Congregation Beth Mordecai
Congregation Beth Mordecai
An inclusive congregation affiliated with the Conservative Movement.
Your Jewish Home for the Soul!
An inclusive congregation affiliated with the Conservative Movement.
Your Jewish Home for the Soul!
February 21, 2018 By Beth Mordecai no comments.
Saturday, March 3, 7 p.m. at Beth Mordecai.
Celebrate Purim at CLUB MORDECAI
Games Galore - Black Jack, Poker, Craps and Roulette
Hord d'oeuvres, Viennese Dessert Table and Wine.
$36 per person = $250 in play money
RSVP at 732 442-1373 or officebethmordecai@gmail.com
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Category : Announcements Events
August 25, 2017 By bethmordecai no comments.
Rabbi Sara Metz grew up in North Haven, Connecticut, and graduated with a BA in American Studies and Near East and Judaic Studies from Brandeis University. She received rabbinic ordination from The Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies and master’s degrees in Jewish Education and Rabbinic Studies at the American Jewish University.
Rabbi Metz loves to study and discuss each week’s Torah portion, gleaning modern insights from an ancient text. She loves to get outside and go hiking or biking. Rabbi Metz also loves to bake challah every week for shabbat, cook new recipes, crochet, and knit. During Sukkot in 2007 she and Lev met while enjoying dinner in the sukkah. They were married in 2010 and have three children, Doron, Eitan[...]
Category : Rabbi Tag : Rabbi Sara Metz
September 16, 2022 By Beth Mordecai no comments.
Parashat Ki Tavo contains a stirring and dramatic scene. The whole nation of Israel is divided between two mountains, half on Mount Eval and half on Mount Grizim. There Moses preaches a set of blessings and curses, a set of instructions by which Israel will prosper or languish. As has been the main theme of the book of Deuteronomy, reward and punishment appear in this week's parashah as well. The idea of reward and punishment is based in the notion that as humans, and as Jews, we have free will. Our Torah is given in the form of commandments and with an accompanying sense that while these actions are obligated, we always have the choice whether to observe or not. The High[...]
Category : Rabbi's Journal Shabbat
September 12, 2022 By Beth Mordecai no comments.
The High Holy Days are just around the corner! Click "Read More" for a Schedule of Services and other important information.
Our home for Rosh Hashannah and Yom Kippur will be:
The Sheraton Edison Hotel at Raritan Center, 125 Raritan Center Parkway, Edison NJ 08837.
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Category : Announcements High Holidays home Rosh Hashanah Yom Kippur
February 12, 2021 By Beth Mordecai no comments.
Parashat Mishpatim contains one of the largest collections of mitzvoth of any single parashah. It ranges from the laws of slavery, to property damage, to personal injury law, to some agricultural laws. If you can think of a legal matter that is about the proper functioning of society, it can be found in Mishpatim.
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Category : home Rabbi Rabbi's Journal Shabbat Torah Teachings
February 5, 2021 By Beth Mordecai no comments.
We are probably aware that the month of February is Black History Month. School children across the nation are exposed to black writers and thinkers as they devote classroom time to the history of black people in America. Given the events of last spring and summer, and the renewed spirit and energy in the fight for racial equity and justice, I pray that this time is being spent well and meaningfully.
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Category : home Rabbi Rabbi's Journal Shabbat
December 18, 2020 By Beth Mordecai no comments.
• Shabbat Miketz 5781 •
We find ourselves in the midst of the Joseph section of the book of Genesis. You know the story. Joseph, the second to youngest of 12 brothers, is sold into slavery for his annoying tendency to share his dreams which often depict him ruling over the family. As you might imagine there was some tension between Joseph and his siblings.
Throughout the many chapters that cover Joseph’s life, there is one theme that runs throughout the story; dreams. Joseph’s tale begins with two dreams of his own followed by when he interprets the dreams of the cupbearer and baker in prison. This kindness ultimately saves his life where he is called up from captivity to share the[...]
Category : home Rabbi Rabbi's Journal Shabbat
December 11, 2020 By Beth Mordecai no comments.
Sometimes even the smallest interactions have the greatest impacts. This is one of the best lessons that my teachers have taught me about the rabbinate. One kind word, a friendly head nod or well placed hand shake can sometimes make all the positive difference in a person’s experience. Conversely, one sarcastic remark or perceived slight can produce quite the opposite effects. I suspect that we have each had moments when someone offered us a kindness and it made our day so much better. We may never know who those people are but they become part of our story. Joseph experiences this phenomenon in this week’s parashah. Asked by his father to go check on his brothers, Joseph is unable to find them in the fields of Schem. Luckily[...]
Category : Rabbi Rabbi's Journal Shabbat
October 16, 2020 By Beth Mordecai no comments.
There is a Far-Side cartoon that depicts God creating the world. In it, God is seen wearing an apron and chef’s hat surrounded by all of the necessary ingredients to create the world. Shaking a container labeled “Jerks” onto the Earth a thought bubble appears from God’s head that reads “Just to make things interesting”. The image of God as cosmic chef or maybe even mad-scientist is a common one. A little of this, a little of that and voila! The world! But is that how our tradition views the creation? How exactly did God know how to create the world? To some this may be obvious. God, being an omnipotent deity, simply knew that this was the way the world needed[...]
Category : home Rabbi Rabbi's Journal Shabbat
October 9, 2020 By Beth Mordecai no comments.
“Children, we have now Simches torah
It's Simches torah all over the world
Torah is the best treasure
– At least that's what the rabbi says.”
This verse, from a song entitled “Simches Toyre”, is a key to understanding just how joyous our final holiday of the season is.It is not simply an expression of our happiness that we get to begin the Torah from the beginning once again. Nor is it the release from a month of holidays, and eating, and praying, and eating that can cause some kind of ‘Jewish fatigue’ even amongst the most dedicated and committed among us. No. Simchat Torah is our opportunity, as a sacred community, to give honor to the core of our identity as a synagogue[...]
Category : home Rabbi Rabbi's Journal Simhat Torah
October 3, 2020 By Beth Mordecai no comments.
Commencing just four days after Yom Kippur is the holiday of Sukkot. One of the names of the holiday is zman simchateinu, the time of our communal joy. But what exactly is the joy of sukkot?
One of the leading experts in joy or happiness is a professor at Penn named Arthur Seligman. Seligman is noted as amongst the founders of the field of positive psychology, if not the actual progenitor of the field itself. His first book, titled “Authentic Happiness” laid out his theory in which he breaks down happiness into three elements: 1) Positive emotion 2) engagement and 3) meaning. The idea was that happiness is the highest goal of human living. Later though, Seligman’s thinking changed. In his[...]
Category : home Rabbi Rabbi's Journal Sukkot
September 15, 2020 By Beth Mordecai no comments.
We are looking forward to High Holidays 5781, which promise to be different, but no less meaningful, than in years past. Below you will find important information regarding services times, health and safety, and other resources to enhance your holidays, and explain some of the differences you will notice this year.
This is a post with LOTS of detailed information. Please read carefully. Everything you need related to the High Holy Days is included. If you have any questions, please do ask!
For the complete High Holy Day Service Schedule, click here.
PRE-HOLY DAY EVENTS
Click here for more information
SELIHOT NIGHT LIVE
Saturday, September 12 at 8:30 p.m.
MACHZOR & ESSENTIALS PICKUP
Week of September 13
1. HIGH HOLIDAY SERVICES WILL[...]
Category : High Holidays home