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!
June 3, 2014 By bethmordecai no comments.
Dear Hevreh,
During this past Shabbat and Annual Meeting, I shared my philosophy of Unique Torah -- how the Unique Stories of our lives can turn into the teachings of our Unique Torah when we share it and connect it so something greater than ourselves. This philosophy is not only predicated on expanding the definition of "Torah" from the Torah read on the bimah to the Torah (i.e. teachings) we learn from our relationships and our personal experiences of life, but also to seeing this expanded definition of Torah as having the potential to be exalted, godly, and divine, as if it was also revealed by God at Mt. Sinai.
As such, our celebration of Shavuot, in which we recall how[...]
Category : Rabbi Rabbi's Journal Shavuot Tag : mt. sinai rabbi rabbi's journal torah unique stories unique torah
By bethmordecai no comments.
*Sermon for Friday night of "Cantor Showcase of Unique Torah" (Shabbat prior to Shavuot) – May 30, 2014
Our Unique and Godly Torah
Rabbi Ari Saks
Some of you may remember a story my father told during my installation on this same bimah over a year and a half ago. I was a little boy in Benton Harbor and my father and I had just come back from shul on Simhat Torah. As we approached home I started making a frantic pointing motion in a not-so-specific direction (with the requisite grunting of a child). So my father, in attempting to respond my neediness, took me on a walk trying to follow my random pointing. Eventually we ended up back at shul where my pointing got[...]
Category : Bulletin Articles Cantorial Showcase Holidays home Rabbi Sermons Shabbat Shavuot Tag : bulletin articles Cantorial Showcase godly holidays neil gillman norman lamm pirkei avot potential rabbeinu yonah rabbi revelation sermons shabbat shavuot unique torah
May 30, 2014 By bethmordecai no comments.
Dear Hevreh,
Each of us has a journey, a path that takes us from one place to another but, like the Israelites through the desert, that path is often more circuitous than straight. Why? Why can't our journeys be straight and direct? Perhaps because though circuitous every stop is purposeful, full of meaning. The people we meet, the places we visit, the food we eat, every experience of life has something to teach us so that at the end of that convulated journey we become the people we are meant to be. And when we see make meaning of each of those experiences, when we tie our Unique Stories into the greater meaning of life -- God, Judaism, eternity, faith --[...]
Category : Cantorial Showcase Rabbi Rabbi's Journal Tag : Cantorial Showcase history Jewish scientists jose lopez journey pictures rabbi rabbi's journal story unique stories unique torah
May 28, 2014 By bethmordecai no comments.
(5/28/14) Torah is more than just the stories of our ancestors or the stories of our tradition. Torah is made up of the stories of our lives. Each day we wake up and add another verse, hoping that the story we are creating has lasting value and impact. One of the ways to make our stories have lasting value is to connect them and see them in the context of the values and teachings within the eternal Torah of our people. That's the intersection comprising our Unique Torah, where the Torah of our lives meets with the Torah of our tradition to become a Lasting Teaching, a teaching that emanates from our hearts and resonates throughout history. On Friday Night, we will have an[...]
Category : Cantorial Showcase Rabbi Rabbi's Journal Tag : billy joel Cantorial Showcase hashkivenu lives rabbi rabbi's journal songs tradition unique torah השכיבנו
May 27, 2014 By bethmordecai no comments.
Dear Hevreh,
Last week I talked about how the growth of our community can be seen in our ability to run multiple programs during the weekend. This weekend provides another opportunity for us to display that growth with our Cantor Showcase (Friday 8 pm), Scholar-In-Residence (Saturday 11 am) and Annual Congregational Meeting (Sunday 10 am).
But why should you come out to these events? What's their value to you as an individual and to us as a community?
Over the course of the week I will be sharing individual journal entries about each of these particular programs and events to explain how they represent some of the most exciting and important values of our community. But in the meantime,[...]
Category : Adult Education Cantorial Showcase Rabbi Rabbi's Journal Tag : adult education apple Cantorial Showcase community rabbi rabbi's journal scholar in residence unique torah value your verse
May 26, 2014 By bethmordecai no comments.
Dear Hevreh,
As I was preparing to sit down to write these words, I came across an email from the National Jewish Outreach Program (NJOP) sharing the story of Jewish American soldier, Sergeant David Rosenkrantz, who was killed in World War II. I read his story after watching President Obama share the stories of children, spouses, and parents who also made the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of their nation. These stories, while powerful and moving, also left an indelible impression that the purpose of Memorial Day is not to rally our country behind the shared ideals that are worth protecting and make us all American, but to honor the individuals and the families who actually protect America, thus[...]
Category : Rabbi Rabbi's Journal Tag : america Memorial Day parashah discussion patriotism rabbi rabbi's journal sacrifice
May 23, 2014 By bethmordecai no comments.
Dear Hevreh, Every Shabbat we gather together to sing the joys of life, to share the moments the matter, to offer our prayers on behalf of those who are ill, and to recall the memory of our loved ones. In short, every Shabbat we have an opportunity to appreciate all that is contained within life. Some weeks we are more joyous, some weeks we are more sad, but all weeks are necessary parts of the fabric of life. So whether you are sad, happy, concerned, excited, curious, upset, or all of the emotions in between, join us this Shabbat, at 8 pm tonight and 10 am tomorrow to share these important feelings of life together. Shabbat Shalom, Rabbi Ari Saks P.S. For those[...]
Category : Rabbi Rabbi's Journal Shabbat Tag : joy life rabbi rabbi's journal sadness shabbat
May 20, 2014 By bethmordecai no comments.
Dear Hevreh,
One of the signs of a growing and thriving community is the ability to run multiple (successful) events on the same weekend. Nowhere was this on display better than during the Homecoming Weekend when we had wonderful Friday night and Saturday morning services, a memorable Saturday evening cruise, and a fascinating Sunday brunch (with prior Megillah reading). All of these events were well attended, helped develop bonds among members (and alumni), and showed that we have the requisite size and energy to spend entire weekends together.
But, you might say, that was a special weekend with many months of planning. Can that happen the rest of the year?
If this past weekend was any indication, yes it can. Whether it was[...]
Category : Rabbi Rabbi's Journal Tag : growth homecoming weekend Louise Siegel Philadelphia Picnic rabbi rabbi's journal Sherry Weber trip weekends
May 16, 2014 By bethmordecai no comments.
Dear Hevreh,
When it comes to relationships, it is often easier to not "rock the boat," perhaps because of our worry of the potential consequence of causing a rift within our relationships by engaging in difficult conversations. Yet not engaging with those difficult issues at all can lead to resentment, mistrust, and separation that limits the closeness we feel with one another, which is why when we engage in these issues in a thoughtful and appropriate manner we build the trust needed to know that at the end of the day, we can move on from any disagreements that linger so that we can continue to be in relationship with one another.
The same can be said of a community which is built[...]
Category : Rabbi Rabbi's Journal Tag : conversations israel jstreet obligation rabbi rabbi's journal shabbat unique torah women
May 14, 2014 By bethmordecai no comments.
Dear Hevreh,
"Investors bet on people, not on business plans, because they know successful people will find a way to be successful."
- Ed Nicoll, self-made multi-millionaire
Dear Hevreh,
What makes a successful community? It's not the programs we run or the funds we raise, it's the people who participate and see the activities of the community as an extension of their own stories and their personal desires, values, and ambitions that make up their Unique Torah. People won't invest or participate because of the program, they will invest and participate because of the people behind the program.
There are so many wonderful people, caring people, honest and hardworking people who are invested deeply in our community. As we seek to grow our community,[...]
Category : Rabbi Rabbi's Journal Tag : annual congregnational meeting community building leadership people programs rabbi rabbi's journal unique torah