The New Shul

Parshat Ki Tissa

In this week’s parashah, Ki Tissa, we read the story of the golden calf. The Talmud teaches that, when God said to Moses, “Go down [from the mountain] because your people have sinned,”  Moses lost his strength, to the point that he could not speak. But when God went further and said “Leave me alone so that I may destroy them,” Moses said to himself “This thing depends on me.” At that moment Moses regained his strength and began to argue with God on the people’s behalf, until God gave in and spared them.

The point is that, when we realize that we are needed, we find reservoirs of strength that we did not know we had. Far from depleting our energy, the awareness that “this thing depends on me” renews our energy.

That is one of the secrets of true community. We gain strength from the support of others — but even more importantly, we gain strength from knowing that others need our support, that they depend on us. Being needed makes us grow.

May we all find strength, and give strength, in caring for each other.

  • The New Shul’s Shabbat services are on Friday evenings from 6 to 7 pm, and on Saturday mornings from 9 am to 12 noon. Our guest teacher this Shabbat, February 23, will be Rabbi Robert Dobrusin from Ann Arbor Michigan. The kiddush-lunch will be sponsored by Deena Davis Golab and Matt Golab in honor of their first wedding anniversary and Deena’s birthday.
  • Childcare is available on Shabbat mornings from 10 am to noon.
  • Minyanim during the week are on Sunday mornings at 9:30 am, and on Monday through Thursday evenings at 7 pm.
  • On Shabbat morning March 2, we will celebrate the bat mitzvah of Emily Pertsovsky, daughter of Igor and Julia Pertsovsky.
  • Join us for dinner at The New Shul on Friday night March 15, after 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 reservations by Monday March 10. If you would like to pay on-line, you can do so here.