A Message from Rabbi Bellows

October 18, 2026/7 Cheshvan 5787

Dear Friends,

As this email newsletter goes out, I am journeying forth to Morocco with members of the Beth Am family! In this week’s Torah portion, God calls Abraham to lech lecha — “go forth,” leave what is familiar, and journey toward something new. 

Jews first arrived in Morocco more than 2,000 years ago, with the earliest Jewish communities settling in the region during the 6th century BCE, after the Babylonian exile and the destruction of the First Temple in Jerusalem. The next wave of Jews arrived in the 1st century CE (following the Roman destruction of the Second Temple). Over generations, Moroccan Jews built vibrant communities, established synagogues and schools, developed distinctive customs, and made lasting contributions to Moroccan culture.

Morocco, a Muslim country, has nearly always welcomed Jews, and we are seen as part of the very fabric of Moroccan history and culture. 

Like Abraham, we go forth to discover something beyond what we already know. This trip is an opportunity to deepen our connection to our people’s history, appreciate the diversity of Jewish life around the world, and strengthen the bonds we share as a congregation. We travel not simply to see a new place, but to learn, to ask questions, and to return home with a greater understanding of who we are and the many paths that have brought us here.

I look forward to sharing more in our email newsletter when I return in two weeks. 

With Blessings— 

Rabbi Bellows