Dear Friends,
At Rosh HaShanah, I spoke about Levi’s block tower—how he stacked it high, marveled at his creation, and then knocked it down with glee. It was a moment of wonder, impermanence, and impulse control-in-formation. (Very toddler.) And, it reminded me: nothing we build lasts forever.
Some things do endure, though. Judaism has always been more interested in sanctifying time than constructing monuments. Our rituals, our holidays, Shabbat—these are the cathedrals we carry with us. They don’t crumble. They don’t fade. They live in us. We create formative Jewish memories with those we love, and they stay with us.
This year, I invited our community to make 5786 the Year of Shabbat. Not because we need one more thing to add to our calendars, but because we need something sacred to anchor them. Shabbat is our weekly reset. It’s our chance to stop, breathe, and reconnect—with ourselves, with each other, and with the Divine. Think about it less as a thing to do, and more as permission to slow down.
If you haven’t yet received your TBT Shabbat kit, we have one with your name on it! Just drop by the office. If you have one but haven’t opened it yet, I encourage you to do so this week. Light the candles. Enjoy the wine. Try baking a Challah — or grab one from Stop & Shop, there’s no shame in that!
You don’t need to be an expert. You just need to get started. And if you’re not sure how, I’m here for you. Our RAC volunteers are available. You can learn the melodies for the Shabbat blessings here. I’ll be hosting the first Shabbat 101 workshop on Sunday, November 2nd at 11am. This is a judgment-free zone! Come learn the essentials of Shabbat: the blessings, rituals, and history. Everyone is welcome.
Finally, I’d love to hear what you’d like to try this year. Drop me a note, or stop by the office.
Let’s build something together—not in stone, but in spirit. Because in the end, it’s not the towers we build that define us. It’s the time we choose to make holy, together with those we love.
Shalom,
Rabbi Moss