Be Happy!…no one ever wants to be told, "Oh, you're feeling down, why not just try and be happy!" Yet this is exactly how we're supposed to try and feel in the month of Adar. Like many of you, I can't sit in my comfortable and safe home and not worry about the war in Ukraine. I've especially been thinking about the irony between the happiness of the month of Adar and the horrible state of affairs in Ukraine. How are the Ukrainian Jews supposed to be happy this month? How are they going to celebrate Purim? The Babylonian word, Adar, is not so different from the Hebrew word Adir, meaning strength. Happiness takes strength. The Ukrainian community is mustering all their strength to protect their nation as the women and children head to surrounding borders for safety. Tomorrow night, join me and Dr. Artie Gumer in prayer and community as I share the moving story of how a rabbi and her daughter fled from Odessa last week. The rabbi of Odessa shared, "We plan to have an amazing … [Read more...]
Rays of Light
It is interesting that the shoresh/root of the Hebrew word for sacrifice (of animals) also serves as the root for the word meaning to 'draw close.' This is not surprising, as the point of biblical sacrifice was to bring the Jewish individual, and our community, closer to God. Today, we are (thankfully) not a religion that employs animal sacrifice; however, many of us do express our religious commitment by 'sacrificing' our time. This Friday is our annual Shabbat service where we honor a few select congregants whose volunteerism helps progress our congregation towards Tikkun Olom (healing a broken world). Their example is lionized, in part, because it is inspiring. Each of the congregants whom we are honoring with the 'Shirley Schiffer Volunteerism' award has dedicated a tremendous amount of their time, and energy, for the sake of others. None of them does it for the recognition. For each, their labor is from the heart. Done with Joy. Won't you join me tomorrow night at Shabbat … [Read more...]
Ukraine
We all woke up this morning to a world that had changed overnight. Russia's invasion of Ukraine presents a terrible scenario of a suffering, pain, and loss of life. Further, it promises a destabilized Europe, and thus, a further destabilized world. The Jewish community of Ukraine is especially on my mind, for history shows that amidst armed conflict and uncertainty, often the Jews of the land are especially vulnerable. (If you would like to support the Ukraine Jewry through these days to come, doing so through the World Union For Progressive Judaism's Ukraine Crisis Fund). Jewish prayers traditionally carve out space for us to pray for peace. In fact, our Sages suggest that anytime we are praying as a community, we must prayer for peace. Perhaps tying into the theology that if we pray for it, God will 'hear' it, and act accordingly. Or, perhaps our prayers tie into the idea that we ought to be aware of those who suffer in conflict, even if our land is quiet. For no one can be an … [Read more...]
A Rising Phoenix
Mickey Rosner interviews congregant and Koleinu member Caitlin Silvi in honor of J.D.A.I.M With an introduction by Cantor Adesnik "With my condition I will always have flares. The storm system that came in really messed with my pain so I did not sleep last night. We call that a "burning day". I always remind myself you can't be a Phoenix without having burning days. You need ashes to rise from. So today will be the day I get stuff done that I wasn't able to do because of the flare. I am constantly reminded of this cycle of rebirth. When I converted, I took the name Phoenix as my Hebrew name. So, it wasn't a day it was a mindset that changed everything." Caitlin Silvi, TE Congregant and Koleinu member. February is Jewish Disability Awareness and Inclusion Month. It is a unified effort among Jewish organizations to band together for programing, fundraising, outreach and lobbying to raise awareness for those with invisible and visible disabilities. Its mission is to foster acceptance … [Read more...]
Can God learn?
This week's Torah portion, Ki Tisa from Exodus, presents the scenario of the Golden Calf, Moses arguing with God for the life of the Jewish nation, and a scenario where Moses' plea seems to change God's mind. The classical theological construct representing God within Jewish thought is a triangle, with God simultaneously being represented as absolutely good, omnipotent (all powerful), and omniscient (all knowing). Like a straw man, this theological construct seems to exist so that we can explore potential inconsistencies against it. How does evil happen in a world where an absolute good God knows all and is all powerful? Where is there room for the 'free will' that mankind claims to have? Or, my favorite is, can God (who is presented in the triangle) learn from experience, and from interactions with us? It's a conundrum of sorts, for a being who can learn presents as one who does not (yet) know all. However, a being who can not learn seems to be imperfectly stagnant and rigid- which … [Read more...]
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