Shabbat Ha'azinu– Deuteronomy 32:1
II Samuel 22:1

I can picture it perfectly – Moses standing on Mount Nebo looking at the people shortly before his death. Perhaps it is because I have visited the spot in Jordan where a simple house they call a church stands, but I doubt it. Most likely because it is a familiar image – a leader addressing his people, saying goodbye.

There is a piece of the Yom Kippur liturgy which I read yesterday at the beginning of the Yizkor service that invokes this same image, reminding us that each individual is Moses on Mount Nebo, never being able to enter the promised land, standing at the gates before our death.

I guess that is what made me think about what it felt like to be Moses as I stood in front of our congregation yesterday afternoon. There I saw so many faces and so many stories: she lost her mother so suddenly… he lost both is parents in just a few short months…they seem too young to have lost a sibling, a parent… and of course the little girl whose mom died when she was just a child, although I would imagine we are all children again when our parents pass away.

I have only been here a KI a few short years, but I knew so many of the stories of the people in the congregation. And I wondered what the stories were of so many more people. For whom are they saying Yizkor? How did their loved ones pass away? What were they like?

Moses must have felt much the same way looking out at the people. He knew all about the births of their loved ones and their deaths; they had lived their lives together for 40 years. That is what it means to be a congregation, a community. When we finish reading a book of the Torah we say “Hazak Hazak v’nithazek - Let us be strong, let us be strong, and may our strength increase.” I can’t help but think these are the perfect words for this Shabbat as we finish our High Holy Day season at KI, one where we must rejoice at the beauty and grandeur of this place and its people. Hazak hazak v’nithazek.

Shabbat Shalom,

KI DINNER CLUB - Tuesday evenings from 6:00 to 6:30 p.m. in K/G. Pizza Week (+ salad & drink) or Hoagie Week (+ chips & drink). Parents, siblings & students all welcome at $5/person per day. RSVP on Thursday for following Tuesday. For more details, click here or contact Fran (215) 887-8704.

JOIN KI PUPPETS AT PRESCHOOL SHABBAT - Parents with babies and toddlers, join us on Fridays at 10:00 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.

PRESCHOOL STORY TIME - BARNES & NOBLE - on Thursday, November 17 from 6:30-9:00 p.m. Beth Berman, Preschool Director, will be reading the stories. Vouchers, available in the Preschool, will net the school 15% of total KI sales. Voucher also good for 10% off at Houlihan's that night.

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.

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.

WHAT CAN YOU DONATE for 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. Do you have a good or service you could offer? 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.

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.

ONE SUNDAY, TWO MITZVAH OPPORTUNITIES - on Sunday, November 6, you can (1) help sort food collected by the High Holiday Food drive for Federation's Mitzvah Pantry from 9:30 a.m. to noon OR 12:30 p.m to 3:00 p.m. at SHARE Food Program Warehouse, 2901 West Hunting Park Avenue, Philadelphia. Information: Mark Rubin (215) 831- 0525 or by e- mail. OR (2) you can deliver food packages for the Jewish Relief Agency from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. from the JRA warehouse at 9986 Gantry Road, Philadelphia (Northeast). Information: Rachel Dunaief (610) 660-0190 or by e-mail.

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.)

NEW FROM THE MEYERS LIBRARY Library hours are: Tuesday 4:30 to 6:00 p.m. when Religious School is in session, Wednesday 10:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and Friday before 8:00 p.m. services. (You can also visit the bookcarts at the Oneg.) For Adults: Rabbi Alex J. Goldman, Giants of Faith - Great American Rabbis; Abraham Rabinovich, The Yom Kippur War: the epic encounter that transformed the Middle East; Anthony Bianco, The Reichmanns - a biography of their Toronto empire. For Children and Young Adults: Carol Korb Hubner, The Silent Shofar; Allison, Greengard, Noah's Ark, in Hebrew and English; Aaron Levin, Testament : memoirs of the creation of Israel.

Are you interested in joining a SCRAPBOOKING GROUP on Sunday mornings? Please email Pam Saltzberg.