TORAH READING FOR 16 ELUL 5786 August 28-29, 2026

SHAZOOM ONLY 6:30 PM August 28, 2026

KETIVAH VECHATIMA TOVAH – A GOOD WRITING AND SEALING!

 

OUR HEARTS ARE WITH THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL AND ALL THE VICTIMS OF CONFLICT

From “Mishkan T’filah / A Reform Siddur” CCAR, New York 2007, p.178

SHALOM RAV al Yisraël amcha tasim l’olam, v’al kol yoshvëi tëvël, v’imru. Amen.

GRANT ABUNDANT PEACE to Israel Your people forever, [and all who inhabit the earth. Amen.]

PARSHA

From Reform Judaism https://reformjudaism.org/torah/portion/ki-tavo

Ki Tavo (כִּי-תָבוֹא‎‎ — Hebrew for “when you enter” [the Land])

Deuteronomy 26:1-29:8

When you enter the land that the Eternal your God is giving you as a heritage, and you possess it and settle in it, you shall take some of every first fruit of the soil, which you harvest from the land that the Eternal your God is giving to you, put it in a basket and go to the place where the Eternal your God will choose to establish the divine name. – Deuteronomy 26:1-2

SUMMARY:

• The Israelites are instructed to express their gratitude to God for their bountiful harvests and freedom from slavery by tithing ten percent of their crops for the Levite, the stranger, the orphan, and the widow. (26)
• The people are told to display on large stones God’s commandments for all to see. (27:1-8)
• The Levites are to proclaim curses upon those who violate God’s commandments. (27:15-26)
• The Israelites are told that if they obey God’s mitzvot faithfully, they will receive every blessing imaginable. They are also told that if do not fulfill their brit with God, many curses will descend upon them. (28:1-69)
• Moses reminds the Israelites of the miracles they witnessed in the wilderness and commands them to observe the terms of the covenant so that they may succeed in all that they undertake. (29:1-8)

HAFTARAH

Isaiah 60:1-22

The sixth haftarah in the cycle of seven haftarot of consolation after Tisha B’Av, leading up to the holiday of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, which this year begins the evening of Friday, September 11, 2026. This haftarah corresponds to Parashat Ki Tavo.

STRUGGLING WITH TORAH

Please see the Shazoom and Observances schedule through September 2026 below. Read this week’s Torah Portion at https://www.sefaria.org/Deuteronomy.26.1-29.8, and Haftarah at https://www.sefaria.org/Isaiah.60.1-22.

RECOMMENDED READING

From Reform Judaism https://reformjudaism.org/torah/portion/ki-tavo

A Time for Silence, a Time to Speak

By: Rebecca Good

HIGH HOLY DAYS 2026/5787

This year Rosh Hashanah takes place beginning the evening of Friday, September 11 to Sunday, September 13, 2026. The Reform Movement normally observes one day. Yom Kippur begins the evening of Sunday, September 20 (Kol Nidrë) through Monday, September 21, 2026. Temple Kol Hamidbar will NOT be holding High Holy Day services either in person or online.

Various congregations within the Reform Movement provide online resources to anyone interested in participating in services. In some cases, registration and/or a password is required. You may want to visit the following websites for their latest information on the High Holy Days and how to access them.

Kol Ami (formerly Temple Emanu-El and Congregation Or Chadash), Tucson, AZ

Temple office (520) 327-4501 or https://www.katucson.org/

Congregation Or Ami, Calabasas, CA

High Holy Days 2026 | Or Ami or https://coa.livecontrol.tv/

Temple Sinai, Oakland, CA

Temple Office 510-451-3263

https://www.oaklandsinai.org or High Holy Days 5787 – Temple Sinai

The Union for Reform Judaism https://reformjudaism.org/jewish-holidays/rosh-hashanah/how-find-high-holiday-community-wherever-you-are

PRAYERS

WEEKDAY T’FILAH – Al HaRishah – עַל הָרִשְׁעָה p.88

AND FOR WICKEDNESS, let there be no hope, and may all the errant return to You, and may the realm of wickedness be shattered. Blessed are You, Adonai, whose will it is that the wicked vanish from the earth. Amen.

FOR OUR COUNTRY p.376

THUS SAYS ADONAI, This is what I desire: to unlock the fetters of wickedness, and untie the cords of lawlessness; to let the oppressed go free, to break off every yoke. Share your bread with the hungry, and take the wretched poor into your home. When you see the naked, give clothing, and do not ignore your own kin.

O GUARDIAN of life and liberty, may our nation always merit Your protection. Teach us to give thanks for what we have by sharing it with those who are in need. Keep our eyes open to the wonders of creation, and alert to the care of the earth. May we never be lazy in the work of peace; may we honor those who have [served, suffered or] died in defense of our ideals. Grant our leaders wisdom and forbearance. May they govern with justice and compassion. Help us all to appreciate one another, and to respect the many ways that we may serve You. May our homes be safe from affliction and strife, and our country be sound in body and spirit. Amen.

PRAYER FOR THE STATE OF ISRAEL p.552

O HEAVENLY ONE, Protector and Redeemer of Israel, bless the State of Israel which marks the dawning of hope for all who seek peace. Shield it beneath the wings of your love; spread over it the canopy of Your peace; send Your light and truth to all who lead and advise, guiding them with Your good counsel. Establish peace in the land and fullness of joy for all who dwell there. Amen.

FOR HEALING – El Na R’fa Na Lah!

We recite MI SHEBËRACH for the victims of abuse, brutality, conflicts, fear, natural disasters, pandemics, tragedies, violence of all kinds especially directed at individuals and specific communities including us, and war; for all those at home alone or lonely; for all those in need of physical, emotional, and mental healing. “R’fuah sh’lëmah” – a complete recovery!

YAHRZEITS/ANYOS

We say KADDISH YATOM for those of our friends and families who have died and been buried this last week; those in the period of Sh’loshim (30 days since burial); those who have died in the last year; and those whose Yahrzeits/Anyos occur at this time; as well as the victims of brutality, conflict, disease, natural disasters, pandemics, tragedies, violence of all kinds, and war.

This coming week, 16 Elul through 22 Elul, we lovingly remember:

Phyllis Berkowitz

Temple Kol Hamidbar member

Lavee Mayberry

Friend of Temple Kol Hamidbar member

David Rosenblatt

Father of Temple Kol Hamidbar Founding member Simon Rosenblatt

Those victims of the Sho’ah (Holocaust) who died at this time of year.

“ZICHRONAM LIV’RACHAH” – MAY THEIR MEMORIES BE FOR BLESSING.

PSALM 27

7. Hear, O Eternal One, when I cry aloud;

have mercy on me, answer me.

8. In Your behalf my heart says:

“Seek My face!”

O Eternal One, I seek Your face.

9. Do not hide Your face from me; do not thrust aside Your servant in anger;

You have ever been my help.

Do not forsake me, do not abandon me, O God, my deliverer.

10. Though my father and mother abandon me,

the Eternal One will take me in.

SHAZOOM ONLY

We will meet for Shazoom ONLY this evening, Friday, August 28, 2026. Please see the Shazoom and Observances schedule through September 2026 below.

Zoom regularly updates its security and performance features. If a screen pops up when you first join Shazoom asking permission for the Host to unmute you during the meeting, for everyone’s ease and comfort, click on Allow. Making sure you have the latest version of Zoom, please join us online this evening with wine/grape juice for Kiddush and Challah for Motzi.

Shazoom – Erev Shabbat Service

Time: Aug 28, 2026 06:30 PM Arizona

To join Shazoom click on the following link [you may need to copy it into your browser]: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/72510500854?pwd=Z3VQZWF4U1BBZytNYmh3aHFTWkFDZz09

Meeting ID: 725 1050 0854

Passcode: 4NrMk0

Hint: The last character of the password is the number zero.

Ketivah Vechatima Tovah – A Good Writing and Sealing!

Shabbat Shalom – Buen Shabbat – Gut Shabbos,

-Ruben

PS – Shazoom and Observances Schedule through September 2026 (Arizona Time Zone):

August 28, 2026 – Shazoom ONLY at 6:30 pm

September 4, 2026 – Shazoom ONLY at 6:30 pm

[September 5, after nightfall, Leil Selichot]

[September 7, Labor Day US]

September 11, 2026 – NO Shazoom

September 11, 2026, Friday PM – Erev Rosh Hashanah

[September 12–13, Saturday-Sunday – Rosh Hashanah (mostly one day in Reform)]

September 18, 2026 – Erev Shabbat Shuvah – Shazoom ONLY at 6:30 pm

[September 19 – Shabbat Shuvah (Shabbat of Return)]

[September 20, Sunday – Erev Yom Kippur – Kol Nidrë]

[September 21, Monday – Yom Kippur]

September 25, 2026 – Erev Sukkot (TBD)

[September 26-October 2, Saturday-Friday – Sukkot]

[October 2, 2026 – Erev Shabbat (TBD)

[October 2-3, Sh’mini Atzéret (Eight Day of Assembly) and Simchat Torah (Rejoicing in the Torah); Reform Movement combines as in Israel]