Today and this weekend, Americans of all stripes will gather around a table for a seder of sorts. While there is not a set hagadah, Thanksgiving is the time that we recount our blessings and our journeys as a collective. A little over a month after the High Holy Days we measure the progress we have made in our commitments for the new year. Thanksgiving is a time to look into the eyes of friends and family and acknowledge that despite the challenges we face, we have much for which to be thankful. Modim anachu lach This past Thursday, a week before Thanksgiving, Rachael and I were gifted the opportunity to be a part of history, the ordination of the 100th Reform rabbis in Israel. Thanks to the generosity of Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and donors from Hebrew Union College, we stood in awe of the time and place. With the medieval walls of Jerusalem as our backdrop, we prayed Hatikvah, and watched as the newest rabbis of Israel were ordained. In a country which struggles to find … [Read more...]
Sisterhood Book Club
Celebrating Veteran’s Day Through Shabbat Services
This Friday night we will celebrate Veteran’s Day through Shabbat services. Jews have long served honorably in our armed services. We have stood tall for the best of America’s ideals and, too often, we have paid the ultimate price. In this we are no different than other groups that make up America, but this fact itself is something to lionize: that we Jews, through our brave women and men who served and continue to serve, do our part with open eyes and valor. The same would be true for those who have served, or are active, in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). Our Torah is full of exemplars who were forced to fight for their land, and in defense of their loved ones; including Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Deborah, and King David (the list is long, these are just a few). Almost without exception, all of our spiritual heroes were reluctant to take their people into battle. We Jews have a long history of being uncomfortable with violence, and this is a good thing. But … [Read more...]
The Priluck Family Melton Series at Temple Emanu-El
Sisterhood Book Club Lunch
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