Days To Celebrate

DAYS TO CELEBRATE WITH RABBI PALTIEL

A two-part ZOOM series: Days to Celebrate: Demystifying Lesser-Known Festivals of the Jewish Calendar

Classes will run one hour
This miniseries will enrich your appreciation of these special days and traditions:

Counting the Omer. Second Passover. Lag Baomer.  Shavuot.

We  will explore their history, discover their significance, and learn about the traditional observances associated with these days.

2 Sundays at 10:00am
Lesson one:  Sunday, April 18
Lesson two:  Sunday, May 9th
 

Click Here to access student handout for Lesson one

The course is being offered free of charge, but registration is required. The Zoom access information will be sent to you upon registration

Course Outline

Lesson 1

Part A:  Counting Down or Gearing Up?
During this time of year, Jews around the world count each day for seven weeks to mark off the days left until Shavuot "the day that we received the Ten Commandments.Why do we count,and what does it mean for us?Is it just an ancient ritual,or can it become a contemporary self-help program that will dramatically improve our lives?Join us for a discussion on the counting of the Omerand discover its life-changing formula for success. When performed correctly, the counting can become a daily regimen for self-refinement that will improve your relationship with others, your relationship with yourself, and most importantly, your relationship with G-d.

Part B: Never Too Late .
If you have procrastinated all your life, is it too late to change? If you haven’t talked to your sibling in decades, is there still a chance for reconciliation? If you have suffered an addiction for years, is there still hope for you?Join us on a journey of life as we explore the mystery of Pesach Sheni; a little-known festival that unlocks the secret of rehabilitation.

  Lesson 2

Part A: The Secret of Jewish Unity .
Why are there so many Jewish factions,and why is Jewish unity so hard to achieve? If we strip away the outer disagreements, what lies at the core of Judaism?This lesson will present biographical sketches of two great Jewish leaders, Rabbi Akiva and Rabbi Shimon bar Yocha’i. We will explore the tensions of the Jewish people in their times and discover the balance that lies at the core of Judaism and of Jewish unity.

Part B: Essence to Essence , the Sinai Connection.
If Abraham already knew the Torah and taught it to his children, what did we receive at Sinai?This lesson will demonstrate that G-d did not give us the Torah at Sinai;He gave us Himself. We did not give G-d our commitment at Sinai;we gave Him ourselves. G-d was thrilled at Sinai to learn that He matters to us. We were thrilled at Sinai to know that we matter to Him.