Friday night services 5/18 at 7pm and two “hold the date” announcements
Dear Congregants and Friends,
We hope to see tomorrow, Friday May 18 at 7pm for our weekly, song filled kaballat shabbat service.
Please note these two special events:
Saturday May 26, Congregation Agudas Achim at the Dell Campus is having a special service in memory of Elaine Shapiro’s late father Jim Novy (also Allene Novy’s grandfather) may his memory be a blessing. We encourage our members to attend this special shabbat morning service which will start at 9:45 at Agudas Achim. Jim Novy led a fascinating and philanthropic life, supporting the State of Israel, the Austin Jewish community and even receiving a Purple Heart certificate for his clandestine work during World War II. His personal efforts even helped our very own dear Fred Grant (z”l). A book has just been written about his life, titled The First Jews of Texas: The Life of Jim Novy, and the author David Chapin will be talking during the shabbat morning services.Sunday May 27, at 9 am we will have our special Shavuot service. Please plan to attend this wonderful holiday celebration of the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai. Bring your whole family.
Cantor Ben-Moshe’s Message:
This Shabbat we conclude the Book of Leviticus with the reading of the double parshah B’har/B’hukkotai. Parshat B’hukkotai include a tokhekhah, one of the two passages of rebuke found in the Torah. When these passages are read in the synagogue, they are read quickly and in an undertone. Unlike some other religious tradition, Judaism does not focus attention on punishments for disobedience. Rather, we focus on the performing of mitzvot for their own sake, for the purpose of bettering ourselves and the world. God doesn’t need to frighten us into following the Tradition. Judaism is a path of love, not of fear. I look forward to seeing everyone Friday night at 7:00 PM. Shabbat Shalom.