This week, I will enjoy the privilege of delivering the Dvar Torah in person instead of by email- a very, very special Shabbat.Shabbat Devarim, July 24-25, so in the interests of encouraging weekly Torah study..., and in-person Shabbat Services Guidelin

Dear Members and Friends of Kehilat Shalom Calgary,
B’sha’ah tovah, tomorrow will mark our first time gathering for Shabbat in person since the initial lockdown resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. (IMPORTANT NOTE: Please RSVP if you wish to attend tomorrow.) As you will note, we are taking strong measures to safeguard our Kehila during this Shabbat. These measures include mandatory use of facemasks – perhaps the most important means, besides physical distancing, through which we can protect one another.
For the past four months, we have steadily been observing the mitzvah of “pikuach nefesh” (saving lives) by not assembling on Shabbat. During this time, I have prepared weekly Divrei Torah, which Kehilat Shalom Board Members Stanley Major and David Craimer have circulated to others via email and our website respectively. This week, I will enjoy the privilege of delivering the Dvar Torah in person instead of by email.
Because we are not yet resuming weekly Shabbat services, in coming weeks where we cannot gather I will continue to send the weekly Rabbi’s message by email.
In the interests of encouraging weekly Torah study, especially by those unable to attend, I would like to share with you several websites which I refer to regularly in order to research learnings about the weekly Parsha:

▪http://torah.saadia.info/ : A gentleman named Saadia Greenberg prepares a weekly compilation of divrei Torah from some of Judaism’s most eminent rabbis today. You can contact him via his site to subscribe to this weekly email compilation.
▪https://rabbisacks.org/covenant-conversation-homepage/ : “Covenant & Conversation” is a weekly d’var torah written by the former chief Rabbi of Great Britain, Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks.
▪https://www.myjewishlearning.com/torah-portions/: MyJewishLearning.com is an informative website about all matters Jewish.
▪https://www.chabad.org/parshah/default_cdo/jewish/Torah-Portion.htm : Chabad.org website provides wonderfully concise summaries of each week’s website (“Parsha in a Nutshell”), breakdowns of the parsha by aliyah, and a variety of divrei Torah by different authors.
▪https://www.aish.com/tp/?s=bc : Divrei Torah divided into Basic & Advanced levels, as well as discussion sheets and activities for families.
▪https://torah.org/parsha/devarim/ : Basic, intermediate and advanced lessons about the weekly Torah portion.May Hashem strengthen you in your continued learning, and may you have a safe and healthy Shabbat.
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REMINDER – SHABBAT GUIDELINES
Kehilat Shalom is pleased to offer in-person Shabbat services on July 25th, 2020 In the gym of the JCCstarting at 10:00 a.m.
Please come after 9:30 to complete the screening requirements.
We will be following the Alberta Health Services guidelines at the JCC .
▪Please let us know that you are coming as we are setting up individual and family groupings and maintaining physical distancing between groups. Contact us at info@kscalgary.org or phone Sam Fishman at 403 613 1848 ASAP.
▪Everyone needs to wear a mask. If you have one, please wear it. We have masks for the congregation.
▪At check-in at the JCC you will be required to answer some Covid 19 screening questions. Your temperature will be checked. We also will have your name and phone number to check off for contact if needed. No one with Covid symptoms may enter, for the health of all.
▪Please do not attend if you are not well.
▪Welcoming staff at the JCC will be happy to answer any of your questions.
▪Please use hand sanitizer at front entry point and throughout the building.
▪The services will look a bit different in these times. You will be directed to take a prayer book from a designated area and required to return your siddur to another drop area.
▪There will be no kissing of the Torah, the prayer books or each other. Elbow greetings are the new normal.
▪Enhanced cleaning is in place before and after services to add to your comfort and well-being.
▪The washrooms are open.
▪Drinking fountains have been closed. Please bring a water bottle if you need one.
▪We look forward to seeing you on Saturday, July 25. The service will start at 10:00 A.M. and will run for 1 hour and 40 minutes. There will be no Kiddush following._____
Rabbi Leonard Cohen
Kehilat Shalom, Calgary
(403) 850-0106
leonardecohen@gmail.com