Day: April 18, 2025

On Shabbat, we will read the designated text for the seventh day of Passover, which comes from Exodus and highlights how the sea split for the Israelites and the Israelites made their way to freedom. Toward the end of this week’s portion, we find the Song of Sea.

When Pharaoh’s horses came with his chariots and his horsemen into the sea, and the Eternal brought the waters of the sea back upon them, and the children of Israel walked on dry land in the midst of the sea, Miriam, the prophetess, Aaron’s sister, took a timbrel in her hand, and all the women came out after her with timbrels and with dances. – Exodus 15:19-20

Let’s imagine this moment… the Israelites have just miraculously made their way through the sea that split only after they began walking through. They have made it to dry land, in a space that is unfamiliar to them. What must this moment have been like? Joy, relief, fear, and uncertainty.

And what does Miriam do? She leans into the emotion of the moment and invites the women to join her in choosing joy through song and dance. Music and dance are essential expressions of joy and connection in Jewish life. In Jerusalem and other cities across Israel, it is not uncommon to see Breslover Hasidim joyfully dancing in public. Every year, on the holiday of Simchat Torah, we dance with the Torah scrolls. The words, WE WILL DANCE AGAIN, became a symbol of resistance and hope for freed hostage, Mia Schem.

As we move into Shabbat and the last days of Passover, I invite you to lean into this joyful moment, this small slice of our story. Yes, we were slaves. Yes, we suffered. Yes, we continue to pray for healing for our broken world, and for the remaining 59 hostages to come home. And, yes, today, we choose Jewish joy. Shabbat Shalom.

As we moved through Passover this week at the J, we found many moments of Jewish joy as we celebrated the holiday and found meaning in the “every day” work that makes our community so special — including a birthday celebration that took place in a Body Pump class (where else does that happen but the J?!). 

JCare kiddos made and ate their own Charoset in the demo kitchen and Early Childhood Education, with the help of several Tucson J leaders and our Taglit Day Program participants, commemorated Passover with an interactive, theatrical Passover Story! 

Over fifty family members and Taglit participants joined us in the J’s Fine Art Gallery for Taglit Parent Night, an opportunity to connect, socialize, snack, and hear about important and exciting developments coming to the program, including more vocational training launching this summer! 

As we make our way from Passover, Yom HaShoah, Yom HaZikaron, and Yom HaAtzmaut are on the horizon. Be sure to join us for meaningful programming with our community partners, and check out this important film October 8 at AMC theaters, with Jewish Philanthropies of Southern Arizona, too. 

We hope you found moments of joy at the J, at home, and in the world around you, this week. Shabbat Shalom. 

Reminders, Resources + Learning Each week we share resources for more learning:  This week’s resources: Kisses Sweeter than Wine: Understanding the Song of Songs (My Jewish Learning) by Rabbi Adam Greenwald Counting the Omer: The Basics of the Jewish Ritual (BimBam) Last week’s resources:  Commandments and Commander: How Do We Hear and Respond? by Rabbi David A. Lyon (Reform Judaism) Tzav: Increasing Gratitude by Rabbi Dr. Tzvi Hersh Weinreb (Orthodox Union) Parshat Tsav: Picnics at the Temple (BimBam)Tucson J Passover Resources   Is there a topic you’d like to learn more about? Email Jenn Selco with requests.