Yesterday was Netzach she b'Malchut - a day of endurance in a week of majesty.
During this omer period, I've written alot about how the community is the core of vibrant Jewish life. It is certainly a center for me. The beginning of my path back to Jewish practice was fueled by study I did on my own. That study gave me the desire to go deeper which led to finding environments to study in which led to people to study and practice with which led me to my Beth Sholom community. I have written much about the many ways that community sustains me.
Maybe it's because we're reading the book of Bamidbar while we're Bamidbar--in the wilderness, but these days I've been feeling the difficulties associated with Beth Sholom not having a home base. Our Shabbat morning services are split into two at different locations--one joined with another congregation, Ner Tamid; the other, dubbed Midbar Minyan, in our school building, so those who will not drive on Shabbat have a place to daven.
This situation brings us days like yesterday, where we celebrated a bar mitzvah at Ner Tamid and an aufruf at Midbar Minyan. I was committed to support the bar mitzvah family so I had to miss the aufruf. One more reminder of how our community is fractured - yes, it's temporary, but it still makes me sad.
I can't wait until we once again have our center, and can share in the celebrations of many simchas--the more, the merrier, as long as we're together.
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