From the Desk of Rabbi Cantor Judy

In last week's Torah portion, Parashat Noach, God places a rainbow in the sky—a visible sign of divine presence and promise. It’s a symbol that appears above us, reminding us of God’s benevolence from the outside in.

But in this week's Torah portion, Parashat Lech Lecha, God speaks to Abram not through a sign in the heavens, but through a call to journey inward: “Lech lecha”—go to yourself. It’s a spiritual invitation to uncover the divine within.

Abram doesn’t see a rainbow. He hears a call. He doesn’t look up—he looks in. And he realizes that the journey he is going to embark on with Sarai is one that not only benefits him but begins the Jewish people.

Does your spiritual growth depend on what you see outside yourself, or on what you’re willing to uncover within yourself? Is God only found in the miraculous signs around us, or also—perhaps more profoundly—in the quiet truths we discover within?

If you like studying Torah and applying the lessons to your life this way, please join us on Saturday morning for Shabbat services. We start at 10:00 a.m. We pray and study as a community and leave inspired and renewed. I would love to see you there! As our Board President Lynn Olinger says, "If you have never experienced Saturday morning Minyan... you don't know what you are missing!"

Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Cantor Judy