Have you ever wondered why we use a shamash to light the candles on the chanukiah? We could just as easily use the same match to light all of the lights each night, so why do we need a shamash? Just think of all the candles we could save! We need the shamash because it Continue Reading »
When you enter the Temple Beth-El lobby, you will see a large poster that asks, “Why Vote?” You may wonder which election is approaching. The New Jersey primaries do not occur until June. The presidential election is in November. The World Zionist Congress (WZC) elections start on January 21, 2020. The WZC is a representative Continue Reading »
On Yom Kippur, I urged us to remember that we Jews are family. We are bound to one another by history and destiny, so what happens to any one of us should matter to each and every one of us. At the same time, we are also extremely diverse. We are Reform and Ultra-Orthodox, religious Continue Reading »
Shalom Chaverim, Memorial Day weekend has become a much-anticipated holiday that presents a wonderful opportunity to gather with family and friends. It has become the unofficial beginning of summer as the weather usually turns warm and people flock to the outdoors, from parks to beaches. But amidst the frivolity and celebration of this weekend it Continue Reading »
Thank you to everyone who made our 2019 Tree of Life Gala such a success. It was a touching event with much love and respect shown for our three honorees, Ellen Davidson, Steven Weitz, and Liz Cohen. We thank our sponsors and vendors. Click here for the Tribute Journal Slide Show. Click here to learn more Continue Reading »
I have never felt a connection to the Holocaust. To me, it was always a horrific crime against humanity and never a terrible act against my own people. But on a recent trip to the concentration camps of the past, where I saw the ashes for myself, it has never felt more real. Being in Continue Reading »
Move over, Marvel heroes. At Temple Beth-El, we have our own superheroes, and we are proud to be celebrating everything they’ve accomplished at the upcoming gala dinner dance on Saturday, May 11, 2019. Here’s a closer look at our three honorees and what inspires them to go above and beyond. Ellen Davidson It makes Continue Reading »
I am happy to report that the Tu BiShvat Seder on January 26 was a rousing success. For the Social Action component, celebrating the New Year of the Trees, we learned interactively about how we can help the trees by reducing our personal environmental footprint. We had about 80 attendees, each of whom worked on Continue Reading »
What If? by Rabbi David Wolpe Life is composed of finite facts and infinite possibilities. Part of the art of living is to take the possibilities and elevate those which enhance our lives, improve our world and grow our souls…. In the Talmud, one Rabbi has a dream about an upside-down world. By stretching our Continue Reading »
“When God returns the exiles to Zion, we will be like dreamers.” – Psalm 126 The State of Israel is the fulfillment of a dream. As we sing in Hatikvah, the modern return to Zion was a hope — a dream of 2,000 years! Today, on Israel’s 70th birthday, it still seems like a miracle Continue Reading »
