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Going forward, we will be offering two live services a month led by Rabbi Faryn, one traveling shabbat in people’s homes, and one Welcome Shabbat on Zoom led by congregants.

A Welcome Shabbat is a short gathering composed of some songs like Shalom Aleichem and Lecha Dodi, candlelighting, healing blessings, the Mourners’ Kaddish and Shabbat poetry. It gives attendees a chance to see one another and offer each other a Shabbat Shalom and to mark and welcome shabbat.

I will be leading this gathering in July and August. (second Fridays)  Please let me know (email rabbichaya@orshalom.org) if you want to co-lead and learn how to offer this gathering solo in the future. (You may choose to co-lead with a friend going forward.)

Rumi Poetry at the Retreat

During the Friday night service at the retreat, I offered a Rumi poem before the Amidah. Several people asked me for the words:

Where Everything is Music by Rumi – translated by Coleman Barks

Don’t worry about saving these songs!
And if one of our instruments breaks,
it doesn’t matter.

We have fallen into the place
where everything is music.

The strumming and the flute notes
rise into the atmosphere,
and even if the whole world’s harp
should burn up, there will still be
hidden instruments playing.

So the candle flickers and goes out.
We have a piece of flint, and a spark.

This singing art is sea foam.
The graceful movements come from a pearl
somewhere on the ocean floor.

Poems reach up like spindrift and the edge
of driftwood along the beach, wanting!

They derive
from a slow and powerful root
that we can’t see.

Stop the words now.
Open the window in the center of your chest,
and let the spirit fly in and out.
 

Artwork by Rabbi Chaya Gusfield