Earlier this week I had the privilege of accompanying 45 Temple Emanu-El congregants to Washington, DC for the AIPAC (American Israel Public Affairs Committee) Policy Conference. To see AIPAC Policy Conference highlights, click here https://event.aipac.org/PolicyConference There were close to 20,000 of us, pro-Israel advocates, who spent three days hearing fierce bi-partisan support for the US-Israel relationship, and learning from true experts. For the first time that I can remember, I noticed a curious optimism about Israel’s place in the shifting world geo-politic. Things are starting to look different now. My eldest son, who is 13 years old, came with me for his first policy conference. He remarked to me that he had no idea how empowering it would be to experience this type of setting; it was almost a counter-weight to the underlying knowledge that we have real tragedy in our history, and that Anti-Semitism is on the rise. What a gift for him (and us) to experience this. While … [Read more...]
When Adar comes, we increase in joy!
Adar is the month in which Purim falls, but what does it mean to increase in joy? The rabbis never told us! When it comes to celebrating Purim we have four primary mitzvot, obligations. First, we are supposed to hear the reading of the Megillah, usually, this means attending a Purimshpiel. Second, we are supposed to give sweet treats or gifts to our friends and family (mishloach manot). Third, we must give gifts to the poor (matanot l’eviyonim). Fourth and finally, we must eat a big, festive meal. Each of these mitzvot is supposed to add to our joy. That’s all well and good, but we still don’t know what it means to increase in joy as we enter the month of Adar! The text in the Talmud (Ta’anit 29a-b) actually approaches the topic of increasing joy during Adar by talking about the opposite: decreasing joy during the month of Av--the Hebrew month in which we remember the destruction of the First and Second Temples in Jerusalem. The rabbis go into clear detail when it comes to the ways we … [Read more...]
Singing in the Dark
ITS HERE! I have been writing about this very special Friday night for some time now, and it is finally upon us! This Friday, we welcome a very special guest into our midst, my friend, and rising Jewish star, Charlie Kramer. Charlie is special because he has not only a beautiful voice, he also writes gorgeous music. I am especially excited that he is coming because I was his Bar Mitzvah tutor a long time ago (not so long!). Charlie has an extraordinary gift of sharing his voice and his song through his blindness and elevating those with whom he shares it into a place of light and joy. Creative people like Charlie express their journey through their art, and Charlie is no exception. He is bringing to us a very awesome and extremely unique Shabbat experience called Singing in the Dark. Singing in the Dark is exactly as it sounds: we will be singing (praying) in the dark! Charlie created this Shabbat to give others a taste of what Jewish prayer and life is like for him. Charlie has … [Read more...]
There Is Nothing Better than a Fresh Challah
When you live with an avid baker (that’s Rabbi Max), there’s nothing better than a Friday afternoon with challah in the oven, the smell of the rosemary sea salt seasoning in the air, and the knowledge that Shabbat is almost here. Whether you’re the one who prepares the dough, the one who braids the dough, or the one who eats it (or maybe you do all three!), you’re taking ingredients from the earth and using your hands to craft something beautiful to share with those you love. As the smell fills your home, loved ones know that Shabbat is on the way. Whether you’re baking the challah for your family, for the family next door who just welcomed a child into their lives, for the neighbor who is sick, for the fellow congregant who just needs a pick-me-up, or for that “just because” moment, this is a spiritual expression of your Jewish identity. Gender need not dictate the baker. All of us have access to this spiritual practice. I make this call every year: If you’ve never tried your hand at … [Read more...]
The Art of Soul Inspiration
“[One of the missions] of a Cantor is to lead in prayer. [S/He] does not stand before the Ark as an artist in isolation, trying to demonstrate his skill or to display vocal feats. [S/He] stands before the Ark not as an individual but with the congregation. [Her/His task] is to represent as well as to inspire a community. Within the synagogue, music is not an end in itself but a means of religious experience.”-A. J. Heschel, The Vocation of the Cantor I would also add that within a synagogue, music is not an end to itself, but a means of religious experience and creating community. An expert Cantor releases their soul through their voice, into the congregation with the intention of elevating and inspiring each person towards prayer, engaging in a connection to God, and by doing so together, creating one whole community with God’s presence at its center. Atlanta is welcoming two incredible Cantors into our midst in February. You have heard me talk and write about Cantor Barbara Ostfeld. … [Read more...]
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