Rabbi’s Message

I am thrilled to be joining Temple Beth Shalom this July.

Our first Shabbat together falls on Rosh Chodesh Tammuz, which marks the official beginning of summer. The Jewish calendar echoes the heat of the season, as the summer holidays evoke change, tumult, and intensity. The three weeks between the 17th of Tammuz and the 9th of Av mark the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the 2nd Temple, and they are observed as a period of mourning.

But this isn’t all that the month of Tammuz is known for. The Book of Joshua tells the story of the Israelites’ entry and conquest of the promised land. On the 3rd of Tammuz, Joshua calls out to God to halt the movement of the sun and the moon. The sun stood still and remained in the sky for a whole day, and Joshua and his army fought in the daylight until they won.

While the light of Tammuz brings heat, it also brings enhanced vision and clarity. The days are longer and brighter. The world moves a little bit slower. It’s an opportunity to stand still, as the sun did for Joshua, and see and embrace what is present for us.

I am so excited to begin my time with you during the month of Tammuz, to learn more about this community, and to nourish new relationships in the light of the summer sun. I look forward to meeting you all very soon.