Counting Up and Counting Down by Cantor Mary Rebecca Thomas
There is this really interesting song by the Israeli HipHop group, the Teapacks, called Misparim. The chorus translates as – Me, too, like all of the Jews, immersed in numbers. The song lists important moments in the singer’s personal history and in the history of the Jewish people in the the context of the relevant […]
Make some good things happen! by Susan Jacobs, Director of Education
“The best way to not feel hopeless is to get up and do something. Don’t wait for good things to happen to you. If you go out and make some good things happen, you will fill the world with hope, you will fill yourself with hope.” ― Barack Obama Mitzvah Day is May 15th and there […]
Words Whisper from the Grave by Rabbi Judith Schindler
Hearing the Words and Celebrating the Work of a Holocaust Hero The ultimate test of a moral society is the kind of world that it leaves to its children. – Dietrich Bonhoeffer We must learn to regard people less in light of what they do or omit to do, and more in the light of […]
How Fortunate Are We! by Cantor Mary Rebecca Thomas
Ashreinu! Mah tov chelkeinu u’mah na’im goraleinu u’mah yafah yerushateinu. How fortunate are we! How good is our portion, how pleasant our lot, and how beautiful our heritage. These words, found in the traditional morning service and in our Gates of Repentance for High Holy Days, have been running through my head for […]
Our Teacher, Our Mentor, Our Friend, Our Brother
by Ronald P. Townsend Rabbi Jonathan once said something profoundly insightful in Talmud study which characterizes his approach to engagement. We were discussing intentionality in ritual, reviewing an ancient dialogue among the sages regarding how to respond to interruptions in prayer. In typical Talmudic fashion, the sages debate what constitutes a “serious” intrusion (such as […]
Turn it and Turn It Again for Everything Is In It by Rabbis Asher Knight and Judy Schindler
Rabbi Asher Knight and Rabbi Judy Schindler were asked about the gifts and strengths of the congregation that Rabbi Schindler is proud to leave behind and upon which Rabbi Knight is excited to inherit and build upon. Here are their reflections on the Torah of Temple Beth El: Rabbi Knight: It is customary for Jews […]
Going Back to Egypt by Rabbi Judith Schindler
[This homily was delivered at Charlotte’s Multi-faith Service Calling for the Repeal of HB2 on April 24, 2016 at Myers Park Baptist Church] We come together for a multi-faith service. We all come from different faiths and some of us come from no formal religious faith at all. I can understand. Sometimes having faith is […]
Finding Yourself by Cantor Andrew Bernard
In Judaism we talk a great deal about mitzvot, although we talk about them in very different ways. Those on the orthodox side of the scale begin with those things we are commanded to do by the 613 mitzvot proclaimed in the Torah. On the more liberal side, we refer more to “good deeds” that […]
Giving is a Joyful Sacrifice by Dr. Laura Bernstein
In preparation for writing this blog, I decided to review this week’s parsha, Metzora. Not an easy read unless you are a physician who is familiar with dermatology and urology; however, when we dig through the excruciating details and examine it deeper, there are some powerful messages that speak to Temple Beth El. This week’s […]
