blogs/masa

Each year, as the trees begin to change color, my thoughts begin to focus on gratitude for all of the things that I have in my life. Last Friday, I felt especially grateful for our community, as we gathered for the first Shabbat potluck of 5779! It was lovely to see so many people, sharing Mini Minyan, kiddush, and a meal. I hope that we'll be seeing each other on many Friday evenings this year.

The Friday Masa students got the chance to explore the interesting--and mobile--home of one of our members. I am sure that the Israelites would have been grateful for the convenience of a caravan like that while they were traveling in the desert for forty years! Then the students set up for the potluck, and made a Yemeni-style potato salad to share with everyone. I hope that others enjoyed that flavor combination as much as I did.

The oldest students led the younger children of the community through kid-friendly Kabbalat Shabbat services. Even if you don't have small children, you might enjoy coming to share in the joyful energy the youngest members of our community bring to welcoming the Shabbat queen! (Or you may prefer to begin your Shabbat by learning with Rabbi Brent and other adults downstairs.)

After the potluck, some of the children came up to join the adults for different parts of the service. I hope they noticed that the adults sing many of the same songs that we sing in Masa. It's nice to share services with the whole community!

This week, we'll have our first full, regular weekend of the year. On Friday, it will be Masa at 4, Stories with Rabbi Brent at 5, Mini Minyan at 5:30, the potluck at 6, and then services at 7. On Sunday, we'll have Masa as usual from 9:30-12:30.

We will be learning about the second Torah portion, Noach, which tells the story of Noah's Ark, and also the Tower of Babel. The kindergarten through second grade students will begin a year-long project of making items they can use at home to celebrate Shabbat. (In previous years, we've made challah covers, candles, kiddush cups, tzedakah boxes, and besamim boxes.) We will also begin to talk about the things we are grateful for right now, a theme we will continue for the next several weeks.

Our Journal Topic for Sunday will be: Over the last month, we told the story of the creation of the world a few times. What is something in the world that makes you happy? What are some of the things you are thankful for in the world?

The first three pictures in this post are from the flags children decorated for the sukkah at BHA. The final picture is from when the kindergarten-first grade class made Shabbat bags back in 2015/16!

Please also check out the Lost and Found to make sure nothing in it belongs to you! Here are some pictures of the things in the Lost and Found.