Torah Portion: Nitzavim/Vayeilech, Deuteronomy 29:9-31:30

I know that everybody laughs when I say it, but this week's portion is truly my favorite portion!  When rabbinic students are ordained we are allowed to select a verse from Jewish tradition for our ordination books, and I selected a verse from this week's portion:  "I have put before you life and death, blessing and curse.  Choose life... by loving the Lord your God" (Deut. 31:19-20).  These words have particular resonance this time of year because they are also our Torah reading for Yom Kippur.  They contain a potent and challenging message.  Life is filled with things we label as "blessings" - good health, happy marriages, special friends, successful careers, and delightful children.  Life is also filled with things we label as "curses" - debilitating illness or accidents, financial loss, horrible natural disasters.  Can we really CHOOSE what comes in to our life?  Sometimes we can, but more often than not life throws curveballs at us and all we can do is duck.  Yet our Torah portion still contains the message to choose, to choose life.  What does this mean?

Law and Order Golf Tournament

Benefiting MADD Southeast Texas

November 1, 2010, 12 p.m.

“Celebrating 30 Years of Service to the Jewish Community in West Houston”

Temple Sinai is a vibrant and growing Reform Congregation conveniently located on the West Side of Houston – just minutes from Katy. Share the joys of Jewish life among a warm and welcoming community that includes all age groups & levels of religious observance.

We are honored to have Rabbi Anne Belford as Spiritual leader of Temple Sinai. Rabbi Belford’s experience and educational achievements are both impressive and extensive, but it is her ability to connect on a very personal level to each congregant that ensures that all members feel the warmth, community, and caring we are known for.

Torah Portion:  Va'etchanan, Deuteronomy 3:23-7:11

I've always been interested in my Christian friends and colleagues who talk about being witnesses for their God.  I've always been perplexed by this language, not really understanding what it means, not really thinking that it was "Jewish" language.  But I was reminded while reading this week's Torah portion that "witnessing" is, in fact, part of Jewish faith and experience.  If you actually read the Torah for this week's portion, you will find the familiar words of the Shema prayer.  But what might not be familiar is the fact that the last letter of the first word of the shema - AYIN - and the last letter of the last word of the prayer - DALET - are enlarged.  These two letters combine to form the word eid, or WITNESS.  Written into the Torah itself is the message that through the Shema, we serve as wtinesses for God.

Torah Portion: Matot/Masei, Numbers 30:2-26:13

Not everything in the Torah is pretty.  The beginning of this week's portion, in fact, contains a disturbing story about the Israelites waging war against the Midianites.  God instructs Moses to instruct the Israelites to spare no one, to decimate the entire Midianite people.  The battle commanders, however, kill only the men, and spare the women and children.  When Moses learns of this mercy, he rebukes the commanders and orders them to kill every young male, while sparing only the women and girls.  Reading this story, one cannot help but think of Pharaoh's evil decree to kill every Israelite male child, an event that eventually led to the Israelites' freedom.  This story brings up a number of difficult theological questions: Are the Israelites actually more spiritually "chosen" than other peoples?  If God is compassionate, why would God order the death of all these people?  Was Moses a righteous leader?  

(Rabbi Annie has invited members of the congregation to be guest speakers from the pulpit on occasion.  Last Friday, June 26 Simone Schicker spoke to us.)

Parsha Balak

When I looked up the portion for this week I was thrilled to discover that it is the parsha Balak.  When I think about all the drama that happens in this one short portion, so short in fact that it is often part of a double portion, all I can think about is the movie trailer Disney Pixar would have for the film.

Balak!  The new animated film from the team that brought you "Moses and the 10 Commandments;" as well as the blockbuster hit "Abraham!"  Balak will be coming to a theatre near you Summer 2011.

The 2010 Harold Reingold Yavneh Award for Jewish Educators was presented to Rina Mesarwi, the Director of Temple Sinai ‘s Religious School, at the 74^th annual meeting of the Jewish Federation of Greater Houston’s Annual Meeting on June 3, 2010 at Seven Acres.  The Harold Reingold Yavneh Award for Jewish Educators is presented to a professional for outstanding contributions to the field of Jewish education in Greater Houston.  Nominations for the Yavneh Award are solicited from the community-at-large.  “Being an educator for many years…you get awarded daily by the lives you touch and the changes you make to improve Jewish education.  Being recognized by the community just validates the idea that I should continue trying hard to bring the best education as possible to our students.  The Yavneh award is a great honor for me to receive, as it puts me in the company of great Jewish educators who won before me and who will receive the award in the future” expresses Rina.

Rina Mesarwi has been engaged with Jewish Education for over 30 years and has been the director of the Temple Sinai Religious school for 10 years.  Rina’s goal is to create a loving, safe environment to which kids want to return, to have happy kids, to prepare them for life, and have them be proud and love to be Jewish.  The Temple Sinai Religious school has programs for 3 years old to grade 12.  Rina has developed innovative and creative programs like the Ktantanim (trans: Little Ones) program for 3 year olds.  This is the only 3 year old program in Houston.  Also, she developed the very successful Post-confirmation program for 11^th and 12^th graders.  This program keeps kids involved with Temple and Judaism. It prepares students for college and beyond. Sessions are every other Wednesday night and features visiting speakers, both Jewish (Conservative and Orthodox Rabbis) and secular (e.g. MADD, Interfaith Ministries, Planned Parenthood) who present to the students.  This program has been a great success in keeping students involved in Judaism and aiding the move from High School to adulthood.

Mazel Tov to Rina on the occasion of receiving the Harold Reingold Yavneh Award!