We’ve all heard the phrase, “don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good.” The meaning is clear. If we hold out for perfection, not only will we miss a lot of good, but we will also sabotage the good and end up with neither the good nor the perfect. Our Sages put it this way: “Tafasta merubah, lo tafasta—if you try to grab hold of too much, you will end up holding nothing.” There’s plenty of wisdom to be found there.
I love reconnecting (or connecting for the first time) with family members. Perhaps one of the best lessons we learn from this week's Torah portion is that feeling a sense of home, of family, is a powerful way of feeling God’s presence. As we enter the darker part of our year, may we be embraced by light and warmth and that comfort of home whenever possible.
Position: Administrative Director of Early Childhood (Full-Time) Neveh Shalom Foundation School is seeking an experienced, creative full-time Administrative Director of Early Childhood for our loving and nurturing early childhood program. Foundation School is inspired by the Reggio Emilia educational philosophy. We see our students as infinitely capable, and as such, our teachers collaborate with students to create meaningful and relevant curriculum that inspires the group of learners in each classroom community. We believe it is ... Read More
The year was 1978. It had sat on the counter for three months and two days, shortly after my sister left for college. The object was a microwave oven and while the technology had been around for a while, this was the beginning of home use. My father, the scientist, had used microwaves at the university and purchased it as a gift for Mom, who had meal responsibilities for dinner. He thought it would speed things up for her.
Even Rebekah, who is pregnant with the children promised by God, questions her purpose. Why? To show us that it’s ok to be scared. What Parshat Toldot teaches us is to remember that our lives are not determined by what happens to us or what we’re born with, but by how we adapt and learn and use what we’ve been given.
For long years, my favorite season was the fall. Maybe it’s because I was an autumn baby. Or perhaps it’s related to my love of sweaters and hats and the coziness that the cooling days offer us. It might also have something to do with growing up in the Northeast, where the forests are predominantly deciduous and where the frost burnishes eighty percent of the autumnal landscape to a scarlet and ochre frenzy.
Click to view the November/December 2021 issue of Neveh Shalom’s Chronicle Please note that the file is large, thank you for your patience.
