Holidays
Did you know that the word Elohim, God, and the word ha-tevah, nature, have the same numerical value in Hebrew? While Jews are not pantheistic, that is, we don’t believe that nature IS God, we certainly sense the deep and intimate connection between the Creator and the creation. Rabbi Joseph…
The book of Jonah, which we read on Yom Kippur, ends on an absurd note. Jonah storms out of the city to sulk. He had been sent to call the people to repent, and they did. God had compassion on them and, seeing their will to do better, decided not…
Spring cleaning has always been a Jewish thing. Except we call it Passover cleaning. It’s a good thing, at least occasionally, to take the cushions off the couch and vacuum up the crumbs, wipe off the shelves in the pantry, and empty out our pockets. As is the case with…
This year at Purim, one verse of the Megillah especially resonated with me. In Chapter Three, Verse 8, Haman seeks permission from Achashverosh to destroy the Jewish people, denouncing us with these words, “There is a certain people, scattered and dispersed among the peoples in all of the provinces of…
Rain is a blessing. Our tradition suggests that when we give thanks for rain, we appreciate each and every drop as a blessing. What a beautiful reminder of the importance of appreciating even the littlest things- every blessing, large and small. What is an underappreciated blessing in your life right…
Sense of Community Wisdom and Values Shabbat Connection to Tradition/Hebrew Brilliant Life-Cycle Practices Closeness to God through Gratitude and Prayer Life Long Learning Appreciation of Ritual Questioning as a Cultural Value Judaism as a Way of Life What’s on your list? Shanah Tovah! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IqpR_ED3Qw <1> “Jews are compassionate, the children…
What a wonderful, raucous Purim we enjoyed on Wednesday night and I trust that your celebration continued on Thursday. You might not be aware that in Jerusalem, and, in Shushan, for that matter, Purim was delayed until Thursday night and Friday. Today was “Shushan Purim,” and you might wonder- why,…
The year my friend Toby was dying of lung cancer, she told me that she did not want to say the Unetaneh Tokef prayer. She said that she was living every day that message of Who shall live and who shall die? Who in their time and who before their…
Erev Rosh HaShanah– Rabbi Mari Chernow S. Y. Agnon tells the story[1] of a young man who became estranged from his father, the king. The son left his father’s palace and wandered from village to village and from city to city. His clothes became tattered and torn. His face changed…
One of the more memorably ridiculous lines in literature comes from a work that was popular in my childhood- Love Story– in which the author famously wrote, “Love means never having to say you’re sorry.” Raise your hand if you agree that you can successfully sustain long-term, loving relationships without…