An inclusive congregation affiliated with the Conservative Movement.
Our doors are open to all.
Join Rabbi Saks for a daily spiritual exercise in counting the Omer between Passover and Shavuot. Check back for daily updates on timing and to view sessions from previous days. To download a copy of the omer calendar so that you can count alongside Rabbi Saks, please cklick here for the calendar and please click here for the blessings Today’s Count: Day 9 — גבורה שבגבורה (Discernment/Strength within Discernment/Strength) Calendar of Days Day 1 — חסד שבחסד (Lovingkindness within Lovingkindness) Day 2 – גבורה שבחסד (Discernment/Strength within Lovingkindness) Day 3 — תפארת שבחסד (Balance within Lovingkindness) Day 4 – נצח שבחסד […]
Read More
Shabbat Hol Ha-Moed Passover 2014/5774: Time for a Festival In the portion for this Shabbat of Hol Ha-Moed Passover, we read the term “moed” as it refers to the holiday of Passover…or as it refers to the time of Aviv (Spring). So which is it? Does “moed” mean “festival” or “time”? We will explore this question as it will help us understand the unique qualities of Jewish festivals like Passover and how these holidays have special significance for us today. For a chronological run down of episodes click on this link OR Find each class according to the order of the […]
Read More
Dear Hevreh, Every year, Passover affords us an opportunity to remember to not take our freedom for granted, as individuals and especially as Jews. No matter how starkly the haggadah teaches us that our freedom is precious, that if it wasn’t for the exodus we “would still be slaves in Egypt,” our day-to-day life in a country in which Jews are freer than ever before can make this entreaty by the rabbis sound little hollow. That is until moments like yesterday. With gunshots sounding at the JCC and a Jewish retirement home in Kansas City, so too does the warning of the […]
Read More
Faith in Words Sermon for Shabbat Hagadol (April 12th 2014) Rabbi Ari Saks Congregation Beth Mordecai Once there was a king who ruled many kingdoms, yet no matter how much wealth he amassed, no matter how many people he helped, he never felt at peace. His mind raced in so many different directions he could never feel as if he was in the right place at the right time. When he was sad he wanted to be happy, and for some reason when he was happy, he wanted to be sad. Well, he thought, if my mind is never at […]
Read More
Triennial I (2014/5774): There Is No Earlier and There Is No Later in Torah The first words of our Torah portion begin with the words “aharei mot sh’nei b’nei aharon — after the deaths of Aaron’s sons.” Yet the demise of Aaron’s sons, Nadav and Avihu, happened three Torah portions earlier in Parashat Sh’mini, so why does the Torah have to teach us that our Torah portion occurs after their death! One explanation is that this proves that there is no earlier (past) or later (present) when it comes to the chronology of events as it is written in the Torah. […]
Read More
Watch Rabbi Saks' Online Yizkor Event for the 8th Day of Passover to share the name of your loved one View More
Join Rabbi Saks for a daily spiritual exercise in counting the Omer between Passover and Shavuot. Check back for daily View More
Rabbi Saks' Weekly Online Parashah Class -- Watch the Latest Episode Here...Take a "Torah" View More
(4/17/14) Human beings love to count. Whether we are counting sheep in our sleep or attendees at services, there is something built into our DNA that enjoys the act of Read more
