Rabbis’ Message: August 25, 2026
This week’s Torah portion, Ki Tavo, begins with a basket.
The Israelites are told that, when they enter the land and begin to harvest its produce, they should take the first fruits of the soil, place them in a basket, and bring them forward as an offering. Standing there with the fruits of their labor in their hands, they tell the story of the journey that brought them to this moment. It is a beautiful ritual because it holds past, present, and future together.
They remember the past: the journeys and work of cultivation that brought them to this point in time. They celebrate the present: the fruit they can finally hold in their hands, the tangible result of planting, tending, waiting, and working. And because these are the first fruits — not the final harvest — they also look toward the future, toward everything still growing.
As we prepare for the High Holy Days, I find myself thinking about the baskets we are carrying. Over this past year, we have planted and cultivated so much together. We have gathered for Shabbat and holidays, learned together, celebrated together, mourned together, welcomed new faces, strengthened friendships, and continued building Jewish life here in the mountains. Some of that work has been visible. Much of it has happened quietly: someone setting up chairs, bringing food, greeting a newcomer, carrying a Torah, helping a child, making a phone call, preparing a room, or simply showing up when another person needed community.
And now we are approaching one of the great harvest moments of our Jewish year. The High Holy Days do not simply happen. The community we experience during these sacred days is something we create together. Every person who welcomes someone at the door, helps prepare a space, brings something for a shared meal, assists with our children and families, carries supplies, cleans up afterward, or says, “I can help,” adds something to the basket.
If you have a little time to offer this season, we would love to have you join our High Holy Day Task Force in the volunteer efforts linked below:
Volunteer for Rosh HaShanah: [LINK]
Volunteer for Yom Kippur: [LINK]
Other High Holy Day volunteer opportunities: [LINK]
You do not need to do everything. You do not need to have special expertise. You simply need to bring one small piece of the harvest.
Ki Tavo reminds us to stop long enough to notice what our collective labor has already produced — and then to look toward what we might grow next. As we approach the new year, may we be grateful for those who planted before us, proud of what we have cultivated together, and ready to add our own hands to the work of tending this extraordinary community.
May the first fruits of 5787 be only the beginning of a beautiful harvest.
