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 15, 2013 By bethmordecai no comments.
The moment you have all been anxiously waiting for is finally here. . . . the president’s appeal! For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Norman Silverstein and I am the president of our Temple. I would like to welcome all our members and all our guests and wish you a Shana Tova. This is my first year making the president’s appeal, because for the last 3 years it was given by our former president, Michael Gast, who has shown great dedication and leadership at our Temple, but as I have said, this year it’s my turn. Let me ask you 2 simple questions First Question 1) Why are YOU here? Maybe it’s Obligation, maybe like fiddler on the roof it’s[...]
Category : Holidays President's Message Purim Yom Kippur Tag : high holidays joni mitchell Michael Gast mordecai Norman Silverstein obligation president's appeal purim queen esther
September 12, 2013 By bethmordecai no comments.
Rabbi Ari Saks Congregation Beth Mordecai High Holidays Bulletin Article, 5774 Last Friday, for the second day of Rosh Hashanah, we had a special and unique High Holiday experience that was not the normal, traditional service. The order of the service was different, there was no Torah service, and we had opportunities for discussion and some dancing, in addition to some other innovative methods used to enhance our Rosh Hashanah experience. Overall, the feedback has been that it was a fun and meaningful service. Yet the service would never have been possible if it were not for a combination of a unique quirk of the Jewish calendar and the unique customs in which we observe our holidays. The unique quirk of the Jewish calendar is the existence[...]
Category : Bulletin Articles Passover Rabbi Rosh Hashanah Sh'mini Atzeret Shavuot Simhat Torah Sukkot Yom Kippur Tag : 5774 attendance diaspora etrog halakhah high holidays history innovation israel Jewish calendar jewish law lulav mission lulav and etrog passover pesach pesah rabbi's tisch Rosh Hashanah sh'mini atzeret shemini atzeret simchat torah simhat torah sukkot torah unique high holiday experience Yom Kippur
September 10, 2013 By bethmordecai no comments.
Dear Hevreh,
We are in the middle of perhaps, what one member shared in his words yesterday, one "the holiest times of the year." These ten days of repentance, in Hebrew aseret y'mei hat'shuvah (עשרת ימי התשובה) present an opportunity for us to use all of that positive spiritual energy that's been building up through Rosh Hashanah to be a powerful vehicle for the change we want to see in our lives. In picking up on a theme we discussed at our musical Shabbat by the Sea in August, the Talmud teaches us that if we seek God, we can still find God "in the fields" during these 10 days of repentance (Rosh Hashanah, 18a). In other words, God is[...]
Category : Ari-archive Tag : fields God hearts high holidays image of God Rosh Hashanah vulnerability בצלם אלקים
August 15, 2013 By bethmordecai no comments.
Join us for the High Holidays!
Category : Holidays Rosh Hashanah Yom Kippur Tag : advertisement high holidays holidays Rosh Hashanah Yom Kippur
August 8, 2013 By bethmordecai no comments.
Dear Hevreh, In previous messages I've talked at length about the need to pause, to take stock of where you are in this moment in order to prepare yourself for the next moment. Shabbat is a wonderful opportunity to take that pause because it is a yom m'nuhah, a day of rest, meaning that it's primary purpose is to force us to pause the hustle and bustle of our weeks to check where we are and where we're going. With the High Holidays around the corner, what better way to check our spiritual "temperature" than with the "thermometer" of Shabbat? Especially this Shabbat, the first one of the month of Elul, a month in which we are commanded to blow the shofar[...]
Category : Ari-archive Tag : breathe high holidays Pause rabbi rabbi's journal Rosh Hashanah shabbat shabbat by the sea shofar Yom Kippur
August 6, 2013 By bethmordecai no comments.
Connection is why we're here. It gives purpose and meaning in our lives
- Researcher storyteller Brene Brown
This past Sunday, Rachel and I hosted a wonderful event in our house. Over 20 "young people" (loosely termed) who are members or are affiliated with our congregation gathered together for a fun barbecue to schmooze, meet each other, and have a good time. It was a lot of fun, and in the words of Torah I shared towards the end of the day I mentioned that it's in moments like these when we can spend good quality time together in order to make connections that matter, connections that make us feel that this is a group and this is a[...]
Category : Ari-archive Caring Committee Tag : barbecues caring committee connections high holidays phone calls rabbi rabbi's journal shabbat by the sea YJPA
March 23, 2013 By bethmordecai no comments.
From Transformation to Redemption: Stepping into the Red Sea and Beyond
(Shabbat Hagadol, March 23, 2013)*
Rabbi Ari Saks
Congregation Beth Mordecai
Perth Amboy, NJ
On a cold, blustery afternoon in mid-town Manhattan I sat down with Cantor David Levine, zikhrono livrakhah, may his memory be for a blessing, to discuss the upcoming High Holiday season. I was impressed with his breadth of knowledge on hazzanut, the art of cantorial music, and I was excited by his willingness to try new ideas to make the service more engaging and meaningful. Yet the most inspiring moment of my time with our beloved hazzan was[...]
Category : Passover Rabbi Sermons Shabbat Tag : cantor david levine egypt hazzanut high holidays mareh kohen passover pesah rabbi melinda zalma redemption Rosh Hashanah shabbat slavery transformation tzror hamor Yom Kippur
July 12, 2012 By bethmordecai no comments.
Dear Hevreh, I'm sitting here in my office, practicing my reading for the Torah portion for this week (Parashat Pinhas), and I'm struck by a story that relates to something I was thinking about at the Board of Trustees meeting last night. We were talking last night about finding volunteers for the High Holidays, and during that discussion I wondered...how do we motivate people to give up their precious free time and commit to helping our community? I had a suspicion of what my answer was (and to be truthful, I've thought a lot about it over the years), and that suspicion was confirmed tonight while practicing the Torah reading: Motivation comes from feeling like we matter. In this week's Torah portion, the[...]
Category : Rabbi Rabbi's Journal Rosh Hashanah Yom Kippur Tag : Board Meeting high holidays motivation pinhas rabbi rabbi's journal volunteer פנחס
July 11, 2012 By bethmordecai no comments.
Dear Hevreh, As I mentioned yesterday, I spent the day in New York City meeting with Cantor Levine, members, and mentors. It was a whirlwind day of stories, advice, and information, but I left feeling one word...invigorated. In other words, it was one of those days when you don't feel as tired as you do on other days, because you know you did something worthwhile, meaningful, and interesting. Here are a couple of the snippets I learned that I posted throughout the day on Twitter via #PerthAmboyShul: From Cheryl August whose family has been affiliated with Beth Mordecai for generations: No matter where she is, whether it's Italy or New York City, Temple Beth Mordecai is her spiritual home From Karen Klein whose[...]
Category : Rabbi Rabbi's Journal Tag : #perthamboyshul barry dov schwartz cantor david levine cheryl august community elliot cosgrove high holidays karen klein rabbi rabbi's journal
July 10, 2012 By bethmordecai no comments.
Dear Hevreh, I am very excited because I am on my way to New York City today! It'll be nice to step out onto the streets I called home for over a decade, but more than anything else, this trip is about a threefold commitment I am making to our community: 1) PROVIDING MEANINGFUL EXPERIENCES - This morning I will be meeting with Cantor Levine to start working on High Holiday services that are meaningful, spiritual, and relevant to our Jewish community. These are the kinds of activities that get me very excited and I look forward to being part of a team (which can include all of you!) to provide high quality spiritual experiences. I am psyched for the High Holidays[...]
Category : Rabbi Rabbi's Journal Rosh Hashanah Yom Kippur Tag : community high holidays meaning meaningful experiences new york one on one rabbi rabbi's journal wisdom