Reflections: Rabbi Eliza McCarroll – Page 3

Rabbinic Reflection: Rabbi Eliza McCarroll

To everything there is a season

The Book of Kohelet teaches us that “to everything there is a season”, and boy, is it coming up to that time of year again. You know the one; the one with the shofar blast, and the sweetness of apples and honey, and the round challahs, and the sounds of nostalgic melodies.

As the season ramps up to the High Holy Days, I’m starting to notice a kind of tension in the air; everyone feels hurried and scattered, and that precious gift of time feels like it’s literally melting through our fingers, unable to be caught before it touches the floor.

To be clear, it does not seem like it’s just your rabbis, cantors and professionals feeling this way. The hustle and bustle of our regular lives resuming now that Labour Day has passed signifies that school is back in session, the office beckons us back, and the weather will soon cool down, the leaves changing to brilliant shades of browns, yellows, oranges and reds.

Each year, it seems like the start of fall, with all it represents, descends upon us like a surprise, and always feels like it is too early, or even late, but never exactly on cue.

Yet, our Talmud teaches us the principle of ain mukdam u’m’uchar batorah: there is no early or late in our Torah. In other words, our festivals and occasions arrive exactly when they are meant to.

This could be the precise reason why, despite the hustle and bustle of the season, we are encouraged, during this introspective Hebrew month of Elul, to pause, take a deep breath, and look within our souls. It is perhaps no coincidence, then, that the word for soul, neshama, and the word for breath, neshima, share the same Hebrew root.

As such, let us instead take this time – with all the stresses of our busy lives on our shoulders – to embrace all the opportunities of this season and all the good that is to come as Rosh Hashanah approaches. Whether that’s attending uplifting High Holy Day services at Holy Blossom Temple, making sacred memories with family and friends, or taking on new challenges – take a deep breath, and dive in with all your soul.

L’shanah tovah – we can’t wait to live out Jewish time with you in 5783!

September 7, 2022/0 Comments/by Holy Blossom

From our Clergy, Our Community Stories, Reflections: Rabbi Eliza McCarroll

Rabbinic Reflection: Rabbi Eliza McCarroll

Honouring our Wisdom Generation

Growing up, and still to this day, my family has the tradition of celebrating Shabbat dinner together at my grandparent’s home, every Friday night.

Like many of your families, we too have our Shabbat routines; this person lights the candles, that person says kiddush, we have these special foods on the table, and so on.

One such part of this routine was how my siblings and I were always taught that before anything else – before playing with our cousins, before pouring a glass of water, before petting the dog – we were to first greet our grandparents.

I could not help but think about my grandparents as I came across a midrash (Bamidbar Rabba 15:17) that outlines the behaviour we as Jews are expected to model towards someone of the Wisdom Generation. We are, for example, meant to rise in their presence, to not sit in their place, inquire after their welfare, and to not interrupt or contradict their words. The Midrash likens this respect to rising in God’s presence, thus Lewis Warshauer of the Jewish Theological Seminary concludes that honouring our elders is akin to honouring God[1].

As we at Holy Blossom seek to reinvigorate our Dorot program, aimed at providing our Wisdom Generation with opportunities for connection within our community, we are so thrilled to be starting with the Summer (Re)Gathering this Shabbat, 16 July. Services begin at 10.30 am, and delicious lunch and a spectacular musical program will follow.

We hope to see you there as we honour our Wisdom Generation – registration can be found here!

The Dorot Summer re-gathering is generously sponsored by a gift of Elen Steinberg in memory of her father Vladimir Steinberg z”l.

[1] https://www.jtsa.edu/torah/honoring-elders/

July 13, 2022/0 Comments/by Holy Blossom

Our Community Stories, Reflections: Rabbi Eliza McCarroll

Rabbinic Reflection: Rabbi Eliza McCarroll

Dear Holy Blossom Temple family,

For those of you who I have not had the pleasure to meet yet, I am Rabbi Eliza McCarroll, your new Assistant Rabbi, and I thought I would tell you a little about my role in our community.

My first main area of focus is strengthening our Kehilah Kedosha, our Sacred Community. This includes our Bikkur Cholim and Dorot programs, which both aim to ensure that our congregation is supported in all stages and circumstances of life. It also includes our YAD group, which provides our young adults with an outlet for their Jewish connections and lives.

The second area of concentration is working with our ECC and YEC. I look forward to meeting our youngest friends and their families and empowering our next generation to love their Judaism just as much as we do.

Plus, there are all the other, regular parts of what your clergy team does, from Shabbat and festival worship to life cycle events, to teaching, and much more!

With so much to learn and do, I keep in mind the quote from Pirkei Avot that teaches: “Who is wise? One who learns from every person” (Pirkei Avot 4:1). As such, I am so fortunate and grateful to partner with some truly incredible people – both professional and lay leaders – as we embark on this sacred work, and we are excited for all the good we can accomplish together.

There is never a dull moment at Holy Blossom Temple, and if there is ever any part of Temple life you would like to be involved in, we’d love to hear from you to make it happen!

Let’s start with coffee; both Rabbi Kaye and I will be at Holy Grounds Café from 9.30 am to 12:30 pm on Sunday, June 26. See you there!

June 15, 2022/2 Comments/by Holy Blossom