Friday, March 6, 2026/18 Adar, 5786

Friday, March 6, 2026/18 Adar, 5786

Parashat Ki Tissa Exodus 30:11-34:35

Haftarah Ezekiel 36:16-38

Dear TBE Community,

Sometimes we experience moments when we don’t feel we have quite the right words to express what we would like to say; when we feel that we can’t quite “nail it” or put our finger on the pulse exactly where it needs to be. Sometimes that is because we are tired or emotionally exhausted or confused or deflated, not focused because too many things are weighing on us — or because we are too excited, too exuberant. At other times, certain Torah portions are so chock-full with matters that all reverberate within us that we can’t quite decide what to write about for the newsletter! Ki Tissa is such a parsha. It encompasses visions of holiness and sacredness; of faith and a sense of purpose lost and regained; of anointing and building; of shattered tablets and overall brokenness; of naivete, optimism, opportunism, and realism; of longing for closeness to the divine and the fulfillment of that longing. And while I can list all these aspects of Ki Tissa, the poet Merle Feld was able to turn them into a poem that resonated with me this week, more than my own drafts and my own poems, and I hope it will resonate with you as well.

I found her poem in the Women’s Torah Commentary, edited by two of my teachers, Rabbi Tamara Eskenazi and Rabbi Andrea Weiss, z”l, who sadly passed away this week. May Rabbi Weiss’ memory always be for a blessing.

Sinai Again

I’m coming back to this mountain now

alone.

It’s quiet,

the barren brush,

the stillness

match my mood.

I haven’t seen you in a long time, God,

where’ve you been keeping yourself?

Me, I’ve had two kids,

work has its ups and downs,

I’m still married to the same man.

I don’t know if you noticed,

but I stopped talking to you.

I called to you,

I called and called,

but you didn’t answer,

you pushed me far away,

so far that even I

who has so little pride after all,

even I couldn’t bring myself

to come crawling back –

I don’t know if you noticed.

I only returned now to walk around,

kick the brush across the sand,

to walk around and think

about us.

This could be a holy place again

if you would just give me a sign –

a thrush or a har

or a mountain goat

Shabbat Shalom!
Rabbi Julia Knobloch

More Torah Tidbits

Hadas Cootware

Torah School Coordinator

Hadas Cootware has been teaching Hebrew and Jewish Studies for over a decade, joining our Temple Beth El Community in 2018. Born and raised in Israel with Hebrew as her native language, she previously served as a combat soldier and operations officer in the IDF. Drawing on her studies in acting and psychology, she published a children’s book in Hebrew, The Marshmallow Story, which focuses on delayed gratification. Outside of teaching, she is the proud mother of her son, Henry, and loves to travel.

TBEtorahschool@bethelsp.org

Ilan Davidson

Cantor

Cantor Ilan Davidson has been pleasing audiences with his singing since before he could read. At age five, he began singing with his Cantor, Philip Moddel, and hasn’t shut up since. At ten, he made his Operatic debut with the Fullerton Civic Light Opera’s production of Bizet’s Carmen, as a street urchin. Since then, he has performed roles in opera and musical theatre, performing, directing, and producing world-class productions.

Among his many accomplishments, Cantor Davidson is also known as a contemporary Jewish songwriter and performer, having delighted audiences all over the world, including Israel and Lithuania with the soulful sounds of his music. His recordings, Stained Glass (1995) and In A Hanukkah Mood (2007) are collections of original and covered songs by himself and many contemporary Jewish artists. His most recent recording, God Is In This Place (2020), is a collection of original liturgical pieces for the Friday night Shabbat Service, commissioned and written in honor of his 25th Anniversary as the Cantor of Temple Beth El.

Cantor Davidson left the stage and in 1995 joined the Temple Beth El family, in San Pedro, where, in his nearly 30 years of service, he has brought many new programs and much enthusiasm to all he does. Coming from a long line of Cantors, it must have been Besheret for Cantor Davidson, although talented in all areas of musical performance, to finally settle down into his career as Hazzan for Temple Beth El in San Pedro, California. In 2007, Cantor Davidson founded a new foundation, KindredSPIRITS, producing an annual world humanitarian aid event. KindredSPIRITS premiered on June 5, 2008 at Walt Disney Concert Hall, adding that prestigious concert hall to the ever growing list of venues around the world, where Davidson has performed. During the 10 years of humanitarian events, Global KindredSPIRITS, Inc., as an official 501©3, raised awareness and close to $500,000 for its beneficiaries over the decade.
As a past president of the South Coast Interfaith Council, Ilan fought for tolerance and understanding of ALL faiths in a difficult climate. For the past 7 years, Cantor Davidson has been service as an LA County Commissioner, representing the 4th District on the Human Relations Commission, where he currently serves as President. Whether it is raising his voice for justice, Hazzanut, Pop, Opera, Musical Theatre, or folk music, Cantor Ilan Davidson shares his soul and genuine love in every note.

When asked about his finest accomplishment, Cantor Ilan invariably responds, “After all the great concerts, services, and roles, my finest role in life is that of husband to my beautiful wife, Jodi, and daddy to my gorgeous daughters, Jordan and Zoe.”

cantor@bethelsp.org

Office: (310) 833-2467 Ext. 106

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