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 6, 2015 By bethmordecai no comments.
(5/6/15),
One important takeaway I took from last week's Adult Ed lecture on Judaism and Islam is that there is good and there is bad in almost all relationships, especially in ones that span continents and centuries. Speaking in hyperbole, whether good or bad, is often unproductive because we lose the nuance -- the ability to hold multiple and perhaps conflicting truths together -- necessary for open and honest conversations about the future. If we close ourselves to only one worldview we won't be aware that...
The deceased former king of Saudi Arabia decided to break from Wahhabism and devote himself to interfaith dialogue...
The leaders of the Palestinians still won't recognize Israel even in closed door meetings...
A relatively unknown country[...]
Category : Adult Education Rabbi Rabbi's Journal Tag : adult education Burton Visotzky christianity conversation dialogue ignorance islam israel judaism nuance palestinians qatar rabbi rabbi's journal saudi arabia Understanding
April 27, 2015 By bethmordecai no comments.
Dear Hevreh,
One reason I love Hebrew is because its words can have very different, if not opposing, meanings. One example is the term "lev" (לב) which is often translated as "heart" in verses like Deuteronomy 6:5 ("You shall love your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might"). But as some scholars explain, the term "lev" should not be translated as heart but rather as "mind" or "consciousness." For instance, Proverbs 14:10 is often translated as "the heart ("lev") knows its own bitterness." But how can the heart -- the seat of emotion and passion -- be self aware enough to understand itself? Rather, it makes more sense to understand[...]
Category : Ari-archive Tag : adult education Burton Visotzky heart Jewish-Muslim Lev Mind rabbi rabbi's journal shabbat by the sea
April 23, 2015 By bethmordecai no comments.
Dear Hevreh,
Whether in shul or in the news, there's been a lot of talk and conversation about the antisemitism facing Jews in Europe and the challenges Israel faces in defending itself. As well, there are fears of growing anti-Israel sentiment in America, especially on college campuses, and how those sentiments are the expression of the "new" antisemitism. Underlying all of these fears, either at home or abroad are two (similar) questions that inform the way we approach these real challenges facing the Jewish community:
Can Jews and Muslims get along?
Can Judaism and Islam coexist side by side?
For many who say NO, they point to the practices of ISIS and the statements of Hamas and Khameini shouting Death to Israel, as if[...]
Category : Adult Education Jewish Current Events Rabbi Rabbi's Journal Tag : adult education Burton Visotzky Jewish-Muslim rabbi rabbi's journal