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Since 1922, Congregation B’nai Israel (CBI) located in Monmouth County, has served as a religious, cultural and educational synagogue for Jewish residents of the greater Red Bank area. Multi-generational and egalitarian, CBI is a place for prayer, spirituality, shared observance, Judaic learning and social mingling...a place to honor life-cycle events and celebrate Jewish holidays. A member of the conservative movement, CBI is dedicated to guiding our children and ourselves to appreciate the values, customs and history of our Jewish heritage, to live a life of mitzvot, to support Israel and to transmit the love of Judaism and pride in our Jewish identity to succeeding generations - L'Dor Va'Dor.

Shabbat Shalom!

This shabbat is one of four “special” shabbatot before Passover.  This shabbat, called “Zachor” (remember) is meant to remind us of the wicked kingdom of Amalek, who attacked the helpless Israelite stragglers as they left Egypt.  We are commanded to “wipe out” Amalek in every generation.

Ostensibly, we read this portion before Purim because Haman is a descendant of Amalek.  But the Sages saw a deeper meaning.  They note that in the genealogy of the Torah, Amalek is a descendant of Esau.  The rabbis argue that the wickedness of Amalek resulted from our own mistreatment of Esau, at the hand of Jacob.  In other words, we created Amalek-he is from us, and we made him.  In modern parlance, Amalek is our own “dark side”-the part of our character that exists in each one of us that is our “darkness”.  The Rabbis are teaching us that in confronting Amalek, each one of us is meant to confront the dark side in each one of us.  That is why it is “in every generation”-this is a lifelong task.

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Doug Sagal