Here comes the Sun
 Chevre (friends):
Wednesday, Day 4, and during Creation, the sun and the moon and the stars are created. Every day we seem to separate something from something, and today, the theme is separating day from night, giving us a way to mark time.
As you may know there are 33 miners in Chile that have been trapped thousands of feet below ground since August 5th. It looks like they might have a chance of being released within the next month, and not have to make the dark, damp mine their home until late in December, as originally anticipated.
Sometimes I just look around and feel a sense of gratitude for what I have, and the contrast between my life above ground in Central Connecticut and those folks trapped in close quarters underground in South America is striking and unsettling. I'm sitting in relative comfort, at my desk, surrounded by friends and family, able to move and drive around freely, with ample food to eat and protection from the elements.
I really can't begin to imagine what it must be like to be stuck in a closed space with 32 strangers for two months, but I am sure of one thing. Following their rescue, seeing the sky and feeling the warmth of the sun will take on new meaning.
We appreciate our gifts best when there is some sense of contrast. Sleeping in my own bed at home feels indulgent after a long trip away. Food tastes unusually good when breaking the Yom Kippur fast. Love is deeper when preceded by absence. And one of these days, when it stops raining (three days now), the sun will feel luxurious and warm and welcome when it finally appears.
My wife works in an emergency room, and sometimes, after caring for patients with critical injuries or ailments, she just needs to give everyone in the family a reassuring hug, expressing gratitude for health, after getting a little too close to a patient for whom health became critically precious.
During life, we all have moments of darkness, trapped in our own unique "mines" of despair. More than any other factor, our perspective and thinking can give us strength and hope, or incapacitate us with worry and fear. We are seldom in control of what happens to us, but we always can choose how we react to our situation. Although guilt and worry are the playful stereotypes of our culture, our core beliefs from Torah are filled with inspiration and hope, and impel us toward self-discovery of the power of love and influence that reside in each of us.
In Harold Kushner's book, "When Bad Things Happen To Good People", he contends that nature is morally blind, that injustice occurs because humans have freedom of choice, and that there might be "corners of the universe where God's light has not yet penetrated".
Periods of darkness provide us with the contrast to not only see the sun, but to appreciate its majesty, which can illuminate the most common aspects of our lives with new light and gratitude.
As children of Torah, we are empowered to choose our response to situations that exist in the imperfect world around us. Through our actions, we are able to use our God-given "weapons" of forgiveness and love to live full and meaningful lives.
From our awareness of darkness, using our freedom of choice of response, we are able to reflect light and love and the brightness of the sun into the shadows. Sometimes, just as Noah experienced in this weeks parashat (weekly Torah reading), we might even catch sight of a rainbow.
Three days until Shabbat.
 Your turn. Take a moment. Help us with our HALF-A-CHAI fundraising during October with your contribution or membership commitment.
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Music Worship
 Join us for our next music worship on Friday, October 8th, 2010.
Food and wine at 5:30, music worship at 6:30.
We will be meeting at Mountain Laurel Center, (1177 Hebron Av, Glastonbury, CT 06033) DIRECTIONS
The following week, Arnie Davidson and Shelly Aronson will be guests at Temple Sinai (41 West Hartford Rd, Newington, CT 06111) on Friday October 15th at 7:30 PM with Rabbi Jeffrey Bennett and Cantor Donna Gordon. Join us for a Shabbat worship filled with familiar music. INFORMATION
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Shalom,
Arnie Davidson
Worship Leader
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Save the Music Worship
Dates!
Take a moment and put Shir Hamakom on your calendar.
Future Shabbat music worship dates
NEXT:
Friday, Oct. 8, 2010
Regular Music Worship
NOV:
Friday, Nov 12, 2010
Rabbi Elias Lieberman, Falmouth, MA. | Arnie Davidson will join Rabbi Elias Lieberman, Dr. Wendy Nelson and Pamela Rothstein from the Falmouth Jewish Congregation in a "Boomer Shabbat" full of 60's and 70's music. Bring your "Woodstock" clothes and be prepared for an evening of fun and singing in this "alternative worship", entirely in English, substituting 20 pop songs for related prayers in the Shabbat worship service.
DEC:
Friday, Dec 10, 2010
Make space in your life for Shabbat with the Shir Hamakom community.
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Havdalah with Julie Silver and a day of Jewish Learning.
 Limmud Boston
Join legendary musician, Julie Silver, and the Shir Hamakom and Limmud communities for Havdalah on Sat. October 30th and participate in a full day of Jewish learning on Sun. October 31st at Limmud Boston.
Only $36 registration for adults, $18 teens, FREE under 12.
Arnie Davidson will be among the many dozens of presenters and performers.
Register and info HERE.
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Shir Hamakom
music worship:
465 Oak Street
East Hartford, CT 06118
mail and donations:
PO Box 271
East Hampton, CT 06424
Please note our new mailing address!
shirhamakom.com
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