Dear Friends and Family,
Fast Days
Our two holiest days of the year are Shabbat and Yom Kippur and this year they combine forces. Did you know it is forbidden to Fast on Shabbat so if any of the other 6 Fast Days (yes, there 7 Fast Days during our year) fall on Shabbat they are conveniently moved to Sunday. But NOT Yom Kippur since both days are of equally significance. This is the only time we are permitted/required (if able) to Fast on Shabbat. May you have an Easy and Meaningful Fast and may your name be written and sealed in the Book of Life for another year.
Threads that Bind
Though we as Jews have “only” been around for about 3.5 thousand years we are celebrating the New Year of 5774. So why the discrepancy? My very un-rabbinic interpretation is that the world was biblically “born” 5, 774 years ago and it is our job to take care of the WHOLE world (Tikkun Olam) and not just when we came on the scene. Tikkun Olam is our Jewish responsibility that must be continuously taught to future generations. It proudly binds us as a people with the valued thread of Healing and Repairing our surroundings.
First Hero
Tragically 2,977 lives perished 12 years ago, this week. They included men, women, children, Jews, Christians, Muslims, Firefighters, Doctors, Lawyers, Teachers, Americans, Israelis and citizens from 113 other nations. One of those Israelis was Danny Lewin, the first victim of 9/11. Danny was a 31 year old husband, father, Tech genius, businessman and IDF solder who also happened to serve in an elite Israeli counterterrorism unit. So, during those first moments of inflight chaos, his instincts kicked in and he lost his life trying to defeat the five box-cutter wielding terrorists.
 |
| Danny Lewin – Hero |
Terrorism is a Cancer in our world that MUST be extinguished. Let’s hope this New Year of 5774 brings an end to Man’s inhumanity to Man and Peace on Earth can spread it’s protective wings around us all.
Missing Flag
There is a story about this famously photographed flag from 9/11. It was snatched off a docked boat near Ground Zero and hoisted up moments after the catastrophe. Then “The Flag” fluttered in the wind at NY’s City Hall, Yankee Stadium and on the USS Theodore Roosevelt. However somewhere between the original flag raising at Ground Zero and its first destination, it was replaced by a larger different flag and to this day the whereabouts of the original flag are unknown. There is a website dedicated to solving this mystery: http://www.findthe911flag.com/
19 year old (soul)
Here is an excellent Ted Talk by, Kevin Breel, a brave and incredible young man who opening discusses his depression. It is moving and powerful and worth the 11 minutes it take to watch. His words of wisdom on excepting ourselves is a message that needs to be shouted from the rooftops.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3yqXeLJ0Kg
Wishing you and your loved ones a Sweet and Peaceful Shabbat Shalom,
Lisa
P.S. Dear Rabbis and religious scholars (on this list), If I have mistakenly given any religious misinformation, please let me know so I can correct my errors. Thanks.
Shabbat Shalom - שבת שלום 