Torah from Rabbi Saunders

As we open the Torah once again with Parshas Bereishis, we’re reminded that creation is not a one time event, it’s a continual invitation. Hashem didn’t just create the world; He renews it every day, every moment: “Hamchadesh b’tuvo b’chol yom tamid maaseh bereishis.” This week, we don’t just read about the beginning, we live it.

And what a beginning it’s been.

Over Yom Tov, our community radiated with light. The atmosphere at DTC was electric, filled with heartfelt tefillos, warm connections, and the kind of dancing on Simchas Torah that lifts the soul and shakes the heavens. Over 30 minutes of pure joy, feet barely touching the ground, hearts fully engaged. It was more than celebration, it was renewal in motion.

And as we danced, we carried more than our own joy. We carried the gratitude of a nation. The release of hostages before Yom Tov, Baruch Hashem, reminded us that even in the darkest chapters, Hashem plants seeds of redemption. Just as Bereishis begins with chaos and void, and then light emerges, so too we saw glimmers of hope pierce through pain. We davened, we cried, and we rejoiced together.

Parshas Bereishis teaches us that every person is created b’tzelem Elokim, in the image of Hashem. That truth was felt deeply this Yom Tov, as we embraced one another not just as neighbors, but as reflections of Divine purpose. Whether through a shared aliyah, a spontaneous dance, or a quiet moment of connection, we renewed our commitment to being a community of light.

As we step into the new Torah cycle, let’s carry this energy forward. Let’s keep creating joy, connection, meaning. Let’s keep renewing our tefillah, our learning, our love for one another. And let’s never forget: even when the world feels heavy, Hashem is still saying, “Yehi or”— Let there be light.