Rabbi Arthur Weiner

Jewish tradition has assigned special names to certain Shabbats during the year. This Shabbat is also known as Shabbat Shira, the Shabbat of song. Shabbat Shira reminds us of one of the great moments in Jewish history, chronicled in this week’s Torah reading, Parshat BeShallach. After the Jewish people passed through the Red Sea as they escaped Egypt, they saw the Egyptians who had pursued them defeated. They then sang what the Torah calls the Shirat Hayam, a triumphant poem of praise and gratitude to God for their deliverance. It opens with the words, “I will sing to the Lord, for the Lord has triumphed gloriously; horse and driver the Lord has hurled into the sea” and ends with “Adonai will reign forever and ever.”  Please click this link  for a special Shabbat video message from our Rabbinic intern Samuel Gelman.   Please click this link  for my recently established blog of past Shabbat messages and more! Shabbat Shalom,  Rabbi Arthur Weiner

  Dear JCCP/CBT Family, For many years, I have spoken about race and racial issues from the pulpit. I’ve tried to share my own thinking about this subject.  We have work to do if we truly want the words of the pledge of allegiance “with liberty and justice for all” to become a reality for all Americans. Recent events, like the murder of George Floyd, the racial disparities so visibly demonstrated by the COVID-19 pandemic, and growing threat of neo-Nazi and white supremacist organizations have moved the issue of race to the forefront of our political, social, and cultural agenda. I want the members of our congregation to be engaged in this moment, gain a greater understanding of the issues, and learn how we can begin to foster better conversations about race in our community. Towards the end, we have planned two important events this winter. On January 31, 2021 , will host Rabbi Capers Funnye, who will lead our congregation in a conversation about race. Rabbi Funny

  Dear JCCP/CBT Family, I want to inform the community that based on your suggestions, I have established a blog which contains past my Shabbat messages to the congregation. Soon, I will also add past sermons and other writing over the years. You can see it at: https://rabbiarthurweiner. blogspot.com   It will soon be available on the website and our Facebook page. This new blog is truly a work in progress.  I look forward to your feedback. Rabbi Avram Kogen, our esteemed High Holiday Guest Rabbi and Shabbat Torah reader of many years will present the Shabbat message this week. Please see below for his message to us. Shabbat Shalom,   Rabbi Weiner   ______________________________ ______   This week's Torah portion, Parshat VaEra, narrates the first seven of the Ten Plagues visited upon Pharaoh and the Egyptians. We see a repeating cycle of Pharaoh's defiance, followed by a disabling plague, to which Pharaoh reacts with contrition, but then Phara

  Dear JCCP/CBT Family,   Like you, I have been horrified and astounded by the news today from the nation’s capitol.   •      Rioters attacking and injuring federal agents and Metro DC police   •      The desecration of our nation’s capitol, and our sacred national institutions   •      An attempt to prevent the peaceful transfer of power that has been the pride of our nation since it’s inception.   Who would have imagined we would ever see such terrible events in our great nation?   So many of you have called me this afternoon or sent me emails to talk, to express your wide range of emotions, and to mourn this day in our nation’s history. I’m here for all those who need me.   This evening, and I suspect for many weeks, politicians and pundits will analyze today’s events, and interpret their ultimate meaning. But at this moment I want to share with you a simple religious message. It’s the words to the prayer for our country that we recite every Shabbat and holiday

  Dear JCCP/CBT Family, I want to wish you all the members of the congregation and community a happy new year. 2020 was a hard one. May 2021 be a better year for all. The pandemic and all of its attendant difficulties has exposed the fault lines that run through our great nation as never before. Whether political, economic, social, racial, or cultural, we can no longer deny that which divides us and how these divisions have so bitterly impacted so many. Addressing them is our great national priority in 2021. I hope we will have many opportunities to discuss these issues in the synagogue this year. As I think of these challenges, I am reminded of my absolute favorite Jewish story. It’s a Hasidic lesson that points the way towards the solution. Please read it. I hope it means as much to you as it has to me. If you really want to understand how I think and understand things, the story is it. Once in a tropical country a certain bird, more colorful than any that h