The New Shul

Parshat Yitro

This week’s parashah, Yitro, tells the story of the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai.  Before giving the Torah, God promises:  “If you will truly hear my voice. . . you shall be my treasured possession.”

The S’fat Emet noted that the first letters of the Hebrew words “you will truly hear my voice” [shamoa tishma b‘koli] are the letters of the word Shabbat.  On Shabbat, our day of quiet, we can hear God’s voice more clearly than at any other time.

The ancient rabbis taught that the voice of Sinai calls out every minute of every day.  But it is a “still-small voice,” deeper than a whisper.  The stresses, tensions and distractions of the work week easily drown it out.  But on Shabbat, when we turn down the volume of the world around us, we can hear God’s call from deep within ourselves.  We feel commanded once again to make our lives a source of blessing.  May this Shabbat, and every Shabbat, help us to remember what our lives are ultimately for.

  • Shabbat services at The New Shul are on Friday evenings from 6 to 7 pm, and on Saturday mornings from 9 am to 12 noon. The kiddush this Shabbat is sponsored by Ben and Beverly Smolensky.
  • Childcare is available from 10 am to noon on Shabbat mornings. Children’s services this Shabbat are: Munchkin Minyan for ages 2 to 4 from 11:00 to 11:30 am, Beyond Bim Bom I for grades K to 1 from 10:15 to 11:00 am, and Beyond Bim Bom II for grades 2 to 3 from 10:15 to 11:00 am.
  • Our guest this Shabbat, Feb. 11, is Dr. Joel Gereboff, the chair of Religious Studies at ASU. Dr. Gereboff will teach during shul and after kiddush on the sin of sin’ah (hatred) as the ancient rabbis understood it.
  • The New Shul’s 10th Anniversary celebration is on Sunday Feb. 26 at 6 pm at the Hilton Scottsdale. Rabbi David Wolpe will be the keynote speaker. The cost is $54 per person.
  • Erev Purim is Wednesday Mar. 7. Join us for our megillah reading and shpiel beginning at 7:00 pm. On the morning of Purim, Thursday Mar. 8, join us for minyan, including another reading of the megillah, at 7 am.
  • The New Shul will host a blood drive on Sunday Mar. 11, beginning at 8:15 am and continuing through the day. To sign up to donate, or for further information, please call or email.