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Beit Hashofar is pleased to announce the opening of our new Lichtenstein Guest House and Beit Midrash. This new facility is conveniently located steps away from the synagogue and offers the comforts of home as well as an informal study space. Our Guest House is an optimal base for seeing the Northwest region or just to stay overnight on Shabbat while residing in a kosher environment.
"We like to continue to believe what we have been accustomed to accept as true, and the resentment aroused when doubt is cast upon any of our assumptions leads us to seek every manner of excuse for clinging to them. The result is that most of our so-called reasoning consists in finding arguments for going on believing as we already do." James Harvey Robinson, American historian (1863-1936)
A quote like the one above succinctly sums up the tone and the troubles of the Children of Israel throughout the book of Bamidbar. The continuing struggle for a past reality, the misconception that all that there was and is now is all that will be, and the struggle to step forward in faith. As we see all around the world, society is becoming disgruntled over the price of fuel. Not one of us wants to pay more for the substance, but neither does anyone wish to run completely out of petrol on the highway or byway. But perhaps the solution coming our way is quite contrary to what we might expect or desire. Indeed, what we might need is to come to the verge of running out completely in order to spur on a true change and a new hope. As B'nei Yisrael needed to enter the vast desert to run out all of their adverse ways, the future of transportation and our own lives is very much dependent on one thing for change: an empty tank.
Most of us have seen pictures of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, touted as a marvelous architectural wonder for many ages. But I can't help but snicker when I see it. Yes, indeed it has interesting architectural features and form. But why give it such a heightened status when all of us can see that it is leaning. I know, the name says it all. But I know I would be far more impressed if it didn't lean. To me, it is a glaring reminder that the engineers did not survey the ground and become familiar with the territory, or seek to utilize their engineering skills to erect a structure that would represent their talents. Not only is it an accident waiting to happen, but it has been the source of a great amount of effort and money to right the structure and keep the public safe. This glorification of a botched attempt can be lethal not only in the physical realm but in the spiritual realm. If we deceive ourselves in the ways of keeping Torah, we risk building in vain and put others in jeopardy. In this week's parasha, we are given the guarantee that if we follow in the ways of our Creator, the Divine Engineer, then that which we will build will be upright and everlasting and blessings of the land and fruitfulness will be with us.
As a child, I fondly remember flipping through the channels looking for some of my favorite shows. Occasionally, the music for one particular show would stream onto the television as the ever popular cartoon train moved across the screen - yes, I mean Soul Train. I would pause for a moment and watch the train go by and then continue my search. I can still hear the music in my head to this day. What was unique about this show is that for many, it was a window into African-American culture that for some might otherwise never have been experienced. The latest fashion and dance trends were discussed, and new or popular artists donned the set to sing the latest hits. During the 70's and 80's, it was a cultural and spiritual tutor for many.
The car packed to the hilt, the Thule threatening to burst at the seams atop our car, our family drove with desperation for one purpose only: to be near the mountains. The familiar rental cabin nestled fifteen miles from Mt. Baker in Washington affords five star mountain accommodations: no cell phone access, no wireless internet and no cable TV. In essence, the goal was to set up shop, our own Mishkan, away from the roar of everyday life. While some of the usual technological conveniences were lost, we knew we would not be without the four elements crucial to the Mishkan and considered symbolically essential in any Jewish home: the Ark, the Table, the Menorah and the Incense Altar. Ok, well not literally - they wouldn't fit in the car. However, all of these elements are interconnected to the basic physical elements that still exist in this world: air, fire, earth and water. Being out in the more remote areas at the foot of a mountain, it wasn't hard to see that I was in a larger than life Mishkan model that was vitally connected to all of these natural elements. Perhaps it was noticing on our second day the Holy Smoke bus, clad in gold (or school bus yellow paint) that waited outside the gate of the cabin properties boasting of an eatery just down the road. It sat there, as if some beacon, reminding me that even in this remote area, under the Heavens, we carry our own Mishkans with us today and follow suit with the kohanim: setting up, tearing down, wherever we go, wherever we stay.
On Tuesday nights many collect for coffee and in-depth Torah learning facilitated by our rabbi and enhanced through the open dialogue of those gathered.
An all women's group dedicated to learning, bonding, and growing in Torah and in Jewish life. Come be a part and participate in meaningful discussions, tzedakah and mitzvah opportunities, and spiritual g...
Beit Hashofar is pleased to announce the opening of our new Lichtenstein Guest House and Beit Midrash. This new facility is conveniently located steps away from the synagogue and offers the comforts of home as well as an informal study space. Our Guest House is an optimal base for seeing the Northwest region or just to stay overnight on Shabbat while residing in a kosher environment. 
Articles
by Rebbetzin Malkah
On Tuesday nights many collect for coffee and in-depth Torah learning facilitated by our rabbi and enhanced through the open dialogue of those gathered. 
The Goal of T'nuat Noar Tsippor is the integration of each young person, post b'nei mitzvah age, fully into Judaism and Synagogue life. Our hope i...
