This Shabbat we announce the new month of Sivan. Every new moon represents the beginning of a cycle, leaving behind that which no longer applies and preparing for what might lay ahead. In many ways, the pandemic has made us struggle with the inability to plan as far in advance as we would like. It made us live day by day, hindering our ability to schedule and hash out details.
We can be worriers, predicting the worst possible scenario so we are never caught off guard. The new moon encourages us to open up a different way of thinking, not abandoning our caution, but inviting in new thoughts like this: what comes ahead might exceed our expectations, drawing wonder and delight.
While some things are predictable like the stages, what we cannot know is if the skies will be cloudy, if the night will be clear enough to see the outline of craters, if the stars will be visible, and what color the moon will reflect. May we allow the new moon to bring renewal to our lives, reminding us to open ourselves to positive surprises.
Shabbat shalom, Rabbi Bernstein
Mazal Tov to Stacy, Jason, and brother, Matthew on Samantha Phillips becoming a Bat Mitzvah, May 8, 2021.
CLICK HEREfor the Schedule of Services, Minyans & Events For this weekend services will be In-Person and Livestream)
Affiliated with United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism