This week’s Torah portion Chayei Sarah, means “Life of Sarah,” but it actually speaks of how Abraham deals with the loss of his beloved wife, Sarah. In verse 23:2, there are two different verbs for mourning. One is “to wail” and one is “to cry.” This story reminds us that when we deal with loss, it is important for us to let out our sadness through sound, through tears, and through expression.

The pathway through loss of any kind doesn’t always follow a roadmap, but our tradition clearly says that our first reaction is the entitlement to “wailing” – the uttermost outward expression of vocalization, from the depths of our souls. Then perhaps after tears, we are able to speak about our loss.

Throughout the pandemic, we all suffered some sense of loss. At the synagogue one of the areas we truly lost was live music like we will have on this Friday for Sabbath for the Soul and the following week for Shabbat LaLev. I missed making music with our KI friends and family, without masks, and with smiles- singing side by side. I am so happy that we will be back in the sanctuary with Sabbath for the Soul with Ross M. Levy and the Levites- a rocking Shabbat with guitar, flute, bass, and percussion. We also have a special musical guest, Yvegeny Kutik, a violinist who is the star in our Music Arts program on Saturday, November 19 (click here for tickets).

Shabbat LaLev is a meditative, engaging and loving services with singers: Hillary Eisenman, Jessica Reinach and Naomi Guth.

For us to become whole again after loss, we must find our voices again- whether through a wail, a cry, or in song. Primary to our tradition is that we must express what is deeply in our souls first before we can move on. Join us this Shabbat as we experience music that will move and connect us to one another and give us some Sabbath peace.