Ahavah/Love by Amanda Zaidman
I love Judaism. It has grounded my family in traditions that make us feel like we are a part of something bigger, part of a history steeped in knowledge and beauty. Being Jewish was a choice for me and it has shaped my adult life. It has made me strong in ways I never expected […]
We Begin Elul with Love by Rabbi Asher Knight
This week we enter the Jewish month of Elul, the four weeks preceding the High Holy Days. For millennia, our rabbis have taught that the word, Elul (aleph-lamed-vuv-lamed), is an acronym for the famous verse of love poetry from the Song of Songs: Ani L’dodi v’dodi li, “I am my beloved and my beloved is […]
We are the Light by Dr. Laura Bernstein, Executive Director
In the words of Rabbi Jonah Pesner, Director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, “The Torah teaches that God created a world capable of chaos and order. While this can sometimes create moments of despair, it is also the basis for all hope, all light in the darkness.” In our staff meeting this […]
Prayer is a Time Machine by Cantor Mary Rebecca Thomas
Cantor Jamie Marx is a classmate of Cantor Thomas. In advance of the upcoming release of his Jewish rock album, In Pursuit, Cantor Marx has organized a blog series that explores the intersection of rock music and prayer. He asked Cantor Thomas to write about prayer and Counting Crows, one of her favorite bands. Here […]
Tikkun Olam: Youth Experiences at TBE by Sam Swire, Director of Youth Engagement
In this week’s Torah portion Va’etchanan, Moses tells the Israelites that he will not be joining them in crossing the Jordan River into the land of Canaan. He summarizes the events that led up to this moment including the exodus from Egypt, the revelation of the Ten Commandments, and the B’rit or covenant between God […]
The Elul Experiment by Rabbi Dusty Klass
“The human heart is the tablet on which God writes. Each of us has the word life engraved in our hearts by God’s own hand. Over the course of the year, that engraving comes to be covered with grit. Our sins, our neglect of prayer and Torah study, the very pace at which we live […]
Not Your Same Old Religious School by Susan Jacobs, Director of Education
Sometimes it’s hard to be a kid! Sometimes it’s even harder to be a Jewish kid! Attending religious school is a vital part of growing up in a Jewish family. Who knew it was so challenging to learn to be Jewish? After all, it requires more than just eating bagels. At Temple Beth El Religious […]
God Goes to Camp by Rabbi Dusty Klass
In the summer between 4th and 5th grade, my parents sent my sister and me to Camp Swig in Saratoga, CA. I retain a few really clear images from those ten days: 1. The look on the face of the poor counselor who had to figure out what to tell me when she realized that […]
Call for Donations: Compassion in the Midst of Destruction by Rabbi Dusty Klass
Imagine, after going to bed for the night, waking up to the sound of screaming and yelling, the smell of smoke, and the sight of flames… somewhere nearby. You’ve just woken up, so everything is hazy, and you’re not sure how close the flames are, but you know something is clearly wrong. And so you […]
