When the Baal Shem Tov, the founder of Chasidic Judaism, had special prayers to make, he would retreat to a particular place in the forest, light a fire, and meditate in prayer. His prayer was answered.

A generation later, when his disciple the Maggid, the preacher of Mezeritch, had petitions to make, he would go to the same place in the forest, and would say: "Lord, we can no longer light the fire, nor do we know the secret meditations that underlie the prayers; but we do know the precise place in this forest where it was once performed. And that must surely be sufficient!" And it was.

A generation later, the great rabbi, Israel of Rishiv, was called upon to perform the same task. He sat down on his throne in his dynastic center, and said: "We cannot light the fire; we cannot recite the meditations and prayers; we do not even know the precise place in the forest where it was performed. But we can tell the story of how it was done." And the story he told had the same effect as the actions of the other two!

There are many who come to worship during the Jewish holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur blessed with knowing how to light the fire—the fire of enthusiasm that spiritually warms and nourishes ourselves and our children. We certainly know the place in the forest, are familiar with the prayers and meditations that well up naturally from our hearts and emotions to their lips.

There are others who cannot light the fire or recite the prayers and meditations but who, nevertheless, "know the place in the forest." We come to services fairly regularly, observe other festivals, and are committed to giving our children a better religious education than we perhaps had.

But there is a large majority of us who find ourselves unable to even locate the place in the forest, who are not even inclined to search for the place, who do not even know that there is a forest, inside of which there is a place of unique exaltedness.

And yet, for all that, we do engage in the basic exercise. We tell the story! We tell it by our presence. We affirm that it is, after all, our story, and a glorious, rich and ongoing story that is gathering momentum, spiritual power and interest as it unfolds in our age. 

As we gather this year for High Holy Days, once again at Real Life, our small community becomes a large congregation. It’s an amazing sight to behold, as Santa Clarita for a few days feels vibrantly Jewish.  And something wonderfully sacred happens as, from all our different directions, the room becomes a sacred space where our prayers blend and fuse together.

This year make a commitment not to be afraid of trying something new.  Don’t be intimidated by the Hebrew or songs you may not know.  Unlock your heart and spirit to new possibilities.

Each of us has a prayer that is necessary, not just for ourselves, but for everyone else too.  And it may very well not be in Hebrew.  It may not even have words, but rest assured, your community is depending on it.

We look forward to seeing you during the holiday season, and may it open up new opportunities for the future.

​L'Shanah tovah tikatevu.  May you be inscribed for a rich and fulfilling year in the Book of Life.

       How have fifteen years passed since the devastation of 9/11? On one hand, it seems like just yesterday. We turn around and fifteen years have passed. But when we stop and consider how we have been affected individually and as a nation, it is almost overwhelming.
   The trajectory of each of our lives has been altered. The tremendous effect it has had on our lives is felt when we travel and when we are at home. There is scarcely and area of politics or international relations that are still not being directed by the realities of the tragedy, or the fears of a similar attack. Fifteen years on, we are still calculating the losses emotionally, physically, financially, psychologically and spiritually.
   Immediately after the tragedy in 2001 our congregation held a community-wide memorial, represented by every member of our Interfaith Council. The following year, on 9/11/02, beginning at dawn, the names of every victim were read in an extremely emotional ceremony.
   For the first five years after the tragedy we held a morning service every 9/11 to reflect and honor the victims. Over the last decade we have held memorials and special programs on 9/11 or on the nearest Shabbat. This year on Sunday, September 11th we will be holding an Open House and religious school. On that we will also be lighting memorial candles at 10 am, and enabling anyone who would like to visit during the 10 am-1 pm to light a candle as well. Anyone who would like to receive a yahrtzeit candle at the Kabbalat Shabbat night service can do so Friday Sept. 9th.
   When we pause to reflect on loss, we are simultaneously reminded of all we possess. By looking back, even in mourning, we are able to direct our energy into preserving the positive in the present, and strive towards protecting our values for the future.
   This is also the goal of the High Holidays, which we prepare for during this period. Our tradition instructs us to be in a similar frame of mind each year, even if that specific tragedy hadn't happened.
   Anyone who has attended Yizkor service understands how important it is to remember the lives that were lost in the last year, as well as previous years. Many people also visit graves of their parents and of other loved ones during this period, recalling those who have made an important impact on us in the previous years, and whose memories we cherish as a source of inspiration for the coming years as well.
   As we prepare ourselves for the coming High Holy Days, we wish each other in person and in writing shanahtovah -- a good New Year or Le-shanahtovahtikatevu (May you be inscribed for a good and sweet year").
   Whatever blessings this year brings you, may you accept them with gratitude, whatever challenges, may you face them with courage.
   LE-SHANAH TOVAH TIKATEVU -- MAY YOU BE INSCRIBED FOR A GOOD YEAR!

I just stepped off the plane from our first TBA led Birthright trip to Israel.  Back in January I wrote: “Will this be the last time Temple Beth Ami organizes a Birthright trip?  Ask me in July.”
 
Well it’s July and let me say IT WON’T BE OUR LAST BIRTHRIGHT TRIP.  The journey was exhausting, physically draining, but mentally and spiritually uplifting.  I can also say it was one of the most important outreach/inreach activities I have ever been part of.
 
The young people who traveled on this trip not only had a deeply memorable trip, bonded with Israelis their own age but most importantly strengthened their connection with Jewish thought and tradition.  As our trip was organized by Kesher, a project of the URJ, the spiritual component may have been more focused on than other Birthright organized groups, but it is impossible to travel to Israel and not be spiritually moved. That is what makes Israel so different from other places, and why Birthright is such a triumph.
 
As a community, we Jews are great at pointing out our own shortcomings and failures.  It is something of a sport to us.  Occasionally, however, we have to step back and congratulate ourselves for our successes.  Birthright is one of the greatest successes in the history of American Jewish life.  It is a cooperative effort bringing together Jewish federations, major donors and the government of Israel. 
 
Birthright most significantly reaches Jewish young people at a critical stage of their lives, often after several years of disengagement.  The project helps plant the seeds of further connection, and challenges the participants to find meaning in their Judaism as adults.  My only disappointment is that there isn’t a similar program for Jews who aren’t between the ages of 18-26.
 
To this point, I also advised back at the beginning of the year to watch for future TBA trips to Israel for people of all ages. We can now say that next summer we will be travelling to Israel on TBA’s seventh organized journey.  The departure dates and prices are in the last stages of being finalized, but we are planning on departing towards the beginning of June, and the price will be over $1500 per person less than comparable trips departing from LAX.
 
While not subsidized, we always make sure that these life changing journeys are always as affordable as possible.  We look forward to making the dream of L’shana haba’ah b’Yerushalayim/Next Year in Jerusalem, a reality.
 
Have a great summer,
Rabbi Mark

         At 4 P.M. on the fifth of Iyar 5708 corresponding to May 14, 1948, Zionist leader David Ben-Gurion, surrounded by members of the Provisional Council of State on the ground floor of the Tel Aviv Art Museum, issued a proclamation to the world:
We, members of the people's council, representatives of the Jewish community of Eretz Yisrael and of the Zionist movement . . . by virtue of our natural and historic right and on the strength of the resolution of the United Nations General Assembly hereby declare the establishment of a Jewish state in Eretz Yisrael, to be known as the State of Israel.
         This year we celebrate, Yom Ha’Atzmaut, Israel’s Independence Day beginning at sundown May 11th.  In the midst of this year’s celebration many are concerned with the recent tension between the governments of the USA and Israel.  In our election year there is a feeling of unknown that is already amplified by political challenges that have torn apart Israel’s neighbors and created an unprecedented amount of instability in the region.
         The miracle of Israel is something we celebrate with a sense of awe, wonder and astonishment.  In the midst of all this turmoil Israel represents hope, not only for the Jewish people, but for all humanity.
         The Declaration of Independence of Israel granted freedom, justice, and peace to everyone, guaranteed freedom of religion, and safeguarded the holy places of all faiths also extended a hand "to all neighboring states and their peoples in an offer of peace and good neighborliness." It appealed to them "to establish bonds of cooperation and mutual help with the sovereign Jewish people settled in its own land. The State of Israel was prepared, the Declaration continued, "to do its share in common effort for the advancement of the entire Middle East."
         Two thousand years of waiting to be restored to our homeland—two thousand years of longing, wandering, and suffering— came to an end.  And sixty-eight years later we still celebrate the miracle, even as the vision is yet to be fully realized.
         In June I will be traveling to Israel with over 40 young people, a full Birthright trip.  Our travelers are primarily Santa Clarita students and include many who, only in the last few years, celebrated B’nai Mitzvah at Temple Beth Ami.
         Celebrate with us at a special Shabbat Service focusing on Israel featuring Cantor Kenny Ellis, Friday, May 13th at 8 pm.
​
Am Yisrael Chai – The People of Israel Live

Every year at Pesach we place an egg on our Seder plate as a symbol of potential.  For people around the world the spring season is a time to contemplate new beginnings and the hopeful promise of better days ahead.  For our ancestors, connected to the land, spring was a time of planting and even early harvests.  This season was the heart of an economic cycle where financial security and a family’s very survival depended on what happened in these crucial weeks.

The recognition of the agricultural underpinnings of Passover gives us a deeper appreciation that while this holiday was so important for Jews in the biblical period, it also reminds us that this is a season of potential.  And while we might be less focused on the natural cycle occurring around us, Passover is a time to work diligently, and look hopefully towards positive outcomes in whatever endeavors we occupy ourselves with.

We of course look forward to celebrating this season of new beginnings together at our Community Seder on Saturday night April 23rd, but we have many other exciting activities to help us make this season, and indeed the rest of the year, filled with fantastic possibilities.

Elections are on the mind of our nation, and our synagogue has always been a place where political leaders need to bring their campaign to the Jewish community.   This month two of the candidates for L.A. County Supervisor District 5 will be making an appearance at TBA. LA City Councilman Mitchell Englander will visit Shabbat Services on April 8th, at 8 pm and L.A. County Deputy District Attorney Elan Carr will be visiting on April 15th, at 8 pm.

Casino Night, Saturday, April 16th starting at 7 pm, at the Tesoro Clubhouse, will be a wonderful evening of fun and friends (and fundraising).  This is a great chance to enjoy playing games of chance, and we have some wonderful prizes and auction items, including 4 Dodger tickets with Ketel One Lounge access.  What a great way to celebrate spring!  LA Galaxy tickets will also be a prize/auction item for those who don’t love America(‘s pastime).

And reflecting on the environment, this spring season Temple Beth Ami will be hosting our first Earth Day climate change symposium with a special screening of Who Killed the Electric Car, and a discussion panel featuring our own Professor of Environmental Studies, Ralph Krongold, and renowned electric vehicle advocate Paul Scott.  Passover treats will be served at this important and informative program held on April 24th from 3-5 pm at Beth Ami.
​
COME SING DAYENU WITH US – Temple Beth Ami will be celebrating our community Seder the second night of Passover, Saturday night, April 23rd at 6 pm. Led by Rabbi Mark Blazer and Cantor Kenny Ellis. Call (661) 255-6410 for information and reservations or online at: www.eventbrite.com/e/temple-beth-ami-community-seder-2016-tickets-22196772143

Purim, falls on the fourteenth of the Hebrew month of Adar, this year beginning on Wednesday evening, March 23rd.  It is a celebration of the events described in the Scroll of Esther. The holiday with its joyous carnival-like atmosphere focuses on one of the main themes in Jewish history, the survival of the Jewish people despite the attempts of their enemies to destroy them.

The story of Purim is about hunger for power and anti-Semitism born of the Jewish commitment to serve a higher authority.  It has been repeated many times, making it both an ancient and modern story.

Purim recalls the dangers of minority status, and in so many places and times hatred and prejudice was directed at the Jewish people in particular.  Anti-Semitism has not disappeared, but in many ways we have nowhere near the same fears that our ancestors shared. Yet, hatred of the foreigner and the stranger is still prevalent throughout the world, so the holiday reminds us to make sure that others do not experience the darkest experiences of our history.

Purim, however, is most of all a happy story--a story of survival and triumph over evil.  We are reminded to never give up hope, and that help can come from the most unlikely of places.  And Purim teaches us that stripped of power, the things that frighten us can become a source of humor, and laughter.
​
Join us for our Purim Carnival Sunday, March 20th from 10:30am -1pm at Temple Beth Ami.  We also look forward to seeing you on Wednesday night, March 23rd at 7 pm, as we celebrate Purim with our special Spiel, a musical celebration featuring Wendee and some very talented, or at the very least, well intentioned TBA players.  Everyone is encouraged to come in costume and let loose.
Be Joyous, It’s Purim!

​This month our Tuesday morning class moves into the study of Angles and Demons in the Talmud.  For the next several weeks we will be studying readings of angelic episodes in Jewish tradition.  It seems appropriate given the ongoing interest in angeology and demonology, as proven by a whole new round of recent books, T.V. shows and movies on the subject.

In Israel's early traditions, God was perceived as administering the cosmos with a retinue of divine assistants. The members of this divine council were identified generally as "sons of God" and "morning stars" (Job 1:6; 38:7), "gods" (Ps. 82) or the "host of heaven" (Neh. 9:6), and they functioned as God's vicegerents and administrators in a hierarchical bureaucracy over the world. Where Israel's polytheistic neighbors perceived these beings as simply a part of the pantheon, the Bible depicts them as subordinate and in no way comparable to God.

The most ancient Israelites would probably have felt uncomfortable in describing all these beings as "angels," for the English word "angel" comes from the Greek aggelos, which at first simply meant "messenger" (as does the Hebrew term for angel, mal'ak). God's divine assistants were often more than mere messengers. Cherubim and seraphim, for example, never function as God's messengers, for their bizarre appearance would unnecessarily frighten humans.  On the contrary, God is frequently depicted in early narratives as dispensing with divine messengers, for God deals directly with humans with out intermediaries.

As time passed, however, an increasing emphasis on God's transcendence correlated with an increasing need for divine mediators. These beings who brought God's messages to humans are typically portrayed as being human-like in form, and such a being may often be called a "man.”  But as these messengers become more and more frequent, they eventually are provided with individual names and assigned increasingly specific tasks that go beyond that of a messenger. The only two angels named in the Hebrew Bible are in the book of Daniel: Gabriel reveals the future (Dan. 8—9) while Michael has a more combative role, opposing the forces of evil.

The Essenes, who influenced Christianity, and may have written the Dead Sea Scrolls possessed an especially well-developed angel-lore. The increasing role played by angels in the later stages of the Hebrew Bible is found everywhere in the Christian Scriptures. Among Jews and Christians in general, angeology continued to develop so that not only was Satan provided with his own retinue of angels as a counterpart to God, but hundreds of names and functions are also applied to angels in apocryphal texts such as the books of Enoch, written just before the Christian Scriptures.

In the Talmudic period the Biblical angelology was elaborated and enriched in three directions: angelic ministration was frequently inferred in Biblical narratives which made no mention of it, thus broadening the concept of angels as intermediaries be tween man and God; the personality of the angels was more clearly delineated through an effort to describe them, to name the more important ones, and to accord them peculiar spheres of influence, so that we have "princes" of fire, of hail, of rain, of night, of the sea, of healing, and so on; and finally they were appointed man's guardians to accompany him through his daily routine. The Essenes were said to have possessed an especially well-developed angel-lore, and the Enoch literature, reflecting Gnostic sources, had much to say concerning them, and implied their control of nature, man, and the future.

Along with this elaboration of angelology went its practical corollary, the utilization of angels in magic. The Talmud, though speaking often of angelic apparitions, knew nothing of the conjuration of angels as distinguished from the conjuration of demons. At most, there appears to have existed during the Talmudic period the practice of calling upon, or praying to the angels, as intermediaries before God, to intercede in a crisis.

By this later period, Talmudic prayer had been transformed into a magical invocation.  This was the foundation upon which thirteenth-century German-Jewish mysticism built an imposing structure of angel-magic.

One characteristic of the angels, in particular, merits attention both because of the frequency with which it was mentioned, and because of its practical consequences for religious and magical rites. Petitions were often addressed to heaven by way of the intervening angels. God, omniscient, comprehends all tongues, but the official language of the celestial court is Hebrew, and unfortunately the angels are monolingual ( or, it may be, if they do have knowledge of foreign languages they choose to ignore communications addressed in them.) This principle was advanced in the Talmud, and since Aramaic was the spoken language of the people, the warning against praying in Aramaic was made especially emphatic. Only in the sick room might one employ other tongues than Hebrew, for there the Shechina, the Presence of God, was believed to hover over the head of the invalid, and received the prayer directly. This belief persisted in the Middle Ages and was utilized to explain, if weakly, the Aramaic prayers that are to be found in the ritual, and in particular, certain Aramaic lines in the Kaddish: they were couched in this language so that they might be unintelligible to the angels, for their contents were such as might annoy them, or arouse their envy of the superlative piety of the Jews. It was this belief too that made necessary the bestowal of a Hebrew name upon every Jew, in addition to his secular name, and the use exclusively of the Hebrew name in the course of a religious rite, for the angels certainly could not be expected to recognize an individual by any other.

Do angels speak English?  For our sake, let’s hope not.   

JOIN US TUESDAY MORNINGS, 9 AM, AT TEMPLE BETH AMI.

In the last forty years I have traveled to Israel nearly twenty times.  The last several years leading groups from Temple Beth Ami.  For me, it is one of the most exciting and inspirational aspects of my life, and I can truly say that every trip has been uniquely rewarding and memorable in its own way.
​ 
My first trips were with my father, when he led yearly groups during the 1970’s.  As a child, I remember my father telling me that if he had access to enough funding the one project he would undertake is guaranteeing every Jewish young adult a trip to Israel.

This was his dream that grew out of his personal experience.  Raised in a fairly normal middle class home he had gone to hebrew school, hated it, and made his way through high school being proud of his Jewish identity but with no deeper connection. However at  seventeen he traveled to Israel and it changed his life.

He came back to the United States understanding why Judaism, Israel and Jewish identity/culture matter.  He finally understood what it meant to be a Jew in the modern world.  Then he devoted the rest of his life to making sure others understood that as well.  He went on to develop every form of Jewish media and communications possible, culminating in the creation of JLTV ten years ago.  It also inspired him to lead dozens of groups to Israel personally, including California Loves Israel during the 1980’s, still one of the largest organized trips in history.

In the late ‘90s a group of the world’s wealthiest Jewish philanthropists did indeed realize this dream of bringing our youth to the Holyland.  They too believed that an Israel experience would have a profoundly positive effect on Jewish lives and it was worth investing in.

Birthright was initially funded by a dozen individuals and family trusts with the mission of guaranteeing every young Jewish American with an educationally inspiring trip to our homeland.  Subsequently, Jewish organizations and the government of Israel partnered as well, and currently Birthright, or Taglit/Discovery as it is known in Hebrew, has grown to be one of the largest and most successful undertakings in the Jewish world.  It now includes young people from around the world, and hundreds of thousands have now made this journey.  It is interesting to note that other ethnic groups including Armenians and Greeks seeing Birthright’s success have tried to replicate the experience for their own diaspora communities.

One of the most inspiring aspects Birthright is that it brings together the entire Jewish community, across the religious and political spectrum, because it isn’t one trip, it is hundreds of trips, organized by every religious denomination, most large Jewish organization, dozens of interests and orientations, as well as many college Hillels.  In order to qualify as a Birthright trip the participating entity must adhere to certain guidelines and mandatory meetings and visits, but within that context each trip is unique.

In the last fifteen years dozens of young people from Santa Clarita have traveled to Israel on many different Birthright trips.  This June I will be leading a Kesher trip, organized by the Reform movement.  It is called SCV Jews & Beth Ami Birthright and is open to anyone who qualifies for a trip under Birthright guidelines.  Registration is available online at gokesher.org, but it must be done by the traveler.  In order for them to go on our trip, which departs LAX, they simply need to indicate SCV Jews & Beth Ami Birthright.  And we will be making history as the first trip facilitated by an organization in Santa Clarita.

Our group will be traveling from June 19-29, and while most of those on this particular trip will be in the 22-26 range, it is open to ages 18-26.  Will this be the last time Temple Beth Ami organizes a Birthright trip?  Ask me in July.  Chances are it won’t be, and thankfully it appears Birthright will be available for many years to come.  Keep an eye out for future TBA trips to Israel for people of all ages, and while not subsidized, we always make sure that these journeys are as affordable as possible.


Registration 
Registration for all applicants opens on Monday, February 1st at 10am EST at www.gokesher.org

The Application
On registration day, applicants should fill out all 8 sections of Taglit-Birthright Israel’s application, known as the Primary Application. In section 2 of the Primary Application, applicants should make sure to select URJ Kesher as their trip organizer.

Note About Eligibility

Taglit-Birthright Israel has recently changed their eligibility rules. Applicants who have already been to Israel on a peer program before turning 18 are now eligible for the gift.


Submitting the Deposit
All applicants must submit a refundable $250 deposit in order to be placed on a trip. Deposits can be placed using a credit or debit card with a $10 processing fee.

Trip Placement

• Approximately 24-48 hours after main registration opens, URJ Kesher will send all eligible and complete applicants an invitation to the Secondary Application (note: this application is exclusive to URJ Kesher). This application will include a list of all trips offered, with specific, tentative dates. Applicants will be asked to select, in order of preference, all trips for which they are interested in traveling. THE TBA/SCV trip will be included in this list.
• Based on these reports, applicants will be emailed their trip offer and given 72 hours to respond. If they do not respond within the time frame, their trip offer will be revoked. ​