Last Shabbat, I began my speech by speaking about an article about rampant fraud in the realm of charities, especially Israeli ones- an article that was publicized by journalist Avital Chizhik Goldschmidt. I took the liberty of sharing the speech with her, and she posted it to her instagram feed, describing it as “the best kind of feedback.” As a writer, journalist and Rebbetzin, she felt this was a great example of how journalists and Rabbis can and should collaborate in confronting wrongdoing.
Hakarat HaTov Corner
I am grateful for the opportunity to deliver the invocation this past Wednesday, opening the meeting of the Dallas City Council, and to Jaynie Schultz for the invitation.
Rabbi’s Recommendations
A few hours Tzivie was born, almost exactly a year ago on Erev Shabbat Parshat Lech Lecha, a friend of mine asked (in jest) if we were planning on naming her in memory of Debbie Friedman z”l, the composer and singer whose 10th yahrtzeit had just been observed. While we had already chosen names for her, this week’s Parsha is the inspiration for one of her most famous songs, L’chi Lach (sung here by Cantor Azi Schwartz).
Debbie Friedman has been described as one of the most influential Jewish singers and songwriters in America; the Cantorial school at the Hebrew Union College is named in her memory. However, her music is not really well known in Orthodox spaces...or so one might think. In fact, her setting for Havdalah has been embraced by the entire Jewish world, from the most liberal reform congregations to Chassidic communities (and even some non-Jewish communities), many of whom (especially in the chassidic community) have no idea she was the composer. The provenance of the tunes we use in davening and our religious lives has always fascinated me, and this is a delightful example of what you can find out if you do some research.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Ariel Rackovsky
Congregation Shaare Tefilla 6131 Churchill Way Dallas, TX 75230
