Parshat Yitro

This week’s parashah, Yitro, tells the story of the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai. Before giving the Torah, God promised: “If you will truly hear my voice. . . you will 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, make room within us for the voice of Sinai to be heard.

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-lunch this Shabbat, January 30 is sponsored by Esperanza Andujar in memory of her mother Ermenia Andujar. The desserts are sponsored by Carol and Israel Naishtut in memory of Israel’s father Isaac Naishtut.
Childcare is available from 10 am to noon on Shabbat mornings. Learning services for children this Shabbat are from 11 to 11:30 am.for toddlers and preschoolers, and from 11 to 11:45 am for grades 1 to 3.
Minyanim during the week are on Sunday mornings at 9:30 am, Monday evenings at 7 pm, Wednesday mornings at 7 am and Wednesday evenings at 7 pm.
Join us at Limmud AZ, a community-wide day of Jewish learning, on Sunday January 31. See the Limmud website for more information.
On Monday evening February 1 at 7:30 pm, The New Shul will host a lecture by Avia Kushner, “The Grammar of God.” The lecture is sponsored by the Women’s Jewish Learning Center and is open to all. There is no charge.
The New Shul community’s annual meeting is on Sunday February 7 at 10:00 am. All are welcome.
On Shabbat morning, February 13, we will celebrate the bar mitzvah of Benjamin Brodsky, son of Jon and Randi Brodsky.
On Presidents’ Day, Monday February 15, The New Shul community will serve meals to the hungry at St. Vincent de Paul’s Jackson St. dining room. Please let us know if you can help.
Join us for Friday night dinner at The New Shul on February 26, following the 6 pm service. The cost is $18 per adult, and $9 per child under 18 (no charge for children under 5). Please make your reservation by Friday February 19.