The prophet Isaiah’s words, “Nachamu, Nachamu Ami/ be comforted, be comforted, my people” will echo through synagogues throughout America this Shabbat, as we mourn, grieve, and perhaps begin to heal. This has been a tough week. In some ways, everything has changed. In other ways, nothing has changed. The violence fueled by mentally unstable men armed with assault rifles who follow ideologies of hate that has plagued our schools, our concerts, and other houses of worship with increasing frequency has hit home in a way that pierces our Jewish soul. We have held one another, we have shown up in record numbers, and vowed to be stronger than any hate that we might face. The barrage of support that we, the Jewish community, has experienced from others has been a testament to the human spirit. For many of us, we continue to mourn (a dream, an ideal, lives lost…) even as we go about our daily lives. For some the Tree of Life is a call to action, for others it is a hard look … [Read more...]
When have you been most proud to be Jewish?
This was the question that began the most recent Adult B’nei Mitzvah session. After the first few students answered, I began to notice a pattern: each student’s moment of greatest Jewish pride was associated with Israel! One student described that the moment when she felt the most pride in her Jewish identity was when Israel sent emergency teams to Haiti after the earthquake in 2010. While larger, wealthier, and more powerful countries also sent aid to the Caribbean island, Israel was one of the earliest on the scene and made the greatest impact in the rescue effort. When I saw the first images of the rescue and relief effort in Haiti I will never forget the pride I felt seeing the Star of David on the shoulder patches of aid workers amidst the tragedy after the earthquake. Even though there are no Israeli citizens in our Adult B’nei Mitzvah class, many of the participants felt that when Israel succeeds, Jewish people all over the world swell with pride. IsraAID is the name of the … [Read more...]
Meet With Us
These past few weeks, I’ve found myself unexpectedly grateful. Let me explain. On Yom Kippur, you heard the heartfelt High Holiday Appeal given by Elliot Siegel and Mitch Lewis. Mitch spoke about how he, and his wife Kathy, had not felt engaged to TE, or their Judaism, for a while and were thinking about leaving. They were conflicted because of all the time and memory that they had invested into Emanu-El. And then they got a call “from some guy named Spike” (me, their new Senior Rabbi). Mitch explained that at my invitation, we sat together and talked about things that mattered, about their Jewish history, and their spiritual journey. Together we shared a vision of how things could be, and how through Temple Emanu-El, they could again explore aspects of themselves that were beckoning, but were dormant. Our meeting was a catalyst, and one that we both can look back on as a really important starting point. So what am I unexpectedly grateful for? In the weeks since … [Read more...]
If Music Be the Food of Love, Play On…
If you enjoyed the music over the High Holy Day season this year, get ready because you are in for a real treat! We have something for you that is dynamic, unique and deeply inspiring for ALL ages. Music without Borders: Experience an orchestra like you have never experienced it before. Hear music emerge from an instrument that is feet away from you. This year our concert entitled, “Music without Borders” explores the universal and timeless story that began with the Jew’s exodus from slavery. We will traverse time and space with music that elevates voices of Jews, Afro-Cubans and those who resisted Nazi Germany. Through it all, the music will teach us that it does not matter where we end up, with faith and God as our foundation, music is our true home. Free! Sponsored by Marvin and Ann Goldstein. November 4th at 4pm, right here at TE. For ALL ages. Advance registration appreciated. Click HERE From Darkness to Light Vedem magazine, the longest running underground magazine … [Read more...]
40th Anniversary Women’s Challah Bake
As you’re reading this, over 70 women and girls from our Temple Emanu-El community are gathered in the social hall engaging in the spiritual act of preparing challah dough for Shabbat as a part of our 40th Anniversary Women’s Challah Bake. That’s around 650 cups of flour, 350 eggs, 140 cups of water, 140 Tbsp. of yeast, 75 cups of sugar, 70 cups of oil, and 70 Tbsp. of salt. Each of these ingredients has a higher spiritual connection that we can incorporate into the act of preparing the dough. We think about where each ingredient came from: The hands of the workers who handled the machines that picked the wheat and ground it into flour, the hands that harvested the sugar, the truck driver who drove the oil, the plant workers who give us access to clean water, the person at the check out counter who rung up the yeast and the salt, and the chickens who laid the eggs. We are now deeply connected to the ways of the world that allow the ingredients to sit at our prepping … [Read more...]
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