Displaying 1 - 10 of 11
Victory for Reform Judaism: Court Orders Netanya to Help Build Reform Synagogue
This originally appeared in the World Union for Progressive Judaism's newsletter dated July 28, 2011.
Congregational Life: Why I Joined, Why I Stayed
I was recently asked by someone I very much respect to address "the" question. So I started to write the answer in a post... about five times without any luck. The "Why does a 20-something join a Reform Congregation" question.
Galilee Diary: Uncertainty
by Marc Rosenstein
(Originally published in Galilee Diary and Ten Minutes of Torah)
Let's Get Sustainable in 5771
This is the first post in our new "Let's Get Sustainable" blog post series -
The Tzedek Box: A New Way to Hold Yourself Accountable in the Pursuit of Justice
What will it take for all of us to pursue the tireless work of tzedek with consistency? It is in this spirit that I invite you to join a new initiative: the Tzedek Box.
Habari Gani? How My Family is Melding Kwanzaa and Hanukkah Customs
As we each shared some favorite holiday memories, my partner asked, “So what does each candle of Hanukkah symbolize?” Puzzled, I asked him to explain what he meant. “You know, like for Kwanzaa.”
In Memoriam Faye Tillis Lewy
Year Adopted:
With profound sorrow, the Officers, Board of Trustees and staff of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations mark the death of our esteemed friend and colleague, Faye Tillis Lewy.
Galilee Diary: Fitting in II
by Marc Rosenstein
(Originally published in Galilee Diary and Ten Minutes of Torah)
A Special Worship Service for Jews with Disabilities and Their Families
by Nancy Crown
When I was called to meet with a member of my synagogue’s Congregation-Based Community Organizing Committee, I almost declined. I was asked to think about what the temple could do that it was not already doing. My main reaction was to reflect on the many opportunities for learning, worship, and community that I wasn’t partaking of, due to limited time and a longstanding “outsider” feeling when it comes to religion. Like many others, my upbringing did not include much meaningful participation in the spiritual aspects of Judaism.
My daughter, now 28 years old, has developmental disabilities. She was keenly interested in Judaism as a young child, but as a teen, she began to talk about converting to another religion. By that time, our son was enrolled in school at Congregation Rodeph Sholom, where we were members. We chose a Jewish day school for a number of reasons, including our desire for our son to feel more secure in his Jewish identity than my husband, my daughter, or I had felt. We began lighting candles on Friday nights. I took Hebrew classes. We attended services, where, at moments, I would feel an achy kind of longing, alongside a feeling of being an outsider. Try as I might, I couldn’t quite find a way in.
The Melodies of the Four Questions: Mah Nishtanah Tunes for Passover
Do you remember the first time you were called upon to recite the four questions? There is nothing quite like the sound of the youngest child making a first attempt at the four questions.