Displaying 1 - 10 of 10
Ner Shel Tzedakah
Families donate gifts or money to charitable organizations instead of exchanging gifts on the sixth night of Chanukah.
The Friendship House
A congregation created three comprehensive projects for the Friendship House, a homeless shelter for abused women, children at risk, migrant workers, and the Sunrise Community, an agency for developmentally disabled adults.
Rethinking the Holy Days
I’ve come to the conclusion we need to change the date of Simchat Torah. Our Jewish festivals must be re-envisioned as inspirational community gatherings of joyful spiritual Jewish celebration. Every single festival needs to be a time of great community involvement and meaning.
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.”
S.O.S. Save Our Soldiers
Raised awareness to the plight of the three Israeli soldiers captured in the 2006 Lebanon War.
Foster Care Outreach
Pairing congregants with foster children to provide gifts, arrange special events and help subsidize costs for foster parents in need. Community Contact Information: Congregation Or Ami Calabasas, CA www.orami.org Goals: Improve the dignity and quality of life of local foster children.
Mourning a Marriage
" When a man divorces the wife of his youth, even the altar of God sheds tears." (Gittin 90b)
Remember the Days of Old
In Haazinu, Moses recites a poem telling the people of Israel that they must give glory to God and be true to God whose ways are just. He instructs them to consult their elders and “remember the days of old.”
5780: Our Annual Rosh HaShanah Sermon Roundup
Typically, at some point in my work on this project, my wife will lean over my shoulder and ask me, in her own style, “So. How are the Jews this year?” Some years that is a difficult question to answer. This year the answer is clear: The Jews are afraid.