Shabbat Shuvah - Parashat Vayelech – Deuteronomy 31:1
Hosea 14:2

This Shabbat is known as Shabbat Shuvah, the Sabbath of Return. Falling between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, it is seen as a powerful time of reflection and introspection. The Sabbath of Return derives its name from the first words of this Shabbat’s haftarah (Hosea 14:2) which begins "Shuvah Yisrael (Return O Israel)."

When Hosea and other prophets called out to the people to repent, they were asking for Israel as a people to turn to God, so that the nation might continue to survive. It was a collective concept, which became an individual one only after the destruction of the Temple. Then the need for teshuvah rested with each person. “Teshuvah” is frequently translated as repentance, but imbedded within the word is the notion of “shuvah,” which actually means returning or turning.

Each of us has the opportunity to make our world a better place, thus making Hosea's message as relevant to us today as it was in biblical times.

How does our tradition tell us we are to go about repenting? Maimonides taught that there are three key elements to real Teshuvah. Some call them the "three R's" of repentance: regret, rejection, and resolution. By doing these three things, we complete our Teshuvah. We must confess and admit our failing and our wrongdoing, taking responsibility for the harm we have caused others. But our words of regret are meaningless unless they inspire us to change the way we act, to reject the behaviors that caused us to transgress in the first place. Once we have expressed our regret and rejected that behavior, we must then resolve to avoid the temptation to be drawn into that abyss again. Bad habits, of course, are hard to break. But, we haven't performed Teshuvah unless we've broken our bad habits.

On this Shabbat Shuvah, as we prepare to stand on Yom Kippur before our families, our community and God, may we return to the essence of our humanity and may we truly find the ability to repent and clear our hearts.

A healthy and a happy 5766!

and Shabbat Shalom,

IN THE WEEK AHEAD – HIGH HOLY DAYS - Schedule of services, click here. Friday, October 14 - Tot Shabbat at 6:00 p.m.; Evening Service at 8:00 p.m. Saturday, October 15 - Torah Study Havurah at 9:00 a.m.; Morning Service at 10:30 a.m.- Gam Yahad Shabbat (see below); Service at Rydal Park at 2:00 p.m.

SUKKOT AT KI - Build the Sukkah - Sunday, October 16 at noon. RSVP for pizza lunch to Fran Braslow (215) 887-8704. Brown Bag dinner on Monday, October 17, at 6:00 p.m. Service at 7:15 p.m. Come decorate the Sukkah and share in our service of thanksgiving. Sukkot Festival Service on Tuesday, October 18, at 10:30 a.m. Simchat Torah Service on Monday, October 24, at 7:15 p.m.; Tot celebration on Tuesday, October 25, at 10:00 a.m.; Morning Festival Service with Yizkor Memorial Prayers at 10:30 a.m.

KI INVITES GAM YAHAD TO SHABBAT MORNING SERVICE on Saturday, October 15, at 10:30 a.m., followed by kiddush and a light lunch for the congregation, sponsored by Jewish Family & Children's Service. Gam Yahad participants are adults with developmental disabilities, along with family members or friends. The group has met to share Jewish identity, educational programs and social time for more than 15 years.

SPECIAL KI HADASSAH SHABBAT SERVICE - on Friday, October 28, at 8:00 p.m. Guest speaker - Bobbie Kraft, president of Hadassah of Greater Philadelphia. KI Adult Choir will sing. If you are a member of both KI and Hadassah and would like to help with this event, contact Kim Manin/phone (215) 914-0699 or Heidi Mikels/phone (215) 836-9830.

JOIN KI PUPPETS AT PRESCHOOL SHABBAT - Parents with babies and toddlers, join us on Fridays at 9:30 a.m. in the Youth Lounge (when Preschool is in session).

PARENT CHILD MUSIC CLASS WITH MISS TAMMY of Children's Music Express - Wednesdays, 9:30 a.m. to 10:15 a.m., from October 12 to December 14. Ages 6 months to 4 years. Sponsored by KI Preschool. For information, click here.

SEEDLINGS PARENT/CHILD PLAYGROUP WITH MISS TAMMY - Wednesdays, 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., from October 12 to December 14. Ages 12-24 months. Sponsored by KI Preschool. For information, click here.

KI COLLEGE CONNECTION – We’d like to maintain contact with all member undergraduate college students. We will send the Bulletin, birthday cards, e- mail greetings, connection to the URJ college KESHER network, holiday gift packages. Send your college student’s address to Chris Smith by e-mail. Program underwritten by KI Brotherhood.

HELP OUR DISCOVERY GARDEN GROW - Our Playground is nearly complete - Sponsorship opportunities for our new playground from pavers to Noah's Ark Playhouse. Contact Sharon Sood at (215) 782-8188 or by e-mail for information on how you can donate to this exciting project. A brochure is available in the Administrative Office at KI. More information, click here.

ISRAELI JR NATIONAL HOCKEY TEAM VS PHILADELPHIA LITTLE FLYERS - exhibition game on Thursday, October 20, at 7:15 p.m., at Class of 1923 Arena (University of Pennsylvania), 3130 Walnut Street, Philadelphia. Tickets are $12 (includes self- parking across from the arena). Call or e-mail Mark Weiss at (856) 662-9111 for tickets and information.

WRJ/SISTERHOOD PAID-UP MEMBERSHIP BRUNCH - on Sunday, October 23, from 10:00 a.m. to noon, featuring Dianna Marder, Inquirer columnist. Champagne Brunch. Free for WRJ/KI members*. $15 for non-members. [To pay WRJ dues, send $40 to KI, attn Evelyn Rosenfeld.] WRJ members RSVP to Joan Kamen (215) 947-5926 by October 14. [*New female congregants receive complimentary membership to WRJ.]

ASTRONOMY-TO-GO at Blue Bell Campus - on Sunday, October 23, 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. Explore the stars and their connection to Judaism in this giant blow-up planetarium. For families and kids of all ages. Snacks provided. $5/child. RSVP (215) 887- 8704.

BLOOMINGDALES & WRJ/SISTERHOOD 8TH ANNUAL MULTI-CHARITY EVENT "The Shopping Benefit" on Thursday, October 27. Storewide discounts, prizes, entertainment, food & beverage samplings, children's activities, cosmetics offers & discounts. Tickets $10 available at KI Administrative Office or Gift Shop. or mail check to KI, Attn Sisterhood. Redeem your ticket at Bloomingdales in Willow Grove or King of Prussia on October 27 to receive discounts of 15-20% on all purchases. Stores open 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. For information, call Michele Gusdorff (215) 782-1446 or Janice Schwartz (215) 576-5802.

PHILLY WITH FREDDIE - a Magical History Trolley Tour with Rabbi Fred Kazan on Thursday, October 27. From the Temple Judea Museum through Two Centuries of Jewish Life in Philadelphia. For information, click here.

SONGS FOR THE JEWISH SOUL - on Sunday, October 30, at 3:00 p.m. Concert by Cantors Amy Lefko, Marina Belenky, and Vadim Tunitsky, in conjunction with Yiddishkeit exhibition at the Temple Judea Museum. Open to the community. No admission fee. For information, click here and scroll to the second page.

CULTURAL COUNCIL 60+- Rabbi Lance Sussman—“Divergent Paths: Fundamentalism and Modernism in Contemporary Religion” on Thursday, November 10. KI member luncheon fee is $8 for members and $10 for guests with reservation & payment by November 3. $12.00 at the door. Send checks to KI, Attn: Cultural Council. Doris Parker, 215-886- 9267.

FIRST ANNUAL "USO CANTEEN" - on Sunday, November 13, at KI. Big Band sound with Brian Pastor 's 17-piece orchestra, special appearance by the "Andrews Sisters." Donuts, coffee, soda and sandwiches are included. Tickets: $25 ($15 for students) A portion of the proceeds will go to support "Liberty USO," serving military personnel in the Philadelphia and South Jersey area.

YIDDISHKEIT: GROWING UP JEWISH IN AMERICA - Temple Judea Museum exhibition open until November 13.

BACH's GOLDBERG VARIATIONS - on Sunday, November 20, at 3:00 p.m. Bach Festival of Philadelphia presents renowned harpsichordist Jory Vinokour, direct from Carnegie Hall.

LIGHT UP THE NIGHT, Bids, Bites and a Bit of Jazz – on December 10, 2005, from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m., KI will host a goods & services auction to raise funds for KI’s youth programming and scholarship assistance. We hope you will come and bring your friends! We hope you will also consider donating a good or service. If you have a vacation property or time-share, please consider donating time at the property. If you have theater or sports subscriptions, you could donate tickets. If you are a professional, consider offering a one-hour consultation. (Lawyers: How about offering to write a will?) Let your creative juices flow and call Sharon Buckingham at (215) 885- 9429 to discuss donations. This event at KI in Elkins Park will include good food, good music and good fun.

SQUARE DANCING - on Sunday, December 11, at 7:00 p.m. Fun for all ages - light refreshments included. Adults $10, children $5

Jewish Family and Children's Services invites you to become a Kesher Volunteer. A free eight-week training program in Jewish values, listening skills, healing and issues of aging is being offered to prepare volunteers to brighten the lives of Jews in nursing homes, hospitals, hospice and who are homebound. Beginning October 27 (note change of date) from 7:00- 9:00 pm at Keneseth Israel. For more information call Lonnie Beer at 215 646-2115, ext. 116 or click here. This program is cosponsored by the Kehillah of Old York Road.

STEM CELL DONOR TESTING – on Sunday, October 30, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Reform Congregation Keneseth Israel (Rothschild Auditorium). Michael Brecker, famed jazz saxophonist and Cheltenham High School Class of 1967, for example, needs a bone marrow transplant to fight a leukemia- like disease. His siblings and his children are not a match. There is no match in the national donor registries, where Jews of Eastern European descent are severely underrepresented. If you are tested and you’re a match for Michael, or someone else, you could literally save a life. For more information, click here or here.

COOK FOR SHARING IS CARING –Help assemble meals in the K/G kitchen for clients at Newman Senior Center (Klein Branch JCC) from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, November 1. Information: Gladys Segal (215) 635-5815.

MONTHLY LUNCH AND LEARN PROGRAM FOR SENIORS who want to continue to live vital and independent lives. Meets 4th Thursday of each month at KI. Sponsored by Jewish Family and Children’s Services’ STAR Program. Next meeting is Thursday, November 17 from noon to 2:00 p.m. Program: “Ethical Wills.” For more information, reservations and transportation, contact Michele Kramer (267) 808- 6264 and leave a message including your name, phone number and mailing address. (There is no program in October due to the holidays.)