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!
December 20, 2013 By bethmordecai no comments.
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 --[...]
Category : Online Learning Online Parashah Class Tag : children egyptian exodus God hebrew israel moses online parashah class parsha parshah sh'mot shemot weekly torah portion
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
July 26, 2013 By bethmordecai no comments.
2013/5773 (Triennial III) -- More Than Just Us (PART I) Every day we learn more about life. The experiences we have, the teachings that we gain all amount to the unique oral Torah that each one of us carries along, and it is by seeing life through the lens of that unique Torah which gives us the ability to understand the nature of reality. Reality is thus through the eyes of the beholder. Yet, aren't there moments when we become aware of the limitations of our vision? Aren't there opportunities for us to see reality as something more, as something greater than what we experience in our own individual lives? These are the questions that we will investigate today through[...]
Category : Online Learning Online Parashah Class Tag : eikev ekev online parashah class parasha parsha unique torah vision
July 19, 2013 By bethmordecai no comments.
2013/5773 (Triennial III) -- Are Certain Parts of the Torah More Important Than Others? This week we read Parashat Va-ethanan which includes two of the most famous sections of the Torah -- the Shema and the 10 Commandments. It is customary for the congregation to stand during the public reading of the 10 Commandments, yet this custom has been debated throughout rabbinic literature because standing for the 10 commandments seems to overemphasize their importance. During this week's class, we will look at some of these rabbinic sources together as we explore whether or not it's appropriate to emphasize certain sections of the Torah.
Category : Online Learning Online Parashah Class Tag : 10 commandments online parashah class parasha parsha torah vaetchanan vaethanan
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
July 5, 2013 By bethmordecai no comments.
2013/5773 (Triennial III) -- The Torah's Evolving Understanding of "Others" Double Torah portion: Matot/Ma'asei Much of the Torah focuses (understandably so) on the special relationship between God and Israel. This relationship though is set amidst a background of many other peoples and while some are sympathetic to God and the cause of the Israelites, the majority worship "elohim aheirim," other Gods and act as a terrestrial proxy to the war against God. We will discuss whether these are the only kinds of relationships that Israel and God can have with the nations of the world or whether the Torah itself hints at an evolving relationship among God, Israel, and humanity.
Category : Online Learning Online Parashah Class Tag : God interfaith israel ma'asei ma-asei matot nations parsha parshah weekly torah portion
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
May 31, 2013 By bethmordecai no comments.
2013/5773 (Triennial III) -- One Torah For All? In this week's Torah portion, God commands that all non-Jews, or "strangers" who live with the people of Israel have torah ehat, "one Torah," to live by along with the rest of Israel. To what extent does this mean that Judaism should accept all people into the larger congregation of Israel?
Category : Online Learning Online Parashah Class Tag : echad ehad God israel judaism learning one online learning online parashah class parsha sh'lakh l'kha shelakh lekha torah
May 17, 2013 By bethmordecai no comments.
2013/5773 (Triennial III) -- In It Together Much is made about leadership. If you have a good captain of the ship, then the ship will be good. But perhaps the Torah teaches that it does not work that way. In preparation for this week's General Board meeting, watch this week's Parashah class as we explore a NEW way to look at leadership and communal action.
Category : Online Learning Online Parashah Class Tag : community leadership learning naso nasso online learning online parashah class parsha
May 10, 2013 By bethmordecai no comments.
2013/5773 (Triennial III) -- Making Every Dot Count There are 10 times when small dots (or diamonds) appear above words in the Torah. There must be a purpose for them, otherwise why would they be written in the text! Could they teach us something about how the Torah was written down? Could they teach us abouthow to read the text in front of us? Join us for a fascinating discussion on how, in the Torah, we make every dot count!
Category : Online Learning Online Parashah Class Tag : dots learning online learning online parashah class parsha read torah torah words write torah written torah