Shabbat Zachor & The Weekend Schedule

This Shabbat is Shabbat Zachor, the Shabbat before Purim.  The special maftir is from the Book of Deuteronomy, and commands us to remember what ‘Amalek did to us on our way out of Egypt, attacking the defenseless, showing a complete lack of basic morality.  Unfortunately, last Shabbat we were given a reminder that the spirit of  ‘Amalek is still with us.  The horrible atrocity in Itamar was nothing less than the spirit of hatred and senseless violence that typified ‘Amalek.  Our hearts go out to the orphans and the other members of the Fogel family.  Let us not, however, let the spirit of ‘Amalek infect our souls with hatred.  Our maftir also commands us to blot out ‘Amalek-not only physically, as was done thousands of years ago, but spiritually.  Hatred and vengeance will not bring back the precious souls that we lost.  The Sages taught us that the only remedy for causeless hatred is causeless love.  Let us be inspired by the Israeli grocer who committed to supplying the survivors of the Fogel family with food until the children are grown.  Let us blot out ‘Amalek with lovingkindness.

Shabbat Shalom, and may it indeed be a Shabbat of peace, for us, for all Israel, and for all of humanity.

— Cantor Ben Moshe

Throughout the weekend, we are collecting money to help a few Jewish families buy Passover food and meet some essentials.  Please consider fulfilling the tzedakah mitzvah on Purim by donating to our congregation to enable us to help these families.  Contact Cantor Ben Moshe or Kevin & Iris Koeller to help.