We had a fun and lively Shabbat morning here in the JLC last weekend for Parashat Noach!  In response to the needs of our community, we made a schedule change and held Hinei Mah Tov services for the first hour of JLC.  With near-perfect attendance from our JLC students, plus young families and congregants, we were able to come together in prayer, song, and learning.

During the Torah reading we took a look at the first few words of the parasha and noted that in the list of Noach’s descendants, the first person named is Noach himself.  How, we wondered, can Noach be his own firstborn?! Maybe, as Rashi says, the offspring of righteous people are their good deeds. Maybe, rather than thinking about our children as our claim to fame, we should be more concerned with living the way that we would like our children to follow.  This sentiment translates beautifully to what we are trying to accomplish as a community at Shomrei and especially through Hinei Mah Tov services. By coming together as a community, we are telling our children that religious school is not just for the kids!  We are showing them that we are willing to learn and grow together.  What better way to show that we care about their participation in Jewish life than to do it right along with them?