A New Year, a New Start A few years ago I heard Rabbi Joseph Telushkin joke about how people always complain that the High Holy Days are either too early or too late, and never seem to come on time. Of course we know that Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur fall on the same days every year on the Jewish calendar, but very few of us are truly oriented towards the Jewish calendar. While this is not surprising because our world is based on a different calendar, it is indicative of a broader problem that seems to creep up on us every year at this time. Not only are we not oriented towards the Jewish calendar, we often realize during our High Holy Day prayers that our commitment to Judaism is lacking and that there is much room for improvement in our daily actions. The High Holy Days are not just a blip on the calendar. They are a reflection on the entire year that has passed, and often when we stop and look at our performance since last year at this time, we meet with disappointment and regret. Some of us, though, have made progress. Some have become more committed, but even they know this New Year brings with it an opportunity to build on that progress, to fight spiritual stagnation and to continue towards even loftier goals. On this Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, we will stand before the Divine and recommit ourselves through our liturgy and our meditations. I am not worried about our devotion on those days. We will all be there together and the power of these services will hopefully evoke spiritual meaning for each of us. What concerns me the most are the days in between this Yom Kippur and next Rosh Hashanah. Will our whole-hearted prayers on the High Holy Days persevere and hold true meaning? Will we advance through this next year on a journey of Jewish exploration and commitment, or will we quickly forget our Holy Day commitments and spiritually disappear until this time next year? It is my hope and prayer that each of us will find these Holy Days introspective, moving and uplifting. I look forward to seeing everyone in services and throughout the coming year. L’shanah tova u’metuka -- Jodi, Ella and I wish you a very happy and sweet New Year. — Rabbi Barras

A Touch of Torah by Rabbi Barras  This week’s Torah portion is Shoftim, Deuteronomy 16:18 – 21:9.   In this week’s Torah portion, G-d predicts that the Israelites will demand a king when they enter into the land of Israel.  They will want a king because they will want to be like all the other nations of the world, as opposed to one unique nation that is ruled only by G-d.  Eventually the Israelite kings become corrupt and their kingdoms are destroyed.  From this episode we learn that we should not be so quick to act only in order to fit in with others.   Torah Portion Trivia Question of the Week: Who among the Israelites does not receive any spoils from war?   (Winner will be entered into drawing for grand prize) Last week’s winner – Chris Bielski   Have a great week! Rabbi Barras

Rabbi Barras appointed to Human Services Council The Department of Human Services of Lee County has extended an invitation to Rabbi Barras to join its newly created Human Services Council for Lee County.  As a result of the Smart Growth initiative and shrinking State and Federal resources, the Board of County Commissioners desired to create a Human Services Council to effectively design a community based human service plan for the current and future human service needs in Lee County. The Council is comprised of private and public community stake-holders. As the State and Federal funding diminishes, services and associated costs will shift to the local community. Our community will be faced with prioritizing services, investing in measurable outcomes and coordinating advances in technology, planning and service delivery to effectively meet service demands. The Council will assure that there is a countywide strategic plan that will assist in providing service coordination and resource planning.  Rabbi Barras was honored to accept the County’s invitation to serve Lee County and contribute towards the betterment of our community.