Counting the Omer; What are sheaves of wheat?

Ariella gathering wheat

Every year students at Lakeside know that between Pesach and Shavuot (2 of the 3 Pilgrimage Holidays, Sukkot is the third) we collect cereal boxes on the bimah to help us count the Omer.  As you can find on My Jewish Learning

"The omer refers to the forty-nine day period between the second night of Passover (Pesach) and the holiday of Shavuot. This period marks the beginning of the barley harvest when, in ancient times, Jews would bring the first sheaves to the Temple as a means of thanking God for the harvest. The word omer literally means "sheaf" and refers to these early offerings."


I know my students think of cereal boxes when counting the Omer and I am glad they have learned something about this ritual.  I am not sure if they have ever seen sheaves of wheat.  Why would they?  



The pictures on my blog are of my good friend Ariella Nachshon who lives in a city outside of Tel Aviv with her family. Whenever I go to Israel Ariella opens her house and we always have a wonderful time together.   She celebrates holidays back on her kibbutz and we see her, her family and her community actually gathering sheaves of wheat.  These pictures tell the story so beautifully.   I could never explain with words the story these pictures tell us.  I hope to show some of my students these beautiful pictures of harvesting wheat.  I suppose it might open a discussion of how do we get from wheat to cereal but I have a few days to work on that answer.  Early Shabbat Shalom to all.  

Friday Night Live and ARZA Shabbat

This Friday night at Lakeside we have the convergence of Friday Night Live with Adam Kahan and his band Kavannah and ARZA Shabbat.  Now you may be familiar with FNL here at Lakeside; it's a wonderful t'filah full of music and instruments.

Explaining ARZA may take a few more lines.  From their webpage:

Our Mission

ARZA strengthens and enriches the Jewish identity of Reform Jews in the United States by ensuring that a connection with Eretz Yisrael is a fundamental part of that identity. ARZA develops support for and strengthens the Reform movement in Israel and promotes advocacy for a Jewish, pluralistic, just and democratic society in the State of Israel. ARZA links the people and institutions of the Reform Movements in Israel and the United States, informed by a love of Israel and a belief in K’lal Yisrael – Jewish peoplehood. ARZA works in partnership with the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) and the Israel Movement for Progressive Judaism (IMPJ), and their affiliates. ARZA represents United States Reform Jews in national and international Zionist organizations.

Rabbi Josh Weinberg

ARZA is now run by a former student of mine:  Rabbi Josh Weinberg and I could not be more proud of him.  He recently taught at our annual NATE Kallah held here in Chicago.  His topic was not easy:  How do we talk about Israel: difficult questions.  Many people attended and I know they enjoyed studying with Rabbi Weinberg and learned how to tackle hard questions.

Adam Kahan 

ARZA is wonderful organization which melds together my two passions Reform Judaism and Zionism.  ARZA gives Reform  and Progressive Jews all over the world the opportunity to come together and find common ground.  As a member of Reform congregation you may choose to join ARZA and then have a voice in upcoming Zionist elections.  I encourage you to join ARZA and make sure your voice counts.  ARZA also sponsors great activities including Bike the Drive, take a look.

How does this all blend into Friday Night Live you ask.  We will be singing Israeli songs and of course every t'filah mentions Israel and we will try and point that out to you.  Adam and his band have always been able to take us to a wonderful spiritual place and I know that Friday night they will take us to Israel as well.  I know you will enjoy coming out to pray with Adam and his band this Friday night at
 7:30 pm at Lakeside.  Early Shabbat Shalom and I hope to see everyone tomorrow night.  

A New Way to Commemorate Yom HaShoah or how a Tradition Begins

Today at Lakeside Congregation's annual commemoration of Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day, we came together with Congregation Beth Shalom B'nai Zaken Ethiopian Congregation to commemorate the Shoah, to learn about the Mid-Atlantic Slave Trade and celebrate both our congregations being together and having the ability to sing and pray joyously together.

We began the morning by inviting the whole congregation to light yahrzeit candles in memory of the 6 Million who perished in the Holocaust.  As  El Malai Rachamin, the traditional prayer chanted at funerals for the ascension of the souls of the 

dead, was chanted the congregation was transfixed.  We concluded with the mourners Kaddish and then Rabbi Capers Funnye spoke about the Mid Atlantic slave trade and it's relevance today.  There are similarities between these two horrific events from our combined histories.  Every year we dedicate one Sunday morning, the closest to Yom Hashoah and have a special t'filah, service.  As survivors who can speak become not just harder to find but much fewer in number we realize we must look to change this commemoration in the future and this year's solution was meaningful and appropriate for all ages.  

Beth Shalom B'nai Zaken Choir

Our congregation was especially delighted to sing and rejoice in the day when the choir from Beth Shalom B'nai Zaken began their part of the program.  The Lakeside choir was also very excited to join in for some songs as well.  

Our Choir with Cong Beth Shalom B'nai Zaken

From Hine Mah Tov to Mah Tovu they songs were familiar and different at the same time.  The combined congregations were on their feet and clapping as we sang Go Down Moses.  The congregation clapped, sang, danced and had such a joyful morning.  I can't wait to talk with my students next week and ask what they learned and took away from this t'filah.  I know that it will be something they will remember and I hope that this is the continuation of a tradition with Congregation Beth Shalom B'nai Zaken.  

Time to Visit Israel, come and listen just how to get there.

Ethan on EIE

Sunday April 20th, 10:30 am (with free lox and bagel brunch) at Lakeside Congregation, come and here about many different ways to visit Israel.  We have 5 speakers and there is a trip for everyone.  First up is Ethan Ehrlich who will speak about his time on EIE, Eisendrath International Exchange.  Ethan spent 4 months of his junior year in High School on Kibbutz Tzuba not just studying his High School classes but experiencing all of Israel.  Then Gina Goldman, Lakeside Confirmation graduate, will share with us about her experiences on Taglit Birthright.

Lakeside in Israel in 2013

We also have experiences for families; Marc Cairo will share with us his experience on the Lakeside Congregation trip last year when his daughter became a Bat Mitzvah.  Dan Blaustein also on the Lakeside Trip.  We are going as a congregation again next year, March 2015 so come and hear a preview of what is in store for you.

Our next speaker is from Skilled Volunteers for Israel.Skilled Volunteers for Israel matches experienced professionals with meaningful skilled volunteer opportunities in Israel.  They link the expertise of North American & British Jews with the critical needs of Israel through limited-term volunteer engagements.  Volunteer to meet a need that’s been identified by our partners or we will design an opportunity for you based on your skills and interests.  Chuck Rosenberg will let us know all about this fascinating new organization.

We will also hear from Daniel Kaplan who will be sharing how to visit Israel.  

I am looking forward to Sunday morning and I encourage you to come and see just how to get to Israel.  Chag Samaech!

#BlogExodus Day 8: Learn

In all of our Hebrew school classes we have been working on Hebrew as usual but this week we all practiced the 4 questions and got ready for Seder which is Monday night.  In my Kitah Aleph class we watched this video which allows you to pick your own Pesach adventure.  Click on it and you will see and enjoy.

If you need to practice the 4 questions, just click.  There are so many great sites and great Pesach parodies I could fill pages and pages.

Kitah Aleph watching a Pesach Video

I look forward to hearing about everyone's Pesach seder and you can check back here as I try to catch up on #BlogExodus.

#BlogExodus Day 7 Bless

Still doing #blogExodus and today as you can see we have BLESS.  My family is the first thing which comes to my mind when I think of bless. This Pesach my kids will all be together for both Seders.  I am very excited.

I told Arthur we have one rule, if the 5 of us are not in the same place we must keep our cell phones on.  I guess we will be able to turn off our phones for the first time since last summer.  Can't wait to set the Seder table, make charoset and  have Seder together.  This is bless, blessing and to be blessed.

Nathan and Shula's Wedding Sept 2013

#BlogExodus Day 6: Clean

I do like the idea of cleaning my house to get ready for Pesach.  I don't really like doing it.  It feels good to get rid of all the jars which have been in the refrigerator for unknown amounts of time.  I suppose you could also look at Pesach and also see it as a time to clean house in other ways as well.

Time to finish old projects, time to think about new projects and plan out the year ahead.  This is coincidentally the time of year I plan my school calendar for the upcoming year.  It is fun to look ahead and think about what I might create next year.  Creating new programs has always been one part of my job I have always enjoyed.



(Note to readers:  I had a funny article about how my family blames our cleaning help for losing objects they have lost and then the cleaning help actually finds whatever is lost.   They told me I couldn't write about that.  If you want to hear the stories let me know as I changed the blog but I don't think my family ever reads it, although they claim they do)