Our Celebration Under the Stars honoring Sarah Gluck on her retirement was a joyous weekend (April 29-30). So many people spoke beautifully of their respect and appreciation of Sarah. And Sarah closed out the celebration with these words of thanks: Thank you, Arnie. And everyone who has spoken, sung, played, and so, so much Continue Reading »
There is a tense moment at the opening of this week’s Torah portion, Shemini. It has been only a year since the liberation of Israel from Egypt and nine months since our people arrived at Mount Sinai. Led by Moses and Aaron, the Israelites have received the Torah and labored to build the Tabernacle that Continue Reading »
Parsha Toldot, Genesis 25:19−28:9 In this week’s Torah portion, Toldot, begins an epic wrestling match between two very dissimilar twins, Jacob and Esau. The Torah is full of bitter sibling rivalries, for example Cain and Abel, and Joseph and his brothers. But the struggle between Jacob and Esau is different. It is so deeply rooted Continue Reading »
In this week’s parashah, Moses teaches the Israelites a lesson that will be critical to their success as a nation. When you enter the Promised Land, he says, “you shall not act at all as we now act here, every person as he [or she] pleases.”(1) To build a healthy society, he says, everyone must sacrifice Continue Reading »
This week we have a double portion: Matot, meaning Tribes, and Masei, meaning Journeys. We are at the end of B’midbar, the book of Numbers, and in the fortieth year of wandering in the desert. This portion addresses diverse topics and makes for interesting reading. It begins with a list of laws relating to the Continue Reading »
New members Kara and Jamie Sobin, who live in Hillsborough, are thrilled to have found a spiritual home at Temple Beth-El, along with their children, Celia and Jonah. Kara grew up in Somerville, where she was very involved in her family’s Baptist church as a child and young adult. In recent years, Kara had found Continue Reading »
This week’s double Torah portion, Vayak’heil-P’kudei, describes the completion of the Tabernacle, the very first sanctuary of the Jewish People. What I find most notable about the construction of this sacred space is how the resources were secured for the project. There was no mandatory participation, no tax levied to raise funds. Instead, the community Continue Reading »
Comments from the Reflection Service during Yom Kippur My favorite Hebrew expression is kolhakavod. I heard it for the first time from a spectator, screaming from the sidewalk, as I was running the Jerusalem marathon. I was only at about mile five and this person was not just cheering ME. I was among thousands of Continue Reading »
For many of us, the last nine months have been some of the most challenging of our lives. Throughout these unprecedented times, our Temple Beth-El leaders and staff have worked hard to support our family of congregants and adapt to changing needs. Examples include the Helping Hands and Ladles of Love initiatives; regular phone outreach Continue Reading »
Two days have passed since the violent attack on the Capitol and many, if not most, of us are still in shock. If we hadn’t seen it with our own eyes, we likely would not have believed it could happen -— not here, not in America. To this I say: thank God this is America. Continue Reading »
