even brighter.

While we have been thrilled to welcome back the bagel to Holy Blossom Temple after a pandemic hiatus, it has become clear that bagels are not a very popular everyday breakfast choice in 2022. Since Shacharit breakfast was re-introduced as food was brought back to congregational life, we have been trying to find the balance of providing breakfast after morning services and using resources efficiently to minimize waste. Sadly, due to COVID protocols, it is no longer an option to donate left-over food to worthy organizations when food has been opened by others first.   We want to make sure the offerings are being enjoyed by all who attend services in person.

After informal consultation with some of our regular Shacharit attendees, we started a Pilot Project with the intent to replace the Bagel Breakfast with a healthy nourishing “lite bite”. Offerings include some combination of individual yogurt, mini muffins, and fruit (i.e. clementines, bananas, apples).   Coffee and tea continue to be a staple. So far, the new breakfast refreshments have been appreciated and are being enjoyed by those who partake. You’ll note that many of these items also have more longevity, which will help to produce less waste over time.

Many families choose to mark the yahrzeit of a loved one by sponsoring the Shacharit breakfast – thank you! Please note that our full or enhanced Bagel Breakfast will be provided when sponsored, and we will do our best to share sponsored dates ahead of time through Shacharit announcements so that more service goers are encouraged to attend in-person and lend much-needed moral support to the sponsoring family. We hope that by moving away from the everyday bagel, bagels will become more exciting when they appear from time to time.

We encourage everyone who is interested to join in person for Shacharit when you can and as you feel comfortable. Joining a service online remains a great alternative for anyone who can’t make it in the flesh, but part of the experience that makes Shacharit and all worship services so meaningful is the connection made between people and the support that comes along with standing by each other both literally and figuratively. Shacharit is a wonderful experience at Holy Blossom Temple because of the warm and dedicated group of Temple members who are welcoming to all.

We hope you enjoy the new breakfast lite bite. Breakfast refreshments are available after Shacharit services near the Holy Grounds café, so you can enjoy each other’s company and a quick bite in the atrium. A word of thanks to our dedicated Shacharit Service Leaders, we truly appreciate all your efforts in providing meaningful daily morning services to our congregation – thank you.