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!
December 6, 2018 By Beth Mordecai no comments.
This is from a reflection was written by my colleague, Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg. I would like to share it with you and please share your reactions and thoughts with me at Rabbi.SaraMetz@gmail.com.
People keep asking me about that New York Times article where a person is shocked to discover the fact that the war Hanukah commemorates is, a war, full of pain and trauma and atrocity, that it's not like a child's picture-book...The war through which we celebrate Hanukah was, in part, intra-Jewish, in which zealous traditionalists attacked and killed more assimilationist Hellenized Jews--WHILE FIGHTING THE SELUCID ARMY TO GAIN THEIR FREEDOM.
The catalyst for the violent revolution was the reigning Syrian Greek king, Antiochus IV, who demanded that Jews worship false[...]
Category : Hanukkah History Holidays Rabbi Rabbi's Journal
April 27, 2016 By bethmordecai no comments.
The setup of our Seder last night. The calm before the storm (lol)
- Scott Gursky
Dear Hevreh,
Our tables are set with an expected order. Forks on the left with the salad fork on the outside; dishes stacked to reflect the order in which we will eat; and the wine and water glasses neatly arranged for ease of use and aesthetic value. An immaculately set table is abeautiful sight to behold but it's orderly beauty is set in contradistinction the wonderful chaos and life of a meal. Spilled drinks, table banging, loud children noises, interrupted conversations, and bellowing laughter make meals -- especially large Seder meals -- an incredibly messy, but beautiful, experience to have.[...]
Category : Holidays home Passover Rabbi Rabbi's Journal Tag : Adam and Eve chaos control Creation God holidays Illusion Noah's Ark Order passover rabbi Rabbi Shuli Passow rabbi's journal reality seder Sodom and Gomorrah Tower of Babel
April 21, 2016 By bethmordecai no comments.
According to Jewish law, one must not own any piece of hametz for the duration of Passover. As such you are able to appoint Rabbi Saks to sell all of your hametz (including food and dishes) to be possessed by a non-Jewish buyer for the duration of Passover.
All hametz materials do NOT have to leave the home during Passover. They simply must be covered and placed out of sight. The non-Jewish buyer has the "right" (though never exercised) to come and take the hametz away during the holiday, which is why you'll need to supply your address to Rabbi Saks if you decide to sell your hametz.
Once Passover is over, the non-Jewish buyer will sell the hametz back to Rabbi Saks so all who appointed him as their seller can partake[...]
Category : Holidays Passover Tag : chametz hametz passover sell hametz
April 15, 2016 By bethmordecai no comments.
Community Passover Seder
Saturday, April 23, 6 pm
Explore the joy and intrigue of Passover with this wonderful communal celebration of the timeless Seder ritual.
Adults are still only $39, under 18 is $19, 12 and under is FREE.
Contact Elliot Rubin at officebethmordecai@gmail.com OR 732-442-1373 for more details...
Category : Holiday Events Holidays Passover What's Been Happening at Beth Mordecai Tag : Holiday Holiday Events passover Passover Seder seder what's been happening at Beth Mordecai
March 23, 2016 By bethmordecai no comments.
Tonight (Wednesday, March 23) at 7:30 pm
Congregation Beth Mordecai
224 High Street, Perth Amboy NJ 08861
An enjoyable and whimsical reading of the megillah, with lots of opportunities for singing and mockery. A delicious Hamantaschen Bake-off to follow! To register for the bake-off, contact Sharon Bender at (sharon.bender@outlook.com)
Remember to wear a funny hat to the reading!!!!!
Category : Holiday Events Holidays home Purim Tag : events hamantaschen Megillah purim
December 24, 2015 By bethmordecai no comments.
(12/24/15),
Reflection on tonight's Chinese Dinner & A Movie event...
Dear Hevreh,
A brief search of Facebook events reveals the extent to which the custom (minhag) of Chinese Dinner and a Movie on Christmas seems as powerful as any biblical or rabbinic law (halakhah). This should not be surprising. Whether it's eating bagels and lox on weekends, placing rocks on gravestones, or arguing over the check, Jewish customs are extremely potent markers of Jewish practice and identity. The rabbis knew this. Even in a system whereby laws (halakhot) were authoritative because of the weight of biblical precedent or rabbinic decree, customs held great sway because they were created and maintained by the people (amkha). In some instances, customs were so deliciously[...]
Category : Holidays Rabbi Rabbi's Journal Tag : chinese dinner custom halakhah Halakhic Process holidays Joel Roth law minhag movie rabbi rabbi's journal
December 16, 2015 By bethmordecai no comments.
Check out all of our great Hanukkah celebrations -- in our homes, in our shul, and in our community -- through this entertaining video montage. Share with your friends and family to let them know all of the great things we are doing at Beth Mordecai!
Category : Hanukkah Holidays home Social Media videos-archive Tag : #VirtualHanukkah hanukkah social media video
December 3, 2015 By bethmordecai no comments.
Reflections on thoughts leading to Sunday's Hanukkah Party (see below after the text)
אך עיקר הנס היה בחנוכה מה שניצחו החשמונאים במתי מספר את היונים שהיו מולכים בכל העולם והיו עם רב. אבל הנס שהיה בשמן היה רק מצד ה' יתברך שהיה חביבה לפניו הדלקה זו. שישרארל מצידם כיון שטימאו כל השנים וללא היה להם שמן היו פטורים ממצות הדלק המנורה; דאונס רחמנא פטריה. וכל שכן שלא היו מחויבים למסור נפשם בעד מצוה זו. רק שהראה ה' יתברך אז שחביבה הדלקת המנורה לפניו והמציא לפניהם בנס שמן להדלקת הנרות.
- רב צדוק הכוהן מלובלין -- פרי צדק בראשית לחנוכה
The essential miracle of Hanukkah was the Maccabees, with only a small number, defeating the Greeks who controlled the world[...]
Category : Hanukkah Holidays Rabbi Rabbi's Journal Tag : rabbi rabbi's journal
September 27, 2015 By bethmordecai no comments.
KOL NIDRE SERMON - Listen to Rabbi Saks' Kol Nidre Sermon on "the Value of Saying I'm Sorry." Batter up!
[video mp4="http://bethmordecai.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Kol-Nidre-Sermon.mp4"][/video]
Category : Faith Holidays videos-archive Yom Kippur
July 15, 2015 By bethmordecai no comments.
(7/15/15),
62 days. That's how long it is until we gather together in our beautiful sanctuary to ring in another Jewish New Year (!). I don't know about you, but 62 days feels far off and just around the corner at the same time. Yesterday, I spent some quality time in the library at the Jewish Theological Seminary to prepare material for the holidays and to turn my mind towards the themes of repentance, forgiveness, and self-renewal. Perhaps its because it felt so blistering hot outside, but it was hard to imagine that I was preparing for an event at the end of the summer. Could the words I was reading about a holiday still over two months away resonate with[...]
Category : Holidays Rabbi Rabbi's Journal Rosh Hashanah Yom Kippur Tag : high holidays holidays planning rabbi rabbi's journal Rosh Hashanah Script volunteers Yom Kippur