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!
September 4, 2015 By bethmordecai no comments.
(9/4/15),
אמר לו הקדוש ברוך הוא למשה: מתנה טובה יש לי בבית גנזי ושבת שמה, ואני מבקש ליתנה לישראל - לך והודיעם (תלמוד בבלי מסכת שבת דף י עמוד ב)
The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, "I have a precious gift in My treasure house, called the Sabbath, and desire to give it to Israel; go and inform them" (Babylonian Talmud Tractate Shabbat 10b)
Dear Hevreh,
Last week was a beautiful Shabbat. Kids dancing, food sharing, prayer singing. Every moment was more precious than the next and as the sun turned into a beautiful full moon, you couldn't help but think that God had truly blessed this moment as "good."
Click here for some pictures from the event taken[...]
Category : Ari-archive Tag : 10b beauty kids moon rabbi's journal shabbat shabbat by the sea Shalom Aleichem Shalom Aleikhem sun talmud Tot Shabbat y'did nefesh Yedid Nefesh
August 25, 2015 By bethmordecai no comments.
Dear Hevreh,
Back in rabbinical school, we talked a lot about the language we use to describe a synagogue. Synagogue and Community describe a group of like minded people who affiliate together for a particular purpose, whether it's to do a ritual or to help someone find a job. On the other hand, Home and Family connote a closer connection, one in which we feel tied together despite (or because of?) our flaws. The former terms depict a place and a group we can move in and out of as we please; the latter terms describe a condition that is always a part of us, no matter how often we are present or absent.
I spent this past Shabbat with my family celebrating[...]
Category : Ari-archive Tag : rabbi rabbi's journal shabbat shabbat by the sea
July 22, 2015 By bethmordecai no comments.
(7/22/15),
In one of my recent journal entries, I described how some of the latest political issues, most notably the Iranian deal, are poised to pull the Jewish community apart. Likewise, worsening affiliation rates, merging institutions, and less activism make us wonder at times what the future of the American Jewish community will look like.
Well, if it's anything like these past weeks, I can say that future is very bright. Whether it's young Jews gathering to spend quality time together and being engaged in meaningful Jewish life, or dancing and singing Jewish liturgy in full public view, or the ability to have difficult convesrations of important topics with Jews from multiple communities, there is[...]
Category : Ari-archive Tag : ask the rabbi bright future Iran Deal joy rabbi rabbi's journal shabbat by the sea tisha b'av YJPA
April 28, 2015 By bethmordecai no comments.
4/28/15,
In preparation for this week's Shabbat by the Sea, I spent some time reading through past journal entries on our previous Shabbat by the Sea experiences. As I read those words, the warm air, beautiful scenery, sound of chairs moving to their spots, people clapping and singing all flooded back to my mind and I found myself getting really, REALLY excited for this Shabbat. Praying by the Sea has become part of our shul's identity, it's one of the things that makes us unique.
I can't wait to celebrate that uniqueness and experience all those feelings that filled my mind today for real on Friday. it's going to be...awesome!
Kol Tuv,
Rabbi Ari Saks
P.S. Also looking forward to seeing you at
Category : Ari-archive Tag : excitement rabbi rabbi's journal shabbat by the sea
April 27, 2015 By bethmordecai no comments.
Dear Hevreh,
One reason I love Hebrew is because its words can have very different, if not opposing, meanings. One example is the term "lev" (לב) which is often translated as "heart" in verses like Deuteronomy 6:5 ("You shall love your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might"). But as some scholars explain, the term "lev" should not be translated as heart but rather as "mind" or "consciousness." For instance, Proverbs 14:10 is often translated as "the heart ("lev") knows its own bitterness." But how can the heart -- the seat of emotion and passion -- be self aware enough to understand itself? Rather, it makes more sense to understand[...]
Category : Ari-archive Tag : adult education Burton Visotzky heart Jewish-Muslim Lev Mind rabbi rabbi's journal shabbat by the sea
April 1, 2015 By bethmordecai no comments.
Dear Hevreh,
There was a moment during this past Saturday's Cantor Showcase, there was a moment when I closed my eyes and the Cantor's voice filled them with tears. It wasn't just that she sang a beautiful piece, but that it was sung in our magnificent sanctuary. My tears reflected the sublime joy of the special kind of Judaism we experience in our shul.
So how do we create more moments like that? By coming together on a frequent basis to experience the joy of Judaism as a community. When we spend more time together we will inevitably think about, discuss, plan, and execute the kinds of programs that grow our shul. Programs like...
Passover "Shabbat" Seder on Saturday Evening at 5 pm
Category : Ari-archive Tag : adult education cantor showcase Cantorial Showcase Jewish muslim programming rabbi rabbi's journal shabbat by the sea weekly services
August 29, 2014 By bethmordecai no comments.
Dear Hevreh,
A poem for tonight's Shabbat by the Sea
The view
Speaks in a language
Only the heart knows
The voice of Adonai thunders over rushing waters (click link, p.7)
The people
Sing in a voice
Only the heart hears
The voice of Adonai stirs the wilderness (click link, p.7)
The time
Whispers in a hush
Only the heart feels
The voice of Adonai echoes with majesty (click link, p.7)
May all who who come to God's eternal sanctuary share together
How vast
How beautiful
How glorious is
Shabbat...
...especially when you're by the Sea
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Ari Saks
Category : Ari-archive Tag : beauty poem rabbi rabbi's journal shabbat shabbat by the sea shabbat message songs
August 7, 2014 By bethmordecai no comments.
Dear Hevreh,
Last week, I wrote three journal entries previewing this past Friday's Shabbat By The Sea experience with each entry devoted to a theme associated with the event -creative fun,partnership,and wordless music.In looking back at this night, I can't help but see how each of these elements helped made this night a wonderful success.
Creative fun - I don't know about you, but if we have ice cream from Bayside Creamery at each of our events, I'll be there in a heartbeat. Just seeing their little stand waiting for us as we finished our abbreviated service was enough to make your mouth water. It certainly added an element of fun and even a little whimsy to a night of[...]
Category : Ari-archive Tag : bayside creamery creativity God's Army Ministries innovation niggun partnership perth amboy perth amboy news rabbi rabbi's journal shabbat by the sea wordless music
August 1, 2014 By bethmordecai no comments.
This is the third of a 3 part journal series previewing different aspects of this Friday night's special Shabbat by the Sea -- Family and Community Edition. The theme for this journal is: wordless music.
Dear Hevreh,
When I was in Israel, I spent some time learning in a small one-room orthodox yeshiva in which the long table which acted as a m'hitzah separating the men from the women. However, the rosh yeshiva allowed for special sessions just for non-orthodox rabbinical students in which this restriction was discarded. The reason? Learning, unlike prayer, is more open to all.
When I was in New York I participated in an interseminary dialogue group with eight different Jewish and Christian seminaries (four each). We spent a good amount[...]
Category : Ari-archive Tag : God's Army Ministries interfaith music niggun rabbi rabbi's journal shabbat by the sea wordless
July 30, 2014 By bethmordecai no comments.
This is the second of a 3 part journal series previewing different aspects of this Friday night's special Shabbat by the Sea -- Family and Community Edition. The theme for this journal is: partnership
Dear Hevreh,
In one of my journal entries from nearly nine months ago, I used the story of creation in which God created a partner for Adam to show that, according to the wisdom of our tradition, "the only way for humanity to fully enjoy and take advantage of all the potential imbued in creation is when we have partners to work with us because it's not fun to do things alone." This is a teaching that we've applied to much of our programming at Beth Mordecai[...]
Category : Ari-archive Tag : community God's Army Ministries partnership perth amboy rabbi rabbi's journal shabbat by the sea ymca