Jewish Community of Greater Stowe

Join Rabbi David Fainsilber on Friday, June 9, at 6 p.m., for an uplifting, meditative, and joyful Musical Shabbat service in our sanctuary and online.

Save the dates, June 16 and 17, as JCOGS celebrates Pride Month. Join the JCOGS Rainbow Coalition and others for song, prayer, education and food.

We welcome guest speaker from Keshet to share her thoughts on why this topic is important to the Jewish people. “Bagels and Learn” will commence on Saturday at 10 a.m. Registration is required. Please RSVP at jcogs.org.

The importance of maintaining balance in life and avoiding confusion in one’s priorities is found in this week’s Torah portion, Beha’alotecha, (Numbers 8:1-12:16), which discusses the Levites’ responsibilities in the Temple. We are told of the role that the ark and the sound of the trumpets played in leading the Israelites through the desert. Our portion, which translates to “when you bring up” also contains three subsets as the journey to Sinai begins: the tabernacle and its rituals, traveling instructions, and lastly, complaining, craving and criticizing.

The symbolism of the menorah and the act of lighting is just one of the many themes contained in this portion. The act of lighting is a major Jewish ritual act.

We light candles on the festival of Chanukah, on the anniversary of the death of a family member, and to begin Jewish holidays like Shabbat. We even maintain a light — Ner Tamid — eternally burning above the bimah. Kindling is also an act of exploration: it involves illuminating the dark or the unknown.

— Patti C. Rubin