PE Progressive Jewish Congregation

PE Progressive Jewish Congregation This page is for members and friends of Temple Israel Port Elizabeth.

29/05/2026

✡️ Parashat Beha’alotecha is read on the 30 May from the Book of Numbers. It is the 36 weekly portion in the Torah cycle.

The name of this Parasha means “when you raise up” or “ When you cause ( the flames ) to ascend”

✡️ At this point in the Torah, the Israelites were already camped at Sinai and had been there for a year

✡️ Aaron was devastated and in pain from his exclusion from being excluded from the dedication of the Tabernacle and worried that Ha’Shem had not forgiven him for helping build the golden calf. Aaron was in mourning and still grieving with the traumatic loss of his two eldest sons, who were consumed by fire

✡️ Ha’Shem told Moses to reassure Aaron and he was told “ Your portion is greater than theirs, for you will light and prepare the lamps”

✡️ The lighting of the Menorah represents the spiritual light of the Torah and with Aaron stepping up, it is important to remember by lifting someone else up, in turn you are also elevated

✡️ The flame is unique, it defies gravity and we are commanded to look up and seek meaning and grow

✡️ When we read this Parasha, we are travelling through a wilderness, none of us are perfect and it is reminder to us that there is always a second chance for us to correct our mistakes

✡️ The Israelites celebrated the second Passover a year after the Exodus and during their journey into the desert, they were guided by a pillar of cloud during the day and at night, the cloud was transformed into a glowing column of fire

✡️ As the Israelites celebrated this second Passover, we also have a chance to use our internal light and recognize not to define our mistakes and transgressions of the past, but to use our light and bring goodness and peace into our world. One good deed, one act of kindness, every day, is all it takes to keep the light burning

Shabbat Shalom with ❤️

22/05/2026

✡️ Count your Blessings, not your Curses

✡️ This weeks’s Torah portion is Parashat Naso, it is the 35th portion and is read from the second book of Numbers: 4:21 - 7:89, it is the longest portion in the entire Torah: Naso means “ count “

✡️ Focusing on counting your blessings helps build new pathways, and remaining positive boosts happiness and peace. When you actively count your blessings, you will notice opportunities you otherwise would have missed

✡️ Counting your curses on the other hand only multiplies them and in turn increases the hostility and distress you feel. When you focus on your curses, you build up envy and resentment

✡️ When you count your blessings, it reminds you of all the good things in your life, and it should give you strength to solve your problems and rather appreciate what you have, than mourn what you lack

✡️ When you count your blessings, you are following in the ways of Ha’Shem, as everything which Ha’Shem creates has a purpose and is rooted in faith and goodness

✡️ In the Priestly Blessings which are found in this portion, Ha’Shem says “ They shall bestow My name upon the children of Israel, and I will bless them “

✡️ When the spies returned from the Land of Israel, and cried and complained about the “curse of the giants”, Ha’Shem said: “you wept for no reason, so I will give you a reason to weep”

✡️ The Chassidic have a saying “ Think good, and it will be good “ Don’t allow yourself to be trapped in a mindset of curses, as this is what you will experience, and you will live a life devoid of any blessings

✡️ Count your Blessings, Lift your head and count the good

✡️ Forget your “faribels” and grievances, forget your sense of injury over a slight and forget your resentments of others, rather look past the negatives and focus only on the good

✡️ Good Shabbos ❤️❤️

15/05/2026

✡️ Parashat Bamidbar is read on 16 May from the fourth book of the Torah and can be found in the Book of Numbers 1:1 - 4:20
Bamidbar means “ To stand Alone” or “ In the Wilderness “

✡️ This Parasha focuses on organizing the Israelites from being a disorganized group of free slaves into a purposeful and structured nation, which moved them from chaos to structure

✡️ Moses was commanded by Ha’Shem to undertake a census and do a headcount of of all the men aged from 20 to 60 years old who were eligible for military service

✡️ We all count today as souls, as the Israelites were counted during the census
✡️ This portion also remind us that we are all counted and we matter individually
✡️ We are all special, we all have our own gifts to offer to one another, especially Love ❤️ and peace ☮️
✡️ No matter how different we are, we keep our shared values and our holiness as the core of our existence
✡️ Make a space for quiet time, free yourself from digital noise and any distractions
✡️ Observing Shabbat is a way to unplug from the world

Shabbat Shalom ❤️

08/05/2026

✡️ This weeks Parashat: Behar - Bechukotai
Is read on 9 May from Leviticus: 25:1 - 27:34
It is a double portion and concludes the reading of Leviticus

The Children of Israel were sustained with “Manna from Heaven” When Ha’Shem commanded that the Israelites keep Shabbat, on that Friday, a double portion of manna fell from Heaven and this double portion, provided and supported the Israelites on their day of rest

✡️ Behar focuses on the Sabbatical and Jubilee year for the purposes of giving the people and the land a rest

✡️ Bechukotai concludes with a list of blessings for those following Hashem’s law and warnings for those who disregard the laws

✡️ Tomorrow is 22 Lyar 5786, it marks the anniversary of the day that the Israelites
were commanded to observe Shabbat. It is our tradition to have two loaves of challah, which represents a double portion of manna eaten with a meal on Friday and Saturday

Tomorrows date is a historical and spiritual date as it is a direct link to 1313 BCE when Ha’Shem commanded us to keep Shabbat as a day of rest

✡️ Shabbat Shalom ❤️

01/05/2026

✡️ Parashat Emor is read on 2 May from Leviticus 21:1 to 24:23 and means “speak”

Emor serves as a guide to holiness, and is one of the more well known portions of the Torah which lists the entire Jewish calendar

✡️ This portion also lists the laws and rules which we given to the priests in order to keep them pure. The priests were also given rules as whom they could marry, to not go near a dead body unless it was close family, and they were commanded to tend to the lightning the lamps from night to morning

✡️ In modern times, Emor focuses on intentional living - which is managaging ones time to prevent burnout, also to be mindful of ones actions and speech, which are qualities we can bring into our daily lives

✡️ We learn that holiness is not just for the priests but for all of us, and we further learn that holiness connects people, place and time

✡️ Set boundaries, and move from chaos to a santified place, making time to rest and recharge. Use Shabbos as a time to disconnect from technology and work, find moments in the week to pause for a breath or a moment of peace, in order to recharge, by taking care of yourself

❤️ Shabbat Shalom

24/04/2026

✡️ This week’s Parashat:
Achrei Mot - Kedoshim is a double portion and is read on 25 April

✡️ Parashat Achrei -Mot means:
“After the Death of” and is found in Leviticus 16:1 - 18:30.
In this portion, Hashem commanded Moses to set aside the tenth day of Tishri as a Day of Atonement, known as Yom Kippur

✡️ Parashat Kedoshim means “Holy Ones” and is found in Leviticus 19:1 - 20:7. In this portion, Hashem speaks again to Moses and instructs him to tell the Israelites: “ You shall be holy, for I, the Lord your God am Holy”.
In this portion we are also given many more Mitzvot/Commandments to follow, which helps us as Jews in sanctifying how we relate to Holiness

✡️ In modern times, Achrei Mot Kedoshim, should be viewed as a deliberate way of practicing a way of life which is mindful of the way we live, the empathy we have for others, and where we transform our ancient rituals into modern acts of accountability towards all we encounter

✡️ We can achieve this by giving up a few minutes everyday by making time available for someone else in need
✡️ We can also listen to what others have to say and let them be heard, rather than putting our egos first and talking about ourselves
✡️ We can provide some form of benevolence to someone else, whether it is one meal a week or one good deed

✡️ Shabbat Shalom ❤️

17/04/2026

✡️ This weeks Parashat Tazria - Metzora is read on 18 April from Leviticus 12:1 - 15:33

This is a double portion and deals with the Laws of Ritual Impurity and Purity and focuses on purification after child birth, skin diseases and bodily discharges

Tazria means “Conceives” and Metzora means “Leper”

✡️ The Israelites were told by Ha’Shem
“You shall be holy, for I the Lord, your G-d am Holy”

✡️ In a modern context, the Torah portion of this Parasha is linked to the prohibition of Lashon Hara ( evil speech and gossip )

Our Jewish traditions teach us that the laws of Tazria focuses on taharah and tumah as they relate to our human experiences and can be seen as a spiritual skin affliction as a consequence of the misuse of the tongue

✡️ Lashon Hara can be likened to physically taking a feather pillow, cutting a section of the pillow, then shaking it, so the feathers are free to blow away in the wind

This action makes it impossible to find each feather and impossible to try and put them back into the pillow

These feathers are likened to the words we utter, and once uttered, can never be taken back

✡️ Our sages teach us that Lashon Hara is forbidden, even if the degoratory information is true. Lashon Hara “kills” three people:
The speaker, the listener and the matter being spoken about.

Lashon Hara creates walls between us instead of building bridges which bring us closer together

✡️ Shabbat Shalom ❤️

10/04/2026

✡️ Parashat Shmini is the 26th portion read from Leviticus 9:1 - 11:47 and is read on 11 April: Shmini means “eighth”

✡️ In this portion, Moshe called Aaron, his sons, and the “Elders of Israel”: note that although the Israelites had not yet arrived in the promised land, Israel was the name given to Jacob

Jacob’s descendants were known as “Bnei Israel” and the leadership became known as the “Elders of Israel”

For seven consecutive days, Moshe gave them detailed instructions concerning the living things that can be eaten, and during this time Moshe prepared them for their roles as priests ( Kohanim )

✡️ This portion begins on the 8th day, and it is of significance as it signifies the moment when the Tabernacle changed from being a construction and training site to a dwelling place for the Divine

✡️ On this 8th day, and after Aaron’s sons were consumed by fire 🔥 due to them bringing a “strange fire” to the Tabernacle, which was not part of the commanded ritual. In modern language today, this can be likened to Nadab and Abuihu going “off script”

✡️ The laws of Kashrut and conduct were given to the Israelites, after Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu were consumed by this fire

✡️ Posit Talaf- Showing the Hoof

The pig is often singled out as being the most abhorrent and deplorable animal of the non - kosher animals as it represents a Kosher facade whilst remaining unkosher at its core

✡️ The pig shows it split hoof for all to see, but does not chew its cud. The pig appears to be righteous on the outside when observed, yet remains rotten on the inside

✡️ Be careful, a Kosher exterior can mask an internal corrupt heart

Shabbat Shalom ❤️

27/03/2026

✡️ Parashat Tzav, is read from Leviticus 6:1 to 8:36. Tzav is the 25th weekly Torah Portion and is read on 28th March

Tzav means to “command”. Last week’s portion dealt with the types of sacrifices that were made and in this portion we learn about the duties given to the priests

These duties were considered necessary and transformed the Mischkan into a functioning “Tent”. These duties given to the priests, were necessary not only for spiritual and social reasons but also for practical purposes

✡️ Since the destruction of the Temples, these duties can be translated when we act as priests and we bring holiness into our homes and our synagogues

✡️ We need to be humble, and brush away our egos, we represent a nation, and need to be mindful that our behaviour in our communities is above repoach.

✡️ “ True leadership is serving a higher purpose with a humble heart and a steady hand “ which in turns transforms to
Respect - Kavod
Humility - Anavah
Dedication - Hitmashrut

✡️ Shabbat Shalom ❤️

20/03/2026

✡️ This week’s Torah portion is Parashat Vayikra and is read on 21 March from the third book of the Torah which is read from Leviticus 1:1 - 5:26

Leviticus is derived from the word Levitikos which means pertaining to the Levites and these laws, rituals and duties were overseen by the Levite tribe, specifically the Kohanim, who were the descendants of Aaron

✡️ This portion focuses on the laws of sacrifice ( known as Korbanot ) and were integral to Jewish worship in the Mishkan, and then many years later in both the first and second Temples that stood on Temple Mount

These ancient sacrifices were designed to help draw us closer to HaShem and can possibly be described as a psychological bridge enabling prayer and atonement whilst moving us closer and united towards a holy purpose

✡️ Today, we can show HaShem our love, we can sacrifice our time and make an effort with a sincere heart and reach out like HaShem does, and share what we have with others

✡️ One of the most special acts of kindness is Tzedakah, and is described in the Torah as the greatest sacrifice, which is the ‘ giving to others’

✡️ It’s never too late to be kind, its never too late to change, Judaism teaches us that the gates of repentance ( known as Teshuvah ) remains open until our last breath, and as long as we are alive, we have the power to change direction

✡️ Our hearts are the key to every gift; no matter how small or how easy the most simple mitzvah may be, it makes the whole world a brighter and more beautiful place

✡️ Shabbat Shalom ❤️

13/03/2026

✡️ This week’s Parasha is a double portion found in the final chapters of Exodus, which we read from Exodus 35 - 40 on 14 March, which are usually read together

In Parashat Vayakhel “And He Assembled”, Moses gathered the Israelites together and reiterated the commandment to keep the Sabbath, before giving the instruction to begin working on the physical construction of the Mishkan.

In Parashat Pekudei “Accounting of”, Moses listed the necessary items needed to build the Mishkan, and made an appeal for artisans to use their skills to build the Mishkan

✡️ These two portions provided a plan and teaches us that building something holy shows how a community moves from chaos ( the building of the golden calf ) to a nation of purpose and connection to HaShem

✡️ The portion ends with the completion of the Mishkan and descibes the cloud that descended upon the Mishkan as a thick and heavy cloud in the day and at night it was transformed into a pillar of fire, which was visible at all times and served as a reminder of HaShem’s divine presence amongst the Israelites

✡️ The tradition at the ending of this portion, as the Torah reader concludes the reading of the last verse, the congregation stand up and together they call out “Chazak, Chazak, v’nitchazek” ( Be strong, be strong and let us be strengthened”

✡️ Shabbat Shalom ❤️

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