israel

July 18, 2014
By bethmordecai
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Parashat Korah (קרח) — The Only Land of Milk and Honey

Parashat Korah 2014/5774 (Triennial I) Israel: The Only Land of Milk and Honey Today's learning will be for the sake of adding the light of Torah to the efforts undertaken to safely bring home Naftali Fraenkel, Eyal Yifrah, and Gilad Shaar.

In this week's Torah portion, the rebellious Korah challenges Moses by saying "Is it not enough that you brought us from a land flowing with milk and honey (i.e. Egypt) to have us die in the wilderness?" (Numbers 16:13). But isn't Israel the only land of milk and honey? We'll investigate how the Panim Yafot (an 18th Century rabbi from Poland & Germany)[...]

Category : Online Learning Online Parashah Class Uncategorized
Tag : honey israel korach korah milk online learning online parashah class panim yafot terrorism קרח

israel

July 17, 2014
By bethmordecai
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DAY 747: Thought on Israel — Our Smallness

(7/17/14), You know that saying that "it's hard to see the forest through the trees?" I used to think it simply meant being unable to see the big picture when you're immersed in the details of what you're doing. Now I think it also means that even if you have a sense of the bigger picture of what you're doing, you may not be able to see the bigger picture of what the world is doing. That is to say that what we're doing is only a small part of what's happening in the world, and even if we are cognizant of how we impact the world, the world may have other things on its mind. Take this week. Whether it is[...]

Category : Israeli News Rabbi Rabbi's Journal
Tag : israel rabbi rabbi's journal

israel

June 20, 2014
By bethmordecai
no comments.

DAY 720: The Facebooked Klal Yisrael

*Note: This message is longer than usual Dear Hevreh, I do not think Facebook is a great source for news. Not only is it hard to find posts posted not less than a week ago, but more importantly the posts I am able to read is not a representative sample of the news that's available for me to read. On one level this is my fault because though I may try, my circle of friends and colleagues is not broad enough to include all of the viewpoints I might need to hear. (That being said, is it realistic to work at being "Facebook friends" with complete strangers just to broaden my news feed? I know that the term "friend" is used loosely[...]

Category : Israeli News Rabbi Rabbi's Journal Social Media
Tag : facebook israel israeli news jewish people kidnapped klal yisrael peoplehood rabbi rabbi's journal social media teens terrorists

israel

June 16, 2014
By bethmordecai
no comments.

JEWISH CURRENT EVENTS — Et tu Presbyterians?

JEWISH CURRENT EVENTS -- Et tu Presbyterians?   // Post by Congregation Beth Mordecai.

Category : American Jewish News Israeli News Jewish Current Events Social Media
Tag : america american jewish news BDS boycott facebook interfaith israel israeli news jewish current events presbyterians social media

israel

May 16, 2014
By bethmordecai
no comments.

DAY 685: Important Conversations for Our Relationships

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

israel

May 13, 2014
By bethmordecai
no comments.

DAY 682: Understanding J-Street as an American Jew

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

israel

December 20, 2013
By bethmordecai
no comments.

Parashat Sh’mot (שמות) — The Meaning of the Name “Moses”

2013/5774 (Triennial I) -- The Meaning of the Name "Moses"  Moses is arguably the most famous man in the entire Bible and his name means so much to so many people. Yet where did his name come from? Is it Egyptian or is it Hebrew? Does it speak about his birth or the life he will live? We will discuss these issues along with a larger conversation about the meaning of names we give to one another in anticipation to tonight's Friday Night Service -- What's In A Name to be held at Beth Mordecai at 8 pm     Classes from other years... (2013/5773) Triennial III -- Israel as God's Children --[...]