SHABBAT TAZRIA-METZORA

ROSH CHODESH IYYAR

Term 2 Bnei Mitzvah Classes resume - ZOOM in - https://zoom.us/j/92083591617

Kabbalat Shabbat Service with Rabbi & Shannyn -ZOOM in - https://zoom.us/j/410812614

ANZAC DAY

Shabbat Morning Service - ZOOM in - https://zoom.us/j/709601912

Yom Hazikarom Community Event - live via Facebook - www.FACEBOOK.COM/ZIONISMVICTORIA

4.30pm Art & Craft Fun with Ruth Trytell - ZOOM in -https://zoom.us/j/95934498303

8pm Debate & Discussion with Dan Poll - ZOOM in - https://zoom.us/j/400121549

Yom Ha’atzmaut Community Event - live via Facebook - www.FACEBOOK.COM/ZIONISMVICTORIA

Bnei Mitzvah Classes - ZOOM in - https://zoom.us/j/92083591617

TGIS Express Shabbat - ZOOM in - https://zoom.us/j/512512110

Shabbat Morning Service - ZOOM in - https://zoom.us/j/709601912

25th April 2020 1 Iyyar 5780 Weekly Announcements

Ho’da’ot

SHABBAT TAZRIA-METZORA

16th Day of the Omer

Torah Portion Shabbat: Leviticus 12:1—15:33

We are reading Verses: 12:1-13:5 Pages: 826, 831

Haftara: Isaiah 66:1—13, 23 Pages: 1684—1686

WHAT’S ON

Drash Shabbat Tazria-Metzora

Rosh Chodesh Iyyar

Rabbi Martha Bergadine

United Jewish Congregation of Hong Kong

• Board Rep Beatrice Coleman

• Tech Shammas Frank Moore

• Baalat Shirah Vered Harel

• Baalaat Koreh Rabbi Allison

25th April Rabbi Allison Conyer

2nd May Rabbi Allison Conyer

9th May Rabbi Allison Conyer

Thursday 23rd April, 4.30pm

Friday 24th April, 6.30pm

Saturday 25th April, 10am

Tuesday 28th April

Thursday 30th April, 4.30pm

Friday 1st May, 6.30pm

Wednesday 29th April

Even though it may not always seem to be the case, Jewish tradition at its best is creative, innovative, even revolutionary. Rabbi Yehoshua, one of the founders of post-temple Judaism, is quoted in the Talmud as telling his students “without innovation, a beit midrash cannot exist”. (Chagiga 3a) This inherent creativity has certainly been on display in recent weeks as our congregations have found new ways to be together despite the requirement to remain physically apart. I can’t help but think that Rabbi Yehoshua would approve of our Zoom sedarim, Shabbat services, and Religious School lessons.

Even in an ordinary year, the current season of the Jewish year, the Omer, would serve as a prime example of Jewish tradition at its most creative. Most simply, the Omer is the 49-day span between the second night of Pesach and Shavuot, but if we do a little theological archaeology, we soon see that the Omer period has been periodically re-imagined and reworked to speak to Jews through the centuries. Indeed, it speaks to us in this unprecedented time.

The Omer period has its basis in Judaism's agricultural origins. In the Torah, the term “omer” refers to a sheaf of grain from the first of the barley harvest that was brought to the Temple and offered in thanksgiving. As the harvesting continued, forty-nine days were counted. The 50thday brought the period to a climax with the celebration of Shavuot, as two loaves of bread made from newly harvested wheat were offered.

As Shavuot became more and more associated with the giving of Torah at Mt. Sinai, new thematic links emerged for the Omer period’s connecting of Pesach and Shavuot. One tradition teaches that the Israelites were so eager to receive the Torah that they counted the days from the Exodus until Sinai as one might count the days until a birthday or vacation. Others view Shavuot as the culmination of the Exodus – the Israelites were not merely freed from slavery but were set free in order to become a holy people dedicated to Torah. Pesach, alone, is incomplete – the Omer provides the chain linking it to Shavuot’s revelation. This connection of Pesach to Shavuot is made explicit by the practice of each evening reciting the blessing for counting the Omer and then announcing the number of the day.

Later, the Kabbalists created an innovative meaning for the period of the Omer – a time of personal spiritual growth and transfor-mation. They assigned each of the seven weeks a spiritual focus from the Tree of Life and encouraged reflection and meditation on an aspect of the focus.

The weekly spiritual qualities are:

Week 1: Chesed – loving-kindness/covenantal love Week 2: Gevurah – strength/holding/judgment/discernment Week 3: Tiferet – harmony/compassion/beauty Week 4: Netzach – perseverance/enthusiasm Week 5: Hod – humility/gratitude Week 6: Yesod – foundation/stability Week 7: Malchut – majesty/divine presence

We find ourselves today not only in the midst of the Omer, but also living through what some have termed the Great Pause, as coronavirus brings the world to a virtual stand-still. Time has become amorphous and uncertain. It is easy to begin to feel adrift and purposeless, but perhaps the practice of counting the Omer can help us refocus and even grow spiritually.

Reflections and meditations based on the Kabbalists’ teachings can provide a framework to help us make meaning. A quick Google search finds Jewish teachers from all streams of Judaism offering meditations, inspirations, and reflections for each day of the Omer period. For example, Reform Rabbi Karyn Kedar, the author of Omer: A Counting, has joined with Positive Jewish Living on Facebook to offer reflections for each day of the Omer. For those who want to delve deeper, a quick search on Amazon for “counting the Omer” leads to over 25 books written by rabbis and teachers from the most traditional to the most liberal.

Finally, there are also opportunities within the UPJ region to come together virtually to reflect and count the Omer. My own congregation, the UJC of Hong Kong, offers a weekly meeting via Zoom where we sing, learn, and count the Omer together.* In Sydney, Rabbi Orna Triguboff of Emanuel Synagogue, is offering an online class on Omer Kabbalah Meditations and is also providing daily inspirational emails during the Omer. **

When you receive this, it will be the 13thday of the Omer, the final day of the second week, which is focused on Gevurah– the aspect of strength, discipline, judgment, and holding. Consider this teaching from Rabbi Vivie Mayer about this second week of the Omer:

Gevurah, Holding Power, is the pipeline through which love and kindness might flow. At the deep core of holding is the holding that makes the holding effortless, like carry-ing a baby from the inside. It is not superficial, tight or rigid. It is strong, resilient, and alive.

At a time when it feels as if we are all holding our breath, it requires spiritual strength to hold and be held, to hold our place in a sea of ambiguity.

Just as our tradition has transformed the Omer, may we be transformed by the Omer. May we use this time, the Omer passage from Mitzrayim to true freedom, to grow and transform so that we emerge stronger and more resilient, healed and more whole.

*For information on The UJC of Hong Kong’s Omer pro-gram Every One Counts! please email:

Rabbimartha@ujc.org.hk

**For information on Rabbi Triguboff’s Omer Kabbalah Meditations class please see www.trybooking.com/BIHZE

For information on Rabbi Triguboff’s daily Omer emails please email orna@neshamalife.org.

Monday 27th April, 7.30pm

Saturday 2nd May, 10am

REMEMBRANCE

THOSE WHO HAVE PASSED AWAY THIS WEEK FROM OUR COMMUNITY - Walter Wagner • Pawel Spiewak • Michael Cohen

SHLOSHIM - Hannah Forshaw • Sally Hendler • Ian Skolnick (Geoff King’s Cousin) • Moshe Dinor • Alan Lang • Michael Axel • Professor Richard Harcourt • Maurice Phillips • Leila Kleiman • Henry Grebler

YAHRZEITS OBSERVED THIS SHABBAT—Louis Goldstein, father of Ted Goldstein • Gretl Gresham, mother of Gerry Sabel • Arthur Heymanson, father-in-law of

Noel Hall OAM • Naureen Hughes, sister of Lorraine Ercegg

We also remember all victims of violence and terrorism throughout the world.

ANZAC DAY 2020

"They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old;

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning

We will remember them."

Anzac Day will look very different this year due to COVID-19 social distancing restrictions in place

across Australia. Commemorative services, when held, will not be open to the public. Anzac Day

marches have been cancelled.

Anzac Day also falls on Shabbat this year. With this in mind, community leaders and members are

encouraged to stand in their driveway or on their balcony for a minute's silence at 6am on Saturday

25th April. This act of remembrance will allow community members to stand in solidarity with the many

other Australians and New Zealanders tuning into the broadcasted dawn service at the same time,

to remember the sacrifices of our fallen servicemen and servicewomen.

Lest We Forget.

Bet-Olam Planning for COVID-19 Virus Emergency - New Protocols

We are continuing with a safe and measured response to this situation. The number of people attending the family meeting is reduced to 2 and we will ensure that these meetings take place in a large and open space.

Funerals are held at the graveside and we will live stream as many as we can, limiting attendance at funerals to 7-8 people plus Rabbi and myself. Cremations are also restricted to 8 people plus Rabbi and myself and we can live stream these services as well. Social distancing and personal hygiene will be strictly adhered to.

https://www.health.gov.au/news/health-alerts/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov-health-alert/coronavirus-covid-19-advice-for-travellers

If you wish to discuss any concerns, please call Rhonda Nirens on 9883 6237