Friends –
Labor Day is here, a day that always holds a tinge of sadness as it marks the official end of the summer. I’ve always been a “summer person”—give me a large body of water to swim in, corn, tomatoes, and peaches at their peak deliciousness, and I am at my most content. I’ve been thinking over the past few weeks about the magic of summer, wondering what it is that makes the summer months feel so special, and how I might hold onto it for just a bit longer.
There is a beautiful teaching from the Lubavitcher chasidic tradition that imagines God as a King (no accounting for egalitarianism here). During the winter months, particularly after the High Holy Days, they believed that the King would retreat back to his castle. But in the summer months, and particularly during the month of Elul (right now!), they imagine that “the King is in the field,” dwelling in the outdoors like the rest of the community, accessible to all without the formality of a visit to the castle. In simpler words: they teach that God is nearest in the summer, and thus glimpses of holiness are most accessible in this season.
In many ways, we are at our best in the summer months. We make more time to see loved ones. We get out of our bubbles and explore new places. We are often more physically active, which brings us into closer connection with our bodies and the natural world. The long hours of sunlight create a sense of spaciousness in our days and illuminate each of us from the inside out. This time can enable us to be at our most open-hearted and open-minded. When our hearts and minds are open, we just might find that God is present, and that moments of transcendence and interconnectedness are waiting in the field for us—we just have to go out seeking them.
It’s the right time to make sure that your cup is full as we step into the holidays and the grind of the year. Tomorrow night, join us as we mark the start of the High Holy Days with our annual Selichot Cinema and Havdalah. It is a beautiful night each year, one not to be missed. All are welcome—please click here for more information and to register.
As summer winds down, give yourself the space to connect more deeply this weekend—to yourself, to loved ones, to community, to nature. In these moments of peacefulness and joy—remember that God is in the field, eagerly anticipating our arrival.
With wishes for a peaceful Shabbat –
With love from my family to yours –
Rabbi Klein
Bonus if you read this far: I often share about the impact of Jewish summer camp on my life and the ways in which it profoundly shaped—and still shapes—the person I am today. I very recently found this video of 11-year-old me singing my awkward little heart out during Maccabiah (Color War) at my beloved URJ Camp Harlam in 1996. Green Team Yoda (it was a Star Wars theme that year) didn’t win, but the magic of summers at Jewish sleepaway camp continues to give me strength and pride in my Jewish identity.
This summer, we had our highest number ever of TSTI kids attending Jewish sleepaway camp, experiencing, firsthand, a daily glimpse of the world as it could be: full of song, inclusion, authenticity, Jewish joy and belonging. If you’re interested in learning more about how to help a kid in your life have a Jewish camp experience next summer, check out our camp resources (including info on scholarships) on the TSTI website: https://tsti.org/