Rabbi & Rebbetzin Corner

Shalom Mishpocah,

        June, the sixth month of the year and the first month of summer is here! June has 30 days and is named after Juno, the Roman goddess of youth and protection. Her name (Latin Iūnō) comes from the root word for “young” (Iuuen) and goes back to the idea of vital energy and fertility. The month of June welcomes the official start of summer in the Northern Hemisphere, bringing longer days, blooming flowers, and warm sunshine. From major June holidays like Juneteenth and Father’s Day to the summer solstice and the glowing Strawberry Moon, this vibrant month is full of meaningful events and seasonal beauty.

Sunday, June 14th, 2026, is Flag Day! Flag Day is a celebration of the adoption of the American flag by Continental Congress in the First Flag Resolution of June 14, 1777. Flag Day wasn’t officially recognized until President Harry Truman signed it into law in 1949. To observe Flag Day, fly your American flag!

The Summer solstice, the longest day of the year, occurs on Sunday, June 21st, 2026, at 04:24 AM EST. The Summer Solstice is also known as the longest day, which is perhaps the most notable feature. This is the first day of Astronomical Summer and occurs as the sun reaches its most northerly or southerly path in the sky. In the Southern Hemisphere, June is the start of winter and contains the winter solstice, the day with the fewest hours of daylight out of the year. North of the Arctic Circle, the June solstice is when the midnight sun occurs, during which the Sun remains visible even at midnight.

Sunday June 21st, 2026 is Father’s Day! Father's Day was founded in Spokane, Washington, at the YMCA in 1910 by Sonora Smart Dodd, who was born in Arkansas. It’s first celebration was in the Spokane YMCA on June 19, 1910. Her father, the Civil War veteran William Jackson Smart, was a single parent who raised his six children there. After hearing a sermon about Anna Jarvis' Mother's Day at Central Methodist Episcopal Church in 1909, she told her pastor that fathers should have a similar holiday honoring them. Although she initially suggested June 5, her father's birthday, the pastors of the Spokane Ministerial Alliance did not have enough time to prepare their sermons, and the celebration was deferred to the third Sunday of June. For decades Father’s Day failed to become a national event.

In 1957, Maine Senator Margaret Chase Smith wrote a proposal accusing Congress of ignoring fathers for 40 years while honoring mothers, thus "[singling] out just one of our two parents". In 1966, President Lyndon B. Johnson issued the first presidential proclamation honoring fathers, designating the third Sunday in June as Father's Day. Six years later, the day was made a permanent national holiday when President Richard Nixon signed it into law on April 24, 1972.

Friday June 19th, 2026 celebrates Juneteenth! Juneteenth commemorates the dates June 18 and 19, 1865. June 18 is the day Union General Gordon Granger and 2,000 federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, to take possession of the Confederate state and enforce the emancipation of its slaves. On June 19, 1865, while standing on the balcony of Galveston’s Ashton Villa, Granger read the contents of “General Order No. 3”:

“The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired labor. The freedmen are advised to remain quietly at their present homes and work for wages. They are informed that they will not be allowed to collect at military posts and that they will not be supported in idleness either there or elsewhere.”

This day has since become known as Juneteenth, a name coming from a portmanteau of the words June and teenth like nineteenth and other numbers ending with –teenth. The North’s victory brought an end to both the Civil War and the scourge of slavery.  This national conflict resulted in three addendums to the Freedom document, the Bill of Rights.  The 13th Amendment abolished slavery, the 14th Amendment gave equal citizenship to every human being born in this country regardless of race, granting the full rights and protection of the U.S. Constitution, and the 15th Amendment guaranteed the right to vote for all citizens regardless of race or previous condition of servitude. May we truly live and worship together as one!

June’s full Moon, the full Strawberry Moon, occurs on Monday, June 29. It reaches peak illumination at 7:56 P.M. The name "Strawberry Moon" comes from the time of year when strawberries are ripe for harvesting. Other names for this full moon include the Berries Ripen Moon and Green Corn Moon.

The Atlantic hurricane season begins on 1 June and lasts until 30 November. The following is a basic list for preparedness for hurricanes or any disaster or emergency:

• Several Flashlights.
• An ample supply of Lithium batteries (lithium lasts longer).
• A good first aid kit.
• Water, One gallon per person per day.
• Candles with matches/lighters.
• Emergency canned food that is high in protein such as Beans, Peanut Butter, Beef stew. Items that have a long shelf life, are ready to eat, and need no preparation. At least a three-day supply per person (I recommend a 30-day supply).
• An emergency self-powered radio that can be charged with a hand crank or solar charged.
• Make sure you have any prescription medicines you need on hand!
• A whistle (to signal for help)
• Dust mask (to help filter contaminated air)
• Plastic sheeting and duct tape (to shelter in place)
• Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties (for personal sanitation)
• Manual can opener (for food)
• Local maps
• Cell phone with chargers and a backup battery

Additional items to consider:

• Infant formula and diapers.
• Pet food, water, and supplies for your pet.
• Important family documents such as copies of insurance policies, identification and bank account records in a portable waterproof container.
• Cash and change – ATM machines will not be functioning without electricity.
• Sleeping bag or warm blanket for each person. Consider additional bedding if you live in a cold-weather climate.
• Complete change of clothing including a long-sleeved shirt, long pants and sturdy shoes. Consider additional clothing if you live in a cold-weather climate.
• Fire Extinguisher.
• Feminine supplies, personal hygiene items and hand sanitizer.
• Mess kits, Paper cups, plates and disposable utensils, paper towels.
• Paper and pencil.
• Books, games, puzzles, or other activities for children.
• VHF/UHF Two-way Radio

Generator with gasoline. The time to buy a generator is now if you are considering purchasing one! This is a very basic list, adapt it for your own personal preferences and needs! I also recommend that you have a resource to defend and protect yourself and your family. In times of catastrophes such as New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina in 2005 there were no emergency services (police or EMS) for almost 30 days. Gather extra supplies to share! Being prepared is a supernatural opportunity during any emergency to be a blessing to others. Whether that is providing information, know-how skills, or actual supplies or food, being prepared can spread the love and salvation of Yeshua during stressful times. In the extremely unlikely event that all communication is down Congregation Zion’s Sake has an FM transmitter and a 15ft Antenna that has approx. a 12-mile broadcast radius from our offices. We will broadcast on 99.5 FM pertinent and emergency information to your emergency radio.

James 2:15-17. Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food, 16 and someone says to him, “Shalom! Keep warm and eat hearty!” without giving him what he needs, what good does it do? 17 Thus, faith by itself, unaccompanied by actions, is dead.
As Believers, we should always be prepared, relevant, aware of our surroundings, and paying attention to what is happening in the world around us. Remember, acts of kindness open eyes of blindness!

Shalom and Blessings,

Rabbi and Rebbetzin Carlson