Letter from Rabbi Ross

Dear TBS Friends and Family,

Please join Robin Selinger and Larry Terkel for a lovely Shabbat Service this Friday evening. I am taking this week off to recover from a minor surgical procedure. The procedure was a success and I am recovering well at home. I plan to attend the service on Zoom with our other Zoom members. At Chanukkah, I will discuss my two medical miracles that I celebrate every year.

SHABBAT SERVICE – in-person and on Zoom

Our prayer book flipbook can be found here. (Please select the second one for Shabbat, Festivals and Weekdays.):

https://www.ccarnet.org/publications/resources-repaginated/

PRAYING FOR HUDSON

Below is my monthly Voices of Faith column for the Record-Courier about last week’s prayer vigil at the Gazebo on election day:

On Election Day last week, as many of us headed to the polls, a small group of clergy and lay leaders in Hudson gathered to pray for peace. For 13 hours, while the polls were open, we rotated prayer shifts at the Hudson Gazebo. The intention held by this group of praying folks, was to pray for the peace of Hudson and the peace of all of its citizens.

We are living in anxious times. The stress of pandemic life and the divisiveness of our political rhetoric has created a deep sense of distrust. The darkness lengthens each day as we move through fall. The gray skies often match our moods.

Rev. Charlotte Collins Reed, from Christ Church Episcopal, started the vigil off as the polls opened. Lay leaders moved through the morning hours, leading their own prayers of peace every 30 minutes. At midday, Rev. Collins Reed was joined by Rev. Peter Wiley, from First Congregational Church, and myself, from Temple Beth Shalom. We were joined by a few more lay leaders as we added prayers for our community, prayers for our country and prayers of peace.

The afternoon was filled with a series of lay leaders taking their turn holding the space.

Election Day was cool, but clear. Taking a moment to soak in the beauty of a fresh, breezy fall day was a special treat for each of us. The silence that surrounded us at the gazebo was profound. It was holy. We were each taking time out of our busy day, after having voted, to offer up our deepest hopes and prayers.

The three of us clergy returned to conclude the vigil together with a few more lay leaders as the polls closed.

For one day, peace was the focus of our thoughts, and the desires of our hearts.

A century ago, Martin Buber wrote that peace can be developed through relationships. We begin with ourselves, and our beloveds, and our communities, and it radiates outwards.

These three worship communities have been gathering regularly to offer up interfaith prayer services since the Pittsburgh Synagogue massacre three years ago. We have jointly held Interfaith Thanksgiving services at each of our houses of worship annually. We have also come together each September to co-sponsor and participate in First Served, as a day of service for the North Hills community of Akron.

This year, our Interfaith Thanksgiving Service will be held at the First Congregational Church on Sunday, Nov. 21, at 7 pm. We will focus on returning the light in the darkness. All are welcome.

The Jewish community will welcome in Hanukkah on Sunday, November 28, for eight days. This festival of lights is an attempt to bring light in the darkest part of the year. May our winter holidays be a step towards peace, and a step towards bringing more light into our darkened world.

UPCOMING TBS GATHERINGS

• Fri. 11/12, 7:30 pm: Shabbat Service – in-person and Zoom
• Sat. 11/20, 9:30-11:00 am: Torah Study and Bagel Brunch – “Prophets: King Saul” – in-person and Zoom
• Sun. 11/21, 7 pm: Interfaith Thanksgiving Service, First Congregational Church – in-person and online

SAVE THESE CHANUKKAH DATES

• Sun. 11/28: First Night of Chanukkah – light after sundown
• Fri. 12/3, 7:30 pm: Chanukkah Party & Service – for adult members, vaccinated children, and vaccinated guests – in-person and on Zoom
• Sun. 12/5, 10:30 to noon: Family Chanukkah Program – All TBS members are welcome, RSVP to education@tbshudson.org