From the Rabbi's Desk

What a wonderful way to dedicate the New Center! Thank you to all who came out and to all those who participated in making this a reality! Amazing Jewish music by the band, a delicious spread of Kosher sushi, desserts, strudel, salads and more. We affixed the Mezuzah and started the printing of Petaluma's first special edition Tanya! 

Check out the photo gallery below!

Sunday we are having a Model Matzah Bakery, a hands-on Passover experience, taking wheat stalks, grinding them into flour, and making handmade Matzah. Educational, fun, and an amazing way to get into the Seder spirit.

Seeing this, a friend sent me some photos of a Matzah Bakery from 17 years ago. As young Yeshiva students, we traveled to Ryazan a Russian city some 4 hours away from Moscow. For the small Jewish community that lived there, it was a magical week that they looked forward to for months.

Many of the adults had grown up under the Soviet communist regim, when celebrating Passover in a communal setting was near impossible. As a result, the handful of children barely knew about Matzah, the Seder, or the slavery of our ancestors in Egypt. Yet, the inextinguishable Jewish flame burned brightly, curiosity apparent on these pure faces.

While the language made purchasing produce from the local bazaar more difficult and we needed a translator to do the traditional bargaining, when it came to the Jewish community, my poor Russian (I've improved since then!) hardly got in the way. Instead, as we baked Matzah with the children, hosted a kumzitz with a group of Jewish students in our Gastinitza (motel), and sat with over 140 people at our seder celebrating freedom in a place that had much too recently only known oppression, we understood each other perfectly. As midnight approached and we sang Tumbalalaika, we communicated through the language of the soul. Together we prayed for the same future as Jews the world over at their family or community Seder table wished for, "Na sledushom gadu v'Yerusaleme" - Next Year in Jerusalem!

What I took from that special unforgettable trip, is that as wonderful as our traditions are, they are that much sweeter when shared with others. So whether you invite a coworker to join your family's Seder, or bring along a friend to Friday's Community Seder at the new Chabad Center, let's think of how we can help someone else on their journey out of a personal Egypt to true inner freedom.

This Shabbat is called "Hachodesh" - the month. It's the time when we were given the Mitzvah of the Jewish calendar. It is a lunar calendar. When the moon fades to complete darkness, and the new moon first emerges, it becomes a new month. 

That being said, it was not celebrated (in temple times) as the new month until two witnesses would come to the court confirming that they had seen the new moon. Not just Rosh Chodesh (the 1st of the month), but all the Jewish holidays would be determined based on this. e.g. Passover is on the 15th of the month, so it could shift from a Tuesday to a Wednesday depending completely on whether the moon had been spotted.

This was Hashem giving the power to the people. The very holidays that he instructed us to celebrate, we make them happen. Even now, that a calendar is in place, it was authored and organized and calculated by us, people. 

This Sunday, right in theme, we have another instance of something powerful created by the people. A beautiful community center to celebrate, share, laugh and learn. It is thanks to the wonderful community that we are blessed to be a part of that this has materialized. 

We can't wait to celebrate with all of you this Sunday, 11:00am. 205 Keller Street #101

Cell phone chargers, gas stations, the supermarket, sleep. Refueling is something that is part of the fabric of life. There is so much we want to accomplish, destinations to travel to, projects to complete, but without proper nutrition (and a charged cellphone), we become incapacitated.

Shabbat. It's the day of rest. When we take a break from the usual chaos of the mundane workweek, and we take the time to get back to ourselves, to reflect, and to be refreshed for when the cycle of life begins again.

But it's not just a lack of a crazy schedule. It's not just about a break from the homework and conference calls. It's not a pause button. Shabbat uplifts. Shabbat recharges our battery. It infuses us with the energy required for us to navigate the week.

In the Kaballah it states דמיניה מתברכין כולהו יומין - all the days of the week are blessed from Shabbat. It's like a micro Rosh Hashanah empowering us to face the challenges ahead.

Once a month we have a super-powered Shabbat. It's called Shabbat Mevorchim - the Shabbat that blesses - and it influences the entire month. It's the Shabbat before Rosh Chodesh (the start of the month in the Jewish lunar calendar) and it gives us a turbo-boost. We come out of this Shabbat with engines blazing, spiritual grocery cart full, rearing to go and tackle everything that awaits us. We've got our gear and are ready for the adventure of life.

So take a look at your calendar and see what's coming up in your life. Of course, there's Passover (and a beautiful Community Seder), there's the Grand Opening one week from Sunday (it's going to be amazing!), and there's everything from JSprouts Tinkergarten, to a Model Matzah Bakery(make your own Matzah!). And then there's your personal agenda. A doctor's visit with an optimistic prognosis, a test to pass with flying colors, a personal best at the gym, a world record to break. How do we gather the strength to climb that mountain? This Shabbat, fill up your metaphorical canteen and grab a protein bar. Light Shabbat candles (5:54pm), sing the Kiddush, recite your favorite Jewish prayer. The energy buffet is open and we're all invited.