As I sit in the back row of the Jewish Community Centre of Sedona, the vibrant and clear voice of the female Rabbi reminds me of why I keep coming back to synagogue each Shabbat morning. “Look outside these windows and connect with God through your prayer.” She invites us.
The sculpted red rocks of Sedona are in front of me. The Torah is unravelled in preparation for reading. I feel totally embraced by this community as we enter the sanctuary. Rabbi, Alicia Megal makes direct eye contact with me and smiles. “Who are you?” she asks later. I feel like we’ve met before. So does she.
It is the introduction to the Shacharit Service; the service that welcomes the day and invites a new light to shine each morning. “Recognize the newness of each day. Through the presence of the Ner Tamid we are reminded of the blessing of light and the illumination of each of our existences and the achievement of new ideas.”
I realize that I am actually in search of sanctity within.
Finding synagogues on Shabbat morning during travel has been a rewarding challenge. It is a great respite from our constant movement. It is a sanctuary to welcome my prayers and allow me to share my gratitude for what I have, where I am, and all of those who share it with me.
I feel blessed to have the gift of prayer as part of my world. It gives me the chance to take myself away from myself and appreciate…truly appreciate this world. I imagine being successful at helping others find that gift too, and introduce them to realize that things aren’t so bad after all. There is always something good going on in our world. Sometimes we just have to go a little further, or perhaps in a different direction, to find it.
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