Rabbi’s Update 2/6/2026

Dear Friends:

Tomorrow morning we read Parashat Yitro which contains, among other things, the revelation at Sinai. Over the years Keleigh and I have often, though not always, sponsored a kiddush on the Shabbat of Parashat Yitro because it was not only my Bar Mitzvah reading but my father’s as well. I discovered a few years ago that in an interesting quirk of the relationship between the Hebrew and Gregorian calendars, my father’s birthday is exactly a week earlier than mine on the Gregorian calendar but five days later than mine on the Hebrew calendar. In both of our cases, however, Yitro was read on the first Shabbat after our 13th birthday.

After those in attendance tomorrow have an opportunity to eat for a while, I will be presenting some thoughts and leading a discussion on the recent report of the Intermarriage Working Group of the Conservative Movement, which had representation from the Rabbinical Assembly, the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, and the Cantors Assembly. You will find it easier to participate in the discussion if you have read the report (which is 15 pages) or at least the Executive Summary (only three pages). You can read the report here. The Executive Summary of the report is here.

Some logistical items:

• It’s going to be very cold tomorrow morning and there is a possibility of a dusting to an inch of snow as well. If you feel that because of the weather you cannot come to the synagogue, please do join us on Zoom. Barring technical difficulties, we plan for the Kiddush Konversation to be available on Zoom as well. Regretfully, we have not yet figured out a way to deliver you some kiddush food over Zoom (but you can watch those of us in the synagogue eat).

• If you want to come for the Kiddush Konversation only, you are welcome to do that as well. Please plan to come to the wooden doors in the sanctuary section of the building and to arrive before noon or you may not be able to get in.

• My talk for the Kiddush Konversation will be instead of a Drasha. So services will end earlier than usual, most likely by 11:45 or possibly a bit earlier. I’ll begin my talk at around 12:15 or so.

If you or someone you know is in need because of having been laid off, or has lost benefits of some type and needs immediate help, please let me know. I can access limited funds through the Jewish Federation almost immediately. For longer-term help, the Hebrew Free Loan Society will loan up to $18,000 interest-free and the Jewish Federation has set up a hotline to access assistance at 703-JCARING.

As a reminder, I am having drop-in hours on Thursday afternoons from 2 to 4 at the shul. For my drop-in hours, you do not need to make an appointment -- that would negate the whole point of drop-in hours -- but I’d urge you to check and make sure I am there regardless as sometimes there are unavoidable pastoral or other emergencies which might take me away from the building. 

As always, if I can do anything for you or you need to talk, please contact me at rabbi@kehilatshalom.org rather than through the synagogue office. I am happy to meet you at the synagogue by appointment; if you want to speak with me it’s best to make an appointment rather than assuming I will be there when you stop by. 

Additionally, if you know of a Kehilat Shalom congregant or another member of our Jewish community who could use a phone call, please let me know.

L’shalom,

Rabbi Charles L. Arian