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 17, 2014 By bethmordecai no comments.
2014/5774 (Triennial I) -- Getting "Buy In"
Any successful leader or organization needs the people they serve or emply to "buy in" to the vision they are selling or promoting. Without that buy in, where's the motivation to do the work and to do it together? The same holds true for Moses -- was he able to get buy in from his leaders and from the people to promote the values of the Torah? What's more, how can we who live so many thousands of years after the Revelation of Torah buy into what the Torah is selling? We will discuss these questions and more during today's online parashah class
Category : Online Learning Online Parashah Class Tag : buy in delegate God leadership mission moses online learning online parashah class parsha weekly torah portion yitro
January 10, 2014 By bethmordecai no comments.
2014/5774 (Triennial I) -- Parashat B'shalah: How Do We and God Interact in this World?
Parashat B'shalah, with it's famous story of the splitting of the Sea of Reeds, seems to teach us how God can come down to the human world and save human beings, like the Israelites. Yet towards the beginning of the parashah in Exodus 13:8, the Torah teaches us that the Isralites left Egypt "armed" (hamushim) -- why would they need to be armed if God was going to save them from the Egyptians? Shouldn't they just have had faith without the need to physically protect themselves? Or does God want us to protect ourselves before stepping[...]
Category : Online Learning Online Parashah Class Tag : armed b'shalach b'shalah b'shallach beshalach beshallach exodus God hamushim interact israelites joseph joshua learning online learning online parashah class parsha pharaoh rabbi arieh trugman souls weekly torah portion
January 7, 2014 By bethmordecai no comments.
In this week's Torah portion, God sends snakes to help the Israelites face their fears as they travel through the dessert. Thanks to our friends G-dcast for this interesting, animated description of the week's parashah. QUESTION TO CONSIDER: What are the fears that each of us face? Why do we have those fears and how can we confront them together? Share your thoughts in the comments. // Post by Congregation Beth Mordecai.
Category : Kidz Korner Online Learning Tag : chukat G-dcast hukat hukkat kidz korner learning online learning snakes
January 3, 2014 By bethmordecai no comments.
Last week's Online Parashah Class: Parashat Bo 2014/5774 (Triennial I) -- Pharaoh’s Egypt: By the People, For the People? By most accounts, the Pharaohs of ancient Egypt were God-like figures who had God-like powers over their subjects. Yet, in our Parashah which describes the last moments before the Israelites are freed from Egypt, it seems that the people have a little more power than you’d expect under Pharaoh’s rule. Is this example of populous pressure a hint of the move towards more popular centered rule, like democracy? Classes from other years... (2013/5773) Triennial III -- Leaving in Haste: On the Israelites Being Freed From Egypt
Category : Online Learning Online Parashah Class Tag : democracy egypt israelites online learning online parashah class parasha parsha people pharaoh populist revolution torah weekly torah portion
December 27, 2013 By bethmordecai no comments.
2013/5774 (Triennial I) -- Where Does Aaron Come From? Where Does Torah Come From? The Torah is clear that Aaron, Moses' older brother (Exodus 7:7) is an important character in the Exodus story. But when does he appear on the scene? If he was older than Moses, how was he born when all male Israelite children were being killed? Perhaps by learning where Aaron comes from we can learn a little bit about where the Torah comes from.
Category : Online Learning Online Parashah Class Tag : online learning online parashah class parashah parashat parsha vaera
December 13, 2013 By bethmordecai no comments.
2013/5774 (Triennial I) -- To Lie With Our Ancestors In this week's Torah portion, Jacob is on his death bed and says he's about to "lie with my ancestors" (shakhavti im avotai). What is the meaning of this phrase in regards to biblical attitudes towards death? Can we also learn something from this text on the role that biblical ancestors play in biblical worship and on the biblical understanding of the afterlife? Lastly, how will this learning help us understanding the meaning of death in our lives?
Category : Online Learning Online Parashah Class Tag : online learning online parashah class online parsha class parsha parshat torah vayechi vayehi vayekhi
December 5, 2013 By bethmordecai no comments.
Enjoy this unique interpretation of Parashat Mikketz from The Epichorus and the Maqam Project // Post by Congregation Beth Mordecai.
Category : Online Learning Torah Teachings Tag : epichorus maqam online learning poetry rabbi zach fredman torah portion
November 22, 2013 By bethmordecai no comments.
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Category : American Jewish News Conservative Judaism Jewish Culture and History Jewish Ritual 101 Learning Online Learning Torah Teachings Tag : american jewish news jewish theological seminary of america online learning parashat vayeshev rabbi mitch cohen ramah torah torah teachings
July 12, 2013 By bethmordecai no comments.
2013/5773 (Triennial III) -- Can God Be the Ultimate General? In this week's Parashah, we read Moses' retelling of the Israelites' military victories over other peoples of the ancient near east, and directs the Israelites on which peoples they will defeat in the future. Throughout this re-telling, God plays a central role -- it is not the Israelites' decision on which lands to conquer but rather God's decision based on God's promises to other nations on what lands belong to them. In this regard, God is acting like the Ultimate General, deciding what territory belongs to which people. Can this vision of God as an Ultimate General resonate with us today? Are we in control of our own land or are there other[...]
Category : Online Learning Online Parashah Class Tag : ancient near east d'varim deuteronomy devarim general God israelites online learning online parashah class parasha parashah parsha
June 14, 2013 By bethmordecai no comments.
2013/5773 (Triennial III) -- Using God's Sword In this week's Torah portion, Israel destroys nations in its path l'fi harev, "by way of the sword." This term inherently connotes a military victory, one in which soldiers fight for each side. Yet by what right do the Israelites have to use their swords in battle? Does God give them that right and that strength to be victorious in battle or are the Israelites victorious in their own right? We will investigate this question through understanding the term l'fi harev, and by virtue of that discussion talk about what gives us the right and the strength to use the "swords" in our lives. Online Learning Online Parashah Class Tag : chukat chukkat God hukkat learning military online learning online parashah class parsha soldiers Sword