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 19, 2019 By Beth Mordecai no comments.
Rabbi Jonathan Sacks writes a weekly commentary on the Torah portion. This week he writes about the power of stories in our communal memory. I hope you will find this piece as moving as I did. Shabbat Shalom, Rabbi Metz _____________ Howard Gardner, professor of education and psychology at Harvard University, is one of the great minds of our time. He is best known for his theory of “multiple intelligences,” the idea that there is not one thing that can be measured and defined as intelligence but many different things – one dimension of the dignity of difference. He has also written many books on leadership and creativity, including one in particular, Leading Minds, that is important in understanding this week’s parsha. Gardner’s argument is that[...]
Category : Rabbi Rabbi's Journal Shabbat
September 12, 2019 By Beth Mordecai no comments.
Some weeks are so busy; it can be hard to find time to breathe. There may be so much going on it is difficult to give complete focus to any task. Our parsha this week, Ki Teitzei, contains 74 mitzvot, or commandments. One of these commandments is a curious law: “When you build a house, you shall make a parapet for your roof so that you do not bring bloodguilt on your house if anyone should fall from it.” (Deut. 22:8). This law is designed to protect the owner, the family, and visitors to the roof. In the Ancient Near East, the roof was a place to socialize, dry flax, and sleep using nature’s air conditioning on hot summer nights. People were[...]
Category : Rabbi Rabbi's Journal Shabbat
September 6, 2019 By Beth Mordecai no comments.
This week I read this incredible piece by Rabbi Nicole Guzik and feel this message to be deeply relevant and important. Please enjoy these words of Torah and share your thoughts with me. Shabbat Shalom - Rabbi Metz ****** In our recent visit to the beach, our children lamented that we had just one boogie board to share among the three kids. Such problems…I realize the sheltered lives they live. Overhearing our silly conversation was a homeless man, smiling while watching my bickering children. He looked at me and said, “I have an extra boogie board. Take it.” And before I knew it, he wrapped the board’s cord in my hand and smiled an even larger grin. I said, “Can[...]
Category : Rabbi's Journal Shabbat Torah Teachings
August 30, 2019 By Beth Mordecai no comments.
This Friday night is Rosh Chodesh, the holiday of the new month, celebrated at the beginning of each Hebrew month. Friday night marks the beginning of the Hebrew month of Elul, the last and final month of our calendar before Rosh HaShannah, our new year. It is traditional to sound the Shofar every day during services in Elul to wake up our souls. The shofar calls to alert us to the need to make the changes in our lives that we so desperately know we need to make. During this time of year, we engage in what is known as a “Cheshbon haNefesh,” an accounting of our souls, to help us identify the actions, and behaviors, and attitudes that we want[...]
Category : Rabbi Rabbi's Journal Shabbat
August 8, 2019 By Beth Mordecai no comments.
Looking at history is the major theme of this week’s Torah portion, Devarim, the first portion in the book of Deuteronomy. The book of Deuteronomy opens with Moses and reviewing the history of the Israelites’ 40 years of wandering. He shared memories of the spies who spoke out against the land, and of the punishment that followed – 40 years of wandering until the old generation died off. He recounted the sins of the people and the hope that they would now be worthy to enter the land. Just as Moses reviewed the history of his people to that moment, we do as well. As we study our history, we understand that there are two ways to view our history. We can[...]
Category : Rabbi Rabbi's Journal Shabbat
August 2, 2019 By Beth Mordecai no comments.
While studying the double Torah portion for the week, Mattot - Massei, I read a commentary by one of my teachers, Rabbi Bradley Artson. His words were especially relevant and interesting to me. So much so, I wanted to share them with you. Shabbat Shalom, Rabbi Metz *** In this week’s Torah portion, the Torah addresses the issue of unintentional manslaughter. What is the appropriate penalty for someone who kills someone else unintentionally? Should there be any penalty at all? Our portion discusses the establishment of six Cities of Refuge. Anyone who unintentionally killed another person was permitted to flee to these cities. Once within their walls, the man-slayer was protected by law against any revenge or additional punishment. In this way, the Torah balanced the need to[...]
Category : Rabbi Rabbi's Journal Shabbat
August 1, 2019 By Beth Mordecai no comments.
Saturday, August 9, at 6:30 p.m. in the gazebo at Bayview Park
Kabbalat Shabbat Service, with
Chinese Food Shabbat dinner to follow at Beth Mordecai.
RSVP to Rabbi.SaraMetz@gmailcom (more…)
Category : Events home Services Shabbat Shabbat By The Sea
July 30, 2019 By Beth Mordecai no comments.
As a rabbi and Jewish person, I support and love Israel. Israel is our second home and the Jewish homeland. I want Israel to live up to its own highest ideals and to continue to be a light among the nations. This week an important bipartisan resolution, was passed by the US House of Representatives on an overwhelming vote of 398-17. This puts the House on record opposing the Boycott, Divest and Sanctions movement and its efforts to target U.S. companies that do business with Israel. I hope for a future when these kinds of resolutions will be unnecessary. Join Beth Mordecai for the High Holidays when I will be speaking about the Jewish people's complicated and loving relationship with Israel. Please read the[...]
Category : American Jewish News Israeli News Rabbi Rabbi's Journal Shabbat
July 19, 2019 By Beth Mordecai no comments.
This week, the Torah portion contains a bizarre story about a sorcerer who tries to curse the Israelites. Afraid of the approaching Israelites, Balak, King Balak of Moab retains the sorcerer Balaam to curse them. Balaam consults with God and is told not to go. But after King Balak sends a more impressive delegation, Balaam asks again, and God relents; he can go, but he must do whatever God commands. Balaam tries to curse the Israelites but is unable. King Balak is frustrated as his hired sorcerer is doing the exact opposite of his wishes. Balaam is only doing what he is able, that which God allows. In Numbers 23:27, Balak said to Balaam, “Come now, I will take you to a different place. Perhaps[...]
Category : Rabbi Rabbi's Journal Shabbat
July 11, 2019 By Beth Mordecai no comments.
The Israelites find themselves without water after Miriam’s death. A Midrash tells us that a well appeared whenever the Israelites camped because of Miriam’ merit. The well’s existence ceased at Miriam’s death. The people become thirsty and start to complain…again. The people lament: Why did you make us leave Egypt to bring us to this wretched place, a place with no grain, or figs, or grapes or pomegranates? There is not even water to drink! Numbers 20:2 Moses responds by going with his brother, Aaron into the tent of meeting to approach God. They are then told to assemble the entire community around a rock. There, they are to take a staff and order the rock to produce water. The stone will then produce enough water for all[...]
Category : Rabbi Rabbi's Journal Shabbat