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Beth Ahm BaBayit

It is June 7th, a beautiful Michigan Sunday.  My last bulletin article was written just a short time after Beth Ahm and the other synagogues in our area suspended in-person activity.  Three months later, and it feels that we are not close to the end of this crisis.  While many businesses and other institutions are opening back up, the sense of caution remains. Beth Ahm has not made plans for in-person activities in the coming months. Instead we are continuing to offer and extend our online programming and our efforts to reach out to our congregants in a variety of ways.

We are anxious for the time when we can all be together back in our synagogue home.  The synagogue has been a key center of Jewish life for thousands of years---for community, for prayer, for learning. And it will continue to be that in the future.

The Jewish home has also been a key focus of Jewish activity for
generations. The home is referred to as a Mikdash Me’at, a small
sanctuary, comparing the home to the Temple. The comparison brings to mind the many opportunities that we have to encounter God at home.

I have taught this idea in the past as a way of encouraging people to think about the many ways we can engage Jewishly at home. It is strange (and beautiful) to be thinking about this gem of an idea sitting patiently within our tradition for a moment like this when we are separated from the synagogue. While recognizing the importance of community that goes beyond the walls of our home, the ways in which synagogue can enrich our lives, I am thankful that our tradition recognizes the power of the Jewish home.
 
With this in mind, we are introducing a special graphic for our online and at home programming. The Beth Ahm BaBayit (Beth Ahm At Home) graphic will appear with events that we are offering online to enrich your life. I hope that when you see it, you will envision Beth Ahm reaching out from our spot on Maple Road and putting a wonderful opportunity in your hands at home. Whether it is an opportunity to catch up with Beth Ahmers, to daven together, or learn something new, these programs aim to bring holiness and beauty into your life at a challenging time for so many of us.
 
Beth Ahm has always been ‘open for business’ 365 days a year.  Even now, our congregation is open and available to you, reaching out to you. Our building may be closed for the moment, but Beth Ahm is always here for you.
 
Rabbi Rubenstein
Fri, May 2 2025 4 Iyyar 5785