Posted on December 5, 2025 by Rabbi Noah Diamondstein
It is this week’s Torah portion, Vayishlach, that tells us the story of our forefather Jacob’s dream in which he wrestled a blessing from an angel of the Divine. When he awoke from his dream, he was renamed– no longer Ya’akov, Jacob, but now Yisrael, Israel, the God Wrestler.
This process of ending the tenure of one beloved rabbi and making way for the beginning of a new chapter can feel dream-like. Like Israel, who could not possibly have imagined what his new name would come to mean for an entire nation of Jews, we still do not have the full picture of what is to come for our community in our work together in the years to come. Still, I am confident that we are all consciously aware of our many blessings. It can’t be just me– the atmosphere at Temple Beth-El feels exciting these days. Activity is bustling in every corner: families are learning and growing, people of all ages are connecting and celebrating, generosity of both time and resources is booming, simchas are being celebrated.
This Installation Shabbaton is the highlight, a capstone, of all this dynamism, and I am so thrilled to be celebrating it with all of you. This community has embraced me so warmly, and, again like Ya’akov, my family and I have begun a new process of becoming within these walls and as part of our larger community. We are “renaming” ourselves alongside you all, and we couldn’t be happier or more proud to be a part of TBE.
Tonight begins what will be an amazing Shabbat. We have amazing honored guests, wonderful services and programs planned, the building is ready, the food is purchased, so all that’s missing is YOU! Come to services this week. Tell your friends to come. And when you come, come ready to SING. We need your voices this Shabbat– it’s going to be a lot of fun new melodies to take in, and the star of the show is not the cantor, myself, nor our Artist-in-Residence– it’s our congregation! We are here to lift your voices, and be lifted by them in turn.
Shalom uv’rachah, Peace and blessings,
Rabbi Noah Diamondstein
