Purim at Temple Beth El by Cantor Mary R. Thomas
The Book of Esther – Megillat Esteir – was likely one of the last to enter the cannon of the Hebrew Bible, as late as the late Second Temple period. The text is a rich satire of Persian culture and a dark confrontation of the insecurity of Jews in that historical moment. For Jews in […]
The Jewish Community Refugee Initiative (JCRI) Needs You! by Amy Lefkof
How many Jewish families does it take to resettle a Kurdish refugee family from Kirkuk? TBE families have been helping the Omar household, which consists of two brothers (translators for U.S. soldiers in Iraq), their wives (one of whom just received her visa in August), three young children, and a small flock of pigeons (pets). […]
Speech, Silence, and #TBERace&Justice: Why We Need You in a TBE Listening Circle by Rabbi Dusty Klass
I first discovered the Jewish call for silence at age seventeen. It had been chosen as the ‘wisdom quote of the day’ at camp: “Rabbi Gamliel said: I spent all my life among sages and found nothing better for a person than silence.”[i] I didn’t quite understand the words – nothing better for a person […]
New Year’s Resolutions and Revelations by Susan Jacobs, Director of Education
As Jews, we have two New Years, Rosh Hashanah and January 1st. When I was younger, I used to see Rosh Hashanah as the reset button for my spiritual self. It was my time of reflection and introspection. A time to take stock of my relationships and personal journeys and to center and change things […]
Olam Chesed Yibaneh by Candace Naliboff
Growing up, one of my favorite singing groups was Peter, Paul, and Mary. Their harmonies were beautiful, but even more poignant were the words of their songs. They were activists in the truest, peaceful sense of the word. They wanted a better world – a world of light not darkness. And they spoke about it […]
At URJ Biennial, We Are Reminded That We Are Not Alone by Rachel Campbell
It would be an understatement to say that it has been a challenging time in our country these last several years. I don’t need to go through the laundry list why. And while Temple Beth El has served as a beacon to many of us during these hard times, it can often feel like we are […]
From My Seat at URJ’s Biennial Convention by Cantor Mary Rebecca Thomas
For five days every two years, thousands of Jewish professionals serving reform congregations and organizations, lay leaders, and congregants come together to learn, to pray, and to connect. We come together to learn about best practices and principles. We come together to hear how other synagogues struggle and succeed, that we may bear witness to […]
Chanukah, Hope, and Hosting: The Youth Are Our Present by Rabbi Dusty Klass
Chanukah celebrates the proverbial light in the darkness, the hope that comes from flickering flames in the midst of a cold winter night, the story of the nascent Jewish people’s triumph over seemingly overwhelming forces. On Chanukah, miracles happen; the impossible is made possible. Chanukah bolsters our ability to hope. The power of hope is […]
A Prayer for Thanksgiving by Temple Beth El Clergy
The Torah describes the harvest festival of Sukkot as a time to give thanks to God for the bounty and beauty of the world. Our Jewish holiday inspired the Pilgrims of Plymouth Colony in 1623 to shape new rituals to express their timeless gratitude. As Jews, as Americans, as human beings, we too give thanks […]
