Part of Temple Emanu-El’s mission to be a welcoming space for all is to help those who wish to deepen their connection to Judaism. Many of us have spent years in religious school, adult education courses, or in weekly Shabbat morning Chevre Torah. Whether we realize it or not, we hold a wealth of Jewish knowledge when it comes to culture, community, and faith; however, there are also those who are seeking a taste of Judaism for the first time. Many of these individuals come from different religious backgrounds and have fallen in love and created families with members of the Jewish people. Maybe these interfaith families want to introduce their spouse to the basic ideas of Jewish culture, faith, and community. Some of these individuals are prospective Jews-by-choice, those who want to formally join the Jewish people through the sacred act of conversion. Others who are looking for a taste of Judaism are our friends and neighbors from other faith traditions who have always been curious … [Read more...]
We are still on that journey
These last few days in our home have been a flurry of activity getting ready for Passover, which begins tomorrow night. Furniture is being carried up from the basement, the silverware is being polished, the kitchen is on overdrive with amazing aromas decorating our home. The plan for the seder is coming together, as well as our last minute guest list. Relatives are arriving. The kids are bringing home their Pesach crafts. Costco now greets me with “welcome back, Spike.” As the sun sets tomorrow night, bringing in Shabbat and the 14th of Nisan, we will gather ‘round our tables and enact the sacred drama through the Haggadah; knowing in our hearts that the Exodus was not the end…but rather, just the beginning. Whether you are hosting or hosted, your 1st seder or your 100th, please know that you are engaged in something truly sacred. You are, through song and prayer, tapping into millennia of Jewish experience. You are, through game and story, creating Jewish memory for yourself and … [Read more...]
A Blessing for Israeli Elections
There is a blessing for everything. We have blessings for the bad and the good. A blessing is, at its core, an acknowledgment. Some of our blessings give gratitude like when we recite the Motzi before eating bread, we recognize that many hands and a divine power were part of bringing food to our table. Other blessings ask for God’s intervention in our lives, like when we sing Mi Shebeirach for those in need of healing, we acknowledge our fragile health, the need we have for healing, and the gratitude we give to our doctors, nurses, caregivers, and ourselves to heal. So too do we offer a blessing, an acknowledgment, following the 2019 Israeli elections for the 21st Knesset. As it stands right now, Benjamin Netanyahu will lead Israel’s government for an unprecedented 5th term. Our blessing for Israel and its future leaders must give gratitude for the democratic process, for free elections, and for the power of the people to choose their representatives. Yet, our blessing also … [Read more...]
A Historic Week
Passover is weeks away, and many of us have started to make preparations to gather and share our central story of our Exodus from Egypt. (If you would like to join us for 2nd night seder, register HERE.) In Torah times, this preparation would include a journey to our nation’s capital, Jerusalem. From the four corners of Israel, our people would travel by foot to bring their sacrifices to The Temple, where they would be received by the Levite priests. Accounts of this sojourn (taken three times a year, at Passover, Shavuot and Sukhot) relay that although our ancestors were mindful that it was for a serious purpose, there also was very much an element of celebration that would occur once they were in Jerusalem. We can picture it: a city with people, tons of catching up with old friends, and meeting lots of good people who were very much like you. Last week a group of about 30 Temple Emanu-El congregants made a similar journey to our nation’s capital in Washington, DC. We were there … [Read more...]
Pesach and Bearing Witness
Jewish humor always has a little edge of darkness to it. Take for instance the familiar summary of 99% of our holidays: “They tried to kill us, we won, now let’s eat!” For thousands of years, the best we could hope to celebrate is the fact that we were present. We could use this to describe Chanukah, Purim, Pesach, Yom HaAtzmeut, and even Sukkot. In truth, celebrations like Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur, holidays that have nothing to do with warfare, are partly celebrations of Jewish survival. On all these days, we thank God for enabling us to reach this occasion with the words of shehechiyanu. We quietly acknowledge that so many of our ancestors were not able to celebrate their Judaism freely. On these days, and in every moment that we actively acknowledge our Judaism, we bear witness to the history of our people: to the Golden Ages and the eras of oppression. With Purim in the rearview mirror and Pesach coming soon, we begin to reflect on our national story--older than 1948 and 1776. … [Read more...]
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