Rabbi and Rebbitzen’s Corner October 2023

Shalom and Chag Sukkot Sameach (Happy Holidays)!

It’s hard to believe we’re almost done with the Fall Feasts, the High Holidays! We’ve begun celebrating Sukkot, our personal favorite Feast! We love fellowshipping in our Sukkah with friends and family for eight days in His presence! We love the prophetic significance of Sukkot as the Wedding Feast of the Bride and the Lamb! Sukkot is such a joyous occasion! Sukkot is referred to as Z’man Simchateinu in Hebrew, “The Season of our Rejoicing”. October is the tenth month of the year, named after the Latin word for eight “octo” because it was the eighth month in the ancient Roman calendar.

October 9th is Indigenous Peoples’ Day (occurs on the second Monday in October). Indigenous Peoples’ Day honors the histories, cultures, and perspectives of Indigenous peoples and their ancestors who lived on the land now known as North America. They existed in these areas for thousands of years before the first European explorers arrived. The birth of our nation is complex! America wasn’t discovered! There were complex and advanced Indigenous societies here when the European explorer and colonists arrived here. There was great tension and physical violence as both groups fought for control of the land. Then another people group, African slaves, were brought here against their will!

As a nation we’ve not repented for and dealt with the sin of Native American persecution, and slavery. As a nation we’ve made no attempt to bring about reconciliation, restoration, or restitution for the crime and sin of slavery, whose fruit is now being brought to light in our current turmoil. We are currently suffering under a “Gibeonite Curse” like King Saul (II Samuel 21) who broke the treaty with the Gibeonites and brought a curse upon the land of Israel that King David resolved. America has broken every treaty it negotiated with the First Nations people (over 500)! We’ve broken every treaty (Let that sink in)! The answer won’t be found in Washington, D.C., or the United Nations! How do we walk in racial healing and restoration and bring an end to the Anti-Semitism, bigotry, racism, and oppression? Genuine, authentic relationship across the lines of division with great intentionality! By understanding each other’s cultures, backgrounds, and sufferings we engage each other with compassion and empathy to heal our wounds! As we pray for healing and righteous restoration, we ask you to consider visiting one or more of these cultural Museums:

As a nation we’ve not repented for and dealt with the sin of Native American persecution, and slavery. As a nation we’ve made no attempt to bring about reconciliation, restoration, or restitution for the crime and sin of slavery, whose fruit is now being brought to light in our current turmoil. We are currently suffering under a “Gibeonite Curse” like King Saul (II Samuel 21) who broke the treaty with the Gibeonites and brought a curse upon the land of Israel that King David resolved. America has broken every treaty it negotiated with the First Nations people (over 500)! We’ve broken every treaty (Let that sink in)! The answer won’t be found in Washington, D.C., or the United Nations! How do we walk in racial healing and restoration and bring an end to the Anti-Semitism, bigotry, racism, and oppression? Genuine, authentic relationship across the lines of division with great intentionality! By understanding each other’s cultures, backgrounds, and sufferings we engage each other with compassion and empathy to heal our wounds! As we pray for healing and righteous restoration, we ask you to consider visiting one or more of these cultural Museums:

Founded in 1868, the Hampton University Museum is the nation’s oldest African American museum and one of the oldest museums in Virginia. With galleries dedicated to African American, African, Native American, Asian and Pacific art and artifacts.

It’s only through prayer and action that we can make a difference! As the leaves start transitioning to their fall foliage and we prepare for the annual seasonal shift into winter we pray you find the time to visit one or all four of these museums this month as you have a safe, healthy, and blessed month!

Love and blessings,

Rabbi Eric and Rebbetzin Barb Carlson