Yes! The middle child of Jewish holidays, Shavuot, is this Wednesday. Packed between Pesach and the High Holy Days, it is easy to forget about this major Jewish celebration. Over our history, Shavuot has been a holiday to mark the fruit harvest, the wheat harvest, and the giving of the Torah on Mt. Sinai. In the last 500 years, most communities that celebrate Shavuot hold all-night study-a-thons and feast on dairy treats.   Where does this tradition come from?  Over 500 years ago, Rabbi Shlomo Alkebetz-the very same rabbi who wrote L'cha Dodi- created a tradition to study all night. Rabbi Alkebetz wrote in one of his books that he and his study partner, Rabbi Yosef Karo, once stayed up all night on Shavuot to study sacred Jewish texts together. After hours of study, late into the night, Rabbis Aklebetz and Karo heard the voice of God and fell onto their faces out of fear and awe.  Rabbi Karo recorded in one of his books that the custom in his synagogue was to decorate with green plants … [Read more...]

On May 26th, the IDF used precision munitions to kill two senior Hamas militants. Unfortunately, Gazan civilians also died as a result of a secondary explosion in a Hamas munitions depot.  Yet again, as always, the world news immediately reported a number of 25+, 35+, or 45+ deaths as data given by the Hamas-run Health Ministry.  And soon, the news agencies will walk back the source of the fire that caused the deaths.    War is awful, and no Jew celebrates death--even of their enemies.  The death of innocent civilians--children, women, and men--is all the more terrible.   The IDF made a precision strike 1.7 kilometers--one mile--from the encampment. This means that the IDF is investigating if there were other types of fuels or weapons stored next to a civilian encampment. These investigations take time.   And yet, according to Vox.com, over 40 million people have shared a now-viral AI-generated image that spells out All Eyes on Rafah. The implication is that the world is watching what … [Read more...]

Memorial Day and Lag b 'Omer Two holidays, Memorial Day and Lag b 'Omer, are approaching this weekend. While you may be more familiar with one, it's interesting to note that our National Day of Remembrance and Lag b 'Omer share significant commonalities. On the Jewish calendar, the period between Pesach and Shavuot is called the Omer. We count each night between the two holidays for a total of forty-nine days. The Torah's explanation for these days is sparse, but rabbinic literature provides some context. The forty-nine days are solemn. In some Jewish communities, marriages aren't held during this time, music is not played in public, and no one gets a haircut. However, the 33rd day of the Omer is a break in the dour mood. According to rabbinic lore, a plague had killed thousands of Rabbi Akiva's students during the Omer; however, on the 33rd day-Lamed-Gimel "Lag" in Hebrew letters-no one died. Subsequent rabbinic generations made the 33rd day of the Omer a day of celebration in … [Read more...]

In the last week, I can’t count how many times I’ve said the phrase, “use your words.” Spoiler alert, it’s a lot. I hear it’s a byproduct of raising kids. However, I also know that I must model what that phrase means.  Rather than cry about everything that doesn’t go their way, we ask kids to use their words to express what they feel.  As adults, we know words matter. We use our words to speak out for change, to voice our concerns, and express our hopes for the future. We don’t always have the right words.  When I don’t know what to say, I turn to poetry and song. I feel relief when I hear the words that speak to my soul. As I listen or sing along I realize these were the words I needed.  On Saturday night, you will find the words that you need.  Together, we will conclude the two-weeks of programming that have guided us through Yom HaShoah, Yom HaZikaron, and Yom HaAtzmaut. Congregant and folk guitarist, Dr. Artie Gumer, has arranged a fabulous … [Read more...]

We declare, Am Yisrael Chai, the people of Israel live. In every generation, our enemies sought our destruction, yet we have prevailed over them. We have survived, and more than that, we have thrived to this day. We celebrate our resiliency every year as we commemorate three significant days in the Jewish calendar: Holocaust Remembrance Day, Israel's Memorial Day, and Israel's Independence Day.   This year, these three days carry complicated meanings. We remember those who have died so we may live. Their sacrifice is all the more poignant as we still combat the same Jew-hatred our ancestors did in generations past.   We can hold two feelings at once. We can grieve the senseless deaths of millions in the Shoah, the deaths of soldiers on the battlefield, and the death of victims of terror. And, we can still celebrate that Jewish babies are born, Jews can make aliyah to Israel, and Jews still have self-determination in our ancestral land.   We have much to celebrate and much to mourn, but … [Read more...]