This Shabbat, our teenagers graduating from our Kabbalat Torah group will lead FPS in commemorating Pride Shabbat, and we get great nachas watching these five FPS teens grow up and move into adulthood. Their portion, Balak, contains the blessing we know from Mah Tovu the words we offer every Shabbat morning at the beginning of our prayers:
Mah tovu ohalecha Yaakov, mishk’notecha Yisrael
How lovely are your tents [people of] Jacob; your sanctuaries [people of] Israel.
They feel the blessing of their synagogue and we should be proud of them and us for sustaining their connections.
I am very looking forward to this Shabbat.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rebecca.