Reflections
Welcome to our community’s reflections – here we archive the drashot and ideas shared during our gatherings. A drasha (drashot in plural) is an explanation of the weekly Torah portion, these not only give us insights to ponder, but can draw parallels with our current lives. At every service usually one person shares their view on the weekly parasha in a drasha. However, at Ruach Shalom we sometimes all prepare a 1-minute drasha to share at a service – this is a wonderful way to get many insights into one portion of the Torah.
- Shoftimby Lior Carverשֹׁפְטִ֣ים וְשֹֽׁטְרִ֗ים תִּֽתֶּן־לְךָ֙ בְּכׇל־שְׁעָרֶ֔יךָ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יְהֹוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ נֹתֵ֥ן לְךָ֖ לִשְׁבָטֶ֑יךָ וְשָׁפְט֥וּ אֶת־הָעָ֖ם מִשְׁפַּט־צֶֽדֶק׃ You shall appoint magistrates and officials for your tribes, in all the settlements that your God יהוה is giving you, and they shall govern the people with due justice. לֹא־תַטֶּ֣ה מִשְׁפָּ֔ט לֹ֥א תַכִּ֖יר פָּנִ֑ים וְלֹא־תִקַּ֣ח שֹׁ֔חַד כִּ֣י הַשֹּׁ֗חַד יְעַוֵּר֙ עֵינֵ֣י חֲכָמִ֔ים וִֽיסַלֵּ֖ף… Read more: Shoftim
- The joy of the Ruach Shalom gatheringsby Sauci BosnerMemories and considerations as to what a chavurah can be/become bring up the revolutionary roots of the chavurah in the evolution of Judaism. Gathering with various Jews and non Jews to meet on a regular basis, to study, to pray to whatever one believes to be of significance, and of course to share pot luck… Read more: The joy of the Ruach Shalom gatherings
- Sukkotby Renée CitroenWe sit in the sukkah and look up through the roof at the sky.Will there be rain, storm, heat, drought? That is important to know for the next harvest. We also look up at the sky, hoping for a year of health and safety. The sukkah is there to remind us that nature and life… Read more: Sukkot
- Zion is forlornby Lior CarverLior is currently in Jerusalem, learning at the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies. Lior wrote the below text and made a serie of photos that capture the mood in the city. Note: The video of the commissioning of the torah scroll dedicated to the hostages by the family of hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin was shared in… Read more: Zion is forlorn
- Just in caseby Sauci BosnerI recite by memory the Shemaeach night before I fall asleep.Just in case. I eat a hearty breakfasteach morning.Just in case. I pay my bills on time.Just in case. I pray to an invisible God.Just in case. I live each dayas best I can.Just in case. -poem written by Sauci
- Shana Me’uberet, a pregnant yearby Marcella LevieA leap year in the Jewish calendar is called a Shana Me’uberet. According to ancient calculations, made by R. Hillel II around 670 CE and recorded in the Mishna, this is the way to celebrate every Jewish holiday in the right season as described in the Torah. Passover should be celebrated in spring and Sukkot… Read more: Shana Me’uberet, a pregnant year
- Welcoming Shabbatby Sauci BosnerIt is always a pleasure to welcome the Shabbat with Ruach Shalom. Prepping soup and tasty dishes to be shared is a joy. This past Shabbat was unique in that Bob Newmark celebrated his 78 birthday with us and that I prepared Parashat Vayigash for the service. Parashat Vayigash describes a coincidence of meetings with… Read more: Welcoming Shabbat
- Walls and Partitionsby Lior CarverAt first glance, Bava Batra, described by Sefaria as “relationships between neighbours, land ownership, sales, and inheritance,” seems as dry as dust and almost as much fun as filling in a tax form in your third language. The opening Mishnah does little to dispel my assumption: Bava Batra 2a: Mishnah: Partners who wished to make… Read more: Walls and Partitions
- Bava Batra (the last gate) – The walls of Marrakeshby Marcella LevieI entered the gate of the adobe rust-colored wall and found myself inside a paradise garden, perfect in all its beauty. I sat down in the shade of a luscious Jacaranda tree, admiring the hues, the flowers, the trees, awake with the singing of birds. A place favored by the wealthy, I felt an outsider,… Read more: Bava Batra (the last gate) – The walls of Marrakesh
- Ruach Shalom, where do we go from here?by Renée CitroenWhen I was in elementary school in the fifth grade (in the 50’s!), we began a club. A secret club, of course, exciting! We started with about 10 children, who all wanted to do something together. But what? That was never really clear, except for eating candy and drinking lemonade together. It diluted quickly, and… Read more: Ruach Shalom, where do we go from here?
- Opening the Beit Midrashby Lior CarverFor the last month I’ve had the extraordinary good fortune to be in Scotland studying at a Beit Midrash. Azara UK opened the first nondenominational yeshiva in Europe on the 21st of June and I was part of the first cohort of students learning Gemara, Torah, Halakhah, Biblical Hebrew, Aramaic, along with numerous other classes… Read more: Opening the Beit Midrash
- European Jewish Queer Prideby Lior CarverLior participated in the European Jewish Queer Pride that took place in Rome from June 9 to 11. Below you can read a report Lior wrote on the event. Roma Shabbaton and PrideKeshet Italia kicked off the Pride season in Europe in grand style with a shabbaton and a brilliant float in the Roma Pride… Read more: European Jewish Queer Pride
- Reflections on “My Jewish home”by Marcella LevieI have always been fascinated by the question: “Where is my home?” “Where do I belong?” The need to belong is a basic need of every human being and the question of belonging is perhaps the most important question we can ask ourselves during our quest for the purpose of our lives. My search for… Read more: Reflections on “My Jewish home”
- Reflections on the Yom Kippur serviceby Eli KaufmanIn this year’s Yom Kippur’s service I encountered a few texts for the first time, which prompted me to reflect on the prayers we say every year. Looking at a different reading of the same prayer helped me engage with it in a personal way. First was the interpretive text of Unetaneh Tokef, reminding of the… Read more: Reflections on the Yom Kippur service
- Prayer for Democracyby Renée CitroenThis is a text as an appeal to each other and to everyone who realizes what real freedom is and how fragile it is if we are not alert. Whether you call that praying or something else, that does not matter. — YHVH, Protector of those who love democracy, give us the strength to protect… Read more: Prayer for Democracy
- Parshat Vayakhel and K’kudei – Climate Change Shabbatby Rabbi Ellis GriffithThis week we finish reading the book of Exodus. It’s a book that, like the story we will recall in a few weeks at Pesach, starts with misery and oppression and ends with hope and confidence. Feels like a bit of a familiar cycle both as the Jewish people but also for each of us… Read more: Parshat Vayakhel and K’kudei – Climate Change Shabbat
- A lesson from Rabbi Yehuda Aschkenasy z.l.by Renée CitroenIn the late 1990s I spent ten years with Rabbi Yehuda Aschkenasy z.l. in a lern-group with people of the post-war generation, with many traumas passed on from our parents. He helped us look at it in a positive way and we helped each other by recognizing and acknowledging our grief. I made reports of… Read more: A lesson from Rabbi Yehuda Aschkenasy z.l.