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Rabbi Englander's Commentary |
Rabbi's Commentary
Introducing: A Jewish Creativity Contest
Everyone knows that it's important to do
mitzvot: to observe Shabbat, to engage in Jewish study,
to get involved in deeds of Tikkun Olam. To meet the growing
demands of our work load, our family responsibilities and
our calendars, we often need to devise new ways of ob-serving
them.
So, to get the creative juices flowing, I'd
like to introduce a contest. Can you think of - or have
you already found - a new and successful way to observe
a mitzvah? Let me give you an example. A Solel couple finds
that by the time they come home from work on Friday, it's
too late to attend services and they feel alone lighting
candles and saying Kiddush each week by themselves. So they
set up a network over the internet. At a prearranged time,
the participants log on through video and together they
light Shabbat candles and sing the b'rachot.
If you have an idea, however tentative, please
send it to me. We'll print some of the best submissions,
and the overall winner will receive a prize (to be announced
later). In addition to ob-serving mitzvot, Jewish tradition
teaches to do them with hiddur mitzvah in a way that
is aesthetically beautiful and personally meaningful. Let's
see how creative you can be!
Our Next Solel Israel Trip
How would you like to visit Israel in April
2013? In addition to celebrat-ing Israel Independence day
on-site, we'll also visit:
- Our twin congregation, Darchei Noam in Ramat HaSharon
- A kibbutz that operates a world-wide industry in drip
irrigation
- Save a Child's Heart clinic in Tel Aviv
- An archaeological site, followed by wine-tasting
- And of course, the Dead Sea and its luxuries
Just to name a few! There will be an orientation meeting
for this trip on Monday, March 26 at Solel, 7:30 pm. Since
this may be the last Solel trip that Cheryl and I will lead,
we want to make it special. No commitment is necessary at
this time, but I want to go over the itinerary and pose
a couple of questions to the group. Please call the Solel
office to let us know if you plan to attend.
Shalom uv’racha,
Rabbi Lawrence Englander
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About Rabbi Lawrence Englander
Rabbi Lawrence A. Englander received
his Honours B.A. degree from York University in 1970.
He then attended Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute
of Religion (one year in Jerusalem and four years
in Cincinnati), receiving ordination as Rabbi in 1975.
He is the founding Rabbi of Solel Congregation, Mississauga,
and has served there since its inception in 1973.
Rabbi Englander received his Doctorate
of Hebrew Letters from Hebrew Union College - Jewish
Institute of Religion in 1984, in the field of Jewish
Mysticism and Rabbinics. He has taught in the Religious
Studies Department at York University and spent a
semester teaching rabbinical students at Leo Baeck
College in London, England. He has written several
articles on Jewish Mysticism, as well as a book, The
Mystical Study of Ruth, published by Scholars
Press. He is former Editor of the Central Conference
of American Rabbis Journal.
Rabbi Englander has also played an
active role in establishing two Mississauga interfaith
organizations: Foodpath, a community food bank; and
Pathway, a non-profit housing corporation, of which
Rabbi Englander was the founding President. In 2005
he was appointed as a Member of the Order of Canada
for his work in the community.
Both Rabbi Englander and his
wife Cheryl are natives of Toronto.
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