Archive for March, 2020

From The Rabbi – Parshat Terumah 5780

Kol Hakavod to the many women of our community who turned out for the Women’s Forum to discuss ideas on how we may enhance our  congregation and community. Please see article below in this regard by Peta Briner, who chaired the meeting. We look forward to the implementation of new and creative ways to engage our members and attract new members to take advantage of our wonderful Shul and facilities and to enhance yiddishkeit within our community.

One of the powerful lessons we can draw from the Coronovirus is how connected all 7 billion of us really are, and the global effects of a single individual on the entire world. Of course this is currently being expressed in a worrying negative phenomena, which with the help of Hashem and the combined global efforts and co-operation of many countries, will soon be contained and cured. However the notion that we are all interconnected and what happens with one individual effects the whole world, this was the topic of our JLI class last week as we discussed the intrinsic value of each individual human being and the responsibility we all carry for the entire universe.

Many people believe that life is about ‘my rights’ and privileges however, from the Jewish perspective, there is an important central idea, known is Hebrew as ‘Areivut’, personal responsibility and obligation towards one another and for the world in which we live. From this idea comes the famous quote from the Mishna, (Sanhedrin 4:5) ‘He who saves one life is as if they have saved the whole world’, meaning that each individual carries the responsibility of the whole world on his or her shoulders, and what we do, say or even think effects the entire cosmos.

Please see information below regarding our upcoming Purim evening activities at the Brisbane Synagogue, which will include a presentation by the students of the UBHE Cheder. We will include information regarding Purim day at Sinai and the annual communal Purim Seudah (Festive meal) in the coming weeks.

In the meantime we extend our best wishes for a Shabbat Shalom 

Rabbi Levi and Dvorah Jaffe