So, It’s still Purim, I know, I know. Joy. Feast. Drink. Sleep. Dance. Sleep. Repeat. Enjoy! May these days be joyous and raucous and flip our perspectives and paradigms and may shaking-it-all-up-and-out let new patterns and structures and routines emerge. Please, oh please.
But why? What’s the context?
Well, Passover is coming. In a month. On March 27 when the sun goes down (after daylight savings begins!). In many ways, Purim can be seen as a way to get ready for Passover. We bake extra treats for friends and neighbors. This is in part to begin the process of ridding ourselves of the leaven, the arrogance and ways we puff ourselves up. We wear masks and hide. This is in part to cope with the harsh realities that we long for liberation from. And, we show ourselves in new and fresh ways. This is to experiment with the ways we need to not just physically move out of the narrow place, but also must spiritually and emotionally shift our routines and actions - we must be the change we want to see, and we cannot do that if we settle for our own personal status quo.
And, with Passover coming (again) in a pandemic, it behooves us all to think ahead this year, perhaps more than any other. I had a conversation with the Food Access Coordinator for the PCC markets and discovered that due to the pandemic, there will be less access to regular Passover foods (already hard to find in the Seattle grocery scene every spring). She did let me know that Passover foods will be hitting the shelves at all PCC stores on March 1, and encouraged early shopping for the non-perishables.
For the perishables, consider where you might source your Passover foods - eggs, lettuce, beets, horseradish root, parsley, scallions, etc. - that bring more liberation into the world from racial, labor, disability, class, and environmental justice lenses.
Today is Purim. Rejoice! Rejoice in the absurd, in the ridiculous, in the not-being-able-to-tell-the-difference. And, rejoice in the ability to look ahead for a moment from a place of joy: It is not too late to be intentional for Passover. Shop early, and, as a result, maybe not often.
Purim dulce i alegre! Have a sweet and happy Purim. And don’t (or do?) do anything I wouldn’t (or would) do.
L’chayyim,
Rabbi David
*******
March 5-6 is HIAS Refugee Shabbat and Kadima is participating in two ways. On Saturday morning, March 6, join in for Kadima’s Shabbat morning service (10am-12pm) with special guest WA State Senator Rebecca Saldaña (WA-37) joining us for conversation during the service. We are pleased and delighted to welcome Sen. Saldaña who has been a champion for social justice issues as a previous executive director for Puget Sound Sage before being appointed and then elected as state senator to fill the vacancy left by the U.S. Representative Primila Jayapal. Speaking of Rep. Jayapal, Kadima is co-sponsoring Rep. Jayapal’s visit with Congregation Beth Shalom on Sunday, March 7 at 1pm. Zoom registration for Sunday’s event, through Beth Shalom.
*****
Chadesh! Get to know Kadima members of other Kadima eras! Join us for Shabbat ritual, conversation, and learning on Friday, March 5, 6:30-8pm. Register for Chadesh to stay most up to date.
*****
Shabbat services tonight, 2/26 will feature Adam Berey on guitar (or will it be banjo?!) and a way into shabbat remembering that it is in the midst of many Purim this year. Come for Shabbat delight and rest - 7:30-8:45pm
*****
As Black History Month and Jewish Disability Advocacy Month come to a close, we honor Kadima's Black and disabled members, friends, family, and community members. Looking forward to more learning as we all know neither of these issues are for one month alone! Check out this In the meantime, yashar ko’ach - well done - to Kadima member Amy Stolov on this d’var torah she gave last week at Kol HaNeshamah. Chazak u’baruch - strength and blessing!.
*****
Kadima offers our solidarity, love, and care, for all Seattle Education Association leaders and members, and all Seattle Public School staff, faculty, students, and parents as we stand with SEA in their negotiations for a just, equitable, and healthy reopening - b'sha'a tovah - may good things come when they make sense and are ready. Rabbi David has been in touch with union leadership to see how we can support their efforts after speaking with many in our community in SEA and at SPS - be in touch if you want to be involved: rabbidavid@kadima.org
Meanwhile, to make our voices heard to School District leaders about changing the first day of kindergarten away from the first day of Rosh Hashanah, sign and share this community letter.
****
Conversion Process Support
Monthly Tuesdays, 7:30-8:45pm, March - September, 2021
Join for a small group processing space for people at any point in the process of converting to Judaism/Jewishness. Gather, learn, share, connect. Rabbi David hosts this space for all those in the midst of a conversion process, no matter what stage of it you are on. Fill out this form to let us know when to expect you and learn about your process. We will meet Tuesday evenings, 7:30-8:45pm on March 30, May 11, June 8, July 20, Aug 17, Sept 28
But why? What’s the context?
Well, Passover is coming. In a month. On March 27 when the sun goes down (after daylight savings begins!). In many ways, Purim can be seen as a way to get ready for Passover. We bake extra treats for friends and neighbors. This is in part to begin the process of ridding ourselves of the leaven, the arrogance and ways we puff ourselves up. We wear masks and hide. This is in part to cope with the harsh realities that we long for liberation from. And, we show ourselves in new and fresh ways. This is to experiment with the ways we need to not just physically move out of the narrow place, but also must spiritually and emotionally shift our routines and actions - we must be the change we want to see, and we cannot do that if we settle for our own personal status quo.
And, with Passover coming (again) in a pandemic, it behooves us all to think ahead this year, perhaps more than any other. I had a conversation with the Food Access Coordinator for the PCC markets and discovered that due to the pandemic, there will be less access to regular Passover foods (already hard to find in the Seattle grocery scene every spring). She did let me know that Passover foods will be hitting the shelves at all PCC stores on March 1, and encouraged early shopping for the non-perishables.
For the perishables, consider where you might source your Passover foods - eggs, lettuce, beets, horseradish root, parsley, scallions, etc. - that bring more liberation into the world from racial, labor, disability, class, and environmental justice lenses.
Today is Purim. Rejoice! Rejoice in the absurd, in the ridiculous, in the not-being-able-to-tell-the-difference. And, rejoice in the ability to look ahead for a moment from a place of joy: It is not too late to be intentional for Passover. Shop early, and, as a result, maybe not often.
Purim dulce i alegre! Have a sweet and happy Purim. And don’t (or do?) do anything I wouldn’t (or would) do.
L’chayyim,
Rabbi David
*******
March 5-6 is HIAS Refugee Shabbat and Kadima is participating in two ways. On Saturday morning, March 6, join in for Kadima’s Shabbat morning service (10am-12pm) with special guest WA State Senator Rebecca Saldaña (WA-37) joining us for conversation during the service. We are pleased and delighted to welcome Sen. Saldaña who has been a champion for social justice issues as a previous executive director for Puget Sound Sage before being appointed and then elected as state senator to fill the vacancy left by the U.S. Representative Primila Jayapal. Speaking of Rep. Jayapal, Kadima is co-sponsoring Rep. Jayapal’s visit with Congregation Beth Shalom on Sunday, March 7 at 1pm. Zoom registration for Sunday’s event, through Beth Shalom.
*****
Chadesh! Get to know Kadima members of other Kadima eras! Join us for Shabbat ritual, conversation, and learning on Friday, March 5, 6:30-8pm. Register for Chadesh to stay most up to date.
*****
Shabbat services tonight, 2/26 will feature Adam Berey on guitar (or will it be banjo?!) and a way into shabbat remembering that it is in the midst of many Purim this year. Come for Shabbat delight and rest - 7:30-8:45pm
*****
As Black History Month and Jewish Disability Advocacy Month come to a close, we honor Kadima's Black and disabled members, friends, family, and community members. Looking forward to more learning as we all know neither of these issues are for one month alone! Check out this In the meantime, yashar ko’ach - well done - to Kadima member Amy Stolov on this d’var torah she gave last week at Kol HaNeshamah. Chazak u’baruch - strength and blessing!.
*****
Kadima offers our solidarity, love, and care, for all Seattle Education Association leaders and members, and all Seattle Public School staff, faculty, students, and parents as we stand with SEA in their negotiations for a just, equitable, and healthy reopening - b'sha'a tovah - may good things come when they make sense and are ready. Rabbi David has been in touch with union leadership to see how we can support their efforts after speaking with many in our community in SEA and at SPS - be in touch if you want to be involved: rabbidavid@kadima.org
Meanwhile, to make our voices heard to School District leaders about changing the first day of kindergarten away from the first day of Rosh Hashanah, sign and share this community letter.
****
Conversion Process Support
Monthly Tuesdays, 7:30-8:45pm, March - September, 2021
Join for a small group processing space for people at any point in the process of converting to Judaism/Jewishness. Gather, learn, share, connect. Rabbi David hosts this space for all those in the midst of a conversion process, no matter what stage of it you are on. Fill out this form to let us know when to expect you and learn about your process. We will meet Tuesday evenings, 7:30-8:45pm on March 30, May 11, June 8, July 20, Aug 17, Sept 28
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