Rabbi Janine's Messages

Dear Community, 

It is a short amount of time between the end of Yom Kippur and the beginning of Sukkot. Tonight, we begin Sukkot with two days of chag and then our celebration continues Friday evening with Shabbat. 

Sukkot is called z'man simchateinu, the season of our joy. The Baal Shem Tov said the one who lives in joy does the will of the Creator. On Sukkot we are invited to live in joy. 

But perhaps paradoxically, z’man simchateinu begins at the onset of autumn; a time of fall beauty, and also fragility. Our days are noticeably shorter. Our nights are longer. We are commanded to go from our comfortable homes into our sukkah, a temporary dwelling, to remember our ancestors dwelling in sukkahs in the desert after leaving Egypt. 

Sukkot invites us to celebrate the autumn harvest. But we harvest more than our food. We harvest our souls. We reflect on all the (soul) work we did during the High Holy Days, including all the promises we made to be better people and how we can put that into real action now that the shofar is no longer blasting. 

Please join us for joy and community this Sukkot, including a Song Circle Thursday night in the sukkah. 

As you celebrate, may you be held in a sukkat shalom, a shelter of peace. 

Chag Sukkot Sameach!

Rabbi Janine Jankovitz 

P.S. During this season of joy, many still struggle. If you or someone you know are in need of a pastoral visit or call, please do not hesitate to reach out to me at
rabbi@kehilathanahar.org 

​​​​​​​I am here for you.