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From the Rabbi's Desk

December 19, 2024

12/19/2024 01:48:29 PM

Dec19

Rabbi Hearshen

On Yom Kippur I spoke about exciting work we’re doing here at OVS in the form of our Reimagining Team. The purpose of this new group is to look for new and innovative ways to approach our work as an organization and a community. This is why we adopted the name of the Reimagining Team. We feel we must be willing to rethink how we do things and what we’re trying to achieve. We must value accountability and will...Read more...

Parshat VaYishlach

12/12/2024 01:19:48 PM

Dec12

Rabbi Hearshen

Have you ever run away from something? Have you ever hidden something? Perhaps you’ve looked the other way or denied something that was true? These are natural human instincts we each have. We often close our eyes and hide from things that are just too difficult to face. This isn’t because something is wrong with us. This isn’t because we’re guilty of having done something wrong. This is because, as humans, we live with many emotions...Read more...

Parshat VaYetze & Hanukkah Bazaar

12/05/2024 10:53:42 AM

Dec5

Rabbi Hearshen

I’m so excited for this weekend. The Sisterhood Hanukkah Bazaar is one of the highlights of my year. I’m always in awe of what our community has created and managed to keep going for 48 years. The amount of pride I feel every year after Bazaar is so immense. Words cannot begin to express my appreciation to our Sisterhood for all they do year-round, and especially for Bazaar. Words can likewise not begin to...Read more...

Parshat Toldot

11/27/2024 10:50:18 AM

Nov27

Rabbi Hearshen

איזהו עשיר? השמח בחלקו./Who is wealthy/happy? One who is happy with their portion. (פרקי אבות ד:א). These words are of the utmost importance. We spend too many days of our lives looking at other people and feeling as though we don’t have the lives we want. We look too often at what’s lacking and not at the beauty of all we have.

This concept is enshrined in the עשרת הדברות/Eseret HaDibrot/The...Read more...

Parshat Chaye Sarah

11/21/2024 03:14:49 PM

Nov21

Rabbi Hearshen

Pain, hurt and sadness. Anxiety, frustration and disappointment. These are all emotions we try our best to avoid. We yearn to feel full and complete and content. We yearn to feel joy and ease. But life cannot be fully experienced through a prism that only engages half of the pantheon of emotions in the world.

This week the פרשה/Parsha/portion is called חיי שרה/Chaye...Read more...

Sat, December 21 2024 20 Kislev 5785