Parshat Noach
Come Build an Ark
Noach was the man of the hour. G-d was going to bring a flood to
destroy the world due to humanities perverse and unjust actions, and
He asked Noach and his family to build an ark that would house the
family along with at least two of each type of animal. After the
flood, these survivors would begin to repopulate the world anew.
Many have asked the question of why did G-d bother to save those from
the “old world” to reproduce in the “new world”; couldn’t He just
recreate the entire world? Could He not start with a whole new
population?
While there are many different thoughts as to why G-d chose to do it
this way, there is one that really hits home. Had G-d chose to
recreate the world from scratch it would’ve been a terrible lesson
for all those who came after Noach. It would mean that when chaos
rules or when the world is in a lawless state, there is no solution
other than complete destruction.
By telling Noach to build an ark and live in it during the great
flood and ride out the storm, G-d was sending a message to all future
generations that we must also build a proverbial “ark”. We must have
a place to go to during tough times. The world will never be perfect
and in order to survive we must be sure that we never get “taken” by
its ways. The ark serves as a spiritual safe house during turbulent
times and allows us to stay afloat during all the meshugas.
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About Our Shul
Located in a New Haven Landmark building listed on the National Register of Historic Places and honored by the Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation, Orchard Street Shul was reborn in 2010 as a traditional yet “post label” synagogue after many years of disuse. We continue to build a dynamic community made up of Jewish people of all ages, from all backgrounds and levels of affiliation.
We seek to appeal to the Jewish self in us all, so we can join in a community in which every member of our family finds comfort, meaning, and spiritual connection. We celebrate our Jewishness, and yours. We invite you to join and experience our spiritual haven where you will be welcomed as family, find depth, meaning, and a new appreciation for Jewish life.
Orchard Street Shul
Our beautiful Eastern European Ashkenazi style synagogue was built in 1924 with a unique blend of Federal style and Eastern European architecture seen in our façade. The Shul stands proudly as a symbol of a once vibrant Jewish neighborhood, adjacent to Yale University and both campuses of Yale-New Haven Hospital. Today, the Shul is an anchor of New Haven’s emerging medical and biotech corridor. Jews of all backgrounds make our Shul happen, bringing Jewish life back to an historic neighborhood, in the only synagogue remaining of the dozen that once served our area. Now the only Shul servicing the downtown New Haven community, the sounds of Jewish life are once again regularly heard in this restored gem. You are invited to join your prayers with ours.
Read more About Our Shul, Shul History and Shul Restorations, and check out our Photo Gallery.
Connect With Us
We hold services every Shabbos at 9:30 AM, a Carlebach Kabbalat Shabbat minyan on the First Friday of the secular month (see posted time depending on season).
We welcome your membership, and contributions, but most importantly we welcome you. There are no tickets to attend our services and, please, you should always feel welcome to be part of our family.