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!
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
May 13, 2014 By bethmordecai no comments.
Cliffnotes: Join me for a special Ask the Rabbi at 12 pm on Thursday at the food court of Menlo Park Mall to discuss JStreet
Dear Hevreh,
I try as best as I can to schedule my day according to the different roles I want to play in life, including community builder, spiritual leader, father, husband, pastor, and some others. Though following a schedule based on these roles is often aspirational, it helps me remember my own personal mission and the goals and the values that are most important to that mission. One of these roles is to be "an American," which means I try to spend time working on projects that connect my own mission to the values of pursuing freedom[...]
Category : Rabbi Rabbi's Journal Tag : america ask the rabbi conference of presidents of american jewish organizations israel j-street jstreet rabbi rabbi's journal
May 11, 2014 By bethmordecai no comments.
Dear Hevreh,
I just want to take a brief moment to wish all of the mothers in our community and beyond a happy mother's day (especially to all of the first time mothers)! You deserve all of the gifts and accolades that come on this special day, a day that reminds us to make our mothers happy every day!
In thinking about the gift of mothers, I recorded this message for today's counting of the Omer with a special shout out to all mothers. I hope you enjoy!
Kol Tuv,
Rabbi Ari Saks
Category : Rabbi Rabbi's Journal Tag : mother's day omer rabbi rabbi's journal
May 2, 2014 By bethmordecai no comments.
Dear Hevreh, Some issues affect you more than others... Personally, there have been moments when a particular issue -- whether in our community or in our greater culture -- stir up intense feelings within me, and I feel compelled to speak out on them. This past week, I have been riveted by the story concerning Donald Sterling's comments to his girlfriend about black people and the subsequent reactions to those comments. Perhaps it is because I am fascinated by how Judaism is portrayed in the larger culture or perhaps it is because of my love of sports (I thought about going into sports journalism before becoming a rabbi), but I I felt I had to respond in two separate ways. The first was[...]
Category : Rabbi Rabbi's Journal Tag : bigotry bulletin donald sterling rabbi rabbi's journal state of formation
April 17, 2014 By bethmordecai no comments.
(4/17/14)
Human beings love to count. Whether we are counting sheep in our sleep or attendees at services, there is something built into our DNA that enjoys the act of counting. It soothes us and it gives us a sense of accomplishment, especially when we reach a desired number at the end of our counting. Yet, Judaism teaches us that while counting is an inevitable part of life, we must also be wary of the dangers of putting too much stock in numbers.
As the Magen Avraham, a 17th century Polish commentator on the Shulkhan Arukh, writes in one of his long comments on Orah Hayyim (156:2), it is forbidden to count Jews:
אסור למנות ישראל אפילו אינו מכוון למנות רק להטיל גורל אפילו[...]
Category : Omer Rabbi Rabbi's Journal Tag : 1 Samuel 11:8 1 Samuel 15:4 counting counting Jews Judges 1:5 magen avraham minyan omer passover rabbi rabbi's journal shavuot spiritual journey Yoma
April 14, 2014 By bethmordecai no comments.
Dear Hevreh,
Every year, Passover affords us an opportunity to remember to not take our freedom for granted, as individuals and especially as Jews. No matter how starkly the haggadah teaches us that our freedom is precious, that if it wasn't for the exodus we "would still be slaves in Egypt," our day-to-day life in a country in which Jews are freer than ever before can make this entreaty by the rabbis sound little hollow.
That is until moments like yesterday.
With gunshots sounding at the JCC and a Jewish retirement home in Kansas City, so too does the warning of the rabbis embedded in the teachings of the haggadah: remember that you were slaves in Egypt because if you're not careful it could happen again. Throughout[...]
Category : American Jewish News Passover Rabbi Rabbi's Journal Tag : american jewish news anti-semitism JCC Kansas City passover rabbi rabbi's journal
April 13, 2014 By bethmordecai no comments.
Dear Hevreh,
For anyone who has stepped foot in our sanctuary, you know how it was built to showcase music that would lift up your soul to reach the highest reaches of heaven. While we aren't able to replicate the frequency in which this feat was accomplished in the past, it is moving to have a taste of that kind of spiritual experience when we are able to on occasion.
Over the past year and a half we have actively sought out to bring that kind of music back into our sanctuary through our Cantor Showcase program. In partnering with the Cantorial School of the Jewish Theological Seminary we have had the pleasure of welcoming three outstanding cantorial students to grace our sanctuary with[...]
Category : Cantorial Showcase Rabbi Rabbi's Journal Tag : Cantor Rachel Brook Cantorial Showcase Jewish Theological Seminary rabbi rabbi's journal
April 10, 2014 By bethmordecai no comments.
Dear Hevreh,
As I've often mentioned, we must continually seek to refresh our rituals with creativeinnovation so that they remain relevant for the current generation of Jews. One of the ways in which we've incorporated some of that innovation is in re-imagining the ways to observe and uphold the values of the second days of the holidays. For instance...
we revamped the second day Rosh Hashanah service to be a unique mixture of singing, discussion, meditation, and tradition organized around a particular theme and not lasting longer than two hours.
we drove to the homes of members in the congregation in order to help them fulfill the mitzvah of waving lulav and etrog
we celebrated the stories of our unique Torah at a Rabbi's Tisch[...]
Category : Passover Rabbi Rabbi's Journal Tag : creativity driving innovation omer online yizkor passover rabbi rabbi's journal