Shabbat Blast

Please don't forget, the Consolidation Vote will take place at Congregation Beth Ohr on Thursday, May 24th at 8:00pm.   If you are unable to attend the vote in person, please contact the office for further instructions, 516-781-3072 or email officestaff@cbohr.org

Dear Congregation, 
Shavuot gets the short end of the stick. It comes at the end of the year, almost when school is out. People are distracted by dreams of warm summer days, beach towels, and hammocks.
In my own Jewish Journey, Shavuot never stood out as the creme de la creme of holidays. If I asked you to name the 3 pilgrimage holidays, you would probably be able to name Pesach and Sukkot. The lost one would sit on the tip of your tongue. It is two days, not eight. It is a little blip on the calendar, but boy does it pack a meaningful punch.
Shavuot contains within it the lifeblood of the Jewish people. While with Pesach and Sukkot, the practices involved in the holiday only last for that holiday, with Shavuot, we practice all year long. On Sukkot we live in little huts and turn our lives inside out to abide in temporary dwellings. On Pesach we eat Matzah and are forbidden from eating leavened foods. That separates those holidays from the rest of the year. With Shavuot, we acknowledge the unique relationship between the people of Israel and Adonai through Torah study. On Shavuot we express gratitude for the giving of the Torah. Studying Torah is the ongoing relationship between the people of Israel and God. It is our regular cadence. It is our perpetual secret language of engagement, not once a year, but every single day (except Tisha B’av).
In any relationship you exchange jokes, phrases, and even glances that can convey mountains to your partner. No one else has the keys to open that relationship. The same is true of Torah study. There is a teaching: “When I pray, I speak to God. When I study Torah, I keep quiet and let God speak to me.” At this point in my relationship to Judaism, Shavuot stands out as a must. It is our anniversary with the divine. It is a renewal of our sacred language.
Many of us want to know how to grow more deeply into our Jewish identity. I would say that observing Shavuot, with some good Torah study and a piece of cheesecake, is a great way to start. Join us Saturday evening for a night of learning, fun, and debate!
Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Bernstein

Services
Friday, May 18 - Thursday, May 24

MINYANIM
SUNDAY 9:00 AM
MONDAY 6:30 AM
WEDNESDAY 8:00 PM
Requested by Gary Goldberg, in memory his father Garson and Les Scherer, in memory of his father, Howard.
THURSDAY 8:00 AM
Requested by Gary Goldberg in memory of his father Garson.

Watch Cantor Myerson perform an original Yiddish song live from ​the Cantors Assembly Convention in ​Florida!
​Monday, June 4 at 8 PM - 10 PM
PGA National Resort & Spa, 400 Avenue of the Champions, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida 33418 Watch live online: ​ HERE
​Treasures of Yiddish Song is a free concert, open to the public, and it will be streamed live to Facebook for those who aren't able to join us in person at the Cantors Assembly Convention in Florida.  N.B. the live feed will only be available during the concert. It will not be available after the fact.
Join us for an evening of treasures from our Yiddish musical heritage, including are song, folk song, klezmer, and the Yiddish Theater. Performances by some of America's greatest cantors and interpreters of yiddish song.