Rabbi's Message - Tu B'Shevat & Yitro - Feb. 3, 2026

Shalom,

“A threefold chord is not readily broken,” wrote Kohelet in the Scroll of Ecclesiastes (4:12).  The bond of community, the network of relationships, and the way we are woven together in life are ever more apparent today.  From the ways in which current events ripple through our lives to the awareness of our interconnectivity learned in the recent pandemic and more, we know being human means not being alone.  

In parashat Yitro this week, Moses’ father-in-law, Yitro (Jethro) pays a visit to our ancestors on their wilderness sojourn.  He provides unsolicited advice to his son-in-law (a precarious thing we know!) that Moses should not do this all alone.  Yitro was referring to the adjudicating and decision making he was bearing for all of the community.  Working together, sharing the burden and responsibility is a lesson Yitro teaches us all.  It is echoed by Kohelet’s words, about the strength and resilience when we work together.

Yesterday marked the New Year for the trees - Tu B’Shevat.  As we celebrate today at NTHC and Thursday at TBY, I am reminded about the lesson of the Great Sequoia Trees.  It is an interesting fact which enables these trees to grow so tall and that fact is that they grow in groves. The tall trees grow rather close together.  In this way, they protect each other from the violent winds and storms.  One does not find singular Sequoia trees because without the protection of their brother and sister trees, the harsh winds would blow a singular tree over.

May we strive to be a chord of many threads, may we share our responsibilities with building community, and may we grow close enough together to be strong and tall like Sequoia Trees.

Shavua Tov & Chag HaIlanot Sameach,

Rabbi Evon