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!
January 31, 2015 By bethmordecai no comments.
Parashat B'shalah 2014/5774 (Triennial II): Why Am I in the Middle?
At the end and the beginning of the triennial section of this week's Torah portion (Exodus 14:15 and Exodus 16:8), Moses finds himself standing between a complaining people and an impatient God. At first, Moses tries to intercede but later on he tries to get out of the way. Why the shift? What is different now about the relationships among God, Moses, and the Israelites that leads Moses to no longer want to be the middle man? And perhaps investigating this question will help us understand what to do when we are caught in the middle.
Join us for this interesting conversation on being caught in the middle.
Category : Online Learning Online Parashah Class Tag : b'shalah beshallach caught God intermediary Israelite people middle moses online parsha class online parshah class parsha parshat relationship torah weekly torah portion בשלח
November 14, 2014 By bethmordecai no comments.
Parashat Hayyei Sarah 2014/5775 (Triennial II) -- Shalshelet: Making God's Presence Present
One of the most unique "trope" (cantillation) marks in the Torah is the "Shalshelet" -- a squiggly line that looks like a thunder bolt. This trope mark only appears four times in the Torah (seven times in the Bible), including in this week's Torah portion (Genesis 24:12). What is so unique about the Shalshelet and what is it trying to teach us?
Join us for this fascinating class as we see how the Shalshelet helps us understand the nature of God's presence in the world.
Photo taken from http://arts.brighton.ac.uk/stibbe-handbook-of-sustainability/additional-chapters/critical-and-reflective-thinking
Category : Online Learning Online Parashah Class Tag : chayei sarah God hayyei sarah presence shalshelet torah Trope
November 11, 2014 By bethmordecai no comments.
(11/11/14),
"The conventions of a number of the States having at the time of their adopting the Constitution, expressed a desire, in order to prevent misconstruction or abuse of its powers, that further declarator and restrictive clauses should be added: And as extending the ground of public confidence in the Government, will best ensure the beneficient ends of its institution"
- Preamble to the Bill of Rights (1789)
Dear Hevreh,
Today we celebrate Veterans' Day, a day in which we recall the sacrifices made (and to be made) by the men and women of our armed services to guard our nation and protect our freedoms. It has often struck me how the language we use in describing our armed services in America (like in[...]
Category : American Jewish News Perth Amboy News Rabbi Rabbi's Journal Tag : america american jewish news Bill of Rights Constitution constriction egypt freedom God kabbalah military mysticism perth amboy perth amboy news power rabbi rabbi's journal Syria tzimtzum
November 6, 2014 By bethmordecai no comments.
Parashat Lekh L'kha 2014/5775 (Triennial II): God Has to Show Up (The Covenant Between the Pieces) In this week's parashah, we learn of the "covenant between the pieces" in which "a smoking oven" and "flaming torch" appear between divided pieces of sacrifices made by Abraham (Genesis 15:17). In the imaginations of the rabbis this is a representation of God as if to say that God appears before Abraham (in his dream) to make a covenant with him. What is unique about this appearance of God? What can it teach us about how God is supposed to appear in our lives and the nature of our relationship with God? Classes from other years: Online Learning Online Parashah Class Tag : covenant God land online parashah class promise relationship weekly torah portion
October 24, 2014 By bethmordecai no comments.
Parashat Noah Triennial II (2014/5775) -- God's Heart
In this week's Torah portion, God uses a flood to destroy all living beings except for Noah and all of the creatures stowed safely in his ark. Afterwards God resolves to never again destroy humanity through a flood, but God's decision only comes about after "God spoke to God's heart" (Genesis 8:21). Is it possible for God to physically have a heart? If so (or even if it's a metaphor) what is significant about God speaking to God's heart and can it teach human beings something about our own hearts?
Join us for this fascinating class as we learn about God's heart and the gift of our[...]
Category : Online Learning Online Parashah Class Tag : acceptance destruction God God's love endures forever heart humanity Noah online learning online parashah class physical rainbow sacrifices נח
October 5, 2014 By bethmordecai no comments.
Forgetting Justice for the Sake of Forgiveness
Kol Nidre 5775 – October 3, 2014*
Rabbi Ari Saks
Congregation Beth Mordecai
There is a famous midrash (Masekhet Rosh Hashanah, 17b) in which Moses is standing atop Mt. Sinai about to greet God for the very first time. When God arrives, Moses does not see God’s face but rather a figure wrapped in a beautiful Tallit. God then brings Moses into God’s Tallit and declares: “Moses. I will show you how to lead the people of Israel in prayer.” And as God teaches Moses how to lead the Israelites in prayer, God also teaches him a secret. “Moses, whenever Israel sins, let them recite the following words before Me, and I will forgive them.” And then[...]
Category : Israeli News Jewish Current Events Rabbi Sermons Yom Kippur Tag : 13 attributes accuracy Ali Abu Awwad arguing compassion forgiveness God hearing high holidays israel israeli-palestinian conflict justice lie Listening mercy Palestine rabbi Rabbi Brad Hirschfield Rabbi Hanan Schlesinger right righteousness sermons Seven (7) Habits of Highly Effective People Stephen Covey understand Understanding undrstood Yom Kippur You Don't Have to be Wrong for Me to be Right
August 12, 2014 By bethmordecai no comments.
Dear Hevreh,
Many of you have heard the tragic news of the untimely death of Robin Williams, a brilliant actor and comedian whose performances have entertained millions of people. I have especially fond memories from my youth of some of his most memorable performances, including Aladdin, Mrs. Doubtfire, Jumanji, and Hook. He's one of the first performers I remember truly admiring. Yet his untimely and all-too-early death remind us that just because someone may be able to show great enthusiasm and joy on screen doesn't mean that it inherently translates to how someone may feel on the inside.
There is a teaching in the Book of D'varim (Deuteronomy) that speaks to me in this moment:
(הנסתרות לה' אלקינו והנגלות לנו ולבנינו עד[...]
Category : Rabbi Rabbi's Journal Tag : death Deuteronomy 29:28 God hidden hope rabbi rabbi's journal revealed Robin Williams
August 1, 2014 By bethmordecai no comments.
Parashat D’varim 2014/5774 (Triennial 1): “Many Hands Make Light Work”:The Importance and Challenge of Delegating
In any position of leadership, it is important to be skillful in delegating authority. In this week’s Torah portion as we begin the book of Deuteronomy, Moses recounts how he “cannot bear the burden [of the people of Israel] himself” (Deuteronomy 1:9) and how he set out to delegate responsibility to other chiefs of Israel. This is not the first time that the Torah recounts Moses’ attempt to delegate responsibility (Exodus 18:13-27 and Numbers 11:11-15). How are these accounts similar to or different from each other? What do each of them uniquely teach[...]
Category : Online Learning Online Parashah Class Tag : d'varim delegating deuteronomy devarim God Jethro leaders leadership moses online learning online parashah class responsibility דברים
June 13, 2014 By bethmordecai no comments.
Parashat Sh’lah L’kha: The Religious Value of Doubting What You See and Desire
In this week’s Torah portion we read the stories of twelve leaders of Israel who are commanded to “spy” (la-tur) the land of Canaan (Numbers 13:2). Yet at the end of the Torah portion, the root t-u-r that was used earlier for the positive command “to spy” is used here as the negative command for the Israelites to “not follow (v’lo taturu) what they feel in their hearts and what they see with their eyes (Numbers 15:39). What can we learn from the juxtaposition of different meanings for this same root? Why[...]
Category : Online Learning Online Parashah Class Tag : desire doubt eyes God heart online learning online parashah class rashbam rashi see shelach lecha shelach lekha shelah lekha shelakh lekha sotah spies talmud tzitzit weekly torah portion
June 6, 2014 By bethmordecai no comments.
Parashat B'ha-alot'khah 2014/5774 (Triennial I) -- Does God Need Light?
At the beginning of this week's Torah portion, we learn how the Israelites (and particularly the Levites) are instructed to light the m'norah in the Temple. But why is that light there? Do the people need the light to see in the Temple? Or does God need the light of the people? Or is there another purpose to this light altogether! Come join us for this fascinating conversation about the usage of light in our sacred spaces.
Category : Online Learning Online Parashah Class Tag : b'ha-alot'khah behaalotecha candles God light m'norah menorah online learning online parashah class parasha parsha rabeinu bachya rashi weekly torah portion בהעלותך