THE FIRE NEXT TIME: Parashat Va-yera

There’s so much going on in this week’s Torah portion that it really deserves a whole month. That means there are lots of twists and turns to make Thursday night’s Torah study fun and informative. 

Please join me, Rabbi David, and your NAFSHENU friends to look at Parashat Va-year (Genesis 18:1-22:24), which includes Abraham arguing with God about the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, the birth of Isaac, the exiling of Abraham’s older son Yishma’el and his mother Hagar, and Isaac’s near sacrificial death. 

The writer James Baldwin (I met him!) named his essay book “The Fire Next Time” for a Black spiritual drawn on this week’s portion. Here’s a link to a modern gospel version: bit.ly/NafFire.

We’re on Zoom, 7-8 p.m. Here’s the link: bit.ly/NafTorah.

EXCITING WEEKEND AT NAFSHENU

We’re getting together on Zoom for a short Friday night candle lighting ritual, kiddush and informal chat. It’s at 6pm here: bit.ly/NafTorah. 

Then on Sunday morning, we have the first of our new hands-on social justice programs we’re calling Justice Sunday. Please join your Nafshenu friends to help out at the Jewish Relief Agency food warehouse, packing boxes for people in need. The work is 10-11:30 a.m., and we will grab lunch after. It’s 30 minutes from Cherry Hill in northeast Philly. Here’s a link with directions and a map: bit.ly/NafJRAblurb. Please let me know if you think you’re coming: rebdovid@nafshenu.org or 248-508-0874. 

Blessings to all of you! – Rabbi David Goodman