By Heather Stesin This very personal journey began in 2014 when I was invited by my parents to attend a performance of Wiesenthal while visiting them in Florida. This wasn’t just any performance; it was a moving experience and virtual awakening of an important part of my life that had been buried deep in my subconscious. By Rabbi Aaron Weininger My brother, sister, and I learned melodies in junior congregation we still sing today. We ran through the synagogue’s hallways after our teen congregation deli lunch and when we got tired running the maze, we went to somebody’s house to hang out, play chess, or toss a ball in the park. This exact experience doesn’t need to be the reality for everyone, but it makes me wonder what it takes for a community to feel this way. Judaism is not a performance for some to produce; it’s a home for all to build. One of the challenges in synagogue life is for families to feel that kind of ownership of Judaism, an authenticity and comfort to be at home in an ancient tradition, as their full selves. Many synagogues respond to that challenge with programs that reinforce a producer/consumer mindset. Staff produces a program. Congregants consume it. Repeat. To read the rest of Rabbi Weininger's essay go to TC Jewfolk by Natalie Zamansky Playdates are not easy to squeeze into our busy schedule and they're even harder to prioritize when I don't know the child’s parents. But, for the past several weeks, our daughter, Mia (age 6), has been asking for a playdate with her friend Nahla from school. I don't know Nahla well, and I don’t know her mother at all, which has been part of the barrier for making plans. By Andrea Potashnick On a whim, my husband and I, along with our two young boys, stopped by the NorthWest Islamic Community Center (NWICC). Feeling down after the presidential election, our purpose was to bring flowers and tell the congregants there that we feel they are valued members of Plymouth, the city where we live. What happened during our visit was quite unexpected and remarkable.n a whim, my husband and I, along with our two young boys, stopped by the NorthWest Islamic Community Center (NWICC). Feeling down after the presidential election, our purpose was to bring flowers and tell the congregants there that we feel they are valued members of Plymouth, the city where we live. What happened during our visit was quite unexpected and remarkable. Read the rest of Andrea's essay at TC Jewfolk by Marilyn Reiter In January, the Adath Book Club read Crossing the Borders of Time by Leslie Maitland. We had a lively discussion amongst the group, followed by an insightful and engaging Skype meeting with the author. We are a group of readers who mostly didn’t know each other before December's first meeting. Book clubs offer many opportunities including: 1) Meeting people who aren’t in your immediate circle of friends. By Ronen Pink You might say I’m big into Pling--plastic bling--as a boy who wears a lot of bracelets. It’s not that I’m a big fan of jewelry, but each one represents an important experience or value in my life. One says, “Zachor” to keep me consciously reminded of the Holocaust, and MY role in ensuring that the memories of those who perished and those who suffered will never be forgotten. by Sharon Garber It started with the kugel. When my beloved Aunt Lila began having swallowing problems due to her Parkinson’s, Beth Mayerich, catering director, made special portions of her fabulous kugel for Lila that were right-sized for her, delicious and easy to swallow. It may seem like a small gesture, but it had a huge impact on someone who loved to eat but was very limited in her choices. It became standard fare for quite a while and even was a Hannukah gift one year. A message from The Masorti Movement / Rav Siach Program The carnage and bloodshed in Syria continue without end. Men, women and children are being slaughtered, and it is difficult to remain indifferent to the horrendous sights. We must raise our voice in protest, send letters to our representatives, reach out and support organisations which are on the ground helping the victims. however we are also a community of prayer. We invite you to join Masorti congregations across Israel this coming shabbat and recite the following prayer with your own congregation,and until the day when our neighbors will be able to experience peaceful times once more. by Marilyn Reiter Getting up and out of the house by 10 on a Sunday morning requires some extra effort on my part. I’m writing this blog because I want to share with other readers an activity that I highly recommend go on their future calendars. Those of us who enjoy reading and group discussions got the opportunity to expand their connections with others and engage in a lively discussion. Since no two people read a book exactly the same, the book club experience is always rich. And then to have the author discuss it along with us and openly answer questions, that’s a big bonus. A shout-out to Julie Carpenter for arranging for the author to join us. By Rabbi Harold J. Kravitz If you had a moment to compare Chap 18 and 19 of Genesis, you saw a stark comparison of stories about hospitality. Abraham and Sara provide a model of what it means to welcome the strangers who arrive at their tent while Abraham is sitting by the eshel or terebinth, a kind of tree, communing with God. It is quite the dramatic contrast to the brutal way the same angels, taking the form of strangers, are received at the home of Lot. |
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