Weekly Newsletter

Parshat Shemot
Week of January 9, 2026
20 Tevet 5786
Wishing you and your family 
Shabbat Shalom!

Friday, January 9, 2026  •  20 Tevet 5786

• Candle lighting at 4:29pm 

• ​​​​​​​Mincha and Kabalat Shabbat at 4:29pm

• Shacharit services in shul will begin promptly at 9:00am (note the updated time this week)
• Slater Schwartzberg will lead a Torah Reading Service at 11:00am

• ​​​​​​​A festive Kiddush luncheon for the entire congregation in honor of Slater's Bat Mitzvah - mazal tov! ​​​​​​​Please see the full Bat Mitzvah schedule below.

• Havdalah at 5:32pm

Let's Celebrate! 

This Shabbat Shemot, January 9-10, we will come together to celebrate the Bat Mitzvah of Slater Schwartzberg, daughter of Jill Slater and Marc Schwartzberg. Slater will mark the occasion by leading a Torah Reading Service where she will read the Torah portion, chant the Haftorah, and deliver a dvar Torah.

The entire congregation is warmly invited to a festive buffet luncheon following services.

Schedule Bat Mitzvah Shabbat of Slater Schwartzberg

Friday, January 9
4:29am            Mincha & Kabbalat Shabbat

Saturday, January 10
9:00am            Shacharit, Torah, Mussaf
11:00am          Bat Mitzvah Torah Reading Service
12:30am          Kiddish Luncheon for the Entire Congregation
4:15pm            Mincha
4:45pm            Seudah Shlishit
5:32pm            Havdalah

Mazal tov to Slater and to the entire Slater Schwartzberg family!

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Dear friends,

This week we read Parshas Sh’mos, beginning the second book of the Chumash. The parshah and the book revolve around the enslavement and deliverance of the Jewish People in Egypt followed by their acceptance of the Torah at Mount Sinai. There is much about the oppression in Egypt that is troubling and difficult to understand but we see already from the book of Genesis (Ch. 15:13-14) that this enslavement and deliverance are in keeping with God’s covenantal promise to Avraham.

Without addressing the necessity of Egypt head on, I do want to discuss two problematic themes that recur in Genesis, that seem to be corrected in Egypt. Both of these themes are highlighted separately by Rabbi Sacks. The first issue goes all the way back to the Garden of Eden. When God confronts Adam about eating from the Tree of Knowledge, Adam blames Chava and when God confronts Chava, she blames the snake. Later on, when God confronts Kayin for having killed his brother Hevel, Kayin asks “am I my brother’s keeper?” In the early days of the human story, a fundamental problem is the abdication of responsibility for one’s self and others. This stands in stark contrast to the attitude of Moshe in this week’s parshah. On multiple occasions Moshe sees the unfair treatment of others and rather than retreating or trying to pass the buck, he intercedes and takes action when no one else will.

A related but independent issue that recurs in Genesis is the tension and rivalry between siblings. Here we once again find Kayin and Hevel but add also Yitzchak and Yishmael, Yaakov and Eisav, and Yosef and his brothers. This too is contrasted by the dynamics we find in Moshe’s own family. Miriam, Moshe’s sister, keeps a watchful eye on her little brother as he floats in the reeds of the Nile. As soon as he is found, she arranges for their own mother to be his wet nurse, ensuring both Moshe’s survival and his continued link to the Children of Israel. Aharon, Moshe’s older brother, is happy when Moshe returns to Egypt and has no problem with his younger brother’s elevated status as the new leader and prophet of the people. All three siblings will continue to be leaders in unique ways but together. 

In this new chapter, this new book, we are confronted with deep problems and new challenges for sure. At the same time, at some point between the days of Yosef and the days of Moshe, we rectified the central problems plaguing early humanity and the nascent Jewish family. We learned to take responsibility for ourselves and each other and we learned to transcend a perceived natural hierarchy in order to work together to build a just society. There is no doubt that these shifts in attitude and behavior are prerequisites for deliverance and they set the foundation necessary for revelation. 

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Birkeland    

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Weekly Class: Megillat Esther with Rabbi Birkeland



Join Rabbi Birkeland for a series of classes delving into the rich story, history, and theology of Megillat Esther. Together, we’ll explore how this timeless text speaks to of courage, identity, and Divine presence hidden in plain sight.

Class is held weekly on Wednesdays from 7:00-8:00pm via Zoom, and you can join here:  https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88084709743

All are welcome - no prior background needed, just curiosity and a love of learning!

StantonKIDS Shabbat Programming 5786



Join us 10:30am-12:00pm for free play, davening, parsha, songs, movement, a hands on activity, and delicious kiddush! Here is our schedule for the rest of the 5786 school year: 

January 17, January 24
February 7, February 28
March 14, March 28
April 18, April 25
May 9, May 16
June 6, June 13

Women's Tefillah Group Programming Schedule

Come Daven With Us in 5786!



Parshat Shemot & Slater Schwartzberg’s Bat Mitzvah - January 10 
Parshat B'shalach - January 31
Megillat Esther Reading - March 2
Parshat Emor - May 2 
Parshat Nasso - May 30 
Parshat Korach - June 20

If you would like to layn, lead services, or give a d'var Torah with us, or if you have questions, please be in touch!
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Misheberachs (we wish a full recovery to):

YOUR FEEDBACK WANTED!! 

We encourage your particiation and love to hear from you! Do you have ideas or feedback to share? You can reach us at: 

Penina in the shul office: info@stantonstshul.com

and

Rabbi Birkeland: stantonrabbi@gmail.com

ONLINE ARCHIVES

If you missed services this past Shabbos, or arrived too late to hear the drasha, you can go to our archives and read a copy! 
Click here for an archive of shiurim
Click here for an archive of drashot
Click here to go to our YouTube Channel for an archive of all of our ZOOM classes