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 18, 2016 By bethmordecai no comments.
The following is the first of three journals previewing this weekend's Scholar in Residence Weekend -- From Being Jewish to Doing Jewish: Deepening Our Jewish Identities. Today's installment focuses on the Friday night program around "being Jewish."
Dear Hevreh,
Chances are that if you're reading this message, there's been at least one seminal moment in your life when you either felt a connection to being Jewish, or (if you don't identify as Jewish) you developed an appreciation for what Judaism has to offer. In other words, regardless of our particular experiences, we share a universal feeling of the importance of whatever-it-is-that-we-call-"Jewish."
Our weekend's scholar Rabbi Porath will spend some time on Friday night helping us articulate and appreciate these seminal experiences of being/feeling[...]
Category : home Rabbi Rabbi's Journal Scholar in Residence Weekend Tag : Cantor Bronwen Mullin connection inner yid Jewish rabbi Rabbi Jonathan Porath rabbi's journal scholar in residence weekend soul spark
May 16, 2016 By bethmordecai no comments.
Got any more? Let us know at ari.saks@gmail.com.
"THESE ARE LITTLE KNOWN JEWISH FACTS THAT YOU SHOULD KNOW EVEN IF YOU ARE
NOT JEWISH"
ENJOY!
1) The Roosevelts were Dutch Jews who arrived in NYC in 1682. Claes
Rosenvelt before he changed his name to Nicholas Roosevelt, was the
first Roosevelt
ancestor to set foot in America, and Sarah Delano, FDR's mother, descended
from Sephardic Jews.
2) Joseph Stalin was originally named Joseph David Djugashvili
(translated as: "son of a Jew".) All 3 of the women that he married were
Jewish. 3) Dwight Eisenhower's father was a Swedish Jew, and listed in West
Point* 's Yearbook of 1915.
4) Lillian Friedman, a Jewish woman, married Cruz Rivera. They named
their baby Geraldo Miguel Rivera (it doesn't[...]
Category : Adult Education American Jewish News Learning videos-archive Tag : facts fun Fun Jewish facts Jewish
February 26, 2016 By bethmordecai no comments.
Mordy's Brunch Hour -- Engage TRADITION
($10 for members; $20 for non-members)
Featuring Rabbi Gerald Zelizer, Rabbi Emeritus of Congregation Neve Shalom.
A Rabbi's Work: Building Synagogue Life in Middlesex County - Past, Present, & Future
Discover the history and uncover the possibilities of synagogue life in our area of Middlesex County. Rabbi Gerald Zelizer, Rabbi emeritus of Congregation Neve Shalom in Metuchen NJ and a leading Jewish communal figure in Middlesex County for over 45 years will share his thoughts on the nature of the rabbinate and Jewish communal life.
RSVP on our Facebook event page
Share the flyer with friends!
PROGRAM
9:30 -- Tallis and Tefillin Service
10:30 -- Brunch begins
11:00 -- Lecture Begins
Mordy's Brunch hour is a series of lecture programs[...]
Category : Adult Education home Learning Mordy's Brunch Hour What's Been Happening at Beth Mordecai Tag : Gerald Zelizer Jewish Middlesex County Mordy's Brunch Hour tradition
September 18, 2015 By bethmordecai no comments.
ROSH HASHANAH SERVICE - You can listen to all of the wonderful prayers, teachings, and speeches from our Rosh Hashanah experience. We won't judge if you dance or clap along at home ;-)...-
ROSH HASHANAH EVENING
Welcome and Barchu (Rabbi Ari Saks & Cantor Bronwen Mullin)
[audio wav="http://bethmordecai.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Rosh-Hashanah-Evening-Welcome-and-Barchu.wav"][/audio]
Blessings before the Shema (Cantor Mullin)
[audio wav="http://bethmordecai.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Rosh-Hashanah-Evening-Blessings-before-the-Shema.wav"][/audio]
Shema (Cantor Mullin)
[audio wav="http://bethmordecai.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Rosh-Hashanah-Evening-Shema.wav"][/audio]
Kavannah -- Intention on Confidence (Rabbi Saks)
[audio wav="http://bethmordecai.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Rosh-Hashanah-Evening-Kavannah-Intention-on-Confidence.wav"][/audio]
Mi Khamokhah -- "Who Is Like You, O God!" (Cantor Mullin)
[audio wav="http://bethmordecai.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Rosh-Hashanah-Evening-Mi-Chamocha.wav"][/audio]
Hashkivenu -- "Help us lie down" (Cantor Mullin)
[audio wav="http://bethmordecai.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Rosh-Hashanah-Evening-Hashkivenu-Shelter-of-Peace.wav"][/audio]
Tiku Vachodesh Shofar -- "Blow the Horn" (Cantor Mullin)
[audio wav="http://bethmordecai.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Rosh-Hashanah-Evening-Tiku-Vachodesh-Shofar.wav"][/audio]
Hatzi Kaddish (Cantor Mullin)
[audio wav="http://bethmordecai.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Rosh-Hashanah-Evening-Hatzi-Kaddish.wav"][/audio]
Achat Shealti -- "Only One Thing I Ask -- (soft tune while finishing the Amidah by Cantor Mullin)
[audio wav="http://bethmordecai.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Rosh-Hashanah-Evening-Achat-Shealti-soft-tune-while-finishing-the-Amidah.wav"][/audio]
Teaching -- Last Tune Up of the Preseason (Rabbi Saks)
[audio wav="http://bethmordecai.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Rosh-Hashanah-Evening-Teaching-Last-Tune-Up-of-the-Preseason.wav"][/audio]
Kaddish Shalem[...]
Category : Ari-archive videos-archive Tag : high holidays Jewish Podcasts prayers rosh hashana Rosh Hashanah services
September 6, 2015 By bethmordecai no comments.
(9/6/15),
I'm a big football fan and this week is the lead-up to the regular season of the National Football League (NFL). Each week/game is important because there are so few games in the year (as oppose to all other professional sports who play multiple games a week). That being said, certain weeks are bigger than others because the opponent is either a hated rival or a contending team. Those weeks are often called by the name of the opponent, as in "Dallas Week" when my favorite team, the Philadelphia Eagles, play the hated Dallas Cowboys. That week boasts a lot of hype and a lot of energy and enthusiasm because you really want your team to win that game. That[...]
Category : Rabbi Rabbi's Journal Rosh Hashanah Tag : Jewish NFL Philadelphia Eagles rabbi rabbi's journal Rosh Hashanah shofar t'shuva teshuva teshuvah tshuvah
April 1, 2015 By bethmordecai no comments.
Dear Hevreh,
There was a moment during this past Saturday's Cantor Showcase, there was a moment when I closed my eyes and the Cantor's voice filled them with tears. It wasn't just that she sang a beautiful piece, but that it was sung in our magnificent sanctuary. My tears reflected the sublime joy of the special kind of Judaism we experience in our shul.
So how do we create more moments like that? By coming together on a frequent basis to experience the joy of Judaism as a community. When we spend more time together we will inevitably think about, discuss, plan, and execute the kinds of programs that grow our shul. Programs like...
Passover "Shabbat" Seder on Saturday Evening at 5 pm
Category : Ari-archive Tag : adult education cantor showcase Cantorial Showcase Jewish muslim programming rabbi rabbi's journal shabbat by the sea weekly services
February 13, 2015 By bethmordecai no comments.
Parashat Mishpatim 2015/5775 (Triennial II) -- The Difficulty in Telling the Truth (Exodus 22:4-23:19)
Telling the truth is not always easy, but it's an important part of our society. Deals would not be made and promises would not be kept if we are worried the other side is lying to us. In this week's Torah portion (Mishpatim) we have an allusion to the act of telling the truth "before God" (Exodus 22:7) which may be a forebear to the testimonial act of swearing by use of a Bible. Perhaps this is meant to teach us that fear or love of God will cause us to tell the truth. Yet, embedded in the[...]
Category : Online Learning Online Parashah Class Tag : Elohim Elokim false gods God human Jewish judges mishpatim online learning online parashah class right testimony torah truth weekly torah portion witness wrong משפטים
February 11, 2015 By bethmordecai no comments.
Dear Hevreh,
Casual...
If I had to use one word to describe the reason behind why I host Learning with the Rabbi and Ask the Rabbi at Panera and the Mall (respectively), it would be "casual." By "casual" I mean creating a space and an opportunity that lends itself to open dialogue without judgement or fear of needing to put on a show. No one can deny that sitting down for a cup of coffee in a booth feels different than sitting across a desk in the rabbi's office. We are more likely to be honest and open with ourselves (and with the person sitting across from us) when we don't feel like we need to act in a certain way. If[...]
Category : Adult Education Rabbi Rabbi's Journal Tag : Abortion ask the rabbi Casual Jewish Mall Questions Serious views
February 9, 2015 By bethmordecai no comments.
"וחי בהם" ולא שימות בהם
(תלמוד בבלי עבודה זרה כח:ב על ויקרא יח:ה)
"And you shall live by them" and not die by them
(Babylonian Talmud Avodah Zarah 27b interpreting Leviticus 18:5)
Dear Hevreh,
Ever since our people left Egypt we have been a nation of "mixed multitudes" (Exodus 12:38) an assortment of individuals and traditions from different backgrounds. Some come to share their unique backgrounds (see Jethro) and some come to experience the uniqueness of Judaism (see Aramaeans eating the Passover sacrifice). No matter the reason though Judaism has always mixed together with people and traditions from different cultures. It is part of our DNA as a wandering people.
Some would[...]
Category : Rabbi Rabbi's Journal Shabbat Tag : backgrounds beauty catholic christian community encounter environment holiness holy interaction interfaith marriage Jewish live other rabbi rabbi's journal shabbat welcoming קדושה
August 22, 2014 By bethmordecai no comments.
Parashat R'eih 2014/5774 (Triennial I): Is The Harder Path Worth It?
In this week's Torah portion, we read that God will bless the Israelites if they follow God's commandments, and will curse them if they do not. Yet, as one rabbinic commentator teaches in a parable, the way of doing God's commandments is a difficult one. So is this harder path really worth it? In our day and age, what kind of blessing can be gained through the hard path of Jewish observance? And what, if any, curse will occur if we do not go down this path?
Join us for this interesting discussion on the[...]
Category : Online Learning Online Parashah Class Tag : da'at z'kanim discipline Jewish mitzvot next world olam haba olam hazeh parsha path r'eih rashi re'eh עולם הבא עולם הזה