When I was living in Jerusalem, there was a retired rabbi who used to host rabbinical students in their home who were alumni of the AEPi fraternity. As the girlfriend of an AEPi alum I was invited to join in the Shabbat dinner. When we arrived to the apartment we were greeted with a big smile from a gregarious man and his wife.  As we waited for others to arrive I was looking around at the beautiful art and of course the pictures of kids and grandkids that sprinkled the apartment. Pretty soon into my exploration I picked a photo up and showed it to the rabbi.   I said, "hey, are these your grandkids?"   "yes"  I responded, "do they live in Los Angeles?"  "yes"  Again I share, "well would you look at that, I was their Sunday school teacher last year!"  We would go on to enjoy some Jewish geography and a beautiful Shabbat dinner. We sang Shabbat dinner table songs - loud enough that the neighbor downstairs came knocking on the door yelling at us to keep it down, to which the rabbi … [Read more...]

Last Saturday and this Friday night, our families with children in grades 4-6 came together for our annual B'nei Mitzvah Family Program.  This year's theme: God Shopping.  We transform the Social Hall into a "Mall." Tables represent stores, while bright colored paper and stickers fill those tables with "items" for the kids and their parents to "purchase."  Their shopping list is specific, "buy something that fits…": Your personal theology, something my parent(s) believe(s) or my child believes…, I'm not sure if…, I hope that…, I think most believe …  Stores are called: the Rabbinic Republic, Spinoza's Spices, and Borowitz and Noble's Books -to name a few. Each store is thematic, Jewish, and reflective of popular theological views throughout Jewish history.  For many of our families, this is the very first time that parents and kids are having deep conversations about their beliefs about God.   Our program reminds our families that the B'nei Mitzvah … [Read more...]

The social hall was packed this past Sunday for our antisemitism program. While it's important to stand up against antisemitism, we would LOVE to see equal (if not more!) folks join us to celebrate being Jewish! Our Jewish identity shouldn't only shine bright when under threat.  Now it is OUR time to CELEBRATE.   We are in the Jewish month of Adar and our joy is supposed to INCREASE!  We came out in big numbers after being attacked, but let's also come out in big numbers to just celebrate - to celebrate PURIM!…which, by the way, is a holiday all about the Jewish people overcoming hate.  There's something for everyone this weekend:  Friday night, 5:30pm Shabbat Dinner and Purim Celebration followed by a special, early, 6:30pm service!  Sunday morning, 9:00am V.I.P.urim for grandparents and special people!  Sunday morning, 10:30am Purim Carnival With A Cause for a Purim celebration for all ages!  Sunday afternoon, 12:30pm TEFTY Purim, Pesach, and Packing Party for those going on … [Read more...]

While this isn't even the first time in recent months that we have seen horrific flyers distributed in neighborhoods where our congregants reside, we need to name that it has happened again.  As many of you are aware, on Sunday morning, many in our community (Jewish and those of other faiths/backgrounds) awoke to little baggies filled with corn and an antisemitic flyer at the bottom of their driveway.  Your rabbis and Stephen were immediately in touch with one another, reaching out to those directly affected and communicating with the ADL to make a report and walk through the next steps.  All this was happening as 250 Jewish students flooded our building with skips and smiles to see their friends, teachers, and rabbis.   Each and every Sunday, these kids of all ages enter the sanctuary at different points throughout the morning for t'fillah, prayer. And each and every Sunday, Rabbi Max and I invite the students to rise for Shema. We ask them to wiggle their toes and to feel their feet … [Read more...]