Rabbi Janine's Messages

Dear Community, 

On this two year anniversary of October 7th, we mourn so many losses. We mourn the murder of 1200 people on that terrible day. We mourn the 250 hostages who were taken; many of whom were never returned alive. We mourn the 48 hostages who are still in captivity, and we pray that they are brought home now. We mourn with their families, with the people of Israel, and with the Jewish people all over the world. 

Tonight, as we light the candles for the second night of Chag Sukkot, I encourage you to light a memorial candle as well. And I hope you will join KHN on Friday, October 10th at 7 p.m. when we will light a memorial candle, say a few memorial prayers, and say Kaddish together as a community before the beginning of Shabbat services. This will be an opportunity to be with community and mourn together. 

Also, Rabbi Deborah Waxman, President and CEO of Reconstructing Judaism recently published this op-ed in Haaretz. You can read an excerpt here, or the full article (behind a paywall at Haaretz's website): 
Which Post October 7 Jewish Story Do We Write?

It is complicated to mourn October 7th when we also are celebrating our joyous holiday of Sukkot. We will try our best to do both. We will hold each other in community. 

This week is also about rejoicing in the sukkah. On Thursday at 12 p.m. we will hold Torah study in the sukkah. Then on Friday we will have our community-wide celebration. I hope you will join us. 

The sukkah is open to everyone to use every day and night of Sukkot when we do not have a planned event happening at that time. The best night for people looking to have a full sukkot experience of shaking the lulav (before Shabbat starts) and eating in the sukkah with others will be this Friday night. 


The Schedule: 

Thursday, 10.9 
12 p.m. Torah Study in Sukkah 
Have a nosh and learn some Torah together in the sukkah! 

Friday, 10.10
5:30 p.m. Tots and Kids service  and pizza in sukkah
6:15 p.m. Dessert/Backwards Dinner with congregation- 
6:30 p.m. Pizza and potluck (bring a side) with congregation R.S.V.P. to office for pizza order by Thursday evening. This is everyone's chance to eat in the sukkah with the KHN community this week!
7 p.m. Memorial Service for October 7th and Shabbat Services 

Tuesday, 10.14 
10 a.m. Shemini Atzeret (end of Sukkot) Services with Yizkor 

Finally, here is Acheinu, the traditional prayer for the captive, said in honor of those who are still waiting to be freed. May they return home now. 

Acheinu: A Prayer for the Captives 
For all our family of the House of Israel, who face anguish and captivity, whether on sea or on land: May the Divine have compassion upon them, and bring them from distress to relief, from darkness to light, from subjugation to redemption, now, speedily, soon. And let us say, Amen

Rabbi Janine Jankovitz
She/Her