Today is October 30, 2020 /
Today is October 30, 2020 /
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Shel Silverstein’s Unicorn Song has been stuck in my head all week. I keep humming about those green alligators and long-necked geese, humpty-backed camels and some chimpanzees, cats and rats and elephants, but sure as I’m born, I ain’t gonna see no unicorn. (adapted) It is, of course, Parashat Noah this week. And one of Continue Reading »
From the Rabbi’s Desk Parashat Beresheet 5781 The first thing that is described in the Torah as kadosh, holy, is not a place or a part of nature or an item. It is a time: the 7th day, Shabbat. Gen. 2:3 And God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, ויקדש אותו. The first Continue Reading »
Rabbi Miriam T. Spitzer Erev Sukkot 5781 The cartoon showed someone speaking on the phone saying: “I am making Sukkot plans. Are you not coming to us or are we not coming to you?” Sukkot is our family holiday. We are accustomed to having guests in high numbers and high in enthusiasm. Many families are Continue Reading »
From the Rabbi’s desk How to prepare for Sukkot this year 22 Elul 5780 Rabbi Miriam T. Spitzer Build a Sukkah There is nothing like the experience of having a sukkah. Last year I was not able to build my own sukkah as we were living in a 4th-floor apartment with no balcony. That was Continue Reading »
From the Rabbi’s Desk: How to prepare for Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur this year Rabbi Miriam T. Spitzer 15 Elul 5780 On Pesah, we ask: “How is this night different from all other nights?” This Rosh HaShanah we do not have to ask “How is this High Holy Day experience different from all other Continue Reading »
8 Elul 5780 August 28th 2020 Rabbi Miriam T. Spitzer Parashat Ki Tetzei: The Chain of Mitzvot The rabbis teach that מִצְוָה גּוֹרֶרֶת מִצְוָה, doing a mitzvah leads to . . . the opportunity to perform another mitzvah. One of the classic examples is from our parashah for this week and comes to explain why Continue Reading »
Rosh Hodesh Elul 5780 August 21st 2020 Rabbi Miriam T. Spitzer חשבון הנפש The other day I referred to the month we were concluding as Tammuz rather than as Av. I realized my mistake immediately and laughed at my Freudian slip. Today is Rosh Hodesh Elul. There is no getting around it. Rosh HaShanah is coming. One Continue Reading »
Simhah/Joy in Community Parashat Re’eh 5780 Rabbi Miriam T. Spitzer When someone has a joyous event, we say they are having a simhah. Last week when we took our Shabbat walk, we saw that a neighbor was having a simhah, an outdoor ufruf celebration of their son’s upcoming wedding. Later this month our Temple will Continue Reading »
It is said that there are no atheists in foxholes. When are we most likely to pray — when we are in trouble or when things are going well? And when are we more likely to express appreciation — when we are in trouble or when things are going well? Our Torah portion for this Continue Reading »
Dear Friends, Parashat Va’ethanan includes the Ten Commandments. With a bit of humor and a nod to parashat va’ethanan, I would like to present (drumroll, please): the Ten Commandments for Temple Israel during Covid. Commandment #1: We are a congregational community. We are here for each other to share joys and sorrows, to pray and Continue Reading »
Shabbat Hazon Parashat D’varim July 24th, 2020 / 3 Av 5780 At the beginning of the book of D’varim, Deuteronomy, Moshe stands in front of the people of Israel and says: “How can I bear unaided the trouble of you, and the burden, and the bickering!” In other words, Moshe is saying that he cannot Continue Reading »
Matot Mas’ei D’var Torah Words from the Rabbi Where are you from? It is supposed to be an easy question. But because I moved around quite a bit as a child, I never found it an easy question at all. I never knew what to say when people asked where I was from. Then I settled Continue Reading »