Rabbi Michael Wasserman
Rabbi Elana Kanter
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Dear Friends,

This week's parashah, Emor, explains the restrictions under which the kohanim, the priests, had to live in order to avoid becoming ritually impure. Their range was limited in accordance with their sanctity. At the top of the priestly hierarchy, the Kohen Gadol, the High Priest lived the most restricted life of all, so that his purity would not be compromised. The Sfat Emet contrasted the fragile sanctity of the kohanim with the tough sanctity of the Torah. Unlike the priests, who were easily contaminated by their surroundings, words of Torah can never become impure. No matter where we take them, they enhance the holiness of their surroundings, and never lose their own. Often, we underestimate the power of Torah. We treat Torah as something fragile, whose words thrive only in a protected space, such as the synagogue. We compartmentalize religious life, for fear that it cannot stand up to the real world outside. But true Torah brings light even to the darkest corners of our lives. It helps to make the impure pure. May the Torah that we cultivate in our shul be the true kind, which can never be contaminated by the world that it confronts outside.
  • Shabbat services at The New Shul are from 6 to 7 pm on Friday evenings, and from 9 am to about noon on Saturday mornings. This Shabbat, our guest scholar is Dr. Joel Gereboff, chair of Religious Studies at ASU. Dr. Gereboff's topic is "kedushat beit k'nesset -- the sanctity of the synagogue" according to Talmudic sources, in celebration of The New Shul's new home. He will teach on Friday evening after Kabbalat Shabbat, on Shabbat morning before Mussaf, and on Shabbat afternoon after kiddush (at about 1:15 pm). All are welcome.
  • Sunday morning minyan at The New Shul is at 8:30 am, followed at 9:30 by Rabbi Wasserman's class on Martin Buber's Hasidism and Modern Man.
  • Rabbi Wasserman's Parashah-of-the-Week class meets on Tuesday evenings at 7:30 pm.
  • Rabbi Kanter's women's class will not meet next week. It will resume on Tuesday May 20.
  • On Monday May 26 (Memorial Day), The New Shul community will serve meals to the hungry at St. Vincent de Paul's Jackson St. dining room. Please let us know if you can help.
  • On Sunday, June 1, join us for the 6th annual meeting of The New Shul community. Minyan will be at 9 am, followed by breakfast at 9:30, and the meeting at 10 am. All are welcome.
  • Shavuot begins on Sunday evening, June 8. Join us for an all-night tikkun (study vigil), beginning at 9:30 pm. Services for the first day of Shavuot, Monday June 9, will be at 5 am (outdoors). Services for the second day, Tuesday June 10, will begin at 9 am, and will include Yizkor, the memorial prayer.
The New Shul is at 7825 E. Paradise Lane in Scottsdale, 85260. Directions and a map are available at our website, thenewshul.org. Contact us at 480-515-2272 or info@thenewshul.org.

We wish you all a sweet and restful Shabbat.
7825 E. Paradise Lane, Scottsdale 85260.
Phone 480.515.2272 Fax: 480.922.7118