An important request for action from ARZA President, Rabbi Bob Orkand

Shalom Temple Sinai,

I apologize I have not written more.  Settling down has taken a while, but I think I've finally managed to get a grasp on life in Eretz Yisrael.

A lot has happened in the past month. My school put on a tiyul (trip) to the Arava in the Negev (30 minutes north of Eilat).  We spent 3 days at Kibbutz Ketura where we had daily hikes and excursions to Eilat and historic sites.  If you were keeping up with the news in Israel, the Negev (which almost never gets rain) got the most rain in the last 20 years causing massive flash floods, the likes of which I had never seen before.  Imagine the Braes Bayou rushing with water collected from all the mountains of the Negev.  I look many pictures and video and have attached a few for everyone to see.  For those that ever have or do say the Birkat HaMazon on Shabbat, there is a line about the waters rushing in the Negev (b'negev).  I will never be able overlook these words again after this unbelievable experience.

Torah portion:  Mishpatim; Exodus 21:1-24:18

One of my closest rabbinic friends was a lawyer for many years before becoming a rabbi. 

Jewish Community Night
 with the Rockets

Houston Rockets vs. Sacramento Kings

Wednesday, March 3^rd

Torah portion:  Yitro; Exodus 18:1–20:2

We cannot do it alone.

Torah Portion:  B'shalach;  Exodus 13:17-17:16

A few weeks ago, I let you know about the arrest of Nofrat Frankel, a Women of the Wall member who “dared” to wear her tallis at the Kotel, the Western Wall, in Jerusalem.  A few weeks later, Anat Hoffman, the director of the Israeli Religious Action Committee and an active member of Women at the Wall, was arrested, fingerprinted, and informed she was being investigated for committing a felony offense – disturbing the sensitivities of others at a national religious site.

Torah Portion:  Bo;  Exodus 10:1-13:16

One of the most powerful teachings I learned from my rabbi, Ken Weiss, is that it’s not God who’s making horrible things happen to you; it’s God in the hands of the people who are trying to help.  This teaching has come to my mind many times these past few weeks as we continue to witness the aftermath of the earthquake in Haiti.  Yet, in the face of such devastation, what can we do to make God’s presence known in the world?  What can we possibly do to help?  The answer is, we can do so much.