TORAH READING FOR 26 TISHRI 5786 Oct 17-18, 2025
SHAZOOM 6:30 PM Oct 17, 2025
OUR HEARTS ARE WITH THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL AND ALL THE VICTIMS OF CONFLICT
From “Mishkan T’filah / A Reform Siddur” p.98
SIM SHALOM tovah uv’rachah, chën vachésed v’rachamim, alëinu v’al kōl Yisraël ‘amécha, [v’al kōl yoshvëi tëvël, v’imru: Amën.]
GRANT PEACE, goodness and blessing, grace, kindness, and mercy, to us and to all Your people Israel [and all who inhabit the earth, and let us say: Amen.]
PARSHA
From Reform Judaism https://reformjudaism.org/torah/portion/breishit
B’reishit – (בְּרֵאשִׁית – Hebrew for “In the Beginning”)
Genesis 1:1−6:8
When God was about to create heaven and earth, the earth was a chaos, unformed, and on the chaotic waters’ face there was darkness. – Genesis 1:1-2
SUMMARY
- God creates the world and everything in it in six days and rests on the seventh. (1:1-2:3)
- Adam and Eve are placed in the Garden of Eden, where they eat the forbidden fruit and are subsequently exiled. (2:15-3:24)
- Adam and Eve have two sons, Cain and Abel. Cain kills his brother, Abel. (4:1-24)
- Adam and Eve have another child named Seth. The Torah lists the ten generations from Adam to Noah. (4:25-5:32)
- God regrets having created human beings and decides to destroy everything on earth, but Noah finds favor with God. (6:5-6:8)
HAFTARAH
Ashkenazim: Isaiah 42:5-43:10 and Sefardim: Isaiah 42:5-21
STRUGGLING WITH TORAH
Until further notice, we will meet on Fridays for Shazoom only. Please see the NEW Shazoom schedule below. Read this week’s Torah Portion at https://www.sefaria.org/Genesis.1.1-6.8, and the Haftarah at https://www.sefaria.org/Isaiah.42.5-43.10.
RECOMMENDED READING
From Reform Judaism https://reformjudaism.org/torah/portion/breishit
B’reishit and the Courage to Begin Again
By: Rabbi Lea Mühlstein
ROSH CHODESH CHESHVAN 2025 /רֹאשׁ חוֹדֶשׁ חֶשְׁוָן 5786
Start of month of Cheshvan on the Hebrew calendar
Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan for Hebrew Year 5786 begins at sundown on Tuesday, 21 October 2025 and ends at nightfall on Thursday, 23 October 2025.
Start of month of Cheshvan on the Hebrew calendar. חֶשְׁוָן (transliterated Cheshvan or Heshvan) is the 2nd month of the civil Hebrew year and the 8th month of the biblical Hebrew year. It has 29 or 30 days and corresponds to October or November on the Gregorian calendar. רֹאשׁ חוֹדֶשׁ, transliterated Rosh Chodesh or Rosh Hodesh, is a minor holiday that occurs at the beginning of every month in the Hebrew calendar. It is marked by the birth of a new moon.
Read more from ou.org
PRAYERS
From “Mishkan T’filah / A Reform Siddur”:
ROSH CHODESH CHESHVAN – FOR THE NEW MONTH p.519
Our God and God of our ancestors, may the new month bring us goodness and blessing. May we have long life, peace, prosperity, a life exalted by love of Torah and reverence for the divine; a life in which the longings of our hearts are fulfilled for good.
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, 26 Tishri through 2 Cheshvan, we lovingly remember:
Joe Aragon
Uncle of Mary Caron
Helen L. Simons
Temple Kol Hamidbar Memorial List
David L. Tafoya
First Cousin of Mary Caron
Rob Truitt
Brother-in-law of Susie Morss
Emma Bessi Yazzie
Friend of Jane Kolber
Those victims of the Sho’ah (Holocaust) who died at this time of year.
“ZICHRONAM LIV’RACHAH” – MAY THEIR MEMORIES BE FOR BLESSING.
SHAZOOM ONLY
We will meet for Shazoom ONLY this evening, Friday, October 17, 2025. Please see the NEW Shazoom schedule below.
Zoom regularly updates its security and performance features. 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: Oct 17, 2025 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.
The Reform Movement has put out a statement on the return of the hostages. Please click here for the text.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם מַתִּיר אֲסוּרִים
Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Ruler of the Universe, Who frees the captives.
Shabbat Shalom – Buen Shabbat – Gut Shabbos!
-Ruben
PS – Shazoom and Observances schedule through December 2025 (Arizona Time Zone):
October 17, 2025 – Shazoom ONLY at 6:30 pm
[October 22-23, Wednesday-Thursday – Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan]
October 24, 2025 – Shazoom ONLY at 6:30 pm
October 31, 2025 – Shazoom ONLY at 6:30 pm
November 7, 2025 – Shazoom ONLY at 6:30 pm
[November 11, Tuesday – Veterans Day]
November 14, 2025 – Shazoom ONLY at 6:30 pm
[November 27, Thursday – Thanksgiving Day]
November 21, 2025 – Shazoom ONLY at 6:30 pm
[November 21-22, Friday-Saturday – Shabbat Rosh Chodesh Kislev]
November 28, 2025 – Shazoom ONLY at 6:30 pm
December 5, 2025 – Shazoom ONLY at 6:30 pm
December 12, 2025 – Shazoom ONLY at 6:30 pm
[December 14, Sunday – Erev Chanukah, First Candle]
[December 15 to 22, Monday-Monday – Chanukah]
December 19, 2025 – Shazoom ONLY at 6:30 pm (Chanukah Sixth Candle)
[December 19-20, Friday-Saturday – Chag HaBanot–North African Chanukah Festival of Daughters]
[December 20, Saturday – Shabbat in Chanukah]
[December 20-21, Saturday-Sunday – Rosh Chodesh Tevet]
[December 21, Sunday – Eighth Candle]
December 26, 2025 – Shazoom ONLY at 6:30 pm
[December 30, Tuesday – Asara B’Tevet – Fast, Siege of Jerusalem]
[December 31, Wednesday – Secular New Year’s Eve]
[January 1, Thursday – Secular New Year’s Day 2026]