‘Rabbi’s Journal’ Category

Rabbi’s Journal

June 24, 2014
By bethmordecai
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DAY 724: Building the Foundation for Success

(6/24/14), When I started in my role as rabbi of Beth Mordecai there was a lot I didn't know. I didn't know much about board meetings, I didn't know what it would be like to run a High Holiday service with a cantor, I didn't know how my ideas would be received by the community. Nearly two years and much experience later, I have a better handle on some of these questions though more often than not an answer to one question leads to seeking answers for many more questions. There is one question though of which the answer has evaded me since I started -- how can I successfully set up and maintain all of the tools in my possession and[...]

Category : Rabbi Rabbi's Journal
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Rabbi’s Journal

June 20, 2014
By bethmordecai
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DAY 720: The Facebooked Klal Yisrael

*Note: This message is longer than usual Dear Hevreh, I do not think Facebook is a great source for news. Not only is it hard to find posts posted not less than a week ago, but more importantly the posts I am able to read is not a representative sample of the news that's available for me to read. On one level this is my fault because though I may try, my circle of friends and colleagues is not broad enough to include all of the viewpoints I might need to hear. (That being said, is it realistic to work at being "Facebook friends" with complete strangers just to broaden my news feed? I know that the term "friend" is used loosely[...]

Category : Israeli News Rabbi Rabbi's Journal Social Media
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Rabbi’s Journal

June 18, 2014
By bethmordecai
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DAY 718: Sometimes The Stories Find You

Dear Hevreh, Last week I was sitting at a table in the Menlo Park Mall for my weekly open "Ask the Rabbi" when I received a phone call from John*, a local resident who has come to me in the past for help with homelessness. Here is a not-so-exact version of our conversation: Me: "Hi, John" John: "Rabbi, are you at the mall?" Me (a little surprised): "Um, yea." John: "In the food court?" Me: "Yes" John: "Where? I don't see you?" Me (turning around and seeing him): "Look behind you." It turns out that John and some of his friends his saw the advertisement for "Ask the Rabbi" in the local paper and thought that instead of only coming to my door to ask for help in a crisis,[...]

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Rabbi’s Journal

June 6, 2014
By bethmordecai
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DAY 706: Busying Ourselves With Torah

Dear Hevreh, As we come out of a holiday full of meaningful Torah learning, I am reminded that no matter how enjoyable, how meaningful, or how special Torah learning can be it is not always easy to find the time to continue our learning. The blessing we are supposed to recite before learning Torah -- Barukh Attah Adonai Eloheinu Melekh Ha-Olam Asher Kid'shanu B'mitzvotav V'tzivanu La-asok B'divrei Torah (Blessed Are You God King of the Universe Who Has Sanctified Us with Your Commandments and Commanded Us To Busy Ourselves With the Words of Torah) -- teaches us that like any business or occupation, Torah learning needs our time and effort. Yet, how often do we actually busy ourselves with Torah? If we're[...]

Category : Bar and Bat Mitzvah Bar Mitzvah Rabbi Rabbi's Journal Shabbat Shavuot
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Rabbi’s Journal

June 3, 2014
By bethmordecai
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DAY 703: Revealing God’s Torah — Celebrating Shavuot

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
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Rabbi’s Journal

May 30, 2014
By bethmordecai
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DAY 699: Scholar In Residence — The Journey To Discover Your Unique Torah

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
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Rabbi’s Journal

May 28, 2014
By bethmordecai
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DAY 697: Cantor Showcase — The Unique Intersection of Our Lives and Our Tradition

(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
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Rabbi’s Journal

May 27, 2014
By bethmordecai
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DAY 696: Previewing our Weekend of Unique Torah

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
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Rabbi’s Journal

May 26, 2014
By bethmordecai
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DAY 695: Some Memorial Day Thoughts — Uniquely American Together

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[...]

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Rabbi’s Journal

May 23, 2014
By bethmordecai
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DAY 692: A Shabbat of Life

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 Shabbatat 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
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