Low status, high impact: Rahab rewarded for helping Israelite spies Zoom Bible study 7-8pm tonight: bit.ly/NafTorah Rahab, a sex worker, conceals Israelite spies ahead of Joshua's siege of Jericho Image courtesy of hisspokenword.com PLEASE JOIN NAFSHENU'S ZOOM BIBLE STUDY TONIGHT --from Rabbi David-- Spy craft, espionage and loyalty come into play this week in the Torah and Haftarah readings. The Torah portion, Sh'lach (Numbers chapters 13-15) tells of the 12 scouts whom Moses sent into Canaan to gather information for an Israelite invasion. Their majority report focusing on the dangers of an attack let to a 38-year
extension of the Israelites' wandering in the desert.The week's Haftarah (Joshua chapter 2) is our focus tonight. It tells of a later spy mission, when Moses' successor, Joshua, sent two scouts to report on conditions inside the walls of Jericho as part of the plan to conquer that Canaanite city. That story has an unlikely hero, a woman named Rahab who worked as a
prostitute and who comes to the aid of the spies. Believing that God has blessed the Israelites and has promised the land to them, she hides the spies from Jericho's king and aids their escape. Rabbis of the Talmudic era say God honored Rahab by having 10 priests and prophets descend from her. The early Christians went one step further: the book of Matthew lists Rahab as the mother of Boaz, who married the widowed Ruth. Because
Ruth was king David's great-grandmother, that makes Rahab -- within the Christian tradition -- an ancestor of Jesus. #############Here's Nafshenu's schedule through August, followed by the High Holidays and the rest of 2026. Our Core Team is excited to have the dates set, so we can get to work to make this a great year for our small but spirited holy community.JUNE-AUGUST:- Friday, June 19, 6:30-9pm: Kabbalat Shabbat & potluck, Prince of Peace
- Friday, July 10, 6:30-9pm: Kabbalat Shabbat & potluck, Prince of Peace
- Saturday, July 18: Shabbat morning service and potluck, Prince of
Peace
- Justice Friday, August 7, 6:30-9pm: Bring school supplies for donation to needy children. Kabbalat Shabbat & potluck, Prince of Peace.
- Saturday, August 22: Shabbat morning service and potluck, Prince of Peace
- EVERY THURSDAY, except where noted: Bible study on Zoom, 7-8pm, at the
link bit.ly/NafTorah
SEPTEMBER-DECEMBER: - Friday, September 11,
6-9pm: Rosh Under the Stars, Prince of Peace
- Saturday, September 12, 10am-1pm: Rosh Hashanah, service & lunch, Prince of Peace
- Sunday, September 20, 7-8pm: Kol Nidre, Prince of Peace
- Monday, September 21, 10am-12:30pm: Yom Kippur day, Prince of
Peace
- Monday, September 21, 7:30-9pm: Ne’ilah, Break Fast, Prince of Peace
- Friday, September 25: Sukkah party, Location TBD
- Saturday, October 3, 6-9pm: Simchat Torah, Prince of Peace
- Sunday, October 11, 1-3pm, Food
Justice Sunday, Location TBA
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