Behar: The beginning of this week’s parashah focuses on the Sabbatical and Jubilee years, which will take effect after the people enter the Promised Land. Both of these laws seek social equality, with the Sabbatical annulling debts every seventh year and the Jubilee every fifty years returning land to its original tribal owners. The Bible offers hope to…
Behar: The beginning of this week’s parashah focuses on the Sabbatical and Jubilee years, which will take effect after the people enter the Promised Land. Both of these laws seek social equality, with the Sabbatical annulling debts every seventh year and the Jubilee every fifty years returning land to its original tribal owners. The Bible offers hope to the impoverished of new…
Emor: We also read selections from this week’s Torah readings during the holidays of Sukkot and Passover, for in parashat Emor is a description of the six primary Biblical Holydays (see if you can name them – key below). In the words of Rabbi Yitz (Irving) Greenberg: “The festival are the master code of Judaism. Decipher them and you will discover the…
Mazal Tov to our honorees and thank you to Gala committee and attendees for supporting our Annual Gala! Photos taken by Mindy Paskil of Mindy Fine Art Photography.
Torah: Parashat Kedoshim. The Torah reading begins: “Holy you shall be, for holy am I, the Ever-Present-One (YHVH), your God” (Leviticus 19:1). Holy goes beyond good. Holiness requires viewing the world “as if” the caring Parent of the whole of creation. The verses of Kedoshim bring that lofty concept into daily life. I share below…
Once a month Congregation B’nai Israel participates in Sunday Supper, an interfaith effort with St. Paul’s Episcopal Church to provide a free meal to anyone who wants one. Our guests are served a full meal and also take home groceries thanks to our volunteers and extended community. This program started in July 2010 and is an interfaith…
Torah: Parashat Kedoshim. The Torah reading begins: “Holy you shall be, for holy am I, the Ever-Present-One (YHVH), your God” (Leviticus 19:1). Holy goes beyond good. Holiness requires viewing the world “as if” the caring Parent of the whole of creation. The verses of Kedoshim bring that lofty concept into daily life. I share below verses of chapter nineteen…
Torah and Tidbits Torah: This Shabbat the Torah reading is Ahrei Mot, which we also read on Yom Kippur. Among the topics are the multiple sin offerings that culminated in sending the scapegoat bearing the people’s sins to die in the desert. In our tradition, Yom Kippur is a moment to reassess our past and…
Torah: This Shabbat the Torah reading is Ahrei Mot, which we also read on Yom Kippur. Among the topics are the multiple sin offerings that culminated in sending the scapegoat bearing the people’s sins to die in the desert. In our tradition, Yom Kippur is a moment to reassess our past and to start anew. And yet, we do not wait for…
Torah and Tidbits from Rabbi Elie Spitz This week there are some opportunities to learn, memorialize, and create memories: Wednesday: Sweet Sleep: Jewish and Contemporary Views and Aides. For the last six months I have focused my attention on research and writing on sleep, an ongoing fascination of mine. Here are some examples of topics…