As soon as the curtains went down on our wickedly funny Purim spiel last Thursday night, a transformation began to occur in our CSS sanctuary. The amazing sets put together by Julia and crew, the exquisite costumes sewn by hand by Charlene and Elizabeth, all get boxed and put away. The awesome actors and crew who worked for months to prepare head off to their after party. Cantor Frank and Mike, our dedicated and talented directors, begin to decompress. And our synagogue community begins to shift from the fun and frivolity of Purim begins to shift to the joy of Passover.
A little more than a month marks the distance between these central Jewish holidays. In that time, houses need to be cleaned, meals prepared, Seder material brought up from the basement, and kids prepped on the Four Questions. The Jewish calendar gives little space to linger on any particular holiday, shifting our attention quickly to whatever is coming next. The year is not a sprint, but a marathon, filled with dozens of mini-markers in between.
We feel this in this week’s Torah portion Vayakhel as we begin to transition out of the book of Exodus. These last few portions are about the completion of the Tabernacle, a multi-month project that is at the heart of our ancestor’s journey through the wilderness. But, not to worry, even as we wrap up this central Jewish story, we will return to it again in a few weeks during Passover. Nothing is ever more than a year away as we cycle week to week through the adventure of our Jewish Year. I know that I, for one, am already working on next year’s Purim spiel!
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Alex
p.s. – If you haven’t done so already, take a few minutes and vote in the World Zionist Congress election. Every 5 years the Jewish world can vote on this vital project that controls $5 billion of assets. Anyone over 18 and who considers themselves part of the Jewish people can vote! CSS is encouraging you to vote either #3/Reform or #16/Hatikvah (Reconstructionist). Just click here to get started.