Rabbi Tow’s Weekly Message and Videos
Shabbat Shalom to the Sha’are Shalom family,
Looking back on last Shabbat, we wish a mazel tov to Nichole & Kiersten on the occasion of taking their first Aliyah to the Torah.
Tonight we will welcome in Shabbat with a Tot Shabbat and then cool off with ice cream after the evening service.
Looking ahead to the winter, we have an itinerary and preliminary pricing for our volunteer mission to Israel. We’ll roll up our sleeves and take part in supporting the displaced and rebuilding. We’ll also spend a special Shabbat with our partner congregation Darchei Noam in Pardes Hana, a small city between Netanya and Haifa.
Speaking of journeys, we read from Matot-Masey and conclude our reading from B’midbar, the Book of Numbers, this weekend. At this point our ancestors are just across the river from the Promised Land. There are still many lessons God wants to teach the people such as the need to establish cities of refuge where a person accused of unintentional manslaughter can escape to avoid non-judicial retribution from the victim’s family. God also sets out the borders of the Land that the tribes will divide up when they settle. This section reminds me of a gentle old Israeli song by Yoram Taharlev, “Stand up and walk about the Land, with a backpack and a walking stick, and for sure on the way you will get to know The Land of Israel again, the roads of the good land will embrace you…”
We’re all on journeys ourselves, both through this physical world and also spiritual journeys as well. We’ll explore the journey into the New Year and opportunities for spiritual renewal on Thursday August 28 with a session on the fantastic book by Rabbi Alan Lew, This is Real and You are Completely Unprepared. With this study time, we’ll at least be better prepared not only to celebrate Rosh Hashanah this year but also to pursue personal transformation.
Finally, for our Shabbat under the Stars in August, we’ll have Shabbat songs and prayers and then some campfire songs as well. What are your favorite songs to sing around the campfire? Let me know at rabbineiltow@shaare-shalom.org
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Tow
Music & Meditation
7/22/25
Beautiful choral music from Salamone Rossi - May God bless our day with peace
Music & Meditation
7/15/25
This Shabbat we will announce the upcoming month of Av (that will start the next Saturday). Av is the month when we remember the tragedies of Jewish history. To get us into the reflective spirit of this season of memory and lament, here is a niggun (song without words). This tune comes from the tradition of Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berdichev.
Music & Meditation
6/24/25
Praying for peace during these dark times - Music: Nava Tehila
Music & Meditation
5/1/25
For Israel's 77th today - a song from Israel's 60th birthday full of rhythm and life that still resonates today...
This is the chorus:
Because she* is real and not a symbol,
nor a flag or a sign.
The past is behind her -
she looks to the future.
*Israel is referred to as 'she' because 'medinah', the word for 'country' is a feminine word in Hebrew.
Music & Meditation
4/22/25
Music & Meditation - 4/22/25 - Tal/Prayer for Dew - On Passover, we stop praying for rain with the end of the rainy season in Israel, and switch to saying 'Moreed ha'tal', May the dew fall...this change recognizes a transition in nature. Dew is a lighter form of precipitation. Sometimes in life we also need to take a gentler approach - and give God, and ourselves, the space to help heal us.
Music & Meditation
4/8/25
Music & Meditation
Music & Meditation: The Exodus is a journey through a traumatic time for our ancestors. Years ago, I heard a country music song that reflects having hope through tough times, that there can be 'angels' (hopefully) to help us along the way. I hope this song can help lift us up during those tough times. Wishing everyone a meaningful Seder & Passover.
Music & Meditation
3/12/25
Music & Meditation - Purim Edition
Today we listen to Persian Jewish music as we get ready to celebrate Purim. Try closing your eyes and breathing - coming to an awareness of our breath - as we listen to this singing.
Music & Meditation
2/25/25
Today's M&M is peaceful music and beautiful views primarily of Israel's natural wonders. May God bless us all with peace.
Music & Meditation
2/12/25
Masorti message for Tu Bishvat: Rabbi Maayan Belding-Zidon, Masorti's Director of Religious Services, speaks about the relevance of Tu Bishvat in 2025.
Music & Meditation
2/4/25
When you come
one of these days
days that were sealed
at the edge of a prayer.
When you come
we will give you flowers
flowers that open
without a word.
If you are tired
and if you come wrapped in sadness
we will sing to
Music & Meditation
1/28/25
As cultures around the world get ready to celebrate Lunar New Year, the Jewish people get ready to celebrate Rosh Chodesh Shevat tomorrow evening into Thursday. Shevat is the month of Tu Bishvat, the New Year of Trees, a time that signals the first stirrings of spring as the sap in trees rises. Today's music is a prayer for welcoming in the New Month.
Music & Meditation
1/14/25
As we start reading from the Book of Exodus, a song from "The Prince of Egypt" through the voice of our ancestors asking God for help and deliverance from oppression. We also ask God to help the LA area to get through a horrific time & hopefully begin to rebuild soon.
Music & Meditation
12/17/24
Chanukah is all about light, light of hope & courage in a time of darkness. May the light of the Chanukah menorah strengthen the light inside of us.
We came to drive away the darkness
in our hands is light and fire.
Everyone's a small light,
and all of us together are a powerful light.
Fight darkness & further darkness!
Fight because of the light!
Music & Meditation
12/3/24
We just welcomed in the new month of Kislev, and in a few weeks we'll celebrate Chanukah. Ma'oz Tzur is a Chanukah song that reminds us of the power of courage, determination, and the wonder & mystery of God's miracles.
Music & Meditation 11/20/24
A spiritual lift from Matisyahu, reminding us of the power we can find in light, in giving each other strength, and being open to miracles....It's never to early for some Chanukah music, right?
Music & Meditation 10/28/24
Music & Meditation: At Sunday's Oct. 7th event - Senior Shlicha Tali Arnolf Wohlgemuth played this song for us to set a tone for the remembrance - the art in the thumbnail was created by students of the Betzalel art academy in Jerusalem. It's a picture of a field of one of the kibbutzim attacked on Oct. 7, 2023.
Music & Meditation 10/23/24
Tomorrow when we celebrate Shemini Atzeret, we will chant the Geshem prayer (prayer for rain) -- Our ancestors depended on rain for their crops to grow & Sukkot has been about hopeful praying for blessing in the New Year. While most of us are not farmers (some of us in the CSS community are farmers!), we all still hope and pray for blessing, for good health, happiness and peace in the New Year -- all these are our 'rain' that this prayer represents.
Music & Meditation 8/6/24
Looking back 100 years to the 1924 Paris Olympics and the struggles & triumph of Harold Abrahams, British-Jewish athlete who won the 100 meter dash.
Music & Meditation 7/30/24
A wonderful Hineh Ma Tov melody by Mikey Pauker - We sang this at services last Shabbat and will sing going forward. Hineh Ma Tov (from Psalm 133) means "How good it is for all of us to be together." May God bless us with unity and strength.
Rabbi's Message 7/18/24
Invitation for Chevra Kadisha
Music and Meditation 7/9/24
It's always important to remind ourselves we're created in God's image (b'tzelem Elo-him). It's important mostly because we often forget this basic truth, and as the song says - while we're made this way by God we also have to 'bring it out' in ourselves and others...
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah (4x)
We've all got a life to live
We've all got a gift to give
Just open your heart and let it out
We've all got a peace to bring
We've all got a song to sing
Just open your heart and let it out
Yeah!
When I reach out to you and you to me
We become B'tzelem Elohim
When we share our hopes and our dreams
Each one of us B'tzelem Elohim
We've all got a tale to tell
We all want to speak it well
Just open your heart and let it out
We've all got a mountain to climb
We've all got a truth to find
Just open your heart and let it out
Yeah!
Bereshit bar-ah (Bereshit barah Elohim)
El-o-him (All our hopes All our dreams)
Bereshit bar-ah (Bereshit barah Elohim)
El-o-him (Each one of us b'tzelem Elohim
Music and Meditation 7/3/24
Music & Meditation: Wishing everyone a day of peace & blessing. Let's continue to pray for the safe return of the hostages. #BringThemHomeNow
Music and Meditation 6/28/24
Pride Shabbat Message from Rabbi Tow
Music and Meditation 6/25/24
Music & Meditation: A beautiful & uplifting song sung by Shlomi Shabat - following up on the Haftarah from last Saturday about the power of the spirit, this song is about the spirit and will to live and be ourselves with the help of a spirit or 'wind' from God pushing us along.
What ever happens I will change things
I will fulfill my dream
The bearer of bad news, decrees and plagues
will not change who I am
You and I and God beside us will win
not because of strength
But because the spirit
and the wind that pushes me from behind
Only because the spirit in my body my mind my soul
Only because the spirit in my body my mind my soul
What ever I have to say I will shout it,
they will hear me even on the moon
Who ever doesn't believe me
will find out the I will prove my self correct
You and I and God beside us will win
Not because of the strength
only because of the wind that pushes me from behind
Only because the spirit in my body my mind my soul
Only because the spirit in my body my mind my soul